Day 20
The Two Strands of Rope in Islam; Rope to Allah and Rope to Fellow Humans
TL;DR:
Day 20 of Be Quranic focuses on Surah Al-Baqarah's message about the traits of Taqwa: belief in the unseen, prayer, and charity.
It emphasises that true faith manifests in actions, particularly in Salah (prayer) and Zakat (charity), nurturing our relationships with Allah and humanity.
The essence of our existence, as stated in the Quran, is to worship Allah and serve others, balancing spiritual duties and kindness.
Today, let's find ways to strengthen our connection with the divine and spread kindness in our community.
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Welcome to Day 20 of Be Quranic, where we extract practical lessons from short messages in the Quran and integrate them into our daily lives to become more Quranic.
Insha'Allah, today we conclude our study of the third ayah from the longest Surah in the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah. This ayah lists the characteristics of the people of Taqwa, who are guided by the Quran and, by extension, favoured by Allah.
He lists three things: Iman in the unseen, prayers, and charity. The order is significant because everything we do stems from our Iman. This is the foundation. The primary manifestation of our Iman is our Salah. Without Iman, there can be no Salah, and without Salah, Iman is incomplete. A Muslim cannot claim to be good-hearted without demonstrating good deeds, the most important of which is Salah.
Following Salah is charity, our kindness to those around us. Frequently, the Quran combines Salah and Zakat, signifying the two key relationships we must nurture: Hablum Min Allah, our relationship with Allah, and Hablum Min Annas, our relationship with fellow humans and all creation.
The essence of Hablum Min Allah is our prayers, and of Hablum Min Annas, it's Zakat, our charity. This ayah summarises the entire Deen: Iman, Amal Saleh, encompassing both Hablum Min Allah and Hablum Min Annas. It reflects our reason for existence, as stated in the Quran: "Wa Ma Khalaqtu Jinna Wa Al-Ins, Illa Li 'abudun" - we are created to worship Allah (Hablum Min Allah) and to serve humanity and care for creation (Hablum Min Annas).
Our primary worship is Salah. Skipping Salah renders other acts, like reading the Quran, less impactful. Another verse indicates our role as Khalifa on earth, to serve humanity and steward creation (Hablum Min Annas). Fulfilling these purposes brings happiness.
These dual purposes of our existence on earth are encapsulated in Ayah 3 of Surah Al-Baqarah: "Wa min ma razaqnahum yunfiqoon", focusing on our relationship with fellow beings. A good Muslim cannot be prayerful yet unkind to those around them. Using the same tongue for the Quran and for cursing is contradictory.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam defined the best person as one with the best character, the best akhlaq. Our religion is a balance between our relationship with Allah and kindness to His creations.
Our quest today is to identify daily Ibadah to enhance our relationship with Allah and with those around us. What acts of kindness can we perform today?