A Holy Commandment (5)

"O you who believe! do not make your charity worthless by reproach and injury, like him who spends his property to be seen of men and does not believe in Allah and the last day; so his parable is as the parable of a smooth rock with earth upon it, then a heavy rain falls upon it, so it leaves it bare; they shall not be able to gain anything of what they have earned; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.

And the parable of those who spend their property to seek the pleasure of Allah and for the certainty 'of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground, upon which heavy rain falls so it brings forth its fruit twofold but if heavy rain does not fall upon it, then light rain (is sufficient); and Allah sees what you do. " Quraan 264-265

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تُبْطِلُواْ صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالأَذَى كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاء النَّاسِ وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْدًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ وَتَثْبِيتًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةٍ بِرَبْوَةٍ أَصَابَهَا وَابِلٌ فَآتَتْ أُكُلَهَا ضِعْفَيْنِ فَإِن لَّمْ يُصِبْهَا وَابِلٌ فَطَلٌّ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

البقرة : ٢٦٤-٢٦٥

A Holy Commandment (4)

"O ye who believe! Spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you, before the Day comes when no bargaining (Will avail), nor friendship nor intercession. Those who reject Faith they are the wrong-doers. " Quraan 2:254

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خُلَّةٌ وَلاَ شَفَاعَةٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
البقرة : ٢٥٤

"and spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before Death should come to any of you and he should say, 'O my Lord! why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good'.

But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come; and Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do." Quraan 63:10-11

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهَا وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
المنافقون : ١٠-١١

The same thing for the prayer:

"Say to My servants who believe that they should keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them secretly and openly before the coming of the day in which there shall be no bartering nor mutual befriending. " Quraan 14:31

قُل لِّعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاةَ وَيُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خِلالٌ
إبراهيم : ٣١

Repent & do your best henceforth:

"Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Turn ye to our Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you: after that ye shall not be helped.

And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you - of a sudden while ye perceive not!-

Lest the soul should (then) say: 'Ah! Woe is me!- In that I neglected (my duty) towards Allah, and was but among those who mocked!'-

Or (lest) it should say: 'If only Allah had guided me, I should certainly have been among the righteous!'-

Or (lest) it should say when it (actually) sees the penalty: 'If only I had another chance, I should certainly be among those who do good!'

(The reply will be:) 'Nay, but there came to thee my Signs, and thou didst reject them: thou wast Haughty, and became one of those who reject faith!'" Quraan 54-59

وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لا تُنصَرُونَ

وَاتَّبِعُوا أَحْسَنَ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنتُمْ لا تَشْعُرُونَ

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَى عَلَى مَا فَرَّطتُ فِي جَنبِ اللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّاخِرِينَ

أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِي لَكُنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِي كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

بَلَى قَدْ جَاءَتْكَ آيَاتِي فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
الزمر : ٥٤-٥٩

Overall:

"Hearken ye to your Lord, before there come a Day which there will be no putting back, because of (the Ordainment of) Allah! that Day there will be for you no place of refuge nor will there be for you any room for denial (of your sins)! " Quraan 42:47

اسْتَجِيبُوا لِرَبِّكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لّا مَرَدَّ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَكُم مِّن مَّلْجَأٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّكِيرٍ
الشورى : ٤٧

A Holy Commandment (3)

"O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you." Quraan 2:208

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
البقرة : ٢٠٨

That English translation was from Pickthal, the equivalent phrase of "all of you" in the Arabic/original verse actually means "all of it", what does the "it" refer to? Could either refer to "You - the believers" or "The submission", in each case it's correct but I believe the latter makes more sense and that's will be explained underneath. In other words, the verse could be rephrased as the following:
"O ye who believe! Come into all of submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you."

To understand the verse properly, we need to review it in context:

" O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemyfor you.

And if ye slide back after the clear proofs have come unto you, then know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Wait they for naught else than that Allah should come unto them in the shadows of the clouds with the angels? Then the case would bealready judged. All cases go back to Allah (for judgment).

Ask of the Children of Israel how many a clear revelation We gave them! He who altereth the grace of Allah after it hath come unto him(for him), lo! Allah is severe in punishment." Quraan 2:208-211

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

فَإِن زَلَلْتُمْ مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْكُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الأُمُورُ

سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

البقرة : ٢٠٨-٢١١

It's very obvious from the context that the verse is talking about the believers who are still skeptic about the validity and credibility of Islam! The verses are also reminding those skeptic believers of what the Jewish did with their prophets so we don't fall in the same mistake by being cynics and captious towards our Prophet.

"Or would ye question your messenger as Moses was questioned aforetime? He who chooseth disbelief instead of faith, verily he hath gone astray from a plain road." Quraan 2:108

أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَسْأَلُواْ رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ
البقرة : ١٠٨

Apparently, the verse was asking the believers to truly submit in "all submission" if they truely believe that Mohammad is a Messenger of the Creator. If you are a true Muslim who declared Al-Shahadah "I bear witness that there is no deity (none truely to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah" after a true conviction, then you are truly convinced and know that Mohammad is a Messenger of the Creator, thus we have to follow him in everything he asked us to do! whether we like it or dislike, logical or illogical ...
For example, I can't be selective and say that the five prayers make sense to me so I'll perform them but pilgrimage/Hajj rituals are nonsense so I won't do it! If you know that Mohammad was a true Messenger of God and he asked you to do both of them but you still don't follow his instructions because it doesn't make sense to you or it conflicts with your culture or whatever reason .... Then that's not a real submission! You probably need to review your Shahadah!

The verse then is warning us of following the footsteps of the devil/Satan, the verse didn't say "don't follow the devil" because as believers surely we don't follow the devil but it is warning us that we may follow his footsteps unconsciously and end up following the devil himself! Watch out!

A Holy Commandment (2)

" O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom yeworship.

He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah.But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." Quraan 2:172-173

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِلّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

البقرة : ١٧٢-١٧٣

Allah is not only asking us not to eat the Haram (forbidden) food but also is asking us to eat of the good food! In other words, He is telling us to enjoy this life as long as it's not something Haram (forbidden). Enjoy this life and be thankful to Almighty for the gift of living and for the good things He bestowed on us.

Also, He is affirming the fact that whatever have been forbidden on us are really few compared to what is Halal (permissible). Moreover, He's affirming how precious our lives are, He is telling us even though there are certain food that are forbidden on us, it's not a sin to eat from them if our lives will be jeopardized otherwise!

A Holy Commandment (1)

"O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Lo! Allah is with the steadfast. " Quraan 2:153

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
البقرة : ١٥٣

Life is tough! Too many obstacles and struggles to achieve things for us and for our beloveds. Allah is asking us to seek help in patience and prayer.

How a prayer can help us?
As Muslims we pray five times a day, every time we pray we remind ourselves that we are not here to live, this life is just a temporarily life, it's a test, that we will leave it with nothing but a white piece of clothes that covers our bodies to be put underground into a little piece of land probably 2Mx0.25M! That's it! no money, no gold, no wife, no kids, no house, no car, no job, no authority, etc..!
So why the hell should I let these matters make my life miserable?! Do your best! Try to achieve whatever you can but always remember that there's an end and you will leave all these things behind. Simply, take it easy!

How patience can help us?
As explained before, this life is just a test and to come out successful you need to follow the instructions and guidance of Islam, to not lie, not steal, not hurt others, etc ..
In other words, to be a good person but that's really difficult in a world that has no appreciation to morals and ethics! You may feel lonely or stranger! You may encounter situations where you can do better or gain more if you just give up some of your principles! Just be patient and remember why you are in this life! It's just a test.

"Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction?" Quraan 29:2

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لا يُفْتَنُونَ
العنكبوت : ٢٩