Surah Fajr - Highlights

The one who is safe from Hell fire is one who is not questioned on the Day of Judgment. If Allah begins to ask them, checks their accounts than that person is doomed. 
In the language of the ancient language, the oath was taken to make people take your speech seriously, to grab their attention.
Allah wants us to reflect upon the things by which He is taking an oath. Before we take the lesson from the surah, He wants us to think about these things by which He is taking an oath by

وَالْفَجْرِ
to rip open completely, to tear until the light comes through it. The crack of night, the brightness of the morning starts. 
A time when life begins. The creatures get up at this time and the sounds that they make are the tasbeeh of Allah. 
The heart is the most closest and fearful of Allah at this hour. You have don't have to go to work or cook. So no task has come into your heart except that you have to stand before Allah. 
By morning Allah is alluding to life after death. The dawn or fajr is proof that Allah can bring from dead (night), life (morning). The sleep is the sister of death. So this is a reminder of resurrection. 
It is a reminder of the dawn of Islam. Islam will manifest itself, right now everything is dark and the future seems uncertain. This mission will certainly rip through and prevail.

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
And by 10 nights. If Allah is swearing by them, they must be something important and they are part of a point that Allah will make later in this surah. This refers to last 10 of Ramadan and the first 10 of Dhil Hajjah.
The first/last 10 days of any month, the shifting of the moon is visible, the major changes can be seen clearly.
When you see the partial moon on the first night, you know it will get thicker so you know what to expect. This alludes to the victory of Islam, that it is inevitable, if you want to know, then just look at the increasing of the month. 
The last 10 days of Ramadan and last 10 days of Dhil Hajjah are the blessed days of ibadaah (fasts, duaa, salah), and these are days of salvation, earning paradise is easiest. 
Revelation came in the last 10 days of Ramadan, Makkah was conquered in first 10 days of Dhil Hajjah. The entire seerah is captured in these nights. 
The greatest sign of the last day is the coming of the prophet (s.a.w). the coming of the last day is guaranteed because he is the sign of the last day. 

وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ
intercession - you say 'this guy is with'. It literally means even, one part of another. To walk in a pair.
Allah takes the oath by the pair and by the odd. 
Alludes to all of the creation of Allah - it is create in pairs, night/day, ocean/land, male/female, sweet/sour. Every one of His creation is unique by itself, but it is all created in pairs. The land itself is beautiful but its not the complete terrain, you have to look at the ocean. Allah is the only One Who doesn't have a pair. Sometimes the months are odd and even. 
People didn't believe in the last day (in the previous surah). Don't be frustrated by the result. These people they have only looked at one part of the pair - this life is paired with the next world, without realizing this, without understanding the relationship between the creation and the Creator then you are causing is ruining to yourself. Allah as a creator is fair, and His fairness demands a day when He compensates His creation for hte good/bad they have done. 

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ
so when the sun is gone what to speak of the moon and night. 
To travel and to take a stroll at night time. 
The night comes first and the fajr comes after. But Allah mentions the fajr first and the departing of the night later. Here the major sign is mentioned first. The major sign is the Day of Judgment. The fajr represents a sign for the Day of Judgment 

هَلْ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِي حِجْرٍ
is there enough oath for people of rock solid oath. 
hijr refers to intellect. people's intelligent has enormous restrain, its like their knowledge is a barrier for them. They stop and think before they move on. They hold their temptations back. Don't just move on, reflect on these oaths if you have intellect. 
The only way to emphasize an oath is when Allah says  I swear.  Or when Allah says  indeed it is an oath, if you had any idea of its enormity. 

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
Didn't you see how your Lord dealt with them? How did He do it to them. 
Its like  i see what you are saying, i finally see what you mean. It is deep reflection and thought. The words of the heart - its not a physical action, it takes place in the heart and the mind. 
Genetically they are very strong people, Allah comments on their stature, their monuments. The Arabs would see their ruins. So not what happened but HOW is it possible. How could they be destroyed of all the people when they were so powerful. There are two things (1)encouragement ot the prophet (s.a.w). You think the Quraish are powerful, they can do with teh believers what they want and get away. There were people more stronger than them and Allah controlled them (2) threat to the kuffar. 
They were third or fourth generation after Islam. They were from Yemen. The Prophet Hud was sent to them. They used to say who is more powerful than us? We are number 1. Who is going to take us on? 

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ
Iram is the name of the first man who set up their tribe. the name of their tribe itself
to make a sign out of rocks. their nation processed pillars (body strength like pillars and their ability to construct large townships like pillars). 
they were in close proximity to the Aad in distance or time. 
The Arabs have the examples of Aad and Iram. The see their ruins so they know that Allah has sovereignty over all. 

الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ
Bilaad/Balad - the city whose borders are defined and it is able to defend itself.
Misr - it has fortified walls, you have to go down to something to enter. 

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ
جَابُوا - jab open, drilling through, cracking open. They weren't just craving through rock, they were breaking rocks through, boring it open. They were doing it with bare hands. 
لْوَادِ - not just valley, but any place where water flows. They were at a place where there is irrigation. 

وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ
The pegs are means of holding the tent to the group. An ocean of tents means an army is camped out. 
Pharaoh was the possessor of pegs because of large armies. 
Pharaoh would peg their limbs into the limbs and crucify them. He did this to aasiya and the magicians who converted.
The Pharaoh prided themselves over construction so they hold the pegs in their depictions. 
The pyramids are facinating but its terrifying. 

الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ
Why did Allah destroy them? They rebelled - go beyond the limits in an act of defiance against the authority.
like the Thamud killed the she-camel as a mockery of their prophet's guidelines. They felt they had the muscle, they could do whatever they want. They rebelled in the lands so the evil consequenes was seen in the land/corruption the land. 

فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ
There is a society that is fascinating, grandeur, and pomp but when they walk on its streets, they see ugliness, deterioration. Its crazy, you can't even believe, the abundance of rottenness and corruption. It is at this point that Allah releases His punishment. 

فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
فَصَبَّ  - Allah drenched them. Dumped the entire bucket in one go on them. Don't think that the Prophet (s.a.w) that he has no backing. That he has no muscle so you do not have to fear his message. 
سَوْطَ - leather whip, worst kind of torture. doesn't cause the bleeding inside, only hurts/rips the skin. once the skin is gone, the flesh is left than ....OUCCHHH

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ
Your Lord is sitting waiting in ambush for them

فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ
One of the things that can undermine the warming is the diffusion of responsibility - they say they can handle it because they think they have each other's back. So if the warning is giving to the individual, it penetrates deeper. So the Quriash don't think that the Prophet (s.a.w) can bring down the very stability of the nation of Quraish. So Allah shifts the focus from the tribe to the individuals in the tribe, their personal actions. Because when enough of individuals become corrupt, the nation as a whole decays. 
Imtahana - to test someone without putting them through pain. bala implies some difficulty
Ibteela - to test with really rigorous testing. 
ikraam - to be called to honour. He has all these luxuries and comforts, his life is good. But Allah calls this a very difficult test. Allah gave some very bad people a lot of wealth. Allah also gave them prestige. The other test like poverty, unemployment, death, sickness is hard. People fail this tet because they cannot be patient, they complain to Allah. But this test of wealth, we forget that it is a test. Person thinks that he is entitled from all the favours. He feels that he is especially honoured so he is elite. So even when he mentions his Lord, it is out of arrogance not humility. 

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ
When he lost that money, it was written for him. Allah gave him and destined to take it back. It was part of qadr. This is what Allah wnats us to know, there is no exception to the rule, it happens and has to happen. But man thinks that some injustice has done to him. They do not want to hear it, they had made up their mind that Allah wronged them. They associate honour with wealth and having respect in society because of their wealth. 
When you accept that Allah is the Master, you do not complain because you know that Allah gave you what you have as a gift. You aren't entitled to anything. You are grateful for whatever He gave you and still humble if He takes away from you. But shaytan ruins our relationship with Allah to make us thing that Allah has dishonoured you so you should go and do haram. It is fair. If Allah didn't give you, then go do whatever. Some of the wealthiest people in the world are the most disgraceful, like Barney Macdock. 

كَلَّا  بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ
The reason they should be humiliated because they do not honour the orphan. 
We don't know the orphans in the community, when their parents passed, their problems. They have no backing. This is a crime, we are suppose to know. They go through tremendous suffering. Same with new Muslims who are ostracized from their non-Muslim family. They have no where to go, nothing to eat. No idea from where to begin to learn about Islam. 
It is easy to respect the people above u, the teacher, boss, landlord etc. But we don't honour the people who do manual labour. We look at them as less than human. The guy who does plumbing, waiter, gardener. We have a deeply rooted racism, bigotry, even in the Masjid when we are the people whose books says that all humans are equal. So why should Allah have any regard for us when we treat people like trash. Why should Allah treat us like royalty? Look how disgusting we are. We disrespect all of Allah's creation. 

وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ
Respect the people less fortunate than you, different from you and feed them. 

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا
You don't see human beings anymore you see money. The only time you visit your relatives is when they are dying, and you go there not to care for them or make duaa for them but to confirm your name is on their will.
You want to pile other people's wealth. It is spread out and they want to stack up for themselves. Where does the donation money go? Billions of dollars that pour in for aid for Palestine and Kashmir - where does it go? How can, after 64 years of donations and charity work, there still be poverty in Palestine?

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
They love money
Jamm in arabic is used when you have ruler or scale and you fill it to the brim, as far as it goes. Loaded. 

كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا
The earth is so fast, and it is pegged in place with mountains. And Allah is completely destroying the earth. All the wealth on the earth, wherever it is saved/hidden - it will be crushed. 

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنسَانُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ
Jahnaam - torture chamber, it will be dragged forward. 

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي
O My God what have I done. Its like when you realize how badly you messed up and how messed up where your thoughts about the Day of Judgment. 

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ
On that day, no one will torture the likes of His torture. No one can imagine a more intensive punishment that Allah has prepared. 

وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ
No one is going to tie them like Allah is going to tie them. 

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
This talk is taking place in Jannah. Imagine being addressed by Allah. 
O you satisfied person, calm and tranquil person. You can never have this in dunya. You can have this for only 10 seconds or 5 minutes when you breath the sigh of relief then you remember you have their urge to get more, or you remember you haven't done something. 
This surah was about a person who was only happy when he had wealth, and when it was taken away, he was disturbed. So this person stopped himself from chasing his desires. So he was the real slave of Allah. He abandoned sleep, prayed fajr, took advantage of doing more good deeds 10 of Ramadan and Dhil Hajjr. When the night came, he was doing qiyam al layl, doing suhoor to fast. Everyone else was running after their desires, wealth and he was running after Allah so Allah takes it upon Himself to satisfy them. 

ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
When you return to Allah, you face a lot of difficult (in sin or enter Islam). As soon as you become serious in Deen, and really living like a slave - everything around you gets in the way, your job, family, friends. You suffer so much. You are lonely, disdained. All of this is connected with dissatisfaction in life. But the satisfaction you get with Allah, the high that you get - nothing compares to it anywhere. The hellenistic world cannot offer you that. So you will still have this contentment in your heart and in the Hereafter Allah is pleased with you and Allah makes you pleased. You enter Paradise. You enter the company of Allah, Allah and His prophets, and their companions. No yellow tape, no security. 

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي
This is mentioned last, that as compared to returning to Allah, finding satisfaction in Jannah, getting Allah's pleasure, being pleased with Allah - Jannah is mentioned last.
And Allah speaks to the person, individually. And He says, enter My Jannah. 
Allah forcing us to see ourselves in Jannah. 

Surah Ghashiyah - Highlights

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ
Has the speech of the ghashiya reached you (the overwhelming calamity). Th news it self is difficult, imagine the actual day. 
It is in a question format. What is the point of asking? It is to criticize the listeners by turning away from them and not even addressing them and actually addressing the one who HAS conveyed the news of the Day of Judgment. These people feel nothing, they failed to react to the news so Allah is angry with them. 
It is also for surety, like for sure the news came to you. For certain you received the full depiction of this event. You are indeed warned. It is almost a threatenign tone to those who are not listening to the Messenger (s.a.w)
hadith - something new. The Day of Judgment is a new event, take a new look at it. 
Ghashiya - (used in Surah Yusuf in the exact form). To cover something up entirely. This is an adjective for Qiyamah. It will overwhelm the entire universe. Its worst depiction in the sky, the sky will tear (the sky is that covers). Human beings are tied by with family, business, entertainment that they fail to realize their real purpose in life. This event it cast a shadow over them. They will be busy with their work and in a split second this event will make it (their work) irrelevant. 

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ
some faces (many faces will be like this, but not all)
especially on that, only on that day, that some faces - that will be many in number, will have this expression over them. They will be overwhelmed with fear that there will be numbness and exhaustiveness over them. The disbelievers are said to have khushu in the face, in the eyes, in their entire body except for the body. This shows that they are humiliated. But if the heart experiences khushu, then it is humility for Allah and this is an honour. So they are insulted, their fear is the fear of an animal of the calamities that are going around. 

عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ
These faces have been put to work. The face of a worker and a face of a person who is vacationing are different. On the Day of Judgment, there is some work going on, people will run around try to escape, hide - they will exhaust themselves doing so. They will stand for a long time, in a laboursome way and answer a lot of questions. Ibn Abbas said that this is the case of dunya, they did not do the actions that Allah demanded of them - they were exhausted themselves in other things. Umar (r.a) cried when he saw an old monk with signs of fatigue on his face. 
Their careers become their entire life, thats all they talk about, think and dream about, work for. This is their goal. They lose touch with their parents, their marriage is neglected. 
نَّاصِبَةٌ you just want to crash (rest in peace). He is finally done with work so they want to relax. They are expecting cushions, large beds, bars with glasses hanging over them, flowing water. 

تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً
تَصْلَىٰ - they will throw themselves in to the fire. faces will be thrown in first. they will be overrun by fire. 
حَامِيَةً preventive fire (prevents skin from breaking off, from you getting any rest), the scorching flame of the desert sun.
Their face showed arrogance, anger to the revelation/news the messenger (s.a.w). 

تُسْقَىٰ مِنْ عَيْنٍ آنِيَةٍ
سْقَىٰ - to give something to drink, you open their mouth and pour the water forceful in it. First they have no relief from the fire so they are forced to drink. 
آنِيَةٍ - al aan means now. "the time to have come", to boil water when it is actually bubbling, the final final time of boiling. This spring is gushing water that is intensely baking sweltering hot. Their mouths will be covered in it, until they will drink it. They are so desperate to get away from the fire that they would willing go to the spring and drink this water. 

لَّيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ
 ضَرِيعٍ - too dry, too itchy, too poisonous. Raw seaweed that even animals do not eat. Thorny kind of plant, the animals don't even graze near it because it pokes them in the face and they bleed. 
Zaqqum, ghisleen, and taraee3 are the food of Hellfire. Zaqqum and ghisleen are a type of taree3. 
They have to go in that plant to eat it, The contact of the plant is a torture, they aren't served it. 
This is a spring in hellfire that is only for torrid and sultry water. 

لَّا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِن جُوعٍ
It does not have any nutrition for the body, and it will not relieve them off hungry. They will keep eating it. They can't turn it away, they can't have have it packed for a later date. They will eat it until their stomachs burst and the process will start all over again. 

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاعِمَةٌ
It is that day that they will be in na'3ma - ease, softness, relaxation. They will have sorts of happiness, no stress, just freshness on their face - but on that day. As the situation stands now, they have to put in a lot of work now, and toil to receive that. 
نَّاعِمَ - The face you have when you are given a gift. Joy on your face

لِّسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ
Those faces (those people) were engaged in some type of effort. 
fast kind of a walk, when you are concerned about finishing a task, when you have a deadline. سَعْيِ - There is a sense of energy, working under pressure, working your butt off. It is only for the efforts for the hereafter that will make them content. In fact they will wish after they see the happiness and bliss in the hereafter, they would wish that they only work for Hereafter. 
We don't even think twice about watching TV, or going to the mall. They think about the economy when to give to the masjid but swiping it at the movie booth or arcade, suddenly we have all the lose change in the world. We say we work for the hereafter later because it is coming later. 
رَاضِا  
To be completely happy with what you get. It sees the reward and gets happy and for the opportunity to be given the chance to work in the work of Allah and having the opportunity to make the opportunity to make the effort. Obeying Allah is an honour that He gave us. We are elected for this. 

فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ
High gardens (this is another type of ghashiya). This is another ghashiya. You are surrounded and covered in all types of flowers, trees, trellised fenses

لَّا تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَاغِيَةً
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is the first one guaranteed Jannah and he will for sure not here any rude, shameless, thoughtless speech, absurd things, useless things in Jannah. Because he heard so many terrible things, lewd, obnoxious things while he used to give dawah.
You can be the in best place and hurtful speech will take all of your pleasure away. Nothign will come and sting in your heart. 
The most expensive property are those that are in elevated grounds like California and Alabama hilly areas that overlooks everything. There is no traffic outside your window, no honking of cars, no thugs hanging by you door step. 

فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ
On top of the waterfall. Flowing water = fresh

فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَّرْفُوعَةٌ
suruur - modern arabic = bed. in ancient arabic = couch. Arabic tradition is to sit on the floor. The bedioun could not put an ikea couch on his back and travel so high furniture is a sign of stability. The fact that it is elevated means that someone did it for you. It is custome made for you. The judge, presiding officer sits in a higher place. The idea is to sit high up so u can sse your property. 

وَأَكْوَابٌ مَّوْضُوعَةٌ
The expensive restuarant leaves their glasses on the table. They will be displayed as part of the decour. 

وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ
rows and rows of pillows. Small pillows that are just right. 

وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ
exotic rugs, massive, spread all after

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ
haven't they seen/looked at the camel? They used to make fun saying that their camel can eat dharee3 so they can do it too. The camel is a very high ride, a very incredible coustom design - can survive with minimal water, can survive on shrubs and thorns, it stores its own food, it has milk to offer you, its skin can benefit you, its meat is a delicacy, It is of the largest domestic animal, even a child can control it though it has the strength to crush an adult. It shows loyalty to the human being. Look at how Allah perfected it, guided it. 
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that the beleiver is very hayyin and layyin like the camel that has been tamed. When it is told to sit, it sits even on a harsh, hot boulder. 
Allah is teaching us humility through this creature - easy going, obedient. It obeys its master. T

وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ
Haven't they seen the sky and how it is elevated before him. When you are on the camel, look up and see how the sky is held up and how it will come crashing down. 

وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ
spread vast 
سُطِحَتْ  - ceiling of the house, the highest part of the house. The earth is called like a roof because one day it will become our roof (grave). It will be smoothed over us. 

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
whether someone listens or not, may it has an effect maybe not or maybe later (like abu sufyan was there in the early days of islam but he becomes muslims at the very end). 
You are no more than the deliverer of the reminder. 
The world of da'wah boils down to just reminding. 

لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
You have not been placed over them as a musaithir, someone diligently incharge of someone, to monitor, control all their activities. Messenger (s.a.w) cannot watch them and pull them over to Jannah. The Messenger (s.a.w) is so worried about the disbelievers because in the end they are in the end his people. He wants to pull them into Islam out of desperation. He has no army to do this, he only has words. Allah says he cannot force them, the reminder is enough, they have to find it in themselves to accept. This is a beautiful illustration of there is no compulsion in religion. 

فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ
عَذِّبُ - to die of suffocation. The greatest punishment for turning away from the reminder and disbbeliving in it. This illustrates to us the long struggle of the prophet (s.a.w) who kept turning away from the reminder until the verdict of punishment was giving to them

إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ
إِيَابَ - final final return, after which there is no going anywhere else 

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُم
Their complete audit is upon Us, We will take their complete account.     

Surah Alaa - Highlights

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى
When something floats we say that it refuses to go down. It raises up and stays above/beyond all imperfection. 
And we have to retain this level, i.e. not say anything that would be less than perfect for Allah. This is the essence of Tasbeeh, say that Allah is perfect, free from faults. 
there is no "bismi bi rabbi" Without "bi" it means - Declare the perfection of the Name of your Lord - to acknowledge the perfection your Lord. Not just do dikr of Allah but also no allow yourself to be part of any conversation or entertain any thought that would not befit Allah's Great and Exalted Status. In entertainment culture, more and more comedians poke fun of God. This discourse exists in cartoons, novels, comic books. They are utterly blasphemous. This is rebellion against God. The underline theme is questioning God Himself, i.e. entire movie dedicated to fighting and overcoming natural disasters. So human beings have super abilities and they are free and the something from "up above" is evil and it wants to impose itself and establish an order. We are subconsciously affected by it without even realizing it. So maintain the perfection of the Name of Your Lord. In every one of Allah's Name, be consciousness so as not to undermine it. Be that sensitive with Tawheed. On one hand is the perfection of Allah and other is deep thought.
Cleanse the Name of Your Lord and have clean thoughts about Your Lord. Some Names that apply to Allah also apply to us, like seeing, hearing, to know. There are some words that are shared. What is the difference? Because of the limitation of language we have to use the same word. The attributes that are given to Allah has no beginning or ending, no limits (infinite in its capacity). Allah's attributes and characteristics are owned by Him. They are not given to Him by anyone or taken away by anyone. While our attributes are finite an limited, granted us to us by Allah Himself. 

رَبِّكَ - Mastery over you, gives you gifts, take care of you. Creator. It brings the Master-slave relationship to mind. This is a bonding relationship that is constant. When this attitude is missing, then blasphemy happens. When we acknowledge that we are little and Allah owns us, then come true acknowledgment of His perfection. Every time you remember Allah or mention His Name, remember that He is the Master you are His slave. This should incur a sense of humility on your part, a feeling of smallness and awe of the Master, fear and respect of the Master.  This tasbeeh is done first by Prophet (s.a.w). 
الْأَعْلَى- Allah is High above the sky, the stars that He talks about. His grandeur is Exalted. In the previous surah the kuffar were making a plan and undermine the Prophet (s.a.w) which is really the mission that Allah intents. Allah is above and beyond and above their plan. In the previous Surah, their allegation against the Qur'an (casual speech). This is an insult and defamation to Allah Himself. So this is a refutation to their claim. Allah is absolutely supreme. 

Surah Hadeed, Hashr, Saff, Jumu'ah, Taghabun also begin with the glorification of Allah in past, present and future tense. 

الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
سَوَّىٰ - Every last nut and bolt is in its place. Its intricate and its place. 
The first thing that you should know about the Rabb is that He ha right over us and that  He created us. No Master has the power to create, the world leaders just govern the world but they do not own the world. Allah created, perfected and fashioned and even-out what He made. 

وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
to calculate something, plan for something. Think of architecture when they have exact measurements. There is no estimation or guess. It has to be spot on accurate. All of the planning of the universe, preceeds 50,000 years. When something is planned ahead of time, it comes out good (human experience). We only see the final product, the earth but we don't know the thought, intelligence and planning that goes behind it. All matter, and activities around the matter, all its implications and consequences are already declared. The sun, the moon, the stars are designed by Allah, programed in a manner that is why they perform as they do - Allah guided them. Ants, bees. 

وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ
Place which is green, pasture suited for animal grazing. Allah has prepared for them food that they can digest and nourish themselves with. Humans didn't plan this.

فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ
to be noxious, to vomit.
غُثَاءً- When the valley is filled with animal waste. When lots of water comes and grass torn off from the ground and piled in one place. Its muck (rotten wet leaves stuck in gutter). 
أَحْوَىٰ - to bring two things together, for something to become red and black (very dark). Two implications (1) when vegetation is full mature, its red or green but overwhelmed by a darkness (2) it rots, goes bad. 
The scholars says that the vegetation goes from life to trash, to contrast how Allah creates and how He destroys. This illustrates how this life soon withers away and the Hereafter will come. It is inevitable. If the former implications are to be taken, it means that the Prophet (s.a.w) will reach full maturity in revelation. 

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰ
Allah has taken responsibility to ensure that the Prophet (s.a.w) remember the recitation and does not forget. Just as Allah planned and prepared the earth then perfected the creation after making them, Allah planned and led Muhammad (s.a.w) to become a Prophet and guided him to the message of the Qur'an and Allah will for sure perfect the completion of this Deen. 
But some parts of the Qur'an will be abrogated إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ  the parts which Allah will and that is too part of His plan. Allah doesn't change His mind, He always intended this change. If the Prophet makes a mistake, Allah corrects him. And the Prophet (s.a.w) has been taught which ayah goes in which surah which surah goes in which order. 

إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ
Allah knows everything. We cannot see this process of revelation from heavens to the earth and internally within the prophet (s.a.w) but He sees it and He is vouching for it. 
يَخْفَىٰ - To hide something so well that you don't even know it exists. 
Sirr is just secret information which is classified but you know that it exists and you don't have access to it. 
So some ayaat were abrogated by Allah so well, that we don't even feel that they are gone. It is like they were never there. 
وَمَا يَخْفَى - nothing remains hidden forever. It will be exposed eventually. Very few verses were abrogated. 

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ - I will make easy for you the ultimate ease. The struggles of the Messenger (s.a.w) will be made miraculously easy for him by the intervention of Allah. It is a tough thing to memorize, to give da'wah to be a leader and role model in all aspects of his life and more duties were added to him, but Allah made easy for him. This ayah is his (s.a.w) anchor and refugee. That he should continue his efforts relentlessly. 
Life according to the shariaah gets easier (not harder). Allah intends to ease our burden. Mortgage is hard on you, you'lll pay for 25 years and still no guarantee that you will own what you have been paying for. You will may 100x more for its price and still not get it. Haram relations cause disease, financial loss, social humiliation. 
First we are told about what attitude we should have with respect to Allah. The Prophet's concerns are mentioned about his task and role. 

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ
Dhakara is the mission of the Prophet (s.a.w). No matter where you are, and what situation you find yourself in, just engage in and continue the act of reminding people. 
This is a conditional statement - jumla shartiyya. Its a rhetorical statement - remind if reminder will have any benefit = for sure remind / perhaps the reminder will have benefit (some will listen and some will not, Allah Knows who and when. You can't see inside anyone's heart. Thi reminder can benefit anyone. Even Pharaoh was sent a reminder - he was a genocidal maniac. 
Dha ka ra - just mentioning itself has benefit. Whether others benefit or not, just because you mention it will have benefit.
Ta dhakara - no matter how far the results prove fruitful, u still get benefit (they are 70% convinced, still they benefited from the clarification of Islam and warnings)
Tadhkeer - whether you see the result of the reminder, there is still benefit. (that one person u convert, converts 100 other ppl. but u have no idea, u still get the reward for you). 

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ
fear of something that has the power to overcome you. 
The one who is scared will make a point to remember themselves and be heedful of what they are reminded about. 
Anyone who has any fear can still make it back to Allah and benefit from the remembrance. 

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الْأَشْقَى
shaqee- does not have anything good in his life, nothing positive. 
ashqaa - the most unlucky, has nothing good in his life, surrounds his life in evil company, discourse, evil cousnel 
To distance yourself from something to keep far away.
يَتَجَنَّبُ - He runs away from the reminder of the Qur'an, he is trying hard to avoid it and forget it. He is the most unfortunate. 

الَّذِي يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَىٰ
He will cast himself into the fire. 
The punishment of the fire is highlighted here. 

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
If someone is caught in a fire, or someone on fire - the only thing on their mind is that they want it off from them or they want to die. The burns cause you to beg for death. 

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
Someone has already attained success. The arabs were really obsessed with farming because most of their land was desert. So farming and gardening was very important to them.
أَفْلَحَ- End part of harvesting, the happiest time, he gets the fruit of his labour. When he puts the seed in, he doesn't know if there will be enough rain, or too much heat. When everything goes through and he gets his crop, he knows his labour payed off. There was a lot of sweat and pain that went behind it. 
قَدْ - There is no doubt about it, and it is already the case. They have already attained success. مَن تَزَكَّىٰ - Whoever has the time and to look inside of him and nourish the good inside of him. Anyone who has this concern and attitude to clean themselves and bring out the good, then they are already successful. 

وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ
The attitude of a person who cleans himself is someone who remembers Allah, remembers that He is the slave of Allah. He prays Salah (connected with Allah, left the world around them).  What keeps humanity from finding this right priority in life? Every person is running after success then how come when Allah has explained this, why are people are distracted?

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
On the contrary, all of you. You have compared two things and you have decided you will give one more time and energy than the other.
The worldly life is that you get want right away - they are available right to you but it is lowly. 

وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ 
The Hereafter is better and more lasting. 
If you are given a home forever even if it not impressive versus a really nice hotel for 2 days. 
So we think of Jannah somewhere in the distant and we dont' really know what sort of furniture be like, if there will be ikea, if they could exchange the mattress. But for this dunya we are sure what we wnat, we have so many options. We think we can have whatever we want, even if we dont have money to pay for it. We have this innate nature to get things right away and not wait. But this life is not forever. You can own a car but you don't even own yourself. You can get a green card and become a resident of US but you will not live in the US forever, u have to die one day. 
Allah is asking us to remember Him, follow His reminder and offer Salah but really He is asking for our entire life. He is only offering us His word. Would you believe it? Would you pay for a house that you will get in 20 years, a house that you have never seen, don't even know its address. Won't your family call you nuts? You bought into a scam! But this is why the Prophet (s.a.w) called this Deen strange - you cannot see it but you invest your entire life into it. All your preferences are headed in the direction of the unseen. Allah knows our insides, He knows if we are cleaning ourself and ridding the love of dunya and filling it with yearing for the Hereafter. 

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ 
Truly this has been in the earlier scripture - the next life is more lasting. And everything else this surah says like declaration of Allah's perfection. 

صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is not saying something new, this is the same exact message. Think about it. The pagans followed Ibrahim (a.s) and the Jews and Christians believed in Musa (his 10 commandments). The idea of revelation begins from Him. 

This Surah covers the three imaniyaat, all of imaan is summarized, the oneness of Allah, the prophethood of muhammad (s.a.w) and hereafter. 

Surah Tariq - Highlights

Surah Burooj, the previous Surah  ends with the highest thing in the sky, the luh mahfoodh, the preserved tablet.
Surah Tariq beings with the mention of the sky itself. 
Towards of the end of Surah Burooj, we read that Allah completely encompasses them from behind them and from in front of them. And in this Surah we'll read that there isn't a person except that there is a guardian over them.This Surah is divided into 5 sections. The first 5 verses, Allah takes the oath by Tariq. 2 verses are dedicated to the discourse on the Tariq and then response to the oath. 

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ

السَّمَا - The sky generally speaking refers to everything above us.
Sama is more than Samawaat. Sama means everything above and it means the seven heavens. Without qualification it refers to everything above but if there is a qualification like assama ad dunya then it refers to just the worldly sky, the one that we see. 
Allah is making the sky a witness to what He is about to say

وَالطَّارِقِ - Taraqa (way), tarseeq (road), Turq (strike), Tariq (someone who travels at night, someone who comes in the middle in the middle of night, and knock on the door. At night everything is quiet so a knock appears louder than night. It calls more attention). This refers to large brilliant stars in the sky or one major sky (appears in the last portion of the night. it was the highlight of their journey). The night was a relif for the Arabs. 

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ
The answer to which cannot be known the human being, so Allah answers it Himself. 
You may know what it is but you will not fully envelop.
It is an enormous oath
Allah's universe by this senior NSA specialist (Muslim) - check youtube. 

النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
It is a piercing light that emits from the stars. It pokes a hole in the darkness. The light that travels, the twinkles from the star to us. The stars are milestones that the Arabs used to look at anyway while traveling. Psychology feature of the Qur'an is to see the things that we see daily  but think of them differently. Allah points to the earth, the camels, mountains - these are the things the Arabs could not escape but this time, associate a thought that they never had before. So now that they would look at the sky, the would remember, not just remember the oath but also the response to the oath mentioned in the Qur'an. 
Theme of the Surah is Journey. The fluid that travels to the wombs and originates the human being. Another theme is secrecy. 

إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
The guardian is the angels and it could also be Allah
The stars are cameras or eyes stationed towards the earth. Allah has made them a witness, they watch/see our behaviour, perhaps they will testify on the Day of Judgment. 
There are angels who protect us, if there weren't there, the shayateen will cause us all sorts of trouble. Other angels are the scribes who are documenting our deeds. They are not for us but against us. Not even a glimpse of an eye escapes them. We are never alone. Allah has installed even in the wombs, angels. Everyone has specifically assigned these angels, they are focused on us individually. They are imposed upon our nafs. You hide something inside of nafs. So none of the human's secrets are hidden before the angels. 

فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
The entire sky and bed stars are a witness against the human. 
If you are skeptical about all of this, look at it and stare at it (don't take your eyes off it) - how you were created. If the stars are not able to get the message from the creation above you, search from within you. 
Insaan - human being tends to forget, its root is forgetfulness. After wealth, house, degree, children, we tend to forget our pathetic beginning. The human being went about his life and forgot about Allah and his creation altogether. 

خُلِقَ مِن مَّاءٍ دَافِقٍ
How small a thing. 
Allah kept His Name secret that Allah created Him. Allah uses the passive form to say "what he (human) was created from". This shows Allah is displeased, that Allah does not place His Name next to the human. Allah is angry over our forgetfullness. It is not expected from the human that he will remember who created him. So at least see what you can see. Where did you come out from? This requires careful insight. 
دَافِقٍ pushes and breaks through, gushes out all at the same time. It comes out with force, that it cannot be stopped. It is never still. 

يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ 
الصُّلْبِ - something hard, the spine. The lions (their lineage). 
التَّرَائِبِ - the chest bone. 
The journey of the water beings from the spine and chest bone. This is where semen develops at. 
Illustrates the powerlessness of the human being. Its such a mystery of where all this happens. We don't know what is happening iside of us, or outside of us, billions of light years away in space. 

إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ
This return is of course is bringing the human being after death. The fluid goes into the woman (dead, pathetic) and what comes out of her is a a human being (something fully formed, alive and profound). So the womb of the earth will return the human being after he is dead. People go far as to say that the birth is miraculous but they won't go so far as to take the next step. 

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ
Sareera - a very well guarded secret, protected (sirr is just a secret).But on Day of Judgment, they will become open information, open access to all. The nation that commits genocide, buries all the evidence. They bar the journalists from entering the sites. They massacre at night. They want it all to be a secret so as not to expose their crime and defame themselves. But the stars are fully a witness, and the angels are a witness. To their secret plans and the actual execution of those plans. 

فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
If you cannot hide the secret, you help someone else to cover it. So they will not have no power to help themselves or get someone else to cover their tracks.

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
The sky has a feature that returns like rain, comes over and over again. It penetrates the earth, becomes part of the the lakes, it returns and comes down again. Radiation comes from outerspace, and it gets sent back from the sky (the rays bounce back). 

وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ
The earth is impregnated with the fluid from the sky and the earth continues to deliver. There is a parallel in the earth and our creation. 

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
There are three types of reaction of rain on the earth. The earth takes the water in and produces from it, vegetation through which people benefit. The earth does not take water inside but collects it over itself over it so that others can drink from it (lakes and streams). The earth does take the water in or collect it. It remains dry and useless. The Qur'an also has an affect on people as the rain affects the earth. They benefit from it, benefits others from it, and still others take no benefit what so ever. It changes nothing in them or around them, through. The Qur'an separates the fertile people from the stale. 
The Qur'an is a decisive word, we should make decisions by it. 

وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ
Speech that is weak. It may be entertaining and addictive but nothing good come out of it. It is useless
Mahzool refers to a person who is weak and skinny. He is not productive. 
So don't let the Qur'an be just a passing source of information. It should not be an intellectual exercise. You think its all good without believing it. You know it but you are disconnected from it. Its taken as something casual but not practical for the personal self. 

إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا
Allah informs the Prophet (s.a.w) that indeed the plotting is taking place. Allah response, and comes to avenge the believers. 
There are various groups and they are making their own plots. All the disbelievers are not united, they are diversified, they are even against each other throats. So they have their own agendas. 

وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
They put a lot of effort in making their plan. Allah's plan is effortless. All Allah has to say is kun. They have multiple plans and Allah has one plan that will take care of all of them. He has a single strategy that will undo all that they are planning. 
    
فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا
Allah is talking about the kuffar to the Prophet (s.a.w). Allah is turned away from them, to make them feel ignored, disregarded. This illustrates Allah's anger. They mock, persecute, exile the Muslims but Allah is still in power. So Allah is saying, let it go, let is slide. Don't worry about it at all. Just give them a little bit more time. Allah's plans are already designed. Just wait a little more. Its a consolation for us and threat for them. 

Heart Hurts

You know that awful sensation of indigestion, when you have been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you have swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable? It feels like something is squeezing your wind wipe, causing a stabbing ache in your aorta and breast bone as if someone is standing on your chest, puncturing your heart and spine. Your jaws feel heavy, your stomach nauseated? It sounds like a heart attack but its an  really emotional pain of sorts. 

InshaAllah your affliction is not from a physical injury, you are not fatally ill. It is only emotional sickness over a series of events but it feels like this agonizing convulsion will strain and explode your heart. You are hurt from the wounds of betrayal and the torment of being misunderstood. For sure your misery is unjust and unbearable. 

You have cried enough times in silence then tried to make others see your point of view in anger and later frustration. But you know your pain will never subside for as long as your critics and oppressors walk freely to offend you again and again; as long as your loved ones do not empathize or as long as you do not get your revenge. 

Sound familiar? 

I feel bitter and depressed over my grievances from time to time as well. We may not let go

of the hurt for a long while, which is fair right? I mean, why should I forgive and move on when someone has made me suffer so much? You are right, it is not fair but by continuing to be sad you are inevitably increasing your pain and suffering. 
Foremost, you are allowing Shaytan to control your life. Jealous competitions and hostile relations are the provocation of Shaytan. He aggravates the believers against each other with feelings of animosity. I am not saying that you are wrong in loathing the Masjid administration or resenting certain family members for being obnoxious and absurd. But constantly reacting with malice and being peevish about everything is from Shaytan. This is why the Prophet (s.a.w) said that the inner struggle to purify our hearts is, "the Greater Jihad" because it involves fighting the whispers and temptations of Shaytan, the hardest enemy. Secondly, the negative energy of our rancour and virulence damages relations with our loved ones.  It tears them apart to see us all bruised and malevolent. They expect calmness and good will from us but we only show them our temper and irritation. We rob them of happiness and peace with our tantrums and conflicts. Our spouses, parents and friends deserve our pleasant company and good rapport.  But we push them away from us by being blue and sullen all the time. Thirdly, I am sure you do not like being bummed out, feeling sorry for yourself and antagonized.  It takes a toll on you and you would rather do something else with your heart and your life. So for the sake of ending Shaytan's influence over us, for the sake of saving our relations, and becoming a better person, we need to mend our hearts. 

How?

Step 1. How to deal with critics? 
There will always be people in your life who have nothing good to say about you. Its their nature to pry in your personal matters. They are impertinent and impolite but what are you going to do? Do not take them seriously. They are meddlesome by force of habit. If I were you, I would feel sorry for them. The Prophet (s.a.w) said that, “Whoever suffers an injury and forgives (the person responsible), Allah will raise his status to a higher degree and remove one of his sins.” (Al-Tirmidhi).





Step 2. How to deal with oppressors? 
Do not allow the feeling of sadness, isolation or hopelessness overtake you. Do not resort to physical violence and corroding hatred. The Prophet (s.a.w) said that: “Allah had ordered me to maintain ties with those who sever ties with me, and to give to those who deprive me, and to forgive those who oppress me.” I know you wish you could shout at your arrogant siblings, ungenerous parents, reviling in-laws or pretentious cousins and God knows how many other brazen people but we know that our religion does not approve this etiquette. The Prophet (s.a.w) “...was not indecent, he was not obscene, he would not shout in the markets, and he would not respond to an evil deed with an evil deed, but rather he would pardon and overlook.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness, Number 2016, Sahih)

It is never a win-win situation if you make your relationship with someone "you do it, I do it back" kind of thing. It is natural to feel controlled and oppressed if someone tells you what to do all the time and does not let your make your own decisions. 
First, give them the benefit of doubt, maybe they do not even know they are being restrictive. Consider negotiating: state your arguments in a logical fashion and try talking to them about it. Even if they turn you down, take it as an opportunity for round two and try again. However, if you are in a position where you can absolutely not risk speaking about the issue then be patient but with a clean heart. I know that substitution of desires sucks because it is not just something that someone is not letting you have but it is something that has special meaning for you. Maybe you can take your mind off it or  placate yourself with something else meaningful? When I cannot have what I want, I find an alternative that will make me happy. Second, it is crucial to not to become cynical. Cynicism will only hurt you and make you contemptuous. There was a time when I also despised a lot of people who oppressed me. I hated myself for not being able to confront them. I scorned them in my heart and lived in a lot of pain until I decided to let it go.  

Step 3. How to deal with your hurt?
If things are not working out the way you want, it is probably because Allah does not want those things for you. If you have sweat and cried over changing your circumstances but could not then maybe Allah  does want to change your situation. Antipathy is not the answer, acceptance is. There was a man during the time of Prophet (s.a.w) who used to forgive all the people who hurt him that day each night before going to sleep. The Prophet (s.a.w) said this man is from the men of Jannah. What do you learn from this man? It is inevitable to get hurt. Intentionally, or unknowingly, someone will walk over you, treat you like a doorknob, break your heart, ruin your aspirations, make you feel useless and repulsed almost everyday. It could be the same person each day or many people at a time. It is a fact of life. The only way you can cope with this is by not taking any nonsense too seriously. Do not let it affect you, let it bounce off of you. InshaAllah, Allah will reward you with Jannah because you were patient and did not keep a grudge. 

Step 4. How to not keep a grudge?
How do you know that you are not keeping a grudge? If you are merciful to the one who has hurt you then you are no longer letting their oppression and criticism affect you negatively. By showing mercy to them, you have proven that you have risen above dissension, the petty conflicts are beneath you. They are not for the people of your harmonious and constructive caliber. You are worth more than the problems people create, you command comfort and friendliness. You deserve better than selfish treatment so you will not heed their oppression and criticism. 
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet (s.a.w) was merciful; and no one would come to him in

need except that he would promise to help him and he would give him something if he had it. On one occasion the call to prayer had been given when a desert Arab came and he took hold of his shirt and he said, “I am still not satisfied!” The Arab had alarmed the Prophet’s wives but the Prophet went with him until the man received what he wanted; then he returned and prayed. (Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Number 278, Hasan) Notice how the Prophet (s.a.w) did not allow the Bedouin to continue behaving rudely with him. He (s.a.w) did not put up a fight with him for being irrational rather, he (s.a.w) cooperated with the Bedouin so he could leave. Even though it cost him (s.a.w) a delay in his Salah, which is sometimes the case, critics and oppressors waste a lot of our time. Nevertheless, if we quickly satisfy them without arguing in return or feeling disarrayed, we can move on with our tasks and lives with ease inshaAllah. 

Step 5. How to forgive?

This is a hard one, I admit. How do you absolve someone of guilt of the wrong they have done to you? How do you cancel all liability off of them for their hurtful criticism? How do you remit their oppression and give up all claim to any compensation just like that? Indeed, it is very hard. 

First, I strongly believe that we are partially responsible for the good and bad that happens to us in our lives. Say you were very rich at some point in your life and now you are poor. You were a social butterfly but you are feeling alone lately. You were healthy only suddenly to watch your body deteriorate. What happened? Did someone steal your money or your opportunities? Did someone steal your friends? Did someone demotivate you to stop caring? We blame our family or friends. They are at fault for failing our fiances and social circle? I think what we have or what we loose is from Allah. No one can steal Allah's blessings from us and we cannot acquire what Allah does not want us to have.  

وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ  

"And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much."  (42:30) 

From this verse we can stipulate that if there was no barakah in your salary then it may be because you are spending your earning on something haram or not spending your money to fulfill your obligations. For instance, Allah clearly states in Surah al Baqarah that He destroys all transactions based on interest and that He multiplies trade and blesses charity. This means that a person may go from being rich to poor if she is involved with interest.  Similarly, if you lost your job or your friends are not returning your phone calls and hanging out without you then maybe this is the retribution of a sin or negligence of ibadaah. Like according to the meaning of one hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w) said two people who are friends do not become distant and unconcerned with each other unless one of them commits a sin. The sin removes the fondness which Allah created between them out of His mercy. The gist of another prophetic hadith (s.a.w) is that a person comes close to Allah through performing obligatory ibadaah then draws even nearer by practicing voluntary acts of worship until Allah loves her in return and moves the people to adore her and treat her affectionately. It is implied here that a person can go from being popular, enjoying a good reputation to being completely forgotten, misunderstood and even disdained is because of disobedience to Allah or Allah of genuine effort to come close to Allah. So before we feel we are unduly criticized or oppressed, let us see if we have upset Allah to provoke our misery as a warning to renew our commitments and thereby relationship with Allah. We do not need to forgive anyone as much as we need to get ourselves forgiven by Allah first. 

Second, I strongly believe every phase of our life is a test from Allah. As kids, we were criticized by our parents. Why can't you get better grades? Why can't you be more like so-and-so? Why is your room so messy? Why do you wake up so late? You should do this! You should not do that! Why are you so thin? Why don't you loose some weight? An average Muslim in North America is probably nagged for 20 years on average by their parents on anything and everything. Simultaneously affecting us is the sibling rivalry. The brothers always get more time out of the house, less chores inside the house. They get their driving licence, they go on their first vacation alone, they start working and move out all before the sisters. The sisters get more gift money from parents to shop, they have to worry less about grades or degree. They get free rides everywhere, they do not have to take the bus. They get their own cellphones, TV and laptop in their rooms all before the brothers. Whether you grew up as a son or a daughter, at some point you definitely felt oppressed. Your parents gave all your rights to your brother/sister. Your siblings encroached upon what really belonged to you. Then you get married and the criticism is now pelted by your in-laws. They don't like the way you dress, the way you cook. They think you do not know anything or they are annoyed that you act like a know-it-all. They find you too rude or too quiet. Regardless to what you do, you cannot satisfy everyone all the time. At the same time, you feel your spouse is somethings oppressing you: husband thinks he does not get any space, the wife feels he is not giving her enough time. She is spending all the money, he is not able to save anything for the future. She is initiating all the date nights, he does not care for intimacy. If you have lived through some of these phases then you probably had wanted to pull your hair out or smash your head in the wall. This is not necessary if you reflect upon the following verses, 

 وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا

And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others - will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing. [25:20]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ وَأَوْلَادِكُمْ عَدُوًّا لَّكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ  غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ 

إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them. But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward. [64:14-15]

Allah says people are a fitnah; their appraisal and abuse is from Allah's Hand. He tests us through their criticism and oppression. So no need to snap at something which is ordained by Allah or hurt yourself. No one is out to get you, no one hates you, you are not a bad person and your life does not suck. Don't overreact. Your life is perfectly stable and in Allah's control. Simply be patient, pardon and move on. Allah is Watching and offering a great reward for this fitnah. Now thats a steal deal! 
The world is a glamourous place, with countless attractions, temptations and activities. But it is a prison for the believers because we cannot have it all. Sometimes our own abilities and at other times people will chide your efforts or coerce your potential  We can either fuss and fret or forgive and continue going forward accepting the bullying and despotism as Allah's test for which is a great reward in a better place. There is nothing that you can have in this dunya on your own, by way of fighting your critics and oppressors which would compare to Allah's great reward in Jannah. The best option here is to not keep a grudge and continue dealing others with mercy in hopes that Allah will See and Appreciate our resilience with Jannah inshaAllah. 

Fried Brain

First, blanch the brain in boiling water and drain well. Then season with salt and pepper, roll through flour and fry up in salted butter until golden brown. Next, top with sautéed garlic, parsley with a squeeze of lemon. Finally, serve the brain along side creamy potatoes. Voila! Bon appetit! 

KIDDING! EWW! 

I meant my brain is fried from all the stress about exams and final essays. 

How many exams do I have this week? ONE. How many essays do I have this week? One. Simple enough?

How many pdf internet browsers am I reading to study for my exams and write my essay? SIXTEEN!

I am also chatting online with my friend who is getting married, checking texts messages from my husband and maybe keeping half an eye on my brother who is playing a video game. 

If this is not multitasking to an maniacal extent then I don't know what this is. My brain cannot take this onslaught. It feels all foggy. I am lying to myself that I can simultaneously process all this information. It is flummoxing enough look from to plough trough all the material, I don't even know if I am going to remember all this stuff. Technology has its perks but it really scatters and stresses your mind. Every time something pops up or beeps, its extremely hard not to get distracted and really exhausting and depressing to constantly shift your attention from one thing to another. It feels like I are not getting anything done for hours. 

Do you think I need a walk?

Yea I need a walk.