Good Deed #308 – Sacrifice – Reflect on Surah Kauthar – Abundance

SURA 108. Kauthar, or Abundance
1. To thee have We granted the Fount [of Abundance].
2. Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.
3. For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off [from Future Hope].

8 Productivity Lessons From Surah Al-Kawthar

Ayah 1: Verily  (innaa) we gave you ( ‘ataynaakal) the abundant good (al-Kawthar)

1.      Change your way of thinking: be thankful. One of the most infamous productivity-killers is ingratitude. Ingratitude makes you feel depressed, angry, and worried. You constantly think about what you don’t have. You get angry looking at what others have. In this very first ayah Allah ‘azza wajal does not mention the hardship the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was going through, including the death of his son and the opposition of the pagans. Rather Allah reminds the prophet in the toughest of times of what He had given to him:  abundant good in this life and the next.  Next time a trial hits you, shift your way of thinking from focusing on the trial and what you lost to what Allah has given you.

2.      Benefit from the prophet. Ibn `Abbas said about the meaning of al-Kawthar: It is the good which Allah gave to him (the Prophet)… The river which is in Paradise is part of the goodness which Allah gave him.’ [Al-Bukharee] Allah ‘azza wajal has given you a chance to benefit from the Prophet in many ways. He has made you his follower and given you the Quran through him. His character teaches us how to build your character. The abundance given to him can flow like a river through your life, if you only take his example. Thank Allah for your guidance, strive to understand the Quran, and work on your character. If you want to be close to him on the Day of Judgment, each day send lots of prayers for the Prophetsalallahu alayhi wa sallam, who said:  The closest of people to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who send the most blessings on me [At-Tirmidhee]. Imagine all those times you say: salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam!

Ayah 2: So pray (fasalli) to your Lord (li Rabbika) and sacrifice (wanhar)

3.      Treat your salah as your life-saver. Know and act upon this in life and you will succeed insha’Allah: salah is the first act of ‘ibadah you will be asked about on the Day of Judgment. If it is good, the rest is good. What has caused you to enter Hell? They will say: We were not of those who used to offer their Salat (prayers).  [Quran, 74:42-43]

4. Make sacrifice a part of your day. Thank Allah by actions and not only by words. Sacrifice an hour of time or part of your salary to help someone in need or sacrifice your skills to help out at a charity fundraiser. The problem is that many of us don’t feel the need to make sacrifices. We pray, but when it comes to sacrificing time or wealth we do it occasionally. The secret of a successful Muslim is that you make sacrificing a part of each and every day.

Ayah 3: Indeed (inna) your enemy (shaani’aka)  he (huwa)  is cut off (al abtar)

5.      Dealing with ridicule. The leaders of the Quraysh were ridiculing the prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saying he was abtar, cut off from all future hope and spreading his message because his sons died. Being ridiculed can either make you or break you. From this surah you learn that the good in the Hereafter is exclusively for those who believe and do good. When you are mocked because of your hijaab or your beard, let this surah remind you not to become weak in faith!

6.      Don’t take pride in children. Your possessions and popularity don’t determine that you are good. “Good” means you have a heart that is thankful to Allah. Raise your children as your legacy, never take pride in them as it is Allah to whom we all belong.

7.      Always believe in the promise of Allah and live by it. Who could ever think these powerful Quraysh leaders would be destroyed? What became now of Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, and the like? At the battle of Badr the Prophet stood above their bodies and said: Have you found true what your Lord promised you?” Somebody said to him, “You are addressing dead people.” He replied, “You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee] The name of Muhammad is being called out by millions worldwide in the adhaan, the shahada, the prayer. So who is really abtar – cut off? Whatever happens, know that the promise of Allah is true— all you need to do is stick to your deen. Leave a legacy. Set up a charity project, help others learn the Quran, and leave the rest to Allah ‘azza wajal.

8.       Say bismillah. The prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: Every action that does not begin with Allah’s remembrance is cut off  (severed). [An-Nasa’i] “Cut off,”, according to the scholars, means “cut off from blessings.” So increase in saying bismillah!

 

source: understand the quran