1 00:00:00,180 --> 00:00:08,830 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah. 2 00:00:08,830 --> 00:00:13,439 The Sunnah of distinguishing the wicked from the good. 3 00:00:13,439 --> 00:00:20,440 The Sunnah of distinguishing the wicked from the good is a consequence of, or arises from, the Sunnah of trial and testing. 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,440 As Allah the Almighty says: 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:30,440 “It is not (the purpose) of Allah to leave you in your present state till He shall separate the wicked from the good. And it is not (the purpose of) Allah to let you know the Unseen. But Allah chooseth of His messengers whom He will, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His messengers. If ye believe and ward off (evil), yours will be a vast reward.” (3:179) 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:38,439 This is a necessary meaning: He must establish a cause from the trial in which His ally is made manifest and His enemy is exposed. 7 00:00:38,439 --> 00:00:43,439 Through it, the patient believer and the wicked hypocrite are known. 8 00:00:43,439 --> 00:00:49,630 Just as the Sunnah of distinguishing the wicked from the good occurs at the level of the community, 9 00:00:49,630 --> 00:00:54,630 and through it the believer is distinguished from the hypocrite, and the strong in faith from the weak, 10 00:00:54,630 --> 00:00:57,630 it also occurs at the level of the individual. 11 00:00:57,630 --> 00:01:02,630 It clarifies to the believer the reality of his faith and the extent of his sincerity in it. 12 00:01:02,630 --> 00:01:05,629 It lifts from him the veils of self-delusion, 13 00:01:05,629 --> 00:01:10,629 and reveals the reality of his state regarding weaknesses in belief or character. 14 00:01:10,629 --> 00:01:16,629 He then works to purify his soul from whatever wickedness or weakness it contains. 15 00:01:16,629 --> 00:01:21,299 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.