Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Tariqah as the strict observance of the Shari’ah
Certain matters have to be repeated; sometimes, because people have forgotten what I wrote many months ago or they might not have received those letters and so it becomes necessary for me to repeat certain matters so that all of us are always “up to date” with regard...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Our Lord knows best
One of the most important principles that many of us have learnt over the years is that our Lord knows best, and that His Decisions for all of us are the best of Decisions. I suppose that during our previous period of jahiliyyah we had believed that we made our own...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Minding our own business
As people in Tariqah, we have to keep our noses out of other people’s business, lives and the conditions of their homes. These matters are not matters for our concern. They are other people’s matters, and other people’s matters are the matters of other people. If one...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Men and Women of Allah (ﷻ)
Sometimes, because of circumstances, many individuals are pushed into positions of religious leadership. Occasionally this is the wish of their parents, and at other times, it is their own doings. It appears, just from a very casual assessment of many of the products...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Gender discrimination and Islam
When I read the newspapers, which I do on a regular basis, I cringe at the reports on the abuse of women especially in “Muslim” countries. Many of them suffer so much pain and so much trauma, because of their gender. Every time this is highlighted in the press, for...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Human Rights’ Day
Today (21 March 2012) is what is called Human Rights Day in South Africa. It is difficult to define what those in authority mean by this, because the vast majority of people in this country do not have the implementation in their lives of rights covering their...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: The Pronouns “I” and “Me”, and Spirituality
The story of creation as we find in the Qur’an and the Prophetic Traditions, provides us with so many lessons about ourselves. After Allah Almighty had created Nabi Adam (a.s.), He instructed the angels to perform a prostration of respect for this new creation. Iblis,...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Women, do not silence yourselves
Once a month, we get the ladies together for them to give a short talk on one or other aspect of Islam. Most of the ladies have responded wonderfully on the matter and to see their growth, especially the handling of religious ideas, is really fantastic. I’ve never...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Muslims in Tariqah
Today (08 March 2012) a teacher in one of the local primary schools told me that it appears that only one or two of the children in her class go to church. Because they’ve been kept away from religion, they will most probably grow up without religion. In the majority...
Shaykh Yusuf da Costa: Being for Allah
Our Lord has granted us, and by this I mean all of humanity, special graces through certain individuals on whom He has placed exclusive blessings. Here and there amongst all of humanity a special light shines on through the hearts of certain people, of both genders....