Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Most High

I lifted my eyes from the pages of the Tafsir.  I felt tired from reading.


I realised that I can read the Qur'an, in Arabic, out loud, not understanding the meaning and go pages.  However reading the meaning of the Qur'an in English does not offer me the same experience as reciting the Qur'an in its pure Arabic.


I remember the time I fell in love with "Sabbihis".  My younger brother read it when he led us in Maghrib prayer, at a family tree reunion, at a beautiful resort, some years ago.  "Sabbihis marabbikal aqla; Allazi kholaqo fasauwaa; Wallazi qaddaro fahadaa;" it went on so beautifully I didn't want it to stop.  It ended so soothingly with "Innahaa zaalafissuhufil oolaa; Suhufi Ibrahiima wa Moosaa".  The comfort and pleasure of two names I recognised.


What was the meaning of the verses?  They were from Al A'la, The Most High.  The meaning starts with:


"Glorify the name of thy Sustainer, the Most High; Who creates, and thereupon gives order and proportion; And who ordains laws, and grants guidance; And who brings forth green and luscious pasture; And then causes it to decay into swarthy stubble".


It goes on and ends with:


"And this is in the earlier revelations; The revelations of Abraham and Moses".


My additional note:
I am adding this as an additional note that as I progress with my understanding of the meaning of the Qur'an, my heart is filled with the gratefulness to Allah that I am a Muslim.  I am a Mukmin, InsyaaAllah.  And I pray that Allah guides me to the Straight Path and clear my heart of any hypocrisy.


19 comments:

  1. Hello Aishah, wishing a happy hari merdeka, have a beautiful day, and you keep a song in your heart.
    All my best wishes, Lee.

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  2. It was said "tak kenal maka tak cinta".. So understanding the Book is as important for you to love it, love the messenger and love the One who sent It down to you..

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  3. Hi Uncle Lee. Thank you and Happy Merdeka to you too.

    Dear Wan Sharif, thank you for the advise and reminder. I will edit a little my post to reflect that my heart trembles with gratefulness to Allah with every understanding of His words.

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  4. Your words prove the point that the Qur'an is meant to be sung/recited and not just read like a normal book. I still remember the call to prayer I heard in KL when I was there last April. It was beautiful.

    Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  5. Dear Aishah,
    I would like to wish you and your family Selamat Hari Raya Maaf Zahir Batin for me and my family

    Rudi Ninot
    Iman Inas Irani Ilena & Little Ikesha

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  6. Yesterday at church our preacher mentioned that we worship "the God of Abraham and Moses," causing me to pull the bible from the rack on the back of the pew in front of me and scan through Genesis until I found the story of Abraham. It reinforced me recollection: that Muslims ALSO worship the God of Abraham and Moses.

    And now I find that again.

    Americans, by and large, believe all men are created equal, and that everyone should be free to worship God as they see him.

    Just sometimes, when we're stressed out, we forget that.

    I'll be glad when the November elections are over and the crazy here notches down a level....

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  7. Hola Cuban, thank you. For visiting and for leaving a comment. I am always glad to hear how much you enjoyed your visit to Kuala Lumpur.

    Hi Ninot, what wonderful names of members of your family, poetry in motion. Thank you for your wishes and I wish you the same and may your Eid il Fitri is as colorful as ever.

    Hello Jeanne, I have not been following the US politics (not as vigorously as the last presidential election), but my number one son keeps me updated with polls on the high profile sentiments. Diversity thrives a nation.

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  8. Aslmkm.
    May we among those who are enlightened, always guided and blessed ...
    Allah SWT is Most Gracious, Most Merciful & in this life journey we seek none other than HIS forgiveness, HIS guidances & HIS blessings!
    For we fear HIS wrath, & we beleive in HIS promises of the ultimate, everlasting Paradise.
    SELAMAT HARI RAYA. Maaf zahir batin.

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  9. the cycle of life. the sustainer is also the destroyer.
    can it be any other way?

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  10. Oh.. Kullu a'm bikhair..
    TaqabbalalLahu minna wa minkum, taqabbal Ya Kareem
    Selamat Hari Raya..
    Semuga segala usaha Aisyah di berkati Allah selalu

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  11. Waalaikumusalam Dr Fauziah, thank you and Selamat Hari Raya to you and family.

    I guess not Ed. The Giver of Life, The Taker of Life. The Preventer of Harm, The Creator of the Harmful. The Abaser, The Exalter. The Expediter, The Delayer. The Owner of All, The All Powerful, The Responder to Prayer, The Satisfier of All Needs, The All Comprehending, The One, The Only One, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

    Aamin, aamin, ya Rabbal A'lamin, Wan Sharif.

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  12. Hello Aisha, selamat hari raya to you and all at home. Best regards and keep a song in your heart, Lee.

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  14. the expediter, the delayer. yes. thank you. i like very much your graph.
    life is wonderful, and horrible. a gift and utterly cruel.
    i wonder if everything that happens in our life is ultimately a favor from the one.

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  15. Having time to read ablog while sipping tea are affordable luxury. Have the fusion tea anytime. Alhamdulillah

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  16. This comment is late in coming, still I would like to state my thanks for all the good Raya wishes. And to Ed, what you wondered is what I believed.

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  17. Yes, I was just going to say, I know ideally the book should be read and recited in Arabic. So glad I don;t have to learn that (was terrible at even French!) but so pivotal I would imagine for you, right?

    Personally I find nothing as profound as Christ's words myself so I sort of know what you mean here I think.

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  18. Hey Mr Toast, it is really nice to see your polka-dotted red mushroom (and I know what is around it too!). My experience is a journey and I am glad and grateful that I've started it.

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