On this the 7th Day of Taraweeh Reflections, the Sheik examines Suratul A’raf, focusing on verses 163-166, which discusses the story of the people of Saturday. This story is connected to an incident mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah and serves as a reminder for the Jews who lived in Medina at the time. The people of Saturday were commanded not to fish or work on the Sabbath, but they disobeyed this command, leading to punishment from Allah. This story highlights the importance of obeying Allah’s commands and serves as a warning to those who may consider breaking their covenant with Him.
The people of Saturday were tested by abundant fish appearing on the Sabbath, but not on other days. Instead of following the command, they sought loopholes to continue fishing, leading to their eventual punishment. The story also emphasizes the importance of enjoining good and forbidding evil as an essential aspect of being part of the best ummah (community) raised for mankind.
The people were divided into three groups: those who broke the command, those who tried to stop them, and those who remained silent. The first two groups were punished, while the third group, who both refrained from breaking the command and attempted to prevent others from doing so, was saved.
Let this serve as a clear reminder to Muslims to not only follow Allah’s commands, but also to actively discourage evil and promote good. The lesson from the Quran emphasizes that staying silent in the face of wrongdoing can also lead to punishment. We as Muslims must strive to learn from the mistakes of previous nations and fulfill our role as the best ummah by obeying Allah’s commands and enjoining good while forbidding evil.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/mAkN5VtmWaE?feature=share
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Leave a Reply