Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 40

Assalam o Alaikum. Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. Juma celebrations have many reasons and one is birth of our father Adam AS. We don't know the date, however, celebrating every Juma of the year should account for his and our (mankind's) day of birth. Also, special preparations of Juma Prayers are symbol of Muslim unity. Likewise, on this day, we resort to Al Kahf for protection against evil around us and future onslaught of greatest evil humanity shall ever see i.e. Dajjal and his trickery.

Moving over to today's Ayah No 40, a continuation of last Ayah No 39 wherein the man with less fortunes but great faith told his rich companion that they didn't know what future held for them. You never know how things may change. You never know how Allah rewards those who are stronger in faith in next life. You never know any calamity could befall on what we possess. For that matter everything will wither away if not now then surely on its prescribed time. Even our bodies will volatilize into atoms or its subatomic particles. Putting together those 30 trillion plus cells together would be some feat. Some geeks may think how would that be possible?  Well, pretty much the way it happened in the first place. You just have to believe, rest has already happened and shall happen as ordained by the Master Planner. 

Blessed Juma

Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 39

Assalam o Alaikum. Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. Let us celebrate this Friday by connecting with Al Kahf. One reason is that since dajjal is The Deceiver King, we don't know whether he is among us or operating intergalactic. Is he preparing grounds for his 'arrival' or his associates have already done that? How is he playing his game? However, if we all know this then he will have to let go of his title. All we know is that we can't keep our guard down. It is Allah's special mercy that He swt gave us Al Kahf, a strong defensive shield against all the evil. Towards the end of times (may be we are almost there), this Surah shall be our only protective gear against every evil.

The Surah revolves around four stories about trial of Emaan, Wealth, Knowledge and Power (or Final Showdown -Armageddon). We are already into second story of two men (different fortunes) with two gardens i.e. The Trial of Wealth. Even today, are we not being tried by absence or abundance of wealth? Subhan Allah, this is The Book of/for all times.

Moving forward with today's Ayah No 39 which is continuation of conversation by the second man in this story. Just a reminder that both men were Muslims. First one blessed with abundant bounties but forgot The Bestower of these blessings. Second one might be less fortunate in wealth and numbers but rich in faith. He patiently heard boastful discourse of his haughty partner and conveyed him indignation on forgetting His Lord and the Judgement Day. In previous Ayah, the man of strong faith refreshed his vow of Tauheed and in this Ayah reminds him how he forgot to say 'Masha Allah' while entering his gardens. 

Masha Allah is not just two words but declaration of Tauheed, acknowledgement of The Source of Blesings and submission to Allah's will. Masha Allah is a commonly used phrase of our routine life, however, the benefits could multiply if we develop understanding of these words and raise level of our religion from ritual to practice.

Lastly, anything we think we own (in reality we own nothing), like or see with other, we mustn't forget to say, 'Masha Allah'. Last line of this Ayah also reaffirms the fact that our relation with Allah is not based on our possessions, rather faith and tawwakal.

Blessed Juma Mubarakah.

Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 38

Assalam o Alaikum. Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. Let's celebrate this blessed day with Al Kahf by reciting/remembering/ understanding an Ayah or few Ayahs of this magnificent Surah.

Today's Ayah No 38 is conveyed to us in the words of the man with lesser possessions yet wealthier in Imaan. After reminding his richer companion of the process of creation i.e. literally putting him back to his place, he seals the deal by proclaiming Oneness (Tauheed) of Allah swt. 

Just to recap, first story of Al Kahf is about young men, Al Kahf Boys (Our Heroes) who took to the Kahf (The Cave) on receiving life threat from the tyrant king. They put their matter in Allah's hand with full conviction. And see how Allah swt honored their trust that every Friday they are remembered by nearly a quarter of the world's population in every quarter of the globe. Note that today again the central pillar of Imaan (Tauheed) is under attack from left, right and center. 

Second story (The Men of Two Gardens)  is about how abundance of means could mislead us. How reliance could shift from Creator of means to means only. We right now live in times where acquisition of means is more or less the purpose of life and abundance of means could be seriously misleading. And first casualty is weakening of faith in Hereafter (Akhirah) which in turns shakes the foundation of central pillar of Imaan i.e. Tauheed. 

Most important thing to remember is that shaky Imaan in Tauheed means serious consequences in both worlds. That is why it is quintessential to renew of our oath with Allah Karim time and again. Lastly, just read this Ayah 38 carefully from the core of your heart and Insha Allah your greatest vow of life is refreshed for now.

May Allah keep our hearts attached to Tauheed now and always. Ameen

Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 37

Assalam o Alaikum. Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. May this Juma and rest of the week bring peace and happiness your way.

Al Quran is glittering with vivid signs and Al Kahf has its own shining place in it. 

Today's Ayah No 37 is conveyed to us in words of the other man in the story who had been patiently listening to haughty discourse of his companion. He put across some basic questions like how could he (richer of the two) disbelieve in The One who created him? First thing to remember is that we are the only creature which has two distinct components/ dimensions. Our body consists of earthy elements of Periodic Table. Body is a carrier vessel of divine photons (Spirit/ Rooh). Earthy elements are put together to shape appearances whereas Rooh gives us unique individual identity in the entire universe. Heavenly component of our body (Rooh) descends from above and accordingly it has an elevated place. However, body belongs to earth and it is in fact, our limitation. Rooh doesn't age. Remains frozen in time, unifies with body (when a deputed angel puffs Rooh in the embryo in a mother's womb) and divorces it to return to where it came from. It is nourished on immaterial things like compassion, care and above all Al Quran. Whereas, body has needs and desires. Body ages, wears off and returns to dust from where it came. That's why at numerous occasions in Quran whenever Allah swt has to show us our right place, He swt would refer back to the process of creation. And who knows the worth of the product better than the manufacturer. 

In this Ayah, it had become necessary to take some wind out of the wings of one of them who had been blinded by abundance of material possessions. Firstly, we are created out of dust i.e. combination of required elements of Periodic Table. Secondly, initiation of life from human side is meeting of sperm and ovum. If we just keep this in view, we might never leave our place. Lastly, Allah swt reminds of His yet another favour that He not only put these elements of earth together but exquisitely proportioned them. And that is the reason we look good when we look in the mirror contrary to the illusion that applying layers of chemicals makes us look good.

Bottom line is we ought to stay in our place otherwise it won't take much to put us back to where we belong.

May Allah help us stay humble and grateful always. Ameen

Surah Al Kahf- Ayah No 36

Assalam o Alaikum 

Shab-e-Juma Mubarak. May this be your best Juma. A soft reminder to recite/understand whole/part of magnificent Al Kahf to add to the bounties of this blessed day.

Today's Ayah No 36 (continuation of previous Ayah) is about how belief in means weakens belief in Allah and Akhira. See how closely belief strings of unseen are knitted. We have not seen The Creator, neither life of after death. The reason we can't see Him is coarse nature of our vision. He swt is way too sophisticated and not made up of the matter our eyes are used to seeing. Believing in unseen through seen is difficult. For example Prophets (due to purity of their souls) had strong connect with the unseen. However, like the rest of us, they were flesh and bone which made it difficult for others to believe in their message from the unseen. It was always hard for contemporaries to accept their ascendancy in spiritual domain. Imagine, a kid next door comes of age, walks up to you and claims Prophethood. Sticky situation!!! You might vouch for his integrity but it would be hard to accept his claim. Exactly, the same dilemma was faced by Abu Lahab and Abu Jahal. They saw the truth but their false egoes mislead them. Just like this story, 'The Men of Two Gardens', where wealthier man was blinded by abundance of means. He forgot The Creator of means. The moment belief in Allah weaken, next casualty is belief in Akhirah (The Day of Reckoning). A step further would be getting overwhelmed by our false sense of well being. That even if there is a day of recompense (posing this question itself is a sign of dwindling faith), we shall be rewarded better than what we've go in here. A fallacy of proportions and an insult of human intellect. How could you attempt the paper well when you haven't even understood the questions? How could you pass the test with flying colors when you missed the compulsory question and wrongly attempted the remaining answers?

May Allah help us understand the importance of compulsory question (Tauheed) and doesn't let us lose sight of Akhirah. Ameen