Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him) – Part 6

1. Why did once Allah rebuke Musa?

Allah rebuked Musa because he once asserted that he was the wisest of all men.

2. What was Musa told through a revelation?

Through revelation, Allah told that his pious servant (Al-khidr) who was living at the junction of the two seas was far superior to him in wisdom.

3. What did Allah command Musa to do when he expressed his eagerness to see

Al-Khidr?

When Musa expressed his eagerness to see Al-Khidr, Allah commanded him to take a fish in a basket, and proceed on a journey until the fish disappears.

4. What does Al-Khidr mean?

Al-Khidr means ‘the Green One’.

5. Where did the fish vanish? When did Musa come to know about it?

The fish vanished at a rock where Musa was taking rest.

Musa came to know about it the next day morning.

6. On what condition did Al-Khidr agree to teach Musa the special knowledge?

Al-Khidr agreed to teach Musa the special knowledge on the condition that he should not say or ask anything.

7. Was Musa able to bear the various events with patience?

No, Musa was not able to bear the various events with patience.

8. What did Al-Khidr do in one of the panels of the boat?

He made a hole in one of the panels of the boat. 

9. Which second act of Al-Khidr did surprise Musa a great deal?

The act of Al-Khidr killing a boy surprised Musa a great deal.

10. How did Al-Khidr explain himself for all his strange acts?

Al-Khidr explained to Musa that all his strange acts were done as he was inspired by Allah to do.

11. Did the Israelites after Musa, deserve their punishment? Why?

Yes, the Israelites deserve their punishment even after Musa because their evil deeds and ungratefulness were of the worst kind.

SADAQAH AND ZAKAH

1. What did the righteous man usually do at the time of the harvest?
At the time of the harvest, he used to give fruits to the poor and the needy quite generously.


2. What change occurred when the fruit-garden passed into the hands of his sons? 
Unlike their father, the sons were greedy and thought that it was foolish to give away in alms a huge measure of fruits to the poor and the needy.


3. When the time for the harvest arrived, they made a secret plan. What secret plan did they make? Why? 
They decided to pluck all the fruits  in the small hours of the night, before the poor could arrive to ask for their share. The reason for this plan was that they wanted to tell the poor that they did not had any harvest that season.


4. Why did Allah send down punishment upon them?
Allah sent down punishment upon them because they wanted to deprive the poor of their share.


5. What was its effect upon them? 
They realized their mistake and sought forgiveness from Allah.


6. The Qur’an is not a book of stories. It is a Book of Guidance. What lesson does the Holy Book want to teach us through the incident of these two men? 
The moral of this incident is that all the favours we enjoy in this world are from Allah. Allah has made this world for us, but nothing belongs to us. Allah has placed all of us ‘in charge’ of it.


7. What is the difference between Sadaqah and Zakah? 
Sadaqah is optional but Zakah is obligatory. Sadaqah is to be given by every Muslim while Zakah is compulsory on the rich. Zakah is one of the five Pillars of Islam while Sadaqah is not. Zakah is to be given once in every year and Sadaqah can be given as many times.


8. Does it cost to be kind and helpful? Mention various ways in which we can help one another. 
No, it costs nothing to be kind and helpful. Giving some money to the poor, providing water to the thirsty, visiting the sick person, feeding the hungry are some of the ways in which we can help one another.


9. What is Zakah? What does Zakah purify? 
Zakah means ‘purifying dues’. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. Paying of Zakah purifies the wealth. It removes greed and purifies the heart of the person who pays the Zakah.

10. Is it binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakah? 
No, it is not binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakah.


11. What part of wealth is a rich Muslim required to pay in Zakah?
The amount that a rich Muslim is required to pay in Zakah is 2.5 per cent of his possessions after he has paid or set a sum of money aside for all this necessary debts and obligations.


12. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the most generous of all. Discuss. 
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never denied anyone anything. At the beginning of his illness, before his death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had in his house seven dinars; he feared he might die while some money still lay with him. He, therefore, commanded his relatives to give away that money to the poor. This incident speaks a lot about the generous nature of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him) – Part 5

1. What happened when the Israelites reached the shores of the Red Sea?

When the Israelites reached the shores of the Red Sea, they saw Pharaoh and his great army advancing towards them.

2. How did Allah rescue them?

Allah commanded Musa to strike the Red Sea with his staff. Once Musa struck it, the sea divided and the waters rose up like mountains one on either side. Musa and his people crossed the sea unharmed. Thus, Allah rescued them.

3. What happened to Pharoah and his army?

They were drowned in the sea.

4. Discuss how Allah was hospitable to the Israelites on their march through the desert.

    1. Allah commanded the clouds to give them shade

    2. Allah provided them with water gushing forth from the rocks

    3. Allah sent down upon them ready-made food in the form of manna and salwa

    Thus, Allah was hospitable to the Israelites on their march through the desert.

5. Were the Israelites thankful?

No, the Israelites were highly ungrateful people.

6. Describe the cow that was to be sacrificed for the murder.

It was to be a cow, neither old nor immature, but of an age in-between; bright yellow in colour; a cow not trained to plough the land or to water the fields; free of all faults, without any markings of any other colour.

7. What lesson should we learn from the great event at the Red Sea?

We should realize that Allah helps and rescues His true believers even in worst situations; and Allah punishes the unbelievers for their arrogance and wrongdoings even when they are as great as Pharaoh!

8. Why did the Israelites refuse to enter the Holy Land? What was its result?

The Israelites refused to enter the Holy Land because they wanted the strong, arrogant people, who were ruling it, to leave. As a result, Allah made them homeless and wanderers.

Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him) – Part 4

1. How did Allah show Pharaoh that He alone is the Lord of the Worlds?

By making Pharaoh’s own wife a believer in the teachings of Musa, Allah showed Pharaoh that He alone is the Lord of the worlds.

2. ‘These famines and bad years are bad luck which comes from Musa and his people’. 

Is this statement true? If not, why?

This statement is not true because in reality Allah wanted Pharaoh to know that the keys of provisions are with Him and not with Pharaoh. That is why Allah caused famine in the land of River Nile which was ruled by Pharaoh, the arrogant.

3. List the five signs that Allah showed to the Pharaoh and his followers.

      1. Allah sent rain and flood

      2. He sent locusts

      3. An army of lice

      4. The frogs

            5. Blood

4. Did Pharoah and his people repent and believe?

Pharaoh and his people neither repented nor believed!

IDUL-FITR AND IDUL AD’HA: THE FESTIVALS OF ISLAM

1. When does the Idul Fitr come about? 
Idul Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. It falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal.

2. What does the word ‘Idul Fitr’ mean? 
It means the Festival of Breaking the Fasts of Ramadan.


3. What do the Muslims generally do, on the 29th of Ramadan, after breaking the fast?
They cast searching looks into the sky to sight the crescent of the month of Shawwal so that they can prepare themselves for celebrating Idul Fitr.

4. Where is the Salatul Id usually held? Why? 
Salatul Id is usually held in open so that thousands of Muslims – men, women and children – may pray at a time.


5. Are the Azan and the Iqamah delivered for the Salatul Id? 
No, the Azan and the Iqamah are not delivered for the Salatul Id.


6. How many Rak’ahs does the Salatul Id consist of? 
The Salatul Id consists of two Rak’ahs.


7. What does the Khatib do when the service of the two Rak’ahs is complete?
When the service of the two Rak’ahs is complete, the Khatib delivers a sermon.


8. Are there any seats reserved in al-Musalla for important people? 
As Islam is based on equality of mankind, there are no seats reserved in al-Musalla for important people.


9. What should one do when the Khatib delivers the sermon? 
One should listen to the sermon attentively.

10. Why do the festive days of Idul Fitr and Idul Adha pass through all the seasons? 
It is because Muslims follow the lunar calendar which is shorter than the Gregorian calendar by elevens days.


11. When does the time for Salatul Id start? 
The time for Salatul Id starts when the sun has risen and moved through the sky as high as the length of one spear above the horizon.


12. Is it Makruh to offer Nawafil in al-Musalla? Why? 
Yes, it was not the way of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم


13. How should one prepare oneself for Salatul Id in the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم? 
Following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the following things should be carried out: 1. To take a bath 2. To clean the teeth with miswak. 3. To put on one’s best clothes, use perfumes, and to do everything to look smart and neat. 4. To eat dates in an odd number before starting for the Idul Fitr prayer, and to eat nothing before going for the Idul Adha prayer. 5. To approach al-Musalla through one way and return through another way. 6. ]To pronounce the Takbir on the way in an undertone.


14. What is the Zakatul Fitr? 
Zakatul Fitr means purifying dues paid on ending the fasts of the month of Ramadan.


15. Is it binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakatul Fitr? 
Yes, it is binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakatul Fitr.


16. How much should one pay for the Zakatul Fitr? In what various forms can it be paid? How much does a Sa’ usually measure? 
For every member of the family one Sa’ of dates or barley should be offered as Zakatul Fitr. It can be paid in the form of a sum of money, dates, wheat, rice, barley, cheese or the usual foods of the country. A Sa’ measures 2176 grams approximately.


17. What is the Idul Adha? What is the special feature of this Id? Why? 
Idul Adha is the Festival of Sacrifice. It falls on the tenth of the month of Zul Hijjah. Its special feature is the sacrifice of an animal. It is offered in memory of the twin sacrifice offered by Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail.


18. Into how many portions is the meat of the sacrificed animal divided? To whom is it given? 
The meat of the sacrificed animal divided into three portions: one portion is kept for the family. The second is given to the relatives, friends and neighbours. The third portion is given to the poor and the needy.