how to memorise the

Last Week’s Question

Last week’s question was on Soorah Fussilat. The question was regarding how many days Allaah created the Heavens and the Earth.

The answer is:

Allaah created the Heavens and the Earth in 6 days. The breakdown is as follows:

In aayah (verse) 9, Allaah mentions that He created the Earth in 2 days.

In aayah (verse) 10, Allaah mentions that the creation of the Earth in 4 days. These 4 days include the 2 days that is mentioned in aayah (verse) 9.

In aayah (verse) 12, Allaah mentions He created the Heavens in 2 days.

Now if you are to add these numbers, that’s 4 days for the creation of the Earth and 2 days for the Heavens = 6 days in total!

To make you understand this a bit better, let’s take an example inshaaAllaah. Say you were travelling from London to Birmingham. Say the journey takes approximately 4 hours. Now on your way to Birmingham, you passed by Luton and this journey takes 2 hours. The fact that you passed Luton which is 2 hours away from London doesn’t add to the journey time, but in fact is part of the 4 hour journey from London to Birmingham. Now you travel from Birmingham to Newcastle and this takes 2 hours, so add an extra 2 hours to your journey time and you have a total of 6 hours.

This Week’s Question

Throughout the Qur’aan, whenever Allaah mentions parents, he uses the Arabic word waalidayn (which means parents). Examples of this are found in the following verses:

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. (Al-Israa 17:23)

وَالَّذِي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَّكُمَا أَتَعِدَانِنِي أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ الْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِي وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ اللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ آمِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

But he who says to his parents: “Fie upon you both! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up (again) when generations before me have passed away (without rising)?” While they (father and mother) invoke Allaah for help (and rebuke their son): “Woe to you! Believe! Verily, the Promise of Allaah is true.” But he says: “This is nothing but the tales of the ancient.” (Al-Ahqaaf 46:17)

However, in Soorah Yoosuf alone, instead of using the word waalidayn, Allaah spoke with the word abaway (which also means parents). The verses in which this occurs are:

فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَى يُوسُفَ آوَى إِلَيْهِ أَبَوَيْهِ وَقَالَ ادْخُلُواْ مِصْرَ إِن شَاء اللّهُ آمِنِينَ

Then, when they entered unto Yoosuf (Joseph), he betook his parents to himself and said: “Enter Egypt, if Allaah wills, in security.” (Yoosuf 12:99)

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُ سُجَّدًا

And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. (Yoosuf 12:100)

This week’s question has a prize attached to it for the correct answer and is as follows:

Allaah has mentioned numerous times in the Qur’aan that we must be dutiful to our parents as you can read from the aforementioned aayaat (verses) from different parts in the Qur’aan and uses the word ‘waalidayni’. Why does Allaah use the word ‘abaway’ in the two verses in Soorah Yoosuf? Hint: The word waalidayn refers to both parents but has more emphasis on the mother, whereas the word abaway is the opposite.

Last week’s Question

Last week’s question was on Soorah az-Zukhruf. The question was regarding whether the orientalists were correct in stating that this verse implied the existence of two Gods, one on Earth and one in Heaven? And if there is only one God, what is the proof from the verse? Is He in the Heavens and on the Earth at the same time?

The answer is:

Firstly, there is no contradiction in the above aayah (verse) to the Muslim’s belief in the One True God, Allaah. The answer to that lies in the word الَّذِي , which in the above aayah (verse) means ‘Who’. So that part of the aayah (verse) reads as follows:

‘It is He (Allaah) ‘Who’ is the only God in the Heavens and (it He ‘Who’ is) the only God on the Earth…’

In the Arabic language, the word الَّذِي is used for the singular. If the verse did actually intend to imply that there are two Gods – one on earth and one in heaven- the word الَّذِي would have been replaced with the word اللذان which implies dual.

Secondly, we need to establish one thing and that is Allaah is above His Throne. The meaning behind ‘… in the Heavens …’ and ‘… on the Earth …’ is that it means ‘for the people’. So the above aayah (verse) reads as follows:

‘It is He (Allaah) Who is the Only God worshipped by the people in the Heavens and it is He (Allaah) Who is the Only God worshipped by the people on the Earth. And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower.’

This week’s Question

This week’s question is on Soorah Fussilat and this time there is several verses not just one. Firstly, we all know that Allaah mentions in countless aayaat in the Qur’aan that He created the Heavens and the Earth in six days. Of these verses is the following:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawaa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allaah is the All-Seer of what you do. (Al-Hadeed 57:4)

In soorah Fussilat, the orientalists have found another point to claim the Qur’aan is full of errors and contradictions. Read the following verses and as you read, add up the number of days mentioned:

قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَرْضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Say (O Muhammad SAW): “Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days and you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). (Fussilat 41:9)

وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاء لِّلسَّائِلِينَ

He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four ‘days’ were equal in the length of time), for all those who ask (about its creation). (Fussilat 41:10)

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاء وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ اِئْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ

Then He Istawaa (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: “Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.” They both said: “We come, willingly.” (Fussilat 41:11)

فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَى فِي كُلِّ سَمَاء أَمْرَهَا وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَاء الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَحِفْظًا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower. (Fussilat 41:12)

This week’s question has a prize attached to it for the correct answer and it is as follows:

In numerous places in the Qur’aan, Allaah mentions that He created the Heavens and the Earth in 6 days, so why don’t the numbers add up in Soorah Fussilat? Or do they add up, and how? Please break it down for us in order to win the prize.