Your Lord is not forgetful in the least

Today, we in our series of posts on Selected verses from Qur'an, share a very meaningful verses taken from Surah 19. Mariam (Mary) in which the importance of the very revered personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been highlighted and the arch angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) is seen tending an apology for not bringing Godly commandments to him and explaining the cause of delay in the conveying to him the Godly revelations. 

At the end of the verse, the revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is reassured that he has not been abandoned for the Lord of the universe is not forgetful in the least and everything that happens has a specific time for which he should exhibit extreme patience and perseverance.

While the explanation of the selected verse is given by many a scholar and exegetes of Qur'an, we may add a little more to it keeping in view the Muslims as a general case. We tend to make mistakes, harm other brethren and commit sins, but when we see no harm coming to us, we think that maybe our mistakes and sins have been overlooked. But remember, if our Lord has not acted instantly, it is not because He has not noticed our wrongdoing. Instead, He is giving us time to repent and seek His forgiveness. And if we do not take advantage of this concession, then rest assured we will be taken account of, maybe in this world, but surely in the world that will be established on the Day of Resurrection.

With this brief premise, let us now return to the selected verse and its explanation:

وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ اِلَّا بِاَمۡرِ رَبِّكَ​ ۚ لَهٗ مَا بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡنَا وَمَا خَلۡفَنَا وَمَا بَيۡنَ ذٰ لِكَ​ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيًّا​ ۚ‏ 

(19:64) (The angels will say): "(O Muhammad!) We descend not except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs all that is before us and all that is behind us, and all that is in between. Your Lord is not forgetful in the least.

This paragraph is a parenthesis, which has been inserted at the end of one theme and before the commencement of the other. It is obvious from this that this Surah was sent down after a long delay. At that time the Holy Prophet and his Companions were passing through very hard times and were always expecting a Revelation to guide and comfort them. When Gabriel (peace be upon him) came with the angels with this Revelation, he at first delivered that part of the Message which was immediately needed. Then before proceeding further, he said these words by the leave of Allah as an explanation for the delay and to give them comfort from Allah and counsel of fortitude. This interpretation is not only borne out by the wording of the passage but also by some Traditions of the Holy Prophet, which have been cited by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, and the author of Ruh ulMa `ani in their commentary on this passage.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Angels do not descend, except by Allah's Command

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said to Jibril: (What prevents you from visiting us more than you do) Then this Ayah was revealed:

(And we descend not except by the command of your Lord.) Al-Bukhari was alone in recording it and he related it with the Tafsir of this Ayah. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Jibril was kept from visiting the Messenger of Allah , so he was disturbed and grieved because of this. 

Then, Jibril came to him and said, `O Muhammad, (And we descend not except by the command of your Lord.)'''

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

I.e., that which even the angels can only glimpse but not fully understand. Literally, the above phrase reads, "that which is between our hands and that which is behind us and that which is between these". Regarding this idiomatic expression, see 2:255 -"He knows all that lies open before men and all that is hidden from them"

Yusuf Ali Explanation:  

We are apt to be impatient of the evils we see around us. We may give of our best service to Allah, and yet see no results. In our human short-sightedness we may complain within ourselves. But we must not be impatient. The angels of Grace come not haphazard, but by command of Allah according to His Universal Will and Purpose. Allah does not forget. If things are delayed, it is in accordance with a wise providence, which cares for all. Our plain duty is to be patient and constant in His service.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This paragraph is parenthetical in nature. Gabriel expresses his apology in it for his delayed arrival and also urges the Prophet (sws) to show patience on his hastiness and anxiety. It is known that conclusive communication of the truth to his people was his responsibility as a messenger of God. It was but natural for him to show haste in completing it as soon as possible and succeed in the eyes of God. At the same time, the Quraysh too repeatedly demanded why the Qur’ān was not being revealed in one go. If a person is receiving such a matchless Book as the Qur’ān from the king of the universe and the lord of the worlds, it is but natural for him to wish for the whole book to be completed quickly. He acquired all the power of his heart, vibrancy of his soul, guidance for his intellect and stability for his resolve from the Qur’ān alone. These factors too contributed to his desire to get hold of this divine treasure as soon as possible. In these verses, he has been urged to exercise patience on the hastiness which must have emanated from him if a long interval elapsed before the next revelation. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī has directed our attention to some of its aspects. He writes:

The first thing worthy of note here is that Gabriel has actually presented a type of apology to the Prophet (sws) that his coming with divine revelation is based on God’s command. In other words, if angels do not come in quick succession to quench the Prophet’s (sws) desire and to end his wait, it is not because of some error on their part. Unless they are directed by God, they can neither descend to him nor bring down revelation to him. They have no say in this and are wholly under God’s command.

The second thing worthy of note is that the status of Gabriel and the whole group of angels becomes evident: everything that is in front of and behind them and in between them is under the total control and protection of God. There is not the slightest possibility that anyone of them dare exceed his limits or carry out a plan out of his own will. God is not forgetful that anyone of them can use this forgetfulness to his advantage and implement his own will and still remain unpunished. The reason for explaining this status of the angels was to refute the notion of the Arab polytheists who worshipped angels and thought that if ever the Hereafter came these daughters of God would save them from the wrath of their father by interceding for them. By reciting this statement of Gabriel, these foolish people are informed that when in the court of the Almighty, Gabriel – the leader of all angels – occupies this frail position, it can well be imagined what power other angels have. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 4, 675)

The implication is that if there is some delay, it is for some valid reason and it is not because of his Lord’s forgetfulness.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This passage of the sūrah ends with a declaration of God’s total Lordship of the universe. Hence, people are directed to worship Him alone and to bear with patience the hard tasks involved. Furthermore, the possibility of anyone having something in common with God is absolutely negated.

Reports are unanimous that the angel Gabriel was ordered to say the first statement to the Prophet: “We descend only by the command of your Lord.” (Verse 64) This was in reply to the Prophet when he felt that revelation was slow in coming. In fact, Gabriel had not come to see him for some time, and he experienced a feeling of loneliness, keenly missing the angel whom he loved. Gabriel was then ordered by God to tell him: “We descend only by the command of your Lord.” He conducts all our affairs: “To Him belongs all that is before us and all that is hidden from us and all that is in between.” (Verse 64) He forgets nothing. Revelations are bestowed when He in His wisdom wills that they be bestowed.

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

Allah alone is the Deliverer - Yet you associate others with Allah in His Divinity

Shirk, associating someone other than Allah inn His Divinity, is one of the gravest and unpardonable sin. Yet people right from olden days till today try to find others besides Allah for deliverance and ease of their hardships and wordily wants. Despite all Divine Scriptures that strictly forbid man from committing this grave shirk, man continues to commit shirk with no fear of wrath from one true God, Who has no associates or likes of Him.

We have been sharing verses from Qur'an on shirk, and yet again we select a verse (64th verse from Surah 6. Al An'Am) to remind the man to open their eyes and seek forgiveness of the sin they have been committing. And the sad thing is that a large number of Muslims, specially from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh with weak faith in Allah waver in face of difficulties and seek help from their wordily gods.

The selected verse in fact is the continuation of the previous 63rd verse, which says  your calling upon Him in times of danger shows that in the depths of your hearts you feel His need; (1) God's Providence saves you, and yet you ungratefully run after false gods; (2) it is not only physical calamities that you have to fear; your mutual discords and vengeances are even more destructive, and only faith in God can save you from them.

قُلۡ مَنۡ يُّنَجِّيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ ظُلُمٰتِ الۡبَرِّ وَالۡبَحۡرِ تَدۡعُوۡنَهٗ تَضَرُّعًا وَّخُفۡيَةً ۚ لَـئِنۡ اَنۡجٰٮنَا مِنۡ هٰذِهٖ لَـنَكُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الشّٰكِرِيۡنَ‏  

(6:63) Ask them (O Muhammad!): 'Who is it that delivers you from dangers in the deep darknesses of the land and the sea, and to whom do you call in humility and in the secrecy of your hearts? To whom do you pray: "If He will but save us from this distress, we shall most certainly be among the thankful?"

And then Allah asks:

قُلِ اللّٰهُ يُنَجِّيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡهَا وَمِنۡ كُلِّ كَرۡبٍ ثُمَّ اَنۡـتُمۡ تُشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏  

(6:64) Say: "It is Allah alone Who delivers you from this and from every distress, and yet you associate others with Allah in His divinity."

That is, "You yourselves are a witness that Allah alone is All-Powerful: He alone has the sole authority and your prosperity and adversity wholly lie in His power and He alone is the maker of your destinies. That is why you turn to Him in your affliction, when you find that no other means of rescue has been left for you. In the face of this clear Sign, you have set up, without any reason or rhyme, others as partners in His Godhead. You live on His provisions but treat others as your providers: you get help from Him in your need, but set up others as your helpers and protectors: He rescues you from your distress, yet you regard others (besides Him) as your rescuers: it is He Whom you humbly invoke in your affliction, yet you take your offerings to others when he removes it. In short, you witness the proofs of His Godhead, day and night, yet you serve and bow down before others.

Qur'an Wiki:

God commands His Messenger to remind them of the truth: “Say: God alone saves you from these and from every distress.” There is no one to respond to them other than He, and no one else to remove their distress.

But the Prophet is also commanded to remind them of their singularly queer attitude: “Still, you associate partners with Him.” 

At times, it is sufficient to visualize danger and remember distress to soften people’s hearts and help them restrain their wild desires. People can then remember their feelings of weakness as they remember God’s grace when He alleviates their distress.

The above verse thus clearly mentions that it is only Allah Who can be your deliverer and no wordily god can ease your sufferings and difficulties no matter how pious they may be. And even if they pray for you, even then it would be Allah alone Who will be your ultimate helper. So believe in Him and do not associate anyone with Allah in His  Divinity.

You may listen to explanation of the verse 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.

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

The worldly life is mere amusement. The true life is in the Hereafter; if only they knew

For many life is mere sport and place for joy and amusement. Although there is no harm in being happy and joyous, but in quest for it one often indulges into activities that take him away from remembering his Creator and the life after death where one would live an eternal life based on what he earned during the earthly life.

Even many believers lose their way and fall into the trap of the devilish games and forget what they  been not been asked to do. Allah reminds us at many places in the Qur'an to choose one life: The worldly life or the life of Hereafter.  Herein under we share the 64th verse of Surah 29. Al-Ankabut which tells us that this life is but a diversion and how insignificant and transient this world is, and how it will soon end and urges to focus on the true everlasting life that will never end, but will continue forever and ever. A similar verse in Surah 6. Al An'am:32 also reminds the believers of the same warning.

وَمَا هٰذِهِ الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَاۤ اِلَّا لَهۡوٌ وَّلَعِبٌ​ؕ وَاِنَّ الدَّارَ الۡاٰخِرَةَ لَهِىَ الۡحَـيَوَانُ​ۘ لَوۡ كَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ 

(29:64) The present life is nothing but sport and amusement. The true life is in the Abode of the Hereafter; if only they knew.

The reality of the worldly life is no more than the children’s engaging in a sport and pastime for a while, and then returning home. The one has become a king here, has not become a king in reality but is only playing the king. A time comes when his play ends, and he leaves the royal throne as empty-handed as he was when he had entered the world. Similarly, no phase of life here is enduring and lasting. Every one is playing his part only temporarily for a limited time. Those who are charmed by the short-lived triumphs of this life and are able to collect some means of enjoyment and pleasure and of glory and grandeur by losing their conscience and faith, are only engaged in a pastime. What will these toys profit them when after amusing themselves with these for some years in the world, they will enter through the gate of death empty handed into the next world of eternal life and find their same allurements to have caused them an everlasting affliction?”

It is being said that “If these people had known the reality that the life of this world is only a period of preparation for the test, and the real life for man, which is everlasting, is the life Hereafter, they would not have wasted this preparatory period in sport and merry making, but would instead have utilized each moment of it in works conducive to better results in the eternal life of the Hereafter.”

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Cf. vi. 32.  "What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the Hereafter for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand? " (6:32)

Amusement and play have no lasting significance except as preparing us for the serious work of life. So this life is but an interlude, a preparation for the real Life, which is in the Hereafter. This world's vanities are therefore to be taken for what they are worth; but they are not to be allowed to deflect our minds from the requirements of the inner life that really matters.

Qur'an Wiki:

Against this backdrop of life on earth and our means of sustenance, whether plentiful or stinted, an accurate standard is provided against which to measure all values. Thus, we see that this world, with all that it provides of sustenance, comfort and pleasure, is trivial when compared with the life to come: “The life of this world is but amusement and play. It is the life to come that is the only true life, if they but knew it." When it is not viewed as a means to ensure happiness in the life to come, but felt to be, of itself, the ultimate objective and its pleasures coveted, this present life, with all that it can give, is no more than trifling play. It is the life to come that is the one that is full of life and fulfilment.

In saying so, the Qur’ān does not advocate a life of austerity that discards comfort and pleasure. This is contrary to what Islam encourages. What it means is that we should look to the hereafter when enjoying life’s pleasures, limiting ourselves to what God permits. Moreover, we should look at life’s comforts and pleasures as something dispensable, so as not to make of them the goal we seek at any price. What we need is a good sense of proportion so as to give everything its correct value. We must have a true measure showing the value of the present life vis-a-vis the hereafter. Thus we will he able to enjoy life’s pleasures as we please, knowing how to look at them: this present life is amusement and play, while the hereafter is the true life.

So let us focus on what is eternal and forever. Let not waste away this temporary life in sport and amusement, without preparing for something that will last for ever. We have to take difficult decisions now for a soothing and tranquil life ahead. Let us not fall into in the pit of burning fire of hell if we make a bad decision now. Think over it. Time is running fast.

You may like to listen to prominent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan explaining the above said ayah:

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