Quranic Reflection No. 379 Āyat 33:43 – Blessings from Allah ‘azza wa-jall

هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۚ وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا Huwalladhī yusallī ‘alaykum wamalā’ikatuhu liyukhrijakum minazzulumāti ilannūr, wakāna bilmu’minīna rahīmā It is He who blesses you, and so do His angels, that He may bring you out from darkness into light, and He is most merciful to the faithful. (Sūrat al-Ahzāb, … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 377 Āyat 31:20 – Outward and Inward Blessings

وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً Wa-asbagha ‘alaykum ni‘amahu zāhiratan wabātinah He has showered upon you His blessings, the outward, and the inward. (Sūrat Luqmān, No.31, Āyat 20) This verse is part of a question that Allah subhānahu wa-ta‘ālā asks human beings. Have they not considered how creation is subservient to the human being, and how … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 376 Āyat 29:69 – Support for those who struggle in God’s way

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ Walladhīna jāhadū fīnā lanahdiyyanahum subulanā, wainnallāha lama‘al-muhsinīn As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways, and Allah is indeed with the virtuous. (Sūrat ‘Ankabūt, No.29, Āyat 69) Sūra ‘Ankabūt ends with an important statement that encapsulates the contents … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 375 Āyat 13:17 – Internal Capacity

أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا Anzala minas-samā’i mā’an fasālat awdiyatun bi-qadarihā He sends down water from the sky whereat the valleys are flooded to the extent of their capacity (Sūrat al-Ra‘d, No.13, Āyat 17) When Allah sends down water from the sky the land accepts and absorbs it according to its capacity. Valleys, … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 374 Āyat 26:50 – The effect of hidāyah

قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ ۖ إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ Qālū lā dhayra innā ilā rabbanā munqalibūn They said, ‘No harm [in that]! Indeed, we shall return to our Lord. (Sūrat al-Shu‘arā, No.26, Āyat 50) The recognition of truth due to hidāyah (divine guidance) can have a significant impact on the attitude of a person. It can … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 373 Āyat 15:98 – Comfort through tasbīh

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ Fasabbih bihamdi rabbika wa–kun minas-sājdīn So celebrate the praise of your Lord and be among those who prostrate (Sūratul Hijr, No.15, Āyat 98) When the polytheists rejected the mission of the Holy Prophet sallalāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihi wa-sallam they mocked him and the message he brought. Their harsh and scornful … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 372 Āyat 18:21 – Preserving History

                                قَالَ الَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَسْجِدًا Qāla-ladhīna ghalabū ‘alā amrihim lanattakhidhanna ‘alayhim masjidā Those who prevailed in the matter said, ‘We will surely set up a place of worship over them.’ (Sūratul Kahf, No.18, Āyat 21) When the People of the Cave (ashāb al-Kahf) died after waking up from their long sleep … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 371 Āyat 30:30 – Eid al-Fitr: a return to purity

فِطْرَتَ اللَّـهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا Fitrata-llāhil-latī fataran-nāsaa ‘alayha The original nature endowed by Allah according to which He originated mankind (Sūratur Rūm, No.30, Āyat 30) The day of Eid al-Fitr which is celebrated after going through the month of Ramadan is a new beginning when the believer is now pure of all sins. He … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 370 Āyat 24:22 – The Beauty of forgiveness

وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ Walya‘fū walyasfahū, alā tuhibbūna an yaghfirallāhu lakum, wallāhu ghafūrun rahīm And they should excuse and forbear. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Sūratun Nūr, No.24, Āyat 22) As the month of Ramadan sadly comes to … Read more

Quranic Reflection No. 369 Āyat 97:3 – The Night of Power

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ Laylatul-qadri khayrun min alfi shahr The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. (Sūratul Qadr, No.97, Āyat 3) During the last ten nights of the holy month of Ramadan is a night which is exalted and unique. According to Tafsīr Majma‘ul Bayān, some days and timings are … Read more