Quran FM

Remarkable inscriptions, carved some 1,400 years ago:

“I am ʿUthmān ibn Nāʾil; I ask Allāh for Paradise.”

“I am Tammām ibn Dīnār; I ask Allāh to grant me success in all that He loves and is pleased with.”

“I am ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAqīl al-Anṣārī.”

“I am Suwayd ibn Nuṣayk; I love Allāh and His Messenger, and I strive to enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong.”

“I am Abū Nawfal Hārūn ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad ibn Ṭalḥa al-Taymī; I ask Allāh, by His mercy, to grant me Paradise.”

Fourteen centuries on, their names, their faith, and their supplications endure etched in stone, still reaching us across the ages.

How many Muslims read the Qur’an every day, yet walk away unchanged?

How many finish a page, a juz’, or even an entire khatm, but struggle to remember what they read only moments later?

The problem is not with the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is the same book that transformed desert Arabs into the greatest generation humanity has ever known. It turned idol worshippers into worshippers of Allah alone. It transformed enemies into brothers. It changed hearts, societies, and civilizations.

So why does it not always have the same effect on us?

Ibn al-Qayyim explains that benefiting from the Qur’an requires specific conditions.

The first condition is a living heart.

Allah describes the Qur’an as a reminder for “whoever has a heart.” This does not simply mean possessing the organ inside your chest. Every human being has that. Rather, it means having a heart that is spiritually alive-a heart that desires truth, seeks guidance, and is willing to submit to Allah.

A living heart is moved by reminders. It feels joy when hearing verses about Paradise. It feels fear when hearing verses about punishment. It reflects upon Allah’s signs and constantly seeks to improve.

The second condition is attentive listening.

Many people hear the Qur’an but do not truly listen. Their minds wander. Their thoughts are occupied with work, money, social media, family matters, and worldly concerns.

True listening means giving the Qur’an your complete attention. It means listening with your ears, your mind, and your heart together.

When Allah’s words are being recited, they deserve more attention than any speech on earth because they come from the Lord of the worlds.

The third condition is presence of heart.

A person may have a living heart and may be listening attentively, but if their heart is distracted, the benefit remains incomplete.

Presence means being fully engaged with what Allah is saying. It means reading slowly, reflecting on meanings, asking yourself questions, and allowing the verses to speak directly to your situation.

Imagine receiving a personal letter from someone you love deeply.

Would you rush through it?

Would you read it while scrolling your phone?

Would you skim over it without thinking?

Of course not.

You would read every word carefully because of who sent it.

Now reflect on this:

The Qur’an is a message from Allah.

Every verse contains guidance, wisdom, mercy, warnings, lessons, and answers to life’s greatest questions.

Yet many of us treat it as a ritual rather than a conversation with our Creator.

Ibn al-Qayyim teaches that when these conditions come together-a living heart, attentive listening, and full presence-the Qur’an produces its intended effect.

The heart becomes illuminated.

Faith increases.

Sins become heavier in one’s eyes.

Obedience becomes sweeter.

The believer begins seeing the world differently.

This is why two people can hear the exact same recitation. One leaves with tears in his eyes and renewed faith, while the other leaves unchanged.

The difference is not in the Qur’an.

The difference is in the hearts receiving it.

The next time you open the Qur’an, pause for a moment.

Make wudu.

Seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan.

Ask Allah to open your heart.

Then read slowly and thoughtfully.

Read as though Allah is speaking directly to you.

Because in reality, He is.

💾 Save this reminder for your next Qur’an session.

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💬 Comment “QURAN” if you ask Allah to make the Qur’an the light of your heart.

How do you know if you’re sincere?

This is something the companions were deeply concerned about.

Even Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, a man promised Jannah, asked Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه on his deathbed whether he was among the hypocrites. That may seem surprising until you realize that the companions were constantly worried about the sincerity of their hearts.

One way to examine your sincerity is to look at what you do when nobody is watching.

One of the most beneficial things you can do is to have an act of worship that remains a secret between you and Allah. Something nobody knows about except Him.

Many of the Salaf went to great lengths to conceal their worship.

Abu Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani رحمه الله would recite Qur’an and pray long before Fajr in the last third of the night. As Fajr approached, he would extinguish his lamp, lie down under his blanket, and allow his family to wake him up, even though he had already been worshipping for hours. He wanted that worship to remain a secret between himself and Allah.

Others would fast without their families knowing. Some would give charity secretly. Some would perform extra prayers known only to Allah.

It doesn’t have to be something extraordinary.

Pick one deed and make it exclusively for Allah.

The second sign is how you react to praise and criticism.

You should not become comfortable with praise. Rather, praise should make you fearful. Fearful that arrogance may enter your heart.

Shaykh Abdullah al-Shanqiti رحمه الله used to advise that if you enter a room and nobody stands up for you, nobody gives you special treatment, and nobody singles you out, then be happy. You are simply one Muslim among other Muslims.

Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه was once asked by his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, “Who was the best of the companions after the Prophet ﷺ?”

He replied, “Abu Bakr.”

Then he asked, “Who after him?”

Ali replied, “Umar.”

Then Muhammad asked, “Then you?”

Ali رضي الله عنه answered:

“I am nothing more than a man among the Muslims.”

That is humility.

Likewise, how do you react when someone criticizes you?

Many people become defensive immediately. Yet sincere people search for whatever truth may exist within the criticism.

Even if only ten percent of what was said is true, that ten percent is worth more attention than the ninety percent that may be incorrect.

The believer sees sincere advice as a gift.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that believers are mirrors to one another.

When someone offers sincere advice, we should assume good intentions whenever possible.

Perhaps they care.

Perhaps they are passionate.

Perhaps they genuinely want good for us.

Some of the scholars said:

“If someone criticizes me and he is correct, then may Allah reward him for helping me see my faults. And if he is mistaken, then may Allah forgive him for his mistake.”

Another way to measure sincerity is to look at your progress differently.

Many of us measure ourselves by quantity.

How much Qur’an did I read?

How much charity did I give?

How many prayers did I perform?

But Allah does not judge us merely by how much we do.

Allah says:

“˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds.”

Allah did not say “most deeds.”

He said “best deeds.”

And the quality that makes a deed the best is sincerity.

The real question is not:

“Am I doing more?”

The real question is:

“Am I doing it more sincerely for Allah?”

Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is keep believing in Allah when everything around you is telling you to give up.

As long as you have a delusional level of faith and trust in Allah, you’re never truly going to fail. Not because life will always go according to your plans, but because Allah never abandons those who place their trust in Him.

There will be moments when the road ahead looks unclear. Moments when your prayers are met with silence, your heart grows weary from waiting, and you begin to wonder why things are unfolding the way they are. Yet even in those moments, Allah is working behind the scenes in ways you can not see.

What feels like a delay may actually be protection. What feels like a loss may be redirection. What feels like the end may simply be the beginning of something better than you ever imagined.

Faith is not about understanding everything that happens. It is about knowing who is in control. It is waking up every day and choosing to trust Allah’s wisdom over your worries, His plans over your fears, and His timing over your impatience.

So keep making du’a. Keep moving forward. Keep placing your hopes in Allah, even when the outcome is uncertain. Because no matter how impossible a situation may seem, Allah can create a way where there appears to be none.

One day, you’ll look back on the chapters that made you cry, the waiting that tested your patience, and the struggles that nearly broke you and you’ll realize that Allah was carrying you through it all. Every step, every setback, and every unanswered question was leading you exactly where you were meant to be.

99 Names of Allah with English meaning!

1. Allah (الله) The Greatest Name
2. Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All-Compassionate
3. Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The All-Merciful
4. Al-Malik (الملك) The Absolute Ruler
5. Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Pure One
6. As-Salam (السلام) The Source of Peace
7. Al-Mu’min (المؤمن) The Inspirer of Faith
8. Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian
9. Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Victorious
10. Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Compeller
11. Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Greatest
12. Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
13. Al-Bari’ (البارئ) The Maker of Order
14. Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Shaper of Beauty
15. Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Forgiving
16 Al-Qahhar (القهار) The Subduer
17. Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Giver of All
18. Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Sustainer/Provider
19 Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener
20 Al-`Alim (العليم) The Knower of All
21 Al-Qabid (القابض) The Constrictor
22. Al-Basit (الباسط) The Reliever/Expander
23 Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
24 Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
25 Al-Mu’izz (المعز) The Bestower of Honors
26 Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Humiliator
27 As-Sami (السميع) The Hearer of All
28 Al-Basir (البصير) The Seer of All
29 Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge
30 Al-`Adl (العدل) The Just
31 Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtle One
32 Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All-Aware
33 Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing
34 Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent
35. Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The Forgiver and Hider of Faults
36. Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Rewarder of Thankfulness
37 Al-Ali (العلى) The Highest
38 Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Greatest
39 Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
40 Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher
41 Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Accounter
42 Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Mighty
43. Al-Karim (الكريم) The Generous
44 Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful One
45. Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responder to Prayer
46 Al-Wasi (الواسع) The All-Comprehending
47 Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Perfectly Wise
48 Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving One
49 Al-Majeed (المجيد) The Majestic One
50 Al-Ba’ith (الباعث) The Resurrector
51 Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
52 Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth
53 Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee
54 Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Possessor of All Strength
55 Al-Matin (المتين) The Forceful One
56 Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Governor
57 Al-Hamid (الحميد) The Praised One
58 Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Appraiser
59 Al-Mubdi’ (المبدئ) The Originator
60 Al-Mu’id (المعيد) The Restorer
61 Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
62 Al-Mumit (المميت) The Taker of Life
63 Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living One
64 Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self-Existing One
65 Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Finder
66 Al-Majid (الماجد) The Glorious
67 Al-Wahid (الواحد) The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible
68. As-Samad (الصمد) The Satisfier of All Needs
69 Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Powerful
70 Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The Creator of All Power
71 Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter
72 Al-Mu’akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer
73 Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
74 Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
75 Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest One
76 Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden One
77 Al-Wali (الوالي) The Protecting Friend
78 Al-Muta’ali (المتعالي) The Supreme One
79 Al-Barr (البر) The Doer of Good
80. At-Tawwab (التواب) The Acceptor to Repentance
81 Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
82. Al-‘Afuww (العفو) The Forgiver/Pardoner
83. Ar-Ra’uf (الرؤوف) The Clement/Compassionate
84 Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All
85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Bounty
86 Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable One
87 Al-Jami’ (الجامع) The Gatherer
88 Al-Ghani (الغنى) The Rich One
89 Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher
90. Al-Mani'(المانع) The Preventer of Harm
91 Ad-Darr (الضار) The Creator of The Harmful
92. An-Nafi’ (النافع) The Creator of Good
93 An-Nur (النور) The Light
94. Al-Hadi (الهادي) The Guide
95. Al-Badi (البديع) The Originator
96. Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Everlasting One
97. Al-Warith (الوارث) The Inheritor of All
98. Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Righteous Teacher
99. As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient One

If the Qur’an were to speak to you, it would call out and say these things.

Surah Al-Mulk would say:

“Do not forget me in your nights. I will defend you in the grave. I do not abandon the one who recites me.”

Surah Al-Kahf would say:

“Recite me on Fridays. I will be a light for you from one Friday to the next. Not just for your pain, but for your decisions.”

Ayatul Kursi would say:

“Recite me before you close your eyes. I will be your protection until morning. And if you recite me after every prayer, nothing will stand between you and Paradise except death.”

Surah Al-Ikhlas would say:

“Recite me often. I am Tawhid. A heart that remembers the Oneness of Allah does not get lost in the noise of the world.”

Surah Al-Baqarah would say:

“Keep me alive in your home. Shaytan cannot remain in a house where I am recited.”

The Qur’an was never just a book to be placed on a shelf.

It was a conversation waiting for you to begin.

Save this reminder.

Share it with someone who needs to reconnect with the Qur’an.

Comment: “YA ALLAH MAKE THE QUR’AN THE LIGHT OF MY HEART” 🤍

Allah describes marriage in a single verse, and the words He chooses reveal something profound.

Allah says:

“And He has placed between you mawaddah and rahmah.”
(Qur’an 30:21)

Most translations render these words as love and mercy, but the Arabic carries a deeper meaning.

Allah did not use the word muhabbah.

Muhabbah is love that exists in the heart. It is a feeling, an emotion, something hidden within a person.

But Allah chose the word mawaddah.

Mawaddah is love that becomes visible. It is love expressed through actions. It is love that the other person can actually feel and experience.

Because what benefit is love that remains locked inside your heart if the person you love never experiences it?

A kind word.

A gentle touch.

A sincere compliment.

A small sacrifice.

A patient response.

These are examples of mawaddah.

Then Allah mentions rahmah.

Rahmah is mercy. It is the compassion that remains when emotions fluctuate. It is the care that continues during hardship, illness, stress, aging, and disappointment. It is the love that stays even when life is no longer easy.

Some scholars said that mawaddah often characterizes the beginning of a marriage—the excitement, affection, and warmth of two people choosing one another.

But as years pass, responsibilities grow, difficulties arise, and people change, rahmah becomes essential.

It is mercy that carries a marriage through the seasons when emotions alone are not enough.

This is why Allah mentions both.

A marriage built only on mawaddah may struggle when feelings fade.

A marriage built only on rahmah may survive, but lose its warmth.

A successful marriage needs both.

Love that is shown.

And mercy that remains.

Allah placed both between husband and wife from the very beginning.

So if your marriage feels distant, do not only ask:

“Do I feel loved?”

Ask:

“Am I showing love?”

Because mawaddah was never meant to remain inside your heart.

It was meant to reach theirs.

From the Qur’an and the Sunnah, we know that there is something inside every human being called the rūḥ (soul). What is fascinating is that nearly every major civilization and religion throughout history believed in the existence of the soul. The ancient Chinese, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, the Abrahamic faiths, and even Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates all recognized that there is something beyond the physical body.

Allah ﷻ says:

“They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about the spirit. Say, “Its nature is known only to my Lord, and you ˹O humanity˺ have been given but little knowledge.”
(Qur’an 17:85)

The reality is that the soul remains one of the greatest mysteries of existence.

What made Adam عليه السلام truly Adam was not the clay from which he was fashioned. It was the soul.

Allah says:

“So when I have fashioned him and had a spirit of My Own ˹creation˺ breathed into him, fall down in prostration to him.”
(Qur’an 15:29)

Before the soul entered Adam عليه السلام, he was merely a formed body of clay. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that Allah created Adam and left his body before breathing the soul into him. During that period, Iblis examined Adam’s body. He entered it and exited from it, knocking upon it and studying it. Seeing the empty shell, Iblis arrogantly concluded that anything he could enter and exit from could be controlled.

Then Allah breathed the soul into Adam.

The Prophet ﷺ said that the soul entered Adam from the top downward. When it reached his nose, Adam sneezed. Before the soul had even completed its journey through his body, Adam instinctively said:

“Alhamdulillah.”

Allah responded:

“Yarhamukallah.”

The first words spoken by the first human were praise of Allah, and the first words spoken by Allah to Adam were a prayer of mercy.

As the soul continued downward, Adam attempted to stand before it had fully reached his feet. Allah then said:

“Humankind is made of haste.”
(Qur’an 21:37)

The soul itself is a creation of Allah. It is not part of Allah. When Allah says “My soul” regarding Adam, it is an honor and distinction, just as Allah says Baytullah (the House of Allah), Naqatullah (the Camel of Allah), and Rasulullah (the Messenger of Allah). The soul is created by Allah and belongs to Him.

A profound event then took place before any of us were born.

Allah extracted every single human soul that would ever exist from Adam عليه السلام.

Allah says:

“And ˹remember˺ when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. ˹Allah asked,˺ “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.”
(Qur’an 7:172)

Every soul that would live until the Day of Judgment was gathered.

You were there.

I was there.

Every human being was there.

Allah addressed all of us directly and asked:

“Am I not your Lord?”

Every soul responded:

“Yes, indeed. We testify.”

This covenant was taken before our birth into this world. It is one of the reasons every human being is born with a natural inclination toward belief in Allah, known as the fitrah.

The souls remained in a realm known only to Allah until the next stage.

The Prophet ﷺ informed us that when a child develops in the womb, an angel is sent. The angel is commanded to breathe the soul into the fetus. At that moment, life begins within that body by Allah’s permission.

Thus, our journey has three stages:

▪ The creation of the soul before this world.
▪ The entering of the soul into the womb.
▪ The return of the soul to Allah after death.

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

“Souls are troops collected together and those who familiarised with each other (in the heaven from where these come) would have affinity, with one another (in the world) and those amongst them who opposed each other (in the Heaven) would also be divergent (in the world).”

Some scholars understood this to mean that certain personalities naturally connect while others naturally clash.

Other scholars suggested something even deeper.

Perhaps the souls knew one another before this world. Perhaps certain souls became close during that primordial gathering before Allah. Then when they meet in this life, they instantly feel familiarity, comfort, and affection toward one another.

Likewise, some souls may not have had that connection, so when they meet in this world, they never truly develop closeness.

Many people have experienced this reality. Sometimes you meet a person for the first time and within minutes feel as though you have known them for years. Other times you interact with someone repeatedly yet never develop a deep bond.

Perhaps the explanation lies in the mystery of the soul.

And Allah knows best.

The reality of the rūḥ remains one of the greatest signs of Allah. It existed before our bodies. It will outlive our bodies. And one day, every soul will return to the One who created it.

“˹Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul! Return to your Lord, well pleased ˹with Him˺ and well pleasing ˹to Him˺. So join My servants, and enter My Paradise.”
(Qur’an 89:27-30)

The Saudi Heritage commission announced the discovery of an inscription written during the early Islamic period

“Allah is the Guardian of Umar ibn al-Khattab in this world and the Hereafter”
“There is none worthy of worship except Allah”
It was written in the Hijazi script, one of the oldest known Islamic Arabic scripts.

Ya Allah,

I come to You today with a heart that knows its own weight. I look at the giants of faith You created, and I realize how far I am from the shadow of their excellence.

My prayer-the way I stand before You-can never compare to the prayer of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He ﷺ stood until His ﷺ feet swelled, lost in the sweetness of Your presence, while I struggle to keep my focus for even a few minutes. My trust is fragile and easily shaken; it is nothing like the unwavering, foundational trust of Ibrahim (AS).

My patience wears thin with the smallest of inconveniences, unlike the incredible, legendary endurance of Ayyub (AS). My gratitude is often fleeting and tied to my comfort, while Suleiman (AS) saw every kingdom and every power as a reason to bow lower in thanks to You.

I struggle to forgive a single word spoken in anger, while Yusuf (AS) forgave a lifetime of betrayal from his own blood. My faith often wavers when the darkness settles in, unlike the heart of Yaqub (AS) who waited through decades of grief with a beautiful hope that never dimmed.

But Ya Allah, despite every flaw and every shortcoming, my soul longs for the same thing theirs did. I long to be close to You.

I look at how You chose Musa (AS) and spoke to him, and my heart aches for that same intimacy. I look at how You took Ibrahim (AS) as a friend, and I wonder if there is a place for a servant as weak as me to be called Your friend too. I know that my deeds are not a currency that can buy this closeness. My actions are dusty, my intentions are often mixed, and my efforts are imperfect.

So I do not ask You based on what I have done; I ask You based on who You are. I ask by Your infinite, reaching Mercy.

Have mercy on me, Ya Allah. Take this heart of mine and change it. Mold it and refine it until it becomes something that You love. Forgive my many weaknesses and strengthen my heart against the distractions of this dunya. Let me taste the sweetness of being so close to You that the noise of the world finally fades into the background.

And Ya Allah, let the end of my journey be the greatest miracle of all. Let me be among those who are blessed to look upon Your Beauty in Jannah. Let that be the moment where every struggle and every tear finally makes sense.

Ameen.