Taraweeh Salaah 16 -17

Taraweeh Salaah - Night 16 - Night 17

By Sheikh Abdul Hamid Lachporia - Canada

In the Name of Almighty Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Alhumdoelillah! Tonight's Tarawee consists of the final quarter of Waqa lal Ladhi'na.... (JUZ 19) and Am'man Khalakas Samaa watee...(JUZ 20) in its entirety. The Surahs that will be covered this evening are as follows:
Surah Al Naml, Surah Al Qasas and half of Surah Al Ankabut (The Spider).

SURAH AL NAML:
This Surah is cognate in subject to the one preceding it and the two following it: Its chronological place is also in the same group of four, in the middle Makkan period. Here there is much mystic symbolism. Wonders in the physical world are types of greater wonders in the spiritual world. The Fire, the White Hand, and the Rod, in the story of Nabee Moosa A.S.; the speech of the birds, the crowds of Jinns and men pitted against a humble ant, and the Hoopoe and the Queen of Sheba, in Hazrat Sulayman A.S.'s story; the defeat of the plot of the nine wicked men in the story of Hazrat Salih A.S; and the crime of sin with open eyes in the story of Hazrat Lut A.S. - lead up to the lessons of true and false worship and the miracles of Allah's Grace and Revelation.

Summary: - Wonderful in Revelation, like the Fire which Nabee Moosa A.S. saw, which was a glimpse of Allah's Glory, and His Miracles, which searched out those who refused Faith in spite of the light they had received. Nabee Sulayman A.S. knew the speech of Birds and had hosts of Jinns and men; yet the wise ant had ample defence against them: the Hoopoe who was absent at his master, was yet serving him: the Queen of Sheba had a kingdom, but it submitted with conviction to the Wisdom of Nabee Sulayman A.S. and the Kingdom of Allah.
Fools ascribe ill luck to godliness as in Hazrat Salih A.S.'s story, or fall into the lusts with their eyes open, as in the story of Hazrat Lut A.S.; but their plots and their rage will be foiled by Allah. Allah's Glory and Goodness are supreme over all Creation: Unfaith will yield to Faith in the final adjustments of values: so follow Revelation, serve Allah. At the end of all things shall we know how small is our state, but for Allah's Grace: let us bow to His Will and accept His True Guidance: Let us Praise Him Alone and Trust Him - now and forever.

SURAH AL QASAS:
This Surah continues with the subject of Revelation and its reception by those to whom it is sent. But it emphasises new points: how the recipient of inspiration is prepared for his high destiny, even in the growth of his ordinary life, and how the rejection of Allah's Message by groups of men or by individuals is caused by overweening arrogance or avarice. The plight of those who reject the Truth is contrasted with the reward of the righteous. With the possible exception of a few verses, it belongs to the late Makkan period, just preceding the Hijrah.

Summary: - Fir'aun was arrogant and unjust, but Allah's Plan was to strengthen the weak: in infancy Nabee Moosa A.S. was prepared for his mission; in youth he trusted in Allah and was guided; in his exile he found help and love; and when he was called, he was supported by Allah. So was the Holy Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam fed spiritually by Allah's Grace, and his Revelation was recognised by those who knew the earlier Revelations: it came to an old sacred Centre, to warn those seduced by the glitter of this worldly life. The future is with those who repent, have faith, and do good: for all Mercy and Truth are with Allah. But men puffed up with wealth, like Qarun, will come to an evil end, while the lowly and the righteous will attain Allah's Mercy. Let nothing keep your eyes back from that end: Then, and only then, shall you reach the Eternal Reality, the Glorious Reality, Which is Almighty Allah, Who endureth forever!

SURAH AL ANKABUT:
This Surah is the last of the series in which the growth of the spiritual man as an individual is considered, especially illustrated by the way in which the great Prophets were prepared for their work and received their mission, and the nature of Revelation in relation to the environments in which it was promulgated. It also closes sub-series which is concerned with the spiritual Light, and the reactions to it at certain periods of spiritual history. The last Surah closed with a reference to the doctrine of the Ma'ad, or final Return of man to Allah. This theme is further developed here, and as it is continued in the subsequent three Surahs all bearing the Abbreviated Letters, "Alif Lam Mim", it forms a connecting link between the present series and those three Surahs. Emphasis is laid here on the necessity of linking actual conduct with the reception of Allah's Revelation, and reference is again made to the stories of Nabee Nuh, Nabee Ebrahim and Nabee Lut Alayhim Salata Wasallam among the Prophets and the stories of Madyan, 'Ad, Thamud, and Fir'aun among the rejecters of Allah's Message. This worldly life is contrasted with the real Life of the Hereafter.

Summary: - Belief is tested by trial in life and practical conduct: though Nabee Nuh A.S. lived 950 years, his people refused Faith, and Nabee Ebrahim A.S.'s generation threatened to burn him. Hazrat Lut A.S.'s people not only rejected Allah's Message bur publicly defied him in sin: the 'Ad and the Thamud had intelligence but misused it, and Qarun, Fir'aun, and Haman perished for their overweening arrogance: they found their worldly power as frail as a spider's web. The Glorious Qur'an as a revelation stands on its own merit and as a Sign: it teaches the distinction between Right and Wrong, Good and Evil, and shows the importance and excellence of the Hereafter. Worldly power cannot through sin defy the right, as was proved in the ministry of Hazrat Lut A.S; nor can Intelligence misused stand in the place of Allah's Light; nor can boastful insolence do aught but dig its own grave. The strength and skill, the beauty and power, of this world's life are no more than a Spider Web, Flimsy before the force of the eternal verities that flow from Almighty Allah Exalted and Supreme!


Taraweeh Salaah - Night 17

By Sheikh Abdul Hamid Lachporia - Canada

In the Name of Almighty Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Tonight's Tarawee consists of Surah Utloo-Maa-Oohiya...(JUZ 21) and the Surahs that will be covered are:-
The remaining half of Surah Al Ankabut, Surah Al Rum, Surah Luqman, Surah Al Sajdah and a third of Surah Al-Ahzab.

SURAH AL ANKABUT:
Proclaim the Message of Allah, and pray to Him for purity and Guidance. Almighty Allah's Revelation carries its own proofs and is recognised by men of wisdom. Its rejecters but lose their own chances of profiting by the Truth, and attaining the Paths that lead to Allah's own gracious Presence!

SURAH AL RUM:
This Surah deals with the question of Ma'ad or the Final End of Things, from various points of view. In the last Surah, we saw that Revelation was linked up with Life and Conduct, and Time (looking backwards and forwards) figured forth the frailty of this Life. In this Surah the Time theme and its mystery are brought into re3lation with human history in the foreground and the evolution of the world in all its aspects in the background. The corruption introduced by man is cleared away by Allah, Whose Universal Plan points to the Hereafter. This Surah was revealed about the 7th or 6th year before the Hijrah, corresponding to 615-616 of the Christian era, when the tide of Persian conquest over the Roman Empire was running strong. The Christian Empire of Rome had lost Jerusalem to the Persians, and Christianity had been humbled in the dust. The pro-Persian Pagan Quraysh rejoiced exceedingly, and redoubled their taunts and persecution against the Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam, whose Message was a renewal of the Message of Nabee Esa A.S. preached in Jerusalem. There is no doubt about the prophecy and its fulfillment. For the exulting Pagans of Makkah laid a heavy wager against the fulfillment of the prophecy with Hazrat Abu Bakr. and they lost it on its fulfillment.

Summary: - The ebb and flow of worldly power - as symbolised in the conflict of the Persian and Roman Empires - are but outward events: the deeper meaning is in the working of Allah's Universe - how Good and Evil reach their final end. The changes and changing variety in Allah's Creation, physical, moral, and spiritual, yet point to the Unity in Nature and Religion: man should not break away from that Unity, but glorify Him, the One, for there is none like unto Him. The hands of men have wrought corruption and mischief: but Allah purifies the moral world as He does the world of physical nature, strengthening the weak and pulling down the pulling down the mighty in due season: wait therefore in patience and constancy, and be not depressed.

SURAH LUQMAN:
The argument of the Final End of Things is here continued from another point of view. What is Wisdom? Where shall it be found? Will it solve the mysteries of Time and Nature, and the world higher than the physical Nature, which brings us nearer to Allah? "YES", is the answer: "If, as in the advice of Luqman the Wise, human wisdom looks to Allah in true worship, ennobles every aspect of life with true kindness, but avoids the false indulgences that infringes the divine law - and in short follows the golden mean of virtue." And this is indicated by every Sign in nature. This Surah belongs to the late Makkan period.

Summary: - The earnest seekers after righteousness receive guidance, unlike the seekers after vanity, who perish: all Creation bears witness to this: Wisdom, as expounded by Luqman the Wise, is true service to Allah, and consists in moderation. True Wisdom is firm and enduring, and discerns Allah's Law in the working of His Creation: it looks to the Final End of Things, whose mystery is only known to Allah.

SURAH AL SAJDAH:
This short Surah closes the series of the four Alim, Lam, Mim Surahs, which began with the 29th. Its theme is the mystery of Creation, the mystery of Time and the mystery of Ma'ad (THE FINAL END) as viewed through the Light of Allah's Revelation. The contemplation of these two mysteries should lead to Faith and the adoration of Allah. This Surah belongs to the middle Makkan period and is therefore a little earlier than the last, but its chronology has no significance.

Summary: - The mystery of Creation, the mystery of Time and the mystery of the End of Things are but known by external symbols to man: Revelation brings faith and humble adoration, and is a blessing like Rain, which brings life to dead soil. Clear are the Signs and the Revelation of Allah - in nature, history, and the Message of His living Prophets. If they learn not now, alas! It will be too late when the Wings of Time are furled.

SURAH AL AHZAB:
The story of Al Ahzab or the Confederates, who tried to surround and annihilate the Muslim Community in Madinah, is full of underhand intrigues on the part of such diverse enemies as the Pagan Quraysh, the Jews (Banu al Nadir) who had been already expelled from Madinah for their treachery, the Ghatfan tribe of Bedouin Arabs from the interior, and the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayzah in Madinah. This was the unholy Confederacy against Islam. But though they caused a great deal of anxiety and suffering to the beleaguered Muslims, Islam came triumphantly out of the trial and became more firmly established than ever. It was a well organised and formidable attack but the Muslims had made preparations to meet it. One of the preparations, which took the enemy by surprise, was the TRENCH (Khandaq) dug around Madinah by the Prophet S.A.W.'s orders and under the supervision of Hazrat Salman Farsi R.A. The siege and battle are therefore known as the Battle of the Trench or the Battle of the Confederates. The position and dignity of the ladies of the Nabee S.A.W.'s Household and the Muslim women generally, salutary principles are laid down to safeguard their homes and protect them from slander and insult.

Summary: - The pagan customs in human relationship should be abandoned, and men and women should be held in honour according to natural relationships and spiritual positions. High position and seemly conduct for the wives of the Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam to be treated kindly and gently. Respect due to the Nabee S.A.W. and his family, slander to be avoided and punished: guard your words and your responsibilities.