Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh.

Mum just recently got diagnosed. The prognosis is good and I'm trying to stay positive and pray for the best. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thank you tons, jazakum Allahu khairan and may He answer all of your prayers.

He who finds it hard (to recite the Qur'an) will have a double reward." (Sahih Muslim 798) — Keep going, your struggle is seen and rewarded.

Hey everyone, I am a guy from the United States, my parents came here fleeing the Bosnian genocide in the 1990s when they were in university. My dad joined the navy for citizenship- and is still in it to this day, and my mom basically spent her entire life getting her many graduate degrees.

But, they are very westernized and passed it onto me. I had a vague idea of Islam and we avoid pork and celebrate the holidays, but that’s it.

I also have been struggling with my sexuality. I have done haram things with both guys and girls- all consensually obviously- I always feel so bad after because I know it’s haram.

I feel like Islam is something I yearn for but I’ve had such a un-Islamic life and I don’t know how to pray, read Quran or anything. I also can’t go to mosque because I don’t have a car and my parents said they don’t want me to go because ”we just don’t.” so I just feel like I’m doomed.

Muhammad Al Luhaidan │ Surah Ar Rahman (55:40 - 55:47)

Have you guys seen this?!
SubhanAllah.

Ayah right before our eyes.

My teacher checked to make sure it's not AI before sharing with us.

You probably deserve Jannah more than you can imagine.

What is actually required or encouraged in Islam, and what different cultures have added over time.

For example, in some South Asian/Kerala Muslim weddings, there can be events like a haldi night, reception, and gatherings on the day before and morning of the wedding, with men and women sometimes attending together. Some celebrations can continue for several days at the bride’s family home before she moves to the groom’s home.

But in some Arab Muslim weddings, the format can be quite different. Men and women may celebrate separately, guests may congratulate and take photos with the bride and groom separately, followed by the nikah and wedding feast, also held separately with a relatively limited number of guests. When the groom arrives, there may be traditional dancing and duff/percussion music.

So my question is: Which parts of these traditions are Islamic requirements, and which are simply cultural additions?

And what do different Muslim cultures—Arab, South Asian, Malayali, Tamil, Turkish, African, etc.—traditionally do for weddings?

Mods I apologize if this does not belong here but wasn’t sure where else to post.

Currently in the process of finding a spouse for marriage and am finding it incredibly difficult for reasons outside of my control. I understand this is not unique to me and is a common problem.

A few years ago my father was in a very perilous situation in which there was an immediate threat to his life. I begged and cried to Allah swt during that time to bring him back safely even if that means giving something up that was important to me (mainly in this situation it was marriage and career aspirations).

Alhamdillilah my father did indeed return safely. It was a very stressful time in my life. I have noticed that anytime a marriage prospect pops up that o am excited about it falls through (not on my end).

I cannot remember the exact duaa I made where I was pleading and bargaining with Allah swt for my dad’s life. Perhaps my duaas are the reason he is still alive. However because of my pleasing and bargaining, does that mean I will not get married?

If anyone has advice or knowledge please let me know. I need to know if it’s time for me to stop pursuing marriage.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you all very much for the dua's you've made for my mother (previous post about her being in the hospital suffering from hemorragia and cancer). Despite her getting two blood bags and having her hemoglobine levels increase, she died on thursday morning right after fajr azan. May Allah have mercy on her soul and illuminate her grave.

I feel completely shattered. The emptiness I feel is impossible to describe. It is not just sadness. It feels like something inside me has been ripped out. I spent so long fighting alongside my mother, worrying about her, taking care of her, praying for her a billion times and hoping she would survive. And now she is dead.

I keep having moments where I forget for a minute that she died, and then I remember. I cannot accept that I will spend another day without her.

And I need to be honest that I want to die and have been thinking about killing myself simply to be with my mother. I find myself thinking that maybe Allah knows how broken I am and would forgive me.

I have struggled with severe depression and waswas for years, had magic done on me as a teenager, I have been harassed/bullied at work this year only, and my mother was the person who kept me going. She was the one thing that gave me a reason to hold on. Now she is gone.

My father died in 2015. I have no siblings. I don't have another parent to go back to. I feel completely alone in this world.

I know what Islam teaches about the sanctity of life, and I know that suicide is not the answer. But knowing this intellectually does not make the pain disappear. I am scared of what my mind is telling me.

I don't need someone to tell me simply to "have sabr" or to seek therapy (I already am and taking antidepressants). I need someone who understands this kind of grief and can help me find a way to stay alive, if possible, while carrying it.

Please help me...

May Allah have mercy on my mother, forgive her, illuminate her grave, grant her Jannatul Firdaus, and reunite us very very soon in a place where there is no cancer and no separation.

I have always been quite an anxious person and a natural overthinker.

After starting to properly practice my deen again, I notice the only thing that cures this is Salah and Qur'an.

To the point where when Salah ends I am just waiting for the next Salah to get that peace and tranquility that I cannot find anywhere else.

Reading the Qur'an has also opened my eyes on how this world is. I am currently memorising (slowly) with a teacher, and this week my surahs to learn were At-Takathur and Al-Qari'ah. As part of my memorisation process I read the English translation (insha'Allah I am looking to learn Arabic one day) and reading the translations of these two surahs in particular, does open your eyes.

At-Takathur:

'Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you, Until you reach the graves.'

Al-Qari'ah:

'The Striking Calamity - What is the Striking Calamity? And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity? It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed, And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up. Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], He will be in a pleasant life.'

I realised that my goals in life were skewed towards the dunya, and I was trying to find a purpose in life in the dunya, and that is the reason why I had all these thoughts. Wallah my only goal and purpose in life is to try and please Allah. If anything else comes as a result of it that is what Allah has ordained, but it is not my priority anymore.

Death doesn't scare me as much anymore. Why would I be scared to meet the eternally merciful creator? The dunya constantly leaves us short changed, yet we want to stay here for eternity. When true eternity is in paradise. Where we will have nothing but peace.

I ask Allah to guide us all and bring us closer to him, and to be the people of Jannah.

Please give me advice on how to start loving prayer again

Surah At-Tawbah 51

For the record, I am muslim and love the Prophet (s.a.w) but am not sure how to reconcile with scholars and imams saying the Prophet Muhammad is the best Prophet when the quran and hadith says otherwise:

Qur’an 2:285: “We make no distinction between any of His messengers”

Sahih Al-Bukhari 3416: The Prophet said “None should say that I am better than Yunus ibn Matta”

Sahih Al-Bukhari 3383: “The most honorable person is Yusuf”

Sahih Muslim 2373c: “Do not make me superior to Musa”

Sahih Muslim 2373a: “Do not make distinctions among the Prophets of Allah”

Sahih Muslim 2369: A man came to Rasulullah s.a.w and said “O best of creation! “ The Prophet said “That id Ibrahim a.s.”

Surah Al-Hujurat

Verse 16 full

قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ ٱللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ١٦

Say, "Would you acquaint Allāh with your religion while Allāh knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allāh is Knowing of all things?"

Verse 17

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا۟ عَلَىَّ إِسْلَـٰمَكُم ۖ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَىٰكُمْ لِلْإِيمَـٰنِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ١٧

They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islām. Say, "Do not consider your Islām a favor to me. Rather, Allāh has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful."

Assalamoe alaikum.

I would like to start a conversation on this here in the comments in sha Allah.
I reverted 2 years ago and I adore the niqab. I have met some sisters who wear niqab and gloves and subhanallah while travelling in North Africa I saw two women walking with full face black veil. I am aware of the burqa ban in many european countries. Are there any sisters who like to wear the full face veil? Allah make it easy.

No hate on veiling thank you.