Monday, August 28, 2023

YOUR LOYALTY TO ALLAH

A man woke up early in order to have his morning prayer (Subh). He got dressed, set on his way to Allah's house.

On his way to the MASJID, the man fell and his clothes got dirty.. He got up, brushed himself up, and headed home.

At home, he changed his clothes, and was, again, on his way to the MASJID.

On his way to the MASJID, he fell again at the same spot! He, again, got up, brushed himself off and headed home. 

At home he, once again, changed his clothes and was on his way to Allah's house.

On his way to the MASJID, he met a man holding a lamp. He asked the man of his identity and the man replied 'I saw you fall twice on your way to the MASJID, so I brought a lamp so I can light your way.

The first man thanked him profusely and the two went on their way to the MASJID.

Once at the MASJID, the first man asked the man with the lamp to come in and offer SALAAH with him.

The second man refused.

The first man asked him a couple more times and, again, the answer was the same.

The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in and pray.

The man replied, 'I am Satan'. The man was shocked at this reply. Satan went on to explain, 'I saw you on your way to the MASJID and it was I who made you fall. When you went home, cleaned yourself and went back on your way to the MASJID, Allah ( s.w.t) forgave all of your sins.

I made you fall a second time, and even that did not encourage you to stay home, but rather, you went back on your way to MASJID. Because of that, Allah (s.w.t) forgave all the sins of the people of your household.

I was afraid if I made you fall one more time, then Allah (s.w.t )will forgive the sins of the whole nation (world)so I made sure that you reached the MASJID safely.'

Do not put off the good you intended to do as you never know how much reward you might receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good.

For your righteousness can save your family and nation at large.

Do this and see the victory of the Allah ( s.w.t )

Praise be to Allah ( s.w.t) in the highest.

🔲When you Carry the Quran. Shaitan gets a Headache. 

🔲When you Open it, he Collapses. 

🔲When he Sees you Reading it, he Faints.

🔲 When he Sees you are living what you read, 

he Flees. 

And 

🔲 when you are about  to Forward this Message, he will try to Discourage you...

I Defeated him,

WILL YOU?

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Monday, January 30, 2023

Du’a for Healing and Good Health-VIDEO

اللَّهُمَّ ربَّ النَّاسِ ، أَذْهِب الْبَأسَ ، واشْفِ ، أَنْتَ الشَّافي لا شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ ، شِفاءً لا يُغَادِرُ سقَماً
“Allaahumma Rabban-naas, adhhibil-ba’s, washfi antash-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illaa shifaa’uka shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqaman”

“O Allaah, Lord of mankind, do away with my suffering. Heal (me) as You are the only Healer and there is no cure except that of Yours, it is that which leaves no ailment behind”

(Al Bukhari (with Al-Fath 10/206) and  Muslim 4/1721)

 

Saturday, August 13, 2022

How to quit bad habits for Allah to accetp our prayers & change our lives for better!

One of the most difficult things to overcome are bad habits that we've become accustomed to as they have become our daily habits, wherein they drain our mental and physical energies causing us to become negligent and complacent in fulfilling our obligations unto Allah. They keep us in the constant cycle of getting a quick dopamine fix. Even if we try to go towards good deeds then these bad habits keep manifesting themselves in our daily lives. Therefore in order to move forward and progress in our lives we must make a conscious and concerted effort to quit these bad habits/major sins. If we don't then they will continue to consume us and prevent us from building a relationship with Allah and fulfil our obligations unto him and do good deeds.
Surely feeling as though our sins are heavy and a burden upon us is a sign of Imaan (faith). It is also true that it can be an easy way out for us to always put the blame on Shaythan for all of our wrong doings. However Allah tells us that Shaytaan will disown his followers on the Day of Resurrection. He says: ‘And Shaytaan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).” (Ibraheem 14:22)
Therefore it is us who make the choices and decisions to go down whichever path we chose to take throughout our lives. Shaythan can only whisper and suggest to us but it is we who have the power and choice whether to accept it or not. That is why Allah created us as beings with free will. He wants to see which of us chooses to obey him and strive against ourselves regardless of the whispers and desires to go towards bad habits and the wrong path in life: “Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur'an: 12: 53)
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "The struggler is the one who strives against his soul/self in obedience to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." (At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Sufyan ath-Thawri (Ra) said: "I never dealt with anything stronger against me than my own soul/self; it was one time with me, and one time against me."
Yahya ibn Mu' adh ar-Razi (Ra) said: "Fight against your soul/self with the four swords of training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you... Then the soul/self will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of battle."
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said“...The mujahid (one who exerts effort for Allah) is the one who strives with himself regarding obedience to Allah...” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi)
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) also said: "There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from Allah and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to fahshah (immorality)." [Al-Qur'an 2:268] (At-Tirmidhi: hasan; Nasa'i)
However we must also know that we are created as weak: Allah says: "Allah intends to make things easy on you. And man has been created weak. (Qur'an 4:28)
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), said: "None of you should say: My soul has become wicked. Rather, let him say: My soul has faulted." (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5825)
All of us will sin at some point, but that is no reason to lose hope. Every sin can be forgiven by sincere repentance and making amends with those whom we wronged in the world.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "The All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent." (Tirmidhī 2499)
Allah created us flawed, weak, and sinful as part of our test here on earth. It is part of our nature to sin, just as it is part of our nature to act right. If we were sinless like the angels, Allah would replace us with sinners whom He would forgive.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, if you did not sin, Allah would replace you with people who would sin and they would seek forgiveness from Allah and He would forgive them." (Muslim 2749)
We are created by our very nature as weak so that whenever we fault then we can constantly turn back towards Allah in sincere repentance. The best of sinners are those that constantly repent. So we must constantly and consistently turn back towards Allah in repentance and meekness asking for his help throughout our lives until our last breathe:{Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.} [Quran 2: 222]
{Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is The Forgiving, The Merciful."} [Quran 39: 53]
However our enemy shaythan wants us to give up and become disillusioned, so that we settle into this lifestyle of bad habits and neglecting our duties unto Allah. Therefore we must never give up striving against ourselves and against the whispers of shaythan. Allah has said that in reality the power of shaythan is weak. He has given us the power to choose whatever path we go down and to change and become the best version of ourselves. So w need to keep struggling against ourselves until our last breathe:... Surely the plotting of Ash-Shaytan has (always) been weak. (Qur'an: 4.76)
During Ramadan for example, the influence of shaythan is certainly weakened, but our Nafs (ego/desires) still continues to try and pull us towards the wrong direction. It can only do this if we are already in the habit of doing particular bad deeds and being neglectful towards our obligations unto Allah as we've become accustomed to in our daily lives. The Nafs is a bit like an immature child. It constantly wants what is easy for us, which is essentially constant dopamine hits. Hence why things like social media are so addictive as it has been created for us to constantly get that dopamine hit as is the case with many other addictions like sugar, nicotine, caffeine and porn. So It wants for us to keep doing what is easy and it does not like change. However we must be aware that Jahannam is surrounded by doing that which is easy:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), said, “Paradise is surrounded by adversity, and Hellfire is surrounded by lusts.” (Muslim 2823)
Everyone of us can certainly make any positive change and break habits and rewire our brains towards doing that which our Nafs does not want us to do. But in order to do that we need to "push through" the initial period of trying to make change and giving up bad habits. Making changes and giving up bad habits is certainly not easy. If it was then anyone and everyone could do it at anytime. But surely that is the purpose of the test of our life. To gain everlasting bliss in Jannah was never meant to be so easy. But in reality we only need to put in a little to receive far more than we can ever imagine in the Hereafter.
So must constantly strive against our Nafs and the whispers of shaythan which are constantly working against us. However Allah has given us the power to be able to make our own free choices to be able to make any changes we want to throughout our lives as well as give up any bad habit and make the necessary changes to our conditions. But it will require much effort and patient perseverance.
Ibn Qayyim (Ra) stated: "One only finds difficulty in quitting bad habits when he leaves them for other than Allah. As for the one who quits them truthfully and sincerely from his heart for Allah, then he only finds difficulty in quitting at the very beginning, to ascertain whether he is truthful or lying about stopping. So if he is patient with that hardship for a little while, it will turn into delight. He also stated: Ward off passing thoughts, for if you do not, they will become ideas. Ward off ideas, for if you do not, they will become desires. Fight the desires, for if you do not, they will become resolve and determination. And if you do not ward them off, they will become actions. If you do not resist them with its opposite, they will become habits. And it will be difficult for you to get rid of them."
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Verily, you will never leave anything for the sake of Allah Almighty but that Allah will replace it with something better.” (Aḥmad 22565)
We must always be aware that we are not alone in our daily struggles. Everyone of us is going through a unique set of trials, hardships and bad habits that are holding us back from becoming the best version of ourselves. No matter how "pious" or "religious" anyone looks or comes across, then know that everyone of us has their flaws, bad habits and "demons" to deal with.
The steps to quitting bad habits and making changes:
So the first step for us to be able to make changes and break bad habits is for us to reflect on why we are inclined and going towards such bad habits in the first place? What is it that we are running from? why is this fear making us run away from reality? Surely bad habits can be a "crutch" that we turn towards whenever we are wanting to block out reality. For many of us these issues can stem from experiences in childhood and whilst growing up or trauma related. Therefore for many of us with more serious issues may require therapy/counselling in order to get to the root cause of the problem/s. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help. It is only the ego that wants us to be in denial so we prevent ourselves from making the necessary changes. So after much reflection and trying to get to the root cause of why we behave as we do, then if we deem it helpful for us to overcome our issues then we should seek the help of a good reputable Muslim therapist/counsellor. Much of the time it can be difficult to get to the root causes on our own and this is where a professional can be of great help.
After reflection on why we are inclined towards certain bad habits and being neglectful then we must make a firm resolve and intention that we will make changes and give up the particular bad habit/s for the sake of Allah. That we will never go back to it. That we are not that person anymore who does those things. If we only partly want to change then it will be very difficult for us to make changes. Therefore we must be committed to making the necessary changes. Being firm in our resolve and doing it solely for Allah will enable us to be able to push through the difficult initial period of change and rewiring our brain to give up the bad habit/s. We must also ask of Allah sincerely to help us make the necessary changes. After that we must identify the triggers. What triggers us to do such things? Why are we so neglectful of our obligations unto Allah? It really helps to write it down. Every person will have a unique set of triggers but they can also generally be the same sort of things that trigger most of us to do such bad habits.
So in order to break these habits and make the necessary changes then we must develop a strategy of how we will go about making the change and breaking the bad habit. We must learn from our past experiences. What worked for us and what didn't. It is inevitable that everyone of us will fall back into certain habits. However we must continue to push through regardless and get ourselves back up again and re-adapt our strategy. It also helps to keep ourselves constantly busy with doing good habits so that we don't get bored and go back to our bad habits again. We need to replace the bad habit with a equivalent good one. Replacing habits is also a very good and effective strategy.
So after making a firm resolve and intention to change for the sake of Allah and identifying the triggers and developing the strategy, then we must push through the difficult initial period of making changes and breaking bad habits. Our Nafs will want us to go back to those habits as it is what we were accustomed to. But we must ignore our Nafs. At first it will be hard but if we continue to push through the first week then it will get much easier after that. However we need to always be aware of the triggers and ensure we keep away from them as much as possible for at least the first couple of weeks until we become stronger. So we must be consistent and push through no matter what. Write down the reasons why you want to give up that bad habit and make a change. Then every time you get weak then go back to that list and keep referring to it. It will help to align our thoughts on the right direction.
Pushing through the difficult periods of change requires a lot of patience in terms of patiently persevering through the struggles both physically and mentally. Change was never meant to be easy. If it was then we wouldn't be able to taste the sweetness of it once we've made the change.

We must develop Taqwa (fearful awareness of Allah as that will enable us to always be aware of Allah around us so that we think before we make any choice. Regularly fasting and praying Tahajjud also helps to develop this awareness. Please refer to the following thread:
10 Steps to Gaining Taqwa (Fearful awareness of Allah)
“Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:153)
Ibn Jawzi (Ra) said: "My son, do not let your past carelessness make you lose hope of achieving good. For many people have come back to wakefulness after a long sleep"
Allah knows that we are truly trying and making effort to change and quit bad habits. He is there for us and is close to those of us who patiently persevere through trials, struggles, hardships and our Nafs. Even if we keep failing then as long as we keep turning back towards him then he will forgive us. He is wanting us to change for the better and to get closer to him So we must seek patient perseverance through prayers and get closer to him through the recitation and reflection of the Qur'an and in his constant remembrance and glorification. However it is us who are holding ourselves back. So we must never blame him as that is what our enemy shaythan wants as he wants to break our relationship with Allah. He wants us to become disillusioned and to lose hope in the mercy of Allah. But we must never allow that to happen:
Ibn al Qayyum (Ra) said: "Sadness weakens the heart, diminishes confidence and harms will power, and there is nothing more beloved to shaythan than the sadness of the believer. So for this reason rejoice and be optimistic, think well of Allah, trust that which is with Allah and rely only on him, and you will find happiness and contentment."
So we must keep trying, striving and making effort and never give up. We must keep pushing through the struggles throughout our daily lives with patience and perseverance. If we fall then we must keep getting back up and learning from our mistakes. We must also constantly repent as Allah loves those who repent constantly. We must also be most thankful and grateful of the blessings of Allah as he keeps giving us chance after chance regardless of the magnitude and quantity of the sins we keep committing on a daily basis. This is because he loves to forgive. His mercy far outweighs his forgiveness:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His book with Him upon the Throne: Verily, My mercy prevails over My wrath.” (Bukhārī 3194, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2751)
So we must make the best of these blessed days and nights to truly reflect on ourselves and our condition. We must internalise the changes we need to make and then push through the difficult period of change with patient perseverance. Everyone of us is more than capable of making whatever positive life changes we choose to. It is especially easier during this blessed month which is a true gift and mercy of Allah upon the believers. We can become like we were newly born with an entire lifetime of our sins forgiven:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would say, “Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan due to faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhārī,Muslim)
May Allah strengthen us to be able to strive against our nafs and the whsipers of shaythan and may he enable us to make the necessary changes to ourselves and forgive us for all our sins and enable us to become closer to him. Ameen.

Monday, April 18, 2022

O Children of Adam! Do not let Satan seduce you, as he drove your parents out of the Garden.

 

                                        Quran 7 to 39

2. A Scripture was revealed to you, so let there be no anxiety in your heart because of it. You are to warn with it—and a reminder for the believers.

3. Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, and do not follow other masters beside Him. Little you recollect.

4. How many a town have We destroyed? Our might came upon them by night, or while they were napping.

5. When Our might came upon them, their only cry was, “We were indeed wrongdoers.”

6. We will question those to whom messengers were sent, and We will question the messengers.

7. We will narrate to them with knowledge, for We were never absent.

8. The scales on that Day will be just. Those whose weights are heavy—it is they who are the successful.

9. But as for those whose weights are light—it is they who have lost their souls, because they used to mistreat Our revelations.

10. We have established you firmly on earth, and made for you in it livelihood—but rarely do you give thanks.

11. We created you, then We shaped you, then We said to the angels, “Bow down before Adam;” so they bowed down, except for Satan; he was not of those who bowed down.

12. He said, “What prevented you from bowing down when I have commanded you?” He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from mud.”

13. He said, “Get down from it! It is not for you to act arrogantly in it. Get out! You are one of the lowly!”

14. He said, “Give me respite, until the Day they are resurrected.”

15. He said, “You are of those given respite.”

16. He said, “Because you have lured me, I will waylay them on Your straight path.

17. Then I will come at them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left; and you will not find most of them appreciative.”

18. He said, “Get out of it, despised and vanquished. Whoever among them follows you—I will fill up Hell with you all.

19. And you, Adam, inhabit the Garden, you and your wife, and eat whatever you wish; but do not approach this tree, lest you become sinners.”

20. But Satan whispered to them, to reveal to them their nakedness, which was invisible to them. He said, “Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree, lest you become angels, or become immortals.”

21. And he swore to them, “I am a sincere advisor to you.”

22. So he lured them with deceit. And when they tasted the tree, their nakedness became evident to them, and they began covering themselves with the leaves of the Garden. And their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you from this tree, and say to you that Satan is a sworn enemy to you?”

23. They said, “Our Lord, we have done wrong to ourselves. Unless You forgive us, and have mercy on us, we will be among the losers.”

24. He said, “Fall, some of you enemies to one another. On earth you will have residence and livelihood for a while.”

25. He said, “In it you will live, and in it you will die, and from it you will be brought out.”

26. O children of Adam! We have provided you with clothing to cover your bodies, and for luxury. But the clothing of piety—that is best. These are some of God’s revelations, so that they may take heed.

27. O Children of Adam! Do not let Satan seduce you, as he drove your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their garments, to show them their nakedness. He sees you, him and his clan, from where you cannot see them. We have made the devils friends of those who do not believe.

28. And when they commit an indecency, they say, “We found our parents doing this, and God has commanded us to do it.” Say, “God does not command indecencies. Are you attributing to God what you do not know?”

29. Say, “My Lord commands justice, and to stand devoted at every place of worship. So call upon Him, and dedicate your faith to Him alone. Just as He originated you, so you will return.”

30. Some He has guided, and some have deserved misguidance. They have adopted the devils for patrons rather than God, and they assume that they are guided.

31. O Children of Adam! Dress properly at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but do not be excessive. He does not love the excessive.

32. Say, “Who forbade God’s finery which He has produced for His servants, and the delights of livelihood?” Say, “They are for those who believe, in this present world, but exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection.” We thus detail the revelations for people who know.

33. Say, “My Lord has forbidden immoralities—both open and secret—and sin, and unjustified aggression, and that you associate with God anything for which He revealed no sanction, and that you say about God what you do not know.”

34. For every nation is an appointed time. When their time has come, they cannot delay it by one hour, nor can they advance it.

35. O Children of Adam! When messengers from among you come to you, relating to you My revelations—whoever practices piety and reforms—upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

36. But as for those who reject Our revelations, and are too proud to accept them—these are the inmates of the Fire, where they will remain forever.

37. Who does greater wrong than he who invents lies about God, or denies His revelations? These—their share of the decree will reach them. Until, when Our envoys come to them, to take their souls away, they will say, “Where are they whom you used to pray to besides God?” They will say, “They have abandoned us,” and they will testify against themselves that they were faithless.

38. He will say, “Join the crowds of jinn and humans who have gone into the Fire before you.” Every time a crowd enters, it will curse its sister-crowd. Until, when they are all in it, the last of them will say to the first of them, “Our Lord, these are the ones who misled us, so inflict on them a double punishment in the Fire.” He will say, “Each will have a double, but you do not know.”

39. The first of them will say to the last of them, “You have no advantage over us, so taste the torment for what you used to earn.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

The Jews and the Christians in the Quran 5:13

 

12. God received a pledge from the Children of Israel, and We raised among them twelve chiefs. God said, “I am with you; if you perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and believe in My messengers and support them, and lend God a loan of righteousness; I will remit your sins, and admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever among you disbelieves afterwards has strayed from the right way.”

13. Because of their breaking their pledge, We cursed them, and made their hearts hard. They twist the words out of their context, and they disregarded some of what they were reminded of. You will always witness deceit from them, except for a few of them. But pardon them, and overlook. God loves the doers of good.

14. And from those who say, “We are Christians,” We received their pledge, but they neglected some of what they were reminded of. So We provoked enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection; God will then inform them of what they used to craft.

15. O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, clarifying for you much of what you kept hidden of the Book, and overlooking much. A light from God has come to you, and a clear Book.

16. God guides with it whoever follows His approval to the ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness into light, by His permission, and He guides them in a straight path.

17. They disbelieve those who say, “God is the Christ, the son of Mary.” Say, “Who can prevent God, if He willed, from annihilating the Christ son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone on earth?” To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and what is between them. He creates whatever He wills, and God has power over everything.

18. The Jews and the Christians say, “We are the children of God, and His beloved.” Say, “Why then does He punish you for your sins?” In fact, you are humans from among those He created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what lies between them, and to Him is the return.

19. O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making things clear to you—after a cessation of messengers—so that you cannot say, “No preacher has come to us, and no warner.” In fact, a preacher has come to you, and a warner; and God is Capable of everything.

20. When Moses said to his people, “O my people, remember God’s blessings upon you, when He placed prophets among you, and made you kings, and gave you what He never gave any other people.”

21. “O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has assigned for you, and do not turn back, lest you return as losers.”

22. They said, “O Moses, there are tyrannical people in it; we will not enter it until they leave it. If they leave it, we will be entering.”

23. Two men of those who feared, but whom God had blessed, said, “Go at them by the gate; and when you have entered it, you will prevail. And put your trust in God, if you are believers.”

24. They said, “O Moses, we will not enter it, ever, as long as they are in it. So go ahead, you and your Lord, and fight. We are staying right here.”

25. He said, “My Lord! I have control only over myself and my brother, so separate between us and between the wicked people.”

26. He said, “It is forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander aimlessly in the land. So do not grieve over the defiant people.”

27. And relate to them the true story of Adam's two sons: when they offered an offering, and it was accepted from one of them, but it was not accepted from the other. He Said, “I will kill you.” He Said, “God accepts only from the righteous.”

28. “If you extend your hand to kill me, I will not extend my hand to kill you; for I fear God, Lord of the Worlds.”

29. “I would rather you bear my sin and your sin, and you become among the inmates of the Fire. Such is the reward for the evildoers.”

30. Then His soul prompted him to kill his brother, so he killed him, and became one of the losers.

31. Then God sent a raven digging the ground, to show him how to cover his brother's corpse. He said, “Woe to me! I was unable to be like this raven, and bury my brother's corpse.” So he became full of regrets.

32. Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel: that whoever kills a person—unless it is for murder or corruption on earth—it is as if he killed the whole of mankind; and whoever saves it, it is as if he saved the whole of mankind. Our messengers came to them with clarifications, but even after that, many of them continue to commit excesses in the land.

Monday, April 11, 2022

GOOD AND EVIL IN MANKIND QURAN 3:13

13. There was a sign for you in the two parties that met. One party fighting in the way of God, and the other was disbelieving. They saw them with their own eyes twice their number. But God supports with His help whomever He wills. In that is a lesson for those with insight.

14. Adorned for the people is the love of desires, such as women, and children, and piles upon piles of gold and silver, and branded horses, and livestock, and fields. These are the conveniences of the worldly life, but with God lies the finest resort.

15. Say, “Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who are righteous, with their Lord are Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will remain forever, and purified spouses, and acceptance from God.” God is Observant of the servants.

16. Those who say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us our sins, and save us from the suffering of the Fire.”

17. The patient, and the truthful, and the reverent, and the charitable, and the seekers of forgiveness at dawn.

18. God bears witness that there is no god but He, as do the angels, and those endowed with knowledge—upholding justice. There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.

19. Religion with God is Islam. Those to whom the Scripture was given differed only after knowledge came to them, out of envy among themselves. Whoever rejects the signs of God—God is quick to take account.

20. If they argue with you, say, “I have surrendered myself to God, and those who follow me.” And say to those who were given the Scripture, and to the unlearned, “Have you surrendered?” If they have surrendered, then they are guided; but if they turn away, then your duty is to convey. God is Seeing of the servants.

21. As for those who defy God’s revelations, and kill the prophets unjustly, and kill those who advocate justice among the people—promise them a painful retribution.

22. They are those whose deeds will come to nothing, in this world and in the Hereafter; and they will have no saviors.

23. Have you not considered those who were given a share of the Scripture, as they were called to the Scripture of God to arbitrate between them; then some of them turned back, and declined?

24. That is because they said, “The Fire will not touch us except for a limited number of days.” They have been misled in their religion by the lies they fabricated.

25. How about when We gather them for a Day in which there is no doubt, and each soul will be paid in full for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged?

26. Say, “O God, Owner of Sovereignty. You grant sovereignty to whom You will, and You strip sovereignty from whom you will. You honor whom you will, and You humiliate whom you will. In Your hand is all goodness. You are Capable of all things.”

27. “You merge the night into the day, and You merge the day into the night; and you bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living; and You provide for whom you will without measure.”

28. Believers are not to take disbelievers for friends instead of believers. Whoever does that has nothing to do with God, unless it is to protect your own selves against them. God warns you to beware of Him. To God is the destiny.

29. Say, “Whether you conceal what is in your hearts, or disclose it, God knows it.” He knows everything in the heavens and the earth. God is Powerful over everything.

30. On the Day when every soul finds all the good it has done presented. And as for the evil it has done, it will wish there were a great distance between them. God cautions you of Himself. God is Kind towards the servants.

31. Say, “If you love God, then follow me, and God will love you, and will forgive you your sins.” God is Forgiving and Merciful.

32. Say, “Obey God and the Messenger.” But if they turn away—God does not love the faithless.

33. God chose Adam, and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran, over all mankind.

34. Offspring one of the other. God is Hearer and Knower.

35. The wife of Imran said, “My Lord, I have vowed to You what is in my womb, dedicated, so accept from me; You are the Hearer and Knower.”

36. And when she delivered her, she said, “My Lord, I have delivered a female,” and God was well aware of what she has delivered, “and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and have commended her and her descendants to Your protection, from Satan the outcast.”

37. Her Lord accepted her with a gracious reception, and brought her a beautiful upbringing, and entrusted her to the care of Zechariah. Whenever Zechariah entered upon her in the sanctuary, he found her with provision. He said, “O Mary, where did you get this from?” She said, “It is from God; God provides to whom He wills without reckoning.”

38. Thereupon Zechariah prayed to his Lord; he said, “My Lord, bestow on me good offspring from Your presence; You are the Hearer of Prayers.”

39. Then the angels called out to him, as he stood praying in the sanctuary: “God gives you good news of John; confirming a Word from God, and honorable, and moral, and a prophet; one of the upright.”

40. He said, “My Lord, how will I have a son, when old age has overtaken me, and my wife is barren?” He said, “Even so, God does whatever He wills.”

41. He said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you shall not speak to the people for three days, except by gestures. And remember your Lord much, and praise in the evening and the morning.”

42. The angels said, “O Mary, God has chosen you, and has purified you. He has chosen you over all the women of the world.

43. “O Mary, be devoted to your Lord, and bow down, and kneel with those who kneel.”

44. These are accounts from the Unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their lots as to which of them would take charge of Mary; nor were you with them as they quarreled.

45. The Angels said, “O Mary, God gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, well-esteemed in this world and the next, and one of the nearest.

46. He will speak to the people from the crib, and in adulthood, and will be one of the righteous.”

47. She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child, when no man has touched me?” He said, “It will be so. God creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”

48. And He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.

49. A messenger to the Children of Israel: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you out of clay the figure of a bird; then I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave. And I heal the blind and the leprous, and I revive the dead, by God’s leave. And I inform you concerning what you eat, and what you store in your homes. In that is a sign for you, if you are believers.”

50. “And verifying what lies before me of the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord; so fear God, and obey me.”

51. “God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.”

52. When Jesus sensed disbelief on their part, he said, “Who are my allies towards God?” The disciples said, “We are God’s allies; we have believed in God, and bear witness that we submit.”

53. “Our Lord, we have believed in what You have revealed, and we have followed the Messenger, so count us among the witnesses.”

54. They planned, and God planned; but God is the Best of planners.

55. God said, “O Jesus, I am terminating your life, and raising you to Me, and clearing you of those who disbelieve. And I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return; then I will judge between you regarding what you were disputing.

56. As for those who disbelieve, I will punish them with a severe punishment, in this world and the next, and they will have no helpers.

57. And as for those who believe and do good works, He will give them their rewards in full. God does not love the unjust.”

58. This is what We recite to you of the Verses and the Wise Reminder.

59. The likeness of Jesus in God’s sight is that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was.

60. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be of those who doubt.

61. And if anyone disputes with you about him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, “Come, let us call our children and your children, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and let us invoke God’s curse on the liars.”

62. This is the narrative of truth: there is no god but God. God is the Mighty, the Wise.

63. But if they turn away—God knows the corrupt.

64. Say, “O People of the Book, come to terms common between us and you: that we worship none but God, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides God.” And if they turn away, say, “Bear witness that we have submitted.”

65. O People of the Book! Why do you argue about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Will you not reason?

66. Here you are—you argue about things you know, but why do you argue about things you do not know? God knows, and you do not know.

67. Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a Monotheist, a Muslim. And he was not of the Polytheists.

68. The people most deserving of Abraham are those who followed him, and this prophet, and those who believe. God is the Guardian of the believers.

69. A party of the People of the Book would love to lead you astray, but they only lead themselves astray, and they do not realize it.

70. O People of the Book! Why do you reject the revelations of God, even as you witness?

71. O People of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with falsehood, and knowingly conceal the truth?

72. Some of the People of the Book say, “Believe in what was revealed to the believers at the beginning of the day, and reject it at its end, so that they may return.”

73. And trust none except those who follow your religion.” Say, “Guidance is God’s guidance. If someone is given the like of what you were given, or they argue with you before your Lord, say, “All grace is in God’s hand; He gives it to whomever He wills.” God is Bounteous and Knowing.

74. He specifies His mercy for whomever He wills. God is Possessor of Sublime Grace.

75. Among the People of the Book is he, who, if you entrust him with a heap of gold, he will give it back to you. And among them is he, who, if you entrust him with a single coin, he will not give it back to you, unless you keep after him. That is because they say, “We are under no obligation towards the gentiles.” They tell lies about God, and they know it.

76. Indeed, whoever fulfills his commitments and maintains piety—God loves the pious.

77. Those who exchange the covenant of God, and their vows, for a small price, will have no share in the Hereafter, and God will not speak to them, nor will He look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. They will have a painful punishment.

78. And among them are those who twist the Scripture with their tongues, that you may think it from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say, “It is from God,” when it is not from God. They tell lies and attribute them to God, knowingly.

79. No person to whom God has given the Scripture, and wisdom, and prophethood would ever say to the people, “Be my worshipers rather than God’s.” Rather, “Be people of the Lord, according to the Scripture you teach, and the teachings you learn.”

80. Nor would he command you to take the angels and the prophets as lords. Would he command you to infidelity after you have submitted?

81. God received the covenant of the prophets, “Inasmuch as I have given you of scripture and wisdom; should a messenger come to you verifying what you have, you shall believe in him, and support him.” He said, “Do you affirm My covenant and take it upon yourselves?” They said, “We affirm it.” He said, “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.”

82. Whoever turns away after that—these are the deceitful.

83. Do they desire other than the religion of God, when to Him has submitted everything in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned?

84. Say, “We believe in God, and in what was revealed to us; and in what was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.”

85. Whoever seeks other than Islam as a religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.

86. How will God guide a people who disbelieved after having believed, and had witnessed that the Messenger is true, and the clear proofs had come to them? God does not guide the unjust people.

87. Those—their penalty is that upon them falls the curse of God, and of the angels, and of all mankind.

88. Remaining in it eternally, without their punishment being eased from them, and without being reprieved.

89. Except those who repent afterwards, and reform; for God is Forgiving and Merciful.

90. As for those who disbelieve after having believed, then plunge deeper into disbelief, their repentance will not be accepted; these are the lost.

91. As for those who disbelieve and die disbelievers, even the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them, were he to offer it for ransom. These will have a painful torment, and will have no saviors.

92. You will not attain virtuous conduct until you give of what you cherish. Whatever you give away, God is aware of it.

93. All food was permissible to the Children of Israel, except what Israel forbade for himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, “Bring the Torah, and read it, if you are truthful.”

94. Whoever forges lies about God after that—these are the unjust.

95. Say, “God has spoken the truth, so follow the religion of Abraham the Monotheist; he was not a Pagan.”

96. The first house established for mankind is the one at Bekka; blessed, and guidance for all people.

97. In it are evident signs; the Station of Abraham. Whoever enters it attains security. Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for all who can make the journey. But as for those who refuse—God is Independent of the worlds.

98. Say, “O People of the Scripture, why do you reject the Revelations of God, when God witnesses what you do?”

99. Say, “O People of the Scripture, why do you hinder from God’s path those who believe, seeking to distort it, even though you are witnesses? God is not unaware of what you do.”

100. O you who believe! If you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture, they will turn you, after your belief, into disbelievers.

101. And how could you disbelieve, when God’s revelations are being recited to you, and among you is His Messenger? Whoever cleaves to God has been guided to a straight path.

102. O you who believe! Revere God with due reverence, and do not die except as Muslims.

103. And hold fast to the rope of God, altogether, and do not become divided. And remember God’s blessings upon you; how you were enemies, and He reconciled your hearts, and by His grace you became brethren. And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, and He saved you from it. God thus clarifies His revelations for you, so that you may be guided.

104. And let there be among you a community calling to virtue, and advocating righteousness, and deterring from evil. These are the successful.

105. And do not be like those who separated and disputed after the clear proofs came to them; for them is a great punishment.

106. On the Day when some faces will be whitened, and some faces will be blackened. As for those whose faces are blackened: “Did you disbelieve after your belief?” Then taste the punishment for having disbelieved.

107. But as for those whose faces are whitened: they are in God’s mercy, remaining in it forever.

108. These are the revelations of God. We recite them to you in truth. God desires no injustice for mankind.

109. To God belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth, and to God all events are referred.

110. You are the best community that ever emerged for humanity: you advocate what is moral, and forbid what is immoral, and believe in God. Had the People of the Scripture believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are the believers, but most of them are sinners.

111. They will do you no harm, beyond insulting you. And if they fight you, they will turn around and flee, then they will not be helped.

112. They shall be humiliated wherever they are encountered, except through a rope from God, and a rope from the people; and they incurred wrath from God, and were stricken with misery. That is because they rejected God’s revelations, and killed the prophets unjustly. That is because they rebelled and committed aggression.

113. They are not alike. Among the People of the Scripture is a community that is upright; they recite God’s revelations throughout the night, and they prostrate themselves.

114. They believe in God and the Last Day, and advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and are quick to do good deeds. These are among the righteous.

115. Whatever good they do, they will not be denied it. God knows the righteous.

116. As for those who disbelieve, neither their possessions nor their children will avail them anything against God. These are the inhabitants of the Fire, abiding therein forever.

117. The parable of what they spend in this worldly life is that of a frosty wind that strikes the harvest of a people who have wronged their souls, and destroys it. God did not wrong them, but they wronged their own selves.

118. O you who believe! Do not befriend outsiders who never cease to wish you harm. They love to see you suffer. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their hearts conceal is worse. We have made the messages clear for you, if you understand.

119. There you are, you love them, but they do not love you, and you believe in the entire scripture. And when they meet you, they say, “We believe;” but when they are alone, they bite their fingers in rage at you. Say, “Die in your rage; God knows what is within the hearts.”

120. If something good happens to you, it upsets them; but if something bad befalls you, they rejoice at it. But if you persevere and maintain righteousness, their schemes will not harm you at all. God comprehends what they do.

121. Remember when you left your home in the morning, to assign battle-positions for the believers. God is Hearing and Knowing.

122. When two groups among you almost faltered, but God was their Protector. So in God let the believers put their trust.

123. God had given you victory at Badr, when you were weak. So fear God, that you may be thankful.

124. When you said to the believers, “Is it not enough for you that your Lord has reinforced you with three thousand angels, sent down?”

125. It is; but if you persevere and remain cautious, and they attack you suddenly, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels, well trained.

126. God made it but a message of hope for you, and to reassure your hearts thereby. Victory comes only from God the Almighty, the Wise.

127. He thus cuts off a section of those who disbelieved, or subdues them, so they retreat disappointed.

128. It is no concern of yours whether He redeems them or punishes them. They are wrongdoers.

129. To God belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

130. O you who believe! Do not feed on usury, compounded over and over, and fear God, so that you may prosper.

131. And guard yourselves against the Fire that is prepared for the disbelievers.

132. And obey God and the Messenger, that you may obtain mercy.

133. And race towards forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous.

134. Those who give in prosperity and adversity, and those who restrain anger, and those who forgive people. God loves the doers of good.

135. And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember God and ask forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except God? And they do not persist in their wrongdoing while they know.

136. Those—their reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. How excellent is the reward of the workers.

137. Many societies have passed away before you. So travel the earth and note the fate of the deniers.

138. This is a proclamation to humanity, and guidance, and advice for the righteous.

139. And do not waver, nor feel remorse. You are the superior ones, if you are believers.

140. If a wound afflicts you, a similar wound has afflicted the others. Such days We alternate between the people, that God may know those who believe, and take martyrs from among you. God does not love the evildoers.

141. So that God may prove those who believe, and eliminate the disbelievers.

142. Or do you expect to enter Paradise, before God has distinguished those among you who strive, and before He has distinguished the steadfast?

143. You used to wish for death before you have faced it. Now you have seen it before your own eyes.

144. Muhammad is no more than a messenger. Messengers have passed on before him. If he dies or gets killed, will you turn on your heels? He who turns on his heels will not harm God in any way. And God will reward the appreciative.

145. No soul can die except by God’s leave, at a predetermined time. Whoever desires the reward of the world, We will give him some of it; and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We will give him some of it; and We will reward the appreciative.

146. How many a prophet fought alongside him numerous godly people? They did not waver for what afflicted them in the cause of God, nor did they weaken, nor did they give in. God loves those who endure.

147. Their only words were, “Our Lord, forgive us our offences, and our excesses in our conduct, and strengthen our foothold, and help us against the disbelieving people.”

148. So God gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. God loves the doers of good.

149. O you who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you end up losers.

150. God is your Master, and He is the Best of Helpers.

151. We will throw terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they attribute to God partners for which He revealed no sanction. Their lodging is the Fire. Miserable is the lodging of the evildoers.

152. God has fulfilled His promise to you, and you defeated them by His leave; until when you faltered, and disputed the command, and disobeyed after He had shown you what you like. Some of you want this world, and some of you want the next. Then He turned you away from them, to test you; but He pardoned you. God is Gracious towards the believers.

153. Remember when you fled, not caring for anyone, even though the Messenger was calling you from your rear. Then He repaid you with sorrow upon sorrow, so that you would not grieve over what you missed, or for what afflicted you. God is Informed of what you do.

154. Then after the setback, He sent down security upon you. Slumber overcame some of you, while others cared only for themselves, thinking of God thoughts that were untrue—thoughts of ignorance—saying, “Is anything up to us?” Say, “Everything is up to God.” They conceal within themselves what they do not reveal to you. And they say, “If it was up to us, none of us would have been killed here.” Say, “Even if you Had stayed in your homes, those destined to be killed would have marched into their death beds.” God thus tests what is in your minds, and purifies what is in your hearts. God knows what the hearts contain.

155. Those of you who turned back on the day when the two armies clashed—it was Satan who caused them to backslide, on account of some of what they have earned. But God has forgiven them. God is Forgiving and Prudent.

156. O you who believe! Do not be like those who disbelieved, and said of their brethren who marched in the land, or went on the offensive, “Had they stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed.” So that God may make it a cause of regret in their hearts. God gives life and causes death. God is Seeing of what you do.

157. If you are killed in the cause of God, or die—forgiveness and mercy from God are better than what they hoard.

158. If you die, or are killed—to God you will be gathered up.

159. It is by of grace from God that you were gentle with them. Had you been harsh, hardhearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them, and ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in the conduct of affairs. And when you make a decision, put your trust in God; God loves the trusting.

160. If God supports you, there is none who can overcome you. But if He fails you, who is there to help you after Him? So in God let the believers put their trust.

161. It is not for a prophet to act dishonestly. Whoever acts dishonestly will bring his dishonesty on the Day of Resurrection. Then every soul will be paid in full for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.

162. Is someone who pursues God's approval the same as someone who incurs God's wrath and his refuge is Hell—the miserable destination?

163. They have different ranks with God, and God is Seeing of what they do.

164. God has blessed the believers, as He raised up among them a messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His revelations, and purifies them, and teaches them the Scripture and wisdom; although before that they were in evident error.

165. And when a calamity befell you, even after you had inflicted twice as much, you said, “How is this?” Say, “It is from your own selves.” God is Able to do all things.

166. What befell you on the day the two armies clashed was with God’s permission; that He may know the believers.

167. And that He may know the hypocrites. And it was said to them, “Come, fight in the cause of God, or contribute.” They said, “If we knew how to fight, we would have followed you.” On that day they were closer to infidelity than they were to faith. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts; but God knows what they hide.

168. Those who said of their brethren, as they stayed behind, “Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.” Say, “Then avert death from yourselves, if you are truthful.”

169. Do not consider those killed in the cause of God as dead. In fact, they are alive, at their Lord, well provided for.

170. Delighting in what God has given them out of His grace, and happy for those who have not yet joined them; that they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

171. They rejoice in grace from God, and bounty, and that God will not waste the reward of the faithful.

172. Those who responded to God and the Messenger, despite the persecution they had suffered. For the virtuous and the pious among them is a great reward.

173. Those to whom the people have said, “The people have mobilized against you, so fear them.” But this only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is enough for us; He is the Excellent Protector.”

174. So they came back with grace from God, and bounty, and no harm having touched them. They pursued what pleases God. God possesses immense grace.

175. That is only Satan frightening his partisans; so do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are believers.

176. And do not be saddened by those who rush into disbelief. They will not harm God in the least. God desires to give them no share in the Hereafter. A terrible torment awaits them.

177. Those who exchange blasphemy for faith will not harm God in the least. A painful torment awaits them.

178. Those who disbelieve should not assume that We respite them for their own good. In fact, We only respite them so that they may increase in sinfulness. A humiliating torment awaits them.

179. God will not leave the believers as you are, without distinguishing the wicked from the sincere. Nor will God inform you of the future, but God elects from among His messengers whom He wills. So believe in God and His messengers. If you believe and practice piety, you will have a splendid reward.

180. Those who withhold what God has given them of his bounty should not assume that is good for them. In fact, it is bad for them. They will be encircled by their hoardings on the Day of Resurrection. To God belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth, and God is well acquainted with what you do.

181. God has heard the statement of those who said, “God is poor, and we are rich.” We will write down what they said, and their wrongful killing of the prophets; and We will say, “Taste the torment of the burning.”

182. “This is on account of what your hands have forwarded, and because God is not unjust towards the creatures.”

183. Those who said, “God has made a covenant with us, that we shall not believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering to be consumed by fire.” Say, “Messengers have come to you before me with proofs, and with what you asked for; so why did you assassinate them, if you are truthful?”

184. If they accuse you of lying, messengers before you were accused of lying. They came with the proofs, and the Psalms, and the Illuminating Scripture.

185. Every soul will have a taste of death, and you will receive your recompense on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is swayed from the Fire, and admitted to Paradise, has won. The life of this world is merely enjoyment of delusion.

186. You will be tested through your possessions and your persons; and you will hear from those who received the Scripture before you, and from the idol worshipers, much abuse. But if you persevere and lead a righteous life—that indeed is a mark of great determination.

187. God received a pledge from those who were given the Scripture: “You shall proclaim it to the people, and not conceal it.” But they disregarded it behind their backs, and exchanged it for a small price. What a miserable exchange they made.

188. Do not think that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done—do not think they can evade the punishment. They will have a painful punishment.

189. To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. God has power over all things.

190. In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of understanding.

191. Those who remember God while standing, and sitting, and on their sides; and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You did not create this in vain, glory to You, so protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

192. “Our Lord, whomever You commit to the Fire, You have disgraced. The wrongdoers will have no helpers.”

193. “Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to the faith: `Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and remit our misdeeds, and make us die in the company of the virtuous.”

194. “Our Lord, and give us what You have promised us through Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely You never break a promise.”

195. And so their Lord answered them: “I will not waste the work of any worker among you, whether male or female. You are one of another. For those who emigrated, and were expelled from their homes, and were persecuted because of Me, and fought and were killed—I will remit for them their sins, and will admit them into gardens beneath which rivers flow—a reward from God. With God is the ultimate reward.”

196. Do not be impressed by the disbelievers’ movements in the land.

197. A brief enjoyment, then their abode is Hell. What a miserable resort.

198. As for those who feared their Lord: for them will be gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever—hospitality from God. What God possesses is best for the just.

199. Among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in God, and in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed to them. They are humble before God, and they do not sell God’s revelations for a cheap price. These will have their reward with their Lord. God is swift in reckoning.

200. O you who believe! Be patient, and advocate patience, and be united, and revere God, so that you may thrive.

Saturday, April 9, 2022

Why Do We Worship Allah?

 

This verse, verse 21, is the first commandment in the Quran.
It is the first time, chronologically in the Quran, that Allah tells you to do something.
And it’s not just to us, but all mankind: Worship your Lord.

Today’s reflection is about what is worship and why do we worship Allah.
It is this commandment that Allah has explicitly mentioned in the Quran He has created us for. Allah (SWT) says in verse (51:56)

O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous (2:21)

This is the primary and only purpose of our creation.
That is why Allah sent the Prophets and revealed the Books.

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

Four Reasons why we worship allah.
And in this Surah, Al-Baqarah, Allah alludes to 4 reasons why we should worship Him.
1- O mankind, worship your Lord (Rabb)
So we worship Allah because He is our Rabb.
What is a Rabb?
A Rabb is a being that is characterized by every single characteristic of perfection, of majesty, of glory.
A Rabb is the Lord, the Creator…
So we worship Allah because He is worthy of worship…
He is so perfect, so majestic, so beautiful that He is worthy of mankind and the creation humbling themselves to Him…
2- Who created you and those before you
The second reason is we worship Allah because He has blessed us with life…
The least we can do is to thank Allah by worshiping Him.
Allah (SWT) says: 

Rather, worship [only] Allah and be among the grateful. (39:66)

This is the second reason, but it is not the primary reason…

Allah (SWT) is worthy of worship because of who He is, not because of what He has done to me.

3- That you may become righteous

This is the third reason, so that you may all achieve God-consciousness and taqwa

So worshiping Allah brings about a tangible benefit to us: we achieve taqwa.

What happens when we achieve taqwa?

Many things.

Our lives become meaningful.

We have a purpose-driven life.

If we don’t have taqwa, we are like animals.

If we don’t have taqwa, we don’t have a purpose for living.

So when we worship Allah, our lives become stable and meaningful, also our families, our societies.

There is law and order.

When the civilization has taqwa, you gain peace, law and order…

4- Heaven and Hell

The fourth reason is mentioned in following verses (24 & 25):

 fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers (2:24)

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow… (2:25)

That comes at the end.

It is not our primary motivation.

We do not worship Allah primarily for entering Heaven and being safe from Hell.

This is a secondary reason, but it is not the primary reason.

Yes indeed, when we worship Allah, He will bless us in this world and in the next.

And that blessing is the greatest blessing, which is Jannah.

And it is a motivation. We are weak, we need the carrot and the stick, we need the motivation, that is Jannah, and we need the fear factor, and that is Hell.

It is there, and it is on the list.

Conclusion

So we worship Allah for these four reasons:

He is worthy of being worshiped, regardless of anything else.

We worship Allah because He has created us, because He has blessed us with our lives, with our wealth, with our families, with everything that we have.

We worship Allah because worship brings taqwa, and taqwa brings everything to this life: meaning, stability, values, everything comes from taqwa.

And last but not least, we worship Allah because in His worship we will gain His pleasure, and that is Jannah, and abstain of His punishment, and that is Jahannam.