Islamic Revival

Surat  al-Rahman pt 2–  Tafsir Basic notes and commentary:   V31 . { sa-nafrughu }:  sa-  = the near future particle prefix; { nafrughu } means ‘we will account you both’.  { al-thaqalan }: literally ‘the two weighty ones’/‘the two burdened ones’, i.e. human beings and Jinn.  V33 . { tanfudhu }: pass beyond something, exceed something, coming out of something (like an arrow from the bow). The entire verse has 3 meanings and more: [1] If you are able to explore and know more about the heavens and the earth then try and proceed. [2] If you think you are able to escape death by escaping passed the areas and zones of the heavens and the earth then try and do so. [3] If you think you will be able to escape the last day by passing beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth then try. { sultan }: power, dominion, permission, authority. Note : Section on Hereafter depiction/eschatological matters here related: V35 . { shawadh }: 1. th...

The Arab uprising kindled hope for a new dawn and a break from tyranny and dictatorship. Whilst opinions on the ground reflect the various political shades and colours, the desire predominantly amongst the masses for Islamic rule is overwhelming. This rise in “Islamist” tendency in the region has been a source of tension in Western capitals as well as amongst the supporters of the old guards in the region. Egypt represents the epicentre of this struggle between the supporters of change based on an Islamic outlook and those who seek to ensure that Western domination and secularism subsist. Following much tension in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, it was finally announced on 24 th  June that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi won Egypt’s presidential election through a narrow victory with just over 51% of the votes. This article explores some pertinent questions in the face of this election “victory”. Will Egypt now witness an Islamic dawn under a new president? What is the real co...

Shaykh `Ata’ Ibn Khalil (Allah preserve him): “…Hadith: A believer does not commit  zina ” – An Explanation” Sometimes the contextual indications ( qara’in ) are necessary to understand what meaning the word ‘ iman ’ takes because when used in the Qur’an and  hadith  of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) it is not always in the theological sense (i.e. ` aqadi  meaning). Shaykh `Ata’ (Allah protect him) comments: “…likewise is the  hadith : ‘ an adulterer ( zani ) does not commit adultery ( zina ) while he is a believer ( mu’min )’ [Bukhari,  Sahih  (#6810)]. The Prophet did not punish the adulterer with the punishment of apostasy but carried the punishment for  zina . He was considered a Muslim, was prayed over and given a Muslim burial. The action of the Messenger of Allah is a contextual indication ( qarina ) that the meaning of the word ‘ iman ’ in the  hadith  is not the theological or doctrinal me...

The following are translations of two question and answers, one from the time of Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabhani and the other from the time of Sheikh Abdul Qadeem Zalloom regarding the basic rules of obedience to parents.  Obedience of parents is obligatory in what has relations to them and their care Obedience to parents is obligatory in that which is not a disobedience to Allah, for there is no obedience to the created over disobedience to the creator. The obligatory obedience is in that which is related to looking after them and fulfill those economic needs which Allah has obliged for them or obedience in that which is not that is not obliged except with a Shar’I evidence and particular to both. So, if a father requests from his son to marry such and such or to trade in this or that or to travel to such country or such matters, then this matter is not obliged because Shar’a did not give him the right to order in this and it did not oblige obedience in such matters. But if the ...

Surat  al-Rahman pt 1–  Tafsir   Basic notes and commentary: V1 . { al-Rahman }: revealed when the people of Mecca asked the Prophet who this ‘al-Rahman’ was to make prostration to [Q. al-Furqan:60 –  usjudu li’l-rahman ].  Allah directly begins a  sura  with His attribute/Name: it means, “linguistically: al -Rahman  is that whose mercy extends to all things…” ( al-Tabarsi, Majma` al-Bayan , 3:17). اللغة: الرحمن هو الذي وسعت رحمته كل شيء It could also refer to three different  suras  combined in 1: “It is the opening of three chapters if they are combined that are names of Allah { Alif-Lam-Ra }, { Ha-Mim } and { Nun } and so combined they become { al-Rahman }. This was mentioned by Sa`id b. Jubayr and Ibn `Abbas…” (al-Mawardi,  al-Nukat wa’l-`Uyun , 5:423). الثاني: أنه فاتحة ثلاث سور إذا جمعن كن اسماً من أسماء الله تعالى: { الر } و { حم } و { ن } فيكون مجموع هذه { الرَّحْمَنُ } ، قاله سعيد بن جبير، وابن عباس. “[All...

Shaykh `Ata’ Ibn Khalil: Tafsir  of Ayat al-Kursi “An Example of  I`jaz  (‘Qur’anic Inimitability’) [1] The Noble jurist and  mufassir  Shaykh `Ata’ Ibn Khalil (Allah preserve him) writes in his monumental commentary of  surat  al-Baqara: و كلمة أخيرة نقولها : إن المتدبر لهذا القرآن العظيم يجد أن إعجازه يأخذ بالألباب، فهي هذه الآية الكريمة خمس جمل مستقلة متتابعة دون إستعمال حرف عطف ( اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ  ۚ  لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ  ۚ  لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ  ۗ  مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ  ۚ  يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ) و الآية قوية عظيمة. و نقرأ في آية أخرى ست واوات ( وَقِيلَ يَا أَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ  ۖ  وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ) هو كذلك قوية عظيمة، و هذا ما لا تستطيع...

Impediments to Strengthening the Islamic Disposition – Part 3: Bad Company One of the impediments to a person building h/her  nafsiyya  and strengthening it is bad company. Allah mentions in the Qur’an to His beloved as a lesson for us on the importance of good company: { And keep yourself patient with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair has been lost …}. [1] What are the dangers of keeping bad company? They include : Social influence where a person’s emotions, opinions and behaviour are influenced by his in-group. It leads to weakness and pressure in how a single individual usually finds it difficult to dissent from a social group. It leads a person to busy themselves with matters dictated by the group not what is legisla...