Assaalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu 

Bismika Rabbi

Alhamdulliah I was given the ability to recite "Al Araf", and I reflected on a few things, such as the meaning of the name of the surah, "The heights" or "The elevated places".  SubhanAllah, the 7th chapter reminded me of the 7 heavens and the surah ending with a sajdah verse.
For me it was like a message that for us to reach the heights and to be closest to Allah SWT and be like angels, it is by prostrating on the lowest of low's floor (the word "dunya" can mean "the near", "the closest" or "the lower") and by submitting to Allah's commands, to praise him, to be grateful to him and to never turn our backs and go astray and if we do we come back. Just know to come back.

To never associate with or have others alongside, and to never place intermediaries between us and our Lord. 
The one and only illah, Allah 👆🏼

Sometimes it's very challenging and the dunya test can get really difficult, even if sometimes we don't want to pray or feel like -  what good is all this ibadah - should believing have such a hefty price. To be a believer do we have to endure so much pain and struggle? The ego is so cunning that it makes you prostrate before it and worship it. You think you're making sajdah before your lord, but it is to your ego.

Ya Rabbi, help us, we can't do this on our own. This road is tricky, full of traps, full of snakes, vultures, but it is also filled with delights too. With pretty things, like money, wealth, all the extravagant things. 

My Lord, please keep us steadfast, please accept our very messy and low-quality fasts and ibadah. You are not in need of us; we are in need of you.

Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum
Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.” (Surah Prophet Yusuf, 12:101)



Sajdah is the greatest physical manifestation of humility towards Allah. And we do sajdah everyday. But how is our sujood? 
What is the quality of it in front Allah? 
Is it only physical? 
How is the metaphysical part of it? 

When I was trying to contemplate on the ayahs, my realisation of my prostration was shocking to me. My sujood seemed to me as a hollow activity of my body parts. It is not at all a physical manifestation of humility towards Allah. 

And I keep reading the ayahs, to get guidance for the solution of the issue. 

Alhamdulillah it’s very simple step by step guideline that I came to understand. 

The ultimate solution of the problem is getting closer to Allah. 

Zikr or remembrance is one of the ways of getting closer to Allah. 

So the first step is remembering Him MINDFULLY, morning and evening , with humility and reverence. 

Second step is to become mindful of the responsibility of an abd of Allah. Be mindful of the fact that no one can do any good without the Tawfiq which is from Allah. Wipe off all the proud thoughts that come after praying to Allah. 
The person who can be in a state of treating himself or herself really small in front of the greatness of Allah, can only get rid of the proud thoughts. 

Next step is to glorify Allah. Real glorification of Allah is not possible if we have an atomic piece of pride in our heart about our worship. Because being arrogant is glorifying self. 

If we can purify ourselves from arrogance and glorify Allah, then our prostration will be the physical manifestation of the status of our heart. 

May Allah make us amongst them who are people of real sujood. May Allah make our heart free from arrogance.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

When books are advertised that they will ‘change your life’ be sure they will sell because people everywhere are looking for healing, solace and happiness. One of the things they encourage is following the advice through. 

Yet, this is the Book of Allah if you engage in a consistent relationship with it, your vision will change, and when your vision will change your heart will change. A Book that has remained unchanged since it was sent in this world across twenty-three years, it’s revelation started during Ramadan Yet, it is for the entire mankind - irrespective of time, culture and place. 

It’s not an easy journey, for it will remind you what is bad for you and what is good for you. Giving up the duniya is not easy, but holding on even with a few ayats per day will drive your heart to long for paradise.

Situations might not always change, but how you deal with life will change. You will understand that always Allah has planned the best for you. In the most difficult situation He is your efficient Guardian. Just like He was for Prophets Musa, Ibrahim, Yusuf, Ayyub and Yunus peace be upon them all. 

Pursue your journey sincerely, steadily and surely. Don’t let go. Keep asking for Allah’s help. He will help us.

Your comment really touched me, especially the part where you mentioned its not an easy journey and giving up the duniya is difficult. I have never felt comfortable indulging in a mortgage in order to 'buy my own house' but inevitably its Riba and giving up the Duniya is not easy but I think I need to get rid and rent as I am currently able to do so Alhamdulillah. 

Its insanity to sacrifice the eternal akhira and hopefully Jannah for a comfortable but temporary duniya. 

While speaking about the names of surahs, the connections between a surah's name and its theme, and how frequently the story of Moosaa is mentioned throughout the Qur'an, al-Suyooti mentioned:

[قال بعضهم : كاد القرآن أن يكون كله لموسى وكان أولى سورة أن تسمى به سورة طه أو سورة القصص أو الأعراف ; لبسط قصته في الثلاثة ما لم يبسط في غيرها]

Some have said: Nearly the entire Qur'an is about Moosaa, and the surah that would be most entitled to be named after him is surah Taha, or surah al-Qasas, or surah al-A'raaf, for his story is drawn out in greater detail in these three surahs than it is in any other surahs.

[al-Itqan 1/204]

Introduction to the Sections

1-10: Regrets of the people of Hell once they’ve been punished. 
* The Qur’an is revealed to remind the believers and to warn humankind about the consequences of their actions and that judgment will indeed take place.

11-25: The story of Adam and Iblis (The story of Man's creation and Satan's opposition to Man. The real reason people turn away from guidance in-comparison with Shaitan disbelief): 
* We are the blessed creation of Allah
* Warning to the Children of Adam to be aware of Satan's plots as he is a guide for those that disbelieve.
* Dangers of arrogance, pride and racism with Shaitan being the first racist (The end goal of Shaitan is to make us ungrateful)
* 23: Repentance from Adam & his wife (Be humble and do not ascribe fault to Allah)

26-33: Morality (Modesty):
* 26: The Purpose of Clothing: Allah gifts us with clothing as for modesty, adornment and as a sign of righteousness and taqwa)
* Goals of Shaitan is to cause us to act immodest. 
* Allah orders Justice and forbids immortalities & excessiveness

34-58: The 3 Categories of people on the day of Judgement- People of hell, Jannah and A’araf
* 34-41: The end of those who denied the message and those who accepted the message & Cries of the wicked in the hellfire
* 42-43: The righteous will prosper. Praise of the righteous to Allah 
* 44-45, 50-53: The Conversations of the people of Hellfire and those of Paradise
* 46-49:  The people of the A’araf (Their good deeds equal to their bad deeds on the day of judgement until Allah have mercy on them and admit them to Paradise).
* 54-58: Signs of Allah in his creation & his mercy 

59-95: Some lessons from the Stories of 5 Prophets with their constant struggles between good and evil:
* 59-64: The people of Prophet Nuh (asws) rejected his message and were drowned except the righteous.
* 65-72: The people of ‘Aad belied Prophet Hud (asws) and the punishment of Allah came to them
* 73-79: Earthquake seized the people of Thamud after they denied Prophet Salih’s  (asws) message & killed the She-camel
* 80-84: Destruction befell the people who denied Prophet Lot (asws)
* 85-95: The people of Madyan cheated in their trade and denied the message of Prophet Shu'aib (asws), Allah sent an earthquake to destroy them.

96-102: Warnings against those who deny the Prophets and Messengers of Allah:
* The blessing of Allah and security would have enveloped the previous nations (from above and below) had they believed.

103-171: The Story of Prophet Musa, Phraon and the Israelites
* 103-112: Prophet Moses -peace be upon him- and his encounter with Pharaoh of Egypt.
* 112-126: Pharaoh and his magicians were defeated but the magicians immediately repentend to Allah.
* 127-129: Pharaoh continued in his persecution of the Israelites.
* 130-141: Some more signs were shown to Pharaoh and his people.
* 142-147: Passage about Musa (a.s) asking to see Allah in mount Sinai, and the Tablet & Torah was given to him.
* 148-156: Mention of how some Israelites started Calf worship as lesson that the believers sometimes might fall short in worship
* 157-162: Prophet Muhammad is the Universal Prophet. The Torah & Injil speaks about him.  Some among the people of Prophet Moses were guided by the truth and lived with justice.

163-176: Lessons from later generations of Bani Israel; the Fishermen (People of the Sabbath) & those who took their religion carelessly
* Some Israelites transgressed Allah's laws and they suffered the consequences.
* The eternal covenant of Allah was taken from all human beings.
* 175-179: Warning of not letting our knowledge leading us to arrogance / disbelief. We should never feel a sense of arrogance against the sinful or stop preaching to them

180-206: Islamic Theology:
* 180-186: Signs of Allah in his creations
* 187: The coming of the Last Hour
* Allah is our Waliy, Shirk has no logic. Ignore the wrongdoers, but invite to Allah with kindness (196-198)
* 199: Comprehensive verse about noble character: pardon people, order that which is good and turn away from the ignorant 
* Listen to the Qur'an and always remember Allah (200-206)

7: Surah al-A'raf (The Heights)

Attributes 
* This is the 7th Surah of the Qur'an and according to some authorities it is the 39th Surah by order of revelation.  
* This Surah was revealed in Makkah about a year or two before the Hijrah.  
* It consists of 206 verses.

Themes
* The basic theme of this Surah is Risalah, i.e. Allah's message as it was sent through many messengers. 
* Allah's messengers came to guide people. Several Prophets and parts of their stories are mentioned to emphasize Prophets’ mission and their struggle with their people. Allah's Prophets suffered for the cause of truth, their enemies tried to harm them, but then Allah helped his prophets and defeated their enemies.  
* The Surah emphasizes that the true message must be presented under all circumstances. After the Prophets it is the duty of the Believers to convey the message of Allah to all people.

Torne-se um doador mensal