[77rexulceme]

All of us have that aha experience with the Noble Qur'an where get hooked to it and hence Allah (SWT).
In this thread we shall, IA, talk about those things which were like switching on a bulb for us. This topic legitimately belongs to exegesis (Tafseer) but we shall restrict our selves to personal experience rather than any scholarly approach to exegesis - a topic that can be rightfully left to experts.

[Tibaveriafark]

My teacher told me about Surah 'Asr. He said that when this kind of understanding descends upon you you feel an extraordinary joy and elation.

Allah (SWT) said : By the Time.

My teacher said that when Allah (SWT) is swearing by time He (SWT) is going to say some thing that is time independent - something that will not change with time. This kind of things are very dear to scientifically oriented people, as my teacher is.
Even generally we do have a sort of longing for certainty. And who else can give any certainty except Allah (SWT)? This Surah tells us about one such certain thing. When we are crushed by the failures and uncertainties of this world the amount of consolation that resides in this Surah is a big base on to which we can anchor.

[frequensearules]

All of us have that aha experience with the Noble Qur'an where get hooked to it and hence Allah (SWT).
In this thread we shall, IA, talk about those things which were like switching on a bulb for us. This topic legitimately belongs to exegesis (Tafseer) but we shall restrict our selves to personal experience rather than any scholarly approach to exegesis - a topic that can be rightfully left to experts.

Salams, can you recommend any tafsir? Something in a style like shade of the quran, readable, flowing and lucid, not a reference text like ibn kathir?

I found one called illuminating discourses on the qur'an, and another called A Thematic Commentary on the Qur'an Any experiences of those?

Jazakallahu khayrun

[Tic Tac Took]

Difficult question for me.

I have said in another post some where and I'll admit it here. Mostly the tafaseer are multi volume works. A thirty volume work is not uncommon because of obvious reasons - there are thirty parts in a usual division of the book. The consequence for me is that I have not read even one of them completely.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahab Ginnori (DB) of Pakistan is an expert on Tafaseer. Once he gave a two part lecture on the recent trends in tafseer. After that some one asked the inevitable question : So which one tafseer will you recommend? He said that any answer to this question will lead to debate but people persisted. At that time he gave his choice - tafseer by Maulana Sahabbir Ahmed Uthmani. I suppose it should be available in English too for it is old enough and popular enough. But if you know Urdu then so much better. This used to be beautifully printed, in Urdu, by Saudi Qur'an Printing Complex till our dear friends managed to convince the authorities to do otherwise. It has been replaced by Urdu Tafseer of Maulana Junagarhi - I do not find that a distasteful tafseer but nothing like the earlier mentioned. Of course I have not read it full.

I too love In the Shade of Qur'an. Only lately I have managed to get some idea of what is wrong with Syed Qutb. Answer is nothing - he is perfectly alright, only he was living in very extreme times and he responded to them as a believer should. We do face extreme situations sometimes and some where. In some locations we are still doing that but not all of us. But if you have read In the Shade of Qur'an then the natural thing next is to get down to brass tacks. We got to be there out in the sun ploughing the field.

I am dragging the post because for last few days I have been getting the idea that I should finally start reading Ma'arif-ul-Qur'n by Mufti Shafi Sahab (RA) that I bought long back. That is the tafseer which gets most attention here at SF. I find it strange that brothers here suggest this to any new comer - sorry no one should suggest an eight volume tome to a first timer. Even Abdullah Yusuf Ali is bit lengthy for such people - a translation is sufficient for them.

I did have Maulana Maududi's Tafheem, in six volumes, but I got scared and I gave it to an institute belonging to Jama'at-e-Islami!

O sorry, I should recommend some thing, right? Well Dr Israr Ahmed is my answer. Most of the videos are there on YT. These are in Urdu. I wonder if English text is available.

(A few days back Dr Nadir Khan Sahan (DB), an elder I love, said that when the thing get stuck it is Bayan-ul-Qur'an, of Hazrat Thanwi(RA), that sorts out the things. I heard it is a difficult one so I have never turned my attention to it.)

I hooope I have said something useful.

[ticskebasse]

Difficult question for me.

I have said in another post some where and I'll admit it here. Mostly the tafaseer are multi volume works. A thirty volume work is not uncommon because of obvious reasons - there are thirty parts in a usual division of the book. The consequence for me is that I have not read even one of them completely.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahab Ginnori (DB) of Pakistan is an expert on Tafaseer. Once he gave a two part lecture on the recent trends in tafseer. After that some one asked the inevitable question : So which one tafseer will you recommend? He said that any answer to this question will lead to debate but people persisted. At that time he gave his choice - tafseer by Maulana Sahabbir Ahmed Uthmani. I suppose it should be available in English too for it is old enough and popular enough. But if you know Urdu then so much better. This used to be beautifully printed, in Urdu, by Saudi Qur'an Printing Complex till our dear friends managed to convince the authorities to do otherwise. It has been replaced by Urdu Tafseer of Maulana Junagarhi - I do not find that a distasteful tafseer but nothing like the earlier mentioned. Of course I have not read it full.

I too love In the Shade of Qur'an. Only lately I have managed to get some idea of what is wrong with Syed Qutb. Answer is nothing - he is perfectly alright, only he was living in very extreme times and he responded to them as a believer should. We do face extreme situations sometimes and some where. In some locations we are still doing that but not all of us. But if you have read In the Shade of Qur'an then the natural thing next is to get down to brass tacks. We got to be there out in the sun ploughing the field.

I am dragging the post because for last few days I have been getting the idea that I should finally start reading Ma'arif-ul-Qur'n by Mufti Shafi Sahab (RA) that I bought long back. That is the tafseer which gets most attention here at SF. I find it strange that brothers here suggest this to any new comer - sorry no one should suggest an eight volume tome to a first timer. Even Abdullah Yusuf Ali is bit lengthy for such people - a translation is sufficient for them.

I did have Maulana Maududi's Tafheem, in six volumes, but I got scared and I gave it to an institute belonging to Jama'at-e-Islami!

O sorry, I should recommend some thing, right? Well Dr Israr Ahmed is my answer. Most of the videos are there on YT. These are in Urdu. I wonder if English text is available.

(A few days back Dr Nadir Khan Sahan (DB), an elder I love, said that when the thing get stuck it is Bayan-ul-Qur'an, of Hazrat Thanwi(RA), that sorts out the things. I heard it is a difficult one so I have never turned my attention to it.)

I hooope I have said something useful.

Ah, jazakallahu khayrun. Do you know about Illuminating discourses?

[TopcigsCOM]

Salams, can you recommend any tafsir? Something in a style like shade of the quran, readable, flowing and lucid, not a reference text like ibn kathir?

I found one called illuminating discourses on the qur'an, and another called A Thematic Commentary on the Qur'an Any experiences of those?

Jazakallahu khayrun

Perhaps you will like the Tafseer lectures of Nouman Ali Khan.

[Ocqljudq]

Ah, jazakallahu khayrun. Do you know about Illuminating discourses?

Not really.

[Roorseprate]

I hooope I have said something useful.

Oh sir, sub'haanAllah, everything that you said on SF, that I could read, has been of use and benefit...alhamdulillah and jazaakAllahu khaira...pls keep posting!!! (sorry for being off-topic though)

[HsSp82U8]

My teacher told me about Surah 'Asr. He said that when this kind of understanding descends upon you you feel an extraordinary joy and elation.

Allah (SWT) said : By the Time.

My teacher said that when Allah (SWT) is swearing by time He (SWT) is going to say some thing that is time independent - something that will not change with time. This kind of things are very dear to scientifically oriented people, as my teacher is.
Even generally we do have a sort of longing for certainty. And who else can give any certainty except Allah (SWT)? This Surah tells us about one such certain thing. When we are crushed by the failures and uncertainties of this world the amount of consolation that resides in this Surah is a big base on to which we can anchor.

beautifully put. 'certainty' is very liberating. Practicing Islam is the most liberating thing that can happen to a human being.

[Fsfkkkjz]

O sorry, I should recommend some thing, right? Well Dr Israr Ahmed is my answer. Most of the videos are there on YT. These are in Urdu. I wonder if English text is available.

wait, what?
sorry going off topic but can anyone do tafseer or just scholars? what exactly is a tafseer bir raye?
i'll delete the posts once you answer them so the thread doesnt get derailed.

[Ilaubuas]

One personel experience:In my college days,one night when I was trying to sleep at night,suddenly a thought stuck me.I had heard that there would be people on the day of judgement whom Allah swt would not like to meet.This somehow got into my subconscious and all night long I was worried,what if I am one of those people?will I never be able to see my creator? What a huge huge loss that would be.At that moment,I did not mind even going to hell....but after seeing my Lord first.It was a sleepless night.it was close to morning when all of a sudden an ayat of Quran dropped into my heart from nowhere,I still remember the joy and ecstacy of that moment.The ayat was:
"Man yarjoo liqa,a rabbihi,fal yamal amalan salehan wa la yushrik be ibadate rabbihi ahada"
It was so clear...so crystal clear.The paper is all out,you know the questions,now prepare for exam accordingly.Allah has clearly laid down the conditions for those who want to see their Rabb.All we have to do is to full fill the criteria.May Allah help us.

[Tic Tac Took]

Ah,Wonderful thread.. Should post of my such experiences soon .

[beriarele]

Oh sir, sub'haanAllah, everything that you said on SF, that I could read, has been of use and benefit...alhamdulillah and jazaakAllahu khaira...pls keep posting!!! (sorry for being off-topic though)

I agree.His post are really beneficial,.May Allah bless you even more Sir.

[Uhmavano]

Salams, can you recommend any tafsir? Something in a style like shade of the quran, readable, flowing and lucid, not a reference text like ibn kathir?

I found one called illuminating discourses on the qur'an, and another called A Thematic Commentary on the Qur'an Any experiences of those?

Jazakallahu khayrun

Maariful Qur'an is pretty good.

[pobrierce]

Thanks for starting this thread Maripat!

[brorwargy]

Perhaps you will like the Tafseer lectures of Nouman Ali Khan.

Yes, I agree.

Uber_mench, watch the Tafseer lectures of Nouman Ali Khan (you can find them on you tube)
He did a detailed analysis of Juz 'Amma, and his friend (Abdul Nasir) just started the Tafseer lectures for Juz Tabarak.
http://bayyinah.com/podcast/

[Soulofpostar]

wait, what?
sorry going off topic but can anyone do tafseer or just scholars? what exactly is a tafseer bir raye?
i'll delete the posts once you answer them so the thread doesnt get derailed.

No need to delete the post.
I did have faint feeling that this recommendation will not go through unquestioned.
Indeed some care has to be exercised while taking your Tafseer from Dr Israr Ahmed (RA).
I like his presentation but I do stand corrected by 'Ulama on each and every point on which Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) deviates. My personal feeling is that the points will not be too many and not very serious. But again I do stand corrected by our respected 'Ulama.
In this context some people will assert that let us restrict ourselves to exegeses like Ma'arif-ul-Qur'an.
And the suggestion is indeed a good one.
But there is one aspect of modern life that can not be ignored, that should not be ignored and that need not be ignored. It is science and technology.
It can not be ignored because Allah (SWT) asks us to ponder or the creation and this pondering inevitably leads to science and technology.
It should not be ignored because others have used it to put Islam ind Muslims in corner.
It need not be ignored because by the Grace of Allah (SWT) we Muslims have enough scientists and engineers in the Ummah with suitable competence that, Lord willing, we shall not be overwhelmed in our Deen by science and technology.
In view of this it is natural that we benefit from scientific advancements in our exegeses too. And when I say that I do not mean that we should have the best printing facilities. We should have them and we do have them - like the Saudi Qur'an Printing Complex. What I am saying that we should incorporate scientific revelations into our understanding of the Noble Qur'an. And even this idea is not terribly original. It is well known that Razi's exegesis is less tafseer and more astronomy. Clearly the task has to be carried forward.
Dr Israr Ahmed, in my view, was one of those who did carry it forward.
And, like many users at SF, brother Uber-Mensch does have a feeling and inclination, in my miserable opinion, for things take advantage of modern sciences. Thus for me it was a natural choice to mention Dr Israr Ahmed.

Slightly long winding but I hope that I have put my point across.

@Saaalik and Syamuj,
for your kind words. May Allah (SWT) keep us firm on the straight path by holding us by our forelocks.

@lighthouse
Akhi those are the type of things that I was aiming at. People in psychology say that man's struggle for psychological maturity is the grandest battle and many people do take this battle. It is true that it is a great battle except for one qualification. The grandest battle is to recognize the purpose of life and that is what Islam is about. Battle for Ma'arifah is the biggest one. Ma'arifah leads to understanding of the Noble Qur'an - the word of God. And this is a book that would have crushed a mountain if it were to descend on it. What battle can thus be more difficult and magnificent than your journey towards God?

[mp3 free]

Listen to the story of how this man was guided to Islam because of the Qur'an

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcxzIE4xxrI

[dupratac]

Already done that. In fact yours truly was thinking of posting that one.

[Apparpsmose]

Already done that. In fact yours truly was thinking of posting that one.

Really? guess I beat you to it.