Quran Weekly | That Which is Better | Sheikh Azhar Nasser

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares an inspiring verse from Surat An-Nisa, verse 86, which emphasizes the importance of greeting others with peace. The verse encourages responding to greetings with something better or at least returning the same greeting. This act reflects the foundation of peace and courtesy in life. The speaker also shares a hadith from Imam Sadiq, highlighting the broader message of reciprocating any act of kindness with something better. The video concludes by reminding viewers that Allah takes account of all things, no matter how small, and the significance of good deeds.

Takeaways

• 🕌 The verse shared is from Surat Annisa, verse 86.
• 📜 The verse emphasizes responding to greetings with a better or equal greeting.
• 🌐 The word for greeting in this ayah is 'Talia', which refers to the Islamic greeting 'assalamualaikum'.
• 🤝 The word 'heya' used in the verse comes from 'Hayat', meaning life, suggesting that peace is the foundation of life.
• 💬 Responding to 'assalamu alaykum' with 'walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah' is recommended.
• 📖 A hadith from Imam Sadiq re salam extends this message to include all acts of kindness.
• 🌸 Imam al-Hasan responded to a servant's gift of flowers by freeing her, citing this verse.
• ⚖️ If unable to reciprocate with better, one should at least return the goodness in the same way.
• 📝 Allah takes account of all deeds, including greetings and acts of kindness.
• 🙏 Do not underestimate the value of any good deed, as Allah values and records all.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed is the interpretation of a verse from the Quran, specifically Surat Annisa, verse 86, which emphasizes the importance of greeting others with peace and responding to greetings in a better manner.

Which verse from the Quran is the focus of the video?

The focus is on Surat Annisa, verse 86.

What does the term 'Talia' refer to in the context of the video?

'Talia' refers to the greeting, specifically the Islamic greeting 'assalamu alaikum'.

How does the word 'Hayat' relate to the greeting mentioned in the verse?

The word 'Hayat' means life, and it signifies that the basis of life is peace, which is reflected in the greeting 'assalamu alaikum'.

What does Allah instruct regarding greetings in Surat Annisa, verse 86?

Allah instructs that when someone greets you, you should respond with a greeting that is better or at least return it in kind.

What is an example given in the script of responding to a greeting with a better greeting?

If someone says 'assalamu alaikum', you should respond with 'walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah', adding a wish for blessings and mercy.

What additional message does Imam Sadiq extend from this verse?

Imam Sadiq extends the message to include all acts of goodness, suggesting that any act of kindness should be reciprocated with something better if possible.

What example from the tradition of Imam al-Hasan illustrates reciprocating kindness?

A servant gifted Imam al-Hasan with flowers, and he responded by freeing her, citing the verse as his reason for reciprocating the act of kindness with something better.

What does the verse conclude with regarding God's perspective on actions?

The verse concludes by reminding that God takes account of all things, emphasizing that no good deed is too small to be valued.

What is the overall moral lesson derived from the verse and the explanations provided?

The overall moral lesson is to always strive to reciprocate kindness and greetings with something better, fostering peace and goodwill, as every good deed holds value in the eyes of God.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Greeting with Peace

The speaker introduces a Quranic verse from Surat Annisa (4:86), highlighting the importance of responding to greetings with an equal or better greeting. This is linked to the Islamic greeting 'Assalamu Alaikum', meaning 'peace be upon you'. The word 'heya', related to 'Hayat' (life), implies that peace is fundamental to life. Removing peace and manners takes away the essence of living.

✨ Responding with Better Greetings

The speaker explains that responding to a greeting with a better one is recommended. For instance, if someone says 'Assalamu Alaikum', the response should be 'Walaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullah', adding blessings and mercy. This teaching is supported by a hadith from Imam Sadiq.

🌸 Acts of Kindness Beyond Greetings

Imam Sadiq's interpretation extends beyond greetings to all acts of goodness. If someone offers kindness, it should be reciprocated with something even better. The example of Imam Hasan freeing a servant after receiving flowers illustrates this principle. If unable to surpass the kindness, one should at least return it equally.

📝 Accountability in Good Deeds

The Quranic verse emphasizes that God takes account of all things, encouraging believers not to underestimate the value of any good deed, even a simple greeting. The speaker concludes by reminding the audience of the significance of good deeds for the pleasure of Allah, thanking them for their time and ending with a greeting.

Keywords

💡Salam alaikum

This is an Islamic greeting meaning 'peace be upon you'. It is a significant part of the video as it highlights the importance of greeting others with peace and the broader concept of living a life rooted in peace. The speaker explains that responding to this greeting with an even better greeting is encouraged, showing the value of kindness and courtesy in interactions.

💡Surat Annisa

This is the fourth chapter of the Quran. The verse discussed in the video comes from this chapter, specifically verse 86. Surat Annisa addresses various aspects of social justice, ethics, and the treatment of women, tying into the theme of proper conduct and interactions highlighted in the video.

💡Verse 86

This verse from Surat Annisa emphasizes the importance of returning greetings with something better or at least equally good. It serves as a foundation for the video's message about the significance of reciprocal kindness and good manners in daily life.

💡Tahia

The Arabic word for greeting used in the verse. The video explains that 'tahia' refers to the Islamic greeting 'assalamualaikum', and it signifies the act of greeting someone. The concept is central to the video's theme of promoting peace and positive social interactions.

💡Hayat

This word means 'life' in Arabic. The video connects 'hayat' to 'tahia', suggesting that peace and good manners are the foundation of a meaningful and enjoyable life. It underscores the idea that life is fundamentally about maintaining peace and courtesy.

💡Assalamu alaikum

A traditional Islamic greeting meaning 'peace be upon you'. The video encourages responding to this greeting with an even better one, such as 'walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah', to embody the spirit of kindness and peace that Islam promotes.

💡Imam Sadiq

A revered figure in Islam, particularly in Shia Islam. The video quotes a hadith from Imam Sadiq to reinforce the message of reciprocating greetings and acts of kindness with something better, illustrating the importance of following the teachings of Islamic leaders.

💡Imam al-Hasan

Another significant figure in Islam, mentioned in the video as an example of someone who embodied the principles of reciprocating kindness. The story of him freeing a servant in response to a small act of kindness illustrates the video's message of going above and beyond in responding to good deeds.

💡Acts of goodness

Refers to any kind act extended to someone. The video expands the idea of reciprocating greetings to include all acts of goodness, encouraging viewers to respond to any kind action with an even greater one, thus fostering a culture of generosity and goodwill.

💡Inna llaha kana ala kulli shayin hasiba

This phrase means 'surely God takes account of all things'. The video uses this verse ending to remind viewers that no good deed is too small in the eyes of God, emphasizing that every act of kindness is significant and valued.

Highlights

Introduction and greeting to the audience.

Sharing of a verse from Surat Annisa, verse 86.

Translation and explanation of the verse: 'And when you are offered a greeting, respond with a greeting that is better or return it.'

The word for greeting in this ayah is 'Talia,' which commentators link to the Islamic greeting 'assalamu alaikum.'

Explanation of the significance of the greeting 'assalamu alaikum,' meaning 'peace be upon you.'

The term 'heya' is derived from 'Hayat,' meaning 'life,' emphasizing that peace is the foundation of life.

Discussion on the importance of responding to greetings with better or equivalent greetings.

Mention of a hadith from Imam Sadiq regarding the meaning of 'Taha' as 'Salam.'

Expansion of the verse's message to include all acts of goodness.

Story of a servant gifting flowers to Imam Hasan, who responded by freeing her, illustrating reciprocation with better acts.

Encouragement to at least return goodness in the same way if unable to exceed it.

Final reminder that Allah takes account of all deeds, no matter how small.

Emphasis on not underestimating the value of good deeds.

Conclusion and gratitude for the audience's time.

Closing greeting: 'wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.'

Transcripts

Salaam alaikum brothers and sisters and

welcome to

where I share with you verses of

I find inspiring and deeply profound so

the verse that I'd like to share with

you guys this week is from Surat Annisa

verse 86 or Allah subhana WA Ta'ala says

smella rahmanir rahim wade ahoy ye tomb

betta hayatun for high you bias and I

mean ha hoo Doo ha inna llaha cana ala

kulli shayin hashiba

and when you are offered a greeting

respond with the greeting that is better

or return it

surely God takes account of all things

the word for greeting in this ayah is

Talia and it's interesting that the

commentators of the Holy Quran have have

made mention that this Talia is a

reference to the Islamic greeting

assalamualaikum when we greet each other

it is recommended that we say a Salam

alaikum which means peace be upon you

and it's interesting that the word -

heya is used to refer to this greeting

the word - heya comes from the word

Hayat which means life and the idea here

is that the basis of life is peace if

you take away peace if you take away

courtesy and manners

you've taken away the foundation of what

it means to live what it means to enjoy

the the fruits of life Allah subhana wa

tada and this verse tells us that when

someone greets you you should respond

with the greeting that is even better so

for example if someone says assalamu

alaykum you should respond to that

greeting by saying walaikum assalam wa

rahmatullah peace be upon you and may

his blessings and mercy be upon you you

respond with what is better

there's a beautiful hadith from Imam

Sadiq re salam where he says al

Moradabad tahiti fijado he liya

as-salam-o-alaikum in albert the imam

ali salam he says the meaning of Taha in

this verse is Salam as we mentioned but

the Imam extends the message of this

verse to

include all acts of goodness while a

little woman in the bill and the idea

here is that Allah wants to teach us

that if someone greets you your response

to that greeting should be better and if

someone extends any act of kindness to

you you should reciprocate with what is

even better there's a tradition that

says one of the servants of imam al

hasan and mujtaba once gifted him with

some flowers and the imam responded to

that act of goodness by freeing her and

when she asked the imam why are you

freeing me the imam ali sanam cited this

verse with a hurry eat some betta hey

attend why you will be i cinnamon ha

and then the quran says o lo do ha if

you're not able or you're not willing to

go above and beyond and reciprocate with

what is even better then at least return

that goodness in the same way that it

was extended to you whether it's a

greeting or any act of kindness and then

the eye ends with inna llaha kana ala

kulli shayin hashiba surely God takes

account of all things it's very easy to

take these good deeds lightly you may

say that what's the big deal it's just

the greeting but Allah wants to remind

us that he takes account of all things

do not underestimate the value of any

good deed for the pleasure of Allah lies

within it thank you so much mothers and

sisters for giving me a few minutes of

your time

or Salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa

barakaatuh