Friday Nasiha

At Taghabun
Chapter 64: Verse 16-17

So have Taqwa of Allah as much as you can; listen and obey, and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own greed, then they are the successful ones. If you lend to Allah a handsome loan, He will double it for you, and will forgive you. And Allah is Shakur, Halim.

Commentary:

The Order for Taqwa

Allah said, "So have Taqwa of Allah as much as you can;" meaning as much as you are able and can bear or endure. The two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim) recorded that Abu Hurayra said that the Messenger of Allah said, "When I command you to do something, do as much as you can of it, and whatever I forbid for you, then avoid it."

Allah's statement, "Listen and obey" refers to obeying what Allah and His messenger commands you to do and to not stray from it to the right or left. Do not utter a statement or make a decision before Allah and His messenger issues a statement or decision (regarding it). Do not ignore what you were ordered to do nor commit what you were forbidden from doing.

Encouraging Charity

Allah said, "and spend in Charity; that is better for yourselves." meaning give from what Allah has granted you to your relatives, the poor, the needy and the weak. Be kind to Allah's creature, just as Allah was and still is to you. This will be better for you in this life and the Hereafter. And if you do not do it, it will be worse for you in this life and the hereafter. Allah said, "And whosoever is saved from his own greed, then they are the successful ones" indicating those who are saved from being stingy earn success and achieve something good. Imam Ahmed recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah narrated that the Porphet said, "...... Be on your guard against being stingy, for being stingy destroyed those who were before you. ...." (For entire Hadith see Sahih Muslim 4:1996)

Allah said, "If you lend a handsome loan, He will double it for you and will forgive you" meaning whatever you spend, Allah will then replace it for you and the reward for this act of charity would be on Him. Allah considered giving charity as if it is a loan given to Him. And for this act of charity, he would erase your (past) mistakes.

"And Allah is Shakur" refers to the attribute of Allah that speaks of how abundantly He gives in return for the little that was done for His sake. The attribute "Halim" means He forgives, pardons, covers and absolves the sins, mistakes, errors, and shortcomings.

[Compiled from Abridged version of "Tafsir Ibn Kathir" vol. 10 p. 29-31]

Weep, and if you cannot weep, then pretend to weep (out of fear of Allah) I swear by Him in whose hand my life is that if any of you really knew, you would plead until your voice went, and pray until your back was broken.

- Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

No man gains full understanding and knowledge unless he detests all the people who are not close to Allah, and then turns his attention to his own self and detests it even more.

- Abu Darda (RA)

Mistakes and Rewards

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever breaks his fast in Ramadan by mistake does not have to make it up or offer any expiation.”

And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet said: “Whoever forgets when he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allaah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” [Al-Hakim]

[Extracted from "Eating and drinking by mistake during the day in Ramadaan" by Islam-QA]

It was narrated that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever gives iftar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.” [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Maajah, 1746.]

[Extracted from "The Virtue of giving Iftar to one who is Fasting" by Islam-QA]