A juz is a part of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is divided into 30 parts (juz). The 5th juz of the Qur’an is from 4:24–4:147.
Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator, activist, and lecturer. His work bridges classical and contemporary Islamic thought, addressing issues of cultural, social and political relevance to Muslims in the West. After converting to Islam in 1992, Webb left his career in the music industry to pursue his passion in education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and received intensive private training in the Islamic Sciences under a renowned Muslim Scholar of Senegalese descent. Webb was hired as the Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, where he gave khutbas (sermons), taught religious classes, and provided counselling to families and young people; he also served as an Imam and resident scholar in communities across the U.S.
From 2004-2010, Suhaib Webb studied at the world’s preeminent Islamic institution of learning, Al-Azhar University, in the College of Shari`ah. During this time, after several years of studying the Arabic Language and the Islamic legal tradition, he also served as the head of the English Translation Department at Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.
Outside of his studies at Al-Azhar, Suhaib Webb completed the memorization of the Quran in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has been granted numerous traditional teaching licenses (ijazat), adhering to centuries-old Islamic scholarly practice of ensuring the highest standards of scholarship. Webb was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in 2010.
4:43;
O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated…
Recently I was facing a difficult situation whereby I had to spend time with an alcoholic. I must say it was not easy and I dint know how to approach the whole situation….
I kept telling the person. “stop!!! please,,,pray …fast …Obey Allah swt commands !!!!
At that time I was approached by a younger person who asked me “Can someone pray when they are intoxicated?”….
I knew this ayah I have known it for years. But I had no answer to the question when I was asked.
( I am still working on learning how to go about the whole situation and hearing the verse again reminded me I still have more to learn. Not just to benefit others but for my understanding as well) Inshallah
I understand your quandary very well, even though I know the answer to such questions. Because (I know now, I didn’t before) sometimes the response that is best for the person is not the answer, and depends on their condition. Just giving the answer maybe will make them believe they can never pray, since they are dependent on it, or are within a social reality where basically ALL social contact is mediated by alcohol – for example a working class English potential revert. they have to give up basically the entirety of their social contact with family and friends, and this is a very daunting prospect requiring immense faith. I wonder if it would have been better to focus on *why* they asked, perhaps it is because they *want* to pray, want to obey, and the reply can put that as the main focus with the “straight answer” being supportive. knowing the answers alone helps you with yourself, but i have found that you need a great deal more to be able to really respond in ways that help others who are in real difficulty. you need to study how the Prophet replied in such situations.
oftentimes the question that is asked verbally, is not the question that the asker wants the answer to. i wish i understood a lot sooner.
Dang that’s deep Sheikh Suhaib!! I love what your teacher said because it’s so true! May Allah grant us tawfiq and make it easy for us to memorize the Qur’an! It’s certainly one of my goals that I’m working on insha’allah!
your Sheikh is cool, he doesnt pamper, lol
i’ve been trying to figure this out on my own… but now its the 5th juz and i’m more worried about missing out on future lectures than i am about looking a little technically unsavvy. SO … I pose the question. HOW ON EARTH DO I ACCESS THE LECTURE?
There is no lecture. These posts are meant to encourage readers to share their thoughts/reflections about the juz.
it looks like people are commenting on lectures~ i.e “Dang that’s deep Sheikh Suhaib!! I love what your teacher said because it’s so true!” :(( I’m missing it! LOL what is deep? i’m missing out! haha
I think they’re just commenting on what the Shaykh wrote above. Have a read of what the Shaykh wrote again iA. 🙂
As a social worker, i love this surah. It gives solutions to so many of our problems in society and it teaches us how to deal with the weak and poor in our communities. After studying the tafseer of this surah, I was really able to see the pearls it contains and it became more than a surah of laws.
“do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated…”
to me, intoxication is not just through the usage of alcohol.. the obsessions that we have with things that totally consume us.. couldnt this verse also be referring to that..??? approaching the prayer while all our worldly plans/worries consume our thoughts and our feelings
If that were the case then 90% of us wouldn’t be able to approach prayer! lol… [come to think of it, not really something to lol about 🙁 ]. But interesting reflection…
Salaam Shaykh,
would love to hear more about your journey of memorising the Quran, what difficulties did you go through and how did you over come them.