The History of al-Tabari — Post #1

Tabari starts his great work with an invocation to God in which he also praises the Prophet (SAW).

He then goes on to discuss the nature of creation and its relationship to God, in that 1. All things created were done so with the purpose of worshiping God. 2. God is not dependent on His creations for their worship or in any other way whatsoever, and that 3. God provides and cares for his creations in every minute and major detail. Furthermore, with regard to humans He gave us the faculties to choose and decipher good from bad as such 4. All gratitude is due to God and Tabari expands by explaining that by showing gratitude, God provides us with further blessings and favors in reward…. presumably because the act of being grateful means that we understand the magnitude of Gods kindness and care of us —- life/the world/ our minds/ this universe  could have been different. God could have created us and commanded worship regardless but He didn’t…. He created for us a world to help us and make things easier and to facilitate our minds, body and spirit. Furthermore, He explained all this to us in the Quran so that we may know what has been done for us.

Tabari quotes the following verses regarding these points:

Qur: 51: 56-58

Qur: 71:19f

Qur: 21:32

Qur. 78:10f

Qur 17:12

Qur 2:189

Qur 10:5f

Qur 14:7

This is a concept i did not fully appreciate before, perhaps being grateful for the everyday things that we take for granted such as the ecosystems, the oceans and the way they generate rain, the night, the trees and the air we breath and the way we and they all interact… maybe there is an added dimension in addition to Gratitude….  by appreciating the complexity of the favors God (SA) has bestowed on us through the Earth… we can gain more respect for it and the other “simple” natural wonders. Maybe by respecting nature and the world as a gift from God (SA) out of care for us we would learn to treasure it more.

Assalaamu Alaikum

Assalaamu Alaikum people. It has been a very long time since I have posted anything on this blog. I really can’t think of a good reason why I have stayed away so long. Either way, I have a new mission regarding my blog. As we all know, there are two external sources of guidance we can turn to in that briefest of instants before thoughts result in an outcome. The sum of all these outcomes could be described as our personality or character. Thus to my basic understanding there are two external sources of guidance that shapes our character /heart. These are of course the Qur’an and Sunnah.

With this in mind I mind I want to use this blog to record the steps in my new mission to focus on gaining knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah – Insha’Allah. The sources I want to use are  Tabari’s History of Prophets and Kings and the Commentary of the Qur’an by Ibn Kathir. I hope that i will gain the knowlege i need to influence my heart/character in a positive way.

I believe we are all born with defects in our character. Defects that are a challenge to overcome – ie a test. By using  knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah, I hope to push the odds more in my favor – Insha’ Allah it works.  The second benefit of doing this is that the more time I spend here, the less time i spend doing things that I have no business doing.

All for the sake of Allah

Ayah 6:162 – Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds

Du’aas from the Fortress of the Muslim Book

Links to the eBook entitled “Fortress of the Muslim” and the book itself.

The Month of Dhul-Hijjah

Fasting the Day of `Arafah

Consoling the Heart

A saint was once asked, “How many avenues are there to reach Allah Ta’ala?” The saint replied, “The pathways leading to Allah Ta’ala are as many as the atoms that exist, however there is no path more beneficial and rewarding than keeping a person’s heart happy and consoling him. I have found Allah Ta’ala through this path and I advise others to do likewise. Consoling and bringing joy to a broken heart full of sorrow is far weightier than spending an entire night in Worship.”

Fasting on ‘Ashura’

Fasting the Day of `Ashura’

By Ælfwine Mischler

A satellite view of Sinai and the Red Sea. `Ashura’ commemorates the day that Allah saved the Children of Israel from Pharaoh.
Fasting on Muharram 10, known as the Day of `Ashura’, expiates for the sins of the past year.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Madinah in 622 CE, he found that the Jews there fasted on Muharram 10 and asked them the reason for their fasting on this day. They said, “This is a blessed day. On this day Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and so Prophet Musa [Moses] fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We are closer to Musa than you are.” He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari)

Du’aa of Prophet Musa (alaihi salaam)

Du’aa of Prophet Musa (A.S.)

From Surah Taha

Rabbi Ishrah Li Sadry, Wayassir Li Amry, Wahlul ‘Uqdatan Min Lisany, yafqahu Qawly.

(My Lord, I ask you to expand my breast, make my task easy, undo the knot in my tongue so that my speech will become comprehensible) (Moses’ prayer)

Rabbi – My Lord
Ishrah – Expand
Sadry – My breast
Yassir – Make easy
Li – for
Amry – My affair/situation
‘Uqdatan – knot
Lisaany – my tongue
Yafqahu – become comprehendible
Qawly – my word/speech

Salat al-Duha

Salat al-Duha is a form of sadaqa (charity). The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “In the morning, every single joint of yours must pay a sadaqa. Every tasbih is a sadaqa, every tahmid is a sadaqa, every tahlil is a sadaqa, every takbir is a sadaqa, every commanding good is a sadaqa, and every forbidding evil is a sadaqa, and all this is accomplished through two rak’ats one can pray in Duha.” [Muslim in his Sahih from Abu Dharr.]

A Plan For Ramadhan

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.
Assalamu Alaikum,

Ramadhan is approaching fast and i want use it to make some changes that (insha’Allah) i’ll be able to keep and be consistent with. To that end i came accross something from a really great book – at the end of this book, the author, gives the reader seven great recommendations and three injunctions. I hope that you’ll them it useful (insha’Allah).