Student's Activities - Islamic Studies PDF

# Student's Activities ## I answer by myself Firstly, explain the significance of Allah being called by the following names: * The Forgiving (al-Ghafur): * The Just (al-'Adl): * "Avoid the seven great destructive sins" Secondly, compare the significance of Justice in His actions to that of Justi...

# Student's Activities ## I answer by myself Firstly, explain the significance of Allah being called by the following names: * The Forgiving (al-Ghafur): * The Just (al-'Adl): * "Avoid the seven great destructive sins" Secondly, compare the significance of Justice in His actions to that of Justice in His command: | The Just in actions | The Just in command | |---|---| Thirdly, explain why Allah has instructed Muslims to ask for forgiveness much as possible. Fourthly, state your opinion on the following cases: * Someone commits a sin and says “Tomorrow I will ask for the forgiveness of Allah”. * Someone agrees with an employer upon a particular salary; but he then slows down his work productivity saying that his salary is low. * Someone wrongs his neighbor and apologizes to him; but his neighbor does not accept his apology. # The Forgiving (Al-Ghafur), The Just (Al-'Adl) the punishment of those who do wrong by an atom's weight in His scheme of justice. It is possible that the punishment may be brought forward in the worldly life or may be delayed to the Day of Judgment, all according to the wisdom of Allah. Allah says: "lā yus'alu 'ammā yaf alu wa-hum yus'alūna" [Al-Anbiya':23]. "He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned." ## I discuss: In cooperation with my group, I discuss the areas of applying the verses of Allah: "wa-lā taziru wāziratun wizra 'ukhrā" [Al-An'ām: 164] "and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” ## I Organize my ideas: The Forgiving (al-Ghafur) * Its Understanding * Its characteristics: * Capability and Might * Favor and Beneficence The Just (al-'Adl) * Its Understanding * Its Domains: * * * with the ability to transform sunlight together with carbon dioxide and water into nutrition and energy that supports the entire food chain of life. Likewise we find that grazing animals have lesser capacity with regards to benefiting from the energy of light and therefore they feed on plants and grass to obtain this energy, which in turn is stored in their meat. Thus later even the carnivorous animals that only feed on this meat to obtain their energy, are indebted to the origins of the energy originally obtained from plants. Man has thus been entrusted to grow both plants and to raise animals, preserving both to obtain food and energy, for the entire world is maintained in an intricate balance, with everything being interconnected and interdependent. ## I expect: What do you think would happen if man were able to see microscopic germs by his naked eye? Allah is always Just in His Command: He has placed upon each creature a responsibility that they can perform. For Allah is the all-knowing with regards to the capacity of each creature in creation, and His justice entails that each creature is not given a task beyond their capacity, as that would run counter to the idea of justice. An example of the flexibility Allah has given His servants, is in the task of prayer, which consists of different positions: standing, bowing and prostrating. However, if a Muslim is unable to stand, he can sit down and pray and if he is unable to bow and prostrate, then he may lower his body as much as he can. Even if he were to be completely paralyzed, he can then indicate the positions of bowing and prostrating through his eyes, which would allow for him to get the same reward as if he prayed the positions fully. ## I apply: The justice of <start_of_image>... in making fasting obligatory. ## I explain: Why has Allah set upon man and not animals the task of populating the earth? ## The Justice of Allah in His Acts: Allah has made injustice forbidden upon Himself and made it forbidden amongst human beings. In a sacred (Qudsi) hadith we are told, "O My servants, I have made injustice unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit injustice against one another" (Sahih Muslim). Allah holds human beings accountable according to their deeds; He does not decrease the reward of those who do good by an atom's weight and does not increase <start_of_image>.... says: "wa-l-ya fū wa-l-yasfahū a-lā tuhibbūna 'an yaghfira llāhu lakum wa-llahu ghafurun rahīmun " [Al-Nūr:22] "and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” ## I conclude: The meaning of Al-Adl: -Secondly: The Just (Al-'Adl), What is meant by 'Adl (Justice) here is a reference to Allah's being the source of all justice wherein the Just is the one who restores matters to their correct proportion and balance. ## I reflect deeply and infer: Allah says, " fa-man ya mal mithqāla dharratin khayran yarahū (7) wa-man yaʻmal mithqāla dharratin sharran yarahū (8) " [Al-Zalzalah] “So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah said, “All creatures will settle the scores between them, even the hornless animal with the horned one” [Muslim]. ## I search: I search for some of the meaning of justice (under the supervision of the teacher): ntegrity. Back to something Equivalent. ## Spheres of Divine Justice: The Justness of Allah's towards His creatures: Alla has created everything and and endowed every creature with its attributes and capabilities which are indispensible to that creature's life. Allah has also conditioned every creature to perform the function it was created to perform. Allah says: "qāla rabbunā lladhī 'a tā kulla shayʼin khalqahū thumma hadā" [Țā Hā:50]. "He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]. ” This is the scheme of Divine Justice. **For example,** Allah has endowed even weak plants ## I investigate: The risks of letting a criminal go without punishment (in cooperation with my group). ## I recite and infer: Allah says, " nabbi' 'ibādī 'anni 'ana l-ghafuru r-rahīmu (49) wa-'anna‘adhābī huwa l-'adhābu l-'alīmu “[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful. And that My punishment which is the painful punishment." ## I reflect upon: I reflect upon the significance of Allah's mentioning His being “Oft-forgiving, Merciful" before describing His punishment as being a “painful”, why the reminder of being Merciful first? ## Behavior and deeds: Some people think they can deliberately commit sins and then continue upon such sin behaviour, justifying their pattern of behavior by the fact that Allah is ghafūr (forgiving) a rahīm (merciful). Whilst Allah's being merciful is true, He is also just, and a true believer should strive to be sincere and to ready himself to receive Allah's mercy and forgiveness, to having an open and sincere heart that wants nothing other than Allah. Hence the believer is the one who diligently strives towards earning Allah's pardon and favor by sincere repenting and correcting his course of action whenever he does any wrong. It is a sign of ignorance that a person claims to hope for Allah's forgiveness whilst not doing anything to rectify his behaviour. True repentance means one has remorse and the resolve to never do the same thing again, and falsity is when one supposedly "repents" but actually instead intends to persist in the sin. The reason why this is a sign of ignorance, is because such a person has not grasped that Allah knows whatever is in our hearts, and that no person can trick Allah, hiding behind the fact that Allah is ghafūr (forgiving) and raḥīm (merciful) whilst having no desire of repenting and sincerely asking for Allah's forgiveness. Thus, we have learned that Allah is boundless in forgiving and pardoning His servants. So the hope of every sincere believer and the hope of anyone who has erred, of which we all have to some degree, is to return to righteousness and to be embraced in Allah's forgiveness. In this regard, our Lord has given us the constant opportunity and blessing to devote our life to being one full of thankfulness (shukr) and praise (hamd). For this reason, ## The Characteristics of Forgiveness: **First characteristic: The Boundless Forgiveness of Allah**: An aspect of the perfection of Allah is that His forgiveness is so boundless that no one should ever despair of attaining to it. Allah says: " 'inna rabbaka wāsi'u l-maghfirati" [Al-Najm:32] "Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness." **Second characteristic: Comprehensiveness** The forgiveness of Allah encompasses the various sins of His worshippers. The more they ask His forgiveness, the more He forgives them and pardons their follies. Allah says, " 'inna llāha lā yağfiru 'an yušhraka bi-hī wa-yaghfiru mā dūna dhālika li-man yashā'u wa-man yushrik bi-llāhi fa-qadi ſtarā 'ithman 'azīman" [Al-Nisā':48] "Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin. " **Third characteristic: Perfect Grace and Beneficence** Allah, is capable of forgiving whomever He wills out of grace and beneficence. The will of Allah is abosulte and His acts are unrestricted by anything. Allah says, "'in tu'addibhum fa-'innahum 'ibāduka wa-'in taghfir lahum fa-'innaka 'anta l-'azīzu l-hakīmu" [Al-Ma'idah: 118] "If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” Allah's forgiveness is boundless for those who deserve it. ## I search: I look in the commentary of Al-Qurtubī to learn about the wisdom of concluding the verse by "Indeed You are Exalted in Power, the Wise" although at first sight it might occur to one that the conclusion is ‘You are the Forgiving, the Merciful'. ## I analyze and answer: Someone borrowed an amount of money from his colleague and then he denied the debt and did not repay his colleague. Following this, he began to ask forgiveness from Allah without repaying his debt. * Will Allah forgive him this debt? ## I use my skills to learn ### Firstly: The Forgiving (Al-Ghafūr) The meaning of Al-Ghafur: Al-Ghafür: Means the One who is oft-forgiving as He covers up the sins of His servants and wipes them away. This is one of the most beautiful names of Allah for it reminds believers of the need to regularly ask for forgiveness and to continuously return to the ways of Allah by showing sincere repentance. Allah has called Himself by this name, to indicate His capacity to constantly forgive those who invoke Him. The Messenger of Allah said, “All of the children of Adam sin, but the best of sinners are those who repent." Demonstrating His capacity to forgive, Allah tells us in the story of the Prophet Moses about how He forgives those who call upon Him, saying: "qāla rabbi 'innī zalamtu nafs-ī fa-gfir l-ī fa-ġafara la-hū 'inna-hū huwa l-ġafuru r-rahīmu " [Al-Qaşaş:16] "He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." I look up in the dictionary the meaning of the word Al-Ghafür. Meaning of Al-Ghafur is those who who forgives and most merciful. ## I propose: A solution in the following cases is that the person in each case can attain the forgiveness from Allah: | Case | Way out (solution) | |---|---| | Someone who ridicules his classmate whenever the latter speaks. | He should stop that and ask for forgiveness. | | He pushed his classmate accidentally and classmate fell down and broke his watch. | He should try buy him a watch and ask for forgiveness. | | One throws rubbish outside the bin forcing the cleaner to exert much effort. | He should stop doing that and throw rubbish inside the bin and help the cleaner and ask for forgiveness. | # The Forgiving (Al-Ghafur), The Just (Al-'Adl) ## Lesson 3 This lesson teaches me to: * Explain the concept behind the name of Allah being called “The Forgiving" (Al-Ghafur), and the name of Allah "The Just” (Al-'Adl). * Explain the characteristics of the forgiveness of Allah. * Identify the spheres of Divine Justice. ## I take the initiative to learn: * Allah says: " wa-li-llāhi l-'asmāʼu l-husnā fa-d 'ūhu bihā" [Al-A'raf: 180] “And to Allah belong the most beautiful of names, so invoke Him by them." * Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has ninety nine names - one hundred minus one, and whoever names them (by understanding their meaning) will enter Paradise." ## I reflect deeply and infer: * The reason for referrring to all the names of Allah as being the 'most beautiful'. * What is meant by “whoever names them” in the above hadith? ## Unit 1: The Seven Destructive Sins them. For any stable society, it is vital that the honor of families be protected and hence impermissible to undermine this. A common example of such 'accusation' which a person may not pay heed to, is when a person insults another by saying 'Son of adulteress' or something similar. The fact that accusing chaste women of adultery and slandering men's honor is regarded as a cardinal sin demonstrates the keen-ness of Islam to preserve the stability and safety of society. This is revealed in the way Islam lays bare the abhorrence of this act and its gravity. Therefore, there are two punishments for this act: a Sharʻiah punishment as well as a penalty imposed by state law. ## I explain: The fact that Allah describes the one who accuses women of committing adultery as a lewd person. Because he went away of Allah's command to keep peoples secrets ## I give a view: In cooperation with my group, we give a view by discussing the following case below and finding a solution to the problem inherent in it. * A person uses social media to accuse others in a way that undermines their honor and casts shadows of doubt on their integrity. ## I identify the meaning of the vocabulary in the Hadith: | Word | Definition | |---|---| | _Ijtanibū_ | Avoid, do not go close to | | _Al-Mübiqāt_ | Deeds that destroy one | | _Al-Sihr_ | Making things look unlike their reality | | _Qatalu 'l-nafsi_ | To kill an innocent person | | _Ribā_ | An (opressive) increase | | _Al-Yatīm_ | Someone whose father dies before he/she reaches puberty| | _Al-tawallī yawma 'l-qitāl_ | To run away from the battle field | | _Qadhafu 'I-Muhsināt_ | To accuse chaste women of committing adultery | ## I understand the significance of the Hadith 1. 'To join others in worship alongside Allah (Shirk) What is meant thereby is the essence of disbelief itself, as to think anything else is worthy of worship other than Allah is to denying the absoluteness of His existence, His lordship, and that He alone is the benefactor of everything. This is why it is the gravest of the cardinal sins because it is a denial of reality itself, a denial of the fact that humans have been given the unrepayble favor of their own existence by Allah. For it was He who brought you and me into being after us having been nothing, where were we and what did we do to deserve this immense favor? In the hadith the word Shirk is used because it was the common word used at the time of the Prophets to denote a partnership. Here the word Shirk is intended to indicate the ascribing of more than one alogside Allah in partnership, i.e. to indicate others who are like God, and deserving of worship along with Him. It is the ultimate blasphemy because it is a rejection of the essential fabric of all of existence – as every single thing is dependent on His giving it existence and the nation of Muhammad has been by and large protected by Allah from engaging in such Shirk. The Prophet is reported to have said: "By Allah! I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my death, but I am afraid that you will [unjustly] compete with one another for worldly things." [Sahih al-Bukhārī] ## I explain Why did the Prophet mention Shirk as the first of the Seven Deadly Sins to avoid ? This is the greatest sin ...and your ...good deeds...will have no use. # The Seven Destructive Sins ## Lesson 2 This lesson teaches me to: * Recite the hadith in correct language. * Explain the vocabulary of the hadith. * Explain the significance of the hadith.. * Explain the reason of calling these wrong-doings deadly sins. ## I take the initiative to learn: This hadith is one of the main sources of the principles of Shariah. It is essential for realizing the purpose of the Islamic Shariah, such as preserving the five essentials of healthy individuals and societies (being the safeguarding of their religion, life, intellect, progeny and wealth), preserving the stability of nations and spreading safety and security amongst makind. Avoiding these seven cardinal sins and proscribing them has its essential foundation in the upholding of these principles. ## I identify: In cooperation with my group, I identify the causes of committing sins and wrongdoing. ## I read and memorize: Abu Huraira narrated: The Prophet said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people then asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What are they?” He said, "To join others in worship alongside Allah, to practice sorcery, to take a life which Allah has forbidden except in a just cause, to consume Ribā (usury), to consume an orphan's property, to flee from the battlefield, and to wrongfully accuse chaste believing pious women (of committing adultery)..” ## I search for: Inder the supervision of the teacher, I browse the Internet in class to find the meaning of 'he term 'Agreed upon’. Parlated by almost of narrators, Bukhary, Muslin & others ## I use my skills to learn Fourthly, I explain His words: ('ulā'ika lladhīna imtahana llāhu qulübahum li-t-taqwā) "they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness ". 1. 2. 3. ## I enrich my experience: I look for a situation similar to the one in which the Companions demonstrate their reverence with the Prophet. ## I leave my imprint I reject rumors and do not participate in circulating them. ## I assess myself: | SN | Learning Aspect | Degree of realization | |---|---|---| | 1 | I make sure I memorize the verses | Average | Good | Distinguished | | 2 | I respect the Sunnah (the practice) of the Messenger, | | | | | 3 | I loathe rumors and do not participate in circulating them. | | | | | 4 | I am keen on adhering to the rulings of the verses. | | | | | 5 | I apply the rules and ethics of recitation. | | | | ## Fifthly, I explain the duty of a Muslim when he hears a rumour. ## I answer by myself: Firstly, I explain: * The prohibition of slaughtering the sacrifice (udhiyah) before the Eid prayer * The obligation to oppose any rebellious group ## Secondly, what is the significance of: * His words “O you who believe!" at the beginning of the address? * His words "Restore peace among your brothers"? ## I identify the outcome of honoring the ruler on individuals and society at large. ## I organize my ideas: | | In the Presence of Allah, His Messenger and the Ruler | |---|---| | Etiquette of Addressing the Prophet, | During his life | After his death | | Etiquette of Addressing the Ruler | | | | Rumors and lies | Their danger | The attitude of a Muslim should have towards them | | Animosity | Methods of ending hostility | Conditions of reconciliation | ## Unit 1: In the Presence of Allah, His Prophet and the Ruler to woes that can threaten its very existence as a place of safety and security. Therefore, such agressors must be deterred and their arrogance must be reined in until they abide by what is right and submit themselves to it. Only then can those who possess wisdom effectively attempt to reconcile disputing parties in a just manner according to the norms and common good between them, for Allah loves justice and equity to be carried out and because all of humanity is ultimately linked in a common brotherhood descending from mutual ancestors. Hence if one party were to concede or give up something of their right, they ultimately do so to their own brother, helping restore greater amity between humanity and re-establishing solidarity, security and stability: facilitating the mercy of Allah amongst mankind. ## I conclude: Allah says: "ulāʼika humu r-rāshidūna) “Such are those who are rightly guided”. ## I expect and answer: The Messenger of Allah says: “Support your brother whether he is oppressor or oppressed' (Al Bukhārī). ## How do you support your brother if he usurps the rights of others? I browse the Internet, complete the hadith and check the correctness of my answer. ## I apply and act accordingly: I saw two classmates fighting: * I act * I criticize some negative behaviour ## I make judgments on: * Someone who enters ahead of his (father into an assembly (majlis * Someone who interrupts the speech of the Principal of his school without asking for permission * Someone who asks the teacher not to explain lessons ## I understand the significance of the verses: Our example is the Messenger of Allah: The Chapter opens with a summons, indicating the magnitude of the matter to be discussed. Those being summoned are the believers (al mu'minun) and are being called in order that they avoid a very serious wrong namely the performing of acts of worship before their time, such as those who offer their sacrifices before the Eid ul-Adha prayer. This act of worship on their part was rejected because they gave their opinion a higher rank than the command of Allah and that of his Messenger. This situation is similar to one who prays the noon prayer before its time comes, it is not going to be accepted of him, and he will still be required to perform it again. Our religion is one of submission, and casting aside our desires for what Allah wants. A Muslim thus has to follow the command of Allah and that of His Messenger, for he ruled according to the commands of Allah and he serves as our role model. The Prophet is the ultimate guardian and leader of all of the Muslims. He is also the legislator of this religion and therefore no one should give their opinion a higher status than him. In similar manner, he instructed us to be obedient to the ruling government and its leaders for to oppose them would expose society to much hardship and risks including: 1. Stirring divisiveness and disorder in society. 2. Undermining the prestige of the state and its honor in the international arena. 3. Loss of public good. Hence Allah stresses and alerts Muslims to these risks. He informs us "wa-ttaqū llāha inna Allah samī'un 'alīmun) "and fear Allah. Indeed Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing", i.e. follow the commands of Allah and avoid doing things He has forbidden you to do as Allah hears what you say and knows of your deeds and what you intend to do and He holds you account according to this. ## I gather knowledge to learn: * **When speech opens by a 'call', this means something momentous is about to happen.** * **Addressing a person using his good characteristics stimulates a person, raises his morale and deters him/her from erring.** ## I study the following cases carefully and explain their rulings: | Case | Ruling | |---|---| | Someone wanted to give Zakat al Fitr after Eid prayer | So it is not accepted, it should be done before Eid Prayer | | Someone wants to go on Pilgrimage in Ramadan | It is not acceptable, it must be done in a certain month. | ## Unit 1: In the Presence of Allah, His Prophet and the Ruler those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah - they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward. Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason. And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful. And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided. [It is] as bounty from Allah and favor. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy. [Surat al-Hujurāt: 49:1 - 10] ## I explain the Qur'anic vocabulary: | Word | Definition | My notes | |---|---|---| | _lā tuqaddimū_ | Do not precede the Prophet in action or words. | | | _wa-lā tajharū_ | Do not call the Prophet by his name. | | | _tahbaţa_ | lest your deeds become null or corrupt and degenerate. | | | _yaghuddūna_ | those who lower their voices: (in the presence of the Prophet). | | | _imtahana llāhu qulūbahum_ | Allah has purified their hearts (made themsincere).| | | _fasiqun_ | an unrighteous and disobedient person. | | | _la-'anittum_ | fall into distress and hardship. | | | _al- rāshidūna_ | those who are rightly guided. | | | _baghat_ | to rebel and commit acts of aggression. | | | _tafi'a_ | returns (to the command of Allah). | | | _wa-'aqsiţū_ | be equitable, fair and just. | | ## I use my skills to learn I recite and memorize. ## I understand the significance of the verses:- Our example is the Messenger of Allah: The Chapter opens with a summons, indicating the magnitude of the matter to be discussed. Those being summoned are the believers (al mu'minun) and are being called in order that they avoid a very serious wrong namely the performing of acts of worship before their time, such as those who offer their sacrifices before the Eid ul-Adha prayer. This act of worship on their part was rejected because they gave their opinion a higher rank than the command of Allah and that of his Messenger. This situation is similar to one who prays the noon prayer before its time comes, it is not going to be accepted of him, and he will still be required to perform it again. Our religion is one of submission, and casting aside our desires for what Allah wants. A Muslim thus has to follow the command of Allah and that of His Messenger, for he ruled according to the commands of Allah and he serves as our role model. The Prophet is the ultimate guardian and leader of all of the Muslims. He is also the legislator of this religion and therefore no one should give their opinion a higher status than him. In similar manner, he instructed us to be obedient to the ruling government and its leaders for to oppose them would expose society to much hardship and risks including: 1. Stirring divisiveness and disorder in society. 2. Undermining the prestige of the state and its honor in the international arena . 3. Loss of public good. Hence Allah stresses and alerts Muslims to these risks. He informs us "wa-ttaqū llāha inna Allah samī'un 'alīmun) "and fear Allah. Indeed Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing", i.e. follow the commands of Allah and avoid doing things He has forbidden you to do as Allah hears what you say and knows of your deeds and what you intend to do and He holds you account according to this. ## I gather knowledge to learn: * Explain the situations mentioned in the Qur'anic verses. * Apply the values embedded in the Qur'anic verses. ## I explain the meaning of Qur'anic words. I Hasan al-Basri said that some people slaughtered their sheep before the prayer ended on Eid al-Adhā, this occasioned the revelation of the verse ā-'ayyuhā lladhīna 'āmanū lā tuqaddimū bayna yadayi llāhi wa-rasūlihī ] "O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah". The Messenger then ordered them to re-slaughter their sacrifices. ## I dentify: e difference between expressing an opinion and taking a decision. ## I ecify preference: ich would you prefer to submit to the Principal of your school: a proposal or a vision? ## I understand the significance of the verses:- Our example is the Messenger of Allah: The Chapter opens with a summons, indicating the magnitude of the matter to be discussed. Those being summoned are the believers (al mu'minun) and are being called in order that they avoid a very serious wrong namely the performing of acts of worship before their time, such as those who offer their sacrifices before the Eid ul-Adha prayer. This act of worship on their part was rejected because they gave their opinion a higher rank than the command of Allah and that of his Messenger. This situation is similar to one who prays the noon prayer before its time comes, it is not going to be accepted of him, and he will still be required to perform it again. Our religion is one of submission, and casting aside our desires for what Allah wants. A Muslim thus has to follow the command of Allah and that of His Messenger, for he ruled according to the commands of Allah and he serves as our role model. The Prophet is the ultimate guardian and leader of all of the Muslims. He is also the legislator of this religion and therefore no one should give their opinion a higher status than him. In similar manner, he instructed us to be obedient to the ruling government and its leaders for to oppose them would expose society to much hardship and risks including: 1. Stirring divisiveness and disorder in society. 2. Undermining the prestige of the state and its honor in the international arena . 3. Loss of public good. Hence Allah stresses and alerts Muslims to these risks. He informs us "wa-ttaqū llāha inna Allah samī'un 'alīmun) "and fear Allah. Indeed Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing", i.e. follow the commands of Allah and avoid doing things He has forbidden you to do as Allah hears what you say and knows of your deeds and what you intend to do and He holds you account according to this. ## I gather knowledge to learn: * **The People who performed worship acts before Eid al Adha so they were not accepted because they put their opinion over Allah's. I gather knowledge to learn:** * **When speech opens by a 'call', this means something momentous is about to happen.** * **Addressing a person using his good characteristics stimulates a person, raises his morale and deters him/her from erring.** ## I study the following cases carefully and explain their rulings: | Case | Ruling | |---|---| | Someone wanted to give Zakat al Fitr after Eid prayer | So it is not accepted, it should be done before Eid Prayer | | Someone wants to go on Pilgrimage in Ramadan | It is not acceptable, it must be done in a certain month. | ## Unit 1: In the Presence of Allah, His Prophet and the Ruler those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah - they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward. Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason. And if they had been patient until you [could] come out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful. And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided. [It is] as bounty from Allah and favor. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy. [Surat al-Hujurāt: 49:1 - 10] ## I explain the Qur'anic vocabulary: | Word | Definition | My notes | |---|---|---| | _lā tuqaddimū_ | Do not precede the Prophet in action or words. | | | _wa-lā tajharū_ | Do not call the Prophet by his name. | | | _tahbaţa_ | lest your deeds become null or corrupt and degenerate. | | | _yaghuddūna_ | those who lower their voices: (in the presence of the Prophet). | | | _imtahana llāhu qulūbahum_ | Allah has purified their hearts (made themsincere). | | | _fasiqun_ | an unrighteous and disobedient person. | | | _la-'anittum_ | fall into distress and hardship. | | | _al- rāshidūna_ | those who are rightly guided. | | | _baghat_ | to rebel and commit acts of aggression. | | | _tafi'a_ | returns (to the command of Allah). | | | _wa-'aqsiţū_ | be equitable, fair and just. | | ## I use my skills to learn I recite and memorize. ## I understand the significance of the verses: Our example is the Messenger of Allah: The Chapter opens with a summons, indicating the magnitude of the matter to be discussed. Those being summoned are the believers (al mu'minun) and are being called in order that they avoid a very serious wrong namely the performing of acts of worship before their time, such as those who offer their