Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – Qur’anic Reflections The Ideal City of Saba’
AI: Summary ©
The conversation covers various verses and phrases from the Quran, including the ideal society for Sabah, a garden garden, and a woman wanting to change her appearance. The crisis that has been ongoing for decades is discussed, including a "Grave lesson" for men of all time. The importance of understanding the human mind and social environments in shaping one's behavior is emphasized, along with the need for forgiveness and finding forgiveness. The conversation also touches on the negative impact of the pandemic on cities and the importance of building a forgiving mind. The importance of learning and taking advantage of opportunities to create prosperity and happiness in life is also emphasized.
AI: Summary ©
Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Welcome back to the
Ramadan reflections. As usual let us begin with the verse of the
Quran.
Our humanists Shavon your regime Bismillah R Rahman Al Rahim. What
you are you buying a home or being in a quarrel, Atiba? Joaquina fi
corong va Hirota whoa Cadorna fi has se
si roofie Li Min. Meaning for CalU Rob Bernabei Bina is 30. Now what
are more Fusa home for home ahaadeeth zakenna home Qalamoun
Meza in Fiza Adicolor Nikoli sub
shekou
So here we have a verse from Surah, two Sabha and it's actually
about the sub bytes. This is Chapter 34 and verses 18 and 19.
So you can follow along if you want to, because this is about the
discussion of the people of Sabah. What what's happening here is
ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada describes them and the people of Sabah are
described as having one of the most ideal societies with some of
the best geographical environmental, flora and fauna
conditions for the best place to live the best community to be in,
it would rank at number one, it would be something that is kind of
idealized and seen as a prototype or as an archetype rather, of the
most ideal city. So Allah subhanaw taala speaks about the people of
Sabah and what Allah subhanho wa Taala given them of the various
different gifts, right, in terms of the agriculture that they had
the environment, they had the living conditions, the travel
conditions, including travel conditions, and how they fared
with all of that. This is, let me let me translate this for you. So
you understand first, when you're buying a home ouabain And
correlative Barak Nafi her current VA hero, or Cadorna fee has saved
between them.
Meaning between these people and the cities on which we had poured
our blessings. So their surrounding cities and towns, we
had placed cities in prominent positions. And between them, we
had appointed stages of a journey into proportion. So essentially,
there was a whole network that connected all of their little
towns and hamlets and cities and villages and whatever else that
they had, it was a really beautiful system where you didn't
have to travel too far to get from one place to the other. And Allah
then says, See roofie had earlier Well, I mean, this is such a
wonderful set setup. Allah says travel there in secure by night,
and by day, however, they turned around and for call Rob banaba,
he'd been as Farina was vulnerable and Fusa. Home, they turned around
and said, Our Lord place longer distances between our journey
stages.
And they wrong themselves. And there's, for Jana who are Hadith,
we turn them into a tail, we made them into a tail we designated
designated them to become a tail. And we just disperse them all in
scattered fragments. So there's nobody left down there. Certainly
in this assigns for one who is patiently constant,
and grateful. So now you can tell what happened to this society. So
after having such a great society, what exactly happened?
So this verse, I said, relates to a point of history, and geography,
geography. And it is a massive lesson. It's a very important
lesson for men of all time in place, and it cuts across faiths,
nationalities, and people have different communities, it makes no
difference who they are. Because this verse is speaking about
universal truth, right? And it gives a really good understanding
of what happens to people how they react to certain things. And this
has been a human cycle throughout, we can really, really learn from
this, right? Because I think that we in the UK, at least, and in the
US, and in many Western countries,
maybe if not at that position. Maybe we're very, very close to
that position. And this is something that we need to be
thinking about because it's well worth studying the human mind when
it comes to these things through the Quranic examples and parables
that Allah subhanaw taala provides.
See this
A weakness innate in human nature. That what happens with people and
we know this from ourselves is that we become fed up. Even if
it's something comfortable, luxurious, luxurious, something
that you've got a lot of peace and tranquility in and you're very,
very settled, people get a bit bored, they're looking for
something else because that's human nature, right to look for
something different Subhanallah sometimes, you know, people hate
monotony so much, even if it's good monotony, even if it's
comfortable monotony that other people would be envious of.
They want change. And sometimes that change may even entail
hardships for them, that they think it's going to be better for
them. So they want it right, they want them I mean, another example
of this in the Quran is where Allah subhanaw taala had given the
special food of men and Salwa to the Bani Israel, but they said oh,
we want what other people are eating. So they want you to go
down to the inferior it's almost like always the grass is greener
on the other side.
So that's why Allah subhanho wa Taala says in Surah Surah to cost
us as well. What can alakina mean Korea team that we marry shatta
Patil Camus Kino whom lamb to skim birdie him in Cali Isla,
welcome, national word ething.
How many a population we've destroyed that exalted in the life
of ease and plenty, and then there's nothing left of them. So
the people of Sabah here,
it provides a really stark example of a very important aspect of
human nature. Okay. And while this is talking about the whole
community, I think we can individually relate to this and
take heed individually as well and as a community because the
community is made up of us as individuals.
So Allah subhanaw taala chronicles the history of that time, and the
social life. And he does that in a number of places for a number of
communities, because there's a purpose of that Allah subhanaw
taala is relating the accounts of the earlier communities, it
presents a glimpse of the social life. And what it does is that it
provides gives us an understanding of some of the features of past
cultures and civilizations, right. So that we can actually take heed,
psychologists, historians, should actually look at the Quran from
this view as well. Right, from a sociological perspective, as well,
right? And so, there's a very vivid picture. I mean, you know,
when you read these, these verses in Arabic, they're very, very
vivid Allah subhanaw taala, really, you know, in a very in
depth way, explains how the, it was so well laid out. For them. It
was like the ideal town, you know, you've got different countries
that are trying to create the ideal city. Okay. And so this was
one of those cities, and by the way, Saba was in Yemen. Right? It
was in Yemen. And, yeah, so
Allah subhanho wa taala, the Quranic version of the story that
Allah subhanaw taala tells us about and you know, we take this
as being 100% is speaks about a flourishing economy, prosperity,
and affluence, right, in fact, their sister, their situation was
such that they were the envy of others, people used to look on
them. And
you know, many people, especially conquerors, people with big
interests, right, they they particularly aspire for such
success and glory. And here's the example of that. Now, these are
some of the earlier verses verses 15 and 16. Of surah. Two Saba, so
I'll just read them as well. This is how Allah subhanaw taala
started off Allah says, Look are the canary Saba in female skinny
him? Yeah. Jen attorney ie me new washing. Guru Middle East Europe
back home wash Corolla, bell that outta yerba to rob Boone ha for
that is just so amazing. For Arado so let me just translate this
first part Allah says, There was for Saba, in the days of in the
earlier days assigned in the homeland, to gardens to the right
and to the left, they had to orchards to the right to to the
left. Allah says eat of the sustenance provided by your Lord,
so they had sustenance, amazing, and be grateful to him. Allah says
build it into yerba, an excellent area. Right? Where a boon for any
forgiving Lord,
I could get a glimpse of something like this, you know, we were in
Montenegro some time ago, maybe seven, eight months ago, in
Montenegro seven eight months ago last year in summer and mashallah
you come outside some of the houses
and they've got yards and mashallah in front of
The they've got this they've got the trellises on the side and
they've got like a canopy right made of that same material and
they've got things growing there I've seen this in Spain as well.
I've not seen that in the UK as much but outside many of the
houses you go and you're literally to get in you know to get outside
your house, through your your courtyard, you're actually going
under grapes and figs and various other things. It's like one of the
most amazing things that you can, you know, experience every time
you come back into your house that you will go through that it's like
a almost like a tunnel, right or a canopy of of fruits that you go
through. It's an amazing thing, right? That just reminds me of
this area. Allah then says for our do for our Rasul Allah in him say
the Lardy Musa but they'll know whom Bijan at him Jen at any, they
call in hunting ATHLEAN wash I mean, say that in Cali,
Allah Allah Allah, but they turned away from Allah. They did not
thank Allah they turned away from Allah and We sent against them
floods, released from dams, and we converted their to gardens into
gardens, producing bitter fruits and Tamar risks, and a few stunted
low trees. They were left with totally unpleasant growth, and all
of that beautiful orchard. All of those beautiful orchards totally
dissipated, and were destroyed because they didn't remember Allah
subhanaw taala they forgot they got too intoxicated by their
wealth and by what Allah subhana wa Tada has given them. So you see
what the point of studying these verses is that the Quran diagnosis
their malady, their illness, their problem that afflicted these
people, right, and it then explains why the calamity befell
them and why they were deprived of the settled joy and their success.
And their luxury and affluence came to an end. Allah subhanho wa
Taala says that we bless these towns, we'd given them peace and
happiness, we allowed them to travel in security, both by night
and day. I mean, that's amazing, because remember, a lot of our
history has been punctuated by highway men, you know, by robbers
on the way that these people had nothing to worry about day and
night, you will see that in verse 18, right, one learns from the
Tafseer literature, you will learn a few additional details about
this area, that they had a very very healthy environment, it was
like the perfect environment it was so safe, that they had no
pandemic they had no epidemics there. Right there was hardly any
illness down there. It says were Allahu Allah, I mean, I'm not sure
where this exactly comes from, but if a stranger carried some insects
there, those insects would die, it was such a healthy environment, if
there was any poisonous insects, they would die it was just too
healthy for them in the area, they will also know beasts or harmful
animals around their cities and Allah subhanaw taala then had
given them the idea of placing all of these towns and cities and
localities in very strategic positions so travelers did not
face any hardship at all in moving from one place to the other
service stations you know, same kind of thing we had service
stations didn't have to worry about an overnight stay or attacks
by robbers and they used to enjoy you know, good hospitality at the
various ins on the on the way and the transportation was actually of
a good standard. You know, like today we have mashallah very good
trains and, you know, just in London alone, we've got the
overground train, we've got the underground train, we've got the
buses, you know, we've got the automatic, you know, trains we've
got, we've got Ubers we've got I mean, Subhan Allah getting around
is very, very easy, you know, minus the traffic, I guess, right?
That's why this really reminds me and that's why I'm scared about
this. Right? So Allah subhanaw taala bless them in every respect.
Problem is they did not appreciate these bounties. And this is a
weakness in human nature unless, unless we're reminded by Allah
subhanaw taala and were reminded by the words of Allah subhanaw
taala to constantly take everything back to him. They
should have been thanking Allah, what else do they have to do,
that's what Allah says, build that into yerba are a boon for you've
got a beautiful place, and you've got a forgiving Lord. So even if
you make some mistakes, just seek forgiveness Subhanallah and I
think we can say that for the West compared to so many other places
in the world, where we are just so fortunate, you know, we avoid we
have so we avoid so many issues that that are an everyday issue in
other places. That's why build it on per year. But what I'm gonna go
for just just remember that.
For some reason, they had this idea that let's increase the
distance between cities, so that we can actually have longer and
harder journeys. This is too easy for us. It was this really strange
idea. They stopped appreciating their facilities. They are still
asking for longer tiring journeys. They wanted to go into horrible
forests and vast deserts. They they started to want to prefer
hazard
certain dangers and they didn't they got a bit tired of the
comfortable life Subhanallah you know, if you thank Allah you get
more satisfaction in what you have. Just remember that if you
thank Allah you generally get more satisfaction because Allah creates
blessing in there. You can have the best thing at the castle, the
palace palatial home that you live in, but you have no Baraka in that
you don't feel like you feel strange in there. You could have a
small place and if there's Baraka in there, you feel comfortable in
there Mashallah. So if you have a great thing and you have you know,
and you have, what do you call it baraka and blessing in there
because of Allah subhanho wa taala, placing that homeliness and
comfort and harmony and goodness, and that feel that feel right,
then then you'll be fine. So Allah subhanaw taala, deprived him of
His favours, and then that flood that took over that bat, that dam
broke. And what happened is that all the communities that had to
disperse, and they've gone far and wide Subhanallah they, as far as
my reading goes, the current many of the current families, at least
the ruling family of
Abu Dhabi, you know, the Emirates, they actually originally from that
area, right? And that's why they've actually got interest in
the area. And they're trying to rebuild the Maghreb dam, which was
a massive dam, you know, which had provided this amazing irrigation
and everything, but when it broke, it just destroyed everything.
Right. And there's been many other cases like this of dams breaking
in different parts of the world. Corruption kept into their life.
They started I mean, aside from the big ideas they had, they
actually started becoming corrupt. They took on the path of
disobedience and wickedness. And it's very difficult to understand
why they started acting so irrationally, despite what Allah
subhanaw taala had given them. I personally just think it's because
they didn't have baraka and blessing when they started doing
wrong, Allah take the took the baraka away. So even though you've
got so much you're squander it, right? There's people who've
wasted what Allah has given them, because they stopped being
appreciative of Allah subhanho wa taala. Right? Allah subhanho wa
Taala is the all wise and the old knowing he knows completely well,
right? That even today, there's many communities that are
disobedient and wicked, and who are essentially following in the
footsteps of the people of Sabah, right. They also want to seek
adventure and risk and they want to take on more challenges. They
become very complacent with what they have, they want more, and
they no longer appreciate the bounties that Allah has given
them. They don't compare this themselves to the have nots, and
think that we've got so much and they should think they should
thank God for that. So
Subhan Allah, generally, when you read the books of history, right,
they they will try to record every little bit of detail to tell you
who the ruler was and how they long they lasted. And the various
different lessons in the Quran has history in it, but it's not a book
of history. Right?
The Quran does not deal with the rise and fall of every single
community or Empire or civilization or change of rulers
or their conquest. That's not the purpose of the Quran. The Quran is
focus, as you've seen from these verses, is to focus the attention
on the human weaknesses, and to see why these kinds of things
would happen, so that we can avoid because the Quran is a book of
guidance. Allah subhana wa Taala wants to convey to people of all
time and place, the way to survive. That's why we as a
believing community, with all of the prosperity that we have around
us and all the facility that Allah subhanaw taala has given us the
comfortable living spaces, the abundance of foods throughout the
year of natural fruits from around the world, that is brought to our
footsteps the ability to purchase these things. And subhanAllah we
can just see the increase I mean Subhanallah I mean I guess this is
an you know, this is an example I Juha are dates, which are at least
two to three times more expensive than the cheaper versions of
dates, right? But Masha Allah Subhanallah there is just so much
ADGER in the UK right now, that Masjid are giving them out to all
the congregation for the Iftar people are setting a jewel life
right and left right and center people are purchasing it that just
shows the buying ability, the capacity, it shows prosperity
Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah but don't forget
Allah subhanho wa Taala thank Allah when you eat anything good
when you wear anything good when you live in a place that's good
when you drive something which takes you from one place to the
other when you have the ability to go ombre whenever you want right
now mashallah after it's open, so many people have gone to Umbra
from the west and yet people from other places can still not go
right can still not go we have the ability to do multiple genres.
MashAllah many people in the UK and the US and Canada, and many
places in South Africa etc. Have the ability but other places can't
they just about what long to go once in their life just for a
hedge if they can even make it there? And they can't. There's a
lot of prosperity left
Let's not forget that thank Allah for everything and let us not
disobey Allah subhanaw taala let us make Toba and Allah forgive us
during this month of Ramadan especially and keep us forgiven
and keep us away from the wrongs Allah subhanaw taala we thank you
yeah Allah we thank you for all that you have given us where you
have given us more than many, many others in the world. Yeah Allah
allow us to be grateful. Allow us to be grateful and remember you
Zack Allah here may Allah subhanaw taala bless us all please keep us
in your doors make a dua for us. And Assalamu aleikum wa
rahmatullah wa barakato. The point of the lecture is to encourage
people to act to get further and inspiration and encouragement,
persuasion, the next step is to actually start learning seriously,
to read books to take on a subject of Islam and to understand all the
subjects of Islam at least at the basic level, so that we can become
more aware of what our deen wants from us. And that's why we started
Rayyan courses, so that you can actually take organize lectures on
demand whenever you have free time, especially for example, the
Islamic essentials course that we have on there, the Islamic
essentials certificate which you take 20 Short modules, and at the
end of that insha Allah you will have gotten the basics of most of
the most important topics in Islam and you'll feel a lot more
confident. You don't have to leave lectures behind you can continue
to live, you know, to listen to lectures, but you need to have
this more sustained study as well, which is Aquila here and salam.
aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.