As the Shaykh began explaining Surah Al-Qasas he paused around the fifth verse: "Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.* And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors * And establish them in the land and show Pharaoh and [his minister] Haman and their soldiers through them that which they had feared." (28:4-6) Observe, said the Shaykh, how the true cause of safety, security, and honor in a hostile environment is the pleasure and will of Allah Almighty. Not by making allies, not by exchanging political favors, not by assimilating, not by protesting, not by taking up arms. Despite their oppressed status, despite the power and might of Pharaoh, despite each and every material factor tipping the scale in the opposite direction Allah wanted to raise this oppressed group of people to prominence, and so He did. Would He have conferred upon them such a favor if they were disobedient? If they, under the weight of oppression, sought to change their religion to make it more palatable to their oppressors? If they, impatient with Allah's plan, forced the issue with violent rebellion? Our true liberation lies in striving to please the One who is capable of all things. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Just as courage isn't so much the absence of fear as it is the ability to persist and act despite fear, Allah tests us and then judges our actions, not our internal feelings. Allah says concerning the mother of Moses:
"And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers." (28:10)
The emptying of her heart here is her worry and preoccupation with the safety of Moses, whom she had just cast into the river upon instruction from Allah. Of course she knows that Allah is trustworthy and capable of all things, however her nature as a mother compels her to worry. Her triumph is in submitting to the plan of Allah despite that worry and fear. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
~ Allāh Knows What is Best for Us ~ Allāh tells us that when Mūsā AS fled Egypt after he accidentally killed someone, he left in a state of fear, not knowing where he was going or what he was going to do next. He was vulnerable, isolated and confused. At that point he said to himself: "...Hopefully my Lord will guide me to the right way". [Al-Qasas: 22] Sometimes Allāh, out of His wisdom and compassion, puts us in a difficult position to see how we respond. The response of Mūsā AS was to say: however bad the situation seems, I'm sure Allāh will help me out of it. WE should never think we know what's best for us, instead tell yourself that you don't know what's best for you but Allāh... you know what's best for me, please do what's best for me. Not long after this, Mūsā is taken from a position of total vulnerability to total supremacy as the ocean makes way for him and his followers to pass through. - Ustadh Asim Khan Gems From The Quran Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7
"So he left it, fearful and anticipating [apprehension]. He said, "My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people." (28:23)
This verse, revealed concerning the story of Moses, is a recurrent theme in the lives of the prophets and righteous: retreating to a place of scarcity and abstinence for spiritual purification. Here Moses is leaving Egypt before becoming a prophet; later he will lead his people through the desert to purify them from their cowardice and disbelief so they may enter Palestine; Abraham left Hagar and Ishmael alone in the desert only to later build the Ka'bah there; and Muhammad of course fled Makkah for Madinah before returning triumphant years later.
Don't resist such a period in your own life. Staying low-profile, committing yourself to solitude and purification might be the best thing that ever happened to you. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
If you do someone a favor, don’t ask him to pray for you, rather turn to Allah interceding through your deeds: { فَسَقَى لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْـزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ } “So he watered [their flocks] for them, then he turned back to the shade, and said, ‘My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!’” [Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:24] إذا صنعت لأحد معروفاً فلا تطلب منه الدعاء لك وإنما توجه لله متوسلا بعملك: (فسقى لهما ثم تولى إلى الظل فقال رب إني لما أنزلت إلي من خير فقير)
"Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people." (28:25)
Shaykh Abdallah pointed out how Moses came clean about his transgression before arriving to Madyan, displaying his sincerity and trustworthiness. If anyone of us has been in his shoes, especially if we were hoping to find a spouse, we would have no doubt concealed our faults and painted the rosiest picture of ourselves (much like we do on Facebook!). This doesn't mean, the Shaykh clarified, that you have to divulge all your sins. On the contrary, one should generally not expose the sins that Allah has kept secret. However, information about one's self that is relevant to a potential contract-marriage or business especially-must be divulged.
If the party to the contract isn't forthcoming with relevant faults and you are asked directly about the matter it is your religious obligation to tell the truth by advising against the potential contract.
This happens all the time in marriage. Let's say a friend of yours is trying to get married. You know that he's been married and divorced several times, and generally has a hard time keeping marriages together. Then the potential bride's father wants to talk to you about the qualities of your friend, the potential husband. If your friend hasn't divulged that he has been married and divorced several times-a fact that would have an impact on the enactment of a marriage contract-then it's you're obligation to tell the girl's father that he shouldn't marry his daughter to your friend.
There is some difference of opinion as to how much must then be divulged. Shaykh Abdallah is extremely strict regarding back-biting, so much so that he says that in the above scenario you aren't even allowed to tell the girl's father the nature of the flaw; you're only allowed to advise him not to go through with the marriage. Other scholars are of the opinion that you are allowed to explain the nature of the fault, in this situation a history of previous unsuccessful marriages.
"Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people." (28:25) Shaykh Abdallah also pointed out at this point the actions of the father, who sought out Moses to reward him for helping his daughters water their flock. The father didn't wait for Moses to come asking, nor did he content himself with expressing his thanks via platitudes and cliches, he recognized the value of the service provided to him, was grateful for it, and thus wanted to materially reward Moses.
Fairly compensating workers is of utmost importance. Not only is it proof of your gratitude and an antidote to any sense of entitlement, it's also a form of demonstrating the excellence of Islam. Many Muslims in the West own and operate small businesses. Often times these businesses employ workers of various faiths. The owner who treats his employees respectfully and compensates them fairly and promptly will win their admiration and, if he ties his fair practices to his faith, will engender admiration for Islam. The penny-pinching owner who tries to downplay his employees contributions to his own success and who attempts to squeeze productivity out of his workers without fair or prompt compensation, or even externalizes his own costs onto his employees will quickly make a bad name for himself, the Muslims, and Islam at large.
As a baby, the sister of Moses looked out for him: فَبَصُرَتۡ بِهِۦ عَن جُنُبٍ۬ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ “So she watched him from a distance, without them knowing" (Qur’an 28:11) And as a man, his brother stood firm by him: سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ “We shall strengthen you through your brother” (Qur’an 28:35) Even after reaching the status of prophecy, Moses was still being enriched by the warmth of family and brotherhood. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
~ Desperation before Allah ~ “My Lord! Surely I stand in need of whatever good you may send down to me.” (Qur’an 28:24) رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ إِلَيَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَقِيرٞ The moments of severe desperation before Allah are the moments of real change in your life, so make the most of them. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
Yusuf AS said to his brother: “do not be distressed…” (12:69) فَلَا تَبۡتَٮِٕسۡ And the man of Madyan said to Musa AS: “do not fear…” (28:25) لَا تَخَفۡۖ And our Prophet SAW said to Abu Bakr RA: “do not grieve…” (9:40) لَا تَحۡزَنۡ Providing reassurance during times of panic is the way of the Prophets. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
"And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me." (28:34)
So much can be said about this amazing act of Moses. Shaykh Abdallah pointed out the selflessness and humility of Moses in his request and self-doubt. He also pointed out Moses' immediate willingness and trust to express his request to his Creator. If Moses wasn't shy to ask Allah to make his own brother a prophet, what right do we have to be shy in asking for less?
"And they say, "If we were to follow the guidance with you, we would be swept from our land." Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary to which are brought the fruits of all things as provision from Us? But most of them do not know." (28:57)
Every revisionist movement that seeks to alter the true religion of Allah is based on the fallacy exposed in this verse. If the question is: "How can we possibly progress following a theological and legal system from 1400 years ago?" The answer is surely that Allah decides who progresses and who regresses, so how is disobeying Him or contorting His revelation going to get you anywhere? Moreover, some of what you think is progress experienced by some nations is actually Allah giving them rope until He decides to take them to task for their heedlessness.
But the problem goes deeper; how many Muslims from Africa and Asia have gone abroad to elite institutions studying medicine, engineering, etc., and upon seeing the material wealth and orderliness of the West, conclude that Islam is the culprit holding back their people from progress?
Irony of ironies, if they had been sent to study history perhaps they would have realized that the material wealth of the West is not the result of their values or ingenuity but rather is paid for by the blood and toil of others, and that their own revisionist platitudes parrot the same imperialist slogans that made possible the rape and pillage of Muslim people and lands in the first place.
“Say, ‘Have you considered: if Allah should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Then will you not hear?’ Say, ‘Have you considered: if Allah should make for you the day continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you a night in which you may rest?’ Then will you not see?” (Qur’an 28: 71-72)
Ibn Hubayrah said: “Hearing is mentioned alongside the night, whilst seeing is mentioned alongside the day; due to man’s sense of hearing being much stronger at night than the day, whilst he sees in the morning much more than at night.”
But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters." (28:77)
This verse is fundamental for spelling out the priorities of those who believe. Everything Allah has given you is the principal with which you must purchase your afterlife. Every time you do something for the sake of Allah, big or small, it's an investment you hope to see bear fruit after your death.
Shaykh Abdallah pointed out that "do not forget your share of the world" is left deliberately ambiguous. It can mean, as it is most often quoted as meaning, that in addition to striving for the afterlife you must also lead a balanced life moderately enjoying the permissible things of this life. It can also be read, however, as not to forget utilizing your share of worldly enjoyments for the attainment of your afterlife.
Whether that is the case in the this particular verse or not, the general meaning is no doubt correct; one can convert all of their quotidian endeavors into worship with the right intention. When you eat and sleep, do so with the intention of strengthening your body for the obedience of Allah. When you are intimate with your spouse, do so with the intention of fulfilling your spouse's rights and bringing righteous offspring into the world.
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked." (28:78) The story of Qarun strikes at something deeply familiar to us; when we are inundated with blessings we must constantly strive to ensure that we're not taking them as merely our due. A good thought experiment to combat this is to sit down and imagine your life without particular blessings. How would your day-to-day life look without a car? Without your parents and siblings? Without the ability to walk? Without a job? Think through all the far-reaching consequences of these things and try to approach them with fresh eyes.
"So he came out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the worldly life said, "Oh, would that we had like what was given to Qarun. Indeed, he is one of great fortune." But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient." And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves. And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allah extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allah had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!" (28:79-82)
Every time we see someone, we only witness a tiny snippet of their lives. We don't know the reality of people's final destination. Does it make sense, then, to look down on people and mock them? Perhaps they'll die a believer and you will die without belief.
Nor do we know the true reality of that tiny snippet that we actually see. We see wealth, but perhaps inside the soul is poor. We see happiness, but perhaps inside there is despair. We see success, but we don't see that tomorrow many prior successes become failures. Does it make sense, then, to covet? Half the time, just like in the story of Qarun, we are yearning for another's soon-to-be destruction. This happens at an individual level, where people long for things that would make them sinful and ungrateful if they had them, and it also happens at a societal level, where nations with strong faith but low GDP long for the riches of heedless nations on the eve of being taken to task by Allah.