“My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please You. And instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit ˹to Your Will˺.”

This is another story of 'the Quran spoke to me.'

I lost my mother during COVID time. I was in the UK and she was in Malaysia. Everything was in lockdown so going back was difficult and almost impossible. 
I was absolutely devastated. I was crying and pouring my heart out. 
I reached the quran and opened the page randomly while I still had tears on my face. I was hoping I could find some comfort from it.

This is the first ayah I encountered.
After I read it I cried even harder. I felt like Allah heard me, understood my heart ache and communicated back to me. 
Do you see? It's an ayah about a mother. My mother. And what dua I should be doing when I reach the age of 40.
I'm not forty yet (she died 3 years ago when I was 34 years old) but I have been reading the dua every single time after my five prayers.

What is the dua?
1) Make me always be thankful for the favours You gave me AND my parents 
2) Make me do good deeds to please You.
3) Make my offspring righteous
4) I truly repent to You and submit to Your Will

And the effect? Alhamdulillah I truly feel content and thankful. Losing a parent is difficult but with the help of Allah, over time, I managed and adjusted.

Feel the dua and you'll see it's a dua for three generations straight. Your parents, yourself and your offspring.
For surely everyone knows, once a Muslim dies, one of the three things remain is a righteous child who prays for you.
I pray for my mother everyday. And with this dua I hope my children are righteous and would do the same for me.
I strongly encourage everyone to read this dua also after your prayers and feel the difference. I highlighted the Arabic version in my Qur'an and read it everyday until I memorised it. 
May it benefit you as it had benefited me.

Insha'Allah. 

SubhanAllah, your reflection is deeply heartfelt and incredibly moving. The way this ayah reached you at such a vulnerable moment, when your heart was shattered by the loss of your beloved mother, truly illustrates how the Quran speaks to us in the most personal and timely ways. “How could He not know His Own creation?” (67:14). Indeed, Allah knows our hearts better than we do.

JazakAllahu khayran for sharing such an intimate and uplifting testimony. May Allah continue to heal your heart, increase you in gratitude, and make this du’a a source of joy and barakah for you and your family, now and in the Hereafter.


Today while sitting with our family members at the iftar time with all the food and the fruits, dates and juices Alhamdulillah.
I was feeling blessed and grateful and start counting the blessings starting from our childhood like parents, school good teachers the joy that we had and then university, job marriage, children in-laws, relationship friends, money, food car etc and the list goes on Alhamdulillah
We can't count them 'impossible '
These Dua I always recite in my Salah 
These two Duas are quite similar 
And a lot to reflect 
But I am focusing here 
           'Gratitude '
One Dua showing the gratitude for parents especially the mother and the hardships she faced both physically and emotionally, then being thankful to Allah for this and asking Allah for the righteous in children as well 
The other Dua is about Prophet Suleiman AS 
When he passed through a valley where they were many ants.
Hazrat Suleiman(AS)  understood what they were saying.
Such an incident was enough to give pride to an ordinary man but Prophet Sulaiman (AS)  became the embodiment of gratitude and fully attributed to God and being thankful about the blessings he has given to his Parents as well, particularly for his father Prophet Dawood (AS).
Both these Duas are beautiful, showing thankfulness to Allah SWT and the deep respect to parents and asking about the righteousness in children.
These Dua showing humility and recognizing the blessings bestowed to us by Allah SWT.
A lot to discuss, but I can't cover it.
We need to memorize the Duas in Quran and understand the meaning and try to implement in our lives.

#quranicduas

Allahumma Barik May Allah be with us in this dunya and the hereafter

On Embracing Mid-Life, Gratitude, Family and Fulfilling Our Purpose

Each phase of life has its unique peaks and valleys. At this phase of life, when one is at middle age, they may be straddling the reality of aging parents, raising children who are growing into teens and young adults, while also feeling the effect of age on their own body and health, and starting to perhaps experience loss of loved ones more often as they age. It may feel difficult sometimes to navigate all of these experiences at once. 

However, in this verse, God reminds us to be kind to our parents, especially our mothers who went through the pains of pregnancy with us, and specifically at the age of 40 to be grateful to Him for his blessings upon us and our parents. In this same verse we pray to continue to engage in goodness, so to not forget ourselves, our unique contribution and our need to continue to do good, and we pray for the goodness of our children and lineage while also continuing to seek forgiveness. 

It’s a beautiful way of capturing past, present and future as it reminds us to be grateful to our parents for all of their care and support, especially when they may be aging and need more of our care and support while also reminding us to engage in goodness ourselves and pray for the goodness of our future lineage. 

Another lesson learned from this verse is that while some may be feeling restless at this stage or question if they have fulfilled their purpose, God reminds us of our ultimate purpose - to be grateful for His blessings He has showered us with throughout our life, to do goodness to seek His contentment, to pray for our lineage, and to pray for His forgiveness and remember our submission to Him. While some may experience what’s known as a ‘mid-life crisis’ at this stage, as Muslims, the age of 40 is considered the age of wisdom, our ‘prime’ so we can actually reframe this phase to be a ‘midlife awakening’ to be grateful for what has passed and to prepare for what is to come in an eternal world. 

Reaching middle age also reminds us time is precious, and it’s important to embrace our unique contribution to fulfill our purpose.  We were put on this earth for a reason, and time is a precious commodity. While we know our overall purpose is to love God and serve to make this world a better place - your unique contribution is yours to discover and actualize and this is what is implied by ‘to do good that pleases you’ in the verse. You may not readily know exactly what it is  - You may search and stumble and take the wrong turn and end up unfulfilled with your life decisions. Yet, again you have a choice to keep going, build your skills, try new things, develop your strengths and bloom into the unique contribution you can make which fuels a sense of fulfillment and inner joy for you, by the grace of Allah.

There’s a beautiful narration for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him that after we pass, there are three things that we continue to reap the benefits of: 'When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end, except three: Ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who will pray for him.' (Sahih Muslim)

These are beautiful ways of leaving a legacy - maybe it’s one, two or all of them that you seek. The children you raise, what you teach, share, role model of goodness to others that they carry with them or what you give for example to support charitable causes are all unique contributions you can make. To embrace your unique contribution and find your inner joy, you will need to let go of the past - its hurts, disappointments and losses. It doesn’t mean you won’t learn from them and cherish important memories; however, letting go of that which is no longer serving your higher purpose and unique contribution could be the key to unlocking your potential. 

Let go with grace and remember you can hold both grief and gratitude for what was, as well as hope and trust for what will be.

This ayah is about the parents struggle. And to honour them. Allah (subhan wa’ ta’ala) says to be grateful for them. This is important. Our parents struggle a lot! (Really.) And they’re very precious. Be careful! Do not hurt them, it is a very big sin. Insulting your parents also is. It can also avoid you going to Jennah.

Yes, masha'Allah a great and an important reminder for all of us who have parents. Jazakallahu khair for sharing this with us.

#FridayReminders 20: Selfless Nurture
Quran Reflections by Talha Ghannam

Video: https://youtu.be/WyATzktvMG4 
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/quranclub 
App: www.quranclub.org 
Website: www.otpok.com 

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وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَـٰلُهُۥ ثَلَـٰثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

We have commanded people to honour their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their ˹period of˺ bearing and weaning is thirty months. In time, when the child reaches their prime at the age of forty, they pray, 'My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please You. And instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit ˹to Your Will˺.'
(46:15)


My dear beloved son

Imagine there was a way to have a child without going through any of the pains; no months of pregnancy for your mother, no pains of labour to endure, no sleepless nights to wake through, no anxiety about your well-being, no worry about finances to raise you. Imagine Allah ﷻ had decreed that the way we have children was a painless process as easy as ordering a gift from Amazon, arriving as an independent, fully grown adult for whom you are genetically connected with and share a lifelong bond with.

If you asked any mother or father, you will not find many who would trade this for the role of raising a new-born baby, regardless of how difficult and exhausting it may be. This is not for any sadism or love of pain. No parent enjoys the sacrifices that they have to make. They simply endure them lovingly with the understanding that it’s the required investment to nurture something far greater in return; Love.

You see, raising a child is almost entirely a selfless act, requiring almost continuous sacrifice on behalf of the parents in order to raise and nurture the child. Whether it be time, money, sleep or ambition, every parent must sacrifice something in order to give to their children. The result? Love; an unquantifiable, intangible human experience universal to us all brought about in a moments smile from a new born child after endless sacrifice for their sake. It is not that the parents enjoy the pain; they endure it knowing it is the currency through which they obtain the reward it nurtures.

The truth is, this sacrifice – this selflessness – is a necessary input required to cultivate love. The result doesn’t seem the same without it. Perhaps this is why no child’s smile is quite like your own; because only you have truly built that connection with them through the toil of hard work.

Son, realise that this same relationship you will come to understand through your family is shared with the relationship you have with your creator. 
-	When He asks us to give from your money, He ﷻ could easily have given to the poor without you, yet He knows that the love between you and Him will only result through sacrificing that which you Love for His sake. 
-	When He asks to wake up at night to worship Him, He ﷻ knows that the sleeplessness you face is the currency through which you will come to love your Lord, and without it, your love will never truly grow. 
-	When you endure any pain, illness or hardship and remain patient for His sake, He could easily remove or prevent this from ever happening to you, yet He knows that it is in those moments of difficulty you will call upon Him, and will forge a memory you will recount with Him during your times of ease.
-	When He calls upon you to stop eating and drinking in the day, He ﷻ has no benefit to gain from this. He does this because He knows the only way for our soul to grow is by reducing the appetite of our desires.

Any time your Lord ﷻ calls upon you to withhold from your desires and sacrifice something for Him, it is because He knows that true love is only built on selflessness – in eliminating your self – just as the bond between parent and child is forged through their sacrifice. Only in the furnace of trials and tribulations does gold become pure.

Know, that your selflessness and sacrifice for Allah ﷻ will never come near to the bounty that Allah ﷻ gave, gives and will continue to give you and those around us. Allah’s ﷻ bounties are not contingent on our obedience to Him; He gifts the unbelievers with food, shelter and safety too! My son, our obedience and gratitude is merely the natural response in any healthy relationship, just like it would be between you and I. In its lowest form, it amplifies the pleasure we receive from these gifts, bringing ever more increase from Giver in appreciation of the thankfulness shown. In its ultimate form, the gift is a mere vehicle to the ultimate goal which is love between the two parties. It is the thought behind the gift that matters more than any object given. With our Creator, every object becomes a window to look upon Al-Jameel – the Most Beautiful one – from whom all Beauty comes, something no physical thing can replace. A wholesome relationship is a two way bond, one in which the giver and receiver share a mutual love which transcends any gift or tribulation, enriching and nourishing through it. 

This truth is no more evident than in Paradise itself, a place which contains pleasures no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever conceived of! Yet, most fittingly, it is not in these delights where the greatest pleasure of paradise lies. The greatest joy is found in a moments communion with their Lord, turning all other joys insignificant in that moment. Here you stand before Al-Jameel – The Most Beautiful one – the creator and source of every pleasure you ever enjoyed. No stream is as pleasant as its source, and here is an ocean without shore. In that moment, my son, you will realise where true pleasure lies; it is to sacrifice your desires, your distractions, your self entirely and be present before the one you love most: Allah ﷻ. 


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As-salaamu Alaykum! This is Talha from the Quran Club. 

Alhamdulillah, we've been blessed with a beautiful young baby boy. And during this process subhanallah. So many thoughts and feelings and reflections have come to mind. The plan is to write up some of these as a reflection and note to my young baby son for him to grow and for others to grow, listening to and reflecting on insha'Allah so that they may benefit. Hopefully this is beneficial to you as well. 

Do share your thoughts and feelings and let me know if you have had any of the reflections when you had your own children. May Allah ﷻ bless us all, bless our children and bless the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Jazakallah khair, As-salaamu Alaykum warahmat Allah

Some individuals will receive Allah’s complete forgiveness. To illustrate this, consider a manager conducting yearly performance reviews. For some employees, the manager thoroughly evaluates every detail of their work—both good and bad—and assigns bonuses/salary increase accordingly. For others, however, he focuses solely on their best achievements, overlooking their shortcomings. Would this manager be considered biased? 

In a similar way, Allah will treat certain individuals as described in 
Quran 46:16: 'We accept from such people the best of what they do and overlook their bad deeds. They will be among the people of Paradise—this is the true promise given to them.'

So, who are these fortunate individuals? 

They are those who honor their parents, as emphasized in Quran 46:15, with verse 16 above following closely. 
'And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, 'My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.'

Notably, the verse highlights the importance of a mother’s role. There are two situations in which someone may miss the opportunity to show kindness to their parents: either they become an orphan or loose their parents for any other reason at a young age and don’t have the chance to honor them, or they fail to respect their parents when they are younger, only realizing their mistake later, often around the age of forty (age of maturity).  In such cases, their sincere prayers for forgiveness (as in the verse) may be enough, as Allah’s mercy encompasses all, and He has decreed compassion for Himself.

As stated in Quran 7:156, 'My mercy encompasses all things.' 

He has inscribed mercy as a fundamental rule for Himself. 

As stated in Quran 6:12, 'To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth? To Allah. He has inscribed for Himself the rule of mercy. He will gather you for the Day of Judgment—there is no doubt about it. Those who do not believe have truly lost their own souls.' 
This message is reiterated in verse 54 of the same Surah: 'When those come to you who believe in Our signs, say: ‘Peace be upon you. Your Lord has inscribed for Himself the rule of mercy: if any of you does evil in ignorance and then repents and reforms, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’'
Additionally, Allah assures us not to lose hope in His mercy. 

In Quran 39:53, He says, 'O My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own excess, do not despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins; He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.' (Interesting to note that the whole mankind is mentioned not just believers)

Quran 17:23 'For your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And honor your parents. If one or both of them reach old age in your care, never say to them ˹even˺ ‘ugh,’ nor yell at them. Rather, address them respectfully.'
Quran 32:14  'And We have commanded people to ˹honor˺ their parents. Their mothers bore them through hardship upon hardship, and their weaning takes two years. So be grateful to Me and your parents. To Me is the final return.'

One can conclude that one of the simplest paths to Paradise is to show kindness to one’s parents.

Alhamdulillah for your beautiful explanation of the verses from the Holy Quran.  Very profound thoughts about Allah Swt’s qualities of forgiveness, compassion and mercy. He is indeed Rahman as well as Raheem because he has Himself promised to forgive us whenever we realise and repent. It’s never too late. May Allah Swt’s words keep us guided in all our affairs. Aameen.