By Joseph E. B. Lumbard

As over a billion Muslims celebrate Ramadan, the month of the Qur’an, it behooves us to reflect upon all the āyāt – verses or signs – of God. God enjoins us over and again to contemplate every āyah (verse) of the Holy Writ, as in Surah Muhammad: ‘Do they not contemplate the Qur’an? Or do hearts have their locks upon them?’ (47:24). In Surat al-Mu’minūn, He says: ‘Have they not contemplated the Word, or has there come unto them that which came not unto their forefathers?’ (23:68). In Surat al-Baqarah we are told: ‘Thus does God make clear unto you the signs (āyāt), that haply you may reflect’ (2:219).

Contemplating and reflecting upon these āyāt of revelation shows us that there are many other āyāt upon which God calls humanity to reflect – the āyāt, or signs, in the created order. Just as God has ‘revealed the Book in truth’ (2:176; 2:213), so too did He ‘create the heavens and the earth in truth’ (45:22; 6:73). Revelation and creation both come ‘in truth’ and convey to human beings the truth. Given their shared Source and shared message, the Qur’an is presented as a guide to help us reflect upon the āyāt of God within creation, as in verse 38:29, in which the Qur’an is referred to as ‘a blessed Book that We have sent down upon thee, that they may contemplate His signs and that those possessed of intellect may reflect.’

Indeed, the Qur’an presents all of creation as signs of God: ‘And whatsoever He created for you on the earth of diverse colors—truly in this is a sign for a people who reflect’ (16:13). Nothing exists but that it is a means by which we can better understand the glory of the Divine. A bird ((‘Have they not considered the birds above them, spreading and folding up [their wings]? None holds them save the Compassionate. Truly He sees all things. (67:19); Have they not considered the birds, made subservient, in midair? None holds them save God. Truly in that are signs for a people who believe.’ (16:79) )) , trees, the stars ((‘And the stars and trees prostrate’ (55:6). Trees are used in symbolic manner throughout the Qur’an, as in 14:24-25: ‘Hast thou not considered how God sets forth a parable? A good word is as a good tree: its roots firm and its branches in the sky. It brings forth fruit in every season, by the leave of its Lord. And God sets forth parables for mankind, that haply they may remember.’ )) , the change from night to day ((‘Among His signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon.’ (41:37); ‘Hast thou not considered that God makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night, and that He made the sun and the moon subservient’ (31:29); cf. 16:12; 35:13; 39:5; 36:37-40. )) —God is present in each of these.

Every part of creation, no matter how big or small, is like a word or letter in an ongoing revelation. The Qur’an speaks of the heavens and the earth being filled with ‘signs for believers’ ((cf. 6:99; 15:77; 16:79; 27:86; 29:24; 29:44; 30:37; 39:52 )) , ‘signs for a people who reflect’ ((13:3; 30:21; 39:42; 45:13; cf. 10:24 )) , ‘signs for a people who hear’ ((10:67; 16:65; 30:23 )) , ‘sign for those who know’ ((30:22)) , ‘signs for a people who understand’ ((2:164; 13:4; 16:12; 16:67; 30:24; 45:5)) , ‘signs for a people who are reverent’ ((10:6)) , ‘signs for those possessed by intelligence’ ((20:54, 20:128 )) , ‘signs for the possessors of intellect’ ((3:190 )) , ‘signs for those who possess insight’ ((3:13 )) , and ‘signs for a people who are certain’ ((45:4; cf. 51:20)) . This continuing message makes it clear that when the human being is sound in heart and mind, he or she is able to reflect upon the world of nature in a manner that increases both faith and knowledge. In this vein God says, ‘We shall show them Our signs upon the horizons and within themselves till it becomes clear to them that it is the truth’ (41:53). This reveals a third group of signs upon which we are called to reflect, those within our souls, as in 51:20-21: ‘And upon the earth are signs for those possessed of certainty, and within your souls. Do you not then behold?’

If we contemplate the āyāt of the Qur’an yet fail to contemplate the āyāt upon the horizons and within ourselves, we follow only part of the Qur’anic injunction to reflect upon God’s signs. We are thus among those regarding whom God asks rhetorically, ‘Who does greater wrong than one who has been reminded of the signs of his Lord, then turns away from them?’ (18:57; 32:22); and in another verse, ‘Who does greater wrong than one who denies the signs of God and turns away from them?’ (6:157)

Given the state of the natural environment today, one cannot but conclude that we have indeed turned away and forgotten how to reflect upon the signs of God in the created order. Numerous scientific studies indicate that the balance of the world’s ecosystems has been compromised by our irresponsible and excessive consumption. This very balance is something that we are entrusted to maintain, as when the Prophet Shu`ayb enjoins his tribe, ‘O my people! Observe fully the measure and the balance with justice and diminish not people’s goods, and behave not wickedly on the earth, working corruption’ (11:85). Having failed to maintain the balance, today the āyāt that we witness speak to us not only of God’s glory, but also of our own corruption (fasād). Of such corruption we have been warned: ‘Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of that which men’s hands have wrought, so that He may let them taste some of that which they have done, that haply they might return’ (30:41).

Despite the ominous tone of this verse, there is a sense of hope in that by tasting some of what we have done, we might take heed by turning again to reflect upon God’s āyāt on the horizons and within ourselves. At this junction in history, when the fate of future generations lies in our hands, we must take heed of the Qur’anic injunction to ‘walk not exultantly upon the earth’ (17:63) and be instead the ‘servants of the Compassionate whom God says are those who walk humbly upon the earth’ (25:63). Let us take the month of the Qur’an as a time to reflect upon all the āyāt of God and begin anew to live in harmony with them. ‘Has not the time come for those who believe to humble their hearts to the remembrance of God and that of the truth which has descended?’ (57:16)

Sheikh Jamaal Diwan’s timely khutba commenting on the verse of the Qur’an, “And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.”

How do we perceive the tests of this life?

Sermon starts at 32:05.

By Adnan Majid

By its own admission, the Qur’an contains verses known as mutashābihāt or allegorical – verses with no definite interpretation whose ultimate meaning is known only to God (Qur’an 3:7). Despite this, however, the beautiful imagery of these verses never ceases to inspire us towards a deeper remembrance of God. One such verse that has long left me in awe and wonder is the fourth verse of Sūrah Ma`ārij (“Ascending Stairways”):

The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him

during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. (Qur’an 70:4)

“Fifty thousand years!” – such an immensely long period of time! I often ask myself what spiritual lesson I may draw from this verse,  knowing well that I can never fully comprehend the verse’s ultimate meaning and intent due to my limited understanding of the world around me.

I turn to the classical exigeses of the Qur’an, such as Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, which states that this verse might be referring to the length of the Day of Resurrection (yaum al-qiyāmah), when each soul will be reminded of his or her actions in life. Imagine, all humanity standing in wait for fifty millennia to receive final judgment! All the decades of our lives would seem like an eye blink compared to the length of that weighty day!

Another interpretation I have read of this verse is that the angels and spirit take a period of fifty millennia to ascend to God. Compare the verse above to another verse in Sūrah Sajdah (“Prostration”):

He arranges (each) matter from the heaven to the earth;

 then it will ascend to Him in a Day

the extent of which is a thousand years

of those which you count. (Qur’an 32:5)

When reading these two verses together, I’m left astounded – why such long periods of time? If God wished, couldn’t the angels or God’s divine orders ascend to Him instantaneously without any delay whatsoever?

I have no definitive answers to satisfy my wonder, but I’ll share my reflections. Maybe one of the lessons the Qur’an seeks to teach by describing such long periods of time in Sūrah Ma‘ārij can be found in the verses that follow immediately after the verse above:

So be patient with gracious patience.

Indeed, they see it [as] distant,

But We see it [as] near. (Quran 70:5-7) 

If God had willed, He could give us judgment immediately. If God had willed, the angels and divine orders could ascend to Him instantaneously. But maybe God reveals these details in the Qur’an as a way of teaching us a lesson by example. He shows us that He has no need to rush events; He is not fazed by lengthy eons of time. God shows us Himself that He is aṣ-Ṣabūr, the Most Patient. And through His example, we are taught a universal lesson: Things take time, so you too be patient.

We can possibly find the same lesson in some verses of Sūrah Qāf where we read the following:

And We have did certainly create the heavens and earth

and what is between them in six days,

and there touched Us no weariness. (Qur’an, 50:38)

The Qur’an states in a number of places that God created the heavens and earth in six “days,” which in light of the verses above (32:5 and 70:4, as well as 22:47) could be indefinitely long periods of time. Our scientific investigation of the āyātullāh (God’s signs in nature) makes clear to us that these “days” had lengths of billions of years to our reckoning.

But why did the creation of the heavens and earth take any time at all? Creation did not tire God – the verse itself rejects the biblical notion that God had to “rest” on a seventh day. If creation was so easy, couldn’t God simply create everything at a blink of an eye? Why “six” of anything when He is undoubtedly able to create everything we know instantaneously?

Once again, maybe we can find a lesson in the verses immediately following the verse above:

So be patient [O Muhammad] over what they say,

and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord

before the rising of the sun

and before its setting.

And [in part] of the night exalt Him

and after prostration. (Qur’an 50:39-40)

Once again, God teaches us by His own example. To the best of our knowledge, 13 billion years have passed since the Big Bang, and 4.5 billion years have passed since the creation of the Earth. It was only after these incomprehensibly long periods of time that humans ever came into existence. When we consider these āyātullāh (God’s signs in nature), we see that God did not rush our creation. Again, we learn that He is aṣ-Ṣabūr, the Most Patient. Again, we are taught the same universal lesson: Things take time, so you too be patient.

A recent public poll by Pew finds that climate change rates dead last, as number 20 of the 20 big issues of concern to Americans (NPR story).

This all despite the Copenhagen summit, which has suddenly thrust discussions on climate change and human impact on the environment back into the nightly news.

It’s true: the issue is extremely complex and it’s difficult to understand how each of us are a part of the problem, let alone how we might be a part of the solution.

But in the very least, what we can start with is avoiding apathy and connecting our hearts to the creation we are charged with the responsibility of protecting.

As the Prophet Muhammad (s) said:

“Anyone who sees something reprehensible should change it with his hand; if he is not able to do that then with his tongue; and if he not able to do that, then with his heart, and that is the weakest [form] of faith.”

An utterly breathtaking series by the BBC, titled “Life,” goes a long way toward restoring the type of awe and respect for the beauty of God’s creation we need back in our hearts.

Take, for example, this one on the amazing world of fish – it’s a must watch!

The documentary will be released in the US in March with Oprah narrating and is being shown in other countries. If the link doesn’t work for your country, these video excerpts also capture some of the majesty: Fish Balls vs Sharks and Flying Fish (~1 min each).

The documentary brings home some of what’s at stake when we talk about issues of environmental degradation, such as how devastating a study by ecologists a few years ago is in its finding that there may be ‘only 50 years left’ for sea fish.

As the BBC reported:

“There will be virtually nothing left to fish from the seas by the middle of the century if current trends continue, according to a major scientific study. Stocks have collapsed in nearly one-third of sea fisheries, and the rate of decline is accelerating.” Read more

Also See, NYTimes: follow-up research by same scientist offering hope for reversal

It would be a shame for us to have to tell our grandchildren that we squandered the great gifts from Allah – including fish- for the Qur’an reminds us that:

“It is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (16:14)

In fact, our success is tied to whether or not we recognize the value of these gifts: “[Those of understanding are] such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! You did not create this in vain. Glory be to You!; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (Qur’an, 3:191) We’re reminded repeatedly that the creation of the universe was a serious affair, not some sport or triviality. Allah reminds us, “Do you think, then, that We created you in sport and that you shall not be returned to Us (charged with responsibility)? (Qur’an, 23:115)

There are these and countless examples throughout the Quran and hadith invoking the beauty and wonder of creation – the very least we can do is start by placing its protection higher on our priorities.

Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him]. (31:20)

Simply through a cursory reading of this ayah, one becomes overwhelmed by the beauty and ardent power of its message. Every word that Allah uses in the Qur’an encompasses immeasurable wisdom and prudence and in this ayah we see some amazing examples of imagery and word choice. To capture a few glimpses of the beauty of this ayah, this post will carefully dissect a few components of it.

Allah azza wa jal (honored be his Glory) begins by speaking to all of mankind, أَلَمْ تَرَوْا “do you not see?” This phrase incites the listener to contemplate. It is in the form of a it is a rhetorical question that provokes active reflection.

The rhetorical device prompts consideration and then transitions into the focal point:

“…that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth…”

Sakhkhara comes from taskheer which means ‘to forcibly appoint someone to do something’ even if it against their will. This word also means ‘to make something serviceable; to be at your service for your own use.’

The use of this word denotes two things:

1. Everything in the heavens and earth is for your service – the stars, trees, plants, etc. are here for our benefit.
2. Some things are under our control, but others are not. We cannot control the rain or sun, but we can control the animals.

The clouds, the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars and everything on this Earth have been made subservient to human beings because of Allah’s command.

Allah continues:

“…and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent?”

Isbaaghun-ni’am, when this word is used in relation to blessing such as this ayah, it gives the meaning of ‘giving abundantly.’ It is when every blessing that is needed, that it is given. Allah has given you His blessings completely, has showered them on you, and made them abundant.

The use of Asbagha carries three different meanings:

1. Atama – He has completed.
2. Akmala – He has perfected.
3. Awsa’a – He has made it vast.

All of these meanings describing the blessing of Allah are encompassed in one word: asbagha. Through simple contemplation on the blessings of Allah, one will see how these three meanings are in each and every blessing.

The word for blessings in this ayah is ni`am, which is plural of ni`mah; everything that is beneficial is known as a ni`mah. The use of the plural here again points to the blessings Allah has bestowed upon mankind in an exceedingly monumental fashion. Allah has given us these blessings as ihsan (utmost good) upon us.

Allah then describes the kind of blessings He has given us:

Thaahiratan: everything that can be known through observation. This refers to blessings that are physical, tangible, and that we can see and grasp immediate knowledge of. A thaahir blessing would be our body and the food we eat.

Baatinah: everything that cannot be observed but is known through evidence. Have you ever heard of the statement, “it was a blessing in disguise?” This refers to internal blessings that we cannot immediately perceive. For example, we don’t know the subtle intricacies of our bodies. Most of us do not even know how our bodies function and operate until something goes wrong. Batin blessings also refer to intangible blessings; for example, our intellect and the knowledge we retain. Allah has given us blessings that we do not easily recognize and are intangible to us.

He has completed, perfected, and given these blessings in abundance to you – known, unknown, tangible and intangible. He has made it so that everything –the heavens, the earth, our very bodies—are working in such a way that we are getting blessing after blessing. This is the completion of Allah’s favors.

Imam Sa’di explains this ayah in his tafsir by reminding us the blessings of Allah on His servants, beseeching us (the servants) to the gratitude and reflection of these blessings, and warning against the heedlessness of such.

So He the Most High said,

“Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens…” (31:20)

From the sun to the moon to the stars, which are all made for the benefit of His servants.

“… and whatever is in the earth…” (31:20)

From the animals to the trees to the crops, from the streams to the minerals. Likewise, Allah mentions:

“It is He who has created for you what all that is in the earth…” (2:29)

Imam Sa’di continues, “and (He) has provided you abundantly…” What has He provided abundantly? He has cultivated for you and submerged you with His blessings, both evident and hidden, that which is known to us and that which is concealed from us: the blessings of life and religion (Islam), the collection of benefits and the repelling of pain. Therefore, your employment (the reason for your function) is to rise with gratitude towards these blessings.

Yet, after He has made all that is upon the earth serviceable to us, and has given us apparent and hidden blessings,

But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him]. (Qur’an, 22:8)

From among mankind there is the one who argues concerning Allah. They argue about His Oneness and His existence. They do not accept His Oneness or His Attributes. This argument they carry is without any knowledge. Ilm in this ayah means daleel (proof) or any purpose.

What is the connection in this ayah between the blessings of Allah and tawhid (belief in the One God)?

It is after receiving all of these blessings that clearly point to the Oneness of Allah, to worshiping Him Alone and submitting to Him, there are those among us who dispute regarding the Oneness of His existence.

Benefits from this Ayah

• Allah conveys questions to mankind so that we can reflect. Asking questions was also a teaching technique of the Prophet (sal Allahu `alayhi wa sallam – peace be upon him). He said in one hadith, “…If there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” They replied, “No soiling would [be] left on him.” He (s) said, ” That is the five (daily) prayers. Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.” [Bukhari]
• Reflection is good for your emaan and heart. Allah asks in the form of a question so that we can ponder and reflect.
• The Mercy of Allah: He even gives to those who disbelieve and associate partners with Him. This is denoted in the Name of Allah, “Ar-Rahman,” the Most Merciful. He continually and consistently gives to all of creation.
• Knowledge (ilm) is through proof (daleel). Allah says that those who argue concerning Him have no knowledge, which means they do not have any proof for their disbelief and shirk.
• The blessings that Allah has given us point to His Oneness. When Allah commands mankind to worship Him Alone, He states in the next ayah, “[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].” (2:22)
• The Books that Allah azza wa jal revealed are “muneer” (enlightening). Muneer gives two meanings of enlightening; it is something that enlightens (others) and is enlightening (in itself).
• Allah did not create us and leave us to provide for ourselves. He has given us apparent and hidden blessings and has made the earth a resource for us–this shows that Allah is the Rabb, the Provider and the Sustainer.

May Allah make us among those who are grateful to Him and return to Him in a state of Islam. Ameen.

Muslims Making a Difference: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII  IX | X | XI | XII

By Sarah Jawaid

Every walk through nature has the potential to inspire a deeper connection with our Creator. Our hearts, sometimes unconsciously, are at heightened peace when surrounded by green. The perfected order and ever-obedient cycles of nature  show humankind a point of reference to the beauty of God’s creation, and guides our aspirational selves. The natural world has the potential to exist in harmony with us as we both emanate from One Source, with one purpose, to serve the divine will.

“We shall show them our signs within the furthest horizons and inside their own souls until it becomes clear to them that God is Truth.” [41:53]

God identifies nature as a sign, just as the verses (ayah) of the Quran and souls of humanity are signs guiding us to His path. From the diligent bee producing its sweet treat to the plunging waters of Zambia cleansing the gorges of Victoria Falls, the Earth is filled with reminders of His creation and bounty. Studying nature is an important way of studying the wisdom of God.

“Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it…” [33:72]

Not only are we asked to contemplate the universe, God made us vicegerents  on Earth, entrusting humanity with the duty to protect and restore balance in the environment. When God offered the trust to all of creation, man was the only one who was willing to accept it.

Furthermore, Allah  enabled human beings to serve the Earth. Man has the capacity to understand the ethical values needed to feel empathy for all that ails the Earth. Counter to this, we are the only ones capable of negatively impacting the existing natural order,  making us responsible for protecting the environment.

As we move forward, we are beginning to understand the severity of environmental degradation, but we have been slower to recognize the direct link between the ecological crisis and our inner spiritual crisis. Our values are skewed. Consumption is the driving force in society and we are failing to see how this adds to the dissonance in our internal beings.  Our trusteeship has been compromised. Global warming  proves the destructive consequences of forgoing this responsibility.  But it’s not over yet! There is so much we can do to help our ailing Earth.

What can you do to be a better environmental steward?

1. Start conversations with like-minded individuals. Support is important. Make this a group cause with your friends and family.  Gather like-minded individuals to start discussing and taking actions on these issues. For example, Washington DC Muslims are doing just that:

The origins of DC Green Muslims (DCGM) started with a ‘green iftar,’ a group of approximately 15 people who celebrated the end of a fast during the holy month of Ramadan, by breaking bread with an environmental twist. The first conversations centered on big questions of purpose, and the intersection between Islam and the environment. We applied these big picture concepts to understand how we can lessen our carbon footprint and make our communities more eco-friendly. Since then, we have put on networking dinners centered on an environmental theme, park-clean ups and most recently, DCGM participated in Huffington Post’s No Impact Week, in collaboration with No Impact Project – a national effort to collectively reduce our carbon footprint.

When we heard about this project, we began thinking up ways to mobilize the Muslim community around the event and ended up creating an addendum to No Impact Project’s guide. Our addendum guides participants to a more eco-conscious journey during the week, which we hoped would  turn into a stepping-stone for a life-long journey of incorporating the eco-spiritual ethics in Islam. Each day of the week, we paid special attention to a given topic in hopes of reducing our carbon footprint, such as Consumption, Water, Food, Community Gathering and Transportation. The addendum can be found at our blog or by emailing us. We hope to take this event to MSAs across the country.

DC Green Muslims are trying to  recognize the trusteeship (khilafat) towards creation by creating a space for Muslims to be green in the community, with a foundation in Islamic teachings. In providing responsible caretaking and sharing, we are assuring that future generations will be able to see the signs of God in their environment and within themselves.

2. Reflect on your spaces. Walk more. When you are walking around in your environment, step outside of your mind, be present and recognize the purpose behind creation. When we see the deliberate structure and order inherent in nature, we can start reflecting on existence in tandem with other life forms, from a place of wholeness.

3. Take inventory on your level of consumption: food, water, electricity, transportation, trash. Are you eating sustainable foods? How much water are you using  during wudu’, showering, or washing dishes? Do you turn off the lights when you leave a room? Start getting a clear picture of where you can make changes.

4. Be conscious of the products you buy. Buy sweatshop free goods and organic cotton. Try to buy locally grown food. Do research on where your goods are coming from, and if people and animals were harmed in the process, refrain from buying them.

5. Start small. Make small improvements around the house, like switching your light bulbs to energy efficient CFLs. Patch up leaky faucets. Make a recycling station in your kitchen. Turn off the TV and enjoy the presence of loved ones. Get the whole family involved!

This list is not complete by any means. The point is, apathy is no longer an option – nor should it ever have been.  Reflecting on the world around us is the first important step to caring and taking action.  We will be better positioned to be protectors of the Earth when we recognize the responsibility of the trusteeship. This process of self-reflection will hopefully motivate us to individual action. Collectively, individual action means more than any list on how to live more greenly. Upon reflecting and recognizing the spiritual connection that exists between man and nature, individual action will come from a genuine place, sustaining itself over a lifetime. When we reflect on our spaces, we can be empowered to take ownership of our surroundings and live up to the trust we are entrusted with. The Earth demands no less of us.

We are reminded in the Qur’an:

“…God has cited the example of the good word as a good tree whose root is a firmly fixed, and its branches are high in the sky. [14:24]

Let’s look to the tree for the lessons it manifests. May we provide shade for those around us, starting small and growing with purpose, renewing and replenishing, and always reaching to the heavens while being rooted deeply in Earth.

Sarah is a budding urban planner and environmentalist residing in Washington, DC. She works as a Research Associate at Urban Land Institute, researching national transportation and infrastructure policy. She also helps to organize events with DC Green Muslims, a group of eco-conscious Muslims working to understand the connections between the environment, faith and holistic living.  Sarah is originally from Southern California where she received a B.S. from the University of Southern California in Public Policy and an MA in Urban Planning from the University of California, Irvine.