Juz 22- Juz Gems
Assalaamu Alaykum! Tonight our mashaayikh will recite the 22nd juz of the Quran, which covers the rest of Surat Al-Ahzaab to Surat As-Saafaat. The heart of the Qur’an, or Surat Yaseen, is found within this juz and that’s where we will find today’s juz gem:
وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾ وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ ﴿٣٨﴾ وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ﴿٣٩﴾ لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ ﴿٤٠﴾
“And a sign for them is the night. We remove from it [the light of] day, so they are [left] in darkness. And the sun runs [on course] toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. And the moon - We have determined for it phases until it returns [appearing] like the old date stalk. It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, is traveling in an orbit of its own,” (Surat Yaseen, ayat- 37-40)
There are so many verses throughout the Qur’an where Allah commands us to reflect on His creation. This reflection itself leads Ibrahim (as) to determine that nothing created can be his Lord, rather the only One worthy of worship is the One who creates all and is not created. It is no wonder that the word aya, or sign, is not only limited to the verses found in the Quran, but also encompasses the magnificent creation of Al-Khaaliq.
These ayaat, in particular, help us understand ourselves on a deeper level. Light and darkness, the sun and moon- everything has a determined time and purpose. There is a stopping point for the sun, and light is eventually stripped away to form darkness. There is a specified master plan and we are only privy to a fraction of it. The turning of the day into night should be a reminder to us that we are always in a state of constant change. Whether one is suffering through a difficulty this Ramadan or is experiencing a blissful month, know that nothing lasts forever, and every heartache and joy will soon pass us by. Just like there are two phases throughout our day- the day and the night, know that there are two stations of the believer- gratitude in times of ease and resilience in times of hardship.
The second major point is that everything worships Allah in an orbit, including ourselves. One of the most beautiful things one may feel this Ramadan is this push to go outside after iftar and drive to the masjid late at night. This time feels sacred; one is getting the reward of simply driving to the masjid, reconnecting with the community, and witnessing the different phases of the moon throughout the month as she gazes at the luminous sky. Allah describes Ramadan as “a limited amount of days,” (2:184) and one truly feels the sand slipping through her fingers as the moon’s light expands and constricts throughout the month. We will also go through different cycles in our worship of Allah (swt). When we are younger, Islam may feel like a set of do’s and don’ts, halal and haraam. As we grow older, we appreciate the wisdom behind the rules and take on more personal and communal acts of worship. Then, as we age, our capacity for ibaadah becomes limited due to our weakened bones and weary bodies. May we use the time we have left in worship and service knowing that, just like the sun, we too will come to our stopping point. May Allah make the best of our days the last of them. Ameen!