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Sunday, November 22, 2015

Ways to Deal with Islamophobia: Properly Upholding and Understanding the Quraan and Tawheed

 وَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ جَعَلْنَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسْتُورًا
And when you (Muhammad) recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil.

[al-Israa 17:45]
Haafidh Ibn Katheer [may Allaah have Mercy on him] wrote in explanation:
We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil”: some said this refers to a physical barrier, hence the word ‘Sitr’ (a covering) is used.
Others said it refers to a barrier over their minds, thus there being a difference between guidance and disbelief, at-Tabaree favoured this view.

It is narrated on the authority of Asmaa bin Abee Bakr as-Siddeeq [may Allaah be Pleased with them both] that when Surah al-Lahab was revealed, Aboo Lahab’s wife, Umm Jameelah, came looking for Muhammad and my father. Wailing with a rock in her hand, she was shouting, “Come out, O Mutthammam (a derogatory play-on-words)!” She finally saw Aboo Bakr [may Allaah be Pleased with him] whilst he was sitting with the Messenger of Allaah [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]. As she approached, Aboo Bakr informed the Prophet and said to him, “I fear she will see you and try to harm you.” So the Prophet replied, “She will not see me and then recited the Aayah as a protection for himself:

And when you (Muhammad  ) recite the Qur'an, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil (or screen their hearts, so they hear or understand it not).

[al-Israa 17:45]

When she approached them she addressed Aboo Bakr and said standing over Aboo Bakr, “O Abu Bakr, you’re companion has poetry defaming me.” So Aboo Bakr replied, “No, by Allaah! It is not poetry that is defaming you.” So she turned away yelling, “The Quraysh know that I am the daughter of a noble man.” End quote.

Ibn Katheer continued:

Qatadah (d. 117AH who was an Imaam from the Salaf) said:

Surely, when the Muslim say Laa Ilaaha Ila Allaah, the Mushriks (and disbelievers) disbelieve in this and they refuse it with pride. Iblees and his army restrict their ration. So Allaah does not allow for them to overcome the believers. He Supports the believers and doesn’t allow for the party of Ibless to become apparent and succeed. He doesn’t allow for their plots to be implemented. Surely, this word (Laa Ilaaha Ila Allaah with its conditions and proper understanding) is a word which brings success and whoever truly upholds it in their lives, they will be supported. It is something known in this part of the world (at that time), that when the Muslim army mounted their carriages for war, they would depart during the night and they would travel for great distances whilst the people are sleep, without any one of the enemy knowing their presence or sensing them in the slightest.

[Adapted from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (5/82-83)]

Imaam al-Qurubee [may Allaah have Mercy on him] stated:

In the Seerah of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] there are incidents in which the Kuffaar prevented from seeing him. Once they gathered around the house of the Prophet in order to ambush and kill him, the Prophet had ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib [may Allaah be Pleased with him] take his place in his bed instead. The Prophet left his house, which was surrounded by would-be assassins, and whilst throwing sand in their faces he recited:

وَجَعَلْنَا مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ

And We have put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and We have covered them up, so that they cannot see.” [Yaaseen 36:9]

Until the Prophet walked passed them all without any one of the enemy seeing him [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him], until he fled from their plots safe and sound.

I (al-Qurtubi) say: something similar happened to me in Andalusia (Spain). I had escaped from my cell whilst in their imprisonment of me in Cordoba. I fled to the latter part of the compound so that I may not be detected. When they had realized that I had escaped, a search party was sent out, and one of their soldiers had caught up to me. I was in a plain open land without anywhere to hide. So I recited the above Aayaat in Surah Yaaseen and other Aayaat from the Quraan. The soldiers passed me by and returned and even went pass me, head on. One of them even said to the other, “This man is a Shaytaan (performing illusions).” So Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, blinded their eyes and they didn’t see me at all. So all Praises are due to Allaah, Praises in abundance for Helping me.


[Adapted from Tafseer Jaami’ al-Ahkaam al-Quraan (10/243)]

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