"COMMAND WHAT'S RIGHT" - AL-QURAN

‘Command What’s Right!’

‘Call On Your Lord With Humility!’

‘Hold To Forgiveness!’

                                                                             ----- Al-Quran

Lessons From Surah al-Aaraf

(M. Javed Naseem)

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلْقُرْآنُ فَٱسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ

وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“When the Quran is read, listen to it

with attention, and hold your peace;

that you may receive Mercy.”

(al-Quran 7:204)

The Quran Offers Mercy

The Quran is the principal source of guidance, education and wisdom; and at the same time contains blessings and mercy from the Lord of the universe. It is entirely up to us as to how much we gain from it. Allah has declared in the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah: ‘This is the Book that has in it, without any doubt, sure guidance for those who fear Allah (and ward off evil); who believe in the Unseen; who are steadfast in prayer; and who spend out of what We have provided for them. And who believe in the Revelations; and who are absolutely certain of the Hereafter.’ (al-Quran 2:2-4)

The problem is that we don’t pay attention to the Quran. We seek a third person or a middleman (sometimes even an un-educated Mullah) to find out what Allah commands us to do and what our Deen (Islam) is all about. Allah tells us that He made the Quran easy for us. Therefore, if any middleman, Mullah or so-called ‘scholar’ tells us that it is very difficult to understand, he is lying. When Allah says that it is ‘easy’, and a man says that it is difficult, who would you believe? Your choice! We look for excuses – and excuses are many. We are deceiving ourselves and eventually would end up as losers not only in this world but also in the Hereafter.

The Quran is Allah’s Word. He is talking to us through it. We should pay attention. How is it that we spend hours in turning the pages of some filthy magazine, some cheap romantic novel, enjoying dirty poetry and nasty videos, but we don’t have a few minutes to read, understand and ponder over the verses of the Quran. Allah asks us:

أَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَآ
“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand

the Quran, or are their hearts locked up by them?”

(al-Quran 47:24)

The time is running out and still there’s a lot of work to do. Let’s put our act together and start a new life the way Allah wants us to start. It’s never too late.

ٱدْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعاً وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
“Call on your Lord with humility and

in private; for Allah loves not those

who trespass beyond bounds.”

(al-Quran 7:55)

Seek Direct Connection With Allah!

Turn Back To Him!

Allah, the Wise and All-Knowing, has created you and He is very affectionately and mercifully connected to you. But you call on Him only when you are in trouble. Try calling on Him in your good times, not in bad times only. Establish a direct connection with Him so that you won’t need the ‘middle-man’. On the Day of Judgment, you would be answering questions all alone in front of Him – no middle-man allowed!

Iqbal said: ‘Why should there be veils (or barriers) between the Creator (Allah) and the Creation (humans)? Let’s remove the champions of religion (get rid of them) from the places of worship’. This is a very revolutionary slogan but it hits the nail on the head because that’s where the problem lies. Our places of worship are occupied and controlled by the people who are ignorant, un-educated, have not enough knowledge of Islam/Quran and who cash in on the differences (sectarianism). A person who himself has no guidance (or is misguided) cannot guide others to the Right Path. We should not give the ignorant a chance to fool us in the name of religion. Don’t depend on anybody for your salvation. Don’t give the contract of your life in the Hereafter to some ignorant contractor of this world who is out there to make profit only.

وَمَا وَجَدْنَا لِـأَكْثَرِهِم مِّنْ عَهْدٍ

وَإِن وَجَدْنَآ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَفَاسِقِينَ
“Most of them We found not men (true) to

their covenant; but most of them We found

rebellious and disobedient.”

(al-Quran 7:102)

Do your home work, which is very easy and simple, and get to the direct source of guidance and mercy – the Quran.

There’s also the other side of the coin. There are people who claim to be ‘educated’ and knowledgeable about religion but many of them have their own agenda. Some are working for their foreign masters while others are busy spreading hatred and sectarianism among Muslims. A lot of money is pouring in Pakistan from America, Europe, Middle East and India. Even the ‘Jaahileen’ have opened some Madrassahs and are getting a lot of money from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. Religion is being used to serve financial and political agenda. This is more dangerous than the Taliban/Wazirestan Plan. Who is going to change this situation and how?

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِى ٱلأَرْضِ أُمَماً مِّنْهُمُ ٱلصَّالِحُونَ

وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذٰلِكَ وَبَلَوْنَاهُمْ بِٱلْحَسَنَاتِ

وَٱلسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“We broke them up into sections on this earth.

There are among them some that are the righteous,

and some that are the opposite. We have tried them

with both prosperity and adversity, in order

that they might turn (to us).”

(al-Quran 7:168)

Religion Is Not A Business.

The irony is that people on both sides claim to be the ‘real’ Muslims but at the same time they keep hurting, even killing, other innocent Muslims. Do these people think that they can spill Muslim blood, create panic and chaos, start civil wars, destroy social and cultural life of general people and then go to America, Europe or Middle East and spend the rest of their lives ‘happily ever after’ under the protection of their foreign masters? They are wrong!

ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا

عِوَجاً وَهُمْ بِٱلآخِرَةِ كَافِرُونَ

007.045 
"Those who would hinder (men) from the path

of Allah and would seek in it something crooked,

they were those who denied the Hereafter."

(al-Quran 7:45)

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَٱسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا

لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ

حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلْخِيَاطِ

وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
“To those who reject Our signs and treat them with

arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of

Heaven, nor will they enter the Garden, until the

camel can pass through the eye of the needle.

Such is Our reward for those in sin.”

(al-Quran 7:40)

لَهُمْ مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ

وَكَذٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
“For them there is Hell, as a couch (below) and

folds and folds of covering above; such is

Our requital of those who do wrong.”

(al-Quran 7:41)

Righteousness pays off. The core of the righteousness is the Belief (in Allah) – also called ‘Tawheed’. A believer should fear Allah the way He should be feared. He should know that Allah is watching over him, his every action, every deal, every scheme. Allah is All-Knowing and is even aware of the secrets of the hearts. And one day, we would be questioned about everything we did in this world. Have we prepared some answers? How far can we go after ignoring or rejecting the signs (warnings) of Allah?

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ آمَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ

بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن

كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ
“If the people of the towns had but believed

and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened

out to them (all kinds of) blessings from heaven

and earth; but they rejected (the Truth), and

We brought them to book for their misdeeds.”

(al-Quran 7:96)

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَآ آلَ فِرْعَونَ بِٱلسِّنِينَ

وَنَقْصٍ مِّن ٱلثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
“We punished the people of Pharaoh with

years (of droughts) and shortness of crops;

that they might receive admonition.”

(al-Quran 7:130)

Arrogance Comes From Ignorance

Don’t Deny or Ignore HIS Signs!

When man crosses the line, spreads corruptions and destroys social justice system, promoting lawlessness as a result, he merits admonition; he deserves punishment. Allah warns such men, gives them enough time and opportunities to change (improve) the situation, and get back on the ‘right path’. Allah sends them very clear warning signs. But if they continue mischief, then Allah strikes. And we should know what it means (read the stories of earlier nations!).

فَٱنْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ

كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ
“So We exacted retribution from them. We

drowned them in the sea, because they rejected

Our Signs and failed to take warning from them.”

(al-Quran 7:136)

سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِى   ٱلأَرْضِ

بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ آيَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا

وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ ٱلرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً

وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ ٱلْغَىِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ

كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ
“Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in

defiance of right - them will I turn away from

My signs. Even if they see all the signs, they will

not believe in them; and if they see the way of

right conduct, they will not adopt it as the way;

but if they see the way of error, that is the way

they will adopt. For they have rejected our signs,

and failed to take warning from them.”

(al-Quran 7:146)

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَلِقَآءِ ٱلآخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ

أَعْمَالُهُمْ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
“Those who reject Our signs and the meeting in

the Hereafter, vain are their deeds. Can they expect

to be rewarded except as they have wrought?”

(al-Quran 7:147)

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ

مِّنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Those who reject Our signs, We shall

gradually visit with punishment,

in ways they perceive not.”

(al-Quran 7:182)

Remember! The End Is Near.

Allah has declared that the heavens and earth (and whatever is between them) belongs to Him. No king, or a tyrant, a dictator, a president or a prime minister owns anything except whatever lawfully acquired, and by Allah’s mercy. The land (the countries) belongs to Allah and so are the people living in them. Nobody has any right to enslave them and ‘own’ them; it’s not their personal property. On the contrary, Allah has given authority to some people to serve the majority and promulgate peace and justice so that prosperity and happiness prevails. In any case, they should remember that their days are numbered and they’ll be held accountable.

أَوَلَمْ يَنْظُرُواْ فِى مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلأَرْضِ

وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَيْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىۤ أَن يَكُونَ

قَدِ ٱقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
“Do they see nothing in the government of the

heavens and the earth and all that Allah has

created? (Do they not see) that it may well be

that their terms is nigh drawing to an end? In

what message after this will they then believe?”

(al-Quran 7:185)

The Prophets and the Messengers were chosen by Allah, helped by Allah to complete their missions, and were protected by Allah. But even they had their limitations. They were never sent to their nations to rule them as kings. They could not accumulate all the wealth, hold all the power and acquire all the facilities or benefits to live the most comfortable life. They were God-fearing people and the models of simple, honest living. And we are supposed to follow them.

قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعاً وَلاَ ضَرّاً إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ

وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لاَسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ

وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوۤءُ إِنْ أَنَاْ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
“Say (O Muhammad): "I have no power over

any good or harm to myself except as Allah

wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen,

I should have multiplied all good, and no

evil should have touched me. I am but a

warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to

those who have faith (in Allah)."

(al-Quran 7:188)

If Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) did not have all the power to accumulate all the good things and stay away from any harm, who are we? Where do we stand? Everybody has his limits and he/she should always remember that too. We are nothing without Allah’s mercy and to Him we should be grateful.

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“Hold to forgiveness;

Command what is right; but

Turn away from the ignorant!”

(al-Quran 7:199)

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A Prophet or Messenger of Allah can intercede for his followers on the Day of Judgment with Allah’s permission. But the question is: Why should he do that for you or me? Are we his friends? Are we close to him by our good deeds? What level of relationship have we established with him? Are we his true followers who merit the intercession? We know the answers.

The Solution:

‘Don’t Be Heedless!’

People ask what is the solution to get out of such a great crisis? The solution is simple – follow the Quran, obey Allah’s commands and apply Quranic principles to your daily life! Those principles guarantee social, economic and political justice. They promote unity, equality and prosperity. But it is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work, sincere implementation, honest believing and concentrated efforts. We need to ‘do’ and ‘promote’ (even enforce) what is ‘right’ with full force.

خُذِ ٱلْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْجَاهِلِينَ
“Hold to forgiveness; command what is right;

but turn away from the ignorant!”

(al-Quran 7:199)

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلْقُرْآنُ فَٱسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“When the Quran is read, listen to it with attention,

and hold your peace; that you may receive Mercy.”

(al-Quran 7:204)

وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى   نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً

وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ

وَٱلآصَالِ وَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّنَ ٱلْغَافِلِينَ
“And do you (O reader!) bring your Lord to

remembrance in your (very) soul, with humility

and in reverence, without loudness in words,

in the mornings and evenings; and be not

you of those who are heedless!”

(al-Quran 7:205)

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