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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
In yesterday’s Reading we spoke of Loans, and visited the website of ‘European Courier*’ which spoke of ‘Islamic Banking’ during this recession. As we read the article we came across the name of ONE Muslim who made such a world of difference with his innovative concept of ‘Micro-credit,’ he helped MILLIONS of poverty-stricken people become self-sufficient:
“Muhammad Yunus, a Muslim of SE Asian background is largely credited for pioneering micro credits. The innovation has now been adopted by some more traditional financial players, from the World Bank to George Soros, as well as having garnered Yunus recognition from the Nobel and The US Medal of Freedom mostly recently awarded by President Obama.”
COMMENTS:
1. The first verse in today’s Reading (HQ:2: 283) continues with the instruction to put all transactions into written AND witnessed record, warning witnesses against concealment. Witnesses who fail to reveal what they know are those (آثم قلبه) whose minds/hearts, in fact, hinder and impede (justice. Remember the meaning of ‘ithm’ and ‘qalb?’) And God warns such persons that He indeed knows all that they do. Yusuf Ali’s note 336 discusses the concealing of evidence.
2. Verse 284 tells us that everything belongs to God, and He will hold us accountable for whatever we conceal or reveal. The fact that this verse is in Direct Speech is quite frightening to those who are self-serving or conceal ill-will. A similar verse is HQ: 20:7:
“Unto Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, as well as all that is between them and all that is beneath the sod. (6) And if thou say anything aloud, behold, He knows [even] the secret [thoughts of man] as well as all that is yet more hidden [within him]. (7) God-there is no deity save Him; His [alone] are the attributes of perfection! (8)
3. Verses 285 and 286 are beautiful supplications that are memorized and oft-read by Believers. It would be a good idea for Readers who wish to learn such verses to start off immediately, as we’ve only just begun. Listen at the Tanzil website (topmost image) and repeat. God-willing, by the end of the year, you would have gathered many such verses to memory.
Yusuf Ali tells us that the this chapter started with the question of Faith, and now the final verses of this chapter ‘round off the argument again with a confession of Faith and of its practical manifestation of conduct: “We hear and we obey!” (Read Y. Ali’s notes 337-341; beautiful!)
4. This powerful, unequivocal statement, “We hear and we obey!” resounds at the very end of this chapter, a statement the Faithful repeat at all times. These simple words soar to the heavens, in stark contrast to “We hear and we disobey!” -expressed by those who have sealed their minds/hearts from the truth (HQ: 2:93).
سورة آل عمران
This Chapter is named after the Family (or House) of Imran, from whom Mary, Jesus, Zachariah, and John the Baptist are descended, peace upon them all.
BEHOLD, God raised Adam, and Noah, and the House of Abraham, and the House of `Imran above all mankind, (HQ3:33)
Muhammad Asad tells us in his introduction that what is illumined in this Chapter is the principle of God’s Oneness and uniqueness, and man’s utter dependence on Him. Yusuf Ali tells us that in this chapter the Christians are specially appealed to, just as the Jews were specially appealed to in the last.
As we embark upon this chapter we notice that almost in our first breath we acknowledge this Compilation, and the two before it, both the Torah and the original Gospel, the ‘Evangelion,’ or ‘Good Tiding’ as Muhammad Asad mentions in note no. 4.
5. Verses 4 and 5 tell us again that nothing can be hidden from God. It is He who shapes us in our mothers’ wombs (see HQ: 40:64; 64:3; 82:8; 59:24).
6. Verse 7 is considered a guideline on how to understand the Qur’an. Muhammad Asad calls it ‘a key to the understanding of the Qur’an’ (note 5), while Yusuf Ali says it gives us ‘an important clue’ (note 347).
The subject here is in showing us the difference between verses that are ordinances that are self-evident; clear in, and by themselves ‘muhkamaat,’ and others that present a figurative, allegorical formulation ‘mutashaabihaat.’ The former are considered the ‘essence’ of this Compilation ‘ummul Kitaab,’ and therefore would NOT be open to varying interpretations, unlike allegorical verses. This is very important because the various interpretations of allegorical verses MUST be understood within the boundaries of the self-evident ordinances. Read both M. Asad and Y. Ali’s notes.
7. “Our Lord… let not our hearts/minds swerve from the truth after You have guided us…!”
Verses 8 and 9 are also worthy of memorization for indeed, the Qur’an always is the best of supplication.
Enough said!
Tomorrow’s reading is from HQ 3:10-22.
Peace unto all!
*http://europeancourier.org/mo/2009/08/22/islamic-banking-performance-relative-success-or-failure-during-this-recession/
