Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Lord of Daybreak
Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) Sura 113: Verses 1-5

"Say: I take refuge with the Lord of Daybreak from the worst of things that He created and from the worst of the darkness of the night when the dark intensified, and from the worst of those who practice magic, blowing on the knots and from the worst of one who is jealous when jealous."

The hajj, through its movements, declares a message as the Quran does with words. It has been recommended one should read the whole Quran during the hajj. Thus, we must have come to the end of the Quran by now. Now, at the completion of the hajj, let us learn a lesson from the last words of the Holy Book.

The last words of the Quran speak about a danger and the last movements of the hajj speak about stoning. In the last phase of the hajj, the words are about the stoning of three idols and in the last surah of the Quran, negation of three powers. At the completion of the hajj, danger still exists. It addresses the followers of Abraham to fear this danger. At the completion of the Quran, the words refer to an evil and it addresses the Abrahamic Prophet to fear this evil. Amazing! The Quran has ended and danger has not ended. The victorious mission has ended and danger has still not ended. Prophecy has ended and danger has still not ended. Amazing! The Quran comes to an end with two surahs. The words in both of which speak about taking refuge from evil. In both, it is God Who warns. And the person He warns is a person who has completed the mission of monotheism in history, the person who perfected the mission of Abraham. He is Muhammad. And the hajj comes to an end with a two-day pause in both of which stoning is referred to and in both it is God Who warns. The person He warns is the initiator of the mission of monotheism in history. And you, a follower of the Prophet of Islam.

O you who have come to the end of the Tradition of Abraham, not with action but with the secret, where do you go in comfort from Mina? At the completion of the hajj, O Haji! Let us read to the end of the Quran and see what danger threatens the mission of our victorious Prophet. In addition, before we depart from Mina and leave behind the three destroyed idol bases for our daily life, let us hear the last Message of God as to what danger He warns of to His friend—the human being appointed by Him to the people:

The first idol: the dark night, the domination of night, darkness and oppression. The second idol: the blower and its agents: sorcerers of dispersion and those who waste thoughts, ethics and awareness, pavers of the way of thoughts and culture for the dark night, hypnotizers of the masses in the skirt of the overspreading night. The third idol: an envious person. The fifth column of darkness, the unconscious plaything of blowers.

All these are the work of night. These three evils are the wickednesses of the night. Let the night die. Let the morning dawn rise, O God of dawn! "Lord of the Daybreak." Let daybreak appear, the breaker of morning pour a stream of white light over the valley of Mina. When the blade of the sun tears down the tent of the dark night, it removes the sovereignty of darkness and oppression from Mina, drives blowers who have taken shelter under the dark night to hide under rocks and in the caves of Mina and, finally, when the power of night ceases, the deceit of the sorcerers of the night cease, complexes of envy also remain shut and harmless, buried in the depths of friends!

Compiled From:
"Hajj: Reflections on its Rituals" - Ali Shariati

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Suspicion

Suspicion can ruin relations between people, particularly when it is based on flimsy evidence, or hearsay. The Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke in very clear terms about misplaced suspicion, giving clear orders to refrain from it. The following authentic hadith groups together some of the actions that cause discord within the community and make people dislike one another:

Abu Hurayrah reports that the Prophet said: 'Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst form of lying. Do not spy against one another, or compete with one another. Do not turn your back on one another, nor envy nor hate one another, but remain - you servants of God - brothers and sisters'. [Bukhari, Ahmad, Muslim]

This hadith stresses the importance of maintaining good relations within the Muslim community. The Prophet highlights certain things that would undermine such relations, and he tells us not to allow ourselves to indulge in them. Boycott, envy and hate should never be allowed to exist, let alone flourish in any Muslim community. Relations between Muslims should always be close. All members of the Muslim community should look at one another as brothers and sisters. They must value this tie of brotherhood, because it is established on the best basis, which is servitude to God and pure faith.

However, the hadith begins with a warning against suspicion describing it as the most untrue of speech. This is an apt description because whatever is said on the basis of suspicion has no basis in reality. It is all conjecture, leading to false accusations and ideas. It poisons relations and leads to discord and hostility. It also encourages what the Prophet mentions next, which is spying on one another. People do not spy on their neighbours or competitors unless they have some sort of suspicion they want to explore. Hence, they try to gather information secretly, perhaps through spying. This is again forbidden. The Prophet teaches us that we should help one another not to entertain any doubt leading to suspicion.

Compiled From:
"Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality" - Adil Salahi

Blindspot!

Yearning for Kaba

Yearning for Kaba arises only after understanding and the realisation that the House is truly the House of God, Great and Glorious is He, that it is modelled on the royal durbar so that he who goes there goes as a visitor to God, Great and Glorious is He, and that he who goes to the House in this world deserves that his visit should not be in vain. He will be accorded the object of his visit at the time appointed for him, namely the vision of God's Noble Countenance in the abode of eternity. For the inadequate mortal eye we possess in this earthly abode is unfitted to receive the vision of the Face of God, Great and Glorious is He, lacking the capacity to bear it or the equipment to take it in. But in the abode of the Hereafter, when it has been granted perpetuity and immunity to the causes of change and decay, it will be prepared for that vision and sight. Meanwhile, by betaking oneself to the House and beholding it, one earns the right to meet the Lord of the House in accordance with the noble promise.

To be sure, the yearning to meet with God, Great and Glorious is He, creates a longing for all that will lead to that meeting; for the lover craves everything in any way connected with his beloved. The House is connected with God, Great and Glorious is He, so this connection is surely enough in itself to make one yearn for it, quite apart from the wish to attain the abundant reward that is promised.

Compiled From:
"Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship" - Imam al-Ghazali