Islamic Education for Youths by Mohammad Amin Sheikho - HTML preview

End notes

[1]-‘Fortress’: This word means a ‘Surah’ of the Holy Qur’an. On reading ‘a Fortress’ of the Holy Qur’an,  the  faithful believer  sees and  fully takes  into  their  mind the  sublime meanings of its holy and divine words and sentences, which are verses illuminated by the Light of God. This Light surrounds their heart just as securely as the walls that surround a fort.

This  means that entering into God’s Presence through mindful reading makes the spirit become surrounded by His Light.

God’s Light stands as a rampart between the true faithful spirit and the malicious devil, should he try to break through this Light. In this case, the malignant devil will burn and perish. Paying full attention to the sublime  meanings of the words of one Fortress  –  or Surah in Arabic (which means Fortress in English) – fortifies yourself and those who love you against the evil and harm of your enemy, the devil. ]

[2]- Narrated by Muslim, in the book of Prayer, in the chapter on the necessity of reading Al-Fatiha in each bow- in the book The Footing in Prayer (Al-Mawta’ fi As-Salah), in the section on reading after the  imam-Abu Dawud, in the book of Prayer,  in the section on those who neglect reading Al-Fatiha in their prayer.]

[3]- The Arabic word Abd (plural: Ibad) is translated into English as ‘obedient follower. This  word  has  two  meanings. Firstly,  it  can be  used to  refer  to a  true  worshiper,  who obeys God’s Orders voluntarily and with wholehearted pleasure. Secondly, it can also be used to refer to every creature that exists, or to the entirety of creation, which act within the Will of God and obey His Orders,  whether  voluntarily or  involuntarily. The  reader can  understand  the  intended  meaning  of obedient  follower,  or  Abd,  according  to  the context of the text].

[4]- The Arabic word for ‘Compassionate’ is ‘Rahman’ which means the Owner of mercy and   tenderness.   God   deals   with  His   creation   through  this   Name,   sometimes   by overwhelming them with blessings, and this  is what His Mercy requires, and sometimes by striking them with various sorts of afflictions because of their evil deeds, so that they may return to the right path, and this  is what His Tenderness requires. As  for the word ‘Merciful’, which is ‘Raheem’ in Arabic, it refers only to the bestowal of graces.]

[5]-This  noble  saying  is  agreed  on by all  narrators  to  be  passed  on the  tongue  of the prince of believers, our master Umar Ibn Al-Khattab.]