Bismillah. وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ So, when they marched out for [encounter with] Goliath and his troops, they said, ‘Our Lord, pour patience upon us, make our feet steady, and assist us against the disbelieving people. (Sūrat al-Baqarah No. 2, Āyāt 250) The story … Read more
Bismillah. وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ But evil plots encompass only the people themselves. (Sūrat al-Fātir, No 35, Āyat 43) One of the principles of justice mentioned in the Holy Quran is the consequences to be faced by oppressors. Before the advent of Islam, the polytheists of Arabia claimed that if a warner were … Read more
Bismillah. الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ Those who, when an affliction visits them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him do we return.’ (Sūrat al-Baqarah No. 2, Āyat 156) This verse appears within a cluster of five verses (Q 2:153–157) that prepared the early Muslim community for the … Read more
Bismillah. وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ There has to be a nation among you summoning to the good, bidding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who are the felicitous. (Sūrat Āli ‘Imrān, No. 3, Āyat 104) In his own blessed … Read more
Bismillah. عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٍ Knower of the Unseen, He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] Unseen to anyone, except to an apostle He approves of. (Sūrat al-Jinn, No. 72, Āyāt 26-27) These two verses in Sūrat al-Jinn initially affirm that the knowledge of the unseen … Read more
Bismillah. فَمَنْ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءنَا وَأَبْنَاءكُمْ وَنِسَاءنَا وَنِسَاءكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَةُ اللّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ And whoever disputes with you concerning him, after what has come to you of knowledge, say: ‘Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your … Read more
Bismillah. مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ The example of those who take guardians other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if only they … Read more
Bismillah. غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَ The Byzantines has been vanquished in a nearby land, but they, after their defeat, will be victorious in a few years. (Sūrat al-Rūm No. 30, Āyāt 2-4) At the time Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula, two dominant world powers stood … Read more
Bismillah. ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ That is Allah’s grace, which He grants to whomever He wishes, and Allah is dispenser of a great grace. (Sūrat al-Jumu‘ah No. 62, Āyat 4) The above verse from Sūrat al-Jumu‘ah follows Allah’s mention of His favor upon the unlettered (ummiyyūn) Arabs—how He … Read more
Bismillah. اِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as if they were a firm and compact wall. (Sūrat al-Saff, no.61, Āyat 4) A believing community is made up of people who support one another in the journey towards Allah ‘azza wajall. Relationships between … Read more