Quote by Mufti Menk Ismail

When our hearts are hardened, no sign sent to us by the Almighty will make us take heed, mend our ways or incline towards Him.

The Almighty sends regular signs of varying magnitudes to each one of us, as gentle reminders to soften our hearts towards His obedience.

If nothing at all serves as a warning to us, then we need urgent help to remedy our spiritual paralysis before it is too late.

"Has the time not come for the believers to humble their hearts to the reminder of the Almighty and the Divine Revelation..?" 57:16

May the Almighty protect our hearts from becoming hardened, and may He instead soften them to incline towards His obedience at all times. Aameen

Mufti Ismail Menk

Surat an Nahl

To the righteous (when) it is said, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "All that is good." To those who do good, there is good in this world, and the home of the hereafter is even better and excellent indeed is the home of the righteous. (Surat an-Nahl: 30-31)

Thinking seriously about faith...

A person comes across hundreds of things to distract his attention in the course of the day. During the busy daily life, it is only possible to deepen one’s faith and reflect with more certainty on the existence of the Hereafter by way of true faith. In particular, thinking about death and realizing that that one’s existence in this world will come to an end at a time appointed by Allah (God) and that one can embark on one’s eternal life at any moment take on a very distinct form in the mind.

That is because with death, many worldly things that had been of such value up until then, that had seemed so important and had such time expended on them, will lose all significance. The proximity of Paradise and Hell can be better realized with this seriousness of faith that thinking about death brings with it. One obtains a deeper understanding of the proximity of the Hereafter and that the world is merely a place of testing. People who do not understand faith as it requires have a vague view of death and the Hereafter in the life of this world. But when faced with death, this vagueness will become a sharp accuracy, and all these people will grasp the reality of the Hereafter in full clarity. This clear understanding at the moment of death is revealed as follows in the Qur’an:

The throes of death come revealing the truth. That is what you were trying to evade! The Trumpet will be blown. That is the Day of the Threat. Every self will come together with a driver and a witness: “You were heedless of this so We have stripped you of your covering and today your sight is sharp.” (Surah Qaf, 19-22)


The words “… You were heedless of this so We have stripped you of your covering...” in the verse are to be interpreted in terms of people living heedless of the transitory nature of the life of this world, the existence of the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment. At the moment of death, however, even someone who has never thought about Paradise and Hell during his life acquires a far sharper perspective and clear understanding. But that person’s test is now over and the verdict has been given. There is no way back. There is no possibility of one’s wish that “I have understood the reality, so let me start my test all over again” becoming a reality.

Since believers have a great fear of encountering such a situation in the Hereafter they spend their lives looking for ways to draw closer to Allah and have a deeper faith. Believers look only to Allah’s good pleasure, mercy and Paradise. Everyone must achieve a serious comprehension of the proximity of Paradise and Hell before the moment of death arrives, and must turn to our Almighty Lord.

Harun Yahya

There is a certain purpose and wisdom in the creation of everything

All Mighty Allah creates everything with wisdom and good. Congenital insensitivity is also one of the perfect examples of this creation of Allah. That is because, if Allah did not create such a sickness, no one would be aware of pain’s significance for the protection of body, which would be instrumental in one’s gratitude to Allah. The traits that exemplify the good Allah creates in everything are surely not limited to these. Our Lord also creates an important inspiration for the medical world to correct a disorder that some people suffer. That is because in the process of research of this disorder connections among signals and reactions and the details pertaining to them can be resolved. With this data scientists can produce new drugs that will reduce the pain caused by some certain diseases.

In the Qur’an, our Almighty Allah relates that everything He creates has a reason:


We did not create heaven and earth and everything in between them as a game. If We had desired to have some amusement, We would have derived it from Our Presence, but We did not do that. (Surat al-Anbiya’- 16–17)

The Greatest Pre-Occupation

“Whosoever loves that Allâh should open-up his heart for him and grant light to him, then let him abandon speech about that which does not concern him, and abandon sins and turn away from acts of disobedience. Then there will be between him and Allâh a hidden treasure of good actions. So if this is done, then Allâh will open up such knowledge for him, that will preoccupy him. And indeed in death is the greatest pre-occupation."Imâm al-Shâfi’î

The effects of arrogance on the soul

Arrogance leads people to sickness of mind and incorrect behavior. People who live in a state of pride and deception inhabit a dark internal world.

A pitch black world full of a sincere dread of losing, making a mistake, being disgraced or humiliated, stress, doubt, hatred, anger and passion…This state of mind wears people down and ages them; it has a severe impact on their psychological and physical well-being. These people, who are spiritually weaker than others, are cold. It is barely possible to expect a pleasant gesture, a sign of love or appreciation, or an encouraging word from them. It is hard to laugh or enjoy oneself in their presence. Sudden outbursts are common wherever such people are present. Arrogant people’s behavior is always intended to make them appear more valuable and superior in the eyes of other people.

For this reason, they have an excessive fear of making mistakes. They seek to ingratiate themselves with others for which reason they keep every moment under control and are careful to behave in a determined manner at all times.

Whenever they attend a meeting they try to be the most impressive speakers, the best dressed, to come up with the most intelligent solutions, and to draw the most attention to themselves. They are therefore constantly “on tenterhooks.” Their behavior is never sincere and genuine. They always dread the prospect of behaving incorrectly. They think they will never make a mistake. When told that they have made an error, they immediately try to absolve themselves of any blame. The situation of such people is described in these terms in these verses:


Do you not see those who praise themselves for purity? No, Allah purifies whoever He wills. They will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck. (Surat an-Nisa': 49)

Do not be like those who left their homes in arrogance, showing off to people and barring them from the way of Allah–Allah encompasses what they do. (8:47)


Being subject to criticism is something an arrogant person dislikes immensely. When criticized, their facial muscles tense up, and their expression dulls. They are dismayed by concern about damage to their prestige. They assume that, if they are criticized, they will be ridiculed or humiliated by others. Their gestures are no longer natural, and sudden rises and falls can be heard in their tone of voice. They therefore live in a constant state of discomfort. Ultimately, they never find peace and contentment. Arrogant people engage in exaggerated and attention-seeking behavior in the way they walk, talk and look. In the Qur’an Allah has stated that arrogance is a great failing:


Do not strut arrogantly about the Earth. You will certainly never split the earth apart nor will you ever rival the mountains in height. (Surat al-Isra': 37)

As for those who believe and do right actions, He will pay them their wages in full and will give them increase from His favour. As for those who show disdain and grow arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment. They will not find any protector or helper for themselves besides Allah. (4:173)

As for those who deny Our Signs and are arrogant regarding them, the Gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, and they will not enter the Garden until a camel goes through a needle’s eye. That is how We repay the evildoers. (7:40)


Arrogant people imagine that every characteristic they possess belongs to themselves. For example, they imagine that their intelligence stems from themselves. Instead of realizing that it is a blessing bestowed on them by Allah and giving thanks for it, they regard it as something to be proud of.

By overestimating this attribute in their own eyes they belittle and disparage those around them. As a result of this behavior, their associates find them unattractive and repellent. That means that arrogant people never have true, honest friends who feel a genuine affection for them. They also find it difficult to demonstrate affection for others.

They always want to be the object of love and affection, because in their own eyes they are superior to everybody else. This state of mind leads to another behavior defect: envy. They envy the beauty, intelligence, reason, moral values or worldly goods of others.

They regard everything those people possess with a jealous eye. If someone with superior features to their own is present, they immediately want to leave. Their envy means they are invariably unable to get along with others.

Allah has given a troublesome mood to these people who are grabbed by the sickness of pride. In the same way that arrogant people gain nothing but trouble, sorrow and unhappiness in the life of this world, they also forego the Hereafter and, most important of all, the love of Allah. Allah has revealed in one verse that He does not love the arrogant:


Do not avert your face from people out of haughtiness and do not strut about arrogantly on the Earth. Allah does not love anyone who is vain or boastful. (Surah Luqman: 18)


Harun Yahya