Forgiveness of Prophet Joseph (Yusuf AS) - The Highest form of Forgiveness mentioned in Al Qur’an

One of the most difficult virtue of a man's character is forgiveness. We are often wronged on petty matters - but when the gravity of being wronged surpasses the ultimate limit of a man's patience, forgiveness become extremely difficult for the ordinaries. Those who still opt to forgive and forget and even pray for someone who wronged them, is the highest form of forgiveness and quality character of a man,

If someone asks me which is the highest form of forgiveness one can render, I would present the example of Prophet Joseph / Yusuf (Peace be upon him -ʿalayhis-salām عليه السلام) as mentioned in the 92nd verse of Sürah Yusuf of Al-Qurʾān. 

Those who are the people of the Book, must have read the anecdote related to Prophet Yusuf AS when his brothers out of jealousy hatched a conspiracy against him, for he was the most beloved son of his father, Prophet Jacob / Yaqub AS. They took him out with them one day and threw him in a dead well to die. It was by chance that a caravan which was passing by who saw the well and tried to extract water. But instead they found a boy inside the well, whom they pulled out and later sold him as a slave. There he grew up in the house of a noble and one day rose to highest level in the court of the ruler of Egypt. There he one day saw the entire bunch of his brothers who had come to Egypt in search of food as there was a famine in the area. Prophet Yusuf instantly recognized them, yet not only forgave them and erased the painful memory of their betrayal from his heart and even made a supplication for them for their forgiveness.

This entire anecdote is mentioned in Al Qur'an in an exclusive Surah / Chapter dedicated to Prophet Yusuf AS, the exegesis of which we have already published and can be accessed from the links given below:

| Overview | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Lessons | Selected verses from Surah 12. Yusuf

| How Sürah Yusuf guides believers to seek Divine Guidance in their daily chores | Surah Yusuf  - One of the most psychologically rich narratives in religious literature |

Now, herein under, we share the 92nd verse of Surah Yusuf which exclusively mention the forgiveness of Prophet Yusuf AS, which is considered as the highest form of Forgiveness mentioned in Al Qur’an. We are sharing this exclusive form of forgiveness so that we too try to build our character to such a height that we too are able to forgive others no matter how grave the offence has been committed against us.

The Verse:

قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

He said, "No blame will there be upon you today. Allāh will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful.

What Makes This the Highest Level?

We have already explained the context and the circumstances through which Prophet Yusuf AS went through. Now let us see how this form of forgiveness is so extraordinary to be exclusively mentioned.

Yūsuf (AS) did not just forgive—he did three extraordinary things:

• Complete removal of blame (ʿAfw) - “No blame upon you”
• That is he didn’t remind them of their crime, or shame them or sought an apology.
• His utterance “No blame upon you” is beyond forgiveness - thus erasing the offense completely
• No revenge despite full power
• At that moment, Yusuf had the authority, control and even the opportunity to settle the old scores. Yet he chose mercy.
• This is Forgiveness when revenge is possible (the hardest kind)
• Making du‘ā for them (Iḥsān)
• This is the highest form of character of a man who not only forgave them, and shelve his right to take a revenge, but also pray for them.
• “May Allah forgive you” - that is he didn’t just pardon, but also prayed for their forgiveness.
• This is the highest level of forgiveness - Turning hurt into goodness

Levels of Forgiveness in Islam

Let us just enumerate the levels of forgiveness in Islam as described by the scholars and then compare these with the forgiveness exhibited by Prophet Yusuf AS. And then let us ponder over which level should be adopt to forgive someone who may have wronged us bitterly.

• Level 1: Justice  Take your right with equal response
• Level 2: Forgiveness (ʿAfw) Let go of punishment
• Level 3: Iḥsān (Excellence) Forgive and do good in return - This is the level of  forgiveness displayed by Prophet Yūsuf (AS)

That is why it is mentioned in Al Qur'an, Surah Fussilat (41:34): “Repel evil with what is better…”

Why is this the highest status?

Now some ask, how come this forgiveness is given such a high status. It is because the misgivings and wounds of abandonment required extreme sense of overcoming: Ego, Anger, and the Desire for revenge. This kind act on part of Prophet Yusuf AS reflects Taqwa (God-consciousness) and Trust in Allah’s justice.

Parallel from the Sunnah

Here it would not be out of place to mention the great forgiveness displayed by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at the conquest of Makkah. But before we mention the great forgiveness, let us just in few lines mentioned the utter torture and inhuman treatment to Prophet ﷺ and his family when he proclaimed Islam in Makkah. The affluent and the rich polytheists of Makkah tortured him verbally, mentally and even physically to pursue him to leave the propagation of Islam. Many of his companions were tortured and even killed to dissuade Prophet ﷺ. But he never lost his ground, for propagation of Islam was more dear to him than his life and family. When, however, the torture by the infidels, the idol worshipping polytheists became unbearable, Prophet ﷺ along with the handful of Muslims migrated to the city of Medinah, where the people welcomed him and entered the fold of Islam. The infidels did not lose him and had three battles to overpower him but he prevailed upon them. And then a time came when he moved to Makkah with his army - and captured it without fighting as the polytheists were overawed by his might and strength, 

And when he along with his army marched into streets of Makkah, he forgave them all, without any exception, and told them: “Go, you are free.”

His blanket forgiveness follow the same pattern of forgiveness by Prophet Yusuf AS. There was no revenge, no humiliation - but simply general amnesty. Such are the ways of prophets who have hearts bigger than mountains to forgive and forget.

Relevance Today

Forgiveness is not a trait of the prophets only - but the examples of their traits are mentioned time and again so that we humans too inculcate the virtue of forgiveness in our character and try our best not to seek revenge if wronged and forgive as much as we can.

Here is how we should do:

• In personal relationships  When there are family conflicts and betrayals - most people hold grudges. But Qur’an calls to rise above, forgive and forget.
• In leadership Power often leads to revenge. But example of Yūsuf (AS) shows that true power calls for mercy, not revenge or keeping grudges.
• In emotional healing Being wronged leaves scars but forgiveness frees removes these from within, and from the heart and mind.
• Important Balance  we need to ensure a balance, though which is not always obligatory as Islam allows Justice and lays down boundaries. But at the same time, Islam does encourage Forgiveness when possible and erasing the hurt from one's soul forever to live a happy life on ward - rather than taking the wounded heart along and continue to have heartburns.

Final Reflection

Take a test when you have been harmed. Ask yourself: If I had the power to take revenge… would I still forgive? That’s the real test.

The Core Message

The example of Prophet Yusuf AS and even that of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ teach us the highest level of forgiveness is "Forgive completely, without blame, and respond with goodness." Try it, though very hard to practice but take a start - it is rewarding.

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.

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

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

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

Please visit our reference page: Surah 12. Yusuf - Prophet Josef (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) for selected verses from Surah Yusuf You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For verses on Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and 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 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān 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 addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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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What do we learn from the fate of the disgraced (like Pharaoh) who remain alive in corridors of history

Anyone or any nation or civilization that disobeys the Divine Orders and ridicule His prophets and messengers, are bound to doom and ultimately perish. But their remains remain alive as sign of wrath of Allah for those who defy Him and such signs continue to "live" in the corridors of history as a sign of warning for all posterity.

We share today the 92nd verse of Surah 10 Yunus which is about the drowning and then saving of his body on Divine orders as a warning for all future generations, that anyone who even thinks of defying the Divine orders should think twice before taking any act of perfidiousness, disobedience and disloyalty to the Master of the universe.

Although the verse being shared is about the fate of the mighty Pharaoh, it applies equally to all demagogues of the world today who think a little power in their hands can let them dominate the meek and weak. In recent history, we remember Hitler for the so called genocide of the Jews, and we condemn it from every muscle in our body, yet we keep our eyes closed when the same people of Israelites who were saved by Allah, wage a far torturous genocide of the Palestinians, a people who allowed Jews into the lands presently occupied by Israel. Do we forget what is still echoing in the corridors of history?

Before our readers move on to read our selected post, it may be added here that in all history books before Islam, it is said that Pharaoh drowned when the sea met again after the safe exit of the Israelites, the mention of Pharaoh in Qur'an differs and it is clearly said that though Pharaoh drowned, his body was expelled by sea to be preserved as a sign of warning for all posterity that Allah will never spare the disobeying and merciless worldly gods and will have their names echoing forever as long as the world lives.

* Scroll down for the lessons we should learn from the fate of the disgraced

فَالۡيَوۡمَ نُـنَجِّيۡكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُوۡنَ لِمَنۡ خَلۡفَكَ اٰيَةً  ؕ وَاِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ عَنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا لَغٰفِلُوۡنَ

(10:92) We shall now save your corpse that you may serve as a sign of warning for all posterity, although many men are heedless of Our signs.

Explanation Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:

Even today the place, where the dead body of Pharaoh was found floating, is pointed out by the inhabitants of that region. It lies on the western coast of the Sinai Peninsula and is now known by the name of Jabl-i-Fir`aun (Pharaoh's Mount). There is also near it a hot spring called Hammam-i-Fir`aun (Pharaoh's Bath), which is situated at a distance of a few miles from Abu Zenimah, where, they say, Pharaoh's dead body was found lying.

If the Pharaoh who was drowned was Mineptah, who ruled over Egypt when Prophet Moses was sent to him, his embalmed dead body is still lying in the Cairo Museum. When Sir Grafton E. Smith removed the bandages from his mummy, a layer of salt was found on the body, which was a clear proof that he was drowned in the sea.

That is, "We show Signs to the people over and over again so that these should serve as warnings and be the means of teaching them lessons, but it is a pity that they do not learn lessons even from such Signs as the dead body of Pharaoh."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you!) Ibn 'Abbas and others from among the Salaf have said: "Some of the Children of Israel doubted the death of Fir'awn so Allah commanded the sea to throw his body – whole, without a soul – with his known armor plate. The body was thrown to a high place on the land so that the Children of Israel could confirm his death and destruction." 

That is why Allah said, ("So this day We shall deliver your..") meaning that We will put your body on a high place on the earth. Mujahid said, (your (dead) body) means, 'your physical body. "

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

These words of God became true word for word and the corpse of the Pharaoh was not accepted by the sea after he had drowned in it. It was expelled by it as an exemplary sign of God’s scourge. Later the corpse was spotted by people and they saw with their very eyes the fate of those who show rebelliousness against God. On the western coast of the Sinai desert the sites of the “Mount of the Pharaoh” and the “Bath of the Pharaoh” are memorials of this incident. Even today people living in the area which is a few kilometers up north of Abū Zanīmah point out the place where the corpse was found. In current times, among the mummified bodies discovered in Egypt it is generally believed that one of them is that of the Merneptah Pharaoh. This dead body is preserved in a museum in Cairo and invites every eye to learn a lesson from it.

… The experts of archeology may differ about the corpse whether it is of the same Pharaoh or some other one yet this fourteen century old statement of the Qur’ān about the corpse is much more trustworthy than their conjectures. In this way, God made his dead body an exemplary sign for even the Pharaohs of today but this needs eyes for observation and there is nothing more rare in this world than eyes which have insight. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 4, 84)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

His body would remain intact, uneaten by sharks or other sea creatures. It would not be allowed to drift with the waves, but would be saved so that his end would be known to all and sundry. It may be that when others see your body they will take heed and realize that defying God and His warnings brings certain doom. They do not turn to them with open hearts and minds, nor do they consider their significance, be they evident in the great universe or within their own selves.

Having gone through the historical perspective and mentioning the narration as given out in Qur'an, let us see what can we learn from this episode:

Pharaoh's refusal to heed the warnings of Moses (in fact the Divine Warnings conveyed to Pharaoh through Prophet Musa) and his stubbornness in holding onto power despite the plagues sent by God are often seen as examples of arrogance and hubris. This can serve as a lesson about the dangers of pride and the consequences of refusing to acknowledge one's mistakes.

The drowning of Pharaoh (and later expulsion of his body from the sea) and his army serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of oppression and injustice. It underscores the idea that those who oppress others will ultimately face their own downfall.  

The story highlights the power of faith and obedience to Allah. Moses and the Israelites trusted in promise of Allah and His deliverance, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This can be seen as a lesson in the importance of trust and obedience in one's spiritual journey.

The event is often interpreted as an act of divine justice. Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites and his refusal to release them from slavery led to his downfall, illustrating the idea that ultimately, justice will prevail. 

 Today we see people of Kashmir and Palestine being denied justice and are forcibly being subjugated, tortured, denied of all human rights, to an extent of robbing them of their homes and denying food and water, even the much needed medical facilities for those who are victims of brute force and merciless bombing and inhuman treatment. 

The Exodus story serves as a symbol of liberation and redemption. The drowning of Pharaoh and the subsequent freedom of the Israelites represent the triumph of good over evil and the possibility of liberation from oppression. This should serve as a cue for those struggling for independence from the clutches of inhuman masters to continue to strive for their freedom, for one day all bondages are let loose, if one has faith in Allah and His promise of deliverance.

Let us then, sister and brothers in Islam, be faithful to Allah and do not extend our stature longer than ours and be always thankful to Allah, lest any act that smacks of disobedience or disloyalty have us stumbled to live in disgrace. 

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 | Resource Reference: ChatGPT

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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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The Test of Charity in Islam

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yusuf Ali Translation:

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

Qur'an Wiki: 

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

 

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

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

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

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

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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