Don’t expect Allah to do your job for you
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Don’t expect Allah to do your job for you

There are two important ayahs at the end of Surah Yunus. The first ayah is: قُلِ ٱنظُرُوا۟ مَاذَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَا تُغْنِى ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتُ وَٱلنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ Say, “Look at what is there in the heavens and the earth.” But, signs and warnings do not suffice a people who do not believe….

The Quran is a cure
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The Quran is a cure

Surat Yunus contains some extremely beautiful verses: يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا۟ هُوَ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ O men, there has come to you an advice from your Lord, and a cure for the ailments of your hearts, and guidance and…

The best reward is seeing Allah
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The best reward is seeing Allah

The immense reward of doing good One of the beautiful ayahs in Surah Yunus is: ۞لِّلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ وَزِيَادَةٞۖ  وَلَا يَرۡهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمۡ قَتَرٞ وَلَا ذِلَّةٌۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ  هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ For them who have done good is the best [reward] and extra. No darkness will cover their faces, nor humiliation. Those are companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally (10:26) In this ayah, Allah is talking…

Losing the ethical framework that protects humanity

Losing the ethical framework that protects humanity

‫لَقَدۡ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ إِذۡ بَعَثَ فِیهِمۡ رَسُولاً مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ یَتۡلُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ وَیُزَكِّیهِمۡ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِی ضَلَـٰلࣲ مُّبِین ٍ Indeed, Allah has bestowed a great favour upon the believers by sending them a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His signs, purifies them, and teaches them…

Strengthening the Ummah: the importance of learning deen
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Strengthening the Ummah: the importance of learning deen

Ayah 122 of Surat at-Tawbah is a very important ayah and a major point of reference for scholars. ۞وَمَا كَانَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُواْ كَآفَّةٗۚ فَلَوۡلَا  نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرۡقَةٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ طَآئِفَةٞ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُواْ  فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡ إِذَا  رَجَعُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَحۡذَرُونَ, It is not necessary for the believers to march forth all at once. Only a party from each group should march forth, leaving the rest to gain religious knowledge then enlighten their people…

Those who invest first have the highest returns

Those who invest first have the highest returns

Background to Surat at-Tawbah  The name of Surat at-Tawbah comes from the fact that Allah accepted the repentance of three companions who didn’t go to the Battle of Tabuk, despite not having any excuse. These were Murarah ibn Al-Rabi‘, Ka‘b ibn Malik and Hilal ibn Umayyah  Surat at-Tawbah talks the most about hypocrites of any…

What you desire vs what is good for you

What you desire vs what is good for you

Surah At-Tawbah discusses hypocrisy more extensively than any other surah in the Quran. Although there is an entire surah named Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites), Surah At-Tawbah looks closer at the traits, actions, and consequences of hypocrisy. Allah Almighty says: وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ عَـٰهَدَ ٱللَّهَ لَئِنْ ءَاتَٮٰنَا مِن فَضْلِهِۦ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَٮٰهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ بَخِلُوا۟…

Victory and Strength: Lessons from Surat al-Anfal

Victory and Strength: Lessons from Surat al-Anfal

The Battle of Badr took place on the 17th of Ramadan, a pivotal moment in Islamic history. In Surah Al-Anfal, Allah teaches the believers the principles of attaining victory and maintaining it, while in Surah Aal-e-Imran, revealed after the Battle of Uhud, Allah dedicates over 70 verses—nearly one-third of one of the longest surahs—to addressing…

When Allah is on your side, no one can defeat you

When Allah is on your side, no one can defeat you

Surat Anfal is a Madani surah and therefore very different from the Makki surahs which precede it. While Makki surahs are concerned with embedding the concept of tawheed and imaan in the minds of their audience, the Madani surahs contain rulings and details on how to building the community. Surah Anfal is particularly focused on…

The hearts that are blind

The hearts that are blind

In the last two pages of Surat al-A’raf, Allah talks about those who worship idols, or worship anything else other than Allah – whether this is their own whims, wealth, ego, etc. No matter how hard you try to invite them to the truth, they are leading themselves to destruction. أَيُشۡرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخۡلُقُ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُونَ وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ لَهُمۡ نَصۡرٗا وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَنصُرُونَ وَإِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَا يَتَّبِعُوكُمۡۚ  سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَدَعَوۡتُمُوهُمۡ أَمۡ أَنتُمۡ صَٰمِتُونَ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ …

Do not trade the akhirah for the dunya

Do not trade the akhirah for the dunya

Towards the end of Surat al-A’raf, Allah talks about the knowledge He has sent down, and the types of people who receive it. فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٞ وَرِثُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ  يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ  سَيُغۡفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأۡتِهِمۡ عَرَضٞ مِّثۡلُهُۥ  يَأۡخُذُوهُۚ أَلَمۡ يُؤۡخَذۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّيثَٰقُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ  أَن لَّا يَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّ  وَدَرَسُواْ مَا فِيهِۗ وَٱلدَّارُ  ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَۚ  أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, “It will be forgiven for…