Two vital precepts and procedure In sunnat-e-Ilahi: Humans are feeble and frail But God Almighty is benevolent and considerate
ABSTRACT
A short ayah with with two succinct messages: Humans have been created weak (though man considers himself exceptional) and therefore God Almighty in HIS eternal grace and compassion lightens his worry and stress.
“In conclusion, this ayah is a beautiful reminder of Allah’s compassion towards us and our inherent weaknesses as human beings. It encourages us to rely on Allah and seek His help in all aspects of our lives, and to approach ourselves and others with compassion and understanding” records ChatGPT in it’s comments on the index ayah. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, he/she/it i.e. ChatGPT cannot promote and assist me in my present venture of discussing monthly an ayah of the Quran because it has no access, for now at least to the various translations and commentaries of the Holy Quran. I will have to therefore drudge along on my own for the time being and scan through the available data for rendering the Quran.
The first part of the ayah emphasises the mercy and compassion of the Creator towards HIS creation. HE wants ease and comfort for mankind and therefore does not test them beyond their capabilities. He prescribes commands and rulings easy to work on. To give a few examples “If one cannot afford marrying free women, permission has been given to marry bond- women. Parties to a marriage were given the right to settle the dower by mutual consent. Also given was the right to marry more than one woman under circumstantial necessity, of course, on condition that justice is not compromised”.
“Not only is the rigor of the Jewish and other previous laws greatly modified in Islam, but all principles of right action are stated with such completeness, devoid of unnecessary details, that the real burden of man is actually much more lightened in Islam than in any other religion” explains Maulana Mohammed Ali in his tafseer. Natural desires are recognised and prescribed a decent method of their satisfaction. “God neither charges His servants with an unreasonable suppression of these desires, nor does He allow them to run loose after their pleasure without checks and controls.”
The research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi in his tafseer “Al Bayan” points out “This refers to the restrictions that had been imposed on people due to the religious interpretations of the scholars. The Quran has interpreted these restrictions as unnecessary burdens.”
The second part of the ayah focusses on the inherent nature of human beings. “We are not perfect, and we are not meant to be. We are inherently flawed, prone to mistakes and weaknesses”.
Dr. Mohammad Asad, in his tafseer “The Message of Quran” provides a good explanation for “God wants to lighten your burdens”. He clarifies “ i.e., to remove, by means of His guidance, all possibility of conflict between man’s spirit and his bodily urges, and to show him a way of life in which these two elements of human nature can be harmonized and brought to full fruition.”
Read ONLY, IF AND WHEN you have time and mood for:
“An Ayah of the Quran for 30 Days” — April 2023
Choose the section you have time in the next 30 days to read this ayah:-
Prelude: Recurrent Primary Message 1st. Page
Starting Dua, a note & The Ayah 2nd. Page
A Short Version: For the Busy Bee (None) Page
The Main Story: Recommended One Page
Footnotes: For the Perfectionist One Page
PRELUDE
From the Pen and Perspective of a self-styled PPK Muslim (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgeable) with a humble submission that Islam totally rejects Blind Following BUT vigorously focusses on the Limitations of Pure Human Reasoning…………..and clearly and comprehensively ALLAH knows best.
In the beginning of the seventh century C.E., the folks of Mecca and Medina had a fascinatingly unique window: they had direct access to the Heavens through one of their own. They were blessed with a regular stream of Divine counseling and guidelines. Question and answer sessions were part of the program. Even individual questioner was graced by an answer. In the short Introduction to this scheme they were assured that at the end of this twenty-two year project, Divine Directions and Admonitions will continue through the agency of the PEN. The whole discourse has been preserved and archived till eternity under the guarantee of our Lord and Creator. This record in known as the Quran.
It should sound unbelievable but factually appears to be true: Many of our prevalent, widespreadand important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran. It would bevery educative and helpful to discuss an Ayah once a month to see if it supports or rejects ourviews and actions in our daily life. I wish and hope this generates a fruitful interactive discussion.
DUAA’بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ
“He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)”
“Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons (joy, pleasure).”
resort to blind following — taqleed, doctrine of classical Sunni Islamic Fiqh.
THE AYAH
A SHORT VERSION
THE MAIN STORY
A short ayah with with two succinct messages: Humans have been created weak (though man considers himself exceptional) and therefore God Almighty in HIS eternal grace and compassion lightens his worry and stress.
“In conclusion, this ayah is a beautiful reminder of Allah’s compassion towards us and our inherent weaknesses as human beings. It encourages us to rely on Allah and seek His help in all aspects of our lives, and to approach ourselves and others with compassion and understanding” records ChatGPT in it’s comments on the index ayah. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, he/she/it i.e. ChatGPT cannot promote and assist me in my present venture of discussing monthly an ayah of the Quran because it has no access, for now at least to the various translations and commentaries of the Holy Quran. I will have to drudge along on my own for the time being and scan through the available data for rendering the Quran.
The first part of the ayah emphasises the mercy and compassion of the Creator towards HIS creation. HE wants ease and comfort for mankind and therefore does not test them beyond their capabilities. He prescribes commands and rulings easy to work on. To give a few examples “If one cannot afford marrying free women, permission has been given to marry bond- women. Parties to a marriage were given the right to settle the dower by mutual consent. Also given was the right to marry more than one woman under circumstantial necessity, of course, on condition that justice is not compromised”.
“Not only is the rigor of the Jewish and other previous laws greatly modified in Islam, but all principles of right action are stated with such completeness, devoid of unnecessary details, that the real burden of man is actually much more lightened in Islam than in any other religion” explains Maulana Mohammed Ali in his tafseer.
Natural desires are recognised and prescribed a decent method of their satisfaction. “God neither charges His servants with an unreasonable suppression of these desires, nor does He allow them to run loose after their pleasure without checks and controls.”
The research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi in his tafseer “Al Bayan” points out “This refers to the restrictions that had been imposed on people due to the religious interpretations of the scholars. The Quran has interpreted these restrictions as unnecessary burdens.”
The second part of the ayah focusses on the inherent nature of human beings. “We are not perfect, and we are not meant to be. We are inherently flawed, prone to mistakes and weaknesses”.
Dr. Mohammad Asad, in his tafseer “The Message of Quran” provides a good explanation for “God wants to lighten your burdens”. He clarifies “ i.e., to remove, by means of His guidance, all possibility of conflict between man’s spirit and his bodily urges, and to show him a way of life in which these two elements of human nature can be harmonized and brought to full fruition.”
……..and Allah knows best.
May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.
Dr. Khalid Mitha
FOOTNOTES
Dr. Khalid Mitha
April 2023