March 8, 2013 / Miscellaneous Articles

Life of Comfort or Distress

So as for him who contributes towards human welfare and is conscientious (and regardful of his duty towards human beings) and believes in the excellence (of conduct and benevolence), We will facilitate him towards (a life of) ease (and comfort).And as for him who is a greedy miser and does not contribute anything towards human welfare, and considers himself self-sufficient (because of his hoarded wealth) and refutes the excellence (of conduct and benevolence), We will facilitate him towards (a life of) adversity and distress. And his wealth sh

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January 27, 2013 / Quranic Way of Life

Achieving Excellence in Piety

 Piety is not (merely) that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but (real) Piety is that one believes in Allah and the Last Day and the Malaika and the Book and the Prophets, and gives wealth, despite (one’s) love for it, to relatives, and to orphans (or those left alone in society), to the destitute & helpless, to the wayfarer, and to those who ask (for help), and in (freeing) slaves and establish the Salah (Islamic Social Order of intimate adherence to Allah’s Commands) and pays (for) the Zakah (Islamic Economic Oder for Hu

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December 15, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles, Quran and Economy

Extrinsic Growth vs. Intrinsic Development

Arguably at the first chronological occurrence in the Quran, the word RIBA رِبًا is used in contrast with the word ZAKA زَكَاةٍ [Surah 30: Verse 39]. Interestingly, both the word RIBA and ZAKA have connotations of growth or increase. However, the term RIBA refers to the extrinsic growth in one’s money, property or assets while the term ZAKA refers to the intrinsic development of one’s self, if we keep in mind a chronologically earlier verse from Surah 92: Verse 18. Those who believe in the long-term future (i.e. the hereafter) a

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December 11, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles

The Unchangeable vs. The Changeable?

There are three things that are particularly mentioned in the Quran about which Allah says that these are unchangeable or immutable or for which there is no substitution[1]:Kalamaat-i-Allah كَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِSunnat-i-Allah سُنَّةِ اللَّهِKhalq-i-Allah خَلْقِ اللَّهِلَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِThere is absolutely no change in Allah’s Precepts (or Laws given in the Quran). [2][3][Al-Quran Surah 10: Verse 64]وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ الل

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December 8, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles

Invention vs. Innovation

There are different terms used in the Quran related to making of things: (1)     Amr: This refers to Allah’s DIRECTION to something “to Be or Become” [2:17; 36:82; 40:68] (2)     Bid’a: It refers to ORIGINATION or coming into existence out of nothing. The relevant Allah’s attribute is Al-Bad’ee [2:117; 6:101] (3)     Fitra: it refers to the CONSTITUION or NATURE the things would attain after creation. The relevant Allah’s attribute is Al-Faatir [6:14; 12:101; 14:10; 35:1; 39:46; 42:11] (4)     Khalq: It refers

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December 8, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles

Qualities of a Good Treasury Head

Two major qualities of a treasury head should be: (1) ALEEM, i.e. extremely knowledgeable (in treasury affairs/finance) [Not Alim but Aleem, which is a superlative degree] (2) HAFEEZ, i.e. the one who keeps the resources extremely well-preserved and well-conserved. [Not Hafiz but Hafeez, which is a superlative degree] قَالَ اجْعَلْنِي عَلَىٰ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ He (Joseph) said, "Place in my charge the land resources (the treasury) of the State. I will

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December 8, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles

Qualities of a Good Employee

Two major qualities of a good hired employee should be: (1) QAWI, i.e. Having Competence (2) AMEEN, i.e. Honest and Trustworthy إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ "Verily, the best one you can hire is the competent, the trustworthy." [Al-Quran Surah 28: Verse 26]

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December 7, 2012 / Quran and Politics

Qualities of Some Great Kings / Rulers

With reference to King Suleman (AS), David (AS) and Taloot, Allah has particularly mentioned their following qualities in the Quran, besides them being persons of high integrity: 1.Knowledge [2:247; 21:79; 27:15] 2.Physical strength [2:247] 3.Intellectual wisdom [38:20] 4.Sound judgement [21:79] 5.Decisiveness [38:20]

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December 2, 2012 / Miscellaneous Articles

Definition of a Muslim

It should suffice to 'legally' declare/consider someone a Muslim if he/she makes the following declaration: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (p.b.u.h) is His last and final Messenger. I solemnly vow to submit, surrender and yield to all of Allah's Laws and Commands as given in His last and Final Book, i. e. the Quran. I realize that in the Hereafter, I shall surely be held accountable in Allah's Court for all of my words and deeds."  ------ The first sentence of the declaration is about the major beliefs; the

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