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Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts

Saturday 4 November 2023

Has Qur'an really reached in you?

Memorizing the entire Qur'an is the ambition of every Muslim and there is a large number of Muslims who memorize the Qur'an right in their childhood. These Qur'an memorizers are called Hafiz (plural Huffaz) and are respected and revered by everyone in a Muslim society. As for the rest of the non-memorizer of Qur'an, almost everyone knows how to recite Qur'an, mostly in Arabic even when Arabic is not their mother tongue. Although, it is great honour to memorize the whole Qur'an and becoming a walking Qur'an, but the big question is: 

Has Qur'an reached in us? 

Although, many boast of have memorized the Qur'an, but can others know whether Qur'an resides in us without us telling them? Or the simple question, can non-Muslims guess from our outward behaviour that we are Muslims as defined in Qur'an?

First of all, we must understand that Qur'an is note mere a sacred book - but it is a book of Divine Wisdom and knowledge. Thus, it not only needs to merely read but understood as well. Unless we know what is ready and why, there is no need to just read it and shelve it. Afterall it is a Book of Guidance as is said in the very second of Surah 2. Al Baqarah: [(2:2) This is the Book of Allah, there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the pious] And then the second chapter of Qur'an continues to explain till the end how believers can be guided and how can the understand the many mysteries hidden in the Qur'an.
 
And contrary to the Divine Wisdom to understand Qur'an, it is often seen that in Qur'an reading sessions in a gathering or even when reading in isolation, the Qur'an is generally seen to be hastily. And in most cases without understanding or contemplating its content. In fact, Qur'an is often used as a means for justifying and supporting some preconceived ideas and judgments. People have also subjected the Qur'an to themselves, rather than subjecting themselves to it. They have rendered the Qur'an relative, and their selfish goals and concerns absolute. The Qur'an has partially been made the object of their one-dimensional and patchy -- often outright flawed -- intellectual, spiritual and cultural pursuits. The Qur'an is meant thereby to be superficially and partially comprehended and implemented, at best, and misused and even abused, at worst. 

For such Qur'an readers, Prophet (pbuh) warned that there will be times when certain people will recite the Qur’an but it will not go beyond their throats, meaning it will not enter their hearts and they will not understand it. “They will go out from (leave) Islam as an arrow darts through the game's body” (Sahih al-Bukhari).

When we are unaware of what Qur'an expects of us and how can we reflect its practical manifestation in our daily life? In fact, we need to let non-Muslims see the Qur'an in your action. And how can we do it? Let us see how:

We should be seen using the best of language while conversing with others, free from any foul words and showing respect for others. Is our behaviour free of arrogance, false pride and vanity no matter how high a position we hold? Are we seen feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and not warding off the poor using harsh words? Are we being helpful to the wayfarers, strangers and passersby and showing them the way respectfully? Are we merciful to orphans, and protect their rights? Do we often forgive those who have mistreated us and exhibit an aura of love and respect? 
And how do we treat our parents, family and kith and kin? Does our attitude change for the worse as we attain a higher position or when more wealth comes our way?

All above said questions are mentioned in Qur'an and believers are cautioned to exhibit a positive attitude that embodies the etiquette mentioned in Qur'an, and augmented by the Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

All above leads us to one thing: It isn't how far you have reached in the Qur'an, but how far Qur'an has reached inn you. Remember, knowledge is that benefits, and not that has been memorized.

There are many a non-Muslim who have embraced Islam by seeing the outward attitude of Muslims who exhibited Qur'an in their everyday chores. Unless we become a walking Qur'an, as is ordained by Allah, we can be rest assured that Qur'an has not reached into us. And this is a serious thing to ponder over and every effort be made to let Qur'an reach in our soul and drive our actions purely based on commandments of Qur'an. So, while we memorize Qur'an or recite it otherwise, we must make an endeavor to understand the spirit and lesson behind each word and verse of Qur'an and try to implement that lesson on to us while performing our daily chores. 

When a Muslim has Qur'an reached in him, his heart opens up to the mysteries of life and he can confidently move his abilities towards the ultimate realization of his life mission and purpose. When one has developed a deeper insight into Qur'an, he starts to learn the integration of revelation and reason, science and religion, the matter and spirit, the body and soul, the heavens and earth. This is what Qur'an actually want us to do, rather than mere reading or reciting it without diving into the fathomless sea of knowledge that hides between each word and Ayat of the Qur'an. 

Shouldn't we start trying to let Qur'an in ourselves from this day onward?
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

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

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

You may 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.

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

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.

Wednesday 23 November 2022

[Believers!] Tell them: We believe in God and Qur'an and which was revealed to Abraham and all later prophets

The priests, pundits and all religious scholars and imams defend the religions they belong to and are neither ready to accept the viewpoint of the other religions and believe in their prophets other than the one they follow. This happens because of very limited scope of viewpoint and the fear that if the later religions are believed in, their own religion will be left redundant. 

If we look back and follow the history of prophethood and the Divine religion they preached, it was the same as was embodied in all the four Divine Scriptures. It was also been seen that all religions stem from the father of all prophets, Ibraheem (Abraham, peace be upon him). The only difference being that every new Divine Scripture had something to add upon what was revealed previously. And the lineage of prophets after Abraham finally culminated with the last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and last of the Divine Scriptures, Qur'an. And unlike man made religious names like Jews and Christians, it is only Islam which addresses all believers who believe in One True God as Muslims, and no other name attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

And whenever the Prophet tried to talk to them (Jews and Christians) and asked them to join in the final religion, they would say (as mentioned in 135th verse of Surah 2. Al Baqarah): [This is the tradition of their forefathers] and, contrary to this, they insist: “Only if you become a Jew or a Christian that you will be guided.” [And it was commanded by Allah] to Tell them: Adopt, in fact, the religion of Abraham, who was fully inclined [to His Lord] and was not among the idolaters.
Muslims do not discriminate between the prophets of God – something which the People of other Books do. Muslims do not disprove a directive of God nor refute it and believe in all directives without any discrimination.
And next verse, 136th, then explains that we as Muslims believe in all the prophets right from Abraham, and his following prophets and Divine Scriptures given to them and that we do not We do not discriminate between anyone among them:

قُوۡلُوۡۤا اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰہِ وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡنَا وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلٰۤی اِبۡرٰہٖمَ وَ اِسۡمٰعِیۡلَ وَ اِسۡحٰقَ وَ یَعۡقُوۡبَ وَ الۡاَسۡبَاطِ وَ مَاۤ اُوۡتِیَ مُوۡسٰی وَ عِیۡسٰی وَ مَاۤ اُوۡتِیَ النَّبِیُّوۡنَ مِنۡ رَّبِّہِمۡ ۚ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَیۡنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ ۫ۖ وَ نَحۡنُ لَہٗ مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ
[Believers!] Tell them: “We have believed in God and that which has been revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and their children and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to all other prophets by their Lord. We do not discriminate between anyone among them. [All of them are the messengers of God,] and to Him alone we submit.
"We do not discriminate against any of them" means that we believe in all the Prophets of Allah and reject none. It is obvious that all the Prophets who came from Allah brought the same Truth and invited the people to the same Guidance and Right Way. Hence anyone who follows the Truth must accept all the Prophets. Those who accept one Prophet and reject the other really reject even the one whom they profess to accept. Had they followed the universal Guidance taught by Moses, Jesus and other Prophets, they could not have rejected any other Prophet (i.e. Muhammad, Allah's peace be upon him). As a matter of fact, they were not following the teachings of any Prophet, but merely professing to accept their own Prophets just because their fathers did so. Thus, their real religion was prejudice, race-worship and blind imitation of their forefathers.

Above is explanation by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. Let us now read what other eminent Muslims scholars in various time frames have explained this verse:

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (The Muslim believes in all that Allah `revealed and all the Prophets)
Allah directed His believing servants to believe in what He sent down to them through His Messenger Muhammad and in what was revealed to the previous Prophets in general. Some Prophets Allah mentioned by name, while He did not mention the names of many others. Allah directed the believers to refrain from differentiating between the Prophets and to believe in them all. They should avoid imitating whomever Allah described as:
(And wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, "We believe in some but reject others,' and wish to adopt a way in between. They are in truth disbelievers) (4:150-151).
Al-Bukhari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said, "The People of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and translate it into Arabic for the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said:
(Do not believe the People of the Book, nor reject what they say. Rather, say, `We believe in Allah and in what was sent down to us.)'
Also, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Mostly, the Messenger of Allah used to recite:
(We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us) (2: 136), and,
(We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah)) (3:52) during the two (voluntary) Rak`at before Fajr.'
Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qatadah said, "Al-Asbat are the twelve sons of Jacob, and each one of them had an Ummah of people from his descendants. This is why they were called Al-Asbat.' Al-Khalil bin Ahmad and others said, "Al-Asbat among the Children of Israel are just like the tribes among the Children of Isma`il.'' This means that the Asbat are the various tribes of the Children of Israel, among whom Allah sent several Prophets. Moses said to the Children of Israel,
(Remember the favor of Allah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings) (5:20). Also, Allah said,
(And We divided them into twelve tribes) (7:160).
Al-Qurtubi said, "Sibt is the group of people or a tribe all belonging to the same ancestors.' Qatadah said, "Allah commanded the believers to believe in Him and in all His Books and Messengers. '' Also, Sulayman bin Habib said, "We were commanded to believe in the (original) Torah and Injil, but not to implement them.''

Muhammad Asad Explanation:
(...Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants,) Lit., "the grandchildren" (al-asbat, sing. sibt) - a term used in the Qur'an to describe, in the first instance, Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's immediate descendants, and, consequently, the twelve tribes which evolved from this ancestry.

(We make no distinction between any of them) I.e., "we regard them all as true prophets of God".

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:
Then the Muslims are called upon to acknowledge and declare an overall unity of faith, from that of Abraham right up to that of Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ. 
The principle of the unity and universality of faith, and the unity of all prophets and messengers all through the ages, is the cornerstone of Islamic faith. It lends legitimacy to the Muslim community’s claim to the legacy of Abraham and to the right of trusteeship for God’s religion in this world. It is this principle as a fundamental backbone of Islam that gives it its universal characteristic, which brings people together under the same banner, free of all prejudice or discrimination. It makes the Muslim community open to all people in a spirit of genuine love and peace.
This leads to the conclusion that Islam, in its broad, universal sense, is the true guidance. Its followers shall succeed and prosper while its opponents will never find a firm basis to stand upon. On the contrary, they will live in constant turmoil and confusion.
وَالْأَسْبَاطِ – Used in the Qur’an only to describe tribes connected to Jacob [Ya'qub] – appears 5 times in the Qur’an – of which 4 are immediately after name of Yaqub. 

 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'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 
  • Tafsir Ibn Khatir
  • Muhammad Asad Translation
  • Yusuf Ali Translation
  • Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
  • Qur'an Wiki
  • Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
  • Towards Understanding the Quran
In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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

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.

Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Religion

Keeping aside the many prejudices about Islam, more and more non-Muslims around the world are finally realizing that the religion of Islam has its universal applicability and it is the true monotheist religion which believes in Oneness of God without any associates or helpers. The mere notion of trinity and concept of father and son just because of miraculous birth of Prophet Eesa (Jesus, peace be upon him) cannot be relied upon, for God is above all human relations and does not need a family or a son to administer His fathomless universe.

Sürah 112.  Al Ikhlas spells out the Declaration of [God's] Oneness). Please read the complete Sürah and its explanation by a number of eminent Muslim scholars to understand the concept of Oneness of God, the very basis of Islam.

It is Divinely said in Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:19:

اِنَّ الدِّیۡنَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ الۡاِسۡلَامُ ۟ وَ مَا اخۡتَلَفَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَہُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡیًۢا بَیۡنَہُمۡ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّکۡفُرۡ بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ سَرِیۡعُ الۡحِسَابِ
Behold, the only [true] religion in the sight of God is Islam [man's self-surrender unto Him]; and those who were vouchsafed revelation aforetime took, out of mutual jealousy, to divergent views [on this point] only after knowledge [thereof] had come unto them. But as for him who denies the truth of God's messages-behold, God is swift in reckoning!

This above stated verse, and many other verses, tell man to believe in One God and restrain from committing the sin of Shirk (that is adding associates and helper or calling someone His begotten son). And those who can really understand the Qur'an are entering into fold of Islam every day, singly or even with their families so as to follow a religion that is the answer to all their queries and presents a wholesome way of life (for which Islam is called Deen, not merely a religion). 
Islam is based on Qur'an, the word of God.  Many non-Muslims who later embraced Islam confided that when they listened to the recitation of the Qur'an, even though they did not now Arabic or what was being said, they felt a serenity and spiritual peace that they had never found before - filling the spiritual void of the soul by answering all of its questions, including - Why was it created? What after death?  Islam thus reassures the soul with hope and removes anxiety and fear of the future.
We have already shared a number of verses from Qur'an on religion in the context of Islam. Herein under we have combined all these posts to serve as a ready reckoner:
Herein under, we share a very informative lecture by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan in which he defines Islam in very plain and simple words:

We will keep adding more verses so as to make this collection wholesome.

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'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
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.

Photo Pixabay | 

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

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.

Saturday 15 October 2022

Are we really returning to religion?

To some of my readers, the topic may seem confusing for many people are returning to religion these days.  Yes, they are, but are all of them returning to religion as a right or as a duty, or in other words is their approach of returning to religion positive or negative?

Before we listen to a lecture by one of the eminent scholars of Muslim world, let me begin with a small premise. There were times when believers were attracted to religion taking as their scared duty. Those were the times when wants of people were less and everyone ran to the masjid as a duty with no worldly needs in mind. But then things started to become difficult and it is now becoming very difficult every day to make one's ends meet. Now people seek their rights, want baraka in their earnings and promotions in the office as rewards for their hard work. The focus from duty-oriented return to religion has turned into a right oriented approach.  Most people are now asking for an increase in wealth, means of sustenance, and very few really stick to the rope of Allah and exhibit sabr / tolerance or patience for they know they will be rewarded for their duty oriented positive approach to religion.

Please note that this post may be more pertinent to the born Muslims rather than the reverts.

Which mode should be adopted: The duty oriented or the right oriented? Listen to an enlightening lecture by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan on this important subject:
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (1 January 1925 – 21 April 2021) was an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam.

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is our duty to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

Photo | 

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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

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

Monday 29 April 2019

Why Islam is called Deen - And Not Merely a Religion


Ordinarily speaking, Islam is one of the three Divine religions or "Mazhab" and its followers are called Muslims. That is how non Muslims know Islam. But those who have really understood Islam, would know that Islam is not merely a religion, it is a complete way of life or in other words it is a Deen as mentioned at many places in the Holy Qur'an.

Why I chose this rather difficult subject for today's post is that while I was presenting the exegesis of Surah As Shura - the 42nd chapter of the Holy Qur'an, I got stuck up at the exegesis of verse 13, in which a complete explanation of the term Deen was given and a reader made to understand why Islam is a Deen and not a religion:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

شَرَعَ لَـكُمۡ مِّنَ الدِّيۡنِ مَا وَصّٰى بِهٖ نُوۡحًا وَّالَّذِىۡۤ اَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكَ وَمَا وَصَّيۡنَا بِهٖۤ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَمُوۡسٰى وَعِيۡسٰٓى اَنۡ اَقِيۡمُوا الدِّيۡنَ وَ لَا تَتَفَرَّقُوۡا فِيۡهِ​ؕ كَبُـرَ عَلَى الۡمُشۡرِكِيۡنَ مَا تَدۡعُوۡهُمۡ اِلَيۡهِ​ ؕ اَللّٰهُ يَجۡتَبِىۡۤ اِلَيۡهِ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِىۡۤ اِلَيۡهِ مَنۡ يُّنِيۡبُ

(42:13) He has prescribed for you the "Deen" (religion) which He enjoined upon Noah and which We revealed to you (O Muhammad), and which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus, commanding: “Establish this "Deen" and do not split up regarding it.” What you are calling to is very hard upon those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. Allah chooses for Himself whomsoever He pleases and guides to Himself whoever penitently turns to Him.

Since its explanation is too lengthy, I skipped this explanation there for then the post on Surah As Shura would have become too lengthy and may have become too difficult to concentrate on this core issue which makes Islam stands out from rest of the religions, that is Jewish and Christianity.  

Here too, I shall present first the ordinary explanations by various interpreters and would then return to the detailed exegesis of verse 13 by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, given in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an."
A vast majority of the entire population of the world follows a particular Divine or man made religion or in some cases simply Atheists - not believing in any religion or even God or gods. People who follow certain belief as their religion are staunch followers of their belief and the rituals they follow are very much part and parcel of the their faith which is more emotional (in nature) then rational. And here lies in the difference between ‘Religion’ and ‘Deen’: Those who follow a  religion are more emotionally attached to their religions or faith, but Muslims are attached to their Deen for logical reasons rather than mere emotional attachment, for Deen deals with logic and logic alone whereas religion is seated deep inside heart, which is the seat of emotions. Since people of other faiths are unable to see the logic in the concept of ‘Deen’ so instead of coining a separate word for ‘Deen’ have intermingled it with religion.
Thus broadly speaking the difference between deen and religion lies in the very concept for the frame of reference of both is different. Religion is an individual matter, but deen is a collective matter. Religion is specifically focused on rights of Allah, the One God who has no partners are associates attached to Him. In fact, center of religion is ALLAH and its worship, but center of Islam as a Deen is HUMAN being. So, deen  has a broader canvas then religion. What differentiates Islam from other religions is:
  • Islam has its own unique economic system which in neither capitalistic nor communistic. Unlike modern interest based banking system, Islam promotes “ishteraak”. This thought can put an end to the on and off wars between the two ideologies and frequent economic recession.
  • Similarly, Islam also provides complete guidelines on governance and administration. it provides a system of governance which is in mid of monarchy and democracy, eliminating flaws of both systems and adding some of unique Islamic concepts. Clear guidelines on public administration. It even teaches about rules of war ! how to treat non combatants, military strategies.
  • Unlike system of west which is based on “Freedom”. Islam gives a social system based on “brother hood“. The social solidarity is a necessary component for health and evolution of a society and Islam emphasizes on social solidarity in form of concept of brother hood. Where individual actions can have a collective effect.
  • Since, the epicenter of Deen is human, the Deen guides about existence of other religions under its dominance. And these guidelines are not hypothetical. In fact, there demonstration was shown by prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and the rightly guided caliphs in state of Madina. Concept of jizya tells a peaceful co-existence of multiple religions under a greater dominant system Islam as a deen.
In fact today when Islam is characterized as a religion it seems as if it is just one of the other religions of the world. Even some modern educated Muslims also think that Islam is only a religion just like other religions. This limited approach about Islam has led to a wrong conclusion that Islam is merely a religion in its restricted sense. Moreover, many Muslims are of the view that all religions are good and there is nothing wrong if people of other religions do not embrace Islam. This concept has been rejected by the Holy Quran in unequivocal terms in the followings verses:
  • Islam is the only right way of life in the sight of Allah.
  • And whosoever adopts any other way except Islam that shall not be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he shall be among the losers.
Defining Deen, Wikipedia accepts that there is no exact English translation of the term, its precise definition has been the subject of some misunderstanding and disagreement. For instance, the term is often translated in parts of the Qur'an as "religion". However, in the Qur'an itself, the act of submission to God is always referred to as Dīn rather than as Madhhab (مذهب), which is the Arabic word for "religion." It adds that the well-known Islamic scholar, Fazlur Rahman Malik, suggested that Dīn is best considered as "the way-to-be-followed". In that interpretation, Dīn is the exact correlate of Shari'a: "whereas Shari'a is the ordaining of the Way and its proper subject is God, Dīn is the following of that Way, and its subject is man". Thus, "if we abstract from the Divine and the human points of reference, Shari'a and Dīn would be identical as far as the 'Way' and its content are concerned"

Having given the meaning of Deen in a layman's language, let us now turn to its interpretation by the scholar. While interpreting the above mentioned verse  13 of the Surah Ash Shura, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi explains. However due to difficulty understanding the trued concept of the meaning and explanation of Deen, you may have to read the explanation given below a number of times to fully grasp and comprehend the concept of Deen:
It clearly states that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the founder of any new religion, nor was any of the Prophets a founder of a separate religion, but it has been one and the same religion which all the Prophets have been presenting from Allah from the very beginning, and the same is being presented by Muhammad (peace be upon him). In this regard, the first name mentioned is of the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), who was the first Prophet after the Flood. After him the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been mentioned, who is the last of the Prophets; then the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) has been mentioned, whom the Arabs acknowledged as their guide, and last of all, the Prophets Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) have been mentioned to whom the Jews and the Christians attribute their religions. This does not mean that only these five Prophets had been enjoined this religion, but what is meant to be said is that all the Prophets who came to this world, brought one and the same religion and the names of the five illustrious Prophets have been mentioned only as examples through whom the world received the most well known codes of divine law.
As this verse throws important light on Deen (religion) and its aim, it is necessary that we should study it to understand it well.
Lexically, the word sharaa in sharaa lakum (ordained for you) means to make the way. As a term it implies appointing a way, a code and a rule. Accordingly, in Arabic the words tashri and shariat and shari are understood as the synonyms of legislation and law and law giver respectively. This divine legislation, in fact, is the natural and logical result of the fundamental truths which have been stated in( verses l, 9 and 10) above: that Allah alone is the Owner of everything in the Universe, and He alone is man’s real Guardian and it is for Him to judge the disputes that arise between human beings. Now, when Allah alone is the Owner and Guardian and Ruler, inevitably He alone is entitled to make the code of law for man and it is His responsibility that He should give this code of law to man. So, He has carried out His responsibility like this.
Then the words min-ad-deen (of the nature of deen) denote that the way appointed by Allah is legislation pertaining to deen.
The Arabic word deen contains several meanings: (1) Domination and sovereignty, rule and political power and authority to enforce one’s decisions on others. (2) Obedience, compliance with commands and servitude. (3) The practice and the way that a man follows. In view of these three meanings, deen in this verse means: The way of life and attitude which a man adopts after acknowledging the supremacy and accepting the obedience of another; and to worship Allah making one’s religion exclusively His. This means that one should refrain from combining another’s worship with the worship of Allah, but should worship Allah alone, should follow His guidance alone, and should comply with His commands and injunctions only. 
If the explanation of the word deen given above is kept in view, there can be no difficulty in understanding that deen means nothing but acknowledging the sovereignty and leadership of someone and obeying his commands. And when this word is used in the meaning of the way, it implies the way which man must regard as obligatory for himself to follow and the one appointing it as the one whom he ought to obey. On this basis, calling God-appointed Way as legislation pertaining to deen clearly means that it is not merely recommendatory in nature or a mere counsel, but it is a law enjoined by the Master, which must necessarily be obeyed by the servants and disobedience of which is tantamount to rebellion, and the one who does not obey it, in fact, denies Allah’s being the Sovereign and Ruler and his own position of a servant.
Then, it has been said that this legislation which pertains to deen is the same as was enjoined on Noah. Abraham and Moses and the same now has been enjoined on Muhammad (peace be upon them all). This contains several points:
  • (1) That Allah did not send this legislation of His directly to every man, but appointed whenever He deemed proper and necessary a person as His Messenger and consigned the legislation w him.
  • (2) That this legislation has been the same from the beginning. It did not so happen that in one age one particular deen was appointed for a nation, and in another age another and contradictory deen was sent for another nation. Allah did not send many deens but on every occasion He sent one and the same deen.
  • (3) That it is an essential part of this deen to acknowledge the apostleship of those men through whom the legislation has been sent and the revelation in which the legislation has been couched, besides acknowledging the Sovereignty of Allah; and it is the demand of reason and logic too, that it should be a necessary part of it, for a man cannot obey this legislation at all unless he is satisfied that it is authentically from Allah.
Then it has been said that the Prophets were given this legislation pertaining to deen, with the express instruction: Aqim-ud-din; “Establish this Deen”, or “Keep this Deen established.” Both these translations are correct, for iqamat means both to establish and to keep established, and the Prophets were appointed to perform both the functions. Their first duty was to establish this Deen wherever it was not established, and the second that they should keep it established after they had established it, or had found it already established in a place. Obviously, a thing can be kept established only when it has already been established, otherwise the primary requirement would be to establish it first, and then make continuous effort to keep it established.

Here, two questions arise: First, what is the meaning of establishing the deen? Second, what is deen itself, which we have been enjoined to establish and then keep it established? Let us try to understand these questions well.
  • The word iqamat (to establish) when used in respect of a material or physical object implies causing it to rise from the sitting or lying positions or assembling the scattered parts of a thing and raising it up high. But when iqamat is used in respect of a thing which is not material but spiritual in nature, it does not merely imply preaching it, but also acting according to it as best as one can, introducing it and enforcing it practically. For example, when we say that so and so established his rule, it does not mean that he invited others to his government but that he subdued the people of the land and organized the different departments of the government in a way that the administration of the country began to function according to his orders. Similarly, when we say that courts have been established in the country, it means that judges have been appointed to do justice and they ate hearing the cases and giving judgments, and not that hymns in praise of justice are being sung and the people being impressed. Likewise, when the Quran enjoins the establishment of the Prayer (Salat), it does not imply that one should merely preach and exhort others to the Prayer but that one should not only perform it himself, observing all its conditions, but should also strive to make arrangement so that it becomes a regular practice among the believers. There should be mosques, there should be arrangements for offering the Prayer collectively and for the Friday congregational Prayer, and for making calls to the Prayer punctually. There should be the Imams to lead the Prayers and the scholars to give sermons, and the people should visit the mosques regularly and punctually and make offering the Prayer an essential part of their daily routine. After this explanation, there should remain no difficulty in understanding that when the Prophets were enjoined to establish the deen and to keep it established, it did not simply mean that they should practice it themselves and not only that they should preach it to others so that the people may accept its truth, but also that when the people have accepted it, steps should be taken to introduce and enforce the entire deen practically among them so that they may start living according to it forever afterwards. No doubt preaching is the primary necessary stage of this work without which there can be no second stage, but every intelligent person can himself see that in this command preaching has not been made the object, but the real object is to establish the deen and keep it established. Preaching is certainly a means to the end but not the end in itself, but nobody can say that it was the only and foremost object of the mission of the Prophets.
Now, let us take the second question. When some people saw that the Deen which has been enjoined to be established is common among all the Prophets, and their shariahs (laws) have been different, as Allah Himself says: We appointed for each community among you a law and a way of life, they formed the view that inevitably this deen did not imply the shariah commandments, rules and regulations but only the acceptance of Tauhid, the Hereafter and the Book and the Prophethood and performance of certain acts of devotion to Allah, or at the most, it included some of the major moral principles which have been common to all the shariahs. But this is a superficial view, which has been formed after having a cursory glance over the unity of religion and the difference of the shariahs. This is, however, a dangerous view, which if not corrected in time, may well lead to the separation between deen (religion) and shariahs (law). It was this very view in, which St. Paul was involved, who presented the doctrine of the deen (religion) without shariah (law), and corrupted the community of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). For, if shariah (law) is something separate from deen (religion) and the command is only for establishing the deen and not the shariah, inevitably the Muslims also, like the Christians, would regard the shariah as unimportant and overlook its establishment as not being the real object by itself, and would remain content with only beliefs and a few important moral principles. Instead of determining the meaning of deen from such speculations, let us turn to the Quran itself and see whether the deen which we have been enjoined here to establish implies the beliefs and a few important moral principles only, or the shariah values and commandments as well. When we explore the Quran we find that what it regards as deen includes the following things as well:
  • (1) And the only command they were given was to worship Allah, making their deen sincerely His, turning all their attention towards Him, and to establish the Salat and to pay the Zakat, this alone is the true and right deen. (Surah Al-Bayyinah, Ayat 5). This shows that the Salat and the Zakat are included in this deen, whereas the commandments pertaining to both have been different in the different shariahs. No one can say that in all the previous shariahs the Salat has had the same form, the same elements, the same number of the rakahs, the same direction of the qiblah, the same times and the same other commands concerning it. Likewise, no one can claim also about the Zakat that in all the shariahs the same has been the exemption limits, the same rates and the same injunctions concerning its collection and distribution. But in spite of the difference of the shariahs, Allah has regarded both these as part of deen.
  • (2) You are forbidden carrion and blood, the flesh of swine and of that animal which has been slaughtered in any name other than of Allah, and of the strangled animal, and of that beaten to death or killed by a fall or gored to death or mangled by a beast of prey, save of that you duly slaughtered while it was still alive, and of that which is slaughtered at (ungodly) shrines. It is also unlawful for you to try to find your fortune by means of divining devices, for all these things are sinful acts. Today the disbelievers have despaired of (vanquishing) your religion; therefore do not fear them but fear Me. Today I have perfected your deen for you and completed My blessing on you and approved Islam as the deen (way of life) for you. (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 3). This shows that all these shariah commandments are also deen.
  • (3) Fight with those from among the people of the Book, who do not believe in Allah nor in the Last Day; who do not make unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful, and do not adopt the right deen as their deen. (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 29). This shows that besides belief in Allah and the Hereafter it is also deen to accept and follow the commands about the lawful and the unlawful, which have been given by Allah and His Messenger.
  • (4) The woman and the man guilty of fornication, flog each one of them with a hundred stripes, and let not any pity for them restrain you in regard to a matter prescribed in the deen of Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. (Surah An-Noor, Ayat 2). It did not behoove Joseph to seize his brother by the king’s deen. (Surah Yousuf, Ayat 76). This shows that the criminal law is also deen. If a man follows the criminal law prescribed by God, he is a follower of God’s deen and if he follows a king’s law, he is a follower of the king’s deen.
These are the four specimens in which the shariah commandments have been described as deen in clear words. But, besides these, a careful study shows that the eradication of the sins for which Allah has held out the threat of Hell (e.g. adultery, taking of interest, killing of a believer, consuming the property of the orphan, taking possession of the other peoples properties in unlawful ways etc.), and the crimes which become the cause of God’s torment, e.g. sodomy (the act of Prophet Lot’s people) and dishonesty in business dealings (as practiced by the Prophet Shuaib’s people) should necessarily be included in deen, for if deen cannot save one from Hell and Allah’s torment, what use could it be? Likewise, those shariah commandments also should be part of the deen, violation of which has been regarded as cause of entry into the Fire, e.g. injunctions relating to inheritance, after stating which it has been said: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses the limits prescribed by Him, Allah will cast him into the Fire wherein he will have a disgraceful torment. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 14). Likewise, the prohibition of those things whose prohibition Allah has mentioned with great emphasis and absoluteness, e.g. prohibition of the mother, sister and daughter and prohibition of wine, theft, gambling, false evidence, etc. if not included in the establishment of the deen, it would mean that Allah has given some unnecessary commands also, which are not meant to be introduced and enforced. Similarly, establishing those things which Allah has made obligatory, e.g. fasting and pilgrimage, cannot be excluded from the establishment of deen only on the pretext that the entire month of fasting of Ramadan had not been enjoined in the previous shariahs, and pilgrimage to the Kabah was enjoined only in the Shariah which was inherited by the Ishmaelite branch of the Prophet Abraham’s progeny.

As a matter of fact, the misunderstanding was caused only because the verse: We appointed for each community among you a law and a way of life, has been misconstrued to mean that since the shariah appointed for every community was separate and the command given was only to establish the deen (way of life) which was common to all the Prophets, the establishment of the shariah was not included in the establishment of the deen, whereas the real meaning of this verse is just the opposite of it. If the context(verses 41-50)in which this verse has occurred in Surah Al- Maidah is studied carefully, it will be seen that the correct meaning of this verse is: Whatever shariah was given by Allah to the community of a Prophet, was the deen for that community, and the establishment of the same deen was the object during his Prophethood. And since now is the period of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Prophethood, the shariah which has been given to the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the deen of this time, and to establish the same is to establish the deen. As for the difference of the shariah, it does not mean that the shariahs sent by God were mutually contradictory, but it means that in their details there have been some differences owing to the different environments, take, for instance, the Prayer and the Fast. The Prayer has been obligatory in all the shariahs, but the qiblah of all the shariahs was not the same, and there was a difference in its times and rakahs and elements as well. Likewise, the Fast was obligatory in every shariah, but the month long fasting of Ramadan was not there in the other shariahs. From this it is not correct to conclude that the Prayer and the Fast as such are included in the establishment of deen but performing the Prayer in a particular way and observing the Fast at a particular time is excluded from it. However, the correct conclusion that one can draw is: To perform the Prayer and observe the Fast according to the rules and procedures that had been appointed for the people in the shariah of every Prophet amounted to establishment of deen in his time. In the present age the establishment of the deen is that these acts of worship be performed according to the procedures enjoined in the Shariah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The same is true about all other Shariah commandments as well.

Whoever studies the Quran carefully will see that this Book does not envisage that its adherents will live as subjects of the disbelievers and will pass a religious life under them, but it openly proclaims that it will have its own rule established; it demands from its followers that they should struggle with their lives for the intellectual, cultural, legal and political supremacy of the true faith; and it gives them a program for the reformation of human life, the major part of which can be acted upon only when political power and authority is in the believers’ hand. As stated by itself, the object of this Book’s being sent down is: We have sent down this Book to you with the truth so that you may judge between the people in accordance with the light that Allah has shown you. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 105). The Commandments given in this Book about the collection and distribution of the Zakat expressly envisage a government who should be responsible for collecting the Zakat and distributing it among the deserving people according to a laid down procedure. (Surah At-Taubah, Ayats 60,103). The prohibition of interest that has been enjoined in this Book and the declaration of war that has been made against those who do not abstain from taking interest (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayats 275-279) can be enforced only when the political and economic system of the country is entirely in the believers’ hand. The Law of Retribution for murder (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 178), cutting off of the hand for theft (Surah AI-Maidah, Ayat 38) and carrying out of the prescribed punishment for adultery and calumny (Surah An-Noor, Ayat 2-4) have not been enjoined on the assumption that the believers will remain subject to the police and courts of the disbelievers. The command to fight the disbelievers (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayats 190,216) has not been given with the idea that the followers of this deen will carry out this command by getting enlisted in the army of disbelief. The command to take Jizyah from the followers of the former Books (Surah At-Taubah, Ayat 29) has not been given on the assumption that the Muslims will take Jizyah from them while being their subjects and will be responsible for their protection. And this thing is not true only about the Madinite Surahs; in the Makkan Surahs as well a discerning eye can clearly see that the scheme envisaged from the very beginning was of Islam’s supremacy and dominance and not of Islam’s and the Muslims’ subjugation under an un-Islamic rule. See, for instance, (Surah Bani Israil, Ayats 76-89); (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayats 85-86); (Surah Ar-Room, Ayats 1-6); (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayats 171-179); Surah Suad(Ayat 11).

Above all, this misinterpretation clashes with the great work that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself accomplished during the 23 years of his Prophethood. Who can deny the fact that he subdued entire Arabia by means of both preaching and the sword and established in it a full fledged system of government with a detailed law, covering all aspects of life, from beliefs and rites of worship to personal conduct, collective morality, culture and civilization, economic and social life, politics and judiciary, peace and war. If this entire work of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not accepted as a commentary of the command of iqamat deen (establishment of deen) which, according to this verse, he had been enjoined to undertake like all other Prophets, then it could have one of the two meanings: That earlier, God forbid, the Prophet (peace be upon him) should be blamed that he had been appointed only to preach and teach beliefs and a few important moral rules but he exceeded his mandate and established a government of his own whim and laid down a code of law, which was different from the common law of the Prophets as well as in excess of it; or that Allah should be blamed that after having made the above mentioned declaration in Surah Ash-Shura. He went back on His own word, and made His last Prophet do something which was not only much over and about and different from the objective of iqamat deen as stated in this Surah, but on the completion of this mission He also made this declaration, contrary to His first declaration: Today I have perfected your deen for you. (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 3). May Allah keep us safe from this! Apart from these two, if there is any third alternative, which makes this interpretation of iqamat deen plausible and also does not lay any blame on Allah or His Messenger, we would like to know it.

After giving the command for iqamat deen, the last thing that Allah has stated in this verse is this: La tatafarraqu fihi: Do not create schisms in the deen: Be not divided in it. Creating schisms in deen implies that one should introduce something new in religion for which there exists no sound basis, and then should insist that belief and unbelief depend on the acceptance of the innovation, and should separate along with those who have accepted it from those who have not accepted it. This new thing can be of several kinds:
  • (1) To introduce something entirely new into deen.
  • (2) To exclude from deen something which actually belonged to it.
  • (3) To tamper with the fundamentals of deen by misinterpretations and introduce new beliefs and novel practices.
  • (4) To distort the deen by making changes of fundamental nature in it, for example, by reducing what was important in it to un-important, by raising what was at most permissible to the position of imperative and obligatory, even to the position of the most fundamental pillar of Islam. Owing to such innovations, divisions first appeared in the communities of the Prophets; then gradually the creeds of the sects developed into wholly separate and mutually exclusive religious systems whose followers now do not have any idea that once they all belonged to one and the same origin. These divisions have nothing to do with the permissible and reasonable difference of opinion which naturally takes place among the scholars when they are engaged in understanding and studying the injunctions and fundamentals of the deen for the purpose of deriving and extracting points of law, and for which there is room in the words of the Book of Allah itself owing to the considerations of lexicon, idiom and rules of grammar. (For a detailed discussion of this subject, see( Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 213); (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayats 19, 50); (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 171); (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 77); (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 159); (Surah An-Nahl, Ayats 118-124); (Surah Al- Anbiya, Ayats 92-93); (Surah Al-Hajj, Ayat 67); (Surah Al- Muminun, Ayats 53-54); (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 53); (Surah Ar Room, Ayat 32).
In the end of the verse it is said: You are presenting the clear highway of religion before them but the foolish people, instead of appreciating the blessing, are becoming annoyed over it. But even among them there are the people of their own tribe, who are turning to Allah and Allah also is drawing them closer to Himself. But one should understand that Allah’s bestowal of His blessings is not blind. He draws only him towards Himself who is inclined to be drawn and not him who runs away from Him.

May Allah help us understand our Deen clearly and differentiate it from other religions.

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, the exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran are basically 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 the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. 

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