A Thematic Commentary On The Quran #12
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Channel: Moutasem al-Hameedy
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AI Generated Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of showing faith in the church's teachings and avoiding false assumptions in order to achieve success. They stress the need for people to be aware of their actions and find the right level of faith to achieve success. The speakers also emphasize the importance of researching and finding the right level of faith to address moral issues. The speakers emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing these issues.AI Generated Transcript ©
Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim hamdulillah Hellblade aminos salatu salam ala Sayyidina Muhammad, what are the early he was having a Jemaine we're gonna do
him Hamdulillah we covered the first juice of the Quran, according to plan, it took us four sessions. So inshallah we'll try to keep this rhythm
four sessions for every juice bigger than that and roughly speaking every month, we will cover adjust the Ignalina. So again, the framework we're working within is Salatin. Bacara and Solothurn Bacala. We said the central theme in the solar is or appears strongly in verse number 21, which is yeah, a Yohanna. So I'm going to rob de como la de Halacha, calm while living in LA comme la la Contacta. Con, it's a call to humanity or humanity. worship your Lord, Who created you, and those who came before you so that you may attain taqwa, everything and solace. And Allah feeds into this thing, everything. Groups of verses feed into it, and single versus feed into it. Now the we saw
what the first just really shows and how it connects to this central theme, we will look at the second juice and solar Sun Bacara. And how does it connect to this central theme? We're going to find the second just generally speaking,
it addresses acts of worship. So there is a reference to Salah, the prayer.
There is an echo right? Do you guys catch it? Or is it only on my side? This echo?
Yeah.
So
a reference to Salah, then we will have a reference to
fasting some
throughout, towards the end of the surah there will be a reference to the car. For example, there's in the second just there is a reference to hedge,
a reference to hedge. So these are the acts of worship, the major acts of worship are being treated in solitary, Bukhara. And that verifies that the central theme in sollten Bukhara is actually with worship. So we dealt with worship as a concept. And the first use and the whole background of what why worship is there, why our mission in life is to worship, why the divine call to humanity is to worship the Lord created a very profound context. Now, it's gonna go deep into the concept of worship, what is it? What is it? What are the major aspects of it, but sometimes it will not necessarily enter directly into the act of worship, like with the prayer, the reference here is not
about the prayer itself. Allah does not say, for example, establish the prayer or do it these times, etc. Rather, Allah brings it within the context of dealing with the people of the book, who were alive at the time of the prophets of salaam at the time of Revelation. And we said, this is a theme that actually carries on from the first just said, part of the challenge of the early Muslims is that they came across these people of the Scripture, people of the book, and the Muslims looked up to them, the Muslims expected them to stay loyal and truthful to the revelation, but they actually did not. And instead, they offered the Muslims another challenge, which was questioning Islam or
casting doubt on Islam and the Muslims and making it harder for the Muslims to practice their religion.
So Allah subhanaw taala, in order to help the Muslims achieve the concept of worship,
Allah wanted Allah give the Muslims guidance as to how to handle these people of the book and their plots and their whole style. But I'm getting a bit bothered by this.
And we'll be like, can we deal with the circle?
Maybe he's gone by.
So
yeah, so the first quarter of the of the second Jews
is going to carry this conversation with the people of the book over from the first Jews. So Allah subhanaw taala starts by mentioning the issue of changing the Qibla What's the story behind this? The story behind this is that at the beginning of Islam
at the beginning of the history of Islam, the Muslims faced beetle Mecca this Masjid Al Aqsa in Accords in Jerusalem.
Al Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem, right
That's what the Muslims faced
that's what the Muslims faced
it's better but it's still echo. Yeah.
So, so the Muslims used to face a message to the lochsa. It was the Qibla. There was the Cobra all the time in Mecca all the time, all the time in Mecca, and about 16 months into hijab. In Medina, the Muslims were facing beta makeovers, and that was originally the Qibla of the people of the book as well. That was the color of the previous prophets and messengers, Al Masjid Al Aqsa and Masjid Al Aqsa. So the Muslims used to face it in as the direction of their Salah. So when the Muslims in Medina wanted to make salah they would leave Mecca behind them and they will turn to unless the lochsa
towards the shell towards Palestine
16 months into the hijra, and all of the time in Macau which is about 13 years
16 months into the hedge Allah Subhan Allah reveals the prophets of salaam these verses from Surah Al Baqarah
say oh Lucifer ha Amina nurse email Allah home AgrAbility haemolytic
only Allah Allah Musharaka will ya da me Yasha Oh, Eros rotten mustard team.
The foolish among the people will ask why did they turn away from the direction of prayer they used to face say, oh Prophet, the East and the West belong only to Allah, He guides whoever He wills to the straight path.
He guides whoever He wills to the straight path. So Allah this is a reference to that incident. Because when Allah Subhan Allah and the following verses reveals to them to Mohammed salah, so know that okay, now start facing al Qaeda in Makkah, Sacred House in Mecca. This is the new direction of the Qibla you stick to it.
Now there was among the People of the Scripture in Medina, the Jewish tribes in Medina,
it seems that there was there was this reference that Muhammad was copying us. He was just he did not receive wasn't he wasn't a true prophet, that he was a liar, a charlatan was pretending to be a prophet. He was a false prophet. But he started picking up stuff from the Jews, the Christians and some Arab traditions. He mixed them together and he came up with his own religion. And part of this for them was and one of the proofs that he faces the same Qibla that we face, he faces the same problem that we face.
Now it was time to separate from the people of the book they were given enough chance to, to accept the truth and follow it they they refused. Now it's time for what's called an Mufasa
Mufasa is you have your way I have my way.
We were trying we give you the benefit of the doubt of the beginning we gave you the chance to stay true loyal to the to whatever your to the prophecy in your own book, and believe in the new prophet. And the Prophet said Amanda, Muslims were very nice to you. They were very accommodating very patient with you, despite everything that you have done so far.
Allah Subhan Allah says now that's time.
Those who wanted to believe they have believed and those as at the beginning of Solothurn Bacara. In Alladhina Katha Russa on Allah him undertone, I'm willing to let you know those who have disbelieved whether you want them or you don't want them, they would not believe simple to separate from them now.
So a very powerful symbolic act of separation is the direction of the tablet that was a big thing. It's a big thing, the direction of the couplet. Now when we refer to the Muslims, in general, we have a term the Muslims have a term Qibla, the people of the Qibla,
the people of the qibla, every sect that ascribes to Islam is called Qibla. Regardless of even if they have deviancy deviations, still we call them a hello cabler I'll come to that shows that this unites the Muslims.
So now Allah subhana, Allah is saying to the Muslims, now you have your own your own on your unique direction for the prayer, follow it. Forget about these people from now. Now, the response of the People of the Scripture is, this was this came as a shock to them. They came as a shock to them. How dare you separate from us? How dare you differ from us? We are supposed to be your authority that you took some of your revelation or some of your teachings from How dare you separate from us. And the act of separation by the way was not only limited to these things,
Why
buy? So,
the Prophet SAW Selim as in the authentic hadith, the Prophet SAW Allah and he was and he used to
arrange his hair the same way as the people of the book.
Unlike the Arabs, why, because the he said these people are closer to us. These are people of the Scripture. They're closer to us than the pagan Arabs.
So the prophesize alum, used to arranges or design his hair the same way as comb his hair the same way as the Jews used to do. But afterwards, after this kind of separation, the Prophet SAW Selim changed even his hairstyle, he did not follow the norm of the Jewish tribes. So that was another incident that is related to the same period.
Now Allah has had a look look at how Allah Subhana Allah separates the Muslims from others Allah says waka Delica hola como Mata and wasa con, be taco no shahada, Allah Nursey wire Coronavirus, who had a CompTIA he
and Allah says, and so we have made you believers and upright community, so that you may be witnesses over humanity, and that the messenger may be a witness over you. Now the word is worse.
And worse or worse, that means
it has many meanings, it means the middle. But it also means the best.
It also means the best. And here the translator has put it is that
we made you an upright community. Basically Allah Subhan Allah said we made you witnesses over the rest of humanity you are the benchmark
you Hamas awesome and his companions the guidance you are upon your example is the benchmark for humanity. Everyone else on the Day of Judgment will be gauged based on this benchmark. Based on this standard, you are the standard you are the standard against which everything else will be judged.
So this is actually it makes the Muslims the center now. It puts the Muslims in the center rather than Hey, you just received a revelation that is a sequence of the previous revelations. That's the final one. Okay. This is the followers of the of those previous revelations, despite the changes that have been introduced to them. Now these people are not being true to that. Forget now you stand alone.
Now you stand alone as the standard as the benchmark as the reference point that everything is supposed to be judged based upon. This is what it means Connecticut you are now come home with animosity so that you be a witness over humanity meaning your example. Your example is the benchmark is the standard
where you're gonna Rasulullah alaykum Shahida and your prophet is the witness over you meaning his example is the reference is the reference.
Then Allah says warmer Janell tibula Allah, Allah Allah Allah Allah mama, ye, Tabby, oversold Amin, my young Kalibo Allah after you be incarnate like caviar with an eel either Latina and Allah will not count Allah who do the Imana come in Allah had been nursing him, Allah says Here
we assigned your former direction of prayer Baytril knock this only to distinguish those who would remain faithful to the messenger from those who would lose faith. It was certainly a difficult test except for those rightly guided by Allah and Allah would never discount your previous acts of faith. Surely Allah is Ever gracious and most merciful to humanity. So, Allah says, the fact that you had a Qibla previously which was towards Betamax this towards the Masjid Al Aqsa.
This was done on purpose by Allah. This was done on purpose. It was intended for a reason.
And now that we changed it, yes, this is a huge test. It tests people.
But it would not be difficult for those who are true in their faith.
Those who are guided by Allah, and that's the reality of test. So there's a few lessons here.
What is it a test? What's the reality of test tests by the way, do not misguide people. And tests do not guide people. The reality of tests is that they reveal
The reality of people, that's what tests do.
This is what tests do. This life does not make people, some people good and some people bad. It just reveals the reality of people. That's what this life does. And sometimes we even fall in this, you know, in our own personal life, sometimes we say, you know, there was this person, but they went through these circumstances, and they, you know, they changed the ways.
It was tough on them.
As if life changed them, we say life changed that person. Life doesn't change anyone. But life reveals the reality of a person. Because if it were another person, there would not change the same way. There are people who would stay the same, let's say upon the truth, or they stay loyal, faithful to you, despite the circumstances, whereas others will change. Why did some one person change or another stay loyal, and truthful?
Circumstances are the same.
So the circumstances don't change people, they just reveal the reality of people. And that's why when life turns a friend against you, you should be thankful.
Yeah, maybe you're going to feel down why you lost a friend. But that's not really a friend,
you should be thankful that Allah brought about the circumstances that revealed the reality of this person. And that's how we should deal with every test. That's how we should deal with every test. So this test of changing the direction of the Qibla
is tough.
It's tough, but those who have true faith, those who are really, really guided by Allah subhanaw taala, would not be changed by
this test that will not lose faith. And here is a beautiful, beautiful lesson that we should learn from this beautiful verse and this beautiful example.
Look at what changed direction of the Qibla
direction of the Qibla. It changed.
But faith did not change. Allah did not change our relationship to Allah did not change. The Salah, the prayer itself did not change, Faith did not change, the essence of the prayer, the experience of the prayer, the fruits of the prayer did not change. What changed was some of the outside aspects of the prayer,
some of the outside aspects of the prayer.
But yet,
some people would expect these externalities to be consistent. And if some of these externalities are changed, or altered, some people lose complete balance. So there are two things in any system. And this applies to Islam, there are things that are stable across time,
principles, values, they are universal, they transcend space, and time they apply everywhere.
But their manifestations, the way they are translated on the ground is situational is local,
a local, they could change
any system, any dynamic system has this kind of this, this this, you know this has this nature, any dynamic system, otherwise, it would be either to fluid and lose its essence. If it if the if the core of it and the the state the things that are supposed to be stable. If they change, then it's too fluid, it would lose its essence lose its character.
But if it's too rigid, were even the things on the outside the details do not change across time, they become too rigid and it would not apply and it would stop being relevance.
Stop being relevant. So that's why at the beginning of the of the title of Islam, there was something called a nurse. And this means abrogation. There were certain things in Islam, there are certain rulings, but then these rulings were changed. Does that mean Islam changed, or the essence of the rulings changed? No.
But these were grasp on some of the more gradual changes, there were strategic moves.
Some of them were legislated for a specific reason for in response to specific situations. And now the conditions changed. So these externalities had to keep up with that. And you will find in Islam, that the Islamic system allows there are things that are stable, there are things that are unchangeable, or things that don't change.
These are called the fellow habits.
And there are things that are mean
manifestations of these principles. And these manifestations are responsive to reality. Because if you keep the same manifestations, even in a different environment, you might be beating the very purpose that they were supposed to serve, you might be beating the very principle behind them. If you keep the words flexible, if you keep it stable and fixed, you might be compromising the state the principles themselves. That's the danger. That is the danger. Look at the Prophet SAW Salem in Makkah.
Mecca the Muslims were not even allowed to even
jump for the defense of their fellow Muslims who were persecuted the prophets of salaam was not allowed to defend the Muslims who were taken for torture.
Why?
There was a principle there, and a very important principle, although there's the principle of solidarity and the sanctity of a believer, but there was a principle that, that its manifestations were more urgent, and that was
the safety of the Earth, the survival of the Dawa, in its infancy
because of the Muslims short, any kind of resistance, you know, that resistance could be framed as aggression, as violence. And thus their enemies would take this as an excuse to wage and a full fledged attack on the Muslims. And obviously, Muslims are completely overpowered. They're just a small minority, that would be completely wiped out.
The principles were stable. Now in Medina, it was different. The Muslims grew in number, they were getting stronger, they were becoming stronger, they were gaining more allies, more numbers, more weapons, etc. The more equipped, the Muslim is done. Now, survival, as it was in the Meccan period was no longer an issue is not a priority. It was not a priority. So that's why the legislation came here more Hey, Muslims, now you can start defending yourself and engaging in military actions in order for you to keep yourself strong, protect yourselves and even grow and remove obstacles.
The principles change, no, the principles are the same across the two periods. But how they manifested themselves changed. And that's responsiveness, any kind of message any kind of movement, any kind of any system in order to survive, it needs to abide by this needs to abide by this. So look at here, Allah Subhan. Allah is teaching us this principle here. Allah is saying that, yeah, the original direction of the of the qibla, which is the Masjid Al Aqsa was there for a reason, one of the reasons to test you sift out those who are not true believers.
And the ones who have true faith, the ones who are truly guided by Allah subhanaw taala, there will still be true to it, it will still survive this. It happens today. Sometimes when you see again, when we make the
the things that could change when we expect them to be stable, and they change. That's when people lose balance. That's when people start losing faith. I'll tell you, I'll give you a very common example. You might look up look up to a certain chair, or imam or scholar, respect them.
But these are human beings. And sometimes they have issues. Sometimes some of them have serious issues just like anyone else. The fact that they look like an Imam, the fact that they have studied the fact that they they teach people the fact that they speak in public doesn't necessarily make them any better than any other Muslim. In the sense of they have weaknesses. And sometimes these weaknesses are these mistakes, they surface. They come to the public eye. People get to know about them, they get exposed. What happens sometimes people lose faith in Islam, they say if the Imams are like this, they used to look up to this person, they used to hang so much hope on this person. Now
this person gets exposed. Well still there are human beings.
We don't see them within the boundaries of a human being. We have made them infallible.
We made them like the stable things about our religion. That's not supposed to be the case. So when they have fallen now our religion starts to fall Some people start having doubts about Islam, they start having issues about being your good Muslim.
Why because what you made stable was not supposed to be stable. So there are things that are stable that you hold on to them. These are the values unit they are valid. They are universals principles don't change. manifestations are supposed to change.
The way a Muslim dresses up we have Thor Wabbits we
You have things that are principles that cannot be defeated, you have to cover the euro.
You have to dress up decently.
But let's say you live in, in, in Saudi Arabia, they have their national dress, the general dress of the dress code.
Fine. But when you travel to another country, for example, if, for example, you live in Malaysia, or you go and live in China, you're not expected to wear that because that's out of place. As long as you stay true to the Philippines to the permanent things, the stable things, there are things that are changing, but there are people who see no this shape as it is, is a stable thing it has not, doesn't have to be changed. That's why sometimes some of the scholars for example, some of the big names of the scholars in the Muslim ummah, when they visited non Muslim countries, for example, they visit remember UK one big shift really big shift visited the UK one day, he showed up in a suit, tie
in a suit.
And I remember some of the youth staff here Allah
right.
As if he committed Zina
man, the man did not do any Islamic violation at all.
And Islamic violation because that's changeable. It was not seen what's not changeable is that you dress up decently and recover your alpha.
Okay, so that confusion is problematic. So Allah refers to this here that some people thought the direction of the blur is this stable thing between muchness if it's changed the whole immense, the whole faith starts shaking. That's a problem. That's a problem. But the ones who were guided by Allah they did not have a problem because Allah is the same. Prayer is the same the point behind the prayers of the same Islam is the same right?
And that's how we supposed to view these things. There are things sometimes you I remember you said that there are some some Imams on the warrior baseball cap. Some people said that who believe some of them how to be laminin IndyCars I always see like refuge in Allah from like losing my faith somebody wouldn't they saw them lose your faith what man is just wearing a baseball cap was going on right and it was okay with that environment.
Anyway
And here Allah emphasis is that in Allah have been nasty Allah awful to him. Indeed, Allah is Ever gracious and most merciful to humanity.
Everything Allah legislates is actually because Allah cares about humanity. It's all for the welfare of humanity. But yes, sometimes we don't see it. Actually, oftentimes, we don't see it like a child, their father disciplines them, the father puts a restriction restrictions on them. So their mother sometimes, but limits puts limits to them. Why? Because who knows there is a danger in this
there is there's a risk
and you do that for the sake of your child but they just can't see it from where they are now their mind has not grown enough to see the point they're the sole taken by the desire to enjoy their time but they don't realize that maybe going into a specific trip has many risks, and the parents want to protect them from
fine we do the same with Allah subhanaw taala many things Allah legislates for us many things are limits Allah puts for us, things Allah expects from us and sometimes we think that's limiting or that's,
you know, that's not making me you know, enjoy life or or do things in life or makes me different etcetera. We just, we don't see the full picture.
When Allah Subhanallah legislates it's for us. Allah doesn't need us it doesn't need anything from us.
Okay, so we're not going to dwell on every verse, but this is just a glimpse again. So here Allah subhanaw taala is helping the Muslims deal with the people of the book. And this whole concept of changing the direction of the Kabbalah because the people of the book in Medina, they made a big fuss out of changing the direction of the Kabbalah. They said, Okay, Mohammed now is even changing his own religion. He's not like change the religion of the scripture of the People of the Scripture. I started adding bits and pieces now he's coming up with something completely new.
But again, Allah subhanaw taala just reassures the believers and Allah says
we're in the Latina who teachable Ala Moana and I will help the people of the book they know this is the truth from the Lord. They know.
So it's either was written in their books, and this is what some of them have tested. Instead, it was written in the books that the final prophet will receive a revelation to change the direction of the criminal or they they know it by some other means. They understand it through the general principles, whatever. But at least they
No, this is the truth from Allah subhanho wa taala. And Allah makes it clear Allah gives the Muslims a rule he says function or deal with these people based on this rule, what is this rule, whether in a title Adina Otto keytab, equally I attend math.
Woman antimetabolite
tabla tablet about one to two back to our home in back the magic, I've given them in me in Nikka, either let me not let me lie saying clearly here.
Even if you were to bring every proof to the people of the book, they would not accept your direction of the prayer, nor would you accept this, nor would any of them accept the direction of prayer of another. And if you were to follow their desires, after all the knowledge that has come to you, then you would certainly be one of the wrong doers.
So that's a rule, Allah says,
it's not your job to convince people. It's not your job to win people over. It's not your job to get people to accept the truth or accept Islam, your job is to convey the message. Now, a lot of us who live a little below what's upon the Prophet is conveying the message. You did that? That's it. You don't have to convince and oftentimes I hear this question, many people say, How can I convince so and so how can I
make people get this point? Will that's not that's not in your hands.
It's not within reach.
He's issues like like that are actually a matter of choice. Either the person chooses their, to look for the truth, then they have to go through their own journey of discovery.
But what you can do is facilitate. But for you to convince them that's not even in your hands, Allah says to the Prophet SAW Salem, in Nicoletta demon, but you do not convince whom you love, you don't convince who you wish, you don't have this power.
Because the whole concept of faith is a matter of choice, it has to come from within.
And people torture themselves in life sometimes, when there are people who make decisions in their life to be miserable. For example, let's take it on to the personal life, people's personal emotional life. Some people, they want to be miserable, they enjoy it, they got used to this lifestyle. And somehow they feel safe in this misery and this in a depressed state.
It somehow fills a void inside of them somehow makes them feel good about something, although it's painful at the same time, but it's, it's become convenient for them. It does become their comfort zone.
And you want to help how can I change this person? Person, you can't, you can't change them unless they decide they want to change no matter what you do. You can't exercise this kind of influence on a person. So what I would say give up on trying to change people.
Give up on trying to change people. And if you even check, why are you trying to change people? Why are you taking it on to change people? Most likely, it's a selfish reason.
Most likely, it's a selfish reason. What you can do as a person is open ways for people to think offer people an idea of open, open a window for people.
Share a perspective, inspire them. That's all you can do. But changing people that's you can't do that. That's not even and why would you even think that you have this power or you should be given this power to change people.
So don't think about changing people Allah says here, whatever you whatever proof you bring, these people have decided not to believe so don't waste your time. Don't worry so much about this
okay, then Allah gives the Muslims another rule that's important as to how to deal when people doubt your faith when people will cast doubt in your faith. When people don't respond to you positively as you share the truth with them. Allah says
I'll help them Rob Be careful at Akona nominal montery. This is the truth from your Lord do not be from those who are doubtful.
Oftentimes, we think, you know, how can I convince my teacher that no Islam is the truth, or that the rules in Islam are not as as cruel as they think how we can convince them that Islam really observes human rights and cares about people's rights and freedoms, right?
That's not a good place to be in.
That's not a good place to be in.
You should not strive to convince people.
But But yet, yes, you should know your religion.
and you should be able to share the truth of your religion and Islam. Does it observe human rights? Absolutely better than any other system? Does it? Observe people's freedom? Absolutely more than any other system? Because it's from Allah Who created humans, Allah Allah moment. Haluk are who are looking for Habib doesn't the One who created know what his creations need? He is indeed the One who knows all of that. He's well aware of them.
So that kind of neediness that position of neediness, how can I convince them? How can I get them to understand? Why do you put yourself in that position, you've already put yourself down.
You put yourself as their servant, and they are your master.
And even if you make sense, they won't accept that because of the the power balance that you have created the imbalance in power that you have created. But come from a free place. You don't have to defend the truth. First of all, before you worry about anyone else, make sure you understand the truth. And you assimilate it and you hold on to it.
And that you yourself are
are in peace with it.
You're in peace with it. That's what most people miss when they try when they jump to the point of how can I convince How can I get someone to understand you miss on yourself because as long as you hold him to the truth that speaks volumes, by the way, his people the best means of communication to communicate the truth is not necessarily direct communication is not speech and preaching.
Oftentimes your presence, your demeanor, your way of being.
That's what that's what inspires people to change. And then when you speak, your words are extremely powerful, because they have so much to back them up.
And we know in social in social sciences,
what makes people more convincing is not the logic behind their arguments.
It's the level of confidence
is the level of confidence.
So a lot of studies have been done with
with salespeople,
the most successful people across the board are not the most knowledgeable about the products or the the ones who are the most confident
the ones who are most confidence.
So when we when we have this true affinity to our faith and connection to our faith, understand it, and see how it's the truth from Allah by allowing this revelation to shape our hearts to connect to our hearts and we said you have to connect the revelation with your heart. That's the reality of faith. When you do that in your personal life and in your contemplation of the Quran. That speaks volumes and the moment you open your mouth to speak for Islam, the my way, way more powerful than someone who has memorized arguments and they just sharing them here and there. Why because you're speaking to people at a deeper level, a level that they can connect to.
So Allah stitching the Muslims and Hakuna rahbek further, faster truth from your Lord. Don't be Don't Don't be doubtful. Don't let doubt seep into you. That's the point. Now it's not about how to convince them. It's about how do you make sure that this doesn't affect you?
Then Allah says what equalling would when he couldn't, which I don't who am only a first step is for everyone. I'm interested to see how we translated this
everyone turns to their own direction of prayer.
Okay, so everyone turns to their direction of tibula they turn to those you tend to them to turn to those you turn to yours. But there's another meaning here is that in life, everyone has a direction
and you can't necessarily influence someone else's direction. So your main concern should be that your direction is right.
And that you're doing it right
what he could which I don't who I'm only here for everyone there is a direction they're gonna take. What should be your responsibility if established Call Hierarchy for you seek and race to what is good. Race to what is good. I remember hearing this Masjid
more than three years ago, there was a brother that I met
I remember I remember meeting this brother in
2000 2011 Yeah.
And the brother had a fascination in
there just an enemy and the Quran which is
and tick sort of so called Scientific miracles in the Quran.
And in arguing
with
atheists, especially people who use a scientific background to argue against religion. People use scientism, to argue against religion. And you would love these arguments. And sometimes he would come with questions. And I would tell him, my honest opinion, I don't see you're qualified to deal with such an intensity of doubts being caused to you every time.
And he comes from a scientific background, not necessarily an Islamically, educated background, but for my son, his, he studied science and something like that.
And my advice to him was not to getting involved in his arguments every day he was getting with his colleagues into arguments about this, and he was enjoying it. My advice was not to do that. It's just you're exposing your heart to so much doubt. And you try he, he was very desperate to convince people very desperate, very desperate.
And I told him my honest opinion. And I remembered, I saw I hadn't seen him because I was I wasn't in the country until 2016. Then he approaches me, and haven't seen him since.
came to me and he had tears in his eyes.
And he said,
I want you to tell me if life's really there on that. He's someone who used to pray here or five daily prayers.
I want you to help me take this this doubt in my heart. Is Allah really there or not?
I like it didn't make sense to me what he was asking like out of the blue, you asked me this. What is that what happened? He said,
I know that Allah exists, but I have the doubt, and it is eating me, It's eating me from inside.
A watch. I said, Listen, if I tell you Allah exists, that's not going to help you. Because that's coming from somewhere else. Now you let the doubt seep into your by getting involved in these arguments.
All of these philosophical scientists, so called scientific arguments, you let them seep in and day in and day out, they started eating at your faith.
And remember, like tears were rolling down his cheeks. And he said, I just want the certainty. I can't sleep at night.
And subhanAllah that was a lesson. I haven't seen them and I lost contact with him. I don't know what happened to him. And he was in his 60s, like, he's not a young man. He was in his 60s. And all his life, he was a practicing Muslim.
So that was a lesson
that
it's your business is to find the truth, search for the truth and live by the truth. Anything else is secondary, even guiding other people.
Once guiding other people comes at the expense of risking a bit of your faith. You're not doing your right.
You're missing your priorities.
So Allah Samantha is saying to the Muslims, everyone has the direction, for stubby,
alpha rot, or does he translate this?
Yet, so compete with one another in doing good. Basically, the word is more powerful than this race, to what is good. And what is good is truth.
That only good things are the true things, things that are true, nothing is more is better than the truth. Nothing's more good than the truth. So meaning get more of the truth, get more certainty, get more faith. And sometimes as well, we, you know, oftentimes we think, Oh, it's either faith, belief and disbelief. It's not like that. It's not like that. There's levels and any level of faith you have, there's a higher level, there's always a higher level.
There's a higher level of your pain. I mean, in a very, very interesting example, and I want to actually throw this question at you.
Ibrahim Ali, you sent him Prophet Ibrahim, and he said, um, was he a believer or not?
Is this even a question like, does this even make sense? Is he a believer or not? But he says, and we're going to come to this and sort of the Bacala he says, I'll be really key for talking in Malta. He said, Oh Allah show me how you bring the dead back to life.
Now many New Atheists they say even Ibrahim doubted
even Ibrahim delta
and some sometimes some innocent like young Muslims they say, I mean, look at Ibrahim he doubted
but that's a misunderstanding. Ibrahim, look at the verse with all Ibrahim or a bat Nikkei for to heal Notre Dame.
Abraham said, Oh, my Lord, show me how you how you resurrect the dead.
There's no mention of doubt.
He didn't say I'm doubtful. He didn't say prove to me. He didn't say that he only asked Allah to show him.
You he only asked Allah to show him. It's our interpretation. Sometimes we're interpreting his words to mean doubt.
But that's just one possible interpretation, there are other possible interpretations that we have just cancelled out.
And indeed, the other interpretations are more correct. Because this one has no basis whatsoever, because the moment someone doubts Allah's ability to resurrect the dead,
that person is no longer a believer by definition,
doubt by doubting this, no longer a believer.
Profitable him and he's sinner.
And Allah would respond to him differently.
So what was the blame? And he said, I'm asking for
yes, to witness it in his own eyes. Why? Because this would take him to a higher level of certainty that he would not reach without this. Just this is we're talking about, like the one top percentile, right? It's like between 99% of 100% we are we are talking about in our daily life, we talking about 40% 50%. Right, that's where we are, is talking then we can apply our terminology to his and this is what you know, it's mentioned in the Quran different places, we have three levels we have
we have any attain Eliakim is what you know, in your heart is true. And you will fit well you know, it's true. We know Allah is true. We know Jenna is true. We know the Hellfire is true. When that's coupled, for example, with Revelation, it confirms it, it becomes happily
becomes the truth or the very truth.
Let's say the first one, you're telling the truth.
I usually happily obtain the very truth.
Anybody can only attain Yes.
But Abraham and he's already had these two levels. What he wanted is at
the highest level, which which can be translated truth.
Not the truth, truth without anything else.
The ultimate certainty.
And we'll get that what we see what we believe in and what we were told in Revelation, when we see it with our own eyes when we capture that with our senses. Ibrahim alayhis salam, we'll do we'll get this in the hereafter. They brought him and he said unwanted this here in this world with regards to resurrecting the dead. That's why he asked for.
That's what he asked for. He didn't there's no doubt there's no mention of the doubt this is just an interpretation. Okay.
So abroad so instead of worrying about other people, whether they're convinced or not convinced and being so needy about this, no, your focus should be always growing your faith always taking your faith to the next level. That should be a consistent thing and your faith if you're not growing it most likely is going to go down. If your Eman is not going up most likely is going down.
As Imam Shafi said, there's no standstill you're either moving forward or you're stepping backward.
You can't stand still.
So
so Allah that's what Allah is saying to the believers that's how to handle those people that Allah just says woman Halal Hollister, I wouldn't do what you told Mr. Hollom wherever you are, you pray face and Mr. That Hello, al Qaeda, as simple as that.
And
then Allah subhanaw taala tells the believers to remember Allah and to seek Allah's help with two things by two means Sabha and Salah and these appeared together so often, I think I believe we spoke about them previously Sobol and salah, patience and the prayer, patience and the sum. You can have the
patience and Salah that shows these two exercises are extremely powerful, extremely powerful, extremely powerful and because what they add to our faith, and if we are praying or not getting prayer, builds us from within makes us more resilient makes us handle life better makes us able to feel
He's more and stand up stronger.
It's extremely sensitive to poll for engagement. The same with Sobral.
Same with somebody you just this is very powerful training Sabra and Salah are very powerful training exercises, if we do them right so that's why Allah is saying seek Allah's help three through these two means extremely powerful means and they will appear so much in the Quran together Sobol and salah, Suburbans Allah
then Allah talks Allah puts in context something which we're going to come to inshallah later on, but we're not doing detail to see about the trials that Allah sends our way loss of lives, loss of wealth, crops, etc. calamities, law says, and give the glad tidings to the patient once, then Allah mentions a sufferer will Marwa now studying the reference to a hedge, but he will come to that later on. Then Allah comes to talk about the People of the Book, how they hide the truth. They hide parts of the Scripture, for the sake of some political gain, or some partisan gain.
Then Allah addresses the issue of paganism by talking about first he started with the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the fact that humans sail ships, and there are benefits and that our license rain and it grows vegetation. And all of these animals that we can use and utilize and the wind and the clouds and everything, all of these are signs for people who use their mind. They point to Allah, then Allah identifies
the major difference between
those who worship Allah alone to hate, and those who worship other than Allah, which is Schick and paganism. Allah says women are Nassima you mean doing Allah here and then you have buena home girl Billa will then I should do openness, Allah says, There are among humans, those who take rivals.
They love them as they should love Allah.
They take them as gods.
They take them as gods. But Allah says, but the believers love Allah more.
The scholars of Islam have taken this verse to prove that the essence of worship is love. Because the verse talks about worship, there are people who worship besides Allah take rivals besides Allah, they love them as they should love Allah. But the believers love Allah more. So the scholars have indicated they've actually taken from this verse, that the essence of worship, the reality of worship is love of Allah is love of Allah subhanaw taala then Allah shows the end of the people who
worship other than Allah and how they it's usually influence. They will say, Oh, these are our leaders. These are the our influences. They start blaming them on the Day of Judgment. But the influencers will say we have nothing to do with you. That's going to be the end. And usually the people who go astray are the ones who just follow the influencers. Why? Because they elevated the mind.
And that's the worship of personalities is really a very dangerous disease. Allah has mentioned in all of this to warn the Muslims to help us worship, we can connect all of this to worship. You see, the concept of worship is popping up everywhere. Even the essence of worship, here is love in this specific version.
Then Allah mentions that
how those who refuse faith the people of the book or the pagans, they refuse the truth, even if you communicate it to them. Allah says about them that they are deaf and dumb and blind.
Why because they reject to listen to the truth. They don't allow the revelation to reach their hearts to affect the federal awaken the fitrah.
Then there is a mention of what is haram for the Muslims, dead bodies, flowing blood,
swine, pork, and whatever was slaughtered for other than Allah.
This is part of worship prohibitions are part of worship, obedience to Allah subhanaw taala then Allah again brings the issue of those who hide some of the Scripture
and they basically take some benefit because of this either political benefit, financial benefit, or even just having a following. And whatever benefit they take from this and they eat it, basically, they get benefit, it could be financial benefit, and they buy stuff with it, they eat it, they basically Allah says this will turn into fire in their bellies. And these are the people who traded guidance for Ms. Guidance.
Yeah, and Allah says Again, what we reveal to you or Muhammad is the truth. So this is basically the the first
The quarter or the first five pages of the second, just again, all of it, if you see this, put it in context, all of it points to the concept of worship. First the issue of Salah, but it was mentioned in the context of how to deal with the people of the Scripture who were causing the Muslims problems with regards to worshiping God.
So we've dealt with the direction of the pillar, and the lessons from the direction of the criminal, how all of that helps you become better believers and it sifts out the ones who are just fake.
And then Allah tells the Muslims more how to deal with the people of the Scripture who hide the truth and who play games. And Allah tells them to hold them to the truth. And don't worry about those who choose another path you have your path you have your way they have chosen their own way don't hold yourself responsible for their for their decisions.
You Yeah, so again, this is the concept Allah just brings dimension of the pagans, those who worship others besides Allah. And Allah clarifies here that the essence of worship is love of Allah is love of Allah subhana wa, Ala.
Yeah, Inshallah, we'll see you
next time how Allah subhanaw taala brings about the concept of hedge and the concept of will,
will for the dying person, for them to make a will this is part of how we worship Allah. This, this juice is more detailed about or goes into details about how to worship by the details of worship, so it gets more concrete with regards to worship.
So he gets into fasting, then it will go into how he gets into fasting then it goes into Hajj. Okay, we'll stop here insha Allah to Hana and we'll take questions if there is any
questions for
now
Salah
salah. If it's mentioned in the Quran, it means the prayer of Salah as we know Allahu Akbar.
But again, can we extend that meaning to a DUA? Yes, we can but a Salah in the Arabic language
there's not refer to the day
unless there's a strong clue but in English prayer
originally prayer means da
but then it was used more in the service that we all well designed in a form of prayer that is but in Arabic We don't have the same connection.
A Salah in the Quran or the Hadith of the Prophet Solomon means the prayer that we know Salah as we know it, but it's full of anyways so that's why there's a connection between it and now
any questions
to follow
for what?
154
Let me see
Yeah, go ahead
okay, so the brothers saying this verse here it says, What I suppose will remain Yokota Luffy said we rely on what but here on Mauna Kea, Natasha rollin do not say about those who died for Allah sake, that they are dead. They're actually alive, but you feel it not.
But another verse, Allah says, Kulu che inhale you can enlarge how everything shall die except Allah. Wa Joe here refers to Allah Himself.
So how do we combine these two verses because these are alive but Allah says everything will die except for him. Yes, we have to know that Allah subhanaw taala is la
la. He's the EverLiving he's the EverLiving. So he's eternal. He's infinite. There's no beginning. There's no end, and there's no limit to his life.
Humans are given limited form of life, in terms of its quality. So our life is limited, we're not as alive as Allah is, right. So we have less power, we have less awareness less or less awakening less energy, in that sense in terms of quality and in terms of scope as well. So a life has a beginning and has an end. And it goes from through transitions from one phase to the other,
and is interrupted as well there will be point a point in time when we will die, we will just disappear and nothing will be in existence but Allah as an authentic hadith from the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says,
after the first blow in the horn,
the creatures everything on earth will die, the creatures will die, and the angels will remain, then there will be another blow in the horn.
When everything else dies, including the angels, even the angel who blowing the horn will die and nothing will be in existence but Allah,
nothing but Allah will be alive, everything will be dead, everything will be gone. And Allah says another Jabbar and Alemannic
painterly look,
I am the omnipotent the Almighty, I am the king, where are the other kings? There'll be none but Allah.
But then Allah will bring the angels back to life. Another phase of life starts. Yeah, so what this talks about with regards to the those who die for the sake of Allah, is that
they are alive in they have a quality of life in paradise during that time after death. They actually the their souls are in paradise carried by green birds, as the Prophet Solomon says, as a Muslim, I didn't say I'm muslim. They're carried by green birds. And they're flying them around paradise. So they have this kind of, of quality of life higher than other people who are dead. That's what this verse is talking about.
They don't have a connection to our world, but
sometimes there's some communication but again, we don't want to open a can of worms here. So the other question.
Okay, listening to debates that are available online, on YouTube, between different religions, ideologies, arguments between
people who believe in religion, people don't believe in religion, people criticize Islam, atheists, etc. Regardless,
my personal advice is you ask yourself, why you're listening to these?
You know, you can find the answer to anything.
If you ask, what's the purpose?
Why am I watching these debates? Really? Why am I watching? There is a love for debates in humans, we love arguments, we love to see how arguments are tossed from here to there and how they responded. There's love for argument. That's why we love conversations. That's why we love to get into an argument with someone.
It's very intriguing, very interesting, and it's adventurous. And it gives you an adrenaline rush is more like playing games on
PlayStation.
I would recommend being clear as to why you listening to debates,
while you're listening to debates, if you are someone who's interested, let's say in discussion among different religions, and you need a very good grounding in Islam. And you need a good introduction into other religions by a Muslim who's an expert in this and he's dealt with them and he's dealt with their doubts they cost on Islam and how Islam relates to what their religions have to say. So you have this grounding, and then you can fly on your own probably after you have this firm grounding. But if you go too early,
it's very risky.
And what seems to you as a stupid argument at the beginning
A few years down the line might seem, might become a very compelling point that you can't push away. Just like the older man that I spoke about
the most dangerous that I recommend you don't listen to. And they are the most dangerous now because they are on a hype. That's why, but they don't have solidity of their own. With this, there's just the hype about them is the atheist arguments.
There's a hype about them, that's all.
And, and they have what they have, they have loopholes, huge loopholes in, in their philosophical background, that's the problem. But most people don't have any grounding, even in basic logic or basic arguments. So they cannot see these flaws. And these arguments seem to be very flashy, and especially when they are backed by some scientific quotations and quotes. And we are educated in school that science has to be right science has to be right. And we have this unrealistic notion about science, we have actually turned science into a god unknowingly, our school system, even Islamic school system, we have turned science into a God, we have turned it into a God whether we
know it or not. And that's why a lot of the youth are struggling.
Why? Because they're thinking, only science, by science is one of the means to understand existence, which is how to understand the physical world around us. Yes. But science has no meaning it has no bearing on on morality, for example, it has no role to play there has nothing at all. It has no role with metaphysics, things beyond the physical world, it has no access to them. By definition, it just does not deal with that. It only deals with what you can measure. That's the definition of science. So anything that is beyond the physical world, it cannot deal with it. Even consciousness, science does not even know how to deal with consciousness, your personal experience that I am aware on, I
see what's going on, I'm going through my life, science has no way to get into this, because by definition, science cannot get there, by the definition of science itself.
So, so the problem we have we are indoctrinated in that. So some people only see though, they want everything to fit the scientific parameters of the scientific method. And we don't realize we're doing this, then for them, whatever science proves is correct is true. Whatever does not fit with the scientific method doesn't exist. That's a completely feeble argument. Even philosophically, it doesn't make any sense.
At all, why? Because to say, only what science proves or what conforms with the scientific method is true. That's, that's a philosophical argument. By the way, it's not proven as well.
You need to prove it.
So, so what I would recommend is that unless you're someone who really intends to go into this at issue of atheism, for example, but you need to establish yourself very firmly in Islam, and you need to learn from people who are pioneers in this area of these arguments and these discussions, learn from them, first, equip yourself, get your immune system in shape when it comes to these. And then when you have a good mastery of the of the basics and the general arguments, and you have references, and you have connections that you can always refer to and consult with, and so on and so forth, then I would say, Listen to these arguments, otherwise,
they could get to you. And the reason is not because they're true. Like there is there's no necessity, there's no necessary connection between something being true. And it being convincing. Not at all. Not at all. There are many things that we're convinced of, and they're not true at all.
Yeah, so that's how I would, I would I would say, but just exposing yourself to these debates and watching them.
They could last me
right?
It could, it could bring a lot of doubts. And I'm telling you doubt is just like cancer.
You don't know about it. You don't discover it until it gets to an advanced stage.
So that's my advice.
Okay, any questions?
I would I would recommend as well.
If you're a parent, and you find your teenager is actually getting into these debates, that's a red flag.
And obviously the for them it's because there's hype on this
there's no shortage of people speaking against religion and against us.
combat against faith. And that is not scientific, and so on and so forth. It's an uneven battle. Now, this is why I said it's a hype. But soon, soon, people of religion, Muslim scholars and students will catch up with this, then it becomes less dangerous. But at this time it's picking up it's a trend is just picking up now.
And this is the most dangerous is when it gets the most influential because there's nothing to or there's not enough to undo the effect of that. So when a young, the youth, again, as we said, they go through the school system, year in year in and year out, they are taught that
if something does not conform with the scientific method cannot be understood through this or detected through the scientific method. It doesn't exist.
That's what
all curriculums teach. And that's why good, good young guys, when they listen to these arguments of the atheists, they speak the same language they've been taught all their life.
So for you to tell them Hala Hala, again, you haven't taught them about Allah, you've just spoken to them about Allah. But you have not given them a system, or a comprehensive system that would put this scientific method which is a very powerful and beautiful, wonderful, useful tool, put it in context. It has become the context, the only context.
It is so narcissistic, only me, I'm the one and only everything else is wrong, everyone else is wrong. Whatever I don't approve of doesn't exist. That's what science is doing. Now. That's why it's called scientism. And schools are, that's what all schools do.
Under the name of secularism
it's indoctrination. So what's gonna happen? The child, that's the only language that they are trained in scientific method, that's all they know.
So when you tell them, Allah, you tell, they tell you where
they don't have a language to understand. They have no, they have been deprived of this language, as the risk, and with all this hype, and all the facade that is given to these atheists, that they are scientific, etc, because they make lots of noise. That's it.
They make lots of noise. And when you you just seem bigger than you truly are. And the numbers seem bigger than they truly are just because they make so much noise and they're very active.
So it's very risk. So if someone has a teenagers, and video, I have a few parents even not from here from from overseas, they just seeing my son, they've been to the Quran, school and everything. And they've done everything they've been trained. They've been praying. And now I realize they're reading for Richard Dawkins or for Sam Harris. And
and all these guys.
And Christopher Hitchens and Sam worried, well, what can I do?
And I would say, there's always something to do, but I'm afraid it's just too late. It's too late. We did. Because, yes, we, we accept science, and we respect science, and we want the best for our kids. But we didn't realize
that,
by that over, like, overly emphasis on science to the exclusion of a whole understanding of life and framework to process life for our kids, we might be setting them up for atheism.
So
I think Muslim schools, Muslim educators, they have a huge mission ahead of them, which is to put the scientific method in its right place.
And
undo the atheistic twist, that is those that was applied to it.
By showing its limitations, and giving it its scope, the scope that it where it can really function. But beyond that scope, we say it just goes crazy. It has no means has no tools to tell us anything about as I said about morality and about values.
Science as science, hard science can't tell you.
What is the difference, for example, what generosity is why generosity is good? Why even like murder is bad in science. Why is murder bad? Murder is just cutting through some flesh. That's all male design.
typically is if you wanted to speak science.
Science, for example, stabbing someone is just cutting with a hard metal. Some soft material is like it's just like you're slicing your your steak, but it makes some barbecue. What's the difference scientifically between slicing that and slicing someone at someone's stomach?
Scientifically no difference?
No difference?
Where does this layer of value come to our actions and our judgment? No scientific foundation, no scientific basis whatsoever.
So, so the issue of morality, which is morally sound or not, I remember there was an there was an issue. I think that happened about 130 years ago, there was five, British, I think young men who went into the Atlantic, and they were lost in the middle of the ocean. And they run out of water.
And
I think
I don't know, in order to survive or do something, they needed to murder one of them and drink their blood.
In order to give themselves a couple of more days to live, there were five, and one of them had to die for them to give themselves two more days of survival by drinking their blood or eating the their flesh.
And
so they had to toss a coin or do some kind of draw some lots. But
they conspired against one of them.
For conspiring against one.
And they got to murder him and eat him when there was a huge thing, but when they went back to the UK, they will take him to court as to what to do. We want it to live.
Okay, why did you choose that? That person you should have? You know, toss to toss a coin, right?
That doesn't make any difference? One of us was going to die.
Again, that's yeah. Is it right? Is it wrong? Science cannot help can't help you that
science cannot help you that that's not its area. There's no tools to deal with that. So we need to create that holistic understanding of things and put science where it truly fits in that whole system. By this, we help her chill, we equip them with the tools to put everything where it belongs, put everything where it belongs. So yeah, if it's scientific issue, if it's a matter of physics, chemistry, biology, alright, we put this we, we deal with it through science, but if it's a moral issue, okay, we know that science has no nothing, they're gonna decide, let's take whatever helps us there, right? Religion, some people philosophy, whatever it is, but at least we we undo this unfair
monopoly. By science, that's the only way to know things because the statement that science is the only way to know things is a philosophical statement and it needs to be proven.
It needs to be proven, like it's a premise and like you need to prove it.
It is not scientific itself, because it cannot be scientifically proven that science is the only way to know things scientifically cannot be proven. So it beats itself.
So yeah, again, we have to be careful, have to be careful, something needs to be done. Something needs to be done that that that unfair focus, sole focus only on the scientific method is inevitably going to produce an atheist an atheistic generation definitely.
Yeah, that's what sort of sounds does it does study the material world, which is the creation of Allah. Yes, that's a way to put it in context. But again, we what we need is more comprehensive, you know, framework to
put everything in its way please. Yes, great. Bye. It's it's a bit late now just open Lahab we will need inshallah next Friday, circumlocution of ServiceNow hamadryad himself himself