🌿 Today's Reflection – July 4, 2025 “I Realized That Emotional Intimacy Can Be Just as Powerful—and Dangerous—as Physical Intimacy” Today, I reached a turning point in self-awareness. I used to believe that as long as I stayed away from physical contact, my heart was safe. I allowed myself, out of empathy and curiosity, to engage in emotionally intimate conversations with people who were drawn to me — not for my soul, but often for my outer appearance, my body, my beard, my image. And I, too, felt a subtle pull — not because I wanted to act physically, but because I felt seen . Admired. Desired. But what I failed to realize until today is that emotional exposure is also a form of intimacy , and it can be spiritually corrosive when misdirected. Modesty is not just of the body. Modesty is also of the emotions. My body is not just a gift — it is a trust (amanah) . So is my inner self. From now on, I will be guarded not coldly , but consciously . ...
The Role of Generations in Preserving the Understanding of the Quran and Hadith There are some who argue that understanding the Quran and Hadith without "taqleed" (blind imitation) is not only possible but justified. However, this perspective is flawed because even the Quran and Hadith, as they reach us today, have been passed down through multiple generations of scholars and interpreters. To claim that one can bypass these generations in understanding the Quran and Hadith undermines the very process through which these sacred texts have been preserved and transmitted. The Quran and Hadith did not arrive directly to us in their original form without the involvement of the generations that carried, memorized, taught, and interpreted them. The transmission of these texts involved the tireless efforts of the companions of the Prophet (Sallalah u Aalihay wa'aalayhi Wasallim), early scholars, and succeeding generations. Their dedication ensured the preservation of the divine...