Surah Al-Araf: (Continued)

• The people of Shuyab were not willing to obey and listen due to their fear of worldly loss. But because of that they did indeed incur worldly loss. Because of their disbelief, suffer they will for eternity.
• Allah (swt) wants to know if you are willing to give up something of the world, something worldly, for Him. That is how He tests us.
• Difficulties come into our lives to wake us up. If we don’t wake up then maybe something good actually will follow and after that perhaps Allah (swt) will punish us with something even bigger than that difficulty. So wake up now!
• We go through changes in life. Allah (swt) wants to wake us up. We are tested through ease and peace as well. Not just through bad things or difficulties.
• When a person does something wrong and does not suffer, he/she thinks: “Oh I did something good, something right, made the right decision.” This person is happy and continues to do the wrong, continues to sin.
• If Allah (swt) cares about you, He will put you through tests and hardship so that you correct yourself.
• If a person feels fear of Allah (swt) now in this world, he/she will be in peace on the Day of Judgement. Never forget Him.
• Majority of mankind lives for themselves. Majority has left the covenant they made with Allah (swt).
• Allah (swt) grants us ease and peace, so that we may be grateful. It’s a test in itself.
• Hardships get worse over time. The world is a prison for the believers.
• We must ask Allah (swt) for patience through this, any and all hardships
• Oh Allah (swt), if I started this, please help me continue and complete this.
• Ask Allah (swt) to grant us stability and patience. Just to hold on a little longer.
• Sabr (patience) and Salat. Direct all your energy towards begging Allah (swt) for Help at all times.
• The person who is afflicted with hardships/poverty and opens his hands and turns to people for help, his hardships/poverty will not end. But if this person turns to Allah (swt) instead, Allah (swt) will either quicken his life so that he doesn’t have to suffer through the hardship for a long time OR Allah (swt) will grant him richness, by giving him something.
• Hardships seem like they last forever. We must be patient at time of calamity.
• We must turn immediately to Allah (swt), not to people.
• Allah (swt) is mightier than the one tyrant I fear.
• We fear people because we fear what they can do. But placing your trust in Allah (swt) will ease your fear. But do not be impatient with duas.
• The one who has many blessings in his/her life should drive him/her to be grateful
• Compare your today to yesterday and be grateful.
• Ayah 143: Prophet Musa (as) wanted to see Allah (swt). A slight light from Him made prophet Musa (as) fall to the ground, unconscious.
• Arrogant are not guided. They are turned away from Allah (swt)’s signs.
• Even the biggest sin in forgivable through repentance
• After prophet Musa (as) returned to his people with the Scriptures, he saw that they had started to worship a calf in his absence. He was angry. But he took 70 of those people who wanted seek forgiveness, with him to the mountain. There they all of a sudden demanded to see Allah (swt). Which eventually led to an earthquake from Allah (swt), leaving them all dead.
• Difficulties can make us or break us. Hardships can elevate us very very high if we are patient. Do not get angry or fed up, etc. Seek refuge with Allah (swt) during the tests.
• Iman, zakat, sadaqah, obedience
• Don’t leave simplicity for extravagance
• This life is not for rest, it’s for worship
• Intention must be sincere. Learn the Quran to seek Jannah. Don’t seek the dunya/wordly benefits though the Deen/Quran.
• Know your intention of learning the Quran. Have the correct intention to learn the Quran.
• Don’t use the Quran: to gain, for fame, to make money
• Hold the Book close to you during your free time and your busy time. Through the good times and the bad times.
• Hold onto the Quran and the Sunnah. To be saved from the Hellfire.
• Nobody can make the excuse, that they did not know about Allah (swt) and His Deen.
• Shaytan is always waiting to deviate you.
• Suffer in this temporary life, but do not compromise for the Afterlife.
• Quran is our safety rope.
• Our desires prevent us from the Book, from the Quran.
• Leaving the Deen for Dunya (this world), is like becoming a dog. Greedy and will never be satisfied with what he/she has.
• If Jannah is our goal, we must give up some comfort for it.
• Know the names of Allah (swt). All 99 of them. Recognize Allah (swt) through His Names
• The Day of Judgement will be on a Friday
• Don’t look at the mistakes of the people of the world.
• Do Dhikr (remembrance of Allah (swt)) at all times. At different times. Quietly, out loud, or from your heart. In the morning and in the evenings*
• All of the creations are doing tasbeeh ( dhikr, remembrance of Allah) in the mornings and in the evenings*
• Feed the heart, by doing dhikr in the morning. Busy yourself in the memory of Allah (swt). It will shield you from the shaytan. Never think its enough.

Surah Al-Anfal: (The Spoils of War)

• Revealed after the battle of Badr.
• Spoils/Booties/Bounties of War
• Fought in Ramadan, two years after the Hijrah. Allah (swt) granted the Muslims victory
• Muslims were reminded that they are fighting for the Deen and not for money or wealth.
• Don’t worry about the money, fix/mend your relationships.