WEBVTT 00:00:00.180 --> 00:00:08.640 A summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah. 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:13.630 Two forms of deviation in understanding divine decree. 00:00:13.630 --> 00:00:18.629 First, using divine decree as an excuse for committing sins and disbelief. 00:00:18.629 --> 00:00:21.629 And Allah the Almighty said about them: 00:00:21.629 --> 00:00:30.629 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148) 00:00:30.629 --> 00:00:35.630 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148) 00:00:35.630 --> 00:00:39.630 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148) 00:00:39.630 --> 00:00:45.630 “They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.” (6:148) 00:00:45.630 --> 00:00:48.630 So Allah refuted their claim. 00:00:48.630 --> 00:00:54.630 These individuals and their ilk are stubborn and contradictory in their claims. 00:00:54.630 --> 00:00:57.630 And they cannot consistently apply this logic in all matters. 00:00:57.630 --> 00:01:02.630 For if someone wronged them by striking them or unjustly seizing their property, 00:01:02.630 --> 00:01:07.629 and then they argued that this was a consequence of divine decree and destiny, 00:01:07.629 --> 00:01:09.629 they would not accept it from him. 00:01:09.629 --> 00:01:12.629 Rather, they would become extremely angry with him. 00:01:12.629 --> 00:01:15.629 And they would vehemently defend their seized rights. 00:01:15.629 --> 00:01:21.629 How astonishing it is that they use divine decree as an excuse for sins and what displeases Allah, 00:01:21.629 --> 00:01:26.629 yet they do not accept from anyone that it be used to counter their displeasure with them 00:01:26.629 --> 00:01:29.980 for what they are wronged by. 00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:32.980 Second, stagnation and passive reliance. 00:01:32.980 --> 00:01:36.980 Where some Muslims in later eras have taken 00:01:36.980 --> 00:01:41.980 belief in divine decree as a flimsy justification for their weakness and collapse, 00:01:41.980 --> 00:01:44.980 and their acceptance of corruption and humiliation. 00:01:44.980 --> 00:01:49.980 Forgetting that Allah's decrees are originally enacted upon them 00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:54.980 according to Allah's established laws that link causes to their effects. 00:01:54.980 --> 00:01:58.019 Thus, this weakness and passive reliance became 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:04.019 the primary avenue for secular thought to infiltrate the reality of the Muslim Ummah 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:07.019 and dominate its affairs. 00:02:07.019 --> 00:02:12.020 Malik Bennabi named this weakness and acceptance of humiliation 00:02:12.020 --> 00:02:14.020 "susceptibility to colonialism." 00:02:14.020 --> 00:02:16.020 And Maududi named it 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:19.050 "susceptibility to enslavement." 00:02:19.050 --> 00:02:24.050 And undoubtedly, the truth in this matter is as we have previously stated: 00:02:24.050 --> 00:02:29.050 a balance between exerting all possible effort to avert harm, 00:02:29.050 --> 00:02:32.050 until we reach the utmost capacity, 00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:36.050 and then submitting to what Allah decrees, out of faith in Him. 00:02:36.050 --> 00:02:40.050 This means taking the means that Allah has made subservient to us, 00:02:40.050 --> 00:02:44.050 and repelling Allah's decrees with His decrees, 00:02:44.050 --> 00:02:47.050 as long as there is a possibility of repelling them. 00:02:48.050 --> 00:02:50.050 As Allah the Almighty said: 00:02:50.050 --> 00:02:53.050 "And if Allah had not repelled some people by means of others, 00:02:53.050 --> 00:02:55.050 the earth would have been corrupted." 00:02:55.050 --> 00:02:59.050 “So they routed them by Allah's leave and David slew Goliath; and Allah gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of that which He willeth. And if Allah had not repelled some men by others the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah is a Lord of Kindness to (His) creatures.” (2:251) 00:02:59.050 --> 00:03:01.050 If repelling is not possible, 00:03:01.050 --> 00:03:04.050 or if it is not feasible, 00:03:04.050 --> 00:03:07.050 then the obligation is to be patient with Allah's judgment and decree, 00:03:07.050 --> 00:03:12.050 with the certainty that behind it lies good, benefit, and mercy. 00:03:12.050 --> 00:03:14.050 It is incumbent to exert effort in seeking it, 00:03:14.050 --> 00:03:17.050 and to harness it for good and reform, 00:03:17.050 --> 00:03:20.050 and to change people's conditions by holding themselves accountable, 00:03:20.050 --> 00:03:23.050 and removing the causes of the affliction, 00:03:23.050 --> 00:03:26.050 believing in the words of Allah the Almighty: 00:03:26.050 --> 00:03:29.050 “For him are angels ranged before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts; and if Allah willeth misfortune for a folk there is none that can repel it, nor have they a defender beside Him.” (13:11) 00:03:29.050 --> 00:03:32.050 "Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves." 00:03:32.050 --> 00:03:35.080 And thus it becomes clearly evident 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.080 the difference between reliance (tawakkul) and passive reliance (tawākul). 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:42.080 For tawakkul is the action of the heart and its servitude, 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:45.080 relying on Allah and trusting in Him, 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.080 seeking refuge in Him, 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:49.080 entrusting matters to Him, 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:51.080 and being content with His decree, 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:54.080 while the person takes the prescribed means. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.080 Tawākul, however, is weakness, hindering the use of means, 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.080 and despairing of them, 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:04.080 claiming it to be part of reliance and belief in divine decree.