General
From Issue: 106 [Read full issue]
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QURAN
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Translation:
"When the earth is rocked with her (final) earthquake, when the earth shakes off her burdens, and man cries: 'What is the matter with her?' On that day she will tell her news, that your Lord has inspired her (with His command). On that day men will issue forth in small groups to be shown their labours (actions)..."
[Al-Quran- Sura Az-Zalzala 99:1-6]
Tafseer:
- According to some reports, this Sura is a Madinan revelation but other reports say it was revealed in Makka. The latter report seems to us to be more valid, because the Sura's mode of expression and its subject matter are more in line with the style and subjects of Makkan Suras.
- The Sura gives a violent shake to drowsy hearts; the subject matter, the scene drawn, and the rhythm all contribute to the effect of a violent jolt. It is a powerful blast that makes the earth and all that is on it quake and tremble. Men hardly recover their senses when they find themselves confronted with the reckoning, weighing, and evaluation of their actions and deeds, and with recompense. All this is expressed in a few short phrases, which is characteristic of this thirtieth part of the Quran as a whole and is forcefully portrayed in this Sura.
- It is the Day of Judgment when the firm earth yields up her long-carried loads of bodies and metals and other matters which have weighed heavily on her. It is a scene which cuts the heart from everything on earth it clings to, thinking it to be firm and everlasting.
- This impact is all the more forceful because man is portrayed as confronting the scene described, and revealing his reaction and reflexes while beholding it: "And man cries: What is the matter with her?" It is the question advanced by the surprised and puzzled who sees something unfamiliar to him and beholds what makes him impatient and agitated. So he bursts out, "What is the matter with her? What is quaking and shaking her so violently?" He cries as he reels and staggers, trying to hold on to anything which may support him or keep him upright. But all around him waver and totter violently, which is unlike any earthquakes and volcanoes of this world!
- At this point when man is astonished and puzzled, and as the rhythm gasps with dread and terror, with surprise and wonder- at this point when man can hardly keep his breath, crying "What is the matter with her? What has happened to her?" - at this point he encounters the scene of resurrection, reckoning, weighing and recompense. "On that Day men will issue forth in small groups to be shown their labours. Whoever has done an atom's weight of good will see it then, and whoever has done an atom 's weight of evil will see it then also."
[Compiled from "In
the Shade of the Quran" by Syed Qutb Shaheed.
Also available online at http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/]
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Hadith
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There
are No Days more beloved to Allah....
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Ibn
Abbas (R) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: "There are no days in which
righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these TEN
DAYS.** " The people asked, "Not even Jihad
for the sake of Allah?" He said, "Not even
Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case
of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth
up for the cause, and came back with nothing."
(Collected
by Al-Bukhari, 2-457)
[** Note: These ten days referred to in this Hadith are the days before Eid al-Adha day, i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah. We must not waste these precious ten days that are so beloved to Allah Ta-ala]
[** Note: These ten days referred to in this Hadith are the days before Eid al-Adha day, i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah. We must not waste these precious ten days that are so beloved to Allah Ta-ala]
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Reflections
on Tazkiya and Self-Development
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Reliance
on Allah (Tawakkul-ala-Allah) & Self-Confidence
Following
is one the prerequisites of Tazkiya (Self-development):
5- Reliance
on Allah (Tawakkul-ala-Allah) :
Self-confidence
is borne from the Believer's intimate knowledge and understanding
that Allah is ever ready to assist those who strive and
struggle in His way. Self-confidence comes from depending
upon Allah and knowing that He is there to help you, protect
you and shower His mercies upon you.
Self-confidence
also emanates from knowing that Allah in His infinite
mercy has equipped you with all that you require to undertake
the tasks set before you. It is not characteristic of
the One that is Most Just and Most Merciful to prepare
you for a duel without equipping you with the necessary
tools.
Self-confidence
is thus borne of total reliance and trust in Allah. If
you constantly hold yourself back believing that you are
weak and incapable and blame your incompetence on minor
inadequacies, then you are bound to fail. You must never
allow yourself to believe that Allah has treated you unfairly
or that He has placed upon you a burden you cannot shoulder
for on no soul does Allah place a burden greater than
it can bear. [al-Baqara 2:286.]
Likewise,
hope is central to your efforts and your success. You
must sincerely hope and believe that everything you do
to earn the pleasure of Allah will lead you to fulfillment.
A superiority complex negates the task of self development.
An inferiority complex is derived from a lack of confidence
in Allah and oneself. You should never allow yourself
to believe that you cannot fulfill your obligations nor
should you despair of the mercy of Allah. Confidence,
hope and determination are all important ingredients for
your success:
Those
unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against
you, therefore fear them. But it only increased them in
faith and they cried.. Allah is sufficient for us! Most
Excellent is He in Whom we trust! [Ale Imran 3:
173-174]
You
must be wary, however, of the kind of self-confidence
that causes a person to proclaim himself self-sufficient.
Modern concepts of self sufficiency are indeed an evil
form of shirk or polytheism. To ascribe self-sufficiency
to one's self is to assume for oneself an attribute reserved
only for Allah. For the Muslim, self-confidence is wholly
dependent upon the trust one places in Allah; it is not
an arrogant proclamation of complete independence from
Allah. Allah alone is self-Sufficient. All else is reliant
upon Him for existence.
To be continued
in the next issue....
[Taken from "In
the Early Hours" by Ustadh Khurram
Murad (Rahimahullah), edited by Riza Mohammed.
Now also available at http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/default.asp]
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15
Points on the Wisdom of Prohibition of Alcohol
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Following is a list
of reasons and wisdom behind the prohibition of drinking
alcohol in Islam:
13-
Alcohol is responsible for a large number of road accidents
anywhere in the world.
14- Alcohol
is the cause of many broken families: Divorce, women's abuse,
children's abuse, etc.
15- Under
the influence of alcohol, more homicides, rapes, and other
offenses are committed.
For
the above reasons, and many more, practicing Muslims try
their best to stay away from alcoholic beverages and those
parties where alcohol is served. Therefore, Muslim youth
are recommended to try their best to shun away from such
parties. They should be courageous enough to say to their
friends and colleagues that alcohol is prohibited in Islam;
and that they are Muslims. Accordingly, they should refuse
those parties even if they lose their own friends, in order
to win the love of their Best possible Friend, ALLAH! Those
who put Allah first before everything else, Allah makes
their worldly affairs easy and makes the people of this
world love them for their honor and dignity, as was explained
by our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Interesting Note: The
word ALCOHOL is a word of Arabic derivation- "Alghul",
meaning ghost or evil spirit! A prominent Arab scientist
and alchemist by the name of Jabir ibn al-Hayyan, known
to the West as Geber, first distilled alcohol in 800 A.D.
He suggest this name due to alcohol's negative effects and
results.
[Compiled from "The
Adolescent Life" by Dr. Ahmad Sakr]