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)

(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.

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:

Interesting article from today’s Associated Press:

Source: Yahoo News!
Vermont candidate to prosecute Bush if she wins

By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer Fri Sep 19, 3:45 AM ET

Lots of political candidates make campaign promises. But not like Charlotte Dennett’s.

Dennett, 61, the Progressive Party’s candidate for Vermont Attorney General, said Thursday she will prosecute President Bush for murder if she’s elected Nov. 4.

Dennett, an attorney and investigative journalist, says Bush must be held accountable for the deaths of thousands of people in Iraq — U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians. She believes the Vermont attorney general would have jurisdiction to do so.

She also said she would appoint a special prosecutor and already knows who that should be: former Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the author of “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder,” a new book.

“Someone has to step forward,” said Dennett, flanked by Bugliosi at a news conference announcing her plan. “Someone has to say we cannot put up with this lack of accountability any more.”

Dennett and two others are challenging incumbent Attorney General William Sorrell, a Democrat, in the Nov. 4 election.

Bugliosi, 74, who gained fame as the prosecutor of killer Charles Manson, said any state attorney general would have jurisdiction since Bush committed “overt acts” including the military’s recruitment of soldiers in Vermont and allegedly lying about the threat posed by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in speeches that were aired in Vermont and elsewhere.

“No man, even the president of the United States, is above the law,” said Bugliosi.

The White House press office didn’t respond to a request for comment Thursday. But Republican National Committee spokesman Blair Latoff denounced Dennett.

“It’s extremely disappointing that a candidate for state attorney general is more concerned with radical left-wing provocation than upholding the law of Vermont,” Latoff said. “These incendiary suggestions may score points among the most fringe elements of American society, but can’t be settling for anyone looking for an attorney general.”

Anti-Bush sentiment runs deep in Vermont. It’s the only state Bush hasn’t visited as president, and one whose liberal tendencies make it unlikely he will.

In 2007, the state Senate adopted a resolution calling for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Last March, the towns of Brattleboro and Marlboro voted to seek indictments against Bush and Cheney over the war, and dozens of other towns voted at town meetings to call for his impeachment.

Sorrell, who is seeking a sixth term, said he doesn’t believe a Vermont attorney general would have the authority to charge Bush.

“The reality is, in my view, that unless the crime takes place in Vermont, then I as the attorney general have no authority under Vermont law to be prosecuting the president,” Sorrell said.