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From Issue: 403 [Read full issue]

Living the Quran

Al-Araf (The Heights)
Chapter 7: Verse 38 (Partial)

Doubled for all
"Every time a new people enters, it curses its sister-people (that went before), until they follow each other, all into the Fire. Saith the last about the first: "Our Lord! it is these that misled us: so give them a double penalty in the Fire." He will say: "Doubled for all" : but this ye do not understand."

The earlier generation committed a double crime: (1) their own sin, (2) the bad example they set for those that followed. We are responsible not only for our misdeeds, but for those also which our example and our teaching to our juniors may induce them to commit. But it does not lie in the mouth of the juniors to ask for a double punishment for seniors: the motive is not justice, but pure spite, which is itself a sin. Further, the later generations have to answer for two things: (1) their own sins and (2) their failure to learn from the past, from the experiences of those who preceded them.

Compiled From:
“The Glorious Quran: Meaning and Translation” - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Understanding the Prophet's Life

The THREE Major Phases of Prophet's Day

Ordinary men generally retire to their private residence for rest and pleasure, but Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never knew the leisure of that sort. His work did not end with his coming home-- only a new order of engagements and activities commenced which filled most of his private time. The jurists generally refer to THREE phases of his private life as follows:

(1)- The Family Phase, where he received his wives and fulfilled his duties as husband, father, father-in-law. Every day, he received all his wives in private audience, in the late afternoon, though of course he spent the night and some part of the day with one of them, by rotation.

(2)- A Personal Phase, which he took for himself. But it was during this time that he received an endless flow of guests and visitors-- some attracted no doubt, by the grace of his noble company, others seeking religious and moral guidance, still others with needs, demands, problems and disputes. Thus the Prophet had to fulfil a variety of highly diversified roles, ranging from that of gracious host, munificent giver, teacher, arbiter, governor and judge, as well as friend and companion.

(3)- The Spiritual Phase, normally placed towards the last third of the night, was perhaps the most important of his private life. Ever since he received his initial revelation at (Cave) Hira, Allah commanded him to observe and perform Qiyaam al-Layl (night vigil in prayer). Qiyaam al-Layl was prescribed as the method of self-preparation for the projected role of the Messenger of God, which the Prophet was destined to fulfil in the remaining portion of his life. No description of the private life of the Prophet can be adequate without taking into consideration all three of these phases of his day.

Compiled From:
"Sunshine at Madinah" – Zakaria Bashier, pp. 141-142

Blindspot

Relaxing the Mind

Following the Prophet's (peace be upon him) example, his noble and pure Companions also enjoyed humour and laughter, play and sport, which relaxed their bodies and minds and prepared them better to travel on the long, arduous path of striving in the cause of truth and justice. Ali bin Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Minds get tired, as do bodies, so treat them with humour," and "Refresh your minds from time to time, for a tired mind becomes blind." And Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger in the service of the Truth."

Accordingly, there is no harm in the Muslim's entertaining himself in order to relax his mind or refreshing himself with some permissible sport or play with his friends. However, the pursuit of pleasure should not become the goal of his life so that he devotes himself to it, forgetting his religious obligations. Nor should he joke about serious matters. It has been aptly said, "Season your conversation with humour in the same proportion as you season your food with salt."

The Muslim is forbidden to joke and laugh about other people's values and honor. Allah says: "O you who believe, let not some people mock at other people; it may be that they are better than you..." (49:11). Nor is it appropriate for the Muslim to tell jokes based on what is untrue in order to make people laugh. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned us against this, saying. "Woe to the one who says something which is false in order to make people laugh! Woe to him, woe to him!" (Collected by at-Tirmidhi)

Compiled From:
"The Lawful and The Prophibited in Islam" – Yusuf al-Qaradawi, pg. 292

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