A Thematic Commentary On The Quran #54 Surah Ibrahim

hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa salatu salam ala Sayidina Muhammad Ali he was Herbie he edgy marine Roberto, welcome to the Friday Halaqaat, Abu Huraira center in Toronto.

We are still going through a beautiful journey, a thematic journey through the sources of the Quran, the book of Allah subhanaw taala. We've been exploring each surah and the themes in it. And we would try to highlight the central theme. And every Surah or the main message and every Surah we have come to Surah number 14, which is Surah Ibrahim, and it's named after Prophet Ibrahim Alayhi. Salam

and the solar. Actually we see the I think the, the the center of the central theme of this appears clearly in the first verse where our last panelist says, and so Salama Kia by the way,

Olivia Malachy terrible Enza now uniqa Mobile icon, she Tablelands a long weekend it took her gymnasts I mean, literally gymnasts I mean, no matter you don't not be ignored him as long as he is in Hamid. So Allah is saying here, this is a book that we sent down unto you on Hamid, in order to bring people out from the darkness into the light. So the surah highlights the function of the Quran. And the

this I mean, this power of the Quran, to bring people from darkness and darkness come from distance being distant from Allah darkness come comes from departing from human nature

to light and the light is obviously the light of Allah subhanaw taala the light of His guidance, by the permission of their Lord to the path of the Almighty, the one who deserves all praise.

So this is what the Quran is about. And the Salah is going to clarify and highlight how the Quran has this power, how it fulfills this function, and how it brings about light and dispels darkness. And all of that is by the blessings of Allah subhana wa Tada. So this is what the surah is going to highlight.

So this is the first verse. And

in the second verse, Allah highlights that this follows from the fact that Allah is the Owner of everything. He's the master of the heavens and the earth, everything belongs to him, everything's under, under his control. And thus he has the power to guide he has the power to bring people into guidance. But again, Allah Subhan, Allah gave humans choice. Allah wants them to choose volitionally out of their own selves to choose Allah, or to choose other than Allah subhanaw taala to choose the light or the darkness, Allah left, left it up to them to make that choice. So a lot allows them to make allows them this window of choice. But Allah says, this doesn't come with without consequences.

There are consequences. When you choose other than Allah, you choose the darkness, darkness, you know has consequences. It is a process. And once you choose the first stage in this process,

it's going to lead you to the subsequent phases. So just be mindful of what's going on. And knowing this is part of the light that this Quran shares. It shows us where every path leads to.

This is where Allah says at the end of verse two, where you don't need caffeine, I mean, as I've been studied, and whoa, I was warning, the disbelievers those who reject the truth, those who reject the light.

And those who choose darkness, that there will be severe punishment for them. That's the the natural, fair consequence of their choices. It's not like there is a forced punishment. The punishment is right in place it is where where it truly belongs. And the blame is not on Allah why he puts punishment where it truly belongs. The blame is on the ones who choose the path that leads to punishment.

And Allah clarifies who the disbelievers are, they are the ones and Medina is the hipbone and hated dunya we should do an answer you were born out he was yeah, you can feel that in bed. Those are the ones who favor and love this worldly life over the next life over the real

Life, and they push others away from the path of Allah. So again, it's not only like a path, it's not a passive choice. It's a very proactive choice they have made and they go to great lengths

in their way in bringing corruption, and they seek the crooked way they seek the way that is not straight. So it shows that this is something that is

pre contemplate its content, it's very well contemplated, in a sense. Well, let me give you a ball and bury these people are in very distant misguidance they are far in this misguidance and Allah shows how he shows his light and how he extends his light to the creation in verse number four, and that's by sending prophets and messengers to clarify the truth. One might also know or might also know Middle School in Lebanese, any homie Liuba you know, the home, and we have

sent every messenger speaking the language, the tongue of his own people, and that's to remove the barriers between the message and people somebody might say about the Quran is in Arabic, but again, Allah subhanaw taala guarantee that the Quran will be the message of the Quran will be communicated in different languages and will be available in all the languages.

And Allah then Allah says He guides whoever He will, oh, he must go to whoever He wills and He guides whoever He wills. Many people think Allah misguides people randomly misguides here means Allah subhanaw taala allows them to choose with guidance. And that's when they choose misguidance. They take this path of this misguidance and that's the meaning of Allah misguiding them, it's not like Allah commits injustice against them.

And Allah guides whomever he wills and guidance here is a gift from Allah subhanaw taala to the people who truly deserve it. So love doesn't give gifts randomly or Allah does not give put his blessings where they don't belong.

So we have to understand that the way Allah acts is based on his infinite wisdom and justice. Indeed, Allah is almighty, powerful, omnipotent, and he's wise.

Then Allah mentions the stories starts referring, referring to stories. For example, story of Musa alayhis salam, starting verse number five, where Allah said that we sent him and a hottie, trachoma Kameena, valo, Marathi and We sent Musa with Our signs to his people, to we commanding him to save them from the darkness and guide them into the light and remind them of the previous days of Allah. These are the days when Allah destroyed the people who chose darkness previously. Indeed, there are signs in all of this there are signs for everyone who has developed patients because patients again helps us transcend the base, human nature, our base desires and surecall one who's thankful so

people have this pure heart this loyalty.

And most Ali salaam, this humanity is people have Allah's blessings upon them, etc. But again, they did not

respond to him positively. And a lot. There's a beautiful verse here, which is a very famous verse in the Quran, verse number seven, Allah says that Abu komla Insha Allah as he didn't come and your Lord declared that if you are thankful, if you aren't grateful, I shouldn't increase you. And the path of light, the path of obedience to Allah is the piko path of thankfulness and gratitude, through gratitude.

Living in denial of Allah, living in rejection of the truth is not the path of gratitude, even if some people experience some kind of gratitude, but it's not directed to the source of the blessings, lots of 100 Watt.

And Allah says, but if you act ungratefully, then my punishment is severe. So this is the first system that Allah installed in this universe.

Musa clarified his people that Allah is self sufficient, he doesn't need your guidance, like don't think Allah needs needs your obedience, or that Allah benefits from your obedience not at all. You are the ones who need Allah Subhana Allah, He is sufficient, he self sufficient, and he stands in no need of anyone or anything. And then he reminded them of what happened to the people of North people of AD and people of the mood and how they were punished after you know, committing their crimes.

And how the, you know, the people when they received the message from their prophets and messengers, they acted in denial in the sense of denying even sometimes the existence of Allah or denying some of Allah's rights, for example, the right to be worshipped alone, that no act of worship or devotion shouldn't be directed to other than Allah.

Or even denying some of the names and attributes of Allah subhana wa taala. And Allah mentions some aspects of the discussion that happened, discussions that took place between messengers and their people and

It shows the, the how faith is natural. For example, one statement here and seems to be like looks very innocent sounds very innocent. In verse number 10, bilateral pseudo Fe Lakisha like their messengers are so much at shock, in a state of shock that there are people even doubting the existence of Allah like, are you really doubting that or another? Sometimes it's about the existence and sometimes you're really doubting that Allah deserves to be worshipped that we are here to worship Allah Subhana Allah is that even?

Is this something that

Okay, once?

Yeah, is this something of doubts? Is this some is this thing subject to doubt. So just bear with me, let me just plug my charger hit.

So this was such a strange thing for the Prophets and Messengers.

stating how,

like, it's, it's a shock, it is unbelievable.

It is unbelievable, that you are doubting either the existence of Allah, or his right to be worshipped. And his wife who saw rightful devotion,

or his names and attributes that this doesn't make any sense. Why? Because faith is natural to humans. How did you arrive at that state of denial. And it shows that again, something that we have emphasized over and over again, that faith is natural, believing in a lot is natural. And sometimes it's

in the light of a lot of like influence from media from different sources. People are brainwashed to,

to an extent that even faith sounds alien and the prophets of salaam foretold about this, he said,

but it didn't even say a holdover even commanded the religion started as stranger and will return to sound like a stranger. Why? Because people will depart from their human nature to a point that they would see the natural, the natural state of humans would become even alien to them.

And that's like the worst that humans could arrive at.

And again, the people challenged, you know, they're prophets and messengers.

And they requested signs that requested

miracles, and the prophets, they just said, you know, we can only bring what Allah gives us, like, we don't bring things from ourselves, and we are going to put our trust in Allah spent and this is what this is what a person has embraced the light of Allah. This is what how these people behave, this is how they deal with life and the predicaments of life. That's by putting their full trust in Allah subhanho wa taala. And they explained in verse 12, one, Adena and learn at our color. Hello, Laurie, what could have done a Boolean a and?

B, that's a beautiful statement that is saying,

why shouldn't we put our trust in Allah when he already guided us shows that

since Allah subhanaw taala showed us the path and the way he made it, the the most natural, the most accessible, the most reasonable choice and he made it so readily available to us. And he provided for us spiritually and religiously,

then, obviously, then he's going to provide for us with matters of the dunya. Like our protection, protecting us from your plots, from your threats, also, taking care of us in conveying the message showing that putting our trust in Allah or Tawakkol and Allah Subhana Allah is not limited to matters of the dunya like people usually think about when it comes to provision when it comes to hard times and tough times, and things we would like to be to be fulfilled. But we forget about putting our trust in Allah when it comes to our guidance. And that's more important, and it shows it was the focus of the Prophets and Messengers.

And the Prophets and Messengers then said to the people, that we shall be patient with all the harm that you send our way. Indeed, those who seek trust are they seek reliance, they should rely on Allah subhanho wa taala. And he got to the point where the people really started seriously threatening their prophets and messengers, to even kick them out of their town exile them or so they gave them an ultimatum. Either you join us in our own way of life, or we're going to kick you out.

Allah subhanaw taala at that point, revealed that we shall destroy those oppressors because they went away.

Way, way too extreme. And again, sometimes we don't know, Allah Subhana Allah has a plan for everyone. And it's not for us to say, hey, this tyrant reached their limit, Allah knows better because how the world unfolds for our unfolds is actually the divine plan of Allah subhanaw taala. And Allah knows the ins and outs of every situation. And if Allah allow some evil to happen, then Allah allows it because much greater good is going to come.

And but it's in our limited

perspective, human perspective, that sometimes we get so overwhelmed by this evil to the point that we see no good out of it. But that's our limited vision, and we should know and recognize this is just our weakness as as humans, and if Allah allows something to happen, then Allah has wise purpose behind it.

And that all the wrongs will be set straight by Allah subhanho wa taala. And Allah said, We shall destroy the oppressors, and we shall give you the earth after them. This is for those who respect and fear the this the position of Allah subhanaw taala and those who are afraid of his punishment, who take his punishment seriously, and then the disbelievers they actually initiated an attack. And Allah subhanaw taala destroyed them. And he says, This their ultimate, you know,

abode will be in the hellfire and what are you Jahannam and this is the path of darkness. In the beginning of the surah. Allah said, the youth region ditto for Jana Samina Bulu. Mata you didn't know so that you take people out of the path of darkness to the path of light, the path of darkness, where does it lead to to the hellfire, because that's the only reasonable way that's the only logical way, that's the only fair way things have their consequences.

So those who choose the path of darkness, it's going to lead them to jahannam. And they're going to drink, you know, again, rotten water. And this will be their food and death will come to this person from every angle, but there's no death, meaning the pain and the the agony of death will come to them the reasons for death, the causes of death will come, but there will be no death. And that shows you that the pain is prolonged. And again, this is what the path of where the path of darkness leads to.

And the last part is Allah gives a parable here, a beautiful parable of those who have disbelieved their actions, their deeds are just like ashes. ashes are literally nothing.

They look at something but when the wind blows, there have no wait, they can't they completely, they're blown away, they are dispersed, they almost disappear. And you cannot make use of them, the ashes. And this is how the actions of the disbelievers, you know, whatever they have plotted, whatever whatever they have put together, eventually, it's just going to result in nothing, because they only worked for the temporary world. And when the temporary world comes to an end, it's gone. And Allah advises us, and he says, This is what his light causes to. And that's to work on the permanent. So you have sort of two accounts, a temporary account and a permanent account. If you put

all of your income or profit into the temporary account, it's going to come to an end where it will expire. That's it. So it's important to focus on the eternal or long term account. And the last one that I points out that he created the heavens and the earth in truth and this truth that Allah created the heavens and the earth for is for the divine beauty and light of the names and attributes of Allah to shine and to come to full expression in the creation.

Then Allah describes the Day of Judgment.

A lot will describe those who choose the path of darkness, what will happen to them, because some of them are leaders, some of them are followers. The followers are the weaker ones. But again, they have made the wrong choices. And the fact that they made someone else make the choices for them, that leaders make the choices for them does not absolve them of the consequences of their actions, because you have to proactively choose for yourself for your eternal destiny. So Allah says that the weaker ones the followers will say to their leaders, you know, we were just following the view. We trusted you, we followed you, we followed your commands. Are you going to like do us a favor or

protect us or avail us from the punishment of Allah? The leaders will give up on them, they will say, you know, if we were guided, you would be guided but we were not guided. So, I mean, bad luck, like hard luck.

Whether we, you know, we accept or we don't accept, we have no choice. We're heading to the eternal punishment. And then Shavon will say to them I

promised you in vain. I lied to you. And Allah promised you the truth. But again, you just I had no power over you. You just trusted me. And you turned away from the Promise of Allah. He didn't take it seriously.

So blame yourself, don't blame me. There's no one else to blame. I cannot help you. You cannot help me. I can't rescue you. You can't rescue me.

Yeah, I give up on all of your, all of the promises I gave you all of the connections between us. You stand on your own, you know?

You know, I have nothing to offer you now.

Then Allah comparably shows the state of the believers. And Allah says word fidelity in Amman and what I mean of Saudi heritage in digit, even Tatiana and how do you mean if you haven't given me a lot be him. Here to look at those who chose the path of light. What happens to them? There will be they'll enter those who do have believed and turn righteous deeds. They will enter gardens, underneath rivers flow, they will will there forever by the permission of the Lord. Their greeting there is peace there is nothing but peace and goodness, this pure goodness in paradise.

And then Allah here elucidates what is his light, Allah says, by giving a parable and I'm so lucky for a lot of Allah one method and Kennametal by human Kisha gelatin by Eva, Ahsoka, we don't have is, didn't you see how Allah gave the example of a goodly word which is the essence of Islam, the light of Islam, La ilaha illAllah Muhammadan rasul Allah, no one deserves to be worshipped No one deserves our devotion but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger final messenger of Allah.

This word in in what it produces, and the kind of lifestyle that it breeds, it's just like goodly tree a very good tree

whose roots are firmly ground so it cannot be out

uprooted or out rooted, and

its branches are high and they they spreading in the in the air, and it produces continuously to your cola cola Hain and bathe and obey keeps producing the best sweetest fruits and the scholars of Tafseer.

They say it's,

this is a parable of the date palm trees. And obviously they trace it back to Abdullah Muhammad Ali Allahu.

Allah says that he strikes these examples so that people people could remember people could take heed. And the example of an evil word which is a word of darkness again, or denial of the truth is like a very evil tree that has been out rooted. And it has no firm roots in the ground and there's no benefit. There's no fruit coming from it. And Allah says, by means of this beautiful word of light, the word of goodness, the word of the truth, the testimony, Allah spent Allah keeps the believers firm in this life, on the truth and in the hereafter as they are dying, Allah keeps them up on the truth, and in the next life, and alum is going to the oppressors. And Allah does what He

wills and the will of Allah is connected to his wise JS wisdom.

Then Allah shows what was the, again the final punishment, or the final evil and of those who disbelieve in Allah subhanho wa taala. A reference to that Allah makes it rough Allah points to the His creation, natural phenomena in the creation and how it again it brings light, it reminds us of Allah subhanaw taala tells us about Allah Sparta these are messages from Allah, they're pointing to Allah subhanho wa Taala points to his blessings upon us. Then Allah gives a reference here to Prophet Ibrahim alayhis salam, how he made a dua against the worship of the idols, and he made a dua for his progeny to be guided, specially in the area of Mecca.

And he praises Allah subhanaw taala for his blessings. And then Allah closes the surah with a scene from the Day of Judgment, the punishment of those who chose to choose darkness. Allah says don't think Allah is unaware of what the oppressors do. And this is an important reminder because as I said, Sometimes we're overwhelmed by the evil in this world. And we don't see Allah's wisdom and how and why he allowed thing allows things to happen. And Allah says don't think Allah is unaware of what the oppressors do, but Allah is keeping them. Allah is giving them some space until the day where even the the, the sights the eyes of people, the sight of people will be taken.

And they will be standing with humiliation and fear on the Day of Judgment

When the punishment comes on that day,

those who did wrong they would say, Oh Allah, postpone us, give us a break, give us a time, give us a chance, so that we respond positively to your message to the call of light. Right? But Allah would say, and I'll respond to them.

You know, you made big statements in the past that we are

invincible, we are strong, nothing's gonna happen, this is not true. And look at you now. And then you you saw even the ruins of the people who were destroyed before you but you still did not take heed of the lessons that we taught you. And you have plotted and you have executed plans. And Allah subhana wa Tana has more power of planning than you. So don't think Allah would break his promise would ever break his promise, the promise that he gave to his prophets and messengers, and that's the establish the truth and write all the wrongs. Indeed, Allah is almighty, and Allah

takes revenge of the oppressors.

When the earth and the heavens will, will change and will be turned, and people will be brought before Allah, the One, the conqueror, the one the master of everything. And you see the criminals on that day chained,

there will be wearing clothes of fire, and the fire would be burning the faces. Allah shall give every self every soul what it had earned, or what it earned.

Indeed, Allah is Swift in account. This is a reminder, this is an announcement to people so that they are warned, and that they know that there's only one true God, that this life is all about worshiping Allah, being dutiful to him, and that those of good of sound reason should would remember. So this is what's what I brought him is about again, as we said, it's about it's it's a description of the Quran and elucidation of a point that the Quran contains light, revelation from Allah that was given to all prophets and messengers, it contains light, it takes people to the path of light that needs to Allah and these to paradise. Whereas any other path or rejecting and denying

this path resisting it takes to the path of darkness, which eventually leads organically leads to the Hellfire to punishment, to eternal abyss. And this is something that everyone knows intuitively deep inside of them, if they take a moment of honesty, and sincerity. And

and they search they're sincere in searching for the truth. Again,

like I would say, a mid size sore are really more to the side of the shorter sorrows, but a very beautiful one. And the last page of the soil is often is very often recited because it's profound description of the hellfire and how las pantallas sets the scales right, especially when it comes to oppression and tyrants. We ask Allah Fontana to guide us to the path of light and keep us upon it, and make us die upon light. And upon the Word, the goodly word have to hate. And we ask Allah Subhana Allah to accept it from us. So I would say you deserve to love her and for joining us, and sha Allah hope to see you next Friday with me later. So loves him and I said

early he was so happy he was sending them