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It is generally accepted that this chapter was revealed directly after chapter thirty-nine.  Thus, it was revealed in Mecca and is one of the chapters that examine the fundamentals of faith.  It reminds us of God’s signs and favors and gives glimpses from the story of Moses and Pharaoh with life-changing lessons for us.  It also provides reassurance to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

This chapter begins with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim.  The placement of Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of the Quran.  The reason and the meaning for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, however, the answer is known only to God. 

This Book is sent down by God, the Almighty, the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, and the One Who Bestows blessings.  None has the right to be worshipped but Him.  Only the disbelievers dispute His revelation, so do not be deceived by their prosperity and luxurious life.  In the past, the people of Noah and other communities tried to destroy their messengers and refute the message.  But it was God Who destroyed them with a terrible punishment, condemning them to the Fire. 

The angels who carry and surround the Throne celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask for forgiveness for the believers, and that they be admitted to Paradise and kept safe from the Fire. 

God shows His signs such as sending water down to sustain life, yet no one learns a lesson from this except those who turn to Him.  So be sincere no matter how much the disbelievers dislike it.  He is the Lord of the Throne and sends revelations to whomever He wills.  On the Day of Judgement each soul will account for their actions and no injustice will be done.

Have they not traveled and seen what happened to those who were mightier in strength and numbers? God destroyed them and they had no one to defend them because they repeatedly rejected their messengers.

Moses was sent to Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah with God’s authority but they called him a magician and a liar.  They rejected the truth and ordered the sons of the believers to be killed.  Finally, Pharaoh said he wanted to kill Moses himself.  And Moses sought refuge with God.  A believer among the relatives of Pharaoh advised him to think carefully about why he would kill a man who might be speaking the truth.  Pharaoh knew Moses was right but lied and said he was only saying what he believed to be right and that he was guiding to the right way.  The believing advisor warned his people against how previous disbelieving nations were destroyed.  He reminded them about Joseph who came with clear signs, but their doubt remained.  Rejecting the truth with clear signs is a despicable attitude, and God seals the heart of the arrogant ones.  Pharaoh persisted in his rejection and defiance, and his schemes led only to destruction. 

The believing advisor urged people to follow the right way.  He said that this life was only temporary while the home in the Hereafter was permanent.  He invited them to Paradise while they invited him to the Fire.  God saved him from their terrible plots, and the people of Pharaoh were taken over by a terrible scourge.

On the Day of Judgement, the people of Pharaoh will enter the severest part of the Fire.  They will argue with each other about who led who to destruction and beg for relief.  They will be reminded about their messengers and told their pleas would be in vain.  God supports the messengers and the believers.

Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a much greater creation than the creation of humankind.  Yet most people do not understand.  Those who can see and those who cannot are not the same.  Good and wicked deeds are not the same and the Hour will come!

God made the night for rest and the day bright to make our day to day activities easy.   He is the Creator of all things; none has the right to be worshipped except Him.  Why then are you deluded? The earth is a settlement place and the sky a canopy.  God molded your form and perfected it, then provided you with good things.  He is One and there is no deity but Him, so call on Him and be sincere to Him.  O Prophet, tell your followers that you have been forbidden to worship what they worship and you have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds. 

God created you from dust (referring to Adam), then from a sperm-drop, then developed you into a clinging clot, then you are born from the womb of your mother, and He allows you to grow to your full strength and maturity before you reach old age and the appointed term of your life, although some of you may die sooner.  God gives life and death.  He only says ‘Be’ and it is.

Those who deny the Quran and that which the messengers brought, will soon know the consequences of their deeds when they are punished in Hell with chains around their necks being dragged through scalding water.  They will be asked about those they associated with God and will admit that they have failed them. 

Prophet Muhammad is advised to be patient because God’s promise is true.  There are stories of the messengers he knows and stories he does not know.  But all messengers could not bring a sign unless it was by the permission of God.

The people of the past who were destroyed were mightier than you in strength and numbers.  Their power was of no avail.  When God’s scourge overcame them, they cried out that they now believe! But it was of no use to them.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2019 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

This chapter of seventy-five verses was revealed in Mecca.  Its title comes from the word zumar mentioned in verses seventy-one and seventy-three.  The majority of chapters revealed in the Meccan period dealt with the fundamentals of faith and this one is no exception.  This chapter contrasts the believers with those who ascribe partners with God.  People are free to choose, we are told, however choosing the right path before it is too late is urgently recommended.

This revelation (the Quran) is from God, sent down to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  The religion acceptable to God is that none be associated with Him in both worship and obedience.  Those who justify their actions saying we only worship others to make them closer to God will be judged by God and find that He does not guide those who lie and disbelieve.

If God intended to have offspring, He could have chosen anyone from the creation, but he is far too exalted for such a thing.  He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose; the night and the day wrap over one another and the sun and the moon run in their orbits for a specified time.  He created humankind from a single person (Adam) and from him He made his wife (Eve).  God created livestock in pairs and creates people in their mother’s wombs one after the other in threefold darkness (the stomach, the uterus, and the amniotic membrane).  God has control; there is no deity but Him.  How could you turn away?

God does not need the disbelievers, and He does not like ingratitude.  He likes to see gratitude, and no soul will ever bear another’s burden.  When returned to God He will tell us the truth about what we did in this life.  When adversity touches humankind, they call upon their Lord, but when He bestows blessings, they turn away and forget Him.  Is the person who prays in the night and fears the Hereafter like the person who does not? Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Those who do good will have a good reward.  Say I am commanded to worship God and obey none but Him and I fear a terrible Day.

The losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Judgement; they will be under layers of fire.  Those who shun the worship of false gods are the people of understanding, and they will have dwellings built for them in gardens under which rivers flow.  This is God’s promise.

God sends down rain, it brings forth vegetation which later withers and dies at His command.  This is a reminder—every rise has a fall, therefore do not be charmed by this world and its glitter and forget God and the Hereafter.  Some walk in the light, others have hearts that have hardened, and they have completely lost their way. 

Is the one who is to be punished like the one who is secure? The wrongdoers will taste the chastisement they earned.  Many in the past denied God, but the punishment came upon them suddenly, and the punishment in the Hereafter will be far worse.  Everyone will die, and on the Day of Resurrection, many will dispute with one another in God’s presence.  Who is more unjust than the person who lies about God? Hell is the abode of the disbelievers, and the righteous will have whatever they desire. 

Is God not enough for His servant? The disbelievers threaten Prophet Muhammad with what they worship other than God.  If God allows a person to stray none can guide him, but if He guides someone none can lead him astray.  They say that God created the heavens and the earth, so ask them why do they invoke something other than God! Can they remove harm; can they give or withhold mercy!? Whoever follows the guidance of the Quran does so for his own benefit and whoever goes astray does so at his own peril. 

When God is mentioned, the hearts of the disbelievers shrink with aversion, but if an idol is mentioned, they are happy.   And God will judge between those who differ.  Even if the wrongdoers have everything in this world, and more than that, they would certainly offer it to ransom themselves from the punishment on the Day of Judgement.  God will then show them something they did not expect—their evil deeds plain to see and they will be overwhelmed. 

When adversity touches a person, he calls on God, but when he receives a blessing, he attributes it to his own knowledge.  It is a test, and people in the past were tested in the same way.  Today’s wrongdoers will be hit in the same way the people of the past were hit by the evil effects of their deeds.  One can always turn back to God—never despair of His mercy because He forgives all sins of those who repent and correct themselves. 

Follow the Quran before the punishment comes, and you are regretful.  Those who lied about God will be punished, whilst those who did well will be delivered to a place of safety.  God created everything; the keys to the heavens and the earth are His.

Why worship something other than God when you have been warned both now, and in the past, about the danger of ascribing partners to God.  Your work will become worthless, and you will be among the losers.  On the Day of Resurrection, God will roll up the heavens in His right hand, the trumpet will sound, and everyone will fall down senseless except those who God spares.  The trumpet will sound again causing everyone to stand upright.  The earth will shine, the book of deeds will be opened, and the prophets and witnesses will be called.

Fair judgment will be given, and those destined for Hell will be led towards it in groups.  The gates will be opened, and they will abide there eternally.  Those who feared God will be led to Paradise in groups.  The gates will be opened, and they will be greeted with words of peace.  They will praise God.  The judgment is perfect.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2019 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

The thirty-eighth chapter of the Quran was revealed in Mecca and like all Meccan chapters it emphasizes the fundamentals and basic concepts of Islam.  Sad’s eighty-eight short verses discuss the Oneness of God, the Day of Judgment, and the previous prophets.  It compares the arrogance of the unbelievers of Mecca to the arrogance found in previously destroyed nations, and with the arrogance of Satan.

This chapter begins with the Arabic letter sad.  The use of one or more Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of Quran.  The reason and the meaning of this is the subject of much speculation, however the answer is known only to God.  God swears an oath by the Quran, the book that serves a reminder to all of humankind.  Those who disbelieve are occupied with nothing but arrogance and defiance.  God has destroyed many generations before them for such arrogance and every one of them cried out in despair but it was too late.  A warner has come to them (Meccan disbelievers) from among themselves but they do not accept this, and call him a liar or a magician.  Why would the message be sent to him (Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) they think to themselves and say, did he turn all the gods into One God? Don’t believe him, hold fast to your religion, the religion of our forefathers.

They doubt because they have not yet tasted the punishment.  Do the disbelievers possess God’s treasures or have control over the heavens and the earth?  If so let them ascend and dictate to God.  They are just an armed alliance that will be crushed.  The people of Noah, and Aad and Pharaoh denied their messengers.   The people of Thamud, and Lot and Midian formed alliances against their messengers.  They all called their messengers liars; God’s punishment was justified.  They wait for nothing but a single blast heralding the Day of Judgement and they will wish that they could have their punishment in this life.  Prophet Muhammad is advised to bear their words and be patient.

Remember God’s servant David, who sang the praises of God.  He was joined by both the mountains and the birds.  God strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom, sound judgment and discerning speech.  There is a story of two litigants who climbed over a wall alarming David in his prayer chamber.  They asked him to judge between them.  David passed judgment and realized that he had been put into this position as a test from God.  He sought forgiveness for any errors, such as fear and suspicion of the two men at the outset, and any mistakes in judgement he might have made, such as not being impartial in his judgement. God forgave David and reminded that he was a vicegerent on earth, who should rule with justice and not follow his own desires.  Those who stray will face a severe punishment.  The heavens and earth and all that is in between were not created without a purpose.  Those who do well are not treated the same as the ones who do mischief.  The blessed Quran has been sent down so that humankind can ponder its verses and learn a lesson from it.

God gave David a son, Solomon; he was an excellent servant to God.   He became obsessed with his beautiful racehorses and became distracted from remembering God.  He realized his mistake and sent the horses from his sight.  (Some scholars say that he slaughtered them).   Solomon was tested and he became so ill that he was like a walking skeleton.  Solomon repented and turned back to God.  Solomon asked for forgiveness and more power than anyone else would ever have.  God gave him power over the wind and the jinn.

And remember God’s servant Job when he called out in distress because Satan had afflicted him with suffering.  God gave him cool water and restored and multiplied the family members that had deserted him.  God relieved Job of the oath he made to beat his wife by instructing him to strike her with blades of grass.[1] God’s servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were men of vision; Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul Khifl were outstanding among men. 

This is a reminder, the gates of Paradise will open to the righteous and their provision will never end.  In contrast, the rebellious and wrongdoers will burn in Hell with other punishments of various kinds.  The followers will be thrown in after their leaders.  Some will pray that their leaders be doubly punished and they will all wonder why the ones they used to ridicule were not there with them.  The people of the Hellfire will continue to argue and blame one another.

Prophet Muhammad must tell them that he is only a warner and that there is no deity but God.  He delivers a mighty message which they choose to ignore, and he has no knowledge of what is discussed in the heavens.  Prophet Muhammad knows only what is revealed to him.  The discussion was between God, the angels, and Satan.  God told the angels that He was going to make a human being out of clay and that when he was done they should bow down before it.  They did, all of them except Satan (sometimes called Iblees), because he was arrogant.  Satan thought himself better than Adam (the human being) because he was made from fire rather than clay, so God banished and cursed him until the Day of Judgment.  Satan asked for respite until that Day and he was granted.   He swore to God that he would use the time to mislead all human beings except the ones that are sincerely devoted to Him.  God told Satan to listen to the truth; He intended to fill Hell with Satan and all of his followers.

Prophet Muhammad must tell the people that the Quran is a reminder and that he does not ask for any payment, nor does he pretend to be something other than a man with a message and a warning.  In time, everyone will know that he speaks the truth.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2017 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

Those Ranged in Rows was revealed in Mecca.  Those chapters revealed before the migration to Medina tended to concentrate on monotheism; the Oneness of God.  This one is no exception and thus establishing a firm faith is its aim.  In 182 short verses this chapter also covers other issues; it affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and refutes pagan beliefs. 

Three groups are mentioned in the form of an oath confirming God’s Oneness.  The first are angels standing in rows, the second are the angels that reprimand and thirdly those angels that recite God’s words.  God then mentions something about Himself that attests to His Oneness that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in-between including every point from which the sun rises.  God has fortified the sky closest to the earth with celestial bodies that guard against the devils who try to eavesdrop on the conversations of the angels.  They are attacked from all sides with flaming meteors.

The Prophet is then instructed to question the disbelievers of Mecca about whether they considered their own creation to be more difficult or the creation of the heavens, earth and all creation in the universe.  The Prophet marvels that humankind was made from clay but the disbelievers mock and call him a sorcerer, once again denying the Resurrection.  It is an undeniable fact that after just one shout they will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment.

The angels are ordered to gather the disbelievers and wrongdoers together and drive them towards Hell.  Along the way they will be questioned about why they did not help each other towards the truth.  The disbelievers will accuse their deities who are also being ushered along but they will deny any power over the disbelievers.  It does not matter because on this day they will be partners in the punishment meted out.  They denied God and the message and will get what they deserve.

The happiness and bliss that God’s true servants will experience in the gardens of delight is described, including flowing rivers of wine and beautiful companions.  The inhabitants of Paradise will converse with each other.  One person will ask about a friend who did not believe and will be able to see him in the midst of the Fire.  Then they will realize how blessed they are for they have achieved the supreme triumph.   This should be everyone’s goal.

To contrast the difference between Paradise and Hell, God asks what is better this (the Gardens of Delight) or the Zaqqum tree? This tree growing devils’ heads in the midst of the Fire will be the food of those in Hell together with scalding water to drink.  The disbelievers made fun of a tree growing in a fire but it will become their reality because they followed their forefathers into disbelief even though they were warned.  Listen to what happened to those before you.

Prophet Noah is given as an example of how well God rewards the righteous.   Noah was a believer and God saved him and his people from great distress.  The non-believers were warned but they made the wrong choice, then they were drowned.  Prophet Abraham was also a man of faith, devoted to God.  He asked his father and his people why they worshipped false gods.  When his people were going for the festival, Abraham said he felt ill and stayed behind.  He went to their temple and asked the carved gods questions, why do you not eat why do you not speak.  They did not reply so he pushed them over.  Abraham’s people were angry and intended to burn him in fire but God had a different plan and kept him safe.

Prophet Abraham left trusting God to guide him to a better place.  He asked for more, a righteous son which God provided.  When the boy (Ishmael) was old enough to work with his father, Abraham had a troubling dream in which he was called upon to sacrifice Ishmael.  He told Ishmael and they both were willing to submit to God’s will.  Abraham put Ishmael upon the stone but God called out for him to stop.  It was a test and Abraham passed it due to his complete submission to God’s command.  Abraham is remembered by the following generations as a righteous man.  He was given news of another righteous son called Isaac.  Among their descendants were the righteous but also those who wronged themselves.

God also favoured and supported Prophet Moses and his brother Aaron.  They too were delivered from distress and guided on the straight path.  God gave them the Torah.  Prophet Elias was one of those devoted to God.  He questioned his people about the false god Ba’l but they ignored him and faced the consequences.  Lot was another Prophet who was delivered from harm along with his whole family, except his wife; she was left to face the punishment with the wrongdoers.  Their city is a constant reminder but many people do not take heed. 

In the next scene is Prophet Jonah.  He fled from his disbelieving people to an overloaded ship where they drew lots in order to stay on board.  Being swallowed by a whale was his just punishment but he was delivered from harm because he had been one of God’s devoted believers.  He was cast ashore and God protected him from the elements and a serious illness.  God then provided him with a large nation who believed in him and they were permitted to live out their lives.

Many people from Mecca claimed that the angels were the daughters of God.  God refutes this superstition.  Next they claim that God is kin to the jinn.  How could this be possible when the jinn themselves have to appear before God and account for their deeds?  God is far above these superstitions and only those destined for the Hellfire would believe such things.

The angels are ranged in ranks and glorify God.  Previously the disbelievers asked for a Messenger and said they would follow the guidance, yet when the best Messenger and the best revelation are sent to them they resort to disbelief.  But they will come to know and understand.  God assures Prophet Muhammad that he will see their downfall as sure as they will see his victory.  God is far above what they attribute to Him.  The chapter closes with a blessing on God’s Messengers and declares that all praise is for God.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2017 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

The 36th chapter of the Quran is entitled Ya Sin.  It is named after the first two letters of the chapter which are "ya" and "sin" (pronounced seen).  Thus it cannot be translation into English and is always left untranslated.  This chapter of 83 verses was revealed in Mecca and as with all the Meccan chapters, it focuses primarily on the belief in the Oneness of God and the consequences of either believing or disbelieving in that basic principle.  Chapter Ya Sin has many short verses and its recitation with short pauses is very emotional. 

God swears by the wise Quran that Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is indeed a messenger on the straight path sent to warn those who are unaware.  The Quran is full of wisdom, and those who do not follow its guidance are indeed unfortunate.  However only those who believe in God and fear His punishment will take heed of the warning.  God keeps a clear record of everything. 

Prophet Muhammad is told to warn the people using the example of the three messengers.  Two who were sent to the people and then a third to strengthen their number yet still the people refused to believe.  The messengers revealed themselves and issued a warning but they were called liars and threatened with stoning.  A man ran from the other side of the town saying listen, they do not want a reward.  Listen to the message he pleads but he is killed by the disbelievers and thus abruptly finds himself in heaven.  Still he wishes the people knew of the forgiveness and mercy of God.  God did not send an army against the people, nor was He about to.  He just sent one heavenly blast and they fell down, lifeless.   

Alas for humankind says God, they ridicule the messengers and they do not see just how many generations have been destroyed before them.  None of them will ever come back yet all of them will come back to stand before God.  They deny the Resurrection yet there are signs everywhere.  God gives life to the lifeless earth.  There is produce and springs of fresh water.  They have not produced these things themselves so why are they not grateful.  All glory is for God who created all species in pairs, and humankind itself and many other things that humankind knows nothing about.  It is God who strips away the daylight transitioning day into night.  The sun runs on a fixed course and the moon waxes and wanes according to God’s command.  The sun does not reach the moon and the night does not overtake the day because God has determined the course on which they run. 

As a reminder God refers to the Flood and how our ancestors were carried in the ark.  God continued to create the means with which to traverse the sea and if He willed, the people would be drowned and He would not respond to their cries.  They would not be saved except as a mercy from God.  We are warned to beware of what lies before and what lies behind.  This is a reference to our behaviour in this world and our abode in the Hereafter.  Perhaps there will be mercy; perhaps we will not heed the warning.  The signs come but the disbelievers turn away.  When they are told to give generously out of what has been provided to them they mock the messengers and say why should we feed those whom God could easily provide for.  They arrogantly ask "when will this promise (meaning the Resurrection) be fulfilled" but alas a single blast (sometimes translated as shout) will overtake them while they are still arguing.  Then the trumpet will be blown signalling the Resurrection.

The people will ask who has raised us from our sleeping place (generally agreed to be the grave) and they will be told that this is the promise made to you by the Most Merciful (God) and what the messengers warned about.  It will be but one single blast and lo and behold, all of humankind will be brought before God.  On that Day no one will be wronged, everyone will be recompensed for what they did; all will be repaid for their deeds.  The people of Paradise will be rewarded handsomely; they will be with their spouses seated on couches in the shade.  They will have therein all kinds of fruits and whatever they wish for.  And in addition to this their Lord will greet them with "peace". 

Then God will say, stand apart you criminals.  Remove yourselves from the ranks of the believers so that you are distinguishable from them.  God says, "Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan – for he is a clear enemy to you.  And that you worship [only] Me?" This is a straight path, says God and he (Satan) has led great numbers of you astray, could you not use your reason to see this? The disbelievers are told to enter Hellfire because of what they denied and refused to believe and because they refused to heed God’s commands.  God will seal their mouths but their hands and feet will speak and bear witness to all.

God could have left humankind without guidance but because of His mercy he did not.  They could have been left blind without the means to see, or deformed without the means to move either forward or backward but He did not.  Prophet Muhammad is not a poet; he was not given mere poetry; rather, he was given a clear book of guidance, the Quran.  It is a warning, so that God’s judgment can be passed according to it.  God then informs us of one of the many blessings He has bestowed upon us: livestock. He created it for our general use, to be used as a means of transportation, for food and milk, and for other benefits. Instead of giving thanks to God for this blessing, the disbelievers have taken other deities besides God for worship and even call upon them for help but they cannot help! Even an entire army of false gods combined cannot help in the least.  God tells Prophet Muhammad not to be distressed at what they say because He (God) knows what they reveal and what they conceal.

Humankind seems to forget their origin so God reminds us that we were created from a drop of fluid.  Yet even then they dispute openly asking who could give life back to bones after they have decayed? God says that the One who gave them life in the first place will bring them back; it is only He who has knowledge of every act of creation.  It is He who produced fire so that humankind can benefit from it; it is He who created the heavens and the earth so is it not then easy for Him to bring back the people? Of course it is! When God wills something to be, He says "Be" and it is.  All glory belongs to God, who controls everything and it is to Him that humankind will be resurrected.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

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The Originator is a forty-five verse chapter.  It was revealed during the period in which the small fledgling band of Muslims was suffering from persecution and oppression at the hands of the Meccan elite.  The title comes from the first verse in which God’s power of creation is affirmed.  This chapter is alternatively known as The Angels, also from the first verse where God mentions the wings of the angels.  God’s power is confirmed and contrasted with the powerlessness of idols.  The idolaters receive a warning and the Prophet is comforted.

All praises belong to God.  He is the one who created the heaven and the earth.  He also created angels, with two, four, or six pairs of wings, to be His messengers.  God creates whatever He pleases.  When He wants to give blessings no one can withhold them but if He wants to withhold His blessings no one is able to release them.  Remember God’s graces because there is no god who is able to provide the sustenance you require.  Why are you deluded about this matter?

God addresses Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, saying, do not be upset if the people call you a liar and deny you.  Many messengers before you were treated in this way.  Then God address the people saying that His promise is true and warning them not to be deceived by Satan who is the great Deceiver.  Satan is your enemy so treat him as an enemy.  He only wants you to follow him into the Fire.  Those who disbelieve will be punished but those who do good deeds will find forgiveness and rewards.

Oh Muhammad, are you able to guide the people whose evil deeds are made alluring to them? The truth is that God chooses who will be guided and who will be left to wander in the dark so do not feel regret.  God is aware of everything they do.  He is the one who revives the earth with winds and clouds after it has been dead; in much the same way the Resurrection will take place.  All power belongs to God and a severe torment belongs to those who plot and plan.  Their plans will come to nothing.

It is God who created humankind; first from dust and then from a drop of fluid.  He made you into pairs, and no female conceives or gives birth without His knowledge.  And no person grows old or has his life cut short except that it is in accordance with what is written in God’s record.  There are two bodies of water but they are not alike.  One is sweet and pleasant to drink but the other is salty and bitter.  From each you can extract food and ornaments.  And the ships move through them.  God makes the night and the day and they merge into each other, and the sun and the moon rise and fall at appointed times.   The things you worship other than God cannot even control something as small as the skin on a date stone.  If you invoked them they would not hear and if they heard they would not respond.  And on the Day of Judgement they will deny you.

Humankind, you need God but He does not need you.  He is free of all wants or needs.  If He so desired he could destroy you and replace you with a new creation.  No one can carry another person’s burden.  Prophet Muhammad is only able to warn those who already fear their Lord and establish the prayer.  Those who purify themselves do so for their own benefit, not to benefit God. 

The seeing and the blind are not the same, nor are darkness and light, or heat and shade.  The living and the dead are not equal.  There is a difference between those who are guided and those who refuse.  Prophet Muhammad is a warner who has been sent with the truth.  Every community was sent a warner, and many of them were called liars even though they came with clear signs, scriptures and enlightening revelations.  In the end God seized the disbelievers and His disapproval was terrible.

God sends down rain from the sky and from it the earth brings forth fruits and vegetables and plant life.  The mountains are made up of streaks and tracts of various hues and colors.  Humankind and animals are also made up of different colors, shades and hues.  Those who have knowledge stand in awe of God.  Those who recite from the Book, establish the prayer and give generously from what God has provided them with should expect a reward that does not perish.

The Quran is the truth and it confirms the scriptures that came before it.  God has given the Quran as an inheritance for those He has chosen.  The believers will enter Paradise and they will praise God.  However, those who reject the truth will be in the Hellfire where they will never find relief.  They will cry out to be given another chance but they have already had many chances.

God knows the unseen and all your secrets.  You forget that He made you vicegerent on this planet.  You are a representative of God and should act accordingly.  Those who deny the truth will bear the consequences.  Have you thought about those you invoke others besides God? What have they created? Do they have a Book? No, they do not; their promises are delusions.  It is God who holds the heavens and the earth together.   If they should slip no one could hold them in place except God.

They swore that if a warner came to them they would have believed.  The warner did come but they treated him with hostility.  Evil plots only entrap the plotters.  Are they waiting for the same end as the end that came to previous more superior nations? God’s methods have not changed.  If God were to punish the people for their sins, there would not be a single person left on the planet.  But He gives them respite, and on the Day of Resurrection mankind will be brought to account.  Each person will be rewarded or punished according to what they did. 
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By Aisha Stacey (© 2018 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

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The fifty-four verse chapter, Sheba, was revealed in Mecca.  All chapters revealed in Mecca tend to concentrate on the fundamentals of faith and pay particular attention to belief in the Day of Judgement and the Hereafter.  The title Sheba comes from verses fifteen to twenty-one in which the community of Sheba is punished for their ingratitude.  The chapter also deals with the absurd allegations of madness directed at Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

All praises belong to God.  He is the owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth.  Even in the Hereafter all praises are His.  Yet the disbelievers say that the Day of Judgement will never come to them.  They are wrong.  Not even a speck of dust escapes God’s knowledge and it is all recorded in a book.  The Hour is established so that those who believe and do righteous deeds are generously rewarded and those who disbelieve and work to undermine the Prophet’s warning are severely punished.

Those with knowledge can see that what Prophet Muhammad says is the truth but some of them mock and taunt him.   They call him a liar and say that he is mad because he warns of a resurrection after death.  He is not mad and those who say so will suffer a torment.  God could make the earth swallow them or let fragments of sky fall down upon them.  In this is a sign for every person who turns back to God in repentance.

David was showered with God’s blessings.  He sang praises to God with the mountains and the birds.  God made iron pliable for David and commanded him to make chain mail and armour from it.  God sees everything.  God favoured Solomon with control over the wind and a fountain of molten brass.  Many of the jinn worked for Solomon making palaces, statues, water fountains and other amazing things.   If they disobeyed, God punished them severely.  God told the family of David to work gratefully pointing out that most people are ungrateful.   When Solomon died the jinn did not realise he was dead until a small creature eating through his stick made him fall down.  If they had known Solomon was dead they would not have continued working.

The people of Sheba had two marvellous gardens, one to the right and one to the left.  God told them to eat from what He provided and to be grateful and give thanks.  They refused and turned away.  God punished them by causing the dam to break, flooding them completely.  Because of their lack of gratitude God replaced their two beautiful gardens with bitter fruit and sparse thorny trees.  God repays those that are ungrateful.  God allowed the people of Sheba to travel easily between the towns he had blessed.  They could travel safely both day and night but they were insolent and complained about ease.  They were rewarded for their ungratefulness by ceasing to exist as a nation and were scattered throughout the land, and became as mere tales for people to talk about.  In this are signs for those who are patient and grateful.  Satan cannot force people to disobedience, but God has been given him the power to whisper and seduce mankind so that it serves as a test to distinguish those who are sincere and believe in the Hereafter and those who entertain doubts about its coming.

If you invoke other deities you will find that they have no control over anything, not even a speck of dust.  They are no help to God and they possess no ability to intercede.  On the Day of Judgment intercession will only work when God gives His Permission.  God speaks the truth and He is the One who gives sustenance.  God has no partners and he will judge justly.  Prophet Muhammad was sent to bring good news and a warning but most people choose not to understand.  They ask when the Day of Judgement will come.  The knowledge of when it is known only to God and no one has the authority to change it.

The disbelievers say they will not believe in the Quran, or the earlier revealed scriptures.  If only Prophet Muhammad could see how the disbelievers will act when they stand before God.  They will reproach one another and accuse one another but they will all fall silent with regret when iron collars are fastened around their necks.  They will be recompensed for what they did.   

Every community had a warner sent to them.  The affluent people, in general, refused to believe that they would be punished.  But it is not great wealth or many children that bring a person closer to God; it is righteousness.  Those who are righteous will get a double reward and will be in the upper part of Paradise safe and secure. 

On the Day of Judgment God will ask the angels if people worshipped them.  They will vehemently reply no rather they worshipped the jinn.  Then the disbelievers will taste the Fire that they refused to believe in.  When God’s messages are recited to them they turn away and call the Quran a lie, and when the truth has come to them they call it sorcery.  Former people denied God’s messages and His reproach was terrible. 

Prophet Muhammad is not mad nor is he a liar, he only warns of a severe suffering to come.  Muhammad does not ask for any reward; his reward is from God Alone.  God hurls the truth down and He has knowledge of the unseen.  The truth has come, and falsehood has gone and has perished.  If you could glimpse the Hereafter you would see how terrified some people are and there is no escape for them.  They will say that they believe now, but it will be too late.  They had many opportunities that are now gone forever.  They will not be able to go back and accumulate good deeds.  They were in complete denial, (now they are in despair).
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2018 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

The verses 1-6 start with instructions to not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites. It further declares that wife does not becomes anyone’s mother just by his sayings, neither someone called as son becomes the real son. Wives of Prophet are mother for the believers and blood relationships are entitled to inheritance.

Then verse 7-8 says that God took oath from the prophets including Muhammad (PBUH) before appointing them. 

verses-9-15 describe the favors of God to the believers during battle of the trench.

The verse-16-25 says that there is a Good pattern of living for you in the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

verses 26-27 describe the Jewish tribe Quraizah, and how Muslims got victory over them.

The verses 28-33 are about wives of prophet and describe that wives of prophets will have double punishment if they commit sin. There is also divorce option for the wives of Prophet. There is also double reward for their good deeds, as they are not like ordinary women, so there should be no soft talks with strangers and the opposite sex because God intends to purify the people of household of the messenger.

Verses 35-48 describe the type of righteous men and women. It tells the story of Hazrat Zaid the adopted son of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and God commanded Muhammad (PBUH) to marry the divorced wife of the adopted son of Prophet Muhammad. Further, God wanted to declare the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is not the father of anyone of you among men and he sent as a witness and as a bringer of good news and a warner.

The verses 49-53 describe that God declares no Idat or waiting time for untouched wife. The prophet was given to marry more than 4 wives and it was also said prophet cannot take other than current women.

from verse 53-54 Quran says that God has ordered the people to take permission to enter prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) house also the verses prohibited the Muslims to marry wives of Prophet.

Verse 55 is about the commandment of veil for women.

Then verses 56-73 say that God recites the blessings on prophet, so shall all Muslims. These verses also declare the veil for Prophet’s wives and believing women. Moreover, those who follow the Prophet Muhammad and his teachings will be rewarded and hypocrites and nonbelievers will be punished.
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By Muhammad Farooq and Nagina Kanwal (© 2019 Muhammad Farooq and Nagina Kanwal)
All rights reserved. 
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: Summary of Holy Quran: An Ultimate Guide Series

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

Chapter thirty-two is named The Prostration.  The title comes from verse fifteen, in which the true believers bow down in worship.  This verse is one of fifteen places in the Quran where the worshippers should bow down, or prostrate during recitation.  The beginning of the chapter emphasizes the truth of the Quran and by the end Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told to pay no attention to those who cannot see the significance of God’s signs.  It is a Meccan chapter whose main theme is the Oneness of God. 

This chapter begins with the Arabic letters, alif, lam, meem.  It is one of six chapters that begin with this particular combination of letters and one of twenty-nine chapters that begin with various combinations of letters.  God did not reveal any specific meaning regarding them.   There is no doubt that this Book, the Quran, is from God, the Lord of all the worlds.  People try to say that Muhammad has made it up, or forged it but that is not true.  It is a Book of truth from God to Prophet Muhammad in order that he may warn his people.  No warner has come to them before and from this Book they will receive guidance.

It was God who created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six days (periods of time), He then set Himself above the throne.  (Mentioning the throne establishes the fact that God not only created the worlds but rules over them in a very real way.) There is no protection or intercession except what comes from God Himself, so why will you not listen and take heed.   God arranges every matter in the heavens and on earth and then they will ascend to Him in one day, but in the reckoning of the human being this is a period of one thousand years.  (This could be understood to mean that events in a thousand years of our history are accomplished by God in one day.)

God knows everything that is hidden and everything that is openly revealed.  He is Almighty and He is Merciful, the One who perfected everything.  He created the beginning of humankind with the creation of Adam from clay.  He then made his descendants from an extract of fluid (semen).  He then fashioned him in perfect proportions and breathed life into him, giving him hearing, and sight, and a mind.  Even so humankind is seldom grateful.  And they say, when we are dead and buried will we really be recreated? They disbelieve in the meeting with their Lord.   Say, the angel of death, who has been assigned to you will carry you back to your Lord.

If only you could see how the criminals hang their heads in shame asking their Lord to return them to the world.  We are now convinced and will try to do better, they say.  If it had been God’s will He could have given guidance to every soul.  But God’s word will be fulfilled and Hell will be filled with jinn and humankind.  You ignored the meeting planned for Judgment Day and now you will be ignored by God.  You will taste the punishment for all of eternity.

The people who believe in God’s revelations prostrate themselves whenever they are reminded of them.  They bow down in worship and praise God.  They are not arrogant, and they forsake their beds in order to pray to their Lord with fear and hope.  They are charitable with what God has given them.  Nobody knows what joy they will receive as a reward for what they have done.  Is a believer like a transgressor? Of course not! Those who believe and do good deeds will be rewarded with gardens of Paradise.  However, those who defy God will have their eternal home in the Fire.  Every time they try to leave they will be returned and told to taste the punishment.  They will surely taste the calamities and disasters of this world in the hope that they will return to the Right Path.  The one who rejects the messages from God recited to him will surely face retribution.

(Prophet Muhammad) Do not have any doubt in the Book you are receiving (Quran).  It meets the same criteria as the Book we gave to Prophet Moses as a guide for the Children of Israel.  When they were patient and believed in Our signs We raised leaders from among them who guided according to their Book.  And on the Day of Judgment God will decide the matters over which they differed.

They do not understand how many previous generations were destroyed by God.  They walk and dwell in the same places but still do not see the signs, nor do they hear.  They do not think about how God sends down rain onto the barren land.  Without it they would have no crops or vegetation, for their livestock or for themselves.  They do not listen and they do not see.  They ask when the Day of Judgment will take place.  Tell them that on that Day believing will be of no benefit to the disbelievers.  It will be too late and they will not be granted reprieve.  Do not pay any attention to them, turn away and wait.  They are also waiting.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2018 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]

Chapter 31 of the Quran is 34 verses in length and called Luqman. It is named after the sage Luqman, whose advice to his son features in verses 13 to 19. The chapter opens with a description of the believers and strongly condemns those who attempt to lead others astray. Luqman was revealed in Mecca at the height of the Muslim persecution and the young Muslims are extolled to disobey parents when they try to lead them away from Islam. The disbelievers are warned about the consequences of their actions and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told not to be saddened by their actions.

These are among the fourteen opening letters which occur in various combinations at the beginning of twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. Throughout the centuries there has been much speculation as to their meaning however God never revealed that any specific meaning is attached to them.

These are the verses of the Quran. It is guidance and a mercy for those who lead a God-conscious life and with the Hereafter as their main focus. These are the ones who will be successful. However there are some people who are without knowledge and pay for distracting tales to lead others away from God. Those who distract a believer will find a humiliating torment waiting for them. When the verses are recited they turn away disdainfully as if the words are nothing but heaviness in their ears. God repeats His warning saying; tell them there will be a painful torment.

Those who believe and do righteous deeds will stay in Gardens of bliss. It is a truthful promise for He is Mighty and Wise. He created the heavens without visible pillars, set the mountains upon the earth firmly so that they will not shift and spread animals of all sorts throughout the earth. He sends rain from the sky that causes all sorts of vegetable life to grow. This is the creation of God; what have others that you worship created!? The disbelievers are clearly in error.

God says that He gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would be grateful. Whoever is grateful and gives thanks to God does so for his own welfare. Those who are ungrateful and deny God’s favors upon them should understand that God has no need of their thanks. Luqman counsels his son saying do not attribute partners to God, it is a terrible error.

God commands that people be good to their parents, their mothers carry their offspring with great difficulty and usually feed them from their own bodies for two years.  God associates gratitude towards Him with gratitude towards parents.  He says be grateful and obey them but stresses not to obey them when they ask you to commit the greatest sin of associating others with God.  We should not obey them in matters that go against the commandments of God, and do what is right, but at the same time we are expected to treat our parents with care and respect.

Nothing can escape God’s knowledge says Luqman to his son.  Even if it is as small as a mustard seed, or hidden inside a rock or is a minute speck in a vast universe, God can see it clearly and is able to expose it.   Luqman then advises his son to lead a moral and upstanding life and tells him how; establish the prayer, enjoin the good, forbid the evil and bear the trials and afflictions of life with patience.  Do not turn your nose up at people contemptuously; do not walk about the land arrogantly for God does not like the boastful.   Thus walk at a moderate pace and talk in a low voice because God does not like harsh voices like the braying of donkeys.  This is all sage advice for moral behaviour and interaction between people.

God asks, do you not see that everything in the heavens and earth is for the benefit of humankind.  It is self-evident but there are still those who would argue about it.  When they are told to follow God’s guidance they respond by saying that they will not but will instead follow the path trodden by their forefathers.  They say this even when Satan is inviting them to step into the Fire.  Those who submit to the will of God and live a righteous life have grasped the most trustworthy handhold, because the outcome of every matter is with God.

 If they disbelieve, do not let it grieve you (O Muhammad) for to Us (God) is their return and We will then inform them of the reality of their deeds. God knows what their hearts contain. We (God) grant them enjoyment for a little while but in the Hereafter they will be driven to an unrelenting punishment. If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth they would say ‘God’, but then they associate partners with God in worship. By acknowledging that God is the creator of everything, and then worshiping created objects, they establish proof against themselves! God is the Creator and Owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth. He needs nothing from His creation and is the Only One worthy of praise.

If all the trees on earth were pens, and the oceans were ink, replenished by seven more oceans, the writing of God’s Words (signs and creations) would not be exhausted. It is as easy for God to create and resurrect every living being as it is to create and resurrect a single soul. God is All-Hearing and All-Seeing. Do you not see that God makes the day follow the night, one after the other, over and over in a precise pattern? The sun and the moon also spin in their orbits according to God’s plan. God knows very well what you do. God is the truth and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood. He is the most High and the most Great.

The ships sail through the ocean by the grace of God. Surely there are signs in this for any grateful person. When the waves loom over them they call out to God with sincere devotion but when He (God) brings them safely to land some falter between belief and disbelief. O humankind, fear your Lord and fear the Day that no family member will avail another family member. Do not let the life of this world delude you or let Satan deceive you. It is God alone who has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs – nothing escapes His knowledge. We humans don’t know what will happen the next moment; God knows all this and is aware of everything.
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By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)
Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

May Allah bring light to every heart carrying hidden pain, grief, fear, loneliness, guilt, or hardship.

Please remember in your duaa the oppressed, the imprisoned, the displaced, the forgotten, and those separated from the people they love.

May Allah be their Help when they have no help, their Strength when they have no strength, and their Companion when they feel alone. May He mend what has been broken, ease what has become unbearable, and never leave them to anyone but Him.

Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

Qur’an. Duaa. Reflection. A journey back to Allah.

🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/read.alfurqan

Email: [email protected]