Quran Reflections – English

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ  وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ  وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ وَلَا تَمْنُنْ تَسْتَكْثِرُ  وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ Yā ayyuhal-muddaththiru qum fa-’andhir warabbaka fa-kabbir wa-thiyābaka fa-tahhir war-rujza fa-hjur wa-lā tamnun tastakthiru wa-li-rabbika fa-sbir O you wrapped up in your mantle! Arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your cloak, and keep away from all impurity, … Read more

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ  قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا   نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا   أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا   إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا Yā ayyuhal-muzzammilu qumil-layla illā qalīlā. Nisfahu awi-nqus mihu qalīlā. Aw zid ‘alayhi wa-rattilil-qur’āna tartīlā. Innā sanulqi ‘alayka qawlan thaqīlā. O you wrapped up in your mantle! Rise to pray in the night … Read more

رَسُولًا يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ لِيُخْرِجَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ Rasūlan yatlū ‘alaykum āyātil-lāhi mubayyinātin li-yukhrjal-ladhīna āmanū wa-‘amilus-swālihāti minaz-zulumāti ilan-nūr A Messenger who recites to you the clear communications of Allah so that he may bring forth those who believe and do good deeds from darkness into light. (Sūrat Talāq, … Read more

الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ On that day, friends will be one another’s enemies, except for the God conscious ones. (Sūratul Zukhruf, no. 43, Āyat 67) This verse describes how some friendships of this world will be turned into enmity on the Day of Judgment. Friendship that is not based on God consciousness … Read more

سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا Subhānahu wa-ta‘ālā ‘ammā yaqūlūna ‘uluwwan kabīra Glorified is He and high above what they say! (Sūratul Isrā, No. 17, Āyat 43) Human beings often attribute unworthy qualities to Almighty Allah. In the above verse, Allah refers to those who believed that angels were daughters of God. He asks how … Read more

ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ Dhalika mablaghahum minal ilm Such is the extent of their knowledge  (Suratul Najm, no.53, Āyat 30) Almighty Allah in the verse before this talks about people who desire only the life of this world. Then in the above verse He points out the limited comprehensiveness of their knowledge – such is … Read more

وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ Wa-in tuti‘ akthara man fil-ardhi yudhillūka ‘an sabīlillāh And if you obey most of those in the earth they will lead you away from Allah’s way  (Sūratul An‘ām No. 6, Āyat 116) Human beings are often deluded by the majority. When a large group of … Read more

فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ Fani‘mal ajrul-‘āmilīn How excellent is the reward of the workers [of righteousness]  (Sūratz Zumar, No. 39, Āyat 74) When believers are led to Heaven they will express their gratitude and wonder at the rewards that await them. The above phrase is part of a description of the statements of believers as they … Read more

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ Innallāha lā yughayyiru mā bi-qawmin hattā yughayyirū mā bi-anfusihim Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition  (Sūratur Ra‘d, No. 13, Āyat 11)  This verse states an important truth that is the essence of growth and progress … Read more

وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ ۖ Wa-idhā sami‘ū mā unzila ilar-rasūli tarā a‘ayunuhum tafīdu minad-dam‘i mimmā ‘arafū minal-haqq And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger you will see their eyes overflowing with tears on account of the truth that they recognize. … Read more