Those Who Find Guidance

What Does the Quran Say About Earlier Scriptures? The difference between the Quran and other divine scriptures is that the earlier scriptures tell us about a book to be sent down and a Prophet as well after them, while the Quran very clearly declares that it is the final divine book, that Muhammad is the final messenger of God and that no prophet will come after him. Motherhood The Quran tells us to be kind and respectful to our parents, but of the two, the mother has been given greater priority, as she is the one God chose to be the key to new life. She carries the baby in her womb in a way that nobody carries anyone else, feeds the baby from her heart, protects it, patiently suffers the pains of labour, until she knows that the baby is ready to open its eyes and look upon this world. Her love is unconditional. Considering this a debt that can never be repaid, we must always strive to make our parents happy by our respect, obedience, love and care. According to a hadith a man once asked the Prophet, “To whom should I be kind?” The Prophet replied, “Your mother.” He asked, “Then to whom?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.” He asked, “Then to whom?” The Prophet replied, “Your mother.” It was only when he asked the fourth time, “Then to whom?” that the Prophet replied, “Your father.” This shows that as far as receiving kindness from children is concerned, the mother has a far greater right than the father. Being Magnanimous ‘A’ishah’s father, Abu Bakr, had been giving financial help to Mistah ibn Uthatha, a poor migrant from Makkah, who was a distant relative of his. But when the latter actively spread slander against ‘A’ishah, Abu Bakr was naturally hurt by this and vowed that he would never again help Mistah in any way. “Let not those who are possessed of means and plenty among you resolve to withhold their bounty from their kindred and the needy and those who have migrated from their homes in the cause of God. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish God to forgive you? God is forgiving and merciful.” (Al-Nur 24:22) Therefore, the aforementioned Quranic verses were revealed ordering that those who could should not stop giving monetary help to those in need on account of personal grudges. They were asked whether they did not want to be pardoned by God and told that if they expected God’s forgiveness, they too should adopt a forgiving attitude towards others. On hearing this verse, Abu Bakr said: ‘Yes ! By God! We want You to forgive us, O! Lord of ours!’ and he started helping Mistah once again. A Good Woman A good woman is one who, conducting herself according to God’s plan, accepts the role of man as leader. Similarly, a good man is one who, discharging his role, does not forget that God is always watching him. The divine court of judgement does not differentiate between man and woman. The gender-based difference is meant only to ensure the effective management of worldly life and bears no relation to the requital and rewards of the Hereafter. Repentance Repentance does not mean simply uttering certain words like, ‘I repent’ or ‘tawbah’. It should not be mere lip service. It means the intense realization of one’s wrongdoing. If a sinner sincerely repents the error of his ways, he experiences an agonizing condition at par with self-punishment. God will surely pardon one who thus repents due to His intense fear. However, He does not accept the repentance of those who daringly and insensitively and knowingly continue to disobey and transgress, paying no heed to any warning and saying ‘I repent’ only when death is staring them in the face. Nor does the repentance of those who admit their sins only after witnessing the horrors of the Hereafter have any meaning for the Almighty. Kindness to Parents