Understanding the Qur'an

[Somaliweyn]

Reading the Qur'an reminds me of all the wisdom and beauty of Allah's verses. The verses are beautifully written and contain infinite wisdom. Whenever I open the Qur'an (unfortunately today was the first time after a long period) I am baffled by its wisdom and the deep philosophy behind the verses which shake widely accepted notions/views. The Qur'an compels the readers to ponder on things, re-examine their basic believes and directs our attention to the irrefutable facts in life (existance of Allah, hereafter, judgementday etc).

Since this is a Somali forum visited by the Somali youth who like to exchange views (which unfortunately is often degraded into pointless discussions full with foul language) let us try to understand the verses of the Qur'an better and exchange knowledge/information.

Let me start this quest for more understanding of the Qur'an with the soerah Al Isra (The Night Journey), soerah 17:


17:23] And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "Ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word.
17:24] And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.
17:25] Your Lord knows best what is in your minds; if you are good, then He is surely Forgiving to those who return to Him.
17:26] Give relatives their due, and the needy, and travellers – do not squander your wealth wastefully.
17:27] Surely the squanderers are the fellows of the Shaitans and the Shaitan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.
17:28] And if you turn away from them to seek mercy from your Lord, which you hope for, speak to them a gentle word.
17:29] And do not be tightfisted, nor so open-handed that you end up blamed and overwhelmed with regret.
17:30] Your Lord gives abundantly to whoever he Will, and sparingly to whoever He will: He knowns and observes His servants thoroughly.


In these verses Allah commands certain things like to serve only Allah, do good to your parents, give relatives their due etc etc.

What I find quite interesting are the last two verse (17:29/30)

In verse 17:29 Allah swt commands people to be moderate in their spending on the path of Allah. You should not be tightfisted (when giving your relatives/the needy and travellers their due, thus when giving sadaqah/zakatah) but also warns of spending lavishly as to make yourself destitute.

Than in the last verse (17:30), and this verse is very deep when you ponder on it, Allah says that it is he who gives abundantely to whoever he wishes and sparingly to whoever he wishes. So, in my interpretation, this verse clearly means that the rich are rich because Allah has decided so and the poor are poor because Allah has decided so. One may argue that the poor are poor and the rich are rich because of their own actions and circumstances but eventually it is so because Allah has decided it. If one accepts this reasoning, than it becomes more interesting to the situation of the poor and their future. Should the poor accept their poverty, be patient and pray for better times or reject it and work hard to relief themselves from poverty? And why has Allah decided for some to be poor and for others to be rich?

What do you think of the above verses? Share with me your thoughts and post verses you find powerful.

[FAH1223]

I think its about the balance of things. Such as "Why has Allah allowed evil?"... sure Allah could have created us all rich... all good... but I think without the balance of both there would be no lessons to be learned and what to avoid.

[Shirib]

There has to be a balance in life. You shouldn't give so much sadaqa that u become poor, or spend so much time in the misaajid that u begin to isolate your family and don't give them time.

On the other hand u shouldn't be greedy to the point that you give no sadaqa or be so busy worldly things that you don't have time to go to the misaajid etc.

[TheLoFather]

Should the poor accept their poverty, be patient and pray for better times or reject it and work hard to relief themselves from poverty? And why has Allah decided for some to be poor and for others to be rich?

What do you think of the above verses? Share with me your thoughts and post verses you find powerful.

In my opinion any question with the word 'why' is very unproductive and is negative meaning the answers always produces useless agruments.

You will never find the word ''why'' in the holy qur'an or the holy prophet scw using that word. in the qur'an you will find the words how and what( what caused it? what was the outcome? what was the intention etc etc). I think it is best to avoid setting questions in such a fashion.

I'd put the question in a different way. i'd ask for what purpose did Allah SWT made some people poor and others rich?

سورة الأنفال
surah al-anfal (8)
27- O ye that believe! betray not the trust of Allah and the Messenger, nor misappropriate knowingly things entrusted to you.
28- And know ye that your possessions and your progeny are but a trial; and that it is Allah with Whom lies your highest reward.


For me the followng verses really makes me stop evrything but think about my actions specially my deeds towrds the poor and orphens since Allah SWT has mention the feeding of the poor and caring for the orphen no less than 18 times in the holy qur'an. When Allah SWT mentions once know it is very importent, when mentioned twice it is that much more important and when 18 times the impotence of it can not be measured.

سورة المدثر
Sura #74 Al-Muddathir

36 A warning to mankind,-
37 To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind;-
38 Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.
39 Except the Companions of the Right Hand.
40 (They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): they will question each other,
41 And (ask) of the Sinners:
42 "What led you into Hell Fire?"
43 They will say: "We were not of those who prayed;
44 "Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;
45 "But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers;
46 "And we used to deny the Day of Judgment,
47 "Until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain."


Wallaahu Aclam.