Author Archives: AmatulWadood

The Greatest Delight

September 15, 2008 – 10:27 pm

Bismillah

What is the greatest gift you could ever receive? That you could ever want? That would bring you the greatest happiness and delight?…..Think about it.

Got an idea? ….good.

Most of us will be thinking of Jannah and all of its delights. But the most pleasurable thing in Jannah is not having spouses, or servants that will serve you, or drinking milk and honey. No rather, there is something MUCH GREATER for the Dwellers of Jannah that Allah ta’ala is keeping for them…

حدثنا ‏ ‏عبيد الله بن ميسرة ‏ ‏قال حدثني ‏ ‏عبد الرحمن بن مهدي ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏حماد بن سلمة ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏ثابت البناني ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏عبد الرحمن بن أبي ليلى ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏صهيب ‏
‏عن النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال ‏ ‏إذا دخل أهل الجنة الجنة قال يقول الله تبارك وتعالى تريدون شيئا أزيدكم فيقولون ألم تبيض وجوهنا ألم تدخلنا الجنة وتنجنا من النار قال فيكشف الحجاب فما أعطوا شيئا أحب إليهم من النظر إلى ربهم عز وجل ‏
The most pleasurable thing to the Dwellers of Jannah:
When those deserving of Paradise would enter Paradise, the Blessed and the Exalted would ask: Do you wish Me to give you anything more? They would say: Hast Thou not brightened our faces? Hast Thou not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Fire? He (the narrator) said: He (God) would lift the veil, and of things given to them nothing would he dearer to them than the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious. Muslim.

So which duaa should we make to receive this pleasure? Our Messenger alayhi salaatu wa salaam teaches us:
اللهم اني اسالك لذة النظر الى وجهك و الشوق الى لقائك
Allahumma innee asaluka lathatan-nadhari ilaa wajhika was-shawqa ilaa liqaa’ik
I ask You for the delight of gazing at Your Countenance and the eagerness of meeting You. (Narrated in Nisaa’i)

Remember: “The supplication of every one of you will be granted if he does not get impatient” (Bukhari and Muslim) So make this duaa in this blessed month with full conviction, full hope that Allah will answer your duaa. Allah is near to His slaves, call upon Him Alone, He is Samee’un wa Mujeebu Ad-Da’waat. (The Hearer and Responder to Prayers). Do not be hesitant in your duaas, ask Allah for the BEST.

May Allah ta’ala bless us with the delight of gazing upon Him, make our best deeds our last, and make the best day of ours the day that we meet Him ta’ala. Ameen.

Posted in Arabic, Du'a, Gems | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

What is Tasbeeh?

September 11, 2008 – 9:22 am

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah, we now know what hamd means, let’s move on to tasbeeh!

Tasbeeh means to say subhanAllah just as tahmeed means to say alhamdulillah.

Tasbeeh is comprised of two words: Subhan and Allah: سبحان الله

Subhan which is derived from tasbeeh is from seen-ba-ha (س-ب-ح) and it means to glorify, praise, magnify, extol Allah, by tongue or by heart. It includes:

1-To say He has no flaw in His Perfection Far above any imperfection

2-He is far above and beyond any similarity to His Creation

3-He is free from and above all kinds of association and any un-divine attributes.

When one does tasbeeh, they negate any flaw and affirm all perfection in Allah azza wa jal, He is Flawless.

Another meaning of the root seen-ba-ha is the act of swimming, floating, and being quick and swift as well as being remote. How does this connect with glorifying Allah? It denotes the ‘quickness’ in betaking oneself to Allah, in agility in serving and obeying Him. When doing tasbeeh, you affirm (i.e., keep afloat) the Perfection of Allah ta’ala and His disassociation to His creation. It is used for prompt obedience, comes out immediately. An immediate reaction. Imagine when you see something amazing, right away, you say: “subhanAllah!”

So when we say “SubhanAllah” the meaning is:I declare (or celebrate, extol) the remoteness, or freedom, of Allah from any imperfection or impurity or from anything derogatory from His glory. From the imputation of there being an equal to Him, or any companion, or anything like unto Him, or anything contrary to Him, from everything that should not be imputed to Him.

Say subhanAllah.

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Tooba!

September 9, 2008 – 8:50 pm

Bismillah
Allah ta’ala says:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

Those who have believed and done righteous deeds – ‘Tooba’ is theirs and a good return. (Suratur Ra’ad, ayah 29)

Allah ta’ala promises ‘Tooba’ to the believers in this ayah. We also know this word for the famous hadeeth of the strangers, the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam states: fa Tooba lil ghurabaa’, so Tooba to the strangers. What does Tooba mean?

It is said to be from 3 derivatives:
1- plural of tayyibah
2- masdar of tayyib
3- feminine version of the superlative, atyab اطيب‬‬

All of these derivatives are from the same root word, which is tayyib, from taw-ya-ba (ط ي ب) and it literally means to be good, pleasant, agreeable, lawful.

From this we derive that Tooba means every kind of good that has biqaa’, an everlasting nature. Tooba is happiness that lasts. Tooba is also whatever makes you rich and content and you won’t be in need of anything else to satisfy you. We also learn from a hadeeth that Tooba is a tree in Jannah. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Tooba is a tree in Paradise, as big as a hundred year’s journey; the clothes of the people of Paradise comes from the outer parts of its flowers” (Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, 4/639, no. 1985, the isnaad is hasan)

may Allah ta’ala grant us Tooba, Ameen!

wa lillahil hamd.

Reference

Al-Huda Institute Canada: Ta’leem Al Qur’an English course for women.

Posted in Arabic, Gems, Qur'an, Tazkiyyah | Tagged , | Comments (1)

What is Hamd?

September 7, 2008 – 5:19 pm

Bismillah.

As Muslims, the phrase “alhamdulillah” الحمد لله (all praise and thanks is for Allah) is an integral part of our deen; we are taught to say it from both the Qur’an and Sunnah. Linguistically, Hamd is from ha-meem-daal ( حمد or ح م د) and it is to mention the good attribute of a person, such an attribute that is the at the level of perfection. Hamd is based on mahabbah (love) and ta’dheem (greatness). Hamd is not a fake praise, meaning it is not done to please the person or with no significance, Hamd is always true. Hamd implies admiration, love and magnifying the praise of mahmood (one who is praised). Hamd is a sincere and true praise, that the mahmood (one who is praised) deserves. The one doing hamd is doing submission to the one being praise–out of humility. Hamd also includes sincere gratitude and mentioning the kamaal (best) traits of someone.When we say alhamdulillah, it implies exclusivity and entirety, meaning that praise is entirely and only for Allah. The ‘al’ (ال) before ‘hamd’ is called “istighraaq” in Arabic, and when “al” comes before this phrase its means that entire praise, all kinds of praise and all the time, hamd is due to Allah. The “li” (in lillah, meaning for Allah) implies limitation which is known as “ikhtisaas” in Arabic and it means that Allah is the only One who deserves the hamd.

Now with this concrete definition in mind, what exactly does ‘Alhamdulillah’ mean? It means: The perfect, most Beautiful praise is only for Allah.

Alhamdulillah appears 38 times in the Qur’an, five of them at the beginning of surahs. (Look up which surahs start with hamd if you are not aware of them)

When a surah begins with hamd, it implies three interpretations:

  • Firstly, to tell and to make it known that: alhamdulillah, all praise and thanks is for Allah. As if to announce it.
  • Secondly, when we open something we begin with hamd. (like a khutbah)
  • Thirdly, it teaches us how we should praise Allah, by saying: alhamdulillah and we also learn that we must praise Him.

A Name of Allah that coincides with Hamd is, Al-Hameed, Allah ta’ala is Al-Hameed, The Praiseworthy. How is this different from mahmood (one who is praised)? Mahmood is one who is praised only when they are praised by someone. Hameed is One who is ALWAYS deserving of praise, NO MATTER if He is praised or not. So Allah ta’ala is The Most Praiseworthy, if we do hamd of Him or not.

Alhamdulillah. Such a short phrase with a heavy meaning. Let us remember this meaning the next time we say Alhamdulillah.

wa lillahil hamd!

Reference

Al-Huda Institute Canada: Ta’leem Al Qur’an English course for women.

Posted in Arabic, Arabic Grammar, Gems, Islam, Qur'an, Sahaba | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

The Islamic Diet

August 31, 2008 – 4:14 pm

Bismillah.

We are constantly bombarded in this society with diet after diet, new ways to loose weight or supposedly be ‘healthy’. As Muslims, we know that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) sent the Qur’an to us as a huda, a guide. Not only is the Qur’an a guidance for us in our beliefs, our worship and character, but we learn basic lessons on how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Allah. So rather than turning to outside sources for guidance in these basic matters, turn to the Qur’an, for by Allah you will find your answer.

Did you know that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) teaches us the “islamic” diet in the Qur’an? He (سبحانه و تعالى) says,

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

“O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.” [Suratul A'raaf, verse 32]

Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) outlines in this simple verse how we as Muslims should eat. He mentions first to “take your adornment at every masjid”, which means to wear nice, clean clothes when attending the masjid. Then He (سبحانه و تعالى) says: “and eat and drink, but be no excessive”. The word for excessive here is ‘israaf’ (اسراف) and israaf not only means to be excessive, but it means to waste and be extravagant. Imam ibnul Qayyim mentions two extremes that can be defined as ‘israaf’ in eating:

1) Firstly, the person will not follow the verse which says to “eat and drink”; they will under eat and constantly be in a state of malnutrition and starvation. This diet brings about sickness and prevents health.

2) Secondly, the person will overeat and go beyond what the limit of what is normal. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam taught us, “there is no worse vessel for the son of Aadam to fill than his stomach, but if he must fill it, the let him allow one-third for food, one-third for drink, and one-third for air.” (Saheeh, Ahmad) This extreme also brings about sickness and prevents health.

The Muslim must avoid these two ways of doing israaf, and remain balanced in their diet–without overeating or under eating.

InshaAllah this serves as two reminders for us. Firstly, that the Qur’an is a guide for us in all aspects of our lives and also a reminder for us to leave both of these extremes in diet, especially during this special month of Ramadaan.

wa Allahu ta’ala alam.

Posted in Gems, Islam, Qur'an, Sawm | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

Find Peace

August 25, 2008 – 8:01 pm

Bismillah

Sitting in a halaqah–in a khutbah–in an AlMaghrib class, learning about the deen of Allah– the emanrush, your heart just flutters with tranquility. With satisfaction. With humility. With peace.

Why do we only feel this way in these gatherings?

Allah azza wa jal provides the answer:

He says in Surah Ra’d ayah 28:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوب

Those who have believed and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, it is the remembrance of Allah which provides tranquility to hearts.

The true believers are those who find peace in the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts find rest. Their hearts are still. Their hearts find satisfaction. When dhikr (the mention of Allah) is made in their presence, their hearts find assurance and security. Dhikr, in this verse, can be the Qur’an or any deed that includes the remembrance of Allah. The Qur’an is the most effective dhikr because it is a shifaa’, a cure, for any illness in our chests.

The believers in this verse are those who remember Allah, recognize His ayaat, and are conscious of their emaan. Their hearts are the ones that find peace and security in the remembrance of Allah.

Why do their hearts find rest?

Simple: Our purpose in this life is to worship Allah, dhikr is worship, and when we remember Allah, we are fulfilling our purpose. Therefore, our hearts are at peace.

People often seek peace of mind (or heart) in such things as music, alcohol, shopping, or eating. But Allah ta’ala uses “alaa” in this verse. ‘Alaa’ is known in the Arabic language to imply exclusivity, meaning, ONLY with the remembrance of Allah will hearts be at peace–there is no other way!

Allah ta’ala also says

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble with fear when Allah is mentioned, and whose faith increases as they listen to His verses and their put their trust in their Rabb. (8:2)

Again, Allah ta’ala uses a phrase in Arabic that shows exclusivity, for “inna-ma” is like saying the reality is nothing but this, meaning the reality is that only the believers have these special qualities.

Ask yourself how your heart feels when the name of Allah is mentioned? Does your emaan increase when the Qur’an is recited? If not, we need to re-evaluate our emaan because this verse shows that only the true believers feel this way.

Notice that Allah ta’ala describes this as a cause and effect relationship. The believers feel their hearts tremble–they are literally awe-struck–and their emaan increases and becomes stronger. Still, they take the means, put their trust in Allah, and enjoining what He has commanded while staying away from His prohibitions. These believers don’t just seek a fuzzy feeling, they follow their fuzzy feelings with actions.

These fuzzy feelings are what is known as an “emanrush.” Many of us may attend gatherings of dhikr just to soften our hearts and bask in the mention and remembrance of The Most High. It is this feeling that draws people again and again to classes at the masajid, lectures by the shuyookh, and almaghrib seminars. Yes, our intention also includes seeking knowledge for the sake of Allah, but nothing can come close to hearing an ayah and whispering to yourself “subhanAllah” while your heart is utterly humbled. This is where the believers find tranquility.

In these two verses we see that Allah ta’ala mentions the effect of dhikr on the hearts of the believers, but does dhikr effect us externally as well?

Allah, azza wa jal, says

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاء وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

Allah has revealed the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating: the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allah. Such is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide. (39:23)

Imam ibn Katheer states beautifully,

“this is the description of the righteous, when they hear the Words of the Compeller, the Protector, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving, because they understand the promises and warnings contained therein. The frightening words and threats make their skin shiver from fear. ‘Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah’ because of their hope for His mercy and kindness.”

Qatadah said about this verse,

“`This is the characteristic of the friends [auliyaa] of Allah; Allah has described them in this manner, saying that their skin shivers, their eyes weep and their hearts find rest to the remembrance of Allah.”

Then Allah ta’ala says in the end of the verse, “Such is the guidance of Allah,” meaning these feelings are a trait of those who are truly guided, and no one else. This, again, shows exclusivity.

Thus, these verses imply three implications of exclusivity:

ONLY with the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace.

ONLY the believers’ hearts tremble with fear when Allah is mentioned, and their faith increases as they listen to His verses.

ONLY the skins and hearts of the guided will shiver with the remembrance of Allah and then become soft.

Next time you have an emanrush, remember these verses and thank Allah ta’ala. Always seek out the dhikr of Allah to soften your heart, to reach peace of mind, to feel humble in front of The One to Whom prostrates what is in the heavens and earth. Remind yourself that Allah ta’ala is not in need of your worship or remembrance in any way, He is Al-Ghaniyy (The One Free of All Needs), and this good is only for your weak and needy self, so be not among those whom Allah has cursed:

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah! They are in plain error! (39:22)

These are the ones whose hearts do not become soft, who do not take heed when the verses of Allah are recited to them, who do not feel any fear or humility, and they are in plain misguidance. may Allah azza wa jal protect us from being amongst them and may He soften our hearts and skins to His remembrance and make us among those who act upon it, Ameen.

Posted in Arabic, Gems, Islam, Qur'an, Tafseer, Tahara, Tazkiyyah | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Raging and Roaring

August 18, 2008 – 6:19 pm

Bismillah

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

إِذَا رَأَتْهُمْ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ سَمِعُوا لَهَا تَغَيُّظًا وَزَفِير

When it sees them from a far place, they will hear its raging and its roaring. Suratul Furqan, verse 12

What is the “it” and “them” in this verse referring too? When the hell fire sees the disbelievers. Hell fire will see them from a far place, and they will hear it تَغَيُّظًا وَزَفِيرًا , raging with fury and roaring. Imagine: the disbelievers will not even see the fire yet, but they will hear it even though they are far (ba’eed). Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in another surah:

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا

Indeed hell is a place of ambush. [Surah Naba, verse 21]
It is like a lion watching its prey very closely, waiting for the right time to pounce on it.

The first description of hell fire is, تَغَيُّظًا, taghayyudthan, from ghayn-ya-dhaa or ghaydh, and this means to express anger. Not just any anger, but a furious rage of anger. Imagine when a person is very angry, they do not remain quiet rather they rant and rave, go on and on in their anger.

The second characteristic is,وَزَفِيرًا , zafeeran, a roaring, from zay-fa-ra, and it literally means to exhale out. This word is particularly used for screaming out; because when a person screams out loud, they inhale first and then yell out a loud scream. It is like the roaring of a lion, it inhales and roars at the same time. Think of when a volcano is about to erupt, you can hear loud sounds from it like it is roaring. But hell fire is something we cannot even imagine.

They will be able to hear this raging and roaring from makaanin ba’eed, a far off place. SubhanAllah, after going through a yaumun ‘aseer (a difficult Day), they will be herded to hell fire and even before they enter it, they will hear its anger and shrieking.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also says in Suratul Mulk:

إِذَآ أُلْقُواْ فِيهَا سَمِعُواْ لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الغَيْظِ

When they are cast therein, they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes forth. It almost bursts up with fury.[Suratul Mulk, verse 7-8]

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) continues:

وَإِذَا أُلْقُوا مِنْهَا مَكَانًا ضَيِّقًا مُقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْا هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًا

And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction. [Surah Furqan, verse 13]

Allah calls hell fire, مَكَانًا ضَيِّقًا , a narrow place. dayyiqan is from dawd-ya-qaaf, and means that which is narrow and cramped. It is not an open space, but one restricted and tight.

How will they be thrown in there? مُقَرَّنِينَ, muqarraneen, ones chained together, from qaaf-ra-noon or qarn and qarn is used for a rope that a camel is tied with. Muqarraneen gives two meanings:

1) The disbelievers will all tied with each other, all bound together so no one can escape. This expresses the huge number of those thrown in the fire.

2) The disbelievers themselves will be bound and chained, like their arms bound to their necks.

Imagine being thrown in all together in a tight and cramped place in a roaring and raging fire…What would you do?

Allah informs us of what the companions of hell fire will do: دَعَوْا هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًا , they will call instantly for destruction, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: هُنَالِكَ , this is ism tharf, and it means: at that very place and at that very moment, right then and there, instantly, when they are bound together and thrown into a narrow place: they will call for: ثُبُورًا , thuboora, from thaa-ba-ra and it means destruction, death and ruin. They will make duaa for ruin, but Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in another surah:
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
Then they will not die therein nor will they live. [Surah Alaa, verse 13]

The disbelievers will be somewhere in the middle, not living in the sense that being in hell fire cannot be called life and they will not die, although they ask for it.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) continues:

لَا تَدْعُوا الْيَوْمَ ثُبُورًا وَاحِدًا وَادْعُوا ثُبُورًا كَثِيرًا

Call not today for one destruction, but call for many destructions. [Surah Furqan, verse 14]

After they call for death and destruction, that is what will be said to them. What does Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mean by ثُبُورًا كَثِيرًا , many destructions? One destruction is not enough, although they keep asking for ruin because they will not receive it, because that is the nature of their punishment. They will not get a punishment that is about to kill them once, but it will come again and again. When their skins are burnt, this is one thaboor (destruction), then it will be replenished for them again. They are not being told in a nice way, this is a taunt.

Allahumma ajirnaa min an naar, O Allah, save us from the fire. Ameen.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is The Most Just, and He says in the next ayah:

قُلْ أَذَ‌ٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ جَنَّةُ الْخُلْدِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ ۚ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَزَاءً وَمَصِيرًا

Say: “Is that better or the Paradise of Eternity promised to the Muttaqoon?” It will be theirs as a reward and as a final destination.” [Surah Furqan, verse 15]

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is told to say to those who deny and are in doubt: is that better? Meaning is the punishment, the roaring and raging, the many destructions–is that better or Jannatul Khuld (eternal paradise), the one which the muttaqoon are promised? The Muttaqoon are those who have taqwa, they have fear of Allah, they believe in the hereafter, and they are protecting themselves from hell fire now. Jannatul Khuld is promised to them as a jazaa, a recompense, and a maseera, a place of return, a place where one arrives. After their death and after the hisaab, they will arrive in Jannatul Khuld.

Imam ibn Katheer says about this ayah:

Here Allah says: `O Muhammad, this We have described to you about the state of those who are doomed, who will be dragged on their faces to Hell, which will receive them with a scowling face, with hatred and moans. There they will be thrown into their constricted spaces, tied up to their shoulders, unable to move or call for help, and unable to escape their plight — is this better, or the eternal Paradise which Allah has promised to the pious among His servants, which He has prepared for them as a reward and ultimate destiny in return for their obedience to Him in this world’.

Reference

Al-Huda Institute Canada: Ta’leem Al Qur’an English course.

Posted in Arabic, Gems, Islam, Qur'an, Tafseer | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

The Reading Light: Importance of Tafseer

August 14, 2008 – 7:53 pm

Bismillah

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Qur’an,

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ

“(This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, so that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember.” Surah Saad: verse 29.
(linguistic explanation of the word yaddabaroo is in the comments)

It is the science of tafseer which is the fruit of ‘pondering over its verses’. Tafseer comes from the root letters fa seen ra, or fassara and means to explain, to discover, elucidate, to disclose (a hidden thing), and to interpret. In Uloom al-Qur’an (the sciences of the Qur’an), tafseer is defined to be, “the science by which the Qur’an is understood, its meanings explained, and its rulings derived.” It is the crux of Uloom al-Qur’an, even though Uloom al-Qur’an comprises many other branches.

Many Muslims assume that learning the science of tafseer is not part of learning the Qur’an, when in fact tafseer is crucial to properly understanding the Qur’an itself. Without knowledge of tafseer, we can easily misunderstand the Qur’an. The science of tafseer is meant to explain to mankind the Book that has been revealed to them from Allah.

Imam as-Suyooti gives three simple reasons on why tafseer is important:

1) Allah uses the most clear, eloquent and concise language, and in doing so the meaning is clear to those who are well-grounded in the Arabic language, but not so clear to those who are not.

2) The Qur’an does not always mention the events or references for which each verse was revealed, but these must be known for the verse to be fully understood.

3) Some words may have multiple meanings, and it is the job of the person who does tafseer to explain what is meant by the word.

Many scholars of the past shed light on the importance of tafseer as well. My favorite parable was given by Iyaas ibn Mu’aawiyah who said,

“The example of a people who recite the Qur’an and do not know its explanation is like a group of people who have a written message from their king that comes to them during the night, and they do not have a lamp. Therefore, they do not know what is in the message. The example of one who knows tafseer is like a person who comes to them with a lamp and reads to them what is in the message.”

Sa’eed ibn Jubayr also said, “Whoever recites the Qur’an and does not explain it, is like an ignorant person.” Also Imam Suyooti, author of the monumental work in Uloom al-Quran al-Itqaan says,

(The science of tafseer) is the most honorable of all sciences for three reasons. The first reason is with respect to its topic. It deals with the Speech of Allah, which contains every kind of wisdom and virtue. It contains pronouncements about what has passed, reports of what will happen and judgments concerning what happens between people. Its wonders never cease. The second reason is with respect to its goal. Its goal is to lead mankind to the firm Handhold of Allah, and to the true happiness, one that does not end. The third reason is with respect to the great need for this science. Every aspect of this religion and this world, in the near or distant future, is in need of the sciences of the sharee’ah and knowledge of the religion, and this knowledge can only be obtained through the understanding of the Book of Allah.

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, in his book An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an, gives a beautiful parable on the relationship between Qur’an and tafseer. He says,

“the Qur’an is like a treasure trapped in a glass receptacle; mankind can view and benefit from this treasure, but they are in need of tafseer, for tafseer acts like the key that unlocks the treasure, so that mankind can benefit from it to the greatest possible extent.”

Reference

Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib Institute. Route 114.

Yasir Qadhi. An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an. Hidaya Publishers.

Posted in Arabic, Gems, Islam, Qur'an, Sahaba, Tafseer | Tagged , , , | Comments (6)

If Only …

August 3, 2008 – 9:04 am

Bismillah

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in Suratul Anbiya:

لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا حِينَ لَا يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ

Translation: If only those who disbelieved knew when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs; and they will not be helped. [Surah Suratul Anbiya, verse 39]

The word for ward off is “yakuffoona”, “يَكُفُّونَ” and this is from the root word “ka-fa-fa” or “kaff” which means palm/hand. The disbelievers will not be able to put their hands out, avert or prevent themselves from the punishment. Imagine if something is coming towards your face, what is the first thing you would do? Cover and protect your face with your hands, right? The disbelievers will not be able to do this, they will not be able to avert or obstruct the fire from their faces. may Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) protect us from it, ameen. And Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) continues, “nor from their backs” وَلَا عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ Now if something came towards your face and you were not able to cover it your hands, what would you do then? Turn around and protect yourself with your back, right? The disbelievers will not even be able to do this when the fire comes to them, “and they will not be helped”. No one will be there for them. No helper or assistant to come and save them from the punishment.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) begins this ayah with “law” “if only” and these types of ayaat are throughout the Qur’an. Read the ayah again…Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) doesn’t answer what would happen if the disbelievers knew this, because the answer is left up to us and it is understood. The ‘if only’ in this ayah carries two meanings:
Firstly, if only the disbelievers knew: they would not ask for the punishment. They would not be hasty. They would not say the statements they say.
Secondly, “law” can be understood as “harf at-tamannu “, a statement of hope or wish. Like saying “Alas”, “I wish”, so “if only they knew”.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) continues:

بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةً فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ

Translation: Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden and will perplex them, and they will have no power to avert it, nor will they get respite. [Surah Suratul Anbiya, verse(s) 40]

“It” in this ayah can mean the fire or the day of Judgment. It will come to them “baghtah”, unexpectedly, suddenly, and without any alert. Then Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says, ” فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ ” “then it perplexed them”. This word is from “ba-ha-ta” and it literally means to bewilder and overwhelm someone. It means to astonish and shock someone in such a way that they cannot see anything. It will render the disbelievers speechless, because they are not expecting it at all. They will not be able to repel the punishment or the day of judgment and they will not be given respite. What does respite mean in this ayah? It means that they will not be given the chance to repent, to reform or offer an excuse to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). The time for that has passed.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) protect us from ever entering the fire and envelop us in His Rahmah and may He make our best deeds our last and guide us until we enter Firdaws, Ameen.

Reference

Al-Huda Institute Canada: Ta’leem Al Qur’an English course for women.

Posted in Arabic, Gems, Qur'an, Tafseer | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Where do you Stand with Allah?

June 7, 2008 – 7:49 pm

Bismillah

حدثنا زهير بن حرب وعثمان بن أبي شيبة وإسحاق بن إبراهيم قال إسحاق أخبرنا وقال الآخران حدثنا جرير عن منصور عن أبي وائل عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن الصدق يهدى إلى البر وإن البر يهدى إلى الجنة وإن الرجل ليصدق حتى يكتب صديقا وإن الكذب يهدى إلى الفجور وإن الفجور يهدى إلى النار وإن الرجل ليكذب حتى يكتب كذابا

Translation: Narrated ‘Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: Truthfulness (sidq) leads to righteousness (birr), and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes and is written as a truthful person (siddeeq). And Falsehood/lying (kithb) leads to Al-Fajoor (wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajoor (wickedness) leads to the Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar (kathaab). [Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Manners, #116]

Birr is from ba-ra-ra and it literally means a vast and open piece a land, with so many types of herbage and fruits. Birr means vastness of good deeds. Someone who is baarun (one who does birr) does all types of good deeds, and these people, al-abraar (plural of baarun), are those who are truly righteous. Next time you read the Qur’an, look for this word “al-abraar” (الابرار)and see which context these people are mentioned.

The hadeeth says that whoever is truthful, they will be lead to do these vast good deeds and then eventually they will be written as a “siddeeq”. Notice this word, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) did not say a ‘saadiq’, but he said ‘siddeeq’. A ‘siddeeq’ is way better than a saadiq. They not only tell the truth, they always speak the truth, and they stand by it and live by it until it becomes their nature. All they do is tell the truth, again and again. Think of Abu Bakr as-siddeeq (رضي الله عنه‏) and how he earned this name.

On the other hand, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said that the man who lies will be lead to “fujoor” and then is written as a kathaab. Al-Fujoor is from fa-jeem-ra and it means to break open, cross, and deviate (significance of words beginning with fa). Fujoor is also intensified and it shows that causing corruption and wickedness is embedded in this person’s nature. Their actions are based on it and it is part of their character. Also, the word for liar used is a “kathaab”, which is not just a kaathib (a liar), but a huge liar. One who is always lying until it’s just second nature for lies to come out of his mouth. All they do is lie, again and again. Think of Musaylimah al-kathaab and how he earned this name.

So the question is, where do we stand with Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)? How are you written with Him? As a siddeeq or a kathaab? This reminder is for myself first and foremost.

Allahumma ijalnaa min as-siddeeqeen, wa la tajalnaa min al-khaathibeen. O Allah, make us among those who are always truthful, and do not make us among those who are liars. Ameen!

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