Page 25 - Pakistan Link - October 19, 2018

RELIGION OCTOBER 19, 2018 – PAKISTAN LINK – P25
Responsible Living Gems from the

Holy Qur’an

n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

eople, be mindful of your
Lord and fear a day when
Pno parent will take the place
of their child, nor a child take the
place of their par-
ent, in any way.
Allah’s promise
is true, so do not
let the present life From the traanslation by
delude you, nor Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
let the Deceiver
delude you about About the translator:
Allah. Knowledge of the Hour [of Muhammad Asad, Leopold
Resurrection] belongs to Allah; it Weiss, was born of Jewish parents
is He who sends down the reliev- in Livow, Austria (later Poland)
ing rain and He who knows what in 1900, and at the age of 22 made
is hidden in the womb. No soul his fi rst visit to the Middle East. He
knows what it will reap tomorrow, later became an outstanding foreign
and no soul knows in what land correspondent for the Franfurter
it will die; it is Allah who is all Zeitung, and aft er his conversion to
knowing and all aware. Islam travelled and worked through-
Th ese are the last two verses out the Muslim world, from North
from Surah Luqman. In this Surah Africa to as far east as Afghanistan,
Tawhid and Akhirah are the two India and Pakistan. Aft er years of
main themes. Th e Surah speaks to devoted study he became one of the
all human beings, but it is especially leading Muslim scholars of our age.
addressed to youth and the parents. His translation of the Holy Qur’an is
Th rough the wise man Luqman’s one of the most lucid and well-ref-
advices, the parents are told how erenced works in this category, dedi-
to raise their children and how to cated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon”
educate them. Youth are also told (For people who think).
to think for themselves and follow moment here is very important. We Christian, but he was, probably, an is nothing but the annihilation and
the right path. Th en we have the can succeed or fail both temporarily agnostic. He migrated to the United extinction? Chapter 80, ‘Abasa, Verses
last two concluding ayat telling all and eternally by our own actions in States and died in 1957. He had his Are the words of the people 1-10
people to be mindful of their Lord this world. So every person should famous poem: true or lies? [ 1 ] He frowned and turned
and fear the day when neither the live in a responsible manner. Follow I came not knowing where- Is it true that some people away because the blind man ap-
parents can help their children, nor your Creator who created you and from, but I came. know? I do not know! proached him.
the children can help their parents. who has placed you here. He knows And I saw a pathway in front of Th e poet very eloquently has Yet for all thou didst know, [O
Every person will be responsible for what is best for you. He has sent His me, so I walked. described the philosophy of ag- Muhammad,] he might perhaps
his/her own self. Th e Day of Judg- Prophets and Messengers to guide And I will remain walking, nosticism. But agnosticism creates have grown in purity, or have been
ment will indeed come. Th is is the you and show you the right path. whether I want this or not. How did anxiety and does not give any moral reminded [of the truth], and helped
promise of Allah. Do not be de- Finally, he sent before the end of I come? How did I see my pathway? guidance. It cannot help us live in a by this reminder.
ceived by the life of this world and this world His last and fi nal Prophet I do not know! responsible manner. Th e only way Now as for him who believes
do not be deceived by the devil. Muhammad – peace and blessings himself to be self-suffi cient [ 2 ] – to
Th en fi ve things are mentioned that of Allah be upon him and upon all him didst thou give thy whole atten-
are only known to Allah: the exact His Prophets and Messengers. Islam emphasizes that this world is transitory and tion, although thou art not account-
knowledge of the Last Hour, the What is responsible living? our life time here is limited. Allah reminds that able for his failure to attain to purity;
time and amount of rain, the nature Responsible living means that we but as for him who came unto thee
of the babies in the wombs, what should understand: we should not be deluded by the life and glitter of full of eagerness and in awe [of God]
will happen tomorrow and where 1. Who brought us to this – him didst thou disregard!
and in what condition one is going world? this world. Th is is not the permanent world and Nay, verily, these [messages] are
to die. Allah is all knowing and all 2. Why are we here? we are not going to be here forever but a reminder: and so, who is will-
aware. 3. Where are we going? ing may remember Him in [the light
Islam emphasizes that this 4. What will happen aft er of His] revelations blest with dignity,
world is transitory and our life time death? Am I new or am I old in this to live in a responsible manner is loft y and pure, [borne] by the hands
here is limited. Allah reminds that Th ere are people who live their existence? to listen to the words of Allah, pay of messengers noble and most virtu-
we should not be deluded by the life lives without thinking and learning Am I free and unrestrained, or attention to them and live by them. ous.
and glitter of this world. Th is is not the answers to these questions and do I walk in chains? Responsible living means to use
the permanent world and we are not there are some who invent their Do I lead myself in my life, or to your eyes, ears, mind and your Translator’s Notes
going to be here forever. Th is world own answers without paying at- am I being led? physical body in the right manner. [ 1 ] One day, as recorded in
will go away and we are all going tention to the words of their Cre- I wish I know, but… I do not We must always keep in our mind many well-authenticated Tradi-
to leave sooner or later. Th is world, ator. Th ere was a famous Lebanese know! that we shall be questioned about tions, the Prophet was engrossed
however, is very important. Every poet Elia Abu Madi. His family was And my path, oh what is my our words, deeds and even thoughts. in a conversation with some of the
path? Is it long Allah reminds us in the Qur’an: most infl uential chieft ains of pagan
or is it short? O Man, what has lured you Mecca, hoping to convince them
Am I as- away from your generous Lord, – and through them, the Meccan
cending in it, who created you, shaped you, pro- community at large – of the truth
or am I going portioned you, in whatever form He of his message. At that point, he was
down and sink- chose He framed you? approached by one of his followers,
ing? Yet you still take the Judgment the blind ‘Abd Allah ibn Shurayh
Am I the to be a lie! Over you stand watch- – known aft er his grandmother’s
one who is ers, noble recorders name as Ibn Umm Maktuum – with
walking on the who know what you do: the the request for a repetition or elu-
road, good will live in bliss, and the wick- cidation of certain earlier passages
Or is it ed will burn in the Fire. of the Qur’an. Annoyed by this in-
the road that is They will enter it on the Day terruption of what he momentarily
moving? of Judgment. And they will fi nd no regarded as a more important en-
Or are we escape. deavour, the Prophet “frowned and
both standing, What will explain to you what turned away” from the blind man
but it is the time the Day of Judgment is? and was immediately, there and
that is running? Yes! What will explain to you then, reproved by the revelation
I do not what the Day of Judgment is? of the fi rst ten verses of this surah.
know! The Day when no soul will be In later years he oft en greeted Ibn
Is there be- able to do anything for another; on Umm Maktuum with these words
yond grave and that Day, command will belong to of humility: “Welcome unto him on
death resurrec- Allah whose account my Sustainer has re-
tion, then life (Al-Infi tar 82:6-19) buked me (aatabanii)!”
and eternity? (Khutbah at ISOC – Rajab 21, Indirectly, the sharp Qur’anic
Or there 1434) GEMS, P28
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