Renewal By The Book: Quran Tafsir Based on Imam Ghazali's Ihya

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

Shaykh Riad reflects on this verse, indicating that this verse points to one’s relationship with Allah that it is one of neediness. So one should ask Allah for both material and spiritual giving. The verse continues to say that “those who are too proud for My worship…” and worship here refers to supplication. Those who refrain from supplication are thus characterized with arrogance and pride. Thus the scholars say when I find myself refraining from supplication or find it hard to engage in it, then that is an indicator of one’s pride and arrogance.

In order for one to engage in proper supplication one should not do it as a form of ritual. Rather, one should engage in supplication with presence of heart and with sincerity. Indeed, one should make supplication like a drowning person with your reliance solely on Allah. In turn, the greatest prize of supplication that your heart is focused on Allah.

In conclusion, Shaykh Riad reminds us that the most important part of supplication is reminding ourselves that there are no means other than Allah and that requires work, especially at a time when there may be many other superficial means that one thinks they can rely on, but our true reliance should always be on Allah.

In this series Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.

Join our Ramadan 2017 program: #RamadanRenewal, in-person at SeekersGuidance Toronto or online through the SeekersGuidance Global platform. For more details, visit: https://seekersguidance.org/ramadan.

Checkout all of the SeekersGuidance podcasts by visiting https://seekersguidance.org/podcasts/

The post 11 – Supplication appeared first on SeekersGuidance.

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

It is difficult for the nafs to focus on Allah and continue in its remembrance of Allah and so to be able to do so one needs to find the company that will push us to do so and so we can imbibe their characteristics. Allah then warns us of following those who are not righteous because the consequence of that is that your heart will be affected by your lower self. Instead of following Allah’s commands you make your own lower self your idol.

Shaykh Riyad reminds us that even if one is doing community work or advocating on behalf the community, their work should not be devoid of remembrance of Allah. The lack of remembrance can me one more prone to mistake and to following our base self over doing what is right or most pleasing to Allah.

Shaykh Riyad concludes with council to the listener to always prioritize the remembrance of Allah because it gives one a balanced perspective and makes one less prone to extremes of action.

In this series Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.

Join our Ramadan 2017 program: #RamadanRenewal, in-person at SeekersGuidance Toronto or online through the SeekersGuidance Global platform. For more details, visit: https://seekersguidance.org/ramadan.

Checkout all of the SeekersGuidance podcasts by visiting https://seekersguidance.org/podcasts/

The post 10 – Spiritual Routines appeared first on SeekersGuidance.

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“Just as We have sent among you a messenger of your own who recites to you Our revelations, purify you, and teach you the Scripture and Wisdom; and to teach you what you did not know”

This verse outlines the gift that Allah has bestowed upon us and that is the gift of guidance.

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

“So remember me and I will remember you; be thankful to Me and never ungrateful. You who believe, seek help through steadfastness and prayer, for God is with the steadfast.”

The consequence of the gift that Allah has bestowed upon us is that we must engage in His remembrance and in thankfulness of Him. The sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is balanced on two pillars that are the foundation of it: to remember Allah and to be thankful.

In addition, Shaykh Faraz highlights the role of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as mentioned in verse 151: to convey revelation, to purify you (and that is the purpose of revelation), explains to you the revelation and teaches you wisdom (and that is the sunnah).

Shaykh Faraz explains that true remembrance is for your heart to be conscious of Allah without being attached to anything else and the reward for that is that Allah will grant you spiritual openings. Ultimately, this remembrance should stem from your love for Him.

In summary, Shaykh Faraz reminds us to keep our tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah. If you would like to read more on this topic you can read the Imam Ibn Rajab’s: The Compendium of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Resource: Tafsir al-Qushayri

In this series Shaykh Faraz will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.

Join our Ramadan 2017 program: #RamadanRenewal, in-person at SeekersGuidance Toronto or online through the SeekersGuidance Global platform. For more details, visit: https://seekersguidance.org/ramadan.

Checkout all of the SeekersGuidance podcasts by visiting https://seekersguidance.org/podcasts/

The post 09 – Remembrance & Supplication appeared first on SeekersGuidance.