A Closer Look at the Oaths in Surat Al-Tīn 95

Surat At-tīn is analyzed here on this blog, where I discussed how “all four oaths are possibly places where significant messages were sent to their respective messengers.” Here I want to examine the oaths a bit further to reveal an even bigger picture. 

These oaths are the first three ayat/verses of this sura which has a total of eight (8) ayat. Notice the first aya contains two different oaths, both of which are fruits, the fig with many seeds and noted for its sweet flesh, and the olive with one seed/ pit, not sweet but known for its oil. In the 3rd and 4th oaths located in the 2nd and 3rd ayat (a {2,3,4} set) Allah swears by two places: Mt. Sinai, a “wild/natural” place away from people, and Makkah, a city, which is in essence a civilized place, a human construct. It’s not referring to the Kaaba but rather to the city itself as a secure place. Of course all 3 ayat containing 4 oaths (a {3,4} set) relate to the sending of Divine revelations through prophets; all these meanings tie together. 

The Elephant in the Room – as Caretakers of Earth, Muslims Must Oppose its Destroyers

Pollution has appeared on land and at sea because of what man’s hands have accomplished, so he may let them taste something of what they have earned, in order that they will turn back [in repentance]. (30:41)

Although many translators translate fasad as “corruption,” it can definitely also refer to “pollution” which is indeed a kind of corruption that conveys to modern understanding that this isn’t about leaders getting kickbacks or bribes, it’s about directly destroying the earth and its resources.

It is both dereliction of our duty and a threat to our survival as a species to harm the earth. The Quran warns us not to commit fasad (corruption of any kind) upon the earth many times (around 60x including non-environmental corruption). And our mandate from the Almighty as humans is to be caretakers of the earth. Thus we must also struggle against those who cause the pollution and destruction of the resources of our planet, its water, living things, minerals, air, everything. But now the earth is horribly polluted and made toxic at the hands of humans, and who is the biggest criminal? The U.S. military.

Eid Mubarak!

Eid is a time of festivities, especially for children, and to express our gratitude for what Allah has blessed us with. We hope for everyone a blessed Eid.

It’s also important, as we focus on gratitude to Allah, to continue our efforts in behalf of Palestinians in Gaza and Palestine who are under not only a siege of bombing and sniper attacks on whole families and children in particular, but also literally being starved to death by Israel deliberately preventing food, water, medicine, and other aid to enter Gaza, as well as continuously attacking Palestinians in the West Bank and elsewhere.

Despite the horrors, Palestinians are working to keep the Eid festival a moment of relief and kindness for children. (This photo in Rafah)

There are many actions we can take to help, from bringing awareness by protesting and calling our government leaders wherever we live, to donating to some of the Palestinians themselves who have accounts with PayPal or GoFundMe, and other means one can find on social media, and much more. Israel doesn’t care about humanity, let alone their holidays, so we must always be alert to times like this not to become complacent. Enjoy, but also remember.

Some thoughts on Free Will, Faith, and Allah’s Wisdom

Recently I attended a class discussing such things as the Islamic view of free will, guidance, and the “problem of evil” – why is there is evil in the world if God is good – and other related subjects no single title could really cover. It was well-presented, so I will try to bring some of those insights here. I believe this is “standard” Islamic theology, and mostly conforms to the Quranic text, although the terms used are modern English, and there’s a difference between the two.

Two immediate things: the “problem of evil” does not exist in Islam, but exists in Christianity (and probably Judaism although it wasn’t named), which now poses this question to Muslims, many of whom don’t understand their own theology, thus clarification is needed. “Free will” (in the sense of “I can do whatever I want”) also doesn’t exist in Islam, but that definition doesn’t sound plausible in any philosophy or rational understanding. “Free will” in my former definition meant a limited measure of autonomy and choice, whose confines are unique to each person, and for which one can be held accountable. Otherwise, what is Judgment Day, where by definition God is absolutely Just?

Zakat – Purification of Worldly Wealth

Allah’s command to give zakat* is equal to His command to establish the daily practice of salat, so much so that they are frequently mentioned together – in fact, 25 times (matching the number of prophets named in the Quran). Our worldly income, if not shared with others (if we can), turns into a burden on our souls, weighing them down and even can nullify our salat prayers. Everything, and I mean everything, interrelates. Money and other forms of wealth form a most powerful “heavy” relationship to people, for whom it is felt as a primary essential benefit. It’s quite easy for money to dominate our direction in life, making us forget Allah the Exalted, the Source of all resources and all wealth, and Who alone controls all these complex interrelated “worlds.” His name Lord of all worlds (Rabb Al-‘Alameen) expresses this comprehensive authority, and Allah’s all-encompassing generosity. When we don’t spend in His Way, we violate this generosity and our gains can become worthless. When we do give, Allah increases His giving to us as a reward.

*(Alternate spelling zakah, but I prefer zakat as it’s closer to the original Arabic.)

Islam and What’s Happening in the Middle East: Sami Hamdi

This video goes beyond its title to bring us a comprehensive view of how Muslims should view the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza in particular and all of the occupied territories in general, and all that results as a consequence of this. The Houthis have emerged as the heroes and most nominally Muslim countries have emerged as having been hijacked by West-promoted corrupt leaders to the point of being OK with genocide. As always with YouTube, you can adjust its speed and skip around the banter to focus on what matters. This video raised Sami Hamdi’s stature in my eyes to a whole new level. The very emotion that became visible, for which one tends to apologize, is the very thing that let me know he is truly a trustworthy witness to what we are seeing. The word mu’min at its heart means trustworthy in the most thorough sense of the word.

Gold Discovered in Gaza!

And it’s something the Israelis will never be able to find.

In the War on Humanity, Allah Gives us a Fighting Chance

This article in Yaqeen website shows us the tools Allah gives us to fight against genocide, the propaganda that upholds it in Palestine and elsewhere including America, and more.

There’s never been a more important moment. In a very real sense we are all Palestinians, and a few in control are censoring our voices and trying to control even our biological makeup as individuals. But the Quran is highly relevant and guides us as to how to save ourselves. Some excerpts below:

In Dark Times, There Can Be Light

Now we face the dark powers of the Zionist-Oppressor Alliance between genocidal Israel and their European & American toadies, both vassals of one another in shared criminality, especially mass murder and atrocities, as the inheritors of the Nazis’ evil, against whom many brave people of conscience fought and often died in WWII. War profiteers are rejoicing, IDF Nazi invertebrates are indiscriminately bombing children from their sterilized cubicles in the air where they don’t have to face their victims. They now turned off power and internet to hide the atrocity. But they can’t hide. Everybody already knows this is genocide and those who did it and their supporters are already on a massive downward slide to hell in this world and the next. But there’s something important we can do in whatever capacity we have. Listen to this visionary Friday khutba.

Exposing the “Genocide Club” to Light

After 9/11, which Netanyahu said “was very, very helpful to us,” the US started the “International War on Terror,” going full-tilt on its path toward becoming a security state, also known as a police state, through the implementation of the Patriot Act. The War on Terror was followed by the development of a very lucrative product, the Genocide Enablement Kit, complete with a ready-made “internationally” agreed-upon group to demonize (Muslims), instructions on the use of false flag atrocity theater to achieve compliance among the people, the reputation of the US and other “respectable” nations as a shield against accountability, and a host of security technology from Israel’s top-rated surveillance and security-related products. This enables the despots’ and fascists’ takeover of public opinion, enabling the kits’ consumer nation to join an international party of nations without accountability, committing crimes against humanity and genocide with the support and publicity cover of their “fellow nations:” the United States, France, and Israel, among others. But Israel didn’t need such a kit. They already got one from the Nazis, coupled with inspiration from Zionism, the idea of a “land without a people,” not telling the Jews who followed them that to make such a land, first they had to murder or expel all the people.

Israel has a Jewish population of 7,145,000.

90,000 of them subscribe to this channel.

1.2% of Israeli Jews are enjoying watching videos of Palestinians being brutally murdered by their bombs.

Sick society doesn't being to describe it. https://t.co/HKjhUi5JoR

— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) October 21, 2023

Israel has successfully brainwashed a sector of the country into believing their lies. But not all the people of Israel. The human conscience is seriously hard to erase. We must all stand as one: Jews, Muslims, Christians, the unaffiliated whose religion is their own conscience.

The Almighty Will Help the Palestinians to “A Manifest Victory”

This wonderful video by CJ Werleman gives an invigorating synopsis of how the world is responding to the Palestinian situation in a powerful way. And Muslims understand Allah alone brings about nasr-ullah wa-lfat’h, “Allah’s intervention and a manifest victory.” (48:1) All our fervent prayers and those of all people of conscience will insha’Allah be answered, the du’a and efforts of Jews, Christians, Muslims, and all others who stand for justice and want peace and an end to the occupation and oppression of Palestinians, who in reality represent all human beings, all of us. So in reality this is victory for humanity itself. Let us all continue our efforts in support of Palestine, it’s not over yet, the Genocide continues. Because the purveyors of oppression and war are still out there fighting against the will of the people, dead-set on power and greedy for more wealth and worldly entitlement. Because what happens to Palestinians can happen to all of us unless we continue to resist. God help us all.

And they routed them, by God’s leave, and David slew Goliath, and God gave him sovereignty and wisdom, and taught him of what He wills. And were it not for God’s repelling people, some by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted. But God is Possessed of Bounty for the worlds. (Al-Baqarah 2:251)

Palestinians Represent All Humanity

We are currently forced to watch the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, an open-air concentration camp of 2.2 million people, half of whom are children. By now almost everyone on the planet knows this, knows Israel is doing this, everyone knows they bomb civilians, cut off their food, water, medicine, and electricity. The death toll for Palestinians has already exceeded 4,000 and counting. The U.S. vetoed a UN resolution for an immediate ceasefire to stop the killing. The U.S. government is complicit in these murders and in Israeli oppression, refusing to even stand for human life. Some think this conflict could ignite World War III. But what’s really happening is the world is now separating into groups, those who side with justice and truth, and those on the side of oppression and evil. What could be more evil than a deliberate genocide of children and families? Clearly Allah the All-Knowing is showing all of us in stark reality what America’s leaders and Israel stand for now. We must bravely speak truth to this blatant evil and the powers behind it, including the groveling “superpower,” who aids and funds Israel’s use of terror, intimidation and the power of atrocity, lies, and false scenarios to promote their agenda, knowing Allah brings the truth to light, no matter how much the deniers and falsifiers hate it. It’s becoming glaringly clear that the Quran’s words are coming to pass at this very moment. But don’t forget All people of conscience are allies of people of faith, in Arabic allatheena aamanu.

Trustworthiness Needs Accountability – What Is a Mu’Min?

Another meaning of mu’min is “someone you can trust” – someone trustworthy. Often translated “believer,” that English word misses a significant part of the meaning of mu’min which is the element of trust. In the Quran, faith is not the same as belief in English, which infers a “leap” of presumption without the use of the mind. Whereas one of the frequently asked questions in the Quran is “will you not use your minds??” Afa la t’aqiloon? Faith in the ultimate accountability of Judgment Day is a powerful basis for both ethical and reasonable action. That, plus holding no mere mortals in heaven and earth higher than the One Who created all existence, gives those who truly do this the highest honor, the most powerfully steady hearts. Like the Palestinians who stand tall despite being bombed in a tiny plot of land where they are trapped with no way of escape, and cut off from water, food, electricity and supplies, deliberately and vengefully, by Israel, which has always enjoyed ZERO accountability. Thanks to the U.S., U.K., and other nations complicit in letting the Nakba – itself a genocidal act of ethnic cleansing – pass with no accountability as well as Israel’s systematic persecution of the original inhabitants of the land Zionists took by force, Palestinians.

We Are Worshipers by Nature

Previously I asked the question “What Is Worship of Allah?” But because people worship many things, it’s important to define worship itself, a word which in English is given rather vague and circular meanings. According to the Quran, we are all worshipers, in the sense that Allah did not create humankind except to worship Him. The whole point of our existence is supposed to be worship, which in Arabic is ‘abud. Of course there are many people who do not worship God at all, and thus are not fulfilling their actual purpose, but they may not realize they are worshiping something. So what then does “worship” actually mean or entail? Interestingly, a novelist raised as an atheist who as a child used to secretly pray to God, gave a famously popular commencement speech which makes the very same point we find in the Quran, that we are all created to worship. We can choose what or whom to worship, but cannot choose to not worship – to think so is to be deluded.

When People Worship Their Feelings

This Nouman Ali Khan video shows us the difference between Quranic guidance and pop psychology, where people use terms like “toxic” and “narcissist” and “gaslighting” to pass judgment on others without knowledge of psychology, morality, or even common sense. The idea of “boundaries” we need to set for ourselves can become in itself a refusal to treat another person with dignity or compassion, and the idea of passing judgment on, say, “toxic parents” or “narcissistic” siblings, or label any of one’s family members or others with the popular labels is itself the opposite of what Allah the Exalted asks of us in the Quran.

Worship God alone; do not attribute divinity to others. Be good to your parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, to close and far neighbors, close friends, stranded travelers and those whom your right hands held in trust. God does not love those who are conceited and full of pride; (4:36)

Surat Al-Humaza 104

This sura’s power lies in its sounds, and it’s message. Of course, those sounds can only be heard in Arabic; but before presenting how that works, notice how the message is described in a series of unexpected connections. The first unexpected element is how a “fault-finding backbiter” is not found fault with because of his backbiting, but rather from his amassing of wealth and counting it. Backbiters are not associated with wealth, but rather with gossip. And this guy’s big sin is counting his wealth? Nowadays, one might ask, “well, shouldn’t someone with money count it to know how much he has? What’s wrong with that? And who thinks having money will make them immortal? So ok, backbiting is bad, and I suppose greed is bad too, but fire? Aren’t these guys the supply side who get the economy going? Reserve hell for the murderers and rapists.” But let’s look a little deeper.

What Is Worship of Allah?

The word “worship” is not as obvious in meaning as it may seem. Although generally understood as a kind of dedicated devotion, often involving rituals or practices, differences in one’s idea of God may be rather vague. We should imagine God as Good in the highest sense, expecting of us to strive towards such things as justice, truth, beauty, compassion, thankfulness, generosity, reverence. But what is different here is that the Quran refers to all people as ‘abad or worshipers. We were created to worship, and so are worshipers by nature – but it’s up to us to choose who or what we worship, and therein lies the difference.

Satan, the First Racist, Tells Us “Be Arrogant” Like him

The above Quranic aya encapsulates what racism is: to say “I am better than he is/they are” because Allah “created me this way” and “created him/them that way.” It’s about saying I am better than someone only because of something they were created to be, not by anything they did. It’s an act of arrogance, and it is this arrogance that made Satan the expelled and accursed. So anyone who thinks he is better than another for being of another race or anything other than piety is actually claiming that Allah should prefer him/her to them. This is a judgment call on Allah the Almighty Himself, an act of extreme denial, and puts anyone who does so right down there with Satan. It’s also an act of extreme injustice, against Allah, oneself, and all humanity. And the consequences?

Allah the Exalted is not Petty and Islam Is Not About Things Being Haram

This inspiring video by Nouman Ali Khan beautifully explains the mistake people (both Muslims and non-Muslims) make, for various reasons, of thinking of Islam as a strict religion that makes everything prohibited, is against all forms of enjoyment in this world, just a kind of dour, restrictive religion, which is the diametrical opposite of the truth.

I associate this sort of thinking, nitpicking about hand positions in salat and which musical instruments are haram and which are halal, and the right and wrong way to wear hijab, whether or not to shave, “wear the beard” and detailed dress codes. But Allah the Exalted isn’t petty! Pettiness is practically defined as making irrelevant details the focus of one’s life, ignoring the looming and huge matters of faith, the Hereafter, charity, generosity of spirit, devotion in the heart, and a forgiving attitude towards others. And the fact that there is none like Allah, so study His book to know what He is like. The Quran is hugely communicative; it’s our responsibility to be receptive, not bark orders to others without humility or expressing love. May Allah guide us all. 🙂

Deadly Anti-Muslim Politics: a Warning to Muslims

C. J. Werleman warns that the U.S. could become like Modi’s Egypt if they help Re-elect Trump (or elect DeSantis) out of sympathy for “anti-woke” stance. Christian nationalists hate Muslims!

Many Muslims in the U.S. are concerned about the teaching of “gender fluidity” to children, to the point of subjecting them to sex-change operations prior to the age of consent, and the normalization of “gayness” as all part of a “woke” agenda. But Werleman warns Muslims that this “anti-woke” agenda is also about anti-Muslim hate because it’s part of the right-wing white evangelical Christian movement, whose adherents are both anti-black and anti-Muslim (and although often also antisemite, they are also often pro-Zionist and rabidly anti-Palestinian).