Prayer of Prophet Yaqoob (Jacob, AS)

The patience and unflinching faith and trust in Allah of Prophet Yaqoob (Jacob, may peace be upon him) [Yaqub ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibrahim (Arabic: يَعْقُوب ابْنُ إِسْحَٰق ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيم, literally: "Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham"] is unparallel in the history of prophets. He lived all his life in grief on the loss of his beloved son Prophet Yusuf (Josef, may peace be upon him) till his eyes became blind by continuous crying. Yet he never lost his faith in Allah and was confident of Allah's mercy and knew one day he would be united with him.

His sons, who had in fact thrown their half brother Yusuf in a well and came telling their father that he has been eaten away by a wolf, would often tell him: "By Allah! You will continue to remember Joseph until you will either consume yourself with grief, or will die."

To this the ever patient and faithful father replied ( as it appears in 86th verse of Surah 12. Yusuf):

قَالَ اِنَّمَاۤ اَشۡكُوۡا بَثِّـىۡ وَحُزۡنِىۡۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَاَعۡلَمُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ 

(12:86) He said: "I will address my sorrow and grief only to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know.

This only is befitting for a true believer. He expresses his sorrow and grief before God alone because all his hopes are pinned on Him and he knows that these pleadings will finally stir the mercy of God.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

Namely, that "judgment as to what is to happen rests with none but God", and that "all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in Him alone" (verse {67}): the twin ideas which underlie the whole of this surah, and which Jacob now seeks to impress upon his sons. In addition to this, his remembrance of Joseph's prophetic dream (verse {4}) and his own conviction at the time that his beloved son would be elected by God for His special grace (verse {6}), fills Jacob with renewed hope that Joseph is still alive (Razi and Ibn Kathir): and this explains the directives which he gives his sons in the next sentence.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Jacob's plaint to Allah is about himself, not about Allah's doings. He bewails the distraction of his mind and his occasional breaking out of those bounds of patience which he had set for himself.

He knew of Allah's merciful and beneficent dealings with man in a way his shallow sons did not. And his perfect faith in Allah also told him that all would be well. He never gave up hope for Joseph, as his directions in the next verse show. They may be supposed to have been spoken after a little silence of grief and thought. That silence I have indicated in punctuation by three dots.

Qur'an Wiki:

This is indeed a cruel thing to say (the assertion of his sons to forget Yusuf). They are reproaching him for remembering Joseph and feeling sadness at his loss. They tell him that if he continues in such a state, his sorrow will soon deprive him of all his strength or he will die in despair. Joseph is certain not to return.

 

Their father tells them to leave him alone, because he is only pinning his hopes in his  Lord.  He  makes  no  complaint  to  anyone.  His  relationship  with  his  Lord  is different from theirs, and he knows of Him what they do not know: “It is only to God that I complain and express my grief. For I know of God what you do not know.” (Verse 86) These words describe in a most vivid way the true feelings of a firm believer concerning the truth of the Godhead. That truth itself is also brought up here in sharp relief.

Listen to short explanation of this verse from eminent Muslim scholar and exegesis Nauman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us follow the footsteps of His beloved prophets and help us instill in us that highest degree of faith and patience when we are being tested and are passing through hard times. 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 | Read detailed background in Part IV of exegesis of Surah Yusuf.

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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My Lord, I am truly in great need of any good that You might send down to me.

A true believer always turns to Allah when in distress, for none other than Allah can bless him and ease his sufferings. The invocation selected today in our series of posts on Selected Invocations  (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'ān is one such invocation which is attributed to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) when he was homeless and was dire need of a shelter and livelihood. 

When (after his departure from Egypt) Moses headed towards Midian, he said: "I hope my Lord will show me the right Path." This incident has been mentioned in Qur'an from verse 22 onwards in Surah 28 Al Qasas: When he arrived at the spring of Midian, he found there a crowd of people watering their flocks, and he found apart from them two women holding their flocks back. He asked the women: "What is it that troubles you?" They said: "We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds take their flocks away, and our father is a very old man. Moses watered their flocks and then prayed:

فَسَقٰى لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلّٰٓى اِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّىۡ لِمَاۤ اَنۡزَلۡتَ اِلَىَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ فَقِيۡرٌ‏ 

(28:24) On hearing this Moses watered their flocks for them, and then returned in a shaded place and said: "My Lord, I am truly in great need of any good that You might send down to me."

Prophet Musa did not have any food for the last several days. He came under the shade of a tree and prayed to Allah describing his condition and need. The word Khair " خَيۡرٍ " is sometimes used for wealth as in the case of إِن تَرَكَ خَيۡرًا ٱلۡوَصِيَّةُ (he leaves some wealth - 2:180). Sometimes it is used for strength like أَهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ قَوۡمُ تُبَّعٍ۬ (Are they better, or the people of Tubba - 44:37) and sometimes for food as in the verse under reference. (Qurtubi)

Allah listened to His servant and from here on a chain reaction commenced. Moses got married to one of the damsels whose flock he watered and found a home and a family. This is how Allah listened to his invocation and helped him when he was in dire need of shelter. 

Yusuf Ali Explanation:

The maidens are gone, with smiles on their lips and gratitude in their hearts. What were the reflections of Moses as he returned to the shade of the tree? He returned thanks to Allah for the bright little vision which he had just seen. Had he done a good deed? Precious was the opportunity he had had. He had slaked his thirst. But he was a homeless wanderer and had a longing in his soul, which he dared not put into words. Those shepherds were no company for him. He was truly like a beggar in desperate need. For any little good that came his way, he was grateful. But what was this?-this vision of a comfortable household, presided over by an old man rich in flocks and herds, and richer still in two daughters, as modest as they were beautiful? Perhaps he would never see them again! But Allah was preparing another surprise for him.

This small yet powerful supplication is enough to invoke the blessings of Allah provided one has true faith in Allah and his destiny. So whenever one is in distress, one must recite this small yet very powerful dua for Allah may listen to him and redress his grievance.

Please listen to eminent Muslim scholar, teacher, Imam and linguist Nouman Ali Khan explaining this verse:

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.

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 / verses (ayat) of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], 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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Our Lord! Ward off from us the chastisement of Hell - Verily it is a wretched abode

The believers are always mindful of their errors and sins that have been committed knowing or unknowingly and are forever repenting and asking for forgiveness so that the chastisement of hell could be warded off from them. The fear of torment of hellfire constantly keeps them at ease and they are all the time praying and supplicating for aversion of this dreadful place. The following two verses from Surah 25. Al Furqan show the way to the believers as how to invoke Allah's countless blessings so that they may be forgiven:

وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَا اصۡرِفۡ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَـنَّمَ ​ۖ  اِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ​ۖ ‏ 

اِنَّهَا سَآءَتۡ مُسۡتَقَرًّا وَّمُقَامًا‏ 

(25:65) who entreat: "Our Lord! Ward off from us the chastisement of Hell, for its chastisement is one that clings. (25:66) Verily it is a wretched abode and resting place.

These two verses are in fact continuation of previous two verses which describe the traits of a true believer [(25:63) The true servants of the Merciful One are those who walk on the earth gently and when the foolish ones address them, they simply say: "Peace to you";] and [(25:64) who spend the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing;]

And when they [ray to their Lord, they entreat "Our Lord! Ward off from us the chastisement of Hell, for its chastisement is one that clings. (25:66) Verily it is a wretched abode and resting place.

Yusuf Ali interprets this invocation and notes:

This is a prayer of humility: such a person relies, not on any good works which he may have done, but on the Grace and Mercy of Allah; and he shows a lively sense of the Day of Judgment, when every action will weigh for or against a soul. The misery which results from sin is not only grievous to live in ("an abode") but also grievous "to rest in" or "to stand in", if it be only for a short time.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 

(And those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable punishment.'') meaning, ever-present and never ending. 

Al-Hasan said concerning the Ayah, (Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.) Everything that strikes the son of Adam, then disappears, does not constitute an inseparable, permanent punishment. The inseparable, permanent punishment is that which lasts as long as heaven and earth. 

This was also the view of Sulayman At-Taymi. (Evil indeed it is as an abode and as a place to rest in.) means, how evil it looks as a place to dwell and how evil it is as a place to rest.

[4] True believers always remember the hereafter and the day of reckoning. They believe that all human deeds will be accounted for on that day, the good will be rewarded multiple times, and the evil will be rewarded accordingly. When they munajat with God at night, it is reflected in their minds how terrible the atmosphere at that time is as if they really saw how ferocious the fire of hell is, which always awaits the disobedient servants of Allah to become its prey and food. At that time their tears fell and they earnestly begged God to be freed from the torments of that painful hellfire.

People who have such strong belief in the hereafter will certainly use the opportunity of living in this world to do as much good as possible and will not do evil deeds because they are sure that their actions will be rewarded with painful torment. No matter how good a regulation is made by humans and how strict supervision is in its implementation, humans who are not aware of Allah's supervision can escape from the bonds of those rules and laws. However, a man who believes, if there are no rules and laws, will not commit a single crime, because he is aware that even though he can be free from punishment in this world, he will not be able to escape the punishment in the hereafter.

This verse explains how a believer is truly afraid of falling into the torments of hell because the torment is so painful and terrible. Hell is the worst place reserved for the servant of Allah who denies and is disobedient. The unbelievers are in it forever, suffering all kinds of torments. Even though their skin has been scorched and the heat of hellfire has penetrated into the flesh and bones, they still live to feel the torment as it is in His words:

Truly, those who disbelieve in Our verses, will be Us. enter into hell. Every time their skin was scorched, We replaced it with another skin, so that they would taste the punishment. Truly, Allah is all-powerful, all-wise. (Surah 4 An-Nisa ': 56). 

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 |

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 / verses (ayat) of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], 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

O Creator of heavens and earth! Cause me to die in submission to You

Today, in our series of posts on Selected Invocations from Qur'an, we are sharing a beautiful supplication attributed to Prophet Yusuf (Joseph, peace be upon him) in the 101st verse of Surah 12. Yusuf. In this supplication he prays to God acknowledging his blessings and asking to live and die as a Muslim and be joined with the righteous. One is amazed at the humbleness of prophets when they supplicate to their Lord and how beautifully they choose words that are most appropriate and befitting to the soul Creator of the universe, and the heavens and the earth: 

رَبِّ قَدۡ اٰتَيۡتَنِىۡ مِنَ الۡمُلۡكِ وَ عَلَّمۡتَنِىۡ مِنۡ تَاۡوِيۡلِ الۡاَحَادِيۡثِ​ ۚ فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ اَنۡتَ وَلِىّٖ فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِ​ ۚ تَوَفَّنِىۡ مُسۡلِمًا وَّاَلۡحِقۡنِىۡ بِالصّٰلِحِيۡنَ‏ 

(12:101) My Lord! You have bestowed dominion upon me and have taught me to comprehend the depths of things. O Creator of heavens and earth! You are my Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die in submission to You, and join me, in the end, with the righteous."

The few sentences that were uttered by Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) at the happiest occasion of his life help depict the most graceful pattern of the virtues of a true believer. There is the man from the desert, whom his own brothers had, out of jealousy, attempted to kill, now sitting on the throne after passing through many vicissitudes of life. All the members of his family have been forced by famine to come before him for help. The same jealous brothers, who had made an attempt on his life, are now standing before him with downcast heads. Had there been a “successful man of the world” in his place, he would have used this opportunity for boasting of his greatness and bragging of his successes, and giving vent to his grievances and hurling malicious taunts at his defeated enemies. In utter contrast to this, the true man of God behaves in a quite different way. Instead of boasting and bragging of his own greatness, he is grateful to his God Who had shown grace to him by raising him to such a high position of power, and for arranging his meeting with his people after such a long period of separation. Instead of giving vent to his grievances against his brothers, making taunts at them for their ill treatment, he does not make even a mention of such things but puts up a defense for them, saying that it was all due to Satan, who had stirred up strife between them: nay, he even puts it forward as a blessing in disguise, being one of the mysterious ways of Allah by which He had fulfilled His design of raising him to the throne. After saying these things in a few concise sentences, he at once turns to his Lord in gratitude for bestowing on him kingdom and wisdom, instead of letting him rot in the prison, and prays to Him to keep him as His faithful and obedient servant as long as he was alive, and to join him with the righteous people after his death. What a pure and high pattern of character.

It is strange that this speech of Prophet Joseph has neither found a place in the Bible nor in the Talmud, though these books are full of irrelevant and unimportant details of this story and others. It is an irony that these Books are void of those things that teach moral values and throw light on the real characters and the mission of the Prophets. Now that this story has come to an end, the readers are again reminded that this story of Prophet Joseph as given in the Quran is not a copy of the story given in the Bible and the Talmud for there are striking differences between them. A comparative study of these Books will show that the story in the Quran differs from that given in the other two Books in several very important parts. The Quran contains additional facts in some cases and omits certain facts in other cases or even refutes some parts as contained in the Bible and the Talmud. Therefore there is absolutely no room for anyone to allege that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) related this story merely in the form he heard it from the Israelites.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir:

This is the invocation of Yusuf, the truthful one, to his Lord the Exalted and Most Honored. He invoked Allah after His favor was complete on him by being reunited with his parents and brothers, after He had bestowed on him prophethood and kingship. He begged his Lord the Exalted and Ever High, that as He has perfected His bounty on him in this life, to continue it until the Hereafter. He begged Him that, when he dies, he dies as a Muslim, as Ad-Dahhak said, and to join him with the ranks of the righteous, with his brethren the Prophets and Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on them all. It is possible that Yusuf, peace be upon him, said this supplication while dying. 

In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that while dying, the Messenger of Allah was raising his finger and said - thrice, (O Allah to Ar-Rafiq Al-A`la - the uppermost, highest company in heaven.) It is also possible that long before he died, Yusuf begged Allah to die as a Muslim and be joined with the ranks of the righteous.

Yusuf Ali Explanation:

Then he, Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) turns to Allah in prayer, and again his modesty is predominant. He held supreme power under the king, but he calls it "some power" or authority. His reading of events and dreams had saved millions of lives in the great Egyptian famine; yet he refers to it as "something of the interpretation of dreams and events". And he takes no credit to himself, "All this," he says, "was Thy gift, O Allah! For such things can only come from the Creator of the heavens and earth."

Power in the doing of things as well as power in intelligent forecasts and plans,-both must look to Allah: otherwise the deed and the plan would be futile.

Joseph's prayer may be analyzed thus: (1) I am nothing; all power and knowledge are Thine; (2) such things can only come from Thee, for Thou art the Creator of all; (3) none can protect me from danger and wrong, but only Thou; (4) Thy protection I need both in this world and the next; (5) may I till death remain constant to Thee-, (6) may I yield up my soul to Thee in cheerful submission to Thy will; (7) in this moment of union with my family after many partings let me think of the final union with the great family of the righteous. How marvelously apt to the occasion!

The story of Joseph is a lesson for all of humankind.   True patience and the ability to forgive are lofty characteristics worthy of inculcating. Please do read Surah 12. Yusuf for the complete account of life of Prophet Yusuf (peace e upon him) and draw relevant lesson for your own life and see how total faith on Allah pays dividends even when all all odds are against you.

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 |

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 / verses (ayat) of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], 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

Our Lord! You have not created this (universe) in vain. Glory to You!

The Hubble Telescope up somewhere is everyday discovering new galaxies and new frontiers. But has yet not found the end of the universe. The photos sent back are awe inspiring and strangely strange, that make us to ponder has all this been created in vain? Has Allah created this entire universe which stretches' across billions of light years apart?  Do people live out there? Does life similar to our exists over there somewhere?

And the expression in the 191st verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran of Qur'ān is exactly the same for Allah knows what man thinks when he sees the galaxies and stars above:

الَّذِيۡنَ يَذۡكُرُوۡنَ اللّٰهَ قِيَامًا وَّقُعُوۡدًا وَّعَلٰى جُنُوۡبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَكَّرُوۡنَ فِىۡ خَلۡقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ۚ 

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هٰذَا بَاطِلًا ۚ سُبۡحٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‏ 

Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting or (reclining) on their backs, and reflect in the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from the chastisement of the Fire.

This means that with the help of those signs one can easily arrive at the Truth, provided one is not indifferent to God and looks at the phenomenon of the universe thoughtfully.

When people look carefully at the order of the universe, it becomes clear to them that it is an order permeated by wisdom and intelligent purpose. It is altogether inconsistent with wisdom that the man endowed with moral consciousness and freedom of choice, the man gifted with reason and discretion, should not be held answerable for his deeds. This kind of reflection leads people to develop a strong conviction that the After-life is a reality. Thanks to this conviction, they begin to seek God's refuge from His punishment.

Science has yet not found answers to the mysteries of the universe. We have just been reaching out to a few planets of our solar system. But how many billions and trillions of solar system exists in the universe. May be one day when rocket science has progressed to an extent that we are able to go beyond our solar system to shake hands with fellows similar to us living a life far better than us. Who knows !!

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

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], 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

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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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Believers, when an ungodly person brings a piece of news, carefully ascertain its truth

Most of the misunderstanding between people, societies and even nations occur due to false, concocted or unauthenticated news. This has always been since man came into existence and is so true today when lot of fake and unauthenticated news are fed on the internet to create unrest, enmity and misunderstanding between people and nations. In fact the main purpose of the much talked about fifth generation warfare is spread of false and intriguing news so as to brainwash people of target country and its armed forces to lower their morale and induce uncertainty and dejection so that they wear out mentally before the wars takes place.

A similar situation once arose in the times of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when a false news almost led to dispatch of an armed contingent. The following 6th verse of Surah Al Hujarat:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنۡ جَآءَكُمۡ فَاسِقٌ ۢ بِنَبَاٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوۡۤا اَنۡ تُصِيۡبُوۡا قَوۡمًا ۢ بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصۡبِحُوۡا عَلٰى مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نٰدِمِيۡنَ‏  

(49:6) Believers, when an ungodly person brings to you a piece of news, carefully ascertain its truth, lest you should hurt a people unwittingly and thereafter repent at what you did.

Most of the commentators have expressed the view that this verse was sent down concerning Walid bin Uqbah bin Abi Muait. Its background is this: When the tribe of the Bani al-Mustaliq embraced Islam, the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Walid bin Uqbah to collect the Zakat from them. When he arrived in their territory, he became fearful due to some reason and without visiting the people of the tribe returned to Al-Madinah and complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that they had refused to pay the Zakat and had even wanted to kill him. On hearing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) became very angry and he made up his mind to dispatch a contingent to punish those people. According to some traditions he had dispatched the contingent, and according to others, he was about to dispatch it. In any case, all agree that in the meantime the chief of the Bani al-Mustaliq, Harith bin Dirar, father of Juwairiyah, wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), arrived at the head of a deputation, and submitted: By God, we did not at all see Walid; therefore, there could be no question of refusing to pay the Zakat and wanting to kill him. We are steadfast to the faith and have no intention to withhold the Zakat. At this, this verse was sent down. With a little variation in wording this incident has been related by Imam Ahmad, Abi Hatim, Tabarani, and Ibn Jarir, on the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, Harith bin Dirar, Mujahid, Qatadah, Abdur Rehman bin Abi Laila, Yazid bin Ruman, Dahhak and Muqatil bin Hayyan. In the tradition reported by Umm Salamah this whole story has been related likewise but there is no reference to the name of Walid.

On this critical occasion when on account of believing in a baseless report a grave blunder was about to be committed, Allah gave the Muslims this guiding principle to be followed on receipt of news: Whenever you receive important news bearing upon a vital matter, you should not accept it immediately but should first examine the man who has brought it. If he is an evil man whose report is not authentic normally, you should inquire into it carefully to ascertain the truth instead of accepting it and acting on it immediately. From this divine command an important legal principle is deduced, the sphere of application of which is very vast. According to it, it is not permissible for a Muslim government to take any action against a person or a group or a nation on the basis of the reports provided by the secret agents whose character might be doubtful. On the basis of this very principle the traditionalists introduced the art of critical appraisal in the science of Hadith in order to determine the value and worth of the people through whom traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reached the later generations. And the jurists established this principle in the law of evidence that in a matter from which a Shariah value can be deduced, or a duty imposed on a person; the evidence of an evil man would be unacceptable. However, all scholars agree that as far as the common worldly matters are concerned it is not necessary to ascertain the truth of every news and the reliability of every informer. For the word used in the verse is naba, which does not apply to every news but only to the news of consequence. That is why the jurists say that this principle does not apply in the case of ordinary matters. For example, if a person goes to visit somebody and seeks permission to enter the house, and a person comes out and conveys the permission, he can enter the house accordingly no matter whether the one conveying the permission from the master of the house was good or bad. Likewise, the scholars also agree that the evidence, as well as the report, of the people whose evil does not relate to lying and immorality, but they are regarded as unrighteous only on account of false beliefs, will also be acceptable. Only the falsehood of heir creed cannot be a hindrance to accepting their evidence or reports.

Ibn Kathir explains that Allah the Exalted ordered investigating the news that sinners and the wicked bring, to make sure of its authenticity. Otherwise, if the sinner's word is taken for granted and a decision is based on it, regardless of whether the information is true or not, the authorities will be taking the lead of the sinners. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored forbade taking the path of the corrupted and sinners. This is why groups of the scholars of Hadith refuse to accept narrations from narrators whose reliability is unknown, for they might be from among the wicked people, in reality.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:
I.e., verify the truth before giving credence to any such report or rumour. The tale-bearer is characterized as "iniquitous" because the very act of spreading unsubstantiated rumours affecting the reputation of other persons constitutes a spiritual offence. Thus, after laying stress in the preceding verses on the reverence due to God's message bearer - and, by implication, to every righteous leader of the community - the discourse turns to the moral imperative of safeguarding the honour and reputation of every member of the community, man and woman alike. This principle is taken up, more explicitly, in verse 12 of the same surah.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: All tittle-tattle or reports-especially if emanating from persons you do not know-are to be tested, and the truth ascertained. If they were believed and passed on, much harm may be done, of which you may have cause afterwards to repent heartily. Scandal or slander of all kinds is here condemned.

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

Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

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.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], 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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Selected Verses from Quran: What is True Righteousness

Righteousness is the quality of being morally right or justifiable. It is defined by Wikipedia as simply 'being righteous' in the sense of 'being in right relation to others', not 'to right or just' in a judicial sense. It is often used to designate one's state or "the quality or state of being morally correct and justifiable."  It can be considered synonymous with "rightness" or being "upright".

One of the major attribute of a true Muslim is Righteousness. However, this attribute more often than not is totally misunderstood as we call every person a righteous who is seen offering prayers regularly and is being truthful and following the tenets of Islam. But this one word has far deeper meaning as defined by none other than Allah Himself in the 177th verse of Surah 2 Al Baqarah as under:

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ 

"Righteousness does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or towards the west; true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away one’s property in love of Him to one’s kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishing Prayer and dispensing the Zakah. True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and at the time of battle (between Truth and falsehood). Such are the truthful ones; such are the God-fearing."

In simple words, the meaning of this verse is as under:
"Turning one's face towards the east or the west is mentioned here only by way of illustration. The actual purpose of the verse is to emphasize that the observance of certain outward religious rites, the performance of certain formal religious acts out of conformism, and the manifestation of certain familiar forms of piety do not constitute that essential righteousness which alone carries weight with God and earns His recognition and approval."

Prominent Muslim scholar and exegesist Yusuf Ali explains this verse as under:
As if to emphasize again a warning against deadening formalism, we are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-fearing man. He should obey salutary regulation, but he should fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow-men. We are given four heads: (1) our faith should be true and sincere; (2) we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellowmen; (3) we must be good citizens, supporting social organisation; and (4) our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances. They are interconnected, and yet can be viewed separately.

Faith is not merely a matter of words. We must realize the presence and goodness of God. When we do so, the scales fall from our eyes: all the falsities and fleeting nature of the Present cease to enslave us, for we see the Last Day as if it were today. We also see God's working in His world and in us; His Powers (angels), His Messengers and His Message are no longer remote from us, but come within our experience.

Practical deeds of charity are of value when they proceed from love, and from no other motive. In this respect, also, our duties take various forms, which are shown in reasonable gradation: our kith and kin; orphans (including any persons who are without support or help); people who are in real need but who never ask (it is our duty to find them out, and they come before those who ask); the stranger, who is entitled to laws of hospitality; the people who ask and are entitled to ask, i.e., not merely lazy beggars, but those who seek our assistance in some form or another (it is our duty to respond to them); and the slaves (we must do all we can to give or buy their freedom). Slavery has many insidious forms, and all are included.

Charity and piety in individual cases do not complete our duties. In prayer and charity, we must also look to our organised efforts: where there is a Muslim State, these are made through the State, in facilities for public prayer, and public assistance, and for the maintenance of contracts and fair dealing in all matters.

Then come the Muslim virtues of firmness and patience. They are to "preserve the dignity of man, with soul erect" (Burns). Three sets of circumstances are specially mentioned for the exercise of this virtue: (1) bodily pain or suffering, (2) adversities or injuries of all kinds, deserved and undeserved and (3) periods of public panic, such as war, violence, pestilence, etc.

Professor Javed Ahmed Ghamidi takes a larger meaning and explains the verse as under:
The actual word is: الۡبِرّ. According to Imam Farahi the real meaning of this word is “to fulfill the rights of someone.” These include rights which are imposed on a person by his very existence like the rights of God, parents and his brethren and those also which arise because of agreements, promises and alliances. Because of these extensive meanings covered by the word, all those virtues are included in it which come under justice and kindness. There is no word in the English language that fully represents this meaning. The word “loyalty” to some extent expresses the real spirit of this word and I have thus translated it.

This is a slant on the Jews and Christians who had completely ignored the real teachings of the Torah and the Gospel but were ready to fight on the direction of the qiblah: whether it was located in the East or in the West. It seemed as if all religion was based on this issue. In the words of the Prophet Jesus (sws): “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel,” (Matthew 23:24).

As per linguistic principles of Arabic, the governing noun (mudaf) has been suppressed here. The implied construction is: مَنْ آمَنَ [بِرُّ] وَلٰـكِنَّ الْبِرَّ.

Thus true Righteous Muslims fully submit themselves to God without the slightest possibility of imputing partners to Him.

And that they should accept that after death they shall certainly be raised to life, that nothing except faith and righteous deeds shall be of any avail to them, that they shall be answerable to God for what they say and what they do and that without the permission of the Almighty no one shall dare speak even a single word in their favour.

They should acknowledge that angels are unerring beings having an immaculate nature and character, that they deliver God’s guidance to man, that in delivering it they are fully trustworthy and honest and that the Almighty implements His decisions through them. A little deliberation would show that this belief in the angels is extremely necessary. The reason for this is that if mankind received God’s guidance through His prophets and messengers, then this guidance is generally delivered to the prophets and messengers through these angels. These are the sole creation of the Almighty who are able to keep equal contact with Him and with His creation. Because of being created of light they can come in contact with the Almighty and because of being His creation they can get in touch with human beings. Consequently, just as Noah (sws), Abraham (sws), Moses (sws), John (sws) and Jesus (sws) are messengers of God for us, the angels are messengers of God for these messengers. The Almighty has revealed His books and scriptures to the prophets and messengers through these angels. It is these angels who were used to implement the divine law of reward and punishment on this earth.

The implication is that what the prophets present before the people as the Book of God is in fact the Book of guidance revealed to them. The Almighty has revealed it such that it distinguishes the right from the wrong and has been revealed so that people are able to adhere to justice in matters of religion.

This belief entails acceptance of the prophets as divinely appointed people who must be followed and obeyed. Their knowledge is without error; their deeds are an examplar for their followers and it is essential for everyone to show obedience to them, follow the example set by them and love them.

The actual words are: وَاٰتَی الۡمَالَ عَلٰی حُبِّہٖ. Although these words can also mean “he spent his wealth out of God’s love,” we have given preference to those given in the translation. The reason for this preference is other parallel verses of the Qur’an. In verse 92 of Surah Al-i ‘Imran, and verse 9 of Surah al-Hashr, it has been explicitly stated that the highest position a person can attain in being loyal to the Almighty is when he spends the wealth he cherishes most. Here also, it is being told what type of spending in the way of God earns a person this status. Hence, this becomes a basis for preferring the meaning that we have adopted.

The foremost head which is stated for spending in the way of God is a person’s kinsfolk. It is thus evident that if one’s relatives and kinsfolk are in need, then they are the most deserving of his help.

A mention of the orphans right after the kinsfolk shows that after one’s relatives one should spend on those who have been deprived of their fathers and whose responsibility now rests with the society – a responsibility imposed both by convention and by religion.

This refers to people who come over to someone for their needs. Their independent mention after a mention of the needy shows that it is not required for those who come to someone for their needs that it be ascertained whether they are deserving or not. What a person should do if he can is to help them; otherwise, he should politely refuse them.

This refers to the necks of the slaves and this is one of those directives which the Qur’an gave to gradually eliminate slavery. In these times, if a person helps out someone who is under debt or is liable for some penalty or is inflicted with some similar hardship, then In Sha Allah this would be counted equivalent to liberating a slave.

After a mention of faith and spending in the way of God (infaq), the prayer and the zakah are mentioned as their legal and practical manifestations respectively. In other words, the real essence of faith manifests itself in the prayer and that of infaq in zakah. The prayer and zakah are the minimum requirements of faith and infaq respectively. It is evident from the Qur’an that their real right is fulfilled by remembering God at all times and by spending generously in His way.

This stipulation expresses the determination and resolve of these loyal individuals. What is implied is that once they make a commitment then come what may, they fulfill it even if this requires facing great loss or endangering their life.

The actual words are: وَ الۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ بِعَہۡدِہِمۡ (those who fulfill their promise). A little deliberation would show that the style of the discourse has suddenly changed. Previously, faith, infaq, the prayer and the zakah were mentioned in the form of verbs. الۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ بِعَہۡدِہِمۡ are copulated to these four too but they are in the form of nomenagentis (الاسم الفاعل). Further down, another change has occurred in الصّٰبِرِیۡنَ فِی الۡبَاۡسَآءِ (the steadfast in trial). In spite of being connected to الۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ it is الصّٰبِرِیۡنَ instead of الصّٰبِرُوْنَ, which is in the accusative. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, while explaining this change writes:

Students of Arabic know that verbs merely express an action but adjectives express permanent qualities and attributes; in fact, hidden in them is a spirit of vigour and resolve. Similarly, scholars of the language know that if, without any apparent reason, adjectives are expressed in the accusative then this means that the speaker wants to stress them. In technical parlance this accusative is called: علي سبيل المدح or علي سبيل الاختصاص. For example the occurrence of الصّٰبِرِیۡنَ just after الۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ, the implied meaning would be: انا اخص بالذكر الصَّابِرِيْنَ (I want to specially mention the steadfast). (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 1, 427)
It is evident from this that the real thing in religion is character and conduct. This is the real spirit of religion. It also constitutes the real sphere of test. It is this character which makes a person loyal and God-conscious in his individual life and it is this character which makes him a righteous and loyal person in his collective life. Hence it was necessary to mention it in an emphatic manner. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, while explaining another aspect of this writes:

Another question can arise. Only two questions pertaining to character are mentioned here: honouring commitments and promises and being steadfast. Why were not other qualities included in this list? The answer to this question is that these qualities are like a binding force for all other qualities. Included in honouring commitments are all rights and obligations whether big or small whether related to God or to fellow human beings and whether they result from a written contract or because of some relationship, affiliation and association and whether they are declared or are in good societies understood and implied. We are in some form of commitment with God, our Prophet (sws), our parents, our family, our relatives, our clan, our neighbours, our teachers and students. It is an essential requirement of loyalty to God and God-consciousness that we fulfill the rights entailed by these commitments. In short, the real essence of honouring commitments is fulfilling rights and fulfilling rights encompasses all our obligations whether big or small.

The quality of being steadfast appended to honouring commitments stipulates that a true believer should fight every impediment that comes in the way of fulfilling rights with steadfastness and resolve. In no way should he be overcome by greediness, lack of resolve and fear. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, 1, 428)

It is in these three circumstances in which the determination and resolve of a person are tested. If a person remains steadfast in them, he would attain a high position in loyalty to God and in God-consciousness. This is precisely what the Qur’an has said in the succeeding verses and in this manner has made it clear that those who want to fulfill the rights entailed by loyalty to God by merely offering some rituals and customs are neither God-conscious nor truthful in their commitment to His loyalty.


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

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the Sūrahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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: 

• Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi  Usmani
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given in each page. 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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More