Showing posts with label Allah (SWT). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allah (SWT). Show all posts

Friday, 19 August 2016

Amazing facts in the Holy Qur’an

Amazing facts in the Holy Qur’an

Amazing facts in the Holy Qur’an

Amazing facts in the Holy Qur’anThe guidelines to live by which were revealed in the Holy Qur’an, in essence, are for the protection and preservation of our health and wellbeing.


The Holy Qur’an is a book of guidance to mankind; to help us lead a balanced, healthy, and righteous life, to connect to the Creator, and to build harmonious societies.

In the Holy Qur’an is guidance, healing, glad tidings to the believers, stories of the past, stories of the prophets, but also scientific and medical facts that have amazed scientists and researchers.

Dr. Mohammad Jamil Habbal, consultant physician at Procare Hospital in Al-Khobar, has extensively studied the Holy Qur’an, analyzing the verses that mention scientific phenomena which have been discovered by modern day scientists. In his research, Dr. Habbal found that the medical sciences were referred to in the Holy Qur’an 416 times, astronomy and cosmology was referred to 105 times, and geography 98 times.

According to Dr. Habbal, “There are around 70 verses praising science and scientists, encouraging them to be involved in discovering the universe for the good of humanity. The first five verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered him to read and learn.”

For example, the following verse encourages mothers to breastfeed their newborns.

{Mothers may nurse [i.e. breastfeed] their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]}. (Chapter 2, verse 233)
According to a report by the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is the optimal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Colostrum, the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy, is recommended by the World Health Organization as the perfect food for the newborn, and feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.

The development of the human embryo was described with precision in the Holy Qur’an.

{Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging [i.e. the womb]. Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.} (Chapter 23, verses 13-14)

If a sperm cell penetrates the egg, fertilization results. The fertilized egg divides rapidly and attaches to the lining of the uterus. The internal organs are developed, and the development of the bone structure begins in the third week. By the end of the fifth week, the embryo has doubled in size and has grown a tail-like structure. Images of the embryo in this stage are so different from what the infant looks like at birth. Indeed, when the infant emerges it looks like another creature, as mentioned in the above verse.

The anatomy of the brain was mentioned in a verse of the Holy Qur’an, which alludes to the fact that the area of the brain where lying takes place is in the frontal lobe of the brain.

{A lying, sinning nasiyah [ forelock]} (Chapter 96, verse 16)
The nasiyah in Arabic is the forehead or forelock. The part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex is situated just behind the forehead or forelock.

Over the last decade, scientists have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to more accurately locate regions of the brain that change when a person lies. This technique measures changes in blood flow in the brain — a reflection of neural activity — as people answer questions while inside the scanner. The resulting images pinpoint brain activity in specific regions during the lie.

The most consistent finding across multiple MRI studies is that activity in the prefrontal cortex increases when people lie.

The verse in the Qur’an that addresses the prohibition of alcohol in Islam points to the fact that there may be some health benefit in wine, but its detrimental effects on human health far outweigh the small good that it may contain.

{They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.”} (Chapter 2, verse 219)

After establishing that drinking wine is harmful to human health, another verse in the Holy Qur’an was revealed which shows the prohibition of alcohol.

{O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows
are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful} (Chapter 5, verse 90)

Although some studies may have indicated that red wine may be heart healthy, the Chief Medical Officer in the UK has issued new guidelines for alcohol consumption which warn that drinking any amount of alcohol increases the risk of a number of types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.

In addition, alcohol consumption over time can lead to the development of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. It also increases the risk for cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon. It can lead to memory problems and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

The Holy Qur’an was a miracle during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and will continue to be a miracle to the end of time. The word day is repeated in the Holy Qur’an 365 times, and the word month is found in the Qur’an 12 times.

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Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Friday, 12 August 2016

The greatest chapter in the Qur’an


The greatest chapter in the Qur’an

The greatest chapter in the Qur’an

The greatest chapter in the Holy Qur’an is the one that we recite every day in our five daily prayers; it is Al-Fatiha or The Opening. Studying its meanings will help us appreciate the value of this chapter and will be the key that opens the door to a heightened level of mental awareness and nearness to our Lord in prayer as we recite it.

Al-Fatiha is the opening to the Holy Book and it is the chapter with which we begin our prayers. Other titles that refer to Al-Fatiha include Umm ul-Kitab and Umm ul-Qur’an, which mean the mother of the Book or the mother of the Qur’an. It is also called Saba’ Al-Mathani, or the seven repeated verses, and Al-Shifaa (The Healing), Al-Hamd (The Praise), As-Salat (The Prayer), and Al-Kanz (The Treasure).      

In the following narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us that Al-Fatiha is indeed the greatest chapter of the Holy Qur’an.

Ahmad records on the authority of Abu Sa’ad ibn Al-Mu’alla who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,“…I will teach you a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before you leave the masjid.’”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told his companion, “It is [the Surah commencing with], {All praise and thanks are due to Allah.} It is the Seven Oft-Repeated verses and the Great Qur’an that has been given to me.”

{In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.}
The Surah starts with mentioning the name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, which are two names of Allah derived from the word mercy. In Arabic grammar, both are intensive forms of merciful. Rahman is an attribute of Allah alone, above the human level, it means intensely merciful.

{All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds} 

You start your prayer by offering praise, deep gratitude, and boundless thanks to Allah for the blessings that He has bestowed upon us that we cannot even enumerate. We rarely pause to think about how grateful we should be to Allah. Each breath, each heartbeat, each muscle movement, and each blink of an eye is a blessing that we should be thankful for. 
 
When referring to Allah, the Arabic term “Rabb” translated as “Lord” includes all of the following meanings: owner, master, ruler, controller, sustainer, provider, guardian, and caretaker.

{The Most Beneficent,
the Most Merciful}

The believer must keep in mind that Allah is the Lord and the Master and Sustainer, which is awe inspiring, but we must also keep in mind that Allah is also merciful and forgiving. A sound heart resonates with both fear of Allah, and also love and hope for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

{Sovereign of the Day of Recompense}

Allah will bring us to account on that day for whatever we earned of good or evil during life on this earth. Each person will be given rewards for the good, and punishment for the bad, except for that which Allah forgives.

{It is You we worship and You we ask for help}

It is Allah alone that we worship, associating no partners with Him, and Allah alone that we turn to for help. We must purify our acts of worship from any desire to impress people; the intention behind our prayers, supplication, fasting, and reading the Qur’an should be to please Allah alone.

After establishing our obedience and submission to Allah, we ask Allah to give us what we desire, and the greatest gift we can receive from Allah is guidance.

{Guide us to the straight path}  

These verses teach us the proper decorum with our Creator, first we mention the names of Allah, we praise our Lord and establish that we worship only Allah and depend on Him. Then we ask for what we need; to be guided to the correct path, which is Islam. The final destination and goal for staying on this straight path is Paradise.

{The path of those upon You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray} 

Making supplication to Allah is actually a form of worship. When we repeat this verse in our prayers every day, we urge Allah to keep us on the path of those whom Allah has bestowed upon them the blessing of firm faith. We aspire to be on the same path as the prophets, the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the righteous, and the truthful and faithful people. 

The most beautiful aspect about this chapter is that when we read it in our prayers, we are engaging in a private conversation between ourselves and our Lord. If we keep this in mind, we will be able to focus more during our prayers and it will be a soothing, calming, and spiritually healing experience.

Allah responds to the believers when they recite this chapter.

Sahih Muslim records on the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Allah, the Glorious and Exalted said, “I have divided the prayer between Myself and my servant equally and My servant shall be granted what he asked for.” Therefore, when the servant says, ‘All praises and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds’, Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘The All-Merciful, the Most Merciful,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

When he says, ‘You Alone we worship and Your aid alone do we seek,’ Allah says, ‘This is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he requested.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favored, not [the path] of those who have earned [Your] anger, nor of those who have gone astray,’ Allah says, ‘This is for My servant and My servant shall have what he asked for.’”

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Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Friday, 18 March 2016

Messages from the Holy Qur’an: Taqwah

Messages from the Holy Qur’an: Taqwah

Messages from the Holy Qur’an: Taqwah

The Holy Qur’an is a book of guidance for all of humanity. Some verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to address a particular issue that occurred in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Some verses of the Holy Qur’an serve as a direct message from Allah to the believing Muslims, regardless of their time in history or geographical place. Muslims should pay great attention to these verses. In several instances in the Holy Qur’an, Allah, glorified is He, explicitly calls out to the believers, {O you who have believed}.

Taqwah
Seven times in the Holy Qur’an, Allah instructs the believers to have taqwah.

Taqwah is one of those Arabic words that cannot be translated exactly into English. To have taqwah means to fear Allah; it means to have piety. A believer who has taqwah is constantly aware of the presence of Allah. A pious believer looks not to what the people would think or say about him/her, but this believer cares more of how he/she acts and behaves in the sight of Allah.

It is taqwah that stands between the believer and sin. A four-year old girl spilled a platter of food on to the kitchen floor; there is grease and tomato sauce everywhere. Her mother rushes in. None is in the house except mother and child. If her in-laws were present, the mother would have calmly wiped it up and reassured her frightened daughter. But now, they are alone in the house. The mother is so angry because it took hours of work to prepare that meal and now it’s splattered on the floor. The mother’s taqwah is what prevents her from hitting her daughter or even scolding her. Because of taqwah, the mother rushes over to hug her daughter, and she says, “It’s OK. It was an accident. Will you help me clean it up?”

Muslims should pay close attention to the messages in the Holy Qur’an that were meant for them. Each time Allah calls on the believers to develop taqwah, Allah also couples taqwah with another command in the same verse. Which are the seven verses in which Allah reminds the Muslims to have taqwah? What other lessons did Allah teach the Muslims in those verses? We will review the verses that have the same beginning: {O you have believed, fear Allah}.

The first verse:
{O you have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should believe.} (Chapter 2, verse 278)

Interest is prohibited in Islam. An economic system based on interest increases the gap between rich and the poor; it makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. According to an article in The Guardian, “The richest 62 people are as wealthy as half the world’s population.”

“In Islam, a person has to earn what he seeks to obtain. The lender of money does nothing thereby to entitle him to anything other than the money lent. In interest transactions there is no division of profit between the two parties on the basis of equality. A person lends his money to someone as a loan on the condition that the borrower has to pay a certain amount of money in addition to the principal within the given time period,” wrote Zahid Zamir, faculty member with the Department of Business and Accounting at York College of the City University of New York.

The second verse:
{O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]} (Chapter 3, verse 102)

It is very important to be sincere and to remain steadfast in our faith no matter what tribulations we may face. Whatever comes our way, we pray to Allah to keep us in the fold of Islam. The scholars say that in our last moments, as death nears, a Muslim may experience a final test. Shaytan whispers evil to the dying Muslim and tries to trick him/her into abandoning the religion of Islam.

That is why it is recommended to repeat this supplication, “Oh Allah! Turner of the hearts, turn my heart towards your deen.”

The third verse:
{O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed.} (Chapter 5, verse 35)

So fearing Allah or having taqwah, guarantees success for the believer.

The fourth verse:
{O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true.} (Chapter 9, verse 119)

Honesty and truthfulness are admirable qualities of a good, pious Muslim. Not only should I strive to be honest under all circumstances, but I should also look for the company of those who are honest and truthful. The traits of friends rub off on one another.

As the great scholar Imam Al-Shafi’e said in his poem:
“I love the righteous, although I’m not of them
Perhaps I shall receive intercession through them
And I hate he who trades in sins
Although we are both dealing in the same trade.”

The fifth verse
{O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.}(Chapter 33, verse 70)

Again, having taqwah is equated with speaking the truth and dealing with people fairly and justly. How many of us have truly tried to incorporate honesty and justice in our lives?

The sixth verse
{O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of the His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Chapter 57, verse 28)

In this verse having taqwah and fearing Allah is coupled with believing in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This verse is very promising to the Muslims. If Muslims filled their hearts and consciousness with taqwah or piety, the rewards are mercy and forgiveness from Allah, and a light and radiance in the life of the believer.

The seventh verse
{O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow – and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Aware of what you do.}  (Chapter 59, verse 18)

What have we prepared for tomorrow? The tomorrow in this verse does not mean the future in this world or our retirement plan. The tomorrow in this verse means the Day of Judgment.

How we can prepare for this tomorrow? We can prepare through acts of worship and acts of goodness: prayer, fasting, reading the Holy Qur’an, defending the weak, helping the poor, giving to orphans, speaking kindly, being good to our neighbor, visiting the sick.

The richness and depth of the meaning of the world taqwah as used in the Qur’an amazes me. Read those verses again and again, and reflect on the messages in the Holy Qur’an which state, {O you who have believed, fear Allah [have taqwah].}
Article by: saudigazette.com.sa