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The Reality of Time

May 14, 2009 – 10:47 am

Note: this is our 14th post in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma.

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Allah says, in Surah ‘Asr:

وَالْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

“By Time. Indeed, mankind is at loss. Except for those who have believed, done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” [Asr: 1-3]

Allah swears by time–which shows how enormous and noble this creation is. Time.

Imam Shafi said about this revelation that had it been the only revelation sent to mankind, it would have been enough.  What motivated him to say this?
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Painting a Picture… a Really BIG Picture

April 23, 2009 – 11:09 am

Note: This is post #8 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma.

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As we continue on our journey through tafseer of Juz Amma, we come across Surah Takweer.  Surah Takweer begins with a description of the Day of Judgement.  What we have to keep in mind as we go through the surahs in chronological order is that these first surahs were teachhing big lessons and getting across major points.  In this Surah Allah t’Ala tells us to think about the bigger picture.  In fact Allah t’Ala shows us what the Day of Judgement will be like.  All of this to help get our minds to focus on the big picture in life.  And what could be bigger than the  Day of Judgement?

Let’s dive into the verses, to understand them more clearly.

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Making a Statement

April 15, 2009 – 5:04 pm

Note: This is the third post in our series of Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma.

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From the opening ceremonies, to the first move of world leaders, people like to send a message. The intense revelation of the Qur’an is no different. The timing, style and content, sends a message to the final Prophet (saw) and to all of humanity.

Allah (swt) starts the revelation commanding the Prophet to read “Recite in the name of your Lord who created.” The big statement? It’s all about knowledge. Allah reveals that knowledge will be the way of those who submit to him. Knowledge brings honour to our scholars and courage to our leaders. Knowledge is an Islamic tradition. The carriers of this deen understood and embraced this critical message – they embodied it.

Allah has, for his servants, put this message in context and given it some perspective. Allah instructs that all this knowledge is not an abstract pursuit of man, rather, is unconditionally linked to Himself. Allah continues, “Created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous.”

Intricate words for an intricate message. Allah mentions creation and the creation of man – separately, to show us how special we are. For us to link our pursuit of knowledge to Him we need to know Him, so Allah introduces Himself with the name Al-Aqram – the Most Generous. Who is more generous than the one: “Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.”

The pen is mentioned because writing is a way to preserve and share knowledge. Further driving home the main message. And, to top it off, Allah gives a small hint, mentioning a “clinging substance,” a detail of embryology only recently understood. Allah shares some knowledge elucidating that all knowledge is from Allah.

The message can be unwrapped layer by layer, exposing the grace and beauty of a simple and beneficial point, is all about knowledge. This message then necessitates the question: what have we done to make knowledge the cornerstone of our life?

Action Items:

  • If knowledge both Islamic (and worldly), isn’t at the core of your life, shouldn’t it be? Make a plan to increase your knowledge intake, for verily, as Allah has shown us, this is the place to start.
  • Comment and tell us your plan; share it, so we can all benefit, insha’Allah!
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Ramadan Tips

September 14, 2007 – 5:07 am

If you’re like me… and, well, probably a lot of other people, you won’t fully realize that Ramadan is here until you’re dragging yourself out of bed a few hours early to eat while it’s still dark.

Ramadan offers us a very unique opportunity. Ramadan offers us the opportunity to start fresh. It may not necessarily have the “wash-away-all-your-sins” publicity that Hajj does, but Ramadan gives us a chance to put ourselves through a mind, body and soul detoxification.

Fasting has always been an excellent way to clean out the body of impurities. With Shaitaan locked up during Ramadan, we also get a bit of a mental break. Add to that extra Nafl and we have a spiritual jackpot.

My suggestion then, is to make this Ramadan “Detoxification Month.”

What will this entail?

Body

First of all, don’t skip suhoor! And for you suhoor-lovers, no more super oily extra heavy food in the morning. Second, small iftaars (follow the Sunnah!). And finally, don’t spend half the night cramming food into yourselves and the other half praying taraweeh. Eat modestly and let your body deal with it.

Make sure you’re still getting the right amount of water. Try to have salad with your food and eat healthy, balanced meals.

Eating well during Ramadan is like running the entire month on Premium fuel, while cleaning out your system of all the toxins it has built up throughout the year. By the end of the month you should be feeling great inshallah.

Mind

Cut out TV, music, the radio. All extra sources of noise and distraction should be put to rest. The point? Often times we don’t reach higher levels of thought because our minds are so bogged down with useless information. Take sometime out everyday to re-evaluate yourself. Write down everything that’s on your mind. When you’ve cleared your head, think about your relationship with Allah–think about where it is, and where you want it to be.

Soul

How do you detoxify your soul? Good question. Start by reading this: http://www.jannah.org/articles/ (scroll down to the “purify yourself” part. Ask Allah for forgiveness and ask Allah for purification.

If you’re able to work on these three areas of detoxification throughout Ramadan, inshallah you’ll leave Ramadan on a new level. And this will inshallah give your iman a new boost until next Ramadan.

Posted in Islam, Sawm, Tazkiyyah | Comments (0)

The Role of the Masjid

March 19, 2007 – 6:20 pm

When the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) arrived in Medina, he built a masjid before doing anything else! The masjids the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) built were more than places to pray! Their functions included:

  1. A place for children: not a place where they cried and ran around but a place where they were accommodated. There are several narrations of how when the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) was praying, the children would come and climb on his back or he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would hold them while praying salah. The masjid was a cool place to hang out, it was where they learned the basic adaab and akhlaaq and principles of the Muslim society.
  2. Educational Center: The masjid acted as a school where the Sahaba were educated and were encouraged to learn more.
  3. Organization of the community: the masjid is where all the organizational events took place. It was in the masjid where the Sahaba learnt to become organized people – how the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would walk between the saff of the Muslims before every salah, to straighten and correct their saffs.
  4. Hospital: Many who were wounded or sick were tended in the masjid, such as Sa’d ibn Mu’adh (رضي الله عنه) after the Battle of Khandaq.
  5. Shelter: it was a shelter for the poor and needy (nicknamed As-Saffa). This is where people would bring in dates and hang them on the wall of the masjid, so any hungry person could eat from them.
  6. Social life: The Muslims met each other at the masjid five times a day, they got to know each other and were able to actively participate in each others’ lives. If someone was missing, they understood that there was a problem, so they would ask about it. Likewise, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) used to sit with the companions after Fajr sometimes and ask them about their dreams.
  7. Think-Tank: The masjid is where shura and brainstorming took place.
  8. Welcome Centre: Chiefs, delegations and visitors were all met and welcomed at the masjid.
  9. Serenity Spa: if someone had anything bothering them, they would go to the masjid. Like the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)–when he was upset with his wives, he went to the masjid. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would call to Bilal (رضي الله عنه) to make the adhaan and start the prayer.
  10. Bedouin Retreat: Bedouins would come, sit in the majalis, learn the Qur’an, ask their questions, go back home, and teach their people the deen. Whole tribes became Muslim from one or two bedouins!

How far we have fallen from this blessed example of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)! We should all take it upon ourselves to enliven our masjids–only then will we truly experience the true benefits of them the way the companions did.

References

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

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