Reflections from October 31, 2006

"That man can have nothing but what he strives for ;( 39) that (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight: (40) and afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment;" (41) [An-Najm: 39-41]

Striving for What?
Allah mentions in these verses that every person will be given according to what they strove for, and shortly that striving will be seen.
I wonder, what am I striving for? What are my efforts going towards? What is taking my energy? And I also wonder, if I was to see it, this thing, that occupies my day and leaves me exhausted, will I cringe, will I be ashamed to see what I have given importance to in my life?
Before I lie down to sleep if I was to write about what I did today, what has made me tired, what would be on that list? Household chores, mindless conversations, unnecessary trips to the mall, overeating, over socializing... How would I feel for this to be analyzed and looked upon by Allah and every person on the Day of Judgment?
What does my striving show about me as a person? Am I deluded by this world, do my actions and my efforts show that I do not really have conviction that Allaah will raise me, show me what I have done, and question me? Am I satisfied with the comforts and small pleasures in this life...because it would seem everything that we give priority and work for is a means of betterment for ourselves in this world, or for extra comfort and luxury. We work hard at school/college/university so we may get good jobs, earn money live well, be given respect. We clean our houses with vigor and decorate for our own comfort here. We socialize and buy many things to fill the void within ourselves, to make ourselves 'content'.
If only we could remember death, that our life is short, one that is reaching towards the end. If only we could have yaqeen (conviction) in what Allaah will give for our efforts for the Akhira, that it will be real, that it will last forever and that it will be far superior to anything in this world.
May Allaah make us focused in our lives, and help us to spend or energy and efforts in that which will benefit us ultimately. Aameen.
- Samera Nawaz (London)

You have to strive to survive. This has been the concept today and since the beginning of time. When one gives up striving he then becomes a loser. In day to day life we have to strive to live, strive to earn, strive to support. You get paid because of how much you strive at work. This is a cycle of this dunya. To get the best, you always have to strive. You know you have to strive to pass classes in school, get scholarships, get good jobs, and be successful in life. What about your Akhirah? You can’t just slack off and expect to get Jannah. You have to strive to get Jannah, strive to get Allah's pleasure, strive for Allah's mercy; you can’t just sit there and expect it all. Just the way you strive in this life to make your dunya, strive to make your Akhirah. Remember you only get what you strive for.
- Ayesha Ahmed (Texas)

In Surah An-Najm verses 39-41, Allah (s.w.t) is reminding us that; there shall be nothing for a man except for what he strives for, his effort will be scrutinized, and he shall be fully recompensed for it.
When we went over these verses in tafseer class, lots of questions arose. What it is that we are striving for? This temporary life? Where is our effort being put? We work hard, and get tired at the end of the day; Why not add something to those efforts that will last us an eternity?
Do we really believe that it is Allah that will reward us? Are we willing to wait for that? Or would we rather be immediately 'rewarded' (with praise, high status in society, etc.) by other humans? Will that be of any use to us when we stand before Allah?
What part of our efforts have we saved for the Hereafter? When our efforts from this life are scrutinized, how much will be left for Allah to reward us with?
The reason Allah (s.w.t) created us, is to test us. To see how much, who will strive, and in what direction? We need to step back, take a look at ourselves and re-think our purpose in life. With how much conviction do we believe in the Hereafter? Where and for what have we been striving for? And InshaAllah from now on what will we be the striving for? Once we are convinced that we must work for the next, eternal life and that it is our Creator that will reward us, InshaAllah we should be headed in the right direction.
- Ayesha Baig (California)

What do you strive for... what do you work for... what do you sweat for......
- Nabila Naz (New Jersey)

Man will get what he has strived for! What do I strive for? For worldly things, we are willing to give up our lives. Studying for university we can spend sleepless nights, give up outings with friends, forget about food, nothing matters... because we have a goal in front of us and we are so focused on it that we don't even realize what exactly we are giving up. But the minute it comes to Quran, we think of all these things first. Why have we lost our focus, why are we so reluctant to give up even a small thing for Allah. The answer is...we need to have full YAQEEN that Allah will surely and definitely give us reward for our efforts. So lets start and change something today, and do it Only and Solely for Allah.
- Saba Paracha

That to thy Lord is the final Goal; [An-Najm: 42]
Are we striving to achieve the final goal… success in the hereafter?
People have different goals in life. Some give their profession their priority, some keep making money as their aim, and some live for their families and so on. Their lives revolve around all this. They have very limited approach towards their lives. They either do not have any concept of the hereafter or it’s vague. Their busy involvement in other aspects of life makes them forget about the biggest and most obvious fact; which is that they will die one day.
Our goals set our directions. If it’s not akhira based, would it lead us to success? As is said in surah Al-Kahf: 103-105."Say: shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life. While they thought that they are acquiring good by their works. They are those who deny the signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him {in the here after}: vain will be their works. Nor shall We, on the day of judgment, give them any weight."
- Ayesha Asad (Etobicoke)

"As for those who avoid the [truly] grave sins and shameful deeds - even though they may some­times stumble behold, thy Sustainer is abounding in forgiveness. He is fully aware of you when He brings you into being out of dust, and when you are still hidden in your mothers’ wombs: do not, then, consider your­selves pure - [for] He knows best as to who is conscious of Him."[An-Najm: 32]
The problem with us is that we want to look good in the sight of others, we want to get people's praise, and we want every one to be impressed with us… For this desire of acceptance, we go about doing anything… We sometimes force ourselves to do the things which can get us people's praises...
All this striving for satisfying our Nafs...
Why can't we put the same amount of efforts to make us worthy of angel's praise and Allah's pleasure?
- Maryam Saeed (Mississauga)

Allah knows us since...
Allah knows me since I was created from the earth!, I have known this reality for many years, but reading this verse with word to word translation in class and at home sort of brought the reality into a real image in front of me...He knows me before a part of me was a chromosomal unit inside my mum's body, He knows my "ingredients"... He knowsmy structural constituents...in fact upon His command was I formed in the form of a zygote and onwards, He must've said "Be" and I became...and one day [that He has already written in His book] upon His command I shall cease to be!...Is it sanely conceivable then that I should live the period between the 2 commands in His disobedience...? I keep giving myself reminders but I keep falling into oblivion as well....simultaneously.How foolish of me then to try and "provide" Or "present" an image of my Iman... even when I make dua in a dark corner in my room with no one but Him listening and seeing me... let alone in the presence of others. He knows us inside out... that's a very complex reality, but the more I think about it, I feel as if that's the only most powerful motivator for us to rise above our weaknesses and weave the fabric of our character thicker andstronger... upon Taqwa.
He knows us from before day 1... It’s promising too! He would know then wherewe are coming from when we "flee towards Him"... and will reward for every inch! As much as its embarrassing to look back at how we've lived far from the required "momin" criteria, and how we've portrayed ourselves in front of the whole world, it’s also kind of comforting that He knows what went into making us, what we are, and what we were, and that as in verse 40: "And indeed his efforts/ deeds will be seen"May Allah help us keep striving for the sake of His Pleasure Aameen.
- Aasiya Amir (Mississauga)

Learn to Cry
That [Last Hour] which is so near draws ever nearer, (57) [although] none but God can unveil it. (58) Do you, perchance, find this tiding strange? (59) And do you laugh instead of weeping, (60) and divert yourselves all the while? (61) [Nay,] but prostrate yourselves before God, and worship [Him alone]! (62) [An-Najm: 58-62]
These Ayahs talk about Qiyamah... that it is very close and is drawing near... people question much about it, they make fun, not taking it seriously, and some actually want to see it!!... Today, each time I did my lesson, ayah 60 caught my attention and I had to stop each time with stress 'Do you wonder at this revelation, and laugh instead of weeping?'...why is it that we think there is time! That Qiyamah is far! The major signs have not appeared yet! Do we really have time? What about the previous generation who passed away!! Do THEY still have time?? NOO… our time, our Qiyamah is when we die...Qiyamah may apparently seem too far and will come with warnings, but our death is surely near and uncertain. What is it then that makes us so relaxed and negligent of our END [result]… isn’t it time to make ourselves cry?...time to train our hearts to cry out of Allah's fear and over our sins?
- Salma Ghansar (Mississauga)

Sincerity
Have you then seen him who turns his back? And gives a little and (then) withholds. [An-Najm: 33-34]
When things are going well and according to our own desires we find it very easy to do good. However, as soon as the situation starts to become a little difficult or against our wishes, we tend to become lazy and the motivation to do good decreases. Furthermore, when there is no appreciation or praise from others, one starts getting even more discouraged and may even stop doing good deeds all-together. Why does this happen? This is a result of weak Iman. A real Mu’min does not care about these petty issues, rather, whatever good he does is only for the sake of Allah and he wants his reward only from Him. Thus, he does not despair if he meets hardships along the way or people don’t appreciate his efforts, rather, he remains steadfast in doing good – no matter what. This is a huge test from Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala – to see that in times of both hardship and ease who will continue to keep his duty to Him. We have to accept the fact that nothing in this dunya is perfect and everything will not always be according to our own wishes. If our Iman is strong and we truly have the desire to do good purely for the sake of Allah, then Allah will make it easier for us to do good and we will InshaAllah overcome any obstacles and hardships that come our way. This is the attitude of a true Mu’min who’s Iman is firm.
- Maryam Hameed (Ottawa)

Sincerity
What is sincerity? if you look it up in the dictionary it will tell you freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; probity in intention or in communicating; earnestness.Who or what are we sincere for? For people or for Allah? If we were to be honest and upright in our intention don't you think we would be a little bit more focused? There would be no double standards. If we were sincere we would look for deeds, not wait for them to come to us, our eyes would be open, and we would be alert on our toes to do good. We will remember that only the sincere deeds will earn us the mercy of Allah. We will try our very best to be like Abu Bakr (r.a.), Sabbaaq.Imam Shafai said:" a sincere person is always in the state of worry" .Are we?
- Sada Mohsin (New York)

A Letter to Ustaza
“Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt? This [Prophet (SAW)] is a Warner from [i.e., like] the former warners. The Approaching Day has approached. Of it, [from those] besides Allah, there is no remover. Then at this statement do you wonder? And you laugh and do not weep While you are proudly sporting?!* So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].” [Surah An-Najm, ayahs 55-62]
*Additional meanings are “singing [with expanded chest],” ”heedless,” or lost in vain amusements.”
Dear Ustazah,
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

When you explained to us that “ Samidun” also referred to the chirping of birds as the Quraish of Makkah sought to cause distraction during recitation of Qur’an, a chill went down my spine, and this is why: There is a cell phone ring that sounds like birds chirping AND I HAVE HEARD IT GO OFF IN CLASS, JUST AS OTHER CELL PHONES TOO HAVE GONE OFF IN CLASS. I am not saying that people are deliberately causing disruption. But is it not ghaflat on the part of a talib-ilm, if we can even call ourselves that, to leave the cell phones on?
I had a university professor who told us in no uncertain terms that he turns his phone off before coming to class and that we were to do the same. He even went so far as to say that a man whose wife was pregnant and could deliver at any time should STAY OUT OF HIS CLASS RATHER THAN RISK HIS CELL PHONE GOING OFF IN CLASS.
All this adab, for a mere gathering of dunya ilm. What’s more, if a cell phone goes off in a movie theatre, people object. But when it goes off in a Masjid, no one cares. How can this be?
We have read in our Kitab-ul-ilm class that we should REMOVE the hardships from others but I am sad to say that we CAUSE hardships for others instead. Why is it that we give so much importance to completing our notes WHILE THE TAFSEER IS GOING ON? I am not saying that it isn’t important to have neat, color-coded notes, complete and with references, what I am saying is that the price is very high. If the sea was ink and the trees were pens, the words of our Rabb would not finish: get what you can and ABSORB the rest, let Allah’s guidance sink in to your soul, refresh your heart and enlighten your mind.
This is why previous talib-ilms would not use kalams that scratched and sat in such a way that birds would sit on their heads. They knew, they understood the majesty of what they were learning, the honour of the one teaching them, and the glory of Allah (SWT) who had sent this for them.
We have now read more than 26 paras – and surah an Najm was severe scolding. Why then we were so casual after class? Why were our hearts not shaking? Our eyes not weeping? Our mouths not silent?
How well Allah knows us: “… He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him” (part of ayah 32, surah an-Najm)
How well Allah knows us, how little we fear Him, how well Allah knows us, how little we know Him.
InshaAllah next we will read in Surah al-Qamr: “We have indeed made the Qur’an very easy to understand the admonition: but is there any one who would take admonition?” (Ayah 17)
Ya Allah – please forgive us, please give us another chance, and please make us of those who take admonition. Ameen.
Wassalam
- Talat Nazir (Mississauga)

Reflections of October 30, 2006

Valuing the Words of Allah (s.w.t.) Surah An-Najm: 1-18

"By the Star when it goes down,- Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him: He was taught by one Mighty in Power, Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form); While he was in the highest part of the horizon: Then he approached and came closer, And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey. The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw. Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw? For indeed he saw him at a second descent, Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass: Near it is the Garden of Abode. Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!) (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest! " Surah Najm, 1-18

There is no love without respect... especially when it comes to the Quran
- Nabila Naz (New Jersey)

Students of the Quran
The tafseer of the first 30 ayahs of Surah An-Najm should be a lesson for all of us that will never be forgotten. The Majesty and grandeur of the Quran is beyond our imagination, but as much as we do realize it, are we giving it its due right and status? Instead of proudly proclaiming that we are studying the Quran, a lot of sisters prefer to say that they are learning Arabic, as learning different languages is a cool thing to do these days. If we proudly and confidently tell others that we are studying the Quran, we will be able to see the impact right away. We also studied that the Quran is a miracle; if we really believe that it is, then let us make others aware of this miracle. We are so lucky to be given the Quran without any effort on our part, and Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala has made it easy for us to learn it through a dedicated Ustazah, Alhamdulillah. But if we are not grateful and take it for granted, then we better be aware that it could be taken away from us, and given to the ones who will be proud to admit that they are learning the Quran, give it its due respect and practice it. If Muslims today just fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala and become the true followers of Islam - by practicing the Quran and Sunnah, no one would dare criticize what they do, say or wear. If the majority is trying to hide and modernize the little Islam that they are following, it opens the doors to criticism. If one woman goes out in public wearing Niqaab, and there are 10 others to support her, no one would dare to object. Unfortunately, there are 20 of her own who criticize. I hope we do not let go of this great treasure - the Quran that we have, so easily received… for if we do, we will not be harming anyone but our own selves. The Quran will be a witness either in our favor or against us on the Day of Judgment… but do we really care??
- Fakhri Hameed (Ottawa)

Focused
The Prophet (s.a.w) was a man of great determination and focus. He would never stray from his tasks. We on the other hand, are people who are easily distracted. For example, during tafsir we move around vigorously and if someone gets up to go to the washroom, we follow them with our eyes until we can no longer see them. We lose our focus and concentration very easily.
This one small verse can be very beneficial to us. All we need to do is practice what he (s.a.w) did and we can do our tasks more quickly, effectively and successfully. InshaAllah
- Fatima Malik (Mississauga)

It's a thing to wonder that how the Prophet (saw) didn't look around when he (saw) was in the midst of the 'beauty' (Lote tree)...what a scene/place it might have been AND what was the thing that gave him the self control....??!!
I loved what Ustazah said '' If Allah's love and respect is the highest thing near us, then all the rest becomes secondary...as if NO BIG DEAL'' beautiful tip!!
This faith and love gave him (saw) the quality of being focused...such a mind blowing atmosphere didn't make him (saw) cross limits because the first thing on his mind was to obey, respect and follow Allah (s.w.t)
If we set our priorities right, then this world, its attractions, sorrows, tensions seem nothing great...
May we all set our priorities right and give the due respect and importance to Allah and His word (the Quran)… this will surely benefit us in the hereafter AND our present life will become better with no sorrows. InshaAllah- Salma Ghansar (Mississauga)

Ustazah made a comment today about our casual attitude with the Quran. SO TRUE.
The Almighty, The Greatest, The Most Powerful sends us the Word of Guidance, The miracle book, AL-QURAN. The description of Jibrail (A.S.), how the respected mighty angel appears upon the horizon, encompassing it fully and at the same time so near our Prophet (s.a.w.) to convey to his heart the revelation. Our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.), an exemplary character for the humanity, how he himself is so careful and with full involvement of his heart takes what his Rabb gives him through Angel Jibrail (a.s.).
I was wondering during the lecture upon hearing the honor of receiving the Quran; do I even give due right of holding or handling THE BOOK OF ALLAH (s.w.t) properly or is that also casual? Am I absorbing everything I am receiving with an open heart and mind? Am I taking my notes beautifully? Allah would definitely like the work done in the best way possible. Am I able to reproduce everything I learn at the right moment so it could be practically applied? Am I organized with my studies or not?
I pray to Allah (s.w.t) to help us all really love and value the QURAN the most. And to GIVE Allah (s.w.t) priority above all by giving His BOOK its due right. To make us sincere and come up to HIS demands. AMEEN
- Ayesha Asad (Etobicoke)

As I imagined one of the strongest creations bringing the best book to the greatest man on the face of the earth I can say I felt a weird excitement, fear and shame.One of the best creation Angel Jibrail, the biggest of the angels, who covered the horizon from east to the west “When he was on the uppermost horizon.” [53: 7], his strength so great that none could defeat him. His beauty so splendid. Can you imagine how great the creator is then? This entire universe is a ring compared to His foot stool. This Supreme Being sends his word down to this earth to a man who is the mercy to mankind an illuminated lamp, Muhammad (SAW), whose guidance would never fade. What was his source of guidance? The Quran, the word of Allah, which has not changed till this dayI felt excitement of being able to learn it, the fear that I have to absorb this book and implement it and now I have a responsibility of conveying the word of my Lord properly, and shame for not being able to give it it's right.
- Sada Mohsin (New York)

When the first few verses of Surah An-Najm were being explained in class, I was 'sinking' in my spot out of shame! The scene of the Revelation being conveyed to the Prophet (saw) was being explained in the verses. The scene of Jibrail (as) coming close to the Prophet (saw) while his wings had filled the horizon. This Knowledge, these Words coming from the Exalted Creator, sent through the strong and mighty angel Jibrail (as), revealed to an honored and highly respected Prophet of Allah, Mohammed (saw). This is the Word given to us, The Quran. We, Alhamdulillah have this in our homes, but what importance do we give it? This Book that was sent down with such honor! How much conviction do we have for it's greatness? How much do we value it's teachings?
After going through the tafseer of these verses, I realized that we must change the casual attitude that we have towards the Quran. We need to stay focused, and keep the Quran as the top priority in our life. May Allah (s.w.t) give us the ability to value the Quran, and benefit from it as we should. Ameen.
- Ayesha Baig (California)

Reflections from October 27, 2006

"Hasten ye then (at once) to Allah: I am from Him a Warner to you, clear and open!:" [Adh-Dhariyaat: 50]

The Status of Prophet (s.a.w.)
The 2 verses (50 and 51 of surah adh-dhariyaat) kept popping at me the whole time, mainly because of the repetition of one segment in both...innee lakum minhu nazeer um mubeenAlthough we didn't discuss these verses with this context but it keeps onstriking me that these have a message of discouraging the"ghuluw"-exaggeration in the status of Prophet (s.a.w.), which has indeed occurred in the Muslim ummah at a widespread level. Out of the fervently religious, a notable percentage has taken the respect and love of the Prophet (s.a.w.) to a level equal to Allah or more (astaghfirullah). Here it seems that the message is being broadcasted by the Prophet (s.a.w.) who is emphasizing that I am only a Warner and that all your efforts, energies , escapades from the life issues should be directed towards Allah....Reminds me of some very pious people saying. "Whenever the boat of life starts to shake or tumble, I can't thinkof anyone but Muhammad, calling upon him through durood is the only thing thatcomes to mind and comforts the heart!!”.... Oops... so this constitutesShirk... and this is what's being negated here...
“So flee towards Allah, Indeed I am only a plain Warner to you from Him"-And in the next verse " And do not appoint other ilah along with Allah,Verily I am a plain Warner to you from Him"… seems to cement the same message with a clearer tone and sounds like being addressed to all those who put the status of Prophet (s.a.w.) equal to Allah and when reminded of the error only conveniently say that yes we are calling upon Allah and His messenger and it is impossible to be heard by Allah without having a Rasool, Allah's sifaarish.!!When I look at the words... "So flee to Allah" separately, it seems likean answer to so much that goes unheard of in our souls. We are alldragging the load of life and always trying to flee from awkwardsituations, from difficult people, from unwanted aspects of our lives, andquite often from ourselves... our sinning urges, our erring nafs... so here is the direction from the most Merciful.Our question? In everyday challenges... where to go?? what to do??..Answer... flee to AllahI am thinking... who am I fleeing from?My nafs, my faulty akhlaq, my complicated desires, my failures, my world, my critics and my loved ones.May Allah give us the right direction and right speed to run towards Him andkeep running. Aameen
-Aasiya Amir

Priorities
In verse 50, Surah Adh-Dhariyth, Allah (s.w.t) is asking us to race, run, or rush towards Him. After hearing the examples of the Sahaba in tafseer class (Abu Bakr (r.a.) being in the lead) I was thinking; what is it that we are racing towards today? When I tried to picture people running, I could see them rushing to work in the morning, trying to be first in line for a big sale, or trying to somehow gain worldly benefits for themselves.
Basically, we seem to run after the list of things we love. Where is Allah (s.w.t) on that list??
The Sahaba recognized the Greatness of Allah (s.w.t). They loved Allah so much they would rush to do anything to please Him! They would take up any chance, any opportunity they got to earn Allah's pleasure. They wouldn't think over it, try to see if it fits into their 'busy' schedule, or if it was a suitable job for them or for their 'status' in society. This proved that Allah (s.w.t) was on the top of their list!
We should try to InshaAllah rearrange, re-prioritize our list also. We can learn to recognize and love Allah by pondering upon His verses (in the Quran) and His signs that we can clearly see in the universe around us. Reading about the life of the Prophet (saw) and examples of how the Sahaba eagerly followed his path, can also be of encouragement. We can then RUN when we hear the Adhan, see someone in need, or find any opportunity to please Allah. I pray that we can put Allah (s.w.t) on the top of our list and spend our lives racing towards Him. Ameen.
-Ayesha Baig (California)

The only reality is the reality of the hereafter.
-Aniqa Chohan (Australia)

We Can't Hide From Allah S.W.T
"Verily, the Doom of thy Lord will indeed come to pass; (7) There is none can avert it;(8) On the day when the heaven will heave with (awful) heaving, (9) And the mountains move away with (awful) movement, (10) Then woe that day unto the deniers (11) That play (and paddle) in shallow trifles. (12) That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell, irresistibly. (13) "This:, it will be said, "Is the Fire,- which ye were wont to deny!" (14) [At-Tur: 7-14]
Nobody can avert the resurrection... I was thinking how Prophet Nuh (a.s)'s son didn't agree to go with the believers, instead he challenged that he will save himself from Allah's wrath. He climbed the peak of the highest mountain, BUT what happened? Was he saved? NO!!! We know what happened to him then...
Imagine if we were to have the best of the technology, power and money over the centuries; and we try to hide somewhere... yet, to what extent can we run and hide? How much can we explore this universe? We might find a safe place somewhere over the mountains, inside the mountain, below the land or sea, somewhere in space, or other planets and galaxies... BUT as soon as the trumpet is blown, when the Day of Judgment is announced, everything will loose control over itself, and they will surrender to Allah and throw out whatever is in them; thus presenting US forcefully to Allah.....
Let's realize this fact (InshaAllah) and make others firmly believe in it too; that nobody can ward off their 'Accountability'
-Salma Ghansar (Mississauga)