Interpretation of thequran- Surat Al-Imran (3)- Lesson (14)- Verses [39-44]

Transcription

1 Interpretation of thequran- Surat Al-Imran (3)- Lesson (14)- Verses [39-44] Praise be to Allah, the Lord of Creations, and Peace and blessings be upon our prophet Muhammad, the faithful and the honest. Oh, Allah, w e know nothing but w hat You teach us. You are the All- Know er, the Wise. Oh Allah, teach us w hat is good for us, and benefit us from w hat You taught us, and increase our know ledge. Show us the righteous things as righteous and help us to do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us to keep aw ay from them. O Allah our Lord, lead us out from the depths of darkness and illusion, unto the lights of erudition and know ledge, and from the muddy shallow s of lusts unto the heavens of Your Vicinity. O brothers w ho believe in Allah, this is the fourteenth lesson w ithin the lessons of the chapter of Al Imran (Imran s family) (from the Holy Quran). In the verse 39 (of that chapter), Allah the Exalted says: (( While he w as standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "(Allah) dose give you the good new s of Yahya, w itnessing the truth of a Word from Allah, and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a Prophet,- of the (goodly) com pany of the righteous )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 39] While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: This verse came after Allah the Exalted has said: ((Right graciously did her Lord accept her (Mary mother of Jesus): He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya w as she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied w ith sustenance. He said: "O Mary! from w here does this (come) to you?" She said: "From Allah. for Allah Provides sustenance to w hom He pleases w ithout measure. There did Zakariya pray to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant to me from You a progeny that is pure! (for) You are He Who hears the prayer )) [Al-Imran (Imran s family) 37] 1- Making supplications for having a progeny so as to ensure an ongoing call for Allah Some interpreters (of the Holy Quran) have said: As for Prophet Zakariya, his w ife w as sterile and he reached an infirm old age. Therefore, neither he nor his w ife had the potential for having children. How ever, once he saw Mary enjoying something (food, fruit and so forth) not in its due time, and w ithout convincing reasons, Prophet Zakariya did pray to Allah to give him the gift of having a son w ho can assume the call for Allah after his (Zakariya s) death. Allah the Exalted says: ((Now I fear (w hat) my relatives (and colleagues) (w ill do) after me: but my w ife is barren: so give me an heir as from Yourself (5) One that w ill (truly) represent me )) [Maryam (Mary)] In other w ords, Prophet Zakariya w anted an heir to assume the call for Allah. In this regard, I explained

2 before that the most important thing w ithin the call for Allah is its continuity. Persons alw ays change (i.e. some persons pass aw ay and other persons take their places). How ever, a constant call for Allah has to be ever maintained. Besides, this mission can be successful only w hen every person, w ho dedicated himself/herself to assuming this call, strongly w ishes that it (the call for Allah) w ill be continuing even after his/her death. Hence, Allah is going to provide those w ho truthfully and sincerely called people to believe in Him w ith know ledgeable persons w ho are able to continue the mission until the Day of Judgment. From this perspective, Prophet Zakariya w ished for having a son, not to support him in his old age nor to be benefited by him in this w orldly life. On the contrary, his ultimate goal w as to have the call for Allah continue ((There did Zakariya pray to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant to me from You a progeny that is pure: (for) You are He Who hears the prayer )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 37 ] The answ er came, i.e. Allah the Exalted is w aiting for us (to ask Him and to supplicate to Him). As I said in a previous lesson, w e have to consider every verse and every w ord in terms of determining our relation w ith it. What did Prophet Zakariya do? He just uttered sincere w ords: ((O my Lord! Grant to me from You a progeny that is pur )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 37] He is a blessed Prophet w hose supplications (prayers) are going to be answ ered. Nevertheless, w hy does Allah address His servants w ho believe in Him saying: ((Call on Me; I w ill answ er your (Prayer) )) [Ghafir 60] he most disable is the one who does not make supplications to Allah. Had not He had the desire to answ er our supplications, Our Lord w ould not have asked us to make supplications to Him. In this sense, can you guess w ho is the disabled person? Verily he is the one w ho is lazy to make supplications to Allah. Do supplications require you to do anything other than uttering some w ords? w hich you can even do it silently?! Allah the Exalted says: ((but never am I, not blessed (by You) O my Lord, in my prayer to You!)) [Mariam (Mary) 4] Every time a believer makes supplications to Allah, he/she w ill be aw arded in some w ay (by Allah). So, w ho is the disable person? Verily he/she is the one w ho is lazy to make supplications to Allah the Exalted. You can get up late at night (before daw n) and make supplications to Allah. Narrated Abu Said and Abu Hurairah (companions) that the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah gives people the chance until the first third of a night has passed, then He looks at the first heaven and says, is there anyone asking m e for forgiveness? Is there any one repenting? Is there anyone asking for something? Is there anyone w ho is making supplications? until daw n occurs ". [ Reported by al-bukhari, Muslim, Termizi, Abu Daoud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Malek and al-darmi] Don t you need to ask Allah for something? Don t you face any problem? Verily, it is impossible to find

3 person w ho have nothing to ask Allah for. It is impossible to see a person having no problems. This is the nature of life. Allah the Exalted says, [(thus) do We try (men)] Mummins (Believers) Calamities accompany every human being: One characteristic of life is that calamities accompany human beings in it, as stated by Allah the Exalted: ((thus) do We try (men)) [Al- Mu'minun], Believers 30] ((Do men think that they w ill be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they w ill not be tested? )) [Al-'Ankabut (The Spider) 2] A believer is alw ays tested (in life). Prophets are the persons w ith the strongest tests. Then the next best come and so forth. Therefore, to be a champion does not mean to survive calamities. Rather, it is to have a perfect attitude w hen confronting calamities. Again Allah the Exalted says: (( (thus) do We try (men) )) ((He Who created Death and Life, that He may try w hich of you is best in deed )) [Mummins (Believers) 30] [Al-Mulk (Sovereignty) 2] You are being tested w ith your money, health, w ife, children, neighbors, peers, colleagues, or those w ho are around you. Not only this, you are also likely to be tested w hen you are living in luxury, suffering calamities, being healthy, sick, rich and/or poor. Thus, you are under a tw o-factor examination. One factor is positive w hereas the second is negative, i.e. you are tested w ith good and bad. Calamities are one characteristic of this w orldly life. For example, someone might knock at your door asking for something w hen you have just entered the house. In such a case, w ould you dismiss him or respond to him? Another example is that w hile you are living in extreme poverty, a large amount of money became available to you but there is suspicion in terms of its legality. So, w ould you accept it or reject it? Thus, a human being is likely to be tested tens of times every day. Every time you manage to deal w ith an issue, to have an attitude, to come across a seductive thing(s) and to be under pressure all are a kind of test. The question is w hat w ould you do? Allah the Exalted observes w hat w e are doing. 4- Allah ordered us to make sup[lications to Him just because He wants to respond to us: Then: ((While he w as standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "(Allah) does give you the good new s of Yahya)) [Al Imran (the family of Imran) 39] This is because he made supplications to Allah sincerely. Therefore, I sw ear by Allah, O brothers, that if

4 one looks forw ard to achieving something as far-fetched as a dream, Allah w ill fulfill his/her desire but w hen he/she is sincere in his/her request. This is because Allah ordered us to make supplications to Him only He w ould respond to us. In this regard, I have heard a story narrated by one of the great scholars of Damascus. It tells that once upon a time a poor illiterate peasant in Upper Egypt sent his son to study at Al-Azhar (University). After that, this son came back gaining know ledge. At the age of fifty five, his father w ished to be as know ledgeable as his son although he is totally illiterate. This story can be unbelievable due to its being quite strange. He mounted his beast and headed tow ards Cairo. Once he got into Cairo doors, he asked about his destination saying: w here is Al-Aza ar (instead of Al-Azhar). He even mistook the name (of his destination). Anyw ay, he w as guided to it. At the age of fifty five, he started learning how to read and w rite. Then he studied the Holy Quran. Then he started educating himself (in Islamic teachings). Eventually, he had occupied the position of the head of Al-Azhar (University) by his death. O brothers! I sw ear by Allah that if anyone of us sincerely w ishes for something as far-fetched as a dream, he/she w ill certainly attain it in the sense that Allah ordered us to make supplications to Him only because He w ants to respond to us. So, get up at night and start talking to Allah saying, for example, O Allah guides me to the right path. O Allah makes me a guidance for others. O Allah makes me among those w ho can guide others and w ho are already guided (to the right path). You can address Him saying: O Allah give me legal money and help me dedicate myself to doing the good. You can also say, O Allah helps me be a righteous and do good deeds that can make You satisfied w ith me. Do not hesitate to ask Him as such. Even those w ho w ished for w orldly things, they w ere enabled to attain them (by Allah). So w hat do you think if you w ish for w inning the hereafter? Those w ho w orked hard for w inning this w orldly life law fully achieved their goals by making honest supplications to Allah. You, therefore, have no means but to make sincere supplications. Everything is controlled by Allah. You are w eak but Allah is the Strong. You are poor, but Allah is the Rich. If you w ant to attain your w ishes, all w hat you need is to be sincere in your supplications (to Allah). ((And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I w ill answ er your (Prayer )) [Al-Muminun (the believers) 60] (( When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant w hen he call on Me )) [Al-Bakara (the Cow) 186] In the Quran, there are more than ten verses: ((They ask you concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave )) [Al-Bakara (the Cow) 217] (( They ask you concerning w ine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." They ask you how much they are to spend; Say: What is beyond your needs)) [Al-Bakara (the Cow) 219] ((They ask you concerning w om en's (m enstrual) courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: So keep aw ay from w omen in their courses )) There are more than ten verses (w hich include the w ord say ) except one verse w hich is: [Al-Bakara (the Cow) 222]

5 (( When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant w hen he call on Me )) Thus, since there is no one standing betw een you and your Lord, then w hy do you envy others? Paraphrases of Arabic poetic verses (narrated by Dr. al-nabulsi) come below : Say to the one w ho envies me, do you know to w hom you are impolite? you are impolite to your Lord, for you did not accept w hat He granted me. Call on Allah to make you rich, to uplift you to endow you w ith good politeness. [ Al-Bakara (the Cow) 18)] ((O my Lord! Grant unto me from You a progeny that is pure: (for) You are He Who hears the Prayer )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 37] So w hy do not w e ask Allah for granting us a purely good progeny? A righteous w ife? Law ful money? A suitable accommodation? A husband for his daughter w ho w ill be kind to her? An adequate job for his son? And so forth!! I sw ear by Allah that Allah did not mention these stories to us just for granting us w ith know ledge, providing us w ith artistic enjoyment or for telling us (stories). Rather, He did so in order for us to follow the example of this great Prophet (Muhammad) peace be upon him. (( And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I w ill answ er your (Prayer) )) [Al-Mu'minun (the believer) 60] ((When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant w hen he call on Me)) [Al Bakara (the Cow) 186] You can even call on Him by heart letting no one hear a single w ord. O brothers! I sw ear by Allah that one brother narrated to me: I w as brought up in a very poor family until I have finished my military service. At that time, I w as very poor. Therefore, my sister gave me a piece of golden jew elry (in order for me to sell it). Its price, then, w as enough to buy a plane ticket to (a state) of the Gulf, w hich w as easily attainable then. He sw ore by Allah that w hen he w as on the plane (going to the Gulf), he said by heart, If Allah helps me achieve my aim (behind this travel), I w ill build a mosque for Allah s sake in my tow n. By Allah, I did not even move my lips nor did I speak a single w ord. It w as just a kind of internal feeling. Truly, he w ent to the Gulf, achieved success and came back many years later. Now, he is living in a coastal tow n before (the tow n of) Banias. Once, I w as paying a visit to that area. I entered that mosque to pray. It appealed to me because it w as very neat. It w as overlooking the sea directly and located on a quite beautiful area around w hich thick greeneries exist. After finishing my prayers, a person came out of a room, w ould you mind drinking something in your honor? he said. Then With pleasure I replied. I am the one w ho built this mosque he said telling me his ow n story. It is w orth noting that the place w here this mosque is built is totally illegal because that very area is not organized by the principality. Actually, this is quite normal because mosques are usually built in both cities and crow ded places. That is w hy the man w as not allow ed to build a mosque in that place in accordance w ith the rules and regulations (of the country). Hence, I traveled to meet a government official in the coast area and told

6 him about my ow n story and how Allah responded to my request the man said. The official made a phone call giving his instructions for me to be allow ed to build the mosque. As a result, the mosque w as built he told me. Thus, a very beautiful mosque w as the product of an internal feeling. Thousands of stories can be told all of w hich revolve around this subject. Once again, By Allah, I did not even move my lips nor did I speak a single w ord he said. What I only said w as, if Allah helps me achieve my aim (behind this travel), I w ill build a mosque for Allah s sake in my tow n he said. In accordance w ith the rules and regulations of the principalities all over the w orld, mosques are built in crow ded places. Nonetheless, (let s consider) w hat did inspire the governor to give instructions to the people concerned to allow him to build the mosque?! (Certainly Allah did). Now, travelers and picnickers (in that area) head for this same mosque for performing prayers. Thus, is it difficult to ask Allah for something good both in this w orldly life and in the hereafter sincerely and honestly? Definitely not. When an old man (Prophet Zakariya) w ith a sterile w ife called on Him secretly, Allah responded to him. So, since Zakariya s Lord is ours and since w e w orship Allah the Exalted w henever and w herever w e are, then w hy do you think that Allah w ill not respond to you? Everyone has a request for Allah to respond to. So, everybody should sincerely and honestly call on Allah to respond to his/her request. 5- Allah s good tidings for Zakariya having Yahya (his son): It means that you w ill have a son w ho is the first person w ho believes in Issa (Jesus Christ) peace be upon him. (As w e read in the Quran) He is going to believe in Allah s w ord, w hich means that he is going to believe in Issa. Prophet Issa is, therefore, a (Allah s) w ord since Mary has no husband. When Allah intends a thing, His Command is, "be", and it is! That is w hy, it w as said that Issa is Allah s w ord and a spirit of Him sent dow n into Mary: ((Witnessing the truth of a Word from Allah, and (be besides) noble)) [Al Imran (Imran s family 39] 6- The meaning of noble One of the most beautiful interpretations of the w ord noble is that he is a superior in everything, i.e. having no shortcomings, gallant, clever, understanding, enthusiastic and so forth. In fact, much has been said by the interpreters (of the Holy Quran) in this respect. How ever, the most agreed upon interpretations indicate that noble means that he is excellent at everything, i.e. noble, famous, prominent, having good manners, forgiving others, brave, fair and so forth. 7- The meaning of chaste How ever, O brothers, w e should pause for a w hile (considering the w ord chaste ). (In Arabic) it means limited (in w hat one is able to do). So, w hat does this w ord indicate (in this Quranic verse)? It means a true believer is follow ing the restricted path that Allah prescribed for him. Prophets follow ed that path fully. All their desires w ere restricted to w hat Allah allow ed them to do only. In this sense, the most beautiful thing said by interpreters (of the Holy Quran) about the sound heart is: ((The Day w hereon neither w ealth nor sons w ill avail. But only he (w ill prosper) that brings to

7 Allah a sound hear (( [Al Shu ara (The poets)88-89] The believer is controlled by Allah s religion: A sound heart is the heart that does not w ishes for anything disallow ed by Allah. All its desires, admirations and tendencies are limited to Allah s course. For instance, as for w omen, a believer can only look at his w ife and his Mahrams (those w omen w hom he can never marry: one s mother, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, foster mother and foster sister). He also does not like to look at a foreign w oman (that does not belong to Mahrams) nor does he like to talk to her or to enjoy her beauty. As for money, he or she can only gain law ful money. He or she never looks forw ard to having unlaw ful money no matter how much that money is/or how much he or she is in need for it. He does not hope to commit misdeeds, to gain unlaw ful money, to have any relationship w ith a w oman (that is not his w ife) or to desire anything that is against Allah s course. Thus, a sound heart is the heart that does not desire anything forbidden by Allah. Similarly, the noble chaste person is the one w ho limits himself to doing only w hat is allow ed (by Allah). As for the relationship w ith w omen, you, O believers, can get married, but you are not allow ed to commit adultery. As for money, you can gain law ful money and do good deeds. The chaste person is the one w ho has restricted himself to doing w hat is allow ed by Allah to the extent that he or she never thinks or imagines disobeying Allah. Some (Muslim) jurisprudents have said in their books that the man w ho imagines himself to be w ith a w oman w ho is not Mahram (as show n above) is even blamed for this imagination. A true believer never imagines something forbidden (by Allah), never looks forw ard to do something forbidden (by Allah), or w ants something disallow ed by Allah the Exalted. This is simply because he is chaste. I focus on this blessed Prophet s (Yahya) characteristics in order for us to take him as an example. ((Do you see the one w ho takes for his God his ow n desire)) Thus, you either w orship Allah or w orship lust. Allah the Exalted says: [Al Furkan (the criterion) 43] ((and w ho is more astray than one w ho follow his ow n w ishes (desires) w ithout the guidance)) [Al-Qasses (the stories)50] The opposite meaning is that the one w ho satisfies his desires according to Allah s guidance is not guilty. For instance, if he desires a w oman, he gets married, if he desires money, he gains it law fully and if he desires to be noble, he obeys Allah: ((He w ho obeys Allah and His Messenger, has already attained the highest achievem ent.)) [Al-Ahzab(the coalition) 71] There is an essential need for food and drink in order for mankind to survive. There is an essential need for the other sex in order for mankind to guarantee existence. There is an essential need for everybody to excel (in a certain aspect of life), w hich is called proving oneself (to others). In this sense, there are people w ho try to prove themselves by spending a lot of money. He may boastfully say, I have squandered money in abundance or I have stolen (money), I have eaten or I have spent a very large amount of money on this journey. Some people boast of their money in order to be prominent, others boast of their folk, others boast of their children, others boast of their businesses, others boast of their clan just for the sake of becoming prominent and so forth. How ever, a believer obeys Allah the Exalted

8 (( And elevated your fame ( in the eyes of the people) )) [Al-Inshirah (Rlief) 4] Man s every essential need can be attained to the highest level through Allah s course. As long as Allah has raised high the Prophet s (Muhammad, Peace be upon him) fame and linked it to His Great Name, so every truthful, penitent, loyal, devout and pious believer s fame w ill be raised high by Allah. Also, Allah w ill upgrade his position and make him liked by His creatures. " Narrated Abu Hurairah, May Allah be pleased w ith him that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said, "Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am w ith him w hen he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in a better assemble. And if he draw s near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me w alking, I come to him at speed." [Reported by al-buhkari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah] If you w ish for money, for chastity, for exaltation in the w orld, all these w ill come (to you) law fully. ((He w ho obeys Allah and His Messenger, has already attained the highest achievem ent. )) [Al-Ahzab (the coalition) 71] ((And (be besides) noble, chaste, and a Prophet,- of the (goodly) com pany of the righteous. )) Thus, be noble, and do not be ignoble [Al Imran (Imran s family) 39] "Narrated Abu Hurairah, May Allah be pleased w ith him, that the Prophet (Muhammad) peace be upon him said, miserable is he w ho is w orshipping (blindly going after) dinars, durhams, marigold and khamisah (w oolen garment)". [Reported by Al Bukhari, Al Termezi and Ibn (son of) Majah] If you are in need of a creature, you w ill be a slave of him. If you are in need of a man, you w ill be a captive of him. If you are independent of a man, you w ill be equal to him. If you do a man a favor, you w ill be his master. Do not be a slave, be a noble. If you are poor, your poverty is not a stigma. On the contrary, it may be a medal of honor in the sense that your poverty may have been caused by your straightforw ardness. This is because Allah is not necessarily satisfied w ith every w ealthy person. Therefore, you should be free and not controlled by others. Do not be others endorser, others sin or others follow er. A late great scholar occupying a high position in some Arab country w as once asked, w hy have you been granted such a great status by Allah? - Because I rely on Allah he replied. Similarly, you should rely only on Allah. Do not rely on a servant of Allah, no matter how important or unimportant he/she is. You should not be (or live) for the sake of anyone other than Allah Al mighty. You should be a noble. (( and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a Prophet,- of the (goodly) com pany of the righteous." )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 39] 8- Yahya: his name indicates his mission

9 Prophet Zakariya w as given the glad tidings of having a son named Yahya (w hich means to be revived ). But, w hat is the relationship betw een him and his name? It indicates that he (Prophet Yahya) w ill (w ork to) revive hearts (by guiding them to Allah). He (Prophet Yahya) w as alive and guided to the straight path because he has already know n Allah. (That is w hy) He w as able to revive the hearts around him. In other w ords, he w as a guide w ho w as already guided, and he w as a reviver (of hearts) w hose heart had already been revived (by Allah). This alludes to that a believer s speech can revive hearts. (( Who avoid vain talk )) He alw ays glorifies Allah and once he starts talking, he w ill (be able to) revive (people s) hearts. This is in line w ith w hat the Prophet (Muhammad) peace be upon him says, [Mumminun (believers) 3] "My Lord gave me nine orders: to fear Allah secretly and openly, to speak fairly w hen pleased or angry, to only ask Allah w hen I am poor or rich, to keep in touch w ith the one w ho has ignored me, to forgive the one w ho has w ronged me, to give to the one w ho has deprived me, to exploit my silence to think, to exploit my speech to mention Allah and to exploit observing things to take a lesson ". [Reported by old books] How ever, he (Prophet Zakariya) asked about the how? i.e. How can he beget children w hile he is old and his w ife is sterile? (( He said: "O my lord! How shall I have a son seeing I am very old and my w ife is barren?")) He said: how shall I have a son (( Thus" w as the answ er " Allah accomplish w hat He Will. )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 40] [Al Imran (Imran s family) 40] (( He said: "O my Lord! Give me a Sign! )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 41] (( ''The Sign," w as the answ er, "you shall not speak to no man for three days but w ith signals )) [ Al Imran (Imran s family) 41] The sign is that you shall not speak 1- The sign of having the son on the part of Zakariya is his inability to speak: Which sign? When?

10 (( Thy Sign," w as the answ er, "you shall not speak to no man for three days but w ith signals )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 41] Once you lose the ability to speak, it means that your w ife has become pregnant. Thus, this miracle has started w hen (Prophet Zakariya) became mute. This means that if there w ere only one person w ho has been deprived of mentioning Allah in this w orld, this person w ould have been Prophet Zakariya. Nonetheless, Allah says to him, (( Then celebrate the praises of thy Lord again and again )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 41] 2- Then celebrate the praises of the Lord again and again This person (Prophet Zakariya) w ho has gone mute has been ordered to glorify Allah more and more. ((Then celebrate the praises of the Lord again and again, and glorify Him in the evening and in the morning )) i.e., In the evening w hen the sun is set, and before it rises (in the morning). [Al Imran (Imran s family) 41] (( And (remember) w hen the angels said: O Maryam (Mary) Allah has chosen you and purified you- Chosen you above the w omen of all nations )) [ Al Imran (Imran s family) 42] In his interpretation of the Holy Quran, al-tabari said, the meaning of has chosen you is (that Allah) picked and chose you both to obey Him and enjoy (the miracles) He w ould provide you w ith. As for purified you, it means that He purified your religion against doubt and the defects that can be w itnessed in other w omen s religions. Chosen you above the w omen of all nations mean that Allah chose you above the w omen of all nations in your ow n time period out of your obedience to Him. That is w hy He made you seem better than them all. (( O Mary! w orship your Lord devoutly: Prostrate yourself, and bow dow n (in prayer) w ith those w ho bow dow n )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 43] The importance of praying in congregation; Narrated Abdullah, son of Omar that Allah s messenger (Muhammad) peace be upon him said: "Praying in congregation is tw enty seven tim es better than praying alone " [Reported by Muslim, Termezi, al-nissa I, Ibn Majjah, Ahmad and Malek] Even w hen w e are confronting our enemies face to face, w e should perform our prayers in congregation. So, w hat do you think of times of peace then?!

11 (( O Mary! w orship your Lord devoutly: Prostrate yourself, and bow dow n (in prayer) w ith those w ho bow dow n )) O Mary! Worship (your Lord) devoutly means keep w orshipping and obeying Allah. [Al Imran (Imran s family) 43] (( This is part of the new s about the things unseen, w hich We reveal to you (O Prophet) by Revelation )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 44] This is part of the news about things unseen 1- From the telling miracle in the Holy Quran: This is called telling miracle (Allah telling us w hat happed in the past and w hat w ill happen in the future). There are several miracles in the Holy Quran. For instance, there are systems miracles, scientific miracles, rhetoric miracles and so forth. Allah is telling us (in the Holy Quran) about w hat happened in the very ancient time periods. Also, He is telling us about w hat w ill happen (in the present and/or future). It is w orth noting that telling miracles related to the present and the future has a time dimension. Whereas telling miracles in the present has a positional dimension, i.e. w hat is happening now in a far place? For example, w hat is happening in Mecca? Surely w e do not know. Who led the prayer therein? We do not know either. So, in case w e have been told the new s w hile the means (of telling the new s) are impossible, then this is called telling miracle in the present. An example of the telling miracle in the future is found in the Holy Quran: (( A. L. M. The Roman Empire has been defeated- In a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat, w ill soon be victorious )) The miracle of telling about the past: [Ar-Rum (the Romans) 1-3] (( This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, w hich We reveal to you(o Messenger.) by revelation: you w ere not w ith them w hen they cast lots w ith arrow s, (and w hen they decided) about w hich of them should take care of Mary: Nor w ere you w ith them w hen they disagreed (about it) )) [Al Imran (Imran s family) 44] They disagreed on w ho should take care of Mary. To solve the problem, they agreed on each one of them w ould throw an arrow in the river and the arrow that sticks to the bottom of the river w ould be the w inner of taking care of Mary. Only Zakariya s arrow stuck and he w as the w inner. This is all a kind of confirmation of Prophet Muhammad s (peace be upon him) prophecy. It also confirms that this Quran is Allah s revelation to the Prophet (Muhammad) peace be upon him. Translation : Abdullah Sha'ban

12 Auditing : Ghassan Wali