Juz Gem

For those observing, inshaAllah you are benefiting greatly from Ramadan and feeling Allah’s mercy in these blessed days! One of the core ways to strengthen our relationship with Allah (swt) is to reflect on His words. Allah even asks us a rhetorical question:

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا

Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? (Surat Muhammad, aya 24).

Our imaams will be reciting verses from the 3rd Juz of the Qur’an tonight and we hope to follow along by offering some reflections on one, two, or three verses that will be recited:

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا ۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا ۖ قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّىٰ لَكِ هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّـهِ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ﴿٣٧﴾ هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖإِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ ﴿٣٨﴾

So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zakariya. Every time Zakariya entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?" She said, "It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account." At that, Zakariya called upon his Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication," (Ale-Imran ayat 37-38).

Maryam (as) the twice chosen female maidservant of Allah inspires her uncle, Prophet Zakariya (as), to supplicate to Allah (swt) for a child. As Maryam (as) is learning and devoting herself to the worship of Allah, she understands fully that any provision comes from Him and Him alone. According to Ibn Kathir, Prophet Zakariya (as), her guardian, uncle, and mentor would, “find with her the fruits of the summer during winter, and the fruits of the winter during summer.'' Zakariya (as), now an elderly man with a barren wife (19:8), would be considered in the winter season of his life; he has reached extremely old age, suffers from weakened bones, and has a head filled with white hair. Walking into Maryam’s (as) room, however, reinvigorates Zakariya’s (as) resolve to never lose hope in the mercy and sustenance of Allah. Just as Maryam (as) received fruit out of season, Zakariya supplicates to his Lord to receive a child “out of season” to worship Him (swt) and continue spreading the message of tawheed and upright living. His supplication is accepted and Zakariya (as) is blessed with Yahya (as) a boy who receives wisdom at a young age and becomes a Prophet of Allah (swt).

We may think that we are too old, too young, too frail, too busy, too stressed out to accomplish what we truly want. We may think that the train has left the station without us catching a ride. These verses remind us that the most powerful tool we can utilize is supplicating to our Lord (swt) no matter how insane the request. May Allah bestow upon us true conviction and resolve that He is with us wherever we may be (57:4) and grants us fruits out of season throughout our lives!