How should a believer supplicate for forgiveness

Man is prone to be enticed by the Evil and commit acts that are prohibited and not desired at all. But the lust for sinful acts is so lucrative that sometimes even the most pious find themselves wavering as to which way they go: The way of truth or the way of Allah or the path lucratively laced for them by the Satan. And when one stumbles or is about to stumble, the inner-self pinches them to seek forgiveness for having even thought of being tempted to commit a sin.

The 16th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran gives out a format for the believers as how to supplicate to Allah no sooner an evil and wicked thought comes to their mind or a step further by falling into the trap of Evil, given herein under:

اَلَّذِيۡنَ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّنَاۤ اٰمَنَّا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ​ۚ‏ 

(3:16) These are the ones who pray: 'Our Lord! We do indeed believe, so forgive us our sins and keep us safe from the chastisement of the Fire';

This verse describes the sincere believers who turn to Allah with a humble and repentant heart. In this three stepped verse, They:

• Affirm their belief: They declare their faith in Allah and acknowledge Him as their Lord.
• Seek forgiveness: They ask Allah to forgive their sins, showing their awareness of their shortcomings and need for divine mercy.
• Pray for protection from Hellfire: Their plea indicates their fear of Allah’s punishment and their hope in His protection.

The verse reflects the mindset of a true believer who combines faith with humility, repentance, and fear of Allah. Such a person recognizes their imperfections and constantly seeks Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

It has been attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who once said: “The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)

This hadith highlights the power of sincere repentance and supplication in erasing sins, mirroring the believers' plea for forgiveness in the verse.

Lessons Derived from the aforementioned Supplication:

• Importance of Repentance: The verse, along with the hadiths, emphasizes the need for sincere repentance and seeking Allah’s forgiveness.
• Humility and Supplication: Approaching Allah with humility and making heartfelt supplications is a sign of a true believer.
• Belief and Action: The verse demonstrates that true faith is not just a declaration; it is coupled with actions, such as seeking forgiveness and fearing the consequences of sins.

The verse and these hadith collectively remind believers of the importance of maintaining a humble, repentant attitude and constantly seeking Allah’s mercy. It should thus be borne in mind that whenever making a supplication, one must use this divine three-stepped format to making a supplication. We should not straightaway seek forgiveness. Rather, first we should affirm our faith and belief in Allah, for whiteout firm faith we can never be sure of acceptance of our supplication. Having done so, we should then seek forgiveness for the wrongs we have committed and reiterate our firm resolve not to repeat the same. Sine sins lead to the hell fire, we must seek Allah's mercy to save us for the torturous life of hell and earnestly invoke mercy of Allah to be forgiven and granted an abode in Jannatul firdous.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

| Photo | 

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Prophetic Supplication (Dua / دُعا) - attributed to Prophet Zechariah for Goodly and Pious Offspring

One of the greatest blessings of Allah is pious and goodly offspring, something that is the earnest desire of every parent. The pious and obedient offspring act as the light of their parents' eyes, especially as they age. But if the offspring turn out to be rude, arrogant and disrespectful, the whole life of parents turns into misery and living becomes a bane.  

Even prophets have been mentioned in Qur'an and other Divine Scriptures supplicating for goodly offspring. Today we share the 38th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran: 38 in which Prophet Zechariah (زَكَرِيَّا علي السلام) has been mentioned supplicating to the Lord of the universe for grant of goodly offspring. 

It may be mentioned here that the birth of Mariam (Mary, the mother of Jesus), of Yahya (John the Baptist), the precursor of Jesus, and of Jesus, the prophet of Israel, whom Israel rejected, occurred in that order chronologically, and are told in that order. They are all inter-connected. Zakariya prayed for no ordinary son. He and his wife were past the age of parenthood. Seeing the growth of Mary, he prayed for some child from Allah, - "from Thee, a progeny that is pure". To his surprise, he is given a son in the flesh, ushered in by a special Sign. Details in the explanation of the verse below:

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهٗ​ ​ۚ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبۡ لِىۡ مِنۡ لَّدُنۡكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً​ ​ ۚ اِنَّكَ سَمِيۡعُ الدُّعَآءِ‏ 

(3:38) Then Zechariah prayed to his Lord: 'O Lord! Grant me from Yourself out of Your grace the gift of a goodly offspring, for indeed You alone heed all Prayers.'

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (The Supplication of Zakariyya, and the Good News of Yahya's Birth):

When Zechariah, also spelt Zakariyya, who had Maryam (Mary, mother of Jesus) under his care, saw that Allah provided sustenance for Maryam, when he visited her in her seclusion, by giving her the fruits of winter in summer and the fruits of summer in winter, he was eager to have a child of his own. By then, Zakariyya had become an old man, his bones feeble and his head full of gray hair. His wife was an old woman who was barren. Yet, he still supplicated to Allah and called Him in secret. 

Since Zechariah was special to God, his supplication was immediately accepted and an angel appeared right there at the place of his supplication and broke him the good news of a son being born to him. This mentioned right in the next verse:

فَنَادَتۡهُ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌ يُّصَلِّىۡ فِى الۡمِحۡرَابِۙ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحۡيٰى مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَّحَصُوۡرًا وَّنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصّٰلِحِيۡنَ‏ 

(3:39) As he stood praying in the sanctuary, the angels called out to him: 'Allah gives you good tidings of Yahya (later John the Baptist), who shall confirm a command of Allah, shall be outstanding among men, utterly chaste, and a Prophet from among the righteous.'

(3:40) Zechariah (flabbergasted by such news and) exclaimed: 'My Lord! How shall I have a son when old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren?' He said: Thus, shall it be; Allah does what He wills.' and thus God granted Zechariah a son despite his old age and despite the barrenness of his wife. Thus, Yahya was born just six months before Jesus (peace be upon him). Yahya was born a son, destined to be a chaste leader and Prophet.

The purpose of sharing this supplication is for those who married people who for some reason lose hope of having an offspring born to them. If one sincerely prays with complete faith in Allah, the supplication never goes unanswered. And as is evident from the verses stated above, the most appropriate time to draw near the angels and to invoke and supplicate before the Almighty is that of the prayer.

We must never lose hope and get dejected if our supplications do not materialize for Allah knows the best for us. Waiting is just part of the Divine tests that are given to gauge the firmness of faith of His servants. Pray that we are never put to test and that Allah grants our wishes for us to be ever grateful to Him.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The Power of true faith induces strength to face demagogues without fear of retribution

The power of true faith solidifies one's heart and braves to face even the worst consequences for the reward of their steadfastness rests with none other than our true Lord. Prophet Moses (Musa, peace be upon him) like all many other prophets was faced with the anger and wrath of the Pharoah when the revered prophet called the arrogant king to the true path. Yet, despite his machination, not only Prophet Moses, but others around him who saw power of true faith oozing out of him, accepted the faith without caring from the retribution of Pharoah.

Verses 109-126 of Surah 7. Al A'raf tells us the story of Moses' confrontation with the magicians of Pharaoh and when their magic could not tame Prophet Moses, they fell in prostration, saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the universe. Such is the strength that true faith induces in a man to face even the worst demagogues and tyrant rulers. We have already explained the exegesis of these verses in Part III of the exegesis of Surah Al A'raf. 

Herein under, we share the 126th verse of the Surah in which the magicians supplicated to Allah to shower of them the Divine perseverance and to cause them to die as those who have submitted to one true Lord of the world. Although, the explanation of the verse mainly hinges on the part of the story of the the magicians, the purpose of sharing this verse is to let our brothers and sisters in Islam know the strength of the true faith and how it laces with them conviction and strength to face the tyrants without caring for the retribution. If such strength of character is developed, no one can harm us no matter how powerful, mighty and resourceful our adversary may be. 

وَمَا تَـنۡقِمُ مِنَّاۤ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ اٰمَنَّا بِاٰيٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَآءَتۡنَا​ ؕ رَبَّنَاۤ اَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرًا وَّتَوَفَّنَا مُسۡلِمِيۡنَ‏ 

(7:126) Will you punish us just because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us? Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance and cause us to die as those who have submitted [to You].'

When Pharaoh saw the tables turning on himself, he thought out another device. He declared that the whole show was the outcome of the plot that Moses and the magicians had devised. Then he threatened the magicians with a severe chastisement and death so that they should confess that his accusation was true. But this move also turned against him. As the magicians remained firm in their new Faith, and were prepared to undergo any torture for its sake, it became evident that their belief in the Truth presented by Moses was a genuine confession of faith and not the pretense of any plot. That is why he had to give up the pretense of truth and justice and resort to open tyranny.

In this connection it should also be noted that in a few moments, their Faith had brought about a wonderful change in the character of the magicians. The same people who had left their homes for the sake of helping the religion of their forefathers and had, a few minutes before, very humbly requested Pharaoh to give them rewards if they came out successful in the conflict with Moses, were now filled with the courage of conviction of the true Faith. They had become so bold and brave that they were now defying the same king, before whom they were meekly bowing, and begging a reward for their encounter. But now they had become so convinced of the truth of their Faith that they were not ready to give it up for the fear of the worst torture with which they were being threatened.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

The magicians said (verse 125), ( إِنَّآ إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ ("Verily, we are returning to our Lord.'') They said, `We are now sure that we will go back to Allah. Certainly, Allah's punishment is more severe than your punishment and His torment for what you are calling us to, this day, and the magic you forced us to practice, is greater than your torment. Therefore, we will observe patience in the face of your punishment today, so that we are saved from Allah's torment.' 

They continued, (رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا ("Our Lord! pour out on us patience''), with your religion and being firm in it, (وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ "and cause us to die as Muslims.''), as followers of Your Prophet Musa, peace be upon him. They also said to Fir`awn,

﴿قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَـتِ وَالَّذِى فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِى هَـذِهِ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَآ - إِنَّآ آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـيَـنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى - إِنَّهُ مَن يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِماً فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَى - وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِناً قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّـلِحَـتِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَـتُ الْعُلَى ﴾

("So, decide whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decide for the life of this world. Verily, we have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allah is better ﴿to reward﴾ and more lasting ﴿in punishment﴾. Verily, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal, then surely, for him is Hell, wherein he will neither die nor live. But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer, and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter).) [20:72-75] 

The magicians started the day as sorcerers and ended as honorable martyrs! Ibn `Abbas, `Ubayd bin `Umayr, Qatadah and Ibn Jurayj commented, "They started the day as sorcerers and ended it as martyrs.'

Yusuf Ali Explanation:  

These Egyptians, by their patience and constancy, show that their repentance was true. Thus, in their case the mission of Moses was fulfilled directly, and their number must have amounted to a considerable figure. They were martyrs to their faith, and their martyrdom affected their nation in two ways. In the first place, as they were the pick of those who practised magic in Egypt, their conversion and disappearance dealt a staggering blow to the whole system. Secondly, the indirect effect of their martyrdom on the commonalty of Egypt must have been far greater than can be measured by numbers. The banner of Allah was planted, and the silent spiritual fight must have gone on ever since, though history, in recording outward events, is silent on the slow and gradual processes of transformation undergone by Egyptian religion. From a chaotic pantheon of animals and animal gods, the worship of the sun and the heavenly bodies, and the worship of the Pharaoh as the embodiment of power, they gradually came to realise the oneness and mercy of the true God. After many glimpses of Monotheism on Egyptian soil itself, the (gospel of Jesus reached them, and eventually Islam.)

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

It can be gauged from these words what true faith can do: how it can make a person rise high in the blink of an eye. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... These are the same magicians whose meanness and faintheartedness were such that just a few minutes before, for displaying their skill, they requested for a handsome reward from the Pharaoh like jesters and mimmicers. And now as soon as faith entered their hearts, every portion of their inner self started to dazzle in such a manner that it seems that darkness never enveloped their hearts and that they are not ordinary mortals but are actually paragons of steadfastness and determination and as noble and pure as the angels. One can see how big a threat the Pharaoh sounded; but their answer was that they are not the slightest bothered if the Pharaoh has their hands and feet severed and crucifies them as this will only take them to God. They challenged the Pharaoh to do whatever he likes since his wrath on them is because of their crime of believing in their Lords signs when they have come to them. If this was the punishment of this crime, they would welcome it. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 348)

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference pages: Selected Verses from Surahs of  Qur'an and Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but He - The Lord of the Mighty Throne

When prophets are confronted with people who do not listen to what Allah has ordained for them, they are ordained to tell them that whether they listen to them or not, it does not matter much for one day truth shall prevail. They are thus told to tell that Allah is sufficient for them, for it is the pleasure and guidance of Allah which is they seek for them and for those who believe in Allah.

The last verse (129th) of Surah 9. At Tauba (Repentance) is one such commandment from Allah for Prophet of Allah, Muhammad ﷺ, which tells the revered prophet to disregard the indifferent attitude of those who turn away from listening to him and tell them that even if they close their ears to what he says, Allah alone is sufficient for him and those who believe. It should be borne in mind that it is not the Prophet of Allah telling those who do not listen to him, but in fact these is a Divine Commandment which tells the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that he is the messenger, and whoever turned away from this message has nothing to do with Allah and his messenger ﷺ.

This verse has thus become a sort of supplication for the believers to recite when they encounter difficulties, especially when extending invitation of Islam to the non-Muslims:

فَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَقُلۡ حَسۡبِىَ اللّٰهُ ۖ  لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ؕ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ​ ؕ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الۡعَرۡشِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ

[9:129] Yet, if they should turn away, then tell them: "Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but He. In Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ but if they turn away), from the glorious, pure, perfect and encompassing Law that you -- O Muhammad -- brought them, (then say: فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ "Allah is sufficient for me. There is no God but He,) Allah is sufficient for me, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, and in Him I put my trust.

Similarly, Allah said, (رَّبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلاً (He alone is) the Lord of the east and the west; there is no God but He. So, take Him alone as a guardian.) [73:9]. 

Allah said next, (Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves ...) [9:128]'' until the end of the Surah It is recorded in the Sahih that Zayd bin Thabit said, "I found the last Ayah in Surah Bara'ah with Khuzaymah bin Thabit.'' This is the end of Surah Bara'ah, all praise is due to Allah.

(وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne) [9:129]. He is the King and Creator of all things, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (`Arsh), which is above all creation; all that is in and between the heavens and earths is under the Throne (`Arsh) and subservient to Allah's power. His knowledge encompasses all things, and His decision will certainly come to pass over all matters. He is the guardian of all things. 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "The last Ayah revealed from the Qur'an was this Ayah, ( لَقَدْ جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves. . . ) until the end of the Surah It is recorded in the Sahih that Zayd bin Thabit said, "I found the last Ayah in Surah Bara'ah with Khuzaymah bin Thabit . 'This is the end of Surah Bara'ah, all praise is due to Allah.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

But if the Message is rejected, he still proclaims the burning Faith of his heart, which is unquenchable. Allah is sufficient to all. To trust Him is to find the accomplishment of all spiritual desires. His grandeur is figured by a lofty Throne, supreme in glory! Thus, have we been led, through a notable incident in Al-Mustafa's earthly career, to truths of the highest spiritual import.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., if they are not being able to understand the Prophet’s earnest message that the favours of this world and the next which are hidden in his call to waging jihād for the cause of God at His behest, then he should not be concerned about them. He should clearly tell them that these are not his needs and that God is self-sufficient.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The Sūrah addresses the Prophet, showing him what attitude to take when people turn away from him and his message. It points to the source of power which gives him all the protection he needs. To Him belong all power, dominion, greatness and honour. His support is sufficient for everyone who seeks His patronage.

The Sūrah which concentrates mainly on fighting and striving for God’s cause is thus concluded with the directive to rely on God alone, trust Him and seek His powerful support. After all, “He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.”

This Sūrah outlines the final rulings on the permanent relations between the Muslim community and the outside world, as explained in our commentary on its various passages. Hence, we have to refer to its latest statements since these represent the final say on these relations. These statements must not be restricted or narrowed down in their applicability on the basis of earlier statements and rulings, which we described as provisional. In doing so, we have relied on the chronological order of the revelation of these verses and statements, and on the progress of the Islamic movement at the time of the Prophet, as well as the events marking that progress.

We have also been guided by our understanding of the nature of the Islamic message and its method of action which we have explained in our presentation of the sūrah and our commentary on its verses. This method of action is only understood by those who deal with this faith of Islam as a movement striving to establish itself in human life. As we have explained, the goal of that striving is to liberate mankind from submission to others so that they submit to God alone.

There is a wide gap between an understanding based on active striving and one based on academic study which is bound to ignore action. The first type of understanding looks at Islam as it conducts its direct confrontation with the system of jāhiliyyah, taking one step after another and moving from one stage to the next. It also looks at it as it proclaims its legislation to deal with the changing situation in its confrontation.

Moreover, these final laws and verdicts outlined in this last sūrah were actually revealed when the general situation of the Muslim community and the world around it required such legislation. Prior to that, when the situation required different rulings, these were given in earlier sūrahs to serve as provisional rulings.

When a new Muslim community emerges again and starts to strive for the establishment of this faith in human life, it may be appropriate for this community to apply the provisional rulings, provided that it remains well aware that these are only provisional. It should also be aware that it must strive to reach the stage when only the final rulings govern its relations with the world around it. God will certainly help that community and guide it on its way.

Herein under, please listen to eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan explaining the 129th verse of Surah 9 Al Tauba:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given below. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Tafseer References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Our Lord! Grant us that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes

The relation of man and woman in Islam is based on marriage and family. Anything outside this relation is immoral and unethical and draws a severe retribution from God. Therefore, we believers, must endeavour to base our relationship with the opposite gender clean with its foundations resting on love rather than lewdness and lust. 

Thus, all believers are always purist in a family life wherein each member is sacred, faithful and devoted to adding love and care for each other. And when the sacred relationship of man and woman is well knotted in the bond of marriage, it is desire of the man that his spouse and offspring are joy to his eyes and that a household is so founded that makes this world for all members of family a heaven on earth. Thy want the families which they head should be families which are pious and God-fearing and not those who shun Him.

We have selected the 74th verse of Surah 25. Al Furqan (The Criterion) which spells out a beautiful supplication for a believing man and woman when married to each other:

وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَـنَا مِنۡ اَزۡوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ اَعۡيُنٍ وَّاجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ اِمَامًا‏ 

(25:74) who are prone to pray: "Our Lord! Grant us that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes, and do make us the leaders of the God-fearing."

The most distinctive characteristic of the true servants is their eagerness for prayer to Allah. In verse 65 their "prayer" for their own salvation and in verse 74 their prayer for their wives and children have been cited: "Our Lord, make our wives and children true believers so that they should practice righteousness and become a source of comfort for us." Their prayer shows that the true servants of Allah are more concerned about the salvation of their beloved ones in the Hereafter than the enjoyment of the world.

It should be noted that this characteristic has been cited here to show that the true servants had sincerely believed in the Message. That is why they were so concerned about the "Faith" of their beloved ones. It should also be kept in mind that many of the near and dear ones of the Believers had not as yet embraced Islam. If a husband had embraced Islam, the wife was still an unbeliever, and if a youth had accepted Islam, his parents and brothers and sisters were still involved in disbelief, and vice versa. Therefore, the true servants wept and prayed for them, whenever the picture of their horrible state in Hell came before their mind's eyes.  

That is,"We should excel in piety, righteousness and good works; nay, we should become the leaders of the pious people so that we may lead them in the propagation of virtue and piety in the world. " Incidentally, this characteristic of the true servants was in great contrast to that of the disbelievers, who strove in competition and rivalry with one another for superiority in worldly power and wealth. But it is a pity that some people in our time have misinterpreted this verse as containing sanction for seeking candidature for political leadership. According to them, the verse means: "Our Lord, make us rulers over the pious people."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Those who ask Allah to bring forth from their loins offspring who will obey Him and worship Him and not associate anything in worship with Him. Ibn `Abbas said, "This means (offspring) who will strive to obey Allah and bring them joy in this world and the Hereafter.' Imam Ahmad recorded that Jubayr bin Nufayr said: "We sat with Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad one day, and a man passed by and said, "How blessed are these two eyes which saw the Messenger of Allah! Would that we had seen what you saw and witnessed what you witnessed.' Al-Miqdad got angry, and I was surprised, because the man had not said anything but good. Then he turned to him and said, "What makes a man wish to be present when Allah had caused him to be absent, and he does not know how he would have behaved if he had been there By Allah, there are people who saw the Messenger of Allah, and Allah will throw them on their faces in Hell because they did not accept him or believe in him. Are you not grateful that Allah brought you forth from your mothers' wombs believing in your Lord and in what your Prophet brought, and that the test went to others and not to you Allah sent His Prophet during the most difficult time that any Prophet was ever sent, after a long period of ignorance, when the people could see no better religion than the worship of idols, and he brought the Criterion which distinguishes truth from falsehood and which would separate a father from his son. A man would realize that his father, son or brother was a disbeliever, and since Allah had opened his heart to Faith, he knew that if his relative died he would go to Hell, so he could not rest knowing that his loved one was in the Fire. 

This is what Allah referred to in the Ayah, (And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes...') Its chain of narrators is Sahih, although they did not report it.

(and make us leaders of those who have Taqwa.) Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Rabi` bin Anas said: "Leaders who would be taken as good examples.' Others said: "Guides who would call others to goodness.' They wanted their worship to be connected to the worship of their children and offspring, and their guidance to go beyond themselves and benefit others. 

This would be more rewarding and a better end, as it was recorded in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah said: (When a son of Adam dies, his deeds cease apart from three: a righteous child who will pray for him, knowledge from which others may benefit after him, or ongoing charity.)

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

We must also pray for the maintenance of Allah's Law after us, through our wives and descendants: in our eyes they should not be mere accidents or play-things, but a real comfort and fulfilment of our spiritual longings. Perhaps, through them, as well through ourselves, we may, by Allah's grace, be able to give a lead for truth and righteousness.

Let us recapitulate the virtues of the true servants of Allah: (1) they are humble and forbearing to those below them in spiritual worth; (2) they are constantly, by adoration, in touch with Allah; (3) they always remember the Judgment in the Hereafter; (4) they are moderate in all things; (5) they avoid treason to Allah, to their fellow-creatures, and to themselves; (6) they give a wide berth not only to falsehood but to futility; (7) they pay attention, both in mind and manner, to the Signs of their Lord; (8) their ambition is to bring up their families in righteousness and to lead in all good. A fine code of individual and social ethics, a ladder of spiritual development, open to all.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., besides their own fate, they also worry about the fate of their family and they want that their deeds and conduct should be according to God’s choice. This would mean that they are not ready to see their dear ones becoming prepared in this world as the fuel of Hell and they are always happy because of their righteous deeds.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Finally, these true servants of God are not content with staying up far into the night offering their voluntary worship, prostrating themselves to God, and allowing their other fine qualities to shine. They want something more. What they hope for is that they should have spouses of their type and children who follow in their footsteps, thus bringing them great joy. Not only so, but in this way, those who are classified as God’s servants will multiply. They also pray that God will make of them a good example for those who are God-fearing: “And who pray: “Our Lord! Grant us spouses and offspring who will be a joy to our eyes, and cause us to be foremost among the God-fearing.”

This is a natural feeling based on a profound sense of faith. It expresses a strong desire to increase the numbers of people who follow divine guidance, and that the first in such increased numbers should be their own offspring and spouses who are the closest to them. Indeed, these are a man’s first responsibility. Added to this natural feeling is the believers’ hope that they will provide examples of goodness to be followed by those who are keen to earn God’s pleasure. There is no element of selfishness or arrogance in such a wish, because all the God- fearing are on the way that God defines.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Prophetic Supplication Attributed to Prophet Adam (and Eve) in the Qur’an

Man is too fragile to succumb to the temptations and machinations of the Evil. Even Prophet Adam (and his wife Eve) the very first humans fell into trap of Iblees (Satan) right in the Heavens. This episode is mentioned in Surah 7. Al A'raf (The Heights) in verses 19-25 wherein the Iblees cunningly seduced Adam and Eve to disobey Allah, and the mention of their repentance and Allah's conditional acceptance.

Details of verses 7-25 may be read from our Exegesis/Tafsir of Surah Al A'raf (Part I), already published. Herein under we only share the supplication made by both Adam and Eve after they were enticed and felt deeply remorse of their disobedience of their Lord and cried out for forgiveness.  The purpose of sharing this prophetic supplication is to enlighten our readers as to what should be our course of action should we commit a sin and regret having done so. We must immediately repent our action and invoke the fathomless mercies of Allah for forgiveness with an earnest resolve never to commit a sin again.

The supplication shared below is in fact the best example of the repentance that invoked Allah's mercy and He forgave both Adam and Eve:

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَاۤ اَنۡفُسَنَا وَاِنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَـنَكُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ‏ 

(7:23) Both cried out: 'Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and do not have mercy on us, we shall surely be among the losers.'

This story has been related here mainly to teach the lesson that the right course for the offspring of Adam is to follow His way and not that of Satan. The Satan's way has been clearly made distinct from Adam's way. It is to turn away from Allah's obedience and to adopt the way of rebellion against Him and to persist in it with pride in spite of warning, and to beguile into disobedience those who are treading the path of obedience. Therefore, the Right Way for man is to fight against satanic deceptions and to understand and counteract his cunning devices and to be ever on the guard to protect himself from his evil designs, and to repent, if, in spite of all his precautions; he sometimes falls a victim to Satan and disobeys his Allah. He should, then, confess it, feel sorry for it and be ashamed of it and turn to Allah and make amends for it.

It also meant to warn the people who were opposing the Holy Prophet, as if to say, "The way you are following is the way of Satan, who has made you swerve from the Right Way. The very fact that you have made the Satan from among the jinns and mankind your patrons and that you are persisting in your error, in spite of repeated warnings, shows that you have fallen a victim to your open and permanent enemy. As you are going to be utterly ruined by him and meeting with the same consequences that are in store for Satan, if you are not your own enemies, and if you have any common-sense left in you, you should take a warning and turn to the way of your first parents., Adam and Eve, and repent. " 

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

With this address from on high, the other side of man’s nature is revealed. He is liable to forget and to err. He has a weakness which gives Satan the opportunity to delude him. He does not always maintain the right path. However, he recognizes his mistake and regrets it, and seeks God’s help and forgiveness. He is ready to turn back to God. He does not insist on his disobedience as Satan did, nor does he request his Lord to help him sink deeper into error: “Said they: ‘Our Lord.’ We have wronged ourselves; and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall certainly be lost.’” (Verse 23) This is one of man’s main characteristics, establishing his bond with his Lord. This opening of the doors leading to his Lord involves recognition of his error, repentance, seeking forgiveness, feeling his own weakness, seeking God’s help and mercy. He is all the time certain that his own power is of no avail unless God helps him and bestows His mercy on him. Otherwise, he is lost.   

Therefore, if one is ever prompted by a provocation by Satan to commit a sin, one must immediately seek refuge with Allah. This is also the theme of verse 36 of Surah 41 Ha Meem, already posted. Viewers may also like to read its explanation by clicking here.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

You may now like to listen to the explanation of the above referred verse / prophetic supplication from eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Exclusive Supplication for Reverts for grant of Perseverance to defend their ultimate decision

Taking a bold and big decision of one's life needs steadfastness and perseverance. This is especially true for those who undergo a change of faith, that is from Christianity, Jewism and Hinduism or any other non-Muslim faith to Islam. Those who revert to Islam, suddenly find them in acute isolation for the generally their families and friends abandon them and cast upon them immense pressure to change their ultimate decision of their life. This is the time to supplicate to Allah for grant of perseverance so that they can defend their decision and start a new life. It is amazing to know, after reading many accounts of reverts, that faith in Allah brings about a change in the reverts and they feel an inner strength to face boldly the negativity they face. And it is their perseverance and steadfastness that in many cases results in convincing their families to follow suit and revert to Islam too.

Today, in our series of posts on Selected Invocations (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'ān, we share the 126th verse of Surah 7. Al-A'raf (The Heights), which is part of the narration of confrontation of Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) with the Pharoah. Those who have read the Torah and the Bible would recall such encounter. This verse comes at the end of the duel between the sorcerers of Pharoah and Prophet Musa and when finally, Prophet Musa prevailed on them, they fell in prostration supplicating this invocation for they knew that Prophet Musa was talking of a Divine Truth and that from then on, they will be persecuted by Pharoah and pleaded to God for grant of perseverance:

وَمَا تَنقِمُ مِنَّآ إِلَّآ أَنْ ءَامَنَّا بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَآءَتْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ 

(7:126) "But thou dost wreak thy vengeance on us simply because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! pour out on us patience and constancy and take our souls unto thee as Muslims (who bow to thy will)"!

When Pharaoh saw the tables turning on himself, he thought of another device. He declared that the whole show was the outcome of the plot that Moses and the magicians had devised. Then he threatened the magicians with a severe chastisement and death so that they should confess that his accusation was true. But this move also turned against him. As the magicians remained firm in their new Faith, and were prepared to undergo any torture for its sake, it became evident that their belief in the Truth presented by Moses was a genuine confession of faith and not the pretense of any plot. That is why he had to give up the pretense of truth and justice and resort to open tyranny.

In this connection it should also be noted that in a few moments, their Faith had brought about a wonderful change in the character of the magicians. The same people who had left their homes for the sake of helping the religion of their forefathers and had, a few minutes before, very humbly requested Pharaoh to give them rewards if they came out successful in the conflict with Moses, were now filled with the courage of conviction of the true Faith. They had become so bold and brave that they were now defying the same king, before whom they were meekly bowing, and begging a reward for their encounter. But now they had become so convinced of the truth of their Faith that they were not ready to give it up for the fear of the worst torture with which they were being threatened.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

These Egyptians, by their patience and constancy, show that their repentance was true. Thus, in their case the mission of Moses was fulfilled directly, and their number must have amounted to a considerable figure. They were martyrs of their faith, and their martyrdom affected their nation in two ways. In the first place, as they were the pick of those who practiced magic in Egypt, their conversion and disappearance dealt a staggering blow to the whole system. Secondly, the indirect effect of their martyrdom on the commonalty of Egypt must have been far greater than can be measured by numbers. The banner of Allah was planted, and the silent spiritual fight must have gone on ever since, though history, in recording outward events, is silent on the slow and gradual processes of transformation undergone by Egyptian religion. From a chaotic pantheon of animals and animal gods, the worship of the sun and the heavenly bodies, and the worship of the Pharaoh as the embodiment of power, they gradually came to realize the oneness and mercy of the true God. After many glimpses of Monotheism on Egyptian soil itself, the (gospel of Jesus reached them, and eventually Islam.)

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

It can be gauged from these words what true faith can do: how it can make a person rise high in the blink of an eye. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... These are the same magicians whose meanness and faintheartedness was such that just a few minutes before, for displaying their skill, they requested for a handsome reward from the Pharaoh like jesters and mimickers. And now as soon as faith entered their hearts, every portion of their inner self started to dazzle in such a manner that it seems that darkness never enveloped their hearts and that they are not ordinary mortals but are actually paragons of steadfastness and determination and as noble and pure as the angels. One can see how big a threat the Pharaoh sounded; but their answer was that they are not the slightest bothered if the Pharaoh has their hands and feet severed and crucifies them as this will only take them to God. They challenged the Pharaoh to do whatever he likes since his wrath on them is because of their crime of believing in their Lords signs when they have come to them. If this was the punishment of this crime, they welcomed it. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 348)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

When anyone realizes what the battle is all about and to whom he should turn for help, he will not ask his enemy to ensure his own safety. He will only pray to his Lord to give him patience and perseverance in times of adversity, and to help him to continue in an attitude of submission to God until he dies: “Our Lord, grant us abundance of patience in adversity, and let us die as people who have surrendered themselves to You.” (Verse 126)

 

Tyranny stands helpless as it finds itself in confrontation with faith based on clear understanding. Tyranny realizes that it can do nothing to human hearts although it used to think that even hearts and consciences were subject to its power as human bodies are. Now it discovers that only God can have power over people’s hearts and consciences. What can human power do to any heart or soul that seeks God’s protection and prefers to wait for God’s reward?

 

As attitudes were shaping up between Pharaoh and his elders on the one side and Moses and those who believed in him on the other, human history was witnessing one of its most decisive moments. It was a moment when faith triumphed over life and when souls became stronger than pain, and man overpowered Satan. It was a moment when true freedom was born. 

What does freedom mean if not defeating tyranny with the power of faith? When a person is free, he thinks very lightly of a brute force that cannot subjugate his heart and soul, although it can inflict physical pain and cause death. When brute force is unable to subjugate hearts, true freedom is actually born.

You may now listen to a short commentary and explanation of the above said verse by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More