SeekersNotes: Exploring the Qur’an with Shaykh Yahya Rhodus – Class 4 Notes

SeekersNotes: Exploring the Qur’an with Shaykh Yahya Rhodus (Class 4 Notes)

Notes by Sister Shagufta Pasta

For this week’s lesson, my notes are brief. I was mostly listening to Shaykh Yahya speak, and I had to depart about an hour in the class, at 5:30. So as always, for the complete reminder of what Shaykh Yahya taught us, please refer to the recorded session.  Till next week.

Q and A

• When you incline towards something, have to be wary. If  the nafs desires to do something, have to be hesitant. Greatest criteria of whether we should do something is the sacred law.
• Also have istikhara to guide you in this matter
• Start by praying five daily prayers on time.
• Doing salawat and istighfar are two of the greatest things that a person can do.
• Salawat – is said that salawat is shaykh for person for person who doesn’t have a shaykh
• Q: What is an advised translation of the Qur’an? A: If had to suggest one, would suggest the translation by Abdul Haleem. Other translations used in this course include Thomas Cleary’s translation, the Majestic Qur’an, and others. In this course, have used up to seven different translations.
• Q: how can we expose ourselves to Allah’s mercy?
• A: by praying the 5 daily prayers firstly.
• By doing anything where that thing would be means of Allah’s mercy.

Surah Naziat

• • Name of surah is from 1^st verse: By those who wrest violently (refers to removal of the soul). Word Naziat refers to the angels that remove the soul.
  • This is a Makkan surah, revealed before the Hijrah
  • 46 verses.
  • Correlation to chapter that came before: both of these chapters are discussing Day of Judgement
  • Starts with description of Yawm Qiyamah, and then emphasizes various events that are going to take place.
  • “By those who wrest violently”.
  • Our soul is what makes us truly human. Once soul leaves the body, then human being is dead. Soul is what determines life. Soul’s existence in the physical body is life. Soul has a connection to every aspect of the body. Taking of the soul is intense. For the disbeliever, it is not pleasant, the way that their soul is taken out.

2^nd verse: ”By those that draw out gently.

• • • Soul of the believer is taken out gently

Third Verse: By those who glide serenely

• • • There are oaths in the Qur’an. The Creator swears by whatever He wants, we only swear by Allah. Even swearing by Allah, this is a form of emphasis and we should only do that when absolutely necessary. See people who are always swearing by Allah, poor adab to do that.
    • As if they are swimming, these angels are moving along so speedily

Fourth Verse: By those who race forward

• • • Racing forward  with the souls of believers and disbelievers.

Sixth Verse: And by those that direct the affairs

• • • Number of issues here.
    • This is from the Divine Will. Allah could have just given us a book and required us to work it out for ourselves. Wisdom in having that means in creation. Didn’t have to create angels.
    • Angels are beings of light, Allah is not in need of them
    • Created beings of life
    • The true doer of every act is our Lord.
    • The way we live will determine the way our soul is taken. This should be a matter of reflection.