Qur'an Connection by Good Tree Academy

Good Tree Academy Senior and this year's valedictorian Faizan delivers Jummah Khutba about following the example of Prophet Muhammad (SWS).  Support the show

Whatever is best doesn’t come easy. It takes work. For those who love, study and learn the Qur’an, upon entering paradise, angels will don these believers with garments and crowns, including their parents who fostered the best learning. Allah has given us some illustrations of the rewards He has prepared in paradise, and they are like nothing we’ve seen. Paradise will have mansions which will look...

In Surah At Tariq , Allah prompts us to consider our origin: “Let people then consider what they were created from!” (At-Tariq 86:5 The Nightcomer)  Ustadh Michael Wolfender uses this ayat along with examples like IKEA furniture, cow stomachs, birds’ eyes and stomachs to consider advanced design and our purpose. Our purpose is to learn about and worship Allah, as we will return to Him. This life i...

If you saw a treasure chest wide open permitted for you, would you not take? Ustadh Michael Wolfender presents the reality of the best night of the year with a wild example worth paying attention to. In Surat Al-Qadr (97 The Night of Power) , Allah repeats three times which He doesn’t do anywhere else in the Qur’an in this manner. Allah reveals He sent the Qur’an on a night in Ramadan called Layla...

Principal Wadud Hassan shares some of the rewards from fasting, including:  Allah has created a special gate in paradise called Al Rayyan for those who fast Fasting is a shield which will protect you from hellfire on the Day of Judgment Charity and night prayer extinguishes fire Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for believers on the Day of Judgment Fasting one day removes a believer seventy ye...

Once a year, the earth is crowded with angels. Allah announces: “That night the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit descend, by the permission of their Lord, for every ˹decreed˺ matter.” ( Al Qadr 97:4 The Power ) This night is in the last ten nights of Ramadan and it’s among the ways Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares how we can get close to angels and earn Allah’s Pleasure.  Jummuah means congregation in...

All of His books Allah revealed in the month of Ramadan, while most Muslims may only consider the Qur’an’s revelation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  in the cave of Mount Hira. This is among the reasons Ramadan is a special month with increased blessings. Allah closes the doors to the hellfire and opens the doors to paradise. Prayers increase in reward 70-fold. Optional prayers are elevated to the reward o...

Allah doesn’t expect perfection. He expects to worship only Him, talking to Him in prayer and doing your best. Allah sent us His Book, the Qur’an , beginning its revelation in the month of Ramadan where He commands fasting: “Ramaḍân is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong˺. So whoeve...

Allah created all humans as equal. But modern times and history show example after example where humans disobeyed the universal value of treating each other equally. Such racism has ignited wars, spurring sinning behavior Allah detests. As a means of recognition, society can then single out certain people to ‘honor,’ such as with Black History Month. Ustadh Michael Wolfender explains the conundrum...

Taking care of your soul is as important, if not even more, than taking care of your body. Emotions come from and impact your soul. How do you feel when you're angry? A purpose of anger is protection, not to adversely impact others. So, as Principal Wadud Hassan advises, the best way to respond to anger is with patience, compassion, and forgiveness. He shares the example of how our prophet Mu...

As a parent looking for an Islamic school, a key criteria to look at is the Quranic curriculum. At Good Tree Academy, the Qur’an’s lessons are integrated into the curriculum, which also means the school does not qualify for state funding.  If we want treasures from Allah, we must strive for them in the decisions we make, including ardently supporting institutions such as Good Tree Academy. “O huma...

Brother Wadud Hassan reminds us to hold on to the Qur'an and always turn to it especially in times of need. Support the show

Ustadh Michael wolfender talks about the origin of the popular idea that life on earth happened by chance and states that although this idea is popular, it is the most illogical explanation. He explains how the most logical explanation is that there is a Designer, a Creator of the heavens, the earth and all in between. Support the show

Everyone faces times of difficulty and may think life is not fair. We might look around and see others around us do not have the same responsibilities we have or are not struggling like we may be. Ustadh Michael Wolfender recites the beginning of 90:1-4 Surah Al-Balad (The City) where Allah announces everyone at some time on this earth will face hardship. We are not alone in this test. Allah is th...

We should think of ourselves as a soul with a body instead of a body with a soul. It is in our nature to know who Allah is, to know the truth but sometimes we lose our way. Principal Wadud speaks about what Allah says in 16:125 Surah An-Nahl (The Bee) “Invite all to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord alone knows best who...

Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares the story of the first revelation. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was in secution, thinking, pondering when the angel Jibreel (Gabrial) came to him with and said Icra, read (Surah Alaq (96) The Clot). The Qur’an is the ultimate reading, the ultimate recitation that has great power to transform the lives of people, to elevate their humanity, to guide them to a better way of life...

Principal Wadud Hassan reflects on how remembering Allah in our hearts can control our tongues. When our time is up in this world, we will return to Allah and we must be wary of how we spend our time and resources before we meet Allah SWT. Allah will grant us what we desire in the hereafter if we follow what he desires in this world. Therefore, we must be mindful of how we speak to others and ensu...

Thank you for all of the support at our end of year fundraiser! In this khutbah, Principal Wadud Hasan shares how we can grow gratitude, expressing it at times like when we wake up, when we close our eyes, eat and pray. In surah Ibrahim (Abraham) 14:7, Allah says “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful I will surely increase you;” Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was always beaming with gr...

As Muslims, sometimes we have to go on a journey to get closer to Allah by visiting the houses of Allah SWT in Mecca and Madina. When you visit Masjid al Nabawi in Madina, the prayer of one rakaa is equivalent to 50,000 rakaa and when you pray one rakaa at Masjid al-Haram, it is equivalent to one hundred thousand rakaa. According to several historians, the earth was all water and the first piece o...

The people of Mecca knew who Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was, what he was like, his kind character, how he was well-trusted and loved, and how he interacted with people. However, when he came with the message of Allah and truth, they rejected him and what he was preaching. This was a test for the people of Mecca because they were used to worshipping idols.  Allah SWT tells us about the stru...

There is no one else that deserves our unconditional obedience but Allah SWT and on the day of judgement, when we meet our Creator, our wealth, children, and things of this world will not be with us. Therefore, we should not forget the real purpose of being in this life and in this world is to worship Allah and focus on our hearts for the sake of reaching our best selves.  On the day of judgement,...

Ever had difficulty dealing with those around you? Allah sent us His messenger, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, as the best example for us to learn how to be kind, courteous, respectful, understanding and merciful to those around us.  Ustadh Michael Wolfender asks students to think of a time when you felt special because someone did something special for you. Naturally, you would love that per...

Principal Wadud Hasan explains the importance of our love for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and how following the ways of the Prophet, allows us to love Allah SWT. In Surah Tawbah (The Repentance) 9:128 of the Quran, Allah says that He has sent a prophet that loves us so much, our suffering distresses him. Our prophet loves his believers so much that when we are not happy, he is not happy.  T...

In Surat Al-Anbya (21 The Prophets) , Allah subhanallah wa ta’ala tells Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him: “We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world.” (21:107) Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares examples from the prophet’s mercy many times throughout his life and more so during the worst and most difficult day of his life. The prophet ﷺ told his wife Aisha that the hardest da...

Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, grew up as an orphan and Allah SWT took care of him and made sure he was taken care of. However, there were times when the prophet ﷺ faced hardships in the society he lived in, being perturbed by the prevalence of idol worship, inappropriate taking of life and ill treatment of orphans among other wrongs. So the prophet ﷺ would isolate himself in a cave to have...