Zain's Guide to Overthinking Everything

Ramadan: A Brief Overview     Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar and Muslims around the world are commanded and obligated by God in the Quran and by the Prophet Muhammad in his Sunnah (his normative ethos and actions) to fast i.e. abstaining from food and drink during it as it is one of the five pillars of Islam alongside the declaration of faith, praying, charity, and performing pilgrimage to Mecca if one is able to.   “Islam is built upon five: to worship Allah and to disbelieve in what is worshiped besides him, to establish prayer, to give charity, to perform Hajj pilgrimage to the house, and to fast the month of Ramadan.” (Bukhari 8)   “Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the decisive authority. So whoever is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramadan˺. Allah intends ease for you, ...

Notes on the Basics of Islam Part 3: Understanding Islamic Principles     Imam Al-Sa’di said, “The pleasure that the student experiences when they seek knowledge overwhelms all the pleasures of this life.” What is meant by knowledge? According to Sheikh ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez Ibn Baz. “The word ‘knowledge’ refers to many things, but as used by the scholars of Islam, what is meant by ‘knowledge’ is religious knowledge. That is what is referred to in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ when the word is used without qualification”. We must respect the scholars of Islam as they are the inheritors of the Prophets.  “  Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will l...