I signed up for Hikma Academy’s Tafseer class hoping to learn the tafseer of the Quran because I was tired of reading ayats that I did not understand. I always wanted to know the message Allah SWT was communicating through the Quran. I was eager for the message and I truly wanted to connect with Allah. Ramadan is my favorite time of the year and all I ever wanted to know was the story of the Surah and find tranquility in listening to the surah the Imam was reciting. When the opportunity presented itself, I had to sign up for this class because I believe that it was an answered dua by Allah.
What I value the most about this experience is that I have gained knowledge of Allah SWT. I remember the first day of class we covered the tafseer of Ayatul Kursi and in this ayah ( the most powerful ayah in the Quran) Allah SWT introduces himself to the believers. On this day I was no longer hopeless and I no longer viewed my sins as the very thing that will destroy me but rather a doubt in Allah SWT. This was the beginning of my journey of knowledge and being eager to learn and want more for myself. Every surah is unique on its own and it took me to a whole new world of connecting with Allah and wanting to please Him. Studying the tafseer of the Quran is both a spiritual and personal growth. May Allah swt guide us all and grant us a good ending.
I have a long way to go before I consider myself a practicing muslim but I would say that this class and experience allowed me to become mindful of Allah SWT and how I worship Him. Renewing my intentions, making endless duas for guidance and protection and most importantly not listening to shaytan and my nafs every time the thought of giving up crosses my mind. I try to remind myself Surah Az-Zumar ayah 53 where Allah SWT says:
۞ قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 39:53
I leave you with one of my favorite hadith by the Prophet SAAW to encourage myself and any future student(s) to seek knowledge for the sake of Allah so that with Allah’s love and mercy we may enter Jannah insha allah.
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated, the messenger of Allah SAAW said: “Any person who goes along a course seeking knowledge, Allah will make for him the path to Paradise easy because of it… And he who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not give him priority [into paradise]. Muslim