Taraweeh Salaah - Night 3

By Sheikh Abdul Hamid Lachporia - Canada

In the Name of Almighty Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Tonight's Tarawee consists of the second half of Tilka(Juz 3) and three quarters of Lantana(Juz 4). Tonight we cover and complete Surah Al-i-Imran in its entirety [The Family of Imran].

Surah Al-i-Imran is cognate to Surah Al-Baqara, but the matter is here treated from a different point of view. The reference to the Battle of Badr (Ramadan A.H.2) and the Battle of Uhud (Shawwal A.H. 3) gives us a clue to the dates of these passages. Like Surah Al-Baqara, Surah Al-i-Imran takes a general view of the religious history of mankind, with special reference to the People of the Book, proceeds to explain the birth of the new Ummah of Islam and their ordinances, insists on the need of struggle and fighting in the cause of Truth, and exhorts those who have been blessed with Islam to remain constant in Faith, pray for guidance, and maintain their spiritual hope for the future.

The new points of view developed are: (1) The emphasis here is laid down on the duty of the Christians to accept the new light; the Christians are specially appealed to, as the Jews were specially appealed to in Surah Al-Baqara; (2) the lessons of the Battles of Badr and Uhud are set out for the Muslim community; and (3) the responsibilities of that community are insisted on both internally and in their relations to those outside. The People of the Book had only a portion of the Book, and if they reject the complete Book, the People of Imaan must part company with them, and their day is done. The story of the Family of Imran (the father of Nabee Moosa Alayhis Salaam) leads us from the Mosaic Dispensation to the miracles connected with the birth of Nabee Esa Alayhis Salaam and his ministry.

Allah's revelation being continuous, all people are invited to accept its completion in Islam, and controversies are deprecated. The Muslims are asked to hold together in union and harmony, and are promised security from harm from their enemies, and enjoined to seek friendship among their own people. The great Battle of Badr showed how Almighty Allah helps and upholds the virtuous and how patience, perseverance, and discipline find their reward; on the other hand, the lessons of Uhud must be learnt, not in despair, but in the exercise of the higher virtues and in contempt of pain and death. The misfortunes at Uhud are shown to be due to the indiscipline of some, the indecision and selfishness of others, and cowardice on the part of the hypocrites, but no enemy can hurt Allah's Cause. The taunts of the enemy should be disregarded, and sincere prayer offered to Allah Who would grant His servants success and prosperity.