Sunday Tafsīr with Shaykh Amin Kholwadia

Allah reminds us that there were powerful people before us who were destroyed despite their authority and dominion. So that is not the nature of the power we should pursue in our lives. In this session: conclusory comments; Taqwa as a means of harnessing power in Jannah; the mirages of worldly pursuits; Al-Muqtadir; a simple, not simplistic, formula for success.

Allah Subhanahu showed to the people of Fir’awn through His signs that Fir’awn was not their Lord. In this session: the trial of locusts; Allah’s control encompasses the celestial and the terrestrial; verse 43 taking the Quraysh to task; the far-reaching impact of Dajjal; Withstanding the Day of Judgment; the right of the Divine; the mu’jizah is in the language and then the meaning; Divine order unlimited by the laws of cause-and-effect.

This Surah is a prelude to the literary brilliance of Surah Al-Rahman. In this session: denying the Nabi; the resilience of messengers; the prophet’s deference to Divine commands over their innate nature; the prophetic mission to save animals.

The overarching theme of the Surah is to look beyond what we perceive. In this session: the splitting of the moon; respecting the means; the effect of miracles; a prophet’s concern for his people.

Surah Al-Najm (53:13-26). The steadily increasing nūr that powered the ascent of the Messenger reached its climax at the Lote tree. The surah is a sign for those who increase in their 'ibādah when they receive Divine Fadl. In this lecture: absolute purity and the inevitability of Jannah; mi'rāj as an unparalleled incident; a higher level of perfection in prophethood; false appropriation by the Quraysh; sultān - power and authority; integrity in presenting knowledge; Tauhīd versus doubt and speculation; Divine qismah and being content with it.

Surah Al-Najm (53:1-12). The system of the stars remains uninterrupted in how they guide the traveller even through their rising and falling. In this lecture: to be lost on a path versus taking the wrong path; the means of inspiration; the knowledge of Jibraīl 'alayhisSalām; the intellect of the prophet (S); the transference of messenger energy; the heightening effect of wahy on the senses; power, integrity and trustworthiness as the core traits of every prophet; honoring the source of knowledge.

Surah Al-Tur (52:40-49). The believer ties everything back to the Divine. In this lecture: the subtle shirk among believers; taking on the Nūr of the āyah; the purpose of the Nabi versus the mission of the devil; a plan for tablīgh; the Muslim role; Badr; the Muhajirūn as a blueprint and standard for īmān; tasbīh and tahmīd as vehicles for Divine assistance and rahmah; the mildest and supreme forms of rahmah.

Surah Al-Tur (52:29-39). The system of wahy based purely on Divine Fadl is inaccessible to humans except those favored. In this lecture: submitting to the higher authority of the Nabi; money as a corrupting driver of enterprise; the fallacy of control; insights in charitable giving.

Surah Al-Tur (52:13-28). Entry into Jannah is not based on one’s deeds, but rather on Allah’s Fadl. In this lecture: the rewards of deeds in Jannah; the ambience and decor in Jannah; an understanding of Divine Fadl; the company and food of Jannah; drinks and the social milieu.

Surah Al-Tur (52:1-13).

Surah Al-Dhariyat (51:56-60).

Surah Al-Dhariyat (51:47-54).

Surah Al-Dhariyat (51:38-46). brahim (AS) is the representation of one who overpowers world leaders without weaponry. He is proof that intellectual superiority is a by-product of keeping the fitrah. In this lecture: - Sultān, the self-evident power; - The prophets engaged in reforming those in power, not replacing them; - Mu’jizah; - The annihilation of Fir’awn, the Ād and the Thamūd; - The winds of change and the destructive power of sound; - The repertoire of Nūh (AS)

Surah Al-Dhariyat (51:14-21). The essence of taqwa is to believe in Allāh (S) and to believe in what Allāh (S) promises. In this lecture:Tests, consistency and constancy; Growth and tarbiyyah in Jannah; Anticipating reward for good deeds; The highest level of Ihsan and Iman; Experiencing the Nur of Allāh (S) at blessed times; Part of Ihsan is seeing people as entitled to access Allah's Fadl.

Surah Al-Dhariyat (51:1-11). The more we study and appreciate the creations which are sworn by in the oaths of the Qurʾān, the more we will appreciate the Creator. In this lecture:The reason why Allāh swears by oaths; What our approach should be towards oaths in the Qurʾān; The different systems of Allāh by which the world runs; The potential dangers of deep, unregulated speculation

Surah Qaf (50:37-45). Ṣabr is a dormant ability within every believer which Allāh seeks that he awaken and utilize, especially in calling others towards good. In this lecture: the power of ṣabr in the arsenal of the believer; the necessity of combining outward tasbīḥ with inward patience; how to plan for success factoring in multiple phases of existence; the importance of acknowledging the truth and adhering to it; how this sūrah comes around full circle with how it began.

Surah Qaf (50:30-37). It is not as if Allah doesn’t know you commit sins. It is in your imperfection that you must make tawbah and come to Him, as awwāb.rstood anything. Pause. And think. In this lecture: Jahannam; the bringing forward of Jannah by the Divine; the awwāb; the Rahmān; acclimatizing ourselves to eternity; Khallāq: the limitless Creativity of Allah ﷻ; stabilizing the alternating qalb.

Surah Qaf (50:17-29). Human being find it hard to bear that someone else has more knowledge regarding the affairs of what happens to us after death. In this lecture: we are never alone; the angels who record everything; the knowledge of the anbiyaa; the reality of the pangs of death; reflecting upon death; the power of the Trumpet; the plain of Arafaat and the return of our senses amplified; developing an existential agenda; the mureeb and the qareen; disbelief as rebellion.

Surah Qaf (50:9-16). The point of revelation is to learn to love Allāh, to have the comfort of knowing Him and knowing that He knows me, and that He will take care of me. In this lecture: The far-reaching effects of Allāh’s mercy through water; The means of rizq V.S. rizq that is consumed; The innovation of divorcing the Messenger from Islam; The ‘renewal’ found in all aspects of a Muslim’s life; The beginning of Iḥsān, and the false dichotomy of knowledge and spirituality.

Surah Qaf (50:1-8). The human nafs is the same, whether it is Ādam or Dajjāl. The difference is that Allah's Fadl ﷻ comes to Ādam, but it does not come to Dajjāl. So who is in control? Allah. In this lecture: the Quraysh's reservations with the Rasūl ﷺ; the Divine use of power; the world of the unseen; wahy and its expanding effect on human perception in the presence of imān; amr marīj (a confused state); the addictive state of confusion amid the seduction of kufr.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:14-18). Belief in Allah and His Messenger is the greatest commodity in existence, which will accompany us beyond death; it is a tremendous disservice to ourselves that we allow our beliefs to become corrupted. In this lecture: The mannerism which Muslims should have with Allah The steps for progression in Iman The role of sacrifice (Mujahadah) in a believer’s development The importance of humility in seeking knowledge as a hallmark of our tradition.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:12-13). Giving up on the ummah is the greatest pollutant among Muslims. In this lecture: ⁃ the evil of ghībah; ⁃ the language of wahy; ⁃ the methodical dismantlement of the Qurayshi aristocracy in Makkah; ⁃ the norms of human behavior and what Islam adds to it.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:10-12). True freedom gievs you security. In this lecture: the evil of ridiculing people; accommodating those you don't agree with and collaborating for a greater good; the fabric of unity and neglecting micro-values such as having a good opinion of others; a higher standard for Muslims; aman (security) and the nafs al-ammārah.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:9-10). It is a part of human nature to quarrel and fight and the Quran recognizes this frailty.In this lecture:the myth that Muslims do not fight; the categories of two conflicting Muslim groups; maintaining peace and stability once it is achieved; gray areas and room for negotiation; the spirit of the law; taqwā at the center of service; reconciling differences under the amīr.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:6-9). The greater among the sahābah came to understand how the Rasūl ﷺ thinks and analyzes information. Simply being with the Rasūl ﷺ wasn't enough; they had to exercise tremendous effort to observe and study the ways of the Rasūl ﷺ.In this lecture:validating news and informationthe science of hadiththe discipline Allah ﷻ desired for the sahābahthe need for due diligencelove for Īmān as a gift from Allah ﷻthe murād of the Divine, and the sincere submission of the Rasūl ﷺ

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:1-5). Your Islam is determined by how much you accept the prophet'sﷺ authority in your life. In this lecture: the adab of being around the Messenger; the mindset of a Muslim; the event that brought down the second verse, a proof of the obedience of the sahabah; the civilizational value of adab for leadership; commentary on adab with the Quran, the masjid, the fast; ihsān over 'adl.

Surah Fath (48:29-29). The key to Islam is that it must be apparent, not hidden. In this lecture:public and private prayerthe mention of the companions in the Torahthe story of Umar (R) in Jerusalemthe standards of ibādah

Surah Fath (48:27-29). Allah ﷻ confirms that His prophet's dream ﷺ is true as it based on truthfulness. In this lecture:seeing Hudaybiyyah as a victoryactualizing the true dīnMuhammad RasulAllah ﷺ - the Rasul within and without timefool-proofing 'aqīdah through strictness against bid'ātthe all-or-nothingness of Īmāna pluralistic legal system built upon tolerance in fiqh, diversity and intellectual accommodationcoexistence without integration

Surah Fath (48:18-26). Divine sakīnah is an active state that makes you stronger, not weaker. In this lecture: sakīnah; the many facets of sirāt al-mustaqīm; self-restraint and cowardice; the goal of establishing security in the land; being aware and conscious of Allah ﷺ as a deterrent from sin; the code of taqwa; the elevated status of the sahābah at Hudaybiyyah; the intent in jihād; the weight of the ihrām

Surah Fath (48:10-17). While we can control our own decisions and actions, Allah ﷺ controls everything and decides everything. Our will is subordinate to His. In this lecture:the hijrah; the state of the munāfiq; the Divine prerogative of punishment and forgiveness; the ideal of perfection; the despicable act of making tafīr; mukhallafūn - the ones who lagged behind; the indispensability of sīrah in undertanding Quran; the two types of wahy; the victory in Hudaybiyyah; the communal responsibilities of Muslims.

Surah Fath (48:7-9). It was in the interest of the prophetic mission for the Prophet ﷺ to motivate those around him with glad tidings. In this lecture:bashārah; indhār; a parallel in parenting; the underlying purpose in loving the prophet ﷺ; the umbrella of īmān; making tasbīh of Allah ﷺ; the paradoxical reason for 'ibādah; a different level of dhikr

Surah Muhammad (48:3-6). The more Muslims are purified, the more Islam will spread. In this lecture: tazkiyah; the force of sakīnah; the test in Hudaybiyya of the companions' love for the prophet ﷺ; the armies of Allah ﷺ; the expansive effect of Imān upon knowledge; cleansing to be eligible for Jannah

Surah Muhammad (48:1-2). The hadith and sīrah are necessary to understand the Quran. In this lecture: the happenings at Hudaybiyyah;the dream;a definition of true victory;seeking forgiveness;perpetual versus short-term benefit;the toolkit for the rightly guided

Surah Muhammad (47:34-38). We spend in the path of Allah ﷻ toward a communal infrastructure, to get away from a self-centric and self-serving mindset. In this lecture: thinking collectively;the effects of stinginess;surviving as a Muslim through sacrifice;the Quran as a shifa (prescription)

Surah Muhammad (47:27-33). The premise for a healthy ummah is for believers to assume a good opinion of each other, but red flags must still be heeded. In this lecture: hypocrites and their deception; wisdom in tests and trials; the permanence of kufr; shāqqa; the prophet's intense grief at Abu Talib's fate and his perfect submission to Divine will

Surah Muhammad (47:20-26). The need for active participation on the battlefield separated the hypocrites from the believers. In this lecture: spiritual confirmation and submission; peace and security built upon family values; spiritual deafness and blindness as effects; subjective tadabbur; the instigations of the devil; exposing Islam by knowing Islam; gradual reformation.

Surah Muhammad (47:16-19). The munafiqūn in Madinah listened to the prophet’s words and posed questions to the companions as a mockery of the Messenger and the message. In this lecture: knowledge and yaqīn; sealed hearts; elements of Divine Kalām; The Hour and its signs; Giving each other wasiyya for the Haqq; Good deeds as deterrents for The Hour; refreshing our īmān; Istighfār and human imperfection.