Sowing dissension between Muslims is a plot by their enemies:
Dear noble brothers, the first conspiracy plotted by the enemies of Muslims is to sow dissension between them. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ O you who believe! If you obey a group of those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians), they would (indeed) render you disbelievers after you have believed! ﴿
Namely, you go back to disbelieving after you have been in unity, collaboration and affection:
﴾ And how would you disbelieve, while unto you are recited the Verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger (Muhammad )? And whoever holds firmly to Allah, (i.e. follows Islam Allah's Religion, and obeys all that Allah has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to a Right Path. ﴿
Interpreters of the Noble Quran said, "Disbelieving here is in the sense of disputing":
﴾ And how would you disbelieve, while unto you are recited the Verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH)? And whoever holds firmly to Allah, (i.e. follows Islam Allah’s Religion, and obeys all that Allah has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to a Right Path. ﴿
All of us should believe beyond doubt that disunity, sowing dissension, incitement to hatred, badmouthing some groups and the like of actions add up to the level of disbelieving:
﴾ And how would you disbelieve, ﴿
How can you be in dispute and conflict while unto you are recited the Ayaat of Allah, and among you is His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH)? Do you not believe in the following Ayah?
﴾ And whoever holds firmly to Allah, (i.e. follows Islam Allah's Religion, and obeys all that Allah has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to a Right Path. ﴿
Holding fast to Allah's Rope (Quran) and rejecting disunity:
Dear brothers, I will try to focus on the practical side of these Ayaat in the little time we have left. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an) ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 103
]
We should all hang on to the Rope of Allah (i.e. Quran). Hanging on to other than the Quran is pointless, and whatever unity that is based on other than the Quran is fragile and worthless.
﴾ And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an). ﴿
Religion is the only thing that brings us to unity and to be one, and it is the only thing that brings our hearts together:
﴾ And He has united their (i.e. believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise. ﴿
Affection among believers is created by Allah the Almighty.
Formality in religion is blatantly prevails in our era, as it is manifested in conferences, symposia, scientific titles, books, volumes and Masajid. I have been once to a Masjid in Morocco whose estimated cost is a billion dollar. We have enormous Masajid, but we lack love to one another, which is a problem. The companions of the Prophet PBUH were few and their life was tough, yet they loved each other. Love is what we need today besides collaboration. Needless to say that we should put our own interests under our feet.
Dear brothers, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves. ﴿
The companions of the Prophet PBUH used to look up to the one who memorizes Al-Baqarah and Aal-'Imran, because they are rich of facts besides the careful divine treatment of the flaws and sins committed by the people of the scripture, given Muslims today are the most likely ones to have the same flaws and sins.
The fatal error is to treat a human being as god:
Dear brothers, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ It is not (possible) for any human being to whom Allah has given the Book and Al-Hukma (the knowledge and understanding of the laws of religion, etc.) and Prophethood to say to the people: "Be my worshippers rather than Allah's." On the contrary (he would say): "Be you Rabbaniyun (learned men of religion who practise what they know and also preach others), because you are teaching the Book, and you are studying it." ﴿
The religiously devoted person is Muwahid (believes in the Oneness of Allah), given he sees none but Allah, and he relies on none but Allah. Besides, he treats people in a spirit of friendliness without worshiping them instead of worshiping Allah:
﴾ Nor would he order you to take angels and Prophets for lords (gods). Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allah’s Will? (Tafsir At-Tabari). ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 79
]
You may take a human being as a lord instead of Allah without saying it, for your actions towards him stress that concept, and it is a deadly mistake we commit in life:
﴾ Nor would he order you to take angels and Prophets for lords (gods). Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allah’s Will? (Tafsir At-Tabari). ﴿
The utmost plot against Muslims is to attack Islam from within:
Dear brothers, Muslims, in the east and the west and since the beginning of Islamic mission till the end of days, suffer one conflict.
﴾ Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed (the Qur'an) unto you (O Muhammad PBUH), to fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend! ﴿
This means that the first and foremost plot of disbelievers against Islam is to fabricate things other than the Quran and Sunnah.
﴾ To fabricate something other than it against Us, ﴿
Here is another Ayah:
﴾ And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it. ﴿
Hence, the only plot against Muslims is not to bash Islam, but rather it is to attack it from within. Actually, writing obscene immoral books under the shadow of Islam is a very dangerous act done by the enemies of Muslims.
﴾ And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it. ﴿
Being veiled from Allah is the utmost punishment a believer may get:
Dear brothers, being veiled from Allah the Almighty is the utmost punishment a believer can get:
﴾ Nay! Surely, they (evil-doers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day. ﴿
Having a connection with Allah is the best gain a person can get in this life and in the Hereafter. This entails that the utmost punishment one can get is to be veiled from Allah the Almighty, and that the most substantial bestowal is to be connected with Allah. It is said, "As for worldly gains, they are evanescent, and they are given to the good and to the bad, whereas the Hereafter is a Divine Promise in which people are judged fairly by Allah."
Here is an instruction to those who are in debt:
﴾ Among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is he who, if entrusted with a Cantar (a great amount of wealth, etc.), will readily pay it back; and among them there is he who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding, ﴿
If someone owes you something, you should keep asking for your debt over and over again till he is fed up; otherwise, you will not get your debt back:
﴾ Unless you constantly stand demanding, ﴿
I listened in my last travel to an audio tape in which the story of an actress who turned to Allah with sincere repentance. She asked a notable scholar in Egypt if the money she earned from acting is Haram. He said to her, "Do you want me to be courteous with you or to tell you the truth?" She said, "Please tell me the truth." He said, "Your money is Haram, and I think you know that already, lest you would not have come to me." The bitter truth is much better than the relaxing delusion.
The Fatwa is a trust in the hands of the scholar, and whoever betrays that trust, his betrayal shall be the bridge he crosses to Hellfire:
﴾ Then whoever disputes with you concerning him ['Iesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allah, and having no share in Divinity) say: (O Muhammad PBUH) "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves – then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allah upon those who lie." ﴿
If you are veiled from Allah the Almighty upon doing something, then what you have done surely does not please Allah, even if you have got an approval from a notable scholar for that act. Being veiled from Allah is the conclusive evidence that your action does not please Him.
﴾ Then whoever disputes with you concerning him ['Iesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allah, and having no share in Divinity) say: (O Muhammad PBUH) "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves – then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allah upon those who lie." ﴿
This is a spiritual reference for your actions. Asking scholars about something means that the asker has doubts about it. These doubts come from man's Fitrah; otherwise, he would never ask scholars. This is a spiritual reference (for right and wrong) that is installed in man's Fitrah. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And (remember) when Allah said: "O 'Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that 'Iesa (Jesus) is Allah's son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad , 'Iesa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Qur’an] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute.” ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 55
]
This means that this eminent Prophet PBUH shall come back and shall be followed by so many people. Furthermore, those who will follow him shall be higher in level than the disbelievers till the end of days:
(( The earth will be filled with tyranny and oppression, then a man from my lineage will rule for seven years or nine, and will fill the earth with justice and equity. ))
[ Ahmad, by the authority of Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri ]
Millions are displaced, but what did they do to deserve that? Their only fault is being Muslims, and thus they are displaced and have to live and sleep in the open and suffer from the chilly weather:
(( The earth will be filled with tyranny and oppression, then a man from my lineage will rule for seven years or nine, and will fill the earth with justice and equity. ))
[ Ahmad, by the authority of Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri ]
﴾ And I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad PBUH, 'Iesa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Qur’an] till the Day of Resurrection. ﴿
The importance of repetition in Quran:
In the Noble Quran, there is scientific inimitability, miraculous legislation and miraculous news and facts. In the Noble Quran, there are facts that are unknown to anyone:
﴾ You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed. ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 44 ]
Allah the Almighty sent us the Prophet PBUH out of Mercy, and He the Almighty provided him with countless proofs of his Prophethood. Among these proofs are the scientific miracles in the Quran, and the miraculous news of the unseen whether it is about the distant past, the present of different places in the Prophetic era or the future. These are but Divine Miracles.
Revealing the distant past and the future manifest the temporal inimitable wonders, whereas revealing news of other places in the Prophetic era to the Prophet PBUH is a spatial inimitable wonders.
One might ask: Is there repetition in Quran?
﴾ And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of her lifetime)." ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 42
]
The verb "choose" is used twice in the above Ayah, but what does it mean in each time it is used? In the first time, it means that Allah chose her above the women of mankind. Many people amongst men attained perfection, but amongst women none attained perfection except four women among whom is Mary, the daughter of 'Imran.
The meaning of the verb choose in the second time is that Allah chose Mary to be the mother of a boy without a father. Thus, the first selection indicated by the verb "choose" is on the religious level, and second one is on the scientific level.
Dear noble brothers, is there anyone among you who has no skill at all? Of course, there is not, and so every man has his own skill from which he makes a living or due to which he stands out from the rest of people. A man might perfect a craft, another is specialized in a certain field, a third owns money, a fourth is eloquent, a fifth is wise and a sixth might make use of strong argument.
This great woman (Imran's wife the mother of Mary) is a good example to all of us:
﴾ (Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your Place of worship), ﴿
Each one of us must dedicate part of what he/she owns for the Sake of Allah. Should we not dedicate some of our knowledge, wealth, expertise, power, or anything that we have been blessed with? Hence, every person should strive to offer a deed that helps him when he stands before Allah. The greater this deed is, the sweeter man's meet with Allah shall be.
Be aware that Allah will not accept man's claim of loving Him without a proof:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." ﴿
The proof of your true love for Allah is to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet PBUH.
The most fatal error is to have a groundless beliefs:
Dear noble brothers, the absolute evil does not exist in the universe, because its existence is in conflict with the existence of Allah:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things. ﴿
Only good is in the Hand of Allah. When man deviates from the right ideology, he will live in delusion. When this delusion is gone, man will be in great shock. It is like the student who is misled by a friend of his by telling him that he does not have to study and all he has to do is to bring an expensive gift to the teacher and the latter will give him the questions of the exam. This student believes this delusion, but upon giving the teacher an expensive gift two days before the exam to get the exam questions, the teacher will kick him out leaving him in great shock.
This is exactly what happens to the one with a corrupted ideology. Someone might have the delusion that the Prophet PBUH will intercede for him regardless his sins, but this is a corrupted ideology. The intercession of the Prophet PBUH is true, but it is not in this foolish vulgar manner.
He, who believes in the intercession of the Prophet in a wrong way, and so he sins and he offers no good deeds deceives himself.
What did the Jews say?
﴾ This is because they say: "The Fire shall not touch us but for a number of days." And that which they used to invent regarding their religion has deceived them. ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 24
]
They wrongly believed that they are the chosen people. Adopting a wrong groundless ideology and acting upon it, will end up in a great shock on the Day of Resurrection when all these delusions vanish.
Dear noble brother, the bitter truth is much better than the relaxing delusion. If you ask me about the most miserable person at all, I will recite the following Ayah:
﴾ Verily! Those who disbelieve in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah and kill the Prophets without right, and kill those men who order just dealings, … announce to them a painful torment. ﴿
The Ayah refers to those whose only concern is to hurt Awliya Allah (those who believe in Allah and give Him their full loyalty) by fighting their Da'wah (calling to believe in Allah the only Deity to be worshipped). Their fight against Da'wah is like standing against the sun and blowing on it to extinguish its flames, but can anyone do that? The one who thinks that he can do that is absolutely insane. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ They intend to put out the Light of Allah (i.e. the religion of Islam, this Qur’an, and Prophet Muhammad PBUH). ﴿
Our blazing sun is very small comparing to other stars. Yet, one billion people will never be able to extinguish its flames even if they stand together and blow on it, so what do you think of the one who thinks he can put out Allah's Light? Indeed, such a man is the most miserable person on earth.
The true asceticism is in the Hereafter:
Dear brothers, if you are invited to a house where delicious food is served to you, and the owner of house welcomes you warmly with his bright face, you will be very delighted due to the three pleasing things you see in the house you are invited to (the tasty food, the handsome owner of the house and the warm hospitality). These three things resemble the levels in the Hereafter: the first delighted level is Jannah (Paradise) with all the rivers and the wonders in it, then the higher level is to look at the Face of The Lord, and then the highest level is to attain the Good Pleasure of Allah:
﴾ But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah. ﴿
These are the three levels:
﴾ For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more. ﴿
Looking at the Gracious Face of Allah,
﴾ But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah. ﴿
[At-Taubah, 72
This indicates that welcoming you in Jannah is the greatest thing in it, and this is the everlasting bliss. Hence, the one who longs to enjoy the Good Pleasure of Allah over enjoying Jannah is the true Zahid (Hermit devotee).
Triumph is granted to the true believer:
These are Allah's words:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH) to those who disbelieve: "You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest." ﴿
Falsehood sometimes has rounds but eventually Kufr, which backs falsehood, shall be defeated and shall end up in the ash heap of history. Read history, and you will find out that it repeats itself. I mean where are all the people who fought Allah and His Messenger PBUH? They ended up in the ash heap of history, and they are cursed by every Muslim. On the other hand, those who took the side of Allah and His Messenger PBUH are in the highest ranks:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH) to those who disbelieve: "You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest." ﴿
This result is inevitable, and it is only a matter of time:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH) to those who disbelieve: "You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest." ﴿
On the other hand, the Messenger PBUH and the believers are victorious:
﴾ Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of Resurrection), ﴿
By Allah, The Only Deity worthy of worshiping, if Quran has only these two Ayaat, they will be enough. The true believer shall attain victory, and the disbeliever shall be defeated and shall be gathered and led to Hellfire.
None but Allah knows the interpretation of the Ayaat that are about His Divine Character:
The Ayah is very precise:
﴾ It is He Who has sent down to you (Muhammad PBUH) the Book (this Qur'an). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkam (commandments, etc.), Al-Fara’id (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudud (legal laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers, etc.)]; and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials, etc.), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings save Allah. ﴿
Scholars said, "The Ayaat that are related to The Divine Character of Allah are few, and only Allah knows their interpretation." This is why scholars do not interpret such Ayaat:
﴾ The Hand of Allah is over their hands. ﴿
﴾ Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty) ﴿
The Ayaat related to the Divine Character are not more than seven Ayaat, and their interpretations is known only by Allah the Almighty.
There is a pause between the two parts of the Ayah:
﴾ But none knows its hidden meanings save Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge. ﴿
The interpretation of the Ayaat related to Shari'ah rulings, universe, ancient stories and the news are known by Allah, and Allah taught His Prophets PBUH, callers and true believers their interpretation:
﴾ But none knows its hidden meanings save Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge. ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 7
]
As I have said, there is a pause between the two parts of the Ayah:
﴾ Say: "We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord." ﴿
This is a new sentence.
Ways of treating the diseases of the soul:
Let me give you an example from our life. When a doctor says to a patient that he should follow a certain diet, exercise, and quit smoking in order to avoid undergoing an operation and be cured, the patient should follow these instructions since they are to his own advantage, lest he needs a critical surgery for his health problem might become worse and more serious.
One of the critical surgeries is that which is done to the heart, for the doctor will operate on the heart, and in order to do so, the heart should be stopped while operating, and after finishing, it will be given to an electric shock to start working again, but what if the heart does not start? The patient will die although the surgery is successful. Hence, when man chooses to have a surgery, he puts himself in a grave danger. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ "O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtake you, so that you become a companion of Shaitan (Satan) (in the Hell-fire)." [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi]. ﴿
The previous example resembles the one who takes the side of Shaitan (Satan), because he does not listen to the doctor and follow his instructions. Beware from acting like such a patient, lest you put yourself in a grave danger (just like the one who takes the side of Shaitan and so his life becomes miserable). These meanings are derived from Ayaat in the Quran like the following one:
﴾ To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things. ﴿
If there is a disease in the soul, it must be treated, and the treatment has two ways:
﴾ Then He forgives whom He wills. ﴿
The first way is that man should repent, quit sinning, make up for those he wronged, ask for forgiveness, turn back to Allah the Almighty and offer good deeds:
﴾ Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. ﴿
The other way of treatment is dangerous just like the surgery we have mentioned earlier, for man might die during such operation. The choice is difficult in the Ayah:
﴾ To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, ﴿
This means that whether you mention your soul disease or you disclose it, Allah knows about it, and it shall be treated. Thus, either you treat it peacefully while you are still healthy and alive, or Allah will treat it in His Own Way:
﴾ Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.﴿
[Al-Baqarah, 286]
It is better for man to choose the easier way, namely to be initiative in treating his soul disease, to reconcile with Allah and to reckon himself seriously in the worldly life instead of being reckoned like that in the Hereafter. He who reckons himself in a harsh manner in worldly life shall receive an easy reckoning in the Hereafter and vice versa.
Some people think that if a billion people are wrong, then it is fine to be one of them. Do not ever think like this, because wrong and right has nothing to do with numbers, and Allah does not care about them no matter how many they are.
﴾ And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's Path. They follow nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie. ﴿
Dear noble brothers, I ask Allah the Almighty that we make use of these blessed days which are source of rejoice to the believer just like the day of wedding. We should listen to the Quran and reflect on some of its Ayaat, especially those which are related to the practical side of matters.
