Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Women in the Quran: Session #3

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim (In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful)

Asiya (AS)
  • 1 of 4 perfect women
  • Each woman had conviction/trust in Allah
    • Keep Allah as your focus in every situation. "Fall in love with Allah (swt)"
  • Each woman thus far has gone through a Transitional Period: 
    • Khadijah (RA) - Acceptance of Islam, Wealth to Poverty
    • Hajra (AS) - Community, Desert
  • These stories aren't given for entertainment but are "templates of guidance" 
    • Take these stories for deep reflection.
  • Not many details on Asiya (AS) in particular but emphasis on the story.
Asiyah (AS) lived with Prophet (Musa AS) and a Tyrant (Firawn), Two complete opposites.

Egypt, Pharoah hears that one of the children of Bani Israel will overthrow him. He alternates between killing the boys of Bani Israel one year and enslaving them the next year. Haroon AS is enslaved but Allah swt tells Musa AS mother to put him in a vessel down the Nile River. This must have been incredibly difficult but she puts her trust in Allah swt. 

Reflection: We encounter hard times and pretend that its not happening but these tests aren't just for those who encounter them but us too. Even on a large, world scale, how do we react? The only reason the previous women discussed and Musa AS mother were able to confront their difficulties the way they did was because they had firm Imaan. Its not about the difficulty but how we handle it.

Musa AS picked up by the family of Pharaoh. Even as a baby he is the source of Pharaoh's downfall. Asiyah AS argues to keep him (Surah Qasas, Verse 9). There is no biological connection between the two but maternal love and compassion. 

Reflection: Allah puts mercy in all of our hearts. We need to live this mercy and spread it to others The mercy of Allah is greater than that of a mother. He doesn't want us to fail.

Meanwhile, the mother of Musa AS is really depressed. Allah swt tells her not to be. He isn't saying not to feel sadness this is something we cannot control but rather that he is there. Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon.

Reflection: We need tawakkul or "God consciousness" to cope with the issues in our lives.

**There are two aspects to our Imaan:
1. Gratitude: When we have something.
2. Patience: When we lose something.
Sometimes Allah protects us by not giving us something that we want. 

The mother of Musa AS made a conscious decision eventually that she will do what is pleasing to Allah swt. 

Reflection: We have to learn to rely on Allah to fix our problems whether this is through dua or dhikr, etc.


He is the only one that can help us and remove our difficulties. This is something we have to actively work on, we don't inherit this from righteous people. You have to train your nafs to have the characteristics of a mu'min (believer).

Musa AS grows up in a house where he has everything and is told by Allah to tell the head of this household that he has transgressed BUT he has the support of Asiya AS. 

**Every type of people are in the Quran. It doesn't matter who you are. You need to find yourself. 

**Stick of Musa AS:
We always say that we dont haev resources to change the worlds problems BUT Musa AS uses this stick. Allaj set puts the power within the stick to enable Musa AS to change the world around him. 
Obviously its not the same as sticking a pencil into the Mason Pond but Allah swt can put barakah in our time, money, etc. Allah swt has the power to make the smallest effort great. How much of an effort are we making?

While Musa AS is preaching Asiyah AS stays firm to her beliefs. Pharaoh kills a woman in front of her and punishes her extensively but she never backs down. Eventually she passes away because of such torture but not without making the following dua
66:11

"My Lord, build for me near You, a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing of people." (Surah Tahrim, verse 11)

All of her struggles make her an example. She had all the luxuries of this world but gives it all up for Allah swt. She asks for nearness to Allah first.

Reflection: We have trouble giving up some things, she gave it all up. Her knowledge of Allah and jannah was enough for her to get through any punishment Pharaoh threw at her. 

She had one of the most difficult situations. Her husband believed that he was God. We aren't dealing with people half this difficult  She made an independent choice to forsake the dunya for the akhirah. She knew that her relationship with Allah swt was the defining feature of self worth, of who we are. 

Reflection: Don't be afraid to follow the path of Allah. If you are, there is no way to fail.

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