Riyadul Haqq

Tazkiyah: Nurturing the Soul - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 13th March 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

Allah has created Man in a very unique form. He has given man intelligence and blown into him a spirit which makes him human. When Allah instructed the angels to prostrate to Adam (A.S) they were not just prostrating to his physical body, but rather the spirit within him. We all possess this soul yet it is often given little attention.

We indulge in many physical pleasures in this life, often neglecting our soul and depriving it of nourishment. Our souls are important, just as our bodies, in being sustained and satiated. If the body is created from the Earth then its nourishment comes from the Earth. Our souls are heavenly and therefore its nourishment must also be celestial and heavenly.

Find out from this talk the importance of the soul and how we can look after it, ensuring that it remains nourished with a close connection to Allah.

A Warning Or A Form Of Entertainment

An Excerpt from the Lecture, 'Islam, Iman & Iḥsan: The Ḥadith of Jibril Part 4/4' - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 11th March 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

True Love - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 14th February 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

As human beings we naturally experience love and the feeling of being loved. Our love is placed in many things which are finite, but what would happen if we placed our love and trust in Allah who is infinite? Rasulullah ï·º is a prime example of one who loved Allah more than anyone else and it allowed him to bear many tests and hardships that came his way.

We continue to turn our love and attention away from Allah, yet He will always be ready to accept us as soon as we turn towards Him. Allah's love will never run out and it is up to us to develop that level of God consciousness and love for Him.

This lecture addresses the aspect of spirituality and love in Islam. The reasons why we want to be loved are also covered, especially within the context of marriage. Truly loving Allah would result in streams of love for anybody and anything connected to Allah.

An Excerpt from the talk, 'Islam, Iman & Iḥsan: The Ḥadīth of Jibril Part 2/4' - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 12th February 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

Human beings have accomplished great achievements. We have mapped the human genome; explored the brain using MRI scanners and have gone down to the microscopic level of DNA and RNA. We pride ourselves on our technological advancements and exploration of the oceans and other planets - yet despite this, we still don't know who we are. What gives us life? What makes us human?

Our minds may be astounding, but we are limited in our capacity, ability and our senses to understand the soul/ego/mind and how it functions. We were not made witness to the creation of the Universe, nor were we made witness to the creation of our own selves. How can we then purport to know what happened at the beginning of creation, what will happen later and how can we purport to know the mystery of Qadr (Fate)?

Learn from this excerpt the level of our intelligence and how one can understand Qadr using examples from the Qur'an and Hadith.

An Excerpt from the talk, 'The Benefits of Fasting' - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on Friday 19th May 2017 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK).

Many students will be taking their exams during the blessed month of Ramadan this year, but will fasting serve as a hindrance, or boost their abilities?

In this brief excerpt, Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq will explain how fasting was used by Greek philosophers to increase their intellectual ability before taking exams and would even go as far as to instruct their students to do the same. Fasting has many mental and spiritual benefits; and it is a practice still used today by many academics and athletes.

Ramaḍan: A Spiritual Retreat - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on Sunday 14th May 2017 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

Ramaḍān is a very blessed month wherein our main objective is to achieve a closer relationship with Allah. Our preparation for Ramaḍān should be physical, mental and spiritual. Rasulullah ﷺ spoke to the Sahabah before Ramadan not only about the virtues of Ramadan but also about practical preparation so that they would make the most of the month and not to let it go to waste.

Practically, we should look at ways of freeing up time for the month of Ramadan e.g. completing chores and other work in advance. Mental preparation includes readying ourselves for the ibadah of Allah with focus and devotion.

The reason why the month of Ramaḍan is considered a spiritual retreat is that it is a form of I'tikaf for an entire month. Iʿtikaf is a form of seclusion and retreat where we stay in the Masjid for a number of days, devoting ourselves to the ibadah of Allah and staying away from worldly affairs. The original meaning of i’tikaf was not just restricted to this. It meant to devote oneself and focus oneself on something to the exclusion of everything else. Ramaḍan is a form of iʿtikaf for the entire month. We should treat the whole of Ramaḍan as a spiritual retreat where we devote ourselves to, and focus on, the ibadah of Allah to the exclusion of everything else. In daily worship, it can be very difficult to reach elevated states of spirituality. However, in Ramadan the whole environment and climate changes drastically which can help us reach higher levels of spirituality.

This lecture beautifully explains how we can spiritually enhance ourselves during the month of Ramaḍan by looking at the examples of the past nations and those of the Prophet SAWS.

Islam, Iman & Iḥsan: The Ḥadith of Jibril Part 4/4 - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 11th March 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

The Ḥadith of Jibril is highly regarded by the Ulama as being one of the greatest Hadith of Islam. Some even go as far as to say that all the teachings of religion stem from this one Hadith. This Hadith is comprehensive and covers everything, from the basic beliefs of every Muslim and their relationship with Allah to the Signs of the Hour. Some Ulama have gone to the extent of beginning their books with this Hadith, just as Imam Muslim has done in his Sahih.

This lesson concludes the four part series on the Ḥadith of Jibril. The Signs of the Hour mentioned in this hadith are explained in detail with an explanation of why Jibril was sent to ask the Messenger of Allah SAWS these questions.

The Benefits of Fasting - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 19th May 2017 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

Allah has prescribed fasting for Muslims around the world in order for them to attain Taqwa (God consciousness), but how are fasting and Taqwa related? Many examples have been brought of people fasting in this lecture as well as the health benefits it can lead to.

Did you know Pythagoras would instruct his students to observe a 40-day fast before he would teach them? Many believe that fasting sharpens the mind and it is a practice used even today by modern day athletes and professionals.

This lecture perfectly combines some of the spiritual aspects of fasting as well as its practical uses to help us achieve the best in the month of Ramadan and outside of it.

Islam, Iman & Iḥsan: The Ḥadith of Jibril Part 3/4 - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 19th February 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)

Islam, Iman & Iḥsan: The Ḥadith of Jibril Part 2/4 - Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 12th February 2016 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)