As we began Surah Ta Ha, Shaykh Ash-shinqeeti paused at the fifth ayah, "The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established." [20:5] to explain some principles about dealing with Allah's attributes.
He explained that there are three rules to dealing with Allah's attributes. The first is to exalt Allah's attribute above anything that resembles His creation. The second rule is to affirm the attribute that Allah gave himself as it appears. The last is to refrain from speculating about the inner mechanics or "how" a particular attribute is possible or what it implies.
As the Shaykh mentioned in a later lesson, some people find it very hard to digest that Allah can be on a throne, descend during the night, or have a hand, even though all these attributes are indisputably authentic. Some people falsely claim that affirming these attributes as they appear without making a figurative explanation of them necessitates an anthropomorphic conception of Allah. But the Shaykh gave one of the clearest and simplest strategies to respond to these doubts; go back to perhaps the most fundamental attributes of Allah, His existence. Allah exists. We exist. Is Allah's existence like our existence? The answer, of course, is no. So why would we get bent out of shape about other attributes that possess the same dissimilarity to ours? As the Shaykh said, all of Allah's attributes are to be treated in the same way. To say that some must be treated differently than others would require extremely compelling evidence.
And this reminds me of something another teacher of mine said: the brain is an organ of the body, and like the other organs, it has limits. There is a certain amount of weight that no human can lift, there is a certain amount of light that would in fact injure the human eye to look at, and there are certain realities that our brains cannot and will never be able to comprehend. It is a sign of our times and perhaps our arrogance as well that we assign such super-powers to our mental faculties that we would imagine ourselves able to encompass such realities.
As we reached the fifteenth ayah, "Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives." the Shaykh mentioned that Allah has placed great wisdom in concealing Lailat ul-Qadr, the hour of our deaths, and the Last Day.
Had we known the timing of these events, we would have treated them like final exams, procrastinating until we find our selves cramming at the last minute. The pop-quiz, of course, demands constant readiness and preparation. And so we strive 10 nights to rest assured that we catch Lailat ul-Qadr, and so we must strive the duration of our lives to sleep soundly at night, prepared that we might not wake up the next morning.
“Indeed We showed you favour before.” (Qur’an 20:37) وَلَقَدۡ مَنَنَّا عَلَيۡكَ مَرَّةً أُخۡرَىٰٓ Your very own personal history is saturated with generous favours from your Lord; the kind of abundance that provides certainty, calmness and comfort regarding your future. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
Hollywood can't touch the drama and intrigue built into the story of Moses as told in Surah Ta Ha. Fearing a usurper to his power among the Israelites, Pharaoh takes to slaughtering their sons. Moses' mother casts the infant Moses into a stream to escape such a fate, only to alight upon Pharaoh's own family, who takes him in. The problem is, baby Moses won't nurse from just any woman and refuses wet nurse after wet nurse until reunited with his mother, whom Pharaoh's family then hires to nurse her own son, who then grows up in the house he will eventually bring to ruin! Thus Pharaoh unwittingly brings about his own end by the very means he took to escape it, and Allah is the Greatest, the Best of Planners!
There are so many lessons from this story! For one thing, the evil that you do will eventually catch up with you; don't fool yourself into thinking you can avoid the consequences of your actions forever. If you've wronged other people the quickest, easiest way out is to own up to it, repent to Allah, and try to make amends with those you have wronged. Stubbornly resisting will only make you fall harder the down the road.
Another thing: when things are right between you an Allah, He is with you and will make your affairs easy. Look at how Allah completed His perfect plan by placing love for Moses in the hearts of Pharaoh's household. Remember, even when you're up against the world Allah controls people hearts. He can easily turn the tables in your favor at any moment.
“Then We returned you to your mother so that she could rejoice and not grieve” (Qur’an 20:40)” فَرَجَعۡنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُہَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَۚ After Musa had been placed in the river by his mother, terrified for his life, Allah returned him safely to her arms. The trials & tests we go through develop us & deliver us to better places, even though we may not see where we are being taken by our current trials & hardships. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
Words have power if conveyed with gentleness. Allah SWT said to prophets Musa and Harun when He sent them to Pharaoh: فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَي “Speak to him gently so that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]” (Qur’an 20:44) Al-Baghawi reported: A man recited this verse in front of Yahya ibn Mu’adh and he began to weep and said: “My God, this is Your gentleness with the one who claims to be God, then how is Your gentleness with one who says You are God?”
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But we oppress ourselves! I don't care even if you're right, you oppress yourself and others when you use harsh language, mockery, or sneering sarcasm. Woe to us! We are so far from the Islam we profess with our lips. We call this enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, we say this is what Allah has commanded, woe to us!
Allah says what we translate to mean: "And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [ Allah ]." [20:44]
Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti challenged us as we reached this verse. Are you better than Moses?! Is the one who you're talking to worse than Pharaoh?! Fear Allah and be gentle in your speech, lest Satan creep in and infect your intention with hypocrisy, tempting you so seek your own glory and your opponents abasement instead of Allah's pleasure. "Our Lord, make us not a trial for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise." [60:5]
While commenting on another verse in Surah Ta Ha, Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti was reminded of the verse in Surah Al-'Ankabut: "The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew." The Shaykh commented that in addition to the literal and obvious meaning of this analogy (i.e. spider webs are very weak and easily destroyed) it has a more figurative meaning as well. Not only are the physical webs weak but the structure of family is weak as well, as it is not uncommon that female spiders will eat the male spiders after mating and younger spiders will even eat their parents. This additional layer of meaning strikes perhaps more at the heart of the analogy drawn by Allah in that the one who commits idolatry, in addition to holding a logically untenable position, wrongs the One upon whom they are utterly dependent, and thus harm none in reality but themselves.
The 63 verse of Ta Ha has important lessons for our political situation today in the West. Allah says what we translate to mean: "They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way."
Basically Pharaoh and his magicians are trying to turn the people of ancient Egypt against Moses and Aaron. How do they do this? Via misrepresentation and drumming up a false threat. Our situation is uncannily similar; don't we hear politicians and pundits regurgitating the conventional wisdom that "these Muslims want to drive you out of your land and do away with your freedom and civilization"?
But even though Pharaoh has a monopoly on the platform to spread his "alternative facts," Moses and Aaron are on the side of truth; they've done everything Allah asked of them and upheld their end of the bargain. And so Allah intervenes for them in a miraculous way until the people see the truth with their own eyes and say in verse 72: ""Never will we prefer you [Pharaoh] over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life."
What else is left after taking care of our responsibility but to trust in Allah? And so for us, we too must uphold our end of the bargain. Abstain from the prohibited, do what has been commanded of us, exemplify and embody this noble religion and stand firm. Then our actions with be guided by Allah and He will take care of the results.
In addition to the famous verse in Surah Al-Baqarah related to Solomon, verse 69 of Surah Ta Ha is a clear proof of the impermissibilty of magic in all its forms.
"And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is." [20:69]
There are still places throughout the Muslim world where, instead of going to a scholar for advice, a magician is sought. In some places they even call these magicians scholars! The sooner we remove the harm we do to ourselves the sooner the harm of others will be removed.
By the way, the Shaykh mentioned that in the verse in Surah Al-Baqarah [2:102] the scholars differed as to the meaning of the word "ما" and consequently differed if the angels Haaroot and Maaroot were indeed the ones who taught the people magic. If "ما" is treated as a negative article then the angels didn't teach magic, yet if it is treated as a relative pronoun then they did in order to test the people. Just another instance of how essential the master of Arabic is to understanding this glorious book of ours!
The wrong that you did yesterday does not determine who you may become tomorrow. Remember Umar, remember Khalid ibn Al-Waleed, remember Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, remember even Abu Sufyaan and Hind. All of them accepted Islam after various periods of not simply rejecting but fighting against it.
And is there any stronger, more certain faith than from someone who knew disbelief beforehand? Look at the strength of the magicians' faith in Surah Ta Ha after their showdown with Moses: "So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."
They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.
Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring." [20:70-73]
So don't give up on anyone, even if he is your sworn enemy, telling yourself that his heart is sealed. Ask Allah to guide him, because perhaps his being guided will be of more benefit to you than his being destroyed. The sincere Muslim should always want Islam for everyone.
This also comes, as Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti mentioned, from the importance of excellence in whatever you do. Knowledge is truly a light, and here the Magicians' knowledge of their own craft enabled them to differentiate between the true miracles of Moses and their own cheap imitations.
As we passed by verse 77, the Shaykh remarked how amazing and perfect the language of the Quran is. When describing the miraculous rescue of Moses and his followers from Pharaoh, we say as common parlance in English as it is also said in other verses of the Quran, that Allah parted for them the sea. But this phrasing leaves room for doubt; how is it that Moses and his people could cross so quickly over the sea bottom that must have been saturated with water, and thus muddy and impassable?
The phrasing of the passage in Surah Ta Ha leaves no room for doubt and no ambiguity, as we translate it to mean: "And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken [by Pharaoh] nor be afraid [of drowning]."" [20:77]
The Shaykh paused at the verse: "But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance." [20:82]
He reiterated how incredible and generous it is that Allah has promised to forgive whoever turns to Him in repentance on the simple condition that we abandon our wicked actions and fix ourselves. Then he remarked in amazement how instead the common practice is to meekly ask others to pray for us instead of leave our addiction to sin!
(I hastened to You, O my Lord, that You might be pleased)20:84
"Sprinkle your ibaadah with longing and yearning to Allah (Subhanu Watala) to feel the excitement and pleasure in performing that ibaadah"
#ShaykhAhmadGems
Take careful note at how the Samiri deceived the followers of Moses when he made for them the golden calf, saying: "And he extracted for them [the statue of] a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot."" [20:88]
The Samiri doesn't beckon the people to worship idols by calling them idols, he doesn't dangle disobedience in front of them by name, rather he redefines idolatry as the true worship of Allah, thus defining disobedience as obedience. Revelation warned about other instances of such semantic trickery; the Prophet told us that people would eventually legalize alcohol, calling it by another name. How can we stay grounded upon the truth but to study and understand the content of our way of life, Islam, and anticipate these timeless tricks?
Today we have countless groups who swear that they love the Companions and follow them, who swear that they love the Prophet and follow him, and who swear that they love Allah and follow His commandments. Yet when their actions are weighed by the standard of what Allah commanded, what the Prophet did, and how the Companions understood Islam, their ideologies and practices are exposed as mere lip-service, false-piety, and vain false-reverence. Don't be fooled.
In Allah's refutation of the Samiri's tricks we have been given a golden rule for worship: "Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?" [20:89]
Worshiping the weak, the incapable, and the unable defies all unprejudiced reason. A Catholic will pray to Saint Anthony when they misplace something, yet Saint Anthony never prayed to himself. Another Christian will pray to Jesus, believing himself to be a follower of Christ. Yet Jesus Christ never once prayed to himself either, so who, in fact, is being followed? The root of such polytheistic tendencies is false humility, a vague notion that one is cut-off or at least relatively distant from their Creator's direct attention. Such false-humility is, in truth, its own vanity. No saint, no sage, no prophet could save themselves from the fate that their Creator had written for them. How do you expect them to save you from yours? No, turn not toward anything that is dependent on anything else, rather turn to the One upon whom everything depends.
“And they ask you about the mountains. Say: My Lord will carry them away from the roots.” (Qur’an 20:105) وَيَسَۡٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّي نَسۡفٗا How then when it comes to your much smaller worry? Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
Is Iblees a jinn or a fallen angel?
This question always comes up when you read the wording of several passages of the Quran describing the story of Adam, just as it does in Surah Ta Ha:
"And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except Iblees; he refused." [20:116]
Because Iblees is mentioned with the angels, the scholars disagreed, some of them saying that the jinn were actually a type of angel, and others saying that the jinn and angels are distinct and Iblees was merely in their company at the time. This second opinion, said Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti, is the stronger of the two, since Allah described the angels as not disobeying Allah, "over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded." [66:6] and clearly Iblees disobeyed Allah, which would not have been possible were he an angel. In fact, the Christian doctrine that Iblees was indeed a fallen, rebellious angel presents many theological problems: if angels can disobey, then how are we to trust the messages brought by them to the Prophets? Or the recording of our deeds? Clearly this position is neither logically nor textually tenable.
As we passed by verse 122 of Surah Ta Ha, Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti mentioned that the story of Adam shows us that a person who makes a mistake and repents is in a better and loftier position than they were before they made that mistake. So our mistakes and sins, although we should take every precaution in avoiding them, even so are still opportunities for us to raise our status in the sight of our Sustainer.
"Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him]." [20:122]
Allah has summarized the meaning of happiness in just one ayah.
فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ - 20:123 Whoever follows My guidance will never go astray nor will he be sad. [20:123]
Ibn Abbas said about this ayah, the one who recites Quran and implements it, he will not go astray in this world, nor will he be sad in the hereafter.
Sheikh Mansur as-Salami Translated by Sh. Ali Hammuda
"And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life..." [20:124]
When we passed by this verse the Shaykh took a while to detail the lives of people devoid of Allah's remembrance. And we see the effects of such a life especially in the West where secularism, atheism, and agnosticism continue to spread. Look at the incessant toil in which people are trapped either financially or psychologically, the prevalence of fleeting, unfulfilling relationships and divorce, the loneliness of hyper-individualism and estrangement from family, and look at the resulting stress, insomnia, nagging insecurity, psychosis and the needs for counseling and medication. Is there any doubt in the truth of Allah's words?
"And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring." [20:131] When we passed by this verse, the Shaykh told us to keep this world between your hands and not in your heart, for whoever is overly-concerned with this world will become a slave to it.
Allah's remedy in the Quran for dealing with people's hurtful words...
In the Quran, Allah addresses our Prophet's ﷺ sadness over his people's harmful words. Allah gave him the perfect remedy to this sadness: be patient and make tasbeeh (say subhanAllah/Allah is far removed from any imperfection):
"And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say. So make tasbeeh with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]," (Quran 15:97-98).
"So be patient, [O Muhammad], over what they say and make tasbeeh with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting," (Quran 50:39).
Allah promised His Prophet ﷺ and all of us that having patience and making tasbeeh will remove this grief and sadness and replace it with contentment: "So be patient over what they say and make tasbeeh with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be content," (Quran 20:130). Alhamdulilah for the blessing of Islam which has given us a solution for each of our problems!
Turning away from revelation reaps humiliation in this world and disgrace in the Hereafter. فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَـٰتِكَ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّذِلَّ وَنَخۡزَىٰ “We could have followed Your revelations before we suffered humiliation and disgrace!’” (Qur’an 20:134)
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