8.30 a.m
It was a bright sunny day as I walk along the lake on my way to attend my weekly Halaqah. I smiled as I watch a group of people having their lunch while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Lake Garden.
I was a bit early, so I chose a comfortable place under the shade of a big tree facing the beautiful lake and took out my phone from my sling bag,
" My dear akhawats, Alhamdulillah, I have already arrived at the Lake Garden, I'll send the picture to our group, see you soon, In Shaa Allah, our Halaqah will start at 9. p/s: Please bring along your Quran and a Sajadah. Love you always, Sara" I texted.
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9.05 a.m
" Assalamualaikum, Kak Sara, how are you today? " Ain comes, with her other two friends, Fatimah and Salwa. " Alhamdulillah, bikhair " I replied. We sit in a circle waiting for Khadijah and Maryam to join. " We are on our way, kak Sarah, please wait for us ;) " was their text. I smiled as I replied their text; " Ok dear, kheir, In Shaa Allah, drive safe ;)".
9.20 a.m
" Here we are! Sorry girls for being late :) " Khadijah surprised us. Ain cleared her throat and said, " Ehm, Assalamualaikum Khadijah ". Khadijah giggled. "Waalaikumsalam..hehe" she answered.
" Let start our Halaqah, girls ;), this is the best time to start, our topic today is so much related to this particular time of the day" They all looked at me puzzled.
" What is our topic of discussion for today? " Salwa asked excitedly. I let them guess for a moment. " What time is it now, Fatimah? " I asked. Fatimah looked at her watch and said, " It is exactly 9.30 a.m, kak Sara"
" How is the day today, Maryam? Did you notice anything while you are driving just now?" " Hm, nothing special, it is a bright sunny day today!" Maryam answered confidently. " Do you know the Arabic word for this particular time of a day?" And just then, Salwa smiled and said," It is the hour of Dhuhaa." I nodded.
" You are right, Salwa, and do you know what is so special about Dhuhaa? "
" Is not that we are encouraged to pray the 2 rakaat of Dhuhaa prayer, for a blessing of Rizq?"
That is true, but why did Allah took an oath by the name of "Dhuuhaa " in Surah Ad-Dhuhaa?. We soon will learn that there are two important reasons why Allah swear by the name of Dhuhaa in the Quran."
" How is the day today, Maryam? Did you notice anything while you are driving just now?" " Hm, nothing special, it is a bright sunny day today!" Maryam answered confidently. " Do you know the Arabic word for this particular time of a day?" And just then, Salwa smiled and said," It is the hour of Dhuhaa." I nodded.
" You are right, Salwa, and do you know what is so special about Dhuhaa? "
" Is not that we are encouraged to pray the 2 rakaat of Dhuhaa prayer, for a blessing of Rizq?"
That is true, but why did Allah took an oath by the name of "Dhuuhaa " in Surah Ad-Dhuhaa?. We soon will learn that there are two important reasons why Allah swear by the name of Dhuhaa in the Quran."
"What is it? What is it? " They asked anxiously.
" The purpose of oaths in Surah Ad-Dhuhaa is to catch our attention and to make us reflect on what is happening around us. Dhuhaa literally means Morning Brightness.
" If you are used to commuting and driving in the morning, you would notice that when the sun is starting to rise it can get really bright. It may not be as hot as the noon sun, but it sure is bright. Just like today, just like right now, " I emphasised.
" The Arab used to give the name Dhuhaa to the time in the morning when the sun is at its brightest that you don't see the moon and the stars. Ad-Dhuhaa is the time when the sun is alone in the sky. Allah used "Dhuhaa" as a soothing word for His beloved, Muhammad S.A.W at the time where his people ignore and abandon him. As if He was saying, " Don't be sad, I am here with you."
" What happened at that time? " Fatimah inquired.
" The revelation stop coming for few days and at the same time, a group of Mushrikoon, ( one of the scholar says, it is the wife of Abu Lahab) made a sarcastic comment to Muhammad S.A.W that "your God has forsaken and abandoned you". They further commented that "God is displeased with you."Some of the mufasiroon says that it is due to this upsetting comments that this Surah is revealed. Allah was comforting the Prophet by revealing the Surah. Subhanallah.
That is something that we can take a lesson from, the beauty of the word "Dhuhaa". If the whole world rejects you, realise that you are not actually alone in this world, because there is the One who is above the Heaven who accepts you and just like "Dhuhaa" who stands alone in the brightest, we sometimes have to be alone to shine the brightest.
Sometimes, we need that time to be alone and just spend it by talking to Him. Do you know what is the best time for it? " I asked them.They all shook their head.
Their eyes widen. " Subhanallah, there are more story of "Dhuhaa" than I already know, it is not just about the Dhuhaa prayer, it is something more, something that we can reflect whenever we see the sun shines brightly in the sky" Fatimah concluded. " Indeed, it is not just about " what a sunny day today" but more on " how wonderful that Allah gives us the beautiful Dhuhaa " Maryam continued.
" Alhamdulillah, a new gem from today's halaqah, thank you, Kak Sara for the sharing, I hope that I can be as bright as the "Dhuhaa" whenever I stand up for my Tahajud spending my time alone with Him during the one-third of the night" Salwa prayed.We all prayed the same.
" Alhamdulillah, I'm so happy that we all can benefit from the lesson of Surah Dhuha, and that conclude our Halaqah for today. Hm, since it still Dhuhaa time, let us pray Dhuhaa together here, is it ok with all of you? "
" With pleasure " They answered.
" The purpose of oaths in Surah Ad-Dhuhaa is to catch our attention and to make us reflect on what is happening around us. Dhuhaa literally means Morning Brightness.
" If you are used to commuting and driving in the morning, you would notice that when the sun is starting to rise it can get really bright. It may not be as hot as the noon sun, but it sure is bright. Just like today, just like right now, " I emphasised.
" The Arab used to give the name Dhuhaa to the time in the morning when the sun is at its brightest that you don't see the moon and the stars. Ad-Dhuhaa is the time when the sun is alone in the sky. Allah used "Dhuhaa" as a soothing word for His beloved, Muhammad S.A.W at the time where his people ignore and abandon him. As if He was saying, " Don't be sad, I am here with you."
"Your Lord has not abandoned you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you]. ( Ad-Dhuhaa : 3)
" What happened at that time? " Fatimah inquired.
" The revelation stop coming for few days and at the same time, a group of Mushrikoon, ( one of the scholar says, it is the wife of Abu Lahab) made a sarcastic comment to Muhammad S.A.W that "your God has forsaken and abandoned you". They further commented that "God is displeased with you."Some of the mufasiroon says that it is due to this upsetting comments that this Surah is revealed. Allah was comforting the Prophet by revealing the Surah. Subhanallah.
That is something that we can take a lesson from, the beauty of the word "Dhuhaa". If the whole world rejects you, realise that you are not actually alone in this world, because there is the One who is above the Heaven who accepts you and just like "Dhuhaa" who stands alone in the brightest, we sometimes have to be alone to shine the brightest.
Sometimes, we need that time to be alone and just spend it by talking to Him. Do you know what is the best time for it? " I asked them.They all shook their head.
" It is during Tahajud, the time where you are being alone with Allah at the one-third of the night. The feeling of being alone and talking to Him is priceless. It is something that you will never get to explain in words, but you can feel in your true heart."
Their eyes widen. " Subhanallah, there are more story of "Dhuhaa" than I already know, it is not just about the Dhuhaa prayer, it is something more, something that we can reflect whenever we see the sun shines brightly in the sky" Fatimah concluded. " Indeed, it is not just about " what a sunny day today" but more on " how wonderful that Allah gives us the beautiful Dhuhaa " Maryam continued.
" Alhamdulillah, a new gem from today's halaqah, thank you, Kak Sara for the sharing, I hope that I can be as bright as the "Dhuhaa" whenever I stand up for my Tahajud spending my time alone with Him during the one-third of the night" Salwa prayed.We all prayed the same.
" Alhamdulillah, I'm so happy that we all can benefit from the lesson of Surah Dhuha, and that conclude our Halaqah for today. Hm, since it still Dhuhaa time, let us pray Dhuhaa together here, is it ok with all of you? "
" With pleasure " They answered.
In a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (s) said:
“Every morning there is on the bones and joints of any of you a charitable act. Every tasbeehah is a charitable act; every tahmeedah is a charitable act; every tahleelah is a charitable act; every takbeerah is a charitable act; ordering the good is a charitable act; eradicating evil is a charitable act. To fulfill that charity, it is sifficient to pray two rakats of Dhuha.”
