Brief Tafseer: Juz 5 (An-Nisa 24 to 147)

 

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem

•  When a person gets married they should be mindful that they need to carry out the rights of their spouse, suggesting that marriage in Islam is not simply to fulfill carnal desires, but to have a companion whose rights you recognize and discharge.
• Mahr is a loan that has to be paid off preferably as soon as possible. 
• Allah has revealed these ahkamaat and instructions in the Quran to create ease for us, because man is weak in his resolve, determination and will power.
• man in his weakness turns to sins again and again, but as soon as they realize their mistakes, they should turn back to Allah
• The more a person grows distant from the Quran and Sunnah, the more their lives become difficult. The more a person remains close to the Quran and Sunnah, the more ease and clarity they have. 
• Allah expiates minor sins with the barakah of good deeds, liking doing wudu, reciting the Quran. He forgives those sins which have met the conditions of repentance, which are recognizing the sin, sincere repentance, and resolve to never return to the sin again. 
• some of the major sins are: neglecting salah, not fasting in the month of ramadan despite having no excuse, black magic, involving one's self in transactions of riba, false testimony, gambling, backbiting, slandering the chaste, to be heedless of physical impurity, to breach trust, to seek religious knowledge for worldly show-off 
• A person should stay away from these major sins.
• some of the minor sins are: to look at things which are forbidden, to delay the salah without any reason, who deeply associate with people who do not believe in Allah, to walk proudly etc
• we learn from hadith that being constantly engaged in a minor sin makes it a major sin, for example, if a person becomes accustomed to delaying salah on a daily basis, making it a habit, then this turns in to a major sin.  
• A person should have knowledge of what is permissible and impermissible so that a person abstains from the impermissible in the first place.
• There are some battles we fight on a daily basis, some sins that we have trouble giving up. Ramadan is the right time to pray to Allah subhanahu'watala to ask for the strength to give up those sins.
• a person should make excessive du'a in this month
• a way of letting go of sins is through increasing one's worship
• Inheritance is distributed according to the laws set by Allah, with 1/3 being the maximum of what a person may will for others.
• Every relationship, organization, requires someone managing the affairs, in order to keep the affairs clear. This does not mean that one who is not the manager is inferior in anyway.
• in the case of a family unit, the husband/father is the one in charge
• the division of labor in an Islamic family structure should be considered a mercy and protection
• A great example of the islamic family structure is from the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ used to honor his wives, was sensitive to their feelings, and most importantly how he seeked council from his wives. 
• the couple should be in mutual trust and agreement about the matters of the household, like parenting.
• We should have the best akhlaq towards our parents, relatives and orphans. Allah dislikes those who are arrogant and proud; those who are miserly, conceal their blessings.
• The Prophet ﷺ will stand as a witness over our deeds in the hereafter. 
• It is better that you replenish your hunger and thirst, and then pray salah so that you may pray without distractions. Similarly, a person should not be so sleepy during their salah that they don't know what they are reciting.
• We should ask Allah to purify our hearts and deeds in the month of Ramadan.
• Jealousy is despicable in the eyes of Allah subhanahu'watala, and we should try to abstain from it by making du'a for the one who we envy.
• when a person makes du'a for a person who they are envious of, then Allah cures this disease of hasad from our hearts
• a person should try to honor them, give them respect, and give them gifts

Notes from tafseer with Alimah Sobia Hasan

• The only thing certain in our life is our death. There is nothing that will keep the angel of death away when it is our time to die, so prepare.
• Since Allah is the one who has given us life, it is only Him who can take it away: so do not commit suicide.
• the desire to die comes from a place of despair, and in these moments it's important to remember that yes, life is tough, but Allah has compassion towards you, so should you for yourself
• Allah has created people with different strengths and weaknesses, everyone has something which may make them be as a source of comparison. Hence, rather than viewing our limitations as obstacles, we need to view them as avenues, as gateways for good.
• before we look at other's mistakes, we should look at our past and see what we have done; so be forgiving
• For a believer every difficulty is an opportunity to get into Heaven, our success is in being pleased with Allah's decree.
• Dependency on ourselves is exhausting, so we must depend on Allah because He is sufficient as a helper and friend.
• relying on Allah does not mean a person stops taking precautions
• The limits that Allah has set down for us are for our own good, they are practical and very much do-able.
• Stinginess is one the worst traits a person can possess, especially when their behavior originates from unwillingness to share with others.
• Spread Salaam because Salaam is a sincere du'a for someone's wellbeing. It is a way of increasing love, and should not only be reserved for strangers. Say it to your family, within your home.
• Salah and zakat are two ways to fight the nafs, to discipline our own self. Shaytaan has taken multiple oaths to mislead mankind, to harm them, so it is important we recognize him as an enemy and stay connected to our daily ibadah.
• Shaytaan makes sinful things look attractive, he shows falsehood as truth, and truth as falsehood. He makes sins look small to us, belittles their enormity, therefore we should never think of a sin as too small.
• he knows that we are weak so he comes to us through the door of our desires
• salah is performed to remember Allah, hence try to make your self focus in prayer. Laziness with regards to prayer is a sign of hypocrisy, especially delaying it on purpose with no apparent reason
• Gratitude leads us to more worship. It is something that strengthens our iman. 

Notes from tafseer with Ustadha Taimiyyah Zubair