The 17 Verses Podcast: Distilling the Qur'an One Day at a Time

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection concludes Surah 22, Al-Hajj or Pilgrimage, verses 65-78. These verses drive home the omnipotence of God - to give you life and death, to cause you to come back to life for his Judgment. And it is only Allah who can create life, even a creature like a fly and choose Messengers to spread his word.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today’s selection is from Surah 22, Al-Hajj or Pilgrimmage, verses 49-64. These verses assert that those who accept the truth will be forgiven while others will be punished. On the Day of Judgment, God himself will be the Judge of all. And those who migrate for the sake of Allah will be generously rewarded.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today’s selection is from Surah 22, Al-Hajj or Pilgrimage, verses 39-48. These verses grant permission to the believers to fight in self-defense and for the cause of Allah. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was not the only Prophet who wasn’t believed. All the others were as well. And finally, a day of Allah’s is equal to 1,000 years of human calculation.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection concludes Surah 4, An-Nisâ or the Women, Verses 163-176. These verses assert that the Qur'an carries the same message as that sent to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Humans should believe in this revelation if they want to attain felicity but there is no Trinity in Islam as there is in modern Christianity. In Islam, Jesus was a Prophet and worshiper of God. Lastly, there is a legal decision relating to the inheritance of childless persons.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 4, An-Nisâ or the Women, Verses 148-162. These verses instruct us not to utter evil words or to draw a line between God and his Messengers in terms of obedience. In it, most Jews (of past times) were habitual sinners and violators of God's commandments. It is further asserted that Prophet Jesus was neither killed nor crucified. Those Jews would be punished for their iniquities and their only salvation was to become Muslims.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 9, At-Tauba or Repentance, verses 73-89. This selection discusses Allah's order to make Jihãd against hypocrites and unbelievers and the behavior of hypocrites relating to the bounty of Allah. In historical context, these people did not join the Tabük expedition and subsequently God decreed a prohibition against offers funerary prayer for these hypocrites.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 9, At-Tauba, verses 60-72. It concerns categories of distribution for zakat or compulsory charity, hypocritical actions and their punishments and believers' actions and their rewards.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Welcome to a bonus episode of the 17 Verses podcast. As today is the first day of Ramadan (at least in my neck of the woods), I wanted to wish everyone Ramadan Kareem and also re-release a selection from Surah 2, Al-Baqarah or the Cow, verses 183-196. These verses concern fasting and prayer, as well as issues of defending one's faith from aggressors during the month of Ramadan.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection concludes Surah 11, Hüd, verses 110-123. These verses discuss what happened when differences of opinion arose about the Torah, which was given to Prophet Moses. Next we are reminded that God does not let the reward of the righteous be wasted and finally the freedom of choice given to mankind is from God.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 11, Hüd, verses 96-109. These verses discuss the fate of the Pharaoh of Egypt and his chiefs who were warned by Prophet Moses to listen to God's word but gave no heed.