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
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