Almighty and Merciful

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Verily, in this is an Ayah (proof or sign), yet most of them are not believers.

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ

And verily, your Lord! He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.

The above two verses are from Surah Al Shu'araa. They are mentioned 8 times in this chapter between different stories of prophets. They act as a transition between the stories. 

Interestingly, before telling us all these stories, God first addresses Prophet Muhammad, as this chapter came down in a time of hardship and persecution for him and the believers. God is telling him to pretty much take it easy and not to be so hard on himself for their ignorance. After comforting him, the stories of previous prophets begin, as if telling him "don't worry these prophets also went through tough times while delivering the message to their people". Thus, it was a form of empathy in a way. Between these stories you see the two repetitive verses above. 

In these two verses, God emphasizes His attributes of Aziz and Raheem (All Mighty and Merciful). After the 8th time that they're mentioned and after all the stories, God speaks directly to Prophet Muhammad again. He is comforting him and telling him to be humble. What he tells him next is interesting. He says

 وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ

And put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. 

See anything here? He uses the same two attributes that He had been using as transitions between other prophets' stories. So it's giving Prophet Muhammad a direct link to them so to say. But this time, He is commanding him to rely on the Aziz and Raheem. Just as the others relied on God and stood by their message, you oh Muhammad should do the same. This can be understood from reading the chapter although it doesn't literally say it. 

The very next 2 verses are interesting too. It gives God an additional attribute. 

الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ

Who sees you (O Muhammad) when you stand up (alone at night for prayer)

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ

And your movements among those who fall prostrate. 

إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

Verily! He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

The verses continue on to speak to the prophet and say that God who is almighty and merciful is the One who sees you when you get up at night, and sees you repeatedly prostrating. It didn't just say "the one who sees you praying". It's much more descriptive. It shows us that prophet Muhammad actually and physically rose up to the challenge. The fact that it says that he is literally getting up hints that. And finally God says He is the all hearer and all knower. Why? Because He hears the prophet as he prays to Him and knows of his constant prostrations. 

Subhanallah how just a few verses can tell us so much and in such a subtle way. 

Moses and the Pharaoh

Read this discussion between prophet Musa(Moses) and the Pharoah in Surah Al Shuaraa verses 23-38:

1. قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

2. قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ

3. قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ أَلا تَسْتَمِعُونَ

4. قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الأَوَّلِينَ

5. قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ

6. قَالَ رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

7. قَالَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَهًا غَيْرِي لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ

8. قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَيْءٍ مُّبِينٍ

9. قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ

10. فَأَلْقَى عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ

11. وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاء لِلنَّاظِرِينَ

12. قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُ إِنَّ هَذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ

13. يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ

14. قَالُوا أَرْجِهِ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ

15. يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ

16. فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

23. Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "And what is the Lord of the 'Alamin(mankind, jinns and all that exists)?"

24. Musa (Moses) said: "Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty."

25. Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said to those around: "Do you not hear (what he says)?"

26. Musa (Moses) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!"

27. Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!"

28. Musa (Moses) said: "Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!"

29. Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "If you choose an ilah (god) other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners."

30. Musa (Moses) said: "Even if I bring you something manifest (and convincing)?"

31. Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!"

32. So [Musa (Moses)] threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest.

33. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders!

34. [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] said to the chiefs around him: "Verily! This is indeed a well-versed sorcerer.

35. "He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery, then what is it your counsel, and what do you command?"

36. They said: "Put him off and his brother (for a while), and send callers to the cities;

37. "To bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer."

38. So the sorcerers were assembled at a fixed time on a day appointed.

Something hit me while reading their discussion. The entire discussion is between Pharoah and Musa. It's he said, he said, he said, etc. It's a dialogue. At the beginning of their dialogue when Musa brings up God, Pharoah immediately mocks him by addressing those around him. And the verse specifically says "those around him". He tells them as if mocking Musa, "don't you hear what he's saying?!" And then the next time pharaoh speaks he tells the people around him that their prophet is crazy. And then as Musa continues his determination to preach the oneness of God, Pharoah threatens him. So Musa asks "have I not shown you something that's clear"?  Pharoah then replies by asking for the proof of clarity. He says "bring it on" basically. Then Musa brings it. He gives him two miracles in a row. The stick turned into a snake and his hand became clear as white. 

What does Pharoah do after witnessing these miracles with his own two eyes? Immediately he turns to his people. And this time not to anybody. The verse specially says to the chiefs, the nobles. He does not even direct his attention to Musa anymore. This is where his kingdom, wealth and honor were threatened. He felt it. He saw the truth yet he ignored it. And not only that, he attacked Musa accusing him of sorcery. He couldn't handle the truth. It's simple as that. And these verses show it so clearly. It's an eye opener.

Sometimes we see something so clear yet our nafs, our ego, isn't ready for it. Just as Pharoah couldn't let go of his pride for the truth, and wasn't ready to forgo his kingdom. So much so that he couldn't even keep us his dialogue with Musa anymore. He couldn't address him after seeing his miracles. He turned his attention to the chiefs so they can take over the conversation. He had nothing to say. NOTHING. It was all clear now. 

May we see truth as clarity and not be blinded. 

Repentance in Surah AlFurqan

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,

وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا

And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion;-

These two verses are interesting to me because of the repetition of the words تاب وعمل صالحا (Repent and does good). The previous verses were talking about someone who had associated a partner with God, killed a human life, or commited adultery. And one who does either of these will surely get what he deserves for doing so. EXCEPT. Except who? The one who repents, believes, and does good actions. This is the first verse above. He who repents, meaning he regrets his mistake, and who believes, meaning he realizes what he did was wrong and believes that he should obey his God, and does righteous actions, meaning he immediately replaces his mistake with something good. Once he takes these steps what will God do? God will then replace his sins with rewards. So just as the person replaces his bad with good, God will similarly replace his sin with reward. 

And there is more. The next verse reiterates that this person then repented and did good. Why the repetition and what's the difference? This brings up the meaning of true repentance. Now that the person already realized his mistake, regretted it, and did something good, now he has to CONTINUE his righteous path. How? He repents again, but this time meaning he does not go back to the mistake and avoids ever going back to it ever again. And what else does he do? He does good. But interestingly God does not specify what good this person does in this verse. He does not say "does good actions" , but rather He says "does good", so it is more vague than the first verse. This gives the implication that this person didn't just do a good action after his mistake, but now this person is living a righteous life, a good life. Everything he gets into is goodness. He does goodness, speaks goodness, befriends goodness, encourages goodness, etc. The second verse thus emphasizes the lifestyle this person had after his repentance. And what is his reward for this? God says "then he will have truly repented" meaning that God will surely forgive him completely. 

May we have the strength to not only repent after our mistakes, but to also continue living a righteous lifestyle after. Ameen. 

Falling of a leaf

Perhaps God gave us 4 seasons to reflect on our own selves and each of our individual seasons. Sometimes we spring and we're all up and about, and other times we fall and shed tears of our own. Yet the fall season is beautiful to look at. We see green leaves on the trees all summer then all of a sudden, they change color and fall one by one. It amazes me every time to read the verse where God says "Not one leaf falls except that He knows of it". Just as He knows of every leaf falling off the tree, He is also all-knowing of every tear falling from your eyes. We know He is there. And just as He brings back life to the trees in the spring, He will bring back the coolness in your eyes. It's just the season :)

Mercy of a mother

As a mother waking up to care for a sick baby overnight, I realized something last night. Lack of sleep wasn't a concern while with her. All I could think of was her health. The mercy mothers have for their kids is unimaginable. Yet I was reminded of the saying by prophet Muhammad(PBUH) who said that God is more merciful to us than a mother is to her child. Sometimes we think He is inflicting us with pain when He is really curing us. Just as we give shots to our babies to heal them and annoy them with a syringe to clean out their nose while the baby does not realize these things are actually done for their good, God can also inflict us with what we call pain or tough times in order to cure us in the long run and remove the dirt from within. We cannot always fully comprehend why we are put in certain situations just as Moses couldn't comprehend why Alkhidr was sinking the people's ship. It was for THEIR own good in the long run. We have limited eyesight and the key is to TRUST, just as our children trust us when we inject them with a vaccine or stuff a syringe up their nose to help them breathe. Perhaps God's inflictions on us will help us breathe in a different manner. 

God's Grace

Surah Al Noor is 64 verses all together. Yet within the first 21 verses alone, God makes this same statement 4 times:

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ

If it weren't for Allah's favor and mercy on you

Take a look:

Verse 10:

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ حَكِيمٌ

If it were not for Allah's grace and mercy on you, and that Allah is Oft-Returning, full of Wisdom,

Verse14:

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِي مَا أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken.

Verse 20:

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, And that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful.

Verse 21:

 وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Only God knows the wisdom behind this repetitive statement, but it certainly makes you wonder why it was repeated 4 times so close to each other. Indeed, without God's grace, His favors on us, and His mercy, we would be no where. I would have not been able to write this. You would not have been able to read this. But He favored you and I, and all of us. Should we not be thankful? Alhamdulillah. All thanks and praise are due to Him. 

Where is your heart?

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ

Verily those who live in awe for fear of their Lord;

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Those who believe in the Signs of their Lord;

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّهِمْ لَا يُشْرِكُونَ

Those who join not (in worship) partners with their Lord;

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ

And those who dispense their charity with their hearts full of fear, because they will return to their Lord;-

أُولَٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ

It is these who hasten in every good work, and these who are foremost in them.

These are verses 57-61 in Surah Almu'minoon. God is describing a people in 4 specific traits. What are these traits? Take a look at the verses. Do you see a pattern of some sort? All of these verses have the word ربهم (their lord). Interesting. It could have easily said God, instead of their lord. But this shows us something. These people did not just fear God, obey God, love God, etc. They actually had a relationship with Him. He is THEIR lord, THEIR caretaker, THEIR #1 priority in life. You can sense that from the number of times it was mentioned in these verses. So aside from the qualities the verses mention, the way the verses were put together shows us how they lived their life. Their life was for God, their heart was attached to their creator. It's a truly beautiful quality to have yet how many of us truly have that?

And moving on to the last verse. What's their reward? It actually doesn't mention one! Usually when God describes people with great qualities in the Quran, He then describes their reward for having those qualities. Here, He doesn't. He describes another characteristic that is the epitome of their overall traits. He says that these are the people who hasten to every good and they prioritize it. They hasten to prayer, and are the first to pray it at its time. They hasten to give charity, and are the first to give it. They love their parents, they are the first to give them a kiss in the morning. May we be of those who hasten to goodness and be the first ones there. Ameen. 

Lastly, something I noticed in this last verse also is that a few verses back, God was talking about those who ignored his message. He says, "do they think that we hasten them to goodness?"  And now he mentions hastening to goodness again. But this time, He is not hastening the believers to goodness. It's they themselves who hasten to goodness. They took it upon themselves to do good. They chose goodness so God chose them.