Stories in Surah Hud

In reading about Surah Yunus and Hud, I learned that these two chapters came down in the late Makkan period, before the hijrah (migration to Medina). Thus, these chapters were addressing the hardship the Prophet was going through at the time. And at the same time, they were preparing him for migration. Interestingly, Surah Hud is mostly compiled of the stories of previous prophets including Noah, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Lut, Shuayb, and Musa. Many of these prophets had to leave their town in order to save their people from corruption. And all of these prophets went through hardship while preaching the message of God to their people. In hearing their stories, this gives Prophet Muhammad hope and comfort that he is not alone. He is on that same path with the same message of the oneness of God. What struck me the most were verses 31 and 93.

Noah told his people in verse 31:
وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ
"I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor claim I to be an angel...''

Towards the end of the Surah, Shuayb tells his people in verse 93:
وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ
"And O my people! Do whatever you can: I will do (my part)..."

In reading these verses, they looked and sounded familiar to me. And indeed they were familiar. In Surah Alanaam, God commands the prophet to say these same 2 statements to his people! See below these verses from Surah Alanaam:

50:
قُل لَّا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ
Say: "I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel...''

135:
قُلْ يَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ
Say: "O my people! Do whatever you can: I will do (my part)..."

What does using the same statements as previous prophets do to the Prophet? It provides him with empathy. They were in your same shoes and they had to go through what you are going through. And not only that, they said the same statements to their people as God is commanding you to say right now. It automatically puts him on their same team, their same message. Subhanallah how beautiful is that!

Knowledge = Responsibility

Verse 93 in Surah Yunus:
وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا حَتَّىٰ جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
And indeed We settled the Children of Israel in an honourable dwelling place, and provided them with good things, and they only differed after the knowledge came to them. Verily, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection in that in which they used to differ.

It was interesting reading this verse because God speaks of a people who He had favored with so many blessings, but then it says they differed and began having disputes among each other. But why? Well, what does the verse say? Only after the knowledge came to them. So after they raised their own scholars, gained knowledge, and became learned, after all that, they began to differ. Because when someone becomes educated, he begins to form his own ideas, and many times only see his ideas, and nothing else. This may have been the case for these people. Knowledge became their pride and ego, so it split them. How many times do we see this in our world today? Knowledge has become something you gain in order to justify your own beliefs, rather than to intelligently share it with others and feel responsible with the information you have. This verse makes you think twice honestly. Knowledge isn't something people should brag about. It is a privilege and responsibility at the same time. It's their duty to help unite people with that knowledge rather than doing the exact opposite as this verse states.

This brings me to another verse in Surah Yunus where Allah says that this nation was one nation until people differed:
Verse 19, Surah Yunus:
وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
Mankind were but one community, then they differed (later), and had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differ.

Here it speaks of people differing after they were originally one nation. But what fascinated me the most here in relation to the first verse we spoke about is the ending of this verse. The previous verse ended saying that God will judge between them in what they USED TO differ about. However, here when speaking in general to the whole nation that was once one and now it is scattered, God says in what they ARE (still) DIFFERING. He doesn't use the past tense in referring to their disputes. As if people are still disputing today and continuing to split this one nation, our ummah. How true is this today? We are still differing in opinions and beliefs and ideas! These disputes are ongoing unfortunately, and as long as people stay in their own limited way of thinking, they will STILL differ.

Aya's 94 and 104 in Surah Yunus

Verse 94:
فَإِن كُنتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ فَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقْرَءُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَقَدْ جَاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِين
So if you (O Muhammad SAW) are in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto you, then ask those who are reading the Book [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] before you. Verily, the truth has come to you from your Lord. So be not of those who doubt it.

Verse 104:
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّن دِينِي فَلَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنْ أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Say: "O you mankind! If you are in doubt of my religion, (behold!) I worship not what you worship, other than Allah! But I worship Allah - Who will take your souls (at death): And I am commanded to be of the Believers.

Look closely at these 2 verses that are 10 verses apart in Surah Yunus. They speak of doubt. Interestingly, God almighty addresses the prophet's own doubt before commanding him to clear other people of their doubt. He heals him before the prophet can go heal others. Imagine if a salesperson were to sell a product they them self were not convinced of. They would not succeed in promoting that product to the fullest. When someone has 100% conviction in their product, then and only then will they get to their full potential success in promoting it. With God's wisdom, he did not command the prophet to promote this faith until he himself was 100% convinced of its message. Look at verse 94, Allah tells the prophet that if you are in doubt of what we have sent you, then ask those before you who read the Torah and Gospel. This Quran is but a continuation and final completion of these previous books of God. The prophet was only human, and seeing others around him questioning what he brought at first could have weakened him or gave him some uncertainty. God wanted to replace this doubt with conviction and complete faith. Only after doing that did God then command the prophet in verse 104 to address his own people's doubt and uncertainties. Now the prophet is certain, so he can clear the people's doubts in the faith. This was not just a product he had to convince them of, but rather this was their religion, their faith, their way of life. No doubt God had to prepare him for that, and that is exactly what God the Most-Wise did.

Verse 5 in Chapter Yunus

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
"He is the One who created the sun to glow brightly with multiple colors and the sun to be illuminated. He measured out the moon's stations, so you could keep track of the years and passage of time. God didn't create all of these except for a true purpose, and He explains His verses to people who understand".

I was reading Yaihya Emerick's ''The meaning of the Holy Quran in today's English'', and I came across one of the most insightful reflections on this verse. Look at God's description of the sun in this verse. He uses the Arabic word ''deyaa'' which translates into an English sentence rather than a word. That is because the word in Arabic is actually in the plural form, and as the sun glows over and over, it actually carries distinct colors throughout the day. And the word in Arabic is indicative of these many colors. At sunrise it's easy on the eye then gets so bright later on in the day to where you cannot look near it. 30 mins before sunset you can still see its glow but it's much easier on the eye. At sunset, it is peaceful and encompasses so many colors, you stare at it comfortably without squinting until it sets completely. All that can be derived from the one word ''deyaa''.

Now look at the moon's description, "Noor". Noor means any kind of light shining on something. Thus, the word accurately describes the moon as being lit by something else. Not only that but next God mentions how He measured the moon's stations so we can keep track of time. This falls true till this day and will always be true, as Muslims and people of many other faiths rely solely upon the lunar calendar for keeping track of their days and months. Out of God's mercy, He tracks the moon's phases for us. And that is why He states in the conclusion of this verse that He creates and dows things out of true purpose. And the true purpose of accurately tracking the moon's phases is for us to live comfortably and be able to tell the time with no sweat. Only People who understand can comprehend this fact and concept. May God make us of those who are open minded and who live to understand that all He does is truly for our own benefit!

Fruits prove God's existence

Think about it. Fruits that are naturally covered with an outside layering; apples, bananas, avocados, mango, oranges, etc. Why do they have an outside covering? We do not eat the outside for the most part. And interestingly, cut the outside layer of an apple and let it sit for an hour. Guess what? It turns brown and starts looking old, rotten, and unnatural. Or leave a peeled banana out for just 30 mins, and you will see the same thing happen to it. Same with avocados, mangos and so many other fruits. Why is that you think? Doesn't the way these fruits are perfectly decorated with a protective covering in order to preserve them prove God's existence? Just in the way fruits are preserved with their own layering, that is a sign of God. This reminds me of Surah Al-Rahman (The Merciful), a chapter where God describes in detail His favors on his creation; from speech, to fruits, to land, to sea, to day and night, to gardens, crops, etc. In listening to a talk one day about this beautiful and truly eye-opening chapter, I learned that even the way God protects the fruit with an outside layer is a favor for us. How? Well, besides protecting its taste and purity, it is also a way of gifting us. When you gift your friend, you don't give him/her the gift as it is, but rather you gift wrap it. Thus, these fruits are gift wrapped for us. They are a personal gift for us by our own Creator. Do not look to far to realize God exists. Think about the simple things like these that no body can deny.

Ending of surah Altawba

As I was finishing my memorization of surah Altawba, something hit me. The verse before lasts speaks so beautifully about Prophet Muhammad's characteristics, and his final characteristic is that he is رءوف رحيم, kind and merciful. Upon seeing these 2 words, I recalled that these same 2 words were mentioned recently in this chapter, in fact just a few verses before this one. Looking back at it, I saw that a previous verse did in fact mention the two exact qualities of kindness and mercy (رءوف رحيم), but this time it was not given as the Prophet's characteristic, but rather as the one and only God's characteristic. Look at that specific verse :

[لَّقَد تَّابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Allah turned a favor to the Prophet, the Muhajirs (those who migrated to Medina from Makkah), and the Ansar (the 1st believers of Medina),- who followed him in a time of distress, after that the hearts of a part of them had nearly swerved (in faith); but He turned favor to them (also): for He is unto them Most Kind, Most Merciful.]

God talks about how he was merciful to the Prophet and to those who stuck by him in times of hardship. Because of God's kindness to the Prophet, He characterizes Himself with that quality of mercy of kindness. Now going forward to the verse in the end of the Surah, now God speaks of the Prophet and his dealings with his own people:

[لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you may be harmed: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful.]

Now God gives that same compassionate quality of رءوف رحيم (kindness and mercy) to His Prophet. Could it not be that out of God's kindness and mercy, which he first spoke of in verse 117, he reflected that same quality unto his dear Prophet in concluding the chapter in verse 128? So out of God's own kindness and mercy, he enveloped his final Prophet with kindness and mercy.

Another interesting fact about the ending of this long chapter Altawba is that God's final last conclusion to His prophet is an actual supplication:
[فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
But if they turn away, Say: "Allah suffices me: there is no God but He: In Him is my trust,- He is the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme!"]

What a beautiful supplication for the Prophet and for every one of us in fact. God is enough for me. He suffices me. I depend on Him alone. I fully rely on Him alone. In Him I put my total trust and no one else. If we each had that as our motto, embodied in our thoughts, we truly would never feel alone.

How to purify yourself

Interestingly the recent verses I have read all have the word تزكية or تطهير which mean cleansing and purification.

Look at the following 3 distinct verses:

1- Verse 6 in Alma'ida:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

O you who believe! when you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you answered the call of nature, or you have been in sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands (i.e. make tayammum), Allah does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but rather He wants to make you clean and purify you, and to complete His favor on you, in order that you may be thankful.

2- Verse 103 in Altawba:
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and cleanse them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

3- Verse 108 in Altawba:
...
لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ

...Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and purify themselves. And Allah loves those who purify and cleanse themselves.

Read all 3 of these verses. They speak of 3 very different things. The first one is long and detailed and informs us how to make wudu, or perform ablution before praying. After the very detailed and long list of steps, Allah says this is not out of difficultly, but rather out of purity. So our action in wudu is actually our very own cleansing. That is why we must be thankful. Because there is good in it for us, although we do not always comprehend that.

Number 2 speaks about charity. There were people who mixed their good deeds with bad. They had doubts, shakable faith at times. But when they repented, God wanted them to feel pure again. So what should they do? They should give charity. Yes. Just give alms to the poor. And that alone will be a source of their own cleanings and purification!

Number 3 talks about a mosque that was built seeking God consciousness, and it speaks of those who regularly attend prayers there and are attached to this mosque. It describes these people as ''ones who love to cleans/purify themselves''. By all means, this gives us the implication that the mosque and praying is a way to cleanse and purify oneself.

These are just 3 ways. Explore the Quran. Look at every instance where purification or cleansing is mentioned. No doubt will you find that God gives us a beautiful detailed easy step for us to commit to in order to attain this cleansing. Here alone, performing wudu (ablution) before prayer, praying, going to the mosque, giving charity, all these were mentioned as means to purify and cleanse your very own self. The more you dig, the more treasure you will find for yourself.

Instant Gratification

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.

This is verse 100 in Surah Altawba.

Throughout the entire Quran, When Allah describes jannah to the believers, it always says
"جنات تجري من تحتها/تحتهم الأنهار".
"Gardens under which FROM IT rivers flow''.

However, there is
only one verse (this one) that I found

من that does not use
and instead He says
"جنات تجري تحتها الأنهار ".
"Gardens under which rivers flow"

In Arabic Grammar, I took the case called منصوب على نزع الخافض
and I thought this could be the case. So the
من is implied
Whether that is the case or not, it is interesting that from about 40 instances where Jannah is described, only this one does not have من.
In looking at what the verse is talking about, it refers to the saabiqoon and awwaloon of the muhajireen and Ansaar, so they were the first to give up everything for Allah's sake. The first to give up their homes, their lifestyle, their everything for Islam. And because of their immediate sacrifice, Allah rewards them a by not putting the word من,
so that way it makes their reward more instant, preceding everyone else's reward. Something we know to be as instant gratification.
Not only that, but looking at it in more depth, the lack of
من also
gives an implication that the rivers under this garden are more abundant.
All these meanings from just removing one two-letter word. Tell me that's not mind blowing!

God forgives!

وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And (there are) others who have acknowledged their sins, they have mixed a deed that was righteous with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness. Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Verse 102 in surah Altawba is absolutely beautiful. It is full of hope and aspiration. This chapter in the previous verses has been speaking about the hypocrites who were causing mischief and who were secretly plotting against the believers, while faking their own faith. It really exposed their lies and humiliated them, making believers aware of their treason. Amidst this talk, God knows there may have been a few who were stuck in the middle. They may have had true faith at times but at other times, they may have partaken with the wrongdoers. God did not leave them alone to sit in their worry. He acknowledged them. Immediately he recognizes these people and says, yes some of you may have had 2 sides, you have had doubts, you have mixed evil with good. But with all of that, KNOW that God may forgive you, for He is the one with the vast characteristic of forgiveness and mercy. What a statement to these people who had doubts. Or to anyone who has doubts today in fact. You do bad and good? You have hope. Never lose faith in God's mercy! This is what this verse is all about. Read it, embody it, believe.

2 interesting verses in surah Altawba(Repentance)

"So let not their wealth or their children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in worldly life and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers." - Verse 55

God is telling the Prophet and the believers that just because these groups of hypocrites have abundance in wealth and children, that does not mean they are happy, or content, or better than you. For it is actually a source of their own punishment. This is so interesting. Because you see, some people see others' wealth or richness or worldly possessions as a great blessing, when in fact, those possessions actually serve as tests. And when the person becomes indulged in that test, in their wealth and life, that brings them to their own demise, as it did with these hypocrites. This verse really gives you a different viewpoint on this issue.

Another interesting verse that caught my eye:

"If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, "Allah is Sufficient for us; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah ," [it would have been better for them]." - Verse 59

This verse talks about contentment. It implies "only if they were content/satisfied with what God had gave them, it would have been better for them". But look at the structure of the verse and the body and how beautifully written out it is! Seldom do you ever see a relatively short verse mention the word "God (Allah)" 4 times! What does this say to the reader? When you look at what the verse is talking about as a whole, it speaks of contentment/satisfaction. Then God is mentioned 4 times. Can't that imply that God is the ultimate source of human satisfaction? But of course, without a doubt! Without God, your remembrance of Him, His presence in your heart, your supplication to Him, you will not reach ultimate everlasting contentment. Make Him priority in your life, and you will live happily.   

One letter!

وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا فُتِحَتۡ أَبۡوَٲبُهَا

 And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened (suddenly like a prison at the arrival of the prisoners). (Az-Zumar: Verse 71)

وَسِيقَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ رَبَّہُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتۡ أَبۡوَٲبُهَا

And those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) (Az-Zumar: Verse 73)

The minute difference of one letter between these 2 verses can only be seen in its original form in the Arabic language. Thus, I will do my best to explain it to the reader. Verse 71 refers to those who disbelieved, and how they will be on the day of reckoning. As they approach hell, its gates will suddenly open. There is no pause, or no letter in between “approach” and “open”, emphasizing how quick and sudden it will be.

Going to Verse 73, it describes that same day, but for those who believed. As they approach heaven, and its gates open. Now what is the difference linguistically between this verse and the previous one? Notice after the word “approach”, there is the word “and” or وَ before the word “open”. Why is there a وَ here but not in the previous scenario? This وَ, although one simple letter, makes all the difference in this situation. As the believers see heaven, and its gates open; this “and” in the middle tells you that it is not sudden, they will not be taken by surprise like the disbelievers were. This “and” is a sign of comfort, ease, joy. For example, when telling a happy tale, the author may say, “As the boy arrived to his house, and smelt the scent of freshly grown flowers, and heard familiar sounds of birds chirping, etc”. You see what the word “and” does? It shows the joy and happiness. However, when an author tells a scary tale, it may be something like this: “The boy walked up to the house…suddenly rain poured, wind gushed, etc”. The word and is not used here to emphasize the frightening scene.

God, the best, most wise author has told us this tale of 2 verses in such a unique manner. How can we be oblivious to this truth?!

More on Linguistics

 وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ ڪَثِيرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِۖ

“And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell”

The first few lines of Verse 179 in Surah Al-A’raaf were quite difficult for me to memorize for a particular reason. In Arabic, God says   وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمۖ. Notice where the لِ is. It comes before jahannam/hell. لِ typically means for. So God says, we have created so and so FOR hell. Thus, the reason behind that creation was for hell’s sake. This really got to me. Rather than putting the لِ before the word many, God placed it before hell. If it were placed before “many”, that would change the meaning to its entirety. That would say that we created hell for these people. But now as the verse stands, it is actually quite the opposite. “We created these people for hell”. What does that tell you? It tells me the extent of which these people have disobeyed God. To the extent that God says they were created for hell, rather than hell being created for them. These people are blatantly disobeying God and associating partners Him.

We ask God to protect us from any such acts on keep us on His straight path…Ameen.

Linguistics

No doubt there is a reason why the Quran was sent in Arabic. The Arabic language is very rich in detail. I will give you an example of Arabic Linguistics in the Quran.

The word نصرف and نفصل are somewhat similar, yet different at the same time. In English, these 2 words can typically mean to explain. Both can be found in the Quran repetitively. The example I will give you of these words can be found in Surah 7, Al-A'raaf.

نصرف is in verse 58: The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who give thanks. 

نفصل is in verse 32:

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allâh, which He has produced for His slaves, and At-Taiyyibât [all kinds of Halâl (lawful) things] of food?" Say: "They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them)." Thus We explain the Ayât (Islâmic laws) in detail for people who have knowledge.

Upon reading these verses, you can understand how the 2 words are similar. So why use two different words in these verses? Why not just use one? Here is where the interesting part comes. If you look at verse 58, God is explaining how crops grow in the land. The verse before also emphasized how God sends clouds, rain and wind, to help the harvest. Thus, there is movement going on; a type of action. نصرف is used where someone is explaining something that has a movement of some sort. In addition to that, say the word out loud: Nu-sarr-efu. Notice the rr in the middle. When saying نصرف, you find that there is movement in the letter rr while pronouncing it! Your tongue has to move repetitively for you to even say the word! This physical movement of the actual word being said emphasizes on its actual meaning as a whole.

Now, go to verse 32. What God is explaining in this verse does not involve any movement or action. It is a pure explanation of what is lawful for us. Thus. He uses the word نفصل instead.

Verses 57 and 58 in Al-A'raaf, Chapter 7

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَىۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦ‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابً۬ا ثِقَالاً۬ سُقۡنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ۬ مَّيِّتٍ۬ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَڪَّرُونَ (٥٧) وَٱلۡبَلَدُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يَخۡرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ ۥ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِى خَبُثَ لَا يَخۡرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدً۬ا‌ۚ ڪَذَٲلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَشۡكُرُونَ (٥٨)

And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain). Till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. (57) The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who give thanks. (58)

In these verses, God explains how a harvest grows with much detail. A cloud carries the rain and covers a land whose harvest was dead, that water then revives the land and it becomes that with much fruit and grain. The next part of the verse carries depth. God says just as this dead land has now become a revived one, similarly, after we die, He will bring us up once again on the day of resurrection. How can one question this? How would it not be possible for God almighty to do this after we see his signs first-hand of the harvested land? Think about it; when you see a piece of land that is beat up and tell yourself, this land is wasted, then surely after time passes, you see that with time and care the land actually became something is now a source of produce, that is all God’s work no doubt!

In the next verse, God describes the vegetation a little more. He says that a good land will produce crops easily without hardship. However, a bad one will grow little crops with much difficulty and hardship. He does not mention an analogy in this verse as he did in the previous one. Yet, think about it on your own. Can’t we compare us humans to this concept? A person who is internally good, meaning he wants goodness for people, you will see the produce of his work easily. You will see his goodness, you will not have hardship getting favors from him. Contrary to this, a person whose inside does not want goodness for you will do very little for you. And for the smallest little favor you need from him, he will give you much difficulty to get it done.

After looking more into my understanding of this verse that I came up with, I researched a bit more on it. That is where I found further explanation along with my reflections. Prophet Muhammad said: “The example of guidance and knowledge with which God has sent me is like abundant rain falling on earth. Some of it was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and caused lush plants and grasses to grow. Another part of the earth was hard, and the rain water pooled on the surface, but still God benefited people by allowing them to use it for drinking, watering their animals, or irrigating the land for cultivation. Some of the earth was barren, however, and couldn’t hold the water or support plant life. The first part of this example is of a person who understands God’s religion and gets benefit from what God sent me with by learning it and teaching it to others. The last part is of a person who doesn’t care for it and doesn’t accept the guidance with which God sent me”.

The examples and analogies found in the Quran are numerous and carry vast meaning. It is up to the reader though to ponder on these and reflect deep into them he himself. 

Verse 125 in Al-an'aam

 فَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَهۡدِيَهُ ۥ يَشۡرَحۡ صَدۡرَهُ ۥ لِلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ‌ۖ وَمَن يُرِدۡ أَن يُضِلَّهُ ۥ يَجۡعَلۡ صَدۡرَهُ ۥ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجً۬ا ڪَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَآء

And whomsoever Allâh wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islâm/submission, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. .[] (125) 

This verse is fairly powerful. It is self explanatory, yet at the same time, on point. Whoever God chooses to be guided, He will instill a sense of comfort in their chest/heart and they will be of those who submit their will to God alone. On the contrary, those who God chooses to be strayed will not have the sense of comfort instilled in them, but rather their chest/heart will feel constricted and trapped. Next in the verse, God gives us an example of how this person will be. It will be as if he is going up to the sky. Now, how does that make sense? What does going up to the sky have to do with feeling uncomfortable? Think about it. Scientifically speaking, the more you go up, the more what happens? The more you lose oxygen, thus making your breathing more and more difficult. It is fair to say that the more someone goes up, the more he/she is uncomfortable and constricted.  

Look at how on-point God is in this verse? I would never have correlated the two together on my own without thinking about it. There is a profound reason for every example of God’s words that can be proven in our day and age. Even science cannot deny the truth that lay in this analysis of the sky given by our wise and just God.

Below is a brief description of how our oxygen changes as our altitude increases by Answers.com:

“If you think about it, you can understand that the amount of oxygen in the air becomes less as your altitude increases. With each breath, you get less O₂ to keep you conscious and alive. And as you consider this, you can probably figure out that altitude affects people differently. There is what is called a thresholdfor the medical condition called altitude sickness (acute mountain sickness) that begins at about 8,000 feet, or about 2,400 meters. Blood chemistry changes in response to decreasing air pressure as we gain altitude. The process is a bit involved, it's complex, and it takes a bit of study. And it's not all about justthe oxygen. It's the law of partial pressures of gases and (more importantly) the pathophysiological response.”

Verse 56 in Surah Al-Furqan

وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمۡشُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هَوۡنً۬ا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلۡجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُواْ سَلَـٰمً۬ا

The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk upon the earth with humility, and when the foolish ones address them they answer: Peace.    {Quran (25:63)}

In these final verses of Surah Al-Furqan, God describes a type of people starting from verse 63 all the way through verse 74. He first starts off by stating who these people are before talking about their characteristics. He calls them "The servants of the most Gracious/Compassionate." What is interesting about this is that in introducing these people, God relates them to Himself. There is a direct connection between these people and He Himself. Thus, He already grasped the readers' attention. The second interesting part is that rather than just saying "Servants of God", He chooses another name of His: The most Gracious/Compassionate. So these people are servants to a Lord who sheds them with His grace and compassion. Now, the reader is intrigued and wants to know who these blessed people are. Thinking about it, one would think that first thing someone has to due to achieve such a high status from a compassionate God is to worship him. Maybe pray, fast, give charity, etc. Typically, if someone tells you that you have my grace, you would think it is due to something you did for them in the first place. But look at how truly merciful God is. The first characteristic these people have is what? That they walk on earth with humility and humbleness, and bring peace to those around them. Thus, God emphasizes these people's relationship and dealings with others on earth before talking about their relationship with Him. To obtain this status of his compassion, God gives us the first criterion, and this is to be humble, kind, and show peacefulness. How often do pious people think about this? Your religiosity is based upon your dealings with and treatment of others around you, first and foremost, before anything else. How can one possibly say this religion is of hate after reading these truly profound verses that carry such depth?! If you want to obtain God's mercy, treat humans with equality, show humbleness, and bring about the peace of people.

Verse 155 in Surah Al-a'raf

And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers. {7:155}

Interestingly enough, Prophet Moses points out a crucial concept in this verse. He and his followers are now in a believing state, believing in one God and obeying his command. They are in good hands. Yet suddenly, an earthquake seizes them. Strange, right? Why would God put them through this punishment after they believed? Or wait, did it occur to serve as a type of punishment? No one knows for sure, but Moses made an interesting point. He says “Oh God, this is a trial from You that can lead some people astray and at the same time guide people to You”. Is that so? Think of our day and age. A calamity occurs. The person going through that calamity can see it in both ways. It could be looked at as something bad. But then looking at it in a different angle, you can see where it may have avoided harm to come. In another example, sometimes when a person is given a hardship, he/she decides to lose all faith in God, leading him to be from those whose calamity caused them to go astray. At the same time, if a person is given a hardship, it can make his faith stronger and reaffirm his beliefs, guiding him/her to God, as Moses also affirmed. 

Tests, calamities, trials, tribulations, etc do not always serve as punishments for us. Rather, they can serve as a source of our very own guidance, and peace in the long run.

Mercy and Charity

My mercy encompasses all things, So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give Charity (zakah) and those who believe in Our verses. {7:156}

Growing up, I always heard that it was good to give charity and donate for good causes. There sayings by Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) that teach us to give for the sake of God, and that God will return our sacrifice in a better way. And there are also many verses in the Quran that talk about giving and how God multiplies one's reward when he/she gives charity for His sake. Yet, this verse got to me. It is concise, brief, and to the point.

Many times in the Quran, you see "those who believe and do good" going hand in hand together. Here, in verse 156 in Surah Al-A'raf, it is a little different. Rather than saying that God's mercy is linked to those who simply believe and do good, God delves deeper into what believing and doing good means, taking it to a higher level. He says His mercy is given it to those who are pious and have that fear of God, and additionally, those who physically give charity/donate, etc, and those who believe in God's signs/verses. 

Here as clear as ever, there is direct correlation between God's mercy on you and your amount of charity and giving to others. How beautiful is that!

Verse 143 in Surah Al-A'raaf

And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [ Allah ] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers."

It struck me the other day while reading this verse how many times as children, we ask our parents somethings that is not appropriate, or do things that are considered wrong to them. However, as a kid, you do not know right from wrong. So without a doubt, sometimes you will cross the line. We all went through it at one point in time. Here, in the dialogue between Prophet Musa (Moses) and God, Musa may have crossed the line in his question. He asked to see God himself. Now that is a big deal. One can imagine with God and all his glory, what it would mean to actually be able to see such amazement. Yet, what was God's response? Did he scold Moses, as many parents would do to a child who crosses the line? Not one bit matter of fact. Look at the pure wisdom in God's reply to Moses. Although he replies by stating that is not possible, he gives him a "sample" so to say. He lets him figure out how big of a question that was on his own. He gave him a sign with his own eye. When the mountain crumbled, Moses then realized what he had done, and found out for himself. How wise is our Lord? Truly this is God-thinking. The next time your child or student asks a big-deal question, let us try to reply with wisdom. Rather than saying no, never, don't even think about it, etc, Let us give our children a different avenue to learn from. Let us be wise in how we teach. This way, they can actually comprehend the message, just as our dear Prophet Moses did in this story.

Verses 12 and 13 in Chapter Al-baqara

In Surah Albaqara (Chapter #2), verses 12 and 13 are ones that I consistently make mistakes in while reviewing my memorization. In the end of verse 12, it says:
ولكن لا يشعرون
"Yet they do not feel it".

In the end of verse 13, it says:
ولكن لا يعلمون
"Yet they do not know it"

Then it hit me one day how to distinguish between them. In verse 12, the verse in the beginning refers to those who bring corruption (المفسدون ). How is corruption brought typically? Most of the time, it is by hand; something physical. Therefore, it is something we can feel. Those who corrupt, however, do not feel their own corruption, which brings us to the end of the verse, that they cannot feel their own corruption.

In verse 13, it talks about the disbelievers' lack of intellect. When someone lacks intellect, or is stupid for that matter, he does not know of it. Why? Because once again, he lacks intellect. Which is why God concludes the verse by saying "Yet they know not".

Relating the concluding lines of a verse to the actual meaning of the body of the verse as a whole, helps with memorization, and most importantly, understanding.