CAIRO – Catering to the growing number of Muslim worshippers travelling to the holy land, the expansion of the mataf, or circumambulation area around the Kaaba, will be opened in Ramadan, with an hourly capacity for 100,000 worshipers. “We are currently working on utility buildings, which include government offices, the operations room, the headquarters of the security authorities, health department, …

On a dark night, in the shadow of Mount Tur, God conferred Prophethood on Moses.  His first command to him was go to Pharaoh: “Go To Pharaoh!  Verily!  He has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and disobedience, and has behaved as an arrogant tyrant).” (Ta-Ha, 20:24) Moses fled Egypt in fear for his life; he had spent 10 years in …

During the time of the Prophet, vinegar was generally prepared from grapes and dates, and was known as khal al-‘inab, khal al-khamr. According to the Prophet Muhammad, “The best vinegar is made from wine.” On one occasion, he exclaimed: “How good a condiment is vinegar.”1 He also said: “O Allah, bless vinegar. No house will be destitute where there is …

I often get into debates with people about women in Islam. How we dress. How we don't dress. What we think or don't think or should-be-thinking. I get into debates about feminism. What it is and what it isn't. I think I've spawned permanent foes because I don't care to apply the label, feminist, to describe myself. (I'm not one …

The Qur'an is the final book Allah sent to all people. Every person living on the earth is responsible for learning the Qur'an and fulfilling the commands communicated in it. Most people, however, do not learn it and fulfil what Allah commands in the Qur'an, although they accept it as a divine book. This is a consequence of their not …

Moses, peace be upon him, married one of the women he had initially helped at the waterhole and spent the next ten years working with her father and raising his own family.  His new life was quiet and contemplative, he did not have to endure the intrigue of the Egyptian court or the humiliation of his people, the Children of …