Reflection on Juz’ 19 by Kori Majeed

بسم اللّه الرّحمان الرّحيم

The Qur’an is magnetic. It captivates me with the rhythms of the Arabic language and its grammatical idiosyncrasies. It lures me in with its stories and themes. I can open a page and get stopped in my tracks with the turn of a phrase that seems to be written just for me. One of the delights of the Qur’an that gets me especially energized is when Allah directs me to look at His signs. “Surely, in this are signs…” is an oft-repeated refrain that gives me joy. I get amped when Allah mentions signs from the natural world in the Qur’an. These signs are my cues to break out a highlighter or a sticky tab for my mushaf, or make a digital bookmark on my Qur’an app, then read through the tafsir, and take a moment to meditate on what Allah is saying directly to me.

The signs are reminders to walk with humble dignity on the earth; to spend in moderation and be grateful; to serenely spread peace and a sincere good word even to the ignorant; to stand and prostrate night and day; to make dua that Allah keeps us away from shirk, infidelity, killing, and saves us from a perpetual punishment in an evil place.

Reflect with me on the signs in the ayahs and pages of Juz’ 19 (25:21–27:55). Allow your brain to act as a projector screen, and watch how each sign generates a mental picture that washes over your thoughts.

 

Allah sends signs…

     in the heavens and the earth created in six days

     in the empty ruins of the ruined who plotted against His messengers and denied His promise

     in the burning and luminous lamps He placed in the sky

     in the sun and its relationship to the shadows which He subtly lengthens and shortens

     in the night like clothing that covers and conceals

     in the nights and in the days that can not help but alternate

     in sleep made for rest and in the day made for resurrection

     in the winds that bring good tidings before His mercy

     in pure water that He sends from the sky, giving life and drink

     in fresh, sweet seas prevented from mixing with salty, bitter seas

     in our bodies created from water

     in watery bodily fluids and in our blood which creates relatives and lineages

     in an ant warning her people about the feet of a prophet’s infantry

     in a she-camel to be left alone and in the punishment of those who killed her

     in His punishments of the disbelievers through fierce, bitterly cold winds, black clouds, earthquakes, or stone rain

     in a prophet’s staff that became a mighty serpent, devouring lies, then later parted a sea to save souls

     in souls who were salvaged and in the sullied souls who were drowned

     in a believer who used Allah’s greatest name to place the throne of a queen in front of his prophet-king before the king could even blink in his blessed name ﷺ        that the scholars of Bani Israel recognize in their own books

 

Who are these signs for? The signs are for us! Every ayah is worthy of moments of reflection in order to nourish our hearts. The signs are reminders to walk with humble dignity on the earth; to spend in moderation and be grateful; to serenely spread peace and a sincere good word even to the ignorant; to stand and prostrate night and day; to make dua that Allah keeps us away from shirk, infidelity, killing, and saves us from a perpetual punishment in an evil place. The signs remind us to remember Allah, send salaams on His beloved ﷺ, and to recognize that He is One.

When it comes to the Book of the Qur’an and the Book of Nature, it’s the signs for me.

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