Worldly acts that will bring a believer closer to Paradise and keep him away from Hell on the Day of Judgement

This life is nothing but a test for mankind. The rules of living in this worldly life have been mentioned in all Divine Scriptures and further explained in detail by the messengers and prophets of Allah since the days of Prophet Adam (may peace be upon him). Yet people remain in doubt and many think that this worldly life is the end of everything, that is when one dies, he is done for forever with no questions being asked. This is especially true for the atheists, who want their heads buried in the sand like an ostrich and do not listen to reason and logic.

But the stark reality is completely different and no matter how the reality is denied, the world will come to an end one day and all people who ever lived will be brought to life and will be made to answer for their worldly act in front of none but the Lord of the universe. And then their fate will be decided for their eternal life and their abode selected in either the Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell).

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been quoted as telling a Bedouin who came to him, held his camel and asked what would bring him closer to Paradise and keep him away from Hell. The revered Prophet ﷺ told him to at upon five things that would take him closer to Jannah. And if even one is missing, his fate would hang in imbalance. Let us know what these five acts are.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (Chapter 1 - Faith) as Hadith 104, given herein under:

Abu Ayyub narrated that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) when he was on a journey, and took hold of the nose-rein or halter of his she-camel, then said: "O Messenger of Allah" - or: "O Muhammad - tell me of something that will bring me closer to Paradise and keep me away from Hell." The Prophet (s.a.w) paused, then he looked at his Companions, then he said: "He has been guided." He said: "What did you say?" (The Bedouin) repeated his question, and the Prophet (s.a.w) said: "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the Salat, pay the Zakat, and uphold the ties of kinship. Let go of the camel."

Arabic text:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ طَلْحَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو أَيُّوبَ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا عَرَضَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِ نَاقَتِهِ أَوْ بِزِمَامِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَوْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي بِمَا يُقَرِّبُنِي مِنْ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا يُبَاعِدُنِي مِنْ النَّارِ قَالَ فَكَفَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ نَظَرَ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَقَدْ وُفِّقَ أَوْ لَقَدْ هُدِيَ قَالَ كَيْفَ قُلْتَ قَالَ فَأَعَادَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ لَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ دَعِ النَّاقَةَ.

These five acts mentioned above are self-explanatory and should leave no doubt whatsoever in anyone's mind. However, the first and second acts are interrelated: That is, one must worship Allah, while ensuring no one is associated with Him nor anyone added to share the powers of Allah. Allah alone is sufficient for everything that belongs to the entire universe which He created and does not need anyone to share His might to assist Him or to share His limitless powers.

Those still in doubt of Oneness of Allah should read Surah Al Ikhlas, the 112th chapter of the Holy Qur'an which deals exclusively with Tawhid. Whoever understands it and believes in its teaching will get rid of the shirk (polytheism) completely. It is a short declaration of Tawhid, Allah's absolute oneness. The basic theme of Islam revolves around the Oneness of Allah and this has been highlighted at many a place in the Holy Qur'an. However, if there is one single chapter or surah which sums up the oneness of Allah is Sūra al-Ikhlāṣ. Although one of the very short surahs / chapters of the Holy Qur'an, it embodies in itself the clear message of monotheism for there being none equal or comparable to Allah.

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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What protocol is to be accorded to a funeral procession by a believer

Respect of human life is one of the supreme mentions in the Qur'an. In fact, respect should be meted out to people of authority, power and wealth. In Islam, a man is considered to be the viceregent of God. Therefore, his dignity must be kept supreme at all times, whether living or dead. 

While one is to be given respect owing to his character and piety, one should not forget to honour him when he dies and he must be accorded a dignified burial. It was in this context that God taught Caine to give a decent burial to his brother Abel when the former killed him on a dispute. The same has been mentioned in the 5th Chapter / Surah of Qur'an (verse 31) that when Cain was unsure of how to deal with the body of his brother Abel, God taught him what to do by sending a raven, who dug a hole in the ground to bury another dead raven and then covered it with the earth. —whom he had murdered—God sent a message in the form of a raven. Thus, this is how God taught Caine indirectly to bury his brother’s body.

So, when a person dies, it is incumbent upon every man to take the dead body in the form of a funeral procession to the place of burial and afford the dead a decent burial. Generally, close relatives and friends attend the last rituals of the dead. But in Islam, the dead is to be respected by every believer as has been the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

This Sunnah is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 23 - Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz) /  كتاب الجنائز / Chapter 48: Whoever accompanies a funeral procession should not sit till the coffin is put down /  باب مَنْ تَبِعَ جَنَازَةً فَلاَ يَقْعُدُ حَتَّى تُوضَعَ عَنْ مَنَاكِبِ الرِّجَالِ، فَإِنْ قَعَدَ أُمِرَ بِالْقِيَامِ) as Hadith 1310, given herein under:

Narrated Abu y bSa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When you see a funeral procession, you should stand up, and whoever accompanies it should not sit till the coffin is put down."

Arabic text of Hadith:

حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمٌ ـ يَعْنِي ابْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ـ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْجَنَازَةَ فَقُومُوا، فَمَنْ تَبِعَهَا فَلاَ يَقْعُدْ حَتَّى تُوضَعَ ‏"‏‏.‏

There are Hadiths which show that the revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would stand up for funeral procession even of non-Muslims as mark of respect of the dead.

So, what do we do upon seeing a funeral process? If a beleiver is sitting, he should stand and say "Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون) which means: “We surely belong to Allah and to Him we shall return”. " And silently pray for the forgiveness of the dead by saying supplicating any prayer in reference to the funeral. Like saying: O Allah, forgive our dead brother and elevate his station among those who are guided. Send him along the path of those who came before, and forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds. Enlarge for him his grave and shed light upon him in it.

Thereafter, it is advisable to walk a few paces with the funeral procession as a respect to the dead. If one has time, one must follow the funeral procession to the graveyard and be there till the coffin is put down.

There are some general etiquettes when seeing a funeral procession. Some of these are listed below, remember these are not required by law, but it is the courteous thing to do.:

• Stand up when seeing a funeral procession, and may take off the head gear as a mark of repsect.
• Give way to the funeral process and its route must not be obstructed in any way. On intersections, the procession should be allowed to pass through and traffic should only resume until the last person or vehicle has passed.
• Those driving and seeing a procession following them, should pull over and make way for the procession. 
• Never ever beep to cut through the procession, for this would be mark of utter disrespect to the dead and inconvenience for the procession to proceed smoothly. 

We should not only practice these etiquettes ourselves but also teach our children to do so.

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 exclusive reference page Etiquettes taught by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more etiquettes attributed to Prophet Muhammad.

You may also 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: RosZie/Pixabay | 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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Supplications of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before going to bed and after getting up

Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and sensory activity is inhibited to a certain extent. During sleep, there is a decrease in muscle activity, and interactions with the surrounding environment. 

That is in a quiet environment, in which a man is not disturbed to break his sleep, remains cut off from the world and then gets up in the morning, thinking it is was just a few minutes before that he had dozed off. But do you know that most deaths occur during the nighttime while one is asleep? As per study, about 1 in 8 people who die from heart disease will die in their sleep. Similarly, 25% of strokes occur during sleep. If one has obstructive sleep apnea, he may be at higher risk of dying in your sleep.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was cognizant of this fact and would make a special supplication before going to bed for no one knows whether he would get up from his sleep or not. Similarly, the revered Prophet ﷺ would immediately thank Allah for giving him another day to live.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 80 - Invocations /  كتاب الأدب / Chapter 16: What to say when one gets up in the morning /  باب مَا يَقُولُ إِذَا أَصْبَحَ) as Hadith 6324, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ حِرَاشٍ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنَامَ قَالَ ‏"‏ بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ مِنْ مَنَامِهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ ‏"‏‏.

Narrated by Hudhaifa:

• Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to go to bed, he would recite: "Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live). [ بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا ]" 
• And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: "Al-hamdu lil-lahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana; wa ilaihi an-nushur (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection). [الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ]"

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, make it a habit to make the above-mentioned supplications before going to bed and upon getting up, so that we remain in Divine protection. And if our final hour is during the night, let us have taken the name of Allah for whether we die or live again. And also, do not forget to thank Allah for raising us alive from our sleep and giving us another day to live.‏

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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But those who believe are indeed just a few

Standing alone or with the few is one of the most difficult things to do. By doing so, one not gets isolated but also has to listen to the others in large numbers. Such a bunch of a few is always subjected to criticism, and even sarcasm for not siding with the majority. This generally happens in democracy and one's faith. Whenever a prophet or a messenger called upon its people to follow the Divine Truth, none but a few paid heeds to them. Rather the majority subjected them to intense physical and mental torture for leaving the faith of their forefathers and listening to lunatic, sorcerers, magicians and poets, that is what the named the prophets. However, the few always have been right and flourished despite all odds against them. 

Recently, we have taken upon ourselves to share the same theme based on verses from Qur'an that Only a few are grateful. In doing so, we first listed and wrote about who are the Most. we come to the main theme of Being among the few. Thus, we share the 40the verse from Surah 11. Hud, in which mention is made of Prophet Nuh (Noah, may peace be upon him) who had but a few by his side while the majority abandoned and cursed him. They did not know that whosoever curses or abandons a prophet is untimely himself cursed and condemned by the Lord of the universe. The explanation given in the verse below is only given to put the readers in the right perspective by providing them with just the immediate background when the great deluge started to happen and only the few who believed Prophet Noah survived. even the son of Prophet Noah perished in the water right in front of the eyes of his father.

Note: For our previous posts, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful. Also read the premise to better understand why we shared a number of posts to be of the few.

Thus, this verse is about the beginning of the Flood and Nuh loading Every Creature in Pairs upon the Ship. This was the promise of Allah to Nuh, when the command of Allah came, the rain was continuous and there was a severe storm which did not slacken or subside.

حَتّٰۤى اِذَا جَآءَ اَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّوۡرُۙ قُلۡنَا احۡمِلۡ فِيۡهَا مِنۡ كُلٍّ زَوۡجَيۡنِ اثۡنَيۡنِ وَاَهۡلَكَ اِلَّا مَنۡ سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ الۡقَوۡلُ وَمَنۡ اٰمَنَ​ؕ وَمَاۤ اٰمَنَ مَعَهٗۤ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلٌ‏ 

(11:40) Thus it was until Our command came to pass and the oven boiled over. We said: 'Take into the Ark a pair of every species; and take your own family except those who have already been declared (as unworthy); and also take everyone who believes. But those who, along with him, had believed were indeed just a few.

Different interpretations have been given of this, but we are of the opinion that the correct one is the one that is based on the plain words of the Text. The Deluge started from At-Tannur, a particular oven from under which water began to boil up. At the same time heavy rain began to fall and springs began to gush up water from many places in the earth. This is given in detail in vv. 11-12 of Surah AI-Qamar: "We opened the gates of the sky from which it began to rain heavily and constantly, and We tore open the earth and springs began to gush forth water from every side: Thus, the two kinds of water gathered together to fulfill the destined doom."

In this connection, it should also be noted that the prefix (al) (the) before (tannurالتَّنُّوۡرُۙ ), oven, shows that a particular oven had been specifically marked by God for the purpose of starting the Deluge. This began to boil up water as soon as it was commanded to do so, and afterwards it began to be called (The Oven). It has been explicitly stated in v. 7 of XXIII that the said Tannur was specified beforehand. 

(We said: 'Take into the Ark a pair of every species; and take your own family except those who have already been declared (as unworthy)) That is, "Don't embark in the Ark those who had specifically been marked as unbelievers from your household, for they do not deserve to be shown Our Compassion. Most probably there were two people. One was his son who drowned (v. 43), and the other was his wife: (LXVI: 10). And if there were any others, they have not been mentioned in the Qur'an. 

(And also take everyone who believes) Incidentally, this refutes the theory of the historians and genealogists who trace the genealogy of the whole human race to the three sons of Prophet Noah. This wrong theory became prevalent because of the stories in the Bible that none other than Prophet Noah, his three sons and his wife were rescued from the deluge. (Genesis 6: 18, 7: 7, 9, and 9: 19). But the Qur'an contradicts this in many places, saying that besides the people of his own household, sane other people of his community, though small in number, were also rescued along with him. Moreover, the Qur'an declares that the generations which came after Prophet Noah were his descendants and of all those people who were rescued in the Ark: "You are the descendants of those whom We bore in the Ark with Noah-- (XVII: 3) ". . . . they were from the descendants of Adam, and from the seed of those whom we carried in the Ark with Noah...." (XIX: 58). 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir notes that (And none believed with him, except a few) means that only a very small number believed, even after the long period of time that he (Nuh) was among them -- nine hundred and fifty years. It is reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "They were eighty people including their women.'' 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This sentence expresses yearning and sorrow: a vast majority of people continued to evade the truth in spite of several hundred years of warnings delivered to them by Noah (sws) and were finally drowned in the sea. There is also an indirect message of assurance in these words for the Prophet (sws) and his companions: if the arrogant majority of the Quraysh also reaches a similar fate, then this should not be any cause of wonder. Many nations before them have encountered such a fate.

In nutshell, only a few people side with someone who is talking sense and leading people to the truth and trusted path: The path of the blessed ones. Such people endure hardships and backlash from the majority. Yet still they cling to the truth and continue to call others to the truth and to One True God, without any associates. So let us be of the few and stand tall, for our salvation lies in siding with those who truly believe, and let us not be overwhelmed by those who do not believe.

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 | 

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

Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about The Torment of Grave

Death is inescapable. No matter how influential, wealthy or a positional a person is, one cannot buy time to escape death. In fact, death begets a man even if he has dived to the depth of the seas or hidden into strong walls of a bastion. Even the prophets, messengers of Allah, no matter how long some lived, finally tasted death.

We more often than not listen about the torment of grave, but with canty details. Punishment of the Grave (Arabic: عذاب القبر ʿAdhāb al-Qabr, also translated torment of the grave) is a Judeo-Islamic concept about the time between death and resurrection on the Day of Judgement. While, there is no mention of torment of grave mentioned in the Qur'an, I do not know about Torah or Bible, yet there are many a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which he cautioned his companions and family about the torment of grave and warned them that no one can prevent this to happen, and the dead who had a shady life during their worldly life, harmed people by the weight of their authority or position and wealth should be prepared to face the consequences of their deeds which will commence right after they are buried and this will continue till they are restructed on the Day of Judgment and then finally thrown into the blazing fire of hell. According to some hadiths, the souls of the unrighteous are punished by two angels in the grave, while the righteous find the grave "peaceful and blessed".

Herein under, are listed some of the hadiths which give a fair idea what the torment of grave will be like and how we can prevent it by living a life as per dictates of Qur'an and Sunnah, repenting much too often and seeking forgiveness of Allah: [1]

• Narrated/Authority of Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (SAW) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from helplessness, laziness, cowardice and feeble old age; I seek refuge with You from Fitnah (trials or afflictions) of life and death and seek refuge with You from the punishment in the grave." Source: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 54, Jihaad (Fighting for the cause of Allah), Hadith No: 84
• Narrated/Authority of Musa bin Uqba, (From the daughter of Khalid bin Sa id bin Al-Asi) who said that she had heard the Prophet seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave. (Source: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 23, Funerals (Al-Janaaiz), Hadith No: 458)
• Narrated/Authority of Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle used to invoke (Allah): "Allahumma ini a'udhu bika min 'adhabi-l-Qabr, wa min 'adhabi-nnar, wa min fitnati-l-mahya wa-lmamat, wa min fitnati-l-masih ad-dajjal. (O Allah! I seek refuge with you from the punishment in the grave and from the punishment in the Hell fire and from the afflictions of life and death, and the afflictions of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal." Source: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 23, Funerals (Al-Janaaiz), Hadith No: 459

And I mentioned before that concept torment of grave is not only restricted to Islam, but its mention is also found with Jews. In a hadith, Aisha wife of the Prophet of Allah has mentioned as saying: Two old ladies from among the Jewish ladies entered upon me and said' "The dead are punished in their graves," but I thought they were telling a lie and did not believe them in the beginning. When they went away and the Prophet (ﷺ) entered upon me, I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Two old ladies." and told him the whole story. Prophet (ﷺ) said, "They told the truth; the dead are really punished, to the extent that all the animals hear (the sound resulting from) their punishment." Since then, I always saw him seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave in his prayers.  (Source: Sahih Bukhari. Book 80 (Invocations) Chapter 37, To seek refuge from punishment of the grave as Hadith No: 6366)

What could be the factors that may lead a dead person to bear the torment of grave? There is a long list, but here we mentioned just one hadith which warns people to stay away from two acts lest they want to be punished in the grave upon their death: [2]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) talked about two men whom he saw being punished in their graves. One of them used to walk around spreading malicious gossip among people, and the other failed to take precautions to avoid getting urine on himself. So, the latter failed to purify himself as required, and the former did something that created enmity among people by talking, even if what he says is true. 

Thus, it can be seen that even talking badly about someone in his absence and stirs up enmity by telling lies and making false statements will face the punishment in the grave. Likewise, failing to keep oneself clean from urine indicates that the one who neglects prayer, for which cleansing oneself from urine is a requirement and condition will be punished even more. In the hadith of companions of the Prophet of Allah has mentioned: “One of them used to eat the flesh of people,” which refers to backbiting or malicious gossip. 

So let, our sisters and brothers in Islam, prepare now and live a life that is lived as it should be lived in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah so that we do not have to face the torment of grave, which indeed is projected as the most horrible of all punishments, only second to the torment of Hell.

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: [1] [2] [Wikipedia]

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

Selected verses from Al-Qurʾān about the day of The Ultimate Justice

God created man as a test case to ascertain whether they accept His Call, which He sent through number of prophets and messengers to different people, and follow the path of Truth or not. And then after a prescribed period, the world would be brought to an end and all men who ever lived since the Prophet Adam will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection. Once the grand assembly has been taken place, the Divine Court will be established, called the Judgment Day (Arabic: یوم القيامة). This will be the fateful day when each man will be held accountable for his deeds of his worldly life, shown his dossiers and awarded or rewarded according to the volume of one's good and bad deeds.

Man has therefore, been warned and cautioned at number of places in the Al-Qurʾān to be watchful for his actions for a day will come when all his actions will be presented with minutest of details right in front of the Lord of universe, a day when he will be either ushered to Paradise (Jannah) as reward for his good and noble deeds or will be dragged and thrown in to the blazing fir of Hell (Jahannam) for defying the Divine Laws in his worldly life. 

Herein under, we list down some of these verses. Please click on the highlighted text to read the explanation of these verses by some of the prominent exegetes and scholars of Muslim world:

• Who shall be raised BLIND on the Day of Resurrection (Surah 21 Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets):1)
• The day when even the mightiest will surrender (Surah 37. As-Saffat: 26)
• Production of the man's scroll in the shape of a wide-open book (Surah 17. Al-Israa: 13)
• Everyone will be attended by one who will drive him on, and another who will bear witness (Surah 50 Qaf: 21)
• Who will feel intense remorse on the Day of Judgment? (Surah 10. Yunus:54)
• Fear the Day when no intercession will be accepted and no one will be ransomed (Surah 2. Al-Baqara:48)
• Fear the Day when Every Soul will Be Fully Repaid for his Deeds - good or evil (Surah 2. Al-Baqara:281)
• No one will be wronged on that day and Divine Justice will prevail (Surah 50 Qaf: 29)
• Allah Wrongs Not Even the Weight of a Speck of Dust (Surah 4 An-Nisa: 40) 
• Everyone will be asked to read his scroll with no aides for assistance (Surah 17. Al-Israa: 14)
• The Day when nothing will avail, neither wealth nor offspring (Surah 26. Ash-Shu'araa:88)
• Those will rejoice who will have their records in the right hand (Surah 69. Al-Haqqa:19)
• The Day when instead of men, their limbs will testify against them (Surah 24. Al Nur: 24)
• The Day when hands will speak and feet shall bear witness to their evil deeds (Surah 36. Ya-Sin:65)
• Every deed will be presented even if these have forgotten it. Allah is a witness to everything. (Surah 58. Al-Mujadila:6)
• Scale set for the Day will account for Deeds even of weight of a grain of mustard seed (Surah 21. Al Anbiya:47)
• The Evil Doers and the Righteous Cannot be Equated (Surah 45 Al Jathia:21)

We shall add more to this listing and also provide detailed explanation in our coming posts. 

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.

Read More

Most of the people do not know the Truth, and turn away

It is very difficult to know and face the truth. Even if many know the truth, they tend to turn away fearing the consequences for siding with the truth. While this phenomenon is applicable to every facet of our lives, it is more pronounced when it comes to know the Divine Truth and accept it for fear of retribution from own people and faith, they have been observing for years without ever pondering over the falsehood that has crept into the faith they follow and continue to abide by it even when challenged to know the Divine Truth.

This is specially so when it comes to Islam. Most of the non-Muslims turn away from the all to know Islam for they do not know what Islam really is. In fact, their mindset is plagued with islamophobia that has been deliberately infused in their minds so that they even care listening to someone talking about Islam. This is the case since ages when people of one faith refused to follow a new Divine path or that followed by their predecessors. 

Even today, there are lot of people or most of the people, who without reading Qur'an or understanding the religion of Islam, hate Islam merely by hearing it from others. And even if someone tries to talk to them on Islam, they turn their face and go away. But the interesting thing is that many who tried to know what Qur'an and Islam is, fall in love with Islam and come under its fold. There have been many instances and revert experiences wherein people confess that they read the Qur'an to find faults with it, but instead finding it the best medium to know the truth that their religion of faith failed to help them do so.

It is in this context that we share the 24th verse of Surah 21. Al-Anbiyaa:

اَمِ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً ​ ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ​ ۚ هٰذَا ذِكۡرُ مَنۡ مَّعِىَ وَذِكۡرُ مَنۡ قَبۡلِىۡ​ ؕ بَلۡ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۙ الۡحَـقَّ​ فَهُمۡ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ‏ 

(21:24) Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it.

The first two were rational arguments and this is a historical one. This means that the study of all the former Scriptures shows that the Creator of the universe is One Allah and He alone is worthy of service and worship, while "Your religion is neither supported by rational arguments nor by historical evidence."

It is their lack of knowledge of Reality which has created this indifference towards the Message of the Prophet, and the same has made them heedless of the Message.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

That is most people's obstinate refusal to consider a reasonable proposition on its merits is often due to no more than the simple fact that it is not familiar to them.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

In this verse, we are warned against a third danger, the worship of false gods of any sort. Pagan man is prolific of creating abstract images for worship, including Self or abstract Intelligence or Power. In verse 26 below is mentioned a fourth kind of false worship, which imagines that Allah begets sons or daughters.

This verse should be read with the next ((21:25) Never did We send any Messenger before you to whom We did not reveal: "There is no god but Me. So, serve Me alone."). All reason revolts against the idea of conflicting gods, and points to Unity in Creation and Unity in Godhead. This is not only the Message of Islam ("those with me") but the message of all prophets who came before the holy Prophet Muhammad ("those before me"), and the line of prophets was closed with him. The Message given to every prophet in all ages was that of Unity as the fundamental basis of Order and Design in the world, material, moral, and spiritual.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that the Qur’ān which was revealed as a reminder for the followers of Muhammad (sws) is present before them as well as the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms and other scriptures of the prophets. They should see that none of these books teaches polytheism; all of them bear witness to monotheism.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Having provided this irrefutable evidence based on the nature of the universe, the sūrah asks them whether they can support their claims about multiple deities with any evidence derived from their scriptures.

Here is the Qur’ān which incorporates the message given to the Prophet’s contemporaries, and there are the scriptures containing the messages delivered by earlier messengers. In none of these is there any mention of partners with God. All divine faiths are based on the true concept of God’s oneness. Where, then, did those unbelievers get this false concept of multiple deities when it cannot be supported by logical or religious argument? “But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they stubbornly turn away.”

Let us then brothers and sisters in Islam know more about Qur'an and present its clear evidence that is based on monotheism as against polytheism. Remember the concept of Trinity also falls in the domain of polytheism, a concept which is tangent to Bible itself. And it is this fact alone that more and more Christians are reverting to Islam, leaving most of the people to their unjustified beliefs.

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 our previous posts about Most of the People, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful

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.

Read More

Indeed, Most of the People are in Utter Ignorance

We have been talking of traits of Most of the people in our previous posts who despite knowing the truth and available signs, indications, substance and guidance, refuse to believe what real truth is and mock those who try to lead them to truth. This happens when one clings to whatever knowledge one may have and does not want to develop more to the knowledge base and in fact is adamant to face the realities emerging out of signs around.

One of the major causes of such stubborn and uncompromising behaviour is utter ignorance. The ignorance to accept reality that is contained in the Divine Scriptures and its explanation by prophets and messengers of Allah keeps most of the people away from the truth. For such people, no matter how much explanation is given, or how many signs are shown, the realities remain obscured because of their indifferent attitude to accept the truth.

We share today the 111th verse of Surah 6. Al An'am (The cattle) which talks of such people who are in utter ignorance state and even Allah makes no effort to put them back to the right track, for Allah only guides those who accept their state of ignorance and want to make amends and seek knowledge that leads them to path chosen by the Lord of the worlds.

However, the good thing is that many of the most are now heading toward the Divine Truth and coming under the fold of Islam. This is so because people have shunned ignorance and are looking for the truth that was obscured by the veil of ignorance and prejudices.

وَلَوۡ اَنَّـنَا نَزَّلۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡهِمُ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الۡمَوۡتٰى وَ حَشَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوۡا لِيُؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ يَجۡهَلُوۡنَ‏ 

(6:111) Even if We had sent angels down to them and the dead had spoken to them, and even if We had assembled before them all the things, face to face, they would still not believe unless it be Allah's will that they believe. Most of them behave in utter ignorance.

That is, "As they are not going to reject falsehood and accept the Truth by making a free and deliberate choice, the only alternative left for making them follow it is that Allah should force it upon them: He should change their nature so as to deprive them of the freedom of thought and action like other species which have not been made responsible for what they do. But this is against the wisdom of the object for which Allah has created man. You should not, therefore, expect that Allah would make them believers by His supernatural intervention." 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Allah says: `Had We accepted what the disbelievers asked for,' that is -- those who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that if a miracle came to them, they would believe in it -- `had We sent down angels, ' to convey to them Allah's Message, in order to support the truth of the Messengers, as they asked, when they said:

• (Or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.) [17:92]
• (They said: "We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah had received.') [6:124] and,
• (And those who expect not a meeting with Us said: "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord" Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride.) [25:21] 

Allah said: (and the dead had spoken unto them,) This is, to inform them of the truth of what the Messengers brought them;

(And We had gathered together all things before them,) before their eyes, as `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas. This is the view of Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. This Ayah means, if all nations were gathered before them, one after the other, and each one testifies to the truth of what the Messengers came with, (they would not have believed, unless Allah willed,) for guidance is with Allah not with them. Certainly, Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and He does what He wills.

(He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.) [21:23], This is due to His knowledge, wisdom, power, supreme authority and irresistibility. 

Similarly, Allah said: (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) [10:96-97]

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

The most stupendous miracles even according to their ideas would not have convinced them. If the whole pageant of the spiritual world were brought before them, they would not have believed, because they -of their own choice and will -refuse knowledge and faith.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that God guides to faith only those who are true seekers of the truth. The nature of ignorance which afflicts them and the conditions they impose instead of deciding on the basis of knowledge and arguments will never induce them to seek guidance.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Al-Tabari, a famous scholar and commentator on the Qur’an says of this verse: “God says to His Messenger (peace be upon him): Muhammad, you should give up any hope of success for those who equate idols with their Lord and who claim that they would believe if they are given a sign. Even though We would send the angels down to them so that they may see them with their own eyes, and if we cause the dead to come back to life and speak to them supporting you and confirming your prophethood and assuring them that your message is the truth, and even if we would range everything in front of them testifying to your message, they would still refuse to believe in you and would continue to deny your message, unless God wills otherwise. Most of those unbelievers are ignorant of this fact. They think that accepting the faith or denying it is their prerogative. This is not true. It is all within My power. Only those I guide to success accept the faith, and those I turn away deny it.”

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 our previous posts about Most of the People, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful

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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