Quran

04
May
2020
Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā and Sūrah ash-Sharḥ

Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā and Sūrah ash-Sharḥ

These two Sūrahs were revealed one after the other, and share a common theme. In fact, their style, prose, and theme are so similar, that they flow together like one Sūrah. The theme of Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā and Sūrah ash-Sharḥ is optimism during times of difficulty. Both Sūrahs inspire hope and optimism in the heart of the reader during difficult times. This is why it has become a common practice to recite these two Sūrahs in Salah during times of hardship.

Both of these Sūrahs are early Makkan Sūrahs. They are from the earliest revelation and were sent to comfort the Prophet (peace be upon him) as he began his difficult mission. The early days of Islam were a difficult time to preach the message. The number of believers were less than a hundred, and the idea that Muslims would one day be more than a billion people was unheard of.

It was during this difficult time that the Prophet (peace be upon him) faced harassment from his critics. The revelation had stopped for a short period of time and this made the Prophet (peace be upon him) anxious. His enemies began to ridicule him, claiming that his Lord had forsaken him. It was during this dark time of uncertainty, harassment and new beginnings, that these two wonderful messages of hope were revealed.

Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā and the brighter future

Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā is a message of hope and optimism about the future. Allah begins the Sūrah by taking an oath on the dawn and the night. Just like the dawn brings light after a dark night, likewise the revelation brings hope to mankind after the darkness of ignorance. This oath creates a powerful image of Islam lighting up the horizon as the age of ignorance draws to a close.

Allah informs the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this Sūrah that He has not forsaken him and is not displeased. This verse is a direct refutation to the critics and enemies who were harassing the Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah then informs the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the future will be better than what has passed.

This verse carries a double meaning. It can refer to both the future in this life and the next. For the majority of people, it refers to both. The majority of believers face difficult tests in this life followed by brighter futures. But some people face a lifetime of difficulty and the brighter future only comes in the Afterlife. The choice of words in this verse allow for both meanings to be derived and understood.

Allah then reminds the Prophet (peace be upon him) of several times in the past when difficulty was followed by ease. He was an orphan, but Allah blessed him with an amazing family. He was born into poverty but Allah provided for him and made him content. He was searching for a way to reform his society and Allah blessed him with prophethood.

In our own lives, we face many similar trials followed by periods of ease. When we reflect on our lives, we will realize that over and over again the dawn always came after a dark night. The future was always better than what came before. And our Lord has not forsaken us as long as we remained firm on the straight path.

Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā ends with a call to action. The way to show gratitude to Allah for His Blessings is to share it with others. So Allah calls on us to give to the poor, assist the orphans and spread the message of Islam. These relate back to the three blessings mentioned earlier in the Sūrah. Allah has blessed us with wealth, so let us use it to uplift the poor. Allah has blessed us with family, so let us not forget to help the orphans. Allah has guided us to the straight path, so let’s share the message of Islam with the world.

Sūrah ash-Sharḥ and the promise of ease

Sūrah ash-Sharḥ continues the same style and theme, flowing from Sūrah ad-Ḍuḥā. Allah continues to comfort the Prophet (peace be upon him) by reminding him of His favors.

Allah reminds the Prophet (peace be upon him) that He gifted him with prophethood, forgiveness and praise. These three gifts are unique to the Prophet (peace be upon him). He was the final messenger, with that position came forgiveness for any human mistakes he made. With it also came more praise than any human before or after him would ever receive.

The name of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would become the most popular name of earth. People all over the world name their children after him. They send salutations upon him day and night, and even mention his blessings in the call to prayer and the Salah itself. No other human has been gifted with such praise by the Creator.

These unique gifts to the Prophet (peace be upon him) are gifts to us as well. Because these gifts led to Islam reaching us, and to our guidance. Therefore, it is a reminder to us too that Allah gifted us with being followers of the praiseworthy and final messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

The flow of this Sūrah is the same as the one before it. Both Sūrahs remind us of Allah’s blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him), promise us a brighter future and end with a call to action. The promise of a brighter future in this Sūrah is so profoundly worded that it has become a common proverb among Muslims all over the earth.

In this Sūrah, Allah promises that with difficulty comes ease. He makes this promise twice, and scholars have interpreted this in different ways. Some say that the repetition is for emphasis. Others state that it means an ease to accompany to test and an ease after the test. A third opinion is that after each test, the period of ease that follows it is twice as long. Allah knows best, but it seems that each interpretation is true and different people will experience ease in different ways.

The Sūrah again ends with a call to action. This time the call is to follow up our obligatory good deeds with optional good deeds, and to dedicate our lives to our Lord. Allah created us, guided us, and takes care of us. In return, He only asks that we worship Him and dedicate our lives to Him. It is in doing so that we will experience ease with every hardship, and a bright dawn after every dark night. 

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
02
May
2020
Sūrah ash-Shams and Sūrah al-Layl

Sūrah ash-Shams and Sūrah al-Layl

The remaining Sūrahs of the Quran are short and powerful, mostly Makkan, Sūrahs. These Sūrahs are often recited in Salah and more Muslims have memorized these Sūrahs than any others, due to their brevity. The first two Sūrahs in this set share similar themes and lessons, so they will be discussed together here.

Sūrah ash-Shams is the 91st Sūrah in the Quran. It is a short powerful Makkan Sūrah focused on the contrasting oaths, and the importance of the soul. Sūrah al-Layl is the 92nd Sūrah in the Quran. It is also a Makkan Sūrah and has twenty one verses. Its focus is also on contrasting oaths, and the two paths in life. Together, these two Sūrahs teach us that life is made up of opposites. These opposites include the straight path and the paths of misguidance.

The Contrasting Oaths

Both of these Sūrahs begin with a series of oaths highlighted contrasting forces in this universe. In Sūrah ash-Shams, Allah takes an oath on the sun and the moon, the day and the night, and the sky and the earth. These three sets of opposites lay the framework for the message of this Sūrah. Everything in this world has an opposite. The seventh oath is on the soul, which the message of the Sūrah revolves around.

Sūrah al-Layl also begins with oaths on contrasting opposites, the night and the day, and the male and the female. This is followed by showcasing the two paths in life, the path towards ease i.e. Paradise, and the path towards hardship i.e. Hellfire. The themes and oaths of these two Sūrahs are very similar creating a double emphasis on the fact that this world is made up of opposites.

Just as the earth and the sky are not the same, the sun and the moon are not the same, the day and the night are not the same, and the male and the female are not the same. Similarly, the straight path and the paths of misguidance are not the same. They are distinct from each other in many ways, and every human needs to choose their path in life for themselves.

The Soul and its states

In Sūrah ash-Shams, Allah takes an oath on the soul, and its two paths; lust or piety. He then says that whoever purifies it will be successful and whoever corrupts it will go astray. In these four short verses, Allah summarizes the entire field of Islamic Spirituality (Tazkiyyah). The entire science of purification of the soul revolves around these four realities.

The soul was created by Allah and has the potential for great good and great evil. When left unbridled, it leads down the path of lust and animalistic behavior. When it is purified of evil, it releases its potential for piety and elevates a person to the path of success. Therefore, all success lies in the purification of the soul.

In some circles, purification of the soul is overlooked. These groups focus too much time and attention on philosophical debates or technical legal differences. In doing so, they forget to work on their own souls. When the soul is ignored, it strays down the path of lust. This is why it is common to find in such groups people of great ‘book knowledge’ who can’t control their desires.

Islam requires that we make time to focus on every important aspect. We need to learn theology and legal theory. But we also need to work on purifying our soul, and controlling our lust. Success lies in being able to make time for each of these, but priority should lie in the purification of the soul.

The Two Paths of Life

Mirroring the message of Sūrah ash-Shams, Sūrah al-Layl teaches us that there are two paths in life. One leads to ease in both worlds, while the other leads to difficulty in both worlds.

The path of righteousness in this Sūrah is described as the path of charity, piety and true belief. Allah says that whoever follows that path in life, Allah will make easy for him the path towards ease. Ease in this verse refers to Paradise. It does not mean that we will not face challenges in this world.

Rather the beauty of Islam helps us cope with the challenges of life, bringing with it ease in the form of Tawakul, Sabr and Contentment. But the path of righteousness ends with eternal ease in Paradise. This is the path we must choose to walk in life.

Its opposite is described as the path of miserliness, self-reliance (as opposed to Tawakul) and rejecting the truth of Islam. These three qualities reflect the mirror opposites of the three listed in the path of piety. This continues the theme of opposites found throughout the Sūrah. Allah warns that this path leads to the opposite end, difficulty for all eternity in Hell.

The contrasting paths of life work together with the two states of the soul. Purifying the soul is part of the path of piety, while indulging the soul’s base desires leads down the path of impiety. Together, these Sūrahs remind us of the most important choice in our life; to choose the straight path over all other paths.

The Examples of the two paths

Concluding the theme of opposites, there is a final contrast made at the end of the Sūrahs. But this contrast cannot be made out from reading the Sūrahs individually. Rather, the endings of the two Sūrahs contain opposing examples. Sūrah ash-Shams ends with an example of people who chose the path of misguidance, while Sūrah al-Layl ends with an example of someone who chose the path of guidance.

Sūrah ash-Shams ends with a brief reminder that the people of Thamūd chose their own desires over the message. They were destroyed because of this. Allah warns that He can destroy us too if we choose a similar path.

Sūrah al-Layl ends with a reminder that Abū Bakr chose the path of righteousness over everything else. He embraced every quality of the straight path and become an embodiment of it. Because of this, Allah promises that He will be happy in the next life. The two examples conclude the beautiful poetic nature of these two Sūrahs. They both revolve around the theme of opposites. The sun and the moon, the day and the night, the earth and the sky, the male and the female, and most importantly the straight path and the path of misguidance.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
01
May
2020
Sūrah al-Balad: Allah’s Blessings

Sūrah al-Balad: Allah’s Blessings

Sūrah al-Balad has twenty verses all of which were revealed in Makkah by consensus. The Sūrah focuses on the gifts that Allah has given us and the correct way to use these gifts. These gifts include our wealth, eyesight, mouths and guidance. The primary focus of the Sūrah is on wealth because of its relevance to the Quraysh.

The Quraysh were blessed with a lot of wealth and status. Throughout Arabia, they were looked up to due to their wealth and lineage. Over time, they grew arrogant about their status. In their arrogance, they rejected the message of Islam. They saw Islam as a threat to their wealth and status. In their blindness, they turned their backs on righteousness.

Sūrah al-Balad was revealed to remind them of Allah’s favors upon them, to show them the correct usage of these blessings and to warn them about the punishment of continuing down the wrong path in life. The reminders in this Sūrah are timeless, and apply to all of us as well.

Blessed Land and Lineage

The Sūrah begins with an oath on “this land” and “the father and the offspring”. This land refers to Makkah. There are several opinions regarding the father and the offspring. The most popular is that it refers to Adam and humanity. Another possible interpretation is Ibrahim (AS) and his descendants. Either way, Allah is drawing the attention of the Quraysh to two favors of His upon them; Makkah and noble lineage.

The people of Makkah were blessed with a noble lineage that contains many prophets. Yet instead of following the message of these prophets, they turned to paganism. Likewise, they were blessed to be citizens of Makkah, a land founded by prophets as a place to worship Allah. Yet they turned that land into a land of idolatry.

Allah reminds them through these oaths of these blessings, and the prophetic roots of their land and lineage. Choosing to follow the Prophet (peace be upon him) would simply mean returning to the original teachings of their land and forefathers.

Life is meant to be hard

The oath is followed by a profound statement. In fact, our entire Tafsir could just focus on this one statement and we would still not do it justice. Allah says, “Definitely, we created mankind to work hard.” (90:4) Kabad is a very difficult word to translate, I chose ‘work hard’ because it covers many of the meanings of this word.

This verse means that humans were created to live a difficult life. Life is difficult in every phase. We are born through the painful process of labor. Growing up isn’t easy as we learn about the world and make many mistakes along the way. By the time we are mature, our tests and challenges have evolved, along with our responsibilities.

Then when we finally figure it all out, old age hits and with it comes new challenges. Finally, we leave this world to face the questioning of the grave, potential punishment, and then resurrection and judgment. Only then, if we pass, do we finally rest and enjoy eternal bliss. After a lifetime, or even more, of hard work, challenges and hardships, then only comes eternal ease and relaxation.

This verse puts life into context for us. Modern culture pushes us to pursuit happiness in this world. In our attempt to have a perfect happy stress-free life, we grow frustrated as the challenges of life. This frustration drives us to wonder why we exist and if we will ever be happy. Happiness, however, doesn’t lie in the pursuit of worldly pleasure. Happiness lies in making peace with the nature of this world and our role in it.

Allah created us to work hard and earn our Paradise. When we realize this, then it becomes easier to live in this world accept our role in it. Our role is to work hard. Our role is to face and overcome our challenges. Our role is to use the blessings of Allah to earn Paradise. When we understand this, it is easier to cope with the daily stressors and challenges of life. We were created to work hard, so we will do so until we leave this earth.

The Great Blessings

In the next few verses, Allah reminds us of His blessings upon us. People feel that their wealth is their own and they are not accountable for how they use it. They fail to see that Allah is watching them and will call them to account for how they spent their wealth.

Allah has blessed us with many other things besides wealth that we take for granted. In these verses, He reminds us that He has also given us two eyes and a mouth. Our eyes and mouth are among the greatest blessings that Allah has gifted us with. Yet it is these very limbs that we use to commit the majority of our sins. Gratitude lies in using these limbs in a way that is pleasing to Allah.

Allah then reminds us of His greatest blessing; guidance. Guidance from Allah is the greatest blessing He can give a human. It is through Allah’s Guidance that we are saved in both worlds from all kinds of difficulties and punishment. Just as we take time to thank Allah for our wealth and health, we must thank Allah every day for guiding us to the straight path.

Using Wealth Properly

After highlighting His favors upon us, Allah teaches us the correct way to spend our wealth. Allah reminds the Quraysh, and us, that the correct way to use this blessings is to uplift others. Allah blesses some people with wealth to test them in how they will spend it. He allows poverty for others as a test to both groups too.

In these verses, Allah reminds us that the poor, orphans and slaves all have rights to our wealth. A true believer spends his wealth in freeing slaves, empowering the poor, and rescuing orphans. His concern is for his fellow humans, and he does not view this as a waste of money. Some of the Quraysh viewed these acts of kindness as a waste of money. This is considered as a reason for revelation of this Sūrah by some commentators.

The Sūrah ends with a reminder that those who reject this message will face eternal damnation. In our times, it has become politically incorrect to talk about eternal damnation as a punishment for disbelief. But the Quran is very clear on this topic; anybody who receives the true message of Islam, then rejects it, will face eternal damnation in the Afterlife.

Allah created us and set the criterion for entering his Paradise. That criterion is the belief in the message of his prophets and following the revealed law. When people consciously choose to reject this message, they are choosing the Hellfire for themselves. This is a reality that every human needs to reflect on. Our final destination depends on it.

To learn more about the Quran this Ramadan, check out all our Ramadan resources by clicking here.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
30
Apr
2020
Sūrah al-Fajr: Redefining Success

Sūrah al-Fajr: Redefining Success

Sūrah al-Fajr is a Makkan Sūrah. It contains thirty short and powerful verses, and its theme relates to the rise and fall of nations and their accountability on the Last Day. The primary audience of this Sūrah was the pagan leaders of Makkah. They had grown arrogant in their power and this caused them to reject the message.

The Sūrah begins with a series of oath on various aspects of creation that indicate the passage of time. Allah takes an oath on the dawn, the blessed ten nights (first ten nights of Dhul Hijjah), the concept of odd and even numbers, and the passage of night. All of these concepts relate to time. In this way, the reader is drawn to reflect on the passage of time and the reality of death.

The Fate of Tyrants

 The leaders of Makkah were arrogant and did not take the message seriously. So Allah draws their attention to the arrogant leaders before them. In the next few verses, Allah lists various nations that were destroyed due to their arrogance. These include ʿĀd, Thamūd, Iram and the Pharaoh. The stories of ʿĀd, Thamūd and the Pharaoh are repeated throughout the Quran and are well known.

The reference to Iram, however, is a matter of controversy and a lot of differences of opinion. Some commentators say that Iram is simply an adjective describing the buildings of Ad. While others say it refers to another lost city that was also destroyed for its arrogance. Allah knows best. The identity of Iram is not relevant to the message of these verses. The message is clear; nations before you were destroyed because of their arrogance, so do not think that you will get away with it.

The Alternating Tests of Life

The next two verses remind us that life is a series of tests. These tests alternate between good times and bad times. In these verses, Allah refers to both times as tests.

As for man, whenever his Lord tests him, and honors him, and prospers him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.” But whenever He tests him and restricts his livelihood for him, he says, “My Lord has insulted me.”

Sūrah al-Fajr 89:15-16

These two verses show us how most of humanity views good and bad times, and contrasts this with the Islamic view. The majority of people view wealth and success as honor and gifts from God. They see it as validation that what they are doing with their lives must be right. It doesn’t even cross the mind of the average person that wealth and success are tests from God.

But when times are tough, and when people face poverty and hardship. They see it as God being angry with them. They see it as disgrace, humiliation and being abandoned by God. These two reaction reflect a materialistic outlook of life. Relying on worldly success as an indicator of one’s spiritual status is folly.

Rather, Allah draws our attention subtly to the reality. He refers to both wealth and poverty as tests. This is the reality of life. A pious person could be either wealthy or poor, neither affect his piety in any way. A rebellious sinner could also be rich or poor, neither wealth nor poverty reflect his position in the sight of Allah.

Wealth and poverty are not indicators of piety or acceptance. They are simply tests from the tests of life. Allah tests some people with wealth and He will hold them accountable for what they do with that wealth. He tests other people with poverty and will hold them accountable for how they react to that poverty. And He tests some people with both at alternating stages of their lives.

How to pass the test of wealth

The verses that follow teach us how the pagans of Makkah were failing the test of wealth. Passing the test, therefore, lies in doing the opposite of what they did.

Not at all. But you do not honor the orphan. And you do not urge the feeding of the poor. And you devour inheritance with all greed. And you love wealth with immense love.

Sūrah al-Fajr 89:17-20

In these verses, Allah draws our attentions to five ways in which people fail the test of wealth; abandoning orphans, disregarding the poor, stealing inheritance, greed, and loving wealth in an unhealthy manner. The last point is really the core of the matter. An unhealthy obsession with wealth leads to greed, miserliness and oppression in the name of amassing wealth.

Each of these on their own, however, are signs of failing the test of wealth. Allah tests some people with wealth to show how they will use it. Passing the test lies in remain spiritually detached from the wealth (Zuhd), avoiding greed, and being generous to those less fortunate. Failing it lies in the opposite.

The love of wealth is natural, and it cannot be removed completely from the hearts of people. What is condemned is an unnatural love of wealth, an obsession with it. Obsessing over wealth is unhealthy and opens the doors to various evils. This makes the test of wealth more difficult for many people than the test of poverty.

Spiritual Success

If wealth and fame are not signs of success, how then do we define success? The Sūrah ends with a reminder about the Day of Judgment, the day when we will receive the results of the test of life. It is the Day when Allah will hold people to account and people will wish they spent their lives preparing for that day.

The final verses of this Sūrah redefine success for us. Success is not wealth, fame or power. Success lies in purifying our souls, earning the pleasure of Allah and entering Paradise. These closing verses are extremely powerful and touch the soul on a deep level. It is the custom in many parts of this Muslim world to recite these verses when a believer passes away.

These final four verses are a summarized formula for real success; a pure soul, contentment, the pleasure of Allah and entrance into Paradise. What more could any believer ask for? Wealth and poverty are part of the test of life, success lies in having a good ending. The best ending is for your soul to be greeted with these beautiful words;

O Soul that is in a state of inner peace. Return to your Lord, happy and accepted (by Allah). So enter among my worshippers, and enter my Paradise.

Sūrah al-Fajr 89:27-30
Posted by Ismail Kamdar
11
Apr
2020

The Themes of Surah al-Baqarah

This article is a compilation of various chapters from my book Themes of the Quran as well as some original content. The ebook is currently on sale here.

Introduction to Surah al-Baqarah

Surah al-Baqarah (Chapter of the cow) is the second Surah in the Quran, and the longest Surah in the Quran. It is also the most comprehensive Surah in the Quran. It covers almost every aspect of Islam, ranging from theology to stories of the prophets to nearly every chapter of Islamic Law. In many ways, it is a summary of the rest of the Quran. Nearly every topic touched upon in this Surah is explained in more detail in later Surahs and in various Hadiths.

Surah al-Baqarah also has a lot of virtues that have been authentically narrated in various hadiths. It contains the greatest verse in the Quran which is Ayat al-Kursi, (Sahih Muslim 810) and there are many virtues attached to the last two verses of this Surah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah in the night, it is enough for him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4723, Sahih Muslim 807)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Satan flees from a home in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited.” (Sahih Muslim 780) So it also works as a form of protection against Jinn and devils. There are many other virtues narrated about this Surah and its various verses.

The First Theme: Importance of Obeying The Law

The bulk of the first Juz of the Quran is comprised of the first half of Surah Al-Baqarah. Surah Al-Baqarah is the longest Surah in the Qur’an. The core theme of this Surah are the Laws of Islam and the importance of obeying them.

This Surah was revealed in Madinah when the Islamic State was being formulated and the importance of the laws was crucial for the successful foundation of the state. If we wish to revive Islam today, the first step is to go back to treating the law of Allah as the priority in our lives.

Note that while most of the laws in this Surah are addressed to the believers, the very first commandment in the Qur’an is addressed to all of mankind, “Oh Mankind, worship your Lord,” (2:21) Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) is the first and most emphasized command in the Qur’an. Every human needs to acknowledge Tawheed before anything else.

In order to emphasize the importance of obeying the laws, the first Juz of the Qur’an is full of stories of those who disobeyed the laws of Allah. The first story mentioned in the Qur’an is that of Adam and Shaytaan, and Shaytaan’s refusal to bow to Adam, which was the first act of disobedience against Allah.

The story of Adam and Shaytaan is repeated throughout the Qur’an due to its historical and moral significance. This story teaches us about the origins of mankind, the beginning of evil, the dangers of arrogance and the purpose of life. This story should be studied carefully and reflected upon to discover its many lessons.

The bulk of this Juz comprises of the stories of Bani Israel and how time after time in a variety of different ways, they violated the laws of Allah, as well as the consequences of them doing so. These stories are remarkably similar to the different ways in which many Muslims today violate the laws of Allah.

One story which stands out is the story that this Surah is named after. A murder had occurred among the Israelites and they asked Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) to assist them in identifying the murderer. Allah revealed that they should sacrifice a cow and Allah will reveal who the murderer is.

The people did not take this seriously and began to ask a multitude of questions, each of which restricted the type of cow they needed to slaughter. Eventually, after they had made the law too difficult upon themselves, they had to search for a very specific type of cow and only after slaughtering it, was the murderer made clear to them.

The lesson of this story is to avoid asking unnecessary questions that will make this religion stricter than it needs to be. Allah has purposely left certain things general, and kept silent on other things, as a Mercy to us.

Too many questions about minute issues lead to the establishment of laws that are too strict and not in keeping with the goal of the Shariah i.e. the removal of hardship. Nowadays, it is quite common to find Muslim communities stressing over such minute issues, making the laws of Islam unnecessarily stricter upon themselves than it needs to be. It will serve us well to reflect on the lesson from this story.

The Juz ends with a reminder to follow the example of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his descendants who were amazing examples of submission and obedience to the laws of Allah. Prophet Ibrahim, Hajar, Ismail and the rest (peace be upon them all) obeyed Allah even in things which average people can’t understand. Whether it was the command to sacrifice his firstborn son, or the command to leave his wife and son in the desert of Makkah, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is one of the best examples of true submission (Islam) to the will of Allah.

The Second Theme – The Laws of Islam

The second Juz of the Qur’an continues with Surah Al-Baqarah and as a result, the theme is closely linked to the theme of the first Juz. While the first Juz focused primarily on stories reminding us about the importance of obeying the laws of Allah, the second Juz details the laws of Islam.

This is perhaps the most Fiqh-laden Juz in the entire Qur’an and in it are verses related to all the key topics of Islamic Law starting with the importance of Salah and Patience (2:153) and includes discussion on:

  1. Instruction to eat only that which is Halal (2:168)
  2. Discussions surrounding the Qibla for Salah (2:142-145)
  3. Islamic Criminal Law and its importance (2:178-179)
  4. Laws related to fasting and the month of Ramadan (2:183-186)
  5. Laws of Jihad and warfare (2:190-195, 216-218)
  6. Laws related to Hajj and Umrah (2:196-200)
  7. People who we should spend charity on (2:215)
  8. Laws related to marriage, intimacy, breastfeeding, divorce and
    widowhood (2:221-242)

Each of these passages are worth of a detailed study. The section on patience is a very powerful one. Allah reminds us that He will definitely test us in this world with every possible type of test including fear, hunger, and loss of life and wealth. We need to be ready to face such tests, as they shape us into better people and force us to grow.

Allah reminds us as well that He is with those who are patient through these trials and such people will have a great reward in the Afterlife. This is the reward for patience (Sabr) which in Islam is not a passive quality. Sabr does not mean we sit back and absorb abuse. It means we patiently and constantly work towards solutions and higher goals, in spite of any setbacks and problems that come our way. This is how we obey the laws of Allah, with patience and consistency.

After listing all of the above laws which include all five pillars of Islam as well as most major areas of Fiqh, the Juz ends with yet another reminder of the importance of obeying the law.

When King Taloot (Saul) was appointed over Bani Israel, he faced a lot of rebelliousness from them and was left with a small group to fight the army of Goliath, but this army included Prophet David (peace be upon him) and were victorious despite their small numbers.

The lesson for us in this is that even if we are in the minority for obeying the Law of Allah, Allah can still grant us victory over His enemies, and we should never lose our steadfastness upon the truth, no matter how few in number we are.

“How often has a small group defeated a large army with the permission of Allah, and Allah is with those who are patient,” (2:249)

To continue learning the themes of the rest of the Quran, get the full ebook here. The ebook is currently on sale at half price for Ramadan, and comes with a bonus ebook. Access this full deal here.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam