Quran Club - Reflections Talha Ghannam

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وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَـٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١١٨


And (likewise for) the three who lagged behind until, when the earth—vast as it is—closed in on them and their own (inner) selves closed in on them and they thought that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, He then granted them repentance, so that they may repent. Indeed, Allah is the Granter and Accepter of repentance, the Bestower of mercy.
[9:118]
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In this verse, Allah ﷻ gives us a confirmation of His acceptance of the repentance of the 3 companions of the Prophet ﷺ who absconded from the army. In doing so, He gives us a blueprint to follow on how our repentance can also be accepted too. Here is part 2 covering the second 5 points we derive from this verse and story. If you haven’t already, read part 1 to get full context of the verse:

6 – Flee to Allah ﷻ
Allah ﷻ states
وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ
They knew there was no refuge from Allah except in Him.

True repentance brings a realisation that the only escape from Allah ﷻ is to Allah ﷻ. It is such a profound description of the process; a recognition that you have overstepped His boundaries and warrant punishment, and a turning to Him in recognition that His mercy outweighs His wrath. This balance of hope and fear of Allah ﷻ is the foundation that underpins all of faith.

7 – No Compulsion
Once the Prophet ﷺ had returned, those who absconded came before him with their excuses. One by one the Prophet ﷺ accepted their excuses and dismissed them. He did not scold nor punish them, but took their word at face value and prayed to Allah ﷻ for their forgiveness. Allah ﷻ told him the truth of their hearts, and taught him how to interact with them.

You see, these people outwardly proclaimed to be Muslim, and here was the Messenger of God ﷺ who had more right than anyone to punish or excommunicate them from the faith. Yet, if he judged by their inward, we could never follow the same example. Instead, he taught us to live and let live, accept people’s choice and judge only by what is presented. So long as no public crime is committed, it is not our business to enforce it.


8 – Make it up
Just like how sins harm us, good deeds benefit us. The battle of Tabuk was gruelling. Aside from the psychological hurdles of battling a far bigger and better equipped Roman army, the battle was set at a time of intense heat, in a far away land when all the fruit was just ripening back home. As a result, the companions who returned with the Prophet ﷺ came back different, purified in the cauldron of tribulation to become the great people they became. Allah ﷻ states in the verse before:
لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ١١٧
Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet as well as the Emigrants and the Helpers who stood by him in the time of hardship, after the hearts of a group of them had almost faltered. He then accepted their repentance. Surely He is Ever Gracious and Most Merci

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وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَـٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١١٨
And (likewise for) the three who lagged behind until, when the earth—vast as it is—closed in on them and their own (inner) selves closed in on them and they thought that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, He then granted them repentance, so that they may repent. Indeed, Allah is the Granter and Accepter of repentance, the Bestower of mercy.
[9:118]

How do you know if your repentance has been accepted? Ultimately, only Allah ﷻ knows, but the Quran hints at some of the signs on how the process work.

One example is that of the three companions of the Prophet ﷺ mentioned is surah Tawbah who absconded from the battle of Tabuk; Hilal ibn Umayyah, Murarah ibn Rabi’ah and Ka’b ibn Malik. For context; the Roman empire had assembled an army of 200,000 men to march on Madinah to eliminate the Muslims whom they viewed as a threat. In response, the Prophet ﷺ gathered an army greater than ever before, reported to be up to 30,000 men, yet their numbers, weaponry and experience still paled in comparison to their enemy.

The Prophet ﷺ left the believers amongst the companions no excuse; everyone was expected to go with them, as every man was needed. But, in the words of Ka’b, the prospect of battle against such a large army, in severe heat, with a long journey ahead in the desert, led some to find excuses not to go. Moreover, the season which the battle fell in was in the word of Ka’b; “when the fruits had ripened and the shade looked pleasant”, making a journey out not just less appealing, but also an economic sacrifice too. To leave the ripened fruit unpicked is to lose a year of produce and potential income. Finally, with the Muslim army larger than any before, it was possible to sneak away unnoticed from the army, lost in the huge numbers of soldiers.

What makes this story fascinating is that Allah's ﷻ forgiveness is explicitly confirmed within the Quran, providing a verified model for our own repentance. The narrative, narrated by Ka’b himself, offers valuable insights into his mindset throughout the incident, and provides specific details from which we can learn. Here are 10 key points from the verse and hadith on the nature of repentance and what we can learn from it

1 – The word order
When Allah ﷻ describes the repentance, notice the order in which He describes His forgiveness;

ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ ۚ
“Then He forgave them so that they might repent.”

Allah’s ﷻ forgiveness proceeds the act of repentance! Why? A sign that Allah ﷻ has forgiven you is the fact that you are asking, as His pardon precedes your request! How wonderful it is to know that simply asking for forgiveness is a sign that you have been forgiven!

2 – The harms of sin
Sins bring about physical and psychological consequences. For the companions in this story, imagine the guilt they must have felt before Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ for what they did. Imagine the stigma from people knowing they were absent in their time of need. Before Allah ﷻ declares His repentance, He highlights the physical constriction and mental anguish felt as a result of the sin. Specifically, Allah ﷻ uses the word (حَتَّىٰٓ) “until”; a word used to describe the consequence of one thing from another, but carries an ambiguity on precisely when and how much wil

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فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ ٧٨

Then Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers—but how overwhelming were the waters that submerged them!

[20:78]



When telling the story of Ashura, our attention is often drawn to the main characters within the narrative, be it Prophet Musa (as) and Pharaoh, or Imam Hussein (ra) and Yazid. But little is ever said about what the NPCs in the story - the Non-Playable Characters. Across various mediums, whether it's a film, a story, or a game, NPCs serve as the underlying foundation upon which the narrative unfolds. Think of the enemies encountered on the way to confronting the ultimate boss in a game, or the soldiers in the background of a great battle in a movie; they play an essential role in crafting the narrative landscape, but individually fade into obscurity within the overarching plot of the story.



Much like this analogy, the NPCs of this story play a critical role within the narrative. What is Pharoah without his armies and minions who propped him up and worked to fulfil his orders? How would the story differ if Musa (as) did not have to lead the Children of Israel? How would Yazid have committed the heinous murder of the Prophet’s grandson without the soldiers obeying his command?



In the verse above, Allah ﷻ does not state Pharoah (و) “and” his soldiers. He uses the letter (ب), here translated to mean “with” his soldiers. Qurtubi explains how in Arabic, this transforms the word “soldiers” into a حال, a word which signifies the state or manner in which Pharoah pursued Prophet Musa (as), akin to the phrase “a man pursued him with his knife”. His army was not simply a companion on the journey; they were the tool which enabled Pharoah to pursue Prophet Musa and his people.



The story of Ashura is as much about these NPCs as it is about the main heroes and villains in the story. Their role enables the story to unfold, giving power and purpose to the characters and narrative. However, there is a subtle difference between the role they play for the heroes and villains. The villains in the story are wholly dependent on these NPCs for their very existence; their authority and position hinge on the support they receive from those who elevate them. On the contrary, figures like Prophet Musa (as) and Imam Hussein (ra) possess inherent greatness. Their significance is not derived from the NPCs; rather, the NPCs themselves find honour in their admiration and allegiance to these exceptional individuals. This dynamic emphasizes that it is the people who are uplifted through their connection with these heroes, not the other way around. This theme is found across the Qur’anic narrative; Allah ﷻ is not in need of us, but our obedience to Him is what ennobles us.



The story of Ashura is a reminder of the role we must play in our own story we see unfolding. Many assume they must play the main characters within a story, but our greater responsibility is to ensure we are simply part of the right side of the narrative. The collective is far more influential than any individual in a story, and each of us bares a responsibility in shaping the narrative of that group.

Shipwrecked (42:19)

#QuranReflections by Sh. Abu Eesa Niamatullah

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ٱللَّهُ لَطِيفُۢ بِعِبَادِهِۦ يَرۡزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡقَوِيُّ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ
"Allah is most kind towards His servants; He provides for whoever He wills, He is the Powerful, the Almighty."

I recall that one of the great Imams in our history - Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi - was reflecting on this verse when he wrote his brother some profound advice. He said, rahimahullah:

"Know that someone who is all alone clinging to a plank of wood in the middle of the ocean, is no less in need of Allah ﷻ and His kindness than one who is comfortably at home with his family and wealth.

Once this reality settles in your heart, become dependent upon Allah ﷻ like the one who is drowning and knows that nothing and no-one can save him except Allah ﷻ."

May Allah ﷻ remove all arrogance from our hearts, and allow us to truly depend on and submit to Him alone.

#FridayReminders 58: A Spider's Web (29:41)

#QuranReflections by Talha Ghannam



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مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًۭا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٤١

The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of a spider spinning a shelter. And the flimsiest of all shelters is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew.

[29:41]





The parable is a fascinating one. Like the spiders web it describes, there are has many facets to explore to the analogy, giving interesting insights to the nature of disbelief. Here are just some of the comparisons for you to ponder:





1) The Illusion of Strength

Pound for pound, a spider's web is stronger than steel. In their world, a disbeliever believes they have constructed an indestructible sanctuary shielded from any imminent danger. They take pride in possessing the epitome of technological advancement, often deluded or corrupted by its power, leading them to believe they are independent of God. Yet, the truth remains that a web remains susceptible to numerous lurking threats despite its strength. A single swipe of a hand can shatter it entirely! Similarly, those who doubt their complete reliance on Allah ﷻ for protection find themselves as secure as a spider in its web. They may possess the most formidable structures created by humans, clinging to a false sense of security within their homes, beliefs and system s, but this only deludes them to the delicate balance they live in, failing to recognize that death or impending calamity looms just moments away.





2) Fragile Complexity

A web symbolizes intricate complexity, often associated with elaborate conspiracies or structures that are resilient and imperceptible to the unaware. Overcoming this web of technology and strength may seem insurmountable to its prey. The overwhelming influence of disbelief in the modern era, encompassing various aspects of life, can make us feel helpless amidst its intricacies. How do we begin to approach the complex worlds of Artificial Intelligence, geo-politics, finance and other such fields which feel so out of reach? However, we must remember that this intricate web is as fragile as a spider's web. Its power is illusory and can be easily destroyed. Don't let the complexities of the world overwhelm you, as its significance is no greater than that of a mere spider's web.





3) Deception

A web, in its essence, lacks substance; its modus operandi is to stretch across a path, utilizing the allure of what lies behind it to ensnare those who pass through. It cunningly captures its prey by presenting an image of paradise, knowing that it has nothing to offer itself. The trapped prey wriggle and strain, hoping to reach their desired destination, unaware that unless they break free from the web, they not only fail to reach their goal but also fall prey to the captor that traps them. This is precisely why, as believers, we are instructed to maintain Taqwa – a state of God consciousness – in this worldly realm. In Arabic, Taqwa is used to describe a person carefully navigating through a thorn garden, ensuring their garments do not catch on the thorns. As we traverse this world, our Taqwa towards Allah ﷻ keeps us vigilant, enabling us to recognize the webs that lie in our path towards God.

#FridayReminders 56: Tricky Translations (37:93)

#QuranReflections by Talha Ghannam



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فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْبًۢا بِٱلْيَمِينِ ٩٣

Then he swiftly turned on them, striking ˹them˺ with his right hand.

[37:93]



We often hear scholars describe the inability of translating the Quran perfectly. In a recent OnePath Network podcast featuring Dr. Mustafa Khattab, renowned translator of the acclaimed "Clear Quran," he discussed various reasons contributing to this challenge. One of the key difficulties is encapsulating the rich array of meanings found in Arabic into a single word in English. Dr. Khattab provided an illustrative example using the verse mentioned above, specifically focusing on the word (بِٱلْيَمِينِ), translated here as "with his right hand." However, during the podcast, he explained that this phrase actually encompasses multiple meanings, but he could only carry one of them forward in his translation.



I was inspired to research the word, seeing what meanings I could uncover from the Tafsir literature. I came across an enlightening passage from Al-Shawkani's tafsir, which sheds light on the various interpretations offered by commentators for this particular word. Here are 7 meanings I found within the literature:





1) The right hand



Al-Wahidi said, 'Commentators state it means striking them with his right hand.' This is the strongest opinion according to Al-Shawkani.





2) A symbol for strength



As-Suddi said, '[Al-Yameen means] with strength and power, for the right hand is the stronger of the two hands.' Al-Farra' and Tha’lab state, 'Striking with strength, as the right hand signifies strength.'



Qurtubi adds in his tafsir: The emphasis on striking with the right hand is because it is stronger, and striking with it is more severe, as mentioned by Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi' ibn Anas.





3) An oath

[In Arabic, the word Yameen is used to refer to making an oath]. Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi' ibn Anas said, 'What is meant by the Yameen here is the oath that he swore by when he said



وَتَٱللَّهِ لأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَـٰمَكُمْ

{By Allah, I will surely plot against your idols.}'

[Quran 21:57]



Here, Prophet Ibrahim is fulfilling his oath by smashing idols as he stated.





4) Justice



It is said that what is meant by the right hand here is justice, as understood in another verse:

{And if He had spoken any word against Us, We would have seized him by the Yameen.}



وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلأَقَاوِيلِ * لأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِٱلْيَمِينِ

[Quran 69:44-45]



Here, the word Yameen is a metaphor for justice, just as the left is often a metaphor for injustice.





In Qurtubi’s Tafsir, he discusses much of the same meanings, adding a few nuances and other variations:



5) Obedience to God



You will find within the Quran sins are associated with the left, and obedience on the right. Allah ﷻ states in the Quran

إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَأْتُونَنَا عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ

'{Indeed, you used to come to Us from the Yameen.}'

[Quran 37:28],



In this context, Yameen means to come to Allah ﷻ from the side of obedience. Prophet Ibrahim’s act was done in obedience to the will of God.





6) Pledge of Allegiance

Qurtubi states: Don't you see that we pledged allegiance to Allah ﷻ with our right hand on the Day of the Covenant? [Here, this is referring to the pledge all souls took before Allah ﷻ upon the creation of Adam]. Any pledge is taken with the right hand. That is why the book will be given to the person with their right hand in the hereafter because they fulfilled their pledge, while the one who breaks the pledge and flees from Allah ﷻ will receive it wi