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Behind The Differences In Contemporary Masahif

Muslim Matters - 19 March, 2024 - 10:16

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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), and later compiled by the ṣaḥābah during the khilāfah of ʿUthmān raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him). 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.

Differences in masahif

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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), 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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), 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 Differences in masahif

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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) 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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was taught the importance of making waqf at the completion of meaning by Jibrīl [alyhis] as he ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) 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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He).

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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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    

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The Invitation: A Decade Of Longing

Muslim Matters - 18 March, 2024 - 09:10

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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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, Allahsubḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). 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.  

invitation for 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) built thousands of years ago by the Khalil of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), nothing else matters. Who sees your tears, who judges your pain, Who interrogates your fears, none of it matters.  

invitation - kabah

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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) 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.

IOK Ramadan: Benefits of Following Revelation | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep6]

Muslim Matters - 18 March, 2024 - 00:38

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.

IOK Ramadan: Allah’s Perfect Design | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep7]

Muslim Matters - 18 March, 2024 - 00:37

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.

Muslim prisoners unfairly targeted with pepper spray, says rights group

The Guardian World news: Islam - 17 March, 2024 - 14:00

In 2022, MoJ data shows 34% of those targeted with synthetic Pava spray were Muslims, who make up 18% of prison population

Muslim prisoners in England and Wales are being disproportionately targeted with the use of pepper spray according to campaigners, with statistics showing the number of incidents has risen sharply in recent years.

The Ministry of Justice data, obtained from a freedom of information request submitted by the advocacy organisation Maslaha, shows that in 2022, 34% of those targeted with Pava, a synthetic form of pepper spray, were Muslim, despite only making up 18% of the prison population. Pava was drawn and used against Muslim prisoners 188 times in 2022 and was drawn but not used by prison officers 54 times.

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The Sacred Elixir: The Night Prayer And The Ordinary Muslim

Muslim Matters - 17 March, 2024 - 12:39

‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), The Sublime and Exalted, not only created and fashioned us in the best form, He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) constantly sustains us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. He desires we choose the path that will lead us to Him subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). As the Ever-Living, Ever-Sustaining Lord, He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) perpetually oversees the flawless operation of the grand cosmos and the minutest subatomic particles. Possessing All-Hearing and All-Seeing attributes, He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) remains ever near, prepared to answer when we call upon Him subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), eagerly awaiting the initiation of our Divine connection and responding promptly. His subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) response is to our soul, fueling an insatiable desire for Divine proximity, propelling us to Him subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him)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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him), 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 night prayer

PC: Yayan Mulyana (unsplash)

He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), the Sublime and Exalted, doesn’t just outline what He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) wants from us, but rather He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) says, on the basis of hadith reported by Lady Aisha raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him), 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) 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 subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) 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 raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) 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.

Michael Gove’s definition of extremism will shut down vital debate | Observer editorial

The Guardian World news: Islam - 17 March, 2024 - 06:30

Whether something is racist or homophobic, or threatens parliamentary democracy, should be obvious without government labelling

How do you define extremism? That depends on whether you want a definition with which most people can agree, or one that is meaningful. A definition acceptable to most people must necessarily be broad and bland. One that has more meaning will inevitably be controversial and contested.

And therein lies one of Michael Gove’s problems in his new definition of extremism. Such a definition is either unnecessary or it creates the very problems it is supposed to solve.

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Earl Spencer and early boarding

Indigo Jo Blogs - 17 March, 2024 - 04:58
 how I was sexually abused at just 11 by school matron" with the sub-heading "Earl Spencer reveals, in devastating memoir, how trauma left lifelong toll"

Last Sunday the Mail printed extracts from a new book by Earl (Charles) Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, on his time at a private boarding school in England called Maidwell School (the school claims it has changed, but still offers two-weekly boarding for children as young as seven) which he attended between ages eight and 13; he experienced sexual abuse from a female staff member he described as a “voracious paedophile” while the then headmaster dished out “brutal beatings” and appeared to gain sexual pleasure from doing so. Early boarding — sending children to boarding school from primary age — has been a norm among the British aristocracy for generations and for many years this was inflicted on disabled children also, with schools for the blind, deaf etc taking in children from as young as four or five for their entire school lives; this practice has ended in this country, but it still goes on (albeit to a lesser degree than in the past) among the aristocracy. The practice of early boarding has received a greater degree of criticism than senior boarding, because it involves taking children from usually stable and functioning families and putting them in loveless institutions when they very much still need the love and attention of their parents. In the years since the Tories returned to power, the effect these places have on the men these boys become has been widely held up to scrutiny also.

I was in a boarding school from ages 12 to 16 and although I neither experienced nor witnessed serious sexual abuse, and none by any member of staff (although such things had happened earlier in the school’s history, resulting in some of the perpetrators doing prison time and one killing himself when police showed up), physical abuse was common as I have detailed here many times. What was more common than that was open and unchecked bullying; fifth-form prefects behaving like utter louts, punching and kicking boys in front of members of staff who did nothing, and in one incident I recall jumping on a first-year boy in the corridor and bellowing “keep your f***ing language down!”. The school boasted that it relied on “tried-and-tested old-fashioned methods” and that it was “structured and disciplined”, which I realised was a lie when I was made to live there; it was extremely chaotic and indisciplined, the only real ‘discipline’ was violence or the threat of it and mostly meted out to small boys. Certain members of staff were able to hold a civilised conversation with the more adult-like teenage boys (which there were more of, because few boys started at the start of secondary school but would mostly start in the middle of years 7, 8, or even 9, and because many were kept down a year, finishing year 11 at age 17 rather than 16) but were rude and dismissive when younger boys tried to engage them, especially if they made demands because of, say, bullying.

While I agree that early boarding must be condemned, we should consider “early boarding” to mean pre-pubescent boarding, not only primary-age (up to 11) boarding. When children enter secondary school at age 11, they do so very much as children. Boys, especially, are usually not even approaching puberty and are frequently smaller than most grown women. When they leave, they are adults in fact if not in name. By lumping these two groups together and expecting them to inhabit the same space, we endanger the actual children: they come to be seen as ‘youths’ whose misbehaviour is treated as more threatening than it actually is, and who require ‘discipline’ that would not be meted out to a child a year or so younger, but who are much easier to push around than someone in their mid teens who are, in the case of boys, sometimes as much as six feet tall; they thus become easy targets for the aggression of staff frustrated with dealing with older teenagers. Putting these two groups together is to give a group of adults free access to children but with none of the professional standards required of paid staff. This age range might have seemed like a good idea in the 1940s when compulsory secondary education was first introduced in the UK and the leaving age was 14, but it rose twice by the mid 1970s and the more of these unaccountable young adults you introduce, the more top-heavy the school’s population becomes and the more the staff’s time and skill set has to be oriented towards them.

In a boarding school, this age range is a recipe for disaster. Children have a right to their family, and parents have a duty to parent; no child should be separated from their family unless the family itself is the cause of harm. If a child is in a happy home and not being abused by anyone, why risk changing this by sending them to a boarding school which might change that as soon as your back is turned? Add to this the fact that pre-teen boys are a favourite target for a certain type of paedophile, and the paedophile may not be the stereotypical guy in a dirty mac but the illustrious, cultured teacher who can write beautifully and play a dozen musical instruments whom any school that did not know better would consider a most valued member of staff and on past experience might turn a blind eye even if they suspected something was wrong. There is really no educational benefit and certainly no social cachet that can justify subjecting a child to any of this. Their place is at home, with their families, and it was about time this was recognised in law.

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[Podcast] Reorienting for Ramadan | Ustadh Abu Amina (Justin Parrott)

Muslim Matters - 15 March, 2024 - 20:46

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.

Palestinians hold first Friday prayers of Ramadan amid rubble of Gaza mosque – video

The Guardian World news: Islam - 15 March, 2024 - 15:57

A group of Palestinians in Gaza held their first Friday prayers of Ramadan amid the rubble of a mosque in Rafah destroyed by an Israeli airstrike last month

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