Having got in shape through a mixture of dieting and exercise a buddy of mine was talking to me about physical diet; and the myriad of options and solutions to working out, staying healthy, eating clean and getting in shape. Our thoughts then turned to the other aspects of our lives that perhaps need a…

Emotional Turmoil & Tribulations قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ “Allah has truly been gracious to us. Surely whoever is mindful ˹of Allah˺ and patient, then certainly Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.” — Qur’an 12:90 Emotional turmoil. Tests and trials. Life is full…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 29 تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ١ “Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests all authority. And He is Most Capable of everything.” —  Quran 67:1 Ultimately all power rests with He, Allah. We do what we can, trying our best but ultimately our success and…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 28 أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَىٰ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَآ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 27 – The short life and preparation وَفِى ثَمُودَ إِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍۢ ٤٣ فَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ ٤٤ فَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ مِن قِيَامٍۢ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنتَصِرِينَ ٤٥ “And in ˹the story of˺ Thamûd ˹was another lesson,˺ when they were told, “Enjoy yourselves ˹only˺ for a…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 26 – Reacting to ups and downs قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌۭ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ ۖ ٱئْتُونِى بِكِتَـٰبٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِ هَـٰذَآ أَوْ أَثَـٰرَةٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ٤ Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Have you considered whatever ˹idols˺ you invoke besides Allah?…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 25 – Reacting to ups and downs وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍۢ ٥١ When We show favour to someone, they turn away, acting arrogantly. And when touched with evil, they make endless prayers ˹for good˺. — Quran 41:51 The nature of life is…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 24 – Gratitude & Sufficiency أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُۥ ۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍۢ Is Allah not sufficient for His servant? — Quran 39:36 God is our creator and provider. The guiding force that sustains us and has always looked after us in…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 23 وَءَايَةٌۭ لَّهُمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَـٰهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّۭا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ ٣٣ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـٰتٍۢ مِّن نَّخِيلٍۢ وَأَعْنَـٰبٍۢ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلْعُيُونِ ٣٤ لِيَأْكُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ ٣٥ “There is a sign for them in the dead earth: We give it life, producing grain from it…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 22 وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنࣲ وَلَا مُؤۡمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥۤ أَمۡرًا أَن یَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِیَرَةُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِمۡۗ وَمَن یَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَـٰلࣰا مُّبِینࣰا “It is not for a believing man or woman—when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter—to have any other choice in that matter. Indeed, whoever disobeys…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 21 وَمَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۤ إِلَّا لَهۡوࣱ وَلَعِبࣱۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةَ لَهِیَ ٱلۡحَیَوَانُۚ لَوۡ كَانُوا۟ یَعۡلَمُونَ “This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.” — Qur’an 29:64 How long do we have on earth. In the grand…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 20 وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضۡلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا یَشۡكُرُونَ “Surely your Lord is ever Bountiful to humanity, but most of them are ungrateful.” — Qur’an 27:73 – 74 When we think about our lives, so much has happened. Many trials but so much more goodness. We sometimes focus on…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 19 أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا ٤٣ “Have you seen ˹O Prophet˺ the one who has taken their own desires as their god? Will you then be a keeper over them?” — Quran 25:43 Taking one’s own desire as a god means to prioritise desires over all…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 18 قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ١ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ ٢ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ ٣ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ ٤ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ٥ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ٦ فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ٧ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 17 خُلِقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مِنْ عَجَلٍۢ ۚ سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِى فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ ٣٧ “Humankind is made of haste. I will soon show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten them.” — Quran 21:37 There will come a day for all of us when we will look back on the past…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 16 ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُۥ زَكَرِيَّآ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيًّۭا قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًۭا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّۭا وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًۭا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّۭا يَرِثُنِى وَيَرِثُ مِنْ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَٱجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّۭا يَـٰزَكَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَـٰمٍ…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 15 مَّنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًۭا ١٥ Whoever chooses to be guided, it is only for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. No…

Ramadan 2022 – Juz 14 وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرًۭا مِّن صَلْصَـٰلٍۢ مِّنْ حَمَإٍۢ مَّسْنُونٍۢ ٢٨ فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ ٢٩ فَسَجَدَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ ٣٠ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ ٣١ قَالَ يَـٰٓإِبْلِيسُ مَا لَكَ أَلَّا تَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ ٣٢ قَالَ لَمْ أَكُن لِّأَسْجُدَ لِبَشَرٍ…

قَالَ ٱجۡعَلۡنِی عَلَىٰ خَزَاۤىِٕنِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ إِنِّی حَفِیظٌ عَلِیمࣱ ٥٥ “Yusuf said, “Put me in charge of the store-houses of the land, for I am truly reliable and adept.”” — Quran 12:55 It can be hard to balance worldly success with humility. How do we show that we’re capable at work and ask for a promotion,…

۞ وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّۭ فِى كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ ٦ “There is no moving creature on earth whose provision is not guaranteed by Allah. And He knows where it lives and where it is laid to rest. All is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record.” — Quran…