WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.600 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:03.299 --> 00:00:08.099 Concise commentary on the book *Profile Cards* 00:00:08.099 --> 00:00:10.199 *for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an,* 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:15.000 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar Nassif, 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:16.300 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:19.600 Surah Al-Fil. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.280 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:24.280 Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, 00:00:24.780 --> 00:00:27.980 and peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:29.980 and upon all his family and Companions. 00:00:31.949 --> 00:00:35.950 We are still continuing our concise commentary on the profile cards, 00:00:36.740 --> 00:00:39.240 and we have reached Surah Al-Fil. 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:41.740 We have three main points regarding it. 00:00:41.740 --> 00:00:48.829 The first point 00:00:48.829 --> 00:00:51.829 concerns the order of its revelation, as it is considered 00:00:51.829 --> 00:00:58.119 the eighteenth surah according to the well-known opinion, 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:00.119 revealed after Surah Al-Kafirun. 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:03.119 This gives a sense of the nature of 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.670 the events and the context in which the Muslims lived. 00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:10.670 They were in a state of extreme weakness in Makkah 00:01:10.670 --> 00:01:13.079 when this surah was revealed. 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:15.150 This helps us 00:01:15.150 --> 00:01:17.150 visualize its impact 00:01:17.150 --> 00:01:19.150 upon the hearts of the believers 00:01:19.150 --> 00:01:23.310 as they experienced hardship, distress, and weakness, 00:01:23.310 --> 00:01:25.310 needing to strengthen 00:01:25.310 --> 00:01:28.560 their bond 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.560 with the All-Powerful, Exalted is He, 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.810 and needing an increase in certainty 00:01:33.810 --> 00:01:36.040 that the One who disposes all affairs 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:38.040 is Allah, Glorified and Exalted, 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:40.040 and that their affair would ultimately lead to good. 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:44.819 As for the second point, 00:01:44.819 --> 00:01:47.879 it relates to the central theme of the surah, 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:49.879 which is described as 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:51.879 a manifestation of Allah's power over His creation— 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:53.879 specifically those who take pride in strength other than His. 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:57.540 This is indicated 00:01:57.540 --> 00:01:59.540 by the name of the surah itself: 00:01:59.540 --> 00:02:00.540 *Al-Fil* (The Elephant). 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:02.540 For this elephant was a source of pride 00:02:02.540 --> 00:02:04.540 for those created beings, 00:02:04.540 --> 00:02:07.079 causing them to forget Allah's power 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:09.439 over them. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.240 While this was a historical event, 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.240 it serves 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:16.240 for all time after as 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.240 a timeless lesson for anyone who takes pride 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.680 in any earthly power. 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:25.050 The elephant 00:02:25.050 --> 00:02:27.080 is weak 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:29.080 compared to the modern, lethal weaponry 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:31.759 that exists today. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:33.759 Yet the elephant, 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:35.759 modern weapons, 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:37.759 and everything human beings manufacture 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:39.849 in every time and place, 00:02:39.849 --> 00:02:42.270 are as nothing before the power of Allah. 00:02:42.270 --> 00:02:44.270 We must always remember this. 00:02:44.270 --> 00:02:46.270 The elephant was merely a symbol, 00:02:46.270 --> 00:02:48.270 representing one of the greatest sources of modern warfare power at that time. 00:02:48.270 --> 00:02:50.520 Otherwise, 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:52.520 His command, 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:54.520 whenever He intends a thing, 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:56.520 is simply to say to it, 00:02:56.520 --> 00:03:01.530 "Be," and it is. 00:03:01.530 --> 00:03:05.580 As for the third point, 00:03:05.580 --> 00:03:07.580 this story 00:03:07.580 --> 00:03:09.900 related to us in this 00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:11.900 surah occurred in the realm of 00:03:11.900 --> 00:03:13.900 physical means, where human beings exerted 00:03:13.900 --> 00:03:16.030 their worldly causes; yet, 00:03:16.030 --> 00:03:19.210 the Lord of all things 00:03:19.210 --> 00:03:21.599 rendered their treacherous plot completely astray, 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.360 Glorified and Exalted is He. 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:26.360 However, the time is near when there will be no 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:29.039 apparent physical means, on the Day 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.289 when Allah gathers all creation together. 00:03:31.289 --> 00:03:33.319 If they, while in the world of physical means 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:35.319 in which they took pride, 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:37.479 were utterly helpless before 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:39.479 the power of Allah, 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:41.610 then their helplessness on the Day they return 00:03:41.610 --> 00:03:43.610 to Allah will be even more severe 00:03:43.610 --> 00:03:45.610 and far greater. 00:03:45.610 --> 00:03:47.610 This is perhaps one of the thematic connections 00:03:47.610 --> 00:03:49.610 between Surah Al-Fil 00:03:49.610 --> 00:03:51.610 and Surah Al-Humazah. 00:03:51.610 --> 00:03:53.610 Surah Al-Humazah 00:03:53.610 --> 00:03:55.610 mentioned 00:03:55.610 --> 00:03:57.610 the punishment prepared for the slanderer and backbiter, 00:03:57.610 --> 00:03:59.610 which takes place after 00:03:59.610 --> 00:04:01.610 the end of this worldly life. 00:04:01.610 --> 00:04:03.610 Then Allah brought proof from the realm 00:04:03.610 --> 00:04:05.610 of tangible, witnessed experience— 00:04:05.610 --> 00:04:07.610 where man possessed worldly power and means, 00:04:07.610 --> 00:04:09.610 yet was still rendered entirely helpless 00:04:09.610 --> 00:04:11.610 before the decree of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. 00:04:11.610 --> 00:04:13.639 I ask Allah 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:15.639 to grant me and you success 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:17.639 and divine assistance. 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:19.639 And Allah knows best. 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:21.639 May Allah bless his family and Companions and grant them peace.