Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:1-4)
Delivered on 4/10/2016
The ‘sajdah‘ (submission) of a Nabī (AS) is much higher. Only a Nabī (AS) can express the command of Allah ﷻ the way that Allah ﷻ wants it expressed. The objective of a Nabī (AS) is to convey, not to convert. In this lecture:
- the love of a Nabī for his people
- the signs of ‘nifāq’ (hypocrisy)
- fear and trust
- the humanness of the Rasūl (Messenger; AS)
- ‘nubuwwah‘ (prophethood) confirms the truth and denounces falsehood
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:5-6)
Delivered on 4/17/2016
The Prophet ﷺ is an example to follow in worship as well as in intellectual discourse. The seal of prophethood is critical to understanding the accommodation of all Muslims without depriving them of their cultural identity. In this lecture:
- the prophet’s ﷺ closeness to a believer
- the mothers of the believers (RA)
- cultural accommodation in Islam
- family values
- the immense ‘barakah‘ in the blessings of parents
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:7-8)
Delivered on 4/24/2016
We need ‘Nubuwwah‘ (prophecy) to understand anything about our lives before conception in our mothers’ wombs and after our deaths. In this lecture:
- the first covenant
- the world of spirits
- ‘taklīf’ (religious accountability)
- the covenant of the Anbiyāʾ (Prophets; AS)
- Ibrāhīm (AS) as an ummah by himself
- the burden of a Nabī (AS) and the proof of his ‘Nubuwwah’
- the resolve of a Nabī (AS) transcends social reform
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:9-16)
Delivered on 5/1/2016
Shaykh Amin describes the conditions leading up to the Battle of the Confederates. In this lecture:
- indispensability of hadith in understanding Qurʾān
- Salmān’s vision (RA): glad tidings despite the odds
- the sickness of the hypocrites in the face of tribulation and their calling
- the sole guarantee of Muslims
- the inviolability of treaties
- historical amity amongst Semites
- the need for accurate presentation in the light of modern day Muslim insecurity
- representing the Nabī (AS) transparently
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:16-24)
Delivered on 5/8/2016
The true colors of a people come out in times of test and tribulation. In this lecture:
- the plight of hypocrites
- insights into ‘sīrah’ (prophetic biography) and sunnah (prophetic traditions)
- miracles for believers
- the Nabī shares in everything
- ease and hardship
- ‘uswat al-ḥasanah’ (exemplary role-model)
- an impetus to be grateful
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:25-27)
Delivered on 5/15/2016
Shaykh Amin provides a framework around the treason of the tribe Banū Qurayẓah. He shares a few insights into the theory of ‘warathah‘ and concludes the session by relating the relevance of al-Aḥzāb to the ‘al-Fatḥ’ (the Victory).
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:28-34)
Delivered on 8/21/2016
How we see the Rasūl ﷺ is crucial to a wholesome and complete understanding of our ‘ʿaqīdah’ (fundamental belief).
In this lecture:
- the company of the impoverished
- scope of the ‘ahl al-bayt’ (family of the Prophet ﷺ)
- the Mothers of the Believers (RA) as role models in purity
- equal access to Jannah
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:35)
Delivered on 8/28/2016
Success in Islam is measured within a framework spanning this world and the Hereafter.
In this lecture:
– salvation-based belief
– ahkam through the lens of submission
– obligations imposed upon men
– devoutness with obedience
– ‘ṣidq’ (truthfulness) and ‘ṣabr’ (perseverance)
– ‘khushūʿ’ (humility) as a value worth striving for
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:36-37)
Delivered on 9/18/2016
Submission to Allah ﷻ and following the Rasūl ﷺ is most required when it is the hardest. In this lecture:
– implications of adoption
– reformative function of prophethood
– the Turner of hearts ﷻ
– societal impact of submission
– the ‘niʿmāt’ (bounties) of Allah ﷻ upon Zayd (RA)
– Allah ﷻ as the Officiator
– the honoring of Zaynab (RA)
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:38-39)
Delivered on 9/25/2016
The companions had a refined understanding of Islam primarily because they internalized their recognition of Muhammad ﷺ as Rasul Allah ﷺ. In this lecture:
– the role of a Nabī (AS) is not limited to tribal customs
– an understanding of the conclusive
– viewing ‘sīrah’ (the prophetic biography) with the lens of submission
– the staying power of ‘Nubuwwah‘ (prophethood)
– addressing with honor
– the legacy of ‘Fiqh’ (Jurisprudence)
– ‘Khātam al-Nabiyyīn’ (seal of the Prophets (AS)
– the weight of qualified scholarship
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:40-43)
Delivered on 10/2/2016
There is no greater favor than Islam, and being Muslim. In this lecture:
– additional insights into ‘Khātam al-Nabiyyīn’ (seal of the Prophets (AS), and the perpetuity of the the ‘nubuwwah‘ of Muhammad ﷺ
– a prophet ﷺ for all creation
– the inheritance of the ʿUlamāʾ (religious scholars), its preservation and distribution
– accessing the ‘Faḍl’ (grace) of Allah ﷻ
– transparency in worship
– the special focus of Allah ﷻ and his angels on the ummah
– knowledge as an illuminating light
– unity on the platform of ‘Khātam al-Nabiyyīn’ (seal of the Prophets (AS)
– the institution of Muhammad ﷺ
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:44-46)
Delivered on 10/9/2016
The Prophet ﷺ is positioned high on the mountain of ‘nubuwwah’ (prophethood) from where he sees everything that can happen to one who does (not) submit to Allah ﷻ. We cannot deny or reject anything that the Prophet ﷺ came to deliver as a Nabī (AS). In this lecture:
- the etymology of the word “Nabī”
- the bearer of glad tidings
- the warner
- the obligation of true expertise
- professing faith openly
- the prophetic understanding of how the Divine works
- a correct spirit of ‘daʿwah’ (propagation of faith)
- the vocabulary of excellence
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:47-48)
Delivered on 10/16/2016
These verses are indispensable to an understanding of the Rasūl ﷺ. A Muslim’s passion for the Prophet ﷺ must be internalized and expressed. In this lecture:
– a witness for all people
– acknowledging good and evil
– the limitations of logic
– love as the overriding attribute of the one who submits
– the Fadl of Allah ﷻ and the loss in misappropriating it
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:49-53)
Delivered on 10/23/2016
It is part of our ‘ʿaqīdah’ (fundamental belief) that there are certain privileges that Allah ﷻ affords to the Prophet ﷺ that do not extend to his followers. This is Allah’s ﷻ prerogative to give to His ﷻ Nabī ﷺ what He ﷻ pleases, as He ﷻ pleases. In this lecture:
– appreciating the legal authority of the Nabī (AS) and his prerogative to exercise restraint
– the Nabī’s (AS) commitment to nubuwwah
– reading the ‘sīrah’ (prophetic biography) through the lens of a believer
– comments on the etiquette of visiting the Nabī (AS)
– a cornerstone of ‘taqwā’ (piety) for the Anbiyāʾ (Prophets; AS)
– modesty as the most pronounced attribute of the Anbiyāʾ (AS)
– the status of the companions Allah represents the Nabī (AS) when he does not represent himself.
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:53-55)
Delivered on 11/13/2016
The Prophets (AS) are not concerned about what happens in this world, rather they remain focused on human salvation in the Hereafter. In this lecture:
– preserving the office of the Rasūl (AS)
– the ‘ahl’ (family) of The Rasūl (AS)
– acknowledging human nature by recognizing due protocol and formalities
– an example in Sayyidatunā ʿĀishah (RA) (RA)
– a higher standard of ‘taqwā’ (piety)
– honoring ideals
– the “comfort square” and a spirit of defense
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:56-59)
Delivered on 11/20/2016
An exposition of verse 56, which encapsulates how Allah ﷻ and the angels (AS) see the Nabī (AS). In this lecture:
– the role of gender relations in understanding this ‘āyah’ (verse)
– the three categories of ‘Ṣalāh ʿalā al-Nabī’ (salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ)
– individual ‘najāh’ (salvation)
– submitting to what the Nabī (AS) submitted to
– the greatest ‘laʿnah’ (curse)
– the trap in justifying sin
– manifesting ‘Ṣalāh ʿalā al-Nabī’ ﷺ
– the ripple effect of sin
– the love of the Nabī ﷺ for his ummah
– a crying need for modesty The social order for those who send ‘Ṣalāh’ (salutations) on the Nabī ﷺ is first and foremost not to hurt themselves.
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:56-61)
Delivered on 11/27/2016
The discussion continues with an enumeration of the merits of ‘Ṣalāt ʿalā al-Nabī’ (salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ) and the etiquette of expressing love for the Nabī ﷺ. In this lecture:
– ‘Ṣalāt ʿalā al-Nabī ﷺ’ as an ‘ʿibādah’ (worship)
– the love of the ‘Ṣaḥābah’ (Companions; RA) for the Prophet ﷺ
– an inverted understanding of maturity
– modesty is in the heart first
– building a moral infrastructure
– behavior modeled after the sunnah
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:62-68)
Delivered on 12/4/2016
The sunnah of the Rasūl ﷺ is universal, ‘raḥmah li-l ʿālamīn’ (a mercy for the universe). But the sunnah of Allah ﷻ is His ﷻ prerogative, more specific in its manifestation. In this lecture:
– the sunnah of Allah ﷻ
– the Day of Judgment
– the risk of devaluing the life of the Rasul ﷺ and the civilizational value of loving him
– ‘tawbah’ (repentance) and ‘itstighfār’ (seeking forgiveness) as a means of preservation and protection
– a necessity to discuss and promote the finality of prophethood
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:69-73)
Delivered on 12/11/2016
Conclusion of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb. In this lecture:
– the Banī Isrāʾīl as an irreverent people who under-appreciated their Nabī (AS)
– a warning to the ‘munāfiqīn’ (hypocrites) of Madinah
– ‘Qawlan Sadīdān’ (appropriate words)
– insights into marriage
– the civilizational code of following the Nabī (AS)
– the pervasiveness of intellect
– seeing the trust through
– aligning with the sunnah
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:73)
Delivered on 12/18/2016
Shaykh Amin provides additional insights into Sūrat al-Aḥzāb in a short ‘tafsīr’ (exegesis) session to close out the Fall semester. Aligning our worldview with that of the Prophet ﷺ helps us carry the trust of volitional faith.
In this lecture:
– ‘īmān’ (faith) and ‘amānah’ (trusts)
– the overwhelming ‘raḥmah’ (Mercy) of Allah ﷻ
– ‘nifāq’ (hypocrisy) and kufr as consequences to the inability to bear the burden of trust
– the greatest fear lies in shirking the burden
– aligning our attainable ideals
– preserving the institution of Muhammad ﷺ