Muḥammad
Muḥammad
مُحَمَّد
LEARNING POINTS
Allah supports those who support His cause.
It is important to be sincere with Allah.
The believers are promised a great reward in Jannah.
On Judgment Day, the disbelievers will be doomed and their deeds will go to waste.
The hypocrites are criticized for making fun of the truth and for being cowards.
REWARD OF THE BELIEVERS AND DISBELIEVERS
1Those who disbelieve and prevent 'others' from the Way of Allah, He will make their deeds worthless. 2As for those who believe, do good, and have faith in what has been revealed to Muhammad--which is the truth from their Lord--He will clear them of their sins and improve their condition. 3This is because the disbelievers follow falsehood, while the believers follow the truth from their Lord. This is how Allah shows people who they really are.
ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَضَلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ 1وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَءَامَنُواْ بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ كَفَّرَ عَنۡهُمۡ سَئَِّاتِهِمۡ وَأَصۡلَحَ بَالَهُمۡ 2ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ وَأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ أَمۡثَٰلَهُمۡ3
BACKGROUND STORY
After many years of abuse in Makkah, the Prophet and his companions made Hijrah to Madinah (over 400 km away from Makkah). The small Muslim community was still not safe in Madinah however. So Allah gave them permission to fight back in self-defence when attacked. The Muslim army was instructed: • Don't wish to meet your enemy in battle. If fighting becomes a must, stand your ground. Keep Allah in mind. Strike only at those who attack you. Don't betray. Don't kill women. Don't kill children. Don't kill old people. Don't kill people in their places of worship. Don't kill their animals. Don't cut down their trees. Don't abuse the prisoners of war. • Don't abuse dead bodies.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Muslims were abused in Makkah for 13 years. Even after they moved to Madinah, the attacks didn't stop. Finally, the Muslim community got permission to fight back in self-defence in the second year after leaving Makkah. Over the next 10 years, several battles were fought between the two sides. It's interesting to know that during those 10 years of fighting, only 463 people died (200 Muslims and 263 idol-worshippers), according to a detailed study by Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah in his book 'Battlefields of the Prophet' (1992). Sometimes no one would be killed and the Muslims would win, just because their enemies ran away! Innocent people were not fought; only soldiers who targeted the Muslims. People fought one-on-one, so they actually saw each other. Compare this to the 75,000,000 people killed in World War II alone, including 40 million civilians (women, children, etc.). Today, enemies don't see each other. They just drop bombs to kill as many as they can. Below are some numbers from 3 important battles between the Muslims and the idol-worshippers.
FIGHTING IN BATTLE
4So when you meet those disbelievers 'in battle', strike 'their' necks, and when you defeat them completely, tie 'the prisoners' firmly, and later you can release them either as an act of mercy or for a payment-until the war comes to a good end. This is what it is. If Allah wanted, He could have defeated them all by Himself. But He does this only to 'test some of you by others. And those who lose their lives in the cause of Allah, He will never let their deeds go to waste. 5He will guide them to 'their reward', improve their condition, 6and enter them into Jannah, having made it known to them.
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَضَرۡبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثۡخَنتُمُوهُمۡ فَشُدُّواْ ٱلۡوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنَّۢا بَعۡدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلۡحَرۡبُ أَوۡزَارَهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَۖ وَلَوۡ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبۡلُوَاْ بَعۡضَكُم بِبَعۡضٖۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ 4سَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ وَيُصۡلِحُ بَالَهُمۡ 5وَيُدۡخِلُهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمۡ6
WARNING TO THE MAKKAN DENIERS
7O believers! If you stand up for Allah, He will help you and make your steps firm. 8As for the disbelievers, may they be doomed and may He make their deeds go to waste. 9That is because they hate what Allah has revealed, so He has made their deeds useless. 10Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the fate of the wicked before them? Allah destroyed them entirely, and the same 'end' is waiting for the 'Makkan' disbelievers. 11This is because Allah is the Protector of the believers, while the disbelievers have no protector.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَنصُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرۡكُمۡ وَيُثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَكُمۡ 7وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَتَعۡسٗا لَّهُمۡ وَأَضَلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ 8ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَرِهُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ 9أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ دَمَّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡثَٰلُهَا 10ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَوۡلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَأَنَّ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَا مَوۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ11
THE FINAL DESTINATION
12Surely Allah will enter those who believe and do good into Gardens under which rivers flow. As for the disbelievers, they just enjoy themselves and feed like cattle.' But the Fire will be their home.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدۡخِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوٗى لَّهُمۡ12
BACKGROUND STORY
The Makkan idol-worshippers gave the Prophet a hard time after the death of his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. When things got worse, he decided to move to Madinah, even though he loved Makkah so much. As the Prophet was leaving Makkah during the Hijrah, he looked back with tears in his eyes and said, "You are the most beloved place to Allah. And you are the most beloved place to me. If your people didn't drive me out, I would have never left."
WORDS OF WISDOM
Someone may ask, "If the Prophet loved Makkah so much, why didn't he stay there after he opened the city?" After the Prophet moved to Madinah, he prayed to Allah to make them love their new city like Makkah or even more. He also made du'a that Allah would bless Madinah twice as much as He blessed Makkah. After the Muslim army opened Makkah, the people of Madinah were worried that the Prophet was going to leave them and stay in his city of birth, so he promised them that he would stay with them for the rest of his life.
THE WICKED ARE DOOMED
13'Imagine, O Prophet,' how many societies We destroyed that were much stronger than your society-which drove you out-and there was no one to protect them! 14Can those 'believers', who stand on clear proof from their Lord, be like those whose evil deeds look good to them and 'only' follow their desires?
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرۡيَةٍ هِيَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةٗ مِّن قَرۡيَتِكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَخۡرَجَتۡكَ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمۡ فَلَا نَاصِرَ لَهُمۡ 13أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُم14
JOYS OF JANNAH
15The description of Jannah, promised to the faithful, is that in it are rivers of fresh water, rivers of milk whose taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to drink, and rivers of pure honey. There they will 'also' have all kinds of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. 'Can they be' like those who will be stuck in the Fire forever, left to drink boiling water that will tear apart their insides?
مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَۖ فِيهَآ أَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيۡرِ ءَاسِنٖ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّن لَّبَنٖ لَّمۡ يَتَغَيَّرۡ طَعۡمُهُۥ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّنۡ خَمۡرٖ لَّذَّةٖ لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ وَأَنۡهَٰرٞ مِّنۡ عَسَلٖ مُّصَفّٗىۖ وَلَهُمۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَمَغۡفِرَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ كَمَنۡ هُوَ خَٰلِدٞ فِي ٱلنَّارِ وَسُقُواْ مَآءً حَمِيمٗا فَقَطَّعَ أَمۡعَآءَهُمۡ15
HYPOCRITES MAKING FUN OF THE TRUTH
16There are some of them who listen to you 'O Prophet', but when they leave you they say 'mockingly' to those 'believers' blessed with knowledge, "What did he just say?" These are the ones whose hearts Allah has sealed and who 'only' follow their desires. 17As for those who are 'rightly' guided, He increases them in guidance and makes them grow in faith. 18Are they just waiting for the Hour 'of Judgment' to take them by surprise? Some of its signs are already here.' Once it actually comes upon them, will it not be too late to learn the lesson?
وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَسۡتَمِعُ إِلَيۡكَ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُواْ مِنۡ عِندِكَ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ 16وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ زَادَهُمۡ هُدٗى وَءَاتَىٰهُمۡ تَقۡوَىٰهُمۡ 17فَهَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأۡتِيَهُم بَغۡتَةٗۖ فَقَدۡ جَآءَ أَشۡرَاطُهَاۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمۡ إِذَا جَآءَتۡهُمۡ ذِكۡرَىٰهُمۡ18
ADVICE TO THE PROPHET
19So know well' that there is no god 'that deserves worship' except Allah. And seek forgiveness for your shortcomings and for 'the sins of' the believing men and women. And Allah 'fully' knows your movements and places of rest.
فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمۡ وَمَثۡوَىٰكُمۡ19
COWARDLY HYPOCRITES
20The believers say, "If only a surah was revealed 'allowing self-defence'!" Yet when a surah is revealed, clearly talking about fighting, you see those with sickness in their hearts staring at you like someone who is about to die. It would have been better for them 21. to obey and say what is right. Then when fighting became a must, it surely would have been better for them if they were true to Allah. 22Now, if you 'hypocrites' turn away, maybe you would go back to causing trouble in the land and cutting your family ties! 23These are the ones Allah has doomed, making them deaf and blinding their eyes. 24Will they not then reflect on the Quran? Or are there locks on 'their' hearts?
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَتۡ سُورَةٞۖ فَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتۡ سُورَةٞ مُّحۡكَمَةٞ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا ٱلۡقِتَالُ رَأَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ نَظَرَ ٱلۡمَغۡشِيِّ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۖ فَأَوۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ 20فَهَلۡ عَسَيۡتُمۡ إِن تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ أَن تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوٓاْ أَرۡحَامَكُمۡ 22أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمۡ وَأَعۡمَىٰٓ أَبۡصَٰرَهُمۡ 23أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ أَمۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقۡفَالُهَا24
WARNING TO HYPOCRITES
25Surely those who return to disbelief after 'true' guidance has become clear to them, it is Satan that has whispered to them and deceived them with false hopes. 26That is because they said 'secretly' to those who 'also' hate what Allah has revealed, "We will obey you in some matters." But Allah 'fully' knows their secret planning. 27Then how 'horrible' will it be when the angels take their souls, beating their faces and backs! 28This is because they follow whatever displeases Allah and hate whatever pleases Him, so He has made their deeds useless.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱرۡتَدُّواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَدۡبَٰرِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَى ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمۡ وَأَمۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ 25ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُواْ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمۡ فِي بَعۡضِ ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِسۡرَارَهُمۡ 26فَكَيۡفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَضۡرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمۡ وَأَدۡبَٰرَهُمۡ 27ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُواْ مَآ أَسۡخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ28
ANOTHER WARNING TO HYPOCRITES
29Or do those with sickness in their hearts think that Allah will not 'be able to' expose their hatred? 30If We wanted, We could have shown them to you 'O Prophet' and you would have easily recognized them by their looks. But you will certainly recognize them by the way they speak. And Allah 'fully' knows what all of you do.
أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخۡرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضۡغَٰنَهُمۡ 29وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَأَرَيۡنَٰكَهُمۡ فَلَعَرَفۡتَهُم بِسِيمَٰهُمۡۚ وَلَتَعۡرِفَنَّهُمۡ فِي لَحۡنِ ٱلۡقَوۡلِۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ أَعۡمَٰلَكُمۡ30
WHY THE BELIEVERS ARE TESTED
31We will certainly test you 'believers' until We prove those of you who 'truly' make sacrifices 'in Allah's cause' and stay patient, and reveal who you really are inside.
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ نَعۡلَمَ ٱلۡمُجَٰهِدِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ وَنَبۡلُوَاْ أَخۡبَارَكُمۡ31
PUNISHMENT OF THE DISBELIEVERS
32Surely those who disbelieve, prevent 'others' from the Way of Allah, and challenge the Messenger after 'true' guidance has become clear to them, they will not harm Allah in any way. Rather, He will make their deeds useless.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَشَآقُّواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَن يَضُرُّواْ ٱللَّهَ شَيۡٔٗا وَسَيُحۡبِطُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ32
ADVICE TO THE BELIEVERS
33O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not let your deeds go to waste. 34Surely those who disbelieve, prevent 'others' from the Way of Allah, and then die as disbelievers, Allah will never forgive them. 35So do not give up or cry for peace, because you will have the upper hand, and Allah is with you. And He will never reduce the reward of your deeds.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبۡطِلُوٓاْ أَعۡمَٰلَكُمۡ 33إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ مَاتُواْ وَهُمۡ كُفَّارٞ فَلَن يَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمۡ 34فَلَا تَهِنُواْ وَتَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلسَّلۡمِ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَكُمۡ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَكُمۡ35
SIDE STORY
Hassan has a 5-year-old son. He takes good care of him and buys him yummy food and chocolate. When Hassan asks his son, "Do you love me?" he replies, "Of course! I love you to the moon and back." When his dad says "Give me a hug," he gives him a thousand hugs. When he says, "Give me a kiss," he showers him with kisses. But when Hassan says, "Give me some Chocolate," his son screams, "No way!" Then he starts running away.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Sometimes we do the same thing with Allah. We know that He has blessed us with so many things. We say we love Allah with all our hearts. If He tells us to pray, we pray. If He tells to fast, we fast. But when He says, "Give sadaqah (donation)," some of us run away, saying, "No way!" This is why the Prophet says, "Salah is light, and sadaqah is a proof." A proof of what? A proof of your faith and sincerity. The word sadaqah comes from the root sa-da-qa which means 'to be true.'
TEST OF FAITH
36This life is no more than play and entertainment. But if you have faith and keep Allah in mind, He will give you your 'full' rewards, and will not ask you to donate 'all' your wealth. 37If He asked for all your wealth and pressured you, you would refuse to give and He would bring out your bad feelings. 38Here you are, being invited to donate 'a little' in the cause of Allah. Yet some of you still refuse to give. And whoever does that, it will be their own loss. Allah is not in need, but you need 'Him'. If you 'still' turn away, He will replace you with another people. And they will not be like you.
إِنَّمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞۚ وَإِن تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ يُؤۡتِكُمۡ أُجُورَكُمۡ وَلَا يَسَۡٔلۡكُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلَكُمۡ 36إِن يَسَۡٔلۡكُمُوهَا فَيُحۡفِكُمۡ تَبۡخَلُواْ وَيُخۡرِجۡ أَضۡغَٰنَكُمۡ 37هَٰٓأَنتُمۡ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدۡعَوۡنَ لِتُنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبۡخَلُۖ وَمَن يَبۡخَلۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَبۡخَلُ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلۡغَنِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡفُقَرَآءُۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓاْ أَمۡثَٰلَكُم38