Juz 28- Juz Gems
aqwa and a Way Out
Assalaamu Alaykum! Tonight our mashaayikh will recite the 28th juz of the Quran. With only a couple of more days left of Ramadan, we need to begin thinking what small and consistent acts we can carry throughout the year that we began to cultivate during this blessed month. These continuous good deeds will be one of the avenues to attaining taqwa, or God consciousness. Today’s juz gem shows us the beauty of having taqwa:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ
“And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out, And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him,” (Surat at-Talaq portion of verses 2-3).
This juz gem, found in Surat at-Talaq, or Divorce, is found within a context where a believer is asked to practice ultimate restraint. Divorce is never an easy decision; it is wrought with heartbreak, high emotions, emotional and maybe even financial instability, and a potential fear of what the future holds. It can become quite easy to want to tarnish the reputation of one’s ex, or to take more than what is rightfully his/hers.
Allah reassures us that especially in these tight situations, He will provide a way out. Oftentimes, when our back is to the wall, we cannot possibly fathom what good can come out of a dire situation. We may become hopeless and start blurring the boundaries of Allah in the name of survival, or rationalize our actions when we are recuperating from a loss. Allah reminds us to hold on to our God consciousness, because this is the ultimate character trait that will provide an opening.
The root word of taqwa literally means a shield. Ubay ibn Ka’b (ra) once said, "Have you ever walked on a path that has thorns on it?" Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) said, "Yes." Ubay asked, "What did you do then?" to which Umar replied, "I rolled up my sleeves and struggled." Ubay said, "That is taqwa, to protect oneself from sin through life’s dangerous journey so that one can successfully complete the journey unscathed by sin."
It is beautiful to see the direct result of one’s efforts not only in the Hereafter, but throughout our lives as well. Allah promises those who restrain themselves from transgressing His boundaries that He will provide him/her with sustenance from where s/he does not expect. This may mean having taqwa in regards to who we speak with, what job offer we accept, what we look at, or how we treat our family members.
Ibn al-Jawzi recounts the story of Sufyan al-Thauri where he states, “Somebody had seen Sufyan al-Thauri in his dream and he was asked: “What did Allah do to you?” He replied, “I had only been put into the grave and there I was, in front of the Lord of the Worlds. I entered and straight away met someone who said: “Sufyan?” I said: “Yes, I am Sufyan.” He said: “Do you remember a day you preferred Allah over your desires?” I said: “Yes.” Upon answering, I was immediately served with big food plates from Paradise,” (Imam ibn al-Jawzi).
Cultivating a sense of taqwa takes time but there are certain actions we can take that will help us get there, like keeping our promises, practicing patience, and fasting. May we use these last remaining moments to be of those loved by Allah, the muttaqoon.