Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Qur'an 20090428

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

1. They ask you concerning the spoils of war. Say, "Such spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the messenger. So fear Allah, and keep straight the relations between yourselves. Obey Allah and God's messenger, if you do believe."

2. For believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear God's Signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put their trust in their Lord.

3. Who establish regular prayers, and spend out of the gifts We have given them for sustenance.

The Spoils of War 8:1-3
----------------------------------------------------------

Such spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the messenger. So fear Allah, and keep straight the relations between yourselves. Obey Allah and God's messenger, if you do believe.

Everything belongs to Allah, and the more property we accumulate as humans, the more of that property should be used to please Allah. Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, and will take all of our intentions and efforts to count.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Qur'an 20090427

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

202. But their brethren plunge them deeper into error, and never relax.

203. If you bring them not a revelation, they say, "Why don't you have it together?" Say, "I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. These are Lights from your Lord, and Guidance, and Mercy, for any who have Faith."

204. When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace, that you may receive Mercy.

The Heights 7:202-204
----------------------------------------------------------

I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. These are Lights from your Lord, and Guidance, and Mercy, for any who have Faith.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Qur'an 20090426

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

194. Verily those who you call upon besides Allah are servants like unto you. Call upon them, and let them listen to your prayer, if you are truthful!

195. Have they feet to walk with? Or hands to lay hold with? Or eyes to see with? Or ears to hear with? Say, "Call your 'god-partners', scheme against me, and give me no respite!"

196. "For my protector is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and God will choose and befriend the righteous."

197. "But those you call upon besides God are unable to help you, and indeed to help themselves."

The Heights 7:194-195
----------------------------------------------------------

Call your 'god-partners', scheme against me, and give me no respite!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Qur'an 20090425

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

186. To such as Allah rejects from God's Guidance, there can be no guide. God will leave them in their trespasses, wandering in distraction.

187. They ask you about the Hour: when will be its appointed time? Say, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord. None can reveal as to when it will occur. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. Only all of a sudden will it come to you." They ask you if you were eager in search thereof. Say, "The knowledge thereof is with Allah, but most humans know not."

188. Say, "I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah Wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith."

The Heights 7:186-188
----------------------------------------------------------

The knowledge thereof is with my Lord. None can reveal as to when it will occur. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. Only all of a sudden will it come to you.

The knowledge thereof is with Allah, but most humans know not.

I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah Wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith.

To submit to the Will of Allah is like surfing spacetime: the only action is reaction. We can only do our best with what we have, and be grateful to Allah. This is how I approach the Qur'an. Everyday, I read 1 or 2 pages for a daily reading, and when I read out loud between sunset and night prayers, I pay most attention to the verses I start and end with.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Once upon a time

Once upon a time there was a man who encountered the Signs of God. God showed him the Signs, in the form of weather distortions, strange "coincidences", narrow escapes, animal and spirit communiques, and so on. But he passed them by... these Signs were not important to him. These Signs were not a million dollars in cash, a new car, beautiful women putting out for him, a nice house, lots of booze and drugs.... so the Signs were not real to him. He inclined towards materialism, and disregarded God as a patron. So, Satan stepped in instead, and became his friend.

"Here we fucking go about Satan again," he said. "I'm sick of hearing about Satan! Where the fuck is he?"

"That's right!" Satan whispered in his thoughts. "Don't believe! Just do whatever you want to do."

If it had been the Will of God, God should have elevated him with God's Signs. But he inclined to the earth. His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack it, it lolls out its tongue. If you leave it alone, it lolls out its tongue. It doesn't make any difference, whether you try to guide this person to God, or not. What matters to him is fulfilling his desires, nothing else.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Qur'an 20090421

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

158. Say, "O mankind! I am sent unto you all, as the messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but God. It is God that gives both life and death. So believe in Allah and God's messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and God's Words. Follow him, that you may be guided."

The Heights 7:158
----------------------------------------------------------

O mankind! I am sent unto you all, as the messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but God. It is God that gives both life and death. So believe in Allah and God's messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and God's Words. Follow him, that you may be guided.

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Qur'an 20090402

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

32. Say, "Who has forbidden the beauty of Allah, which God has produced for God's servants, and the things, clean and pure, for sustenance?" Say, "They are. in the life of this world, for those who believe, purely for them on the Day of Judgment." Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.

33. Say, "The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret, sins and trespasses against truth or reason, assigning of partners to Allah, for which God has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge."

34. To every people is a term appointed. When their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor can they advance.

The Heights 7:32-34
----------------------------------------------------------

Who has forbidden the beauty of Allah, which God has produced for God's servants, and the things, clean and pure, for sustenance?

They are. in the life of this world, for those who believe, purely for them on the Day of Judgment.

The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret, sins and trespasses against truth or reason, assigning of partners to Allah, for which God has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Qur'an 20090401

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

28. When they do something that is shameful, they say, "We found our fathers doing so," and "Allah commanded us thus." Say, "No, Allah never commands what is shameful. Do you say of Allah what you know not?"

29. Say, "My Lord has commanded justice, and that you set your whole selves at every time and place of prayer, and call upon God, making your devotion sincere as in God's sight. Such as God created you in the beginning, so shall you return."

30. Some God has guided. Others have deserved the loss of their way, in that they took the evil ones, in preference to Allah, for their friends and protectors, and think that they receive guidance.

The Heights 7:28-30
----------------------------------------------------------
No, Allah never commands what is shameful. Do you say of Allah what you know not?

My Lord has commanded justice, and that you set your whole selves at every time and place of prayer, and call upon God, making your devotion sincere as in God's sight. Such as God created you in the beginning, so shall you return.