Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All-Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
Allah Almighty gives people respite, but He never neglects their reckoning:
Dear brothers, this is lesson number 5 of Surat Al-Mu'minun.
﴾ And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned. ﴿
If one of the limbs is afflicted with necrosis, it must be amputated. No matter how much the person begs, the doctor must amputate the limb. This is not cruelty, but a decision made out of wisdom.
If the patient is a child and both of his legs have necrosis, and the father begs the doctor not to amputate them, the doctor must tell him: "If I do not do this now, I will have to amputate them higher up on the legs later on."
﴾ And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned. ﴿
Those who have done wrong are similar to the disease that afflicts seriously, one of someone's limbs, and so it should be cut off, lest the disease spreads, and reaches every part in the body, and here in lies the wisdom behind drowning the ones mentioned in the Ayah (otherwise, other people may follow them and deny the Divine Message).
the believer who sins usually repents to Allah. As long as he is quick in his repentance, he still has a chance. Unlike him, whoever insists on committing sins and follows his whims will reach a deadlock with Allah, as stated in the following Ayah:
﴾ And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned. ﴿
Allah Almighty gives respite but never neglects. He keeps the person on a loose leash, granting him a second chance, but no one should ever think that Allah will leave him without reckoning.
﴾ Does man think that he will be left Suda [neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by his Lord (Allah) on him]? ﴿
﴾ "Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), ﴿
It is rather impossible. Allah says:
﴾
And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned. ﴿
This Ayah indicates that the Divine reckoning is inevitable, and that no begging, pleading, invoking, or supplication will be of help. Had the Divine Reckoning not taken place, it would have indicated lack of Divine Wisdom.
Allah tells us the story for its moral lesson, not for the event per se:
It is not about reading the story, but rather about the moral lesson we derive from it, which serves as a moral lesson for us in the way we deal with Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty is The Effacer of sins, The Ever-Forgiving:
﴾ Declare (O Muhammad PBUH) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. ﴿
﴾ Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. ﴿
Hence, it is about deriving a profound lesson from the story. Insisting on committing sins, being stubborn, following one's desires, and neglecting Allah's Commands, Promises, and Menaces will lead the person to the outcome mentioned in the following Ayah:
﴾ And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned. ﴿
Due to Allah's Mercy, a warner was sent to every nation:
After the story of Nooh (Noah PBUH), Allah says:
﴾ Then, after them, We created another generation. ﴿
Another nation came after him:
And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves (saying): "Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. Will you not then be afraid (of Him i.e. of His Punishment because of worshipping others besides Him)?"
﴾ And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves . ﴿
Out of Allah's Keenness and Mercy, there must have been a warner sent to every nation:
﴾ Verily! We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner. And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them. ﴿
Therefore, there must be a Messenger, a Prophet, a scholar, or a caller to Allah who warns people
And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves
'Among themselves' means he is one of them, namely, he is a human being, so that they will feel comfortable with him. He shares the same desires, the same nature, the same way of life, the same people, the same tribe, and the same community.
Calling people to Tawheed (Believing in Allah's Monotheism):
﴾ And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves (saying): "Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. ﴿
This is the essence of religion. The entire religion is summed up in the following words:
﴾ "Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. ﴿
La Ilaha Illa Allah (There is no god worthy of worship except Allah) expresses Tawheed, meaning that Allah is the only One Who sustains this universe, and thus, He is the only Deity worthy of worship.
﴾ O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious – see V.2:2). ﴿
The call of the Messenger to those who came after Nooh PBUH was as follows:
﴾ "Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. Will you not then be afraid (of Him i.e. of His Punishment because of worshipping others besides Him)?" ﴿
How can man avoid torment, responsibility, and eternal misery, knowing that Allah is the only Deity worthy of worship, that He is the Sustainer of all matters, that to Him belong all destinies, that worldly life is temporal, and that every person will return to Allah Almighty?
Living in excess has always been associated with disbelief:
﴾ And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, and to whom We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life, said: "He is no more than a human being like you, he eats of that which you eat, and drinks of what you drink. ﴿
﴾ And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, and to whom We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life, said: ﴿
I said last lecture that lavishness is mentioned in the Noble Quran in eight places, where it is associated with the disbelievers. This is an important piece of evidence:
﴾ And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, and to whom We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life, said: ﴿
It is acceptable to live moderately in matters like eating and drinking, but making a luxurious lifestyle the goal and spending a fortune in pursuit of it, along with being haughty, proud, and arrogant, can lead you to become, through these traits, one of the disbelievers.
They disbelieved in Allah and the Hereafter. Faith entails believing in Allah and the Hereafter, while disbelief entails rejecting belief in Allah and denying the Hereafter. The proof is in the following Ayah:
﴾ And the chiefs of his people, who disbelieved and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, and to whom We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life, said: ﴿
The Prophet PBUH told us that certain kinds of wealth might lead a person to mischief:
(( Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions." Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion, or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or a disease which will disable you, or senility which will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death which will take you all of a sudden, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected, or the Hour; and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter." ))
[ Hukm Al-Muhdath, on the authority of Abi Hurairah ]
Messengers of Allah are human beings who possess the same traits as other humans:
﴾ "He is no more than a human being like you, he eats of that which you eat, and drinks of what you drink. ﴿
This emphasizes that Prophet Muhammad PBUH is a human being who has basic human needs. For example, he used to eat food just like any other person, which reflects his human nature.
The need of food is a fundamental aspect of human existence, and it illustrates the broader concept that human life is dependent on various factors (like food, water, air and other provisions), so he is not self-sufficient nor is he self-dependent. Unlike human beings, Allah's Existence is entirely Independent and Self-Sufficient.
Fasting helps man recognize his limitations and acknowledge his need of food, and this is one of the pieces of wisdom behind fasting. When a person fasts, his abilities, energy, and vitality diminish, and he comes to realize that it is only a glass of water or a bite of food that can restore them. Hence, eating is a basic need, which compels a person to seek a job in order to afford food. In this way, he is dependent not only on food but also on the job that provides it. So, do you think there is any form of servitude greater than this? Is there any form of need greater than this?
When Allah describes 'Iesa (Jesus PBUH), negating the claim that he is a god, He says:
﴾ And they say: "Why does this Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) eat food, and walk about in the markets (like ourselves). Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him? ﴿
[ Al-Furqan, 7
]
A person's need of food makes him dependent on Allah, and to have his food, he needs a job. Thus, he is in need of Allah twice. When the disbelievers noticed that the Prophet, who called them to worship Allah Almighty Alone, used to eat and drink as they did, they thought of him as someone whose status was less than the one of a Messenger of Allah.
(( Anas b. Malik reported that there was an orphan girl with Umm Sulaim (who was the mother of Anas). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) saw that orphan girl and said: O, it is you; you have grown young. May you not advance in years! That slave-girl returned to Umm Sulaim weeping. Umm Sulaim said: O daughter, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah's Apostle (PBUH) has invoked curse upon me that I should not grow in age and thus I would never grow in age, or she said, in my (length) of life. Umm Sulaim went out wrapping her head-dress hurriedly until she met Allah's Messenger (PBUH). He said to her: Umm Sulaim, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah's Apostle, you invoked curse upon my orphan girl. He said: Umm Sulaim, what is that? She said: She (the orphan girl) states you have cursed her saying that she might not grow in age or grow in life. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) smiled and then said: Umm Sulaim, do you not know that I have made this term with my Lord. And the term with my Lord is that I said to Him: 1 am a human being and I am pleased just as a human being is pleased and I lose temper just as a human being loses temper, so for any person from amongst my Ummah whom I curse and he in no way deserves it, let that, O Lord, be made a source of purification and purity and nearness to (Allah) on the Day of Resurrection. ))
[ Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik ]
Our Master Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas said, "I consider myself a real man in three situations, otherwise I am just one of the common: I never pray and occupy myself with anything else till I finish my prayer, I never hear something from the Prophet PBUH, but I know for sure that it is the truth that is revealed to Him from Allah the Almighty, and I never attend a funeral and talk with anything else other than it till it is over."
Obeying the Prophet PBUH is like obeying Allah:
﴾ "If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, then verily! You indeed would be losers. ﴿
Obeying the Prophet PBUH is like obeying Allah, because both acts of obedience are equivalent. Allah Almighty says:
﴾ They swear by Allah to you (Muslims) in order to please you, but it is more fitting that they should please Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH), if they are believers. ﴿
Pleasing the Prophet PBUH is like pleasing Allah, and vice versa, because pleasing the Prophet is the path to Allah. There is no difference between the two.
Abu Bakr said in his sermon after becoming the Khalifah (Caliph): "O people, I have been put in authority over you, but I am not the best of you. If I do what is right, help me; and if I do wrong, correct me. Honesty is a trust, and lying is a betrayal. Obey me as long as I obey Allah in governing you, but if I disobey Him, then you owe me no obedience."
Obedience should be given only to Allah:
﴾ "If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, then verily! You indeed would be losers. ﴿
People do not obey those who call to Allah, but rather they obey Allah when those callers convey His Commands to them. When a caller conveys a Command of Allah to you and shows that it is mentioned in the Quran and its interpretation is agreed upon by scholars, you should obey that Command. In doing so, you are obeying Allah, not the one who conveys it, correct? This person is conveying Allah's Message, and you should follow what he says as long as his words are based on the Quran or Sunnah, which are the foundations of Shari'ah (Islamic Law).
Disbelievers mocked resurrection after death:
﴾ "Does he promise you that when you have died and have become dust and bones, you shall come out alive (resurrected)? ﴿
As if they are mocking the great Divine Promise that the Hereafter is the abode of rewards and honor, while this worldly life is the place for man's deeds and Divine Assignment:
﴾ "Does he promise you that when you have died and have become dust and bones, you shall come out alive (resurrected)? ﴿
Does it align with any rational thinking or creed to live in this life without Hereafter? The worldly life is short, and within it, you find both the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the healthy and the sick, the beautiful and the ugly, and all sorts of variations in the distribution of fortunes. So, if the worldly life is all we have, would that be fair to the poor, the weak, the ugly, and the underprivileged?
Had there not been Hereafter, this worldly life would have been pointless, and it would have become purposeless. On the other hand, if an eternal life awaits, in which each person's destiny is determined by his/her deeds in this worldly life, only then does everything fall into place, and religious creed aligns with reason and logic.
﴾ "Far, very far is that which you are promised. ﴿
Here, 'far' means that it is less likely to happen according to their claims:
﴾ "Far, very far is that which you are promised. ﴿
The second 'far' is used to emphasize the first one.
Disbelievers believe that this life ends with death:
﴾ "There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live! And we are not going to be resurrected! ﴿
This is the way the disbelievers think:
﴾ "There is nothing but our life of this world! ﴿
The disbelievers believe that this worldly life is all that man has. In their view, if you are rich, you are important, and money becomes the only standard, whether they express this openly or not. Denying the Hereafter is central to their belief, and it shapes their behavior. As a result, they focus all their efforts on gaining worldly success, taking risks along the way. If anything goes wrong, they stand to lose all their desires, goals, and ambitions.
It has been said, "Worldly life seduces, harms, and passes by. The happiest people are those who are disinclined to it, while the most miserable are those who are drawn to it."
﴾ "There is nothing but our life of this world ﴿
Dear brothers, if any one of us believes that the worldly life is everything, even if he does not explicitly say so, and that there is no Hereafter) that life ends with death) this is a corrupted creed that leads to destruction. In fact, the worldly life is the place for bearing the Divine Assignment, while honor will be gained in the Hereafter.
If you believe in an eternal life and that a happy ending in this life is based on obeying Allah Almighty, you will become a better person.
﴾ "There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live! And we are not going to be resurrected! ﴿
Disbelievers have always accused Allah's Prophets of lying:
The Prophet PBUH who called them to the righteous path is accused by them as follows:
﴾ "He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah, but we are not going to believe in him." ﴿
﴾ "He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah, ﴿
They accused him of lying:
﴾ But we are not going to believe in him." ﴿
Disbelievers always deny Al-Haqq, hinder people from the Path of Allah, and seek to distort it (worldly life):
﴾ "He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah, but we are not going to believe in him."* He said: "O my Lord! Help me because they deny me." ﴿
The Prophet PBUH invoked Allah for victory over his people, as they belied him, and he asked Allah to show them the falsehood of their claims. Allah says:
﴾ (Allah) said: "In a little while, they are sure to be regretful." ﴿
The real hero is the one who laughs last.
Disbelievers mocked religious people, but true heroism is laughing in the end
The disbelievers mock those who are religious:
﴾ The Fire will burn their faces, and therein they will grin, with displaced lips (disfigured)* "Were not My Verses (this Qur'an) recited to you, and then you used to deny them?"* They will say: "Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.* "Our Lord! Bring us out of this; if ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be Zalimun: (polytheists, oppressors, unjust, and wrong-doers, etc.)."* He (Allah) will say: "Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!"* Verily! There was a party of My slaves, who used to say: "Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy!"* But you took them for a laughingstock, so much so that they made you forget My Remembrance while you used to laugh at them! ﴿
The disbelievers mock the believers, but true heroism lies in laughing last. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, describes the believers as follows:
﴾ But this Day (the Day of Resurrection) those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers. ﴿
It is similar to an assiduous student who refuses to go for a picnic with his friends in order to study, while his friends, who go for the picnic, are lazy and mock him by saying that he is taking it too seriously. When this student excels, and his friends fail, they will be the ones weeping in sorrow, while he will be rejoicing in his success. Again, heroism lies in laughing last, not in the beginning:
﴾ (Allah) said: "In a little while, they are sure to be regretful." ﴿
Allah emphasizes this meaning in many Ayaat:
﴾ That home of the Hereafter (i.e. Paradise), We shall assign to those who rebel not against the truth with pride and oppression in the land nor do mischief by committing crimes. And the good end is for the Muttaqun (pious). ﴿
﴾ Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the Mercy (Paradise) of your Lord (O Muhammad PBUH) is better than the (wealth of this world) which they amass. ﴿
﴾ And whether you die, or are killed, verily, unto Allah you shall be gathered. ﴿
﴾ So be patient (O Muhammad PBUH), verily, the Promise of Allah is true, and whether We show you (O Muhammad in this world) some part of what We have promised them, or We cause you to die, then it is to Us they all shall be returned. ﴿
Facts are what count, not names:
﴾ So As-Saihah (torment – awful cry, etc.) overtook them with justice, and We made them as rubbish of dead plants. So away with the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, disobedient to His Messengers, etc.). ﴿
Allah refrains from telling us the names of those people and the name of the Prophet who was sent to them. Scholars deduced from this that names do not matter (although they know that 'Ād were the people who came after Nooh); rather, it is the facts that count. In other words, not mentioning the names indicates the insignificance of names, and that only the moral lesson of the story counts.
Every nation has its appointed term:
﴾Then, after them, We created other generations* No nation can anticipate their term, nor can they delay it.﴿
[Al-Mu'minun, 42-43]
Every nation has an appointed term, and every individual has an appointed term as well. It was narrated that Imam Malik saw the Angel of Death in his dream. He asked, "O Angel of Death, how many years are left in my life?" The Angel of Death showed him five fingers. When Imam Malik woke up, he was confused (was what remained five years, months, weeks, days, or hours)? He went to Ibn Sirin, who was famous for interpreting dreams, and shared his dream with him. Ibn Sirin replied, "The Angel of Death told you that this matter is one of five things that are hidden from people and known only to Allah."
﴾ No nation can anticipate their term, nor can they delay it. ﴿
As-Saihah (torment) overtakes people suddenly and they become stories for mankind to learn a lesson from:
﴾ Then We sent Our Messengers in succession, every time there came to a nation their Messenger, they denied him, so We made them follow one another (to destruction), and We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). So away with a people who believe not. ﴿
﴾ Then We sent Our Messengers in succession.
﴿
One Messenger after another:
﴾ Every time there came to a nation their Messenger, they denied him, so We made them follow one another (to destruction), and We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). ﴿
These are strong words, for Allah has the upper hand over mankind. If people disbelieve, apostatize, lead a dissolute life, follow their whims, and challenge Allah, and if they are excessive in all of this, they will be overtaken by Allah Almighty. Allah says:
﴾ So As-Saihah (torment – awful cry, etc.) overtook them with justice, ﴿
In another Ayah, Allah says:
﴾ They await only but a single Saihah (shout, etc.), which will seize them while they are disputing! ﴿
One shout only. It is like when a man kills an ant with one strike. The ant will be dead immediately. Would you say, "I fought with the ant"? No, you would not. Rather, you would say, "I killed it." This is the parable of a single Saihah (shout). Allay says:
﴾ Only but a single Saihah (shout, etc.), ﴿
It was one Saihah for those who were haughty, arrogant, excessive, and suppressive:
﴾ It was but one Saihah (shout, etc.) and lo!. ﴿
Our Lord Almighty perfectly describes the disappointment of the disbelievers. He says:
﴾ And We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them).
﴿
A person who has high social and financial standing and owns a big store, great wealth, a large house, a luxurious vehicle, an office, and a resort, might suddenly have his heart stopped working, and so he becomes an obituary on the walls. Where will he go? He will go to the grave:
﴾ And We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). ﴿
Every individual who exists has his own entity, personality, prestige, behavior, possessions, rules, and boundaries. However, in one second, he might become "the deceased," and even if he has a gold tooth crown, it will be taken from his mouth so that his heirs can make use of its value. The same goes for his watch, keys, pens, lighter, closet, locked drawers, car, and other things.
﴾ And We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). ﴿
They became stories to be told. Hence, our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, expresses His Conquest over tyrants by saying:
﴾ And We made them as Ahadith (the true stories for mankind to learn a lesson from them). So away with a people who believe not. ﴿
Even the believer will become a story to tell after his death, but his story will be a good one, as people will speak about his piety, his love for people, his righteousness, his good deeds, his noble emotions and his lenient heart. Do we not perfume our assemblies by mentioning the companions of the Prophet PBUH? They are dead, and they have become mere stories, but their stories are noble, unlike those of others, whose stories are loathsome.
A scholar used to supplicate as follows: "O Lord, do not make me a lesson from which people learn. O Lord, do not make me beautify myself for people with something that might degrade me in Your Sight. I seek refuge in You from having someone other than me happier with what You have made me know. O Lord, I seek refuge in You from saying something (that pleases You) but is said to seek others' pleasure". This is true sincerity, and he who comes to know the sweet taste of sincerity will melt with love and longing for Allah Almighty.
The leader will be held accountable, rewarded or punished twice more than others:
﴾ Then We sent Musa (Moses) and his brother Harun (Aaron), with Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and manifest authority, ﴿
[ Al-Mu'minun, 45
]
The 'Manifest authority' refers to the miracles that were given to Musa (Moses PBUH) and his brother Harun as a Divine Confirmation that he is Allah's Messenger.
﴾ To Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs, but they behaved insolently and they were people self-exalting (by disobeying their Lord, and exalting themselves over and above the Messenger of Allah). ﴿
﴾ To Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs,
﴿
Allah says 'chiefs' not people, which indicates those who are very close to Fir'aun, but why is that? 'Chiefs' are usually close followers, and when someone holds a high position in a community, his mistakes are condemned twice, and his good deeds are rewarded twice, because he is a leader in his society.
The father, for example, is held responsible twice if he errs, once for his own error and once for his son's error, as the son follows his footsteps. He will also be rewarded twice if he does well, once for his own good deed and once for his son's good deed, as the son follows his footsteps. The same goes for the teacher and every individual who holds a high position in the society.
﴾ O wives of the Prophet! Whoever of you commits an open illegal sexual intercourse, the torment for her will be doubled, and that is ever easy for Allah* And whosoever of you is obedient to Allah and His Messenger PBUH, and does righteous good deeds, We shall give her, her reward twice over, and We have prepared for her Rizqan Karima (a noble provision Paradise)* O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner. ﴿
Whoever is responsible for a group of people will be rewarded twice if he does well and will be punished twice, once for his own error and once for whoever errs in his group. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab used to gather his family and relatives and say, "Verify, I enjoined this and this upon people and forbade them from this and this, and people will now look at you just as bird looks at meat. If you come to grab it, they will grab with you, and if you refrain, they will refrain. If I issue an order prohibiting something on people, then you must be the first to refrain from it. By Allah, if any one of you is brought to me, having done what I have ordered people to refrain from, I will double his punishment because of his relation to me, so it is all up to you." Accordingly, being a relative of Umar became a curse. Therefore, the leader is rewarded twice for good deeds and punished twice for errors. Jarir bin Abdullah narrated:
(( The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: He who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is a reward for him for this (act of goodness) and reward of that also who acted according to it subsequently, without any deduction from their rewards; and he who sets in Islam an evil precedent, there is upon him the burden of that, and the burden of him also who acted upon it subsequently, without any deduction from their burden. ))
[ Hukm Al-Muhdath, on the authority of Jarir bin Abdullah ]
﴾ Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have the reward thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in its burden. And Allah is Ever All-Able to do (and also an All-Witness to) everything. ﴿
Allah has forbidden paradise for Fir'aun and his people because they were haughtily proud:
﴾ To Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs, but they behaved insolently and they were people self-exalting (by disobeying their Lord, and exalting themselves over and above the Messenger of Allah).
﴿
(( Abdullah narrated: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever has a speck of pride (arrogance) in his heart, shall not be admitted into Paradise. And whoever has a speck of faith in his heart, shall not be admitted in to the Fire.'" ))
[ Hukm Al-Muhdath, on the authority of Abi Hurairah ]
Why did the Prophet PBUH say so? Is it rational that a speck of arrogance in the heart might prevent someone from being admitted to paradise? Yes, it is. One speck of arrogance contradicts submission to Allah and being a servant of Him, because being arrogant denies submission to Allah. Allah says:
﴾ But they behaved insolently and they were people self-exalting (by disobeying their Lord, and exalting themselves over and above the Messenger of Allah). ﴿
They exalted themselves in the land. Fir'aun said:
﴾ Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "O chiefs! I know not that you have an ilah (a god) other than me, so kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a Sarhan (a lofty tower, or palace, etc.) in order that I may look at (or look for) the Ilah (God) of Musa (Moses); and verily, I think that he [Musa (Moses)] is one of the liars." ﴿
[ Al-Qasas, 38
]
He approached the subject moderately here, but then he said:
﴾ Saying: "I am your lord, most high", ﴿
Allah Almighty says:
﴾ So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last [i.e. his saying: "I am your lord, most high") (see Verse 79:24)] and first [(i.e. his saying, "O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than I" (see Verse 28:38)] transgression. ﴿
Why does Allah mention the second statement before the first one? Allah says:
﴾ With punishment for his last [i.e. his saying: "I am your lord, most high") (see Verse 79:24)] and first [(i.e. his saying, "O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than I" (see Verse 28:38)] transgression. ﴿
It is because his second statement was worse than his first:
﴾ Saying: "I am your lord, most high",
﴿
Before this he said:
﴾ "O chiefs! I know not that you have an ilah (a god) other than me ﴿
It was a moderate approach. Allah says:
﴾ So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last [i.e. his saying: "I am your lord, most high") (see Verse 79:24)] and first [(i.e. his saying, "O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than I" (see Verse 28:38)] transgression. ﴿
Allah starts with the most serious, and then moves to the less serious:
﴾ They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we like)." ﴿
﴾ They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, ﴿
'They' refers to Musa and his brother Harun PBUT:
﴾ And their people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we like)." ﴿
They could not accept it. They had the upper hand, and they were the chiefs, while the people of Musa worshiped Fir'aun. So, is it acceptable to believe in Musa and Harun? Is it acceptable to believe in two human beings?
﴾ So they denied them both [Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron)] and became of those who were destroyed. ﴿
[ Al-Mu'minun, 48
]
You all know how Fir'aun chased Musa PBUH:
﴾ And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa (Moses) said: "We are sure to be overtaken."* [Musa (Moses)] said: "Nay, verily! With me is my Lord, He will guide me." ﴿
Fir'aun followed Musa in the sea and was drowned by Allah Almighty.
'Iesa PBUH will come back, and that will be a sign of The Hour:
﴾ And indeed We gave Musa (Moses) the Scripture, that they may be guide* And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother as a sign, And We gave them refuge on high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams. ﴿
Scholars confirm that 'Iesa PBUH will return at the end of days and that his coming back is a sign of The Hour, based on the following Ayah:
﴾ And he ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)] shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour (Day of Resurrection) [i.e. 'Iesa's (Jesus) descent on the earth]. ﴿
﴾ Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and among Al-Mushrikun, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence* A Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) from Allah, reciting (the Qur’an) purified pages [purified from Al-Batil (falsehood, etc.)]* Containing correct and straight laws from Allah* And the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) differed not until after there came to them clear evidence. (i.e. Prophet Muhammad and whatever was revealed to him). ﴿
These Ayaat and others indicate the fact that 'Iesa PBUH shall return:
﴾ And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allah and a human being], before his ['Iesa (Jesus) or a Jew's or a Christian's] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he ['Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them. ﴿
[ An-Nisa', 159
]
'Iesa's birth is one of Allah's Signs:
﴾ And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother as a sign, ﴿
It takes a man and a woman to give birth to a child, and this is the normal situation. However, there are four exceptions as miracles: Adam PBUH is the first exception, as he was created without a father or mother; Eve, his wife, is the second exception, as she was created without a mother; Prophet 'Iesa PBUH is the third exception, as he was born without a father; and Prophet Yahya (John PBUH) was the fourth exception, as he was born from a barren mother.
In the knowledge of Tawheed, the cause aligns with the effect, but it is not enough to make it happen, as Allah is the One who creates the effects, for He is the Creator. Allah sometimes disrupts the causes and may cancel them. So, when a married couple have children although one of them is sterile, the causes in this case are divinely disrupted. When a man is created without a father and a mother (Like the case of Adam PBUH), those causes are Divinely canceled. Allah says:
﴾ And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother as a sign, And We gave them refuge on high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams. ﴿
'Rabwah' is an Arabic word that refers to high ground, but it is flat on top and has a water spring.
﴾ A place of rest, security and flowing streams. ﴿
Scholars differ in naming the location of this high ground. Some say it is in Damascus, while others claim it is on the same mountain, Al-Judi, where Nooh's ark landed after the flood.
Allah is Pure and, therefore, accepts only that which is pure:
﴾ O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Taiyibat [all kinds of Halal (legal) foods which Allah has made legal (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.], and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do. ﴿
﴾ O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Taiyibat [all kinds of Halal (legal) foods which Allah has made legal (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.], and do righteous deeds. ﴿
(( "O people! Allah is Pure and, therefore, accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers as He has commanded His Messengers by saying: 'O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Taiyibat [all kinds of Halal (legal) foods which Allah has made legal (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.], and do righteous deeds.' (23:51). And He said: O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with…' (2:172)." Then he (PBUH) made a mention of the person who travels for a long period of time, his hair is disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky and thus makes the supplication: 'O Lord! O Lord!' But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful, how can, then his supplication be accepted?". ))
[ Muslim, on the authority of Abi Huriarah
]
﴾ Make your living in Halal ways, and your supplicating will be answered. ﴿
[ At-Tabarani, on the authority Ibn Abbas ]
Allah has commanded the believers as He has commanded His Messengers:
One more thing, there is a rule that goes as follows: Allah has given the same command to the believers as He has given to his Messengers. Therefore, if Allah commands the Messengers to earn a lawful living and to perform good deeds, this command is consequently meant for all believers:
﴾ …Aand He has given the same command to the believers as He has given to the Messengers ﴿
It is similar to when we order a nurse to sterilize a needle; this order also applies to doctors because the conditions are the same:
﴾ …And He has given the same command to the believers as He has given to the Messengers ﴿
Divine Shari'ah and scriptures convey the same Message:
﴾ And verily! This your religion (of Islamic Monotheism) is one religion, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me. ﴿
'Ummah' (which is translated into Islamic Monotheism) here refers to Shari'ah. 'Ummah' in the Quran has many meanings, but in this context, it refers to Shari'ah:
It is an indication of Shari'ah:
﴾ And verily! This your religion (of Islamic Monotheism) is one religion. ﴿
All Shari'ah and Divine Books convey the same Message:
﴾ And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad PBUH) but We inspired him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)." ﴿
﴾ Truly! This, your Ummah [Shariah or religion (Islamic Monotheism)] is one religion, and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me (Alone). [Tafsir Ibn Kathir] ﴿
There is one religion and One Allah. How wonderful it is to believe that there is only One Deity to Whom returns everything, because there will be no place for polytheism, hypocrisy, fear, flattery, lying, or worries which are fatal diseases that destroy man. Worry, hypocrisy, lying, and fear are diseases that stem from polytheism.
﴾ So invoke not with Allah another ilah (god) lest you be among those who receive punishment. ﴿
﴾ With Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite* "I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the Straight Path (the truth). ﴿
Division into sects weakens the Ummah (nation):
﴾ But they (men) have broken their religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its belief. ﴿
The Divine rulings have one source and based on the same principles, but when Prophets were sent to people, the latter were divided and differed among themselves. They became enemies, exchanging accusations. Thus, they became sects, parties, groups, and cults who hate one another, remain apart, compete, and fight with each other. As a result, the Ummah has weakened. Allah Almighty says:
﴾ And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided. ﴿
If all believers agree on the fundamental principles of Islam but have different opinions on secondary issues, this difference is not harmful. Since they share a common understanding of the core beliefs, the diversity of opinion in the secondary matters can lead to broader mercy. The common agreement on principles is considered a decisive argument.
Some scholars for example said that Zakat should be paid in cash, while others said it can be paid as needful things. The scholar, who lived in rural areas, realized that farmers needed wheat more than money. Therefore, he allowed Zakat to be paid in wheat. On the other hand, the scholar who lived in cities and understood the importance of money allowed Zakat to be paid in cash.
This is a benign difference that enriches Islamic rulings due to the wide spectrum of opinions, not to mention that it facilitates matters for people. "The differences in the branches of religion reflects Mercy". Disputes are not like differences in opinion which is mercy upon the Ummah and is a decisive argument.
The Islamic principles are not subjects of arguments and personal opinions. However, as time passes, this religion will become sects, parties, groups and cults and each group rejoicing in its belief:
Each one claims Laila's love
But Laila does not admit her love to anyone
***
﴾ But they (men) have broken their religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its belief* So leave them in their error for a time. ﴿
Leave them to indulge in their whims, ignorance, corruption, bigotry and narrow mindedness.
﴾ So leave them in their error for a time. ﴿
Goodness lies in knowing The Lord of the heavens and the earth:
﴾ Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children* We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive not. ﴿
The greatest mistake a person can make is to believe that Allah Almighty granted him wealth, because he is close to Him. This is not true, for wealth is not inherently good unless it is spent in the cause of Allah. Furthermore, if Allah has helped you marry a woman you like, would that be a good thing? No, it will not unless you help her obey Allah. Also, if you are powerful and have the upper hand in land, will that be good? It will not unless you use your power to support the weak.
﴾ Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children* We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive not. ﴿
These are not necessarily good things. It is not a good thing to be rich, powerful, smart, or beautiful and use all that to commit sins. Using those blessings to know Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, is what is truly good.
Fearing Allah is the peak of wisdom:
What is the definition of "goodness"?
﴾ Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; ﴿
Because of their piety, they fear Allah. Fearing Allah is the peak of wisdom. One who has no fear of Allah does not think clearly. The child will not fear a snake if he is placed in a field; he might even cuddle it. Why is that? It is because he lacks understanding, whereas an adult would be frightened and tremble with fear. Hence fear reflects having enough knowledge.
A professional person will know without a doubt that a crack in a concrete beam is dangerous and could lead to the collapse of the building, because the foundation is compromised in such cases. However, a painter might simply cover the crack with paint and fail to recognize the underlying danger. Hence, there is a direct relationship between fear and knowledge: The more you know, the more fearful you will become.
An ignorant person might eat the fruit without washing it and say, "Mention Allah's Name and eat it." However, a doctor would say, "Do not do that; the fruit is full of germs and viruses, and you should wash it." Once again, there is a direct relationship between fear and knowledge. Hence, the one who lacks fear is an ignorant person.
﴾ And of men and Ad–Dawab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving. ﴿
Fearing Allah is the peak of wisdom. The Prophets PBUT in general are fearful of Allah, and the companions of Prophet Muhammad PBUH were so fearful that their good deeds might not be accepted. Their fear was greater than our fear of being punished for our sins. How about that? The higher your rank is in the Sight of Allah, the more fearful you become. There is a great indication in the following Ayah:
﴾ Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children* We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive not. ﴿
This is not a blessing but rather it is a trap.
Criteria for prosperous believers:
﴾ Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; ﴿
Al-Mu'minun, 57
They fear Allah, because they know Him. When you know Him, you fear Him. Therefore, not fearing Allah means that a person does not truly know Him.
﴾ Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; And those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, ﴿
[ Al-Mu'minun, 57-58
]
The signs in the universe reflect Allah's Greatness, and the Ayaat in Quran are His Shari'ah:
﴾ And those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord* And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; ﴿
This is the third characteristic: They do not associate partners with Allah, either secretly or openly. The true believer does not associate any partners with Allah; he believes only in Him, seeks help only from Him, and fears none but Him:
﴾ And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). ﴿
﴾And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), ﴿
He spends his money in the Cause of Allah and he is afraid, why is that?
﴾ Because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). ﴿
He fears that his good deed might not have been done with the right intention, that his intention may not be pure, that he may lack sincerity, and that his intentions may be impure while performing the deed. This is why they have fear while offering good deeds.
And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning).
We all shall return to Allah:
﴾ Verily, to Us will be their return* Then verily, for Us will be their reckoning. ﴿
They fear the Day of Reckoning, and they fear this terrifying situation:
﴾ It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on]. ﴿
﴾ It is these who
﴿
Who are they?
﴾ Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord* And those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord* And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord* And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning)* It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on]. ﴿
Again, what is the definition of goodness?
Is it to own money and to have children?
Is it to have the upper hand in land?
In fact, goodness is to be fearful of Allah's Torment, to be a believer in Allah's Signs, to worship only Allah and to perform good deeds with the fear that they may not be accepted. Only then will you race towards good deeds and be among the foremost in them.
﴾ It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on]* And We tax not any person except according to his capacity, and with Us is a Record which speaks the truth, and they will not be wronged. ﴿
This Ayah needs to be interpreted in detail, and I will do so next lecture Insha' Allah.
