1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,600 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:03,299 --> 00:00:08,099 Concise commentary on the book *Profile Cards* 3 00:00:08,099 --> 00:00:10,199 *for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an,* 4 00:00:11,199 --> 00:00:15,000 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar Nassif, 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:16,300 may Allah preserve him. 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:19,600 Surah Al-Fil. 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,280 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,280 Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, 9 00:00:24,780 --> 00:00:27,980 and peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, 10 00:00:27,980 --> 00:00:29,980 and upon all his family and Companions. 11 00:00:31,949 --> 00:00:35,950 We are still continuing our concise commentary on the profile cards, 12 00:00:36,740 --> 00:00:39,240 and we have reached Surah Al-Fil. 13 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,740 We have three main points regarding it. 14 00:00:41,740 --> 00:00:48,829 The first point 15 00:00:48,829 --> 00:00:51,829 concerns the order of its revelation, as it is considered 16 00:00:51,829 --> 00:00:58,119 the eighteenth surah according to the well-known opinion, 17 00:00:58,119 --> 00:01:00,119 revealed after Surah Al-Kafirun. 18 00:01:00,119 --> 00:01:03,119 This gives a sense of the nature of 19 00:01:03,119 --> 00:01:07,670 the events and the context in which the Muslims lived. 20 00:01:07,670 --> 00:01:10,670 They were in a state of extreme weakness in Makkah 21 00:01:10,670 --> 00:01:13,079 when this surah was revealed. 22 00:01:13,079 --> 00:01:15,150 This helps us 23 00:01:15,150 --> 00:01:17,150 visualize its impact 24 00:01:17,150 --> 00:01:19,150 upon the hearts of the believers 25 00:01:19,150 --> 00:01:23,310 as they experienced hardship, distress, and weakness, 26 00:01:23,310 --> 00:01:25,310 needing to strengthen 27 00:01:25,310 --> 00:01:28,560 their bond 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,560 with the All-Powerful, Exalted is He, 29 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,810 and needing an increase in certainty 30 00:01:33,810 --> 00:01:36,040 that the One who disposes all affairs 31 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,040 is Allah, Glorified and Exalted, 32 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,040 and that their affair would ultimately lead to good. 33 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,819 As for the second point, 34 00:01:44,819 --> 00:01:47,879 it relates to the central theme of the surah, 35 00:01:47,879 --> 00:01:49,879 which is described as 36 00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:51,879 a manifestation of Allah's power over His creation— 37 00:01:51,879 --> 00:01:53,879 specifically those who take pride in strength other than His. 38 00:01:53,879 --> 00:01:57,540 This is indicated 39 00:01:57,540 --> 00:01:59,540 by the name of the surah itself: 40 00:01:59,540 --> 00:02:00,540 *Al-Fil* (The Elephant). 41 00:02:00,540 --> 00:02:02,540 For this elephant was a source of pride 42 00:02:02,540 --> 00:02:04,540 for those created beings, 43 00:02:04,540 --> 00:02:07,079 causing them to forget Allah's power 44 00:02:07,079 --> 00:02:09,439 over them. 45 00:02:09,439 --> 00:02:12,240 While this was a historical event, 46 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,240 it serves 47 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,240 for all time after as 48 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,240 a timeless lesson for anyone who takes pride 49 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,680 in any earthly power. 50 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,050 The elephant 51 00:02:25,050 --> 00:02:27,080 is weak 52 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,080 compared to the modern, lethal weaponry 53 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,759 that exists today. 54 00:02:31,759 --> 00:02:33,759 Yet the elephant, 55 00:02:33,759 --> 00:02:35,759 modern weapons, 56 00:02:35,759 --> 00:02:37,759 and everything human beings manufacture 57 00:02:37,759 --> 00:02:39,849 in every time and place, 58 00:02:39,849 --> 00:02:42,270 are as nothing before the power of Allah. 59 00:02:42,270 --> 00:02:44,270 We must always remember this. 60 00:02:44,270 --> 00:02:46,270 The elephant was merely a symbol, 61 00:02:46,270 --> 00:02:48,270 representing one of the greatest sources of modern warfare power at that time. 62 00:02:48,270 --> 00:02:50,520 Otherwise, 63 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,520 His command, 64 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,520 whenever He intends a thing, 65 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,520 is simply to say to it, 66 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:01,530 "Be," and it is. 67 00:03:01,530 --> 00:03:05,580 As for the third point, 68 00:03:05,580 --> 00:03:07,580 this story 69 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:09,900 related to us in this 70 00:03:09,900 --> 00:03:11,900 surah occurred in the realm of 71 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:13,900 physical means, where human beings exerted 72 00:03:13,900 --> 00:03:16,030 their worldly causes; yet, 73 00:03:16,030 --> 00:03:19,210 the Lord of all things 74 00:03:19,210 --> 00:03:21,599 rendered their treacherous plot completely astray, 75 00:03:21,599 --> 00:03:24,360 Glorified and Exalted is He. 76 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,360 However, the time is near when there will be no 77 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,039 apparent physical means, on the Day 78 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:31,289 when Allah gathers all creation together. 79 00:03:31,289 --> 00:03:33,319 If they, while in the world of physical means 80 00:03:33,319 --> 00:03:35,319 in which they took pride, 81 00:03:35,319 --> 00:03:37,479 were utterly helpless before 82 00:03:37,479 --> 00:03:39,479 the power of Allah, 83 00:03:39,479 --> 00:03:41,610 then their helplessness on the Day they return 84 00:03:41,610 --> 00:03:43,610 to Allah will be even more severe 85 00:03:43,610 --> 00:03:45,610 and far greater. 86 00:03:45,610 --> 00:03:47,610 This is perhaps one of the thematic connections 87 00:03:47,610 --> 00:03:49,610 between Surah Al-Fil 88 00:03:49,610 --> 00:03:51,610 and Surah Al-Humazah. 89 00:03:51,610 --> 00:03:53,610 Surah Al-Humazah 90 00:03:53,610 --> 00:03:55,610 mentioned 91 00:03:55,610 --> 00:03:57,610 the punishment prepared for the slanderer and backbiter, 92 00:03:57,610 --> 00:03:59,610 which takes place after 93 00:03:59,610 --> 00:04:01,610 the end of this worldly life. 94 00:04:01,610 --> 00:04:03,610 Then Allah brought proof from the realm 95 00:04:03,610 --> 00:04:05,610 of tangible, witnessed experience— 96 00:04:05,610 --> 00:04:07,610 where man possessed worldly power and means, 97 00:04:07,610 --> 00:04:09,610 yet was still rendered entirely helpless 98 00:04:09,610 --> 00:04:11,610 before the decree of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. 99 00:04:11,610 --> 00:04:13,639 I ask Allah 100 00:04:13,639 --> 00:04:15,639 to grant me and you success 101 00:04:15,639 --> 00:04:17,639 and divine assistance. 102 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:19,639 And Allah knows best. 103 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:21,639 May Allah bless his family and Companions and grant them peace.