WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.500 The Story of the Queen of Sheba 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.220 The Hoopoe and the Certain News 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:15.740 The hoopoe did not delay long before he arrived, 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:20.539 following his absence from the procession of Allah’s Prophet, Solomon (peace be upon him). 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.239 The Prophet of Allah, Solomon (peace be upon him), 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:27.940 had threatened to subject him to a severe punishment 00:00:28.039 --> 00:00:30.039 unless he had a valid excuse. 00:00:30.730 --> 00:00:33.929 So the hoopoe spoke, explaining the reason for his delay: 00:00:34.429 --> 00:00:36.729 "I have comprehended that which you have not comprehended, 00:00:37.030 --> 00:00:40.929 “But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings.” (27:22) 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:43.799 Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:00:44.299 --> 00:00:49.000 "Meaning: I have learned of something that neither you nor your troops have learned of, 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.200 “But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings.” (27:22) 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:55.799 meaning with truthful, certain, and verified news." 00:00:57.710 --> 00:01:02.310 Indeed, these words were addressed by the hoopoe to Allah’s Prophet Solomon, 00:01:02.810 --> 00:01:04.709 and Solomon, the Prophet of Allah, 00:01:05.109 --> 00:01:09.709 had been granted by Allah a kingdom such as none in the world had ever been given, 00:01:10.209 --> 00:01:13.209 in response to his supplication when he prayed: 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:23.760 “He said: My Lord! Forgive me and bestow on me sovereignty such as shall not belong to any after me. Lo! Thou art the Bestower.” (38:35) 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:28.760 ﴿Indeed, You are the Bestower.﴾ [38:35] 00:01:29.590 --> 00:01:37.989 “So We made the wind subservient unto him, setting fair by his command whithersoever he intended.” (38:36) 00:01:38.590 --> 00:01:46.590 “And the unruly, every builder and diver (made We subservient),” (38:37) 00:01:47.250 --> 00:01:52.049 ﴿...and others bound together in shackles.﴾ [38:38] 00:01:52.650 --> 00:02:00.250 ﴿This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account.﴾ [38:39] 00:02:01.489 --> 00:02:04.090 Yet despite that, the hoopoe says to him: 00:02:04.489 --> 00:02:06.890 "I have comprehended that which you have not comprehended." 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:08.120 Yes! 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:12.120 A smaller creature may possess knowledge that a greater one has not reached. 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:16.520 For the foundational principle of knowledge, which no one should overlook, 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:18.520 is Allah's saying: 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.919 “They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.” (17:85) 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:28.520 and His saying, Glorified be He: ﴿...and above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing.﴾ [12:76] 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:32.719 Thus, it is not necessary for the elder to be more knowledgeable than the younger, 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:33.919 nor vice versa. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:37.120 Attaining knowledge is not tied to age; 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:41.120 a youngster may attain what an elder has not. 00:02:41.949 --> 00:02:46.150 Solomon, the Prophet of Allah, did not act arrogantly toward the hoopoe— 00:02:46.349 --> 00:02:48.550 he who had threatened to kill him 00:02:48.550 --> 00:02:51.349 if he failed to produce a valid justification for his absence. 00:02:51.750 --> 00:02:53.349 Rather, he listened to him 00:02:53.750 --> 00:02:57.349 and then sought to verify the news he brought. 00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:01.400 Some common proverbs in societies 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:06.000 teach people that the elder is always more knowledgeable than the younger, 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:10.800 and they consider it objectionable for a youngster to bring knowledge unknown to an elder, 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:14.800 or for a youngster to correct and instruct an elder. 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.199 This is false and contrary to Islamic law. 00:03:19.099 --> 00:03:25.099 Therefore, we must scrutinize the meanings of the popular proverbs we use; 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:27.500 among them is truth and among them is falsehood. 00:03:28.099 --> 00:03:31.099 What accords with Islamic law is truth, 00:03:31.699 --> 00:03:34.900 and what opposes Islamic law is falsehood. 00:03:35.699 --> 00:03:39.099 It is improper for a Muslim to present popular proverbs 00:03:39.099 --> 00:03:42.900 as if they were unquestionable, absolute truths. 00:03:43.699 --> 00:03:48.500 Indeed, it is unacceptable to prioritize proverbs that violate Islamic law 00:03:48.500 --> 00:03:52.900 over the pure Divine Law revealed by the All-Knowing, All-Wise, Glorified be He. 00:03:53.990 --> 00:03:58.990 Fathers and mothers must accept the truth when brought by their children 00:03:59.389 --> 00:04:01.590 if it conforms to Islamic law, 00:04:02.189 --> 00:04:06.990 and not dismiss them simply as youngsters who do not yet understand life. 00:04:07.590 --> 00:04:11.189 For the young grow up, and the ignorant learn. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.039 Allah may bless parents 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:19.439 through the guidance of their children and their walking upon the path of the righteous, 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:24.839 so that the children acquire knowledge that neither the fathers nor mothers know, 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:27.839 due to differences in upbringing and environment. 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:32.439 In such a case, it is improper to meet this blessing 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:36.439 with rejection and arrogance on the pretext that they are young. 00:04:37.490 --> 00:04:40.490 The father of Abraham (peace be upon him) fell 00:04:40.490 --> 00:04:46.490 into this very bad conduct when he rejected what Abraham brought to him. 00:04:47.290 --> 00:04:50.290 Abraham (peace be upon him) said to his father: 00:04:50.889 --> 00:04:55.889 “O my father! Lo! there hath come unto me of knowledge that which came not unto thee. So follow me, and I will lead thee on a right path.” (19:43) 00:04:56.290 --> 00:04:59.889 “O my father! Lo! there hath come unto me of knowledge that which came not unto thee. So follow me, and I will lead thee on a right path.” (19:43) 00:05:00.589 --> 00:05:05.189 However, the arrogance that infected Abraham's father 00:05:05.589 --> 00:05:10.189 led him to reject the truth that Abraham brought. 00:05:10.990 --> 00:05:12.990 So he retorted to his son, saying: 00:05:13.589 --> 00:05:17.589 “He said: Rejectest thou my gods, O Abraham? If thou cease not, I shall surely stone thee. Depart from me a long while!” (19:46) 00:05:17.990 --> 00:05:23.189 ﴿"If you do not desist, I will surely stone you, so avoid me a prolonged time."﴾ [19:46] 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:26.439 A response like this, or close to it, 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:31.040 is uttered by some fathers and mothers in various terms, 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:36.839 yet all revolve around this same meaning expressed by those before them. 00:05:37.639 --> 00:05:42.639 “Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints.” (43:22) 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:46.639 “Nay, for they say only: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footprints.” (43:22) 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:52.639 “And even so We sent not a warner before thee (Muhammad) into any township but its luxurious ones said: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following their footprints.” (43:23) 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:59.240 “And even so We sent not a warner before thee (Muhammad) into any township but its luxurious ones said: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following their footprints.” (43:23) 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:03.439 “And even so We sent not a warner before thee (Muhammad) into any township but its luxurious ones said: Lo! we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following their footprints.” (43:23) 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:09.259 The hoopoe spoke with knowledge that reached the level of certainty for him, 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:13.259 saying to Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him): 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:17.459 “But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings.” (27:22) 00:06:18.389 --> 00:06:22.589 Likewise, we ought to speak and converse based on knowledge 00:06:22.790 --> 00:06:24.990 that has reached the level of certainty for us, 00:06:25.589 --> 00:06:29.389 especially when the speech pertains to others. 00:06:29.990 --> 00:06:31.589 It is not sufficient for us to say, 00:06:31.990 --> 00:06:34.189 "So-and-so said," or "I heard..." 00:06:34.790 --> 00:06:38.990 For such expressions have been censured in Islamic law. 00:06:39.589 --> 00:06:42.389 Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 00:06:42.790 --> 00:06:46.790 "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 00:06:47.389 --> 00:06:50.189 'Wretched is the riding-animal of a man: "They claim..."'" 00:06:50.790 --> 00:06:52.389 Reported by Abu Dawud. 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:55.319 Al-Mazhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.639 "It was the habit of a group of people 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:02.839 that whenever they spoke of something they heard from others 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:04.439 without knowing its authenticity, 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:05.839 they would say: 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:09.240 'They claimed the matter was such and such,' 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.639 or 'So-and-so claimed he heard such and such,' 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:14.040 or 'saw such and such,' 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:15.839 and the like. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:19.639 So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade them 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:23.240 from speaking words whose authenticity they did not know." 00:07:25.060 --> 00:07:28.259 Indeed, speaking with verified knowledge 00:07:28.860 --> 00:07:31.660 is obligatory when speaking about people and criticizing them— 00:07:31.660 --> 00:07:33.860 regarding their honor, character, 00:07:34.459 --> 00:07:36.060 or attacking their religious commitment, 00:07:36.459 --> 00:07:40.660 or labeling them with descriptions of religious innovation, wickedness, or the like. 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:44.459 A person is not excused from accountability for their speech 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:48.660 on the pretext that such talk is widespread among people. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.120 We have an instructive lesson in the Incident of the Slander (Al-Ifk) 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.920 that befell our mother 'A'ishah. 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.120 The hypocrites attacked her honor, 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:01.519 and some Companions repeated this talk without verification, 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:05.319 so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) applied 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:07.920 the prescribed punishment for false accusation (qadhf) upon them: eighty lashes. 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:11.120 The Qur'an was revealed admonishing the believers 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:14.720 for how they handled this terrible slander, 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:17.920 teaching them the proper etiquette for dealing with reports 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:21.920 that attack the honor of Muslims upon hearing them. 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:23.920 Allah, Glorified be He, said: 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:26.519 ﴿Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women...﴾ [24:12] 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:30.920 “Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth?” (24:12) 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:34.120 ﴿...and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"?﴾ [24:12] 00:08:34.789 --> 00:08:36.789 This is the first etiquette: 00:08:37.190 --> 00:08:40.190 to think well of those whose history we know 00:08:40.190 --> 00:08:43.590 to be good, trustworthy, moral, and upright, 00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:46.590 so we do not rush to believe any talk 00:08:46.590 --> 00:08:49.789 that contradicts what we know without verification. 00:08:50.389 --> 00:08:52.590 Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:08:53.190 --> 00:08:54.389 "Allah Almighty says: 00:08:54.789 --> 00:08:57.389 'Why did you not'—meaning 'should you not'— 00:08:57.990 --> 00:08:59.190 'when you heard it'— 00:08:59.590 --> 00:09:01.990 meaning that talk with which the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) was accused— 00:09:01.990 --> 00:09:04.789 ﴿...think good of themselves...﴾ [24:12] 00:09:05.389 --> 00:09:09.389 “Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth?” (24:12) 00:09:09.990 --> 00:09:13.190 meaning: measure that talk against themselves; 00:09:13.590 --> 00:09:15.590 if it would be inappropriate for them, 00:09:15.990 --> 00:09:19.190 then the Mother of the Believers is even more deserving of innocence from it, 00:09:19.190 --> 00:09:21.590 all the more so." 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:24.840 The second etiquette: 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:28.039 explicitly denouncing such reports 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:31.639 that impugn the honor of believing men and believing women, 00:09:32.269 --> 00:09:35.070 ﴿...and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"?﴾ [24:12] 00:09:35.669 --> 00:09:37.669 Al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:09:38.269 --> 00:09:40.269 "This is the obligatory good assumption 00:09:40.669 --> 00:09:43.269 when a believer hears about his fellow believer 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:44.870 such speech: 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:47.070 to declare him innocent with his tongue 00:09:47.470 --> 00:09:49.669 and to brand the speaker a liar." 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:52.919 Allah Almighty also said: 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:57.519 “Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.” (24:13) 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:00.320 “Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.” (24:13) 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:04.519 “Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.” (24:13) 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:07.120 This is the third etiquette: 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:11.120 demanding proof for the authenticity of the report. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.919 Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:16.120 "Allah Almighty says: 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:17.519 'Why did they not'— 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:18.919 meaning 'should they not'— 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:20.519 'produce against it'— 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:22.720 meaning against what they claimed— 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:24.720 'four witnesses' 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:27.919 who testify to the truth of what they brought forward?" 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:30.980 “Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.” (24:13) 00:10:30.980 --> 00:10:34.779 “Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah.” (24:13) 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:38.779 meaning: in the judgment of Allah, they are wicked liars. 00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:44.960 There are other etiquettes mentioned in the verses of Surah An-Nur 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:50.360 regarding proper conduct toward news that attacks people's honor. 00:10:51.289 --> 00:10:53.289 So, my dear sister, have you adhered 00:10:53.690 --> 00:10:57.889 to these etiquettes when dealing with the news you hear 00:10:57.889 --> 00:10:59.889 about those around you? 00:11:00.490 --> 00:11:05.090 Have you denounced anyone who talks about people and attacks their honor, 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:09.090 demanding from her proof for the truth of what she says? 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:12.519 Have you defended believing men and believing women 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:15.320 whose pure record, 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:17.720 noble character, and sound religion you know, 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:20.320 when their honor is attacked? 00:11:20.990 --> 00:11:25.190 A day may come when you will need someone to think well of you, 00:11:25.590 --> 00:11:28.389 defend you, and protect your honor. 00:11:28.990 --> 00:11:30.389 For days alternate, 00:11:30.789 --> 00:11:34.789 and debts are repaid, whether in this world or the Hereafter. 00:11:35.389 --> 00:11:37.789 What sends people to Hellfire most 00:11:37.789 --> 00:11:39.789 is the harvest of their tongues. 00:11:41.730 --> 00:11:42.529 But 00:11:42.929 --> 00:11:45.929 what was the certain news brought by the hoopoe? 00:11:46.529 --> 00:11:49.929 Did he bring it with glad tidings or with denunciation? 00:11:50.529 --> 00:11:54.129 And how did Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), deal 00:11:54.129 --> 00:11:55.529 with this news? 00:11:57.419 --> 00:12:00.620 We shall continue in a future gathering, Allah willing. 00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:04.019 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. 00:12:05.830 --> 00:12:07.830 The Story of the Queen of Sheba 00:12:08.230 --> 00:12:12.029 with Solomon, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him).