The Last Post

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

I had hoped to continue with my Friday Sermons by resorting to copy-and-paste jobs from my past writings. But I have now realized that this too is not possible. Because of my old age & some technical difficulties!

That is why this last post!

Yes, I am unhappy. Not just because of my personal difficulties, but because of this almost complete lawlessness of the modern world, including most of the so-called Islamic nations!!

Justice for all, Truthfulness and No Corruption ought to be the uncompromising guiding principles of all the countries for the sake of a lasting peace here! Every country gives its lip assertion to these principles, but very few practise them!

That is so because humanity, in general, has no belief in God (Allah)! Absolute belief in God is the most essential requirement for the cultivation of the principles mentioned above. 

Belief in God entails:

1. He, by Himself, created the entire Universe and everything therein including mankind. HE has had no partners in His creations.

2. HE has absolute control over all His creations that includes mankind!

3. HE knows everything of the past and of the future of every living being including humans.

4. HE has created human beings on this earth to test them for an everlasting life of pure joy in the Hereafter.

5. Only those shall pass the test who try and tread the Straight Path indicated in the Qur'aan. 

6. A person treating the Straight Path believes in God, recognizes that his/her actions here are minutely being monitored by Him. He/she must be honest, truthful and scrupulously avoid greed, oppression, and injustice to anyone. He/she always seeks divine help in whatever good he/she tries to do in this world.

7. Such a person only gets the passport to Paradise. Others go to Hell to suffer there forever. 

As I perceive it, in this present world, there are very few eligible for Paradise! The bulk of us goes to Hell!!

That is what makes me horrified!

God take mercy on us,

Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 15^th of October 2021.

 

FRIDAY SERMONS: Abusive Attitude

 

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE GRACIOUS THE MERCIFUL

The Qur'aan repeatedly asserts that it is well explained within itself. And,  yet, most Muslims - almost all of their religious leaders included - believe that the Qur'aanic term الربا is not defined therein. 

But when I questioned their thus openly contradicting the Qur'aan (refer What Is Ar-Riba ), l received an abusive response! The response was not a reasoned one, but just abusive. I was told, "Shame on you 

You jahil retard.

How many days are left behind for your life?

When you will repent you you want to die with your sinful and corrupt fake ideology?" 

Such abusive language is unbecoming of a Muslim. The Qur'aan directs us to be kind even while arguing with others (Verse 29:46).

I request all my Muslim brothers and sisters never to use such abusive language. It gives Islam a falsely bad name.

Mohammad Shafi 

Friday, the 2nd of July 2021.

Interest on Money Lent

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful 

Almost every Muslim religious leader asserts that interest on money lent is حرام (prohibited) in Islam as الربا (Ar-Riba), in terms of Verse 2:275 of the Qur'aan. They equate Ar-Riba to interest. 

But I have found nothing in the Qur'aan to support this equation! The leaders say that the term is not defined in the Holy Book. 

 

How could they say so when the divine Book repeatedly reiterates that it is well explained within itself (Verses 17:12, 16:89, 6:55, 41:3, 11:1, 17:89, ...)? Are they not thus betraying their lack of faith in the Qur'aan being divine?

 

For further details on this, please refer to the web page What Is Ar-Riba! 

 

And for a comprehensive information on this topic, kindly read ISLAM AND INTEREST. 

 

Mohammad Shafi 

Friday, the 18th of June 2021.

 

O Muslims - 52

 

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

27. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tadkhuloo buyootan ghayra buyootikum hatta tasta/nisoo watusallimoo AAala ahliha thalikum khayrun lakum laAAallakum tathakkaroona

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24:27. O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than yours until you have asked permission and greeted their inmates. It is good for you that way to remain mindful of good conduct.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 5^th of February 2021.

O Muslims - 20

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

43. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la taqraboo alssalata waantum sukara hatta taAAlamoo ma taqooloona wala junuban illa AAabiree sabeelin hatta taghtasiloo wa-in kuntum marda aw AAala safarin aw jaa ahadun minkum mina algha-iti aw lamastumu alnnisaa falam tajidoo maan fatayammamoo saAAeedan tayyiban faimsahoo biwujoohikum waaydeekum inna Allaha kana AAafuwwan ghafooran

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4:43. O you who believe! Go not to prayer while you are under the influence of intoxication^{30, 31}, until you know what you say, nor while you are in an unclean state – unless on the move from one place to another – until you take a bath. And if you are ill, or on a journey, or any of you has come from the toilet or you have been in sexual contact with the women, and you cannot get water, simulate the cleaning act then with pure earth, wiping your faces and your hands therewith. Indeed, Allah is Lenient, Forgiving.

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30. The human mind can be intoxicated in several ways. And the very next phrase in this Verse viz., 'until you know what you say’ makes the divine meaning of the Arabic term sukara, used here, clear. The Arabic term obviously, therefore, means a state of the mind in which the person concerned does not fully understand the implications of what his/her mouth utters. Such a state of mind could be brought about by all sorts of intoxicants, or even by drowsiness. And any person could also be in such a state when his/her mind wavers to thoughts other than that of Allah. And the person's thoughts are bound to waver particularly when he/she does not understand the meaning of the Arabic words uttered in prayers. Understanding the meanings of what we say is therefore an absolute must for our prayers to be heard, accepted, and answered.

31. Total abstinence from intoxicants was ordained under Verse 5:90. Obviously, this Verse, 4:43, was revealed before 5:90. This is in keeping with the divine plan of eradicating a deep-rooted evil habit in stages, and not abruptly. As a first step towards ordering total abstinence, the believers were asked not to come for prayers in an intoxicated state of mind. But, on that account, it would be wrong to say that Verse 4:43 stands abrogated by Verse 5:90. In fact, it would be wrong to say that any of the existing Verses in the Qur'aan are abrogated. Please see Verse 2:106 and study notes 150 to 154 thereunder and Verse 2:109 and study notes 161 and 162 thereunder in this context. Verse 4:43 is so construed by the All-knowing and Wise Author of the Qur'aan that its application in this regard is not negated even after the revelation of Verse 5:90. Moreover, as we have seen in the preceding note, the Arabic term sukara, used in Verse 4:43, implies a wider meaning than just being under the influence of drugs and alcoholic drinks.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 26^th of June 2020.

O Muslims - 11

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

282. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha tadayantum bidaynin ila ajalin musamman faoktuboohu walyaktub baynakum katibun bialAAadli wala ya/ba katibun an yaktuba kama AAallamahu Allahu falyaktub walyumlili allathee AAalayhi alhaqqu walyattaqi Allaha rabbahu wala yabkhas minhu shay-an fa-in kana allathee AAalayhi alhaqqu safeehan aw daAAeefan aw la yastateeAAu an yumilla huwa falyumlil waliyyuhu bialAAadli waistashhidoo shaheedayni min rijalikum fa-in lam yakoona rajulayni farajulun waimraatani mimman tardawna mina alshshuhada-i an tadilla ihdahuma fatuthakkira ihdahuma al-okhra wala ya/ba alshshuhadao itha ma duAAoo wala tas-amoo an taktuboohu sagheeran aw kabeeran ila ajalihi thalikum aqsatu AAinda Allahi waaqwamu lilshshahadati waadna alla tartaboo illa an takoona tijaratan hadiratan tudeeroonaha baynakum falaysa AAalaykum junahun alla taktubooha waashhidoo itha tabayaAAtum wala yudarra katibun wala shaheedun wa-in tafAAaloo fa-innahu fusooqun bikum waittaqoo Allaha wayuAAallimukumu Allahu waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun

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2:282. O you who believe! When you contract a loan among yourselves for a certain period, put it down in writing. And a scribe ought to record it faithfully between you. And the scribe should not refuse to write; as Allah has taught him, so he should write.⁵²⁴ And the one, upon whom lies the liability, should dictate. And he should fear Allah, his Lord, and omit nothing. Then if the one, upon whom lies the liability, is mentally unsound or weak or is himself unable to dictate, let his guardian dictate for him fairly. And two of you men should bear witness. If two men are not available, then one man and two women, you choose from among those present, should bear witness, so that if one of the women retracts, the other stands by her evidence.⁵²⁵ And the witnesses must not refuse when they are called to witness. Be not weary of writing a term contract, small or big. With Allah, that's a proper thing to do for better establishment of evidence and for removal of your doubts, unless it be a hand-to-hand commercial transaction commonly done among yourselves, in which case there is no blame on you if you do not put it in writing. And keep witnesses when you do any business. And cause no harm to the scribe, or to the witnesses. And if you do so, it would indeed be wickedness on your part. And fear Allah. And Allah teaches you.⁵²⁶ And Allah knows everything.

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524. At the time of revelation of the Qur'aan, literacy among the public was low. It might have been difficult to get a person who could write. So, it was made obligatory on any literate person available to write the contract. Now, in the present age, the problem of writing down a contract may not be as acute, but still there is palpable reluctance to write. People tend to avoid it out of sheer slothfulness or undue embarrassment at the potential display of lack of faith in one another's oral promises.

525. This does not mean that women have weaker memories than men. To understand the significance of this divine provision, we must go to Verses 92:3 and 92:4. Allah declares therein that men and women have different types of work normally allotted to them. From Verse 2:282, we are presently studying here, it is apparent that the work of witnessing contracts is to be normally done by men. Women are given this duty only in the event of non-availability of two men as witnesses. Since it is not part of her normal duty, a woman may make a mistake while giving evidence as a witness. And as a precautionary measure, the divine Law of Evidence provides for two women in place of one man to witness the debt deed. This provision also makes it clear that, in times of need, women can handle jobs normally done by men.

526. As Allah taught mankind through this very Verse that it is better for everyone concerned to keep witnesses while making business deals, unless it be a hand-to-hand transaction.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 24^th of April 2020.

O Muslims - 4

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

178. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo kutiba AAalaykumu alqisasu fee alqatla alhurru bialhurri waalAAabdu bialAAabdi waalontha bialontha faman AAufiya lahu min akheehi shay-on faittibaAAun bialmaAAroofi waadaon ilayhi bi-ihsanin thalika takhfeefun min rabbikum warahmatun famani iAAtada baAAda thalika falahu AAathabun aleemun

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2:178. O you who believe! Prescribed for you, is the capital punishment in the matter of murdered persons. If a free man, a slave/servant or a female commits the crime, this prescribed punishment would accordingly be applicable only to that free man, that slave/servant or that female, respectively. But where the guilty person’s fellow citizen concerned commutes the sentence, the commutation must be adequately implemented, and the guilty person must fulfil the terms of commutation in good measure. That is a remission from your Lord, and His grace! Then whoever transgresses thereafter – for him shall there be a painful punishment.^{293 to 296}

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293. Advocates of abolition of capital punishment, beware! You cannot change what the Creator Himself has laid down. But it should well be noted that, in the light of Verse 4:92, capital punishment would be applied only to cases of intentional murder, and not to killing by mistake. And, of course, it is not applicable to killings in a war.

294. The Arabic al-quisuaasu basically means retaliation – a tit-for-tat response. In the context of an intentional murder, therefore, I have rendered the Arabic word as 'capital punishment' in the translation.

295. Literally translated, the second sentence of the Verse would look like, 'The free man, to the free man ...' In the context of the first sentence, it would obviously mean, 'If the murder is committed by a free man, the capital punishment would be meted out to that free man ...' To avoid any mistake in and consequent misconception of a literal rendering, a free renderiong is done, as in the second sentence of this English translation of the Verse.

296. In some translations, the Arabic term min akheehi occurring in this Verse, is so rendered as to mean 'the murdered person's brother'. But there is no justification for relating the possessive pronoun hi (his) here to the murdered person, as he/she (the murdered person) is not mentioned earlier in this Verse or in the immediately preceding Verses. The murderer, on the other hand, is mentioned. And it would be blasphemous to expect a mistake in a divine script. Moreover, akhee, in Qur'aanic terminology, does not necessarily mean only the close blood relationship of a brother. It often means (as for example in Verse 27:45) a fellow human of the same group, community or nation. Min akheehi would therefore mean any human being, duly authorised by the community, in which the murder is committed, to examine the case and pronounce his judgement or grant commutation of the death penalty. I have hence rendered min akheehi as 'the guilty person's fellow citizen concerned' in the translation. Besides, this divine provision for commutation, it may be noted, would take care of cases of murder committed, inter alia, under intense provocation.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 6^th of March 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.

Orphans

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

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

10. Inna allatheena ya/kuloona amwala alyatama thulman innama ya/kuloona fee butoonihim naran wasayaslawna saAAeeran

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4:10. Indeed, they, who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, swallow only fire into their bellies. And they shall burn in the flames of Hellfire.

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Mohammad Shafi

Friday, the 24^th of January 2020