General
From Issue: 312 [Read full issue]
| Living the Quran |
Al-Inshiqaq
(The Rending)
Man certainly labours hard in this life, shouldering his responsibilities and exerting himself. All this he does in order to return, in the end, like all the rest of creation, to Allah. Man labours even for what he enjoys! Nothing in this life comes easily or without effort: if sometimes no physical labour is needed, then surely some mental and emotional effort will be required. In this the rich and poor are alike, although the labour exerted may differ in kind and form. This address reminds man that labouring hard, in a variety of ways, is the lot of all in this life on earth. But when men meet their Lord, they will fall into two groups: one will suffer hardship incomparable to that suffered on earth; another consisting of those who have demonstrated their obedience and true submission, will enjoy the blessings of a rest in which the suffering of this life will be forgotten. He who is given his book in his right hand is the happy one who was true to his faith. Allah is pleased with him and rewards him well. He will have a lenient reckoning, that is to say that he will not be called to account for what he did in his life (Bukhari, Muslim, at Tirmidhi, an Nasai). He shall win "and return rejoicing tohis people", who will also have won and arrived in heaven ahead of him. We deduce from this statement that those who accept the faith in this life and adhere to the right path will gather together in heaven. Everyone ends up with those whom he loves and enjoys their company. We also have an image of the winner's all-important test: he returns with his face overflowing with happiness. This image is the extreme opposite of what happens to the afflicted who has to account for his evil deeds and receives his book with reluctance. But he who is given his book behind his back shall call down destruction upon himself and shall roast in the fire of Hell. The Quran usually makes a distinction between receiving the book with one's right hand or left hand. Here we have a new image: the book is given from behind the back. There is no reason to prevent the combination of anyone being given the book in his left hand and from behind his back at the same time. It is an image of one who feels great shame and hates to be confronted with what he has done. We have no real knowledge of the nature of this book or how it is given in one's right or left hand or behind one's back. But we comprehend from the first expression the reality of escape and from the second the reality of doom. This is indeed what we are meant to appreciate. The various forms of expression are used mainly to drive the point to us and to enhance its effects. The exact knowledge of what will happen and how it will happen belongs to Allah. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| Nourishing Our Worship To nourish one's worship, one should allocate a certain time to read and think deeply about the Glorious Quran. Reading the Quran in the morning helps one to understand its message soberly, to ponder the awesome future of man, and to lament the melancholy fate of those who ignore the promises of Allah. The messenger of Allah said: "The Quran was revealed in all gravity, so when you read it try to be contemplative." (Abu Ya’la and Abu Naim). The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The best worship for my ummah is reading the Quran." (narrated by Abu Naim). Abdullah Ibn Masud related that the Prophet said:
In his advice to Abu Dharr the Prophet told him: "Recite the Quran because this will cast light on the earth from the heavens?" [Narrated by Ibn Haban] Source: |
| Cool Concepts |
Lessons and Moralities from the Battle of Uhud In the story of Uhud and what happened to the Muslims there, there are important virtues and wise lessons. The Muslims recognized the evil results of disobedience, and the danger of doing what is prohibited, as is the lesson in what happened when the Messenge, peace be upon him, ordered the archers to maintain their position and not to vacate it. [Most of the archers disobeyed the Messenger.] It is also customary that the Messengers be tried and they experience some suffering. And the wisdom in this is that when they are continually victorious, some people who are not believers will join them, and the truthful will not be distinguishable from the others. But if they are continually defeated then the objective of the mission would never be met. So the wisdom in the presence of both circumstances is the distinction between the truthful and the deceitful. The hypocrisy of the hypocrites was hidden from the Muslims, but when this event took place, and the hypocrites openly behaved as they did, then things became very clear and the Muslims recognized that they had enemies in their own home. Then they could prepare for them and be on guard against them. And by delaying victory in some cases, the pride of the soul is restricted and diminished, for when the believers are tried, they are patient while the hypocrites grieve. Allah has prepared exalted abodes for His believing servants which they could never attain by their deeds alone, so He has given them trials and adversities that bring them to it. Martyrdom is among the highest ranks of the true friends of Allah, and Allah wants to destroy His enemies, so He makes causes for them by which they will deserve that end, due to their disbelief, their tyranny and transgression against His friends. By such the believers' sins are wiped out, and they are imposed upon the disbelievers. Source: |
