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SHAFAQNA –Our times are times of great upheaval and injustice! Regardless of what faith, if any, anyone holds I don’t think that anyone will disagree with my statement. And while humanity has faced many periods of great hardship, I don’t think any period of our History has been more absolutely violent, and bent on crushing the human spirit. Our times are times of labelling, shaming, and aihilating … Society today has a desperate need to categorize and arrange people, communities and faiths according to a very strict set of rules – one which screams of bigotry, ignorance and arrogant ego-centrism. Muslims in this sick equation have suffered most of all I would say – often by their own hands,...

As you may be aware, the prophets propagated their messages on the basis of two executive guarantees: waing the people and bringing glad tidings for them. They waed people from the agony of fire as a result of sins; and promised them the rewards and great blessings of the hereafter as a result of being obedient to the Almighty Allah. Let us assume (God Forbid) that Allah (SWT) is an oppressor and that He will punish everyone regardless of their good actions. If this was the case, there would not be a difference between the righteous and the people who have been sinful all their lives; at the end both will be punishedequally. Therefore, the set of laws set by Allah (SWT) and expressed by the ...

SHAFAQNA- After the unity of God, the mercy and compassion of God seems to be the most important aspect of the Qur’anic image of Him. There are more attributes in this category than any other category and altogether they are by far the most often repeated characteristics of God in the Qur’an. Every chapter of the Qur’an starts with بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ except Chapter 9. However, Chapter 27 contains this phrase twice: once in the begiing and then again in the verse 27:30. In such an extraordinarily important phrase which stands as a symbol for Islam and occurs 114 times in the Qur’an and with which Muslims are highly recommended to begin every act or speech, two attributes in p...

SHAFAQNA-As you may be aware, the prophets propagated their messages on the basis of two executive guarantees: waing the people and bringing glad tidings for them. They waed people from the agony of fire as a result of sins; and promised them the rewards and great blessings of the hereafter as a result of being obedient to the Almighty Allah. Let us assume (God Forbid) that Allah (SWT) is an oppressor and that He will punish everyone regardless of their good actions. If this was the case, there would not be a difference between the righteous and the people who have been sinful all their lives; at the end both will be punished equally. Therefore, the set of laws set by Allah (SWT) and expre...

SHAFAQNA – Allah (SWT) in a Divine Narration said: Swear to My Glory, Splendour, Beauty, Elegance, Eminence of My Position and Place that no servant of Mine preferring God’s wishes to his/her own unless I will make all his/her efforts directed towards the affairs of the hereafter, will place independence in his/her heart, will recompense for his/her sadness and difficulties, will make the skies and the earth guarantors for his/her sustenance and will provide for his/her worldly needs even if the world is angry with him/her and I will be behind him/her in any trade [1]. In a revelation to Dawood (AS), Allah (SWT) said: O’ Dawood, there is no servant of Mine who obeys Me unless I grant him/h...

SHAFAQNA- God Commands Us to be Just The true justice described in the Qur’an commands man to behave justly, not discriminating between people, protecting others’ rights and not permitting violence, no matter what the circumstances, to side with the oppressed against the oppressor and to help the needy. This justice calls for the rights of both parties to be protected when reaching a decision in a dispute, assessing all aspects of an incident, setting aside all prejudices, being objective, honest, tolerant, merciful and compassionate. In the event one fails to display any of these characteristics or attaches greater importance to a particular one, then it becomes hard to exercise true justi...

SHAFAQNA – It is narrated from Imam Ali (AS) who said: Whenever Allah (SWT) wants to remove a blessing from the servant of God, the first thing that is taken away from him/her is his/her wisdom [1]. [1] Beharul Anwaar, Vol. 1, Page 245. SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleUAE calls it quit in Yemen Next articleRecommendations of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) for the month of Ramadhan (Part One) Let's block ads! بخوانید...

SHAFAQNA – Imam Ali (AS) said: The fasting in the month of Ramadhan, is a shield against Divine Torments [1]. [1] Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 110....

SHAFAQNA –New Yorkers protested on Friday, 3 June against the siege on Gaza in support of Palestinian fishermen under attack by Israeli occupation forces. To date, 70 fishers have been detained by Israeli naval forces and 20 boats confiscated in 2016; these numbers parallel the already troubling figures for the whole of 2015. The protest came as part of Samidoun’s weekly protests in New York City outside the offices of G4S, the British-Danish security corporation that provides security systems, control rooms and equipment for Israeli prisons, checkpoints, and the Beit Hanoun-Erez crossing where Israel imposes the siege on Gaza. G4S is subject to a global campaign of boycott, divestment and...

SHAFAQNA –New Yorkers protested on Friday, 3 June against the siege on Gaza in support of Palestinian fishermen under attack by Israeli occupation forces. To date, 70 fishers have been detained by Israeli naval forces and 20 boats confiscated in 2016; these numbers parallel the already troubling figures for the whole of 2015. The protest came as part of Samidoun’s weekly protests in New York City outside the offices of G4S, the British-Danish security corporation that provides security systems, control rooms and equipment for Israeli prisons, checkpoints, and the Beit Hanoun-Erez crossing where Israel imposes the siege on Gaza. G4S is subject to a global campaign of boycott, divestment and...

SHAFAQNA – According to the holy Quran, all Divine Commands are meaningful within the frame of piety (Taqwa) and the nearest deed which proves it (piety) to be true is justice, and this is clearly stated by Allah (SWT) in Ayah 8 of Surah Al-Ma’edah: “O’ you who believe, stand firmly for Allah (SWT) (in the way of Allah (SWT)) as witnesses to fair dealing, and do not let hatred of others make you to divert towards wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety, and fear Allah (SWT), for Allah (SWT) is well aware of all that you do.” SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleCan the believer break the given promise? Let's block ads! بخوانید...

SHAFAQNA – In Ayah 70 of Surah Al-Asra, Allah (SWT) said: “God dignified (granted honour and respect; lifted them to the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect) the children of Adam and provided them with transport on land and at sea. God provided them with wholesome things and favoured them especially over and above a great part of Divine Creation.” SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleWhat is the coection between creation and justice? Let's block ads! بخوانید...

SHAFAQNA – The order of creation (existence) is based on the axis of justice and there is no oppression or deviation in Divine Creation by Allah (SWT). According to holy verses of the Quran for example, in a part of Ayah 25 of Surah Al-Hadeed, Allah (SWT) said: “God sent messengers with explanations, and sent the Book (the Quran), and the balance down with them, so that mankind conduct themselves with justice.” In the above holy verse, justice means placing everything in its rightful place which in fact is the same as the just position of that thing. Because placing everything in its suitable place is the same as everything to be placed in its right (just) place. Therefore, if mankind is a...

SHAFAQNA – In reply to a question about the most important and fundamental principles of all Divine Religions, Imam Sajjad (AS) said: Inviting (people) to the truth, just judgement (acting on fair and unprejudiced judgment) and fulfilling the promise (covenant, treaty, contract, agreement, pact) [1]. [1] Khesaal, Page 113, Hadith 90. SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleTurkey as the new face of radicalism Next articleWays of searching for the absolute Truth Let's block ads! بخوانید...

[embedded content] SHAFAQNA –Following a relentless campaign of harassment, incitement and slanderous denunciations conductedby the management of the institution Roman Rolland Middle School of TremblayxadenxadFrance againstSalah Lamrani a teacher/professor at the aforementioned school. The campaign was started and carried out by School Principal Mrs. Khadija BOT, and AbdelkaderSAOUDI, Deputy Principal with the active complicity of Parents’ representatives and colleagues of theBoard. All of this was simply because of his union activism and his blogging activity. He was temporarilysuspended from his position as Professor of Literature for a period of 4 months, by decision of theHRD Rectory of...

SHAFAQNA – Imam Ali (AS) said: Swear to my life, I do not compromise or show weakness fighting with the one who is against the truth and follows the wrong way [1]. In another place, Imam Ali (AS) said: In all my life there is not one dark point in order for the hypocritical ones and those who point with their eyes and eyebrows, to say something. The weakest of people are dear to me so that I can obtain his/her right and the strong is weak to me in order that I retake others rights from him/her. With all our existence we are happy with Divine Destiny and totally submitted to God’s Commands [2]. [1] Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 24. [2] As above, Sermon 37. SHARE Facebook Twitter Pre...

[embedded content] SHAFAQNA –The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) staed a protest and vigil for Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky in London, where President Muhammadu Buhari attended an anti-corruption summit. The aim of the protest is to call attention to the Zaria massacre, in which over 350 Shiite Muslims were killed by the Nigerian military, and the abuse and unlawful detention of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). The massacre, took place between December 12 and 14, 2016, by Nigerian army against hundreds of unarmed members of the Islamic Movement. President Buhari and top military leaders have not taken meaningful legal action coected to the Zaria...

SHAFAQNA – One of the prayers which if it is performed with total concentration of the heart and pure intention will have amazing effects on the spiritual growth and accomplishment as well as the purification of the soul is Salaat. Performing Salaat on time and the recommended Night Salaat (Nafeleh) regularly can take the human being to a high spiritual position. This is emphasized by Allah (SWT) in Ayah 79 of Surah Al-Isra: “And perform prayer in the early hours of the moing, this would be additional prayer for your spiritual benefit; soon your God will raise you to a position of praise and glory.” SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleThe Grand Ayatollah Khamenei’s answer ...

SHAFAQNA – It is narrated from Imam Hussain (AS) who said in one of his Duas: O’ Allah (SWT) do not test me by (granting) favours and do not correct me by calamity [1]. Imam (AS) said: Do not test me with favours; It is God’s method to test people by granting them Divine Blessings and Favours. God tests people by giving and taking away blessings. Imam Sajjad (AS) said: If God grants a blessing and you forget to give thanks, grants you for the second time and tests you to see if you give thanks or you forget again. If you do not, for the third time another blessing is given and if you forget, another blessing is given; what a test! This is how God tests, and this is known as “Istedraj”: Gra...

SHAFAQNA – Allah (SWT) has mentioned a general criterion for believers in the holy Quran and that is to avoid behaving according to their self desires, and they must behave according to Divine Commands and wisdom. In Ayahs 40 and 41 of Surah Naze’aat, God said: “Those who fear God (only) and restrain their self desires, surely their abode will be paradise.” Most human beings apart from those who are pious, do what they want but the point is whatever we want and wish is not to our benefit and that is the main issue [1]. [1] Be Sooye Noor, Daftar-e-Dovvom, Pages 112 and 115. SHARE Facebook Twitter Previous articleDr. Hassanain Rajabali on Imam Hussain (a.s) at McMaster Universi...