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Issue 105 » February 16, 2001 -

General

QURAN

Translation:

"You see their eyes overflow with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth."

[Al-Quran- Sura Al-Maidah 5:83]

Tafseer:

Tears in the Eyes: Response to the Powerful Message
  • While reciting and studying the Quran, let the response in your heart, to what  you read, overflow through your eyes. These tears of joy or of fear should be your answer to the powerful message of the Quran.
  • Only with an inattentive heart, or a dead heart, will the eyes remain dry.
Weeping: Sign of Real Encounter with the Quran
  • The Quran emphasizes this participation of the eyes —not always out of fear, but mostly out of joy on finding the truth, on realizing His infinite mercy, on seeing God's promises being fulfilled: "They fall down upon their faces, weeping" (Al-Isra 17: 109). Often the Prophet, (peace be on him), his Companions, and those like them who had a real encounter with the Quran, would weep when they recited it. By embarking on a journey through Quran, we may also experience it, as the Quran came to everyone one of us.
  • The Prophet (peace be on him) is reported to have said: "Surely the Quran has been sent down with sorrow. So when you read it, make yourself sorrowful"  (Abu Ya'la, Abu Nu'aym). According to another Hadith: "Read the Quran and weep. If you do not weep spontaneously make yourself weep" (Ibn Majah).
A Reason to Cry: Realization of YOUR Responsibilities!
  • Tears will not take long to well up and trickle down your cheeks once you reflect and think about what the Quran is saying, and that it is addressing YOU. You may make yourself cry, if you think of the heavy responsibilities, the warnings and the good tidings that the Quran brings to you.
[Compiled from "Way To The Quran" by Ustadh Khurram Murad. Also available online at http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/]
 
From the Lives of the Prophet (pbuh) & his Companions (R)
 
Helping the Needy- Prophet's Far-sighted Approach
* Story of how the Prophet (pbuh) taught a person to earn his living *
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The story is told of man from among the Muslims of Madinah who came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked for some nourishment. The Prophet (pbuh) never rejected any request for help. At the same time he did not like to encourage begging or dependence. He therefore asked the man, "Don't you have anything in your house?" "Yes," said the man. "A saddle blanket which we wear sometimes and which we spread on the floor sometimes, and a container from which we drink water."
 
"Bring them to me," said the Prophet (pbuh), who then took the items and asked some of his companions, "Who will buy these two articles?" "I will," said one man, "for one dirham." Another said, "I will take them for two dirhams." The Prophet (pbuh) sold the articles for two dirhams which he handed over to the man and said, "With one dirham, buy food for your family and with the other buy an axe and bring it to me."
 
The man returned with the axe. The Prophet (pbuh) split a log of wood with it and then instructed the man: "Go and gather firewood and I do not want to see you for fifteen days." This the man did and after two weeks had made a profit of ten dirhams. With some of the money he bought food and with some he bought clothes. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was pleased and said to him, "This is better than getting a bolt on your face on the Day of Resurrection."
 
This true story emphasizes that as an adult Muslim and in particular when you have a family, you have the obligation to work. You are required to use your initiative and whatever resources you may have, to earn a living. If you fail to do so you face the prospect of "getting a bolt on your face" or in other words of suffering some form of disgrace due to your inactivity and dependence on others.
 
The story also points to the most effective method of offering aid and support to someone. If you provide handouts to people who are well, able-bodied, and have some resources, however small, you would not in fact be offering effective help to that person. You may help to meet an immediate pressing need, but it will only be a one-off, short term remedy. You will in fact be encouraging dependence and the lack of self-respect and esteem in the person you wish to help.
 
By his simple, practical and far-sighted approach, the noble Prophet (pbuh) showed how people can be made to help themselves and how they can be motivated to seek long-term solutions to meet their basic needs. "Charity is not Halal (permissible) for the rich or the able-bodied," emphasized the Prophet (peace be upon him).
 
[Taken from "Islam- The Natural Way" by Abdul Wahid Hamid, pg. 56-57]
 
Reflections on Tazkiya and Self-Development
Willpower (Irada), not Desires, is needed!
 
Following is one the prerequisites of Tazkiya (Self-development):
 
4- Sustaining Willpower (Irada) :
 
To achieve the ultimate goal in life requires a sustained determination to do so, a willpower that is forever responsive and strong. In Quranic terminology this is called irada. Irada is basic to all our efforts. Without willing to do something you cannot do anything. Irada is the key to our self and character-development
 
Irada is very different from desire. You always hear people reflecting upon unfulfilled aspirations. One of the main reasons why aspirations and dreams remain unfulfilled is that they are no more than desires which faded to assume the status of irada.
 
The Quran explains that one of the basic weaknesses in human nature which prevents our self-development is the weakness of will. While narrating the story of Adam, Allah informs: "And, indeed, long ago We made Our covenant with Adam; but he forgot and We found no firmness of purpose in him." [Ta Ha 20:115]
 
Irada to change you life requires strength and consistency and is indeed the antithesis of doubt or hesitation. Once  your irada is firmly in place, then you must have no doubts and you must not hesitate.
 
Now, what purpose should irada serve? The Quran, in 17:19, makes it clear that this will power must be a firm resolve to seek the pleasure of Allah because this is the part of the bargain that you must deliver.
 
To be continued in the next issue....
 
[Taken from "In the Early Hours" by Ustadh Khurram Murad (Rahimahullah), edited by Riza Mohammed. Now also available at http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/default.asp]
 
15 Points on the Wisdom of Prohibition of Alcohol
 
Following is a list of reasons and wisdom behind the prohibition of drinking alcohol in Islam:
 
10- Muslims believe that the prophets of God did not taste alcoholic beverages and that alcohol was prohibited in the original scriptures of the divinely revealed religions.
 
11- Alcoholic beverages have some benefits, but sin and harm resulting from their consumption are far greater than their benefits, as Allah says in the Quran, "They will ask you concerning alcoholic beverages and gambling. Say (to them): In each of them their lies serious vice, as well as some benefits for mankind; yet their sin is greater than their usefulness" (Sura Al-Baqara 2: 219).
 
12- Alcohol brings God's (Allah's) curse down on those who drink it, as well as on those who plant or cultivate its raw materials, produce, sell or deal with it, and those who participate in drinking parties, a warning which was given to us in a Hadith by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
 
To be continued in the next issue....
 
[Compiled from "The Adolescent Life" by Dr. Ahmad Sakr]