Comprehensive Islamic Studies Review: Grade 7

Quranic Lexicon and Vocabulary Analysis

The following terms are extracted from the Quranic verses to provide precise linguistic and contextual meanings essential for understanding the text:

• Regions and Sides (أقطار): Refers to the various areas, boundaries, or corners of the heavens and the earth.
• Authority or Power (سلطان): Refers to the absolute power or mandate required to transcend the boundaries of the universe.
• By Their Marks (بسيماهم): Refers to identifying features or signs by which people (specifically sinners or the righteous) are recognized on the Day of Judgment.
• Thick Smoke (نحاس): A reference to a dense, smoky substance or molten brass associated with punishment.
• Present/Ready (حاضر/آن): Refers to something that is immediately available or reaches its pinnacle, often used in the context of boiling water.
• Scalding Water (حميم): Water that has reached the absolute maximum degree of heat.
• The Two Heavy Groups (الثقلان): A collective term referring to Mankind (Ins) and Jinn.
• Forelocks (النواصي): The plural of "Nasiyah," which signifies the front part of the head. In a scriptural context, it often refers to the part of the head by which the guilty are seized.
• Accountability (سنفرغ لكم): A divine promise or warning stating, "We shall soon attend to you [for judgment]," indicating the start of the final reckoning for humans and Jinn.

The Comprehensive System of Orphan Sponsorship (Kafalat al-Yateem)

In Islamic law, an orphan (Yateem) is defined as a child whose father has passed away before they have reached the age of maturity. The person who takes responsibility for an orphan's affairs—including financial support, upbringing, and education—is known as a "Kafil."

The Virtues of Orphan Sponsorship

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized the immense spiritual reward for this act, stating: "I and the sponsor of an orphan will be like this in Paradise," and he gestured by joining his index and middle fingers together, leaving only a slight space between them. This signifies the highest level of proximity to the Prophet in the afterlife.

Impact and Effects of Sponsorship

The benefits of sponsoring an orphan are multifaceted, affecting the orphan, the sponsor, and society at large:

1. Impact on the Orphan:

   • Preservation of the orphan's personal wealth and inheritance.
   • Protection from loss, neglect, or falling into deviancy/delinquency.
   • Fostering a sense of being loved and valued by people.

2. Impact on the Sponsor (Kafil):

   • Cultivates a soft heart and eliminates emotional hardness.
   • Earns the mercy of Allah.
   • Ensures companionship with the Prophet (PBUH) in Paradise.
   • Results in an increase in one's personal provision (Rizq).

3. Impact on Society:

   • Promotes a culture of mutual solidarity, cooperation, and love.
   • Leads to the reform of society and ensures safety from crime.

Practical Applications and Legal Boundaries

Sponsorship can take many forms, such as raising the child within one's home, paying for their education and daily expenses, or making monthly donations through recognized charitable organizations like the Red Crescent.

Regarding the guardian's (Wasi) use of an orphan's wealth:

• If the guardian is wealthy, it is strictly forbidden for them to take any portion of the orphan's money.
• If the guardian is poor, they are permitted to use only what is strictly necessary for the orphan's basic needs (food, drink, and clothing).
• It is strictly prohibited for a poor guardian to use the orphan's funds to purchase luxury items or expensive personal belongings for themselves; they must strictly preserve the orphan's wealth.

Divine Attributes and the Nature of Creation

Infinite Knowledge vs. Finite Knowledge

There is a fundamental theological distinction between Divine and human knowledge. Allah's knowledge is absolute, comprehensive, and encompasses everything that is hidden (the unseen) or public. In contrast, human knowledge is limited to what can be observed or discovered through the senses and intellect. Allah knows both what is declared and what is kept secret, whereas humans only know what they see.

The Concept of Mortality (Fana')

The Quranic principle "Every being on earth is perishing" (كل من عليها فان) signifies that everything in existence—including mountains, trees, stones, animals, Jinn, and humans—will eventually cease to exist. Only Allah, the Exalted, remains eternal. This serves as a reminder of the temporary nature of worldly life.

The Philosophy and Practice of Voluntary Worship (An-Nawafil)

Allah has established voluntary acts of worship (Nawafil) to complement each obligatory act (Faridha). These acts serve to compensate for any deficiencies or shortcomings in the performance of the mandatory duties.

1. Zakat and Charity: The obligatory Zakat is complemented by voluntary charity (Sadaqah), building mosques, and sponsoring orphans.
2. Fasting: The obligatory fast of Ramadan is complemented by voluntary fasting, such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, the "White Days" ($13^{\text{th}}$, $14^{\text{th}}$, and $15^{\text{th}}$ of each lunar month), and the six days of Shawwal.
3. Hajj: The obligatory pilgrimage is complemented by the voluntary Umrah performed outside the Hajj season.
4. Prayer: Obligatory prayers are complemented by voluntary prayers such as the Sunan Rawatib (prayers associated with the five daily fard prayers), Duha prayer, Qiyam al-Layl (night prayer), Tahajjud, and Witr.

Detailed Comparison of Voluntary Prayers: Duha and Qiyam al-Layl

The Duha Prayer:

• Virtue: It is considered a form of charity for every joint in the human body. It is also known as the prayer of the "Awwabeen" (those who frequently turn back to Allah in repentance).
• Timing: Begins after the sun has risen to the height of a spear and ends approximately $15$ minutes before the Dhuhr prayer.
• Number of Raka'ahs: The minimum is $2$ raka'ahs, and the maximum is $12$ raka'ahs.

The Night Prayer (Qiyam al-Layl):

• Virtue: It acts as an expiation for sins, a sign of a righteous person, and a means to draw closer to Allah. Frequent prostration in this prayer raises one's degree in Paradise and erases mistakes.
• Timing: Starts after the Isha prayer and continues until the dawn (Fajr) prayer.
• Number of Raka'ahs: There is no specific set number of raka'ahs for the night prayer.

Tajweed: Rules of Recitation in Quranic Verses

The following rules of Noon Sakinah and Tanween are identified in specific Quranic texts:

• Idgham with Ghunnah (إدغام بغنة): Found in the phrase "فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ" (Fruit and palm trees), where the tanween merges with the following 'Waw'.
• Ikhfa Shafawi (إخفاء شفوي): Identified in the phrase "جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ" regarding the hidden 'Meem'.
• Ithar (إظهار): Identified in the phrase "شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ", where the tanween is pronounced clearly.
• Iqlab (إقلاب): Found in "مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ", where the 'Noon' or Tanween is flipped into a 'Meem' sound.
• Idgham without Ghunnah (إدغام بدون غنة): Found in "بَاسِقَاتٍ لَّهَا", where the tanween merges into the 'Lam' without nasalization.

Questions and Discussion

Interaction: Distinction between Asking and Requesting

A distinction is made regarding the verse "Him seek [ask] all those in the heavens and the earth" (يسأله من في السموات والأرض):

• Question (Su'al): Usually directed from a lower entity to a higher entity (e.g., humans asking Allah).
• Request (Talab): Usually directed from a higher entity to a lower entity.

Discussion: Who asks Allah and what do they ask for?

• Inhabitants of Earth: Humans and Jinn. They ask for health, provision (Rizq), and guidance (Hidayah).
• Inhabitants of the Heavens: The Angels. They ask for forgiveness (Istighfar) for the believers.

Ethics and Personal Opinion:

• Scenario 1: A student boasts to his classmates about buying expensive clothes.
  • Implicit Guidance: This is discouraged as it fosters pride and may hurt the feelings of others.
• Scenario 2: Who has greater merit: the scientist who invented the computer or the factory owner who manufactures it?
  • Analysis: This is left for student reflection to weigh the value of knowledge/innovation versus economic production.
• Scenario 3: What happens if criminals are not punished or negligent employees are not held accountable?
  • Analysis: Failure to uphold justice leads to the breakdown of social order and increased corruption.