Ramadhan desserts ( part 25)

Ramadhan desserts ( part 25)

ابو حنظلة محمد زهر

For the last parts of this desserts and reminders, Inshaallah we will discuss on two of my favourite verses in Ali Imran. There are many Hadith pertaining to these particular verses and one of them is below which was related by Aisyah ranha :

 ،.........' فَبَكَى حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ الدُّمُوعَ بَلَغَتِ الْأَرْضَ ، ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ بَعْدَمَا أَذَّنَ الْفَجْرُ ، رَآهُ يَبْكِي . قَالَ : لِمَ تَبْكِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ غُفِرَ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ؟ قَالَ : " يَا بِلَالُ ، أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا ، وَمَا لِي لَا أَبْكِي ، وَقَدْ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيَّ اللَّيْلَةَ " : إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ سورة آل عمران آية 190 ، إِلَى قَوْلِهِ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ سورة آل عمران آية 191 ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : " وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ قَرَأَهَا وَلَمْ يَتَفَكَّرْ فِيهَا "

'......then he (the prophet saw)cried till i saw the tears reached the earth/ floor and then came Bilal after making the fajr azan and saw him crying and said' why are you crying o prophet of Allah? verily Allah had forgiven your past and future sins'. He replied' o bilal, how I am not be a grateful servant? And why Iam not crying when tonight these verses are revealed-

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand.

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire

 (al Imran 190-191) and then he said' cursed are those who read them but do not ponder and think about what in it.'

What is in these 2 verses that made the prophet saw cried heavily? And to an extent that he said curse to those who read it but do not ponder upon it?

Inshaallah we will try extract some of the pearls from these 2 verses and may Allah swt gave us all the understanding ...

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Ramadhan desserts ( part 24)

Ramadhan desserts ( part 24)
ابو حنظلة محمد زهري
But once these entities (sun, moon) does not follow their orbits, that is the time of qiyamah. So does the 'qiyamah' in the family will occur if every member transgress the limits ordained by Him. As the eclipse is the sign of Hour, the constant 'collision' of the moon and sun (husband & wife)is the sign of Hour!
SUN- is giving out light brightens the world and becomes the source of life biznillah. So does the father has the role to brightens the family with nur Islam and iman and become the source of growth and life. However we can't have day 24hrs as we need night for the continuity of life.
Moon- the moon obtained its light from the sun. So by right the husband are responsible for the light of Deen in his wife. The light from the moon is so pleasing and beautiful to the eye. Thats why the mother had a role to nurture her kids and she is pleasing and beautiful in nature to the family.
Stars- they are in fact suns, some may be brighter than the sun while others are not. So does the children, they have the potentials of the father in Deen , some may outshine him while others not. But even though they are present in the day, they are not seen due to the brightness of the sun, but once the sun goes, they will light up the sky beautifully with the moon. This also shows a special relationship between mother and her children. And stars are made for 1) beautification for the sky, so does the children are suppose to beautify the family. 2) guides for travelers, they will also be beacons and guide for the astray by becoming the beacons of hidayah.
And there are many more we can talk about this parable but Inshaallah this will serve as the appetizer for now.
May Allah swt make all fathers as the sun, brightening up their family with iman and Islam, beautify all mothers with the light and as the apple of the eye and all children to be the qurratun ain - beauty of the eye and beacon of guidance to others. Amin


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plurality and singularity

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ آيَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

And the people of Nuh, when they rejected the apostles, We drowned them, and made them a sign for men, and We have prepared a painful punishment for the unjust;

Last week I got a little confused on the above ayat for Allah swt used plural instead of singular for the prophet nuh as. وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ

'..... The people of nuh .rejected the apostles'

Why rusul (prophets) and not rasul (prophet)?

After having some time to spare today alhamdulillah, I managed to look into some of the tafsir books such as tabary, zamakhshary and assamarqandy and some other books on this particular verse and I will like to share the beauty and latoif of this verse, particularly on why it is in plural and not singular wallahualam bissowab. I will try to summarize it into 2 main explanations as follows:

1) rejection of one of the prophets is like rejecting the whole or every prophets that were sent by Allah swt. This is because all of them were sent for the same message of tauhid and kalimah laa ila ha illallah. And every prophet testified the other prophets' testimony and trueness and message. 

2) the 2nd is close to my heart which is from assamarqandy 

.....لم يكن الا واحد وقت هذا الخطاب فيجوز ان .يذكر الجماعة و يراد به الواحد كما يذكر الواحد و يراد به الجماعة كقوله والعصر ان الانسان لفي خسر و انما أراد به الناس الا تري انه استثنى منه جماعة- السمرقندي 

That is in short, the prophets (rusul) in plural only refers to nuh as alone. And this is common as sometime plurality is used for singularity while singularity is used in another occasion for plurality. 

As in the verse al asr, ' al insan' the man is used for the meaning of men ' an-naas'...

So why the plurality. This is ilihtiram for the prophet nuh as. That is as a respect, honour, homage and esteem for this prophet who is also a ulul azmi.

prophet nuh as was the only one sent to his people for a very long time, making dakwah for a very long time, facing all the hardships every day. They stoned him, run away from him as though he was a plague or stuffed their ears with their fingers everytime he tried to invite them to Allah swt. His hardship, perserverance, patience was so great. Even his own wife and son rejected him. It is as though that he is doing work for not just 1 prophet but the work of prophets! 

Ala kulli Hal, the best understanding is when we combine both explanations as they complement each other, subhanallah.

Nb there are also other explanations but I think this 2 suffice Inshaallah 

والله أعلم

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RAMADHAN DESSERTS (PART7)

Ramadhan dessert (part 7)

أبو حنظلة محمد زهري

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Guide us on the right path.

And then on the next verse is the doa for hidayah. We asking Allah swt to constantly guide us and keep us in the straight path, that is Islam- alquran and sunnah. All mankind is in need of guidance from Allah swt day and night. Even if he already a believer there is no guarantee that he will die as a believer. Therefore Allah swt has reminded the believers many times in the Quran on this matter 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah with the care which is due to Him, and do not die unless you are Muslims.

In this verse Allah swt address not the non Muslims but specifically to the ones who had already believed not to die unless in the state of iman! Iman is so precious that it has to be constantly guarded and keep in constant watch. The syaithan 24/7 is trying to snatch it and he had trained our evil desires (nafs)to make us go away from iman. 

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

O you who believe! believe in Allah and His Apostle and the Book which He has revealed to His Apostle and the Book which He revealed before; and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His apostles and the last day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.

In this verse Allah swt has commanded the mukmin (believer)  to believe.- why command the believers to believe when they are already a believer? This for us to ponder on this verse.

In addition as a side note, when everytime we heard or read the verse with the call to the muslims (يا أيها الذين اامنوا) - 'o you who believe', we  who called ourselves muslims Must stop and ponder and prepare ourselves for the next message as the Lord of the worlds is calling us and informing us on an important message. And

Without doubt the message after it is of great importance.Wa lillahi  Masalil ala- just like a king just called you to inform you for something , do we just take his call for granted or put all our ears ready to hear what he is going to convey. 

 There are people who do good deeds but on the last days of his life, he commits sins and die in it. May Allah set save us. And the last deeds is the utmost importance in a person's life. And nobody knows when his life will ends. 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

Surely Allah is He with Whom is the knowledge of the hour, and He sends down the rain and He knows what is in the wombs; and no one knows what he shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what land he shall die; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.

May Allah swt grant us all husnul khotimah and die with the kalimah syahahdah as our last words. Amin

We can understand that this surah also taught us the correct method of making doa. Firstly we make praise and make syukr to Him, and understanding His greatness and His mercy, with conscience of the hereafter and the day of judgement, with the correct ibadah that has been taught by the Prophet saw and tawakkul sole reliance to Him, then it is the time for us to ask Him swt what we want. And what is better than asking to be in constant guidance by Him so that we can get hayatan toyyibah in this world and Jannah in the hereafter.

والله أعلم

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Introduction to Ilm Munasabah المدخل الى علم المناسبات

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد الله الذي بنعمته تتم الصالحات و أشهد أن لا اله الا الله و حده لا شريك له و أشهد أن محمدا عبده و رسوله ولقد أدي الرسالة و بلغ الأمانة و نصح الأمة و تركها على المحجة البيضاء ليالها كنهارها و السلام على آله و صحبه أجمعين و من تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

Introduction to Ilm al-Munasabat

By Abu Hanzolah Mohamad Zahri

When we read the Holy Quran (whether if we understand Arabic language or if we read the translation only), sometimes we can find (due to our limited knowledge) that sometimes Allah swt is speaking about a certain topic then suddenly the topic is changed into another topic. Sometimes the topic digress to another topic and after sometime, return to the main topic. Or maybe it changed the topic wholly without ending the story. Sometimes the Quran describe events chronologically while sometimes it does not. Maybe we had asked ourselves, "Why??" Why there is digression? Why the topic or subject suddenly changed? What is the relation between this ayah and the other ayah before it?

Well this is where the branch (subject) of ilm comes into the light. This ilm studies the relationship and connection between two things from all or any perspective and area, and in this case in the book of Allah swt, (1) understanding the relationship and connection between suwar (plural for surah), such as the relationship between one surah and the one before it or after it; (2) understanding the relationship and connection between ayats, such as the relationship between this ayat and the one before it.

From this Ilm, we will see the balaghah and beautiful harmony and flow of the Quran. Not only we can feel the beautiful Qiraat (recitation), but also understand the harmonious meaning and secrets of the Words of Allah swt. We will also appreciate the Quran more and understand that the knowledge that we had is so minute and little to understand the full mukjizat of the Book of Allah swt. And this is just a small fraction of the Sciences of the Quran (ulumul Quran) and ulumul Tafseer. Allahu Akbar wa lillahi ma fissamawati wal ardh.

 

 
In addition, there are also different types of munasabah (in different perspective) such as:

1. 
   
   Al Munasabah between the two hukums (rulings) that are found in the group of ayats or just one ayat.
   
   For example in the ayat pertaining to the hokum of asking permission, there is also mentioned the hukm of lowering the gaze. (An-Nur 27-31)
   
   يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتًا غَيۡرَ بُيُوتِڪُمۡ حَتَّىٰ تَسۡتَأۡنِسُواْ وَتُسَلِّمُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ (٢٧) فَإِن لَّمۡ تَجِدُواْ فِيهَآ أَحَدً۬ا فَلَا تَدۡخُلُوهَا حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡذَنَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ وَإِن قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱرۡجِعُواْ فَٱرۡجِعُواْ‌ۖ هُوَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٨) لَّيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتًا غَيۡرَ مَسۡكُونَةٍ۬ فِيہَا مَتَـٰعٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُبۡدُونَ وَمَا تَكۡتُمُونَ (٢٩) قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ (٣٠) وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا‌ۖ وَلۡيَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِہِنَّ‌ۖ وَلَا يُبۡدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٲنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِىٓ إِخۡوَٲنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٲتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَآٮِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِينَ غَيۡرِ أُوْلِى ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَٲتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ‌ۖ وَلَا يَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعۡلَمَ مَا يُخۡفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ‌ۚ وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ (٣١)
   
   What is the relationship between the hukm of seeking permission before entering the house and lowering the gaze? Verily the relationship is quite apparent and clear, that is it got to do with safeguarding the honour and chastity of a muslim. Because when entering another house without permission may result in seeing the awrah of the people of the house. And lowering the gaze is the way of a mukmin to guard his own and other chastity.
   
   
2. 
   
   Munasabah al mutlaq of the surah for the purpose/main topic.
   
   For example surah An-Nisa. Verily many of the ayats that are mentioned in this surah deal with family dealings, masail of marriage and all other matters that deal with An-Nisa (women). That is why the opening of the surah immediately talks about the creation of man and woman and the first marriage between man and woman in the earth (that is between Adam and Eve) and as an indication of the main topic that will be discussed and mentioned in this Surah.
   
   يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ۬ وَٲحِدَةٍ۬ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡہَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡہُمَا رِجَالاً۬ كَثِيرً۬ا وَنِسَآءً۬‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبً۬ا (١)
   
   
3. 
   
   Al Munasabah between the name of the Surah and the contents of the surah.
   
   For example, we take Surah Al-Kahf (the cave). Verily, in this surah, there are mentioned the main Fitn (trials and tribulations) that befalls mankind, such as the (a) Fitnah in stead fasting in the Deen, such as the story of Ashabul Kahf; (b) Fitnah in Julasa' (seating and companionship) – Kahf 28; (c) Fitnah in the wealth and sons such as in the story of the 2 gardens; (d) Fitnah in Ilm (knowledge) as in the story between Musa as and Khidr; (e) Fitnah in Sulton (kingship) such as in the story of ZulQornain; (f) Fitnah in Strength and Power and numbers such as in the story of Yajuj and Ma'juj. And this surah explain the way to be save from all these fitan (plural of fitnah). As the cave protects the one who seeks shelter and protection in it (from rain, storm etc), this surah is also the protection from all this Fitan, and also the manifestation of all fitan- Dajjal, as the Prophet saw said that those memorise/take care of the 10 beginning ayats of this surah will be save from Dajjal.
   
   
4. Munasabah 'ammah (general munasabah)
   

InshaAllah, this is a simple introduction of the ilm of Munasabah. For those who wants to know more about this branch of ilm, should start reading the tafseers and some books which directly talks on this subject.

And for serious tolibul ilm, you may start reading these books:

1. أسرار التنزيل من جلال الدين السيوطي
   
2. مراصد المطالع في تناسب المقاصد و المطالع من جلال الدين السيوطي
   
3. الإتقان في علوم القرآن من جلال الدين السيوطي
   
4. البرهان من الزركشي
   
5. جواهر البيان في تناسب سور القرآن من أبو الفضل عبد الله بن محمد الصديق الغماري
   

Wallahualam. May Allah grant us knowledge. Allahumma zidna 'ilman nafi'an.

Al Faqir ilallah Abu Hanzolah Mohamad Zahri