Affan Ahmed

The Spirit of Resilience ✨

Feeling overwhelmed by life’s ups and downs? Struggling to stay strong in today’s fast-changing world?

Join us this Sunday for a powerful and heart-touching session on Fiqh & Resilience — how to remain spiritually and emotionally grounded through life’s trials.

📖 Discover timeless lessons from the Qur’an, inspiring stories from the life of the Prophet ﷺ, and practical guidance to help you build inner strength in uncertain times.

🗓 Date: Sunday, August 10, 2025
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: Masjidul Mumineen

A special talk and Q&A with Shaykh Affan Ahmed

Spread the word and bring a friend!

A Brother in the Community Asked Me:

“Shaykh, I just want to make sure I’m not disobeying Allah. I’m renting out a space to a business, but I found out they sell wine. Am I sinful for that?”

This is a real concern many Muslims have. If your tenant is doing something ḥarām — like selling alcohol — does that sin fall on you as the landlord?

Here’s the answer according to the Hanafi madhhab:

The Opinion of Imam Abu Hanifah:

The lease is valid and not sinful, so long as you don’t intend to support the sin.

• The contract is permissible in and of itself.
• The landlord is not responsible for the tenant’s actions.
• The sin falls on the one who commits it (the tenant).

Why?
Because:
• You didn’t intend to help with sin.
• The shop sells other things besides alcohol.
• You live in a non-Muslim society where this is common.
• You’re not directly involved in their business.

The Opinion of Imam Abu Yusuf & Imam Muhammad:

The lease is disliked (Makruh) — not invalid — based on the verse:
“Do not help one another in sin and transgression.” (Qur’an 5:2)

• Renting to a non-Muslim: Makruh Tanzihi (mildly disliked)
• Renting to a Muslim: Makruh Tahrimi (strongly disliked)

They caution against even indirect involvement in sinful acts, especially with fellow Muslims.

Bottom Line:

If you don’t intend to support sin, you’re not sinful — according to Imam Abu Hanifah.
His students, however, advise caution out of reverence for the Qur’anic principle.

Islam always looks at:
• Intent
• Responsibility
• Context

We should stay away from doubtful things when possible — but here, your responsibility is clear.

May Allah purify our income and protect us from doubtful and sinful earnings.

🌟 A Beautiful Soul in Our Midst 🌟

Last night, after our Hamd Tour event at , I had the distinct honor of meeting Shaykh Sayed — a man whose presence reflects wisdom, humor, and humility.

Shaykh Saeed holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious Islamic institutions. He is a Ḥāfiẓ of Qur’ān, a master of Islamic law and jurisprudence, and has been serving his community as the Imam of BLIC for over 20 years.

He’s not just any scholar. He’s someone who recites and completes the Qur’an multiple times a year in his daily prayers. 📖

What moved me most was his ability to teach with both depth and delight combining profound knowledge with light-hearted humor, making the message not only heard, but felt.

To all my brothers and sisters reading this:

Never underestimate the scholars among you. These individuals are the living heirs of prophetic knowledge beacons of light in our darkening world.

🔸 Don’t be selfish with your own growth.
🔸 Don’t stay distant from the knowledge that’s around the corner.
🔸 Don’t wait for a crisis to start valuing what they hold.

Come, benefit, and increase your respect for your local scholars. Let your heart grow in their gatherings they are far more valuable than many realize.

I always say:

📜 من لم يعرف أهمية العلماء لم يعرف أهمية العلم
“Whoever fails to appreciate the importance of scholars can never truly appreciate the importance of knowledge.”

Because it is through them that the legacy of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ lives on.

May Allah preserve Shaykh Sayed and all our ʿulamā’, and may He allow us to honor them in this life and be raised with them in the next. 🤲🏼

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧?

Wearing Rings for Men in Light of Islamic Law

🟤 “Shaykh, is there a specific hand or finger a Muslim man should wear his ring on?”

A simple question
But one with layers of Prophetic practice, legal nuance, and spiritual symbolism.

📖 Even small actions in Islam carry meaning.
Classical scholars discussed this under تختم (takhattum) the rulings and etiquette of wearing rings.

👩‍🦰 For Women
✅ Consensus (ijmāʿ):
They may wear rings on any finger or toe.
Adornment is permitted for them.

🧔 For Men
The rulings are more nuanced. Scholars differ based on hadith and wisdom.

ﷺ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘁’𝘀 Practice:

📍Right hand:

“He ﷺ wore his ring on his right hand, and turned the stone inward.”
[Sharḥ al-Sunnah 12/6 | Ḥasan – Arnāʾūṭ]

📍Left pinky:

“He ﷺ wore it on this finger.”
Anas pointed to the left pinky.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 3/1659]

𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

🔹 Ḥanafis
✔️ Left pinky
🚫 Avoid index & middle fingers

🔹 Mālikis
✔️ Left hand = humility
💬 Imām Mālik did this himself

🔹 Shāfiʿīs
✔️ Either pinky
🚫 Prohibit index/middle fingers:

“The Prophet ﷺ forbade me from wearing a ring on this one or that one.”
ʿAlī pointed to the middle and index fingers.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]

🔹 Ḥanbalīs
✔️ Prefer left pinky
🚫 Dislike right or prominent fingers
💬 Left pinky reflects modesty and avoids tashabbuh.

🌿 𝗙𝗶𝗾𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀:

🧭 Imitating the Prophet ﷺ
Left pinky = consistent sunnah

📚 Avoiding imitation
Index & middle = associated with arrogance

🪞 Spiritual Symbolism
Pinky = least prominent, most humble

✅ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆:

✔️ Best for men: Silver ring on the left pinky
🚫 Avoid: Middle & index fingers
📌 Rooted in the sunnah & tradition

❝ الاقتداء بالنبي ﷺ حسن، واتباع هديه أدب ❞
“Following the Prophet ﷺ is beauty. Imitating his way is adab.”

🔁 Spread the Sunnah.

🚨 THE LEGACY OF THE FOUR IMAMS 🚨

We are honored to host a powerful evening of sacred knowledge this 4th of July in North Houston!

📍 Location: Masjid Bilal
🗓 Date: Thursday, July 4, 2025
🕋 Time: 7:30 PM to ʿIshāʾ

Join our esteemed local scholars along with a special guest scholar as they reflect on the timeless legacy of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, Imām Mālik, Imām al-Shāfiʿī, and Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal four towering figures whose contributions continue to shape the foundations of Islamic law, character, and unity.

📱 Stay tuned for more knowledge filled gatherings throughout the summer, in shāʾ Allāh.

Over the years — whether it’s students or just people who reach out — I hear the same thing again and again:

“I want to do better, but I feel stuck.”
“I know what I need to do, I just can’t find the motivation.”
And I get it.

Sometimes the road ahead feels so long — like a steep hill from A to Z — that you feel exhausted before even taking the first step.
But I always remind them:
🧠 Psychology calls it Behavioral Activation — the idea that action creates motivation. Not the other way around.

Taking one small step, even without the feeling, is often what unlocks the path forward.

Our dīn already taught this — far more powerfully:
قال رسول الله ﷺ «المؤمن القوي خيرٌ وأحبُّ إلى الله من المؤمن الضعيف، وفي كلٍّ خير، احرص على ما ينفعك، واستعن بالله، ولا تعجز»
— رواه مسلم 2664

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in both. Be eager for what benefits you. Seek help from Allah. And do not give up.”

That last part —
‎“ولا تعجز” — Don’t give up.

Because strength isn’t always dramatic.

Sometimes it’s:
✔️ Opening your book when your mind is tired
✔️ Praying even when you’re distracted
✔️ Showing up when it would be easier to disappear
✔️ Saying “Bismillah” and trying again — even if no one notices
And then there’s this divine promise:

﴾وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا﴿
“As for those who strive for Our sake — We will surely guide them to Our paths.”
— Surah Al-‘Ankabūt (29:69)

You don’t have to reach Z today.
Just take the next sincere step from A and let Allah guide the rest.

Eid Mubarak to all. 🌙

May Allah ﷻ envelope your year with goodness, serenity, and nearness to Him. 🤲🏼
May every moment after this Eid be a step closer to His mercy and pleasure. 🕋✨

This Eid carries a different weight for me.

Last year, I stood in the blessed lands of Makkah and Madinah 🕋🌹, humbled by the honor of guiding a group of Hujjaj. To witness the sacred rites, to walk where the Prophet ﷺ walked — it was a gift beyond words. This year, I was not among the invited. The ache of separation felt like an arrow to the heart. The yearning for those lands is one only the soul understands.

I often reflect: how did the companions رضي الله عنهم feel when the Prophet ﷺ asked them to leave those beloved lands to carry this deen forward? Their sacrifice, their longing, their love — all rooted in unwavering devotion. 🌍🕌

Ya Allah, call us again and again to Your House — in every state, with any provision.
Let not our distance be due to our shortcomings, and keep our hearts forever tied to Your Haramain.
And Ya Allah, use us in the service of Your noble guests — the Hujjaj. 🤲🏼💛

Eid Mubarak once again.
Taqabbal Allah minna wa minkum. 🤍
🌙🕋🌸

🌙✨❤️

Is Jumuʿah Still Obligatory If Eid Falls on Friday? 🕌📿

Over the last few days, both in our seminary classes and beyond, dozens of brothers have approached me, sharing messages and asking:

“Shaykh, are we not required to pray Jumuʿah if we’ve already prayed the Eid Ṣalāh? We’ve heard that some scholars have issued a clear ruling on this matter.”

Their tone was one of curiosity, tinged with lightheartedness. I responded with firmness: “Why should you not pray Jumuʿah?”
While this question reflects a well-known scholarly discussion, it must be approached with sincerity, reverence, and a heart grounded in humility before sacred law. Let us briefly examine the positions of our scholars on this matter.
,
🔹 The Position of the Majority of Scholars (al-Jumhūr)
The overwhelming majority of scholars from the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī, maintain that Eid prayer does not exempt a person from the obligation of Jumuʿah.

📚 Their reasoning includes:
Eid Ṣalāh is classified as Sunnah Mu’akkadah or Wājib (according to the Ḥanafī school).

Jumuʿah, however, is Farḍ ʿAyn—an individual obligation clearly established in the Qur’ān and Sunnah.

🕋 Textual Evidence:
“Indeed, the prayer is enjoined upon the believers at prescribed times.”
(Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, 4:103)
“O you who believe! When the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade.”
(Sūrat al-Jumuʿah, 62:9)

From this, it is understood that both prayers have distinct rulings and timings, and neither cancels the other. Hence, the sounder opinion is that both Eid and Jumuʿah should be performed.

🔹 The Minority View
A smaller group of scholars holds the view that those who have prayed Eid may be exempt from Jumuʿah, especially in cases of hardship or those living far from the congregation.

📖 They base this on:
A narration reported in Musnad Imām Aḥmad, and
A well-known Athar from Sayyidunā ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (RA), who excused some people from Jumuʿah after Eid.
This opinion allows Eid to serve as a concession, but Jumuʿah must still be established by the Imām and those who are able to attend.

🔹 Which View Should Be Practiced?
Though both views exist within the scholarly tradition, the more cautious and spiritually rewarding approach is to observe both the Eid and Jumuʿah prayers, unless there is a legitimate excuse or hardship.
This aligns with the practice of the majority of the Ummah’s scholars,
Preserves the sanctity of one of Islam’s most important communal obligations.

🔹 A Principle to Uphold
“Do not prefer fatwa over taqwa except when necessity demands it.”
⚖️ Let piety guide your practice, not mere convenience.

🔹 A Final Reminder from the Qur’an 📖
لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
“You are not there to compel them to believe.”
(Sūrat al-Ghāshiyah, 88:22)

Wa-Allāhu Aʿlam bi-ṣ-Ṣawāb.

Bārakallāhu feekum.

Alhamdulillah, honored and humbled to celebrate my students as they graduate from the 3 foundational years of their ʿĀlimiyyah journey at Hamd.

This milestone is extra special these five students were the very first class I had the privilege of teaching. Watching them grow has been an incredible journey, filled with sincerity, challenges, and unforgettable memories.

A few lessons I’ve learned along the way:

1 Be sincere and take your responsibilities seriously.
2 Be grateful for the work you’ve been chosen for never let arrogance find a place in your heart.
3 Always honor the teachers who paved your path.
4 Strive to be true servants of Allah and keep increasing in your good deeds.

May Allah accept the efforts of the students, their parents, and teachers. May He grant them success in both worlds and make them a source of guidance for the Ummah.

#2025