Status Updates From Qur'an 30 for 30: A Themati...

Surah Muzammil begins by calling to the night vigil worship (tahajjud), Surah al-Mudathir begins by calling to da'wah, the two sides of the believers: private wordship and public calling to the truth.

The believers are reassured that if they have taqwa of Allah and trust Him, He will provide for them in truly amazing ways. Trying to achieve higher levels of taqwa is a continuous goal of every Muslim. Along the way, we may slip up and make mistakes, but we keep striving to be better, to be closer to Allah. We do this through our obligatory deeds and build upon that with optional acts of worship.

We are reminded that having a righteous spouse is not enough to get us into Paradise as we are all responsible for our own deeds and choices.

Our sustenance is from Allah, and nobody can deprive us of that which Allah has written for us.

This juz also includes Surah al-Talaq which begins with the popular reminder that our sustenance is from Allah, and that we should seek it through piety and trusting Allah. This reminder is apt as divorce is often a time when people are worried about their future and their financial stability.

In Surah al-Jum'ah, Allah reminds us to leave our business and rush to remember Allah on Fridays and to prioritize the prayer over the material world at that time.

During good times, they remind us to remain consistent in worshiping Allah and not to prioritize this world over the next.

Paradise and Hell are not myths or just beliefs. They are realities that exist in the unseen realm. We must live in such a way that we acknowledge these realities, striving for Paradise, and avoiding the paths to Hell.

During difficult times, they remind us that a better life awaits us in the afterlife if we are patient.

This surah divides people on that day into three groups: the righteous who race ahead to do good deeds, the average believer, and the disbeliever.

In this surah, we learn to avoid disunity, reconcile with our brothers in faith, respect our leaders and elders, and to avoid social sins like spying, backbiting, name-calling, and racism. We are also reminded to verify facts and not to follow rumors and slander. These are fundamental aspects of Islamic manners that will weigh heavily on the Last Day.

We all must strive to pass the test we are in. Those with wealth should thank Allah for it and use it in a way that is pleasing to Allah. Those who are in difficult financial situations should work hard, be content, and be patient with what is not destined for them, trusting Allah's perfect wisdom.

Passing the test of life means remaining committed to the obedience of Allah in both good times and bad times and reacting to each trial appropriately.

So be patient. The promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness for your sin and proclaim the praise of your Lord evening and morning.

True success in the next life comes from submitting entirely to the Creator and obeying His Law.

This verse is a firm reminder that as long as we are alive, we have an opportunity to repent and work towards Paradise.

In Surah Fatir, we are again reminded that all the blessings in our life are from Allah.

By living God-centric lives, we grow into the most honorable versions of ourselves.

That is what we expect in Paradise. This world is a mixture of trials and ease, hardship and relief, good times and bad times.

These verses were revealed in the final years of the Meccan era before the migration. It prepared the believers for what was to come. The migration to Medina represented a new beginning but it was not going to be easy. Old problems would be replaced with new problems. Each new blessing would come with new challenges.

The believer does not expect a life of non-stop ease in this world.

Have the people supposed that they will be left alone to say, "We believe." without being put to the test? We have tested those before them. Allah will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liars. This continues the lesson that life is a test, and that accepting Islam does not automatically mean all of your dreams will come true in this world.

No matter how much we love someone, if they close their hearts to the truth because of arrogance, blind following, or worldly desires, there is nothing we can do to change their hearts. All we can do is pray for the guidance of those who are alive and call them to the truth with gentle and wise preaching. Surah al-'Ankabut begins with a strong warning that the believer will be tested.

You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are guided. The death of Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, was a tragic event with a deep lesson for us all; we cannot guide people. Guidance is a gift from Allah to the sincere seeker of the truth.

Musa as a helpless baby in the water is protected by Allah. Pharaoh with all his wealth and power is drowned by water too. This shows us that whoever Allah wishes to protect, nobody can harm, and Allah is in control of everything. The likeness of those who take to themselves protectors other than Allah is that of the spider. It builds a house. But the most fragile of houses is the spider's house. If they only knew.

The goal is to be form those "who come to Allah with a sound heart."

Once we have mastered the obligations, we can build upon these with optional good deeds like extra prayer, charity, and fasting. The more good deeds, the purer our hearts become. A day will come when nothing benefits us more than having a pure heart. Preparing for that day includes working on the heart by prioritizing the obligatory acts of worship and building upon them with optional acts of worship.

Every human has a spiritual heart that is affected by our deeds. It needs to be constantly purified from sin through righteous actions and repentance.

Life in this world is not Paradise, and we will not always get what we want in this world. Allah put us on this earth to test us, and part of that test means facing the hardships of life and being patient through them.

The Qur'an proposes that the believer should expect tests in life and be ready to make sacrifices for the sake of Allah. We will not always get what we want in this world.

we must devote our lives to serving our Creator.

Faith is corrupted by doubts and desires. Holding on to faith therefore means holding firm to the five daily prayers, while purifying our souls from immoral desires.

There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Most Merciful as a servant. He has enumerated them and counted them one by one. And each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.

Without prayer, we lack a consistent connection to our Creator, leaving us weak and vulnerable to the plots of the devils.