Living the Quran
Al Muminun, The Believers (Qur'an, 23:99-100)

"When death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord! Let me return, let me return to life, so that I may act righteously in whatever I have left behind.' No, it is but a meaningless word he utters; for behind them now is the barrier of death until the Day they shall be raised up." (Qur'an, 23:99-100)

Allah has created everything with a fixed life span. Indeed there is no certainty of life except death. Not only is death itself inescapable, but the place and the very day and hour of death have been forever fixed.

In death we are compelled to return to God. In life, however, we can choose to draw closer to God voluntarily by living our lives according to His will. In this way, we have the opportunity to meet Allah and gain His pleasure even before we leave this world.

Those who fail to use the bounties of Allah to earn His pleasure during this life will forever regret their mistakes, for the cessation of life brings the cessation of opportunities for redemption and salvation.

Compiled From:
"In the Early Hours" - Khurram Murad, pp. 136, 137



Remembrance has greater merit than supplication. This is because remembrance is adulation of God Almighty by the beauty of His attributes, His gifts and His names; while supplication consists in the servant asking God for something he needs. And what is this compared to that? Thus, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) stated: 'To someone too busy with My remembrance to supplicate Me, I give what is more excellent than what I give to those who ask.' (Muslim)

This is also why the preferred form of supplication begins with praise and adulation for God, then gives blessings upon His Prophet (peace be upon him) and, finally, asks for what one needs. This follows a hadith from Fudala Ibn Ubayd. When the Messenger of God heard a man in worship supplicating God without praising Him and without invoking blessings upon His Prophet, he remarked, 'This one has rushed things.' Then he called the man over and said to him or someone else [who was with them],

'When one of you offers the prayer, let him begin with adulation for his Lord Almighty, then let him ask for blessings upon the Prophet. After that, let him ask for what he wants.' [Ahmad, Tirmidhi]

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 120

1. Know the law. All kinds of narcotic drugs and alcohol are forbidden by Islam. They are also illegal in most part of the world. Apart from the fact that you are accountable to Allah for what you do and could very well be punished in this life and the next for using drugs and alcohol, you could also face legal penalties according to the law: depending on where you are caught, you could face high fines and jail time.
2. Be aware of the risks. Drinking or using drugs increases the risk of injury. Car crashes, falls, burns, drowning, and suicide are all linked to drug use.
3. Keep your edge. Drug use can ruin your looks, make you depressed, and contribute to slipping grades.
4. Play it safe. One incident of drug use could make you do something that you will regret for a lifetime.
5. Do the smart thing. Using drugs puts your health, education, family ties, and social life at risk.
6. Get with the program. Doing drugs isn't "in".
7. Think twice about what you're advertising when you buy and wear T-shirts, hats, pins, or jewellery with a pot leaf, joint, blunt, beer can, or other drug paraphernalia on them. Do you want to promote something that can cause cancer? make you forget things? or make it difficult to drive a car?
8. Face your problems. Using drugs won't help you escape your problems, it will only create more.
9. Be a real friend. If you know someone with a drug problem, be part of the solution. Urge your friend to get help.
10. Remember, you DON'T NEED drugs or alcohol. If you think "everybody's doing it," you're wrong! Over 86% of 12-17 year-olds have never tried marijuana; over 98% have never used cocaine; only about half a percent of them have ever used crack. Doing drugs won't make you happy or popular or help you to learn the skills you need as you grow up. In fact, doing drugs can cause you to fail at all of these things.

Compiled From:
"Tips for Teens on Drugs, alcohol, and your friends" - SoundVision.com


More Friday Nasiha:
Why Do We Need Anger?
5 Deeds To Heaven
Qur'an Tools Of Hope
Bond Of Love And Sadness

Living the Quran
Al Baqara, The Cow (Qur'an, 2:214)

'Do you reckon that you will enter Paradise while you have not endured an experience similar to that endured by other communities who came before you? Affliction and adversity befell them and so terribly shaken where they that the Messenger and those who believed with him would exclaim, "When will God's help come?" Surely, God's help is close at hand.'
(Qur'an, 2:214)

This verse points to way marks in the history of those following the Straight Path. This path is no easy route. It passes through privations, persecutions, and even sufferings of war to the point where the believers all but cry out, "When will God's help come?" This point when the followers of the Straight Path are convinced that it is only God who gives success, is also the point when God's help is at hand, and which leads on to the final triumph or prosperity in both worlds.

God's support (nasr) is reserved for those who earn it: those who persevere and stand firm to the end in the face of all adversity and misfortune, never wavering but always certain that God's help is on its way. No matter how severe the ordeal may become, true believers will always look to God, and to God alone, for salvation and support.

The dynamic of social and religious struggle reinforces the human spirit and encourages man to rise above his own ego and so emerge purer and stronger, ready to uphold the faith with greater energy and vigour. Thus, believers become a shining role model even for their most ardent adversaries, some of whom are liable to be impressed and join ranks with the believers, as witnessed throughout human history.

But even if this were not the case, something else much greater and much more admirable happens: advocates of God's order are liberated from subordination to any worldly power or temptation. Life and its comforts become of no real consequence, and man assumes control of his world, which can only mean a triumph for humanity and the human spirit as a whole.

The ingredients of success are faith, hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. With those, victory is guaranteed and the road to greater, everlasting rewards, to eternal bliss, is direct and clear.

Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Syed Qutb, Vol. 1, pp. 250, 251
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, p. 95



Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said,

"Surely God grants wrongdoers, the oppressor, a reprieve. But once He seizes him, He utterly destroys him." (Bukhari, Muslim)

God gives the wrongdoers some time to repent and amend their behaviour. If they do not take advantage of this opportunity, He punishes them severely.

God sometimes uses wrongdoers to punish the sinful. This happens when God wills to punish them before the Day of Judgment. For example, after the Muslims split into many competing factions nine centuries ago and deviated from Islam, they were exposed to the Mongol invasion and massacre.

Compiled From:
"The Messenger of God: Muhammad" - Fethullah Gulen, p. 117



Although anger clearly has some connection with hostility and aggression, they are not the same. Hostility is an attitude of ill will, aggression refers to behaviour that is always meant to hurt, whereas anger is an emotion - plain and simple. Anger is neither a positive or negative emotion; it is the way we handle our anger - what we do with it - that makes it negative or positive. For example, when we use our anger to motivate us to make life changes or to make changes to dysfunctional systems, anger becomes a very positive emotion.

When we express anger through aggressive or passive-aggressive ways (such as getting even or gossiping), it becomes a negative emotion. So why do we need anger at all? Why not simply work toward eliminating it from our lives entirely? The reason is that there are many positive functions of anger:

• It energizes and motivates us to make changes in our lives.
• It serves as a catalyst for resolving interpersonal conflict.
• It promotes self-esteem - when we stand up for ourselves, we feel better about ourselves.
• It fosters a sense of personal control during times of peak stress.
• Expression of anger can actually promote health. Women with cancer who express their anger are found to live longer than those who express no anger.
• As uncomfortable as anger is for many of us, it can be preferable to anxiety, as it lays the blame outside ourselves.
• If we find constructive ways of releasing anger and safe places to let it out, it can become a positive force in our lives, creating energy, motivation, assertiveness, empowerment, and creativity.

Compiled From:
"The Nice Girl Syndrome" - Beverly Engel, pp. 165-167

Living the Quran
An-Naba, The Tiding (Qur'an, 78:40)

"Indeed, We have warned you of a near punishment [near at hand]..." (Qur'an, 78:40)

In the Qur'an it is said that divine chastisement is near at hand. This statement was made over fourteen hundred years ago, and countless people had died prior to its revelation. Moreover, even now it cannot be said with certainty that the Last Day will occur after how many hundreds, thousands or even millions of years. Given this, how can this chastisement be described as something "near at hand"?

Time is actually relative to man's life. As long as he is alive, he is fully aware of it. After his death, only his soul survives, which does not any consciousness of time. So, when man is resurrected on the Day of Judgement he will think that he has been woken up only after a few hours' sleep. It will not occur to him that he had been lying dead for thousands of years.

Compiled From:
"Towards Understanding The Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Part 30, p. 16



The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said,:

"I advise you to fear God and obey, even if a black slave becomes your leader. Those of you who live long enough will see great controversy, so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs. Cling to them stubbornly. Beware of newly invented matters in religion, for every invented matter is an innovation. Every innovation is going astray, and every going astray is in Hellfire." (Tirmidhi)

The Arabic word translated here as "fear of God" is taqwah. Derived from wiqaya (protection), taqwah means to be in the safekeeping or protection of God. This has two aspects. The first is that believers fear God and obey Him by observing His commands and prohibitions. The second aspect is that, by studying nature and life and discovering the laws of God that control them, people acquire scientific knowledge and order their lives. Science cannot be established if people do not discover these laws.

To be under the safekeeping of God, true religion and science should be combined, for they are two expressions of a single truth. According to Muslim scholars, the universe is "the Created Qur'an." where God's laws issuing from His Attributes of Will, Destiny, and Power are operative. The Quran, the collection of Divine laws issuing from God's Attributes of Speech, is "the composed universe" or "the universe in words."

The second point is that believers should not disobey their government without justifiable cause. Without a leader, a community is like a broken rosary whose beads have scattered everywhere. Such a situation of social and political conflict usually results in anarchy and destruction. The hadith also points out a truth that even modern democracies have proven unable to grasp: no racial discrimination. It is clearly stated that an emancipated black slave can lead the Muslim community. This was not only a theoretical assertion, but was testified to by the numerous and great black administrators and scholars who were respected and obeyed.

God's Messenger also draws attention here to his Sunnah. As he is the most excellent example for all aspects of life, believers are to follow his example until the Last Day. Such adherence guarantees that Islam retains its original purity. Any deviation will result in social and doctrinal splits and new importations into Islam, the religion perfected by God. Adherence to the way of the first four caliphs also guarantees of Muslim unity and Islam's maintenance.

Compiled From:
"The Messenger of God: Muhammad" - Fethullah Gulen, pp. 115, 116


The terms nafs (soul, self) is used in the Qu'ran in various, but similar, complementary meanings. First, it means the self a person or a thing. In this meaning, it is also used for God (Qur'an 3:28, 5:116).

Its second meaning is the substance and essence which is the source of physical life in a human being or the dimension or aspect of the spirit which is the basis of animal and human physical life (Qur'an, 6:93).

In its third meaning, as the basis of the human physical or worldly life, it is the essence or substance which is aware of the needs of life, which demands and tastes pleasures and encourages a person to meet those needs and experience those pleasures. In a sense, it is the substance which incites a person to commit evil (Qur'an, 12:53). It can and must be trained. When trained, it can be elevated from being a substance which commands evils, or being an evil-commanding soul, to the rank of being a soul at rest with faith in and worship of God (Qur'an, 89:27-28).

In its other and most comprehensive meaning, it is human nature or the individual person (Qur'an, 4:1).

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, pp. 664

Living the Quran
Al Haqqah, The Inevitable Truth (Qur'an, 69:33-34)

"He did not believe in God Almighty, and he never encouraged feeding the needy." (Qur'an, 69:33-34)

This is a person whose heart is devoid of faith and compassion. Thus, the only place fit for him is the fire. With a heart that has no trace of faith, he is ruined, like a barren land engulfed in darkness. He is below the level of animals, and indeed below the level of inanimate objects. Everything in the universe believes in God and glorifies Him, and as such they maintain their bond with their source of existence. This person, on the other hand, severed his ties with God, and therefore has no tie with the universe.

Likewise, his heart is devoid of compassion. A needy person is one who desperately needs compassion, but this one does not feel for his fellow humans in need. He does not encourage feeding them, which is a step further than simply providing the needy with food. It is a step that suggests a social duty that requires believers to encourage one another to undertake. It is closely related to faith, mentioned here after faith and given its value in God's measure.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 17, 228



Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said,

"Be conscious (Taqwah) of Allah wherever you are. And follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will wipe it out. And behave towards the people with a good behaviour." (Tirmidhi)

Ibn Rajab states in his commentary of this hadith: "Having good character is a characteristic of taqwa. Taqwah cannot be complete without it. It was mentioned here by itself due to the need for explicitly explaining that point. Many people think that taqwa implies fulfilling the "rights of Allah" without fulfilling the rights of humans. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ explicitly stated that he must deal with people in a kind manner. Many of those who take advantage of fulfilling the rights of Allah, and are attached to love for Him, fear of Him and obedience to Him, neglect the rights on the humans, either completely or partially. There are very few people who combine together the fulfilling of the rights of Allah and of His servants. The only ones who have the strength to do that are those who are complete in their taqwa from among the prophets and the sincere ones." (Jaami, vol 1, p. 454)

In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ advised the person to have a certain behaviour. This demonstrates that a person can change and determine his behaviour. He can do those acts that are of good behaviour and character to the point that he grows accustomed to them. He can grow so accustomed to them that they do become his nature and character. Hence, a person can change his character, and, if he is of bad character, then, following this advice of the Prophet, he must work to change his character.

When talking about the purpose for which he had been sent, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated, "I have been sent for the purpose of perfecting good morals." (Al-Hakim) That is, he was to show the manners and behaviour consistent with the belief in Allah.

In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I am a guarantor of a house in the highest part of Paradise for the one who makes his behaviour good." (Abu Dawud)

In yet another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ described piety itself as being good character. Hence, it is an essential part of being pious. The Prophet said, "Piety and righteousness is being of good character." (Muslim)

How pleasing good character is to Allah can be seen by the weight that Allah will give it on the scales on the Day of Judgment. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "There is nothing heavier in the scales than good character." (Ahmad, Abu Dawud) In another hadith that gives a similar impression, the Prophet ﷺ said, "A believer reaches, due to his good character, the level of the one who fasts and performs the night prayer." (Abu Dawud)

The way to improve one's character is to look at the example of the Prophet ﷺ. One should try to emulate his behaviour in as many different circumstances as possible. If a person does that, then he will be moving toward the noblest character.

Compiled From:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 720-723



Through service we make the world a better place. Prophet Jesus served in many ways. Most faiths are dedicated to service, in fact. Charity, or zakat, is a fundamental pillar of Islam: Muslims give a percentage (2.5%) of their belongings to the poor and make regular donations to those in need. The Mishna, which contains Jewish oral law, also underlines the importance of helping. The Torah mandates responding to the needs of the poor and the sick, be they Jews, strangers or enemies. Everyone is obliged to do tzedakah, or righteous deeds, to help repair the world.

It's one thing to encourage service, it's another thing to actually serve. What good are scriptures and hymns if we neglect to live their messages? There are compelling reasons for religious leaders to encourage youth to get out in their communities. A landmark study in 2007 found that the best way to deepen a teen's faith is by presenting them with opportunities to help people in need. Teens reported that service infused their lives with purpose and meaning, which in turn influenced their faith. Hands-on work was revealed to be far more influential than filling pews, reading scripture or participating in church retreats.

The deepest connections are established when youth meet and work with the people they're helping. The degree of influence such experiences have on shaping faith increases with involvement. Level 1 might be to pitch in with adult mentors on a fence-painting project. Level 2 could be to help at a shelter or soup kitchen. Level 3 would involve ongoing connections - Meals on Wheels, for example - in which the volunteer establishes a relationship with the person her or she is assisting.

Compiled From:
"The World Needs Your Kid" - Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger and Shelley Page, pp. 273, 274

Living the Quran
Al-Baqarah, The Cow (partial) (Qur'an, 2:185)

"It was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed: a guidance for mankind and a self-evident proof of that guidance and a standard to distinguish right from wrong." (Qur'an, 2:185)

Fasting was made more attractive due to the fact that it is observed in Ramadan, the month in which the Qu'ran was revealed. This could be a reference to the fact that it was first revealed during Ramadan, or that most of it had been revealed in it.

It is a significant distinction since the Qur'an is the definitive and timeless Book of the Muslim Ummah (community), its guiding light and its reason for existence, the source of its strength and security, from which it has drawn all the enduring qualities and elements that have made it great. Without the gifts that the Qur'an has given the Muslim Ummah, it would have become forgotten history long ago. As a token of thankfulness and gratitude, Muslims observe the fast in the month of Ramadan during which the Qur'an was revealed.

Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 1, p. 189



Abu Dhar (ra), states: 'I asked the Messenger of God ﷺ (peace be upon him) how the servant is delivered from the fire.' and he answered, 'By faith in God.'

'O Messenger of God ﷺ, is there no deed with faith?'

(1) He Answered, 'That you give in charity what God has put in your possession' - or 'That you give in charity what God has provided you with.'

'O Messenger of God ﷺ, what if a person is poor and finds nothing to give?'

(2) He said, 'Then let him enjoin justice and forbid wrongdoing.'

'And what if he is unable to enjoin justice and forbid wrongdoing?'

(3) 'Then let him assist some simple-minded person.'

'O Messenger of God ﷺ, what if whatever he did would not help?'

(4) 'Then let him assist someone who has been wronged.'

'O Messenger of God ﷺ, what if he were too weak and unable to help someone who has been wronged?'

(5) 'Do you not wish to leave your friend any good? Then let him restrain himself from harming others.'

'O Messenger of God ﷺ, do you mean that someone will enter Heaven for doing thus?'

He replied, 'Anyone who manages but one of the things I have described will be taken by the hand into Heaven.'

(Bayhaqi, Suhuab al-Iman)

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 37



Your understanding of the Qur'an may have various levels and take different forms.

Firstly, that you comprehend its simple, literal meaning, as when you read a book in a language you know, or as an Arabic-knowing person would understand the Qur'an.

Such comprehension must be the bare minimum requirement, the key to all other stages, but it is not enough.

Secondly, that you find out how the learned have understood it, either by hearing their expositions or reading their exegeses and other sources.

Thirdly, that you study and ponder, on your own, to discover and absorb its meaning.

Fourthly, that you discover its meaning by obeying its messages and by fulfilling the duties and mission that it entrusts to you.

Compiled From:
"Way To the Quran" - Khurram Murad

Living the Qur'an
Al Baqara, The Cow (Qur'an, 2:183)

"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you, that you may become righteous."
(Qur'an, 2:183)

Fasting, in one form or another, has always been an important and often necessary part of religious life, discipline and experience in every faith. As a means par excellence to come nearer to God, to discipline the self, to develop the strength to overcome the temptations of flesh, it needs no emphasis. Yet Islam turns fasting, as it does every other act of worship and devotion, into something different and unique, the life-giving centre of life.

How does it impart new meaning and force to Fasting?

Put simply: by prescribing for it the time of Ramadan. This may sound like making things too simplistic, or trivializing the important. But Ramadan is no trivial event. For it is the month ‘in which was sent down the Qur'an: the Guidance for mankind, with manifest truths of guidance and the Criterion [by which to judge the true and the false’ (Al-Baqarah 2:185). It was on a night in Ramadan that the last Divine message began to come down: ‘Read in the name of your Lord...’ (Al-`Alaq 96:1). That is why we must fast in Ramadan, says the Qur'an.

Ramadan therefore centres the entire discipline of Fasting on the Qur'an. The sole purpose is to prepare us for receiving the Divine guidance, for living the Qur'an, for witnessing the Truth and Justice that it perfects, for striving to make the word of God supreme.

How is this purpose achieved?

The fruit of Fasting ought to be that rich inner and moral quality which the Qur'an calls taqwa. The most basic condition for being guided by the God, too, is taqwa. The significance is plain to see. Fasting, linked to Ramadan in which Allah’s guidance came down, generates a taqwa which becomes directed on the supreme goal of entering the world of the Qur'an and of living therein, instead of being a spiritual ecstasy to be frittered away in the delights of soul. It becomes the key with which can be unlocked all the doors leading to the blessings which the Qur'an has to offer; honour, prosperity and freedom from fear and anxiety in this-world; success, Paradise and God’s good pleasure in the life-to-come. No time for Fasting other than Ramadan could have made taqwa such a potent force.

More importantly, the fulfillment of being guided by the Qur'an comes about when we strive to discharge the mission it entrusts to us. For, having the Book of God — a weighty word — places on our shoulders a heavy responsibility: to hear is to make it heard, to know is to act, to have is to share, to say shahadah is to do shahadah. This means an unflinching pursuit to create a new self within us, and to create a new world of Quranic ideals outside us.

This is the sole purpose for which a new Ummah was created and charged with the mission of bringing man to God by witnessing to His guidance. Otherwise, when the Qur'an came, the world was not devoid of godly men who fasted, and stood in prayers before God, and wept.

Compiled From:
"No Time Like Ramadan Time" - Khurram Murad



The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him), hated to let his Companions nurture a pointless feeling of guilt. He kept telling them that they must never stop conversing with the One, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful who welcomes everyone in His grace and benevolence and who loves the sincerity of hearts that regret and return to Him. This is the profound meaning of at-tawbah offered to everyone: sincerely returning to God after a slip, a mistake, a sin. God loves that sincere return to Him and He forgives and purifies.

The Prophet ﷺ himself exemplified that in many circumstances. Once, a Bedouin came and urinated in the mosque: the companions rushed on him and wanted to beat him up. The Prophet ﷺ stopped them and said: "Leave him alone, and just throw a bucketful of water on his urine. God has only sent you to make obligations easy, and not to make them difficult." (Bukhari)

Aishah reports that once, a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him: “I am lost!” The Prophet ﷺ asked: "Why?" The man confessed: "I had intercourse with my wife during the fasting hours of Ramadan." Prophet Muhammad ﷺ answered: "Give charity!" The man replied: "I own nothing!" Then he sat down at a short distance from the Prophet ﷺ. Some time later, a man arrived, bringing a dish of food. The Prophet ﷺ called out: "Where is the man who is lost?" "Here," he answered. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told him: "Take this food and give it away in charity." "To one poorer than myself? My family has nothing to eat!" "Well then, eat it yourselves," the Prophet ﷺ replied with a smile. (Bukhari and Muslim)

That gentleness and kindness were the very essence of his teaching. He kept saying:
"God is gentle (Rafîq) and he loves gentleness (ar-rifq) in everything." (Bukhari and Muslim)

He ﷺ also said: "He gives for gentleness what He does not give for violence or anything else." (Bukhari) He declared to one of his companions: "There are in you two qualities that God loves: clemency (al-hilm) and forbearance [nobleness, tolerance] (al-anâ)." (Muslim) He invited all his companions to that constant effort of gentleness and forgiveness.

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, pp. 33, 34



"Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem" (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful) is a benediction with which every Muslim should commence any task, in order to receive the blessings of Allah. When these words are uttered with intention and full understanding, the following benefits are obtained:

     1) The person becomes aware that the work to be done should not be against the orders of Allah.

     2) The person receives encouragement and is given inspiration from Allah's two great virtues - Graciousness and Mercy. He/she receives the blessings of Allah and is, thus, saved from temptation.

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem is the most powerful tool of hope for all Muslims and should be recognised as such. As long as Muslims realise that they have Allah to turn to in times of sorrow and to remember in times of joy and happiness, that if they practise the requirements of Islam to the best of their ability, they have grasped the true spirit of this magnificent phrase.

Compiled From:
"Words That Moved the World" - Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad, pp. 16-20

Living the Quran
Al Isra, The Night Journey (Qur'an, 17:36)

"And do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned." (Qur'an, 17:36)

Islam decrees that people should be guided by knowledge rather than by conjecture and baseless assertions. The sources or means of knowledge are three:

1. True reports
2. Reason, and
3. The five senses

A believer must accept the true report but can study its meaning and draw certain conclusions from it, if he or she has the authority to do so. The data perceived by reason and the five senses may be either true or false and require further investigation.

Islam states that belief should be based on, or at least corroborated by, knowledge and that it is in no way incompatible with knowledge. Therefore, accepting the existence of God and beings such as angels and jinn is not dogmatism, but rather a scientific attitude. There are scientific criteria that support the acceptance of their existence.

First of all, even if our five senses cannot perceive these truths, God has actually given humankind other senses with which to be able to perceive them. More than 100,000 Prophets, who were able to use those senses, who never lied during their lives, and who were followed by innumerable people, as well as millions of saints, have informed us of their existence; in addition to these, millions of other people have had similar experiences.

Secondly, denial of the Divine Revelation as a source of knowledge means accusing all the Prophets and saints, whose truthfulness has been witnessed and accepted, of being the meanest liars in human history, and designating their billions of followers as fools who blindly follow liars. Moreover, to cite just one example of truthfulness out of the countless ones, both in the Qur'an and the sayings of God's Messenger ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), there are many predictions, most of which have proven true. The remaining ones are waiting for their due time to be proven true. There are indeed so many scientific facts which have been discovered or are being discovered in parallel with developments in science that these alone are sufficient to establish the truth of the Divine Revelation.

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, pp. 578, 579



The Prophet ﷺ speaks of what will rescue a servant from the Foe:
"And [God] enjoins upon you the fast. Verily, the similitude of that is a man carrying a sack-full of musk in a crowd of people, all of them marvelling at its fragrance - for the breath of some fasting is more fragrant to God, Most High, than the scent of musk." [Tirmidhi]

The fasting person's limbs fast from sins; his tongue fasts from lies, base language and false witness; his stomach fasts from food and drink; and his pudenda fast from union. If he speaks, he says nothing to violate his fast; and if he acts, he does nothing to spoil his fast. All his speech is salutary and wholesome, as are his deeds - like the fragrance one smells while sitting next to the bearer of musk. Anyone who sits with a fasting person benefits from his presence and is safe from false witness, lies, base language and wrongdoing. This is the fast prescribed by the Sacred Law, not simply abstinence from eating and drinking.

Hence, a sound hadith states: "When someone does not refrain from speaking falsely and the action that springs from it and from ignorance, God does not need him to refrain from food and drink." [Bukhari]

True fasting is when the limbs fast from sin and the stomach fasts from food and drink. As food and drink can break the fast or spoil it, so sins can cut off its reward and spoil its fruits, as if one had not fasted at all.

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, pp. 33, 34



Strive to become Allah's sincere devotees. There should be no worldly act that is not done as an act of servitude to Allah, not even such acts as sleeping, eating, dressing, speaking and laughing. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, engaged in all these acts. But he was God's devote par excellence. As a consequence of that, every aspect of his life, even the most ordinary of chores, was an act of devotion to Allah.

Without such spirit, even the most religious of acts - prayers, reciting the Quran, martyrdom, and infaq (spending in the way of Allah) - would all be merely worldly acts. Imbued with this spirit of total dedication, even the smallest religious act, and all acts of worldly life, would stand heavy in the scale of Divine Justice. If you are able to achieve this state of sincerity, even a little effort would suffice in imparting the colour of Allah in your life and soul. All the evils of the world - in men's souls, in their lives, in their mutual relationships - have their roots in lack of sincerity. Lack of sincerity in matters pertaining especially to religious activities leads to very ill effects.

Designate your niyyah (intent) purely for Allah and strive always to keep it so. This brief and simple prescription is the gist of true religious faith and of the desire to shape your life completely according to that mould. It is also the most effective formula to remember Allah at all times. This is the perpetual dhikr (remembrance), one that suffices for all occasions.

Compiled From:
"Dying and Living for Allah" - Khurram Murad, p. 37

Living the Quran
Al Baqara, The Cow (Qur'an, 2:112)

"Indeed, whoever surrender themselves to God, while being sincere, shall have their reward with their Lord; they shall have nothing to fear nor shall they grieve." (Qur'an, 2:112)

Since the face of a person is the most expressive part of his body, it is used in classical Arabic to denote one's whole personality, or whole being. This expression (aslama), repeated in the Qur'an several times, provides a perfect definition of Islam, which - derived from the root-verb aslama, "he surrendered himself" - means "self-surrender to God": and it is in this sense that the terms Islam and Muslim are used throughout the Quran.

It is sincerity on which depends the weight and worth of an act. Allah will not accept anything that is not purely for Him. Pure sincerity need to be produced through the conviction of the heart and mind.

Thus the verse lays down a rule for salvation. It does not lie in being a Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim. It lies in total submission to Allah and in leading a righteous life in accordance with the dictates of the Revelation. Quite unmindful of this rule, the Jews, Christians and Muslims, all lead a life of sin with total disregard for the Hereafter, and yet fasten hope on their Lord that they will be ushered into Paradise simply because of the fact that they are Jews, Christians or Muslims.

Compiled From:
"Tafsir Ishraq Al-Ma'ani" - Syed Iqbal Zaheer, vol. 1, pp. 140, 141



`Ayesha (ra) said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (peace be upon him) fast a complete month except for Ramadan, and I have never seen him fast more in a month than he did in Shaban." [Bukhari, Muslim]

Usamah ibn Zaid (ra) inquired: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I never find you fasting in any month like you do during the month of Shaban." The Prophet ﷺ responded:

"That is the month the people neglect. It comes between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the Worlds. I love that my deeds be raised while I am fasting." (An-Nasaa'i, authenticated by ibn Khuzaimah. Hasan according to al-Albaani)

Narrated Abu Hurairah (ra), Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "When the month of Shaban is halfway, do not fast." (Reported by the five, Ahmad disapproved it).

As-San`aanee says in Subul us-Salaam: "One can fast provided he has to observe a compensatory fasting (in lieu of the Fard - obligatory ones) or the other prescribed ones which may be categorised as Wajib (compulsory). However, the volitional fasting is prohibited lest one should be subjected to exhaustion and weakness that may in turn render the Ramadan obligatory fasting difficult for him."

Compiled From: Islaam.com

Planning for Ramadan

The blessed month of Ramadan is less than 30 days away. We need to plan ahead to reap the benefits of the month. Here are some links that will insha'Allah help you plan for this Ramadan.

→ A Quick Checklist of Ramadan
→ Outline to help develop a Ramadan plan & report card



Addiction of all kinds - whether it's to drugs, gossiping, shopping, overeating, or gambling - have common characteristics.

Addiction:

• Creates short-term pleasure
• Becomes the primary focus of your life
• Temporarily eliminates pain
• Gives an artificial sense of self-worth, power, control, security, and intimacy
• Worsens the problems and feelings you are trying to escape from

One of the more subtle but dangerous addictions is pornography, and it's available everywhere. Now, you can argue all you want about what pornography is and isn't, but I think that deep in your heart you know. Pornography may taste sweet for the moment, but it will gradually dull your finer sensitivities, like that inner voice called your conscience, until it's smothered.

You may be thinking, "Take it is easy, Sean. A little skin isn't going to hurt me." The problem is that pornography, like any other addiction, sneaks up on you. If you put a frog in boiling water, it will immediately jump out. But if you put it in lukewarm water and then slowly turn up the heat, the frog will get cooked before it has the sense to jump out. It's the same with pornography. What you look at today may have shocked you a year ago. But because the heat was ever so slowly turned up, you didn't even notice that your conscience was being fried.

Compiled From:
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" - Sean Covey, pp. 238, 239

Living the Quran

Living the Quran
Al Kahf, The Cave (Qur'an, 18:10)

'When the young men took refuge in the cave and said: "Our Lord! Grant us mercy form Your Presence and arrange for us in your affair what is right and good!"'
(Qur'an, 18:10)

The word used to mean "young" (fata) in this verse has a special meaning and usage in Islamic literature. Its definitive form: futuwwah, meaning "youth and chivalry", is a composite of virtues, such as energy, revolutionary vigour, heroism, generosity, modesty, chastity, trustworthiness, loyalty, mercifulness, knowledge, humility, and piety.

Futuwwah also signifies a selfless character that enjoys helping others, wishing no one any harm. It is an important, indispensable dimension of good conduct and a significant aspect of humanity.

Derived from fata meaning "young man", futuwwah has become a symbol of rebellion against all kinds of evil and of sincere servanthood to God as the way to attain true freedom.

Some have summed up the descriptions made for futuwwah in the following cardinal virtues, in addition to those mentioned above:

• Forgiving when one is able to punish.
• Preserving mildness and acting mildly and gently when one is angry.
• Wishing well for all, including one's enemies, and doing good.
• Always being considerate of the well-being and happiness of others first, even when one is needy.

The signs of one being a fata (young, chivalrous one) are that their spirit, which was created with the potential to accept Divine Oneness and Islam, has utmost conviction of Divine Oneness and urges them to live according to the requirements of this conviction, and that, without being captivated by carnal or bodily desires, they live a pure, spiritual life, always aiming to please God in all acts, thoughts, and feelings. It is not possible for one who cannot be saved from the temptations of their carnal soul, from Satan, from bodily appetites, and from a love of the world or attachment to worldly life, to climb up toward the peak of futuwwah.

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, pp. 601



Many of us may wonder what’s wrong with lustfully staring at the attractive features of another person? Perhaps one saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) sums it all:

“The furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Satan, on him be God's curse. Whoever forsakes it for the fear of Allah, will receive from Him (Great and Gracious is He) a faith, the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.” (al-Hakim.)

A Muslim is decent and pure. This means all of his or her body must be decent and pure. A natural consequence of this is lowering the gaze.

Looking at another man or woman in an indecent manner is following in Satan's footsteps.

It all begins with a lustful glance. Such a glance leads to lustful talk and flirting, then meeting…and we are all aware of what comes next.

Let us stop Satan in his tracks and lower our gaze.

Let us start today, during these hot summer months. Yes, it is very difficult and it takes discipline and faith.

Yet, whenever we struggle to please Allah, He will reward us several times over in this life and the next.

It is truly a Jihad. But, it is a Jihad worth undertaking, and we will be all the better for it.

Compiled From:
"The Jihad of the eyes - start today!" - Hesham Hassaballa
"Watch Out for The Arrow" - Young Muslims Publications



There are two types of foreboding (tatayyur). One is based on normative experience observing things that consistently happen. For example, getting near a cobra usually results in it striking its victims. So when you see a cobra, get out of the way!

There is no superstition in that. But it differs completely from some practices like avoiding walking under a ladder, staying clear of a black cat, and the culture that has evolved around the number 13 and its association with bad luck. These superstitions emanate from having a bad opinion of God, not recognizing His power and authority in the world, and attributing power to inanimate objects and delving into other similar practices. These superstitions are explicitly forbidden in Islam. While these practices have taken an aura of innocence and light humour, they are nonetheless connected to their pagan and idolatrous ancestry.

The way to cure this trap of superstition is for one to simply persist in what he was doing when confronted with something viewed as a bad omen. Altering one's course of action because of some perceived omen is admitting that the superstition has power.

Compiled From:
"Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 91, 92

Living the Quran







Source: {Friday Nasiha, issue 635} | Find {Friday Nasiha On Facebook}

Living the Quran