WEBVTT 00:00:00.210 --> 00:00:03.730 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:03.730 --> 00:00:08.619 Milestones on the path of steadfastness. 00:00:08.619 --> 00:00:16.660 Not being deceived by the worldly life. 00:00:16.660 --> 00:00:21.859 Among the means of steadfastness is not being deceived by the worldly life. 00:00:21.859 --> 00:00:25.699 For many of those who have fallen away from the path, 00:00:25.699 --> 00:00:29.539 the world has struck them down in its arenas, leaving them prostrate, 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:32.179 like hollow trunks of palm trees. 00:00:32.609 --> 00:00:36.530 Preferring the worldly life and coveting it over the Hereafter 00:00:36.530 --> 00:00:40.130 is the way of the disbelievers and the deceived. 00:00:40.130 --> 00:00:43.609 Allah the Exalted said, describing the Jews: 00:00:43.609 --> 00:00:49.450 “Say (unto them): If the abode of the Hereafter in the providence of Allah is indeed for you alone and not for others of mankind (as ye pretend), then long for death (for ye must long for death) if ye are truthful.” (2:94) 00:00:49.450 --> 00:00:59.130 “Say (unto them): If the abode of the Hereafter in the providence of Allah is indeed for you alone and not for others of mankind (as ye pretend), then long for death (for ye must long for death) if ye are truthful.” (2:94) 00:00:59.130 --> 00:01:05.969 "Then wish for death, if you should be truthful." 00:01:05.969 --> 00:01:13.090 “But they will never long for it, because of that which their own hands have sent before them. Allah is aware of evil-doers.” (2:95) 00:01:13.090 --> 00:01:18.930 And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers. 00:01:18.930 --> 00:01:28.329 “And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.” (2:96) 00:01:28.329 --> 00:01:33.329 “And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.” (2:96) 00:01:33.329 --> 00:01:41.969 “And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.” (2:96) 00:01:41.969 --> 00:01:45.569 To live long. 00:01:45.569 --> 00:01:52.189 And Allah is Seeing of what they do. 00:01:52.189 --> 00:01:54.109 And He, the Glorified, said: 00:01:54.150 --> 00:01:59.430 “Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106) 00:01:59.430 --> 00:02:13.310 “Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106) 00:02:13.310 --> 00:02:24.590 “Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106) 00:02:24.590 --> 00:02:32.710 “Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106) 00:02:32.710 --> 00:02:37.110 And for them is a great punishment. 00:02:37.110 --> 00:02:42.469 That is because they preferred the worldly life 00:02:42.469 --> 00:02:44.189 over the Hereafter. 00:02:44.189 --> 00:02:47.150 They preferred the worldly life 00:02:47.150 --> 00:02:48.669 over the Hereafter. 00:02:48.669 --> 00:02:51.509 And indeed, Allah does not guide 00:02:51.509 --> 00:02:55.340 the disbelieving people. 00:02:55.340 --> 00:02:56.900 And He said: 00:02:56.900 --> 00:03:05.099 "Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. 00:03:05.099 --> 00:03:07.979 The prophets judged by it..." 00:03:07.979 --> 00:03:11.180 “Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light, by which the prophets who surrendered (unto Allah) judged the Jews, and the rabbis and the priests (judged) by such of Allah's Scripture as they were bidden to observe, and thereunto were they witnesses. So fear not mankind, but fear Me. And My revelations for a little gain. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers.” (5:44) 00:03:11.180 --> 00:03:18.340 "...and the rabbis and the learned men." 00:03:18.340 --> 00:03:21.819 “Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light, by which the prophets who surrendered (unto Allah) judged the Jews, and the rabbis and the priests (judged) by such of Allah's Scripture as they were bidden to observe, and thereunto were they witnesses. So fear not mankind, but fear Me. And My revelations for a little gain. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers.” (5:44) 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:25.780 And they were witnesses over it. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:29.419 "So do not fear the people but fear Me, 00:03:29.419 --> 00:03:34.939 and do not exchange My verses for a small price." 00:03:34.939 --> 00:03:39.419 And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, 00:03:39.419 --> 00:03:44.599 then it is those who are the disbelievers. 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.120 And He said: 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:51.000 “And (remember) when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture (He said): Ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it. But they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain. Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby.” (3:187) 00:03:51.000 --> 00:04:01.080 "...that you must make it clear to the people 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.280 and not conceal it." 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:09.240 But they threw it behind their backs. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:13.520 “And (remember) when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture (He said): Ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it. But they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain. Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby.” (3:187) 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:17.269 How wretched is what they purchase. 00:04:17.269 --> 00:04:20.670 And the Exalted said in describing the disbelievers: 00:04:20.670 --> 00:04:26.459 A. L. M. 00:04:26.459 --> 00:04:30.139 "A Book We have revealed to you..." 00:04:30.139 --> 00:04:36.699 “Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise,” (14:1) 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:43.139 “Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise,” (14:1) 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:49.220 “Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise,” (14:1) 00:04:49.220 --> 00:04:54.819 Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. 00:04:54.819 --> 00:05:01.540 “Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. and woe unto the disbelievers from an awful doom;” (14:2) 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:06.819 “Those who love the life of the world more than the Hereafter, and debar (men) from the way of Allah and would have it crooked: such are far astray.” (14:3) 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:15.060 And they avert [people] from the way of Allah, 00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:18.019 and seek to make it crooked. 00:05:18.019 --> 00:05:26.819 “Those who love the life of the world more than the Hereafter, and debar (men) from the way of Allah and would have it crooked: such are far astray.” (14:3) 00:05:26.819 --> 00:05:30.819 And He said in describing one of the scholars of the Children of Israel, 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:34.579 who is the predecessor of those who deviate among the people of knowledge: 00:05:34.620 --> 00:05:39.779 “Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations, but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who lead astray.” (7:175) 00:05:39.779 --> 00:05:45.620 "...but he detached himself from them, 00:05:45.620 --> 00:05:47.860 so Satan pursued him, 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:51.100 and he became of the deviators." 00:05:51.100 --> 00:05:54.300 “And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.” (7:176) 00:05:54.300 --> 00:06:02.540 “And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.” (7:176) 00:06:02.540 --> 00:06:05.620 And he followed his desire. 00:06:05.620 --> 00:06:08.060 "So his example is like that of the dog: 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:10.899 “And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.” (7:176) 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:13.379 ...or leave him, he pants." 00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:19.420 “And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.” (7:176) 00:06:19.420 --> 00:06:25.139 "So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought." 00:06:25.139 --> 00:06:31.180 "Wretched is the example of the people who denied Our verses 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:36.439 and were to themselves unjust." 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:41.620 Ibn al-Qayyim said in I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in 'an Rabb al-'Alamin: 00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:45.180 "Allah, the Glorified, likened the one to whom He gave His Book, 00:06:45.180 --> 00:06:48.740 and taught him the knowledge which He withheld from others, 00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:51.939 yet he abandoned acting upon it and followed his desire, 00:06:51.939 --> 00:06:54.899 and preferred the wrath of Allah over His pleasure, 00:06:54.899 --> 00:06:57.220 and his worldly life over his Hereafter, 00:06:57.220 --> 00:07:00.740 and the created over the Creator, to a dog, 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:03.540 which is among the most vile of animals, 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:07.180 the lowest in status, and the most base in nature, 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:10.060 whose concern does not go beyond its belly, 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:13.199 and is among the most greedy and covetous." 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.279 And in the comparison of the one who prefers the world and its fleeting nature 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:18.600 over Allah and the final abode, 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:20.240 despite the abundance of his knowledge, 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:22.680 to the dog in its state of panting, 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:24.600 is a wondrous secret. 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:28.120 It is that this person, whose state is what Allah mentioned, 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:32.160 of detaching himself from His verses and following his desire, 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:35.800 was only due to his intense craving for the world, 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:39.839 because his heart was cut off from Allah and the final abode. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:42.600 So he is intensely craving for it, 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:45.600 and his craving is like the constant craving of the dog, 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.819 in its state of being disturbed or left alone. 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:53.540 And in the two Sahih collections, it is narrated from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said: 00:07:53.540 --> 00:07:56.300 "It is not poverty that I fear for you, 00:07:56.339 --> 00:08:01.019 but I fear that the world will be spread out for you 00:08:01.019 --> 00:08:04.459 as it was spread out for those before you, 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:08.019 so you will compete for it as they competed for it, 00:08:08.019 --> 00:08:11.600 and it will destroy you as it destroyed them." 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:15.480 And when the magicians of Pharaoh saw the clear signs, 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:17.519 they believed in their Lord. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:20.439 So Pharaoh threatened them with death. 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:21.920 But they remained steadfast. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:27.560 They said, "We will never prefer you over what has come to us..." 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:31.600 “They said: We choose thee not above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what thou wilt decree. Thou wilt end for us only this life of the world.” (20:72) 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:35.600 "...so decree whatever you are to decree." 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:41.200 “They said: We choose thee not above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what thou wilt decree. Thou wilt end for us only this life of the world.” (20:72) 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:45.519 "Indeed, we have believed in our Lord 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:51.759 that He may forgive us our sins..." 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:55.840 “Lo! we believe in our Lord, that He may forgive us our sins and the magic unto which thou didst force us. Allah is better and more lasting.” (20:73) 00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:00.120 "...and Allah is better and more enduring."