The ultimate irony of Ashura is our perception of it. We remember it as the day victory was written for Musa (AS), when in reality, that victory had been written decades earlier.

Terrified by a prophecy that a boy would one day overthrow him, Pharaoh ordered the systematic slaughter of countless innocent infants to preserve his throne. Yet Allah overturned his every calculation. The very child Pharaoh sought to eliminate was placed under his own roof, nourished by his own household, and raised at the expense of his own kingdom. What Pharaoh imagined would secure his reign became the means of its destruction.

Every measure Pharaoh took to preserve his throne became another step toward its collapse, until on the Day of Ashura Allah drowned him at the hands of the very prophet he had tried to erase from existence.

This is one of the Qur'an's most profound reversals.

It is a divine message for every oppressed soul. Victory is rarely born on the day it appears. It begins the moment Allah decrees it, often through events that seem to point in the opposite direction. When Allah wills survival, no tyrant can extinguish it. When He wills victory, even the machinery of oppression is compelled to serve it. The hands that conspire against His decree may ultimately become the very hands that carry it toward fulfillment.

~Fariha Guncha.

#Muharram #Oppression #AllahDecree   #Ashoora #MusaAS   

I feel sorry for the people who don't have the conviction that good will prevail over evil in both this world and the next.

I don't say that sarcastically or with any condescension. I genuinely feel bad.

Faith builds conviction. Grow your faith, and your conviction will skyrocket.

Sometimes despite it all, you laugh for a brief moment... All this work, all this money spent, all this brute force, all this destruction... and they will lose anyway. 

The meek shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

Qur'an, Chapter 28:

4. Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into factions. He persecuted a group of them, slaughtering their sons while sparing their daughters. He was truly a corrupter.
5. But We desired to favor those who were oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders, and to make them the inheritors.
6. And to establish them in the land and to show Pharaoh, Hamaan, and their troops the very thing they feared.

We actually have no idea what is happening to these evil people at the end. I sometimes think the people who look very strong, confident and happy might be sleeping in their beds in luxury with less comfort than even people in war in Ghazzah. Truly I believe in this. Allah knows the best. 

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh!  

 InshaAllah we will continue our Live Interactive Reflection Workshops -Reflection Retreats at 2:30pm (GMT) / 17 January 2026.   

These workshops are designed to help you in reflecting on the Quran more effectively inshAllah. The sessions touch on;   

1- The Five Lenses for reflecting on the Quran as developed by our resident scholar Dr. Sohaib Saeed which you can find here http://www.quranreflect.com/5lenses  

2- The Way to The Quran by Ustadh Khurram Murad (RA)  

3- Tadubbur Tips developed by Sr. Ilham  

4- Following a brief discussion of the above by our Quran Reflect Moderators (Br. Basit and Sr. Ilham and myself) we will then apply the principles learnt to a case study verse(s) in the Quran.  

5- Before our forthcoming workshop we invite you to study the following Surah/ Verses in advance: [Surah Al-Qasas, (28), Verses 1-20]   

Please join us and see details below.  

 📅 Session Date: Saturday, 17 January 2026  

⏰ Time:  
2:30 PM GMT (UK)  
9:30 AM EST (New York)  
7:30 PM PKT (Pakistan)  
10:30 PM MYT (Malaysia)  
5:30 PM AST (Saudi Arabia)   

👉 Join and interact live: www.quranreflect.com/zoom

#reflectionRetreat ​ ​

Musa's Life design..

This is a series of videos that I am sharing this Ramadan to reflect on how Allah designed the life of prophet Musa (AS), as in the Ayah:
واصطنعتك لنفسي  
Where the word 'صناعة' refers to development, creation, manufacturing, and nurturing...

For episode (1) - see video in the comment section: The back story: The plan of the Pharaoh vs. The plan of Allah ..

The most impactful lives are designed in the middle of all the challenges and calamities. We cannot expect to hit 'pause' on such trials and tribulations until we 'figure things out'.
Many times it is these challenges that bring up the best in us...
In the beginning of Surat Al Qasas, Allah gives us the blueprint for oppression that the Pharaoh used to dominate over Bani Israel. 
And then shares his wish and his plan for the oppressed! 

Very powerful introduction for a very powerful story...
Feel free to follow this series for more.

#muslimlifedesign  
#LifeDesign  
#StoryofprophetMusa   
#QuranicLifeDesign  

Hope in Times of Crisis

In Surah Al-Qasas, Allah reveals the arrogance, torture, and horror inflicted by Pharaoh upon the Bani Israil, including the slaughter of innocent babies while sparing the women. This depiction of Pharaoh as a baby killer evokes a sense of despair and grief, making the prospect of the oppressed becoming leaders seem far-fetched.

However, amidst this backdrop, the Quran unveils Allah's plan: 'But it was Our Will to favour those who were oppressed in the land, making them models ˹of faith˺ as well as successors; (5) and to establish them in the land; and through them show Pharaoh, Hamân, and their soldiers ˹the fulfilment of˺ what they feared..' As the story unfolds, we witness Allah's plans in action, with His divine hand of providence overshadowing all other schemes. We catch a glimpse of Allah's wisdom at work when Musa (AS) is separated from his mother as a vulnerable baby, yet he is promised to be returned to her, and indeed, he is. This small victory serves as a prelude to the greater victory to come, symbolising Allah's ability to restore the displaced, disenfranchised, and oppressed to their rightful positions of freedom and power.

In the same Surah, Allah assures the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of a similar promise (28:85)- just as he was driven out of Makkah, Allah will return him to it. 'Most certainly, the One Who has ordained the Quran for you will ˹ultimately˺ bring you back home ˹to Mecca'.  It is crucial to remember that, despite the atrocities and savagery unfolding around us, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture and the ultimate victory that Allah will grant to the believers. His divine wisdom unfolds each day, leading us towards a manifest victory that will be clear before our eyes.

During times of crisis, it is this hope and trust in Allah's plan that sustains us. Let us hold onto the assurance that no matter how dire the situation may seem, Allah's wisdom and ultimate victory will prevail. May we find solace and strength in this truth.

JazakAllah for citing this important verse in this context. Indeed the future belongs to those who are mindful of God.(11:49)

The surah begins with three letters, of which the meaning is not understood. Just as in surat baqara, it is followed by a reference to the Quran as a book of certainty/guidance. Lesson 1: We humans know not while Allah knows. What we need to know is present in Allah's words.

Musa (AS) is the Prophet mentioned most often in the Quran. His story parallels the Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) in many ways from having to watch his people be tortured (in Meccan times) to dealing with the challenges of a migration and building a new community, to dealing with the reality of hypocrisy in the community. Musa would serve as a prophetic diary for our prophet (SAW) to read about and draw inspiration and lessons from. 

Already these verses offer insight into two dimensions, physical and metaphysical: physically, the descriptions of the torture of the sons and women of Bani Israel is described. Metaphysically, Allah describes His plan to free those oppressed and destroy their oppressors. Indeed, Allah is the best of planners. It also highlights the mental burden of oppression, that oppressors will always live in an anxiety that one day, rebellion will lead to their being overthrown. It reminds me of Khalid Ibn Walid's statement 'may the eyes of cowards never sleep'. It also reminds me of Umar (RA) not needing guards because of his justice with the people.

Points from tafseer:
'natloo' or recite in verse 3 refers to Jibreel AS's relating these verses to Muhammad SAW
Verse 5: to be made leaders in faith and inheritors (although of what is not mentioned). This is in line with other verses that describe Bani Israel as being the initial chosen people. Yet, they would lose that status after constant disgracing of their messenger and Allah SWT
Verse 6: The exact identity of Haman isn't known, though some israelite and biblical references are used. Some scholar mention Haman may just be a title rather than a name. 'The fulfillment of what they feared' may refer to either the prophecy of Musa destroying Firawn's reign OR to Firawn's fear of losing power over a subservient group.

#MASRamadan2020