Most of the people do not know the Truth, and turn away

It is very difficult to know and face the truth. Even if many know the truth, they tend to turn away fearing the consequences for siding with the truth. While this phenomenon is applicable to every facet of our lives, it is more pronounced when it comes to know the Divine Truth and accept it for fear of retribution from own people and faith, they have been observing for years without ever pondering over the falsehood that has crept into the faith they follow and continue to abide by it even when challenged to know the Divine Truth.

This is specially so when it comes to Islam. Most of the non-Muslims turn away from the all to know Islam for they do not know what Islam really is. In fact, their mindset is plagued with islamophobia that has been deliberately infused in their minds so that they even care listening to someone talking about Islam. This is the case since ages when people of one faith refused to follow a new Divine path or that followed by their predecessors. 

Even today, there are lot of people or most of the people, who without reading Qur'an or understanding the religion of Islam, hate Islam merely by hearing it from others. And even if someone tries to talk to them on Islam, they turn their face and go away. But the interesting thing is that many who tried to know what Qur'an and Islam is, fall in love with Islam and come under its fold. There have been many instances and revert experiences wherein people confess that they read the Qur'an to find faults with it, but instead finding it the best medium to know the truth that their religion of faith failed to help them do so.

It is in this context that we share the 24th verse of Surah 21. Al-Anbiyaa:

اَمِ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً ​ ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ​ ۚ هٰذَا ذِكۡرُ مَنۡ مَّعِىَ وَذِكۡرُ مَنۡ قَبۡلِىۡ​ ؕ بَلۡ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۙ الۡحَـقَّ​ فَهُمۡ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ‏ 

(21:24) Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it.

The first two were rational arguments and this is a historical one. This means that the study of all the former Scriptures shows that the Creator of the universe is One Allah and He alone is worthy of service and worship, while "Your religion is neither supported by rational arguments nor by historical evidence."

It is their lack of knowledge of Reality which has created this indifference towards the Message of the Prophet, and the same has made them heedless of the Message.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

That is most people's obstinate refusal to consider a reasonable proposition on its merits is often due to no more than the simple fact that it is not familiar to them.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

In this verse, we are warned against a third danger, the worship of false gods of any sort. Pagan man is prolific of creating abstract images for worship, including Self or abstract Intelligence or Power. In verse 26 below is mentioned a fourth kind of false worship, which imagines that Allah begets sons or daughters.

This verse should be read with the next ((21:25) Never did We send any Messenger before you to whom We did not reveal: "There is no god but Me. So, serve Me alone."). All reason revolts against the idea of conflicting gods, and points to Unity in Creation and Unity in Godhead. This is not only the Message of Islam ("those with me") but the message of all prophets who came before the holy Prophet Muhammad ("those before me"), and the line of prophets was closed with him. The Message given to every prophet in all ages was that of Unity as the fundamental basis of Order and Design in the world, material, moral, and spiritual.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that the Qur’ān which was revealed as a reminder for the followers of Muhammad (sws) is present before them as well as the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms and other scriptures of the prophets. They should see that none of these books teaches polytheism; all of them bear witness to monotheism.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Having provided this irrefutable evidence based on the nature of the universe, the sūrah asks them whether they can support their claims about multiple deities with any evidence derived from their scriptures.

Here is the Qur’ān which incorporates the message given to the Prophet’s contemporaries, and there are the scriptures containing the messages delivered by earlier messengers. In none of these is there any mention of partners with God. All divine faiths are based on the true concept of God’s oneness. Where, then, did those unbelievers get this false concept of multiple deities when it cannot be supported by logical or religious argument? “But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they stubbornly turn away.”

Let us then brothers and sisters in Islam know more about Qur'an and present its clear evidence that is based on monotheism as against polytheism. Remember the concept of Trinity also falls in the domain of polytheism, a concept which is tangent to Bible itself. And it is this fact alone that more and more Christians are reverting to Islam, leaving most of the people to their unjustified beliefs.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Cursed are those who accuse chaste believing women

Islam lays an immense emphasis on dignity, honour and respect of both believing men and women in many verses of Qur'an. However, the dignity and honour of believing women is specially emphasized for a false accusation or slander can ruin the piety of an innocent and pious believing woman.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also stressed not to harm the good name and morality of a believing woman. He has been quoted as saying: To slander chaste women is one of the seven deadly sins. According to another tradition cited by Tabarani from Huzaifah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: To slander a pious woman suffices to ruin the good deeds of a hundred years.

In this context we share the 23rd verse of Surah 24. An Noor and its explanation by eminent Muslim scholars and exegetes:

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يَرۡمُوۡنَ الۡمُحۡصَنٰتِ الۡغٰفِلٰتِ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ لُعِنُوۡا فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌۙ‏

(24:23) Those that accuse chaste, unwary, believing women,21 have been cursed in the world and the Hereafter, and a mighty chastisement awaits them.

The word ghafilat " الۡغٰفِلٰتِ "as used in the text means the women who are simple, unpretentious souls, who do not know any artifice, who have pious hearts and have no idea of immorality. They cannot even imagine that their names could ever be associated with any slander.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (A Threat to Those who accuse Chaste Women, who never even think of anything touching their Chastity and are Good Believers)

This is a warning and threat from Allah to those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything effecting their chastity since they are good believers. The Mothers of the believers are more entitled to be included in this category than any other chaste woman, especially the one who was the reason for this Ayah being revealed: `A'ishah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both. All of the scholars agree that whoever slanders her or makes accusations against after what has been said in this Ayah, is a disbeliever, because of his being obstinate with the Qur'an. The same ruling applies to all of the Mothers of the believers.

(لُعِنُواْ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter,) This is like the Ayah:(Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger,) ﴿33:57﴾ `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "This is about `A'ishah, and whoever does anything similar nowadays to Muslim women, the same applies to him, but `A'ishah is the one who is primarily referred to here.'' 

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said: (اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ Shun the seven destructive sins. ) He was asked, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah'' 

He said: (Associating partners with Allah; magic; killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with just cause; consuming Riba; consuming the property of orphans; desertion at the time of war; and accusing chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Two Sahihs.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

According to Razi, the absence of repentance is incontrovertibly implied in the condemnation expressed in the sequence, since the Qur'an makes it clear in many places that God always accepts a sinner's sincere repentance.

Lit., "chaste, unmindful [or "careless"] believing women", i.e., virtuous women who thoughtlessly expose themselves to situations on which a slanderous construction may be put.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Good women are sometimes indiscreet because they think of no evil. But even such innocent indiscretion lands them, and those who hold them dear, in difficulties. Such was the case with Hadhrat 'Aisha, who was in extreme pain and anguish for a whole month because of the slanders spread about her. Her husband and her father were also placed in a most awkward predicament, considering their position and the great work in which they were engaged. But unprincipled people, who start false slanders, and their unthinking tools who help in spreading such slanders, are guilty of the gravest spiritual offence, and their worst punishment is the deprivation of Allah's grace, which is the meaning of a state of Curse.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., simple and decent women who are unaware of the deceptions of the world. A subtle reference is also found in this to the pure and chaste lady who faced the aforementioned slander and allegation.

The actual word is: يَرْمُوْنَ. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... Here there is a special eloquence in using this word for accusing an innocent woman. Hidden in this expression is the purport that those who accuse innocent and chaste women of fornication in fact make them a target of their arrows while they are sleeping. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 389)

It is a result of this curse that even before the Hereafter they have been disgraced in this world as well and they have been totally wiped out from the land of Arabia. The Qur’ān has mentioned this at many instances that once the truth is conclusively conveyed to the disbelievers, this is the fate they meet, in accordance with the established practice of the Almighty.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The forgiveness of which God reminds the believers is granted only to those who repent of their errors, accusing chaste women of adultery and spreading corruption in the Muslim community. On the other hand, those who, like Ibn Ubayy, deliberately, and out of malice, make such accusations, will have no pardon or forgiveness. Even though they may escape punishment in this world, because no witnesses will testify against them, they will inevitably endure the punishment in the hereafter when no witnesses will be required. Those who accuse chaste women who may have been unthinkingly careless but remained true believers, shall be rejected by God in this world as well as in the life to come. The sūrah paints their crime in stark colours so as to expose its odious nature. It is an accusation against chaste women believers who go about their lives, totally oblivious to any possibility of accusation. They behave naturally, not thinking that they will be accused of something, simply because they have done nothing wrong. To accuse them of immorality is thus seen to be very serious, betraying the contemptible and mean nature of their accusers. Hence, they are cursed now by God, and expelled from among those who receive His grace in this present life and in the life to come.

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 | 5 | 6 |

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

A Wish too late - when Hell is brought near that Day

A man, whether believer or non believer or a plain atheist know from the heart of his heart that one day everything has to come to an end and thereafter all will be assembled to hand over their rewards and otherwise based on their performance in this world. This will be a very hard day, specially for those who will be empty handed.

That is how a picture is painted in the 23rd verse of Surah 89. Al Fajr (The Dawn):

"and when Hell is brought near that Day. On that Day will man understand, but of what avail will that understanding be?(89:23) 

That is on that Day man will remember whatever he had done in the world and will regret, but what will remembrance and regretting avail him then. A Day when man will take heed and accept admonition: he will realize that whatever he had been told by the Prophets was true and he committed a folly when he did not listen to them; but what will taking heed and accepting the admonition and realizing one’s errors avail then. 

And then he would realize what has he done to him in his life and lament:

يَقُوۡلُ يٰلَيۡتَنِىۡ قَدَّمۡتُ لِحَـيَاتِى​ۚ‏ 

(89:24) He will say: “Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!”

Explaining the meaning of the verse, eminent Muslim scholar and exegete Ibn-Kathir notes that if he was a disobedient person, he will be sorry for the acts of disobedience he committed. If he was an obedient person, he will wish that he performed more acts of obedience. This is similar to what Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded from Muhammad bin Abi `Amirah, who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah . He said, "If a servant fell down on his face (in prostration) from the day that he was born until the day he died as an old man, in obedience to Allah, he would scorn this act on the Day of Judgement. He would wish to be returned to this life so that he could earn more reward and compensation.'':

So my dear brothers and sisters, whether you are a Muslim, non Muslim or even an atheist, know that well that this life is nothing but a testing ground to prepare yourselves for a an eternal life that awaits you. So before your life clock stops clicking, which may even be the next second, do things for which you shall be rewarded with a pleasurable life in the Paradise and not a life of hell which one cannot even imagine how painful it would be. 

We have to make the choice now: Bear the hardships of this world for a good reward in the Hereafter or live  a life of lewdness, sin and joy and then face the blazing fire of hell forever !!

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.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 

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

When planning to do something, always say "In sha’ Allah" (God Willing)

Today in our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an, we share a very important verse from Surah 18 Al Kahf (verse 24) that every Muslim should remember and must use it much too often so as to include Allah's willingness in everything one intends doing. This small word " اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ  " has very far reaching meaning and effect on our intentions and planning. It expresses the belief that nothing happens unless God wills it and that his will supersedes all human will.

Let us read two verses from the Qur'an, Surah Al Kahf (23-24 verse) and understand the significance of saying " اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ  ":

The background is the anecdote of People of Cave. The disbelievers asked the Prohet of Allah about the people of the cave one day. Since Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not know the answer, he replied that he would answer tomorrow, knowing that he would get some Divine indication to the query of the disbelievers. 

This plain answer was disliked by Allah and the Prophet ﷺ was straightaway admonished:

وَلَا تَقُوۡلَنَّ لِشَاىۡءٍ اِنِّىۡ فَاعِلٌ ذٰ لِكَ غَدًا ۙ‏ 

(18:23) And never say about anything: "I shall certainly do this tomorrow"

In its stead the Prophet ﷺ was advised that unless Allah wills a thing, nothing can move or happen. Let us read the next ayat and its explanation to understand why we should never commit ourselves to anything and why should we always say " اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ  " to include willingness of Allah. We must never rely upon our own resources so much as to forget Allah. If by any chance we do forget, we must come back to Him and keep Him in remembrance 

اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ​ وَاذۡكُرْ رَّبَّكَ اِذَا نَسِيۡتَ وَقُلۡ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّهۡدِيَنِ رَبِّىۡ لِاَقۡرَبَ مِنۡ هٰذَا رَشَدًا‏ 

(18:24) unless Allah should will it. And should you forget (and make such a statement), remember your Lord and say: "I expect my Lord to guide me to what is nearer to rectitude than this."

This is a parenthetical clause which has been inserted here because of its relevancy to the preceding verse, in which it was asserted that the correct number of the Sleepers of the Cave is known only to Allah and a research into it is a useless task. Therefore one should refrain from investigating into unimportant things, nor enter into discussions about them. This has led to the instruction contained in the parenthetical clause for the benefit of the Holy Prophet and the Believers who have been told never to make a positive assertion like this: "I will do this thing tomorrow", for you do not know whether you will be able to do that thing or not: you have neither the knowledge of the unknown nor have full powers to do what you like. If ever inadvertently you utter anything like this, you should at once remember your Lord and say, "Insha Allah." Besides this you do not know whether there will be any good for you in the thing about which you say, “I will do this.” It is possible that you may do another thing better than that. Therefore you should trust in God and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me in this matter with that thing which is nearer to the right way for me."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Saying "If Allah wills" when determining to do Something in the Future

Here Allah, may He be glorified, shows His Messenger the correct etiquette when determining to do something in the future; this should always be referred to the will of Allah, the Knower of the Unseen, Who knows what was and what is yet to be and what is not to be, and how it will be if it is to be. It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said:

(Sulayman bin Dawud (peace be upon them both) said: "Tonight I will go around to seventy women ﴿according to some reports, it was ninety or one hundred women﴾ so that each one of them will give birth to a son who will fight for the sake of Allah.'' It was said to him, ﴿according to one report, the angel said to him﴾ "Say: `If Allah wills'", but he did not say it. He went around to the women but none of them gave birth except for one who gave birth to a half-formed child.) The Messenger of Allah said, (By the One in Whose hand is my soul, had he said, "If Allah wills,'' he would not have broken his oath, and that would have helped him to attain what he wanted. ) According to another report, (They would all have fought as horsemen in the cause of Allah.)

(وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ And remember your Lord when you forget) It was said that this means, if you forget to say "If Allah wills", then say it when you remember. This was the view of Abu Al-`Aliyah and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Hushaym reported from Al-A`mash from Mujahid that concerning a man who swears an oath, Ibn `Abbas said "He may say `If Allah wills' even if it is a year later.'' 

Ibn `Abbas used to interpret this Ayah: (And remember your Lord when you forget) in this way. Al-A`mash was asked, "Did you hear this from Mujahid" He said, "Layth bin Abi Salim told it to me.'' The meaning of Ibn `Abbas' view, that a person may say "If Allah wills'', even if it is a year later, is that if he forgets to say it when he makes the oath or when he speaks, and he remembers it later, even a year later, the Sunnah is that he should say it, so that he will still be following the Sunnah of saying "If Allah wills'', even if that is after breaking his oath. This was also the view of Ibn Jarir, but he stated that this does not make up for breaking the oath or mean that one is no longer obliged to offer expiation. What Ibn Jarir said is correct, and it is more appropriate to understand the words of Ibn Abbas in this way. And Allah knows best.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., when they test the Prophet (sws) by asking him such questions as who the dwellers of the caves were and what their story was, he should not promise them from his own self. It is possible that about a certain question the wisdom of God entails that an answer not be given or given later. For this reason, he should not make an unconditional promise by relying on divine revelation. In fact, all promises should be made conditional to the will of God.

Qur'an Wiki:

Every action a human being does or omits to do, indeed every breath a human being takes, is subject to God’s will. The curtains hiding the future are stretched in full so as to hide everything beyond the present moment. Our eyes cannot discern what is behind that curtain, and our minds are finite, no matter how advanced our knowledge may be. Hence a human being must never say that he is definitely doing something tomorrow unless he attaches his intention to God’s will. This is because tomorrow belongs to the realm that lies beyond the reach of human perception. As such, it is known only to God. Hence, we do not make any assertion about it.

 

This does not mean that man should be fatalistic, giving no thought to the future and making no plans for it. He should not live for the present moment, cutting himself off from his past and future.

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. May Allah also helps to say " اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ  " whenever we make any intention to do a think to include willingness of Allah and bless our work and oaths. 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 | 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

Do they not reflect on the Qur'an? Or are there locks on their hearts?

Qur'ān is the final Divine Scripture revealed unto Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the ultimate guidance of the mankind till he Day of Resurrection. Its text is made simple so that it is easily understood. It is full of wisdom and guidelines for man to lead a righteous life so that he is successful in the end and is one of those lucky ones who will be given their conduct sheet in their right hands, a passage decree for entering the Paradise.

But despite these elaborate guidelines, many a men close their hearts to read and discover the essence of the Divine Commandments. It is for those unlucky people the following 24th verse of Surah 47. Muhammad was revealed so that they could still open their hearts and absorb the light of truth so that they could be guided:

اَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ اَمۡ عَلٰى قُلُوۡبٍ اَ قۡفَالُهَا‏  

(47:24) Do they, then, not reflect on the Qur'an? Or are there locks on their hearts?

That is, either these people do not ponder over the Qur'ān at all, or if they try to ponder over it, its teachings and meaning do not enter into their hearts, because they have put locks on them. As for this; “are there locks upon their hearts” means: There are such locks for them as are specially meant for the hearts which are not susceptible to the truth.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir:  

This is the  Command to reflect upon the Qur'an - Commanding the people to reflect and ponder upon the Qur'ān, and prohibiting them from turning away from it,  Allah says,

(Will they not then reflect upon the Qur'ān, or are there locks upon their hearts) 

Which means, there indeed are locks upon some hearts, firmly closing them so that none of its meanings can reach them. Ibn Jarir recorded from Hisham bin `Urwah, from his father, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah's Messenger once recited this Ayah, and a young man from Yemen said, "Indeed, there are locks upon them -- until Allah opens them totally or slightly.'' After that `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, always liked that young man, and kept that to himself until he became in charge, upon which he utilized him (as a consultant).

In other words, Qur’an is not solely for recitation but is the Book of thought and meditation. Therefore, the recitation is supposed to be the prelude of thought and meditation. Everyone is supposed to think about the Qur'ān and thinking is not limited to a specific group of people. The Verse raises an objection regarding those who do not think about the Qur’an to benefit from its secrets.

Those who merely recite the Qur'ān but do not pay attention to its contents, they learn nothing of the warnings and promises mentioned in the Qur'ān? Their unfortunate state lies either in their carelessness toward the Perfect Divine Guidance or in their lack of perception owing to the insensitivity of their hearts and following their vain desires and their vicious acts committed earlier. One who loses his way in darkness is either blind or does not carry a light. Such hypocrites who are sick at heart failed to think about the 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 | 

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 plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• 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

Man's Regrets: He will say: Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!

We have been sharing selected verses from the Quran for the information of our readers. While we continue to doing so, from today onwards we are commencing a sub-series of some of the Man's Regrets as mentioned by Allah in the Qur'an, which specially relate to the Day of Resurrection. This will be the day when those men who have been denying the life of the hereafter and mocking Allah's messengers and prophets of its ever-taking place. It would be the day of regrets for they spent a life in the earthly world worth complete disregard to numerous warnings conveyed to them to by the messengers and prophets of Allah to save something for the life of the hereafter. 

While those few who followed the path of truth as shown in the Divine Scriptures and by the prophets, a majority which followed the Satan and evil ways will taste the torture for denying Allah's commandments. On that day they would regret and say Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine and many such regrets like this one. But then it would be too late for life is a gift of Allah which is granted only one and the losers on that day will be losers forever. 

May Allah save us from the torment of that day and days thereafter and help us follow a life that leases Him. Amen.

For the first post in this sub series of verses from the Qur'an on man's regret, we have chosen the 24th verse from Surah 89 Al Fajr:

يَقُوۡلُ يٰلَيۡتَنِىۡ قَدَّمۡتُ لِحَـيَاتِى​ۚ‏ 

(89:24) He will say: “Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!”

That is when this person remembers all he did he will say over and over (as indicated by yaqool " يَقُوۡلُ ") ‘Oh what destruction has fallen on upon me!’ or ‘What have I done to myself!’. He will then wish that he had invested in his future life by sending forward some good. When this person was sinning, it was for their life in the dunya but they will at that point realize that it was not real life. These are the people who in the dunya, when they see you investing in your akhira, tell you to concentrate on investing in your future, i.e. in your dunya, studies, home, work etc. However, their perspective soon changes when they get to their real future and life but at that point it will be too late. [1]

Ibn Kathir explains this verse as under:

If he was a disobedient person, he would be sorry for the acts of disobedience he committed. If he was an obedient person, he would wish that he performed more acts of obedience. This is similar to what Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded from Muhammad bin Abi `Amirah, who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. He said, "If a servant fell down on his face (in prostration) from the day that he was born until the day he died as an old man, in obedience to Allah, he would scorn this act on the Day of Judgement. He would wish to be returned to this life so that he could earn more reward and compensation.'

Nouman Ali Khan explains this verse in his words: If only I had spent my wealth in obedience to Allah - an investment for the real life of Jannah/Paradise. But instead, he wasn't encouraging to feed the needy, using his wealth to oppress others, while eating up more wealth of the orphan / weak, and still being greedy for more in this life. Wasn't he doing all this for his life? But on this Day, he will know that real life is the one which is everlasting in Paradise. But he cannot mend his ways - it's too late to return. [3]

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

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

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

Photo | 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 plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• 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.

Read More

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yusuf Ali Explanation:

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

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

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

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

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

Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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

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

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More