Place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)

In our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an, we share the 159th verse from Surah 3. Al-i'Imran. This verse on one hand describes the very quality of mercy and kindness of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and then goes on to say that when one is resolved to adopt a course of action, one must place trust in Allah. We will explain the verses spread over two posts. Hereinunder we will take on the second part: Trust in Allah.

فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ لِنۡتَ لَهُمۡ​ۚ وَلَوۡ كُنۡتَ فَظًّا غَلِيۡظَ الۡقَلۡبِ لَانْفَضُّوۡا مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَ​ فَاعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى الۡاَمۡرِ​ۚ 

فَاِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى اللّٰهِ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ الۡمُتَوَكِّلِيۡنَ‏ 

(3:159) It was thanks to Allah's mercy that you were gentle to them. Had you been rough, hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from you. So, pardon them, and pray for their forgiveness, and take counsel from them in matters of importance. And when you are resolved on a course of action place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah,) means, if you conduct the required consultation and you then make a decision, trust in Allah over your decision, (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)).

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

This injunction, implying government by consent and council, must be regarded as one of the fundamental clauses of all Qur'anic legislation relating to statecraft. The pronoun "them" relates to the believers, that is, to the whole community; while the word al-amr occurring in this context - as well as in the much earlier-revealed phrase amruhum shura baynahum in 42:38 - denotes all affairs of public concern, including state administration. All authorities agree in that the above ordinance, although addressed in the first instance to the Prophet, is binding on all Muslims and for all times. (For its wider implications see State and Government in Islam, pp. 44 ff.) Some Muslim scholars conclude from the wording of this ordinance that the leader of the community, although obliged to take counsel, is nevertheless free to accept or to reject it; but the arbitrariness of this conclusion becomes obvious as soon as we recall that even the Prophet considered himself bound by the decisions of his council (see note [90] above). Moreover, when he was asked - according to a Tradition on the authority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib - to explain the implications of the word 'azm ("deciding upon a course of action") which occurs in the above verse, the Prophet replied, "[It means] taking counsel with knowledgeable people (ahl ar-ra'y) and thereupon following them [therein]" (see Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse).

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., once Muhammad ﷺ reaches a decision after consulting the Hypocrites, he should not care who among them supports him and who not. Whether he accepts their suggestions or not, in both cases, they can desert him in the most precarious of situations. He should not worry about them; God and the true believers are enough for him.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

consultation is never allowed to lead to hesitation and delay. Nor does it replace the need to rely ultimately on God: “When you have resolved upon a course of action, put your trust in God. God loves those who put their trust in Him.”  The role of consultation is to examine all views and select a particular course of action. When the process reaches this stage, consultation must give way to implementation with resolve and decisiveness, placing trust in God. Thus, God’s will determine the outcome as He pleases.

 

The Prophet not only gave the Muslim community the lesson of consultation, he also gave it a second lesson as he willingly and seriously implemented the decision made and placed his trust in God. He gave his order to the Muslims to get ready to march and prepared himself to do so by putting on his body armour, even though he was aware of what awaited them all in terms of suffering and sacrifice. As will be recalled, there were those who feared that in all this they might have imposed on the Prophet a course of action of which he did not approve. Therefore, they put the matter back to him and assured him of their obedience whatever he decided. Nevertheless, even with this second opportunity, the Prophet did not reverse his decision. He wanted to teach them the whole lesson of consultation and resolve, combined with complete reliance on God and submission to His will. He wanted them to realise that there was a specific time for consultation, but once a decision was taken there could be no room for hesitation and starting the process anew. That could only perpetuate the state of indecision.

 

“God loves those who put their trust in Him.” This is a distinctive quality of the believers. Reliance on God, putting our trust in Him and submitting to His will constitute the final line which maintains the proper balance in Islamic philosophy and Islamic life. Ultimate authority belongs to God and He does what He chooses. This was one of the great lessons which the Battle of Uĥud taught the Muslim community. It remains a lesson to be learnt by every new generation of Muslims.

The purpsoe of sharing this part of the verse is to enlighten our views of the importance of steadfastness after one has resolved to do something, and then placing his unflinching trust in Allah and be rest assured that Allah loves those who repsoe their trust in Him. And surely they will be helped, if their intentions are noble and clear.

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 |

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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Three Likeable Traits of Believers (Selected verses from Qur'an)

We have been sharing the traits of believers that are most liked by our Lord as stated in many verses of Qur'an. In fact, these traits are numerous, and if combined together, these make a long list. The purpose of many facets of character of believers is to encourage them to do acts that are likeable by Allah and encourage them to remain on the path as enunciated for them by Allah. Those who do so are promised innumerable rewards both in this earthly life and that of the life hereafter.

Today, we share the 134th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran in which three more traits are mentioned:

الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِى السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡكٰظِمِيۡنَ الۡغَيۡظَ وَالۡعَافِيۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ​ۚ‏

(3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers."

Let us now see how different exegetes of Qur'an has interpreted this small yet meaningful verse of the Qur'an:

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperity and in adversity) ﴿3:134﴾, in hard times and easy times, while active (or enthusiastic) and otherwise, healthy or ill, and in all conditions, just as Allah said in another Ayah: (Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public) [2:274] 

These believers are never distracted from obeying Allah, spending on what pleases Him, being kind to His servants and their relatives, and other acts of righteousness. Allah said,

(who repress anger, and who pardon men;) for when they are angry, they control their anger and do act upon it. Rather, they even forgive those who hurt them. 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, (The strong person is not he who is able to physically overcome people. The strong person is he who overcomes his rage when he is angry.)

This Hadith is also recorded in the Two Sahihs. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said: (He who gives time to a debtor or forgives him, then Allah will save him from the heat of Jahannam (Hell-fire). Behold! The deeds of Paradise are difficult to reach, for they are on top of a hill, while the deeds of the Fire are easy to find in the lowlands. The happy person is he who is saved from the tests. Verily, there is no dose of anything better to Allah than a dose of rage that the servant controls, and whenever the servant of Allah controls it, he will be internally filled with faith.)

With regard to control of anger, Imam Ahmad recorded that Sahl bin Mu`adh bin Anas said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said: (Whoever controlled rage while able to act upon it, then Allah will call him while all creation is a witness, until He gives him the choice of any of the Huris (fair females with wide, lovely eyes - as mates for the pious) he wishes.)

Allah said: (who repress anger) meaning, they do not satisfy their rage upon people. Rather, they refrain from harming them and await their rewards with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored. 

Allah then said, (and who pardon men;) They forgive those who treat them with injustice. Therefore, they do not hold any ill feelings about anyone in their hearts, and this is the most excellent conduct in this regard. 

This is why Allah said: (verily, Allah loves the Muhsinin (the good-doers)). 

This good conduct is a type of Ihsan [excellence in the religion]. There is a Hadith that reads: 

(I swear regarding three matters: no charity shall ever decrease wealth; whenever one forgives people, then Allah will magnify his honor; and he who is humble for Allah, then Allah will raise his rank.)

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they are in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time. They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity-or good deeds-is all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults. This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., in spite of this vastness, a person can buy Paradise by spending in the way of God. Not to mention the fact that this vastness of Paradise is only a parable. Its actual expanse is beyond our imagination.

This is said because generally the rich who have money do not have the heart to spend it; so by scolding those who ask about their wrong attitude they earn punishment instead of reward even for such a generous act.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The emphasis laid on this characteristic has particular relevance to the Battle of Uĥud. Reference to spending in the sūrah is made several times and in the same way as the repeated condemnation of those who refuse to come forward with their money for the cause of God.

 

They “restrain their anger, and forgive their fellow men.” Fearing God also works in this respect, providing similar motives and leaving similar effects. Anger is a human reaction which is normally combined with or followed by a fit of temper. It is both natural and essential to man. However, it can only be overcome through that higher perception made possible by the positive effects of fearing God and the spiritual strength which man achieves through looking up to horizons which are far superior and more sublime than man’s own needs and interests.

 

Restraining anger is only the first stage; it is not sufficient on its own. A person may restrain his anger but harbour a grudge. His outward fury becomes a deeply- seated, inward rancour. Needless to say, anger and fury are preferable to harbouring grudges and rancour. The Qur’ānic verse emphasises that the God-fearing do not allow their anger to become a grudge. They forgive others and do not harbour any ill feelings. When anger is deliberately restrained it becomes a burden, a fire which burns internally sending its smoke over man’s conscience in order to blur his vision. Forgiveness, however, ensures a release from that burden. It gives peace of heart and conscience, as well as an easy movement in a more sublime world.

 

“God loves the benevolent.” Those who spend their money at times of prosperity and hardship are benevolent. Similarly, those who do not hesitate to forgive others after having been angered by them are also benevolent. The Qur’ānic verse tells us that God loves all who are benevolent. Use of the term “love” here is significant. Its pleasant, friendly, bright and compassionate shades are in perfect harmony with the pleasant and honourable atmosphere of help and forgiveness.

 

Because God loves the benevolent and the good turns they do, those who love God also love to be benevolent. They have the best of all motives. The final comment is, then, not only an inspiring description, it is a statement of fact.

 

The community which enjoys God’s love and, in turn, loves God and in which forgiveness replaces anger and rancour is a strong, brotherly and closely-knit community. We see here how this directive is clearly relevant to both the military battle and to the battle of life. 

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Believers!! Do not be like those who fell into factions after clear signs had come to them

The Divine Scriptures have been gradually revealed to mankind through selected revered prophets so that man absorbs the Divine Direction and guidance for his own very benefit. But the men  who claim to be the custodians of these scriptures used these Scriptures to their benefit so that their hold on  communities could be maintained and their status remains that of elevated beings. This personal "possession" of Divine Scriptures has thus resulted into extreme polarization in the propagation of the Divine Commandments and guidance and creation of factions within as everyone wanted to interpret the religion according to one's own covert personal knowledge to prevail upon others.

This happened before the advent of Islam and it continued both during life and death of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The false prophets sprang up and different factions start to proliferate the religion of Islam as well. And we are witnessing mushrooming of sects and even divisions therein and each faction calling others non Muslims, for perhaps they may never know who may be the true Muslims.

We share today the 105th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran which was revealed in times of advent of Islam to warn the beleivers no to follow the false traditions that were existant at that time and remain united so that they don't wither away into small factions. Unfortunately the same happened and today we find Islam scattered into factions within two main sects and each trying to label the other on the wrong path. Read the verse below and see how eminent scholars of time have explained it keeping in view the historical perspective:

وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ تَفَرَّقُوۡا وَاخۡتَلَفُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ الۡبَيِّنٰتُ​ؕ وَاُولٰٓـئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌۙ‏ 

(3:105) Do not be like those who fell into factions and differed among themselves after clear signs had come to them. A mighty chastisement awaits them.

This refers to those communities which received the Guidance and clear teachings from the Messengers of Allah but after some time discarded the basic principles of the Guidance and divided themselves into different sects on the basis of irrelevant and minor side-issues and were involved in useless and meaningless squabbles. They became so engrossed in these things that they totally forgot the mission which Allah had entrusted to them and lost interest even in the basic principles on which, in fact, depends the real success of humanity.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

In this Ayah, Allah forbids this Ummah from imitating the division and discord of the nations that came before them. These nations also abandoned enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil, although they had proof of its necessity.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu `Amir `Abdullah bin Luhay said, "We performed Hajj with Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan. When we arrived at Makkah, he stood up after praying Zuhr and said, `The Messenger of Allah said, "(The People of the Two Scriptures divided into seventy-two sects. This Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, all in the Fire except one, that is, the Jama`ah. Some of my Ummah will be guided by desire, like one who is infected by rabies; no vein or joint will be saved from these desires.)"

Mu`awiyah said next: By Allah, O Arabs! If you do not adhere to what came to you from your Prophet then other people are even more prone not to adhere to it. '' Similar was recorded by Abu Dawud from Ahmad bin Hanbal and Muhammad bin Yahya.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

( And be not like those who have drawn apart from one another and have taken to conflicting views after all evidence of the truth has come unto them: ) I.e., like the followers of the Bible, who became "Jews" and "Christians" in spite of the fact that their beliefs have a common source and are based on the same spiritual truths (see also 6:159 and the corresponding note,) as appended below:

(6:159 VERILY, as for those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects - thou hast nothing to do with them): 

A reference, primarily, to the Jews and the Christians, who have departed from the fundamental religious principles which they had originally shared in their entirety, and have gone different ways in respect of doctrine and ethics (cf. 3:105 ). Beyond this "primary" reference, however, the above verse connects logically with verse {153} above, "this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow it, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate from His way" - and thus relates prophetically to the followers of the Qur'an as well: in other words it expresses a condemnation of all sectarianism arising out of people's intolerant, mutually-exclusive claims to being "the only true exponents" of the Qur'anic teachings. Thus, when asked about the implications of this verse, the Prophet's Companion Abu Hurayrah is reported to have answered "It has been revealed with reference to this [our] community" (Tabari).

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., merely because of arrogance they refused to accept it. Further down, this attitude is called reverting back to disbelief from the state of belief.

If the verses of this paragraph are deliberated upon, the facts which come to light can be stated in the words of Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī thus:

Firstly, after being deprived of holding fast to the rope of God, the People of the Book became divided and disunited and in reality this division and disunity is synonymous to turning back to disbelief after belief.

Secondly, if people who are granted success and authority by the Almighty by being handed over His rope by Him put other yokes around their necks because of their own ill-ways, they will end up in failure on the Day of judgement commensurate with this success. The faces of only those people will shine who grasp this rope in all circumstances. Indeed, these people will be worthy of God’s blessings and mercy.

Thirdly, all these warnings are bound to materialize. People who think that they are mere warnings will only hasten their own doom through their own hands and as such they themselves will be entirely responsible for it. The Almighty has sent a reminder to them in the form of the Qur’ān because He does not want to punish people without communicating the truth to them to such an extent that they have no excuse to deny it.

Fourthly, in the heavens and the earth, all authority rests with the Almighty. All affairs will be presented before Him and only His decision shall be implemented. If a person has pinned his hopes on someone, they will be dashed to the ground and it will be a mere mirage once the reality manifests itself. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 155)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

A fresh warning to the Muslim community against falling out with one another is added here. The example of those people of earlier revelations who were entrusted with the implementation of God’s method but who allowed division and conflict to creep into their ranks is given. Therefore, God deprived them of the leadership position and instead assigned that role to the Muslim community, which fosters its bond of brotherhood. Moreover, those who are not true to their task will be sternly punished on the day when faces will either shine or be blackened.

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

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

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

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.

Photo | Tafsir / Exegesis references: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

Behold! the only [true] religion in the sight of God is Islam [man's self-surrender unto Him]

No knowledge comes to man instantly. Students seeking the ultimate knowledge in a particular field have to gradually climb up the ladder, absorbing knowledge from initials to intermediaries and then finally reaching out to the basics of their selected field. Even from then on yet another journey into Indepth knowledge of their selected field sets which may not complete even many years and decades thereafter.

The spread of religions is no different. The onset of Divine Religions that began with Prophet Adam (may peace be upon him) passed hands through many a prophets of Allah, like Nuh (Noah), Ibraheem (Abraham) and his two offspring, Dawood (David), Musa (Moses) and Eesa (Christ). So far the preliminaries were targeted at people of particular areas and communities. When the Divine message had been drilled into hearts and minds of everyone, the final religion "Islam" was revealed to the last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.  Islam thus became the final religion from God to all of the mankind till the world remains before Day of Resurrection. And it is from then on that scholars of advance pursuits are deciphering the many hidden meanings contained therein the Al Qur'an to know more about God, universe and its future. 

However, the followers of previous religions, instead of bowing to the Divine Commandment with regard to the final religion, cling on to the previous religions and continue to find ways and means to shoot down Islam. The following 19th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran (The family of Imran) is about those people who try to differ from the Godly commandments. In fact this verse is a warning to all those who deny the truth of God's message:

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the 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.

اِنَّ الدِّیۡنَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ الۡاِسۡلَامُ ۟ وَ مَا اخۡتَلَفَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَہُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡیًۢا بَیۡنَہُمۡ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّکۡفُرۡ بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ سَرِیۡعُ الۡحِسَابِ

Behold, the only [true] religion in the sight of God is Islam [man's self-surrender unto Him]; and those who were vouchsafed revelation aforetime took, out of mutual jealousy, to divergent views [on this point] only after knowledge [thereof] had come unto them. But as for him who denies the truth of God's messages-behold, God is swift in reckoning!

(The true religion with Allah is Islam)  It implies that in the sight of Allah there is only one correct system and one right way of life for man. It is this: 

Man should worship Allah, acknowledge Him as his Master and surrender himself completely to Him in His worship and service. He should not invent his own way of worship but should faithfully follow that Guidance alone which Allah has revealed through His Messengers, without adding anything to or taking away anything from it. 

This way of thinking and behaving is called "Islam." And it is the absolute right of the Creator and the Master of the Universe that He should not accept as lawful from His subjects, His own creation, any way other than Islam. One might ignorantly think it to be one's right to follow any system, atheism, idolatry, etc., but the Ruler of the Universe will regard this behaviour as rebellious.  

(The People of the Book adopted many different ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after the knowledge of truth had reached them, and this merely to commit excesses against one another) It means that originally Islam and Islam alone was professed and preached by every Messenger who was sent by Allah at any time in any comer of the world. Hence any Scripture sent down to any community in any language taught the same Islam. Afterwards, the people distorted this original religion and added to it something to suit their interests or to gratify their lusts, and omitted those things from it which went against their interests. They invented new religions just because they wanted to transgress the prescribed limits and run after undue privileges and gains and distinctions. Thus they made changes in the beliefs, principles and injunctions of the true Faith to make it subservient to their own desires and lusts.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.) Allah states that there is no religion accepted with Him from any person, except Islam. Islam includes obeying all of the Messengers until Muhammad who finalized their commission, thus closing all paths to Allah except through Muhammad . Therefore, after Allah sent Muhammad , whoever meets Allah following a path other than Muhammad's, it will not be accepted of him. 

In another Ayah, Allah said: (And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him) [3:85].

In this Ayah Allah said, asserting that the only religion accepted with Him is Islam (Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.) Allah then states that those who were given the Scripture beforehand divided in the religion after Allah sent the Messengers and revealed the Books to them providing them the necessary proofs to not do so. 

Allah said, (Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except out of rivalry, after knowledge had come to them.) meaning, some of them wronged others. Therefore, they differed over the truth, out of envy, hatred and enmity for each other. This hatred made some of them defy those whom they hated even if they were correct. 

Allah then said, (And whoever disbelieves in the Ayat of Allah) meaning, whoever rejects what Allah sent down in His Book, (then surely, Allah is Swift in reckoning.) Allah will punish him for his rejection, reckon him for his denial, and torment him for defying His Book. 

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(Behold, the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man's] self-surrender unto Him; and those who were vouchsafed revelation aforetime)  Most of the classical commentators are of the opinion that the people referred to are the followers of the Bible, or of parts of it - i.e., the Jews and the Christians. It is, however, highly probable that this passage bears a wider import and relates to all communities which base their views on a revealed scripture, extant in a partially corrupted form, with parts of it entirely lost.

( took, out of mutual jealousy, to divergent views [on this point] only after knowledge [thereof] had come unto them) I.e., all these communities at first subscribed to the doctrine of God's oneness and held that man's self-surrender to Him (Islam in its original connotation) is the essence of all true religion. Their subsequent divergencies were an outcome of sectarian pride and mutual exclusiveness.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 The implication is that the religion of the Jews and Christians was also Islam. From the very beginning, the Almighty revealed the same religion to His prophets and messengers. He did not reveal any religion other than Islam to them. The religions which today exist in the name of Judaism and Christianity have come into being only after their followers have created dissensions in what Islam originally was.

Explanation Qur'an Wiki:

The sūrah now moves on to establish the logical result that since there is only one God, then all worship must be addressed to that one God: “The only true faith acceptable to God is [man’s] self-surrender to Him.” The oneness of the Divine Being requires that all submission must be to Him. There is nothing in people’s minds or in their lives which is not subject to God’s authority. The oneness of God means that there is only One Being who has the right to set values and standards for people, to require them to submit to Him, obey Him, implement the legislation He has enacted for them in all the affairs of their lives. There is only one faith, namely, pure submission to God alone, which is acceptable to Him.

 

When we state that the only true faith acceptable to God is self- surrender to Him, we mean true Islam. This is not merely a claim to be stated, a flag to be raised or a detached academic concept to be discussed which does not stir hearts or minds, or even a set of acts of worship such as Prayer, fasting and pilgrimage. This is not the sort of Islam which God describes as the only faith acceptable to Him. True Islam means complete obedience, total submission to God and the implementation of His revelations in human life, as will be stated presently in the same Qur’ānic text.

 

Their disputes did not arise out of ignorance of the truth. They had been given certain knowledge of God’s oneness and the fact that He is the only Lord in the universe. They were also given the knowledge they needed about human nature and true submission to God. They simply disagreed “through mutual aggression” when they abandoned the course of justice embodied in the faith and the law God revealed to them. A timely and appropriately stern warning is then given: “He who denies God’s revelations will find that God is indeed swift in reckoning.” Disagreement over the truism of the oneness of God is thus considered a denial and rejection of God’s revelations. The rejecters are here threatened with swift reckoning in order that people do not persist with their disbelief, denials and disputes.

And in reply to this verse, Allah ordains Prophet Muhammad to tell those who dispute him in the following verse:

فَاِنۡ حَآجُّوۡكَ فَقُلۡ اَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِىَ لِلّٰهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ​ؕ وَقُل لِّلَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡاُمِّيّٖنَ ءَاَسۡلَمۡتُمۡ​ؕ فَاِنۡ اَسۡلَمُوۡا فَقَدِ اهۡتَدَوْا ​ۚ وَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ الۡبَلٰغُ ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بَصِيۡرٌۢ بِالۡعِبَادِ‏ 

(3:20) And if they remonstrate with you, tell them: 'I have submitted my whole being to Allah, and so have those who follow me.' And ask the People of the Book as well as those who follow no heavenly Scripture: 'Have you also submitted (to Allah)?' If they have submitted to Him, they are indeed on the right way but if they deviate from submitting to Allah, then your duty is merely to deliver the message. Allah observes the affairs of His servants.

Please listen to explanation of the ayats 19-21 by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

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

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 | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and help us against those who deny the Truth

A true Muslim is always cognizant of his shortfalls, misdeeds and weaknesses for which he is always repenting and asking for forgiveness. Yet despite all his efforts to seek forgiveness, whenever he is confronted with any difficulty or faces a dead wall, he does not straightaway call out to Allah to save him from his miseries, but first of all he seeks Allah's forgiveness from his sins and excesses, and then seeks help against those who deny Muslims the truth or hamper in his way forward.

This action of a Muslim is exactly in line with the 147th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran, " سورة آل عمران " which we have chosen today for our series of posts on Selected Invocations  (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'ān:

وَمَا كَانَ قَوۡلَهُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا اغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَاِسۡرَافَنَا فِىۡۤ اَمۡرِنَا وَ ثَبِّتۡ اَقۡدَامَنَا وَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ‏ 

(3:147) And all they said was this: 'Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and our excesses, and set our feet firm, and help us against those who deny the Truth.'

Qur'an Wiki:

The testing times, the difficulties and the dangers do not make the believers oblivious of their need to turn to God. As they do, their first request is not victory, as would have been expected, but forgiveness for their errors and excesses. Prayer for increased strength and victory over the enemy comes second: “All that they said was this: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs. Make firm our steps, and give us victory over the unbelievers.’” They do not pray for any great bounty or reward. They have not implored God to give them the reward of either this life or the life to come. Their humility when they turn to God and address Him is too great to allow them to do this, and despite the fact that they are fighting for His cause. They pray only that He will grant them forgiveness of their sins, make firm their steps, and grant them victory over the unbelievers. It is very important to realise here that they do not pray for victory for themselves, but rather for the defeat their opponents and the frustration of the unbelievers. This is the sort of good manners which befit believers when they address God, the Almighty.

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

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

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

True Believers remember Allah and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth

Many non Muslims challenge Qur'an saying that does not "scientifically prove" many things that science has done in the recent past. But they fail to understand that Qur'an is not a book of knowledge, rather it is a Divine Book of Beliefs. Many non Muslims and even many Muslims fail to comprehend this fact. But at the same time, in Qur'an there are many realities which were not known more than 1400 years ago. These hidden realities became true as science progressed and answers to these realities were found.

At many a places in Qur'an, believers have been asked to concentrate and think deeply on the verses of Qur'an for these have hidden meanings which will come to surface as knowledge of man comes to a stage where he would be able to comprehend their true meanings and impact on the life of mankind.

The 190th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran indicates to this very fact:

(3:190) Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are signs for men of understanding.

That is what are these signs contained in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the succession of day and night? What is the message understood by men of wisdom when they reflect on these phenomena, as they remember God in all situations, when they stand up, sit and lie down? Furthermore, what is the relationship between their reflection on these signs and their remembrance of God in all situations? How does their reflection lead them to engage in their supplication which expresses their humility and fear of God: “Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Limitless are You in Your glory. Guard us, then, against the torment of the fire.”

From here we connect the 191st verse, which is the verse selected for our post today, in which it has been indicated that those who have faith in Allah and remember Him wherever they are and reflect on the creation of heavens and earth will finally find answers and praise Allah for His glorious creations. a deeper reflection of Allah's creations reveal that Allah did not created this without purpose, it is only we do not have adequate knowledge:

الَّذِيۡنَ يَذۡكُرُوۡنَ اللّٰهَ قِيَامًا وَّقُعُوۡدًا وَّعَلٰى جُنُوۡبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَكَّرُوۡنَ فِىۡ خَلۡقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ۚ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هٰذَا بَاطِلًا ۚ سُبۡحٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‏ 

(3:191) those who remember Allah while standing, sitting or (reclining) on their backs, and reflect in the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from the chastisement of the Fire.

That is, "These Signs can help one understand the Reality, provided that one is not unmindful of God and observes the phenomena of Nature like a thinking person and not like an animal."  

A close observation of the system of the Universe leads them to the right conclusion that most surely there is a life in the Hereafter with its rewards and punishments. The system itself speaks eloquently of the great wisdom that underlies it, so it follows that the All-Wise Creator must have a definite purpose in the creation of Man. Moreover, the very fact, that He placed everything at man's disposal and has endowed him with a moral sense to discriminate between good and bad, clearly shows that he must be accountable to Him as to whether he had fulfilled that purpose. Consequently he should be rewarded for the good he dces in this world and punished for the evil. This thinking leads one to the conclusion that there must be a life-after-death, where one will be accountable for his deeds. This realization fills man's heart with fear of punishment in the Hereafter, and he spontaneously prays to Him to save him from the Hell-fire.  

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides) Al-Bukhari recorded that `Imran bin Husayn said that, the Messenger of Allah said:  (Pray while standing, and if you can't, pray while sitting, and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.) These people remember Allah in all situations, in their heart and speech,

(and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the Earth), contemplating about signs in the sky and earth that testify to the might, ability, knowledge, wisdom, will and mercy of the Creator. Allah criticizes those who do not contemplate about His creation, which testifies to His existence, Attributes, Shari`ah, His decree and Ayat. 

Allah said, (And how many a sign in the heavens and the Earth they pass by, while they are averse therefrom. And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him) [12:105,106]

Allah also praises His believing servants, (Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth), supplicating; 

("Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose,'') You did not create all this in jest and play. Rather, You created it in truth, so that You recompense those who do evil in kind, and reward those who do righteous deeds with what is better.

The faithful believers praise Allah and deny that He does anything in jest and without purpose, saying, ("glory to You,''), for You would never create anything without purpose, ("Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.''), meaning, "O You Who created the creation in truth and justice, Who is far from any shortcomings, or doing things without purpose or with jest, save us from the torment of the Fire with Your power and strength. Direct us to perform the deeds that make You pleased with us. Guide us to righteous work from which You admit us into the delightful Paradise, and save us from Your painful torment.''

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

That is, in all postures, which again is symbolical of all circumstances, personal, social, economic, historical and other.

It is the thought of Salvation that connects all these glories with man. Otherwise man would be a miserable, contemptible creature in these beauties and wonders of Nature. With his high destiny of Salvation he can be lifted even higher than these glories!

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 It is evident from this that men of vision and intellect are those who, while reflecting on this world, are led to keep God and the Hereafter in remembrance and under reflection. It is further evident from this that remembering God is required at all times and just as this remembrance, reflection and deliberation are also required because through reflection does one have conviction of the Hereafter. In its absence, remembering God becomes a mere exercise of the tongue; it has no status beyond this.

Qur'an Wiki:

It is a moment of worship, which means that it is a moment of establishing a relationship and receiving a message. It is no wonder, then, that the mere reflection on the creation of the heavens and the earth and the succession of day and night is enough to reveal the truth about them and the fact that nothing of this has been created in vain. The immediate result of this attitude is embodied in these words: “’Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Limitless are You in Your glory.’”

This is immediately followed by a psychological response to the inspiration of the universe: “Guard us, then, against the torment of the fire. Our Lord, him whom You shall commit to the fire"

What is the nature of the emotional relationship between recognising the truth behind the creation of the heavens and the earth and the succession of day and night and the fear of being thrown into hell? Recognition of this truth means to those endowed with understanding and insight that it is all made according to an elaborate plan and for a definite purpose, and that truth and justice will be maintained beyond man’s life on this planet. This inevitably means that whatever people do will be taken into account and that rewards will be administered. This leads to the conclusion that there is another life where the truth will be established and where justice will be done.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

The Test of Charity in Islam

Charity is defined as the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need. But the real test of charity in Islam is to part with something that is very dear to one and yet he gives away to please Allah and with a hope that Allah will reward him much more than what he has given in charity.

Parting with something that one loves the most and giving it to mothers so that their needs and wants are fulfilled is in fact an act of extreme charity if given to please Allah and not as a gesture of showing one's magnanimity to others. It is easier to give someone something that is lying spare to your needs, like old clothes. But is far difficult to give in charity your best shirt or shoe to someone in urgent need. Such act is the test of charity as explained in the 92nd verse from Surah 3. Al-i'Imran

لَن تَنَالُوا۟ ٱلْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ

By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.

The purpose of this verse is to remove the misconception of the Jews concerning 'righteousness'. The Jews had inherited an elaborate legal code which had accumulated as a result of the casuistry and hair-splitting legalism of their jurists. Their notion of 'righteousness' consisted of outward, formal conformity to that code and they evaluated all day-to-day actions, especially the trivial ones, in terms of conformity to that code. Narrow-mindedness, greed, covetousness, meanness, concealment of the Truth and readiness to barter with it lay beneath this veneer of formal piety. They were, nevertheless, considered pious in the minds of the people; Jewish public opinion condoned their conduct because it conformed to its concept of 'righteousness'.

In order to remove this misconception they are told that the things they considered fundamental to righteous conduct are of little consequence. The real spirit of righteousness consists in the love of God - a love which makes man value the good pleasure of God above all worldly acquisitions. If the love of anything seizes a man's mind to such an extent that he is unable to sacrifice it for the sake of the love of God, then that thing has virtually become an idol, and until he smashes it the door to righteousness will remain closed to him. If a man lacks this spirit, then his excessively formal and legalistic approach in religious matters can be considered no more than glossy paint over a piece of hollow, worm-eaten wood. It may be possible to deceive human beings by the sheer lustre of the outer paint, but not God.

Ibn Kathir Explanation: Al-Birr " ٱلْبِرَّ  " is Spending from the Best of One's Wealth:

In his Tafsir, Waki` reported, that `Amr bin Maymun said that (" لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ " By no means shall you attain Al-Birr) is in reference to attaining Paradise.

Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said, "Abu Talhah had more property than any other among the Ansar in Al-Madinah, and the most beloved of his property to him was Bayruha' garden, which was in front of the (Messenger's) Masjid. Sometimes, Allah's Messenger used to go to the garden and drink its fresh water.'' Anas added, "When these verses were revealed,

Abu Talhah said, `O Allah's Messenger! Allah says, (" لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ " By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love;) No doubt, Bayruha' garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allah's cause, and I expect its reward and compensation from Allah. O Allah's Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you think is feasible. ' 

On that, Allah's Messenger said, (Well-done! It is profitable property, it is profitable property. I have heard what you have said, and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your kith and kin.). Abu Talhah said, `I will do so, O Allah's Messenger.' Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden among his relatives and cousins.''

Yusuf Ali Translation:

The test of charity is: do you give something that you value greatly, something that you love? If you give your life in a Cause, that is the greatest gift you can give. If you give yourself, that is, your personal efforts, your talents, your skill, your learning, that comes next in degree. If you give your earnings, your property, your possessions, that is also a great gift; for many people love them even more than other things. And there are less tangible things, such as position, reputation, the well-being of those we love, the regard of those who can help us, etc. It is unselfishness that Allah demands, and there is no act of unselfishness, however small or intangible, but is well within the knowledge of Allah.

Qur'an Wiki: 

Since spending for causes other than that of God is mentioned as well as the offering of a ransom when none may be accepted, God explains the sort of spending which earns His pleasure: “You will never attain to true piety unless you spend on others out of what you dearly cherish. God has full knowledge of what you spend.” The Muslims at the time understood this Divine directive perfectly well. They were keen to achieve that standard of true piety, which means the culmination of everything that is good, by offering what they cherished most dearly. They came forward with such offerings in the hope of receiving a much greater reward in the hereafter.

 

Many of them have followed this line in fulfilment of God’s instruction, Who has outlined for us the way to true piety when He has guided us to Islam. In this way, we attain our freedom from being enslaved by wealth and self-aggrandisement. We can aspire to attain a more sublime level, free of all shackles, undeterred by any impediments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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