ASPIRE INSTITUTE

Category: Quran Articles

  • The Significance of Ar-Rahman And Ar-Raheem

    BismillahirRahmanirRahim.

    بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

    We always say BismillahirRahmanirRahim before we start activity.

    Do you know Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) and Ar-Raheem (الرحيم) both come from the same root letter ra – ha – meem (ر – ح – م), both contains the meaning of mercy, compassion, grace, gentle, love. But what’s the difference between Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) and Ar-Raheem (الرحيم) and what’s the significance?

    One day Ibn ‘Abbas r.a. was asked what’s the difference between Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) and Ar-Raheem (الرحيم)?

    Concisely, Ibn ‘Abbas replied Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) is for this world and Ar-Raheem (الرحيم) is for the hereafter.

    How so? We would ask.

    The difference is that the word Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) is using the core pattern of Isim Mubalaghah فَعْلَان ( traditionally and commonly known as seeghah mubhalaghah) which gives the meaning of extremely.

    While Ar-Raheem (الرحيم) is using the core pattern of Isim Sifah فَعِيْل (traditionally and commonly known as sifah musyabbahah) which gives the meaning of everlastingly.

    That which is extreme is not necessarily everlasting.

    Like when we are hungry (جَوْعَان) we are extremely hungry. But the moment we get food the feeling of hunger disappears.

    While Allah s.w.t. is extremely gracious and merciful to very single creation and creatures in this universe, including those who refuse to believe in Him.

    Only those who truly believe in Him will get His eternal mercy, compassion, grace, gentleness and love in hereafter.

    That which is extreme is not necessarily everlasting.

    So the significance of BismillahirRahmanirRahim is that when we read it we are combining both extreme mercy and everlasting mercy in one sentence. When we read it we are praying that Allah s.w.t. bless us with His extreme mercy as well as everlasting mercy in the activity that we do.

    That which is extreme is not necessarily everlasting. But in bismillahirRahmanirRahim we pray and hope that Allah mercy, compassion, grace, gentleness and love is both extreme and everlasting for us all.

    Wallahua’alam.

  • Seek Your Will

    Tip of the day on Being More Positive with a verse from Al-Quran:

    Day 14: Seek Your Will, And You Will Find Your Power.

    Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Al-i-Imran, verse 159:

    فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِين

    So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided (found your purpose and will), then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]. (159)

    Surah Al-i-Imran, 3:159

    There are so much lessons to be learned from the verse above. Especially in terms of management and leadership. Like you, I am still a student in learning the principles of leadership and management. We will discuss these 2 topics in other opportunities.

    Today I would like you to look at the verse above and focus on the word ‘azm. In this word there are lots of meanings but for this context I chose the word WILL. Will is a very powerful word, it is the word that summons the power to change a person, move people, build future and grow an empire!

    Where does will power comes from? Will power comes from PURPOSE. The Higher the purpose, the higher the will power. For us Muslims our purpose of doing the things we do is never only for this world, it is also connected to attaining the pleasure of Allah in hereafter!

    You may want to ask why do we need to seek our will power?

    The secret is this. Life, my friend does not always choose the best. Life always choose the MOST WILLING! If you are willing to connect to Allah s.w.t. and find your higher purpose, life will do its very best, to make sure that you become the chosen one for that higher purpose.

    Yesterday we plant the SEED, today we nourish it with the WILL POWER by connecting our intention with PURPOSE.

    Today, list out the names of people that you feel close to and write beside their names how can you be a miracle to them?

    I pray to Allah s.w.t. that you will find your WILL POWER by looking for your HIGHER PURPOSE.

    Have an energetic day filled with purpose, power and positivity!

    To subscribe to this daily positivity tips from a verse from Al-Quran,
    send a whatsapp to: +65 8043 1927

    with the message:
    “Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to be positive!”

  • Plant The Seed

    Tip of the day on Being More Positive with a verse from Al-Quran:

    Day 13: Plant The Seed.

    Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Al-Waqiah, verse 63-64:

    ﴾أَفَرَأَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُثُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾ أَأَنتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِعُونَ ﴿٦٤

    And have you seen that [seed] which you sow? (63) Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower? (64)

    Surah Al-Waqiah, 56:63-64

    There’s an everlasting wisdom in the verse above. I found the wisdom so profound. That theres a miracle in the process of growth.

    But the way it works is that Allah s.w.t. wants us to plant the seed and He will work His miracles to grow the seed to a plant, and grow the plant to a tree that bears fruits and flowers. Allah is the grower of all seeds, and we are the planter of the seeds.

    When the early Muslims were about to perform their migration (Hijrah) to madinah, Rasulullah s.a.w. taught them the power of intention. That intention will determine the fruits of the action.

    Intention is the seed. A 24-hr of a day of our life is the field where we plant our seed. Plant it with the right intention and you will get the right results.

    Plant it with a positive intention and you will get positive results. How you going to get it? Remember Allah grows the trees our job is to plant the seed. And the seed is our intention.

    • If you plant positive your fruits are positive.
    • If you plant negative your fruits are negative. You won’t get durians if you plant taugeh (beansprouts)
    • Remember you will always reap more than what you plant!
    • You plant a single seed but you will always get buckets of fruits!
    • Plant Greatness And You Will Reap Greatness!
    • Plant Abundance And You Will Get Abundance!

    Happy planting!!!

    To subscribe to this daily positivity tips from a verse from Al-Quran,
    send a whatsapp to: +65 8043 1975

    with the message:
    “Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to be positive!”

  • Newness Is Chance For Growth

    Tip of the day on Being More Positive with a verse from Al-Quran:

    Day 12: Newness Is Chance For Growth

    Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Al-i-Imran, verse 190:

    ﴾إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿١٩٠

    Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. (190)

    Surah Al-i-Imran, 3:190

    I chose to send today’s tip at the end of the day as oppose to the beginning of it like I usually do. As I am writing this tip today, we are approaching the end of our Hijrah Year 1437 of our Islamic Calendar and entering the New Hijrah Year 1438.

    In the verse above Allah s.w.t. describe that the creation of earth and sky and the change of night and day are great signs for those who can think.

    A New Beginning Is Always Positive.

    Yet we need to understand what makes THE NEW positive, and exciting? The answer is CHANGE. A change or shift provides room for GROWTH and PROGRESS.

    New Year is an excellent time to think of growth and progress so you can change your life and grow into your Better SELF.

    To think of the new is to remember the old. What is it that we have done last year that will make this year even better if we improve it. What is it that we did last year that we should not do again this year.

    Think of NEW possibilities. Think of the past as a school that educates you that you can be better next year.

    The positivity of something NEW is so powerful that it will be a waste if you don’t take advantage of it.

    Get A Pen and A Journal to write down SELF DEVELOPMENT goals and what you going to do to achieve them.

    Let me share. What are the goals you want to achieve in terms SELF DEVELOPMENT in the areas of:

    – Spiritual
    – Time
    – Emotional
    – Relationship
    – Mental
    – Knowledge
    – Physical
    – Financial

    Write your goals and the activities thats going to help you achieve these goals and dedicate some time towards these activities and you’ll be on your way to growing into a brand New You.

    Have A Great Positive New Year And Grow Into Brand New You!

    To subscribe to this daily positivity tips from a verse from Al-Quran,
    send a whatsapp to: +65 9226 0967

    with the message:
    “Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to be positive!”

  • Be The Best That You Can Be By Doing It Better

    Tip of the day on Being More Positive with a verse from Al-Quran:

    Day 11: Be The Best That You Can Be By Doing It Better

    Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Al-i-Imran, verse 48:

    ﴾فَآتَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ الْآخِرَةِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٤٨

    So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the good reward of the Hereafter. And Allah loves the doers of good. (48)
    Surah Al-i-Imran, 3:48

    Today, I would like you to look at the last word in the verse and reflect, which is al-muhsinin, generally translated as doers of good. Technically that is not the wrong translation, but linguistically it also encompass the meaning of doers of a good thing BETTER.

    We always pray to Allah s.w.t. asking Him to provide us with goodness in this world and goodness in hereafter. Fiddunya Hasanah Wa Fil Akhirati Hasanah. In other words we see ourselves as seekers of goodness. Now, what do we need to do to get that? So this is what the verse in surah Al-i-Imaran answers; you get that by BEING THE PERSON WHO DOES GOOD THINGS BETTER. And the reward, good reward in this world and even better reward in hereafter.

    Research shows that when you put PASSION in what you are doing, POSITIVITY flows through you and you will enjoy what you are doing. And you do that by connecting yourself to your PURPOSE. Believe that there are no accidents in this world, Allah is perfect. So when we find our PURPOSE and we include PASSION in our work we will get that POSITIVITY like those who keep DOING GOOD THINGS BETTER.

    And Allah s.w.t. said HE loves these people. MasyaAllah! “May we be among those whom Allah’s love”. What a great doa to pray for at the start of the day, especially if you are reading this on a Friday. The Most Blessed Day Of The week.

    Have A Great Positive Day And Be The Best!

    To subscribe to this daily positivity tips from a verse from Al-Quran,
    send a whatsapp to: +65 9226 0967

    with the message:
    “Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to be positive!”