He it is Who has sent the True Religion to prevail over all religions

Everything that is made is set to function as per the design of manufacture and no machine is ever so perfect that once it is made it will be functional and useful for all times to come. Modifications and design features are updated to make it more efficient and useful. 

Same is true for the Divine religions. The religions have been sent upon different people in different times to provide guidelines to the people to live a life as ordained by our Lord, the Creator of the entire universe. The set of rules which were sent in Psalms were meant for a particular time to condition people to absorb the initial set of directives by the Lord of the worlds. Psalms was followed by Torah and Injeel (The Bible). And then finally Qur'an was sent as the final Book of Guidance to last till the end of this world. 

The people of earlier Books often reject Qur'an for they think that whatever was revealed to them was the final world of God. But they fail to understand that each new scripture was an update of the previous one, making the previous redundant as new set of rules were included in the following scriptures. Likewise, Qur'an being the last of the Divine Scriptures, thus, embodies the final commandments of God to prevail over all previous Books. 

This has been contested since revelation of Qur'an. But now gradually followers of earlier Books have started to realize ethe universality of Qur'an and more and more people today are entering the fold of Islam for they know what is contained therein the Qur'an is a final update and does not leave any space for more modifications. This is the theme on which the 33rd verse of Surah Taubah (The Repentance) is based and is being shared today herein under:

It maybe added that the 33rd verse is in fact an answer to the efforts of others to overshadow the presence of Qur'an as is mentioned in the 32nd verse: 32. "They want to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers hate (it)."

هُوَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَرۡسَلَ رَسُوۡلَهٗ بِالۡهُدٰى وَدِيۡنِ الۡحَـقِّ لِيُظۡهِرَهٗ عَلَى الدِّيۡنِ كُلِّهٖۙ وَلَوۡ كَرِهَ الۡمُشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏ 

[9:33] He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the True Religion that He may make it prevail over all religions, howsoever those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity might detest it.

The Arabic word ad-din has been translated into 'ways'. For the word din, as has already been explained for 193rd verse of Surah 2. Al-Baqarah (as reproduced below), is used for the 'way of life' or the 'system of life', which is followed in obedience to the supreme authority.

وَقٰتِلُوۡهُمۡ حَتّٰى لَا تَكُوۡنَ فِتۡنَةٌ وَّيَكُوۡنَ الدِّيۡنُ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ فَاِنِ انتَهَوۡا فَلَا عُدۡوَانَ اِلَّا عَلَى الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏ 

(2:193) Keep on fighting against them until mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah prevails. But if they desist, then know that hostility is directed only against the wrong-doers.

An investigation of the usages of the word din (which occurs in this verse) reveals that the core of its meaning is obedience. In its technical usage, the word refers to that system of life which arises as a result of a person recognizing someone as his Lord and Sovereign and committing himself to following his commands and ordinances. This explanation of the word din makes it quite clear that when some human beings establish their godhead and absolute dominance over others, this state of affairs is one of fitnah. Islam seeks to put an end to this and replace it by a state of affairs in which people live in obedience to the laws of God alone.

Now let us try to understand the significance of this verse. The object of the Mission of the Messenger is to make the Guidance and the Right Way he has brought from Allah dominant over all the other ways and systems of life. In other words, the Messenger is not sent to allow Allah's Way to remain subordinate to other ways in order to enjoy concessions from them. He is sent by the Sovereign of the earth and the heavens to make His Way dominant over all other ways. And if a wrong way is at all allowed to remain on the earth, it should be tolerated only under its own protection by the payment of Jizyah under the limits conferred by the Divine System as in the cast of the system of life of the Zimmis who pay Jizyah. 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

( هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth.) `Guidance' refers to the true narrations, beneficial faith and true religion that the Messenger came with. `religion of truth' refers to the righteous, legal deeds that bring about benefit in this life and the Hereafter.

(لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ to make it (Islam) superior over all religions) It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said:

(Allah made the eastern and western parts of the earth draw near for me ﴿to see﴾, and the rule of my Ummah will extend as far as I saw.) 

Imam Ahmad recorded from Tamim Ad-Dari that he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

(This matter (Islam) will keep spreading as far as the night and day reach, until Allah will not leave a house made of mud or hair, but will make this religion enter it, while bringing might to a mighty person (a Muslim) and humiliation to a disgraced person (who rejects Islam). Might with which Allah elevates Islam (and its people) and disgrace with which Allah humiliates disbelief (and its people).) Tamim Ad-Dari ﴿who was a Christian before Islam﴾ used to say, "I have come to know the meaning of this Hadith in my own people. Those who became Muslims among them acquired goodness, honor and might. Disgrace, humiliation and Jizyah befell those who remained disbelievers.'

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Every religion which commends itself widely to human beings and lasts through some space of time has a glimpse of Truth in it. But Islam being the perfect light of Truth is bound to prevail. As the greater Light, through its own strength, outshines all lesser lights, so will Islam outshine all else, in spite of the displeasure of those to whom light is an offence. See also explanation of xlviii. 28, and lxi. 9.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This dominance was to be achieved through Muhammad (sws) in spite of the desires of the idolaters who were his foremost addressees and which are mentioned by the words وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ. Hence it is essential that the word كُل (all) be understood in this background in the specific sense that this writer has stated in the translation. History shows that this prophecy of the Qur’ān was fulfilled word for word and in the very lifetime of the Prophet (sws), the religion of truth prevailed in the whole of the Arabian peninsula. This was a manifestation of an established practice of God that has been mentioned at various instances by the Qur’ān regarding His messengers: after the truth is conclusively communicated by God’s messengers, God grants them dominance and punishes those who disbelieve their respective messenger. The purpose is to validate the concept of reward and punishment in the Hereafter to the same extent as scientific facts are validated through laboratory experiments. It has no relation to any revolutionary struggle, as understood by some thinkers of current times. Here it has been mentioned to inform Muslims that it is a decision of God and the directive of the last onslaught given against the idolaters and the People of the Book was to implement precisely this decision.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The sūrah re-emphasizes the promise and the threat at the same time

It is clear from this statement that the religion of Islam, preached by God’s last Messenger, is the one to which reference is made in the previous Qur’ānic statement: “Fight against those who — despite having been given Scriptures — do not truly believe in God and the Last Day, and do not treat as forbidden that which God and His Messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, till they [agree to] pay the submission tax with a willing hand, after they have been humbled.” (Verse 29) It is also clear that this order to fight is targeted against those who do not believe in this religion.

This is true however we may interpret this verse. Generally speaking, the religion of truth means submission to God alone as reflected in beliefs, worship rituals and laws. This is the basic foundation of all divine faith which takes its final form in the message of the Prophet Muhammad (peace he upon him). Any individual and any community who do not clearly submit totally to God alone in beliefs, worship and laws may be described as ones who do not believe in the religion of truth. Therefore, they are included among those to whom the verse of fighting applies. However, we have always to consider the nature of the Islamic method of action, and the different stages the message of Islam may go through and the tools and means it may employ.

“It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may cause it to prevail over all [other] religions, however hateful this may be to the idolaters.” (Verse 33) This statement confirms God’s first promise: “But God will not allow anything but to bring His light to perfection, however hateful this may be to the unbelievers.” (Verse 32) The confirmation, however, takes a much more specific form. The light which God, who is limitless in His glory, has decided to bring to full perfection is the religion of truth with which He has sent His last Messenger so that He may cause it to prevail over all other religions.

As we have already explained, the religion of truth is submission to God in beliefs, worship and laws altogether. It is represented in every divine message given to any former prophet. Needless to say, it does not include any form of the distorted versions that the Jews and Christians of today profess, as these have been adulterated with pagan beliefs. Nor can be included under it any situation that raises the banner of faith while at the same time assigning lordship to beings other than God, and associating partners with God in the form of following laws and legislations enacted by those partners without reference to God’s law.

God, limitless is He in His glory, says that He has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth in order to make it prevail over all other religions. We must take the term ‘religion’ in its broader sense which we have outlined in order to appreciate the scope of God’s promise. Since ‘religion’ means ‘submission’, then it includes every creed and system which requires people to submit to its edicts and follow its rules. God also declares His ruling that the religion of truth will surely prevail over all religion, in this broad sense of the word. This means that all submission will be to God alone, and the final triumph will be for the system which reflects this total submission.

This promise was fulfilled once at the hands of God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and his successors, as well as those who succeeded them, for a very long period of time when the religion of truth was the one which prevailed. All other religions, which were not based on true submission to God alone, stood in awe. Then there followed a time when those who professed to believe in the religion of truth started to abandon it, step by step, due to various factors relevant to the internal structure of Muslim societies on the one hand, and to the long war against this religion by its different enemies. In this war a wide variety of weapons and tactics are employed in order to suppress Islam. But this is not the end of the road. God’s promise will always come true. It will be fulfilled by the Muslim community which will raise the banner of Islam and start its activities at the very beginning where the Prophet himself started when he began his call, preaching the religion of truth and guided by God’s light.

The sūrah takes the final step in this passage, describing how the people of earlier revelations do not treat as forbidden what God and His Messenger have declared forbidden.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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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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Ultimate Fate of those causing troubles and difficulties to others (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Islam emphasizes a high degree of cordial, clean, selfless and brotherly relations between the believers and even otherwise so that living becomes peaceful and happy. Yet there are some, who despite being people of faith and God fearing are found indulged in activities which are tangent to the teachings of Islam. For their own ease and comfort, they make lives of others difficult and painful, 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had always cautioned his companions and Muslim brethren to remove hurdles from the walkways so that no one stumbles upon, falls and get hurts. He himself lived a life which was a role model for others and displayed a very high degree of concern for the wellbeing of others even at the cost of his own comfort. He always advised to be charitable, but cautioned against being a show off rather than pleasing Allah. Likewise, he stressed the need to help others rather than causing difficulties for others, for such are not the signs of true believers.

The following Hadith is in the same context as mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 93 Judgments (Ahkaam) كتاب الأحكام / Chapter 9:  Causing people troubles and difficulties باب مَنْ شَاقَّ شَقَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ) as Hadith 7152:

Narrated by Tarif Abi Tamima:

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنِ طَرِيفٍ أَبِي تَمِيمَةَ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ صَفْوَانَ وَجُنْدَبًا وَأَصْحَابَهُ وَهْوَ يُوصِيهِمْ فَقَالُوا هَلْ سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْئًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ مَنْ سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ـ قَالَ ـ وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقْ يَشْقُقِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالُوا أَوْصِنَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ‏"‏ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُنْتِنُ مِنَ الإِنْسَانِ بَطْنُهُ، فَمَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لاَ يَأْكُلَ إِلاَّ طَيِّبًا فَلْيَفْعَلْ، وَمَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لاَ يُحَالَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِمِلْءِ كَفِّهِ مِنْ دَمٍ أَهْرَاقَهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَنْ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جُنْدَبٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ جُنْدَبٌ‏.‏

I saw Safwan and Jundab and Safwan's companions when Jundab was advising. They said, "Did you hear something from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" Jundab said, "I heard him saying, 'Whoever does a good deed in order to show off, Allah will expose his intentions on the Day of Resurrection (before the people), and whoever puts the people into difficulties, Allah will put him into difficulties on the Day of Resurrection.'" The people said (to Jundab), "Advise us." He said, "The first thing of the human body to purify is the `Abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good food (Halal and earned lawfully) should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervenes between him and Paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood, (i.e. murdering) should do so."

We need to act upon what has been said by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and try to make life as easier for others as we want our lives to be such.

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 refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. 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 | 

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Beware of Satanic Whisperings (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Satan's machinations are so luring and attractive that even Adam fell into his trap and disobeyed Allah's strict commandment not to approach a certain tree in the Paradise. He was thrown out of the Heavens but before leaving he promised Allah that he would mislead His creation and take them away from Allah's path. Since that day, till this day and the day when the earthly life will come to an end, he will continue to mislead man by his evil and tacit machinations. 

We should therefore be mindful of his whispers and that of his soldiers and should not be misled by anything that could take us away from our faith or create doubts about Divine reality. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has warned believers so that we should be on guard to defeat the Iblees (Satan).

The following Hadith in the same context is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 59 Beginning of Creation كتاب بدء الخلق / Chapter 11:  The characteristics of Iblis (Satan) and his soldiers باب صِفَةِ إِبْلِيسَ وَجُنُودِهِ) as Hadith 3276:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَأْتِي الشَّيْطَانُ أَحَدَكُمْ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا حَتَّى يَقُولَ مَنْ خَلَقَ رَبَّكَ فَإِذَا بَلَغَهُ فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ، وَلْيَنْتَهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Satan comes to one of you and says, 'Who created so-and-so? 'Till he says, 'Who has created your Lord?' So, when he inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts."

Since a man cannot fathom the rationale of the creation of our Lord, such Satanic whisperings are likely to weaken our faith as no one can answer such questions. Therefore, whenever such doubt come to our mind, which of course would be initiated by none other than the Satan, one must immediately seek refuge with Allah and shun such deceiving thoughts.

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 refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. 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 | 

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

Believers!! Enjoin Prayer (As Salat) on your household

As Salat, the obligatory prayers five times a day, is the first important pillar of Islam after taking the Shahadah and entering into the fold of Islam. For it is As Salat that establishes a one-to-one communication between the Lord of the entire universe and His servants. Except for some laxities, As Salat is obligatory on every adult man and woman in Islam.

No other commandment in Qur'an is so oft repeated except the commandment to enforce As Salat. Importance of praying Salah on time can be understood by these hadith: "Abdullah asked the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) "Which deed is the dearest to Allah?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." (Sahih al-Bukhari 527).

Thus, it is incumbent on every parent to enjoin As Salat on their children as has been commanded in the 132th verse of Surah 20. Ta Ha given below:

وَاۡمُرۡ اَهۡلَكَ بِالصَّلٰوةِ وَاصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَيۡهَا​ ؕ لَا نَسۡـئَلُكَ رِزۡقًا​ ؕ نَحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَ​ ؕ وَالۡعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقۡوٰى‏ 

(20:132) Enjoin Prayer on your household, and do keep observing it. We do not ask you for any worldly provision; rather, it is We Who provide you, and ultimately the pious will end up the best.

That is, "Teach your children also that lawful provision is much better than the unlawful riches of the wicked people. For this purpose, enjoin them to say their prescribed Prayers, for this will change their attitude, their standard of values, and make them contented with pure provisions and virtuous life in preference to the life of sin and luxury."

"We do not ask you to offer your Prayers for any benefit of Our own. We ask you to do that for your own good, because this will create piety in you which will bring about true success for you in this world and in the Hereafter."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them.) This means to save them from the punishment of Allah by the establishment of the prayer, and you also be patient in performing it. 

This is as Allah says, (O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell).) [66:6] 

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Zayd bin Aslam reported from his father that he and Yarfa' would sometimes spend the night at `Umar bin Al-Khattab's. `Umar had a certain time of night that he would get up and pray. However, sometimes he would not get up for it. Then, we would say, "He is not going to get up like he usually does.' When he would awaken, he would make his family get up as well. He would say, (And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them.)'' 

Allah said; (We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you.) This means that if you establish the prayer, your sustenance will come to you from where you did not expect. This is as Allah says:

(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.) [65:2-3]

Allah also says, (And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).) until, (Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.) [51:56-58] 

Thus, Allah says, (We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you.) 

Verily, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Allah, the Exalted, says, "O son of Adam, perform My worship and I will fill your chest with wealth and fulfill your needs. If you do not do so, then I will fill your chest with toil and I will not fulfill your needs.') It is also reported from Zayd bin Thabit that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying:

(Whoever makes worldly life his major concern, then Allah will scatter his situation for him (i.e. make it difficult) and his poverty will be placed between his eyes. He will not get from this world anything except that which has already been written for him. Whoever makes the Hereafter his intention, then his situation will be gathered for him (i.e. made easy) and his wealth will be placed in his heart. The worldly life will come to him anyway (in spite of his not seeking it).) 

Concerning Allah's statement, (وَالْعَـقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى and the good end is for those who have Taqwa.) This means the good end to this life and in the Hereafter. In the Hereafter the good end will be Paradise for whoever feared Allah. 

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(And bid thy people to pray, and persevere therein. [But remember:] We do not ask thee to provide sustenance [for Us] :) My interpolation of the words "for Us" is based on Razi’s interpretation of the above sentence: "God makes it clear that He has enjoined this [i.e., prayer] upon men for their own benefit alone, inasmuch as He Himself is sublimely exalted above any [need of] benefits." In other words, prayer must not be conceived as a kind of tribute to a "jealous God" - as the Old Testament, in its present corrupted form, frequently describes Him - but solely as a spiritual benefit for the person who prays.

(It is We who provide sustenance for thee. And the future belongs to the God-conscious.) Lit., "to God-consciousness".

Yusuf Ali Explanation:  

Sustenance, in the sense of the ordinary needs of life, the man of Allah does not worry about. That is provided by Allah for all, the just and the unjust. But the special provision, the Real Sustenance, the spiritual fruit, is for a righteous life in the service of Allah.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

(Urge your people) The actual word is: اَهْلَكَ. It refers to all those people who until that time had accepted faith. The word اَهْل in Arabic has this vastness in it. Here the eloquence found in its usage is that the status of the poor and the needy is raised such that they have become members of the Prophet’s (sws) family.

(To the prayer and adhere to it yourself also. We do not ask for any sustenance from you [for them so that for it you may need to look at the means and resources of anyone].) The implication is that the Prophet (sws) should not think that if these people do not accept faith, then the message of God and the poor and needy who come forward to accept it will be left helpless in this land. He should not think along any of these lines. The Prophet (sws) does not require the help of these ingrates for his followers and for furthering his message. He has God with him and He is sufficient to help and strengthen him and his companions.  

(It is We Who shall provide sustenance to you.) Ie., to him and to those who will become his associates in his preaching mission. It is God’s responsibility to provide it to them and when He assigns some task to someone, He takes upon Himself the responsibility of providing for him. Hence the Prophet (sws) should do God’s work and be diligent in the prayer. The rest is God’s responsibility and he should leave it to Him and not be worried about it. If he is fulfilling his duty, then in the words of Jesus (sws), he deserves his remuneration.

([We require piety from you) Ie., piety both in knowledge and in deeds and also in the task God has assigned him.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

We must not understand this verse as encouraging self-denial or disdain for the comforts of this life. It is rather an encouragement to hold on to true and lasting values, to maintain one’s ties with God and be contented. This is the best way to resist the temptation of the splendour and attractions of this life. When we maintain such values, we are free to rise above the lure of false temptations, splendid as they may appear. “Enjoin prayer on your people.” (Verse 132) The first duty of a Muslim is to make his home a Muslim home, enjoining his family to attend to their prayers so that they all maintain their ties with God. Thus, they are united in their approach to life. Life in a home where all members turn to God for worship is certainly a happy one. “And be diligent in its observance.” (Verse 132) Be diligent so that you offer your prayers completely and its effect becomes a reality. Prayer restrains man from loathsome deeds and indecency. This is its true effect. To attain the level where prayer provides such restraint requires diligence in its observance. Unless we reach the stage that our prayer yields this fruit, it remains a mere sequence of phrases and movements. Prayer and worship generally are duties assigned to the Prophet and believers. God does not gain anything by them. He is in need of no one: “We do not ask you for any provisions. It is We who provide for you.” (Verse 132) Worship nurtures God- consciousness within the worshipper. Hence, “the future belongs to the God-fearing.” (Verse 132) It is man who benefits by prayer, both in this life and in the life to come. He offers his worship to God and he enjoys, as a result, a state of contentment. He is comfortable and reassured. Furthermore, he ultimately receives a much greater reward in the hereafter. As for God, He needs nothing from anyone.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Reward for Preparation and Attendance of Friday Prayer Congregation (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Friday assumes a special significance in the lives of Muslims for it is the day when the otherwise Dhur prayer is made obligatory to be prayed in the masjid, called the Friday Prayer Congregation " Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah ". The importance of attending this congregation is mandatory and a whole chapter of Qur'an, Surah 62. Al-Jumuah. 

The 9th verse of Surah 62. Al-Jumuah states the importance of this obligatory prayer for all Muslims over the world:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نُوۡدِىَ لِلصَّلٰوةِ مِنۡ يَّوۡمِ الۡجُمُعَةِ فَاسۡعَوۡا اِلٰى ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَذَرُوا الۡبَيۡعَ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ 

(9) O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too have emphasized the importance of attending the Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah and its reward for the Muslims, as mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (Book # 7 The Book of Prayer - Friday كتاب الجمعة / Chapter # 8 The virtue of one who remains silent and listens attentively during the khutbah باب فَضْلِ مَنِ اسْتَمَعَ وَأَنْصَتَ فِي الْخُطْبَةِ ‏) as Hadith number # 857 a:

Abu-Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:

حَدَّثَنَا أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ بِسْطَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زُرَيْعٍ - حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ اغْتَسَلَ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْجُمُعَةَ فَصَلَّى مَا قُدِّرَ لَهُ ثُمَّ أَنْصَتَ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ مِنْ خُطْبَتِهِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّيَ مَعَهُ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى وَفَضْلَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

He who took a bath and then came for Jumu'a prayer and then prayed what was fixed for him, then kept silence till the Imam finished the sermon, and then prayed along with him, his sins between that time and the next Friday would be forgiven, and even of three days more.

So, believing men, do not miss out this special prayer in congregation on Friday to reap its many benefits and rewards so promised. 

* Read more on Friday Prayer in references given in our Reference Page: As Salat - Prayers

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 refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

Where is Allah?

The question posed in this post is one of the most sought questions by many non-believers, especially atheists. Also, many who are obsessed with finding a scientific answer to everything, want an answer to prove the existence of Allah or His location. But before we answer the question as answered by Allah Himself in the Qur'an, let us discuss first what propinquity or connectedness mean.

We humans establish our connectivity with other humans based on closeness or nearness of our relations, our connectivity and its means and the propinquity, which is one of the main factors leading to interpersonal attraction. 

Propinquity refers to the physical or psychological proximity between people. Propinquity can mean physical proximity, a kinship between people, or a similarity in nature between things ("like-attracts-like"). Two people living on the same floor of a building, for example, have a higher propinquity than those living on different floors, just as two people with similar political beliefs possess a higher propinquity than those whose beliefs strongly differ.

Coming over to the question: Where is Allah? Many when talk of presence of God, their mindset is focused on physical closeness and connectedness with Allah, and they want a scientific answer to that presence and how it can be felt. But they forget that there are no clear-cut answers when dealing with Divine matters. The closeness of presence of Allah with regard to His servant is not based on hearing and listening when talking or making a supplication. For Allah, distances do not matter and He is always ears to the supplication of His servants no matter from where these are made. 

Now without any more discussion on the subject, let me share here the 186th verse from Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow) in which Allah Himself tells His revered messenger Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the answer to this query:

وَاِذَا سَاَلَـكَ عِبَادِىۡ عَنِّىۡ فَاِنِّىۡ قَرِيۡبٌؕ اُجِيۡبُ دَعۡوَةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيۡبُوۡا لِىۡ وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِىۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُوۡنَ‏ 

(2:186) (O Muhammad), when My servants ask you about Me, tell them I am quite near; I hear and answer the call of the caller whenever he calls Me. Let them listen to My call and believe in Me; perhaps they will be guided aright.

That is, "Although you cannot see Me nor perceive Me with your senses, yet you must never imagine that I am far from you. Nay, I am so near to every servant of Mine that he can invoke Me and place his request before Me wherever he is. So much so that I hear and answer even those requests which are not expressed in words but are made only in the innermost heart. As to the false and impotent gods you have created in your ignorance and folly, you have to travel co them, and even then they do not hear and answer you. But here am I, the Sovereign, the absolute Ruler of the boundless universe and Possessor of all powers and authority, so near to hear and answer you that you need no recommendation of intercession for making any request anywhere at any time you like. Therefore, you should free yourselves from the folly of running from door to door after false gods, and accept My invitation and turn to Me and trust in Me and submit to Me and become My servants."  

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Allah hears the Servant's Supplication

Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "We were in the company of Allah's Messenger during a battle. Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,' raising our voices. 

The Prophet came by us and said: (O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don't raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer. The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal. O `Abdullah bin Qais (Abu Musa's name) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no power or strength except from Allah).')

This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings. 

Furthermore, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Prophet said: ("Allah the Exalted said, `I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him whenever he invokes Me.') Allah accepts the Invocation

Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said: (No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things. He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him.') They said, "What if we were to recite more (Du`a).'' He said, (There is more with Allah.)

`Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said: (There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb.) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith.

Allah accepts the Invocation: Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said: (No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things. He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him.') They said, "What if we were to recite more (Du`a).' He said, (There is more with Allah.)

`Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said: (There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb.) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith.

Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said: (One's supplication will be accepted as long as he does become get hasty and say, `I have supplicated but it has not been accepted from me.'')

This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs from Malik, and this is the wording of Al-Bukhari.

Muslim recorded that the Prophet said: (The supplication of the servant will be accepted as long as he does not supplicate for what includes sin, or cutting the relations of the womb, and as long as he does not become hasty.) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! How does one become hasty' He said, (He says, `I supplicated and supplicated, but I do not see that my supplication is being accepted from me.' He thus loses interest and abandons supplicating (to Allah).)

Three Persons Whose Supplication will not be rejected: In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and the Sunans of At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger said: (Three persons will not have their supplication rejected: the just ruler, the fasting person until breaking the fast, and the supplication of the oppressed person, for Allah raises it above the clouds on the Day of Resurrection, and the doors of heaven will be opened for it, and Allah says, `By My grace! I will certainly grant it to you, even if after a while.')

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. 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 The implication is that when the Almighty is near them and is also answering their questions to remove their confusions, no one should adopt a hypocritical attitude with Him and neither should people object to and raise doubts against any of His directives; in fact, they should obey them with full faith and conviction.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Interposed among the verses dealing with fasting comes a verse reflecting a profound insight into human nature. It reaches to the deepest recesses of the human psyche, offering solace and ample rewards for keeping the fast in response to God’s commands: “If My servants ask you about Me, well, I am near; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me. Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may follow the right way.”

How kind and compassionate God truly is! Any hardship encountered in keeping fast fades in comparison with this friendly and gentle reassurance. The choice of words creates an atmosphere of intimacy and accessibility, with God Himself stating a direct contact between Him and His servants. He does not give instructions to His Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on how to answer believers’ questions about Him. He gives the answer Himself: “I am near.” His closeness is not only to listen but also for immediate response: “I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me.”

This verse fills a believer’s heart with love, confidence and utter reassurance. In this atmosphere of friendliness and compassion, God, who has no need for anyone, directs believers to respond to Him and believe in Him, in the hope that this will guide them to wisdom and righteousness. “Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may follow the right way.” By earning God’s generosity and guidance, believers end up winners on all counts.

Belief in God and response to His commands lead to true guidance. The way of life God has ordained for man is the only one truly worthy of adoption and adherence; all other ideologies lead only to ruin and frustration. When one responds to God’s call, one must be confident that God will answer one’s prayers (du`ā’). However, one should not hasten God’s response, for He alone decides the most appropriate time to respond.

Salmān, the Persian, a Companion of the Prophet, quotes the Prophet as saying: “God would not like to see His servant holding out his arms pleading for help and turn him away empty handed.” [Related by Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah]

`Ubādah ibn al-Şāmit quotes the Prophet as saying: “God shall answer the prayer (du`ā’) of any Muslim anywhere on earth, or He will protect him against contrasting harm, as long as he does not ask for something evil or for the break-up of kinship relations.” [Related by al-Tirmidhī on ibn Thawbān’s authority and by `Abdullāh ibn Imām Aĥmad]

The Prophet is also reported to have said: “Your prayers shall be answered as long as you remain patient. Do not say, ‘I have prayed but my prayer has never been answered!’ “[Related by al-Bukhārī and Muslim]

He is also reported as saying: “Prayers [du`ā’] shall be answered unless one asks for something evil or the break-up of kinship relations, and as long as one does not become impatient.” When the Prophet was asked to explain how one becomes impatient, he said: “One says, ‘I have prayed many times but I have had no response,’ then gives up hope and abandons praying [du`ā’] altogether.” [Related by Muslim]

A fasting person has the best chance of his prayers being answered. Abū Dāwūd al-Ţayālisī relates on the authority of `Abdullāh ibn `Umar that the Prophet said: “The prayer a fasting person says at the time when he is about to finish his fast shall be answered.” Accordingly, `Abdullāh ibn `Umar, a learned Companion of the Prophet, used to gather his family together when breaking the fast and pray.

Ibn Mājah also relates a ĥadīth in which `Abdullāh ibn `Umar quoted the Prophet as saying: “On breaking the fast, the prayer of a fasting person is never turned down.” This is supported by a ĥadīth in which Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “Prayers by three people shall never be turned down: a just ruler, a fasting person until he breaks the fast, and the oppressed for whose prayer [du`ā’] the gates of heaven shall be opened wide and God shall say to him, ‘By My power, I shall support you, even though it may be in due course.’“ [Related by Imām Aĥmad, al- Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah]

You may now listen to eminent Muslim scholar of present times Nouman Ali Khan explaining the above quoted verse:

In nutshell, the answer to the query raised in this post is that in Divine matters, faith matters most rather than questioning the presence or absence, closeness or otherwise of Allah, for we must have faith that whenever we supplicate to Allah, we should be very sure that our supplication is listened to and responded in many ways that we just cannot comprehend. Also, all supplications are not instantly answered or fulfilled for it is Allah Who knows what is good or bad for His servant and He never harms His servant if he is asking for something that he thinks is right and justified in asking, but may be harmful for him as per Divine Wisdom. Thus, a better thing is granted to the servant which is good for him. So let us have firm faith in Allah and focus more on His lsitening to us rather than finding out where He is.

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.

Photo | references: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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Why life of many believers is in Shadows

The pre-Islam Arabian landscape was covered with darkness of ignorance and a life lived bowing in front of man-made stoned or wooden gods as has been the practice sine times unknown. But when Allah chose Muhammad ﷺ as His most revered and last of the Prophets, the fog of ignorance and disbelief lifted and Divine Light (Noor of Allah) started to skirt the sand dunes of Arabia, obliterating the shadows of darker days.

And since the dawn of Islam fourteen centuries ago, more and more non-Muslims are reverting to Islam after having found the eternal truth and the ultimate path that leads to one's salvation and a shower of Godly blessings. Yet we find that life of many a believer is still overcast by shadows and they do not seem to be finding the road that is straight, Siraat e Mustaqeem, and full of blessings. Why despite clear Divine Commandments in the Qur'an, augmented by many sayings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, many a believer, who though live a life of a believer, are still lost and have not been able to understand Islam in its entirety and living a life as is expected of them as a true believer?

To my reckoning, there could be many reasons, some of which may be as under:

• We have a shallow belief in Allah. Though we have faith in Allah, yet we do not have the capacity and courage to follow and act upon His commands as spelled out in Qur'an.
• We recite Qur'an almost daily, yet the recitation does not move our hearts for we are not willing to practice and shape our lives as being commanded in Qur'an.
• Our love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is fathomless and we display it emotionally, yet we do not follow his Sunnah and act upon his sayings (Hadiths).
• We are utterly ungrateful to the blessings of Allah. We enjoy the countless blessings being showered on us every day, yet we never thank our Lord for having bestowed upon us His blessings and remain ungrateful to Him.
• Everyone wants to enter paradise / Jannah in the life of the Hereafter, yet many are clueless as to how to prepare the grounds for entering into it.
• Likewise, all of us want to evade the raging fire of Hell / Jahannam, yet our every step is taking us closer to the fire rather than taking us away from it.
• Knowing fully well that Satan is our biggest enemy and distractor, yet we keep falling into his trap and do not want to leave the amusement and lewdness unleashed by him for we do not want to enter a life of hard tests and trails.
• Despite being warned time and again both in Qur'an and Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, we backbite our brethren, we gossip and talk ill of others in their absence to mean harm to them and debase their character rather than standing tall to defend them in their absence.
• We know every living being has to taste the death and that this life is but a temporary abode, yet our actions do not reflect living a life in fear of death and setting our sails to follow the right winds.
• We see our near and dear ones dying, we bury them, yet we remain oblivious of the fact that tomorrow we too will be buried under the earth. The deaths of others do not leave us a strong message to correct our sails and we don't learn any lessons from their deaths. 
• We continue to like being entrapped by the machinations of the Satan and do not spend even few minutes to remember Allah and be thankful to Him.

Time is now my dear brothers and sisters to set our sights right and steer our lives as directed by our Lord and His revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Time is fast running out for no one ever know when the angel of death will knock on our doors and he seldom goes away empty handed. Let us come out of the darkness of our life and enlighten it with light as shown by Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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. 

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.

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

Photo | 

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam in Venezuela

We have covered almost the entire Latin American for the presence of Islam and life of Muslims in these countries. Today we are covering Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea.

Venezuela has a small but influential Muslim population, which is about 100,000 in numbers or 0.4 percent of the total population of the country. However, another report gives an estimated Muslim population of 126,876 Muslims in Venezuela, 0.5 percent of the nation's population. Most Muslims are Arabs of Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish descent. The capital city Caracas has a Muslim population of 15,000. Muslim migrants to a lesser extent usually come from countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Ghana, Togo, Somalia and Sierra Leone. On the other hand, according to Ahmad Abdo, there are more than 3,000 Venezuelan converts to Islam by 2020.

Majority of the Muslims are Sunnis who belong to belong to the Shafi and Hanbali schools and to a lesser extent Hanafi and Maliki, but he also points to the presence of Shiites in Caracas and San Félix. There is also some presence of Sufis in Venezuela, but without established institutions

National Art Gallery, Ibrahim Al-lbrahim Mosque and CANTV headquarters in Caracas 

[Photo: Jesús Rincón}

The hallmark of the presence of Islam in the capital city Caracas is the Mosque of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim in Caracas is the second largest mosque in Latin America. This historic mosque features a dome, minaret with an octagonal hall rising up from a platform to a circular dome to achieve the transition between the street and the interior of the prayer hall. It was constructed with funds from the Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz Al-Ibrahim Foundation under the planning of architect Oscar Bracho.

The mosque designed by architect Zuhair Fayez occupies an area of 5000 m², its minaret is 113 metres high and the dome is 23 metres high. Construction of the mosque was completed in 1993. The mosque can hold around 3500 worshipers. Rising higher between the Catholic Cathedral a few blocks away and the Caracas Synagogue, the minaret is the highest in the Americas. 

Other notable mosques and Islamic organisations include the Isla Margarita-Caribe La Comunidad Islámica Venezolana, Centro Islámico de Venezuela, the Mezquita al-Rauda in Maracaibo, the Asociación Honorable Mezquita de Jerusalén in Valencia, Centro Islámico de Maiquetía in Vargas, and the Asociación Benéfica Islámica in Bolívar. There is also a mosque in Punto Fijo built in 2008.

Fixed Point Mosque, Punto Fijo [Photo]

The Punto Fijo Mosque is located in the city of Punto Fijo on the Paraguaná peninsula, in the autonomous municipality of Carirubana in the north of the Falcón state and northwest of the South American country of Venezuela. It was established in 2008 due to the growth of the Muslim community near the duty- free area of ​​Paraguaná.

Margarita Island, a free-trade zone that is home to a sizeable Arab Muslim community. The local cable television outlet carries Al-Jazeera as well as channels from Lebanon and Syria. Women in hijab work cash registers, and on most shop counters, Quranic ayah are on display. Arabs are involved in retail businesses as well as travel agencies and banks.

I have not been able to find any source which could me an insight of living conditions, communities and way of life of Muslims in Venezuela. However, based on the remarks by a girl in the video shared below, it seems that there is strict prejudices about Muslims and they happily coexist with the local non-Muslim population.

I will keep trying and will add as and when I find any. In the meantime, any Venezuelan Muslim reading this post may update by proffering comments in the comment box at the end of the post.

You may now watch a short video on Muslim community in Venezuela:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If any one 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.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

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

Photo (Flag) | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

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, 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.

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