Surah 58: Al Mujadilah (Day 1) | Original English Commentary | Project Illumine

Day 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 58: Al Mujadilah (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses our progression with the Qur’an under Project Illumine and the singularity of what we have been doing at The Usuli Institute, along with reflections on an Article. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 16 April 2022.
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[@NorthStar-di8sx]

Mind-blowing, May Allah bless the shaykh and every person who is part of this endeavour.

[@stephenconnolly1830]

TIMESTAMPS Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem [Video suitable for viewing at increased Playback speed. Grace Song's preamble until 14:30] 15:04 Surah al-Mujadilah, #58, chapter The Argument/The Pleading Woman... 17:45 ...dealing with the equivalent of moral responsibility in discourse - described. 19:20 the primary theme of the chapter - communication and its dynamic; نَجْوٰۤی \ Najwa \ counsel ( see Ayah #7). 22:12 the notion of the party of God - Hizb Allah - versus the party of Satan - Hizb al-Shaytan - only found in Surah al-Mujadilah and later in Surah al-Ma'ida. 24:30 the meaning of the chapter far transcending the historical reality of Surah al-Mujadilah - the danger of being trapped in the paradigm of the latter. 30:00 discourse as the dynamics of communication - upholding or defeating morality by communication - جدال \ Jidal \ disputation. 33:18 every Ayah of the chapter evidencing 1 to 3 occurrences of God's name - Allah. 35:50 the phenomenon of the potential distortion of reality thru' speech - its construct therein. 43:00 revelation of the chapter; its positioning, occurrence, traditional commentaries' occasion for revelation... 44:17 ...en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khawla_bint_Tha'labah 46:39 the contemporaneous practice of pre-revelation ظھار \ Dhihar \ divorce in Arabian society described in detail... 50:45 ...resulting in the common situation of an out of control reality, as demonstrated in the case of Khawla bint Tha'labah... 52:40 ...who considers the matter far from being pedestrian in nature... 54:00 ...referring it to the Prophet - 2 narratives recorded therein... 57:55 ...no solution forthcoming from the Prophet - enter the revelation... 58:50 ...Ayah #1: (God has heard the statement of she who argued with you concerning her husband, as she complained to God. God heard your conversation. God is Hearing and Seeing). 1:00:27 Ayah #2: "alladheena yuthahiroona minkum min nisa-ihim ma hunna ummahatihim in ummahatuhum..." (Those of you who estrange their wives by equating them with their mothers-they are not their mothers...)... 1:02:30 ...the appropriate كفارة \ Kaffara \ recompense for the corruption herein given in Ayah #3: (Those who estrange their wives by equating them with their mothers, then go back on what they said, must set free a slave before they may touch one another. To this you are exhorted, and God is well aware of what you do)... 1:03:09 ...and Ayah #4: (But whoever cannot find the means must fast for two consecutive months before they may touch one another. And if he is unable, then the feeding of sixty needy people. This, in order that you affirm your faith in God and His Messenger. These are the ordinances of God. The unbelievers will have a painful punishment). 1:06:52 Khawla's interaction with Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab. 1:10:40 the lesson here: the wrongs resulting from the abuse of communication... 1:12:48 ...Surah al-Mujadilah giving the appropriate "process" absent the Prophet - the pitfalls in train discussed. 1:18:55 the pre-eminent importance of al-Ulum al-Ihya \ the law representing the Divine will. 1:21:47 Tahrir Raqaba \ freeing humans from oppressive bondage (see Ayah #3) discussed. 1:24:07 emotional injury due to inappropriate language... 1:26:20 ...the need for legal dynamics to keep pace with the moral & ethical dynamics of society - this not being the case in Muslim societies hence the low regard for Islamic jurists today. 1:29:45 the fascinating Riwayat \ narrations pre and post revelation of Ayah #2 in relation to the pronouncement of Dhihar \ divorce... 1:40:40 ...pondering on the narratives = an ingrained social practice + the responsiveness of the Prophet to the need for their reform; problem solving via the exercise of flexibility and dynamism while maintaining principles. 1:43:44 Ayah #4: "...watil'ka hudoodu al-laah walil'kafireena adhabun aleem" (...These are the ordinances of God. The unbelievers will have a painful punishment). 1:46:00 Ayah #5: "inna alladheena yuhaddoona al-laaha warasoolahu kubitoo kama kubita alladheena min qablihim..." (Those who oppose God and His Messenger will be subdued, as those before them were subdued...)... 1:47:29 ...the responsibility of the discursive process highlighted in Ayah #6 indicating the reality of taking the impact of one's speech so lightly: "...fayunabbi-uhum bima amiloo ahsahu al-laahu wanasooh..." (...and informs them of what they did. God has kept count of it, but they have forgotten it...). 1:50:13 Ayah #7: (Do you not realise that God knows everything in the heavens and everything on earth? There is no secret counsel between three, but He is their fourth; nor between five, but He is their sixth; nor less than that, nor more, but He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. God has knowledge of everything). 1:51:50 Ayah #8: "alam tara ila alladheena nuhoo ani an-najwa thumma ya'oodoona lima nuhoo anhu wayatanajawna bil-ith'mi wal-'ud'wani wama'siyati ar-rasooli wa-idha ja-ooka hayyawka bima lam yuhayyika bihi al-laahu wayaqooloona fi anfusihim lawla yu'adhibuna al-laahu bima naqool hasbuhum jahannamu yaslawnaha fabi'sa al-maseer" (Have you noted those who were prohibited from conspiring secretly, but then reverted to what they were prohibited from? They conspire to commit sin, and aggression, and defiance of the Messenger. And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting that God never greeted you with. And they say within themselves, "Why does God not punish us for what we say?" Hell is enough for them. They will roast in it. What a miserable destiny!). 1:53:22 al-Najwa as exclusive/inaccessible counsel - its phenomenon in Medina resulting in rumours and conspiracy theories; practiced by the insipid Muslims... 2:01:00 ...the comparison with Mujadil \ Jidal. 2:04:02 reference to Ayah #8 in relation to the infamous Medinese Jewish sneer as part of their greeting "as-samu alaykum" (death unto you) directed at the Muslims. 2:10:05 Ayah #9: "...fala tatanajaw bil-ith'mi wal-'ud'wani wama'siyati ar-rasooli watanajaw bil-biri wal-taqwa..." (do not converse in sin, and aggression, and disobedience of the Messenger; but converse in virtue and piety...). 2:10:44 Ayah #10: "innama an-najwa mina ash-shaytani liyahzuna alladheena amanoo..." (Conspiracies are from Satan, that he may dishearten those who believe...)... 2:12:57 ...(...but he will not harm them in the least, except by leave of God. So let the believers put their trust in God). 2:13:17 Ayah #11: "yaayyuha alladheena amanoo idha qeela lakum tafassahoo fi al-majalisi faf'sahoo yafsahi al-laahu lakum wa-idha qeela unshuzoo fanshuzoo yarfa'i al-laahu alladheena amanoo minkum wa-alladheena ootoo al-'il'ma darajat wal-laahu bima ta'maloona khabeer" (O you who believe! When you are told to make room in your gatherings, make room; God will make room for you. And when you are told to disperse, disperse. God elevates those among you who believe, and those given knowledge, many steps. God is Aware of what you do). 2:17:12 al-Razi's commentary concerning Ayah #11 - not about making space in gatherings but the dynamic of "opening the doors of goodness" facilitating ease, goodness and happiness... 2:23:20 ...Ayah #11: "idha qeela lakum tafassahoo fi al-majalisi" (When you are told to make room in your gatherings) as an entire moral philosophy... 2:24:24 ...juxtaposed against the profoundly hierarchical Muslim societies of today. 2:26:09 Ayah #11: "...yarfa'i al-laahu alladheena amanoo minkum wa-alladheena ootoo al-'il'ma darajat..." (...God elevates those among you who believe, and those given knowledge, many steps...). 2:26:40 the need to move outside one's comfort zone as promoted in Ayah #11: "...wa-idha qeela unshuzoo fanshuzoo..." (...And when you are told to disperse, disperse...). 2:32:00 returning to the passage in Ayah #11: "wa-alladheena ootoo al-'il'ma darajat" (those among you who believe, and those given knowledge, many steps). 2:40:47 returning to Ayah #8 and the inhuman imputation of God in our affairs when it pleases: "...wa-idha ja-ooka hayyawka bima lam yuhayyika bihi al-laahu wayaqooloona fi anfusihim lawla yu'adhibuna al-laahu bima naqool..." (...And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting that God never greeted you with. And they say within themselves, "Why does God not punish us for what we say?"...). 2:45:50 [the Professor's outro concerning Cameron Lee] 2:47:23 [Grace Song's outro]

[@cassandrarobinson2458]

Alhamdulilah and thanks for the timeline. Much appreciated