Nouman Ali Khan

In this khutbah, ustadh Nouman Ali Khan responds to the attacks made on our prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) in recent times through the wisdom of a 3- ayat passage of surah Ash Shuraa, the 42nd surah of the quran.To the audience he speaks to he (PBUH) already has certain favorable factors that can ease the task for him. Even before Prophethood, he was seen as a man of noble character by the Quraysh, which would make accepting what he had to say easier for them. He was given the Quran. He delivered a perfect message ( predrafted by Allah swt Himself ) at perfect instants to the people.  But even so, nearly a decade goes by, and nothing changes. In these ayat Allah Himself tells rasulullah (PBUH) that what he has to say is too difficult for them to accept and its too big a deal for the mushrikun to change. All the while, the muslims in Makkah are optimistic about the people of the Book in Madina. They are in hope that the Qurans message resonates with the imaan already present in their hearts. In this Makki

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan shares with us a few Ayaat that belong to a very powerful Surah and a short Surah relatively of the Quran, Suratul Furqan. What do we derive from this Surah?  Benefitting from the reminder and being grateful. These are the two things that Allah highlights in this Surah.   We are acquainted with the prominence of Sajdah and its revelation in the Qur'an. Allah SWT revealed the Ayat of Sajdah. When a Muslim is to recite it, he is supposed to fall in Sajdah. The next facet of interest in the lecture is why is it so understandable, that in our Deen, Allah SWT and His Messenger SAW, has instructed us whatever good things we commence doing, we should start with—Bismillahir Ar Rahmanir Rahim. When we just say Bismillahir Ar Rahmanir Rahim—the things we are about to do will be done expecting from Allah to put more good out of them, bring more good out of them, than we could have expected ourselves. Of course, this can only be fathomed by that Muslim who understands the significance of being g

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan revolves his lecture around the idea of presenting the message of Islam and how we must share our responsibility in delivering and sharing that message. This universal message of submission to Allah and this universal message that Muhammad ﷺ is the last of the Messengers, not that we reject any of them. We accept all of them but we accept him as the final one and the Quran is the final revelation, the final testament, sent to humanity that applies to all human beings. Some major obstacles lie between us and sharing that message. One of those obstacles that are prominent is how Islam is talked about as something evil and how it is a threat! Islam is being portrayed as something evil, something scary, something alien. What we learn from the book of Allah and Sunnah of Allah as far as we are dealing with all these accusations that are baseless is that the Muslim Ummah or the Ummah of believers will face trials and they will face troubles. And these trials are there to guarantee us Janna

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves into the importance of the blessed Jummah prayer. Surah Al  Jumu'ah is the best place to learn the spirit, the wisdom, guidance about the Friday prayer itself. There is one Ayah in the Surah that summarizes the mission of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and the second Ayah of the Surah is where Allah SWT basically takes the entire mission of the Messenger ﷺ and summarizes it. What is the purpose of this weekly gathering for the Jummah prayer? What do we wish to do? The big gathering of every week in Jum'ah is the installation of faith in Allah so that we get refreshed with our relationship with the Qur'an. We should cultivate a sense of responsibility that we are supposed to be in appreciation of the Quran. We should strive to get our sins forgiven and to be able to make sincere 'tawbah' to Allah. We should seek to appreciate our time on this earth and not waste it away with things that have no benefit here and no benefit in the next life. We should also indulge in the love of useful activ

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan targets his entire discussion at that young angry Muslim brother of ours who feel that when the Prophet ﷺ is insulted, then he is insulted, and he should do something about that, and his blood boils when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is spoken of in a way that did not deserve to be spoken of. Even the slightest insult to our Messenger ﷺ is enough to take all the happiness and joy out of his life and makes him forget all of it because his love for him is that intense.  We need to understand that there is something problematic about the way we emotionally respond. Allah says in the Qur'an - “Glory to thy Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! (He is free) from what they ascribe (to Him)! And Peace on the messengers! (Surah As Saffat :180-181). Allah is the one who said peace upon All of the Messengers. Thus, the honor of our Messenger ﷺ, the nobility, the respect, the love of our Messenger ﷺ and the status of our Messenger ﷺ is not something we give him. It is not something that comes from huma

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride that revolves around the grief and sadness experienced by Yusuf AS as illustrated beautifully in Surah Yusuf. When grief presents itself in various forms, it alters the perception of oneself at the same time the perception of our faith in the wake of an intense loss. These feelings have even impacted the Prophets of Allah (AS). We can learn from the life of Prophet Yaqub AS and Prophet Yusuf AS. When Yaqub AS was separated from his son Yusuf AS, he was filled with such deep anguish and grief that his eyes turned white due to excessive crying.  Like most stories from the Quran, there are some important life lessons that stem from Surah Yusuf. This entire Surah is dedicated to a story in a chronological order. Most importantly, it teaches us how to deal with sadness and difficult situations in life. Allah SWT essentially describes two characters who suffer and deal with a lot of grief in their lives: Prophet Yaqub AS and his son, Prophet Yusuf

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan addresses the topic of the hour and a pertinent problem amidst the Muslim youth -  a crisis of faith, and a crisis of confidence in the religion. our struggling Muslims friends and family that are Muslim are barely holding on to their faith, and they’re barely holding on to any semblance of Islam in their lives. How do we solve this predicament? A feasible solution needs to be adopted. There needs to be a kind of mentorship happening at the community level so that our younger boys are spending time with some of the older boys, especially the ones that are mature in their religion and those who have chosen to submit themselves to Islam. Doing this helps us achieve two objectives - it gives young people someone to look up to, and it gives older kids a sense of responsibility. It makes them realize that others have their eyes on them, they have to answer to a higher standard because they set the tone for others.  On a long term basis, we can hope to have forums where our young people can

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves on the amazing features and the brilliance and the inimitable, incomparable beauty of the Qur'an. There are four categories of the Arabic language - spoken Arabic, proper Arabic, ancient Arabic, and Quranic Arabic. The Quran has this perfected eloquence in ancient Arabic and Quranic Arabic. There’s no poetry like it. There’s no other literature like it.  The Quran doesn’t repeat itself across its coat on coat chapters. Also, the Quran can’t ever be divided. You know why? Because the Quran defies human logic. Are the Madni Surahs or Makkan Surahs first and then the Madni Surahs? Rather,  it’s all mixed together. Is the shortest Suran first and then the longest Surah last? Is the longest Surah first and the shortest Surah last? No. It’s doesn't follow the norms of size, subject or chronology. It has its own unique order. It is incomparable, even in its structure. The next discussion is aimed at the word ‘Ayah’. The word ‘Ayah’ is unique. Nothing else has Ayat. only the Quran has

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan talks beautifully about how the Qur’an talks about the believers being pulled out of the darkness into the light on multiple occasions and the one occasion that he shares with us in this lecture is the Ayat of Ayatul Kursi. Reciting the Qur’an and listening to the recitation of the Qur’an is not only an act of worship but also benefits our Emaan. Of course, it also fulfills the beautiful Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. ‘Ayatul Kursi’ - This grand Aayah of the Qur’an, “Saidatul Ayat Al Qur’an”, the chief Ayah of Qur'an is where Allah describes some of His most fundamental qualities and how Incredible and Awesome He is, how Magnificent He is. That there is no one worthy of worship, only He is, in any shape or form except He is. The Ayah is about darkness and light. Hence, in our lifetime, we need to confess to Allah what our darknesses are such as laziness, not paying attention in Salah, having filthy habits that nobody knows about, anger, hiding secrets, cheated someone, lied against, etc. w

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan answers the pertinent and the most oft-asked question - Can boys and girls be just friends? Islam that is based on complete adherence to what God Almighty the Creator wants us to do is the best of defense from many of these evil vices. The interaction between boys and girls must have some guidelines that should be healthy as opposed to unhealthy. There should be guided interactions between brothers and sisters especially young boys and young girls as they are coming up guided by the elders so they would know how to respectfully interact with one another also. The boys should be trained where to keep their gaze and how to keep the conversation business only and how to ensure that they recognize when they are crossing the line and the elders are supposed to be there to guide those conversations. The interactions between boys and girls gives Shaytan an opportunity who may not convince us the first time but does hammer away until it adds up until it becomes a very big problem.  What youn

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves into a brief discussion on the reflections of Surah al Fatihah in the context of the most fundamental aspects of our Deen or a summary of the entire Islam. He begins by the first three Ayats of the Surah. In them, he first analyses the difference between thanking Allah and praising Allah. The meanings of the word - Hamd are also elaborated upon. Another wonderful thing about the beginning of Surah Al Fatiha is that the hadith tells us that Allah has 99 names and in Surah al Fatiha we specifically use Allah and there is profound benefit in that the benefit is that if we thank and praise Allah only for being Khaliq then the only thing you are  appreciating is that he created, if you thank/praise Him only for being Wise then the only thing you are appreciating is that He is Wise as is the case of the other phrase too. Alhamdulillah covers all. We are also acquainted with the concepts of how we want to be Allah’s slave, and how despite Him being our Master, He is Ar Rahman- the Bes

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves into a deep discussion on what it actually means to be responsible for being witness to Humanity. In the Qur'an, Surah Al Baqarah, Verses 142 - 143, “The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.” The Prophet ﷺ had moved to Madinah and now there was a direct interaction with the Christian and Jewish community and in particular the Jewish community. One of the fundamen

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves on the need to fully comprehend the concept and benefits of being grateful to Allah at all times. He reflects upon numerous Surahs and verses of the Noble Qur'an for this purpose. Allah has reminded us to be conscious of Allah at all times as the blessings of Allah can never be fully enumerated. One of the purposes of our existence is the purpose of being forever grateful to Allah SWT. This is a lesson Allah gives us in the Surah. Musa AS was taught to give [this lesson] to his people so they could come out of darkness to light. And then this message is so important that Allah put it as a teaching for the Messenger himself. Hence, it is paramount that we become truly, sincerely grateful to Allah SWT. And as a result of our gratitude, Allah will increase us in the good things and in the guidance and in the blessings that we enjoy in this world.  Rewards: The Pleasure of Allah will be upon us. Allah will lift the punishment from us. Allah gives you more if you are thankfu

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan divulges some details on a person who was from the nation of Musa AS by the name Qaroon. He was the cousin or distant relative of Musa AS. He was the slave of the Israelites but sort of a spy for the government of the time. He was immensely rich due to his profession and had huge vaults to carry his riches. His people who meant well for him advised him not to get sucked in this facade and to stop being delusional. They wanted him to stay away from false luxuries and see through it and not to turn to fake happiness. We should pursue the next life with whatever is given in this life. What does this encrypted statement mean? Listen intently to unravel the mystery.

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves into the topic of Hajj in which millions of men and women of all ethnicities converge in Makkah to commemorate the annual rites of Hajj. Hajj is the fifth and last pillar of Islam. It is the pilgrimage whereby these men and women tread in the spiritual path of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in following the way of Prophet Ibrahim AS. Hajj is symbolic of the close ties of Muslims to the beliefs and practices of Ibrahim AS. The rites of Hajj are essentially a re-enactment of significant events in the life of Ibrahim AS and his family as well as a celebration of his legacy. These rites and legacy provide important lessons not just to the pilgrims but to the entire Muslim Ummah. Ibrahim AS was a man who submitted to and glorified Allah SWT and not himself. He was so sincere in his submission and obeyed Allah SWT in such a way that his trust in Allah SWT was Absolute and Virtuous.  This blessing of Hajj in joining with others is one of the most significant lessons of Hajj and is in accordance

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan discusses how the Qur'an is the most appropriate remedy for the sadness due to the trials and tribulations we face on a daily basis. The Qur'an addresses every single dilemma that we may encounter in our lives. We all go through various physical, moral, spiritual, and psychological crises and Allah (SWT) has revealed this Book to us and given us the example of the beautiful Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ to actually help us navigate these crises because He is the One who created us with these emotions. Sadness is one of those emotions and the reality of life. Having good Iman, having strong faith, does not mean one is guaranteed happiness. This is a world of difficulty, challenges, and of trial. For instance, Ibrahim (AS) as a young man experienced the trial of being expelled from his own house. Then there is the example of Yusuf (AS) who is betrayed by his older brothers.  The prophetic situations of sadness and grief all turn into Dua’s. Musa (AS), for example, punched a man who then di

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan opens the floor for an explicit and informative Q & A session and the answers are truly mesmerizing. Some of the questions posed are as follows: What is your opinion about working with the Tablighi Jamaat? How do I balance keeping my followers/students disciplined while applying all the nice leadership you gave? What is the best way to talk to or advise someone who may take your words as an attack on his beliefs and ways? Is dua the best option than to help them out? How would you deal with a shura person who does nothing you ask him to do?  How do you establish a leadership-volunteer relationship with a friend who may not take you seriously?  Can I just serve my parents and spend a life in solitary affairs with just my immediate family and relatives? How can I learn the Quran easily? When we serve a community at large for the sake of Allah;  how to have a lot of sabr to graduate to the next level? Individually how can we have focus and develop our deen especially seei

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan discusses the qualities an able and just leader should possess by illustrating verses from different Surahs. The following are the main qualities of interest: Trustworthy and fit for the job. Confidence Recognising leaders from a crowd. Volunteers most important assets. Does not get influenced by the elite and powerful. Deals efficiently with difficult people. Trusts others suitably depending upon the situation and is not egotistic. Hence, we should pray that Allah guides us and gives us the ability to apply these principles and gems of wisdom in our organizations, institutions, homes, and businesses that pave the way for us to build a strong future and a strong tomorrow. 

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan conducts a session about something which destroys Islamic work and that is Najwa. Najwa is mentioned a couple of times in the passage from Surah Al Mujadila.  The Ustadh discusses the essence of Najwa. Najwa means secret discussions with malicious intentions. How does Najwa develop?  As a consequence of holding meetings post a lecture or similar things, we find that a subgroup forms within the main group and they discuss the lectures held earlier and they are very defensive about that. What this does is that it disperses the unity and frankness of the gathering and of the decision-making and it cuts away at shura (mutual consultation) because in shura everybody has equal access to give an opinion and everybody shares their opinion on the same platform. This leads to forming blocs on the outside. This forming of a bloc on the outside is Najwa. So a private meeting for malicious or evil purposes is what Najwa is.  Surah Al-Fath talks about Najwa that is catastrophic and how it can destr