On The Way - 24/7 Life As A Muslim

People who have finished their breakfast and made themselves ready expect to have various challenges in their work places, schools and other areas. Most people have things they need to accomplish before the end of the day. Allah describes this situation in the Qur'an:
In the daytime much of your time is taken up by business matters. (Surat al-Muzzammil: 7)
… He made the day a time for rising. (Surat al-Furqan: 47)
A believer sees the day before him as an opportunity to win Allah's love and approval and to attain the Garden for which he needs to strive to do good works. No matter how busy he is, he is careful never to forget to seek Allah's approval. He takes as his example Sulayman (as)'s prayer, as recounted in the 19th verse of Surat an-Naml, desiring that our Lord will inspire him in the things he will do in the course of the day:
"My Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your slaves who are right-acting." (Surat an-Naml: 19)
Everyone who leaves home on the way to school or work encounters many people, things and events to think about. Everything a person sees exists in Allah's knowledge and has come to be by His will and happens for a definite reason. So, when a believer looks up at the heavens with this in mind, he sees that they are marvellously created. He understands that the truth of the following verse is before his eyes: "We made the sky a preserved and protected roof …" (Surat al-Anbiya': 32)
The sky's function as a "protected roof" comes from its atmosphere and this atmosphere surrounds the globe and performs its vital functions so that human beings survive. The atmosphere filters out rays that come from space and are dangerous for living things; it vaporises both large and small meteorites that approach the earth and prevents them from threatening the world and the creatures on it, and it protects the earth from the freezing temperatures—approximately minus 270 degrees Celsius—of space. Even if some people do not appreciate this as they should, Allah has created an ideal environment for us and protects us from threats that may come from the heavens.
In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that a believer who observes the heaven will quickly understand the proofs that it is a most harmonious and perfect creation.
He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again—do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Surat al-Mulk: 3-4)
Allah says in the Qur'an that there are signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth for those who observe them with faith.
Have they not looked at the sky above them: how We structured it and made it beautiful and how there are no fissures in it? And the earth: how We stretched it out and cast firmly embedded mountains onto it and caused luxuriant plants of every kind to grow in it, an instruction and a reminder for every penitent human being. (Surah Qaf: 6-8)
A believer who turns his gaze from the heavens to the earth will see another proof of its creation. Below the earth on which he walks with such confidence there is a layer of unbelievably hot molten rock called "magma". In comparison to this, the earth's crust is very thin, which means that this molten rock is almost under one's feet. So, the thickness of the earth's crust compared with that of the earth itself can be compared to the thickness of apple peel compared with the whole apple. A believer who considers these matters will understand once again that the world and all living things on it exist because of the perfect balance that Allah has created according to His will, and that every creature continues to live in safety and security because of the will of Allah.
A believer who looks with the eye of reflection will notice the beauty around him and the wonders of creation. For example, because they are blessings from Allah, the birds in the sky, the fruits that decorate a grocer's shop-window with their attractive colours, and the wonderful smell coming from a bakery mean something to a believer that other people cannot grasp.
A believer who ponders the varied and countless proofs he encounters while walking in the street will also be careful about how he behaves. For example, he will walk without exaggeration or display because Allah announces in a verse: "Be moderate in your tread…" (Surah Luqman: 19) A humble person obeys the command of Allah and, as in all his other activities, maintains a middle road in the way he walks. This is acceptable both in the sight of Allah and in the eyes of believers.
Believers know that Allah created human beings and endows them with all their characteristics. But those who don't follow the teachings of the Qur'an don't appreciate this fact and think that the qualities they have are their own. These people who think that their beauty, wealth, knowledge and success belong to themselves become proud and arrogant. And because of this arrogance, they want to show their own superiority by crushing others. This attitude is reflected in the way they walk as it is in what they say and do. However, everyone is powerless before the supreme knowledge and power of Allah and we need Allah every moment of our lives. In the Qur'an, Allah warns us about this and forbids us to boast:
Do not avert your face from people out of haughtiness and do not strut about arrogantly on the earth. Allah does not love anyone who is vain or boastful. (Surah Luqman: 18)
Do not strut arrogantly about the earth. You will certainly never split the earth apart nor will you ever rival the mountains in height. (Surat al-Isra': 37)
Everyone who lives according to the teaching of the Qur'an is aware that he is powerless, that he lives according to Allah's will, and that it is the sole Lord of the universe Who has given him everything he owns. And because he lives with this awareness, he understands everything that happens around him in terms of the Qur'an.
It is clear that a person cannot cover a lot of distance walking in a day. It is easy to walk short distances, and the ability to walk is a great blessing from Allah. But people can't travel great distances by walking; their bodies becomes tired at some point and they can't walk any farther. Allah knows this weakness of His slaves and has created animals and vehicles to carry them and has made transportation easy. Here are some verses from the Qur'an related to this great blessing of Allah that show His grace, mercy and compassion towards His slaves:
They (livestock) carry your loads to lands you would never reach except with great difficulty. Your Lord is All-Gentle, Most Merciful. And horses, mules and donkeys both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. (Surat an-Nahl: 7-8)
It is He Who created all the species and gave you ships and livestock for you to ride. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 12)
Do you not see that Allah has made everything on the earth subservient to you and the ships running upon the sea by His command? He holds back the heaven, preventing it from falling to the earth—except by His permission. Allah is All-Compassionate to mankind, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Hajj: 65)
By the use of our intellects it is obvious to us that Allah created materials such as iron and steel with certain capabilities and inspired people to use them to make different kinds of vehicles. And it is by Allah's will that people made vehicles such as cars, busses, trains, ships and airplanes. So Allah made it easy for us to go on journeys we could never make by ourselves. What we must do in response to these blessings is to remember Allah when we board these vehicles, praise His name and give Him thanks. Allah tells us of this in the Qur'an:
So that you might sit firmly on their backs and remember your Lord's blessing while you are seated on them, saying, "Glory be to Him Who has subjected this to us. We could never have done it by ourselves." (Surat az-Zukhruf: 13)
Transport today is much faster, easier and more comfortable than it was in the past. For a person who lives according to the teachings of the Qur'an, thinking about this is an important way to draw close to Allah and to thank Him sincerely for His blessings.
A believer also thinks about Allah when he is taking a trip. The person beside him driving the car, the model and colour of the car, the other cars and people around him, their movements, the writing in the back window of the vehicle in front, the row of buildings along the way, their shapes, their windows, billboards and the writing on them are all created by Allah by His decree. Allah announces this to people in the following verse:
We have created all things in due measure. (Surat al-Qamar: 49)
Allah created the things we encounter every moment of our lives, not only for a single individual, but also for each of the billions of people on the earth. For someone who lives according to the teaching of the Qur'an, to think about this is a way for him to know that Allah is always at his side, and that He sees his every deed and action. Because the awareness of this fact is with him throughout the day, neither traffic congestion, nor a vehicle swerving in front of him, or any other difficulty he may experience will alter this attitude of submission to Allah.
Some people see even small misfortunes as major adversities; they become impatient and sometimes lose control of themselves, behaving in an irrational way. Heavy traffic or an inattentive driver quickly irritates them and they may start to mutter to themselves or shout. They have no patience when they are stuck in traffic and they show this by continuously honking their horns and irritating others. The reason for such behaviour is that they have forgotten that everything is under Allah's control.
For someone who has turned his back on Allah, transportation is not a blessing but a bother and an annoyance. For example, potholes in the road, traffic congestion, a sudden rainstorm, and many other things will occupy his mind all day. But these useless thoughts are of no benefit to him either in this life or the next. Some people claim that the main thing that prevents them from thinking deeply about these things is the struggle they have in this world. Because of the time they must give to satisfying needs for food, shelter and health, they claim they have no time left to think about the existence of Allah or the signs leading to faith. But this is nothing more than evasion of responsibility. A person's familial duties and the position in which he finds himself have nothing to do with thinking. A person who, in order to win Allah's approval, thinks about the signs leading to faith, Allah's decree, the afterlife, death and reflects on the blessings our Lord has given him in this life, will find Allah's help at his side. He will see that many of his problems are easily solved and he will be able to find more time and ease to think.
A believer never forgets that Allah has created every situation he meets during his day. The purpose of the creation of these things is for us to learn to be patient or to use our minds to try to solve the problem in the way most pleasing to Allah. If there is a problem that cannot be solved by personal effort, then the only thing to do is to be patient. To become irritated, start shouting and arguing like some people do, is wrong and senseless because it may be dangerous both for themselves and for others.
It is wrong for people to expect trials to occur only with great pain and tragedy as tests of our patience, because Allah tests human beings throughout the day with various trials both big and small. So, annoying things like being caught in traffic or being late in arriving somewhere and small accidents are tests for human beings. But, in this situation, those who live according to the teaching of the Qur'an do not feel annoyance and they keep their patience without complaining. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that it is one of the characteristics of believers that they remain patient with the trials to which they are subject:
Whose hearts quake at the mention of Allah, and who are steadfast in the face of all that happens to them, those who establish prayer and give of what We have provided for them. (Surat al-Hajj: 35)
With regard to traffic accidents that they may have, believers maintain their composure and are resigned to their destiny, not in a passive sense, but realistically accepting what Allah has decreed for them. In such a situation they act sensibly knowing that Allah created what has happened to them and they try to do something to save the injured, call for help and limit the damage. They know that they are responsible every moment of this earthly life to act in a way that will be pleasing to Allah.
In Surat al-Mulk, Allah reveals the purpose for human creation and the responsibility given to us:
He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action. He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk: 2)
A believer who lives every moment of his earthly life according to the teachings of the Qur'an will not let his mind be occupied by pointless and senseless thoughts during a trip; he directs his attention to things and events about which he can think deeply. For example, those people who are far removed from the teaching of the Qur'an, seeing birds flying through the air, will perceive it as an ordinary occurrence. However, for a believer, the fact that birds, not attached to anything, remain suspended in thin air and perform manoeuvres with their delicate wings; that their wings are designed so that they can fly, move quickly and perform these manoeuvres; that their bills are structures especially made that they can be appropriately nourished; their flying techniques, special skeletal structures, and respiratory, nervous and other systems; the complex aerodynamic structures of their feathers; their nest building techniques; their sense organs, hunting and feeding methods, their behaviour, the sounds they make during mating and at other times; the fact that the systems observed in birds are wonders of design, are proofs of Allah's existence, power and supreme knowledge. Allah draws our attention to this in the Qur'an: "Have they not looked at the birds above them, with wings outspread and folded back? Nothing holds them up but the All-Merciful. He sees all things." (Surat al-Mulk: 19) As believers go on their ways, they observe the wonders of creation such as these that surround them and are witnesses every moment to Allah's endless power.

Puisi Akhir Seorang Penulis Agung

Pesan Terakhir - Sayid Qutb
Sahabat
Andainya kematian kau tangisi
Pusara kau siram dengan air matamu
Maka diatas tulang belulangku yang dah luluh
Nyalakanlah obor untuk umat ini Dan
Lanjutkanlah gerak merebut kemenangan
Sahabat,
Kematianku hanyalah suatu perjalanan
Memenuhi panggilan kekasih yang merindu
Taman-taman indah disyurga Tuhan
Terhampar menanti
Burung-burungnya berpesta menyambutku
Dan berbahagialah hidupku di sana
Sahabat,
Puaka kegelapan pastikan lebur
Fajarkan menyingsing
Dan alam ini kan disinari cahaya lagi
Relakan lah rohku terbang menjelang rindunya
Jangan gentar berkelana ke alam abadi
Di sana cahaya fajar memancar

___________________<….>___________________
Who Is That Syed Qutb…..???
Latar Belakang Diri Dan Keluarga
Al-Maqhfurulahu al-‘Arif billah as-Syahid Sayyid ibn Qutb Ibrahim telah dilahirkan pada tahun 1906 di Kampung Musyah, daerah Asyut, Egypt dalam satu keluarga yang kuat mematuhi ajaran agama dan mempunyai kedudukan yang terhormat di kampung itu. Bapanya Haji Qutb Ibrahim seorang yang disegani umum dan banyak berbakti kepada orang-orang miskin. Setiap tahun beliau menghidupkan hari-hari kebesaran Islam dengan mengadakan majlis-majlis jamuan dan tilawah al-Quran di rumahnya terutama di bulan Ramadhan. Ibunya juga seorang yang bertaqwa dan menyintai al-Quran. Ketika majlis-majlis tilawah al-Quran diadakan di rumahnya, ia mendengar dengan penuh khusyu’, dengan seluruh perasaan dan jiwanya. Pemandangan ini begitu melekat dalam ingatan anaknya Sayyid Qutb yang masih kecil di waktu itu dan menjadi kenangan yang manis dalam usia selanjutnya sehingga beliau pernah berangan-angan mempunyai suara yang merdu dan lunak seperti para qari untuk memperdengarkan tilawah al-Qur’an kepada ibunya yang menyintai al-Qur’an, tetapi beliau tidak sedar bahawa takdir ilahi tidak melahirkannya untuk menjadi seorang qari yang bersuara emas, malah untuk menjadi seorang muffasir yang agung di zamannya. Beliau telah menghafal al-Qur’an sejak dalam usianya yang belum mencecah sepuluh tahun dan dengan itu beliau telah merealisasikan cita-cita dan impian ayah dan ibu yang dikasihi dan beliau telah merakamkan hutang budi keduanya yang telah menanam benih-benih kecintaan kepada al-Qur’an di dalam kata persembahan dua buku karya sulungnya yang terkenal di dalam pengajian al-Qur’an.
Pendidikan Dan Aktiviti Penafsiran Al-Quran
Di sepanjang zaman kanak-kanak dan remajanya beliau telah memperlihatkan petanda-petanda kecerdasan yang tinggi dan bakat-bakat yang cemerlang yang menarik perhatian para guru dan pendidiknya, di samping memperlihatkan kegemaran membaca yang lahap, keberanian mengemukakan pertanyaan-pertanyaan dan mengeluarkan pendapatpendapat yang bernas. Beliau sentiasa mendampingi al-Quran sehingga beliau memasuki Kuliah Darul ‘Ulum sebuah institusi pengajian tinggi Islam dan sastera Arab yang terkenal di seluruh dunia Islam, di mana kefahaman al-Qur’aniyah dan pemikiran Islamiyah beliau semakin subur dan terserlah. Setelah menamatkan pengajian tingginya, beliau menceburkan diri di bidang keguruan dan penulisan dan akhirnya dipindah ke bahagian Pentadbiran Kementerian Pelajaran di Qahirah.
Kini nama beliau begitu terkenal selaku seorang penulis yang prolific yang bukan sahaja menulis dalam akhbar-akhbar dan majalah-majalah ilmiyah yang terkemuka, malah menerbitkan majalah-majalah yang lebih berwawasan dari majalah-majalah yang wujud masa itu hingga menggugatkan pihak-pihak yang tertentu. Penulisan-penulisan beliau diminati ramai terutama generasi muda. Mereka tertarik dengan penjelasanpenjelasan yang tajam, pendedahannya yang berani dan analisisnya yang mendalam. Setelah merasa cukup matang, maka pada tahun 1945 beliau memutuskan untuk memulakan penulisan buku-buku. Ketika itu usia beliau menghampiri empat puluh tahun. Dan sejak tahun itu hingga ke tahun 1950 beliau telah berjaya menghasilkan dua puluh enam buah buku yang bermutu dalam berbagai-bagai bidang penulisan sastera Islamiyah.
Pada tahun 1948 beliau dihantar ke Amerika untuk mempelajari sistem pengajian dan pembelajaran di negeri yang termaju itu dan selama hamper dua tahun berada di sana beliau telah membuat kajian yang lebih mendalam dalam bidang yang menyangkut pendidikan dan pelajaran di negeri itu, iaitu beliau telah melakukan pengamatan-pengamatan yang luas mengenai kehidupan Amerika yang banyak mengecewakannya. Kini beliau telah melihat dan mengenal tamadun Amerika dari dekat. Kemudian dalam suratnya kepada pujangga Taufiq al-Hakim beliau menulis: “Amerika mempunyai segala sesuatu kecuali roh.”
Sekembalinya dari Amerika beliau memutuskan untuk menumpukan seluruh hayatnya kepada pengajian lslamiyah dan harakat Islamiyah dan meninggalkan gelanggang sastera yang menjadi gelanggang peminatannya di zaman silam. Sewaktu merakam titik peralihan ini beliau menulis: “Orang yang menulis kajian ini ialah seorang yang hidup membaca selama empat puluh tahun genap.
Kegiatannya di peringkat pertama ialah membaca dan menelaah kebanyakan hasil-hasil pengajian dalam berbagaibagai bidang pengetahuan manusia termasuk kajian yang menjadi bidang ikhtisasnya dan kajian-kajian yang menjadi bidang kegemarannya. Dan pada akhirnya ia pulang ke pangkal jalan iaitu pulang kepada sumber ‘aqidah (al- Qur’an), pandangan dan kefahamannya. Dan di sana ia dapati bahawa seluruh apa yang dibacanya itu amat kerdil jika dibandingkan dengan potensi-potensi ‘aqidah Islam yang agung itu dan akan terus dengan sifat agungnya. Walau bagaimanapun ia tidak menyesal atas kehabisan umurnya selama empat puluh tahun itu kerana dengan usianya yang selama itu ia berjaya mengenal hakikat jahiliyah, mengenal penyelewengnya, kekerdilannya, kekosongannya, kesongsangannya, kesesiaannya dan dakwaan-dakwaannya yang karut.
Sejak itu ia sedar dengan penuh keyakinan bahawa seorang Muslim tidak boleh menyatukan dua sumber ilmu pengetahuan yang berlainan itu untuk diterima olehnya. Tahun 1951 - 1964 merupakan masa peralihan beliau kepada penulisan-penulisan Islamiyah yang serius dan cemerlang di samping merupakan tahun-tahun yang amat produktif di mana lahirnya karya-karya agung yang menjadi buku-buku warisan Islamiyah yang penting di zaman ini dan di zaman-zaman mendatang. Dan karya yang menjadi mercu tanda daya penghasilan intelektualnya ialah tafsir “Fi Zilalil-Qur’an” dan juzu’ pertama dari tafsir ini muncul pada tahun 1952 dan beliau telah menyelesaikan penulisan tafsir ini sebanyak tiga puluh juzu’ pada akhir tahun lima puluhan, iaitu mengambil masa kira-kira hampir lapan tahun. Tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an adalah ditulis dengan bersandarkan kepada kajian-kajian beliau yang mendalam, yang ditimba secara langsung dari al-Qur’an dan as-Sunnah, di samping bersumberkan kepada kitab-kitab tafsir yang mu’tabar.
Beliau memasuki ke dalam penulisan tafsir ini setelah melengkapkan dirinya dengan pengalaman-pengalaman dan kajian-kajian yang kaya di bidang penulisan, keguruan, pendidikan dan pengamatannya yang luas dan tajam dalam perkembangan-perkembangan sosial dan politik dunia semasa. Beliau telah menghabiskan lebih dari separuh usianya dalam pembacaan dan penela’ahan yang mendalam terhadap hasil-hasil intelektual manusia di dalam berbagai-bagai bidang pengajian dan teori-teori, berbagaibagai aliran pemikiran semasa dan berbagai-bagai kajian mengenai agamaagama yang lain. Di samping itu tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an adalah ditulis dengan tinta derita dan sengsara yang begitu pahit akibat penindasan dan permainan politik gila kuasa yang zalim di zaman itu. Beliau telah menjalani penyeksaan fizikal yang kejam dan tidak berperi kemanusiaan dan seluruh kesengsaraan ini telah membuat seluruh entiti beliau tertumpu kepada Allah dan kepada penghayatan al-Qur’an, di mana beliau hidup di bawah bayangan al-Qur’an dengan seluruh jiwa dan perasaannya dan hidup sebagai seorang penda’wah yang ‘arifbillah, sabar, gigih, redha, tenang, tenteram, berserah bulat kepada Allah, tidak mengenal kalah dan putus asa. Semuanya itu merupakan faktorfaktor penting yang melahirkan tafsir “Fi Zilalil-Qur’an” di dalam bentuknya yang unik yang mengatasi tafsir-tafsir yang lain.
Sebelum memasuki ke dalam pentafsiran isi kandungan al-Qur’an beliau telah membuat kajian yang mendalam selama beberapa tahun untuk mencungkil rahsia-rahsia struktur pengungkapan al-Qur’an dan uslub penyampaiannya yang indah dan penuh mu’jizat. Hasil kajian Qur’aniyahnya yang ulung itu telah dibukukan dengan jodol “ “التصويرالفنى في القرأن (Penggambaran Yang Seni Di Dalam Al-Qur’an) diterbitkan pada tahun 1945 kemudian diiringi pula dengan buku ” مشاهدالقيامةفي القرأن ” (Pemandangan-pemandangan Qiamat di Dalam Al-Quran) diterbitkan pada tahun 1947 sebagai huraian dan pelengkap kepada bukunya yang pertama. Hasil kajian yang gemilang ini telah disifatkan oleh para pengkaji sebagai anak kunci yang dikurniakan Allah kepada beliau untuk membongkarkan rahsia-rahsia keindahan al-Qur’an yang unik itu. Dan buku-buku inilah yang banyak dirujukkan oleh beliau dalam tafsirnya, yang lahir kira-kira tujuh tahun selepas lahirnya bukunya yang pertama itu.Tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an berbeza dari tafsir-tafsir yang lain apabila beliau menggunakan satu methodologi pentafsiran yang membersihkan pentafsiran al-Quran dari pembicaraan-pembicaraan sampingan dan selingan yang tidak disarankan oleh nas-nas al-Quran. Justeru itu beliau menjauhkan tafsirnya dari perbahasan-perbahasan bahasa dan tata bahasa, perbahasanperbahasan ilmu al-kalam dan ilmu fiqah dan dari cerita-cerita dongeng israeliyat yang lumrah dalam kebanyakan tafsir termasuk tafsir-tafsir yang terkenal sebagai sumber-sumber rujukan.
Di samping itu beliau juga menjauhkan tafsirnya dari menundukkan nas-nas al-Qur’an kepada penemuan-penemuan dan pendapat-pendapat sains yang sering dilakukan oleh orang-orang yang terlalu ghairah untuk mendampingkan pentafsiran al-Qur’an dengan pentafsiran sains, sedangkan sumber kedua-dua tafsir itu adalah berlainan iaitu al-Qur’an bersumberkan wahyu dari Allah pencipta yang mengetahui segala sesuatu sementara sains bersumberkan intelektual manusia yang tidak syumul, tidak mantap dan sering berubah-ubah. Beliau telah menyifatkan perbahasan-perbahasan sampingan itu sebagai campuraduk yang merosakkan jalan penyampaian al-Qur’an yang indah, lurus dan jelas dan seterusnya menyifatkan perbahasan-perbahasan itu sebagai halangan-halangan “yang melindungkan al-Qur’an dari jiwa saya dan melindungkan jiwa saya dari al-Qur’an.” Walaupun tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an telah selesai ditulis dan walaupun masih meringkuk di dalam penjara, namun beliau masih belum puas menimba lautan kalamullah.
Ufuk-ufuk pemikirannya yang meluas, gagasan-gagasan Islamiyah yang segar dan baru, pandangan-pandangan dan perasaan-perasaan kesedarannya yang lebih halus merangsangkan hati dan jiwanya, justeru itu pada awal tahun 1960 beliau sekali lagi tampil dengan penuh dedikasi mengemaskinikan tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an dengan menokokkan huraian-huraian tambahan yang baru dan penghalusanpenghalusan yang perlu untuk menjadikan tafsir itu sebuah tafsir haraki yang sempurna. Usaha ke arah itu menjadi lebih lancar apabila beliau dibebaskan dari penjara dengan campurtangan Presiden Republik Iraq Abdul Salam ‘Arif pada masa itu.
Dalam kesempatan ini beliau telah berjaya membuat pembaharuan tafsir itu hingga ke juzu’ yang ketiga belas di mana tamatnya Surah Ibrahim, tetapi beliau tidak sempat mengemaskinikan juzu yang baki, kerana beliau tiba-tiba ditangkap kembali atas tuduhan-tuduhan yang palsu dan zalim. Setelah diundang ke alam para syuhada’ tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an merupakan satu-satunya tafsir yang paling luas tersebar di seluruh dunia Islam di zaman ini, di samping menjadi bahan-bahan kajian dan rujukan utama para ulama’ dan para mufassirin. Ujar Dr. Hasan Farahat: “Tafsir Fi Zilalil-Quran” telah menjadi begitu terkenal dengan sebab Sayyid Qutb (Rahimahullah) telah menulis tafsir ini sebanyak dua kali; kali pertama ia menulis dengan tinta seorang alim dan kali kedua dia menulis dengan darah syuhada’. Ujar Yusof al-‘Azym” “Tafsir Fi Zilalil-Qur’an” adalah wajar dianggap sebagai suatu pembukaan Rabbani yang diilhamkan Allah kepada penulisnya. Beliau telah dianugerahkan matahati yang peka yang mampu menanggap pengertian-pengertian, gagasan-gagasan dan fikiran yang halus yang belum dicapai oleh mana-mana penulis tafsir yang lain.
Adalah jelas sekali bahawa keimanan beliau yang tulen, pembacaan beliau yang luas, pengalamannya yang mendalam dan bakat-bakat semulajadinya yang gemilang telah menjadikan tafsir Fi Zilalil Qur’an sebuah tafsir yang unik dan secara adil dapat diletakkan di kemuncak tafsir-tafsir yang lama dan yang baru, di mana terkumpul penjelasan-penjelasan yang syumul, himpunan ilmu pengetahuan, huraian yang citarasa dan da’wah yang lantang ke arah mengulangi semula hayat Islamiyah”, sementara Dr. Saleh Abdul Fatah al-Khalidi pengkaji karya-karya Sayyid Qutb dan penulis biografinya yang terkenal telah berkata: “Sayyid Qutb dalam tafsir “Fi Zilalil-Quran” adalah dianggap sebagai mujaddid di dalam dunia tafsir, kerana beliau telah menambahkan berbagai-bagai pengertian dan fikiran haraki, dan berbagai-bagai pandangan tarbiyah yang melebihi tafsir-tafsir yang lalu, juga dianggap sebagai pengasas pengajian baru dalam ilmu tafsir, di mana beliau telah memperkenalkan aliran tafsir haraki.” itulah liku-liku hidup yang penuh bersejarah yang dilalui oleh al-alim ar-Rabbani Sayyid Qutb dalam perjalanan menamatkan pengembaraannya yang jauh di bawah bayangan al-Qur’anul-Karim dan meninggalkan hasil pengembaraannya yang kekal abadi kepada umat Muslimin.
Detik Pemergian
Kemudian di waktu fajar hari Isnin 13 Jamadil Awal 1386 bersamaan 29 Ogos 1966 beliau telah menemui syahadatnya di tiang gantung setelah didapati bersalah oleh “Mahkamah Tentera” yang telah ditubuhkan oleh kerajaan revolusi di zaman itu. Mahkamah ini mempunyai sejarah pengadilan yang hitam dan banyak mengorbankan orang-orang yang tidak berdosa. Hukuman gantung itu telah dilaksanakan secara mendadak ke atas al-Marhum tanpa menghiraukan bantahan dunia Islam dan menolak secara tidak sopan telegram rayuan peribadi dari Raja Saudi Al-Marhum Faisal ibn Abdul Aziz di mana baginda merayu supaya beliau dibebaskan dari hukuman gantung dan baginda bersedia memberi apa sahaja yang dituntut oleh Kerajaan Mesir.

Breakfast – 24/7 Life As A Muslim

 

Every believer to whom Allah has given the ability to think and understand knows when he goes into the kitchen to make breakfast in the morning that all the blessings of food and drink given in creation are facts leading to faith.
For example, the fire he uses to cook his food can cause a great deal of harm to him as well as to many other things; it also has the ability to destroy. But heat is a requirement for making food edible and from this point of view it is a very great blessing. In other words, like everything else on the earth, fire has been put at the service of human beings. In the Qur'an, Allah says,
And He has made everything in the heavens and everything on the earth subservient to you. (Surat al-Jathiyya: 13)
Besides this, fire is a reminder for the believer in this life of the pains of the Fire. In describing in the Qur'an those who will go to Hell, Allah mentions a violent fire. In a few verses, He describes the pains of the fire He has created for those who reject Him:
On the Day they are tormented by the Fire. (Surat adh-Dhariyat: 13)
The Fire will sear their faces, making them grimace horribly in it, their lips drawn back from their teeth. (Surat al-Muminun: 104)
Whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, We have prepared a Blazing Fire for the disbelievers. (Surat al-Fath: 13)
When believers with a profound faith think of this raging fire of Hell, their fear of Allah grows, they pray to Him and take refuge in Him from the Hellfire. In this way very small everyday things serve as reminders of major matters, and this is a very important part of the practice of the believer.
A person who thinks sincerely and without prejudice about the food we eat for breakfast will find many reminders in it. The taste and smell of bread, honey, cheese, tomatoes, tea and fruitjuice, their food value and various colours are all blessings. They all provide the proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and fluids that the body needs. To live a healthy life, we have to be regularly and properly nourished, but this is not a difficult chore for us; it's something we enjoy. Fruits, vegetables, cereals, and pasta meet a person's every need for nourishment and also give him a lot of pleasure.
Actually, all that we have mentioned are really small items that everyone knows very well and has lived intimately with every 24 hours since he was born. But most people don't consider these things correctly that our Lord has given for our daily use. They take them all for granted and don't realise just how valuable they are.
But all this delicious food and drink has the ability to provide various benefits to the human body, and each of them is a wonder of creation. For example, a bee weighing only a few grams produces honey. Both because of the vitamins and minerals it contains and the structural characteristics it has, honey means health and healing for human beings. In the Qur'an Allah says that He inspired this quality of honey and the physical work of the honeybee:
Your Lord revealed to the bees: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colours, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl: 68-69)
A believer who considers the production of honey becomes aware of the miracle of creation that it contains. He immediately understands that neither the blossoms of fruit trees, which provide the basic raw material for honey, and whose nectar the bees turn into honey, nor the wonderful honey itself, could happen by chance. And this brings him closer to Allah.
In addition, the absolute obedience of a tiny bee to our Lord is another fact leading to faith. The believer will understand that it is by Allah's inspiration that the honeybee, with neither intelligence nor consciousness as we understand them, works unceasingly and with perfect discipline to perform its wonderful functions.
The importance of the meat, milk, cheese, and other animal products as blessings for humanity from Allah is announced in the Qur'an:
And there is certainly a lesson for you in your livestock. We give you to drink from what is in their bellies and there are many ways in which you benefit from them, and some of them you eat. (Surat al-Muminun: 21)
And there is mention of "what is in their bellies", while informing us of the benefits we get from animals. For example, there is something left over in the digestive process from the food a cow has eaten, the water it has drunk, the blood circulating in its veins and its internal organs. It is indeed a miracle that a sweet-smelling, clean, white mixture like milk that is so beneficial to human health could come from such a complex mixture. Besides this, it is produced in the healthiest conditions despite the fact that it is located in an area containing waste material.
Another indication of Allah's supreme knowledge is the fact that the only raw material that goes into making white milk is green grass. But milk-producing animals create a white liquid from a stiff, green material thanks to a wonderful system that Allah has created in their bodies. In the Qur'an, our Lord tells us what milk is made of:
There is instruction for you in cattle. From the contents of their bellies, from between the dung and blood, We give you pure milk to drink, easy for drinkers to swallow. (Surat an-Nahl: 66)
As we know, milk is a very rich food containing several materials that the human body needs; it is a liquid that plays a vital role in the nourishment of both children and adults.
Another food that comes from animals, small in itself but with high nutritional value, is the egg. The formation of this storehouse of proteins, vitamins and minerals is another miracle. A chicken with little awareness produces eggs every day and protects the eggs it has produced with a wonderful wrapping. To consider how an eggshell is so wonderfully formed around the fluid inside it or how the fluid has been placed inside the shell although it has no cover, increases the wonder that a believer feels at the creative artistry of Allah.
Various drinks, which some consider indispensable for breakfast, come from plants. After the leaves of these plants have been put through certain processes, they become sweet-smelling liquids. The thousands of other kinds of plants that grow in the same soil display the endless power, knowledge and mercy of Allah Who created them. As our Lord says in the Qur'an:
It is He Who produces gardens, both cultivated and wild, and palm-trees and crops of diverse kinds, and olives and pomegranates, both similar and dissimilar… (Surat al-An`am: 141)
Allah gives us countless blessings that He has created for us to eat. He tests human beings in this earthly life with wealth and poverty, He is pleased with those who display fine moral qualities when confronted by these tests and He reveals in the Qur'an that they will receive the endless blessings of the Garden. For example, some people eat a fine breakfast while others have only a few bits of food. But a believer, whether or not he is prosperous, will always behave in a manner so as to win Allah's approval and will give thanks to Him with all sincerity. If he is rich, he will not boast or become arrogant. If he is poor, he will not feel anxious or sorry for himself.
A believer is aware that Allah is putting him through a test and that everything in this life is transitory. The Qur'an says that Allah will test human beings with good and evil. "We test you with both good and evil as a trial. And you will be returned to Us." (Surat al-Anbiya': 35) For this reason, a person who lives according to the teachings of the Qur'an knows that it is not the blessings that he has received but his attitude towards those blessings that will win him a reward in Allah's sight. Even if he is not prosperous, a believer will sincerely give thanks to Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that He will increase the blessings of those who give thanks with sincerity and determination and reminds the ungrateful that the pains of Hell are terrible:
And when your Lord announced: "If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase, but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe." (Surah Ibrahim: 7)
Someone who considers the proofs of the perfect creation around him, as well as the reasons for food, will also see the divine intentions in the structure and working of the mouth created to eat these things easily. In order for a human being to eat, his food, his lips, teeth, tongue, jaw, saliva glands and millions of cells work together in perfect harmony. This is all perfectly orchestrated such that several functions can be performed at the same time without a hitch. The teeth bite the food into pieces and the tongue continually pushes it between the teeth to be chewed. With its strong muscles, the jaw helps the teeth to chew while the eater moves the tongue in an appropriate manner. The lips act as a securely closed door to prevent food from falling out of the mouth.
Besides this, the parts that make up these organs work together in perfect harmony. For example, the teeth, according to their location and structure, bite the food into pieces and chew it. All the teeth are ordered and arranged in their places according to their function; every one of them grows and stays a certain length in order to work cooperatively with the tooth opposite it. Certainly these organs have no consciousness or intelligence; they cannot decide among themselves to cooperate with one another. And the excellent organisation briefly described above cannot come about randomly. Every part is made exactly as required to achieve a certain goal. There is no doubt that this marvellous design is from our Lord Who "created everything and determined it most exactly." (Surat al-Furqan: 2). Allah has created all of these things in order to make it easy for human beings to eat their food and take benefit and pleasure from it.
Another important thing on which a believer reflects is the fact that he can perceive the smells of the food in the kitchen and can taste it without any effort. This is possible because of the wonderful faculties he has. His sense of taste and smell, which do not cease throughout his life, work perfectly for him at no cost; they have taken no training to work so effectively and are themselves unconscious of their workings.
If a person did not have his sense of taste, the various tastes of meat, fish, vegetables, soups, salads, fruits, drinks, and jams would have no meaning for him. Besides, the taste of these things might not be good; they might be tasteless, insipid and unpleasant and upset the stomach. There is no doubt that tastes and the faculty that perceives them have been specially created for human beings. It would be a big mistake to be unaware of this because of the insensitivity created by habit. The Qur'an reveals that Allah created good and clean food for human beings:
It is Allah Who made the earth a stable home for you and the sky a dome, and formed you, giving you the best of forms, and provided you with good and wholesome things. That is Allah, your Lord. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. (Surah Ghafir: 64)
Surely, for thinking people every taste is a means to appreciate Allah properly, remember Him with gratitude, to praise Him and give Him thanks. The believer who knows that every delicious type of food and drink comes from Allah; he thinks about this every time he sits down at the table and so he gives thanks to our Lord. Allah says in the Qur'an:
A Sign for them is the dead land which We bring to life and from which We bring forth grain of which they eat. We place in it gardens of dates and grapes, and cause springs to gush out in it, so they may eat its fruits—they did not do it themselves. So will they not be thankful? (Surah Ya Sin: 33-35)
Have they not seen how We created for them, by Our own handiwork, livestock which are under their control? We have made them tame for them and some they ride and some they eat. And they have other uses for them, and milk to drink. So will they not be thankful? (Surah Ya Sin: 71-73)
Some people do not think it is important to reflect on a few extremely important facts even though they have consumed deliciously tasting and smelling foods that have met their needs perfectly throughout their whole lives. They ignore the fact that Allah has created these incomparable blessings for them and that they ought to thank Him for providing them. This is quite the wrong attitude; they should not forget that they will be asked in the afterlife whether or not they had been thankful to Allah.
A believer is aware that Allah has given him his body as a trust, that he is responsible for looking after this incomparable blessing as best as he can and for this he must nourish it in a healthy way. He knows that in order to perform good works it must be healthy and so it must be sufficiently nourished with a balanced diet. He knows his body must have all the food it needs for the development of its 100 trillion cells and in order for it to renew itself and function properly. So, either for breakfast or at other times of the day he will eat healthy and natural foods and avoid harmful foods no matter how attractive and delicious they appear. He will not be lazy or careless in this regard. For example, he knows that the functioning of his organs, his body's ability to cleanse itself from toxic material and its capacity to overcome fatigue and tiredness all depend on water (which many people neglect to drink regularly) and he will be careful to drink enough of it in the course of the day. Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, draws attention in several places to the importance of water.
For example, during a trip he sat down somewhere and asked for water from those beside him. After he had washed his hands and face and drunk some water he said to his companions: "Pour some of its water on your faces and chests." (Sahih al-Bukhari) Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said after drinking water:
"All praise is due to Allah Who has made it delicious and sweet by His grace and has not made it either salty or unsavoury." (Imam Ghazali's Ihya Ulum ad-Din)

eat together… will make your family full of barakah...

Dressing – 24/7 Life As A Muslim

 
While a believer decides on what clothes he is going to wear during the day and gets dressed, he is aware of an important fact: that clothing is one of Allah's countless blessings and there is good reason for its existence. Everyone benefits from this blessing, but only a Muslim who lives according to the teaching of the Qur'an properly appreciates that beautiful clothing is a mercy from Allah and thanks Him for it. Clothing immediately reminds the believer that living things are the source of wool, cotton and silk clothing. The articles of clothing we use, almost every moment of our lives, are obtained from plants and animals that are wonders of creation. In other words, if Allah had not created some living things with the ability to provide human beings with every kind of clothing from the most basic to the most luxurious, these raw materials would not exist.
Despite the fact that they know this, some people either ignore it or, because of the error of their ways, don't appreciate the blessings they have. Because they were given the clothes they need from the minute they were born, dressing has become a habit for them. This habit prevents them from realising that their clothing is a blessing and from giving thanks for it. But one of the reasons why our Lord created blessings in this word is that human beings would thank Him for them. So, let's examine the reasons why Allah created clothing for us beginning with the benefits it provides us.
 

Is this the right fashion to be wear for Muslim woman ??? think yourself… how safe you feel???

Clothing is like a shield that protects the human body from cold, the dangerous rays of the sun and minor dangers such as cuts and bruises from our environment. If we didn't have clothing, the thin skin that covers the human body would often be injured by these kinds of small accidents. They are painful, a threat to health and the skin could take on a very bad appearance.
Our Lord in the Qur'an reveals another reason behind the creation of protective clothing:
Children of Adam! We have sent down clothing to you to conceal your private parts, and fine apparel. (Surat al-A'raf: 26)
As this verse point out, clothing gives human beings a much better appearance aesthetically.
It is clear that clothing is an indispensable need and an extremely important blessing that Allah has provided for our use. A believer who is aware of this will be very careful and fastidious in the use of his clothing, and this will be an indication that he is truly thankful to Allah for the blessings he has been given.
Another quality given to the believer from the values taught by the Qur'an is moderation in spending money and this applies also when buying clothing. He buys items that he needs, that suit him and are sensible. He does not waste money in needless spending. The following verse brings out this fact:
Those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor mean, but take a stance mid way between the two. (Surat al-Furqan: 67)
The care with which a person living according to the teachings of the Qur'an dresses is not limited to this. For example, besides dressing in clean clothes, a believer with a sense of values will be careful to dress as well and as suitably for the occasion as possible. As the Qur'an shows, clothing is pleasing to the eye (Surat al-A'raf: 26). There are examples of how our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, dressed and his recommendations on this matter in the sayings that have come down to us:
"Eat what you like, and wear what you like provided that it is free from two things: extravagance and vainglory." (Maulana Muhammad Manzoor No'mani, Ma'ariful Hadith)
And here is another bit of information that has come down to us about how our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, dressed:
Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of Allah, he would wear his best clothes and order his leading Companions to do likewise." (Tabaqat Hadith, Volume 4, Number 346)
When one of his companions gave no importance to his appearance and seemed unkempt, our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, warned him immediately. An example of this has been passed down to us:
"The Messenger of Allah was in the mosque, when a man with unkempt hair and an untidy beard came in. The Prophet (saas) pointed to him, as if indicating to him that he should tidy up his hair and beard. The man went and did so, then returned. The Prophet (saas) said, 'Is this not better than that any one of you should come with unkempt hair?'" (Malik's Muwatta, Volume 2, Number 949)
In the Qur'an, Allah says that clothing and adornments will be among the finest blessings of the Garden. Some of them are mentioned in the following verses:
But Allah will admit those who believe and do right actions into Gardens with rivers flowing under them where they will be adorned with gold bracelets and pearls, and where their clothing will be of silk. (Surat al-Hajj: 23)


Wearing fine silk and rich brocade, face to face with one another. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 53)
They will wear green garments of fine silk and rich brocade. They will be adorned with silver bracelets… (Surat al-Insan: 21)
In these verses, our Lord speaks of robes of silk and rich brocade, and adornments made of gold, silver and pearls. The adornments we have in this world are similar to those in the Garden, and for a person of faith, seeing these adornments—whether he possesses any or not—is a means that leads him to contemplate the Garden and desire even more to go there. A believer sees the purpose of these things in creation and realises that all the blessings of this world are transitory. The only real blessings and those that will last forever are in the afterlife.
But as for those who believe and do right actions, We will not let the wage of good-doers go to waste. They will have Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing under them. They will be adorned in them with bracelets made of gold and wear green garments made of the finest silk and rich brocade, reclining there on couches under canopies. What an excellent reward! What a wonderful repose! (Surat al-Kahf: 30-31) 

There’re not much to do with the muslim men dressing… just make sure that we close our ‘aurat’…be simple…

One of the things a person living according to the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah must consider about clothing is that outer appearance is very important when establishing relationships with other people. For this reason, a believer will give even more attention to what he wears when he invites people to accept the deen (religion) of the Qur'an. He will be as eager as possible to dress in clean clothes that are modest and suitable for him. This shows that he has a devout regard for the commands of Allah and respect for other people.
Only those who live according to the teachings of the Qur'an are as considerate of a person's psychological state and careful to be as effective as possible in telling that person about eternal salvation as they are meticulous about what they wear.
In conclusion, a person of faith, taking our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as his example, always goes about in clean, well cared-for and attractive clothes; he or she takes pleasure in this and by it hopes to win Allah's approval.

Cleaning – 24/7 Life As A Muslim

 
There are some reasons for the changes that happen to your body when you wake up in the morning. Your face swells, your hair is dirty, your body has an unpleasant odour and there is an unwelcome taste in your mouth. The swollen face you see in the mirror and your unkempt appearance show you just how dependent you are. Everyone must wash their face in the morning, brush their teeth and groom himself or herself. This reminds someone who has espoused the teaching of the Qur'an that in this he is no different from other people, and that only Allah has no imperfections.
Moreover, when someone who sincerely turns to Allah looks in the mirror and feels uncomfortable at what he sees, he understands better that he cannot possess anything of beauty by the power of his own will.
It can be seen that Allah has created in His slaves some imperfections to remind them of their dependence on Him. The fact that a person's body and environment become dirty within a short time is an example of this. But Allah has shown people how to overcome these imperfections and has made blessings such as soap and detergent available to us. Allah shows this to us in the Qur'an:
For truly with hardship comes ease; truly with hardship comes ease. (Surat al-Inshirah: 5-6)
The ability to notice this secret of the creation of blessings and to give thanks for them to Allah belongs only to believers endowed with understanding.
While a believer cleans himself, in the morning or in the course of the day, he gives thanks that Allah has provided the materials with which to do it. Because he knows that Allah loves cleanliness and clean people, he sees washing himself as an act of worship and hopes to gain His pleasure. He gladly obeys what Allah has commanded in verses 4 and 5 of Surat al-Muddaththir:
Purify your clothes. Shun all filth. (Surat al-Muddaththir: 4-5)
In the following verse revealed about events during the battle of Badr, Allah says that He sends down water from the heavens for people to clean themselves and for their other needs.
And when He overcame you with sleep, making you feel secure, and sent you down water from heaven to purify you and remove the taint of Shaytan from you, and to fortify your hearts and make your feet firm. (Surat al-Anfal: 11)
 
 

 
 Water is the basic requirement needed for people to clean their bodies, their possessions and their houses. Besides being able to clean visible dirt and invisible bacteria, water also has the ability to help one relax. When water pours over the body, it can disperse the static electricity that makes people fatigued and out of sorts. We can't see the static electricity produced on our bodies, but it sometimes makes itself noticeable by a crackling sound when we take off our sweaters, a mild electric shock when we touch something or by the movement of our hair. When we wash ourselves, we rid ourselves of this accumulation of static electricity and our bodies feel light and comfortable as a result. The freshness of the air after rain has fallen also comes from the fact that water has cleaned the air of static electricity.
Allah is pleased when people are clean and well-groomed. This can be seen in a few verses in the Qur'an that allude to the physical cleanliness of people in the Garden.
Allah says that "… there will be youths like hidden pearls." (Surat at-Tur: 24), and in other verses Allah says that there are "purified wives" for those in the Garden. (Surat al-Baqara: 25; Surah Al 'Imran: 15; Surat an-Nisa': 57)
Some people give importance to being well-groomed only when they are with others or when they have to make themselves liked; they don't care about their appearance and their cleanliness when they are not in the presence of others. To find it normal to go around the house until evening unwashed with a dirty face and bad breath, ungroomed, with the bed unmade and untidy room is the result of faulty reasoning.
However, Allah urges Muslims to make the best and cleanest environments for themselves and commands everyone to maintain the utmost cleanliness in everything from food and clothing to the places in which they live.
Mankind! Eat what is good and lawful on the earth. (Surat al-Baqara: 168)
They will ask you what is lawful for them. Say: "All good things are lawful for you…" (Surat al-Ma'ida: 4)
… (The Prophet) commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making good things lawful for them and bad things unlawful for them… (Surat al-A'raf: 157)
And when We made the House a place of return, a sanctuary for mankind: They took the Maqam of Ibrahim as a place of prayer. We contracted with Ibrahim and Isma'il: "Purify My House for those who circle it, and those who stay there, and those who bow and who prostrate." (Surat al-Baqara: 125)
They replied, "We have been here for a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord knows best how long you have been here. Send one of your number into the city with this silver you have, so he can see which food is purest and bring you some of it to eat." (Surat al-Kahf: 19)
And tenderness and purity from Us, he (Yahya) had taqwa (i.e., consciousness of Allah that leads one to obey Him and not disobey Him). (Surah Maryam: 13)
While the lifestyle of ignorant people leads them to make uncomfortable and unhealthy environments to live in with their own hands, Muslims, in conformity with the teachings of the Qur'an, live a good life in this world. Ignorant people create environments that are troublesome both for themselves and those around them, while Muslims lead their lives in healthy, invigorating places where everyone can live in comfort and peace of mind.
In short, in conformity with the teachings of the Qur'an, believers will be clean and well-groomed, not for the sake of other people, but because this is what Allah likes and, naturally, because this is what feels most comfortable. By cleaning the place where they live, they feel a great deal of pleasure from creating an environment in which other people feel comfortable; in the matter of cleanliness they don't show the least laxity and they always do everything in their power to be clean and well-groomed.

Waking Up In The Morning – 24/7 Life As A Muslim

 

One of the basic differences between Muslims who live their lives according to the teachings of the Qur'an and those people who reject Allah is this: the wisdom Allah gives to those who use their conscience and stand in awe of the glory of Allah. (For a detailed discussion see Harun Yahya's True Wisdom Described in The Qur'an) Because of their wisdom, believers are immediately aware of the reason behind events that godless people and those unable to grasp the truth regard as meaningless happenstance.

From the moment a believer wakes up in the morning, he knows that there is (as Allah calls them in the Qur'an), a "sign" in every experience he has in the course of a day. The word "sign" is given to those events in existence that are clear proofs of the existence, unity and the attributes of Allah—and it is also the name for a verse of the Qur'an. Another idea similar in meaning is "the facts that lead to faith." This may be defined as those facts that bring a person to faith, and at the same time cause faith to grow, develop and become strong. But only those who sincerely turn to Allah can recognise these "signs" and facts that lead to faith. The 190th verse of Surah Al 'Imran is an example of this:

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people with intelligence. (Surah Al 'Imran: 190)

For those who have faith and live by the teachings of the Qur'an, every new day is full of proofs of Allah's existence and facts leading to faith. For example, to open one's eyes and start the day is one of Allah's blessings to humanity and one of the facts leading to faith that needs to be pondered. This is because a person is unconscious throughout the night and all he can remember from those long hours of sleep are some indistinct dreams that last 3-5 seconds. During this time, a person is asleep with no connection to this world. His body and his spirit part company, and this time, during which he thinks he is sleeping, is actually a kind of death. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that human selves are taken while they are asleep.

Allah takes back people's selves when their death arrives and those who have not yet died, while they are asleep. He keeps hold of those whose death has been decreed and sends the others back for a specified term… (Surat az-Zumar: 42)

It is He Who takes you back to Himself at night, while knowing the things you perpetrate by day, and then wakes you up again, so that a specified term may be fulfilled. (Surat al-An'am: 60)

In these verses, Allah says that human selves are taken during sleep, but are given back again until the determined hour of death comes. While asleep, a person partly loses consciousness of the outside world. To awake from the "death" of sleep to consciousness and the same condition as the day before, and to be able to see, hear and feel perfectly well is a miracle that we should consider. A person who goes to bed at night cannot be certain that these incomparable blessings will be given to him again in the morning. And we can never be sure if we will meet with some kind of disaster or wake up in a healthy state.

A believer starting a new day thinks about these facts and thanks Allah for covering him with His great mercy and protection. He looks at the new day as an opportunity given him by Allah to win His pleasure and gain Paradise. The moment he opens his eyes in the morning of the early dawn, he directs his thoughts to Allah and begins the day with a sincere prayer, the dawn prayer of Islam.

During the day, he acts with the knowledge that Allah is always watching him, and is careful to win His approval by obeying His commands and counsel. He established a close bond with Allah and began the day with the dawn prayer. In this way, the likelihood that he will forget Allah's good pleasure during the day or ignore His limits is small; he will behave throughout the day with the knowledge that Allah is testing him in this world.

Someone who sincerely directs his thoughts to Allah will be helped to see that he must think carefully about the blessings he has been given and that no one other than Allah has the power to give them to him. In the Qur'an, our Lord says that people must ponder this matter:

Say: "What do you think? If Allah took away your hearing and your sight and sealed up your hearts, what god is there, other than Allah, who could give them back to you?" (Surat al-An'am: 46)

Certainly it is the Almighty and All-Knowing Allah Who makes sleep a time of rest for human beings and restores His blessings to them in the morning. Those who know this feel Allah's proximity from the moment they begin their day and are pleased with the incomparable blessings they enjoy.

Those who reject religion and refuse to consider this reality can never be fully aware of the blessings they have or know the joy that believers experience. Generally, early in the morning, they find it difficult to get out of a warm bed and are stressed by the anxiety of having to get into step with the new day. Some are anxious and depressed because of the things they have to do every morning. They don't want to get out of bed; there is a struggle in their minds between getting up and having one more minute of sleep. An often encountered moral failing in these kinds of people is that they are irritable, stressed and glum when they wake up.

Godless people cannot enjoy the pleasure of Allah's blessings; from the moment they wake up in the morning they return to the monotony of doing the same things every day. There is another kind of person who is unaware that the new day may be the last opportunity Allah has given him: he prepares himself quickly to start his day avid to make more money, to show off to others with his possessions or appearance, to attract the attention of others and be liked.

Those who ignore the facts that Allah has revealed in the Qur'an may start their day in their own ways, but there is a common lack of wisdom in the way they behave: they do not consider that Allah created them, that they are responsible for serving Him and winning His approval and that the new day before them may be the last opportunity they have to fulfil their duty towards Him. Allah reveals their condition in these words:

Mankind's Reckoning has drawn very close to them, yet they heedlessly turn away. (Surat al-Anbiya': 1)

It is clear that those who live immersed in this great error have made a huge mistake. One must not forget that every morning may be the beginning of the last day allotted to one's earthly life. Death may come at any moment, because of a traffic accident, an unexpected disease or any one of countless other causes. In that case, as we said above, we must think about what we have to do to spend the day before us so as to win Allah's approval.

INTRODUCTION - 24/7 Life As A Muslim

 

In the Qur'an, Allah Himself responds to all the questions a person needs answered throughout his life and provides the perfect and most rational solutions for all problems that arise. As Allah says in the second verse of Surat al-Baqara, "That is the Book, without any doubt. It contains guidance for those who guard against evil." Other verses also show that our Lord has explained everything in the Qur'an:
There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence. This is not a narration which has been invented but confirmation of all that came before, a clarification of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for people who believe. (Surah Yusuf: 111)
… We have sent down the Book to you making all things clear and as guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims. (Surah an-Nahl: 89)
A person of faith orders his whole life according to the Qur'an and strives to apply carefully from day to day what he has read and learned in its verses. In everything he does from the moment he gets up in the morning until the time he falls asleep at night, he is intent on thinking, speaking and acting according to the teachings of the Qur'an. Allah shows in the Qur'an that this dedication dominates the whole life of a believer.
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am: 162)
But some people think that religion is composed of rituals limited to certain times—that life is divided into times for prayer and other times. They think about Allah and the afterlife only when they pray, fast, give sadaqah or go on the pilgrimage to Makkah. At other times they are engrossed in the business of the world. Life in this world is for them an unpleasant rat-race. Such people are almost totally divorced from the Qur'an and have their own personal goals in life, their own understanding of morality, their own worldview and sense of values. They have no idea of what the teaching of the Qur'an really means.
A person who adopts the teaching of the Qur'an and follows the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as his principle of living will certainly live life quite differently from someone with this mentality. Such a person will not forget that he is subject to the destiny that Allah has decreed for him and will live his life trusting in, and submitting to, Him. Therefore, he will know that he must not be anxious, sad, fearful, worried, pessimistic or depressed; or overtaken by panic in the face of difficulties. He will meet everything that comes along in the way that Allah advises and approves. His every word, decision and action show that he lives according to the Sunnah which is the practical embodiment of the teaching of the Qur'an. Whether he is taking a walk, eating a meal, going to school, studying, working, playing sports, having a conversation, watching television or listening to music, he is aware that he is responsible for living his life according to the what is pleasing to Allah. He takes care of matters with which he has been entrusted meticulously and is concerned at the same time to win Allah's favour in the things he does. He never behaves in a way unbefitting the teaching of the Qur'an or contrary to the Sunnah.
Living by the values of Islam is possible by applying the commands and advice given in the Qur'an to every aspect of life. This and the practice of the Sunnah is the only way that people can achieve the best and happiest results in this world and the next. Our Lord tells us in the Qur'an that a person can attain the best kind of life by doing right actions:
Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did. (Surat an-Nahl: 97)
By Allah's will, living according to the teaching of the Qur'an and the Sunnah will enable people to develop a broad way of understanding, superior intelligence, the ability to distinguish right from wrong and the ability to consider a matter in depth. These characteristics will ensure that the person who possesses them will live every moment of his life in the ease that comes from these advantages. A person who lives his life in submission to Allah and according to the teaching of the Qur'an will be totally different from other people how he behaves, sits and walks, in his point of view and how he explains and interprets things, and in the solutions he finds for the problems that confront him.
This book will examine the things a person does and the events he encounters almost every day of his life from the point of view of a Muslim who lives according to the teachings of the Qur'an. It will show how a Muslim should react to the various daily events and situations with which he is faced. The purpose of the book is two-fold: to present an idea of the good life that can be had thanks to the teaching of the Qur'an, and to invite all people into the superior life offered by this teaching. It is certain that only the teaching of the Qur'an makes it possible for a person to live every hour of every day, and every moment of his life in a Paradise-like, peaceful environment far from the stress, worry and anxiety of this world. ~harun yahya-adnan oktar~