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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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A Gentle Commentary on the Book "Profile Cards

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of the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an"

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by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif,

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may Allah preserve him.

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Surah Al-Bayyinah.

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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

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May blessings and peace be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers,

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and upon his family and all his Companions.

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We continue with the profile cards—

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with our gentle commentary on the profile cards—

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and by the grace of Allah, we have reached Surah Al-Bayyinah.

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I have three reflections regarding it.

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The first reflection concerns the word "al-Bayyinah" (the Clear Proof),

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after which the Surah is named.

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In the Surah, as is evident,

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it refers to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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"Those who disbelieved

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from among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not to be parted [from their disbelief]

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until there came to them clear proof:

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A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures."

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Thus, the Messenger, peace be upon him,

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is the clear proof (al-Bayyinah)—

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that is, the manifest evidence.

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Whoever contemplates the life and state of the Prophet, peace be upon him,

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will surely know that he is the Messenger of Allah.

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The verse mentions a specific circumstance

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in which his prophethood is manifested

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and his truthfulness becomes evident,

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as it says: "A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures."

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Contemplating the Prophet's Seerah (peace be upon him)

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and his general circumstances,

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and meditating on the Qur'an which he brought

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and practiced—for his character was the Qur'an—

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in particular, inevitably leads a person to the truth.

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As for the second reflection,

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it relates to Allah's statement:

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“Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters could not have left off (erring) till the clear proof came unto them,” (98:1)

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"...and the polytheists were not to be parted [from disbelief] until there came to them clear proof."

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Then He said: "Nor did those who were given the Scripture divide..."

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“Nor were the People of the Scripture divided until after the clear proof came unto them.” (98:4)

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If the Prophet, peace be upon him,

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is the clear proof,

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then why do people divide?

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Is not the manifestation of truth

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sufficient for people to follow it?

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No,

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it is not sufficient,

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contrary to what is commonly assumed,

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or contrary to those who think

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that the mere appearance of the truth

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is enough to make people follow it.

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Rather, the reality is quite the opposite,

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as is evident in the stories of the Prophets.

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Clearly, Abraham

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was cast into the fire,

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and yet

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none of his people believed except Lot

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and his wife—and perhaps she believed before

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he was cast into the fire.

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This clear sign was not enough for them.

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Moses, when he threw his staff

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and neutralized the sorcerers' plot,

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the sorcerers believed, but

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vast multitudes were with them—

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gathered together along with Pharaoh

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and his soldiers—

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and none of these believed.

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Thus, we must understand

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that the emergence of clear proof

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does not mean that people will automatically follow the truth.

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Clear proof is always manifest

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and plain;

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therefore, whoever wishes to follow the clear proof

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must seek out the inner motivation

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that prompts one to follow it.

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This is what is indicated—

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and Allah knows best—in the final verse

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of the Surah, after mentioning

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the believers and what He promised them

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of the Gardens of Delight:

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"That is for whoever has feared his Lord."

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Thus, whoever fears his Lord

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will follow the truth,

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and whoever does not fear his Lord

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will follow his desires.

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"And as for him who feared the position of his Lord

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and prevented the soul from unlawful inclination..."

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“Lo! the Garden will be his home.” (79:41)

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So the Surah points

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to the clear proof and the division of people

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after the clear proof has arrived, highlighting

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the quality found in those who followed

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the clear proof and believed:

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namely, that they fear their Lord.

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There remains the third reflection,

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which is

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the final fate of people

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after their divergence regarding the clear proof.

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For those

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who follow

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the clear proof

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are the best of creation,

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whereas those who reject

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the clear proof—

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they are, as Allah said:

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"...they are the worst of creatures."

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"Indeed, they who disbelieved from among

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the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire

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of Hell, abiding eternally therein;

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those are the worst of creatures."

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I ask Allah to grant us success in doing

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what He loves and is pleased with.

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May there be benefit in these words,

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even if brief.

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I ask Allah for success.

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And Allah knows best. May Allah send blessings and peace

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upon His servant Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.

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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.