VERSES OF QUR’AN BEGINNING WITH يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُو
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
PART 3 (12 October 2022)
(Explanations taken from Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
- Qur’an surah al Baqarah (2) verse 183
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun.”
The Order to Fast
In an address to the believers of this Ummah, Allah ordered them to fast, that is, to abstain from food, drink and sexual activity with the intention of doing so sincerely for Allah the Exalted alone. This is because fasting purifies the souls and cleanses them from the evil that might mix with them and their ill behavior. Allah mentioned that He has ordained fasting for Muslims just as He ordained it for those before them, they being an example for them in that, so they should vigorously perform this obligation more obediently than the previous nations. Similarly, Allah said:
﴿ لِكُلٍّ۬ جَعَلۡنَا مِنكُمۡ شِرۡعَةً۬ وَمِنۡهَاجً۬اۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَڪُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ فِى مَآ ءَاتَٮٰكُمۡۖ فَٱسۡتَبِقُواْ ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِۚ ﴾
(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds.) (5:48)
Allah said in this Ayah:
(O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may have Taqwa).) since the fast cleanses the body and narrows the paths of Shaytan. In the Sahihayn the following Hadith was recorded:
(O young people! Whoever amongst you can afford marriage, let him marry. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.)
So, the main goal of fasting is to achieve taqwa. How many people actually become God-conscious after Ramadan?
- Many people ftake fasting just like a ritual without understanding the true value and reward of fasting.
- Some people would be fasting but they are not praying.
- Some dread the fasting bit, but look forward to the Eid. In Singapore and Malaysia – fasting is a window to Eid. Many enjoy Eid much more than fasting in Ramadan.
- Some people appreciate fasting only because it will help them to lose weight.
That is why by the end of Ramadan, NOT many people will achieve the aim of fasting – which is to achieve taqwa. It’s mainly because a lot of people still think that fasting is just about “not eating and not drinking”. They fail to realise that every part of our body needs to be restrained, especially the tongue.
6.Qur’an surah al Baqarah (2) verse 208
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ فِى ٱلسِّلْمِ كَآفَّةًۭ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy.”
Entering Islam in its Entirety is obligated
Allah commands His servants who believe in Him and have faith in His Messenger to implement all of Islam’s legislation and law, to adhere to all of its commandments, as much as they can, and to refrain from all of its prohibitions. `Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Mujahid, Tawus, Ad-Dahhak, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that Allah’s statement:
﴿ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلۡمِ ﴾
(Enter Silm) means Islam. Allah’s statement:
﴿ كَآفَّةً۬ ﴾
(…perfectly) means, in its entirety. This is the Tafsir of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Abu Al-`Aliyah, `Ikrimah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak. Mujahid said that the Ayah means, `Perform all the good works and the various pious deeds, this is especially addressed to those from among the People of the Scripture who embraced the faith.’
Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said that:
﴿ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلۡمِ ڪَآفَّةً۬ ﴾
(O you who believe! Enter Silm perfectly) refers to the believers among the People of the Scripture. This is because they believed in Allah, some of them still followed some parts of the Tawrah and the previous revelations. So Allah said:
﴿ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلۡمِ ڪَآفَّةً۬ ﴾
(Enter Islam perfectly.) Allah thus commanded them to embrace the legislation of the religion of Muhammad in its entirety and to avoid abandoning any part of it. They should no longer adhere to the Tawrah.
Allah then said:
﴿ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِۚ ﴾
(…and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan) meaning, perform the acts of worship and avoid what Satan commands you to do. This is because:
﴿ إِنَّمَا يَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ﴾
(He (Shaytan) commands you only what is evil and Fahsha’ (sinful), and that you should say about Allah what you know not.) (2:169) and:
﴿ إِنَّمَا يَدۡعُواْ حِزۡبَهُ ۥ لِيَكُونُواْ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴾
(He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.) (35:6) Hence, Allah said:
﴿ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ ﴾
(Verily, he is to you an open enemy.)
So there are 2 things to be aware:
- Enter Islam in its entirety. Don’t copy what other religion is practising
- Shaytan will tempt us to compromise Islam but do NOT follow the ways of shaytan, as shaytan has promised Allah and he will mislead us all
ثُمَّ لَـَٔاتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـٰكِرِينَ
“Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).” 7: 17
يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ لَا يَفْتِنَنَّكُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ كَمَآ أَخْرَجَ أَبَوَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنْهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتِهِمَآ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ يَرَىٰكُمْ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُۥ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا تَرَوْنَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
“O Children of Adam! Let not Shaitan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwa (Eve)] out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and Qabiluhu (his soldiers from the jinns or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the Shayatin (devils) Auliya’ (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not.” 7: 27
- Qur’an surah al Baqarah (2) verse 254
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌۭ لَّا بَيْعٌۭ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌۭ وَلَا شَفَـٰعَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
“O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).”
Allah commands His servants to spend for His sake, in the path of righteousness, from what He has granted them, so that they acquire and keep the reward of this righteous deed with their Lord and King. Let them rush to perform this deed in this life,
﴿ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِىَ يَوۡمٌ۬ ﴾
(before a Day comes) meaning, the Day of Resurrection,
﴿ لَّا بَيۡعٌ۬ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٌ۬ وَلَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ۗ ﴾
(when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession.)
This Ayah indicates that on that Day, no one will be able to bargain on behalf of himself or ransom himself with any amount, even if it was the earth’s fill of gold; nor will his friendship or relation to anyone benefit him. Similarly, Allah said,
﴿ فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَلَآ أَنسَابَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ وَلَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ﴾
(Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another) (23:101).
﴿ وَلَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ۗ ﴾
(Nor intercession) meaning, they will not benefit by the intercession of anyone.
Allah’s statement,
﴿ وَٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ﴾
(and it is the disbelievers who are the wrongdoers) indicates that no injustice is worse than meeting Allah on that Day while a disbeliever. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ata’ bin Dinar said, “All thanks are due to Allah Who said,
﴿ وَٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ﴾
(and it is the disbelievers who are the wrongdoers) but did not say, `And it is the wrongdoers who are the disbelievers.”’
While we are living in this world for a short time, we must not forget how we must ensure to donate what Allah has Given us – before the time comes when we will be regretful. Allah Described the state of regret in the hereafter:
وَأَنفِقُوا۟ مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَآ أَخَّرْتَنِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ قَرِيبٍۢ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
“And spend (in charity) of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: “My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give Sadaqah (i.e. Zakat) of my wealth , and be among the righteous [i.e. perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)].” 63: 10
But Allah Warned us:
وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
“And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” 63: 11
