Children’s Column
The Qur’an for Young Hearts – 69
Important Notes
1:The translation of the Qur’an being presented here is interpretative. It is meant for children. Those who can understand other translations should better consult them.
2. Parents are advised to hold sessions at home and teach the verses and explanation as given here, and, if they can, add more from Qur’anic commentaries.
3. Answers to exercise below may be attempted. Parents may evaluate them and reward the children suitably.
4. Schools could also include this in their Islamic curriculum.
5. The underlined words have been explained in the Dictionary given below.
Verses from Surah no. 2, Al-Baqarah
[254] Believers! Spend (in Allah’s path) out of what We have given you before a Day comes in which there will be no buying (or selling) nor any friendship, nor intercession (will be of any use). The unbelievers are surely the wrong‑doers (who do not believe in),[255] Allah (apart from whom),there is no god but He: the Living, the Self‑supporting by whom all get their support. Slumber does not overtake Him nor does sleep (overtake Him).To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there to intercede with Him exceptwith His permission?He knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, while they do not encompassanything of His knowledge, except for what He would allow. His Kursiyyextends over the heavens and the earth; and taking care of them does not tire Him. He is the Exalted, the Supreme.
Understanding these verses:
Few people realize, and fewer say thanks to Allah for His kindness. For example, in love with this world, people wish to live like they wish, without anyone telling them to “do this,”or “not do that.” But the world in which they live is very complicated. It is like a huge forest. Without being instructed, no man can enter a forest, and come out alive at the other endafter 60 years. He will die of diseases or will be eaten by animals within a few weeks. So, he needs company. And he and his company need guidance concerning the least dangerous paths to pass through.
So, in His kindness, Allah sends this guidance. But because people like freedom to do what they want, without understanding how dangerous it is, they do not accept the guidance. But Allah does not abandon them. He is too merciful for that. He keeps sending His guidance. Those who reject His guidance, therefore, are only wronging themselves.
Do the rejecters know who it is thatthey are rejecting? He is the Ever-living who will not die. He is the One who has the universe in His full control. If he lets go, the earth will fly away into deep, dark, cold space. Gravitational pull is not the whole story. Far from sleeping, He does not even doze off, nor does He feel tired of holding, running, and sustaining the universe of trillions of galaxies.
There is no escape from Him. You may run, and run, and run – away from God. But when you have finished running, you will find Him before you. When that happens, no friend, no saint, no Prophet, no angel will be able to seek mercy for you. People will be judged by their deeds alone. Not only Allah knows what deeds they sent forward during their lives, but also, what good or bad effects they left behind.
People think they know a lot. But, actually, they have only a part of His knowledge. They will never know anything in its full. For example, even after thousands and thousands and thousands of experiments conducted in the world every year, the scientists still do not fully understand an atom. And, they will never. To know it fully they must conduct some experiments at the center of the sun.
His Kursiyy extends over the heaven and earth. What is the Kursiyy? Well, in Arabic, kursiyy is a small stool, like those for children. But, do not be misled by the common meaning, because, the Prophet said that this entire universe – of trillions of galaxies – is like a grain of sand in a vast desert when compared to the Kursiyy. And the Kursiyy itself is like a grain of sand in a vast desert when compared to the `Arsh. Can humans understand thisKursiyy, when they cannot fully understand a grain of sand, which is made of atoms?
This ayah is known as Ayah al-Kursiyy. It is the greatest of the Qur’an: not the longest, but the greatest.
There is a story behind this Ayah which happened with more than one Companion. He was guarding over some governmental foodstuff. But every morning he felt some food was gone. One night he decided to stay awake and see what’s going on, and yes, he found someone stealing the food. He jumped on him and said, “So, at last I know who is stealing. I will take you to the Prophet.” The thief said, “Don’t do that. I am a poor man with a large family. Let me go, and I will not come again.” But he came back, the next night. When caught, he said the same thing as last night. So, the Companion left him off. When he caught him the third night, and he gave the same excuse, the Companion said to him, “Nothing doing. I will surely take you to the Prophet.” The thief admitted that he was a Jinn and said, “Don’t do that. If you let me go tonight, I will not come back, and, I shall teach you something that will benefit you a lot.” The Companion agreed and the thief told him, “No harm will come to you during any night, if you recite Ayah al-Kursiyy in it before sleep.”
The Companion mentioned it to the Prophet, he said,”The liar spoke the truth.” He explained that it was one of the Shaytans
Test of understanding:
Write a summary of the above in your own words in one page.
Dictionary:
Abandon: to forsake; leave someone alone.
Encompass: comprehend fully; to get the whole picture; to grasp.
Intercede/intercession: to plead/seek pardon for another person.
Overtake: overpower.
Slumber: to doze off; to take a nap.
Trillion: One thousand billions; and one billion is one thousand millions.
(To be continued)
