Long questions (27 topics)

How Section C works

Section C carries 16 marks: two long questions, Q.3 and Q.4, of 8 marks each, and each has an OR, so you attempt one from each pair and choose from four. Every question comes from the 27 selected topics of the Assessment Framework (framework page 17). The split of the 8 marks is printed next to the question. In the model paper all four were split 4+4: Q.3, the story of Hazrat Nuh (AS) in Surah Hud and its teachings; Q.3 OR, the disliked deeds of past nations in Surah Al-A'raf and their consequences; Q.4, the prayers of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) in Surah Ibrahim and the guidance drawn from them; Q.4 OR, any four blessings of the Creator in Surah An-Nahl and what they demand of us. Other splits, 6+2 or 2+2+4, are possible in the real paper, so practise all of them.

The splits: what to write for each

Rule of thumb: one mark is one distinct point, written in about two lines and tied to an ayah reference. A 2-mark part needs two such points, a 4-mark part four, a 6-mark part six. A point that is repeated in other words earns nothing.

Dividing the time of the paper

The paper is 50 marks in 2 hours and 30 minutes. Section A (10 marks) is done first, on its own sheet, in 15 minutes. That leaves 2 hours 15 minutes for Sections B and C. A sensible plan: Section B (24 marks) about 70 minutes; Section C about 45 minutes, that is about 20 minutes for each long answer and about 5 minutes to choose the question and plan; and the last 20 minutes to check the whole paper. Do not leave less than 20 minutes for each long answer.

The structure of an 8-mark answer

FBISE marks content, organisation and the guidance part. Every model answer in this unit follows this structure.

1. Introduction (تمہید, 3 to 4 lines): place the topic in the surah: where it is, which ayat and the background.
2. Numbered headings with ayah references: each with 2 to 4 lines, at least 8 distinct points in the order of the Quran, each with its ayah number, for example (الاعراف: 59).
3. Guidance for us: a separate heading with 4 to 6 short, practical points connected to today.
4. Benefits and harms (worldly and of the Hereafter): the benefits of acting on the teaching and the harms of neglecting it (SLO:I-10-A-04). If time is short, 2 benefits and 2 harms are enough.
5. Conclusion (خلاصہ, 2 to 3 lines): sum up the topic and its message.

A worked skeleton for a 4+4

Question (Q.3 OR of the model paper): In the light of Surah Al-A'raf, describe the disliked deeds of the past nations and write their consequences (4+4). Skeleton:

• Introduction: the stories of the prophets in Al-A'raf (7:59 to 93, 103 to 137), told as a warning to the Quraish, in two lines.
• Part (a) (4 marks), heading 'Their disliked deeds': 1. Shirk and denial of the prophets (Nuh, Hud, Salih, Shu'aib). 2. Arrogance of the leaders (7:75 to 76). 3. Killing the she-camel of Allah (7:77). 4. Indecency of Lut's people (7:80 to 81) and cheating in measure (7:85).
• Part (b) (4 marks), heading 'Their consequences': drowning (7:64), the blast and earthquake (7:78, 91), the rain of stones (7:84), the sea for Pharaoh (7:136), and the law that no one is safe from Allah's plan (7:99).
• Guidance and conclusion in one or two lines each. The complete solution is in the past papers part of this unit and in topic 5.

Quoting the ayat

• Give the reference in brackets after the point in the form (الاعراف: 59) or (Al-A'raf: 59), with the correct surah and number; a point with a correct reference is worth more than one without.
• Write a short Arabic phrase (two to four words) only if you are sure of every letter and mark; otherwise write its meaning in your own words with the reference. A wrong Arabic word costs more than the correct translation gains.
• If you know the number of the ayah only approximately, write the range, for example (الانعام: 151 تا 153), instead of a wrong exact number.
• Quote a hadith only if it is well known and you are sure of it, and name the book (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Never invent one.

Presentation

• Write each heading on a new line and underline it; number the points 1, 2, 3 and leave a line between the parts.
• Underline the key words, names and numbers (for example the names of the prophets and nations, 18 prophets, 7:163) with a pencil or the pen you are using.
• For a 4+4 or 2+2+4 question copy the part labels (a), (b), (c) of the question and answer them in the same order.
• Put the question number exactly as printed (for example Q.3 OR) and write the answers of one question together.
• Write in short, clear sentences, in the language of the paper that you can write best (Urdu or English), and do not mix them within a point.

The board's rules for honorifics and names

The Federal Board has given instructions for the wording of papers and answers. Following them in your answer shows respect and is an easy way to avoid losing marks.

Common mistakes

The map: the 27 topics

Learn first the four topics already set in the model paper (marked). The board often repeats a topic with a new wording, such as asking for the lessons, the benefits or the harms, so learn every topic with its ayah numbers and its guidance points. The ayat shown are the main ones for each topic; the model answer gives the full list.

Introduction

Surah Al-An'am was revealed in Makkah in the late Makki period, when the Quraish denied the Prophet (ﷺ), asked for angels and miracles, and followed the customs of their fathers. The surah answers them with tawhid, risalah and akhirah, and it gives both the beliefs a Muslim must hold and the social rules he must follow. The commands are gathered in 6:151 to 153, and the wrong customs of the polytheists are described in 6:136 to 140. We can answer the question in two halves: (a) the Islamic commands about beliefs and social behaviour, and (b) our attitudes that need reform.

Part (a): The Islamic commands about beliefs and social behaviour

1. Tawhid: Allah alone is the Creator and the Lord (6:1, 6:14, 6:162 to 163)

Allah created the heavens and the earth, the darkness and the light, and it is He who feeds and is not fed. The Prophet (ﷺ) was told to say that his prayer, his sacrifice, his living and his dying are for Allah alone, who has no partner.

2. Risalah: the Prophet (ﷺ) is a human messenger who follows revelation (6:19, 6:50)

The Quran was revealed to warn all people. The Prophet (ﷺ) does not claim to hold Allah's treasures, to know the unseen or to be an angel; he only follows what is revealed to him.

3. The keys of the unseen are with Allah alone (6:59)

No leaf falls and no grain lies in the darkness of the earth without His knowledge. So a believer does not go to fortune-tellers or trust omens.

4. Accountability: every soul answers for itself (6:160, 6:164)

A good deed is rewarded at least ten times, an evil deed only with its like, and no bearer of burdens bears the burden of another.

5. Do not follow the majority or guesses (6:116, 6:153)

Most people on earth follow only assumption and would mislead you from Allah's way. Follow Allah's straight path and not other ways that scatter you.

6. Do not insult what others worship (6:108)

Believers must not abuse those whom others call upon besides Allah, otherwise out of ignorance they will abuse Allah. This is a rule of good manners in da'wah.

7. Kindness to parents and no killing of children (6:151)

Allah commands good treatment of parents, and forbids killing children out of fear of poverty because He provides for parents and children alike.

8. Avoid indecency and unjust killing (6:151)

Do not go near indecency, open or hidden, and do not kill a soul that Allah has made sacred except by right.

9. Honesty and justice in dealings (6:152)

Do not touch the orphan's property except in the best way until he comes of age; give full measure and weight; be just in speech even against a relative; and fulfil Allah's covenant.

Part (b): Our attitudes that need reform

10. Giving shares to others besides Allah and inventing forbidden things (6:136 to 140)

The polytheists set aside a share of crops and cattle for their idols and declared some animals forbidden by their own claim. Today the same attitude appears when people trust charms, omens, shrines or fortune-tellers more than Allah, or make lawful things forbidden by custom.

11. Killing children and neglecting their rights (6:137, 6:140, 6:151)

Allah says that those who killed their children out of foolishness have lost. The same sin is found today in killing the unborn or the newborn, especially girls, from fear of poverty or shame, and in neglecting children's upbringing.

12. Blind following of the crowd and customs (6:116)

We often do something only because everyone does it, or because our elders did it. The Quran tells us to test every custom by Allah's guidance and not by numbers.

13. Cheating, injustice and eating the orphan's property (6:152)

Short weight, false testimony, partiality towards relatives and breaking promises are common in our markets and courts, and 6:152 forbids every one of them.

14. Abuse and rudeness in religious arguments (6:108)

Insulting other groups, sects and their leaders does not call anyone to the truth. It only makes people stubborn and may lead them to insult Allah.

Guidance for us

• Hold the pure belief of tawhid; trust Allah, not charms, omens or fortune-tellers (6:59, 6:162 to 163).
• Test every custom by the Quran and the Sunnah, and do not follow the crowd (6:116, 6:153).
• Respect parents, protect children, and believe that Allah provides the sustenance (6:151).
• Be honest in weight, in witness, in the care of orphans and in promises (6:152).
• Speak politely with people of other beliefs and invite to Islam with good manners (6:108).
• Remember that each of us answers alone for his own deeds (6:164).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a clean mind free of superstition, a peaceful home, trust in the market, justice in society, and respect among other communities.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: a good deed is rewarded at least ten times (6:160), and the one who follows the straight path is saved from the paths that lead away (6:153).
• Harms of neglect: shirk and superstition, injustice, cheating, broken families and hatred between groups in this world.
• In the Hereafter: those who invent lies about Allah and kill their children are among the losers (6:140), and no one can carry another's burden (6:164).

Conclusion

Surah Al-An'am teaches pure tawhid, belief in the Prophet (ﷺ) and in accountability, and it gives the social commands of 6:151 to 153: kindness to parents, protection of children and life, avoiding indecency, honesty and justice. Its description of the polytheists' customs warns us against superstition, blind imitation of the crowd and the killing of children. The way to success is to reform these attitudes and follow Allah's straight path.

Introduction

In Surah Al-An'am (a Makki surah, named after the cattle) the polytheists of Makkah had invented many rules about animals: they gave shares of crops and cattle to their idols, declared some animals forbidden, and ate what was not slaughtered in Allah's name. The surah answers them in 6:118 to 121 and 6:136 to 146. The answer has two halves: (a) the rulings on slaughter, and (b) the lawful and unlawful animals.

Part (a): The rulings on slaughter

1. Eat what Allah's name has been mentioned on (6:118)

If you believe in Allah's verses, eat of the meat over which Allah's name has been mentioned. Saying Allah's name at slaughter is the mark of lawful meat.

2. Allah has explained the forbidden things, except in necessity (6:119)

There is no reason not to eat what Allah's name was mentioned on, because He has already detailed what is forbidden, except what you are compelled to eat. Many people mislead others by their own desires without knowledge.

3. Do not eat what Allah's name was not mentioned on (6:121)

Eating it is fisq, grave disobedience. The devils whisper to their friends to argue with you about this, and if you obey them you become polytheists. So the ruling is not a small matter: it is tied to tawhid.

4. The condition of the slaughter in the Sunnah

The Prophet (ﷺ) said that what makes the blood flow and has Allah's name mentioned on it may be eaten, except with a tooth or a nail (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Allah has also prescribed ihsan in everything: when you slaughter, do it well, sharpen the knife and let the animal rest (Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Shaddad bin Aws (RA)).

Part (b): The lawful and unlawful animals

5. The false rules of the polytheists (6:136 to 139)

They gave Allah a share and their idols a share, though all was created by Allah (6:136). They said some animals and crops were forbidden except for those they chose, and that the backs of some camels were forbidden, and they did not mention Allah's name on some animals (6:138). They kept what was in the bellies of some animals for their males only (6:139). Allah calls all this an invention of lies against Him.

6. Animals are a blessing, so eat of them (6:142)

Among the cattle are those that carry loads and those small ones used for meat and bedding. Eat of what Allah has provided and do not follow the footsteps of Satan, who is a clear enemy.

7. The eight pairs and the challenge to the polytheists (6:143 to 144)

Allah created eight mates: two of sheep, two of goats, two of camels and two of cattle. He asks whether He forbade the males, the females or what the wombs hold, and tells them to prove it with knowledge. No one is more unjust than the one who invents a lie against Allah to mislead people.

8. What is forbidden: four things (6:145)

The Prophet (ﷺ) was told to say that in what was revealed to him he finds only four forbidden foods: (1) a dead animal (maytah), (2) blood poured out, (3) the flesh of swine, which is impure, and (4) what is slaughtered in disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah.

9. The exception of necessity (6:145)

Whoever is forced by necessity, neither desiring it nor exceeding the limit, will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful. So a starving person may eat only as much as saves his life.

10. A stricter law for the Jews as a punishment (6:146)

Allah forbade the Jews every animal with an uncloven hoof and the fat of cattle and sheep (with some exceptions) as a punishment for their injustice. This shows that the extra restrictions were a penalty, and that the law of Islam is easy.

Guidance for us

• Eat only halal meat slaughtered with Allah's name, and avoid meat that is doubtful (6:118, 6:121).
• Never slaughter or vow an animal for anyone other than Allah, such as at a shrine (6:145).
• Do not make anything halal or haram by your own opinion or custom, because only Allah has that right (6:138 to 140).
• Slaughter kindly with a sharp knife and do not hurt the animal (Sahih Muslim).
• Know the limit of necessity: take only what is needed to save life (6:145).
• Be thankful for animals, which carry us and feed us (6:142).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: pure and wholesome food, a healthy body, trust in the market and mercy to animals.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: obedience to Allah's command, freedom from fisq and shirk, and His forgiveness even for the one who was forced by necessity (6:145).
• Harms of neglect: harmful and impure food, darkening of the heart through haram, and false beliefs that spread superstition.
• In the Hereafter: eating what Allah's name was not mentioned on is fisq (6:121), and the one who invents lies about Allah is among the unjust whom Allah does not guide (6:144).

Conclusion

Surah Al-An'am teaches that lawful meat is that over which Allah's name is mentioned, that only four things are named forbidden (dead animal, flowing blood, swine, and what is dedicated to other than Allah), that necessity has a limited exception, and that no one may declare things halal or haram by his own whims. It rejects the polytheists' customs as lies against Allah.

Introduction

Surah Al-A'raf (a Makki surah of the late period) tells the story of Hazrat Adam (AS) and Iblis (7:11 to 25) and then, in 7:26 to 33, addresses all the children of Adam about clothing and adornment. The background is that the pagans of Makkah performed tawaf of the Kaaba without clothes and said that this was Allah's command, and they also forbade some good foods and things for themselves. The Quran corrects both mistakes: clothing is a blessing for modesty and beauty, and Allah's adornment and good provision are not forbidden, but excess and indecency are. The answer fits two halves: (a) clothing, its purpose and the warning against Satan; (b) adornment, food and the limits of Allah.

Part (a): Clothing, its purpose and Satan's plan

1. The first lesson: nakedness came from Satan's trap (7:19 to 22)

Hazrat Adam (AS) and his wife were told not to go near the tree. Satan whispered to them to uncover what was hidden of their private parts, and when they tasted the tree their shame appeared and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. So covering is natural to man, and uncovering is the work of Satan.

2. Clothing is a blessing from Allah (7:26)

Allah says that He has sent down clothing for the children of Adam to cover their private parts and also as adornment. So clothing has two purposes: «سَتْر» (covering) and «زینت» (beauty).

3. The best clothing is the clothing of taqwa (7:26)

The clothing of righteousness, «لِبَاسُ التَّقْوٰى», is better than any outward dress. It means modesty, fear of Allah and good character. Without it, even fine clothes cannot give honour.

4. Beware of Satan's plan to strip you (7:27)

Allah warns the children of Adam not to let Satan tempt them as he removed their parents from Paradise and stripped them of their clothing. He and his tribe see us from where we do not see them, and the devils are friends of those who do not believe.

5. Indecency cannot be justified by custom or by Allah's name (7:28)

When the pagans did an indecent act they said, we found our fathers doing it and Allah ordered it. Allah answers that He never orders indecency, and they should not say about Allah what they do not know.

Part (b): Adornment, food and the limits set by Allah

6. Justice, prayer and sincerity come first (7:29)

Allah has ordered justice, and that you keep your attention on Him at every place of prostration and call on Him sincerely. Dress is meant to serve this worship.

7. Take your adornment at every masjid (7:31)

Every time you go to the masjid or to prayer, wear proper, clean and decent clothes. This ayah came down about the pagans' naked tawaf, as Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated (Sahih Muslim). A Muslim stands before Allah well covered.

8. Eat and drink, but do not be excessive (7:31)

The same ayah allows food and drink and forbids excess. Allah does not love those who go beyond the limit, whether in food, dress or show.

9. Allah's adornment and good provision are not forbidden (7:32)

Who has forbidden the adornment which Allah brought forth for His servants and the good things of provision? They are for the believers in this world, and exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that Allah is beautiful and loves beauty, and that pride is rejecting the truth and looking down on people (Sahih Muslim). So good, clean dress is allowed; pride and show are not.

10. What Allah has really forbidden (7:33)

Allah has forbidden only: indecencies, open and hidden; sin; oppression without right; associating partners with Him without proof; and saying about Allah what you do not know.

Guidance for us

• Dress modestly, covering the private parts, and prefer clothes that are clean and decent, because clothing is a blessing from Allah (7:26).
• Remember that the real dress is taqwa: modesty and good character (7:26).
• Do not follow fashions that lead to indecency, and do not justify them by custom (7:27, 7:28).
• Wear decent clothes for prayer and when entering a masjid (7:31).
• Avoid waste and show in clothes, weddings and food, and avoid pride (7:31).
• Do not make lawful things haram by your own view (7:32).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: respect, a clean and modest society, protection of the family, and a balanced life without waste or hardship.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah's good provision is exclusively for the believers on the Day of Resurrection (7:32), and the clothing of taqwa is the best (7:26).
• Harms of neglect: indecency spreads, shame disappears, the family weakens, and people become slaves of fashion and waste.
• In the Hereafter: Allah does not love those who exceed the limit (7:31), and the friends of Satan follow his path to loss (7:27).

Conclusion

Surah Al-A'raf teaches that clothing is a gift of Allah for covering and beauty, that the best clothing is taqwa, that Satan always tries to strip man of modesty, that adornment and good food are lawful but excess is not, and that Allah has forbidden only indecency, sin, oppression, shirk and speaking about Him without knowledge.

Introduction

The incident of the Sabbath is told in Surah Al-A'raf, 7:163 to 167, in the middle of the account of Bani Israil. The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to ask the Jews about a town by the sea whose people broke the law of the Sabbath. It is a lesson for the Quraish and for the people of the Book: Allah tests a people with temptation, and a nation that plays tricks with His commands is punished. The answer fits two halves: (a) the story, and (b) the teachings.

Part (a): The story of the Sabbath

1. A town by the sea (7:163)

Ask them about the town that was by the sea. It was a town of Bani Israil near the shore; its name is given as Ayla in the common view of the commentators.

2. The command of the Sabbath and its breaking (7:163)

Saturday (the Sabbath) was a day of worship for Bani Israil on which they were forbidden to hunt. The people of the town transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath.

3. The trial: fish came openly on the Sabbath (7:163)

On the day of their Sabbath the fish came to them openly, near the surface, and on the days when they had no Sabbath the fish did not come. Allah tested them in this way because they were defiantly disobedient.

4. The people divided into groups (7:164)

According to the commentators there were three groups: the transgressors who used tricks to catch the fish; the believers who forbade them; and a group who said to the advisors, why do you advise a people whom Allah is going to destroy or punish severely?

5. The answer of the advisors (7:164)

They replied, we advise so that we are free of blame before your Lord, and perhaps they will fear Him. So they continued to warn, for duty's sake and in hope.

6. The punishment of the wrongdoers and the rescue of the advisors (7:165)

When they forgot the reminder, Allah saved those who forbade evil and seized the wrongdoers with a wretched punishment because of their defiance.

7. They were turned into apes (7:166)

When they insolently went on with what they had been forbidden, Allah said to them, be apes, despised.

8. The decree on the Jews (7:167 to 168)

Allah declared that He would send upon them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Your Lord is swift in punishment, but He is also Forgiving and Merciful. He divided them into nations, some righteous and some not, and tested them with good and bad times so that they might return.

Part (b): The teachings of the incident

9. Allah's commands cannot be evaded by tricks

The people tried to keep the form of the Sabbath while taking the fish, and Allah punished them. Changing the name of a sin, or finding a legal-looking way round a command, is still disobedience.

10. Enjoin good and forbid evil, and do not give up hope (7:164 to 165)

The advisors were saved because they did their duty, even though they were not sure the wrongdoers would listen. The one who sees evil and keeps silent, or says it is useless to speak, is wrong.

11. Prosperity can be a trial (7:163, 7:168)

Easy gain from a forbidden thing is a test of faith. A believer stays within Allah's limits even when sin is easy and profitable.

12. Persistent disobedience brings the punishment (7:165 to 166)

The punishment came when they forgot the reminder and kept up the forbidden act. Allah's mercy is wide (7:167) but He is also swift in punishing those who persist.

Guidance for us

• Obey Allah's limits openly and in secret, and do not look for tricks to make the haram look halal, as in some dealings that are interest in disguise (7:163).
• Do the duty of calling to good and forbidding evil with wisdom and kindness, even if people do not listen at once (7:164).
• Do not say, why advise people whom Allah will punish anyway; we advise to free ourselves from blame and in hope of reform (7:164).
• Protect yourself from temptation: when a forbidden gain is easy, remember that it is a trial (7:163).
• Do not be silent about open sin in the society, because the whole community suffers (7:165).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a society where evil is stopped early, honest earnings, trust between people and protection from collective punishment.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah saves those who forbade evil (7:165) and accepts the repentance of the one who returns (7:167).
• Harms of neglect: the spread of evil, loss of Allah's protection and humiliation of the community.
• In the Hereafter: a wretched punishment for the defiant (7:165), and the end of those who became despised (7:166).

Conclusion

The Sabbath incident shows that Allah tests people with the lure of forbidden gain, that those who play tricks with His commands are punished, and that those who warn against evil are saved. A believer obeys Allah's limits in letter and in spirit, and calls others to good, without losing hope.

Introduction

Surah Al-A'raf, a Makki surah of the late period, tells the stories of Hazrat Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut and Shu'aib (AS) in 7:59 to 93, and the story of Hazrat Musa (AS) and Pharaoh in 7:103 to 137. Every prophet called his people with the same words, worship Allah, you have no other god, and every nation answered with pride and denial. The stories were told to warn the Quraish of Makkah, who were doing the same to the Prophet (ﷺ). We can answer the question in two halves: (a) the disliked deeds of these nations, and (b) the consequences that came upon them.

Part (a): The disliked deeds of the past nations

1. Shirk and denial of the prophet: the people of Nuh (7:59 to 63)

Hazrat Nuh (AS) called them to worship Allah alone and warned them of the punishment of a great day. The leaders said, we see you in clear error, and they denied the signs of Allah.

2. Calling the prophet a fool and a liar, and clinging to the fathers' worship: Aad (7:65 to 70)

The disbelieving chiefs of Aad said to Hazrat Hud (AS), we see you in foolishness and think you a liar. They asked, have you come that we should worship Allah alone and leave what our fathers worshipped? They forgot that Allah had made them successors after Nuh's people and increased them in strength (7:69).

3. Arrogance, mocking the believers and killing the she-camel: Thamud (7:73 to 77)

Hazrat Salih (AS) brought a clear sign, the she-camel of Allah, and told them to leave her to graze and not to harm her. The arrogant chiefs mocked the weak believers (7:75 to 76), then they hamstrung the she-camel, defied their Lord's command and dared the prophet to bring what he promised (7:77).

4. Indecency and expelling the pure: the people of Lut (7:80 to 82)

They committed an immorality that no nation before them had done, approaching men with desire instead of women. When Hazrat Lut (AS) warned them they only said, drive them out of your town, they are people who keep themselves pure.

5. Cheating in measure, blocking Allah's path and threatening believers: Madyan (7:85 to 90)

Hazrat Shu'aib (AS) told them to give full measure and weight, not to deprive people of their due, and not to spread corruption. They sat on every road threatening the believers and turning people away from Allah's way, and the arrogant chiefs threatened to expel Shu'aib and his followers unless they returned to their religion (7:88).

6. Heedlessness and feeling safe from Allah's plan: the people of the cities (7:94 to 102)

The cities that denied their messengers felt secure from Allah's punishment, coming by night while they slept or by day while they played (7:97 to 98). They would not believe in what they had denied before, and most of them broke their covenant (7:101 to 102).

7. Oppression, denial of signs and breaking promises: Pharaoh and his people (7:103, 127, 132, 134 to 135)

Pharaoh and his chiefs wronged the signs of Hazrat Musa (AS). They threatened to kill the sons of Bani Israil and keep their women alive (7:127). They said no sign would make them believe (7:132). When the punishment fell they promised to believe and to free Bani Israil, but when it was lifted they broke their word at once (7:134 to 135).

Part (b): Their consequences

8. The flood for the people of Nuh (7:64)

Allah saved Nuh and those with him in the ship and drowned those who denied His signs. They were a blind people.

9. The end of Aad (7:72)

Allah saved Hud and those with him by His mercy and cut off the last of those who denied His signs.

10. The earthquake for Thamud (7:78)

The «الرَّجْفَةُ» (violent earthquake) seized them and they lay fallen in their homes. Hazrat Salih (AS) turned away from them, saying he had conveyed the message and advised them but they did not love those who advise (7:79).

11. The rain of stones for the people of Lut (7:83 to 84)

Allah saved Lut and his family except his wife, who stayed behind with the evildoers, and rained a rain of stones upon the rest. See what was the end of the criminals.

12. The earthquake for Madyan (7:91 to 92)

The earthquake seized them and they lay fallen in their homes, as though they had never lived there. Those who denied Shu'aib were the losers.

13. Signs, then drowning for Pharaoh, and the inheritance of the oppressed (7:130 to 137)

Allah seized Pharaoh's people with years of famine and loss of fruits (7:130), then sent the flood, locusts, lice, frogs and blood as clear signs (7:133). Since they did not learn, He took vengeance and drowned them in the sea (7:136). The people who had been oppressed inherited the lands that Allah had blessed, and what Pharaoh and his people built was destroyed (7:137).

14. The general law: hardship as a warning, and no one safe from Allah's plan (7:94, 7:99)

To every city where a prophet was denied, Allah sent poverty and hardship so that they might humble themselves (7:94). No one feels safe from the plan of Allah except the losing people (7:99).

Summary table of the nations

Guidance for us

• Accept the truth when it comes, and do not reject it out of pride or because our fathers did otherwise (7:70, 7:75).
• Be honest in business, give full measure and weight, and do not spread corruption (7:85).
• Keep away from indecency and do not mock those who try to stay pure (7:80 to 82).
• Do not harm the weak or the signs of Allah, and do not break promises made in hardship once the hardship is over (7:77, 7:135).
• Do not feel safe from Allah's plan; take hardship as a call to return to Him (7:94, 7:99).
• Learn from the ruins and the history of past nations (7:101).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: justice, honest trade, peace, and protection from the disasters that destroy nations.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah saved the believers with every prophet (7:64, 7:72, 7:83), and the patient inherited the land (7:137).
• Harms of neglect: loss of blessings, hardship, internal corruption and finally destruction of the nation.
• In the Hereafter: the deniers are the losers (7:92), and no one is safe except the losers who think themselves safe (7:99).

Conclusion

Surah Al-A'raf shows one pattern in all the nations: the prophet calls to tawhid and justice, the proud leaders deny him and commit shirk, indecency, cheating or oppression, and Allah destroys them while saving the believers. The Quraish and every later people must learn from this and obey before the punishment comes.

Introduction

Surah Yunus is a Makki surah of 109 ayat and 11 rukus. Like all Makki surahs it calls people to tawhid, risalah and the Hereafter. In it Allah describes a common weakness of man: in hardship he cries to Allah, and in ease he forgets Him. The Quran names these wrong attitudes (10:7 to 24) and then gives the cure (10:57 to 58, 10:98, 10:107). Understanding them helps us correct ourselves.

Part 1: The negative attitudes

1. Satisfied with this world and heedless of the meeting with Allah (10:7 to 8)

Those who do not expect to meet Allah are content with worldly life, feel secure in it and ignore the signs of Allah. Their home is the Fire because of what they earned. This forgetfulness of the Hereafter is the root of the other wrong attitudes.

2. Haste and impatience (10:11)

Man is hasty. If Allah gave people the evil they ask for as quickly as He gives the good, their time would have been ended. Allah gives respite, but the heedless take this delay as a licence to carry on in their transgression.

3. Calling on Allah in hardship, forgetting Him in ease (10:12)

When harm touches a person he calls on Allah lying down, sitting or standing. When Allah removes the harm, he walks away as if he had never called. This is the first great weakness of man in hardship and ease: his prayer lasts only as long as his need.

4. Plotting against the signs after mercy (10:21)

When Allah gives people a taste of mercy after a hardship, at once they begin to make plots against His signs. Allah replies that He is swifter in His plan and that His angels record what they plot.

5. Sincere in the storm, unjust after rescue (10:22 to 23)

Allah gives the example of travellers at sea. While the wind is gentle they rejoice. When a storm surrounds them they call on Allah alone and promise to be thankful. When He saves them they at once commit injustice on the earth. Allah warns that this injustice is only against themselves and a short enjoyment of this world.

6. Pride and false security in wealth (10:24)

The life of this world is like rain that grows crops. When the land is green and its owners think they control it, Allah's command comes by night or day and the harvest is as if it had never been. The proud person forgets how quickly ease can end.

7. Blaming others while wronging themselves (10:44)

Allah does not wrong people at all. People wrong themselves by their own choices. A person who suffers because of his own sins should not blame fate or Allah.

Part 2: The Quran's correction

8. Remember the meeting with Allah and live by faith and good deeds (10:9 to 10)

Those who believe and do righteous deeds are guided by their Lord because of their faith, and they will be in the Gardens of Pleasure. Their call there is the praise of Allah. The cure for forgetfulness is to keep the Hereafter in front of us.

9. Only Allah removes harm and gives good (10:107)

If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him. If He intends good for you, none can turn back His bounty. So in hardship we turn only to Him with patience, and in ease we thank Him.

10. Rejoice in the Quran, not in wealth (10:57 to 58)

The Quran is advice from the Lord, a healing for what is in the hearts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers. People should rejoice in Allah's bounty and mercy, which is better than all they collect. This corrects the pride and heedlessness shown in ease.

11. The example of the people of Yunus (AS): return in time (10:98)

Among past towns only the people of Hazrat Yunus (AS) benefited from their faith. When they believed, Allah removed the punishment of disgrace and gave them enjoyment for a time. The lesson is that turning back to Allah in time saves a person and a nation.

Guidance for us

• Keep the Hereafter in mind in every condition. Do not be satisfied with the world alone (10:7 to 8).
• Do not remember Allah only in trouble. Keep prayer, dua and thanks regular in ease also (10:12).
• After recovery from illness, escape from an accident or success in an exam, thank Allah by obeying Him, not by injustice (10:22 to 23).
• Do not be proud of wealth, position or technology. They can be taken away in a moment (10:24).
• Hold on to the Quran as a healing and guidance, and rejoice in it more than in worldly gains (10:57 to 58).
• Turn back to Allah in time with repentance, as the people of Yunus (AS) did (10:98).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a steady, thankful and humble character, calm in trouble and not arrogant in ease, and relief from the punishments that fall on proud nations.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: guidance from the Lord, Gardens of Pleasure and the greeting of peace (10:9 to 10).
• Harms of neglect: loss of Allah's help in hardship, growing arrogance, the ruin of wealth that is taken away (10:24) and the Fire as the home of the heedless (10:7 to 8).

Conclusion

Surah Yunus shows that man cries out in hardship and forgets in ease, plots against the signs after mercy, and is proud of his gains. The cure is to remember the Hereafter, to know that only Allah removes harm and gives good, to rejoice in the Quran and to return to Allah in time, as the people of Yunus (AS) did.

Introduction

Surah Yunus was revealed in Makkah at a time when the Quraish said that Muhammad (ﷺ) was a magician and that the Quran was his own invention. The surah opens with the verses of the wise Book (10:1) and goes on to answer these charges again and again: their wonder that a man was chosen (10:2), their request to change the Quran (10:15), the claim that he invented it (10:38) and their demand for signs (10:20). The answers show the truth of the Prophet (ﷺ) and of the Quran.

Part 1: The truth of the Prophet (ﷺ), the Final Prophet

1. A man from among them, sent to warn and give good news (10:2)

The disbelievers were amazed that Allah sent revelation to a man from among them, and they called him a magician. But Allah's way is to send a human messenger, to warn mankind and to give the believers the good news of a high rank with their Lord.

2. His whole life among them is the proof (10:16)

The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to say that he lived a lifetime among them before the Quran came. They knew his truthfulness and trustworthiness, so how could he suddenly invent a lie against Allah? Will they not use their reason?

3. He only follows revelation and cannot change it (10:15)

When the disbelievers asked for another Quran or for changes in it, the Prophet (ﷺ) answered that he cannot change it of his own accord. He only follows what is revealed and fears the punishment of a great Day if he disobeys. A false claimant would have accepted such offers.

4. Signs are not his to bring: the unseen belongs to Allah (10:20)

They said, why is no sign sent down to him? The answer is that the unseen belongs to Allah alone, so wait, I am waiting with you. The Prophet (ﷺ) claims no power of his own.

5. A messenger for every nation, and the Final Prophet (10:47)

Every nation has a messenger, and when he comes judgement is made between them in justice. The Prophet (ﷺ) is the last of this chain: Allah says in Surah Al-Ahzab that he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets (33:40). His message is therefore for all mankind until the Last Day.

Part 2: The truth of the Quran

6. The verses of the wise Book (10:1)

The surah begins with the claim that these are the verses of the wise Book. The Quran is full of wisdom in its laws, its stories and its arguments.

7. It cannot come from anyone but Allah (10:37)

The Quran could not have been made by anyone other than Allah. It confirms the earlier scriptures, explains the Book in detail and there is no doubt in it, because it is from the Lord of the worlds.

8. The open challenge: bring a surah like it (10:38)

If they say that the Prophet (ﷺ) invented it, let them bring one surah like it and call whomever they can besides Allah for help, if they are truthful. In spite of their great eloquence, the Arabs could not do it. This challenge stands to this day.

9. Denial comes from ignorance and the end of the deniers (10:39 to 41)

They deny what they have not understood with knowledge, as the nations before them did. Look at the end of the wrongdoers. Some believe in it and some do not. The Prophet (ﷺ) then says: for me my deeds, for you your deeds.

10. The Quran is advice, healing, guidance and mercy (10:57)

It is advice from the Lord, a healing for what is in the hearts, and a guidance and mercy for the believers. It heals the diseases of the heart such as doubt, pride and greed.

11. The People of the Book can confirm it, and the truth has come (10:94, 108 to 109)

Allah says that those who have read the earlier Scripture can be asked, for the truth has come from the Lord. Whoever takes the guidance benefits his own soul and whoever goes astray harms himself. The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to follow the revelation and be patient until Allah judges.

Guidance for us

• Believe in the Prophet (ﷺ) as the last prophet and follow his Sunnah. No other prophet will come after him (33:40).
• Read the Quran with understanding, because it is a healing and guidance for the heart (10:57).
• Do not change or add to the religion to please people. The Prophet (ﷺ) himself could not change the Quran (10:15).
• Look at the life of the Prophet (ﷺ) as our model of truthfulness and trust (10:16).
• Answer doubts about Islam with knowledge and reason, and leave the result to Allah (10:108 to 109).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a firm faith, peace of heart from the Quran, unity on one book and one Prophet (ﷺ), and protection from false claimants.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: a high rank with the Lord for the believers (10:2), mercy and guidance (10:57).
• Harms of neglect: doubt and misguidance, following assumptions that cannot replace the truth (10:36), and the end of the wrongdoers (10:39).

Conclusion

Surah Yunus proves the Prophet (ﷺ) true by his lifetime of honesty among them, by his refusal to change the revelation and by his message for all nations as the last prophet. It proves the Quran true by its challenge, by its confirmation of earlier scriptures and by its power to heal and guide. Whoever follows them benefits himself.

Introduction

Surah Hud is a Makki surah of 123 ayat and 10 rukus, revealed in the hard late Makki years. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that Hud and its sister surahs had made him grey (Tirmidhi). The surah tells, in order, the stories of Hazrat Nuh, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, Shu'aib and Musa (AS) (11:25 to 99). The same message is repeated: worship Allah alone, and those who deny are destroyed. These stories comfort the Prophet (ﷺ) and warn the Quraish.

Part 1: Nuh, Hud, Salih and Ibrahim (AS)

1. Hazrat Nuh (AS) and his people (11:25 to 49)

He was sent to his people as a clear warner to worship Allah alone. The chiefs called him a man like themselves and mocked his poor followers. He built the ark at Allah's command, the flood came, the believers were saved and his disobedient son drowned. The ark rested on Mount Judi.

2. Hazrat Hud (AS) and the people of Aad (11:50 to 60)

Hud was their brother. He called them to worship Allah alone, asked no reward, and told them to seek forgiveness and repent so that Allah would send rain and add strength to their strength. They said he had brought no clear proof and that they would not leave their gods. He answered that he relied on Allah. Allah saved Hud and the believers, and Aad was cursed in this world and on the Day of Resurrection.

3. Hazrat Salih (AS) and Thamud (11:61 to 68)

Salih called Thamud to worship Allah, who had made them from the earth and settled them in it. The she-camel of Allah was a sign for them and they were told not to harm her. They hamstrung her, so he gave them three days. Then a mighty blast seized them and they lay dead in their homes. Allah saved Salih and the believers.

4. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and the angels (11:69 to 76)

Angels came to Ibrahim with good news and he quickly brought a roasted calf. When they did not eat he felt afraid, but they said that they were sent to the people of Lut. His wife laughed, and they gave her the good news of Ishaq and after him Yaqub. Ibrahim was gentle and returned to Allah, and he pleaded for the people of Lut, but the command had come.

Part 2: Lut, Shu'aib and Musa (AS), and the common pattern

5. Hazrat Lut (AS) and his people (11:77 to 83)

His people were already doing evil deeds and came hurrying to his guests. Lut asked them to fear Allah and not to disgrace him before his guests. The angels told him to leave at night with his family, except his wife. Then the town was turned upside down and stones of baked clay rained on it.

6. Hazrat Shu'aib (AS) and Madyan (11:84 to 95)

Shu'aib called Madyan to worship Allah and forbade them to give short measure and weight. He told them to deal justly and not to spread corruption. They mocked his prayer and said they would stone him if not for his family. A mighty blast seized them and Allah saved Shu'aib and the believers.

7. Hazrat Musa (AS) and Pharaoh (11:96 to 99)

Musa was sent with Allah's signs and clear authority to Pharaoh and his chiefs. They followed the command of Pharaoh, which was not right guidance. On the Day of Resurrection Pharaoh will lead his people into the Fire, and a curse follows them in this world and the next.

8. The common pattern and the lesson (11:100 to 102, 120)

Every prophet called to tawhid, asked no reward and was denied by the proud chiefs. Each nation was destroyed for its own wrongdoing and its false gods did not help it. Allah says that this is the news of the towns, some still standing and some mowed down, and that such is His grip. He tells the Prophet (ﷺ) that the stories make his heart firm and are a reminder for the believers.

Summary table

Guidance for us

• Hold on to tawhid. Every prophet began with the call to worship Allah alone (11:50, 61, 84).
• Be honest in trade: do not give short measure and weight, as the people of Madyan did (11:84 to 85).
• Avoid indecency and the sins of the people of Lut, and respect your guests (11:77 to 83).
• Do not follow proud and unjust leaders blindly, as the people of Pharaoh did (11:97 to 99).
• Take lessons from the ruins of past nations and repent in time (11:52, 100 to 102).
• Stand firm on the truth despite mockery, as Hud, Salih and Shu'aib (AS) did.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: justice in dealings, a clean society, rain and strength for those who seek forgiveness (11:52).
• Benefits in the Hereafter: salvation with the prophets and the believers whom Allah saved by His mercy (11:58, 66, 94).
• Harms of neglect: destruction in this world, a curse that follows the wrongdoers and the Fire on the Day of Resurrection (11:60, 68, 98 to 99).

Conclusion

Surah Hud introduces the earlier prophets in order. Each came with the same call to worship Allah alone, each was denied by proud leaders, and each nation met its end for its wrongdoing while Allah saved His prophet and the believers. The surah closes the stories by saying they strengthen the heart of the Prophet (ﷺ) and are a reminder for the believers (11:120).

Introduction

Surah Hud is a Makki surah revealed in the hard last years in Makkah, when the Quraish were denying the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that Hud and its sister surahs had made him grey (Tirmidhi). Its longest story is that of Hazrat Nuh (AS), the first of the messengers named in it (11:25 to 49). It comforts the Prophet (ﷺ) that earlier prophets met the same denial and teaches the believers patience, faith and trust in Allah.

Part 1: The story of Hazrat Nuh (AS)

1. The call to tawhid (11:25 to 26)

Allah sent Nuh (AS) to his people as a clear warner. His message was that they should worship none but Allah, and he feared for them the punishment of a painful day.

2. The objections of the chiefs (11:27)

The disbelieving chiefs said: you are only a man like us, only the lowest among us follow you, you have no superiority over us, and we think you are liars. They judged the truth by wealth and rank.

3. The replies of Nuh (AS) (11:28 to 31)

He said that he stood on a clear proof from his Lord, that he asked no wealth, and that his reward was with Allah. He would not drive away the believers, because they would meet their Lord. He did not claim the treasures of Allah, the knowledge of the unseen or to be an angel, and he did not say that Allah would give no good to those whom they looked down on.

4. The challenge and the answer (11:32 to 34)

After long arguing, they told him to bring the punishment he threatened. He replied that only Allah would bring it, if He willed, and that they could not escape. His own advice would not help them if Allah wished to leave them in error.

5. The order to build the ark and the mockery (11:36 to 39)

Allah told Nuh (AS) that no more of his people would believe, so he should not grieve, and he should build the ship under Allah's eyes and revelation. Whenever the chiefs passed by they mocked him. He answered that they would soon know on whom a disgracing punishment would fall.

6. The flood and the ark (11:40 to 41)

When Allah's command came, the oven overflowed. Nuh (AS) was told to load a pair of every kind, his family (except those against whom the word had gone out) and the believers, who were few. He said: board it, in the name of Allah is its sailing and its anchoring.

7. The son who refused (11:42 to 43)

The ship sailed through waves like mountains. Nuh (AS) called his son, who stood apart, to come aboard. The son said that he would take refuge on a mountain. Nuh (AS) said that there is no protector today from Allah's decree except the one He has mercy on. A wave came between them and the son was drowned.

8. The end of the flood and the ark on Al-Judi (11:44)

Allah ordered the earth to swallow its water and the sky to stop. The water went down, the matter was finished and the ship rested on Mount Judi. It was said: away with the wrongdoing people.

9. The prayer for the son and Allah's answer (11:45 to 47)

Nuh (AS) called on his Lord that his son was of his family and that Allah's promise is true. Allah said that he was not of his family, because his deeds were not righteous, and told him not to ask what he had no knowledge of. Nuh (AS) at once sought refuge in Allah and asked for forgiveness and mercy.

10. Landing in peace and the closing words (11:48 to 49)

Nuh (AS) was told to come down in peace and with blessings from Allah, on him and on the nations from those with him. The Prophet (ﷺ) is told that this is news of the unseen which neither he nor his people knew, so he should be patient, for the good end is for the God-fearing.

Part 2: The teachings drawn from the story

1. Tawhid is the core of every prophet's message (11:25 to 26)

Hazrat Nuh (AS) began, like every prophet, with the call to worship Allah alone.

2. Truth is not measured by wealth and rank (11:27 to 31)

The proud chiefs rejected the truth because its followers were poor, but Nuh (AS) did not drive them away. The believers are valuable to Allah because of their faith.

3. A caller to Allah works without worldly reward (11:29)

Nuh (AS) asked for no wealth. The da'wah of Islam is done for Allah's pleasure, and its reward is with Him.

4. Guidance and punishment are in Allah's hands (11:33 to 34)

The prophet conveys the message, but guiding hearts is Allah's work. We should do our duty and leave the result to Him.

5. Obey Allah and stay patient despite mockery (11:36 to 39)

Nuh (AS) went on building the ship on dry land while his people laughed. A believer obeys the command of Allah even when others mock him.

6. Salvation is by faith and good deeds, not by family ties (11:42 to 46)

The son of a prophet drowned because he did not believe, while strangers who believed were saved. Allah said that the son was not of his family because his deeds were not righteous.

7. Do not ask without knowledge; turn back to Allah quickly (11:46 to 47)

Even a great prophet was advised not to ask for what he did not know. When he understood, he sought refuge and forgiveness at once. This is the way of humility and repentance.

8. The good end is for the God-fearing (11:48 to 49)

Allah gave Nuh (AS) and the believers peace and blessings, and the wrongdoers were destroyed. Patience and taqwa lead to success.

Guidance for us

• Give da'wah with patience and gentleness, and do not despise the poor and weak believers (11:29 to 31).
• Do not judge the truth by the wealth or fame of those who hold it.
• Obey Allah's command even if people laugh at us, and keep working for the good with trust in Him (11:38).
• Do not depend on family name or relations for success in the Hereafter. Everyone needs his own faith and deeds (11:46).
• Take care of our children's faith and character, and pray for them with knowledge and humility (11:45 to 47).
• Begin every journey and work in the name of Allah (11:41).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: patience and firmness in da'wah, a society that respects the weak, and peace in the home through the right upbringing of children.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: salvation like the ark's people, and peace and blessings from Allah (11:48).
• Harms of neglect: pride and denial lead to destruction as the flood destroyed Nuh's people (11:43, 44), and relying on family or wealth instead of faith leaves a person without a protector from Allah's command (11:43).

Conclusion

The story of Hazrat Nuh (AS) shows a prophet who called to tawhid, bore the mockery of proud leaders, built the ark in obedience, saw the flood destroy the disbelievers and learned humility in his prayer for his son. It teaches us that salvation depends on faith and good deeds, that guidance is in Allah's hands, and that the good end is for the God-fearing (11:49).

Introduction

Surah Ar-Ra'd is named after the thunder, which glorifies Allah (13:13). It is a Makki surah in the common view, with 43 ayat and 6 rukus, and some scholars count it Madani. After the signs of Allah's power in the sky and the earth, it gives the example of truth and falsehood (13:17) and then describes the people of understanding (13:19 to 24). They are those who take heed from the Quran, and Allah describes them by a series of qualities that lead to the Gardens of Eden.

Part 1: The qualities of the people of understanding

1. They tell truth from falsehood and take heed (13:17, 19)

Allah gives the example of foam: it vanishes, while what benefits people stays on the earth. So truth stays and falsehood goes. The one who knows that what was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) is the truth is not like the blind. Only the people of understanding take heed.

2. They fulfil the covenant of Allah (13:20)

They keep the covenant they made with Allah, which includes the covenant of faith and obedience, and they are true to the duties of their religion.

3. They do not break their pledges (13:20)

They do not break the agreements they make after confirming them. A person of understanding is true to his word and his trust.

4. They join what Allah ordered to be joined (13:21)

They keep family ties and the rights of relatives, neighbours and the community. Cutting these ties is condemned later in the same passage (13:25).

5. They fear their Lord and the hard reckoning (13:21)

They fear Allah in private and in public and they fear the terrible reckoning of the Day of Judgement. This fear keeps them from sin.

6. They are patient, seeking the face of their Lord (13:22)

Their patience is for Allah's pleasure, not for show. They bear hardship, stay away from sin and keep up obedience.

7. They establish prayer (13:22)

They keep prayer alive on time and in the right way. Prayer ties the servant to Allah.

8. They spend secretly and openly (13:22)

They spend from what Allah gave them, in secret to avoid show and openly to encourage others, as the occasion requires.

9. They repel evil with good (13:22)

When wronged, they answer with forgiveness, kindness and good manners, not with revenge.

Part 2: Their reward and the contrast

10. The good end of the home: Gardens of Eden (13:22 to 23)

For them is the good end of the home, Gardens of perpetual residence. They will enter them together with the righteous among their fathers, spouses and children.

11. The greeting of the angels (13:23 to 24)

The angels will enter from every gate saying: peace be upon you for your patience. How excellent is the final home.

12. The contrast: those who break the covenant (13:25)

Those who break Allah's covenant, cut what He ordered to be joined and spread corruption on the earth have the curse and the worst home.

13. Peace of heart in the remembrance of Allah (13:28)

The believers' hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. This is a quality and a blessing of the people of understanding in this world.

Guidance for us

• Keep our promises and agreements, in business, in the home and with Allah (13:20).
• Visit relatives, respect parents and neighbours, and avoid quarrels that cut ties (13:21).
• Be patient in difficulty and keep the five daily prayers on time (13:22).
• Give zakat and charity, privately to protect the receiver's honour and openly when it encourages others (13:22).
• Answer rudeness with good manners, and remember Allah to find peace of heart in a restless age (13:22, 28).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: trust and honour in society, strong family ties, a peaceful heart (13:28) and a community without hatred.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: the good end of the home, Gardens of Eden with the righteous family and the greeting of the angels (13:22 to 24).
• Harms of neglect: breaking pledges and cutting ties bring the curse and the worst home (13:25), and a life without the remembrance of Allah is restless.

Conclusion

The people of understanding in Surah Ar-Ra'd are those who know the truth, keep their covenant with Allah and with people, join the ties of kinship, fear their Lord and the reckoning, are patient, pray, spend secretly and openly and answer evil with good. Their reward is the Gardens of Eden with their families and the greeting of the angels, while those who break the covenant have the curse and the worst home.

Introduction

Surah Ibrahim is a Makki surah. Its main theme is that the messengers of Allah brought people out of darkness into light, and that the nations answered them with doubt, mockery and threats. In 14:9 to 17 Allah reports the conversation between the earlier messengers and their nations, and before it, in 14:5 to 8, the words of Hazrat Musa (AS) to his people. These dialogues also answered the Quraish of Makkah, who were saying the same things to the Prophet (ﷺ), and they comforted him and the believers.

The dialogues in the order of the surah

Part 1: The call, the objections and the replies (points 1 to 5)

1. Hazrat Musa (AS) and his people: be grateful (14:5 to 8)

Hazrat Musa (AS) was sent with signs to bring his people out of darkness into light. He told them to remember Allah's favour when He saved them from Pharaoh's people (14:6). He reminded them of Allah's promise: if you are grateful, I will increase you, and if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe (14:7). He added that even if everyone on earth disbelieved, Allah is free of need and worthy of praise (14:8).

2. The nations reject and doubt (14:9)

Allah reminds us of the people of Nuh, Aad, Thamud and many nations after them whose number only Allah knows. Their messengers brought clear proofs, but they put their hands to their mouths in rejection and said: we disbelieve in what you were sent with, and we are in disturbing doubt about what you call us to.

3. The messengers' reply: can there be doubt about Allah? (14:10)

The messengers answered gently with reason: can there be doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you so that He may forgive your sins and give you respite until an appointed time. Their call was for the people's own good.

4. The second objection: you are only men like us (14:10)

The nations said: you are only men like us, you want to turn us away from what our fathers worshipped, so bring us a clear proof. Their objections were that a messenger cannot be a human being, that the religion of the ancestors must not be left, and a demand for miracles.

5. The reply: men indeed, but Allah favours whom He wills (14:11)

The messengers admitted they were men like them, but said that Allah gives His favour (prophethood) to whom He wills among His servants, and that they cannot bring any proof except by Allah's permission. They ended with the rule that the believers should rely only on Allah.

Part 2: Reliance, threats and the end (points 6 to 9)

6. Reliance and patience (14:12)

The messengers said: why should we not rely on Allah when He has guided us to our ways? We will surely bear patiently any harm you do to us, and those who rely should rely only on Allah.

7. The threat: leave our land or return to our religion (14:13)

When arguments failed, the disbelievers used force and said: we will surely drive you out of our land unless you return to our religion. This is the usual answer of a nation that has no reply to the truth.

8. Allah's answer: the wrongdoers will be destroyed (14:13 to 14)

Their Lord revealed to the messengers that He would surely destroy the wrongdoers and settle the messengers and believers in the land after them. This promise is for the one who fears standing before Allah and fears His warning.

9. The end of the stubborn (14:15 to 17)

The messengers asked Allah for a decision, and every obstinate tyrant failed. Ahead of him is Hell, where he is given pus-like water to drink, which he can hardly swallow. Death comes at him from every side, yet he does not die (14:15 to 17).

Guidance for us

• Invite to the truth with reason and gentleness, as the messengers did, and do not answer rudeness with rudeness (14:10).
• Do not reject the truth only because the speaker is an ordinary person like us or because it is against the custom of our elders (14:10).
• Rely on Allah alone and stay patient when people trouble us for our faith (14:11 to 12).
• Do not give up our religion because of threats, pressure or fear of losing a place (14:13).
• Be grateful for Allah's favours, because thankfulness brings increase (14:7).
• Keep Allah's standing and warning in mind, because the promise of success is for the one who fears Him (14:14).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: forgiveness of sins and respite (14:10), an increase in blessings (14:7), strength of heart through reliance (14:12), and a settled life in the land after the wrongdoers (14:14).
• Harms: doubt and stubbornness end in destruction (14:13), failure of every obstinate tyrant (14:15), and the punishment of Hell with pus-like water (14:16 to 17).

Conclusion

The dialogues show one pattern in every age: the messengers call with proof and gentleness, the nations answer with doubt, the argument that a prophet is only a man, the custom of the fathers and then threats. The messengers answer with reason, reliance and patience, and Allah answers with the destruction of the wrongdoers and the inheritance of the land for the believers. The same pattern is a lesson for us today.

Introduction

Surah Ibrahim is named after Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), because in its sixth ruku (14:35 to 41) his prayers are recorded. He prayed these words when he had settled his wife Hajar and his infant son Ismail (AS) in the barren valley of Makkah, near the place where the Kaaba stands (Sahih Bukhari). Allah mentions them to the Quraish, who were proud to be his children yet were worshipping idols, and to all believers as a model of prayer.

The prayers of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and the lesson of each

Part 1: The prayers (points 1 to 7)

1. Make this city safe (14:35)

He first asked for peace and security for Makkah, because worship and settled life are not possible without safety. Lesson: peace and security come before everything else, so we should pray for the safety of our own city and country.

2. Keep me and my sons away from idol worship (14:35 to 36)

The great prophet, who had broken the idols, still feared shirk for himself and his sons, because idols had led many people astray (14:36). Lesson: no one is safe from shirk by his own strength, so we must ask Allah for steadfast faith for ourselves and our children.

3. Whoever follows me is of me; You are Forgiving and Merciful (14:36)

He said that whoever follows him is of him, and whoever disobeys him, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Even for the disobedient he left the door of mercy open. Lesson: our real relation is the relation of faith and obedience, and a caller to Allah must be kind and hopeful for people.

4. They settled by the Sacred House to establish prayer (14:37)

He explained to Allah that he had settled some of his children in an uncultivated valley near His Sacred House so that they may establish prayer. Then he asked that people's hearts incline towards them and that they be given fruits as provision, so that they be grateful. Lesson: the purpose of life is prayer, and a home should be chosen and a family raised with that purpose. We must seek the means of living by lawful effort and ask Allah for them.

5. Acknowledging that Allah knows all (14:38)

He said that Allah knows what we hide and what we show, and nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from Him. Lesson: prayer is made with full trust that Allah knows our need even before we speak it.

6. Praise for Ismail and Ishaq in old age (14:39)

He praised Allah who gave him Ismail and Ishaq in old age, and said that his Lord surely hears prayer. Lesson: begin a prayer with praise and thanks, and remember that Allah gives even when the means seem to have ended.

7. Establishers of prayer, and forgiveness for all (14:40 to 41)

He asked Allah to make him and his children establishers of prayer and to accept his prayer. He ended by asking forgiveness for himself, his parents and all the believers on the Day when the account is established. Lesson: prayer is the most important duty, and a believer remembers his parents and the whole Muslim community in his prayers. (Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) prayed for his parents hoping they would believe, but when it became clear that his father was an enemy of Allah he disowned him, 9:114. We pray for forgiveness only for believing parents.)

Guidance for us

• Pray for the peace and safety of our country and the Muslim world (14:35).
• Ask Allah for firm faith, and fear shirk and hidden shirk even if we are pious (14:35 to 36).
• Raise our children so that they establish prayer, and ask Allah for their guidance and lawful provision (14:37, 14:40).
• Begin prayer with praise and thanks, and trust that Allah hears every prayer (14:39).
• Remember our parents and all believers in our prayers, and keep our hearts free of hatred (14:41).
• Prepare for the Day of Account, because the best prayer is the one that asks for forgiveness on that Day (14:41).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: Makkah became a place of peace, hearts of the world turn to it, and fruits and provision reach it from everywhere, which shows that Ibrahim's (AS) prayers were accepted (14:35, 37). A believer who prays like him gains steadfast faith, a righteous family and forgiveness.
• Harms: whoever neglects prayer and dua depends on himself, his children may drift into shirk and wrong ways, and he stands unprepared on the Day of Account.

Conclusion

The prayers of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) cover peace for the land, safety from shirk, a family that establishes prayer, lawful provision, thanks to Allah and forgiveness on the Day of Account. They teach us what to ask for and how to ask: with praise, humility and trust in Allah, who hears every prayer.

Introduction

Surah Ibrahim was revealed in Makkah, when the Quraish were hurting the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers, and thought their power would last. In many places the surah describes what happens to the wrongdoers (the disbelievers, the arrogant and those who hinder people from Allah's way). It warns that Allah may delay them, but He is never unaware of what they do (14:42). Their end is shown in two parts: what happens in this world, and the terrible scenes of the Hereafter.

The end of the wrongdoers

Part 1: In this world (points 1 to 4)

1. Woe to the disbelievers (14:2 to 3)

Woe to the disbelievers from a severe punishment. They are the ones who love this world more than the Hereafter, turn people away from Allah's way and try to make it crooked. Allah says they are far in error.

2. Destruction of the wrongdoers and the failure of the tyrants (14:13 to 15)

When the disbelievers threatened to expel their messengers, Allah promised to destroy the wrongdoers and settle the believers in the land after them (14:13 to 14). Every obstinate tyrant failed (14:15). Aad, Thamud and the people of Nuh are named as nations that were destroyed (14:9).

3. Their deeds are like ashes (14:18)

The deeds of those who disbelieve in their Lord are like ashes which the wind blows away on a stormy day. They have no power over anything they earned. This is extreme error. Their good deeds, without faith, bring no lasting result.

4. The bad word is an uprooted tree; the favour is exchanged for ruin (14:26 to 29)

The example of a bad word, falsehood and disbelief, is a bad tree uprooted from the surface of the earth with no stability (14:26). Allah keeps the believers firm with the firm word in this world and the Hereafter, and leaves the wrongdoers astray (14:27). Those who exchanged Allah's favour for disbelief and brought their people to the home of ruin, which is Hell, will burn in it, and what a bad place to settle (14:28 to 29).

Part 2: In the Hereafter (points 5 to 9)

5. Hell, pus-like water and a death that does not come (14:16 to 17)

Hell is ahead of the stubborn tyrant. He is given pus-like water, which he can hardly swallow. Death comes to him from every side, but he does not die, and a severe punishment is still ahead.

6. No escape: the weak and the arrogant (14:21)

All will stand before Allah. The weak will say to the arrogant: we were your followers, can you save us from some of Allah's punishment? They will answer that they too could not save themselves, and that there is no way of escape. Lesson: blind following of leaders gives no excuse.

7. Satan disowns his followers (14:22)

When the matter is decided, Satan will say: Allah promised you the truth and I promised you and failed. I had no power over you, only that I called you and you answered. So do not blame me, blame yourselves. Nobody can help another, and I reject that you made me a partner with Allah. Lesson: Satan only invites; the responsibility is ours.

8. Allah is not unaware; the delay is for a terrible Day (14:42 to 46)

Do not think Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare in horror; they rush forward with heads raised and hearts empty (14:42 to 43). Then they will ask for a short delay to obey the messengers, but they will be told that they had sworn they would never perish, and that they lived in the homes of those who had wronged themselves and saw how Allah dealt with them (14:44 to 45). Their plotting is known to Allah (14:46).

9. Chains, pitch and fire; the recompense for every soul (14:47 to 52)

Allah never fails His promise to His messengers. On that Day the earth and the heavens will be changed and all creatures will stand before Allah, the One, the Overpowering (14:47 to 48). The criminals will be bound together in chains, their clothes of pitch, and their faces covered by fire (14:49 to 50), so that Allah may repay every soul for what it earned. He is swift in reckoning (14:51). This Quran is a message for people, so that they are warned and understand that Allah is One (14:52).

Guidance for us

• Never think a wrongdoer is safe because he is free and powerful today; Allah is delaying him, not forgetting him (14:42).
• Do not wrong anyone, and do not help the wrongdoers, hinder people from the path of Allah, or prefer the world to the Hereafter (14:2 to 3).
• Do not follow leaders, fashions or customs blindly, because on the Day of Judgement neither the leader nor Satan will save us (14:21 to 22).
• Take lessons from the ruins and history of earlier nations (14:45).
• Repent before the chance ends, because the Day of Judgement will not accept a request for a delay (14:44).
• Hold on to the good word, faith, which Allah keeps firm in this world and the Hereafter (14:27).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: a society that avoids oppression lives in peace; the believer is kept firm by Allah (14:27), is saved from Hell, and enters Gardens where the greeting is peace (14:23).
• Harms: destruction in this world (14:13), deeds that come to nothing (14:18), and in the Hereafter pus-like water, chains and fire (14:16 to 17, 49 to 50).

Conclusion

Surah Ibrahim shows that the wrongdoers are never really safe. In this world they are destroyed, their deeds are lost like ashes and their false words are uprooted like a bad tree. In the Hereafter they face Hell, chains and fire, and no leader or Satan can help them. Allah delays but never forgets, so a wise person repents, does good and stays firm on faith.

Introduction

Surah Al-Hijr is a Makki surah of the middle period. The disbelievers of Makkah mocked the Prophet (ﷺ) and said that even if a gate of the sky were opened for them they would say they were bewitched (15:14 to 15). In reply, the surah points to the signs of Allah's power in the sky, the earth, the winds, the rain, life and death (15:16 to 25), and then to the creation of man and the story of Adam and Iblis (15:26 to 44). The signs are there for everyone who thinks.

The creation and the signs of Allah's power

Part 1: The signs in the sky and the earth (points 1 to 6)

1. The sky decorated with great stars (15:16)

Allah placed great stars (constellations) in the sky and made them beautiful for those who look. The sky is a sign of His power and a decoration for the observer.

2. The sky is protected (15:17 to 18)

He protected it from every rejected devil, except one who steals a hearing and is followed by a clear flame. Revelation and the news of the heavens are guarded from the devils.

3. The earth spread out, mountains and balanced growth (15:19)

Allah spread out the earth, placed firm mountains in it, and caused everything to grow in it in a measured and balanced way.

4. Means of living for you and for those you do not feed (15:20)

He made in the earth means of living for human beings and for creatures whose provision you do not provide. Allah is the real provider of all.

5. Treasures with Allah, sent down in a known measure (15:21)

There is nothing whose treasures are not with Allah, and He sends it down only in a known measure. Everything in the universe runs according to His plan.

6. The fertilising winds, the rain, life and death (15:22 to 25)

Allah sends the winds that fertilise, sends down water from the sky, and gives it to you to drink. You are not its keepers (15:22). It is He who gives life and death, and He is the inheritor of everything (15:23). He knows those who came before and those who will come, and He will gather them all (15:24 to 25).

Part 2: The creation of man and the purpose of creation (points 7 to 10)

7. Man created from clay of altered black mud; the jinn from fire (15:26 to 27)

Allah created man from clay taken from altered black mud (15:26), and created the jinn before him from the fire of a scorching wind (15:27). Man should remember his humble origin and not be proud.

8. The spirit breathed into Adam and the prostration of the angels (15:28 to 30)

Allah told the angels He would create a human from clay, and when He had shaped him and breathed into him of His spirit they should fall down in prostration to him. All the angels prostrated (15:28 to 30). This honour shows the high place of man.

9. Iblis refused out of pride (15:31 to 44)

Iblis refused to prostrate, saying he would never bow to a human created from clay (15:31 to 33). Allah expelled him and cursed him until the Day of Recompense (15:34 to 35). He asked for respite until the Day of Resurrection and got it (15:36 to 38), and promised to make evil attractive and mislead people, except Allah's chosen servants (15:39 to 40). Allah said he has no power over His servants, except the deviators who follow him, and Hell is the promised place for them all (15:42 to 44).

10. The universe is created in truth, and the Hour is coming (15:85)

Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth (with a purpose), and the Hour is surely coming. So the Prophet (ﷺ) is told to forgive the disbelievers with a gracious forgiveness. Allah is the Knowing Creator (15:85 to 86).

Guidance for us

• Look at the sky, the earth, the rain and the plants and think; every sign points to one Creator (15:16 to 22).
• Believe that Allah is the real provider, and seek lawful provision without fear of poverty (15:20 to 21).
• Use water, land and other resources in a measured way, because Allah sends everything down in a known measure and we are not their keepers (15:21 to 22).
• Do not be proud: man is made from clay, and pride destroyed Iblis (15:26, 31 to 34).
• Be careful of Satan's whispers and stay among Allah's sincere servants over whom he has no power (15:39 to 42).
• Remember that life has a purpose and the Hour is coming, so live for the Hereafter (15:85).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: faith grows through thinking, thankfulness and humility make life peaceful, careful use of resources protects the earth, and Allah's sincere servants are safe from Satan (15:40, 42).
• Harms: whoever ignores the signs becomes stubborn like the disbelievers who called the signs magic (15:14 to 15), the proud follow Iblis, and Hell is the place promised to all who follow him (15:43).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Hijr shows Allah's power in the stars, the earth, the mountains, the winds, the rain, life and death, and in the creation of man from clay. Everything is made in truth, in a measure, and for a purpose. A thinking person believes in one Allah, is thankful, humble and careful of Satan, and prepares for the Hour that is coming.

Introduction

Surah An-Nahl is a Makki surah of the late period, named after the bee (16:68 to 69). Because it counts so many of Allah's favours, it is also called the Surah of Blessings (Surah an-Ni'am). The Quraish enjoyed these gifts but worshipped others and denied the Messenger (ﷺ), so the surah lists the blessings one by one to prove that Allah alone is the Creator and the Giver, and that gratitude is the response He asks for. It also tells us that the blessings of Allah cannot be counted (16:18).

Part 1: The blessings of the Creator

1. Cattle: warmth, food, beauty and carrying loads (16:5 to 8)

Allah created grazing animals for us: in them are warmth (clothing from wool and skins) and many benefits, and we eat from them (16:5). They are beautiful when they come home in the evening and go out to graze in the morning (16:6). They carry our loads to far lands that we could not reach without great difficulty (16:7). He also created horses, mules and donkeys to ride and as adornment, and He creates what you do not know (16:8).

2. Rain, crops and fruits (16:10 to 11)

Allah sends down rain from the sky: from it comes drink and plants on which you graze your animals. By it He grows crops, olives, date palms, grapes and all kinds of fruits. This is a sign for people who think.

3. Night, day, sun, moon and stars (16:12)

He made the night and the day, the sun and the moon, and the stars subject to His command and to our benefit. Rest, work, calendar, light and direction depend on them.

4. The sea: fresh meat, ornaments and ships (16:14)

It is He who made the sea useful, so that you eat fresh meat from it (fish), take out ornaments to wear, and see the ships ploughing through its waves, so that you may seek His bounty and be grateful.

5. Mountains, rivers, roads and landmarks (16:15 to 16)

He placed firm mountains in the earth so that it does not shake with you, and made rivers, roads and landmarks, and by the stars people find their way. All of this is a guide for travel.

6. Milk from between dung and blood (16:66)

In cattle there is a lesson: Allah gives you pure, pleasant milk to drink from what is in their bellies, from between dung and blood. Only the power of Allah can make such a pure drink from such things.

7. Dates, grapes and honey (16:67 to 69)

From the fruits of date palms and grapes you take good provision (16:67). Your Lord inspired the bee to make homes in the mountains and trees, to eat from all fruits and follow the ways of its Lord made easy for it. From its belly comes a drink of different colours in which there is healing for people (16:68 to 69).

8. Family, hearing, sight and understanding (16:72, 78)

Allah made spouses for you from yourselves and gave you children and grandchildren and good provision (16:72). He brought you out of your mothers' wombs knowing nothing, and gave you hearing, sight and hearts (understanding), so that you may be grateful (16:78).

9. Homes, tents, shade, shelters and clothes (16:80 to 81)

Allah made your homes places of rest, tents from animal skins which are light to carry, and furniture and goods from their wool, fur and hair. He made shade, shelters in the mountains and garments that protect from heat and from harm in battle. In this way He completes His favour upon you so that you submit to Him.

10. The blessings cannot be counted (16:18)

If you try to count the favours of Allah you will not be able to number them. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, for He forgives our shortcomings in thanking Him.

Part 2: What the blessings demand of us

1. Believe in one Allah and do not give Him partners (16:17, 20, 51)

The Giver of all these things is Allah alone. Can the One who creates be like those who create nothing? (16:17). Those they call besides Allah create nothing (16:20). So worship Allah alone and do not take two gods (16:51).

2. Be grateful with the heart, tongue and deeds (16:14, 78, 114)

The surah ends many blessings with the words "so that you may be grateful" (16:14, 78). Gratitude is to know that the blessing is from Allah, to say Alhamdulillah, and to use it in obedience. Allah commands: be grateful for the favour of Allah if you worship Him alone (16:114). The Prophet (ﷺ) stood in night prayer until his feet swelled, and said: should I not be a thankful servant? (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).

3. Do not deny the favour or give credit to others (16:53, 72, 83)

Whatever blessing you have is from Allah, and in hardship you cry to Him (16:53). It is a sign of disbelief to recognise the favour of Allah and then deny it (16:83), as those do who say that their gifts come from someone other than Allah or from their own power.

4. Eat what is lawful and good, and avoid what is forbidden (16:114 to 116)

Eat from what Allah has provided that is lawful and good (16:114). He has forbidden only dead animals, blood, pork and what is slaughtered for other than Allah, and he who is forced by necessity without desire or going beyond the limit is forgiven (16:115). Do not make things lawful or unlawful by your own tongues (16:116).

5. Share with the needy and use the blessings in obedience (16:71, 90)

Allah has favoured some over others in provision, and the one given more should remember that it is Allah's favour and give others what is due to them (16:71). Allah commands justice, good conduct and giving to relatives (16:90). Hearing, sight and understanding should be used to learn the truth and not for sin (16:78).

Guidance for us

• Start each day and each meal with Bismillah and end it with Alhamdulillah.
• Use health, time, wealth and knowledge in the way Allah likes, as thanks for them (16:78).
• Avoid waste and protect nature, water, animals and plants, because they are favours from Allah (16:10 to 14).
• Share with the poor and relatives (16:71, 90).
• Eat and earn only what is halal (16:114 to 115).
• Never credit success to ourselves or to others besides Allah (16:53, 83).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: Allah increases the blessings of those who are grateful (14:7), a good life in this world (16:97), and a great reward in the Hereafter.
• Harms: ungratefulness may turn a blessing into a punishment. Allah gives the example of a safe city whose people denied His favours, so He made them taste hunger and fear (16:112).

Conclusion

Surah An-Nahl lists the blessings of Allah in the sky, the earth, the sea, the animals, the plants, the bee, the family and our own senses. They are so many that we cannot count them. The right answer to them is to believe in one Allah, to be thankful with heart, tongue and deeds, to eat the lawful, to share with others and to obey Allah.

Introduction

Surah An-Nahl was revealed in Makkah in the late period. After proving tawhid and the blessings of Allah in the first half, the second half of the surah gives commands and prohibitions that build a good individual and a good society. Its best-known ayah is 16:90, which brings together the basic commands of Islam in a few words; because of this it is read at the end of the Friday sermon. The commands come with their reasons, and so the surah also shows the wisdom behind Allah's orders.

Part 1: The commands and prohibitions of Allah (points 1 to 11)

1. Worship Allah alone and avoid false gods (16:36, 51)

Every nation was sent a messenger with the call: worship Allah and avoid Taghut (16:36). Allah also commands: do not take two gods, He is only one deity, so fear Me alone (16:51).

2. Ask the people of knowledge (16:43)

If you do not know, ask the people of the Reminder (those who know). The Prophets were men to whom revelation came, and the Prophet (ﷺ) explains the Quran to the people (16:43 to 44).

3. Justice, ihsan and giving to relatives (16:90)

Allah commands three things: justice («عدل») which is to give everyone his right; ihsan («احسان») which is to do good beyond what is due, and to worship Allah as if we see Him; and giving to relatives («إيتاء ذي القربى»).

4. Avoid indecency, wrong and oppression (16:90)

The same ayah forbids three things: indecency («الفحشاء») every shameful act, bad conduct («المنكر») everything the religion and good sense reject, and oppression («البغي») which is rebelling and transgressing against others' rights.

5. Fulfil the covenant and oaths (16:91 to 92, 94 to 95)

Fulfil Allah's covenant when you make it and do not break oaths after confirming them, because Allah is a witness over you (16:91). Do not be like a woman who unravelled her thread after making it strong, and do not use oaths to deceive each other (16:92, 94). Do not sell Allah's covenant for a small price (16:95).

6. Be patient and do good deeds (16:96 to 97)

What you have will end but what Allah has will remain, and the patient will be given the best reward (16:96). Whoever does righteous deeds, male or female, as a believer, will be given a good life in this world and a reward in the Hereafter (16:97).

7. Seek refuge in Allah before reciting the Quran (16:98)

When you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the rejected. He has no power over those who believe and rely on their Lord (16:98 to 99).

More commands: food, speech and inviting to Allah

8. Lawful and good food; forbidden things (16:114 to 115)

Eat from what Allah has provided, lawful and good, and be grateful for His favour (16:114). He has forbidden only dead animals, blood, pork and what is dedicated to other than Allah, with an exception for necessity (16:115).

9. Do not invent lies about halal and haram (16:116)

Do not say with your tongues: this is lawful and this is unlawful, to invent falsehood about Allah. Those who invent lies against Allah will not succeed (16:116).

10. Invite with wisdom and good advice (16:125)

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed and who is guided.

11. Justice in revenge, and patience (16:126 to 128)

If you punish, punish in the same measure as the harm done to you; but patience is better. Be patient, for your patience is by Allah's help, and do not grieve over them or be distressed at their plots. Allah is with those who fear Him and do good (16:126 to 128).

Part 2: The wisdom behind these commands and guidance for us

• Tawhid frees man from fear of and servitude to false gods, and gives him one direction in life (16:36, 51).
• Justice, ihsan and kindness to relatives bring peace and love in the family and the society, while indecency, evil and oppression break it (16:90).
• Keeping covenants builds trust, and breaking them destroys trust between people and nations (16:91 to 94).
• Lawful and good food protects the body, the earning and the heart; forbidden food harms them, and necessity has relief out of mercy (16:114 to 115).
• Wise and gentle da'wah wins hearts and keeps arguments from turning into quarrels (16:125).
• Patience and equal retaliation prevent injustice and endless revenge (16:126).
• Seeking refuge from Satan guards the heart before reciting the Quran (16:98).

Guidance for us

• Be just in judgement, dealings and speech, even with those we dislike (16:90).
• Keep promises, contracts and oaths, and do not cheat for a small gain (16:91 to 95).
• Check that our food and earnings are halal, and do not call things halal or haram by our own opinion (16:114 to 116).
• Ask scholars about what we do not know, not the ignorant (16:43).
• Call to Islam with wisdom, kindness and good argument, not with anger and abuse (16:125).
• Stay patient and forgiving, and keep company with the God-fearing and the doers of good (16:126 to 128).

Benefits of following and harms of neglecting

• Benefits: a good life in this world and the best reward in the Hereafter (16:97), the help and company of Allah (16:128), and a peaceful, trusting society.
• Harms: whoever breaks his oaths may slip after he was firm and taste evil in this world, with a great punishment in the Hereafter (16:94), and those who invent lies about Allah will not succeed (16:116).

Conclusion

The commands of Surah An-Nahl begin with tawhid and reach every part of life: justice, kindness, family rights, covenants, food, speech, da'wah and patience. Allah forbids indecency, evil, oppression, breaking oaths and false claims about halal and haram. Each command protects faith, the individual or the society, so obeying them is a mercy for us and not a burden.

Introduction

Surah Al-Isra (Bani Israil) is a Makki surah revealed about a year before the hijrah, the year of the Isra and Mi'raj according to the common view. After the night journey (17:1) and the story of Bani Israil's rise and fall, the surah gives a set of commandments in 17:22 to 39. They are the foundation on which an ideal Muslim society stands: belief in one Allah, family rights, honest dealing, and protection of life, honour and property. Allah ends them by saying that this is part of the wisdom revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) (17:39).

The basic commands for an ideal society (17:22 to 39)

1. Tawhid is the foundation (17:22, 39)

The list of commands begins and ends with the same warning: do not set up another god with Allah. Whoever does so will sit blamed and forsaken (17:22), and will be thrown into Hell, blamed and driven away (17:39). A society built on belief in one Allah has one standard of right and wrong.

2. Worship Allah alone (17:23)

Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. Worship is the first right, and every other right in this passage follows from it.

3. Kindness to parents (17:23 to 24)

Right after the right of Allah comes the right of parents. When one or both reach old age with you, do not say even «اُفّ» to them, do not scold them, speak to them with respect, lower the wing of humility to them out of mercy, and pray: «My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small.»

4. The rights of relatives, the poor and the traveller (17:26, 28)

Give the relative his right, and the poor and the traveller. If you cannot help them now, turn away with a gentle word and hope for Allah's mercy (17:28). Even a refusal must be polite.

5. No wasteful spending (17:26 to 27)

Do not spend wastefully. The wasteful are brothers of the devils, and Satan is ungrateful to his Lord. Waste is not only a loss of money; it is ingratitude for Allah's blessing.

6. Moderation in spending (17:29 to 30)

Do not keep your hand tied to your neck (miserliness) and do not open it completely (extravagance), or you will sit blamed and left with nothing. Provision is widened or narrowed by Allah, who is fully aware of His servants (17:30).

7. Do not kill children for fear of poverty (17:31)

Allah provides for the children and for you. Killing them is a great sin. This closes the door on killing children, in any form, for fear of want.

8. Stay away from zina (17:32)

The command is not just "do not commit" but "do not approach", so everything that leads to it is also forbidden. It is an indecency and an evil way. This protects the family and lineage.

9. The sanctity of life (17:33)

Do not kill the soul that Allah has made sacred, except with right. The heir of one killed unjustly has the right of retribution, but he must not exceed the limit. Life is protected by law, not by anyone's anger.

10. The orphan's property and keeping promises (17:34)

Do not go near the orphan's property except in the best way until he reaches maturity, and fulfil every commitment, for the commitment will be asked about on the Day of Judgement.

11. Honest measure and weight (17:35)

Give full measure and weigh with a straight balance. This is better and its end is better. Honest trade builds trust, and trust builds the market.

12. Do not follow what you do not know (17:36)

Do not follow what you have no knowledge of. The hearing, the sight and the heart will all be questioned. This forbids rumours, false accusations and guesswork.

13. No pride in the way you walk (17:37 to 38)

Do not walk on the earth in arrogance. You can never split the earth or reach the height of the mountains. All these evil acts are hateful to your Lord. The passage ends with: this is the wisdom your Lord has revealed to you (17:39).

Guidance for us

• Serve parents with patience and respect, especially in their old age, and pray for them daily (17:23 to 24).
• Avoid waste at weddings, in food and on show, and live within your means (17:26 to 29).
• Be honest in trade and in weighing, and keep your promises and contracts (17:34 to 35).
• Protect chastity and avoid whatever leads to indecency, including harmful content on screens and social media (17:32).
• Check before you share or believe news, and never accuse anyone without knowledge (17:36).
• Look after orphans and the needy, respect human life, and stay humble (17:26, 33, 34, 37).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a peaceful home, strong family bonds, a fair economy, trust between people, and safety of life, honour and property.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah forgives the righteous who keep turning back to Him (17:25) and keeps them safe from the Hell warned of for shirk (17:39); the Quran gives them a great reward (17:9).
• Harms of neglect: shirk leaves a person blamed and forsaken (17:22); the wasteful become brothers of the devils (17:27); disobedient children, cheating, killing and indecency destroy families and society; and the hearing, sight and heart will be questioned (17:36).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Isra gives a complete plan for a good society in a few ayat: belief in one Allah, respect for parents, justice in spending, protection of life and chastity, honesty with the weak and in trade, and humility. A society that follows these commands becomes peaceful and trusted, and the individual earns Allah's pleasure.

Introduction

Surah Al-Isra is Makki, revealed about a year before the hijrah. By then the Quraish had rejected the Prophet (ﷺ) for years, and in their mockery they put forward demands: a miracle of their choice, an answer on the Hereafter, and an objection to his being a man. They also tried to make him compromise and almost drove him out of Makkah. The surah answers all of them (17:49 to 52, 73 to 77, 85, 88 to 96, 99, 101 to 103). The answer can be written in two halves: what they demanded, and how the Quran answered.

Part 1: What the deniers demanded and objected (Quran's order)

1. "When we are bones and dust, will we be raised again?" (17:49)

The disbelievers mocked the Hereafter and could not accept that decayed bodies would live again.

2. Pressure to compromise and to drive him out (17:73 to 76)

The Quraish tried to draw the Prophet (ﷺ) away from the revelation so that he would say something else about Allah, and they were about to drive him out of the land.

3. The question about the soul (17:85)

They asked about the soul (ruh). According to Sahih Bukhari, the Jews of Madinah suggested this question as a test.

4. The demands for miracles (17:90 to 93)

They said they would never believe until the Prophet (ﷺ) did these: (1) made a spring burst from the earth; (2) had a garden of dates and grapes with rivers flowing through it; (3) made the sky fall on them in pieces; (4) brought Allah and the angels before them; (5) had a house of gold; (6) climbed up into the sky, and even then they would not believe until he (7) brought down a book that they could read.

5. "Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?" (17:94)

The only thing that stopped them from believing when guidance came was this objection: why a human being and not an angel?

Part 2: The Quran's answers

6. The answer on the Hereafter (17:50 to 52, 17:99)

Be stones or iron, or anything harder, Allah will raise you. Who will bring us back? The One who created you the first time. The One who created the heavens and the earth can create the like of them, and He has fixed a term of which there is no doubt (17:99).

7. Signs are sent as a warning; earlier nations denied them (17:59)

Nothing stopped Allah from sending signs except that earlier peoples denied them. He gave Thamud the she-camel as a clear sign, and they wronged her. Signs are sent only to warn, and when a demanded sign is denied the punishment follows.

8. Steadfastness against compromise, and truth over falsehood (17:73 to 81)

Allah strengthened the Prophet (ﷺ) (17:74) and warned that any inclination towards them would bring a double punishment (17:75). Those who drive out their prophet do not remain long after him (17:76), and this is Allah's way with the earlier messengers (17:77). Then the Prophet (ﷺ) was told to say that the truth has come and falsehood has vanished, for falsehood is bound to vanish (17:81). The Quran is a healing and mercy for the believers (17:82).

9. The soul is of my Lord's command (17:85)

The answer is short: the soul is of the affair of my Lord, and you have been given only a little knowledge. Man should not waste his life on questions that he cannot grasp and that do not change his deeds.

10. The Quran is the lasting miracle: the challenge (17:88 to 89)

If all men and jinn gathered to bring the like of this Quran, they could not, even if they helped one another. Allah has explained every kind of example in it, yet most people insist on disbelief. The Quran itself is the greatest answer to the demand for a miracle.

11. "Am I anything but a human messenger?" (17:93 to 96)

To all seven demands the Prophet (ﷺ) was told to answer: Glory to my Lord! I am only a human messenger. The power to show miracles is Allah's, not the messenger's. If angels were walking on the earth, Allah would have sent an angel as a messenger (17:95), because a messenger must be of the same kind as the people so that he can be their example. Allah is enough as a witness between us (17:96).

12. The example of Pharaoh: signs seen, yet denied (17:101 to 103)

Allah gave Hazrat Musa (AS) nine clear signs, but Pharaoh called him bewitched. In the end Pharaoh wanted to drive them out of the land and Allah drowned him and all those with him. Those who demand signs only to reject them should remember this end.

Guidance for us

• Do not demand proof for belief while ignoring the Quran, which is the greatest proof; read it with understanding (17:88).
• Follow the Prophet (ﷺ) as a human model whose life we can imitate; he is a messenger, not a magician or an angel (17:93 to 95).
• Stand firm on the truth even under pressure to compromise, as the Prophet (ﷺ) did (17:73 to 74).
• Believe in the Hereafter; the One who created us the first time can bring us back (17:51).
• Accept the limits of human knowledge and do not argue about what Allah has not told us, such as the nature of the soul (17:85).
• Learn from Pharaoh and Thamud: seeing signs without obeying brings destruction (17:59, 17:101 to 103).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: certainty of faith, firmness against pressure and doubts, and a clear, practical model in the Prophet (ﷺ).
• Benefits in the Hereafter: the Quran gives the believers who do righteous deeds a great reward (17:9) and is a healing and mercy for them (17:82).
• Harms of neglect: the Quran only increases the loss of the wrongdoers (17:82); those who deny the Hereafter will be gathered on their faces and Hell is their refuge (17:97 to 98); Pharaoh was drowned (17:103).

Conclusion

The deniers asked for miracles, doubted the Hereafter, objected to a human messenger and tried to make the Prophet (ﷺ) compromise. The Quran answered that the Quran itself is the unmatched miracle, that the One who created once can create again, that a messenger must be a human being, and that falsehood is bound to vanish. Those who ask for signs only to refuse them end like Pharaoh.

Introduction

Surah Al-Kahf is Makki, from the middle period. According to Ibn Ishaq, the Quraish, on the advice of the Jewish rabbis, asked the Prophet (ﷺ) three questions: about the young men of the cave, about the man who travelled east and west (Dhul-Qarnayn), and about the soul. The Prophet (ﷺ) promised to answer the next day without saying "in sha Allah", revelation was delayed, and then the surah came with the answers and the ayat 18:23 to 24. The story of the People of the Cave (18:9 to 26) is about young men who kept their faith when their whole people worshipped others.

Part 1: The story of the youths (18:9 to 22, 25)

1. Not the strangest of Allah's signs (18:9)

The People of the Cave («اصحاب الکہف») and the inscription («الرقیم») are only one wonder among Allah's signs, not the greatest. The creation of the heavens and the earth is a far greater sign.

2. Young believers who increased in guidance (18:13)

Allah relates the story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and He increased them in guidance. Faith comes first, and then Allah adds guidance.

3. Their hearts were made firm: the declaration of tawhid (18:14 to 15)

When they stood up they said: our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and we will never call on any god besides Him. They asked why their people did not bring a clear proof for their false gods, and said that there is no greater wrongdoer than one who invents a lie about Allah.

4. Leaving the people and taking refuge in the cave (18:10, 16)

When they went to the cave they prayed: our Lord, give us mercy from Yourself and prepare for us right guidance in our affair. They kept their faith safe by leaving their people and trusting in Allah's mercy, who would spread His mercy over them and make things easy.

5. The long sleep and Allah's protection (18:11 to 12, 17 to 18)

Allah put them to sleep in the cave for years. The sun rose and set away from them, they lay in an open space, Allah turned them to the right and the left, and their dog stretched its paws at the entrance. Anyone looking at them would have fled in fear. All this was a sign of Allah's care.

6. Waking up and sending one to the city (18:19 to 20)

When they woke they asked each other how long they had stayed, and thought it was a day or part of a day. They sent one of them with a silver coin to buy the best pure food, telling him to be careful and not let anyone know, because if their people found them they would stone them or force them back to their religion.

7. Found by the people: proof of the Resurrection (18:21)

Allah let the people find them so that they would know that Allah's promise is true and that there is no doubt about the Hour. The people then disputed: some wanted a building over them and others a masjid.

8. Their number, and "in sha Allah" (18:22 to 24)

People will say they were three and the fourth was their dog, or five and the sixth their dog (guessing at the unseen), or seven and the eighth their dog. The Prophet (ﷺ) was told to say: my Lord knows best their number, and none knows except a few, so do not argue except with clear proof. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) was taught never to say "I will do this tomorrow" without adding "if Allah wills".

9. The length of the stay: Allah knows best (18:25 to 26)

They stayed in the cave for 300 years and 9 more. Even so, the final word is that Allah knows best how long they stayed, because the unseen of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him.

Part 2: The lessons of the story

10. Faith needs courage when the whole society is against it (18:13 to 16)

A few young men stood against a whole people and a false system. Youth is the age to stand for the truth.

11. Protect your faith, even by leaving (18:16)

When faith is in danger, a believer separates from the false and goes where he can keep it, and relies on Allah's mercy.

12. Allah protects those who trust Him (18:17 to 18)

They were safe from the sun, from decay and from the people for three centuries. Whoever Allah guides is truly guided.

13. The Resurrection is true (18:21)

The One who made them sleep for 300 years and woke them can raise all the dead on the Day of Judgement.

14. Do not argue about the unseen; say "in sha Allah" (18:22 to 24)

The number of the youths has no use for our deeds, so do not waste time arguing. And every plan for the future should be tied to Allah's will.

Guidance for us

• Hold on to faith and prayer when friends or the environment pull you away; choose good company (18:13 to 16, 18:28).
• Youth should use their energy for the truth and be an example, not follow fashion and the crowd.
• In every difficulty, make dua as they did (18:10) and trust Allah's plan.
• Say "in sha Allah" whenever you promise or plan something (18:23 to 24).
• Avoid useless arguments, such as guessing about things Allah has not told us (18:22).
• Believe firmly in the Hereafter and prepare for it (18:21).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: inner strength, safety of faith, good friends and guidance that keeps increasing (18:13).
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah's mercy and the Gardens of Paradise for those who believe and do good (18:107). The first ten ayat of Al-Kahf protect from the Dajjal (Sahih Muslim).
• Harms of neglect: giving in to the pressure of society makes a person lose faith and end among the wrongdoers (18:20); arguing about the unseen and forgetting "in sha Allah" wastes life and leads away from the truth.

Conclusion

The People of the Cave were youths who believed, declared the oneness of Allah before a mushrik people, left their homes to save their faith, and Allah protected them for 300 years and woke them as a sign of the Resurrection. The story teaches courage in faith, trust in Allah, avoiding useless debate about the unseen, and saying "in sha Allah".

Introduction

In Surah Al-Kahf, after the story of the People of the Cave, Allah tells the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay with the believers who call on their Lord and not to desire the adornment of this world (18:28). He then gives the example of two men (18:32 to 44). The Quraish chiefs were proud of their wealth and looked down on poor believers. The example shows how a believer with little wealth gave sincere advice to a friend with plenty, and what happened to the proud one.

Part 1: The dialogue and what happened (18:32 to 44)

1. The example of two men (18:32)

Allah told the Prophet (ﷺ) to give the people the example of two men. To one of them He gave two gardens of grapevines, surrounded by date palms, with crops in between.

2. The gardens gave full fruit and a river flowed (18:33)

Both gardens gave their produce without any shortfall, and Allah made a river flow through them. He had every sign of ease.

3. The rich man's pride (18:34)

He said to his companion while talking to him: I have more wealth than you and I am stronger in men (family and followers). He measured honour by property and numbers.

4. Wronging himself: denial of the Hereafter (18:35 to 36)

He entered his garden while he was unjust to himself and said: I do not think this will ever perish, and I do not think the Hour will come. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will surely find something better than this. Blessing made him forget the Giver.

5. The believer reminds him of his creation (18:37)

His companion answered: Have you disbelieved in the One who created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, and then made you a man? Whoever remembers his origin cannot be proud.

6. Tawhid: "He is Allah, my Lord" (18:38)

The believer declared: He is Allah, my Lord, and I associate no one with my Lord.

7. The advice: say «ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله» (18:39 to 41)

Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say: what Allah wills (has happened), there is no power except with Allah? Though you see me with less wealth and children, my Lord may give me something better than your garden, send a calamity from the sky on yours so that it becomes bare dust, or let its water sink into the earth so that you can never find it.

8. The garden was ruined and he regretted it (18:42 to 43)

His fruit was destroyed. He began to wring his hands over what he had spent on it, while it lay fallen on its trellises, and said: I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord. He had no group to help him other than Allah, and he could not help himself.

Part 2: The advice this dialogue gives

9. Authority belongs to Allah alone (18:44)

There, all authority belongs to Allah, the Truth. He is best in reward and best in the final result. Real help and real success are with Him.

10. The life of this world is like rain and plants (18:45)

The example of this life is like water sent from the sky; the plants of the earth grow with it, and then become dry chaff that the winds scatter. Allah has power over everything. So no wealth lasts.

11. Wealth and children are only adornment; lasting good deeds are better (18:46)

Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life, but the lasting good deeds are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

12. The advice in short

• Do not be proud of wealth, status or family (18:34).
• Remember your creation and the Hereafter (18:36 to 37).
• Never ascribe partners to Allah (18:38, 42).
• Credit every blessing to Allah and say «ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله» (18:39).
• Be humble and sincere when advising, even if you have less wealth than the other (18:39 to 41).

Guidance for us

• Thank Allah for every blessing, and say «ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله» when you see your own or another's success (18:39).
• Do not judge a person's worth by wealth, cars, houses or followers; the true measure is faith and good deeds (18:46).
• Share your wealth with the needy and spend on lasting good, because gardens and businesses can be lost overnight (18:42).
• Advise a friend kindly and firmly when he forgets Allah, as the believer did (18:37 to 41).
• Keep the Hereafter in mind and do not trust the world's comforts (18:36, 45).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: gratitude, humility and good relations with the poor and with neighbours, and peace of mind that does not depend on wealth.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: lasting good deeds are better in reward and hope (18:46), and Allah is best in reward and outcome (18:44).
• Harms of neglect: pride and denial of the Hereafter bring ruin in this world, with no helper but Allah (18:42 to 43), and regret in the Hereafter.

Conclusion

The dialogue of the two friends shows that pride in wealth and denial of the Hereafter end in ruin, while faith and humility bring Allah's help. Wealth and children are only the adornment of this life, and what remains are the good deeds. A believer thanks Allah for every blessing and says «ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله».

Introduction

In Surah Al-Kahf this story comes after the example of the two gardens and before the story of Dhul-Qarnayn. It is told in 18:60 to 82. It teaches that human knowledge is limited, and that things which look wrong to us can carry a hidden good by Allah's wisdom. The detailed account of the journey is in Sahih Bukhari, from Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (RA). The Quran does not name Hazrat Khidr (AS); the hadith does.

Part 1: The journey and the three events (18:60 to 78)

1. The purpose of the journey (18:60)

Hazrat Musa (AS) told his young companion that he would not stop until he reached the junction of the two seas, even if he had to travel for a long time. According to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari (from Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (RA)), Hazrat Musa (AS) was once asked who was the most knowledgeable and he said himself. Allah told him that at the junction of the two seas there was a servant who knew something he did not know. The journey was to learn.

2. The lost fish (18:61 to 64)

When they reached the meeting place they forgot their fish, and it took its way into the sea. Later Hazrat Musa (AS) asked for the morning meal, and his companion said that Satan made him forget to mention it. Hazrat Musa (AS) said: that is what we were looking for, and they went back following their footprints.

3. The meeting with Allah's servant (18:65)

They found one of Allah's servants whom Allah had given mercy from Himself and knowledge from His presence. The Quran does not give his name; the hadith names him Hazrat Khidr (AS).

4. Musa asks to learn; the condition of patience (18:66 to 70)

Hazrat Musa (AS) asked politely: may I follow you so that you teach me some of the right knowledge you were taught? The reply: you will not be able to be patient with me, for how can you be patient with what you do not understand? Hazrat Musa (AS) promised patience, if Allah wills. The condition was set: do not ask me about anything until I myself tell you of it.

5. First event: the boat is damaged (18:71 to 72)

They boarded a boat and Hazrat Khidr (AS) made a hole in it. Hazrat Musa (AS) objected: have you torn it to drown its people? You have done a serious thing. He reminded him: did I not say you could not be patient with me?

6. Second event: the boy is killed (18:74 to 76)

They met a boy and Hazrat Khidr (AS) killed him. Hazrat Musa (AS) objected strongly: have you killed an innocent soul who had killed no one? This was a terrible thing. Hazrat Musa (AS) then said that if he asked once more, Hazrat Khidr (AS) need not keep him as a companion.

7. Third event: the wall is repaired (18:77 to 78)

They reached a town and asked for food, but the people refused them hospitality. There they found a wall about to fall, and Hazrat Khidr (AS) set it straight. Hazrat Musa (AS) said: you could have taken payment for it. Hazrat Khidr (AS) said: this is the parting between me and you, and I will tell you the meaning of what you could not bear with patience.

Part 2: The explanations and the guidance

8. The reason for the boat (18:79)

The boat belonged to poor people working at sea. A king was coming behind them who seized every good boat by force, so Hazrat Khidr (AS) damaged it to save it. A small loss was a means of saving a bigger one.

9. The reason for the boy (18:80 to 81)

His parents were believers and Allah's servant feared that he would burden them with rebellion and disbelief. So it was intended that their Lord would give them in his place a better child, purer and more merciful.

10. The reason for the wall (18:82)

The wall belonged to two orphan boys of the town, and under it was a treasure for them. Their father had been a righteous man, so your Lord willed that they reach maturity and take out their treasure as a mercy from Him. Then Hazrat Khidr (AS) said: I did not do it of my own accord.

11. Lessons from the story

• Seeking knowledge is a duty even for a prophet, and a learner must be humble and patient (18:66 to 70).
• Human knowledge is limited; Allah's knowledge is complete, and many events that seem bad have a good reason hidden from us (18:68, 79 to 82).
• Trust Allah's decree (taqdir) and accept it with patience (18:80 to 82).
• Take care of the poor and the orphans, and know that a righteous parent's goodness benefits the children (18:79, 82).
• Do good even to those who refuse to be hospitable, without asking for a reward (18:77).

Guidance for us

• Be humble in knowledge. Respect your teachers and follow their rules, however learned you are (18:66 to 70).
• Do not rush to judge what you do not fully know; ask for the reason with respect and give others the benefit of the doubt (18:68, 78).
• In loss, illness or disappointment, be patient, because Allah's plan is better than ours (18:80 to 82).
• Protect the property and rights of orphans and the poor (18:79, 82).
• Say "in sha Allah" when you promise, and keep the promise of patience and cooperation (18:69).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: calm in trials, respect for teachers, success in learning and a society that cares for the weak.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: reward for patience and for kindness to orphans and the poor, and Allah's mercy for those who believe and do good (18:107).
• Harms of neglect: impatience and pride in one's own knowledge cut a person off from knowledge (18:72, 75, 76), complaining against fate ruins peace, and neglecting orphans and the poor leads to injustice.

Conclusion

Hazrat Musa (AS) travelled to learn from a servant of Allah and was given three tests of patience: the boat, the boy and the wall. Each act that looked wrong had a hidden good, and Hazrat Khidr (AS) said he did not do it of his own accord. The story teaches humility in knowledge, patience in trial, trust in Allah's decree and care for the poor and orphans.

Introduction

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn (18:83 to 99) is the Quraish's second question in Surah Al-Kahf, put to the Prophet (ﷺ) on the advice of the Jewish rabbis (Ibn Ishaq). The Quran says nothing about his name, time or country, and scholars differ about who he was, so an answer should stay with what the ayat say. He is shown as a powerful, believing ruler to whom Allah gave means and who used them for justice and service, not for pride.

Part 1: His power and his three journeys (18:83 to 93)

1. The question and the answer (18:83)

The Quraish, on the advice of the Jewish rabbis, asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about Dhul-Qarnayn. Allah told him to say: I will recite to you a report about him. The Quran does not give his name, country or time; it tells only what is needed for the lesson.

2. Allah established him on the earth (18:84)

Allah gave him power on the earth and gave him the means (a way) to everything. His strength came from Allah, not from himself.

3. The first journey: towards the west (18:85 to 86)

He followed a way until he reached the place where the sun sets and found it, as it appeared to him, setting in a spring of dark muddy water. Near it he found a people. Allah gave him the choice: punish them, or treat them with kindness.

4. His policy: justice for all (18:87 to 88)

He said: whoever does wrong, we will punish him, then he will be returned to his Lord who will punish him severely. And whoever believes and does righteous deeds will have a good reward, and we will speak to him gently with an easy command. He punished the wrongdoer and rewarded the good, and kept the Hereafter in mind.

5. The second journey: towards the east (18:89 to 91)

Then he followed another way until he reached the rising place of the sun, and found it rising on a people for whom Allah had not made any shelter from it. Allah says that He fully knew all that was with him.

6. The third journey: between two mountains (18:92 to 93)

Then he followed another way until he reached the pass between two mountains, and found beside them a people who could hardly understand any speech.

Part 2: The barrier against Gog and Magog and the lessons (18:94 to 99)

7. The complaint of the people (18:94)

They said: O Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) are spreading corruption on the earth. Shall we pay you a tax so that you build a barrier between us and them?

8. He refused payment and asked for manpower (18:95)

He said: what my Lord has given me is better, so help me with strength (labour) and I will build a strong wall between you and them. He served the people without wanting a reward and made them work with him.

9. How the barrier was built (18:96)

He said: bring me sheets of iron. When he had filled the space between the two mountain walls, he told them to blow with bellows, and when the iron became like fire he said: bring me molten copper to pour over it. Planning, material and teamwork all met in one work.

10. The barrier could not be crossed (18:97)

Gog and Magog could neither climb over it nor make a hole in it.

11. His humility: "This is a mercy from my Lord" (18:98)

He did not take pride in the great work but said: this is a mercy from my Lord, and when the promise of my Lord comes He will turn it to dust. The promise of my Lord is true. This shows that all success is Allah's favour and everything in this world will end.

12. The end: the Day of Judgement (18:99)

On that day Allah will leave them surging against one another, the trumpet will be blown, and all will be gathered together.

Guidance for us

• Power and wealth are a trust. Use them for justice and for helping the weak, as Dhul-Qarnayn did (18:84, 87 to 88).
• Serve people without greed and refuse to take advantage of their need (18:94 to 95).
• Use knowledge, planning and teamwork for useful work; Islam encourages science and technology (18:84, 96).
• Be humble in success and give credit to Allah: «this is a mercy from my Lord» (18:98).
• Remember that Allah's promise is true and that all worldly power ends, and prepare for the Hereafter (18:98 to 99).
• Protect communities from oppressors and corrupters by building protection and order (18:94 to 97).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a just ruler gains the trust of his people, the weak are protected, and teamwork builds great works.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: whoever believes and does righteous deeds gets a good reward (18:88) and the Gardens of Paradise (18:107).
• Harms of neglect: power used in oppression leads to punishment from Allah (18:87), pride in success makes a person forget that everything will end (18:98), and corruption (as of Gog and Magog) destroys societies (18:94).

Conclusion

Dhul-Qarnayn was a ruler to whom Allah gave power and means. He travelled west, east and to a pass between two mountains, dealt justly with every people, refused payment for building a barrier against Gog and Magog, and gave the credit to his Lord. His story is a model of a just, selfless and humble ruler.

Introduction

Surah Al-Mu'minun is a Makki surah of the middle period. It opens with the statement that the believers have truly succeeded (23:1) and then describes who they are (23:1 to 11). A second list of qualities follows in 23:57 to 61. The Makkan disbelievers laughed at the poor believers, so Allah told them who is really successful. These qualities cover our relation with Allah, with people and with ourselves.

Qualities of the believers (23:1 to 11)

1. Success is for the believers (23:1)

The word «فلاح» means real and lasting success. The surah begins by saying the believers have achieved it. Success is not wealth or power but faith with good character.

2. Humility in prayer (23:2)

They are humble in their prayer: their hearts are present before Allah, not wandering, and their bodies are calm.

3. Turning away from vain things (23:3)

They turn away from «اللغو», every useless word and deed such as idle talk, mockery, bad jokes and wasting time. Their time is kept for what benefits them in this world and the next.

4. Paying zakat (23:4)

They are active in zakat. It purifies their wealth and their own selves from greed, and it supports the poor.

5. Guarding chastity (23:5 to 7)

They guard their private parts and do not satisfy desire except with their lawful spouses. Whoever seeks beyond this crosses the limits. This protects the family and the whole society.

6. Keeping trusts and promises (23:8)

They look after every trust, whether property, a secret or a duty, and keep their promises and agreements. Betraying a trust and breaking a promise are signs of a hypocrite, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said (Sahih Bukhari).

7. Guarding their prayers (23:9)

The list begins with prayer (23:2) and ends with prayer (23:9). They pray on time, with its conditions, and do not miss it. This shows that prayer is the centre of a believer's life.

8. Reward: inheriting Firdaws (23:10 to 11)

They are the true inheritors. They will inherit Al-Firdaus, the highest Paradise, and live there for ever.

More qualities in the second list (23:57 to 61)

9. Fear of Allah and faith in His signs (23:57 to 58)

They are full of awe for their Lord, and they believe in His signs, in the Book and in the universe.

10. No shirk (23:59)

They do not associate anyone with their Lord. Tawhid is the base on which every other quality stands.

11. Giving with a trembling heart (23:60)

They give in charity and do good deeds, yet their hearts tremble that they must return to their Lord, fearing that their deeds may not be accepted. They do not show pride in their good deeds.

12. Racing in good deeds (23:61)

They hasten to good deeds and are ahead of others in them. They do not delay good until later.

Guidance for us

• Examine ourselves against this list: is our prayer humble, our tongue free of idle talk, our zakat paid?
• Use time wisely: avoid useless talk, idle gossip, endless games and the time-wasting habits of phones and social media (23:3).
• Be trustworthy at home, at school and at work: return what is lent, keep secrets and keep promises (23:8).
• Protect our eyes, minds and homes from indecency (23:5 to 7).
• Do good and still fear that it may not be accepted; never be proud of our deeds (23:60).
• Hasten to do good; do not postpone charity, prayer or kindness (23:61).

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

• Worldly benefits: a peaceful heart, a clean and trusted society, blessing in wealth through zakat, and respect among people.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: real success (23:1) and the inheritance of Al-Firdaus for ever (23:10 to 11).
• Harms of neglecting them: distracted prayer, wasted time, betrayal of trust, spread of indecency, a selfish society, and loss of success in the Hereafter.

Conclusion

Surah Al-Mu'minun teaches that success belongs to the believer who joins faith with good character: humble prayer, a clean tongue, zakat, chastity, trust, and a heart that fears Allah while racing to do good. Whoever lives like this will inherit Al-Firdaus.

Introduction

Surah Az-Zumar is a Makki surah. Many of its ayat begin with Allah speaking directly to His servants (عباد): "O My servants" (39:10, 39:16, 39:17, 39:53). Allah's love for His servants is clear in these calls, and each call also points to something we must correct in our beliefs, deeds or character. The surah was revealed when the believers were harshly persecuted in Makkah and the disbelievers insisted on shirk.

Allah's address to His servants and the reform it asks for (39:2 to 66)

1. Sincere worship for Allah alone (39:2 to 3)

The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to worship Allah making the religion purely His. The pagans said they worshipped others only to come nearer to Allah. Reform: no shirk and no intermediaries; every act should be for Allah's pleasure alone.

2. Ingratitude and remembering Allah only in trouble (39:7 to 8)

Allah does not like disbelief in His servants and likes gratitude. Each person carries his own burden. Yet man calls Allah when harm touches him, then forgets Him when relieved. Reform: be grateful in ease and take responsibility for our own deeds.

3. Knowledge and night worship (39:9)

A person who stands and prostrates in the night, fears the Hereafter and hopes for his Lord's mercy cannot be equal to one who does not. Those who know and those who do not are not equal. Reform: seek knowledge and keep the link with Allah in the night.

4. O servants who believe: fear your Lord (39:10)

Allah calls the believers: fear your Lord. Good is for those who do good in this world, Allah's earth is wide, and the patient will get a reward without account. Reform: do good, do not use weakness as an excuse, and be patient.

5. A warning: fear My wrath (39:16)

After describing the canopies of fire above and below the disbelievers, Allah says He warns His servants with this: "O My servants, then fear Me." Reform: avoid the sins that lead to Hell.

6. Good news for those who listen and follow the best (39:17 to 18)

Good news for the servants who avoid «الطاغوت» (false gods and false authority), return to Allah, listen to the word and follow the best of it. They are guided and wise. Reform: listen carefully, think, and choose the best.

7. The Quran, the best speech (39:23)

Allah sent down the best speech. Those who fear their Lord shiver when they hear it, then their skin and hearts soften to His remembrance. Reform: recite the Quran with understanding, not carelessly.

8. Allah is enough for His servant (39:36 to 38)

"Is not Allah sufficient for His servant?" The idols can neither remove harm nor stop mercy. The believer says: Allah is enough for me, and those who trust, trust in Him. Reform: do not fear creatures more than the Creator.

9. O My servants who transgressed: do not despair (39:53)

The most hopeful call in the Quran: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah's mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins." Reform: never lose hope; turn to Allah in repentance.

10. Return and submit before it is too late (39:54 to 55)

Right after the call of mercy comes the call to act: return to your Lord, submit to Him and follow the best of what was revealed, before punishment comes suddenly. Reform: do not delay repentance.

11. Shirk destroys all deeds (39:65 to 66)

It was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) and to those before him that if you associate anyone with Allah your deeds will be wasted. So worship Allah alone and be among the grateful. Reform: protect tawhid.

Guidance for us

• Never despair of Allah's mercy, however big the sin; repent sincerely and do not delay (39:53 to 55).
• Be grateful to Allah in ease and do not remember Him only in hardship (39:7 to 8).
• Make every act sincere for Allah and avoid shirk, show-off and seeking help from others against Allah (39:2 to 3, 39:65).
• Listen carefully to advice and follow the best of it, not the easiest or the most popular (39:17 to 18).
• Trust in Allah, who is enough; do not let fear of people stop us from doing right (39:36, 39:38).
• Learn, keep the night prayer when possible, and be patient in difficulty (39:9 to 10).

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

• Worldly benefits: hope instead of despair, peace of heart, courage from trust in Allah, and a sincere, united community.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: forgiveness of all sins (39:53), reward without account for the patient (39:10), and entry into Paradise in groups (39:73).
• Harms of neglecting them: despair, delayed repentance, ingratitude, shirk that destroys all deeds (39:65), and sudden punishment (39:55).

Conclusion

In Az-Zumar Allah calls His servants again and again: fear Me, hope in My mercy, listen and follow the best, trust Me, turn back before it is too late. The surah ends the story with two groups driven to Hell and to Paradise, so every servant must choose today.

Introduction

Surah Ghafir is also called Al-Mu'min after the believing man of Pharaoh's family, whose speech fills 40:28 to 45. Pharaoh had said: "Let me kill Musa" (40:26). At that moment a believing man of Pharaoh's own house, who had hidden his faith, stood up and spoke. The Makkan disbelievers were then plotting against the Prophet (ﷺ), so the story was a lesson for both sides. It is reported in Sahih Bukhari that when Uqbah bin Abi Mu'ayt twisted a cloth round the Prophet's (ﷺ) neck, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) pushed him away and said almost the words of 40:28: "Would you kill a man because he says my Lord is Allah?"

Part 1: Courage and warning (40:28 to 35)

1. Speaking the truth with courage (40:28)

He protested: do you kill a man only because he says "my Lord is Allah", when he has brought clear proofs from your Lord? To say Allah is my Lord is not a crime. He spoke in the court of the most powerful king, without fear.

2. A wise and fair argument (40:28)

He argued gently: if Musa (AS) is lying, his lie harms only himself; if he is truthful, some of what he warns of will strike you. He did not insult them, he made them think.

3. Power can be taken away (40:29)

He reminded them: today you rule in the land, but who will help us if Allah's punishment comes? Pharaoh replied that he showed only what he saw, and only the right way.

4. Learn from earlier nations (40:30 to 31)

I fear for you a day like the days of the nations before: the people of Nuh, Aad, Thamud and those after them. Allah does not wish injustice to His servants. They were punished for their own sins.

5. The Day of Calling (40:32 to 33)

I fear the Day of Calling, when you will turn back to run, and no one will save you from Allah. Remembering the Day of Judgement is the best cure for pride.

6. Refusing the messengers out of doubt and pride (40:34 to 35)

He reminded them that Yusuf (AS) had brought clear proofs to Egypt but they stayed in doubt; after his death they said Allah will never send another messenger. Those who argue about Allah's signs without proof are hated by Allah and by the believers, and Allah seals the heart of every proud tyrant.

Part 2: Invitation to the Hereafter and trust in Allah (40:38 to 45)

7. Follow me, I show the right path (40:38)

Pharaoh and Haman planned a tower to reach the heavens and look for the deity of Musa (AS) (40:36 to 37). The believer turned to his people: follow me, I will guide you to the right path. Pharaoh's plan ended in ruin.

8. The world is only for a short time (40:39)

This worldly life is only temporary enjoyment; the Hereafter is the home of permanent settlement.

9. Perfect justice in reward (40:40)

Whoever does an evil deed is repaid only the like of it; whoever does good, man or woman, if a believer, enters Paradise and receives provision without account.

10. Invitation to salvation and to tawhid (40:41 to 43)

I call you to salvation and you call me to the Fire, to disbelieve in Allah and join partners I have no knowledge of. I call you to the Mighty, the Forgiving. The false gods have no call in this world or the next, and all return to Allah.

11. Trust in Allah and its result (40:44 to 45)

You will remember what I say, and I entrust my affair to Allah; He sees His servants. Allah protected him from their evil plots, and Pharaoh's people were caught by the worst punishment.

Guidance for us

• Speak the truth without fear, even before the powerful, but with wisdom and courtesy (40:28).
• Argue with reason and fairness; do not insult, make the listener think (40:28).
• Learn from the ruins of past nations and from history (40:30 to 31).
• Remember the Day of Judgement and that the world is short-lived (40:32, 39).
• Keep faith and tawhid firm even when family and society reject it (40:41 to 43).
• Trust Allah and leave the result to Him (40:44 to 45).

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

• Worldly benefits: respect and honour for truthful people, protection from harm by Allah's help (40:45), and a just, fearless society.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Paradise and provision without account (40:40).
• Harms of neglecting it: silence before injustice, pride that seals the heart (40:35), the fate of past nations (40:30 to 31) and the severest punishment (40:45 to 46).

Conclusion

The believing man of Pharaoh's family is a model for every caller to truth: he spoke with courage and wisdom, warned from history and the Hereafter, called to tawhid, and trusted Allah. Allah saved him, and Pharaoh's plot ended in ruin.

Introduction

Surah Fussilat (Ha-Mim As-Sajdah) is a Makki surah revealed when the Quraish were blocking the Prophet's (ﷺ) call. They said their hearts were covered and their ears deaf (41:5), and told each other to make noise whenever the Quran was recited (41:26). According to the Sirah (Ibn Ishaq), Utbah bin Rabi'ah came offering wealth and leadership, and the Prophet (ﷺ) answered by reciting the opening of this surah. In 41:30 to 36 Allah teaches how to answer opposition: by calling to Allah, with firmness, good character and patience.

Part 1: The importance of da'wah

1. The message of every prophet is tawhid (41:6)

The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to say: I am only a man like you; it is revealed to me that your deity is only one deity, so take the straight path to Him and ask His forgiveness. Da'wah is the work of the prophets, and its centre is tawhid.

2. The truth meets obstruction (41:26)

The disbelievers said: do not listen to this Quran and make noise so that you may overcome. Falsehood stops people from hearing the truth, so the caller must keep calling.

3. Allah's help for those who stay firm (41:30 to 32)

Those who say "our Lord is Allah" and then stay firm: the angels descend on them saying do not fear and do not grieve, be happy with Paradise, we are your friends in this life and the next. Whoever calls to Allah receives this support.

4. Da'wah is the best speech (41:33)

"Who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah, does righteousness and says: I am of the Muslims?" No other speech is better. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever calls to guidance gets a reward like those who follow him (Sahih Muslim).

5. Truth will become clear (41:53)

Allah will show His signs in the horizons and within themselves until it is clear that the Quran is the truth. The caller can be sure of the result.

Part 2: The qualities of the caller

6. Humility (41:6)

The Prophet (ﷺ) says he is a man like them, so the caller does not claim greatness or look down on people.

7. Faith and firmness (41:30)

He says "our Lord is Allah" and stays firm on it in ease and difficulty, not changing with the crowd.

8. Righteous deeds (41:33)

He does good himself, so his deeds support his words. A caller who does not practise what he says is not trusted.

9. Pride in being a Muslim (41:33)

He says openly "I am of the Muslims", without shame or fear of people's opinion.

10. Answering evil with good (41:34)

Good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with what is better, and the one who was an enemy becomes like a close friend.

11. Patience (41:35)

This quality is given only to those who are patient and who have a great share of good. Da'wah needs a long time and a calm heart.

12. Seeking refuge in Allah from Satan (41:36)

If Satan whispers to make us angry or hasty, seek refuge in Allah; He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Guidance for us

• Every Muslim is a caller: convey Islam by word and example; the Prophet (ﷺ) said: convey from me, even if it is one ayah (Sahih Bukhari).
• Call with gentle words and good manners, not anger, abuse or force (41:34).
• Practise what we say; our character is our best da'wah (41:33).
• Be patient with opposition and mockery and do not give up (41:35).
• Be proud of being a Muslim and stay firm in faith, even among people who laugh at it (41:30, 41:33).
• Seek refuge in Allah from Satan when anger rises in an argument (41:36).

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

• Worldly benefits: enemies turn into friends (41:34), hearts are won, and society becomes more peaceful and knowledgeable.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: the angels' good news of Paradise and friendship (41:30 to 32), and the reward of all who follow the guidance.
• Harms of neglecting it: ignorance spreads, falsehood fills the empty space (41:26), anger and enmity grow, and we miss the best of speech.

Conclusion

Da'wah is the best of speech, the work of the prophets and a duty on every Muslim. Surah Fussilat gives the caller a clear model: a firm believer, doing good, proud to be a Muslim, answering evil with good, patient, and protected by Allah.

Introduction

Surah Ash-Shura takes its name from «شُوْرٰى» (mutual consultation) in 42:38. It is a Makki surah. Before the ayat on qualities, Allah says that what people are given is only the enjoyment of this life, while what is with Allah is better and lasting for those who believe and trust their Lord (42:36). Then 42:36 to 43 lists the praiseworthy qualities of such people. These are the qualities that build a believer's faith, character and community.

Part 1: Faith, trust and obedience (42:36 to 38)

1. Faith and trust in the Lord (42:36)

They believe and rely on their Lord. They know worldly goods will end and what is with Allah is better and lasting. Trust (tawakkul) means to make effort and leave the result to Allah.

2. Avoiding major sins and indecencies (42:37)

They keep away from the great sins such as shirk, murder and disobedience to parents, and from every shameful deed, open or hidden.

3. Forgiving when angry (42:37)

When they are angry they forgive. The Prophet (ﷺ) said the strong man is not the one who wins in wrestling but the one who controls himself in anger (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

4. Obeying their Lord (42:38)

They respond to their Lord's call: when He commands they hear and obey.

5. Establishing prayer (42:38)

They keep the prayer regularly and properly; it is the link between servant and Lord.

Part 2: Consultation, spending and a fair response to wrong (42:38 to 43)

6. Mutual consultation (42:38)

Their affairs are decided by consultation among themselves. They do not force their own opinion at home, in the community or in government. The surah is named after this quality.

7. Spending from what Allah gave (42:38)

They spend from the provision Allah has given: zakat, charity and help for family and the needy.

8. Defending themselves against oppression (42:39)

When wrong strikes them they defend themselves. They are not weak or humiliated, and they do not let tyrants take over.

9. Fair retaliation, but forgiveness is better (42:40 to 42)

The recompense of an evil is an evil like it, but whoever forgives and reconciles, his reward is with Allah. Whoever takes his right after being wronged is not blamed; the blame is on those who oppress and spread injustice, and they will have a painful punishment.

10. Patience and forgiveness show strong resolve (42:43)

Whoever is patient and forgives, that is of the matters of great resolve.

Guidance for us

• Build our trust on Allah, do our best and leave the result to Him; do not be proud of wealth (42:36).
• Stay away from major sins and indecency, including on screens and in company (42:37).
• Control anger and forgive; teach it at home and in school (42:37, 42:43).
• Consult each other in family, class, school council and community decisions (42:38).
• Spend in the way of Allah regularly, as much as we can (42:38).
• Stand up against injustice with justice and keep to the limit, and prefer forgiveness where it helps reform (42:39 to 43).

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

• Worldly benefits: wiser decisions through consultation, a united and generous society, less hatred and revenge, and respect among people.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: what is with Allah is better and lasting (42:36), and the reward of forgiveness is Allah's responsibility (42:40).
• Harms of neglecting them: attachment to the world, anger and revenge, one-man rule, stinginess, and the painful punishment of the oppressors (42:42).

Conclusion

Surah Ash-Shura draws the picture of the people of faith and trust: believing and trusting in Allah, avoiding sin, forgiving in anger, obeying, praying, consulting, spending, resisting oppression and choosing patience and forgiveness. These are the qualities of a strong believer and a healthy community.