Quran Reflections – English

لَوْ أَنْزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُتَصَدِّعًا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ۚوَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ Law anzalnā hādhal-qur’āna ‘alā jabalin laraytahu khāshi‘an mutasaddi‘an min khashyatillāh, watilkal-amthālu nadribuhā linnāsi la‘allahum yatafakkarūn Had We sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled [and] go to pieces for fear of … Read more

فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ Falammā zāghū azāgal-lāhu qulūbahum So, when they turned aside, Allah made their hearts turn aside (Sūratِ al-Saff No.61, Āyat 5) Does Allah subhānahu wa-ta‘ālā guide and misguide people according to His will? Is guidance available for all or only for a select few? These are common questions, with people being … Read more

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ Waman adhallu mimmani–ttaba‘a hawāhu bi-ghayri hudan mina-llāh And who is more astray than him who follows his desires without any guidance from Allah (Sūratِ al-Qasas No.28, Āyat 50) In this verse following certain personal desires and whims is directly linked to being astray. In fact, it … Read more

وَيَدْعُ الْإِنْسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ ۖ وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ عَجُولًا Wayad‘ul-insānu bishsharri du‘ā-ahu bilkhayri, wakānal-insānu ‘ajūlā Man prays for ill as [avidly as] he prays for good, and man is overhasty (Sūratِ al-Isrā No.17, Āyat 11) This verse tells us that man prays for what will harm him as eagerly as he prays for good. This … Read more

إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ وَإِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ Innal-insāna lirabbihi lakanūd, wa-innahū ‘alā dhālika lashahīd Indeed, man is ungrateful to his Lord and indeed he is witness to that! (Sūratِ al-‘Āadiyāt No.100, Āyāt 6-7) This verse tells us about the human being who has not refined and trained himself. He does not rein in his … Read more

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ Yā ayyuhan-nāsu-‘budū rabbakumul-ladhī khalaqakum wal-ladhīna min qablikum la‘allakum tattaqūn O mankind! Worship your Lord, who created you and those who were before you, so that you may be Godwary. (Sūrat al-Baqarah No.2, Āyat 21) Worship has been mentioned many times in the Quran. … Read more

خُشَّعًا أَبْصَارُهُمْ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ كَأَنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌ مُنْتَشِرٌ Khushsha‘an absārahum yakhrujūna minal-ajdāthi ka-annahum jarādun muntashir They will emerge from the graves as if they were scattered locusts with their eyes cast down. (Sūrat al-Qamar No.54, Āyat 7) Many verses of the Quran describe the Day of Judgment in vivid detail. Believers can visualize the happenings … Read more

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ Yā ayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū qū anfusakum wa-ahlīkum nārā waquduhān-nāsu wal-hijārah O you who have faith! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel will be people and stones! (Sūra al-Tahrīm, No.66, Āyat 6) In this verse believers are told that they should be … Read more

فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ Fada ‘ā rabbahu annī maghlūbun fantasir Thereupon he invoked his Lord, ‘I have been overcome, so help [me] (Sūrat al-Qamar, No.54, Āyat 10) Prophet Nūh ‘alayhis salām has the distinction of being one of the Ulul ‘Azm Prophets who lived a long time and worked hard for his people. He … Read more

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ Waman adhallu mimanit–taba‘a hawāhu bighayri hudan minal-lāhi And who is more astray than him who follows his desires without any guidance from Allah? (Sūrat al-Qasas, No.28, Āyat 50) Human beings have strong emotions and desires. The desire for intimacy, for beauty, for wealth, children, all have … Read more