Status Updates From In the Shade of the Qur'an ...

I call God to witness, & you, too, bear witness, that I disassociate myself from all those you claim to be partners with God. Scheme against me, all of you, if you will, give me no respite. There is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock. Straight indeed is my Lords way. But if you turn away, he may replace you with another people. I have delivered to you the message with which I was sent to you.

God has created man free, to worship no fellow creature, to maintain his freedom in face of any chief or leader. This is essence of man’s nobility. If he doesnt protect it, he deserves no kindness. No community of people can claim to have any degree of dignity & humanity when they submit themselves to anyone other than God. Those who do submit to their fellow creatures, obey their legislation, cannot be excused.

Hud cut himself off completely from them, despite the fact that they were his brethren. He was not happy to stay among them when they had chosen a way different from God’s. With the tie of faith severed the two sides had nothing to hold them together. Throughout, Hūd had dignity, confidence & reassurance which faith imparts.

You cannot find people who believe in God, then love people who contend against God and His Messenger, even though they be their fathers, sons, brothers or kindred. It is such [believers] in whose hearts He has inscribed faith.

Believers, do not take your fathers and brothers for allies if they choose unbelief in preference to faith.

faith must be based on conviction, and that conviction is the result of study and reflection. Compulsion, arbitrary authority and conceit have no bearing on faith and conviction.

Build the ark under Our eyes, and according to Our inspiration. Do not appeal to Me on behalf of the wrongdoers. They shall be drowned.

Build the ark under Our eyes, and according to Our inspiration. DO NOT APPEAL TO ME ON BEHALF OF THE WRONGDOERS. They shall be drowned.’

These accounts of things that have passed We now reveal to you. Neither you nor your people knew them before this. Be, then, patient in adversity;
FOR THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO ARE GOD-FEARING.
(surah hud)

As for those who desire only the life of this world and its bounties, We shall fully repay them in this life for all they do, and they shall suffer no diminution of their just dues.” (Verse 15)

We inspire Moses and his brother: ‘Take for your people some houses in Egypt, and make your houses places of worship, and be constant in prayer.’ And give glad tidings to all believers.

verse uses the term ‘sultan’ which means authority, in place of ‘evidence’ because authority provides strength, and the one who has a proof to support his claim is in a position of strength: “No evidence whatever have you for this.”

They obey what can neither harm nor benefit them and say: ‘These will intercede for us with God.’

In reply, the Prophet is instructed to say to them: “Do you presume to inform God of something in the heavens or on earth that He does not know?” (Verse 18)

God does not know anyone who can intercede with Him. Do you then presume to know what is unknown to God Himself?

Imagine the feelings of majesty and magnificence of a person who sees the sun rising and setting for the first time, or the full moon making its first appearance followed by its first setting?

By his very nature, man can accept and follow good or evil. His tool to distinguish between the two is his reason.

This reason needs to have an accurate criterion to which it can refer whenever things become doubtful and unclear, or whenever temptations or immediate interests affect his judgement.

He needs a measure which is totally unaffected by anything that influences the human body, mentality or temperament.

The earth is composed of particles of different elements with well-known characteristics, but the utmost that people can make of them is a brick, a tool, a machine, etc. On the other hand, from these very particles and elements God makes life, which no one else can do. From these letters and sounds, people make words and sentences in prose or verse, but God makes of them the Qur’ān.