وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا Wasna‘il-fulki bi-a‘yunina wa-wahyina Build the Ark before Our Eyes and according to Our Revelation (Sūratu Hūd, No.11, Āyat 37) In this verse Allah ‘azza wa-jall (Mighty and Sublime) commands Nabī Nūh (a) to build an Ark. The Ark would save the believers and pairs of animals from the flood that was … Read more
وَاللَّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ Wallāhu yu’tī mulkahu man yashā’ Allah grants His Kingdom to whoever He pleases (Sūratul Baqarah, No. 2, Āyat 247) Human beings often make false judgements of superiority. Their criteria for excellence over others is based on weak premises that can collapse quickly. Many merits that are shallow facades, such as … Read more
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا Minal mu’minīa rijālun sadaqū mā ‘āhadullāha ‘alayhi Faminhum man qadhā nahbahu waminhum man yantaziru wamā baddalū tabdīlā Of the believers are men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah. Of them are some who have … Read more
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ Laqad kāna lakum fī rashūlillāhi uswatun hasanah Surely in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent example for you (Sūratul Ahzāb, no.33, Āyat 21) This verse tells believers that the Holy Prophet (s) is a role model for believers. His way of doing things, or his … Read more
يَاأَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّا Yā ayyatuhan-nafsul-mutmainnatu-rji‘ī ilā rabbiki rādiyatan mardiyyā O soul that at peace! Return to your Lord, pleased, pleasing! (Sūratul Fajr, No.89, Āyats 27 – 28) This verse is an address on the Day of Judgement to the soul that his completely at peace. It is a soul that … Read more
وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ Wa-yada‘u ‘anhum israhum wal-aghlālal-latī kānat ‘alayhim And releases them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them (Suratul A‘rāf, No.7, Āyat 157) Freedom is the right of all human beings. The Almighty guided them to His obedience and gave them the freedom to make their own … Read more
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ Awalā yarawna annahum yuftanūna fī kulli ‘āmin marratan aw marratayn thumma lā yatūbūna walā hum yadhdhakkarūn Do they not see that they are tried once or twice every year, yet they neither repent nor do they take admonition? (Sūratut … Read more
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْيَتَامَىٰ ۖ قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ Wayas’alūnaka ‘anil-yatāmā qul islāhun lahum khayr They ask you concerning orphans. Say: ‘It is better to set right their affairs’ (Sūratul Baqarah, No.2, Ayat 220) Many verses of the Quran mention the rights of those who have been usually oppressed and mistreated by society. Among the groups … Read more
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا ۚ Al-yawma akmaltu lakum dīnakum wa-atmamtu ‘alaykum ni ‘matī wa-radhītu lakumul-Islāma dīna This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. (Sūratul Mā’idah, No.5, Āyat 3) What day is this … Read more
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ Dhālika waman yu ‘azzim sha‘āirallh fa-innahā min taqwal-qulūb Thus it is. And whoever venerates the sacraments of Allah that is from the piety of the hearts (Sūratul Hajj, No.22, Āyat 32) In this verse the word sha‘āir (plural of sha‘īrah) refers to those signs or marks … Read more