Life-Lessons: Juz 9

Dunya Over Deen??

Verse 175-176 Surah Al-Araf

Surah Al-A’raf is revealed in later Makkah times and verses have a very stern tone. This happens when one deals with a tough crowd and gives more reminders and warnings and the sounds are stricter as compared to easy ones. Similarly, Allah SWT addresses disbelievers and gives them warnings by mentioning the punishment of wrongdoers from early nations and stating the severity of Hell. The aim of the surah is to highlight success in the obedience of Allah and following the revealed knowledge.

Today, we are going to reflect on the verses of Juz 9, from 175-176. As you study Surah Al-A’raf you notice that it begins with the reminder to be grateful for whatever Allah has given to you, consider it a blessing from Him. If it wasn’t from Him, you had no ability to create it for yourself such as this Earth and all its resources that are made accessible to you. Then, surah goes on and Allah SWT mentions the fall of Shaitan and his agenda against humans. Shaitan is waiting for humans on the straight path that is sirat ul mustaqeem not on the wrong path. Notice, it wants to disarm those who have something special which can help them to strive on the path of guidance.

قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

[Satan] said, “Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them [i.e., mankind] on Your straight path. (Surah Al-A’raf: 16)

Notice that surah goes on with the stories of prophets, the sins of previous nations; denial of signs, shirk, immorality, and vulgarity, they all were the actions that led them to destruction and severe punishments. Then, later surah mentions a story of a person who was knowledgeable, who was a scholar of religion.

وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَٱنسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْغَاوِينَ

And recite to them, [O Muḥammad], the news of him to whom We gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators. (Surah Al-A’raf: 175)

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ بِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُۥٓ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۚ فَٱقْصُصِ ٱلْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby,1 but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So, his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs.3 So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought to. (Surah Al-A’raf: 176)

It is in the context of a scholar of Bani Israel, but in general, it is for all those who turned away from the orders of Allah when they knew they were true. It is not about the evil-doer or a person who started as evil from the beginning instead it is about who was pious and had a great knowledge of Deen. What did this person do? Was he grateful to Allah? No, he detached himself from the ayat of Allah. How can that be? What made him detach himself from the worshippers of Allah? He was deceived by the fitna of Dunya and became a victim of shaitan. Some scholars say this ayah is about the Ba’lam ibn Ba’ura, a learned scholar from Bani Israel while others say it was about Ummaya ibn Sald who was a disbeliever and great poet among the Arabs who used to talk about the bounties of Allah. Though his speech had the signs of belief his heart was not synced to it. However, the name of the person is not mentioned in the ayah, so we will focus on the significance of the lesson in it.

Back to the verse, so, what happened to the person? Shaitan found his excellent target. He dropped everything, chased this person and once this person committed evil, shaitan caught him in his deviance. The crime of this person was a detachment from the righteousness and verse 176 explains further that Allah SWT would save him from deviance if he would choose deen over dunya. But he chose to conflict with the knowledge that he had. The disobedience of Allah became beautified. That’s why the word ٱلْغَاوِينَ is used. These are people who take U-turns, by slipping away from the right path. He adhered himself to the earth, he thought he was going to live on this earth forever and chose the worldly life over the hereafter. And that was the reason for his ruin. One evil led to another. Dunya became Jannah for this person.

Parable of a Panting Dog

Now, this person knew about Allah, about Jannah, and now whatever desires he had, were about this life. He should have better priorities. He is humiliated more as Allah SWT compares him to a dog. We know the dog is a very loyal animal but the language of ayah shows it’s a stray dog. Therefore, if this dog has to carry some burden, it will pant due to exhaustion. And if it is left alone, it will still stick its tongue out and drool. What a strange image of a dog, who pants anyways. The idea of lahas implies stress, disturbance, and anxiety. Something is unfulfilled.

Imagine such people who once used to be very religious, best reciters or imam, when they again try to start listening Quran or doing things of Deen, they get disturbed with this idea. Similarly, when they go to another side, they still feel agitation, and disturbance and try to leave that place too, to find peace. So, the thirst for having this world keeps them thirsty for whatever desires they try to fulfill, it’s still not enough and satisfying. Shaitan got behind them, and now he wants them to consume, consume when there is nothing left to consume. They get obsessed with wealth, food, clothes, luxuries, etc. They keep thinking about these things whether they need them or not, such a hideous image it is, astaghfirullah.

Life-Lessons

These verses are for the believers who believe in the greatness of Allah but the actions of the mentioned person were no different than disbelievers. This is very common; we see so many people who once were followers of Islam and are now no more practicing it. We see our sisters, who once used to sit with us in halaqas, are now no more on the deen. We see men who used to advise their peers to stop taking Riba, now are working for the promotion of Riba. Think deeply, am I heading on this path? Somehow it comes to you and me, isn’t it? 

These stories are for us not to go down the path. Allah has made the study of Islam easy. What keeps the people away from the truth? When you are committed to deen, you have to keep your actions as per it by taking care of the consequences in mind. Following requires, strong commitment, and commitment demands true effort and sacrifice of your time, desires, and conviction. This is true for a Muslim who loves the deen but hesitant to follow it. Set your priorities as per it from inside and outside.

Moreover, warnings are reminders for those who are trying to remain in the guidance by focusing on what is commanded by Allah. So do not become prey to shaitan. Remember, always he is waiting in ambush… he is waiting, once we slip, he will catch us and snare us.

May Allah SWT overlook our shortcomings and save us from waswasa of shaitan and adoration of Dunya and make us firm on deen e Islam Ameen!

Juz 1 – Evils of Pride  | Juz 2 – He is really near, Call upon Him | Juz 3 – Purity of Intentions

Juz 4 – The Burdens of Sins | Juz 5 – Bounties in the Obedience of Prophet ﷺ | Juz 6 – Be Just |

Juz 7- Beware of Shaitan’s Plan | Juz 8 – Heart Epicenter of Eman | Juz 9 – Dunya over Deen?? |

Juz 10 – Strive in the way of Allah | Juz 11 – Allah is All-Powerful | Juz 12 – Fruits of Patience |

Juz 13 – Peace in Remembrance of Allah | Juz 14 – Don’t be Distressed… |

Juz 15 – Being good to your Parents |Juz 16 – Acceptable Deeds | Juz 17 – Hold on to the Hope |

Juz 18 – Do not Waste your Time | Juz 19 – Family is our Comfort Zone | Juz 20 – Do all Duas get Accepted |

Juz 21 – Sabr | Juz 22 – Rizq | Juz 23 – Transformation | Juz 24 – Humans are Selfish |

Juz 25 – What Am I leaving Behind | Juz 26 – Evil Characteristics | Juz 27 – Racing Extra Milestones

Juz 28 – Best Gift | Juz 29 – Raghbah | Juz 30 – Criteria of Nobility