We are living in an era of information explosion in which data, news and knowledge of all kinds stream into our lives 24/7 via multiple media inlets, so much so that now it has become a challenge to pick and choose that input which we want to receive; which we deem relevant. Pregnancy, childbirth, infant care and parenting topics are no exception.

From detailed pregnancy books to 3D-animated videos; subscriptions that facilitate personalized, week-by-week email pregnancy updates, to extensive online obstetric resources and pediatric websites, an expectant mother nowadays is amply aware of every change that is going on inside her body, as it happens or even beforehand.

The Quran revealed the process of the creation of man long before science gave every part of his anatomy, down to the inner contents of his individual cells, a unique name and pictorial description.

In fact, in the Quran, Allāh described the chronological phases of fetal growth and development 14 centuries ago, long before any ultrasound machine existed:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ

ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ

“Verily We created man from a product of wet earth; then placed him as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging; then We fashioned the drop into a clot, then We fashioned the clot into a little lump, then We fashioned the little lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it another creation. So blessed be Allāh, the Best of Creators!” [23:12-14]

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُوا شُيُوخًا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّى مِن قَبْلُ وَلِتَبْلُغُوا أَجَلًا مُّسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

“It is He Who has created you from dust then from a sperm-drop, then from a leech-like clot; then does he get you out (into the light) as a child: then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old,- though of you there are some who die before;- and lets you reach a term appointed; in order that you may learn wisdom.” [40:67]

According to Tafsir Ibn Kathir, this reference to man's creation from “تُرَابٍ”, or dust, implies the origin of mankind viz. the creation of the first human being, Prophet Adam [عليه السلام], from dust: “["And Allāh did create you from dust, then from Nutfah"], means, He initiated the creation of your father Adam from dust, then He created his offspring from semen of worthless water.”

Modern science has, by now, explained the entire process of the creation of a human being, down to those minute, microscopic intricacies that were invisible to the human eye centuries ago.

Many times in the Quran, Allāh draws our attention to the way we were created. It is interesting to remember though, that at the time when these verses were revealed, human beings had limited knowledge about the process of human birth, unlike now.

Why would Allāh then invite us to ponder on the origin of our creation? The contexts in which He mentions our origins lead to some interesting observations. But first, lets analyze the word most oft-repeated in the Quran when Allāh mentions man's creation:

The “nutfah”

The root of this word is: نَطَفَ يَنطِفُ – natafa yantifu: “To flow gently, trickle, ooze, drop.”

The dictionary meaning of the word “nutfah” is – “Drop of fluid; semen“.

النطفة: الماء الصافي، قَلَّ اَوْ كثرَ – “It is clear liquid, a little or a lot. From this it is used for ماء الرجل maa-ur rajul: The water (semen) of a man.”

ليلةٌ نَطوف is when it rains all night long.

Man is a disputer

Allāh says in the Quran:

خَلَقَ الإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ

“He (Allāh) has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!” [16:4]

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ

“Does not man see that it is We Who created him from a sperm-drop? Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open disputer!” [36:77]

The word خَصِيمٌ is derived from خَصمَ which means “he contended with in an altercation“, and the word الخِصَام means “the statements that a listener is made to hear, which may cause him to desist or refrain from his assertion, plea or claim“.

In another place in the Quran, Allāh says about man: “وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ” – “And he is the most rigid of opponents” [2:204], where this word الخِصَام is used again to describe man.

Question is, why does Allāh mention the origin of man (the nutfah) along with the fact that man is an open disputer?

Man disputes about Allāh; about religion; about being right. Sometimes, man goes on arguing even if he possesses little knowledge of what he is arguing about, just to prove himself to be right, or to be better, than his “opponent”.

This type of arguing and disputing is, usually, less about establishing the haqq and abolishing falsehood, and more about one-upping the adversary to come out looking better, or on the right path, as the definition of the word الخِصَام implies; also, to attempt to make the adversary clam up and desist from putting forth their claims or opinions.

Allāh mentions how man was created from nothing but a microscopic sperm, which is not even visible, and yet he grows into a creature who argues about the very being that created Him from this miniscule little drop of fluid – he disputes about Allāh, His attributes, or any other aspect of Islam, to avoid submitting to Him – the Creator who not just created him, but also gave him provision since day one to make him grow, acquire a physical form, then be blessed with sight, hearing, and intellect:

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

“Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him. So We gave him Hearing and Sight.” [76:2]

Man falls into disbelief and ingratitude

Another context in which Allāh mentions the origin of man as being from the nutfah, is the fact that man falls into kufr, i.e. when he grows up, he starts to deny Allāh's blessings, or to belie His Prophets and their monotheistic message, or reject Allāh's commands, refusing obstinately to obey them. Kufr also constitutes the denial of the establishment of the Hour (الساعة).

In Surah Al-Kahf, a man who owned 2 luscious gardens was conversing with his pious companion and bragging about possessing more wealth and a larger family than him. He went on to say that “I do not think that this (wealth) will perish – ever. And I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return.” [18:34-36]

His pious companion, who was a believer, responds by making him recall how Allāh created him, saying:

قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا

“His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: “Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned you into a man?”" [18:37]

In this context, Allāh warns us through these verses of the Quran, not to fall into the same trap – that if we have been blessed with abundant wealth and a large family, we should not be fooled by this superfluous worldly benefits into denying the absolute reality of the imminence of the Hour (الساعة).

Heedlessness about the Akhirah makes one slowly slip down the slope of adherence to the commands of Deen, and disbelief starts to creep into our hearts like rust, chipping away our faith in Allāh and in the Akhirah.

One of the ways suggested, in the above verse of the Quran, to keep ourselves humble before Allāh and firmly grounded in the correct belief (aqeedah), is to remember our origin – our creation. How, once, we were nothing more than a tiny embryo, a single ovum fertilized by a single sperm (مِن نُّطْفَةٍ), from which Allāh fashioned us into a complete, symmetrical, fair-looking human being (سَوَّاكَ) in our mothers' wombs, having a body that contains innumerable anatomical systems (respiratory, nervous, digestive, cardio-, reproductive etc.) functioning together in perfect unison:

مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ

“From a sperm-drop He had created him, and then moulds him in due proportions;” [80:19]

وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى – مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَى

“That He did create in pairs,- male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place);” [53:45-46]

The “miracle” of our creation enables us to recognize and remain in total awe of Allāh's limitless powers. That in turn allows us to submit to Him and to His message conveyed to us through His Prophets.

For surely, the Magnificent Creator who fashioned a complete living being out of a mere sperm drop, can resurrect that same human being hundreds of years after his death; after his total decomposition into nothingness.

Because for the One for whom the first, original creation was so easy, the resurrection will be even easier:

كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ

“…Even as We produced the first creation, so shall We produce a new one; a promise We have undertaken. Truly shall We fulfil it.” [21:104]

The “despicable” water

Another context in which Allāh mentions the creation of man, is how he originates from a “lowly” water viz. human semen. Whilst the first human being was created and fashioned from dust, his progeny continued on earth via this water:

أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ

“Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable?” [77:20]

The place in the human anatomy from where this “despicable” water originates is also mentioned by Allāh:

فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ – خُلِقَ مِن مَّاء دَافِقٍ – يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

“Now let man but think from what he is created. He is created from a drop emitted. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.” [86:5-7]

Allāh then goes on to exhort how, if He could create a human progeny from such a water that gushes forth from man's own body, He is utterly and completely able to recreate man in the Akhirah, after his death and decomposition in this world/dunya:

إِنَّهُ عَلَى رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ

“Surely He (Allāh) is able to bring him back (to life)!” [86:8]

Allāh mentions 3 other words in another place in the Quran where He mentions the “despicable” water – “طِين”,”نسل” and “سلالة”:

الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ – ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ

“Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised.” [32:7-8]

The point that comes across is how Allāh brought every one of us into this world from a mere drop of fluid – a fluid that is considered dirty, lowly and worthy of being washed off and discarded; which emanates from a part of the body that is also kept hidden and considered shameful; a part that excretes the filth (urine) from our bodies.

Furthermore, when a human baby comes into this world, it again does so through the same anatomical part of his mother's body.

Allāh reminds man again and again of his lowly and inferior origins, of his first and subsequent creation, in order to cull his arrogance and reinforce his belief in Allāh's absolute power of creation and resurrection.

Because as long as we keep reminding ourselves of how we were created, how we were born, and how we came into existence from nothing, to ultimately grow bigger and take the shape of a functioning human being from the merger of two tiny cells, we will perhaps be able to stop doubting how Allāh will put us back together in the Akhirah when the Hour is established.

It is that time of the year again. Ramadan is just around the corner, and each time we think about it, we experience a potpourri of feelings–a rush of excitement, a sense of awe for the long summer fasts, and a sense of relief at having another chance to revitalize our in-need-of -puckering-up faith.

For mothers and homemakers, the imminence of Ramadan also signals the need for planning our worship goals in such a way that we can take care of the housework, cooking, cleaning and child rearing without stressing out or missing valuable time for worship once the holy month starts.

Therefore, let us now take time to stock of our goals – ones we should plan to achieve before we hit the fasting marathon with renewed gusto and vigor, with the relaxing knowledge that we have already tackled other, less important chores/to-do lists:

Prioritize: Make a list of worship goals

What do you want to achieve this Ramadan? Do you have any special yearnings? For example, would you want to devote more time to late-night qiyam al-layl than before? Do you want to memorize a portion of the Quran every day after Fajr prayer? Do you want to go to taraweeh every night this year, now that your youngest child has been weaned? Do you want to arrange for more iftaars for everyone at the masjid? Do you want to ask Allāh for special favors that you have thought up since last year e.g. ease from financial strain, another baby, shifa for a sick relative or loved one, or steadfastness upon a righteous action you have newly started?

Make a list of your goals on a piece of paper and keep it safely in your wallet or anywhere else where you will not lose it. If you have the habit of keeping a personal journal/diary, make the list there.

De-clutter and spring clean your home

We tend to spend a lot of time in housework and other chores during Ramadan – chores we can do in any other month. We have to capitalize on the time we have in Ramadan, with each spare moment spent in some kind of worship or righteous action. Therefore, if you have to clean out a closet, de-clutter the children’s room, have the walls painted, or renovate or repair any portion of your home, garden, shed or drive, do it now.

Cook, chop, blend, pack and freeze

Sisters, now is the time to make and freeze some quick-fix meals for those days during Ramadan when you might just not feel like stepping into a hot kitchen to whip up an exotic delicacy. Whether it is raw material such as kneaded dough or cooking paste with garlic, ginger and onions, or cooked recipes such as potato cutlets, curries, or simple sautéed vegetables, make sure your freezer is stocked with some handy culinary shortcuts and “escape routes” for Ramadan, especially for its last ten days.

Last social calls

Make a list of those of your relatives, neighbors and friends who expect you to visit them ‘properly’ viz. spend two or three hours with them and have a meal over a soulful chat. Visit them before Ramadan starts. That way you will not have to face any nagging guilt about neglecting ties once you devote time to worship for a whole month.

Shop for 'Īd

We all want to wear new clothes and shoes on 'Īd, especially young children. Go shopping now for whatever you want to wear, have it stitched and/or ready in the wardrobe so that you will not have to worry about it in Ramadan, especially in its last ten days that are extra special for worship and seclusion from worldly affairs. This could also include henna and bangles, for which most families tend to make a last minute, nocturnal run in the three nights before 'Īd.

Calculate, save and plan for giving Zakah

If you are in the habit of giving some or all of your zakah during Ramadan, get started on the calculations now.

Take stock of your savings, and start planning the what and how, generating your zakah now. Keep these calculations in your diary so that you can refer to them during Ramadan.

Next, make a list of people, families, and/or organizations where you want to discharge your zakah. Call up people in your family and look around in your community to find those who are in need e.g. those under debt, or those who have no income since a few months.

Once you have taken care of the above things, you will be able to meet Ramadan with a much freer mind and schedule, insha’Allāh, in order to devote yourself to exclusive communion and contact with your Lord, who gives us this golden chance to turn back to Him every year.

Let us plan not to waste a moment of this glorious month!

Some chapters or Surahs might contain details of some events in the Prophets’ (peace be upon them) lives, while other descriptions and dialogue between them and the people of their nation whom they called toward monotheism, are found in other chapters.

One common factor that I have noticed about the Prophets’ (peace be upon them) Da’wah is that, most of the time, it is centered around first calling the elite, rich and powerful people of society toward the monotheistic message of Allāh.

Why target the affluent and powerful people of society first in Da’wah?

“Al-Mala” is a word used often in the Qur’an to refer to the affluent and powerful nobles, rulers and chieftains who were approached directly by Allāh’s messengers with invitation toward the Haqq. In Arabic, the root of this word, “ma-la-a”, means “to fill to the brim or to reach the maximum limit of something”. In other words, Mala refers to the richest people of the nation.

“Al Mutrafeen” is another word used in the Qur’an to describe the well-off recipients of the Prophets’ (peace be upon them) message. The root of this Arabic word, “ta-ra-fa”, means “to live a pleasant, plentiful, luxurious and easy life”.

In any era, it was mostly these affluent people, the society’s “elite”, who would be the foremost in not just receiving, but also rejecting, the Prophets’ (peace be upon them) invitation toward Haqq.

Wealth yields economic power and authority in the land:

The wealthy people of any nation set its social trends in motion, have a say in communal decision-making, and initiate and catalyze paradigm shifts in thinking. Notice the rich and famous adopting a certain ritual, habit or lifestyle, and the poor and illiterate will eventually follow suit and try to ape their actions.

That is the primary reason why Allāh’s Prophets (peace be upon them) approached the affluent, powerful people first in Da’wah, because they knew that if the leaders accept the invitation, it would not be long before the entire tribe or nation did the same.

Wealthy people move around in cliques:

It is a fact that the wealthy of any society, even if they are few in number, know each other through professional and familial connections. Be it land ownership, royalty, kingship, noble lineage, or political power that makes them influential, it is a fact that convincing even one key figure in a nation to revert to Islam can result in a major “ripple effect” viz. convincing one person becomes a stepping stone for even more key figures of authority to become Muslim.

So why did most of the wealthy recipients reject Allāh’s message?

The question that arises then, is that why did most of the powerful and elite recipients of Allāh’s message, such as Pharaoh, Haman, Qaroon and the able-bodied, prosperous nation of ’Aad, reject the message brought by Allāh’s Prophets (peace be upon them)?

There are several reasons for this rejection, which become apparent via the dialogue between them and the Prophets that is quoted throughout the Qur’an. The particular verse below makes it clear why the wealthy rejected the message of Allāh’s Prophets (peace be upon them):

“And when Our Clear Verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve (the rich and strong among the pagans of Quraish who live a life of luxury) say to those who believe (the weak, poor companions of Prophet Muhammad who have a hard life): “Which of the two groups (i.e. believers or disbelievers) is best in (point of) position and as regards station (place of council for consultation).” (Qur’an: 19:73)

Their powerful position in society as compared to the more vulnerable, economically weaker one of the Prophets (peace be upon them) would delude them into thinking that their beliefs, creed and religious rituals were correct and didn’t need to be changed.

Wealth and power, in other words, became the “yardstick” by which they judged the truthfulness of a person’s message.

Next, since neediness and poverty makes a person more humble toward other human beings and more inclined toward turning to Allāh, it was mostly the poor people of any nation who would be the first to accept Prophets’ (peace be upon them) invitation toward monotheism.

This became an issue of prestige or honor for the chiefs and leaders when the message was presented to them:

The chiefs who the disbelieved among his people said: “We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars.” (Qur’an 11:27)

They said: “Shall we believe in you, when the meanest (of the people) follow you?” (Qur’an: 26:111)

Thus it becomes obvious that the trial of being very rich is that wealthy people tend to consider only affluence and the social status of another as the primary determining factor in establishing that person’s truthfulness or authenticity.

They do not look at what someone is saying; rather, only at what he owns, how much power and influence he commands in society, and what kind of people he hangs out with, in order to accept or reject his message or invitation. Any sincere person who fails to come up to their superficial, measurable standards of wealth and social prestige is promptly rejected and further, is accused of being a liar!

Thus, the Qur’an teaches us that wealth, power and social prestige – blessings that almost everyone desires in life – can become a Fitnah or trial of faith if it starts to stand in the way of a person’s embracing Islam completely and acting upon the Deen of Allāh. When a person has wealth, he starts to think with certainty that he must be on the right path and that Allāh is pleased with him. Moreover, wealth can make a person look down upon and deride those righteous people who are sincere to Allāh’s cause but who belong to a lower socioeconomic class.

If you are a wealthy person, or are very desirous of acquiring more worldly assets, tangible status symbols, power and influence in society, ask yourself some critical questions: do I refuse to socially mingle with people who are poor? Do I arrogantly rebuke people who try to correct me, or who point out my mistakes, just because I am convinced that I am on the right path that leads to success in the Hereafter, since Allāh has blessed me with much wealth in this world? Do I mock religious people because of their humble appearance and/or their belonging to a lower social class?

While we should pray to Allāh to grant us His blessings in both worlds, we should also seek refuge with Him from the trials and tests associated with these blessings.

Source: Saudi Gazette

The Qur'an is a treasure trove of gems and jewels. For the one who diligently seeks them, it can provide any or all of the following priceless blessings required for spiritual growth and rejuvenation: knowledge, insight, understanding of reality vs. illusion, the ability to identify causes of day-to-day situations and human reactions to them, a variety of psychological behavioral traits displayed by people in any era of time, and a deep grasp of the concepts of life, death and the afterlife.

Not just this, but the Qur'an also details numerous past, real-life, historic events accompanied by dialogues that actually took place centuries ago between people, necessitating the student of knowledge to dig deeper into the context behind the revelation of its verses, and to consult other reliable sources for details of the events in the lives of previous prophets and bygone nations, with the most authentic of these sources primarily being  hadith collections.

Last but not least, one of the greatest gems that can be extracted from this Glorious Book is the immense enjoyment of communicating directly with Allāh through un-rushed, beautified and deliberate recitation of His كلام – His own spoken word. Such recitation results in the subsequent descent of, and the feeling of being enveloped by, His Divine mercy or رحمة.

All of the above are blessings and treasures that can be derived from this 'treasure chest' – the Glorious Quran – to name but a few.

Yes, the Quran is indeed a treasure trove of gems, but only for the one who seeks them from this trove with the correct intention, and via correct branches and sources of knowledge, which include the rules of tajweed and other supplementary subjects.

One of the most popular – and also often the most feared – subjects that a student of knowledge pursues to understand the Quran better is Arabic Grammar. Comprising mostly of a set of lexical rules derived to help understand Arabic as a language, Grammar is sometimes a difficult nut to crack. Nay, it is many a students' most ardent nemeses!

I admit that I have heard some extremely polarized views about this subject from different people, be they experienced teachers or frazzled students at their wits end; students ready to pull their hair out over sincere but futile efforts to memorize the complex, multidimensional tables of Arabic pronouns, nouns and verbs!

Some are of the opinion that Arabic Grammar makes it difficult and confusing for a student of knowledge to get a grasp of the language. They opine that memorization of tables does not help if, at the end of the day, the student cannot apply its basic concepts to comprehend the actual Quranic text.

Others stand by the claim that memorization of the complex noun and verb tables of Arabic Grammar is one of the secrets to unlocking the deeper meanings of the comprehensive yet compact (جامع) words in the Quran.

As a work-in-progress student of knowledge, I admit that I hold the latter opinion. I have benefited tremendously by studying basic Arabic grammar. However, my primary concern was never memorizing the tables just to get good marks in tests, but rather, to apply the knowledge of grammar to the Quran's Arabic text in order to scoop out meanings from it that simple language translations did not adequately convey.

Below, I will attempt to express the importance of studying Arabic Grammar by explaining 3 examples of words found in different places in the Quran.

يَا أَيُÙ'هَا الَÙ'ذِينَ آمَنُواÙ' آمِنُواÙ' بِاللÙ'هِ وَرَسُولِهِ

“O you who believe! Believe in Allāh and His Messenger..” [Quran - 4:136]

The above portion of this verse carries 2 Arabic words that sound incredibly similar to each other, and they occur consecutively. In fact, the only difference between the two words آمَنُواÙ' and آمِنُواÙ', is changing the fathah (فتحة) on the “Ù…” into a kusrah (كسرة):

آمَنُواÙ'           آمِنُواÙ'

The change of that single fathah into a kusrah changes the entire meaning of the same set of letters. Whereas the word “آمَنُواÙ'” means “those people who have believed” and is a verb or action-word, the word “آمِنُواÙ'” means, “Believe, you all!” and it is not a verb per se but rather, “a command verb” i.e. an action word that is meant as a command to someone. In grammatical lingo, it known more formally as the “imperative verb”, but I prefer referring to it as the “command verb”, because it is known in arabic as فعل امر.

You can understand it with this analogy: we say, “Eat!” to someone when commanding them to eat, but we also say the word “eat” as a verb in other contexts, e.g. “We will eat in an hour”.

The beauty of the Arabic language is that it uses separate combinations of the same set of root letters (in this case, these letters are: م , ا , and ن), with different sounds for those letters, denoted by vowels, to openly display these differences in meaning very beautifully.

(Please click here for a more detailed, word-for-word, grammatical analysis of the above verse.)

For the next example, here is a verse from Surah Aali `Imran:

يَا أَيُÙ'هَا الَÙ'ذِينَ آمَنُواÙ' اصÙ'بِرُواÙ' وَصَابِرُواÙ' وَرَابِطُواÙ' وَاتَÙ'قُواÙ' اللÙ'Ù‡ÙŽ لَعَلَÙ'كُمÙ' تُفÙ'لِحُونَ

“O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allāh. That you may prosper.” [Quran - 3:200]

In the above verse, again, two very similar words come right one after another. They are:

اصÙ'بِرُواÙ'         صَابِرُواÙ'

In this case, both these words are command verbs ordering a group to a certain action. However, their form is different by a single Arabic letter or consonant, the alif (ا). In the first word, “اصÙ'بِرُواÙ'”, the alif comes before the ص. In the second word, “صَابِرُواÙ'”, the alif comes after the ص.

This single, apparently very slight, difference in writing the same set of consonants, results in two command-verbs that convey completely different meanings.

The command verb “اصÙ'بِرُواÙ'” means, “be patient (you all)”, whereas the command verb “صَابِرُواÙ'” means, “exhort each other towards patience (you all)”.

Isn't it obvious how powerful the language of the Quran is? How beautifully it conveys different meanings by adding or moving around just one consonant/letter in a word, or the vowel on it?

Now let's look at the third example. This one will present how knowledge of Arabic grammar helps in pondering more deeply on the verses of the Quran, to get a more detailed picture of what is being said:

خُذُوهُ فَغُلُÙ'وهُ

“Lay hold of him, and shackle him” [Quran - 69:30]

This verse of the Quran contains two command-verbs which have the pronoun “هُ” appended at their end. Both the words, “خُذُوا” and “غُلُÙ'وا” are command-verbs directed at several masculine recipients, or a group of men. This is apparent because of the “وا ُ ” appearing at their end.

This presents an interesting insight into this verse. The English translation says, “Lay hold of him“, but analysis of the Arabic command verb “خُذُوهُ” reveals that, actually, several beings are being addressed to “lay hold of him”, not one person.

This unveils knowledge of a bone-chilling scene that shows us a picture of what will happen to wrong-doers in the Akhirah: numerous angels will be commanded by Allāh to hold and shackle one sinning human being, and then thrust him into the Hell-Fire!

The next verse, shown below, completes the terrifying picture:

ثُمَÙ' الÙ'جَحِيمَ صَلُÙ'وهُ

“And then let him enter hell;” [Quran - 69:31]

Another command-verb “صَلُÙ'وا” occurs in this verse, having the pronoun “هُ” appended at its end. The meaning is the same: an order from Allāh to several angels to throw the person referred to by the pronoun “هُ”, into the Hell Fire.

ثُمَÙ' فِي سِلÙ'سِلَةٍ ذَرÙ'عُهَا سَبÙ'عُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسÙ'لُكُوهُ

“And then thrust him into a chain [of other sinners like him - a chain], the length whereof is seventy cubits.” [Quran - 69:32]

Finally, using the command-verb “اسÙ'لُكُوهُ”, Allāh commands the numerous angels to pass the sinner onto a chain of others like him.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains the above verses thus:

Allāh's words, “Seize him and fetter him; then throw him in the blazing Fire” mean that He [Allāh] will command the guardians of Hell to forcibly remove him from the gathering place, fetter him – meaning put iron collars on his neck – then carry him off to Hell and cast him into it, meaning they will submerge him in it.

“Then fasten him on a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits!” – Ka`b Al-Ahbar said, “Every ring of it will be equal to the entire amount of iron found in this world.”

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas and Ibn Jurayj both said, “Each cubit will be the forearm's length of an angel.”

Ibn Jurayj reported that Ibn `Abbas said, فَاÙ'سÙ'لُكُوهُ (“then fasten him“) “It will be entered into his buttocks and pulled out of his mouth. Then they will be arranged on this (chain) just like locusts are arranged on a stick that is being roasted.”

Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, “It will be ran into his behind until it is brought out of his two nostrils so he will not be able to stand on his two feet.”

End quote Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

Arabic Grammar thus enables us to understand certain things whilst reciting or reading the Arabic text of the Quran directly, without needing an accompanying translation or consulting a tafsir.

As shown above, the tasfir makes it clear that several angels – in the role of the guardians of Hell – will be taking hold of, fettering and thrusting each Hell-dweller into either (i) a chain of other sinners headed for Hell, or (ii) an extremely huge iron chain that will be passed through his body like a skewer. This terrifying picture of several harsh, stern angels working together in a group on one sinner at a time sends chills down the spine.

We seek refuge with Allāh from the torments of the Akhirah. Āmīn.

I hope I have been able to effectively convey and present the ease that is provided to a student, by studying Arabic Grammar, in understanding lexical technicalities in the Quran's Arabic text, which does away with the need to always consult a translation.

I know that studying Arabic grammar can be a challenge at times. Here a few tips that can help:

1. Constantly renew your intention of studying this branch of Islamic knowledge to make it solely for the pleasure of Allāh, as it will aid you to understand His Glorious Book better, because of which you will acquire His closeness and more taqwa, inshā'Allāh.
2. Do not worry if the conjugation tables and difficult descriptive terms overwhelm you at first. Keep trying to apply the knowledge of the rules to verses of the Quran.
3. Do not focus just on memorizing grammatical concepts, terms and their definitions to pass exams. Rather, it is alright, for example, if you forget the complex definition of فعل امر but can identify it when you read or recite the Quran's arabic text and see how it is tying in with the meaning of the text.
4. Consider your pursuit of knowledge a blessed action worthy of great reward.

When you proceed like this, keeping a positive approach and a never-give-up attitude that transcends official courses and classroom lessons taken under teachers, Allāh's help will come in the form of ease and barakah, inshā'Allāh, granting you insights into the language of the Quran, which you never anticipated that you could experience!

I live in a hot, humid city where creepy crawlies of all sorts elude insecticides and abound. Routinely, I need to have discreet cobwebs removed from the corners of ceilings and from behind cupboards. The dextrous creators of these webs can rarely be seen prominently, but sometimes perchance they are spotted descending from their lofty abodes onto lower surfaces. To the naked eye, a spider appears to dangle in mid-air on its own, its thread almost invisible.

As I recently observed a spider slowly but surely descend downwards, I marveled at its dexterity of producing a silken thread from within its own body, which enables it to build a home for itself.

That was when the verse about the spider's web in Surah Al-Ankaboot came to my mind:

“The parable of those who take protectors other than Allāh is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house;- if they but knew. ” [29:41]

The singular form of the Arabic word اَولِيآء (“auliyaa”) that is mentioned in this verse, is ولى (“wali”), which means “protector, helper, governor, king, ruler, or judge”.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir says about this verse: “This is how Allāh described the idolators in their reverence of gods besides Him, hoping that they would help them and provide for them, and turning to them in times of difficulties. In this regard, they were like the house of a spider, which is so weak and frail, because by clinging to these gods they were like a person who holds on to a spider's web, who does not gain any benefit from that. If they knew this, they would not take any protectors besides Allāh.”

Tafsir Al Jalalayn: “The likeness of those who choose besides God [other] patrons, namely idols from whom they hope to profit, is as the likeness of the spider that makes a home for itself in which to shelter. And truly the frailest, the weakest, of homes is the home of the spider – for it neither protects it from heat nor cold – likewise, idols cannot benefit those who worship them – if they only knew this, they would not worship them.”

According to this verse, the action of taking any other besides Allāh as a judge or helper is like a spider spinning a web for itself. How does a spider spin its web?

It starts by shooting forth a single thread with a sticky end that attaches itself to a sturdy support nearby, which it might happen to fall on. Notice the uncertain nature of the start of the process? The spider has no idea what the thread will attach itself to, or if it will at all. Ironically, it makes an abode for itself by starting with a single thread in this uncertain manner!

Once attached to a sturdy support, the spider goes along that fixed thread, dropping another thread downwards, which dangles in the air. It moves back along the dangling, second thread and from its middle, lowers itself downwards on to another support. When it lands on the latter, it uses it as the third point of support for its web. It continues thus to weave more threads fixed on other nearby supports until it establishes a web of non-sticky threads. It further moves radially around these base threads to form another network of threads within them.

Finally, when the web is ready, the spider leaves a sticky fluid over it to snag prey, leaving room for itself to move around (avoid) that fluid as it maneuvers its way around its new “home”, then proceeds to sit in its center.

For a very simple video describing the process of how a spider spins its web, along with a more detailed written description, please click here.

Here are a few thoughts that come to mind about this spider’s web:

1. It has a very flimsy, weak foundation. Though it hangs off sturdy supports such as walls, tree branches, or pillars, it is not strong in and of itself.
2. It is not clearly visible – a trait that increases the chances of snagging prey. Hence, it can get trampled upon, or rubbed against, by passing objects.
3. It is made of extremely fine, weak, interwoven threads; not strong, solid raw material.
4. It is two-dimensional in structure i.e. it is flat. It does not stand upon firm, hard ground. There are no roofs or walls offering security and cover from destructive climatic elements. Wind or rain can wash it away.
5. The spider spins its own web (i.e. it doesn’t use any other materials) e.g. birds use sprigs or grass to build nests; ants use earth to construct anthills. The spider’s web, however, is a product of materials/secretions from within its own body.
6. The spider sits in the middle of its web, somewhat in isolation. It waits for its prey to get stuck in it.

We can now analyze how taking protectors or helpers (اَولِيآء) besides Allāh is akin to a spider spinning a home for itself. When I thought about this verse, I pondered on what the word ولى means. Does it mean that if I follow the verdicts or laws of those who do not rule according to the laws of Allāh, or if I believe others besides Allāh to be my helpers or protectors in difficulties and hopeless situations, I am like the web-weaving spider in my adherence to beliefs that are false?

Like the spider that attaches its threads to sturdy supports and spins a web for itself, I too, would be taking support from apparently stronger objects/things/deities to form a web of delusion inside my head, which would not harm anyone but me if and when it got destroyed because of its inherent weakness. Just as a spider-web’s gluey attachment to the objects to which its silk threads cling is frail and weak, the hopes I would have on any other people, gods, deities or objects for solving my problems or providing laws for me to live successfully by, would be extremely feeble, even though these deities, like a spider web, might give the impression of being secure, safe “abodes” to the “spiders” sitting in their midst.

Here I would like to point out that seeking the help or support of others to achieve an end is not at all blameworthy or wrong in itself, as long as a believer has the staunch aqeedah in his heart that the source of all benefit and loss is solely Allāh. Allāh helps, protects and provides for His slaves on earth by different means. There is nothing wrong with seeking those means, as long as one believes, beyond any doubt in their heart, that the source of both – the means and the end – is Allāh – our only ولى.

The parable of the spider weaving a weak home for itself is like that of a sick person who believes that a certain doctor they went to, or a medical procedure they underwent, was the source of their cure from an illness, instead of believing staunchly in Allāh being the sole source of that cure, with all else being just the means. Or, like the simile of a woman who believes that the source of her provision is her or her spouse's business or job, which, if it were to be lost, or if her husband were to die, would curtail her provision or her life itself. Or like the justice-seeking, wronged person who believes that the verdicts and laws of any thinker, organization, or man-made socioeconomic and legal system is more suitable than that revealed in the Quran by Allāh, or that which was ordained by His Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم].

Such fallacious delusions are analogous to a spider’s web-weaving, because such concocted beliefs and false ideas are “spun” by innate human desires, or by erroneous thoughts whispered into the hearts by Shaitan, making their bearers disastrously secure in the delusion that what they believe is actually reality, just like the spider believes that its frail, thread-based abode is sturdy and safe from danger, right up to the point when it is washed or swept away.

Just as the spider’s web is the weakest of abodes, so are all the idols that are worshipped, or considered sources of support, help, provision or justice by people, utterly weak and fallible.

اللهُ اعÙ'لَمُ

Now please ponder on this verse in light of the scientific facts about the process of a spider's web-weaving/abode-building, and share your thoughts with us.

Teenagers — youths at the threshold of adulthood, still harboring a carefree, emotional child within, need their parents to empathize with them during the rocky, transitional phase of adolescence.

From bawling infants requiring round-the-clock care, to toddlers that break free and run amok, to preschoolers learning to scribble and being read to, to hyperactive tots who love to help around the house and play with toys, parenting takes us on one roller coaster ride after another.

Just when we think it will get easier, one fine day, these munchkins have morphed into teenagers: awkward, lanky, self-conscious, acne-faced and aloof. “Where did that friendly child of mine disappear?” you wonder.

Do not worry; your offspring will resurface in good time. Meanwhile, here is what you should keep in mind when dealing with them from now on:

Recognize the signs

In the past, you could barge into your “children’s” room at any time, without knocking; shouting instructions off the top of your head, you could drag them out of bed to make them clean their room. No more of that, now, Ummi. Your teenagers will begin to indicate their privacy needs through body language. It might be a scowl when they are asked a question they find invasive, a tantrum when you go through their closet to look for something, or an outright wrangle with a sibling when the latter enters their room while they are studying.

Do not take all this personally. It is a natural endeavor to establish boundaries around their ‘personal space’, in which they can retreat for privacy, which is a genuine need at this age. They are transitioning into adulthood, and a need for privacy or space is natural. In addition, they will stop disclosing each and every detail about their lives and/or feelings to you, as they did before – this is a step towards establishing intangible, ‘emotional’ boundaries around themselves.

Provide them this “space”

As parents, we should not take offense at our teens’ increasing aloofness with us or their frigidity in social gatherings. The best way to console ourselves is to think, “This is just a passing phase.” It really is. They need us to back off with the physical and verbal expressions of love and to treat them more like adults. The best way to make them feel appreciated is to delegate some adult tasks to them and to respect their opinions on matters.

Ideally, teenage girls should not be sharing a bedroom or bathroom with their brothers or father. If possible, each teenager should have a personal place to sleep and study in, in peace, and a locking closet that younger siblings cannot get into. However, if this is not possible, especially in large families, you can improvise and think out of the box. Renovate your garage, gazebo, tool-shed (no kidding!), attic, study, or balcony/terrace to set up a small personal place for your teenager, such as a desk with a bookshelf. Most of all, expect your teenager to withdraw into this space for a few hours everyday.

Make sure they know that you are still the boss

What parents must be careful about at this stage is to maintain the tricky balance between keeping a strict but discreet supervisory eye over their teenagers and giving them freedom and independence. Teenagers should be made to realize that garnering trust and “adult” privileges (e.g. using the Internet in privacy, going out alone, driving the car, or possessing a personal cell phone) comes with responsibilities and restrictions. These adult privileges must be earned after proving themselves to be trustworthy, responsible, honest and morally upright youngsters – especially regarding fulfillment of Islamic obligations and duties. Conversely, they should know that any breach in their parents’ regulations or intentional treachery can immediately result in the elimination of these privileges.

Talk about their interests without probing

If you really want to know why your fourteen-year-old daughter is so glum since she came home from her friend’s house, instead of asking her outright, you can start a casual conversation with her by telling her about your day. Then you can ask her how she liked the snack you packed for her.

“Parents often don't understand that their adolescent is resistant to questions for two good causes. Adult questions are not only invasive of privacy, they are emblematic of authority. They expose the inequity between adolescent and adult. The adolescent is expected to be answerable to the adult authority, not the other way around. Being repeatedly questioned by an adult can feel threatening, and agreeing to answer can feel demeaning.” – Dr. Carl Pickhardt, “Surviving (Your Child's) Adolescence“, PsychologyToday.com

Teenagers usually take the bait and start talking once they know they have a sympathetic ear. What they do not like is the interrogative probing. Know that the torrent will come out at some time; just make sure you are there for them when it does.

Watch your tone

If your teenager mentions something about their friends or recreational activities that you find objectionable, do not jump into “tyrannical-lecturing-parent” mode immediately. Let it pass then, but perhaps express your disapproval by remaining silent or not laughing (e.g. if they crack a joke in bad taste, use a curse word, or talk about an elder disrespectfully) or leaving the room to prevent an altercation. Later on, once you find a secluded spot and a quiet moment, talk to them about the behavior that is not appropriate. Keep it short (remember, they hate lectures) and never, ever make the mistake of scolding or reprimanding them in public, before their peers, or in front of siblings. Also, do not tattle to your spouse in front of the whole family as soon as the latter walks in from work. This will make your teenager feel as if you betrayed their trust.

Keep up-to-date with what is going on in ‘their’ world

As a teenager, I remember naively thinking that my parents knew nothing about all the “cool” stuff in “my” world – one that revolved around my friends, slang words, glossy fashion magazines, music, movies, pop idols, makeup, supermodels, dirty jokes and romance novels. What teenagers do not know is that even their parents went through this phase, and know exactly what they are going through.

Read newspapers, magazines and blogs to understand all that is new in the youngsters’ world, including the slang words and sly jokes that teenagers use during conversation. Keep yourself updated; become the technologically and fashionably “with-it” parent whom they can proudly introduce to their friends when the latter visit. However, remember that you will still be feared and revered by your teenagers; hence, you will not exactly be welcome to ‘hang with’ their friends. Therefore, do not take your teenager’s embarrassment and awkwardness personally when you walk in on or sit with their friends for a while. Most likely, your departure will elicit sighs of relief all around!

Be the “toughie” friend outside their clique

As a parent, know that your teenagers will probably consider their friends clique the center of their universe for a few years but will come crying to you when they hurt them in any way. Your role as parent to a teenager, is not “the hand that feeds them or bathes them”, but rather “the friend who is always there” when needed. In addition, you must not be afraid to become the occasional ‘warden’ or ‘bad guy’ when the need arises; someone who is there to set limits, enforce rules, check performance, and unfortunately, as a last resort, exact appropriate retribution to wrong behavior.

Establish a rapport with their educators

If your teenager goes to school, establish a rapport with their teacher by casually talking to him or her about your ward’s progress and behavior at school. This will establish your concern as an “involved” parent; someone who can be approached easily if they want to discuss something about your teenager’s progress at school.

Do not go through their private things

Unless you want your teenaged son or daughter to brand you as “the enemy”, do not go through their stuff behind their backs, unless it is absolutely necessary. Do not read their diary (if they keep one) or go through their journals, notebooks, desk, dresser, closet, school bag, clothes, or accessories without a valid reason. You need to realize that they are no longer children and that your role has changed. If you do not tread with extreme care, you might cause irrevocable damage to your relationship with them, which is at a fragile, volatile stage.

Your focus throughout your children’s adolescence should not be just establishing and enforcing stringent rules, restrictions, curfews and chore-lists. Rather, you should also give importance to maintaining open, heart-to-heart communication, providing an understanding and sympathetic ear, and giving emotional support. You will need to relinquish some control in their lives, and instead, learn to delegate tasks to them in order to build their confidence as “wannabe” adults and make them feel trusted. The more teenagers believe that their parents trust them, the less likely they are to break rules or to disobey them.

Lastly, if a breach of trust on their part gets them punished, but they follow it with sincere repentance, ratification and consistent good behavior, you as their parents, should embody humility and justice by retracting their punishment and allowing them honorary privileges once again.

This will convey the valuable message to them that, just as Allāh always accepts His penitent servants’ repentance and opens the door for them to a new beginning, so do you, as their parents, accept and appreciate atonement. They should know that you will continue to have hope in them to reform after a lapse in good behavior and are always there for them as their “rock” during these stormy, hormone-charged, formative years of their lives.

Thereafter, you can sit back and enjoy as they come to you, again and again, looking for a hug, a heart-to-heart conversation, and emotional catharsis over warm, homemade brownies and a cup of hot tea.

This article was first published in SISTERS Magazine.

People feel envy for many reasons, including over those things that they see others possess, which they really covet. Envy, or “حسد” as it is called in the Qur'an, is a disease of the heart that manifests itself in the form of many an ugly behavior and word. Sometimes, the envy results in the person who is being envied to even undergo serious harm.

However, this post is not about envy, or rather, not about the destructive envy that we should all avoid feeling because of the blessings that we see another possess. This post is rather about how Prophet Muhammad [صلى الله عليه وسلم] showed his love and concern for some of his companions. Loving our Prophet and following him is a part of our faith in Allāh and the Last Day and a means of gaining Allāh's love:

“Say: 'If you love Allāh, then follow me; Allāh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allāh is Oft-Forgiving, Oft-Merciful.'” [Qur'an - 3:31]

More than just providing lip service as a testimony of our love for him [صلى الله عليه وسلم], we should focus on 'walking the talk', i.e. constantly analyzing ourselves to see whether this love for him that we profess actually makes us emulate him, imitate him, and obey his every command or not, even if this means going against the wishes of our loved ones, our societal norms, or our own desires.

Moreover, this love for the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] should also make us feel an intense desire to meet him and see him in person, since one favor that his companions had the privilege of possessing, which we can never even hope to do in this worldly life, is the joy of beholding him in flesh and blood before their eyes, talking to him, and being in his company. Beyond that, of course, is the fortune of the even luckier ones among his companions who were graced with special favors as far as the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] was concerned – namely, his close friendship, his counsel for problems, day-to-day guidance, and being related to him through matrimonial ties. Usually, his two friends Abu Bakr and Umar [رضى اللهُ عنهما] are mentioned foremost in this regard. However, there are some other, lesser-mentioned of his companions, who were at the receiving end of his special favor too.

A few ahadith that are narrated below describe this special attention dished out by the Prophet of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم] towards two of his companions. Below is the first of those ahadith.

The Messenger of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم] said:

“O Mu'adh! By Allāh, truly I love you.”

[Abu Dawud, Al Nisa’i, Ibn Hibban, Abu Nu'aym, Ibn Khuzaimah and Al-Hakim, who declared its isnad to be sahih]

The Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] said these words to his companion Mu'adh Ibn Jabal [رضى الله عنه], whom he eventually sent to Yemen during his life by appointing him as its governor. I cannot describe enough how my heart feels whenever I read this hadith! Can we even imagine the favor that Allāh had blessed Mu'adh Ibn Jabal with? Think about it some more: the best man in the eyes of Allāh expressing his love for this young man in clear, loving, sincere words, to his face – telling him that he loves him! Could anyone be more fortunate; greater in excellence? Very few, in my opinion.

Below is another hadith in which the love of Allāh's Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] for this young companion of his, is openly evident:

When Allāh's Messenger sent him to Yemen, he went out with him giving him advice, Mu'adh riding and Allāh's Messenger walking beside his riding beast. Then when he finished he said, “Perhaps, Mu'adh, you may not meet me after this year, but perhaps, you may pass this mosque of mine and my grave.” Mu'adh wept from grief over the departure of Allāh's Messenger. The Prophet then turned facing Madinah and said, “Those nearest to me are the pious, whoever they are and whenever they are.” [Mishkat]

As Mu'adh was being sent off to Yemen, he was riding an animal, and the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] walked by his side. They both knew that this was the last time they would meet in person. What an emotion-ridden, poignant moment in the lives of two people who loved each other purely for the sake of Allāh!

I think it is enough for someone like me to feel a rush of “envy” – if an intense desire for a blessing that is possessed by another can even be labeled 'envy' – whenever I read the above ahadith.

First, to have the honor of Allāh's beloved Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] express his love for you in your life, then to have him see you off as you're going away to a far off place, and then to have him console you that despite being torn apart by the temporary life of this world, if you remain pious, you would still be among those who are “nearest” to him! If we think for a moment that this was the Prophet of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم] seeing off Mu'adh like this, we cannot help but feel overwhelmed at the extent of Allāh's favor upon this young companion. May Allāh be pleased with him.

The third hadith that fills me with supposed “envy” is the one in which Asma Bint Abi Bakr [رضى الله عنها] quotes her experience of taking care of her husband's horse in his absence: Imam Bukhari reported in his sahih that Asma bint Abi Bakr [رضى الله عنها] said:

“I got married to Al-Zubayr, and he had no wealth on earth and no slaves, nothing except a camel for bringing water and his horse. I used to feed his horse and bring water, and I used to sew patches on the bucket. I made dough, but I was not good at baking bread, so my (female) neighbors among the ansar used to bake bread for me, and they were sincere women.
I used to bring date pits from Al-Zubayr’s land that the Messenger of Allāh had given to him, carrying them on my head. This land was two-thirds of a farsakh away. One day I came carrying the date pits on my head, and I met the Messenger of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم], who had a group of the ansar with him. He called me and made his camel kneel down for me to ride behind him, but I felt too shy to go with the men, and I remembered Al-Zubayr and his jealousy, for he was the most jealous of people. The Messenger of Allāh realized that I felt shy, so he moved on.
I came to Al-Zubayr and told him, ‘I met the Messenger of Allāh when I was carrying date pits on my head, and he had a group of his companions with him. He made his camel kneel down for me to ride with him, but I remembered your jealousy.’
He said, ‘By Allāh, it bothers me more that you have to carry the date pits than that you should ride with him.’”
Asma said: “After that, Abu Bakr sent me a servant to take care of the horse, and it was as if I had been liberated from slavery.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath, 9/319]

I know that this hadith of Asma is very well-known, but for another reason – the superiority of this hard-working Muslim wife who willingly toiled hard to serve her husband. There is no doubt that what she did was very praiseworthy, but that is not the point that draws my attention to this hadith.

Rather, what makes me dwell on her good fortune is the fact that our Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم], when he saw her walking alone carrying date pits on her head, stopped in his tracks, made his camel kneel down, and offered her a lift home!

We all know that whatever he did was according to the Haqq, and instead of letting her walk back alone carrying her burden, he stopped to make it easy for her.

The same goes for her “jealous” husband. When he heard of the incident, he immediately regretted his wife having to work so hard to maintain his horse, and expressed his concern for her hard work.

As for her other mahram, her father, when he heard of this incident, he immediately made her hardship easy by giving her a servant to do this manual work for her, so much so that in the words of this humble, hardworking wife and daughter (who probably used to hide the difficulty of her hard toil from not just her husband, but also her father): “…it was as if I was liberated from slavery!”

The kind, benign actions of all the three great Muslim men described in this hadith – the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] (the best of men), Al-Zubayr, and Abu Bakr [رضى اللهُ عنهم] – are proof of the fact that, on witnessing or hearing of Asma's hard work with her husband's horse, all three either felt concerned or strove to help relieve her of her task. Contrast that to some modern-day Muslim men who shove this hadith in their wives' faces to remind them about how hard they are supposed to work to serve their husbands!

Regardless, this hadith makes me feel so “envious” of Asma Bint Abi Bakr because she had the honor of having none other than the Prophet of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم] stop what he was doing out of concern for her and offer her a ride home on his camel. Let us not forget another key point here that Asma was the daughter of the Prophet's best friend and close companion, Abu Bakr [رضى اللهُ عنه], and the older sister of his wife, A'ishah. He had close family ties with her, and hence his chivalry becomes even more justified and understandable. Indeed, she is fortunate to not just be honored because of the Prophet's concern for her, but also because she had the wisdom and innate shyness (haya) to refuse such an honorable and prestigious offer just for the sake of preventing her husband's jealousy, which is an indication of her lofty taqwa. What a great woman! May Allāh be pleased with her.

As for us…we can only hope and pray to Allāh that He enables us to love His Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] as he should be loved; to emulate, obey and imitate him over and above anyone else – even over the desires of our own selves. Maybe then we can hope to be counted among those whom he mentioned in a positive light, expressing his desire to meet them, as is clear in the hadith below:

Anas Bin Malik [رضى الله عنه] narrates that the Messenger of Allāh [صلى الله عليه وسلم] said: “I wish that I could meet my brothers.” The Companions of the Prophet asked, “Are we not your brothers?” He replied: “You are my Companions, but my brothers are those who will believe in me, without having seen me.” [Musnad Ahmad]

May Allāh guide us to love His Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم] so much so that it infuses us with an intense desire to behold him, meet him, and enjoy his company in the Akhirah, guiding us to those righteous actions that can help attain this ultimate culmination of success. āmīn.

Had someone told me years ago that I'd one day be educating two hyperactive, adorable little mini-me's at home, I would have laughed in their faces and called them the most glib prophesiers ever! Stay at home all day with two naughty little elves always up to something? Never!

And here I am, tired and drained as I write this, but wonderfully happy with my decision to homeschool. This wonderful foray into the world of home education, child psychology and parenting techniques began with first my stint as parent.

Utterly clueless except for a burning desire to fulfill my responsibility as a mother, I sincerely prayed to the One who had placed me in this important position by handing me a crying, burping, squealing, pooping and spitting-up bundle of joy, to guide me to raise her right – in a manner that would get me His pleasure and approval.

When that first bundle was merely a few months old, I started hearing well-wishing advice from others urging me to register her as soon as possible in one of the “good schools” in the city – schools that have hefty admission and monthly fees, long admission applicant lists, bureaucratic interview processes, and even longer waiting lists for the unrelentingly ardent hopefuls. I went along wherever the tide took me, never challenging those who insisted, “It is very important for a child's confidence and personality development to put him or her into a good school at a very early age nowadays, as early as 18 months or 2 years! If you do not do that, your child will not be able to succeed in life, or learn how to be sociable.”

It was not long before I found all these myths and delusions challenged by practical experience and observation. Children as young as 2 do not need to be left in a room full of strangers to develop their confidence. Why does Allāh make a child suckle for up to two years? Why does Allāh not enable a human baby to walk before the age of 10-11 months at the very least (even though goat kids and other mammals start walking mere hours after birth)? Why is completely potty training a child not possible before the age range of 18 months to 3 years? —> Because children so young need their mother's unswerving love, attention and physical contact to gain confidence in their budding, initial years of life.

I started reading up a lot about homeschooling, parenting techniques, child psychology and educational models and methodologies online. Whenever I'd face a problem with parenting both my children, I'd go online to try to find a solution for it, e.g. how to handle a tantrum, and from there I'd also try to discover why a child throws one, so that I could avoid the problem in the future. I discovered eye-openers such as this:

“Children, like all human beings, crave freedom. They hate to have their freedom restricted. Children explore and play, freely, in ways designed to learn about the physical and social world in which they are developing. In school, they are told they must stop following their interests and, instead, do just what the teacher is telling them they must do. That is why they do not like school.” - Peter Gray, a specialist in Developmental and Evolutionary Psychology.
[- Freedom to Learn, PsychologyToday.com]

I must admit, the vast chasm between what I learned during my reading stints about how children learn and what society, especially its elders, were telling me, led me to become an enormous mass of confusion, pushing me into a constant mental dilemma. I started turning to Allāh in earnest supplication (du'a), asking Him to make me see reality as it is, rather than what people want me to think it is. Also, my husband was not convinced that homeschooling was the way for our children, especially since their naughtiness sometimes drove me up the wall so much that he seriously doubted what my mental state would be if both of them not only stayed at home all day, but also had to be taught by none other than me.

I always find it interesting how people are so convinced of specific outcomes of certain actions. They tell you with conviction, “If you do that, such-and-such thing will happen,” even though evidence to the contrary exists right under their noses. E.g. when I started hijab, countless ladies were convinced that “girls who observe hijab do not get married”. But then I did get married, alhamdulillah, even before some other girls of my age in my extended family, who did not wear hijab.

The same applies to home education. People will make statements with unflinching conviction, such as, “Your children will become shy and unsociable,” or “Your children will not learn how to write exams or get along with peers” and so on. My daughter studied in school from the age of 2.5 to 5, and despite being around peers her age, she still preferred the company of adults: teachers, school maids, or her parents. One of the consistent “complaints” her teacher made to me was, “You have to make her get along with children her age; she always comes up to my desk and takes an interest in what I am doing, rather than playing with her classmates. This is problematic, and you need to make her hang out more with peers.”

*Cough* This is a “problem“? A child who likes hanging out with adults is a “problem child”? Last I checked, preferring the company of adults and older children over that of peers was one of the signs of giftedness!

When I heard this, I remembered `Ali Bin Abi Talib, `Abdullah Bin Abbas, `Abdullah Bin `Umar, Usama Bin Zaid (may Allāh be pleased with them), and other “children” of their generation who used to regularly hang out with some cool adults as children. How did this adult company affect them? Did it not make them learn skills at an early age, gain foundational knowledge more quickly, and succeed in life after they grew up?

Eventually, I started doing sincere istikhārah, attending activities and get-togethers of home educating families in the city, and brainstorming options with my husband. I was convinced that homeschooling was the best way to raise responsible children, but I was not sure if it was the solution for our family. Hence, the mental dilemma continued, until I started my daughter on her school's summer vacation homework during July this year.

When I actually started practically teaching her, what transpired was nothing less than an epiphany for me. She loved that I was taking time out and teaching her chapters from her books. She did her work quickly and with interest, so much so that we'd finish the reading and question-answer set of one chapter per subject in an hour at the most, whereas her school would make her do the same amount of work in a week – reading out a chapter to 20 children at once in class, making them all answer the questions in their notebooks, and giving the leftover questions as homework to be completed under the parents' supervision at home.

As it happened, my husband read a couple of homeschooling articles online, without my telling him to do so in an attempt to convince him to homeschool, and by Allāh's decree, he became convinced that homeschooling was the best option for us as well.

And that is how Allāh answered my earnest istikhārah prayers and ended my constant mental turmoil. It has been three months since we took this decision, and alhamdulillah, we are pleased that we did.

I'd like to point out a few factors here, however, which I think made the decision to homeschool easy and practically workable for our family:

1. We do not have a television set or any kind of video games in our residence, but we do have many other resources to keep our children occupied, which means that they spend most of their time reading or engaging in creative work, games, and productive play.
2. We live as a nuclear family, where we, as the parents, get to practice total control over our children's activities and pastimes. This is not always possible in extended families where many others live in close proximity e.g. our children cannot watch any television by going upstairs to their uncle's home.
3. I have given all my time to be with my children, as a constant supervisor. At least one parent's constant presence around the children is necessary for homeschooling to be possible. I know that all mothers cannot do that, especially those who work, but it is important to remember that a homeschooling parent's time is not always their own – their children are their constant companions. That becomes, ironically, an effective teaching methodology in itself that benefits the latter: they constantly observe their parents and learn to master adult tasks and responsibilities at young ages. This particular methodology is also endorsed by our Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sunnah. He never restricted his company, talks, sermons or other group activities to only people who were adults. Rather, wards such as Anas Bin Malik and even his own wife A'ishah, (may Allāh be pleased with them) were placed in his company as minors/children, because of which they acquired knowledge and grew immensely in their own skin. Contrast that to how we tend to treat children under the age of twelve: we want to get them out of the way, make arrangements for them to be occupied in activities revolving around make-believe, fantastical, dream worlds having princesses/princes, castles and unrealistic characters, and thwart their natural curiosity by giving them lame answers far from reality (“No, no, don't be sad. That kitten did not die, it was just asleep!”).

Will we always be successfully able to homeschool our children? I do not know at this point. We do intend to keep the option of enrolling them into regular school as a valid contingency scenario if and when circumstances change. However, with the rampant culture of private tuition and education in Pakistan, it'd not be an exaggeration to say that homeschooling is here to stay.

Here are some of the most valuable lessons I have learnt as a parent since I started homeschooling:

1. Children are naturally curious and possess an intrinsic love of learning. This love is thwarted by none other than the adults around them, when the latter respond negatively to the incessant questions and interruptions children make.
2. Children keenly observe and emulate their parents.
3. Children like to learn independently, after minimal guidance from adults.
4. Children love to read, especially text accompanied by illustrations.
5. Children are enthralled by, and enjoy the company of, animals.
6. Children love not just to build things from raw materials, but also to take things apart to see what they are made up of (“You broke this up too?!”)
7. Children love to play and experiment with diverse textures such as water, paper, mud, wood, plants, sand and paints.
8. Children get hooked on television, cartoons, comic books, musical songs and video games only because their parents bring these things into the home for them, and plop them down in front of them to keep them occupied and hence, out of their own hair.
9. Children forget and keep no grudges, so even if a parent makes a mistake in their sincere effort to teach or train their child, an onlooking adult might remember it and remind the parent of it later, but Allāh will make the child forget about it, especially if the parent repents and follows it up with good.
10. Children love the Quran. If the Quran is played or recited before them, they catch on to it and automatically memorize it without any difficulties.
11. Children who are homeschooled start to get along very well with their parents because both spend time so much together. They help their parents and rush to aid them in their day-to-day tasks.
12. Children, if left on their own, can learn a skill or accomplish an adult task long before adults expect them to.

A homeschooling household transforms into a center of learning for the children, a place where parents are guides and teachers, where the children contribute to the chores and help out their parents in all activities.

In stark contrast, numerous mothers of school-going children “dread” the onset of summer or winter break/vacation because their children will be at home for three months. The children, on the other hand, treat vacation as “freedom” from books and boring schoolwork. Their home turns into a hotel-cum-entertainment center, where they sleep in till noon and spend the rest of the day wasting time in mostly unproductive activities, expecting Mum to turn into a chef catering to their whims and desires.

Education and traditional means of gaining knowledge are changing drastically as the years go by. An example of this is the Khan Academy, an online tuition centre or teaching program that is a one man show. An MIT and Harvard postgraduate gave up his lucrative full-time career to do what he loves: making online videos teaching math to youth. None other than Bill Gates has acknowledged the benefit of this academy, that was started and is still run from a closet inside the tutor's residence.

Isn't it quite ironic that we formally educate and train our children to attend the best institutions throughout their youth and then instruct them to go work for companies that are headed by college and school drop-outs who left “school” in order to pursue their natural interests and dreams, and consequently became financially successful? Isn't it ironic that these drop-outs are today called in by these institutions to give graduation addresses and speeches?

However, what I am advocating here is not for everyone to drop their formal schooling, or not to pursue a job after they graduate if they want to. What I want everyone reading this post to realize is, that success does not lie in what the world wants us to do, or in what other people think we should do, but rather, in doing what we love, as long as it is not against the pleasure of our Creator. And this is the message which our children should be receiving from their parents, especially at ages less then 10, when they look up to their parents for every answer and for guidance in every little matter.

If you are not courageous enough to stand up to people for what you believe is the right choice for you or your children, how can you expect to succeed in life by always unquestioningly following the majority, riding the wave so to speak, and doing only what everyone else is doing, or what they're telling you to do?

Alhamdulillah, this week has seen the culmination of sacred, global Islamic rituals and celebrations, and has ended on an especially positive note for our MuslimMatters team.

Firstly, the joyous occasion of 'Īd al-Aḍḥa was celebrated by Muslims the world over, as millions of pilgrims/hujjaj performed the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia. This year, Muslims pilgrims kicked off the new inter-site Makkah Metro. For some great photographs of Hajj, check out the “Big Picture” Hajj page on Boston.com.

As the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia recited the talbiyah, other Muslims the world over recited takbeers and planned their annual sacrifice of animal(s). Fasting was a top priority as the days were shorter and the weather chillier. Some fortunate Muslims fasted all the first 9 days of the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah.

In my country, sacrificial animals are found everywhere as the day of 'Īd al-Aḍḥa approaches. The local children love to get really “up close and personal” with these decorated, garlanded udhiyah found everywhere on the streets and roads. This year I tried to photograph animals where ever they could be spotted:

1. In the compounds of homes..
   
   
2. Tied up outside homes on roadsides..
   
   
   
3. In open plots of land between bungalows and palatial houses..
   
   
4. Tied up in the marketplace under apartment buildings…
   
   
5. Inside empty shop places available for rent…(yes, believe it or not, that is a sitting camel!)
   
   
6. Being transported in pickup vans to their proud owners' homes..
   
   

By the time the sun begins to set at maghrib time on 'Īd al-Aḍḥa, most of the sacred udhiyah are transformed into mouth-watering delicacies like this:

As frenzied and overworked butchers run around throughout the day doing their work overtime, many a hopeful face among the poor people of the country brighten up with joy as packets of meat are distributed to them in an unrestricted spirit of wholehearted giving, sharing, and caring. It is a fact that thousands of the poor people in our country cannot even think of eating lamb or mutton except on 'Īd al-Aḍḥa! Besides the main meat, even the trotters, brains, kidneys, lungs, liver, and other anatomical parts of the sacred animals find their way into a heated pot, wherein they are cooked to spicy and tender perfection and eaten with relish.

Last but not least, this week saw voting reach its peak as the Seventh Annual Brass Crescent Awards 2010 neared their final date of online voting, i.e. November 19th, 2010. Alhamdulillah, MuslimMatters.org won in both categories for which it was nominated, “Best Blog” and “Best Group Blog”!

Jazakum Allahu khair, readers, for your votes and support. May Allāh bless our efforts here at MuslimMatters.org and accept our endeavors.

How was your 'Īd? What meaty treats did you enjoy? How much more meat did you give as sadaqah this year?

15th September 2010 – today marks a month since the occurrence of a heart-wrenching incident that took place in Sialkot, Pakistan; an incident that has the whole Pakistani nation aghast with shock and horror up till now.

It was the 4th day of the holy month of Ramadan when two teenaged brothers, Mugeeth and Muneeb, decided to leave the house to go play cricket after eating the pre-dawn meal, Suhoor i.e. they were fasting. En route to the ground on their motorbike, it is alleged that they happened to pass by an angry mob that had gathered in protest to a local burglary in which a fleeing dacoit had shot and killed an innocent man. The angry mob was in desperate search of the guilty dacoits. Someone from the crowd pointed at these two brothers and claimed that they were the dacoits.

What followed was an atrocious “gang crime”, the absolutely shocking and decadent nature of which, cannot be adequately described in words.

The two brothers were beaten up by the area people in broad daylight, with metallic and wooden sticks, as the mob watched and some members of the passive “audience” decided to whip out their cell phones and make videos. The people beating them up included everyone from older men to minor boys, as the videos recorded by the witnesses standing nearby clearly show.

Some of the crowd can be seen urging the enraged perpetrators to continue beating them up, ignoring their pleas for mercy and help. The bloodied boys were completely at the mercy of the crowd, which included some policemen and also the area DPO.

As if this slander and subsequent cold-blooded murder of these two innocent boys was not enough, after they had died, their bodies were tied up, hung from poles in the open ground where a large crowd of the area people was still gathered, and later on paraded on a pickup truck for the entire city's population to see.

I have personally watched the gruesome videos that are available on youtube before writing this. I can testify that indeed, the police were there when this 2-hour long incident took place in broad daylight, in addition to a large number of passive onlookers who let the horrific crime continue unabated. According to reports, Rescue 1122 had been summoned but it was unable to save the injured older brother Muneeb, who sustained his injuries long after his younger brother succumbed to them and died, from the mob that would just not let up beating him up with sticks and stones.

The different facets of this incident that come to light are indeed appalling to analyze:

1. Even if the actual dacoits had been caught, and even if one of them had been a murderer, it would still not have been justified for the enraged mob to kill them with their bare hands in the slow, torturous, deliberate way that they killed these two brothers. The area people took the law in their own hands, so to speak, as the spineless, “official law enforcers” watched on the sidelines as passive spectators.
2. It is obvious that whoever even thought of stopping this crime, and tried to, was either scared of the enraged, violent mob, or pushed away and overpowered by it. Nevertheless, something concrete could have been done to stop the brutal beating during the 2 hours it was allowed to continue. Yes, it was allowed to continue by the hundreds who knew it was going on and did nothing.
3. People in positions of authority could have been notified and effective means such as tear gas or aerial firing of blanks could have been used to disperse the angry hundreds who were murderously descending upon the two youths. These means have been effectively used by the Pakistani law enforcers in the past to disperse crowds of miscreants that almost always appear out of nowhere the minute some mishap takes place. However, nothing similar was done.
4. The reason why slander is a major sin (one of the kabaa'ir al-ithm in Islam) becomes painfully apparent by this incident. Whoever slandered these two boys, for whatever reason, is guilty for their murders, fair and square. The mob was already in a murderous rage when these two showed up to see what was going on. Whoever slandered them knew what would happen to them when they pushed them under the bus.
5. Sadly, the one reason why this incident has gained so much media attention is because it was public and recorded on video. Otherwise, these two innocent boys's deaths would have been silently ignored just like those of the scores who are killed daily in Pakistan over trivial domestic issues, tribal violence stemming from personal revenge, crimes based on political and ethnic rivalry, and issues related to so-called family honor in which women and girls are chopped to bits or slaughtered in a fit of rage. In lower-class, rural and poverty-ridden Pakistan, away from the glamor and glitter of the educated urban elite and the progressive corporate world, murdering someone is as easy as one-to-three. Trigger-happy people kill at the slightest pretext. Yes, even though it may be hard to swallow at first, but it really is akin to a jungle in some areas.

What we need to remember is that public lynching and other such crimes should not, however atrocious they might be, entice us to give such free reign to our tongues that we start broadly cursing, abusing, and invoking Allāh against all and sundry.

We have to keep one positive thing in mind: that the two boys can indeed be hoped to have died as martyrs, not just because they were fasting when they were killed, but because they were lynched by a barbaric mob for committing no crime at all. Also, as the neighbors, family members and others who knew them have testified, they were decent, pious boys from an honorable family who never did anyone any harm. One of them, the older one, was even a hafidh of Quran, as his mother has admitted to the media.

The evidence for the fact that we can hope their death to be considered martyrdom is this hadith of Sahih Al-Bukhari:

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) climbed up Uhud, accompanied by Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and the mountain shook with them. He struck it with his foot and said: “Stand firm, O Uhud, for there is no one on you but a Prophet or a Siddeeq or two martyrs.” [Al-Bukhari 3483]

We know how the Caliphs `Umar and `Uthman were killed – unlawfully, for committing no crime; one of them by a mob of rioters. They were among the few companions who were given the glad tidings during their lives, of being admitted to Paradise in the Hereafter.

You may choose to watch the gruesome video of the lynching here, and the subsequent dishonoring of their bodies here, at your own discretion (youtube log in required). Faint-hearted and sensitive readers are requested not to watch these two videos. This is a real-life crime caught on tape; it can really affect you adversely.

When I first heard of this incident, I thought of their martyrdom and how they were indeed chosen by Allāh for supreme honor in the Hereafter. However, what their families have gone through and the pain that they will continue to experience for years to come is unimaginable – it is indeed a major trial of their faith and steadfastness on being pleased with Allāh's decree. The women of the family have not kept silent and have spoken to the media openly.

I was reminded of Ibrahim [عليه السلام] as a young lad and how an angry, murderous mob comprising of his own father and community, first prepared a fire to burn him in, then deliberately threw him into it, just because he had dared to break their idols in their absence. Another incident that comes to mind is that of the the third Caliph of the Muslim ummah, Uthman Bin `Affan, who was besieged in his house by a mob of rioters and eventually got martyred because he refused to raise his sword against them, even to defend himself.

As for these two brothers, they laid down their lives in this gruesome incident that will serve as a graphic and painful reminder for us all – the Pakistani nation as well as the rest of the world – to the glaring truth: that when moral decadence reaches its lowest low, human beings become even worse than the lawless animals in a jungle.

“Then do We abase him to the lowest of the low;” [Quran 95:5]

May Allāh be pleased with Muneeb and Mugeeth, and grant them martyrdom and supreme honor in the Hereafter. May He grant patience in its most superlative form, sabr jameel, to their grieving family. Āmīn.

Please take a moment to pray for the boys and their bereaved family.