Lessons from Al Baqarah, يام ص Fasting & Month of - ال

Ramadan Tuesday, April 23 2013 | 1:00 PM (Malay Peninsula Standard Time)

MEMORIZATION

From Ayat 80 - 86 :

سورة البقرة

ار نا ٱلن عدودة وقالوا لن تمس ا م ام أي د إل ٱل ن ي ا د ند ٱل ت أت ق ما ل تعمون ) ى ٱل تقولون (٠٨أ

And they (Jews) say, "The Fire (i.e. Hell-fire on the Day of Resurrection) shall not touch us but for a few

numbered days." Say (O Muhammad Peace be upon him to them): "Have you taken a covenant from Allâh, so that Allâh will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allâh what you know not?" (80)

وأ

ئة ب ٱلنار بى من كسب سي ـ ٮ ك أصح ـ أول طيـ ته طت بهۦ ـ دون ح ـ ا ي (٠٨)

Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they

will dwell therein forever. (81)

ين موا امنوا ء وٱل ت و ـ ح ـ ٮ ك ٱلص ـ ب أول ـ ٱلجنة أصح دون يہا ـ (٠٨)

And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh swt- Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever. (See V.2:275) (82)

ى ٱلقربى و ا و وبٱلوٲلدين إحسان ل تعبدون إل ٱل ق بنى إسرٲءي ـ نا ميث أ إ توليت و ڪوة ث وة وءاتوا ٱلز ا وأقيموا ٱلص ڪين وقولوا لناس حسن ـ مى وٱلمس ـ ٱليت

عرضون ) وأنت م نڪ (٠٨إل قيل مAnd (remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and Al-Masâkîn [] (the poor),

and speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ], and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât. Then you slid back, except

a few of you, while you are backsliders. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubî). (83)

Last week , in Ayat 79 :

ب بأيديہ ـ ين يكتبون ٱلكت ل ليشتروا بهۦ وي ند ٱل ا من ـ يقولون ا قيل ث ثمن

ا يكسبون م م ل ووي ا ڪتبت أيدي م م ل وي (٩٧ )

Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allâh," to

purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that

they earn thereby. (79)

The Bani Israel are changing the Book & Allah Said ا قيل Allah continued with . ثمن

وي ا يكسبون م م ل ووي ا ڪتبت أيدي م م ل / Woe to them for what their hands have

written and woe to them for that they earn thereby

Explanation of Ayat 80 :

عدودة ا م ام أي ار إل نا ٱلن د وقالوا لن تمس ٱل ن ي ا د ند ٱل ت أت ق ما ل تعمون ) ى ٱل تقولون (٠٨أ

And they (Jews) say, "The Fire (i.e. Hell-fire on the Day of Resurrection) shall not touch us but for a few

numbered days." Say (O Muhammad Peace be upon him to them): "Have you taken a covenant from

Allâh, so that Allâh will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allâh what you know not?" (80)

We can see Bani Israel as arrogant , & they were not magnifying Allah or fearing His Punishment. Bani

Israel said even if they go to Hell , it will be just for a few days ! Noone can bear even a dip in Hell &

noone can guarantee whether they will be taken out of Hell. Bani Israel are arrogant & do not magnify

Allah – they remain the same to this day . Then Allah answered them in 2 ways :

(i) ا د ند ٱل ت أت

: Say (O Muhammad Peace be upon him to them): "Have you taken a covenant from Allâh” ie do you ,

Bani Israel, have a Book written ? NO

د ٱل ن ي

: so that Allâh will not break His Covenant? If they have made a covenant, Allah will not break it BUT Bani Israel do not have a covenant.

(ii) ما ل تعمون ى ٱل تقولون أ

or is it that you say of Allâh what you know not?" (80) This is the second answer ie they are saying is

not said to them. If someone say something regarding the matter of ghaib , you can answer in 2 ways ie

(i) ‘ do you have that promise/covenant from Allah “ and

(ii) ‘ you are saying something which Allah did not say’

Explanation of Ayat 81

كسب من بى ئة طيـ ته سي طت بهۦ ـ ب ٱلنار وأح ـ ٮ ك أصح ـ ا أول ي دون ـ

(٠٨) s evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they earnWhosoever Yes!

will dwell therein forever. (81)

NAY ‘ negates what is before & affirms what comes after. As if Allah is saying ‘ who said you ‘ / بى

will be in Hell only for a few days” .

طيـ ته طت بهۦ ـ وأحئة : the word , كسب سي

كسب refer to the one who earn the sin. كسب is the Way of Allah which will never

change – this rule applies for all. In life , you are earning the sins when you do the bad

deeds - as if they have a bank full of sins where they are earning & accumulating the sins

. All deeds are earning either sins or hasanat.

There are 2 names of ‘sins’ in this Ayat .

(i) ئة sayyi*a / سي

(ii) طيـ / khaTee*a .

But there are other names for sin too :

(iii) zulm

(iv) ma’siyyah

In the Quran, you see different types of sins & you see where Allah use the terms.

كسب ئة . kasaba sayyi*a is earning minor sin, like it is outside / سي

طيـ / khaTee*a which are big sins like shirk & kufr, nifaq that accumulate & surround

the person like a snake. There is no escape because he indulges into it. There is no

salvation except by the Will Allah & by repentance.

ب ٱلنار ـ ٮ ك أصح ـ دون أول ـ ا ي People in Hell forever are with sins that are never

forgiven – shirk kufr nifaq. Even with Good Deeds, the sins surround him & he is in Hell forever. Hell is

the station of purification for sinners & it is the justice for evil doers ie the kaafirinn are the as-habu an

naar.

Explanation of Ayat 82

ين موا ءامنوا وٱل ت و ـ ح ـ ٮ ك ٱلص ـ ب أول ـ ٱلجنة أصح دون يہا ـ (٠٨) And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh swt- Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds,

they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever. (See V.2:275) (82)

ين The other group believe in the Pillars of Faith. They believe in Allah , the : ءامنوا وٱل

Messengers, the Books & all that Allah tell them & they are associated with amal solihah.

The sequence of amal soleh is important :

i. ءامنوا One must Believe first, for sake of Allah

ii. موا ت ـ ح ـ ٱلص This is the Result of your belief – ie do the Good Righteous Deeds

following the Rasulullah

دون ـ يہا ب ٱلجنة ـ ٮ ك أصح ـ they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein / أول

forever the end of Ayat 81 & 82 are the same ie دون ـ يہا but the as-hab & khaalidun are

different. The one in the previous Ayat ب ٱلنار ـ is like companion of An Naar . But here are أصح

ب ٱلجنة ـ & they are the companion of Paradise meaning they will never leave Paradise , أصح

Paradise never leave them. Your Good Deeds accompany you till Paradise – as hab ul Jannah . Company

of aml soleh will be companion in Jannah.

Explanation of Ayat 83

نا و أ إ ق بنى إسرٲءي ـ ميث ا ل تعبدون إل ٱل ى ٱلقربى وبٱلوٲلدين إحسان ومى ـ ڪين وٱليت ـ اوٱلمس وة وقولوا لناس حسن ڪو وأقيموا ٱلص ة وءاتوا ٱلز توليت ث

نڪ عرضون إل قيل م (٠٨) وأنت مWorship none but (saying): , Children of Israelcovenant from the And (remember) when We took a

Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and Al-Masâkîn [] (the poor), and speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ], and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât. Then you slid

)Qurtubî). (83-. (Tafsir Alwhile you are backslidersback, except a few of you,

Allah’s commands “ Worship none but Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred,

and to orphans and Al-Masâkîn [] (the poor), and speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and

forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ], and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-

Salât), and give Zakât. “ to Bani Israel applies to Islam too . The Commands for different Messengers are

found in all the Books.

Ayat 83 DID NOT SAY Allah Commanded them but it said “ ق بنى إسرٲءي ـ نا ميث أ We took a / و إ

covenant from the Children of Israel” . نا ق . refers to Allah أ ـ taking a covenant ‘ is like tying around a‘ / ميث

neck – we are bound to it . We all gave our Covenant to Allah way before we were born. We do not

know of it but Allah said in the Quran that we did. We cannot resist our responsibilities. We have a

choice but we are responsible.

The ق ـ : covenant for Bani Israel are / ميث

i. Worship none but Allâh (Alone) . This is ‘ La illaha illa Allah’ . It did not say I’budullah / ل تعبدون إل ٱل

, but there is more emphasis in This is Tawheed al Uluhiyyah which includes all . ل تعبدون إل ٱل

Tawheed

ii. Be dutiful & good to :

a. / ا and be dutiful and good to parents. This is in Islam too. It did not وبٱلوٲلدين إحسان

say ahsan il walidaini . There is more emphasis in ا because وبٱلوٲلدين إحسان

ٱلوٲلدين precedes ا meaning one really need to take care of parents & be إحسان

dutiful to them.

b. / ى ٱلقربى ا and ( be و dutiful & good ) to kindred meaning the close relatives / إحسان

c. . مى ـ وٱليت / and ( be ا dutiful & good ) to orphans / إحسان

d. ڪين ـ ا and ( be / وٱلمس ,dutiful & good ) to Al-Masâkîn [] (the poor . the needy) / إحسان

iii. ا اس حسن speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, and / قولوا and/ وقولوا لن

say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ]. We must speak in the best of ways . Before saying

something , check to see if the kalam is husna or not? If not husna, do not say it.

iv. وة and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât). This was in Ayat 177 – people focus on the / وأقيموا ٱلص

outside action & forget the main thing . Very important to strengthen the faith then comes وأقيموا

وة ڪو and ٱلص وءاتوا ٱلز

v. ڪو .and give Zakât / وءاتوا ٱلز

All the above ( i – v ) are also required in Islam . Even though it was sent even during the times of Bani

Israel , we Muslims fulfill it because Allah sent them to Rasulullah .

i – v are all the ق بنى إسرٲءي ـ , covenant from the Children of Israel . But then / ميث

نڪ إل قيل م توليت : Then you slid back, except a few of you / ث

, ’AFTER‘ / ث turned back “ meaning Bani Israel forgot to fulfill their Covenant to‘ / توليت

Allah. Everyone is excited when new in the beginning. What is important is to complete it .

Even if you do not complete it, at least you try to fulfill it.

نڪ A few of them stay on the sirat / قيل م

ع رضون وأنت م / while you are backsliders Allah say not all Bani Israel are rejecting . Some remain,

although majority turn away & backslide . عرضون is a Verb whereas توليت is a Noun. The Noun is more م

emphasis as if stamped that they are turning away forever. Some who turn away will come back but if they are

constantly doing it, they will not come back on the sirat . Then Allah turn away from them.

*****

Lessons from Al Baqarah, يام ص ال

- Fasting & Month of Ramadan (2)

Ayat 184-185

We Study the Quran to understand & to follow more . This is Ayatillah . Signs of the wind ( storms) or

earthquake is Ayatillah – just seconds of tremor & see how weak we are & who we are. Imagine Zilzal

Yaum ul qiamah . So we need to have tawheed for no one can help us then. Azabullah can come from

the sky or from the earth. See Surat Tabarak / Al Mulk “ You have no guarantee that nothing will

happen from the ground” . We cannot do anything except hope & rely on Allah. No amount of safety

measures can guarantee actual safety . May Allah make our life full of worship & our heart attached

with Kalamullah , that can save us. We are welcoming Ramadhan – may Allah prolong our lives to reach it. We

can feel the fragrance of Ramadhan even from now. May Allah Guide us through the Quran in the Dunia & on the

Sirat in the Day of Judgement .

يام كما كتب على أيها ٱلذين ءامنوا كتب عليڪم ٱلص ـ ٱلذين من قبلڪم لعلكم تتقون ي

وعلى ن يام م ع ا و على ا ي من كان منكم م

عودٲت ا م )٣٨١( ياما

ي له ۥ ون تصوموا ي ا هو ا ي ع طعام مسكين من تطوۥ ية ٱلذين يطيقونه

ى للناس (٣٨١ ن كنتم تعلمون ) لڪم ءان ها ان ٱلذى نزل يه ٱلق رم شہ

قان ن ٱلهى وٱل ت م ـ ليصمه وبين ہ ا و على من شہ منكم ٱل ا ي ان م ومن

ن يام م ع ي ٱل ولتڪملوا ٱلع ي ي بڪم ٱلعس ول ي بڪم ٱليس

ون ) كم ولعلڪم تك على ما هٮ وا ٱل (٣٨١ولتڪب

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting)[] is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before

you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2). (183) [Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number

of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as

for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn

(poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, is

better for you if only you know.[] (184) The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for

mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights

(the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadân i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum

(fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum

(fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things

difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh

[i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu-Akbar; Allâh is the Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to

Him.[] (185)

Ayat 184 :

طعام مسكين / .And as for those who can fast but with difficulty, (e.g / وعلى ٱلذين يطيقونه ۥ ية

an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day).

Allah prescribe to fast in Ramadhan, but it was not obligatory before to fast in the beginning . If one cannot fast ,

he has to give fidyah. يطيقونهۥ has 2 meanings here :

i. ۥ meaning one who CANNOT fast and hence has to feed a poor as fidyah for : يطيقونه

each day he missed . يطيقونهۥ is from / aTaaqa / ‘cannot’ meaning a person who

is sick & cannot be cured , so he cannot fast . Allah allowed them to feed one miskin for each

day they do not fast. this rule is applied today .

ii. ۥ ) opposite meaning than (i) ie one who CAN FAST but finds it DIFFICULT : يطيقونه

although bearable) , hence he can also feed a poor as fidyah for each day he did not fast.

BUT this was only at the beginning when this command was revealed where it was not

obligatory yet then. Now it is NO MORE APPLICABLE - Only ( i ) is applicable today .

له ۥ ي ا هو ا ي ع But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him / من تطو

منni / “ whomever is doing that “ - the word من means / sharT / ‘ condition’ meaning ‘

if you do A , then B will happen ‘.

ع is something you do extra without being paid ( volunteer) / / ziyaadah ‘an تطو

il ‘aml. Eg solat ul taTawwar / voluntary prayer . ع / must be something voluntary that is khair تطو

good

This Ayat means ‘ people who cannot fast , should give fidyah but Allah encourage him to do voluntary ‘ – scholars

say ا ا ي ع means من تطو

o / aT’am miskin aakhr / Feed more miskin - instead of feeding 1

miskin for each day , you voluntarily feed 2 or more miskin for each day. Thus is

.

o / zaada al qadar fi il iT’aam / increase the quantity of food - Give extra

food - Or to give extra food to each of the miskin that receives the fidyah .

This is how Allah encourage more goodness but you can do more. This is general for everything – if you cannot do

one ibadat, then increase the other ibadah that you can do. eg If you cannot fast, increase your prayers especially

in time of ease, good health . Use the best of your life . Do more in what you can do.

This is NOT BID’AH. You can increase charity. Bid’ah is associated with occasion, time, season . eg there is

voluntary prayer that you can do anytime , anywhere . The bid’ah is when you put a specific time for the prayer &

you tell everyone . eg qiyam ul layl is good but when people do special ibadah just for Friday, then it is bid’ah . Why

Friday ? eg It is bid’ah to fix that I cannot leave the house unless I read a page of Quran. Charity can be given

anytime but it becomes bid’ah when people make it a MUST to give on Friday or in Umrah – It becomes bid’ah

when you make restrictions & you make it a must associated with an occasion, time or place .

Then Allah said :

له ي .it is better for him / هو

it is better for him. So if you do these additional things it is better. So when you volunteer to do extra for the sake of Allah, then you benefit, it is not Allah that benefits. Doing extra is different from bid’ah : which means inventing something new to the religion, like must perform a worship, this number of times, on a specific day. And then it becomes fixed, that you say you cannot leave the house unless you do it.

لڪم ي (٣٨١ ن كنتم تعلمون ) ون تصوموا

And that you fast, is better for you if only you know.[] (184)

‘ And if you fast it is better for you, if only you knew. ‘ There are some who are totally incapable to fast, but if your health might allow you, then fasting is better than the ‘fidyah ’ / feeding the needy. So Allah gives us options, but the options are of different levels of taqwa. Subhan Allah. So fasting supersedes the fidyah.

Explanation of Ayat 185 :

قان ن ٱلهى وٱل ت م ـ ى للناس وبين ءان ها ان ٱلذى نزل يه ٱلق رم من شہ

ليصمه ہ شہ منكم ٱل ا و على ا ي ان م ومن ن يام م ع ي ٱل ي

كم على ما هٮ وا ٱل ولتڪملوا ٱلع ولتڪب ي بڪم ٱلعس ول ي بڪم ٱليس

ون ) (٣٨١ولعلڪم تك

The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the

guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of)

the month (of Ramadân i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or

on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other

days. Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must

complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu-Akbar; Allâh is the

Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.[] (185)

ان رم شہ

The month of Ramadan. The lunar calendar existed before the solar calendar. And these names existed before Islam, so you might ask why these names? All of the names of everything were already taught to Adam and it is Allah who inspires people to give the names, subhan Allah. A lunar month is 29 or 30

days. ( ان which means very hot. So it could be that this month was ( رمض ) comes from (رم

first named in the summertime. The other meaning also means to burn, and during the month of Ramadan, the sins are being burned. So did the Arabs know this? No!

ءان ٱلذى نزل يه ٱلق

What is the privilege of this month? ( ءان ٱلذى نزل يه ٱلق ): the sending down of the Quran.

Allah doesnot put His name as sending down the Quran because we knows its origin is from Allah, but it came down through means. Subhan Allah. Allah gives and takes the souls, but through means, same with the rain for example. So the means Allah used to send the Quran was the Angel Jibreel (pbuh).

ءان ٱلق

What is the meaning of ءان It is the speech of Allah, meaning it is one of Allah’s attributes, so ? ٱلق

cannot say the Quran is created, then that would allude to Allah being created, istaghfar Allah. The

speech of Allah is spoken with words and meaning. ( ) So when Yusuf (pbuh) speaks, it is not what Yusuf (pbuh) said precisely, it is the meaning behind it that is being portrayed through the words of Allah.

How was the Quran revealed?

(i) The entire Quran as a whole was revealed from the Preserved Tablets to the lowest heaven.

So the entire Quran as a whole was brought down to the lowest heaven in the month of

Ramadan on the Night of the Decree, laylat al qadr ( قدر لة ال ي :Surah Al Qadr .( ل

ر ى ) 1 ) (Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'ân) down in the night of Al-Qadr

(Decree) But we do not know which Ramadan.

(ii) Then the Quran was revealed in parts ( not in one time like the Torah through tablets.)

So from the lowest heaven it was revealed in parts to the Prophet (pbuh) through the Angel Jibreel

(pbuh). And it was revealed according to the incidents taking place. ( نجما It would come down to .( م

the heart of the Prophet (pbuh) (لم س يه و ل هللا ع لى ص بي ن لب ال ى ق يا ال دن سماء ال .(من الThat’s why at the age of four, the Prophet (pbuh) chest was opened and his heart was cleansed. So Allah

prepared his heart in order to be able to receive the Quran, and any distractions Allah would keep him

away from it. And subhan Allah, Prophet (pbuh) was illiterate, so his mind was not cluttered with

formulas and theories, etc. It was like a white clean page ready to take the Quran completely. Subhan

Allah. That is why children can memorize the Quran quickly, their hearts are pure. The start of the

coming down of the Quran in parts to the Prophet (pbuh) started in the month of Ramadan.