Day 6 - Ayah 6 Surah Baqarah

FaQr - April 2, 2013

Attendance: A.U.A.H.

Morning dua

Opening dua

Surely, for those who have disbelieved, it is all the same whether you warn them or you warn them not: they would not believe. 

At the start of Surah Baqarah, Allah affirms the Quran as the Book of Guidance for the Muttaqeen, and also mentions the characteristics that distinguish the believers from others. 

• the next 16 ayaat mention the characteristics of the disbelievers
• two groups of disbelievers emerged at the time of Prophet Muhammad (saw)
• These two types are: the kaafirun and the munafiqoon
• kaafirun displayed open hostility and rejection of Allah's message
• munafiqoon, on the other hand, adopted the way of deceit and duplicity 
• The munafiqoon or hypocrites convinced the muslims that they had faith in the Quran and its teachings, however to the disbelievers they assured that they were only deceiving and spying on the muslims. 
• ayat 6 and 7 deal with the kaafireen 
• the next 13 ayaat deal with the munafiqeen 
• Allah has described the characteristics of the two distinct groups: the muttaqoon (those who follow the guidance) and the kaafiroon (those that reject the guidance)
• the word Kufr lexically means to hide or conceal something
• in the shariah, the word kufr signifies the denial of any of those things in which it is obligatory to believe in, such as the pillars of iman.
• Iman is to confirm with one's heart and believe with certainty everything that the Prophet Muhamamd (saw) has brought down to us

• favours withdrawn by Allah is a punishment (na'audhubillah)

According to a hadith, when a man commits a sin, a black dot appears on his heart; this first dot disturbs him just as a smudge on a white cloth is always displeasing to us; but if instead of asking Allah's forgiveness for the first sin, he proceeds to commit a second, another dot shows up, thus with every new sin, the black dots keep on multiplying till the whole heart turns dark, and now he can no longer see good as good and evil as evil, and grows quite incapable of making such a distinction.

Practical Implications 

1. We should seek refuge in Allah from kufr and nifaq  (let us read the dua below iA)

2. Repent from all of our sins 

3. be in the company of muttaqeen iA

Allahumma tahhir qalbi min an-nifaq 

wa ‘amali min ar-riya’ 

wa lisani min al-kidhb

wa ‘ayni min al-khiyana

fa innaka ta‘lamu khainata’l a‘yun

wa ma tukhfis-sudur

1. (O Allah! Purify my heart of hypocrisy,
   

   and my deeds from showing off,

   and my tongue from lying,

   and my eyes from betraying trust (looking at the forbidden),

   for indeed, You know what the eyes betray,

   and what is hidden deep in the breasts)

   Reported in Al-Bayhaqi with a sahih isnaad
     

- U.