Tafseer: The Most Comprehensive Aayah in the Qur'aan

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾

{Verily, Allaah enjoins Al-`Adl (justice) and Al-Ihsaan (good conduct), and giving (help) to relatives; and forbids Al-Fahshaa’ (immorality), and Al-Munkar (bad conduct), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression). He admonishes you, that you may take heed} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 90]

۩•۞•۝•۞•۩

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله reported in his Tafseer that Ibn Abee Haatim recorded that `Abdullaah bin Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said:

The Best Gift: Taqwa

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Taqwa is: “the Fear of Allaah” by which one abstains from sins.

Taqwa is: that which generates “the Love of Allaah” by which one performs all that he has been commanded.

Taqwa is: “God-consciousness” by which one is in constant remembrance of Allaah and is mindful of Him تعالى in all his affairs.

The best provision is: “Taqwa”

The best advice one can give is: “Taqwa”

The best advice one receives is: “Taqwa”

The best thing one enjoins upon others is: “Taqwa”

The best gift one can give to his loved ones is: “Taqwa”

The thing by which people will enter Paradise the most is: “Taqwa”

Welfare of the children: the concern of every parent

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The welfare of the children depends upon the righteousness of the parents. The more the parents are obedient to Allaah تعالى, the more they secure His protection for their children.

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ﴾

{Then they both (Moosaa and Khidr) proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight…} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 77]

Tafseer: Importance of Taqwa in gaining `Ilm

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّـهُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾

{So be afraid of Allaah; and Allaah teaches you. And Allaah is the All-Knower of each and everything.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 282]

From Tafseer al-Muyassar (by a group of prominent scholars in Tafseer):

Fear Allaah تعالى in all that He has commanded you and in all that He has prohibited; and Allaah تعالى will teach you all that which is beneficial for you in this world and the Hereafter. He is the Knower of everything, nothing from your affairs is hidden from Him and He will reward you accordingly.

Advice during the times of Fitan:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh Saaleh al-Fawzaan حفظه الله

Question: What do you advise us to do in this age in which the Fitan (trials and afflictions) have increased and the innovators have spread out and the death of the scholars?

Answer: The first thing I advise you is the Taqwa of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, and do much supplication that Allaah تعالى keeps us and you firm upon the Deen and that He تعالى protects us and you from the evils of these Fitan.

Thereafter, I advise you to seek knowledge - seeking knowledge from the people of knowledge (the scholars) and being diligent towards seeking it. Verily, there is no protection from the Fitan except through correct knowledge, by the Will of Allaah. So, if you do not have correct knowledge, perhaps you may fall in the Fitan while you are unaware and you do not know that it is a trial. So upon you is seeking knowledge from the people of knowledge. Do not be lazy in seeking knowledge when you have the chance (and the means) of seeking it.

http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/14958

True Friendship

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In the Qur’aan, Allaah تعالى says:

﴿الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ * يَا عِبَادِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ * الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ﴾

{Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al-Muttaqoon (pious). (It will be said to the true believers): My worshippers! No fear shall be on you this Day, nor shall you grieve, who believed in Our Ayaat (proofs, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and were Muslims (i.e. who submit totally to Allaah's Will, and believe in the Oneness of Allaah).} [Surah al-Zukhruf (43): 67-69]

From the people who will be under Allaah’s shade are: “two men who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allaah.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]

Ibn Taymiyyah: "Let not these criteria pass you by"

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, رحمه الله said:

“Let not these criteria pass you by: Whenever a slave’s love for his Lord gets stronger, the number of (worldly) things he loves gets reduced and (his attachment) to the things he loves will also diminish. And whenever his (love for his Lord) weakens, the number of (worldly) things he loves will increase (and his attachment towards them will get stronger) and will be widespread.

Clothe Imaan with Taqwa:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Wahb bin Munabbih رحمه الله said:

“Imaan (Faith) is naked, its clothes are al-Taqwa (Piety / God-consciousness), its beauty is al-Hayaa (Modesty) and its wealth is in its Fiqh (Understanding).”

[Sifatu al-Safwah (2/291)]

The family of Prophet Zakariyya عليه السلام:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In the Qur’aan, the story of Zakariyya عليه السلام has already been mentioned in detail at the beginning of Surah Maryam and also in Surah aal-`Imraan. Here, in Surah al-Anbiyaa’, a summarized version is given:

﴿وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ * فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ﴾

{And (remember) Zakariyya, when he cried to his Lord: “O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors.” * So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.} [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21): 89-90]

Shaikh al-Fawzaan on the means of attaining firmness upon the Deen:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan حفظه الله was asked: We ask your Excellency to mention to us the means of attaining firmness upon the Deen while there is frequent relapsing in this age?

The Shaikh حفظه الله replied: The means are many, and the major among them are: Taqwaa of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى (God-consciousness), fearing Allaah تعالى, similarly, asking the people of knowledge when you are confused (or doubtful about a matter), accompanying the righteous, remembering Allaah much and reciting the Qur’aan more, strictly guarding the prayer (and offering it) with the Jamaa`ah (congregation). All of these are from the means of attaining firmness upon the Deen.

Source:

http://alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/14584

The Wilaayah (becoming a Walee of Allaah) in a nutshell

Revised (Nov. 12, 2014)

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

This is a brief explanation of the world around a Walee and the many misunderstandings related with it:

A) Definition of “Walee”:

Linguistically, the `Arabic word Walee means: “to be near to”, “close to”.

It also means: “ally”, “protector”, “guardian”, “helper”, “supporter” etc.

It also means: “friend”, “companion”.

So, when the “Walee of a woman” is mentioned, then it means her close male guardian/supporter like her father, brother, etc who are responsible for taking care of her and in charge of her marriage. A woman is not allowed to get married except with the presence/permission of her Walee.

Tafseer: The Aayah which contains relief

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً - وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً ﴾

{And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him.}

[Surah Al-Talaq 65:2-3]

Hadeeth: Open repentance for open mistakes.

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

`Ataa reported from Mu`aadh bin Jabl that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “(O people!) Keep your duty to Allaah and fear him as much as you can. And remember Allaah عز وجل near every stone and tree (i.e. remember Allaah a lot). And if you committed a sin, follow it up with repentance – a secret (mistake to be repented) secretly; and an open (mistake to be repented) publicly.”

[Reported by Imaam Ahmad in “al-Zuhd” (26) and Tabaraanee in “al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer” (20/159/331). Shaikh al-Albaanee said in al-Saheehah (3320): “the narrators of this narration are reliable, they are the narrators of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim; except for Shareek (one of the narrators) who is weak, and the chain is Mursal (broken) as `Ataa did not meet Mu`aadh.” This Hadeeth also has supporting chain which takes it to the level of “Hasan li ghairihee”, see al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (1475) ]

(عليك بتقوى الله ما استطعت، واذكر الله عز وجل عند كل حجر وشجر. !اذا عملت سيئةً فأحدثْ عندها توبةً؛ السرُّ بالسرِّ، والعلانيةُ بالعلانيةِ).

Means for Increasing Sustenance & Livelihood

Introduction:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

This was a part of the khutbah delivered by the Imaam and Khateeb of the Um al-Quraa Masjid, Abu Abdul-`Azeez Ibraheem al-Sanaidi, near my house in Jeddah in the beginning of the year 2006. This khutbah, walhamdulillaah, was so beneficial that I requested the Khateeb to give me a copy of it. So here it is, the English translation of the same, for everyone’s benefit, inshaa-Allaah: