لَنْتَنَالُواالْبِرَّحَتَّىٰتُنْفِقُوامِمَّاتُحِبُّونَ Lan tanālu ‘l-birra Hattā tunfiqū mimmā tuHibbūn You shall not attain righteousness until you give out of what you love. (Sūrat Āli Imrān, No. 3, Āyat 92) Giving to others is a noble quality that many of practice in our daily lives. We give to the less fortunate and are willing to part with … Read more
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ* الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ Qad aflaHal-mu’minūnal-ladhīna hum fī salātihim khāshi‘ūn Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers (Sūratul Mu’minūn, No. 23, Āyāt 1 & 2) Everyone wants to be successful. But the criteria for success may differ from person to person. Moreover, whatever brings success in this … Read more
فَلَاتُزَكُّواأَنْفُسَكُمْۖهُوَأَعْلَمُبِمَنِاتَّقَىٰ Falā tuzakkū anfusakum, huwa a‘lamu bimanit-taqā So do not flaunt your piety, He knows best who it is that guards against evil. (Sūratun Najm, No. 53, Āyat 32) Self- praise and boasting is an ugly quality that is greatly disliked by Allah. Those who feel the need to disclose to others what they feel … Read more
قُلْ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ Qul lā amliku linafsin dharran walā naf‘an illā māshāa-llāh Say: I do not control for myself any harm, or any benefit except what Allah pleases (Sūrat Yunus, No.10, Āyat 49) Human beings often see themselves as in charge of most of the things they … Read more
وَلَمْ أَكُنْ بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا Walam akun bi-du‘ā’ika Rabbi shaqiyya My Lord, I have never been disappointed in my prayers to You (Sūratu Maryam, No.19, Āyat 4) The above verse is part of the prayer of Nabī Zakariyyā when he asks Allah to grant him a child. He says he is old and feeble but … Read more
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ Yā ayyuhalladhīna āmanūj-tanibū kathīran minz-zanni inna ba‘dhaz-zanni ithm O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin. (Sūratul Hujurāt, No. 49, Āyat 12) This verse is part of a passage from Sūratul Hujurāt that talks … Read more
وَلَقَدْصَرَّفْنَافِيهَٰذَاالْقُرْآنِلِلنَّاسِمِنْكُلِّمَثَلٍۚوَكَانَالْإِنْسَانُأَكْثَرَشَيْءٍجَدَلًا Walaqad sarrafnā fī hadhal-Qur’āni linnāsi min kulli mathal. Wa kānal-insānu akthara shay’in jadala Surely, We have made this Quran replete with every kind of parable for human being. But man is, in most things, disputative. (Sūratul Kahf, No.18, Āyat 54) The Holy Quran has many beautiful examples and lessons for people. Despite this … Read more
وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ Warahmatu rabbika khayrun mimmā yajma‘ūn And the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass. (Sūratul Zukhruf, No. 43, Āyat 32) People of this world believe that wealth and worldly status gained by people make them worthy of a certain position. Human beings have always thought like that, … Read more
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِلْمُجْرِمِينَ Qāla rabbi bimā an‘amta ‘alayya flan akūna zahīran lil-mujrimīn He said: My Lord! Because You have bestowed a favor on me, I shall never be a supporter of the wrong doers. (Sūratul Qasas, No. 28, Āyat 17) The above verse was said by Nabī Mūsā (Moses) … Read more
مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ Mā ‘indakum yanfad, wamā ‘indallāhi bāq That which is with you will perish, but what is with Allah shall last (Sūratun Nahl, No. 16, Āyat 96) An intrinsic quality of all things of this world is its transience. The firmest of buildings, the most powerful governments, the … Read more