Beware! Allah is watching you very closely (Selected verses from Qur'an)

Man, aways performs well when being watched or supervised. Likewise, drivers drive very carefully when being aware of speed cameras on the road. Imagine the chaos if speed cameras were not there or if there were no checks and balances in the offices to judge the performance of the employees. 

The same is true for the presence of Divine Surveillance.

Yes, our Creator, fully cognizant of our inborn habit of cheating, stealing and laziness, has an overwatch over every one of us. Those who please Him by following His path, whether being watched or otherwise, are the ones who will ultimately succeed. But those who disregard the Divine Surveillance and continue to violate Divine as well as man-made laws, should know that their every move is being watch and recorded and they will be asked and punished for the violations they commit.

This has been repeated at many a place in Qur'an and man has been cautioned to take stock of his actions lest his violative attitude makes him liable to be penalized. A violator may escape the justice of the world, but he will be held accountable for every single act of violation of Divine Laws and will be duly persecuted.

Herein under we share the very first verse of Surah 4. An Nisa (The Women) about the Divine Caution to abstain from every wrong and evil thing for they are ever been watched:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

[Surah 4 An Nisa (The Women):1] O mankind, fear your Lord, Who created you of a single soul, and of the same created his mate, and from that pair spread countless men and women over the earth;1 fear that Allah in Whose name you demand your rights from one another, and abstain from violating relations between kinsfolk; note it well that Allah is watching you very closely.

It means that this world has not come into existence of its own accord; it has been created by God Who is the Creator as well as the Lord of all. It is therefore unseemly for a person to regard this world to be a wandering herd which has no shepherd to attend to it and make it a target of his oppression and tyranny; on the contrary, it is his obligation to adhere to justice and clemency in its affairs; for he should know that God is very powerful, mighty and just. Those who oppress His creation will not escape His anger and wrath. He is watching over everything.

Allah calls Himself Ar-Raqeeb (الرقيب) — The Watchful, The All-Observing, The Witness — on three occasions in the Quran. Ar-Raqeeb is the One Who sees what is hidden in the hearts and He is the One Who charges your soul for what it has earned. He is the All-and-Ever-Watchful, observing everyone’s actions, thoughts, and feelings. Ar-Raqeeb is also The Controller; preserving and organizing the affairs of creation with perfect planning!

A beautiful example of belief in Ar-Raqeeb. Narrated `Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: When I was accompanying `Umar ibn al-Khattab on his patrol of Madinah at night, he felt tired, so he leant against a wall. It was the middle of the night, and (we heard) a woman say to her daughter, “O my daughter, get up and mix that milk with some water.” The girl said, “O Mother, did you not hear the decree of Amir al-Mu’minin (chief of the believers) today?” The mother said, “What was that?” The girl said, “He ordered someone to announce in a loud voice that milk should not be mixed with water.” The mother said, “Get up and mix the milk with water; you are in a place where `Umar cannot see you.” The girl told her mother, “I cannot obey Him (Allah) in public and disobey him in private.” [Sifat al-Safwah and Wafiyat al-A’yan and cited by Ibn al-Jawzi in Ahkam Al-Nisa’]

Imagine how a poor girl understood the meaning of everyone being watched by Allah, and we continue to commit sins of every nature blatantly, from hurting people, hiding truth so that it does not against our favour and harming others by injustice or supporting those who do injustice.

Now let us take an unbiased personal appraisal and see how many times a day we violate the Divine Commandments and shrug off the consequences. If everyone inculcates just this small part of the complete verse: " إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا note it well that Allah is watching you very closely" how much change can come into our inner and outer behaviour and mindset. For this, always listen to your conscious, if it rings a bell, stop whatever you intend or about to do, for our conscious is part of the mechanism installed in our body to prevent us from doing something not allowed.

So, my brothers and sisters, let us be cognizant of the Divine Eye and let us keep ourselves away from actions and thoughts that may be observed and recorded for which we will be questioned on the Day of Judgement. May Allah forgive us all. 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 more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine Guidance and Help.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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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

The time of people's reckoning is near: Yet they remain stubbornly heedless

Blessed are those who listen to the Divine Call and shape their lives according to the Divine Commandments and Lawas. But how utterly heedless are many who despite knowing the truth, follow a life shaped by their desires and worldly love. They do not know how close to the day they are when this life will terminate into another life that will be permanent and painful. Every minute of theirs takes them nearer to their doom, and yet they are sadly heedless, and even actively turn away from the Message that would save them.

We share the opening verse of Surah 21. Al Anbiyaa (The Prophets) which warns such heedless people of the wrath that they are not aware of which awaits them. And that day is very near, if they had the iota of wisdom to find it out:

اِقۡتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ فِىۡ غَفۡلَةٍ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ​ۚ‏

(21:1) The time of people's reckoning has drawn near, and yet they turn aside in heedlessness.

The time.... near": the time of Resurrection. This is to warn the people that the time of Resurrection when they will have to appear before their Lord to render their accounts is not far. This was because the coming of the Holy Prophet was a sign and clear evidence of the fact that mankind had entered the last stage of its history. The Holy Prophet himself explained it by holding out two of his adjoining fingers and said, "I have been sent at a time which joins to the time of Resurrection just as these two fingers adjoin". By this he meant to say, "No other Prophet is coming between me and the Resurrection. Therefore, mend your ways now, for after me no guide is coming with good news and warning."

"They do not pay heed to any warning nor reflect on their end nor listen to the admonition of the Messenger." 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Hour is at hand but People are heedless.

This is a warning from Allah of the approach of the Hour, and that people are heedless of it, i.e., they are not working for it or preparing for it. 

An-Nasa'i recorded that Abu Sa`id reported from the Prophet: (فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ while they turn away in heedlessness), he said, (in this world.)

Allah says: 

(The Event ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it)

(The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder. And if they see a sign, they turn away.) [54:1,2] 

Then Allah states that they do not listen to the revelation (Wahy) that He sends down to His Messenger , which is addressed to the Quraysh and all disbelievers like them.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 Ie., for the Idolaters of Arabia who after conclusive communication of the truth from the Prophet (sws) could face torment any time. This was in accordance with God’s established practice. Earlier, at the end of Sūrah Ṭāhā, they were told to wait for it. Here these words mention its proximity. The sūrah starts with these words without any formal beginning. Since these people had shown aversion to God’s reminders, the Almighty has mentioned them by the general word النَّاس by actually turning His face away from them.

Two words are used in the verse: negligence and evasion. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... Negligence, which means showing indifference to the realities of life, shows a person’s misfortune and is a very grave wrong. However, this wrong becomes much graver when a servant of God is trying his best to jolt them and awaken them from their slumber but people are so deep in their negligence that they are not prepared to listen to him. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 122)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This is a picture of hearts that know no seriousness, jesting when the situation is most serious, and trifling with what is sacred. The reminder given to them here originates with ‘their Lord’, yet they are playful as they listen to it, showing no respect whatsoever. A soul that knows no seriousness, respect or sacredness ends up in a condition of barren triviality which makes it unsuitable for the fulfilment of any task of merit. Its life seems devoid of respect, cheap. A spirit which cares little or nothing for what is held as sacred is sick. Carelessness is the opposite of endurance. The latter is a serious effort indicating strength, while the former indicates insensitivity.

It is the Sūrah that starts with, “Closer to people draw their reckoning, yet they continue to blithely turn away.’” This is the marked difference between a living heart which interacts with what it receives and a dead one which covers its lifelessness in a shroud of jest and play. The latter type does not respond to reminders because it is devoid of the elements 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

Woe to every scorner and mocker (Selected verses from Qur’an)

Talking ill of a Muslim brother, or even anyone else, with an intent of malice, deceit, harm and spoiling someone's reputation is one of the most heinous crimes in Islam. There are a number verses in Qur'an and many Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad which warn Muslims against scorning and backbiting another, especially in his absence. In fact, Qur’an has considered slander as an inhuman action, and has introduced it as eating flesh of a dead brother. 

Before we share the verse selected for today, let us be clear about slandering and backbiting:

Ghibah or backbiting means speaking about a Muslim in his absence and saying things that he would not like to have spread around or mentioned. Buhtan or slander means saying things about a Muslim that are not true, or in other words telling lies about him.

These cause hostilities between people of the same household and between neighbours and relatives. They can decrease in good deeds and increase in evil ones and lead to dishonor and ignominy. 

Backbiting and slandering are shame and disgrace. Their perpetrator is detested and he shall not have a noble death. Allah forbids these acts, as He says in the Holy Quran: "Backbiting and gossiping are from the vilest and most despicable of things, yet the most widely spread amongst mankind, such that no one is free from it except for a few people." 

“Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers — are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment” [Surah al-Noor 24:23].

The importance of this malice can be ascertained from the fact that a complete chapter of Qur'an, the 104th Surah is named Al Humaza "The One Who Slanders." The main theme of the 9-versed chapter is about slanderer, defamer and stingy who shall be thrown into the blazing fire. We have already published the summary/Exegesis. Here we are sharing its very first verse that cautions Muslims against slandering and mocking:

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ

وَيۡلٌ لِّـكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةِ ۙ‏ 

Woe to every scorner and mocker

The words used in the original are humazat il-lumazah. In Arabic hamz and lamz are so close in meaning that they are sometimes used as synonyms and sometimes with a little difference in the shade of meaning. But this difference is not definite and clear, for the meaning given to lamz by some Arabic speaking people themselves is given to lamz by other Arabic speaking peoples. On the contrary, the meaning given to harm by some people is given to hamz by others. Here, since both the words appear together and the words humazat il-lumazat have been used, they give the meaning that it has become a practice with the slanderer that he insults and holds others in contempt habitually. He raises his finger and winks at one man, finds fault with the lineage and person of another, taunts one in the face and backbites another; creates differences between friends and stirs up divisions between brothers; calls the people names and satirizes and defames them. 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Three vices are here condemned in the strongest terms: (1) scandal-mongering, talking or suggesting evil of men or women by word or innuendo, or behaviour, or mimicry, or sarcasm, or insult; (2) detracting from their character behind their backs, even if the things suggested are true, where the motive is evil; (3) piling up wealth, not for use and service to those who need it, but in miserly hoards, as if such hoards can prolong the miser's life or give him immortality: miserliness is itself a kind of scandal.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Hammaz, going about with slander) (68:11) Ibn `Abbas said, "Humazah Lumazah means one who reviles and disgraces (others).'' Mujahid said, "Al-Humazah is with the hand and the eye, and Al-Lumazah is with the tongue.'

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

I.e., everyone who maliciously tries to uncover real or imaginary faults in others.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The first of these relates to gestures and actions and the second to the tongue. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

… Making evil gestures and slandering others are two aspects of the same character. When the purpose is to make fun of others and to degrade and ridicule them, both are employed. At times, ridiculing and demeaning others through gestures can prove sharper and more effective than the tongue, and perhaps this is the reason for placing هُمَزَة before لُمَزَة . (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 9, 548)

A little deliberation shows that this way of making fun of others and demeaning them through gestures is the same as what can even be witnessed today in caricatures and cartoons depicted in the newspapers of today as well as in the statements of leaders.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Islam despises this type of person whose characteristics are diametrically opposed to its own high standards of morality. Islam emphatically forbids mockery and ridicule of other people as well as deliberate fault-finding. But in this case the Qur’an describes these actions as sordid and ugly, delivering a stern warning to anyone who indulges in them. This suggests that the surah is referring to an actual case of some unbelievers subjecting the Prophet and the believers to their taunts and slander. The reply to these actions comes in the form of a strong prohibition and awesome warning. There are some reports which name specific individuals as being the slanderers meant here, but these are not authentic, so we will not discuss them, but instead content ourselves with general observations.

To sum up, Slander indicates mentioning hidden weak points and faults of the others so that if they hear, they will be disturbed. These points are either concerned with religious, moral, spiritual and social aspects, or with corporeal aspects, including face, body's limbs, corporal powers, and actions and behaviours, or his attachments, such as wife, child, and or his clothing, house, etc.

There are several motives for slander:

• Malice and revenge: as there is no easier and simpler way than slander and damaging a person's reputation and character for extinguishing flames of spite and revenge blazing in the heart of some people.
• Envy: as the envious person always wishes for end of blessings of the envied one, when he cannot achieve his purpose, for compensating it, he tries to damage the envied person's reputation and credit through slander and revealing his weak points, and relieves the fire of his envy in this way.
• Acquitting oneself from a committed sin: in other words, one tries to simplify or justify his action through mentioning the faults of others.
• Mockery and deriding: of course, mockery and deriding others has several motives, and after rooting of its factors in man's entity, one of the ways of realization of this goal is slander.
• Recreation and amusement: there are a lot of people who engage in mentioning weak points and faults of the others only for recreation and amusement or warming circles and meetings, because no other sin is sweeter than slander for people. It should also be noted that people not only enjoy recreation and amusement, but also enjoy causing others to laugh.
• Excitation of curiosity instinct: this instinct which is one of the most powerful man's instincts, invites man to urge others for slander and revealing weak points of different individuals, and perhaps the sweetness of slander for some people originates from the false satiation of this instinct. Such people enjoy knowing mysteries and faults of others and are curious about them, and therefore make others slander more eagerly and enthusiastically.

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 for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo; Pixabay | Reference: | 1 || 2 | 3 |

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Qur'ān - The Al Furqan (The Criterion): Warner for the entire Mankind

The four Divine Scriptures were revealed to four highly placed prophets of Allah for the guidance of their people. While Taurat (Torah), Zaboor (Psalms) and Injeel (Bible) were revealed for a specific people and area,  Qur'ān, the last and final Divine Revelation, is to be he beacon of guidance for all times to come till this universe exits. And that is why it not only embodies typical religious teachings, but it encompasses all aspects of human life as individuals, family, community or universal community as a whole. In fact Qur'ān is the criterion to differentiate between good and bad, virtues and vices. In short, it is a warner for whole of the mankind to take guidance from and be prepared for a Day when every man will be made to answer for his entire worldly life.

The very first verse of Surah 25, Al Furqan (The Criterion) indicates towards the universality of the Qur'ān and message to the entire mankind:

تَبٰـرَكَ الَّذِىۡ نَزَّلَ الۡـفُرۡقَانَ عَلٰى عَبۡدِهٖ لِيَكُوۡنَ لِلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ نَذِيۡرَا ۙ‏ 

(25:1) Most blessed is He Who sent down this Criterion, on His servant, to be a warner to all mankind;

As is usual with opening of many Surahs of the Qur'ān, this verse also begins with exaltation of Allah, the Creator of this universe. The Arabic word tabaraka( تَبٰـرَكَ )  is very comprehensive, and cannot be understood fully and completely by "highly blessed", not even by a sentence. However, its meanings may be grasped by keeping in view the remaining portion of vv. 1-2. Here it has been used to convey the following meanings:

• He is the most Beneficent: that is why He has bestowed the great blessing of Al-Furqan by degrees on His servant so that he may admonish all mankind.
• He is the most Exalted and Great: for the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him.
• He is the most Holy, Pure and Perfect: He is free from every tinge of shirk and has neither a partner in His Godhead, nor needs a son to succeed Him; for He is Ever-Lasting.
• He is the Highest and the Most Supreme in rank: the Kingdom and the Dominion wholly and solely belong to Him, and there is none who has any share in His Authority and Powers.
• He is the sole Creator of the universe and has created each and everything in it and predetermined its destiny. 

Then the meaning of Al-Furqan ( The Criterion ) unfolds: The Qur'an has been called Al-Furqan because it is the Criterion for judging right and wrong virtue and vice, truth and falsehood.  

The word nazzala implies revelation of the Qur'an piecemeal by degrees. The wisdom of this introductory remark will be explained in the study of verse 32, where the objection of the disbelievers of Makkah -as to why the Qur'an has not been sent down all at once-has been dealt with

“..... warner to all mankind": To warn all mankind of the evil consequences of their heedlessness and deviation. The warner may be AI-Furgan or the Holy Prophet to whom it was revealed. In fact, both were the warners because they were both sent for one and the same purpose. The message of the Qur'an and Prophethood of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were not meant for any particular country but for the whole world; and not for their own time, but for all times to come. This has been stated at several places in the Qur'an; for instance: "O Muhammad, say, O mankind, I am a Messenger to all of you from Allah ....." (Al-A`raf: 158); "..... and this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I should thereby warn you all and whom it may reach." (Al An'am: 19); "We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and as a warner to all mankind." (Saba: 28); and "We have sent you as a mercy to all mankind." (Al Anbiya': 107) The Holy Prophet himself has stated this clearly in the Hadith; for instance, he said: "I have been sent to all men-the red and the black." "Before me a Prophet was sent only to his own people, but 1 have been sent to all mankind." (Bukhari, Muslim). "I have been sent to all mankind, and I am the Last of the Prophets." (Muslim).

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

Almost all the commentators give this meaning to the term al-furqan. In the above context it denotes the Qur'an as well as the phenomenon of divine revelation as such. (For an amplified interpretation of this term by Muhammad 'Abduh, see note [38] on 2:53 .) The verbal form nazzala implies gradualness both in time ("successively") and in method ("step by step").

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Tabaraka: the root meaning is "increase" or "abundance". Here that aspect of Allah's dealing with His creatures is emphasised, which shows His abundant goodness to all His creatures, in that He sent the Revelation of His Will, not only in the unlimited Book of Nature, but in a definite Book in human language, which gives clear directions and admonitions to all. The English word "blessed" hardly conveys that meaning, but I can find no other without departing far from established usage. To emphasise the meaning I have explained, I have translated "Blessed is..." but "Blessed be..." is also admissible, as it brings out another shade of meaning, that we praise and bless His holy name.

That by which we can judge clearly between right and wrong. Here the reference is to the Qur'ān, which has already been symbolised by light. This symbol is continued here, and many contrasts are shown, in the midst of which we can distinguish between the true and the false by Allah's Light, especially the contrast between righteousness and sin.

The pronoun in yakuna may refer either to Furqan (the Criterion) or to 'Abd (the holy Prophet). In either case the ultimate meaning is the same. The Qur-an is the standing Criterion for judgment between right and wrong.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., this is a Book which distinguishes between good and evil, is a barometer and a conclusive argument. At another instance, this feature of the Book is called Mīzān, which means a scale in which every person can weigh and see what is good and what is evil. Thus it does not need any external evidence to prove its claims and the veracity of its presenter; it in itself is evidence. It is because of this very status of the Qur’ān that I have written in the chapter “Fundamental Principles” of my book “Islam: A Comprehensive Introduction” that two premises about this Book must be acknowledged as a principle:

Firstly, no divine revelation extraneous to the Qur’ān and not even the Prophet (sws), to whom this Qur’ān was revealed, can specify a general directive of the Qur’ān or alter any of its directives. Everything shall be accepted or rejected as religion on the basis of the Qur’ān. Everything accepted in religion shall be rigorously scrutinized in the light of this Divine Guidance. All bases of belief and faith shall be directly derived from it. Every revelation, inspiration, research and opinion shall be subservient to the Qur’ān, and it shall be acknowledged that even the works of great jurists like Abū Ḥanīfah and al-Shāfi‘ī, scholars of Ḥadīth like al-Bukhārī and Muslim, theologians like al-Ash‘arī and al-Māturīdī, sūfīs like Junayd and Shiblī must be weighed in the scales of this mīzān, and nothing can be accepted from them which is not in consonance with it.

Secondly, the text of the Qur’ān is univocal. The meaning conveyed by each word of it is definitive. Whatever it intends to say, it says with full certainty and there is no ambiguity about it. In no issue is it unable to convey what it wants to. The meanings of its words perfectly match the words, and the meanings do not in any way contradict what the words say. The only way to approach the Qur’ān in order to understand it is through its words. With full certainty these words convey what they stand for and there is no question of any doubt or ambiguity in this regard. (Javed Ahmad Ghāmidī, Mīzān, (Islam: A Comprehensive Introduction), Tr. Dr Shehzad Saleem (Lahore: Shirkat Printing Press, 2018), 30.

( so that it can warn the people of the world ) Ie., it is not merely for Makkah and those who live in its whereabouts but for the whole world. It is explained in verse 19 of Sūrah al-An‘ām that the message of the Qur’ān is for all times to come. It is stated: وَ اُوۡحِيَ اِلَيَّ هٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنُ لِاُنۡذِرَكُمۡ بِهٖ وَ مَنۡۢ بَلَغَ (and this Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may warn you through it and all those also whom it may reach). This status of the Qur’ān necessarily entails that for the later people also, it be univocal and provide certitude the way it was and did for its foremost addressees. By the grace of God, this is in fact so and this Book is with us with this certitude and finality.

The words عَلٰي عَبْدِهٖ are used for Muḥammad (sws) in the verse. This is a style in which attention is affectionately focused on him. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... There is a special occasion for directing attention towards the Prophet (sws) in an affectionate way. In the succeeding verses, objections of the disbelievers are cited which they would raise in a very humiliating way against the Prophet (sws). These objections were generally raised by the affluent people from Makkah and Ṭā’if. Being conceited because of their wealth, they would mock at the meagre worldly resources of the Prophet (sws) and present this as a primary argument to refute his prophethood. While keeping in mind this mentality of these arrogant people, it is stated that after the favour of the Furqān which the Almighty has revealed to His special servant, nothing more is needed by him. In order to complete the mission of warning people, he has the perfect provision with him. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 443)

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

The Qur’ān is named here as ‘al-Furqān’, which is also the title of the sūrah. The name indicates distinction and separation between the truth and falsehood, divine guidance and erroneous beliefs. Furthermore, the Qur’ān makes a clear distinction between two different ways of life and two epochs in human life. It outlines a clear way of life as it is conceived in human conscience and in practice. This way of life is distinct from anything humanity has ever known. It ushers in a new era for humanity, unlike anything it ever witnessed. Thus it is a criterion in this broad sense, separating the stage of human childhood that has just ended from the stage of maturity about to begin. The age of physical miracles is thus ended to start that of rational miracles. Moreover, local and provisional messages come to an end with the revelation of the Qur’ān, God’s final and universal message to all mankind: “so that it might be a warning to all the worlds.”

 

Special honour for God’s Messenger is shown at this point, describing him as ‘God’s servant’. Describing man as God’s servant in these contexts indicates the highest and most honourable status to which any human being can aspire. It also serves as an implicit reminder that when man achieves his highest status, he is no more than God’s servant, while the position of majesty belongs to Him alone, with absolutely no hint or suggestion of there being anyone who bears any resemblance to Him or is His partner. It was situations like the Prophet’s night journey to Jerusalem and from there to heaven, or direct supplication to God and speaking to Him, or receiving His directives and revelations that tempted some of the followers of earlier messengers to weave legends speaking about a son of God or a relationship other than that of Godhead and servitude to Him. Hence, the Qur’ān emphasizes the status of man’s servitude to God as the highest position to which a chosen human being can aspire.

The sūrah defines God’s purpose of the revelation of the Qur’ān to His servant, “so that it might be a warning to all the worlds.” As a Makkan revelation, this Qur’ānic statement is important as it proves the universal character of the Islamic message right from its early days. This is contrary to the claims made by some non- Muslim ‘historians’ suggesting that the Islamic message initially had only local aspirations, but became more ambitious and outward looking as it secured a number of military victories. The truth is that this message was addressed from the start to all mankind. By its very nature, and the means it employed, it was clearly a universal message aiming to take all mankind into a new era, where a new code and style of life are implemented. It defined its universal nature when the Prophet was still in Makkah, facing determined and unrelenting opposition. It sought to achieve all this through the Qur’ān, the criterion God revealed to His Messenger to serve as a warning to all the worlds. 

End Note:

The Qur'ān is not only to be read, but also understood and acted upon. In order to understand Qur'ān, one must seek guidance from its translation and exegesis form as many scholars as possible so that no doubt is left to fully understand it. And this has been our endeavour to present multiple translations from some of the eminent Muslim scholars to make it easier for readers to understand Qur'ān.

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 | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More