بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Kahf,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the Book (the Qur'an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)
[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]
The Quran is upright and safeguards the best interest of His servants. It will set anybody right. Even in the toughest of time, the Qur'an can help us stand up straight. It teaches us to stay within limits. It does not put a burden or responsibility upon the slaves of Allah, the kind of burden or responsibility that they can't carry.
It will never fall short in the realm of guidance. That's why Allah sent the Quran as the last Book. The Quran is a complete guidance. Whatever troubles or crisis we are facing -- personal, national, ethical, political, factional, ignorance, morality, shamelessness, etc -- the Qur'an has the solution for it.
The world we live in now is not much different than the world before in terms of its crookedness and deviations. Quran is committed to rectify the most crooked of nations. So we must have hope that when we restore the relationship with the Qur'an to people, beginning with ourselves and our families, then there will be good things lie ahead. The Qur'an is straight and no matter how much society deviates, it will remain straight. It has the power to take that which is bent and make it straight.
The actual relationship we have with the Quran is when we are standing in prayer and reciting it, and when we are standing behind an imam and listening to it being recited. Our relationship with the Quran happens five times a day at least. If somebody's prayer is good, his Quran is good, and if someone is not engaging with the Quran in his prayers, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely superficial.
Isn't it time we take the Qur'an seriously? The hearts of those who claim to have Faith (the believers) should be filled with the grandeur of Allah, in awe of Allah's power, due to the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts should flood with tears because of the Quran. Our hearts should be filled with overwhelming sense of emotion because we haven't connected with the Qur'an yet.
We should act like the Ummah that we are supposed to be with the Quran.
وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا ﴿٢٧
And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. (27)
[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:27]
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا ﴿٥٧
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever. (57)
[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:57]
May Allah bring us closer to His Book. Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, March 23, 2018
Friday, March 16, 2018
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Learning Through The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
As Muslims it is our duty to pursue the learning process while breath still fills our lungs and our brains are capable of thought. Let's look at one aspect of learning that Allah teaches us in Surah Al-Kahf, specifically within the story of the youth companions of the cave.
When the young men made it to cave, fleeing from oppression of the society, Allah put them to sleep.
فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ literally to pat someone on the ears -- the image of that of a mother affectionately putting her child to sleep by patting on the ears. The idiom also means to prevent somebody from hearing something, i.e. by sealing off somebody ears.
Allah's love is expressed in this one expression. The young men were patted to sleep and as a result they were saved from hearing the painful things that have forced them to take refuge in the cave -- it is the idea that Allah lovingly patting these young men to sleep.
Everything in the Qur'an has a purpose, nothing in it is put haphazardly. Allah does not tell us the exact number of years the sleepers were in the cave. One thing we have to understand is that a good teacher purposely keeps certain information from his students when they are not ready for it. Even if you ask repeatedly, your teacher won't give it to you because if you get the information when you are not ready for it, it will either distract you from the actual learning that you must do or it will cause harm that you will get things confused. Just like medication or a diet food has a certain time and proportion, there is a certain order of things in life, and similarly with learning.
The Qur'an teaches us that there are things we need to know and there are things we don't need to know. The idea that Allah being the teacher is that Allah knows which question deserves an answer and which one does not. Perhaps He will teach you something far more valuable than your question and perhaps by Him not answering your question is the best education you ever received. By answering a question you get information but sometimes by answering it with a different answer you get not just information but wisdom.
When Allah kept ambiguous the number of years the sleepers were in the cave is extremely profound. If we think about it, Qur'an is not a massive Book -- only 114 Surahs revealed in 23 years. If we were going to author a book for 23 years, we could have many more than 600 pages. The Qur'an is extremely limited compared to any of what is left of the sacred texts, compared to the Bible and the Old Testament. It only has a fraction of the information those texts have. There are no extended family names, village names, or dates in the Qur'an. From the information perspective there is very limited information in the Qur'an and lots of repetition.
Allah is going to tell us something that is contested among the Christians -- how long the men stayed in the cave. Allah could have given the exact number but He didn't. He only tells us,
فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا
[within the cave for a number of years]
It is really important to note what Allah tells us and it is equally important to note what Allah decided not to tell us. Everything we need to know, Allah tells us in His Book. Qur'an is a Book of teaching and not a Book of information. Teaching is different than giving information. Teaching is a constant back and forth with lots of repetition.
So every ayah in the Qur'an is extremely valuable.
The purpose of every ayah is to give us something of value. The purpose of this ayah is the love Allah expresses for these young righteous men. We were given the image of babies being put to sleep. Babies are not put to sleep on a rock but a place of comfort. These young men were being treated with this kind of loving care and that Allah did not forget them. They were given this comfort in the cave for some number of years -- sleeping like a baby, saved from the fitnah of the society outside. But Allah didn't tell us exactly how long they were sleeping in the cave. Even if it was a month it would already be miraculous but Allah tells us they were sleeping for some number of years. This is enough for a believer to appreciate Allah's power. Thus, the exact number becomes irrelevant.
May Allah increase our love for the Qur'an, teach us the Qur'an, help us live by the Qur'an, and make us His elect people of the Qur'an. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
As Muslims it is our duty to pursue the learning process while breath still fills our lungs and our brains are capable of thought. Let's look at one aspect of learning that Allah teaches us in Surah Al-Kahf, specifically within the story of the youth companions of the cave.
When the young men made it to cave, fleeing from oppression of the society, Allah put them to sleep.
فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا ﴿١١[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:11]
So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years. (11)
فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ literally to pat someone on the ears -- the image of that of a mother affectionately putting her child to sleep by patting on the ears. The idiom also means to prevent somebody from hearing something, i.e. by sealing off somebody ears.
Allah's love is expressed in this one expression. The young men were patted to sleep and as a result they were saved from hearing the painful things that have forced them to take refuge in the cave -- it is the idea that Allah lovingly patting these young men to sleep.
Everything in the Qur'an has a purpose, nothing in it is put haphazardly. Allah does not tell us the exact number of years the sleepers were in the cave. One thing we have to understand is that a good teacher purposely keeps certain information from his students when they are not ready for it. Even if you ask repeatedly, your teacher won't give it to you because if you get the information when you are not ready for it, it will either distract you from the actual learning that you must do or it will cause harm that you will get things confused. Just like medication or a diet food has a certain time and proportion, there is a certain order of things in life, and similarly with learning.
The Qur'an teaches us that there are things we need to know and there are things we don't need to know. The idea that Allah being the teacher is that Allah knows which question deserves an answer and which one does not. Perhaps He will teach you something far more valuable than your question and perhaps by Him not answering your question is the best education you ever received. By answering a question you get information but sometimes by answering it with a different answer you get not just information but wisdom.
When Allah kept ambiguous the number of years the sleepers were in the cave is extremely profound. If we think about it, Qur'an is not a massive Book -- only 114 Surahs revealed in 23 years. If we were going to author a book for 23 years, we could have many more than 600 pages. The Qur'an is extremely limited compared to any of what is left of the sacred texts, compared to the Bible and the Old Testament. It only has a fraction of the information those texts have. There are no extended family names, village names, or dates in the Qur'an. From the information perspective there is very limited information in the Qur'an and lots of repetition.
Allah is going to tell us something that is contested among the Christians -- how long the men stayed in the cave. Allah could have given the exact number but He didn't. He only tells us,
فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا
[within the cave for a number of years]
It is really important to note what Allah tells us and it is equally important to note what Allah decided not to tell us. Everything we need to know, Allah tells us in His Book. Qur'an is a Book of teaching and not a Book of information. Teaching is different than giving information. Teaching is a constant back and forth with lots of repetition.
So every ayah in the Qur'an is extremely valuable.
The purpose of every ayah is to give us something of value. The purpose of this ayah is the love Allah expresses for these young righteous men. We were given the image of babies being put to sleep. Babies are not put to sleep on a rock but a place of comfort. These young men were being treated with this kind of loving care and that Allah did not forget them. They were given this comfort in the cave for some number of years -- sleeping like a baby, saved from the fitnah of the society outside. But Allah didn't tell us exactly how long they were sleeping in the cave. Even if it was a month it would already be miraculous but Allah tells us they were sleeping for some number of years. This is enough for a believer to appreciate Allah's power. Thus, the exact number becomes irrelevant.
May Allah increase our love for the Qur'an, teach us the Qur'an, help us live by the Qur'an, and make us His elect people of the Qur'an. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, March 9, 2018
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Building Your Relationship With The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
At the beginning of Surah Kahf, Allah Almighty says,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1]
Allah sent the Qur'an to His servant and beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as guidance for the believers.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:2]
Qur'an is not poetry. Poetry is a means of entertainment.
وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ ٱلشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٦٩﴾ لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ ٱلْقَوْلُ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿٧٠
And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur'an (69) To warn whoever is alive and justify the word against the disbelievers. (70)
[Qur'an, Ya-Sin 36:69-70]
The religion is not entertainment. Khutbah is not entertainment. The recitation of the Qur'an is not just entertainment. If all your relationship with the Qur'an amounts to you enjoy the recitation, which is great in of itself, that is not what it is. There is more to it.
The relationship with the Qur'an has to be balanced. There is nothing more entertaining in life than the joy of learning the Qur'an, the joy of memorization the Qur'an, the joy of reciting of Qur'an, the joy of listening to the Qur'an recitation. It's a beautiful thing in life but that is not just what it is. This is a bonus that Qur'an is beautiful. Allah could have guided us in a way that is not this beautiful. Allah didn't have to make us enjoy the recitation. But when you do that at the serious expense of the Message, then that's a problem.
Qur'an is supposed to transform you.
May Allah strengthen our relationship with His Book and guide us on the Straight Path. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
At the beginning of Surah Kahf, Allah Almighty says,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1]
Allah sent the Qur'an to His servant and beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as guidance for the believers.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:2]
Qur'an is not poetry. Poetry is a means of entertainment.
وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ ٱلشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٦٩﴾ لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ ٱلْقَوْلُ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿٧٠
And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur'an (69) To warn whoever is alive and justify the word against the disbelievers. (70)
[Qur'an, Ya-Sin 36:69-70]
The religion is not entertainment. Khutbah is not entertainment. The recitation of the Qur'an is not just entertainment. If all your relationship with the Qur'an amounts to you enjoy the recitation, which is great in of itself, that is not what it is. There is more to it.
The relationship with the Qur'an has to be balanced. There is nothing more entertaining in life than the joy of learning the Qur'an, the joy of memorization the Qur'an, the joy of reciting of Qur'an, the joy of listening to the Qur'an recitation. It's a beautiful thing in life but that is not just what it is. This is a bonus that Qur'an is beautiful. Allah could have guided us in a way that is not this beautiful. Allah didn't have to make us enjoy the recitation. But when you do that at the serious expense of the Message, then that's a problem.
Qur'an is supposed to transform you.
May Allah strengthen our relationship with His Book and guide us on the Straight Path. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam
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