1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,759 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:30,300 --> 00:00:32,299 The concise commentary 3 00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:35,299 on the book *Profile Cards 4 00:00:35,299 --> 00:00:38,299 of the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an* 5 00:00:38,299 --> 00:00:42,299 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif, 6 00:00:42,299 --> 00:00:44,460 may Allah preserve him. 7 00:00:44,460 --> 00:00:46,460 Surah al-Hadid. 8 00:00:46,460 --> 00:00:48,460 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 9 00:00:48,460 --> 00:00:50,460 All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. 10 00:00:50,460 --> 00:00:53,460 May peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, 11 00:00:53,460 --> 00:00:55,460 and upon his family and all of his Companions. 12 00:00:55,460 --> 00:00:57,460 We continue with the profile cards 13 00:00:57,460 --> 00:00:59,460 of the surahs of the Noble Qur'an, 14 00:00:59,460 --> 00:01:01,869 and specifically with Surah al-Hadid. 15 00:01:01,869 --> 00:01:03,869 I have three reflections to share regarding it. 16 00:01:03,869 --> 00:01:06,030 The first reflection 17 00:01:06,030 --> 00:01:08,030 concerns what has been mentioned 18 00:01:08,030 --> 00:01:10,030 regarding its virtues: 19 00:01:10,030 --> 00:01:12,030 that it is among *al-Musabbihat* (the surahs that begin by glorifying Allah), 20 00:01:12,030 --> 00:01:14,030 which our Messenger, 21 00:01:14,030 --> 00:01:16,030 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 22 00:01:16,030 --> 00:01:18,030 recommended learning three of. 23 00:01:18,030 --> 00:01:20,379 This hadith 24 00:01:20,379 --> 00:01:22,670 was mentioned during our discussion of Surah Yunus, 25 00:01:22,670 --> 00:01:24,670 just as it is referenced here. 26 00:01:24,670 --> 00:01:26,670 This hadith 27 00:01:26,670 --> 00:01:28,670 opens wide horizons for 28 00:01:28,670 --> 00:01:30,670 comparative studies 29 00:01:30,670 --> 00:01:32,799 that weigh 30 00:01:32,799 --> 00:01:34,799 and contrast different surahs, or 31 00:01:34,799 --> 00:01:36,829 draw parallels between them. 32 00:01:36,829 --> 00:01:38,829 The hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, seems to urge 33 00:01:38,829 --> 00:01:40,829 the learning of those surahs 34 00:01:40,829 --> 00:01:42,829 that share similar openings 35 00:01:42,829 --> 00:01:44,829 all together. And we know 36 00:01:44,829 --> 00:01:46,829 that the learning of the Companions 37 00:01:46,829 --> 00:01:48,829 encompassed profound knowledge: 38 00:01:48,829 --> 00:01:50,829 they would not move past ten verses until 39 00:01:50,829 --> 00:01:52,829 they had learned the knowledge and practice contained within them, 40 00:01:52,829 --> 00:01:54,829 and it was not merely a matter of memorizing letters 41 00:01:54,829 --> 00:01:56,829 alone. 42 00:01:56,829 --> 00:01:58,829 Thus, 43 00:01:58,829 --> 00:02:01,310 this opens up horizons, as I said, 44 00:02:01,310 --> 00:02:03,310 for studying such surahs— 45 00:02:03,310 --> 00:02:05,310 meaning that it is possible 46 00:02:05,310 --> 00:02:07,310 to study these surahs 47 00:02:07,310 --> 00:02:09,310 together, namely the surahs of *al-Musabbihat*: 48 00:02:09,310 --> 00:02:11,310 "Exalted is He who took His Servant by night," 49 00:02:11,310 --> 00:02:13,539 then "Glorified is Allah..." 50 00:02:13,539 --> 00:02:15,539 in several surahs, as well as "Glorifies Allah..." 51 00:02:15,539 --> 00:02:17,539 and "Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High." 52 00:02:17,539 --> 00:02:19,539 These *Musabbihat* 53 00:02:19,539 --> 00:02:21,539 can be studied—three of them 54 00:02:21,539 --> 00:02:23,539 or more— 55 00:02:23,539 --> 00:02:25,539 to compare and contrast them. 56 00:02:25,539 --> 00:02:27,539 Indeed, some works have been written on this; 57 00:02:27,539 --> 00:02:29,539 among what I have reviewed were comparisons between 58 00:02:29,539 --> 00:02:31,539 the openings of these surahs, 59 00:02:31,539 --> 00:02:33,539 or the openings of some of them, 60 00:02:33,539 --> 00:02:35,539 whether using the past tense *Sabbaha* or the present *Yusabbihu*, 61 00:02:35,539 --> 00:02:38,050 or the imperative. 62 00:02:38,050 --> 00:02:40,050 Material has been written on this, but it is possible 63 00:02:40,050 --> 00:02:42,050 to write further and examine them more deeply, 64 00:02:42,050 --> 00:02:44,050 for between them 65 00:02:44,050 --> 00:02:46,050 an in-depth study may reveal complementarity, 66 00:02:46,050 --> 00:02:48,050 mutual reinforcement, or 67 00:02:48,050 --> 00:02:50,050 further elaboration from one surah 68 00:02:50,050 --> 00:02:52,050 to another, along with other insights 69 00:02:52,050 --> 00:02:54,050 that research may uncover. 70 00:02:54,050 --> 00:02:56,050 This approach is not exclusive to *al-Musabbihat*; 71 00:02:56,050 --> 00:02:58,050 rather, it 72 00:02:58,050 --> 00:03:00,050 applies generally to all surahs that share 73 00:03:00,050 --> 00:03:02,050 similar openings, and I may have pointed this out 74 00:03:02,050 --> 00:03:04,050 more than once. 75 00:03:04,050 --> 00:03:06,050 The second reflection 76 00:03:06,050 --> 00:03:08,180 concerns what has been established 77 00:03:08,180 --> 00:03:10,430 regarding the exception of a specific verse 78 00:03:10,430 --> 00:03:12,620 within the surah. 79 00:03:12,620 --> 00:03:14,659 The surah, according to the most correct view, is Medinan; 80 00:03:14,659 --> 00:03:16,659 in fact, it explicitly mentions 81 00:03:16,659 --> 00:03:18,659 the Conquest: "Not equal among you are those who spent 82 00:03:18,659 --> 00:03:20,659 before the Conquest and fought..." 83 00:03:20,659 --> 00:03:22,659 “And what aileth you that ye spend not in the way of Allah when unto Allah belongeth the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent and fought before the victory are not upon a level (with the rest of you). Such are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Unto each hath Allah promised good. And Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (57:10) 84 00:03:22,659 --> 00:03:24,659 "...those who spent afterward and fought; 85 00:03:24,659 --> 00:03:26,659 and to all Allah has promised the best reward." 86 00:03:26,659 --> 00:03:28,659 Yet, despite this, there is a verse mentioned 87 00:03:28,659 --> 00:03:30,659 in the chronology of revelation that was noted, 88 00:03:30,659 --> 00:03:32,659 where it detailed the era in which 89 00:03:32,659 --> 00:03:34,659 the surah was revealed. This is a typographical 90 00:03:34,659 --> 00:03:36,659 error, for the era of revelation of 91 00:03:36,659 --> 00:03:38,659 the surah is not usually mentioned here throughout the book, 92 00:03:38,659 --> 00:03:40,659 but rather at the top of the page along with the surah's 93 00:03:40,659 --> 00:03:42,780 name; however, it was repeated here. 94 00:03:42,780 --> 00:03:44,780 The point to note is 95 00:03:44,780 --> 00:03:46,780 that the exception of the verse: 96 00:03:46,780 --> 00:03:48,780 "Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive..." 97 00:03:48,780 --> 00:03:50,780 “Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16) 98 00:03:50,780 --> 00:03:52,780 is authentic in *Sahih 99 00:03:52,780 --> 00:03:54,780 Muslim*. 100 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:56,879 This opens a doorway 101 00:03:56,879 --> 00:03:58,879 among the doorways of contemplation and miraculous inimitability: 102 00:03:58,879 --> 00:04:00,979 a single verse 103 00:04:00,979 --> 00:04:03,009 established as having been revealed 104 00:04:03,009 --> 00:04:05,009 in Makkah, 105 00:04:05,009 --> 00:04:07,039 prior to the rest of the surah, 106 00:04:07,039 --> 00:04:09,389 and it is not placed at the beginning of the surah, for example— 107 00:04:09,389 --> 00:04:11,389 had it been at the beginning, 108 00:04:11,389 --> 00:04:13,389 the matter would be simpler—rather, it appears right in the middle 109 00:04:13,389 --> 00:04:15,389 of the surah. Contemplate its placement: 110 00:04:15,389 --> 00:04:17,389 when you recite it, you find before it 111 00:04:17,389 --> 00:04:19,389 a profound admonition: "On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, 112 00:04:19,389 --> 00:04:21,389 “On the day when thou (Muhammad) wilt see the believers, men and women, their light shining forth before them and on their right hands, (and wilt hear it said unto them): Glad news for you this day: Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein ye are immortal. That is the supreme triumph.” (57:12) 113 00:04:21,389 --> 00:04:23,389 their light proceeding before them and on their right: 114 00:04:23,389 --> 00:04:25,389 'Good tidings for you today: gardens...'" then He mentions 115 00:04:25,389 --> 00:04:27,389 “On the day when the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will say unto those who believe: Look on us that we may borrow from your light! it will be said: Go back and seek for light! Then there will separate them a wall wherein is a gate, the inner side whereof containeth mercy, while the outer side thereof is toward the doom.” (57:13) 116 00:04:27,389 --> 00:04:29,389 the hypocrites saying to the believers: "Wait for us 117 00:04:29,389 --> 00:04:31,870 that we may acquire some of your light..." 118 00:04:31,870 --> 00:04:33,870 up to the end of the verses, and then He says: 119 00:04:33,870 --> 00:04:35,899 "Has the time not come for those 120 00:04:35,899 --> 00:04:37,899 who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance 121 00:04:37,899 --> 00:04:39,899 “Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16) 122 00:04:39,899 --> 00:04:41,899 of Allah..." You find its placement remarkably fitting 123 00:04:41,899 --> 00:04:43,899 right after that admonition. Then you find 124 00:04:43,899 --> 00:04:45,899 right after it: "Know that Allah gives life to the earth 125 00:04:45,899 --> 00:04:47,899 after its death," which is 126 00:04:47,899 --> 00:04:49,899 an allusion to hearts that 127 00:04:49,899 --> 00:04:52,000 die and are then brought back to life 128 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 by whatever revelation and guidance 129 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,120 Allah wills. Thus, the placement 130 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,310 of this verse 131 00:04:59,310 --> 00:05:01,310 reveals to you something truly wondrous: 132 00:05:01,310 --> 00:05:03,310 how this verse preceded 133 00:05:03,310 --> 00:05:05,310 the rest of the surah in revelation, and yet 134 00:05:05,310 --> 00:05:07,310 it was placed in such a masterfully 135 00:05:07,310 --> 00:05:09,310 precise location within the surah, even though it originally served 136 00:05:09,310 --> 00:05:11,310 as a fitting gentle reproach 137 00:05:11,310 --> 00:05:13,310 to the Companions earlier in Makkah. 138 00:05:13,310 --> 00:05:15,310 As Ibn Mas'ud said: 139 00:05:15,310 --> 00:05:17,310 "There was no more between our acceptance of Islam and the time 140 00:05:17,310 --> 00:05:19,310 Allah reproached us with this verse: 141 00:05:19,310 --> 00:05:21,310 'Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive 142 00:05:21,310 --> 00:05:23,310 at the remembrance of Allah'—except four years." 143 00:05:23,310 --> 00:05:25,310 If the Companions were gently reproached for this— 144 00:05:25,310 --> 00:05:27,310 indeed, the senior Companions 145 00:05:27,310 --> 00:05:29,310 and the earliest foremost in Islam, including 146 00:05:29,310 --> 00:05:31,310 Ibn Mas'ud—then what should 147 00:05:31,310 --> 00:05:33,310 any one of us say? This surah 148 00:05:33,310 --> 00:05:35,310 is one we must contemplate and draw 149 00:05:35,310 --> 00:05:37,310 admonition from. The third 150 00:05:37,310 --> 00:05:39,310 and final reflection: 151 00:05:39,310 --> 00:05:41,310 it is readily observed 152 00:05:41,310 --> 00:05:43,310 that the beginning of the surah 153 00:05:43,310 --> 00:05:45,310 is praise and glorification of Allah, 154 00:05:45,310 --> 00:05:47,310 Exalted and Glorious is He, and an introduction to Him, 155 00:05:47,310 --> 00:05:49,310 the Exalted in His Majesty. 156 00:05:49,310 --> 00:05:51,310 Then came the very first command in the surah: 157 00:05:51,310 --> 00:05:53,310 “Believe in Allah and His messenger, and spend of that whereof He hath made you trustees; and such of you as believe and spend (aright), theirs will be a great reward.” (57:7) 158 00:05:53,310 --> 00:05:55,310 "Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors." 159 00:05:55,310 --> 00:05:57,310 Notice how praise and introducing 160 00:05:57,310 --> 00:05:59,310 Allah take precedence over 161 00:05:59,310 --> 00:06:01,310 the direct command. 162 00:06:01,310 --> 00:06:03,310 It is as though this is a methodology 163 00:06:03,310 --> 00:06:05,310 we ought to adopt: 164 00:06:05,310 --> 00:06:07,310 before you command or forbid, 165 00:06:07,310 --> 00:06:09,310 make known the One who commands and forbids. 166 00:06:09,310 --> 00:06:11,310 We are often preoccupied with the commands and prohibitions 167 00:06:11,310 --> 00:06:13,310 at the expense of introducing the One Who 168 00:06:13,310 --> 00:06:15,310 commanded 169 00:06:15,310 --> 00:06:17,310 and prohibited, and to Whom alone belongs the right 170 00:06:17,310 --> 00:06:19,310 of commanding and forbidding, 171 00:06:19,310 --> 00:06:21,310 the right of legislation, and the absolute 172 00:06:21,310 --> 00:06:23,310 judgment, 173 00:06:23,310 --> 00:06:25,310 Exalted and Sublime is He. This is an approach 174 00:06:25,310 --> 00:06:27,310 one should diligently maintain. 175 00:06:27,310 --> 00:06:29,310 The Friday sermon preachers, 176 00:06:29,310 --> 00:06:31,310 for example, begin with praise 177 00:06:31,310 --> 00:06:33,310 of Allah, the Exalted. 178 00:06:33,310 --> 00:06:35,310 Yet often, 179 00:06:35,310 --> 00:06:37,310 this praise is delivered in a manner 180 00:06:37,310 --> 00:06:39,310 that fails to move the listeners, so they simply wait for 181 00:06:39,310 --> 00:06:41,310 what will be said afterward; 182 00:06:41,310 --> 00:06:43,310 this should not be the case. 183 00:06:43,310 --> 00:06:45,310 Of course, there is the well-known praise 184 00:06:45,310 --> 00:06:47,310 in *Khutbat al-Hajah* with which Friday sermons frequently 185 00:06:47,310 --> 00:06:49,310 begin, and it possesses 186 00:06:49,310 --> 00:06:51,310 profound grandeur and awe. 187 00:06:51,310 --> 00:06:53,310 One should take care to deliver it, 188 00:06:53,310 --> 00:06:55,310 and it ought to be recited with deep feeling. 189 00:06:55,310 --> 00:06:57,310 It should be delivered 190 00:06:57,310 --> 00:06:59,310 in a way 191 00:06:59,310 --> 00:07:01,310 that it is not heard as 192 00:07:01,310 --> 00:07:03,310 a mere routine 193 00:07:03,310 --> 00:07:05,310 matter; for mighty words, 194 00:07:05,310 --> 00:07:07,310 if recited 195 00:07:07,310 --> 00:07:09,310 as a mere habitual routine, lose 196 00:07:09,310 --> 00:07:11,310 their impact upon the hearts, just as sometimes happens 197 00:07:11,310 --> 00:07:13,310 with Surah al-Fatihah. However, the imams 198 00:07:13,310 --> 00:07:15,310 usually recite al-Fatihah with greater deliberation 199 00:07:15,310 --> 00:07:17,310 than the rest of the surahs, which gives it 200 00:07:17,310 --> 00:07:19,310 a strong resonance in the souls. Likewise, 201 00:07:19,310 --> 00:07:21,310 this praise—if it is from the Prophetic 202 00:07:21,310 --> 00:07:23,310 praise at the opening of the sermon— 203 00:07:23,310 --> 00:07:25,310 the preacher should strive to pronounce it 204 00:07:25,310 --> 00:07:27,310 while deeply sensing its meaning, 205 00:07:27,310 --> 00:07:29,310 so that he moves the hearts and prepares them 206 00:07:29,310 --> 00:07:31,310 for the admonition that follows. 207 00:07:31,310 --> 00:07:33,310 And if he uses another form of praise and commendation, 208 00:07:33,310 --> 00:07:35,310 there is no harm in that, provided he also strives 209 00:07:35,310 --> 00:07:37,310 to employ 210 00:07:37,310 --> 00:07:39,310 words free of artificiality, 211 00:07:39,310 --> 00:07:41,310 yet beautifully phrased 212 00:07:41,310 --> 00:07:43,310 and creating anticipation for what comes next. 213 00:07:43,310 --> 00:07:45,410 Above all, 214 00:07:45,410 --> 00:07:47,410 what the speaker most needs is to genuinely feel 215 00:07:47,410 --> 00:07:49,410 what he is saying. If I have digressed 216 00:07:49,410 --> 00:07:51,410 a little from the topic, that is fine, 217 00:07:51,410 --> 00:07:53,410 but the point is that the surah 218 00:07:53,410 --> 00:07:55,410 began with magnificent praise across six verses, 219 00:07:55,410 --> 00:07:57,410 which prepared the souls 220 00:07:57,410 --> 00:07:59,410 to listen to: 221 00:07:59,410 --> 00:08:01,410 "Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend..." 222 00:08:01,410 --> 00:08:03,410 For had our Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He, 223 00:08:03,410 --> 00:08:05,410 begun the surah directly with command 224 00:08:05,410 --> 00:08:07,410 and prohibition, 225 00:08:07,410 --> 00:08:09,410 He is indeed not questioned about what He does, 226 00:08:09,410 --> 00:08:11,410 while they are questioned. Yet He is Wise, 227 00:08:11,410 --> 00:08:13,410 Merciful, and Kind to His servants, 228 00:08:13,410 --> 00:08:15,410 so He provided them with this gentle introduction. 229 00:08:15,410 --> 00:08:17,410 We ought, therefore, to benefit 230 00:08:17,410 --> 00:08:19,410 from such a Qur'anic method. 231 00:08:19,410 --> 00:08:21,410 And may Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, 232 00:08:21,410 --> 00:08:23,410 and upon all his family and Companions, 233 00:08:23,410 --> 00:08:25,410 and praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.