Mohammad Ali Hazratji – Tafseer AlBalad
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AI: Transcript ©
Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Bismillah
Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah while earlier he
was sung by a woman with a
long lifetime Asami up alumina Reedy Creek Crick
Yola open the hearing channels of our hearts to your remembrance you
know Allah
open our hearts and our minds to the correct understanding of your
words.
alone might not have gone was overnight Tada renewal belt in
about 11 or So Christina.
Allah show us the truth as the truth and make us to follow it and
show us falsehood as falsehood and help us to abstain from it.
Allah Hi John laminal Latina testimonial hola for yet wo Naxx
Anna, Allah make us among those who listen to the words of
admonition and follow the best of them.
So my dear brothers and sisters, again
in our journey of learning and reviewing and under striving to
understand the meaning of the words of Allah subhanaw taala, as
has been conveyed to us through Rasulullah Salallahu Salam, his
Sahaba are the Allahu Anhu and the scholars after them from the early
generations, so that we will have a proper understanding,
not a whimsical personal understanding and interpretation
of the words of Allah subhanaw taala. So we always rely on the
original sources, the older the better, from the books of the
Farsi and how our scholars have understood it, how the Sahaba most
importantly understood it from Rasulullah sallallahu sallam. And
again, a reminder first for myself and for each one of you that we
are embarking again, not on an academic discussion of the Quran,
but with the goal that we will implement to the best of our
capacity and capability.
What we learn that we will act that we will walk the path not
just know the path that Allah subhanaw taala has chosen us and
has blessed us with Rasul Allah salAllahu Alaihe salam to pave
this path and show this path, the bath of all the Umbria before him.
So today, we start with Surah, Al Balad, Al Balad, as you know, is
the city this is the 98th chapter, chapter surah of the Quran.
And
it's again, as we've mentioned before, we are trying to cover the
muck and sorrows that were revealed in Macau before the age
of the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam so that we can have some
idea of the real time revelation of the Quran, what the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa salam and his Sahaba were going through at the
time when some of these revelations were coming down. So
we can actually live in those times as much as we can.
So some have said that this is from the early this surah is from
the early McCunn period. And some have said that it's from the mid
McCann, period, and again, these are the times when the message of
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi. Salam, the message of Islam is
being rejected and there is a lot of oppression in the Arabia of the
time of an Allah subhanaw taala is sending Revelation After
revelation,
inviting people towards the worship of himself towards decayed
from sherek and polytheism and towards goodness and right
behavior with each other the rights of humanity, rather than
the oppression that was rampant at the time, in every aspect
of how oppression can be understood.
So Allah subhanaw taala again,
in this makin Surah again starts with a person or an oath. And as
we've said before, Allah subhanaw taala takes the custom by the by
the WoW will assume like well Layli well Fajr was summer it was
with the Wow. And he also takes custom with bear and sometimes by
actually sweat
During a puzzle or episode, la AppSumo and wherever the word XM
or custom is used it, I swear, Allah subhanaw taala never uses
the word UK somewhere anywhere without preceding it with La La
Ecosim okay. So, as we have said before, and we remind again, that
the custom is to bring attention to something of great importance,
which is called the job or custom, what it is, what is it that the
artist is being taken about the artist being taken by or over some
of Allah's creation, but the art is about something important. So,
it starts with a person, it is also used to emphasize the person,
the truthfulness of what is being said Allah is the most truthful he
is allowed the truth. So, he does not have to testify or to swear or
take an oath, but he does that, to tell us that, in fact, this is the
truth. And it is just a something that's being hammered into us so
that we understand it. And by taking an oath on some of his
creation, Allah subhanaw taala, also magnifies and honors that
which is being sworn by, which in this case is a ballot, the city.
So here Allah subhanaw taala. Again, we go back to an era of, of
disbelief and lack of guidance, and we go to an area of disbelief
and rejection, which is maca at the time. And yet, the kuffaar of
Maccha, revered the city, they knew the sanctity of the city,
they considered it as a as Haram as sacred. And they knew the
sanctity of the house of Allah subhanaw taala. So they already
knew all of that. And in spite of all of that, they were doing what
they were doing. So Allah subhanaw taala
swears by the sacred city,
almost Rantala, saying, I swear by this city, the sacred city of
Mecca. And by Allah taking an oath on the city, He glorifies the city
even more, that Allah has taken an oath on the city. So as we said,
the the oath starts with less opposition will be hurdle ballot.
And this law is not a negation. It's a refutation of what they
were saying. So it's one way of understanding this is Allah
subhanaw taala saying law means stop saying what you are. Stop
your denial. Stop your useless arguments that are baseless, stop
your conjectures, I swear, I indeed swear by this city Maccha,
the sacred city, the greatest place in the universe, from the
time that Allah subhanaw taala created the universe Ummul Qura,
the mother of all cities,
the sanctity of its confines, where life is honored, and where
even trees are not allowed to be cut down.
And they knew all of this.
And how sacred is the city? And how beloved is the city that when
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa salam was being forced out of the
city, in his hijra, and when he was leaving, because they were
trying to kill him
on his, on his sort of last horizon where he could still see
Maccha he turned around, and you can imagine the emotion in his in
his heart, and perhaps his his eyes, his noble eyes were a little
wet. He says and he addresses Mackay says, By Allah, you are the
best of lands of Allah
and the best land of Allah to Allah.
And what it not for the fact that I was expelled from you, I would
never have left you.
In another narration, he said, There is no finer place than you.
There is no place more beloved to me Rasulullah sallallahu sallam
said, and what if not for the fact that your people have driven me
out? I would not have lived elsewhere.
This is how beautiful and beloved the cities
so Allah is taking an oath another way
It is to say, No, indeed, I do swear by the sacred city of Makkah
to emphasize the oath.
Now
some have even translated the law oximeter as say as actually know
as translating it is No, I don't need to swear by the city. In
other words, what is coming is so obvious that no oath needs to be
taken but this is a few people's opinion.
Then Allah salah, opposite mu B huddle, Bella ballot, No, indeed I
do swear by the sacred city of Makkah and the hilum behind the
ballot
and Anta
talking to us, will Allah salAllahu Alaihe Salam you Oh
Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam, hello behad al Balad, you are a
hill in this city. Now, this word Hill has multiple meaning. And
therefore, there are multiple interpretations of what this
means.
The one that most of the Salaf from the time of portada and
Hassan Al Hassan Al bursary and the some of the companions took
this position which we are going to mention first, that Allah
subhanaw taala has made the whole world * means permissible, but
has made the Haram The Maccha haram sacred, okay. So,
when it says held means where it is permissible, where you are free
to do things. So one translation, the the major interpretation of
this is that Allah subhanaw taala, saying, All Prophet salallahu
Alaihe Salam, you are free dweller, you are free in this
city. What does free me free doesn't mean that you can do
whatever you want. It means you are free from sin, and you have
been given permission
to fight in the city and punish the enemies of Islam for an hour
on a particular day. Even in this city, it has been made * for
you, where bloodshed is happening.
Now, this is an early makansutra. What does this imply it implies
that it is a subtle way in which a Bashara or glad tiding a prophecy
is being made that one day after being persecuted, you are going to
come back here and you're going to conquer the city.
And if you have to shed blood for that, for that moment,
it is permissible in the city.
And the evidence for this also comes from a Hadith of the Prophet
salallahu Salam which is a certainly Hadith narrated by Edna
boss Radi Allahu anha,
in which the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam said, after the Fatah
Makkah, he said this city of Mecca was made sacred by Allah subhanaw
taala, the mighty Azerbaijan, the day he created the heavens and the
earth,
fighting in the city was not permitted for anyone before me, or
after me. Rather, it was permitted for me for a short hour south of a
day on one day, that is interpreted as the day of Facha
Mecca, that he was permitted.
And then he said, at this moment, it is a sanctuary that is sacred
by the decree of Allah until the Day of Resurrection. Means after
this moment, it will never happen again. He said it's green grass is
not to be uprooted or cut. Its trees are not to be cut. And it's
game the animals are not to be
hunted.
It is not permissible to pick up its last property, except by one
who will announce it publicly in order to find the owner.
So when he said this, Abbas about the hola on his uncle, who was
very smart when he said if everything is for bidding, he said
in law, if there is if there is a grass that they used to use, in
making the graves and using it in the clay of their homes, so if
that would be forbidden, they wouldn't be able to take it. So he
suggested that and also allah sallallahu sallam said, it learn
it means everything else this dry grass that you use is permitted
Other than that, you can pluck anything.
So this is the sanctity of
In this city, and this is the permission this URL, this
permission was given to the Prophet sallallahu. Another
interpretation that some have taken is that the kuffaar knew of
the sanctity of the city that it was not permissible to kill and to
persecute, yet they made the Prophet salallahu Salam, *
halaal on them, to abuse him, to persecute him and even attempt to
murder him in the city.
And there are some other understandings of * one is that
it is a descent that some have said that you are Prophet
sallallahu alayhi salam have descended into the city from the
mountain with the revelation. So these are various interpretation,
but the first opinion is the one that's most commonly accepted.
It's interesting in this Allah subhanaw taala has mentioned the
higher will beloved, the best of cities, and increased its
magnificence by it by the presence in it of the Hyrule a bath, which
is a sort of LaSalle Eliasson, best of the servants in the best
of city, federal bad in federal beloved, his presence made that
sacred city even more glorious.
Then Allah subhanaw taala takes the second note, will Valley Doom
where my wallet
it means I also swear that I'm saying because it's an oath
by the wallet, if you want to say the father or the mother, one that
begets and the what it begets math wallet,
what begets and what is begotten for the father and the son or
every if you take it in the general sense, every parent and
every offspring Allah subhanaw taala say, you can use it in a
general term because Allah has not set sorne by L valid and l valid.
He said well while I do which is open, so it's general. So if we
take it in the general meaning, it means that Allah swear swears by
all the parents and all the offsprings. And if you take it
like that, this is an OT on all of humanity.
And some more specifically have taken it that while it is the
father of humanity, Adam Alayhis Salam, and wallet is his progeny.
And this is the majority opinion of the scholars that Allah
subhanaw taala is here swearing by Adama la salaam, the father of
humanity and all of the offspring and if you take it like that,
again, it's an oath that encompasses the entire mankind as
the children of Adam.
There is another opinion that this while it is
Ibrahima, listen
and this wallet is made Allison
because that makes it more relevant to the city of Mecca.
Because Allah has has sworn by Maccha and the most important
wallet and wallet that are linked with the city are Ibrahim Ali
Salaam and ismail Estella and therefore it also makes it
relevant because from the progeny of Ismail La Silla is Sienna
Rasool allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the ultimate of Wellard.
So Allah subhanaw taala has taken these two oats the city and the
Father and the Son are the Melissa lamb and his progeny. After the
earth comes what is called Java bull possum,
gerbil Kasam is why this Court was taken to stress an important
point. So Allah subhanaw taala, says
Lapa, the hollow canal in Santa Fe cupboard, Lapid halacha in Santa
Fe given indeed, very truly, we created in son in cupboard,
the word cupboard
means all of the in the English language, any toil,
any hardship, a constant struggle, any affliction, trials, a life of
travail, all difficulties come in the word cupboard. Allah subhanaw
taala says we have created insane in difficulties in toils and
struggles. And if we look at that, if you reflect on that, that the
struggle starts from before conception, with the sperm having
to struggle to find and fertilize the ovum, and then the the zoo
A goat is struggling to embed in the uterus and then grow there.
Then comes the struggle of the mother going through tremendous
pain which Allah subhanaw taala has said core core means
difficulty delivering this, this baby, and this baby going through
difficulty of being squeezed through a narrow passage, all the
difficulties, and then baby comes out. He's got all kinds of
difficulty completing capacity to do anything. Then it gets a little
older the struggle of teething and crying over that, then comes the
struggle of crawling, and then stumbling and walking, and then
the grew up then the struggle of learning and then all the struggle
of working and earning and it's an endless struggle. That doesn't
end.
So
one of the Salah was asked, When does the struggle end? I forget
who it was. He said, The struggle ends. When we put our foot in
gender, that's when the struggle ends.
So Allah subhanaw taala tells us out of His wisdom,
He created us to go through the struggles that this life is a
struggle. There is a purpose of creation. This is not meant to be
Jannah paradise, everything is easy, no matter how much he is we
have, there will be struggle in the ease or struggle after the
ease. Yes, Allah brings ease after after difficulty, but there will
be difficulties and that's life.
So Allah subhanaw taala
has made a purpose of His creation that these are the trials to
verify the veracity of our claims of the man
that we will be tested. And the Eman will have to be confirmed
through these struggles. It cannot just be claimed. So we struggle in
our lives against outside forces, what are these outside forces, we
have shaytaan we have temptations, we may be subject to persecution,
there may be abuse of different forms, there may be challenges
that may be personal. There may be physical illness, sickness, there
may be emotional stress, psychological depressions,
anxiety, social in communities, financial hardships, all kinds of
struggle along with struggling for our spiritual needs spiritual
pursuits, which are also a struggle.
And man also has to struggle against the inner forces. What are
the inner forces our new force, the knifes our egos with its lower
desires, and its winds, the shower and the health.
Now the outcome of each of these struggles if the struggle is
completed properly,
in compliance with the chakra of Allah subhanaw taala his rules and
regulation with the right Nia of pleasing Allah subhanaw taala each
of these struggles makes men come closer to Allah subhanaw taala as
a true Abda, slave servant of Allah.
So Allah subhanaw taala is telling us here understand this basic
principle your life is one of struggle. And to stress this point
she has taken the oath on maca and on the wallet and wallet.
Then Allah subhanaw taala says after that he says a yes
or yes. Elaine yucca. Dara Lee ahead. Yes.
Does insan think Yes. Yep. pudiera Lee ahead. Does he think is he?
Does he have this misconception that no one has put the other
power over him that he will not be overpowered. Does he is he so
arrogant that she believes that he is in control that he's free to do
whatever he wants?
Yes, someone in Santa Elena Khedira Alaihe he does not think
that there is someone who can overpower power him is this is his
understanding. Yep. Who do elect to Milan Luba.
Yaku. He says,
elect to Milan Lumad. Good luck to literally I like to means
destroyed. I have destroyed Marlon Luba, the means and abundance of
word of wealth. When do you
use in our language we say he blew so much money. In other words, a
person spent money recklessly wasted, it squandered it.
So he, this man who thinks he has, nobody has power over him, he says
boastfully
that I have spent abundant wealth literally I've just blown a lot of
money and squandered it and wasted it
in different ways, such as indulging my knifes such as
fulfilling my desires, and words such as fighting against the
message of Islam and the messenger.
He's implying I have so much, I don't even care where it is spent
or where it is wasted, it is my wealth, and I will do whatever I
want with it, this is his understanding, this is his
attitude, he squandered it literally. And what is squandered
means that it did not help anybody. And most importantly, it
did not even help him. In fact,
it became a liability for him, which he will answer for, as the
Hadith says, that on the Day of Judgment, the feet of a person
will not move from that spot. Till is answered certain questions, one
of which is where and how did you earn your wealth and where did you
spend it? Right now, you're so arrogantly saying that I have so
much and I have learned so much, you will answer that.
This also implies when a person is saying that I have spent so much
that in certain situations when a person is asked to spend for noble
causes for the right and just causes that Allah subhanaw taala
has enjoined in his Sheriff he says, Oh, I have already spent all
the money I don't have any more to give you. You want for relief
work. You want to build a masjid. You want to help this you don't
help the poor. I don't have any because I blew it.
So this is another way of of doing this.
So he boastfully says that I brought so much wealth
Allah subhanaw taala says
a yes us about alum Yara who had
a yes Cebu. Does he think
alum Yara who had no one has seen him doing what he claims.
Does he think that no one was or is watching.
What that implies, obviously is as everyone knows, among you, that
Allah was always watching him.
His angels were watching him. They were recording his deeds, his
squandering
Allah as witnesses watched and will testify to his boasting to
his wastage and his squandering.
Because we have to remember you and I are always under the
absolute power of Allah subhanaw taala and his watchfulness because
he is a repeat the our watch for
so Allah subhanaw taala mentions the attitude of some of these
people at that time, and for all times, and we have to look like I
said, applying ourselves do some of these traits find their way
into me.
So after this, Allah subhanaw taala now reminds man of his
favors, favors that should be acknowledged, that should be shown
do gratitude that should be thanked by using them as Allah
subhanaw taala intended them to be used.
So now Allah subhanaw taala talks about those that this is your
attitude. He says alum Niger Allah who I named alum Niger Allahu
Allah name Have We not made for him?
A pair of eyes, two eyes.
Last month, Allah is reminding us of his favorite line of sight.
Now it's this word of all the favorites. Why does Allah subhanaw
taala choose this? You see, it's connected because he says that
this man thinks nobody saw him Allah subhanaw taala says look at
the what I have given you eyes. Just like you see.
You are being seen and watched. In fact you are being he is seen by
those who cannot see.
Also reminding the favor Allah saying Why does
Has he not used his eyes to see the signs of Allah subhanaw taala
and the universe that will lead to understanding the creator that
will lead to recognizing the creator that will lead to leading
his life according to the commands of the Creator?
Why does he not show gratitude for his sight? And for what he sees?
Why does he
gaze at what Allah has forbidden and not lower his gaze?
We have to reflect and what is the complexity that goes behind the
site. Those who have studied some elementary biology, know the
processes, but billions of receptors in the eye, we just say
we see, you know, we have the cornea. If that goes we can see we
have a lens, we got a cataract, we can see, we go behind that we have
a vitreous, if some something gets in that it impairs your vision, we
have the retina with billions of receptors. Some see in the day,
some seen the night, not from those billions, there are billions
of nerve endings going to the back of the brain to the visual areas,
where it is deciphered the things patterns are put together. And we
and we see, we recognize
what complexity unless one of the listening I have given you this.
One way to reflect on this and to recognize this is to look at the
blind man.
Whether he's congenitally blind, what his life must be like,
he doesn't know what the sky is, he doesn't know what people look
like. So only by feeling, he doesn't know what a tree is,
or anything else. Or the sun, what the sun looks like, or the moon
what we take for granted.
And this becomes especially more profound for someone who could see
and then loses it and we see many patients like that, who become
blind.
So they knew. Now they can see now they recognize what a great
blessing this one. So Allah subhanaw taala reminds us of this.
Then he says, again, continuing reminder of his favors, will
Alyssa know whichever day and we give him a tongue Listen, where
Chef attain the two lips.
The what does the tongue mean the power to communicate
and speak.
The sign of Allah subhanaw taala is in the different languages and
dialects. The tongue helps us to swallow the back of the tongue
helps us to put food in the right way without going down the wrong
way. The tongue helps us to taste things with the COVID we lose
taste and people complain about it. Did they thank Allah subhanaw
taala for the test ahead of time.
And most importantly, the tongue is one that produces words, which
are very powerful. That's why today even when we say the whole
world is controlled by the media, what is media, the tongue in a
different form?
Words words,
the power of the tongue in the dunya is known. The power of the
tongue in the Afra is also known because Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi salam taught us that you may utter one word because of
which which you think is insignificant. A person would be
dropped 70 years into the Hellfire without reaching bottom. And he
says you may utter one word with this tongue, which you consider
insignificant for which your levels in Nigeria and in Paradise
will be elevated one word.
And there is this famous Hadith along Hadith I can go into all of
it today. The Hadith of the great companion more than a general rod
the Allah on one day when he he asked the Prophet salallahu Alaihe
Salam sejahtera salah, teach me something that would save me from
hellfire and into me to into paradise. And the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi salam went through the whole thing. And after
all of that of Eman and Amal and what all of that and on and the
Archon of Islam, you know fasting hydro salah, all of that. Then he
says in the end he says and you know,
what is the key to all of that and then he did this
the tongue the key to all of that. And what are the allowance at ya
rasool Allah, will we be held accountable? Look at the end of
the day will we be held accountable for what we say
is a psychological Amok literally means May Allah may may your
mother lose you in other words
See?
How don't ever dare to say something like this, which is not
very intelligent.
He said Is there anything else Salalah does some said Is there
anything else because of which people will be dragged and thrown
on their faces into the Hellfire other than the tongue. So, this is
how important it is.
And we have an example of that just in the IR before what is the
person using the tongue book? What did you say elect to mod
Andromeda, I have done this that boastfulness? So, we have to
understand Allah subhanaw taala reminds us of these favors which
are related to what has just gone before, among many others. Then
Allah subhanaw taala gives us another, it reminds us one of the
great favor he says, What Are They Now one nudge day?
What her day no one nudge day?
And we have we not guided him to the nudge Dane, the two paths, the
two highways, what are the two highways?
The one that is right, and good, the one that's wrong and evil.
The greatest gift of Allah subhanaw taala for us as human
beings is guidance, He Daya Allah says and have we not guided him
mankind to the two paths? In other words, we showed him two paths.
One what would what are the two paths he says, There is a steep,
uphill path that is difficult to climb in the beginning,
especially. But at the end of it
is the final relief from the struggle from the cupboard, the
toil and the struggle, a path that leads to an ends in Jannat itself.
The other path is an easy path, it's like going downhill, not much
effort. It's easy and therefore the knifes likes it. It's about of
ease and indulgence, do what you like. But at the end of that path
is the pit of Jahannam it's going downhill, where the toil and
struggle of this life will look like nothing because it will take
on a new meaning and a new level.
So Allah subhanaw taala has identified both paths, you can
take this path, yes, it is difficult. That's the challenge,
but you are going by Iman, because you know what's the end of that
path you believe in that and this is the is easy path which leads to
the other and Allah subhanaw taala has given us the freedom to choose
either of the two.
Now, all of what we have been saying can be put in these two
paths. For example, if you take the eyes, the eyes can be put on
the uphill path of guarding it, using it for the proper things or
it can be put in the downhill path using the eyes to look at evil and
so on so forth. Similarly, the tongue
the spectrum of what the tongue producers on the lower path is
going to be lies, abuse, foul language, bad language,
backbiting, slander, Mima veba, in all of the deception, and on the
upper part is silk truth, the shahada, giving Dawa to Allah
subhanaw taala supporting people, consoling people encouraging
people a good word. That's one path. So, the same
blessing the tongue can be used to go traverse either of those paths.
So, Allah subhanaw taala says after reminding of this, that yes,
I have guided you to or they now nudge them then he says I love to
hang up.
Yet in spite of this
acaba means he did not make or did not take the more difficult part
that the greater effort to climb
the steep uphill climb the ascent, that's when he says man that means
the majority of mankind except those who take that path, the
believers who are struggling Allah subhanaw taala says luck to him
and Acaba he did not take he did not adopt that difficult path.
Why man are the rock and Acaba and what would tell you what is this
Aqaba? The steep ascent?
Now Allah subhanaw taala will tell us what is it what comprises these
the
Difficulty ascent.
He amplifies the path and explains some details not all of what this
path uphill uphill path of difficulty involves. And then
Allah's mantra doesn't mention anything at all about the downhill
path because that's open to everybody. But for those who want
this Allah smart Allah is giving us example he starts with fat
Quran, Baba
Sakura acaba Raka. Raka
is a slave someone that is held in the neck, or Acaba, that's the
neck because the colors
of slavery are on the neck. So what Phagwara cover means freeing
the neck of a person, in other words, taking a slave out of
bondage. This is considered one of the greatest acts of charity
to buy a person's freedom
to free his neck, from the colors of bondage. Why was this relevant
because there was slavery that was rampant at that time, in Arabia,
and everywhere else, and this was 1400 years ago, and we have slaves
being brought to our country here, two or 300 years ago.
And we are still enslaved in different ways. So Allah subhanaw
taala, saying, difficult job.
Now again, the uphill job is to free a slave.
And the prototype that we have the example in front of us of freeing
of slaves who say you're going to Abu Bakr Siddiq, or the Allah when
he heard this, what did he do? He in His life freed seven people
from bondage.
One everybody knows about, say, their beloved, nearby, who was a
slave of omega.
He bought his freedom with great difficulty, okay? Because he was
being tortured. There was another man who was later
there's a long history about him, and five of them were women,
of whom one was the famous Sahaba by the name of the NIRA who have
to she was liberated became blind. And, and the people of Makkah
said, Look, you because you become Muslim, you know, Latin monarchs,
the gods that the worship team made you blind? And she said, No,
that's nonsense. It is Allah by his decree. And then Allah
subhanaw taala returned her sight to her. And there were four other
women that were whose freedom was purchased by Abu Bakr, Siddiq,
Robbie, Allah, Allah, and there was set free. In fact, his father
abou Kochava, said to him, he said, I hear you are setting free
slaves. Why don't you and you get these women and weak people? Why
don't you buy and set free, strong young slaves, because then they
can serve you. He said, I'm setting them free for Allah, not
for me.
Are the Allah Allah, Allah.
So this is the example. Now so the upper path is to free people from
bondage, the lower path is to put the people in bondage by
oppression, one way or the other. That time it used to be literally
slavery. Now there are different forms of slavery. Next, Allah
subhanaw taala says, All it Amalfi Yeoman, the Messiah, or feeding,
on a day of deprivation, a day of starvation and in a famine, when
there is famine everywhere you feed, that also implies that you
look for people who are in that situation to feed also implies
that because the feminine is widespread, you yourself may be
needy, and yet you feel feed others. And again, compare the two
paths. At that moment of difficulty you're using your
wealth because food essentially comes from being purchased. You're
using your wealth to feed people versus the lower path that you're
blowing your money when your whims and desires.
Yet demon, the MacRobert feed who an orphan who is near your team
and the merkabah Corrib to you who is near to you know most of them
have a saloon have said this is meant like an orphan. Orphan in
Islam means someone who's lost his father before the age of puberty,
who therefore is needy and was oppressed at the time and taken
advantage of all the inheritance was taken from him by the the
older people
Allah subhanaw taala saying, A ye team who is near to you, who is
near in relationship to you, in kinship to you. And it can also
mean, who is
close to you in physical distance some orphan lives in your city,
you say, Well, I don't have any relatives, orphan and poor. Well,
you can also use it to help an orphan. And we have many victims
of war, whose mothers come The fathers are dead than a few
children, they're
feeding them. And feeding them doesn't mean you give them one
meal. Or you give them one. Feeding them means literally, if
you have the ability, you take the responsibility of feeding them as
long as they need.
Your team and your team. The Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam
stressed he himself was your team, the best of the power, some of the
lightest,
he is stressed so much about the care of the team. To the point he
said, Whoever takes care of your team will be with Me in Jannah,
like this, and he put up two fingers when so close to me
encouragement to take care of the team. Instead of taking a loss
Montel has revealed so many iPads of taking care, guarding the
rights of the team until they reach the age of maturity.
Oh miskeen that mantra or feeding a Miskin? What's a miskeen a
person who is in dire need.
Who is like You say how is some sense of surviving is barely
surviving the muttrah means who is in the dust
who's in the dust means he may be homeless, he has no place except
just to lie down his clothes are full of dust, he has no place to
wash in them. So person who is that needy you feed again you take
over there. So Allah subhanaw taala is telling us this is the
upper path. And the lower path is
I see people who are in need, I do nothing about it, I continue to
indulge myself in more and more and more.
That's the lower path. So Allah subhanaw taala gives us some
examples, which in today's language, we would say
humanitarian work and these this is being spoken to the Quraysh who
also recognize some of these as noble deeds and this is for anyone
Muslim or non Muslim you talk to anyone they would say this is
great feed the poor take care of the orphans, so on so forth, these
are good humanitarian works, this is what all the humanitarian
organizations are working on. Okay, providing clean water.
So Allah subhanaw taala talks about actions that I considered
humanitarian for the benefit of his MacCulloch His creation, but
then he comes
he said
the condition for all as all of this comes in the next idea he
said for McCann I mean Alladhina amanu.
Literally thriller means then means after but here what it means
is all the while that while doing all of this besides all of this
humanity, humanitarian work, the most important condition and
criteria that enables this work is being kinda minute ladina Amman
are being among the believers. In other words, he must have Eman and
by Eman means believing in Allah Tawheed of Allah subhanaw taala be
believing in the Alpha believing in Jana, believing in meeting with
Allah subhanaw taala believing in the rissalah know the revelation
of words of the Ayat of Allah subhanaw taala does the messenger
ship of all previous messengers, ending with the final messenger
ship of Rasulullah Salallahu Salam believing in the angels that he
has emailed and all of that and his Eman is shown by his actions
by all of this
from McKenna Manila Dena Imanol. He has that Iman
will also be Sabri watt hour. So Bill Marama. Okay, so that Eman is
that upper path. And the lower path is scuffle denier.
And if you're taking that path, you don't believe in Allah and
Africa and accountability and reporting. So that Jezza then all
of this humanitarian effort, though in the world, you may be a
hero in the alpha is zero.
So besides having image whatever so be Sabri. And this person, part
of that image is to enjoin to exhort others, to encourage
others. Other people
levers to be patient,
patient to climb this path of difficulty. Perseverance in
climbing means we have to continue in our faith no matter what
challenges and difficulties, to be constant, to have consistency to
have constancy in our deen to practice even when it is
difficult.
Salah may be difficult in certain we have to do it to look like a
Mr. Muslim may be difficult economic principles of not getting
involved in riba may be difficult, we have to do all of that, to
stand out from the rest maybe difficult by our clothes by you
have to do persevere. So Sabra in the obedience suburb, in the Tao,
obedience well and suburb and in masse, and patiently abstaining
and staying away from temptation and disobedience, and sober in the
challenges and trials that will come, but also be sober, having a
man then enjoys and exhorts people encourages others and therefore
himself to persevere. We are getting there we'll get there
Inshallah, because we are on the right path, whatever. So Bill,
Mark, hammer and enjoying each other, to be more hammer, to be
merciful, to be compassionate with each other, compassionate with the
poor, the needy, the oppressed, and even being compassionate and
merciful and forgiving to those who wronged you.
And what is the greatest of Rama? Mahatma is not just to save people
in this dunya from their difficulties, but to save people
from the difficulties and struggle of the ACA. And that is done by
inviting people to the truth inviting people to Islam, calling
them to the fate of Allah subhanaw taala calling them to the path of
Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam saving people from Jannah.
inviting to the truth is the ultimate Rama that we can show
anyone.
Today we have misunderstood. The parents don't Don't, don't wake up
their children for Fudger Oh, I'm being merciful, that's not being
merciful.
Let them do whatever they want their grown up. That's not being
merciful. As long as you have the ability to use your wisdom.
Sometimes it's firmness. Sometimes it's gentleness, sometimes it's
encouragement. Sometimes it's scolding, whatever it takes Allah
Samantha uses both Bashara, he gives Glad Tidings encouraging,
and he also uses
bye punishment. Okay.
Both, as they say, the carrot in the stick, whatever the goal is, I
want to save everyone from Jahannam This is the greatest job
we can do. And this is why this great job was given to the
greatest of people and the greatest of all, ultimately, of
all creation. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi salam, as he
said that I have been sent like a person who's the moths are flying
into the fire and I've been sent to save them to chase them away,
but they keep coming. So that is what I was. So Bill Vahana and
keep doing it consistently and constantly with perseverance no
matter what people say and what abuse you go through till Allah
subhanaw taala gives you relief in the relief from this dunya or
relief in the job by making it successful.
will let us habit Mayman Allah subhanaw taala then identifies
these people that these are the people assignable. Maimana the
people of the right or the extreme right people who are furthest away
from the Jannah the people of goodness, they're the people who
took that difficult path. These are the people that Allah is
pleased with these are the people of paradise.
And then contradistinction to this, Allah subhanaw taala does
not describe the details at all of the second path. He says simply
when Medina Cafaro b i attina, Hamas haben Masha while Latina,
cafardo bi, Tina, those who deny our signs, what are the signs, the
universal signs, the skies the heavens and earth? Are they saying
this happen just a big bang, it's a coincidence there is no creator,
or there are multiple creators and so on so forth, who deny the
evidence that's overwhelming. All pointing to one truth Allah, Allah
subhanaw taala one Creator without partners.
They deny all the signs they see all the evidence of Allah subhanaw
taala including a little unseen virus that has wreaked havoc in
the earth
and keeps changing. It's flown by
At the command of Allah subhanaw taala the most powerful nations
all combined together, no power.
This man think
lamb yuck Daraa LA. Heard there is no one has power over him.
Allah subhanaw taala said those who deny Our Ayat, the county in
the creation and the ayat that are revealed, I had to have the Quran
more relevant for the people of Makkah because they were denying
those if those who deny this is that lower path
taking that our paths taking the Eman lead to persecution,
difficulty being with them, the majority was easy, deny ridicule.
You know, so this is poetry, this is lies, this is much noon. so on
so forth. Allah smart Allah says, You deny the all the Ayat of Allah
subhanaw taala cafardo and another meaning of kufr, who as we have
said, is to show a lack of gratitude for his blessings. Some
of which were mentioned the guidance, the eyes, the lips, the
tongue, the ability you have to talk and with that tongue you deny
Allah
with those eyes, you don't see
Allah subhanaw taala says
for this person, this is home as hobble mush, Amma these are the
people of the left hand. These are the people who took that lower
path the people whose destination is the fire of Jana.
Then he says I lay him I lay him now room solder
upon them is the knob. You're talking about strike struggle
cupboard look at discovered there is the fire of the Austro
Moog sada means that comes and something that encloses a lid is
put on it you're completely enclosed from which from all sides
there is no escape,
engulfed completely the fire
if you wait
a pressure cooker of Jana,
ladies on tight can't escape anyway, Allah smart Allah saying,
upon these people who deny all of these obvious signs, and the ayat
that Allah has revealed the Quran
denied the message, denial Rasulullah sallallahu. Listen,
don't take this upper path. This is the destination.
So in this beautiful,
brief Surah, Allah subhanaw taala has summarized our lives, our
struggles, the path reminds us of who is in charge, reminds us of
the two ends, shows us the two paths, and allows us to choose.
Just to complete this what I will do is I will just read one English
translation from the beginning just to bring it all together for
those because we went through the details. So let me just read
one translation is not 100 it says No, indeed, I do swear by the
sacred city of Makkah, while you are Prophet sallallahu alayhi
salam, or a free Dweller in the sacred city of Mecca. Moreover, I
swear by all that begets and all that is begotten
the Father and the Son, Very truly, we created man in a life of
travail and trial.
Does he think that no one should ever overpower him?
He says, In boast, I have
expended and wasted vast amount of wealth. Does he think that no one
has seen him
have been not made for him two eyes and a tongue and two lips and
guided him to the two highways of right and wrong.
Yet he has not attempted the steep road.
And do you realize what is the steep road? It is the freeing of a
human being from bondage
of offering food on a day of starvation to an orphan who is a
relative or to an indigent person who is down in the dust all the
while being of those who believe
and who exhort one another, to persevere in faith with patience,
and who exhort one another to being merciful.
These are the companions of the blessed right.
But as to those who do
disbelieve in our natural and revealed signs. They are the
companions of the waffle left upon them in the hereafter is a fire
that shall descend, and forever trample them and enclose them from
all sides.
May Allah subhanaw taala
help us to internalize these truths to recognize when we go
through difficulties in our lives, that this is a life of Gabon and
that we use each of those difficult situations to come
closer to Allah subhanaw taala by acting how Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi salam taught us by acting what the Quran exhorts us to do in
a situation like
all the while keeping our faith and Allah smart Allah keeping a
goal in front of us knowing that yes, it's an uphill climb. But at
the end of the uphill climb,
we have the pleasure of Allah and the Jana which makes it easy, a
person who knows there is an end and there is success at the end,
continues on that path.
And then there is those who take the other path may Allah so Allah
protect us from that the path of indulgence, the path of
disobedience, that leads ultimately to the pit of Jannah,
the downhill path, which is easy to follow, and which the majority
of humanity is following. So we don't want to be in the majority.
We ask Allah subhanaw taala to make us among the Pauline the few,
because it's only few who Allah has praised who take that path
uphill. May Allah smart Allah make us among those who strive through
the challenges of lives, to be near him to follow in the
footsteps, footsteps of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihe Salam to the best
of our ability with the class, not for recognition not for being
celebrated, not to impress people, but to please Allah subhanaw taala
May Allah smart Allah give a signal truthfulness and the class
sincerity and accept us accept our effort, accept this, this
companionship, this study of the Quran and open our hearts so I
want all of you to reflect on this surah and then there's a lot you
can reflect on this. It's brief, and those who don't have not
memorized it should memorize it and when you know the words and
when you recite it in your Salah your mind doesn't go here and
there
Subhan Allah Mohammed ignatia de la ilaha illa stockbroker one or
two