Darul Qasim Sunday Tafseer

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 83 through 86. These verses sum up everything Muslims need to understand about political authority. Authority comes from Allah (S) and cannot be assumed by force. In this lecture: the fallacy of Islamic rule being essential to Islamic practice; the accessibility to taqwa with or without Islamic rule; the incomparable vastness of Jannah contrasted with this limited world; fanaticism and fundamentalism as consequences of attempting to render divine justice on earth; the indispensable message in Al-Qasas for those who strive to make sense of the grave crisis Muslims face today; the mission of the prophet (S) was guided by wahy, not human emotion; the authority of the prophet (S) over Makkah was purely for the fulfillment of the five pillars, political dominion was just a side effect. If you seek supremacy on earth, Allah (S) will deprive you of any authority in Jannah.

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 78 through 82. This session contrasts the example of Qaroun as a hoarder of wealth with that of Musa as a custodian of knowledge. In this lecture: Qaroun's false claim to knowledge as the source of his good fortune; the staggering amount of Qaroun's wealth is little compared with those who perished before him; limited wealth and lasting knowledge; wealth as a means for knowledge; the impact of a nabi upon the mindset of a disenfranchised people; the short-sighted beliefs of the disbeliever; the distribution of wealth as a Divine prerogative. Our wealth does not make us, rather we make our wealth. If we are good, then our wealth will be good. If we are consumed by our pursuits, then we will be drowned in them (much as Qaroun was swallowed up). We must strive to be free men and women, worshiping Allah free from the weight of our worldly pursuits.

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 71 through 77. Allah (S) is the Lord and Guardian of all who are subordinate to Him as well as those who are insubordinate to Him. In this lecture: Divine mercy in the alternation of day and night; using sensory perception to exercise shukr as the basis for loving Allah (S); the result of shukr and the result of arrogance; the wealth bestowed on Qaroon and his arrogance on account of it; the implicit command to speak out against social vices; the authority of prophets over their people; nobility in speech as the way of Allah (S) and the way he recommended to his prophets. If you have authority, then make sure you don't let your authority bring you disgrace.

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 62 through 70. Human prerogatives are very limited while Allah's prerogatives are supreme. In this lecture: Allah's (S) ruboobiyyah extends to all creation, even the rebellious; Fir'aun was granted ample opportunity for repentance; human will, although free, is limited by what Allah (S) has ordained, this is embodied in the word Rabb; Allah (S) has a personal affiliation with every individual in the capacity of being one's Rabb; Allah (S) alleviates the intense sense of loss felt by the prophet (S) at Abu Talib's demise through the verses of this surah that present the many tribulations of Musa (A); the prophet's (S) love for Allah (S) increased in times of tribulation. True worship is independent of what the worshipped does, therein lies tauheed whereby the sources of good and bad are one and the same. Fluctuating in our love for Allah (S) subject to our times of ease and difficulty is a sign of shirk, i.e. perceiving separation in the source of all things.

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 57 through 61. It is only through the institution of prophethood that mankind still exists on this planet. In this lecture: Allah (S) being in total control of provisions for all creatures; the Kaaba as a source of security and economic prosperity for the Quraysh; the consequences of igniting the fire of shirk and rebellion against Allah's authority; Divine rules that govern the destruction of a people; faith and good deeds as the currency of the Hereafter; remembrance in the dunya yields fruits in Paradise. Allah's Rahmah overrides the angelic assessment of mankind's ineligibility for mercy.

Surah Al-Qasas, verses 51 through 56. Acknowledging you have a Rabb is a prerequisite to believing. In this lecture: the mindset of a believer, submitting to the ruboobiyyah of Allah (S); rejection by the world not reason enough to reject the truth; the twofold reward of sincere believers: firstly for their belief, and secondly, for their resilient persistence in it; repelling evil with good from a position of strength; practical ramifications of these verses applicable in our trying times of free speech and expression; refrain from vain discourse as an attribute of steadfast believers; example in Musa (A) engaging Fir'awn in debate from a position of strength. The passion of the believer is to honor the prophet (S), follow his example, and hold true to the believer's code of conduct. The greatest insult one can levy against the prophet (S) is to deny he is the last Messenger.

Verses 43 through 49

Verses 36 through 42

Verses 29 through 35

Verses 22 through 28

Verses 14 through 21

Verses 7 through 13

Verses 1 through 6

Verses 41 through 44

Verses 20 through 31