The last revelation of the Qur’an - JERUSALEM IN THE QUR’AN

The last revelation of the Qur’an

In the last revelation of the Qur’an Allah Most Wise, chose to return to a subject which had already been dealt with in earlier revelations – in the Qur’an, as well as in the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel – namely the subject of the prohibition of Riba. On the authority of Ahadith we know that the last revelation received by the blessed Prophet (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) shortly before his death, was the passage in Surah alBaqarah (2:279-281) which dealt with Riba:

“Umar ibn Khattab said: The last verse to be revealed was on Riba, but Allah's Messenger was taken without having expounded it to us; so give up not only Riba but also Reebah (i.e., whatever raises doubts in the mind about its rightfulness).”

(Sunan, Ibn Majah; Darimi)

“Ibn Abbas said: O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba (from now onwards) if you are indeed believers….And none shall be dealt with unjustly. (al-Baqarah, 2:279-281). Ibn Abbas said: This was the last verse revealed to the Prophet.” 

(Sahih, Bukhari)

That last revelation confirmed the Prophet’s retroactive enforcement of the legislation prohibiting Riba in the khutbah al-wida’a (Farewell Sermon) from ’Arafat. The last revelation is to be found in this passage from the Qur’an. We quote the entire passage with our own explanatory comments in small type:

“Those who spend of their wealth by day and by night, secretly and openly, for such there will be reward with their Lord, nor will they have cause for fear, nor will they grieve.” (Provided that wealth is spent in a manner that is Halal, such spending will stimulate the economy and put wealth into circulation.)

“Those (on the other hand) who consume Riba will not stand (before Allah on the Last Day) except as though Satan drove them to madness with his touch (this is because Riba represents the opposite of ‘spending’ – in Riba wealth is sucked out of the economy until the masses are reduced to poverty and destitution.)”

“That is because they say business and Riba are similar to each other.” (They argue that ‘lending money on interest’ is a legitimate form of business.) 

 

“But Allah has permitted business and forbidden Riba.” (Their argument is false. Allah has made business Halal but has made Riba Haram. And so Riba is not a form of business. This is because the very essence of a legitimate business transaction is that it must admit of the possibility of either a profit or a loss. When money is lent on interest the possibility of a loss is so minimized that it is almost eliminated! Hence the lending of money on interest cannot qualify as a business transaction.)  

“And so, anyone who receives (this) warning from his Lord and thereupon desists (from Riba) may keep his past gains (i.e., the Riba he previously accepted), and his affair rests with Allah (i.e., it will be for Allah to judge him – he will not be forced by the Islamic State to return the Riba he had taken.)

“But as for those who return to it (i.e., persist in Riba by way of lending money on interest, for example, after this revelation of the Qur’an), they are destined for the fire, therein to abide forever!”

 “(And with this) Allah eradicates Riba, whereas He blesses charitable deeds with manifold increase (because the essence of Riba is to ‘take’ and to ‘give’ nothing in return, while the essence of charity is to ‘give’ and ‘take’ nothing in return).”

“And Allah does not love anyone who is stubbornly ingrate and who persists in sin (with particular reference to the sin of consuming Riba).”

“Verily, those who have attained to faith and do good works, and are constant in prayer, and dispense charity, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.”

“O you who have attained to faith, fear Allah and give up all the Riba which is outstanding (i.e., which you still claim to be due to you) if you are truly believers. If you do not do so (i.e., if you persist in lending money on interest even after declaring yourselves to be Muslims) then take notice of (a declaration of) war from Allah and His Messenger (i.e., take notice that Muslims who abide by Islam would wage war against you for the liberation of all those who are oppressed because of Riba).”

“But if you turn away (i.e., if you give up Riba) then you shall have (i.e., you will be entitled to reclaim) only your principal sums (which you had lent on the basis of Riba; i.e., you may have only the principal sum – not the principal sum plus a reasonable amount of interest, or not the principal sum plus a service charge).”

“Deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (This might more properly be translated as follows: In accepting the return of only the principal sum lent you will spare yourself from the sin of being unjust to others, and in giving up the interest which was due to you, you will not, yourself, be subjected to any form of injustice.) 

“And if the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until it is easy for him to repay. But if you remit it (i.e., if you write off the debt) by way of charity, that will be best for you, if you only knew.”

“And fear the Day in which you (i.e., all of mankind including those who consume Riba) will be brought back to Allah, then every human being will receive what it earned, and none shall be wronged." 

(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:274-281)

Why did Allah, Most Wise, choose to send one more revelation shortly before the death of the Prophet (‘alaihi al-Salam)? Why did He choose a time that appears to have been the last possible time to send that revelation? Why did He do this after sending revelation in which He announced the perfection of Din and the completion of His favor to the believers?

There must surely be very important answers to all these questions. It appears to us that such a last revelation could only properly be used to reiterate something that lay at the very heart of the divine guidance. Additionally, it could be used to direct attention to that part of the divine guidance in which the faith of the believers would be most vulnerable to a future attack (the mother of all attacks) by enemies of Islam. Finally, it may have come at the last because it would assume a position of absolutely strategic importance in the Last Age. And Allah knows best!

The choice of the subject of Riba as the last revelation appears to constitute the most dire of all warnings that Riba can pose the gravest of all threats to the faith, freedom, and power of the believers. This subject is of supreme importance for herein lies the potential for the most dangerous, destructive, and devastating attack on the faith of the believers and the integrity and power of the Ummah of the Prophet (‘alaihi al-Salam). 

 

Source: Jerusalem in the Qur'an by Imran N. Hosein

to be continued....

ADAM’S GUILT….AND SATAN’S GUILT(2/2) - Mankind and Satan

 

Some people may ask: if Allah has relented towards them so why were they obliged to repent? The answer is that Allah’s Legislation of repentance had to precede repentance itself…His Saying, “He turned to them so they could repent,” means that He legislated for them repentance.

He said to them that if you committed a sin or a guilt repent; and as long as Allah, be ever gloried His Majesty and Might, asked them to repent they should turn to Him in repentance and Allah will accept it from them. The legislation of repentance is not only a mercy towards the sinner but also to the community at large. Had Allah, all glory is to Him, closed the door of repentance then whoever has committed sins would sink deeper in sins, as long as repentance is not accepted. And as long as a sin leads to eternity in Hellfire, then whoever commits one sin will consequently fill his life with sins, for there is no hope for him in ever winning Paradise. So, he will decide to take his share of worldly life, and consequently the whole community will suffer

because every sinner will sin even more.

The entire humanity suffers from the spread of sin and not only the individual. Thus, by legislating repentance, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, has mercy on the entire humanity against the spread of sins. Because the first sin does not cast man eternally into Hellfire, provided that man repents and returns to Allah. Therefore, man should never persist in sin but he should hurry to righteousness and repent to Allah and perform more good deeds, to have his sins forgiven. This way hope in attaining Paradise remains and also remains the wish for goodness, thus the community prospers and it becomes filled with blessings. Indeed, repentance is a mercy on the entire humanity.

But Satan rejected the Commands of Allah and he worsened it by his will to lure mankind into sin. He said as the Noble Qur’an relates to us (what means):

“[Satan] said, ‘Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].’” (Al-A‘râf, 7: 16-17)

Satan did not admit his sin, but rather he insisted on it and threatened that he would do such and such things, a persistence in disobedience. On the other hand Adam and Eve admitted their sin which is a very important point that we should heed, so that people who dare and sin beware of. They should not justify disobedience or sin by contradicting the Command of Allah, claiming that time or circumstances have changed.

For example, to the dealers in bank interests, which involves a suspicion of usury, we say: do not claim that Ribâ (usury) is not unlawful and that taking interests is an international system and that the whole world transacts business through it and that time has changed…to the end of what we hear nowadays. By such words of yours you remove yourself from the domain of Allah’s Mercy to the domain of expulsion from His Mercy, all praise and glory is to Him.

But rather say: O Lord, we have failed to overcome ourselves, please forgive us and have mercy on us . This way you have accused yourself of weakness, negligence and injustice and you have kept yourself within the domain of belief. But by rejecting the Judgment of Allah and by claiming that Ribâ is not unlawful you have walked out of belief to disbelief, Allah forbid.

When man commits a sin he should neither try to justify its commission nor defend it and claim that it is lawful. Nor say that circumstances have changed and that the legal ruling must have also changed. Because this involves a rejection of Allah’s Command, which pulls man out of belief to disbelief, and from mercy to damnation. And that is the difference between the sin of Adam and that of Satan.

Satan disobeyed and was puffed up with pride, whereas Adam disobeyed but he admitted his sin. When Adam and Eve confessed their guilt, Allah taught them the way of repentance. Had not Allah, The Most Exalted and EverMajestic, taught them, they would not have known how to repent. For repentance occurred by an inspiration from Allah, all praise and glory is to Him:

“They said, ‘Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.’” (Al-A‘râf , 7: 23)

Then Allah, Whose Majesty reigns Supreme, said (what means):  

“(Allah) said: ‘Get down, some of you an enemy to some others. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.” (Al-A‘râf, 7: 24) 

We should observe the Ayat that relates to us the act of descent. In another Ayah, The Truth, all praise and glory is to Him, says (what means):

“(Allah) said: ‘Get you down, both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others.’” (Tâ-Hâ, 20: 123)

And in another Ayah, Allah says (what means):

 

“We said, ‘Go down from it, all of you.’” (Al-Baqarah, 2:38)

The addressees are Adam, Eve and Satan, and enmity here is preexistent between mankind and Satan. But His Saying, “Get you down, both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others,”  shows that enmity is between two parties: Adam and Eve are one party, and Satan is the other party. So, we have two groups: Adam, Eve and their offspring are one group against the group of Satan and his offspring. All the Ayat perfectly agrees.

We have to understand that when Allah says, “Some of you are an enemy to some others,”

 there will be a struggle and enmity between the offspring of Adam and the offspring of Satan, and that the struggle (between the two parties) will last as long as worldly life continues only and will not extend to the Hereafter. But as to the devil and man, there is a lasting struggle as long as the lifetime of each in this world, and not the lifetime of this world. When the devil dies or man dies the struggle between them comes to an end. 

 

Source: (Book) Mankind and Satan

The Muslim's Perspective of Worldly Life

(Speech was delivered by Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center Of Raleigh, N. C., on August 12,1988)

 

Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Imran, (verse 14) what can be translated as, "Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring, and stored-up heaps of gold and silver (wealth), and horses branded (with their marks), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah has excellent Return with Him."

Also Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Hadid, (verse 20) what can be translated as, "Know that the life of this world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller, but afterward it dries up and they see it turning yellow, then it become straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion."

The forgoing is referring to the worldly life as described through verses of the Qur’an and all people, believers and non-believers alike, experience this life through possessing its goods and encountering its lusts and vanities. Then they turn away from its pleasures. 

However, there is a major difference between a Muslim and non-Muslims in coping with this life and all that it encompasses. This difference is due to a difference in Creed (belief system), which is instilled within each of them. Each Creed shapes its bearer through its system of views, effects, and restraints.

The main goal of a non-believer or infidel, in this life, is to attain the highest degree of its goods (or material wealth), lusts, and vanities-without limitation or restraint, and there is no goal for life in the hereafter. Moreover, there is forgetfulness of the hereafter, or it is denied. 

Allah Has spoken of this type of people in surat Al-Baqarah, (verse 200) what can be translated as, "But of Mankind is he who says: "Our Lord! Give unto us in the world," and he has no portion in the hereafter."
 

The goal of a Muslim, however, is the lasting eternal life of the hereafter, and his main concern is in achieving Allah’s pleasure and collecting the rewards of the hereafter, thereby, attaining the highest levels of eternal paradise, and towards this aim, he does not refuse or neglect this worldly life (with its chattels, and goods), but, at the same time, he does not make it his main objective. He enjoys it within the limitations that, thereby, attaining both the goods of this life and the Hereafter. 

Allah Has prescribed for him in surat Al-Baqarah, (verse 201) what can be translated as, "Of them (also) is he who says: "Our Lord! Give unto us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter, that which is good, and guard us from the doom of fire."
 
The distinguishing feature of Muslims in this life is the advise offered in the Qur’an in surat Al Qasas, (verse 77) what can be translated as, "But seek with that (wealth) Allah has bestowed on you, the hear after, and do not forgot your portion of legal enjoyment in this world"

Additionally, a Muslim has restraints in this life which are those limitations prescribed by Allah, and which, thereof, he may not exceed .The duration of time, in which a Muslim has to spend in this life, is merely a duration of testing and examination. 

The prophet (S.A.W.) addressing us in hadith reported by Imam Muslim "This life is a fair meadow, which Allah has appointed you to, watchful of your deed, so seek immunity from the temptations of this life and that of women, since the first temptation for the children of Israel was women."

Currency or money comes from this life, and a Muslim is one who earned it from permissible sources and he used it for the right causes as Allah had commanded us to do.
So are women, and a Muslim is one who balances his relationship with them within the limitations prescribed by Allah (S.W.T.). 

Children are from this worldly life, and a Muslims love for them never outweighs that for Allah and his prophet. Raising them in an Islamic way of life should be every Muslims main priority.

Horses, cattle, and other means of transportation are from this life, and a Muslim is one who fulfills Allah’s right with them, using these means in ways that please Allah (S.W.T.).
Ownership of land and its cultivation are from this life, and a Muslim acquires this only through lawful routes, giving Allah’s rights in it, and does not deal in it, thereof, except within the limits that Allah had allowed.

Sports and amusements are from this life, and in this a Muslim never exceeds what Allah (S.W.T.) Has limited us to. Ornamentation and beautification are from this life, and a Muslim uses that within the allowable limits around the issues enumerated by the previous verse about the possessions of this worldly life. 

The Imam ( Inshaa-Allah) will elaborated on the limits set by Allah (S.W.T.) regarding all of the foregoing and the Muslims position with them.
It is of major concern that we not overlook the reality of being Muslims, nor to forget our obligation towards this deen or way of life, and that this obligation imposes upon us restraints and limits, which are not adhered to by non- Muslims. 
 

We live within a society that differs from our way of life in all aspects, from its creed, philosophy, and various endeavors, to its customs and manners, It is incumbent upon us as Muslims to realize that we have a different belief system that we should adhere to, and that we should not adopt as an example of character, the way of life of this society.

Furthermore, it must be clear to us that, what is permissible within this society, in terms of lawful and unlawful acts, may go beyond the bounds of Islam. We must understand that not everything allowed in this society is allowable for the Muslims. It does not mean that, because this society has prospered materially and made scientific advancements, that we should adopt its customs or way of life, which are degenerative and suppressive to spiritual growth. 

Its doctrines and philosophies, which are based on a different belief system, uphold unlawful acts, which conflict with that which Allah (S.W.T.) has prescribed for the Muslims. Being Muslims is to profess that there is no God but Allah (S.W.T.) and that Muhammad is His prophet, the simplest implication, of which is the requirement of surrendering and yielding to the Legislation of Allah (S.W.T.), and any other deed leading to the acceptance of any other Legislator, be it directly or otherwise, jeopardizes the Muslim.