Episoder
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Three persons set out on a journey. They were overtaken by rain and they had to find protection in a mountain cave where at its mouth there fell a rock of that mountain and thus blocked them altogether. One of them said to the others: Look to your good deeds that you performed for the sake of Allah and then supplicate Allah, the Exalted, that He might rescue you (from this trouble). One of them said: 0 Allah, I had my parents who were old and my wife and my small children also. I tended the flock and when I came back to them in the evening, I milked them (the sheep, goats, cows, etc.) and first served that milk to my parents. One day I was obliged to go out to a distant place in search of fodder and I could not come back before evening and found them (the parents) asleep. I milked the animals as I used to milk and brought milk to them and stood by their heads avoiding to disturb them from sleep and I did not deem it advisable to serve milk to my children before serving them. My children wept near my feet. I remained there in that very state and my parents too until it was morning. And (0 Allah) if Thou art aware that I did this in order to seek Thine pleasure, grant us riddance from this trouble. (The rock slipped a bit) that they could see the sky.
The second one said: 0 Allah, I had a female cousin whom I loved more than the men love the women. I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her; she refused but on the condition of getting one hundred dinirs. It was with very great difficulty that I could collect one hundred dinirs and then paid them to her and when I was going to have a sexual intercourse with her, that she said: Servant of Allah, fear Allah and do not break the seal (of chastity) but by lawful means. I got up. 0 Allah, if Thou art aware that I did this in order to seek Thine pleasure, rid us from this trouble. The situation was somewhat eased for them.
The third one said: Allah, I employed a workman for a measure of rice. After he had finished his work I gave him his dues (in the form of) a measure of rice, but he did not accept them. I used these rice as seeds, and that gave a bumper crop and I became rich enough to have cows and flocks (in my possession). He came to me and said: Fear Allah, and commit no crueltv upon me in regard to my dues. I said to him: Takeaway this flock of cows and sheep. He said: Fear Allah and do not make a fun of me. I said: I am not making a fun of you. You take the cows and the flocks. So he took them. 0 Allah, if Thou art aware that I did it for Thine pleasure, case the situation for us. And Allah relieved them from the rest of the trouble.
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The preamble to the Battle of the Trench... or the Siege of Medina. Same thing. Setting the table with some historical parallels, and also looking at the reasons for the battle and the strengths of the combatants. Muhammad has a week to prepare for an alliance of Arab tribes coming right at Medina -- that's the good news. The bad news? They have 600 horses. He has none.
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Manglende episoder?
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By those angels stripping out evil souls harshly,
and those pulling out good souls gently,
and those gliding through heavens swiftly,
and those taking the lead vigorously,
and those conducting affairs obediently!
Consider the Day when the quaking Blast will come to pass,
followed by a second Blast.
The deniers’ hearts on that Day will be trembling in horror,
with their eyes downcast.
But now they ask mockingly, “Will we really be restored to our former state,
even after we have been reduced to decayed bones?”
Adding, “Then such a return would be a total loss for us!”
But indeed, it will take only one mighty Blast,
and at once they will be above ground.
Has the story of Moses reached you O Prophet?
His Lord called him in the sacred valley of Ṭuwa,
commanding, “Go to Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed all bounds.
And say, Would you be willing to purify yourself,
and let me guide you to your Lord so that you will be in awe of Him?’”
Then Moses showed him the great sign,
but he denied and disobeyed Allah,
then turned his back, striving against the truth.
Then he summoned his people and called out,
saying, “I am your lord, the most high!”
So Allah overtook him, making him an example in this life and the next.
Surely in this is a lesson for whoever stands in awe of Allah.
Which is harder to create: you or the sky? He built it,
raising it high and forming it flawlessly.
He dimmed its night, and brought forth its daylight.
As for the earth, He spread it out as well,
bringing forth its water and pastures
and setting the mountains firmly upon it—
all as a means of sustenance for you and your animals.
But, when the Supreme Disaster comes to pass—
the Day every person will remember all their striving,
and the Hellfire will be displayed for all to see—
then as for those who transgressed
and preferred the fleeting life of this world,
the Hellfire will certainly be their home.
And as for those who were in awe of standing before their Lord and restrained themselves from evil desires,
Paradise will certainly be their home.
They ask you O Prophet regarding the Hour, “When will it be?”
But it is not for you to tell its time.
That knowledge rests with your Lord alone.
Your duty is only to warn whoever is in awe of it.
On the Day they see it, it will be as if they had stayed in the world no more than one evening or its morning.
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Muhammad, like an overwhelmed parent, tires of the constant questions... particularly those asked in bad faith.
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Muhammad marries Zaynab, and we discuss the legacy of this action from several different perspectives.
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He frowned and turned his attention away,
simply because the blind man came to him interrupting
You never know O Prophet, perhaps he may be purified,
or he may be mindful, benefitting from the reminder.
As for the one who was indifferent,
you gave him your undivided attention,
even though you are not to blame if he would not be purified.
But as for the one who came to you, eager to learn,
being in awe of Allah,
you were inattentive to him.
But no! This revelation is truly a reminder.
So let whoever wills be mindful of it.
It is written on pages held in honour—
highly esteemed, purified—
by the hands of angel-scribes,
honourable and virtuous.
Condemned are disbelieving humans! How ungrateful they are to Allah!
From what substance did He create them?
He created them from a sperm-drop, and ordained their development.
Then He makes the way easy for them,
then causes them to die and be buried.
Then when He wills, He will resurrect them.
But no! They have failed to comply with what He ordered.
Let people then consider their food:
how We pour down rain in abundance
and meticulously split the earth open for sprouts,
causing grain to grow in it,
as well as grapes and greens,
and olives and palm trees,
and dense orchards,
and fruit and fodder—
all as a means of sustenance for you and your animals.
Then, when the Deafening Blast comes to pass—
on that Day every person will flee from their own siblings,
and even their mother and father,
and even their spouse and children.
For then everyone will have enough concern of their own.
On that Day some faces will be bright,
laughing and rejoicing,
while other faces will be dusty,
cast in gloom—
those are the disbelievers, the wicked sinners.
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Allah's Messenger said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."
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Muhammad marries his son's ex-wife and the community erupts in scandal. This is his fifth wife and a major break from Arab tradition -- some in the community call it incest. This is what we know about how this situation came to be.
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When the sun is overthrown,
And when the stars fall,
And when the hills are moved,
And when the camels big with young are abandoned,
And when the wild beasts are herded together,
And when the seas rise,
And when souls are reunited,
And when the girl-child that was buried alive is asked
For what sin she was slain,
And when the pages are laid open,
And when the sky is torn away,
And when hell is lighted,
And when the Garden is brought nigh,
(Then) every soul will know what it hath made ready.
Oh, but I call to witness the planets,
The stars which rise and set,
And the close of night,
And the breath of morning
That this is in truth the word of an honoured messenger,
Mighty, established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne,
(One) to be obeyed, and trustworthy;
And your comrade is not mad.
Surely he beheld Him on the clear horizon.
And he is not avid of the Unseen.
Nor is this the utterance of a devil worthy to be stoned.
Whither then go ye ?
This is naught else than a reminder unto creation,
Unto whomsoever of you willeth to walk straight.
And ye will not, unless (it be) that Allah willeth, the Lord of Creation.
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Episodes will now be released twice a month rather than the four you may be used to...
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For two years after Uhud, both sides avoid major battles and fight on the outskirts of Arabia. A second Battle of Badr is planned but never happens, but it becomes obvious that these sides will fight, and only one can be master of the peninsula.
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When the sky splits open,
and when the stars fall away,
and when the seas burst forth,
and when the graves spill out,
then each soul will know what it has sent forth or left behind.
O humanity! What has emboldened you against your Lord, the Most Generous,
Who created you, fashioned you, and perfected your design,
moulding you in whatever form He willed?
But no! In fact, you deny the ˹final˺ Judgment,
while you are certainly observed by vigilant,
honourable angels, recording ˹everything.
They know whatever you do.
Indeed, the virtuous will be in bliss,
and the wicked will be in Hell,
burning in it on Judgment Day,
and they will have no escape from it.
What will make you realize what Judgment Day is?
Again, what will make you realize what Judgment Day is?
˹It is˺ the Day no soul will be of ˹any˺ benefit to another whatsoever, for all authority on that Day belongs to Allah entirely.
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He who gets back his charity is like a dog which vomits, and then returns to that and eats it.
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The seeds for 1400 years of Jewish-Muslim enmity are planted as Muhammad takes action against a tribe he sees as disloyal and dangerous. This was a first in Muslim history, but for the Jews it was just another in a countless number of expulsions through out time. From Assyria to Babylon to Rome to Spain to Russia to Uganda... this is a familiar pattern - with an ironic twist from the conflict in modern Israel.
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Surah 83 continued, focusing in a few more words unique in the Quran.
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