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Monday 2 May 2022

Eid ul Fitr عيد الفطر Mubarak / Eid greetings to everyone around the world

With the sighting of the new moon of the Islamic month Shawaal, the sacred month of Ramadan, the month of fasting (Saum) comes to an end and brings the happy festivities of Eid ul Fitr  "  عيد الفطر  "- one of the two festivities of the Muslim world (the other being Eid al-Adha). This festive day is celebrated to hank Allah that He gave the believers the strength of fasting even though the temperatures were soaring and exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and yet helped them to be strong enough to fast.

Scroll down to watch a video on Eid Celebrations

The Eid day dawns with the special Eid prayer congregation at central places, rather than small masjid, so that Muslims en mass could join their brethren on this happy day. After the prayers are over, all greet each other by embracing and wishing eid greeting. Special dishes are prepared at homes by the ladies, specially sweet dishes. Sheer Khurma is one of the most favourite sweet dish of the day. Sheer means milk in Persian and khurma means dates; it is a delectable and nutritious mix of Seviyan (a form of vermicelli), dates and milk. This simple yet delicious dessert is versatile as it can be served hot or cold.

In order to include the poor in the festivities of the day, a obligatory charitable donation known as Fitrana is given before the Eid prayers to the poor so that could also buy clothes for their children and cook special food for the day. Fitrana  or Fitra is also called Zakat-Ul-Fitr, also called Sadaqat-Ul-Fitr, is a charity that has to be paid for by every household. Unlike Zakat, where only the individuals who have savings above the nisaab amount are required to pay Zakat, Zakat-Ul-Fitr applies to every member of the household as well.

We at Islam: My Ultimate Decision wish to extend our hearties felicitations to all Muslims who are celebrating this festive day today, as moon is not sighted to many places in the world, and we also wish the remaining who will be celebrating the Eid ul Fitr tomorrow as in many parts of the world the Shawaal moon will be sighted today. This will be a special day for the newly reverts who will be celebrating their first Eid after their reversion to Islam for the first time. Our special felicitations to them all.

We also pray to Allah ease sufferings of Muslim brethren and sisters living miserably in war torn countries like Palestine, Afghanistan, Yemen and Indian held Kashmir where Muslims are being suffocated not to perform their religious rituals. 

You may like to watch a small video on the festivities celebration of Eid ul Fitr:

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You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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Sunday 1 May 2022

Why some people show ingratitude to God

God, the Omnipotent and without any associates and deputies, created this entire universe for the mankind, to make use of so many blessings and favours He has exclusively created for man. Yet we often see many a man showing ingratitude to God despite taking advantage of His blessings. In fact, one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are guilty today is the sin of ingratitude. The act of ingratitude is a form of arrogance that leads to transgression. Ingratitude also stems from the fact that man despite having so much never thinks as to why God has bestowed his immense bounties on to him.

And God knew that man will be ever ungrateful to Him as He cautions in the Qur'an:
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ وَإِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ
Indeed, man is ungrateful to his Lord and indeed he is witness to that! 
(Sūrah 100 Al-‘Āadiyāt :6-7)

At another place Allah  speaks of ingratitude of man:
It is Allah Who has given you the night in which to rest and the day in which to see. Allah is truly bountiful to people, but most people do not give thanks.( Surah 40 Al-Ghafir:61)
The abovesaid verses clearly show that an ungrateful man overlooks his blessings and laments on the problems he is facing, This happens when his arrogance and ingratitude overshadows his positive thinking. These verses point towards the seriousness of ingratitude. It is an evil quality and must be countered often with acts of gratitude and generosity. We must know that whatever we have is by the graciousness of Allah who despite many faults in our character still honours us with his blessings.  This if a man sets up his mind positively, he will start to think his weakness, despite which he has still been blessed. In fact it is the mindset of man which makes him grateful or otherwise. 
However, there a lot of people who despite having positions, wealth and a status in the society seldom show gratitude to God and it is the same people who one day stumble and are robbed of their worldly possessions and only then they realize the value of gratefulness.
We must therefore be always thinking positively and even if ills befall on us, we should immediately take an appraisal of ourselves and would find that some mistake of ours, an arrogance shown to someone or even being ingratitude to Allah despite having enough could be the reason behind. Or still it may be a test to see whether we remain steadfast or start to lament. And we should know that all ills are always by followed by blessings. 

Now please listen to a mind opening lecture by Wahiduddin Khan who stresses on the need on positive thinking for it leads a man to being grateful to God:
Wahiduddin Khan, an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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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Neither your God is any else nor mine is any else - A Hamd (Praiser) to Eulogize greatness of Allah)

We have been sharing many attributes of Allah in our previous posts (which can be found out from our Reference Page: 99 Attributes of Allah) that highlight the greatness and might of our sole Creator: Allah, the All Mighty. By referring to these attributes of Allah, we invoke His infinite mercy for our forgiveness and seeking His blessings.

An invocation (Dua / دُعا) is mostly said in silence when one is offering is one's Salat (Prayer) or at any time when one is feeling low and wishes to seek blessings of his Creator so that his aching heart eases and he is hopeful of acceptance of his supplication or (Dua / دُعا).

On the other hands, poets have always been writing poetry to invoke Allah's blessings by eulogizing Allah's greatness and seeking His blessings. Such poetry in Arabic is known as Hamd (Arabic: حمد), "praise" in English, is a word or a set of words that exclusively praises God - whether written or spoken. Thus, The word "Hamd" is always followed by the name of God (Allah) - a phrase known as the Tahmid - "al-ḥamdu li-llāh" (Arabic: الحَمْد لله) (English: "praise be to God"). The word "Hamd" comes from the Qur'an, and الحَمْد لله is the epithet or locution which, after the Bismillah, establishes the first verse of the first chapter of the Qur'an - al Fatiha Mubarak (the opening).  [1]

Today we take e deviation from our otherwise written posts to introducing the art of recitation of Hamd, each word of which is soul searching and has hidden meanings for men of wisdom.  The Hamd is recited by one of the leading singers of Pakistan: Najam Shiraz. The Hamd is in Urdu but with English sub titles for easy understanding and correlation:
May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

You may refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an for many invocations as contained in the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

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Saturday 30 April 2022

The Criterion for Divine Forgiveness

Man has been created as a test between two choices: The good and the evil, virtues and the vices. Lucky are those with strong faith whom lust cannot lure in and they remain steadfast even under the most demanding tests and trials. But believers of weaker faith often stumble and fall into the trap of Evil and commit sins and get attracted to evil ways to satisfy their evil desires.

Allah, Who created us, knew well that His servants will faulter and will mostly fell ashamed of their acts thereafter. Therefore, Allah has remained the door of His mercy and forgiveness for defaulters to turn back to Him, repent their sins and wrongdoings and seek forgiveness. And Allah, Who is Dhu-l-Jalali wal-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) - The Lord of Majesty and Generosity,  Al Ghaffar  (الغفار) - The Repeatedly Forgiving, Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner and Ar Rahim (الرحيم) -  The Most merciful promises them that He would forgive them no matter how big is the crime and fault. Even Allah promises to forgive those who have committed Shirk and associated others with Him provided they earnestly repent. 

Now here are two types of sins that come into play: One related exclusively to Allah like Shirk, skipping Salat (obligatory prayer) and Fasts (Saum) and not paying Zakat or not performing Hajj even if someone has the means and health to go to the Holy Lands. All such sins may be pardoned by Allah for Allah likes His servants to look up to Him for forgiveness and He has His own way of justice and that of pardoning.

The second type of sins are related to the mankind. Now the forgiveness here adds another party to the defaulter and Allah. Scholars are of the view that unless the aggrieved party contends to forgive the offender, their mere repentance has no meaning.

For example a man usurps someone's land, property or money and then asks for repentance without returning the land or money he has illegally usurped, his forgiveness will not accepted. Likewise, if someone unduly hurts a person physically, morally or spiritually by hands or by mouth or by any means, so without seeking pardon from the one who has been wronged and then voluntarily forgiven can then only be a candidate for forgiveness by Allah.

And if this mutual arrangement is not made, then on the Day of Judgement, the aggrieved party may stand up and ask for redemption which will be very severe on that day as the good doings of the offender will be exchanged with the bad deeds of the aggrieved party as penalty.

Now what a loss would be for someone on that day that when every good deed would be needed for one's forgiveness, these would be taken away from him and in return more bad deeds would be added to his credit. That would be the Divine Justice on that day.

So my brothers and sisters, make amends now for the Divine Criterion in cases where others are a party, will be very tough and without an iota of injustice. Be always forgiving and always be in pursuit of people who have been wronged by you to seek their acceptance of your forgiveness lest it is too late.

Please watch the video below by Professor Javed Ahmad Ghamidi,  on the subject. The video is in Urdu, but has English subtitles for those who cannot understand Urdu:
Professor Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, is a Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, Islamic modernist, exegete and educationist.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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.

One Minute Dua ( دُعا ) - A well worded Supplication

There is no format for a supplication to invoke the mercy of Allah for He is all ears to what we say when we talk to Him in prayers. Yet, well worded supplications not only self satisfying but also induce a hope that these beautiful words will be well received up in the heavens and aid in our forgiveness or acceptances of our woes.

I jus came across this very well worded Dua ( دُعا ) shared by sister Emma Khan at Facebook which covers everything one may need and only takes not more than a minute to read:
Oh Allah give me all the good that there is and save me from all the evil that is there. Oh Allah when it's the time of my death, take me away as one of the highest believers. And oh Allah once you have taken me away, put my soul in the place of illiyn (where all the good souls are). And oh Allah when I wake up, on the day of judgement, bring me up amongst the Prophets. And oh Allah don't let me separate from them and when they go to Jannah, take me with them to Jannah. And when they enter Jannah, make me enter Jannah and I ask the same thing for my loved ones, families, friends (and the whole ummah). Ameen
May Allah bless the person who wrote this Dua and all those reading it now and may all our hardships be eased and may all our sins and wrongdoings be forgiven. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

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

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

Thursday 28 April 2022

Islam in Iceland

In our series of posts on "Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries" we today talk of Islam in Iceland. Iceland is a small Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Reykjavík, Iceland's capital,  is home to over 65% of the population. It has a population of about 372,000.

Islam in Iceland is a minority religion. The Pew Research Center estimated that the number of Muslims in Iceland was below its 10,000 minimum threshold, and official statistics put the figure at under 1,300, or approximately 0.4% of the total population. Some take the figure to around 2.500. This small Muslim population never attracted the attention of mainstream Muslim countries or social media. It was only in 2011 when Al Jazzera TV did a documentary on how Muslims of Iceland celebrate the most scared Muslim month: The month of Ramadan.

In early 1970s, Salmann (Suleiman) Tamimi (1 March 1955 – 2 December 2020) [who later became the founding member of the Association Iceland-Palestine (Icelandic: Félagið Ísland-Palestína) and the Association of Muslims in Iceland (Icelandic: Félag múslima á Íslandi)] when came to Icleand noted that  there were perhaps seven Muslims living there.

The life of Muslims, as in any other European country is similar with a reserved approach towards them by the locals, One of the main researchers on Icelandic attitudes to racial and religious groups, Kristín Loftsdóttir, has found that many Icelanders exhibit anti-immigrant discourses linked with Islamophobia. Opposition to Islam is often presented in terms of support for gender equality, a discourse which in Kristín's assessment is 'used as a way to dwell on the criticism of Muslims in general, and to the glory of European societies'. 


The Reykjavík Mosque (Icelandic: Moskan í Reykjavík), located in the Ármúli district, is main gathering area for Muslims in Iceland. The masjid provides a central point for  holding not only the five regular prayers daily, but also the Friday congregation. On Sundays the Qur'an classes are held for children. The masjid is also a venue for community meetings. Although the masjid was opened in 2009, it was in November 22, 2019 a minaret was installed for the mosque, which, despite its simplicity, is the first minaret of its kind in the history of Islam in Iceland.
Muslim countries also focus on the education of Muslims in Iceland in 2021 and their wellbeing. A scientific and academic delegation from the Holy Quran Academy (HQA) in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates visited the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, as part of the Academy’s efforts to spread and teach the Noble Quran and its sciences across the world.
Generally it is assumed that Muslim community is made up entirely of expatriates having moved to Iceland from elsewhere. It may indeed be the case that such individuals may make up the bulk of Iceland’s current Muslim community, but cases of native Icelanders converting to Islam are not unheard-of.

However in 2015, a YouTube channel ‘NewMan2015’ posted a video containing interviews with four Icelanders (including Agnes Ósk, Jóhannes Ari and Ibra­him Sverr­ir Agn­ars­son, who is now Director of the Ice­landic Mus­lim As­so­ci­a­tion) on their conversion to Islam and how it changed their lives. "Agnes Ósk reveals that she had been an atheist all her life, but that discovering Islam was a “relief, like coming home”."

Ex-drug addict Jóhannes Ari describes how Islam took him away from his former misery and brought him to a place in life where he could “think about how to make the best of each day”. Sverr­ir, the charismatic Director of the Ice­landic Mus­lim As­so­ci­a­tion, best describes his conversion as being “kidnapped by Allah”. 

Ramadan is celebrated wholeheartedly by the Muslims of Iceland. Though, the sun sets at midnight, only to come back in about two hours. That means the fasting time is as long as 22 hours, allowing for only one meal a day. Abdul-Aziz Ulvani, the imam at the Islamic Foundation of Iceland notes:
"Although the hours are long, the Muslims here do not feel it because they come together here, we are like family. They come in at early hours. We recite the Quran, have iftar and observe Tarawih prayers together. The first three days are most difficult. Then everything turns back to normal."

Hijab for women is looked upon as in parallel to any other non Muslim countries. However, for passport, a Muslim woman has to provide a proof of her faith duly acknowledged by the two main Muslim groups of the country. 

Watch herein under a documentary about the Reykjavík Mosque:

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

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim CountriesYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo  | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
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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Wednesday 27 April 2022

Can Moral Values be Forcibly Imposed

A few years back, the government in one of the Islamic countries announced that it will establish a state closely related to Riasat-e-Medinah which was based on the principles and aspirations of Islam and teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah. But the moment such announcement was made, the government was mocked every day for not establishing the state as per the role model of Riasat-e-Medinah that was established by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when he acquired hold on the city of Medinah.

The mockers thought that by announcement of a legal decree by the government suddenly everyone will be moulded into law abiding citizens and all ills of the society will be automatically  arrested. Were they right in thinking so? Well to my reckoning a big NO. 

The Muslims at the of establishment of Riasat-e-Medinah by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were all virtuous and filled with the true faith and notion of the brotherhood. That is why when immigrants from Makkah came to Medinah, the locals shared their houses and wealth with them to settle down. That was the spirit of morality and character.

On the contrary, those mocking the establishment of Riasat-e-Medinah were generally law breakers, followers of criminals wanting state to announce and define morality for them. But could the role model of Riasat-e-Medinah be established when the hearts did not accept the notion? Could all criminals and the wicked become true God fearing Muslims by order of one decree? Certainly not. We know that for establishing a true Islamic state, people have to transform themselves voluntary to a higher degree of morality to be useful part of the society and the state.

The development of character comes through education and understanding the wisdom contained in the Qur'an as practiced by the Prophet ﷺ. It cannot be imposed or inculcated forcibly for such actions based on fear are always short lived and do not transform a person into a true believer.  Take for example the herd of cattle which when see a greener patch intrinsically fall for it. It is only the shepherd who by use of  a whip forces them to resist their temptation. But the cattle would again attempt such an endeavour when unobserved.  So is the case with inculcating morality into a person by force, for he would temporarily resist his temptation but would violate it right on the first available opportunity. It must be remembered that morally obligatory acts are morally right acts one ought to do, one is morally prohibited from not doing them, they are moral duties, they are acts that are required.

Now let us listen to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, who explains the concept of moral values and how these can be inculcated into a person:: 
Maulana Waheeduddin Ahmed an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam:

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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.

Who are merely like cattle; nay, even worse than them

Qur'an is not a book of fairy tales that it should be read and shelved. Instead it is a book of wisdom and guidance. Only those who have the capacity to read, think and understand the very dynamics of Qur'an can know how to seek guidance from it.

This is very unfortunate that a vast majority of Muslims, specially those whose mother tongue is not Arabic, only learn to recite the Qur'an in Arabic without consulting translations and Tafsir/exegesis to really understand what is expected of them to do as Muslims. Just like many illiterate Bedouins of the time of revelation of Qur'an most of them did not try to understand what is being told to them and even if they did listen, the shrugged off the Divine revelation and elected to be bounded with what had been transferred to them from their forefathers.

And so is the case today. Most of us who recite Qur'an recite it blindly without understanding it and fail to apply the wisdom contained therein to our practical life. And when they are told to think on a matter, they remain dumb or try to look like so and continue to live a life of oblivion. It is people like them for whom it is being said that they are like cattle, or even worse than them in the 44th verse of Surah 25. Al-Furqan:

اَمۡ تَحۡسَبُ اَنَّ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ يَسۡمَعُوۡنَ اَوۡ يَعۡقِلُوۡنَ​ ؕ اِنۡ هُمۡ اِلَّا كَالۡاَنۡعَامِ​ بَلۡ هُمۡ اَضَلُّ سَبِيۡلًا‏ 
(25:44) Do you think that most of them hear or understand? For they are merely like cattle; nay, even worse than them.

The same message has been conveyed in the 179th verse of Surah 7 Al A'raf:
And most certainly have We destined for hell many of the invisible beings and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle - nay, they are even less conscious of the right way: it is they, they who are the [truly] heedless!
This verse should be an eyeopener for those who follow a pied piper leading them to gaping abyss. Had they tried to think and understand why and where they are being tailed like animals, their lives may have been much better. This is because animals never deviate from their instincts. However, when a human being becomes a slave to his desires, he crosses the limits of his instincts as well as those of nature. This is specially so for the followers of politicians who by the gimmicks of their tongue and false hopes make them follow their lied agenda and yet win over them.
"they are farther astray" - inasmuch as animals follow only their instincts and natural needs and are not conscious of the possibility or necessity of a moral choice.
"They are only like the cattle" because they follow their lusts blindly. Just as the sheep and cattle do not know where their driver is taking them, to the meadow or to the slaughter house, so are these people also following their leaders blindly without knowing or judging where they are being led-to success or to destruction.. The only difference between the two is that the cattle have no intelligence and will not be accountable as to the place where they are being taken by the driver. But it is a pity that human beings who are endowed with reason, should behave like cattle; therefore their condition is worse than that of cattle.

Incidentally it should be noted that this passage (w . 43, 44) is not meant to dissuade the Holy Prophet from conveying the Message to such people, but it is an indirect warning to the disbelievers of the consequences if they continued to behave like cattle .

Qur'an Wiki:
The sūrah hurls further ridicule on those who submit to their lust and worship their desire, turning a blind eye to the truth. It puts them on the same level as animals which are devoid of hearing or logic. This is followed by yet more ridicule which shows such people as even inferior to animals.

This very clear statement that maintains accuracy applies, as the sūrah says, to ‘most of them’, because only a minority of unbelievers showed any inclination to accept guidance, or reflect on what they heard. The majority, who took their desires as their gods which they blindly obeyed, ignored all the signs they heard and saw, and were indeed like cattle. Indeed man is distinguished from animals by his propensity to reflect and understand, as well as by his ability to mould his life in accordance with the truth he accepts upon consideration and reflection. His great human quality is that he is able to change course on being convinced by sound argument. When man deliberately abandons such qualities, he puts himself in a position worse than that of animals. An animal is guided to what suits it by the abilities and susceptibilities God has placed within it. Thus, it fulfils its role without deviation. Man, on the other hand, often disregards the qualities God has given him, making little use of them. In this he is worse than an animal who does not neglect any inclination given to it.

“They are but like cattle. Nay, they are even far worse astray.” This comment expels those who ridicule the Prophet from the ranks of mankind. They are to be looked down upon, never to command respect.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir
That is they are worse than grazing cattle. Cattle only do what they were created to do, but these people were created to worship Allah Alone without associating partners with Him, but they worship others with Him, even though evidence has been established against them and Messengers have been sent to them.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:
May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 
  • Towards Understanding the Quran
  • Tafsir Ibn Khatir
  • Muhammad Asad Translation
  • Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
  • Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
  • Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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

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

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Believers!! Beware of enemies within (A verse specially for Reverts)

Today, in our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'ān, we share a very sensitive issue, which may be taken by some very lightly but it is very serious in nature. The path to Paradise is not easy for it is infested with many stumbling blocks, problems and issues relating to one's very own family including one's wife and children. This post is more applicable to the new reverts who when embrace Islam draw a severe backlash from their immediate family members, specially wife and children.

So read this verse (14th verse from Surah 64. At-Tagabun ) carefully and its explanation by many eminent scholars and exegetists of Qur'ān, for it may ease sufferings of those who have to confront their families when reverting to Islam.

​يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّ مِنۡ اَزۡوَاجِكُمۡ وَاَوۡلَادِكُمۡ عَدُوًّا لَّكُمۡ فَاحۡذَرُوۡهُمۡ​ۚ وَاِنۡ تَعۡفُوۡا وَتَصۡفَحُوۡا وَتَغۡفِرُوۡا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 
( 14 )   O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

This verse has two meanings:
According to the first meaning, it applies to most of those difficulties which are encountered by many believing men from their wives and the women from their husbands and the parents from their children in following the way of God. It seldom so happens in the world that a man has a wife or a wife has a husband, who are full companions and helpers of each other in the matter of faith and righteousness, and that both may also have such children as may be the comfort of their eyes as regards to faith and deeds, morals and conduct. But generally it so happens that if the husband is righteous and honest, the wife and children look upon his honesty and piety and righteousness as a misfortune for themselves, and want that the husband and the father should earn Hell for their sake, and, by giving up the distinction between the lawful and the unlawful, should provide means of luxury and enjoyment, sin and vice, for them in every passable way. On the contrary, many a time a pious believing woman happens to have a husband, who does not at all approve her obedience to the laws of God. And the children, following in the footsteps of the father, make the life of the mother miserable by their deviation and evil deeds. Then, particularly, when during the conflict between Islam and unbelief a man’s faith demands that he should suffer losses for the sake of Allah and this religion, run risks, emigrate from the country or even endanger his life by joining the war against unbelief, the greatest hindrance in his way are the people of his own household.
The second meaning relates to those special circumstances which most of the Muslims were facing at the time these verses were sent down, and also today they are faced by every person who embraces Islam in a non-Muslim society. At that time in Makkah and in other parts of Arabia a situation that was commonly being experienced was that a man would embrace Islam but his wife and children would not only be disinclined to accept it but would try their best to press him to give up Islam. And similar were the situation encountered by the women who alone embraced Islam in the family.
Addressing the believers who may be confronted with either situation, three things have been impressed:

First, they have been warned as if to say: Although from the worldly point of view these are the dearest relations of man, yet from the religious point of view, they are your enemies. This enmity may be for the reason that they hinder you from good and induce you to do evil, or that they restrain you from belief and pull you towards unbelief, or that their sympathies are with he unbelievers, and through you if they ever come to know any of the war secrets of the Muslims, they convey it to the enemies of Islam. Owing to these the nature and quality of enmity may vary, but in any case it is enmity; and if you hold your faith dearer to your heart, you should regard them as your enemies. In their love you should never forget that between you and them there stands the barrier of belief and unbelief, or of obedience and disobedience.

Then, it is said: Beware of them. That is, you should not ruin your eternal life for the sake of their worldly life. Let not their love so overwhelm you that they become a hindrance for you in your relationship with Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and your loyalty to Islam. Do not place such reliance on them that the secrets of the Muslim community should come to their notice and through them reach your enemies only by your negligence and carelessness. This is the first thing of which the Prophet (peace be upon him) has warned the Muslims in a Hadith: A person will be brought up on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be proclaimed: His wife and children ate up all his good deeds.

In the end, it is said: If you pardon and overlook and forgive, Allah is surely All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. It means: You are being made aware of their enmity so that you may beware of them and do your best to save your faith from them. This warning does not, however, mean that you should treat your wife and children harshly, or strain your relations with them so as to make your own and their domestic lift miserable and wretched. For if you did so, two of the disadvantages would obviously result: First, it may close down every avenue to the reformation of the wife and children forever; second, it may give rise to suspicions and misgivings against Islam in the society and the people around may form the impression that a Muslim turns unduly rigid and ill-tempered for his own children in his own house as soon as he has embraced Islam. In this connection, one should also keep in mind that in the beginning when the people became Muslims, they encountered a special difficulty if their parents were unbelievers. They would press their children to give up the new faith. They would face another difficulty when their wives and children (or in case of women, their husbands and children) persisted unbelief and would force them to abandon the faith of truth. About the first difficulty, instruction was given in (Surah Al-Ankabut, Ayat 8) and (Surah Luqman, Ayat 14-15), saying: Treat your parents well but if they press you to join with Me another about whom you have no knowledge, do not obey them at all. About the second difficulty the instruction has been given here, saying: You must try to save your faith from your children and family members but do not treat them harshly, but rather politely and leniently. 

The very next verse is again a warning in continuity of the verse 14 stated above:

اِنَّمَاۤ اَمۡوَالُـكُمۡ وَاَوۡلَادُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ عِنۡدَهٗۤ اَجۡرٌ عَظِيۡمٌ‏ 
(64:15) Your possessions and your offspring are nothing but a trial for you. And there awaits a great reward30 for you with Allah.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Warning against the Fitnah of Spouses and Offspring:
Allah states that some wives and children are enemies to their husbands and fathers, in that they might be busied with them rather than with performing the good deeds. 

Allah said in another Ayah, (O you who believe! Let not your properties or you children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that then they are the losers.) (63:9) 

Allah the Exalted said here, ( فَاحْذَرُوهُ therefore, beware of them!) for your religion, according to Ibn Zayd. 

Mujahid explained the Ayah, ( إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَجِكُمْ وَأَوْلـدِكُمْ عَدُوّاً لَّكُمْ Verily, among your wives and your children there are enemies for you;) by saying, "They might direct the man to sever his relation or disobey his Lord. The man, who loves his wives and children, might obey them in this case.'' 

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said to a man who asked him about this Ayah, ( يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَجِكُمْ وَأَوْلـدِكُمْ عَدُوّاً لَّكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ O you who believe! Verily, among your wives and your children there are enemies for you; therefore beware of them!) "There were men who embraced Islam in Makkah and wanted to migrate to Allah's Messenger . However, their wives and children refused to allow them. Later when they joined Allah's Messenger , they found that those who were with him (the Companions) have gained knowledge in the religion, so they were about to punish their wives and children. 

Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah, ( وَإِن تَعْفُواْ وَتَصْفَحُواْ وَتَغْفِرُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ But if you pardon (them) and overlook, and forgive, then verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)'' At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith and said that it is Hasan Sahih. Allah's statement,

Yusuf Ali  Explanation
In some cases the demands of families, i.e., wife and children may conflict with a man's moral and spiritual convictions and duties. In such cases he must guard against the abandonment of his convictions, duties, and ideals to their requests or desires. But he must not treat them harshly. He must make reasonable provision for them, and if they persist in opposing his clear duties and convictions, he must forgive them and not expose them to shame or ridicule, while at the same time holding on to his clear duty. Such cases occurred when godly men undertook exile from their native city of Makkah to follow the Faith in Madinah. In some cases their families murmured, but all came right in the end.

For the different words for "forgiveness", see explanation of ii. 109 (reproduced herein under):
There words are used in the Qur'an, with a meaning asking to "forgive" but each with a different shade of meaning. Afa (here translated "forgive") means to forget, to obliterate from one's mind. Safaha (here translated "overlook") means to turn away from, to ignore, to treat a matter as if it did not affect one. Gafara (which does not occur in this verse) means to cover up something as God does to our sins with His grace; this word is particularly appropriate in God's attribute of Gaffar, the One who forgives again and again.
Muhammad Asad Explanation
I.e., "sometimes, your spouses...", etc. Since, in the teachings of the Qur'an, all moral duties are binding on women as well as on men, it is obvious that the term azwajikum " أَزْوَٲجِكُمْ " must not be rendered as "your wives", but is to be understood - according to classical Arabic usage - as applying equally to both the male and the female partners in a marriage.

Love of his or her family may sometimes tempt a believer to act contrary to the demands of conscience and faith; and, occasionally, one or another of the loved ones - whether wife or husband or child - may consciously try to induce the person concerned to abandon some of his or her moral commitments in order to satisfy some real or imaginary "family interest", and thus becomes the other's spiritual "enemy". It is to this latter eventuality that the next sentence alludes.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation
Here the Qur’an has explained the whole context of the previous verses of the surah: though disbelievers are also addressed in them, the real addressees are the Muslims whose wife and children had embraced faith yet true faith had yet to enter the hearts of some of them. So when they would see their husbands and fathers losing the pleasures of this world in hope of gaining in the Hereafter and sacrificing their personal interests and generously spending the wealth they have earned for the cause of God, they would try to stop them. They would also try to create uncertainty in their minds about the Hereafter by raising objections similar to the ones raised by the disbelievers before them. In order to streamline the minds and hearts of these Muslims, the Qur’an first reminded them about the Hereafter and the arguments that substantiate it, then addressed the disbelievers for a short while to remove the confusions created by them about the Hereafter, and then warned these Muslims by saying that the enemies of their faith and religion are present in their houses and that they should protect themselves from them.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 
  • Towards Understanding the Quran
  • Tafsir Ibn Khatir
  • Muhammad Asad Translation
  • Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
  • Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
  • Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Monday 25 April 2022

The Barakah of paying Zakat - the Mandatory Charitable Contribution

No two men are born equal, whether in position, possession of wealth and health. The have not always looked upon those who are blessed to live their lives in some level of comfort. And are thus dependent on the charity of the rich for which they have to really beg for alms and charity. This may be for some, but many due to their inborn dignity may not extend their hand in front of others. 

Islam however has established the concept of Zakat, a mandatory charitable contribution from those who have more than enough of their needs to give out to those in needs. In an Islamic state, such contributions are collected under the arrangements of state and then given out to the needy regularly so that they live comfortably.  

Before we move on, let us first see what does Barakah mean: [4]
Barakah is a term that means an “increase” and “growth”- and also, happiness.  It is the establishment of divine goodness in something; from whence it exudes cannot be sensed by people, nor can it be outwardly quantified, nor is it limited by anything, but rather, something with barakah in it is called mubaarak, and has an unexplainable increase and benefit in it from Allah. [al-Isfahani, Mufradaat al-Qur’an]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Charity does not reduce wealth.” [Muslim, Sahih] The physical amount outwardly decreases, but the remaining amount attracts barakah so that the actual benefit from it is not less. [al-Nawawi, Sharh Muslim]
Now coming over to the question: How Zakat adds Barakah: At many places in Qur'an, believers have been instructed to pay Zakat so that a true welfare Islamic state could be established.  Zakat is found in the early Medinan surahs and described as obligatory for Muslims. For example, the 177th verse of Surah 2. Al Baqarah comprehensively explains the giving of Zakat by those who have enough for their Muslim brethren:

لَيۡسَ الۡبِرَّ اَنۡ تُوَلُّوۡا وُجُوۡهَكُمۡ قِبَلَ الۡمَشۡرِقِ وَ الۡمَغۡرِبِ وَلٰـكِنَّ الۡبِرَّ مَنۡ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَالۡمَلٰٓـئِکَةِ وَالۡكِتٰبِ وَالنَّبِيّٖنَ​ۚ وَاٰتَى الۡمَالَ عَلٰى حُبِّهٖ ذَوِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡيَتٰمٰى وَالۡمَسٰكِيۡنَ وَابۡنَ السَّبِيۡلِۙ وَالسَّآئِلِيۡنَ وَفِى الرِّقَابِ​ۚ وَاَقَامَ الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتَى الزَّکٰوةَ ​ ۚ وَالۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ بِعَهۡدِهِمۡ اِذَا عٰهَدُوۡا ۚ وَالصّٰبِرِيۡنَ فِى الۡبَاۡسَآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَحِيۡنَ الۡبَاۡسِؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ الَّذِيۡنَ صَدَقُوۡا ؕ وَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡمُتَّقُوۡنَ‏ 
(2:177) Righteousness does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or towards the west;175 true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away one’s property in love of Him to one’s kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishing Prayer and dispensing the Zakah. True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and at the time of battle (between Truth and falsehood). Such are the truthful ones; such are the God-fearing.

The mention of Zakat is also found at other places such as mentioned below:
And We made them leaders guiding by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of zakat; and they were worshippers of Us. (Surah 21 Al Anbiya:73)

“Zakat is for the poor and the needy; and those employed to administer the funds; for those whose hearts have been recently reconciled to Truth; for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer. It is ordained by Allah and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. "(Surah 9. Tawba, verse 60

Zakat means increase and barakah: That is to say that whoever pays Zakat will have his wealth multiplied not only in this world, but his rewards will be multiplied in life in the hereafter. In fact, Zakat is given for the sake of salvation. Muslims believe those who give zakat can expect reward from God in the afterlife, while neglecting to give zakat can result in damnation. Zakat is considered part of the covenant between God and a Muslim. 

Zakat is a means of compulsory redistribution of wealth in a way that reduces differences between classes and groups, thus preventing the many social disorders from which Communist and Western societies alike suffer, no less than contemporary Muslim societies that have neglected zakat. Moreover, zakat is a means of establishing justice indirectly. It rectifies whatever wrongs, injustices or means of exploitation in trading and industrial relations that have arisen. This may explain the fact that it is called a "right" rather than "charity", or an act of beneficence. Zakah also facilitates the proper direction of purchasing power in society. It transfers part of the power of consumption, which may be used extravagantly to fulfill a proper function in the lives of those who need it. [3]

Generally, it is observed that we are prone to extravagance (Israf), that is spending more than needed. If we analyze, the extra money spent which could have been curtailed could mean a whole day meal for a poor family. Instead, this money should be paid as Zakat for it will not only fulfill the needs of the needy but will also add to our Barakah.

Many Muslim philanthropists and even ordinary men make the Zakat contribution individually, due to which equal distribution of Zakat cannot be ensured nor it reaches all needy believers. Islamic states must ensure central collection of Zakat so that equal and just distribution can be ensured'. So let us give Zakat and help the needy. This will not only bring Barakah to us but would also earn us prayers of the needy and would help us when the scales will be set up on the Day of Judgement. But remember, while paying Zakat and alms, one's intention should be to please Allah and not to show off one's wealth to others, for it would nullify the noble act.

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

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

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