O Muslims - 3

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Excerpts from QUR’AANIC STUDIES – A Modern Tafsir PART I:

172. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo kuloo min tayyibati ma razaqnakum waoshkuroo lillahi in kuntum iyyahu taAAbudoona

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2:172. O those who believe! Eat of good, clean and wholesome food We have provided you with. And be grateful to Allah, if Him it is you worship.²⁸⁰

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280. ….. And, good, clean and wholesome (tuayyibaat) food is obviously that which promotes physical, mental and moral health. A little reflection should convince any believer that the Creator has not only created all the creatures but has also made adequate provisions for their sustenance. To name just one among countless such provisions is the wonderful phenomenon of the water cycle in Nature. But for the rains, most creatures would starve to death. And, despite all the technological progress, failure of rainfall in even a single year could ruin the economy of most countries. Believers would therefore be failing in their duty, if they do not feel sincerely grateful to their Lord for all the elaborate arrangements He has made for their sustenance.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 28^th of February 2020.

O Muslims - 2

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Extract from QUR’AANIC STUDIES – A Modern Tafsir PART I:

153. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo istaAAeenoo bialssabri waalssalati inna Allaha maAAa alssabireena

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2:153. O you who believe! Seek help with patience and prayer. Certainly, Allah is with those who are patient! ²⁴⁶

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246. Allah does certainly not promise a bed of roses for the believers in this world. In order that they enjoy the Utopia in the Hereafter, they must go through a test by fire, so to say, in this life! Only two Verses later, in Verse 2:155, Allah tells us that we will be tested with fear, hunger and with losses in property, life and produce! And He asks us to seek His help with prayers, while on trial in this world, but that we shouldn't expect an immediate reward. We must wait patiently for it. Life on earth is indeed a severe test of our Faith! But happiness is a state of mind. We can be happy even in the most trying circumstances, if our Faith is so strong as to make us certain that our very Creator and Lord is with us.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 21^st of February 2020.

Justice Divine

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Extract from QUR’AANIC STUDIES – A Modern Tafsir PART I:

40. Inna Allaha la yathlimu mithqala tharratin wa-in taku hasanatan yudaAAifha wayu/ti min ladunhu ajran AAatheeman

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4:40. Indeed, Allah wrongs not even to the infinitesimal extent of the weight of an atom. And if there is a good deed, He doubles it and bestows, from Him, a great reward.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 14^th of February 2020.

O Muslims

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Extract from QUR’AANIC STUDIES – A Modern Tafsir PART I:

29. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la ta/kuloo amwalakum baynakum bialbatili illa an takoona tijaratan AAan taradin minkum wala taqtuloo anfusakum inna Allaha kana bikum raheeman

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4:29. O you who believe! Do not consume your property among yourselves wrongfully; except that you do it by way of trading with mutual consent. And commit no suicides, nor kill one another amongst you! Indeed, Allah is Merciful to you.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 7^th of February 2020.