Tafsir Surat Al Nasr

Tafsir Surat Al Nasr: The Divne Support, Victory
http://quran.com/110

Every Friday after isha prayer (8:30PM) Sheikh Moussa teaches us the tafsir of the Quran in English.

Last week we took Part 1 of Surat Al Nasr.

When you intial read the Surahs name  you think victory as in winning but the tafsir the Sheikh taught  us gives you a whole other meaning and definition to this term.

An-Nasr :The Divine Support

When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest,

And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes,

Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.

The Sheikh said,

Surat Al Nasr is the last Surah to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhmmad. It was revealed about 80 days prior to the Prophets death and after her performed  Hajj Al Wadaah - The Farewell Pilgiramge. This Surah is called Al Nasr because Allah is telling the Prophet in this Surah that he was victorous as he completed his honarable role of relaying the message of Islam, the messgae that there is No God but Allah and Muhmmad is His Final Messenger. The Prophet was successful in spreading the message and people have accepted the message. Allah is giving the Prophet glad tidings. Allah also reveals to the Prophet that he only has a few days to live.

Allah ends the Surah telling the Prophet to make tasbeh (Thanking and Praising Him) and istghfar (ask for forgivness).


The sheikh also mentioned how our goal of dawah should not be to make people become Muslim but rather relay the most clearest message we can of what Islam is and the acceptance of truth is upon gudiance from Allah.

So now when you read Surat Al Nasr understand it from this point


 

Prophets Pre Ramadan Sermon

This is beautiful...first time I ever read this

waiting for you oh Ramadan!!

The Sermon Given By The Prophet (s) On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban On The Reception Of The Month of Ramadan.

"O People ! Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which with Allah is the best of months.  Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered. So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah's forgiveness during this great month. Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgment) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honor your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people so compassion
may be shown to your orphans. Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked ...

The Masjid of Allah

As I'm standing outside of the entrance of the Masjid (NHIEC) I noticed this aya that is posted in the front entrance , it's the aya from Surat Al Tawbah "The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah , for it is expected that those will be of the rightly guided."

I  started to think about how Allah loves every person I see constantly at the masjid, how blessed these worshippers are to have love for His Masjid to be instilled in their hearts. I started to think about how the people who fill Allahs Masjid are not perfect but despite thier mistakes, sins, and imperfections they can still join the Masjid. Even those who maintain it who are not perfect and despite their sins and human nature to be of "insan" the one who forgets can still try their best in serving thier community for the Sake of  Allah.I started to think about the people who may not be the ones maintaining the masjid but are truly attached to the Masjid as you noticed them ready to make a Jamaaa prayer as often as they can in the Masjid , always sitting there ready to worship Him with other worshippers.

Despite the challenges we may face when going to visit this Masjid, or the challenges we face when maintaing the Masjids, or the annoying kids we end up yelling at , or the person we may get mad at, or the bad bathroom smells once in a while, or the heat of Ramadan summer nights, despite all of that people come back to fill the Masjids of Allah because above all their love for Him prevails and the attachment is not for the building , the community or the programs but for Him alone inshAllah...because truly, " In the rememberance of Allah do the hearts find rest". Even if you found peace 10 percent of your time spent at the Masjid, if your hearts intention is to please Him you will come back for more peace , and you will find a attachment as the one described for those who will be shaded on the Day of Judgment "The one who's heart is attached to the Masjid"


This aya comes from Surat Al Tawabah it makes the concept of posting it within the entrance of a Masjid even more appealing because Tawabah as we know means to return to something, so maybe one day you did leave the Masjid, you did forget of Allah but He is Al Tawab and His Masjids doors are always open. The Masjid, the place that brings peace to your heart when you are focused on remembering Him, your refugee from the dunya , your center for a community of brotherhood and sisterhood that is based on love for His Sake, this is the place Allah invites the believers

As I write this I am listening to one of Sheikh Hassan Salehs spoken word videos and sbhnaAllah he is talking about the masjid. here's a idea of what he said ( if someone can send a better meaning that would help , sounds better in arabic ) starting at about 13 minutes

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xKyJx8s9CAM

"The House of Allah makes those who visit it happy , the hearts of the belivers are cured with the rememberance of Allah, the Sajdeen (the ones who make sujood) make sujood on its rugs , and in it you don't see except brotherhood, you don't find poor or wealth making them different, they are all brothers white and black in front of Allah they are all given glad tidings (bushra ) , and with taqwa and ikhlas..And oh who you who hears a call from Allah, and the voice of a muthain, asking if you want to be with the abrarar of Jannah which will make those who find it happy. and oh you who hears the call from Allah...." 

Serving Self or Community? Amu Fikry

Tonight we had Amu Fikry Fahymy speak the Young Adults lecture about faith eman.

During the Q and A session two important questions or topics were asked regarding volunteering for the Sake of Allah, finding a balance, the reward, self vs community needs and feeling overwhelmed.

When the recording is posted ill email it because I didn't take notes so this is not his exact wording but his advice is important for all those who work endless hours for His Sake to hear !

Here is an idea of what he and the crowd said:

Sometimes when you are volunteering for His Sake in the community you don't get to enjoy the lecture or event yourself, you may feel like you are missing out on the reward or knowledge that is taught.

Is it better to focus on your own Ibdah or the community? Which is rewarded more? For an example in Ramadan the volunteers are so busy taking caring of the worshippers, the masjid, mainitang peace and order they may not get the full benefit or reward

His answer 

You have to give everything equal rights, your body has a right over you, your family, your self etc

As for the reward it is better to provide to your community 

Because when you are just focused on your own Ibadah, you just attend a lecture for your own self that's only one person benefiting vs when you are the one organizing or coordinating a lecture or event for 50 plus people all 50 who came and learned you will get the reward, you are helping and benefiting a ummah not just your self

Another question was asked about feeling overwhelmed with the amount of volunteering that needs to be done for the community

He advised that we take the asbab the means, so put in the efforts and see how easy Allah will make the tasks with His Baraka, how He will give you more time with baraka

He also recommend to distribute tasks and follow up every two weeks, build new leaders

After this lecture I came across the following ayas which truly is a Sign of how true His words are about the Jamaaa ( community) vs self... Look how Allah uses the word together and He follows these ayas with an amazing descpriton of those whose face will shine on the Day of Judgement 

 

 

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.

 

 

And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.

 

But as for those whose faces will turn white, [they will be] within the mercy of Allah . They will abide therein eternally

 

 

Sent from my iPad

Remembrance of Allah & Quran Imam Omar Suleiman Tazkiyah Notes

The Prophet said, The most beloved places to Allah on the earth is the Masjids, because in the Masjid Allah is remembered. The most hated place on the earth is the marketplace

The Prophet said,
Whoever says while entering the marketplace (duaa) (whoever says it upon enterting marketplace Allah will add for him 1million hasant, and 1million sins wiped away, and Allah will raise him 1million degrees in paradise, and built a house in paradise

la ialiah il Allah wahdhoo la sharka laa , laha Al mulk wal ahumd yahyo wa ya met wa huwa haya wal yamt

Usually we make this dua without those final words , they are only mentioned in the marketplace
You will prob forget the duaa because in the marketplace you will usually get distracted

Note that the Prophet said when you are in the marketplace, not before you go into the marketplace

when you walk into the marketplace you realize the source of life is Allah swt and so even if a person is walking in the marketplace, acquiring more dunya they are forgotten


Ascholar said everything in this dunya is cursed except the remembrance of Allah, or a scholar, or a student..Dhikrh, and ilm everything else in this world is cursed


Friday Saturday night some are at the club trying to find life, trying to find that adrien rush, drinking drugs looking for life and then there are some at the masjid Friday and Saturday night finding that life subhanAllah


Prophet said, in the gatherings for the sake of Allah, the angels are there, Allah mentions them, and and there is sakina subhanAllah


Ibn Masud said, The house in which the Quran is not recited will be constricting , upon the habitants of the house even if its a very large house
The house in which the Quran is recited it will feel large even if its a small house

The house feels empty without Quran

The Quran is the greatest reminder 

The remembrance of His Names His Attributes

Placing your heart in a place where Allah is remembered it helps you remember Allah, it will help it find sakina, and help the heart settle so when your heart is in environments where Allah is not remembered or mentioned it will be stable

Remembrance of Allah drives away shytan it breaks him, it dispels worry brings you a sense of joy

Al wasas- whispering
al khans means sinks disappears

Hassan Al Basri: when the servant becomes heedless he gives shytan a chance to whisper to him but hen he remembers Allah the shytan disappears

mercy and honor that remembering Allah brings
He will mention your name, He will make them angels know you

I complain of the hardness of my heart, responded remember Allah to soften

Talking about people is the disease and talking about Allah is the cure of that disease

Whenever the Quran mentions Dhikr- the word Kathir is often mentioned meaning a lot

The remembrance of His Names and His Attributes

Remember Allah talk about the Blessings He provided you with
The best type of remembrance is the recitation of the Quran

Al Dhikhr:
1. Clear mention of Allah . duaa, tasbeh
2. Knowledge
3. Quran
4. Prayer


There are "the people of Allah" the people of Quran

Imam Hassan Al Basri
Someone said to him so and so memorizes the  Quran
he said: so and so doesn't protect the Quran, the Quran protects him

Hafid means protect
"ahfad Allah ya hafdukum" this is the faida direct result of remembering Allah

The Quran is the greatest form of remembrance
 

I love you for His Sake

And then I remember what u said about how U used to make duaa for a good wife n I start to smile Cuz I remember the pure heart U have

So now I'm tryin to get closer to Allah so He can always bless our marriage ... Empty time comes with emptiness

I been makin duaa for Allah to give me chances to learn beneficial knowledge , to bring me closer to Him and His signs and messages have been appearing non stop humdAllah wether it's a quote or a youtube lecture I come across .. All sooo so relevant to my duaa answers subhanalah

N I wana c how I can incorporate that spiritual high into OUR life

I dnt know how but I'll make duaa for Allah to guide me n He will inshAllah ...

And then I almost forgot to read my daily 2 pages of quran ( new routine I used to do last year ) so I'm reading and I come across this aya and it brought so much relief HumdAllah


The key is to keep doing good and Allah will protect you from fear and sadness Ameen

When I increase in good actions I feel the Baraka in all parts of my life ... So many ppl I helped before I got engaged to U told me how they used to make duaa for me for a good hausband ... Syrian lady, Taybbah the mom of 3 wheel chair girls , sheikh Hassan

And then you came 💚💚💚 a duaa answered not jus from my own duaa but from those who loved me for the sake of Allah and that is a pure love I wana presvere and always build on

The Corrupted Heart, Tazikiyah, Omar Suleiman Notes

Out of three types of hearts most people fall into the sick heart


There are things that cause the heart to become ill and things that prolong the healing

The heart is pure in the beginning , you are born with a pure heart


Ibn Taymiah says the causes of sickness are:

1.Pursing your empty desires of a person = Al Shahwat
2. The doubtful matters   =Al Shubhat

Ibn Tayimah
"Once a person begins to pursue his shahwat he will fall into al shubhat"

If you are in pursuit of your desires you will find the wrong fatwas

The 4 poisons

1. Unnecessary talking...most wrong actions come from the tongue

purification of the heart is dependent upon purification of the tongue

every time you talk you take a risk

hasad al lasn- harvest of the tongue

the two openings, the mouth and private part lead to the hell fire


The Prophet was asked, what is the way to survival
The Prophet said,
1.Hold on to your tongue, guard it
2. Let your house suffice you, become a place of comfort
3. Cry for your wrong actions

May Allah protect us from nadam and fadeha of our tongues

From the good character of the Muslim is to avoid talking about others or peoples business

Hassan Al Basri said, when Allah said He created everything with purpose


Allah created two gates to the tongue, the teeth and the lips...so that a person can restrain his tongue

2. The Unrestrained glance ..becoming attracted to what you see, other gender, or sin with admire

The Prophet said,  whoever lowers his eyes for Allah He will find a refreshing sweetness which he will find on his heart on the Day he meets him.

When a man is seeing a women, shyatan sits on her chest and beautifies her to the one looking, and when she turns away the shyatn beautifies her

The gaze does distract us from Allah

The eye has a direct connection to the heart, so when the eye becomes corrupt it enters the heart

Letting the gaze roam freely cloaks in the heart in darkness but when you lower it , it cloaks the heart in light
When a person turns away from that it will allow the heart to be light

there is a connection between the diet and ibadah

3. Keeping bad company

every category of tazikayah there is a mention of good friends and a good environment
their company is like food you need it to keep up
then there is the company that you have to interact with and you should have a relationship with them to help them, outreach to them give dawah, but do not consistently be around them




 

Surat AlQasas, Story Of The Three Winners And The Story of Prophet Musa

Part two of reflections on the winners...I hope this one reaches the families as there is a amazing lesson 

I  found a huge connection between the story of Prophet Musa within Surat Al Qasas ( which means stories) to the story of the three winners....http://quran.com/28...I only know detials of this Surah because of a tafsir class I took with Noman Ali Khan called Story Night...

The stories within the Quran are here to teach us lessons within our own lives and our own stories.

There are some main characters in this Surah and essentially story which reminded of me of Deah, Yusor, Razan, and the mothers.

Prophet Musa reminded me of Deah.

 Prophet Musas sister reminded me of Razan.

The girl who got married to Prophet Musa reminded me of Yusor.

The strength of Prophet Musas mother reminded me of the parents.

The Pharaoh reminded me of the NC Pharaoh...

The story starts with Pharaoh who used to slaughter baby boys...aya 4

The power Allah gave to the Pharaoh and his inheritors (aya 6) reminded me of the power of media, politics but subhanAllah at the end of the Surah we begin to see how this power did not save them from the punishment of Allah and Allah tells us "Look at how was the fate of the wrong doers" (aya 40) 

Allah talks alot about the mother of Musa..He mentions her grief , sadness, and her stregth..this  reminded me of Deahs mother..and all the parents.

Allah begins to tell us the story of Prophet Musa and his mother in aya 7 when she had to leave her son in the river but Allah tells her not to fear or grieve and He promises her that he will be returned to he as a messenger..

And then in aya 10 Allah tells us something amazing, He tells us that the heart of Prophet Musas mom was empty and that if it wasnt for Him and the strength He instilled in heart she would have been shattered...(details below of how Noman describes the pyschology behind connecting with Alah, shattered hearts, amazing) 

Another character mentioned within in this Surah is Prophet Musas sister ( aya 12)

There is also a love story within this Surah ...

This love story within aya 23 when Prophet Musas offers his help to two girls which ends up in a proposal from their girls father aya 27 "He the father said, I wish to marry you to one of my daughters .." 

Allah ends this Surah with aya 88 describing the ultimate purpose of our lives which is to serve Allah,the ultimate success  which is to meet Allah, and that ultimate end .. our return to Him 

"And call not, besides Allah, on another god. There is no god but He. Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face. To Him belongs the Command, and to Him you will be returned."

Here are some detailed notes on those ayas about Prophet Musas mom stregth, amazing SubhanAllah

http://hudawritess.blogspot.com/2013/12/nomanalikhan-story-night-story-of.html

"cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers."

Noman described this aya as ..Musas mom is so scared but she still feeds the baby, she still puts the baby in the river.

Allah will give you the emotional strength to overcome the hardest times.

strength is from belief in Allah, there are no gurnatees that this basket is safe.

Allah tells her "don't be afraid" and when the basket is so far away from her, Allah tells her " Don't be sad"

When you are a true believer and connected with Allah He will give you the strength to overcome hardships others cannot overcome.

Allah says, "We guarantee to bring him back to you"

The only thing she has is the trust of Allah.

And then Allah tells us of Prophet Musas mom in aya 10,

"And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers"

Nouman beautifully described this aya to us...he said that 

Musas mom is still waiting for Musa, Allah tells us that Musas mom has psychological strength so she doesn't shatter her heart.

This teaches us that we will go through tough times, will get hurt.

Allah is giving us a gift, in this aya (10),  a shattered heart, He can put together, you just need to connect to Allah.

This is a psychology that is needed in our lives.

Our Three Winners, The ForeRunners,AlSabqoun.. Dr.ElFahymoui Notes

 

فَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّ الْعَيْنَ تَدْمَعُ، وَالْقَلْبَ يَحْزَنُ، وَلاَ نَقُولُ إِلاَّ مَا يَرْضَى رَبُّنَا، وَإِنَّا بِفِرَاقِكَ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ لَمَحْزُونُونَ ‏

 

When the Prophet Muhammad’s (S.A.W.) own son died, he said: “ The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation."

‏‏

I never got to write my notes from the first Young Adults event at NHIEC in Dec with special guest Dr.Islam ElFahymoui...and subhanAllah looking at them now they are relevant to the whole theme of how the NC Muslims were called "Our Three Winners"

And if you think about this title you can take it from so many angles...but in the situation of these three we know for sure that the three winners refers to their win in this world and inshAllah the next because of all the good they gave in this world

Dr.Islam ElFahymoui said, 

 

" Compete for the afterlife not this fleeting dunya (world)...This dunya is not for competition and if you understand this concept you will be relaxed within this world. 

There is a aya in Surat Al Al Waqiah about the "Alsaqboun" The Winners...And the "Muqabuin" The Close Ones ..AlMuqarbun is the status of those who are close to Allah...those who won in dunya

They won't have judgment on the Day of Judgment ...they will have a peaceful judgment

"And the forerunners, the forerunners 

Those are the ones brought near to Allah

We are so attached to this dunya that we don't appreciate hardships. Everyone in this room is experiencing a difficulty or hardships. The more Allah loves you the more eman you have the more tests you have but with more eman comes more sakina (peace). " Dr.Islam ElFahymoui.

My thoughts ....

For me , when I read or hear of people like this I can't help but smile with tears. It's a feeling only the believers can understand , the feeling of sorrow but peace subhanAllah. Today will mark the Janzah of AlSabqoun...of those who rushed to Allah and surely they are on thier way to Him in rejoice....their janza will most likely be as big as Eid...their janza represents a Eid as they meet their Lord in happiness inshAlah...

When I think of the NC Muslims I never meet, I think of other legends I never meet from my own community Fatima Kasem, Rehab Al Buri, Mustafa Khalifa...And these people were all remembered for the things the Prophet taught us to hold on to the most the love of Allah ( which results in the love of the people ), excellent character, service to others and bright light smiles....

SubhanAllah the amount of comfort the Quran gives when one deeply reflects and re reads the ayas about the benefit of good deeds, death and how dunya is

Reading ayas like this make me smile as I reflect upon all that's happening

"And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do" The Quran

 

These three NC Muslims were not remembered because of they had...

The hausabnd was not remembered for his t car, or that apartment...the wife was not remembered because of what dress she wore for her wedding a few weeks ago...the young Sister in law was not remembered for her favorite brand..all three were remembered for things they can take to Allah...their good deeds, their love for others, services to others, Sadiaqya Jarya that is currently tripling subhanAllah....I love how their last name was "barakat" May Allah place lots and lots of barakat in this gain for the ummah....they are a motivation and we should smile and use their legacy to inspire us to follow their footsteps, the footsteps of our Prophet who was of the best character and a legend who brought the words of Allah into action subhanAllah.

 

The first legacy I heard about in my life time that I never meet was Fatima Kasem from NJIT...for some reason my Islamic School at the time decided to take us to her janza...I had NO idea who she was but I remember how FULL ICPC was as if it was Eid that's how her beloved Omar described it...everyone in NJ would learn of her "devastating " story of dying of cancer pregnant with a future baby to her new husband  but that was the beginning of inspiration for me . She was remembered for her smile, her character and her contributions to her community.

Another legacy I never meet but heard of was Rehab Al Buri who also passed of cancer at a young age in the midst of her love story. I started reading her blog and I would get inspired. 

Once again another legend who was remembered for her smile, character, and contributions to her community.

Our most recent legend from NJ was Br Mustafa Khalifa, another man I never meet but was so inspired by all of those lives he inspired, his janza was also as big as Eid Prayer subhanAllah ...and if you think deeply upon everything Allah tells us in the Quran...about how this dunya is just a "maata" something temporary a means to do good....when you start to deeply reflect upon these ayas describing what this world is, you will really start to believe that the prayer of janza can be just as joyous as Eid...subhanAllah 

And now once again I learn of Muslims I never meet in my life who are influencing me once again to give all I can....

 

Make duaa behind my back!

You really don't know who is making dua for you behind your back esp those you do good to  

If that person loves and remembers Allah often they will remember your goodness and ask Allah to bless you. There is nothing like someone coming up to you and saying I made or I make duaa for you

 

 

 

" Perhaps you might be asleep while the doors of Heaven are knocking with tens of supplications for you, by a poor person you aided or a sad person you cheered up or a distressed person you brought relief to. Therefore, do not underestimate doing good at all"

Ibn Al Qayyim