Is the reward for good [anything] but good? (Selected verses from Qur'an)

Al Qur'an, the fourth and the last of the Divine Scriptures (after Psalms, Torah and Bible) is embodiment of Divine commandments, advices and guidance so eloquently worded that one is really spellbound to read. And when one tries go into the depth of the meanings they contain, one is nothing but moved. And it is this Divine eloquence that attracts man when Qur'an is being recited, even if one does not understand the Arabic language in which it is written.

While the entire Qur'an makes a listener flow into its stream, Surah Ar Rahman, the 55th Chapter of Qur'an really drills each and every word of it deep inside the man and makes him to wonder that if the promises, assurances and reassurances of Allah are so eloquently said, especially the reward for those who have firm faith in Allah and strive hard to live a life according to the guidelines contained in this chapter, how befitting reward would be when one would be ushered into the Paradise as a reward for him being a faithful servant of Allah?  We have already shared the verse by exegesis / Tafsir of the Surah Ar Rahman and we would urge our readers to read the explanation of each verse. We assure you will be absorbed in each of its verses that will make you shudder with the Divine Power that moves each word and in response each muscle and nerve of your body. 

Today, we share the 60th verse of this beautiful Surah, in which Allah, after explaining the rewards of those who walk His way, have form Faith and live a life according to the Divine guidance, finally asks the believers: Is the reward for good [anything] but good?

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ

هَلۡ جَزَآءُ الْاِحۡسَانِ اِلَّا الۡاِحۡسَانُ​ۚ‏ 

(60) Is the reward for good [anything] but good?

That is, "How, after all, is it possible that Allah should allow to go waste the sacrifices of those righteous servants and should deny them their rewards, who kept themselves subjected to restrictions throughout their lives for the sake of Allah, who avoided the unlawful and remained content with the lawful, who performed their duties faithfully and sincerely, rendered the rights of those to whom rights were due, and endured hardships against evil and upheld good?

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Allah declares that in the Hereafter, all that is good and righteous is the only befitting reward for those who do good deeds in this life,

(For those who have done good is best (reward) and even more.) [10:26] 

All of these are tremendous blessings that cannot be earned merely by good deeds, but by Allah's favor and bounty, after all of these He says; (Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny)

Yusuf Ali Explanation: This is the summing up of all the description used to express the Fruit of Goodness or Good. But the fullest expression can only be given in abstract terms: "Is there any reward for Good-other than Good?" Can anything express it better?

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that the reward of virtue can only be given in the form of blessings and favours; it can never be vice or indifference. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

… Since this is something very clearly grounded in human nature and no sensible person in his senses can deny it, it has been stated in a manner which reflects it being an obvious reality. The word اِحۡسَان is used for piety as well as for the reward of piety. In this verse, it is used very eloquently in both these meanings. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 8, 148)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

All this comes as the reward for a person who stands in this life in fear of his Lord's presence and worships Him as if he sees Him. He feels that God sees him and he works to attain the superior grade of excellence that the Prophet described as "to worship God as if you see Him. If you do not, then know that He sees you." As such they deserve more from the Lord of Grace for their excellence: "Shall the reward of good be anything but good?" (Verse 60)

Read the entire Surah Ar Rahman, and I promise you that when you reach this verse, you will feel a reassurance you may have never ever encountered in your worldly life.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo | Tafsir References:| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Prophetic Supplication which was dearer to him than anything over which the sun rises

Allah, the Lord of the Universe, listens to us provided we address Him with attributes befitting His Greatness and Magnanimity. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ always advised his companions that while making a supplication, they must first acknowledge Allah's greatness and his many attributes. 

We share a Prophetic Supplication, which dearer to him, as quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (The Book (#48) Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness - كتاب الذكر والدعاء والتوبة والاستغفار   / Chapter # 10 The Virtue of Tahlil (Saying La Ilaha Ill-Allah), Tasbih (Saying Subhan Allah) And (Du'a) Supplication / باب فَضْلِ التَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّسْبِيحِ وَالدُّعَاءِ ‏‏ ) as Hadith number # 2695:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لأَنْ أَقُولَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The uttering of (these words):" Hallowed be Allah; all praise is due to Allah, there is no god but Allah and Allah is the Greatest," is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises.

Prophetic supplications provide us with the best worded supplications to invoke the countless mercies of Allah. We should to remember these by heart or at least recite these by reading so many prophetic supplications that are mentioned in the Hadith books.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

Source of Hadith

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

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

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Rising of the sun from the west: The Doomsday Prediction (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

There have been many theories about the possibility of the sun rising from the west. There have been many a argument for and against this to be happening. Those propagating such theories are of the opinion that a magnetic field reversal may change the motion of the earth in the opposite direction, thereby the sun being seen rising from the west.

Herein under are some of the viewpoints of astronomers and scientists who argue in favour of such a phenomenon:

Climate researchers believe we are heading towards a reversal of the planet's magnetic field, which some fear will lead to the end of the human race and even wipe out the neanderthals. This may entail a swap of the magnetic poles from north to south would shift the continents so fiercely it would trigger mass earthquakes, rapid climate change, extinctions and global destruction.[1]

Although the earth would start spinning from west to east, the atmosphere would not be able to change track so fast. This would lead to supersonic winds and hurricanes and mega-tsunamis of such magnitude that they would destroy all man-made natural structures on the ground, along with nearly all living things. Unless you conveniently happened to be shopping in a subterranean mall or sulking in a bunker of sorts, you would be ancient history. But if the earth starts its reverse-rotation slowly, gradually, then the aftermath may not be as catastrophic. [2]

NASA has been tight lipped on the subject. But it published an explanatory article on December 1, 2011 about the phenomenon of the Earth's magnetic field reversal, titled “2012: Magnetic Pole Reversal Happens All The (Geologic) Time” indicating that this phenomenon has occurred several times over the past thousands of years, and it is a “rule, not an exception”. [3]

In the above quoted two references, it is the opinion that if such thing, rising of the sun from the west happens, there will be chaos on the earth which may ultimately lead to the destruction of the planet earth - the Doomsday happening.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, while interpreting the 158th verse of Surah 6. Al-An'am given herein under has explained te rising of the sun from the west: 

هَلۡ يَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ تَاۡتِيَهُمُ الۡمَلٰۤـئِكَةُ اَوۡ يَاۡتِىَ رَبُّكَ اَوۡ يَاۡتِىَ بَعۡضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَ ؕ يَوۡمَ يَاۡتِىۡ بَعۡضُ اٰيٰتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنۡفَعُ نَفۡسًا اِيۡمَانُهَا لَمۡ تَكُنۡ اٰمَنَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ اَوۡ كَسَبَتۡ فِىۡۤ اِيۡمَانِهَا خَيۡرًا​ ؕ قُلِ انْتَظِرُوۡۤا اِنَّا مُنۡتَظِرُوۡنَ‏ 

(6:158) What! Do they wait either for the angels to appear before them or for your Lord to come unto them or for some clear signs of your Lord to appear before them? When some clear signs of your Lord appear, believing will be of no avail to anyone who did not believe before, or who earned no good deeds through his faith. Say: 'Wait on; we too are waiting.'

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 65 - Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh)) كتاب التفسير / Chapter 10: "The day that some of the signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe..." (V.6:158) (10)باب ‏{‏لاَ يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا‏}‏ ) as Hadith 4636, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ وَرَآهَا النَّاسُ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ الآيَةَ‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then." Then he recited the whole Verse (6.158)

Many may today, especially non-Muslims will mock the Hadith, as they have always done, despite the fact that in the Qur'an, many mentions are made which science has only proven in the last couple of centuries. That is the complex process of childbirth the presence of steel on earth which has been in fact a foreign body, and many other indicators for man to ponder upon. 

Likewise, someday science will be advances to ponder over this Hadith and may come to know that such a possibility exists and will be the turning point in our earthly life when it will cease to exist. Let us wait to see the science to mature to a level when someone will be able to interpret the Quranic verses and aforesaid Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

Photo | Source of Hadith | Resource 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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Reward for hurrying up for Friday Congregation (Salat al Jumu'ah)

Friday Congregation - Salat al Jumu'ah assumes a great importance in the lives of Muslims around the world. It is on this day that the otherwise Dhur (noon) prayer is offered in the masjid en masse. We have already shared a number of posts on the importance of the Friday Congregation, dwelling on its importance and how to offer this prayer.

Today we share a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which emphasizes on hurrying up for the Friday Congregation and its rewards of varying degrees. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 11 - Friday Prayer كتاب الجمعة / Chapter 31: To listen to the Khutba (religious talk) on Friday باب الاِسْتِمَاعِ إِلَى الْخُطْبَةِ ) as Hadith 929, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَغَرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَقَفَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَلَى باب الْمَسْجِدِ يَكْتُبُونَ الأَوَّلَ فَالأَوَّلَ، وَمَثَلُ الْمُهَجِّرِ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يُهْدِي بَدَنَةً، ثُمَّ كَالَّذِي يُهْدِي بَقَرَةً، ثُمَّ كَبْشًا، ثُمَّ دَجَاجَةً، ثُمَّ بَيْضَةً، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإِمَامُ طَوَوْا صُحُفَهُمْ، وَيَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When it is a Friday, the angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for Jumua prayer) they (i.e. angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba."

It can be seen that believers who rush up to the masjids earlier than the rest have a greater reward than those who join the congregation at the very last. While the Hadith signifies the importance of the Salat al Jumu'ah, it also signifies the Divine love for the believers who can amass blessings of Allah for even small acts and get blessed.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

Who would be bankrupt and poor on the Day of Resurrection

Majority of believers are God fearing, who offer salat five times a day regularly, keep fast during the month of Radan, and even otherwise during the year, and pay Zakat (the obligatory charity) and help the poor. Yet, despite these virtues, there are still many who amass wealth from illegal means, hood wink others in matters related to business and mutual affairs. Some even have a bad moth and long tongue which hurt others around them. So, what is the use of being a showcase of offering salat, paying zakat and fasting, if our wealth is from illegal means and none is saved of our bad tongue? 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has warned such believers of being bankrupt on the Day of Resurrection and may face the Divine wrath. This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (The Book (#48) of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship - كتاب البر والصلة والآداب   / Chapter # 15 The Prohibition of Oppression / باب تَحْرِيمِ الظُّلْمِ ‏‏ ) as Hadith number # 2581, reproduced herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا مَنْ لاَ دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلاَ مَتَاعَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.

After reading this Hadith, I for myself shivered and felt very low for many a times I have hurt people and many a times I have offered salat to show off, or perhaps have been negligent in paying Zakat and harshly dismissing the poor asking for alms. I now fear bankruptcy and feel frightened. Do you feel the same way? If so, let us promise ourselves to be sincere in our Ibadaat / worship and be very careful about our affairs for no one knows when angel of death comes and knocks at our door. That time could be any second from now on. Remember: Rights will certainly be restored to those entitled to them on the Day of Resurrection, (to the point that) even the hornless sheep will lay claim upon the horned one.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

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

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Glad tidings for Reverts (Selected verses from Qur'an)

A life before reverting to Islam is a life lived in ignorance and having done acts which are otherwise unbecoming of a God-fearing person. But upon reverting to Islam, the entire life complexion of a revert changes altogether. It is as if he is born again with a clean slate to start his new life as a Muslim.

The 54th verse of Surah 6 Al Anaam brings glad tidings for reverts and informs them of the Divine promise of forgiveness of their pre-reversion life, provided they sincerely repent of their misdeeds and sins of the past life and wish to start afresh. Although this concession was given to those reverting to Islam. But this is also available to every Muslim at any stage of life. So, if a believer repents his past misdoings and seeks forgiveness of Allah, he is promised to be forgiven.

وَاِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِيۡنَ يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاٰيٰتِنَا فَقُلۡ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ​ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلٰى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ​ ۙ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ عَمِلَ مِنۡكُمۡ سُوۡٓءًۢا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ وَاَصۡلَحَۙ فَاَنَّهٗ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏  

(6:54) And when those who believe in Our signs come to you, say to them: 'Peace be upon you. Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself so that if anyone of you does a bad deed out of ignorance and thereafter repents and makes amends, surely you will find Him All-Forgiving, All Compassionate.'

Allah has told his Messenger to console those of His followers who had committed heinous sins during the days of "ignorance" by inspiring them with the assurance that He forgives and treats leniently those who repent and mend their ways and, therefore, the taunts of the enemies of Islam need not worry them about what they had done in the past.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ When those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say: "Salamun `Alaykum'' (peace be on you) ;) means, honor them by returning the Salam and give them the good news of Allah's exclusive, encompassing mercy for them. So, Allah said;

( كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ your Lord has written Mercy for Himself,) meaning, He has obliged His Most Honored Self to grant mercy, as a favor, out of His compassion and beneficence,

(أَنَّهُ مَن عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ So that, if any of you does evil in ignorance...) as every person who disobeys Allah does it in ignorance,

(ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds,) by repenting from the sins that he committed, intending not to repeat the sin in the future, but to perform righteous deeds,

(فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(لَمَّا قَضَى اللهُ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ فِي كِتَابٍ فَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي غَلَبَتْ غَضَبِي When Allah finished with the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne, `My mercy prevails over My anger'.) This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

It is evident from these glad tidings that to those they were given were not desirous of wealth and status; on the contrary, they were desirous of mercy and forgiveness that is mentioned in the glad tidings. They had no interest in the wealth and resources of this world. Their desire, in fact, was that their sins be forgiven and they become worthy of God’s pleasure.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

God commands His Messenger to be the one who starts by greeting those on whom God has bestowed the grace of being among the early Muslims; the very ones whom the Quraysh chiefs ridiculed. The Prophet is further commanded to give them the happy news that God has committed Himself to grant them His mercy, as He will forgive those among them who mend their ways after having committed any bad deed out of ignorance. 

Having given them the blessing of adopting the faith, and promised them easy reckoning on the Day of Judgement, God now honours them with His mercy. Indeed, He commits Himself to showing mercy to those who believe in Him. He also commands His Messenger (peace be upon him) to convey to them this commitment. God’s grace is so plentiful that it ensures forgiveness of all bad deeds, once those who commit them repent and mend their ways. The qualification mentioned here, which describes a bad deed as being committed `out of ignorance’, is interpreted by scholars as intrinsic to committing sins. All human sins are committed `out of ignorance’. According to this interpretation, this statement includes every bad deed: once the person who has done it repents and mends his ways, he will be forgiven. Other statements support this interpretation as they describe forgiveness as surely forthcoming upon repentance and doing well. This is the practical exercise of grace, which God has committed Himself to bestow.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Punishment for mistreating cats (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Whenever the mention of cats is made, the first thing that comes to mind is the proverbial black cats that have been looked down upon for ages to bring bad luck. However, on the contrary, cats are adorable little animals that everyone loves to have around. Cats are considered intrinsically clean and for this reason, these are revered as "the quintessential pet" by many Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ adored cats and had a a black-and-white Abyssinian cat as his pet. There is Hadith attributed to him in which he mentions the punishment for a woman who mistreated the cats. This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 59 - Beginning of Creation كتاب بدء الخلق / Chapter 16: Five kinds of animals are harmful and allowed to be killed in Haram باب خَمْسٌ مِنَ الدَّوَابِّ فَوَاسِقُ يُقْتَلْنَ فِي الْحَرَمِ ) as Hadith 3318, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ النَّارَ فِي هِرَّةٍ رَبَطَتْهَا، فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا، وَلَمْ تَدَعْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خِشَاشِ الأَرْضِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏

Narrated by Ibn `Umar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A woman entered the (Hell) Fire because of a cat which she had tied, neither giving it food nor setting it free to eat from the vermin of the earth. "

During the Uhud campaign, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came across a black-and-white Abyssinian cat breastfeeding her kitten, he changed the course of his soldiers. On his way back he adopted this cat and gave her the name "Muezza (or Muʿizza; Arabic: معزة)." One day, he slightly tipped his cup so that a cat passing by could drink some water. It is even said among the people that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stroked the back of a cat for strangling a snake that was about to harm someone and that is why cats land on four feet and not on their backs.

There are many mentions of love and care of cats by Prophet of Allah. It is said that Muhammad awoke one day to the sounds of the adhan. Preparing to attend prayer, he began to dress himself; however, he soon discovered his cat Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his prayer robe. Rather than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed.

One of the most revered companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who has had the honour of recording maximum number of Hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ, was given the name Abu Hurairah, which means "father of cats." Abu Hurairah was given this name because wherever he went, he always had a cat with him. 

In Islamic tradition, cats are admired for their cleanliness. They are thought to be ritually clean, and are thus allowed to enter homes and even mosques, including Masjid al-Haram. There is a belief among some Muslims that cats seek out people who are praying.

While Islam prohibits cruelty to the animals, cats stand out from the rest for their domesticated nature, cleanliness and adorability. We must too show love to all animals, 

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

Photo | Source of Hadith | Resource reference on Cats: | 1 | 2 |

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Etiquette for Believers: Speak what is good or keep silent (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

A true believer is a symbol of peace and love for others. In fact, ne does not have to tell someone that he is a Muslim, for his acts should be talking louder than his tongue. We have been sharing the etiquettes exhibited by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in our previous posts. Today we share yet another Hadith which teaches three etiquettes to the believers if they truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 78 - Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab) كتاب الأدب / Chapter 85: To honour guest and to serve him  بَابُ إِكْرَامِ الضَّيْفِ وَخِدْمَتِهِ إِيَّاهُ بِنَفْسِهِ) as Hadith 6136, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep silent."

There are three things mentioned in this Hadith: (1) Being good with the neighbor, (2) Treating the guest well and (3) speaking what is good or better keep silent.

We have already published a Hadith on Rights of Neighbour, which amply highlights the importance of our behavior towards our neighbor. As for the treatment to the guest, we shall share a specific Hadith shortly. For now, let us explain the third etiquette mentioned in the aforesaid Hadith: Remaining silent unless something good is to be spoken. 

Gary Chapman referred to "words to bullets" and seeds in his book titled Love as a Way of Life. The metaphors he used fittingly represent the contrasting impact of words in our lives. Words are bullets, our mouth is a gun. When fired upon others, you can obviously harm them.

That is words once uttered, just like a fired bullet, do harm even before one realizes how badly one has spoken. No amount of explanation can clarify one's viewpoint thereafter. There are people who are in the habit of talking too much and such people are more often than not talking about things that they should not have and hurt others. 

The above quoted Hadith thus advises a believer to remain silent if one cannot come up with anything good. While one is in the company of others, it is better to keep silent and be on the listening end and should not just proffer one's comments to mark one's presence. Silence allows us to think and channel our thought process. While others are engrossed in a futile discussion and putting across argument after argument to score a point over the others, a true believer remains silent and is putting together his view point so that nothing bad or hurtful words are let loose. Remember silence is an act, advised to maintain peace and good relations between one another.

Remember: Noise is linked to a lower level of learning, for those who talk excessively have no substantive point of view and keep other guessing of their actual mindset. Thus, in the noise of one's unnecessary words, one exhibits one's level of thinking and wisdom. Silence in fact teaches one patience and allows control over oneself for not letting oneself flow into the tide unprepared.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

You may also refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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

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Four Conditions of Forgiveness (Selected verses from Qur'an)

Al Ghaffar (الغفار) - The Repeatedly Forgiving is one of the many attributes of Allah. That is no matter how many times a believer sins and repents, Allah is repeatedly forgiving. In the 82nd verse of Surah 20. Ta Ha, Allah Himself proclaims that He is the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents. However, He lays down four conditions for forgiveness as mentioned in the selected verse below:

وَاِنِّىۡ لَـغَفَّارٌ لِّمَنۡ تَابَ وَاٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًـا ثُمَّ اهۡتَدٰى‏  

(20:82) But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.

The above quoted verse in fact is the follow up of the Divine address to the children of Israel which takes place in previous two verses:

(20:80) Children of Israel! We saved you from your enemy and made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount and sent down on you manna and quails,

(20:81) saying: "Partake of the good things that We have provided for you, but do not transgress lest My wrath fall upon you; for he upon whom My wrath falls is ruined.

Now connect verse 82 with the last sentence of verse 81, which says that if you transgress, then do not blame the Divine wrath. However, if you repent, then your Lord if repeatedly forgiving. 

According to this (verse 82), there are four conditions for forgiveness: (1) Repentance: to refrain from rebellion, disobedience, shirk or disbelief. (2) Faith: sincere belief in Allah and the Messenger and the Book and the Hereafter. (3) Righteous works: to do good deeds according to the instructions of Allah and His Messenger. (4) Guidance: to follow the right way steadfastly and to refrain from straying into any wrong path.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds,) meaning, "Whoever turns to Me in repentance, then I will accept his repentance regardless of whatever sin he did.'' Allah, the Exalted, even accepts the repentance of the Children of Israel who worshipped the calf. 

Concerning Allah's statement:

• (تَابَ who repents,) This means to turn away from what one was involved in of disbelief, associating partners with Allah, disobedience of Allah or hypocrisy. 
• (وَآمَنَ and believes) This means the person's belief in his heart.
• (وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً and does righteous deeds,) his action with his bodily limbs.
• (ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى and then Ihtada.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas said, "This means that he then does not doubt.' 

Qatadah said, (ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى and then Ihtada.) "This means he adheres to Islam until he dies.'' We see here that there is a specific order in which these things are presented. 

This is similar to Allah's saying: (ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience and recommended one another to pity and compassion.) [90:17]

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: 

With this warning against indulgence in easy pleasures and neglect of the task assigned for them, the door for repentance is left open for anyone who slips so that he may return to the proper path. “But I certainly forgive all sins for anyone who repents, believes and does righteous deeds, and thereafter keeps to the right path.” (Verse 82)

Repentance is not merely a word we say with our mouths. It is a resolve in one’s mind that manifests itself in strong faith and good deeds, as well as practical behaviour. So, when faith is settled in a person’s heart, faith is purged of all alien traces, and confirmed by good deeds. In this way, man sets himself on the right path, guided by faith and benefiting by the guarantee provided by good action. Achieving guidance is shown here as the result of strong faith and determined action. Thus ends the scene of victory and the comments the sūrah has to make on it. The curtains fall and lift again to show us the second scene of an address made directly to God by the side of Mount Sinai.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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