ااشفقتم ان تقدموا بين يدي نجواكم صدقات فاذ لم تفعلوا وتاب الله عليكم فاقيموا الصلاة واتوا الزكاة واطيعوا الله ورسوله والله خبير بما تعملون

ءَأَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُوا۟ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ نَجْوَىٰكُمْ صَدَقَـٰتٍ ۚ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَتَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

JUZ 28
LIVING THE SEERAH IN OUR TIMES

This juz touches on events in the Seerah of the Prophet SAW.  These events not only shaped the new society in Madinah more than a thousand years ago but they are the blueprint for the muslim ummah till today. The Madinan society was being groomed to be the global leader in the fast-growing Muslim populace. The 'newly-minted muslims' were still new to the teachings of Islam. They needed spiritual guidance and since  Madinan society was made up of people from varied and differing backgrounds of societal ranks and faith; they need to be moulded into a singular Muslim identity. 

At the same time, there was a simmering tension between the Mujahidins, the Musyrikin Makkah, the Jews and the Munafiqun. The Prophet SAW saw the dire need to cultivate the etiquette and social mores of living together in harmony amongst the citizens. 

Accordingly, these surahs were filled with societal regulations that fostered cooperation; harmonious solidarity leading to a community based on teamwork, symbiosis and collaboration. At the same time, calling out the 'haters' and antagonists within the citizenry with warnings of chastisement and retribution should any of them cause danger to the community.

These surahs not only addressed the situation in Madinah but it transcends time to be equally relevant now.  In these grim times, the Ummah needs these same qualities to survive.

May these last days of Ramadhan install unity, mutual understanding and respect in the Ummah for our fight against a common enemy, aamiin.

#JUZ28  #Ramadhan

Jazakallahu khayr for this reflection. 
It brings back the spirit of Ramadhan to me. With everything that is happening around meow, this reminds me that I have a role to play no matter how small. It is inspiring me to keep doing good and most importantly, to maintain my ibaadah, in sha Allah.

The imam at my local masjid gave a profound reflection on these verses along the following lines:

Allah swt in this surah corrects a fault and a social ill. In these first three verses of Surah Al-Mujadalah, you can see the methods of changing behavior and calling to repentance.

In the first verse, people are reminded that Allah is listening, seeing even the details of conversation. This is the first step of summoning faith and calling back to Allah. 

In the second verse, the sin is condemned for its immorality and poor character; 'what they say is certainly detestable and false';  evoking the fitrah, good character and common sense of people. 

In the final verse, the ruling is revealed; the last line of defense. 

We may consider how we avoid sin in the light of these verses; our iman and belief is the first line of defense, then comes our moral dignity and character,  and finally the rulings of unlawfulness step in when the first two are not enough to restrain behavior. 



