Selain dari (tidak mengerjakan amal-amal) itu, ia (tidak pula) menjadi dari orang-orang yang beriman dan berpesan-pesan dengan sabar serta berpesan-pesan dengan kasih sayang.
I was reflecting upon this ayah, and the value Allah places upon qualities like sabr and compassion. These are considered people who are ultimately successful. I was also reflecting on how different people around me talk about intellect and being intelligent and how Allah talks about it. Its almost laughable how opposite the two are. People talk of intelligent as the one with a greater IQ, a genius, a kid scoring high marks in school, and eventua...
Why do we have stories about struggle and strife in the Quran ? Stories of Prophets' and important figures' pain, loss, and suffering?
We have verses that speak of darkness literally and darkness figuratively when they narrate to us the deep sadness of Prophet Jacob over his separation from Prophet Yusuf, the suffering of Maryam as she gives birth to Prophet Jesus all on her own, scared and lonely, the grief of the mother of Musa as she lets ...
Ramadan has a way of making everything feel clearer to me. For a while, effort feels lighter. Giving feels natural. I find it easier to pause, to reflect, to choose what is right.
But once the month passes, something changes. The structure fades, the environment shifts, and the same actions that once felt easy begin to feel heavier. That is when these verses from Surah Al-Balad start to feel more personal to me.
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ 'But he has not attempted the steep path.'
It's as if Allah is challenging us to rise above the ordinary and embrace the rigorous journey that faith demands.
Those of us living in cities with steep roads can understand the metaphor well. Driving or walking on these roads is tough, requiring more effort and resilience than walking on flat terrain. For those who hike...