Lessons from Surah Al-Baqarah

Today we begin a series of fatwa on lessons taken from Surah Al Baqarah. Surah Al Baqarah is as most of you know, the longest surah in the Quran. And so this series will not be exhaustive, we will not cover Surah Al Baqarah verse by verse. Instead, we will take large sections of the chapter and highlight some of the more important themes that Allah azza wa jal talks about.

One of the common misconceptions that many Muslims have is that the order of the chapters in the Koran is not part of the revelation itself. I've heard Muslim say that the Quran is arranged from longest Surah to shortest. That's not true. For example, Surah Al Anfal is shorter than Surah Toba which comes directly after it. And there are many other similar examples. I've heard other Muslims say that the companions were the ones who put the chapters of the Koran in the order that we find that today in the Messiah. Also not true. The Companions may Allah be pleased with them did collect the Koran into one single written documents. That is true, but that does not mean that they decided

where to put the chapters. The order of the chapters in the Quran is divinely revealed from Allah azza wa jal to the Prophet Allah He set out to us via Angel Jibreel Allah He sat down, and we have Hadith to prove this film was Snowden via snail in Hassanein with man in the last while according to the Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam jellies and Shaka sabe Borsari Haytham muscle lover who had to CAD Canada and your zip or who will build out of the corridor through Masha Kasab it also reheat terracotta tiny debris rally he said for Mr. Ronnie and Alba Aha, the hill Tabby, molder Minh Ha the surah in Allah hayyat Mirabella alleyway Sanibel eater either the quarter by the way and her

Anil fascia on carry well the belly yeah the Quran Allah come to the Quran, the Hadith on Earth man in the abbey last was that was he was with the Prophet alayhi salatu salam, they were together when Angel Jibreel are they he said I'm came with revelation from the Quran. Once the revelation was given the Prophet alayhi salatu salam said Gibreel just came to me and told me to put this verse in this location in this chapter. If the order of the chapters is part of the revelation, this makes Surah tillbaka especially important. It's not at the beginning just because it's the longest. It's not at the beginning just because someone came along later and decided to put it there. Allah azza

wa jal told the prophets Allah Allahu alayhi wa salam to put sort of to the baccarat right at the beginning right after Surah Al Fatiha after we read surah Al Fatiha the first thing that Allah wants us to consider are the lessons in Surah Al Baqarah. One of the first lessons that we find after the disjointed letters Alif Lam meme is a comment on knowledge and being convinced Allah azza wa jal says Valley Kalki taboo loughrea Buffy hood a little matcha teen This is the Book about which there is no doubt a guidance for those who have Taqwa. Allah azza wa jal says that there are no doubts about this book and that this book contains guidance by telling us that there are no doubts about

it. Allah azza wa jal is trying to reassure us. Allah subhanho wa Taala recognizes that before you can believe in something, you have to be convinced the way that Allah subhanho wa Taala addresses us in the Quran acknowledges this reality in the Quran. How many times does Allah subhanaw taala say, Well, you have to believe because I said so. The vast majority of the time Allah subhanaw taala is trying to convince you he's giving you proof. He's reasoning with you. He's appealing to your intellect and to your experience. Allah says in the few healthy somehow wealthy well I'll do X 11 Lady wanna hurry? I asked in the oil Bab Olivia needs Quran Allah happy Mo

Ibrahim. We are perfect Karuna if you follow pizza it will rub banana Holika had about the law. So the Hanoch Tokina. Enough, indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are Signs for those who understand those who remember a law when they're standing when they're sitting when they're laying on their sides. And think about the creation

Have the heavens and the earth. They say, Our Lord, you did not make all of this in vain. Exalted are you. So protect us from the punishment of the fire, the obedience, the motivation to be saved from the fire in this verse comes at the end. First, you have to be convinced, look at the signs. Think about them with an open mind, you will conclude that everything that exists cannot be for nothing. It can't be random, then you will submit to Allah subhana wa Tada, then you will ask for his protection, because now you've been convinced. Now we have a thing in the Muslim community. And many communities of faith have this to where we get nervous. If one of us isn't convinced,

especially if it's our children. They come to you with their doubts, they come to you with their questions, and maybe they have a doubt about one very specific detail. Or maybe they have doubts about the whole thing. And we get so nervous and scared that we don't want to deal with it. We just want it to go away. We just try to shut it down. Don't ask questions like that. You have to trust Allah.

The person in doubt is trying to figure out why they should trust Allah. And you're telling them to trust him when they haven't been convinced yet. It doesn't work. And the person who has doubts you share you share some of the responsibility if you have these doubts to put in the work. You can't just sit with your questions and never ask anyone. Or never look into anything and you expect that your doubt is going to magically evaporate into thin air or go away. No, your faith is going to come from somewhere you have to put in the work. Find someone trustworthy find someone who can answer your questions. Once you are convinced, then you are ready for the next concept that Allah azza wa

jal introduces at the beginning of the surah. He says that the Quran has guidance not for everybody. But for the Mukhtar keen those with Taqwa. Then Allah azza wa jal immediately starts to tell us what a person of Taqwa is like Alladhina Yamuna, belabor those who believe in the unseen. It all starts with the unseen before the Quran, before believing in the pillars of faith. Allah says first, believe in the unseen because the afterlife is part of the unseen. And the afterlife is about accountability if there is no unseen if this world is only what you can touch and you can see and you can smell and taste, then there's no reason to do the right thing when you don't benefit from it

in some way. Only someone who believes in eternal consequences from a perfect God will be able to do the right thing in those hard situations. Allah subhanaw taala continues describing the person of Taqwa where you Ki Moon a Salah and they established the prayer. Prayer is your pathway of communication with your Creator. And it's the most important way to show that you're grateful that you're grateful for every single thing that he provides to you. Allah azza wa jal doesn't merely say to perform the prayer he doesn't say to do the prayer he says to establish the prayer, meaning make it a central part of your life.

Allah azza wa jal continues, he says when the mouse goes up on their home, young cocoon and they spend out of what We have provided for them.

In order to be able to give in a meaningful way you first need to realize that what you give isn't really yours to begin with. It belongs to Allah subhanahu wa taala not you, which is why Allah subhanaw taala phrased this verse the way that he did. While Mima rose up on our home he puts it first out of what We have given you, you will feel Kuhn is spend

well Lavina you're gonna be my own ze Lake. Well, Matt onesie let me in public and who believe in what was revealed to you all Mohammed and what was revealed before you Tukwila is believing in Revelation, and believing in prophethood. Allah azza wa jal told us that He is compassionate. He told us that he is just a compassionate Creator would not leave us alone to wander through this life without knowing right from wrong or without knowing what Allah expects from us. Adjust Creator would not punish us in the afterlife if he did not make it abundantly clear right here in this life, what was wrong and what wasn't? Well Bill accurate the home up noon and they are certain of the Hereafter

certain faith in the hereafter in the afterlife.

is the foundation of all righteousness and piety. If somebody is in doubt about the afterlife, they won't find the motivation necessary to refrain from what Allah says is haram nor will they find the motivation to fulfill their obligations for what Allah subhana says they have to do without Iike Allahu Akbar him what Allah Iike human mostly Hoon. Those are the right. Those are upon guidance from their Lord. And it is those who are successful Nakula Kali ha That was stuck with Leah welcome Melissa and in Muslim Elam in Coulee Dam that stuck through in the hall afford a Rahim?

Alhamdulillah he Allah is Sunni or Shukla who Allah tofi have been wanting to shut up and learn illallah wa to learn that he can tell him only chutney why shadow and then the Vienna will say Eden and Mohamed Abdi Hora Sudha, who had their era in their Ridhwan sallallahu alayhi wa that he was having he was when he was selling water Sleeman cathedral.

After Allah subhanho wa Taala shows us in detail what Taqwa looks like. He introduces us to another concept and that concept is called

in Alladhina Cafaro. So we're not at him to home and Lenten We're home, lay up noon. Indeed, those who deny it's the same to them. Whether you warn them or not, they will never believe.

How does Allah subhanho wa Taala define the people of Kufa here he defines them as people who will not listen.

People who have their minds made up people who refuse to even consider that's kufr Allah azza wa jal is saying, look at the plants, Look at the birds look at the oceans, look at the stars and think seriously think if you have anything to be grateful for, and think how should you express your gratitude and to whom and the people of color say no?

They say no matter what you say, no matter what sign you show me. I'm not going to believe

Hata Allahu Allah could obey him. What Allah sent me him while I ever saw him, Lisa what or whom other boom, Arlene. Those are the people Allah subhanaw taala has sealed their hearts. He's put something on their hearing. And he's put something over their vision and their punishment will be great. Does Allah subhanahu wa taala wrong anybody? Does Allah subhanaw taala oppress anybody? Is a loss of hundreds Allah to blame for not guiding these people to the truth? Absolutely not. Notice the sequence here. Allah subhanaw taala seals their hearts and makes it impossible for them to be guided after their refusal to believe after their refusal to even consider the truth.

Allah gives a last concept for us here. After the concept of Taqwa. After the concept of Cofer. The next thing that Allah talks about is the theft. What is the thought?

We usually translated as hypocrisy and hypocrisy is extremely dangerous. It's so dangerous, that Allah azza wa jal spends more time talking about in effect here than he does about either Cofer or Taqwa. It's so dangerous to us in our next our success that Allah subhanaw taala wants us to understand in detail what it looks like so we can avoid it at all costs. So what does it look like? Well mean a Nassima yaku Armineh Billa Mobilio mill Fe Wolmar homebuilt me in. And of the people there are some who say we believe in Allah and the Last Day, but they are not really believers. Here Allah subhanho wa Taala is warning us about having the appearance of Muslims, but not having the

reality of being a Muslim. He is warning us about having the form. Without the content. He's warning us about having the identity. But that identity is not backed up by any proof because you can claim anything that you want. You can say that you're a Muslim, you can say that you're a believer, you can say that you are pious, but Allah knows best.

A Muslim is literally someone who submits who gets to decide whether you submit it or not.

On the Day of Judgment, when you stand before Allah subhana he's the one who's going to tell you if you were telling the truth or not

Another way that we can know and he felt Allah azza wa jal says what either Akela whom, you know, come and a nurse will call you, and let me know come and so for her, and in her home homeless over her Wallachian lady, Allah moon. And when it is said to them believe, as the masses believe, as the people believe, they say, should we believe as those fools unquestionably Allah says it's them who are the fools, but they don't realize it. People of the FAC are affected by pride. They think that they are better than other people, they look down on other people. So when someone who they think is below them says something, even if it's true,

they want to distance themselves. They don't want to be associated with those people.

In other words, they care more about how they look than they care about following what's right. That is a spiritual disease that makes faith and that makes submission impossible.

Allah gives us another sign of hypocrisy what either L'Aquila the

God, and why are you there? Hello, we lash out at him. In Malcolm in national, more steady on, and when they meet those who believe they say we believe but then they go in alone back to the other evil friends that they have. They say indeed, we're really with you. We were only just kidding. We were mocking.

hypocrites are two faced. They are one way with some people. And they have a completely different side with other people. They lead a double life. And that's because they care too much about what other people think about them. They want every last person to like them and respect them. So they tell people what they want to hear. When in reality, they don't stand for anything.

After Allah azza wa jal shows us what tequila is he shows us what kofler is. And finally he shows us what the fact is. He gives us the very first command in the entire Quran. Yeah, Johan Nasser obudu Rob book robber Comala the Halacha Comala Xena Mian Cabrini como la la comme goon, O mankind, worship your Lord,

your Lord who created you and those before you so that you might become righteous worship Allah.

If you want to be righteous, worship Allah, why should you worship Allah? Allah says, out of gratitude, and out of indebtedness he mentioned here, Allah created you. He created those before you he continues in the next verse. I love the job. Hola, como algo Russia was some Bina ones that I mean as semi Eman Safwa, behemoth, Emirati Rescorla como so that's how giannulli Now he and dad and tada Moon he made for you the earth like a bed spread out and the sky a ceiling and he's the one who sent down rain from the sky, and provision and fruit. So do not worship other than Allah don't make anyone equal with Allah subhanaw taala when really you know better.

Everything that makes your life pleasant comes from Allah subhanho wa taala. A person who has a pure heart who has a sincere heart, they will feel indebted. They will feel grateful.

And so Allah subhanaw taala tells us how to express that gratitude, worship Him.

But before we end the section, Allah subhanaw taala reminds us again that you have to be convinced first before you can worship before you can submit. You have to be convinced. So he says what unit quantum theory mana Zelina Allah Xena set to be solver that will be sold I mean Miss Lee what the URL Shuhada comiendo nila, income to Saudi Fein.

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant, then produce a surah like it and call upon all your witnesses to help you if you're telling the truth.

The argument uses very, very simple logic. Either the Koran is from a divine source like it claims to be or it's made by a human beings.

If it were made by a human being everybody's human here, you should be able to reproduce something like it.

They have the same criteria used in a different way in the scientific fields, scientific research, if it's to be accepted, it must be what replicable. The results must be reproducible. A scientist in the United States and a scientist in Egypt and a scientist in Pakistan should be able to

conduct the exact same experiment under the exact same conditions and get the exact same results.

Why This Works is the assumption that physical matter will behave the same. No matter where we go on Earth.

This is the same argument, but it's flipped around. We're not dealing with physical matter anymore. We're dealing with the divine

physical matter is supposed to behave the same. The Divine is supposed to behave uniquely, is supposed to be different from anything and everything else. Here, if we can replicate it, if we can reproduce it, it means that it's not divine.

Allah subhanaw taala dares us to try. He gives us the challenge, but he also warns us for inlanta Follow Wallonie follow for takuna Rolla T we'll go to her NASA are called her NASA, while Hijjah are that little caffeine, but if you can't do it, and he says, and you will never be able to do it, then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, a fire that's prepared for the people of Cooper.

If you try, if you try with the help of all of creation, to replicate and reproduce this court and then if it turns out that you can't do it, be prepared to submit.

Be prepared to submit to the only remaining logical conclusion it is divine. It is from Allah. And since it is from Allah, you have to submit to it. You have to express your gratitude towards him through the worship that he talked about. Don't go the way of the catheter. Don't have your mind made up already. Don't refuse to submit no matter what sign or what proof comes to you.

If you do know that there is a painful end awaiting you