Ahmed Deif

As we learned from the bees before, this time we gonna learn from the dog. However, its not any dog, but it is the hunting one. In surat “Al-Ma’eda” (the table) verse no. 4, Allah (SWT) talks about the legitemacy of eating from what a trained hunting dog hunts. Although it could appear a normal Fiqh verse dealing with the fiqh of food, however, Ibn Al-qyem points 3 lessons to be learned:

1- The value of knowledge…..The only difference between the hunting dog and the normal dog is that the first is “tought or passed through a learning process” and the outcome is a huge difference: one of them his hunt or prey is HALAL and the other one his is HARAM….because of this knowledge (as refered to in the verse)

2- Sincerity…..When the hunting dog hunts for his master, his hunt is accepted and “halal” but when it hunts for itself (even if it is a similar prey), the hunt is not accepted and it is haram.

3- “Adab” or dicipline and politness…..Although the dog is an agressive animal and has a strong desire to eat its prey especially at time of hunger, however, out of faithfulness and politness, it can’t eat the prey of its master….why? because it remebers that he is the one who protected it, who gave it food, shelter and took care of it……So how about you son of Adam, can’t you give up some of your desires to please your Lord who created you, protected you, showered His mercy and bounties on you,….??

Thanks our teacher for these valuble lessons.

Well as emotional the title could sound, but actually this is a rational thought that I read before.

When prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) went through his famous intellectual exercise of contemplating into the sky to recognize or know Allah (SWT) (refer to Surat Al-Anaam verses 75-79) the first judgment he made was actually amazing.

When he saw the first star and how it set,  he said “I love not those that set”. I’ll give myself the right to change the word “set” to be “disappear or vanish” as this really describes what he (pbuh) meant. Prophet Ibrahim is teaching us a rational law that guides our hearts through our minds.

Yes indeed he (pbuh) was absolutely correct….how can you get attached to something that will leave you or you leave it? How can you love something that vanishes, that is not there for you always? Rationally speaking this is not wise or accepted by anyone if s/he gives it a deeper thought.

Any ways, based on that, I would like to ask this question….whom and what to love? and try to be Ibrahimc when you answer.

Being a fan of insects and the numerous signs and meanings they hold, I said may be its a good idea to let my brothers and sisters share with me this emotion towards insects (rather than just looking to them as unpleasant guests). Also being an engineer, I can’t hold myself from organizing my ideas in a scientific form such as systems, block diagrams and equations. I’ll start this time with the bees….equation.

A known scientific fact is that there are hundreds of species of bees, but ONLY those who live together in groups are the ones that generate honey. This is point number one

Pondering in the verses in surat “Al-Nahl” (the bees) about the bees (16, 68-69), Allah says that he inspired the bees to take three locations as their home; the mountains, the trees, and men’s habitations. Another scientific fact is that the best quality with the highest benefit of the different kinds of honey, is the one produced by the mountain bees, followed by the trees bees followed by the man’s habitations bees. A simple question about which among the different bees exert more effort in going around and producing honey, the ones in the mountains, or the trees or the man habitations? the answer would simply be the ones in the mountains of course….this lead to the second point which is the more effort exerted, the better the outcome.

Third, the next verse talks about how the bees were ordered to eat form the fruits and follow the routes designated by Allah, and they did. This would be the third parameter which is following the path and the orders of Allah is the way to succeed.

Finally, the verse talks about the product of the bees effort which is that there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men. We can now draw the bees equation:

Group work + Effort + Obeying Allah = Physical cure to people

Mapping this equation to the obligation on this ummah as the best ummah brought forth to guide people to Allah would lead to the following equation:

Working Together + Sacrifice + Sticking to Allah’s Rulings = Guidance to All Humanity 

Reflecting on surat “Sad”, Allah (SWT) talked about many prophets and he addressed 2 of them with a very special “title”. People generally spend their life and money to gain different titles like “his honour”, “Dr.”, “Lord”…..but these 2 prophets had a very special title…the title is “Ni’ma Al-Abd” (how excellent in Our service). Yes indeed this is the best title you can ever have or dream of.

But who are these 2 prophets? They are prophet Soliman and prophet Ayoub (pbut)….why specifically these 2 prophets?

What does prophet Soliman resemble? Power, Wealth, Authority……in general all what the word “bounty” or “Nima” can include. What does prophet Ayoub resemble? Sickness, Loss of money, Loss of kids……in general all what the word “tribulation” or “Ibtilaa” can include. Thus one can say that ture “slavery” to Allah is not related to easiness or hardship, but actually true “slavery to Allah (SWT) is having your heart undisturbed with either and only focused with one thing: Allah (SWT) and his pleasure……and both of these prophets succeeded in that and thus they were granted this title…..and what a title.

I thought of sharing one of the first lessons that I was taught to be my first post:

There is a big difference between acting like a man and being a real one