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.
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