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[49:10] The believers are members of one family; you shall keep the peace within your family and reverence GOD, that you may attain mercy.
God advocates loving each other and helping each other to grow strong in our submission by standing side by side like pillars to fight Satan and build a strong submitting family.
God knows the importance of both genetic and submitting family members and gives us rules and commandments for both, which I will share with you.
[2:83] We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: “You shall not worship except GOD. You shall honor your parents and regard the relatives, the orphans, and the poor. You shall treat the people amicably. You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat).”
[17:23] Your Lord has decreed that you shall not worship except Him, and your parents shall be honored. As long as one or both of them live, you shall never say to them, “Uff” (the slightest gesture of annoyance), nor shall you shout at them; you shall treat them amicably.
God knows that our natural tendency is to take our loved ones for granted. Hence, He categorically mentions honoring our parents in the Quran so that we are constantly reminded that this is the divine code of conduct for us as submitters and that we have to constantly keep working at getting better at this aspect.
God advocates regarding the relatives as well, as they are also important in our lives.
There are many verses in the Quran that advocate this;
[16:90] GOD advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed.
[17:26] You shall give the due alms to the relatives, the needy, the poor, and the traveling alien, but do not be excessive, extravagant.
[2:215] They ask you about giving: say, “The charity you give shall go to the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, and the traveling alien.” Any good you do, GOD is fully aware thereof.
God also mentions a special responsibility upon submitting families.
[20:132] You shall enjoin your family to observe the contact prayers (Salat), and steadfastly persevere in doing so. We do not ask you for any provisions; we are the ones who provide for you. The ultimate triumph belongs to the righteous.
The Quran teaches us with numerous examples that our family can be tests and excuses for us not to accept submission or to stray from the right path:
[64:14] O you who believe, your spouses and your children can be your enemies; beware. If you pardon, forget, and forgive, then GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
[64:15] Your money and children are a test, and GOD possesses a great recompense.
[2:170] When they are told, “Follow what GOD has revealed herein,” they say, “We follow only what we found our parents doing.” What if their parents did not understand, and were not guided?
However, God also tells us in the Quran that our spouses and children are joys for us and we can enjoy this blessing as long as we keep God as our number one priority in our lives.
Hence, God enjoins us to implore him with this prayer:
[25:74] “Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous.”
The eternal family:
God also talks about the differences between believing family members and disbelieving family members in the Hereafter. God willing, the Quran mentions that believers will be joined joyfully with their family members (righteous genetic and submitter members) in heaven.
Whereas, the disbelievers will be blaming each other for going astray and will also be willing to give up all their family members as ransom in exchange for a chance to make it to Heaven.
[70:11] When they see them, the guilty will wish he could give his own children as ransom, to spare him the retribution of that day.
God has blessed us all with so many submitting brothers and sisters, not just within our own community but all across the world. We should regularly implore God to help us all use every opportunity to get better at submission and closer to Him.
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God willing
July 20 – August 17
USA, N and S America, Europe, etc.
July 20 – August 18
Middle East, Asia, Australia and etc.
God willing for more details and checking the dates for your area, please see www.masjidtucson.org Ramadan pages and Ramadan Calculator.