Atfal Class – July 2023

For Mayar e Saghir, please go through the following portion of the summary of the Friday Sermon from June 2, 2023 and discuss what the Atfal learned from it. Discuss what the Atfal learned from it:

Circumstances Leading Up to the Battle of Badr

His Holiness(aba) said that today he would begin a series of sermons about the Holy Prophet(sa) in relation to the Battle of Badr. Before mentioning the battle itself, His Holiness(aba) said that it is important to understand the circumstances which led to the battle happening in the first place. His Holiness(aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) who writes:

‘The Makkan life of the Holy Prophet(sa), the cruelties which were inflicted upon the Muslims by the Quraish and the schemes they employed in order to expunge Islām, were enough reason for war to break out between any two nations, in every era, and in all types of circumstances. History substantiates that in addition to extremely degrading mockery, and exceedingly offensive taunt and slander, the disbelievers of Makkah forcefully stopped the Muslims from worshipping the One God and announcing His Unity. They were very brutally beaten and battered mercilessly, their wealth was usurped unlawfully, they were boycotted in an attempt to kill and ruin them, while some were martyred ruthlessly and their women were dishonoured. This was to the extent that disturbed by these cruelties, many Muslims left Makkah and migrated to Abyssinia. However, the Quraish did not rest at this either and sent a delegation to the Royal Court of the Negus in an attempt that these Muhājirīn would somehow return to Makkah and the Quraish would become successful in reverting them from their faith, or eliminating them. Then, great pains were inflicted upon the Master and Leader of the Muslims, who was dearer to them than their own souls, and he was subjected to all kinds of suffering. Upon professing the name of God, the friends and comrades of the Quraish bombarded the Holy Prophet(sa)  with stones in Ṭā’if, to the extent that his body became drenched in blood.” …

In summary, until the Holy Prophet(sa) resided in Makkah, he endured all kinds of torment, but did not take up the sword against the Quraish. The reason being that firstly, before any measures could be taken against the Quraish, according to the custom of Allāh, the divine message needed to be conveyed incontrovertibly, and this called for respite. Secondly, it was also the desire of God that the Muslims exhibit a model of forgiveness and patience to that final limit whereafter remaining silent was equivalent to suicide, which cannot be deemed a commendable deed by any sensible individual.

For Mayar e Kabir please have them read and discuss the following excerpt from Introduction to the Study of the Holy Quran (pg. 266)

Standardized Copies of the Quran

During the time of ‘Uthman complaints began to be received that different

tribes enunciated certain words of the Quran in their own peculiar manner and that

as a result of this non-Muslims who heard these words differently enunciated fell into

the misconception that there were variations in the text of the Quran. It has already

been explained that these variations were the result of tribal or family practice and

had nothing whatsoever to do with any variation in the text nor did they affect the

meaning of any word. Nevertheless, ‘Uthman thought it wise to forbid all variations

even of enunciation of vowel points. He had copies prepared of the text which had

been collected in the time of Abu Bakr and despatched these copies into different

parts of the Muslim dominions and issued a direction that no variation in the

recitation of the Quran from the standard text, even if it was only in the matter of

enunciation of vowel points, should be permitted. In the time of the Holy Prophet

the social life of the Arabs was based upon their tribal divisions; each tribe led an

existence separate from and independent of the others. In their speech they were

accustomed to pronounce certain words in accordance with their own practice.

When they accepted Islam they were welded into one cultured society and Arabic at

once became the vehicle of that culture. Literacy spread very rapidly among the Arabs

and it became quite easy for every one of them to adopt the correct literary

enunciation of every Arabic word. The language of Mecca became the standard for

this purpose. By the time of ‘Uthman, therefore, no justification had been left for

variations in the enunciation of vowel points in accordance with tribal practices in

the recitation of the Quran, particularly when such variations were likely to lead to

misconceptions in the minds of non-Arabs. ‘Uthman’s very prudent and timely action

has been made the basis of the charge by non-Muslim writers that he made changes

in the Quran or that the copies of the Quran promulgated by him were in some

manner different from the standard text or the text as revealed to the Holy Prophet.

These authors imagine that they have discovered a potent weapon of attack against

the accuracy of the text of the Quran, but those who are acquainted with the Arabic

language and with the history of the compilation of the Quran merely smile at the

lack of intelligence betrayed by them.

There can thus be no room for doubt that the text of the Quran promulgated by

‘Uthman was exactly the same as that revealed to the Holy Prophet. There is still less

room for doubt that the text of the Quran has continued absolutely pure and

uncorrupted since ‘Uthman had despatched copies of the standard text to different

parts of the Muslim dominions. These copies were in turn multiplied so extensively

and rapidly that very soon almost every literate Muslim possessed his own copy of the

Quran.