Al Israa V.61-70

Invisible Enemy

And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them.” But Satan does not promise them except delusion. [Al Israa:64]
Our biggest enemy is who? Shaitan. Here the way that he comes to us is completely told to us. It really scared me when I saw the different ways in which he comes to us and how he catches us when we least expect it. He has his own army that come on horses after us and even foot soldiers just to stop us from the worship of Allah (Swt). Look at the way in which he is working so hard towards his goal while we are slacking. We should work twice as hard as him so he can not draw us into his whisperings. He does not take a vacation ever yet we are so fast to give up. We have to work harder if we want to resist his temptations.

What amazed me was that satan becomes a partner in our wealth and our children. These two things are the most beloved things to us. We discussed the ways in which he does this. He becomes a partner in our wealth when he stops us from spending in the way of Allah (Swt), when we earn our money in a haram way or we spend it in a way that is not pleasing to Allah (Swt). These are some of the ways in which he does this. He shares in our children when we do not bring them up properly or we allow them to stop us from worship of Allah (Swt). We must always be on guard because he can come to us in any way or form and we would not be able to tell. He is the invisible enemy that we must fight.

Al Israa V.40-60

Provoking

Say, [O Muúammad], “If there had been with Him [other] gods, as they say, then they [each] would have sought to the Owner of the Throne a way.” [Al Israa:42]
Whenever we are trying to tell someone about Islam we become stuck when they tell us that they worship idols. Here we learn something that not only will provoke the thought of the other person but will also make them question. If there had been other Gods wouldn’t they all be fighting to make their way to the throne? Logically it does not make sense that there could be more than one God and still be peace on earth.

Al Israa V.23-39

“Uff”

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. [Al Israa:23]
The word “uff” looks small but carries a really big meaning. It means the dirt that is under the nails, dirt that is on the hands, earwax and is an expression of disgust and dislike. How much do we value our parents? Think about all those times we have referred to them as the dirt under our nails of which we get a disgusting feeling. Is this the true worth we have placed on our parents? Allah (swt) has shown us that we do not have the right to say anything to them which may hurt them and it is so beautiful to think that there is so much love and protection for the parents.

Today when we were doing the word analysis for the word “uff” I found myself dumbfounded. So many times we use this word so lightly but when I heard the literal meaning for this word I realized exactly how much we have been disgracing our own parents. We are not even allowed to say the smallest of words to them so how can we think that we can do anything more than this? It really shows the position and status of parents in our life and how much we should be good to them.

Strutting

And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height. [Al Israa:37]
I am certain that you have seen what is called the “gangster walk” or the very relaxed and strutting walk that many people have adopted. To many people this is seen as something that is cool and something to which people look up towards. However, this verse shows us the reality that these people will never tear the earth from walking in a strutting manner and nor will they reach the height of the mountains. It shows the small size of the human and how in contrast he tries to be bigger than he is. Now that I think about the fact that we are so small it feels silly to be walking strut tingly when really we are hardly worth anything.

Al Israa V.1-22

Evil For Yourself

إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا…

[And said], “If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves.”… [Al Isra:7]
I wanted to share a personal experience which I emembered upon hearing this verse. At one point I was having a lot of difficulties with someone in my life who was always talking about me to others in a negative way and spreading false information about me. At that time I was so upset as people were getting a false impression of me. However, after reading this verse I feel a sense of peace because any wrong a person does they are actually wronging themselves and when you do good then you will see the reward for doing so.

Allah Extends

To each [category] We extend – to these and to those – from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted. [Al Isra:20]
This verse answers the question which many people have when they see people who are wealthy. Many people think the amount of wealth you have somehow indicates how close you are to Allah (swt) but I found it amazing in todays class Allah (swt) told us that for those that want the world they will get it and those who want the hereafter they will get their desire. Allah (swt) has so much that he gives freely to everyone.