Sulaiman Moola – Tafseer of Surah An Naml #17 A tricky question
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The speakers discuss the importance of gratitude and the power of gratitude to increase one's ability to achieve goals. They share historical narratives of the throne being relocated and the need to change the format. They also discuss impressing someone with Islam, including a woman named Sayyidina who is convinced that her throne is on fire, and a woman named Soleiman who is convinced that her throne is similar to that of the person she is speaking to. Later, a man named Bilqir who is convinced that his image will be presented is also discussed. Finally, a man named Surayman alaihi's stance on the worship of the sun and other worshipers is discussed in various court and media interviews. He explains his stance on the worship of the sun and other worshipers, and how he has been convinced by his actions.
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So SubhanAllah
we concluded on the note of the importance
of gratitude and like it is mentioned in,
Tanwirul Azhan
I love these words.
Because gratitude will secure
the bounties you have and it will attract
the bounties you don't have.
So when you have gratitude in place then
that which Allah has endowed, blessed and favoured
you with, you would preserve it. And with
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, it's it's not insurance,
it's assurance.
Allah gives you that absolute assurance.
If you are grateful, surely, definitely I will
increase for you. Look at the kindness of
Allah.
And if you are ungrateful
Allah says, surely, my torment is severe.
Allah didn't say,
I will definitely punish you. Out of His
grace and His kindness, He says, for the
one that is ungrateful,
remember my punishment is severe as well. So
there's a difference in the tone. When it
came to gratitude,
Allah said, absolutely, he will increase.
And that's exactly what Sayidina Sulaiman said.
My lord is.
He is
independent. He's self sufficient.
Karim, he's bountiful.
So,
he will even favor if he chooses
or he will delay
the torment and give respite and grace and
clemency,
to the one that is ungrateful.
And that's the point, we concluded on verse
40 that how when Sayedna Suleiman alaihis salatu
was salam witnessed this, observed this,
you know, that constant,
reminder of gratitude.
So one of the signs of the believers
are they constantly
fear that Allah can seize what he gave.
They don't ever believe they are anchored in
their health, in their wealth, in their fame,
in their bounties, and their privileges because the
the the essence
of of humility is
that,
you know, you don't believe yourself
deserving of what you have, while the essence
of pride is you feel capable and entitled
to what you have. And may Allah save
us from that sense of entitlement.
Said, well, I am skilled and competent. Well,
that's how it is. Given my know how
and my expertise, that's that's what I'm entitled
to.
So,
Hazam in Fadulirabbi,
just to recap, this is the grace and
the mercy of Allah
that the entire throne was relocated,
and Asif, that was this,
jinn, who was the mighty strong jinn, whom
who had the knowledge of Ismul Adam, the
supreme name of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
And he presented it just in that, batting
of the eyelid.
Before your
gaze is returned to you.
This is the grace of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala I'm
reminded
of Surah Quraish.
Allah puts a thought in my mind.
So, in Surah Quresh
Quresh actually is Tasryr, by the way, which
is a diminutive noun of.
Means a fish, a whale actually.
And the children and the offspring of, Nabar
bin Kinana was known as Quraysh because they
were the prominent and the dominant family. Hence,
they were known as the Quraysh. But Quraysh
literally
is a a tasr noun of Quraysh which
means a whale.
So,
The Quraysh used to embark on 2 journeys.
1 is in the winter months and 1
is in the summer.
And when they used to travel, they were
safe and sound.
And people will be generally abducted, looted, kidnapped,
intercepted,
etcetera.
But nobody would harass them in any way.
Why? They would say, these are the custodians
of the Kaaba. These are the people of
the Haram.
So Allah gave them a lot of protection.
Will they not reflect and observe and see
how people around them have been apprehended and
intercepted,
yet the safety and security and amnesty and
protection afforded to them? In Quran, it is
written under under this ayah,
That we learn from this if Allah has
given you fame and prominence
more so associated
to matters of deen, you're a scholar, you're
a, you know,
in charge of an Islamic,
institution or organization,
and because of that Allah has given you
recognition and Allah has given you respect. People
take it their tie their their pride to
welcome you, to entertain you, to host you,
to be in your company.
This should increase you in gratitude, and not
that you feel inflated and conceited
and and proud and arrogant. May Allah save
us from pride and arrogance. May Allah bless
us with humility,
and increase us in the bounties that he
has favored upon us. Ameen.
Subhanallah,
this woman is travelling.
She's left. The narration suggests historical. They were
with a whole army. 1000 of them. Right?
These are historical narrations.
We cannot say with certainty that it is
absolutely correct nor do we suggest otherwise but
there are historical narrations, so we just share
it. So tens of thousands entire entourage and
her army and everyone, they all come in.
So Reym
wanted to further impress her and make her
understand
that he was a Nabi of Allah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala
and that the strength Allah gave him was
divine.
So to display a miracle to her, to
add to her understanding in addition to the
letter that he had served to her. Verse
41,
when the throne was relocated and presented, Sayyidina
Sulaiman alayhis salam said to those there, you
know, in his presence in his court,
you know what, change the format of her
throne.
So can you imagine
how,
astonished, how startled, how perplexed,
how impressed she will be,
knowing I left my throne and I came,
and lo and behold, when I arrive here,
my throne is here.
Change it. Disguise it.
You know, just change the format, etcetera.
I want to see I want to examine.
Does she recognize
that this is her throne or is she
from amongst those who fail to identify this
is her own throne?
Bayanur Quran makes the deduction fee.
This ayah gives off the indication of the
basis
that a teacher
can examine a student before enrollment
or a mentor can examine a potential disciple
before embracing
a spiritual relationship with him to say, okay,
I need to ask you 1, 2 questions.
I just want to, you know, find out.
This is the basis of it. Sayyidina Soleiman
almost creates a test here. Let's examine her.
Let's let's see her intellect. Let's see her
wisdom. And the aim, of course, was to
get her more convinced
on the nabua that Allah
had blessed Suleyman alayhi salatu wasalam with. So
again, look at that verse 41, Qala Suleyman
alayhi salam said,
change it. For her. Her throne. Nanzur, we
see, we observe, we monitor.
Does she recognize?
Or is she from amongst those people who
failed to understand? Because it's it's it's it's
a challenge to know your throne has been
relocated
and then you know what?
You're surprising someone, you give him the car
to a panel beater,
you you know what,
body shop as they would say,
attend to it and then spray it again
and then you surprise him and you give
him the car. Now
is this a new car? Is this my
car? Is this that same car changed, refurbished,
and now he's like, okay. Wait. What's happening
here? You you can appreciate the the confusion
and the aim of Surayman alaihis salaam is
nothing more than to impress upon her the
strength that Allah has given him. This is
divine divine. Understand when it's divine? Like one
person came to Mufti Mahmud Rahimahullah
and he asked him, is the questioning in
the grave possible?
So he said, possible for me? Possible for
you? Or possible for Allah?
Is the questioning in the grave possible? Like,
is it possible a person dies and then
he'll be questioned? Is it possible for you?
Obviously impossible.
Possible for me? Obviously impossible. Possible for Allah?
If you don't believe that there's no iman.
Everything is possible for Allah. In fact, the
Quran says
in in, Bani Israel.
Allah says after someone dies, make him into
stone, put him into steel, or put him
into a position where you think resurrection is
more remote and impossible,
and then see how I recreate him and
how I I I I revive him and
resurrect him. So,
at verse 42, she finally
arrives with her entire presence, etcetera. Can you
imagine the spectacle? Some historical narrations say there
was almost like a cloud of dust,
Soleiman
asked the people, who's this? And they said,
this is Bilqis,
and she's coming with her entire army. So
it was again a spectacle that she came
with her entire
army.
When she came, verse 42,
it was said to her,
Is your throne similar to this?
Now reflect over the words. She was not
asked,
is this your throne?
And this is mentioned
in because if she was told,
is this your throne? Then in a subtle
note that was kinda giving it away that
it is,
because it had the same type of format,
etcetera. Now she was convinced on the strength
and the naboo of of Suleiman alayhis salaam,
and then been asked, is this your,
is this your throne?
That wasn't asked to her. But to add
to the question,
there was a twist to it,
and it was asked to her, is your
throne like this? Is your throne like this?
Right? And I'm reminded of the academic discussion,
which is mentioned in Hamda Tulkari, which is
the commentary of Bukhari. When a person will
be lowered into his grave, may Allah make
it easy for us all. And then he
will be asked,
What is your opinion regarding this person? Now
a lot of people assume
that when he will be asked or she
will be asked or the occupant or the
dweller of the grave will be asked, what's
your opinion regarding this this person?
People assume
that the messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam's image will
be presented
and that is the furthest from the truth.
Hafiz ibn Hajar has written this year.
There's a and I've read it,
you know,
a detailed answer to a mysterious question.
And he says that there is no proof
to support this year that
Nabi alai salatu wa salam's image would be
presented in any way. But as we would
refer in Arabic language, what is your opinion
of this person
that is
it's in your mind.
Knowing that person because our life is in
following the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. So
in Alhamdul Qari it is written, if someone
were to raise the question and say,
but that's such,
an abrupt tone. What's your opinion of this
man?
And it doesn't incorporate the necessary
protocol
and reverence in referring or addressing
to the Prophet
because obviously the reference is to the messenger
And the answer given is,
The reason why it's been asked like this
because it's a question. If a person in
the grave was asked, what is your opinion
on the greatest human, on the most amazing
human,
the most honorable, venerable, august, prominent human to
ever come on earth, then that itself is
giving the answer.
So the question is quite base and simple
and straightforward
and outwardly abrupt. But the aim is, of
course, the test.
So here she was tested, a Hakadah Arshuk,
is your throne like this? And she was
smart. She was wise. She was intelligent. There
is no doubt about that. As we follow
through and we come to the culmination of
this, you will realize this.
So her response
was she reciprocated in a similar way. She
said,
Almost the same, if not the same.
Looks like it's the same one.
As the scholars say, they came with a
twist, so she also came with a twist
but indicating to that. So they didn't ask
her. It's it was asked to her, is
your throne like this?
And she was not asked, is this your
throne? So she didn't say, this is my
throne because remember it was readjusted.
She said, it looks like the same
as if it's the same.
And then she said,
the truth be told, oh, Soleiman, I was
convinced on the veracity of your prophethood before
the display of this miracle.
Honestly, I knew with certainty you are a
prophet.
I mean, I appreciate this display
and, you know, it's unique and it's great
and it's wonderful. But even prior to this,
I was
convinced.
And we were given the knowledge.
Prior to this,
display of this miracle,
and we had submitted.
In principle,
when I received your letter and then the
subsequent returning of the gifts, I was convinced
without doubt,
and and this obviously just added to it,
just added to it. I mean, how many
companions who had studied the books and who
had heard about the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam
were convinced. And then, of course, when they
met the messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam,
it was just another level
of further
adding to that,
conviction that was established,
you know, prior to this as well.
Now Allah
the worship of the sun and the worship
of other things
prevented her from worshiping Allah.
Surely, she was from a nation that would
disbelieve. And because of her exposure to that
atmosphere and that environment, that became a blockage
and that became an obstacle and a hindrance
and impediment
to the truth. But no sooner was she,
exposed to the truth and she seen the
light,
then, you know, what things changed immediately positively.
We leave it on that note. She has
arrived there. Can you imagine this year, Suleiman
in his might and grandeur? She thought she
was great and amazing. She had a great
throne. She had a great following. But, of
course, nothing. Everything pales before the strength and
the cloud and what Allah has given to
a Nabi.
But it doesn't end here. It doesn't end
Surayman alayhi salaam displayed this one miracle by
the relocation of her throne and the readjustment
of her throne. Well, there's another surprise that
awaits you, which Surayman showed her
to add even further to her conviction
that I am the Nabi of Allah. Wait
and see what that surprise is.