Read Alfurqan | Islamic Duaa & Spiritual Reflection

God informs Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that He did not send down the Quran to cause distress to him, but as a reminder for those who hold God in awe, a revelation from the One who created the earth and the heaven, the Lord of Mercy who is above the Throne.  Everything in the heavens and on earth and between them belongs to Him.  He knows what people keep hidden.

What follows next is the most vividly described story of Musa.  He is the prophet whom God has talked of the most in the Quran and narrated the events of his life from different angles so that his personality emerges in a different perspective every time.  Reference is made of the journey of Moses and his family from Madyan to Egypt.  When he goes towards the light he hears the voice of God calling him.  Moses holds a conversation with his Lord at the Holy valley.  God tells him to establish prayer for His remembrance, then gives him two miracles.  One, that his staff will turn into a serpent when he throws it on the ground; and second, that when he presses his right hand to his left side, it will come forth white and shining.  After this God tells him about the mission he has been chosen for: call Pharaoh to the path of God.  Moses prays to God for support and for his brother to assist him.  God accepts his prayers and grants him his wish and reminds him of the blessings that were bestowed on him since his birth, when the Pharaoh of that time was killing the sons of all the Israelites.  God further reminds Moses how He had made him go through the various twists and turns of his life before coming finally to this awesome moment when he was being chosen as a Prophet. 

When Pharaoh saw the signs of God, he felt threatened and summoned his sorcerers for a duel.  Pharaoh’s sorcerers challenge to Moses, and finally recognize the truth of their Lord.  Then God commanded Moses to take the people of "Bani Israel" out of the slavery of Pharaoh.  But when Moses went to Mount Toor to receive the Torah, his people started worshipping the statue of a calf, being led astray by Samiri.  Moses banished him and burnt the idol.  The purpose of all these stories from the past is that we may learn from it. 

Whoever turns away from the Quran will bear a terrible heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection.  When the trumpet is sounded and God gathers the sinful, they will murmur to one another that they stayed only ten days on earth, but the more perceptive of them will say that their stay on earth was only a single day.

On that Day God will blast the mountains into dust and leave a flat plain and people will follow the caller from whom there is no escape.  Every voice will be hushed for the Lord of Mercy.  Only whispers will be heard.  On the Day of Judgement, intercession will be useless except from those to whom the Lord grants permission and whose words He approves.  All faces will be humbled before the Living, Ever Watchful One.  Those burdened with evil deeds will despair, but whoever has done righteous deeds and believed need have no fear of injustice or deprivation. 

God commanded the angels to bow down before Adam and they did, but Satan refused, so God told Adam that Satan is an enemy to him and his wife and to not let him drive them out of Paradise.  And as long as he stays in Paradise, he will not go hungry, feel naked, be thirsty, or suffer from the heat of the sun.

But Satan whispered to Adam, tempting to lead Adam to "the tree of immortality and an everlasting kingdom." Adam disobeyed his Lord; both he and Eve fell for Satan’s whispers and ate from the tree.  They became conscious of their nakedness and began to cover themselves with leaves.

Later his Lord brought him close, accepted his repentance, and guided him.  God expelled them from Paradise.  God told them that whoever follows His guidance when it comes, will not go astray nor fall into misery, but whoever turns away from it will have a life of great hardship.  God promises to raise the one who turns away as a blind person on the Day of Resurrection.   He will ask God why was He raised blind when he had sight before! God’s response will be that since he ignored God’s revelations when they came to him, it is only fitting that he is ignored on this Day.  This is how God rewards those who go too far and who do not believe in His revelations.  God says that the greatest and most enduring punishment is in the Hereafter.

Do they not draw a lesson from the many generations God destroyed before them, through whose dwelling places they now walk? There truly are signs in this for anyone with understanding! If it were not for a preordained Word from the Lord, they would already have been destroyed.  Their time has been set.

Prophet Muhammad is told to be patient with what they say, and celebrate the praise of his Lord before the rising and setting of the sun, during the night, and at the beginning and end of the day, so that he may find contentment.  He is instructed by God to not gaze longingly at what God has given some of them to enjoy in this present life.  God tests them through this, but the provision of the Lord in the life to come is better and more lasting.   

Prophet Muhammad is told by God to order people to pray and to be steadfast in prayers himself.  God does not ask anyone to give Him provision, He provides for everyone, and the rewards of the Hereafter belong to the devout.

The disbelievers ask why does Prophet Muhammad not bring a sign from his Lord? God tells them that they were given clear proof in the earlier scriptures of the coming of Prophet Muhammad.  If God would have destroyed them through punishment before this Messenger came, they would have complained and asked if only God had sent them a messenger, they would have followed His revelations before they suffered humiliation and disgrace! Prophet Muhammad is told to say that we are all waiting, so you carry on waiting; ultimately you will come to learn who has followed the even path, and has been rightly guided.
_______________________________________
By Imam Mufti (© 2016 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 name of this chapter is taken from the story of Mary, mother of Jesus (verses 16–35).  It begins with an account of the birth of John and of Jesus, the last representatives of prophecy in the house of Israel.  The claim that Jesus is the son of God is firmly denied, as is the assertion of the pagans of Mecca that the angels are God’s daughters.  It then mentions the missions of some earlier prophets, showing that only human beings are raised to reform the world.  Consisting of 93 verses, this is one of the early Meccan chapters, and was recited to Negus (Christian king of Abyssinia) in the presence of hostile ambassadors of Quraish, in the fifth year of Prophet Muhammad’s advent, nine years before Hijrah, by Ja’far, the head of the Muslim refugees, whereupon, according to the earliest Muslims chroniclers, the king and the bishop wept saying, ‘Indeed, this revelation and that of Moses proceed from one and the same source.’

The Quran makes us believe in the power of God in such a way that it enables us to see beyond the predictability of cause and effect.  Although God has made this universe in such a way that for everything there is physical reasoning but at the same time God has also made miracles happen which make us realize that God is not dependent on these laws.  We find in the Quran such examples which make us "see" this power, so that the closer we come towards Him with love and submission, the more belief we have in our hopes and dreams turning into reality.

In the Bible, Zechariah is husband of Elisabeth who is the cousin of Mary.  The Quran tells us that Zechariah was also the guardian of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Zechariah was a prophet of God whose office was in the temple in Jerusalem.  He was in charge of services at the temple.  Zechariah’s wife was barren and both were very old.  Zechariah began to worry over who would carry on the daily services of the temple and preach the message of God after his death.  In response to Zechariah’s earnest prayer to God for a son, an angel announced that God will provide him a son whose name will be John (Yahya).

God made John compassionate, wise, pure, and kind to his parents who diligently practiced the commandments of the Torah.

An angel appears to Virgin Mary in the form of a man to convey the birth of a son – a mercy and a miracle from God.  Fearing reaction from people toward an unmarried pregnancy, she goes to Bethlehem.

Supported by an angel at the time of childbirth, God provides her fresh water and ripe dates at the time of delivery.

The baby Jesus miraculously speaks from the cradle in defense of his mother when Mary is probed about the child, announcing that he is God’s blessed servant and prophet, and has been commanded to pray, give charity, and be kind to his mother.

God does not take a son and has no need for one.  The above narrative is the truth about Jesus who declared that God is his Lord, so worship Him.

Remind all the sects who still differ about Jesus of the dreadful "Day of Remorse" when all will return to God.

The truthful prophet, Abraham, gently reminds his father not to worship idols that cannot hear, see, or benefit themselves.  Threatened by physical violence and expelled from home, Abraham, vows to pray for his father.

Leaving home with continued prayers for his father and others, Abraham is later gifted with two prophets by God - Isaac and Jacob.

Moses was a chosen prophet called into close communion by God next to Mt.  Tur (the burning bush).  Ishmael was also a sincere prophet and messenger of God who was true to his word and cared for his family’s spiritual well-being; he reminded them to pray and be charitable.

Idris (probably Enoch of the Bible) was a sincere, prophet of God, elevated in status.

God favored the prophets listed above and they would fall weeping in prostration before Him.

A distinctive attribute of those whose character is molded by the teachings of the prophets, is that they are no longer slaves of their base desires, but rise above them.  They turn into people who remember God, the organized expression of which is prayer (salah).

The generations that came after the prophets became negligent of God and started following their base desires.  Being affiliated to a prophet shall be of no use to them.  They shall receive what they deserve.  Of them, only those shall be spared who return to the original religion and adopt a life of faith and virtuous deeds.

The Arabs, who were first addressed by the Quran, accepted life after death, but their acceptance was purely formal and as such had no impact on their lives.  This indifference persists because people do not give serious consideration to this matter.  If they did, they would realize that the initial, first birth is in itself an argument in support of re-birth.

Just as one who keeps worldly interests in view, progresses in this world, similarly, one who acts with the afterlife in view, keeps accumulating his good deeds. 

Man wants to be able to do as he likes in this world, but he does not want to suffer the consequences of his wrongdoings.  Therefore, man courts beings supposedly near and dear to God who could plead his case to Him.  Such useless pleading are based on false assumptions.  Those beings whom he ritually worshipped will disown him on Judgment Day, showing him nothing but hatred.

Belief in existence of God’s children can be explained in one of two ways: that God needs assistants like ordinary people or He desires having children.  Both propositions are baseless.

God loves those who believe and act righteously.

Quran is only in the Arabic language, but has been made easy for one to learn and memorize.

Those who oppose the call for Truth err in thinking that, in doing so, they will not come to any harm.  There is evidence of the opponents of Truth being wiped out, but they do not take any lesson from it. 

Let us wake up to the reality of our powerlessness by acknowledging the power of God.  Total submission is the real strength in this world and a hope for everlasting success and happiness in the Hereafter.
_______________________________________
By Imam Mufti (© 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]

This 110 verse chapter was revealed in Mecca.  It takes its name from the story of the people who fell asleep in a cave, told in verses 9 to 26.  It contains three stories and a parable while opening, and closes with references to the Quran itself.  It is believed to have been revealed as a comfort because the fledgling Muslims were suffering ongoing torment and persecution at the hands of the ruling classes of Mecca.  It was also sent down to answer three questions that had been put to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, in order to test him.

Praise be to God who has revealed an uncomplicated book; a book that does not deviate from the straight path.  It warns of a severe punishment, but also gives good news to those who do good deeds of an excellent and everlasting reward.  It warns those who declare that God has an offspring by telling them that they have no evidence of such a monstrous lie.  Prophet Muhammad is told that he is in danger of worrying himself to death over the people who do not believe in his message.  However the fact of the matter is the earth has been filled with attractive things in order to test people and in the end everything will be reduced to dust.

Do you think that the story about the sleepers in the cave is a wonder?[1]  The young men sort refuge in the cave, praying that God, the most merciful, would guide them to a way out of their predicament.  God put them into a deep sleep and awakened them after a long period of time.  How long they had been sleeping is argued about by believers and nonbelievers alike but now God reveals the truth of the matter.  They were young men with strong faith and God gave them even more guidance.

(Before taking refuge in the cave) They declared that God was the Lord of the heavens and the earth and they would never call upon any deity other than Him.  Those who have taken other deities have done so without any clear authority and there is nothing more wicked than a person who lies about God.  They discussed it amongst each other and withdrew to the cave knowing that God would cover them with His mercy and guide them out of the ordeal they found themselves in.

And if you had been there with the sleepers you would have seen that the sun rose on their right and set on their left.  All the while they lay in an open space within the cave.  This is one of God’s signs.  Some are rightly guided while others are left to go astray.  If you looked at the sleepers you might have thought that they were awake, they turned from one side to the other and their dog lay stretched out at the entrance to the cave. 

If you had seen them you would have ran away filled with terror.  In the same way that He put them to sleep God woke them up.  The youths began to question one another, asking, how long have we been sleeping.  It felt like only a day or part of a day and they agreed that only God knew for sure how much time had passed.  One of them went to the town with a silver coin to look for food.  The others warned him to be cautious and not disclose their whereabouts.  If he was caught he would be stoned to death or worse he would be forced to change to their religion.

So God brought them to people’s attention so that everyone may know that His promises of Resurrection and the Last Hour were true.  The people who found them argued and disputed amongst themselves and those who prevailed decided to build a house of worship over them.  The people who heard the story argued about how many sleepers there were, but they guess at the unseen because only a few people have any real knowledge.   

Therefore adhere to what is clear and never say that you will do something without saying God willing.  If you do forget then remember God and hope that He will guide you to even better conduct.  Some say they stayed in the cave for 300 years, others say 309, but Prophet Muhammad is told to say that only God knows exactly how long they were there, because He is the one who knows all the secrets of the heavens and the earth.  There is no protector besides God and He does not let anyone share in His rule.

Prophet Muhammad is told to recite what has been revealed to him and there is no authorisation to change anything in any way.  Be content to be among those who seek God’s approval and do not let the notable people of Mecca drive away the weak and humble among your followers.  Tell them that now the truth has come; let the people choose whether to believe it or deny it.  The wrongdoers will end up surrounded by Fire with nothing but a wretched drink or and a pain filled resting place.  Good works will never be wasted; they will be rewarded with gardens of bliss with flowing streams.  They will wear garments of silk and golden bracelets and recline on soft couches in a pleasant resting place.

Tell them, Prophet Muhammad, about the parable of two men both with beautiful gardens and land for cultivation.  Both gardens produced abundantly and there was a river between the two properties.  One man told the other that he was wealthier and had more followers then the other, and he walked into his garden saying that this will never end and the Last Hour will never come and even if it did God would reward him with something even better.  The other man asked, do you disbelieve in the One who created you, for I do not, and you should have said that all is as God willed and no one has power except Him.   Although I have less, God might give me something better and destroy what you have.  And so it was that the first man’s fertile property was destroyed and he wished he had not attributed his prosperity to himself rather than God.  Then he realised that the only real protection comes from God.

And give them an example.  The life of this world is like vegetation that flourishes but then dries up and withers away, blown in the wind.  Here one day gone the next.  Your wealth and your children are only adornments in this life, but your good deeds hold the promise of everlasting reward.  A day will come when the earth will be flat and bare and all humankind will be gathered together.  They will stand in rows before God and their book of deeds will be held out to them.  Some people will be in great terror for nothing is missing from their records.

Remind the people about when the angels prostrated to Adam.  Iblees (Satan, one of the jinn) was amongst them and he refused.  Taking Satan and his offspring as Masters would be a grave mistake.  Be warned that anything that you declare as an offspring of or partner to God will not respond to you on the Day of Judgement.  The wrongdoers will see the Fire and realise what is going to happen.  There is no escape.

Quran is full of examples to make people understand, but humankind is quarrelsome.   Guidance has come and nothing prevents you from believing.  The messengers are sent to bring good tidings and to warn the people, yet there are those who make fun and ridicule these warnings.  There is no one more unjust than the one who is reminded of the verses, proofs and lessons sent by His Lord but turns away from them and forgets the evil he has done.  They will have veils cast over their hearts and their ears are deaf.  There is an appointed time for their punishment.

Moses said that he would never give up travelling until he reached the appointed place but he and his servant boy forgot about the fish and missed the junction.  The place where the fish was forgotten was the appointed place, so they turned back and there was the man they were looking for, Khidr.  He was very knowledgeable and Moses hoped to learn from him but Khidr expressed doubts that Moses would have the patience he needed.

They set off in a boat but Khidr made a hole in the boat.  Moses forgot his promise not to question Khidr about his actions.  They travelled on until they met a boy and Khidr killed him.  Again Moses questioned him as to why he kill an innocent child.  Khidr reminded him of his promise not to question anything.  They travelled on until they came to a town where they asked for food but the townspeople refused to help or feed them.  Nevertheless Khidr and Moses repaired a wall that was falling down.  Moses told Khidr that he could have asked for payment for the work, to which Khidr replied that this was the end of their time together.

Before Moses left, Khidr explained to him the reasons behind his actions.  The boat belonged to poor people.  There was a King who was seizing every boat; if their boat was defective they would be able to keep it and repair it.  The boy’s parents were true believers and he would have grown up to incite them to wickedness and disbelief.  God planned to replace him with a better and purer child.  The wall belonged to two orphans and there was buried treasure underneath it.  Their father had been a righteous man, so God intended that the treasure remain buried, safe from the orphan’s caregivers until they reached maturity.  Khidr said he did not do these things of his own accord, he was following God’s plan.

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told that when the people ask about Dhul Qarnayn[1], he should tell them about him.  He had been given power and the means to achieve many great things.  Once on an expedition he came across a group of people.  God told him to either punish them or show kindness to them.  Dhul Qarnayn chose to punish the ones who had done evil and noted that they would also be punished a second time by God.  He spoke gently to the ones who were not doing evil. 

Then he set out on another expedition.   He came upon another group of people for whom God had not provided any shelter.  And so it was; he travelled on until he came to a point between two mountains.   Dhul Qarnayn could barely communicate with the people there.  The people managed to ask him if they could pay him to build a wall.  The wall was to keep out Gog and Magog who were destroying their land.  Dhul Qarnayn said that what God provided him with was better than any tribute they could pay him but if they provided him with men to help he could put up a fortification.

They filled the gap between the mountains with iron and poured molten copper over it.  Gog and Magog could not scale it or tunnel through it.  This is a mercy from God, Dhul Qarnayn said, but one day God will flatten it to the ground, this is a promise from God.  Know that on that day the two parties, (Gog and Magog) will surge against each other like waves.  This is one of the signs that the Day of Resurrection is near.  On Judgment Day, Hell will be shown to the disbelievers, because they thought they could take God’s servants as their Masters.  They will rest in Hell.

Prophet Muhammad is told to tell the people that the person who loses the most, by his or her actions, is the one whose efforts are lost even though they think they are doing well.  These people disbelieve in God’s verses and signs, and deny that they will ever come face to face with Him.  This disbelief renders their deeds worthless.  All they will gain is Hell.  On the other hand, those who believe and do good deeds will find themselves in the gardens of Paradise, where they will live forever and never have any desire to leave.

If all the oceans were ink for writing, the ink would run dry before the words of God’s attributes, grandeur, and knowledge were exhausted.   Even if another amount of ink just like it were to be added it would not be enough.  Prophet Muhammad is told to say that he is just a human being, the same as everyone else, and it has been revealed to him that the Lord God is One.  Everyone amongst the people who fears their meeting with God should do good deeds and never let anyone else or anything share in the worship that is due to God alone.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2016, 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]

This is a Meccan chapter of 111 verses.  It is named for the miraculous night journey, from Mecca to Jerusalem, which Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, undertook in the space of a single night.  This journey is mentioned in the first verse and again in verse 60.  Chapter 17 contains an articulate and easy to understand set of God’s commandments.  The bulk of the Night Journey deals with two things, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad and the nature of his prophecy.  The Children of Israel are also mentioned.

Verses 1- 8 A journey by night

Glory be to God.  He took Prophet Muhammad on a journey, over one night, from the sacred House in Mecca to the blessed area in Jerusalem surrounding the mosque.  This was in order to show him some signs.  God also gave Moses, who was a thankful servant, a book as a guide for the Children of Israel.  They are the descendants of Noah, and were warned not to take any Protector other than Him.

God warned the Children of Israel that twice they would become arrogant transgressors and that twice they would be punished.  After the promised punishment for the first transgression, God allowed them to prosper.  When the second transgression came, God allowed their enemies to destroy the temple as punishment.  God wants to be merciful but if the behaviour is repeated the punishment will be repeated, and Hell will become their prison in the Hereafter.

Verses 9 – 21 God sees everything

The Quran guides us on a straight path.  It leads those who do well to a magnificent reward and warns those who do not believe in the Hereafter of a painful punishment awaiting them.  Humankind prays fervently for things that will lead him to evil as easily as he prays for that which is good.  Humankind is impatient and acts without thinking things through. 

God made night and day as two signs.  The night is enshrouded in darkness and is followed by the light of day in order that humankind might seek his bounty; and to count the years in order to calculate time.  Every person is responsible for his own destiny and on the Day of Judgment he will be confronted by his book of deeds.  Read this record, he will be told, and know what your destiny will be.

Everyone who is guided does so for his own benefit but if he sins he harms nothing but himself.   No person bears the burden of another person and no one will be punished until a Messenger has come to show the true path.  If the corrupted persist in disobedience they will be utterly destroyed.  Many past generations have been destroyed because God sees everything.  Those who wish only for this worldly life, are granted their wish but in the end they will be condemned to Hell.  The person who strives for a good life in the Hereafter will be accepted.  Both parties receive their Lord’s bounties and some are given more than others, but the final reward is the one that counts.

Verses 22 – 40 Some commandments

Do not associate anything with God or you will be disgraced and forsaken.  God commands that you worship nothing but Him, and that you are kind to your parents.  As they grow older, do not be impatient or harsh rather be humble towards them and pray that God treats them mercifully as they treated you when you were young.  God knows exactly what is in your heart and He is most forgiving towards those who turn to Him in repentance. 

Give your relatives their rights but also spend on the needy and the travellers.  Do not be wasteful, squandering your money.  If you cannot assist needy people then at least be courteous to them.  Do not be miserly or extravagant, instead take a middle path.  God gives abundantly to some and sparingly to others, He knows and observes everyone.

Do not kill your children because you think you cannot provide for them, it is a great sin.  It is God who provides for them; they cannot cause poverty; that is the will of God.  Do not even come near to committing adultery; do not take a life, except within the laws of God.  If anyone is killed unjustly, God has granted a right of retribution but do not be vengeful and take things too far.  Do not deal with the property of orphans except with good intentions.

Honour your commitments because you will be questioned about them.  Conduct your business fairly, give full measure and do not balance your scales incorrectly.  Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge - use your heart, eyes and ears to confirm the things you hear.  Do not walk about the earth arrogantly.  A human being is just a small and weak creature; don’t act as if you are something more than that. 

The evil deeds mentioned above are hateful to God and He knows the wisdom in their prohibition.  Again, do not set up something other than God to be worshipped or you will be thrown into Hell.  Do not say that God has taken the angels as daughters.  That is a monstrous statement with grave consequences.

Verses 41 – 52 Explanations

The Quran explains things in many different ways but that makes some people turn even further away.  If there really was some other deity, why does it not dethrone the Master of the Throne?! He is exalted and far above what they say about Him.  Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies Him, but you do not understand how they glorify.

When you recite the Quran there is a barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter.  They do not understand it and when God’s Oneness is mentioned they turn away.  God is aware of what they (the unbelievers of Mecca) want to hear (from Prophet Muhammad), and He knows that privately they call Prophet Muhammad a man bewitched.  They dispute that they will be raised up after they become bones and dust.  God says, even if they were stones and iron they would be bought back and tells Prophet Muhammad to say that.  When they ask who will do this, say, the One who created you in the first place, and when they ask when this will take place remind them that this might well be very soon.  On the Day you are raised up you will imagine that you had been dead for only a very short time.

Verses 53 – 60 God advises Prophet Muhammad

God directs Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  Tell the believers to speak in the best way and remind them that Satan is their sworn enemy.  God knows everything about them and will be merciful or punish them according to His will.  Prophet Muhammad is not supposed to be in charge of everybody.  Some Prophets were given more than others.  Prophet David was given the book of Psalms.  The deities the unbelievers call upon have no power whatsoever to help or remove harm.  Have hope in His Mercy and fear His punishment, for it is terrible indeed.  There is no community of evildoers that will not be destroyed or severely punished before the Day of Resurrection.

God does not send signs for those who demand them because previously His signs were denied.  The people of Thamud were given the she-camel but they mistreated her.  God made the Night Journey and the accursed tree mentioned in the Quran as tests.  Humankind is warned but it does nothing except increase their transgressions. 

Verses 61 – 65 Adam & Iblees

Remember and mention the time when God told the angels to prostrate before Adam.  They all obeyed except Iblees.[1]  He was arrogant and asked why he should worship someone made from clay.  Iblees said that if God delayed his death until the Day of Resurrection he would lead most of the descendants of Adam astray.  God told him to go away because Hell would be the reward for him and any that follow him.  Iblees was told to do whatever he could to tempt and destroy humankind but to be aware that he would never have power over the true believers.

Verses 66 – 70 Humanity is ungrateful

It is God who allows humankind to sail ships across the ocean in order to seek their bounty.  And when adversity strikes, whatever they worship besides God disappears from their hearts and minds and they call only Him for help.  And when God brings them safely to land, they turn their backs on Him.  Humankind is ungrateful; what makes them so sure that they will not fall victim to natural disasters? Who do you think protects you? Humankind has been honoured and favoured above many of God’s creations.

Verses 71 – 84 The truth

On the Day of Resurrection, when every community is gathered with their leader, those who receive their book in their right hand will read it with pleasure.   Those who pretended to be blind to the Hereafter will be worse than blind in the Hereafter.   People tried to entice Prophet Muhammad to fabricate revelations but God strengthened his heart.  If he had inclined even a little towards them, he would have received a double punishment in this life and in the Hereafter.  It was that way with all the Messengers.  So establish the prayer from when the sun is at its zenith until the darkness of the night (four obligatory prayers fall during this time) and recite the Quran at the time of the Morning Prayer.  The recitation at the time of dawn is always witnessed by the angels.  Truth has come and falsehood has departed.   The Quran was sent as a healing and a mercy for the believers but the disbelievers gain nothing from it except loss.  Humankind can be strange; when God bestows favours upon him, he turns away instead of coming towards Him, and then when things go wrong he falls into despair.  Everyone does things in their own way but God knows who is following the best way.

Verses 85- 96 A man with a message

If people ask about the soul, Prophet Muhammad must say that is the concern of God and that we (humankind) have been given very little knowledge about it.  If God wanted He could take away that which has been revealed and then humankind would never be able to get it back.  The revelations are a mercy.  Even if all of humankind and the jinn came together they could not produce anything like the Quran no matter how much they helped each other.  The Quran is full of different examples to help people understand the message but still most people persist in their disbelief. 

Many say to Prophet Muhammad that they will not believe until he performs miracles to their demands such as making water rush from the ground or causing rivers to appear in gardens or making pieces of the sky fall down or bringing God and the angels down in front of them.  Even then, they say, we will not believe in your ascension[2] unless you bring down for us a book that we can read.  God says to tell them that you (Prophet Muhammad) have never claimed to be anything other than a human being with a message.

They didn’t believe because they queried why God would send a human being.   Thus they should be told that if there had been angels walking about on earth then an angel would have been sent.  God is witness to what we say to each other and He knows and understands everybody well. 

Verses 97 – 100 Resurrection

Anyone guided by God is truly guided but the ones He leads astray will never find a protector.  On the Day of Resurrection the disbelievers will be gathered together.  They will be lying on their faces blind, dumb and deaf.  Their home will be Hell and if ever the fire dies down it will be made to blaze fiercely again.  This is their reward for rejecting the revelations.  They would not believe that God could raise them again from dust and bones but of course the One who created them in the first place can do it a second time.  There is a written time for their lives to end yet the wrongdoers refuse to do anything about it except continue in their disbelief.  If humankind was in charge of God’s mercy he would withhold it because human beings have always been stingy.

Verses 100 – 111 Truth in the form of the Quran

Prophet Moses was sent nine clear signs but Pharaoh believed it was magic.   When Moses told him he was doomed, Pharaoh intended to drive him and the Israelites off the face of the earth.  God drowned Pharaoh and those with him.  The Children of Israel were told to settle down and when the appointment of the Hereafter comes they will all be resurrected in one gathering.

The truth has been sent down in the form of the Quran.   Prophet Muhammad was sent only as a bearer of good news that comes with a warning.  The Quran has been sent down little by little and the righteous people who were given knowledge before the Quran recognise the truth of it and weep falling down in prostration.  Tell them to call on God by his best names.   Do not speak too loudly nor too softly, but seek a middle way.  Praise God, the One with no son or partner.  He has no need of protection, so glorify Him greatly.
_______________________________________
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]

An-Nahl is the 16th chapter of the Quran. It is named after the bee mentioned in verses 68 and 69.The bee is one of many examples mentioned in this chapter of God’s grace towards His creation. An-Nahl was revealed in Mecca and contains 128 verses. Up to verse 88 its contents are addressed to the idolaters and polytheists. In the concluding verses Prophet Muhammad and his companions are instructed how to act in the face of antagonism and persecution.

The Day of Judgement is coming so do not be impatient to experience it.  God sends down angels to inspire some people to warn others that there is no true deity but God.  Fear Him for He is far above anything they associate with Him. People are created from a tiny drop of sperm but soon they become strong and openly challenge God. For the benefit of humankind God created cattle for food, clothing and to carry burdens. He also created horses, mules and donkeys to ride and other things that are beyond the comprehension of humankind.  For some, God distinguishes the right path from the wrong paths and He could have done this for everybody had it been His desire to do so.

God sends down rain. It provides drinking water and it nourishes crops and fruit including olives, date palms and vines. This is a sign for those who ponder. God has made the day, the night, the sun, the moon and stars for the benefit of humankind. These are signs for those who think. The Earth is filled with things of many different colours; these are signs for those seeking to learn a lesson from them. God has made the sea for the benefit of humankind; it is a source of food and adornment.  Ships to sail through it so that humankind may seek God’s bounties and perhaps give thanks.  God has also set the mountains firmly into the earth to prevent it from shaking and He has made rivers and paths with landmarks and stars to guide people through the lands.

This is a reminder of His power and generosity and if a person wanted to count all the blessings that God had sent down he could not do so. God is Forgiving and Merciful and He knows what people keep hidden. The deities that are invoked along with God are unable to create anything for they are creations themselves, who do not even know when they will be resurrected.

God is One, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are arrogant and their hearts contain no faith. God does not like the arrogant because He knows what they keep hidden and what they say or do openly. When they are asked about what God has revealed they say that it is nothing but fairy tales from the old days. On the Day of Resurrection they will bear their own burdens plus some of the burdens of those they led astray.

People from earlier times felt the punishment come upon them from out of nowhere. On the Day of Judgment they will be humiliated once again. Those with knowledge know that it will be a day of misery for the disbelievers. Those who die doing wrong will deny their wrongdoing but God is aware of what they were doing. So they enter Hell and will remain there in the evil home of the arrogant.

Those who feared God and were righteous will be asked about what God sent down and they will describe it as good. There are rewards in this world for the righteous but their home in the Hereafter is even better, it is an excellent abode. They will be rewarded with gardens under which rivers flow and they will have whatever they desire. When the pious people die the angels greet them with words of peace and show them into the gardens of reward.

God was not unjust to the disbelievers, they were unjust to themselves. They will be struck by the consequences of their actions and will be swallowed up by what they used to mock and ridicule. Those who face the punishment say they would have worshipped God alone if that is what God had willed; their forefathers said that too. Messengers were sent to every nation and their only duty was to warn. If anyone travels through the earth they can see what happened to those who did not heed the warning. Those who God led astray cannot be guided. God’s promise to raise the dead to life is true. Everything will be made clear and the disbelievers will realise how wrong they were. When God intends anything to happen He need only say, "Be", and it is.

Those who had to leave their homes in order to worship God will find a home in a good place but the home they have in the Hereafter will be even better. A very happy end awaits those who are steadfast and put their trust in God. All the messengers God sent were human beings, the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) know this, so ask them if you need to. Now this Quran has come so that Prophet Muhammad can explain things clearly and the people can think and reflect. Are those who do wrong really sure that the punishment will not come upon them suddenly, or perhaps it will sneak up on them gradually. The disbelievers have not truly reflected on what God has created - everything humbly fulfilling its purpose, fearing God and doing what He commands.

God says do not worship two deities because there is only One God and He has dominion over everything in the heavens and the earth. All blessings are from God and it is to God that the distressed person turns. Yet as soon as the relief comes some people turn to something other than God. There will be consequences for the ingratitude. Even the sustenance God provides is sometimes spent on false deities but anyone who does this will be called to account. They wrongly say that God has daughters but they themselves want to have only sons. When the birth of a female child is announced the father is consumed with grief and has to decide whether to bear their perceived humiliation or bury the girl alive. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter set the worst example to follow.

If God punished humankind for the evil that they do there would not be one person left on the earth.  Instead He gives them respite, until an appointed time.  It is a time that cannot be delayed or bought forward.  They attribute to God the daughters that they themselves dislike.  They think they will have a good reward but their reward is Hell and they will be among the first to be sent there.  The followers of Satan will face a painful punishment.  The Quran was revealed in order to make the things they argue about clear and it is a guidance and a mercy for those who believe.

God has sent down rain to revive the earth.  The cows produce milk and the vines and gardens grow wholesome foods of all kinds.  These things are a sign of God’s bounty; in them is a lesson to be learned.  And God created the bee, which feeds on all kinds of fruit and produces honey for the benefit of humankind.  It comes in many colours and has healing properties.  This is another sign for those who think.

God created you and it is He that will cause you to die.  Some people will live well into old age and will lose their faculties.  Some people have been given more provision than others and many of them do not share their wealth.  Is that a way of rejecting the blessings of God? God has given you spouses and children and grandchildren, yet still some people deny His blessings.  Those deities worshipped other than God have no power.

God gives examples.  Are slaves and those who have been provided with everything equal? Is a person unable to care for himself equal to one who is righteous and dispenses justice? The Day of Judgment is coming.  Babies emerge from their mother’s wombs knowing nothing but God provides them with hearing, sight and minds so that they can be thankful to Him.  God has made the birds able to fly without falling.  He provides humankind with shelter and warmth and everything you need for the term of your lives.  You have garments that protect you from the heat and the cold and other garments that protect you in battle.  He bestows the favours so that you will submit to Him. 

The Prophet’s duty is only to deliver the message.  Most people understand but are ungrateful and turn away.  On the Day of Judgment there will be a witness (their Messenger) from every nation.  Then it will be too late for excuses.  The disbelievers will see what awaits them and there will be no respite.  When the disbelievers appeal to their false gods, the gods will call them liars and disassociate themselves from the ones who worshipped them.  Those who disbelieve and prevent others from believing will have their punishment increased.  God will bring a witness from every nation and Prophet Muhammad will be the witness over the Muslims.  And the Quran has been sent down as guidance, mercy and good tidings.

God commands humankind to be just and behave with righteousness whilst being supportive of their relatives.  He forbids immorality and oppression.  This is a reminder.  Fulfil any oaths you take in the name of God, and do not deceive each other or conspire against others.  This is a test.  On the Day of Judgement the things you argued about will be made clear.

God could have made everybody one nation but He allows people to practice their free will – however you will be responsible for your actions.  Do not deceive each other or hinder other people from worshipping God.  To do so will result in a great punishment.   Do not break agreements and oaths.  Worldly things are transitory but what is from God is everlasting.  The righteous will have a new life in the Hereafter.  Whenever you recite from the Quran seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan.  Satan has no power over those who are submitted to God; his power only affects those who align themselves with him (Satan) and worship something other than God.

When God substitutes one verse for another they say that Prophet Muhammad has invented lies but they do not understand that angel Gabriel has brought the verses down piecemeal in order to gradually strengthen the believers.  They say that a human being has taught Prophet Muhammad the revelations but this Quran is in clear Arabic.  If people do not believe, God does not continue to guide them and a painful punishment will be the end result.  They love this world more than the Hereafter.  God has sealed the hearts, ears and eyes of the heedless, but those who must flee persecution or are compelled to say words of disbelief will feel God’s mercy and forgiveness.  Anyone who denies the correct faith willingly will feel the wrath of God.  On the Day of Judgement everyone will be dealt justly with and get what they deserve.

God presents an example of a town that was secure with provisions in abundance.  The people became ungrateful so they were afflicted with famine and fear.  They denied their Messenger and the punishment overtook them.  So eat from the good things God has provided and be grateful.  God has forbidden only carrion, blood, pig meat and that which has been dedicated to something other than God.  But if a person must eat these things out of necessity God will be forgiving.  Do not invent lies about what is lawful and what is unlawful because those who tell lies about God will have only a little enjoyment before the punishment overtakes them.

The Jews were prohibited certain things but it was not a hardship upon them, they turned it into a hardship.  God is most forgiving to those who do wrong out of ignorance and then repent.  Prophet Abraham is a good example, he was devout and obedient.  He was grateful and did not associate anything with God.  He had a good life and will be amongst the righteous in the Hereafter.  The Sabbath day was made obligatory because they argued and differed about it and on the Day of Judgment God will judge between them.

Call the people to God with wisdom and good advice.  Reason with them in a courteous manner.  God knows best who will be guided and who will go astray.  If you must retaliate make your response proportionate to how you were harmed, however it is better to be patient.  Prophet Muhammad is told to be patient and not to grieve or be distressed by the conspiracies of the disbelievers.  God is with those who are mindful of Him and have an attitude of righteousness.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2016 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 was revealed in Mecca and contains 99 verses.  Its title comes from the Rocky Tract that is mentioned in verses 80 to 84.  The majority of scholars believe this refers to the people of Thamud and the rocky tract is an allusion to their stone cities.  Its topics and style are very similar to Chapter 14, Abraham, and it is believed that they were revealed at around the same time.  In this chapter we learn about God’s boundless grace and the inherent danger in Satan’s plans for humankind.

The chapter begins with the same combination of letters that began chapter 14 - Alif, Lam, Ra.  Over the centuries there has been much speculation as to the meaning of these combinations of letter that begin 29 chapters of Quran.  Their meaning however, is known only to God.  The Quran makes the truth manifest. 

The disbelievers will one day come to wish that they had submitted themselves to God.  For the moment they are distracted and enjoying themselves but one day they will understand.  God has never destroyed a people except at the time that was previously decreed.  They call Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, insane and ask him for angels but the angels will only appear to strike them down.  God has revealed this reminder, the Quran and it is He who will preserve it.  Messengers were sent to earlier nations and they were all mocked and ridiculed by their own people.  This was how the truth slipped through the disbeliever’s fingers.

Some people will not believe even though they know the stories of the people who came before them.  Even if God had opened a gate in heaven they would believe themselves to be dazzled and bewitched as they watched themselves ascend.

God created the heaven and made it beautiful by filling it with constellations.  He protects it from the devils and those who try to eavesdrop on the inhabitants of the heaven are followed by a fiery comet.  God spread out the earth and set mountains into it.  He caused vegetation of many kinds to grow in a balanced order.  There is a means of sustenance for every living thing.  There is nothing that God cannot send down in the appropriate measure.  He sends the winds to fertilise the earth, the rain to provide water.  Humankind has no control over this.  It is God who controls life and death and He knows who has existed in the past and will exist in the future.  In the end God will gather them all together. 

Humankind was created from clay (altered black mud) and the jinn were created before humankind from smokeless fire.  When God created Adam he told the angels to bow down before him (Adam) and they did.  One called Iblees (also called Satan) refused.  Iblees was cast out and cursed until the Day of Judgment.  He asked for a reprieve until that Day and God granted it to him.  Iblees vowed to mislead humankind and make disobedience attractive to all of them except the ones sincerely devoted to God.  God said that the misguided ones would go to Hell, an allotted number through each of the seven gates of Hell.

The righteous however will enter into gardens and springs.  They will be told to enter in peace and security.  All resentments and bitterness will be removed from their hearts.  They will treat each other like close family members.  It is a place from which they will never be turned out and they will never be tired.  God is merciful but His punishment is severe.

Prophet Abraham was afraid when the angels visited him even though they greeted him with peace.  They allayed his fears and told him that he would have a son.  It was good news but he could hardly believe it because he was very old.  Never despair of God’s mercy.

Prophet Abraham asked the angels about the purpose of their journey and they replied that they had been sent to punish a guilty nation.  Prophet Lot and his family were to be the only people saved from the wrath of God.  Lot’s wife however would not be saved.  When the angels arrived they explained to Lot that he must leave with his family in the last hours of the night and told him to walk behind them, to protect them.  They were instructed no to look back and that by morning all the sinners would have been eliminated.

In the meantime the people of the town rejoiced that Lot had guests.  They wanted to commit homosexuality with these handsome looking men (who were actually angels who had come in the form of humans).  They came to Lot’s door and he begged them not to disgrace or shame him, even offering his daughters in marriage.  But they continued blindly in their wild intoxication and before sunrise a mighty shrieking blast overcame them.  The town was turned upside down and stones of baked clay rained down upon them.  There is a sign in this for those who will listen and understand.

The Forest Dwellers, believed to be the people of Prophet Shuaib, were also wrongdoers and God took retribution on them.  Both places are still on the open road, plain for all to see.  The people of the Rocky Tract, Al-Hijr, also denied their messenger and ignored God’s signs.  A mighty blast seized the them and even their homes built into the rocks could not save them.

God created the heaven and the earth and everything in between with a purpose.  The Hour will come (where the truth will become apparent), so Prophet Muhammad is advised to overlook and forgive their misbehaviour.  God reminds Prophet Muhammad that He gave him great blessings like the seven oft-repeated verses (the opening chapter of Quran) and the Quran, in which there is light and guidance – so do not look at this world and its attractions, or the transient delights that we have given to its people.  Do not envy what they have in this world, and do not upset yourself with regret for their rejection of you and their opposition to your message.  Prophet Muhammad is further told to be kind to the believers and to tell the people that he is nothing except a warner.  All will be questioned about their behaviour including those who invented lies about the Quran just as others invented lies about their own scriptures.  Deliver the message and turn away from those who associate others with God. 

God is enough to stand against all those who ridicule the message.  Those who worship something other than God will soon come to understand their stupidity.  God tells Muhammad He knows how distressed he is by what the disbelievers are saying but that he should cure his distress by praising God, bowing before Him and worshipping Him until the certainty of death arrives.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2016 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 is a Meccan chapter that is named after Prophet Abraham who prays to God in verses 35 to 41.  Throughout the chapter the ungrateful are condemned and the grateful praised and assured of their reward in the Hereafter.  The chapter is a warning to humankind and a cautionary tale for the disbelievers. 

Twenty-nine chapters of the Quran open with a short combination of letters.  Chapter Abraham opens with the letters Alif, Lam, Ra.  The meaning of these combinations is known only to God.

This Quran was sent to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, so that he could use it to lead the people out of darkness and ignorance and into the light of God.  It immediately gives a stern warning to the unbelievers or those who hinder people from following the straight path.  The torment for those who have gone astray will be severe.  All the messengers speak in the language of their people so that the message is clear to them.  God will guide or send astray, according to His will.

Prophet Moses was also told to bring his people into the light and to remind them of their divine history, particularly the troubled times when they were living under the yoke of Pharaoh.  If they had been thankful and grateful God would have given them more but they were thankless to their own detriment.  God is self-sufficient and has no need of thanks.  Moses told his people that even if everybody on earth disbelieved, God would not be affected in any way whatsoever.

The message was denied and rejected by the people of Noah, and Ad and Thamud, as well as the people who came after them.  The messengers came with clear proofs of their truthfulness but they were disbelieved because they wanted the people to reject the false religion of their forefathers.  The messengers were only men and could not bring miracles according to the wishes of the people.  They only produced miracles which God gave them.  The messengers said that we put our full trust in God and will bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us.

The disbelievers wanted the messengers to return to their old religion but God made them understand that He would destroy the disbelievers and then the messengers and their followers would live in the land after the disbelievers were gone.  This was a reward for those who fear their meeting with God.  The messengers asked God for help and victory and the disbelievers were brought to a complete loss and destruction.  Hell awaits them where they will have festering water to sip but never swallow.  Death will approach but they will not die, their suffering will only intensify.

The good deeds of those who disbelieve are like ashes blowing in the wind; they are unable to hold onto them and will not benefit them in any way.  The creation was designed for a purpose and God could wipe it away and bring another creation if He so desired.  When the weak appear before God they will call out for help to those who considered themselves mighty.  They will answer by saying if God had guided us we would have guided you, but there is no escape now whether we panic or bear it in silence.  Satan will tell them that God’s promise was true however he (Satan) deceived them.  They followed him (Satan) of their own free will.  Satan rejects those who followed him and they will face a severe punishment.

Those who believe and do good deeds will be admitted to Paradise, where gardens bloom and rivers flow.  Their greeting will be the word ‘Peace’.   In order that we may ponder and reflect, God compares a ‘good word’ with a good tree whose branches reach high into the sky, roots are firmly planted in the ground and it yields fruit every season.  A ‘good word’ could mean Islam or the statement ‘there is no deity worthy of worship except God’ and it is firmly established in the heart of a believer.  His good deeds ascend to the heaven all the time.  Likewise, a ‘ bad word’ is like a bad tree.  It is easily uprooted and has no endurance.  Words of disbelief have no basis and will not benefit the disbeliever is any way.  God keeps the believers firm but allows the disbelievers to stray where they will.

There are some people who have responded to the favors of God with ingratitude.  They cause others to end up burning in the fires of Hell by encouraging the worship of false gods.  Their pleasure will be in this life only for they have no hope of Paradise.  The believers must continue to pray and give openly and secretly now before it is too late.   The Creator sends down rain, causes the plants to bear fruit, and allows the ships to sail safely across the seas and the rivers to benefit humankind.  The sun and the moon and the alternation of the night and day – all created for the benefit of humankind.  Everything has been provided yet most of humankind is ungrateful.

Prophet Abraham implored God to keep the city of Mecca secure and to keep himself and his descendants free from the sin of worshipping idols.  He settled his family in the barren valley (Mecca) and prayed that they would establish the prayer and build a thankful community there.  God knows what humankind revels and what they conceal, nothing is hidden from Him.  Abraham praises God for the birth of his sons, Ishmael and Isaac, in his old age and asks for forgiveness for the believers on the Day of Judgment.

God knows exactly what the disbelievers do; He gives them respite until the Day when they will be staring around in horror.  Prophet Muhammad is asked to warn humankind of the Day when they will beg for respite again.  It will not be granted but they will be reminded that they were warned and presented with many examples of what would become of them.  They had plans but their plans were never hidden from God.

God will not break his promise to the messengers.  The people should be warned that a Day will come when the earth and the heavens will change into another earth and heavens and everyone who ever lived will stand before God.  On this Day the guilty will be bound together in chains, their faces will be aflame and their bodies will be covered in tar.  Everyone will be judged and every soul will get exactly what it deserves.

This Quran is a message for all the people.  It is a warning.  Let the people know that God is One and Alone.  Those who understand will be reminded. 
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2016 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 majority of scholars agree that Chapter Thirteen was, apart from a few scattered verses, revealed in Mecca.  It takes its name from the thunder mentioned in verse thirteen.  It is a powerful and emotional chapter that appeals to the heart while making use of logic and reason.

This chapter opens with a combination of letters, Alif, Lam, Meem, and Ra.  God Alone knows the true meaning of this combination and why 29 chapters of Quran open in a similar way.  God reminds us that the Quran has been revealed to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him.  It is the truth although most people do not believe it.   God created the heavens; they are above us without any visible means of support.  Then He established Himself above the heavens on His throne.  He created the universe for the benefit of humankind. 

The sun and the moon float in their orbits, they are on a specific course for a specified amount of time.  The world around you is full of signs and the revelations are clear in order that you have no doubt concerning your meeting with God in the Hereafter.  God filled the universe with signs to ponder and reflect upon; there are rivers, mountains, fruit and plants, and the regular cycle of night and day.  The earth is filled with all sorts of vegetation, they are all watered with rain but some are of better quality.  These signs are obvious for those who think.

Some people ask Prophet Muhammad astonishing questions about whether or not they will be resurrected.  They are destined for the Fire.  They challenge Prophet Muhammad to bring about the punishment he refers to rather than asking God for forgiveness.  God is full of forgiveness but also severe in punishment.  They stubbornly demand a miracle of their choice, but Prophet Muhammad is a warner, nothing more.

God knows everything about birth and wombs; He knows both the obvious and the hidden.  Speaking in whispers or being in the cover of darkness does not conceal anything from Him.  Each person has two guardian angels.  God will not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves.  If God intends to punish a people, then no one can prevent it.  The only real protection is from God Himself. 

God shows His signs in the sky; lightening causing fear and hope, heavy clouds filled with rain and thunder that exalts Him yet can strike whomever God chooses.  The unbelievers dispute these signs.  Prayer to God is the only true prayer, praying to false deities will elicit no response.  Everything in the heavens and the earth prostrates to God, willingly or unwillingly.

Tell the unbelievers that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.  Ask them why they would worship something other than God.  Are the blind and the seeing equal? Is the darkness and the light equal? Do these false deities create? No! God creates.  He sends down rain and floods that carry foam like the foam that forms after melting metal.  This is an example of the difference between truth and falsehood.  The foam vanishes but what remains is useful.  Those who respond to God will have an excellent reward whereas those who do not will not be able to ransom their way out of the punishment that awaits.  Is someone who understands the truth of the revelations equal to someone who does not? Those with common sense will fulfil the agreements they make in God’s name and are afraid of the coming Reckoning.  They also pray, give in charity from what God has provided them with, and fend off evil with good.  They will enter Paradise with their families and the angels will welcome them to their wonderful home, but those who are cursed will find themselves in a terrible home.  This worldly life is brief compared to the life in the Hereafter.

Remembering God and His excellent promises makes a believer’s heart tranquil.  God provides a beautiful resting place for those who believe and do good deeds.  Prophet Muhammad was sent to his own community to recite what God had revealed.  Yet they still disbelieve.  Prophet Muhammad is told by God to respond to the unbelievers.  Tell them (he is told) that God is your Lord, there is none but Him and that you have put your trust in Him knowing that you will return to Him.

If there was ever to be a recitation that could move mountains, shatter the earth, or make the dead speak it would be this one.  God commands everything and He could have guided all of humankind if that had been His will.  The unbelievers will never be far from disaster, until the end when God’s promise will be fulfilled.   You, Muhammad are not the first messenger to be mocked.  Even though the unbelievers were granted a respite, they were taken to task with a terrible punishment.

They know God watches over every soul yet they insist on associating partners with Him.  Name them; could you tell God something He does not already know? Their fantasies are made to seem desirable and the path to Paradise for them is blocked.  God has let them go astray and there is no one who can guide them to the right path.  When the punishment arrives no one can defend them against God.

Those who remember God will have a reward that looks like this; flowing streams, everlasting fruit and shade.  But the unbelievers have nothing but the Fire.  Those who accepted Islam from among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) rejoice at the new revelations (Quran) but some from among the People of the Book deny parts of it.  Prophet Muhammad must say, "I have been commanded to worship God and associate nothing with Him, I invite you to do the same, and to Him will I return".  Quran has been revealed in Arabic and if Prophet Muhammad was to follow the vain desires of some of his community after knowledge had been given to him nothing could protect him from the wrath of God. 

Some of the messengers before Muhammad had wives and children but none had the power to perform miracles without God’s permission.  In every time period there was a book (or revelation) and God confirms or erases whatever He wills because He is the source.  Prophet Muhammad is told that he may not see in his lifetime the punishment that awaits them but that is of no consequence because his task is only to deliver the message.  It is God who will call them to account.  Do they not see that God shrinks the borders of what they control? God’s plan overcomes all plans.  If they say to Muhammad that he is not a messenger then he should reply that God is the only witness he needs.
_______________________________________
By Aisha Stacey (© 2016 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 story of Joseph was revealed after an Israelite asked Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, what he knew about Prophet Joseph.  The story of Joseph was not known to the Arabs at the time and it was part of a test the Jews concocted to test Prophet Muhammad’s claim to prophethood.[1]  Stories in the Quran are usually told in small bites and revealed over several chapters; the story of Joseph however, is different.  It was revealed in one chapter, from the beginning to the end.   

The story of Joseph is framed by a three verse introduction and a 10 verse epilogue.  It is generally agreed that it was revealed in Mecca in a year that is known as the Year of Sorrow.  Prophet Muhammad lost two of his closest supporters, his uncle Abu Talib and his beloved wife Khadijah.  The story of Joseph confirms unconditionally that God has total control over all affairs.  It is a story of patience in the face of adversity and trust in the face of sorrow.

The Quran is a book revealed to make things clear, it is revealed in the Arabic language and contains information that Muhammad did not know.  This story is called the best of stories meaning that it contains information relevant to events happening at the time of revelation and it contains lessons for all humankind.

Joseph has a dream in which he sees the sun, moon and eleven stars prostrating before him.  This is interpreted as men bowing down to him.  He confides in his father who advises him to keep it secret from his brothers. 

Joseph and Benjamin were the sons of Jacob’s second wife.  The older boys considered themselves men.  They were older, they were stronger and saw in themselves many good qualities.  Blinded by jealousy they plan to kill Joseph.  One of the brothers convinces the other brothers to throw him in a well instead.  They carry out their devious plan and using their father’s worst fear (a wolf attack) and a blood stained shirt, they try to convince him of Joseph’s death.   Meanwhile, God eases Joseph’s fear.   God inspires him that one day he will inform his brothers of their deed while they do not realize who he is.  Joseph’s father Jacob sensed treachery but turned to God and accepted the news with trust and patience.

Joseph is rescued from the well and sold into slavery.  He is sold for a small price to an influential man from Egypt, who comments to his wife that Joseph may be of some service to them.  God remarks that He established Joseph in the land and provided him with sustenance in order to teach him the interpretation of dreams.  God has full power and control over all affairs but most people are blind to this.   Joseph grows up in comfortable conditions and God bestows upon him good judgment and knowledge.  He is in the house of a politician learning how to negotiate and make wise decisions.

The wife of the Egyptian politician watches Joseph grow to manhood and is attracted to him.  She tries to seduce him but he seeks refuge in God.  The wife chases Joseph to the front door just as her husband is entering the house.  The wife tries to blame Joseph but a member of the household points out that his shirt was torn from the back.   The women of the city began to gossip about Joseph and the politician’s wife.

After she hears the gossip, she invites the women to her house in order to show them how beautiful and attractive Joseph is.  She hands each of them a knife and calls for Joseph to show himself.  The women are astounded and cut their hands.  She explains that she tried to seduce him but he resisted.  She threatens that if he does not obey now he will go to prison.  Joseph is afraid that he will let himself be seduced so he asks God to protect him, saying he would prefer prison to what the women are planning. 

He is imprisoned along with two other men.  The two other prisoners discuss their dreams with Joseph and ask him to interpret them.  One of them said, ‘I dreamed that I was pressing grapes’; the other said, ‘I dreamed that I was carrying bread on my head and that the birds were eating it.’  Joseph mentioned their next meal reminding them that God provides their sustenance then replies that he is able to interpret dreams because God has taught him to do so.  He spells out his belief in God and in the Day of Judgement.  Joseph asserts that his family, the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob hold the knowledge of the Oneness of God, and that his religion and family do not attribute partners to God.  Most people however do not realise this.

Joseph interprets the dream.  One will serve wine to his master; the other will be crucified and the birds will peck at his head.  Joseph asks the one to be saved to mention him (Joseph) to his master.  But Satan makes the man forget and Joseph languishes in prison for more time.

The King (of Egypt) asks his counsellors to interpret his dream.  ‘I dreamed about seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones; seven green ears of corn and [seven] others withered.’ They were unable to do so and the ex-prisoner remembered Joseph.  He ran to Joseph, Joseph interprets the dream and the King asks for Joseph to be brought into his presence.  The ex-prisoner goes back to Joseph but Joseph asks him to ask his master (the King) about the women who cut their hands.  The King establishes Joseph’s innocence.  Joseph says he wanted his master, the politician to know that he did not betray him or abuse his trust.  Joseph appears before the King who offers him a position of high rank.  Joseph asks to be put in charge of the storehouses.  In this way God settles Joseph in the land.  God points out that He grants mercy to whomever He wishes, and does not fail to reward good.  The reward in the Hereafter, He points out, is the best. 

Joseph’s brothers present themselves asking for their measure of grain.  Joseph recognizes them but they do not recognize him.  He asks them to come again, this time with their younger brother.  Without him they will not be permitted to have the grain.  They reply that they will try to persuade their father and get his permission.  Joseph tells his servants to put the goods his brothers traded for grain back in their saddle bags in order to make them eager to return.  The brothers ask Jacob to let them take their younger brother but he is wary asking "Am I to entrust him to you as I did his brother before?" The brothers open the saddle bags and find their good returned to them.  Jacob says he will not send the boy unless the brothers swear they will do everything humanly possible to keep him safe.  They gave their pledge and Jacob said, ‘Our words are entrusted to God.’

Jacob advises his sons to not all enter the city by the same gate as a precaution but at the same time tells them that this will not help them against the will of God.  All power is in God’s hands, says Jacob. 

The sons of Jacob present themselves to Joseph and he draws his youngest brother (Benjamin) aside and reveals his identity to him.  Joseph gives his brothers their portion of grain but places his drinking cup in his youngest brother’s pack.   Someone calls out and accuses the caravan of thievery.   ‘What is lost?’ the brothers ask.  ‘The King’s drinking cup’, is the reply, and ‘whoever returns it will be given a camel’s load of grain’. 

The brothers respond that they did not come to make mischief.  Joseph’s men ask the brothers what penalty should apply if they are found to be lying.  They answered, ‘the penalty will be the enslavement of the person in whose bag the cup is found: this is how we punish wrongdoers.’ Joseph did not want his brother punished under the laws of Egypt but wanted the opportunity to keep his brother with him while the others returned to their father Jacob.  The bags are searched and the cup is found in the youngest brother’s belongings.  God explains that He devised a plan for Joseph and that He will raise the status of whomsoever He wills.

The brothers allude to Benjamin’s brother (Joseph) being a thief, but Joseph controls himself and does not disclose his identity.  The brothers beg that one of them be allowed to stay in his brother’s stead; this is refused.   Finally the eldest brother, remembering the pledge he gave to his father, vows to stay in Egypt until Jacob gives him permission to leave or God decides on another course of action.  The remaining brothers return to their father Jacob saying, we tried to keep our pledge but we could not have foreseen that your son would steal.   Ask the people we travelled with if you need proof.

Their father said, ‘No! Your souls have prompted you to do wrong!’ He turned away from them saying ‘Alas, my grief for Joseph!’.  Jacob’s eyes went white with grief (he was blind) and the brothers said, ‘If you don’t stop thinking about Joseph you will ruin your health or even die.’ He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to God, and I know from God that which you do not know’.  When this new sorrow overwhelmed Jacob, his first reaction was to be patient.   He knew, without a shred of doubt, that the affairs of his beloved youngest sons were controlled by God.

Jacob said, ‘My sons, go and seek news of Joseph and his brother and do not despair of God’s mercy– only disbelievers despair of God’s mercy.’ So they presented themselves before Joseph without knowing his real identity.  They explained that misfortune had afflicted their family and asked Joseph to be charitable towards.  God, they said, rewards the charitable.  Joseph replied by ‘Do you now realize what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?’ The brothers were astounded and asked if he was Joseph and he said, ‘I am Joseph’.  They said God really did favour you over all of us; we were in the wrong.  Joseph replied that no reproach would be on them and may God forgive them.

Joseph then handed them his own shirt telling them to lay it over their father’s face and all would be well, then he asked them to come back altogether.  Back at home Jacob was saying that he could smell Joseph, and those around him looked upon him with derision thinking him lost in an old illusion.  When the shirt was placed on Jacob’s face his eyesight returned and he said, ‘Did I not tell you that I have knowledge from God that you do not have?’ The brothers asked their father to ask God to forgive them and he replied that his Lord is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful.

Later when the whole family was presented before Joseph he drew his parents close to him and welcomed them telling them that, God willing they will be safe.  They all bowed down to Joseph and he commented to his father that this was the fulfilment of the dream he had so long ago.   Joseph said that God had been gracious towards him after Satan had sowed discord between he and his brothers.  Joseph prays to God acknowledging his blessings and asking to live and die as a Muslim and be joined with the righteous.

The story of Joseph is a lesson for all of humankind.   True patience and the ability to forgive are lofty characteristics worthy of inculcating.

That concludes the story of Joseph and in this final 10-verse epilogue God tells Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that this was the story of which he had no previous knowledge and that he was not present when the brothers made their evil plans.  God then tells him that he cannot make the people believe no matter how much he desires to do so.  God also mentions that Muhammad asks for no reward yet people ignore the signs in the heavens and the earth and only believe in God while joining partners with Him.  How can they be so sure that an overwhelming punishment or the Last Hour will not come upon them when they least expect it?  Can the people not see the lessons all around them; how can they travel and see the signs of what happens to the disbelievers and still not understand, do they not have a mind? Here is a lesson for those who understand, this is no fabrication; it a confirmation of the truth and an explanation for everything (‘everything’ refers to either the story of Joseph or the religion as a whole, or perhaps both).

In this chapter God was advising Prophet Muhammad that the road may be long and difficult but the ultimate victory belongs to those with God-consciousness and patience.
_______________________________________
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]

The history of the Prophet Hud is referred to in this chapter.  While the last chapter dealt mostly with abstract questions related to the truth of revelation, this chapter illustrates the truth of those questions by referring to the histories of former prophets.  Thus, it deals with the histories of Noah, Hud, Salih, Abraham, Lot and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them all).  A cruel and persecuting enemy is warned of the fate that befell previous people.  This chapter was revealed in Mecca during the last four years of the Prophet’s life and consists of 123 verses.

Once Abu Bakr said to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, "Of late I have been noticing that you are getting older.  What is the cause of it?" Prophet Muhammad replied that Surah Hud and similar chapters (56-Waqi’ah, 77-Mursalat, 78-Naba’, and 99-Takwir) hastened old age on him (Tirmidhi).

An attentive reading of this chapter will make you feel the effect of its stern warnings.  God warns us through the different stories of the prophets, where those who put their faith in the outward appearance of the worldly life and rejected the message of the prophets were met with dire consequences.  When God passes His judgment on people, He does not spare anyone, even the closest relative of a prophet.  Only the prophet and his followers are saved.

These verses discuss the Quran and the attitude of the polytheists towards it and resurrection.

The verses of the Quran have been explained clearly.  The message of the Quran is to worship God and seek forgiveness from Him.  Prophet Muhammad warns of God’s punishment and at the same time he brings good news of Paradise.  God will judge mankind according to the deeds they did in this life.  Some people try to hide from God, but God knows their innermost secrets.

God is responsible for sustaining every living creature.  God created the heavens and the earth in six days to test man if he realizes God’s power and is thankful to Him.  Those who deny resurrection consider the Quran to be magic because of its convincing power.

The verses compare the attitude of the believers and the polytheists towards favors and hardships.

Do not be deceived by God’s postponement of punishment as it can come at any time.  Also, do not lose hope and become ungrateful if God withdraws some of His favors.  At the same time, do not become arrogant if God makes you taste His bounty.  People have this attitude, except the patient ones who do good deeds.  They will be forgiven and have an immense reward.

The verse describes Prophet’s feeling of discomfort because of the behavior of the polytheists.

The authenticity of the Quran is proven to those who claim Prophet Muhammad fabricated it.  God challenges the experts of the Arabic language to bring ten chapters similar to it.  Their inability to respond should make you certain that the Quran is from God, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, and you should submit to Him as Muslims.

The consequence for those desiring solely the reward of this world is that they will receive their wages in this life, but Fire will be their lot in the life to come.  After all, they worked only for worldly objectives.

Archangel Gabriel, God’s witness, confirms the Quran.  A person who follows the Quran and Moses’ book (i.e.  Torah which foretold the coming of Prophet Muhammad) believes in it.  The Fire is for those who reject it.  Cursed are those losers who attribute lies to God, prevent others from God’s path – Islam – and reject life after death.

Those who have faith and do good deeds will reside in Paradise.

The people of Noah lived in southern Iraq, not too far from present day city of Kufah.  Noah’s message to his people was:

·       Worship God.

·       Fear the punishment of a painful Day.

But the leaders of his nation considered him to be a mere human followed by people of low status.  They rejected his answers and invited him to bring on the destruction he promised.  God instructed Noah to patiently bear their mockery and build the ark. 

Tenderness of a father could not save Noah’s disbelieving son from drowning with the rest.  The ark, carrying Noah, fellow believers, and animals landed on Judi, which is said to be a  mountain facing Ibn Umar Island at the junction of the Syrian and Turkish borders, on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, visible from the Syrian town of Ain Diwar.

The people of ‘Ad, to whom Hud was sent, lived in an area of curved sand hills in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula.  They worshiped a number of idols: wudd, suwa, yaguth, ya’uq, and nasr.

Summary of Hud’s message to his people:

·       Worship God.

·       I don’t ask you for any reward for my preaching, it is with my Creator.

·       Seek forgiveness from God, He will send rain and give you strength.

·       I rely on God, my Lord and your Lord.

·       God has full control of every creature.

·       My Lord can substitute you with better people if you turn away.

·       You won’t harm God by not worshipping Him.

The people rejected his message.  God’s punishment which lasted for 8 days and 7 nights destroyed them for rejecting God and disobeying His prophets.  Hud and fellow believers were saved by God’s mercy.

The dwelling places of Salih’s people, Thamud, are situated somewhere between Hijaz and Syria in the southeastern part of Madyan which is situated east of the Gulf of Aqaba.  Chiseled out of stone, their dwellings are still preserved.

Salih’s message was similar to that of Noah and Hud.  In addition, he produced a female camel from the neighboring hills to prove that he was God’s true prophet but warned people not to harm it.  Nevertheless, they killed it, thereby inviting God’s wrath in the form of a heavenly scream that left them dead, face down in their homes. 

Born in Iraq, Abraham settled in the city of Ur.  He traveled to Harran in the north of the Arabian Peninsula and then to Palestine with his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot.  Due to a drought, he then moved to Egypt.  Lot returned with Abraham from Egypt, but parted ways because the land was not enough for both their herds.  Lot settled towards the Dead Sea near Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham had three beautiful character traits: forbearing, repentant, and soft-hearted. 

He was quick to serve unannounced guests - angels of God - who brought two bits of news.  One, destruction was forthcoming to the people of Lot.  As for the second, the birth of Abraham’s son, Isaac, from Sarah, his aged wife, and his grandson, Jacob.  Abraham makes a futile attempt to turn away the angels from Lot. 

As hospitable as his uncle, Lot is distressed to see young, attractive guests who people immediately wanted to sodomize.  Lot tries to reason with the people by pointing to available women for marriage and not to disgrace him.  Feeling powerless to protect his guests, the angels comfort Lot that he will be unharmed.  He was to leave town at nightfall with his family except his wife who would stay behind as she had informed people of the angelic guests.  God destroys them by lifting up the city, throwing it upside down, and raining them with stones due to their wickedness.

He was sent to the people of Madyan who lived in the land of Hijaz, next to Syria and east of the Gulf of Aqaba.  According to some historians, that land is the site of the modern Saudi city of Tabuk.

Shu’ayb’s message:

·       Worship God.

·       Give full measure, do not give people less than what they pay for.

·       Do not spread corruption on earth.

·       Seek forgiveness from the Most Merciful, Most Loving Lord.

·       Fear the punishment of a Day that will surround all.

The disbelievers made fun of Prophet Shu’ayb’s prayer, saying does it instruct him that they should leave ancestral gods or change how they dispose of their money. 

Shu’ayb reminds them that he only wishes reformation and God is his strength on Whom he relies.  His compassionate pleading to look at the ruins of Noah, Hud, Salih, and Lot does not convince them.  Shu’ayb and fellow believers are rescued when a scream destroys them as if they never existed.

Moses left Egypt, and traveling through Sinai, he headed towards Madyan.  On his way he met his wife, the daughter of Shu’ayb.  On their return journey, God spoke to Moses at Mt. Tur (Mt. Horeb in Sinai) and thereafter, Moses returns to Egypt.

God sent Moses with clear proofs to Pharaoh and his ministers, but the latter followed the misguided orders of their ruler instead.  Cursed in both worlds, just as they followed him in the cold water that drowned them, they will follow him into the Fire.

They wronged themselves, God did not wrong them.  The gods they called upon besides God were of no use to them.

The above narratives of the prophets are ‘signs’ related to Prophet Muhammad for the benefit of those who fear the punishment of the afterlife. 

God will gather all the people on the Last Day, no one will be able to hide himself, and everyone will receive their full share.  On that Day a soul will speak only by God’s permission.  The unfortunate ones will enter the Hellfire on that Day for eternity.  The fortunate ones will be in Paradise forever.

People treat their prophets the same.  Some accept their call, and others reject it.  Casting doubt, people denied Moses and the Torah like the pagans of Mecca denied Prophet Muhammad.  Those who rejected the prophets shall face the same fate.

Prophet Muhammad and the repentant believers with him are instructed by God to remain determined, establish regular prayer, and exercise patience.  Do not cross the boundaries and do not become partners with wrongdoers or else the Fire will touch you.

God does not unjustly destroy cities while the residents are trying to reform.  Had God wanted, He could have made people follow a single religion, but He did not intend so for reasons known to Him.  Thus, people will continue to have differences except those upon whom the Lord has mercy: who follow the teachings of the prophets.  As for the rest, i.e. those who reject the message of God, He will punish them in Hell.

1.     Consoling Prophet Muhammad.

2.     Sending truth to Prophet Muhammad.

3.     Advice and a reminder to the believers.

1.     God has absolute and complete knowledge of time and space - what is observable and what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and of the past and the present.

2.     Everything returns to God in the life to come.  The creation cannot interfere in it.

3.     Therefore, God must be worshipped and relied upon.

4.     God knows our actions and our statements.  The good works of the obedient shall not go to waste and the rejection of the stubborn will not be forgotten.
_______________________________________
By Imam Mufti (© 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]