Surah Al Ma'arij (The Ascending Stairways): Summary of 70th Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrat al-Maʻārij is the seventieth surah with 44 ayats with two rukus, part of the 29th Juzʼ  of the Holy Qur'an. The Surah takes its name from the word "dhil Ma'arij"  in 3rd ayah:

مِّنَ اللّٰهِ ذِى الۡمَعَارِجِؕ

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his Tafsir work Tafhim al-Qur'an writes: “The subject matter bears evidence that this Surah too was sent down in conditions closely resembling those under which Sūrat al-Ḥāqqah, the 69th surah of the Qur'an, was sent down” According to Abdullah Yusuf Ali “Sūrat al-Maʻārij  is another Islamic eschatology surah closely connected in subject matter with the preceding Sūrat al-Ḥāqqah. "Patience and the mystery of Time will show the ways that climb the Heaven. Sin and Goodness must each eventually come to its own," adds Abdullah Yusuf Ali. [Eschatology is a part of theology concerned with the final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. This concept is commonly referred to as the "end of the world" or "end times".]

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a Pakistani theologian, Quran scholar and exegete, also classifies Sūrat al-Maʻārij as a pair with Sūrat al-Ḥāqqah due to similarities of subject matter. He suggests that the primary audience of Sūrat al-Maʻārij is leadership of the Quraysh and adds:

The central theme of Sūrat al-Maʻārij is to warn those among the Quraysh of their fate who are making fun of the consequences of denying the Inzar of the Qur’an about the Day of Judgement and are asking to hasten their advent, and to urge the Prophet (peace be upon him) to persevere in the cause of truth and to tell the unbelievers that Paradise is the reward of all good deeds; a person whose evil deeds outnumber his good ones even if he is from the high ups of the society shall never enter this everlasting kingdom.

The contents of the 1st Ruku [ayahs 1-35] state that the day of judgment will be equal to fifty thousand years and disbelievers will wish to save themselves from the punishment at the expense of their children, wives, brothers and relatives, but it will not happen. 2nd Ruku starts from ayah 36 and continues up till the end of the surah and it states that the Paradise is not for the disbelievers and Disbelievers will have downcast eyes and countenances distorted with shame.

Let us now read explanation of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

The opener of the surah begins with a question, from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the idol worshipers and disbelievers of Makkah:

1) A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen,  

This was not the first time that this question was asked from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the pagans and dispersiveness of Makkah. In fact throughout the Qur'an (specially in surahs revealed in Makkah), this questions had been asked at numerous occasions as can be seen from the following references:

• [Surah Al-Anfal 8:32] - And also recall when they said: 'O Allah! If this indeed be the truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from heaven, or bring upon us a painful chastisement.
• [Surah 21 Al-Anbya, Ayat 38-41] - 38) They say: "(Tell us) when will the threat of punishment come to pass if you are truthful?" 39) If only the unbelievers knew of the Hour when they shall not be able to keep off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs; nor shall they be helped. 40) That will suddenly come upon them and stupefy them. They shall not be able to ward it off, nor shall they be granted any respite. 41) Other Messengers before you were also mocked, but those who scoffed at the Messengers were overtaken by the same scourge that they had scoffed at.
• [Surah An-Naml, 27: 71-72] - 71) They also say: "Tell us when this threat will come to pass, if you are truthful." 72) Say: "The chastisement whose hastening you have been asking for, maybe a part of it has drawn quite near to you."
• [Surah Saba,34: 29-30] - 29) They ask you: “When will this promise (of Resurrection) be fulfilled, if what you say is true?” 30) Say: “Your day is appointed, you can neither hold back its coming by an hour, nor hasten it by an hour.”
• [Surah Ya-Sin, 36: 48-52] - 48) They say: “When will this threat (of Resurrection) come to pass? Tell us if indeed you are truthful.”  49) The Truth is that they are waiting for nothing but a mighty Blast to seize them the while they are disputing (in their worldly affairs), 50) and they will not even be able to make a testament, nor to return to their households. 51) Then the Trumpet shall be blown and lo! they will come out of their graves and be on the move towards their Lord, 52) (nervously) exclaiming. “Alas for us! Who roused us out of our sleeping-place?”48 “This is what the Merciful One had promised, and what (His) Messengers had said was true.”
• [Surah Al-Mulk, 67 24-27] - 25) They say: “If you are truthful, tell us when will this promise (of the Hereafter) be fulfilled?” 26) Say: “Allah alone knows about that; and I am no more than a plain warner.” 27) When they will see it near at hand, the faces of all those who had denied it will be distraught, and then they will be told: “This is the doom which you used to ask for.”

The word ma’arij [الْمَعَارِجِ] used in the third verse is the plural of the word mi’raj and it means “to rise or ascend slowly in stages”.  Dhil ma’arij [ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ] refers to Possessor of Great Heights. This word is used to honor someone of a high rank, and in this context is a praise of Allah. He is the Possessor of Great Heights, the Lofty, the All High and bestows many blessings and graces. The punishment that the unbelievers are so hastening for, it too will descend from Him. When Allah – the Possessor of Great Heights – sends something no can repel or avoid it.

2) To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer.; 3) [It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent, 4) The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. 5) So, (O Prophet), persevere with gracious perseverance. 6) Verily they think that the chastisement is far off, 7) while We think that it is near at hand. 

In verse 4 by "Rooh" or “The Spirit” is meant the Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel), who has been mentioned separately from the angels in order to impress his unique glory and greatness. In Surah Ash-Shuara it has been said: The trustworthy Spirit has come down with this Quran upon your heart, (verse 193), and in Surah Al- Baqarah, say to them: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, should understand that he has, by Allah’s command, revealed upon your heart this Quran. (verse 97). These verses when read together show that Ar-Rooh (the Spirit) implies the Angel Gabriel.

In the verse 6, The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been asked to exhibit a gracious patience: "A kind of patience that behooves a magnanimous person like you." And do not hurry to answer the question of "when" for Allah will one day will show them what the great torment is, and certainly that day is not very far.

And just for the satisfaction of the disbelievers, Allah has painted a picture of the End Day. By ere reading how would be that day, sends shudders throughout one's body of those who believe in Allah. But for those who have their hearts made of stone and are so engrossed in the pleasures of their wordily life, such narrations meant nothing> But they would one day taste the wrath of Allah as so promised:

8) It shall befall on a Day whereon the sky will become like molten brass, 9) and the mountains will become like dyed tufts of wool,  10) and no bosom friend will inquire about any of his bosom friends 11) although they shall be within sight of one another.11 The guilty one would fain ransom himself from the torment of that Day by offering his children, 12) and his spouse and his brother, 13) and his kinsfolk who had stood by him, 14) and all persons of the earth, if only he could thus save himself. 15) By no means! It will be the fierce flame 16) that will strip off the scalp. 17) It shall insistently summon him who turned his back and retreated, 18) and amassed wealth and covetously hoarded it. 19) Verily man is impatient by nature: 20) bewailing when evil befalls him, 21) and tight-fisted when good fortune visits him,

Like always, while cautioning the disbelievers of the wrath of Allah that one day will befall on them, rewards have been promised for those who believed in the message of Allah and sided with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and bore the treacheries of the idol worshipers of Makkah, and believed in the Day of Resurrection and guarded their chastity [They keep their private parts away from that which is forbidden that is adultery as well as from nudity. They only fulfill their desires with their spouses.] and prayed to Allah to be forgiven on that fateful day:

22) Except those that pray, 23) and are constant in their Prayer; 24) and those in whose wealth there is a known right 25) for those that ask and those that are dispossessed, 26) those who firmly believe in the Day of Recompense, 27) and fear the chastisement of their Lord 29) and those who guard their private parts, 30) except in regard to their spouses and those whom their right hands possess, for in regard to them they are not reproachable,

31) but any who seeks to go beyond that, it is indeed they who are the transgressors, 32) and those who fulfill their trusts and their covenants,

33) and those who are upright in their testimonies; 34) and who take due care of their Prayer: 35) all these shall live honourably in the Gardens. 

The verse 36 below refers to those disbelievers who would rush in towards the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) from every side to mock and ridicule him when they heard him preach Islam and recite the Qur'an.

36) [O' Prophet] But what is the matter with the unbelievers who are hurrying towards you  37) in crowds, both on the right and on the left? 38) Does everyone of them wish to enter the Garden of Bliss? 

It is clearly stated above that Paradise is only for those righteous people whose characteristics have just been described in verses 22-30 above, Now, can these people who are not at all inclined to listen to the truth and who are rushing in towards the Prophet in order to suppress every invitation to the truth, be candidates for Paradise? Has Allah  prepared His Paradise only for such people as they? Here, one should also keep in view verses 34-41 of Surah AI-Qalam in which an answer has been given to this saying of the disbelievers of Makkah: "Even if there is any life after death, we shall have good time there too, as we are having in the world, and the torment would befall Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) and his followers and not us."

39) By no means! They know that which We have created them from. 

As for the substance these people have been created from, all men are equal. For if the substance itself be the cause of man’s entry into Paradise, then the good and the bad, the wicked and the just, the guilty and the innocent, all should go to Paradise. But a little common sense is enough to decide that man’s qualifications for Paradise are created not on the basis of the substance of his creation but only on the basis of his merit and excellence.

In verse 40 below,  Allah has sworn an oath by Himself. The words Easts and Wests have been used because the sun rises and sets at a new angle every day during the year, and goes on rising and setting successively at different times around the globe. Thus considered the Easts and the Wests are not one but many. From another point of view as against the north and the south there is a direction of east and a direction of west.

40) I swear by the Lord of the easts and the wests that We have the power

41) to replace them by others who would be better than they; and We shall certainly not be overpowered.

The 41 verse thus means: As We are Owners of the Easts and Wests, the whole earth is under Our control and power, and you have no power to escape Our punishment: We can destroy you as and when We like and can create another people that may be better than you.

42) So leave them to engage in vain talk and to amuse themselves until they come face to face with the Day which they are promised, 43) the Day on which they will hastily come forth from their graves, as though they were hurrying on to the altars of their deities. 44) Their eyes will be downcast and disgrace will overwhelm them. Such is the Day that they were promised.

And then, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been consoled, so as to say: "Do not take to heart their mockery and jesting; leave them to indulge in their idle talk and foolish conduct if they are bent upon experiencing the disgrace and humiliation of the Resurrection; they will themselves see their evil end."

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Maʻārij with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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The Long and Winding Road (for Reverts)

Taking one's ultimate decision to accept Islam is just the tip of the iceberg for after taking one's shahada one is to travel a very long and winding road to keep one's newly acquired faith. In fact the life before taking the decision of reversion is very exciting as one has not tasted yet the tests and difficulties one would have to embrace and encounter after entering one's new faith. I have been reading many personal accounts of the those who reverted to Islam and found that their initial few years have been very tiring for suddenly the entire perception of life changes: From a carefree life lived for many years without following any rules, one suddenly finds himself bound in the rules of modest life, far from fanfares and sparking lights.

Thus I thought to write a few hazards of life after Shahada which if not braved with determination and resilience may leave one clueless and demoralize. And this is the stage when some lose heart and give in to the pressure from those near and dear ones of the older faith to fall back, yet again.

So before one takes one's ultimate decision to embrace Islam, one has to be prepared for the long and winding road that lays ahead and how to finally find the straight path to the truth. Reading one's account of reversion, I came to know a struggle and understanding Islam for almost ten long years before one took the decision to change faith. So one should not hurry up in changing one's faith of birth or thereafter to Islam as an emotional outburst - rather it should be a very cool and calculated decision weighing pros and cons of reversion and seeking answers to all question which a non Muslim can have, like the concept of Trinity, Original Sin and Baptism, and crucification of the Prophet Eesa, the Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. .

Now once the shahada has been taken, the life full of tests begins for which one should be adequately prepared by interacting with those who have been blessed with this reversion earlier. Herein under I append a few hurdles and tests along the winding road that one would immediately, which though would grow lesser and lesser as time goes by, but new tests creep in for which one should be mentally ready. 

• The first test is that of Loneliness. No sooner the news is broken, there is a sudden pull back of all near and dear ones, specially friends of decades, for obviously no one is prepared for a sudden outburst of shock wave that follow after the revelation of one's decision. Remember this the first test to ascertain your steadfastness and be assured that "No one is tested beyond their capability." If one has read the Muslim history before reversion, one would find how families were separated, sons from fathers and how the newly reverted were cornered and even tortured. But they all stood the test of time and were at last victorious. In once case one reverted lamented that before she took shahada, there were many Muslims around her or even attending her shahada taking ceremony. But soon after that the crowd went away for they had their jobs and families to attend to. Well that is obvious - everyone was trying to show here the path to the truth and when it was taken, it was a solo move forward. But I am sure one can always bank on the support of a few friends to move on.
• The Fallout on Parents is rather strong. Those who have reverted feel bad when their parents are being questioned by their relatives as to what weakness or shortcomings they had accrued in the bringing up of their children that resulted into leaving their faith of birth. Many feel responsible for the plight of their parents and a scene of remorse prevails on them which is sometimes very demoralizing.
• Losing Relations is most painful. In many personal accounts, I find such lamentations. In one case the reverted sister was robbed of her children and the judge at the court gave her two options: Come back to your faith you have left or lose your children. And I salute that sister who stood to her ground and gave away her children to her husband with a bleeding heart. It was after many years that Allah rewarded her for her steadfastness and not only her husband but children too embraced Islam and the family was reunited.
• Facing Intense Islamophobia is interestedly painful. One is followed, abused and even threatened and attacked by people who were their very own. Many people often take the reverted Muslims as radicals and jihadis. Though it is just a few who become radical for they may have had reverted by a group of extremists Muslims. 
• Losing jobs is one of the many threats that one faces, specially females because of their adherence to wearing khimar or the most commonly known hijab. One may have to find ways and means to adjust one's new attire in an environment where it is generally accepted but detested by some. One has to be very cool about it and may have to wade one's through with utmost care.
• Confronting many brands of Islam may surprise you. While one may me interacting with a select group before embracing Islam, one would come across many brands of Islam when one is in it. This should not distract you. In fact one should concentrate on the basics without going into too many details for there are always different interpretations of the same verse of Qur'an or Hadith. I for myself, though being a Muslim by birth, have never aliened myself to any brands. Become a practical Muslim and concentrate on basics that can take you through for many initial years. Of course by reading and differentiating between these brands by logic and discussions, one may adopt one particular brand. But ask me, it is not must at all.
• Changing names? Well one should not be in a hurry to adopt a Muslim name, which are mostly in Arabic, for Arabic is the language of Qur'an. But one must understand that name gives one's identity as a Muslim - so take time and may decide at your convenience when to to do it for a non Muslim name may be misleading at certain places which may embarrass a host or even yourself.

I could go on for list is very long and many sites can offer more details on the subject. Just remember that Islam is a  beautiful and wonderful way of life for it has been set forth for us by none other than Allah. So from day one must try to adopt a life which is according to the dictates of Islam. and remember, radicalism is certainly not what Islam teaches us or becoming out rightly emotional and volatile to defend one's decision. It is with love and patience that families of many reverts have come back to them and live happily despite following different faiths now. In some case whole families have followed suit and embraced Islam too.

So from now on you are a practical living ambassador of Islam.  Who else other than you can know the difference between two faiths and how to invite others to Islam. Wish you very best of luck to Islam and fear not of the winding road full of turns and bumps, for faith in Allah will lead you to the straight path - the path to ultimate truth, happiness and blessing. In Sha Allah (God Willing) !!

To read personal accounts of many a celebrity who have reverted to Islam, please visit our page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences.

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

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

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

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99 Attributes of Allah: Al Awwal, Al Akhir, Az Zahir and Al Batin (The First, The Last, The Outward and The Inward)

While praising Allah, for He is the best to be praised, the two attributes that describe Allah are The First and The Last, for no one is before Him and no one will be ever after Him. He is since eternity and will remain forever. This is how Allah describes Himself in Surah Al Hadid:

He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing. [Surah Al-Hadid 57:3]

Al-Awwal (الأول) The First and Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last thus mean The One whose Existence is without a beginning, and The One whose Existence is without an end. That is Allah precedes all things; He has no beginning.  He abides after all things without ever coming to an end. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said, addressing God in supplication: "You are the First, so nothing precedes You.  You are the Last, so nothing comes after You. 

In Surah Al Qasas Chapter 28:88, Allah says: "And do not invoke with Allah another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgment, and to Him you will be returned."

In Surah Ar Rahman, verses 26-27 Allah says: "Everyone upon the earth will perish, And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor." 

Allah is the First who is not preceded by anything else.  Though our imaginations cannot grasp this idea of something that is not preceded by something else, our hearts and minds easily accept it.  Likewise, God is the Last, whose existence persists without end. Thus Allah is timeless and eternal, without beginning or end.  By contrast, all created things have a beginning and end.

The above verse from Surah Al Hadid also include two more attributes of Allah: Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest One or The Ascendant or The All Ouward - Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden One or The Intimate or The All Inward:

Az Zahir  and Al Batin, The outward and inward are two dimensions of a unity. The outward is the manifestation of the inward in the corporeal realm, and the inward is the inner dimension of the outward. If the "All-Hidden Treasure," which is inward, had not manifested Itself, It could not have been known, nor would all those dazzling beauties throughout the universe have been observed, nor could the meanings in the horizon of the Name the All-Inward have been read. The Treasure of the inward has breathed itself out through the outward, which has consequently become an ornate envelope for the inward. [2]

“He is az-Zahir, who is felt through anything and He is al-Batin, who is not known through anything.” (Hak Dini Kur’an Dili) Every being created in this universe has an “antecedent”, because every creature was created afterwards. And every being has a “consequent”, because every being is mortal. Then, when everything that happened before and that will happen afterwards are considered together, we see that this world is knitted up with the manifestations of both of those names. [3]

Thus summing up these four attributes of Allah we need to understand that: The One Who is the First and the Last is also the All-Outward, Whose existence is more manifest than the existence of everything else and Who causes the hearts and spirits of all existent things and/or beings to be aware of all His Attributes, while all these existent things and beings indicate themselves only to the extent of their bodily existence; and He is the All-Inward, Who cannot be comprehended because of His Honor and Grandeur and the intensity of His manifestation. 

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allah" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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

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

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A beautiful short message for Parents

Most of the parents are always worried about adequate sleep of their school going children and urge them to go to bed early so that they get up fresh and are not late for the school. This is because of the fact that we are more worried about the school education of our children while totally disregarding their spiritual education and training.

While surfing messages and posts on Twitter today, I came across a beautiful short but mind boggling message. It hit me so deeply that I thought of sharing it with my brother and sisters for it may invoke a new direction in their thinking, specially if they are a parents and have school going children.

The message read:

اپنے بچو کو یہ کہہ کر نہ سُلاٶ کہ بیٹاسو جاٶ کل سکول جانا ہے

 اس طرح ان میں دنیا کی طرف رغبت اور محبت زیادہ ہوگی

 بلکہ انھیں یہ کہہ کر سلاٶ کہ بیٹا سو جاٶ فجر بھی پڑھنی ہے

 اس سے دین سے محبت پیدا ہوگی۔

 الفاظ بدلو سوچ بدلے گی۔

For those who do not understand Urdu text / language, here is the English translation of this beautiful message:

"Do not ask your children to go to bed early for they have to go to school in the morning, for it would invoke in them the love for the world"

Instead tell them that they should go to the bed early for they have to offer the Fajr prayer early in the morning - this will invoke in them love for Deen and Islam"

Change your approach - it will affect a change in the perception of your children.

A simple message that may change the thinking of your children and would regulate their timings to offer prayers in time side by side going to the school in time and finishing home work early to hit the bed to get up early to offer Fajar prayers. Please ponder over it.

Photo | References: | @EParray  |

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

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

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Islamophobia and how to counter it

Islam is the fastest growing religion of the world and many ‘fear’ that a day may come that the total number Muslims may surpass the total number of majority Christian religion in many countries. This a fear is made to take its roots among the Christians that Islam is a threat and so stems the notion “Islamophobia,” which has now a root cause of religious intolerance because f which radical and anti-Islam groups are getting popular both overtly and covertly to “check” Islam from growing. 

In fact religious intolerance is gaining momentum in many countries to an extent that even the Jews have started to feel that their greater danger is not from the Muslims, but from the Christian white supremacy. Thus this religious intolerance which is gaining momentum the world over is creating a phobia which may not be as real or big as is being projected in media. A recent “terror’ attack in Melbourne Australia made Australia media crying Terror Islam.  And when many such attacks are made by white Christians, specially in the USA where it has almost become a norm, no one labels the white Christians as terrorist. In fact after each such white Christian attack, there always is a statement that the attacker had mental problems, was depressed or under the effect of some unimaginable disease.

In Britain, slapping, spitting and pushing of Muslims and subjecting them to terrifying racist attacks, specially females, is a routine to an extent that media takes no note of it. But even if one Muslim retaliates in self defence, the entire media becomes hysterical that the Muslim was in fact radical, just waiting for an excuse to burst out.

The anti-Muslim sentiments erupted in early 70s and then on to an extent that in a report by the Runnymede Trust's Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia (CBMI) entitled Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All (1997)  which concluded that the "anti-Muslim prejudice had grown so considerably and so rapidly in recent years that a new item in the vocabulary was needed." And thus to the satisfaction of everyone and to round up the Muslims everywhere they could be found to be under the pretext of Islamophobia. 

And thus the use of the term Islamophobia has become common to express "dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force." But this is not the end as there many more terms used to express the same effects like anti-Muslimism, intolerance against Muslims, anti-Muslim prejudice, anti-Muslim bigotry, hatred of Muslims, anti-Islamism, Muslimophobia, demonization of Islam, or demonization of Muslims.

The intensity of Islamophobia have recently gained momentum, specially after the September 11 attacks in the USA, the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and multiple terror attacks in Europe. Some even associate the rising fears due to increased presence of Muslims in the United States and in the European Union.

Now we all know and even the majority rationale thinkers know that the 9/11 attacks were engineered to find an excuse for the USA to move out and attack stable Muslim countries of Iraq and Libya and create such a chaos that for years altogether the presence of US and its allies' forces remain in the Middle East to ensure "peace and stability of the region" they themselves destabilized, and to expand their scope of operations further in the region. And now we see the clear manifestation of this agenda as Yemen and Syria are under a constant state of war and which has also allowed the other stake holders like Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to settle their own scores and gains. 

The creation of ISIS to many is part of the manifestation which played a great role in projecting 'barbaric Islam' beheading Christians and even Muslims to instill fear of Islamophobia. When one sees videos of people being beheaded, this really scare them and thus an intrinsic hatred has been developed and whenever any radical Muslim takes a solitary action, this validates their game plan to tarnish the image of Islam, and allow the US and its allies stay in troubled region. 

Now how can we counter the effects of Islamophobia and help constitution of an atmosphere which is free from radicalization and allows non Muslims to feel at ease when in company of Muslims. To my mind here are some of the approach lines:

• First and foremost reaction to islamophobia should be humility, yet steadfastness in the face of toughest of opposition and hostility. We should not forget how our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was subject to horrible insults and hate crimes in his lifetime. He remained steadfast, patient and tolerant in the face of toughest of the opposition. Even when people of Taif stoned him and Angel Gabriel wanted a nod from the Prophet to destroy the entire community, the bleeding Prophet did not opt for the extreme action, for He was confidant that one day his opponents would understand the truth He was spreading. And so did it happen, and world witnessed it. So let us be prepared for the worst and with our steadfastness and conviction persuade those on the opposing end that Islam is a religion of peace and we as Muslims would never support any act of terror for it goes against our very basic ethos.
• All Muslims are not terrorists - but some terrorists are Muslims. This actually is the main thrust line we should discuss whenever we are confronting a hostile crowd. After all the young men killing own countrymen, specially in USA, does not mean that all Americans are lunatics or mentally sick.So why for the action of few radicals the who Muslim community or the religion of Islam be blamed.
• There is a misinformation being spread that Islam is a violent religion which encourages killing. This is simply outrageous. In fact Islam teaches that 'Whosoever kills a person ... it shall be as if he has killed all mankind.' So how can Islam promote terrorism and allow killing of the innocents.
• While islamophobia seems to be dominant anti Muslim sentiment, it may be noted that a very meager percentage of general public supports the notion. So we must find like minded people from other side of the fence and launch campaigns to show our unity with the society and dissociation with any acts of violence involving Muslims.
• We must stress that the hate game of religions, faith and races are one and the the same thing. The purpose behind each move is to disturb peace for the ulterior motives of a very minority. The United We Stand slogan to combat all acts of racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia must be professed and actively pursued.
• In fact we should use islamophobia same as antisemitism is used to hit back at the Jews. We Muslims too are sufferers of islamophobia the same way Jews are or for that matter people of any faith or region.
• We mus allow interfaith gatherings by opening our doors to people of other faiths so that they see for themselves how peaceful we profess our religion. In some countries, Muslims invite people of other faiths to join in on their religious days like Eid for inculcating and fostering love and understanding of each other.
• While doing so, we should also be on the look out for the hate preachers in our mosques and community centers and root them out before they pollute young innocent minds and instigate them for the fulfillment of their ulterior motives. 
• We must involve our local counselors and people who matter in community that they should support their Muslim community in fight against islamophobia. By involving them, we will have a better voice to be heard and understood appropriately.
• And last but not the least of course is to dispel the notion of Jihad. A least understood Islamic term, Jihad cannot be waged without the proclamation of the head of an Islamic country. ISIS and groups like these do not have moral and religious authority to kill people on the pretext of Jihad.  Remember, "The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible. The struggle to build a good Muslim society." And we should let others to understand this very clearly. It has become a fashion to think of war mongering no sooner the word jihad is heard. Anyone who is using jihad for own designs should be discouraged with firm hand so that he does not bring bad name to the community and religion as a whole.

All is not bad it seems. In a recent report, Muslim Advocates found 80 instances of 'clear anti-Muslim rhetoric' employed by political candidates in 2017 and 2018. And it is claimed that Anti-Muslim campaigning in the US is a 'losing strategy'.

So let us start right from this do on to fight the notion of islamophobia and present to the world a model that has been enshrined in the Holy Qur'an and as practically exhibited by our noble and revered Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the World. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Women Mentioned in the Holy Quran: Queen Sheba and the Prophet Solomon

Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon, peace be upon him) was one of the greatest kings and prophet of Allah who has been mentioned in all holy scriptures including the Holy Qur'an. He, despite being a very powerful king, has been very humble and feared Allah more than anyone else of his times. Beside many bounties, Allah had also blessed him the ability to understand the speech of animals, birds and insects even the ants. He also ruled over the unseen jinns and the human beings. 

There are many stories attributed to him, which we shall share in time, but in this post we share his ability to understand the birds and command the jinns as we describe the story of a powerful woman queen who ruled people of Sheba.

The Prophet Sulaiman held his meeting with all men, jinns, animals and birds every day. It so happened that one day he found that a hoopoe was missing. and from here on the verses 20-44 of Surah An Naml, the 27th surah / chapter of the Holy Qur'an narrates the entire story of how the Prophet Sulaiman came to know of the Queen of Sheba. However, it may be noted that in the Qur'an the name used is Saba, but we use name Sheba as it is known in other scriptures:

20. And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?21. I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."22. But the hoopoe stayed not long and said, "I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Saba with certain news.23. Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.24. I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,25. [And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare -26. Allah; there is no God save Him, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne. 27. (Solomon) said: We shall see whether thou speaketh truth or whether thou art of the liars.28. Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what (answer) they return,

Prophet Sulaiman was a deeply religious man and was distressed that a whole people should be lost in worshiping the sun, rather than the One God who created it. Thus he sent a message to the Queen, inviting her and her people to worship Allah.

When the Queen received the letter from the all powerful King, she assembled her assembly of chieftains for consultation:

29. (The Queen of Sheba) said (when she received the letter): O chieftains! Lo! there hath been thrown unto me a noble letter.30. Lo! it is from Solomon, and lo! it is: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful;31. Exalt not yourselves against me, but come unto me as those who surrender.32. She said: O chieftains! Pronounce for me in my case. I decide no case till ye are present with me.33. They said: We are lords of might and lords of great prowess, but it is for thee to command; so consider what thou wilt command.34. She said: Lo! kings, when they enter a township, ruin it and make the honour of its people shame. Thus will they do.35. But lo! I am going to send a present unto them, and to see with what (answer) the messengers return.36. So when they came to Solomon, he said, "Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.

This verse is worth noticing  for one would find the difference between the answer of an all powerful king and a humble servant and God fearing prophet. In fact the reply is not meant to express pride and vanity. What it means to say is this: “I have no desire for your wealth; I only desire that you should believe, or at least submit to a righteous system. If you agree to neither of these alternatives, it is not possible for me to accept the bribes of wealth and leave you free in the matter of a polytheistic and wicked system of life. What my Lord has given me is enough for me to cherish any desire for your wealth.

37. Return unto them. We verily shall come unto them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from thence with shame, and they will be abased.

Thus the reply is plainly clear: “O messengers, take these gift back to the people who have sent you. They will either have to yield to our first proposal, i.e. they should come before us as Muslims, or we shall bring forces against them.”

The details of the story that have been omitted are to the effect. The envoys returned to the queen with the gift and made a report of what they had seen and heard. The queen decided on the basis of what she heard about the Prophet Sulaiman to make a visit to Jerusalem to see him personally. She left Saba for Palestine accompanied by her royal entourage and sent a message to Solomon’s court that she was coming to personally hear the invitation from the king and to have a direct talk with him. Here, the story is resumed from the time when the queen had reached near Jerusalem and was going to appear before Solomon (peace be upon him) in a day or two.

And when the queen accepted the invitation to come to his court, Prophet Sulaiman summoned one of his jinns to bring the queen;s throne before she reaches her court to show her his might:

38. He said: O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me, surrendering ?39. A stalwart of the jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work.40. One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee. And when he saw it set in his presence, (Solomon) said: This is of the bounty of my Lord, that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for (the good of) his own soul; and whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul's hurt). For lo! my Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful.

In the verse 40 above,  nothing is known with certainty as to who this person was, what special knowledge he had and what book is referred to here, the knowledge of which he had. No explanation of these things has been given either in the Quran or in any authentic Hadith. Some of the commentators say that it was an angel, others say that it was a man.  In any case the person was not from among the jinns, and possibly he was a man. He possessed some extraordinary knowledge, which had been derived from some Divine Book. The jinn had claimed to fetch the throne within a few hours by means of his physical strength; this man fetched it in a moment by the power of his knowledge. The words of the Quran are very clear in this regard. This person’s claim did not remain a claim like the jinn’s, but, in fact, as soon as he made the claim the throne was seen placed before the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) the next moment.

41. He said: Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will go aright or be of those not rightly guided.42. So, when she came, it was said (unto her): Is thy throne like this ? She said: (It is) as though it were the very one. And (Solomon said): We were given the knowledge before her and we had surrendered (to Allah).

This verse 43 below has been added by Allah to clarity the queen’s position, saying that she was not obdurate and stubborn. She had been an unbeliever till then mainly because she came of an unbelieving people. As she had become accustomed to bowing down before a false deity since her childhood, it had become a hindrance for her to the right way. As soon as she came in contact with the Prophet Sulaiman, she discerned the right way and the hindrance was removed forthwith.

43. What prevented her (from accepting the True Faith) was her worshiping deities other than Allah, for she belonged to an unbelieving people.

When the queen was asked to enter the palace, she tucked up her skirts, because she thought she had to pass through a pool of water. Prophet Sulaiman, not wishing to humiliate the queen, informed her that what she had mistaken for water was actually smooth slabs of glass which paved the courtyard.

44. It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass. She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

This was the last thing, as explained in verse 44 above, that opened queen’s eyes:

• The first thing was Prophet Sulaiman’s letter that began with the name of the All-Compassionate, the All- Merciful Allah, a way different front the common custom prevalent among the kings. 
• The second was his rejection of her gifts, which made the queen understand that he was a different kind of king. 
• The third was the report made by the queen’s envoys from which she came to know about Solomon's pious life, his wisdom and his message of the truth. This very thing had induced her to travel to Jerusalem to personally meet the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), and to this she had referred when she said: “and we had surrendered (to Allah)”. 
• The fourth thing was the removal of her throne from Marib to Jerusalem in no time, from which the queen realized that he had Allah’s power with him. Now this was the last thing that removed every doubt from her mind regarding the unique and great personality of the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him). 

When she saw that in spite of possessing every means of comfort and ease and a grand palace for a dwelling, he was so free from every conceit, so God-fearing and righteous and so grateful to God that he bowed before Him for every small favor and his life was so different from the life of those who were enamored of the world, she exclaimed the words "My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."

This story of the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) and the queen of Sheba has been related in the Old and the New Testaments and the Israelite traditions in different ways, but the Quranic narration differs from all others. A resume of the story as given in the Old Testament [please read details in E.N. 50 at reference 1 given below]

The story mentioned in the Holy Qur'an thus teaches us that submitting to Allah is richer than silver or gold, and better than splendor or wealth. And this exactly what Prophet Sulaiman had in his mind when he decided to invite the Queen and her people to worship none other than one omnipotent Allah rather than the sun they worshiped.

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Surah At Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain): Summary of 64th Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrat at-Taghābun is part of the 28th Juz' / Part of the Holy Qur'an with 18 verses and 2 rukuh. And of the five agreed upon surahs that fall under the category of Al-Musabbihat (The Praisers, which are the surahs that declare Allah’s perfection) is the last surah. It  takes its name from the sentence Dhalika yaum-ut taghabun of verse 9. The theme of this Surah is an invitation to the Faith, obedience (to Allah) and the teaching of good morals.

The surah can be divided into three clear segments: First in which all men are addressed, Second in which Disbelievers are dealt with and the Third part which talks of people who listens to Allah's Divine call and believe in Him. Let us now read explanation of the Surah segmented into these three portions:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

The first four verses are addressed to all men, telling them that Allah alone is their Creator, Master, Ruler, and He has not made this universe without purpose and wisdom, that man has not been created and left irresponsible, so that he may act as he may please, and there should be nobody to call him to account, and that the Ruler of this universe is not a care-free and ignorant king so that he may have no knowledge of what is happening in his kingdom:

1. Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. His is the dominion, and to Him belong all the praises and thanks, and He is Able to do all things.
2. He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do.
3. He has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and He shaped you and made good your shapes, and to Him is the final Return.
4. He knows what is in the heavens and on earth, and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal. And Allah is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts (of men).

The verses 5-10 are addressed to those men, who do not believe in the invitation of the Qur'an. Right from the outset, the disbelievers have been asked that haven't they received the news of those, earlier than therm, who declined the Divine calling?  And it is made amply clear that the evil they tasted in the world in consequence of their misdeeds was neither the real punishment of their crimes nor the full punishment since a day is yet to come when everyone will taste the reward or otherwise of one's deeds. And that in historical events there is a sign which will show conclusively to the one who considers this deeply that the torment of the Hereafter is inevitable, as warned by the Messengers. One can also judge from this how terrible it will be. This knowledge will fill one with such fear that will keep him on the straight way:

5. Has not the news reached you of those who disbelieved afore time? And so they tasted the evil result of their disbelief, and theirs will be a painful torment.6. That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs (signs), but they said: "Shall mere men guide us?" So they disbelieved and turned away (from the truth), and Allah was not in need (of them). And Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise.7. The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say (O Muhammad ): "Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allah.8. Therefore, believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ), and in the Light (this Qur'an) which We have sent down. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.9. (And remember) the Day when He will gather you (all) on the Day of Gathering, that will be the Day (to determine) mutual loss and gain (i.e. loss for the disbelievers as they will enter the Hell-fire and gain for the believers as they will enter Paradise). And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will remit from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever, that will be the great success.10. But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination.

From verses 11-18 onward, the discourse now turns to the believers. While reading this this last portion of the surah, one should keep in mind the fact that at the time when these verses were revealed. Muslims were passing through great hardships. After years of persecution at Makkah they had left their homes and emigrated to Madinah, where the sincere Muslims who had given them refuge had been doubly burdened, who have now been promised to gain double of what they have loaned to Allah by helping their brethren:

11. No misfortune ever befalls unless it be by Allah's leave. And whosoever has faith in Allah, Allah directs his heart along the Right Path. Allah has knowledge of everything.12.  Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ), but if you turn away, then the duty of Our Messenger is only to convey (the Message) clearly.
13. Allah there is no god but He; in Allah should the believers put all their trust.14. O you who believe! Verily, among your wives and your children there are enemies for you (i.e. may stop you from the obedience of Allah), therefore beware of them! But if you pardon (them) and overlook, and forgive (their faults), then verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
15. Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise).
16. So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey; and spend in charity, that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.
17. If you lend to Allah a goodly loan (i.e. spend in Allah's Cause) He will double it for you, and will forgive you. And Allah is Most Ready to appreciate and to reward, Most Forbearing,
18. All-Knower of the unseen and seen, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat at-Taghābun with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | Al-Musabbihat |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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

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