Savor & Soul: Cooking with Islamic Wisdom

  Surah At-Tin Arabic Text & English Translation 1. وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ By the fig and the olive. 2. وَطُورِ سِينِينَ And by Mount Sinai. 3. وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ And by this secure city (Makkah). 4. لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ Indeed, We created man in the best form. 5. ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ Then We return him to the lowest of the low. 6. إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ Except those who believe and do righteous deeds. 7. فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ For them will be a reward that will never end. 8. فَمَا يُكَذِّبُكَ بَعْدُ بِالدِّينِ So what causes you to deny the Judgment after this? 9. أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ Is Allah not the most just of judges? Introduction Surah At-Tin is a short but powerful chapter of the Qur’an. It reminds humanity about the honor and dignity of human creation and warns that without faith and righteous deeds, humans can fall to the lowest ...

  Surah Ash-Sharh Translation (English) 1. Did We not expand for you your chest? 2. And We removed from you your burden 3. Which had weighed upon your back 4. And We raised high for you your reputation 5. For indeed, with hardship comes ease 6. Indeed, with hardship comes ease 7. So when you are free, then strive in worship 8. And to your Lord turn all your attention. This Surah was revealed to comfort Muhammad during the difficult early days of preaching Islam in Makkah. Explanation (Simple Tafsir) 1. Expansion of the chest Allah gave the Prophet ﷺ spiritual strength, wisdom, and patience to carry the mission of Islam. 2–3. Removal of the burden The heavy responsibility and worries of the message of Islam were made easier by Allah. 4. Raising the mention Allah raised the status of the Prophet ﷺ. His name is mentioned with Allah in the Shahadah, Adhan, and prayers. 5–6. Hardship with ease Allah repeats this message twice to assure believers that every hardship is...

  Content based on Surah Maryam (Verses 28–34) describing the miracle of Jesus. Surah Maryam 28–34 Translation Verse 28 “O sister of Aaron! Your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste.” Verse 29 So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?” Verse 30 He said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.” Verse 31 “And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live.” Verse 32 “And He has made me dutiful to my mother and has not made me arrogant or miserable.” Verse 33 “And peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised alive.” Verse 34 That is Jesus, the son of Mary — the word of truth about which people are in dispute. Explanation These verses describe one of the greatest miracles in the Quran. When Maryam returned to her people carrying the baby Jesus, they accused her b...

  Surah Maryam 22–27 Translation Verse 22 So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. Verse 23 Then the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and had been forgotten and out of sight.” Verse 24 Then a voice called to her from below her, “Do not grieve. Your Lord has placed a stream beneath you.” Verse 25 “And shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.” Verse 26 “So eat and drink and be comforted. And if you see any person, say: ‘Indeed I have vowed a fast to the Most Merciful, so I will not speak to any human today.’” Verse 27 Then she brought the child to her people carrying him. They said, “O Mary! You have certainly done an astonishing thing.” Explanation (From Tafsir of Ibn Kathir) According to Ibn Kathir: When Maryam (Mary) became pregnant with Prophet Isa (Jesus), she withdrew from people to a distant place out of modesty and fear o...

  Surah Maryam (19:16–21) English Translation Verse 16 And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. Verse 17 And she took a screen to seclude herself from them. Then We sent to her Our Spirit (Angel Jibreel), and he appeared before her as a well-proportioned man. Verse 18 She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, if you are God-fearing.” Verse 19 He said, “I am only a messenger of your Lord to grant you a pure son.” Verse 20 She said, “How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor have I been unchaste?” Verse 21 He said, “Thus it will be. Your Lord says: ‘It is easy for Me. We will make him a sign for mankind and a mercy from Us.’ And this matter has already been decreed.” Explanation (Simple Tafsir) These verses describe the beginning of the miraculous story of Maryam (Mary) and the birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus). Maryam chose a quiet place away from people to worship Allah. During this time,...

  Translation 9 to 15 Verse 9 He (Allah) said: “So it will be. Your Lord says: ‘It is easy for Me. I created you before when you were nothing.’” Verse 10 Zakariya said: “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said: “Your sign is that you will not speak to people for three nights, though you are healthy.” Verse 11 Then he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to glorify Allah morning and evening. Verse 12 “O Yahya (John), hold firmly to the Scripture.” And We granted him wisdom while he was still a child. Verse 13 And We gave him compassion from Us and purity, and he was righteous. Verse 14 And he was dutiful to his parents and was not arrogant or disobedient. Verse 15 And peace be upon him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised alive. Explanation These verses describe the miraculous birth of Prophet Yahya (John) and the great character Allah granted him. Verse 9 Allah tells Prophet Zakariya that giving him a child...

  Surah Maryam (Verses 1–8) English Translation (Verse by Verse) 1. Kaf, Ha, Ya, ‘Ayn, Sad. 2. This is a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zakariya. 3. When he called upon his Lord in a secret supplication. 4. He said: “My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened and my head has filled with gray, and never have I been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord.” 5. “Indeed, I fear what my relatives may do after me, and my wife has been barren, so grant me from Yourself an heir.” 6. “Who will inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, pleasing to You.” 7. (Allah said): “O Zakariya! Indeed We give you the good news of a boy whose name will be Yahya. We have not given this name to anyone before.” 8. He said: “My Lord! How can I have a boy when my wife is barren and I have reached extreme old age?” Introduction Surah Maryam is the 19th chapter of the Qur’an revealed in Makkah. It highlights Allah’s mercy and power through the stories of ...