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Category: Tafsir Notes

High Frequency Word of The Quran #99: مَا

BismillahirRahmanirRahim. Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

Dear student of the Noble Quran,

Assalamu’alaikum wr wb.

Yesterday you’ve learned the word (أصحاب) which means “companions”, this word is repeated 78 times in the Quran. The HFW you will learn today is repeated for 79 times in the Quran. As of today you’ve learned 2 words from the Quran which together they are being repeated for 157 times! In the next 10 days we will be learning 10 words which will amount to 810 words from the Quran. MasyaAllah! Let’s continue reading!

Today we learn about the word Ma (ما) which means “That/Which/What/Like/As”.

Below is your 2nd High Frequency Word of the Quran:

Aspire list of HFW Number: #99

ما

Transliteration: maa

Meaning: That/Which/What/Like/As

Frequency in the Quran: 79 times

First Mention in Quran: Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 13 (2:13)

Last Mention in Quran: Surah Al-Muzammil, Verse 15 (73:15)

In Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 117 (5:117), Allah s.w.t. says (in the context of Nabi Isa a.s. replying to Allah s.w.t.):

“I said not to them except what You commanded me – to worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness.”

If you read the above verse in it’s original Arabic text, you will find that the word (مَا) is repeated four times. Although ma has only one phonetic value, as in it is only one syllable, only make one sound, depending on it’s usage in a sentence or a verse its meaning is diverse.

During my first time of broadcasting HFWs or High Frequency Words in 2014, I didn’t include HFW #99. It wasn’t included because it was complex and I felt it may be too challenging for me to explain in a single whatsapp broadcast message and too much for my subscribers to read. But I choose to include it this time round because hundreds of people were asking during the previous round. I just hope that my explanation will not confuse you.

The verse above is an excellent example to illustrate the multiple meanings of the word (مَا). In this article the main meaning we want to learn is 1. “WHAT” but this what is not a word we use in the context of asking a question, it is rather a word that is in place of a noun, a pronoun replacing a noun. But in Arabic grammar we don’t call this dhamir (ضَمِيْر) which is a direct translation of what is a pronoun, rather we call it isim mawsul (اسم موصول). If you wish to understand this further, it is better to do so in the context of a classroom. Please ask your Arabic language teacher to explain, insyaAllah it will not be difficult for you to understand.

Another meaning for the word ma in the verse above which we do not include its frequency value to this ma, is 2.”NOT“. In the words of Nabi Isa a.s. “I said NOT“. The third meaning of the word ma in this verse is used in combination with another word dumtu (ُدُمْت) in ma dumtu (ُمَا دُمْت) when combined it means 3.”as long as I am“. The fourth ma in this verse is not a word on its own but part of a word lamma (لَمَّا) which means “WHEN“.

Alhamdulillah I hope this makes it easier for your to understand the HFW for today. Please leave a comment, if you think it’s beneficial say a few words, I would appreciate it. If you don’t think it’s good enough please let me know what else I can improve perhaps it will help the next batch of students.

This verse also serve as evidence that Nabi Isa a.s. is a prophet and messenger of Allah. And not a god or son of god as claimed by some. We believe in all prophets mentioned in the Quran and we respect other religion as well. What we hope for is guidance from Allah and consistency to apply the knowledge that we have. All messengers were sent to unite us, unite us in our journey to Allah s.w.t. if can respect others’ religion insyaAllah that will be the beginning, perhaps one day Allah will give them hidayah and we will walk this journey together with them to attain Allah’s pleasure.

Please search for this verse, Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 117 (5:117) and read it today.

*This value-added service is provided to you FREE by Aspire Institute of Quranic Coaching*

To know more about Aspire Institute’s programs please click the link below:

Our Programs

Please forward to your friends

May Allah bless the World and It’s Quranic Growth Ameen!

Please let me know what you think, and leave some comments below.
I love to read them. Thank you for reading! 🙂

Till Next Time, remember
“Al-Quran is Our Life Coach!”

– Yazid

April 8, 2014
High Frequency Word of The Quran #100: أَصْحَاب

BismillahirRahmanirRahim. Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

Dear student of the Noble Quran,

Assalamu’alaikum wr wb.

Welcome to Aspire Institute of Quranic Coaching’s High Frequency Words program!
I’m very excited that we are learning one High Frequency Word from the Quran every day.
I really hope with this effort you will transform spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally into a better human person who will provide goodness to others and be closer to Allah s.w.t. and please Rasulullah s.a.w.

In the next 10 days we will be learning 10 words which will amount to 810 words from the Quran. MasyaAllah! Let’s start!

Today we learn about the word Ashaab (أصحاب) which means “companions”.

Below is your 1st High Frequency Word of the Quran:

Aspire list of HFW Number: #100

أَصْحَاب

Transliteration: Ashaab

Meaning: Companions

Frequency in the Quran: 78 times

First Mention in Quran: Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 39 (2:39)

Last Mention in Quran: Surah Al-Fiil, Verse 1 (105:1)

In Surah Al-Hasyr, Verse 20 (59:20), Allah s.w.t. says:

“Not Equal are the COMPANIONS of Hellfire and the COMPANIONS of Paradise.
The COMPANIONS of Paradise – they are VICTORIOUS!”

In the above verse alone the word أصحاب or companions is repeated 3 times. In its Arabic form the word can be added alif and laam (ال) in the beginning, so it becomes specific which means the companions. It can also be added tanwin i.e. double strokes at the end of any noun (ً , ٌ , ٍ ) in this case the meaning is companions in its general sense. It can also be added with pronouns (ضَمِيْر) of 1st person, 2nd person or 3rd person, in this case the meaning is compounded to the pronoun. Example أَصْحَابِي . The word is added with ya’ at the end signifying “my”, a 1st person pronoun which makes the entire meaning is my companions.

Ibn Khaldun in his book, muqaddimah of ibn khaldun, stated that human beings are civil/social creatures, which means they will always in one form or another depend on one another. No one human being live self-sufficiently on his/her own. Because of this dependency we will always influence one another. Our habits are influence by our habitat, and who we are, are determined by our companions and our role in that company.

Rasulullah s.a.w. in many hadiths taught us to look for the best of companions, because our friends influence us and have an indirect effect to our religion. Many times I heard wise spiritual scholars said: “choose your destination before you choose your companion!”

The reason behind this is that if we choose companion before destination our decision of a destination will be one way or another be influence by our companion. Islam is a beautiful religion it teaches us to look for good companion so to protect us from harm and always do good. A good companion may lead to a good life in this world and paradise in hereafter, a bad one may lead to disappointments in this world and hellfire hereafter, we seek guidance from Allah s.w.t. to provide taufiq and hidayah for us and for our friends.

Please search for this verse, Surah Al-Hasyr, Verse 20 (59:20) and read it today.

*This value-added service is provided to you FREE by Aspire Institute of Quranic Coaching*

To know more about Aspire Institute’s programs please click the link below:

Our Programs

Please forward to your friends

May Allah bless Singapore and It’s Quranic Growth Ameen!

Please let me know what you think, and leave some comments below.
I love to read them. Thank you for reading! 🙂

Till Next Time, remember
“Al-Quran is Our Life Coach!”

– Yazid

April 8, 2014
Lessons From Surah An-Naba’ And Answers To The Biggest Question

SURAH AL-NABA’ – 78

(The News)

Names of Surah:

“On What” (‘Amma) “The News” (Al-Naba’)

Asbab Nuzul:

Verse 1: “On what are they asking one another about? About the great news.”

It was reported that Hasan Al-Basri said that this verse was revealed right after the prophet declared himself as God’s messenger, when the Quraysh people were asking one another (or doubting) on what the great news is about.

It was said that the great news was the Qur’an (as reported by Mujahid), or the day of resurrection/judgment (as reported by Ibn Kathir and Al-Razi).

Inter-surah relationship:

This surah details out what has been mention by the previous Surah Mursalat:

“And what may let you know what the Day of Decision is?” [Mursalat 77:14]

“Surely the Day of Decision is an appointed time.” [Naba’ 78:17]

Overall Content

To prove the existence of the day of resurrection based on various evidences.

[1 to 5] It begins with a question from those who denies the existence of life after death, with a response from God saying that they would soon realize the outcome of their stubbornness.

[6 to 16] How is that so? If Allah has created everything mentioned in verses 6 to 16, then He is absolutely able to resurrect humans after their death.

[17 to 20] Visual description of the day of resurrection

[21-30] Visual description of the suffering that awaits the disbelievers

[31-40] Visual description of the reward that awaits the believers

In this, the Qur’an uses the technique of tarhib and targhib (discouragement and encouragement) as a form of motivation. We could relate this to the fact that everything we do is based on two essential motivations: pain (rahbah) and pleasure (raghbah). This applies to almost everything in life.

[36 – 40] The promised day of resurrection is imminent and disbelievers who do not heed the warnings would receive their torment and would eventually wish that they be reformed as dust.

ANSWERS TO THE BIGGEST QUESTION [by Muhammad Asad]

The question that preoccupies man above all others – the question as to whether there is life after death – has been variously answered throughout the ages. It is, of course, impossible to describe the innumerable variations of those answers; nevertheless, a few main lines of thought are clearly discernable, and their mention may be useful for a better understanding of the Qur’anic treatment of this problem.

[1] Some people – probably a minority – seem to be convinced that bodily death amounts to total and irreversible extinction, and that, therefore, all talk about a hereafter is but an outcome of wishful thinking.

[2] Others are of the opinion that after individual death the human “life-essence” returns to the supposed source of its origin – conceived as the “universal soul” – and merges with it entirely.

[3] Some believe in a successive transmigration of the individual soul, at the moment of death, into another body, human or animal, but without a continuation of individual consciousness. [Buddhism]

[4] Others, again, think that only the soul, and not the entire human “personality,” continues to live after death – that is, in a purely spiritual, disembodied form.

[5] And, lastly, some believe in an undiminished survival of the individual personality and consciousness, and regard death and resurrection as the twin stages of a positive act of re-creation of the entire human personality, in whatever form this may necessarily involve: and this is the Qur’anic view of the life to come.

October 28, 2013
Lessons from Surah Al-Mutaffifin and Applying Quranic NLP.

Some notes from session with Surah Al-Mutaffifin

Alhamdulillah! I felt this week’s Tafsir session was extra special. Not only that we get to read the entire 36 verses together, we also get to apply, for the first time, Quranic NLP, which I’ve been talking about in my classes and my seminars for the last 2 years. The session was also extra special because the whole class got to apply and practice the Quranic NLP process, usually it was just me demonstrating the process.
The idea started from discussing the concept of Yaumul Hisaab, the Day of Judgment, from the previous lesson (We explored Surah Al-Infitaar in our previous lesson you can click here to read about it). That, in order for the concepts in the Pillars of Imaan to be beneficial for us, we need to know how to apply it in our life. That’s when Quranic NLP as a process comes in. As a continuation from previous lesson, Surah Al-Mutaffifin also grow our imaan and educate our spirit by describing to us what’s going to take place in the Day of Judgment.

“It’s not only about feeling bad doing the the bad things, it’s also about feeling good not doing the bad things!”

Surah Al-Mutaffifin which means The Defrauders (who uses this kind of word in their everyday language?), or in simple English we say those who cheat in their dealings, begins with Allah s.w.t. expressing verbal anger towards those who cheat in their business or dealings. Allah s.w.t. then explain that this sinful practice originates from an attitude in life that does not believe in the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter.

Something very interesting about this surah is the context of its revelation. Though a meccan surah, which means the surah was revealed before Rasulullah s.a.w. migrated to Madinah, in the hadith it is mentioned that the surah was revealed to the people of Madinah, they were practicing untrustworthy business dealing by taking full payment from others and yet giving less quantity or mixing the quality of the merchandise. It is also narrated in the hadith the positive attitude of the people of Madinah as soon as the surah was revealed to them they stopped their bad practice immediately, and begin to deal nobly.

That information then makes us ask ourselves this question, because we all want to improve ourselves we all want to be a better person, and leave this life in the best manner possible! Typically the question is of neurolinguistic nature since it was asked by a neurolinguist: what is in the verbal construct of surah Al-Mutaffifin that change the bad habit of the peopl of Madinah to noble dealings? From linguistic point of view the construct of this surah was beautifully arranged to facilitate behavioral change. It began with an intervention process by Allah s.w.t expressing his anger, and then move on to the four steps of behavioral change process which is the following:

Applying Quranic NLP change process for the first time in class!

1. From feeling good doing bad things, and intervention occurs here

2. To feeling bad doing bad things, (intervention in previous step leads here)

3. To feeling good NOT DOING the bad things (this is the crucial step in the process of facilitating positive change that most are not trained and which Quranic NLP is offering)

4. to feeling good DOING the good things!

DOWNLOAD HANDOUT SURAH AL-MUTAFFIFIN HERE BY CLICKING THIS LINK

In exploring the verses of Surah Al-Mutaffifin, we also learned that:

1. We should be AWARE towards which objective are we competing in life. We should compete for that which is eternal and everlasting and that is the hereafter, verses 22-26

(22. Indeed, the righteous will be amid bliss.
23. On thrones, looking on.
24. You will recognize on their faces the radiance of bliss.
25. They will be given to drink a sealed wine.
26. Whose seal is musk—this is what competitors should compete for.)

2. Allah is never unjust to anyone. The reward for the wicked will be from his own doing, verse 36

(36. Have the unbelievers been repaid for what they used to do?)

DOWNLOAD HANDOUT SURAH AL-MUTAFFIFIN HERE BY CLICKING THIS LINK

Due to the limitation of time and space I can’t share everything that learned in this post. We didn’t even get to finish the surah.
InsyaAllah we will be able to finish it next week and move on to the next surah, Surah At-Takwiir.

This Tafsir Class is happening every Monday (except 5th of the month) at Masjid Sultan MPH after Maghrib till 10pm.
You can call 9777 9586 to register or email registrations@aspireinstitute.com

May Allah bless us with consistency to practice reading and understanding Quran in days to come till we meeet again next week!

Ya Allah please guide us towards Imaan, Ilmu and Hikmah,
and guide us away from Ignorance and Injustice…
Ameen!

Please leave your comments
and share with me what you’ve learned from the surahs!
I’d love to read your thoughts.

September 11, 2013
Tafsir Notes From Rediscovering The Fatehah, by Ustaz Nouman Ali Khan (Part 1)
Me and some students of Tafsir Al-Quran Program and Arabic Language Classic Code Certification
Program queuing up for registration at Suntec City Convention Center

7th September 2013

was a Saturday, and the evening was a special one especially for knowledge seekers and Quran enthusiasts. That Saturday evening Ustaz Nouman Ali Khan, Founder and CEO of Bayyinah Institute came to Singapore and shared his insights on Surah Al-Fatehah. The event was organized by Youth Alive Discourse and ADIL and sponsored by and anonymous Singaporean family (may Allah s.w.t. bless them with wealth and health). More than 2000 people attended the event, and may all those who attended benefit from the lecture and be granted guidance to practice their knowledge.

During the queue I saw dozens of my students from Tafsir Al-Quran Program @Masjid Sultan and Arabic Language Classic Code Certification Program @Aspire Institute of Quranic Coaching. I felt so happy because I can see that these students have in them the burning desire to study the Quran, and that they are not just ~~followers~~ of an Ustaz, but true seekers of knowledge, seekers of the Quran. Alhamdulillah 🙂 .

But I also got to know that many of my friends and students missed the chance to attend the lecture so I’m dedicating this post to share with them a bit of what I’ve managed to acquire from the bounty of the lecture. I’m writing it in point form so that it’s easier for you to take it in.

In sharing his insights form Surah Al-Fatehah, Ustaz Nouman was more inclined to begin with Alhamdulillah, and not BismillahirRahmanirRahim, because of some hadiths indicating that Al-Fatehah begins with Alhamdulillah Robbil ‘Alamin, the most prominent being the hadith Qudsi meaning: “Allah s.w.t said I divided the Al-Fatehah between me and my servant into two parts, when the servants say Alhamdulillahi Robbil ‘Alamin, I will say my servant glorify me….” Ustaz Nouman acknowledged that the scholars have the a difference of opinion regarding whether Al-Fatehah begins with BismllahirRahmanirRahim or AlhamdulillahiRobbil’Alamin, and all opinions should be respected. He then continues with the following:
1. Alhamdu means at the same time both giving thanks to Allah s.w.t and praising Allah s.w.t. It does not only means praise and not only means giving thanks. It means both at the same time. And that is perfect. Because we can praise someone and not thank them, and thank someone and not praise them. But with Allah, we praise Him and at the same moment we thank Him, ALHAMDULILLAH! And Alhamdu in its noun form is best and perfect form in the context of Al-Fatehah when compared with other variations of it. An that’s the Miracle of the Quran. The Perfect Text For The Perfect Context.
2. Lillahi Robbil Alamin. (This one is my favorite, click to view it in my FB status update) Allah introduces himself by introducing name first, Allah. Then he introduces His relation to us by incorporation Robbil Alamin, the Master of the Worlds. When Allah introduces himself as a Master to us, we are slaves to him. But we are only slaves to Allah and we accept Him as Our Master when we accept His Guidance. And that is why at the end of Allah’s introduction we immediately say Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqiim, which means guide us to the straight path, because by the end of Maliki Yaumiddin we trust Allah we know Allah, we like Allah, and we Trust Allah, thus we seek His divine guidance.
3. Ar-Rahman means 1- Extreme Love 2- The Love is Immediate (Now) 3- and The Love is Temporary (Not Permanent).
4. Ar-Rahim means 1- Permanent 2- Not Necessarily Right Now. In point 3&4 Allah s.w.t introduces himself as having extreme love for us! Describing the love to be extreme, immediate and permanent! Immediate and now for everyone, and permanent for those who do not take advantage of His love. When Ibn ‘Abbas, the first Mufassir, was asked about Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, his reply was: Ar-Rahman is for this world, while Ar-Rahim is for the hereafter.
5. Maliki Yaumiddin, the King in the Day of Judgment. Allah introduces himself as The King in the Day of Judgment so that we do not take advantage of his Love. So that we are conscious of his blessings and aware of our deeds that are being recorded and will be handed to us in the hereafter. For those who receive their book with their right hands, they will find ease during judgment, for those who receive their book from their backs they will be thoroughly be accounted.
End of Part One

InsyaAllah I will continue with the rest of the notes tomorrow,

Ya Allah please guide us to be True Seekers of the Quran
and protect us from riya’, sum’ah and takabbur…
Ameen!

Please share your comments
or share with me your notes on the comment form!
I’d love to read your thoughts and learn from you.
September 9, 2013