Has Qur'an really reached in you?

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

Has Qur'an reached in us? 

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

First of all, we must understand that Qur'an is note mere a sacred book - but it is a book of Divine Wisdom and knowledge. Thus, it not only needs to merely read but understood as well. Unless we know what is ready and why, there is no need to just read it and shelve it. Afterall it is a Book of Guidance as is said in the very second of Surah 2. Al Baqarah: [(2:2) This is the Book of Allah, there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the pious] And then the second chapter of Qur'an continues to explain till the end how believers can be guided and how can the understand the many mysteries hidden in the Qur'an.

 

And contrary to the Divine Wisdom to understand Qur'an, it is often seen that in Qur'an reading sessions in a gathering or even when reading in isolation, the Qur'an is generally seen to be hastily. And in most cases without understanding or contemplating its content. In fact, Qur'an is often used as a means for justifying and supporting some preconceived ideas and judgments. People have also subjected the Qur'an to themselves, rather than subjecting themselves to it. They have rendered the Qur'an relative, and their selfish goals and concerns absolute. The Qur'an has partially been made the object of their one-dimensional and patchy -- often outright flawed -- intellectual, spiritual and cultural pursuits. The Qur'an is meant thereby to be superficially and partially comprehended and implemented, at best, and misused and even abused, at worst. 

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

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

We should be seen using the best of language while conversing with others, free from any foul words and showing respect for others. Is our behaviour free of arrogance, false pride and vanity no matter how high a position we hold? Are we seen feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and not warding off the poor using harsh words? Are we being helpful to the wayfarers, strangers and passersby and showing them the way respectfully? Are we merciful to orphans, and protect their rights? Do we often forgive those who have mistreated us and exhibit an aura of love and respect? 

And how do we treat our parents, family and kith and kin? Does our attitude change for the worse as we attain a higher position or when more wealth comes our way?

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

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

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

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

Shouldn't we start trying to let Qur'an in ourselves from this day onward?

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Man laments: I'm physically and spiritually hollow - Allah replies: We've sent down the Qur'an as a healing

Listening to (and understanding) religious scriptures is always refreshing and soul inspiring. And when it comes to listening to Qur'an, even non-Muslims have acknowledged its impact on their soul and a strange sense of satisfaction even when they do not understand a bit of Arabic in which Qur'an was revealed and recited.

Something that many Muslims forget is that it is necessary to understand Qur'an and mere recitation is not enough. For every word of Qur'an has a meaning hidden into it and only those ponder over these can feel their soul being nourished and the whole body feeling its effect.

I am witness to a miracle wherein a family friend suddenly went blind and for five years he could not see. Having nothing to do, he kept reciting verses from Qur'an and after five years, the healing effect of Qur'an, as promised by Allah, worked and he got his eyesight back.

Those who feel physically and spiritually hollow more often than not look up to their Creator, Allah the Almighty, for healing. Allah replies to reassure them of healing that Qur'an contains, as mentioned in the 82nd verse of Surah 17. Al Israa (The Ascent) as reproduced herein under:

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الۡـقُرۡاٰنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَّرَحۡمَةٌ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ​ۙ وَلَا يَزِيۡدُ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ اِلَّا خَسَارًا‏ 

(17:82) What We are sending down in the course of revealing the Qur'an is a healing and a grace for those who have faith; but it adds only to the ruin of the wrong-doers.

That is, "Those people who make the Qur'an their guide and their book of law, are favored with the blessing of Allah and arc cured of all their mental, psychological, moral. and cultural diseases. On the other hand, those wicked people who reject this and turn their back on its guidance, in fact, are unjust to themselves. Therefore, the Qur'an does not allow them to remain even in that bad condition in which they were before its revelation or its knowledge but involves them in a greater loss than before. This is because before the revelation of the Qur'an or their acquaintance with it, they suffered from ignorance alone but when the Qur'an came before them and made distinct the difference between Truth and falsehood, no excuse was left with them to remain in their previous condition of. ignorance. After this, if they reject its guidance and persist in their deviation, it is a clear proof that they are not ignorant but workers of iniquity and worshipers of falsehood, which are averse to the Truth. For then their position is of the one who, when presented with both poison and elixir, makes a choice of poison. Therefore, they themselves are in that cast fully responsible for their deviation and whatever crimes they commit after that, shall incur their full punishment. It is obvious that the consequent loss of wickedness must be far greater than the loss of ignorance. The Holy Prophet has summed this up in this concise and comprehensive sentence: "The Qur'an is either an argument in your favor or against you."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (The Qur'an is a Cure and a Mercy)

Allah tells us that His Book, which He has revealed to His Messenger Muhammad, the Qur'an to which falsehood cannot come, from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise, is a cure and a mercy for the believers, meaning that it takes away whatever is in their hearts of doubt, hypocrisy, Shirk, confusion and inclination towards falsehood. The Qur'an cures all of that. It is also a mercy through which one attains faith and wisdom and seeks goodness. This is only for those who believe in it and accept it as truthful, it is a cure and a mercy only for such people. As for the disbeliever who is wronging himself by his disbelief, when he hears the Qur'an, it only makes him further from the truth and increases him in his disbelief. The problem lies with the disbeliever himself, not with the Qur'an, as Allah says:

(قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a cure. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand).'') ﴿41:44﴾

(وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـذِهِ إِيمَـناً فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ - وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَى رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ  And whenever there comes down a Surah, some of them (hypocrites) say: "Which of you has had his faith increased by it'' As for those who believe, it has increased their faith, and they rejoice. But as for those whose hearts is a disease, it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers.) (9:124-125) And there are many other similar Ayat.

(وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a cure and a mercy to the believers,) Qatadah said, "When the believer hears it, he benefits from it and memorizes it and understands it.''

(وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا and it increases the wrongdoers in nothing but loss.) They do not benefit from it or memorize it or understand it, for Allah has made this Qur'an a cure and a mercy for the believers.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

In Allah's revelation there is healing for our broken spirits, hope for our spiritual future, and joy in the forgiveness of our sins. All who work in faith will share in these privileges. It is only the rebels against Allah's Law who will suffer loss. The more they oppose Truth, the deeper down will they go into the mire-the state of sin and Wrath, which is worse than destruction.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

“We bestow of the Qur’ān do from on high what serves as a healing and a blessing to true believers.” (Verse 82) There is certainly a cure and a blessing for those whose hearts are full of faith. Such hearts brighten up and become ready to receive what the Qur’ān imparts of grace, reassurance and security. There is in the Qur’ān a healing power that cures obsession, anxiety and hesitation. It establishes a bond between the believer’s heart and God. This bond imparts inner peace to the believer as he experiences a feeling of security in God’s protection. He is happy and satisfied with what he receives from God and contented with his lot in life. Anxiety, hesitation and obsession are all terrible to experience. As the Qur’ān dispels all these, it is indeed a blessing for true believers.

In the Qur’ān we have a cure from carnal desires, greed, envy and evil thoughts. All these cause sicknesses of the heart and mind, leading to debility and utter ruin. As the Qur’ān cures these, it is a tool of grace bestowed by God on those who truly believe in Him.

The Qur’ān also provides a cure from deviant thoughts and feelings. It protects the mind from going far astray, while allowing it complete freedom within its fruitful pursuits. It stops the mind from wasting its energy over what is devoid of use. It lays down for it a sound approach that ensures good and useful results. The same principle applies to the human body, ensuring that its resources are utilized for what is useful and fruitful, steering human beings away from the suppression of natural desires or indulgence without restraint. Thus, it ensures a healthy body. In this again we see that the Qur’ān is a means of God’s grace that is bestowed on believers.

There is also in the Qur’ān a cure for social ailments that weaken the structure of society and destroy its peace and security. Under the social system established by the Qur’ān society enjoys perfect justice in peace and security. This is again a further aspect of grace bestowed through the Qur’ān.

However, the Qur’ān “only adds to the ruin of the evildoers.” (Verse 82) They make no use of the cure it provides or the blessings it brings about. They look with dismay at the believers as they feel proud to be among the followers of the Qur’ān. In their stubborn arrogance, the evildoers persist with their corrupt and unjust methods. Yet in this life, they are defeated by the followers of the Qur’ān, which makes them losers. In the life to come, they suffer for their arrogant disbelief and tyranny, and thus they lose again. Hence the Qur’ān adds to their ruin.

Concluding remarks:

After reading this post, try listening to Qur'an by opening window of your heart wide open and concentrate on each word being recited, even if you do not understand Arabic. Just concentrate and try to absorb what is being said into your heart. The end result will be tremendous for a miracle will dawn on yourself. You will feel being cleansed of your misgivings and ailments. 

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine Guidance and Help.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't (لا)!!

Today, we deviate from our usual formats of posts and write about something that we usually ignore to look deeper into our actions and thinking process. And while doing so, we completely forget who we are, why are we in this world and Who sent us here and for what purpose. Instead, we are engrossed in our worldly pleasures, we lose our direction and walk on pathways leading us to our destruction.

This post is simply a caution to not do things we are not expected or warned both in Qur'an and many a Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is most of the things we do in this life are usually to satisfy our pride, vanity, arrogance and lust to enjoy the pleasures of life before we die away. We think life is too short to be wasted away in praying, worshipping or doing good or being good and helpful to others, for these are too boring a thing that have no immediate dividends for us.

And this brings us to Laa - "لا" which means a big NO in Arabic language. And we get into the habit of saying NO to the very pleasures of the world, we are so enticed into by Evil, we can shape our future lives in the world that we shall live in after being resurrected. Choice is all ours - enjoy life of this world or the life of the Hereafter.

Let us start with Laa and see how to start and then what more we need to do to be successful in the both worlds:

The biggest "لا" in Islam is: There is NO god but He - Your God, The Only One God (Surah 2. Al-Baqara:163). And from this only true reality, stem many smaller DON'Ts that prevent a believer from erring and falling into the trap of Evil - The Satanic luring. 

There are so many other NOs that we should be mindful of after saying NO to any god that has associates and assistance.

We have listed a lot many DON'Ts already in one of our earlier posts: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an. This post is just a reminder of those many DON'Ts that if given due attention, our life can become meaningful and pleasant, though more tests would encounter to judge our firmness on the Siraat e Mustaqeem, the straight path as shown in Qur'an. 

• Do not knowingly conceal the truth 
• Do not use your property as bait for the JUDGES with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully (other) people's property 
• Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt
• Do not plead for those who are dishonest to themselves 
• Believers!  Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you 
• Believers! Do not be  Over-inquisitive and unnecessarily curious 
• Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah 
• Do not draw near to the property of the orphan (Surah 4. An-Nisaa:2)
• Do not make mischief in the earth 
• Do not grieve. Allah is with us 
• Do not be inclined (even in the least) towards those who do wrong - lest you be touched by the Fire 
• Do not worship others beside Allah 
• Do not worship any but Allah 
• Don't be rude to parents 
• Do not squander your wealth wastefully 
• Believers!! Do not be Parsimonious 
• Do Not spread gossip, for in the sight of Allah it is a serious matter 
• Do not Follow in Satan's Footsteps 
• Don't be miserly nor extravagant
• Don't take bribes
• Do not exhibit Arrogance and Vanity
• Do not scoff, taunt or revile others with nicknames for others may be better than thine 
• Don't call others with bad names
• Don't spy nor backbite 
• Don't claim yourselves to be pure 
• Don't ask for repayment for favours

These are some of the DON'Ts listed in Qur'an. Let us take a self-appraisal and see how many DON'Ts still cling with us despite the Divine cautions. Unless we cleanse ourselves from these ills, we can never be sure of what will happen to us in our graves and on the Judgement Day when we will be asked to explain why we did not adhere to the commandments of Qur'an. 

Start counting for days are just numbered and clock can stop at any time from this second on.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo 

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

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.  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

How to develop true Believing (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

One of the most difficult things to practice is true believing. And especially so when something that we believe in does not have proof. Remember the age-old dictum: Seeing is beleiving! Well sometimes even seeing a thing can be deceiving and most of the time unseen things turn out to cement one's faith.

Without confusing the issue of beleiving anymore, we share today a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in which the revered Messenger of Allah teaches us how to develop believing and where true beleiving would lead us to.

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 43 General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) / كتاب الأدب / Chapter # 143 Spreading Salam / باب فِي إِفْشَاءِ السَّلاَمِ ) as Hadith number # 5193, quoted herein under:

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying:

By him in whose hand my soul is, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another: should I not guide you to something doing which you will love one another: spread out salutation among you.

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَفَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)

To understand the spirit of the Hadit, instead of reading this Hadith from beginning to end, lets us read it from the end to the beginning. Believing in something cannot be developed unless we develop mutual love for each other. And the best way to induce love among ourselves is to extend salutations much too often. 

The best greeting that Muslims can extend to each other is As-salamu alaykum (Arabic: ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ, as-salāmu ʿalaykum, that means 'Peace be upon you'. In fact, the salām (سَلَام, meaning 'peace') has become a religious salutation for Muslims worldwide, and is even emulated by non-Muslims too. (Though, the complete phrase is as-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu -llāhi wa-barakātuhū (ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ, 'Peace be upon you, as well as the mercy of God and His blessings'.)

In response to this salutation, the receiver should respond by saying: Wa ʿalaykumu s-salam (وَعَلَيْكُم ٱلسَّلَامُ) meaning "may peace be upon you too". The complete form is "Wa ʿalaykumu s-salāmu wa-raḥmatu -llāhi wa-barakātuhū" (وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ, "And upon you be peace, as well as the mercy of God and his blessings").

Now just imagine the love and peace expressed by one beleiving man to another. These salutations are much better than mere Good Morning or Good Afternoon etc. Unlike the latter, the Muslim greeting mean much more than a mere salutation. These convey one's inner sincerity and love for one's fellow believer. Oce this salutation from the very heart becomes a habit, it would induce love for each other, as mentioned in the above quoted hadith. Once this love becomes solidifies, one's belief too becomes strong to understand Islam, which is founded on the main theme of peace. And when every Muslim believes in peace, nothing wrong will accrue from him for his brethren in Islam. If and when such a high standard of love coexists between Muslims, nothing would stop them from entering the Jannah, the ultimate paradise.

So you see, how simple salutation can turn into mutual love for each other and based on this love, one's belief in Islam becomes more stronger, in other words peace, which will lead believers to Paradise, In Sha Allah, one day.

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.

You may refer to our exclusive page: Collection of Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to read posts written on general matters.

Please also refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah / Hadith 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.

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Two main obligations of Muslim Community: Fulfilment of Trust – Maintenance of Justice

Nations rise and fall due to quality or otherwise of their leaders and the lead. A nation of stags lead by a lion can lead the stags to glory, while a monkey in chair can dismember the unity of the lions. We have seen nations rising when they were led by selfless, honest, bold and competent leaders. And we also saw the same nations falling apart when greedy, dishonest and selfish leaders were in chairs.

History is replete with such examples as mentioned and the vicious cycle continues till date. It is heart wrenching to note that there have been some Muslim rulers who have defied the public trust and the justice and dishonoured their own people by usurping their rights. Unless the people handover their trusts to the honest, they cannot be sure of development and protection of their rights. This is the very theme of the 58th verse of Surah 4. An Nisa (The Women) beings shared today:

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَاۡمُرُكُمۡ اَنۡ تُؤَدُّوا الۡاَمٰنٰتِ اِلٰٓى اَهۡلِهَا ۙ وَاِذَا حَكَمۡتُمۡ بَيۡنَ النَّاسِ اَنۡ تَحۡكُمُوۡا بِالۡعَدۡلِ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمۡ بِهٖ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ سَمِيۡعًۢا بَصِيۡرًا‏

(4:58) Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those worthy of them; and when you judge between people, to judge with justice. Excellent is the admonition Allah gives you. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Here the Muslims have been fore-warned that they should avoid those evils in which the children of Israel were involved. Their basic error was that during their degeneration they entrusted the positions of trust to incompetent people. They began to entrust positions of responsibility and religious and political leadership to inefficient, narrow-minded, immoral, dishonest and wicked people. As a result, the whole community became corrupt. The Muslims are being cautioned against this evil and enjoined to entrust positions of responsibility to qualified and competent people of good moral character.

Another evil that was prevalent among the Jews was injustice. They had lost the very sense and spirit of justice and become utterly unjust, openly dishonest, and sinfully obdurate and would commit acts of gross injustice without any pangs of conscience. The Muslims were personally having a bitter experience of this. The Jews were siding with the idolatrous Quraish against the Believers in one God though the lives of the two clearly showed "who was more rightly guided."On the one side, they saw the pure lives of the Holy Prophet and his followers; on the other, they witnessed the immoral lives of their enemies, who buried their daughters alive, married their step mothers and went round the Ka`bah in naked state. Still these "people of the Book" preferred the idolatrous people to the Believers and brazen-facedly declared that the former were more rightly guided than the latter. Allah warns the Believers against this sort of injustice and enjoins them always to say what is just and right and judge between the people with justice whether they be friends or foes.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (The Command to Return the Trusts to Whomever They Are Due) Allah commands that the trusts be returned to their rightful owners. 

Al-Hasan narrated that Samurah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«أَدِّ الْأَمَانَةَ إِلى مَنِ ائْتَمَنَكَ، وَلَا تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَك»

(Return the trust to those who entrusted you, and do not betray those who betrayed you.) Imam Ahmad and the collectors of Sunan recorded this Hadith. This command refers to all things that one is expected to look after, such as Allah's rights on His servants: praying, Zakah, fasting, penalties for sins, vows and so forth. The command also includes the rights of the servants on each other, such as what they entrust each other with, including the cases that are not recorded or documented. Allah commands that all types of trusts be fulfillled. Those who do not implement this command in this life, it will be extracted from them on the Day of Resurrection. 

It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,

«لَتُؤَدَّنَّ الْحُقُوقُ إِلى أَهْلِهَا حَتَّى يُقْتَصَّ لِلشَّاةِ الْجَمَّاءِ مِنَ الْقَرْنَاء»

(The rights will be rendered back to those to whom they are due, and even the sheep that does not have horns will take revenge from the horned sheep.) Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Jurayj said about this Ayah, "It was revealed concerning `Uthman bin Talhah from whom the Messenger of Allah took the key of the Ka`bah and entered it on the Day of the victory of Makkah. 

When the Prophet went out, he was reciting this Ayah, (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤدُّواْ الاحَمَـنَـتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due). He then called `Uthman and gave the key back to him.' 

Ibn Jarir also narrated that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "When the Messenger of Allah went out of the Ka`bah, he was reciting this Ayah, (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤدُّواْ الاحَمَـنَـتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due). May I sacrifice my father and mother for him, I never heard him recite this Ayah before that.' It is popular that this is the reason behind revealing the Ayah (4:58). Yet, the application of the Ayah is general, and this is why Ibn `Abbas and Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, "This Ayah is for the righteous and wicked,'' meaning it is a command that encompasses everyone.

 The Order to Be Just: Allah said, (وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُواْ بِالْعَدْلِ and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice.) commanding justice when judging between people. Muhammad bin Ka`b, Zayd bin Aslam and Shahr bin Hawshab said; "This Ayah was revealed about those in authority'', meaning those who judge between people. 

A Hadith states, «إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الْحَاكِمِ مَا لَمْ يَجُرْ، فَإِذَا جَارَ وَكَلَهُ اللهُ إِلى نَفْسِه»

(Allah is with the judge as long as he does not commit injustice, for when he does, Allah will make him reliant on himself.) A statement goes, "One day of justice equals forty years of worship.' 

Allah said, (إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you!) meaning, His commands to return the trusts to their owners, to judge between people with justice, and all of His complete, perfect and great commandments and laws. 

Allah's statement, (إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.) means, He hears your statements and knows your actions.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(BEHOLD, God bids you to deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entitled thereto, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice.) I.e., in the judicial sense, as well as in the sense of judging other people's motives, attitudes and behaviour. - The term amanah denotes anything one has been entrusted with, be it in the physical or moral sense (Razi). If one reads this ordinance in the context of the verses that precede and follow it, it becomes obvious that it relates to the message or - in view of the plural form amanat - to the truths which have been conveyed to the believers by means of the divine writ, and which they must regard as a sacred trust, to be passed on to "those who are entitled thereto" - i.e., to all mankind, for whom the message of the Qur'an has been intended. This, of course, does not preclude the ordinance from having a wider scope as well - that is, from its being applied to any material object or moral responsibility which may have been entrusted to a believer - and, in particular, to the exercise of worldly power and political sovereignty by the Muslim community or a Muslim state, to which the next verse refers.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The word “trusts” is used for things which are entrusted to a person. Here they refer to the responsibilities and posts created in a collective system. The implication is that the people to whom this kingdom was granted before the Muslims had proved to be thieves; however, Muslims must not be like them. Their foremost responsibility is that after acquiring this great gift, they should hand over the trusts of the nation to people on the basis of merit and strive to establish justice in its ultimate form in every walk of life. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī comments on this verse in the following words:

… This is a delineation of the most important aspect of the trust referred to as well as an explanation of the responsibility attached to political authority. The foremost responsibility of those who are blessed with political authority by the Almighty is that they should decide all disputes that arise among their people with justice and fairness. Justice means that there should be no discrimination in the eyes of the law between the various classes of society like the rich and the poor or the upper and the lower class. Justice should not be a commodity that can be bought or sold. Partiality and bias should not creep into it nor should indifference and apathy arise in dispensing it. No power or influence, greed or fear of any kind should affect justice in any manner. Whoever is blessed with political authority by the Almighty in this world has been blessed so that he may discharge justice. Therefore, this is his primary responsibility. A just ruler will receive a great reward from the Almighty, and an unjust one will be punished grievously [on the Day of Judgement]. Consequently, the verse says that this is an excellent admonition from the Almighty to the believers, who, therefore, must not show slackness in following it. The attributes of the Almighty mentioned at the end of the verse (one who hears and sees all things) caution us that even the most concealed injustice is in His knowledge. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 323)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

These are the main obligations placed on the Muslim community and these sum up its moral code: namely, fulfilment of trust and maintaining justice. The basic and most important trust is that which God has implanted in human nature. This is the one which the heavens, the earth and the mountains refused to accept, but which man undertook. It is that of willingly and deliberately recognising Divine guidance and believing in God. This is the trust that God has given to human beings alone in their very nature. Other creatures have been given faith without the need for any effort on their part. Thus, they recognise their Lord and worship Him without having to make any choice or exerting any special effort. It is man alone who has been given this task to fulfil on the basis of his guiding nature, knowledge, reasoning, will and effort. He will always receive God’s help in that: “As for those who strive hard in Our cause, We shall most certainly guide them to paths that lead to Us; for, indeed, God is with those who do good.” (29: 69)

This is, then, the first trust man has to fulfil. It is that which gives rise to all other trusts which God commands people to fulfil. An important one among these being to give testimony in favour of Islam. This takes the form firstly of striving hard within oneself so that one’s life, feelings, actions and behaviour become a practical translation of faith. Thus, when people praise a believer’s behaviour, values and manners and moral standards, they realise that it is only because he believes in Islam that he is able to attain such high standards.

Another way of giving testimony in favour of Islam is the realisation of just how much more profound and superior Islam is to other human beliefs. With this knowledge, a believer begins to call on people to believe in Islam, explaining its values and principles. It is not sufficient then for a believer to keep his faith to himself. He must fulfil his task of making it known, calling upon others to accept it. That is part of his trust and as such he should discharge it.

Testimony is further given by taking steps to help implement Islam as a code of living for the Muslim community, and in human life in general. To do this, believers should make use of every means available to them both as individuals and as members of that community. Such a practical implementation is the most important trust, second only to accepting the faith itself. No individual and no group are exempt from this trust. The Prophet says: “Jihād” continues until the Day of Resurrection.” Jihād in this sense is a fulfilment of a specific trust.

Another trust which is implied in the above is that of dealing with people and delivering to them whatever they have entrusted to us. That includes honesty in daily transactions, giving honest counsel to rulers and ruled, taking good care of young children, protecting the interests of the community and defending it against hostile forces and observing all duties and obligations outlined by the Divine code. All these are trusts that must be fulfilled.

The order to maintain justice is stated in the most general terms so as to make it obligatory between all people. It does not mean that justice should be confined to Muslims only, or to dealings between them and the followers of earlier Divine religions alone. Justice is due to every individual human being. The requirement to maintain justice only takes into account the fact that people are human beings, and that that alone qualifies them for just treatment. Hence, justice should be extended to all: believers and non-believers, friends and enemies, white and coloured, Arabs and non-Arabs, etc. The Muslim community, whenever it exercises power, is responsible for maintaining justice between them all. In fact, humanity has never experienced such justice except under Islamic rule, when Muslims were the leaders of mankind. Once Muslims lost that leadership, humanity has been unable to experience any similar justice that applies to all people, simply because they are human beings. Such administration of pure and complete justice is the cornerstone of Islamic government, and delivering trusts to their rightful owners is the basic characteristic of life under Islam.

The verse makes it clear that orders both to be true to one’s trust and to maintain justice between people are part of God’s admonition. Good and greatly beneficial indeed is whatever God directs and admonishes us to do. Besides, this is not a mere admonition; it is an order. God only describes it as admonition because that makes it easier to fulfil. Hearts and consciences accept admonition more readily, because its implementation appears to be more of a voluntary nature.

The final comment in the verse attaches the whole matter to fear of God and hope for His reward: “God hears all and sees all.” There is perfect harmony between the duties God imposes on Muslims and the requirements to fulfil trust and maintain justice on the one hand and God’s seeing and hearing everything on the other. God is certain to hear and see all matters related to the fulfilment of trust. Justice, on the other hand, requires good attention, sharp vision and proper evaluation and judgement, as well as taking into account all the relevant factors and circumstances so as to evaluate them properly. Moreover, the order to do both comes from the One who hears and sees all things.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine Guidance and Help.

You may refer to our reference page: Important DOs and Don'ts from Qur'an to read more directives on the subject.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Importance of charity in Islam

You may refer to our reference page: Faith in Allah to read more directives on the subject.

You may refer to our reference page: Believers!! Beware of the Rules of the Divine Court on the Day of Judgement to read more directives on the subject. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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