Ibrahim (AS) starts out by disproving any false Gods, explicitly says 'Do not worship Satan. Surely, Satan is ever rebellious against the Most Compassionate'. Ibrahim (AS) then praises Allah (SWT) by calling him the Most Compassionate. This is similar to the Dua presented in the beginning of the halaqa, where we admit our faults, and then praise Allah (SWT). Later on in the sura, it explains that we should embrace Tawhid, and to always give Dawah to those around us to embrace it as well.  

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They were all the family he had, all the family he knew. They were disbelievers. He left them. He became all alone from a humane point of view. He said he’d call upon Allah, he trusted Allah so much that he left his entire family for the sake of Allah. I wonder how much Iman is needed to maintain that much of trust in Allah?
Allah told us that after he left the disbelievers or whatever wrong paths they were in, he was given Isaac and Jacob and even more they had become prophets. So leaving wrongs and evil and whatever was the reason Allah has given him rewards in dunya.
This is so close to me. I always ask myself what if i leave this or that for the pure sake of Allah and Allah only? Would i be alone? Would i ever get what i want? Although it is definitely enough to me to be a real slave to Allah and just being on his way and beside him is fulfilling itself, but human beings want things. I always wonder would Allah ever give me this or that? And what if he wouldn’t? Would i still be patient on the way of Allah?
As mentioned in Surat Al-Kahf, and how could you ever be patient upon things you have no knowledge of?
May Allah give us patience along the way.
May Allah purify our intentions so that we’re obeying him only for his sake not for him to give us dunya.

Bilal May Allah be pleased with him stopped giving the athan after the prophet peace be upon him passed away as it would remind him of the blessed prophet. 

I never truly understood this concept untill I had to recite these surahs after my mother الله يرحمها passed away. Tbh I’ve been avoiding these surahs because of the emotional weight they have on me now. 

I still love these Surah , but there is this memory attached to them now that I recited these a lot by my mother’s death bed. 

Even walking through the streets that I passed by while talking to my mother,  somehow remind me of her. Subhan Allah 


Sometimes I almost accidentally pick up the phone and dial her 


I trust that Allah rewards a person every time  they remember a loved one that they lost and practice patience 

Until then 

و لذكر الله اكبر

Isn't it so interesting that Zechariah (a), a healthy adult, couldn't speak for 3 days and then a few ayahs later, we read that Isa (a), a newborn baby, could speak clearly?

Has anyone reflected upon/compared these 2 events? I'd love to read your reflections and any lessons you can share.  JAK.

Why was Zachariah deprived of speech for 3 days? Does anyone know the spiritual lesson behind this? I am unaware of the context of his teachings/story so any explanation would be greatly appreciated jzk!

In addition to being from amongst the greatest woman of mankind, their is another hidden wisdom as to why Maryam AS is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran.

The Arabs of old, especially the elites amongst them (kings, noblemen, etc.) would never mention the names of their wives publicly because to them this was degrading to their honor as they held their wives too sacred to allow for their names to be on the tongues or ears of other men.  Instead they would refer to their wives in general terms that can also mean family, such as (ahl, 3iyal, etc)

We see in the quran other woman are referred to by their patronymic or 'kunya' such as the wife of Pharaoh aka Asya, or the mother of Musa AS, etc.  However with Maryam it is different. In almost every reference she is referred to by her name and not just her title, as the Mother of Jesus. That is because the Christians claim her to be the mother of the Son of God (AKA Jesus AS). This would entail that Allah SWT , far removed from this claim, took Maryam AS as a wife. So referring to her by name in every reference in the Quran adds additional emphasis that she is a servant of Allah SWT and nothing more. Knowing that the arab's did not see it problematic to refer to the female servants by name, unlike the case with their wives, this offered additional proof for those in doubt that Allah SWT never took for himself Maryam AS as a spouse, nor anyone for that matter.

Far removed is He from what they ascribe to Him.

Subhanallah so well thought out reflection, to me this is also proof of divine foreshadowing in a sense; Allah knew Isaa AS would be slandered by the christian presenting him as a god. Thereby by referring to Maryam AS  by her name it provides no room for misinterpretation of her as his wife, and establishes clarity on her role as a servant of Allah (as you mentioned at the time female servants were refered to by their names unlike wives called as per their status) and the mother of a prophet.

God (swt) frames the story of Zakaria's duaa by introducing it as a mercy from Him.
As Zakaria is making his duaa, we're listening to him and we already know that God is having mercy with him. 
He's Merciful in listening to Zakaria, He's Merciful in answering him immediately, He's Merciful in allowing him to empty his heart of all concern before gifting him a son.
What other mercies is God showing His slave?

JAK for wonderful observation... I'd add the mercy of direct access, personal experience, candid private conversation, he goes to Allah swt with personal concern and stating how he has been committed, then states a problem, and even a solution, and Allah accepts it all. It's like a conversation between friends, then Allah swt names the chilld - what an honor, true mercy and elevation of his concerned slave.

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