Man laments: I'm a failure - Allah replies: The believers have indeed attained true success

One wanders around aimlessly if one is not sure of what one is pursuing in life. An aimless life thus becomes meaningless and one thinks as if one has hit the wall and has no clue where to go. These distressful conditions induce a depressive thought in such people who then think that they are failures in their life and will not be able to find their true destination. 

The same is true when it comes to one's faith. True faith as defined by our Lord is in fact the final destination one should be seeking for. But family traditions, the faith adopted by the forefathers restrict our decision making and keeps us wandering and black outing our thinking process. But those who have been introduced to Islam suddenly realize that this has been the truth they should have been seeking for much earlier. This realization dawns on people who find success in their life. This is the truth which is a turning point from failures to ultimate success. 

This is the theme of the very first verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun, The Believers, being shared today and its explanation:

قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ‏ 

(23:1) The believers have indeed attained true success:

That is “Believers”, who have attained true success, are those who have accepted the message of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and have acknowledged him as their guide and followed the way of life taught by him.

This assertion cannot be fully appreciated unless one keeps in view the background in which it was made. On the one hand, there were the well-to-do and prosperous chiefs of Makkah, the opponents of Islam, whose business was thriving and who were enjoying every good thing of life, and on the other hand, there were the followers of Islam, majority of whom were either poor from the beginning, or had been reduced to poverty by ruthless antagonism to Islam. Therefore, the assertion: Most certainly the believers have attained true success, with which the discourse begins, was meant to tell the disbelievers that the criterion of success and failure that they had in mind was based on misconceptions besides being transitory and limited in nature: it led to failure and not true success. On the contrary, the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him), whom they regarded as failures, were truly successful, because by accepting the invitation to the right guidance given by the Messenger of Allah, they had struck a bargain which would lead them to true success and everlasting bliss in this world as well as in the Hereafter, whereas by rejecting the message the opponents had incurred loss and would meet with the evil consequences both in this world and in the next.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Successful indeed are the believers) means they have attained victory and are blessed, for they have succeeded. These are the believers' characteristics are given in the succeeding Ayats:

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Aflaha اَفۡلَحَ: win through, prosper, succeed, achieve their aims or obtain salvation from sorrow and all evil. This verse connects with verses 10 and 11 below. Success or victory may come in this world, but it is certain and lasting in the world to come.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

That is, it has been decided for them that they shall necessarily be successful. This style expresses the certainty of an event that is to take place in the future. It is also found in other languages. When will these glad tidings materialize? This question is answered at the end of the paragraph that they will live in Paradise forever.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

It is a true promise; nay, it is a firm decision ensuring success for the believers. If we take it as a promise, we know God never fails to honour His promises; and if we say that it is His decision, then no one can ever foil a decision by God. What is promised is success in the life of this world and in the life to come; success for the individual believer and for the community of believers. A believer will feel this success in his heart and will see it coming true in his day-to-day life. The success God promises includes all that human beings associate with success and what God keeps in store for His faithful servants.

Today, by the many blessings of Allah, more and more non-Muslims, especially Christians who had been clinging to a false concept of Trinity, are now entering fold of Islam. And most of them acknowledge that they were at a loss all their life and did not know what the truth was, and what differentiated between the truth and a misleading concept. Despite lot of information available on social media, there are still many a believer who feel at loss for they have not strived to know what Islam expects of them. While there are countless believers who have memorized the Qur'an, they do not know what have they memorized and what Allah expects from us. Let us not be the one who despite being Muslims are far away from understanding and practicing Islam. Let our prayers, charities and Hajj/Umrah take us near to Allah, instill the fear based on love for Allah so that we do not deviate from the path so Divinely defined for us. And then let us hope to be among the successful as expected of us in the verse shared today. Ameen

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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 | 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

Successful are those who guard their prayers

The five daily obligatory prayers cannot be missed out from one's no matter how busy schedule for man is ordained by his Lord to be punctual to offer his prayers. In the first post on our series of posts on Traits of believers who attain success, we shared the 2nd verse of Sur ah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers) which focused on the humility and humbleness of a believer while standing for prayer for he stands in front of his Lord Who created him. Humbleness comes through complete concentration, consciousness and presence of heart focused on his salat and the mere fact that he is offering his prayer as a Thank You to his Lord for the countless bounties He bestowed upon him.

Now, we share the 9th verse of Sur ah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ which focuses on guarding one's prayers. That is Allah began and ended this list (verses 2-9) of praiseworthy qualities with Salah, which is indicative of its virtue. Let us now read the 9th verse and its explanation by eminent Muslim scholars and exegetes: 

وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَلٰى صَلَوٰتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُوۡنَ​ۘ‏ 

(23:9) and who guard their Prayers

Salawat is plural of Salat. In verse 2 the act of Salat itself was implied, but here the plural number implies the individual Prayers offered in their own times. "They strictly guard their Prayers": they strictly adhere to the prescribed times of the Prayers: they perform them with due regard for their pre-requisites, conditions and articles with clean body and dress and necessary ablutions: they do not regard their Prayers as an unnecessary burden, which has to be cast off somehow: they do not recite mechanically but understand what they recite and are conscious that they are supplicating their Lord like humble servants.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And those who strictly guard their Salawat.) means, they persistently offer their prayers at their appointed times.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, which deed is best?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Prayer in its proper time.” (as-salaatu ‘alaa waqtihaa) I asked, “What is next?” The Prophet said, “Good treatment of your parents.” (birr ul waalidayn) I said, “What is next?” The Prophet said, “Jihad in the way of Allah.” (al jihaadu fee sabeelillah) I became silent and if I had asked him more, he would have told me. [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2630, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 85]

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also been reported as saying: (اسْتَقِيمُوا وَلَنْ تُحْصُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ خَيْرَ أَعْمَالِكُمُ الصَّلَاةُ، وَلَا يُحَافِظُ عَلَى الْوُضُوءِ إِلَّا مُؤْمِن Adhere to righteousness, you will never be able encompass it all. Know that the best of your deeds is Salah. None will preserve his Wuddu' except the believer.) 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

 In verse 2 we were directed to the spirit of humility and earnestness in our prayers. Here we are told how necessary the habit of regular prayer is to our spiritual well-being and development, as it brings us closer to Allah, and thus sums up the light of the seven jewels of our Faith, viz.: (1) humility, (2) avoidance of vanity, (3) charity, (4) sex purity, (5) fidelity to trusts, and (6) to covenants, and (7) an earnest desire to get closer to Allah.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

It was with the prayer with which the attributes of the believers began earlier and it is with the prayer with which it has ended now. This shows the significance of prayer in religion: it guards all the high morals needed in religion and as such is a guarantee for a person to adhere to religion. No doubt, even after that, the onslaughts of Satan continue but he cannot remain permanently lodged in the heart, if a person is regular in the prayer. The prayer continues to ward it off and like a wall protects his heart and mind from the attacks of Satan. It is for this reason that even in times of danger it has been directed that if a person is on foot or on a conveyance, he must offer it.

Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī has pointed to some other aspects as well. He writes: ... The prayer has been mentioned at the beginning with regard to its essence: humility before God and at the end with regards to punctuality, vigilance and diligence in offering it. This is because the blessings found in the prayer can only be reaped when it has the essence of humility in it and is also continuously guarded. This is the plant of paradise which does not grow unless it is fully nourished. A little negligence leaves it barren and fruitless. In fact, there is a danger that it might completely wither away. If we want to gain real benefit from it, we must save it from the onslaughts of Satan and nurture it very punctually in a very diligent way. It is then when we will get some idea of the comfort of the eyes God has concealed in it. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 299)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

They do not neglect their prayers or miss them through laziness. Nor do they fail to attend to them as prayer should be attended to. They offer them on time, attending to obligatory and recommended parts, making them complete, omitting nothing essential. Their prayer is alive, filling their hearts and interacting with their consciences. Prayer maintains a bond between God and human hearts. Therefore, a person who does not attend regularly to his prayer is unlikely to attend diligently and conscientiously to his bonds with other people. The qualities of believers outlined in this sūrah start with prayer and finish with prayer, so as to stress its unrivalled importance in the structure of faith. After all, prayer is the most perfect form of worship addressed to God.

When so much stress is on guarding one's prayers and offering them in complete humility, no room is left for a believer to neglect one's prayers to the least. In addition to ensuring punctuality of five prayers daily, true believers also get up before the dawn prayer to offer additional Tahajjud prayers. DO take a time out to read our earlier posts on Tahajjud prayers;

• What is Salat-ut-Tahajjud - The Night Prayer  (صلاة التهجد / قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ) 
• The virtue of the Night Prayer (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Hadith 1145)
• Sleep Early to Wake up for Night Prayer (Tahajjad) (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Hadith 1146)

You may also refer to our reference page on As Salat for many questions that may harbouring in the minds of our readers.

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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

Traits of Believers who attain true success are those who Guard their Chastity

The inter personal intimate relation between man and woman are strictly prohibited unless they are married. For Islam views the personal relationship between a husband and wife as the foundation stone for establishment of a family. However, the general practice around the world does not care for the legality of intimate relation between man and wife and relations exist extensively outside the bond of wedlock and resultant birth of illegitimate children. There are a large number of single mothers around the world who have to bear the consequence of casual and illegal sex.

Marital bond in Islam between man and woman is based on purity, honesty and responsibility to establish a family. This concept outrightly rejects the man and wife love affairs which soon culminate for their basis was mere satisfaction of animal desires and not bonding together as husband and wife. The illegal sex, though made legal in many countries, also include the sex between man and man, and woman and woman. Islam strictly curbs such lewdness as was found in the people of Prophet Lut (Lot, may peace be upon him) due to which the Divine wrath befall on them in the form of rain of fiery rocks, which destroyed the entire community, save Prophet Lot and his family, less his wife who too perished being a sinner and confidant of the sinner community.

Therefore, one of the major factors that help believers attain success (as we have already explained in our reference page: Traits of Believers who attain true success) is guarding of their chastity and abstaining from every act that lets the evil jump in and entice them to commit the sin of fornication. Thus, the successful believers exercise control over their sexual desires and do not transgress limits imposed, reminded time and again in Qur'an, by their Lord, the one and only one Master of the entire universe.  This is what is being said in the 5th verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers) as under:

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ

(23:5) and who guard their chastity

That is, they are modest in every sense of the word. They are free from sex abuse and sex perversion. They are so modest that they even conceal those parts of their bodies which the Law forbids to be exposed before others. 

The same is the theme of verse 44 of Surah 24. An Noor. It is said:

قُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ يَغُـضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَهُمۡ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ اَزۡكٰى لَهُمۡ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَـعُوۡنَ‏ 

(24:30) (O Prophet), enjoin believing men to cast down their looks and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of all what they do.

Guard their private parts: Abstain from illicit sexual gratification and from exposing their satar before others. 

The intimate parts (Arabic: عورة 'awrah, Arabic: ستر, satr) of the human body must, according to Islam, be covered by clothing. Exposing the intimate parts of the body is unlawful in Islam as the Quran instructs the covering of male and female genitals, and for adult females the breasts.

For males, the satar is the part of the body from the navel to the knee, and it is not permissible to expose that part of the body intentionally before anybody except one’s own wife. (Daraqutni, Baihaqi). Jarhad Aslami states that once he was sitting in the company of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with his thigh exposed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do you not know that the thigh has to be kept concealed. (Tirmizi, Abu Daud, Muatta). AIi reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do not expose your thigh. (Abu Daud, Ibn Majah). Not only is the satar to be kept concealed before others but even when alone. The Prophet has warned: Beware, never remain naked, for with you are those (that is, the angels of goodness and mercy), who never leave you alone except when you ease yourself or you go to your wives. So, feel shy of them and give them due respect. (Tirmizi). According to another tradition, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Guard your satar from everybody except your wife and your slave-girl. The questioner asked: Even when we are alone? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, even when alone, for Allah has a greater right that you should feel shy of Him. (Abu Daud, Tirmizi, Ibn Majah).

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And those who guard their private parts) means, those who protect their private parts from unlawful actions and do not do that which Allah has forbidden; fornication and homosexuality, and do not approach anyone except the wives whom Allah has made permissible for them. One who seeks what Allah has made permissible for him is not to be blamed and there is no sin on him. 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

The Muslim must guard himself against every kind of sex abuse or sex perversion. The new psychology associated with the name of Freud traces many of our hidden motives to sex, and it is common knowledge that our refinement or degradation may be measured by the hidden workings of our sex instincts. But even the natural and lawful exercise of sex is restricted to the marriage bond, under which the rights of both parties are duly regulated and maintained.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This is a pointer to the purity of the human soul, the home and the community, and to the way of protecting oneself, family and society. It is all the result of refraining from indulgence in sin and turning people’s hearts only to what is permissible. Thus, the Muslim community is protected from the unrestrained promiscuity that undermines the family and allows dubious parenthood to increase and become acceptable.

A community with no restraint on desire is wont to find its very social fabric corrupted, because it deprives itself of the sanctity for the family. The family home is the basic unit in the structure of the community. It is the cradle where children grow up. To serve as a healthy cradle, it needs purity and security, both of which give reassurance to the husband and wife so that each has full trust in the other. Thus, they cooperate to safeguard their home and ensure the healthy upbringing of their young ones.

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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

A true believer avoids whatever is vain and frivolous (Traits of Believers who attain true success)

This is our third post on the series of Posts: "Traits of believers who attain Success."  In one of our previous posts, we mentioned the first trait, that is humbleness in prayers, of the believers who attain success. It is the humbleness and humility in prayers that brings a beleiver closer to Allah and the connection between the Master and the servant by and by becomes so strong and solidified that the mind of the servant gradually clears of the vain and frivolous thoughts. That is, he becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission.  His sincerity and seriousness increase to the extent that wasting time in useless pursuits appears fatal to him.

And this is the trait of the beleiver mentioned in the third verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers) being discussed today in this post:

وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَنِ اللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُوۡنَۙ‏ 

(23:3) who avoid whatever is vain and frivolous;

Literally, laghv is anything nonsensical, meaningless and vain, which is in no way conducive to achieving one's goal and purpose in life. The Believers pay no heed to such useless things and they show no inclination or interest in them. If by chance they see such things being indulged in, they keep away and avoid them scrupulously, or treat them with utmost indifference. This attitude has been described in Al-Furqan (XXV): 72, thus: " ... if they have to pass by what is vain, they pass by like dignified people."

This is indeed one of the outstanding characteristics of the Believer. He is a person who feels the burden of responsibility at all times; he regards the world as a place of test, and life as the limited time allowed for the test. This feeling makes him behave seriously and responsibly throughout life just like the student who is taking an examination paper with his whole mind and body and soul absorbed in it. Just as the student knows and feels that each moment of the limited time at his disposal is important and decisive for his future life, and is not inclined to waste it, so the Believer also spends each moment of his life on works which are useful and productive in their ultimate results. So much so that even in matters of recreation and sport, he makes a choice of only those things which prepare him for higher ends in life and do not result in mere wastage of time. For him time is not something to be killed but used profitably and productively.

Besides this, the Believer is a person who possesses a right-thinking mind, pure nature and fine taste: he has no inclination to indecent things: he can talk useful and healthy things but cannot indulge in idle talk: he has a fine taste of humor, but is not given to jesting, joking, ridicule, etc. nor can he endure dirty jokes and fun. For him a society in which the ears are never immune from abusive language, back-biting, slander, lying, dirty songs and indecent talk is a source of torture and agony. A characteristic of the promised Paradise is: "therein you will not hear anything vain or useless."  

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And those who turn away from Al-Laghw.) refers to falsehood, which includes Shirk and sin, and any words or deeds that are of no benefit. 

As Allah says: (وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّواْ كِراماً And if they pass by Al-Laghw, they pass by it with dignity) [25:72]. Qatadah said: "By Allah, there came to them from Allah that which kept them away from that (evil).'

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The word is: اللَّغْو. It is used for every act that is nonsensical, silly and purposeless. The implication is that believers abstain from things that have no objective and which have no consequence in the life of a person, not to speak of big sins. This, in a passing way, also refers to those frivolous acts which emanated from the disbelievers against Islam and the Muslims. Thus, at another instance it is said that when believers hear something nonsensical, they ignore it and tell their addresses that for their own selves are their deeds and for them their deeds. In other words, they neither indulge in ridiculous things nor engage with those who indulge in them.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This includes all frivolity, in words, actions, or concerns. A believer’s heart has its own preoccupations which steer it away from frivolity. It is full with the remembrance of God and with reflection on His majesty and His signs that we see everywhere in the universe and within ourselves. Indeed, every scene in the universe fills our minds with wonder and gives a clear message to our hearts. Moreover, the duties required by faith keep a believer preoccupied with maintaining the purity of his or her heart, soul and conscience. Believers’ duties include those of behaviour which aim at maintaining the very high standards required by faith. Moreover, the task of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong aims at preventing any deviation in the life of the Muslim community.

This does not preclude relaxation and seeking comfort when it is needed. But this is totally different from indulging in frivolous and idle pursuits.

In view of the above quoted verse, my brothers and sisters in Islam, let us review our daily routine and see for ourselves how much time we waste away in things that are non-essential or are of least benefit to us. Take for example time spent on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all other forms of social media and quantify the benefit vs wastage of time. And in many cases, we will find that we waste time by surfing through social media and gain no substantial benefit. If instead we devote time on sites that educate us on various facets of life as spelt out in Qur'an and Hadiths/Sunnah, imagine the benefit we gain both by enhancing our knowledge base of Islam but also equipping us with knowledge to educate others. 

Why not share this post to groups you have joined on social media so that others are educated not to waste time and spend time usefully which is beneficial not for us but others as well.

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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

A true believer humbles himself in his prayers (Traits of Believers who attain true success)

In our previous post we described "Traits of believers who attain success," as explained in the first verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers). It was also mentioned that following verses, from verses 2-9, describe the characteristics of these successful believers. Now from this post onward, we will take each characteristic one by one and see how a believer can achieve success.

We share today the second verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun in which it is said that those who humble themselves in their prayers are one of those who are promised success not only in this world, but in the Hereafter too:

الَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ فِىۡ صَلَاتِهِمۡ خَاشِعُوۡنَ ۙ‏ 

(23:2) those who, in their Prayers, humble themselves;

Khashi`un (خَاشِعُوۡنَ) in the Text is from khushu (to bow down, to express humility) which is a condition of the heart as well as of the body. Khushu' of the heart is to fear and stand in awe of a powerful person, and khushu ` of the body is to bow one's head and lower one's gaze and voice in his presence. In Salat one is required to show khushu ` both of the heart and of the body, and this is the essence of the Prayer. It has been reported that when the Holy Prophet once saw a person offering his Prayer as well as playing with his beard, he remarked: "Had he khushu ` in his heart, his body would have manifested it. "

Though Khushu ` is actually a condition of the heart, as stated by the above tradition, it is manifested by the body as a matter of course. The Shari `ah has enjoined certain etiquette which, on the one hand, helps produce khushu ` in the heart, and on the other, helps sustain the physical act of the Prayer in spite of the fluctuating condition of the heart. According to this etiquette, one should neither turn to the right or left, nor raise one's head to look up: one may, however, look around from the corner of the eye, but as far as possible, one must fix the gaze on the place where the forehead would rest in prostration; one is also forbidden to shift about, incline sideways, fold the garments or shake off dust from them. It is also forbidden that while going down for prostration, one should clean the place where one would sit or perform prostration. Similarly, it is disrespectful that one should stand stuffy erect, recite the verses of the Qur'an in a loud resounding voice, or sing them, or belch or yawn repeatedly and noisily. It has also not been approved that one should offer the Prayer in a hurry. The injunction is that each article of the Prayer should be performed in perfect peace and tranquility, and unless one article has been completely performed, the next should not be begun. If one feels hurt by something during the Prayer, one may cast it aside with one hand, but moving the hand repeatedly or using both hands for the purpose is prohibited. With this etiquette of the body, it is also important that one should irrelevant things during the Prayer. If thoughts come to the mind intention, it is a natural human weakness, but one should try one's

Along avoid thinking without one's utmost that the mind and heart are wholly turned towards Allah, and the mind is in full harmony and tune with the tongue, and as soon as one becomes conscious of irrelevant thoughts one should immediately turn the attention to the Prayer.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلاَتِهِمْ خَـشِعُونَ Those who with their Salah are Khashi`un.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "(خَـشِعُونَ Khashi`un) means those with fear and with tranquility.'' This was also narrated by Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Az-Zuhri. It was reported from `Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that Khushu` means the Khushu` of the heart. This was also the view of Ibrahim An-Nakha`i. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Their Khushu` was in their hearts.' So, they lowered their gaze and were humble towards others. Khushu` in prayer is only attained by the one who has emptied his heart totally, who does not pay attention to anything else besides it, and who prefers it above all else. 

At that point it becomes a delight and a joy for eyes, as in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i from Anas, who said that the Messenger of Allah said: (حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ الطِّيبُ وَالنِّسَاءُ، وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاة Fragrance and women have been made dear to me, and Salah was made the joy of my eye.)

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Humility in prayer as regards (1) their estimate of their own worth in Allah's presence, (2) as regards their estimate of their own powers or strength unless they are helped by Allah, and (3) as regards the petitions they offer to Allah.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 Ie., they express obedience, humility and modesty before their Lord. This is precisely the essence of the prayer. If it is present in the prayer, a person feels that not only his back and head, but also his heart has bowed down before God.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

“Who humble themselves in their prayer.” They feel the reverence associated with prayer, as they stand up to address God, and their hearts are thus filled with awe, which is, in turn, reflected in their features and movements. Their spirits feel God’s majesty as they realize that they stand in His presence. Thus, all their preoccupations and distractions disappear. Their thoughts and feelings are all concentrated on their discourse with Him. In His sublime presence, they are heedless of all their surroundings. They see and feel nothing but His majesty. Their minds and hearts are purged of even the slightest alien thought or feeling. In such a situation, a stray atom is reunited with its source, a wandering spirit finds its way, and a heart that has been long in isolation finds its company. Thus, all values, concerns and considerations diminish, except for the ones that are related to God in some way.

So let, my brothers and sisters in Islam, take the first step to success by ensuring humility when we stand in front the Lord of the entire Universe and the Lord of the world in the Hereafter and humble ourselves to its extreme so as to show our gratitude to Allah for His countless blessings on us, the most blessed blessing being including us in the fold of Islam and to be proudly called Muslims.

When a believer becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission.  His sincerity and seriousness increase to the extent that wasting time in useless pursuits appears fatal to him. (Staying away from the useless and wasting time in activities that take him away from remembrance of Allah and interfere with his humility while praying is the second attribute, explained in the third verse of the Surah, and will be explained in one of our next posts).

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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

Traits of Believers who attain true success

We have been sharing traits of a Muslim and a believer, as mentioned in Qur'an and Hadiths, in our number of posts published earlier. Today, we commence another series of posts exclusive to Traits of a Believer, who attain true success. These traits are mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers). The Surah commences with the opener "قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ‏ (23:1) The believers have indeed attained true success." Then in succeeding verses, it is explained who are those who have attained success.

The noble characteristics of the Believers pointed out in verses 2-9 are the arguments to prove the assertion made in verse 1 as mentioned above. In other words, it has been stated that people with such and such traits and qualities are the only ones who can attain true success in this world and in the Hereafter.

Let us first explain the first verse that mentions who are the Believers who have attained success:

"Believers", who have attained true success, are those who have accepted the Message of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him), and have acknowledged him as their guide and followed the way of life taught by him.

This assertion cannot be fully appreciated unless one keeps in view the background in which it was made. On the one hand, there were the well-to-do and prosperous chiefs of Makkah, the opponents of Islam, whose business was thriving and who were enjoying every good thing of life, and on the other hand, there were the followers of Islam majority of whom were either poor from the beginning, or had been reduced to poverty by ruthless antagonism to Islam. Therefore, the assertion, "Most certainly the Believers have attained true success", with which the discourse begins, was meant to tell the disbelievers that the criterion of success and failure that they had in mind was not correct. It was based on misconceptions besides being transitory and limited in nature: it led to failure and not true success. On the contrary, the followers of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him), whom they regarded as failures, were truly successful, because by accepting the invitation to the Right Guidance given by the Messenger of Allah, they had struck a bargain which would lead them to true success and everlasting bliss in this world as well as in the Hereafter, whereas by rejecting the Message the opponents had incurred loss and would meet with the evil consequences both in this world and in the next.

This is the main theme of the Surah Al-Muminun and the whole discourse, from the beginning to the end, is meant to impress the same. 

Yusuf Ali in his translation notes that Aflaha (اَفۡلَحَ) means win through, prosper, succeed, achieve their aims or obtain salvation from sorrow and all evil. This verse connects with verses 10 and 11. Success or victory may come in this world, but it is certain and lasting in the world to come.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: It is a true promise; nay, it is a firm decision ensuring success for the believers. If we take it as a promise, we know God never fails to honour His promises; and if we say that it is His decision, then no one can ever foil a decision by God. What is promised is success in the life of this world and in the life to come; success for the individual believer and for the community of believers. A believer will feel this success in his heart and will see it coming true in his day-to-day life. The success God promises includes all that human beings associate with success and what God keeps in store for His faithful servants.

In other words, "Success is for one who is a true believer, one who devotes himself fully to God and not to anybody other than God and who leads a God-oriented life.  Realization of God is not a simple matter.  It brings about a revolution in the life of a person.  He becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission."

So, who are those faithful servants, the believers who receive this document written by God, containing this promise and a clear declaration of success? Who are the believers promised all goodness, victory, happiness, success and goodly provisions in this life on earth; and further promised to be successful in the hereafter, when they receive God’s reward and enjoy His pleasure? They will also have much more that is known only to God, and this will be given in their two lives. Who are these believers who will inherit paradise where they will abide?

Verses 2-9 give us a detailed list of their characteristics. These are given herein under. Please click on the highlighted text for elaboration/explanation (as and when added in time to our blog):

1. Those who humble themselves in prayers
2. Those who avoid whatever is vain and frivolous
3. Those who observe Zakah 
4. Those who strictly guard their private parts, and who save from their wives.
5. Those who seek beyond that, they are transgressors
6. Those who are true to their trusts and their covenants.
7. And those who guard their Prayers.
8. Description of Believers of Good Deeds (Surah 23. Al-Muminun: 57-61) 

Please read these above-mentioned traits in conjunction with Traits of Muslims mentioned in our Reference Page: Selected verses from Qur'an

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 |

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