Podcasts about all hearing

Names covered in this lesson as-Samee' (The All-Hearing) & al-Baseer (The All-Seeing). In the Qur'an, Allah says, “To Allah belongs the Most Beautiful Names, so call on Him by them” (7:180). This verse encourages people to worship Allah by praising Him with His beautiful names and making du'ā'. In this series Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman goes through the famous 99 names of Allah and provides practical examples on which name to call on Him in different situations. Learning the names of Allah, or Asma ul-Husna, can help people get closer to Allah.

Why is Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa so important in Islam? Allah states in Surah Al-Isra: "Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing." (Quran 17:1) This verse alone establishes the sanctity, blessing, and immense importance of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and its surroundings in Bilad Al-Sham (Greater Syria, including Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria). At a time where we are witnessing the oppression of the people of Al-Quds and Gaza, join Dr. Wahid as he details the great importance of  The Blessed Status of Al Aqsa and Al Quds and asks Will we be among those who defend Al-Aqsa with our voices, actions, and prayers, or will we let history repeat itself? Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciMGlcMhjew

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bequranic.substack.comAssalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!Welcome back to BeQuranic.Today is Thursday, the 14th of Shaaban, which means tonight is the eve of the 15th of Shaaban—a very special and blessed night in Islam.BeQuranic is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.According to one narration, Rasulullah ﷺ said that on this night, Allah forgives every single believer, except for those who commit one of these three things:1️⃣ They cut off ties with their family2️⃣ They are disobedient to their parents3️⃣ They hold grudges and hatred in their heartsSo tonight, let's purify our hearts. If there's resentment, let it go. If there's a strained relationship with family, take the first step in mending it. And if there's tension with your parents, make that call—seek their blessings.This is an incredible opportunity from Allah—a night where He is offering His forgiveness to all of us. Let's not let it slip away!What Can We Do Tonight?

Friday May 31, 2024 Zul Qa'da 23, 1445   This episode looks at the names of al-Sami' (The All-Hearing) and al-Basir (The All-Seeing).   The slides for this class are available at (to be posted later)   Donate to support this and other programming at MCCGP: http://mccgp.org/donate

Lesson 39: [AFFIRMING THAT ALLAH IS WITH HIS CREATION AND THAT IT DOES NOT NEGATE HIS TRANSCENDANCY OVER HIS THRONE] And like his saying ﷺ: 'The best (quality) of faith is that you know that Allah is with you wherever you may be.' [al-Tabarani, al Bayhaqi - Hassan] And like his saying ﷺ: 'When any one of you stands for prayer, he must not spit in front of him or to his right because Allah is in front of him; however (he may spit) to his left or under his foot.' Bukhari, Muslim] And like his saying ﷺ: 'O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and the earth, Lord of the great Throne, our Lord and the Lord of everything, the Splitter of the seed and plant, Revealer of the Tawrat, Injil, and the Qur'an: I take refuge with You from the evil of myself and from the evil of every moving creature whose forelock you hold. You are the First, nothing is before You; You are the Last, nothing is after You; You are the HIgh, nothing is above You; You are the Near, nothing is nearer than You. Settle my debt and suffice me against poverty.' [Muslim] And like his saying ﷺ to his companions when they raised their voices in dhikr: 'O People, be easy on yourselves for you are not calling One who is deaf or absent; rather you are calling upon One who is All-Seeing, All-Hearing, and Near. The One you are invoking is closer to one of you than the neck of his riding beast.' [Bukhari, Muslim] Lesson Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/Wasitiyya_Notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lesson Date: 14/02/2024

The All Hearing by Radio Islam

Dear listeners, we are in sura 2 AlBakarah The Cow البقره verses 127-129. Your intention is so important when you do anything. After you do the Work ask Allah for acceptance. We do things, we plan, we dream but the ending, the reaching point , the great achievement we think we will get , is all in Allah's hands. Your journey is in the process, the small steps you do everyday and the inspiration that ; All I do is for Allah with love.

Lesson 29: And His saying: 'Do not be despondent, Allah is with us.' [al-Tawbah: 40] And His saying: 'I will be with you, All-Hearing and All-Seeing.' [Taha: 46] And His saying: 'Allah is with those who ward off evil and with those who are good-doers.' [al-Nahl: 127] And His saying: 'And be patient for Allah is with the patient.' [al-Anfal: 46] And His saying: 'How often a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.' [al-Baqarah: 249]  Lesson Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/Wasitiyya_Notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lesson Date: 08/11/2023

Dear listeners, we are in sura 12 Joseph Yousif يوسف verses 22- 35. This section starts with God telling us an important life lesson ; = those that do good : are rewarded with good judgment ,wisdom + knowledge. Joseph has reached manhood and he is very good looking. He is being tested in his honor . The wife of the finance minister is trying to seduce him and she has power, riches, high status and people who support her in her wrongdoing. On the other hand Joseph is alone , mature ,poor / a slave , and locked in a room with her. but he still refuses her. His heart is filled with God's love , he runs to the door. And guess what the shirt is a symbol that shows his innocences , it's torn from the back a sign that he was running away from her and did not try to rape her. But she tries again this time with all the gossiping women supporting her. After they are surprised by his good looks , they cut their hands instead of the fruit in their hands and don't blame her. She orders him to listen to her or he will be degraded and put in prison. Joseph can't take it anymore, living in her house is agony and prays that God puts him in jail. and guess what; they know he is innocent but for things to settle down they put him in jail and forget him for a long time. However, this seems like another ( deep well) deep problem Joseph is in and God removes him to another part for him to learn. And saved him from their treachery . So maybe when your in a deep problem and it gets even worse maybe that change is another lesson to teach you something . Remember; God is the All Hearing the All Knowing. Sometimes looking at your problems from a different perspective, asking different questions can give you a clear answer.

Lesson 20: [AFFIRMING THE ATTRIBUTES OF HEARING AND SIGHT REGARDING ALLAH] And His saying: 'Allah has heard the words of the woman who disputes with you about her husband and lays her complaint before Allah. Allah hears the two of you talking together and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.' [al-Mujadilah: 1] And His saying: 'Allah has heard the words of those who say: ‘Allah is poor and we are rich''. [aal-Imran: 181]   And His saying: 'Or do they imagine that We do not hear their secrets and their private talks? On the contrary, Our Messengers are right there with them, writing it down.' [al-Zukhruf: 80]   And His saying: 'I will be with you, All-Hearing and all-Seeing.' [Taha: 46]   And His saying: 'Does he not know that Allah sees?' [al-‘Alaq: 14]   And His saying: 'He sees you when you stand up to pray. And your movement with those who fall to prostrate. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' [al-Shu'araa: 218-220]   And His saying: Say: ‘Act', for Allah will see your actions, and so will His Messengers and the believers.' [al-Tawbah: 105]   Lesson Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/Wasitiyya_Notes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lesson Date: 16/08/2023

Narrated by Abu Hurairah: from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2646, Book 41, Hadith 2 : The Virtue Of Seeking Knowledge [that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him."] As a rule of thumb, any hadith which contradicts the Qur'an should be considered null and void. Only the Qur'an is the absolute authentic text which has remained intact throughout. Al Qur'an is the word of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and Hadiths are just for our reference. May we receive mercy from Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala and also receive guidance to gather sufficient supplies so that we are safe and comfortable in Mahsyar facing Allah SWT being entered into heaven by Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala without reckoning and also punishment. - Surah As~Saffat 37 (Those who set the Ranks), verse 103 - 107 : [ Then when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allah), and he laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering); and We called out to him; “O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)!” Verily!Thus do we reward the Muhsinun (good-doers, who perform good deeds totally for Allah's sake only, without show off or to gain praise and fame, etc. and do them in accordance to Allah's Orders). Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial - and We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram).” ] - Surah Al~Hajj 22 (The Pilgrimage), verse 26 : [ And (remember) when We assigned to Ibrahim the site of the House, saying, “Do not associate anything with Me in worship and purify My House for those who circle the Ka'bah, stand in prayer, and bow and prostrate themselves. ] - Surah Al~Hajj 22 (The Pilgrimage), verse 28 : [ Call (all) people to the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every deep ravine. ] - Surah Al~Baqarah 2 (The Cow), verse 127 : [ And (remember) when Ibrahim raised the foundation of the House with Isma'il, (both praying,) “Our Lord! Accept this from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. ] - Sahih al-Bukhari 3366 : Book 60, Hadith 40Chapter : ProphetsNarrated by Abu Dhar RadhiAllahu anhu : I said, "O Allah's Messenger Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He said, "Al- Masjid-ul-Haram (in Makkah)." I said, "Which was built next?" He replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem)." I said, "What was the period of construction between the two?" He said, "Forty years." He added, "Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e. to offer the prayers in time). - Sahih al-Bukhari 6298 : Book 79, Hadith 70Chapter: Circumcision at an old age, and pulling out armpit hairNarrated by Abu Hurayrah RadhiAllahu anhu : Allah's Messenger Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam said "Prophet Ibrahim ‘alayhi al-salām circumcised himself after he had passed the age of eighty years and he circumcised himself with an axe."

Satan strives to lead believers away from Allah, His religion, and the Quran. He is a sly enemy, capable of seeing believers from where they cannot see him, and employs a variety of methods to ensnare them. He is completely under Allah's control, but can tempt all who are not sincerely devoted to Allah. However, Allah's mercy is greater than Satan's deceit, and He will protect those who trust in Him and repent of their sins. Satan is a constant enemy of man, whose main goal is to lead people astray and make them forget about Allah. He strives to make people forget their responsibilities to Allah by engaging them in trivial and idle matters, making their wrongdoings seem attractive, and making the life of this world seem alluring. To protect themselves from Satan's whispers and provocations, believers must seek refuge in Allah and remember that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. Meanwhile, Allah promises forgiveness and abundance to those who turn towards Him, and His mercy and tranquillity envelopes those who faithfully remember Him. Satan is an enemy of Allah and His believers, as he seeks to deceive people by making them forget their faith and the existence of the hereafter. He is powerless to influence true believers, instead their faith is only reinforced by his actions. Allah has revealed to us that Satan has no power over the disbelievers, and that if an evil urge from Satan eggs them on, they should seek refuge in Allah. His ultimate goal is to mislead people and guide them to the punishment of the Searing Blaze, and believers should treat him as an enemy.

Lesson 11: [AFFIRMING THE ATTRIBUTES OF HEARING AND SIGHT REGARDING ALLAH] And His saying: ‘Nothing is like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.' [al-Shura: 11] And His saying: How excellent is what Allah exhorts you to do? Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.' [al-Nisaa': 58] Lesson Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/Wasitiyya_Notes⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lesson Date: 17/05/2023

The following verse is covered in this talk: "Surely, Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between people, judge with justice. Surely, excellent is the exhortation Allah gives you. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." 4:58 In this series Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera will be providing inspirational reflections (tadabbur) on some of the most important verses of the Qur'an. The themes will range from life, devotion, prayer, conduct, Ramadan, social life, men, women, marriage, justice, morality, divine bounty, spirit of sacrifice, entertainment, materialism and much more.

The following verse is covered in this talk: "Surely, Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between people, judge with justice. Surely, excellent is the exhortation Allah gives you. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." 4:58 In this series Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera will be providing inspirational reflections (tadabbur) on some of the most important verses of the Qur'an. The themes will range from life, devotion, prayer, conduct, Ramadan, social life, men, women, marriage, justice, morality, divine bounty, spirit of sacrifice, entertainment, materialism and much more.

The following verse is covered in this talk: "Surely, Allah commands you to deliver trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between people, judge with justice. Surely, excellent is the exhortation Allah gives you. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." 4:58 In this series Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera will be providing inspirational reflections (tadabbur) on some of the most important verses of the Qur'an. The themes will range from life, devotion, prayer, conduct, Ramadan, social life, men, women, marriage, justice, morality, divine bounty, spirit of sacrifice, entertainment, materialism and much more.

Throughout history, a single question has plagued humanity; a question often asked about an issue that all Abrahamic religions face. If an All-Powerful God, who is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, Loving, Most-Merciful, and All-Just in control of All things and matters, exists, then why do people experience evil, pain, and suffering in this world? Why must we contend with sickness, natural disasters, starvation, war, calamities, corruption, and killings? If God is Most-Merciful, All-Loving, All-Good, and All-Just, why does He allow such atrocities to happen? The existence of evil ranks among the top reasons people reject the concept of religion or the belief in a Higher Power. This concept is known as the "problem of evil." Many have concluded that God could not exist because of the presence of evil; if He does exist, He is a cruel, unjust God who enjoys seeing people suffer and in pain. They summarize that such a God is not worth worshipping if He is unaware, uncaring, and incapable of removing and controlling evil elements.People who reject God because they cannot grapple with the problem of evil do not adequately understand the conditions of darkness and pain. They reject God because of their lack of understanding. The decision to disbelieve the existence of God only adds more confusion, leading to the emergence of questions as to why we were created, where we are destined to go, etc.  An atheist that rejects God removes God from the equation, but suffering still exists. Disbelieving only eliminates the quality and significance of the suffering and no longer gives it purpose or meaning. One could have suffered their whole life, only to end up in their grave eternally with no justice or recompense for what they had endured, and those who committed evil can get away with their misdeeds. However, with God in the equation, suffering has meaning, and the victims and the oppressed eventually receive justice in this world or the next. Without God in the picture, they may not. The fact that evil exists does not negate the existence of God.The Angels first asked the question of evil upon God, the Almighty's announcement that He was creating a new form of beings called humans."And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, Indeed, I will make upon the Earth a successive authority" (Quran 2:30)The Angels responded with a question:"…They said, 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and You?" (Quran 2:30) God answered: "…Indeed, I know that which you do not know" (Quran 2:20)Although God did not explain nor rationalize the answer to their question, the Angels were satisfied with this response; this is owing to their complete humility before, trust in, and faith in God's Wisdom and Knowledge while recognizing His Wisdom as Perfect and without flaws. The Angels did not assume God's Wisdom was incorrect simply because they could not understand nor comprehend that Wisdom. Humans never will understand the reason behind the world's pain and suffering, as our limited, finite minds cannot comprehend God's logic. However, the fact that our intellectual capacity cannot understand and evaluate the Wisdom behind pain and suffering does not nullify that Wisdom. How can we judge the situation or God without attaining the necessary information to do so? God states in the Quran:"…And mankind has not been given of knowledge except a little" (Quran 17:85)

A common misconception regarding Islam is that if someone leaves the religion of Islam, an Islamic State will punish them with death. This is simply not true. People always have the option to cease believing in and worshipping Allah in a Muslim land without being punished. Many people who left the religion of Islam in Muslim-dominated countries did so without being harmed. And many places of worship of other faiths can be found in Islamic countries today and in the past.  "And say, O Prophet, 'This is the truth from your Lord. Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve..." (Quran 18:29) Islam clearly states that there is no compulsion regarding religion; therefore, an Islamic State cannot force anyone to convert to the Islamic faith or remain Muslim. The Holy Quran states:"Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing" (Quran 2:256)It's essential to stress that the act of leaving the Islamic faith is not the same as committing the act of apostasy in Islam. Whereas Islam does state that the punishment for apostasy is death, this penalty is assigned only to a particular type of apostasy: and one does not suffer this penalty simply because they left the fold of Islam. The act of apostasy, the commission of which can sentence an apostate to death, is given to those living in an Islamic land that publicly announces their apostasy, convincing others to leave Islam, the religion of God. It's for those who call others to a new faith, misguiding people and leading them to hellfire, thus also leading to a great fitnah, trial, and tribulation for others.The rights of an individual do not trump the rights of society. Islam does not tolerate the commission of any corruption in its society and has rules to protect the community from harm and disunity--and from those that cause doubt and uncertainty in the hearts of believers. Calling people to leave Islam can cause people to commit crimes prohibited in Islam, such as drinking alcohol, drugs, fornication, and other harmful acts to individuals and society. Apostacy, in short, is seen as a form of treason against the state.The Islamic penal system aims to preserve five essential elements: life, intellect, family, property, and religion. To this end, Islam has implemented strict rules to live by through its religion and the prescription of the punishment for apostasy for the safety of society. Only an Islamic state can implement the punishment of apostasy; citizens cannot be vigilantes and take the law into their own hands. The crime must be done intentionally and implicitly, and not ambiguously.  At the time of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, apostates did exist, but Prophet Muhammad PBUH and the Muslims never executed any of them. Rarely have apostasy laws ever been implemented at all throughout history. The apostasy law is not unique to Islam; it also exists in Christianity and Judaism. A ruler in an Islamic State can elect to give the apostate a different sentence, such as a prison sentence. The apostate has the right to a court hearing and gets a three-day waiting period. He is allowed time to reflect on the situation, clear misconceptions, and repent. Those who assist the enemy of an Islamic State in battle are likewise subject to the death penalty. This is known as treason, and many nations today punish spies and anyone who plots to harm their own nation by way of their treason laws.

As Islam spread quickly throughout the world in such a short period, many assume that the sword spread Islam by way of holy wars. But was this the case? One must distinguish between the Islamic State Empire and the Islamic Faith to understand this. Let's first address the Islamic State Empire. When leaders of the Empire believed they could offer a system better suited for civilizations, they sometimes enacted their powers to expand their reach to other nations, thus benefiting the people in those nations. Empires spread their system using military force, a method of choice throughout history—as is the case with the many western countries that conquered nations in an attempt to extend their system of democracy to lands where--they believed--people were oppressed. The Islamic State Empire started as a small group of people who eventually grew in number and struggled their way to the top. To a certain extent, the Islamic State Empire expanded just as many other Empires expanded throughout history.  Like every other Empire, the Islamic Empire wanted its reach to flourish through political conquests. Without political conquest, they would not have become and remained a superpower. If nations exist where their people are oppressed, their leaders may be confronted for their wrongdoing--as no people deserve mistreatment. One of Islam's main goals is to establish justice in the land and to invite others to know and accept the Message of God. People can hear the message of God without being forced into its acceptance. It would be a tragedy if the leaders of some nations prevented their peoples from hearing the Message of God.  Conquest was the law of the land, and Empires followed this edict to survive. Although most of the battles that Islams fought were defensive, fighting for the protection of their people, the Islamic Empire did expand its Empire by conquering other lands. The Islamic Empire expanded its justice domain by confronting other unjust Empires and letting others hear about Islam without forcing anyone to accept the faith. Unlike many other Empires, Islam's many rules ensure that everyone is treated with justice, boundaries are not crossed, and no injustice is done when they conquer a land. Islam prohibits Muslims from oppressing the people in their conquered lands or enslaving and selling them as other Empires did. The living situation of the conquered people should always be better in the wake of their conquest. Scholars state that offensive warfare should be avoided in this modern period and that striking peace treaties with other nations is the right approach.  Now we will address the manner in which the Islamic faith grew so quickly in such a short period. Were the citizens of the lands conquered by the Islamic State forced to convert to Islam? No. Forced conversion is not allowed in Islam, as stated in the Holy Quran:"Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing" (Quran 2:256)

The first article of faith in Islam is the belief in the Oneness of God. Faith begins with believing in Allah, the Glorious, from which all other facets of Faith spring. You must adhere to and acknowledge that no deity is worthy of your worship, love, subservience, hope, and fear other than Allah. Nothing in existence is worthy of your ultimate loyalty and sacrifice nor worth lowering your head in prostration or humility, except for Allah, the Creator of All.  Islam is monotheistic, believing that there is only One God and He is the only One worthy of worship. The idea of multiple gods is rejected in Islam, as is highlighted many times throughout the Qur'an. "They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the third of three,' And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment." (Quran 5:73) The most severe sin in Islam is known as shirk, which translates to the concept of ascribing a partner to Allah. The term also encompasses attributing divine qualities to any other besides Allah. Shirk is the only sin that God does not forgive if a person dies before repenting.The Christian belief that Jesus is the son of God, or God himself, is an example of shirk. The belief in the concept of the Trinity— the father, son, and holy spirit—is a grave sin in Islam. Allah states in the Holy Quran that on the Day of Judgment, Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, will deny ever asking people to worship him instead of God or along with God:"And remember when Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection: 'O 'Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' 'He will say: 'Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen." (Quran 5:116) God is the One to whom worship is due. He is the Creator, Provider, and Sustainer of everything. He is the Supreme, the Eternal. God has no father nor mother, no son or daughter, no partner nor equal. He is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Powerful, and Most-Merciful. It is He who gives life and causes death. It is He who is Unique in His Names and Attributes. Everything in this world and everything it contains, the whole universe, including you and me, belong to the One God. We use the phrases "my hand," "my house," and "my money," but it all belongs to God."To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the Earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent." (Quran 2:284)

You convert to Islam, embracing the fold because you chose to submit and surrender to the Will of your Creator voluntarily. You realize that you were created to worship God, and only when you submit to the one true God and live according to His Divinely revealed Laws will you achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart. You understand that no one is worthy of your worship and veneration except the One True Creator, the ultimate Creator, the Creator of this World, and everything in it. You realize that the only true purpose of your life is to find God, build a relationship with Him, and follow His commandments.You realize that God, the Almighty, would not leave you in darkness without guiding and showing you how He wants you to live. So, your Creator chose Messengers and Prophets throughout history to send to different nations at different times to communicate His Message to humanity and show how you should live and to teach you about Him. These prophets came with glad tidings, stating that whoever Worships the One God with no partners and lives a righteous life while obeying God's commands will enter Paradise eternally, and whoever worships other than Allah and does not follow God's commandments will enter hellfire.You convert to the faith, realizing that Islam will change your life for the better and that Islam will provide you the light to guide your life and grant you true salvation from eternal hellfire. You have searched for your life's purpose and your Creator, sincere and curious to learn the truth. Now you are being guided to the truth by the Will of God and by His Mercy, Love, and Justice. God decided to guide you. He guides those He Wills and Pleases. You realize that Islam is the true religion of God, and you are ready to embrace the fold. In Islam, every action begins with an intention, so start by setting an intention in your heart to embrace Islam for the sake of God alone. It's highly recommended that you first take a bath or shower to symbolically purify and cleanse yourself of your past life and past sins. It's also recommended to wear suitable clothes on the day of your conversion.Unlike other religions, converting to Islam does not involve rituals, ceremonials, or baptisms. All you have to do is declare the testimony of faith, known as the Shahada in Arabic, the first of the five pillars of Islam. These two statements encapsulate all the beliefs of Islam:أشهدأن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله 'I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger.'You can state this phrase in privacy by yourself or in public with witnesses, which is recommended. You will have help with the accuracy of the pronunciation of the wording in Arabic. The testimony of faith is recommended and often done publicly, in a Mosque or gathering.You testify, acknowledge, and avow you are convinced that no deity is worthy of worship and veneration other than Allah. Allah is the unique name of God, the ultimate Creator. You acknowledge that there is only one God, the Sustainer, the Creator, who controls all matters and all things and has no partners, children, or associates. He is the Most-High, Most-Merciful, All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Seeing, All-Hearing; he is the First; He is the Last.You also testify and acknowledge that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is God's last and final messenger, sent to relay the same general Message as the prophets before him. He is the best example and role model for humanity, a slave and worshipper of Allah, and should not be wrongly worshipped like past Prophets—who were only human messengers of God and not God himself.

Before we speak about the evidence of Islam and the Holy Quran's Divine origin, let me quickly introduce Islam. Islam is defined as the voluntary act of submitting yourself to God. When you become a Muslim, you submit and surrender to the will of God, just as the creation around you, providing you peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. Only when you submit to God, through a process of believing in Him and obeying His commandments, do you achieve an innate and lasting sense of security, true peace of mind, and surety of heart. As a Muslim, you don't live to fulfill your desires, lusts, and impulses; instead, by definition, a Muslim submits their will to the almighty God. You acknowledge and trust that God knows what's best for you, so you follow His guidance. You cannot live peacefully or successfully without religion, and this religion cannot be man-made. Religion must be utterly Divine, with no human alteration inherent. The only Revelation in the world today that still rings good and true is the final Book, the last and final Testament of God, the Holy Quran. All other traditional Revelations have been lost in the annals of time or undergone endless human-made modifications that have rendered them impractical for humanity. Unlike other sacred scriptures such as the Bible, the Holy Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning—and in a language that still exists today.Islam is a monotheistic faith that requires followers to admit and recognize the existence of one Supreme God and Being who is Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowledgeable, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, Most-Merciful, and Loving. Islam stresses the existence of only One God. The same God worshipped by Prophet Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Islam demonstrates the fact that, through the centuries, God has continued to bless humanity with holy Prophets bearing the same general message. The message is simple: you should worship God Alone with no partners, love Him with all of your heart, and follow His Commandments. If you follow this edict, you will live a content life in this world and enter Paradise eternally in the afterlife. If you do not believe in God and follow His commandments, you will live a depressed life and enter hellfire in the afterlife. Islam is not a religion solely based on creeds, customs, and rituals such as praying and fasting; instead, Islam is a complete way of life that guides followers in every aspect of their lives. Islam teaches the art of living and dictates how you should steer and navigate your life. Islam instructs you about the things in this life that are beneficial to you and those that are ultimately destructive and should be avoided. Islam states that everyday human acts, such as eating, drinking, greeting others, sitting, learning, dressing, sleeping, and giving charity, are all acts of worship if conducted for God alone and in accordance with His Divine Laws and guidelines. 

Say: 'My Lord knows what is said in heaven and earth. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' (Qur'an, 21:4) Fight in the Way of Allah. Know that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 2:244) Allah commands you to return to their owners the things you hold on trust and, when you judge between people, to judge with justice. How excellent is what Allah exhorts you to do! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (Qur'an, 4:58) Say: 'Allah knows best how long they stayed. The Unseen of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone." (Qur'an, 18:26) That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. Eyesight cannot perceive Him but He perceives eyesight. He is the All-Penetrating, the All-Aware. (Qur'an, 6:102-103) Say: 'Do you worship, besides Allah, something which has no power to harm or help you when Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing?' (Qur'an, 5:76)

O Allah, guide us among those whom You have guided and grant us well-being among those whom You have granted well-being and take us into Your charge among those whom You have taken into Your charge and bless us in what You have given us and save us and keep away from us with Your mercy the evil of what You have decreed For verily You decree and none can pass decree upon You He whom You show allegiance to is never abased and he whom You take as an enemy is not honoured Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted Praise is to You for what You have decreed and to You is thanks for what You have given us We seek Your forgiveness and we turn to You in repentance O Allah, apportion for us a fear of You, that shall come between us and disobedience of You and (apportion for us) obedience to You, which will allow us to attain Your Paradise and (apportion for us) conviction which shall make the afflictions of the world easier for us (to endure) O Allah, let us enjoy our hearing, and our sight, and our strength, as long as You keep us alive and make it the inheritor of us And let our vengeance be upon those who have oppresed us and aid us against those who show enmity towards us and do not make our affliction be in our religion and do not make this world our be greatest concern, nor the limit of our knowledge and do not let the hellfire be our destination and let Paradise be our home and dwelling and do not let rule over us, because of our sins, he who will not fear You and will have no mercy on us O Allah, grant us security in our lands O Allah, make righteous our leaders and the guardians of our affairs O Allah, You Who heals, heal our sick and those Muslims who are sick And O Most Merciful of the mercifuls, have mercy on our deceased and the deceased Muslims and have mercy on us when we turn to what they have turned to O Allah, we seek refuge in You from albinism, insanity, leprosy and from evil diseases O Allah, we seek refuge in You from albinism, insanity, leprosy and from evil diseases O Allah, we seek refuge in You from albinism, insanity, leprosy and from evil diseases O Allah, Indeed You are Most Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon us O Allah, Indeed You are Most Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon us O Allah, Indeed You are Most Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon us O Allah, accept from us our prayer, and fasts, and our bowings, and our prostrations and our reading of the Holy Qur'an, and our listening to the Holy Qur'an Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy O Allah, make us from the people of the Qur'an those who are Your [special] people and those who are closest to You O Owner of Majesty and Honour O Allah, do not let any sin of ours but that You have forgiven it and no distress but that You have relieved and no anguish but that You have relieved and no difficulty but that You have eased and no debt but You have settled and no sick person but You have healed and no child but You have made righteous and no person who is afflicted but You have shown Your mercy to him nor any need from the needs of this life and the hereafter that is pleasing to You and there is good in it for us but that You have assisted us in it being met and made it easy for us with Your mercy, O Most Merciful One O Allah, set right our religion, which is the safeguard of our affairs and and set right our world, wherein is our living and set right our afterlife, to which is our return And make life for us an increase in all good and make death a relief for us from every evil O Allah, let our last words in this worldly life be la ilaha illal Allah (There is no God except Allah) O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and that which brings us closer to it of statements or actions and we seek refuge in You, O Allah, from the Hellfire and that which brings us closer to it of statements or actions O Allah, we seek refuge in You with Your Pleasure from Your anger and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment and in You from You we cannot count Your praises, You are as You have praised Yourself Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire Our Lord, grant us from among our spouses and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous Our Lord, accept from us, You are The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing and accept our repentance for Indeed; You are the Accepting of repentance, the Most Merciful Exalted is You, our Lord, the Lord of might, free from what they describe And peace upon the messengers And all praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds.اَللَّهمَّ اهْدِنَا فِيمَن هَدَيْت و عَافِنا فِيمَن عافيْت و تَوَلَّنا فِيمَن تَوَلَّيْت و بارِك لَنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْت و قِنا واصْرِف عَنَّا بِرَحمَتِكَ شَرَّ ما قَضَيت فانَك تَقضي ولا يُقضى عَليك انَّهُ لا يَذِّلُّ مَن والَيت وَلا يَعِزُّ من عادَيت تَبارَكْتَ رَبَّنا وَتَعالَيْت لَكَ الحَمدُ عَلَى ما قَضَيْت وَلَكَ الشُّكرُ عَلى ما أَعْطَيْت نَستَغفِرُكَ ونَتوبُ اليك اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا تَحُولُ بِهِ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَصِيتِكَ وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ وَمِنَ اليَقِينِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مُصَاءِبَ الدُّنْيَا اَلَّلهُمَّ مَتِّعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُوَّاتِنَا اَبَدًا مَا أَبْقَيْتَنَا وَاجْعَلْهُ الوَارِثَ مِنَّا وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى مَنْ عَادَانَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلاَ مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا ‏وَلَا إلى النَّار مَصِيرَنَا وَأجْعَلِ الجَنَّةَ هِيَ دَارَنَا وَقَرَارَنَا، ‏وَلَا تُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا مَن لَّا يَخَافُكَ فِينَا وَلَا يَرْحَمُنَا اَللَّهُمَّ آمِنَّا فِي أَوْطَانِنَا وَأَصْلِح أَئِمّتَنَا وَاَوْلَاةَ أُمُورِنَا اَللَّهُمَّ يَاشَافِي اِشْفِ مَرْضَانَا وَمَرْضَى الْمُسْلِمِين وَيَااَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْن اِرْحَمْ مَّوْتَانَا وَمَوْتَ الْمُسْلِمِين وَارْحَمْنَا اِذَا صِرْنَا إلَى مَاصَارُوا إِلَيْه. اَللَّهُمَّ إنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ البَرَصِ، والجُنُونِ، والجُذَامِ، وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الأسْقَامِ (3) اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفوَ فَاعْفُ عَنَّا (3) اَللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا صَلَاتَنَا ، وَصِيَامَنَا، وَرُكُوعَنَا وَسُجُودَنَا وَقِرَاءَتَنَا لِلْقُرْآنِ الْكَرِيْم وَاسْتِمَاعَنَا لِلْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيْم اَلَّذِى لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلنَا مِنْ اَهْلِ الْقُرْآن اَلَّذِيْنَ هُمْ اَهْلُكَ وَخَاصَّتُك يَاذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَدَعْ لَنَا ذَنْبًا إِلَّا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلَا هَمًّا إِلَّا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَلاَ كَرْباً إِلاَّ نَفَّسْتَهُ وَلاَ عَسِيْرًا اِلّا يَسَّرْتَهُ وَلَا دَيْنًا إِلَّا قَضَيْتَهُ وَلاَ مَرِيْضًا اِلّا شَفَيْتَهُ وَلاَ وَلَدًا اِلّا اَصْلَحْتَهُ وَلاَ مُبْتَلًا اِلّا رَحِمْتَهُ وَلَا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ هِيَ لَكَ رِضَا وَلَنَا فِيْهَا صَلَاحٌ إِلَّا اَعَنْتَنَا عَلَى قَضَاءِهَا وَيَسَّرْتَهَا لَنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ أصلِحْ لَنَا دِيْنَنَا الّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أمْرِنَا وَأصْلِحْ لَنَا دُنْيَانَا الَّتِي فِيْهَا مَعَاشُنَا وَأصْلِحْ لَنَا آخِرَتَنَا الَّتِي إلَيْهَا مَعَادُنَا وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لَّنَا فِي كُلِّ خَيْر وَالْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لَّنَا مِنْ كُلِّ شرٍّ اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ اَخِرَ كَلَامِنَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللَّه اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّة وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ وَعَمَل وَنَعُوذُبِكَ اَللَّهُمَّ مِنَ النَّار وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ اَوْ عَمَل اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا نُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

That was because their Messengers brought them the Clear Signs but they remained unbelievers. So Allah seized them. He is Most Strong, Severe in Retribution. (Qur'an, 40:22) Have they not travelled in the land and seen the final fate of those before them? They were far greater than them in strength. Allah cannot be withstood in any way, either in the heavens or on earth. He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. (Qur'an, 35:44) 'Ad were arrogant in the land, without any right, saying, 'Who has greater strength than us?' Did they not see that Allah, Who created them, had greater strength than them? But they renounced Our Signs. (Qur'an, 41:15) We sent Our Messengers with the Clear Signs and sent down the Book and the Balance with them so that mankind might establish justice. And We sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind, so that Allah might know those who help Him and His Messengers in the Unseen. Allah is All-Strong, Almighty. (Qur'an, 57:25) Allah has written, 'I will be victorious, I and and My Messengers.' Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (Qur'an, 58:21) Some people set up equals to Allah, loving them as they should love Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah. If only you could see those who do wrong at the time when they see the punishment, and that truly all strength belongs to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment. (Qur'an, 2:165) Do not be grieved by what they say. All might belongs to Allah. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 10:65)

Lesson 3: Part of faith in Allah is to believe in what He has described Himself with in His Book and what His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ has described him with, without distorting (tahreef), denying (ta'teel), questioning how (takyeef) or likening (tamtheel); rather they believe about Allah that: ‘Nothing is like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing'. [al-Shura: 11] Lesson Notes: bit.ly/Wasitiyya_Notes Lesson Date: 08/02/2023

The Salah prayer is specifically a human form of worship. All other creatures of God, including animals and plants, submit without question to the Almighty in their unique way. Everything in the Sky and Earth declares Allah's perfection and worships Him in their way, a pattern we humans may not understand. All other creations of God are in continuous glorification, praise, and remembrance of God and worship in their own way. Just like the other members of creation-worship Allah, man is expected to worship God."Do not you see that Allah - glorify Him whoever (is) in the Heavens and the Earth and the birds (with) wings outspread? Each one certainly knows its Prayer and its glorification. And Allah (is) All-Knower of what they do" (Quran 24:41)Humanity was created for Prayer and Divine worship. God states in the Quran:"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)God commands humanity to establish and perfect their Prayer by praying properly with concentration and the utmost humility. Every Muslim must work and practice to improve their prayer technique, which is a lifetime commitment. Muslims must engage in a lifelong effort to master this art of communication with their Creator. The ones that fall into a habitual routine of reciting their words without concentration and humility would miss the point of Prayer, not benefitting from their Prayer nearly as much as those who pray earnestly and with full concentration and mindfulness. Neglecting mandatory Prayer is a grave sin in the Islamic faith. Allah, the glorious, shares a dialogue in the Holy Koran in which the residents of Paradise ask the people of the hellfire as to the reason for their condemnation, and the condemned respond:"They will say, 'We were not of those who prayed, nor did we used to feed the poor, and we used to indulge in vain talk with the vain talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Recompense, Until there came to us the certainty'" (Quran 74:43-47)The state of one's Prayer will be the first thing to be asked of each on the Great Day of Judgement. If one's Prayers were in order, everything else would fall into place. If one's Prayer were not in order, they would be doomed. The Messenger of Allah stated: 'The first of man's deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salat. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser…." (At-Tirmidhi). Prayer should be directed only to God the Almighty, as he is the Only One in complete control of everything—including man's destiny. He is All-Powerful, All-Wise, All-Knowing, and All-Hearing, and can fill anyone's needs and remove all of man's pain and miseries.The Islamic prayer ritual expresses submission to God, showing humility, devotion toward, and love of God. Praying to the Creator daily is the best way to build a personal connection with Him while seeking His guidance, Blessings, and Forgiveness. Muslims pray to God to gain spiritual strength and peace of mind and strengthen their faith's foundation. Muslims temporarily step out of their daily activities five times a day to connect to God; to stay mindful of Him in this world of stress, struggle, and distractions. Prayers remind Muslims that Allah controls all things so they can put their worldly concerns into perspective. The Islamic prayer method and mode act as a spiritual diet. Such as the body requires food and water throughout the day, our spirit needs to partake in the remembrance and worship of God to stay spiritually healthy; is not the soul more valuable than the body?

During Prayer, Muslims are directed to disconnect themselves and clear their minds of worldly matters as they converse with God. They pray to a God who is near, All-Loving, All-Hearing, All-Caring, and All-Powerful. Muslims are to concentrate on their words and humble themselves only to the Almighty. A Muslim affirms that God is the Master and that they are the servant and slave of God who needs the Almighty's direction, help, and guidance to the straight path. The Islamic Prayer is so sacred that it is prohibited to eat, drink, or converse as they pray."And establish Prayer and give Zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]" (Quran 2:43) While not mandated, it is highly encouraged for one to awaken in the middle of the night to pray to God, as this is a common practice of righteous people.

فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ أَزْوَٰجًۭا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌۭ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ ˹He is˺ the Originator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you spouses from among yourselves, and ˹made˺ mates for cattle ˹as well˺—multiplying you ˹both˺. There is nothing like Him, for He ˹alone˺ is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing. ( al quran 42 : 11 ) wa syukron jazakallah khoir for @rochekhalid who has shared his knowledge to us. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/issakalif-m/message

Say, ˹O believers,˺ “We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us; and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them. And to Allah we all submit.” (ayah 136). So if they believe in what you believe, then they will indeed be ˹rightly˺ guided. But if they turn away, they are simply opposed ˹to the truth˺. But Allah will spare you their evil. For He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Ayah 137)

And ˹remember˺ when Abraham raised the foundation of the House with Ishmael, ˹both praying,˺ “Our Lord! Accept ˹this˺ from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Ayah 127). Our Lord! Make us both ˹fully˺ submit to You and from our descendants a nation that will submit to you. Show us our rituals, and turn to us in grace. You are truly the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.(Ayah 128).

(58:1) Allah has surely heard the words of her who contends with you concerning her husband and complains to Allah. Allah hears what both of you say. Verily Allah is All- Hearing, All-Seeing. (58:2) Those among you who divorce their wives by declaring them to be their mothers, such are not their mothers; none are their mothers except those who gave birth to them. Indeed what they say is highly contemptible and false. Verily Allah is Most Pardoning, Most Forgiving. (58:3) Those who declare their wives to be their mothers and thereafter go back on what they have said shall free a slave before they may touch each other. That is what you are exhorted to do. Allah is fully aware of all your deeds. (58:4) And he who does not find a slave (to free), shall fast for two months consecutively before they may touch each other; and he who is unable to do so shall feed sixty needy people. All this is in order that you may truly believe in Allah and His Messenger. These are the bounds set by Allah; and a grievous chastisement awaits the unbelievers. (58:5) Verily those who oppose Allah and His Messenger shall be brought low even as those before them were brought low. Surely We have sent down Clear Signs; and a humiliating chastisement awaits the unbelievers; (58:6) a chastisement that shall come upon them on the Day when Allah will raise them all to a new life and will inform them of their deeds. Allah has recorded it all while they have forgotten it. Allah is a witness over everything. (58:7) Are you not aware that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth? Never is there any whispering among three but He is their fourth; nor among five but He is their sixth; nor fewer nor more but He is with them wherever they may be. And then He will tell them on the Day of Judgement all that they have done. Surely Allah knows everything. (58:8) Have you not seen those who were forbidden to whisper and yet they engaged in what they had been forbidden? They secretly converse among themselves concerning sin and transgression and disobedience to the Messenger. And when they come to you, they greet you in a manner that Allah does not greet you, and say to themselves: “Why does Allah not chastise us for these utterances of ours?” Hell it is that shall suffice them, and in it will they burn. How woeful is their destination! (58:9) Believers, when you converse in secrecy, let that not be concerning sin and transgression and disobedience to the Messenger; rather, converse concerning virtue and piety. And fear Allah to Whom all of you shall be mustered. (58:10) Whispering is an act of Satan, one that aims at causing grief to the believers; yet without Allah's leave no harm can be caused to them. So in Allah should the believers put all their trust. (58:11) Believers, when you are told: “Make room for one another in your assemblies,” then make room; Allah will bestow amplitude on you. And when it is said: “Rise up,” then rise up; Allah will raise to high ranks those of you who believe and are endowed with knowledge. Allah is well aware of all that you do. (58:12) Believers, when you come to the Messenger for private consultation, offer some charity before your consultation with him. That is better for you and more conducive to purity. But if you find nothing to offer in charity, then know that Allah is Most Merciful, Most Compassionate. (58:13) Are you afraid that you will have to offer charity when you hold private conversation with the Prophet? But if you are unable to do so and Allah pardons you, then establish Prayer and pay Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah is well aware of all that you do.....

(49:1) Believers, do not advance before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Verily Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (49:2) Believers, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet and when speaking to him do not speak aloud as you speak aloud to one another, lest all your deeds are reduced to nothing without your even realising it. (49:3) The ones who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah are those whose hearts Allah has tested for God-fearing. Theirs shall be forgiveness and a great reward. (49:4) Surely most of those who call out to you, (O Prophet), from behind the apartments, are devoid of understanding. (49:5) If they were patient until you went out to them, that would have been better for them. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. (49:6) Believers, when an ungodly person brings to you a piece of news, carefully ascertain its truth, lest you should hurt a people unwittingly and thereafter repent at what you did. (49:7) Know that Allah's Messenger is among you. Were he to follow you in many an affair, you yourselves would suffer. But Allah has endeared faith to you and has embellished it in your hearts, and has made unbelief and evil-doing and disobedience abhorrent to you. Such are those who are rightly guided, (49:8) by Allah's favour and bounty. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (49:9) If two parties of the believers happen to fight, make peace between them. But then, if one of them transgresses against the other, fight the one that transgresses until it reverts to Allah's command. And if it does revert, make peace between them with justice, and be equitable for Allah loves the equitable. (49:10) Surely the believers are none but brothers unto one another, so set things right between your brothers, and have fear of Allah that you may be shown mercy. (49:11) Believers, let not a group (of men) scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter (at whom they scoff) are better than they; nor let a group of women scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter are better than they. And do not taunt one another, nor revile one another by nicknames. It is an evil thing to gain notoriety for ungodliness after belief. Those who do not repent are indeed the wrong-doers. (49:12) Believers, avoid being excessively suspicious, for some suspicion is a sin. Do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely detest it. Have fear of Allah. Surely Allah is much prone to accept repentance, is Most Compassionate. (49:13) Human beings, We created you all from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:14) The Bedouins say: “We believe.”(O Prophet), say to them: “You do not believe; you should rather say: 'We have submitted'”; for belief has not yet entered your hearts. If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish anything from the reward of any of your deeds. Surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate. (49:15) Indeed the ones possessed of true faith are those who believed in Allah and His Messenger and then they did not entertain any doubt and strove hard in the Way of Allah with their lives and their possessions. These are the truthful ones. (49:16) Say, (O Prophet), (to these pretenders to faith): “Are you apprising Allah of your faith? Allah knows all that is in the heavens and the earth. Allah has full knowledge of everything.” (49:17) They count it as a favour to you that they accepted Islam. Say: “Do not regard your (accepting) Islam as a favour to me; rather, Allah has bestowed a favour on you by guiding you to faith, if you are truthful (in your claim to be believers). (49:18) Surely Allah knows every hidden thing of the heavens and the earth. Allah sees all that you do...

(44:1) Ha'. Mim. (44:2) By the Clear Book. (44:3) We revealed it on a Blessed Night, for We were intent on warning; (44:4) (We revealed it on the Night) wherein every matter is wisely determined (44:5) by Our command. Verily, We were set to send a Messenger (44:6) as a Mercy from your Lord. Surely He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, (44:7) the Lord of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between them: if you would only have sure faith. (44:8) There is no god but He: He gives life and causes death. He is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of yore. (44:9) (But the fact is, they lack certainty) and frolic about in doubt. (44:10) So watch for the Day when the sky will come down with a pall of smoke, (44:11) enveloping people. That will be a grievous scourge. (44:12) (People will then say): “Our Lord, remove this scourge from us; we shall believe.” (44:13) But how will they take heed? Such are they that a Messenger came to them clearly expounding the Truth, (44:14) yet they turned away from him and said: “This is a well-tutored madman.” (44:15) Yet We will hold the scourge back for a while, (but no sooner than We will do so) you will revert to your old ways. (44:16) The Day when We shall seize them with a mighty seizing, that will be the Day on which We shall inflict upon you full retribution. (44:17) Indeed before that We subjected the Pharaonites to the same test. A noble Messenger came to them (44:18) (and said): “Deliver to me Allah's servants. I am a trustworthy Messenger to you, (44:19) and do not exalt yourselves in defiance of Allah. I have come to you with a clear authority (as a Messenger). (44:20) I have taken refuge with my Lord and your Lord lest you should attack me with stones. (44:21) But if you do not believe what I say, leave me alone (and desist from laying hands on me).” (44:22) Then he called upon his Lord: “These are a criminal people.” (44:23) (He was told): “Set out with My servants by night for you will certainly be pursued. (44:24) And leave the sea behind you as calm as ever. Surely they are an army that is doomed to be drowned.” (44:25) How many gardens did they leave behind, and how many fountains (44:26) and sown fields and splendid mansions, (44:27) and the life of ease in which they took delight! (44:28) Thus it was; and We made another people inherit all that. (44:29) Then neither the sky shed tears over them nor the earth. They were granted no respite.

(42:1) Ha'. Mim. (42:2) Ayn. Sin. Qaf. (42:3) Thus does Allah, the Most Mighty, the Most Wise reveal to you even as (He revealed) to those (Messengers) who preceded you. (42:4) His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; He is the Most High, the All-Great. (42:5) The heavens may well nigh rend asunder from above while the angels proclaim the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Lo, it is Allah, and He alone, Who is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. (42:6) Those who have taken others than Him as their protectors beside Him, it is Allah Who oversees them; you are no guardian over them. (42:7) And thus did We reveal this Arabic Qur'an to you that you may warn the people of the Mother of Cities (to wit, Makkah) and those who dwell around it; and warn them of the Day of Gathering concerning which there is no doubt: whereon some will be in Paradise, and some in the Blazing Fire. (42:8) If Allah had so willed, He could have made them all a single community. But He admits whomsoever He pleases into His Mercy. As to those given to wrong-doing, they shall have none as protector or helper. (42:9) (Are they so foolish that) they have chosen others rather than Allah as their protectors? Yet it is Allah Who is the Protector and Who resurrects the dead and Who has power over everything. (42:10) The judgement on whatever you differ rests with Allah. Such is Allah, my Lord; in Him I have put all my trust and to Him I always turn in devotion. (42:11) The Originator of the heavens and the earth, He has appointed for you pairs of your own kind, and pairs also of cattle. Thus does He multiply you. Naught in the universe is like Him. He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (42:12) His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlarges and straitens the sustenance of whomsoever He pleases. Surely He has knowledge of everything. (42:13) He has prescribed for you the religion which He enjoined upon Noah and which We revealed to you (O Muhammad), and which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus, commanding: “Establish this religion and do not split up regarding it.” What you are calling to is very hard upon those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. Allah chooses for Himself whomsoever He pleases and guides to Himself whoever penitently turns to Him. (42:14) They did not split up except after knowledge had come to them, and then only because they wished to commit excesses against each other. Had your Lord not already decreed that judgement would be made later at an appointed time, the matter between them would surely have been decided once and for all. Indeed those who were later made the heirs of the Book are in disquieting doubt about it. (42:15) (This being so, O Muhammad), call people to the same religion and be steadfast about it as you were commanded, and do not follow their desires, and say (to them): “I believe in the Book Allah has sent down. I have been commanded to establish justice among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. We have our deeds and you have your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us all together. To Him all are destined to return.” (42:16) Those who contend concerning Allah (after His call has been responded to), their contention is absolutely void in the sight of their Lord. Allah's wrath is upon them and a grievous chastisement awaits them. (42:17) Allah it is Who sent down this Book with the Truth and the Balance. And what would make you know that the Hour (of Judgement) has drawn near? (42:18) Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten its coming. But those who believe (in it) hold it in dread and know that the Hour (of Judgement) is bound to come. Lo, those who dispute concerning the coming of the Hour are gone far in error. (42:19) Allah is Most Gentle to His servants and grants sustenance to whomsoever He pleases. He is All-Strong, Most Mighty....

(40:1) Ha'. Mim. (40:2) This Book is a revelation from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing; (40:3) the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, the Stern in retribution, the Bountiful. There is no god but He. To Him are all destined to return. (40:4) None but the unbelievers dispute regarding the Signs of Allah. So let not their strutting about in the land delude you. (40:5) Before them the people of Noah also gave the lie (to Messengers), and so did many parties after them. Each nation sallied forth against its Messenger to seize him, and they disputed with false arguments seeking therewith to repudiate the Truth. Then I seized them; and behold, how woeful was My retribution! (40:6) Thus has the decree of your Lord become due against the unbelievers. They are destined for the Fire. (40:7) The angels that bear the Throne and those that are around to extol your Lord's glory with His praise, they believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for the believers,saying: “Our Lord! You encompass everything with Your Mercy and Knowledge. So forgive those that repent and follow Your Path, and guard them against the chastisement of Hell. (40:8) Our Lord, admit them to the everlasting Gardens You have promised them and those of their fathers and spouses and progeny that were righteous. Surely You alone are Most Mighty, Most Wise; (40:9) and guard them against all ills. He whom You guard against ills on that Day, to him You have surely been Most Merciful. That is the great triumph.” (40:10) It will be announced to the unbelievers (on the Day of Resurrection): “Surely Allah's abhorrence of you when you were called to believe but you disbelieved was greater than is your abhorrence of yourselves today.” (40:11) They will say: “Our Lord, twice have You caused us to die and twice have You given us life. We have now confessed our sins. Is there, then, any way out?” (40:12) (They will be told): “(The cause of your present state is that) when Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved; and when others instead of Him were invoked, you believed. Today all judgement lies with Allah, the Most High, the All-Great.” (40:13) He it is Who shows you His Signs and sends down provision for you from the sky. Yet none takes heed except he who constantly turns to Allah. (40:14) So call upon Allah, consecrating all your devotion to Him, howsoever much the unbelievers may dislike it. (40:15) Exalted in Rank, Lord of the Throne: He causes the spirit to descend on whomsoever of His servants He pleases so as to warn them of the Day of Encounter; (40:16) the Day when they will emerge and nothing of them shall be hidden from Allah. (On that Day they will be asked): “Whose is the kingdom today?” (The whole world will cry out): “It is Allah's, the One, the Overpowering.” (40:17) (It will then be said): “Today shall everyone be fully recompensed for his deeds. None shall be wronged today. Surely Allah is Swift in Reckoning.” (40:18) (O Prophet), then warn them of the Day that has drawn near, the Day when hearts full of suppressed grief will leap up to the throats and the wrong-doers shall neither have any sincere friend nor intercessor whose word will be heeded. (40:19) He knows even the most stealthy glance of the eyes and all the secrets that hearts conceal. (40:20) Allah will judge with justice, whereas those whom they call upon beside Him cannot judge at all. Surely Allah and He alone is All- Hearing, All-Seeing....

(29:1) Alif. Lam. Mim. (29:2) Do people think that they will be let go merely by saying: “We believe,” and that they will not be tested, (29:3) for We indeed tested those who went before them? Allah will most certainly ascertain those who spoke the truth and those who lied. (29:4) Do the evil-doers suppose that they will get the better of Us? How evil is their judgement! (29:5) Let him who looks forward to meeting Allah know that Allah's appointed term will surely come to pass. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (29:6) Whosoever strives(in the cause of Allah) does so to his own good. Surely Allah stands in no need of anyone in the whole Universe. (29:7) Those who believe and do good deeds, We shall cleanse them of their evil deeds and reward them according to the best of their deeds. (29:8) We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents, but if they exert pressure on you to associate with Me in My Divinity any that you do not know (to be My associate), do not obey them. To Me is your return, and I shall let you know all that you have done. (29:9) As for those who believed and acted righteously, We shall certainly admit them among the righteous. (29:10) Among people there are some who say: “We believe in Allah.” But when such a person is made to endure suffering in Allah's cause, he reckons the persecution he suffers at the hands of people as though it is a chastisement from Allah. But if victory comes from your Lord, the same person will say “We were with you.” Does Allah not know whatever is in the hearts of the people of the world? (29:11) Allah will surely ascertain who are the believers and who are the hypocrites. (29:12) The unbelievers say to the believers: “Follow our way and we will carry the burden of your sins.” (They say so even though) they are not going to carry any part of their sins. Surely they are lying. (29:13) They will certainly carry their own burdens and other burdens besides their own. They will assuredly be called to account on the Day of Resurrection concerning the fabrications which they contrived. (29:14) We did indeed send Noah to his people and he lived among them a thousand years save fifty. Eventually the Flood overtook them while they were engaged in wrongdoing. (29:15) Then We rescued Noah together with the people in the Ark and made it (that is, the Ark) a lesson for all people. (29:16) We sent Abraham and he said to his people: “Serve Allah and fear Him.This is better for you if you only knew. (29:17) Those that you worship instead of Allah are merely idols, and you are simply inventing lies (about them). Indeed those whom you worship beside Allah have no power to provide you with any sustenance. So seek your sustenance from Allah and serve only Him and give thanks to Him alone. It is to Him that you will be sent back. (29:18) And if you give the lie (to the Messenger), then many nations before you also gave the lie (to their Messengers). The Messenger is charged with no other duty than to deliver the Message in clear terms.” (29:19) Have they never observed how Allah creates for the first time and then repeats it? Indeed (to repeat the creation of a thing) is even easier for Allah (than creating it for the first time). (29:20) Say: “Go about the earth and see how He created for the first time, and then Allah will recreate life.” Surely, Allah has power over everything. (29:21) He chastises whom He will and forgives whom He will. To Him all of you will be sent back. (29:22) You cannot overpower Allah, neither on the earth nor in the heaven. None can protect you from Allah nor come to your aid against Him….

(21:1) The time of people's reckoning has drawn near, and yet they turn aside in heedlessness. (21:2) Whenever any fresh admonition comes to them from their Lord they barely heed it and remain immersed in play, (21:3) their hearts being set on other concerns. The wrong-doers whisper to one another: "This person is no more than a mortal like yourselves. Will you, then, be enchanted by sorcery while you see?" (21:4) He said: "My Lord knows well all that is spoken in the heavens and the earth. He is All-Hearing, All- Knowing." (21:5) They say: "Nay, these are confused dreams; nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign, even as the Messengers of the past were sent with signs." (21:6) Not one township that We destroyed before them believed. Would they, then, believe? (21:7) (O Muhammad), even before you We never sent any other than human beings as Messengers, and to them We sent revelation. Ask the People of the Book if you do not know. (21:8) We did not endow the Messengers with bodies that would need no food; nor were they immortals. (21:9) Then We fulfilled the promise We had made to them: We rescued them and those whom We wished, and We destroyed those who exceeded all bounds. (21:10) We have bestowed upon you a Book that mentions you. Do you not understand? (21:11) How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. (21:12) Then, when they perceived Our chastisement they took to their heels and fled. (21:13) (They were told): "Flee not, but return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You are likely to be questioned." (21:14) They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers." (21:15) They did not cease to cry this until We reduced them to stubble, still and silent. (21:16) We did not create in sport the heavens and the earth and all that lies between the two. (21:17) Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so. (21:18) Nay, We hurl the Truth at falsehood so that the Truth crushes falsehood, and lo! it vanishes. Woe to you for what you utter! (21:19) To Him belongs whosoever dwells in the heavens and on earth. Those (angels) that are with Him neither disdain to serve Him out of pride, nor do they weary of it. (21:20) They glorify Him night and day, without flagging. (21:21) Have they taken earthly gods who are such that they raise up the dead to life? (21:22) Had there been any gods in the heavens and the earth apart from Allah, the order of both the heavens and the earth would have gone to ruins. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, Who is far above their false descriptions of Him. (21:23) None shall question Him about what He does, but they shall be questioned. (21:24) Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it. (21:25) Never did We send any Messenger before you to whom We did not reveal: "There is no god but Me. So serve Me alone." (21:26) They say: "The Most Compassionate Lord has taken to Himself a son." Glory be to Him! Those whom they so designate are only His honoured servants. (21:27) They do not outstrip Him in speech and only act as He commands. (21:28) He knows whatever is before them and whatsoever is remote from them and they do not intercede except for him, intercession on whose behalf pleases Him, and they stand constantly in awe of Him. (21:29) And if anyone of them were to claim: "Indeed I am a god apart from Him," We shall recompense both with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrong-doers....

(17:1) Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) to the farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our Signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (17:2) We gave Moses the Book, and made it a source of guidance for the Children of Israel, commanding: "Take no other Guardian beside Me." (17:3) You are the descendants of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah. He was truly a thankful servant. (17:4) Then We clearly declared to the Children of Israel in the Book: "Twice you will make mischief in the land and will commit transgression." (17:5) So, when the occasion for the first of the transgressions arrived, We raised against you some of Our creatures who were full of might, and they ran over the whole of your land. This was a promise that was bound to be fulfilled. (17:6) Then We granted you an upper hand against them, and strengthened you with wealth and children, and multiplied your numbers. (17:7) Whenever you did good, it was to your own advantage; and whenever you committed evil, it was to your own disadvantage. So, when the time of the fulfilment of the second promise arrived, (We raised other enemies that would) disfigure your faces and enter the Temple (of Jerusalem) as they had entered the first time, and destroy whatever they could lay their hands on. (17:8) Your Lord may well show Mercy to you, but if you revert to your evil behaviour, We shall revert to chastising you. We have made Hell a prison for those who are thankless of Allah's bounties. (17:9) Verily this Qur'an guides to the Way that is the Straight most. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them, (17:10) and warns those who do not believe in the Hereafter that We have prepared for them a grievous chastisement. (17:11) Man prays for evil in the manner he ought to pray for good. Man is ever hasty. (17:12) We have made night and day as two signs. We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and made the sign of the day radiant that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the computation of years and numbers. Thus We have expounded everything in detail to keep everything distinct from the other. (17:13) We have fastened every man's omen to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection We shall produce for him his scroll in the shape of a wide open book, (saying): (17:14) "Read your scroll; this Day you suffice to take account of yourself." (17:15) He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage; and he who strays shall incur his own loss. No one shall bear another's burden. And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood). (17:16) When We decide to destroy a town We command the affluent among them, whereupon they commit sins in it, then the decree (of chastisement) becomes due against them and thereafter We destroy that town utterly. (17:17) Many a generation has been destroyed by Our command since Noah's time. Your Lord is well aware and fully observant of the sins of His servants. (17:18) If anyone desires immediate benefits, We hasten to grant whatever benefits We will in the present life to whomsoever We please, but thereafter We decree for him Hell wherein he shall burn, condemned and rejected.....

(8:1) They ask you concerning the spoils of war? Tell them: 'The spoils of war belong to Allah and the Messenger. So fear Allah, and set things right between you, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are true believers. (8:2) The true believers are those who, when Allah's name is mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His verses are recited to them their faith grows, and who put their trust in their Lord; (8:3) who establish Prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. (8:4) Such people are indeed true believers. They have high ranks with their Lord, and forgiveness for their sins and an honourable sustenance. (8:5) (Now with regard to the spoils the same situation exists as when) your Lord brought you forth from your home in a righteous cause while a party among the believers were much averse to it. (8:6) They disputed with you about the truth after that had become evident, as if they were being driven to death with their eyes wide open. (8:7) And recall when Allah promised you that one of the two hosts would fall to you, and you wished that the one without arms should fall into your hands. But Allah sought to prove by His words the truth to be true and to annihilate the unbelievers to the last remnant (8:8) that He might prove the truth to be true and the false to be false, however averse the evil-doers might be to it. (8:9) And recall when you implored your Lord for help and He responded to you: 'I will indeed reinforce you with a thousand angels, coming host after host.' (8:10) Allah meant this as glad tidings and that your hearts may be set at rest. For every help comes from Allah alone. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (8:11) And recall when Allah brought on you drowsiness, giving you a feeling of peace and security from Him, and He sent down rain upon you from the sky that He might cleanse you through it and take away from you the pollution of Satan and strengthen your hearts, and steady your feet through it. (8:12) And recall when your Lord inspired the angels: 'I am certainly with you. So make firm the feet of those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. So strike at their necks and strike at every pore and tip. (8:13) This is because they defied Allah and His Messenger. Whoever defies Allah and His Messenger must know that Allah is severe in punishment. (8:14) That is your punishment (from Allah). So taste this punishment, and know that for the unbelievers is the punishment of the Fire. (8:15) Believers, whenever you encounter a hostile force of unbelievers, do not turn your backs to them in flight. (8:16) For he who turns his back on them on such ar occasion - except that it be for tactical reasons, or turning to join another company - he shall incur the wrath of Allah and Hell shall be his abode. It is an evil destination. (8:17) So the fact is that it was not you, but it was Allah Who killed them; and it was not you when you threw [sand at them], but it was Allah Who threw it, (and the believers were employed for the task) that He might cause the believers to successfully pass through this test. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (8:18) This is His manner of dealing with you. As for the unbelievers, Allah will surely undermine their designs. (8:19) (Tell the unbelievers:) 'If you have sought a judgement, then surely a judgement has come to you. And if you desist from disobedience, it is all the better for you. But if you revert to your mischief, We will again chastise you; and your host, howsoever numerous, will never be of any avail to you. Know well, Allah is with the believers.'.....

(6:1) All praise is for Allah alone, Who created the heavens and the earth, and brought into being light and darkness, and yet those who have rejected the call of the Truth ascribe others to be equals to their Lord. (6:2) He it is Who has created you out of clay, and then decreed a term (of life), and has also appointed another term, a term determined with Him. Yet you are in doubt! (6:3) And He it is Who is One True God in the heavens and in the earth. He knows your deeds - both secret and open - and knows fully whatever you earn. (6:4) Yet every time a sign of their Lord comes to them, they turn away from it, (6:5) and thus they gave the lie to the Truth that has now come to them. Soon they will come upon some news concerning what they had mocked at. (6:6) Have they not seen how many a people We have destroyed before them? People whom We had made more powerful in the earth than you are and upon them We showered from the heavens abundant rains, and at whose feet We caused the rivers to flow? And then (when they behaved ungratefully) We destroyed them for their sins, and raised other peoples in their place. (6:7) (O Messenger!) Had We sent down to you a book incribed on parchment, and had they even touched it with their own hands, the unbelievers would still have said: 'This is nothing but plain magic.' (6:8) They also say: 'Why has no angel been sent down to this Prophet?' Had We sent down an angel, the matter would surely have long been decided and no respite would have been granted them. (6:9) Had We appointed an angel, We would have sent him down in the form of a man - and thus We would have caused them the same doubt which they now entertain. (6:10) And indeed before your time (O Muhammad!) many a Messenger has been scoffed at; but those who mocked at them were encompassed by the Truth they had scoffed at. (6:11) Say: 'Go about journeying the earth, and behold the end of those who gave the lie (to the Truth).' (6:12) Ask thern: 'To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth?' Say: 'Everything belongs to Allah.' He has bound Himself to the exercise of mercy (and thus does not chastise you for your disobedience and excesses instantly). Surely He will gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection - the coming of which is beyond doubt; but those who have courted their own ruin are not going to believe. (6:13) And to Him belongs all that dwells in the night and the day. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (6:14) Say: 'Shall I take for my guardian anyone other than Allah - the Originator of the heavens and earth; He Who feeds and Himself is not fed?' Say: 'Surely I have been commanded to be the first among those who submit (to Allah) and not to be one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity (even though others may do so).' (6:15) Say: 'Surely do I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of an awesome Day. (6:16) Whosoever has been spared chastisement on that Day, Allah has bestowed His mercy upon him. That is the manifest triumph. (6:17) Should Allah touch you with affliction, there is none to remove it but He; and should He touch you with good, He has the power to do everything. (6:18) He has the supreme hold over His servants. He is All-Wise, All-Aware. (6:19) Ask them: 'Whose testimony is the greatest?' Say: 'Allah is the witness between me and you; and this Qur'an was revealed to me that I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach.' Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with Allah? Say: 'I shall never testify such a thing.' Say: 'He is the One God and I am altogether averse to all that you associate with Him in His divinity.' (6:20) Those whom We have given the Book will recognize this just as they recognize their own ofspring; but those who have courted their own ruin will not believe.....

Chapter 31 of the Quran is 34 verses in length and called Luqman. It is named after the sage Luqman, whose advice to his son features in verses 13 to 19. The chapter opens with a description of the believers and strongly condemns those who attempt to lead others astray. Luqman was revealed in Mecca at the height of the Muslim persecution and the young Muslims are extolled to disobey parents when they try to lead them away from Islam. The disbelievers are warned about the consequences of their actions and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told not to be saddened by their actions.Verse 1These are among the fourteen opening letters which occur in various combinations at the beginning of twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. Throughout the centuries there has been much speculation as to their meaning however God never revealed that any specific meaning is attached to them.Verses 2-7 Traits and distractionsThese are the verses of the Quran. It is guidance and a mercy for those who lead a God-conscious life and with the Hereafter as their main focus. These are the ones who will be successful. However there are some people who are without knowledge and pay for distracting tales to lead others away from God. Those who distract a believer will find a humiliating torment waiting for them. When the verses are recited they turn away disdainfully as if the words are nothing but heaviness in their ears. God repeats His warning saying; tell them there will be a painful torment.Verses 8-11 A truthful promiseThose who believe and do righteous deeds will stay in Gardens of bliss. It is a truthful promise for He is Mighty and Wise. He created the heavens without visible pillars, set the mountains upon the earth firmly so that they will not shift and spread animals of all sorts throughout the earth. He sends rain from the sky that causes all sorts of vegetable life to grow. This is the creation of God; what have others that you worship created!? The disbelievers are clearly in error.Verses 12-15  Advice to the youthGod says that He gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would be grateful. Whoever is grateful and gives thanks to God does so for his own welfare. Those who are ungrateful and deny God's favors upon them should understand that God has no need of their thanks. Luqman counsels his son saying do not attribute partners to God, it is a terrible error.God commands that people be good to their parents, their mothers carry their offspring with great difficulty and usually feed them from their own bodies for two years.  God associates gratitude towards Him with gratitude towards parents.  He says be grateful and obey them but stresses not to obey them when they ask you to commit the greatest sin of associating others with God.  We should not obey them in matters that go against the commandments of God, and do what is right, but at the same time we are expected to treat our parents with care and respect.Verses 16 -19 Wise counselNothing can escape God's knowledge says Luqman to his son.  Even if it is as small as a mustard seed, or hidden inside a rock or is a minute speck in a vast universe, God can see it clearly and is able to expose it.   Luqman then advises his son to lead a moral and upstanding life and tells him how; establish the prayer, enjoin the good, forbid the evil and bear the trials and afflictions of life with patience.  Do not turn your nose up at people contemptuously; do not walk about the land arrogantly for God does not like the boastful.   Thus walk at a moderate pace and talk in a low voice because God does not like harsh voices like the braying of donkeys.  This is all sage advice for moral behaviour and interaction between people.Verses 20-26 An admonitionGod asks, do you not see that everything in the heavens and earth is for the benefit of humankind.  It is self-evident but there are still those who would argue about it.  When they are told to follow God's guidance they respond by saying that they will not but will instead follow the path trodden by their forefathers.  They say this even when Satan is inviting them to step into the Fire.  Those who submit to the will of God and live a righteous life have grasped the most trustworthy handhold, because the outcome of every matter is with God. If they disbelieve, do not let it grieve you (O Muhammad) for to Us (God) is their return and We will then inform them of the reality of their deeds. God knows what their hearts contain. We (God) grant them enjoyment for a little while but in the Hereafter they will be driven to an unrelenting punishment. If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth they would say ‘God', but then they associate partners with God in worship. By acknowledging that God is the creator of everything, and then worshiping created objects, they establish proof against themselves! God is the Creator and Owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth. He needs nothing from His creation and is the Only One worthy of praise.Verses 27-30  The Most GreatIf all the trees on earth were pens, and the oceans were ink, replenished by seven more oceans, the writing of God's Words (signs and creations) would not be exhausted. It is as easy for God to create and resurrect every living being as it is to create and resurrect a single soul. God is All-Hearing and All-Seeing. Do you not see that God makes the day follow the night, one after the other, over and over in a precise pattern? The sun and the moon also spin in their orbits according to God's plan. God knows very well what you do. God is the truth and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood. He is the most High and the most Great.Verses 31 -34 Beware of Satan and the delusion of this worldThe ships sail through the ocean by the grace of God. Surely there are signs in this for any grateful person. When the waves loom over them they call out to God with sincere devotion but when He (God) brings them safely to land some falter between belief and disbelief. O humankind, fear your Lord and fear the Day that no family member will avail another family member. Do not let the life of this world delude you or let Satan deceive you. It is God alone who has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs – nothing escapes His knowledge. We humans don't know what will happen the next moment; God knows all this and is aware of everything._______________________________________By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.Used with permission.The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

In the name of the Almighty the most gracious most merciful;Sura (29) Ayat (60) in Holy Quran says....And how many moving creatures there are in the earth that carry not their own provision as well.It is ALLAH The Almighty who provides thrm and yourselfes,and He is the All Hearing,the All-Knowing. We must all at some point of our lives put things in a good perspective. Know and understand the choice is yours,we pray that we make the best choice.

Chapter 10 of the Quran, entitled Jonah was revealed in Mecca. It takes its title from the reference to Prophet Jonah in verse 98 and concentrates primarily on the Oneness of God.  This chapter emphasises God's power and His anger towards those who consistently deny the truth of His revelations and signs. Prophet Muhammad is encouraged to be patient and to be aware that he is unable to force the people to believe.Verses 1 – 10  A book of wisdomThese are the verses from a wise book says God. It is a book full of wisdom that holds the decision about all matters. Why then do people call the warner chosen from among themselves a sorcerer? God is the One who created all that is in the heavens and the earth in six periods of time (Day is the word used here but it is not the 24 hour period as we know it). He then established Himself upon the Throne, overseeing and overlooking everything that is below Him. Worship Him, believers will be rewarded but those who refuse will taste the punishment. His signs are everywhere throughout the universe and they are not without purpose. Those who believe understand. Some pay no heed to the signs but their eternal home will be in the Fire. However those who are saved because of their faith will praise God.Verses 11 – 20  Who is the most wicked?If God was to hasten the punishment for those who deserve it, then their worldly life would be over but that is not His way. Instead he leaves the wrongdoers to wonder blindly in their ignorance. When a person is in need he calls out to God but when God removes the affliction he (the person) returns to disobedience as if he had never called upon God at all. Whole generations have been destroyed because of the evil they did. The messengers came but were ignored and abused. God observes the successive generations.When the Quran is recited to those who hold no hope of meeting God they ask Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessing of God be upon him, to bring a different or changed Quran. God tells Prophet Muhammad to tell them that it is not for him to change it.  He (Prophet Muhammad) brings only what is revealed to him and he too fears a day of account. God asks who is more wicked than the one who invents lies against God or denies His signs!? Wrongdoers will never prosper. They worship things other than God that cannot harm or benefit them. God is far above those they associate with Him.  Humankind was once one nation, but they differed. Only God knows the unseen, so wait for it to be revealed.Verses 21 – 30 God invites you to ParadisePeople call upon God when they are suffering but plot and scheme against Him when they are returned to comfort. When they are returned to God He will tell them the result of the schemes. People think they have some power over the life of this world but it is God's decree that will come to pass. The signs are there for those who choose to reflect. God invites everyone to the Home of Peace (Paradise) and guides whomever He wills to the straight path. Those who do good will have a good reward; they are the companions of Paradise. And those who do evil will find an evil outcome in the Fire. On the Day of Judgment, those who worshipped other than God will find that their false deities deny all knowledge of their worship and behavior. Some are not even aware that they are being worshipped and those who consented to be worshipped will lie and deny it.Verses 31 – 40  Who will believe?God addresses the disbelievers asking who provides for you, who allows you to see and hear, who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges every matter? They answer God but why then do they not take heed? God is the Giver of life, the one who can end creation but then bring it all back again. Can any of the associates you turn to do that? No they cannot. What is wrong with people? The One who guides to the truth is more worthy to be followed then those who do not.God is All-Knowing and it is not possible for this Quran to have been produced by anyone but God. It is a confirmation of what came before it. If people say that Prophet Muhammad invented the Quran then ask them to bring forth a chapter like it. They are not able to do so even when they ask for assistance. They cannot grasp the truth because they have not seen its prophecies fulfilled. The Quran shows the end waiting for the disbelievers. Some will believe but some will not. God knows who causes corruption.Verses 41 – 56 Losers in the HereafterGod tells Prophet Muhammad what to say if they deny him - "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do."  There are some that listen but Muhammad cannot cause the deaf to hear, there are some who look but he cannot cause the blind to see. God does not wrong people but people wrong themselves.On the Day of Judgement people will feel as if they have been in this world for an hour or less and they will recognise one another. Those who denied this meeting will be the losers. All will return to God and this will happen whether Prophet Muhammad sees the punishment fall or not. For every nation there is a messenger. When the messenger comes they will be judged and there will be no injustice. There is an appointed time for every community and when it is reached it cannot be delayed or hastened.On the Day of Judgement there is no way out for the disbelievers. They have denied it for so long, will they even believe it when it overtakes them? They will be told to taste the punishment, God's promise is true. He gives life, and causes death. To Him we will all be returned.Verses 57 – 60 Guidance has comeInstruction from God has been given to humankind; it is a mercy, a cure, and guidance.  Tell them, Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that these things are a blessing and better for humankind than all the riches of this world that they try to accumulate.  Ask them to think about the provisions that have been sent down by God.  He has made some lawful and others unlawful, why then do some people change the rules and try to make the illicit permissible? Has God given permission for this or are you inventing a lie about God? How will this be dealt with on the Day of Judgment? Think.  God is indeed full of grace towards humankind but most people are ungrateful. Verses 61 – 67 God witnesses everythingWhatever matters people are engaged in, from reading the Quran to the mundane, God is a witness to it and it is all, the large and the small of it, recorded in a book.  Not even a speck, the weight of dust escapes God's knowledge, and it is kept in a clear record.  For those who believe and fear God there will be no fear; they will receive good tidings both in this world and the Hereafter.  God tells Prophet Muhammad not to let the words of the unbelievers grieve him.  God is All-Powerful; All-Hearing and All-Knowing.  Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him.  Those who call on other than God are following only assumptions and lies.  God made the day and the night and surely this is a sign for those who listen to the message.Verses 68 – 70 The consequence of lying about GodSome people say that God has a son.  He is free of all needs, the master of the heavens and the earth.  They have no authority to make such a claim, why do they invent lies about God? Those who lie about God will not succeed, they may have some brief enjoyment in this world but in the Hereafter they will face severe punishment.Verses 71 – 86 Stories from the pastTell the people about the story of Noah.  He said to his people, "If my presence among you reminds you too much of that which you do not wish to hear about God's signs and warnings then do what you will.  But let it be clear and decisive.  Remember however that I have not asked for any kind of payment, my reward is from God alone.  I am among those commanded to worship Him Alone."  They did not listen, they rejected Noah.  God saved him and those with him in the ship.  Those who denied the signs were left to drown.Then God sent others, each to their own people.  They came with clear evidences but the succeeding generations were persistent in their disbelief.  Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharaoh and his people but they behaved arrogantly towards them and their message.  Moses said, "Do you think I bring you magic; because magicians will never succeed." Haughtily Pharaoh called for all the magicians in the land and Moses exposed the worthlessness of their magic.  God does not promote the work of mischief makers. Nobody believed Moses except some of the youth amongst his own people; most of the people were too scared of Pharaoh's regime.  Moses asked the believers to put their trust in God and they prayed to Him to release them from the hands of the unjust people.Verses 87 – 95 DeliveranceGod revealed to Moses and Aaron that they should take their people to Egypt where they would build their houses and establish the prayer.   Moses then prayed that the wealth and splendour of Pharaoh's people be taken away from them.  Obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts he asked.  God said that this prayer would be answered and told Moses to remain steadfast.  So Moses led his people across the sea; Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them until they were drowned.At the very last minute Pharaoh said that he believed in the God of Moses and that he submitted to Him but God replied, "Now?" God saved his body but not his life so that he may be a sign for those that come after him.  Many people still fail to heed the signs.  The people of Moses were settled in a good place and were provided with the things required for a good life.  They did not differ amongst themselves until after knowledge had come to them but on the Day of Judgment God will judge between the things they failed to agree on.  Prophet Muhammad had complete certainty in that which was revealed to him.   Even if the People of the Book do not give heed to your call, they will still find evidence of you in their books. Verses 96 – 103 Forced conversion is prohibitedThere are many for whom the love of this world has sealed their hearts and eyes.  They cannot see the signs in front of their faces.  They will not believe.  No town ever saw the scourge then believed and it profited them except for the people of Jonah.  When they believed the punishment was removed, and they had enjoyment, for a time.  If God had so willed all the people on the earth would have believed.  Prophet Muhammad is asked if he would compel the people, against their will to believe.  Belief comes only by the will of God and He disgraces those who will not use their common sense.  Tell the people to see the signs in the heavens and the earth but no signs will convince those who will not believe.  God asks the question, "What are they waiting for?" In the end God will save the messengers and the believers, that is God's way and He says that it is only right that He saves those who believe.Verses 104 – 109  Guidance has arrived, so chooseProphet Muhammad is commanded by God to say, "People, doubt my religion if you will, I will never worship those you worship other than God, but I worship God who will cause you to die, and I am commanded to be a believer".  He is further commanded to dedicate himself to the religion and not to be amongst those who associate others with God.  God says you will not pray to others because they cannot benefit or harm you and if you do you will surely be one of the losers.  If God afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He; and if He intends to bestow a favour, none can withhold His bounty.  He bestows it on whoever He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.Prophet Muhammad is further told to tell the people that the truth has come.  Whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own benefit and whoever strays does so at his own risk.  I (Muhammad) am not set over you to oblige you for guidance.  God tells Prophet Muhammad to follow what has been revealed to him and to be patient until God judges.  He is the best of judges._______________________________________By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.Used with permission.The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

The Holy Prophet ﷺ said in a prayer, “O Allah! Please grant me Ghina (غنا) (being carefree) through knowledge, and adorn me with mild-temperedness.” Whenever you start feeling angry and you feel you will be overcome by your anger, first do what the Holy Quran has advised us to do. Allah Ta'ala says; “Should a stroke from the Satan strike you, seek refuge with Allah. Surely, He is All- Hearing, All-Knowing.” (7:200) This means that whenever we feel that the Satan is trying to incite us to commit a sin, we should seek Allah's refuge and recite اعوذ بالّٰلہ من الشیطٰن الرجیم. The second act to perform when someone is becoming angry, is what the Holy Prophet ﷺ has advised us to do. He advised us that whenever you are becoming excessively angry, if you are standing, then sit down, and if you are sitting, then lie down. In another narration, it has been said that the person should drink cold water at that time. It is narrated in a Hadith that once the Holy Prophet ﷺ was going somewhere. On the way, he saw that Hadhrat Siddiq Akbar RAA was scolding a slave in anger. In a narration, it says that at that time the Holy Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Remember that Allah Ta'ala has much more control and power over you, than you have on this person.”

٥١ إِنَّا لَنَنْصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْأَشْهَادُ 51 Most surely We will support Our messengers and those who believe, in this life, and on the Day the witnesses arise. ٥٢ يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ الظَّالِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ ۖ وَلَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ 52 The Day when their excuses will not profit the wrongdoers, and the curse will be upon them, and they will have the Home of Misery. ٥٣ وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْهُدَىٰ وَأَوْرَثْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْكِتَابَ 53 We gave Moses guidance, and made the Children of Israel inherit the Scripture. ٥٤ هُدًى وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ 54 A guide and a reminder for those endowed with reason. ٥٥ فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِبْكَارِ 55 So be patient. The promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness for your sin, and proclaim the praise of your Lord evening and morning. ٥٦ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ ۙ إِنْ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَا هُمْ بِبَالِغِيهِ ۚ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ 56 Those who dispute regarding Allah's revelations without any authority having come to them—there is nothing in their hearts but the feeling of greatness, which they will never attain. So seek refuge in Allah; for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. ٥٧ لَخَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 57 Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of humanity, but most people do not know. ٥٨ وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَلَا الْمُسِيءُ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ 58 Not equal are the blind and the seeing. Nor are those who believe and work righteousness equal to the sinners. How little you reflect. ٥٩ إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَآتِيَةٌ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ 59 Indeed, the Hour is coming; there is no doubt about it; but most people do not believe. ٦٠ وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ 60 Your Lord has said, “Pray to Me, and I will respond to you. But those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell forcibly.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

A Meccan sura with 227 verses. The title points to poetry and poets how the truthful of them are respected. However the beginning and ending of the sura clearly states that the prophet Mohammed is not a poet and these verses are not poetry but clear verses of scripture to make things clear for All the World. The prophet Mohammed was worried that people called him a liar and didn't believe him, verse 3 but God tells him not to worry for if He wished to put a sign in heaven for all necks will stay bowed in humiliation , verse 4. What touched me was Gods kindness in sending words to the prophet to show him he is not alone and gives him other stories of other prophets that went through the same path. As Moses, Abraham, Noah, Saleh, Hud, Lot, shuaaib. The messengers were called liars by their people, that they were just men and that these ppl followed their forefathers in their beliefs. The ending paragraphs go back to the main point of the sura: that the Quran was sent down by the Lord of All Worlds, by Gabriel the trustworthy spirit , to your heart Mohammed, it brings warning and is in clear Arabic language, that it was foretold in earlier scriptures of other religions , and the proof is with the learned men of the Children of Israel. Wawoo the sentences are direct and to the point. Then a logical argument about the non believers and time ! Verses 201-209. Then repetition of the Quran and its Origin. It is not from the Jin as it's neither in their power nor their interest. So let us All put our trust in God the Almighty, the Merciful, the All Hearing , the All Knowing.( May God bless us the best life possible) Ameen

Allah explains the significance of the month of Ramadan starting in the second surah of the Holy Qur’an: "Ramaḍân is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong˺. So whoever is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramaḍân˺. Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful. When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond ˹with obedience˺ to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided ˹to the Right Way˺."" (Al Baqarah 2:185 - 186)We learn the Qur’an was sent down in the month of Ramadan and when His servants ask, Allah is near and answers those who ask of Him. Ustadh Michael Wolfender hares four surahs showing the power of Ramadan we can't see with our own eyes.The first is Al-Qadr (97 The Power) where Allah explains sending down the entire Qur'an to the lowest heaven on Laylatul Qadr, known as the Night of Power and thus this night is better than a thousand months. It is also annually when all angels visit earth including angel Gibreel. Laylatul Qadr began the year Gibreel came to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the first five verses of the Qur’an from Surah Al-’Alaq (96 The Clot). This occurred in a cave on Mount Hira and angel Gibreel continued to deliver revelation over the course of 23 years. The second is Ad-Dukhan (44 The Smoke) which Allah begins: "By the clear Book! Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night, for We always warn ˹against evil˺. On that night every matter of wisdom is ordained by a command from Us, for We have always sent ˹messengers˺ as a mercy from your Lord. He ˹alone˺ is truly the All-Hearing, All-Knowing —  the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, if only you had sure faith.” (44:2-7) The blessed night referred to here is Laylatul Qadr, thought to be one of the odd nights in the last ten during Ramadan. This night is when Allah sends HIs Decrees for the coming year. It is on this particular night Muslims search for to seek Mercy from our Master as he hears those who ask and understands how we feel inside. Support the show (http://www.goodtreeacademy.org/donate?id=pd)

There are seven surahs in the Holy Qu’ran referred to as the ‘musabeehat’ in Arabic. They start with phrases of glorification of Our Creator. They were revealed by Allah to bring comfort and relief to His Believers. The first is Surat Al-A'la (87 The Most High), This surah brought so much comfort of Prophet Muhammad that he often recited it in jummuah, the Friday congregation, and the Eid clebration prayers. Glorifying Allah reminds us of His Perfection and this world is not perfect. This brings peace to believe in and seek to understand Allah’s Perfection, including in all that He creates and decrees. The second surah, Al-Isra (17 The Night Journey), was revealed in what is referred to as The Year of Sadness, when Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ wife, uncle and son, who were all beloved relatives to him, returned to Allah. It was during this time that Allah provided His prophet ﷺ the miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascended him ﷺ to heaven to receive gifts including the command for daily prayers and the two verses of Surat Al-Baqarah (2 The Cow). Muslims partake of these gifts daily in worship, glorifying Allah when bowing and prostrating. Allah begins Surah Al-Isra: “Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” Glorifying Our Creator brings believers ease. The Qur’an is a cure from disease and harm. In the 82nd verse of Surah Al-Isra, Allah says: وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا the first part of which translates as: “We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers.” Other surahs in the musabeehat Allah sent during times of Islam’s early revelation to ease the hardships His believers faced, including a seige from 300 soldiers. With the right intention, actions and asking of Allah, relief comes. In this situation, the Muslims dug a trench and Allah sent a sandstorm which caused the soldiers to retreat. Remembering Allah’s Perfection brings peace, comfort and strength. Completing our look at these surahs:The beginning of Al-Hadid (57 The Iron), Al-Hashr (59 The Exile) and As-Saf (61 The Ranks) all start with:  “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah. For He is the Almighty, All-Wise.”Al-Hashr ends with: “He is Allah: the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. He ˹alone˺ has the Most Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth ˹constantly˺ glorifies Him. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.”Al-Jumu'ah (62 The Congregation, Friday) begins with: “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth ˹constantly˺ glorifies Allah—the King, the Most Holy, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”At-Taghabun (64 The Mutual Delusion) “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth ˹constantly˺ glorifies Allah. The kingdom is His, and all praise is for Him. For He is Most Capable of everything.”Support the show (http://www.goodtreeacademy.org/donate?id=pd)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this night, the Prophet’s heart ﷺ was washed and he traveled to Jerusalem where he led all the Prophets and Messengers in prayer. He then ascended the seven heavens, arrived at the Furthest Lote Tree, and was entered into the Divine Presence where Allah the Exalted honored him and granted his Umma the five daily prayers. The Main Program consists of Quranic recitation, several brief lessons detailing the major events of the Isra’ & Mi‘raj, and singing of chapter 7 from the Burda of Imam al-Busiri. The following is an outline of the lessons covered in this year’s commemoration: (1) Opening verses of Sura al-Isra’ (17:1-20) - Sidi Mouaz Nass (7 mins) (2) “I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance” - Sh. Qasim Hatem (10 mins) (3) Washing the Prophet’s Heart ﷺ - Ust. Omar Popal (15 mins) (4) Traveling to Jerusalem - Sh. Amin Buxton (10 mins) (5) Witnessing Unseen Realities - Ust. Yusuf Weltch (10 mins) (6) The Imam of the Messengers - Ust. Hasan Petrus (7) Chapter 7 of the Burda - On the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ - Sidi Mouaz Nass (10 mins) (8) Ascending the Seven Heavens - Sh. Abdul Karim Yahya (15 mins) (9) The Furthest Lote Tree - Imam Amin Muhammad (10 mins) (10) The Divine Presence - Sh. Yahya Rhodus (20 mins) (11) The Return - Ust. Amjad Tarsin (10 mins)

This is the sixth sura that starts with HM, HaaMeem. It has 54 verses. The main themes within the sura are: the truthfulness of the Quran, the truth of the day of Judgment, God is One , the arrogance of the disbelievers. The message of the prophet was sent down to other messengers before him, and disbelievers act similarly regardless of time. A life lesson from verse 46 ( Whoever does good does it for himself and whoever does evil does it against himself: your Lord is never unjust to His creatures.). A goal in my life is in verse 33 ( Who speaks better than someone who calls people to God, does what is right and says,'I am one of those devoted to God'. Another lesson we can learn from the Quran is about Good and evil , verse 34 ( Good and evil cannot be equal, repel evil with what is better and your enemy will become as close as an old and valued friend). And remember anything that stirs you from God say ( I seek refuge with God, He is the All Hearing and the All Knowing) verse 36. May God the lord of the Quran , the lord of these verses, bless us in this life to do the best that we can , to accept us as the ones that He loves and guide us to the straight path.) Ameen.

[Quran Chapter 29] In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful. 1. Alif, Lam, Meem. 2. Have the people supposed that they will be left alone to say, "We believe," without being put to the test? 3. We have tested those before them. God will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liars. 4. Or do those who commit sins think they can fool Us? Terrible is their opinion! 5. Whoever looks forward to the meeting with God—the appointed time of God is coming. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. 6. Whoever strives, strives only for himself. God is Independent of the beings. 7. Those who believe and do righteous deeds—We will remit their sins, and We will reward them according to the best of what they used to do. 8. We have advised the human being to be good to his parents. But if they urge you to associate with Me something you have no knowledge of, do not obey them. To Me is your return; and I will inform you of what you used to do. 9. Those who believe and do good works—We will admit them into the company of the righteous. 10. Among the people is he who says, "We have believed in God." Yet when he is harmed on God's account, he equates the people's persecution with God's retribution. And if help comes from your Lord, he says, "We were actually with you." Is not God aware of what is inside the hearts of the people? 11. God certainly knows those who believe, and He certainly knows the hypocrites. 12. Those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Follow our way, and we will carry your sins." In no way can they carry any of their sins. They are liars. 13. They will carry their own loads, and other loads with their own. And they will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection concerning what they used to fabricate. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

Shaykh Faraz explains how zakat and charity can be a means of purification and increase, as Allah has told us in the Qur’an: “Take from their wealth ‘O Prophet’ charity to purify and bless them, and pray for them—surely your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing” Qur’an (9:103). […] The post Purification and Increase Through Zakat and Charity – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani appeared first on SeekersGuidance.

Chapter 31 of the Quran is 34 verses in length and called Luqman. It is named after the sage Luqman, whose advice to his son features in verses 13 to 19. The chapter opens with a description of the believers and strongly condemns those who attempt to lead others astray. Luqman was revealed in Mecca at the height of the Muslim persecution and the young Muslims are extolled to disobey parents when they try to lead them away from Islam. The disbelievers are warned about the consequences of their actions and Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is told not to be saddened by their actions.Verse 1These are among the fourteen opening letters which occur in various combinations at the beginning of twenty-nine chapters of the Quran. Throughout the centuries there has been much speculation as to their meaning however God never revealed that any specific meaning is attached to them.Verses 2-7 Traits and distractionsThese are the verses of the Quran. It is guidance and a mercy for those who lead a God-conscious life and with the Hereafter as their main focus. These are the ones who will be successful. However there are some people who are without knowledge and pay for distracting tales to lead others away from God. Those who distract a believer will find a humiliating torment waiting for them. When the verses are recited they turn away disdainfully as if the words are nothing but heaviness in their ears. God repeats His warning saying; tell them there will be a painful torment.Verses 8-11 A truthful promiseThose who believe and do righteous deeds will stay in Gardens of bliss. It is a truthful promise for He is Mighty and Wise. He created the heavens without visible pillars, set the mountains upon the earth firmly so that they will not shift and spread animals of all sorts throughout the earth. He sends rain from the sky that causes all sorts of vegetable life to grow. This is the creation of God; what have others that you worship created!? The disbelievers are clearly in error.Verses 12-15  Advice to the youthGod says that He gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would be grateful. Whoever is grateful and gives thanks to God does so for his own welfare. Those who are ungrateful and deny God's favors upon them should understand that God has no need of their thanks. Luqman counsels his son saying do not attribute partners to God, it is a terrible error.God commands that people be good to their parents, their mothers carry their offspring with great difficulty and usually feed them from their own bodies for two years.  God associates gratitude towards Him with gratitude towards parents.  He says be grateful and obey them but stresses not to obey them when they ask you to commit the greatest sin of associating others with God.  We should not obey them in matters that go against the commandments of God, and do what is right, but at the same time we are expected to treat our parents with care and respect.Verses 16 -19 Wise counselNothing can escape God's knowledge says Luqman to his son.  Even if it is as small as a mustard seed, or hidden inside a rock or is a minute speck in a vast universe, God can see it clearly and is able to expose it.   Luqman then advises his son to lead a moral and upstanding life and tells him how; establish the prayer, enjoin the good, forbid the evil and bear the trials and afflictions of life with patience.  Do not turn your nose up at people contemptuously; do not walk about the land arrogantly for God does not like the boastful.   Thus walk at a moderate pace and talk in a low voice because God does not like harsh voices like the braying of donkeys.  This is all sage advice for moral behaviour and interaction between people.Verses 20-26 An admonitionGod asks, do you not see that everything in the heavens and earth is for the benefit of humankind.  It is self-evident but there are still those who would argue about it.  When they are told to follow God's guidance they respond by saying that they will not but will instead follow the path trodden by their forefathers.  They say this even when Satan is inviting them to step into the Fire.  Those who submit to the will of God and live a righteous life have grasped the most trustworthy handhold, because the outcome of every matter is with God. If they disbelieve, do not let it grieve you (O Muhammad) for to Us (God) is their return and We will then inform them of the reality of their deeds. God knows what their hearts contain. We (God) grant them enjoyment for a little while but in the Hereafter they will be driven to an unrelenting punishment. If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth they would say ‘God', but then they associate partners with God in worship. By acknowledging that God is the creator of everything, and then worshiping created objects, they establish proof against themselves! God is the Creator and Owner of all that is in the heavens and the earth. He needs nothing from His creation and is the Only One worthy of praise.Verses 27-30  The Most GreatIf all the trees on earth were pens, and the oceans were ink, replenished by seven more oceans, the writing of God's Words (signs and creations) would not be exhausted. It is as easy for God to create and resurrect every living being as it is to create and resurrect a single soul. God is All-Hearing and All-Seeing. Do you not see that God makes the day follow the night, one after the other, over and over in a precise pattern? The sun and the moon also spin in their orbits according to God's plan. God knows very well what you do. God is the truth and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood. He is the most High and the most Great.Verses 31 -34 Beware of Satan and the delusion of this worldThe ships sail through the ocean by the grace of God. Surely there are signs in this for any grateful person. When the waves loom over them they call out to God with sincere devotion but when He (God) brings them safely to land some falter between belief and disbelief. O humankind, fear your Lord and fear the Day that no family member will avail another family member. Do not let the life of this world delude you or let Satan deceive you. It is God alone who has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs – nothing escapes His knowledge. We humans don't know what will happen the next moment; God knows all this and is aware of everything._______________________________________By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.Used with permission.The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

Chapter 10 of the Quran, entitled Jonah was revealed in Mecca. It takes its title from the reference to Prophet Jonah in verse 98 and concentrates primarily on the Oneness of God.  This chapter emphasises God's power and His anger towards those who consistently deny the truth of His revelations and signs. Prophet Muhammad is encouraged to be patient and to be aware that he is unable to force the people to believe.Verses 1 – 10  A book of wisdomThese are the verses from a wise book says God. It is a book full of wisdom that holds the decision about all matters. Why then do people call the warner chosen from among themselves a sorcerer? God is the One who created all that is in the heavens and the earth in six periods of time (Day is the word used here but it is not the 24 hour period as we know it). He then established Himself upon the Throne, overseeing and overlooking everything that is below Him. Worship Him, believers will be rewarded but those who refuse will taste the punishment. His signs are everywhere throughout the universe and they are not without purpose. Those who believe understand. Some pay no heed to the signs but their eternal home will be in the Fire. However those who are saved because of their faith will praise God.Verses 11 – 20  Who is the most wicked?If God was to hasten the punishment for those who deserve it, then their worldly life would be over but that is not His way. Instead he leaves the wrongdoers to wonder blindly in their ignorance. When a person is in need he calls out to God but when God removes the affliction he (the person) returns to disobedience as if he had never called upon God at all. Whole generations have been destroyed because of the evil they did. The messengers came but were ignored and abused. God observes the successive generations.When the Quran is recited to those who hold no hope of meeting God they ask Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessing of God be upon him, to bring a different or changed Quran. God tells Prophet Muhammad to tell them that it is not for him to change it.  He (Prophet Muhammad) brings only what is revealed to him and he too fears a day of account. God asks who is more wicked than the one who invents lies against God or denies His signs!? Wrongdoers will never prosper. They worship things other than God that cannot harm or benefit them. God is far above those they associate with Him.  Humankind was once one nation, but they differed. Only God knows the unseen, so wait for it to be revealed.Verses 21 – 30 God invites you to ParadisePeople call upon God when they are suffering but plot and scheme against Him when they are returned to comfort. When they are returned to God He will tell them the result of the schemes. People think they have some power over the life of this world but it is God's decree that will come to pass. The signs are there for those who choose to reflect. God invites everyone to the Home of Peace (Paradise) and guides whomever He wills to the straight path. Those who do good will have a good reward; they are the companions of Paradise. And those who do evil will find an evil outcome in the Fire. On the Day of Judgment, those who worshipped other than God will find that their false deities deny all knowledge of their worship and behavior. Some are not even aware that they are being worshipped and those who consented to be worshipped will lie and deny it.Verses 31 – 40  Who will believe?God addresses the disbelievers asking who provides for you, who allows you to see and hear, who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges every matter? They answer God but why then do they not take heed? God is the Giver of life, the one who can end creation but then bring it all back again. Can any of the associates you turn to do that? No they cannot. What is wrong with people? The One who guides to the truth is more worthy to be followed then those who do not.God is All-Knowing and it is not possible for this Quran to have been produced by anyone but God. It is a confirmation of what came before it. If people say that Prophet Muhammad invented the Quran then ask them to bring forth a chapter like it. They are not able to do so even when they ask for assistance. They cannot grasp the truth because they have not seen its prophecies fulfilled. The Quran shows the end waiting for the disbelievers. Some will believe but some will not. God knows who causes corruption.Verses 41 – 56 Losers in the HereafterGod tells Prophet Muhammad what to say if they deny him - "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do."  There are some that listen but Muhammad cannot cause the deaf to hear, there are some who look but he cannot cause the blind to see. God does not wrong people but people wrong themselves.On the Day of Judgement people will feel as if they have been in this world for an hour or less and they will recognise one another. Those who denied this meeting will be the losers. All will return to God and this will happen whether Prophet Muhammad sees the punishment fall or not. For every nation there is a messenger. When the messenger comes they will be judged and there will be no injustice. There is an appointed time for every community and when it is reached it cannot be delayed or hastened.On the Day of Judgement there is no way out for the disbelievers. They have denied it for so long, will they even believe it when it overtakes them? They will be told to taste the punishment, God's promise is true. He gives life, and causes death. To Him we will all be returned.Verses 57 – 60 Guidance has comeInstruction from God has been given to humankind; it is a mercy, a cure, and guidance.  Tell them, Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, that these things are a blessing and better for humankind than all the riches of this world that they try to accumulate.  Ask them to think about the provisions that have been sent down by God.  He has made some lawful and others unlawful, why then do some people change the rules and try to make the illicit permissible? Has God given permission for this or are you inventing a lie about God? How will this be dealt with on the Day of Judgment? Think.  God is indeed full of grace towards humankind but most people are ungrateful. Verses 61 – 67 God witnesses everythingWhatever matters people are engaged in, from reading the Quran to the mundane, God is a witness to it and it is all, the large and the small of it, recorded in a book.  Not even a speck, the weight of dust escapes God's knowledge, and it is kept in a clear record.  For those who believe and fear God there will be no fear; they will receive good tidings both in this world and the Hereafter.  God tells Prophet Muhammad not to let the words of the unbelievers grieve him.  God is All-Powerful; All-Hearing and All-Knowing.  Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him.  Those who call on other than God are following only assumptions and lies.  God made the day and the night and surely this is a sign for those who listen to the message.Verses 68 – 70 The consequence of lying about GodSome people say that God has a son.  He is free of all needs, the master of the heavens and the earth.  They have no authority to make such a claim, why do they invent lies about God? Those who lie about God will not succeed, they may have some brief enjoyment in this world but in the Hereafter they will face severe punishment.Verses 71 – 86 Stories from the pastTell the people about the story of Noah.  He said to his people, "If my presence among you reminds you too much of that which you do not wish to hear about God's signs and warnings then do what you will.  But let it be clear and decisive.  Remember however that I have not asked for any kind of payment, my reward is from God alone.  I am among those commanded to worship Him Alone."  They did not listen, they rejected Noah.  God saved him and those with him in the ship.  Those who denied the signs were left to drown.Then God sent others, each to their own people.  They came with clear evidences but the succeeding generations were persistent in their disbelief.  Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharaoh and his people but they behaved arrogantly towards them and their message.  Moses said, "Do you think I bring you magic; because magicians will never succeed." Haughtily Pharaoh called for all the magicians in the land and Moses exposed the worthlessness of their magic.  God does not promote the work of mischief makers. Nobody believed Moses except some of the youth amongst his own people; most of the people were too scared of Pharaoh's regime.  Moses asked the believers to put their trust in God and they prayed to Him to release them from the hands of the unjust people.Verses 87 – 95 DeliveranceGod revealed to Moses and Aaron that they should take their people to Egypt where they would build their houses and establish the prayer.   Moses then prayed that the wealth and splendour of Pharaoh's people be taken away from them.  Obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts he asked.  God said that this prayer would be answered and told Moses to remain steadfast.  So Moses led his people across the sea; Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them until they were drowned.At the very last minute Pharaoh said that he believed in the God of Moses and that he submitted to Him but God replied, "Now?" God saved his body but not his life so that he may be a sign for those that come after him.  Many people still fail to heed the signs.  The people of Moses were settled in a good place and were provided with the things required for a good life.  They did not differ amongst themselves until after knowledge had come to them but on the Day of Judgment God will judge between the things they failed to agree on.  Prophet Muhammad had complete certainty in that which was revealed to him.   Even if the People of the Book do not give heed to your call, they will still find evidence of you in their books. Verses 96 – 103 Forced conversion is prohibitedThere are many for whom the love of this world has sealed their hearts and eyes.  They cannot see the signs in front of their faces.  They will not believe.  No town ever saw the scourge then believed and it profited them except for the people of Jonah.  When they believed the punishment was removed, and they had enjoyment, for a time.  If God had so willed all the people on the earth would have believed.  Prophet Muhammad is asked if he would compel the people, against their will to believe.  Belief comes only by the will of God and He disgraces those who will not use their common sense.  Tell the people to see the signs in the heavens and the earth but no signs will convince those who will not believe.  God asks the question, "What are they waiting for?" In the end God will save the messengers and the believers, that is God's way and He says that it is only right that He saves those who believe.Verses 104 – 109  Guidance has arrived, so chooseProphet Muhammad is commanded by God to say, "People, doubt my religion if you will, I will never worship those you worship other than God, but I worship God who will cause you to die, and I am commanded to be a believer".  He is further commanded to dedicate himself to the religion and not to be amongst those who associate others with God.  God says you will not pray to others because they cannot benefit or harm you and if you do you will surely be one of the losers.  If God afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He; and if He intends to bestow a favour, none can withhold His bounty.  He bestows it on whoever He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.Prophet Muhammad is further told to tell the people that the truth has come.  Whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own benefit and whoever strays does so at his own risk.  I (Muhammad) am not set over you to oblige you for guidance.  God tells Prophet Muhammad to follow what has been revealed to him and to be patient until God judges.  He is the best of judges._______________________________________By Aisha Stacey (© 2015 IslamReligion.com)Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.Used with permission.The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

In this part, we review the verse which reads: Allah has indeed heard and accepted the words of the woman who pleads with you, Muḥammad, concerning her husband and refers her complaint to Allah. Allah hears the dialogue between you, Khawlah and Prophet Muḥammad. Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

[Quran Chapter 24] 21. O you who believe! Do not follow Satan's footsteps. Whoever follows Satan's footsteps—he advocates obscenity and immorality. Were it not for Allah's grace towards you, and His mercy, not one of you would have been pure, ever. But Allah purifies whomever He wills. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 22. Those of you who have affluence and means should not refuse to give to the relatives, and the needy, and the emigrants for the sake of Allah. And let them pardon, and let them overlook. Do you not love for Allah to pardon you? Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 23. Those who slander honorable, innocent, believing women are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter. They will have a terrible punishment. 24. On the Day when their tongues, and their hands, and their feet will testify against them regarding what they used to do. 25. On that Day, Allah will pay them their account in full, and they will know that Allah is the Evident Reality. 26. Bad women are for bad men, and bad men are for bad women, and good women are for good men, and good men are for good women. Those are acquitted of what they say. There is forgiveness for them, and a generous provision. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

Our Lord! Accept from us this (service); verily You alone are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing”

Name The Surah takes its name from the word dukhan which occurs in verse 10. Period of Revelation Its period of revelation also could not be determined from any authentic tradition, but the internal evidence of the subject matter shows that this Surah too was sent down in the same period in which Surah Zukhruf and a few other earlier Surahs had been revealed. However, this Surah was sent down somewhat later. Its historical background is this: When the disbelievers of Makkah became more and more antagonistic in their attitude and conduct, the Holy Prophet prayed: O God, help me with a famine like the famine of Joseph. He thought that when the people would be afflicted with a calamity, they would remember God, their hearts would soften and they would accept the admonition. Allah granted his prayer, and the whole land was overtaken by such a terrible famine that the people were sorely distressed. At last, some of the Quraish chiefs among whom Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud has particularly mentioned the name of Abu Sufyan came to the Holy Prophet and requested him to pray to Allah to deliver his people from the calamity. On this occasion Allah sent down this Surah. Subject Matter and Topics The introduction to the address revealed on this occasion for the admonition and warning of the people of Makkah contained some important points, which are as follows: "You, O People of Makkah, are wrong in thinking that the Quran is being composed by Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace). This Book by itself bears the clear testimony that it is not the composition of a man but of Allah, Lord of the worlds." "You are making a wrong estimate of the worth of this Book. You think it is a calamity that has descended on you, whereas the Hour when Allah, out of sheer mercy, decided to send His Messenger and His Book to you was highly blessed." "You are foolishly involved in the misunderstanding that you will fight this Messenger and this Book and will win, whereas the fact is that the Messenger has been raised and the Book sent down in that particular Hour when Allah decides the destinies, and Allah's decisions are not so weak that they may be changed to a person's liking, nor are they based on ignorance and folly that there may be the likelihood of a mistake or error or weakness in them. They are rather the firm and unalterable decisions of the Ruler of the Universe, Who is All Hearing, All Knowing and All Wise. Therefore, they cannot be treated lightly. "You yourselves acknowledge that Allah alone is the Master and Lord of the earth and heavens and of everything in the Universe and also admit that life and death are only in His power, yet you insist on making others your deities, for which the only argument you offer is that that had been the practice since the time of your forefathers, whereas if a person has the conviction that Allah alone is the Master, Sustainer and Giver of life and death, he can never entertain the doubt that there can be other gods also beside Him, who can be worthy of worship. If your forefathers had committed this folly, there is no reason why you also should continue committing it blindly. As a matter of fact, their Lord too was only One God, Who is your Lord, and they also should have worshiped only Him, Whom you should worship." "The only demand of Allah's Providence and Mercifulness is not this that He should feed you, but also this that He should arrange guidance for you. For this very guidance He has sent His Messenger and His Book." After this introduction, the question of the famine that was raging in Makkah has been discussed. As already mentioned, this famine had occurred on the Holy Prophet's prayer, and he had prayed for it so that when the calamity befell it would break the stubbornness of the disbelievers and then they would listen to the rebuke. It looked as if this expectation was being fulfilled to some extent, for some of the most stubborn enemies of the Truth,

Since Late 2019 this pandemic have been around and isolating everyone slowly but surely. In cases like this, we have to return to Allah the Most High, the Almighty. We need to remember the supplications that Allah has prescribed for us through our Prophet Muhammad Salla Allah Alayhe Wa salam # 1 انا لله وانا اليه راجعون Inna Lillah wa Inna Elayhi Raji'oon We belong to Allah and to him we will return #2 حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ Hasbiya Allahu la Ilaha Ila hu'wa Alayhi Tawakalt Wa Hu'wa Rabu Al'Arsh Al'Atheem Sufficient for me is Allah ; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne. #3 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ Bismi Allah alathi la yaduru ma'a ismihi shay fee al'ard wala fee al'samaa wahu'wa assamee'u al'aleem In the Name of Allah by whose Name nothing in the earth or the heaven is harmed. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing #4 أعوذ بكلمات الله التامات من شر ما خلق A'uthu bikalimati allah Al'tamat min Shari Ma khalif I seek refuge with the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created #5 اللهم رب الناس، أذهب البأس، واشف، أنت الشافي لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك، شفاءً لا يغادر سقماً Allahumma Rabban-nas, adhhibil-ba's, washfi, Antash-Shafi, la shifa'a illa shifa'uk, shifa'an la yughadiru saqama O Allah! the Rubb of mankind! Remove this disease and cure (him or her)! You are the Great Curer. There is no cure but through You, which leaves behind no disease]." #6 أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ، رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، أَنْ يَشْفِيكَ As'alu Allaha Al'atheem Raba al'arsh Al'atheem AN yashfiyak I ask Allah the Immense, the Lord of the Immense Throne, to cure you this following link takes you to the ruqya recording for the shaykh that was mentioned https://youtu.be/zwPW1Utf0FM --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-revert/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-revert/support

In response to the fear and concern brought about by the recent spread of the Covid-19 virus, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus reminds us of the importance of seeking protection with Allah's Name. In this important and timely reminder, Shaykh Yahya comments on the following prophetic duʿa (supplication) and encourages everyone to recite it daily: بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ “In the name of Allah, with Whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can harm—He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.” For more information on Al-Maqasid's programs, please visit www.almaqasid.org

Q&A Discussion Circle with the Imam -- Tasneem F. Noor leads the congregation through an intuition exercise and answers questions specifically about Istikharah - the Guidance Prayer. Several different congregants share their own istikharah experiences and how they learned to trust their own intuition and direct connection with God. Istikharah (Guidance Prayer): "O God! Behold I ask You the good through Your Knowledge, and ability through Your Power, and beg Your favor out of Your infinite Bounty. For surely You have Power; I have none. You know all; I know not. You are the Great Knower of all things. O God! If in Your Knowledge, [this matter] be good for my faith, for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs (in this world and the Hereafter), then ordain it for me, and make it easy for me, and bless me therein. But if in Your Knowledge, [this matter] be bad for my faith, for my livelihood, and for the consequences of my affairs (in this world and the Hereafter), then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and ordain for me the good wherever it may be, and cause me to be pleased therewith. Ameen." Tasneem's Heartfelt Dua as an example of how to ask God to guide you toward connecting with your intuition: "Bismillah Ar Rehman Ar Raheem. Subhanallah Alhamdulilliah La Ilaha Ilallah. Ya Allah, my Lord, My Creator. You are the source of all creation and of all substance. You have created me, my gifts, my dreams. You are All-Knowing and know what Is in my heart and mind. You are Most Magnificient and Most Merciful and Most compelling. Please help me Ya Allah to surrender deeply to you, to be moved by you, held by you, used by you. I surrender to you my Lord, I surrender. You are the Ultimate creator and THE Master of this universe. Everything is yours and yet you have blessed us with the power of choice. The choice to choose you or choose our ego. To choose serving you or serving ourselves. Choose truth or choose illusion. I choose You My Lord! I choose You. I choose to serve you my Sustainer that sustains all that I am and all that I can. I choose you My lord who is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing. It is You I trust. It is you I seek to please. It is you I love. It is you whose approval I crave and need. Please forgive me for my inconsistencies and short comings and mistakes and for all the precious time I waste. Please forgive me with your Mercy My lord. Please forgive me. Please help me, guide me, and continue to compel me so I stay present and surrender and do my best to express through you, to serve for you and with you. I love you Ya Allah. And I surrender to you. I surrender. I love you. And I am ready to be used by you. I trust you. I surrender. I surrender. I surrender. Let my words be yours. Let my thoughts be from you. Let my intuition be your voice. I am ready now, Ya Rabb. I am ready. I am yours and you are mine. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am eternally grateful that you chose to create me and create work through me in ways You know to be the best. I trust you. And I am ready now. Ameen."

In response to the fear and concern brought about by the recent spread of the Covid-19 virus, Sh. Yahya Rhodus reminds us of the importance of seeking protection with Allah's Name. In this important and timely reminder, Sh. Yahya comments on the following prophetic duʿa (supplication) and encourages everyone to recite it daily: بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ “In the name of Allah, with Whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can harm—He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.” For more information on Al-Maqasid's programs, please visit www.almaqasid.org

In response to the fear and concern brought about by the recent spread of the Covid-19 virus, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus reminds us of the importance of seeking protection with Allah's Name. In this important and timely reminder, Shaykh Yahya comments on the following prophetic duʿa (supplication) and encourages everyone to recite it daily: بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ “In the name of Allah, with Whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can harm—He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.” For more information on Al-Maqasid's programs, please visit www.almaqasid.org

Why Do We Worship GOD? Importance of Worship and Praise GOD? | Benefits of Worshipping Allah ┇Why do we WORSHIP ALLAH? The primary reason as to why Muslims worship God is—to put it simply--because of who God is. Beyond the fact that God created us and bequeathed us with all we have, God is worthy of veneration and worship solely by virtue of who He is as a being. Even if God had given us far less, He still would deserve worship and veneration exclusively. To Him belongs the Perfect Names and Attributes. God is the Almighty, the Majestic, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, All-Hearing, He is the only Being that is All-Perfect. We worship Allah, the Glorious, because He is Our Lord, Our Master, Our Creator. And we are His slaves, His servants. God is the One that ultimately sustains, cares for, maintains, and nourishes His Creation through the grace of His bounty. God deserves endless praise by virtue of his Perfect Names and Attributes. We praise athletes and celebrities who have limited and flawed attributes, so we should heap endless praise upon God, the One that has no deficiency nor flaw. Our existence is solely dependent on God as we are not self-sufficient, contrary to the belief of some people. God makes it very clear in His Holy Book, the Quran, that the sole purpose of our lives is to worship Him. God sent Messengers and Prophets to relay His Message to mankind. "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56) Islamic worship is not limited to religious rituals such as praying and fasting. Instead, the faith clarifies that everyday human acts such as eating, drinking, greeting others, sitting, learning, dressing, sleeping, giving charity, etc., are all acts of worship if done for God alone, and in accordance with His Divine Laws and guidelines. Of course, we have another, secondary reason as to why we worship God. We thank Him for creating us and for what He has given us--despite the fact that we did not earn nor deserve any of it. God has given us so much, his favors are innumerable. God gives, without measure, to His servants. He gave the gift of life and the ability to hear, feel, taste, and see. God gifted humans their hearts, minds, souls, strengths, skills, and countless other things. "And He gave you of all what you asked of Him. And if you count the Favor of Allah, you will you be able to count them. Indeed, mankind is surely unjust and ungrateful" (Quran 14:34) We worship God because He is The-Loving, and His love exists in the purest form. We worship God to gain Taqwa; God-fearing piety, righteousness, mindfulness, and consciousness of God. Life becomes meaningful as we fulfill our life’s purpose, resulting in a better and peaceful life here in this world and the hereafter. As another secondary motivation, we worship God so that we can earn the reward of Paradise and avoid certain condemnation to the flames of hellfire.

Do you ever get that feeling like you’ve been working away and yet you got nothing accomplished? Next thing you know it’s the end of the year and you’re wondering where the time went? However, if you take time to look back, even if things didn’t go exactly as planned, you can find successes. We tend to check things off the to-do list and focus only on what is left to do. But it’s just as important to acknowledge and celebrate successes. We want to give the successes space and expansion within ourselves and allow them to integrate into our state of being so that the qualities of success can anchor into the core of who we are. When we embody success, we carry that forward and draw more success to ourselves. Some of the Divine Attributes we call on in this episode include: • Al-‘Alim, the All-Knowing, Understanding Names and Forms • Al-Basir, the All-Seeing, Awakened Sight • As-Sami’, the All-Hearing, Awakened Hearing • Al-Muta’ali, the Highest, Inhabiting an Expanded Consciousness • Ash-Shakur, the Grateful, Gratitude This is Part 2 in a 4-Part series to Make the Most of What’s Left of the Year. Find series in blog posts: http://joyfullylivingwellness.com/2019-integration-acknowledging-celebrating-successes

The All-Possible, All-Hearing, All-Time God

This lecture continues the benefit of understanding the names and attributes of Allah, and draws us closer to the only one worthy of worship. Today's lecture discusses As-Samee, the All-Hearing, and teaches us about how Allah hears all of the supplications made.

Lesson 13 - بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ In the Name of Allah, Who with His Name nothing can cause harm in the earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Lesson Date: 15/04/2019

This is episode 18, “We Can’t Truly Help People in This For-Profit System.” My guest, Kristy Fogle, founded the Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition. She is an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant who works in the Baltimore, Maryland, area. Ms. Fogle is a progressive healthcare activist working with Progressive Maryland and their National affiliate, People’s Action. She was one of several activists who were invited to sit in as official advocates in support of HR 1384 in the first ever Medicare for All Hearing by the House Rules Committee. Do not miss episode 18 as Ms. Fogle describes the problems with our current health care system and why we need Medicare for All. If you like more information about the  Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition, check out their Facebook page.

[Quran Chapter 4] 127. They ask you for a ruling about women. Say, "Allah gives you a ruling about them, and so does what is stated to you in the Book about widowed women from whom you withhold what is decreed for them, yet you desire to marry them, and about helpless children: that you should treat the orphans fairly." Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. 128. If a woman fears maltreatment or desertion from her husband, there is no fault in them if they reconcile their differences, for reconciliation is best. Souls are prone to avarice; yet if you do what is good, and practice piety—Allah is Cognizant of what you do. 129. You will not be able to treat women with equal fairness, no matter how much you desire it. But do not be so biased as to leave another suspended. If you make amends, and act righteously—Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 130. And if they separate, Allah will enrich each from His abundance. Allah is Bounteous and Wise. 131. To Allah belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. We have instructed those who were given the Book before you, and you, to be conscious of Allah. But if you refuse—to Allah belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Allah is in no need, Praiseworthy. 132. To Allah belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Allah suffices as Manager. 133. If He wills, He can do away with you, O people, and bring others. Allah is Able to do that. 134. Whoever desires the reward of this world—with Allah is the reward of this world and the next. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

[Quran Chapter 4] 51. Have you not considered those who were given a share of the Book? They believe in superstition and evil powers, and say of those who disbelieve, "These are better guided on the way than the believers." 52. Those are they whom Allah has cursed. Whomever Allah curses, you will find no savior for him. 53. Or do they own a share of the kingdom? Then they would not give people a speck. 54. Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace? We have given the family of Abraham the Book and wisdom, and We have given them a great kingdom. 55. Among them are those who believed in it, and among them are those who held back from it. Hell is a sufficient Inferno. 56. Those who reject Our revelations—We will scorch them in a Fire. Every time their skins are cooked, We will replace them with other skins, so they will experience the suffering. Allah is Most Powerful, Most Wise. 57. As for those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. They will have purified spouses therein, and We will admit them into a shady shade. 58. Allah instructs you to give back things entrusted to you to their owners. And when you judge between people, judge with justice. Allah's instructions to you are excellent. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. 59. O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is best, and a most excellent determination. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

The one that converts to Islam embraces the folds of this faith because they chose to voluntarily submit and surrender to the Will of God, in exchange for the ultimate acquisition of peace and contentment in this life and the Hereafter. The one that is converting accepts the Islamic belief that to achieve true peace of mind and surety of the heart, one must submit to the Ultimate Creator, the One True God, and live according to His Divinely revealed Laws. The one that converts comes to the understanding that no one is worthy of his or her worship and veneration except the One True Creator, the ultimate Creator, the Creator of this World and everything in it. He realizes that the only true purpose of his or her life to find God, build a relationship with Him, and follow His commandments. The one that is converting realizes that God the Almighty, would not leave him or her in darkness without guiding and showing them how He wants them to live. So, He (God) chose Messengers and Prophets throughout history to send to different nations at different times to communicate His Message to humanity, to show how one should live, and to teach humanity about Himself. These prophets came with glad tidings, stating that whoever Worships the One God with no partners and lives a righteous life while obeying God’s commands will enter Paradise eternally; and whoever worships other than Allah and does not follow God’s commandments will enter the hellfire. Islam is not a new religion but embodies the eternal act of submitting to the will of God. It is the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. Islam is the true natural religion and offers the same Message revealed through the ages to all of God’s Prophets and Messengers. The one that is converting to Islam realizes that Islam will change his or her life for the better and that Islam will provide the light to guide them in their life and grant them true salvation from the eternal hellfire. The one that searches for his purpose in life, and for his Creator, and is sincere and curious to learn the Truth, that person will eventually be guided to the Truth by the Will of God, and by His Mercy, Love, and Justice. God guides those whom He Wills and Pleases. My dear brother or sister, if you have the desire to be a Muslim and have a firm conviction and belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then you are ready to embrace the folds of Islam. In Islam, every action begins with one’s intention, so start by setting your intention in your heart to embrace Islam for the sake of God alone. It’s highly recommended that you first take a bath or shower to symbolically purify and cleanse yourself of your past life and your past sins. It’s also recommended that you wear suitable clothes on the day of your conversion. Unlike other religions, the act of converting to Islam does not involve any rituals, ceremonials, nor baptisms. All one has to do is declare the testimony of faith, which is known as the Shahada in Arabic, or the declaration of faith in English, which is the first of five pillars of Islam. These two statements encapsulate all the beliefs of Islam: أشهدأن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله ‘I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger.’ You can state this phrase in privacy by yourself or in public with witnesses, which is recommended as you could have help from others with the accuracy of the pronunciation of the wording in Arabic. The testimony of faith is recommended and often done publicly, in a Mosque or gathering. You testify, acknowledge, and express you are fully convinced that there is no deity worthy of worship and veneration other than Allah. Allah is the unique name of God; the ultimate Creator. You acknowledge that there is Only One God who is the Sustainer, the Creator, who is in control of all matters and all things, who has no partners, no children, nor associates. He is the Most-High, Most-Merciful, All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, He is the First; He is the Last. You also testify and acknowledge that Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him is the last and final messenger of God, who was sent to relay the same general Message as the prophets before him. He is the best example and role model for humanity, a slave and worshipper of Allah and should not be wrongly worshipped like past Prophets—who were only human messengers of God, and not God himself. After you complete your testimony of faith, you are now officially Muslim. As a new convert, you do not need to be burdened by your past sins committed before your acceptance, as all of your past sins would be wiped clean, and you would start with a clean slate—as free of sin as a newborn child. Not only that, but all of your past sins would be converted to good deeds. You should attempt to the best of your ability to keep your slate clean as much as possible and do as many good deeds as you can. As a new convert, make a lot of supplications to God, asking him to continue to guide you to the straight path and lead you to Paradise and everything else you desire—in this world and the Hereafter. You should gradually continue learning more about Islam and practicing it by performing your five mandatory ritualized prayers that Muslims perform daily. You should not try to learn all aspects of the faith at once, as that might overwhelm you. Instead, continue to learn and grow your faith over an extended period. It's highly recommended that you find a local Mosque or local Islamic community and attend their gatherings, seek Muslim support, and make new friends. You should also give charity and fast in the month of Ramadan, both of which are mandatory upon every Muslim. For those who are still unsure whether or not they should convert to Islam, they can pray to God without explicitly naming him; praying out and saying, ‘Oh you who created me, please guide me to the truth’ Then continue to research and look further at the overwhelming evidence and proofs that Islam offers to affirm its existence and validity. Do not procrastinate, and do not take this matter of faith lightly, as you are not guaranteed tomorrow! Your test your life, can end at any moment.  Realize, my dear brother or sister, that you did not come to this passage by random or chance. Your Creator guided you here.

Throughout history, a single question has plagued humanity since the beginning. An item that has been asked many times. An issue that all Abrahamic religions face. The question that if an All-Powerful God, who is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Loving, All-Merciful, and All-Just, is in control of All things and matters, does exist, then why do people experience evil, pain, and suffering in this World? Why must we contend with sickness, natural disasters, starvation, war, calamities, corruption, and killings? If God is indeed All-Merciful, All-Loving, All-Good, and All-Just, why does He allow such things to happen? This very concept is known as the problem of evil. Many have come to the wrong conclusion that because of the existence of evil, God could not possibly exist--or that he is a cruel, unjust God who enjoys seeing people suffer and in pain. A God that is not worth worshipping, who is unaware, uncaring and incapable of removing and controlling elements of evil. The existence of evil ranks amongst the top reasons as to why people reject the concept of religion or the belief in a Higher Power. People that reject God because they cannot grapple with the problem of evil do not have nor claim to have an understanding of or a solution to the conditions of darkness and pain. The decision to disbelieve the existence of God only adds more confusion to the situation; leading to the emergence of questions as to why we were created, where we are destined to go, etc. They choose to reject God because of their lack of understanding. To understand the problem of evil and as well as many other life concepts, one must have faith—the very belief system which provides wisdom. The question of evil was asked by the Angels themselves when God the Almighty announced that He was creating a new form of beings called humans. "And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the Earth a successive authority" (Quran 2:30) The Angels responded with a question: "...They said, ‘Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and   You?" (Quran 2:30) God answered: "…Indeed, I know that which you do not know" (Quran 2:20) Although God did not explain nor rationalize the answer to their question, the Angels were completely satisfied with this response; this is owing to their complete humility before, trust in, and faith in God's Wisdom and Knowledge, recognizing His Wisdom as Perfect and without flaw. The Angels did not assume God's Wisdom was incorrect simply because they could not understand nor comprehend that Wisdom. We humans never will fully understand the reason behind the World's pain and suffering, as our limited, finite minds cannot comprehend the logic of God. However, the fact that our intellectual capacity cannot understand and evaluate the Wisdom behind pain and suffering in full does not nullify that Wisdom. How can we judge the situation or God Himself without all the information needed to do so? God states in the Quran: "...And mankind has not been given of knowledge except a little" (Quran 17:85) We as humans only can understand the Wisdom behind pain and suffering on a general level. We have no right to question our Creator—as everything belongs to Allah, the Glorious including us, and to Him we will return. Whereas hardship, pain, and suffering do exist in this World, these incidents are the exception and not the rule. Muslims disbelieve the concept of pure evil. All things that God has created are either purely good or possesses a balance of good and evil. Nothing is purely evil with no goodness inherent. Whereas evil can dominate more than the good in some instances, everything holds an element of some good. Every evil is good in at least some aspects; for instance, while sickness may harm the body temporally from one angle, that same sickness also strengthens the immune system and teaches one patience with the healing process. Similarly, whereas Volcanos can harm, they rejuvenate the ecosystem that facilitates life in the first place. Without Volcanos, we would not be able to grow food; this is because Volcanos spew out minerals resulting in rich fertile soil. Whatever God Wills, the good will always eventually outweigh the bad. Additionally, one person's calamity can be another person's blessing; for instance, when one person loses a job, another person finds a new occupation. Good and evil need each other to exist. How can a person be generous if no charitable beneficiaries are available? Poor and hungry people need to exist for charity and generosity to occur. How can forgiveness happen when there is no offense to forgive? How can one learn patience without the perception of evil and calamities? Similarly, following natural disasters, humanity tends to show generosity and support by sending medical assistance, food, donations, etc., to those affected. Consequently, a negative occurrence enables positive results to be manifested. God loves the good that is generated from the perception of evil. Pain and suffering are blessings in disguise. Also, we need the existence of evil to recognize and appreciate good. It's when we are deprived of something valuable that we feel the appreciation and blessings of God. One needs to experience hardship to value the better times. Sometimes one needs to experience illness to appreciate good health, or poverty to appreciate substance. It's only in the darkness that one recognizes and appreciates the light. The perception of evil, pain, and suffering is not a punishment. Allah states in the Quran: "What would Allah gain from your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing" (Quran 4:147) God does not love evil. Amongst the many pearls of Wisdom behind pain and suffering, and probably the most important, is the idea that trials and tribulations lead people back to God. Sometimes it's through tough times that people return and reconnect to their Lord in desperation, and with the utmost sincere prayers and supplications. Any calamity that brings one back to his Lord is not a true disaster; instead, a blessing in disguise. It is in times of tragedy that one increases his expressions of repentance, humility, and supplication, recognizing he needs the Almighty. "And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus, is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing"        (Quran 10:12) Amongst the essential reasons behind perceived evil is the idea that life is a test for humanity, filled with many trials and tribulations. "[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving" (Quran 67:2) Through these tests, a person's faith in and loyalty to God is revealed. God states: "Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars" (Quran 29:2-3) In another verse, God states: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger, and those who believed with him said, 'When is the help of Allah?' Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near" (Quran 2:214) In another Verse, God states:  "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient" (Quran 2:155) God can create any World He desires, including a World with no evil and suffering. However, God, the Glorious, chose to give humanity the freedom of choice and free will. If He did not allow harm to occur, He would be depriving mankind of freedom and free will. Since life is a test, this test would be meaningless without a degree of free will being given to humanity. Sometimes humanity chooses to act in evil ways. God is not the direct cause of these acts of evil. Instead, He is the One who Allows and Wills it to happen for the greater good--and for reasons we may or may not understand. According to the Holy Quran, evil deeds performed by mankind also result in punishments on this Earth. Every suffering in this World is a fraction of a bit of what mankind has afflicted on this Earth. "Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness]" (Quran 30:41) God references the fact that many past nations have been destroyed due to their evil actions and disobedience. "So, We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them" (Quran 7:136) Amongst the many wisdoms inherent in the perception of evil is the fact, God loves to forgive--as He is the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving. But for forgiveness to take place, there must exist sins and sinners to forgive. The protestation of human pain, suffering, misfortune, and hardship faced by innocent people, and the claim that 'life is unfair,' are legitimate complaints; but only if belief in the Hereafter is denied and neglected. Indeed, we all must face an afterlife; a Judgment day in which justice will be served and everyone will be compensated for their life actions. The evildoers will be punished for their sins, and the oppressed will be compensated and rewarded for their patience. "And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]" (Quran 14:42) Indeed, with great trials and patience come great rewards. If one were to measure the suffering of this World against the blessings of the Hereafter, what is 20, 40, 60 years of suffering against an eternity of bliss? "And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew" (Quran 29:64) This World was never meant to be a perfect place devoid of hardship. Muslims believe that an ideal life without pain and suffering awaits them in the next World, not this World. This World is a stepping stone to the afterlife, that will lead you either to Paradise or the Hellfire. It's through the passing of test trials and tribulations that God raises one's rankings. It is for this very reason that God tests those He Loves. Additionally, when any calamity befalls a Muslim, God expiates some of his sins. When a patient person sees his misfortunes on the Day of Judgment and receives the reward he derived from his patience, he would wish that a more major calamity had struck him. The Holy Qur'an offers different remedies of coping with hardship, such as faith, prayer, patience, trust, and reliance, which God will give in the hopes of guaranteeing contentment and surety. It's essential that one recognizes that God will not place them in a situation where they cannot manage. "Allah does not burden a soul except [with that within] its capacity…" (Quran 2:286) Realize, in every hardship that one faces, God has given them the requirements to handle the situation and pass the test associated with it. He knows that one can cope with the situation, or he would not have placed that person in that difficulty in the first place. And realize that no harm can befall anyone except by the Permission and Will of the Almighty. God states: "Say, 'Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector’ And upon Allah let the believers rely upon" (Quran 9:51) A person of faith has a different attitude than others regarding calamities. He has surety and contentment in his or her heart, knowing that life is full of tests and trials; and that with time and patience, things will improve, and he will be rewarded. And remember my dear brother or sister, what your Lord has promised: "For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease" (Quran 94:5-6)  

[Quran Chapter 2] 177. Righteousness does not consist of turning your faces towards the East and the West. But righteous is he who believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Scripture, and the prophets. Who gives money, though dear, to near relatives, and orphans, and the needy, and the homeless, and the beggars, and for the freeing of slaves; those who perform the prayers, and pay the obligatory charity, and fulfill their promise when they promise, and patiently persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and in the time of conflict. These are the sincere; these are the pious. 178. O you who believe! Retaliation for the murdered is ordained upon you: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. But if he is forgiven by his kin, then grant any reasonable demand, and pay with good will. This is a concession from your Lord, and a mercy. But whoever commits aggression after that, a painful torment awaits him. 179. There is life for you in retaliation, O people of understanding, so that you may refrain. 180. It is decreed for you: when death approaches one of you, and he leaves wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the relatives, fairly and correctly—a duty upon the righteous. 181. But whoever changes it after he has heard it, the guilt is upon those who change it. God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 182. Should someone suspect bias or injustice on the part of a testator, and then reconciles between them, he commits no sin. God is Forgiving and Merciful. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mochzamroni/support

The second Pillar of Islam is the mandatory round of ritual prayers that every Muslim must perform five times every day. The Islamic method of Prayer is a ritualized form of worship, which involves the recitation of Verses from the Holy Quran and supplications to God; all while standing, bowing and prostrating. This mandatory act of worship is called Salah in Arabic and differs from the act of merely praying or supplicating to God in an impulsive act, just speaking one's mind. Instead, the Salah prayers demand a formalized structure in which one prays a certain way at specific times, as demonstrated to us by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him; drawing direct inspiration from Angel Gabriel, who learned from God Himself. The Arabic word ‘Salah’, which is generally translated as Prayer in English, is linguistically derived from the Arabic word meaning 'connection'; in that this mode of Prayer connects the servant with his Creator. Salah is a Muslim's way of establishing direct contact with God the Almighty. Salah represents a Muslim's affirmation of servanthood and submission to his Creator's Will. In Salah, a Muslim acknowledges his weakness and neediness by seeking and begging for God's guidance, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Salah, or this Islamic ritualized Prayer, is one form of worship amongst many in this beautiful faith. However, Salah holds an extraordinary status in Islam because Prayer builds a relationship between a servant and his Creator. Salah is considered the center pole of the Religion of Islam; whoever demolishes or denies this practice in their life, demolishes his or her Religion. According to Islamic Scholars, this is the only form of worship which—if neglected—would exclude the disobedient from the folds of Islam. When prayer time arrives, one is expected to discontinue their present activity and pray to connect with God, the All-Merciful; refreshing his/her faith for his or her benefit. The act of Prayer helps to remind one why they are here in this world and for what purpose. Prayers help direct a person's thoughts and actions away from sin; from that which is not beneficial. Prayers redirect a believer's thoughts to the remembrance of God. The Salah prayer is specifically a human form of worship. All other creatures of God, including animals and plants, submit without question to the Almighty in their unique way. Everything in the Sky and Earth declares Allah's perfection and worships Him in their way; a way in which we humans may not understand. All other creations of God are in continuous glorification, praise, and remembrance of God, and worship in their own way. Just like the other members of creation-worship Allah, man is expected to worship God. "Do not you see that Allah - glorify Him whoever (is) in the Heavens and the Earth and the birds (with) wings outspread? Each one certainly knows its Prayer and its glorification. And Allah (is) All-Knower of what they do" (Quran 24:41) Humanity was created for Prayer and Divine worship. God states in the Quran: "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56) God commands humanity to establish and perfect their Prayer, by praying properly with concentration and the utmost humility. Every Muslim must work and practice to improve their prayer technique, which is a lifetime commitment. Muslims must engage in a lifelong effort to master this art of communication with their Creator. The ones that fall into a habitual routine, reciting their words without concentration and humility, would miss the point of Prayer; not benefitting from their Prayer nearly as much as those who pray earnestly and with full concentration and mindfulness. Neglecting mandatory Prayer is a grave sin in the Islamic faith. Allah, the Glorious shares a dialogue in the Holy Koran in which the residents of Paradise ask the people of the hellfire as to the reason for their condemnation and that condemned respond: "They will say, 'We were not of those who prayed, nor did we used to feed the poor, and we used to indulge in vain talk with the vain talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Recompense, Until there came to us the certainty'"(Quran 74:43-47) The state of one's Prayer will be the first thing that will be asked of each on the Great Day of Judgement. If one’s Prayers was in order, then everything else will fall into place. If one’s Prayer was not in order, then he will be doomed. The Messenger of Allah stated: ‘The first of man's deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salat. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser…" (At-Tirmidhi). Prayer should be directed only to God the Almighty, as he is the Only One in full control of everything—including man's destiny. He is All-Powerful, All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Hearing, and can fill anyone's needs and remove all of man's pain and miseries. The Islamic ritual of Prayer expresses submission to God, showing humility to, devotion toward, and love of God. Praying to the Creator daily is the best way to build a personal connection with Him while seeking His guidance, Blessings, and Forgiveness. Muslims pray to God to gain spiritual strength and peace of mind and to strengthen the foundation of their faith. A Muslim temporarily steps out of his/her daily activities five times a day to connect to God; to stay mindful of Him in this world of stress, struggle, and distractions. Prayers remind Muslims that Allah is in control of all things so they can put their worldly concerns into perspective. The Islamic prayer method and mode act as a spiritual diet. Such as the body requires food and water throughout the day, our spirit needs to partake in the remembrance and worship of God to stay spiritually healthy; is not the soul more valuable than the body? When someone does another person a favor or helps them, it's human nature to want to thank that individual for their aid. Since God has blessed humanity with a countless number of favors, including one's wealth, health, family, and gifts of all kinds, a Muslim prays numerous times to thank Him throughout their day and night. The best way to demonstrate gratitude is through these five daily prayers. The Islamic ritual prayers come with many benefits—in this world and the next—for the ones that engage in them sincerely and mindfully, with concentration and humility. Amongst the benefits of praying is that the act guards and protects a believer from sins and evil doings. "Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the Prayer. Indeed, the Prayer prevents from the immorality and evil deeds, and surely (the) remembrance (of) Allah (is) greatest. And Allah knows what you do" (Quran 29:45) When one becomes lackadaisical in their worship or neglects Prayer altogether, he or she will experience the consequence of feeling distant from God; which may cause increased instances of sinning and evil doing. As they distance themselves from Prayer and the remembrance of God, they become easier targets for Satan to reach out to and tempt them. The one that guards and faithfully practices his prayers would be mindful of everything else that matters. The one that neglects his prayers would be neglectful of what matters in this life. Amongst the many benefits of Prayer is the transformative power that Prayer has on a person. Prayer transforms a person's attitude, behavior, mentality, thoughts, and priorities; redirecting these elements to what really matters in life. Prayer softens one's heart towards Allah and his Creation. Muslims that are steadfast in their Prayer is continually looking to help others and have a genuine concern for them—not just themselves. If one does not see the benefits and positive effects of their prayers, one should question their sincerity, humility, and concentration in praying. God references the fate of past generations who did not take advantage of their prayers—wasting them. "But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so, they are going to face Destruction" (Quran 19:59) Salah (Prayer) is also connected to the state of our Ummah (Muslim community). If our Prayer is strong, then everything else in the state of our community will be healthy. Prayer solves those many problems our nation is facing. Much like the pillars of a building, where one cannot move them and need to walk around them physically, a Muslim's life revolves around their five daily prayers; instead of casually trying to fit their prayers into their life. A Muslim's prayers are always their top priority in life; everything else comes secondary. The five obligatory daily prayers for Muslims are: Fajr Prayer: From dawn to right before sunrise Zuhr Prayer: Just after noon (mid-day, when the sun passes the median point in the sky) Asr Prayer: Late part of the afternoon (halfway between noon and sunset) Maghrib Prayer: Directly after sunset Isha Prayer: Late evening, dark night (approximately an hour and a half after sunset) The five daily Prayers set the rhythm of a Muslim's day. Prayers must be performed at their appointed due times unless a reasonable excuse exists to delay them. Prayers are prohibited to be postponed to where they overlap into the next Prayer's timeframe.  Before the Prayer is begun, a Muslim is required to perform ablution (wudu in Arabic), which is the act of cleaning and purifying oneself from any physical bodily fluids such as blood, urine, or any impurity with water. The ritual of ablution comprises washing one's hands, face, arms, head, and feet. It's essential that a Muslim must be clean and free of impurities in his body, clothing, and the area in which the Prayer will be performed. One drop of waste matter present anywhere would void one's Prayer. Prayers can either be performed individually or in a congregation with others at a Mosque (a Muslim place of worship) which is highly recommended for males. In Muslim countries, Prayer is publicly announced to the community—not by bells—but by an Islamic chant or call of Prayer known as Adhan in Arabic. Prayer is commenced by standing up facing the direction of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia, where the Holy House of God—known as the Kaaba—is situated. Muslims from all over the globe face the direction in which the first house was built for the worship of the One God. It's important to note that Muslims do not worship the Kaaba; instead, Muslims only use the Holy House as a direction to face while worshipping the One God, as instructed by God Himself. During Prayer, Muslims are directed to disconnect themselves and clear their minds of any worldly matter as they are conversing with God. They pray to a God who is near, who is All-Loving, All-Hearing, All-Caring, All-Powerful. A Muslim is to concentrate on their words and humble themselves only to the Almighty. A Muslim affirms that God is the Master and that he or she is the servant and slave of God who needs the Almighty's direction, help, and guidance to the straight path. The Islamic Prayer is so sacred that it is prohibited for one to eat, drink, or hold a conversation as they pray. Muslims are commanded to pray in how was taught by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. The Islamic prayer movements comprise standing, bowing, and prostrating. According to our Prophet, man is closest to God when he is in prostration. The Prayer comprises recitations from the Holy Quran, praises of the Almighty, and supplications seeking guidance, forgiveness, and more. "And establish Prayer and give Zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]" (Quran 2:43) While not mandated, it is highly encouraged for one to awaken in the middle of the night to pray to God, as this is a common practice of righteous people. The Islamic Prayer is a ritual which has been unchanged for more than 1400 years and is repeated five times a day by hundreds of millions of people all around the globe. Earlier Prophets and Messengers also performed Salah prayer, in which the act of prostration was involved. According to the Gospel of Mathew, Prophet Jesus fell with his face to the ground and prayed: ‘Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed: 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Not as I will, but as you will'"(Mathew 26:39)  It's important to note that God is transcendent, free of all needs, and independent. He is in no need of human worship or reverence, as He gains nothing from it. Muslims do not pray or worship God for God's sake; instead, they praise and worship God for their own sake. God made worship and the remembrance of Him beneficial to mankind, both in this world and the next. "And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds" (Quran 29:6) The benefits of praying to the Almighty are vast, and the blessings of Prayer are beyond our imagination. Prayer motivates one to do good and strive for the best, so one can live a good life in this world--and in the next world, eternally. "Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish Prayer for My remembrance" (Quran 20:14)

The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God. In this episode of Made You Think, Neil and Nat discuss The Quran, the book revealed to the prophet Muhammad, and foundation of Islamism. This is a very special and interesting episode because there is so much discussion about Islam and its roots, Muslims, and the relevance in cultural and political news. We cover a wide range of topics, including: The different writing styles of the Quran at the beginning and the end Interpretation of Arabic and context at the time of Muhammad Strategies to build and spread virally a set of beliefs Changing views on sex, alcohol and women The validity of 600 AD concepts on today’s world And much more. Please enjoy, and try always to build your opinions reading books at their source! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our episode on The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, a book that deconstruct the need of religions, as well as our episodes on Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (book episodes part 1 & part 2), a book that spans on the history of human existence. Be sure to join our mailing list to find out about what books are coming up, giveaways we're running, special events, and more. Links from the Episode Mentioned in the show Jihad [6:50] The Crusades [9:09] Inquisition [9:10] Bonus Material on Patreon [11:40] Sharia Law [12:45] Buddhism [15:05] Mecca [16:20] History of Islam in India – India: A History. Revised and Updated [34:59] Enforced Monogamy - Jordan Peterson [38:38] Crony Beliefs [39:03] I'm a college philosophy professor. Jordan Peterson is making my job impossible. Post on Reddit [39:10] Islamic State [41:06] Reformation [44:40] Cryonics [49:57] Rick and Morty arcade life simulation episode [53:31] Burqa [1:37:24] Inception [1:52:54] Books mentioned The Bible [5:00] The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell [5:26] (Nat’s notes) (book episode) How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff [7:40] The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson [9:50] (Neil’s notes) Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari [10:00] (Nat’s notes) (book episode part 1 & part 2) Old Testament [11:24] New Testament [11:24] Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault [40:04] (Nat’s notes) (href="https://madeyouthinkpodcast.com/discipline-and-punish-by-michel-foucault/">book episode) Code of Hammurabi [58:31] Way of Zen by Alan Watts [1:00:15] (Nat’s notes) (Neil’s notes) (book episode) Smoke Signals by Martin A. Lee [1:19:47] (book episode) People mentioned Muhammad The Prophet Moises [19:10] Abraham [19:11] Jesus [19:12] Noah [22:02] Angel Gabriel [31:50] Satan [31:51] Saint Brigid Celtic Goddess [33:36] Jordan B. Peterson [38:15] (on Twitter) (12 Rules episode) Sam Harris [10:55] (Guns episode) Show Topics 2:33 – We think we picked a very good translation/interpretation of the Qur’an. The translator/interpreter includes lots of useful comments in the footnotes, why he prefers to interpret in a certain way, including comparisons with other interpretations. He gives good historical context of the Arabian peninsula at the times of Mohammad. Modern interpretation of ancient books affected by old translations. 6:30 – Politics in translation. Jihad: depending which scholars you listen to, it can mean a religious war limited to the context of when the book was written, or a war that has to be conducted all times. Times when Christianity was militarized. Other religions militarized: Nationalism and Communism. Is Islam a religion of peace militarized for bad use vs a religion violent at its roots? 11:35 – Ancient religious books were less about shared myths and more about legal codes prescribing how to handle human behavior. The problem with religions is when they mandate to impose them on other people. Buddhism is an exception, viewed more as a private practice. 16:15 – Intro. At Mohammad era, in Arabia there were polytheistic tribal religion. Judaism and Christianity were still not spread. People believed in Allah and many other gods. Islam expanded through the whole Arabian peninsula in just 10 years, before the Quran was even finished. Virality at top level. Qur’an is considered the direct words of God, while the Testaments are interpretations of its prophets. The Quran writing style: God speaking directly to you vs a story about God in third person. 22:12 – Mohammad was supposedly illiterate. Mohammad memorized the Quran and just spoke it. The manuscript was compiled later. There were lots of wars for power in the region at the time. Polytheist leaders saw Islam as a threat to their power. Quran is divided in 114 sections. The longest are at the beginning. The shorter ones more to the end, are more repetitive. 27:27 – First part of the Quran is very friendly with People of the Book (Hebrews and Christians). The chief conflict was against the Polytheists. Conflict shifts as the book goes on. Cracks between the three Abrahamic religions. Judaism: we are waiting for the Son of God. Christianity: SoG is Jesus. Islam: no, SoG is Mohammed, or all the prophets together are related to God, but not a direct son. 31:02 – The use of the word We. Polytheism absorbed and organized in Angels and God hierarchy. Christianity absorbed and on-boarded other religions by Sanctification of their deities. Example: Saint Brigid Celtic goddess in Ireland. Islam in India. Converting Hindus to Muslims with tax incentives. 35:50 – Acceptance of Jewish and Christians. Need to declare oneself Muslim, but no need to consider oneself Muslim in private. ‘Produce your evidence, if you are telling the truth.’ In fact, any who direct themselves wholly to God and do good will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve. Double standard when requiring for evidence. Challenging other believes asking for evidence. People need evidence to challenge own beliefs, but don't require it to trust them, word of God is enough. What postmodernism says vs what it is. 41:10 – Reconciling differences in the Quran from the beginning to the end. [This is] a statement of the Truth about which they are in doubt: it would not befit God to have a child. He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it is. ‘God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him: that is a straight path.’ But factions have differed among themselves. What suffering will come to those who obscure the truth when a dreadful Day arrives! How sharp of hearing, how sharp of sight they will be when they come to Us, although now they are clearly off course! Warn them [Muhammad] of the Day of Remorse when the matter will be decided, for they are heedless and do not believe. Other books in Islam. Any changes today in religious books means God was wrong. Modern Christianity reconciling writings to today's context. Secular Jewish. Room for interpretation on supernatural events. Quran is much more about political actions than supernatural events. 47:16 – Idea of Paradise is pretty plain: a garden with clean water streams, free food, and attractive virgins. No mention of more complex wishes or benefit. Christian books don't mention heaven, but once we die we just have to wait until the Final Judgement day to come. Large scale conspiracies. 50:20 – Tangent. Cryonics is a religion. You have to wait until the prophet comes and unmelts you. Uploading your brain to a computer is religion for computing people. Need to believe in something. Life simulated. 54:00 – Tangent. Psychedelics revelations. Psychedelics and extension of time. Moises and use of drugs. Psychedelics being a part of spiritual life. When asked about the experience of revelation Muhammad reported, "sometimes it is revealed like the ringing of a bell. This form of inspiration is the hardest of them all and then it passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says."[4]:43 57:15 – Definitions of being good. At the beginning of the book a good person worships God and follow dictates of good conduct. Punishment for crimes and forgiveness. Significance of the opening In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy. Optimizing for mercy by following Quran's principles. Fully repenting because you understand what's really wrong. 1:02:04 – Jewish idea that if everything is going wrong is because God is displeased with humanity. Contrasting of polytheistic religions comparing natural context: Indus Valley vs Nile River. Deities punish humans with floods, or reward them with crops. Omnipotent being seeing what you do may prevent you from acting bad. Useful concept for making a society more cohesive. 1:06:32 – Islam starts to spread beyond boundaries and other regions push back. The book stop preaching peace and encourages fighting for the religion. Fight in God’s cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits: God does not love those who overstep the limits. Kill them wherever you encounter them, and drive them out from where they drove you out, for persecution is more serious than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. If they do fight you, kill them—this is what such disbelievers deserve— but if they stop, then God is most forgiving and merciful. Fight them until there is no more persecution, and worship is devoted to God. If they cease hostilities, there can be no [further] hostility, except towards aggressors. Fighting is ordained for you, though you dislike it. You may dislike something although it is good for you, or like something although it is bad for you: God knows and you do not.’ They will not stop fighting you [believers] until they make you revoke your faith, if they can. If any of you revoke your faith and die as disbelievers, your deeds will come to nothing in this world and the Hereafter, and you will be inhabitants of the Fire, there to remain. But those who have believed, migrated, and striven for God’s cause, it is they who can look forward to God’s mercy: God is most forgiving and merciful. Politicizing Islam. Violence in Quran was for attack or defense? 1:12:41 – How to bring a God's prescription from 620 AD to modern era. God's prescriptions made in a way you can't be peaceful with non believers. You have to fight for religion or you go to hell. 1:15:36 – Intoxicants and gambling. The sin is greater than the benefit. Marijuana and tobacco were not considered intoxicants at the time. Date wine and honey wine. Changing thoughts on alcohol. 1:20:43 – Women’s place. Your wives are [like] your fields, so go into your fields whichever way you like, and send [something good] ahead for yourselves. Apparently there was a belief in Arabia at the time that certain sexual positions were impure, but the Qur’an is saying you can “enter your wives however you please." 1:21:54 – Why would God care about that? Interesting comments in the footnotes about sex and Jesus. 1:22:50 – Eating. Forbidden foods to avoid illness. Best practices to kill an animal for food. Cortisol releases when strangling an animal. You are forbidden to eat carrion; blood; pig’s meat; any animal over which any name other than God’s has been invoked; any animal strangled, or victim of a violent blow or a fall, or gored or savaged by a beast of prey, unless you still slaughter it [in the correct manner]; or anything sacrificed on idolatrous altars. You are also forbidden to allot shares [of meat] by drawing marked arrows—a heinous practice! 1:25:08 – Prescriptions for lewd acts. Muslim lesbians and gays. Stoning in fundamentalist societies. Condemning and offering mercy as a converting tool. If any of your women commit a lewd act, call four witnesses from among you, then, if they testify to their guilt, keep the women at home until death comes to them or until God shows them another way. If two men commit a lewd act, punish them both; if they repent and mend their ways, leave them alone—God is always ready to accept repentance, He is full of mercy 1:28:19 – Fighting. Prepare whatever forces you [believers] can muster, including warhorses, so that you frighten off God’s enemies and yours, and warn others unknown to you but known to God. Whatever you give in God’s cause will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged. But if they incline towards peace, you [Prophet] must also incline towards it, and put your trust in God: He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. When the [four] forbidden months are over, wherever you encounter the idolaters, kill them, seize them, besiege them, wait for them at every lookout post; but if they repent, maintain the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms, let them go on their way, for God is most forgiving and merciful. Proselytizing. Simple choice if you were living in the area: either you are going to be hunted down and killed or you join the religion. Islam designed to spread as quickly and effective as possible. We did not wrong them; they wronged themselves. Their gods, which they called on beside God, were no use to them when what your Lord had ordained came about; they only increased their ruin. Absolution of guilt in participating in the fight. 1:30:32 – Start of the separation from Christianity. Underlining Son of Mary vs Son of God. People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion, and do not say anything about God except the truth: the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was nothing more than a messenger of God, His word, directed to Mary, a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers and do not speak of a ‘Trinity’—stop [this], that is better for you—God is only one God, He is far above having a son, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him and He is the best one to trust. 1:31:48 – Adultery. What is considered adultery and what not. You have to cast adulterers out even if it is your children. Integrity of the religion. Strike the adulteress and the adulterer one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out God’s law—if you believe in God and the Last Day—and ensure that a group of believers witnesses the punishment. The adulterer is only [fit] to marry an adulteress or an idolatress, and the adulteress is only [fit] to marry an adulterer or an idolater: such behaviour is forbidden to believers. 1:33:40 Prescriptions for women covering their bodies. And tell believing women that they should lower their eyes, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; they should draw their coverings over their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attend them who have no desire, or children who are not yet aware of women’s nakedness; they should not stamp their feet so as to draw attention to any hidden charms. It was not clear what it is acceptable for a woman to reveal even in Arabic language. Preventing sexual attraction. Dancing and sexual desires. Don't go beyond ordinary behaviors. Elderly women allowed to show more than younger because of lower attraction. In case of rape, it is suggested that the fault falls on the woman. Most of practices, especially about woman covering themselves, come from the edicts and not the Quran. 1:41:44 – In the Quran are mentioned 4 prayer times, not 5. So celebrate God’s glory in the evening, in the morning— praise is due to Him in the heavens and the earth—in the late afternoon, and at midday. The burden of proof is on everyone else except for Mohammed, God or Islam. You [Prophet] are not, by [receiving] God’s grace, a madman: you will have a never-ending reward— truly you have a strong character— and soon you will see, as will they, which of you is afflicted with madness. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who is rightly guided. So I swear by what you can see and by what you cannot see: this [Qur’an] is the word [spoken by] an honoured messenger, not the words of a poet—how little you believe!— nor the words of a soothsayer–how little you reflect! This [Qur’an] is a message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds: if [the Prophet] had attributed some fabrication to Us, We would certainly have seized his right hand and cut off his lifeblood, and none of you could have defended him. 1:46:22 – Qur'an gets boring at times, describing paradise repeatedly and saying believers will go to heaven, non believers to hell. It was intended to be recited, not written and read. In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him. 1:54:00 – Join the Patreon if you're not there yet. We talk about very exciting episodes coming up (and Inception!). Get access to our hangouts, get the book notes we use for the show, and participate on our community. You can support the show in additional ways buying stuff on our Support page. Also, very important, tell your friends and help spread the show through word of mouth. Leave reviews on iTunes. Or leave Amazon book reviews ;) If you hated this episode, make it go viral. This is our first source book. Give us feedback on Twitter: @Neil Soni (@TheRealNeilS) and @Nat Eliason (@nateliason). If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe at https://madeyouthinkpodcast.com.

God is real. He is the One and the Only God. He is worthy of worship and veneration. He is All-Loving. He is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing. He owns everything, including you and I, the Sun, the Moon, the World, everything it contains. He is in control of all things. He wants people to believe in Him, to do good and to avoid evil so they can achieve the reward of Paradise. God sent all of humanity on this worldly journey as a test, to weed out the worthy from the unworthy, to test which of those amongst His servants would perform best. Humanity would be lost on Earth if they were left to their own devices because they wouldn't know what God expects of them. When one acts according to their feelings, desires, and passions, they become oppressed by the sadness, worry, and fear that results from these impulsive actions.   Humans can't navigate the twists and turns of this life without God's Guidance. Humans must ask their Creator for guidance, and to show them the Straight Path. God bestowed Guidance unto His servants in the form of Revelation and through prayer; the form of communication through which Muslims connect with God at least five times a day. The goal of a follower of Islam is to become a faithful servant of God by submitting to His Will and to worship Him Alone. Those who pass this test would enter Paradise eternally; those who fail, meanwhile, would enter hellfire in the afterlife.   Let's take a closer, more in-depth look at this subject. Everything populating the Heavens and Earth, including animals, the Mountains, the Skies, and the Earth, are all in a state of submission to the Sovereignty of Allah, the Glorious. They are all living for, obedient to, in submission to, and are at the disposal of God and His Laws. They all exist in a state of Islam (submission to Allah). God states in the Quran:   "To Him submits whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth" (Quran 3:83)   Everything in nature functions according to fixed laws set forth by God and cannot deviate from those laws. The Sun knows its role---it knows the cycle of its rotation; it knows its role as the giver of light, heat, and energy on Earth. The Earth knows its rotation cycle around its axis. Your own eyes, heart, brain, your entire body and all of its components, are working subject to the laws of nature—and have no choice but to do as they are intended. All of God's creation worships Him in a manner appropriate to their situation. The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the animals, the whole Universe all exist in a state of subjugation to Allah, the Almighty. All prostrate to Him, with all of them worshipping Him in an appropriate manner. God, the Almighty said:   "Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the Heavens and whoever is on the Earth and the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many, the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allah humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allah does what He wills" (Quran 22:18)   Man is expected to worship and praise his Creator, much like the surrounding creations are continuously praising God in humility; in a way we may not understand. All the creation praises, worship, and lives in submission to the Almighty, in their unique style. God's creation prostrates to Him as per its nature, even if they do not press their foreheads to the ground.   "The seven heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving" (Quran 17:44)   All of God's creations know their mission and purpose. Just like the physical world submits to its Lord, human beings must submit to the Will and Laws of God. Unlike other creations of God, man was gifted with the qualities of intelligence, the ability to comprehend and understand, and the wisdom to think, reflect, and ponder over his Creator and his life purpose. Man was also gifted with the ultimate beauty of expression, and with the ability to make choices and decisions. God created many astounding creations, and the noblest of those creations are human beings. God states in the Quran:   "We have certainly created man in the best of stature" (Quran 95:4)   Man faces a choice: the offer to submit before God like all other creations or to go astray and violate God's laws. All will be held accountable for their decisions and choices.   All humans are born with an innate eagerness and ability to seek God, to recognize and understand the existence of their Creator. Once many discover the truth, they hasten to submit to Allah; entering a state of total submission. Islam answers the questions that trouble the conscience of every human being: Why was I created? What am I doing here? What is my life's purpose for existence? Islam answers these massive life questions.   Mankind was also born in a pure and pristine original state; one that inclines toward that which is ethical, morally and spiritually pure, upright and wholesome. They incline to help others, removing objects from the road, thanking people, etc. Everyone has an internal moral conscience, calculator, compass. If it is not corrupted, man's intrinsic moral conscience suffers discomfort and upset when someone wrongs; this because this conscience always points toward good, which brings one closer to God. This goodness, which is programmed in humans, compels them to be grateful when something good comes its way.   Every human has an instinct to believe in and worship a Creator who is One—who has no partners. This belief does not come about as a result of learning or personal reflection but is placed by God into the heart of every human. With time, the changing of one's environment, and outside influences from parents and friends, this innate belief in God affects and confuses a person. Prophet Muhammad narrated: 'Every child is born in a state of fitrah (a natural belief in God), then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.' (Saheeh Muslim)   Humans have the eagerness to thank their Creator. God has reinforced man's natural disposition with the signs He has planted throughout creation, to testify to His existence. A primary aim of the Holy Qur’an is to invite people to ponder and reflect. Allah refers to the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the merging of the night into the day, and the merging of the Day into Night, as His miraculous signs and evidence of an existence of a Creator.   The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God's knowledge, Wisdom, Power, Mercy, and existence are evident in the world around us. Together they point to a Creator, a Maker, a Designer, a Fashioner. This creation is flawless and perfect. Life on Earth and the Universe itself demonstrates so much order, purpose, intelligence, and design; all of which prove the existence of a Creator that designed and fashioned everything.   Thus, God calls on man to ponder, reflect, and think deeply about the design of this complex creation, to build a better understanding of his Creator. When one reflects, one realizes that the world and everything it contains was created with intelligence and Infinite Wisdom—not by chance. Human beings—regardless of who they are, where they are, and when they live—are always curious to why they exist in this world, for what purpose? Only our Creator can tell us why we are here, and for what purpose!   God encourages one to observe and ponder over His beautiful creation. He asks man to reflect upon the Mountains, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Trees, etc. so they will realize their blessings. They will witness a clear sign, evidence, and proof of His existence, look up to the sky and admire the beauty of the ocean, mountain, and sunset:   Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and [how] it has no rifts? (Quran 50:6)   One should ask him/herself when was the last time he/she admired and pondered over this beautiful creation?   Recognizing the signs of God's existence would require personal effort, and this recognition occurs in accordance with his or her wisdom and conscience. For the people who understand, everything around them is a sign and evidence of their creator’s existence. Pondering upon the intricacy and order of this magnificent creation would help one conclude that this glorious Universe indeed has a Wise Creator who crafted, fashioned, and molded everything. One would eventually perceive the fact that the entire Universe, including oneself, and one's own body, is created by a Superior Power. One would conclude that this world was created in proportion, and with measure and definite purpose.   "And We did not create the heaven and Earth and that between them for mere play"  (Quran 21:16)   God also encourages people to look at their creation, their own body, and how it was constructed so perfectly.   "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?" (Quran 41:53)   Pondering over the creation of mankind and the Universe would help one realize that the Deity behind this ethereal creation can re-create it once again. One would understand that God can easily and quickly resurrect all of humanity for Judgement Day.   "How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless, and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him, you will be returned" (Quran 2:28)   In today's materialistic world, the endless quest for fame and wealth distracts many from reflecting on the beautiful creation of God and the purpose behind it. We live in a world where people are obsessed with materialism, and their main aim and focus in life is to gather all the money and prizes they can. We are in a world where people are obsessed with taking as much as possible from this world. A perpetual state of excessive materialism can affect one's inner peace. One cannot achieve satisfaction in life if he or she is chasing material gains to an excessive and extreme extent; rather, one should look at the situation of those who are less fortunate. In this way, one will have a greater appreciation of the love, gifts, benefits and mercy that the Almighty has bestowed upon them regarding their wealth, family, friends, housing, etc.   Humanity was created and born with a sense of awe, of wonder, but many have killed that sense of wonder somewhere along his or her journey to adulthood. Many no longer feel the fear and awe at God's creation around them because of their excessiveness, obsession and distraction of materials of this world. Many are so occupied by useless material goods, vain talk, and gossip they have forgotten and are immune to the miracles happening around them every second of every day. One should think deeply and ask more significant questions about life and his/her purpose, rather than thinking of that which is less significant.   For the few that ponder and think deeply on this creation, which others overlook, they discover within it signs and great lessons all around them that lead them straight back to their Creator. Signs that lead one to an appreciation of the Wisdom and Wonders of the Almighty's creation, bringing them thus closer to their Lord. In the Holy Koran, God invites individuals of understanding to think about the issues which other people overlook.   "Praise be to God. He will show you His Signs, and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do" (Quran 27:93)   A person's purpose in life is to find God, build a relationship with Him, and engage in a continuous effort to submit to His will. The best joy and the most peace that one can achieve in this world is derived from the servitude to God and being an obedient slave of God. God states unequivocally that humankind was created to worship Him. God states:   "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)    One can easily misunderstand this to mean that God wants humans to be in constant prayer, to dwell on the remembrance of God at all times, and to spend their entire lives in constant seclusion and absolute meditation. This is not the case. In Islam, worshipping God includes and entails every act, belief, statement, or sentiment of the heart which God approves and loves. The act of worship in Islam is comprehensive in scope. The worship of God can include actions such as removing an object from the road, helping one in need, being kind to one's parents, lawfully making money, sharing food with neighbors, visiting an ill person, etc. The act must be done sincerely to please God and not with boastful or impure motives. The action should also be consistent with the Almighty's guidance and laws. Any thought or act that brings a person closer to his Creator would be considered an act of worship.   To worship God is to get to know Him, learn His names and attributes, to love Him, to obey His commandments, and to enforce His laws in every aspect of life. To worship God is to serve His cause; engaging in the struggle and the quest of doing right, shunning evil, and being just to others. According to the Quran, following and obeying God's commandments and refraining from prohibited activities would make one's life easier, more comfortable, and lighten one's burdens.   "And Allah wants to lighten for you [your burden/ difficulties], and mankind was created weak" (Quran 4:28)   Some mistakenly believe that disobeying the commands of God while partying their whole life away would make for a more enjoyable, peaceful life. They also think if they find God and follow His commands, then they will deprive themselves of things they could have otherwise enjoyed—and this couldn't be further from the truth. Quite the opposite is true. While the commands of other religions are often viewed as burdensome and rigid, the rules of Islam are not seen this way by the devout Muslim. A devout Muslim would see these rules as what's best for him or her, so that they may be guided to success, happiness, honor, and contentment in this life and the next.   God states that if you abide by his advice, He will relieve the burdens of your life, rendering your existence much easier, comfortable, and more relaxed. You would find contentment in the heart. You would find more peace and harmony, not only within yourself but with the things and people around you. Each of God's commandments is enforced to benefit the one that follows them. Anything that God makes impermissible is harmful to one or society. For example, alcohol is prohibited in Islam because of its danger and evilness. A lot of studies and evidence demonstrate the effects and risks of drinking alcohol.   Those who follow these simple edicts will enjoy a pleasant, contented life in a blessed world. God promises in the Holy Quran:   "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do" (Quran 16:97)   God created particular desires within the human being. One can control these desires according to God's Law or to turn them loose and go his or her separate way. Allah, the Glorious, created humanity knowing that they would sin. Therefore, God taught humans, starting with Prophet Adam peace be upon him how to repent and purify self of the sin.   Life in this world is also a test for humankind. Everyone faces a separate and unique test. Some get tested through a life of poverty; some are tempted by wealth, some enjoy good health, some suffer from bad health, etc. God states in his Holy Book:   "[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deeds - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving" (Quran 67:2)   At times, the Almighty tests His creation with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and to show who will obey and who will disobey.   "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient" (Quran 2:155)   God is testing every individual. God tests all of humanity in different ways. One should not mistake his/her life problems for punishments; or as signs that God is displeased with him or her. Likewise, one never should interpret his or her wealth, previsions, and pleasures as signs that Allah is pleased with them, or that they are privileged. Sometimes, quite the opposite is true. Allah also says:   "Know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a mighty reward" (Quran 8:28)   God in His Wisdom and Mercy has decreed that people be tried and tested in various ways to develop their psyches, strengthen and improve their character, and evolve them into beings which are pleasing to Him. Sometimes when one undergoes certain instances of suffering, he/she immediately thinks about and prays to God even if he' s/she's not religious. At times, the very experience of suffering leads one to God.   A Muslim view this world as a temporary stop en route to a final destination: the afterlife, where man would live eternally. Not that this temporary world is not important or shouldn't be taken seriously, but this life should not be lived sinfully and at the expense of the Hereafter—which is a lot longer and better in scope. If one's goal in life is to become wealthy, then there would be no purpose in existence after one achieves the goal of wealth. How could wealth then be considered the aim of life? This world is not about acquiring material goods or physical pleasures.   A Muslim view and interacts with this world for what it is, just a means to an end. Detachment from this world doesn't mean that you abandon all material possessions and own nothing substantial; instead, a healthy detachment from this world means that nothing should hold, own, and enslave you. This life is about attaining a higher purpose. One should be preparing for the eternal joy of the afterlife. The purpose of life in Islam is to become faithful, sincere servants of God.   "And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew" (Quran 29:64)   This life is temporary and will someday end for the individual, and an end for humanity altogether; but the Hereafter is eternal. The experience of life in this world is almost nothing compared to life in the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him stated: 'What is the example of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter other than one of you dipping his finger in the sea? Let him see what he brings forth.'   Whereas the essential purpose for which humankind was created is embodied in the worship of God, God does not need human worship. He certainly did not create human beings out of a need to seek His Glory. If not a single person worshipped God, it would not diminish His Glory. God exists with no needs. On the other hand, humanity was created with needs and wants. Thus, it is mankind that requires the worship of God. Human beings need to worship and glorify God by obeying his divinely revealed laws; because obedience to God is the key to success in this life and the Hereafter.   Mankind is encouraged to remember God as often as possible for their benefit. Remembrance of God is imperative, as sin is generally committed when God is forgotten. The forces of evil operate most freely when cognizance of God is weak or lost.   "Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers." (Quran 58:19)   It's Satan and his children that seek to occupy one's mind with irrelevant thoughts, material distractions, and desires that make them forget their Lord.   "O, believers!  Remember God often." (Quran 33:41)   The Almighty instructs man to show gratitude to Him by glorifying Him. "Glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]" (Quran 15:98)   In glorifying God, man is in harmony with the rest of the creation; an act which naturally Glorifies the Creator throughout the day and night, in its own and unique matter. Since it is not possible for mankind to have a detailed knowledge of God, and to know what God expects of them without Divine Revelation, God sent His Messengers throughout the ages, to every nation, to guide and educate people about their Creator; advising them how to worship Him, and how one should live his/her life. The Messengers came bearing a Holy Book from the Almighty. All Messengers and all Books preached the same general Message that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah—who has no flaw and is all worthy of praise and gratitude.  

The word ‘Allah’ is the unique name of God. He is The One and Only, the Absolute & Eternal God. He is the creator of the Heavens and Earth, the creator of the Universe. He is the Lord of all lords, King of all kings. He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. Allah Neither Begets, nor is He Begotten. And He knows no equal. God offers a description of Himself in His book, the Holy Quran, stating: Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent" (Quran 112:1-4) The word Allah translates to God. Allah is not a foreign God and does not bear a foreign name. Allah, rather, is the semantic term for God. Regardless of this, some people harbor the mistaken belief that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews; and that ‘Allah’ is the ‘God of the Arabs or God of the Muslims’.  This is far from the truth. The word “Allah” is the Arabic name that connotes the Almighty God. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use this same word to refer to God. If one were to peruse an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word ‘Allah’ being used in place of the term ‘God.’ However, Muslims, Christians, and Jews all have different concepts of God. Muslims and Jews both reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine incarnation. This, however, does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God. There is only One true God. Muslims prefer to use the name ‘Allah’ as opposed to the English word ‘God’ because the English word ‘God’ can be made plural and can be rendered masculine or feminine; whereas the Arabic word ‘Allah’ cannot be made plural and is genderless. For instance, if you add the letter ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘gods’--which is the plural of God. In the case of the Arabic word ‘Allah,’ one cannot make the word plural by adding ‘s’ or in any other way morphing the word’s structure. Likewise, if one adds ‘ess’ to the end of the word ‘God,’ it becomes ‘goddess,’ which connotates a female god. God is not female nor male. He is genderless. The word ‘Allah’ in the Arabic language does not have a gender. It cannot be made feminine. Muslims reject the use of the word ‘God’ because it has different connotations to different people. God means different things to different people because the term ‘God’ indicates an entity worthy of worship; and regretfully, people assign a godlike status to many other beings, divine or otherwise. However, sometimes while speaking to non-Muslims, one may use the word ‘God’ instead of ‘Allah’ to help the intended audience understand the context of the word; to relate the message you are referring to the One Supreme Being. The word Allah comes from the origin of the word Al-ilah, which enjoins the two terms ‘The’ and ‘God’ as in ‘The God.’ The term illah, which is the closest synonym to God in the Arabic language, is rich and has several meanings. Illah refers to an entity worthy of worship and service, an object of devotion and love, someone you turn to in desperate times, someone you adore and think about all the time. Illah also is one you turn to for protection, help or aid. You find sanctuary and rest in your Illah, who is always present to comfort and guide beings of His creation. The relationship with God is expressed in the Arabic word Al-Rabb, which is used frequently in the Quran. Linguistically it is defined as ‘sticking close to something.’ It also means ‘joining something with another.’ In the Holy Qur’an, the word Al-Rabb implies that the owner (God) has full authority over his property (his servants) and is a Master who ultimately sustains His creation by regulating affairs, providing provisions, and granting all varieties of favors and blessings. Al-Rabb also means the One who sustains and nurtures the hearts and souls of His creation. Muslims believe in One, unique, incomparable God, who has no son, no daughter, no father, no mother, no family, and no partner. He is the Knower of the unseen and the Source of All Mercy. He is the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Wise. All that is in the Heavens and Earth magnify Him. Muslims believe that none should be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. None carries the right to be worshipped, revered, adored, invoked, supplicated, or shown any act of worship, but Allah alone. God is unique, indivisible and similar to nothing. Whenever you try to compare God to anything in this world, it cannot be God; because God, to put it is incomparable. Our finite human minds can fully comprehend and grasp God as a concept. Muslims avoid conceptualizing His image, because imagining or visualizing Him would limit Him. The human imagination is limited, as it is based on what it observes and experiences directly. The human imagination cannot fully grasp the state of God, who is timeless and eternal with no beginning or end. God has a unique nature and is free from gender and human weakness and is beyond anything which human beings can imagine. God states: “There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship Him, and He has the power to dispose of all affairs.  No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is the Sublime, Well-Aware" (Quran 6: 102-103) God is the King, the Holy, the one free from all defects. The Protector, the Keeper, the Sustainer of Earth and the Universe and all it contains. He is the Glorious, the Great, the Deserving of all Praise. The Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth belong to Him. Nothing is hidden from Him, and Nothing is beyond His capabilities. He is the Lord and Master of the physical Universe and the Ruler and Lawgiver for human life. Allah is the creator of everything from the smallest to the biggest of things. It is He who heats and brightens the Earth, varies the direction of the winds, and keeps planets in their separate orbits. He is the one that merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night. He is the Master of the Day of Judgement. Allah does not sleep nor slumber, nor sleeps overtake Him. Afterall, created the universe in six days with no rest. God states: “[He is] Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing (Quran 42:11) God is Loving, Compassionate, Merciful; He is the answerer of prayers, and He is indeed involved and concerned with the daily affairs of all human beings. God is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is the Giver of life and the Causer of death. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is the Most-High, the most Supreme. He is the most generous and the most loving to his creation. God gives, without measure, to His servants. He gifted mankind life and the ability to hear, feel, taste, and see. God gifted humans their hearts, minds, souls, strengths, and skills.  “And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful” (Quran 14:34) God created all things from nothing. He is in no need of His creation, although His creation is all in need of Him. He is all Knowledgeable and encompasses all things, the open and the secret, the public and the private. He knows all secrets that lay hidden in the hearts and minds of men. He knows of all that happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen. Our Lord neither errs nor forgets. He is free from all defects and imperfections. He is the One that accepts repentance from His servants and forgives all sins. Allah knows of what you endure and understands your feelings and struggles. Allah understands because He was there with you all along. Allah has power over all things. No other power nor might nor strength nor influence can cause benefit or harm to anyone or anything, except that which flows through Him. Nothing can ever happen unless God wills it to be so. “Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record" (Quran 6:59) God can make anything happen. He states in His book: “Whenever We will anything to be, We say unto it Our word "Be," and it is” (Quran 16:40) Some people assume that God, as perceived in the faith of Islam is a harsh, stern, cruel God; one who demands to be respected, worshipped, and obeyed fully, and is not loving and kind to His creation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is All-Loving. He claims among His names Al-Wadoud in Arabic (the All-Loving). The love of God in the Holy Qur’an is expressed and emphasized many times throughout His Book. God bespeaks His love for the righteous, the charitable, the steadfast, the doers of good, the just, the fair, the benevolent, those who trust Him; the ones that are clean, the ones that purify themselves, and the ones who fulfill their obligations. The entire Universe and everything it contain is proof of Allah’s love for all of His creation. He loves us so much that He gave us an endless variety of foods, a vast array of land and wildlife, the sun, the moon, the stars, family, offspring, and much more. Everything one sees feels, hears, tastes, and smells are all forms of blessings, given to us by our Loving Creator. He didn’t have to do this, but He bestowed these blessings upon us. His boundless mercy encompasses everything. "And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" (Quran 16:18) God is also All-Just. Hence, evildoers and sinners must be held accountable for their actions. God is Holy, Righteous, and Fair. If He didn't punish for evil, He would allow that evil to exist without consequences. Since God cannot let that happen, His justice requires that a proper punishment is incurred and executed for evil sins. Although Allah is not answerable to anyone, He has promised to be Just and Fair to everyone. He has prohibited injustice against the innocent. Allah never would punish an innocent person, nor hold anyone accountable for the sins of another. Unlike Christianity, Islam imposes no burden of the original sin. Every human being is born with a clean slate and is rewarded or punished only based on one’s willful intent, words, and deeds. Allah is the Absolute Judge, the Legislator. God is the One who distinguishes right from wrong. God even is more merciful to His creation than a mother is to her child. God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. For one to be genuinely devoted to Allah and to love Him above all else imaginable, one needs to have knowledge of God that goes beyond the basic aspects of His role as the sole Creator and Sustainer. To reward any seeker who strives to learn more about the Creator, Allah has revealed a great deal of information about Himself and His Attributes. Allah has the most Magnificent, Beautiful of names and sublime Perfect attributes. No one shares His Divinity, nor His Attributes. Allah’s Attributes are incomparable, Greater and more perfectly than those acquired by people, as there is nothing like Him, His Attributes, and Actions. God has an infinite number of names and has a particular and special category of 99 names listed in the Holy Koran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Of His names is The Ever-Merciful, The Forgiving, The Loving, The Nourisher, The Sustainer, The Compassionate, The Exalter, The Just, The Great, The Protector, The Caregiver, The Ever-Living, The Powerful, The First, The Last, The Pardoner, The Light, The Supporter, The Eternal, The Preserver, The Wise, The Originator, and The One Who Gives Life and Resurrects. If our Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must adhere to this same edict. God has perfect attributes. He has limitless and infinite hearing, vision, mercy, and—above all—love. Muslims attribute certain factors to every quality of God: None of His attributes ever knew a beginning, nor will they ever have an ending. For instance, He always has been All-Hearing and always will be All-Hearing. Allah hears everything from our inner thoughts and tiniest whispers to the buzz of a mosquito's wing and the eruption of Volcanos. Language is no barrier for Him, for God understands all. All of His attributes are infinite. Whereas humans can hear only what’s in front of them, God can listen to simultaneous conversations inside and outside a room; God can hear all. All of our attributes as humans were given to us as gifts, whereas all of God’s attributes originated within Him. His attributes were not given to Him; they were within Him all along. The most significant and most honorable knowledge is that of Allah’s Names, Attributes, and Actions. God encourages His creation to learn His names so they can discover more about Him. How would one love, worship, fear, and trust God if they do not know His Identity and His Attributes? By learning Allah’s names and attributes, one can appreciate His Power over all things and increase the pleasure and sublime awe he or she finds in God’s company. That is why knowledge of Allah is a central tenant of the Islamic faith. It is when one genuinely ponders on the Majesty of Allah, that one’s humility increases. Muslims are advised to study and ponder His Names and Attributes and are encouraged to worship and call Him by those names. God states: “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them” (Quran 7:180) God is above His creation, above the heavens, above His Throne. However, He never is contained by any sort of physical dimension. Allah is close, very close. God is close to those who believe in Him, and He answers their every call. Saying that God is with His servants, does not mean that He intermingles or dwells with His creation; rather He establishes His presence with His creation by His Knowledge and Power. Nothing is hidden from Him of what His creation does or says. God states in the Quran: “Verily Allah knows all the hidden things of the Heavens and the Earth; Verily He has full Knowledge of all that is in (men's) hearts” (Quran 35:38)  God is very near. He sees and knows every aspect of His creations. He hears every word that is uttered. He is knowledgeable of even one's inner thoughts. God knows all of our dreams, secrets, desires, and wishes. Nothing is hidden from Him. “We created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein” (Quran 50:36) Allah is in no need of His creation, although His creation needs Him. Allah wants humans to worship Him for their own benefit. Mankind needs God in their lives at all times and for all purposes. Those who recognize the Majesty of the Creator of All, soon become awestruck and humble in their knowledge. One that rejects God and His Guidance is like a patient refusing a doctor’s medicine for his pain. This patient would be foolish, ignorant, and illogical in his actions; as would be one who rejects Allah. Allah is Fully Omnipotent and Self-sufficient. He is in no need of humanistic worship or anything else. Allah is Perfect