Sheikhing it Up with Sheikh Faiyaz

The 19th of the blessed month marks the beginning of the epic tragedy of beloved of God and His Prophet, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a). Its important for us to be in a state where we link our heart with his, and walk in his footsteps.

Amongst the best qualities a human being can have is humility. And during this month its vital to work to remove any trace of pride and arrogance from our hearts.

During the month of Ramadan, as we are away from consumption, we have an opportunity to put our time to good use. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz reflects on some practical ways to make use of our time during the remainder of these blessed days, and moving forward, insh'Allah.

A prophetic tradition advises, "One hour of contemplation is better than 60 years of worship." But what does it mean to contemplate and reflect? What are some practical means of reflection and meditation?

(Part II) Paradise requires a great deal of effort on behalf of the believer, and its important to be in a perpetual state of obedience to God. Thus, in continuing on the theme of attaining paradise from episode 14, Sheikh Faiyaz takes a look at verses in the Holy Qur'an from Sura Fatir which define His bounty. Furthermore, the 15th of the month of Ramadan is the birth of Imam Hassan bin Ali, whom...

Islamic tradition emphasized the notions of mercy and compassion, yet in many circles, conversations about God and His prophet speak to punishment and justice. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz examines verses in Sura Yasin that preview the benefits of paradise and what we hope to attain during this blessed month.

Anger is amongst the greatest hurdles that man needs to overcome in spiritual progression to God. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz takes a look at some advices from the Prophet and his family in practicing patience and forbearance.

The month of Ramadan is a month of introspection and reflection--but perhaps nothing more important to reflect upon than our own character. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz summarized three pieces of advices from the Prophet to Imam Ali in terms of how we can work toward improving our character.

As much as the month of Ramadan is a month of worship and obedience in terms of ritual, its also important to take inspiration from its nights and days so we can be the change that this world so desperately needs.

The 10th of the blessed month of Ramadan commemorates the passing of the most beloved wife of the Prophet Muhammad (s), Lady Khadija bin Khuwaylid. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz looks into the impact that Lady Khadija made in early Islamic history, and how we can utilize our example to make a lasting imprint on humanity.

The Right of Fasting, Part II The month of Ramadan is of course the month of fasting, but what does it mean to fast? What is the spiritual goal that we are hoping to attain during this blessed month? And most importantly, what can we do to really bear the fruit of these sanctified days?

The month of Ramadan is of course the month of fasting, but what does it mean to fast? What is the spiritual goal that we are hoping to attain during this blessed month? And most importantly, what can we do to really bear the fruit of these sanctified days?

The Qur'an consists of unique anecdotes of a variety of different personalities. In this episode, we reflect on chapter 71 of the Holy Qur'an--a conversation had by Prophet Noah with God, and what he advised his community of God's mercy and compassion.

When supplicating to God, or making dua, we might ask with a great deal of sincerity and even fulfill all of the etiquettes and prerequisites mentioned in the previous episode. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz takes a look at a question that believers have struggled with for centuries- why doesn't God respond to me when I ask Him?

Supplication, or dua, is a fundamental rite in Islamic tradition and the month of Ramadan is certainly a prime time to make dua. In this episode, Sheikh Faiyaz briefly runs through some etiquettes of supplicating in the hope that we have our dua accepted by God.

Imam al-Sadiq (a) says in a tradition, "For every breath you take, a thousand thanks become incumbent upon you...and complete thankfulness is to sincerely repent your inability to convey the least amount of thanks." What are the 4 most important things we should be thankful for, primarily during this blessed month of Ramadan?

Keeping up with spirituality is incredibly difficult, but nonetheless, its important to stay in the game. Particularly for parents of young children, pregnant women, converts and new members to the community, we go through ups and downs when it comes to our relationship with God. This blessed month is an opportunity to stay the course and continue to work hard realizing that going through challeng...

For most people, the Qur'an is a book that is incredibly difficult to navigate through. During the holy month of Ramadan, we tend to listen and read the Qur'an a bit more, but building out a relationship with the book of God isn't only reading and memorizing its verses, but sitting back and contemplate its meaning.

The holy month of Ramadan is the month of prayers, fasting, charity, family, community--but above all, it is the month of opportunity. An opportunity to engage with God and an opportunity to cleanse our hearts and souls. The first episode briefly introduces the month of Ramadan and speaks to some of its merits as outlined by the Prophet Muhammad (s) and gives some perspectives into what we can do...