Our Lord! forgive us our sins, wipe out our evil deeds and make us die with the truly pious

Blessed are those who listened to the call of the prophets of Allah and bring faith on the Divine commandments.  And how ungrateful are those who did not pay any attention to what prophets of Allah were saying or calling them to the path of ultimate truth. And even more ungrateful are those who listened to the call of the prophets but then drifted away from the guidance given to them by Allah and made innovations in the Holy Scriptures to suit their own requirements and lust. 

Here in this verse from Surah 3. Al-i'Imran, is the expression of gratitude by those believers who not only listened to the call of Prophet of Allah and believed in him too.

رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّنَا سَمِعۡنَا مُنَادِيًا يُّنَادِىۡ لِلۡاِيۡمَانِ اَنۡ اٰمِنُوۡا بِرَبِّكُمۡ فَاٰمَنَّا  ۖ رَبَّنَا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَكَفِّرۡ عَنَّا سَيِّاٰتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الۡاَبۡرَارِ​ۚ‏ 

"Our Lord! Indeed we heard a crier calling to the faith saying: "Believe in your Lord"; so we did believe. Our Lord, forgive us our sins, and wipe out our evil deeds and make us die with the truly pious.'" (Surah 3 Al-i'Imran: 193) 

These believers are those who, unlike the pagans and disbelievers of Makkah, did not demand miracles nor did insist on silly arguments and in fact the mere person of the prophet was no less than a miracle in their eyes; so when they saw that this call of professing faith in Allah and the Hereafter is the call of their own hearts and inner self, they bear witness to it and knowledge and intellect also demand it, and accepted it without any hesitation.

Such are the believers who call on to their Lord, and pray that they be wiped of any remnants of evil that reside in them and that they be forgiven and live a life as taught by the Prophet of Allah in the light of Divine Commandments. And their ultimate is to die as truly pious and blessed servants of Allah.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

These hearts are open. They only need to receive the message in order to respond to it. Their sensitivity is enhanced. The first thing impressed on their minds is the fact that they commit sins and may be guilty of disobedience. Hence, they turn to their Lord, praying for His forgiveness and for their bad deeds to be effaced. They also pray to be grouped with the righteous when they die.

 

The message of this verses fits in with the message of the rest of the sūrah. The believers pray to God to forgive them their sins so that they can win their continuous battle against desire and temptation. Achieving victory in this battle is akin to victory in a military battle against the enemies of God and the enemies of faith. Thus the sūrah is a whole unit, each part complementing the other, and delivering a complete and harmonious message.

We need to take a self appraisal and lookout for signs of ungratefulness or evil residing in us and let these me thrown out to have  pure and clean heart so that our supplications are heeded to and our repentance accepted and our sins, misdeeds and evil doings forgiven before death begets us. Let us always make this innovation that our heavenly abode is with the forgiven and most pious. Ameen

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 Rabbana themed supplications, please refer to our reference page: Rabbana “رَبَّنَا“  Supplications (Dua / دُعا) in Qur’an 

For other general supplications, please refer to our reference page: Selected supplication / Dua " دُعا " from Qur'an (Reference Page). You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | 

Reading the Holy Quran 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.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 

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 the following sources: 

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

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Dua / supplication " دُعا " to attain trust of Allah - Attributed to Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, AS)

Today, in our series of posts on Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from Quran, we share an invocation attributed to the Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, علي السلام) as mentioned in Surah 60. Al Mumtahina (The Woman Under Questioning), verse 4. The invocation is important in a sense that God forbids praying for the non-believers, no matter they may close be with someone, not even one's parents who have not entered into the fold of Islam despite invitation to Islam.

The inevitable demand of the faith in Allah is denial of taghut (Satan): Whoever rejects taghut and believes in Allah has taken a firm support that never gives way. But those who choose to be followers of Satan, need not have a soft corner for they are not one's brethern in faith. 

The detailed explanation / tafseer / exegesis of the invocation being shared is given in our earlier post: Sūrah Al-Mumtaḥanah - The Woman to be Questioned: Exegesis / Tafsir 60th Chapter of Qur'an. Here we would restrict ourselves on the last part of verse 4, which is the invocation made by Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, علي السلام) and his companions.

The invocation, the highlighted portion, is an excellent prayer which one must make to put trust in none other than Allah for all matters, and surrender all of our affairs to Him, for to Him is the final Return in the Hereafter: 

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُا۟ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةُ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَحْدَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَآ أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ

 رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

(60:4) You have a good example in Abraham and his companions: they said to their people: “We totally dissociate ourselves from you, and from the deities that you worship instead of Allah. We renounce you6 and there has come to be enmity and hatred between us and you until you believe in Allah, the One True God.” (But you may not emulate) Abraham's saying to his father: “Certainly I will ask pardon for you, although I have no power over Allah to obtain anything on your behalf.” (And Abraham and his companions prayed): "Our Lord! In You we put our trust, and to You we turn in repentance, and to You is the final Return."

The above said invocation sets an excellent example for conduct of Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, علي السلام) in that he expressed disapproval of his pagan people and broke off all connections with them, yet his promise to pray for the forgiveness of his pagan father and then carrying it out practically is not worth following, for the believers should not have even this much relationship of love and sympathy with the disbelievers.

At another place in Qur'an Allah has given a warning for praying for the non-believers. In (Surah 9. At-Taubah, Ayat 113), Allah has clearly warned: It does not behoove the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and those who have believed that they should pray for the forgiveness of the polytheists even though they be near kinsmen. Thus, no Muslim is allowed to pray for the forgiveness of his unbelieving kinsmen on the basis of the argument that the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had done so.

The study of this verse makes the principal manifest that only that act of the prophet is worthy of following, which they persistently practiced till the end. As regards to those acts which they themselves gave up or which Allah restrained them from practicing or which were forbidden in the divine Shariah, they are not worth following, and no one showed follow such acts of theirs on the basis of the argument that that was such and such a prophet’s practice.

This prayer indicates what our attitude should be. We must trust to Allah, and not to Allah's enemies to protect and befriend ourselves, our families, or those near and dear to us.

One cannot follow Ibrahim's example as proof in the case mentioned here, as being allowed to ask Allah to forgive those who died on Shirk. 

Therefore, whenever one errs, one must put one's complete trust in Allah and repent in total earnest so as to be forgiven and return to one's Creator on the Day of Resurrection with head high. 

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

Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from Quran: Refuge from Whisperings of Shayatin (Satan / Evil)

Iblis or Shaitan (Satan/Devil) is an ex angel who disobeyed Allah to prostrate Adm due to his pride and superiority that he felt over an object made from clay while he being made from fire. For this disobedience, Allah expelled him from the Heave. However, the Devil requested Allah to give him free hand to mislead the man till the Day of Judgement. Allah allowed him, saying that he will be the ultimate loser as all Godly creations will reject his provocations.

However, Allah knew the weakness of the man He created and their vulnerability to lewdness and sin, so Allah promised that those who would invoke His mercy after sinning, will be forgiven.

We have published a number of invocations / verses from Qur'an in which subject of forgiveness and repentance is mentioned. Today we share an invocation from the Surah 23. Al-Muminun (verses 97-98) in which Allah commands Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to seek refuge from the whisperings of the Shayatin: 

وَقُلْ رَّبِّ اَعُوۡذُ بِكَ مِنۡ هَمَزٰتِ الشَّيٰطِيۡنِۙ وَاَعُوۡذُ بِكَ رَبِّ اَنۡ يَّحۡضُرُوۡنِ‏ 

(23:97) And pray: "My Lord! I seek Your refuge from the suggestions of the evil ones; (23:98) I even seek Your refuge, my Lord, lest they should approach me."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the Shayatin.'') Allah commanded him to seek refuge with Him from the Shayatin, because no trick could help you against them and you cannot protect yourself by being kind to them. 

When discussing Isti`adhah (seeking refuge), that the Messenger of Allah used to say:

(أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِه  (I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, from the accursed Shayatin, from his whisperings, evil suggestions and insinuations.) 

His saying: ( وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ ("And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.'') means, in any issue of my life. So we are commanded to mention Allah at the beginning of any undertaking, in order to ward off the Shayatin at the time of eating, intercourse, slaughtering animals for food, etc. 

Abu Dawud recorded that the Messenger of Allah used to say: ( اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَرَمِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَدْمِ وَمِنَ الْغَرَقِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَخَبَّطَنِي الشَّيْطَانُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْت (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from old age, I seek refuge with You from being crushed or drowned, and I seek refuge with you from being assaulted by the Shayatin at the time of death.))

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: In these verses Prophet of Allah has been commanded to shun evil for himself, and that he cannot do this without seeking the help and protection of Allah. That is not only must you shun all promptings of evil, but you must shun its proximity. It may be that in retaliating on evil, or even in your curiosity to discover what evil is, you may fall into evil yourself. You should avoid going near it or anything which brings it near to you. And in this matter you should seek Allah's help.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: This refers to both devils among mankind and among jinn-kind who whisper suggestions into the hearts of people. Their attitude is under discussion here. If the devils among mankind make these suggestions, he seeks refuge from them before God that they come to him for debate and argument.

Qur'an Wiki: The Prophet was certainly immune to any promptings or persuasion by evil ones. However, here he is instructed to pray for protection against all this in an urgent appeal for further immunity against their evil.

Being the perfect role model for all Muslims in all generations, his appeal provides a lead for them to follow. They should also seek refuge with God against all temptation put in their way by the evil ones. Indeed the Prophet is instructed to appeal to God for protection against such evil people corning near him in any way. “I seek refuge with You, my Lord, lest they come near me.”

May Allah help from the whisperings of the Satan and his associates and help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

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 the 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

Share of women in what their parents and kinsfolk leave behind

The non Muslim world often laments that Islam suppresses the rights of women, specially when it comes to wearing of Hijab by Muslim women, But no one ever appreciates Islam for it is the first ever religion that protects the rights of the women and gives them opportunities to live a comfortable life even when orphaned or divorced. The laws of inheritance spelt out in Qur'an dwell at length at the share of women and ordains men to give share to the women in what their parents and kinsfolk have left behind.

Surah 4. An Nisa talks at length at the rights and conduct of women. The 7th verse of the surah selected for today's post in the series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an, is in particular refer3ence to the share from inheritance for the women, side by side the men. This must be an eye opener for all those Muslims, specially in the Indian sub continent who for one reason and excuse or the other deprive women from their right of share in inheritance. The following verse gives out the general order to give share to women. For breakdown of shares, read our earlier post: Laws of Inheritance in Islam.

لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيۡبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الۡوَالِدٰنِ وَالۡاَقۡرَبُوۡنَ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيۡبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الۡوَالِدٰنِ وَالۡاَقۡرَبُوۡنَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنۡهُ اَوۡ كَثُرَ ​ؕ نَصِيۡبًا مَّفۡرُوۡضًا‏ 

(4:7) Just as there is a share for men in what their parents and kinsfolk leave behind, so there is a share for women in what their parents and kinsfolk leave behind - be it little or much - a share ordained (by Allah).

This verse contains five legal regulations about inheritance. First, that not only men but the women also have a share in the inheritance. Second, that it must be divided among all heirs, however little or insignificant it is; so much so that even if the deceased has left one yard of cloth and there are ten heirs, it must also be cut into ten parts. However, an heir may buy the shares of others by mutual consent. Third, that the verse also implies that this law applies to all sorts of property, transferable or non-transferable, agricultural or industrial, or of any other type. Fourth, that the right of inheritance becomes valid only when the deceased leaves some property behind him. Fifth, that when the nearest relatives are alive the distant relatives have no right in the inheritance.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

The Necessity of Surrendering the Inheritance According to the Portions that Allah Ordained:  Sa`id bin Jubayr and Qatadah said, "The idolators used to give adult men a share of inheritance and deprive women and children of it. 

Allah revealed;  (There is a share for men from what is left by parents and those nearest in relation).'' Therefore, everyone is equal in Allah's decision to inherit, even though their shares vary according to the degree of their relationship to the deceased, whether being a relative, spouse, etc. 

Ibn Marduwyah reported that Jabir said, "Umm Kujjah came to the Messenger of Allah and said to him, `O Messenger of Allah! I have two daughters whose father died, and they do not own anything.' So Allah revealed; (There is a share for men from what is left by parents and those nearest in relation.)''  Allah knows best. 

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

I have resisted the temptation to translate "next to kin," as this phrase has a technical meaning in Indian Law, referring to certain kinds of heirs, whereas here the people meant are those whose inheritance is to be divided. The shares are specified. Here the general principles are laid down that females inherit as well as males, and that relatives who have no legal shares, orphans, and indigent people are not to be treated harshly, if present at the division.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This is a reference to the shares of inheritance which have been prescribed in the subsequent verses so that a person receives guidance in a matter about which he cannot decide himself and no chance remains for powerful inheritors to usurp and snatch the legacy of a deceased person. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

… Before the advent of Islam, the situation in Arabia, in fact, the whole world was that all the weak, and not merely women and orphans were at the mercy of powerful heirs. At one instance, the Qur’ān has referred to this by the words: وَ تَاۡكُلُوۡنَ التُّرَاثَ اَكۡلًا لَّمًّا  (19:89) (and grab hold of the inheritance to usurp it, (89:19)). To address this situation, the Qur’ān prescribed the shares of all the heirs whether men or women. When a person, after reciting the previous verses reaches this verse, he thinks that it is as if by the blessings of the rights of the orphans the door to ascertain the rights of others has also been opened. In other words, not only those who were themselves devoid of rights were granted these rights, others too by virtue of these were granted these rights. Women were mentioned in particular because it was for the first time that they too got a place right next to men as far as rights were concerned, and in the legacy of the parents and kin, a prescribed share from God –whether little or big – was made mandatory. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 256)

Qur'an Wiki:

In the days of jāhiliyyah, or ignorance, in pre-Islamic Arabia, no share of inheritance was given to females, and little, if any, was given to young boys. The reason being that neither group could fight against any aggressor. God’s law, on the other hand, made inheritance due to all kinsfolk, according to their degree of kinship and their shares, which will be detailed later. It is the view of Islam that members of the same family should help and look after one another. Everyone is required to look after his relatives when they are in need, and to share their liability in paying compensation in cases of causing death to or inflicting injury or bodily harm on others. Hence, it is only right that relatives should inherit each other, when they leave behind some property, according to their respective kinship. This gives practical effect to the rule that: “gain is commensurate with liability”. Islam is a complete and perfectly coherent system. This is reflected most clearly in the distribution of rights and obligations. This is the general rule of inheritance. Some people may question the concept of inheritance, but this only betrays their rudeness towards God, their ignorance of human nature and the requirements of practical life.

It is enough to understand the principles which form the Islamic social system to put an end to such futile arguments. The basic characteristic of this system is mutual care. In order to give mutual care a sound basis, Islam builds its structure on a solid foundation of natural human inclinations that have a basic role to fulfil in human life.

 

Family ties are genuine and natural. They have not been invented by any generation of humanity, nor indeed by the cumulative wisdom of all generations. These ties have a profound effect on human life, its preservation and betterment. No argument against the seriousness of these ties and their effect is worth any consideration. In view of this, Islam makes mutual care within the family the cornerstone of its system of social care and security. Inheritance is one aspect of that. It is also an essential element of the Islamic economic system.

 

Should this provision fall short of looking after all cases which need help, the next step, which is care within the local community, will complement it. If this also falls short, then the Islamic state will look after all those who need care after the family and the local community have fulfilled their duties. In this way, the burden is not thrown totally on the shoulders of the state. The reason being that care within the family or the local community is bound to create feelings of compassion which, in turn, promote co-operation in a most natural way. Moreover, these feelings of compassion constitute a net gain for humanity which cannot be dismissed by any person who has the interests of humanity at heart. Furthermore, family care in particular is bound to leave certain effects that are in harmony with human nature. When a person realises that the effort he exerts to improve his situation will also benefit his relatives, especially his offspring, he will have the motive to double his efforts. His increased productivity benefits the community indirectly. Islam does not create barriers between the individual and the community. Whatever an individual owns belongs to the community as a whole when it needs it.

 

This last rule is enough to make invalid all superficial objections to inheritance, which argue that inheritance gives money to people who have not worked or made an effort for it. The fact is that an heir is an extension of the person from whom he inherits. From another point of view, an heir is the very person to look after his relatives, should he be well off and they be in need. Moreover, all property belongs to the community when it needs it, on the basis of the rules of Islamic social security.

 

Furthermore, the relationship between testator and heir, especially offspring, is not confined to money and property alone. Relatives, both immediate and extended, also pass on their good and bad tendencies, susceptibility to certain illnesses, physical features, intelligence or the lack of it, and so on. All these inherited aspects stay with those who receive them throughout their lives. They cannot get rid of them, no matter how hard they try. It is only fair, then, that they should also inherit property when they cannot avoid, even with the help of the state and all its power, inheriting illness, evil tendencies and stupidity.

 

For all these practical and natural aspects of human life, and for many other social interests, God has laid down the general rule of inheritance: “Men shall have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind, and women shall have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind; whether it be little or much. It is an apportioned share.” This is the general principle by which Islam gave women, fourteen centuries ago, the same rights as men to have a share of inheritance and by which it has preserved the rights of youngsters who were treated unfairly during the days of ignorance. Ignorant society looked at individuals according to their value in war and productivity. Islam, which is a Divine code of living, looks first at the human value of man. This is his intrinsic value of which he cannot be deprived. His duties and obligations within the family and the community take a secondary position.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein, and let us not be the violators of Allah's commandments with reference to inheritance, specially about share of women. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses 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 the 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.

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The Power of Dua / Invocation - A real Life Experience

We have been sharing selected supplications / invocations / dua from Qur'an for the guidance of our readers, for when we invoke the immense mercy of Allah, we believe that Allah will not turn down our woes and will grant our wishes in one form or the other. Dua, according to a Hadith, has the unique ability to change destiny (Tirmidhi).

Qur'an is replete with examples and mentions when Prophets (peace be upon them) resorted to supplications as their ultimate 'weapon' to solicit Allah's help when all their efforts would fail while reforming nations in their respective hostile environments.

Today, I share a real-life experience of the fulfillment of Dua / Invocation when made from the heart of the heart. It was many years ago that a friend told me that one of his relatives suddenly lost his eye sight and went totally blind. He underwent many eye treatments but unfortunately his eyesight could not be restored. Then it went by and I lost contact with my friend as he went abroad.

In 2018, when I started writing this blog, I wanted a Qur'an with good English translation and a friend referred me to one of his friends who had a large collection of religious books. So, I went to him and requested him for a Qur'an. While he gave me a very good translation of Qur'an which I subsequently used in a a number of my posts, we also talked about religion and related matters. 

During our discourse, he advised me to be steadfast in what task I had undertaken and never be dismayed by delays if some dua or supplication is delayed. And then he related to me his real-life experience. He told me that many years ago he lost his eye sight, now you can reconnect how Allah reconnected me with the person I mentioned before who lost his eye sight. He told me that he did not know what to do as life for him was suddenly dark and blacked out. 

So, he said that he picked up a few supplications from Qur'an and started reciting these day and night and this continued for FIVE LONG YEARS. He prayed and prayed and invoked the mercy of Allah for somehow, he had a faith that his invocation would be heard one day. And then that one day came, he said. He was asleep one night, when he saw a bright white flash of light that dazzled him and he woke up. And was amazed to find that he was able to see the room in the grim darkness of night. He said he hurriedly woke up his wife to switch on the lights and was amazed to see the colorful clothes she was wearing and the things in the room. Allah had listened to his invocations and granted him back his eyesight.

This real-life experience makes my faith in Allah's countless mercies more than ever before and I now believe that supplications and prayers can change one's destiny if these are made with complete and firm faith in Allah.

Continuously turning to Allah Almighty in dua is a sign of one’s conviction in Him and the more one turns to Him, the more one’s faith increases. Dua is a condition of the heart and conversation with one’s Maker in the language of one’s choice. A Hadith says, dua is a means of beseeching Allah Almighty for the fulfillment of all our needs no matter how mundane or insignificant as it may be; or significant as facing overwhelming odds in the battlefield (Tirmidhi).

We must, therefore turn to Allah alone, and no one else, whenever in distress, for it is only He Who can grant us our wishes, for Dua in times of difficulty, accompanied by the shedding of tears is uplifting, invigorating, assuring, cleanses, refreshes and provides solace and relief to a broken heart.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Ameen

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 | 

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.

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

A Unique Invocation by the Angels for Forgiveness of the Repenting Believers

We have been sharing selected invocations / supplications from Qur'an for the guidance of believers as to how to bow down to Allah and supplicate to ask for the forgiveness of their mistakes / misdeeds and sins. Even prophets of Allah have been supplicating on behalf of their people to invoke Allah's countless blessings to forgive the sins of their people.

But you will be surprised that the revered angels up in the Heavens also move the compassion of Allah and ask for the forgiveness of the true believers who repent frequently and ask for forgiveness of Allah. Today, we share the two verses of Surah Al Mu'min, the 40th Surah of the Qur'an wherein Allah has quoted in His revelation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ telling him that even His angels feel for his people and are oft invoking His blessings to forgive the repenting believers. 

اَلَّذِيۡنَ يَحۡمِلُوۡنَ الۡعَرۡشَ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهٗ يُسَبِّحُوۡنَ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَيُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِهٖ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡنَ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا​ ۚ رَبَّنَا وَسِعۡتَ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ رَّحۡمَةً وَّعِلۡمًا فَاغۡفِرۡ لِلَّذِيۡنَ تَابُوۡا وَاتَّبَعُوۡا سَبِيۡلَكَ وَقِهِمۡ عَذَابَ الۡجَحِيۡمِ‏ 

(40:7) The angels that bear the Throne and those that are around to extol your Lord's glory with His praise, they believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for the believers, saying: “Our Lord! You encompass everything with Your Mercy and Knowledge. So, forgive those that repent and follow Your Path, and guard them against the chastisement of Hell.

" The angels that bear the Throne and those that are around to extol your Lord's glory with His praise, they believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for the believers " This thing has been said for the consolation of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) companions, who were feeling greatly discouraged at the impudence and rebellious attitude of the disbelievers of Makkah as against their own helplessness, as if to say: Why do you feel grieved at what these mean and worthless people say? You have the support of the angels who bear the divine Throne and of those who stand around it. They are interceding with Allah for you. The mention of the angels who bear the divine Throne and of those who stand around it, has been made, instead of the common angels, to impress the fact that not to speak of the common angels of divine kingdom, even the angels who are the pillars of this kingdom, being nearest in rank and station to Allah, bear deep sympathy and regard for you. Then the words: They affirm faith in Him and ask forgiveness for the believers, show that the relationship of the faith is the real relationship, which has joined the heavenly creatures and the earthly creatures together, and which has induced sympathy and esteem in the angels stationed around the Throne for the mortal humans inhabiting the earth, who affirm faith in Allah just like them. The angels affirming the faith in Allah does not mean that they could disbelieve, and they adopted belief instead of disbelief, but it means that they believe in the sovereignty of Allah, the One, alone there is no other being that may be commanding them and they submit before it in utter obedience. When the same attitude and behavior was adopted by the human believers, a strong relationship of cherishing a common creed and faith was established between them and the angels in spite of the great disparity in species and remoteness in rank and station.

“Our Lord! You encompass everything with Your Mercy and Knowledge. " That is, the weakness, lapses and errors of Your servants are not hidden from You. You indeed know everything, but like Your knowledge, Your Mercy also is infinite. Therefore, forgive the poor creatures in spite of knowing their errors. Another meaning can be: Forgive by Your Mercy all those about whom by knowledge You know that they have repented sincerely and have, in reality, adopted Your way.

" So forgive those that repent and follow Your Path, and guard them against the chastisement of Hell." To forgive and to save from the torment of Hell are although not related, and there seems to be no need to mention the other when one has been mentioned, this style, in fact, reflects the deep interest the angels have in the believers. It is customary that when a person who is deeply involved in a matter, finds an opportunity to make submissions before a judge, he presents the same petition humbly over and over again, in different ways, and does not rest content with making the petition just once.

And save those who have given up disobedience and rebellion, adopted obedience and followed the way which You Yourself have shown.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُـلَّ شَىْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْماً Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge,) meaning, `Your mercy encompasses their sins and Your knowledge encompasses all their deeds, words and action.'

(فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَاتَّبَعُواْ سَبِيلَكَ so forgive those who repent and follow Your way.)'' That is, `forgive the sinners when they repent to You and turn to You and give up their former ways, following Your commands to do good and abstain from evil.'

(وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!) means, `snatch them away from the punishment of Hell, which is a painful, agonizing punishment.'

Qur'an Wiki's Explanation:

We do not know what this throne is, we have no image of it. Nor do we know how those assigned to carry it do so or how the others are present around it. It is futile to try to determine something which is beyond the reach of human understanding or perception. No purpose can be served by arguing about something over which God has not provided information. All that can be said concerning this fact is that there are some creatures who are close to God, and these 'extol their Lord's limitless glory and praise, and have faith in Him.' Although the fact that they are believers can be taken for granted, this is specifically mentioned in the Qur'an to emphasize the bond between them and human believers. Having extolled God's limitless glory, these servants of God pray for the believers among humanity, requesting the best that one believer can ask for another.

They begin their supplication in a very polite way, in the process teaching us how to couch our own prayers. They say: "Our Lord.' You embrace all things with [Your] grace and knowledge." As they address God, they make clear their request that God bestows His grace on people, that they are relying on the fact that His grace embraces all, and that His knowledge encompasses everything. Thus, they do not make any assumptions; they simply refer to God's grace and knowledge. "Forgive, then, those who turn to You in repentance and follow Your path, and shield them from the suffering in the blazing fire." This reference to God's forgiveness and people's repentance corresponds to the opening of the surah where God is described as the One who forgives sins and accepts repentance. Likewise, the reference to the `suffering in the blazing fire' corresponds to the earlier description of His retribution as being severe.

And thereafter, they still go on and request the Almighty to enter the believers, after their repentance has been accepted and forgiven, to the Paradise including their parents, spouses and progeny:

رَبَّنَا وَاَدۡخِلۡهُمۡ جَنّٰتِ عَدۡنِ اۨلَّتِىۡ وَعَدْتَّهُمۡ وَمَنۡ صَلَحَ مِنۡ اٰبَآئِهِمۡ وَاَزۡوَاجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيّٰتِهِمۡ ؕ اِنَّكَ اَنۡتَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ ۙ‏ 

(40:8) Our Lord, admit them to the everlasting Gardens You have promised them, and those of their fathers and spouses and progeny that were righteous. Surely You alone are Most Mighty, Most Wise;

" Our Lord, admit them to the everlasting Gardens You have promised them " Here again there is the same state of solicitude as referred to in E.Ns above. Obviously, forgiving and saving from Hell by itself amounts to admitting to Paradise. And then soliciting Allah for granting the believers the same Paradise which He Himself has promised them, seems to be unnecessary, but the angels are so earnest in their desire of well-being for the believers that they go on repeating their good wishes for them although they know that Allah will certainly bless them with these favors in the Hereafter.

" and those of their fathers and spouses and progeny that were righteous. " That is. join with them their parents and their wives and children for the comfort of their eyes. This same thing Allah Himself has stated as among the blessings which the believers will be granted in Paradise. For this see (Surah Ar- Raad, Ayat 23) and (Surah At-Toor, Ayat 21). In the verse of Surah At-Toor, there is also the explanation that if a person will deserve a higher rank in Paradise, which his parents will not deserve, he will not be lowered in rank to be joined with them but Allah will raise them to join him in the higher station.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّـتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِى وَعَدْتَّهُمْ وَمَن صَـلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring!) meaning, `bring them together so that they may find delight in one another in neighboring dwellings. ' 

This is like the Ayah: (And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in faith, -- to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything)(52:21). This means, `that all of them will be made equal in status. In this way they may delight in one another's company; the one who is in the higher status will not lose anything. On the contrary We will raise the one whose deeds are of a lower status so that they will become equal, as a favor and a blessing from Us.' Sa`id bin Jubayr said that when the believer enters Paradise, he will ask where his father, son and brother are. It will be said to him, `they did not reach the same level of good deeds as you did'. He will say, `but I did it for my sake and for theirs.' Then they will be brought to join him in that higher degree. 

Then Sa`id bin Jubayr recited this Ayah (8): (Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Gardens which you have promised them -- and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) Mutarrif bin `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir said, "The most sincere of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the angels.''

Then he recited this Ayah: (Our Lord! And make them enter the `Adn (Eternal) Paradises which you have promised them) He then said, "The most treacherous of the servants of Allah towards the believers are the Shayatin.'' (You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.) means, `the One Whom none can resist or overwhelm; what You will happens and what You do not will does not happen; You are Wise in all that You say and do, in all that You legislate and decree.'

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

These servants of God continue with their supplications, praying now for the admission of believers among human beings into heaven, in fulfilment of His promise to His good servants: "Our Lord, admit them to the gardens of perpetual bliss You have promised them, together with the righteous from among their ancestors, spouses and offspring. You alone are the Almighty, the Wise." Admission into heaven is a great triumph and means a life of bliss. When there is added to this the company of righteous ancestors, spouses and offspring, another dimension of bliss is thus granted. Moreover, this is an aspect of the unity of all believers. It is in the bond of faith that fathers, spouses and offspring are united. Without it, all their ties are severed. This part of their supplication highlights God's attributes of power and wisdom. It is this combination that determines how people are judged.

Remember: There is nothing selfish in prayer. We pray for all who are true and sincere. But just as Evil is catching, so Goodness is catching in another sense. The associates of the Good and those near and dear to them also share in their goodness and happiness, if only they try to walk in the same Way. And the Grace of Allah is working for all, all the time.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

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 the 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

How to express one's Gratitude to Allah

Man is always lamenting of what he does not possess and others do. But such ungrateful ones forget that they still have so much which others do not have. Even if a man has empty pockets, he still has his limbs intact and even if one limb is missing he still is better than the one who is deprived of the limb. If one starts to count his blessings, he will lose count of these. 

I have lost my hearing in one ear almost completely and in the other ear to a great extent. Yesterday my hearing aid malfunctioned and I had to to leave it at the workshop for repairs. And suddenly my ears blacked out and I could not hear a thing. And when I got my hearing aid back, my hearing came to life. Can you imagine how grateful I was to Allah for my hearing to come back !! It is only I who can express the joy of hearing after having been blacked out for almost one day.

Likewise ask the joy of those who after lifetime blindness are given a retina and they can see again. So be always grateful to Allah for everything that He has bestowed upon you. Remember, how Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon, may peace be upon him) expressed his gratitude to Allah. I am sharing this beautiful verse from Qur'an and we should recite this much too often to thank Allah for everything:

Smiling at the ant's utterance, Solomon burst into laughter and said: "My Lord! Hold me under (Your) control that I may render thanks for the favour which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may act righteously in a manner that would please You. Include me, out of Your Mercy, among Your righteous servants. (Surah/Chapter 27 An Naml - The Ant: Verse 19)

Here Prophet Sulaiman is offering his gratitude for all the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon him and made him a great king who had the command of not only people bu all animals as well. Yet despite his powers, he shows his humility and prays that his power and wisdom and all other gifts may be used for righteousness and for the benefit of all around him. He in his prayer prays that he may not even unwittingly tread on humble beings in his preoccupations with the great things of the world.

Ibn Kathir explains that here Prophet Sulaiman means "`inspire me to give thanks for the blessings that You have bestowed upon me by teaching me to understand what the birds and animals say, and the blessings that You have bestowed upon my parents by making them Muslims who believe in You.' And that `when You cause me to die, then join me with the righteous among Your servants, and the Higher Companion among Your close friends.' 

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

Let us we too be always grateful to Allah for all his bounties and blessings on us. May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

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.

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