A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is there a difference between the Qur’an Revealed by Allah ( s.w.t. ) to the Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ), versus the Qur’an of today? ”   I assume you are asking about the text of the Qur’an Itself.   The Qur’an was not simply written down.   At each instance of Revelation, the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), and the swahabah , memorised the verses.   They were from a culture that prized good memory skills, so feats such as this were not uncommon.   The number of huffazh , memorisers of the Qur’an, and the manner of recitation, preserved that authenticity.   They also wrote it down, and these writings were eventually compiled into seven copies during the Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ).   However, this compilation was not for authentication.   The authentication was based on the mutawatir , mass-transmitted, narrations of the huffazh .   That tradit...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The swahabah took the wasilah of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) even after his passing.   Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani ( r.a. ) narrated an incident where a person repeatedly visited Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ), when he was the caliph, concerning something he needed but Sayyidina ‘Utsman ( r.a. ), had paid no attention to him.   The man went to Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf ( r.a. ) and complained to him about the matter.   Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf ( r.a. ) said, “Go to the place of wudhu’ , then come to the masjid .   Perform two raka’at and then say, ‘O Allah!   I ask you and turn to you through our prophet, Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy.   O Muhammad!   I turn through you to my Lord, that He Fullfill my need,’ and mention your need.   Then come so that I can go with you,” meaning bring him to see the caliph, Sayyidina ‘Utsman ( r.a. ).   So, the man did as he...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “The Prophet Muhammad Muswthafa the Elect ( s.a.w. )”, that the Ka’bah, built on the Command of Allah ( s.w.t. ), stands under constant Divine Protection.   Attesting to this is the famous event known in history as the Elephant Incident, replete with lessons to be drawn from it. Abraha   al-Ashram , a Roman vassal and governor of Yemen, had built a big, ornamented church in Sana, hoping to divert local attention thereto.   The Arabs, however, showed very little interest in the church, much to the disappointment and vexation of the governor.   To implement this programme, Abraha then decided to demolish the Ka’bah, their centre of attraction, the Sacred House that always drew visitors.   Having prepared a great army that included many elephants, comparable to today’s tanks, Abraha headed for Makkah, to carry out his plan and render the church unrivalled in the quest for people’s atte...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “He who makes the book of Allah ( s.w.t. ) as his Guide would remain safe from sin, and he would be counted among the best of men.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali ( r.a. ) wrote, in Ihya’ ‘Ulum as-Din , “ Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, ‘I fear most for this nation, the learned hypocrite.’   People asked him, ‘How can a hypocrite be learned?’   ‘Utsman ( r.a. ) replied, ‘He has verbal knowledge, but his mind and his actions are ignorant.’”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Allah ( s.w.t. ) Gave you the world so that you may seek the Hereafter through it.   He did not give it to you for you to become inclined to it.   The Hereafter is eternal.   Do not allow the temporary abode to make you reckless, and do not let it preoccupy you from the eternal abode.   Give preference to the eternal over the temporary.   The world is certainly to come to an end, and the Destination is certainly to Allah ( s.w.t. ).”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Absorption in worldly affairs breeds darkness in the heart, and absorption in the affairs of the next world enkindles light in the heart.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “O people!  Remember Allah ( s.w.t. ), for the remembrance of Allah ( s.w.t. ) is a treasure.  The best of the people is the one who checks on himself and strives for that which comes after death, strives to acquire some of the light of Allah ( s.w.t. ) for his grave, and fears lest Allah ( s.w.t. ) Raise him blind when he had sight.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “The believer has five types of fear: Allah ( s.w.t. ) may Take his faith away from him; the recording angels may write down something that may expose him on the Day of Resurrection; Shaythan may cause his deeds to become invalid; the Angel of Death may come to him without warning; and the world may tempt him and distract him from the Hereafter.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Remember your kafan instead of beautiful clothes, remember the grave instead of the luxuries of lavish mansions, and remember all that delicious foods you feast on shall one day make you a delicious feast for the worms.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “If anyone stumbles, then he must repent.  If anyone errs, then he must repent.  And no one must insist on destruction.  If anyone insists on tyranny, then he is far away from the path.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Patience in difficult times testifies the true love of man for Allah ( s.w.t. ), and His Prophet ( s.a.w. ).”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Do not mix with an arrogant person lest he influences you with his arrogance.   Never trust such a person with your secret, and solicit advice only from those who recognise Allah ( s.w.t. ).”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “This world has been Created a temporary abode by Allah ( s.w.t. ), and Placed in trust to the travellers of the Hereafter.  Take only those provisions which are beneficial, and do not lust after that which you are going to leave behind.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “Do not invest your hopes in anyone but Allah ( s.w.t. ), and do not fear anything but the consequences and repercussions of your sins.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “To think that Allah ( s.w.t. ) is Present with you at every given moment is the most excellent form of faith.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “If anyone stumbles, then he must repent.   If anyone errs, then he must repent.   And no one must insist on destruction.   If anyone insists on tyranny, then he is far away from the path.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “The thought of the spiritual world sheds light on the soul, but the thought of the terrestrial world casts darkness thereon.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “The world is proud.   Leave it alone, lest it entrap you by its guises, and teach you pride, which will keep you away from Allah ( s.w.t. ).”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) said, “The wise speak few, but comprehensive words.”