Today's Reminder
April 20, 2024 | Shawwal 11, 1445
Living The Quran
Baptism of God
Al-Baqara (The Cow) - Chapter 2: Verse 138
"The baptism of God, and who is better than God in baptism? And we are worshippers of Him."
The baptism of God renders sibghat Allah, which could also be translated "the coloring of God." The verb sabagha means "to dye," which involves plunging cloth in liquid and more generally means to cause someone to enter into something. The baptism of God can refer back to the creed of Abraham or it can be read as an adverbial clause connected to We believe in God. Thus one explanation is that the baptism (sibghah) is the primordial nature (fitrah) in human beings, which they bear the way a cloth bears its original color and which is the upright religion.
Some commentators mention Christian baptism and understand this verse to assert the superiority of Islam, as the true baptism of God, over the Christian rite. Other interpretations include sibghah as "purification" and also as the wont of God, God's "wont" being His unchanging actions in relation to the world. For others the sibghah may denote God's religion. These interpretations can be seen as complementary, as God's wont, religion, creed, and purification have overlapping significance, and all are brought out by the range of meaning in the term sibghah in the sense of an original dye or coloration by God in the fabric of existence.
Compiled From:
"The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary" - Seyyed Hossein Nasr
From Issue: 871 [Read original issue]
Understanding The Prophet's Life
Arrogance
Abdullah bin Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "He who has, in his heart, an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah.'' Someone said: "A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?'' Messenger of Allah said, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people.''[Muslim].
The Hadith says that a man who has even an iota of pride in his heart will be barred from entering Jannah. The Hadith word used for the smallest amount means in Arabic either the smallest ant or the particle which is radiated by sun-rays and seen through a wall-chink. Obviously, such a particle has almost a non-existent amount, but even this much is disapproved by Allah. If pride incites a man to deny the existence of Allah and His Revelation, he is sure to be thrown into Hell. He also faces Divine displeasure and the danger of infernal fire if mere consideration of riches, physical beauty, social and intellectual prominence and family status makes him proud and self-conceited and he looks down upon others, or persists in the denial of Truth. First, he will receive punishment and only then will be admitted into Jannah. A good dress, however, is not counted the sign of pride.
Compiled From:
"Riyad-us-Saleheen" - Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi
From Issue: 1058 [Read original issue]
Blindspot!
Truth of Our Claim
To pronounce the two sentences of the Confession of Faith (Shahada) ('There is no god but God - Muhammad is God's Messenger') is obligatory as an affirmation of the Divine Unity and testimony to the singleness of the One to Whom all worship is due. Complete fulfilment of this obligation requires that he who affirms the Divine Unity should direct his love to none but the One, the Unique, for love tolerates no partnership. There is little value in mere verbal affirmation. The degree of love is tested only by separating the lover from other things he loves.
Now, worldly goods are an object of love in everybody's eyes, being the means by which they enjoy the benefits of this world; because of them they become attached to life and shy away from death, even though death leads to meeting the Beloved. The truth of our claim to love God is therefore put to the test, and we are asked to give up the wealth which is the darling apple of our eye.
Compiled From:
"Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship" - Imam al-Ghazali
From Issue: 1051 [Read original issue]