Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 31

Assalam o Alaikum 

Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. Blessed Day of Juma begins and let's gather Max Pro Blessings by connecting with Al Kahf (The Cave) which opens the portals to the unseen. A polite reminder to recite whole or part of Al Kahf this Juma and if possible make sense of the message therein. 

Today's sign post (Ayah 31) marks the end of 4th Rukuh or should we call it 4th speech of Al Kahf. With this, ends the everlasting story of our Heroes, The Kahf Boys. What makes this story eternal is their unwavering faith in Allah. This Ayah depicts rewards for them and those who tow their line.

Talking about those who believed and did good deeds in previous Ayah, Allah swt sketches their final destination in magnificent fashion. They will have gardens of perpetual residence. Notice the words gardens and rivers. Also gold bracelets, silk, barocade and reclining chairs like those on beeches. Keep in mind that this was revealed 1500 years ago. Put all this together, the concept of luxury couldn't go beyond this imagery despite evolution of thousands of years. 

Our best undersranding of luxury living is owning an estate, farm house, chateau, castle or mansion with orchards either along a river, on a beech or having indoor swimming pools, jacuzzi, steam, suana, spa etc. Luxury lifestyle is synonymous to expensive jewellery of gold and ornaments along with Chinese silk, colored brocade silk fabric and high end designer furniture. 

Above is maximum human imagination could make of luxury. Hence, Allah just shared that type of luxury which our minds are used to or maximum our imagination could stretch. In actual, it would be way above and beyond our imagination. Difference would the same as we experience in online shopping. Things always turn out to be much less than what we see in those fancy adverts. In case of Jannah, it would be exactly the opposite, word of The King of Heavens and Earth must be fulfilled more than He promised in this Ayah and multiples times in other Ayahs of The Holy Quran.

May we keep the faith and get that excellent reward and good resting place. Ameen

Cricket being ruined by double standards

Hypocrites Hypocrites Hypocrites 

They are all the same. Clear threat to Women's Cricket today 21 September 2021 but no cancellation. 

https://www.thequint.com/sports/cricket/security-beefed-up-for-new-zealand-womens-team-in-england-after-threatening-mail

Is UK Army and security forces better than Pakistani Army and security forces? We are the only nation on God's Earth who defeated terrorism. We luckily have a battle hardened  war machine at our disposal which has thwarted threat from all sides. We are 1000 times lesser in resources and still maintain a 10 times bigger and professional Army than chickens in UK. But Kiwis cancel cricket series at the eleventh hour without our knowledge  I'm gutted that we thought Kiwis and their mother Jacinda were nice and deserved our support in every cricket game except against Pakistan. 

Hindu is playing his games and his friends are in his full support. Too much money is involved in cricket and together they don't like money coming to Pakistan. Such is the nexus of evil.

We shall come through this. 

Totally support the decision not to play home series on neutral venue ever again. This conspiracy would have not taken root if we had strong leadership who could have take firm stand on this earlier.

This is just a test and we shall come good. Insha Allah.

Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 30

Assalam o Alaikum 

Juma Mubarak. Let's connect with Al Kahf, The Cave of Hope like today's Ayah.

By discussing Ayah No 30 today (penultimate Ayah of Rukuh), we are heading towards the end of 4th Rukuh of Al Kahf. Before we discuss this Ayah of hope, let's first quickly refresh wisdom behind Quran's breakdown into Ayahs, Rukuhs, Paras, Surahs and Manazil. 

We begin with Ayah which means "evidence," "sign" or "miracle,". Total No of Ayahs in Quran is 6666. Every Ayah is a sign post, complete in its meaning and message if we keep interpretations in the context of ongoing Rukuh. The term Rukuh roughly translated to "passage", "pericope" or "stanza". No of Rukuhs in Quran is 558. It's a group of thematically related Ayahs Qur'an. Rukuh is clubbing together Ayahs wherein topics change so that we can easily decide that after how many Ayahs we should perform Rukuh in prayers  Rukuh is complete speech by Allah swt with a start, a message (the meat) and an ending. Rukuh is breakdown of Surahs. Surah is like a chapter of a book. It literally means a fortress containing secure walls around a subject. These are 114 with two distinct groups of Meccan 76 and Madni 28. For those who desire to complete their recitation of Quran within a certain time frame, they are most pleased to find the Quran separated into thirty (30) even parts called "juz-un" in Arabic or Para in Persian (Farsi). If someone reads a "juz'un" each day, in 30 days they will have completed the entire Quran in one month. Likewise, for the convenience of those who read Al Quran in a week, the text may be divided into seven equal portions, each known as Manzil.

Coming over to today's Ayah of hope. Since, the Rukuh is ending in next Ayah, Allah swt has to leave us with hope. Hope is fuel of life. In absence of hope, life becomes synonymous to futility. Allah swt, The King of earth and Heavens, is assuring that those who believe and do good deeds, their good deeds will not be lost. Same thing is repeated in Ar Rehman in the form of a logical little query,' هل جزاء الإحسان إلا الإحسان', 'Is there any Reward for Good - other than Good? 55:60. How logical and beautiful !!!

May Allah give us Imaan and have us do good deeds. Ameen

Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 29

Assalam o Alaikum 

Juma, the blessed day of the week begins with sunset on Thursday evening. A simple answer to why night precedes day in Lunar or Islamic day is that it was dark (the closest guess) before Big Bang. Allah swt having formulated the master plan (of which you, me, this Blog and this moment were all part of) gave execution order of 'Be' (کن)۔ While it all came into being, the first day (whenever it was) was preceded by darkness. Hence, chronologically night came before day just like the darkness of human mind was lit by the Noor of Quran in 6th Century BC. Pretty much like the journey of a seed or a fetus nutured in the darkness of womb of soil or a mother before it sprouts to the light of life. These are just few points to ponder on logic behind night preceding day in lunar calendar. Anyhow, if someone insist that the sequence is otherwise, they could be right because debate on this would be like proving which came first; egg or hen. An unending debate is not the purpose of The Book. Rather to acquire knowledge, think about it and act upon it to the best of our understanding and ability.

Today's Ayah No 29 is continuation of subject from Ayah No 28 wherein Allah swt 

Today's Ayah No 29 is continuation of subject from Ayah No 28 wherein Allah swt firstly affectionately advised to exercise patience and restraint. Then followed it up in His unique style of being Al Samad (on whom everything depends upon) by telling that if you fix your heart  in worldly pursuits, He will deprive you of His remembrance. This Ayah begins with reassurance that truth is here among you (us) and you know it. But if you still don't believe, Him being a Merciful King, will not wrest your freewill. Logical reason behind this is that since we didn't requisition life, He gives us freedom to exercise our freewill till the last day of our sojourn in His Land. So that we couldn’t complain on the Day of Reckoning that you didn't let us freedom to choose. And if we end up on the wrong side 'by choice' then its an evil resting place. The imagery of hell in latter part this Ayah is quite bleak. It must give goose bumps to people with consciousness, no matter how dormant it might be. 

May Allah help us exercise our freewill judiciously so that we are not embarrassed on the Day, particularly in the presence of Aqa Alaihe Salat o Wassalam. Ameen

Indian at its lowest

We are witnessing interesting times in history. Does this augur paradigm shift in the region or my mind is unduly going off at a tangent? Let's examine.

It all started with change of ruling elite in Pakistan. An elite which was dumb and corrupt but pretty much acceptable to the international establishment. Democracy like kryptocrcy nearly became two party system. 

In the meantime, across borders on the East, Pendamic of Hinduvta was picking up. Deadly Modi variant (deadly for Indians only) acted as stimulus to rapidly growing pandemic of Hinduvta. Hatred of majority (ignorant Hindus) was the catalyst that worked in favour of Mr Modi.

 Phoney surgical strikes by tilted hat Bipin (ترچھی ٹوپی والا سورما) followed up by nose breaking fantastic tea in February, 2019 brought two things to light. Incompetence of Indian Army and inapt Indian leadership. India media, well you really need some extreme end adjectives to define their state of mind which is at best insanly hysterical, acutely myopic, vociferously malignant and schizophrenic. However, there is one unignorabley trait of Indian media that despite being wrong footed, it stands united in Indian cause. 

This Defence Day calls for celebrations

Time to recall all those who sacrificed their yesterday for our today. May Allah accept their sacrifices and give us the strength to uphold the founding values of this miraculous state and ideology of Pakistan. This Defence Day calls for commemorations of sacrifices and celebrations of victory.

Can you hear those excruciating screams coming from our East? Likewise, US media and Afghan experts, like a snarling cat sniffing the pole, trying to fix blame of its humiliation in Afghanistan on Pakistan. It is once in lifetime opportunity for a struggling nation caught up in the great game on its West, gutter games on our East and dirty games from within. A proud moment to be a Pakistani. Feel immense pride to have worn Khaki during last two tumultuous decades and feel ever so joyous to see this day.Those who missed the trick amid confusing game of narratives, should know, why Pakistan Army was a villain and ISI a thorne in the side, please wake up and smell the coffee. Understand the value of being on one page. Out of miserable terror sponsoring quandry on our West, we walk tall with our heads held high in the region. At the turn of millenial, it was poor decision of a dictator to stand by US without securing our end of the bargain. In those weak moments  we let down Taliban. However, our good faith, patience and perseverance paid off. Change in political landscape at home has paved the way for bigger and better things in times to come.Time to celebrate people.

Happy Defence Day

Long Live Pak Army and its invisible omnipresent unsung heroes of ISI 

Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 28

Assalam o Alaikum 

Juma Mubarak. Let's seek refuge of The Protector from all evils i.e. iblees, dajjal and their associates in the safest retreat  of Al Kahf (The Cave).

What makes us superior creatures of this universe is thinking faculty, speech and patience or restrain. Patience is the barometer of soul. Physical exercise keeps our body fit whereas, exercising patience keeps our soul fit. Look at all pillars of Islam, the requirement is one of patience. Tauheed demands submission. No me, I or my decision or desire. Everything is routed vertically and done in accordance with laid down rules. Salah, demands leaving warm bed in cold morning and physical cleaning before prostration. Leaving all worldly affairs in the middle of the day and hitting the ground in Sajood. Night does not begin or end without prayers. It all trains us to be patient. Fasting is the most beautiful exercise of soul. Its a break from normal eating routines and restrain till specified time, no matter how enticing is the aroma of freshly cooked food. Zakah is purging of earnings which requires control over self to regulating finances. Hajj is a combo of physical and financial trials. Why so much patience is expected from us? Because we want to meet the eligibility  criteria to live an eternal life in Allah's resort (Jannah) full of bounties. Hence, the only test is patience for Haves and Haves Not and restrain for Haves.

Today's Ayah No 28, lays down a complete code of conduct in times of fitn Al dajjal. 

Firstly, exercise control on desires. Limit the needs. The lesser the needs, the lesser the strains.  Patience could be better exercised in company than alone. Look at the mercy of our Lord that He swt guides us to stick to the company of righteous. 

Ability to resist desiring adornments of life is the theme of this Surah. Why is it necessary? In Surah Ale Imran Allah swt said,' وَ مَا الۡحَیٰوۃُ الدُّنۡیَاۤ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الۡغُرُوۡرِ',' And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion'. 03:185.

Same message is repeated here and in Ayah 7th and 103rd (7th last Ayah) of Al Kahf. For detailed account on this topic, click on the link below:

http://asadjamal32.blogspot.com/2015/07/deception-and-reality-of-life-al-kahf-7.html?m=1

And how do we avoid falling into the trap of this life's delusions. Three no go areas have been identified to us in the last part of this Ayah. One, the ones made heedless of Allah's remembrance. Note that it's not them who have forgotten Allah, its Allah swt Himself who turned them away from His remembrance due to their conscious and consistent rebellious attitude. الهم لا جعلنا منهم. Two, those who folllow (undue) desire or lust. Undue desire invokes fear. Fear makes us weak. And like Iblees, sons of Adam who follow desire, start making a union of their own. Lastly, those who commit excess and as the adage goes, 'excess of everything is bad'. 

May Allah keep us in the company of those whose hearts are filled and tongues are wet with Allah's remembrance. Who follow not the lust and maintain balance in life by avoiding excess. Ameen