How should children honour their parents after their death (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

The best of the love of believers after the love of Allah, the Lord of the entire universe, and His prophets, specially the last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, is the love and honour of one's parents, both while they are living and while they are no more. In fact, no one can repay one's parents for the sacrifices of one's parents which they made to rear them from the day one was conceived in the mother's womb till they left this world. Each day of their lives was spent on the wellbeing of their children while they sacrificed their own wellbeing so that their children should get the best of the very best.

We share a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which he has emphasized the need to honour one's parents after their death. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah (Book # 33 Etiquette كتاب الأدب / Chapter # 2 Uphold ties with those whom your father used to uphold ties / باب صِلْ مَنْ كَانَ أَبُوكَ يَصِلُ ) as Hadith number # 3664 as under:

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ أَسِيدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، مَوْلَى بَنِي سَاعِدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي أُسَيْدٍ، مَالِكِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَبَقِيَ مِنْ بِرِّ أَبَوَىَّ شَىْءٌ أَبَرُّهُمَا بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمَا قَالَ ‏

 "‏ نَعَمْ الصَّلاَةُ عَلَيْهِمَا وَالاِسْتِغْفَارُ لَهُمَا وَإِيفَاءٌ بِعُهُودِهِمَا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِمَا وَإِكْرَامُ صَدِيقِهِمَا وَصِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ الَّتِي لاَ تُوصَلُ إِلاَّ بِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏

It was narrated that Abu Usaid, Malik bin Rabi'ah, said:

"While we were with the Prophet(ﷺ), a man from the Banu Salamah came to him and said: " O messenger of Allah, is there any way of honoring my parents that I can still do for them after they die?' He said: "Yes offering the funeral prayer for them, praying for forgiveness for them, fulfilling their promises after their death, honoring their friends and upholding the ties of kinship which you would not have were it nor for them.'"

Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)

The above said Hadith lays down clear cut guidelines for the children for praying for the forgiveness of their parents and then fulfilling all their promises they made and honouring their friends and relatives. This hadith also specifies the need never to break ties with the kinship and ancestorial lineage for they are the ones closer to one's parents.

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 | Source of Hadith

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

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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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My Journey to Islam (Personal Revert Experience)

I created my blog, Islam: My Ultimate Decision, to share the experiences of non-Muslims who took their ultimate decision of their lives and came under the fold of Islam, the last and the final Divine religion. And it was also my aim to share the knowledge about Islam as much as I can to assist and help the revers for many queries that they may still have or to know more about Islam based on the experiences of the others as well as eminent Muslim scholars and exegetes of Qur'an and Hadith/Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

For this very reason, I am always on the lookout of revert experiences and publish these in my blog which may act as source of inspiration for many other non-Muslims aspiring to become Muslims. Today, I share the revert experience of Nermesia Constantino on Facebook which is as unique as each revert experience is and with permission form Nermesia Constantino I am sharing it for the benefit of my readers and aspiring Muslims.

My Journey to Islam by Nermesia Constantino: 

I was only 5 years old when I realized Jesus is not God. His appearance in the church makes me doubt it. I really believe that God is powerful and no one has the right to make Him suffered.     When I was 15, it so happened that there was a debate in our place and everyone was invited. When the battle begins, the other party said, if Jesus is God, why he said, " My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" So, this word of Jesus from the Bible makes me enough to believe that he is not really God.

By the closed of 1990, Allah, The Almighty, gave me chance to work abroad Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (K.S.A.) Alhamdulillah. I never thought that this place would answer all the things which for so long weighed heavily upon my mind. My couple Boss Mr. Faisal Abdulmajeed and his beloved kind wife Mdm. Nora Hefni are very good Muslims. Their good characters are the most attractive things in order to let you know about Islam. They treated me as one of their family members and they are the best couple Muslim I've ever known in my whole life.

 

They didn't have to persuade me to adopt Islam as I was already on the threshold of conversion and would have taken the final step even without their knowledge but they did exert any decisive impact the direction of my learning about Islam. They brought me books about Islam and sent me to Islamic Center in which I studied the Quran and Bible. As a result of this, the main outlines of my ideas were already firmly established and consequently a vast increase in knowledge and insight. I grew more and my conversion to Islam, gained with more interest and my childish mind when I was a little girl became true and I could not possibly foresee that being with them for 36 years would mark the most beautiful unforgettable period in my entire life history.

As I studied the Quran more and more deeply, I began to realized why Islam and Islam alone had made the Arabs a great people. Without the Quran, the Arabic language would probably be extinct now. All other Arabic literature and culture owes its existence to the Quran. Therefore, Arabic culture and Islam are inseparable. Without the latter the former would have no international importance.

This world is nothing if we compare to eternal life (life after death). The Holy Quran sums up directly when it says:" Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying in rivalry among yourselves riches and children." This Quranic verse is even truer today than it was in the Prophet's time

Now I understand why belief in Hereafter is such an essential part of Islam and why it is emphasized in almost every verse of the Quran. As soon as one begins to have faith in the Hereafter, the values of this world considered supreme immediately lose their importance. Belief in the Hereafter at once gives the believer a true perspective on life so that he/she can distinguish between what is really important and what is not. He or she then begins to long for the good which lasts eternally and not for mere material objects doomed to perish soon without a trace behind. Belief in Allah's Judgement in the Hereafter is the only effective sanction behind the moral law. Minus Hereafter, religion is meaningless. If the Hereafter is such a moral necessity, it cannot be the product of mere wishful thinking as the skeptics tell us, but must be an objective reality!

Lastly but not the least, I'm inviting my dear non-Muslim brothers and sisters to Islam. The only hope that we will be save from hell fire. So, when I see the world, I silently whisper, O Allah thank you for choosing me to be a Muslim. As this point I wish to leave you with Allah's keep, 

Assalam alaikum waramatullahi wabarakatuhu. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah, The Exalted, be upon you all.

Blog Admin's Note: 

Each word expressed above shows the truth Islam embodies in itself. Islam, is the simplest religion of all the Divine religions, for it does not need specific days and places to thank Allah for His countless bounties and blessings on the mankind, with complete disregard to caste and creed, faith and aspirations. One can thank Allah in all states other than five obligatory prayers every day. While it is preferred to offer prayers in a masjid, one can still offer prayer anywhere, whether inside or otherwise of one's house, provided the place is clean and not soiled with litter. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once said: The earth has been made for me a place of prostration and means of purification, so wherever a man of my Ummah is when the time of prayer comes, let him pray (Sunnan an Nasa'i 736)

It is beauty of Islam that while some haters set copies Qur'an on fire to show their disrespect to Islam, the religion and Deen of Islam is cementing its foundations firmer with every day that passes by. And those reverting to Islam are those who make their ultimate decision after reading Qur'an and Islamic literature which answers many queries they have had of their previous faith.

May Allah (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 have unflinching faith and trust in Divine Wisdom and decisions and should never lament for we do not know that something better has been planned for us by our most caring Lord. 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.

Disclaimer: The data / video for this post has been collected from the references given below or YouTube. 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.

To read personal accounts of many who have reverted to Islam, please visit our page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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, 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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Who will never feel even the smell of Paradise

Islam lays immense emphasis on Justice and encourages the rulers ruling the Islamic states to be just and kind. In fact, justice is the hallmark of an Islamic state and states where rulers are helpful, kind and just. such rulers are best liked by Allah and His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Qur'an says: "Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will assuredly make them to succeed (the present) rulers and grant them vicegerency in the land just as He made those before them to succeed (others)" (ixiv. 55).

However, despite the Divine and prophetic directives, we see many Muslim rulers violating these commandments and subjecting their people to harsh living and punishments so that no one stands up and say the truth. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has said in one of his Hadiths:

Rulers after me will come who will be unjust and evil and will not follow my guidance and my tradition (sunnah). Some of their men will have the hearts of devils in a human body.

With this background, we share a Hadith that cautions the unjust rulers and gives them tidings of severe consequences both in this world and the hereafter. This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 93 - Judgments (Ahkaam) كتاب الأحكام / Chapter 8: The ruler not ruling in an honest manner / باب مَنِ اسْتُرْعِيَ رَعِيَّةً فَلَمْ يَنْصَحْ) as Hadith 7150, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَشْهَبِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زِيَادٍ، عَادَ مَعْقِلَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَعْقِلٌ إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكَ حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ

 ‏ "‏ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ اسْتَرْعَاهُ اللَّهُ رَعِيَّةً، فَلَمْ يَحُطْهَا بِنَصِيحَةٍ، إِلاَّ لَمْ يَجِدْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏‏‏

Narrated by Ma'qil:

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise."

It is a great blessing of Allah if He gives someone the authority to rule over his people. By being just, he will be a contender of Paradise and countless bounties of Allah. But those who become proud and arrogant after being given a chance to rule and are unjust in their dealings make their living miserable and painful. It is for such unjust rulers that Allah promises that they will not even feel the smell of paradise in the life of the hereafter. And this punishment will also be applicable to those who support such dishonest and cruel rulers for their worldly gains.

Can you imagine the enormity of this punishment that awaits the unjust rulers? I wish such rulers read Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that forewarn them of their horrible end and amend their ways of governing and help and assist their people rather than criminalizing them.

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 | Source of Hadith

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

Reward beyond all reckoning for those who Fear Allah and Persevere

Faith (Tawakal) and fear of Allah is central to the belief of all Muslims. Rather it should be central to the belief of all who follow any of the four Divine Scriptures. But this faith should only be in One True God without any associates. When unshakable, unwavering and unshrinking faith in One True God develops in the heart of a believer, then whatever befalls on him is accepted as will of Allah and one willingly perseveres. 

Such a level of perseverence gives solace in the face of dangers and induces an unflinching will and determination to endure what may come one's way. Perseverance instills a higher degree of patience in the heart of a true beleiver and induces the staying power and determination that opens means of ultimate success and prosperity.

This is the central idea of the 10th verse of Surah 39 Al Zumar, The Troops, as is being shared herein under:

قُلۡ يٰعِبَادِ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوۡا رَبَّكُمۡ​ ؕ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اَحۡسَنُوۡا فِىۡ هٰذِهِ الدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ ​ ؕ وَاَرۡضُ اللّٰهِ وَاسِعَةٌ ​ ؕ اِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصّٰبِرُوۡنَ اَجۡرَهُمۡ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ‏ 

(39:10) Tell them (O Prophet): “O you servants of Mine who believe, have fear of your Lord. A good end awaits those who did good in this world. Allah's earth is spacious. Verily those who persevere shall be granted their reward beyond all reckoning.”

(Tell them (O Prophet): “O you servants of Mine who believe, have fear of your Lord) That is, do not rest content with belief but follow it up with piety and fear of God. Act according to what Allah has enjoined and avoid what He has forbidden and live in the world fearing His accountability.

(A good end awaits those who did good in this world) Good and well-being both of this world and of the Hereafter. 

(Allah's earth is spacious) That is, "If one city, territory or land has become difficult for the worshipers of Allah, they may emigrate to another place where they may not have to face any such hardship. " 

(Verily those who persevere shall be granted their reward beyond all reckoning.) "Those. . . measure": Those who brave all kinds of hardships and persecutions in following the way of God-worship and piety but do not abandon the way of the Truth. This also includes those people who emigrate to other countries and experience hardships in the foreign land for the sake of religion and faith, and those also who continue to face every kind of temptation and calamity firmly and patiently in the land where they are being persecuted." 

Yusuf Ali Explanation:  

The fear of Allah has also been mentioned right in the opening of the Surah 2 Al Baqarah (The Cow):

(This is the Book; in it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear Allah.) Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of God which according to the writer of Proverbs (i.7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil; (3) hence righteousness, piety good conduct. All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context. See also xivii 17; and ixxiv 56.

Fear of Allah is also mentioned in the 60th verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun:

(And those who dispense their charity with their hearts full of fear because they will return to their Lord) Their hearts are full of reverence for Allah and fear lest their charity or their hearts be not good enough for acceptance before their Lord; for they have the certainty of a future life, in which they will stand before the Judgment Seat. They fear for their own worthiness, but they hope in Faith.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

To fear God means to have a sensitive heart and to look up to Him cautiously and with apprehension, hope, wary lest one should incur His displeasure and keen to earn His pleasure. It is seen in the bright picture drawn in the previous verse of a devout worshipper, full of humility. “Those who do good in this world will have a good reward.” What a great reward: a good deed in this present life, which is short and flimsy, is repaid with something good in the life to come, which is everlasting. This is certainly an act of God’s grace. He knows man’s weakness and small effort, so He repays him generously and takes care of him.

“Wide is God’s earth.” Your love of your land where you have relatives and friends should not prevent you from seeking a different abode if your own area is hostile to your faith and you cannot do well there. To stick to your place of habitat in such a case could present an opening for Satan. It could become a form of attributing equals to God, even though it might not be felt in this way. This is a fine point indicating that polytheism can subtly creep into our hearts. It is given within the context of belief in God’s oneness and fearing Him. It should be seen as evidence of the source of the Qur’ān. No one can deal in this way with the human heart except the One who created it and knows what has an effect on it and how.

God, the Creator of mankind, knows that leaving one’s land is hard. It involves abandoning one’s relatives and the people with whom one has close ties, leaving the place where one can easily find work and earn a living, to go to a new place where one is a stranger. This is not an easy thing for anyone. Hence, the Sūrah refers here to patience in adversity and how it is generously rewarded by God: “Those who are patient in adversity will be given their reward in full, beyond reckoning.” Thus, God’s servants feel His care and are touched as they see that when they have to undertake something hard God turns to them with care and grace. He opens for them what compensates for land, country, family and relatives, giving them a reward without count. All praise is due to God who knows all that affects a human heart and is fully aware of every thought that finds its way into his mind.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published.

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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How to arrest the spread of Immorality (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Immorality is one of the biggest threats to humanity. Despite cautions in all Divine Scriptures, the spread of immorality is increasing at a very rapid pace in present times as compared to times a century ago. Complete disregard to the basic ethics and modesty, man and woman indulge into acts of immorality in societies where free interaction of both genders is a norm. Revealing clothes and no fear of sin brings both genders intimately bring them closer, which finally culminates in unlawful sex and lewdness.

In Qur'an, Islam cautions both man woman to lower down their gaze and protect their body parts of shame. For women, there is an additional directive that they should cover their contours so as no to induce enticement in men.

Today we share a Hadith, attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which lays down clear barriers between man and woman unless lawfully married to each other. The same goes for lesbians and gays.

This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim "The Book (#3) of Menstruation - كتاب الحيض   / Chapter # 17 The prohibition of looking at `awrah / باب تَحْرِيمِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْعَوْرَاتِ ‏) as Hadith number # 338a as under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَنْظُرُ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَلاَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَلاَ يُفْضِي الرَّجُلُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ وَلاَ تُفْضِي الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

'Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 

A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.

The above said Hadith clearly lays down the limits of revealing of oneself, whether between same gender or the opposite. Likewise, lying down of two people whether of the same gender or the opposite is strictly prohibited. It is also advised that when brothers and sisters are in the growing age, they should not be allowed to sleep in the same bed. It is disturbing to see that such acts of immorality are also creeping into Muslim societies as well and giving rise to illicit relations.

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until you copulate in the street like donkeys.”

Remember, the sin of immorality spreads; it is contagious and cancerous. It spreads like leprosy. Nothing justifies such sins. And anybody who has an understanding of the scriptures and loves God should not entertain such debased lifestyle. Sex is only permitted between a husband and wife and not singles. On the other hand, married couples should not have sex outside the matrimonial home. Sexual immorality is one of the dangerous sins that saps energy and makes a mess of one’s spiritual life. 

If we follow the instructions of Qur'an and Hadith, we can cleanse our societies from the ills of immorality and lewdness.

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 | Source of Hadith Resource references: | 1 | 2 |

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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How to be Grateful

Today, we share a beautiful scholarly lecture on how to be grateful. But before we share the video, let us take a self-appraisal: Are we grateful or ungrateful? While the reasons of being in either of the two states, as we shall enumerate in the post, a simple litmus test shows us in which boat do we sail and that is how many times we say: Alhamdulillah (ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ, al-Ḥamdu lillāh - an Arabic phrase meaning "praise be to God", or simple "thank God").

Well, in most cases, we would find that whether we confess or not, we are generally ungrateful. Instead of acknowledging what we have, we are mostly worried about what we do not have. We are always comparing our state with others and lamenting look how rich, affluent, well dressed a particular man is. How the other person has a big car and a house that I don't have. In fact, it is the greed that resides in ourselves, something that develops over a period of time since our childhood when we did not have much. Or even if we had much, we still envied others in our schools or neighborhood who had better cellphones, better glittering cars and expensive watches etc.

People who are ungrateful tend to be characterized by an excessive sense of self-importance, arrogance, vanity, and an unquenchable need for admiration and approval. Narcissists reject the ties that bind people into relationships of reciprocity. They expect special favors and feel no need to pay back or pay forward.

And while being self-possessive, we seldom compare others with us. That is the mood point. There are billions of people around the world who do not have what we have. We see people suffer from hunger, shattered by wars and natural calamities, living in make shift shelters in ghettos. This all happens and we see it while we are better placed than them. But instead of feeling the pain and suffering of others and thanking what we have, we still long for more to be better than those who are better than us.

This is the state of ungratefulness and ingratitude, which is known as (Arabic) کُفر النّعمة, kufr al-niʿma), that is not acknowledging the Divine blessings. This is among great sins in Islam. It refers to abusing the blessings and is against being grateful for the blessings. In the Qur'an and hadiths, ingratitude is criticized and considered as a type of disbelief.

And when we are ungrateful, we fail to concentrate on the good aspects of our life, leaving us resentful and even angry. We tend to find what is amiss in our lives. And this state of ingratitude and ungratefulness tend to give us heartburn and cause us to be explosive in our attitudes.

We never care what God has given us. We instead care what God has not given us. Allah says in Qur'an:

“And He has given you whatever you have asked Him; and if you count Allah's blessings, you are unable to number them. Verily, man is very unjust, very ungrateful.” “And if you count Allah's blessings, you are unable to number them.

If we start to take stock of what we have as compared to what people do not have, we will become grateful to God for having made us better than others. And we must make an endeavour to make the lives of others better by giving out whatever is extra to our needs. That is how Islam teaches us to be humble and grateful rather than arrogant and proud for being better than others.

This is just the premise to the very informative lecture by renowned Muslim scholar Nauman Ali Khan which is being shared as under:

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

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

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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Supplication (Dua / دُعا) for faith in Allah Attributed to Prophet Shu'ayb شعيب علي السلام in Qur'an

All prophets through the history have had a very uncomfortable journey of their lives when embarked upon to invite their people to the righteous path as commanded by Allah, the One and Only Ture God. Yet despite their relentless efforts, people generally did not listen to them, mocked them and made their lives uncomfortable to utter miserable for try to "distract' them by telling them that the faith they followed of their forefathers was untrue.

We have already shared supplications made by prophets in our series of posts on Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from Quran under the sub head of Prophetic Supplications. Today we share yet another prophetic supplication attributed to Prophet Shu'ayb  شعيب علي السلام, also spelt as Shuaib, Shoaib or Shuayb. Prophet Shu'ayb was an ancient Midianite Nabi (Prophet) in Islam, and the most revered prophet in the Druze faith. He is traditionally identified with the Biblical Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Shuaib is mentioned in the Quran a total of 11 times. He is believed to have lived after Ibrahim (Abraham), and Muslims believe that he was sent as a prophet to a community: the Midianites, who are also known as the Aṣḥāb al-Aykah ("Companions of the Wood"), since they used to worship a large tree. [1]

Before sharing the selected verse from Qur'an that exhibits firm and unflinching faith of Prophet Shuaib in Allah, let us present the translation of the verses before the 88th verse of Surah 11. Hud that led to the proclamation of his faith in Allah despite the heedlessness of his people:

(11:84) And to (the people of) Midian We sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said: 'My people! Serve Allah; you have no god other than Him. And do not diminish the measure and weight. Indeed, I see that you are prospering now, but I fear for you the chastisement of an encompassing day in the future.

(11:85) My people! Give full measure and weight with justice, do not diminish the goods of others, and do not go about creating corruption in the land.

(11:86) The gains that Allah lets you retain are better for you, if you indeed believe. In any case, I have not been appointed a keeper over you.

(11:87) They replied: 'O Shu'ayb! Does your Prayer enjoin upon you that we should forsake the deities whom our forefathers worshipped, or that we should give up using our wealth as we please?97 Do you fancy that you, and only you, are forbearing and right-directed?'

To the most unreasonable response from his people, Prophet Shu'ayb responded as under, showing his unflinching faith in Allah no matter how his people reacted to his invitation:

قَالَ يٰقَوۡمِ اَرَءَيۡتُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُ عَلٰى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّىۡ وَرَزَقَنِىۡ مِنۡهُ رِزۡقًا حَسَنًا​ ؕ وَمَاۤ اُرِيۡدُ اَنۡ اُخَالِفَكُمۡ اِلٰى مَاۤ اَنۡهٰٮكُمۡ عَنۡهُ​ ؕ اِنۡ اُرِيۡدُ اِلَّا الۡاِصۡلَاحَ مَا اسۡتَطَعۡتُ​ ؕ وَمَا تَوۡفِيۡقِىۡۤ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ​ ؕ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَاِلَيۡهِ اُنِيۡبُ‏ 

(11:88) Shu'ayb said: 'My people! What do you think? If I stand on clear evidence from my Lord, and He has also provided me with a handsome provision from Himself- (should I be ungrateful to Him and share your error and iniquity?) Nor do I desire to act contrary to what I admonish you. I desire nothing but to set things right as far as I can. My success is not but through Allah. In Him have I put my trust, and to Him do I always turn.

Here (rizq) implies two things: provision of the knowledge of the Truth and provision of the necessities of life from Allah. In the first sense, it refers to the same thing that has been declared in this Surah by Prophets Muhammad, Noah and Salih (Allah's peace be upon them all), that is, "Allah bestowed on me by revelation that knowledge of the Truth, which I already had gained by making keen observations of my own self and of the phenomena of Nature. Therefore, I cannot be a party to your evil creeds and unlawful practices." In the second sense, it is the answer to this taunt of theirs: "Indeed you are the only generous and righteous person left in the land!" It meant, so to say, this: "When my Lord has bestowed on me both the knowledge of the Truth and the good and lawful provisions of life, your taunts cannot turn this favor into disfavor. Therefore, I cannot be so ungrateful to Him as to declare your deviations to be the truth and your unlawful practices lawful." 

That is, "It is a proof of the truth of my claim that I myself practice what I preach to you. For instance, if I had forbidden you to visit the shrines of gods and goddesses but had myself become the guardian of some such shrine, you would have been justified in bringing this charge against me that I was preaching the Doctrine of Tauhid merely for the sake of ruining the "business" of others in order to make room for my own trade. Likewise, if I had prohibited the use of unlawful means for you but had myself applied the same in my own trade, you would have been justified in charging me with preaching honesty merely for winning good reputation for the prosperity of my own trade; But you yourselves are a witness to this that I myself abstain from those evils which I forbid you to practice and I keep myself pure from those blemishes of which I desire to cleanse you and I follow the way to which I invite you. All this is a clear proof that I believe in the truth of the Message I am conveying to you." 

Yusuf Ali, one of the most learned scholars of Islam whose exegesis of Qur'an is considered as one of the best, notes that Shu'ayb's answer is gentle and persuasive, First, he would ask them not to fly into a passion but satisfy themselves that he had a mission from Allah, and was working in the discharge of his mission: he was not merely finding fault with them. Secondly, though he was a poor man, he asked them to note that he was happy and comfortable: Allah had given him good sustenance, material and spiritual, as from Himself, though he did not resort to the sort of tricks which they considered necessary for their prosperity. Thirdly, if he forbade them anything he wished to apply the same standards to himself. Fourthly, all the advice which he is giving them is for their own good, which he desires to advance to the utmost of his powers. Fifthly, he is humble for himself; he would not set himself up to be their teacher or guide, or expect to be obeyed; the success of any of his efforts on their behalf must come from Allah's grace; will they not therefore turn to Allah, so that Allah's grace can heal them?

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Shu`ayb, fully confident of the truth of his message, and aware of his people’s ignorance and short-sightedness, does not let their sarcasm affect him. On the contrary, he seeks to inform them politely that he takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord, which he feels in his innermost heart. He explains to them that he is fully confident of the truth of what he advocates because his knowledge far exceeds theirs. When he calls on them to stick to honest dealings, the effects of such honesty also apply to him since he is a businessman. He is after no personal gain which he seeks to realize for himself. He does not intend to do behind their backs what he has forbidden them so that he enjoys a market free from competition. His call is one of reform which includes himself. The path he enjoins them to follow will not cause them any losses, as they mistakenly think.

 

It is, then, the general reform of society which Shu`ayb is after. It is a reform which brings benefit to every individual and every community. Some may think that to adhere to moral values and implement the divine law may make them lose some chances which may be open to them, or lose some gain which they would otherwise achieve. But implementing the divine law can only make them lose evil gains and wicked opportunities. It compensates them with goodly gains and lawful provisions. It also establishes a society which is characterized by the co-operation of its individuals. It is a society which is free from grudges, treachery and selfish quarrels.

So, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, stay firm as much as you can before the people who do not respond to your viewpoint (about Islam) and do not get derailed by their negative onslaught. And if they are least responsive, then you may tell them that all you say is because of your true faith in Allah, the One and the Only God. And that you do not need any reward from them for Our success is not but through Allah. In Him have I put my trust, and to Him do I always turn.

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 Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

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

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

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

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

In addition, 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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Believers!! Do you seek the pomp and glitter of the world?

Man is always tempted to the glitter and pomp and show of the world. No matter how good a believer may one be, yet he is bound to slip and fell into the trap of worldly amusement, not thinking that such distracting means take him away from the remembrance of Allah, which is more yielding in blessings and bounties one can ever imagine. It is far better to sit with people who wield radiance of Islam and keep others on the righteous path rather than those who distract one's thoughts and entice them to lewdness of life.

This is the very theme of 28th verse of Surah 18 Al Khaf (The people of the cave) which cautions believers to always be remembering their Lord, day and night so that the evil spell does not engulf them into the glitters of the worldly life and disarray their orientation from remembrance of Allah.

This verse is also for those who keep exclusive company of their own kind and forget about the poor and remain oblivious to their needs and happiness. That is our leaders who by and large remain aloof about the problems of the poor and shy away from having any contact with them. The same way the Quraish of Makkah wanted our revered prophet Muhammad ﷺ to leave his poor companions (by worldly standards) and befriend with the elite of Makkah.

وَاصۡبِرۡ نَـفۡسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِيۡنَ يَدۡعُوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ بِالۡغَدٰوةِ وَالۡعَشِىِّ يُرِيۡدُوۡنَ وَجۡهَهٗ​ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنٰكَ عَنۡهُمۡ​ ۚ تُرِيۡدُ زِيۡنَةَ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا​ ۚ وَ لَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ اَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهٗ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوٰٮهُ وَكَانَ اَمۡرُهٗ فُرُطًا‏ 

(18:28) Keep yourself content with those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His pleasure, and do not let your eyes pass beyond them. Do you seek the pomp and glitter of the world? Do not follow him whose heart We have caused to be heedless of Our remembrance, and who follows his desires, and whose attitude is of excess.

Though these words have also been addressed to the Holy Prophet, they are really meant for the chiefs of the Quraish. According to a Tradition related by Ibn `Abbas, the chiefs of the Quraish would say to the Holy Prophet that they considered it below their dignity to sit with such people as Bilal, Suhaib, 'Ammar, Khabbab, Ibn-Mas`ud and the like who generally remained in his company: and that if he should send them away, they would be willing to attend his meetings in order to learn about his Message. At this Allah revealed this verse: "And keep yourself whole-heartedly content with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening in order to win His approval and do not turn your attention away from them: (Do you desire to discard these sincere but poor people so that the chiefs of the Quraish, the well-to-do people, should come and sit near you?)" This was meant to warn the chiefs of the Quraish to this effect: "Your wealth, your pomp and show of which you are so proud, has no value at all in the sight of Allah and His Messenger; nay, those poor people are really more worthy in their sight, for they are sincere and always remember Allah." The same was the attitude of the chiefs of Prophet Noah's people, who said, "And we see also that none but the meanest and the shallowest of our people have become your followers. " .... (Noah replied,) "I am not going to drive away those who have believed in me, nor can I say about those whom you disdain, `Allah has not bestowed any good on them'. . . " (XXI: vv. 27, 29, 31)  

That is, "Do not yield to what he says, nor submit to him, nor fulfill his desire, nor follow his bidding." 

The original Arabic text may also mean, "Who discards the truth, breaks all moral limits and rushes on headlong." But in both cases, it comes to this: "The one, who is neglectful of Allah and becomes a slave of his lust, inevitably transgresses all limits and becomes a victim of immoderation. Therefore, the one who submits to him will also follow the same way and wander about in deviation after him.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His Face;) meaning, sit with those who remember Allah, who say "La Ilaha Illallah'', who praise Him, glorify Him, declare His greatness and call on Him, morning and evening, all the servants of Allah, whether rich or poor, strong or weak. It was said that this was revealed about the nobles of Quraysh when they asked the Prophet to sit with them on his own, and not to bring his weak Companions with him, such as Bilal, `Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab and Ibn Mas`ud. 

They wanted him to sit with them on his own, but Allah forbade him from doing that, and said, (And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon.) Allah commanded him to patiently content himself with sitting with those people (the weak believers), and said: 

(And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon...) Imam Muslim recorded in his Sahih that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas who said: "There was a group of six of us with the Prophet. The idolators said, `Tell these people to leave so they will not offend us.' There was myself, Ibn Mas`ud, a man from Hudayl, Bilal and two other men whose names I have forgotten. Allah's Messenger thought to himself about whatever Allah willed he should think about, then Allah revealed:

(And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon.) Only Muslim reported this; excluding Al-Bukhari.

(And let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world;) Ibn `Abbas said, ` (this means) do not favor others over them, meaning do not seek the people of nobility and wealth instead of them.'

(And obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance) means, those who are distracted by this world from being committed to the religion and from worshipping their Lord.

(And whose affair (deeds) has been lost.) means, his actions and deeds are a foolish waste of time. Do not obey him or admire his way or envy what he has. 

As Allah says elsewhere:(And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them, the splendor of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby. But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.) 20:131﴾

Yusuf Ali Explanation:  

Cf. vi. 52. The true servants of Allah are those whose hearts are turned to Him morning, noon, and night, and who seek not worldly gain, but Allah's Grace, Allah's own Self, His Presence and nearness. Even if they are poor in this world's goods, their society gives far more inward and spiritual satisfaction than worldly grandeur or worldly attractions.

For those who stray from Allah's path, Allah's Grace is ever anxious: it seeks to reclaim them and bring them back to the path. If such a one resists, and follows his own lusts, a point is reached when his case becomes hopeless. Allah's Grace does not then reach him, and he is abandoned to his pride and insolence. Beware of following the example or advice of such a one or seeking his society, or hankering after his wretched idols.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

And contain yourself in patience with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. Let not your eyes pass beyond them in quest of the beauties of the life of this world. Pay no heed to any whose heart We have left to be negligent of all remembrance of Us because he had always followed his own desires, and whose case has gone beyond all bounds.

Say: ‘The truth [has now come] from your Lord. Let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.’ (Verses 28-29)

The same applies to us in our practical daily life. We have friends who are always luring us into the pomp and show of the world as they have no fear of the consequences and want to enjoy their lives in complete tangent to the path of Allah. This is normally so for the rich and affluent people who have plenty to squander and this take their friends along, who willingly accompany them. And on the opposite, there are God fearing believers who are all the time evading such company of people and are even trying to persuade them to the rmembrance of Allah. This is seldom heeded to. 

Such is the life since time immemorial and the rich and famous enjoyed killing of people in the arenas of dark days, something that still continues. Unfortunately, more and more beleivers are succumbing to the worldly galore and forgetting the remembrance of Allah. Rich people of affluent Muslim lands book entire hotels for a few or planes are booked for hunting birds. Likewise, casinos are opening in Muslim countries which are attracting younger lot of the affluent and taking them away from the simple yet reward yielding life. Only if we can understand!!

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 | 

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 "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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