And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?

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1 TAFSEER OF SURAH BAQARAH 17 TH JANUARY 2012 Summary from previous weeks We need to always remember Allah (SWT) did not make his word complicated. Allah (SWT) who is the most knowledgeable and the all knower says Surah Al Qamar verse 32 و د ر ذ$ ر ( ) ل & ن &%د$ ر ا ر آن And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? Allah (SWT) made the Quran easy for both the Arabs and non-arabs. Everybody can benefit from the word of Allah. The more we magnify Allah the more we will magnify his words. The Quran should not be dealt with as just another book that needs to be finished or memorized. Rather we should be happy to hold the Quran and ponder over the verses as many people are not able to do this because they are sick. We should be grateful to Allah (SWT) and thank him for these blessings and magnify him. We should not be in a hurry to memorize Quran quickly even though memorizing brings many rewards. Allah (SWT) says in surah Al Furqan verse 30 * و & 4 ا 23 ذ وا ھ ذ ا ا ر آن & ) / ور ا ر ب, إ ن و * ل ار ول And the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) will say: "O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur'ân (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and teachings). Allah (SWT) informs us about people from later generations who will recite but will not be the real carriers of the Quran. Instead they will be the ones the abandoning the Quran lives. forsaking it, not benefitting from it, as they are not applying it in their (& ) / ور (

2 The goal in reading and memorizing the Quran should be to understand what Allah wants from us. Completing the Quran with the rules of Tajweed is a means to the goals only. So we should be careful not to fall into the trap of shaytan and become obsessed with the tools that help us to get to our goals. If these tools distract us, we are deviated from the thing that Allah wants from us. We need to worry about understanding what Allah (SWT) has said in the Quran. Surah Baqarah verse 151 $ & أ ر 7 ( $ م ر و 5 & $ م 7 3 و ; 7 $ م آ 3 و ز $,$ م و 7,& $ م 9 ا $ 3 ب و ا = $ & > و 7,& $ م 9 & م 3 $ و وا & ون Similarly (to complete My Blessings on you) We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) of your own, reciting to you Our Verses (the Qur'ân) and purifying you, and teaching you the Book (the Qur'ân) and the Hikmah (i.e. Sunnah, Islâmic laws and Fiqh - jurisprudence), and teaching you that which you used not to know. In verse 151 Allah (SWT) mentions the favor he blessed us with by sending a human messenger and that we need to be grateful for this blessing. The messenger came to convey the (بلاغ) message of Allah (SWT), purify the believers, teach us the Quran and Sunnah and teach us the unknown things. Surah Al Baqarah verse 152 ( ذ $ ر و 4 أ ذ $ ر $ م و ا< $ ر وا 4 و 5 3 $? ر و ن So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me In verse 152 Allah (SWT) tells us the reason the messenger was sent was to make us remember him ( ذ $ ر و 4 ) ) We remember him by reading the Quran and following the (أ ذ $ ر $ م ( us. sunnah and in return Allah (SWT) will remember When Allah (SWT), the king, remembers us it is not in the same way as we, the slaves, remember him. Sometimes when we invoke Allah (SWT) we begin the invocation well but towards the middle or end our minds and hearts start to wander. So our remembrance is not flawless. We are not perfect in our duty. However, Allah even

3 appreciates this from us and remembers us completely and we attain good in this life and the hereafter. Allah (SWT) tells us after that (?After what) we need to appreciate and thank Him (SWT) for the blessing of the Quran and the messenger و ا< $ ر وا 4 ) -thank me) and not to و ( 5 disbelief. commit we are disbelieving. (SWT) ).When we do not appreciate the blessings of Allah 3 $? ر ون Surah Al Baqarah verse 153 H & ا GF ر ن أ %) اذ ن آ& وا ا 9 3 وا GF G ر و ا EFة إ ن I O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayer). Truly! Allâh is with As-Sâbireen (the patient.) In verse 153 Allah (SWT) is telling us how we can remember him. This verse is similar to verse 45 of surah Al Baqarah when Allah (SWT) is addressing the children of Israel ( ) ن و إ ) $ G ر ة إ 5 ;L 7 ا 9 > 2 و ا EFة و ا 9 3 وا GF G ر And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience] Here Allah (SWT) diverts us after he tells us to be grateful and not to commit disbelief by آ& واwith showing us the means to achieve that. The verse of Al Baqarah above starts to the believers. Allah (SWT) starts the verse with (اداء) which is the call أ %) اذ ن the call to the believers because he cares for the believers and uses this phrase many times throughout the Quran. أ %) اذ ن آ& وا Allah (SWT) addresses the believers directly using the phrase because it is for our benefit. The more we increase our faith the more we will fulfill the commands which follow this phrase. And the more commands we fulfill the more our faith increases.

4 The believer is truthful. To determine how much.(ا&ؤ&ن) believer. refers to the آ& وا and أ %) اذ ن آ& وا we believe would require us to look at all verses beginning with seeing how many of the commands which follow this phrase we fulfill. Another way to measure the level of belief would be to measure the truthfulness. The prophet (SAW) said a believer could (my note..if we leave can someone may misread it!)commit adultery but will never lie. This is the major difference between the hypocrite and the believer. The believer can commit sins but in his heart he believes in Allah (SWT); the hypocrite outwardly may seem sincere but inwardly his heart is void of Allah (SWT). For ) ار =&ن ار =م Ar-Rahim( example, the believer has faith in Allah being Ar-Rahman, and so will not complain to others or himself when he is tested with a hard situation. The hypocrites would outwardly appear that he believes but will be unhappy or angry in his heart with Allah(SWT). The believer has faith in the unseen matters completely which leaves him free from doubt and gives him security. The hypocrite, because he does not believe, is always in doubt and insecure. After the call Allah (SWT) then informs us about the (أ&ر) command which is to seek Human.(إ 93 وا) help beings need help from Allah (SWT) because we are weak and fragile. We are also surrounded with trials and afflictions, increasing our need for help from Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) is telling us that we are not self-sufficient and we need his help in all matters, big or small. When we ask people for help we feel ashamed because it exposes our weaknesses and vulnerability. When we seek help from Allah (SWT) He does not consider it to be shameful. In fact, it is considered to be an act of worship which we are rewarded for. The believer seeks help from Allah (SWT) in every situation, whatever he is doing, wherever he is. Only the heart needs to flee to Allah. Whatever we do, the action is empty if we believe we are self-sufficient. In all our actions we should start by asking Allah (SWT) for his help if we want them to be heavy(in rewards?). Seeking help from Allah(SWT) is underrated by people when really it is required before all our actions. The events of the Day of Judgment will be easy for some of the believers whereas it will be harder for others. The ease/hardship on that day will depend on how much help they

5 asked for from Allah (SWT). Those who sought the help from Allah (SWT) constantly will have an easier reckoning than those who did not. Tools on how to seek the help The two tools required for seeking help are ا GF ر Patience ا EFة The prayer The patience is more general. The Salah is part of the patience. Patience means to hold ( 2 زع) from showings complaints (ا? س ( soul the In Surat Ma arij in verses Allah (SWT) says ١٩ إ ن اU ن 7 2 ق ھ 7 و; Indeed, mankind was created anxious ٢٠ إ ذ ا &W ا<ر% / ز و; When evil touches him, impatient ٢١ و إ ذ ا &W ا 2 ر & و; And when good touches him, withholding [of it], إ 5 ٢٢ ا & F,7 ن Except the observers of prayer: The first two ayahs are telling us that humans were created anxious and impatient and whenever we have a problem we get irritated. The key to easing this is to have patience. We should look at any negative situation as a nurturing from Allah (SWT) and use it as a means to build tolerance. The more appreciative and patient we are with the situation it will increase our level of patience even more. When we have more patience, we will have more faith and more faith leads us to seek help from Allah (SWT) more. This is Allah s (SWT) way of nurturing us because he wants to reform us for our eternal homes ) ا/ > ( paradise. in Types of patience

6 The patience with the decree of Allah. (As Sabr al Aqdar) This means to submit to the decree of Allah, being happy with it, and believing fully that it is what is best for us. This will increase our level of patience. If we complain this indicates we have little patience and the level of faith is less and we are not seeking the help from Allah. Patience when wanting to commit a sin ( As Sabr alal ma aaseeh) This means we need to keep our hearts firm so our limbs will be held. For example if we resist the temptation to backbite then we will hold our tongues. (the limb(.? The limb) Patience whilst doing the good deeds. This means to be patient in acts of worship whether obligatory or voluntary, remembering the rewards we will receive. Story of Umar Ibn Abdul Azeez. [The grand grand son of Umar Ibn Khattab] Once the daughter of the fifth righteous caliph, Umar Ibn Abdul Azeez (known as such because he followed the footsteps of the righteous caliphs) came to him crying. It was Eid and she had no new clothes to wear, whereas, all the other children had. Her father, who had no money, was upset to see his daughter cry so he went to the treasurer to ask for an advanced payment for the following month. The treasurer asked him why he needed the money and he explained. The treasurer agreed but stipulated a condition which was to guarantee that Umar ibn Abdul Azeez would still be alive the next month. Since Umar ibn Abdul Azeez could not make such a guarantee he left empty handed. He returned home to find his children excited, expecting him to come back with money. Umar ibn Abdul Azeez could see their disappointment so asked them to be patient now and go to paradise or be impatient and he will go to the fire. The children replied they would all be patient. We should all learn how to be patient like Umar ibn Abdul Azeez and his children.