Victory and Strength: Lessons from Surat al-Anfal
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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…

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…

A simple formula for success vs refusing to believe

A simple formula for success vs refusing to believe

Surat al-A’raf mentions the stories of six prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, Shuayb, and lastly Musa (peace be upon them), whose story is the longest. In fact, the story of Musa (peace be upon him) is the longest in the Quran, and is repeated in many surahs. In verse 96, Allah says:   وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا  عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن  كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ…

Don’t be arrogant about your blessings from Allah
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Don’t be arrogant about your blessings from Allah

Surat Al-A’raf recounts the stories of five prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, and Shuayb (peace be upon them all). As a Makkan surah, it offers consolation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), reassuring him that he was not alone in facing rejection, hostility and ridicule. Every prophet before him endured similar opposition from their…

Al Araf- between heaven and hell

Al Araf- between heaven and hell

In Surah Al-A’raf, Allah presents us with two contrasting scenes—the people of Jannah (Paradise) and the people of Hellfire.  قَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِيٓ أُمَمٖ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ فِي ٱلنَّارِۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتۡ أُمَّةٞ لَّعَنَتۡ أُخۡتَهَاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱدَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعٗا قَالَتۡ أُخۡرَىٰهُمۡ لِأُولَىٰهُمۡ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَٔاتِهِمۡ عَذَابٗا ضِعۡفٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِۖ قَالَ لِكُلّٖ…

Don’t let your ego get in the way of obeying Allah
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Don’t let your ego get in the way of obeying Allah

Surat al-A’raf is a Makki surah, which is untypically lengthy, with 206 verses. It opens with the story of Iblis and Adam – a story that Allah has repeated many times in the Quran.  Don’t put your ego first  Allah commands the angels and Iblis to prostrate; the angels obey, but Iblis refuses, thinking he…

Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam
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Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam

The beauty and timelessness of the Quran is evident in Surat al Anam, when Allah says: وَذَرُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَبَاطِنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْسِبُونَ ٱلْإِثْمَ سَيُجْزَوْنَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَقْتَرِفُونَ ١٢٠ Shun all sin—open and secret. Indeed, those who commit sin will be punished for what they earn. (6:120) Throughout all generations and nations, the path…

Seek forgiveness before you sleep

Seek forgiveness before you sleep

Seek forgiveness from Allah in the morning and evening  ۞وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ  وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۚ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ  مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٖ  فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٖ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖ With Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He. He knows what is in the land and the sea. No leaf ever falls but that He knows about it, and there is no grain in the dark…