Man laments: It’s too difficult - Allah reassures: With every difficulty there is ease

Many a man when confronted with difficulties, lose heart and give away. It is only a few from the whole lot which never lose heart and continue to strive to achieve their goals and aims. This is true today and has been true in the past since worldly life set in. 

More than others, the arduous mission of the prophets and messengers of Allah has been more than the capacity of the common man and it has been their resilience to continue bearing the physical and mental stress, torture and slanders and continuing with the Divine task entrusted to them. But there has always been a limit to bear. Prophet Yunus (Jonah, peace be upon him) gave away and found him in the belly of a whale where he repented. And when finally forgiven and brought alive on the seashore, he was amazed to find the same hostile people had accepted the Divine will. Likewise, Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) when came down with tablets Divinely engraved found division in his people and was frustrated. But he too was shown the way to deal with the developing situation.

Likewise, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was in no different situation as his predecessors. And when the hostilities towards him by pagans of Makkah increased beyond his bearing limits, he too lamented for the difficulties he was being confronted with. It was then that the 94th chapter of Qur'an, Al Inshirah (The Opening Up) was revealed unto him and reassured him of Allah's help and that with every difficulty there is ease.

Herein under we pick up the 5th and 6th verses in which Allah reassures His prophet of there being ease after the difficulties he was facing:

فَاِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا ۙ - اِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا ؕ‏ 

(94:5) Indeed, there is ease with hardship - (94:6) Most certainly, there is ease with hardship

This has been repeated twice so as to reassure the Holy Prophet that the bad times hp was passing through at that time would not last forever, but were going to be replaced by good times in the near future. On the surface this appears to be a contradiction that hardship should be accompanied by ease, for these two things do not co-exist. But the words "hardship with ease" instead of "ease after hardship" have been used in the sense that the period of ease is so close to it as if it were a concomitant of it.

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

Hardship is never absolute, for ease always accompanies it. When your burden became too heavy, We lifted up your heart and relieved you. The repetition suggests that the Prophet had endured serious hardship and much affliction. This reminder recalls the various aspects of care and concern shown to the Prophet and then reassures him emphatically. A matter which afflicts Muhammad’s soul so much must be very serious indeed. Then follows a statement pointing out the aspects of comfort and the factors contributing to the lifting up of hearts and spirits, which is of great help to Muslims as they travel along their hard and long way.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

This verse is repeated for extra emphasis. Whatever difficulties or troubles are encountered by men, Allah always provides a solution, a way out, a relief, a way to lead to ease and happiness, if we only follow His Path and show our Faith by patience and well-doing. The solution or relief does not merely come after the Difficulty: it is provided with it. I understand the definite article in al-'usr in a generic sense, and translate: "every difficulty". In xcii. 7, I have translated Yusr as Bliss, and in xcii. 10 'Usr as Misery.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

(Therefore, [rest assured,] with this difficulty) Ie., so close is this ease to the difficult time he is facing that it is almost adjacent.

([you are now facing], a great ease awaits.)  The ease referred to in the verse is that which was afforded to the Prophet (sws) in Madīnah after migration. As a result, not only did his preaching endeavours lead to political authority, but also with this authority the whole of Arab became subservient to him.

(With this difficulty, a great ease awaits) The repetition emphasizes the glad tidings. The period in which this sūrah was revealed was apparently a very testing one. The Almighty presented various incidents of the Prophet’s life to assure him. He was told that the God Who endowed him with all these blessings was there to help him; very soon, these difficult times would give way to ease; the hindrances in his way would be removed and he and his companions would finally reach the destination the Almighty had appointed as an established practice for His messengers. The words are rather precise here. But in Sūrah al-Naṣr, details are cited. It is stated that God’s help and victory would come and the Prophet (sws) would see people entering the folds of Islam in multitudes.

So, my dear sisters and brothers in Islam, we must remember and should have firm faith that hardship is never absolute, for ease always accompanies it. Difficulties do go away and pave the way for ease provided one has faith in Allah and does not lose heart in the face of times, no matter how adverse and challenging. Floods wash away lands and houses, yet men rebuild what has been lost and continue living another life. In fact, losing heart and being scared of difficult times is something that Satan injects into us to break our will to carry one. So let us not have someone break our will and turn us into a failure. There is always light at the end of the tunnel that suddenly scares away the darkness we have been travelling in.

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help.

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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.

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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Man laments: Satan's plot is too strong - Allah reassures: Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan

The lives of true believers are a strongly contested tug of war between them and the machinations of the Satan and the Evil. Although, the Divine Commandments about Satan and its strategy are very clear that warn believers to be on the alert to ward of its evil designs, yet a common believer is generally too weak to fight back the Satan and its tactics. The power of lewdness, greed, dishonesty and arrogance is more often than not too lucrative and leads them into a trap, much cautioned against.

Even one is facing an enemy, Evil tries to attack the heart and mind of the believers that they would be harmed or even killed and their families will be routed by the adversary, so leave fighting in the way of Allah and be safe. The same is true when evil is pitched against goodness wherein a battle of hearts and minds sets into motion to think and weigh to decide between good and bad.

In such eventualities, when a beleiver's mind is polluted and becomes scared of Satanic machination being overwhelming, Allah reassures him that no matter what Satan does, he is an ultimate looser for he is too feeble to face and context the Divine Power. 

We share the 76th verse of Surah 4. An Nisa with the same theme. Although, here the mention of fighting between the way of Allah and Satan is mentioned, the same can be read in context of a fight between good and evil. Here, disbelievers could be non-Muslims and also beleivers with weak heart who get scared of Satan's tactics and start to have cold feet to see a large enemy facing them or strength of lewdness for luring them into committing sins and going against the Divine path. For such beleivers, it is being Divinely reassured to stay firm for indeed cunning of Satan is weak and will be defeated in the end. 

اَلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا يُقَاتِلُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ​​ ۚ وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا يُقَاتِلُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ الطَّاغُوۡتِ فَقَاتِلُوۡۤا اَوۡلِيَآءَ الشَّيۡطٰنِ​ۚ اِنَّ كَيۡدَ الشَّيۡطٰنِ كَانَ ضَعِيۡفًا

(4:76) Those who have faith fight in the way of Allah, while those who disbelieve fight in the way of taghut (Satan). Fight, then, against the fellows of Satan. Surely Satan's strategy is weak.

In the sight of Allah, there are two distinct parties of fighters. One party is that of the Believers who fight for the cause of Allah in order to establish his way on His earth, and every sincere Believer is bound to perform this duty. The other party is that of unbelievers who fight in the way of Taghut so as to establish the rule of the rebels against Allah on His earth and no Believer would side with them in this evil work. 

106The Believers have been assured that they should not be cowed and terrified by the apparent grand preparations and evil designs of Satan and his companions: because ultimately, they are bound to fail.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Then follows another psychological touch to inspire enthusiasm and vigour, and to define the values and objectives for which each side is fighting. “Those who believe fight in the cause of God, and those who reject the faith fight in the cause of evil. Fight, then, against the friends of Satan. Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.” (Verse 76)

 

In one stroke, people are set apart, lines are drawn and objectives are clearly identified, as mankind are divided into two distinct and separate camps. “Those who believe fight in the cause of God...” and “... those who reject the faith fight in the cause of evil.” (Verse 76)

 

Believers fight in order to uphold God’s order and establish His laws and justice “among people” in the name of God Almighty, rather than under any other banner. They acknowledge and attest that God alone is the Lord and, therefore, He is the Ruler.

 

Unbelievers, however, fight in the cause of evil, advocating various ideologies and legal systems, other than that of God Almighty. They uphold various values and standards that are different from those laid down by God. In this contest, the believers stand supported and protected by God. The unbelievers, with their various beliefs, ideologies, values, and methods, rely on Satan’s protection and support. Collectively, they are his followers and supporters.

 

God instructs the believers to confront Satan’s supporters and not be afraid of their power or cunning: “Fight, then, against the friends of Satan. Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.” (Verse 76)

Let us then, beleivers, be firm against Satan and should never be scared or overawed by its power for Allah's strategy is much superior and forceful against will Satan will have to lose and perish. Remember, the believers fight in obedience to Allah and to gain His pleasure, while the disbelievers fight in obedience to Shaytan. Or we can also say that a strong believer faces the strategy of Satan rationally using what his mind directs, while a believer with weak faith listens to his heart and becomes emotionally engrossed to lose.

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help.

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

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.

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

Man laments: I'm overburdened - Allah replies: Allah will not burden a soul more than it can bear

Today we share one of the best verses from Qur'an, which in fact is the last verse of Surah 2. AL Baqarah (The Cow) which ends with a very favourable promise for the man and a well-meaning supplication which is taught to man. This verse in fact is the crux of the very lengthy of the Qur'an comprising 286 verses, spanned over two and half chapters of the Qur'an.

This verse is in the form of a supplication, which begins with a premise of Divine promise that "Allah does not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity." So whatever good deeds man does is for his own benefit and anything otherwise if for his own harm for which he alone will be answerable. And then Allah teaches His servants a beautiful supplication so that they seek Allah's pardon for the wrongs they have done and to seek Allah's help not to burden them more than their capacity.

We first hear of the Divine promise "No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear." in 233rd verse of Surah Al Baqarah. There the burden was in terms of material wealth: here it is in terms of spiritual duty. Assured by God that He will accept from each soul just such duty as it has the ability to offer, we pray further on for the fulfilment of that promise.

In between the prayer, this parenthetical sentence is to assure and give glad tidings to the Muslims that the new responsibility which is being imposed on the ummah is not beyond its capacity and every person will be held accountable for it as regards the extent of his faith and deeds. Neither will a person be held accountable for something which was beyond his control nor will the faith and deeds of a person be of any benefit or harm for others. Whatever a person will sow, it will reap. Whatever bad deed he does, he alone will pay for it.

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفۡسًا اِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا ​ؕ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا اكۡتَسَبَتۡ​ؕ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَاۤ اِنۡ نَّسِيۡنَاۤ اَوۡ اَخۡطَاۡنَا ​ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِصۡرًا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهٗ عَلَى الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِنَا ​​ۚرَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهٖ​ ۚ وَاعۡفُ عَنَّا وَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَارۡحَمۡنَا اَنۡتَ مَوۡلٰٮنَا فَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ  

(2:286) Allah does not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity. In his favour shall be whatever good each one does, and against him whatever evil he does. (Believers! Pray thus to your Lord): “Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or commit mistakes.

Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us. Our Lord! Lay not on us burdens which we do not have the power to bear. And overlook our faults, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our Guardian; so, grant us victory against the unbelieving folk.”

(Allah does not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity.) That is, "Allah will not call to account anyone for not doing something which he could not possibly do: nor will He punish him because he did not abstain from a thing, when he could not possibly abstain from it." It must, however, be clearly understood that an individual himself is not his own judge to decide what he can do and what he cannot do. It is Allah, Who will decide what a certain person could do and what he could not do. 

(In his favour shall be whatever good each one does, and against him whatever evil he does) This is the other general principle of the law. Both the rewards and the punishments are really the results and consequences of the acts and deeds of every individual. One will get a reward only for the good deed one has himself done and not for the good acts of someone else. It must, however, be noted that if 'someone has done some good act which goes on producing good results long after his death, all those acts will also be put to his credit in his balance sheet as long as they last. In the same way, if someone has done some evil, which goes on producing evil results long after one's death, all those also will be put against one's account as long as they fast. But all these results, both good and bad, will be the consequences of one's own deeds. In short, a person shall be rewarded or punished only. for that thing to which he himself contributed intentionally and actually. There is no transfer of accounts in the Divine Law of Retribution. 

(Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us) That is, "O Lord, save and protect us from such trials, persecutions and obstacles as were encountered by those who went Your way before us." Although it is the law of Allah that those, who make up their minds to follow the way of Truth, must undergo hard trials and suffer from cruel persecutions, a Believer should pray to Allah to make the way easy for him and should face them with courage when he actually meets with them. 

(And overlook our faults, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our Guardian; so, grant us victory against the unbelieving folk) In order to understand the true spirit of this prayer, it should be kept in view that these verses were revealed on the occasion of the Mi'raj (Ascension to Heaven) of the Holy Prophet about a year before his migration to Madinah. At that time the struggle between Islam and kufr had reached its climax and the persecution of the Believers was at its worst. And this was not confined to Makkah alone: there was no place in the whole of Arabia where a Muslim was allowed to live in peace. It was to cope with these circumstances that the Muslims were taught to utter this prayer to Allah. It is self-evident that when the Master Himself teaches the servat the way of begging from Him, the servant gets the conviction that his request will be granted. That is why this prayer tilled the Muslims with extraordinary courage and brought peace of mind to them in the hour of their worst persecution. Moreover, this prayer taught theta to keep their passions under control and within the limits contained in this prayer and not to allow them to turn into wrong channels. That is why it is free from any kind of bitterness against its enemies, and there is not any tinge in it of revenge or of worldliness. This was urgently needed at that time because the Muslims were undergoing greater hardships and monetary losses and suffering untold cruelties and were pressed hard both physically and economically. Incidentally, the contrast between the high ideals contained in their prayer and the persecution which the Believers were suffering at that time brings out clearly the high standard of the spiritual and moral training they were receiving even at that critical time. And that is the high standard of morality that has been laid down for every true believer to attain.

Explanation Qur'an Wiki:

The sūrah continues: “God does not charge a soul with more than it can bear. In its favour shall be whatever good it does, and against it whatever evil it does.” It is within this framework of divine mercy and justice that a Muslim views, with total confidence and satisfaction, his obligations as God’s vicegerent on earth, the challenges he faces in fulfilling those obligations, and the ultimate reward he receives. He is content in the belief that God is fully aware of his abilities and limitations, and will not overburden him or subject him to any duress or coercion. Not only does this fill a believer’s heart with contentment and peace of mind, but it also inspires him to discharge his duties to the best of his ability. He is fully aware that any weakness he may experience is not because the task is excessive, but due to his own shortcomings, and this, in turn, motivates him to strengthen his resolve and strive for excellence in his actions.

The second part of the statement emphasizes individual responsibility for action: “... In its favour shall be whatever good it does, and against it whatever evil it does.” Every individual is accountable for his own actions. No responsibility can be transferred from one person to another, nor can any person come to the aid of another in the matter of accountability. Once people appreciate this principle, each and every one of them becomes a positive and active force in society. They become responsible human beings ready to defend God’s right over them, unwilling to concede it to anyone else. They will resist submission to temptation, tyranny, transgression and corruption, and submit their whole physical and spiritual being to God Almighty. Those who give in to powers other than God’s, except those people subjected to duress or coercion, have only themselves to blame and shall have to face the full consequences of their actions.

On the Day of Judgement, no one shall intercede on behalf of anyone else, and everyone shall stand alone to face God’s judgement. This inspires healthy individualism, spurring every member of society to fulfil his or her obligations towards the community, which derive from their obligations towards God. Individuals are obliged to share their wealth, labour and wisdom, and the responsibility to bring about good and fight evil and falsehood, and earn their respective reward individually and directly from God Almighty.

As the believers understand and appreciate the significance and implications of these principles, they make their earnest plea to God. The Qur’ān, in its fine and highly expressive style, quotes their moving, passionate prayer. The reader can almost see the multitudes of believers reciting in unison throughout the generations this prayer, evoked by a dual feeling of hope and fear: “Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong. Our Lord, do not lay on us a burden such as that You laid on those before us. Our Lord, do not burden us with what we do not have the strength to bear. Pardon us, and forgive us our sins, and bestow Your mercy on us. You are our Lord Supreme; grant us victory against the unbelievers.”

It is a prayer that clearly defines the relationship between the believers and their Lord. In its soft tone and poignant rhythm it implies an admission of weakness and helplessness, and a recognition of the need for God’s aid, support, forgiveness and grace.

“Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong.” Error and forgetfulness are two defining characteristics of human behaviour. In recognition of this, a Muslim never boasts of his faults, nor deliberately exploits them, nor places himself above God’s will, but always seeks God’s help and turns to Him in repentance. The answer to this prayer is given by the Prophet who says: “God has pardoned my followers anything they do through a genuine mistake, forgetfulness or by compulsion.” [Related by al-Ţabarānī and others]

“Our Lord, do not lay on us a burden such as that You laid on those before us.” This plea stems from an appreciation of the gravity of the responsibility placed upon the Muslim community as heirs and custodians of God’s message to mankind. It also reflects full absorption of the lessons and experiences of earlier nations who had received God’s revelations, as related in the Qur’ān. We have seen, for example, earlier in this Sūrah that the Israelites were castigated and penalized on several occasions, and in various ways, for their stubbornness and intransigence. Elsewhere in the Qur’ān, we read that, for similar reasons, they were forbidden certain foods: “To those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all animals that have claws; and We forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, except that which is in their backs and entrails and what is mixed with their bones. Thus, did We requite them for their wrongdoing.” (6:146) On a certain occasion, they were ordered to kill one another in atonement for their worship of the calf, as stated in Verse 54 of this sūrah. They were also forbidden to conduct any business or to hunt on the Sabbath.

Hence, believers appeal to God not to burden them in the same way as He imposed on earlier communities. The Prophet Muhammad was sent with a tolerant and benevolent religion that is fully cognizant of human nature, and is aimed at relieving mankind of all the burdens and encumbrances placed upon them. The Prophet is told by God: “We shall smooth your way to perfect ease.” (87:8)

The heaviest, most arduous burden placed on mankind, which Islam came to lift, is man’s submission and subjugation to man. This is manifested in one man’s capitulation to the will or power of another, or to the power of clan or class. Submission to God alone is true emancipation and represents real freedom from this oppression.

Submission to God entails recognition of Him as the ultimate source of values, standards and laws. It liberates man from the hegemony and oppression of all political, social and religious institutions, and from the power of myth and superstition. It delivers him from the grip of his whims and desires and equips him to resist any ungodly power that seeks to subjugate him or control his life and destiny.

The plea reflects the believers’ gratitude for the freedom God has provided, as well as their fear of relapse.

“Our Lord, do not burden us with what we do not have the strength to bear.” This is not an excuse for negligence or a justification for dereliction of duty, but a plea by the weak to the powerful, for consideration and forbearance. Ā conscientious believer does not wish to fail in serving his Lord and Creator, and so he asks for leniency and tolerance. While acknowledging his weakness, a true believer remains vigilant and tries to compensate for his shortcomings by seeking more of God’s grace and forgiveness.

“Pardon us, and forgive us our sins, and bestow Your mercy on us.” This is the only true guarantee of success and deliverance. No matter how hard a man strives to live up to his obligations and responsibilities towards God, he will not fulfil them satisfactorily. God shows grace by treating man with mercy and forgiveness. `Ā’ishah, the Prophet’s wife, reported that the Prophet had said, “No man shall enter Paradise by virtue of his deeds alone.” When asked, “How about you?” he replied, “Not even I, unless God bestows mercy on me.” [Related by al-Bukhārī]

The essence of a believer’s attitude towards God revolves around an unflinching effort to strive to the best of his ability, tinged with a feeling of deficiency, of not doing enough, and with genuine hope and confidence in God’s mercy and benevolence.

The sūrah closes with a statement asserting that believers put their full trust in God to come to their help in establishing His order on earth and defending it against its foes. God is the source of their strength and their ultimate triumph.

“You are our Lord Supreme; grant us victory against the unbelievers.” These words encapsulate the essence of the sūrah as well as the faith of Islam. They reflect the mind of true believers and define the eternal relationship between them and their Supreme Lord.

We do not have to add anything more to the explanation. We end the post with a belief that Allah will never abandon His servants nor would overburden them with any responsibilities to test physical and mental endurance, nor would He take His servants to account so long as they repent and seek forgiveness of what they should not have done and things that displease Allah.

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.

You may read more posts in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help.

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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.

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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Selected verses from Al-Qurʾān about Specific Subject: Man’s Regrets

We all live in a world of fallacies, dreams and ambitions. And to attain our ambitions, most of us can go to any extent, whether adopting right or wrong approaches. While doing so, we wrong and hurt so many people to our advantage, yet do not care for their lamentations and curses. We also enjoy our lives, dancing, drinking, free sex and everything that Satan leads us into.

All such times, most of us forget about the derailment we are suffering, forgetting our end and a life that we have to ultimately live forever when we will be resurrected, whether we believe in resurrection or not. But the reality will unfold one day when we will be made to answer our wrongdoings and sins. Judgement Day will be a day when there will be no turning back to make amends. 

It would be then the stark reality of truth will unfold which has been conveyed to us by the Divine Scriptures and the prophets and messengers of Allah. But then, it would be too late, except man doomed with his regrets as mentioned in Qur'an at many a place. Some of these are shared below:

• Would that I had not associated anyone with my Lord in His Divinity
• Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger
• Would that I had stood by the Messenger!
• Would that we were brought back to life, then we would not give the lie to the signs of our Lord
• Would that I had never been given my Record
• Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!

We will add more posts specific to Man's Regrets in our future posts. In the meantime, let us steer our lives to the life as prescribed for us by our Lord, and not as being lead us into by the Satan.

For more compiled verses on specific subjects, please refer to our exclusive reference page: "Selected verses from Al-Qurʾān about a specific subject."

In addition, for more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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.

Photo | 

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

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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But few of My servants are grateful (Selected verses from Qur'an)

In our series of posts Let us be of the few who are grateful, we first deliberated on who are the MOST of the people who are ungrateful. And then we mentioned two verses from Qur'an as to who are the few people who are grateful. The first of the few people were mentioned in the 40th verse of Surah 11. Hud "But none had believed with him, except a few." Today we share the 9th verse of Surah 34. Saba in which Allah first mentions how Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace be upon him), the family of His servant Prophet Dawud (David, may peace be upon him), thanked him in the best of ways and was indeed one of the few of the grateful.

يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ لَهٗ مَا يَشَآءُ مِنۡ مَّحَارِيۡبَ وَتَمَاثِيۡلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالۡجَـوَابِ وَقُدُوۡرٍ رّٰسِيٰتٍ ؕ اِعۡمَلُوۡۤا اٰلَ دَاوٗدَ شُكۡرًا ؕ وَقَلِيۡلٌ مِّنۡ عِبَادِىَ الشَّكُوۡرُ‏ 

(34:13) They made for him whatever he would desire: stately buildings, images, basins like water-troughs and huge, built-in-cauldrons: “Work, O house of David, in thankfulness (to your Lord). Few of My servants are truly thankful.”

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (The Favors which Allah bestowed upon Sulayman)

Having mentioned the blessings with which He favored Dawud, Allah follows this by mentioning what He gave to Dawud's son Sulayman (Solomon), may peace be upon them both. He subjugated the wind to him, so that it would carry his carpet one way for a month, then back again the next month. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "He set out from Damascus in the morning, landed in Istakhar where he ate a meal, then flew on from Istakhar and spent the night in Kabil.'' Between Damascus and Istakhar is an entire month's travel for a swift rider, and between Istakhar and Kabul is an entire month's travel for a swift rider.

To understand the 13th verse, let us take a start from the 12th verse:

(34:12) And We subdued the wind to Solomon: its morning course was a month's journey and its evening course was a month's journey. We gave him a spring flowing with molten brass, and We subdued for him jinn who, by his Lord's permission, worked before him. Such of them as swerved from Our commandment, We let them taste the chastisement of the Blazing Fire.

(وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ And We caused a fount Qitr to flow for him,) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be plased with him, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Malik from Zayd bin Aslam, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and others said, "Qitr means copper.'' Qatadah said, "It was in Yemen.'' Allah brought forth all the things that people make for Sulayman; peace be upon him.

(وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ and there were Jinn that worked in front of him, by the leave of his Lord.) means, `We subjugated the Jinn to work in front of him,' by the permission of his Lord, i.e., by Allah's decree and subjugation, they built whatever constructions he wanted, and did other work as well.

(وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا and whosoever of them turned aside from Our command,) means, whoever among them tried to rebel and disobey, (نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ We shall cause him to taste the torment of the blazing Fire.) which means, burning.

With this premise mentioned in the 12th verse, now we explain the 13th verse, which is the selected verse for this post and culminates in the words: But few of My servants are grateful

(يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـرِيبَ وَتَمَـثِيلَ They worked for him as he desired on Maharib, Tamathil,) Maharib refers to beautiful structures, the best and innermost part of a dwelling. Ibn Zayd said, "This means dwellings.' With regard to "Tamathil,'' `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said that Tamathil means pictures.

(وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَسِيَـتٍ large basins like Jawab and Qudur Rasiyat.) Jawab, the plural form of Jabiyah, refers to cisterns or tanks in which water is held, and Qudur Rasiyat are cauldrons that stay in one place and are not moved around because of their great size. This was the view of Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others.

(اعْمَلُواْ ءَالَ دَاوُودَ شُكْراً Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!) means, `We said to them: Work with thanks for the blessings that We have bestowed upon you in this world and the Hereafter.' This indicates that thanks may be expressed by actions as much as by words and intentions. Abu `Abdur-Rahman Al-Hubuli said, "Prayer is thanks, fasting is thanks, every good deed that you do for the sake of Allah is thanks, and the best of thanks is praise.' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. In the Two Sahihs, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

«إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الصَّلَاةِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى صَلَاةُ دَاوُدَ، كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ، وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ، وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ، وَأَحَبَّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا، وَلَا يَفِرُّ إِذَا لَاقَى»

(The most beloved of prayers to Allah are the prayers of Dawud. He used to sleep for half the night, stand in prayer for a third of it and sleep for a sixth of it. The most beloved of fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to fast for a day then not fast for a day, and he never fled the battlefield.) 

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Fudayl said concerning the Ayah: (اعْمَلُواْ ءَالَ دَاوُودَ شُكْراً (Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!) Dawud said, "O Lord! How can I thank you when thanks itself is a blessing from You'' He said: "Now you have truly given thanks to Me, for you have realized that it is a blessing from Me.''

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

“Few of My servants are truly thankful.” This comment also serves as a directive. It tells us on the one hand that the grace and favours God bestows on His servants are so great that few of them are able to express due thanks for them, and on the other that people often neglect their thanksgiving duty. In fact, however much people try to express their gratitude, they cannot give due thanks for what God bestows on them. What is their status, then, if they slacken and overlook this duty?

(وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ الشَّكُورُ But few of My servants are grateful.) 

The end part of verse 13 is in fact a reflection of reality. And this is the prayer which the man was supplicating when the second Caliph of Islam Umar encountered him, which we used as premise for our post "Let us be of the few who are grateful". We share the premise here once again to present the selected verse in its true context:

Once, Umar bin al-Khattab RA was walking in the market, he passed by a man who was supplicating, “O Allah, make us of Your ‘few’ servants! O Allah make us of Your ‘few’ servants!” Surprised by his supplication, Umar said to him, “Where did you get this dua from?” And the man said, “Allah in His Book says ‘And few of My servants are grateful.’ (Qur’an Surah 34. Saba:13)” So Umar wept and admonished himself, “The people are more knowledgeable than you, O Umar! O Allah make us of your 'few' servants.”

Now, my brothers and sisters in Islam, let us decide which side do we stand: The Most or the Few of the People. Choice is ours and is to me made sooner than before for we do not know much life we are left with. Remember: Even among those who consider themselves God's servants - for "truly grateful [to God] is only he who realizes his inability to render adequate thanks to Him." In fact, this is an admonition as well as an expression of trust by God in a trusted servant. The implication is that the test of gratitude is a difficult one. Few succeed in it. However, it is hoped that Solomon (sws) will be among them.

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 Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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.

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

Most of the People are indeed Iniquitous

The revelation of Divine Commandments commenced with the first of the prophets Adam علي السلام and continued till the last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The religious landscape saw choosing of a large number of prophets and messengers, some of whom were given written scriptures, while many others were directed to convey the Divine Commandments to their people verbally. The prophets and messengers included some of the revered chosen nobles like Noah, Jonah, Job, Jacob, Yusuf, Moosa, Christ and finally Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

The conveyance of Divine Commandments has been gradual and progressive, generally remaining restricted to small communities. But as the population increased, there was a need to gradually increase the commandments that finally culminated into Divine Scriptures that include Psalms, Torah, Bible and the Qur'an. Now instead of taking each Divine Scripture and prophet / messenger the act of God, the One True God, the religious animosity crept in, especially with the revelation of Torah on Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) and his followers, the present-day Jews, thought of them as superior of all others. That is why the Jews did not take the birth of Prophet Eesa (Jesus, peace be upon him) lightly and became anti Jesus. Their animosity against Jesus and the later alleged crucifixion of Jesus is largely attributed to Jews by many Christians and also to the Romans.

However, with the advent of Islam, the Christians found a new playmate in the form of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and whatever Jews did to Jesus, the same harsh treatment became the norm against Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Not only the Christians, the Jews too vehemently rejected the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The situation at the advent of Islam in the early 7th century is not different from what we have today. Rather with each passing day Islamophobia is on the increase. Cases of snatching hijab from Muslim women, burning Al Qur'an and even vandalizing masjid and Islamic centres have become part of daily life of Muslims around the world. And this is despite the fact that Islam places high pedestal to all earlier prophets and messengers, especially Abraham, Moses and Jeus including the Divine Books.

It is this animosity against Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that the 59th verse of Surah 5 Al Maidah was revealed, shared herein under:

قُلۡ يٰۤـاَهۡلَ الۡـكِتٰبِ هَلۡ تَـنۡقِمُوۡنَ مِنَّاۤ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰهِ وَمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَـيۡنَا وَمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ ۙ وَاَنَّ اَكۡثَرَكُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ‏ 

(5:59) Say to them: 'People of the Book! Do you hate us for anything else except that we believe in Allah, and in the teaching which has been revealed to us and in the teaching which was revealed before? Indeed, most of you are Iniquitous / transgressors.'

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (The People of the Book are Enraged at the Believers Because of their Faith in Allah.)

Allah commands: Say, O Muhammad, to those who mock and jest about your religion from among the People of the Scriptures, (Do you criticize us for no other reason than that we believe in Allah, and in what has been sent down to us and in that which has been sent down before (us)) Do you have any criticism or cause of blame for us, other than this This, by no means, is cause of blame or criticism. 

• Allah said in other Ayat, (And they had no fault except that they believed in Allah, the Almighty, Worthy of all praise!) and, 
• (And they could not find any cause to do so except that Allah and His Messenger had enriched them of His bounty.) [9:74] 

In an agreed upon Hadith, the Prophet said, (What caused Ibn Jamil to Yanqim (refuse to give Zakah), although he was poor and Allah made him rich) Allah's statement, (and that most of you are rebellious. .) is connected to (that we believe in Allah, and in that which has been sent down to us and in that which has been sent down before (us).) Therefore, the meaning of this part of the Ayah is: we also believe that most of you are rebellious and deviated from the straight path.

And it is for these iniquitous people, the next verse is also addressed to:

(5:60) Then say to them: 'Shall I tell you about those whose retribution with Allah is even worse? They are the ones whom Allah has cursed, and who incurred His wrath and some of whom were changed into apes and swine, and who served the false deities. Such have an even worse rank and have strayed farther away from the right path.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

 There is the most biting irony in this and the next verse, You People of the Book! Do you hate us because we believe in Allah and not only our scripture, but yours also? Perhaps you hate us because we obey and you are in rebellion against Allah! Why hate us? There are worse things than our obedience and our Faith. Shall I tell you some of them? Our test will be: what treatment Allah meted out to the things I mention. Who were the people who incurred the curse of Allah? (See Deut. xi. 28, and xxviii. 15-68: and numerous passages like Hosea viii. 14, and ix- 1). Who provoked Allah's wrath? (See numerous passages like Deut. i. 34: Matt. iii. 7). Who forsook Allah, and worshipped evil? (See Jeremiah, xvi. 11-13). That is your record. Is that why you hate us?'

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., they are venting anger because most of them are disobedient and do not want anyone to adopt the attitude of obedience and thus earn the pleasure of God.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

When all these addresses to the believers have been completed, this verse instructs the Prophet to put a direct question to the people of the Scriptures: What fault do they find with the Muslim community? Do they take anything against it other than the fact that Muslims believe in God and in His past revelations, as well as His revelations to the Prophet of Islam? In other words, the only fault they find with the Muslims is that the Muslims are believers, while they, i.e, The people of earlier revelations are mostly transgressors. It is a confrontation that is embarrassing and decisive at the same time, because it points out the true cause of hostility.

God directs His Messenger to put this question to the people of earlier revelations in order to emphasize the actual fact about their motives which shape their attitude towards the Muslim community and its faith. It is at the same time a question which rebukes them for their attitudes and their motives. Moreover, it seeks to enlighten the Muslims so that the idea of binding themselves in an alliance with such people becomes repugnant to them.

God tells him that it is time to confront the people of earlier revelations with the truth which shapes their motives and provides the logic behind their attitude: “Say: People of earlier revelations! Do you find fault with us for any reason other than that we believe in God [alone], and in that which has been revealed to us as well as that which has been revealed previously, while most of you are transgressors?” This fact is stated by God in several places. Nevertheless, it is this act which many among the people of earlier revelations and among those who call themselves Muslims try to dilute or present in a confused way. By so doing, they seek to justify what they term as the cooperation of “religious” people against materialism and atheism.

We pray that an inter religion harmony prevails and followers of all Divine Religions start to regard each other with respect, which in fact is the essence of all religions, rather than intensifying the animosity against each other and spoiling the world peace. 

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 our previous posts about Most of the People, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

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.

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