Qur'an Connection by Good Tree Academy

Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares the story of the first revelation. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was in secution, thinking, pondering when the angel Jibreel (Gabrial) came to him with and said Icra, read (Surah Alaq (96) The Clot). The Qur’an is the ultimate reading, the ultimate recitation that has great power to transform the lives of people, to elevate their humanity, to guide them to a better way of life. 

Allah chose a person, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who was known to be trustworthy to give the responsibility of delivering this super powerful Word to the people. The Quran is mercy. What is this mercy? It is the guidance that alleviates pain, confusion, and destruction to the self, the society and all creation. 

Allah mentions in this same sura to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that with this trust he has given him, he will be tested, he will go through hardship, but all of these hardships will ultimately make him stronger. Many tried to harm him but he was under the protection of Allah. They only harmed themselves. We ask Allah to give him peace and blessings for bringing us the Qur’an, the super powerful word of God.

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Principal Wadud Hassan reflects on how remembering Allah in our hearts can control our tongues. When our time is up in this world, we will return to Allah and we must be wary of how we spend our time and resources before we meet Allah SWT. Allah will grant us what we desire in the hereafter if we follow what he desires in this world. Therefore, we must be mindful of how we speak to others and ensure that we are always speaking kindly to each other even during disagreements.

Our Prophet peace be upon him was kindest when he was speaking to others and said that the strongest person is the person who can control their anger. Principal Wadud tells the story of Abu Bakr and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They were sitting in the masjid when a man came up to Abu Bakr and began to argue, saying ill-mannered things to him. Abu Bakr looked at the man, stayed calm and didn't respond. After the third argument, Abu Bakr responds to the man to correct him and the Prophet ﷺ gets up and walks away. Abu Bakr follows the prophet ﷺ and asked him why he left. The prophet ﷺ said that when you are quiet, there is an angel responding on your behalf because you had patience but when you engage, shaytan appears. When we engage in an argument, we are in the presence of the shayateen and this will take us away from the prophet ﷺ and Allah SWT.

We must be mindful of what we are saying with our tongues and say things that bring us closer to Jannah. By remembering Allah in our hearts, and practicing patience, we are able to regulate our tongues from hurting others. Talk to Allah often and your heart will see Allah.

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Thank you for all of the support at our end of year fundraiser! In this khutbah, Principal Wadud Hasan shares how we can grow gratitude, expressing it at times like when we wake up, when we close our eyes, eat and pray. In surah Ibrahim (Abraham) 14:7, Allah says “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful I will surely increase you;” Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was always beaming with gratitude. Even when he had the worst day he was always grateful as reflected in his smile, his character, his good deeds.  All of this was because of the gratitude he felt in his heart. Allah loves us more when we are appreciative, when we give thanks.

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As Muslims, sometimes we have to go on a journey to get closer to Allah by visiting the houses of Allah SWT in Mecca and Madina. When you visit Masjid al Nabawi in Madina, the prayer of one rakaa is equivalent to 50,000 rakaa and when you pray one rakaa at Masjid al-Haram, it is equivalent to one hundred thousand rakaa. According to several historians, the earth was all water and the first piece of land started at the Kaaba where today, Muslims circle around to bring themselves closer to Allah SWT. Seven heavens above the Kaaba, there is a house of Allah called Bait al Mamoor where 70,000 angels do tawaaf from sunrise to sunset and when those angels complete tawaaf, another 70,000 angels come and do tawaaf and will not come back to do tawaaf until the day of judgement. 

The Kaaba is where the Prophet prayed and was harassed, attacked, and endured the dumping of animal feces on him as he prayed. This is also where Muslims freed the house of Allah from idols. Sometimes we must take certain journeys and face difficult obstacles in order to bring ourselves closer to Allah. Allah tells us to visit the houses of Allah and make provisions before making that journey. The main provision we should be making is Takwa. Takwa is having the mindfulness of Allah, being deeply aware and conscious of Allah, and strengthening that connection to Allah. 

When Prophet Abraham left his wife Hajar with Ismail in Mecca, there was no Kaaba, food, or water present. Hajar had takwa and had six qualities in her heart that brought her closer to Allah. 

1. Silence: One of the first qualities that Hajar had to get used to was her heart. She had to learn how to be alone with Allah with no one around her but Allah. We can understand the revelations of Allah better when we tune out everything else and be alone with Allah. 

2. Attachment: Hajar had to sacrifice her attachment with everything and everyone other than Allah. This included her husband, her neighborhood, food she loved, and everything she was attached to so she could attach her heart to Allah.  

3. Reliance: Her heart relied heavily on Allah when she was left alone and dealing with difficulties. 

4. Hope: Hajar never gave up hope on Allah even during these difficult times. Her hope was bigger than her fears. 

5. Action: She actively tried to bring herself closer to Allah by seeking Allah. She would walk on rocks between Safa and Marwa to bring herself closer. She did not give up and worked hard to seek Allah’s bounty and with that movement, Allah gave her an opening when the Angel Jibril came and struck the ground that so much water came out she had to say zam zam (stop stop). Today, that water nourishes the souls of pilgrims until the day of judgement. 

6. Gratitude: She was soaked in gratitude for the water and was grateful for what Allah had given her that time instead of asking for more. 

When we are going through a difficult time, it is important to have takwa, put in the effort and seek Allah. May Allah grant us the tawfik to continue to strive towards these qualities that Hajar possessed. May Allah grant us tawfik to have a beautiful heart.

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The people of Mecca knew who Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was, what he was like, his kind character, how he was well-trusted and loved, and how he interacted with people. However, when he came with the message of Allah and truth, they rejected him and what he was preaching. This was a test for the people of Mecca because they were used to worshipping idols. 

Allah SWT tells us about the struggle of the people of Mecca in Surah Al-Qalam (68 The Pen) which was one of the first surahs that the prophet ﷺ received. The pen was the first thing that Allah created and Allah told the pen to write and the pen wrote everything, including all events to occur throughout time. 

Allah SWT gave Prophet Muhammad ﷺ three characteristics as described in this surah; his sound intellect, his devotion to his faith which will result in great reward, and the best behavior in his interactions with others. The prophet ﷺ was very well-trusted by the people around him. When everyone in Mecca was fighting over placement of the black stone in the Ka’ba, Muhammad ﷺ was chosen to settle the argument. 

In this surah, Allah SWT lists the characteristics we should avoid. You should not give your attention to someone who spends their time swearing by Allah whether it’s true or not, talks down to people, puts people down, hears something from someone and passes it to another person while exaggerating what is said, tries to prevent people from doing good things, and someone who takes away people’s rights and sins all the time. On the day of judgement, these people will try to make sujood in prostration and they will not be able to because when they were able to, they chose not to. 

However, as perfect as Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was with his endowed three good characteristics, the people of Mecca still did not want to accept him and the message he was preaching. Allah gave Prophet Muhammad ﷺ an example to help him with the people of Mecca. In Surah Al-Qalam, Allah recounts the story of brothers who were in charge of a garden that was rich with many fruits which they inherited from their father. Their father used to let poor people pick from the garden as they pleased and they knew of their father’s generosity. Even though they knew it was the right thing to do, the brothers decided they were not going to let the poor take from their garden because they were worried about losing money. Due to these actions, their behavior began to change. They would whisper to each other, give bad looks to people, walk around like a gang, and intimidate people. So Allah destroyed their garden. That is when the brothers realized that everything had been taken away from them due to their actions, and they turned back to Allah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told the people of Mecca this story to guide them to do good before it is too late. 

May Allah make our behavior and manners nice and guide us to follow the Prophet’s good behavior characteristics.

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There is no one else that deserves our unconditional obedience but Allah SWT and on the day of judgement, when we meet our Creator, our wealth, children, and things of this world will not be with us. Therefore, we should not forget the real purpose of being in this life and in this world is to worship Allah and focus on our hearts for the sake of reaching our best selves. 

On the day of judgement, we want to come before Allah SWT with a heart that is pure and peaceful. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him expressed that if you are able to in the morning and evening make the state of your heart where there is no ill will towards anyone then do so and this is considered his way or sunnah. Those who practice this sunnah truly love the prophet ﷺ and purifying our hearts brings us closer to the prophet. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also explained that whoever defends the reputation of his brother, Allah SWT will defend his face from the fire on the day of judgement. 

Principal Wadud Hassan presents the idea of psychological safety and how, for instance, Google found that this made their teams work effectively. Psychological safety ensures safety for risk-taking in the face of being seen as incompetent, negative, and disruptive. In the face of adversity, the team can safely take risks and work together on a problem without incurring backlash. Psychological safety is the environment that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ created for his sahaba. His companions were able to come to him and ask permission or guidance on anything and it was a safe space for them with no judgement or repercussions. He would ask Allah SWT to purify their hearts and provide them with guidance. This shows how the prophet ﷺ believed in everyone’s potential. 

Principal Wadud shares a story about Sheikh Ali, also known as Hakeem al Ummah or the Grand Mufti of Hind and his encounter with another sheikh during a gathering of sheikhs. That sheikh told Sheikh Ali that he feels he is the worst among these scholars and that everyone around him was better than him. Sheikh Ali points to a Hindu man passing by and says what if Allah gives that man guidance tomorrow and he dies with faith in his heart, questioning if he would have such purity of faith as well. This is the level of clarity and cleanliness that was in the heart of these scholars which provides us guidance. 

May Allah grant us Tawfik to build this quality of keeping our hearts pure to have the best for our brothers and sisters and ourselves. 

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Ever had difficulty dealing with those around you? Allah sent us His messenger, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, as the best example for us to learn how to be kind, courteous, respectful, understanding and merciful to those around us. 

Ustadh Michael Wolfender asks students to think of a time when you felt special because someone did something special for you. Naturally, you would love that person and be appreciative of the things they do for you. This is one of the reasons why we love our parents. 

Those that met Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him felt very special and there are many instances where the love he shared with others impacted them greatly. Amr ibn al-As felt that the prophet ﷺ loved him so much that he went to the prophet to ask him who he loved the most. The prophet said Aisha, his wife. To which Amr asked who the prophet ﷺ loved among the men. Prophet Muhammad responded with Abu Bakr. Amr realized he was not on the top of the prophet’s list but that he loved the prophet so much because he hadn’t experienced such love before.

Zayd Ibn Al Haritha was kidnapped as a child and sold in Mecca, where he became a freed slave under Khadeja, the prophet’s first wife. When Zayd’s father traveled from Yemen to find his son, he offered the prophet ﷺ money in return for Zayd. The prophet told Zayd’s father to keep the money and suggested that Zayd decide what he would like to do. Zayd wanted to stay with the prophet ﷺ because he had never met someone who treated him so well. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ treated Zayd like his own son and Zayd’s father understood and respected that love.

During the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah would use a stick to line everyone up for prayer and while everyone was dressed for battle, one man, Suad Ibn Azeyah was not wearing a top. He claimed to the prophet ﷺ that he poked him with the stick and insisted he get to poke the prophet back. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave Suad the stick to poke him back but instead Suad got on his knees and hugged the prophet. When asked why he did that, Suad told the prophet that it was a trick to hug the prophet before going into battle.

Prophet Muhammad’s love and kindness was also shown through his marriages. He would kneel down and wipe the floor, stitch his own clothes, and treat women so well that all the women who knew him said they have never seen a man like this. His wife Aisha loved him so much, she never remarried. 

Everyone felt so special around Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and he never failed to show everyone the strongest love. May Allah inspire us to do as best as we can to follow in the footsteps of the prophet through his special love and kindness.

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Principal Wadud Hasan explains the importance of our love for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and how following the ways of the Prophet, allows us to love Allah SWT. In Surah Tawbah (The Repentance) 9:128 of the Quran, Allah says that He has sent a prophet that loves us so much, our suffering distresses him. Our prophet loves his believers so much that when we are not happy, he is not happy. 

Through prayer and thikr, we are able to love the prophet and feel his love in our hearts. If we want to see how much Allah SWT loves us, then we have to see how much we love the messenger of Allah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told his wife Aisha that he makes duaa and remembers his ummah five times a day, after every prayer. How can we not pray for our prophet ﷺ when he thinks of us so often and shows so much love for us?

Last week, Ustadh Michael Wolfender discussed how the prophet ﷺ showed mercy for the people who tortured him because one day their children and future generations could be Muslims. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ cared about us so much that he showed mercy to our past generations. His mercy to the people of Mecca led Muhammed bin Qasem to conquer Sindh in South Asia which brought Islam to the South Asian subcontinent. His companions were able to conquer other areas of the world and spread Islam through that moment of mercy for the benefit of future generations of Muslims. Our prophet ﷺ loved us and cared about us so much that he showed that mercy.

Here’s a way to connect with our prophet ﷺ: close your eyes and imagine going to the masjid of the prophet in Madina and meeting him. How would you feel if you entered the masjid and you see Prophet Muhammad ﷺ there, welcoming you? Instead of resting, the prophet ﷺ has decided to respond to your salaam and welcome you because he would embrace even the worst of us. Now imagine how would it feel in the hereafter, when we are finally seeing our prophet, the one that loved us even more than our parents?

It is important to remember that we will be in paradise with those who we love and by loving the prophet ﷺ through prayer, thikr, and following his ways, insh’Allah we will be reunited with our prophet ﷺ in the hereafter. We must always feel the love of Prophet Muhammed ﷺ in our hearts and that will bring us closer to Allah inshAllah.

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In Surat Al-Anbya (21 The Prophets), Allah subhanallah wa ta’ala tells Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him: “We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world.” (21:107)
Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares examples from the prophet’s mercy many times throughout his life and more so during the worst and most difficult day of his life. The prophet ﷺ told his wife Aisha that the hardest day of his life was when he went to Dtahif and the people stoned him and chased him until his feet were bleeding and his sandals were stuck to his feet. On that day, Angel Jibril came to the prophet and advised the angel of the mountains is here and ready to crush the people of this city between two mountains for what they did to you. Instead, the prophet ﷺ expressed nothing but mercy for these people and that hopefully one day, their sons and daughters would become Muslims. The people of the city did not know of his mercy and still wanted to kill him and killed some of his followers. Generations later, this city is indeed populated by Muslims. 

One day, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw an old woman carrying bags on her way home and he helped her carry them all the way home and as they were walking, she praised him for helping her. Along the journey, she began to tell him of a man poisoning the city with his lies and that is breaking families apart with his. She told the Prophet to avoid this man and that his name is Muhammad. At that moment, the Prophet did not tell the woman that it was him she was speaking ill about until she asked for his name at the end of the journey. The woman felt horrible for believing all the evil things people were saying about they Prophet and after getting to know him, she joined Islam. 

When the prophet ﷺ returned to Mecca after completing his Hijra to Madina, he returned to the people that killed his followers and harassed him and made life horrible for him. He returned to Mecca victorious because the people had embraced Islam and still, after all that he had faced with the people of Mecca, he still returned to them and harmed no one. Think about the amount of mercy it would take to not react with anger against these people. 

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away, his companions and followers made sure the entire world knew of his mercy. SubhanAllah, the Prophet’s mercy spread to his Shahaba because when they went to conquer Jerusalem, they did not fight the people there. Like the Prophet, they showed mercy. This is how Islam spread to the most eastern parts of China, to Indonesia, through the Middle East, and large parts of Africa.

What can we do in order to live with the mercy of the messenger ﷺ?

1. Offer prayer 5 times daily: Salah is a mercy and we can stay alive by doing our five prayers. Modern day psychologists recommend meditating and taking time to be at peace. Salah is prescribed for you and everything Allah SWT has given us is the best thing for you. 
2. Fasting: Allah SWT has given us fasting to be merciful to our bodies. Modern day science tells us one of the best ways to be healthy physically and psychologically is to fast. 

The Prophet ﷺ made sure that in his interactions with all people, he was kind, fair, and most importantly merciful. It’s essential for us to continue to show that same mercy to our friends, our communities, the world, and ourselves, for the sake of Allah SWT. 

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Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, grew up as an orphan and Allah SWT took care of him and made sure he was taken care of. However, there were times when the prophet ﷺ faced hardships in the society he lived in, being perturbed by the prevalence of idol worship, inappropriate taking of life and ill treatment of orphans among other wrongs. So the prophet ﷺ would isolate himself in a cave to have time to think and that is when the Angel Jibril visited Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and revealed to him the Words of Allah SWT beginning with Surah Al-’Alaq (96 The Clot). The beginning of the Qur’an’s revelation signified Allah choosing Prophet Muhammed ﷺ as His final messenger.
With the frequency of revelation and visits from Angel Jibril, the prophet ﷺ came to enjoy the close companionship of Allah’s angel. But then the visits from Angel Jibril stopped. About six months went by and the prophet ﷺ began to ask himself what he could have done to stop Angel Jibril from visiting him. His enemies in Mecca began to taunt him for being abandoned by the angel he spoke about. Then Angel Jibril returned, revealing Surah Ad-Duhaa (93 The Morning Hours).  This was like a bright light after darkness. For six months the prophet ﷺ had endured negative feelings and loss, but instantly found relief and light in the Words of Allah SWT. 
Ustadh Michael Wolfender shares how this resonates with us today. Sometimes we have feelings of abandonment, sadness or face depression but it’s important to remember that Allah is always with us. Just as the prophet ﷺ saw the light at the end of the tunnel through Allah’s Guidance, we all will find our light as well. Allah knew how His prophet was feeling when Angel Jibril revealed Surah Ad-Duhaa, just as Allah knows when we are in pain or facing hardships. Allah SWT told the prophet in Surah Ad-Duhaa that He has not forgotten him and that the hereafter is much better than this life. In verses 3 - 5, Allah says: “Your Lord ˹O Prophet˺ has not abandoned you, nor has He become hateful ˹of you˺. And the next life is certainly far better for you than this one. And ˹surely˺ your Lord will give so much to you that you will be pleased.” (93: 3 - 5)
If you are always in the light then you will not appreciate the light. After darkness, we value the light which follows. Allah SWT will make us go through difficult times begetting negative emotions but when we turn to Allah and when things get better, we are so much happier. We thank Allah for letting us go through hard times and for guiding us towards the light, like he did with His prophet ﷺ as an example for us. 

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