Spring Semester 2023

SE Department of Electronics
 Dr. Farooq Hassan
Professor, Islamic Studies
Post doc under Fulbright from USA
DAAIS al Azhar University Egypt
Department of Humanities,
NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi.
 Chapter #2

Basic Islamic Practices

Surah 23 Al-Mu'minun, Ayat 1-11

 Main points for class discussion

The attributes of virtuous people

How can one make virtue his/her nature?

What is the meaning of success for a believer? And how is it realized?

Why slavery was existed during Islamic period?

How did Islam deal with it?

Verse#1
Successful indeed are the
believers.
 What is success?
What is true success?
How would you describe life success?
It differs from person to person……

In the Quranic sense, Falah )‫(افلح‬means the

success of the Hereafter (in the form of
Paradise) in which “one shall have whatever
he desires.” ( Yaseen 36:57)
and “every grief will be removed” & “neither toil
shall touch anybody nor fatigue shall afflict” & in
which the righteous ones will abide forever. (Faatir 35: 34-35)
Quran says

“you prefer the life of this world,

while the hereafter is better and
more lasting”.

(Aa’la 87:16-17)
V#2 (Q#1) “Those who humble themselves in their prayers”

What does the word khushu mean?

‫( خشعون‬from ‫ )خشوع‬generally means humility

OR
performance of the prayer single-mindedly
& with due reverence to
OR

being in the presence of Allah, which is the

true spirit/ essence of prayer.
How can a person achieve ‫?خشوع‬

How is prayer different than any other act of

worship and more in need of inward participation?
Do you understand what are you reciting?

Focus on 01 prayers & try to improve it.

After one prayer, concentrate on prayer

for a day, then a week.

Try to internalize this improved method

V#3 ( Q# 2) ”And those who avoid ‫)“ اللغو‬i.e. vain talk،dirty, false).

2nd Q of the believers is that they avoid what is vain.

The word ‫ اللغو‬used in verse 3 means anything which is

unprofitable in this world and the next and is therefore
unworthy for a Muslim.

‫ معرضون‬indicates that not only do the believers avoid the vain

things but they actually remain far away from them & don’t at
all pay any attention to them.
V#4 (Q# 3) “And those who are active in deeds of charity”

The word Zakat has two implied connotations:

1. Relating to the payment of the poor rate.

1. Purification of the self.

The meaning of this verse is that the believers are
those who pay the poor rate out of their wealth
according to the commands of Allah.

It also means that the believers are those who

endeavor to purify themselves as well as others.
V# 5 (Q# 4)“And those who abstain from sex (from
illegal sexual acts)”

V#6 Except with those joined to them in the

marriage bond, from their wives or (the captives
and slaves) whom their right hands possess- for
(in their case) they are free from blame;

V#7 But those whose desires exceeds those limits

are transgressors
Satisfaction of sex

‫ لفروجھم حفظون‬signifies covering of the private

parts, exposure of which is indecency as well as
the satisfaction of sex within the limits imposed
by the Islamic shariah.
As regards the satisfaction of sex, it is inherent in
the nature of man as a means of the progressive
continuation of his generation.

Quran, therefore, doesn’t prohibit it altogether but

keeps it within limits permitting neither excessive
indulgence in, nor encouraging self-imposed
abstinence from sexual contacts with lawful wives
and slave girls allowed by the Islamic Shariah.
Islam does not encourage
slavery.
All other forms are prohibited.
V# 7 says
“whoever seeks to go beyond that
such are transgressors.”
and thus, declares all other forms of satisfaction
of sex as prohibited including rape, and adultery,
even with the consent of the parties.
SLAVERY AND SLAVE TRADE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES
 Those who faithfully observe their ‫( امانات‬trusts) and
V# 8. ( Q#5- 6)"
their ‫ )عھد‬covenants( "

‫ امانت‬is a trust that you leave with someone to

be returned in full at a given time and place.

‫امانت‬is something that belongs to another

person, that he/she gives to you for safe keeping
and to abide under the rules of the pact
(covenant) he/she made with you.
The word ‫امانات‬used in V#8 is exhaustive of all responsibilities
which a man owes or accepts towards his Creator, towards his
fellow creatures as well as towards his own self.

Similarly, the word ahd ‫ عھد‬is inclusive of all covenants/

agreements which a man is bound to perform towards Allah
as well as towards mankind in general.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH said the person who has these four attributes is a
true hypocrite, and if he has even one then he has one-fourth qualities of a
hypocrite until he leaves these attributes:

1. When he/she is given an amanat he violates it with

Khianat. He betrays the other persons’ confidence, he doesn’t
keep the other persons’ confidential information secret, he
doesn’t complete his duty as promised
2. When he speaks he/she lies.
3. When he promises something he/she betrays his/her
promise
4. When he argues he/she becomes verbally abusive
In these 02 words, ‫امانہ‬and ‫ عہد‬Qur’an remarkably
sums up all social, moral, legal as well as religious
and material obligations & responsibilities of the
people towards each other as well as towards
their Creator.
V# ,Q#7
“And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory
congregational) prayers) (at their fixed stated hours).”

The first act that the servant will be accountable for

on the day of Judgment will be his salah. If it is good,
then he will win the pleasure of Allah and if it was
poorly done, then he will lose in the hereafter. (Al-Tirmidhi)
Faith in action..

Never skip a prayer. Always pray early within the allocated

time frame.

The prophet (PBUH) said “do not knowingly neglect to observe

a required prayer, for he who neglects the prescribed
prayer of purpose will be deserted by Allah and His
messenger.” (reported by Ahmed)

Indeed, Salah is the most important act of worship in Islam.

If one perfects it, it will help him/her greatly in this life and
the hereafter. Otherwise, he/she may go through difficult
times here and after death.
 The Reward
V#10
These are indeed the inheritors.

V#11
Who shall inherit the Paradise. They
shall dwell therein forever.
V#10 - 11, (The Reward)

The reward of such believers is the paradise wherein they

will dwell forever.

‫ وارثون‬and ‫یرثون‬in V# 10 - 11, both imply that just as the

people as legal heirs get the worldly assets by way of
inheritance,

the true believers who fulfill the qualifications in terms of

V# 3- 9 will get paradise by way of inheritance.
Hazrat Ibne- Umar relates that Hazrat Muhammad
said that the foundation of Islam has been
(PBUH)

layed upon five things.

1. Witnessing that Allah is one and Only and
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) is His servant and
prophet.
2. Offering prayers (regularly)
3. Payment of Zakat.
4. Performing hajj
5. Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
According to hadith-i-Jibraeel (AS) the
messenger of Allah (PBUH) explained that Islam
means that you should bear witness that
there is no god but Allah and Hazrat
Muhammad (PBUH) is the prophet of Allah. You
should observe salah, pay zakat, fast during
Ramadan and perform hajj at the house of
Allah if you are (financially and physically)
capable of doing so.
Dr. Jeffrey Lang, Professor of Mathematics at the
University of Kansas, one of the biggest universities in
the US.

Born in a Roman Catholic family & become atheist

which left him with many unanswered questions as

•If there is a God, and He is all merciful and all loving,

then why is there suffering on this earth?
•Why does not He just take us to heaven?
•Why create all these people to suffer?”

Rebelled against all the religions including the Catholic

Church