Taraweeh Summary – NIGHT 7

This summary of the seventh Tarawîh covers the Eight Juz.

Beginning of Eighth Juz

Allâh commands Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam to announce to the people, “Certainly my Rabb has guided me to the straight path … Surely my Salâh, all my acts of worship, my life and my death are for Allâh, the Rabb of the universe. He has no partner. With this have I been commanded and I am the first of those who surrender.” (Sûrah An’âm, verses 161-163)

The following aspects have been emphasised in this Sûrah:

1.   Never ascribe any partner to Allâh.

2.   Treat parents kindly.

3.   Never slay your children for fear of poverty because Allâh sustains everyone.

4.   Never even come close to acts of promiscuity and immodesty.

5.   Never take the life of any person without a legal right to do so.

6.   Be just when weighing and measuring.

7.   Always speak the truth and implement justice even though it may impact negatively on one’s relatives.

8.   Keep your word to Allâh and to fellow man.

Much of Sûrah A’râf concerns about the Âkhirah. In this regard Allâh instructs man to “Follow what has been revealed to you from your Rabb and, leaving Him aside, do not follow other companions” (verse 3). Allâh also says, “We shall definitely question those to whom Ambiyâ were sent and We will surely question the Ambiyâ.” (verse 6)

People will be questioned about whether they followed the teachings of the Ambiyâ and the Ambiyâ will also be asked whether they fulfilled the task of propagation and about the attitude of their people. Every person will definitely have to pass the scales to have his/her acts weighed.

Allâh draws man’s attention to the fact that rejecting the truth like Qiyâmah and Risâlah [prophethood] is an act of Shaytân. To illustrate this point, Allâh mentions the disobedience of Shaytân when he refused to prostrate to Hadhrat Âdam when Allâh commanded him to do so. Allâh warns man not to act in a similar manner. Allâh also mentions that He granted man many favours when He settled him on earth and also granted him honour by commanding the angels to prostrate before his father Hadhrat Âdam Alayhis Salâm. However, despite all these boons, man is still ungrateful.

Later in the Sûrah, Allâh cautions man not to transgress the limits that Allâh has set because “Allâh does not like those who transgress.” Allâh declares that He has forbidden all acts of immodesty, be they secret or public. He has also forbidden people from ascribing partners to Him and from ascribing false statements to Him. This is referred to in verse 33 where Allâh says, “And that you say against Allâh what you do not know.”

In verse 40 Allâh says, “Indeed those who deny our verses and are arrogant towards them, the doors of the heavens will not be opened to them and they will not enter 3annah until a camel enters through the eye of a needle.” It will therefore be impossible for them to enter Jannah. On the other hand, the righteous ones have been promised entry into Jannah. Therefore, the Mu’minîn should respond to Allâh’s call with hope in His mercy and fear for His punishment because Allâh’s mercy is definitely close to the righteous ones.

Thereafter Allâh relates the incidents of several Ambiyâ and states how the nations of these Ambiyâ refused to accept the truth, thereby inviting Allâh’s punishment to annihilate them. These incidents are intended to be lessons for people so that they accept the message of Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

End of the eighth Juz