Living The Quran
Scripture and Prayer
Al-Araf (The Heights) Chapter 7: Verse 170
 "As
for those who hold fast to the Scriptures and attend regularly to their
prayers, We shall not fail to reward those who enjoin the doing of what
is right."
The very expression, "hold fast to the Scriptures", gives a vivid
image that we can almost see and feel. It is the image of holding the
book with strength and seriousness. This is how God likes His book to be
approached, without rigidity or narrow-mindedness. Strength and
seriousness are totally different from rigidity and narrow-mindedness.
They are not opposed to ease, broad vision and compatibility with
day-to-day life, but they are opposed to looseness, carelessness, and
giving human practices precedence over God's law. Indeed, what people do must always be subject to God's law.
Holding fast with strength and seriousness to what God has
revealed and attending regularly to prayers, which is here a reference
to all aspects of worship, are the twin essential factors of the divine
method that aims at setting human life on the right footing. The way
this Quranic verse clearly links holding fast to the Scriptures with
attending to worship is significant. It shows that implementing divine revelations in human life gives it the right basis, and that proper worship reforms human rights.
Thus, the two operate in everyday life as well as in human hearts and
set them both aright. This is further emphasized by the reference to
doing right at the conclusion of the verse.
The plain fact is that all human life suffers as a result of abandoning these two essential factors of the divine method. When
the revealed message is taken lightly, it has no effect on everyday
life, and when worship is abandoned, people's hearts become prone to
corruption. This leads to evading the law, as was the practice
of the people of earlier Scriptures. The same applies to the followers
of any Scripture when their hearts take worship lightly, and in
consequence, their fear of God weakens.
The divine system is a complete whole, which establishes life on
the basis of a divine writ, and reforms hearts through worship. Thus,
hearts are healthy and human life is also wholesome. That is the divine
method, which is abandoned in preference for another only by those who
are bound to suffer misery in this world and punishment in the life to
come.
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Understanding the Prophet's Life 
Day of Ashura
It is reported in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari and
other authentic collections of hadith that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his Companions used to fast on the 10th
day of Muharram while they were in Makkah (before the hijrah).
It was a day on which people of Makkah used to change the covering (kiswah) of the Kabah. Quraysh also used to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1489 and 1760)
After the hijrah when the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, he found that the Jews of
Madinah also used to observe this day with fasting. The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) asked them the reason of their
fasting on this day. They said, “This is a blessed day. On this day
Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and so
Prophet Musa fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah.” The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We have more claim to Musa than you.” He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1865)
In another report it is mentioned that Jews of Madinah used to
hold a feast on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) told his Companions to fast instead. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1866)
Ashura fasting was obligatory (fard) in the beginning. In the second year of hijrah
(624 CE) when Allah’s command came that Muslims should fast the whole
month of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then
sent someone to announce to people that fasting of Ashura had become
voluntary (nafl). This indicates that whosoever wishes to
fast, may fast and whosoever does not want to fast, there will be no
blame on him/her.
Imam at-Tirmidhi mentioned that ibn Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with them both) used to say that we should fast on two days:
the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish
community. (At-Tirmidhi, Hadith 686)
Ibn Abbas also quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying, “If I live next year, I shall also fast on the 9th day.” (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, hadith 2002)
There is a great reward in fasting the day of Ashura. There
are many hadiths that mention its blessings and virtues. It is good to
fast on this day, although it is not obligatory.
Compiled From:
"Significance of Fasting the day of Ashura" - Muzammil Siddiqi |
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Blindspot!
Three Types of Men
There are three types of men: the dog-like, the lion-like and the
angelic. The dog-like are satisfied with bones, table scraps, carrion
and defilement. These do not satisfy the lion-like, who crave to control
and to dominate people, either by truth or by lies. But the angelic are
above this. They direct their wills towards the Sublime Companion. They
aspire to knowledge, faith and love of God. They turn towards Him, find
peace and tranquility in Him, place His love and good pleasure above
all else. They take whatever they get from the world as a means
to help them arrive at its originator, the Lord and Protector, not to
cut themselves off from Him.
Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 75 |
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