Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Blind Following
Al-Kahf (The Cave) - Chapter 18: Verses 4-5

"and that He may warn those who say, "God has taken a child." They have no knowledge thereof, nor do their fathers. A monstrous word it is that issues from their mouths. They speak naught but a lie."

"To take a child" is a Quranic idiom meaning to assume special paternal responsibility for a child, to recognize a child, to take the child to oneself or into one's care. This wording choice criticizes not just the belief that God could somehow "beget" a child, but the idea that He would single any individual human being out for that special relationship (even through adoption, for example).

The Quran repeatedly rejects the notion that God has offspring of any kind, whether it be the idolatrous Makkan belief that the angels were God's daughters or various claims made by or attributed to Jews or Christians. Given that this is a Makkan surah, however, these verses are likely referring to the idolatrous belief regarding the angels.

Those who make such claims have no knowledge thereof, nor do their fathers, meaning that their claim derives not from knowledge, but from gross ignorance and blindly following the belief of their ancestors without exercising independent though. In the Quran, blindly following one's forefathers rather than using one's intelligence to discern the truth of the messages brought by the Prophets is presented and criticized as a common human tendency.

That the claim that God has offspring is called monstrous expresses the moral gravity of this claim as well as the shock and surprise that such a claim should elicit. That the claim issues from their mouths emphasizes that it is something completely fabricated for which they have no valid source.

Compiled From:
"The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary" - Seyyed Hossein Nasr

From Issue: 885 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Envy, Deceit, Hatred

Abu-Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, said that God's Messenger, may God's peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said, "Do not envy each other. Do not shill-bid each other. Do not hate each other." Reported by Muslim.

The statement of the Prophet, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, "Do not envy each other," means do not wish for others to lose the blessings that they have. This is haram. In another hadith, the Prophet says, "Do not envy each other for envy eats good deeds the way fire eats firewood or timber.[Abu Dawud]" Jealousy, on the other hand, is wishing to have what others have without wishing them not to have what they have. Sometimes the word envy is used in place of the word jealousy since they are close in meaning. For example, the Prophet, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, says, "People shouldn't envy anyone except two: a wealthy person who spends the wealth to do good deeds, and a wise person who uses the wisdom to be just and who teaches the wisdom to others.[Bukhari]" "People shouldn't envy anyone except two" means people shouldn't be jealous of anyone except two.

The statement of the Prophet, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, "Do not shill-bid each other," means do not deceive each other by artificially raising the price of goods. Ibn-Qutaybah said that the word shill-bidding (in Arabic) comes from the word deception. A hunter is called a shill-bidder because it deceives its prey.

The statement of the Prophet, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, "Do not hate each other," means do not do wrongful acts that make you hate each other. Hatred corrupts the religion.

Compiled From:
"Ibn-Daqiq's Commentary on the Nawawi Forty Hadiths" - Ibn Daqiq Al-Eid

From Issue: 1040 [Read original issue]

Cool Tips!

A Quick Checklist Of Ramadan

• Make a resolve to win the maximum favour of Allah: perform extra voluntary prayers (Nawaafil), make frequent Du'a and increase remembrance (Dhikr).
• Try to recite some Quran after every Prayer. In fact if you read 3-4 pages after every Prayer you can easily finish the entire Quran in Ramadan! Study theQuranic Tafseer (commentary) every morning.
• Invite a person you are not very close with to your home for Iftar, at least once a week. You will notice the blessings in your relationships!
• Bring life to your family! Everyday, try to conclude the fast with your family and spend some quality time together to understand each other better.
• Give gifts on 'Eid to at least 5 people: 2 to your family members, 2 to your good friends, and 1 to a person whom you love purely for the sake of Allah.
• Commit to an Islamic study circles to enhance your Islamic knowledge and practice. Plan to complete reading a book on Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) life in these 30 days.
• Donate generously to the masajid, Islamic organizations, and any where people are in need. "This is a month of sharing!"
• Share Ramadan and its teachings of love & patience with your neighbours. Learn how at http://www.soundvision.com/info/ramadan/
• Initiate a project to promote or revive a ‘forgotten’ social cause in the Muslim and non-Muslim community: fight against racism, AIDS, drugs, cancer, smoking…etc.
• Did you know, our society, which constitutes only 20% of world’s population, actually consumes 80% of world’s resources! Volunteer at food bank or Anti-Poverty campaign, while fasting!
• Seek the rare and oft-neglected rewards of 'the night better than a 1000 months', Laylatul-Qadr.
• Weep in private for the forgiveness of your sins: It is the month of forgiveness and Allah's Mercy! It's never too late.
• Learn to control your tongue and lower your gaze. Remember the Prophet's warning that lying, backbiting, and a lustful gaze all violate the fast! Abandon foul language forever.
• Encourage others to enjoin and love goodness, and to abandon everything evil. Play the role of a Da'ee (one who invites to Allah) with passion and sympathy.
• Experience the joy of Tahajjud prayers late at night and devote yourself purely and fully to Allah in the I'tikaf retreat during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Compiled From:
"Ramadan: A Time for Revival or Survival?" - Young Muslims Publication [Download and distribute]

From Issue: 592 [Read original issue]