Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Good News and Admonition
Al-e-Imran (The House of Imran) Sura 3: Verse 26

"Say: 'O Allah! Possessor of all Dominion! You give power to whom You please, and You take away power from whom You please. You endow with honour whom You please, and You bring low whom You please. In Your hand is all good. Verily, over all things You have power."

There is an immensely good news implied in this verse for the Muslim community. It promises them that the moral and spiritual leadership is being transferred to the children of Ismail. It also has a serious admonition for the Muslim community. Now that this great trust is being given to them they should not be deluded into thinking that it is given to them because they were entitled to it or that they deserved it because of their race or lineage. They should clearly understand that it is purely a bounty of Allah and the Muslims will continue to enjoy it so long as they discharge the obligations that go with this trust, honestly and faithfully, and continuously seek Allah's help and guidance in this regard.

This verse is couched, however, as a supplication rather than a declaration and announcement of good news. For this, there are two reasons. Firstly, at the time of the revelation of this verse, all these events were still hidden in the womb of the future and for things still hidden from view, this is clearly the most suitable style. It teaches the Muslim to pray and supplicate for these blessings. Secondly, implied in this style is the subtle hint that the Muslim community should receive this glad news not with pride or arrogance but with a deep sense of humility, modesty, and submissiveness and with a supplication from their hearts and on their lips. This is so because all power and authority rest solely with Allah. He alone has the power to give to whomever He wishes or to take away from whomever He pleases. Whatever we get, we get from Him alone and whatever we are deprived of, it is only by His command.

Compiled From:
"Pondering Over The Qur'an: Surah Ali Imran" - Amin Ahsan Islahi

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Care for Children

The Prophet's (peace be upon him) care for young children did not stop with boys who were close to him. Indeed he cared for all children, although those who were related to him enjoyed his love in a very noticeable way. Abu Qatadah al-Sulami reports: "The Prophet prayed carrying Umamah bint Zaynab, his granddaughter. When he was standing he carried her, but when he prostrated himself, he put her on the floor." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Nasai.)

Another version of this hadith quotes Abu Qatadah as saying: "I saw the Prophet leading a congregational prayer while carrying on his shoulder Umamah bint Abi al-As, whose mother was his daughter Zaynab. When he bowed in ruku, he put her on the floor, and when he arose from prostration, he carried her." (Muslim)

This highly authentic hadith shows that the Prophet also cared for girls, as much as he cared for boys. Umamah was his granddaughter, and he did not only show that he loved her, but he also carried her as he was leading an obligatory congregational prayer. This he did in a society where until recently people received the birth of a girl with too much gloom and often buried little girls alive for fear of poverty. Yet the Prophet demonstrated his love of the girl in the best way, carrying her while he was leading the prayer. Even today, many people would frown if it is suggested to them that they could carry a child while praying. They would object even more strongly if the child was a girl. Some people would even suggest that carrying a boy in prayer is permissible, but not a girl. In fact, the Prophet did this to demonstrate the opposite, because Islam does not differentiate between girls and boys. All children have equal rights that must be fulfilled by their parents, families and the Muslim community.

Compiled From:
"Muhammad: His Character and Conduct" - Adil Salahi

Blindspot!

Distress

At the core of all harmful emotional symptoms lies distress or anxiety, al-gham. It is like the root with the rest, its branches. It is the starting point of all symptoms and their augmenter. For example, before he experiences rage and anger, a person first feels anxiety and distress concerning the situation that triggers the anger. Similarly, it is distress or anxiety over a fearful situation that precedes the symptom of fear and terror.

The opposite state of this distress is happiness and joyfulness which is also the root cause of all the positive emotional states that a person experiences such as tranquility, pleasure and delight. Thus anxiety, distress and happiness are the opposite poles of the root causes of all pleasing and tormenting symptoms. Therefore distress and anxiety are the most powerful causes of the psychological illness of the soul and joy and happiness are the main basis of its health. Thus, if one is keen concerning the sustenance of one's soul, then one should do one's best to shield it from distress and to lead it to joyfulness in the same manner that one who is keen with regards to his physical health will avoid those things that would lead to disease and take those that would enhance one's health.

Compiled From:
"Abu Zayd al-Balkhi's Sustenance of the Soul: the Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century Physician " - Malik Badri, pp. 35, 36