Moutasem Atiya

Open YouTube, and their algorithms will greet you with the latest life coach explaining how to hack your body to live life to the fullest while at the same time igniting all sorts of dopamine responses. But what about our spiritual machinery? Are you a body or do you have a body? Surely neglecting what truly makes us human will lead to excess and harm.

After the Prophet's Mosque had been damaged, a young calligrapher, Abdullah Zuhdi, was entrusted with adorning the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺwith calligraphic inscriptions. The results of his work were among the finest examples of extolling prayers upon the Messenger.

I'll always be indebted to Imam Shafi — may God sanctify his soul — as the visit to him opened my heart to a way to love and remember the Prophet ﷺ.

On a recent cross-continental flight I sat next to a man who was a supporter of Donald Trump. You can imagine the awkward position we were both in. Racist. Islamophobe. Misogynist. Those were a few of the adjectives that could have crossed my mind, while terrorist, anti-American, ISIS may have been on his. We both had to choose: tolerate each other for a few hours, passing the occasional disingenuous smile with meaningless pleasantries or address the elephant in the room and engage in a real conversation. We chose the latter.

Over the past five years many of us have been struggling to make sense of the carnage we see in Syria. In the past two days alone those feelings have been intensified as we witness children, women and men suffer in ways we wouldn't wish upon our worst enemy. Each one of us can help in being a spiritual and material conduit of aide to our brothers and sisters in Syria by doing the following.

This morning you are in a state of panic and depression, scrolling through the endless cycle of news reports looking for something that will make things better.

Here are three spiritual workouts that will bring peace to your day.

It’s been a rough time for the Muslim community of America. Many Islamic organizations will surely be sending safety guides in the following days advising us to be aware of our surroundings and maybe even suggesting classes in self-defense. That’s great, but let’s not forget we are a faith based community that can tap into a rich spiritual tradition. Our Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his family) taught some great spiritual self-defense techniques that I want to share with you.

The story of then six-year old Ruby Bridges should serve as a source of inspiration for all of us. Her life teaches us what it truly means to be courageous in times of hardship.

Many of us witnessed the Republican candidates for the presidency bash Muslims for two plus hours last night on the CNN debate. The outlandish comments and racist rhetoric of Trump and his ilk make for an interesting spiritual case study, one that we can all learn from.

Everywhere we turn we see a world on fire. Many of us are searching for answers but are having trouble finding them. Though we are unable to control the deranged acts of some, there is something each one ofus can do about the craziness around us.

From the 2012 Al-Madina Institute Spiritual Tour.

Imam al-Ghazali and Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, two of the most gifted Islamic scholars in history, stood before me. I envisioned their encouraging me and thanks, but instead they slapped me across the face.

Though our Beauty of Muhammad Web Series (peace be upon him and his family) will start in a few weeks, I wanted to share this amazing story with you. May Allah inspire us all to keep our hearts and tongues in a constant state of prayers upon the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).

Embarking on a path of spiritual fitness is a lot like getting physically fit. They are both built on foundational principles, that if followed, will yield results.

I was blessed to be part of an incredible weekend at Pearls of the Qur'an with so many amazing brothers and sisters. I was especially honored to spend time with a group of brothers who have given me so much.

Sister Sherry Khan makes an on-point analysis of what many Muslims are suffering from in silence, namely the fallout of partisan bickering between leaders. As stewards of the Muslim American community we have to take the uncomfortable task of assessing the real impact of our efforts. We live in an age in which external threats greatly outweigh our internal politics. I hope we wake up to this reality.

In another attempt at religious sensationalism, IS is trying to position themselves as the only true practitioners of Islam. Their tactics do have two unfortunately real consequences.

Imam Zaid Shakir

Imam Mohamed Magid

I’m often shocked by how often we throw the baby out with the bathwater. Someone disagrees with us on a religious matter and we are willing to play Russian roulette with our own salvation by labeling them an unbeliever (kafir). This behavior tends to be perpetrated by people who are ignorant and/or fanatical in their commitment to particular dogmatic views. In reality, what constitutes calling someone an unbeliever has a very narrow scope, not nearly as wide as some would like it to be.

NASA announced this week the discovery of 715 new planets. This discovery, along with modern theoretical physics, may now shed light on a Qur'anic commentary from Ibn Abbas fifteen hundred years ago.

Having cofounded Al-Madina Institute, I have come to know many amazing Muslims doing some really wonderful work. Below is a list of ten Muslims from across the globe that deserve to be recognized for their work.

Moutasem Atiya on Waraqa ibn Nawfal and the Messenger of Godﷺ, and what we can learn from Waraqa's response to his call.

By Moutasem Atiya & Hasan Awan, M.D.

It is probably the most common New Year’s resolution. We have likely made it ourselves, or have heard it from countless friends and family. It goes something like "This year I will lose weight and get fit." The stampede to the gym ensues, and about three weeks later our resolution finds itself buried inside our mashed potatoes at the Cheesecake Factory. A familiar story, we all know. So how do we break the cycle? The answer involves (Read More)

Aisha once asked the Prophet Muhammadﷺ to make a dua (supplication) for her. He responded, "Oh God! Forgive Aisha's past and future transgressions, both those which are hidden and those which are apparent!"

So I have to admit I do have a Netflix account. While sifting through suitable cartoons for the kids to watch, I come across the occasionally intriguing documentary. One recent find was “ I Am” by Tom Shadyac. If his name escapes you, you may know some films he wrote/directed such as : Ace Ventura, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty. I Am tackles our obsessive addiction to material wants, and neglect of spiritual realities. Check it, let me know your thoughts.

The Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said that wisdom is the lost property of a believer, wherever he/she finds it they have a right to it. I think there is great wisdom in Chaplain Barry Black's comments to the house and senate.

A young companion once came to the Messenger ﷺ asking for permission to fornicate. The companions present at the time erupted with rage and told him to stop talking.

I loved the X-Men, A band of diverse mutants with special powers uniting to fight evil. Wolverine was my favorite; he has these super sharp adamantium claws that can retract from the top of his hand, not to mention his super healing ability. Then there was Cyclops, he would shoot plasma rays from his eyes and was married to the telepath Jean Gray. Storm, she could fly and control the weather, beckoning lightning bolts at her whim zapping all bad guys in sight.

We often act on our perceived religiosity by quickly condemning others, as if it somehow comes with the territory. The length of my beard, the perfect placement of my hands in prayer and my impeccable recitation somehow puts me on the higher rank of the spiritual totem pole and I become the judge, jury and executioner of your spiritual life.

Ramadan this year is a spiritual P90x of sorts, taking our bodies and spirits to the limits. Most of us will be fasting sixteen-hour days in sweltering temperatures.

There was a time in history when Christmas was more than getting thirty percent off the newest flat-screen at BestBuy, or anticipating Macy’s super holiday sale.

We often get so swept up in the routine of life that we take our marriages for granted. Thankfully Allah has given us a perfect portrait in the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him and his family) to help break that routine. Here are five practical and powerful lessons from the Messenger to help rekindle our relationships.

Given the current world affairs, I recently walked into a local prayer hall expecting to hear words filled with advice on loving the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and living the Prophetic example.

It was an amazing tale of attempted seduction. Yusuf (peace be upon him) lived for years in the house of Zulekha, a woman of beauty, power and influence. Day in and day out, Zulekha was exposed to his physical allure, a composition so stunning that the Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him and his family] said "Yusuf has been given half of all beauty"[Muslim].

It was the third year after the hijrah, during the middle of the blessed month of Ramadan. God had blessed Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah, with her first son.

The spiritual masters of the past, knowing that the Qur'an was the solution to all problems, would later encourage their students to often repeat this supplication of Musa when they were in need of a job or a spouse. Today, we find that this supplication is as important now as ever before.