Oct 12

This is an amazing recitation of Surat Al-Kahf, from an unknown reciter. It’s driving me crazy trying to figure out who the Qari is, because I’ve heard his recitation somewhere before. He sounds like a mix of sheikh Yasir AlFilwaki and Saleh Alhashem in a way, but still not quite him. If anyone knows who the reciter is, please let us know.

Jazak Allah Khairan Br. Abdullah for showing us this recitation! Enjoy.

Part 1:

Part 2

Part 3

Sep 23

Have you ever read Quran very closely? I’m not talking physically. Rather, I’m talking in terms of grammatical structure, why Allah ‘az wa jal uses one word over another in certain ayat, etc.?

Well, Br. Nouman Ali Khan taught me to do just that in his intensive Arabic classes. MashaAllah, ever since I’ve taken two of his courses, I’ve never looked at the Quran the same again. If you guys really want to be enlightened, I would HIGHLY recommend you attend one of his seminars given through his institute, Bayyinah.

Sometimes I see something in the Quran that puzzles me. My mistake is thinking that my question would probably make no sense, and I’ll sound weird even asking it. But me being a weird person in general take those chances with the hope that I’ll get an answer that will suffice my curiosity.

If you’re confused as to what I’m talking about, I’ll give you some examples of questions I’ve posed to Br. Nouman, that he very kindly explained in detail to me. Yesterday, I emailed him with a question from Surat Al-Ankaboot, and I thought It’d be nice to share the answer with you all. In fact, I’ll go back and post some of my previous questions I’ve asked him in the past for you all to benefit inshaAllah.

May Allah reward him with Jannat Al-firdous for putting the deep love of Allah’s book in our hearts and may Allah bless his family as well, ameen.

Example #1- Surat Maryam– Laghw

My Question: I came across this verse in surat Maryam- (it’s in other sowar as well) however I was wondering if you can give me the different connotations of Laghw.

“la yasma3oona feeha laghwan illa salama” (ayah 62)

I thought laghw referred to vain talk and things of that nature. But what I was wondering was the (illa) part because it denotes exclusion. So why would salama be inclusive with laghw?

Brother Nouman’s Explaination:
In Arabic, ILLA serves the purpose of except and in some cases ‘instead’ or ‘rather’. So here we have LAA YASMA’OONA FEEHA LAGHWAN

ILLA (WALAKINNAUM YASMA’OONA) SALAAMA (meaning rather they will hear Salaama)

Example #2: Relation Shaheed and Shahadah?
My Question: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmitullahi wa barakatu,

I was wondering if there is any relation between why a Martyr is called a Shaheed and the word shahada (for bear witnessing). I was thinking about this for a bit and was just wondering if there is something the scholars say about this.

Jazak Allah khair.

Br. Nouman’s Answer:
There is a subtle difference in the ism faa’il and the ism sifah. SHAAHID is ism faa’il and SHAHEED is ism sifah. An ism faa’il denotes someone who does an act while an ism sifah denotes somone who is recognized for that quality. Another distinction is that ism faa’il is a temporary state and ism sifah is a permanent state. So an AAMIR is only AAMIR while he is commanding but an AMEER is always an AMEER whether he is engaged in the act of commanding or not. The SHAHAADAH, (ISM MASDAR) is associated with both the ism faa’il and ism sifah.
When we think of someone taking the shahaadah, we are thinking of them as a faa’il (SHAAHID) but for someone whose entire life has been presented as a testimony of Laa Ilaaha IllaLLah, they are recognized by their sacrifice makes them a perpetual witness to the truth thereby necessitating the use of the more permanent ISM Sifah (SHAHEED) as opposed to ISM Faa’il (SHAAHID)

This is what I remember reading some time ago. These types of intricacies are best studied in books like Lisaan al Arab and Mufradaatul Qur’an.

Example #3- From Surat Al-Ankaboot

My Question: In Surat Al Ankaboot, Allah ‘az wa jal says in Ayah 64: “…wa innad-darul akhirata la hayyal hayyawaan low kannu ya3limoon”

my question is about the word “hayyawaan” in this ayah. Is there any particular reason you know of that the word is in this form rather than “hayyah.” The “alif-noon” makes it a pair correct?

Or is it that this is just another way of saying Hayyah, or life?

As always, I don’t know if my question sounded like it made any sense, but let me know if you’d like me to clarify.

Br. Nouman’s Responded:

(The arabic above is from another source)

Which basically says that the word “hayywan” refers to continuous motion. We go to sleep in this dunya and therefore become motionless even when alive. This won’t be the case in Jannah. He further said, that by comparison it is truly being alive. Also, Al-Muheet offers the definition of “Al Hayyawan “Al Hayyah Haqqan” (actual life) meaning this life pales by comparison.

Sep 20

Bismillah,

If I met ‘Isa Ibnu Maryam (alayhis sallam) what would I say? What would he think after coming back thousands of years later? Would he be amazed that the world has changed so drastically technology and science wise?

Imagine you are in the company of ‘Isa ibnu Maryam. It’s like he is your closest companion, what would you show him if you were his guide? What would you ask him?

I’d ask him about Jannah and to describe its beauty. I’d ask him about the conversation of the angels and about the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam.

I’d show him the planets through a telescope and tell him that the planets make me know the greatness of Allah, and how it’s the closest thing I have to seeing the heavens.

I’d want to hide the shameful things our society has transformed into. And ask him what I should do in order to, inshaAllah, be with his mother in Jannah, Alayhas-sallam.

I’d want to pray behind him and be amazed that even he, alayhis sallam, is a follower of Muhammad, salallahu alayhi wa sallam.

I’d ask him about those who wanted to kill him and about those who were his companions on this earth.

As I sat there thinking about what it would be like to meet Isa ‘alayhis salam, the verses from surat al Ma’eda were being recited to me. And then I realized whether I’m still alive when Allah ‘az wa jal sends him back down before the Day of Judgment or not, Allah ‘az wa jal has already given me everything I need to know.

Most of the questions I would ask him, the answers were being recited to me the whole time. The description of Jannah, the story of those who wanted to kill him and about the hawariyoon. The supplications of the angles. Allah ‘az wa jal was describing what a believer needed to do to attain His mercy and ultimately His jannah.

After seeing Jannah, it would be hard for me to believe that ‘Isa Alayhis sallam would be impressed by our society. Wallahu alem. So now I will not say “If I met ‘Isa ibnu Maryam…” I instead want to say “InshaAllah WHEN I meet ‘Isa ibnu Maryam…” for I ask Allah ‘az wa jal, to let us be with the prophets in jannah, bi’ithnillahi ta’ala.

The Quran is so amazing, Subhanallah. Ponder deeply. And put yourself in its verses.

The last 10 nights of Ramadan are here, subhanallah. If you wasted 2/3rds of Ramadan, it’s not too late to make the best out of the blessed month.

What would you ask ‘Isa Alayhis-salam?
Wallahu ta’ala alem.

Read. Ponder. Implement.
From Surat An-Nur Salmaan Al-’Utaybi:

Sep 16

MashaAllah, La qowwitta illa billah.

Take a moment from your busy day to sit and listen to The Quran with khushoo’. This recitation is, mashaAllah, beautiful and will fill your heart with the love of the book of Allah, inshaAllah. Trust me, you’ll want to listen to the whole thing, bi’ithnillahi ta’ala. Enjoy:

Part 1 Surat TaHa:


Part 2 Surat TaHa:


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