Seek guidance, sustenance and forgiveness from Allah alone and don't be of the oppressors (Hadith Qudsi)

There are forty Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which are labelled as Hadith Qudsi. We have already shared five of these, here is the sixth one.

Just to refresh our knowledge about these forty special Hadiths, as already done in our previous posts, hereinunder is the explanation of Hadith Qudsi:

Hadith Qudsi is a narration from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which is supposed to be from Allah (SWT) in its meanings and from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) in its wordings. Hadith Qudsi is not like Qur'an because the whole Qur'an is absolutely authentic and every letter in Qur'an is from Allah the Glorious in the meaning and the words, while Hadith Qudsi is a narration which must be authentic and if it is proves authentic, then the meanings is from Allah but the wordings is from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Hadith Qudsi selected for today's post has been reported by Abu Dharr who recalls Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:

"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I record for you and then recompense you for. So let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself."

Sa'id said that when Abu Idris Khaulini narrated this hadith he knelt upon his knees.

Arabic Text of Hadith:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ بَهْرَامَ الدَّارِمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الدِّمَشْقِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلاَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا رَوَى عَنِ اللَّهِ، تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلاَ تَظَالَمُوا يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلاَّ مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ يَلُومَنَّ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَعِيدٌ كَانَ أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ إِذَا حَدَّثَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ جَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ‏.‏

This is rather long but very comprehensive and self-explanatory Hadith, which if implement and acted upon in true spirit, can change our otherwise misdirected life into a life as Allah has want us to live. Just scroll down and read each part of the Hadith one by one and very carefully analyze yourselves whether you really have faith in Allah and believe that it is only Allah alone who can answer your prayers or you have worldly gods who help you. If you really understand this moot point, your entire life will change altogether, In Sha Allah.

Now let us start one by one: The Hadith seemingly has two parts. In the first part Allah encourages His servants to seek their wishes from Him, for He alone is the sustainer and the provider, saying O My Servants: 

• I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. 
• All of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, 
• All of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you. 
• All of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. 
• You sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.

The second part of the Hadith is a warning for those who challenge the Divine Authority. This part clears their doubts for Allah does not need anyone's favours for He is above everything and it is in fact men (and jinn) who need Allah. It is being said, O My servants:

• You will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. 
• Were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything. 
• Were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything. 
• Were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. 

Concluding, it is reminded: O My servants, it is but your deeds that I record for you and then recompense you for. So let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.

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

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Those whose desires exceed the prescribed limits are Transgressors

This is the seventh post in our series of posts on Traits of Believers who attain true success. The verse shared for this post is the seventh verse of Sur to Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers), which in fact is interlinked with subject being discussed in the fifth and sixth verse. The earlier two posts dwell on protecting one's chastity to attain success. However, intimate desires need not be curbed when it comes to one's own legitimate wife, and slave girls. Although, at the time of revelation of this surah, slavery was allowed, but by and by slavery was abolished altogether. Thus, the satisfaction of one's sexual desires stands restricted between legal spouses only from then on.

Having dealt with the subject of allowable intimate relations, the seventh verse forbids believers from sex outside the matrimonial bond. And it is said in very clear words that those whose desires exceed the prescribed limits are nothing but transgressors and will have to be answerable for their deeds. Thus, anyone who tries to go beyond this limit actually breaks the boundaries of permissibility and falls into sin. He becomes an assailant of human honour.

Note: This post has been recreated as the original post was accidentally erased.

Let us now read the seventh verse and its explanation by prominent Muslim scholars of all times:

فَمَنِ ابۡتَغٰى وَرَآءَ ذٰ لِكَ فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡعٰدُوۡنَ​ ۚ‏ 

(23:7) As for those who seek beyond that, they are transgressors"

This is a parenthesis which is meant to remove the common misunderstanding that sex desire is an evil thing in itself and satisfying it even in lawful ways is not desirable, particularly for the righteous and godly people. This misunderstanding would have been strengthened had it been only said that the Believers guard their private parts scrupulously, because it would have implied that they live unmarried lives, away from the world, like monks and hermits. Therefore, a parenthesis has been added to say that there is nothing wrong in satisfying the sex desire in lawful ways. What is evil is that one should transgress the prescribed limits for satisfying the sex desire.

Here are briefly a few injunctions which are based on this parenthetical clause:

(1) Two categories of women have been excluded from the general command of guarding the private parts: (a) wives, (b) women who are legally in ode's possession, i.e. slave-girls. Thus, the verse clearly lays down the law that one is allowed to have sexual relations with one's slave-girl as with one's wife. the basis being possession and not marriage. If marriage had been the condition, the slave-girl also would have been included among the wives, and there was no need to mention them separately. Some modern commentators, who dispute the permissibility of having sexual relations with the slave-girl, argue from An-Nisa' (IV): 25 to prove that one can have sexual relations with a slave-girl only after entering wedlock with her, because that verse enjoins that if a person cannot afford to marry a free Muslim woman, he may marry a Muslim slave-girl. But these commentators have a strange characteristic: they accept a part of a verse if it suits them, but conveniently ignore another part of the same verse if it goes against their wish and whim. The law about marrying slave-girls as enunciated in IV :25 reads: ".... you may marry them with the permission of their guardians and give them their fair dowries." Obviously, the person under reference here is not the master of the slave girl himself but the person who cannot afford to marry a free Muslim woman, and therefore, wants to marry a slave-girl, who is in the possession of another person. For if the question had been about marrying one's own slave-girl, who would then be the "guardian" whose permission would have to be sought? Then, the interpretation they give of this verse contradicts other verses dealing with the same subject in the Qur'an. A sincere person who wants to understand the Qur'anic law in this regard should study An-Nisa' (IV); 3, 25; AI-Ahzab (XXXIII): S0, 52, and Al-Ma`arij (LXX): 30 together with this verse of Al-Mu'minun. (For further explanation, see E.N. 44 of An-Nisa).

(2) The law prescribed in the parenthesis is only applicable to men as is clear from the Text. A woman in the time of Hadrat `Umar did not understand this fine point of the language and indulged in sexual gratification with her slave. When her case was brought before the consultative body of the Companions, they gave the unanimous decision: "She misinterpreted the Book of Allah" Nobody should entertain the doubt that if this exception is meant for the men only, how could then the husbands become lawful for the wives? This doubt is unjustified because when the husbands are exempted from the command of guarding their private parts in regard to their wives, the wives automatically stand exempted from the command with regard to their husbands, and there is no need to grant them exemption separately. Thus, the command of exemption remains applicable and effective only in respect of the man and the woman legally in his possession, and the slave becomes unlawful for the woman possessing him. The wisdom of why the slave has been forbidden to the woman is that he can only satisfy her sexual desire but cannot become guardian and governor of herself and her household, which leaves a serious flaw in the family life.

(3) The sentence ".... but those who go beyond this (in lust for sexual desire), shall be transgressors" has made satisfaction of sex desire in other ways unlawful, whether it be through fornication, homosexuality, sex gratification with animals, or some other means. The jurists differ only with regard to masturbation. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal regards it as lawful, but Imams Malik and Shafi`i regard it as absolutely unlawful: and though the Hanafites also regard it as unlawful, they give the opinion that if a person indulges sometimes in masturbation under the fit of passion, it is expected that he will be forgiven the error.

(4) Some commentators have proved the prohibition of Mut ah (temporary marriage) from this verse. They argue that the "woman with whom one has entered into wedlock temporarily, can neither be regarded as a Wife nor a slave-girl. A slave-girl obviously she is not, and she is also not a wife, because the legal injunctions normally applicable to the wife are not applicable to her. She neither inherits the man nor the man her; she is neither governed by the law pertaining to `Iddah (waiting period after divorce or death of husband), divorce, subsistence, nor by that pertaining to the vow by man that he will not have conjugal relations with her, false accusation, etc. She is also excluded from the prescribed limit of four wives. Thus, when she is neither a "wife" nor a "slave-girl" in any sense, she will naturally be included among those "beyond this", whose seeker has been declared a "transgressor" by the Qur'an.

This is a strong argument but due to a weakness in it, -it is difficult to say that this verse is decisive with regard to the prohibition of Mut`ah. The fact is that the Holy Prophet enjoined the final and absolute prohibition of Mut ah in the year of the conquest of Makkah, but before it Mut ah was allowed according to several authentic traditions. If Mut 'ah had been prohibited in this verse, which was admittedly revealed at Makkah, several years before the migration, how can it be imagined that the Holy Prophet kept the prohibition in abeyance till the conquest of Makkah? The correct position therefore is that prohibition of Mut ah is not based on any express law of the Qur'an but is based on the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. Had it not been prohibited by the Sunnah; it would have been difficult to declare it as prohibited only on the authority of this verse.

It would be worthwhile clarifying two other points in connection with Mut'ah: (a) lts prohibition is based on the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and therefore it is wrong to say that it was prohibited by Hadrat 'Umar. As a matter of fact, Hadrat `Umar only enforced it as a law of Islam and publicised it among the people. This had not been done earlier because the Holy Prophet had forbidden Mut 'ah only during the latter part of his worldly life.

(b) The Shiite view that Mut ah is absolutely lawful and permissible has no sanction and support in the Qur'an or Sunnah. The fact is that a few of the Companions, their followers and jurists who regarded it permissible in the early days of Islam, did so only in case of extreme necessity and need. None of them held the view that it was absolutely lawful like marriage and could be practiced in normal circumstances. Hadrat `Abdullah bin 'Abbas, who is generally cited as a prominent supporter of the view of permissibility, has himself explained his position thus: "It is just like a carrion which is lawful for a person only in extreme necessity." Even Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas had to revise his opinion when he saw that people were abusing permissibility and had started practicing Mut ah freely regardless of genuine need and necessity. Again, even if the question, whether Hadrat Ibn '. Abbas and the few likeminded jurists had revised their opinion or not, is ignored, the fact is that the supporters of Mut'ah allow it only in case of extreme necessity. Holding Mut ah as absolutely permissible, practicing it without any real necessity, or resorting to it even when one has a legally wedded wife or wives is a kind of license which is abhorred by good taste, much less it be attributed to the Shari ah of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) and imputed to the learned jurists of his family. I think that among the Shiite Muslims themselves no respectable person would like that somebody should ask for the hand of his daughter or sister not in marriage but for the purpose of Mutah. For if Mutah is held as absolutely permissible, it would imply that there should exist in society a low class of women, like the prostitutes, who should be available for the purpose as and when required, or if not that, Mutah be restricted to the daughters and sisters of the poor stratum of society and the well-to-do be given the freedom and right to exploit them as and when they like. Can such injustice and discrimination be expected of the Divine Law? And will Allah and His Messenger permit an act which every respectable woman would regard not only disgraceful for herself but shameful, too?

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The limit is that of wives and women rightly possessed. There can be no other legitimate way. Whoever tries to go beyond this limit actually breaks the boundaries of permissibility and falls into sin. He becomes an assailant of human honour. There can be no lawful relationship except through marriage or the results of war undertaken for the sake of Islam. When transgression beyond these well-defined limits takes place, the individual concerned becomes corrupt, like a sheep grazing out of bounds, and the family is undermined because of the lack of security felt by its members. Indeed, the whole community feels endangered because its wolves have been set loose. Islam is keen to avoid all that.

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, this verse is very important for all those who transgress the bounds of legitimate sex and go beyond the bonds of legal wedlock by indulging in homosexuality (both gay and lesbian), sex with animals and anal sex. Although, many a country has legalized the homosexuality and marriage within same sex, this does not nullify the Divine Lawas, which are well spelt out on all Divine scriptures. If we think that personal freedom can go beyond the Divine Laws, then we should also be prepared to face the consequences in the life of Hereafter. Already spread of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS, due to unsafe sex and sex with multiple partners is showing the Divine wrath for the transgressors. DO we need any more warnings!!

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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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The best amongst you is the one who pays the rights of others generously (Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

One of the worst things that can happen to a man is to seek loan from someone, especially in a time when he is unable to repay the loan to the one from whom he sought it. And when the loaner comes and asks him when the debtor is in no position to return it, the embarrassment is unexplainable, especially when the return is demanded in the company of people. 

However, despite the precarious situation a man is in, he must make arrangement to return the loan if the loaner is nosy and uncompromising. It is for this very reason that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has advised to repay the loan swiftly. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 40 - Representation, Authorization, Business by Proxy /  كتاب   الوكالة / Chapter 5: To depute a person, present or absent /  باب وَكَالَةُ الشَّاهِدِ وَالْغَائِبِ جَائِزَةٌ ) as Hadith 2305, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ لِرَجُلٍ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سِنٌّ مِنَ الإِبِلِ فَجَاءَهُ يَتَقَاضَاهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَعْطُوهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَطَلَبُوا سِنَّهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُ إِلاَّ سِنًّا فَوْقَهَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَعْطُوهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَوْفَيْتَنِي أَوْفَى اللَّهُ بِكَ‏.‏ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّ خِيَارَكُمْ أَحْسَنُكُمْ قَضَاءً ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) owed somebody a camel of a certain age. When he came to demand it back, the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to some people), "Give him (his due)." When the people searched for a camel of that age, they found none, but found a camel one year older. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Give (it to) him." On that, the man remarked, "You have given me my right in full. May Allah give you in full." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best amongst you is the one who pays the rights of others generously."

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.

This post is part of series of posts on the subject of: Are you among the best Muslims, as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?

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.

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Let us be of the few who are grateful

We begin our post today with an anecdote that dates back to the times of the second caliph of Islam ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (whose reign spanned over about ten years, that is from August 634 until his assassination in 644). He was also an expert Muslim jurist known for his pious and just nature, which earned him the epithet Al-Fārūq ("the one who distinguishes (between right and wrong)").

Once, Umar bin al-Khattab RA was walking in the market, he passed by a man who was supplicating, “O Allah, make us of Your ‘few’ servants! O Allah make us of Your ‘few’ servants!” Surprised by his supplication, Umar said to him, “Where did you get this dua from?” And the man said, “Allah in His Book says ‘And few of My servants are grateful.’ (Qur’an Surah 34. Saba:13)” So Umar wept and admonished himself, “The people are more knowledgeable than you, O Umar! O Allah make us of your 'few' servants.”

This verse is part of the narration of blessings of Allah on prophets Dawud and his son Sulaiman (David and Solomon) علي السلام. They both were given bounties and blessings beyond the imagination of any man. And then Allah says:

(اعْمَلُواْ ءَالَ دَاوُودَ شُكْراً Work you, O family of Dawud, with thanks!) Dawud said, "O Lord! How can I thank you when thanks itself is a blessing from You'' He said: "Now you have truly given thanks to Me, for you have realized that it is a blessing from Me.'' (وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ الشَّكُورُ But few of My servants are grateful. This is a reflection of reality.

"Work gratefully": work like grateful servants. The mere verbal thankfulness of a person who acknowledges only verbally the favors done by the benefactor but uses them against his will is meaningless. The truly grateful person is he who acknowledges the favors with the tongue as well as uses and employs the favors according to the will of the benefactor. 

But few of My servants are grateful: This is an admonition as well as an expression of trust by God in a trusted servant. The implication is that the test of gratitude is a difficult one. Few succeed in it. However, it is hoped that Solomon (sws) will be among them.

In the backdrop that Allah placed miraculous things, that we cannot imagine, under Solomon’s command. It is being said “We said: ‘Work thankfully, family of David.' "All this was given you by God’s grace, through David and Solomon. You must not take false pride in it, but instead give proper thanks. Good action is an important form of thanksgiving.

However, “Few of My servants are truly thankful.” This comment also serves as a directive. It tells us on the one hand that the grace and favours God bestows on His servants are so great that few of them are able to express due thanks for them, and on the other that people often neglect their thanksgiving duty. In fact, however much people try to express their gratitude, they cannot give due thanks for what God bestows on them. What is their status, then, if they slacken and overlook this duty?

Now let us get back to our times and look around and see how many who have been blessed with blessings from Allah and are really grateful. Even look inside you and truly adjudge yourself and ascertain your level of thankfulness to Allah. I am sure we will find ourselves wanting to thank Allah from the core of our hearts and in all sincerity.

In fact, truth is the other way around. If we ask someone to leave a sin, they would respond with 'But most people do it, it’s not just me!' Open Qur'an and look for the words 'most people' in the Qur’an, we will find that Most people:

• Do not know  (7:187), 
• Do not give thanks (2:243) and
• Do not believe (11:17). 
• Are "iniquitous” (5:59), 
• Are “in utter Ignorance” (6:111), 
• Do not know the Truth (21:24), and 
• Do not listen (8:21).

So, what do we do? Should we adopt the democratic way and side with the majority? Those gathering a large group of people, entice them with their flowery tongue and engulf them with their aura and make them fools with false promises of a better future. Or should we listen to the fascinating tunes of the Pied Piper and follow him till we disappear forever? 

Or should we look around and try to find a few people with wrinkled foreheads and deep-thinking eyes, the ones who know the truth but no one is prepared to listen to the truth? Yes, we should look for the few people who know the truth contained in Qur'an and try to convey it to the others, whether someone listens or not. Let us follow a path of truth and still not feel lonely because there are few who take that path, and beware of the path of falsehood and do not be deceived by the greatness of the perishers".

Let us be of the 'few', whom Allah says about them: 

• But none had believed with him, except a few (11:40)
• Few of My servants are truly thankful (Surah 34. Saba:13) 

We will explain each of the verses mentioned above to enlarge our canvas to see and know the truth of being among the few, rather than being among a crowd where we are taken not by our choice but by the sheer weight of the pushing crowd. Let us follow a few for we are not being pushed by the thrusting crowd, but by the force of our quest to know what is the truth. And let us be thankful, not merely as lip service, but being grateful from the core of our hearts and in words and actions to the best of our abilities. And yet asking for forgiveness for not being able to thank enough.

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 | Wikipedia: | ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb |

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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Death from which you flee will certainly overtake you

Of all the words in vocabularies, the most feared word is Death. No one, even suffering from any serious ailment, hopes to die. But whether one likes or not, death befalls on any living being that is created. Wikipedia describes death as an inevitable process that eventually occurs in all organisms. It is an irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including the brainstem, and brain death is sometimes used as a legal definition of death. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose shortly after death. As of 2022, a total of 109 billion humans have died, or roughly 93.8% of all humans to ever live.

Man can attain any age, yet his final call comes despite his urge to live another day. Even some of prophets who lived for many centuries, too have to taste the death. Methusaleh, an Arab prophet sent to the people of Thamud who lived in an area known as Al-Hijr between Hijaz and Tabuk. He was grandfather of Noah (عليه السلام) and son of Enoch (idrees عليه السلام). He is said to have lived at an age of 969, making him the longest living person in the Bible.

No matter where a man could be, he will be taken to his place of death beyond his imagination. The recent death of five adventurous men who paid millions of dollars to go as deep as to the bed of the sea in a small sub called Titan, something like 3500 meters or may be more, to see the wreckage of the ill-fated ship Titanic. They never knew that their death is calling them in that desolate place under the seabed and they were paying for it. 

At many a place in Qur'an, there is mention of death and man has been warned that he will be resurrected at an appointed time to answer for his actions, good or bad, which he took during his worldly life. We have already shared tow verse about death in our previous posts, shared herein under:

• Every soul shall have a taste of death (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:185)
• Every living being shall taste death - and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back (Surah 21. Al-Anbiyaa:35)

Today, we share another verse from Qur'an, the eighth verse of Surah 62. Al-Jumu'ah warning men of the impending death which can strike anytime, even the next second from hence. The purpose of sharing death related posts in not to scare away our readers, but to caution them of its imminence so that we pay attention to our deeds and if we are following our evil desires and the path of the Satan, time is now to repent what have we done and seek forgiveness from Allah before time for seeking forgiveness from Allah runs out.

قُلۡ اِنَّ الۡمَوۡتَ الَّذِىۡ تَفِرُّوۡنَ مِنۡهُ فَاِنَّهٗ مُلٰقِيۡكُمۡ​ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّوۡنَ اِلٰى عٰلِمِ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمۡ بِمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ

(62:8) Tell them: “The death from which you flee will certainly overtake you. Then you will be returned to Him Who fully knows what is hidden and what is manifest. Thereupon He will let you know all that you used to do.”

At another place (Surah 2. Al Baqarah, verse 96) it is said: And you will surely find them the greediest of people for life – [even] more than those who associate others with Allah. One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allah is Seeing of what they do.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Before Allah's Judgment-Seat, when Judgment is established, we shall see the full inwardness of all deeds in this world. The veil of illusion and delusion will be torn off. All our secret motives will be laid bare. The results of all our little plots and plans and their reactions on our eternal welfare will be clearly visible to us. All make-believe will disappear.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

A statement follows that establishes the nature of death and what comes after it. It shows them that their attempts to escape from death are of little use. It will inevitably overtake them. After death, all will return to God where they will have their deeds reckoned and where they will face the consequences of the same.

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, be ready for the inevitable that may knock at your door any time from hence. Make arrangements for the Day when you will be presented in front of Allah and asked to explain your actions in worldly life, especially the evil ones. Repent now and seek forgiveness from Allah of your bad / misdeeds, for this opportunity will never come again.

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 | Wikipedia: | 1 | 2 |

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

Etiquette of joining a prayer - already in progress

The five daily obligatory prayers form an important ritual of every Muslim around the world, for offering these five prayers has been ordained by Allah on all adult (sane and mentally healthy) men and women. We have already published a number of posts on As Salat, its etiquettes and how to offer one's prayer. 

Although, one can offer prayer anywhere when it is time, however, it is preferred that these are offered in a masjid in congregation. In this regard, we share a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the etiquette of joinnig a prayer in the masjid that has already started.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 11 - Friday Prayer /  كتاب   الجمعة / Chapter 18: To go walking unhurriedly / باب الْمَشْىِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ ) as Hadith 908, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبِي، سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلاَ تَأْتُوهَا تَسْعَوْنَ، وَأْتُوهَا تَمْشُونَ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ، فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا، وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا ‏"‏‏.

Narrated by Abu Huraira: Heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "If the prayer is started do not run for it but just walk for it calmly and pray whatever you get, and complete whatever is missed. "

The etiquette, as told by the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah, is to be joined in, if already started, by walking calmly to the masjid and joining the congregation and pray whatever remaining part of the prayer is left. It is generally seen that men start to run to catch the prayer if it has already started. In doing so, they make hurried entry and forgetting to make intention and at least ready the takbir and the opening few verses.  In fact, He should stand calmly, and say "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar", called Takbeer-e-Tehrima. Thereafter read the ثـنــــاء sanah and then join with the Imam of whatever part he is leading the congregation.

Remember, if someone joins the prayer while the Imam is in prostration, he prostrates with the Imam but he does not count it as Rak’ah/ cycle, and if he joins the prayer while the Imam is in Rukoo', he bows down (makes Rukoo') and counts it as a Rak’ah / cycle as he has reached the Imam while the latter is in Rukoo'.

Some people are seen hurrying to the prayer and even before joining in the rows, they bow down (if the congregation is in rukoo state) which is not advisable. It is narrated by narrated by Abu Bakrah  may  Allah be pleased with him that he reached the Prophet (ﷺ) while in Rukoo’, and he performed the Rak’ah (bowed down) before reaching the row (of the people standing in line in prayer).  Thereupon, the Prophet (ﷺ) told him, "May Allah increase your zeal, but do not do that again (meaning do not bow down before reaching the row)."

Those who want to know how to offer the prayer, may please read our earlier post: How to offer Salah/Daily prayer.

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.

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Successful are those who guard their prayers

The five daily obligatory prayers cannot be missed out from one's no matter how busy schedule for man is ordained by his Lord to be punctual to offer his prayers. In the first post on our series of posts on Traits of believers who attain success, we shared the 2nd verse of Sur ah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers) which focused on the humility and humbleness of a believer while standing for prayer for he stands in front of his Lord Who created him. Humbleness comes through complete concentration, consciousness and presence of heart focused on his salat and the mere fact that he is offering his prayer as a Thank You to his Lord for the countless bounties He bestowed upon him.

Now, we share the 9th verse of Sur ah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ which focuses on guarding one's prayers. That is Allah began and ended this list (verses 2-9) of praiseworthy qualities with Salah, which is indicative of its virtue. Let us now read the 9th verse and its explanation by eminent Muslim scholars and exegetes: 

وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَلٰى صَلَوٰتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُوۡنَ​ۘ‏ 

(23:9) and who guard their Prayers

Salawat is plural of Salat. In verse 2 the act of Salat itself was implied, but here the plural number implies the individual Prayers offered in their own times. "They strictly guard their Prayers": they strictly adhere to the prescribed times of the Prayers: they perform them with due regard for their pre-requisites, conditions and articles with clean body and dress and necessary ablutions: they do not regard their Prayers as an unnecessary burden, which has to be cast off somehow: they do not recite mechanically but understand what they recite and are conscious that they are supplicating their Lord like humble servants.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And those who strictly guard their Salawat.) means, they persistently offer their prayers at their appointed times.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, which deed is best?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Prayer in its proper time.” (as-salaatu ‘alaa waqtihaa) I asked, “What is next?” The Prophet said, “Good treatment of your parents.” (birr ul waalidayn) I said, “What is next?” The Prophet said, “Jihad in the way of Allah.” (al jihaadu fee sabeelillah) I became silent and if I had asked him more, he would have told me. [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2630, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 85]

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also been reported as saying: (اسْتَقِيمُوا وَلَنْ تُحْصُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ خَيْرَ أَعْمَالِكُمُ الصَّلَاةُ، وَلَا يُحَافِظُ عَلَى الْوُضُوءِ إِلَّا مُؤْمِن Adhere to righteousness, you will never be able encompass it all. Know that the best of your deeds is Salah. None will preserve his Wuddu' except the believer.) 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

 In verse 2 we were directed to the spirit of humility and earnestness in our prayers. Here we are told how necessary the habit of regular prayer is to our spiritual well-being and development, as it brings us closer to Allah, and thus sums up the light of the seven jewels of our Faith, viz.: (1) humility, (2) avoidance of vanity, (3) charity, (4) sex purity, (5) fidelity to trusts, and (6) to covenants, and (7) an earnest desire to get closer to Allah.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

It was with the prayer with which the attributes of the believers began earlier and it is with the prayer with which it has ended now. This shows the significance of prayer in religion: it guards all the high morals needed in religion and as such is a guarantee for a person to adhere to religion. No doubt, even after that, the onslaughts of Satan continue but he cannot remain permanently lodged in the heart, if a person is regular in the prayer. The prayer continues to ward it off and like a wall protects his heart and mind from the attacks of Satan. It is for this reason that even in times of danger it has been directed that if a person is on foot or on a conveyance, he must offer it.

Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī has pointed to some other aspects as well. He writes: ... The prayer has been mentioned at the beginning with regard to its essence: humility before God and at the end with regards to punctuality, vigilance and diligence in offering it. This is because the blessings found in the prayer can only be reaped when it has the essence of humility in it and is also continuously guarded. This is the plant of paradise which does not grow unless it is fully nourished. A little negligence leaves it barren and fruitless. In fact, there is a danger that it might completely wither away. If we want to gain real benefit from it, we must save it from the onslaughts of Satan and nurture it very punctually in a very diligent way. It is then when we will get some idea of the comfort of the eyes God has concealed in it. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 299)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

They do not neglect their prayers or miss them through laziness. Nor do they fail to attend to them as prayer should be attended to. They offer them on time, attending to obligatory and recommended parts, making them complete, omitting nothing essential. Their prayer is alive, filling their hearts and interacting with their consciences. Prayer maintains a bond between God and human hearts. Therefore, a person who does not attend regularly to his prayer is unlikely to attend diligently and conscientiously to his bonds with other people. The qualities of believers outlined in this sūrah start with prayer and finish with prayer, so as to stress its unrivalled importance in the structure of faith. After all, prayer is the most perfect form of worship addressed to God.

When so much stress is on guarding one's prayers and offering them in complete humility, no room is left for a believer to neglect one's prayers to the least. In addition to ensuring punctuality of five prayers daily, true believers also get up before the dawn prayer to offer additional Tahajjud prayers. DO take a time out to read our earlier posts on Tahajjud prayers;

• What is Salat-ut-Tahajjud - The Night Prayer  (صلاة التهجد / قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ) 
• The virtue of the Night Prayer (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Hadith 1145)
• Sleep Early to Wake up for Night Prayer (Tahajjad) (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Hadith 1146)

You may also refer to our reference page on As Salat for many questions that may harbouring in the minds of our readers.

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.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

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.

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