Reflection No. 155 on Q 62:11 – Sustenance from Allah

وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِين – wallāhu khayrur-rāziqīn And Allah is the best of Sustainers (Sūratul Jumu‘ah, No. 62, Āyat 11) Financial stress has a huge impact on people’s emotional lives. We worry about income, paying bills, financial stability etc. Although it is necessary to work hard and struggle to achieve the sustenance we need, many verses … Read more

Reflection No. 154 on Q 10:49 – Allah controls all things

قُلْ لَا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ Qul lā amlikku linafsī dharrawn-walā naf‘an illā mā shā’a-llāhu Say: I have no control over my harms or any benefits except what Allah pleases (Sūrat Yūnus, No. 10, Āyat 49) Human beings often see themselves as in charge of most of the things they … Read more

Reflection No. 153 on Q 10:62 – Fear & Grief

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ Alā inna awliyā’a-llāhi lā khawfun ‘alayhim walā hum yaHzanūn Now surely the friends of Allah – they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve (Sūrat Yūnus, No, 10, Āyat 62).   The word ‘awliya’ in the verse above refers to those who are close … Read more

Reflection No. 152 on Q 28:83 – Self Exaltation

تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ Tilkad-dārul-ākhiratu naj‘aluhā lilladhīna lā yurīdūna ‘uluwwan fīl-ardhi walā fasādā, wal-‘ākibatu lil-muttaqīn And that the abode of the Hereafter, We shall assign it to those who have no desire to exalt themselves on the earth, nor to make mischief. And the … Read more

Reflection No. 151 on Q 327 – Appearance in Salāt

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ Yā banī Ādama khudhū zīnatakum ‘inda kulli masjid O Children of Adam! Put on your adornment on every occasion of prayer (Sūratul A‘rāf, No. 7, Āyat 31) Salāt is a private conversation between the believer and Allah. It is a meeting, a meeting of one who is … Read more

Reflection No. 150 on Q 73:19 – The Quran as a reminder

إِنَّ هَٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ ۖ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا Inna hādhihi tadhkirah, faman shā’at-takhadha ilā rabbihi sabīlā Surely this is a reminder; so let anyone who wishes, take the way to his Lord. (Sūratul Muzammil, No. 73, Āyat 19) The verses in Sūratul Muzammil talk about Salātul Layl, and go on to advise and … Read more

Reflection No. 149 on Q 5:2 – Cooperating with Others

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ Wa-ta‘āwanū ‘alal-birri wat-taqwā, wa-lā ta‘āwanū ‘alal-ithmi wal-‘udwāni. Wat-taqqullāha, innallāha shadīdul-‘iqāb And help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely … Read more

Reflection No. 148 on Q 26:50 – Transformation through recognition of Truth

قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ ۖ إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ Qālū lā dayra, innā ilā rabbinā munqalibūn They said: No harm [in it]; surely to our Lord we shall return (Sūratush Shu‘arā, No. 26, Āyat 50) When the human heart is enlightened with the Truth, all else fades into obscurity. That which mattered so much before becomes … Read more

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