Month: April 2023

Ayaat 30-33 ~ Fussilat (Explained in detail)

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

Interesting Tafseer about these Ayaat (49 minutes)

30. Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allah” and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.

31. We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]

32. As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful.”

33. And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”

Sura 41. Fussilat (Explained in detail)

Hadith ~ Six days of Shawwal

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

Abu Ayyub (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “He who observes As-Saum (fasting) in the month of Ramadan, and also observes As-Saum for six days in the month of Shawwal (month that follows Ramadan), it is as if he has observed As-Saum for the whole year.” (Muslim)

Commentary: According to the formula that there is at least ten-fold reward for every virtue, the Saum of one month (Ramadan) is equivalent to Saum of ten months. If one also observes six days of Saum of Shawwal, they will be equal to the Saum of two months. Thus, one becomes eligible for the reward of one full years’ Saum. He who makes it a permanent feature is like one who observes Saum throughout his life. He will be considered by Allah as one who observes Saum permanently. Although voluntary in nature, they are highly important. One can observe these six-day Saum consecutively or separately. Allah Alim.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapter 228, Page 364, No 1254

Hadith ~ Two different routes

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

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: On the occasion of the ‘Eid, the Prophet (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) would proceed to the prayer place taking one route and returning from another. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Commentary: The ‘Ulama’ say that there are many subtle points of wisdom in changing the way. According to Imam An-Nawawi, this causes an increase in the places of worship. Some say that both ways will bear witness on the Day of Reckoning, that he had passed through them in a state of worship. This may also be the object that instead of one way, the needy on two ways should benefit from alms and charity.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapter 98, Page 232, No 719

Ayaat 34-35 ~ Al-Ahzab

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

Listen to Recitation

34. And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom.1119 Indeed, Allah is ever Subtle and Acquainted [with all things].

35. Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

Sura 33. Al-Ahzab

Commentary ~ Water in a Jug

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

Here is a story of Sheikh Mohammed Murte’ach who died in the year 328 (939-940).

The Sheikh said: “I made thirteen trips to the Kabah, but when I think about it I realized that everything I did was only for show. – How so? they asked him. – One day he said my mother had ordered me to bring her water in a jug, the task seemed difficult and heavy to me; I concluded that all my trips to the Kabah were pure acts of hypocrisy, since the rights of a mother on her son override many honors that we owe to the Kabah.”

Hadith ~ Zakat al-Fitr

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

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection), made Zakat al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` (a measurement: four double handfuls) of dried dates or one Saa` of barley. [Sahih Bukhari – Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579]

Commentary: Zakat al-Fitr must be in the  hands of the needy family BEFORE Eid prayer.

Ayaat 17-19 ~ An-Naml (The Ants)

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

Listen to Recitation

17. And gathered for Solomon were his soldiers of the jinn and men and birds, and they were [marching] in rows.

18. Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, “O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Solomon and his soldiers while they perceive not.”

19. So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, “My Lord, enable me[1] to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants[2].”[3]

Sura 27. An-Naml (The Ants)

[1]: More literally, “gather within me the utmost strength and ability.”

[2]: Or “with Your righteous servants [into Paradise].”

[3]: Beautiful Dua (supplication) we should memorize and make often inchaAllah.

Commentary ~ He refused to take it other than in an unlawful way

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

This reminds me of a story of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). One morning, he entered Masjid al-Koofa to pray two voluntary units of prayer. Before entering, he found a boy standing at the door. He said to him. “O boy, restrain for me my mule until I finish praying.” As Ali was entering the Mosque, he made an intention to reward the boy with a dirham for his services. Meanwhile, the boy removed the noseband from the mule and rushed off to the marketplace to sell it. When Ali came out of the Masjid, he found no boy, but only his mule without its noseband. He commissioned a man to go after the boy and ordered him to go to the marketplace since it was more than likely that the boy would go there to sell the noseband. The man found the boy auctioning it in the market and he bought it from him for a dirham. He returned to Ali and informed him of what happened. After hearing what occurred, Ali said, “How perfect Allah is! By Allah, I intended to give him a lawful dirham, but he refused to take it other than in an unlawful way.”

And, [O Mohammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter or recite any of the Quran and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it. And not absent from your Lord is any [part] of an atom’s weight within the earth or within the heaven or [anything] smaller than that or greater but that it is in a clear register. (Quran 10:61)

La Tahzan (Don’t be sad)
By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
Translated by: Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq, 2nd ed. Riyadh 2005
Publisher: International Islamic Publishing House
ISBN Hard Cover: 9960-850-36-6
ISBN Soft Cover: 9960-850-44-7
P416

Ayaat 1-5 ~ Al-Qadr (The Night of Decree)

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

Listen to Recitation

1. Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Quran] down during the Night of Decree[1].

2. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

3. The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months[2].

4. The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter[3].

5. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

Sura 97. Al-Qadr (The Night of Decree)

[1] Al-Qadr: Decree or Destiny. Other meanings are “precise measurement [i.e., amount or extent],” “value,” “gravity” or “greatness.”

[2] a thousand months: worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Allah a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months.

[3] They bring down the decree for everything destined to occur in the coming year.

Hadith ~ Likes for his brother

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

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself“. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Commentary: We learn from this Hadith about the importance and virtue of mutual love among the Muslims. If we act upon the injunctions mentioned in this Hadith, the Muslim societies will be immediately purged of the evils like exploitation, bribery, dishonesty, falsehood, cheating, forgery, etc., which are rampant in them at present. Islam has taught golden principles to its followers who have unfortunately neglected them and in consequence are leading a life of utter disgrace and moral turpitude. May Allah guide us to the Straight Path. Ameen.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapter 22, Page 65, No 183

Commentary ~ As Time passes

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

Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “Indeed I hate to see a man idle, neither working for this world nor for the Hereafter.”

Hassan Basri (May Allah have mercy on him) said: “O son of Adam, indeed you are only but a number of days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you leaves with it.”

Hassan said: “I have met (pious) people who are more miserly with their time than they are with their wealth.”

Hassan also said in a sermon, “Do not let the temporary and little charms of this world distract you and entice you…and do not say tomorrow and tomorrow, for indeed you do not know when you will be heading to Allah.”

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 35

Ayaat 255 (Ayaat-ul-Kursi) ~ Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

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

Listen to Recitation

Lecture about Ayaat-ul-Kursi (61Mb)

255. Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,[1] and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi[2] extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. [This Verse 2:255 is called Ayaat-ul-Kursî.]

Sura 2. Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

[1] Allah’s knowledge encompasses every aspect of His creations in the past, present and future.

[2] Chair or footstool. It is not to be confused with al-Arsh (the Throne), which is infinitely higher and greater than al-Kursi.