Our Blessed Prophet SAW

Ya Rasulallah, you buried your mother when you were just 6 years old. You were stoned in Ta'if until your blessed body bled. Your noble wife passed away whilst she was closest of people to you. You were instructed to leave Makkah when it was the most beloved of all cities to you. You struggled in Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and Hunayn for the sake of Allah. You travelled in the blistering heat of Arabia time and time again to protect this deen. You led the funerals of your daughters, sons, uncles, your cousins, and your Companions. Nights would pass and your family would have no food to eat. You lay on mats on the floor which left marks on your delicate skin. Your home was empty of all worldly-items until it made your Sahaba cry. You stood at night weeping for us until your feet swelled. 

May Allah reward you on behalf of this entire ummah for everything that you did for us - and forgive us for our lack of gratitude for your favours.

New apps for Muslims

 I hate to have to say it but, we don't need another "Islamic" startup.

No, we don't need another AI prayer app. No, we don't need another AI Qur'an app. No, we don't need another AI shaykh. No, we don't need another AI Muslim matrimonial app. Allah would NEVER let technology be an intermediary between Him and His creation. If you're truly called to build these apps, build them. But don't build them because you think you'll make money since you "understand" Muslims. That's not vision. That's a box. Muhammad ﷺ was sent as a mercy to HUMANITY, not just to Muslims. An app that helps parents find verified babysitters? Islamic. An app that organizes carpools to reduce traffic? Islamic. A company that helps businesses improve forecasts? Islamic. Any idea that serves someone is Islamic. Not just charity apps. Not just prayer trackers. Not just schools and education. Stop shrinking your ambitions to fit a "halal" label. The most Islamic thing you can do is solve real problems for real people. Muslim or not. Your faith isn't in your product category. It's in your intention. It's in your ethics. It's in how you treat people. Build what the world needs. Trust that Allah will bless work that serves His creation. If you're looking to build something meaningful without leaving your job, I have 2 spots left in my Spiritual MBA program and I'm offering 30% off till Friday. DM me. ♻️ Repost if a Muslim builder needs to hear this ➕ Follow James H. Faghmous, Ph.D. for More Faith. More Life May Allah's Peace be with you

Who was , Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail?

Do you know the story behind the coolness of the marble in the Two Holy Mosques?

​As soon as pilgrims step foot into the Mataf  of the haram, they are dazzled by the intense coolness of the floor, despite the blazing heat of the sun. Many wonder about the secret behind this phenomenon:

​Is it a natural property of the marble itself?

​Is there specific technology behind it?

​Are there cooling systems underneath the floor?

​Here is the story of the genius architect, Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail, and his journey with the marble of the Two Holy Mosques.

​The Architect: Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail

​Born on September 15, 1908, in Mit Ghamr, Dakahlia, Egypt, he was a prodigy:

​He was the man responsible for planning and executing the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques.

​The Secret of the Marble (Thassos)

​Dr. Ismail wanted to pave the floor of the Holy Mosque for the pilgrims with a specific type of marble known as Thassos, found only in Greece.

The marble used is Greek "Thassos," extracted from the island of Thassos. It is distinguished by its intense whiteness and a unique crystal structure. This structure gives it a high Albedo effect, meaning it reflects sunlight and heat at a very high rate and does not absorb heat quickly. This keeps it naturally cool even during the hottest hours of the day.

​To enhance this, pieces were installed with a thickness of 5 centimeters to increase heat resistance. Contrary to popular belief, the rumor that there are cold water pipes beneath the courtyard is baseless.

​

​Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail went to Greece and contracted to buy enough marble for haram. This purchase took up exactly half of the existing quantity in the small mountain where it was mined. He signed the contract, the white marble arrived, and the flooring of the haram was completed.

​15 Years Later...

Years passed, and the Saudi government asked him to install the same type of marble in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

​Dr. Mohamed Kamal recalls: "When the King's office asked me to cover the Prophet’s Mosque, I was terrified. This specific type of marble does not exist anywhere on Earth except in that small area in Greece, and I had already bought half the quantity, which was very limited."

​He returned to the same company in Greece and met the Chairman, asking about the remaining quantity. The Chairman replied that it had been sold immediately after Dr. Ismail’s first purchase years ago.

​Dr. Ismail says: "I felt a sadness unlike any I had felt in my life. I didn't even finish my coffee; I left the office and booked a flight back for the next day."

​The Twist

On his way out, he asked the secretary: "Who bought the remaining quantity?"

She replied: "It has been many years; it will be difficult to trace the buyer."

He pleaded with her: "I still have one day left in Greece. Please search, and here is my hotel number."

​He left feeling defeated, asking himself, "Why do you want to know the buyer?" but then thought, "Perhaps Allah will make a way."

​The next day, just hours before his flight, the secretary called: "Come to the company, we found the buyer's address."

​He went back, wondering what he would do with just an address. When he saw it, his heart pounded violently. The buyer was a Saudi company.

He flew directly to Saudi Arabia and went straight from the airport to the company that had bought the marble. He met the Chairman and asked: "What did you do with the marble you bought from Greece years ago?"

The Chairman said: "I don't remember."

​He called the warehouses to ask about the White Greek Marble. The reply came: "The entire quantity is still sitting in the warehouses, untouched."

​Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail says: "I wept like a child."

The company owner asked, "Why are you crying?"

Dr. Ismail told him the full story and placed a blank check on the table, saying, "Write the amount you want."

​The owner swore by Allah: "When I knew this marble was for the Prophet’s Mosque, I vowed not to take a single Dirham. The marble is all for the sake of Allah. God made me forget this marble in the warehouse after I bought it, solely so it would be here for this mission."

​Glory be to Allah who created that mountain and preserved it.

​May Allah have mercy on the engineer Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail and grant him the highest level of Paradise.

What is Fitna

The Prophet said,

"After me I have not left any trial more severe to men than women."

Sahih Al Bukhari 5096

Fitna" does not mean that women are evil or inferior.

The word fitnah means a test, trial, or temptationsomething that can lead a person away from obedience to Allah if not handled correctly.
Key points of explanation
1.It refers to temptation, not blame The hadith highlights a human reality: attraction between men and women is powerful.
Women are mentioned because men are generally more visually and emotionally tempted, just as men can be a fitnah for women (this is mentioned in other narrations and Qur'anic guidance).
2.It is a warning, not an insult
The Prophet is warning men to guard their:gaze, behavior, intentions.
It is about self-discipline, not condemning women.
3.Islam addresses both sides
Men are commanded to lower their gaze
(Qur'an 24:30).
Women are commanded to observe modesty (Qur'an 24:31).
Responsibility is shared, not placed on women alone.
4.Context matters
Attraction can lead to:
zina (fornication/adultery)
broken families
injustice
emotional and spiritual harm
The hadith emphasizes the serious consequences of uncontrolled desire.
5.Women are honored in Islam
Islam also teaches:
"The best of you are the best to their wives."
Mothers are given three times more right to good treatment than fathers.
So this hadith cannot be taken in isolation to demean women.
In simple terms:
The Prophet is saying:
"Be careful. Desire is one of the biggest tests you will face. Protect your faith and your character."
It is about discipline, morality, and accountability, not misogyny.

Mohammed SAW The Blessed Name

 Out of adab, love, and deep devotion, the Turks of the Ottoman lands were careful with the blessed name 'Muhammad'. They feared that using his noble name too freely in daily speech, calling it in markets, attaching it to reprimands, or uttering it without presence of heart, might fall short of the reverence it deserves. So while never altering the Prophet’s ﷺ name nor diminishing its sanctity, they adopted the softened form Mehmet or Mehmed for people named after him, keeping “Muhammad ﷺ” elevated, singular, and spoken with awe, salawat, and humility. This was an expression of the heart, an Ottoman way of safeguarding adab and ensuring that the most beloved name remained wrapped in honour, remembrance, and devotion.

When I was returning from Hajj one year - I was queuing in the airport so I could put my luggage and Zam Zam water through, and I had just got a pen to write my name on the bottles of water. An elderly Pakistani man who was working at the airport suddenly approached me and asked, 'What's your name?' I replied, 'Mohammed Aslam'. He got really emotional and said, 'Don't write Muhammad on the boxes. Just write Aslam. I don't want the beautiful name of Muhammad to touch the floor or to be thrown about during transportation.' That really touched my soul and filled my heart with awe.

I know people in the UK who named their children Muhammad and wouldn't call their own kids by that name without wudhu. I know others who named their sons Muhammad but never used that name when shouting at their kids or disciplining them - out of fear of disrespecting the name. This religion is nothing but adab. This ummah has always been defined by its veneration and love for the Prophet ﷺ. A man without respect and humility has not truly achieved the realities of manhood, knowledge or piety - no matter how much they've studied. The elder generation would find it difficult to throw date seeds from the Hijaz into the bin. You ask them why? They will reply, 'It grew in the land of Rasulallah ﷺ.' They may seem like simple people but their hearts are treasures of adab. Those who lower themselves before the Prophet ﷺ out of admiration and respect are raised by Allah in both worlds.

Discipline over Ego

In a time when Muslims are criticized for praying, for modesty, and for simply practicing Islam in America, this Hadith reminds us what real strength truly is. Strength is not anger. Strength is not violence. Strength is not shouting back at those who oppose us. Real strength is restraint, patience, and remaining loyal to the words of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet
Islam has never taught chaos or revenge. It teaches discipline, character, and peace even when tested. When people try to provoke Muslims or push Islam out of public life, the response is not hatred, but steadfast faith. Prayer. Patience. Moral consistency.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
"And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth gently, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say: 'Peace."
(Qur'an 25:63)

 This is the standard Islam sets.

We do not need to protest with violence or anger to prove our faith. We let our actions, restraint, and obedience to Allah speak for us. When Muslims remain peaceful, disciplined, and principled, the contrast becomes clear on its own. Character reveals truth better than arguments ever could.
True strength is staying obedient to Allah when emotions are tested.
True strength is choosing peace when provoked.
True strength is mastering the self.