Ramadan 13, 1435/2014 Tafseer, by Imam Muhammed Shoayb Mehtar, Khadeeja Islamic Center, SLC, Utah

Nightly Notes (13):

Tonight we discussed Surah Shura wherein Musa (AS) feared rejection from the people (imagine, a prophet of all people fearing rejection! This shows that everyone fears rejection from people) so he asked Allah (SWT) to have his brother Haroon be made a prophet, the greatest gift a brother could give to another is Nubuwwa (prophethood).

There is an ayah that mentions Musa (AS) grabbing his brother Haroon (AS)’s beard. This goes to show that keeping a beard is not just Wajib for Muslims; Orthodox Jews and Orthodox Christians keep one as well because the prophets they follow also kept beards. As far as Musa (AS) grabbing his brother’s beard, this shows the length of what the beard should be from the Fiqh books.

Why do people faint or fall down when they first physically see the Kabah? It’s just a wall. The adaab (etiquette) of looking at the Kabah for the first time is not to look at it from afar, you keep your gaze down until it is right in front of you and then you look. People faint when they first see it, people fall down when they first see it, why? Because there is so much Nur from so many righteous people who have touched it that it affects you when you go and see it for the first time.

We should try and be like the students of Abu Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) who was one of the greatest scholars of the last century. He was strict but nobody remembers him for his strictness, why? Because he was nice about it, he was gentle about it. His students, even though they have a difference of opinion with you, they will find at least one point wherein they can agree with you and thereafter say you go your way and we will go ours.

Don’t underestimate the power of good deeds. You may not see the impact of your deeds necessarily during your life time, it may transition to your children or grandchildren long after we are gone. Your child will remember that my father used to pray Tahajjud so I too should pray. My father used to, on a certain street, give a dollar to poor people so I too shall do this. In this way your deeds know no bounds, they will continue on throughout generation after generation.

There are some teachers who are not attractive to look at, but when you see these people in the streets you can’t help but want to touch them, be near them… why? Allah has given pious people a certain Nur about them that you can’t help but be attracted to. Even those people, sometimes even people and Muslims publicly make fun of Allah, etc. but we still want to be with them… why? Because secretly they are helping a poor person out and Allah does not let a good deed go unnoticed.

This is why Bill Gates, who gives billions and billions away through his various foundations is being given the reward of his good deeds in this life, because he treats people well, he treats people with respect. Allah rewards a good deed by 10-fold if not more, whether you are Muslim or non-Muslim.

On the other hand, there are many Muslim leaders with billions of dollars who if for example, you eat an extra egg, they will make you wish that you never ate an egg in your whole life. So don’t let miserliness stop you from attaining Allah’s pleasure.