إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا In aHsanatum aHsantum li-anfusikum wa-in asa’tum falahā If you do good, you do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it is for them [the souls] (Sūratul Isrā’, No. 17, Āyat 7) Human beings are vulnerable to the effects of their actions. Although we assume … Read more
وَأَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةٌ Wa-ardhu-llāhi wāsi‘ah And Allah’s earth is vast (Sūratuz Zumar, No.39, Āyat 10) The Holy Quran has many verses that talk about the Earth. The Earth is a carpet for mankind (Q 2:22), a resting place to live on (Q 27:61), it is smooth and subservient (Q 67:15) and has many signs for … Read more
وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ Walaqald ji’tumūnā furādā kamā khalqnākum awwala marrah And [Allah will say]: certainly you have come to Us alone as We created you the first time. (Sūratul An‘ām, No. 6, Āyat 94) According to tradition this verse is what God will say to the human being on the Day … Read more
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ Alladhīna āmanū walam yalbisū īmānahum bi-zulmin ulā’ika lahumul-amnu wahum muhtadūn Those who believe and do not taint their faith with injustice, for such [people] there shall be safety and they are the rightly guided (Sūratul An‘ām, No. 6, Āyat 82) This verse comes at … Read more
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا Yā ayyuhal-ladhīna āmanūdhkurū-llāha dhikran kathīrā O you who believe, Remember Allah, a frequent remembrance (Sūratul Ahzāb, No. 33, Āyat 41) Constant remembrance of Allah is the starting point of the spiritual journey. Through it a believer is able to counter the whisperings of the nafs and the … Read more
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا Rabbanā ātinā min landunka raHmatan wa-hayyi’ lanā amrinā rashadā Our Lord! Grant us mercy from You and provide for us a right course in our affairs. (Sūratul Kahf, No. 18, Āyat 10) This invocation is from the People of the Cave (ashābul Kahf) when they … Read more
وَمَامُحَمَّدٌإِلَّارَسُولٌقَدْخَلَتْمِنْقَبْلِهِالرُّسُلُۚأَفَإِنْمَاتَأَوْقُتِلَانْقَلَبْتُمْعَلَىٰأَعْقَابِكُمْ Wamā Muhammadun illā rasūlun qad khalat min qablihil-rusul. Afa-in māta aw qutilan-qalabtum ‘ala a‘qābikum And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? (Sūrat Āli Imrān, No. 3, Āyat 144) This verse was … Read more
وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ Wa-tilkal-ayyāmu nudāwiluhā baynan-nās Such days of varying fortune We rotate between mankind (Sūrat Āli Imrān, No. 3, Āyat 140) The above verse reveals a natural law for this world. Each people will get their day. The word ‘day’ here does not mean a single twenty four hour day. According to … Read more
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