Prophet Musa (Part 2)
Musa goes to Pharaoh:
- When Musa came back from Madyan, he went to his mother and brother Harun. They were having their dinner, he ate with them. Then he said to Harun “O Harun! Allah has commanded me and you that we should go to Pharaoh and invite him to His worship”.
- They arrived at the gate but it was closed. Musa said to this gatekeepers and doormen “Go and tell him that the Messengers of Allah are at the door”. The doormen started mocking them.
- Musa moved forward and he started banging on the door with his staff. Pharaoh was disturbed and he asked them to be brought in, and so they stood infront of him and invited him to the way of Allah.
- Aya: “Go both of you to Pharaoh, for he is an insolent tyrant. Then speak to him gently, that he may be mindful, or perhaps he may fear. Both said: Our Lord! We fear that he may exceed in insolence against us. Allah said: Fear not, for I am with you, I hear and see” (20:40-46)
- -Allah first reminded them to remember Him often so He will give them strength to stand infront of Pharaoh.
- “Speak to him gently”, this is Allah’s mercy with His creatures.. even the one’s who disobey Him. It’s a sign that Allah is closer to mercy and forgiveness than to wrath and revenge.
- “We fear lest he may exceed in insolence against us”. They expressed their fear from Pharaoh because they are human, but Allah comforted them.
- Aya: “Go both of you, with Our Signs. We shall be with you, listening to your call. So go to Pharaoh and say: ‘We are the Messengers of the Lord of the worlds. You must send the Children of Israel with us’. He said: ‘Did we not raise you up among us as a child, and you stayed among us for many years of your life? And then you did that deed which you did while you were of the ungrateful?’” (26:10-19)
- They first invited Pharaoh and his people to the way of Allah and to worship Him Alone, without association any partner with Him. They also asked him to release the children of Israel from their captivity.
- They told Pharaoh the consequences of following the guidance (and peace to all those who follow guidance”. They also told him the consequences of rejecting the truth (Surely, it has been revealed to us that the chastisement shall befall him who rejects and turns away)
- Pharaoh showed his arrogance with his response. He tried to embarrass Prophet Musa with his unintentional murder.
- Musa responded: “I did it, then, when I was in error, then I fled from you when I feared you, but my Lord granted me wisdom and make me one of the Messengers” (26: 20-21)
- Then Musa commented on Pharaoh’s claim to have done him a favor by raising him. He said: “And what favor do you mention? That you enslaved the Children of Israel?” (26:22)
- Then Pharaoh asked Musa: “And who is the Lord of the worlds?. He said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, if you could have a firm belief. He (Pharaoh) said to those around him: Did you hear that?. Musa said: Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. Pharaoh said: Surely, youe Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman. Musa said: The Lord of the east and the west and what is between them, if you have understanding” (26: 23-28)
- But Pharaoh continued in his denial of the existing of Allah and he claimed it for himself. Aya: “Then he gathered his people and proclaimed, saying ‘I am your lord, the most high’” (79:23-24)
- Musa tried to bring Pharaoh’s attention to the signs of Allah’s existence all around him but Pharaoh was stubborn and arrogant.
- Aya: “Allah is the One Who has made for you the earth as a cradle, and has opened roads for you therein, and sent down water from the sky”.. then Allah says “Out of the earth did We create you, and We shall return you to it, and from it shall We bring you forth a second time” (20:49-55)
- Pharaoh said: “If you take a god other than me, I will certainly imprison you. Musa said: Even if I bring you a clear proof. Pharaoh said: Show it then if you are truthful. So he threw down his staff, and it became a large snake. And he drew his hand, and it was shining white to the onlookers” (26:29-33)
- Pharaoh claimed that what Musa showed was nothing but a trick of magic and sorcery.
- Pharaoh said: “O Musa, Have you come to drive us out of our land by your magic? We shall also bring you magic to match yours, so set an appointed time between us and you which we shall not fail to keep, in an open wide place where both shall have equal and just opportunity”.
- Musa said: “Let the encounter be on the day of the Festival of Adornment, and let the people be assembled at high noon” (20: 56-59)
- Pharaoh asked Musa to pick a place and time so that everyone can attend and see who is right. This is exactly what Prophet Musa wanted.
- Musa, without any delay, named the day of a famous festival which he knew everyone would attend.
Musa and the Magicians:
- Aya: “So Pharaoh withdrew and mustered his plot, and then came back. Musa said to them: “Woe to you! Forge not a falsehood against Allah, lest He destroy you with a severe chastisement. The one who forges falsehood must perish”
- Pharaoh gathered all the great magicians of Egypt, his ministers, dignitaries and all the people. It was Pharaoh’s command to attend, so no one dared not to.
- Before starting, Musa went to the magicians and rebuked them for practicing magic against Allah’s signs and threatened them with a Divine punishment.
- Aya: “So they disputed among themselves concerning the issue”
- Some said it seems like it’s a call of a Prophet, and others said no he’s just a magician. They finally agreed that Musa and Harun were magicians who want to take away their land.
- Pharaoh promised the magicians a great reward if they were successful.
- The magicians said: “By th might of Pharaoh, we are certainly the victorious”
- They asked Musa if he would like to go first but he told them to go ahead.
- Aya: “So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of people and struch terror into them, and produced great magic” (7:116)
- Aya: “And so it appeared to him by their magic, that their ropes and sticks were moving. So Musa conceived a fear within himself”
- Musa feared that the people would be bewitched by their spell before he could throw his stick.
- Aya: “Fear not, certainly you have the upper hand. And throw down what is in your right hand, and it shall devour all they have faked, for they have faked only with the magician’s plot, and the magician will never succeed, wherever he goes”
- So Musa threw his stick on the ground and said: “What you have brought is sorcery, Allah will surely render it vain”
- When Musa threw his stick, it turned into a huge snake. It started devouring their ropes and sticks one by one.
- People were astonished, and the magicians were in bewilderment. They couldn’t believe their eyes. They knew their profession very well and they knew that this was NOT magic.
- So they all fell in prostration to their Lord, the Lord of the world. They announced their belief openly without fearing Pharaoh.
- Aya: “So the magicians threw themselves down prostrating, and said: ‘We believe in the Lord of Harun and Musa’. Pharaoh said: ‘You believed in Him before I gave you permission, surely, he is your chief who taught you the magic. Therefore, I shall cut off your hands and legs on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on the trunks of palm trees, and you will know most certainly which of us is more severe in chastisement, and more lasting’. They said: ‘Never shall we prefer you to what has come to us of the clear signs and above He Who created us. Do decree whatever you desire to decree, for you only decree concerning the life of this world’” (20:70-72)
- Aya: “For us, we have believed in our Lord, may He forgive us our sins, and the magic which you have compelled us to practice”
- It is said that when the magicians fell down in prostration they saw the palaces and houses in paradise being prepared and decorated for them. That’s what strengthened their iman against Pharaoh’s threat.
- Pharaoh was of course frightened by this and he was afraid that other people will believe as well.
- Pharaoh accused Musa of being their master magician and teacher. Which was a clear lie. Everyone knew very well that Musa had never met the magicians before, plus it was Pharaoh who chose the magicians himself.
- The magicians also made dua saying: “Our Lord make us patient and cause us to die as Muslims”- this is so they won’t reject belief when the punishment is being performed.
- Pharaoh wanted their punishment to be a deterrent and example for all those who incline to believe.
- However, the magicians had tasted the sweetness of faith. They wanted Allah’s reward.
- SubhanAllah, how their situation changed in moments. In the first part of the day they were magicians and by the end of the day they were shudaha’.
Chiefs encourage Pharaoh to Kill Musa:
- The leaders and chiefs and dignitaries of the society encouraged Pharaoh to harm Musa and his people, and said: “Would you leave Musa and his people to work corruption on the land, and to forsake you?”
- However, Pharaoh said that he was not going to let them do that and he would start by killing their sons and sparing their women.
- Musa had no choice but to ask his people to be patient and seek Allah’s help against Pharaoh. He assured them that the end was for them, if they were patient and righteous.
- Aya: “And Musa said: ‘O my people! If you believe in Allah, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims’. So they said: ‘In Allah we trust.”
- However, they still complained to Musa that they were harmed twice. Once before he was born and now by the killings of their sons.
- Musa comforted them that after this trial they will inherit the land from their enemy.
- The killings of their sons was to make them feel helpless, humiliated and to reduce their number.
- Aya: “And Pharaoh said: ‘Let me kill Musa, and let him call on his Lord. I fear he will change your religion, or spread mischief in the land’”
The believer:
- Aya: “And a believer from among Pharaoh’s people who concealed his faith said: Will you kill a man because he said My Lord is Allah? And indeed he has brought to you clear signs from your Lord, and if he is a liar, on him will be his lie, and if he is truthful, there will befall you some of what he threatens you with. Surely, Allah does not guide any excessive liar. O my people! Today sovereignty is yours, you have the upper hand in the land. But who will help us from the punishment of Allah if it befalls us?. Pharaoh said: I only point out to you what I see myself, and I only guide you to the right path”
- This man was Pharaoh’s cousin. He had until that moment concealed his belief.
- Hadith: “The best of Jihad is to speak out about justice and truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler”
- The man asked Pharaoh, are you going to kill him just because he chose to believe in Allah? What crime is that?
- Then he pointed out that Musa did bring proofs to support his claim. So why not reflect on the message he is bringing, or at least leave him alone so you won’t be punished.
- He warned them that they might be deprived of their land and wealth if they keep opposing Musa.
- Of course Pharaoh didn’t want to hear this voice of reason, as he claimed that he knew everything.
- Pharaoh knew deep down in his heart that Musa was telling the truth, yet he was too arrogant to admit it.
- Aya: “So when Our sins came to them visibly, they said: This is nothing but magic. And they rejected them, though their souls were convinced of them, wrongfully and out of pride” (27:13-14)
- The man also reminded them of the end of the people who came before them. Like the people of Noah, Hud, Lot, etc.
- He also reminded them of Prophet Joseph and his mission in Egypt, and how he benefited them in this world and in the Hereafter, and how Musa is from his progeny.
- He reminded them how they were in doubt about Yusuf’s message: “But you persisted in doubt concerning what he came to you with, until when he perished, you said: Allah will never send a Messenger after him”
- Yet Pharaoh’s response was: “O Haman! Build for me a tower that I may have access to the heavens and may see the God of Musa, and I think he is a liar”
- He also said: “O chiefs! I do not know of any god for you other than myself, burn for me bricks of clay, O Haman, and build for me a tower, that I may climb up to the god of Musa, for I consider him to be a liar”
- Pharaoh wanted to distract his people from the truth.
- The believer said: “O my people! Follow me, and I will guide you to the right way. O my people! The life of this world is but a fleeting enjoyment, and surely the hereafter is the enduring home. Whoever does an evil deed, shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer, these shall be admitted to the Gardens, there they will be provided abundantly without reckoning”
- They argued with him and asked him to remain on Pharaoh’s religion.
- He responded: “Oh my people! How is is that I call you to deliverance and you call me to the Fire? You call me t disbelieve in Allah and to associate with Him that which I have no knowledge of, and I call you to the Almighty, the Forgiver. No doubt that those you call me to cannot be called upon in this world or in the Hereafter, and to Allah is out return, and the transgressors and the inhabitants of the fire”
- They again were too arrogant and did not listen to the believer amongst them. Allah protected the believer and they did not harm him.
Signs and Trials:
- When the message was very clear to them and they saw the signs and both prophets did their efforts in calling them to Allah, Allah put them to through trials of different kinds.
- Aya: “And certainly we seized Pharaoh’s people with years of scarcity and a reduction of fruits, that they might be mindful. SO when good came to them, they said: This is our due. But if evil afflicted them, they would ascribe is to Musa and those with him. Whereas, surely their misfortune was with Allah, but most of them do not know. And they said: Whatever sign you bring to us to enchant us, we will not believe in you. So We sent on them the flood and the locusts, the lice and the frogs, and the blood, self-explained signs, but they were arrogant and were sinful people.”
- The first thing was that they suffered from a drought which lasted for years. The purpose of this trial was to force them to realize their limits and the real Lord who handles this life.
- The second sign was the flood. An abundance of rain which destroyed their crops.
- Third was the locusts which ate all of their crops and fruits
- Fourth was the lice-black tiny insects that attacked them everywhere
- Fifth: Frogs. Frogs were EVERYWHERE. Even if one opened his mouth to drink or eat a frog would jump into it.
- Sixth: Blood. Their water was mixed with blood.
- All of these trials were for the Egyptians. Even though the children of Israel still lived in the same land, they did not suffer from any of this. Another miracle of Musa.
- Aya: “And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Musa! Pray for us to your Lord in the name of the covenant He has made with you, if you remove the plague from us, we will surely believe in you, and we will send forth the Children of Israel with you” (7:134)
- Musa prayed to Allah to remove their suffering. But they did not fulfill their promise… then they were afflicted with locusts, and so on….
- They broke their promise every time, and so the punishment would get harsher every time.
- Pharaoh said: “Am I not better than this one, who is despicable, and who can hardly express himself? Why were not then the bracelets of gold bestowed upon him, or angels come with him as companions?. Thus did he make fools of his people, and they obeyed him, indeed they were wicked people” (43: 46-56)
The destruction of Pharaoh and his army:
- It was now time for their punishment. They were given enough chances.
- Other than the magicians, tt’s said that only 3 Egyptians believed in Musa. Pharaoh’s wife, his cousin, and the man who warned Musa to get out of town after the killing.
- Aya: “And We inspired Musa and his brother: Make separate dwellings for your people in Egypt, and make your dwellings places of worship, and establish prayer, and give glad tidings to the believers”
- This is in order for the believers to be distinguished and so they would be able to find each other quickly.
- Musa finally made a prayer against Pharaoh, he said: “Our Lord! You have given Pharaoh and his chiefs the glitters and wealth of this worldly life. Our Lord! They misled people from Your way. Our Lord! Obliterate their wealth, and harden their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous punishment”
- Allah answered his prayer, as he accepted the prayer of Noah against his people.
- The Children of Israel asked Pharaoh for his permission to go to one of their festivals. He granted his permission to them unwillingly. But when the Israelites prepared themselves for this festival, they actually prepared to depart from Egypt forever.
- The Children of Israel left Egypt at once heading towards the land of Syrian. When Pharaoh came to know about their departure, he became extremely angry, and asked his army chiefs to get ready to follow them and punish them.
- Allah revealed to Musa to depart with Bani Israel at night, and He told them that Pharaoh would follow them.
- Pharaoh was enraged and wanted to punish them. He looked at them as a small number and he was sure that they would be victorious.
- Pharaoh had an army which exceeded one a half million.
- Bani Israel were about half a million, they were finally leaving Egypt after 426 years.
- Pharaoh finally caught up to Bani Israel. There was no way out for them, the sea was infront of them and Pharaoh and his army were behind them.
- They found no escape and complained to Musa. He assured them that Allah is with them.
- Musa came to the sea, and looked at it with its huge waves. He was saying: here is where I was commanded.
- Harun and Yusha’ bin Nun were with him.
- The believer from the house of Pharaoh was also with him, he actually tried to enter the sea with his horse but he couldn’t. He said to Musa: “O Messenger of Allah, where you commanded to come here”. Musa said: “Yes”
- When Pharaoh got closer and closer, people started to panic.
- Revelation came to Musa: “Strike the sea with your stick”. So he struck it.
- And so the sea parted and each part stood like a huge mountain.
- Allah created dry paths for Bani Israel so they can pass through the sea.
- When the last person of Bani Israel exited the sea, Pharaoh and his army started entering it.
- Musa wanted to strike the sea again so it would block their way, but Allah commanded him to leave it so Pharaoh and his army could enter it.
- At this point Pharaoh was frightened but he still wanted to prove himself to his army so he said: “Look how the sea has split apart for me so that I could catch my servants”
- When his army saw him entering the sea, they followed him.
- When all of them were in the sea, Allah commanded Musa to strike it with his stick and so they were all drowned.
- Aya: “And We took Bani Israel through the sea. Then Pharaoh and his soldiers perused them in insolence and hostility, until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god except the one whom Bani Israel believed in. And I am one of the Muslims. Now you believe, after you rebelled before and caused corruption. This day We shall save you in your body so that you may be a sign for those who come after you. But surely many among mankind are heedless of Our signs” (10:90-92)
- As soon as Pharaoh realized that he was helpless he proclaimed his belief in Allah… but it was too late.
- Hadith: “When Pharaoh said: ‘I believe that there is no god except He whom Bani Israel believed in’. Jibril said to me: If you could have seen me when I took the mud from the sea and shoved it into his mouth, fearing that the mercy of God might save him”
- Aya: “Rather, that which they before concealed appeared to them, and even if they were returned, they would commit again the very thing they were prohibited, surely they are liars” (6:28)
- Some of Bani Israel were doubtful of Pharaoh’s death, so Allah commanded the sea to raise his body high on the wave. He was wearing his armor with which he was recognized, and so his death was confirmed.
- Pharaoh and his army were drowned on the day of Ashura.
- Hadith: “when the Prophet came to Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them: What is this day that you are fasting on?. They answered: this is a day when Musa gained victory over Pharaoh. So the Prophet said to his companions: “You are more deserving of Moses then them, so you fast as well” (Bukhari)
Friday, May 9, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
May 1st: Prophet Musa (Part 1)
Prophet Musa (Part 1)
Birth:
- Mentioned in more than 30 surahs and he was mentioned 124 times.
- From the lineage of Ibrahim
- Aya: “We relate to you the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth, for people who believe. Surely, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into sections , one of which he oppressed , killing their sons and sparing their women, indeed, he was a corruptor. And We wish to be gracious to those who were oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders, and to make them inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers what they feared” (28: 1-6
- The dream: A fire coming out from Jerusalem and this fire swept through Egypt and destroyed everyone except for the children of Israel.
- His people used to spy on any pregnant woman from the children of Israel… if she delivered a boy he would be slaughtered right away.
- Eventually the people complained to Pharaoh because the children of Israel were getting less in number and soon there would be no one to serve them. So Pharaoh decided to spare the boys one year and slaughter them in the next one.
- Haroon was born in a year when the males were spared.
- When Musa’s mother became pregnant with him, it was during a year that the boys would be killed. She concealed her pregnancy.
- After she delivered Musa.
- Aya: “ And We inspired the mother of Musa: ‘Suckle him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear nor grieve, We shall return him to you, and We shall make him one of the Messengers’
- This is a strong inspiration because no mother would throw her newborn child into a flowing river. (The Nile river is very wide and strong).
- She put her trust in Allah and she believed that He will take care of her child more than she will.
- The above verse has 2 dos, 2 don’ts and 2 promises: breastfeed him, throw him in the river. Don’t be afraid, don’t have any sorrow. Promise: We will return him to you, and We will make him a messenger.
- She breastfed her child, she put him in a wooden box into the river and she let him go. Just to fulfill the promise of Allah.
- She followed Allah’s orders to attain His promise. What about us? Do we fulfill Allah’s orders in order to receive what He has promised us?
- People used and still do live on the banks of the Nile river. Egypt is a desert and has no rain so people would live next to the river.
- Out of all the houses that were around, the wooden box stops at the Palace of Pharaoh.
- She threw him into the river to get him away from Pharaoh, yet Allah wants this baby to go right to the palace of Pharaoh.
- Aya: “the family of Pharaoh picked him up, that he may become for them an enemy and a cause of sorrow”
- Some servants found the box, they took him not Pharaoh but to Asiya, his wife.
- She fell in love with the child. Allah put the love of this righteous child into the heart of this righteous woman.
- It is said that Asiya and Maryam will be amongst the Prophet’s wives in jannah.
- When Pharaoh came and saw him, he wanted to kill him but she asked him if she could keep the boy and she said he will be “a comfort of the eye for me and you, don’t kill him perhaps he can be of benefit for us or we can adopt him as a son”.
- Allah put support for Musa in Pharaoh’s palace. Allah can do whatever He wants.
- Pharaoh said “he will be a comfort for your eyes but I don’t want him to be a comfort for my eyes”.
- Aya: “And the heart of the mother of Musa became empty”
- She was drained, she didn’t know where her son was.
- Aya: “She (the mother of Musa) was about to disclose her case”…. She was about to go and look for him…
- Aya: “But We strengthened her heart so she might remain as one of the believers”… nothing can fill an empty heart but iman… that kept her quiet.
- Musa’s mother asked his sister to go and follow the box to see where it ends up. She knew where it was.
- Allah didn’t allow Musa to suckle from any woman…Aya: “And We had ordained that he would refuse to be suckled by any foster mother…”
- Musa’s sister goes to the Palace and she tells them “Shall I show you to a family who will look after him for you and look after him sincerely”
- They said ok we’ll try.
- They took the child to the mother of Musa and he immediately started to breastfeed.
- Asiya invites Musa’s mother to come live in the palace and feed Musa.
- Musa’s mother now sets the terms… she said no I have a husband and home to take care of so you have to bring the child to me so I can breastfeed him.
- Musa is now leaving the palace of Pharaoh with royal guards and going to the house of his parents and his mother is being paid to take care of her child.
- If she had kept the child with her, he would have been killed. But because she fulfilled Allah’s command, her child is now protected and he’s become a source of income for his family.
- “So did We return him to his mother that she might be delighted and that she might not grieve, and so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of them don’t know”
- When you depend on Allah, no matter how weak you are He can provide you with the most strength.
Musa Kills:
- Musa is now a grown young man and Allah has blessed him with knowledge and wisdom.
- Musa was described as being very large, well built, dark skinned, curly hair, had a very strong presence and personality.
- Aya: “…he entered the city at a time when its people were at noon rest”… “and he found two people fighting there, one of them from his own people and the other from his enemy. The one from his own people leaded for him to help against his enemy”
- Musa went to help the man and all he did was push the other one with his stick. But the other man fell dead. Musa didn’t mean to kill him. It was unintentional murder.
- The next day Musa saw the same man from the children of Israel fighting with another Egyptian.
- Musa rushed ahead… the man got scared and he said “do you want to kill me like you killed someone yesterday”
- Until that moment no one knew who killed the Egyptian.
- This wasn’t a regular murder, it was a political issue… someone from the high class was killed in defense of someone from the low class.
- Pharaoh was angered by this issue and wanted to kill Musa.
- Aya: “A man came running from the farthest part of the city, saying: ‘O Moses! The chiefs are conspiring to slay you, so depart this place, I am your sincere advisor”
Musa goes to Madyan:
- Musa left immediately without packing or taking anything with him
- He walked until his shoes fell apart and he ate anything he found.. tree leaves, etc.
- He finally arrived at Madyan.
- He saw a group of men standing by some wells, drinking and giving water to their cattle while two women were standing with their cattle on the side.
- Musa is tired and in bad shape yet he cannot see something wrong taking place without helping out.
- He went up to the women and asked them what’s the matter.
- They said: “We cannot draw water until the shepherds have gone away, and our father is a very old man”
- So he drew water for them
- Then he went and sat in the shade and said: “My Lord! I am in need of any good that You may send to me”
- He’s asking Allah to give him anything… “Oh Allah whatever You can bestow on me, I need it”
- When the two women came home their father was surprised at their early return, they told him what happened and he sent one of them back to get him.
- Aya: “Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said: “My father invites you that he may reward you for drawing water for us”
- Allah describes her as having “7aya2”… a quality that is needed in both men and women…
- Musa went back with her… he walked infront of her and told her to toss him a rock to let him know if she wanted him to move left or right.
- Musa started narrating the story of his life. The old man told him not worry anymore, because he was now outside of Egypt and safe from them.
- One of the daughters went to her father and said “O my father, hire him. The best man to hire are the strong and trustworthy”.
- Her father asked her how did you know that he is strong and trustworthy and she told him about his physical strength that she saw while he watered their cattle. And she knew he was trustworthy because he walked infront of her…
- The father said to Musa: “I intend to give you one of these two daughters of mine in marriage, provided you serve me for eight years. However, if you complete ten, that will be from your grace. I do not want to place any hardship upon you. If Allah wills, you shall surely find me a righteous man”
- So the dowry for the marriage was that he’d work for him for 8 years.
- Musa clarified that the deal is settled and that he is free to fulfill either of the terms.
- Musa fulfilled the term of ten years.
- Up until this point Musa is not a prophet yet.
- We learn that Musa was a shepherd.. the Prophet told us that every Prophet was a shepherd.
- Being a shepherd teaches patience, it also makes the shepherd alert so he can guard the weak sheep.
Musa and Mount Tur:
- After Musa fulfilled the term of ten years, he left with his wife heading back to Egypt.
- He was feeling homesick and wanted to see his family in Egypt and decided to go visit them secretly.
- The journey happened to be in the night while it was cold.
- They lost their way and they couldn’t see anything.
- Musa spotted a fire near mount Tur. He said to his wife: “Stay here, I see a fire”
- It seems like he was the only one who was able to see the fire.
- “I hope that I can bring you from there some directions or some burning fire so that you may warm yourself”
- He went to receive guidance and so he did…
- He got there and now Allah tells us about the amazing conversation that took place.
- Aya: “So when he came to it, he was called: ‘O Moses! Indeed I am your Lord, take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed. Indeed I am Allah, there is no God worthy of worship but I, therefore worship Me, and establish prayer for My remembrance. Certainly the Hour is coming, I have almost concealed it so that every soul may be recompensed for its deeds. Therefore, let not him who disbelieves in it, and follows his own lusts divert you from it lest you perish”
- When Musa got to the valley he saw a green tree, with a fire burning inside of it… and the more the fire burned the greener the tree became… it was actually not fire but a light. The light was extending up to the heavens.
- Allah spoke to Musa directly.
- Musa went to the fire because he wanted guidance… a direction to Egypt… but he received guidance for humanity.
- The first order was tawheed… the oneness of Allah
- The second order was to establish prayer.
- The third thing was that people need to believe in the after life.
- Aya: “And O Moses! What is this in your right hand?”
- Musa knows his stick very well… so he answered according to his knowledge
- Aya: “This is my stick, whereon I lean and I beat down leaves with to feed my sheep, and in it I fend other uses”
- Allah tells Musa to throw the stick
- Musa throws his stick and it started to shake and turned into a huge snake, with a big jaw and it was moving very quickly.
- Allah is the creator of everything…
- This is unusual for Musa so when he saw that he started running and did not look back… he had a normal human reaction.
- Allah wants to train Musa to get rid of this natural human fear because he is going to have to face many difficult situations in his life.
- Allah stopped him saying: “O Moses! Come back and fear not, for you are secure”
- Musa came back and Allah commanded him to hold the snake saying: “Take it, and do not fear, We shall restore it to its former state”
- As soon as Musa held the snake it turned back into the stick.
- Then Allah tells him: “And put your hand underneath your arm, and it will come out shinning white without stain, and draw your hand close to your side to be free from fear”
- Musa was dark skinned… when he pulled out his hand it was white and shinning like the moon. When he put it back it returned to its natural color.
- These are 2 of nine signs that Allah gave to Musa.
- The first action that Musa is ordered to do is “Go to Pharaoh, for he is a tyrant.”
- Musa was chosen by Allah for his strength and iman.
- He asked Allah to help him, he said: “Oh Allah open up my chest, and make my mission easy, and make loose the defect from my tongue so they may understand what I see”
- Musa had a problem with speech.
- “…and give me a helper from my family, Harun my brother, add to my strength through him, and make him share my task, so that we may glorify You and remember You frequently, surely, You are All-Seeing of us’ Allah said: ‘You are granted your request O Musa”
- Aishah heard a man saying to people while they were on their way to hajj: “who did the greatest favor to his brother?”. Aishah responded and said “Musa, he did the biggest favor upon his brother Harun because he asked Allah to make his brother a prophet”
- Musa said to Allah “My Lord! I have killed one of them, and I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Harun is more eloquent in speech than I. So, send him with me so he may support me. Surely, I fear they will reject me.’ He said: ‘We will certainly strengthen your arm with your brother, and We shall give you both such an authority that they will not be able to harm you.”
- Allah says : “Go both of you to Pharaoh… and speak to him softly...”
- Allah wants them to be gentle with Pharaoh.
Birth:
- Mentioned in more than 30 surahs and he was mentioned 124 times.
- From the lineage of Ibrahim
- Aya: “We relate to you the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth, for people who believe. Surely, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into sections , one of which he oppressed , killing their sons and sparing their women, indeed, he was a corruptor. And We wish to be gracious to those who were oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders, and to make them inheritors. And to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers what they feared” (28: 1-6
- The dream: A fire coming out from Jerusalem and this fire swept through Egypt and destroyed everyone except for the children of Israel.
- His people used to spy on any pregnant woman from the children of Israel… if she delivered a boy he would be slaughtered right away.
- Eventually the people complained to Pharaoh because the children of Israel were getting less in number and soon there would be no one to serve them. So Pharaoh decided to spare the boys one year and slaughter them in the next one.
- Haroon was born in a year when the males were spared.
- When Musa’s mother became pregnant with him, it was during a year that the boys would be killed. She concealed her pregnancy.
- After she delivered Musa.
- Aya: “ And We inspired the mother of Musa: ‘Suckle him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear nor grieve, We shall return him to you, and We shall make him one of the Messengers’
- This is a strong inspiration because no mother would throw her newborn child into a flowing river. (The Nile river is very wide and strong).
- She put her trust in Allah and she believed that He will take care of her child more than she will.
- The above verse has 2 dos, 2 don’ts and 2 promises: breastfeed him, throw him in the river. Don’t be afraid, don’t have any sorrow. Promise: We will return him to you, and We will make him a messenger.
- She breastfed her child, she put him in a wooden box into the river and she let him go. Just to fulfill the promise of Allah.
- She followed Allah’s orders to attain His promise. What about us? Do we fulfill Allah’s orders in order to receive what He has promised us?
- People used and still do live on the banks of the Nile river. Egypt is a desert and has no rain so people would live next to the river.
- Out of all the houses that were around, the wooden box stops at the Palace of Pharaoh.
- She threw him into the river to get him away from Pharaoh, yet Allah wants this baby to go right to the palace of Pharaoh.
- Aya: “the family of Pharaoh picked him up, that he may become for them an enemy and a cause of sorrow”
- Some servants found the box, they took him not Pharaoh but to Asiya, his wife.
- She fell in love with the child. Allah put the love of this righteous child into the heart of this righteous woman.
- It is said that Asiya and Maryam will be amongst the Prophet’s wives in jannah.
- When Pharaoh came and saw him, he wanted to kill him but she asked him if she could keep the boy and she said he will be “a comfort of the eye for me and you, don’t kill him perhaps he can be of benefit for us or we can adopt him as a son”.
- Allah put support for Musa in Pharaoh’s palace. Allah can do whatever He wants.
- Pharaoh said “he will be a comfort for your eyes but I don’t want him to be a comfort for my eyes”.
- Aya: “And the heart of the mother of Musa became empty”
- She was drained, she didn’t know where her son was.
- Aya: “She (the mother of Musa) was about to disclose her case”…. She was about to go and look for him…
- Aya: “But We strengthened her heart so she might remain as one of the believers”… nothing can fill an empty heart but iman… that kept her quiet.
- Musa’s mother asked his sister to go and follow the box to see where it ends up. She knew where it was.
- Allah didn’t allow Musa to suckle from any woman…Aya: “And We had ordained that he would refuse to be suckled by any foster mother…”
- Musa’s sister goes to the Palace and she tells them “Shall I show you to a family who will look after him for you and look after him sincerely”
- They said ok we’ll try.
- They took the child to the mother of Musa and he immediately started to breastfeed.
- Asiya invites Musa’s mother to come live in the palace and feed Musa.
- Musa’s mother now sets the terms… she said no I have a husband and home to take care of so you have to bring the child to me so I can breastfeed him.
- Musa is now leaving the palace of Pharaoh with royal guards and going to the house of his parents and his mother is being paid to take care of her child.
- If she had kept the child with her, he would have been killed. But because she fulfilled Allah’s command, her child is now protected and he’s become a source of income for his family.
- “So did We return him to his mother that she might be delighted and that she might not grieve, and so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of them don’t know”
- When you depend on Allah, no matter how weak you are He can provide you with the most strength.
Musa Kills:
- Musa is now a grown young man and Allah has blessed him with knowledge and wisdom.
- Musa was described as being very large, well built, dark skinned, curly hair, had a very strong presence and personality.
- Aya: “…he entered the city at a time when its people were at noon rest”… “and he found two people fighting there, one of them from his own people and the other from his enemy. The one from his own people leaded for him to help against his enemy”
- Musa went to help the man and all he did was push the other one with his stick. But the other man fell dead. Musa didn’t mean to kill him. It was unintentional murder.
- The next day Musa saw the same man from the children of Israel fighting with another Egyptian.
- Musa rushed ahead… the man got scared and he said “do you want to kill me like you killed someone yesterday”
- Until that moment no one knew who killed the Egyptian.
- This wasn’t a regular murder, it was a political issue… someone from the high class was killed in defense of someone from the low class.
- Pharaoh was angered by this issue and wanted to kill Musa.
- Aya: “A man came running from the farthest part of the city, saying: ‘O Moses! The chiefs are conspiring to slay you, so depart this place, I am your sincere advisor”
Musa goes to Madyan:
- Musa left immediately without packing or taking anything with him
- He walked until his shoes fell apart and he ate anything he found.. tree leaves, etc.
- He finally arrived at Madyan.
- He saw a group of men standing by some wells, drinking and giving water to their cattle while two women were standing with their cattle on the side.
- Musa is tired and in bad shape yet he cannot see something wrong taking place without helping out.
- He went up to the women and asked them what’s the matter.
- They said: “We cannot draw water until the shepherds have gone away, and our father is a very old man”
- So he drew water for them
- Then he went and sat in the shade and said: “My Lord! I am in need of any good that You may send to me”
- He’s asking Allah to give him anything… “Oh Allah whatever You can bestow on me, I need it”
- When the two women came home their father was surprised at their early return, they told him what happened and he sent one of them back to get him.
- Aya: “Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said: “My father invites you that he may reward you for drawing water for us”
- Allah describes her as having “7aya2”… a quality that is needed in both men and women…
- Musa went back with her… he walked infront of her and told her to toss him a rock to let him know if she wanted him to move left or right.
- Musa started narrating the story of his life. The old man told him not worry anymore, because he was now outside of Egypt and safe from them.
- One of the daughters went to her father and said “O my father, hire him. The best man to hire are the strong and trustworthy”.
- Her father asked her how did you know that he is strong and trustworthy and she told him about his physical strength that she saw while he watered their cattle. And she knew he was trustworthy because he walked infront of her…
- The father said to Musa: “I intend to give you one of these two daughters of mine in marriage, provided you serve me for eight years. However, if you complete ten, that will be from your grace. I do not want to place any hardship upon you. If Allah wills, you shall surely find me a righteous man”
- So the dowry for the marriage was that he’d work for him for 8 years.
- Musa clarified that the deal is settled and that he is free to fulfill either of the terms.
- Musa fulfilled the term of ten years.
- Up until this point Musa is not a prophet yet.
- We learn that Musa was a shepherd.. the Prophet told us that every Prophet was a shepherd.
- Being a shepherd teaches patience, it also makes the shepherd alert so he can guard the weak sheep.
Musa and Mount Tur:
- After Musa fulfilled the term of ten years, he left with his wife heading back to Egypt.
- He was feeling homesick and wanted to see his family in Egypt and decided to go visit them secretly.
- The journey happened to be in the night while it was cold.
- They lost their way and they couldn’t see anything.
- Musa spotted a fire near mount Tur. He said to his wife: “Stay here, I see a fire”
- It seems like he was the only one who was able to see the fire.
- “I hope that I can bring you from there some directions or some burning fire so that you may warm yourself”
- He went to receive guidance and so he did…
- He got there and now Allah tells us about the amazing conversation that took place.
- Aya: “So when he came to it, he was called: ‘O Moses! Indeed I am your Lord, take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed. Indeed I am Allah, there is no God worthy of worship but I, therefore worship Me, and establish prayer for My remembrance. Certainly the Hour is coming, I have almost concealed it so that every soul may be recompensed for its deeds. Therefore, let not him who disbelieves in it, and follows his own lusts divert you from it lest you perish”
- When Musa got to the valley he saw a green tree, with a fire burning inside of it… and the more the fire burned the greener the tree became… it was actually not fire but a light. The light was extending up to the heavens.
- Allah spoke to Musa directly.
- Musa went to the fire because he wanted guidance… a direction to Egypt… but he received guidance for humanity.
- The first order was tawheed… the oneness of Allah
- The second order was to establish prayer.
- The third thing was that people need to believe in the after life.
- Aya: “And O Moses! What is this in your right hand?”
- Musa knows his stick very well… so he answered according to his knowledge
- Aya: “This is my stick, whereon I lean and I beat down leaves with to feed my sheep, and in it I fend other uses”
- Allah tells Musa to throw the stick
- Musa throws his stick and it started to shake and turned into a huge snake, with a big jaw and it was moving very quickly.
- Allah is the creator of everything…
- This is unusual for Musa so when he saw that he started running and did not look back… he had a normal human reaction.
- Allah wants to train Musa to get rid of this natural human fear because he is going to have to face many difficult situations in his life.
- Allah stopped him saying: “O Moses! Come back and fear not, for you are secure”
- Musa came back and Allah commanded him to hold the snake saying: “Take it, and do not fear, We shall restore it to its former state”
- As soon as Musa held the snake it turned back into the stick.
- Then Allah tells him: “And put your hand underneath your arm, and it will come out shinning white without stain, and draw your hand close to your side to be free from fear”
- Musa was dark skinned… when he pulled out his hand it was white and shinning like the moon. When he put it back it returned to its natural color.
- These are 2 of nine signs that Allah gave to Musa.
- The first action that Musa is ordered to do is “Go to Pharaoh, for he is a tyrant.”
- Musa was chosen by Allah for his strength and iman.
- He asked Allah to help him, he said: “Oh Allah open up my chest, and make my mission easy, and make loose the defect from my tongue so they may understand what I see”
- Musa had a problem with speech.
- “…and give me a helper from my family, Harun my brother, add to my strength through him, and make him share my task, so that we may glorify You and remember You frequently, surely, You are All-Seeing of us’ Allah said: ‘You are granted your request O Musa”
- Aishah heard a man saying to people while they were on their way to hajj: “who did the greatest favor to his brother?”. Aishah responded and said “Musa, he did the biggest favor upon his brother Harun because he asked Allah to make his brother a prophet”
- Musa said to Allah “My Lord! I have killed one of them, and I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Harun is more eloquent in speech than I. So, send him with me so he may support me. Surely, I fear they will reject me.’ He said: ‘We will certainly strengthen your arm with your brother, and We shall give you both such an authority that they will not be able to harm you.”
- Allah says : “Go both of you to Pharaoh… and speak to him softly...”
- Allah wants them to be gentle with Pharaoh.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
April 17th: Prophets Ayyub and Yunus
The stories of Prophets Ayyub (AS) and Yunus (AS)
Prophet Ayyub:
- Allah mentions the dawah of prophets Nuh, Hud, Saleh, etc. But He does not mention the dawah of Prophet Ayyub.
-The story of Prophet Ayyub is different, it's an incredible example of patience. It's mentioned twice in the Quran.
- His story became a proverb "The patience of Ayyub"
- Prophet Ayyub was a Roman, he was from the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim.
- He received revelation from Allah.
- His wife's name was Leah.
- Prophet Ayyub was blessed with alot of wealth, bodily strength, and many children.
-Suddenly, he lost EVERYTHING. He lost his wealth, his health and all of his children.
- He basically lost everything that a person loves in dunya.
- He had different kinds of diseases. No part or limb of his body was free from disease except for his tongue and his heart.
- Despite all of this he was patient and did not complain once.
- His illness continued for so long that even his relatives and friends deserted him.
- He was taken out of his town and thrown unto a trash dump.
- The only one who stayed by his side was his wife. She was also patient in the test of losing her children and wealth.
- She started working in order to feed herself and her husband.
- All these tests made Ayyub stronger in religion, patience, and gratitude to Allah.
- Hadith: "The people who are tested most severly are Prophets, then the righteous, and then the likes of them"
- The stronger you are in deen, the tougher the test.
- Hadith: "A man is put to trail according to the strength of his religion. If he was strong in his religion, his trial is increased"
- There's a difference of opinion in regards to how long prophet Ayyub suffered. Some scholars say it was 3 years, some say 7, and some say 18 years.
- His flesh started falling off of his body until nothing remained but his muscles and bones.
- His wife finally asked him to pray to Allah so He would relieve him from his suffering.
- He said: "I had lived for 70 years in a healthy condition, so could I not bear all this pratiently for Allah for another 70 years?"
- Eventually people no longer employed his wife out of fear of illness.
- She had to shave her head and sell her hair in order to buy food.
- When Prophet Ayyub saw this he finally made dua to Allah and Allah cured him.
- Not only did Allah cure him, but Allah doubled the wealth he lost and He also doubled the number of children he had.
- Ayyub's story is a lesson for all t hose who are afflicted in their bodies, wealth, or children.
Prophet Yunus:
-He was sent to the people of Ninawah in Iraq.
- They rejected his call and disbelieved.
- Yunus was irritated and agitated by their response. He thought he'd go make dawah somewhere else.
- He left his people in a state of anger and warned them of a punishment that would come to them.
- He went to the ocean and got on a ship with some people in order to get away from his town as far away as possible. While on the ship, there was a very bad storm and they had to throw away all of their luggage. Eventually they realized that they have to throw one of the people off the ship. They decided to draw lots and Prophet Yunus was chosen 3 times.
- Prophet Yunus realized that it was Allah decree for him to be thrown into the ocean and so he jumped in.
- Allah commanded a whale to swallow Yunus without harming him.
- He was unconsious. When he woke up he thought he was dead and in his grave.
- He started to feel around him and realized he was in the stomach of the whale.
- He prostrated to Allah and said "O Allah! I have made a place of prayer where no one has ever worshiped you before"
- While he was in the depths of the sea, he heard the whale and all other creatures of the ocean glorifying Allah.
- Prophet Yunus started making his famous supplication "There is no god but You, transcendent are You, indeed I have been one of the wrong doers"
- Hadith: "No Muslims will make any supplication with this call about anything, but Allah will accept from him"
- He made this dua in the darkness of the whale's stomach, in the darkness of the ocean, and in the darkness of the night.
- Angels see circles of remembrance of Allah just like we see the stars in the sky. They saw a light coming from the ocean and they recognized the voice of Yunus.
- The Angels asked Allah: "Isn't this the voice of your righteous servant who used to do good by day and night?"... The angels then made dua for Yunus that Allah would release him.
- Allah says: "If it wasn't for the fact that he used to remember us, he would have remained in the stomach of the whale until the day of judgment"
- We need to remember Allah in moments of goodness so He would remember us in our times of need.
-Hadith: "Know Allah in the times of comfort, Allah will know you in the time of your hardship"
- The angels said: "Oh Allah will you not bestow Your mercy upon him from this distress?"
- Allah then commanded the whale to throw Prophet Yunus onto the shore.
- Aya: "So We cast him out upon the bare shore..."
- Allah sent Yunus back to his people and Yunus found that all of his town had become Muslim.
Prophet Ayyub:
- Allah mentions the dawah of prophets Nuh, Hud, Saleh, etc. But He does not mention the dawah of Prophet Ayyub.
-The story of Prophet Ayyub is different, it's an incredible example of patience. It's mentioned twice in the Quran.
- His story became a proverb "The patience of Ayyub"
- Prophet Ayyub was a Roman, he was from the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim.
- He received revelation from Allah.
- His wife's name was Leah.
- Prophet Ayyub was blessed with alot of wealth, bodily strength, and many children.
-Suddenly, he lost EVERYTHING. He lost his wealth, his health and all of his children.
- He basically lost everything that a person loves in dunya.
- He had different kinds of diseases. No part or limb of his body was free from disease except for his tongue and his heart.
- Despite all of this he was patient and did not complain once.
- His illness continued for so long that even his relatives and friends deserted him.
- He was taken out of his town and thrown unto a trash dump.
- The only one who stayed by his side was his wife. She was also patient in the test of losing her children and wealth.
- She started working in order to feed herself and her husband.
- All these tests made Ayyub stronger in religion, patience, and gratitude to Allah.
- Hadith: "The people who are tested most severly are Prophets, then the righteous, and then the likes of them"
- The stronger you are in deen, the tougher the test.
- Hadith: "A man is put to trail according to the strength of his religion. If he was strong in his religion, his trial is increased"
- There's a difference of opinion in regards to how long prophet Ayyub suffered. Some scholars say it was 3 years, some say 7, and some say 18 years.
- His flesh started falling off of his body until nothing remained but his muscles and bones.
- His wife finally asked him to pray to Allah so He would relieve him from his suffering.
- He said: "I had lived for 70 years in a healthy condition, so could I not bear all this pratiently for Allah for another 70 years?"
- Eventually people no longer employed his wife out of fear of illness.
- She had to shave her head and sell her hair in order to buy food.
- When Prophet Ayyub saw this he finally made dua to Allah and Allah cured him.
- Not only did Allah cure him, but Allah doubled the wealth he lost and He also doubled the number of children he had.
- Ayyub's story is a lesson for all t hose who are afflicted in their bodies, wealth, or children.
Prophet Yunus:
-He was sent to the people of Ninawah in Iraq.
- They rejected his call and disbelieved.
- Yunus was irritated and agitated by their response. He thought he'd go make dawah somewhere else.
- He left his people in a state of anger and warned them of a punishment that would come to them.
- He went to the ocean and got on a ship with some people in order to get away from his town as far away as possible. While on the ship, there was a very bad storm and they had to throw away all of their luggage. Eventually they realized that they have to throw one of the people off the ship. They decided to draw lots and Prophet Yunus was chosen 3 times.
- Prophet Yunus realized that it was Allah decree for him to be thrown into the ocean and so he jumped in.
- Allah commanded a whale to swallow Yunus without harming him.
- He was unconsious. When he woke up he thought he was dead and in his grave.
- He started to feel around him and realized he was in the stomach of the whale.
- He prostrated to Allah and said "O Allah! I have made a place of prayer where no one has ever worshiped you before"
- While he was in the depths of the sea, he heard the whale and all other creatures of the ocean glorifying Allah.
- Prophet Yunus started making his famous supplication "There is no god but You, transcendent are You, indeed I have been one of the wrong doers"
- Hadith: "No Muslims will make any supplication with this call about anything, but Allah will accept from him"
- He made this dua in the darkness of the whale's stomach, in the darkness of the ocean, and in the darkness of the night.
- Angels see circles of remembrance of Allah just like we see the stars in the sky. They saw a light coming from the ocean and they recognized the voice of Yunus.
- The Angels asked Allah: "Isn't this the voice of your righteous servant who used to do good by day and night?"... The angels then made dua for Yunus that Allah would release him.
- Allah says: "If it wasn't for the fact that he used to remember us, he would have remained in the stomach of the whale until the day of judgment"
- We need to remember Allah in moments of goodness so He would remember us in our times of need.
-Hadith: "Know Allah in the times of comfort, Allah will know you in the time of your hardship"
- The angels said: "Oh Allah will you not bestow Your mercy upon him from this distress?"
- Allah then commanded the whale to throw Prophet Yunus onto the shore.
- Aya: "So We cast him out upon the bare shore..."
- Allah sent Yunus back to his people and Yunus found that all of his town had become Muslim.
April 10th: Prophet Lut
The story of Prophet Lut (AS)
- Lut was the nephew of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
- He lived in the town of Sodom.
- The people of Sodom were robbers, murderers, rapists, and they were most famous for their homosexuality. (They were the first people to commit this sin)
-They would rape and sodomize the men who would pass through their town
- Lut tried to call them to the straight path, but NO ONE believed in him.
- They responded to him: "Bring us the chastisement of Allah if you are truthful"
- Allah sends angels to Prophet Lut in the form of men.
- When they approach the town of Sodom, Lut's daughter sees them on the outskirts of the town. She fears that they will be harmed by the people and she asks them not to enter the town until she returns.
- Lut's daughter goes back to her father and tells him about those men, she describes them as being very handsome.
- Lut goes at night time to bring the guests into his home, hoping that no one will see them.
- He walks infront of the men and he starts to say bad things about the people of Sodom. He's hoping that they would leave the town because he didn't want to turn them away.
-The angels were instructed not to destroy the people of Sodom until their prophet witnesed against them.
- They arrive at Lut's house and all of a sudden the people of the town come rushing to them. How did they find out that Lut had guests? His wife told them. She was corrupt and therefore she was punished along with the people of Sodom because she sympathized with them.
-Lut was trying to hold the people back, now the angels tell him "O Lut! We are the Messengers of Your Lord, by no means shall they reach you"
-Gibril came out to the people and struth their faces with the tip of his wing, causing them all to become blind.
-Lut was ordered to leave the town with his family, leaving his wife behind. The angels told him that the people of Sodom will be punished in the morning.
-Aya: "Allah has set forth an example for the disbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut, who were under two of our righteous slaves, yet they betrayed them, so they availed them nothing before Allah, and it was said: 'Enter the fire, with those who enter it"
-Allah sent the punishment down upon the people of Sodom. First it was a loud cry, they Gibril came and raised the whole town with his wing and flipped it upside down smacking it back into the ground.
-This punishment of Allah to the people of Sodom is not far fetched from the people who commit the sin of homosexuality in our day and time. May Allah protect us and all the Muslims from this sin.
- Lut was the nephew of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
- He lived in the town of Sodom.
- The people of Sodom were robbers, murderers, rapists, and they were most famous for their homosexuality. (They were the first people to commit this sin)
-They would rape and sodomize the men who would pass through their town
- Lut tried to call them to the straight path, but NO ONE believed in him.
- They responded to him: "Bring us the chastisement of Allah if you are truthful"
- Allah sends angels to Prophet Lut in the form of men.
- When they approach the town of Sodom, Lut's daughter sees them on the outskirts of the town. She fears that they will be harmed by the people and she asks them not to enter the town until she returns.
- Lut's daughter goes back to her father and tells him about those men, she describes them as being very handsome.
- Lut goes at night time to bring the guests into his home, hoping that no one will see them.
- He walks infront of the men and he starts to say bad things about the people of Sodom. He's hoping that they would leave the town because he didn't want to turn them away.
-The angels were instructed not to destroy the people of Sodom until their prophet witnesed against them.
- They arrive at Lut's house and all of a sudden the people of the town come rushing to them. How did they find out that Lut had guests? His wife told them. She was corrupt and therefore she was punished along with the people of Sodom because she sympathized with them.
-Lut was trying to hold the people back, now the angels tell him "O Lut! We are the Messengers of Your Lord, by no means shall they reach you"
-Gibril came out to the people and struth their faces with the tip of his wing, causing them all to become blind.
-Lut was ordered to leave the town with his family, leaving his wife behind. The angels told him that the people of Sodom will be punished in the morning.
-Aya: "Allah has set forth an example for the disbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut, who were under two of our righteous slaves, yet they betrayed them, so they availed them nothing before Allah, and it was said: 'Enter the fire, with those who enter it"
-Allah sent the punishment down upon the people of Sodom. First it was a loud cry, they Gibril came and raised the whole town with his wing and flipped it upside down smacking it back into the ground.
-This punishment of Allah to the people of Sodom is not far fetched from the people who commit the sin of homosexuality in our day and time. May Allah protect us and all the Muslims from this sin.
March 13th: Prophet Ibrahim (part 2)
The Sacrifice:
- When Ismael was about 13 years old. Prophet Ibrahim kept having a dream that he is sacrificing his son. His only son.
- Prophet Ibrahim told Ismael: “O my son, I see in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice, so tell me what is your view?”
- This is to make Ismael ready and to make him share in the reward.
- Ismael responds: “O my father! Do as you are commanded, you will find me, inshaAllah, one of the patient” 37:102
- So now they both prepare for this moment.
- “So when they had both submitted to the will of Allah, and he laid him down upon his brow”
- Ibrahim made him lay face down so he would not look him in the eye.
- They both submitted to the will of Allah and this is true Islam.
- Ibrahim tried to pass the knife through his neck, but it did not cut.
- Then a call came from Allah “O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision, this was indeed a manifest trial”
- He was replaced with a great sheep that was white and that had grazed in jannah for 40 years.
- After this, Allah gives Ibrahim the glad tidings of a second son, Isaac.
- Isaac had Jacob who is also a Prophet.
- Ismael is the father of Arabs who lived in Hijaz, from which out Prophet came
Building the Kaabah:
- Allah asked Ibrahim to build the Kaabah, and guided him towards it.
- The spot where the kaabah was built was sacred since the time of Adam, though the Kaabah was not built yet.
- Hadith: “This city has been made sacred by Allah the Day He created the heavens and the earth, and it will remain so till the day of judgment”
- It was the first mosque to be built
- Aya: “Indeed the first Hour appointed for people is the one at Bakkah. Blessed and a guidance for the worlds” 3:96
- The first house built for the purpose of guidance and blessings
- Aya: “in it are clear signs, the place of Ibrahim” 3:97
- refers to the stone which Ibrahim stood on while building the kaabah.
- Ismael brought him the stone so he could stand on it while building the walls.
- Aya: “and take the place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer” 2:125
- The footprints of his feet were visible on it until the earlier time of Islam
- Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the Kaabah only for the sake of Allah.
- Aya: “And when Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the House, praying: ‘Our Lord! Accept this from us, surely You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make us submit to Yout Will, and raise from our offspring a nation which will submit to Your Will….Our Lord! Send to them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your Verses, and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them’” 2:127-129
- Allah accepted their dua and he sent to them the seal of the Prophets, the best of creation.
- When they completed the foundation and built the corner, Ibrahim said to Ismael: “Son! Find me the best stone that I could lay here in this corner,
- When Ismael went to look for the stone, Jibril came and brought Ibrahim the Black stone. It was white and transparent. Adam brought it from Paradise with him, but the sons of people have blackened it.
- The Kaabah remained for a long time in the same shape with the same structure built by Ibrahim. Then it was rebuilt by Quraish. However, they shortened the building from the foundations of Ibrahim from it’s North side and it remained so until today.
- Hadith: The Prophet said to Aisha: “Don’t you know that when your people built the Kaabah, they shortened if from the foundations of Ibrahim?” So I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Then why do you not return it to its original foundations of Ibrahim?” The Prophet said: “Were it not for the fact that they only recently left disbelief (and entered Islam). I would have changed it”
- Abdullah bin Azubair built the kaabah during his rule, according to what the Prophet said. When he was killed (by Hajjaj), the Caliph at the time thought that he built it according to his own desire so they demolished it and built it according to its previous building.
- When they discovered that he was right, they wanted to rebuild it again. But Imam Malik said: “I fear that kinds may start playing around with it. Whenever a new king comes he may build it as he wanted it”
- So it remained from that day until today.
Afterward:
- Aya: “And we granted Isaac and Jacob to Ibrahim, and we ordained the Prophethood and the Book to be among his progeny, and We gave him his reward in this life, and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous” 29:27
- He had two sons, Ismael from hajar and then Isaac from Sarah.
- Isaac had his son Jacob, who was called Israel and to whome all Israeli tribes relate to.
- Their chain of PRophethood ended with Jesus. The last Prophet of the Children of Israel.
- Ismael was the forefather of all Arabs. He had no Prophet in his progeny except the seal of them, The Prophet Muhammad.
- Aya: “Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was truly a Muslim, and never was he of the polytheists” 3:67
- His religion was to submit himself to the Will of Allah
- Aya: “And who can be better in religion than he who submits his whole self to the Will of Allah, and does good and follows the religion of Ibrahim, a man pure in faith. Allah took Ibrahim as a friend” 4:125
- The Prophet met Ibrahim in the seventh heaven on the journey of Isra and Miraj.
- Hadith: On the Day of Judgment people will be resurrected naked. The first to be provided with cloth is Ibrahim”
- Since Prophet Ibrahim was the greatest Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, we are instructed to send Salawat upon him in every prayer.
- He resembled Prophet Muhammad.
Hadith: “I have seen Jesus son of Mary, and Moses and Ibrahim. As for Jesus, he was red of curly hair and broad chest. Moses was of tanned skin and big body.” The companions asked: “What about Ibrahim”. He said: “Look at your companion-meaning himself” ahmad
Age and death:
- His wife Sarah died before him in a village near Hebron.
- After Sarah, Ibrahim married Qanturah who had 6 children, then he married Hajun who had 5 children.
- Ibrahim fell ill and died after he lived for 175 yrs.
- He was buried near his wife Sarah in Hebron, by his sons Ismael and Isaac.
- His grave is situated in the square which was built by Solomon in Hebron, known as the city of “Khalil”
- The exact place of the grave is not known in this square.
Ismael:
- Prophet Ibrahim had many children but only 2 of them became famous because Prophethood was bestowed upon them, Ismael and Isaac.
- Ismael was a Messenger to his people. He married from the tribe of Jurhum.
- He was buried beside his mother inside the compound known as Al-Hijr. He died at 137.
Isaac:
- When Isaac was born, Ibrahim was 100 yrs old.
- He married Rifqa (Rebecca), she was barren but he made dua for her and she had two sons. One of them was Jacob.
- He died at the age 180 and was buried close to his father.
- Jacob married his cousin Leah and then his cousin Rachel. Leah had 6 children and Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin.
- He also had 3 other sons from 2 other wives.
- When Ismael was about 13 years old. Prophet Ibrahim kept having a dream that he is sacrificing his son. His only son.
- Prophet Ibrahim told Ismael: “O my son, I see in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice, so tell me what is your view?”
- This is to make Ismael ready and to make him share in the reward.
- Ismael responds: “O my father! Do as you are commanded, you will find me, inshaAllah, one of the patient” 37:102
- So now they both prepare for this moment.
- “So when they had both submitted to the will of Allah, and he laid him down upon his brow”
- Ibrahim made him lay face down so he would not look him in the eye.
- They both submitted to the will of Allah and this is true Islam.
- Ibrahim tried to pass the knife through his neck, but it did not cut.
- Then a call came from Allah “O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision, this was indeed a manifest trial”
- He was replaced with a great sheep that was white and that had grazed in jannah for 40 years.
- After this, Allah gives Ibrahim the glad tidings of a second son, Isaac.
- Isaac had Jacob who is also a Prophet.
- Ismael is the father of Arabs who lived in Hijaz, from which out Prophet came
Building the Kaabah:
- Allah asked Ibrahim to build the Kaabah, and guided him towards it.
- The spot where the kaabah was built was sacred since the time of Adam, though the Kaabah was not built yet.
- Hadith: “This city has been made sacred by Allah the Day He created the heavens and the earth, and it will remain so till the day of judgment”
- It was the first mosque to be built
- Aya: “Indeed the first Hour appointed for people is the one at Bakkah. Blessed and a guidance for the worlds” 3:96
- The first house built for the purpose of guidance and blessings
- Aya: “in it are clear signs, the place of Ibrahim” 3:97
- refers to the stone which Ibrahim stood on while building the kaabah.
- Ismael brought him the stone so he could stand on it while building the walls.
- Aya: “and take the place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer” 2:125
- The footprints of his feet were visible on it until the earlier time of Islam
- Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the Kaabah only for the sake of Allah.
- Aya: “And when Ibrahim and Ismael raised the foundations of the House, praying: ‘Our Lord! Accept this from us, surely You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make us submit to Yout Will, and raise from our offspring a nation which will submit to Your Will….Our Lord! Send to them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your Verses, and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them’” 2:127-129
- Allah accepted their dua and he sent to them the seal of the Prophets, the best of creation.
- When they completed the foundation and built the corner, Ibrahim said to Ismael: “Son! Find me the best stone that I could lay here in this corner,
- When Ismael went to look for the stone, Jibril came and brought Ibrahim the Black stone. It was white and transparent. Adam brought it from Paradise with him, but the sons of people have blackened it.
- The Kaabah remained for a long time in the same shape with the same structure built by Ibrahim. Then it was rebuilt by Quraish. However, they shortened the building from the foundations of Ibrahim from it’s North side and it remained so until today.
- Hadith: The Prophet said to Aisha: “Don’t you know that when your people built the Kaabah, they shortened if from the foundations of Ibrahim?” So I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Then why do you not return it to its original foundations of Ibrahim?” The Prophet said: “Were it not for the fact that they only recently left disbelief (and entered Islam). I would have changed it”
- Abdullah bin Azubair built the kaabah during his rule, according to what the Prophet said. When he was killed (by Hajjaj), the Caliph at the time thought that he built it according to his own desire so they demolished it and built it according to its previous building.
- When they discovered that he was right, they wanted to rebuild it again. But Imam Malik said: “I fear that kinds may start playing around with it. Whenever a new king comes he may build it as he wanted it”
- So it remained from that day until today.
Afterward:
- Aya: “And we granted Isaac and Jacob to Ibrahim, and we ordained the Prophethood and the Book to be among his progeny, and We gave him his reward in this life, and in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous” 29:27
- He had two sons, Ismael from hajar and then Isaac from Sarah.
- Isaac had his son Jacob, who was called Israel and to whome all Israeli tribes relate to.
- Their chain of PRophethood ended with Jesus. The last Prophet of the Children of Israel.
- Ismael was the forefather of all Arabs. He had no Prophet in his progeny except the seal of them, The Prophet Muhammad.
- Aya: “Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was truly a Muslim, and never was he of the polytheists” 3:67
- His religion was to submit himself to the Will of Allah
- Aya: “And who can be better in religion than he who submits his whole self to the Will of Allah, and does good and follows the religion of Ibrahim, a man pure in faith. Allah took Ibrahim as a friend” 4:125
- The Prophet met Ibrahim in the seventh heaven on the journey of Isra and Miraj.
- Hadith: On the Day of Judgment people will be resurrected naked. The first to be provided with cloth is Ibrahim”
- Since Prophet Ibrahim was the greatest Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, we are instructed to send Salawat upon him in every prayer.
- He resembled Prophet Muhammad.
Hadith: “I have seen Jesus son of Mary, and Moses and Ibrahim. As for Jesus, he was red of curly hair and broad chest. Moses was of tanned skin and big body.” The companions asked: “What about Ibrahim”. He said: “Look at your companion-meaning himself” ahmad
Age and death:
- His wife Sarah died before him in a village near Hebron.
- After Sarah, Ibrahim married Qanturah who had 6 children, then he married Hajun who had 5 children.
- Ibrahim fell ill and died after he lived for 175 yrs.
- He was buried near his wife Sarah in Hebron, by his sons Ismael and Isaac.
- His grave is situated in the square which was built by Solomon in Hebron, known as the city of “Khalil”
- The exact place of the grave is not known in this square.
Ismael:
- Prophet Ibrahim had many children but only 2 of them became famous because Prophethood was bestowed upon them, Ismael and Isaac.
- Ismael was a Messenger to his people. He married from the tribe of Jurhum.
- He was buried beside his mother inside the compound known as Al-Hijr. He died at 137.
Isaac:
- When Isaac was born, Ibrahim was 100 yrs old.
- He married Rifqa (Rebecca), she was barren but he made dua for her and she had two sons. One of them was Jacob.
- He died at the age 180 and was buried close to his father.
- Jacob married his cousin Leah and then his cousin Rachel. Leah had 6 children and Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin.
- He also had 3 other sons from 2 other wives.
March 6th: Prophet Ibrahim
The story of Prophet Ibrahim (part 1)
-He is from the lineage of Prophet Nuh
-Born in Babylon, modern day Iraq
Why is Prophet Ibrahim special? Why do we mention him every prayer?
-He is: the father of the prophets
-He is from “ulil azm min arrusul”
-He is Khalil arrahman: the Prophet was “habibullah”. Allah loves us as much as we love Him.
-Allah described him in the Quran as being “an ummah”
-Mentioned in 73 places in the Quran, in 25 surahs.
-Aya: “Ibrahim allathee waffa”
-Also described as “awwahun 7aleem”, which means “tender-hearted and forebearing”
-He resembeled the Prophet the most.
Dawah to his father: (how do we make dawah to our parents?)
-Some people backbite their parents and they try to give them dawah in a tough way.
-Who was his father”
His name was Azar, he was old, stubborn, a kafir, and his profession was to make idols.
-How old was Ibrahim? 16 (never too young to give dawah)
-Ibrahim was so afraid for his father, he loved him.
-He said: “And mention in the Book Ibrahimg, surely he was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: ‘Ya abati! Why do you worship that which can neither see or hear, nor can avail you to anything?, Ya abati! I have received knowledge that has not come to you, so follow me, and I will guide you to the Straight Path. Ya abati! DO not worship Saran, surely Saran is rebellious to Allah, the Most gracious. Ya abati! I fear that you will be punished by the Most Gracious, and so you become a companion of Satan” Maryam 19: 41-45
- Ibrahim made it clear to his father in a gentle way that the idols he worships cannot benefit or harm him… he tried to open his father’s eyes to the truth. Yet his father was stubborn.
-His father “do you reject my gods O Ibrahim, if you don’t stop I will stone you (I’ll kill you)”. His father was willing to kill him… that’s how deep he was into his ignorance.
How will Ibrahim respond to this? Will he yell at his father at this point?
-Ibrahim responded with peace.. and he said he’d ask Allah to forgive him: “Peace be upon you. I will pray to my Lord to forgive you; indeed, He is to me the Most Gracious. And I am leaving you and those whom you invoke besides Allah”
- We’re not allowed to make istighfar to non-believers.
-When it became clear to Ibrahim that his father is an enemy of Allah, he disassociated himself from him.
-Ibrahim and his father on judgment day: (hadith from Bukhari) Ibrahim will meet his father on the day or judgment, his father will tell him ‘Today I shall not disobey you’ So Ibrahim would say ‘O Lord, you rpomised me that You shall not disgrace me on the Day of Judgement. So today there is no disgrace greater than the disgrace of my father being in hellfire. Allah would say: ‘I have made Paradise forbidden for the disbelievers’ Then Ibrahim will look at his father and find him in the form of a hyena.. and then he’ll be thrown into the hell fire.
Ibrahim makes dawah to his people: don’t forget how young he is
-Do something in your young age so when you die and people are carrying you to your grave, they actually have something good to say about you
- Aya (Ashuara 26: 69-76): “And relate to them the story of Ibrahim, when he said to his father and to his people: ‘What is it that you worship?’ They said: ‘We worship idols, and we worship them with devotion.’ He said: ‘Do they hear you when you call, or do they benefit you or harm you?’ They said: ‘No, but we found our fathers doing the same’”
-They had no evidence for that they worshipped except the blind following of their parents. Do we blindly follow ours?
-He tried to call them to worship only one God.
-“Uffin lakum, indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error”
-They couldn’t believe this statement…
-He said between him and himself that he’s going to destroy their idols. (notice the toughness comes out now)
-They go out of town for their festival. Ibrahim doesn’t join them, he says he is sick. Meaning that he is sick of their doing.
- He was all alone in the town. He found their idols surrounded with food of every kind, so he said to them: “Why don’t you eat? What’s the matter with you that you don’t speak?”(37: 91-93) and he started smashing them into pieces.
-He hung the ax in the neck of the biggest idol.
-They came back and discovered what happened to their gods, they said: “Who has done this to our gods? Surely he is one of the most unjust” 21:59
-“ we heard a young man mentioning them, he’s called Ibrahim” he wasn’t known to the society…
-They said “Bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness” 21:61. So people could witness what’s going to happen to him.
-They asked him: “Have you done this to our gods O ibrahim?”
-He said “It was the biggest of them that did it. So ask them if they are able to speak” this was the point he wanted to get to.
-Ibrahim woke them up for a moment… “they turned to their own conscience and said: Surely, you are yourselves unjust” but shaytan made them go back to their ignorance.
-They said “you know that they don’t speak”
-“do you then worship other than Allah what can’t benefit you? Or defend their own selves?”
-They lost the dialogue and now they resulted to force. So they said “burn him”.
The fire: (16 years old): an example of tawakkul
-They said: “prepare for him a furnace and cast him into the blaze”
-It took them a long time to prepare this fire.
-Women would vow to collect wood for the fire when they got ill.
-Birds that flew over the fire would fall into it dead.
-Everyone came out to witness this event.
-How would they throw him in the fire when no one could even walk near it?
- They made a catapult.
-The man who made it was swallowed by the earth as a punishment from Allah.
-They shackled Ibrahim with chains.
-He said “7asbiyaAllah wa ni3mal wakeel”. Which means: “Allah is sufficient for us, and how good a Protector He is”
-After Ibrahim was thrown and he was in midair. Jibril came to him and asked “Do you need any help?. And Ibrahim said: “If from you, then no”
-Allah created the fire and gave it it’s characteristics.. so Allah made the fire cool and comfortable. Allah said: “Ya naru kooni bardan wa salaman 3ala ibrahim”.
-The only thing the fire burned was the shackles.
-JIbril was with him wiping his sweat. That was the only “suffering” he faced in there.
-His father said when he say this: “How good a Lord is your Lord, O Ibrahim!”
-His mother:
She said: O Ibrahim, I want to come to you. So pray to Allah so He could save me from the fire around you.
He said: Yes.
His mother came to him without being harmed, she embraced him, kissed him and left.
-The Prophet ordered us to kill lizards because they were the only animal to help flare up the fire.
-Later in life Prophet Ibrahim would describe the days he spent in the fire as the best days of his life.
-Allah said: “They wanted to harm him but we made them the worst losers”
-His people saw him come out of the fire unharmed, yet they still did not believe.
Nimrod: He’s not going to be tough or gentle with the king. Just strong and firm.
- The kindgof Bayblon. Ruled for about 400 years, he was arrogant and rebellious.
- Heard about the story and he wanted to meet Ibrahim
- Ibrahim came to him and immediately called him towards the worship of one God without associating any partners with him.
- The king claimed lordship for himself.
- Ibrahim: “Allah is the one who gives life and the one who takes it away, can you do that?”
- Nimrod says yes. (two prisoners)
- Ibrahim didn’t mean this foolish shallow meaning of giving life and death. Allah gives life and death in every single moment of this life.
- When he found his opponent trying to trap him in an insignificant fact he left it and he wanted to get him from another angle.. he didn’t go down that road with him..
- Ibrahim “Allah brings the sun from the East, so bring it from the West”
- Nimrod could not respond to this… he was dumbfounded.
Nimrod’s punishment:
- Allah sent an angel commanding him to believe in Allah but he refused.
- He challenged the angel and said: You call forth and gather your people and I will gather mine.
- Nimrod gathered his army at sunrise and Allah sent an army of mosquitos that overshadowed the sun.
- They are their flash and drank their blood and left a structure of bones.
- One of mosquitos entered the nose of Nimrod and stayed inside. He was so bothered by it that to relieve himself from the pain he kept hitting himself in the head with a hammer until he died.
Bringing life to the dead:
- Ibrahim asks Allah: “My lord show me how you give life to the dead”
- It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe in it, of course he does. He just wanted to see it.
- Allah asked him “Do you not believe?”
- He said “I do but to be stronger in faith”
- 4 birds, chopped, meshed flesh, placed a quarter of the amount on the tops of 4 mountains. Then he called them and all of the birds came together alive.
Migration:
Syria:
- No one believed in Ibrahim, even after they witnessed the miracle of the fire.
- The only one who believed in him was his nephew Lot (AS).
- He first went to Syria, he passed the town of Harran and he met the people who worshipped the stars.
- He made dawah to them in his own way.
- First they see Venus (looks like a star). Ibrahim says: this is my Lord.
- The planet set and then he said “I do not like those that set”
- Then he saw the moon and said “The moon is my lord”
- The moon set, and he said “If my Lord does not guide me I will amongst the misguided”
- The sun came up, He said “This is my Lord, it’s the biggest”
- The sun set and then he said “I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah and I have turned my face to the one who created the heavens and the earth on the straight path and I am not one of those who associate others with Allah”
Egypt:
- Prophet Ibrahim lied three times in his life: “I am sick”, “It was the biggest one that did it”, and the third one was when he and Sarah passed by the tyrant ruler, and he said that he is her brother and not her husband.
- Sara was the second most beautiful woman to be created after Eve.
- The king heard that this man is coming and he has a very beautiful woman with him so he wanted her to himself.
- He said if the man with her is her husband we will kill him.
- He asked Ibrahim: “Who is this woman?” and Ibrahim said “She is my sister”
- Ibrahim told Sara: We are the only believers here so I told the king that you are my sister.
- She made dua: “O Allah, if you know that I believed in You and in Your Messenger, and I kept myself chaste except for my husband, so do not let this disbeliever overpower me”
- The ruler sent for Sara. He tried to touch her but he was paralyzed. He asked her to help him.
- She made dua: “O Allah if he died, people would say she killed him” and he was returned back to normal. This happened three times and then the kind told her to go and gave her gifts and along with them was Hajar.
- Allah tells us in the Quran: “And seek help in patience and prayer”
Palestine:
- After living in Palestine for 20 years. Ibrahim is now in his 80s.
- Sarah asks him to marry Hajar since she could not have any children.
- He does and she becomes pregnant with Ismael.
- Shortly after the birth, Allah commands Ibrahim to take Hajar and Ismael to Mecca.
- Mecca was empty, no people, no life whatsoever.
- When Ibrahim left them and walked back. Hajar clinched his cloth and said “Ibrahim! Where you going, leaving us here here alone? We do not have sufficient food and drink”
- Ibrahim did not answer her. She asked him three times but no answer.
- Finally she said: “Has Allah commanded you to do this?”
- He said: “Yes”
- She said: Then Allah will not leave us to perish (another example of tawakkul)
- He left them there, all they had was some dates and a little bit of water.
- When Ibrahim reached a place where they couldn’t see him, he looked back and made dua: “Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without any cultivation, by your Sacred House, Our Lord! So they may establish regular prayers. So make the hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits that they may be grateful”
- Hajar runs out of water and starts to look for it.
- Her running between safa and marwa
- Finally the angel comes and strikes his wing by Ismael’s foot for Zamzam water to come out.
- She started to dig around the water so she would trap it, she kept saying “zam.. zam..”
- Hadith: “May Allah bestow His mercy ipon the mother of Ismael. Had she let Zamzam flow the water would have been a flowing stream”
- The angel then told her: “Don’t be afraid… The House of Allah is here, which this child and his father will build. Allah certainly does not neglect His people”
- The tribe of Jurhum
-He is from the lineage of Prophet Nuh
-Born in Babylon, modern day Iraq
Why is Prophet Ibrahim special? Why do we mention him every prayer?
-He is: the father of the prophets
-He is from “ulil azm min arrusul”
-He is Khalil arrahman: the Prophet was “habibullah”. Allah loves us as much as we love Him.
-Allah described him in the Quran as being “an ummah”
-Mentioned in 73 places in the Quran, in 25 surahs.
-Aya: “Ibrahim allathee waffa”
-Also described as “awwahun 7aleem”, which means “tender-hearted and forebearing”
-He resembeled the Prophet the most.
Dawah to his father: (how do we make dawah to our parents?)
-Some people backbite their parents and they try to give them dawah in a tough way.
-Who was his father”
His name was Azar, he was old, stubborn, a kafir, and his profession was to make idols.
-How old was Ibrahim? 16 (never too young to give dawah)
-Ibrahim was so afraid for his father, he loved him.
-He said: “And mention in the Book Ibrahimg, surely he was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: ‘Ya abati! Why do you worship that which can neither see or hear, nor can avail you to anything?, Ya abati! I have received knowledge that has not come to you, so follow me, and I will guide you to the Straight Path. Ya abati! DO not worship Saran, surely Saran is rebellious to Allah, the Most gracious. Ya abati! I fear that you will be punished by the Most Gracious, and so you become a companion of Satan” Maryam 19: 41-45
- Ibrahim made it clear to his father in a gentle way that the idols he worships cannot benefit or harm him… he tried to open his father’s eyes to the truth. Yet his father was stubborn.
-His father “do you reject my gods O Ibrahim, if you don’t stop I will stone you (I’ll kill you)”. His father was willing to kill him… that’s how deep he was into his ignorance.
How will Ibrahim respond to this? Will he yell at his father at this point?
-Ibrahim responded with peace.. and he said he’d ask Allah to forgive him: “Peace be upon you. I will pray to my Lord to forgive you; indeed, He is to me the Most Gracious. And I am leaving you and those whom you invoke besides Allah”
- We’re not allowed to make istighfar to non-believers.
-When it became clear to Ibrahim that his father is an enemy of Allah, he disassociated himself from him.
-Ibrahim and his father on judgment day: (hadith from Bukhari) Ibrahim will meet his father on the day or judgment, his father will tell him ‘Today I shall not disobey you’ So Ibrahim would say ‘O Lord, you rpomised me that You shall not disgrace me on the Day of Judgement. So today there is no disgrace greater than the disgrace of my father being in hellfire. Allah would say: ‘I have made Paradise forbidden for the disbelievers’ Then Ibrahim will look at his father and find him in the form of a hyena.. and then he’ll be thrown into the hell fire.
Ibrahim makes dawah to his people: don’t forget how young he is
-Do something in your young age so when you die and people are carrying you to your grave, they actually have something good to say about you
- Aya (Ashuara 26: 69-76): “And relate to them the story of Ibrahim, when he said to his father and to his people: ‘What is it that you worship?’ They said: ‘We worship idols, and we worship them with devotion.’ He said: ‘Do they hear you when you call, or do they benefit you or harm you?’ They said: ‘No, but we found our fathers doing the same’”
-They had no evidence for that they worshipped except the blind following of their parents. Do we blindly follow ours?
-He tried to call them to worship only one God.
-“Uffin lakum, indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error”
-They couldn’t believe this statement…
-He said between him and himself that he’s going to destroy their idols. (notice the toughness comes out now)
-They go out of town for their festival. Ibrahim doesn’t join them, he says he is sick. Meaning that he is sick of their doing.
- He was all alone in the town. He found their idols surrounded with food of every kind, so he said to them: “Why don’t you eat? What’s the matter with you that you don’t speak?”(37: 91-93) and he started smashing them into pieces.
-He hung the ax in the neck of the biggest idol.
-They came back and discovered what happened to their gods, they said: “Who has done this to our gods? Surely he is one of the most unjust” 21:59
-“ we heard a young man mentioning them, he’s called Ibrahim” he wasn’t known to the society…
-They said “Bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness” 21:61. So people could witness what’s going to happen to him.
-They asked him: “Have you done this to our gods O ibrahim?”
-He said “It was the biggest of them that did it. So ask them if they are able to speak” this was the point he wanted to get to.
-Ibrahim woke them up for a moment… “they turned to their own conscience and said: Surely, you are yourselves unjust” but shaytan made them go back to their ignorance.
-They said “you know that they don’t speak”
-“do you then worship other than Allah what can’t benefit you? Or defend their own selves?”
-They lost the dialogue and now they resulted to force. So they said “burn him”.
The fire: (16 years old): an example of tawakkul
-They said: “prepare for him a furnace and cast him into the blaze”
-It took them a long time to prepare this fire.
-Women would vow to collect wood for the fire when they got ill.
-Birds that flew over the fire would fall into it dead.
-Everyone came out to witness this event.
-How would they throw him in the fire when no one could even walk near it?
- They made a catapult.
-The man who made it was swallowed by the earth as a punishment from Allah.
-They shackled Ibrahim with chains.
-He said “7asbiyaAllah wa ni3mal wakeel”. Which means: “Allah is sufficient for us, and how good a Protector He is”
-After Ibrahim was thrown and he was in midair. Jibril came to him and asked “Do you need any help?. And Ibrahim said: “If from you, then no”
-Allah created the fire and gave it it’s characteristics.. so Allah made the fire cool and comfortable. Allah said: “Ya naru kooni bardan wa salaman 3ala ibrahim”.
-The only thing the fire burned was the shackles.
-JIbril was with him wiping his sweat. That was the only “suffering” he faced in there.
-His father said when he say this: “How good a Lord is your Lord, O Ibrahim!”
-His mother:
She said: O Ibrahim, I want to come to you. So pray to Allah so He could save me from the fire around you.
He said: Yes.
His mother came to him without being harmed, she embraced him, kissed him and left.
-The Prophet ordered us to kill lizards because they were the only animal to help flare up the fire.
-Later in life Prophet Ibrahim would describe the days he spent in the fire as the best days of his life.
-Allah said: “They wanted to harm him but we made them the worst losers”
-His people saw him come out of the fire unharmed, yet they still did not believe.
Nimrod: He’s not going to be tough or gentle with the king. Just strong and firm.
- The kindgof Bayblon. Ruled for about 400 years, he was arrogant and rebellious.
- Heard about the story and he wanted to meet Ibrahim
- Ibrahim came to him and immediately called him towards the worship of one God without associating any partners with him.
- The king claimed lordship for himself.
- Ibrahim: “Allah is the one who gives life and the one who takes it away, can you do that?”
- Nimrod says yes. (two prisoners)
- Ibrahim didn’t mean this foolish shallow meaning of giving life and death. Allah gives life and death in every single moment of this life.
- When he found his opponent trying to trap him in an insignificant fact he left it and he wanted to get him from another angle.. he didn’t go down that road with him..
- Ibrahim “Allah brings the sun from the East, so bring it from the West”
- Nimrod could not respond to this… he was dumbfounded.
Nimrod’s punishment:
- Allah sent an angel commanding him to believe in Allah but he refused.
- He challenged the angel and said: You call forth and gather your people and I will gather mine.
- Nimrod gathered his army at sunrise and Allah sent an army of mosquitos that overshadowed the sun.
- They are their flash and drank their blood and left a structure of bones.
- One of mosquitos entered the nose of Nimrod and stayed inside. He was so bothered by it that to relieve himself from the pain he kept hitting himself in the head with a hammer until he died.
Bringing life to the dead:
- Ibrahim asks Allah: “My lord show me how you give life to the dead”
- It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe in it, of course he does. He just wanted to see it.
- Allah asked him “Do you not believe?”
- He said “I do but to be stronger in faith”
- 4 birds, chopped, meshed flesh, placed a quarter of the amount on the tops of 4 mountains. Then he called them and all of the birds came together alive.
Migration:
Syria:
- No one believed in Ibrahim, even after they witnessed the miracle of the fire.
- The only one who believed in him was his nephew Lot (AS).
- He first went to Syria, he passed the town of Harran and he met the people who worshipped the stars.
- He made dawah to them in his own way.
- First they see Venus (looks like a star). Ibrahim says: this is my Lord.
- The planet set and then he said “I do not like those that set”
- Then he saw the moon and said “The moon is my lord”
- The moon set, and he said “If my Lord does not guide me I will amongst the misguided”
- The sun came up, He said “This is my Lord, it’s the biggest”
- The sun set and then he said “I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah and I have turned my face to the one who created the heavens and the earth on the straight path and I am not one of those who associate others with Allah”
Egypt:
- Prophet Ibrahim lied three times in his life: “I am sick”, “It was the biggest one that did it”, and the third one was when he and Sarah passed by the tyrant ruler, and he said that he is her brother and not her husband.
- Sara was the second most beautiful woman to be created after Eve.
- The king heard that this man is coming and he has a very beautiful woman with him so he wanted her to himself.
- He said if the man with her is her husband we will kill him.
- He asked Ibrahim: “Who is this woman?” and Ibrahim said “She is my sister”
- Ibrahim told Sara: We are the only believers here so I told the king that you are my sister.
- She made dua: “O Allah, if you know that I believed in You and in Your Messenger, and I kept myself chaste except for my husband, so do not let this disbeliever overpower me”
- The ruler sent for Sara. He tried to touch her but he was paralyzed. He asked her to help him.
- She made dua: “O Allah if he died, people would say she killed him” and he was returned back to normal. This happened three times and then the kind told her to go and gave her gifts and along with them was Hajar.
- Allah tells us in the Quran: “And seek help in patience and prayer”
Palestine:
- After living in Palestine for 20 years. Ibrahim is now in his 80s.
- Sarah asks him to marry Hajar since she could not have any children.
- He does and she becomes pregnant with Ismael.
- Shortly after the birth, Allah commands Ibrahim to take Hajar and Ismael to Mecca.
- Mecca was empty, no people, no life whatsoever.
- When Ibrahim left them and walked back. Hajar clinched his cloth and said “Ibrahim! Where you going, leaving us here here alone? We do not have sufficient food and drink”
- Ibrahim did not answer her. She asked him three times but no answer.
- Finally she said: “Has Allah commanded you to do this?”
- He said: “Yes”
- She said: Then Allah will not leave us to perish (another example of tawakkul)
- He left them there, all they had was some dates and a little bit of water.
- When Ibrahim reached a place where they couldn’t see him, he looked back and made dua: “Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without any cultivation, by your Sacred House, Our Lord! So they may establish regular prayers. So make the hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits that they may be grateful”
- Hajar runs out of water and starts to look for it.
- Her running between safa and marwa
- Finally the angel comes and strikes his wing by Ismael’s foot for Zamzam water to come out.
- She started to dig around the water so she would trap it, she kept saying “zam.. zam..”
- Hadith: “May Allah bestow His mercy ipon the mother of Ismael. Had she let Zamzam flow the water would have been a flowing stream”
- The angel then told her: “Don’t be afraid… The House of Allah is here, which this child and his father will build. Allah certainly does not neglect His people”
- The tribe of Jurhum
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