Posts Tagged ‘Tafsir’
Through this surah (revealed in Makkah), Allah directs His servants to contemplate His favours and gifts as well as His great power that is demonstrated by His creating the heavens and the earth and the various types of categories of creatures in them. Allah the exalted also mentions the favours he bestowed on people of Israel such as revealing the divine books to them, sending them the Messengers and granting them kingship. The proof was sent to them yet they differed among themselves after the proof came to them out of transgression against each other as mentioned “And indeed We gave the children of Israel the scripture, the understanding of scripture and its laws and the prophethood; and provided with good things ….. Verily, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they used to differ” (45: 16-17)
Allah also states through this Surah that the believers and the disbelievers are never equal and He will not treat them equally in the present life and in the hereafter. Allah mentions “Worst is the judgement they make .. “(45: 21) meaning that worst is the thought that the disbelievers have a thought about Allah and His judgement that he will make the pious and the wicked equal in the hereafter of this life.
This surah also reveals some of the horrors of the day of the resurrection. Allah mentions that on that day every nation would be kneeling, fearful of the tremendous calamity and events. It was said that this will occur when Hellfire would be brought forth, for she will exhale once and everyone will fall to their knees, including Ibrahim, the Khalil. He will proclaim, ‘Myself, myself, myself! Today, I will not ask you (O Allah) but about myself’. And even Isa will proclaim, ‘Today I will not ask you about Maryam, who gave birth to me’. And when the book of deeds be presented to us, “They will say: ‘Woe to us! What sort of book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing but has recorded it with numbers!” (18: 49).
It is mentioned that the angels record the deeds of the servant and then ascend to the heavens with them. There, they meet the angels entrusted with the Records of deeds sent down from Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz on each Night of Al-Qadr, containing what Allah has written will occur from the servants, long before He created them. They will compare the records and find out that not a single letter was added or deleted. Subhanallah, That is how accurate the recordings of our deeds shall be!
In an authentic Hadith, the prophet S.A.S said, ‘Allah the Exalted said, ‘Glory is My robe and the pride is My garment; whoever rivals Me for either of them, I will make him reside in My fire (Abu Dawood 4:350 and Muslim 4:2023) . Allah is Al-Aziz, who is never resisted or rivaled and Al-Hakim, all wise in His statements, actions, legislations and the decree he appoints. All glory and praise are due to Him, none has the right to be worshipped but He, Alone.
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The mother of Maryam was wife of `Imran, and her name was Hannah bint Faqudh. Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Hannah could not have children and that one day, she saw a bird feeding its chick. She wished she could have children and supplicated to Allah to grant her offspring. Allah accepted her supplication, and when her husband slept with her, she became pregnant. She vowed to make her child concentrate on worship and serving Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid in Jerusalem), when she became aware that she was pregnant she said, “O my Lord! I have vowed to You what is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services, so accept this from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing” (Surah Al-Imran, #35) meaning, You hear my supplication and You know my intention. She did not know then what she would give birth to, a male or a female. ‘Then when she gave birth to her, she said: “O my Lord! I have given birth to a female child, ـ and Allah knew better what she bore. And the male is not like the female“. in strength and the commitment to worship Allah and serve the Masjid in Jerusalem. “And I have named her Maryam” (#36)
Allah states that He has accepted Maryam as a result of her mother’s vow and that ‘He made her grow in a good manner‘ meaning, made her conduct becoming, her mannerism delightful and He made her well liked among people. He also made her accompany the righteous people, so that she learned righteousness, knowledge and religion. ‘And put her under the care of Zakariyya’ meaning, Allah made Zakariyya her sponsor. Allah made Zakariyya Maryam’s guardian for her benefit, so that she would learn from his tremendous knowledge and righteous conduct. He was the husband of her maternal aunt, as Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Jarir stated.
Allah then emphasizes Maryam’s honor and virtue at the place of worship she attended, ‘Every time he entered the Mihrab to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance’, meaning he would find with her the fruits of the summer during winter, and the fruits of the winter during summer.’When Zakariyya would see this; He said: “O Maryam! From where have you gotten this” meaning, where did you get these fruits from ? She said, “This is from Allah.” Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit’. (# 37)
Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ikrimah said, “Maryam’s mother left with Maryam, carrying her in her infant cloth, and took her to the rabbis from the offspring of Aaron, the brother of Musa. They were responsible for taking care of Bayt Al-Maqdis (the Masjid) at that time, just as there were those who took care of the Ka`bah. Maryam’s mother said to them, `Take this child whom I vowed [to serve the Masjid], I have set her free, since she is my daughter, for no menstruating woman should enter the Masjid, and I shall not take her back home.’ They said, `She is the daughter of our Imam,’ as `Imran used to lead them in prayer, `who took care of our sacrificial rituals.’ Zakariyya said, `Give her to me, for her maternal aunt is my wife.’ They said, `Our hearts cannot bear that you take her, for she is the daughter of our Imam.’ So they conducted a lottery with the pens with which they wrote the Tawrah, and Zakariyya won the lottery and took Maryam into his care.”’. `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, and several others said that the rabbis went into the Jordan river and conducted a lottery there, deciding to throw their pens into the river. The pen that remained afloat and idle would indicate that its owner would take care of Maryam. When they threw their pens into the river, the water took all the pens under, except Zakariyya’s pen, which remained afloat in its place. Zakariyya was also their master, chief, scholar, Imam and Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be on him and the rest of the Prophets.
Part II: Coming soon inshallah
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The advent of Magic
Posted on: Tuesday, May 12, 2009
- In: Islam | Thoughts
- 5 Comments
Allah said, ‘And such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, “We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).” And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife‘ (Surah Al Bakhara, # 102)
Abu Ja`far Ar-Razi said that Ar-Rabi’ bin Anas said that Qays bin `Abbad said that Ibn `Abbas said, “When someone came to the angels to learn magic, they would discourage him and say to him, `We are only a test, so do not fall into disbelief.’ They had knowledge of what is good and evil and what constitutes belief or disbelief, and they thus knew that magic is a form of disbelief. When the person who came to learn magic still insisted on learning it, they commanded him to go to such and such place, where if he went, Satan would meet him and teach him magic. When this man would learn magic, the light (of faith) would depart him, and he would see it shining (and flying away) in the sky. He would then proclaim, `O my sorrow! Woe unto me! What should I do.” Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that this Ayah means, “The angels were sent with magic, so that the people whom Allah willed would be tried and tested. Allah made them promise that they would not teach anyone until first proclaiming, `We are a test for you, do not fall into disbelief.”’ It was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Also, Qatadah said, “Allah took their covenant to not teach anyone magic until they said, `We are a test. Therefore, do not fall in disbelief.”’
Also, As-Suddi said, “When a man would come to the two angels they would advise him, `Do not fall into disbelief. We are a test. ‘ When the man would ignore their advice, they would say, `Go to that pile of ashes and urinate on it.’ When he would urinate on the ashes, a light, meaning the light of faith, would depart from him and would shine until it entered heaven. Then something black that appeared to be smoke would descend and enter his ears and the rest of his body, and this is Allah’s anger. When he told the angels what happened, they would teach him magic. So Allah’s statement, ‘But neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, “We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us.‘ (Surah Al Bakhara, # 102)
Magic existed before Prophet Solomon. Beforehand, the devils used to ascend to heaven and eavesdrop on the conversations of the angels about what will occur on the earth regarding death, other incidents or unseen matters. They would convey this news to the soothsayers, and the soothsayers would in turn convey the news to the people. The people would believe what the soothsayers told them as being true. When the soothsayers trusted the devils, the devils started to lie to them and added other words to the true news that they heard, to the extent of adding seventy false words to each true word. The people recorded these words in some books. Soon after, the Children of Israel said that the Jinns know matters of the Unseen. When Solomon was sent as a Prophet, he collected these books in a box and buried it under his throne; any devil that dared get near the box was burned. Solomon said, `I will not hear of anyone who says that the devils know the Unseen, but I will cut off his head.’ When Solomon died and the scholars who knew the truth about Solomon perished, there came another generation. To them, the devil materialized in the shape of a human and said to some of the Children of Israel, `Should I lead you to a treasure that you will never be able to use up’ They said. `Yes.’ He said, `Dig under this throne,’ and he went with them and showed them Solomon’s throne. They said to him, `Come closer.’ He said, `No. I will wait for you here, and if you do not find the treasure then kill me. ‘ They dug and found the buried books, and Satan said to them, `Solomon only controlled the humans, devils and birds with this magic.’ Thereafter, the news that Solomon was a sorcerer spread among the people, and the Children of Israel adopted these books. When Muhammad came, they disputed with him relying on these books. Hence Allah’s statement, ‘Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved'(Surah Al-Bakhara, # 102).
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