Kamil Ahmad – Parables of the Quran – Class #2
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of hardened hearts and the hesitation of people to change their beliefs. They emphasize the need to be mindful of their actions and not give up on their people. The speakers also discuss the stubborn nature of some people and the importance of remembering God's praises and humility. They stress the need to be mindful of their actions and practicing their practices.
AI: Summary ©
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful.
If you were to give them Dawah, they
would not really respond, because their hearts are
sealed.
And so the first parable that we have
is concerning the hardened heart.
Surah Al-Baqarah is called Surah Al-Baqarah,
why?
Because of the story of the cow that
Bani Israel were told to slaughter.
And so Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells
us that these people, when they were told
to slaughter a cow, they kept on asking
questions, you know, about the nature of the
cow.
And so that's how these people were, stubborn.
Instead of quickly submitting and doing what you
are told to do, they would question and
they would object.
That's how Bani Israel were.
In the end, Allah tells us that they
finally slaughtered the cow.
And then what does Allah say?
In the next ayah, Allah says, وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ
نَفْسًا فَادَّارَبْتُمْ فِيهَا وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
The whole reason why Musa a.s. asked
them to slaughter a cow, was because there
was a murder that happened.
There was a murder that took place.
And the murderer was on the loose.
And everyone was blaming each other.
No one was taking responsibility.
And we don't know who the murderer is.
So Allah says in this ayah, And when
a man was killed, and you disputed who
the killer was, but Allah revealed what you
concealed.
So some of them knew who the murderer
was.
Allah brought that out.
How?
Allah says, فَقُلْنَا بُرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُحِيَ اللَّهُ
الْمَوْتَ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ So we told
them, strike the dead body with a piece
of the cow.
The cow that you just slaughtered, take a
piece of it, and hit the dead body
with it.
Allah says, this is how easily Allah brings
the dead to life, showing you His signs
so that you may understand.
And so what happened was that, when they
hit the dead man with a piece of
the cow, he came to life.
Allah brought him to life.
And then He told them who killed him.
He told them who killed him.
And so, this was a huge miracle.
Right?
This was a huge miracle that they witnessed
right before their eyes.
What is expected after that?
What's expected is that they should be moved
by such a miracle.
And their hearts should become softened as a
result.
But Allah tells us right after that, in
the next Ayah, that the opposite ended up
happening.
And that is the prayer that we have.
Allah says, ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ
فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةٍ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ
لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَاءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ
فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ
خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ أَنَّ تَعْمَلُونَ Allah
says, Then your hearts, Allah is speaking to
who here?
Bani Israel.
Then your hearts became hardened, like a rock,
or even harder.
They dash rivers, and others split, spilling water.
While others fall down, out of fear and
awe for Allah.
And Allah is never unaware of what you
do.
So, what is the comparison here?
What is the resemblance that Allah is making
here?
The comparison is, the hearts of Bani Israel.
Allah says, Their hearts were like rocks, or,
even harder than rocks.
And so, this comparison here was made, because,
it is said that, Ibn Kathir mentions this,
that after they witnessed the miracle, they saw
this dead man come to life, and tell
them, who the killer was.
The relatives of the accused, they still went
on to deny it.
They still went on to deny that they
were responsible.
That it was one of them.
Ibn Kathir, he mentions this, and then he
says, The hearts of Bani Israel, over time,
became hardened, and distant, from Al-Waw, from
admonition.
Despite the signs and the miracles they had
witnessed.
Their hearts became as hard as rocks, which
cannot be softened.
Or, they were even harder.
Because among rocks, are those from which rivers
gush forth, others split, and water flows from
them, even if not flowing as rivers, and
others fall from the peaks of mountains, out
of fear, out of fear of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala.
And so here, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
first says, that their hearts became hardened like
rocks, كالحجارة Then he says, أو أشد قسوة
Or even harder than rocks.
Why?
Because, rocks and stones, are a creation of
Allah, right?
They are a creation of Allah.
And every creation of Allah, recognizes who its
creator is.
Right?
And, their need to submit to Allah.
They recognize who their creator is, and the
need to submit to that creator, to Allah.
And so Allah tells us that, this is
why some rocks, are softer.
They are actually softer than, the hearts of
these stubborn people.
Because there are times when, you know, these
rocks which are otherwise hard, they soften out
of, humility, and humbleness, before Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala.
Whereas these people, you know, these human beings,
even when there was a need, to humble
themselves before Allah.
Right?
You know, the miracle that they witnessed.
Their hearts still did not soften.
Right?
Whereas, a lifeless creation of Allah, like rocks,
even without there being a need, they humble
themselves, before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And here is another comparison, that Allah mentions
here, concerning soft hearts.
Right?
Allah mentions the comparison, or the example of
soft hearts.
That they are like, three kinds of rocks.
Rocks that gush rivers, through rocks there come
rivers, rivers flow.
And the second is rocks that split open,
spilling forth water.
What is that referring to?
Yes, springs, that come out from the ground.
Right?
And, rocks that fall from mountains.
Right?
So, all of these rocks, they do that
out of, veneration for Allah.
Ta'weem for Allah.
And as Allah says here, من خشية الله
تهبيط من خشية الله These rocks, they humble
themselves before Allah, out of awe, out of
fear for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And, you know, there is no doubt, that
the more humble a person is, the softer
his heart is going to be.
The softer his heart is going to be.
Ibn Kathir, he mentions a narration, of how
these three kinds of rocks, they resemble, three
different kinds of people.
So, the first kind of rock, the one
that, you know, rocks that gush rivers, rivers
are flowing, from these rocks.
Yeah, the first one.
فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ Rivers,
you know, gush forward through these rocks.
This refers to someone who cries a lot,
out of the fear of Allah.
The second, وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ
Rocks that split open and, water comes spilling
from it.
This refers to someone who cries less, someone
who cries less.
And the third, rocks that fall, this refers
to someone who, whose heart is humble, and
inwardly he cries, but without shedding tears outwardly.
Without shedding tears outwardly.
And so as we said, there's no doubt
that, the more humble a person is before
Allah, the more fearful a person is of
Allah, the softer his heart is gonna be,
and as a result, the more he's gonna
cry.
The more he's gonna shed tears, out of
fear for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and
the opposite.
As Allah is alluding to, in this ayah,
the case of these Jews, you know, Bani
Israel.
The less humble someone is, the harder their
hearts are gonna be, and thus, they're not
gonna shed tears, out of fear of Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala, and his punishment.
And so this is the example of, you
know, those whose hearts have become hardened.
Those whose hearts have become hardened.
And, you know, the reasons for why hearts
become hardened, there are many reasons for that.
Among the reasons is, living a life of
ghafla, of heedlessness, being attached to the dunya,
and not having anything to remind you, of
Allah or, you know, of the akhirah.
Of the akhirah.
This causes the heart to become hardened.
Also, sins.
The more frequently we sin, the harder the
hearts become.
And, that's why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
mentions, that among the seven, who will be
shaded by Allah, in his shade on the
day of judgment, one of them is who?
The one who?
The one who isolates himself, not publicly, he
isolates himself, and then he remembers Allah, and
tears flow from his eyes.
Someone who cries out of his fear for
Allah.
That he is one of those who will
be shaded by Allah on the day, in
which there will be no shade except his.
And we also know that Abu Bakr radiallahu
anhu, from among the sahaba, was one of
those who was known for crying a lot.
He was very soft-hearted.
Right?
He was very soft-hearted.
And so, among the lessons that we learn
from this parable, is, first of all, that
some people, they will never change, no matter,
you know, what signs and proofs they see.
Some people, they'll never change.
Because their hearts are sealed, sealed and hard.
Like these people from Bani Isra'il.
They see a living miracle right before their
eyes.
A dead person comes to life.
And he talks.
And he tells them who killed him.
And still, they deny.
A group of them, the family of those
who were accused, they denied it.
Right?
They denied it.
As Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la
tells us about some people, who He's made
up His mind regarding these people.
That's it.
These people are never gonna change.
Allah says, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ
لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ Those who Allah basically, He's
made up His mind, His decree, is that
they will not believe.
That's it.
As part of the Qadr of Allah, these
people are not gonna believe.
وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلَّ آيَتٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُوا الْحَذَابِ الْأَيْمِ
Even if every sign, every proof came to
them, they will never believe.
Until they see the punishment before their eyes.
The punishment of the Akhirah.
And Allah also tells us about those who
are arrogant, سَأَصُرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَا الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي
الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ That I will turn away
from my signs and my proofs.
Those who act unjustly with arrogance in the
land.
وَإِن يَرَوْ كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا Every
sign and every evidence, they will not believe.
And we have people like this today.
We have people like this today.
The truth is clear before their eyes, but
they just don't.
It doesn't change them.
And there are some Muslims too.
This doesn't only apply to the Kuffar.
But it also applies to many Muslims who
have hardened hearts.
Who have hardened hearts.
That no matter how much you advise them,
no matter how much you instill fear in
their hearts, that look, this is the punishment
for this, you should change your ways, etc.
They don't change.
They don't change.
Right?
And so they're no different than these people
from Bani Israel, who Allah compared their hearts
to being even harder than rocks.
The second lesson that we learn is that
when we read ayat like this, and in
the Qur'an whenever we read any description
of the Kuffar, we shouldn't think this only
applies to them.
Right?
We shouldn't think it only applies to them,
but rather we need to take it as
a reminder for ourselves.
And so in this is a warning for
the believers that we should not allow our
hearts to become hardened like that of Ahlul
Kitab before us.
And Allah specifically mentions this in the Qur
'an.
Where?
In which surah?
Surah Al-Hadeed.
What's the ayat?
أَلَمْ يَأْمِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ
اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ Has a time
not come for those who believe, for their
hearts to become humbled by the remembrance of
Allah, by the dhikr of Allah, and what
has come of the truth, meaning the Qur
'an.
Has a time not come for our hearts
to become softened by the reminders that we
hear in the Qur'an.
وَلَا يَكُونُ كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ
عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُ And that we should
not be like those who came before us,
those who were given the book before us,
who a long period of time passed.
What does this refer to?
Before Bani Israel, they would get prophet after
prophet.
One prophet would go, another prophet would come.
And they're constantly getting reminders from Allah.
Constantly, it's coming.
Generation after generation, century after century, until the
time of Isa Alayhi Salaam.
Now, some 500-600 years later, Allah is
telling the believers, let your hearts not to
become like those of Ahlul Kitab.
Why have they become so hard?
Because such a long time passed, and they
haven't received anything.
Such a long time passed, and they did
not receive anything.
And so, what happened?
And so, their hearts became hardened.
فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ Their hearts became hardened.
And so, that proves that, that proves what
we mentioned, that when you're not reminded constantly,
you end up forgetting, and then, your heart
becomes hardened.
One of the reasons for a hardened heart,
is not being reminded.
A long time passing, in which you become
heedless of Allah, and that's it.
Now, your heart becomes hardened.
So, to keep our hearts softened, and humble,
we need to constantly remind ourselves.
The third lesson that we learn, is that
lifeless, lifeless created things, recognize their Creator.
Lifeless created things.
Recognize Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِمْ The
seven heavens, and the earth, and everything in
them, glorify Allah.
Glorify Allah.
وَإِن مِّنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَكِنْ لَا
تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ There is not a single thing,
not a single thing that Allah has created,
that does not glorify His praises.
That does not say, سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدِ للَّهِ
But then what does Allah say?
وَلَكِنْ لَا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ But you simply cannot
understand their hamd and their tasbih.
The mountains, the planets, the stars, the trees,
everything praises Allah.
But Allah tells us here that we simply
don't hear them, and we don't understand how
they praise Allah.
And here, in this example that Allah has
mentioned, in this parable, Allah tells us that
rocks, lifeless rocks, humble themselves before Allah.
And Allah has told us elsewhere about the
mountains.
What did Allah tell us concerning Dawud Alayhis
Salaam?
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ مِنَّا فَضْلًا And we granted
Dawud a great bounty from ourselves, يَا جِبَالُ
أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْبُ Allah addresses the mountains and
the birds, O mountains and also the birds,
glorify with him, with Dawud.
Whenever Dawud glorifies Allah, you also glorify with
him.
So this tells us that the mountains, they
recognize Allah, and they praise Allah.
And Allah also tells us about this Qur
'an, that if it was revealed before or
on top of a mountain, what would happen
to the mountain?
It would humble itself, it would basically come
crashing down out of humbleness.
It would be able to withstand, withhold the
greatness of Allah.
Right?
وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَالٍ لَرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا
مُتَصَدِّعًا مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ If we had sent
this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would
have certainly seen it humbled and torn apart,
falling apart from the fear of Allah.
And also in the story of Musa Alayhis
Salaam, when he went to meet Allah, and
he had the privilege of hearing Allah directly,
but he wasn't satisfied with that.
He wanted more.
What did he want?
He said, رَبِّي أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَىٰ He said,
Oh Allah, now I want to see You.
I've heard Your voice, now I want to
see You.
But Allah, you know, explained to Musa Alayhis
Salaam that look, you can't do that now.
Not in this dunya.
Right?
And Allah told him that I will come
and appear before this mountain.
If it remains still, then you'll be able
to see.
Otherwise you won't.
فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَرِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَى
صُعِقًا And when Allah appeared before the mountain,
the mountain came crashing down, and Musa Alayhis
Salaam fell unconscious.
Right?
And so all of this shows us that
not only do lifeless created things recognize their
Creator and glorify Allah, but also that they're
more humble than many human beings.
They're more humble than many human beings.
And that was the whole point of this
parable.
That this group of Bani Israel, Allah tells
us that their hearts were hard, even harder
than rocks.
We move on after that to the next
parable.
And this is the parable of the kuffar.
And specifically those disbelievers who are irresponsive to
the da'wah.
Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala says in Surah
Al-Baqarah وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنزَلَ
اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ أَبَاءَنَا
Allah says about the kuffar of Mecca, the
kuffar of Quraysh, these idol worshippers who the
Prophet ﷺ was sent to.
When it is said to them, follow what
Allah has revealed, they say no.
We're only gonna follow what our forefathers used
to do.
And then Allah says, أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا
يَعَقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَحْتَدُونَ Even if their forefathers
had absolutely no understanding or any guidance.
And so Allah tells us about the stubbornness
of these people, their arrogance, which is why
Allah responds in this way.
Even if their forefathers had absolutely no understanding
or no guidance, because your forefathers came at
a time when there was no Prophet.
No Qur'an, no revelation from Allah.
They were living in darknesses.
Right?
If they followed the ways of their ancestors,
and if they followed falsehood, it makes sense,
right?
Because they have no one to guide them.
But now you guys have a messenger, and
you have a book, and you have revelation
coming.
And you're still saying, we're not gonna follow
you, we're gonna follow the ways of our
forefathers.
It shows their arrogance and their stubbornness.
And so that's why Allah says this here.
And then, Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A
'la gives us the parable of these people.
Right?
And so, in the next ayah, and this
is verse 171 of Surah Al-Baqarah, وَمَثَلُ
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُوا بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُوا
إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً سُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌّ فَهُمْ لَا
يَعْقِلُونَ Allah says the parable, the example of
those who disbelieve, is like, is like that
of one who shouts.
He calls out and he shouts at something
that cannot hear anything but calls and cries,
deaf, dumb, and blind, and so they do
not understand.
And so they do not understand.
Here Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala tells us
about how these people are.
He gives us an example of how they
are.
And he compares them to, first of all,
Allah compares the one giving them da'wah,
the one giving them da'wah, in this
case, Muhammad ﷺ, Allah compares him to a
shepherd.
Right?
Allah compares him to a shepherd.
The shepherd he calls out to, to his
sheep.
The shepherd he calls out to his sheep.
So the da'wah giving the da'wah,
he is the example of the shepherd.
The flock of sheep, these are the kuffar.
The flock of sheep, these are the kuffar.
So just like a shepherd calls out to
his flock of sheep with commands and orders,
what do they hear?
All they hear is a voice shouting at
them.
Do they understand a single word of it?
Do they understand anything that he's telling them?
No.
So Allah is saying likewise, this kafir, who
you are giving da'wah to, whose heart
is heedless and dead, and who has no
interest in learning about the truth or finding
it.
Right?
No matter how much you try to make
him understand, all he hears are words without
understanding any of it.
Or you could say, you could say as
they say, it goes in through one ear
and it comes out through the other.
It goes in through one ear and it
comes out through the other.
And that's why Ibn Abbas, he says about
this parable, Allah says, like a camel, a
donkey, and a sheep, if you say to
them, if you say to one of them,
eat, it doesn't understand what you're saying.
Although it hears your voice.
He says, likewise is the kafir.
If you command them to do good, forbid
them from evil, or admonish them, they do
not understand what you're saying.
All they hear is your voice.
All they hear is your voice.
In fact, we can say that the flock
of sheep is actually better than these kafir.
How?
These animals are actually better than the kafir.
And Allah actually mentions this in the Qur
'an.
Allah actually mentions this in the Qur'an.
And we're gonna come across, we're gonna mention
that parable later on, when we come to
it.
That the sheep and this flock of sheep
are better off than the kafir.
How?
Exactly.
Because although they don't understand a single thing
that they're being told, they still comply.
Right?
They still comply.
If they're going down a dangerous path, you
know, they're going to a danger zone.
The shepherd calls out to them, and he
comes with his stick, and immediately they move.
They follow his orders.
They don't know what he's saying.
They don't know why.
They don't even understand why he's telling them
not to go there.
Right?
But they comply.
Submit.
Whereas these people, right?
These people, they don't.
Not only do they not understand what you're
saying, but they're also, you know, ignoring you
completely.
They're going down a dangerous path.
They're taking themselves to the hellfire.
And, you know, they're continuing down that path.
They're not complying by what you tell them.
And that's why Allah ﷻ ends off the
ayah by saying and by describing them as
being summun, bukmun, umyun.
They are.
They are deaf.
They are dumb.
And when we say dumb, what that means
is someone whose tongue cannot speak.
And they are blind.
It's not that they can't see.
It's not that they can't hear or that
they can't speak.
But that they can't perceive the reality of
these things.
Right?
You tell them about Allah.
You tell them about, you know, the akhira.
They don't understand these concepts.
They can't make sense of these concepts.
Qatada, who was one of the tabi'in,
he says deaf, dumb, and blind, meaning they
are deaf to the truth so they neither
hear it nor benefit from it nor comprehend
it.
Blind to the truth and guidance so they
do not see it.
And dumb regarding the truth so they do
not speak it.
So they do not speak it.
Now here Allah ﷻ ends off the ayah
by saying فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And in the previous parable that we took
last week Allah described the munafiqun as صُمٌ
بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ And we mentioned
this last week.
Allah says regarding the munafiqun they are deaf,
dumb, and blind and so they do not
return, meaning they are not going to come
back to iman.
They are not going to come back to
iman.
Whereas here Allah says فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ So
they do not understand.
And so the difference here is the munafiqun,
they knew the truth and they left it.
Whereas these kuffar, they don't understand and they
don't know the truth to begin with.
Right?
So anyone who is called to the truth
and shown the truth with its proofs and
then he refuses to accept it or follow
it, we can say that he is not
someone who is aqil because Allah here says
لَا يَعْقِلُونَ They don't have intellects.
So basically they are unintelligent.
They could be the smartest of people with
regards to the dunya but if they reject
the truth of Allah they are the most
unintelligent of people.
Now some scholars of tafsir they say that
this parable of the kuffar is actually referring
to something else.
What is that?
Allah says that the example of the kuffar
is like someone who is shouting or calling
out to that which cannot hear.
So they said here the example of the
shepherd is the kafir.
So the kafir is being compared to a
shepherd who calls out to the flock of
sheep.
What is the flock of sheep?
Because Allah says لَا يَسْمَعُوا إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً
الدعاء The kafir is making dua to who?
To false gods.
So the false gods are compared to this
flock of sheep.
Meaning that the example of those who disbelieve
and their idols in their calling upon them
while they neither understand nor comprehend.
These idols cannot understand anything.
It's like the example of one who calls
out to that which cannot hear.
A shepherd who calls out to his sheep
who cannot make sense of what they're saying.
As Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la
says elsewhere in the Qur'an about the
kuffar when they call out to their false
gods.
What does Allah say?
إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءً If you were
to call upon them, these false gods, they
cannot hear your calls.
وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ And even if they
were to hear, they wouldn't be able to
answer you, to give you what you're asking
for.
وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ And on the Day
of Judgment, they will disown your shirk, your
ibadah of them.
وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ And no one can
inform you, O Muhammad, like Al-Khabir Allah
Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la, the Muslim.
We move on to the lessons that we
learned from this parable.
Number one, we see the humiliating state of
the kafir who turns away as Allah Subh
'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la compares them to
these animals.
Look at such a humiliating example that you're
being compared to animals.
As Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la
says, وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ
We have prepared for the Hellfire many from
among the jinn and humans.
لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا They have hearts
with which they cannot understand.
وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُمْسِرُونَ بِهَا And they have
eyes with which they can't see.
وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا And they have
ears with which they cannot hear.
أُولَٰئِكَ كَلْ أَنْ نَعَانِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَىٰ They
are like cattle.
But rather they are even more astray.
They are even more astray.
أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ They are the heedless.
The second lesson is that these Kuffar are
those whom Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has
sealed their hearts.
When it comes to the Kuffar there are
those whom Allah has planned for their Hidayah.
Allah has written for them that they will
be guided.
There are others whom Allah has written for
them that they will never be guided.
Their hearts have been sealed.
Now the question of why, this is not
for us to ask, right?
Because Allah tells us that Allah guides whomever
He wishes.
يَهْدِي اللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَىٰ And He tells
us that He causes others to go astray
as He wishes.
And so the wish of Allah is not
for us to question.
Right?
But for one reason or the other Allah
has decided for them not to be guided.
And generally we can say that it is
because Allah knows that these people no matter
what they will never accept the guidance.
Generally we can say that because Allah is
not unjust.
So there has to be a reason.
And this is the reason that many scholars
mention.
And so no matter what you do they
will never believe.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَافَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْ دَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ
لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ Those who disbelieve, it's
the same whether you warn them or you
don't warn them.
They will not believe.
They simply will not believe.
But now our job, what is our job?
We can't see the hearts, right?
We don't see those hearts that have been
sealed by Allah for us to say, let's
just give up on these people, no.
Right?
Because when it comes to the hearts that
is a knowledge of Allah.
Our job is to continue, right?
To continue to give da'wah even to
these people who are irresponsible, just not responding
to our da'wah.
And we see that in the example of
the Prophet ﷺ.
He never gave up.
He never gave up with his people.
Although there came a time when he was
about to lose hope.
But in general, he continued till the very
end.
And we see that in the example of
his uncle Abu Talib who he is one
of those who Allah had decided he will
never be guided.
Right till the very end and Abu Talib
is on his deathbed.
The Prophet ﷺ came to him and said,
Say la ilaha illallah and I will be
there for you before Allah on the Day
of Judgment.
But he had his other companions with him,
Abu Jahl and the others.
And they were saying to him, Do not
abandon the religion of your forefathers.
And that's how he ended up passing away.
Finally, the last lesson that we learned is
that in this parable is a warning to
us believers.
Again, we have to always read and reflect
on the ayat of the Qur'an.
And we shouldn't say all of these verses
are talking about the kuffar.
It doesn't apply to us.
No.
There's always a lesson in it for us.
And so this parable, the lesson that we
learned from it is that it's a warning
for us believers that we shouldn't become like
these kuffar who turn away when they hear
the message.
Who turn away when they hear the message.
But rather, when we're told something by Allah
and His Messenger, what should we be saying?
سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا We hear and we obey.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا
دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُفِيكُمْ O you who believe, respond
to Allah and His Messenger when He calls
you to that which gives you life.
To that which gives you life.
And this is what made the Salaf different
than us.
We know everything that is mentioned in the
Qur'an and in the Sunnah.
But for us, it's just knowledge.
But for them, it was different.
Anytime they would hear something, they would immediately
submit to it and practice it and implement
it.
Right?
They wouldn't turn a blind eye.
They wouldn't turn away.
And so, let us not be like these
Kuffar who when we're being called, it goes
in through one ear and it comes out
through the other.
We ask Allah ﷻ to make us steadfast
on the truth and grant us beneficial knowledge.
Knowledge that turns into action.
So we'll stop here.
Are there any questions?
Or is it harder?
Harder.
Yeah, that's exactly what you mentioned.
That, you know, these rocks, Allah says that
their hearts became hard just like rocks.
Right?
The comparison here is the hardness.
The comparison here is the hardness.
That's why some scholars mentioned, why didn't Allah
here mention something harder like metal?
They say because metal, it can bend under
fire whereas rocks do not.
Right?
In fact, rocks are used for fueling fire.
Right?
Allah says that the hellfire will be, the
fuel of it will be rocks and people.
So, then Allah says, or harder than rocks.
Right?
Because some rocks, as Allah mentions, some rocks,
water flows through them.
Whereas with these people, you know, no matter
what, their hearts will remain hard.
Not humbling before Allah, not shedding tears out
of fear and awe for Allah.
Alright, so we'll stop here inshallah and we'll
continue next week.
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك الشهد والله لا إله إلا
أنت استغفرك واتوب إليك وصل اللهم وسلم على
نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين والسلام عليكم
ورحمة الله وبركاته