By Sofia Nasir / 18 Mar 2013

Motherhood is a blessing which has been given to us by Allah (glorified and exalted be He). It’s full of ups and downs, tears and laughs. At times tiring, other times energising. Let’s face it, being a mother in the 21st century is not easy; so here are a few tips to keep you on your toes.

Source : OnIslam & Newspapers / 15 Mar 2013

Fascinated by Islam’s respect for women, a teenage student at University College London shared the story of finding Islam with her colleagues as part of their college Islam Awareness Week, hoping to dispel misconceptions long associated with Islam about women.

“My main reason to convert to Islam was because it gives women the respect and rights that society no longer gives,” Sara Lawler, 19, from Ingol, told Lancashire Evening Post on Friday, March 15.

By Ansar Al-'Adl / 12 Mar 2013

This is one of the most convincing things about Islam - the treatment of women in general and especially the high position mothers hold in Islam.

Amongst the clearest examples of Islam's honoring women is the great status of the mother in Islam. Islam commands kindness, respect and obedience to parents and specifically emphasizes and gives preference to the mother as shall be shown in this article. Islam raises parents to a status greater than that found in any other religion or ideology.

By Mary C. Ali and Anjum Ali / 11 Mar 2013

The Qur'an and the Sunnah of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties. Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women's liberation movement began in the twentieth century. Actually, the women's liberation movement was not begun by women; it was revealed by Allah to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the seventh century.

By Ebrahim Saifuddin / 6 Mar 2013

It is important to read the note at the end of this article to learn the way to offer 3 and 4 Raka’a Salah.

There are certain acts of Salah that are fardh, sunnah etc but these are not covered in this compilation. Other books of fiqh like "Behishti Zewar" should be consulted in order to learn those along with a myriad of rulings regarding Salah and Taharah.

1. Stand upright facing the Qibla

By Reuters / 1 Mar 2013

Spain’s Supreme Court has overturned the city of Lleida’s ban on women wearing full-face veils — such as burqas or niqabs — in public buildings, citing religious freedom and saying the city’s argument of security concerns was unfounded.

In its ruling, dated Feb. 14 and made public on Thursday, the court said the ban could increase discrimination, rather than help eliminate it, as it may force some women to stay at home and therefore not integrate at all into Spanish society.

Source : Islamhelpline.com / 28 Feb 2013

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers. 

By Al Arabiya / 28 Feb 2013

An influential Saudi cleric has issued a religious edict, commonly known as Fatwa, allowing women to travel without a male guardian, uncover their faces and eat alongside men.

In statements posted on Twitter, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Qassim al-Ghamdi, the former head of Mecca's Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice committee, said: “It is permissible for people to look at what is not forbidden in women like their faces and their arms.”

By Faiza Dean / 27 Feb 2013

As a child, I remember my mother keeping a meticulous record of things she bought with the housekeeping money my father gave her. I often wondered why; and when I asked, she’d say she needed to make hisaab, or be accountable for the money she used. Since the money was entrusted to her by my father, she had to use it responsibly.

As I entered my teenage years, I thought the idea almost laughable – would I be willing to keep track of every cent I spent? Then I became an adult, entered the corporate world and started earning my own money. Stark reality hit me like a bucket of ice cold water in the face on a cold winter’s day!

By Lauren Booth / 9 Feb 2013

Lauren Booth, broadcaster and journalist, is former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s sister-in-law, who converted to Islam in 2010. Here below is her journey to Islam and the heart-warming reaction of her family in this translated version of a recent interview:

I thank Allah for giving me the chance to spend a month with the greatest Muslims alive in this Ummah today.