The City
Al-Balad
البلد
LEARNING POINTS
allah puts us through challenges to show us who will pass the test and who will fail.
some people are tested with good health and wealth to see if they will be thankful.
everyone is gifted with the ability to tell right from wrong.
those who use this gift to do what is right are promised a great reward, and those who choose to do evil are warned of a horrible punishment.
BACKGROUND STORY
An idol-worshipper named Al-Ashadd was so strong that even 10 men couldn't move him from his place. He used to brag about his power and how much money he wasted to turn people away from Islam. This passage came to tell A-Ashadd and others like him that their Creator is the Most Powerful and that it would have been far better if they had spent all that money helping those in need. (Recorded by Imam At-Tabari)
UNGRATEFUL DISBELIEVERS
1I swear by this city 'of Makkah' 2even though you O Prophet' are being abused in this city 3and by every parent and 'their' child! 4We have certainly created humankind to go from one challenge to another.' 5Now, does that person think that no one has power over him, 6bragging, "I have wasted tons of money!"? 7Does he think that no one sees him? 8Have We not given him two eyes, 9a tongue, and two lips; 10and shown him the two ways 'of right and wrong'?
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ 1وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ 2وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ 3لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ 4أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ 5يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا 6أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ 7أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ 8وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ 9وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ10
Verse 10: Some challenges include childbirth, teething, sickness, study- ing, poverty, work, travelling, raising children, old age, death,and judgment.
SIDE STORY
As-salamu 'alaikum! My name is Omar, I'm from Canada.I had a dream last night, where this delicious plate of food took me to court. The rice complained to the judge that came all the way it from Indonesia, the green peppers came from Mexico, the olive oil from Palestine, the salmon from Australia, the carrots from the US, the onions from South Africa, the pink salt from Pakistan, and the mushrooms from Canada. They all complained that they had to travel thousands of miles to my table, with many people involved in the farming, picking, fishing, driving, selling, cooking, and serving of this meal. But half of this dish went to garbage. To be honest, I was not aware of this food's long journey, or how much effort it took to come to my plate. I apologized to all the items in the dish and promised the judge to always finish my food or to share it with someone who doesn't have enough food for the day. Al-hamdu-lillah.
Can you find the countries where all of these food items came from on the map?
WORDS OF WISDOM
Wasting is a bad habit. A Muslim shouldn't waste. However, some of us waste without paying attention. This includes:
1 Wasting money on things that we don't really need.:
2 Wasting gallons of water just to brush our teeth:
3 Leaving the lights on for no reason.:
4 Taking one bite of an apple then leaving it to rot.:
5Filling up our plates with food we can never finish.:
6 Using an entire toilet paper roll at once to wipe ourselves after using the washroom.:
7 Drinking a few sips of a juice box and throwing out the rest.:
8 Using a few pages of a sketch book and then asking for a new one.:
9 Asking for our clothes to be washed even when they are not dirty.:
10 And the worst of all: wasting our time..:
According to a 2018 report, 168 million tons of food are wasted in North America each year, with Americans wasting 415 kilograms (915 pounds) per person, Canadians 396 kilograms (873 pounds) per person, and Mexicans 249 kilograms (549 pounds) per person.
According to the next passage, instead of wasting, one should try to feed the hungry and take care of orphans..:
1 The Commission for Environmental Cooperation 2018 report (CEC): (www3.cec.org/fw/food-waste-reports). Website visited on July 3, 2019.
THE CHALLENGING PATH OF GOODNESS
11If only he had tried the challenging path 'of goodness instead'! 12And what will make you realize what 'trying' the Challenging path is? 13It is to free a slave, 14Or to give food in times of hunger 15to an orphaned relative 16Or to a poor person badly in need, 17and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and encourage each other to be patient and encourage each other to be kind. 18These are the people of the right. 19As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left. 20The Fire will be shut over them.
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ 11وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ 12فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ 13أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ 14يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ 15أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ 16ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ 17أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ 18وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بَِٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشَۡٔمَةِ 19عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ20