THE WORD OF GOD
From The Scriptures
The Quran is the book of God. It has been preserved in its entirety since its revelation to the Prophet of Islam between CE 610 and 632. It is a book that brings glad tidings to humankind, along with divine admonition, and stresses the importance of man’s discovery of the Truth on a spiritual and intellectual level.
Translated from Arabic and commentary by
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan<
When He shall gather you all for the Day of Gathering, that will be the Day of loss and gain; and whoever believes in God and does good deeds shall be forgiven their sins and admitted to Gardens through which rivers flow, where they shall dwell forever. That is the supreme triumph. But those who denied the truth and rejected Our signs shall be the inmates of the Fire, there to remain—what an evil destination! No affliction can befall man but by God’s permission—He guides the hearts of those who believe in Him: God has knowledge of all things— obey God and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away, remember that Our Messenger is only responsible for clearly conveying the message. God! There is no god but He, so let the faithful put their trust in Him. (64:9-13)
People take the world to be a place of winning or losing. One who is successful here becomes very happy, but one who meets with failure is looked upon with contempt. In this world, however, success is as valueless as failure is. The place of true success or failure is the Hereafter. One is a failure if he fails in the Hereafter and successful if he is successful in the Hereafter, and the criterion of success or failure there is entirely different from that of this world, where it is based on outward materialism: success or failure in the Hereafter will be on the basis of Divine moral values. At that time, people will be surprised to see that the whole complexion of things has completely changed. Gaining, which was considered as such will actually turn out to be losing, while what was considered as losing will turn out to be gaining in the real sense. Failure on that Day is real failure and success on that Day will be real success.
No trouble arrives of its own accord. Every tribulation comes from God, and it afflicts man so that, through it, he should receive guidance. Trouble softens a man’s heart and jolts him out of his moral slumber. Trouble prods and sharpens a man’s mind. If he refrains from negative reaction, then trouble will become the best divine instruction for him.
Believers! [Even] among your spouses and your children you have enemies: so beware of them. But if you overlook their offences and forgive and pardon them, then surely, God is most forgiving and merciful. Your wealth and your children are only a trial; God’s reward is great: so be mindful of God as best as you can; and listen, and obey; and spend in charity: it is for your own good. Those who guard themselves against their own greed will surely prosper: if you give a good loan to God, He will multiply it for you and forgive you, for God is appreciative and forbearing; God is the Knower of the unseen and the seen: He is the Almighty, the Wise One. (64:14-18)
Man has the utmost attachment for his children. He may talk of principles on every other subject, but where his children are concerned, he becomes unprincipled. That is why it is mentioned in a teaching of the Prophet Muhammad that children cause their parents to be timid and miserly. In another teaching it is mentioned that on the Day of Judgement a man will be brought before God, and it will be said of him that his wife and children ate away all his virtues.
Man, for the sake of his children, does not spend for the divine cause, though the truth is that if he spends for the sake of God, he will be recompensed by Him many times over.
Islam wants both the Man and
the Woman to acknowledge
natural realities and to keep
their eyes on responsibilities
rather than rights.