BISMILLAH IR-RAHMAN IR- RAHIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH MOST BENEFICENT, MOST MERCIFUL

Tonight’s taraweeh consists of the whole of Qâla Alam and quarter of Iqtaraba. The Surahs covered are quarter of Kahf (The Cave), Maryam (Mary), Tâhâ (Mystic Letters T.H.), and half of Al-Ambiyâ’ (The Prophets). Surah Kahf: Mûsâ (AS) remained in search of Knowledge. He met a wise man who was prepared to teach him on condition that he was patient and asked no questions. While traveling together in a boat with some others, the wise man damaged the boat; thus making it unserviceable. Mûsâ (AS) impatiently remarked that this was unwise. The wise man asked him to remain silent. Next they met a man whom this wise man killed. Mûsâ (AS) reacted in the same manner and the wise man threatened to part company with him. Thereafter they reached a house whose wall was crooked. The wise man straightened it. Mûsâ (A.S). remarked: “Surely you could have taken a reward for the favour”. The wise man now felt that he should part company with Mûsâ (AS), but before doing so he explained his three actions. He had damaged the boat because, “ a certain King captured every boat by force”. The owner could repair it once the danger past. Then, the boy was killed “because his parents were true Believers”. It was feared that “he would give them sorrow by stubbornly defying his parents’ wishes and by being ungrateful”. The wall belonged to two young orphans whose treasure was buried under it. Allah (SWT) wanted them to have the treasure ‘’as a mercy” from Him. The lesson to be learnt is that if Mûsâ (AS), despite being a Prophet, needed guidance and patience to learn then an ordinary person would need even more guidance and humility for this purpose because our knowledge is limited. Use power to serve Allah (SWT), as Dhu l-qarnain did: He had a very large empire wherein he punished the guilty and rewarded the good: he protected the weak from the lawless. He always valued Faith, and relied on Allah (SWT)’s Guidance. This story teaches us to serve Allah (SWT) and His Creation.


Surah Maryam: Here stories of individual Messengers are given in their relations with their environment. Zakariya (AS) wanted a son to spread Allah (SWT)’s message among his wicked people, and Yahyâ (AS) was given to him. Maryam was unlawfully accused of having enjoyed sexual relations outside marriage by her people, but ‘Isâ (AS) cleared her name by miraculously proclaiming in infancy that he was chosen as a prophet by Allah. He further told them that Allah required him to be kind to her all his life. Ibrâhîm (AS) was ill-treated by his people, including his father, but he prayed for his father’s well-being, withdrew from them and was blessed. Mûsâ (AS) was helped by his brother Hârûn (AS). Ismâ’îl (AS) was brought up by his family in piety. Idrîs (AS) was truthful, so he was raised to a high position in life. These Messengers showed the way; therefore follow them. Do not disbelieve in the Hereafter, nor have false ideas about Allah (SWT) like the Christians who believe ‘Isâ (AS) as “God’s Son”. Surah Tâ Hâ: This is the Surah which influenced ‘Umar (RA) to such an extent that the reading of just a portion of it (by him) was the cause of his historic conversion to Islam. This conversion occurred about seven years before the Hijra. The Qur’ân has not been revealed “to distress you but only as a reminder to those who fear Allah (SWT)”. Then we are told of how Mûsâ (AS) was chosen as an Apostle. While sitting with his family he saw a fire. He hastened towards it to gather some burning wood or to “find some guidance”. When he came near a voice called out his name, and told him to take off his shoes because he was in the “holy valley of Tuwâ”. The voice was Allah (SWT)’s and it told him that he had been chosen to preach the Truth to the boastful Pharaoh. He was taught two miracles by Allah (SWT): (1) By dropping his rod it turned into a snake with Allah (SWT)’s Permission. By grabbing the snake it turned into a rod once more. (2) By pressing his hand close to his side it shone with Divine Light. Mûsâ (AS) asked Allah (SWT) to strengthen him by obtaining the aid of his brother Hârûn (AS) and to give him (i.e. Mûsâ [AS]) success in his preaching.

The prayer was accepted. Mûsâ (AS)’s early history is given. His mother was directed to cast him (when he was a baby) into the river. Under Allah (SWT)’s supervision it floated up to near Pharaoh’s house, in order that Mûsâ (AS) might later show Pharaoh the Right Path. In his youth, Mûsâ (AS) slew a wrongful man and escaped to Madian. It is here that he received Prophethood. Pharaoh, out of sheer pride, refused to heed Allah (SWT)’s Prophet. In fact, Pharaoh ordered his people to assemble at a place where they could witness what was better – the magicians’ magic or Mûsâ (AS)’s miracle. The miracle won. Mûsâ (AS) led his people out of Egypt to rescue them from Pharaoh’s cruelty. But these people were ungrateful to Allah (SWT) and began worshipping a calf. Mûsâ (AS) destroyed this idol and cursed the evil instigator (Sâmirî). On the Day of Judgment, the evil will be punished. Remember how Satan caused Adam (AS)’s fall. Shun evil. Pray to Allah (SWT), be pure and patient. Good will triumph eventually. Sûrah Ambiya’: This Sûrah deals with the obstacles placed by Evil against purification of the soul. But Allah (SWT) will always defend the Believers. People always treat the serious things of life with pride or mockery but Allah (SWT)’s Judgment will decide the issue. Truth must triumph. Study Allah (SWT)’s Creation and you will see harmony and unity in it. “Every soul shall have a taste of death” and on the Day of Judgment He will “set up scales of justice, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least”.

 

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