Day 31
Remaining steadfast in dark times
TL;DR:
Day 31 of Be Quranic continues with Surat al-Baqarah, focusing on Ayah 19.
This ayah uses the metaphor of a thunderstorm to describe the Munafiqeen's (hypocrites') behaviour, who ignore the truth by metaphorically covering their ears and eyes in fear and denial.
It highlights their tendency to practice religion only when it's convenient or visible to others, and to abandon it in times of difficulty.
The key lesson is the importance of steadfastness in faith, practicing religion for the sake of Allah, not for worldly gains, and persevering even when it's challenging, unlike the Munafiqeen who give up easily.
Welcome to Day 31 of Be Quranic, where for the past 31 days, the whole month of January 2024, we've been taking short passages from the Quran daily, extracting practical lessons from them, and applying them to our lives so that we can be more Quranic.
InshaAllah, today we continue our study of Surat al-Baqarah and we are now at Ayah number 19. The ayah reads, "The lightning almost snatches away their eyesight and whenever it is bright, they would move forward, they would walk and when it is dark, they would just stop, stand still. And if Allah had willed it, Allah could have taken away their hearing and their eyesight and Allah is indeed most powerful over everything." This ayah continues from the parable of Ayah 18, which we discussed yesterday.
The ayah uses the metaphor of a terrifying thunderstorm to describe the Munafiqeen's (hypocrites') state. In their terror, instead of seeking safety, they simply cover their ears, thinking that by not hearing the thunder, they are safe. It likens this behaviour to that of an ostrich burying its head in the ground. They hear the message from Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, they hear about the warning of judgement day, yet instead of taking action, they close their ears, thinking they are safe from the truth they choose not to hear.
Allah continues the parable by saying, "The brightness of the lightning almost snatches away their eyesight," suggesting that when religion is easy, they practice it, but when it is difficult, they stop. The Munafiqeen would only attend prayers where they could be seen, highlighting a lack of sincerity in their acts of worship.
This ayah implies that their motivation is external, driven by worldly gains rather than internal faith. When it's dark, and they can't be seen, they stop practicing religion. Allah ends the ayah with a warning that He could have taken away their hearing and sight, leaving them in total darkness, both internally and externally.
The ayah serves as a warning to us all that when practicing religion becomes hard, we shouldn't give up. We should re-centre our intention for the sake of Allah, not for worldly gains. We should strive to practice the religion even when it is difficult, seeking Allah's forgiveness for our shortcomings, unlike the Munafiqeen who give up when faced with challenges.
When it comes to intention, worldly gains should not be our primary focus. A good person deserves good wealth, but our actions should be driven by our faith in Allah, with worldly benefits being a secondary consideration. Remember, no matter how difficult it is to practice religion, we should not give up but continue to obey and ask for Allah's forgiveness for our shortcomings, striving our best not to falter like the Munafiqeen.