Halaqa 4-30-08: Further Explanation of Surat Al-Kahf, Part II

Joint Halaqa

April 30th, 2008

Speaker: Br. Tarif

Topic: Further Explanation of Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave), Part II

(Surat Al-Kahf, Chapter 18, Holy Quran)

————

OUTLINE:

1. What we Learn from Surat Al-Kahf About Knowledge

2. The 3rd Story about Musa (aka Moses) (pbuh) and Khidr

————

1. Surat Al-Kahf and About Knowledge

- From the story of ‘the youth’ we learn that life is full of mysteries. We wonder why certain things happen to us or why certain things are the way they are. If we look deeper and strive to gain understanding by getting closer to Allah (swt), inshallah, he will make the truth apparent if he so wills and he will give us knowledge and wisdom.

- Don’t ever think knowledge is limited and you know everything – knowledge has no limits. We keep learning until we die.

-Knowledge is Hard to get

1. you need to seek it
2. In the 3rd story in this Surat we learn that Musa (pbuh) was sent on a journey to attain knowledge

- There are two types of knowledge:

1. Wisdom – it can only be found in ones heart and only Allah (swt) can give it to a person
2. Observation – what we learn from seeing things in our lives (ex. this knowledge we can easily pick up in school)

2. The 3rd Story about Musa and Khidr

Allah(swt) sends Musa (pbuh) on a journey to seek knowledge. He tells him that he will meet a man at the junction of the two seas.

- Musa’s (pbuh) journey to find Khidr

1. Allah (swt) tells Musa (pbuh) before they go on the journey to take a fish and put it in a basket. When it comes alive and jumps into the water, that will be the place where he will meet Khidr.
2. Musa (pbuh) comes to a place, with his servant, to rest.
3. The fish jumps out of the basket into the sea.
4. The Servant forgets to tell Musa (pbuh) about this sign and they continue on their journey.
5. Musa (pbuh) asks for food and then the Servant opens the basket and remembers.
6. They travel back to the same spot that they had left.
7. Allah (swt) froze both sides of the sea where the fish jumped in and it created a tunnel. That is where they meet Khidr.

- What Musa (pbuh) learns from Khidr

1. First, who is Khidr? – He is a humble servant of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) taught him of his own knowledge. Explanation in Quran:

Then found they one of Our slaves, unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from Our presence. (18:65)

Moses said unto him: May I follow thee, to the end that thou mayst teach me right conduct of that which thou hast been taught? (18:66)

Realize that Musa (pbuh) is a Prophet whereas Khidr is not. Musa (pbuh) displays good character by being humble and not boasting.

Khidr replies:

Lo! thou canst not bear with me. (18:67) How canst thou bear with that whereof thou canst not compass any knowledge? (18:68 )

Khidr knows that Musa (pbuh) will not be patient with him. He had previous insight to make this judgment.

ASIDE: Some critical thinking questions that we can ask ourselves while we read this story in this Surat : What is Patience? When do people lose patience? – when they are frustrated by that which they don’t understand.

- Three Actions that Khidr takes

1. Sinks the Ship
2. Kills the young boy
3. Fix the Wall

After the last one, Musa (pbuh) loses his patience, again, because he doesn’t understand. Khidr explains the reasoning behind each of his actions:

He said: This is the parting between thee and me! I will announce unto thee the interpretation of that thou couldst not bear with patience. (18:78 ) As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the river, and I wished to mar it, for there was a king behind them who is taking every ship by force. (18:79) And as for the lad, his parents were believers and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. (18:80) And we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in purity and nearer to mercy. (18:81) And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous, and thy Lord intended that they should come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy from their Lord; and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear. (18:82)

This story of Musa (pbuh) and Khidr is in this Surat under the title Al-Kahf (The Cave) because it also deals with knowledge and looking beyond what one sees on the surface. From this Story we learn that it is important not to judge others. And there is wisdom behind every action. Khidr was blessed with knowledge from Allah (swt), that no one else during his time had.

Halaqa 4-23-08: Self-Reflection and Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave)

Joint Halaqa

Speaker: Sheikh … (I have to find his name)

Topic: Self-Reflection and Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave)

————–

“Even one with the smallest amount of arrogance in his heart will not make it to Jannat”

Concept: Don’t blame those who oppose Islam or others for their faults. Look at yourself, first. The only way you can strengthen the Ummah is by making yourself a better person.

Don’t Cause Trouble and Insult those who oppose Islam -

1. Show that you love Allah (swt) and the Prophet (pbuh) by acting in a just and respectful manner.
2. Look at yourself. Are you being a good muslim?
3. Always suspect your performance. ex. Are you being good to your neighbor and your friends?
4. Truly believe in Allah (swt); He is the one who takes care of all matters.
5. When you get angry at others b/c they don’t respect Islam and specifically our Prophet, remember that it is Allah (swt) who actually loves the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) more then any of us. Therefore do not grief. For Allah (swt) sees all and he is the ‘King of Kings’. He will deal with the matter if he so wills.
6. When the non-believers complain about Islam, you should find the Ummah stronger. Each person in the Ummah should strive to be the best possible Muslims. They should treat everyone with kindness. Let the non-believers keep complaining, you know well, that the arguments have no substance.

“Don’t be busy complaining/insulting others for their faults”

“Don’t follow your own desires, and sacrifice the satisfaction of being with Allah (swt), by attending a night out with some friends” — In that respect, always ask yourself “Is Allah (swt) happy with me?”

In full measure we need to attain:

1. Only hope in the mercy of Allah (swt)
2. Fear of Allah (swt) = Taqwa ( <– for some this can lead to despair, remember you must balance fear with hope)

How do we embrace Islam in the Best Possible Way?

We need to understand ‘how’ the Companions came to Islam in its totality b/c they were the best of Muslims. We should follow in their footsteps and that of our Prophet (pbuh) if we want to practice Islam the way it should have been practice. The reason why I say ’should have been’ is because to be very honest, many Muslims today, including myself aren’t very good representatives of Islam because they aren’t practicing it properly. Islam is a religion for people of understanding. It is so much more then just memorizing the Quran and doing Salat 5 times a day. Understanding the deeper meanings behind each Surat and reflecting upon our own personal lives can draw us much closer to the truth. One of the main reasons why I have started this blog is to reflect and to think. (Allah (swt) is all merciful and may he forgive us for our ignorance.)

Islam is all about thinking.

How did the Companions come to Islam in its totality?

1. They trusted in Allah (swt)
2. They established the dignity of the Deen; They did not bargain with their desires. (ex. I will skip Salat to go out with friends because I haven’t seen these friends in a long time).
3. Learn Iman first (before the Quran)

“You can’t make it to jannat with just good deeds”

Ch. 18, Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave): Some Insight:

‘It is important to read this Surat on Friday between Fajr and Jummah Prayer’

And if you read the last two verses, (or last ten, someone please confirm), of this Surat before going to sleep then an angel with be by your side and wake you up for fajr in the morning.

1. The first Story in this Surat is of ‘the Youth’

-concept of tawheed
-the youth stood for their deen
-they slept for over 300 yrs and then woke up and were a sign to mankind

ASIDE NOTE: Hereafter – some key points

1. If you are rich and have bounty in this life that does not mean you have bounty in the hereafter
2. Rich vs. Poor : the one is best is the one with true Iman
3. Our Prophet (pbuh) said in a Hadith that the poor on the day of Judgment will be closest to Allah (swt)

2. About Knowledge – This deals with the 3rd story in this Surat with Prophet Musa

-we keep learning until death
-if you took all the Oceans and made them ink for a pen, you would not be able to write out all of the knowledge of Allah (swt) <–’Hadith’? I believe

3. The Fourth Story in this Surat deals with Dhul Qurnain

-Who was he? Most scholars believe that he was just a ‘powerful ruler’ – he had power over the East and West
-He is responsible for protecting us from a great Fitna: Hagog Magog (one of the signs of the day of Judgement- they will be released upon this ‘dunya’ aka world)
-He build the barrier of Iron that separates Hajog Magog from the rest of the world

ASIDE: FINAL NOTE by Our Speaker:

As young people, we need to realize that this world needs powerful Muslims. Powerful = Muslims that are righteous, treat others with respect, they are educated (ex.doctors, lawyers) and they have a strong Iman.

——————

*Unless otherwise specified, any phrase/sentence in quotation marks above is from the speaker. They may also be from specific Hadiths, Saying of our Prophet (pbuh), etc; however, I am not that knowledgeable yet to distinguish the true representative of the quote. Please add comments to verify the information in quotations if it is from the Hadith, Quran, or a saying of our Prophet (pbuh). I would appreciate all insight; for Islam is all about reflecting and thinking upon the truth. So please leave comments.

JAK

Halaqa 3-12-08: Surat Ta’ha and Facing Challenges in Our Lives

March 12th, 2008
Joint Halaqa Notes
Speaker: Brother Tarif

It is important to not just learn the Quran but also apply parts of it to our lives. If you are constantly mindful of Allah (swt) he will inshallah open your heart to knowledge. And it is only Allah who has the power to open your heart to ‘perceive’ knowledge.

The problem with ‘our’ relationship with the Quran is that it is too rigid. We need to work on actually perceiving the words of the Quran and making connections between it and our own lives. Only the believer will be able to intermingle with the Quran‘s deeper meanings.

Allah (swt) created us as creatures who love to pursue knowledge and learn. We need to believe in the tools that Allah (swt) has provided for us in the Quran and we need to apply them to our daily lives.

Surat Ta’ha (Chapter 20)

Versus’ we Covered:
“Hath there come unto thee the story of Moses? (9) When he saw a fire and said unto his folk: Lo! Wait! I see a fire afar off. Peradventure I may bring you a brand therefrom or may find guidance at the fire. (10) And when he reached it, he was called by name: O Moses! (11) Lo! I, even I, am thy Lord, So take off thy shoes, for lo! thou art in the holy valley of Tuwa. (12) And I have chosen thee, so hearken unto that which is inspired. (13) Lo! I, even I, am Allah, There is no God save Me. So serve Me and establish worship for My remembrance. (14)” (20: 9-14)

—————————————–
Side Notes:
When spreading the message of Islam, or when you want to approach someone who you don’t believe is doing the right thing, then first and foremost you must have good intentions and truly care for the other person. If you want to change a person you need to approach them gently and wisely because Allah (swt) watches all that you do.

One of the best ways to teach someone a lesson is through stories. This is why Allah (swt) has stories throughout the Quran. He wants us to learn from them.
——————————————-

Surat Ta’ha and About facing Challenges in our lives:

Selection: It is important to know that Allah (swt) can select us at any given time in our lives to provide a role, for a specific situation, and for a specific challenge, etc. No matter how small that role is; Allah (swt) has selected us for a greater purpose. He is the greatest selector.
When we apply for a job, the boss might select us to work in his company; however, in broader perspective it is Allah (swt) who has selected for you to be there.

“And I have chosen thee…” (20:13).
In this one phrase we learn that Allah selects Musa (pbuh) to become a Prophet. These are very powerful words. This shows that Allah (swt) selects us for opportunities and challenges. We must turn to him for strength because to him belongs all strength.

Allah also selects us for challenges and therefore:

The Greater Challenge = The Greater the Chance You Have to Prove Yourself

Guidance: Trust in Allah (swt) for he guides us all. He guided Prophet Musa (pbuh); he gave him the desire to return to Egypt to free his people. He also allowed him to become lost at night, so that he could be guided to the Fire.

This is one of the most Glorious scenes in history. Musa (pbuh) had no idea, when he went to fetch the flame that he would come back with Prophethood.

Allah (swt) begins the conversation with Musa (pbuh) by calling his name: “O Moses” (20:11). In this respect we must also call each other by our names because it is the proper way of going about and having a conversation. It shows that there is a strong connection; the other person knows you because he knows your name.