This Ramadan, MuslimMatters reached out to our regular (and not-so-regular) crew of writers asking them to share their reflections on various ayahs/surahs of the Quran, ideally with a focus on a specific juz – those that may have impacted them in some specific way or have influenced how they approach both life and deen. While some contributors are well-versed in at least part of the Quranic Sciences, not all necessarily are, but reflect on their choices as a way of illustrating that our Holy Book is approachable from various human perspectives.

Introducing, A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series

***

Juz’ 13: Reflections on Bringing Oppressors to Justice

by Nada Shalash

 

[I want to first start with a disclaimer that I am not an expert or a scholar, and these are simply my personal reflections on the 13th juz.] 

Juz 13 is a special one. It contains the remainder of Surat Yusuf, the only surah with a single story as its theme, relayed in order from beginning to end. It is a surah that teaches us the importance of patience and trusting in Allah’s plan. It is among “the best of stories” [Surah Yusuf: 12;3] and a beautiful example of how, in the end, everything ultimately comes together perfectly according to His Divine Decree, and in this is a lesson for those with albab (minds) [Surah Yusuf: 12;111]. It contains what I find to be one of the most comforting ayat when experiencing sadness or hardship:

“He said, ‘I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.’” [Surah Yusuf: 12;86].

Allah is the one who hears and understands you when no one else does. 

Surat Al-Ra’d contains one of my favorite ayat in the entire Quran, aya 28, which says that indeed,

“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.“

Surat Ibrahim contains another one of my favorites [14:24-25] demonstrating the beauty of good speech. 

However, what I want to focus on is the last 11 ayat of Surat Ibrahim. One of the reasons I chose to write about juz 13 in particular is that I found myself frequently thinking of and reflecting on these ayat in the past five months in the context of the genocide in Gaza. Each ayah in the Quran deserves pause and reflection, and subhanAllah it is incredibly powerful that different ayat can take on new meaning or be particularly relevant based on something you are going through or something happening in the world.

 

 

“And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;42]

This ayah in particular has taken on a new light in the past five months. Israel has been indiscriminately bombing civilians in Gaza,  using deliberate starvation of the population as a weapon of war, blocking humanitarian aid, attacking aid convoys (the Flour Massacre being one of many horrific examples), and committing several other violations of international law. 

And Allah is not unaware of what the oppressors do. 

Even if they manage to get away with it in this life, they will definitely be punished in the next. A lot of people watching what is unfolding in Gaza over the past few months have wondered how this oppression can continue without any significant consequences so far besides the ICJ case brought forth by South Africa. I take comfort in knowing that Allah is not unaware of the wrongdoing, and is only delaying oppressors and wrongdoers until the Hereafter. 

Note that this is not a justification for being complicit or refusing to take action now to end the genocide in Gaza in whatever way you can. As Muslims, we have an obligation to advocate for justice and speak up for people experiencing oppression (I will expand on this in a future piece inshaAllah). However, I take comfort in knowing that advocacy (and proper journalism) should continue while also knowing that Allah is All-Hearing and All-Knowing and will surely bring oppressors to justice.

“Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;43]

“And, [O Muhammad], warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, “Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers.” [But it will be said], “Had you not sworn, before, that for you there would be no cessation?” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;44]

 

“And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how We dealt with them. And We presented for you [many] examples.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;45]

“And they had planned their plan, but with Allah is [recorded] their plan, even if their plan had been [sufficient] to do away with the mountains.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;46]

The next few ayat continue describing what oppressors/wrongdoers will experience on the Day of Judgement. Their hearts are empty due to extreme fear and fright. They will ask for respite from the torment they are experiencing. Those who wrong themselves by disobeying and disbelieving in Allah , or wrong others by oppressing them (or both) will experience this torment and wish it were possible for them to be delayed in their punishment.

 

“So never think that Allah will fail in His promise to His messengers. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;47]

 

“[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah , the One, the Prevailing.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;48]

Allah always keeps His promises and is fully capable of punishment. I find ayah 48 a very powerful and stark reminder. In particular, the phrasing of the Day of Judgement as replacing/changing the earth and the heavens is a profound description of how temporary this life is. In the context of bringing oppressors to justice, I also think of it as a reminder that ultimate victory and ultimate justice are near because the Day will come when the earth and heavens are replaced and everyone will be held accountable.

 

“And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in shackles,” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;49]

“Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered by the Fire.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;50]

 

“So that Allah will recompense every soul for what it earned. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.”[Surah Ibrahim: 14:51]

Allah holds everyone accountable for their actions and in accordance with the deeds they have committed, and these ayat explain how wrongdoers will be held accountable for theirs.

 

 

“This [Qur’an] is notification for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one God and that those of understanding will be reminded.” [Surah Ibrahim: 14;52]

Just like in the end of surat Yusuf as mentioned earlier, this is a lesson for those with minds. These ayat serve as a reminder for the believers to fear Allah’s punishment, and to internalize that everyone who transgresses in this life will not get away with it forever. 

May Allah alleviate the suffering of the oppressed of the Ummah, and grant them His promised justice against the oppressors.

 

Related:

– Oppressors Beware & Oppressed Be Comforted: IOK Ramadan Reflections Series #13

– Palestine: Reflecting, Responding, and Moving Forward

 

The post A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 13] Bringing Oppressors To Justice appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6 Juz 7 Juz 8 Juz 9

Juzʾ 10: True Love

Juzʾ 10 Contains: Sūrah al-Anfāl – al-Tawbah (#8-9)

Al-Tawbah (9): 24

قُلۡ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاۤؤُكُمۡ وَأَبۡنَاۤؤُكُمۡ وَإِخۡوَ ٰ⁠نُكُمۡ وَأَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جُكُمۡ وَعَشِیرَتُكُمۡ وَأَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لٌ ٱقۡتَرَفۡتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةࣱ تَخۡشَوۡنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرۡضَوۡنَهَاۤ أَحَبَّ إِلَیۡكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادࣲ فِی سَبِیلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَأۡتِیَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا یَهۡدِی ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِینَ ۝٢٤

“My Prophet! Tell the believers, ‘If your parents, children, siblings, spouses, families, wealth you’ve earned, deals and contracts that you’re worried might fail, and/or the properties that you enjoy are more beloved and dear to you than Allāh, His Messenger, and fighting/striving in The Path of God, then just wait until the decision of Allāh comes! Allāh does not guide transgressive people.’”

 

He makes it clear that if we love

1. Our Parents
2. Our Children
3. Our Siblings
4. Our Spouses
5. Our Families
6. Our Earned Money
7. Our Businesses that we’re afraid to lose
8. Our Homes that we love

more than Allāh, The Prophet ﷺ, and fighting and striving in God’s Path, then we need to just wait until the Command of Allāh comes. But what is “the Command of Allāh – أمر الله” in this āyah referring to? There are two main opinions among the companions and their students: (a) the victory of Allāh via the Conquest of Makkah and (b) the punishment of Allāh (see Zād Al-Muyassar by Ibn Al-Jawzī raḥimahu Allāh).

This āyah (verse) is in reference to the believers who were still living in Makkah, even while the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims were living in Al-Madīnah. They had to migrate (hijrah), but they didn’t due to their love of one or more of the eight categories just mentioned. They had the physical and financial ability to perform hijrah (migration), but they didn’t. As a result, Allāh told His Prophet ﷺ to address them in a very stern manner: who do you love more? Are you willing to sacrifice everything for The One True God Allāh, or not? And if you are not ready and willing to do anything and everything for His Sake, then go ahead and wait until the punishment of Allāh comes. We can also understand it in a less harsh tone, wherein they are being told to wait until the Conquest of Makkah, at which point the obligation of migration (hijrah) will drop off.

 

With that in mind, the Qurʾān is still applicable to us, even if the context of revelation was specific to certain individuals. Who do I love more? Am I more likely to obey Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ, even if my family wants me to disobey? Or am I more likely to give in to the peer pressure of my family at the expense of ignoring the rules of Allāh? What am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of Allāh? Am I willing to give up some financial gain if that means I will earn money in a way that Allāh has permitted? Or am I excited to use impermissible means to earn massive amounts of money, all the while opening the door of the punishment of Allāh?

 

To summarize, there are 4 categories of balancing love:

1. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ more than everything
   1. This is the highest and best category. I will never prioritize anything above their judgment. I will gladly sacrifice worldly pleasures, luxuries, and enjoyment if that means I will earn the pleasure of Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ.
2. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ less, but still fulfilling their rights
   1. This is not good, but can be acceptable in a practical manner. Someone’s heart may have a stronger attachment to their family or their wealth, but they will still take time away to obey Allāh by praying, fasting, giving zakāh, performing Ḥajj, taking care of others, and having good character. They may have a hard time going above and beyond, and excelling, but they are fulfilling the bare minimum requirements set by Allāh.
   2. We must work on ourselves to grow, deepen, and strengthen our love for Allāh ﷻ, and make His Reward our number one goal.
3. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ less, and failing to fulfill their rights
   1. This is unacceptable. We can never find ourselves in a state wherein we neglect the duties, morals, and lifestyle given to us by Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger. This requires us to seek His forgiveness (istighfār) and turn our life around (tawbah). We cannot continue a life in this state. We are open and susceptible to the anger and punishment of Allāh.
   2. We must start by forcing ourselves to obey Him ﷻ, learn about Him ﷻ, and wholeheartedly submit our lives, wealth, and beings to Him ﷻ.
4. Not loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ at all
   1. We simply cannot be a part of this category. Once we believe in Allāh as our One True God, and Muḥammad as His Messenger, there has to be even the slightest bit of love.

 

Allāh has made it clear that we must love Him, His Prophet ﷺ, and submitting ourselves to His Will. Or else we’re in for possible punishment, and being considered amongst the fāsiqīn, those who transgress the bounds set by Allāh.

 

When it comes to truly loving Allāh and His Messenger, the Prophet ﷺ said:

1. لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
   1. “None of you will truly believe – your faith will not be perfectly complete – until I (The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) and more beloved and dear to him than his own parents, children, and all of humanity.” Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) and Anas ibn Mālik (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
   2. This can be considered as an explanation of the āyah above from Sūrah Al-Tawbah. We may have “some” level of faith (Īmān), but it is not complete until The Prophet ﷺ is more dear to us than all other people.
2. ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ حَلاَوَةَ الإِيمَانِ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ الْمَرْءَ لاَ يُحِبُّهُ إِلاَّ لِلَّهِ وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الْكُفْرِ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ فِي النَّارِ
   1. “Whoever has the following three (3) qualities has tasted and experience the sweetness of Faith (Īmān). (1) Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ more than anything and anyone else. (2) Loving someone for the sake of Allāh alone. (3) Hating to become a disbeliever, just like you hate being thrown into Hell.” Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
   2. We see that quality and condition #1 again has to do with ensuring that we love Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ more than anyone else

The post IOK Ramadan: True Love | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep10] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

We’re well into Ramadan: the blessed month we all hope will breathe new life into our weary souls. But we often fall short of the plans we had, the goals we set, and an unwanted visitor -Ramadan guilt- soon arrives to sabotage our opportunity for renewal.

Feeling guilty, about not doing more or exerting ourselves like others are, is something we’ve all experienced. But sometimes these feelings go too far.

I remember a close friend once confiding that she wasn’t looking forward to Ramadan; even though she was surrounded by people buzzing with motivational reminders, her main experience of the month was one of self-loathing.

Where do these feelings come from? And how can we overcome them?

Feelings of guilt and inadequacy about Ramadan are part of a larger pattern of limiting beliefs and negative self-talk that are likely manifesting in many areas of our lives. Doubting our abilities, beating ourselves up about our mistakes, and comparing ourselves to others are some of the ways this negativity crops up.

Here are seven ways to overcome these feelings:

1. Recognize that it’s from Shaytan

Each one of us has a companion from the jinn whose job it is to whisper evil thoughts to us. They’re a creative lot, and they try everything to turn us away from good deeds and towards evil deeds (or, if they’re unsuccessful, useless deeds).

Because they have no power except to suggest, these whispers are all-important tools. If we can be persuaded to believe that we’re unworthy—by convincing us to despair, think negatively of Allah , or think negatively of ourselves—our desire and motivation to do good will be eliminated.

Allah tells us in the Qur’an that Shaytan is a clear enemy to us and that his life mission is to lead us all astray.

“Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.” [Surah Fatir: 35;6]

And Prophet Muhammad

Once we recognize that these thoughts are from Shaytan, we can begin to challenge them.

2. Shift your mindset

Worship (PC: Muhsin CK [unsplash])

Remembering what Ramadan is all about will help us see it as the gift it is—not the burden it becomes if we’ve placed unreachable expectations on ourselves. 

It’s the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed, to bring humanity out of darkness and into light. In a world where we’ve witnessed the depths of depravity human beings can reach, we need to hold on to the guidance we’ve been blessed with.

We can all agree that we need to better understand the Qur’an and apply it in our lives, and that we desperately need its comfort and healing.

Tapping into the “why” behind our Ramadan goals can help us see the bigger picture and let go of some of the details. If you’re not able to read as much Qur’an as you planned to, it’s okay. Just read whatever you can. As long as you’re moving in the right direction, you’re succeeding. And remember that actions are judged by intentions; perhaps you will get the entire reward of what you intended even if it didn’t happen.

3. Stop comparing yourself to others

One of the most damaging things to our well-being—in all matters—is comparing ourselves to others. In the context of Ramadan, this is often what directly leads to the consuming guilt that we feel. All around us, we see people completing the reading of the Qur’an (sometimes multiple times), standing for hours in prayer, and doing acts of charity. What if we can’t live up to that?

It’s simple; we don’t have to. Each one of us has different circumstances, responsibilities, and struggles. And Allah knows about them more than you do!

Instead of looking at others, compare yourself to yourself. What can you do during these blessed days that you don’t usually do outside of Ramadan? What habits do you want to build that you can carry forward after the month is over?

Remember, choosing what deeds to do during Ramadan is very personal. What’s possible for you? What’s beloved to you? What will increase your iman? Then do it consistently, no matter how small.

Remember also that just as there are many gates to Jannah, there are many ways to do good. With the right intention, all your interactions and all the work you normally do—a nine-to-five job, parenting, activism, writing, even cooking—can be converted into good deeds.

4. Be practical

Avoid setting yourself up for disappointment by steering clear of goals that are unrealistic for your particular circumstances. If it’s not possible for you to pray daily at the masjid, for example, or finish reading the Qur’an, what’s the next best thing?

Ask yourself what’s doable for you, and try to stick to it. Remember, worship is not an all-or-nothing affair. If you can’t pray eight rak’ahs of taraweeh, you can still pray two; if you can’t read an entire juz, you can still read one page.

Remember that Allah is aware of your circumstances, and He is Appreciative of any effort you make to come closer to Him. Also, remember what the Prophet taught us about consistency: “the most beloved of deeds to Allah is the most regular and constant, even if it were little” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

5. Be kind to yourself

If you don’t reach your goals, treat yourself with kindness and mercy. And keep trying! If you notice harsh and blaming self-talk, imagine that you’re speaking to a friend in the same situation. Unfortunately, we often forget to be kind to ourselves—including comforting ourselves when we fall short—even when being kind to others is second nature.

6. Cut out distractions

Cut out distractions (PC: Thought Catalogue [unsplash])

One way to increase the quality of our worship even when we can’t increase its quantity, is to cut out as many distractions as possible from our daily lives.

Instead of rushing about completing endless tasks, prioritize what really needs to get done and see what can be delayed until after the month.

Instead of spending hours preparing elaborate meals, try to simplify your iftar fare and use the time saved for your worship.

Instead of unwinding with things that won’t benefit you, seek out soul-nourishing content like tafseer, seerah, or a series on Allah’s names and attributes. (Listening to this content while commuting or cooking is a great way to incorporate it into your daily routines; a practice that will help with continuity after Ramadan)

Our minds can only hold so much, so this Ramadan, let’s slow down, turn inward, and be mindful of our words and actions. Let’s disconnect from whatever distracts us, and keep words of remembrance and praise on our tongues.

7. Connect with Allah

The best way to combat negative self-perceptions is by connecting with Allah Himself. He created each one of us and chose what to bless us with. He knows what our hearts whisper to us and is closer to us than our jugular vein.

“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.” [Surah Qaf: 50;16]

The more we learn about Allah’s attributes—and what better way to learn than through His words?—and internalize this knowledge, the kinder we will be with ourselves.

We will learn that Allah is Ash-Shakur, The Appreciative; He sees and appreciates our deeds, even if they are small. He is Al-Ghafur, The Forgiving; He gave us the gift of Ramadan to wipe away our sins, and He loves those who seek forgiveness. He is Al-Wadood, The Loving; He revealed many verses in the Qur’an to comfort the hurt feelings of Prophet Muhammad (e.g. Surah Al-Hijr:97-99), and He returned baby Musa to his mother so that she would not grieve (e.g Surah Taha:40). And He loves the believers!

So what are you waiting for? You’re a believer—one of those whom Allah loves—and Ramadan is not over yet! Roll up your sleeves, hold your head high, and walk forward in the world with all of the unique abilities Allah has planted inside of you.

 

Related:

– Show Up As You Are: Overcoming Ramadan Guilt For The Last 10 Nights

– Ramadan With A Newborn: Life Seasons, Ibaadah, And Intentionality

The post Ramadan Guilt: The (Very) Unwanted Visitor appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters reached out to our regular (and not-so-regular) crew of writers asking them to share their reflections on various ayahs/surahs of the Quran, ideally with a focus on a specific juz – those that may have impacted them in some specific way or have influenced how they approach both life and deen. While some contributors are well-versed in at least part of the Quranic Sciences, not all necessarily are, but reflect on their choices as a way of illustrating that our Holy Book is approachable from various human perspectives.

Introducing, A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series

***

Surah Yusuf And The Millennial Muslim Mom

by Sumaiyya Ayub

 

Everyone rushes to finish their dinner plates, you can hear the forks clanking, the deep gulps of water, and the adrenaline hit as your family breaks their fast. You can sense the rush of excitement after Maghrib as everyone hurries to get ready for the masjid, to be able to make it in time for a decent parking spot, and be able to hear the athan for ‘Isha before Taraweeh. To be able to feel the sense of community during these trying times. To hear the recitation of Qur’an and follow along, and truly immerse yourself in the “Ramadan Spirit”. 

But not for us millennial moms. Instead, we are left to pick up the crumbs— literally. To console our crying baby, or finish feeding our cranky toddlers. We get a sense of FOMO after the kids are asleep and you can finally have time for your own personal ‘Ibaadah. 

And for the most part, that’s all I needed the first years I had my little ones. To be able to pray without interruption, to be able to make suhoor without getting piggybacked on by my toddler, or make du’a for as long as I can without my crawler snatching my hijab off my head. 

But some nights, I felt lonely. Especially if I wasn’t fasting because I was either pregnant or nursing a baby. I didn’t feel like I was fully part of Ramadan. And by the time I would be done with putting the baby to sleep, I was so exhausted and drained from the day, I didn’t have the energy to go to Taraweeh. And then I would feel guilty. 

And then I would go down the rabbit hole of Instagram reels, influencer after influencer, showing their perfectly decorated Ramadan homes, their aesthetic little family. And most of the time, I knew it was all a display— it’s impossible to have little children and have that best of a home 24/7. But a little part of me felt let down, that I couldn’t keep up with having my perfectly decorated home, with my perfectly matched family. 

We don’t realize the toll social media can have on mothers trying to be the best they can. Everyone’s circumstances are different in their own right, and sometimes we need to hear that that is okay. And we can’t all keep up with what is shown on social media. 

And to my Muslim millennial mom who is nursing her baby in the middle of the night, and feels guilty for not being able to give those same hours to Tahajjud, I see you.  We are being rewarded for every single act we do as a mother. And it is amplified in Ramadan. This is our test, and there is a reason why mothers have the status they do in Islam; no one else does what we do for our children. 

Surah Yusuf, verses 30-34, depicts a powerful narrative surrounding the Aziz’s wife, who sought validation from the women of the city through manipulation and deceit. 

“And women in the city said, ‘The wife of al-‘Azeez is seeking to seduce her slave boy; he has impassioned her with love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear error.'” [12;30]

“Hearing of their sly talk the chief’s wife sent for those ladies, and arranged for them a banquet, and got ready couches,26 and gave each guest a knife. Then, while they were cutting and eating the fruit, she signaled Joseph: ‘Come out to them.’ When the ladies saw him they were so struck with admiration that they cut their hands, exclaiming: ‘Allah preserve us. This is no mortal human. This is nothing but a noble angel!'” [12:31]

“She said: ‘So now you see! This is the one regarding whom you reproached me. Indeed I tried to tempt him to myself but he held back, although if he were not to follow my order, he would certainly be imprisoned and humiliated.'” [12:32]

“Joseph said: ‘My Lord! I prefer imprisonment to what they ask me to do. And if You do not avert from me the guile of these women, I will succumb to their attraction and lapse into ignorance.'” [12:33]

“So his Lord responded to him and averted from him their plan. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [12:34] 

Upon hearing their gossip, she orchestrated a banquet to confront them, aiming to prove her innocence while attempting to maintain her social status. However, her plan backfired when the women, upon seeing Yusuf , became captivated by his beauty, inadvertently injuring themselves out of astonishment.

 Despite her efforts to gain validation from others, the Aziz’s wife ultimately acknowledges her wrongdoing but resorts to further manipulation to save face.

Seeking validation (PC Karsten Winegeart [unsplash])

This narrative resonates with contemporary society, particularly regarding the relentless pursuit of validation through social media. Like the Aziz’s wife, many individuals, especially women, often seek approval and validation from online platforms, comparing themselves to influencers and striving to portray a flawless image of their lives. 

However, the story of Yusuf reminds us that true validation comes from Allah and our loved ones. By prioritizing our relationship with Allah and cherishing the support of genuine connections, we can find security within ourselves, diminishing the need for external validation and overcoming the vulnerabilities associated with social media scrutiny.

We are only human. It’s not easy to be a mother to young children. It’s a grueling job that is 24/7. And in those times we feel weak, or depressed while scrolling through social media, we should instead read this ayah for our solace. That we are inherently made to have egos, to seek validation. Whether it be through an Instagram post, or being recognized as the Aziz of Egypt in Prophet Yusuf’s case. 

And most importantly we must turn to Allah and seek His Mercy. To protect us from our egos, to help us feel secure enough in our physical selves, in our motherhood, and in our imaan. 

When we feel guilted into making a social media post about our children and family, or feel upset that we can keep up with the lifestyle of other influencers, this Ramadan we should try our best to make du’a to Allah , and express to Him how difficult it is to not succumb to peer pressure, and to uplift our souls. 

How Can we Uplift Our Souls?

• Don’t overwork yourself this Ramadan. Concentrate on your fardh first, and then see what you can handle. A friend who had a baby three months ago mentioned to me that she hasn’t been able to go to Taraweeh once this Ramadan, that her baby keeps her up all night and it is hard for her to pray Tahajjud. But she had to check herself and realize that she should instead concentrate on solidifying her fardh, trying to fast while nursing (which is not easy) before exhausting herself over her nafl.
•  Du’a, Du’a, Du’a! Every mother’s circumstance is different. Making du’a can be done while doing the dishes, or helping your kids with homework. My advice to all mothers is to use du’a as your tool, find times throughout the day when you are feeding your kids, or nursing the little one. Plus in your headphones and listen to Qur’an or a lecture while doing chores around the house. 
• Free yourself. If social media is bogging you down, or making you feel less than, delete it. I remember the relief when I deactivated my Instagram during a dark time in my life. It was liberating because I was not bound to it anymore. I didn’t have to see every Muslim influencer’s mansions, carefully decorated with lavish embellishments, or feel the pressure to post a story about my own Ramadan corner of my house. 

Most of the time, we are the unseen, unheard foundations of Ramadan. The quiet caretakers, the strong saviors. You are the pillars of your family, and you are valued in Allah’s eyes. 

Making a du’a nourishes your soul, and puts you in a better state of mind. While you may feel gutted for not being able to make it to Taraweeh, for being to tired to stay up late for Qiyam, know that this is temporary, and when your children are older you will have the bandwidth inshaAllah for the “usual” ibaadat of Ramadan. But right now, at this very moment, in this tiny window of time, you are being rewarded immensely for your efforts.

The famous hadith, “Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother,” underscores the unparalleled significance of mothers in Islam. It highlights the honor and reward bestowed upon mothers for their unwavering love, sacrifice, and guidance. Something we are doing every single day. By emphasizing the importance of revering and cherishing one’s mother, Islam elevates the status of motherhood to a level where serving and respecting one’s mother becomes a direct path to attaining Paradise. This Hadith serves as a reminder for us if we ever feel down. It reminds us of the profound blessings and spiritual fulfillment that accompany the role of motherhood, reinforcing the eternal bond and divine connection between us and our children.

May Allah raise the ranks of all mothers in our Ummah. The mothers in Gaza, struggling to get formula for their babies, and the mothers in the Congo, already thinking about the next meal to feed their families. To the mom listening to a lecture on her headphones while nursing a colicky baby in the middle of the night, to the mom who tries her best to be patient with a restless toddler. May Allah reward us all, and put patience in our hearts and resilience in our souls. 

 

Related:

– Ramadan With A Newborn: Life Seasons, Ibaadah, And Intentionality

– Parents In Ramadan: Pivot To Another Worship

The post A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 12] Surah Yusuf And The Millennial Muslim Mom appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

[This article was written for the purpose of important wider discourse, and should not be considered a promotion of music by MuslimMatters]

Popular American rapper and DJ, “Lil Jon” Jonathan Smith, has converted to Islam. Active since the 1990s and regarded as a pioneering influence in the field, Smith took his shahadah in the presence of Imam Ahson Syed at the King Fahad Mosque in Los Angeles in the first week of Ramadan 1445.

Jon Smith is renowned for having pioneered and popularized a genre within rap music called “crunk”. Born in Atlanta, his father an engineer and his mother a medic with the military, Smith began his career as a teenager in the early 1990s. Between 1995 and 2005 he was the frontman of a band and was famed for a particularly energetic brand of song. Smith has also dabbled in television: he worked with the comedian Dave Chapelle, another Muslim. Outside of the entertainment industry, he has also involved himself in charity work, opening two schools for underprivileged children in Ghana with the charity Pencils of Promise.

In his conversion, Smith joins the likes of “Mos Def” Yasiin Bey and “Philadelphia Freeway” Leslie Pridgen, who were introduced to and accepted Islam in their respective teens. Pridgen has publicly acknowledged the friction between the music industry and his religion, though he remains involved in both. It is yet to be seen how, if at all, Smith’s conversion impacts his public life.

Given his fame, the news of Smith’s conversion was widely celebrated by Muslims. Tarik Wardell, an Islamic proselytizer who runs the Arrows of Guidance outlet, noted the extent of Allah’s guidance: “It’s absolutely amazing to see Allah’s promise coming to fruition. No amount of our sins can prevent us from God’s mercy.”

Wardell’s namesake Tareq Tamr, director of the Thabaat organization in Michigan, linked the frequency of conversions in part to the resilience of Palestinians facing genocide at Israel’s hands in Gaza, whose perseverance and humanity provoked admiration and showed a genuine face of Islam. “Lil Jon casually walked into a mosque and became Muslim today. Everyone who frequents mosques has witnessed shahadahs in the past few weeks,” he observed, adding, “Islam’s marketing campaign was Gazans responding to a genocide forced upon them. Islam speaks to people at the core of who they are: their fitra, their natural disposition.”

Filmmaker Abdisalam Aato added a lighter note: “Welcome to Islam Lil Yahya.”

On his social media, the singer responded to Muslim reception to the news with a graphic reading, “Thank you so much brothers and sisters for the outpouring of love and positivity”, with the caption “Alhamdulillah”.

Related:

– Prominent Social Justice Activist Shaun King Embraces Islam

– Exclusive: Stephen Jackson Discusses His Journey to Islam

The post Famed American Rapper “Lil Jon” Smith Converts To Islam appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6 Juz 7 Juz 8

Juzʾ 9: Islam is Life

Juzʾ 9 Contains: Sūrah al-Aʿrāf – al-Anfāl (#7-8)

Al-Anfāl (8): 24

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسۡتَجِیبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا یُحۡیِیكُمۡۖ وَٱعۡلَمُوۤا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَحُولُ بَیۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُۥۤ إِلَیۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ ۝٢٤

“Believers! Respond to Allāh and The Messenger when they call you to what will give you life (see explanation below). Know for a fact that Allāh comes between a person and his heart (see explanation below). And the fact of that matter is that all of you will be resurrected and gathered before Him (Allāh) alone.”

 

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسۡتَجِیبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا یُحۡیِیكُمۡ

Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ are calling us and inviting us. We need to respond! We need to listen and do as we are asked. But not only that, they are calling us to something that will give us life! What is it that they are calling us to? We find a few opinions mentioned in Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī that “what will give you life” can mean:

1. Islam
2. Truth
3. Qurʾān
4. Jihād

In essence, the first three are essentially the same. What is Islam except the truth that has been taught in the Qurʾān? As for Jihād, fighting and struggling to ensure the supremacy of the testimony of faith (shahādah): lā ilāha illā Allāh – Muḥammad rasūl Allāh (no god exists other than Allāh – Muḥammad is God’s Messenger). And ensuring the banner of the shahādah is held up high is to ensure that Islam, Truth, and Qurʾān are held up high. So they all overlap. When Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ tell us to be Muslim, follow the Truth, obey the commands in the Qurʾān, or to uphold Islam/Truth/Qurʾān – they are inviting us to do an action that will give us life. But we are already alive? This will give us REAL life. Real life in this world, having purpose and a goal, and of course a real enjoyable blissful life in the Hereafter. Jannah (Heaven/Paradise) is real life. We actually live! We live forever in complete bliss and ease. Whereas the people of Hell are “alive”, it is not really “life”. It is just misery, torture, pain, and punishment.

 

The hustle and bustle of this life is draining. People fall into all kinds of issues with their emotions and physical bodies. Responding to the call of Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ will illuminate our lives with purpose, drive, and meaning.

 

وَٱعۡلَمُوۤا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَحُولُ بَیۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ

Know and realize that Allāh is closer to you than your own heart. And so He can come between you and your very heart. This can mean (as mentioned in Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī) that He is:

1. the One Who keeps a believer from disbelieving
2. the One Who keeps a disbeliever from believing
3. the One Who keeps a believer from sinning
4. the One Who keeps a disbeliever from doing good
5. so close that He ﷻ knows everything about a person, even their innermost thoughts
   1. even things they don’t know about their own selves
6. fully capable of changing one’s heart

So ask and beg Him for belief and goodness, for forgiveness for the bad thoughts, and to keep our hearts firm on all things good. We know the Prophet ﷺ would often say referring to Allāh, “وَمُقَلِّبِ الْقُلُوبِ ‏ – I swear by the turner of hearts” (see Muwaṭṭaʾ Mālik and Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī). And we know a common duʿāʾ of his ﷺ was, “يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ‏ – O Turner of hearts! Keep my heart firmly adhering to Your religion!” (see Jāmiʿ Al-Tirmidhī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Al-Bukhārī, Sunan Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan Ibn Mājah, Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah). There is another wording of this attributed to the Prophet ﷺ wherein he ﷺ said, “يَا مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ- O Controller of hearts! Keep my heart set on obeying You!” (see Musnad Aḥmad, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Al-Bukhārī, Sunan Al-Nasāʾī, Musnad Abī Yaʿlā, ʿAmal Al-Yawm wa Al-Laylah li Ibn Al-Sunnī).

 

وَأَنَّهُۥۤ إِلَیۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

And who else could have such knowledge and control over our hearts other than Allāh ﷻ? After all, when we die, we will be resurrected and gathered before no one other than Allāh. No one else can bring us back to life, gather all of us, let alone hold us all accountable. No boss, parent, judge, king, ruler has this control over me. Even if I faced nothing but oppression, Allāh will be the final judge to give me all my rights. And if I was an oppressor that always got away with evil, Allāh will be the final judge to hold me accountable. No one can run away. And every act or even thought I had, He will know it and can bring it as evidence for or against me on the Day of Resurrection.

 

O Allāh! Allow us to always respond to You!

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ‏ – O Turner of hearts! Keep my heart firmly adhering to Your religion!

يَا مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ- O Controller of hearts! Keep my heart set on obeying You!

Juzʾ 10: True Love

Juzʾ 10 Contains: Sūrah al-Anfāl – al-Tawbah (#8-9)

 

Al-Tawbah (9): 24

قُلۡ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاۤؤُكُمۡ وَأَبۡنَاۤؤُكُمۡ وَإِخۡوَ ٰ⁠نُكُمۡ وَأَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جُكُمۡ وَعَشِیرَتُكُمۡ وَأَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لٌ ٱقۡتَرَفۡتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةࣱ تَخۡشَوۡنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرۡضَوۡنَهَاۤ أَحَبَّ إِلَیۡكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادࣲ فِی سَبِیلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَأۡتِیَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا یَهۡدِی ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِینَ ۝٢٤

“My Prophet! Tell the believers, ‘If your parents, children, siblings, spouses, families, wealth you’ve earned, deals and contracts that you’re worried might fail, and/or the properties that you enjoy are more beloved and dear to you than Allāh, His Messenger, and fighting/striving in The Path of God, then just wait until the decision of Allāh comes! Allāh does not guide transgressive people.’”

 

He makes it clear that if we love

1. Our Parents
2. Our Children
3. Our Siblings
4. Our Spouses
5. Our Families
6. Our Earned Money
7. Our Businesses that we’re afraid to lose
8. Our Homes that we love

more than Allāh, The Prophet ﷺ, and fighting and striving in God’s Path, then we need to just wait until the Command of Allāh comes. But what is “the Command of Allāh – أمر الله” in this āyah referring to? There are two main opinions among the companions and their students: (a) the victory of Allāh via the Conquest of Makkah and (b) the punishment of Allāh (see Zād Al-Muyassar by Ibn Al-Jawzī raḥimahu Allāh).

This āyah (verse) is in reference to the believers who were still living in Makkah, even while the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims were living in Al-Madīnah. They had to migrate (hijrah), but they didn’t due to their love of one or more of the eight categories just mentioned. They had the physical and financial ability to perform hijrah (migration), but they didn’t. As a result, Allāh told His Prophet ﷺ to address them in a very stern manner: who do you love more? Are you willing to sacrifice everything for The One True God Allāh, or not? And if you are not ready and willing to do anything and everything for His Sake, then go ahead and wait until the punishment of Allāh comes. We can also understand it in a less harsh tone, wherein they are being told to wait until the Conquest of Makkah, at which point the obligation of migration (hijrah) will drop off.

 

With that in mind, the Qurʾān is still applicable to us, even if the context of revelation was specific to certain individuals. Who do I love more? Am I more likely to obey Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ, even if my family wants me to disobey? Or am I more likely to give in to the peer pressure of my family at the expense of ignoring the rules of Allāh? What am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of Allāh? Am I willing to give up some financial gain if that means I will earn money in a way that Allāh has permitted? Or am I excited to use impermissible means to earn massive amounts of money, all the while opening the door of the punishment of Allāh?

 

To summarize, there are 4 categories of balancing love:

1. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ more than everything
   1. This is the highest and best category. I will never prioritize anything above their judgment. I will gladly sacrifice worldly pleasures, luxuries, and enjoyment if that means I will earn the pleasure of Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ.
2. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ less, but still fulfilling their rights
   1. This is not good, but can be acceptable in a practical manner. Someone’s heart may have a stronger attachment to their family or their wealth, but they will still take time away to obey Allāh by praying, fasting, giving zakāh, performing Ḥajj, taking care of others, and having good character. They may have a hard time going above and beyond, and excelling, but they are fulfilling the bare minimum requirements set by Allāh.
   2. We must work on ourselves to grow, deepen, and strengthen our love for Allāh ﷻ, and make His Reward our number one goal.
3. Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ less, and failing to fulfill their rights
   1. This is unacceptable. We can never find ourselves in a state wherein we neglect the duties, morals, and lifestyle given to us by Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger. This requires us to seek His forgiveness (istighfār) and turn our life around (tawbah). We cannot continue a life in this state. We are open and susceptible to the anger and punishment of Allāh.
   2. We must start by forcing ourselves to obey Him ﷻ, learn about Him ﷻ, and wholeheartedly submit our lives, wealth, and beings to Him ﷻ.
4. Not loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ at all
   1. We simply cannot be a part of this category. Once we believe in Allāh as our One True God, and Muḥammad as His Messenger, there has to be even the slightest bit of love.

 

Allāh has made it clear that we must love Him, His Prophet ﷺ, and submitting ourselves to His Will. Or else we’re in for possible punishment, and being considered amongst the fāsiqīn, those who transgress the bounds set by Allāh.

 

When it comes to truly loving Allāh and His Messenger, the Prophet ﷺ said:

1. لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
   1. “None of you will truly believe – your faith will not be perfectly complete – until I (The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) and more beloved and dear to him than his own parents, children, and all of humanity.” Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) and Anas ibn Mālik (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
   2. This can be considered as an explanation of the āyah above from Sūrah Al-Tawbah. We may have “some” level of faith (Īmān), but it is not complete until The Prophet ﷺ is more dear to us than all other people.
2. ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ حَلاَوَةَ الإِيمَانِ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ الْمَرْءَ لاَ يُحِبُّهُ إِلاَّ لِلَّهِ وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الْكُفْرِ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ فِي النَّارِ
   1. “Whoever has the following three (3) qualities has tasted and experience the sweetness of Faith (Īmān). (1) Loving Allāh and The Prophet ﷺ more than anything and anyone else. (2) Loving someone for the sake of Allāh alone. (3) Hating to become a disbeliever, just like you hate being thrown into Hell.” Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
   2. We see that quality and condition #1 again has to do with ensuring that we love Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ more than anyone else

The post IOK Ramadan: Islam Is Life | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep9] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6 Juz 7

Juzʾ 8: Beg Allāh & Be Good

Juzʾ 8 Contains: Sūrah al-Anʿām – al-Aʿrāf (#6-7)

Al-Aʿrāf (7): 55-56

ٱدۡعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعࣰا وَخُفۡیَةًۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِینَ ۝٥٥ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفࣰا وَطَمَعًاۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِینَ ۝٥٦

“Beg you Master humbly and privately. He doesn’t love transgressive people. And don’t spread evil on earth after it was already wholesome. So beg Him (your Master) balancing between fear and hope. No doubt, the compassion of Allāh is close to those who are excellent.”

 

ٱدۡعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمۡ

Make duʿāʾ to your Rabb. Duʿāʾ is prayer and supplication. It literally means to call or invite. So go call, and ask, and beg your Rabb! Allāh is our Rabb. A Rabb is:

1. Owner (Mālik)
   1. We belong to Him. We are His property.
2. Authority (Sayyid)
   1. He can do whatever He wants to us and with us.
3. Upbringer (Murabbī)
   1. He teaches us good things. We knew how to breathe, how to drink milk, how to open our eyes – even though we were never “taught” these things. And He provided me with everything I needed.
   2. He instills goodness and faith into our hearts.
4. Maintainer (Qayyim)
   1. It’s not just me that He taught and provided for. But He set up the entire universe. I need food and water, but that requires an entire planet and solar system, all of which He maintains.
5. Gift Giver (Munʿim)
   1. Everything He gives me is a gift. I don’t deserve anything. Not my eyes, not my skin, not a single hair on my body. Yet He ever so graciously gave it to me.

 

تَضَرُّعࣰا وَخُفۡیَةً

Beg Him while you are (a) humble and (b) in a private setting. Acknowledge that you are weak, helpless, and incapable; it is only Allāh that is strong, helpful, and capable. And when you beg Him, it doesn’t need to be a public show at the top of your lungs. Sometimes we make duʿāʾ aloud in public, like in qunūt (the special duʿāʾ in Witr or Fajr). But most of the time it should be a private intimate conversation between you and Allāh. No one else needs to know what you said, how you said it, when you said it, or where you said it. Allāh knows, and that’s all that matters.

 

إِنَّهُۥ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِینَ

Allāh doesn’t love people who transgress boundaries. If Allāh has set up rules and boundaries, do not violate those rules. Allāh not loving someone can be understood to mean that He hates them. Transgression occurs in many ways: being disobedient, but in this context of duʿāʾ, it can also mean going overboard in what you ask.

 

For example, no one should ask to be a prophet – that is transgressing the bounds set by Allāh. No one else will ever be a prophet. No one should ask to change their gender or their race; these are things already set by Allāh and have no bearing on one’s relationship with Allāh. No one should be overly specific either, saying, “O Allāh, I want to be married to so-and-so but only if it’s on Friday October 11th at 4pm at IOK.” We can ask and we should ask. But we shouldn’t dictate the response of Allāh.

 

وَلَا تُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَـٰحِهَا

Not only should we not be transgressive, but we shouldn’t spread evil and harm (fasād) on earth. Especially since it’s already a healthy wholesome place. This can also manifest in a few ways. There are already believers who do good (which is good, ṣalāḥ)- do not stop them from doing good, let alone stop them from believing (which is bad – fasād). We can also understand it in a more literal way: Allāh has made this earth in a perfect well balanced way, so don’t go destroying the earth. The earth, the air, the dirt, the water, the animals – these are all things Allāh has entrusted to us (amānāt), so don’t violate the truth. Maintain the healthy function of everything on earth.

 

وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفࣰا وَطَمَعًا

Beg Him, ask Him! And be balanced in your fear (khawf) and hope (ṭamaʿ). When making duʿāʾ, one should be afraid of sins and Hell. Be worried about the consequences of your sins, and ask Allāh to forgive you and save you from punishment. We should never feel safe from punishment. But also have hope. Have hope in your good deeds being accepted and entering Jannah. So ask Allāh for acceptance, for continued guidance, and for Jannah. But this is hope, not a guarantee. We should never feel we are going to Jannah (Heaven) for sure.

 

إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِینَ

No doubt the Raḥmah (care, compassion, gentleness, kindness) of Allāh is close to the people who are excellent (muḥsinīn). We all want Allāh’s Raḥmah. So follow the above, and excel in your good words and try to be someone that goes above and beyond. Thus we can become a muḥsin – someone that excels and goes above and beyond. And when Allāh’s Raḥmah is close to us, we understand that we will receive it, and be showered in it.

 

O Allāh! Help us make duʿāʾ to you in the best way! Respond to our duʿāʾ! And envelop us in your Raḥmah.

The post IOK Ramadan: Beg Allah and Be Good | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep8] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters reached out to our regular (and not-so-regular) crew of writers asking them to share their reflections on various ayahs/surahs of the Quran, ideally with a focus on a specific juz – those that may have impacted them in some specific way or have influenced how they approach both life and deen. While some contributors are well-versed in at least part of the Quranic Sciences, not all necessarily are, but reflect on their choices as a way of illustrating that our Holy Book is approachable from various human perspectives.

Introducing, A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series

Author’s Note: This story is an expanded version of chapter 5 of The Deal, a novela I wrote previously for MM. I will insert it as an additional chapter between 5 and 6, inshaAllah.

Background:

Jamilah is a young Palestinian-American woman working as a bike messenger in San Francisco, trying to raise money to put herself through law school. She is not a religious woman, but one day her bike is stolen and she makes a deal with Allah that if she gets her bike back, she will pray and wear hijab.

She does indeed recover the bike, with the help of her mysterious and powerful colleague Hassan, and proceeds to keep her end of the bargain. As soon as she starts becoming more religious, however, things begin to go wrong in her life, culminating with losing her job, and her mother becoming ill. Jamilah is baffled. She thought having a relationship with Allah was supposed to make your life better?

She hurries home to Fresno, where her mother is hospitalized. Feeling alone and confused, she calls Hassan, who tells her that he’ll be there as soon as he can. She sits beside her mother, who is sleeping, and holds her hand.

***

The Covenant

by Wael Abdelgawad

 

Double Relief

“As-salamu alaykum.” Jamilah looked up, and there was Hassan. He looked very different than he did at work. He wore blue jeans, a knee-length Arab-style shirt with buttons down the front, and a white and green kufi on his head. In one hand he carried a blue Adidas bag. With his broad shoulders and muscular physique, Hassan looked like an image from an Islamic fashion magazine.

“Wa alaykum as-salam,” she said. “How’d you get here so fast?”

“I have friends with cars. I got my hands on an Audi, and I put the pedal to the metal. How’s your mother?”

“She hasn’t been awake since I’ve been here. We’ll know more in the morning.”

“May Allah give her shifaa’. Here, your cousin gave me this to give to you.” He handed her the blue bag containing her extra clothing.

“Hassan, I really appreciate you coming. I’m sorry if it’s been any trouble. I’ve just been feeling so alone and confused.” A tear slipped from her eye and ran down her cheek, and she covered her face in embarrassment.

Hassan kneeled beside her. “It’s going to be okay, Jamilah. You’ll get through this, Insha’Allah. Allah says, ‘Inna ma’al ‘usri yusraa.’ With every difficulty comes ease. In fact, yusraa is a dual form, so it’s saying that with every difficulty comes double relief.”

“I could u – use some double relief,” Jamilah said, her breath hitching as she tried to stifle her sobs. She wiped her tears. “I said almost the same words to my little brother when I got here – it’s okay, we’ll get through this. But Hassan, all I’ve had since I made this deal with Allah are problems. I got fired, and now this.” She gestured toward her mom.

“Don’t be too sure about being fired,” Hassan said, “The boss will change his mind, I expect. And for your mom, just pray. Allah hears you. I know it might seem like He doesn’t. But He’s with you. Faith doesn’t make our problems disappear, you know? In fact, as your imaan increases, the tests increase, or they wouldn’t challenge you.”

“I don’t want to be challenged right now.”

Hassan nodded. “Yeah… I’m sure. But..” He shrugged. “That’s life. It’s how you learn who you are. The tests are not for Allah, they’re for us. We have to trust that Allah isn’t some random god up there in the heavens saying, ‘Let me see what I can throw at them today.’ He cares about us.”
“I thought faith was supposed to make things easier, not harder,” Jamilah said.

“I think it does make life better,” Hassan said, “It certainly made my life better. But it doesn’t make us rich, or beautiful, or take away all our problems, because Allah doesn’t value those things. Those things are not part of the covenant. Our predecessors, the Prophets and the Sahabah, went through major hardships, but they persevered. That’s the key, I think. Faith gives us the means to cope, because we trust that Allah wants good for us, and we know that the road ends in Jannah – in Paradise.”

“Do you believe that?” Jamilah asked.

“What, you mean Jannah? Don’t you?”

“I subscribe to the belief,” Jamilah said. “Because it’s a part of my religion. But in my heart? I don’t know.”

The Funeral

Hassan was silent. He stood and stretched his arms, then walked to the door of the room. Then he turned back to Jamilah. “Can I tell you a story?” he said.

“Please do.”

“My parents died when I was twelve, and – “

“Oh, Hassan! I didn’t know that.”

“It’s okay. What I wanted to say is that I remember the day we buried my father. I remember the bells, and the procession to the cemetery. There were a lot of people there. I remember people reciting poems, everyone chanting with one voice. And some of the mourners striking their own faces. People playing drums, flutes, cymbals. Two men drew swords and danced, shouting like they were at war. I had grown up here in the U.S. and it was all strange to me. Charlie – “ Hassan paused and looked down at the floor. He smoothed his kufi with his hand, then continued.
“My little brother. I could hear him crying, and a part of me was worried he’d have an asthma attack, but I couldn’t think about that. I was told to climb down into the grave to help lower my father’s body, so I did, along with three other men. The grave seemed so deep, and the gravel at the bottom was cold and damp. We held his casket and lowered it into the grave. At that moment everything disappeared -” Hassan made a motion as if wiping a window clean.

“Down in that hole, the world was silent. I remember that I bent down and picked up a handful of gravel. I was thinking of how alive my father had been just a few days before. And I thought, this is what it comes to. Everything that my father was, everything that he felt and hoped, everything that he would have been, was now just this inert body in a damp hole. All his secrets, private dreams, the details of his life that he had never shared, gone. It made no sense at all.”

“Later, when I came to Islam, I realized that nothing is gone. All that my father was, all that he thought and dreamed, is alive with Allah. It exists. Not only that, it’s alive with my father, because his soul, his essence, is immortal. That feels so right to me. I can feel in my bones that it’s true. Whether Allah will forgive my father, whether he is destined for Paradise or Hell, I can’t say. That’s for Allah. But what I know is that the promise of Allah is true, and that this life” – he pointed to the floor – “is a single moment in this great journey that we’re on. So yes, the afterlife exists. I absolutely know it, like I know that I am standing here in this room.” He tapped the floor with his shoe.

Jamilah was silent for a while. “I believe that too, I suppose,” she said. “I never considered it in those terms, but if I think about my father, then yes, I believe that my father’s essence is alive. And I believe he’s in a good place. I appreciate you sharing that with me Hassan. Thank you.”
Hassan nodded and sucked on his lower lip. Jamilah wondered what he was thinking.

“I didn’t know you had a brother,” Jamilah said.

Hassan pursed his lips. His jaw was set in a way that Jamilah had never seen before, and his eyes were chips of ice. It was a look of accumulated fury, as if Hassan had harbored an inner rage for so long that it had frozen into a glacier in his heart.

“He’s dead,” Hassan said. “Not long after my parents. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Jamilah was shocked – Hassan had lost so much – but she respected the man’s wishes. She watched as Hassan began compulsively manipulating his own hands in strange ways, twisting them outward, then folding them toward his arms, then pulling the fingers out and down.

“What is that you do with your hands?” she asked.

“These are wrist stretches,” Hassan said. “In some of the martial arts I practice, we do a lot of joint manipulation. We attack all the joints, but especially the wrists. So I run through these stretches every day, sometimes twenty or thirty times.”

Her Father’s Strength

As Hassan performed his exercises, Jamilah thought about her own father. He’d been a strong man, with a broad back and deep chest. At Madera’s annual Cinco de Mayo parade he would lift both children onto his shoulders at the same time, one on each shoulder. When he was feeling playful he would even lift their mother onto his shoulders as she squealed and protested in genuine outrage. That had always made Jamilah and Nabeel laugh uproariously. Jamilah had imagined her father could lift the world itself.

It had never occurred to her that her father would die one day, and certainly not so soon. But he’d been a heavy smoker all his life, and the cigarettes had poisoned him from the inside out. When he’d died so suddenly and so painfully, it had at first shaken Jamilah to the core. She withdrew into herself, neglecting her schoolwork and her friends. Finally one day her mother said, “Jamilah, I know you loved your father with all your heart. But you are your father’s daughter. You have his strength, I can see it. You have his drive and determination. If you want to make him proud, then stand up and be strong like him. Be everything that he was.”

That had done the trick.

How strange, Jamilah thought. I haven’t thought of that in years. I’d totally forgotten Mom saying that to me. It was funny in a way, because Jamilah had indeed become a strong and proud girl, and had ended up at loggerheads with her mother over everything from the clothes she wore to her choice of major in college. She was ashamed to admit that she had thought her mother weak, in a way.

Something occurred to her. “Hey Hassan,” Jamilah said, “When you were describing your father’s funeral, that wasn’t a Muslim funeral, was it?” she said.

“No.”

“So your parents weren’t Muslim? You said you came to Islam later. What religion were you?”

“Can I trust you to keep these things to yourself, Jamilah? I have reasons for wanting to keep my life private.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is, I mean you already told me – “

Hassan shook his head. “Never mind then. I didn’t mean to get into all this.” He stood and looked at Jamilah’s mother. “She’s still a beautiful woman ma-sha-Allah. I can see where you get your beauty.”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Jamilah said. A part of her was pleased at Hassan’s compliment. She wondered if Hassan really thought she was beautiful, or was just being polite. I shouldn’t be thinking about such things. My mother could be dying.

Hassan said nothing. He sat in a chair against the wall, took out a pocket Quran, and began to read silently. The only sound in the room was the hum of the air conditioner. The room was slightly cool, and only half lit, so that it felt to Jamilah as if she were in a cryo capsule on a spaceship. Her mother’s chest rose and fell beneath the blanket.

The Covenant

Even though Hassan did not speak, Jamilah did not feel lonely. He’d driven all the way from San Francisco just to be here. That meant a lot.

“What did you mean,” Jamilah said eventually, “about a covenant? That we have a covenant with Allah, and it doesn’t include all the things we think it does?”

“You made a deal with Allah, right? He gave you the bike back, and you practice Islam?”

“Basically.”

Hassan stood and handed her the Quran. “Open it to Surat At-Tawbah, ayah number 111. It’s part of the 10th juz, which I think a lot of people feel uncomfortable with because they feel that it’s all about battles and fighting.”

Jamilah studied the index, found that At-Tawbah was surah number 9, and flipped through it until she reached ayah 111. She read out loud:

“Indeed, Allāh has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allāh, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’ān. And who is truer to his covenant than Allāh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.”

She frowned. “So the covenant is that I kill and get killed? I don’t want to kill anyone.”

“That’s not the point. These surahs in juz number 10, At-Tawbah and Al-Anfal, were relevant to the specific circumstances the Muslims were going through at the time, in which they were under attack by the polytheists. The physical survival of the Muslim community was at stake. For us, the point is that we put everything on the line in the cause of Allah. We struggle. We experience hardship. Yet we remain steadfast, we don’t surrender and don’t give up our deen, because we already belong to Allah. He purchased us, and everything we are, in exchange for Jannah. That’s the covenant, that’s the deal. We surrender to Allah, and He gives us Jannah. Boom. Nothing else.”

“So my deal was wrong?”

“No, Allah accepted your deal. But on His terms. You thought your deal with Allah was one thing – you give me this, I’ll give you that – but Allah is telling you that it’s much more. We dedicate to Allah our souls, our hearts, our deeds, and He gives us Jannah. That’s the price of faith. We don’t pray and fast because Allah gives us some material thing we want. We do it because He gave us everything – food, water, breath… Life. Everything that we have comes from Him. So we worship because we’re grateful, right? Because we love Allah.”

Jamilah nodded slowly. “I see what you’re saying. It’s much more than I’ve been thinking about. It’s a little frightening to think in those terms.”

“Aren’t your people fighters?”

Jamilah glanced at Hassan in surprise. How had he known that? “The people of Palestine are under attack,” she said. “What do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

“That’s cool, what is that?”

“Something my father used to say. We lost family members in the nakbah, we lost family in the refugee camp massacres in Lebanon. We’ve had family members locked up and tortured by the Israelis just for advocating for human rights for Palestinians. It’s why I want to become a lawyer.”

“SubhanAllah. Amazing. So you already have what it takes.”

Tranquility

“What about tranquility?” Jamilah said.

“What do you mean?”

“You said that faith doesn’t bring material rewards. Okay, I accept that. But shouldn’t it at least bring inner peace?”

Hassan shrugged. “I think it does.”

“Then why are you so troubled? Why do you keep secrets? At times you seem tranquil – actually, you seem like a mountain sometimes, just silent and solid. But other times you seem like you’re about to crack in half.”

Hassan turned and walked to the doorway. “You have a brother, right? Where is he?”

Jamilah sighed. Trying to get Hassan to open up was like trying to break down the Israeli apartheid wall with a pillow.

“That’s a good question. Nabeel went to the cafeteria ages ago. He’s probably trying to hit on a pretty nurse. Or maybe he went home for something, I don’t know. Hassan, I asked you a question. What’s with all the secrets?”

“Yes, I hear you…” He turned back and looked at her. “You know what I said about my father, about standing in the grave and thinking, ‘Is this what it comes to?’”

“Yeah.”

“There isn’t a day when I don’t remember that moment and that thought. Some things are hard to shake, even when you know better. I… made mistakes when I was young, and I know that becoming Muslim wipes out everything that came before, but that doesn’t take away the shame, or the memories. It doesn’t make the past easier to live with. And I’m still living with the consequences. I don’t…” Hassan shook his head. “I don’t have a good relationship with the past.”

“Didn’t you tell me that forgiveness is a big part of Islam?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t that include forgiving yourself?”

Hassan nodded his head slowly. “I don’t know how.”

Step by Step

Still holding the Quran in one hand, Jamilah stroked her mother’s cheek with the other. The woman was so pale, though her hair was still jet black. Jamilah needed her to recover. La ilaha il-Allah. She needed to talk to her mother again.

Something occurred to her. “Different question,” she said to Hassan. “You say that the covenant with Allah is that we struggle in his cause, and He gives us Jannah. Period.”

“You got it.”

“So what form is that struggle supposed to take? What exactly do I do?”

“Read the next ayah. 112.”

Jamilah read:

“[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allāh], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allāh. And give good tidings to the believers.”

Jamilah nodded. “I already think of all these actions as part of the deen. Repent, pray, praise Allah, do what’s right, don’t do haram. Traveling in His cause though, I haven’t done that.”

“Hajj. Traveling to learn about Islam. Traveling to help people, to defend human rights, to fight for what’s right.”

“I can do these things. I think I can. Maybe I can.”

Hassan laughed. “You’re fading by the second. Just say, ‘I will do that, inshaAllah. Step by step. Take the step, Allah will help you. That’s part of the covenant too.’”

Jamilah understood. She handed the Quran back to Hassan. “Step by step.”

 

THE END

***

Reader comments and constructive criticism are important to me, so please comment!

See the Story Index for Wael Abdelgawad’s fiction stories on this website.

Wael Abdelgawad’s novels – including Pieces of a Dream, The Repeaters and Zaid Karim Private Investigator – are available in ebook and print form on his author page at Amazon.com.

 

Related:

– A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 3] What Is True, And What Matters

– A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 1] Reflections On The Opening Chapter

The post A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 10] The Covenant appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

As we head to our local masjid this Ramadan, we will invariably find ourselves searching the bookshelves for a muṣḥaf, or a printed copy of the Qurʾān. There is often a wide array of options, and everyone is looking for one that looks familiar to them, while half wondering what exactly the difference is between all these copies of the Qurʾān. As we do each year, we will probably put the thought aside, find the muṣḥaf we are most comfortable with, and begin reading.

This article hopes to offer some answers to the question that seems to appear and then disappear each year. What exactly is different about contemporary copies of the Qurʾān? For the purpose of this article, we will be comparing the Madinah printed muṣḥaf in the Naskh script and the South Asian printed muṣḥaf that is published in India and Pakistan, both in the narration of Imam Ḥafṣ. It is important to make this distinction as there are other maṣāḥif in the world that share similarities with the South Asian muṣḥaf, such as the calligraphic script and diacritics of the South African printed maṣāḥif, the signs for stopping in the Turkish printed maṣāḥif, or the diacritics in the Indonesian maṣāḥif. The King Fahad Qurʾān printing complex also prints a muṣḥaf that is very similar to the South Asian printed maṣāḥif. In order to ensure that there is no confusion, and we are able to delve into this topic in some detail, we will limit our comparison to the two maṣāḥif mentioned above.

Calligraphic Script

The most obvious difference when looking at the two maṣāḥif is their calligraphic script. The Qurʾān has been written in many calligraphic scripts throughout Islamic history and this continues to the present day. The Ḥīrī script, later called al-Khaṭṭ al-Ḥijāzī, was one of the earlier scripts in which the Qurʾān was written. As Islam spread, Muslims developed other calligraphic scripts as well, such as the Kūfī script.1

Among the Arabic calligraphic scripts are Naskh and Naskhtaʿlīq or the hanging Naskh. The Qurʾān may be written in any calligraphic script of Arabic. While the Madinah printed muṣḥaf is written in the Naskh script, the South Asian printed muṣḥaf is written in the Naskhtaʿlīq script.

Rasm al-Khaṭṭ

While the calligraphic script of the Qurʾān can differ, the rasm or orthography of the Qurʾān should not.2 Rasm is the science of the Qurʾān that preserves the unique spellings of the Qurʾān. While most of the Qurʾān is written according to normal Arabic spelling conventions, there are some words that have a unique orthography. This unique orthography is according to how the Qurʾān was written by the ṣaḥābah in the presence of the Prophet , and later compiled by the ṣaḥābah during the khilāfah of ʿUthmān . As most of us may have noticed, there are alifs that are written in the Qurʾān that are not read, e.g., َٓءيِْجاَو.These unique spellings are what is referred to as rasm ʿuthmānī.3

The science of rasm preserves the outlines of the words of the Qurʾān. This means the words of the Qurʾān without any of the dots for letters, or markings for vowels. This is how the ṣaḥābah wrote the Uthmanic codices. They did so to incorporate the canonical recitations of the Qurʾān.4 As, although Arabs did not have diacritics for vowels at the time, they did have dots to distinguish certain letters, and yet the ṣaḥābah chose not to use them.5

To demonstrate what the rasm of a word is, we will take the example of the word
This word carries vowel markings and the letters yāʾ, bāʾ and nūn also carry dots. However, it is only the skeletal outline of the word that is considered the rasm of the Qurʾān,

Therefore, while the skeletal structures of words in the maṣāḥif cannot differ beyond what has been reported from the Uthmanic codices, the dots for letters and vowel markings may differ as these were developed later, and they will be discussed in the next section.

South Asian Printed Musḥaf in the Naskhtaʿlīq script

Scholars have ascertained the various acceptable ways in which the words of the Qurʾān may be written by observing the Uthmanic codices, as well as by preserving the oral reports from the scholars that observed them. In the centuries of scholarship that we have on this science, we find that there are certain unique spellings that are agreed upon, meaning that they can only be written in one way, while others were written in two or more possible ways by the ṣaḥābah. This is what we refer to as a khulf. When such a khulf exists within the science, contemporary scholars who are publishing copies of the Qurʾān must choose between one or the other. They obviously cannot write the same word twice. In order to streamline this process, they generally choose to rely on the preferences of one classical scholar. While the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf follows the preferences of Imam Abū Dāwūd Sulaymān Ibn Najāḥ (d. 496 AH), the South Asian printed muṣḥaf follows the preferences of Imam Abū al-Qāsim al-Shāṭibī (d. 590 AH).6 While there are many examples of this, we will present only one here. The two words أين ما can be written separately or joined in āyah 78 of Sūrah al-Nisāʾ. These two words are written as separated in the South Asian maṣāḥif according to the preference of Imam al-Shāṭibī.7 However, they are written as one word in the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf according to the preference of Imam Abū Dāwūd ibn Najāḥ, as

This is why the rasm of the two maṣāḥif will differ in some places.

Dabt

Unlike the science of rasm, which comes from how the Qurʾān was written by the ṣaḥābah in the presence of the Prophet , the science of ḍabṭ was introduced later. It began to develop during the time of the tābiʿīn (the generation that followed the ṣaḥābah) and continued to develop as Muslim scholars systematized the dots on letters and vowel markings.8 However, while they created systems, variations exist within those systems of ḍabṭ. As this science is not one that is based on something that was done during the time of the Prophet , any amount of variation in it is permissible, as long as the outline of the word does not change.

The ḍabṭ of the South Asian muṣḥaf and Madīnah printed muṣḥaf differ greatly, and this is often a cause of confusion for those who learned to read with one muṣḥaf and then try to read from the other. One main difference is the way that the letter hamzah is expressed. The first point to remember is that the letter hamzah did not have a unique shape in the Arabic script when the Qurʾān was bring revealed and written.9 It was either written as an alif, a wāw or a yāʾ or was sometimes absent from the outline of the word altogether. The Arabs also had many variations in the way in which they pronounced hamzah, and these were incorporated in the way that the hamzah was written.10 Therefore, this difference between the two contemporary maṣāḥif is perfectly permissible.

The Madinah printed muṣḥaf marks every hamzat al-qaṭʿ (a hamzah that will always be read in a word) using the head of ʿayn, e.g.,

It marks hamzat al-waṣl (a hamzah that will only be read when starting from the word) with a small ṣād, e.g.,

However, the South Asian printed muṣḥaf employs a different method. If the hamzat al-qaṭʿ is represented by an alif, the ḍabṭ of the South Asian muṣḥaf places a vowel on the alif to represent a hamzat al-qaṭʿ and leaves a hamzat al-waṣl empty of any vowel, e.g.,

There are, however, some hamzat al-waṣl that carry a vowel as well, but these carry a vowel because they occur after a strong sign of waqf, e.g.,

It is assumed that the reader will make waqf before the word. This makes it much easier for non-Arab Muslims to read the word correctly when starting from it, as they may not be as comfortable with reading the correct vowel on a hamzat al-waṣl that is empty of any vowel marking.

Another difference is whether the shape for alif which is part of the rasm of the word will be considered an alif of madd or the shape for hamzah. For example, in the word,

the outline of the word allows for an alif, a mīm, a shape for nūn, and an alif at the end, as امٮا. The ḍabṭ of the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf presents the alif as a letter of madd, and it adds the head of ʿayn as a hamzah. However, the ḍabṭ of the South Asian printed muṣḥaf presents the alif in the outline of the word as the shape for hamzah and adds a dagger alif to represent the alif of madd, as

One is not superior to the other. Rather, it is simply the different ways in which the scholars of ḍabṭ have allowed Quranic words to be marked so that they are pronounced correctly by a non-specialized reader.

For those interested in reading more about the history of the development of the Arabic script and other related topics, please read Tashīl al-Rusūm and Tashīl al-Ḍabṭ in English by Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail (May Allah have mercy on him). PDFs of these two works can be downloaded for free from www.qiraatsimplified.com.

Waqf Signs

Madīnah Printed Muṣḥaf in the Naskh Script

As we all know, where we stop in a sentence can change the way that the listener understands it. At times, an oddly placed pause makes the sentence incomprehensible. Similarly, where we stop in the Qurʾān is important to prevent the meaning from being incomplete or misunderstood. We know from a narration of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar that the ṣaḥābah used to learn the appropriate stops in the Qurʾān during the time that the Qurʾān was still being revealed.11 Abū Jaʿfar al Naḥḥās (d. 338 AH) and ʿAllāmah al-Dānī (d. 444 AH) have said that the Messenger of Allah was taught the importance of making waqf at the completion of meaning by Jibrīl [alyhis] as he was instructed not to conclude an āyah of punishment with an āyah of mercy.12 While the importance of making appropriate stops in the Qurʾān was established during the time of the Prophet , the exact places of stopping in the entire Qurʾān were not recorded and transmitted. Therefore, the science of waqf and ibtidāʾ (where one can stop and continue from in the Qurʾān) is as diverse as the interpretations of verses of the Qurʾān. Scholars have differed in the number of categories of appropriate and inappropriate stopping places, as well as where they are.

Keeping this diversity in mind, we now look at the two maṣāḥif. The South Asian muṣḥaf generally follows both the symbols for stops as well as the places of stopping of Imam Muḥammad ibn Ṭayfūr al-Sajāwandī (d. 560 AH). It is important to note that it also has many other symbols of stops in it as well, and these are not from Imam al-Sajawandī. Only the symbols لا, ز ,ص ,ج ,ط ,م may be attributed to the respected Imam.13 One of the benefits of Imam Sajāwandī’s system of stops is that they are plentiful, and include two categories, marked by ص and ز where it is highly preferable that the reciter continues reciting. However, these two categories allow those who suffer from shortness of breath to have some extra places to stop that will not alter or corrupt the intended meaning of the verse. As these kinds of stops are missing in the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf, one may notice that the places for waqf are far fewer than in the South Asian muṣḥaf.

Above was an explanation of the symbols and places of stopping in the South Asian printed muṣḥaf. While the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf also uses ج ,م ,لا, it has two additional symbols that are different from the South Asian muṣḥaf. These are قلے and صلے . The Madīnah printed muṣḥaf uses the symbols for stopping as they were formulated by the committee that King Fuad I of Egypt had commissioned to publish a copy of the Qurʾān. This committee worked under the guidance of the great Qārī, Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAlī Khalaf al-Ḥussainī al-Ḥaddād (d. 1357 AH).14 However, while the stop signs used in the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf are the same as these, the places of stops are determined differently than the muṣḥaf that was commissioned by King Fuad I. Shaykh Muṣāʿid al-Ṭayyār, whose book was published in 1431 AH, writes that the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf relies heavily on not only the symbols but also the places of stopping that were marked in the muṣḥaf commissioned by King Fuad I. However, it differs in five hundred fifty-five places, where the scholars of the committee publishing the Madīnah muṣḥaf gave preference to what they understood to be more correct. The information pages of a Madīnah muṣḥaf published in 1439 AH, during the reign of King Salmān, mention that the committee that oversees the publishing of the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf relied on what was said by scholars of tafsīr, books of waqf such as Allāmah al-Dānī’s work al-Muktafā and Abū Jaʿfar al-Naḥḥās’s al-Qaṭʿ wa al-Iʾtināf, as well as what is found in maṣāḥif that were published earlier. Taking both of these sources into account, we can conclude that the places of stopping in the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf do not rely on one classical or contemporary source.15

As scholars differ on the interpretation of the verses of the Qurʾān, they also differ in the determination of the appropriate places to stop.

These are the differences in the symbols of stops and where there are placed. However, there are some other differences as well, such as the Madīnah printed muṣḥaf does not have any recommendations for stops at the ends of verses, which encourages the reader to stop at the end of every verse. However, the South Asian printed muṣḥaf reflects the connection between the meaning of the verses and those with a strong connection in meaning and grammar are marked with a

to encourage the reader to continue reciting. This can be helpful for those memorizing the Qurʾān. Some teachers encourage students to read through the ends of verses while memorizing to strengthen the connection between verses in their memory as well as to memorize the vowel on the last letter of the word at the end of a verse. As each verse end is marked with a symbol for stopping or continuing, the reciters know which verses can be joined and which ones should not be joined.

For more information on the science of waqf and ibtidāʾ, please see Maintaining the Meaning: An Introduction to Waqf and Ibtidāʾ. It is free to download at www.recitewithlove.com.

Divisions of the Qurʾān

The earliest known divisions of the Qurʾān were in groups of five and ten verses. We know that this practice existed while the ṣaḥabah were still living.16 Over time, Muslims developed many other ways of dividing the Qurʾān that would facilitate the completion of the whole Qurʾān in a week, or a month. The Madīnah printed muṣḥaf divides each juz (one thirtieth of the Qurʾān) into eight parts, with a flower marking the beginning of a new part. The South Asian printed muṣḥaf divides each juz into four parts, and it marks the beginning of a new part by mentioning whether it is the completion of a fourth, half, or three-quarters in the margin. The South Asian printed muṣḥaf also includes the division of rukuʿāt, or places where the topic is complete. These are also used in other maṣāḥif in the world, such as the Turkish and Kuwaiti muṣḥaf. These were designated by Ḥanafī scholars of Central Asia around 300 AH.17

Conclusion

What has been presented in this short article are some of the major ways in which the two contemporary maṣāḥif differ. All of their differences are supported by centuries of scholarship, and the understanding of reliable scholars. It is important to remember that even with all these small differences, the words of the Qurʾān in both copies remain the same. They are both the words of Allah .

I would also like to remind the reader that while this was a comparison of two contemporary copies, a similar analysis could be done with other maṣāḥif from other parts of the world, such as North Africa. These would be the main categories in which the maṣāḥif would differ.

The Ummah finds itself in dark times, and we need the strength that comes from unity and goodwill among believers to persevere through our trials. I pray that Allah makes this article a means for Muslims to have a better opinion of one another, and that understanding our maṣāḥif helps us to understand each other, all different, but still following the same dīn that has reached us through hundreds of years of scholarship and struggle. Āmīn.

 

Related:

– Structural Cohesion In The Quran: Heavenly Order

– Pursuing Islamic Scholarship Alongside Another Career? Guidance For Aspirants | Dr. Hatem El Haj

1    M. Mustafa Al-Azami, The History of the Qurʾānic Text (Riyadh: Azami Publishing House, 2011), 139; ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ al-Qāḍī, Tārīkh al-muṣḥaf al-sharīf (Cairo: Al-Azhar, 2015), 7-8.2    Abū ʿAmr al-Dānī, al-Muqniʿ fī maʿrifat marsūm maṣāḥif ahl al-amṣār (Cairo: Dār Ibn Kathīr, 2018), 35; Jalāl al-Dīn al- Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Cairo: Dār al-Salām, 2013), 939.3    ʿAlī Muḥammad al-Ḍabbāʾ, Samīr al-ṭālibeen fī rasm wa al-ḍabṭ al-kitāb al-mubīn (Egypt: ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd Aḥmad al Ḥanafī, ND), 27. 4    Qāsim ibn Firruh al-Shāṭibī, ʿAqīlat Atrāb al-Qaṣāʾid fī Asna al-Maqāṣid, l. 35.5    M. Mustafa Al-Azami, The History of the Qurʾānic Text (Riyadh: Azami Publishing House, 2011), 151.6    Muḥammad Shafāʿat Rabbānī, “Bare ṣaghīr aur ʿarab mumalik main ṭabʿ shudah maṣāḥif ka rasm al-khaṭṭ: ʿilmī aur tabābulī jāʾizah,” al-Qārī (June 2022): 10-18.7    Qāsim ibn Firruh al-Shāṭibī, ʿAqīlat Atrāb al-Qaṣāʾid fī Asna al-Maqāṣid, l. 256.8    Abū ʿAmr al-Dānī, Kitāb al-Naqṭ (Cairo: Dār Ibn Kathīr, 2018), 202; Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Cairo: Dār al-Salām, 2013), 2:950.9    Ibn al-Jazarī, al-Tamhīd fī ʿilm al-tajwīd (Beirut: Resālah Publishers, 2001), 115.10    Abū ʿAmr al-Dānī, al-Muqniʿ fī maʿrifat marsūm maṣāḥif ahl al-amṣār (Cairo: Dār Ibn Kathīr, 2018), 107.11    Al-Bayḥaqī, al-Sunan al-Kubrā (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, 2003), 3:170.12    Abū ʿAmr al-Dānī, al-Muktafā fī al-Waqf wa al-Ibtidāʾ (Amman: Dār ʿAmmār, 2001), 2; Abū Jaʿfar al-Naḥḥās, Kitāb al- Qaṭʿ wa al-Iʾtināf (Saudi Arabia: Dār ʿĀlim al-Kutub, 1996), 13.13    Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Cairo: Dār al-Salām, 2013), 1:224.14    ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ al-Qāḍī, Tārīkh al-muṣḥaf al-sharīf (Cairo: Al-Azhar, 2015), 52-53.15    Muṣāʿid al-Ṭayyār, Wuqūf al-Qurʾān wa atharūhā fī al-tafsīr (Madīnah: King Fahad Publishing Complex, 1431 AH), 251.16    Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Itqān fī ʿUlūm al-Qurʾān (Cairo: Dār al-Salām, 2013), 2:950; Esmail, Tashīl al-Rusūm, 33.17    

The post Behind The Differences In Contemporary Masahif appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

It’s been ten years.  

Ten years since you heard the adhan reverberating through the crowded streets, ten years since your feet felt the hardness of the marble floors, ten years since you laid your eyes on the Kaabah.  

In those ten years, your father’s beard turns white. Your siblings graduate from high school, then university, find jobs, get married, have kids.  

You become a mother yourself, once, then twice, and now you have two boys, five and eight,  you celebrate your fourteenth wedding anniversary, your business is growing, and look – look what these ten years have made of you. You’ve gone through difficulties you never thought you could get out of, trials you endured when everything changed, the debris of those explosions scattered across the years. Somehow, Allah saves you, helps you pick up all those pieces, and returns you to yourself.  

He molds you into the person you’ve always wanted to be.  

After ten years, you are content, at home in yourself, and only then, Allah invites you back.  

To His home. 

***

In the weeks before you depart, whenever you start to think, I’m going for Umrah, there’s a lump that forms in your throat and no sooner is it there that you swallow it. Not yet, you tell yourself.  It’s not true until it’s real. 

You have done everything, crossed off all the tasks on your to-do list – book flights, book hotels,  apply for visas, download the Nusuk app, book Umrah and Rawdah times. But you still don’t believe it. “I’m going for Umrah,” you tell your friends and you feel nothing, not even a flutter of excitement in your chest, even as you admit to them that you can’t wait. 

And then the day comes when you are finally leaving and all your energy is laser-focused on the last-minute tasks – packing the kids’ suitcase for their stayover at your in-laws, making sure they have enough underwear and socks to last them the week, their snow pants, hats, gloves, mittens,   neck warmers for when they go out and in case it snows, and don’t forget their health cards and medication in case they fall sick. 

You are mostly packed but you fuss and fidget, wondering if you are taking too much, too little,  not enough of something, and you check and recheck your bags, and as the hours slip by and you make wudu, change into your travel clothes, pray asr, and walk out of your home, still you will not let yourself believe that you are going. 

It is staring you in the face, the ride to the airport, the check-in counter, the boarding passes tucked between the pages of your passport, kissing your children goodbye, going through security, finding your gate, finding your seat, the long wait on the runway for the place to deice, and then finally a rush and a rumble and you are in the air. 

“It will hit you when you are on the plane,” your friend had said when she dropped you off at the airport. You are flying in the black of the night through a haze of darkness, but still, you will not let yourself arrive until you get there. 

You have a subpar dinner on the plane; a piece of chicken soaked in teriyaki sauce, rice with boiled lima beans that feel like chalk, rubbery carrots, and a small brownie square that your husband declares tastes like brown sugar. When the lights are turned off, you fall asleep.  

The plane runs out of fuel in the middle of the Atlantic and the pilot has to turn the plane around and land somewhere else. Your eyes open and you’re still there on the plane, your mouth dry and pasty, squeezed in the middle seat, your husband on your right and your sister on your left. 

You fall asleep again and you are on a beach somewhere in a summer dress you don’t own, your husband in a beach shirt you don’t recognize, and you are talking to his cousin who lives in  Florida and you tell her it’s okay, it wasn’t meant to be, Allah will take us there another time. You wake up and there is no sand, no beach, the same plane, the same people, the same night.  

You go back to sleep and then you are over the Atlantic once again and now there is a medical emergency. A little girl is sick and there’s a port in the middle of the ocean, and a glaring white light guides the plane to the runway and everyone debarks because of the little girl, waiting for an ambulance in the middle of the ocean, and your eyes fly open and the lights are on and the flight attendants are rolling their meal and beverage carts through the aisles, asking, “Eggs or waffles? Tea or coffee?” 

After that, you don’t sleep. You watch the flight path, the pixelated image of the plane on the screen moving swiftly, flying over cities, crossing one border after another, until you look out the window and see brown earth and desert sand and you are almost there, but not yet, there is still another hurdle. 

Your flight out of Toronto was delayed and your two-hour layover is now only 45 minutes. You have to pass through security again to catch your next flight to Jeddah. 

The line is long and they are screening everyone’s bags again. You slowly inch to the front, walk through the metal detectors, collect all your bags, and then run.  

You had planned to have a meal at this airport but you forget all that and you keep running, past the cafes and the restaurants and the brightly-lit duty-free shops, past your gate until you find the closest bathroom, change, make wudhu, run back to the gate and step onto the plane.  

As you walk single file through the narrow aisle to find your seat, out of breath, heart thumping,  you notice other pilgrims on the plane, men in their white ihram towels, women in abayas, and you can feel the weight of the moment tugging your insides, something threatening to come up your throat, but no, not yet, you are not there yet.  

It is a short flight, only two hours long, enough time to write down the dua’s you want to make during Umrah. You take out your old dua’ notebook for inspiration, the one from when you went for Hajj ten years ago, but your eyes gloss over the pages, all those old dua’s that were answered,  the old you who had written them, who had asked God for so much and He gave her more.  

You open your new notebook, but there’s some nervous energy in your fingers that stops you from picking up the pen and writing.  

They give you a meal on the plane, a tastier meal, a warm sandwich with chicken and sauteed onions and peppers, a meal that feels like an answered prayer, and while you are eating, the pilot makes an announcement – the plane will pass over the miqat in 30 minutes.  

You have the screenshot ready from the Umrah guide you found online, what to say to make the niyyah for Umrah. It is a declaration, a statement of intent, formulating your purpose of the trip before Allah . Once you state your intention and pass the miqat, you are officially in a state of ihram and ready to perform Umrah. There is no turning back. 

You hear a buzzing click, the airplane speakers turning on, and the pilot’s voice fills the plane again.  

“In five minutes, we will pass over the miqat.” 

The moment is almost here. That page you took a screenshot of, you will need it in just a minute, just a minute longer. You look down on your phone at the bright white screen, the Arabic letters strung together, the transliteration in bold, and below it the translation in plain text. Tears pool in your eyes and the screen blurs. You can’t make out the words anymore. But you don’t need them.  The words are in your heart already.  

It is time.  

Labbayk Allahumma Umrah. O Allah, here I am, to perform Umrah.  

The Invitation PC: Maryam B (unsplash)

You repeat the words over and over again, even though you only need to say them once, and you are already in ihram now, but O Allah, please look, here I am, to perform Umrah. You called me here, O Allah, and here I am.  

You can’t stop saying the words, the tears you had kept at bay finally spilling out, and at long last, you allow yourself to believe that Allah invited you back.  

Ten years.  

Ten years later and you are going back to your Lord’s house. You are returning home.

***

There are two lessons you carry with you from when you went for Hajj ten years ago.  

Lesson One: Just because you are nearer to the Kaabah, your salah will not magically transform.  Your prayers in the Haram ten years ago weren’t what you had expected – an experience of transcendence, a rush of khushoo in every salah. They were mostly ordinary prayers, your mind distracted.  

Reality: Your first prayer at the Haram, 10 years later.  

You walk to the masjid, the adhan for fajr cascading across the indigo sky. Your sister, in her excitement, has forgotten to make wudhu and you notice you don’t feel even an itch of irritation.  You ask one of the workers in the blue overalls for directions to the women’s washrooms. It is a far walk from where you are but it doesn’t matter because nothing else matters anymore.  

You breathe deeply, looking up at the dark sky, the towering minarets, the worshippers around you, marveling at the fact that every single person here is a guest of Allah . And you are one of them.  

Your sister makes wudhu and now you have to find the entrance for pilgrims. You look up and there is the sign, right in front of you, directing you to King Abdul Aziz Gate. “We didn’t even have to look for it,” your husband says, and your sister relishes in this new miracle, her feeling of foolishness at forgetting to make wudu turned to awe.  

You cross the courtyard, remove your sandals, and enter through the golden doors. And there you are, the black of the Kabah straight ahead, a network of steel scaffolding blocking your view, but it doesn’t even matter because you are here.  

Ten years later, you are finally here.  

There are no carpets where the guards direct you to pray. You spread a thin teal-colored prayer mat, a gift from your older sister. 

You stand up to pray your sunnah for fajr. You remind yourself of Lesson One: your prayer will not be perfect just because you are here. Then why are you crying as soon as you raise your hands and look up, past the metal scaffolding, past the brick arches, past the sea of men in white and the women in hijabs, your gaze coming to rest at the Kaabah, the house of Allah built thousands of years ago by the Khalil of Allah , the one who prayed for this place to be a sanctuary for all the believers, for you?  

Every second of that prayer is presence and transcendence and your body doesn’t know what to do with this overwhelming rush of gratitude. The tears keep flowing. Ten years and your Lord invited you back when He knew you would be most grateful for it, when you would be ready to receive His blessings like you’ve never received any blessing before this, like you’ve never known gratitude before this moment.  

***

Lesson Two: Umrah is hard. It will be physically exhausting and you will want it to be over. When you last performed Umrah, ten years ago, you were tired and exhausted, especially during the sa’ee, the pacing back and forth between Safa and Marwa, limbs and feet aching, waiting for it to be finished. 

Reality: You begin your Umrah with the tawaf, raising your right arm in the direction of Hajar al Aswad, the black stone. Bismillah Allahu Akbar.  

You don’t have a list of dua’s this time but you don’t need a list. You simply talk to Allah . That is your dua’. Just you and your Creator in this moment, this tawaf, this Umrah, this House of your  Lord. 

You cry, not caring to hide your tears this time, from your husband or your sister, because it has been ten years, and look who you are now, ten years later.  

You needed those ten years to realize that when you have Allah , nothing else matters. Who sees your tears, who judges your pain, Who interrogates your fears, none of it matters.  

The Kaabah [PC: Untung Bekti Nugroho (unsplash)]

To your left is the Kaabah, ahead of you is maqam Ibrahim, the sky is brightening, and everyone around you is pleading with their Lord. Someone is calling out to Allah by His Names, one after another, followed by a chorus of dua’s.  

You are suspended in time, as if you were in this moment forever, as if you were always only here, this crush of people around you, bodies in constant motion, praising, pleading, praying to their Lord, your Lord.  

You are here, you are here, you are here. 

Before you begin the sa’ee, you snack on a granola bar. You know you will get tired and maybe this burst of sugar in your blood will keep you afloat for a little bit longer.  

You start the sa’ee and soon enough, your legs begin to hurt, your calves humming with pain, the soles of your feet aching as you walk and run on the hard marble floor.  

But every time you check in with yourself, How are you doing? How are you feeling? the answer comes back, I don’t want this to end.  

You have never felt more content, more connected to your Lord, because ten years later, you are finally here, and how could you want it to end? You are retracing the footsteps of your namesake,  the woman who trusted Allah and never doubted her place in this world.  

You think of her as you run between the green lights, imagine her panic when her child was out of view as she ran through the dry, barren valley, imagine how her certainty in her Lord’s help could have existed at the same time as her struggle.  

Thousands of years later, you are here, running over the same ground, marble beneath your feet,  fans overhead, the physical landscape completely altered but the landscape of your hearts, the same; your Lord and her Lord, the same. And just as your Lord saved her, you realize it was your  Lord who saved you too. 

*** 

In those ten years, you prayed to return.  

Every Ramadan, the final dua’ on your dua list for the last ten nights was always O Allah, please let me be able to go for Umrah.  

Even when it wasn’t feasible because you were now pregnant, now with a baby, now jobless,  now pregnant again, now with two small kids, now all your savings run out, even then you prayed, O Allah, please let me be able to go for Umrah. 

Ten years of yearning. What does that do to your heart? You think it will harden and expect no return.  

But your Lord is As-Sam’ee, the One who is All-Hearing, and Al-Mujeeb, the One who Answers.  And you know your prayers were not lost, that Your Lord had collected each and every one of them, kept them safe with Himself, and that one day, one day, the time would come when your  Lord would invite you back. An invitation that would be exclusively from Him, and only His to grant. And now that you are finally here, your hands raised, gazing at the Kabah, you remember what the Prophet had said to his beloved, “Should I not be a grateful servant?”1

***

Two new lessons you take home with you.  

Lesson One: God never withholds without reason. And when the withholding is finished, when the wait is over, you will sit and marvel at the perfection of God’s plan. Your heart will be unable to contain the mountain of gratitude you feel at the fact that He is your Lord and you have already been blessed with the greatest gift of all, your faith. 

Lesson 2: God is your friend. A friend that never leaves, a friend that is always by your side, a whisper, a thought, a heartbeat away, always listening even when you can’t say anything or don’t know what to say. A friend who knows the speech of your heart.  

And what do you do with a friend like that, a friend who never tires of hearing your voice?  You never stop speaking, never stop asking. 

 

Related:

– Reflections From Umrah: A Spiritual Journey Of Faith And Diversity

– Your Ultimate Umrah Planning Resource [2023 Update]

 

1    Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم kept standing (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: “Why do you do this, while you have been forgiven of your former and later sins?” He said, “Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Reference: Riyad as-Salihin 1160; In-book reference: Book 8, Hadith 170

The post The Invitation: A Decade Of Longing appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5

Juzʾ 6: Benefits of Following Revelation

Juzʾ 6 Contains: Sūrah al-Nisāʾ – al-Māʾidah (#4-5)

al-Nisāʾ (4): 174-175

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدۡ جَاۤءَكُم بُرۡهَـٰنࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَأَنزَلۡنَاۤ إِلَیۡكُمۡ نُورࣰا مُّبِینࣰا ۝١٧٤ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱعۡتَصَمُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَیُدۡخِلُهُمۡ فِی رَحۡمَةࣲ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلࣲ وَیَهۡدِیهِمۡ إِلَیۡهِ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣰا مُّسۡتَقِیمࣰا ۝١٧٥

“People! Proof (meaning the Prophet ﷺ) has come to you from your Master! And He also sent clear light (meaning The Qurʾān) to you as well. If someone believes in Allāh, and holds on tight to it (The Qurʾān), Allāh will enter them into His Grace and Favor, and will guide them to Him via a straight correct path.”

 

Allāh addresses all of humanity, regardless of religion or background. He ﷻ tells them that everything they need to believe is available to them, and that as a result, they have no excuses for rejecting the truth – Islam. The clear cut evidence that He ﷻ has given to humanity consists of two things: proof and evidence (burhān), and a clear clarifying light (nūran mubīnan).

Proof and Evidence (Burhān)

This proof and evidence is two fold. First, it clearly demonstrates that all other forms of worship and religion aside from Islam are incorrect. They are either illogical or based on adulterations. Then, it proceeds to show that Islam is the one true path, the only valid path to attain success in the Hereafter, and be forgiven and rewarded by Allāh ﷻ – The One True God. But what is this “proof”? One of the greatest and earliest giants of Qurʾānic Explanation (tafsīr), Al-Imām Al-Ṭabarī (d. 310 AH – raḥimahu Allāh), holds that burhān in the āyah refers to none other than the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, the greatest and final messenger of Allāh. His life, his teachings, his way ﷺ are foundational in explaining the absurdity of paganism, and the forgery and adulteration of Judaisim and Christianity. And even more special is that Allāh ﷻ says this proof and evidence – His Prophet ﷺ – is a direct proof from Him ﷻ. Specifically chosen, set, and sent by Allāh, our Master.

Clear Clarifying Light (Nūr Mubīn)

Light, especially clear unobstructed light, allows us to see the world as it really is. And just like it can show us the actual physical nature of what is in front of us, it can show us the reality and value of proof and evidence. Al-Imām Al-Ṭabarī quotes a few tābiʿūn (students of the companions) who explained this light to be The Qurʾān. And Qurʾān does exactly that. It not only explains to us the reality of this world, such as the finite temporary nature of it, but it also highlights the fact that this man, Muḥammad ﷺ, is undoubtedly the last and final messenger of Allāh ﷻ. This is our “Divine Compass”.

In the next sūrah, Sūrah Al-Māʾidah (#5): 15, Allāh somewhat flips the descriptions. He  ﷻ says, قَدۡ جَاۤءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورࣱ وَكِتَـٰبࣱ مُّبِینࣱ “No doubt, a light and clear clarifying book have come to you from Allāh.” There Al-Imām Al-Ṭabarī  explains that “light” refers to The Prophet ﷺ, and that “a clear clarifying book” refers to The Qurʾān.  This is the perfect message spoken on the tongue of the greatest messenger. It is the most perfect compass in the hands of the greatest human being – ﷺ.

But Alḥamdulillāh, by following this compass, this map, this guide book, we are taken to the greatest of treasures. If we truly believe in Allāh ﷻ the way He should be believed in, and we stick to His guidance found in His revelation and taught by His Prophet ﷺ, Allāh ﷻ will enter us into His Raḥmah – His Care, Grace, Kindness, Compassion, Gentleness. Raḥmah that is specially from Him, not from elsewhere. Being entered into His Raḥmah means: being included as a recipient of His Gentleness, getting His Reward, Jannah (Paradise), and being saved from Hell and punishment – just to list a few. As well as His Bounty and Favor (Faḍl). Whatever extra goodness He chooses to give, extra rank, status, honor, and gifts. But it’s not a one time reward, it’s continuous until we leave this world. He ﷻ will guide us, show us, and take us to Him, facilitate His obedience for us, help us adhere to The Qurʾān, and assist us in following the Sunnah (way/lifestyle) of His Messenger ﷺ via a straight correct path. And there is only one correct straight path which is the religion of Allāh – Islam.

Allāh ﷻ gives and gave others the same reminders.

al-Māʾidah (5): 15-16

یَـٰۤأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ قَدۡ جَاۤءَكُمۡ رَسُولُنَا یُبَیِّنُ لَكُمۡ كَثِیرࣰا مِّمَّا كُنتُمۡ تُخۡفُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَیَعۡفُوا۟ عَن كَثِیرࣲۚ قَدۡ جَاۤءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورࣱ وَكِتَـٰبࣱ مُّبِینࣱ ۝١٥ یَهۡدِی بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَیُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَیَهۡدِیهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمࣲ ۝١٦

“People of the book (Jews and Christians)! Our messenger has come to you, explaining and exposing a lot of what you’ve hidden from scripture. But he (Our Messenger) also overlooks many other issues. No doubt, a light and clear clarifying book have come to you from Allāh. Allāh uses it (The Qurʾān) to guide those who (try) to seek out His Pleasure (by doing what Allāh approves of and is pleased by) to the paths of The Pristine (Al-Salām), and He takes them out of the multiple layers of darkness into light with His Permission, and He guides them to a straight correct path.”

We see these two āyāt are very similarly to the ones to the two we discussed at the end of Sūrah Al-Nisāʾ. We see a practical example of The Prophet ﷺ being a proof  that directly points out the adulterations of other religions. And previously The Qurʾān was described as a clear light, and we we see it as a clarifying book. And again Allāh ﷻ reminds humanity of the benefits of belief and obedience: success and guidance.

If we follow His Pleasure (Riḍwān), and do our best to obey Him, He will guide us to Subul Al-Salām – The Paths of Al-Salām. Al-Salām can refer to Allāh – The Pristine, free of any blemish. But it can also be understood in the linguistic sense of safety, protection, and peace. The path to Allāh and Jannah is a path that will help keep one safe, protected, and at peace from misguidance and darkness. And instead of a life of darkness (evil, sin, disbelief), Allāh will bring us into light! And we want to remain on this path of truth and guidance, working our way towards His pleasure, so He keeps us guided on the straight correct path.

The post IOK Ramadan: Benefits of Following Revelation | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep6] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6

Juzʾ 7: Allāh’s Perfect Design and Wondrous Creation

Juzʾ 7 Contains: Sūrah al-Māʾidah – al-Anʿām (#5-6)

Al-Anʿām (6): 95-99

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلۡحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰۖ یُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَیَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَیِّتِ وَمُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَیِّتِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَیِّۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ ۝٩٥ فَالِقُ ٱلۡإِصۡبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّیۡلَ سَكَنࣰا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ حُسۡبَانࣰاۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ تَقۡدِیرُ ٱلۡعَزِیزِ ٱلۡعَلِیمِ ۝٩٦ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِی جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهۡتَدُوا۟ بِهَا فِی ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۗ قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٩ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسࣲ وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣲ فَمُسۡتَقَرࣱّ وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعࣱۗ قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَفۡقَهُونَ ۝٩٨ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ مَاۤءࣰ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهُ خَضِرࣰا نُّخۡرِجُ مِنۡهُ حَبࣰّا مُّتَرَاكِبࣰا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّخۡلِ مِن طَلۡعِهَا قِنۡوَانࣱ دَانِیَةࣱ وَجَنَّـٰتࣲ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَابࣲ وَٱلزَّیۡتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُشۡتَبِهࣰا وَغَیۡرَ مُتَشَـٰبِهٍۗ ٱنظُرُوۤا۟ إِلَىٰ ثَمَرِهِۦۤ إِذَاۤ أَثۡمَرَ وَیَنۡعِهِۦۤۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمۡ لَـَٔایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝٩٩

 

“Without a doubt, Allāh breaks open the seeds of grains and trees. He brings living things out of dead things, and is the one who brings dead things out of living things. That is Allāh! So on what basis can you reject this? He is the one who breaks open the night with the first morning rays of light. And He made night time a time of rest. And He also made the sun and the moon as tools for time keeping. All of that is the calculation and decree of The All Powerful and Authoritative. And He is the one who made and placed celestial bodies (stars and planets) so that you can use them to navigate through the darkness of land and see. We have given Our signs in full detail for people who know. And He is the one who brought you into existence from one human soul (Ādam): and all of you are now staying somewhere or resting somewhere (see explanation below). We have given Our signs in full detail for people who understand. And He (Allāh) is the one who sent rain down from the sky. And We (Allāh) used that water to produce vegetation for living beings. And from that vegetation we produced lush greenery. And from that lush greenery we produced clustered grains. And from that water we produced date palm trees from whose spades come low hanging clusters of dates. And from that rain/vegetation we produced gardens of grapes and vineyards, olives, and pomegranates – similar but different (see explanation below). So go look at the fruits/produce when it starts to bear fruit and ripen! Without a doubt, there are absolutely so many signs and indicators in all of that for people who believe.”

 

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلۡحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ

This section goes over the amazing physical power and creative design that Allāh ﷻ has. He does falq – splits open – seeds. Ḥabb are seeds from grain, and nawā are seeds from trees. He splits them open for the first little green stem to arise.

 

 یُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَیَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَیِّتِ

He brings living things out of dead things. That even the most dead seemingly useless thing can be turned into life. We all were not existent: nothingness and deadness, and He made us come alive. He takes the dead barren dry earth and brings it to life and brings out lush greenery. He can turn a dead disbelieving heart into a living illuminating believing heart.

 

 وَمُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَیِّتِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَیِّ

He is the one who brings dead things out of living things. Even things that seem alive so powerful and full of life can be dead in a second. He can destroy it and remove all traces of life having ever been there. He can turn a living illuminating believing heart into a dead disbelieving heart.

 

ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ

That is Allāh! The doer of all of that is none other than Allāh!

 

فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ

How can you reject this? On what basis can you deny the ability of Allāh? Is there any proof you have to ignore His Oneness? There is no proof one has to deny this. This is an address to call out the absurd falseness of paganism and equating anything with Allāh.

 

فَالِقُ ٱلۡإِصۡبَاحِ

Just like He split seeds open, He ﷻ makes the morning sunlight (al-iṣbāḥ) break out of the darkness of the night. The light we depend on to survive, for plants to photosynthesize, for the world to spring into action – is all a result of His power and favor.

 

وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّیۡلَ سَكَنࣰا

And He ﷻ made the night as a time of ease, comfort, and rest (sakan). To pause from the rushing hussle (ḥarakah) of the day.

 

 وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ حُسۡبَانࣰا

And He ﷻ also made the sun and moon as a means for date keeping (husbān). We use them to keep track of every passing day and month.

 

 ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ تَقۡدِیرُ ٱلۡعَزِیزِ ٱلۡعَلِیمِ

That is the planning, ordering, decree, and calculation (taqdīr) setup by Allāh. He is Al-ʿAzīz: the one with full control, respect, and authority. He is Al-ʿAlīm: all and forever knowledgeable. Allāh is the only one capable – is anyone else capable of such wondrous design and execution?

 

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِی جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهۡتَدُوا۟ بِهَا فِی ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ

And He ﷻ also made and placed stars and planets (celestials bodies – nujūm). He placed them into the night sky as little lights. Lights so well placed and organized that you can use them to consistently navigate and traverse the earth – land or sea – at night. The same north star that people used 1000 years ago is still used by us for the very same reason. Even in literal and physical darkness, He ﷻ did not leave us without guidance – physical and spiritual.

 

قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَعۡلَمُونَ

We have given the signs/miracles – aka Our signs – in full complete detail. An āyah is a sign, pointer, indicator. Imagine a “stop sign” or an “open” neon sign, it gives you information. Or a “freeway next right” sign, it gives you direction and guidance. All of these signs are for any group that knows. If they already knew this about the world, they should come to know that Allāh is One and deserves worship. And if they already knew Allāh, now they know more about HIM via His beautiful creation.

 

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسࣲ وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣲ

And He ﷻ is the one who created all of you from nothing. He brought you into existence from nonexistence from one human soul: our father, prophet Ādam (alayh asl-salām – may Allāh preserve his legacy). How can I be arrogant, when we all have the same father? How can I deny the objective truth my father and the rest of humanity knew – that there is only one God, Allāh, who deserves to be singled out for enslavement?

فَمُسۡتَقَرࣱّ وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعࣱ

Some of you are still residing/staying (مُسۡتَقَرࣱّ); some in the wombs of your mothers, some on earth. And others are at rest or put to rest  (مُسۡتَوۡدَعࣱ); some into your graves, the loins of your fathers, or the pious souls that are resting with Allāh. All of these explanations (found in Tafsīr Al-Ṭabarī) are possible and apply. Some people are still sperm and egg cells inside their parents. Others are a fetus in their mother’s womb. Some are alive on earth. Some are buried in their graves. And the pious believing souls are with Allāh

قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَفۡقَهُونَ

We have given our signs/miracles in full complete detail for any group that understands. Anyone that takes a moment to really understand and think deeply will see the truth of everything being said here: there is only One God, Allāh!

 

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ مَاۤءࣰ

He is the one who sends rain down from the sky. The water that we need to survive. It is His ﷻ choice every day whether He wants to give us rain and water or not.

 

فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ نَبَاتَ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ

There’s a change in person. Allāh went from “He” to “We”. And We use that rain water to bring out food/greenery (nabāt) for living things (kull shayʾ). The grass and plants for animals and humans. It could also mean all kinds of plants, greenery, and vegetation. Then Allāh gives us specifics.

 

فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مِنۡهُ خَضِرࣰا

And from that rain water We bring out greenery and fresh ripe crops.

 

نُّخۡرِجُ مِنۡهُ حَبࣰّا مُّتَرَاكِبࣰا

And from that rain or green vegetation (khaḍir) We bring out stacked/clustered grains like wheat, barely, corn, and rice.

 

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّخۡلِ مِن طَلۡعِهَا قِنۡوَانࣱ دَانِیَةࣱ

We use that water to grow date palm trees. And from the fresh branches (spadix/inflorescence) of palm trees come clusters of dates that are hanging down.

وَجَنَّـٰتࣲ مِّنۡ أَعۡنَابࣲ وَٱلزَّیۡتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ

And We use that rain water or green vegetation (khaḍir) to bring out gardens: grape vines and vineyards (أَعۡنَابࣲ), olives (وَٱلزَّیۡتُونَ), and pomegranates (وَٱلرُّمَّانَ).

 

مُشۡتَبِهࣰا وَغَیۡرَ مُتَشَـٰبِهٍ

Similar in some ways and different in other ways. This can refer to everything above, or just grapes, olives, and pomegranates. Maybe it is that they have similar leaves (long slender ovals)or similar shapes (round spheres) yet taste totally different! And there are so many other ways they have similarities and differences. If you’re a botanist or plant expert, please share your reflections!

 

ٱنظُرُوۤا۟ إِلَىٰ ثَمَرِهِۦۤ إِذَاۤ أَثۡمَرَ وَیَنۡعِهِۦۤ

People! Go look at the fruits when these plants bear fruits and as the fruits ripen! See the process! Go compare and contrast and be amazed. Think about how wonderfully Allāh made all of this.

 

إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمۡ لَـَٔایَـٰتࣲ لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُؤۡمِنُونَ

Without a doubt, there are so many signs, proofs, and evidences in all of that – everything just mentioned – for people that believe. So think about it. Just like He ﷻ can take sunlight, water, dirt, and a seemingly dead seed, think how you can come to life if He chooses.

 

Imagine: you are a seed, you have the earth to reflect over, the revelation that came down from the sky, the sunnah/way of Allāh’s Prophet ﷺ to guide you – what more do you need to find truth and come to life?

The post IOK Ramadan: Allah’s Perfect Design | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep7] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“The closest the servant is to the Lord is during the last depth of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah in this moment, then do so.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī]

Allah , The Sublime and Exalted, not only created and fashioned us in the best form, He constantly sustains us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. He desires we choose the path that will lead us to Him . As the Ever-Living, Ever-Sustaining Lord, He perpetually oversees the flawless operation of the grand cosmos and the minutest subatomic particles. Possessing All-Hearing and All-Seeing attributes, He remains ever near, prepared to answer when we call upon Him , eagerly awaiting the initiation of our Divine connection and responding promptly. His response is to our soul, fueling an insatiable desire for Divine proximity, propelling us to Him through love, acts of service, and a craving for Divine communion. The elixir for our hungry soul is in the prayer in the depth of the night, when all of creation seems to be asleep, when lovers privately entreat with their beloveds, and when the hungry souls seek out an unadulterated connection with their Lord. 

Tahajjud, the night prayer, is that sacred elixir. 

Guidance from Surah Muzammil

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ

“O you the (sleeping) enwrapped one!” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;1]

“Stand up in Prayer by night, all but a small part of it;” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;2]

“half of it, or reduce it a little;” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;3]

“or add to it a little; and recite the Qur’an slowly and distinctly.” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;4]

In the 73rd chapter of the Qur’an, Allah the Almighty addresses His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the title of al-Muzammil, the enwrapped one, commanding him to stand and pray most of the night, at the time of Tahajjud, as a spiritual preparation and fortification for the mighty, onerous task of receiving the last Divine revelation, and calling the creation to worship One God.

“Behold, We shall cast upon you a Weighty Word.” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;5]

It is as though Allah , The Sublime and Exalted, is conveying to His Most Chosen Servant ﷺ, “Prepare yourself, for I have selected you above all creation and will bestow upon your heart a Weighty Revelation. To bear this responsibility, you must cultivate the necessary spiritual strength within by forsaking your comforts and sleep, dedicating half the night to standing in prayer before your Lord. This act will supply you with the essential energy to confront the entire world and initiate a spiritual revolution that will endure until the end of time. It is the most significant task bestowed upon any being, so equip yourself with the power of communion with Me during the sacred time of tahajjud.”

Receiving and enacting the injunctions of the Holy Qur’an, embodying its message, extending its invitation to the entire creation, and catalyzing a revolution in the entire framework of belief, thought, morals, manners, civilization, and social life is undeniably the weightiest task any human being has ever been assigned.

It has also been called a weighty word because bearing the burden of its actual revelation was a difficult and heavy duty. Zaid bin Thabit says: “Once revelation came down upon the Prophet ﷺ in a state when he was resting his head upon my knee. I felt such a pressure of the weight on my knee that I thought it would break.”

Lady Aishah says: “I have seen the state of the Prophet ﷺ receiving revelation during the intense cold; drops of perspiration started falling from his forehead.” [Muslim]

In another tradition, Lady Aishah has stated: “Whenever revelation came down on the Prophet ﷺ while he was riding on his she-camel, the she-camel would be forced to rest her chest on the ground and could not move until the revelation was over.” [Musnad Ahmad, Hakim, Ibn Jarir]

“Surely getting up at night is the best means of subduing the self and is more suitable for uprightness in speech.” [Surah Al-Muzzammil: 73;6]

The Mufassirs (exegists) of the Qur’an explain the meaning of the above verse and give four possible meanings explaining why the night is the best means of subduing the self and more suitable for upright speech. 

1. Engaging in night worship and prolonged prayer is against human nature and the nafs (ego) of man seeks ease and comfort during those late hours. However, this practice serves as a potent exercise in self-control and discipline. Those who adopt this method and achieve mastery over their body and mind are empowered to channel their abilities toward the path of God. Such individuals can operate more efficiently, working steadfastly to make the message of true faith prevail in the world. 
2. This serves as a highly effective method to establish harmony and concord between the heart and the tongue. During these pre-dawn hours, there is no interruption nor interference between the servant and Allah the Sublime., Whatever a person articulates with their tongue in this state reflects the authentic voice of their heart.
3. This proves to be a highly effective approach to aligning the outer and inner aspects of an individual. Someone who, in the solitude of the night, willingly forsakes comfort and ease to engage in worship where no person sees him or knows of his acts, does so with genuine sincerity. It is done purely for the pleasure of Allah the Exalted with no room for pretense or hypocrisy.
4. As this worship is more difficult than daytime worship, it develops steadfastness in individuals. It empowers them to tread the path of God with increased resilience, enabling them to confront and endure the challenges of that journey with heightened constancy and determination.

Finally, during that period, individuals can read the Quran with a heightened sense of tranquility, focus, and comprehension. Ibn Abbas elucidates that this time is particularly conducive for deep reflection on the Quran. [Abu Daud]

Al-Nawawi reported: Al-Hasan ibn Ali , said, “Verily, those before you viewed the Quran as letters from their Lord, such that they would contemplate it by night and yearn for it by day.” [al-Tibyān fī Ādāb Ḥamalat al-Qur’ān]

The Significance of the Last Third of the Night

Let us keep in mind the profound significance of the latter part of the night, specifically when one-third of it is left, when the Almighty descends to the lowest heaven, in the manner He knows best, and says,

“Who supplicates Me so that I may answer him? Who asks Me so that I may give to him? Who asks Me forgiveness so that I may forgive him?” [Sahih Muslim]

And this is available to us every night of the year, and facilitated for us in the blessed month.

Allah the Almighty directs our attention towards the concept of attaining taqwa, or God-consciousness, through the month of Ramadan when He states:

“Believers! Fasting is enjoined upon you, as it was enjoined upon those before you, that you become God-fearing.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 2;183]

Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“You must perform the night prayer for it is the habit of the righteous who came before you, it brings you closer to your Lord, it expiates your evil deeds, and prevents you from sinning.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3549]

Ramadan, a time when the nafs (ego) is subdued by being deprived of its physical nourishment of food and drink during the daylight hours, conversely, the ruh (soul)  is elevated and nourished by the Word of God. This is a key catalyst for personal reformation and attaining the goal of taqwa.

A Divinely Facilitated Schedule

PC: Yayan Mulyana (unsplash)

He , the Sublime and Exalted, doesn’t just outline what He wants from us, but rather He orchestrates the alignment of the cosmos, time, and space, to welcome this most blessed month. He even allows each one of us to break our normative schedule and create one revolving around worship, suhur (the pre-dawn meal), and iftar (the breaking of one’s fast). Every able-bodied Muslim who fasts during the obligatory month of Ramadan pushes themselves to wake up in the pre-dawn hours to take a quick bite or sip of water, in essence catching the most sacred of times. It’s as if Allah the Almighty wants each and every one of us, the pious, the sinful, the lost, and the distracted, to embrace the time He loves, enabling us to also “carry the weighty word” in our hearts and minds. 

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin.” [Tirmidhi, and others] In some narrations, there is an addition, “And it repels sickness from the body.”  Further, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, “What prayer is most virtuous, after the obligatory prayers?” He said, “Prayer in the depths of the night.”

Surprisingly Imam Baghawi says, on the basis of hadith reported by Lady Aisha , and others, the night prayer was compulsory for the Prophet ﷺ and the entire Muslim community until the five daily prayers were prescribed on the night of the Ascension (Isra and Mi’raj). Ibn Abbas says that when the five prescribed prayers became obligatory, the obligatory nature of tahajjud was abrogated, but was retained as sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ and most of the blessed companions were regular with their tahajjud as well (Mazhari, Ma’rifal Qur’an).

Maybe the key to understanding the obligatory nature of tahajjud lies in the reformative and spiritual training experienced by the first generation of Muslims. Similar to constructing a building, the foundation must be robust and sturdy for the structure to endure and stand the test of time. Nothing is as crucial to the establishment of this endeavor as it is to fortify the foundation of the Deen of Islam, meant to endure until the Last Day. Tahajjud might have played a pivotal role in fostering this spiritual fortitude, drawing hearts closer to their Lord, and enabling them to withstand the rigorous and harsh tests on their faith posed by the disbelievers of Makkah.

Preparation for Spiritual Ascendency

Training our nafs through challenging tasks such as tahajjud is training our inner selves to obey and adhere and uphold the Divine laws. 

Further, in the tafsir of the Surah al Muzammil, Allah the Almighty explicates further insight into the wisdom behind the night prayer. Given our intense involvement in worldly matters throughout the day, it becomes essential to set aside a portion of the night to wholeheartedly focus on Allah ﷻ through tahajjud. This counsel is particularly directed towards scholars and guides who, much like candles, may find themselves drained from teaching and serving during the day. Therefore, it is paramount for them, as well as for those whose daylight hours are consumed by mundane affairs, to replenish their spiritual reserves at night by dedicating solitary moments to worship and connection with Allah ﷻ.

May we delve into a profound understanding and contemplation of the purpose behind tahajjud, appreciating the divine schedule outlined for us in the sacred month of Ramadan. Let tahajjud serve as the catalyst propelling us towards divine closeness, becoming a steadfast practice not only during Ramadan but also a strengthening force to alleviate all our challenges and concerns throughout our lives. May it be a means of peace for us in this worldly life, and a means of entering the Abode of Peace in the Next*. Ameen.

 

*‘Abdullāh ibn Salām reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “O people, spread the greeting of peace profusely, maintain kinship ties, feed others, and pray at night when people are asleep, you will enter Paradise in peace.” [Ibn Maajah]

 

Related:

– Best Ramadan Ever: Praying Qiyam

– A Prayer That Is Not Rejected: Al-Qarib Al-Mujib

 

The post The Sacred Elixir: The Night Prayer And The Ordinary Muslim appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The week before Ramadan, and the first week of Ramadan, can feel like a scramble of trying to be “prepped” just enough – from iftar menus to prayer schedules, balancing school and work, and so much more. How do we avoid being overwhelmed by it all?

Ustadh Justin Parrott sat with Zainab bint Younus and Irtiza Hasan to  provide a Ramadan reorientation reminder on how we can maximize our Ramadan by holding onto just a few basic, important principles.

Justin Parrott has BAs in Physics and English from Otterbein University, an MLIS from Kent State University, and an MRes in Islamic Studies from the University of Wales. He is currently Research Librarian for Middle East Studies at New York University in Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Research Fellow for Yaqeen Institute, and Instructor for Mishkah University. He served as a volunteer Imam for the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus until 2013. He is currently the faculty advisor and volunteer Imam for the Muslim Students Association at NYUAD.

Related:

The Prophet’s Golden Rule: Ethics of Reciprocity in Islam

The post [Podcast] Reorienting for Ramadan | Ustadh Abu Amina (Justin Parrott) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3

Juzʾ 4: Can You Give What You Love?

Bismillah-ir Raḥmān-ir Raḥīm. All praise to Allah and peace and salutations upon his servant and final messenger Muḥammad (pbuh), Assalāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh!

Welcome to another episode of our Ramaḍān Reflection series, Keys to the Divine Compass, where we go over verses of the Qur’an from every Juz throughout the month of Ramaḍān so that we can derive lessons and apply them to our lives.

InshaAllah today I will be going over verse 92 from Surah Āl-i ‘Imrān (Sūrah 3) in which Allah (swt) says, “You will never achieve the height of goodness, righteousness, piety until you spend from that that which you love, and whatever you spend then indeed Allah is aware of it.” This verse is instructive to all of us when it comes to the mindset we are supposed to adopt when giving charity, when giving in the path of Allah (swt).

There is a narration associated with this verse, of Abū Ṭalḥa (R), one of the earliest Muslims from the Anṣār and the leader of the Khazraj, who was part of the ‘Aqabah pledges before the migration of the Prophet (pbuh) to Madinah. He was one of the wealthiest individuals of Madinah, and he had a garden that was named Bīr-Ḥā’, the location of which would be in the rear area of the Masjid of the Prophet (pbuh) today. It was a very beautiful garden that had clean water, beautiful trees, and the Prophet (pbuh) would come to love to sit there and drink its water. When Abū Ṭalḥa (R) heard this verse after it was revealed, he made the intention to give his entire garden away in charity. He came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, ‘I wish to give this garden in charity’. The Prophet (pbuh) was surprised but pleased, and he advised that instead of giving it in charity he should distribute it amongst his closest family members first. In other words, give it as charity to the people closest to you.

This verse is instrumental for us because Allah (swt) is addressing a very key point, a mindset that we might adopt sometimes–subconsciously–when it comes to giving charity. We may think that charity is something that we give from the extra, is something that we give from what we do not want anymore, that which no longer holds any value or never held any value to us but might be valuable to others. Yet, Allah (swt) says that to achieve the heights of goodness and piety, you must fight and disassociate yourself from the things you are attached to. The scholars say that the word ‘bir’ in the verse can be literally translated as good, but it refers to Jannah, that you will never be able to achieve Jannah until you are able to part from the things that you have a love for. When we give something, for example donating clothes, how often do we give clothes that we no longer wear? The clothes that are ripped, the clothes that have been neglected in the back of the closet, the clothes that were already going to be thrown out but now we decide to give it away to charity. How often do we look at the clothes that we wear, some of the more valuable ones, some of the ones that we love and are favorites, and we take one of those items and give it away to charity? How often do we buy things that are new and give them to charity?

This mindset helps a believer not form attachments to their wealth. What we own is that which Allah (swt) has given me from His blessings, but I will not allow those blessings to cloud my judgment. I will not allow those blessings to become an obstacle through which I am unable to achieve Jannah. I will not allow them to help me stay away from achieving the heights of piety that I can achieve otherwise. It is something that all of us should keep in mind in the month of Ramaḍān as we gear up to give charity every day, that yes –when we give $1, $10, or anything else, we are parting with something that we love. We love our money, we love our possessions, we love the things that Allah (sawt) has given us, but when we give, we actively fight against the impulse of ‘I am the owner of it’. It is not the owner of me, it has no value to me, rather when it is given away it adds value for me, that perhaps I can achieve Jannah through this.

So, when we are giving in the month of Ramaḍān our goal should be ‘Oh Allah, I am parting from things that I love for your sake, ‘I am parting from the things that I have a love for only for your pleasure’. When we give physical items in charity our goal should be to give from the best that we have. It might not always be possible, but we should try to give from the best we have because we do not want to be standing in front of Allah on the day of judgment and have Allah tell us, that yes you gave but you gave from the things that you no longer needed, you gave from the things that you would have thrown out, and you gave it feeling very generous when that is not really generosity. Allah (swt) says that whatever you spend He is aware of it, even if it is little. Allah (swt) knows that if it was a non-believer, then perhaps they would not have parted with it, but you did because you wanted the pleasure of Allah.

May Allah (swt) guide, bless, protect us all, and give us the ability to give charity from the things that we love for His sake and for His love, Ameen. Assalāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh.

The post IOK Ramadan: Can You Give What You Love? | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep4] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4

Juzʾ 5: The Qur’an is a Compass

Bismillah-ir Raḥmān-ir Raḥīm. All praise to Allah and peace and salutations upon his servant and final messenger Muḥammad (pbuh), Assalāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh!

Welcome to another episode of our Ramaḍān Reflection series, Keys to the Divine Compass, where we go over verses of the Qur’an from every Juz throughout the month of Ramaḍān so that we can derive lessons and apply them to our lives.

 InshaAllah today I will be going over verse 82 from Sūrah al-Nisā’ (Sūrah 4) in which Allah (swt) says, “Do they not ponder over the Qur’an, if the Qur’an had been from anyone other than Allah (swt) then they would have absolutely found within it many inconsistencies and mistakes.” The words of the Qur’an are the words of Allah (swt), and the words of the Qur’an are perfect just like the Perfection of Allah (swt) as He is the only being who can claim Perfection. The words of the Qur’an are so majestic and miraculous, that despite being in their language and being familiar with its conventions, the Quraysh were unable to reconcile how such a superior text (which they were unable to replicate) came to be recited on the tongue of someone who was illiterate i.e., the Prophet (pbuh). They were unable to challenge the miraculous linguistic aspect of the Qur’an, but it is a greater miracle because of what it contains.

The words of the Qur’an give us purpose and direction, it tells us the reason why Allah (swt) has given us an existence in this world for 70, 80, 90 plus years. Allah (swt) has given us an objective, has given us a reason as to why we are here, and what to do with the time that we are given.

 If the words of Allah (swt) are Perfection and the teachings of Allah (swt) are Perfection, therefore, in addition to giving us purpose and objective, the Qur’an also provides us with objective morality. The Qur’an tells us what is right and wrong, and how to think about good and evil. Allah (swt) tells us what the red lines are supposed to be for the believer. Morality, if kept under the purview of human beings who are imperfect, whose intelligence is limited, whose biases are inherent, then we are going to be unable to come up with anything that is objective. Our morality would then be subjective, and we would think of good as good only if it suited us, and we would argue for the things that are evil when it suited us. We would essentially change things around because morality, right and wrong, its definitions, would be subject to our whims and desires and subject to what society thinks about certain things at certain times. Yet Allah (swt) has made it very clear and has informed us of what is right and wrong, because the Qur’an is al-Furqān–that which allows us to distinguish between good and wrong.

 In addition to providing purpose, direction, and objective morality, the Qur’an also gives us a civilizing ethos. The Qur’an teaches us and the laws of the Sharī‘ah teach us how to govern ourselves in the most harmonious way possible when it comes to the individual vis-à-vis each other, when it comes to the individual vis-a-vis their creator Allah (swt). Allah (swt) has given us rules and regulations and the Sharī‘ah emphasizes the community, emphasizes the bigger units of collectivity, so beyond the individual we have the family, beyond the family we have the community, beyond the community we have the society, etc. At every level, Allah (swt) and the Prophet (pbuh) encourages us to come together because there is strength in numbers. There is a purpose in coming together because the believers are like one body as the Prophet (pbuh) said, yet when there are a lot of people together, and even when there are two people together there might be conflict. There is potential for conflict, for self-interest, so how do you navigate self-interest and prioritize the communal objective and the rights of the other? The Qur’an through its content teaches us a civilizing ethos, that we are not just encouraged to come together but we are also given standards, rights, and regulations that allow us to communicate, regulate the interactions that we have between the different units of society. Allah (swt) teaches us how to govern ourselves in the best way possible because Perfection comes from Allah (swt).

 The Qur’an also gives us perspective during times of difficulty. Pondering over the verses of the Qur’an allows us to understand the difficulties that we are experiencing–directly or indirectly–in our lives at any given moment. Over the past five months all of us have witnessed the horrifying atrocities in Gaza, but the verses of the Qur’an have given us comfort. Allah (swt) has given us the knowledge of what is yet to come, that the Judgment of Allah (swt) is inescapable, that the people who are suffering are having their ranks elevated and that they are martyrs. Allah (swt) reassures us that whatever they undergo in this world will be nothing in comparison to the rewards that they will receive on the day of judgment. For those of us who are still remaining and are witnesses to it and feel helpless, because we might be doing something, but we also acknowledge that we do not feel we are doing everything that we can. Instead of being paralyzed by our inability to affect change, Allah (swt) reminds us of who is in control, reminds us of the limitations that we have, reminds us not to stay back and do nothing. Perspective during times of difficulty allows us to navigate this realm of chaos, this existence that is filled with difficulty, trials, and tribulations.

 Lastly, Allah (swt) gives us guidelines. So, Allah (swt) not just gives us purpose, direction, objective morality, a civilizing ethos, and perspective during times of difficulty, but for every step of the way there are instructions. There is guidance from Allah (swt), there is encouragement from Him. “Do they not ponder over the Quran?” We do not want to be from those people that Allah (swt) addresses rhetorically because all the answers are here. Allah (swt) has given it to us and all we must do is reach out and take it.

May Allah (swt) allow us to be people of the Qur’an, allow us to be people who ponder over the Revelation, who ponder over the contents of the Qur’an, and not just on a theoretical level but apply it to our lives as well. Assalāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh.

The post IOK Ramadan: The Quran is a Compass | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep5] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters reached out to our regular (and not-so-regular) crew of writers asking them to share their reflections on various ayahs/surahs of the Quran, ideally with a focus on a specific juz – those that may have impacted them in some specific way or have influenced how they approach both life and deen. While some contributors are well-versed in at least part of the Quranic Sciences, not all necessarily are, but reflect on their choices as a way of illustrating that our Holy Book is approachable from various human perspectives.

Introducing, A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series

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What is True, and What Matters

By Wael Abdelgawad

 

Dania leaned back on the stool, rubbed her eyes, and turned to speak to Rawan. Except that her young Muslim colleague wasn’t there. Dania scanned the handful of lab stations, all dedicated to testing water samples for the presence of a wide spectrum of contaminants. Her eyes went to the clock: 1 pm. Wow, the day was half gone. Rawan was no doubt eating lunch.

An entire morning staring into a microscope and typing notes on a keyboard could do a number on you. Dania’s back was stiff, her eyes tired, and her hands were like chicken feet. Now that she was in her 30s, these things seemed to bother her more. She was 35 and unmarried, which in her Egyptian Christian family was a disgrace. She’d dated plenty of boys, but… The Egyptian-American men all seemed shallow. Money and girls, that was all they cared about. And some were as prissy as women.

As for the American boys, it never worked. Dania’s family were dedicated members of the Coptic church. They attended Sunday services as well as Matins and Vespers on Saturdays and Wednesdays. All their friends were Copts, and when they got together socially the conversation was in Arabic, and consisted of a combination of gossip and talking bad about Muslims. It was too foreign a world for American boys to fit into.

In fact, it was a world that left Dania herself feeling bored and empty. At services, the Bible reading was in Arabic. But Dania, though she was fluent in Egyptian conversational Arabic, could not read the language. Then the Liturgy of the Word was in Coptic, which no one but the priest could understand, and probably not even him.

She’d tried taking up guitar, but it was painful and time-consuming. Nowadays she spends most of her time in this lab, working twelve-hour days.

She removed the elastic band from her hair, letting her red curls fall loose. By some freak of genetic circumstance had been born with milk-white skin, flaming hair, and green eyes. Americans never believed that she was Arab. Oops… Coptic. Her parents would have seizures if they heard her refer to herself as Arab. Which was so weird. She spoke Arabic, she came from an Arab country. But she’d been lectured many times: “We are Copts, not Arabs. We are the true Egyptians, the word ‘Egypt’ means Copt!’”

She wandered into the break room. Her parents were there, as well as her brother, all still wearing white lab coats as they ate stuffed cabbage leaves, lentil soup, and saffron rice. She did half the work in this lab, yet no one had even called her to come for lunch. 

This entire lab belonged to her father, Boulos Khalil. Their clients were mostly large corporate farms. The lab had done well. Her family was wealthy. 

“I still don’t think it’s right what’s happening to the Palestinians,” her brother said in English. He was five years younger than her, lean, and clean-cut.

Her father grimaced. “What do we care,” he replied in Arabic, “about a bunch of terrorists in the desert? What do you think Hamas would do with us Copts? They would slaughter us like black sheep.” Her dad had been in America a long time, but had never learned English well.

Her brother shook his head. “I don’t think so. There are Palestinian Christians too, they’re integrated.”

“Stop worrying about the Arabs and the Muslims,” her mother said. “Leave them in their mess. Their religion is evil. All they know how to do is oppress and destroy.” Her mother was as elegant and graceful as she’d been as a teenager, but was so full of anger and bitterness. Every day it was the same thing, running down the Muslims, and vilifying their religion. It was very old-world and tiresome.

“I hope Rawan doesn’t hear you talking like that.”

“Oh, Dania! Come and eat.” Her mother waved to an empty chair at the table.

“No. That’s alright. I’ll go see what Rawan is doing.” She walked to the exit door.

“Dania!” her mother called after her.

Dania found Rawan in the small garden at the center of the office park. The mid-twenties hijabi sat on the grass, engrossed in her reading. She was a small woman of Iraqi origin, skin the color of Arabic coffee and with big, dark eyes. Rawan had come to work at the lab a year ago, and Dania had always found her fascinating. Rawan was a near genius, yet she liked to laugh. She was assured, but not cocky. She tended to keep to herself, and who could blame her, considering the work environment?

Dania sat beside her and stretched her arms to the sky, reveling in the feeling of the soft grass against her skin, and the sun on her face.

“How come you’re not eating?”

Rawan marked her spot in the book, which Dania saw now was the Quran, then adjusted her blue headscarf. “Ramadan started last week. I’m fasting.”

“Oh, right! I knew that. How’s it going?”

“Really good, alhamdulillah.”

“Listen, Rawan…” Dania picked a blade of grass and put the end in her mouth. “I’m sure you’ve heard my family sometimes. How they talk… I feel ashamed. I can’t understand why my father hired you when he feels like that about Muslims.” Realizing what she’d said, she hurried to explain. “I mean, I’m glad he hired you! It just surprises me.”

Rawan grinned. “Mr. Khalil hired me because I have a bachelor’s in organic chemistry, a master’s in environmental sciences, and I speak English, Arabic, and Spanish. And he pays me well, so hey, no worries. You know what your dad always says: ‘American is American. Zis mean – ‘”

“Business is business!” The two women finished in unison, and both laughed. One of the many Boulos-isms that barely made sense, perhaps not surviving the translation from Arabic to English.

Dania nodded to Rawan’s copy of the Quran. “What were you reading about?”

“Oh.” Rawan’s brow furrowed. “I don’t like to talk about religion at work, especially considering…”

“Considering my family.” Dania sighed. “It’s okay. I really want to know.”

Rawan opened the Quran to the bookmarked page and handed it to Dania. “The Quran is divided into thirty parts, and I’m trying to read a part each day. Today I’m reading a chapter called Aal Imran, the family of Imran.”

“Who is Imran? One of Muhammad’s relatives?”

“No. Read it, you’ll see. Start at verse 33.”

Dania swallowed the blade of grass she’d been chewing – a habit she’d had since she was a kid – and studied the book. It had Arabic on one side of the page and English on the other. She found verse 33 and read the English part:

33. Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds –

34. Descendants, some of them from others. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

35. [And mention] When the wife of ʿImrān said, “My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.”

36. But when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female.” And Allāh was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female. “And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled.”

Dania frowned. “Which Mary? Our Mary? The Christian Mary, I mean?”

“Mm-hmm. The very same.”

Dania was confused. She was reading the Quran, and it was talking about Mary. In all the times she’d heard her parents insult Islam, its Prophet, its book, and everything else, she’d never heard them mention anything about Muslims believing in Mary.

She read on. The Quran went on to describe Mary’s seclusion and her care by Zakariyyah, and some angels bringing Zakariyyah and his wife the news that they would have a son, which would be Yahya. Dania knew this was the Arabic name of John the Baptist.

The next verse made her eyes widen:

42. And [mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allāh has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

“Are you serious? You guys worship Mary like we do?”

“No. We revere her as a great woman. A woman of God. But we don’t pray to anyone but God. No son, no saints, none of that.”

“Sounds… uncomplicated.”

Rawan shrugged and smiled. “I suppose. Islam is a natural religion. Very pure.”

Dania read:

43. O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer].”

44. That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muḥammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

45. [And mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allāh gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allāh].

46. He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.”

47. She said, “My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?” [The angel] said, “Such is Allāh; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.

48. And He will teach him writing and wisdom1 and the Torah and the Gospel

49. And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allāh. And I cure the blind [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allāh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.

50. And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allāh and obey me.

51. Indeed, Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.'”

Dania read on to verses 59 and 60:

59. Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, “Be,” and he was.

60. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters.

With trembling hands, Dania replaced the bookmark, closed the Quran, and handed it back to Rawan. “I don’t know what to say. There are details here about Jesus that are not even in the Bible. And… It’s clear. I always found it confusing in the Bible how Jesus calls himself the son of man, and humbles himself, yet we Christians claim he is God. Your book is consistent. It’s not what I expected at all.”

“Would you like to hear part of it in Arabic? Just to know what it sounds like?”

Dania nodded. “Sure.”

Rawan began to recite. She had a mellow voice, and it was pleasant to listen to. Dania began to notice that this book sounded very different out loud from the Arabic Bible. There was a rhythm and rhyme to it that was captivating, and the language was very high level. Dania was actually able to understand most of it, but it was like listening to poetry composed by the archangel Gabriel himself, if Gabriel were a poet. The language, and Rawan’s beautiful recitation, reached inside Dania’s chest and struck her heart, making it ring like a gong. For the first time in a long time, her heart didn’t feel like an empty room. The Quran flowed into it and filled it up. Dania felt like she was sitting in a boat on a calm river, drifting as the sun shined down on her, growing steadily brighter and hotter…

Something broke inside Dania and she began to weep. Embarrassed, she stood quickly and returned to the lab, where she washed her face in the restroom. Her father and brother had apparently gone on a purchasing run, and her mother was alone in the break room, using a compact mirror to adjust her makeup.

Her mother looked up. “What happened? Why are your eyes red?”

Dania paused, thinking. “Have you ever read the Quran?”

Her mother grimaced. “Of course. I attended public school in Cairo as a child, we all had to learn some of it.”

“What did you think of it?”

“I hated it. The teacher used to hit our palms with a ruler if we did not memorize.”

“Okay, but I mean the book itself. What did you think?”

“What are these ridiculous questions? By the Messiah, I don’t understand you. You are 33 years old, when will you get married and -”

“I was reading it just now,” Dania interrupted. “The Quran, I mean. You know what? It seemed true to me.” Dania brushed her hair out of her eyes. “It seems like the truth.”

Her mother flicked her hand dismissively. “That girl, Rawan. I told your father not to hire her. As soon as he gets back I will tell him to -”

“If she goes, I go. And you’re missing my point. I said it seems like the truth.”

“So?”

“What do you mean, so?”

“I mean, so what?”

“You don’t disagree?”

Her mother tilted her chin, saying nothing.

Dania opened her palms. “You don’t have an opinion? You always have an opinion. I said it seems like the truth.”

Her mother slammed her palm down onto the table, making Dania jump. Her mother was like an ice sculpture, she never lost her cool. Yet as Dania stared, stunned, her mother began to shout:

“Of course it is true! Do you think we are stupid? I know the Quran very well. It is Arabic of another level. Islam keeps growing everywhere, do you think it’s an accident? Soon they will outnumber Christians. Of course, Muhammad was a Prophet, it’s obvious. Of course, he was the one that Jesus told us would come. Any intelligent person has to recognize it. But so what, my dear Deedee, so what?”

Her mother wiped spittle from her chin and waved at Dania as if to dismiss her. Dania was dumbfounded.

“You don’t think the truth matters?”

Calmer now, her mother nonetheless spat out the words. “Stupid girl. No, truth does not matter. What matters is that we are Copts. That is our identity, our culture, our history. Islam came to our country from outside and took over, will we now join them? Our Coptic language goes back two thousand years. Our ancestors resisted joining Islam for 1,400 years, should we betray them? We are the true Egyptians, we are more ancient. There is truth, and there is what matters. We are Copts, that is what matters!”

Her mother stood and stalked out of the lab, slamming the door behind her.

Dania’s heart beat like the sound of running feet, and sweat stood on her brow. She wiped her forehead with a sleeve, then fished the hair band out of her pocket and tied her hair back. Her mother’s words rang in her head. “There is the truth, and there is what matters!” Yet even as she pondered these words, they rearranged themselves in her head: “Truth is what matters.”

Rawan entered the lab. “Dania, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to -”

Dania held up a hand to silence her. “It’s okay,” she said. While her brain whispered:  “Do not be among the doubters. Truth is what matters.”

 

Related:

A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 1] Reflections On The Opening Chapter

A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 2] “I Am Near”

The post A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 3] What Is True, And What Matters appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters reached out to our regular (and not-so-regular) crew of writers asking them to share their reflections on various ayahs/surahs of the Quran, ideally with a focus on a specific juz – those that may have impacted them in some specific way or have influenced how they approach both life and deen. While some contributors are well-versed in at least part of the Quranic Sciences, not all necessarily are, but reflect on their choices as a way of illustrating that our Holy Book is approachable from various human perspectives.

Introducing, A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series

****

“I Am Near”

by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

 

There is one verse in the Qur’an that pulls on my heart more than any other. It does not matter how many times I read it or hear its melodious recitation. Even when I hear a scholar delve deep into its meaning and linguistic beauty, I cannot but find my heart completely enthralled and attached to its Owner. I cannot but smile at how truly Caring and Loving my Rabb, Allah (azza wa jal) is.

I love this verse so much that as I planned the first draft of my first book, Ramadan Reflections, I knew it had to be included within its pages. For this verse, with its beautiful preserved words that belong to a most Merciful Creator, is a light for what can often feel like a dark world. They are the compass in which we can navigate this confusing experience called life.

Allow me to introduce you to the words of Allah found in ayah 186 of Surah Baqarah. Allah says:

“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 2;186]

In my book, Ramadan Reflections, I wrote:

“When the Prophet was asked by his people about all types of matters – from questions about the crescent moon in verse 189 in Surah Baqarah to a question about the sacred months in verse 217 – Allah would respond through revelation upon Muhammad with ‘Qul’, meaning ‘Tell them’, followed by the answer. However, the verse quoted above is different. In this verse, there is a linguistic beauty in how Allah responds. He (azza wa jal) says, ‘When My servants ask you about Me, I am near.’ ‘Qul’ meaning ‘Tell them’ is removed, linguistically removing Muhammad from the response just as he is removed from the direct intimate connection experienced between servant and Lord in du’a. There is no intermediary. We have a direct line to Allah .”

Not only is Allah in this verse, telling us that He is near. By making it stand out linguistically, He proves to all of us that we must hold this to be ever so true. He wants us to know this is an absolute fact. Linguistically it is so and in reality, Ar-Raheem –The Especially Merciful- wants us to know it is so. This makes my heart swell. The way I see it is that my Lord wants, yes wants, me to know He is near. In the midst of my trials and challenges, He does not want me to ever doubt. When Shaytaan whispers uncertainties in my ear, my Rabb does not want me to ever question. When tests leave me feeling unrooted, Allah wants me to feel grounded. My Lord cares about me so much that He wants for me to feel safe and secure as I traverse this journey called life. He wants me, as an individual slave, to know He is near.

Through such simple words with a profound depth of linguistic beauty, preserved in the Qur’an from the moment it was revealed to the Prophet through the Angel Jibreel until the end of time – we learn that we have a Creator who is so Attentively Merciful towards us that He wants our souls to be in a state of complete wellbeing – emotionally, mentally and spiritually. And what greater way for us to be truly well than to know with surety that we are not alone and will never be alone? For He is Near.

With this knowledge, I am able to stand that little bit taller, knowing He is with me; close. With this knowledge, I need not anxiously wonder how I’ll get through the difficulties of my future because I know He is with me; ever so close. With this knowledge, I continue my striving as an imperfect soul upon an imperfect journey, knowing despite my imperfections and flaws, He is with me in ways that I will never truly be able to comprehend.

My Lord who created me knew before I was in the womb of my mother that I needed to know “I am Near.” This applies to all of us. Rabbul ‘Alameen has left no room for us to ever doubt His Closeness. He wants us to feel aided and protected during our brief encounter in this world. He is Ar-Rahmaan, Al Wadood. If this is a glimpse of His Care for us in this dunya, then I can only ponder on His Mercy that awaits us in the akhirah.

 

Related:

– A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 1] Reflections On The Opening Chapter

– Think Like Ibrahim | The Essence of Surah Baqarah | Shaykh Akram Nadwi

The post A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 2] “I Am Near” appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Someone inquired of Imam Ahmad, “Can a man buy from the enemy?” 

Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) answered, “Nothing should be bought from those who gain power over the Muslims.” (Masāil Ibn Hani)

Boycotting—along with protests and donations to charitable organizations—is just one way to express solidarity with the Palestinian cause. And like all methods of solidarity, it comes under scrutiny.

On the flip side, in our earnestness, we may seek to boycott anything and everything we think is part of a boycott list. Some have coined the term “boycott fatigue” to express the dismay of being unable to buy certain products from certain businesses. There is a grain of truth in the sentiment; we may overwhelm ourselves with a pressure to participate in every boycott that we hear of and restrict our purchasing decisions to a point where we cannot work effectively.

This piece will emphasize the importance of boycotts, reiterate the specific outcomes of a boycott, and suggest alternatives.

Internalize That Boycotts Are Permissible—And That They Work

We remember a foundational principle in our faith: “الأصل في الأشياء إباحة.” All things are permissible, unless there’s something that makes it reprehensible or rewardable. So when it comes to transactions with non-Muslims, the default is that they are permissible. However, there are concerns when those transactions directly contribute to the harm of our people. [Ikmāl al-Muʿlim bi-Fawāʾid Muslim of al-Qadi ‘Iyad]

We often hear of one boycott from the seerah, termed as “The Boycott.” Muslims were confined to one valley for merely practicing their faith. 

After the hijrah, a man named Thumamah was in charge of the wheat in Yamamah. He came to accept Islam after being captured in Madinah. With the permission of the Prophet ﷺ, he left to perform Umrah. While in the holy city, he proclaimed to the Makkans that he wouldn’t give them a single grain of wheat unless the Prophet ﷺ, again, gave him permission. The Prophet ﷺ didn’t rebuke him for this action. In fiqh, we learn that this is a tacit approval of boycotts. So we’ve learned that boycotts are not only permissible; they can be encouraged.

The similarities between the seerah and the ongoing crisis are many. Where the early Muslims in the past had to eat leaves in order to survive their boycott, Palestinians have been forced to move from tent to tent, “safe” zone to “safe” zone, exiles in their own land. The situation is so severe that Palestinians made “bread” out of animal feed. This stark reality gives us reason for pause. We must examine our own food critically and see if it contributes to this genocide. McDonald’s and Starbucks are two examples of food companies complicit in apartheid.

In just the past quarter alone, McDonald’s and Starbucks suffered huge losses not only in profits, but in worker strikes. Those losses stemmed from each individual’s decision not to purchase their products. It’s a beautiful reminder of the hadith, “Even if the Resurrection were established upon one of you while he has in his hand a sapling, let him plant it.” [Musnad Aḥmad 12902] Deeds like these are small, but they have a large impact.

Scholars like Hatem al-Haj have offered another framework for participating in boycotts besides their economic effectiveness:

“The effectiveness of boycotts can be variable, and my personal contribution may seem minuscule. However, my commitment to them is not dependent on their practical outcomes. It is a spiritual and moral choice, a means to consciously disassociate from the oppression and those who inflict it upon my brothers and sisters and those who support them. It is a practice I undertake to uphold the integrity of my character, preserve the tranquility of my soul, and safeguard my standing in the hereafter.”

Not only does this build qualities of restraint (إمساك), but also consciousness (تقوة). If we’re able to restrain ourselves from a subscription service like Disney+ or another purchase from Amazon, it allows us to refine ourselves into more conscious consumers, and ultimately, more practicing Muslims. Just because something is halal (permissible) doesn’t mean that it is tayyib (good).

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah the Almighty is Good, and accepts only that which is good. And verily Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers. So the Almighty has said:

“O messengers, eat from the good foods ( tayyibat) and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing.” [Surah Al-Muminoon: 23;51]

And the Almighty has said:

“O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you, and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 2;172]

Then he ﷺ mentioned a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying ‘O Lord! O Lord!,’ while his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can he be answered?” [Hadith 10, 40 Hadith al-Nawawi]

Understanding Boycotting

There are a few categories from movements like the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. The first are targeted boycotts versus non-targeted boycotts.

Targeted boycott (PC: BDS website)

The method of targeted boycotts was inspired by other movements that focussed on a few companies and products. A company or product on a targeted boycott list has a proven link to Israel and a desired outcome. The BDS movement has eight main targets: Hewlett Packard, Siemens, AXA, Puma, Israeli Produce, SodaStream, Ahava, and Sabra.

Non-targeted boycotts (PC: BDS website)

A non-targeted boycott is Pepsi-Co, one of the parent companies of Sabra. While Pepsi-Co does operate factories in Atarot, an illegal Israeli settlement, BDS specifically targets Sabra because of its support towards the Israeli Occupation Forces.

Returning to the idea of targeted boycotts, there are four sections that the BDS movement illustrates.

• Consumer boycott: Complete boycott; company has dedicated proof of support for Israel. Examples include the main targets above, as well as Carrefour, Chevron, Caltex, Re/max, and Texaco.
• Divestment and exclusion: Avoid purchasing and investing; company profits from Israeli apartheid. Examples include HikVision, Barclays, Cat, Volvo, and Intel.
• Pressure target: Find alternatives as much as possible; these companies continue to market themselves, promote, and operate in illegal Israel. Examples include Google, Amazon, Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com, Teva, and Disney.
• Organic boycott: Grassroots boycott; supported by larger BDS movement. Examples include McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Wix, Domino’s and Papa John’s. 

It’s also important to note that many of these companies show up on multiple boycott lists. Many Palestinian activists promote boycotting Nestle due to their stake in Osem. They also emerged on the Lakota People’s Law Project for their deforestation as well as harmful water pumping practices.

Where To Buy From Instead

Consider supporting Muslim-owned businesses, even if you find that a non-Muslim company is considered “safe” from boycotts. Malcolm X (may Allah have mercy on him), had a brilliant idea within his biography: that black men and women should exclusively support black-owned businesses. The same can be said for Muslims. Imagine what our community could do if the daughters and sons of grocery store owners had parents who could further fund their futures. All it takes is for us to support the businesses of our brothers and sisters.

If you are unable to avoid a certain product or company, consider making a minimal donation to a charitable organization every time you make that purchase.

Ultimately, remember that it comes down to intention. We all do our best, but many factors are at play—like medical conditions, environment, and income. Do not forget the comforting words of the Prophet ﷺ that remind us that we can do whatever is within our capacity:

“Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart, which is the weakest level of faith.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49]

Boycotting is an effective method of resistance, not just economically, but spiritually. 

May Allah ﷺ allow us to have halal wealth, and to be upright with how we spend that wealth.

 

Related:

– This Eid And Beyond Boycott Goods Made With Enslaved Labor Of Uyghurs Even If It Is Your Favorite Brand

– Israel and Apartheid | Taking Action with BDS

The post Understanding Boycotts And Buying Within Our Communities appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2

Juzʾ 3: Know What’s Even Better?

Juzʾ 3 Contains: Sūrah Sūrah al-Baqarah – Āl ʿImrān (#2-3)

 

Sūrah Āl ʿImrān  (3):14-17

زُیِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَ ٰ⁠تِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ وَٱلۡبَنِینَ وَٱلۡقَنَـٰطِیرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ وَٱلۡخَیۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ وَٱلۡحَرۡثِۗ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ ۝١٤ قُلۡ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَیۡرࣲ مِّن ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمۡۖ لِلَّذِینَ ٱتَّقَوۡا۟ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣱ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَا وَأَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جࣱ مُّطَهَّرَةࣱ وَرِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِیرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ۝١٥ ٱلَّذِینَ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّنَاۤ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ۝١٦ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ وَٱلۡقَـٰنِتِینَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِینَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِینَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ ۝١

“Loving the following things was made attractive to people: desiring women, children, heaps and piles of gold and silver, beautiful one-of-a-kind horses, livestock, and crops. All of that is the temporary enjoyment of this worldly life. But Allāh has (a far more) beautiful place of rest with Him. My Prophet, tell humanity, ‘Do you want to know what’s even better than all of that? People of taqwā (those who protect themselves from Allāh’s punishment by obeying Him) have the following things set aside for them with their Master: luscious green gardens that have rivers following under them – they will get to live there forever, pure spouses, and the pleasure of Allāh. Allāh sees everything about His slaves. (The people of taqwā are) those who say, “Our Master! We have believed, so forgive our sins, and save us from the punishment of Hell!” (They are those who are) perseverant, truthful, obedient, generous, and those who seek Allāh’s forgiveness in the early morning.’”

 

زُیِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَ ٰ⁠تِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ وَٱلۡبَنِینَ وَٱلۡقَنَـٰطِیرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ وَٱلۡخَیۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ وَٱلۡحَرۡثِۗ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ ۝١٤

“Loving the following things was made attractive to people: desiring women, children, heaps and piles of gold and silver, beautiful one-of-a-kind horses, livestock, and crops. All of that is the temporary enjoyment of this worldly life. But Allāh has (a far more) beautiful place of rest with Him.”

 

We are human, and Allāh knows better than anyone what we love and don’t love. He is our creator afterall. He tells us that humans have a built in attraction and love of:

1. Women “ٱلشَّهَوَ ٰ⁠تِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ”
   1. This could be that men have a much stronger attraction to women
   2. Or it could also be a style of language that implies the opposite: men are attracted to women, and women are attracted to men.
   3. Humans almost always find joy, comfort, pleasure, and intimacy with the opposite gender. That is a reason for marriage.
2. Children “وَٱلۡبَنِینَ”
   1. Humans have children. They love having children. They have lots of children. They almost always love to hug, kiss, squeeze, play and joke with their children.
   2. They almost always love taking care of their children.
   3. This is all despite the fact that having and raising children is not easy.
3. Lots of money “وَٱلۡقَنَـٰطِیرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ”
   1. Can be literally understood as heaps and piles of gold and silver
   2. Humans almost always love money. They seek it, desire it, and want more.
   3. Either they love money itself, or they love what it can be exchanged for.
   4. Be it gold, silver, rubies, cash, stocks, homes, etc
4. Beautiful one-of-a kind horses “وَٱلۡخَیۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ”
   1. Any prized possession that stands out
   2. Perhaps we can personally apply this statement to refer to our vehicles
      1. Some people love their unique cars, colors, and styles
      2. Or anything else of value
5. Livestock “وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ”
   1. Be it cows, camels, goats, or sheep
   2. And perhaps we can personally apply this to our other valuables
6. Crops “وَٱلۡحَرۡثِ”
   1. Anything with a harvest
   2. Perhaps we can personally apply this to anything we have that grows, like investments

But this is all temporary enjoyment “مَتَـٰعُ”. It is limited to this short finite fleeting life. Really wonderful things are saved with Allāh. Want to know what those things are?

 

قُلۡ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَیۡرࣲ مِّن ذَ ٰ⁠لِكُمۡۖ لِلَّذِینَ ٱتَّقَوۡا۟ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣱ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَا وَأَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جࣱ مُّطَهَّرَةࣱ وَرِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِیرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ۝١٥

“My Prophet, tell humanity, ‘Do you want to know what’s even better than all of that? People of taqwā (those who protect themselves from Allāh’s punishment by obeying Him) have the following things set aside for them with their Master: luscious green gardens that have rivers following under them – they will get to live there forever, pure spouses, and the pleasure of Allāh. Allāh sees everything about His slaves.’”

 

We are human, so of course we will enjoy the six items mentioned in the previous āyah. But Allāh wants us to keep our eyes on the prize, to work for real enjoyment that we’ll actually be able to enjoy – and enjoy it forever. What are those beautiful things that Allāh has prepared for us upon our arrival “حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ” to the Hereafter?

1. Luscious green gardens that have rivers flowing underneath them – a place we’ll live in forever “جَنَّـٰتࣱ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَا”
   1. Greenery, cool breezes, fresh rivers – forever and ever
   2. All the scenic beauty we can imagine
2. Pure spouses “وَأَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جࣱ مُّطَهَّرَةࣱ”
   1. Some people are married, and others not
   2. For those unmarried, or those in bad marriages, this is a wonderful gift
   3. For those that are married, there is no need to feel worried. If both spouses work towards Jannah, and help each other get into Jannah, they will be the best version of themselves in Jannah!
      1. We are humans, we have shortcomings, faults, issues, mistakes
      2. But we as humans, as spouses, as partners in Jannah will be the best version of ourselves – pure and wholesome
      3. No one should have any worry of, “I don’t like my spouse,” or “I don’t like this about my spouse.” The concept of discontentment doesn’t exist in Jannah. You will either have (a) the best version of your spouse (and you will be the best version of yourself), and/or (b) you will have a new pure wonderful amazing spouse.
3. Allāh’s Pleasure “وَرِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ”
   1. Allāh will be pleased and happy with you
   2. He will never be angry with you every again
   3. In Sūrah Al-Tawbah (9):72, Allāh ﷻ tells us that this is the greatest gift and reward: “وَرِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ أَكۡبَرُ”. This is also mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ in many narrations found in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: “أَنَا أُعْطِيكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ‏ – I will give you something far greater than all of that (everything else in Jannah)”.

These are stored and saved with Allāh. And He sees everything His slaves do. So He ﷻ has conditions for these rewards. The first one mentioned in this āyah is being someone of taqwā – being aware of Allāh, and as a result, saving yourself from His punishment by obeying Him. But Allāh highlights a few more conditions – in reality, these aren’t necessarily “new” conditions, but more so just descriptions of the people of taqwā.

 

ٱلَّذِینَ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّنَاۤ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ۝١٦ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ وَٱلۡقَـٰنِتِینَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِینَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِینَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ ۝١٧

“(The people of taqwā are) those who say, “Our Master! We have believed, so forgive our sins, and save us from the punishment of Hell!” (They are those who are) perseverant, truthful, obedient, generous, and those who seek Allāh’s forgiveness in the early morning.’”

 

The people of taqwā are those who:

1. Make duʿāʾ (prayers and supplications) to Allāh saying, “Our Master! We have believed, so forgive our sins, and save us from the punishment of Hell!” “ٱلَّذِینَ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّنَاۤ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ”
   1. They believe
   2. They ask for forgiveness
   3. They ask for protection from the punishment of the fire of Hell
2. Patient and Perseverant “ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ”
   1. They push themselves to obey Allāh
   2. They hold themselves from from disobeying Allāh
   3. They continue to push forward despite calamities
3. Truthful “وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ ”
   1. They speak the truth, the do not lie
   2. They affirm the truth in their hearts, and on their tongues and limbs 
4. Obedient “وَٱلۡقَـٰنِتِینَ”
   1. They obey Allāh, they submit to Him, humble themselves before Him ﷻ
5. Charitable “وَٱلۡمُنفِقِینَ “
   1. They donate
   2. They spent the money they earned in causes that Allāh loves and approves of
   3. Be it on their families, religious schools, orphans, widows, the poor
6. Seek forgiveness in the early morning “وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِینَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ”
   1. Seeking forgiveness is so important it has been mentioned twice
   2. But this comes to emphasize that they are always seeking forgiveness
   3. And also, they do it at one of the most special times: early mornings – asḥār
      1. As we fast, we know of “suḥūr” (Arabic) or “sehri” (Urdu)
      2. It is the meal before Fajr
      3. That is the early morning, the tail end of the night
      4. The last third of the night, a very special time that has been referenced by the Prophet ﷺ in many narrations found in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

 

May Allāh ﷻ allow us to have these qualities, and earn His pleasure.

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