O Muslims - 25

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

144. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tattakhithoo alkafireena awliyaa min dooni almu/mineena atureedoona an tajAAaloo lillahi AAalaykum sultanan mubeenan

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4:144. O you who believe! Do not take the suppressors of Truth, rather than the believers, for close friends.⁷⁵ Do you wish that you yourselves should provide for Allah a manifest proof against you?

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75. The Arabic term, which is translated here as 'close friends', is awliya. For the comprehensive Qur'aanic meaning of wali (singular of awliya) please refer blog post: Awliya.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 31^st of July 2020.

O Muslims - 24

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

136. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo aminoo biAllahi warasoolihi waalkitabi allathee nazzala AAala rasoolihi waalkitabi allathee anzala min qablu waman yakfur biAllahi wamala-ikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi waalyawmi al-akhiri faqad dalla dalalan baAAeedan

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4:136. O you who believe! Believe in Allah, His Messenger, the Book He has sent down to His Messenger, and the Book He had previously sent down. He, who denies Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Hereafter, has indeed gone far astray.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 24^th of July 2020.

O Muslims - 23

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

135. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo koonoo qawwameena bialqisti shuhadaa lillahi walaw AAala anfusikum awi alwalidayni waal-aqrabeena in yakun ghaniyyan aw faqeeran faAllahu awla bihima fala tattabiAAoo alhawa an taAAdiloo wa-in talwoo aw tuAAridoo fa-inna Allaha kana bima taAAmaloona khabeeran

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4:135. O you who believe! Be witnesses for Allah, standing up firmly on justice, even though it may be against your own selves, parents, or relatives. Be they rich or be they poor, Allah is close to them both. So, follow not vain desires, lest you deviate. And if you swerve or turn away, then, indeed, Allah is aware of what you do.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 17^th of July 2020.

O Muslims - 22

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

94. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha darabtum fee sabeeli Allahi fatabayyanoo wala taqooloo liman alqa ilaykumu alssalama lasta mu/minan tabtaghoona AAarada alhayati alddunya faAAinda Allahi maghanimu katheeratun kathalika kuntum min qablu famanna Allahu AAalaykum fatabayyanoo inna Allaha kana bima taAAmaloona khabeeran

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4:94. O you who believe! When you set out in Allah's way, ascertain facts, and do not say to anyone, who offers you peace, that he is not a believer, seeking benefits of this worldly life. With Allah, on the other hand, there are bounties abundant. You were like that before when Allah conferred His Grace on you! So, ascertain the facts. Allah is indeed aware of what you do.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 10^th of July 2020.

O Muslims - 21

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

59. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo ateeAAoo Allaha waateeAAoo alrrasoola waolee al-amri minkum fa-in tanazaAAtum fee shay-in faruddoohu ila Allahi waalrrasooli in kuntum tu/minoona biAllahi waalyawmi al-akhiri thalika khayrun waahsanu ta/weelan

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4:59. O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from amongst you. Then if you believe in Allah and the Hereafter and quarrel on anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger. That is better, and it is the best solution.⁴¹

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41. This Verse gives the basic principle of jurisprudence in Islam. Since the Messenger is no longer living amidst mankind now, the only source for reference is Allah Himself. And the Qur'aan is His Book of Guidance especially given to mankind for the purpose. The Qur'aan therefore ought to be the final reference on any dispute. Allah assures us here that this final source for reference would provide the best solution. We have but to trust Him. About the directive to obey the Messenger, please see the blog post Obeying the Messenger, for further information.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 3^rd of July 2020.