1 00:00:00,180 --> 00:00:08,669 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah. 2 00:00:08,669 --> 00:00:11,669 The characteristics of the Divine scale. 3 00:00:11,669 --> 00:00:16,379 Since the Divine scale originates from the Lord, 4 00:00:16,379 --> 00:00:20,379 it inevitably possesses fixed and just attributes, 5 00:00:20,379 --> 00:00:23,379 being perfect, comprehensive, and balanced, 6 00:00:23,379 --> 00:00:26,379 because it comes from Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. 7 00:00:26,379 --> 00:00:32,380 “Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity.” (4:82) 8 00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:35,380 Among the most important of these characteristics: 9 00:00:35,380 --> 00:00:37,380 First: Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah). 10 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:40,380 It is the core of the Divine scale, 11 00:00:40,380 --> 00:00:43,380 and it is a requirement of the Lordship of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, 12 00:00:43,380 --> 00:00:46,380 to Whom belong the Most Beautiful Names, 13 00:00:46,380 --> 00:00:49,380 and Who alone is truly worthy of worship, 14 00:00:49,380 --> 00:00:52,380 with no partner beside Him. 15 00:00:52,380 --> 00:00:55,380 Thus, in proportion to the soundness of a servant’s Tawhid 16 00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:58,380 and the realization of his servitude to Allah the Exalted, 17 00:00:58,380 --> 00:01:01,380 his standards and his weighing of matters become sound. 18 00:01:01,380 --> 00:01:03,380 However, if Tawhid is compromised, 19 00:01:03,380 --> 00:01:07,379 and any portion of worship is directed to other than Allah the Exalted, 20 00:01:07,379 --> 00:01:11,379 then the scales become unbalanced, disordered, and distorted. 21 00:01:11,379 --> 00:01:14,379 Indeed, Tawhid establishes in the heart and mind 22 00:01:14,379 --> 00:01:17,379 a state of discipline and steadfastness, 23 00:01:17,379 --> 00:01:19,379 through which perceptions do not waver, 24 00:01:19,379 --> 00:01:22,379 values do not shake, 25 00:01:22,379 --> 00:01:25,379 and neither concepts nor conduct become diluted. 26 00:01:25,379 --> 00:01:29,379 It suffices to compare and weigh the monotheistic Muslim 27 00:01:29,379 --> 00:01:32,379 against others who hold polytheistic concepts 28 00:01:32,379 --> 00:01:35,379 to see the difference between them in their scales, 29 00:01:35,379 --> 00:01:38,379 their judgments, and their stances. 30 00:01:38,379 --> 00:01:41,540 Second: Steadfastness. 31 00:01:41,540 --> 00:01:44,540 Because the source of the scale is Divine, 32 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:47,540 it carries the attribute of steadfastness. 33 00:01:47,540 --> 00:01:50,540 That scale remains consistent in the past, 34 00:01:50,540 --> 00:01:53,540 the present, and the future; 35 00:01:53,540 --> 00:01:56,540 it does not change with the changing of time or place, 36 00:01:56,540 --> 00:01:59,540 nor does it fluctuate or contradict itself. 37 00:01:59,540 --> 00:02:02,540 The role of the human intellect remains 38 00:02:02,540 --> 00:02:05,540 one of reception, response, and application, 39 00:02:05,540 --> 00:02:08,539 and the development of life remains linked 40 00:02:08,539 --> 00:02:11,539 to this fixed axis, 41 00:02:11,539 --> 00:02:14,539 revolving around it within a stable framework. 42 00:02:14,539 --> 00:02:17,539 For there are two states of human life 43 00:02:17,539 --> 00:02:20,539 that are fixed in the scale of Allah, 44 00:02:20,539 --> 00:02:23,539 never changing regardless of time or place: 45 00:02:23,539 --> 00:02:26,539 Third: The state of guidance, 46 00:02:26,539 --> 00:02:29,539 and the state of misguidance. 47 00:02:29,539 --> 00:02:32,539 No matter how varied the forms and means of misguidance may be, 48 00:02:32,539 --> 00:02:35,539 “Such then is Allah, your rightful Lord. After the Truth what is there saving error? How then are ye turned away!” (10:32) 49 00:02:35,539 --> 00:02:38,699 then where are you being diverted? 50 00:02:38,699 --> 00:02:41,759 Third: Comprehensiveness and balance. 51 00:02:41,759 --> 00:02:44,759 Because it is Divine, 52 00:02:44,759 --> 00:02:47,759 it has come comprehensive, perfect, balanced, and just, 53 00:02:47,759 --> 00:02:50,759 covering all aspects of human existence 54 00:02:50,759 --> 00:02:53,759 and all aspects of life. 55 00:02:53,759 --> 00:02:56,759 It is a balanced and just comprehensiveness, 56 00:02:56,759 --> 00:02:59,759 where no single aspect overwhelms another, 57 00:02:59,759 --> 00:03:02,759 standing midway between excess and negligence, 58 00:03:02,759 --> 00:03:05,759 because it is from the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, 59 00:03:05,759 --> 00:03:08,759 the Wise, the Subtle, the Powerful, the Exalted. 60 00:03:08,759 --> 00:03:11,759 It suffices to look at the scales of humanity— 61 00:03:11,759 --> 00:03:14,759 those unjust, ignorant scales— 62 00:03:14,759 --> 00:03:17,759 and their disorder and contradictions, 63 00:03:18,759 --> 00:03:21,759 to see the vast chasm between them. 64 00:03:21,759 --> 00:03:24,759 For goodness is made manifest by its opposite. 65 00:03:24,759 --> 00:03:27,919 Fourth: 66 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,919 Belief in the Last Day. 67 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,919 This is one of the most prominent features of the Divine scale, 68 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,919 due to the impact this creed has on weighing people, 69 00:03:36,919 --> 00:03:39,919 weighing values, 70 00:03:39,919 --> 00:03:42,919 and the discipline of judgments and stances. 71 00:03:42,919 --> 00:03:45,919 As for those who are heedless of the Last Day, 72 00:03:46,919 --> 00:03:49,919 their values and perceptions waver, 73 00:03:49,919 --> 00:03:52,919 and they lose the correct perception 74 00:03:52,919 --> 00:03:55,919 of life and its events, 75 00:03:55,919 --> 00:03:58,919 its future, and its values. 76 00:03:58,919 --> 00:04:01,919 Consequently, a person who believes in Allah 77 00:04:01,919 --> 00:04:04,919 and the Last Day, and accounts for it, cannot meet 78 00:04:04,919 --> 00:04:07,919 with another who lives for this world alone 79 00:04:07,919 --> 00:04:10,949 and does not believe in what lies beyond it. 80 00:04:10,949 --> 00:04:13,949 They do not meet in any estimation, 81 00:04:13,949 --> 00:04:16,949 nor in a single scale regarding the affairs of life, 82 00:04:16,949 --> 00:04:19,949 nor in a single one of its many values, 83 00:04:19,949 --> 00:04:22,949 nor do they agree on a single judgment 84 00:04:22,949 --> 00:04:25,949 regarding an incident, a situation, 85 00:04:25,949 --> 00:04:28,949 or any matter whatsoever. 86 00:04:28,949 --> 00:04:31,949 For each of them has a scale, 87 00:04:31,949 --> 00:04:34,949 each has his own angle of vision, 88 00:04:34,949 --> 00:04:37,949 and each has a light by which he views 89 00:04:37,949 --> 00:04:41,560 things, events, values, and circumstances. 90 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,560 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.