Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Perverse Nature
Al-Baqara (The Cow) Sura 2: Verse 258 (partial)

"Allah does not give guidance to wrongdoers."

This sums up the basic principle concerning guidance and error. The term zalimin (wrongdoers or unjust persons) in Quranic terminology refers to those who misuse the gifts and faculties given to them by Allah. Instead of considering them as Allah's blessings and being grateful to Him, they regard them as theirs by right — a privilege that they deserve. Consequently, they become proud and insolent like Iblis, the Devil. Instead of obeying Allah and adoring Him, they install themselves over others as their gods and lords. Such people, the Quran says, are unjust and become wrongdoers and are left to grope in darkness all their lives. No matter how clear and plain the message of truth is, because of their perverse nature, they always find some excuse to refute and reject it. Like Nimrod, they are sometimes dazzled by truth, but they cannot see clearly. They may at times be puzzled and rendered speechless, yet they will not embrace the truth and walk in its path.

Compiled From:
"Pondering Over The Qur'an: Surah al-Fatiha and Surah al-Baqarah" - Amin Ahsan Islahi

From Issue: 964 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Gates of Goodness

On the Authority of Muaadh Ibn Jamal (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Shall I not inform you of the gates of goodness? [They are] fasting [which] is a shield, charity [which] extenguishes the sins like water extinguishes a fire and the prayer of a man in the depths of the night." [Recorded by al-Tirmidhi]

In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has called fasting a shield, like the shield that one uses in the battlefield. The shield protects a person from the enemy and fasting protects a person from committing sins and from entering the Hell-fire.

Ibn Rajab points out that fasting is a shield only if the act of fasting is not harmed by foul or improper speech. Then Ibn Rajab makes the point that if fasting is not a shield from committing sins in this world, it will not be a shield from the Hell-fire in the next. Al-Baitaar points out that the word for shield is in the indefinite. This implies that it can be every type of shield. It is a shield from the Hell-fire, from Allah's anger, from disease in this world, from straying from the Straight Path, from becoming arrogant and so forth.

The reference here is to voluntary charity not the obligatory zakat. Furthermore, the sins referred to here are the minor sins that are between a human and Allah. The major sins are not included here nor are the acts of wrong done toward others. The major sins are not extinguished by charity but are in need of repentance. Wrong done toward others need their forgiveness.

The word jauf when used along with the word night means the middle of the night. That is the case here. There are many aspects that make the late-night prayer special. First and foremost, it is a prayer. The best action or matter is prayer. Second, the prayer said in the late-night is more virtuous than the voluntary prayers during the day because it is further from ostentation and being done for show. Furthermore, it is easy to have the fear of Allah and concentrate on the prayer in the late-night prayer as there are few disturbances at that time. It increases one's sincerity to Allah.

Compiled From:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo, pp 1093-1101

From Issue: 695 [Read original issue]

Blindspot!

Rightful Measure

To stand for moderation and balance is a defining element of the Quranic vision of Muslim community, which is described as ummatan wasatan (2:143), a justly balanced nation that shuns extremism and over-indulgence even in things which might otherwise be praiseworthy and desirable. Moderation also signifies the ideals of an Islamic personality and civilization, for in it lies the essence of all virtues that Islam promotes.

Moderation means avoidance of extremes consisting either of laxity and neglect or exaggeration and excess. A perusal of the source evidence shows that moderation is unqualified and multidimensional and it permeates all aspects of Islam, including personal conduct, law, morality and culture, even matters of worship. There are reports in the hadith literature that the Prophet discouraged extremism even in acts of devotion (ibadat) and instructed his community to 'give everything its rightful measure'. Common sense tells us that severity and extremism do not yield good results, rather it is rationality, enlightenment, good planning, consultation and perseverance that constitute important components of moderation and balance.

Compiled From:
"Shariah Law - An Introduction" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, p.218

From Issue: 613 [Read original issue]