Man of Two Gardens

The idea of wanting your children to be successful is common in all religions and cultures. We define that success in specific ways e.g. having a stable career, a personal house, assets etc. Families often compete with each other and compare their children all the time. Success is not measured with your own personal record but it is constantly being compared with others success. This is even common in siblings.

This passage is about two muslim men who were neighbours, and one of them had plenty of assets and Allah described them in detail. Allah did not describe the assets of the other person because he didn't have much to be considered worth mentioning. Allah records the conversation that goes on between these two. The first man says that he has gardens of grapevines and it's fortified with palm trees for protection. In between the two of them, he also had farmland. Farming is very stressful because one has to work all the year and he only gets his return at the time of harvest(if it is not damaged by weather, pests, flooding etc). Then Allah says nothing was missing in his farm, and it produced all kinds of plants. So he also had the best produce. He didn't even need irrigation because a river naturally flowed between his gardens.

Allah emphasises that He gave him all of that but he takes credit for his success. The wealthy man said to him while they were having a regular conversation: I have more wealth than you and I also have a lot of manpower. We have a habit of rubbing our wealth in each other's faces just to show our status, and we casually slip it in. We even compete at weddings. This sets unrealistic and unbeatable standards for those who are not as blessed.

He was mean towards his neighbour in this conversation but Allah says that he was unjust to himself. So, this shows that he was only harming his own self. Then he goes back to his garden, feeling proud, and he thinks that it will not perish ever. He does not even want to think that there is an end to it and there is an afterlife. But even if he thinks about an afterlife, he thinks his wealth is a measure of his success and Allah's pleasure. So he believes Allah will give him even more in akhirah. BUT Allah clearly says that wealth is not a measure of Allah's happiness, rather it is a test from Allah.

At this point, the 2nd person talked to him because he felt this person was becoming weak in faith. He did not respond to him when the 1st man insulted him, but rather he decided to advise him when things were going out of hand. So when they were having another conversation, he slipped the naseeha in. He tries to remind him that we were created from dust and a sperm drop and Allah proportioned us! He goes on to say that I DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANYONE WITH MY LORD. Basically he was doing naseeha to him but he didn't target him directly. When you entered the garden, why didn't you say maa shah Allah that it is from the will of Allah and there is no power other than Allah. He gives to whoever he wills. This is not something we say verbally but we should have the conviction in our heart that everything is from Allah. It may be that Allah gives me something better or the garden is destroyed or the river sinks in, so he was trying to remind him that everything is temporary.

His entire farm was surrounded by the punishment of Allah and he was just left standing there, helpless. The sticks/palm trees he used to protect his garden actually collapsed on the garden, so the garden was destroyed because of wind. He regrets his shirk and reliance on himself and then turns back to Allah. We should turn to Allah before we are given a hard lesson like this man was given.

STORY NIGHT: Forging a Hero - Epic Beginnings of Musa (AS)

Understanding something is not the same as appreciating it. You may be forced to understand something without appreciating it. e.g. a child may understand mathematics without appreciating or liking it. This session will be about appreciating the Qur'an's storytelling.

Sahih International: Ta, Seen, Meem.

Sahih International: These are the verses of the clear Book.

Sahih International: We recite to you from the news of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for a people who believe.

HAQ means that Allah will tell the story accurately, and it means He will tell it purposefully. Allah's stories are not for entertainment, but they carry profound lessons. This is for people who want to  believe and strengthen their imaan. Allah gives a disclaimer of the story before beginning.

Sahih International: Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.

Firaun used to rule in Egypt, and he used to walk on the earth (alaa fil ardh) -> This expression means that he walked on Earth with such arrogance and ruab that people used to get nervous around him. (the way people would get scared of a big guy). He broke his population into groups and factions to divide them. He wanted them to never unite and be strong to stand against him. His nation exhausted their energy fighting each other.

He enslaved his population so the people under him hated him and wanted to be rid of him. Firuan's palace was at one edge of the river, and further up the river their was the main city and at the other end, the Bani Israel used to live in the ghettos. He made checkpoints at various places to watch over his people. He forced people to work in cities and palace and go back to ghettos. They could never escape because of the checkpoints, and because the river led to the palace. Firaun was cruel to the slave workers and he harassed them. Firaun feared that the youth among the population might stir a revolution so Firaun wanted to oppress them. He needed some young men as workers but too many could be dangerous. Firaun also saw a dream that one of the boys will rise against him.

He picked a group from among them, the Bani Israel, and slaughtered their sons and leave females behind. The families of Bani Israel were so weak that they could not even stand up for their children to protect them. So Firaun caused great corruption in the kingdom.

Sahih International: And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors

Sahih International: And establish them in the land and show Pharaoh and [his minister] Haman and their soldiers through them that which they had feared.

Now Allah alludes that these weak people will be made leaders and they will become inheritors. This points to the fact that Firaun will die and they will take over his kingdom. But remember that these people have absolutely zero experience of governance, so they are not likely to do a good job at governance. That is why Allah emphasises that Allah will stabilise them! He says we want to show Firaun and his General Haman and the military what they were afraid of from these people. So deep down, they were afraid of the slaves although they were mightier and had authority over them. Why were they afraid? Because they knew they were doing injustice so if their population decided to rise against them, they wouldn't leave them. So, he also killed people out of fear.

QASSA also means to take a step in Arabic. The end of the story does not make it interesting. What matters is how the story gets to that point. Movies often begin from the last scene to arouse interest.

Sahih International: And We inspired to the mother of Moses, "Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers."

We revealed to Musa's mother to suckle him. This is almost like an anticlimax because it appears disconnected with the first part. Musa AS mother wanted to put her baby to sleep so that the soldiers will not find out about her son. Allah revealed to the mother to suckle him so that he stops crying, and soldiers don't notice him. Our minds can shut down in such stressful situations and the mother was very afraid, but Allah guided her.

A mother's protective instinct is very strong so it was the hardest thing for Musa AS mother to throw him into the river in a basket. Anything could have happened to him and he could have drowned. Allah gave her the strength and she relied on Allah and threw Musa AS into the water. Allah says that  we will return him to you and we will make him one of the messengers, or it could mean we will deliver him.

Musa AS first detailed account is mentioned in Surah 20, in which mount of Tur and conversation of Allah is mentioned. The 2nd mention is in Surah 26 in which a recap of mount of Tur is given and followed by the conversation with Firaun. Surah 28 is like a prequel to everything.

Sahih International: And the family of Pharaoh picked him up [out of the river] so that he would become to them an enemy and a [cause of] grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers were deliberate sinners.

The soldiers spot the baby and recognise that he is from the israelites as their ethnicity is different from the Egyptians. The Queen saw him and immediately developed a soft corner with him. Allah says he would become enemy and a source of grief.

Sometimes racism is in the mind of people and not a law. This class system also exists in our own countries, and we look down upon people who are of a lower status. Remember, unless we think we are equal we are not the children of Adam. We are created equal irrespective of our race and class.

The army hated Musa AS because he was from an inferior race and they had to bow down to him and respect him, and also because Musa AS bypassed all the military security to reach the palace of firaun as baby.

Sahih International: And the wife of Pharaoh said, "[He will be] a comfort of the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they perceived not.

Asiya went to Firaun and said, I cannot take my eyes off him OR it could mean He is the coolness of my eyes and he takes my sadness away. Then she says and for you too.  Firaun's heart melts for the kid because Allah put a special love in his heart. She says to Firaun maybe he will benefit us as a slave, or we can adopt him. She went on and on gradually when she saw his softness.  Hence, Musa AS was raised by the king he was supposed to kill.

Sahih International: And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.

The mother of Musa AS became emotionally paralysed and her heart became empty because of grief and worry, and she was also going to gave it away, by running after him or crying. 

Sahih International: And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not.

She asked her daughter to follow him. She didn't have to give detailed instructions to her daughter but her daughter was smart enough to know what to do. She watched him from a distance without giving it away. Then when Musa AS reached Firaun's castle, she couldn't go any further so she just waited outside to catch some more news.

Sahih International: And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before, so she said, "Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?"

Sahih International: So We restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of the people do not know.

Asiya AS wanted to feed Musa AS as he was crying but he would not drink from any of the women in the castle. Then she sent women to look for someone who could feed him, and then Musa AS's sister guided those women and said she knows a family who his good with children. She did not show that it was her own family. 

Musa AS had already suckled from his mother so Allah had made all other milks haram on him, just so he could be returned to his mother. Musa AS's mother was brought to the palace and Musa AS finally begin to suckle from her. 

This shows that Allah's plans are often different from our plans and then often do not make any apparent sense. It would be considered madness to throw your child in the river. But we have to trust Allah and His plan and ALSO MAKE EFFORT. Musa AS's mother make an effort by sending her daughter after him and she didn't just expect the baby to come back on his own. In life, we need to put in our best effort and then wait for Allah's help.

Sahih International: And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.

Allah fast forwards to when Musa AS became a young adult. (This is another technique we use in films e.g. in Lion king, Simba has a similar story). He was a muscular young man, was officially a prince, and had a high status. All of these things could have made him go astray, but Allah emphasises that he was mature and Allah blessed him with wisdom/judgement and knowledge. Allah mentions wisdom/ hikmah first because it is actually more important than knowledge and information.

Sahih International: And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and [unintentionally] killed him. [Moses] said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."

Musa AS wants to help his people, but he isn't allowed to help them because he is a prince. So he goes undercover and helps them at the hottest time of the day (when the soldiers are not around because of the heat). So Musa AS utilised his time to help people, instead of wasting it in luxuries.
One day, when he went out, he saw two people fighting with each other. One was an israelite and the other was an enemy i.e. an Egyptian.  So Musa AS was called for help. Istigaasa means to call for rain, so it seems Musa AS was so well built and strong that his help was like rain coming from above. Musa AS struck him and he unintentionally killed him by punching.

Sahih International: He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Sahih International: He said, "My Lord, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals."

Sahih International: And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."

Sahih International: And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."

Sahih International: And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, "O Moses, indeed the eminent ones are conferring over you [intending] to kill you, so leave [the city]; indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors."

Sahih International: So he left it, fearful and anticipating [apprehension]. He said, "My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people."

He said this is the work of Shaytaan. His intention was good but still he said that, because rushing to judgement and taking action is from the work of Shaytaan. He sprung into action without fully understanding the situation. It turns out actually that the person from the Israelites was actually the now who had committed injustice. The person Musa AS had killed was on haqq. Then he immediately sought forgiveness from Allah. This shows that he took responsibility for his actions and did not blame everything entirely on Shaytaan. Shaytan merely whispers but it is us who act upon that waswasa.

Allah says he forgave him. Musa AS was not a nabi yet. Whoever among us who has done some wrong and thinks it is too big a sin for Allah to forgive, we should remember this ayah which assures that Allah forgives it if we sincerely repent. ghafara means to cover.

Once again Musa AS was walking in the city and he was very disturbed about his mistake. Suddenly, the same man called him for help. Musa AS refused to help as he realised he was a criminal. Then he thought to himself, that yesterday he acted too quickly and today he refused to act. These are two extremes. He showed the intention of moving towards them to grab the person so that the Egyptian does not kill him. The Israelite thought that Musa AS might be coming to harm him because of what he did yesterday, because he had the mind of a criminal. He said aloud to threaten Musa AS, do you want to kill me like you killed the person yesterday? You just want to be a bully and tyrant, killing people. He went into hiding and the Egyptian people were looking for him to punish him. They already hated Musa AS so they decided to kill him. If they had taken Musa AS to court, Firaun would have protected him. So they decide to take matter in their own hands.

One of the police chiefs was a friend of Musa AS so he finds Musa AS, and he tells him to run away to protect himself. Musa AS ran away and asked Allah to protect him from the zaalimeen

Sahih International: And when he directed himself toward Madyan, he said, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the sound way.".

Sahih International: And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women driving back [their flocks]. He said, "What is your circumstance?" They said, "We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and our father is an old man."

Sahih International: So he watered [their flocks] for them; then he went back to the shade and said, "My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need."

Sahih International: Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people."

Sahih International: One of the women said, "O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy."

Sahih International: He said, "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these, my two daughters, on [the condition] that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be [as a favor] from you. And I do not wish to put you in difficulty. You will find me, if Allah wills, from among the righteous."

Sahih International: [Moses] said, "That is [established] between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete - there is no injustice to me, and Allah , over what we say, is Witness."

When he turned his face towards Madyan which was miles away, he said Allah will guide him to the right direction. So Allah guided him to the right path. Then when he reached the waters of Madyan, and saw a group of people with animals who were drinking from the water. He sees two girls who are trying to drive away their sheep while the sheep are trying to go towards the water.

He goes up to them and asks: what is your circumstance/problem?He doesn't talk unnecessarily.  They also responded in a matter of the fact way. We do not water our sheep until the other shepherds are done, and our father is an old man/or it could mean he is a big/respectable shaykh. This is about women who have to go to work because of a difficult family situation and they have to work in a hostile environment. Musa AS just gathered their sheep and took them down, and handed them back after watering him. He didn't have any other unnecessary interaction. 

Then he made the dua, that I am in desperate need of any good you send on me. This dua has two meanings. Good could mean that grant me opportunities to help others and do good deeds to make up for my mistake. Or, it could mean I am homeless and wanted by people, so please send me any good to help me. 

These daughters came back home early and narrated the story to their father. Their father says that I think we should pay him for his decent help. He trusts his daughter so he send one of his daughter to ask him. He didn't send both of his daughters but he sent one because he trusted their opinion about men. She walked over to him with shyness and said my father invites you so that he can pay you for your work. Musa AS did not do takalluf and he immediately seized the opportunity. He tells the man the whole story. The daughters heard their story and asked their father to hire him. The hidden message was that he is suitable for work and for marriage as he is strong, trustworthy and honest. The father understands him and asks for his hand in marriage. The girl indirectly asked for his hand in marriage. Musa AS was homeless and an illegal immigrant and an Israelite(while Madyan was Arab) but still they asked for his hand in marriage based on his character. 

Musa AS worked for his in laws and lived with them. Moreover, the proposal was decided immediately, without involving the whole extended family. These are all culturally wrong in our society but there is nothing wrong in deen! The father gave him 8 years to allow him to become independent and financially stable, so it was a favour on Musa AS. Musa AS he will complete 8 or 10, depending on the circumstance and there is no injustice on him if he leaves after 8. So, the in laws should not put unnecessary pressure on their son in law.  We also learn that the father should communicate regarding marriage. 

The story of Yusuf and Musa AS have a lot of similarities. Musa AS's Egyptian police chief(a hidden muslim) told Firaun that doesn't Musa remind you of Yusuf? This means these stories are connected.

Qasas begins with a mother showing love to her son. How? By holding and caressing her baby. This love is physical. Mother tries to protect her son by an illogical step: throwing him in the basket. The mother feeds her child physically by giving him milk. The mother loses her child willingly by trusting Allah. The child was in danger of drowning in the river. The mother sent Musa AS's sister to go after him and she had the intention of saving him. The sister came back with a made up story that she knows some family who can feed him. The sister causes the reunion. Musa AS is reunited the same day. Allah knows whether the challenge will be over immediately or it will take years. Musa AS's mother's heart was made tough. Allah told Musa AS's mother: don't be afraid and don't be sad. The mother keeps her hopes alive because she had revelation from Allah. The mother is reunited with  Musa by a government order. The mother is kept as a servant.
Musa AS goes from a river to a high ranking woman. They kept him alive not realising his worth. He ended up in an Egyptian palace as a prince. The wife made the case to keep Musa as a servant or adopt him. He was adopted.The wife pleads for Musa and the husband is the villain. Musa AS was given strength, wisdom and knowledge. Strength plays a pivotal role in his story as it becomes a test for him. Musa AS's test was outdoors. There was only witness who was corrupt.  This test is about murder. Musa AS said the right words after making the mistake.  Musa AS misunderstood the situation and took action. Someone testified to prove Musa AS is guilty. The accusation was true but there was no evidence. He committed a mistake but avoided jail. There were two encounters with the corrupt man. The military were scheming to get Musa AS killed. It was their misguided hate. Musa AS escape is dependent on the fellow police officer. His helper came on his own. Musa AS helped two women using his gift. Musa AS makes dua and expresses his desperation in the tree. He went to the girls for help. Musa AS served through his strength. He remained at service for 8-10 years. Help was not expected by Musa AS but he was helped by the police officer. Musa AS went with the women right away.  Shaykhun kabeer is used for Musa AS 's FIL and for Yusuf AS father. Musa's fear was that his guilt will be established. He revolted against the kingdom. Musa's only helper is his brother.

Yusuf begins with father showing love to her son. His son came and said he saw a dream and the father listened intently to him(reflecting his love). This love is psychological. The father tried to protect him through something logical: don't tell your brother. The logical measure failed because the illogical measure was from Allah and Allah is the best of planners. The father showers compliments on his son and this is how he feeds him. The father loses the child against his will. The child was in danger of drowning in a well. Yusuf AS's brothers asked their father to go with Yusuf with an evil intent. The brothers came back up with a made up story. The brothers caused the separation. The family is reunited years later. Yaqub AS was overwhelmed with grief. He was sad that the sons were taken him and he was afraid the wolf might eat him, so he had fear and sadness. The father keeps his hope alive. The father was reunited with his son by a government order. The parents are placed on the throne.
Yusuf went from a well to a high ranking man. They sold him for a small price not realising his worth. He ended up in an Egyptian palace as a servant. The husband made the case to keep Yusuf as a servant or as adoption.He was kept as a servant. The wife is the villain and is out of her husband's control. When Yusuf AS became a teenager, he was given the ability to interpret different kinds of speech, and wisdom and knowledge. Interpreting speech played a pivotal role in his story. Yusuf AS test was indoors in seclusion. There was only one witness who was corrupt. This test is about zina.  Yusuf AS has the right words to say before falling into temptation. Yusuf AS completely understood the situation. Someone testified to prove Yusuf AS's innocence. The accusation was false and there was the evidence of Yusuf AS's shirt. He committed no crime but was jailed. There were two encounters with the minister's wife. The women were scheming against Yusuf to get him arrested. It was their misguided love. His only hope of escape from prison was the other fellow prisoner who got out of jail. Yusuf AS had to ask him for help. Yusuf AS helped two men using his gift. Yusuf AS expresses how blessed he is in jail. The men in jail came to Yusuf AS for help. Yusuf AS served by doing dawah. He remained in jail for 8-10 years. Help was expected by Yusuf AS but he was let down. Yusuf AS refused to come out of jail until his name is cleared. Yusuf AS wanted to prove his innocence. He ended up serving the kingdom. Yusuf's brother is his helper.

Surah Fatiha - Rediscovering the Fatihah

Hadith Qudsi about Surah Fatihah:

Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu reported: I heard Rasoolullahi sallalahu alaihi wasallam narrating a Hadith Qudsi in which Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala has said, "I have divided Surah Fatihah into two halves between Me and My slave, and my slave will receive what he asks. So, when His slave says Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has praised Me!". 

And when His slave says Arrahmanirraheem (The Compassionate, the Merciful), Allah Subhanahu  Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has extolled Me!" 

And when His slave says Maliki Yaumiddeen (Master of the Day of Judgement), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has glorified Me! (or) entrusted Me!" 

And when His slave says Iyyaka Na'budu was iyyaka nasta'een (You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek for help), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "This is between Me and My slave, so whatever he asks, it will be granted. 

And when His slave says Ihdinas Siratal mustaqeem siraatal ladhina an'amta 'alaihim ghairil maghdhubi 'alaihim wa laddaallin (Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favours and not of those who have incurred Your wrath and nor of those who have gone astray), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says, "This (part of the Surah is exclusively) for My slave and my slave shall receive whatever he has asked for.

[Source: Sahih Muslim]

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
﴿١﴾ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٢﴾ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿٣﴾ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ﴿٤﴾ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴿٥﴾ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ﴿٧﴾ـ

In the name of Allah (God), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All the praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds (universe).

The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Lord of the Day of Judgment.

You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help.

Guide us to the Straight Path.

The path of those You have blessed, not (the path) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.

Fatiha is literally the opener because when we understand Fatiha, we understand faith.

1. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ

HAMD has two meanings:
1. Praise مدح
2. Gratitude شكر

Thanks/gratitude is usually in return of something done for us. e.g. we thank someone who has done a favour for us. Thanks is usually a reaction and acknowledgement.

Praise can be for anything that we find beautiful e.g. If we see a beautiful house, we praise it. Praise can even be fake in order to get some benefits e.g. we praise someone who has authority over us just to avoid getting into trouble or to exploit them for personal benefits.

Sometimes we praise without thanking or thank without praising. Hamd is a combination of praise and gratitude so it is always genuine and sincere. Moreover, Hamd does not have to be a reaction to something, but it is a constant internal feeling.

Why didn't Allah say Madah and Shukar? 
The best kind of speech is that which is brief yet conveys the full meaning. Allah used ONE word hamd instead of using separate words for praise and gratitude. 
Secondly, saying Madah wa shukar would imply that BOTH do not have to be present simultaneously, so WA makes it optional. Hamd necessitates that BOTH have to be present at the same time. 

Alhamdulillah is not a verbal statement. It is an attitude towards life. It means as bad as things might seem, I know there is wisdom in it and I know it will be best for me , and I thank you for it. It forces us to think positively. When we praise and thank Allah in every situation, we stop complaining about things and are forced to think positively. This provides us with the right lens to see and appreciate Allah.

Hamd is a Noun!

1. Nouns do not have a tense while verbs have tenses. Allah used hamd which is a noun so it is constant, permanent and timeless. Verbs are temporary and associated with زمان. Hamd of Allah has always been there and will always be there. It is eternal. 

2.  A verb needs a subject/doer who performs the verb, but noun is not dependent on any doer. Allah did not talk about hamd in a way that it depends on us. This makes us humble because we realise that Allah is independent  غنى of our praise. 

Moreover, Allah did not issue a command to us to praise Him. If Allah had given us a command, the ball would be in our court and the existence of HAMD would depend on our action. Allah merely said praise BELONGS to Allah, even if perform Hamd of Allah or not.

Why didn't Allah say انّ الحمد للّه for emphasis?

In Arabic, there are two kinds of sentences:
1. Jumla Khabriya(informative sentences) e.g. I bought a chair, the program starts after Maghrib etc.
Information could be right or wrong.

2. Jumla inshaiya(emotional sentences/expressive sentences) e.g. Oh man, Oh my God etc.
Emotions cannot be right or wrong. They cannot be refuted.

Alhamdulillah can both be an information (Praise belongs to Allah) or an emotion when we say Alhamdulillah spontaneously as an expression/feeling.
INNA is used ONLY in informative sentences and cannot be used in emotional sentences. If Allah had used Inna, Alhamdulillah would have been limited to Khabriya only. By excluding inna, Alhamdulillah becomes flexible and we can interpret this as Inshaiya or Khabriya.

Why didn't Allah add emphasis by saying lillahil Hamd?

In Arabic, whenever we say a sentence in an unusual way by changing the sequence, it is used for emphasis(e.g. instead of saying I went to school, we say TO school I went). This is just to add emphasis and imply that I went nowhere except school.  


Alhamdulillah= Hamd belongs to Allah
lillahil Hamd= Hamd ONLY belongs to Allah (اختصاص), not to anyone else

Sometimes Allah says lillahil hamd: it means Allah is emphasising that it does not belong to anyone else. This is usually said in a conflict, where people have a disagreement about something. Allah only needs to say lillahil Hamd when people are debating about who Hamd truly belongs to e.g. Allah says lillahil hamd in Surah Jathiya which is about people who are doing Shirk.
Surah Fatihah, in contrast, is not a debate. Surah Fatihah appeals to our fitrah saleema, and this argument doesn't even exist in our pure fitrah. There is no need to emphasise  here as the concept of Hamd belonging to Allah comes naturally to us. Allah introduced hamd to us in such a way that we are already aware of it and we don't need any convincing. 

Why did Allah use Allah instead of any of his other names? 

How do your praise Allah in one word, acknowledging every single one of His attributes? This is only possible by using Allah, as this would automatically include ALL sifaat of Allah. Allah is introducing himself in the Fatiha so instead of using any of His descriptive names, He used his proper name to introduce himself. 

Allah comes before Rabb ul Aalimeen in Fatihah because people have different ideas of rabb in different religions and they might have not appreciated Tawheed by the use of rabb alone. So, Allah negates shirk through the use of "Allah" e.g. In the story of Musa AS, the magicians professed imaan to Allah and said: aamanna bi rabbil alimeen but Firaun also called himself rabb. He thought they are referring to him, so they clarified by saying rabbi harooni wa musaa and THEN it became clear. 

 رَبِّ  

RABB رب is primarily someone who owns something and is in charge of it. It is not necessary for someone to be an owner and in charge of something simultaneously. But, Rabb has both meanings simultaneously. It can be translated as Master.

Rabb is the OWNER (Malik مالك)

Rabb is the one who is in charge and in full control (SAYYID سيّد)

Other meanings of Rabb:

Rabb is someone who ensures the growth and takes care of something (MURABBI مربّى).
Allah not only owns us but He also takes perfect care of us. Allah does Tarbiyyah of the whole Universe i.e. He maintains the growth, progress and development of everything.

Rabb is the one who maintains existence and ensures things stay intact and don't fall apart (QAYYIM قيّم), just like a gardener that maintains/takes care of delicate plants. If Allah stopped taking care of us and the world for even a second, then everything will fall apart.

Rabb is the one who gives gifts and benefits on top of what the other person deserves (MU'NIM منعم). We do not earn or are entitled to everything we receive, but rather Allah blesses us beyond measure. This means that if we received the gift, we should be grateful because we did not deserve it. It also means that if we didn't receive the gift, we have no right to complain as we didn't earn our right to it. 

We fail to appreciate the blessings and gifts we have been given. The whole world and all it contains has no comparison to what Allah has given us. Allah's gifts are priceless and there is no way we can pay for them. e.g. we won't exchange our hands or our legs for even the whole wealth in the world, as it is a priceless gift. 

When we put all of these meanings together, we get the complete meaning of Rabb.

RABB-ABD RELATIONSHIP

There are two partners in every relationship e.g.employee-employer relationship, teacher-student relationship, parent-child relationship etc. Similarly, when Allah calls himself Rabb, it establishes our relationship with Allah as His ABD. We have a RABB ABD relationship with Allah.

We unfortunately have a very negative connotation of slavery in our society. Human beings have an innate desire to be free from authority, and they hate being told what to do. We have a desire to be free. So, if we hear the word "slavery", we want to run miles away from it. We hate being bossed around by teachers, our boss, our parents etc. We like freedom and independence. 

In reality, our worldly concept of "freedom" is a delusion. None of us are truly free. Some of us are enslaved by money, some by culture, some by power, some by peer pressure  some by fashion and so on. If we choose to become slaves of our Creator, it saves us from slavery of the creation. If we submit ourselves to Allah, it frees us from the pressure of our culture, society, people, trends etc. 

ABD IS A SLAVE

Abd is a SLAVE, and not a servant or a worshiper. 

Worship is performed at a certain time and place but slavery is not restricted to a specific time, rather it is a state of being. A slave does exactly what the master wants to do, and whenever he wants him to do it, and salah is merely a practical demonstration of that. Acts of worship are merely supposed to reinforce the fact that we are an abd. But we think that by performing worship, we have fulfilled our duty to Allah so now we can spend the rest of the day however we like. 

Servant is also the incorrect translation as service is usually performed in exchange of something e.g. people work for different organisations with a certain job description in exchange for something. Service is usually voluntary and we can negotiate the terms and conditions. Slavery is usually voluntary. We can only be a true slave if we know what the master wants from us. That is why we ask Allah to guide us to the straight path.

Dimensions of Slavery

According to Ibn Tayyimah, slavery includes the following dimensions:

1. Love
The slavery of Allah is beautiful as Allah is the best master. This slavery is not enforced but it is out of recognition and desire for Allah. To be a slave of Allah, we need to love Allah above and beyond everything else.

2. Obedience
There is no obedience to the creation while disobeying the creator. 

3. Sincerity
Every act and deed should be purely for the sake of Allah. 

4. Tawakkul
We have to develop absolute  tawakkul in Allah that whatever happens has chair in it. If we place our trust in people, we will always be disappointed but if we trust Allah,we will never face disappointment

5. Terms of slavery 
Allah decides the standards and conditions of slavery and we do not negotiate with Allah.

الْعَالَمِينَ

عالم= world
Plural: عوالم= worlds
عالمين= "een" is used to refer to creatures of intellect ذوى العقول  e.g. saaliheen, siddiqeen, saabireen, shakireen, saaiymeen etc. This does not refer to creatures without intellect.

So, a more appropriate translation would be: Rabb of different people/different nations/generations/cultures. Different generations and nations can be referred to as different worlds. e.g. when we visit a different country or converse with someone from a different generation, we say it is an altogether different world. Allah cares about all the different worlds of people, as Allah created all of them. We do Hamd of Allah for being the Rabb of all creation. 

 2. الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

رحم= Womb of the mother. 
In the womb of a mother, the baby doesn't have to worry about anything e.g. food, drink, survival, sleep etc.
Everything is being completely taken care of. The mother is taking care of every need of the child. The child is enveloped in the care and love of the mother. The child is not even capable of fully knowing and appreciating the thousands of ways in which he is being protected and taken care of. Allah loves us more than our mothers, and it is impossible for us to fathom Allah's Rahma entirely. Allah is constantly taking care of us in countless unimaginable ways, but we are just as ignorant as the baby in the womb of the mother. The mother gives unconditional love and care to the child without any return.

الرَّحْمَـٰنِ 
1. مبالغه Extreme,beyond expectations, intense, incredible (Intense love)
2. حدث Something happening immediately (at the moment) i.e. Allah is extremely loving and caring right now
3. It is temporary and can be taken away e.g. عطشان atshaan means extremely thirsty, جوعان Jo'aan means extremely hungry, غضبان Ghazbaan means extremely angry
So, it means we may possibly be disqualified from it because of our actions in this world.

الرَّحِيمِ
1. Permanent and constant
2. It is not necessarily happening right now

Both combined together complete the meaning of rahmah. Al Rahman is intense like the strong tides and waves of the ocean, and Al Raheem is constant like the  ocean.

Al Rahman is mentioned first and Al Raheem is mentioned later. Why? 

Al Rahman means that Allah is completely taking care of our immediate needs. It is only when our immediate needs are satisfied, that we think of our future needs. It is only when our present needs are met, that we are able to think about our future. e.g. if we are really hungry and need food, we don't care if we will get food a week later. We are only concerned about our present. But, when our immediate hunger is satisfied, then our mind goes to tomorrow or the next week.

Al Raheem means that Allah is constantly taking care of us and will continue to take care of us in our future, the way he took care of our immediate needs. 

Ibn Abbas R.A. said: Al Rahman is for everyone in this world and Al Raheem is for the believers in akhirah.
This world is temporary just like Al Rahman and the akhirah is permanent just like Al Raheem.

Allah is our Master but He is not like any other Master. Allah is a unique Master because He is unimaginably loving and caring, and He takes care of all our immediate and future needs. Our Rabb-Abd relationship is that based on love. Everything Allah commands us to do is for our good and it benefits our own selves Apparently, our niyyah is to please Allah but we don't realise that it brings chair to our own selves. Allah merely wants to lighten our burdens and show us the way.

3. مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

After mentioning His mercy, Allah immediately reminds us that He is the Master of the Day of judgement. If we identified Allah only as Rahman Raheem, we would take advantage of it and think that we can get away with everything e.g. Imagine there is master and a slave. The master tells the slave that he can enjoy as much as he wants within a huge designated area, but he shouldn't go beyond the fence. The slave crosses the fence once by mistake and falls to the other side. He comes back and apologises to the master and the master does not punish him. He does it a few times repeatedly but the master doesn't rebuke him. He thinks the master is too lenient and will not hold him accountable for anything. He continues to cross the fence and eventually begins to stay on the other side of the fence. The master just observes him quietly and doesn't say anything so he assumes he has gotten away with it. Then one day the master calls him to account and tells him he was keeping a record of everything, and now he will be punished for his violations.

This example is about our Rabb Abd relationship. If we think Allah is full of rahmah, we can take advantage of it and cross the line, so Allah immediately balances the equation by reminding us of the Day of Judgement. 

مالك vs ملك

Malik has two pronunciations in Surah Fatihah:
MAALIK مالك = owner 
MALIKملك = king

They have different meanings e.g. we say: I own a pen/house, but we don't say we are the king of the pen. 
King is usually used only for ownership of a huge thing e.g. King of a country, a nation. The KING usually only controls the Macro things, but not the Micro, and the OWNER usually takes care of Micro things, but not Macro things. The king doesn't take care of the minor details, but he only takes care of the big things. Allah is the MAALIK and MALIK on the Day of Judgement, so He will be in control of everything on that day, be it little or big. 

Moreover, Allah says Allah is the Owner of the يوم. YAUM refers to day. Human beings do not have the ability to own time. We can own things, but we can never own or control time. Allah is the owner of time, and He can expand and contract it as he wishes. The Day of Judgement will be equal to 50000 years, and it is possible for Allah because Allah OWNS time. So, Allah will own everything on that day, including time.

Why does Allah use دين, instead of Qiyamah?
It comes from دان يدين. It means: to deal with. Allah is the owner of the day of Judgement, on which everything will be dealt with. All records will be set straight. This world is imperfect and unjust. Sometimes, good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. It is not possible to have absolute justice in this world. Allah tells us that everything will be accounted for on that day, and nobody will escape the justice of Allah.

Justice vs. Punishment

Rahmah is positive, punishment is negative. Judgement is in the middle and is entirely neutral. The natural expectation was that Allah would balance His Rahmah with His Punishment. But, Allah chose to mention His justice instead. Allah's punishment is never negative, unfair or based on emotions. Rather, Allah's justice is absolutely fair. We beg Allah for His mercy on Judgement Day and not His justice, because if we get questioned on Judgement day, we will not stand a chance. Nobody will be able to enter Jannah based on his Amal alone, we need Allah's rahmah to qualify for Jannah. 

Some people get their book of deeds in their right hand. Some people will get their book of deeds in their left hand. Even if we have our book in our right hand, we would be extremely nervous on that day, but Allah will make our حساب easy for us and overlook out shortcomings. Allah will give us حسابا يسيرا. The ones who are given their book in their left hands will be hiding their books, and if Allah opens their books, they will be exposed and punished. 

4.  إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

After Allah has introduced Himself through the first 3 ayaat, it is our turn to speak to Allah directly, without any barriers. 

The arrangement of this sentence is flipped so this adds emphasis to it. It means: it is only to you that we willingly give ourselves in slavery and worship.
Some decisions are based on our heart and some decisions are based on intellect. Alhamdulillah is both emotional and intellectual (Inshaiya and Khabriya). While reading the first three ayaat of Surah Fatihah, we are so emotionally shaken and intellectually convinced that we give ourselves to Allah in aboodiyah. Surah Fatihah reinforces our faith over and over again and reminds us of why we came to Allah to begin with. If we forget the message of the Fatiha, our religion will be reduced to rites and rituals, and it will become an empty shell.

وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

After committing to be His Abd, we realise that we are unable to fulfil this task on our own. This realisation makes us turn to Allah for help, Allah will be sufficient as a helper. نستعين comes from استعانة and it means to seek help when you've already exerted yourself in mujahida. It means that we are making our own effort but we are seeking additional help to fulfil our task e.g. if you have a flat tyre and you are trying to fix it, but you need some additional help, that is istaana. If you're just sitting in the car doing nothing and waiting for help, then that is not istana. 

Some people blame Allah for everything and wait for Allah's help without making any personal effort. They think Allah will solve everything for them without moving a muscle. The opposite extreme is of those people who think they can do everything on their own and they do not need Allah's help at all. We need to remember that actions depend on us and outcome/results depend on Allah. Allah only gives the outcome to those who make effort. Allah only helps those who help themselves. e.g. Ibrahim AS was also thrown in the fire and THEN the fire cooled.

Moreover, we only ask for Allah's help after committing to our responsibilities of being an Abd. Once we make that commitment, only then are we in a position to ask for help. Another way to look at it is that iyyaka nabudu is FOR Allah while iyyaka Nastaeen is FOR us, so it is proper Adab that we do something for Allah first, before asking something for ourselves. 

We don't specify what kind of help we need. Why? We are dependent on Allah's help at every step of the way, and we need Allah's help in so many ways that it is not possible to specify everything. Imagine that you are hanging off a cliff and about to fall. You will not specify in detail the kind of help you need at that point but you will just call out for "HELP!!!!" in desperation. When we are exasperated, we cannot even properly express ourselves. Surah Fatiha reflects our desperate need for Allah's help.

5. اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ 

After asking Allah for help, the only help we specify is: Guide us to Siraat ul Mustaqeem. This is the most desperate need we have, out of all our needs. Hidaya is something we need at every step of our lives. It is very precious and can be taken from us at any time, so we need to repeatedly ask Allah for it daily in our five salah. We can never claim that once we have been guided, we don't need any more of it OR we will remain on that guidance for life. 

Imagine you need a glass of water while you're dying of thirst, how will you ask for help in that state? Will it be different for asking for water generally? Definitely. We need to have the right attitude while asking Allah for hidaya. This prayer needs to come from our heart. There should be a thirst for guidance like there is a thirst for water. It is needed over and over again. Guidance is the one thing that we need to beg from Allah, as it is not gifted without asking. 

Huda comes from hadiya and it means gift. When Arabs got lost in the desert and found guidance(someone to show them the way), it was a gift for them. We ask Allah for the greatest of all gifts because we are lost without His guidance.


Why do we ask Allah specifically for guidance? 

Our relationship with Allah was Rabb-Abd relationship. One of the most important consequences of this relationship is that the slave needs a set of instructions to follow. It is not possible to be an abd if we don't know what our Master requires of us. We need instructions to be able to follow our Master as this relationship is defined by our Master. 

Guidance vs. Knowledge

Guidance is not the same as information/knowledge. We may have a lot of knowledge of the Qur'an but lack guidance. Shahadah was our first step towards guidance. In every moment of our lives, we face choices and we ask Allah to guide us in all those choices. We may be muslims and may have knowledge but we may not be on guidance. Guidance includes the strength to make the right decisions based on our knowledge. Seek knowledge, but never forget why you're seeking knowledge. Knowledge is not the goal. Guidance is the ultimate goal. If we don't have the right intentions, our knowledge misguides us and leads to arrogance. When we develop arrogance, we've lost slavery.

We say اهدنا, plural, which means we need the company of other people on this path towards Hidaya. We need collective guidance and suhbah to stay firm on this path. We also  wish guidance for others.

 الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ


صراط is a specific kind of path. It has the following features:
1. Wide path
2. Straight path
3. Long path

When we ask someone for directions, we usually ask for directions to a specific destination. In Surah Fatihah, we don't ask for directions/guidance to our ultimate destination but we ask Allah for guidance to remain on the path.  Our life as Muslims is not about attaining a level of perfection, but it is about continual progress. This is a gift from Allah, because if Allah had specified a certain finishing line, some people would be able to reach it and some would be left behind. Allah values us, so long as we are on the path, even though we may be behind others. Allah did not create everybody the same way, but we are all unique and have our individual journeys to Allah.


Mustaqeem means straight up and it comes from استقامة which means: to stand straight. So whoever travels upon this straight path, rises towards Allah and leaves the love of this world behind. The higher up we go, the greater danger there is of falling. Gravity will always be trying to pull us back to towards the Earth, so we continuously need to resist it to follow Siraat ul Mustaqeem. Also, when we go up on this path, our vision broadens and we get a better view of the reality of this world. 

We ask Allah for Guidance TO and THROUGH and ALL the way to the Sirat ul mustaqeem. e.g. If we have to go to a destination, we first ask someone for directions, then preferably we ask someone to stay with us during the journey so we don't have to travel alone. We ask our guide to remain with us till the end so that we don't get lost. This is the ultimate hidaya we ask for, after which there is no misguidance.

 6. صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

We need a role model who has already been on this path, so that he can guide us through this path. We take advice from graduates of the past, not from freshmen. We ask Allah for the path of those Allah has done انعام upon. In'am refers to making things smooth, easy and luxurious. This word is also used for cattle. How can a path that requires us to go upwards against gravity be easy? These people made effort, and Allah made this path easy like an elevator/escalator for them. We ask Allah to introduce us to those people whom this path was made easy for. Allah introduces them in the Qur'an through stories, so we can learn from their companionship.

الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

غير (change). We want to be on the path of those people whom you favoured and not those who were the recipients of rage or those who were lost.

The people whom Allah favoured, we only look for them in the past, but the people who are lost or recipients of rage, we look for them in the past, present and future. Allah has used nouns مغضوب and ضالّين. Nouns are timeless and permanent. 

When someone does something wrong, while knowing that the act was wrong, we feel very angry towards them. This refers to the Jews. Jews were the recipients of Allah's anger because they were very knowledgable in religion but they still kept making the wrong decisions. They had knowledge without actions. This refers to us because we also know things are wrong and do them anyway. 
Allah is so angry with them that Allah does not even want to associate Himself with them, so Allah doesn't even say that they will face HIS rage. Moreover, they will also be the recipient of anger from those people who became lost because of their misguidance.

When someone does something wrong because they didn't know any better, we do not hold them responsible to that extent. They are considered "lost". This refers to the Christians. They had action without knowledge. Some people don't want to be of those who earn Allah's rage so they prefer being ضالّين. They avoid acquiring knowledge and prefer to remain ignorant, so that they will not be held accountable for the knowledge they didn't act upon. Allah mentions both to complete the equation, so that we learn knowledge and act upon it.

This does not mean that all the Jews and Christians in the world are under Allah's wrath. It just means that Allah has mentioned their case studies in the Qur'an so that we can learn from their mistakes, and not repeat their behaviour.

What makes Surah Fatiha miraculous linguistically?

1.
Surah fatiha has 3 parts.
The first 3 ayahs(including Bismillah) are about Allah
The 4th ayah is divided between us and Allah
The last 3 Ayahs are about us.

2.
Part one(first three ayahs) were about Allah so it consists of noun sentences. Noun sentences are permanent and timeless, just like Allah.
Part three(last three ayahs) is about us so these are verb based sentences. Verb based sentences are temporary, just like humans.
Part two(4th ayah) is amazing because it is a verb based sentence which begins with a noun(Iyyaka= مفعول به مقدم). It is a mixture of noun and verb based sentence. This verse is between us and Allah so it is combination of both. 

3. 
The conclusion of the first 3 Ayaat is iyyaka na'budu
The introduction of the last 3 Ayaat is iyyaka nastaeen

4.
Balance in Surah Fatiha:
The first 3 ayaat are about knowledge of Allah
In the 4th ayah, we are ready to take action.
In the last 3 ayaat, we ask to be of those who had knowledge and action. We ask Allah to keep us away from those people who had knowledge but no action, and those who had action without knowledge. Knowledge and action are balanced in the last ayah.

We say Rabbul Aalimeen, and Allah mentions the worlds of people in the last ayaat: those he favoured, those who earned rage, and those were lost.

Allah balanced hope and responsibility through Al Rahman al Raheem and Maaliki youmiddin

Hamd is felt in the heart and Allah will test us individually on the day of judgement. So, it is about individual actions while iyyaka nabudu wa iyyaka nastaeen is about collective actions.

5.
There are 4 kinds of conflicts in the world:
1. Internal conflict: Body vs. Soul
(Spiritual needs/conscience vs. Physical needs/temptations)

2. Social conflict: Men vs. Women
Our world has always debated about the rights of men and women. If in the divorce court, the judge is a man he would favour the man, and vice versa.

3. Economic conflict: Boss(Capital) vs. Employee(Labour)
Work more/pay less/less vacation vs. Work less/pay more/More vacation 

4. Political conflict: Government vs. people
More taxes/ Less freedom vs. Less taxes/more freedom

These 4 conflicts have always existed. How can we decide between this conflicts without any bias?Who can find balance and determine the rights of everyone fairly?

We ask Allah to show us the middle path so that we can have a just and unbiased approach towards all of these conflicts. Allah is unbiased towards all parties and He can give the true balance that humanity is looking for.