MONTHLY REFLECTION ACTIVITY

This month we are reflecting on ayat which mention the act of prostration, bowing down and placing the forehead on the ground out of humility and adoration to our Creator. Among them are up to 15 ayat with which we are mandated to perform the

upon reciting or hearing them, including when we are performing Salah. This for me has always felt so remarkable: the legal scholars recognised a rule that is related to tadabbur in two ways: 1. These ayat are specified because of containing a command to prostrate, or something related to that; 2. You are not allowed to just listen passively, but must show that you received that command. When yo

This is the conclusion of this long beautiful chapter in the Quran, affirming that the servants of God are not too proud to bow their head to the One in control, their Creator and Fashioner. The most interesting part of this verse to me, more than the context, is what it does to the chapter as a whole. Because of this one all-encompassing verse, the reader of this chapter is suddenly taken to scenes from the very first story of the chapter, a scene where Iblees was too proud to prostrate when God asked him to. And now, at the unfolding of this chapter is God telling us how His true servants do not take Iblees as a precedent, only the exact opposite. The way the verses and chapters connect

Assaalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

Bismika Rabbi

Alhamdulliah I was given the ability to recite "Al Araf", and I reflected on a few things, such as the meaning of the name of the surah, "The heights" or "The elevated places". SubhanAllah, the 7th chapter reminded me of the 7 heavens and the surah ending with a sajdah verse. For me it was like a message that for us to reach the heights and to be closest to Allah SWT and be like angels, it is by prostrating on the lowest of low's floor (the word "dunya" can mean "the near", "the closest" or "the lower") and by submitting to Allah's commands, to praise him, to be grateful to him and to never turn our backs and go astray and if we

One of the themes that stand out for me in this surah is about arrogance. We see this when Allah SWT tells us about the various prophets that were sent to their nations but their arrogant leaders rejected them. There is also Pharaoh who was too proud to accept the message from Moses, we are told about the children of Israel who were asked to say 'relieve us' but instead substituted it with another saying (7:162). Allah SWT, also talks about the people by the sea who broke the sabbath and when they were warned they arrogantly persisted in their ways (7:166). In the end all these people were punished. And it is amazing how this surah concludes by telling us even those near to Allah SWT are not

Surah A'raf

- What is the wisdom of there being scales to weigh our deeds, when Allah certainly knows everything?

This is for us. This is for our human level understanding and visualisation of what it may look like. With this imaginary sight we can have a reflection on ourselves. Allah’s judgement is the finest. There is no doubt about it. The visuals can strike our senses.

Allah revealed His guidance on us. He is showing His mercy on us. He is providing for us no matter how we operate ourselves in this life. As a continuation of His care and our actions/reactions to it, He will also show us our accounts too.

We are just a creation of Allah with limited capacity that Allah granted us. T