Bane of Same Sex Relations and Condemnation in Islam

There were times when human relations were based on respect and honour and as per dictates of one's faith. Men and women go t married, raised children and lived a happy and contended family lives. But then the relations started to get polluted and men and women started to get fed up of each and started to find alternative means to live their lives and the bane of same sex relations merged. People became so obsessed with the this new 'innovative' form of relations that many a Western countries bowed to the demands of these people and legalized their relation. Today many countries have allowed same sex marriages legal to allow personal freedom of the individuals, no matter how detestable idea this may have been.

Like all major Divine relations, Islam too strictly condemns these relations and stresses on marriages of man and woman as has been the norm right from Adam and Eve and thereafter.  The mention of people of Lot in the Holy Quran and the wrath of Allah that befell on them should be an eye opener for all the proponents of same sex relations. 

it is very interesting that same sex supporters who have never consulted or read the Holy Qur'an of the Muslims, try to justify their relations and instead of seeking guidance and interpreting the fate of the people of the Lot, question Qur'an for not laying 'clearcut and specific commandments condemning homosexuality. In One of the site of the Gay supporters, I cam across the following question posed to the Muslims and the Qur'an:

If sex between two men is sinful, why doesn't the Qur'an simply say so? It was very clear and very specific about a great many things. Why couldn't the Qur'an - and the Bible, for that matter - be just as clear and specific about homosexuality? Reason would suggest that if 5% of the given population (the estimated number of homosexuals) is going to be condemned then clear and convincing reasons for doing so must be given.[1]

This very interesting. Qur'an is a Dive book to show the righteous path lest people get astray. It is not a pornographic book to explicitly quote what is right and what is wrong or sin. The reference given given are amply clear and if despite the mention of the bad habits of the people of the Lot and the wrath of Allah that befell on them, someone cannot find the right answers, then he himself calls for the Divine anger and be condemned.

Now let me quote verses from various chapters of the Holy Qur'an where it has been explicitly mentioned that same sex relations are not allowed in Islam:

"Do you approach males among the worlds. And leave what your Lord has created for you as mates? But you are a people transgressing." They said, "If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be of those evicted." He said, "Indeed, I am, toward your deed, of those who detest [it]." [Surah Ash-Shu'ara, Chapter 26:165-168]

And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Do you commit immorality while you are seeing? Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly." [Surah An Namal, Chapter 27:54-55]

And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Indeed, you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds. Indeed, you approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every] evil." And the answer of his people was not but they said, "Bring us the punishment of Allah, if you should be of the truthful." He said, "My Lord, support me against the corrupting people." And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, "Indeed, we will destroy the people of that Lot's city. Indeed, its people have been wrongdoers." [Surah Al-Ankaboot, Chapter 29:28-31] 

The above verses from various chapters of the Holy Qur'an amply clarify the evil in the people of Lot and their lust for men rather than women. And when Prophet Lut (Lot, peace be upon him) forewarned them of the Divine wrath, they mocked him and told him to bring whatever he threatens them of off. And then the wrath of Allah came, and all of the Lot family except Lot's wife, who was an informer, were saved and the evil desired people tasted the most horrible death as was predicted by Prophet Lot:

By your life, [O Muhammad], indeed they [people of Lot] were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly. So the shriek seized them at sunrise. And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay. Indeed in that are signs for those who discern. [Surah Al-Hijr, Chapter 15:72-75]

The above verses are for those who have a desire to seek a righteous path and not for those who continue to commit sin despite the Divine commandments and get astray.

It is yet interesting to note that the site from which I shared an excerpt earlier, comes up with yet another misleading remarks about Muslims:[1]

The majority of Muslims refuse to consider the possibility that this story could be anything other than a condemnation of homosexuality .They do so from the belief that the Qur'an - and each and every word contained within it - is absolutely and literally true, spoken by Allah and conveyed through the Prophet Muhammad, and as such, is unalterable, completely clear and precise and not subject to any interpretation or debate. These are claims made by fundamentalist Christians concerning the Bible, and like such claims, they lead to a host of problems.

The above remarks show the resilience the proponents of same sex relations show despite clear messages conveyed through Divine commandments to refrain from same sex relations. And at another place, it is said that about 40% Muslims living in the USA approve of the same sex marriages. Muslims who are true Muslims and have read the Qur'an with translation and understood its meaning with special reference to the context would never subscribe to such an evil and absurd idea. 

It may be worthwhile to mention that the even intimate relations between husband and wife do not allow anal intercourse:

"Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad)" [Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter 2:223]  

The above verse clearly clarifies that a man must consider his wife as his tilth and restrict his relations to vaginal intercourse as by doing this one can expect one's harvest, that is children. Quite naturally anal sex does not yield such output. Most Muslim scholars have interpreted the very word "cultivate" unanimously as impregnating the wife or nurturing wife as though a farmer cultivates a piece of land, but not as a means of performing forbidden practices. Thus Islam always calls fro clean and sacred relations of matrimony between husband and wife only and NOT between man and man or woman and woman. 

Some supporting same sex relations quote Lebanon, a Muslim country, which supports the LGBT rights and even accommodated the holding of the gay week. The wave liberalism that is finding its way in the Islamic countries is oft quoted for "Islamic scholar rethinking of interpretation of Qur'an on strict view about same sex relations." No matter what a small group people in Islamic countries do, ruling by majority scholar remain unanimous. Recently there was a news of two Muslims opting for same sex marriage and it received wide circulation. Anyone can go astray even he or she is a Muslim. But a few odd examples do not mean that Islam has allowed such act. A forbidden act remains forbidden, no matter how it is interpreted by liberals for their ease.

Here I would like quote Sola Resna, who sums the issue in a very convincing and understandable way: [3]

The Muslim should not doubt, even for an instant, that what Allah has prescribed is wise. He should know that there is great wisdom in what Allah has commanded and what He has forbidden; it is the straight path and is the only way in which man can be safe and at peace, protecting his honour, his mind and his health, in accordance with the natural disposition (fitrah) with which Allah has created man.

They (gays and lesbians) both go against the natural disposition (fitrah) which Allah has created in mankind – and also in animals – whereby the male is inclined towards the female, and vice versa. Whoever goes against that goes against the natural disposition of mankind, the fitrah.

The spread of homosexuality has caused man diseases which neither the east nor the west can deny exist because of them. Even if the only result of this perversion was AIDS – which attacks the immune system in humans – that would be enough. It also causes the breakup of the family and leads people to give up their work and study because they are preoccupied with these perversions.

May Allah guide us to refrain from adding innovations in the sacred relation of man and woman and make us mindful of the fact that there are no intimate relations between man and woman outside marriage for it is the worst of crimes after declaring someone equal to one Monotheist Allah.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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Repentance - Astaghfar

Man has been made to err and it is the Divine blessing that forgives an erred man as if nothing bad has ever taken place. Though it looks so simple on the face of it, it isn't for everyone neither repents nor asks for forgiveness from one's heart. 

Repentance in Arabic is called "Astaghfar" - asking forgiveness of one's bad deeds, sins "Directly from ALLAH," with a solemn pledge NOT to repeat the sin or foul thing one has committed. For it is no one other than Allah, the creator of this universe, who has the sole authority and divine power to forgive someone earnestly ashamed of one's sins and misdeeds and seeking Allah's forgiveness, for it is Allah alone who on Day of Judgement would decide the ultimate fate of a man either to dwell happily in the gardens of paradise or burn in pain everyday in the blazing fire of hell.

Scroll down for a video that explains how one can know if his repentance / Tawba has been accepted.

Allah promises the believers that those who wholeheartedly confess and sincerely repent, would be forgiven:

“But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then verily, Allah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surah al-Maa’idah 5:39]  

The first act of sin ever committed by Prophet Adam and his wife Hawwa (Eve), when they enticed by condemned Satan ate the fruit of the tree they had been forbidden to go near by Allah. When they both realized what had they done, they repented earnestly and begged to forgiven for the sin they had committed. And Allah did forgive them:

“Then they both ate of that tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering.  Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray.  Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance.” (Quran 20:121-122)

Even when Prophet Younis (peace be upon him) abandoned his people in disgust and boarded a ship which ran into to rough seas and he was thrown off board as a means to please angry gods, he had to repeatedly plead guilty when swallowed by a big fish and repented: “Oh my Lord! I have made a place of prayer where nobody else has even worshiped you.” [Surah Al-Anbya]. Thus Allah accepted his Tawba and the fish came ashore and vomited him out alive and unhurt. “So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness.)” (Surah Al-Anbya 21:88) 

Thus we see all those who repented and begged for forgiveness, Allah did forgave them. In Surah Az-Zumar [39:53] Allah says: Tell them, (O Prophet): “My servants who have committed excesses against themselves, do not despair of Allah's Mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

In the Book of Hadeeth [Muslim], Al-Agharr ibn Yasar al-Muzani is quoted has been saying that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last Messenger of Allah said: “O people! Turn in repentance towards Allah and ask His forgiveness. I turn towards Him a hundred times a day.”

So what do we do when we err, sin or do a wrong thing? Here are four steps one should so straightaway:

• Refrain from recommitting a sin or misdeed immediately.
• Regret from the heart of the heart for the sin so committed.
• Beg for mercy and forgiveness from Allah (glorified and exalted be He).
• Take a solemn pledge never to return to any sin or wrongdoing again.

Here it must be remembered that the sin / wrongdoing or transgression involved infringes on the rights of other (s), then one must return the infringed rights back to the individual to whom they belong. And then thereafter, try one's level best not to sin, err, or do a thing that is contrary to teachings of Islam.

Now watch the video below to know what are the indicators that one's repentance has been accepted - a thought provoking lecture by Dr Zakir Naik:

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

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Surah Ar Rahman: The Most Merciful (Summary of 55th Chapter of Holy Quran) Part I - Introduction

Each verse and each chapter of the Holy Qur'an is a magnificent combination of Divine message revealed unto Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and has become a beacon of light for the guidance of man as long as the universe exists. But there are a few chapters that take precedence over other in meaning, substance and guiding lines for the believers. One such chapter is Chapter 36 Surat al Yaseen and the second is Sūrat ar-Raḥmān, the 55th chapter of the Holy Qur'an. Today we would explore the 78 verses of the Sūrat ar-Raḥmān and see how very beautifully Allah has revealed His divine message to the mankind.

Reciting Surah Ar Rahman gives a feeling as of something which is in complete synchrony and perfectly rhymed like poetry of early Arabic poetry. Perhaps for this reason the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been quoted as saying by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: "Everything has an adornment, and the adornment of the Qur'an is Surah ar Rahman." [2]

The Sūrat ar-Raḥmān is named after one of the 99 Holy names of the Allah Almighty. Ar Rehman means the Most Merciful - one of the countless attributes of Allah and we now know that there is no one other than Allah alone who is more merciful and most exalted. Since this surah begins with the Merciful attribute of Allah Almighty, the readers find that this surah dwells more on rewards to the believers than punishment to the nonbelievers and the disbelievers.  

Prominent Muslim scholar Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" points out that: [1]

This is the only Surah of the Qur'an in which besides men the jinn too have been directly addressed, and both men and jinn have been made to realize the wonders of Allah's power, His countless blessings, their own helplessness and accountability before Him, and have been warned of the evil consequences of His disobedience and made aware of the best results of His obedience. 

Although in the beginning of the Surah the address is directed only to man, for to them only belongs the "vicegerency" of the earth, among them only have the Messengers of Allah been raised, and in their tongues only have the Divine Books been revealed, yet from verse 13 onward both the men and the jinn have been addressed and one and the same invitation has been extended to both.

Here it would be pertinent to quote one important explanation of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding jinns listening to the Prophet of Allah when He recited this surah to them and of their response: [1]

Al-Bazzar, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Al- Mundhir, Daraqutni (in Al Afrad), Ibn Marduyah and Ibn Al Khatib (in Al- Tarikh) have related, on the authority of Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar, that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited Surah Ar-Rahman himself, or heard it recited before him: then he said to the people: How is it that I am not hearing from you the kind of good answer that the jinn had given to their Lord?

When the people asked what it was he replied: "As I recited the Divine Words, Fa bi- ayyi alaa'i Rabbi-kuma tukadhdhiban, the jinn in response would repeat the words La bi shai'in min ni'mati Rabbi- na nukadhdhib: "We do not deny any of our Lord's blessings."

The centerpiece of this surah is the refrain: "Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? " which is repeated 31 times while Allah continues to count His blessings, cautions the wrongdoers of the and punishments and promises blessings and rewards to the faithful. The calligraphy above depicts one of the many attributes of Allah: (He is) Lord of the two Easts and Lord of the two Wests: Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? (verses 17-18)

Since this surah is rather long and each of its verse being very meaningful, requiring absolute understanding, we are dividing this post in two parts: Part I, the introduction (this post) and the Part II, the detailed explanation of the surah. 

You may now like to listen to a commentary on Surah ar Rahman by the renowned scholar Nouman Ali Khan giving away a gist of the entire surah in a very enlightening manner that would make you understand the entire surah and its purpose of revelation:

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)

Photos: Header | Refrain
References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | Surah Ar Rahman - Part 2 (Explanation)

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.

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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Surah Al-Infitar - The Cleaving (Summary of 82nd Chapter of Holy Quran)

Sūrat al-Infiṭār and Sūrat al-Inshiqāq, the 84th Chapter / surah of 30th Part of the Holy Qur'an begin with almost same Divine pledges for both Infiṭār and Inshiqāq mean the same and point towards the End Day, the Dooms Day and the Day of Resurrection. And even thereafter, their subject matter also resembles, the day when righteous will be rewarded with paradise and those resistive to divine commandments will be punished in hell.

Before we explain the Surah Al- Inshiqāq, let us see the comparison of the opening verses of both the above said surahs:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

Sūrat al-Infiṭār

1.When the Sky is cleft asunder;2.When the Stars are scattered;3.When the Oceans are suffered to burst forth;4.And when the Graves are turned upside down;

Sūrat al-Inshiqāq

1. When the heaven is split asunder,2. And listens and obeys its Lord, and it must do so;3. And when the earth is stretched forth,4. And has cast out all that was in it and became empty,

The opening verses of both the surahs mentioned above forewarn the man of an impending disaster, far bigger in magnitude that they may ever witnessed, seen or even heard of from their ancestors before. It will be a day of great chaos when everything would be falling apart and man would wonder what has this universe come to. On that day the earth would throw out what all it had contained in its bosom from time immemorial and the dead would wonder who had woken them up from their sound slumber. On that day, would men of knowledge and wisdom would understand that the day that Allah had been promising to come one day had finally arrived and that the time for repentance has gone and the books of deeds have been sealed.

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" has summed it up very precisely and comprehensively. First read the translation of the reaming verses 5-19, followed by commentary by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:

5.(Then) shall each soul know what it hath sent forward and (what it hath) kept back.6.O man! What has seduced thee from thy Lord Most Beneficent?7.Him Who created thee. Fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias;8.In whatever Form He wills, does He put thee together.9.Nay! but ye do reject Right and Judgment!10.But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you,11.Kind and honorable,- Writing down (your deeds):12.They know (and understand) all that ye do.13.As for the Righteous, they will be in bliss;14.And the Wicked - they will be in the Fire,15.Which they will enter on the Day of Judgment,16.And they will not be able to keep away therefrom.17.And what will explain to thee what the Day of Judgment is?18.Again, what will explain to thee what the Day of Judgment is?19.(It will be) the Day when no soul shall have power (to do) aught for another: For the command, that Day, will be (wholly) with Allah.

In this Surah, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi comments [1]

First the Resurrection Day has been described and it is said that when it occurs, every person will see whatever he has done in the world.

After this, man has been asked to ponder the question: "O man, what has deluded you into thinking that the God, Who brought you into being and by Whose favor and bounty you possess the finest body, limbs and features among all creatures, is only bountiful and not just? His being bountiful and generous does not mean that you should become fearless of His justice."

Then, man has been warned, so as to say: "Do not remain involved in any misunderstanding. Your complete record is being prepared. There are trustworthy writers who are writing down whatever you do."

In conclusion, it has been forcefully stated that the Day of Resurrection will surely take place when the righteous shall enjoy every kind of bliss in Paradise and the wicked shall be punished in Hell. On that day no one shall avail anyone anything. All powers of judgment shall be with Allah. 

So men and women beware of the day which is closing in and repent for your bad deeds before time for asking forgiveness and repentance runs out.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Inshiqāq 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 |

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.

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Prophet Younis (Jonah) and Allah's Displeasure

Man has always been ungrateful and resistive to the Divine commandments and Allah has been sending prophets and messengers to guide the wronged to the righteous path. But sometimes it so happens that the stubbornness and resistance of nonbelievers makes even the prophets lose heart and abandon the mission assigned to them by Allah. And the story of Prophet Younis (peace be upon him), known and mentioned in earlier scriptures as Jonah is one such episode where a prophet abandoned his people in disgust and prayed for the wrath of Allah to befell on them.

The mention of the episode of Prophet Younis is made in Surah Yunus [10], Surah Al-Anbya [21] and Surah As-Saffat [37] of the Holy Qur'an and Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament). Prophet Younis was a direct descendant of Prophet Yaqub (peace be upon him), also known as Jacob, has also referred to in the Qur’an by the name of Dhan-Nun (meaning The One of the Fish).

He was sent to people of Nineveh, a town in the area of Mosul in northern Iraq, for they have had turned down all earlier Divine messages and continued to be idolaters. According to the Qur’an, it had a population of around 100,000 people: And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more [(Qur’an 37:147)]. It is said that despite his years long efforts to turn the shrouded hearts and minds of people of Nineveh in idolatry to the Divine path of righteousness, the people remained oblivious to his efforts and did not budge even a bit from their age old  beliefs and faith.

Despite his best efforts when the Prophet Younis found him failing to convince his people to leave idolatry and bring faith on monotheism and One true Allah. As all prophets and messengers are granted one supplication of their choice which Allah will fulfill, one day in deep despair prayed to Allah to bring Divine wrath on people of Nineveh. But before seeing the fulfillment of his prayer he left the city and boarded a ship out in the open seas.   

While a layman may understand Prophet Younis' departure in despair, it was not taken easily by Allah for he left a mission assigned to him half way and unfilled and leaving calling for the Divine wrath. This definitely drew extreme Divine displeasure and had severe consequences on him. The ship while sailing smoothly suddenly came under a heavy sea storm and it seemed difficult for the captain of the ship to save it from a disaster. As was then the practice in vogue of throwing someone off board to please the angry gods, everyone looked for a sinner on board. 

When they could not find any such person, Prophet Younis volunteered to be thrown off the ship for he had realized by then that he had committed a great sin by leaving the mission assigned to him half way.  Uncertain of his request, others agreed to draw lots to decide the matter. The first round resulted against Prophet Yunus, but seeing his rather elderly figure, they decided to draw the lot twice and even third time - but each time the lot drew against him. Being a prophet, he understood that this was the decree of Allah. “And indeed, Yunus was among the messengers. [Mention] when he ran away to the laden ship. And he drew lots and was among the losers.” [(Qur’an 37:139-141)].

Thus, Prophet Younis was thrown off board in the raging sea and he understood that he was to face the wrath of Allah himself for abandonment of the Divine mission. But prophet he still was and Allah would never hurt His prophets or revenge them for their humanly errors and decisions. So there came a big fish, whale as we know it today, which swallowed the prophet as a whole and he went inside its belly unhurt and alive. “Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.” (Surah As-Saffat 37:142)

Miraculously, Prophet Younis was not pulverized, but remained whole, for the whale was not allowed by Allah to scratch his flesh or even break his bones. When he came to, he realized that he was still intact and alive. He fell in prostration and said “Oh my Lord! I have made a place of prayer where nobody else has even worshiped you.” [1]

There in the complete darkness, the Prophet of Allah begged for forgiveness and repented his actions. He repeated this humble supplication countless times over the course of the next three days and nights, and repented for his disobedience. In Holy Qur'an the prayer that Prophet Younis offered repeatedly is mentioned in Surah Al-Anbya (21:87): “And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” 

The lesson thus been taught to His prophet, Allah accepted his prayer and the fish came ashore and vomited him out alive and unhurt. “So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness.)” (Surah Al-Anbya 21:88)

In the meantime, a miracle had happened to the people of Nineveh who had repented their attitude to Prophet Younis who had left in despair and begged for Divine forgiveness and pledged to leave idolatry and accept the righteous path as was propagated by Prophet Younis. Allah accepted their pledge and took them under His fold as believers.

The entire episode is a unique one in which a prophet had left his assigned mission half way, abandoned his people and efforts to bring them to the righteous path and even prayed for the wrath of Allah to befell on them. But Allah clearly demonstrated that even if prophets do their utmost to mould the hearts of people sent upon, a prophet can only make an endeavorer and no more. It is up to Allah alone Who can mould the hearts of nonbelievers  and guide them to the truth and worship of one true Allah.

This episode also shows that prophet do faulter but their true repentance is acknowledged by Allah and they are forgiven. The same goes to all those who have firm faith and belief in monotheism, and live their lives as commanded by Allah, their earnest prayers too are answered and are saved from the wrongs been done to them. 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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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The Most Comprehensive Prayer for All Times

The Holy Qur'an is replete with prayers / duas for the believers to recite to plead for forgiveness of one's sins and ask blessings for self, family and even the entire ummah. However, the last verse of the first chapter Surah Al Baqarah is is said to be the most comprehensive prayer for the believers to recite whenever they find time for forgiveness and quashing of their sins and asking for a sinless life for the rest of their lives.

it is said, related to Ibn Abbas,  that the Messenger of Allah was given three things during his miraculous journey to the Heavens (Mairaj - The details have already been given in one of our earlier posts - The Miraculous Journey of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Jerusalem (Israa) and Heavens (Mairaj)) from Allah through Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) when on the sixth floor of the Heavens: [1]

• The five prayers, 
• The last two verses of Surat Al-Baqarah (285-286), and 
• Forgiveness for whoever did not associate anything or anyone with Allah from his Ummah.

The translation of the verse 285:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers.” And they say: “We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.”

Verse 285 outlines what one is required to believe in and what should be the distinguishing characteristics of one's conduct. They consist of the following: belief in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in all His Messengers (instead of some rather than others), and in the fact that ultimately one will have to stand before Allah's judgment. These are the five fundamental articles of faith in Islam. Having accepted them, the only proper attitude for a Muslim is to cheerfully accept and follow whatever directives he receives from Allah. Instead of exulting in his moral excellence he should be humble and should constantly seek Allah's forgiveness and mercy.

Here is the last verse of Surah Al Baqarah, verse 286:

Translation:

On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) “Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith.”

As can be seen from the above verse, the believer is seen pleading Allah for sins he had committed and then looking for the His countless bounties to be forgiven and not taken to task when he appears before his Lord on the Day of Judgement. And while praying one seeks His mercy for not burdening one with load (of responsibilities) one cannot lift. In fact Allah does not ask a soul what is beyond its ability. This demonstrates Allah’s extreme generosity and compassion towards those who believe in Him and have strong unwavering faith.

Man's answerability to Allah is limited by the extent of his ability. If a man does not have the ability to do a certain thing, Allah will not take him to task for not having performed it. In the same way, if it is really beyond a man's ability to abstain from something, Allah will not blame him for having failed to abstain from it. It should be noted here that man will not be the final judge as to whether he had the ability to do something or not. Such judgment will be made by Allah alone.

Every man will be rewarded for the services he has rendered, none will be rewarded for services rendered by others. The same applies to punishment. It is the one who is guilty who will be punished. It is possible, however, that if a man has initiated either good or bad practices, they will continue to affect people's lives. The resulting good and bad deeds of people will be reckoned either to their credit or against them, since they are clearly related to their efforts and actions. It is impossible, however, that a map should be either rewarded for an act of goodness or punished for an act of evil in which he has had no share - neither by intent nor practical action. The requital of acts is not transferable.

The prayer made here is that Allah should not subject them to the severe tests and the terrible persecutions and hardships undergone by their predecessors. It is God's law that those who commit themselves to follow Truth and righteousness are subjected to severe tests and tribulations, and it is a believer's duty to meet them with patience and fortitude. At the same time, the believer should always pray that God may make it easy for him to follow the path of Truth and righteousness.

Believers pray to Allah not to place upon them a burden beyond their capacity of endurance, and to subject them only to those tests from which they may emerge triumphant. May it not happen that the hardships are too much for them to bear, and that their feet falter and are turned away from the path of righteousness,

In order to appreciate fully the spirit of this prayer, one should remember that these verses were revealed on the occasion of the ascension of the Prophet, a year before his migration to Madina. At that time the struggle between Islam and unbelief had reached its climax. Not only in Makka, but throughout the Arabian peninsula, there was no place where the lives of those who wished to follow the religion of God had not been made extremely difficult. In these circumstances the Muslims were told in what manner they ought to pray to their Lord. It is obvious that if the bestower himself tells one how to present one's request, the granting of the request becomes virtually assured. Hence, this prayer greatly strengthened the hearts of the Muslims. Moreover, this prayer implicitly taught the Muslims not to allow their feelings to flow along undesirable channels. They should instead mould them into a prayer to their Lord. 

Think of the heart-rending cruelties to which the Muslims were subjected merely because of their devotion to Truth, and then turn to the contents of this prayer, where there is no trace of bitterness against the enemies. Consider the physical afflictions and material losses which the Muslims suffered, then note how this prayer does not contain the slightest hint of worldly ambition. Compare the wretchedness and misery of these devotees of Truth with the pure, exalted feelings with which this prayer is overflowing. This comparison will enable us to appreciate the nature of the spiritual and moral training provided to men of faith.

Please listen to explanation of the above said two verses by eminent Muslim scholar, exegete and linguist Nouman Ali Khan:

Though a Muslim should endeavour to remember these two verses by heart, it is the verse 286 which is a comprehensive prayer for all times to pray.  It is in fact a supplication to Allah and be read with total belief and In Sha Allah, by reciting these verses regularly, our prayer will also be accepted.

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

Photo | Photo Surah Baqarah | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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Surah Al-Mutaffifin - The Defrauders (Summary of 83rd Chapter of Holy Quran)

Each chapter of Holy Qur'an has been revealed with specific purpose and clear message for those who transgress, cheat, defraud or are unjust in their dealing with a view to profit themselves at the cost of others. 

Thus Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn is also one of these chapters of Qur'an which has a specific message for those in business who weight less and cheat their customers. Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn has 36 verses and is divided into three parts. There is a dispute whether this chapter was revealed in Makkah or Medina, but Ibn Abbas, who is the narrator of many instances when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had conveyed a divine message to the people in his company, has been quoted as saying:

"When the Prophet Muhammad came to the city of Medina, he found people not keeping the weights and measures honestly. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) recited the opening verses of this surah: "Woe to the Muṭaffifīn (those who give less in measure and weight)". Listening to these divine commandments, most of the people became fair in weights and measures.

The theme of this Surah too is the Hereafter. In the first six verses the people have been taken to task for the prevalent evil practice in their commercial dealings. When they had to receive their due from others, they demanded that it be given in full, but when they had to measure or weigh for others, they would give less than what was due. Taking this one evil as an example out of countless evils prevalent in society, it has been said that it is an inevitable result of the heedlessness of the Hereafter. Unless the people realized that one day they would have to appear before God and account for each single act they performed in the world, it was not possible that they would adopt piety and righteousness in their daily affairs. Even if a person might practice honesty in some of his less important dealings in view of "honesty is the best policy," he would never practice honesty on occasions when dishonesty would seem to be "the best policy". Man can develop true and enduring honesty only when he fears God and sincerely believes in the Hereafter, for then he would regard honesty not merely as "a policy" but as "a duty" and obligation, and his being constant in it, or otherwise, would not be dependent on its being useful or useless in the world.

Thus, after making explicit the relation between morality and the doctrine of the Hereafter in an effective and impressive way, in vv. 7-17, it has been said: The deeds of the wicked are already being recorded in the black list of the culprits, and in the Hereafter they will meet with utter ruin. Then in vv. 18-28, the best end of the virtuous has been described and it has been laid that their deeds are being recorded in the list of the exalted people, on which are appointed the angels nearest to Allah.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

(1) Woe to those who give less [than due], (2) Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full. (3) But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss. (4) Do they not think that they will be resurrected (5) For a tremendous Day - (6) The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?

The message in the opening verses to cheaters and defrauders is clear in the fourth verse: "Do they not think that they will be resurrected (5) For a tremendous Day." This one verse alone sums up the message that life in this world is very short and temporary and a day is about to come when every man will be resurrected and will be asked for the wrongdoings committed for mere wordily gains and pleasures.On that day wealth accumulated due to cheating and hoodwinking others will be of no use and would save him from the hellfire. 

The above seven verses stand applicable even today for those cheating their customers by weighing less, even if they are believers, for there is no disparity between believers and nonbelievers when it comes to fraud and cheating others.

Verses 7-17 then talk of the punishment for those who deceived others by not maintaing weights and measures straight:

(7) Day! Surely the record of the wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin.(8) And what will explain to thee what Sijjin is? (9) (There is) a Register (fully) inscribed. (10) Woe, that Day, to those that deny (11) Those that deny the Day of Judgment. (12) And none can deny it but the Transgressor beyond bounds the Sinner! (13) When Our Signs are rehearsed to him, he says, "Tales of the ancients!" (14) By no means! but on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do! (15) Verily, from (the Light of) their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled.(16) Further, they will enter the Fire of Hell. (17) Further, it will be said to them: "This is the (reality) which ye rejected as false!

It has been said in clear and plain words for those who mocked the prophets and the divine messages sent earlier and then: The deeds of the wicked are already being recorded in the black list of the culprits, and in the Hereafter they will meet with utter ruin. [1]

However, those who chose the path shown by the prophets based on the divine commandments and directions have been assured of rewards for being virtuous and fearing Allah and having faith on the End Day and the Day of Resurrection. Please read verses 18-28:

(18) Day, verily the record of the Righteous is (preserved) in 'Illiyin. (19) And what will explain to thee what 'Illiyun is? (20) (There is) a Register (fully) inscribed, (21) To which bear witness those Nearest (to Allah) (22) Truly the Righteous will be in Bliss: (23) On Thrones (of Dignity) will they command a sight (of all things): (24) Thou wilt recognize in their faces the beaming brightness of Bliss. (25) Their thirst will be slaked with Pure Wine sealed: (26) The seal thereof will be Musk: And for this let those aspire, who have aspirations: (27) With it will be (given) a mixture of Tasnim: (28) A spring, from (the waters) whereof drink those Nearest to Allah.

Verses 29-36 is a summary and reminder to the nonbelievers who mocked the believers when they spoke of their faith and of a day of rewards for those who feared Allah and remained steadfast despite mocking by the nonbelievers and those who had went astray:

(29) Those in sin used to laugh at those who believed, (30) And whenever they passed by them, used to wink at each other (in mockery); (31) And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting; (32) And whenever they saw them, they would say, "Behold! These are the people truly astray!" (33) But they had not been sent as keepers over them! (34) But on this Day the Believers will laugh at the Unbelievers: (35) On Thrones (of Dignity) they will command (a sight) (of all things). (36) Will not the Unbelievers have been paid back for what they did?

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, a revered Muslim scholar of Pakistan sums up the last verses: [1]

In conclusion, the believers have been consoled, and the disbelievers warned, as if to say: "The people who are disgracing and humiliating the believers today, are culprits who, on the Resurrection Day, will meet with a most evil end in consequence of their conduct, and these very believers will feel comforted when they see their fate."

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Inshiqāq 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 |

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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