Reflection No. 147 on Q 39:42 – Sleep as a form of death

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا Allahu yatawffal-anfusa Hīna mawtihā wal-latī lam tamut fī manāmihā Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those who have not died in their sleep. (Sūratuz Zumar, No. 39, Āyat 42) The human being goes through a weak form of death every … Read more

Reflection No. 146 on Q 16:120 – Nabi Ibrahim (a)

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ Inna Ibrāhīma kāna ummatan qānital-lillāhi Hanīfan walam yaku minal-mushrikīn Indeed Ibrahim was a nation, obedient to Allah, upright, and he was not of the polytheists. (Sūratun Nahl, No. 16, Āyat 120) This passage praises the great Prophet of Allah, Nabī Ibrāhim (a)- the Patriarch … Read more

Reflection No. 145 on Q 21:107 – The Prophet (s) – a mercy to the worlds

 وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ  wamā arsalnāka illā rahmatal-lill‘ālamīn And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds (Sūratul Ambiyā, No. 21, Ayt 107) In the verse above the Holy Prophet (s) is described as a mercy to the worlds. He was sent to people (and other creatures) as a mercy … Read more

Reflection No. 144 on Q 2:21 – Worship of Allah

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O Mankind! Worship your Lord Who created you, and those before you, so that you may acquire Taqwa. al-Baqarah, 2:21 Worship of Allah is what makes the human being soar. It calms and soothes, elevates and enriches. It fulfills the true potential of … Read more

Reflection No. 143 on Q 9:128 – The Prophet (s)’s love for people

لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ Certainly a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your distress, he has deep concern for you, to the believers (he is) compassionate, merciful. Sura al-Tawbah, 9:128   The Holy Prophet (s) loved people and cared … Read more

Reflection No. 142 on Q 18:10 – Asking Allah for Rahmah

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا Our Lord! Grant us mercy from You, and provide for us a right course in our affair. Sura Kahf, verse 10 The above is the prayer of the companions of the cave who sought refuge from being persecuted for their belief in Tawheed. They first … Read more

Reflection No. 141 on Q 10:65 – Negative words

وَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ قَوْلُهُمْ ۘإِنَّ الْعِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا ۚهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ And let not their speech grieve you; surely all honor belongs to Allah; He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (Sura Yunus, verse 65) What people say affects us greatly. We are vulnerable to their words, often letting them have a great impact on our mental … Read more

Reflection No. 140 on Q 23:113 – The shortness of life

قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَادِّينَ Qālū labithnā yawman aw ba‘da yawmin fas-alil-‘āddīn They will say: We stayed a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate (Sūratul Mu’minūn, No. 23, Āyat 113) The above verse is the reply of people in the Hereafter when they will be asked about their … Read more

Reflection No. 139 on Q 16:90 – Justice

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ Innallāha ya’muru bil-‘adli wal-iHsān Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (Sūratun Nahl, Āyat 90) In the verse above, Almighty Allah orders the human being to be just and do good to others. This is part of a verse that actually enjoins the human being … Read more

Reflection No. 138 on Q 89:27–30 – The soul

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّة ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِيُ Yā ayyatuhan-nafsul-muTma’innati-rji‘ī ilā rabbiki rādiyatam-maridyyah. Fadkhulī fī ‘ibādī wadkhulī jannatī O soul at peace! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him), So enter among My servants, And enter into My garden. (Sūratul Fajr, No. 89, Āyāt 27 – 30) … Read more