Ahkam Ayahs Tafseer By Mufti Umar Maliki

Ahkam Ayahs There are 500 ayahs in the Quran Kareem that contain Ahkam (commandments) from ALLAH Kareem. It does not mean that there are only 500 commandments in the Quran, there can be more or less.

Important Note The translation used in this task is the English version of the Quran translation done by Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (Kanz- ul-Iman). Hence, I do not know if the person who has done this translation in English has done it from Urdu to English or Arabic to English. The website of this translation is

Surah Fatiha There are two Ahkam Ayahs in Surah Fatiha: (i) Ayah 4; (ii) Ayah 5. And there are 3 ahkam in Surah Fatiha. 1. Worship ALLAH only. 2. Help from ALLAH only. 3. Dua (supplication).

Ayah 4 “You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help (and may we always).”

Commandments in Ayah 4 There are two Hukum components in this Ayah: (i) Worship (Ibadat, in Urdu); (ii) Help (Madad, in Urdu).

Worship’s Explanation (From Quran) Surah Zariyat, Ayah 56 Surah Mulk, Ayah 2

Surah Zariyat, Ayah 56 “And I created the jinns and men, only for them to worship Me.”

Surah Mulk, Ayah 2 “The One Who created death and life to test you - who among you has the better deeds; and He only is the Most Honourable, the Oft Forgiving.” This Ayah specifies the purpose of our life, which is to worship our Creator. Amal-e-Sauliha/Nek Amal/Good Deeds/Good Actions.

Correspondence in the two meanings of Ibadat (Worship) Summary: Every good deed is the worship of ALLAH => Surah Zariyat Ayat 56 + Surah Mulk Ayat 2 = Worship.

What is “Good Deed?” 1. The things which are ordered by Islam, or; 2. Any action that benefits anyone.

Help (2 nd Component’s Meaning) “From You alone we seek help.” No one else can help us.

Help Explanation (from Quran) Surah Bani Israel, Ayah 110 Surah Al-Aa’raf, Ayah 180

Surah Bani Israel, Ayah 110 “Proclaim, "Pray calling (Him) Allah or calling (Him) the Most Gracious; whichever name you call with - they are all His magnificent names; | and do not offer your prayers very loudly or very softly, and seek a way between them.”

Surah Al-Aa’Raf, Ayah 180 “And for Allah only are the best names, so invoke Him by them; and abandon those who depart from the truth regarding His names; they will soon receive the reward of their deeds.”

Key Points Regarding Help (General) 1. Help is Worship as well. [Supplication is the essence of Worship. Hadith] 2. Dua = Madad = Talab = Faryad = Supplication = Help. 3. Whenever you seek help, seek it from ALLAH only. 4. It is inappropriate to make your own additions or deletions from the supplications made by the Prophets. It is important to follow Sunnah while supplicating (Dua).

Specific Meaning of Madad from the Above Ayahs When you need to call anyone for the Help, call ALLAH only.

Waseela (Intercession) Intercession and Supplication are two different things. Supplication is Worship. Worship is only for God. Which means when you make Dua (supplication), you do it before ALLAH. Waseela (intercession) is to mention someone in the court of ALLAH Kareem. Technically, Waseela is to mention the praise of someone, whose Waseela we are presenting, in the court of ALLAH. Quran doesn’t clarify much on Waseela But Quran doesn’t forbid Waseela. Waseela is proved from Ahadith. But if you see Duas in Quran and Waseela’s references in Ahadith, then one should prioritise supplication over Waseela as Quran is Superior to Ahadith. Sometimes you just make dua, sometimes you use Waseela.

Don’t Follow these people 1. Who loves someone or something more than Nabi Pak Sallalaho Alaihi Wasallam. 2. Who prefers someone else’s statements over the sayings of Nabi Pak Sallalaho Alaihi Wasallam. 3. One who keeps Non-Muslims and Polytheists as friends. (religious friendship) 4. One who divides the Ummah. 5. Who talks without references.

Surah Fatiha, Ayah 5 “Guide us on the Straight Path.” ◦ Some people say, ‘guide’ and some people say, ‘show’ – it doesn’t matter.

Hukum Component in Ayah 5 Dua (supplication). ALLAH Kareem taught us how to supplicate in front of Him. Surah Baqarah, Ayah 186: “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” Then all the Supplications present in the Quran can come under this heading. Tirmizi Sharif, Kitab-ud-Dua.

Explanation of Ayah 5 (from Quran) ALLAH Kareem has provided the explanation of Ayah 5 in the very next two Ayahs. In Ayah 5, ALLAH taught us to ask Him to guide us on the right path. In Ayah 6, ALLAH Kareem tells us that this path is of those who will be rewarded. In Ayah 7, ALLAH Kareem specifies that this path is not of those who have earned ALLAH’s anger.

Surah Fatiha, Ayah 6 “The path of those whom You have favoured.”

ALLAH’s rewarded people (From Quran) Surah Baqarah, Ayahs 1-5. Muttaqeen (Pious) = Who have ALLAH’s fear in their hearts. Surah Mominun, Ayahs Surah Nur, Ayah 62. Surah Ahzab, Ayah 35.

Surah Fatiha, Ayah 7 “Not the path of those who earned Your anger - nor of those who are astray.” ◦ There are some people with whom ALLAH Kareem is angry. ◦ There are some who have just gone astray.

Important Note Technically, every non-Muslim is a polytheist (Mushrik), including Jews and Christians. ◦ As they both ascribe partners to God. But Islam requires us to call Jews and Christians as People of Book (Ahl-e-Kitab) and not as Mushrik. In order to understand the Ayah 7, it is important to classify non-Muslims in two categories, one is those who are Jews, second are those who are non-Jews (including Christians, Hindus, etc).

Who is ALLAH Kareem Angry with? The anger mentioned in Ayah 7 is meant for the Jews. Islam asks us to seek ALLAH’s refuge from these people. Why? ◦ They will not get guidance. ◦ They are those who do wrong (Zulm). ◦ Zulm = Associating partners with ALLAH. ◦ They have strong hearts.

Jews ALLAH Kareem is really angry with Jews because they used to interpolate in what God revealed to them. They won’t get the guidance. ◦ Quran states that the people who won’t get the guidance are those people who do engage themselves in remembrance of ALLAH or those who ignore ALLAH Kareem. ◦ Quran states in Surah Baqarah, Ayah 99, “We have indeed sent down to you clear signs; and none will disbelieve in them except the sinners.”

Astray People (Non-Jews) Those who will misguide others. ◦ Surah Nuh, Ayah 27. ◦ Surah Zumar, Ayah 3.

Surah Nuh, Ayah 27 “Indeed, if You spare them, they will mislead your bondmen - and their descendants, if any, will be none except the wicked, very ungrateful.”

Surah Zumar, Ayah 3 “Pay heed! Worship is for Allah only; and those who have taken others as their supporters beside Him say; “We worship * them only so that they get us closer to Allah”; Allah will surely judge between them regarding the matter in which they dispute; indeed Allah does not guide one who is a big liar, extremely ungrateful.” (*The pagans regarded their idols as smaller Gods and worshipped them. So did the Christians. This does not apply to Muslims who only respect their elders, and ask for their blessings.)