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Ramadan is coming to a close. Like the last half-kilometer of a 10km race, the finish-line is in sight. This is the time to pull out all the stops and to sprint, flat-out. This is the time when Laylatul-Qadar, the night where deeds are multiplied by more than one thousand, hides. Are you ready for it? Maybe you felt like Ramadan breezed by. Maybe you felt like you didn’t do enough.

A faraash–a moth. This is post #31 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series). As per the poll on our twitter account, there was consensus on their being a post on grammatical analysis of Surah Qaari’ah. So here you go insha’Allah. Standard Disclaimer: I am not an Arab (as in, fluent in Arabic) nor have I double-checked this in books of ‘ulama discussing grammar; there is sometimes difference of opinion in grammar, as well; so take it as such insha’Allah.

This is post #30 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series). Allah says, in Surah Qaari’ah: الْقَارِعَةُ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ Translation: The Striking Calamity – What is the Striking Calamity? And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity? [Surah Qaariah, verses 1-3] As we mentioned, the phrase in verse three–“wa maa adaraaka maa …,” is a phrase that means that, you cannot understand this thing–Al-Qaari’ah, the striking calamity.

This is post #29 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series). Calligraphy of Arabic, or maybe Al-Qur’an, inscribed in metal! Continuing our discussion of Surah At-Teen, we’re going to insha’Allah dive into the Arabic analysis. It’s surprising how much subhanallah you can understand with only a partial learning/understanding; but didn’t Allah say that it’s a clear, easy to read book?

This is post #28 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series). Tiyn and Zaytoon–the fig and the olive. Allah says, in Surah At-Teen: وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ وَطُورِ سِينِينَ وَهَذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ Translation: By the fig and the olive. And [by] Mount SinaiAnd [by] this secure city [Makkah], … [Surah At-Tin, verses 1-3] Allah is testifying. Allah, the Lord of the Universe, wants us to take something extra-extra-super-specially-important.

This is post #27 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series).

Allah says, in Surah Al-Burooj:

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ

وَالْيَوْمِ الْمَوْعُودِ

وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ

قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الْأُخْدُودِ

Translation: By the sky containing great stars. And [by] the promised Day. And [by] the witness and what is witnessed. Cursed were the companions of the trench. [Surah Al-Buruj, verses 1-4]

The story of Ashaab-ul-Burooj, the People of the Ditch, is pretty well-known; in fact, we have an entire 15-part series on this surah. Check it out insha’Allah.

Allah opens this surahs with testifications. Then he testifies: qutila ashaabul-‘uqdood. ‘uqdood is another word for ditch. Qutila, literally, means “they were killed.” But Ibn Abbaas (radiallahu anhu) said, whenever you read qutila in the Qur’an, it means lu’ina–cursed.

Allah cursed the People of the Ditch. And Allah is not in need of cursing–He can do anything, to anybody, anytime, anywhere. Lu’ina means, they were destroyed.

And they _are_destroyed.

So what great sin did they perpetrate in order to deserve this immense reward–not only being cursed and destroyed, but being documented in the Qur’an, to be recited until the end of time?

Let’s see.

This is post #26 in our series on Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma (click the link to see all posts in this series). The noble she-camel, prized in the Arab society, was actually one of the signs Allah sent to a nation. What did they do with it? Surahs are usually named by something unique in their content. But the sun (ash-shams) is mentioned in several surahs; so why is this one called Surah Shams?

What’s better than a chest of gold and jewels? A post full of Qur’an and sunnah! Bismillah. This is a guest post by an author who compiled a wide number of resources related to fasting, reciting Qur’an, and sincerity of intention. This is a great resource of ahadith and ayaat related to fasting. May Allah grant them a great reward (ameen!) and forgive any mistakes I have made in re-formatting it and linking all the sources to their citations.

Bismillah. Alhamdulillah, we’ve been working in the background for a while to launch a new project. Jazakumullahu khayran to everybody who helped out, may Allah keep giving you reward for it insha’Allah long after your bones are dust–allahumma ameen! First, check yourself, and fill out the poll below: [poll id=”3″] If you haven’t guessed, our new project is: Salah Support, a forum where you can find resources on salah–everything from videos on how to pray, to ebooks on khushoo’, to creative alarms for Qiaaym-ul-Layl.

Sight the moon, and if you cannot, then count the days … Ramadan is coming, alhamdulillah. Ramadan, a time when all the shayateen are chained up, as the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Narrated Abu Huraira (radiallahu ‘anhu): Allah’s Messenger (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.