وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ Walā takūnū kalladhīna nasul-lāh fa-ansāhum anfusahum And be not like those who forgot Allah so He made them forget themselves (Sūratul Hashr, No.59, Āyat 19) The consequence for those who forget Allah according to this verse is that they will forget themselves. Two questions that arise are: 1) … Read more
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا Wa-kadhālika ja ‘alnākum ummatan wastā Thus We have made you a middle nation (Sūratul Baqarah, No.2, Āyat 143) After talking about the change in the direction of the Qibla for the Muslims from Masjidul Aqsā to Masjidul Harām Almighty Allah says that the Muslims are a nation that is in the … Read more
وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ Wamā anā minal-mutakallifīn And I am not from those who impose (Sūra Sad, No.38, Āyat 86) In this verse the Holy prophet (s) tells people that he is not an imposter or pretender who has imposed his own views on the people. Rather he has received revelation and has conveyed the … Read more
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ Wa-‘lamū annallāha yahūlu baynal-mar’i waqalbih And know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart (Sūratul Anfāl, No.8, Āyat 24) In this verse Almighty Allah asks the human being to understand an important fact; He has the power to come between the human being and his heart. To … Read more
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ Wayas’alūnaka mādhā yunfiqūn, qulil-‘afw And they ask you what they should spend. Say, ‘al-afw’ (Sūratul Baqarah, No.2, Āyat 219) Once a group of people came to the Holy Prophet (s) and asked what they should give others. They knew that God wanted them to give from what they had. But … Read more
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? (Sūratus Saff, No.61, Āyat 2) One of the qualities of a true believer is harmony between speech and action. When speech is sincere it is implemented and carried out. Speech conveys what … Read more
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ Innallāha yuhibbul-ladhīna yuqātilūna fī sabīlihi saffan ka-annahum bunyānun marsūs Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact structure (Sūratus Saff, No.61, Āyat 4) Two qualities of those who strive in the way of … Read more
وَإِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ If they seek your help in religion then it is your duty to help (Sūratul Anfāl, No.8, Āyat 72) Assisting the oppressed for whoever is able to, is a responsibility established in the fitrat or inner instinct of the human being, in the aql (human intellect), and in the … Read more
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ Innā anzalnāhu fī laylatin mubārakah Surely We revealed it on a blessed night (Sūratud Dukhān, No.44, Ayat 3) The Holy Quran was revealed on a night that is described as mubārakah. The root word barakah signifies something that is beneficial, that multiplies in good, and has a continuous flow of … Read more
ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً Ud‘ū rabbakum tadarru‘an wa-khufyatan Call on your Lord humbly and secretly (Sūratul A‘rāf, No. 7, Āyat 55) When a human being supplicates to God he acknowledges that he is the needy servant who is asking from the source of all good and bestowal. Supplication thus strengthens the relationship between the Creator … Read more