Surat Yusuf is one of the most amazing surahs in the Quran. The entire subject matter is the dramatic story of Prophet Yusuf, with all of its twists, turns, and exciting moments. SubhanAllah, the composition of the surah is far more exhilarating than any Hollywood film, yet it maintains a plethora of wisdom and lessons that every Muslim needs to learn.
The surah is Makki, revealed in the 10th year, the year of sadness, after the Prophet lost his beloved wife Khadija and uncle Abu Talib. He was also driven out of the town of Ta’if, and was feeling very sad due to the loss of his family and difficulties in the dawah. Allah sent down this beautiful surah to be a source of peace for Prophet Muhammad, as a reminder that look how many difficulties Yusuf faced and how he persevered through them. The surah is rare in how it is exclusively discussing one story, yet is probably one of the most exciting. When you read the surah, you feel as if you are there during the time of Yusuf and you don’t want to stop reading till you finish.
Yusuf, the son of Prophet Yaqoob, begins by having a dream that he saw 11 stars, the sun, and the moon prostrating to him. His father told him not to reveal his dream to anyone, but we’ll come back to the dream later.
One of the first major lessons we learn from this story is the reality of jealousy and sibling rivalry, and how jealously can drive people to do unspeakable things. His brothers were so jealous that their father loved Yusuf so much, that they wanted to kill him, but they eventually settled on throwing him into a well and he was picked up by a caravan and taken to another town. We should reflect over this and look at how we treat our own brothers and sisters. Are we loving and caring, or do we get jealous when good befalls them or they are showered with love? Do we treat them the way Allah has commanded us, or do we cut off ties with them if they wrong us? SubhanAllah, even in the end, his brothers come back and ask for forgiveness. Ramadan is a time to mend families ties and re-establish the family relationship. We should all pick the phones (or visit if possible) our brothers, sisters, and other family members during this month and let them know how much they mean to us, or at least try to renew the relationships if they were not strong.
After Yusuf is picked out of the well and sold to slavery, he finds himself in the home of Aziz, one of the powerful people of his locale. His wife falls in love with Yusuf, who was given half of beauty (half of mankind’s’ beauty or half of Adam’s?) and as befitting of a righteous person he refuses to be seduced and holds his ground. Here is another valuable lesson about protecting our chastity and being conscious of Allah. That no matter what opportunities to fitna present themselves to us, to remember the reward Allah will give us if we are patient on the halal and persevere in avoiding the haram. This can include an illicit offer from TV, movies, the internet, or someone of the opposite gender. The Prophet told us that Allah will place the sweetness of iman in our hearts if we protect ourselves from looking at and partaking in such haram.
What happens next is another wild spin in the story. The wife of Aziz is embarrassed after word spreads around town that she tried to seduce her young slave boy. She decides to call over all her friends and show them how beautiful Yusuf is and that she is not to blame. In the end, after all the woman are shocked by his beauty, Yusuf is sent to prison for not complying to fall into haram. The famous ayah (33) shows Yusuf’s attitude and resolve.
قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ. فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ فَصَرَفَ عَنْهُ كَيْدَهُنَّ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
He said: "O my Lord! Prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me: Unless You turn away their plot from me, I may feel inclined towards them and join the ranks of the ignorant. "So his Lord responded to his duaa, and turned away their plot from him. Indeed, He is the All Hearing and All Knowing.
Look at the commitment to piety that Yusuf had! He wouldn’t comprise anything regarding Islam. He wouldn’t sell his soul for the hardships he would face. This ayah should make us cry that we make excuses for so many things due to the “difficulties” of living in the West. We must make sure we are not those who are weak hearted and have no patience to put up with any hardship we face. These tests may include refusing to sit in a gathering where alcohol is, despite the “necessity” that work mandates it, or to step out of a meeting or class to complete our prayers. There are obviously more difficult ways that we need to persevere, but these are some simple ones we must start to establish in our lives.
The main lesson from this event: Never sellout your deen for any price. Nothing in life is more precious and valuable. Never compromise for the sake of the dunya.
As Yusuf spends many years in prison (between 3 and 9 as we are not told exactly how many), he is approached by a couple of prisoners who observe his perfect character. He tells one of them to tell the king about his situation about being wrongly imprisoned. The prisoner forgets until much later when the king has a dream and asks his people for an interpretation. The old cellmate of Yusuf goes back to Yusuf and gets the answer, and then the king finally exonerates Yusuf of any wrongdoing and he is made the Treasurer of Egypt. There are many lessons in these events, amongst them, is to always make the best of your situation. Yusuf, although being wrongly imprisoned, didn’t throw a fit or cry all day. He made the best of the situation and did dawah to the prisoners and showed them the most upright character until they came to him with their problems. We can really learn from this because the Muslims in America should show the non Muslims the perfection of character that Islam came to teach, until they recognize how well we behave and desire to be like us and begin to question us about our faith. Each of us should take our responsibility to represent Islam in the best way seriously, because each of us may be the only Muslim that our non Muslim friends, coworkers, or neighbors know.
To wrap things up, Yusuf eventually is reunited with his siblings after they come to Eygpt looking for food due to the famine they were living through. They came to know Yusuf was the Treasurer and begged him for forgiveness. He forgave them and told them to ask Allah for forgiveness. Then he brought his whole family to Egypt and they all prostrated to him, which was the interpretation of his dream (that his brothers, mom, and dad all prostrated to him out of respect). Take note prostrating to another human was abrogated by the law of Islam.
There is are a few ayahs Yusuf said that are worth mentioning. After revealing to his brothers whom he was (they didn’t recognize him after all the years), he said
قَدْ مَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيِصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Indeed Allah has favored us (Yusuf and his brother). Whoever is conscious of Allah (has taqwa) and is patient, then Allah will never waste the affairs of the righteous and they will be rewarded in full.
Yusuf reminds us that at the end of the day, as long as you are mindful of Allah and are patient in life, then Allah will eventually reward you and bring about what is best for you. Think about how Yusuf was thrown in a well, sold in slavery, imprisoned, but he was patient through it all and look where Allah placed him. Yusuf realized that life may be long and full of challenges, but he had trust that Allah would take of him as long as he did his part. We should remember this in our lives and remember that although we may think a particular incident is bad for us, that our scope to see the world and our entire lives is limited. Could Yusuf have imagined that due to his adventures that found him in prison, that he would meet the king and be made the treasurer of Egypt? Of course not. But it is proof that Allah is the All Capable and rewards the believers in this life and the next.
The last statement of Yusuf when he sees his whole family is amazing. In part of ayah 100 and 101, he says
وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بَي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاء بِكُم مِّنَ الْبَدْوِ مِن بَعْدِ أَن نَّزغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِّمَا يَشَاء إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ.
Allah treated me in the best way when He took me out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert, (even) after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord knows best the mysteries of all that He planned, for verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom.
Do you notice how Yusuf says that Allah has been good to him and treated him the best way? SubhanAllah, after every ordeal and difficulty, none of which he did any wrong in, he says Allah was best to him! This is the ultimate and deepest manifestation of understanding the qadr (Divine Decree) of Allah, that you are completely satisfied with every circumstance Allah places you in. You don’t complain to others, but you thank Allah for all the blessings He has given, and that He hasn’t tested you how He has tested others. In the end, we should know that Allah knows best how to plan the universe and our lives, and all we can do is to exercise the most taqwa and patience, and put our trust in Allah as he will take care of us in the end.
May Allah make us amongst those we learn from the best of stories, and who seek to perfect our character like that of Prophet Yusuf.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The 12th Juz – Surat Hud
Surat Hud, like Surat Yunus before it, is a Makki Surah that deals with a number of themes, including the story of Prophet Hud. However, the scope of the surah is much broader and these are some of the major concepts presented:
• Allah is the Sustainer of everyone and everything in the heavens and earth
• The Quran is the message of Allah to His Creation
• Stories of Prophets Hud, Nuh, Salih, Lut, and Shuayb and the consequences the people who rejected faced.
• Virtues of removing evil
• The freedom to believe or disbelieve
The first ayah in the surah reminds us of the fact that Allah is indeed the One who sustains the entire universe.
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
There is no creature in the world except that Allah provides its sustenance and He knows its whereabouts and where it resides. Everything is available in an easy to understand book.
This ayah is a reminder to all of us about the power and infinite abilities of Allah, including his comprehensive knowledge, ability to sustain, and awareness of what everyone does and where they go. It’s amazing to think about the fact that Allah is the One who knows where everyone is, and how He sustains every creature. Think about how Allah knows where the ants, snakes, lizards, fish deep in the ocean, and lions all reside and how He places food for them in the appropriate places. Think how He knows where the sea anemone live and how He makes small fish and organisms flow right by them so they can grab them with their tentacles. Think how He knows where you are every moment of your life, and exactly what you are up to. We should internalize this ayah and remind ourselves of it anytime we consider doing something that Allah would not be pleased with. We should also think about how Allah says that providing for the creation is His task, so we should not seek forbidden ways to gain wealth, knowing that Allah will provide Halal means if we seek it.
Allah moves on after discussing how mankind reacts to His blessings or tests, and poses a challenge to mankind.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ - فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلِ بِعِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَأَن لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ مُّسْلِمُونَ
They say “He has fabricated it.” Say: "Produce ten Surahs similar to it, and then call upon whomever you want besides Allah, if you are speaking the truth. If they are not able to respond to the challenge, know then that it is sent down with the knowledge of Allah and that there is no god besides Him! Will you then be Muslims?"(11:13-14)
This ayah is one of many which challenge anyone who disbelieves in the Quran to produce just 10 surahs like it. SubhanAllah, there have been people who tried before and failed miserably. The story of Musaylima is well known in which he tried to make a sura like Surat Al Feel.
He wrote, “The elephant. What is the elephant? And what will make you aware of what is the elephant? A long tail, and huge body…”
Just to give an idea of how ridiculous it sounds, as he was trying to imitate the Quranic style.
Al Feel. Mal feel? Wa ma adraaka mal feel? Dhaylon taweel. Wa jasadun kabeer…
Allah humiliated and exposed everyone who tried to fabricate a similar scripture and claim prophethood or revelation. The point is, Allah challenges anyone to either put up or shut up. If you cannot produce 10 surahs like the Quran, then you have no excuse for disobeying its commands. The Muslim should be heedfull of this ayah because how sad is it if he knows the Quran is the word of Allah and then refuses to obey it.
After the Muslim is fully aware of whom Allah is and understands His attributes and knows the Quran is His words, Allah makes it clear how the Muslim should think.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ الجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ - مَثَلُ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَالاٌّعْمَى وَالاٌّصَمِّ وَالْبَصِيرِ وَالسَّمِيعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلاً أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and humble themselves before their Lord, they will be the dwellers of Paradise to dwell therein forever. The likeness of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf are to the one who sees and hears. Are the two equal? Do you not then take heed? (11:24)
The Muslim should be confident about his belief and not be apologetic and weak before a disbeliever. If the Muslim knows he is following divine guidance, then why would he feel weak before the ideas of men who are blind and deaf to divine revelation. The example is rather profound. If you can see and hear clearly, would you listen to a blind and deaf man explain to you how a picture looks or how a song sounds? Obviously not. Then how would the Muslim obey and follow the way of the disbeliever when he is oblivious to the reality of life and the best way to live? It does not make sense. This ayah should be a boost of confidence and optimism for the believer that he is on the truth and his reward will be jannah.
The surah then proceeds and discusses the story of various Prophets, and the conversations between Nuh and his people are highlighted. One ayah that sticks out, related to the previous ayah discussed about the confidence of a Muslim.
وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُواْ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
And he began to make the ark; and whenever the chiefs from among his people passed by him they laughed at him. They said: "If you ridicule us now, we can now look down on you with ridicule likewise!(11:37)
As Nuh made the arc, the big shots and leaders of the community would mock him and ridicule him. In their mind they felt Nuh had no right to advise them to believe in Allah and worship him, as the felt he was insane for building an arc in the middle of nowhere. However, Nuh was steadfast and ignored the jokes and ridicule of the arrogant disbelievers. This ayah has a ton of application in our life today. One cool thing about the story of the past Prophets is that their lives were similar to ours as they were also minorities who had the masses believing in a different way of life. One thing is different of course: the Prophets could care less what the others said and did their job how they were commanded. How do the Muslims act today as minorities who are mocked and ridiculed for doing things Allah has commanded such as praying, not intermingling and dating, and other acts of worship? Do we feel embarrassed and shy away and ignore what Allah has told us? Or do we ignore what the blind and deaf to the revelation say? This ayah is a reminder for all of us to focus on what Allah has told us, and not to be influenced and feel weak by any criticism or jokes from others.
All the stories of Prophets in this surah remind us of this point. The circumstances, names, and details change, but the lessons learned are similar. Bottom line: Be like the Prophets by staying true to the commitment we have made to follow Islam.
The surah has plenty of more profound accounts of the experiences and ordeals of various Prophets, and we should all look deeply into them so we can relate to them and learn the solutions to the problems we face in our lives.
Insha Allah we will cover the story of Yusuf in the next post, although part of it is part of the 12th juz.
May Allah make us amongst those who learn from the lives of all our Prophets.
• Allah is the Sustainer of everyone and everything in the heavens and earth
• The Quran is the message of Allah to His Creation
• Stories of Prophets Hud, Nuh, Salih, Lut, and Shuayb and the consequences the people who rejected faced.
• Virtues of removing evil
• The freedom to believe or disbelieve
The first ayah in the surah reminds us of the fact that Allah is indeed the One who sustains the entire universe.
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
There is no creature in the world except that Allah provides its sustenance and He knows its whereabouts and where it resides. Everything is available in an easy to understand book.
This ayah is a reminder to all of us about the power and infinite abilities of Allah, including his comprehensive knowledge, ability to sustain, and awareness of what everyone does and where they go. It’s amazing to think about the fact that Allah is the One who knows where everyone is, and how He sustains every creature. Think about how Allah knows where the ants, snakes, lizards, fish deep in the ocean, and lions all reside and how He places food for them in the appropriate places. Think how He knows where the sea anemone live and how He makes small fish and organisms flow right by them so they can grab them with their tentacles. Think how He knows where you are every moment of your life, and exactly what you are up to. We should internalize this ayah and remind ourselves of it anytime we consider doing something that Allah would not be pleased with. We should also think about how Allah says that providing for the creation is His task, so we should not seek forbidden ways to gain wealth, knowing that Allah will provide Halal means if we seek it.
Allah moves on after discussing how mankind reacts to His blessings or tests, and poses a challenge to mankind.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُواْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ - فَإِلَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلِ بِعِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَأَن لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ مُّسْلِمُونَ
They say “He has fabricated it.” Say: "Produce ten Surahs similar to it, and then call upon whomever you want besides Allah, if you are speaking the truth. If they are not able to respond to the challenge, know then that it is sent down with the knowledge of Allah and that there is no god besides Him! Will you then be Muslims?"(11:13-14)
This ayah is one of many which challenge anyone who disbelieves in the Quran to produce just 10 surahs like it. SubhanAllah, there have been people who tried before and failed miserably. The story of Musaylima is well known in which he tried to make a sura like Surat Al Feel.
He wrote, “The elephant. What is the elephant? And what will make you aware of what is the elephant? A long tail, and huge body…”
Just to give an idea of how ridiculous it sounds, as he was trying to imitate the Quranic style.
Al Feel. Mal feel? Wa ma adraaka mal feel? Dhaylon taweel. Wa jasadun kabeer…
Allah humiliated and exposed everyone who tried to fabricate a similar scripture and claim prophethood or revelation. The point is, Allah challenges anyone to either put up or shut up. If you cannot produce 10 surahs like the Quran, then you have no excuse for disobeying its commands. The Muslim should be heedfull of this ayah because how sad is it if he knows the Quran is the word of Allah and then refuses to obey it.
After the Muslim is fully aware of whom Allah is and understands His attributes and knows the Quran is His words, Allah makes it clear how the Muslim should think.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ الجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ - مَثَلُ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَالاٌّعْمَى وَالاٌّصَمِّ وَالْبَصِيرِ وَالسَّمِيعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلاً أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and humble themselves before their Lord, they will be the dwellers of Paradise to dwell therein forever. The likeness of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf are to the one who sees and hears. Are the two equal? Do you not then take heed? (11:24)
The Muslim should be confident about his belief and not be apologetic and weak before a disbeliever. If the Muslim knows he is following divine guidance, then why would he feel weak before the ideas of men who are blind and deaf to divine revelation. The example is rather profound. If you can see and hear clearly, would you listen to a blind and deaf man explain to you how a picture looks or how a song sounds? Obviously not. Then how would the Muslim obey and follow the way of the disbeliever when he is oblivious to the reality of life and the best way to live? It does not make sense. This ayah should be a boost of confidence and optimism for the believer that he is on the truth and his reward will be jannah.
The surah then proceeds and discusses the story of various Prophets, and the conversations between Nuh and his people are highlighted. One ayah that sticks out, related to the previous ayah discussed about the confidence of a Muslim.
وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُواْ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
And he began to make the ark; and whenever the chiefs from among his people passed by him they laughed at him. They said: "If you ridicule us now, we can now look down on you with ridicule likewise!(11:37)
As Nuh made the arc, the big shots and leaders of the community would mock him and ridicule him. In their mind they felt Nuh had no right to advise them to believe in Allah and worship him, as the felt he was insane for building an arc in the middle of nowhere. However, Nuh was steadfast and ignored the jokes and ridicule of the arrogant disbelievers. This ayah has a ton of application in our life today. One cool thing about the story of the past Prophets is that their lives were similar to ours as they were also minorities who had the masses believing in a different way of life. One thing is different of course: the Prophets could care less what the others said and did their job how they were commanded. How do the Muslims act today as minorities who are mocked and ridiculed for doing things Allah has commanded such as praying, not intermingling and dating, and other acts of worship? Do we feel embarrassed and shy away and ignore what Allah has told us? Or do we ignore what the blind and deaf to the revelation say? This ayah is a reminder for all of us to focus on what Allah has told us, and not to be influenced and feel weak by any criticism or jokes from others.
All the stories of Prophets in this surah remind us of this point. The circumstances, names, and details change, but the lessons learned are similar. Bottom line: Be like the Prophets by staying true to the commitment we have made to follow Islam.
The surah has plenty of more profound accounts of the experiences and ordeals of various Prophets, and we should all look deeply into them so we can relate to them and learn the solutions to the problems we face in our lives.
Insha Allah we will cover the story of Yusuf in the next post, although part of it is part of the 12th juz.
May Allah make us amongst those who learn from the lives of all our Prophets.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
11th Juz – End of Surat-at-Tawba and Surat Yunus
The juz begins by continuing the theme of jihad. The last juz ended by describing those who are exempt from fighting due to illness, weakness, or being financially incapable of going out. The 11th juz begins by Allah blaming those who make excuses for fighting and struggling in His cause, and He singles out the wealthy to begin with. He says that the wealthy make excuses and prefer to stay behind with the women and Allah says that they do not understand (9:93)
This ayah seems very applicable to our society today, particularly the wealthy Muslims of California and the US. How many Muslims fail to participate in Islamic endeavors and dawah due to being so busy acquiring wealth and falling in love with the dunya? Allah says that these rich people who profess Islam just do not understand. What is it that they do not understand? For one, they do not understand the reward and value of what Allah has in store for those who work. Second, they do not understand the purpose of this life, believing that it is all about getting rich and enjoying luxuries.
Later in the surah, Allah tells the Prophet to "Take charity from their wealth, which is a cleansing and purification for them, and pray for them..."Do they not know that Allah accepts their repentance and charity and that He is indeed the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful." (9:103-104)
In this ayah we are reminded about the true meaning of giving charity. While we may believe that we are the ones helping noble causes, the reality is deeper than that. Yes, it is true that by giving our wealth and time for good deeds is helping the ummah, we are really helping ourselves. The charity that we give is a means by which we purify our wealth and lives. Allah blesses and increases the sustenance of those who spend for His sake, and prepares a greater reward for them in the next life. While one may think that the sustenance Allah provides means financial gains, this is a rather superficial and simple understanding. Those who give charity for the sake of Allah may receive not only more wealth in the future in ways that they cannot perceive, but they also gain peace of mind, happiness in the home, and an understanding of this life. We should keep this in mind and give charity in all its forms.
A few pages later, Allah describes those people whom He has forgiven from the Muhajireen and Ansar and those who followed the Prophet during the battle of Tabuk. He also mentions that He has forgiven another 3 people who stayed behind and did not go out for the battle. Their story is not recalled in the surah, but rather it has been collected in the hadith and is worth sharing a portion of it as it is rather profound.
The Prophet called upon the Muslims to go out for the battle, but many stayed back without legitimate excuses. Amongst them were three companions, most notably Kaab ibn Malik. He kept delaying preparing for battle until the Prophet and the Companions had left and he was too late. When the Prophet returned, most of the people who stayed back made fake excuses. However, three of them, including Kaab, felt shame for not going and refused to lie to the Prophet. Kaab knew that if he lied that Allah would know he is lying and that the Prophet may come to know as well. He made no excuse and the Prophet told all the companions to boycott speaking to him until further notice (which ended up being 50 days). During this time Kaab was continuously seeking forgiveness from Allah and His messenger, and was sincerely crying and doing his best to win back the love of the Prophet. Finally, after 50 days, the Prophet received wahy to accept Kaab's apology and announce that Allah has accepted his tawba. This story, which I recommend you read in detail, has so many deep lessons and my heart shakes when I hear this verse recited. Imagine that although Kaab committed a huge sin by being lazy and missing the call for jihad, that his story and name are remembered by billions of Muslims till the end of time. Allah revealed his story and makes the whole ummah bear witness to the fact that He has forgiven Kaab and is pleased with him for his truthfulness. This is why the next ayah reads "O believers, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful." (9:118-119).
Dear reader, stop and reflect on this for a moment. That no matter how grave our sins may be, sincere repentance and truthfulness will wipe everything away. Truthfulness is one of the most importance attributes of the believer, and the Muslim can never be a liar as the Prophet stated in a famous hadith. How do we react when we do something wrong? Do we admit our mistakes or do we make excuses? Do we sincerely ask Allah and those whom we may have wronged to forgive us? May Allah make us like Kaab, who understood the meaning of truthfulness and repentance.
The next surah in the juz is Surat Yunus. The surah covers briefly the story of Prophet Yunus, but devotes most of its attention to various subjects, including the stories of other Prophets. There is a beautiful ayah in the first page that should cause man to reflect over the innate nature of the universe, particularly the concept of time in itself. Allah says in the ayah 5 that is "He who made the sun as a source of shining glory and the moon to a light and measured out the stages of the moon so that you would all know the passing of years and time. Allah made them only in truth. He explains his signs in detail for those who understand.
Praise be to Allah who created the sun, moon, and time for our sake. We all know that time is a creation of Allah, and that time does not pertain to Allah. This is how He knows the past, present, and future, because in reality all these terms are limited to the domain of human life that He created for us. But more importantly is the fact that Allah explains that one of the reasons for creating the sun and the moon is so that mankind would be able to count time and the years. Think about this blessing for a moment. How would life be if it was one huge day? How would we be able to evaluate our progress and development? How would we know what happened in the past accurately? So many questions come to mind if we try to imagine a world without days, nights, months, and years. By Allah creating for us the sun and moon, we are able to have days and nights. Furthermore, we are able to use the sun for warmth, to grow food, and as a source of energy. We are able to use the moon for calculating time, as a light in the evening, and to admire its beauty as well. But most importantly, we are able to use the concept of time as a way to look back at our day, week, month, and year and ask ourselves: What have I accomplished? What have I done for my dunya affairs? What have I gathered for the Day of Judgment? What will I do in the upcoming days and years? All these questions allow the human to chart his progress or digression, and allow one to change his/her actions in the future. Allah creates so many blessings for us, how many of us use them appropriately and thank Him for them?
Then the surah continues by posing scenarios as to how people react in various circumstances: By believing, by not liking what's in the scripture, being tested by hardship, and more. One ayah stands out that should be highlighted. In ayah 21 and 22, Allah describes how He allows us to travel by land and sea so that you even are able to board ships. They sail with the wind, enjoying the breeze, and then suddenly a severe wind and storm comes and waves from everyone begin crashing and they think they are being surrounded and overwhelmed. Then they sincerely call upon Allah saying "if you save us from this, surely we will be grateful and thankful." However, after we save them, they continue transgressing without being true (to Allah). O people, verily your transgression is against yourselves. This is only a life of temporary enjoyment, then to Us you will return and We will inform you of what you used to do."
Ponder over this ayah for a while. How many blessings of Allah have we enjoyed? How many times has Allah showered us with health and wealth, and how many times has He tested us with sickness or financial difficulty? Whenever we get sick, we always make duaa that Allah heals us. And sometimes if our sickness is severe, we even make oaths telling Allah we will be better people if we are made healthy. Are we true to our promises or do we return to our same state of affairs? Do we realize that this life is nothing in time or value compared to the eternal life and reward in the hereafter? This ayah is a reminder to all of us to wake up and remember the reality of the dunya, and to renew our commitment with Allah to be grateful to Him for all the blessings we have been given by properly worshipping Him.
The last ayah to discuss, although the surah contains much more, is ayah 57. "O mankind, indeed an admonition has come to you from your Lord. It is a cure for what is in the hearts and guidance and a mercy for the believers." This is the Quran in the most eloquent yet simple words. One sentence. It is a guidebook from the Creator to the created, and it is only a mercy to those who believe in it. It is a mercy for the Muslims in this life and the next. The Quran is also a cure for everything in the hearts and chests. Think of all the ailments of the heart from anger, jealously, envy, hatred, impatience, pride, confusion, and unhappiness. The Quran heals the one afflicted with any ailment, even physical pain (any following proper medical advice). The thing that is truly sad is that most people do not see the Quran this way. The Muslims look at it as a book that, if read, has "blessings" which they define as hasanat (good deeds) Allah will give them for each letter recited. While this is true, it is missing the whole point of the Quran: to mold and shape the believing reader into the best human possible whose heart is pure, humbled to Allah, and follows the laws and lifestyle that Allah promised us is best for us. Is this how we read the Quran? If not, the time has come to reevaluate our understanding and approach to the book of Allah. It is truly a mercy for those who approach it in this fashion.
May Allah make us from those who read, ponder over, act upon, and reform our character by the Quran.
This ayah seems very applicable to our society today, particularly the wealthy Muslims of California and the US. How many Muslims fail to participate in Islamic endeavors and dawah due to being so busy acquiring wealth and falling in love with the dunya? Allah says that these rich people who profess Islam just do not understand. What is it that they do not understand? For one, they do not understand the reward and value of what Allah has in store for those who work. Second, they do not understand the purpose of this life, believing that it is all about getting rich and enjoying luxuries.
Later in the surah, Allah tells the Prophet to "Take charity from their wealth, which is a cleansing and purification for them, and pray for them..."Do they not know that Allah accepts their repentance and charity and that He is indeed the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful." (9:103-104)
In this ayah we are reminded about the true meaning of giving charity. While we may believe that we are the ones helping noble causes, the reality is deeper than that. Yes, it is true that by giving our wealth and time for good deeds is helping the ummah, we are really helping ourselves. The charity that we give is a means by which we purify our wealth and lives. Allah blesses and increases the sustenance of those who spend for His sake, and prepares a greater reward for them in the next life. While one may think that the sustenance Allah provides means financial gains, this is a rather superficial and simple understanding. Those who give charity for the sake of Allah may receive not only more wealth in the future in ways that they cannot perceive, but they also gain peace of mind, happiness in the home, and an understanding of this life. We should keep this in mind and give charity in all its forms.
A few pages later, Allah describes those people whom He has forgiven from the Muhajireen and Ansar and those who followed the Prophet during the battle of Tabuk. He also mentions that He has forgiven another 3 people who stayed behind and did not go out for the battle. Their story is not recalled in the surah, but rather it has been collected in the hadith and is worth sharing a portion of it as it is rather profound.
The Prophet called upon the Muslims to go out for the battle, but many stayed back without legitimate excuses. Amongst them were three companions, most notably Kaab ibn Malik. He kept delaying preparing for battle until the Prophet and the Companions had left and he was too late. When the Prophet returned, most of the people who stayed back made fake excuses. However, three of them, including Kaab, felt shame for not going and refused to lie to the Prophet. Kaab knew that if he lied that Allah would know he is lying and that the Prophet may come to know as well. He made no excuse and the Prophet told all the companions to boycott speaking to him until further notice (which ended up being 50 days). During this time Kaab was continuously seeking forgiveness from Allah and His messenger, and was sincerely crying and doing his best to win back the love of the Prophet. Finally, after 50 days, the Prophet received wahy to accept Kaab's apology and announce that Allah has accepted his tawba. This story, which I recommend you read in detail, has so many deep lessons and my heart shakes when I hear this verse recited. Imagine that although Kaab committed a huge sin by being lazy and missing the call for jihad, that his story and name are remembered by billions of Muslims till the end of time. Allah revealed his story and makes the whole ummah bear witness to the fact that He has forgiven Kaab and is pleased with him for his truthfulness. This is why the next ayah reads "O believers, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful." (9:118-119).
Dear reader, stop and reflect on this for a moment. That no matter how grave our sins may be, sincere repentance and truthfulness will wipe everything away. Truthfulness is one of the most importance attributes of the believer, and the Muslim can never be a liar as the Prophet stated in a famous hadith. How do we react when we do something wrong? Do we admit our mistakes or do we make excuses? Do we sincerely ask Allah and those whom we may have wronged to forgive us? May Allah make us like Kaab, who understood the meaning of truthfulness and repentance.
The next surah in the juz is Surat Yunus. The surah covers briefly the story of Prophet Yunus, but devotes most of its attention to various subjects, including the stories of other Prophets. There is a beautiful ayah in the first page that should cause man to reflect over the innate nature of the universe, particularly the concept of time in itself. Allah says in the ayah 5 that is "He who made the sun as a source of shining glory and the moon to a light and measured out the stages of the moon so that you would all know the passing of years and time. Allah made them only in truth. He explains his signs in detail for those who understand.
Praise be to Allah who created the sun, moon, and time for our sake. We all know that time is a creation of Allah, and that time does not pertain to Allah. This is how He knows the past, present, and future, because in reality all these terms are limited to the domain of human life that He created for us. But more importantly is the fact that Allah explains that one of the reasons for creating the sun and the moon is so that mankind would be able to count time and the years. Think about this blessing for a moment. How would life be if it was one huge day? How would we be able to evaluate our progress and development? How would we know what happened in the past accurately? So many questions come to mind if we try to imagine a world without days, nights, months, and years. By Allah creating for us the sun and moon, we are able to have days and nights. Furthermore, we are able to use the sun for warmth, to grow food, and as a source of energy. We are able to use the moon for calculating time, as a light in the evening, and to admire its beauty as well. But most importantly, we are able to use the concept of time as a way to look back at our day, week, month, and year and ask ourselves: What have I accomplished? What have I done for my dunya affairs? What have I gathered for the Day of Judgment? What will I do in the upcoming days and years? All these questions allow the human to chart his progress or digression, and allow one to change his/her actions in the future. Allah creates so many blessings for us, how many of us use them appropriately and thank Him for them?
Then the surah continues by posing scenarios as to how people react in various circumstances: By believing, by not liking what's in the scripture, being tested by hardship, and more. One ayah stands out that should be highlighted. In ayah 21 and 22, Allah describes how He allows us to travel by land and sea so that you even are able to board ships. They sail with the wind, enjoying the breeze, and then suddenly a severe wind and storm comes and waves from everyone begin crashing and they think they are being surrounded and overwhelmed. Then they sincerely call upon Allah saying "if you save us from this, surely we will be grateful and thankful." However, after we save them, they continue transgressing without being true (to Allah). O people, verily your transgression is against yourselves. This is only a life of temporary enjoyment, then to Us you will return and We will inform you of what you used to do."
Ponder over this ayah for a while. How many blessings of Allah have we enjoyed? How many times has Allah showered us with health and wealth, and how many times has He tested us with sickness or financial difficulty? Whenever we get sick, we always make duaa that Allah heals us. And sometimes if our sickness is severe, we even make oaths telling Allah we will be better people if we are made healthy. Are we true to our promises or do we return to our same state of affairs? Do we realize that this life is nothing in time or value compared to the eternal life and reward in the hereafter? This ayah is a reminder to all of us to wake up and remember the reality of the dunya, and to renew our commitment with Allah to be grateful to Him for all the blessings we have been given by properly worshipping Him.
The last ayah to discuss, although the surah contains much more, is ayah 57. "O mankind, indeed an admonition has come to you from your Lord. It is a cure for what is in the hearts and guidance and a mercy for the believers." This is the Quran in the most eloquent yet simple words. One sentence. It is a guidebook from the Creator to the created, and it is only a mercy to those who believe in it. It is a mercy for the Muslims in this life and the next. The Quran is also a cure for everything in the hearts and chests. Think of all the ailments of the heart from anger, jealously, envy, hatred, impatience, pride, confusion, and unhappiness. The Quran heals the one afflicted with any ailment, even physical pain (any following proper medical advice). The thing that is truly sad is that most people do not see the Quran this way. The Muslims look at it as a book that, if read, has "blessings" which they define as hasanat (good deeds) Allah will give them for each letter recited. While this is true, it is missing the whole point of the Quran: to mold and shape the believing reader into the best human possible whose heart is pure, humbled to Allah, and follows the laws and lifestyle that Allah promised us is best for us. Is this how we read the Quran? If not, the time has come to reevaluate our understanding and approach to the book of Allah. It is truly a mercy for those who approach it in this fashion.
May Allah make us from those who read, ponder over, act upon, and reform our character by the Quran.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The 9th Juz - Part of Surat-ul-A'raf and Anfal
By Guest Ustadh Mustafa Omar
This chapter begins by concluding the story of Prophet Shu’ayb who was sent to the people of Madian. He ordered his people to only worship Allah and no one else and to stop stealing, ripping people off, and causing problems in society. This instruction encompasses what Islam stands for:
a) to correct man’s relationship with the Creator and
b) to correct man’s relationship with the created.
Each has rights that must be fulfilled.
Allah tells us, “Whenever We sent a prophet to a town We afflicted its [disbelieving] people with suffering and hardships, so that they might humble themselves…” One of the reasons for the presence of so called “evil” in the world is clear. It is there to humble us. Allah is telling people that these calamities are actually for their own good. Rather complaining, “why did this have to happen” or “what kind of God would do such things,” we must remember that there is benefit in tribulation, no matter how difficult or “bad” it may seem at the time.
To verify this just think of how many people changed their lives due to some calamity. How many people gave up their wicked ways and accepted the straight path after some catastrophic event? It is a fact that the strongest catalyst to affect the world view of any individual is tribulation. Why? So that we might humble ourselves. Man, by his unique limited free-will and ability for cognition, begins to think that he is in control. He begins to forget that his abilities are limited just like his lifespan. A calamity is the medicine he needs to return to the healthy state of reality. However, many people who might humble themselves temporarily often return to their deluded state soon after the calamity is gone. How many times do we need to be bitten from the same hole in order to learn our lesson?
The story of Moses and Pharaoh follows, reminding us of the blessings the Children of Israel were given and what little thanks they gave. They were miraculously saved from the wrath of Pharaoh and his goons and, in return, when they came across a people worshipping idols they expressed their foolish desire to do the same. Moses was appointed 40 nights to get a guidebook and in return his people start worshipping a golden statue of a calf. Water gushed out of a large rock, clouds sheltered them, they were given manna and quails as food and in return they changed the word of Allah that had been given to them.
We learn than we must be thankful for the blessings that Allah has given us the same way that we must try to benefit from the tribulations that we encounter. This brings to mind a statement of the Prophet, “The situation of a believer is truly amazing. Everything that happens is good for him and this is only true for a believer and no one else. If something good happens he is thankful and that is good for him. However, if something bad afflicts him he is patient and that is also good for him.”
As Muslims in America we must ask ourselves: have we been thankful for the blessings? Relative to the rest of the world we have the ability to openly practice and propagate Islam. What did we do with this blessing? Run after comfort and luxury. We have been placed in a society begging to be taught Islam. They are children of people who possess a divine book, still have a desire to believe in and worship God, and are critical of their own doctrines due to its inability to conform to reason and science. They are fairly open-minded and willing to listen. Could there be any group of people better setup to receive the message of Islam? How did we utilize this blessing?
Then, when a calamity afflicted us and we became stereotyped and became targets of misleading propaganda, we got scared. We hid but did we humble ourselves? Did we realize that this is a wakeup call? Either utilize the comfortable situation you have been given or you will be replaced with a group of people who will.
One of the biggest lessons that we can take from this surah is to look at the people to whom all these prophets were sent and how they reacted. Then, we can compare those people with the people to whom we have been sent. Compare the steadfastness of the prophets to our steadfastness and the hostility of those people to the hostility of our people towards us. Cry, and then get out there and do your job.
This chapter begins by concluding the story of Prophet Shu’ayb who was sent to the people of Madian. He ordered his people to only worship Allah and no one else and to stop stealing, ripping people off, and causing problems in society. This instruction encompasses what Islam stands for:
a) to correct man’s relationship with the Creator and
b) to correct man’s relationship with the created.
Each has rights that must be fulfilled.
Allah tells us, “Whenever We sent a prophet to a town We afflicted its [disbelieving] people with suffering and hardships, so that they might humble themselves…” One of the reasons for the presence of so called “evil” in the world is clear. It is there to humble us. Allah is telling people that these calamities are actually for their own good. Rather complaining, “why did this have to happen” or “what kind of God would do such things,” we must remember that there is benefit in tribulation, no matter how difficult or “bad” it may seem at the time.
To verify this just think of how many people changed their lives due to some calamity. How many people gave up their wicked ways and accepted the straight path after some catastrophic event? It is a fact that the strongest catalyst to affect the world view of any individual is tribulation. Why? So that we might humble ourselves. Man, by his unique limited free-will and ability for cognition, begins to think that he is in control. He begins to forget that his abilities are limited just like his lifespan. A calamity is the medicine he needs to return to the healthy state of reality. However, many people who might humble themselves temporarily often return to their deluded state soon after the calamity is gone. How many times do we need to be bitten from the same hole in order to learn our lesson?
The story of Moses and Pharaoh follows, reminding us of the blessings the Children of Israel were given and what little thanks they gave. They were miraculously saved from the wrath of Pharaoh and his goons and, in return, when they came across a people worshipping idols they expressed their foolish desire to do the same. Moses was appointed 40 nights to get a guidebook and in return his people start worshipping a golden statue of a calf. Water gushed out of a large rock, clouds sheltered them, they were given manna and quails as food and in return they changed the word of Allah that had been given to them.
We learn than we must be thankful for the blessings that Allah has given us the same way that we must try to benefit from the tribulations that we encounter. This brings to mind a statement of the Prophet, “The situation of a believer is truly amazing. Everything that happens is good for him and this is only true for a believer and no one else. If something good happens he is thankful and that is good for him. However, if something bad afflicts him he is patient and that is also good for him.”
As Muslims in America we must ask ourselves: have we been thankful for the blessings? Relative to the rest of the world we have the ability to openly practice and propagate Islam. What did we do with this blessing? Run after comfort and luxury. We have been placed in a society begging to be taught Islam. They are children of people who possess a divine book, still have a desire to believe in and worship God, and are critical of their own doctrines due to its inability to conform to reason and science. They are fairly open-minded and willing to listen. Could there be any group of people better setup to receive the message of Islam? How did we utilize this blessing?
Then, when a calamity afflicted us and we became stereotyped and became targets of misleading propaganda, we got scared. We hid but did we humble ourselves? Did we realize that this is a wakeup call? Either utilize the comfortable situation you have been given or you will be replaced with a group of people who will.
One of the biggest lessons that we can take from this surah is to look at the people to whom all these prophets were sent and how they reacted. Then, we can compare those people with the people to whom we have been sent. Compare the steadfastness of the prophets to our steadfastness and the hostility of those people to the hostility of our people towards us. Cry, and then get out there and do your job.
Surat-ul-Anfal - The Spoils of War
Surat-ul-Anfal is the 8th surah in the Quran. It is quite a profound surah, where while discussing the concepts of jihad and discussing the Battle of Badr, a deep spiritual undertone is felt and embedded in every page. The Surah begins with a question about what to do with the spoils from war, but Allah quickly changes the tone from diverting the attention of the believers to something deeper: Instead of worrying about the spoils and worldly gains, remember to have taqwa and stay united and reconcile between each other. Then the conversation completely shifts to the issue of fundamental importance: What level of imaan do you have and how do you know where you stand? Allah states in ayahs two through four some of the attributes of the true believers. Immediately, our minds should pay attention and ask our hearts for answers to the following conditions that Allah places as criterion for true imaan.
“Indeed the believers are only those who when they are reminded of Allah their heart trembles and when the ayaat are recited upon them it increases them in imaan. And they always put their full trust in their Lord. They also establish the salah and spend from we have provided for them.”
Each of us must ask ourselves the following questions as a test of imaan.
1. Does your heart tremble when you are reminded of Allah?
2. Does your imaan increase when you hear the Quran recited?
3. Have you established the 5 daily prayers as pillars of your day and life?
4. Do you spend your time, wealth, and energy for the sake of Allah?
If we can answer yes to these four questions, then we know our imaan is strong and true. If we have some doubt or weakness in any of the above, let us work hard to improving our relationship with Allah and the Quran so that we may re-evaluate later on and be of the true believers.
The surah then goes back to discussing jihad and how to behave and be steadfast in battle and to put full trust in Allah. Then Allah reminds the believers and the Prophet that it was not you who killed the enemy nor who successfully shot and aimed your weapons, but it was Allah who did it. This is quite a deep ayah if you think about it. In reality, all we can do is put in our 100% effort in everything we do and hope that Allah accepts and gives us the results desired. This ayah must be applied to every action in our daily lives whether it’s our studies, success in the workplace and promotions, family love, etc. If you study hard and make duaa to Allah, it is by His will that you will succeed as He aids you through the exam. If you get promoted and succeed at work, it is by the will of Allah that He allowed such things to occur in your favor. Just think about how many times we may have studied so hard or worked so hard only to not succeed in our goals. This is proof that the reality is that victory and success are in the hands of Allah. Again, all we can do is sincerely give every endeavor we undertake the most effort and ask Allah to accept.
The next ayah that should be discussed is honestly one of the dearest ayahs in the Quran to me. This ayah is a life reminder anytime one gets caught up in the dunya and away from causes related to pleasing Allah.
“O believers, respond to the call of Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to that which gives you LIFE. Know that surely Allah is able to come between a man and his heart and that to him you will be gathered.” (8:24)
This ayah is specifically referring to the call of battle, but it has an incredible general meaning for ALL people. We all know that there are tons of opportunities for each of us to promote Islam, defend Islam, and do so many things for the sake of Allah. Allah is commanding us to respond to His invitation to strive for His sake and He says that it is this striving and working for His sake which gives us LIFE. Think for a moment. There is a difference between being alive and living. Anyone whose heart beats is alive, but is he really living? Is the person who is on life support or the person who does nothing more than eat, sleep, and work really LIVING a FULL LIFE?? Or are they just alive, their hearts beating until they die? For anyone who has participated in Islamic work, you know the feeling of imaan and LIVING that Allah is talking about. The true feeling of a vibrant LIFE will only be felt by those who have a purpose to please Allah and work their hardest to get there. Look around at all the superstars, celebrities, actors, etc. How many of them are suicidal, drug addicts, and in a terrible state of personal affairs? The reason is because they are not truly LIVING, while the poor Muslim who works to please Allah has more wealth in his heart than the richest of kings…
It is time for all of us to respond the call of Allah to live an Islamic lifestyle and strive hard to please him…or else He may take away the imaan from our hearts if we don’t deserve it. That is why He says that He can come between a man and his heart. May Allah make us all steadfast on imaan.
The last ayah that struck me hard was ayah 36. “Indeed those who disbelieve spend their wealth for the purpose of hindering man from the path of Allah. They will spend their wealth against Allah and then they will regret it, and then they will be overpowered and overtaken. And those that disbelieve will be gathered in hellfire.”
SubhanAllah! How each human can work for any cause, whether it be for the truth or falsehood…or some people who work and live for nothing like cattle. It’s amazing how if we look around the world today we see how hard people are working to spread evil and against Islam. They will spend on promoting indecency, making Islam look bad, and promoting man-made ways of life. And these people disbelieve in Allah and don’t believing in getting rewarded for such actions! How then should a believer work for his cause when he believes in Allah and believes in gaining a huge reward? This ayah is again like a check for ourselves. If people work so hard for such trashy causes, shouldn’t we be working hard for such noble causes? Do we spend our wealth to promote Islam, modesty, the environment, and create Halal alternatives to all the Haram out there? Or do we spend our time and youth to promote other worthwhile causes? Or do we choose to spend our wealth and time on nothing like video games, TVs, music, and other toys? Again, these ayaat are no jokes. They should really make us think about how we are spending our lives.
May Allah make us amongst those who have true imaan and who gain the ultimate spoil of our war against our souls: al-firdaus al-a’aa – the highest place in jannah.
“Indeed the believers are only those who when they are reminded of Allah their heart trembles and when the ayaat are recited upon them it increases them in imaan. And they always put their full trust in their Lord. They also establish the salah and spend from we have provided for them.”
Each of us must ask ourselves the following questions as a test of imaan.
1. Does your heart tremble when you are reminded of Allah?
2. Does your imaan increase when you hear the Quran recited?
3. Have you established the 5 daily prayers as pillars of your day and life?
4. Do you spend your time, wealth, and energy for the sake of Allah?
If we can answer yes to these four questions, then we know our imaan is strong and true. If we have some doubt or weakness in any of the above, let us work hard to improving our relationship with Allah and the Quran so that we may re-evaluate later on and be of the true believers.
The surah then goes back to discussing jihad and how to behave and be steadfast in battle and to put full trust in Allah. Then Allah reminds the believers and the Prophet that it was not you who killed the enemy nor who successfully shot and aimed your weapons, but it was Allah who did it. This is quite a deep ayah if you think about it. In reality, all we can do is put in our 100% effort in everything we do and hope that Allah accepts and gives us the results desired. This ayah must be applied to every action in our daily lives whether it’s our studies, success in the workplace and promotions, family love, etc. If you study hard and make duaa to Allah, it is by His will that you will succeed as He aids you through the exam. If you get promoted and succeed at work, it is by the will of Allah that He allowed such things to occur in your favor. Just think about how many times we may have studied so hard or worked so hard only to not succeed in our goals. This is proof that the reality is that victory and success are in the hands of Allah. Again, all we can do is sincerely give every endeavor we undertake the most effort and ask Allah to accept.
The next ayah that should be discussed is honestly one of the dearest ayahs in the Quran to me. This ayah is a life reminder anytime one gets caught up in the dunya and away from causes related to pleasing Allah.
“O believers, respond to the call of Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to that which gives you LIFE. Know that surely Allah is able to come between a man and his heart and that to him you will be gathered.” (8:24)
This ayah is specifically referring to the call of battle, but it has an incredible general meaning for ALL people. We all know that there are tons of opportunities for each of us to promote Islam, defend Islam, and do so many things for the sake of Allah. Allah is commanding us to respond to His invitation to strive for His sake and He says that it is this striving and working for His sake which gives us LIFE. Think for a moment. There is a difference between being alive and living. Anyone whose heart beats is alive, but is he really living? Is the person who is on life support or the person who does nothing more than eat, sleep, and work really LIVING a FULL LIFE?? Or are they just alive, their hearts beating until they die? For anyone who has participated in Islamic work, you know the feeling of imaan and LIVING that Allah is talking about. The true feeling of a vibrant LIFE will only be felt by those who have a purpose to please Allah and work their hardest to get there. Look around at all the superstars, celebrities, actors, etc. How many of them are suicidal, drug addicts, and in a terrible state of personal affairs? The reason is because they are not truly LIVING, while the poor Muslim who works to please Allah has more wealth in his heart than the richest of kings…
It is time for all of us to respond the call of Allah to live an Islamic lifestyle and strive hard to please him…or else He may take away the imaan from our hearts if we don’t deserve it. That is why He says that He can come between a man and his heart. May Allah make us all steadfast on imaan.
The last ayah that struck me hard was ayah 36. “Indeed those who disbelieve spend their wealth for the purpose of hindering man from the path of Allah. They will spend their wealth against Allah and then they will regret it, and then they will be overpowered and overtaken. And those that disbelieve will be gathered in hellfire.”
SubhanAllah! How each human can work for any cause, whether it be for the truth or falsehood…or some people who work and live for nothing like cattle. It’s amazing how if we look around the world today we see how hard people are working to spread evil and against Islam. They will spend on promoting indecency, making Islam look bad, and promoting man-made ways of life. And these people disbelieve in Allah and don’t believing in getting rewarded for such actions! How then should a believer work for his cause when he believes in Allah and believes in gaining a huge reward? This ayah is again like a check for ourselves. If people work so hard for such trashy causes, shouldn’t we be working hard for such noble causes? Do we spend our wealth to promote Islam, modesty, the environment, and create Halal alternatives to all the Haram out there? Or do we spend our time and youth to promote other worthwhile causes? Or do we choose to spend our wealth and time on nothing like video games, TVs, music, and other toys? Again, these ayaat are no jokes. They should really make us think about how we are spending our lives.
May Allah make us amongst those who have true imaan and who gain the ultimate spoil of our war against our souls: al-firdaus al-a’aa – the highest place in jannah.
Surat-ul-Ma'ida Continued
By Guest Sheikh Uwais Namazi Nadwi
The story of al-Maidah:
Prophet Isa was asked by his disciples to ask Allah to descend a meal from Heaven. Prophet Isa was rebellious at first questioning their faith but the disciples reassured him that this was not due to the weakness of their Imaan but was intended at further strengthening it. This is similar to the incident of Abraham which is mentioned in Surah Baqarah ayat 260 where he asked Allah to show him how he bought the deceased back to life. Allah asked Abraham: Do you not believe? To which Abraham replied: Of course I do, but just to make my heart at peace.
It was this "peace" that the disciples were asking for, or so it is said. Imam Zamakhshari in his Kashaaf however, holds a slightly alternate opinion, they were never true believers and the Quran supports this by its narrative. He also cites both possibilities, through narrations, of its descent. One Opinion is that it never descended because they felt scared after they heard Allah's warning:
Allah said, “I am going to send it down to you; but whoever among you disbelieves after that, I shall give him such a punishment as I shall not give to anyone else in all the worlds.”
Hasan al-Basari would say: It did not descend. If it would have, they would have made a celebration till the day of Judgement.
This is a weak opinion since other narrations assert the opposite. It did descend and then they disbelieved and BROKE THE COVENANT, so they were transformed into monkeys and swine; they devolved after they evolved.
There are various narrations describing the food ranging from fish to meat and bread. Much of its contents are irrelevant but what matters is that they broke the covenant and that caused their damnation.
Abdullah ibn Amr would say: The harshest torment will be given to: 1) the Hypocrites 2) The people of al-Ma’ida 3) Pharaoh's progeny.
The surah then concludes by proving us with an incident that is yet to happen. Allah will call upon Prophet I'sa and ask him whether he taught his followers to take him and his Mother as God. Let the Quran speak for itself:
And when Allah said, “O ‘Īsā, son of Maryam, did you say to the people: ‘Take me and my mother as gods beside Allah?” He said, “Pure are You, it does not behoove me to say what is not right for me. Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my heart, and I do not know what is in Your’s. You alone have full knowledge of all that is unseen.
I have not said to them anything but what You have ordered me to say, that is, ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’ and I was a witness over them as long as I was with them. But when You recalled me, You were the One watching over them. You are a witness over everything
If You punish them, they are Your slaves after all, but if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise.”
Allah will say, “This is a day on which the truth of the truthful shall benefit them. For them there are gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will live forever. Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is the great achievement
To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and of whatever lies therein, and He is powerful over everything.
Allah has spoken the truth.
The story of al-Maidah:
Prophet Isa was asked by his disciples to ask Allah to descend a meal from Heaven. Prophet Isa was rebellious at first questioning their faith but the disciples reassured him that this was not due to the weakness of their Imaan but was intended at further strengthening it. This is similar to the incident of Abraham which is mentioned in Surah Baqarah ayat 260 where he asked Allah to show him how he bought the deceased back to life. Allah asked Abraham: Do you not believe? To which Abraham replied: Of course I do, but just to make my heart at peace.
It was this "peace" that the disciples were asking for, or so it is said. Imam Zamakhshari in his Kashaaf however, holds a slightly alternate opinion, they were never true believers and the Quran supports this by its narrative. He also cites both possibilities, through narrations, of its descent. One Opinion is that it never descended because they felt scared after they heard Allah's warning:
Allah said, “I am going to send it down to you; but whoever among you disbelieves after that, I shall give him such a punishment as I shall not give to anyone else in all the worlds.”
Hasan al-Basari would say: It did not descend. If it would have, they would have made a celebration till the day of Judgement.
This is a weak opinion since other narrations assert the opposite. It did descend and then they disbelieved and BROKE THE COVENANT, so they were transformed into monkeys and swine; they devolved after they evolved.
There are various narrations describing the food ranging from fish to meat and bread. Much of its contents are irrelevant but what matters is that they broke the covenant and that caused their damnation.
Abdullah ibn Amr would say: The harshest torment will be given to: 1) the Hypocrites 2) The people of al-Ma’ida 3) Pharaoh's progeny.
The surah then concludes by proving us with an incident that is yet to happen. Allah will call upon Prophet I'sa and ask him whether he taught his followers to take him and his Mother as God. Let the Quran speak for itself:
And when Allah said, “O ‘Īsā, son of Maryam, did you say to the people: ‘Take me and my mother as gods beside Allah?” He said, “Pure are You, it does not behoove me to say what is not right for me. Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my heart, and I do not know what is in Your’s. You alone have full knowledge of all that is unseen.
I have not said to them anything but what You have ordered me to say, that is, ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’ and I was a witness over them as long as I was with them. But when You recalled me, You were the One watching over them. You are a witness over everything
If You punish them, they are Your slaves after all, but if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise.”
Allah will say, “This is a day on which the truth of the truthful shall benefit them. For them there are gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will live forever. Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him. That is the great achievement
To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and of whatever lies therein, and He is powerful over everything.
Allah has spoken the truth.
The 6th Juz - Surat-ul-Ma'ida
By Guest Sheikh Uwais Namazi Nadwi
This surah, like the previous surah is also Medini. It contains some of the last revelations. This is why Anas and A'aisha would say: Maida is the last surah to have been revealed. Therefore regard its Hall as the final Halal and Haram as the last Haram (i.e. there is no abrogation in this surah).
The Surah focuses on Mu'amalaat i.e. social life and affairs. The previous surah titled Nisa, 'Women' indicates that its’ focus is on the inner dimensions of social life and its foundations while Ma’ida focuses more on the outer domain, such as diplomatic relations and contracts and oaths, with special references and insights to the people of the book as the Islamic movement had settled in Medina and made its mark there. Both names signify and symbolize this; the woman is the backbone of society and ma'ida, feasts are a manifestation of social life.
The surah starts with an imperative; an imperative that is the very essence of healthy social life. Allah does not want man to live in seclusion but encourages integration and socialization. But socialization without trust cannot reap anything positive. Instead Islam not only encourages socialization by this imperative but sanctifies it and shrouds it with the clothes of sacredness through laying a social-code. Read the following Ayaat with this in mind:
O you who believe, fulfil the contracts. The animals from the cattle have been made lawful for you, except that which will be read over to you, provided that you do not treat hunting as lawful while you are in IHrām. Surely, Allah ordains what He wills.
O you who believe, do not violate (the sanctity) of the Marks of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of the sacrificial animal, nor of the garlands, nor of those proceeding to the Sacred House, seeking the grace of their Lord and (His) Pleasure. When you are out of IHrām, you may hunt. Malice against a people for their having prevented you from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām, should not cause you to cross the limits. Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment.
Prohibited for you are: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and those upon which (a name) other than that of Allah has been invoked (at the time of slaughter), animal killed by strangling, or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by goring, or that which is eaten by a beast unless you have properly slaughtered it; and that which has been slaughtered before the idols, and that you determine shares through the arrows. (All of) this is sin. Today those who disbelieve have lost all hope of (damaging) your faith. So, do not fear them, and fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Dīn (religion and a way of life) for you. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger, having no inclination towards sin, then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
The following rulings are derived from these verses:
1) It is incumbent to fulfill ones promise and oblige and comply with any contract or transaction he has signed.
2) Only slaughtered meat is Halal.
3) Hunting whilst in Ihraam is not allowed although fishing, which is known as 'hunting in sea' in the quranic language, is permissible as reads verse.96 of this surah:
Made lawful for you is the hunting of the sea and eating thereof, as a benefit for you and for travellers. But the hunting of the land has been made unlawful for you as long as you are in the state of IHrām. Fear Allah (the One) towards Whom you are to be brought together.
4) It is important to maintain the sanctity of the religious symbols and manifestations. Allah says: Having said that, if one observes the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, then such things emanate from the piety of the hearts.
5) Assisting in good and condemning and doing the opposite in matters of sin and aggression.
6) The types of meat and animals that are haram e.t.c.
7) Islam is the final religion which Allah has chosen for himself.
8) Compulsion conditioned it is without the inclination of sin is forgivable.
The next verses talk about what Allah has made Halal after mentioning Haram. This "comparison" or "contrast" is a common factor in the Quranic Narrative; the Jannah is compared with Hell; believers with disbelievers and here Halal with Haram. This bears a stronger influence on the reader and helps him analyze and survey the situation for himself; does he want to be amongst the people of Heaven or Hell.
The verses are as follows:
They ask you as to what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Made lawful for you are good things, and (hunting through) birds and beasts of prey that you train, teaching them out of what Allah has taught you. So, eat of what they hold for you, and recite the name of Allah upon it.” Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is swift at reckoning
This day, good things have been made lawful for you. The food of the people of the Book is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them, and good women from among believers, and good women from among those who were given the Book before you, provided you give them their dowers, binding yourself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor having paramours. Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and, in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.
They give the following rulings:
1) All good things are Halaal.
2) Guard Dogs and Birds that are used for hunting are allowed as long as they have sufficient training. Refer to the books of Fiqh for detail. Allah gives us three conditions which are the foundation of this institution:
a) The animal/bird to be trained.
b) It should not eat the animal it hunts down.
c) The dua of slaughtering an animal should be recited when the animal is sent to reach the target.
3) Food of the people of the Book is lawful.
4) So are their chaste women conditioned one pays the dowry and is serious about "binding himself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor having paramours."
The Quran then warns of the logical negative: Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and, in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.
The next ruku' begins with the code of purity. It describes the method of ablution and then gives guidance to 1) purify ourselves if impure [by sexual relations e.t.c] 2) using soil in case water in unavailable which is known as "tayaamum". It also gives us the method of Tayammum which is to wipe both the face and hands.
The verse is as follows:
O you who believe, when you rise for Salāh, (prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and make MasH (wiping by hands) of your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves well (by taking bath). If you are sick, or on a journey, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have had sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then, go for some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not like to impose a problem on you; He, rather likes to cleanse you and to complete His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.
Then the surah goes into describing the fallacies People of the Book and debating with them. This takes up most of the remaining Surah. However since a full-detailed commentary of all the verses is beyond my ability at this moment, a brief summary of the themes in the verses are given in bullet points below. Some detail has been given where it has been felt.
7: A reminder is given to reflect over the covenant which believers have given to Allah. By this two covenants are implied; a general one and a specific one. The specific one is the baya' the sahabas gave to the Prophet. And the general one is the one where all Mankind testified to Allah that he is the Lord all-Mighty. Lings recalls that covenant with the following words:
"According to an ancient and still recognized legal principal, an accused cannot plead, in his defence, ignorance of the law. And since in the older civilisations, the temporal and the spiritual were organically connected, this principal may well have originated as a prolongation from the dogma that on the day of Judgement it may not be possible for man to plead ignorance of the basic truths of religion."
8: testify and always support the truth even if it goes against you. Worship justice. It is quite interesting to see one of the ninety-nine names of Allah is Just[ice].
9-14: Allah took a covenant from the Jews and the Christians but they broke it and the consequences for the Jews were, in the words of the Quran: We cursed them and made their hearts hardened. As for the Christians: "We had them stuck with enmity and malice among them right through the Day of Doom" for breaking their covenant.
The Jews are also recalled for their betrayal and distorting of holy texts.
15-16: The Jews are invited to join the Prophet which settles your arguments, exposes your fallacies and guarantees your saviour if one chooses to follow him.
16-19: Some of the Christian fallacies are refuted:
1) God is Christ
2) The Jews and Christians are Gods chosen people. (Allah forbid)
And thus are invited again to believe in the truth once again.
20-26: The Jews show their love for the world and disobedience to Allah and his messenger, Moses. They show cowardice. Allah simply asked them to enter the holy lands and victory was theirs. In fact they were so scared and negligent that they told Moses: “O Mūsā, we shall never enter it, in any case, so long as they are there. So go, you and your Lord, and fight. As for us, we are sitting right here.”
27-34: The Story of Habil and Qabil and its morals and lessons.
35-37: The path to success and the outcome of negligence in the narrative of the Kuffar.
38-40: The ruling for a stealer and thief.
41-82: The Prophet is introduced to the Christians and Jews. The Quran deals with their attitudes towards him. The causes for their deprivation of Allah’s mercy should hold much relevance to us all, therefore, in the light of these verses a list of their characteristics are produced so that all of us can be fully aware of them:
1) Listeners of False
2) Hearty consumers of prohibited things (Suht)
3) Distorting sacred texts
4) Fearing their enemies more than Allah.
5) Failing to apply the teachings of the Torah properly
6) Preferring their desires over the teachings of the Bible
7) Seeking for judgements and law elsewhere than the divine source
8) Taking religion lightly and making into a game.
9) Rushing towards sin, evil and transgression.
10) Their Scholars would not prevent the public from sin, especially if they were engaged in the very sin themselves.
11) Accusing and disparaging God.
12) Causing fights and corruption on earth
13) Shirk and trinity
14) Extremism in religion
15) Assisting and advocating Kufr
Although the list above may leave the impression that the Quran is aggressive and negative in all its aspects, especially when it comes to religious discrimination. But that is not true. The Quran through the above verses stresses the fact that not all of them are the same and manages to make distinctions and exceptions. Read the following for example:
If the People of the Book had believed and feared Allah, We would have written off their evil deeds and would have surely admitted them to the Gardens of Bliss. (65)
If they had upheld the Torah and the Injīl and what had been sent down to them from their Lord, they would surely have had plenty to eat from above them and from beneath them. Among them are moderate people. As for most of them, evil is what they do. (66)
Surely, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians - whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, and acts righteously, shall have no fear, nor shall such people grieve. (69)
And lastly:
And you will certainly find that the people most hostile against the believers are the Jews and the ones who ascribe partners to Allah. You will certainly find that the closest of them in friendship with the believers are those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because among them there are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant. (82)
Lastly, the surah ends with the story of the Feast, the title of this Surah. This insha Allah shall be dealt with separately in a fresh post.
Allah knows best
This surah, like the previous surah is also Medini. It contains some of the last revelations. This is why Anas and A'aisha would say: Maida is the last surah to have been revealed. Therefore regard its Hall as the final Halal and Haram as the last Haram (i.e. there is no abrogation in this surah).
The Surah focuses on Mu'amalaat i.e. social life and affairs. The previous surah titled Nisa, 'Women' indicates that its’ focus is on the inner dimensions of social life and its foundations while Ma’ida focuses more on the outer domain, such as diplomatic relations and contracts and oaths, with special references and insights to the people of the book as the Islamic movement had settled in Medina and made its mark there. Both names signify and symbolize this; the woman is the backbone of society and ma'ida, feasts are a manifestation of social life.
The surah starts with an imperative; an imperative that is the very essence of healthy social life. Allah does not want man to live in seclusion but encourages integration and socialization. But socialization without trust cannot reap anything positive. Instead Islam not only encourages socialization by this imperative but sanctifies it and shrouds it with the clothes of sacredness through laying a social-code. Read the following Ayaat with this in mind:
O you who believe, fulfil the contracts. The animals from the cattle have been made lawful for you, except that which will be read over to you, provided that you do not treat hunting as lawful while you are in IHrām. Surely, Allah ordains what He wills.
O you who believe, do not violate (the sanctity) of the Marks of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of the sacrificial animal, nor of the garlands, nor of those proceeding to the Sacred House, seeking the grace of their Lord and (His) Pleasure. When you are out of IHrām, you may hunt. Malice against a people for their having prevented you from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām, should not cause you to cross the limits. Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment.
Prohibited for you are: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and those upon which (a name) other than that of Allah has been invoked (at the time of slaughter), animal killed by strangling, or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by goring, or that which is eaten by a beast unless you have properly slaughtered it; and that which has been slaughtered before the idols, and that you determine shares through the arrows. (All of) this is sin. Today those who disbelieve have lost all hope of (damaging) your faith. So, do not fear them, and fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Dīn (religion and a way of life) for you. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger, having no inclination towards sin, then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
The following rulings are derived from these verses:
1) It is incumbent to fulfill ones promise and oblige and comply with any contract or transaction he has signed.
2) Only slaughtered meat is Halal.
3) Hunting whilst in Ihraam is not allowed although fishing, which is known as 'hunting in sea' in the quranic language, is permissible as reads verse.96 of this surah:
Made lawful for you is the hunting of the sea and eating thereof, as a benefit for you and for travellers. But the hunting of the land has been made unlawful for you as long as you are in the state of IHrām. Fear Allah (the One) towards Whom you are to be brought together.
4) It is important to maintain the sanctity of the religious symbols and manifestations. Allah says: Having said that, if one observes the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, then such things emanate from the piety of the hearts.
5) Assisting in good and condemning and doing the opposite in matters of sin and aggression.
6) The types of meat and animals that are haram e.t.c.
7) Islam is the final religion which Allah has chosen for himself.
8) Compulsion conditioned it is without the inclination of sin is forgivable.
The next verses talk about what Allah has made Halal after mentioning Haram. This "comparison" or "contrast" is a common factor in the Quranic Narrative; the Jannah is compared with Hell; believers with disbelievers and here Halal with Haram. This bears a stronger influence on the reader and helps him analyze and survey the situation for himself; does he want to be amongst the people of Heaven or Hell.
The verses are as follows:
They ask you as to what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Made lawful for you are good things, and (hunting through) birds and beasts of prey that you train, teaching them out of what Allah has taught you. So, eat of what they hold for you, and recite the name of Allah upon it.” Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is swift at reckoning
This day, good things have been made lawful for you. The food of the people of the Book is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them, and good women from among believers, and good women from among those who were given the Book before you, provided you give them their dowers, binding yourself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor having paramours. Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and, in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.
They give the following rulings:
1) All good things are Halaal.
2) Guard Dogs and Birds that are used for hunting are allowed as long as they have sufficient training. Refer to the books of Fiqh for detail. Allah gives us three conditions which are the foundation of this institution:
a) The animal/bird to be trained.
b) It should not eat the animal it hunts down.
c) The dua of slaughtering an animal should be recited when the animal is sent to reach the target.
3) Food of the people of the Book is lawful.
4) So are their chaste women conditioned one pays the dowry and is serious about "binding himself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor having paramours."
The Quran then warns of the logical negative: Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and, in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.
The next ruku' begins with the code of purity. It describes the method of ablution and then gives guidance to 1) purify ourselves if impure [by sexual relations e.t.c] 2) using soil in case water in unavailable which is known as "tayaamum". It also gives us the method of Tayammum which is to wipe both the face and hands.
The verse is as follows:
O you who believe, when you rise for Salāh, (prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and make MasH (wiping by hands) of your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves well (by taking bath). If you are sick, or on a journey, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have had sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then, go for some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not like to impose a problem on you; He, rather likes to cleanse you and to complete His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.
Then the surah goes into describing the fallacies People of the Book and debating with them. This takes up most of the remaining Surah. However since a full-detailed commentary of all the verses is beyond my ability at this moment, a brief summary of the themes in the verses are given in bullet points below. Some detail has been given where it has been felt.
7: A reminder is given to reflect over the covenant which believers have given to Allah. By this two covenants are implied; a general one and a specific one. The specific one is the baya' the sahabas gave to the Prophet. And the general one is the one where all Mankind testified to Allah that he is the Lord all-Mighty. Lings recalls that covenant with the following words:
"According to an ancient and still recognized legal principal, an accused cannot plead, in his defence, ignorance of the law. And since in the older civilisations, the temporal and the spiritual were organically connected, this principal may well have originated as a prolongation from the dogma that on the day of Judgement it may not be possible for man to plead ignorance of the basic truths of religion."
8: testify and always support the truth even if it goes against you. Worship justice. It is quite interesting to see one of the ninety-nine names of Allah is Just[ice].
9-14: Allah took a covenant from the Jews and the Christians but they broke it and the consequences for the Jews were, in the words of the Quran: We cursed them and made their hearts hardened. As for the Christians: "We had them stuck with enmity and malice among them right through the Day of Doom" for breaking their covenant.
The Jews are also recalled for their betrayal and distorting of holy texts.
15-16: The Jews are invited to join the Prophet which settles your arguments, exposes your fallacies and guarantees your saviour if one chooses to follow him.
16-19: Some of the Christian fallacies are refuted:
1) God is Christ
2) The Jews and Christians are Gods chosen people. (Allah forbid)
And thus are invited again to believe in the truth once again.
20-26: The Jews show their love for the world and disobedience to Allah and his messenger, Moses. They show cowardice. Allah simply asked them to enter the holy lands and victory was theirs. In fact they were so scared and negligent that they told Moses: “O Mūsā, we shall never enter it, in any case, so long as they are there. So go, you and your Lord, and fight. As for us, we are sitting right here.”
27-34: The Story of Habil and Qabil and its morals and lessons.
35-37: The path to success and the outcome of negligence in the narrative of the Kuffar.
38-40: The ruling for a stealer and thief.
41-82: The Prophet is introduced to the Christians and Jews. The Quran deals with their attitudes towards him. The causes for their deprivation of Allah’s mercy should hold much relevance to us all, therefore, in the light of these verses a list of their characteristics are produced so that all of us can be fully aware of them:
1) Listeners of False
2) Hearty consumers of prohibited things (Suht)
3) Distorting sacred texts
4) Fearing their enemies more than Allah.
5) Failing to apply the teachings of the Torah properly
6) Preferring their desires over the teachings of the Bible
7) Seeking for judgements and law elsewhere than the divine source
8) Taking religion lightly and making into a game.
9) Rushing towards sin, evil and transgression.
10) Their Scholars would not prevent the public from sin, especially if they were engaged in the very sin themselves.
11) Accusing and disparaging God.
12) Causing fights and corruption on earth
13) Shirk and trinity
14) Extremism in religion
15) Assisting and advocating Kufr
Although the list above may leave the impression that the Quran is aggressive and negative in all its aspects, especially when it comes to religious discrimination. But that is not true. The Quran through the above verses stresses the fact that not all of them are the same and manages to make distinctions and exceptions. Read the following for example:
If the People of the Book had believed and feared Allah, We would have written off their evil deeds and would have surely admitted them to the Gardens of Bliss. (65)
If they had upheld the Torah and the Injīl and what had been sent down to them from their Lord, they would surely have had plenty to eat from above them and from beneath them. Among them are moderate people. As for most of them, evil is what they do. (66)
Surely, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians - whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, and acts righteously, shall have no fear, nor shall such people grieve. (69)
And lastly:
And you will certainly find that the people most hostile against the believers are the Jews and the ones who ascribe partners to Allah. You will certainly find that the closest of them in friendship with the believers are those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because among them there are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant. (82)
Lastly, the surah ends with the story of the Feast, the title of this Surah. This insha Allah shall be dealt with separately in a fresh post.
Allah knows best
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Fifth Juz – Surat-an-Nisa’
This madani surah is well known for its in depth details on social and family law, particularly the laws of inheritance. However, it is full of heart shakers and awakeners. SubhanAllah, after reading and hearing the surah, I came to the realization about one thing concerning family law and the rights’ of women; that is that people in the world in including Muslims completely take for granted the sweeping changes Islam made in this regard. The surah reminds me of just how deep the changes made by Islam are in the world today, yet we don’t really realize that it was all done by Islam. For example, the surah clarifies that not only are women not to be inherited, but they also have a right to inherit. This was a change that completely shook the social values of the Arabs and the region. We should think about this, amongst all the other major social diseases that Islam fixed, and thank Allah for this perfect way of life.
In ayah 43, we find an ayah that was later abrogated, but nonetheless has quite a profound thought in it. “O Believers, do not approach prayer while you are drunk until you are able to understand what you are saying…” I think many of you will say “how is this applicable to me, I don’t drink”, but think for a second. One of the wisdoms mentioned about why alcohol and Salah don’t go together is because when one is drunk one cannot comprehend the words of Allah. Think for second…how many of us are SOBER, but still do not understand or comprehend what we read??? SubhanAllah, the Quran was meant to be read to comprehend and practice, but somewhere down the line we were taught just read it for its’ blessing and don’t try to understand it. This is an absolutely ridiculous notion and we should all strive to read the translations, tafseers, and other explanations on how to live the ayaat. Is that not what the Prophet was? A Quran walking upon the earth.
A few pages later we come across one the fundamentally most important ayahs in the Quran. Allah swears by Himself that “They will not have complete imaan until they make you (Mohammad) the judge in all their disputes, and then they will not find any displeasure in their hearts to how you have judged, and they will accept with the fullest conviction.” (4:65)
This ayah is so deep. It ties the completion and perfection of our belief to our willingness to submit to the words and decisions of Rasool Allah. In reality, this ayah is scary because it means that we must seek to perfectly practice the sunnah in our lives and if we ever have a disagreement with someone regarding any Islamic matter, then we refer to the hadith to judge between us. This may be in matters of transactions, fiqh, or worship. This ayah is very humbling because it makes us put our intellects and egos below the commands of our Prophet. This may sound simple, but in reality this requires a lot of internal struggle. Furthermore, not only must we submit to the decision of our Prophet, but we must fully be satisfied and content with it. Have we reached this level of imaan? I know one way that can help. Once we open the books of seerah, the decision to submit to his decisions becomes very easy and comfortable, and we will truly learn that he was a mercy to mankind.
The surah then goes on to discuss some concepts related to jihad and struggling for the sake of Allah. Allah cites an ayah that mentions people who stay back and don’t struggle out of fear of getting hurt or falling into difficulties. Allah says that when they see good coming to those who struggled that they will say “Oh how I wish that I had been with them, then I would have been really successful.” (4:73)
This ayah struck me hard, because there are so many good Islamic endeavors and projects in our communities and universities. This is a reminder to get involved as much as I can, in a focused manner to be of utmost service to the ummah. The saddest thing would be for any of us to feel regret over something we could have done if we had a little will power and passion to work for Allah. How many programs, projects, and opportunities have slipped by our hands in which all those involved reaped huge rewards from Allah and we watched and wished we were a part of them. Let’s make a pact with Allah that we won’t let this happen again. It reminds of that Sahabi would had a chance to be one the first companions but rejected the dawah until 10+ years later. He thought back “Had I accepted Islam then, I would have been of the first Mulims.” May Allah allow us to take advantage of every opportunity, so that we can truly be successful.
Allah returns to discussing imaani topics after completing the portion on jihad. Many of the ayahs in this later portion are heart shakers, but ayah 114 hit me hardest. “There is no good in many of your private discussions; except who pushes for giving charity or doing good or who seeks reconciliation between people. Whoever does that seeking the pleasure of Allah, then We will give them a great reward.” (4:114)
I ask Allah to forgive me for not practicing this ayah fully. How many discussions can we count in which we wasted time, talked about nonsense, spoke ill about others, and did nothing productive? This is ayah is unbelievable. Allah is calling us out for running our tongues without mentioned anything good. From now on, lets try to make all our discussions based on the following that will bring us great reward, success, and the pleasure of Allah:
1. Urging one another to spend our time, wealth, energy for Islam
2. Speaking about and doing good deeds
3. Seeking to reconcile between our brothers and sisters who have issues
This is what Allah is reminding us. That any private conversation outside of these points has little to no value in it. The bottom line we should learn from this verse is to control our tongues.
May Allah make us amongst those whose gatherings are of benefit and pleasing to Him.
In ayah 43, we find an ayah that was later abrogated, but nonetheless has quite a profound thought in it. “O Believers, do not approach prayer while you are drunk until you are able to understand what you are saying…” I think many of you will say “how is this applicable to me, I don’t drink”, but think for a second. One of the wisdoms mentioned about why alcohol and Salah don’t go together is because when one is drunk one cannot comprehend the words of Allah. Think for second…how many of us are SOBER, but still do not understand or comprehend what we read??? SubhanAllah, the Quran was meant to be read to comprehend and practice, but somewhere down the line we were taught just read it for its’ blessing and don’t try to understand it. This is an absolutely ridiculous notion and we should all strive to read the translations, tafseers, and other explanations on how to live the ayaat. Is that not what the Prophet was? A Quran walking upon the earth.
A few pages later we come across one the fundamentally most important ayahs in the Quran. Allah swears by Himself that “They will not have complete imaan until they make you (Mohammad) the judge in all their disputes, and then they will not find any displeasure in their hearts to how you have judged, and they will accept with the fullest conviction.” (4:65)
This ayah is so deep. It ties the completion and perfection of our belief to our willingness to submit to the words and decisions of Rasool Allah. In reality, this ayah is scary because it means that we must seek to perfectly practice the sunnah in our lives and if we ever have a disagreement with someone regarding any Islamic matter, then we refer to the hadith to judge between us. This may be in matters of transactions, fiqh, or worship. This ayah is very humbling because it makes us put our intellects and egos below the commands of our Prophet. This may sound simple, but in reality this requires a lot of internal struggle. Furthermore, not only must we submit to the decision of our Prophet, but we must fully be satisfied and content with it. Have we reached this level of imaan? I know one way that can help. Once we open the books of seerah, the decision to submit to his decisions becomes very easy and comfortable, and we will truly learn that he was a mercy to mankind.
The surah then goes on to discuss some concepts related to jihad and struggling for the sake of Allah. Allah cites an ayah that mentions people who stay back and don’t struggle out of fear of getting hurt or falling into difficulties. Allah says that when they see good coming to those who struggled that they will say “Oh how I wish that I had been with them, then I would have been really successful.” (4:73)
This ayah struck me hard, because there are so many good Islamic endeavors and projects in our communities and universities. This is a reminder to get involved as much as I can, in a focused manner to be of utmost service to the ummah. The saddest thing would be for any of us to feel regret over something we could have done if we had a little will power and passion to work for Allah. How many programs, projects, and opportunities have slipped by our hands in which all those involved reaped huge rewards from Allah and we watched and wished we were a part of them. Let’s make a pact with Allah that we won’t let this happen again. It reminds of that Sahabi would had a chance to be one the first companions but rejected the dawah until 10+ years later. He thought back “Had I accepted Islam then, I would have been of the first Mulims.” May Allah allow us to take advantage of every opportunity, so that we can truly be successful.
Allah returns to discussing imaani topics after completing the portion on jihad. Many of the ayahs in this later portion are heart shakers, but ayah 114 hit me hardest. “There is no good in many of your private discussions; except who pushes for giving charity or doing good or who seeks reconciliation between people. Whoever does that seeking the pleasure of Allah, then We will give them a great reward.” (4:114)
I ask Allah to forgive me for not practicing this ayah fully. How many discussions can we count in which we wasted time, talked about nonsense, spoke ill about others, and did nothing productive? This is ayah is unbelievable. Allah is calling us out for running our tongues without mentioned anything good. From now on, lets try to make all our discussions based on the following that will bring us great reward, success, and the pleasure of Allah:
1. Urging one another to spend our time, wealth, energy for Islam
2. Speaking about and doing good deeds
3. Seeking to reconcile between our brothers and sisters who have issues
This is what Allah is reminding us. That any private conversation outside of these points has little to no value in it. The bottom line we should learn from this verse is to control our tongues.
May Allah make us amongst those whose gatherings are of benefit and pleasing to Him.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Fourth Juz - Continuation of Surat-Aali Imran
Surat-Aali Imran continues in the fourth juz and an in depth analysis of the Battle of Uhud is given.
Before and after the discussion on the battle, Allah reminds the believers not to have an identity crisis. He reminds us not to take other than the believers as the most intimate of friends and not to follow them in their ways of life or else we will end up being losers. Allah reminds us that it is only by being strongly united and close to our fellow brothers and sisters will we be able to achieve success. A way to practice this in our times is to look around at our friends. Who are our friends and how do they influence us? We should seek to be in the company of those who will benefit us in being better family people, more honest, more productive, and all this has to do with being a better Muslim.
Another profound verse that slips into the surah is about the concept of rushing to forgiveness from Allah. (3:133-135)Allah promises paradise to people with different attributes and says He loves them. Amongst those mentioned are the following: "Those who when they commit an indecency or wrong their own souls, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness and then do not persist in repeating their sins." This is an unbelievably optimistic ayah that should awaken our hearts and fill it with hope and joy. Think for a moment. Regardless of what sins you have committed and shameful acts you have done, if you just remember Allah, in His Infinite Mercy and ability to forgive, and then ask him to forgive you, not only does He grant you forgiveness, but He begins to love you! What a Lord we have.
During the discussion of the Battle of Uhud, which was the second major battle the Muslims participated in, Allah tells the believers why they lost. (3:152) He says clearly that He will grant victory to the Muslims as long as they do not dispute and disobey the commands of Allah and His messenger. By falling for the temptations of this world (by seeking the war booty), the Companions lost the battle. It is clear that disobedience to Allah will lead to immense loss, in this life and the next. Think about your trip to the doctor. If the doctor knows why you are sick and prescribes a certain medicine, but you decide not to take the medicine, then indeed you will not get better in the time you should have. Likewise, we should know we have the prescription to victory and success between our hands in this Quran, the question is when will we take our dosage to heal our ailments and make us victorious?
Allah continues and mentions the virtues and pleasures of martyrdom, and this is supposed to change the way a believer sees this life. A new paradigm is opened as to the true meaning of bliss and satisfaction. When hearing the ayah (3:157) state "If you die or are killed for the sake of Allah, then the forgiveness and mercy you will receive are far greater than everything that the people could gather in this life." Stop and think about this concept for a moment. Think about everything that the people of this world can gather in terms of wealth, palaces, foods, women, and all types of pleasure. We can hardly even perceive all the possible pleasures of this world. So think about what Allah means when he says that the forgiveness and mercy is far greater and worth more. That means jannah is ridiculously loaded with pleasures that we cannot even perceive, including the ultimate pleasure of seeing Allah. This understanding of struggling for the sake of Allah in every way imaginable should change our perception about our goals in life and make us productive people in doing the best of deeds to please Allah.
After completing the discussion on the reality of martyrdom, Allah mentions a few interesting ayaat that makes one stop and reflect as to his own fears in life that cause him not to struggle to his utmost. The notion and feeling that the people have gathered against Muslims in large numbers so the Muslims should be scared is highlighted. This concept has existed since the dawn of time. But Allah clarifies, "Indeed that is only Shaytan who frightens you of his supporters. So fear him not, but fear Me if you truly have imaan." Allah is reminding us that the media, the corrupt governments, all the talk shows, and magazines, and state of the union addresses are all tools of Shaytan to make you fear the friends of Shaytan. In reality, they cannot do anything to you, but it is only a perception. So...who cares what they say and do, just do your part and you will be taken care of by Allah. Furthermore, if you truly have strong imaan, you would fear Allah more and not fear His creation.
The surah concludes with verses reminding the believers the virtues of pondering over the purpose of life, which should to the conclusion that Allah did not create the universe in vain, He did not create us to sleep, eat, and reproduce, but He created us for a greater cause...Have you thought about your purpose in life and lived for a greater cause...
May Allah accept our fasting and praying during this blessed month.
Before and after the discussion on the battle, Allah reminds the believers not to have an identity crisis. He reminds us not to take other than the believers as the most intimate of friends and not to follow them in their ways of life or else we will end up being losers. Allah reminds us that it is only by being strongly united and close to our fellow brothers and sisters will we be able to achieve success. A way to practice this in our times is to look around at our friends. Who are our friends and how do they influence us? We should seek to be in the company of those who will benefit us in being better family people, more honest, more productive, and all this has to do with being a better Muslim.
Another profound verse that slips into the surah is about the concept of rushing to forgiveness from Allah. (3:133-135)Allah promises paradise to people with different attributes and says He loves them. Amongst those mentioned are the following: "Those who when they commit an indecency or wrong their own souls, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness and then do not persist in repeating their sins." This is an unbelievably optimistic ayah that should awaken our hearts and fill it with hope and joy. Think for a moment. Regardless of what sins you have committed and shameful acts you have done, if you just remember Allah, in His Infinite Mercy and ability to forgive, and then ask him to forgive you, not only does He grant you forgiveness, but He begins to love you! What a Lord we have.
During the discussion of the Battle of Uhud, which was the second major battle the Muslims participated in, Allah tells the believers why they lost. (3:152) He says clearly that He will grant victory to the Muslims as long as they do not dispute and disobey the commands of Allah and His messenger. By falling for the temptations of this world (by seeking the war booty), the Companions lost the battle. It is clear that disobedience to Allah will lead to immense loss, in this life and the next. Think about your trip to the doctor. If the doctor knows why you are sick and prescribes a certain medicine, but you decide not to take the medicine, then indeed you will not get better in the time you should have. Likewise, we should know we have the prescription to victory and success between our hands in this Quran, the question is when will we take our dosage to heal our ailments and make us victorious?
Allah continues and mentions the virtues and pleasures of martyrdom, and this is supposed to change the way a believer sees this life. A new paradigm is opened as to the true meaning of bliss and satisfaction. When hearing the ayah (3:157) state "If you die or are killed for the sake of Allah, then the forgiveness and mercy you will receive are far greater than everything that the people could gather in this life." Stop and think about this concept for a moment. Think about everything that the people of this world can gather in terms of wealth, palaces, foods, women, and all types of pleasure. We can hardly even perceive all the possible pleasures of this world. So think about what Allah means when he says that the forgiveness and mercy is far greater and worth more. That means jannah is ridiculously loaded with pleasures that we cannot even perceive, including the ultimate pleasure of seeing Allah. This understanding of struggling for the sake of Allah in every way imaginable should change our perception about our goals in life and make us productive people in doing the best of deeds to please Allah.
After completing the discussion on the reality of martyrdom, Allah mentions a few interesting ayaat that makes one stop and reflect as to his own fears in life that cause him not to struggle to his utmost. The notion and feeling that the people have gathered against Muslims in large numbers so the Muslims should be scared is highlighted. This concept has existed since the dawn of time. But Allah clarifies, "Indeed that is only Shaytan who frightens you of his supporters. So fear him not, but fear Me if you truly have imaan." Allah is reminding us that the media, the corrupt governments, all the talk shows, and magazines, and state of the union addresses are all tools of Shaytan to make you fear the friends of Shaytan. In reality, they cannot do anything to you, but it is only a perception. So...who cares what they say and do, just do your part and you will be taken care of by Allah. Furthermore, if you truly have strong imaan, you would fear Allah more and not fear His creation.
The surah concludes with verses reminding the believers the virtues of pondering over the purpose of life, which should to the conclusion that Allah did not create the universe in vain, He did not create us to sleep, eat, and reproduce, but He created us for a greater cause...Have you thought about your purpose in life and lived for a greater cause...
May Allah accept our fasting and praying during this blessed month.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The 3rd Juz – End of al-Baqara and Aali Imran
The greatest ayah in the Quran presents itself in the beginning of the 3rd juz; Ayat-ul-Kursi (2:255) . After reading this ayah, how can one help but be overcome by a feeling of awe, respect, and humility towards Allah. We can hardly go 24 hours without sleep and rest, and if we work really hard, we get burned out after a few nights. However, Allah, is never in need of a break, rest, nap, or sleep while He maintains the heavens, the planets, and watches over every living creatures' needs from the bee to the ant to the human. One of the valuable things we can gain from this ayah is indeed the statement of the pious that "before you sin, do not look at the small size of your sin, but look at the majesty, power, and magnitude of whom you are transgressing against."
The surah then goes on to talk about many laws, amongst them, the rulings on interest and debt. When hearing the ayaat (277-279) discussing interest and the punishment of dealing with it, my heart trembles and I ask Allah to always provide me with enough halal wealth so I never approach taking loans and perhaps falling into paying (or taking) interest. Allah tells the believers "if you cannot leave your dealings with interest, then be ready for war against Allah and His messenger." Who could possibly want to engage in combat with Allah??? This is a huge reminder to me as a Muslim in the US, that leaving interest is a major struggle since the entire economy is based on it; however, this is a test Allah has put before me, and it seems much easier than dealing with starvation, physical oppression, famine, and war.
Surat-Aali-Imran, the Family of Imran, is the 3rd surah in the Quran. It was revealed after the migration to Medina. It has multiple themes, amongst them are the following:
1. The Islamic Belief System (Aqeedah)
2. Dealings and Dialogue with the People of the Book (Jews and Christians)
3. The Battle of Uhud and lessons for the Muslims
The beginning of the surah has a verse that one can ponder over for hours and days. "He is the One who has fashioned you in the womb however He willed. There is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, the most Exalted in Might, the most Wise." (3:4)
This verse should make the believer thank Allah for how Allah created him or her. In Allah's infinite wisdom, He made us each unique in our physiques, wealth, and intellect. One should never wish that Allah made them more handsome, beautiful, rich, or intelligent. The reality is, you have no idea how you would behave had Allah made you different. Perhaps you would have been arrogant if Allah made you wealthier or stronger and you would have wronged others. Perhaps had Allah made you weaker or poorer, then others would have oppressed you. If Allah had make you think in a different way, perhaps you would have wandered off into some other belief system outside of Islam. The bottom line that the Muslim should understand: Allah is Just and Infinitely Wise, and He created you in a certain way, in a certain context to test you appropriately with the opportunity to succeed and gain His pleasure. Say "Alhamdolillah" and thank Him that He didn't test you with something that you could not handle.
Then Allah describes the attributes of the people of paradise. He lists their qualities as being patient, truthful, obedient, generous, and as seeking forgiveness in the early hours of the day. Ask yourself if you fit this description. Are we patient with our families; whether when our parents tell us to do something, when our spouses argue with us, when our siblings misbehave. Are we patient in times of distress? And as for the other qualities; when is the last time we woke up 10 minutes before Fajr and asked Allah to forgive us for our mistakes.
The surah continues and tells us the story of the birth of Mariam and the difficulties of her father Imran and mother in conceiving her. Finally, her mother promises to Allah to dedicate the live of her child for the sake of Allah. Eventually, when Mariam is born, she is sent to Jerusalem and raised by the righteous people in the masjid, and as we all know, eventually gives birth to Isa. The story is beautiful and touching, but what can we learn and apply from it? One thing we can all do is to make a similar oath to Allah like that of Mariam's mother: Make a promise to Allah that you will dedicate the life of one of your children for the sake of Allah. Insha Allah each of us will have many kids, but promise to Allah that you will push and aid one of them in becoming a scholar of tafseer, hadith, a hafiz, etc. If we are sincere about wanting a new generation of rightly guided Muslims, we know the decision lies in our hands as to how we raise our kids. May Allah guide us and our children.
The last ayah to discuss is ayah 83. "Do they seek other than the way of life Allah has chosen, while everything in the heavens and earth has already submitted itself to Allah, willing or by compulsion, and to Allah they will return." This question is a reminder to the Muslim reader about their commitment to Allah. We know that the planets, stars, moons, the molecules, the atoms, and even the electrons in the universe have all submitted to the will of Allah. They all follow the laws of physics and chemistry that have been placed in the universe. But do you, the human being with an intellect and freedom to choose, willingly submit to Allah? After knowing everything you know about Allah, about the false systems that man has fallen prey to, have you decided to sincerely follow the guidance that will make your life, in this world and the next, successful?
We ask Allah to allow us to submit to the truth willingly and happily, and grant us the understanding that the words of Allah are indeed best for our lives.
The surah then goes on to talk about many laws, amongst them, the rulings on interest and debt. When hearing the ayaat (277-279) discussing interest and the punishment of dealing with it, my heart trembles and I ask Allah to always provide me with enough halal wealth so I never approach taking loans and perhaps falling into paying (or taking) interest. Allah tells the believers "if you cannot leave your dealings with interest, then be ready for war against Allah and His messenger." Who could possibly want to engage in combat with Allah??? This is a huge reminder to me as a Muslim in the US, that leaving interest is a major struggle since the entire economy is based on it; however, this is a test Allah has put before me, and it seems much easier than dealing with starvation, physical oppression, famine, and war.
Surat-Aali-Imran, the Family of Imran, is the 3rd surah in the Quran. It was revealed after the migration to Medina. It has multiple themes, amongst them are the following:
1. The Islamic Belief System (Aqeedah)
2. Dealings and Dialogue with the People of the Book (Jews and Christians)
3. The Battle of Uhud and lessons for the Muslims
The beginning of the surah has a verse that one can ponder over for hours and days. "He is the One who has fashioned you in the womb however He willed. There is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, the most Exalted in Might, the most Wise." (3:4)
This verse should make the believer thank Allah for how Allah created him or her. In Allah's infinite wisdom, He made us each unique in our physiques, wealth, and intellect. One should never wish that Allah made them more handsome, beautiful, rich, or intelligent. The reality is, you have no idea how you would behave had Allah made you different. Perhaps you would have been arrogant if Allah made you wealthier or stronger and you would have wronged others. Perhaps had Allah made you weaker or poorer, then others would have oppressed you. If Allah had make you think in a different way, perhaps you would have wandered off into some other belief system outside of Islam. The bottom line that the Muslim should understand: Allah is Just and Infinitely Wise, and He created you in a certain way, in a certain context to test you appropriately with the opportunity to succeed and gain His pleasure. Say "Alhamdolillah" and thank Him that He didn't test you with something that you could not handle.
Then Allah describes the attributes of the people of paradise. He lists their qualities as being patient, truthful, obedient, generous, and as seeking forgiveness in the early hours of the day. Ask yourself if you fit this description. Are we patient with our families; whether when our parents tell us to do something, when our spouses argue with us, when our siblings misbehave. Are we patient in times of distress? And as for the other qualities; when is the last time we woke up 10 minutes before Fajr and asked Allah to forgive us for our mistakes.
The surah continues and tells us the story of the birth of Mariam and the difficulties of her father Imran and mother in conceiving her. Finally, her mother promises to Allah to dedicate the live of her child for the sake of Allah. Eventually, when Mariam is born, she is sent to Jerusalem and raised by the righteous people in the masjid, and as we all know, eventually gives birth to Isa. The story is beautiful and touching, but what can we learn and apply from it? One thing we can all do is to make a similar oath to Allah like that of Mariam's mother: Make a promise to Allah that you will dedicate the life of one of your children for the sake of Allah. Insha Allah each of us will have many kids, but promise to Allah that you will push and aid one of them in becoming a scholar of tafseer, hadith, a hafiz, etc. If we are sincere about wanting a new generation of rightly guided Muslims, we know the decision lies in our hands as to how we raise our kids. May Allah guide us and our children.
The last ayah to discuss is ayah 83. "Do they seek other than the way of life Allah has chosen, while everything in the heavens and earth has already submitted itself to Allah, willing or by compulsion, and to Allah they will return." This question is a reminder to the Muslim reader about their commitment to Allah. We know that the planets, stars, moons, the molecules, the atoms, and even the electrons in the universe have all submitted to the will of Allah. They all follow the laws of physics and chemistry that have been placed in the universe. But do you, the human being with an intellect and freedom to choose, willingly submit to Allah? After knowing everything you know about Allah, about the false systems that man has fallen prey to, have you decided to sincerely follow the guidance that will make your life, in this world and the next, successful?
We ask Allah to allow us to submit to the truth willingly and happily, and grant us the understanding that the words of Allah are indeed best for our lives.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Surat-ul-Baqara Continued - The Second Juz
The second juz begins with a detailed account and explanation of the changing of the qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca. The Quran clearly states the reason as "It was only to know who would follow Prophet Muhammad and who would reject him..." The depth to this ayah is that Allah says that He initially told the Prophet to pray towards Jerusalem. Have you ever wondered why there is no ayah citing this command? The reason is, without doubt, that the Prophet received revelation (wahy) other than the Quran in the hadith. The only difference is that the hadith are in the words of the Prophet, whereas the Quran is the speech of Allah. This should make our hearts move in appreciation and love for the hadith which are to followed with complete submission and obedience. Truly the Prophet does not speak from his desires, rather his words are coming from revelation.
Another interesting part of this portion of the surah are all the verses with "They ask you concerning..." (yasaloonaka 3an...) SubhanAllah, this is a reminder till the end of time about the mindset of the Sahaba. Anytime they had a question, they would ask the Messenger of Allah and wait patiently for an answer. They would ask about the crescent moon, how to give charity, about purity, fighting in certain months, alcohol, gambling, and many other affairs of life, then they would immediately act upon the answer of the Prophet that was either from the hadith or the Quran. Have we ever had a question and asked the Quran? Have we ever wondered if this something is permissible or prohibited and opened the Quran for the clear answer from the All Knowing? Do we treat the Quran like the book of guidance with answers to our daily affairs and problems? It is quite clear how the Quranic attitude of the Sahaba makes them the best people to ever walk the earth. May Allah grant us the tawfiq to approach the Quran like they did.
The last point that hit me hard during the tarawih prayer was the ayah "Spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction; and seek perfection, for indeed Allah loves those who seek perfection." (2:195) A deep meaning of this ayah is that if we don't spend as much of our time, wealth, and energy for the sake of Allah, then we are in reality spending our time in things that will destroy us. Wasting our wealth, time, youth, and energy is equivalent to destroying our lives, because what more is our life than our time? Ok...time to get busy then, make some dhikr and do something productive for the sake of Allah.
May Allah allow us all to spend whatever we possess for his sake.
I ask fellow readers to please post and share your own reflections.
Another interesting part of this portion of the surah are all the verses with "They ask you concerning..." (yasaloonaka 3an...) SubhanAllah, this is a reminder till the end of time about the mindset of the Sahaba. Anytime they had a question, they would ask the Messenger of Allah and wait patiently for an answer. They would ask about the crescent moon, how to give charity, about purity, fighting in certain months, alcohol, gambling, and many other affairs of life, then they would immediately act upon the answer of the Prophet that was either from the hadith or the Quran. Have we ever had a question and asked the Quran? Have we ever wondered if this something is permissible or prohibited and opened the Quran for the clear answer from the All Knowing? Do we treat the Quran like the book of guidance with answers to our daily affairs and problems? It is quite clear how the Quranic attitude of the Sahaba makes them the best people to ever walk the earth. May Allah grant us the tawfiq to approach the Quran like they did.
The last point that hit me hard during the tarawih prayer was the ayah "Spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction; and seek perfection, for indeed Allah loves those who seek perfection." (2:195) A deep meaning of this ayah is that if we don't spend as much of our time, wealth, and energy for the sake of Allah, then we are in reality spending our time in things that will destroy us. Wasting our wealth, time, youth, and energy is equivalent to destroying our lives, because what more is our life than our time? Ok...time to get busy then, make some dhikr and do something productive for the sake of Allah.
May Allah allow us all to spend whatever we possess for his sake.
I ask fellow readers to please post and share your own reflections.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Second Surah - al Baqara - Reflections on the First Juz
Surat-ul-Baqara is the longest surah of the Quran, spanning about two and a half juz. The name of the Surah is in reference to incidents that occurred with Bani Israil, those whom Musa was sent to.
This surah covers many things, amongst them are multiple events concerning the transgression, disobedience, and deviations of Bani Israil. The reader may pull hundreds of lessons from these stories, as countless scholars have written and spoken about. I would like to highlight one important method of how we can approach the stories of the Quran. Instead of reading the stories as simply stories of history, we should attempt to put the stories in a perspective that would facilitate practical application in our lives. Therefore, in regards to the multiple stories of Bani Israil, we should ask ourselves one question: Are we committing any of the same mistakes with respect to our own Islamic lives?
Allah begins the discussion about Bani Israil by mentioning all the favors He bestowed upon them, but how they did not thank Allah for them.
Allah chastised them for commanding people to be righteous while neglecting their own selves with respect to righteousness and honesty, and this should cause the believer to question himself. Do we ever command justice, righteousness, fairness, and mercy from others and fail to deliver on these virtues ourselves?
Then when Allah further scolds them for believing in a portion of the scripture and disbelieving in other portions, we should reflect upon our own commitment to the Quran. Do we obey some portions and purposely overlook and ignore others? Do we truly believe and sincerely apply all that we can? This is the type of introspection that the Quran is demanding from us so that we don't follow in the footsteps of other nations who transgressed the commands of their Prophets and scriptures.
Lastly, Allah mentions how the hearts of Bani Israil hardened to the level of stones and even harder. What is the state of our hearts? Are they soft or hard? One way to check is how to we react to our own sins? Do we feel shame and guilt and turn back to Allah, seeking his forgiveness and feeling remorse and pain for disobeying the Most Merciful and Most Kind? Or have our hearts hardened to a point where sins are normal and we have become so desensitized to our own shortcomings and actions? Furthermore, check your heart for how it feels the pain and suffering of Muslims all over the world. If it is unmoved and heedless of their pain, then know it is indeed hardening.
These are just a few thoughts that hit me during reading the first portion of this beautiful surah. May Allah allow us all to benefit from the stories of the Quran.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The First Chapter - Surat-ul-Faatiha
Surat-ul-Faatiha is appropriately titled "The Opening" chapter of the Quran. It is recited on our tongues at least 17 times a day in our daily prayers. This surah should be pondered over as to why Allah placed it first and made its recitation an integral component of our prayer.
The amazing part that most people don't truly reflect upon is that this surah is in itself a duaa, a profound duaa that contains the most important request in our lives from Allah.
As is the proper ettiquete for any duaa, one should begin by praising Allah and acknowledging His majesty, power, and other sublime attributes. Remember that Allah is indeed the One who controls all the worlds - the planets, moons, stars, galaxies, and everything that they contain. It is only befitting that we ask Allah alone for anything and single Him out for worship. In the end, no matter how much you think you are or are not doing to please Allah, remember that He is always ready to forgive you if you simply raise your hands sincerely and ask for forgiveness. In the end, all that matters when we die is if we died upon the guidance that Allah sent to the mankind. That's why the emphatic duaa that is stated towards the end of the surah is simply stated, "Guide us to the straight path". In essence, all the Muslim should care for in his life is that they are following as much of the guidance as they can, knowing it is only Allah who can actually put an individual and keep him steadfast on the path to jannah.
We ask Allah to guide us all to the straight path, forgive our sins, and allow us to amongst those who reside in the highest levels of paradise with the Prophets, Martyrs, and the righteous.
The amazing part that most people don't truly reflect upon is that this surah is in itself a duaa, a profound duaa that contains the most important request in our lives from Allah.
As is the proper ettiquete for any duaa, one should begin by praising Allah and acknowledging His majesty, power, and other sublime attributes. Remember that Allah is indeed the One who controls all the worlds - the planets, moons, stars, galaxies, and everything that they contain. It is only befitting that we ask Allah alone for anything and single Him out for worship. In the end, no matter how much you think you are or are not doing to please Allah, remember that He is always ready to forgive you if you simply raise your hands sincerely and ask for forgiveness. In the end, all that matters when we die is if we died upon the guidance that Allah sent to the mankind. That's why the emphatic duaa that is stated towards the end of the surah is simply stated, "Guide us to the straight path". In essence, all the Muslim should care for in his life is that they are following as much of the guidance as they can, knowing it is only Allah who can actually put an individual and keep him steadfast on the path to jannah.
We ask Allah to guide us all to the straight path, forgive our sins, and allow us to amongst those who reside in the highest levels of paradise with the Prophets, Martyrs, and the righteous.
The Niyaa for Starting this Blog
SubhanAllah, Ramadan is upon us and I don't think most of us are truly ready for it. Alhamdolillah, the beautiful, heart softening recitation of the Quran by SoCals wonderful reciters helped awaken many of our hearts and minds.
The goal of this blog, as it is specific for the month of Ramadan, is to share some personal reflections of what is read each day in Tarawih Prayer. The Quran should be appreciated for how smooth and easy Allah has made it on the tongues of men, but more thought and reflection and gratitude should be expressed over the gems of wisdom and guidance that Allah has placed therein.
May Allah allow every Muslim to benefit from this blessed month, and may Allah forgive each one of us for our shortcomings in not taking advantage of every moment in it.
Insha Allah, each day a new post with some reflections over a small portion of the Quran will be made available as a reminder to myself and to any other interested brothers and sisters.
Walaikumusalaam
The goal of this blog, as it is specific for the month of Ramadan, is to share some personal reflections of what is read each day in Tarawih Prayer. The Quran should be appreciated for how smooth and easy Allah has made it on the tongues of men, but more thought and reflection and gratitude should be expressed over the gems of wisdom and guidance that Allah has placed therein.
May Allah allow every Muslim to benefit from this blessed month, and may Allah forgive each one of us for our shortcomings in not taking advantage of every moment in it.
Insha Allah, each day a new post with some reflections over a small portion of the Quran will be made available as a reminder to myself and to any other interested brothers and sisters.
Walaikumusalaam
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