Reflections of December 04, 2006

Sabrun Jameel [A Beautiful Patience]

So be patient with gracious patience. [Al-Ma'arij: 5]

Upon hearing someone yell at you, mock at you, ignore you, stare at you - just smile.
You may be grinding your teeth with anger, your face all red, ready to smack that person down, but just smile and keep on smiling. Not only in these harsh circumstances but also while you are working, e.g. studying or cleaning - keep smiling. With the intention of doing sabrun jameel for your LORD; He will See and His Pleasure is the best to gain.

- Ayesha Ahmed (Etobicoke)

Sabrun Jameel - implement it and the result you get: AN EXCELLENT REWARD. InshaAllah!

- Fatima Malik (Mississauga)

To endure with graceful patience;
to encounter
to endure
to swallow
to bear
to tolerate
to withstand
to experience
to face
to embrace
to win

- Aniqa Chohan (Australia)

Character of a Musallee

Before today's lesson, I never realized how interconnected a persons ibadah (worship) is with his character. In Surah Al-Ma'arij after explaining some of the terrors people will be going through on the Day of Judgment, and the bad characteristics of the disbelievers, Allah (s.w.t.) says: “Except the Musalleen (those who observe the prayer). Those who remain steadfast in their prayer"(V.22-23), after this their other characteristics are mentioned such as; sharing wealth with the needy, fulfilling their promises, etc. Again at the end of the description: “And those who strictly guard their Prayer". The Question is; Why is the first and last quality of this persons character (who is saved from the terrors of this Day) the fact that he prays?
What we learned today, and tend to forget is that; prayer is actually a means of reforming and building a person's character. We usually think of ibadah and character as two separate things. We sometimes do one and leave the other. We must have a balance between the two. Ibadah can ofcourse help only if we perform it in the correct manner. If we are steadfast in our prayers (as mentioned in V.23) - not only regular - but physically steadfast; not swinging back and forth, looking here and there etc.- this can teach us how to be focused. The fact that we are standing before the Owner of the Day of Judgment creates an awareness and fear which helps us keep up good character until the next prayer. If we pray with full concentration and are humbly submissive during our prayers this can, InshaAllah, lead us towards good character and who knows... maybe we can be counted amongst the Musalleen. InshaAllah

- Ayesha Baig (California)

It is those who shall have honor in Paradise

As the course is reaching its end, and we are ever nearing to the end of the 29th Para, I have been reflecting much on myself. What have I gained? Lost? Changed? improved?... while I was sitting in class today, listening to tafseer, recitation of the ayahs...I realized that how ever much Quran you want to absorb that’s how much will go in. When our minds and hearts are occupied elsewhere, when our inner compass is broken and we no longer point to our true north - then we are unable to understand the Quran. This is the worst thing, the inability to understand the Quran - because if you cannot delve into the words of Allah - how will you grow? How will you become some one who loves Allah, and Allah loves you? I have come to realize that every day when we lie down to sleep we must empty our hearts of all the rubbish we accumulate during the day. Every morning when we rise we must keep our intention, our purpose for doing what we do at the fore front of our minds. When we sit down to study tafseer - we have to open our hearts. Really and sincerely - free ourselves of everything else and sincerely place ourselves before this Quran. "Janaathin mukramoon"- I believe this is a place for those people who learn that a part of honoring the Quran is to make it the essence of everything you do. We have such, such little time left- I really pray that Allah gives us the tawfeek (ability) to make the most of it. Ameen

- Thanzila Naz (London)