Praise be to Allah, The Lord (The One and Only) of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Master Muhammad, the Truthful and the Faithful. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All- Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
Disregarding Prophets' Message brings about blindness in the insight and takes away happiness in worldly life and in Hereafter:
Dear brothers, this is the second lesson of the interpretation of Surah Ya-Sin. Last lesson we reached the following Ayah:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town, [It is said that the town was Antioch (Antakiya)], when there came Messengers to them. ﴿
Dear brothers, there is a connection and coherence among the Ayaat of the Quran, as each Ayah leads to the next. Accordingly, the Ayaat of any Surah in the Quran are interconnected, and it is a blessing from Allah if someone is able to understand a Surah as a whole.
Last lesson, I mentioned that Allah Almighty sent the Prophets and the Messengers and provided them with a Divine Book and Al-Haqq (the truth), so they could warn a people whose forefathers had been similarly warned.
When a Divine Message is sent to a people, they either follow Al-Haqq or their desires, side with Al-Haqq or Al-Batil (falsehood), align with reason or prefer lusts, and choose the Hereafter or the worldly life—there is no third option. If you do not choose the Hereafter, then you choose the worldly life; if you do not side with Al-Haqq, then you side with Al-Batil; and if you do not follow your reason, then you follow your desires. When a person rejects Allah's Message, he becomes overwhelmed by his desires, which will chain his hands, blind his insight, create barriers in front of and behind him, and hinder him from attaining happiness in this life and the Hereafter. On the other hand, if man follows Allah's Message, the following will be his reward:
(( You can only warn him who follows the Reminder (the Qur'an), and fears the Most Beneficent (Allah) unseen. Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness, and a generous reward (i.e. Paradise). ))
Once again, if a person rejects Allah's Message, his insight will become blind, his hands will be chained, and he will be deprived of happiness in this life and in the Hereafter.
Man comes around either due to thoughts or due to incidents:
After Allah informs us about the rewards for those who follow His Message and the punishment for those who reject it, He provides examples from real life. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He says: O Muhammad:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude. ﴿
"Them" refers to the infidels of Quraish to whom the Prophet PBUH was sent:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude. ﴿
Sometimes, a person perceives thoughts, while at other times, he perceives incidents. For example, a person may read many essays about the harmful effects of smoking, even if he is a smoker himself, but he may not truly grasp these effects until a relative suffers from lung cancer, a blood clot, or other health problems.
Whoever is rational and smart will understand the theory before he notices it applied. You may read an article about the harmful effects of something dangerous, and this will be enough to make you refrain from it. On the other hand, some people do not learn a lesson from things unless they go through a painful experience, or they pay a heavy price. Only then, they say, "Indeed, whatever Allah has revealed is Al-Haqq."
It is mentioned in the Quran that Riba (usury), is Haram (forbidden), and Allah destroys the usurer. Hence, the rational man fear Allah's Punishment whenever he thinks about the Divine Orders and Prohibitions, but when he stops using his mind properly, he will fear Allah only when he witnesses His Punishment. Man's rationality declines when he fears Allah after witnessing sinners being punished, but it will be at its best when he fears Allah merely by being aware of His Orders and Prohibitions.
The prudent does not search for things Allah intentionally does not mention in Quran:
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, has sent His Messages and reveals the destiny of those who reject them: Their hands will be chained, their insight will be blind, and they will be deprived of happiness in both this worldly life and the Hereafter. Thus, those who fail to understand these consequences through reason will learn the hard way. Here is the story about this truth as narrated by Allah:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town. ﴿
What town was this? Who were the people? Where was this town located? Allah does not provide answers to these questions. It has been said: When the Quran discards something, do not bother searching for it. Hence, if Allah does not mention the name of this town, do not seek it out, for there is profound wisdom in overlooking its name by Allah. Why is that?
If Allah had mentioned the name of the town, the people who lived there, its location, or the era, we might have thought that this incident occurred only once and would not be repeated.
When Allah overlooks all these details, it signifies that He intends for this story to serve as a repeatable example from which we can learn valuable lessons. Identifying the name of this town, the people who lived there, its location, or the era would diminish the value of this wisdom.
Reflect on these Ayat and learn the lesson that is intended by them. Avoid pursuing what has been overcome by Allah, because, you can understand the moral from the Ayaat even without knowing the name of the town.
I once gave an example to clarify this point: A professor in the Faculty of Commerce might explain successful trading by sharing a story with his students about a friend of him who wanted to buy a store in a bustling market (this aligns with the saying, "seek profits in crowded places", so a bustling market is the first factor), so he focused on essential commodities that customers needed in their daily lives, he chose high-quality products, maintained fair prices, and treated his customers with respect, so he achieved good profits and with these earnings, he was able to buy a house, get married, and enjoy a fulfilling life.
This professor included all the factors that lead to success in this example. If one of the students asks the professor, 'What is the name of this relative of yours? What is his skin color? Is he white or black? Is he tall or short?' these questions would be irrelevant to the moral lesson of the professor's example. The professor intended to highlight the factors of successful trading, while the student is asking about unrelated details.
Good manners are must while dealing with Allah Almighty:
Some people search diligently to discover the name of this town, with many identifying it as Antakiya. They are interested in learning about the people of this town and the names of the Prophets associated with it. In fact, they put themselves in an endless maze that could have been avoided, as Allah chooses not to mention these details. Allah says:
﴾ Have you (O Muhammad PBUH) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant? [The elephant army which came from Yemen under the command of Abrahah Al-Ashram intending to destroy the Ka'bah at Makkah]. ﴿
﴾ And (with) Thamud (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)?* And (with) Fir'aun (Pharaoh), who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)? ﴿
In other Ayaat, Allah mentions the name of the town. In general, when Allah Almighty chooses not to mention specific details like places, names, and times, we should focus less on these details and more on the moral lesson behind the story.
There is a substantial moral lesson behind this story, along with significant insights that can be understood even without knowing the details. Otherwise, it will turn from a Divine Law into a historical event that happens once in a specific time and place and will never happen again. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, does not intend to tell you a historical story that occurred once and will never happen again.
Mentioning numerous details about a person—his name, his mother's name, the location of his house, his height, and the consequences of his actions—can lead you to overlook the wisdom of the story itself due to the abundance of information presented. On the other hand, when you say, "The student who studies well shall succeed", this statement represents a principle or a law.
Hellfire will be the abode for those who rejected the Prophets' Messages:
Hence, when Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, tells us stories and mentions individuals and peoples, the purpose is to transform these narratives into repeatable examples, Divine Laws, and guiding principles. Therefore, when Allah chooses not to mention a detail, do not search for it. When He remains silent on something, you should do the same and seek the moral lesson intended by Allah.
This leads me to intentionally mention everything that has been said in the interpretation references about the people of this town. Some said it is Antakiya, but what is the evidence? Some said they are the people of Israel, but again what is the evidence? There is usually a strong proof and a weak one. Who are those Messengers? What are their names? Who sent them? Are these Messengers sent by Iesa (Jesus) PBUH, the son of Mayam (Mary)? All these questions lead to a maze that should be avoided.
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town, [It is said that the town was Antioch (Antakiya)], when there came Messengers to them. ﴿
Allah says:
﴾ Truly, you (O Muhammad PBUH) are one of the Messengers ﴿
O Muhammad:
﴾ On a Straight Path (i.e. on Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism). (This is) a Revelation sent down by the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful, In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless. ﴿
When they rejected these Divine Messages, the Divine Laws became applicable to them.
﴾ Indeed the Word (of punishment) has proved true against most of them, so they will not believe. Verily! We have put on their necks iron collars reaching to chins, so that their heads are forced up. And We have put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and We have covered them up, so that they cannot﴿ see. ﴿
This is the theory, and the practice is indicated in the following:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town, [It is said that the town was Antioch (Antakiya)], when there came Messengers to them. When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, ﴿
The reason why disbelievers bely Prophets:
Pay attention to this question: What reasons do disbelievers have for rejecting Prophets? Because, the Prophets PBUT delivered the Divine Messages, outlining prohibitions and permissible matters. The prohibitions often place limitations on the desires of disbelievers. Therefore, those who are focused on their desires and intend to follow their whims are more likely to reject the Divine Guidance. The proof is in the following Ayah:
﴾ But if they answer you not (i.e. do not believe in your doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, nor follow you), then know that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah? Verily! Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun (wrong-doers, disobedient to Allah, and polytheists). ﴿
The usurer who insists on engaging in Riba is unlikely to accept that it is Haram; therefore, he may argue, debate, dispute, deceive, and manipulate to justify his actions. Similarly, the one who insists on committing other types of sins is unlikely to be persuaded of his wrongdoing.
Why did disbelievers reject the Prophets' Da'wah (call to believe in and worship Allah Alone)? It is because they insist on sinning and following their desires, while the Divine Message imposes limitations on those desires, creating an inner conflict within themselves. If they accept this Divine Message, they would have to oppose their own inclinations and might struggle to explain their stance. Consequently, they may say, 'O Prophet, you are a liar,' in an attempt to align with their desires. Since the Divine Guidance places limitations on the whims they insist on, it is easier for them to deny the Prophets' Message.
The people of that town are like other disbelievers who cling to the worldly life and are overtaken by their own desires. Their insistence lead to blindness of insight, causing them to deny the Prophets and accuse them of lying.
Reinforcement is one of Allah's ways to bring man back to the Right Path:
Allah Almighty says:
﴾ When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, ﴿
This is a means of reinforcement that Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, uses. He uses a friend of yours to remind you of Al-Haqq as a first warning. If you do not respond, He sends you a problem; thus, the problem serves as a means of reinforcement. Pay attention to the following Ayah:
﴾ "But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."﴿
These are the words of Allah Almighty. If you turn away from Allah, you will experience a life of hardship, which confirms the Ayah. If you lower your gaze from looking at Haram, you will feel happiness at your home, which confirms the Ayah. If you earn ill-gotten money and, as a result, Allah destroys your wealth, this also confirms the Ayah. Therefore, whatever happens in your life, as a result of your acts, confirms Quran Ayat:
﴾ And your Lord would never destroy the towns wrongfully, while their people were right-doers. ﴿
You may hear of a town destroyed by an earthquake or a civil war, only to discover that it indulges in fornication, homosexuality, drinking intoxicants, substance abuse, and prostitution. Therefore, you connect the consequences with these sins, which confirms the teachings of the Noble Quran.
Allah Almighty uses the reinforcement means; however, being Merciful, He begins with simple advice offered to you by someone during a sermon or in a religious session. If you do not respond, Allah uses the next means, which is to inflict you with hardship, but if you do not respond, the situation may worsen.
Accordingly, how do you define the happy person? The happy person is the one who responds voluntarily, thereby avoiding the other means of Divine Warning. It is exactly like a physician who prescribes medication at the lowest dosage; if it does not help, he gradually increases the dosage. This illustrates the concept of Divine Reinforcement. Our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, ﴿
If you do not respond to the verbal warning and fail to make use of it, Allah will increase the dose of warnings.
When man's faith increases, he understands the least Divine Hint:
The higher a person's rank, the fewer warnings he needs to understand. On the other hand, when the person skin is thick, he will not understand until he is inflicted with an incurable disease, with sever humiliation or with a loss of wealth.
The believer is perceptive; he notices the changes in his life, and he knows that He, Exalted and Sublime be He, makes these changes:
﴾ For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah. Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah). But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector. ﴿
Let me tell you this: when I see someone who understands Allah and knows why certain things happen to him, I feel so happy for him and congratulate him by saying, "You have passed four-fifths of the path to guidance." Interpreting incidents from a Divine Perspective rather than a worldly one is a grace that Allah has bestowed upon you.
Again, Allah's warnings come in stages (reinforcement). First, He sends you a verbal message through a friend, a brother, a teacher, a Khateeb in the Masjid, or an essay you read. If you do not respond, a more severe warning will come in the form of hardship or a problem. If you do not respond, you will be afflicted with a disaster, and so on.
Rest assured, Allah will not leave you alone, because He loves you, He wants you to turn to Him and attain true happiness. It has been narrated in the relic:
(( O David, Had the heedless known how much I long for them and yearn for them to leave their sins, their limbs would have been turned into pieces out of their love for Me. That is my Will towards the heedless, so how would I be with those who draw near to Me?" ))
This is how Allah treats the one who turns away from Him.
He, who does not learn from disasters that befall him, is inflicted in his own self:
Therefore:
﴾ When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, ﴿
I intended to start with the term 'reinforcement' to define the means of reinforcement that Allah employs with people. If you are perceptive, it is enough to see a dream, listen to advice, or feel a constriction in your chest to be alerted.
Sometimes, you may feel a constriction in your chest when you displease Allah in situations like attending a party, participating in a business partnership, being in a certain place, or spending time with someone.
This constriction in the chest is a sign from Allah Almighty and serves as a warning. If you understand what Allah wants from you, it will be a great blessing. As long as you are open to responding to advice, a call, an Ayah, a Hadith, or a true dream, and you understand these signs well, then you are experiencing a great blessing. On the other hand, the one who does not pay attention to Allah's Warnings until faced with a disaster is unperceptive.
Dear brothers, if someone does not learn from the hardships that befall him, then the disaster lies within himself. Whoever does not use the hardships he faces as a warning to turn to Allah, draw closer to Him, repent, and strive to obey and love Him is, in fact, the disaster itself.
The Prophet is the Master of mankind though all the characteristics of mankind are applied to him:
Allah Almighty says:
﴾ When We sent to them two Messengers, they belied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, ﴿
They said:
﴾ And they said: "Verily! We have been sent to you as Messengers." They (people of the town) said: "You are only human beings like ourselves, ﴿
Will the Prophet PBUH be any less of a Messenger, simply because he is human like other people—eats, feels hunger and thirst, gets full, drinks his fill, gets tired, sweats, experiences hot and cold weather, seeks shade, or gets married? On the contrary, this makes him even loftier.
Whoever lacks fear is not truly courageous; even a piece of wood in a battle will remain still without fear, because it lacks consciousness. Should we then give it any credit? On the other hand, a man who experiences fear but remains in the battle field, facing his enemy is called courageous.
Without having this fear, you will not be considered courageous. Without feeling hunger, you will not truly struggle while fasting. Hence, if the Prophet had not been human and lacked human characteristics, he would not have been as great. Had Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, sent an angel instead, who would instruct people to lower their gaze as he does, people would have said, "You are an angel, while we are human beings. You do not feel what we feel or long for what we long for; thus, you are unrealistic."
So, no Messenger could have convinced people of Al-Haqq without being a human being like them.
The Prophet has two missions:
The Prophet has two missions: the first is to convey Allah's Message to people, and this mission is less important than the second mission, which is to be a good example for them to follow.
No matter how precise, eloquent, realistic, deep, well-supported, and thoroughly analyzed someone's message might be, it is worthless if that person does not apply it to his own life. On the other hand, when you see someone devotes himself for Allah's Sake, applies Allah's Commands and fulfills his promises, even at a high cost, you will more likely accept his message. If he is fair and speaks the truth, even when it is bitter, you will more likely accept his message. Actions speak louder than words.
This explains why the Noble Prophets were leaders: although they were sent with a Divine Message, they applied that Message to themselves. Had they not done so, the Message would have been worthless.
The mission of the Prophet is to set a good example for people to follow, and this mission is even more important than his role in conveying Allah's Message. The proof of this lies in the limited impact of thousands of Du'aat (Islamic missioners), eloquent speakers, scholars, writers, and authors. Why? It is because they do not apply any of what they preached to others.
Unless you apply whatever you preach to others, your words will be worthless. When Safiyah, the Prophet's wife, sent a dish of food to him while he was at A'ishah's place, A'ishah became jealous and threw the dish on the ground, breaking it. Should that action not have made the Prophet (PBUH) angry and prompted him to respond in a certain way to what she had done? He went out of the house and said, "Your mother is angry, your mother is angry". How perfect his reaction was!
When he was in a battle once, he was injured in his cheek and his tooth was broken like any other human being. He married many widows with children for reasons that please Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, but does he not long for a maiden to be his wife? Yes, he does, because at the end he is a human being. His perfection, loftiness, and greatness stem from being a human being and possessing the characteristics of human beings. As for you, had you not been hungry (when you are fasting), you would not have been patient, had you not been frightened (in battlefields), you would not have been brave and had you not had the love of collecting money, you would not have been generous. Man is considered generous, because he does what contradicts his instincts:
﴾ Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him. ﴿
[ Aal-'Imran, 14
]
These desires are the means by which we attain a high rank in the Sight of the Lord of the earth and heavens.
Had the Prophet not been a man, he would not have convinced us of his Message:
The Prophet (PBUH) is a human being, and because of this, he is the best of mankind and the dearest to Al-Haqq (i.e., Allah). His greatness lies in his humanity:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "I am only a human being like you. It is inspired in me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God – Allah), therefore take Straight Path to Him (with true Faith Islamic Monotheism) and obedience to Him, and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe to Al–Mushrikun (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, idolaters, etc. – see V.2:105). ﴿
The Prophet PBUH had all the characteristics of human beings:
(( O, it is you; you have grown young. May you not advance in years! That slave-girl returned to Umm Sulaim weeping. Umm Sulaim said: O daughter, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah's Apostle (PBUH) has invoked curse upon me that I should not grow in age and thus I would never grow in age, or she said, in my (length) of life. Umm Sulaim went out wrapping her head-dress hurriedly until she met Allah's Messenger (PBUH). He said to her: Umm Sulaim, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah's Apostle, you invoked curse upon my orphan girl. He said: Umm Sulaim, what is that? She said: She (the orphan girl) states you have cursed her saying that she might not grow in age or grow in life. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) smiled and then said: Umm Sulaim, do you not know that I have made this term with my Lord. And the term with my Lord is that I said to Him: 1 am a human being and I am pleased just as a human being is pleased and I lose temper just as a human being loses temper, so for any person from amongst my Ummah whom I curse and he in no way deserves it, let that, O Lord, be made a source of purification and purity and nearness to (Allah) on the Day of Resurrection. ))
[ Muslim, on the authority of Anas Bin Malik
]
It is him, Muhammad the human,
only he is not like humans
He is like a ruby
while humans are like stones
***
The ruby is a gemstone, which is different from other ordinary stones. A small piece of diamond is worth 100.000, 500.000 or even 5.000.000, while other stones fill the valleys. Herein lies the difference between the stones and the gemstones.
Again, Muhammad PBUH is a human being, but he is not like any other human being. Being a human being is what allows us to attain a high rank in the Sight of Allah. When you feel hunger while fasting, you demonstrate patience. When you endure the heat during Hajj, you remain patient to fulfill your obligation and respond to Allah's Call. Similarly, when someone provokes you, you choose to suppress your anger instead of reacting. Hence:
﴾ They (people of the town) said: "You are only human beings like ourselves, ﴿
Indeed, the Messengers are human beings, because had they not been human beings, we would not have been convinced of their Message.
The Prophet (PBUH) set an example for us to follow.
﴾ And the Most Beneficent (Allah) has revealed nothing, ﴿
In order to avoid any disturbance that may stop them from fulfilling their forbidden lusts which they intend to keep fulfilling, the Kuffar belied the Messengers, peace be upon them, saying as Allah the Almighty narrates:
﴾ And the Most Beneficent (Allah) has revealed nothing, you are only telling lies." ﴿
It is a Grace of Allah bestowed upon us that He is The All-Knowing:
It is a blessing that Allah knows everything. If you are innocent but accused of something, say: "Allah surely knows." If you are honest but accused of lying, say: "Allah surely knows." If you intend to do good but someone doubts your intentions, say: "Allah surely knows." If you are slandered while you are chaste, do not get upset; you know yourself, and the opinions of others will not hurt you.
You should be careful to avoid putting yourself in questionable situations. However, if people accuse you despite your best efforts, do not be upset; Allah knows you are innocent.
You do not need to swear by Allah to exonerate yourself, because you know that Allah knows the truth. You do not have to show Allah a receipt of your donation; Allah surely knows that you spend that money in His Cause. Allah knows your spending, your intentions, your stances, your fear of Him and your needs. Thus, praise be to Allah for His Existence and for being All-Knowing. How many people have been accused while they are innocent? How many people have been belied while they are honest? How many people have been betrayed while they are pure? Allah says:
﴾ "Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you, ﴿
Allah knows that we are not liars, as you claim, and it is enough comfort and tranquility for us that Allah knows the truth.
Man owns the free will, and all you have to do is to give the advice and Allah will take care of the rest:
﴾ The Messengers said: "Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you, "And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message)." ﴿
You own the free will, and regarding this issue, so many brothers ask me this question: "What should I do?" Actually, all I can do is to offer him a piece of advice, because he has the free will to choose. If you have a son, a relative, a friend or a partner, who is not religiously committed, offer him a piece of advice. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ Not upon you (Muhammad PBUH) is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah's Countenance. And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged. ﴿
Their guidance is not your responsibility. Allah says in the second Ayah:
﴾ Verily! You (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided. ﴿
You cannot guide whom you wish, because each person has the free will to choose. All you can do is offering them advice, clarifying things for them, and presenting evidence to them, and the rest is up to Allah Almighty.
﴾ And enjoin As-Salat (the prayer) on your family, and be patient in offering them [i.e. the Salat (prayers)]. We ask not of you a provision (i.e. to give Us something: money, etc.); We provide for you. And the good end (i.e. Paradise) is for the Muttaqun (pious – see V.2:2). ﴿
Show this person his error, present the proof to him and tell him Allah's Rulings. No one can instill guidance in another person's heart; this is impossible and beyond human capability. Even Prophets cannot do that. Every human being is given the freedom to choose and the Prophet's mission is to clarify and convey Allah's Message.
O Prophet Muhammad, we testify that you conveyed the Message of Allah and fulfilled the trust.
However, Allah says:
﴾ Whosoever does righteous good deed it is for (the benefit of) his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself, and your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves. ﴿
﴾ Whosoever disbelieves will suffer from his disbelief, and whosoever does righteous good deeds (by practising Islamic Monotheism), then such will prepare a good place (in Paradise) for themselves (and will be saved by Allah from His Torment). ﴿
It is all up to you.
The one who loses the argument will resort to lies, hoaxes and falsehood:
﴾ The Messengers said: "Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you, "And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message)." They (people) said: “For us, we see an evil omen from you, ﴿
Pessimism is nonsense and it is ridiculous. Some people see evil omens in Wednesday, in the number 13, or in someone who enters a shop at the same time a deal is not completed. The shop owner might think that this person is the reason for losing that deal. This is all nonsense.
﴾ They (people) said: "For us, we see an evil omen from you, ﴿
When they lose the argument, they resort to claiming that they see evil omens. When a person no longer uses his reason, he resorts to delusions, falsehood and nonsense.
﴾ We see an evil omen from you, ﴿
We see evil omen in you.
﴾ If you cease not, we will surely stone you, and a painful torment will touch you from us." ﴿
Man's argument is strengthened by proofs:
If there is an argument between two people, who do you think is the weaker one? It is the one who resorts to badmouthing which reflects his weak argument. Accusing the other person of lying demonstrates a weakness in any argument. It is even weaker to resort to physically attacking him during an argument, as this is a proof of running out of evidence.
A good argument is characterized by the confrontation of evidence with evidence, opinion with opinion, and logic with logic. An argument is strong as long as it is supported by science and evidence. When someone lacks these, he often resorts to insults, which is weak, or he resorts to physical attacks, which is even weaker.
When they (disbelievers) lost the argument, they resorted to superstitions:
﴾ We see an evil omen from you, ﴿
When you advise someone to pray, and he responds, "I offered Salah, but my profits decreased, and I faced many disputes in my store. I no longer want this religion", it reflects his frustration and doubt.
When someone rejects Al-Haqq, he often does so in a ridiculous manner, resorting to superstitions. If he is challenged, he may resort to name-calling, and if the other person persists, he might even resort to physical abuse.
﴾ They (people) said: "For us, we see an evil omen from you, if you cease not, we will surely stone you, ﴿
We will kill you…
﴾ And a painful torment will touch you from us." ﴿
Scholars said: "The painful torment is before killing" like skinning, cutting the belly out or plucking out the eyeballs:
﴾ If you cease not, we will surely stone you, and a painful torment will touch you from us." ﴿
Righteousness brings about goodness and wrongdoings bring about badness:
Dear noble brothers, Ya-Sin Surat is the heart of Quran:
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen"). ﴿
Many books can be written about these words. Whatever goodness or evil thing befalls you, is from your own self. Hence, if any goodness comes to you, it is a result of your righteousness, good intentions, sincerity, love for Allah, and commitment to His Commands. Conversely, if any evil befalls you, it is a result of your religious shortcomings and sins.
﴾ And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. (See the Qur'an Verse 35:45). ﴿
Man should not be pessimistic, because it is pointless, as goodness or evil is the results of man's own deeds. The Prophet PBUH said:
(( Man should not fear anything except his sins. ))
Do not fear anyone, for all people are in The Hand of Allah. Do not fear villains, for they are in The Hand of Allah. Bad people, predators and perils are all in the Hand of Allah. If a driver falls asleep while driving and causes an accident, you should remember that this driver is in the Hand of Allah.
Pessimism is pointless since goodness and evil are the results of man's deeds:
Everything has an essence, and a person will not truly grasp the essence of faith until he knows, beyond doubt, that whatever befalls him will never miss him, and whatever misses him will never befall him. All terrifying things are in the Hand of Allah:
Obey Our Orders, and Our Veils will be removed for you
As We give Our Content to those who love Us
Seek refuge with our protection and resort to Us
So that We protect you from what afflicted other creations
* * *
There are people who are villains, terrifying, oppressive, and violent. Such individuals do not fear Allah, and they lack mercy in their hearts.
One of the Signs of the Hour is taking off shyness from women's face, the chivalry from men's reason and the mercy from rulers' heart. There are no mercy, humbleness and chivalry. Women are dressed indecently and their husbands boast about that. This explains why Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") ﴿
Good and bad things come from within you due to your wrongdoings.
(( Man should not fear anything except his sins. ))
If you sin, take a step back and reflect upon the advice given to you by someone. And if anything bad befalls you, hold yourself accountable.
Allah says in Hadith Qudsi:
(( O My slaves, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you. O My slaves, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My slaves, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My slaves, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My slaves, you will not harm Me nor will you benefit Me. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it. That is because I am the Most Liberal without need, the Most Generous, doing as I will. I give by My speech and I punish by My speech, whenever I will something I only say: "Be" and it shall be. ))
[ Muslim, on the authority of Abu Dharr ]
As Allah gives abundantly, He also withdraws abundantly. I was told by a brother about a man who once owned hundreds of millions, but now he does not have money to buy a loaf of bread, and he is begging people.
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") ﴿
Allah the Almighty dispenses with punishing the servants:
The principle goes as follows:
(( Goodness and badness are in My Hand, I give by My speech and I punish by My speech, whenever I will something I only say: "Be" and it shall be. ))
Now pay attention to this:
(( … so let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself. ))
Whoever is faced with something he does not like should understand that Allah is not in need of torturing or oppressing him. Let him check his income, his relationships, his gatherings, his parties, his picnics, his selling and his buying. Is he cheating? Is he lying? Is he scamming?
A man may say, "May Allah never grant so and so person prosperity, for he forced me to pay 500.000 Liras." Such a man should remember the bad deeds he does, in order to realize that he just receives their outcome. There is always a cause for the effect. For instance, flies (effect) gather where there are dirts (cause).
In crimes, investigators usually have a principle that says: Look for the woman behind every crime. Similarly, I suggest this principle: Look for your sins if something bad befalls you, if someone humiliates you, or if your money is taken from you. Look for a word you have spoken out of arrogance, for you might be disciplined by Allah because of it.
I was told by a factory owner that someone approached him wanting to buy just one or two pieces of his products. He considered this an insult, because he is in the wholesale business. The orders from his factory are no less than 200 dozen each. He said to the person, "I do not sell in retail." The man left the store. The owner of the factory said to me, "Twenty-three days passed without selling anything; no customers came to my store." Well, this is Divine Discipline.
Again, if anything upsets you, look for a sin you have committed and hold yourself accountable. Allah is not in need of torturing us, causing us pain, or putting us in trouble. However, Allah loves to see us perfect. So, when there is an error, it is as if the believer is saying to Allah: "Please, address my wrongdoings before I die, and do not take my soul before You are pleased with me."
The true believer longs to be Divinely treated and purified in worldly life:
The true believer loves to be Divinely treated and disciplined and to became perfect in the worldly life, so that when the angel of death comes, he will deserve Paradise:
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") ﴿
So many books can be written about this Ayah. Good and evil are the results of your own bad deeds. Do not be pessimistic about a house you bought, for you chose it in a very disturbed neighborhood, and this is entirely your fault. The same goes for a wife you chose for her beauty while disregarding other aspects like her morality or religious beliefs. So do not say she is an evil omen, because this was your choice. The Prophetic instruction regarding this point is clear:
(( Beware of Khadra' ad-Diman." They asked "Who is Khadra' ad-Diman, O Apostle of Allah?" He, peace be upon him, said, "The beautiful woman who comes from an evil root (family)" ))
If you choose to live in a house located in a bad neighborhood where foreigners are known for drinking intoxicants and having parties, your children will be exposed to that negative environment. Any evil omen you think you have in a house or a wife is not an evil omen at all; rather, it is a result of your own sins. Allah says:
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") ﴿
The good you have or the evil you have is the outcomes of your own deeds.
﴾ because you are admonished ﴿
O people of this town, are you threatening us with torture and stoning merely, because we reminded you of Allah?
﴾ because you are admonished? ﴿
Is this how you pay us back? In fact, this will happen down the road when good deeds are disgraced while bad deeds and corruption are praised, when being religious is not accepted, while sins are approved by society, and when acts of obedience are mocked.
It will be even worse than that when people enjoin Munkar (evil deeds) and forbid Ma'ruf (good deeds). Wait for the time when the trustworthy are doubted and the betrayers are trusted and when the honest is belied and the liar is believed. This is among other life's paradoxes.
(( When your rulers are the benevolent, your rich men are the most generous and your affairs consulted among you, the back of the earth would better suit you than its depth, and when your rulers are the most wicked, your rich men are the most miserly and your affairs controlled by women, the depth of the earth would better suit you than its back. ))
[ Al-Jame' As-Sagheer, by Abi Hurairah ]
Allah Almighty dignified us by sending us the Message of Islam:
It is out of Sunnah to read Surat Ya-Sin once every day. When you are walking down the street, or you are driving, try to read it instead of doing anything else, for it is only 6 pages.
Accustom yourself to read it once or twice (which is even better) every day. If you read it in the morning, you will feel happiness until the evening, and if you read in the evening, you will feel happiness until the morning. Allah says:
﴾ They (Messengers) said: "Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it "evil omen") because you are admonished? ﴿
All this admonishing is just because we reminded you of Allah:
﴾ Nay, but you are a people Musrifun (transgressing all bounds by committing all kinds of great sins, and by disobeying Allah). ﴿
It is a transgressing of all bounds. You should not threaten the one who offers you a piece of advice as a gift in order to guide you toward what is right.
The people of this town rejected the Message of Prophets. There is another type of people:
﴾ And there came running from the farthest part of the town, a man, saying ﴿
The other type of people includes those who embrace the Message of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, and thank the one who honored them with it. They transformed from misguidance to guidance, from misery to happiness, and from heedlessness to a state of realizing themselves, their value, their purpose, their Lord, and the everlasting happiness that awaits them if they choose to believe, and the painful torment that awaits them if they deviate from the Right Path.
﴾ And there came running from the farthest part of the town, a man, saying: "O my people! Obey the Messengers; ﴿
This man who believed in the Prophet's Message put his belief into action, and he did not remain inactive. Some believers do not do that; they do not act upon their belief and simply remain passive.
Act upon your belief, say a word, offer a piece of advice or teach your children, neighbors, partners, relatives or siblings about Islam. Visit them once a week and interpret an Ayah you have heard from a Khateeb in the Masjid. It is not right to distance yourself from your duties as a believer and keep saying, 'There is prevailing corruption in society,' while confining yourself to your business, selling or buying.
The believer looks forward to being rewarded by Allah:
Allah says:
﴾ And there came running from the farthest part of the town, a man, ﴿
This action reflects deep faith and guidance. As a believer, you should act like one by calling people to Allah Almighty. You are attending religious lessons for two, five, ten or twenty years, do you not think it is about time to give lessons to others? You just keep listening, but until when? You should have your influence on your children, family, wife, neighbors, brothers, sisters, sons in law, relatives, employers or workers. Offer advice, interpret an Ayah or interpret a Hadith to those whom you know. Take this man (mentioned in the Ayah) as an example to follow, as he took an action, and he went to the people of this town:
﴾ And there came running from the farthest part of the town, a man, saying: "O my people! Obey the Messengers; ﴿
How did he define Messengers?
﴾
﴾ "Obey those who ask no wages of you (for themselves), and who are rightly guided. ﴿
Every person seeks profits for his deeds whether it is money or a reward. However, when someone disdains tangible rewards and long only for Allah's Reward then he is honest in his Da'wah. It is impossible for someone to do something for nothing in return, even the believer, but the believer seeks Allah's Reward.
The believer puts in effort, sits with you, spends his time, shares his expertise, and tries hard for the sake of Da'wah. If you respond to his Da'wah, he seeks his reward from Allah and longs for His Pleasure and Closeness
Sincere people disdain tangible rewards:
﴾ Saying: "O my people! Obey the Messengers; "Obey those who ask no wages of you (for themselves), and who are rightly guided. ﴿
The Quran in this Ayah indicates the unmistakable mark of sincere people of Al-Haqq, for they do not seek a tangible or even a moral reward, whether large or small, sooner or later; all they long for is pleasing Allah.
O Allah, You are The One I seek, and Your Pleasure is my ultimate goal:
﴾ Saying: "O my people! Obey the Messengers; "Obey those who ask no wages of you (for themselves), and who are rightly guided.﴿
Reject manmade instructions if they contradict Allah's Commands:
The queen of Saba' (Balqees) knew that:
﴾ "But verily! I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the messengers return." ﴿
She sent a gift to Suleiman, so had Prophet Sulaiman, peace be upon him, accepted the present, she would have considered him a liar not a Messenger, but he refused it, which means that he, peace be upon him, is a Messenger.
The man in the Ayah from Surat Ya-Sin is very clever; he was not direct in his advice to the people of the town and did not address their wrongdoings. Instead, he spoke about himself, and you should do the same upon advising others.
The believer among the dwellers of the village used an intelligent instructing method to advise the Kuffar. In some cases, whoever wants to advise his fellow brother uses an unacceptable method; he just gives orders saying, "be steadfast, believe in Allah, Glorified and Sublime be He, avoid merchandizing these goods because they are forbidden, etc." Actually, there are many other methods to advise people kindly, such as saying, "I think deeply about my future, and I found out that it will be prosperous if I stay close to Allah." Also, you may say, "I believe that nothing can benefit me after death but may good deeds." This method teaches you to address the other party (the one whom you advise) indirectly by saying what you did instead of addressing him directly. It is very nice to use it, because the other party will not be embarrassed. The believing man in that village said:
﴾ "And why should I not worship Him (Allah Alone) Who has created me and to Whom you shall be returned. "Shall I take besides Him aliha (gods), if the Most Beneficent (Allah) intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me? ﴿
Who will save you if Allah afflicts you with a problem, an incurable disease, humiliation, imprisonment, or poverty? People who know you will visit you, but all they can do is to say nice words or bring a gift, while you are the one who is broken physically and psychologically.
﴾ "Shall I take besides Him aliha (gods), if the Most Beneficent (Allah) intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me? ﴿
As I mentioned in a previous lesson that while Al-Hasan Al-Basri was with the governor of Al-Basra, the latter received a message from Yazid asking him to do something that displeased Allah, Glorified and Sublime be He, so the governor was confused. He asked for Al-Basri's advice, and the man gave him an extremely precious piece of advice. He said, "Allah can save you from Yazid's punishment (if you refuse to do what displeases Allah), but Yazid can never save you from Allah's Punishment."
Make this your principle in life. If a powerful person orders you to do something that displeases Allah, you should know that complying with his order to avoid his punishment will not protect you from Allah's Punishment. However, if you reject what he has ordered you in order to please Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, then Allah will protect you from him.
It is a principle. Also, do not follow a man-made law that contradicts Allah's Law.
(( There is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to the Creator (Allah). ))
"Allah can save you from Yazid's punishment (if you refuse to do what displeases Allah), but Yazid can never save you from Allah's Punishment."
Most sins are the result of a powerful man's pressure on you, and in this situation, you should say, "Allah can save me from such and such person, but this person can never save me from Allah."
﴾ "And why should I not worship Him (Allah Alone) Who has created me and to Whom you shall be returned. "Shall I take besides Him aliha (gods), if the Most Beneficent (Allah) intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me? "Then verily, I should be in plain error. ﴿
This man believed in Allah's Messengers, and he went to the people of this town to call them to believe in Allah and worship Him Alone, and he said his words, but they killed him.
The believer fears no one other than Allah:
Allah says:
﴾ Verily! I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!" It was said (to him when the disbelievers killed him): "Enter Paradise." ﴿
Instead of invoking Allah against them:
﴾ He said: "Would that my people knew! "That my Lord (Allah) has forgiven me and made me of the honoured ones!" ﴿
When someone knows his status in Paradise he will say, "I have never encountered hardship in my life." The following is the most important thing in the Ayah:
﴾ "Shall I take besides Him aliha (gods), if the Most Beneficent (Allah) intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me? ﴿
When a husband tends to earn ill-gotten money due to his wife's pressure on him, will his wife prevent Allah from punishing him? On the other hand, if he refuses to respond to her pressure even if she gets angry, Allah will make her pleased in another lawful way. This is an essential principle in our lives.
So, do no resort to wrongdoings under pressure and always say, "Allah can save me from such and such person, but this person can never save me from Allah." The believer does not matter the blame of blamers.
(( There is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to the Creator (Allah). ))
Our Master Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Obey me as long as I obeyed Allah and His Messenger, so if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then you owe me no obedience."
The believer does not respond to any pressure that leads to wrongdoing, because he sees that everything is in the Hand of Allah, including goodness, and that Allah will protect him from any evil. Seek the Countenance of Allah and He will suffice you.
The believer forgets all the worldly hardships when he is Divinely rewarded:
When death comes to the believer, the Angel of Death approaches him, and he realizes that everlasting bliss awaits him, he sweats out of humbleness, and he forgets all the hardships he endured, even if he was killed in the Cause of Allah.
The man in the Ayah was killed, but he was happy when Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, showed him his position in Paradise:
﴾ It was said (to him when the disbelievers killed him): "Enter Paradise." He said: "Would that my people knew! "That my Lord (Allah) has forgiven me, and made me of the honoured ones!"
﴿
Had they known my position in Paradise, they would have never killed me, and they would have responded to my Da'wah.
He who dies as a sinner or a disbeliever will have regret that is enough for the people of a town:
The people of this town were punished by Allah as follows:
﴾ And We sent not against his people after him a host from heaven, nor do We send (such a thing). ﴿
They are so unimportant (in The Sight of Allah) to be punished by a host from heaven. Instead, their punishment was but one Saihah (shout):
﴾ It was but one Saihah (shout, etc.) and lo! They (all) were silent (dead-destroyed). ﴿
Allah says to anything "be" and it takes place, so no need to a host from heaven:
﴾ It was but one Saihah (shout, etc.) and lo! ﴿
This Sihah is like the sudden death of a man due to heart failure or a stroke:
It was but one Saihah (shout, etc.) and lo! They (all) were silent (dead-destroyed). Alas for mankind!
When man dies as a sinner, as a disbeliever and as a denier of the Divine Message, he will be in regret that will be enough for the people of a whole town… Furthermore, as it is said, when the disbeliever sees his position in Hellfire, he cries loudly, and had people on earth heard his cry, they would have died from it:
﴾ Alas for mankind! There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him. Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them? Verily, they will not return to them. ﴿
What is awaiting the disbelievers after death is severer than death:
Where are the people of 'Ad, Thamud, Fir'aun and the Romans? Those peoples defied Allah, behaved arrogantly towards other people, transgressed Allah's Limits, considered themselves superior and denied the Divine Messages, but where are they now? They are mere tales. Allah says:
﴾ But they said: "Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves, so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all, totally. Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast grateful (person). ﴿
﴾ And surely, all, everyone of them will be brought before Us. ﴿
﴾ Verily, to Us will be their return; Then verily, for Us will be their reckoning. ﴿
This is a true example. The punishment of those who rejected the Message of the Prophets was:
﴾ It was but one Saihah (shout, etc.) and lo! They (all) were silent (dead-destroyed). ﴿
They were perished, and after death, they will meet a punishment that is severer than death. On the other hand, the one who believed was killed, but he was honored by being admitted to Paradise. When he saw his seat in Paradise he said:
﴾ It was said (to him when the disbelievers killed him): "Enter Paradise." He said: "Would that my people knew! ﴿
Surat Ya-Sin started with a theoretical call, but here Allah gives us a practical example:
﴾ And put forward to them a similitude; the (story of the) dwellers of the town, ﴿
What is the destiny of those who responded to the Messengers' Da'wah? What is the destiny of those who did not respond to Messengers' Da'wah? The first were killed and admitted to Paradise. The second were punished with As-Saihah and will end up in Hellfire.
