Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Distraction
Surah al-Naml (The Ant) Chapter 27: Verse 4

"As for those who will not believe in the life to come, We make their deeds seem fair to them, and so they wander about in distraction."

Believing in the life to come is the motive that keeps whims and desires in check, urging us to lead a life of moderation. When such a belief is lacking, a person cannot restrain himself from pursuing wanton desires, thinking that his only chance for indulging in pleasure is that offered in this life. Yet life on earth is scarcely long enough to fulfil a small portion of what people desire or hope for. It is in the nature of human beings that they love immediate pleasure unless they are guided by a divine message that tells them of a future, permanent life that follows this short one, and that this life is but preparation for that future life. If they heed this guidance then they will find much greater pleasure in different types of pursuits.

It is God who has moulded human nature in this fashion, giving it the propensity to follow His guidance when it opes its receptive faculties to this, and the opposite propensity to remain blind when it shuts such faculties down. His will is always done, in both situations. They choose not to believe, and thus God's law comes into operation making their deeds seem fair and attractive to them. They cannot see any foul element in what they do and so remain unable to find a clear way leading them aright.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 13, pp. 108,109

From Issue: 735 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Diffusion of Sunna

The Prophet (peace be upon him) took the following measures to spread his Sunna:

1. Establishment of schools

'Schools' were established by the Prophet in Madina very soon after his arrival. His general policy was to send teachers and preachers to different areas outside Madina. For example delegates were sent to Adhal and Qara in 3 A.H., to Bir Mauna in 4 A.H., to Najran and to Yemen and Hadramaut in 9 A.H.

2. The Prophet's directions about diffusion of knowledge

The Prophet says: "Pass on knowledge from me even if it is only one verse." [Bukhari]

The same emphasis is noticeable in his orations at the farewell Hajj where the Prophet said: "Those who are present (here) should convey the message to those who are absent." [Bukhari] It was therefore, a common practice among Companions to tell absentees about the Prophet's deeds and sayings.

3. Creation of incentive for teachers and students

The Prophet not only gave directions to educate the people but also mentioned great rewards for teachers and students. He stated that learning and the pursuit of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim [Ibn Majah]. One who conceals knowledge is liable to go to Hell [Musnad], a fact which is mentioned in the Quran [Quran 2: 159, 174].

a) Reward for students:

The Prophet said: "If any one pursues a path in search of knowledge Allah will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise, and the angels spread their wings from good pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, and all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even fish in the depths of water, ask forgiveness for him." [Musnad]

b) Reward for teachers:

In this regard the Prophet said: "When a man dies, his acts come to an end, with three exceptions: Sadaqa Jariya (recurring charity), knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, and the prayers of a good offspring for him." [Muslim] It applies to both male and female.

Compiled From:
"Studies in Hadith Methodology and Literature" - M. M. Azami, pp.10, 11

From Issue: 864 [Read original issue]

Cool Tips!

Games that bring the family closer

Father's reading the newspaper, mother's on the telephone, brother's on the computer, sister's reading a book, and little Ahmad is playing with his toys. What do these people have in common?

Nothing. How can they be brought together?

Young and old, we all love games. What better way to share each other's company, learn about Islam and have fun at the same time than to play a game? Below are three games to play with the whole family.

1. 'Steps to Paradise' Board Game. This board game, made in England, has questions for different age or knowledge levels. Answer the questions on Islam as you move around the board. And if you have collected enough Sawab (reward) then you might be able to enter Paradise.

2. Question and Answer Cards. Pre-made cards with questions and answers on Islam are readily available. Split the family into two teams and compete with each other to see who has the most right answers. The 'losing' team can do something together for the 'winning' team, for example, cook dinner. (This may mean that dad and some of the children may be cooking dinner for mum!) If pre-made cards are not available, then get into your teams and design the questions for the other team to answer.

3. Treasure Hunting. Mum or Dad designs a treasure hunt for the rest of the family. The number of clues, in the form of questions, depends on how many letters the secret place that contains the prize has. For example, if a cake awaits them in the REFRIGERATOR then 13 questions are needed. The first question needs to have an answer starting with R. For example, "What is the name of Surah 13?" The answer is "Ra'd". Each first letter of the answers form the final word. Draw a map and place each question on a card at each location. Once the code is cracked all can share the prize.

An important note to keep in mind is that when teams are called for, make sure it's randomly selected. Also, for each game, team members will be different each time. If team members remain the same all the time, rivalry will be set up and not all members will have the chance to work with the others.

Compiled From:
"Saying it out loud - the easy way to teach children the daily Duas (supplications)" - Jameela Ho of Yagoona

From Issue: 527 [Read original issue]