The Quranic style and Narrative

The narrative aspect of Qur'an style remains one of the most creative and innovative of the Holy Book, one which has profoundly influenced and enriched the Arabic language. Whatever narrative style the language had in pre-Islamic times were relatively crude and primitive. Even though the narrative parts of the Qur'an were clearly put to the service of the main theme of the Book, i.e., religion, the narrative was so highly developed and integrated that it became a work of art in itself. The Qur'an is remarkably innovative with respect to its method of presentation, which involves four different techniques. One common technique is that if beginning a story with a short summery, followed by the details from beginning to end, as in sura 18 (al-Kahf). The second technique is that of beginning a story by presenting the conclusion first, then the lesson to be derived from it, and then the story from beginning to end, as in the story of Moses in sura 28 (al-Qasas). The third technique presents the story directly without introduction, as in that of Mary following the birth of Jesus in sura 19 (Maryam), and the story of King Solomon and the ants in sura 27 (al-Naml). The fourth, and perhaps most innovative, technique is that of presenting the story through dramatization. This technique gives only a brief introduction signalling the beginning of the scene, followed by a dramatization of the story with a dialogue among the various characters, as in the story of Abraham and Ismail in Surah 2.

An Unexpected guest

Envisage waking up in the morning to the sound of perpetual knocks on your front door. As you casually make your way to the entrance, you try recalling any appointment that you had made for this hour of day, but you are almost certain that none were made. Your door is gently knocked again. You quietly peek through the key hole just in case you find an unwanted visitor but, as you stare, it seems that your eyes are playing tricks on you.

You pull back, wipe the sleep away from your eyes and hesitantly take a second glance, a prolonged blink-less glance. At this point your heart skips a beat. Every milligram of moisture within your throat dries out, your eyes grow wild, your skin turns pale, you lose your words and your feet struggle to carry you.

“Am I dreaming?” You ask yourself. “This cannot be real.”

Your guest this morning is not the post man, a family friend or a celebrity. 

Your guest this morning is the greatest creation to ever walk this earth, the greatest that has ever been buried within it and the greatest that will emerge from it on the Day of Resurrection.

Your guest this morning is Prophet Muḥammad (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam).

You have recognised him by his wavy black hair which drops below his earlobe, by the magnificently wide openings of his eyes, by his finely arched eyebrows, by the purity of his skin’s texture, by the magnificent scents that are now creeping into your home, as he stands ahead of his three companions, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar and ʿUthmān, who have lowered their heads in awe of him, stationed in serenity.

Ask yourself with honesty:

Would you be happy for him to enter your home? Would you be proud of what he would see on your walls, tables and shelves? What you keep the pack of cigarettes lying there in front of him or would you frantically throw them out of sight? Would you hand over your phone to him if he requested to look over your conversations? Would you keep your Facebook page signed in? Would you - my sister – keep on the same Ḥijāb which you go out in? Or would it dramatically change? Would the makeup and perfume remain or...?

Would the Prophet (PBUH) be proud to meet you? Would he say, “This is another sweet fruit of my 23 years’ worth of Da’wah, of sacrifice, bloodshed and throbbing limbs”?

Or would his heart totally break following his first glance and subsequent conversation with you?

A companion by the name of Saʿīd b. Yazīd once said to the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), “Advise me.” He responded with words that bring tears to the eyes of the honest, words which, if implemented, would bring about your happiness in this life and the next.

He said:

أوصيكَ أنْ تستحي منَ اللهِ تعالى كما تستحي منَ الرجلِ الصالحِ منْ قومِك

“I advise you to be shy of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) the same way you are shy from the righteous man from your community.”

Ponder over our nervousness when a scholarly figure casts a glance at us, our sense of shame when a God-fearing individual spots our behaviour in the public or private domain.

Ponder over our utmost shyness and self-consciousness in the presence of the Messenger (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam).

Dearest reader...

Is Allāh, The King, the One free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Overseer, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme, the One who is praised and glorified by everything within the heavens and earth, not worthier of that shyness?

Beauty of Arabic Language

Just how beautiful you will find the Arabic Language.

Makes your heart feel this sense of awe, love and peace. So much more.

Even when casually looking at a sentence I've read time and time again, then all of a sudden, when i read it again, somehow i feel something which i didn't think, and most importantly, didn't FEEL before.

Qur'an is not only a recital, it is a connection to our All loving creator.

Only through the Arabic Language, can you taste the Qur'an for yourself, and feel it.

Something so simple.

I just read "إِنَّكَ سَمِيْعُ الدُّعَاءِ"

You'd see it translated as "Indeed you (Allah) are the hearer of the supplication"

As i mentioned, i was just casually passing by this Aayah, and then I just thought the word سَمِيْعُ is an 'Ism Sifah.'

What that means is, not only is Allah a hearer and listener to our supplications,

Rather, much much more beautiful than that.

He is constantly, perpetually, always listening and hearing them.

The Ism Sifah suggests a consistent state.

So make your du'as now, Allah, the almighty is right here... listening to whatever you ask, whenever you ask. Be in constant conversation with your master.

One more thing, Allah mentions الدُّعَاءِ "The Call/supplication"

That is to say, Allah isn't saying he is ever listening to any and every Du'a, but by having the ال on the word suggests exclusiivity.

In other words, Allah doesn't treat it as 'just something, just another du'a', Allah specifies each of your Du'as.

Every du'a you make is THE Du'a to Allah.

Each of them holds great importance to Allah. Your Du'as are well known and he is well acquainted with it.

Your Du'as are special to Allah! You have Allahs full attention!

The Day Of Resurrection

The Day Of Resurrection | Easy Upon A Believer, Heavy Upon A Disbeliever
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : يوم القيامة على المؤمنين كقدر ما بين الظهر والعصر.
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “The Day of Resurrection for the believers will be like the measure of what is between Ẓuhr and ‘Aṣr (prayer).”
● [أخرجه الحاكم ١/٨٤ وصححه الألباني في الصحيحة ٢٤٥٦]
As for a disbeliever, Allāh says:
تعرج الملائكة والروح إليه في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة.
'The angels and the Rūḥ (Jibreel) ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS’ • [al-Qur’ān 70:4]
Ibn 'Abbās RaḍiAllāhu-'Anhumā said regarding this Āyah: “It is the Day of Resurrection that Allāh has made to be the measure of FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS for the disbelievers.”
● [تفسير ابن كثير]
Allāhul Musta'ān, we ask Allāh to allow us to die upon Eemān !!

Evil Eye is real

According to Islamic tradition the “evil eye” is real, as Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). said: “The evil eye is real.The evil eye is from two sources:

1) the evil eye from mankind    

2) the evil eye from Jinn

The evil eye from mankind is confirmed in many narrations, as Abu Sated (radiallahu anh)  said the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said  to seek refuge from jinn’s and the evil eye from mankind. (At-tirmidhi, 2058)
As for evil eye from jinn’s, it has been narrated by Umm Salamah (radiallahu anhaa) that the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) saw in her house a slave girl and in her face was sa faa’ah. upon which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)  said: ” Seek Ruqyah for her, for verily she is afflicted with a look (evil eye). ” (Al-Bukhari, 5739)
The scholars have said “As-sa-faa’ah”  is the evil  eye from Jinn’s.

The reason for the evil eye is mostly because of envy (envy is to wish  for the prevention of bounty for another person, even though the envier  doesn’t wish for this bounty). The reality of envy is the result of  hatred and malice, which is the result of anger. ( Fath Al-Haq  Al-Mubeen, 219)            
  The  evil eye is like an arrow or spear that leaves the soul of the envier  and goes to the person that is envied. It afflicts the person envied at  times and sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t afflict him, it is  because of the protective methods he uses (whether supplications,  seeking refuge, etc.) Also, when it doesn’t. afflict him, the evil eye  can return to the envier. ( The Medicine of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ,  138)

What  is an important fact to know is that the evil eye has no effect except  by Allah’s will. A man can give himself the evil eye and he can also  give it to others. It can afflict someone without even being seen by  the envier. For example, a blind man cannot see a person, but he can  still cast the evil eye, or perhaps if the person is not around and  they are described to the envier without being seen by him, it can  afflict that person. It can also be afflicted by one being amazed at  himself without being envious to himself or others. The evil eye can be  done by anyone, even a loved one or a righteous person.

So, it  is incumbent on each and every one of us to take the necessary  precautions and try to prevent being affected by the evil eye, and to  say the supplications and remembrance upon seeing something amazing  and good. (Fath Al-Haq Al-Mubeen, 198) If any thing were  to overtake the divine decree (al-qadar) it would be the evil eye.” (Muslim, 2188)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم),  said after destiny( al-qadar ) my Ummah  will die mostly due to  Evil Eye.

Evil Eye  (Nazar) takes Man to the graveyard and Camel to the Pot.

Evil Eye makes one fall down from the mountain.

Islam teaches Muslims to seek protection and refuge in Allah from the evils of envy through the recitation of prayers, verses from the Quran and supplications. The hijaab is also key element for protection against the evil eye. And since women are most likely to be afflicted by it, then it is one of the reasons why Allah made the hijaab is obligatory on them – as a means of protection- that is why it is forbidden for believing women to display any of their beauty in front of non-mahrams (any person that a woman is able to marry), as Allah says in the quran:

“And  tell  the  believing  women  to  reduce  [some]  of  their  vision  and  guard  their  private parts  and  not  expose  their  adornment  except  that  which  [necessarily]  appears  thereof and  to  wrap  [a  portion  of]  their  headcovers  over  their  chests  and  not  expose  their adornment  except  to  their  husbands,  their  fathers,  their  husbands’  fathers,  their  sons, their  husbands’  sons,  their  brothers,  their  brothers’  sons,  their  sisters’  sons,  their women,  that  which  their  right  hands  possess,  or  those  male  attendants  having  no physical  desire,  or  children  who  are  not  yet  aware  of  the  private  aspects  of  women. And  let  them  not  stamp  their  feet  to  make  known  what  they  conceal  of  their adornment.  And  turn  to Allah in  repentance,  all  of  you,  O  believers,  that  you  might succeed.”

Evil Eye is Real

According to Islamic tradition the “evil eye” is real, as Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). said: “The evil eye is real.The evil eye is from two sources:

1) the evil eye from mankind    

2) the evil eye from Jinn

The evil eye from mankind is confirmed in many narrations, as Abu Sated (radiallahu anh)  said the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said  to seek refuge from jinn’s and the evil eye from mankind. (At-tirmidhi, 2058)
As for evil eye from jinn’s, it has been narrated by Umm Salamah (radiallahu anhaa) that the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) saw in her house a slave girl and in her face was sa faa’ah. upon which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)  said: ” Seek Ruqyah for her, for verily she is afflicted with a look (evil eye). ” (Al-Bukhari, 5739)
The scholars have said “As-sa-faa’ah”  is the evil  eye from Jinn’s.

The reason for the evil eye is mostly because of envy (envy is to wish  for the prevention of bounty for another person, even though the envier  doesn’t wish for this bounty). The reality of envy is the result of  hatred and malice, which is the result of anger. ( Fath Al-Haq  Al-Mubeen, 219)            
  The  evil eye is like an arrow or spear that leaves the soul of the envier  and goes to the person that is envied. It afflicts the person envied at  times and sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t afflict him, it is  because of the protective methods he uses (whether supplications,  seeking refuge, etc.) Also, when it doesn’t. afflict him, the evil eye  can return to the envier. ( The Medicine of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ,  138)

What  is an important fact to know is that the evil eye has no effect except  by Allah’s will. A man can give himself the evil eye and he can also  give it to others. It can afflict someone without even being seen by  the envier. For example, a blind man cannot see a person, but he can  still cast the evil eye, or perhaps if the person is not around and  they are described to the envier without being seen by him, it can  afflict that person. It can also be afflicted by one being amazed at  himself without being envious to himself or others. The evil eye can be  done by anyone, even a loved one or a righteous person.

So, it  is incumbent on each and every one of us to take the necessary  precautions and try to prevent being affected by the evil eye, and to  say the supplications and remembrance upon seeing something amazing  and good. (Fath Al-Haq Al-Mubeen, 198) If any thing were  to overtake the divine decree (al-qadar) it would be the evil eye.” (Muslim, 2188)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم),  said after destiny( al-qadar ) my Ummah  will die mostly due to  Evil Eye.

Evil Eye  (Nazar) takes Man to the graveyard and Camel to the Pot.

Evil Eye makes one fall down from the mountain.

Islam teaches Muslims to seek protection and refuge in Allah from the evils of envy through the recitation of prayers, verses from the Quran and supplications. The hijaab is also key element for protection against the evil eye. And since women are most likely to be afflicted by it, then it is one of the reasons why Allah made the hijaab is obligatory on them – as a means of protection- that is why it is forbidden for believing women to display any of their beauty in front of non-mahrams (any person that a woman is able to marry), as Allah says in the quran:

“And  tell  the  believing  women  to  reduce  [some]  of  their  vision  and  guard  their  private parts  and  not  expose  their  adornment  except  that  which  [necessarily]  appears  thereof and  to  wrap  [a  portion  of]  their  headcovers  over  their  chests  and  not  expose  their adornment  except  to  their  husbands,  their  fathers,  their  husbands’  fathers,  their  sons, their  husbands’  sons,  their  brothers,  their  brothers’  sons,  their  sisters’  sons,  their women,  that  which  their  right  hands  possess,  or  those  male  attendants  having  no physical  desire,  or  children  who  are  not  yet  aware  of  the  private  aspects  of  women. And  let  them  not  stamp  their  feet  to  make  known  what  they  conceal  of  their adornment.  And  turn  to Allah in  repentance,  all  of  you,  O  believers,  that  you  might succeed.”

Some beautiful words from the journal of Umm Zakiyyah

“How can the same tongue that recites Qur’an backbite or utter a word of anger toward a fellow believer? How can the same hands that surrender to Allah in prayer be used to touch or do what is forbidden? How can the same feet that are cleansed in the water of wudhoo’ walk with intent toward carnal sin?” 
…Because the tongue, hands, and feet belong to a child of Adam—a human being—just like you. And just as your highest hope for salvation rests in earning the mercy and forgiveness you’ll never deserve, so it is with them—even as their tongue, hands, and feet sin differently than yours.’

We often caution each other to avoid discord, lest we fall victim to the traps of Shaytaan. But we must remember that, at times, Shaytaan is behind much of what we call love and harmony. 
In today’s world, it’s become quite commonplace to support wrongdoing in the name of kindness, patience, and tolerance. But, as believers, our ultimate goal is not to avoid discord and hurting people’s feelings. 
It’s to avoid discord *with Allah* and hurting our souls.’

Islam is not a philosophy and thus cannot be mastered through classes and books. It is not a scientific discipline in which you can become a “specialist” due to rigorous study. And it is not an academic subject in which a teacher can declare that you passed or failed. 
Islam is life. And you can’t get a degree or a certificate in “life.”
Yes, you can study *about* life. But in the end, you still have to live it. 
And you can only pray to God—in fear and hope—that you’re getting it right.’
—from the journal of Umm Zakiyyah