Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim
The Quran Teaches us How to Live a Happy Life
Introduction
- This series is called enlightenment
- In it we will be reflecting on certain Ayah’s
- We will be learning an overview of some of the 114 Surah’s of the Quran
- With every Surah mentioned, there will be three points: where it was revealed: in Makkah or Madinah / the aim or purpose of it / the importance of it
Why are we studying the Quran in Ramadan?
- The Angel Jibreel came down every night to study the Quran with Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)
- When we walk into a dark room we switch on the light to see clearly, otherwise
we may bump into things and hurt ourselves
- The Quran is this light that we need to live a happy life; the Quran teaches us how
to live our lives
- The Quran provides us with:
- Mercy
- Guidance
- Words of wisdom, which are messages from Allah (swt)
- A cure from every pain: mental, emotional, physical, etc.
- “People, a teaching from your Lord has come to you, a healing for what is in [your] hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers” —Ayah 57, Surah
Yunus … يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Revelation of the Surah’s
- The Surah’s of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) in two towns: either in Makkah or in Madinah
- Makkah: 13 years / the beginning
- The Quranic material was mainly concerned with the basic beliefs in Islam: the unity of God—learn about His names, attributes, and doings
- The Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) and other Prophets
- The Resurrection and the Day of Judgement
- Madinah: 10 years / after the Hijra (migration)
- Established community with the Prophet (pbuh) as its leader
- Introduced Sharia laws to govern the Muslims with regards to marriage, Umra, finance, fasting, Hajj, etc.
Surah Al-Fatiha
We are seeking refuge in God, from the Devil // أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy // ( بِسْمِ ٱللهَِّ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ( 1
Praise belongs to God, Lord of the Worlds // ( ٱلْحَمْدُ للهَِِّ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ( 2
The Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy // ( ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ( 3
Master of the Day of Judgement // ( مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ( 4
It is You we worship; it is You we ask for help // ( إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ( 5
Guide us to the straight path: // ( ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ ( 6
The path of those You have blessed, those who incur no anger, and who have not
gone astray // ( صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ( 7
Revelation / Aim / Importance
- Revealed in Makkah
- Aim is to teach us the purpose of our creation: to worship Allah (swt)
- Importance of the Surah:
- 1. It is an introduction to the whole Quran
- The Quran covers:
- Creed ( (العقيدة
- Worship ( (العبادة
- Successful stories ( القصص ) that we can implement in our lives
- 2. It is a cure ( الشافية ) and it’s recited in the fortress (Tahseen)
- 3. It is the greatest Surah in the Quran and in it is the greatest Dua:
Reflecting on the verses of Surah Al-Fatiha
- Verses 1-4 teach us how to:
- Ask for Allah’s (swt) blessing and for Him (swt) to be with us (1)
- Thank Allah (swt) by saying ‘Alhamdulilah’ (2)
- We learn about the Creator: ‘Al-Rab’ who created us and gave us everything that we need (2)
- We learn about some of His (swt) name’s and attributes:
- The Most Merciful (3)
- The King that controls everything (4) in the Heavens and the Earth
- Verse 5 teaches us:
- That we worship Allah (swt) alone and that we need His (swt) help to do so, not just in worship, but in every aspect of our lives
- Verses 6-7 teach us:
- The greatest Dua, where we ask Allah (swt) for guidance towards what is right and good for us in all aspects of life.
- Allah (swt) chose this Dua for us to be read at least 17 times daily through obligatory prayers. This Dua helps us to be guided to the Straight Path
- Note: the word “to” is emitted because in Arabic it would imply that if God
guides us there we’ll be fine. But that would be true, because we need Allah (swt) to guide us and stay with us all the time, otherwise we’d be lost
Surah Al-Baqarah
- The answer to the Dua of Al-Fatiha is revealed in verse 2 of Al-Baqarah:
- “This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful [of Allah]” —Ayah 2, Surah Al-Baqarah … ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
- Therefore the guidance we are seeking and asking for is to be found in the content of this book
Credit: These lessons have been transcribed by Deema Nehlawi
from Abeer JZ Ramadan 2021 Halaqa Series.