Giant pages of ancient copy of Qur’an on display in Washington

Washington: Two consecutive giant pages of the Holy Qur’an are being displayed at the show “The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts,” which opened Saturday at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington.
The sprawling pages, each measuring 5 feet by 7 feet, have rows of calligraphy standing 8 to 9 inches high. They date from about 1400 and have been on long-term loan to the Smithsonian museum. The passage on display is from a chapter explaining that “signs of God and evidence of His goodness are all around,” according to Simon Rettig, assistant curator of Islamic Art.

Rejecting an Excuse

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “When someone offers an excuse to his fellow Muslim and the latter does not accept it, his sin is like the crime of imposing taxes.” [Ibn Majah]

To reject someone’s excuse is basically to accuse him/her of lieing. Before you assume that someone is lieing, think about how sinful you will be if they are not lieing while you accuse them of it. If they are lieing, while you give them the benefit of the doubt, you get your reward for following the Sunnah, while they will have to face their accountability before Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

With Whom You Love

“A man asked the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), ‘When will the Hour be established, O Allah’s Messenger?’ The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘What have you prepared for it?’ The man said, ‘I haven’t prepared for it much of Salaat (prayers) or Saum (fasts) or Sadaqa (charity), but I love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ‘You will be with those whom you love.’” [Sahih Bukhari]

Notice that when the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was asked when the Day of Judgement would be, he asked in return ‘What have you prepared for it?’ This is because what matters is not when it will happen, but what will happen to you when it happens. Although nobody knows the exact time of its occurrence, it is sure to happen. Each and every person to have ever lived on the face of the earth will be resurrected and present on the occasion. So when it happens is immaterial. Of much greater significance is the preparation we make for it.