Renewal By The Book: Quran Tafsir Based on Imam Ghazali's Ihya SeekersGuidance.org

In this lesson of Renewal by the Book, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, reflects upon verses of the Quran that correspond to the chapter on reflection and the end of life from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya.

إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالْأَنْعَامُ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِالْأَمْسِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَىٰ دَارِ السَّلَامِ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ



The example of [this] worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb - [those] from which men and livestock eat - until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought. And Allah invites to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to a straight path [Quran, 5:24-25]



This verse is directed to those who seek the world and contentment in its pleasures, warning that whenever you seek contentment in this life it will disappoint you. Conversely, Allah invites all of us to the place that will never perish or disappoint us and that is the Home of Peace. To respond to Allah’s invitation one needs to follow the straight path. The Prophet, peace be upon him, invited us to think abundantly about the hereafter and reflect upon death. The reflection upon death should lead one to understand the importance of working towards it and remaining steadfast on the straight path.



Shaykh Faraz advises that people read the translation of the final book of the Ihya which was beautifully translated by Shaykh Abdel Hakim Murad. In this series, Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya so that we experience a renewal by The Book.



 



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In this re-broadcast lesson of Renewal by the Book, Shaykh Faraz reviews verses from the Quran that correspond with the chapters on the love of Allah and sincerity in Imam Ghazali’s Ihya. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. [Quran 5:54] Shaykh Faraz comments on this verse saying, the major cause of people turning away from Allah is lack of love. That is why the love of Allah is central and important to our faith. Allah’s love is a subset of His mercy. Those whom Allah loves He chooses good for and grants honor and closeness to Him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, tells us that a person will be with whom they love on the day of judgment. Conversely, for one to love Allah that entails that Allah’s love for us precedes it. That is why we must always ask Allah for His love.



Lastly, Shaykh Faraz delves into the chapter on sincerity and explains the levels of sincerity that Imam Ghazali had described in the Ihya. Shaykh Faraz advises that one should begin by striving and that entails choosing what Allah chooses and what is pleasing to Him.



In this series, Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.



 



For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts



Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate   

In this re-broadcast lesson of Renewal by the Book, Shaykh Faraz reviews verses from the Quran that correspond with the chapters on Divine Oneness, hope, and fear in Imam Ghazali’s Ihya. There are verses that focus on hope and others on fear in the Quran and both are equally important to consider. The companions used to discuss the most hope inducing verses in the Quran and the most fear-inducing verses in the Quran, so will this lesson. From each one can derive what this expresses about the Oneness of Allah and our relationship with him. قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.



Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." [Quran, 39: 53] In this verse Allah guarantees that He forgives all sins if one repents from them, and even if one does not repent then the matter is to Allah’s will to forgive the person even if they haven’t repented. As such, there is none that is as forgiving as Allah, He is the Most Merciful. وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. [Quran, 93:5] In this verse, Allah tells us that our hope should be placed in the Hereafter and not in this life. This life is meant to be testing, but the greatest reward will be given in the Hereafter. In this verse the term Rabb is used to denote that Allah is the One who cares for us, continually, towards our ultimate good; the only condition for this is for us to accept the way of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Verses of Fear: وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ And fear the Fire, which has been prepared for the disbelievers. [Quran, 3:131].



We fear Allah because we know Him because just as He is Merciful He is Majestic and All-Powerful. Thus one needs to be cognisant of the station of our Lord. One should understand the verses of the Quran personally, so when it talks to the disbelievers or the Pharaoh one should not take that to mean people other than themselves, it can apply to you as well. وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed. [Quran, 25:23] This verse reminds us to not just assume that our actions will be accepted because acceptance is dependent on our sincerity.



Shaykh Faraz explains that actions are but an empty shell whose life-giving reality is sincerity. In sum, Shaykh Faraz concludes that this all returns to knowing Allah and the ultimate testament of faith is to know that there is no God and no one that we are in need of except Allah. Then one should live by the Prophetic Sunnah through their belief and action that emulates the Prophet, peace be upon him.



In this series, Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya so that we experience a renewal by The Book.



 



For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts



Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate  

In this lesson, Shaykh Faraz continues the series Renewal by the Book giving an overview of the chapter on repentance, patience, and gratitude from Imam Ghazali’s along with a tafsir of the verses of the Quran that correspond to it. In this lesson, Shaykh Faraz looks at verse 13 from chapter 34 in the Quran.



Often times these three qualities: repentance, patience, and gratitude are thought of to be enacted at specific times, like repenting when one does something wrong. However, one should be in all three states at all times and shouldn’t tie them to life events. اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful. [Quran, 34:13] All the Prophets came with one call, that to Allah, and all the virtues of that call are shared, thus the call to Prophet David extends to us as well.



Imam Ghazali explains that Gratitude has three integrals: to recognize the blessing as being from Allah, appreciating the blessing, and then expressing appreciation to Allah. Gratitude is for the servant to direct every blessing that Allah has blessed them with towards what Allah has created it for.



Gratitude entails repentance because whatever you have was given by Allah without you deserving it; then even when one does well because Allah will always deserve better. This also entails patience, because one needs to be patient on the way of Allah. To summarize, gratitude entails: [1] leaving sin, through repentance [2] remaining firm on what is pleasing to Allah through patience The truly grateful express their gratitude for what was prevented from them and not just what is given to them. For this reason, the scholars have listed three levels of gratitude: [1] General gratitude for blessings [2] High gratitude for blessings and tribulations [3] To disappear from the blessings to the bestower of blessings.



Shaykh Faraz concludes by reminding us that true gratitude is directing every blessing whether a blessing or displeasing to Allah with constant repentance because we recognize that Allah deserves better. Lastly, have every renewed patience and commitment to remain firm on all that is pleasing to Allah.



In this series, Shaykh Faraz, and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.



 



For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts



Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate  

In this lesson, visiting scholar, Shaykh Walead Mosaad, gives an overview of select verses from the Quran that correspond with the chapter on the condemnation of the dunya (worldliness) from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya. This chapter is the only chapter in the Ihya where Imam Ghazali says there are too many verses to mention on this subject as if hinting to the fact that most of the Quran point to this theme in general.



The Dunya intended in this chapter is not to condemn one’s living in this world but the Dunya here is in reference to the heart’s love for appetites and desires. Thus the point is to question one’s relationship to the Dunya and be aware that you are in it but not of it. Shaykh Walead explains that this is why at a time of calamity one is enjoined to say we are from God to Him we return as a reminder that this Dunya is not our final abode. As we go along in life Allah sends us reminders of the pershing nature of the Dunya. اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا ۖ وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ ۚ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ



Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except for the enjoyment of delusion? [Quran, 57:20] The verse begins with an acknowledgment that the world is adorned with various objects that everyone wants to have some possession of that is not shared with others.



Our love for beautiful things is part of our nature, however, we can reorient that love towards the inner beauty of quality as opposed to the outward beauty of material things. The person with the most inner beauty is that of the Prophet, peace be upon him. The parable given in the verse is that of a farmer who is happy with his crops but then it goes away with the change of seasons and then it turns into ash, such is the dunya, it may be pretty now but is inevitably destructed. Shaykh Walead concludes by reminding us that the dunya is all which gets in your way from pursuing the afterlife. The dunya was made for you to take from it what you need to sustain your journey, not to make it the end goal in and of itself.



In this series, Shaykh Faraz and the other scholars and teachers will be looking at points of reflection from key verses in the Quran. The series will follow the thematic order of Imam Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences). The aim is to connect the key verses of guidance from the Book of Allah with the blueprint of renewal, the Ihya, so that we experience a renewal by The Book.



For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts



Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate