Part of Milestones on the path to stability (series completed)
· Lesson 2 of 23
Milestones on the path to stability | Episode (2) | Fallen people on the road
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
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Milestones on the path of steadfastness.
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Those who fall by the wayside.
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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
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I send prayers and peace upon the one sent as a mercy to the worlds.
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And upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.
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To proceed:
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Allah created the creation for the purpose of trial and testing.
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Allah the Exalted says:
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“Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things.” (67:1)
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“Who hath created life and death that He may try you which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving,” (67:2)
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And He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.
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Then He sent messengers to them.
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“Of those messengers, some of whom We have caused to excel others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake, while some of them He exalted (above others) in degree; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) and We supported him with the holy Spirit. And if Allah had so wiled it, those who followed after them would not have fought one with another after the clear proofs had come unto them. But they differed, some of them believing and some disbelieving. And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another; but Allah doeth what He will.” (2:253)
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Yet Allah willed that He must test those who profess faith.
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Allah the Exalted says:
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“Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction?” (29:2)
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And We have certainly tried those before them.
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“Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign.” (29:3)
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So that the wicked may be distinguished from the good.
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As Allah the Exalted says:
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“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)
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“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)
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So those who were steadfast remained firm by the grace and mercy of Allah.
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And by virtue of their solid foundation.
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While those who fell away did so because of Allah’s abandonment of them.
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They were on the edge of a crumbling bank, so it collapsed with them.
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Allah the Exalted says:
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“And if We had decreed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your dwellings, but few of them would have done it; though if they did what they are exhorted to do it would be better for them, and more strengthening;” (4:66)
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“And then We should bestow upon them from Our presence an immense reward,” (4:67)
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And We would have guided them to a straight path.
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Allah has set forth a parable for those who remain steadfast and those who fall by the wayside.
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He said:
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“Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,” (14:24)
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“Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,” (14:24)
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“Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.” (14:25)
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“Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.” (14:25)
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“And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.” (14:26)
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“And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.” (14:26)
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“Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.” (14:27)
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And Allah leads the wrongdoing people astray.
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“Allah confirmeth those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sendeth wrong-doers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.” (14:27)
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Allah, glory be to Him, began by establishing the truth and its characteristics.
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Then, He established falsehood and its characteristics.
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Then, He explained the fruits of both foundations in terms of steadfastness and the lack thereof.
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The "good word" is the word of Tawhid: there is no god but Allah.
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Any movement not built upon this great foundation is false and doomed to failure.
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For Tawhid is the first obligation and the last obligation.
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This word has roots firmly planted in the soil of piety.
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Its branches are high in the sky, unshaken by trials.
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Neither whims nor worldly interests can move it, and it bears its fruit at all times.
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In war and peace, in times of weakness and strength.
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Unlike that evil tree which has neither roots nor foundations.
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As soon as the first trial comes, it is uprooted from the surface of the earth.
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It lacks the strength to remain steadfast or endure.
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Do not be surprised, my Muslim brother, at the statements and actions of some thinkers, leaders, and government officials.
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For every vessel leaks what is inside it.
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
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"Indeed, deeds are like a container;
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if the bottom is pure, the top will be pure,
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and if the bottom is corrupt, the top will be corrupt."
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Narrated by Ahmad and authenticated by our Sheikh al-Albani in al-Sahihah.
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Allah the Exalted says:
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“As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only the useless cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks.” (7:58)
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“As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only the useless cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks.” (7:58)
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“As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only the useless cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks.” (7:58)
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Because the foundation of truth was strong in the souls of the Companions,
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there was no innovator or deviant among them.
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They presented the religion to the people fresh and pure.
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And it yielded ripe, good fruits.
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From which people of all classes have partaken across time and place.
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Sheikh al-Islam said in Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah:
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"As for the Caliphs and the Companions,
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every good that the Muslims possess until the Day of Judgment—
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of faith, Islam, the Qur'an, knowledge, learning, and acts of worship,
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and entry into Paradise and salvation from the Fire,
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and their victory over the disbelievers and the exaltation of the word of Allah—
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is only through the blessing of what the Companions did,
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those who conveyed the religion and strove in the cause of Allah.
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Every believer who has believed in Allah
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owes a debt of gratitude to the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, until the Day of Judgment."
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Reflect with me on these words with precise understanding and deep thought,
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which the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim stated in his delightful book, al-Fawa'id:
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"Whoever desires the height of his structure must secure its foundation and reinforce it,
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and take great care of it.
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For the structure stands only as high as the security and reinforcement of its foundation.
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Deeds and spiritual ranks are the structure, and their foundation is faith.
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When the foundation is secure, it bears the structure and rises with it.
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And if any part of the structure collapses, it is easy to repair.
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But if the foundation is not secure, the structure will neither rise nor remain.
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And if any part of the foundation collapses, the structure falls, or nearly does.
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The wise person focuses his efforts on correcting the foundation and reinforcing it.
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The ignorant person builds upward without a foundation,
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and his structure does not last before it falls."
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Allah the Exalted says:
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“Is he who founded his building upon duty to Allah and His good pleasure better; or he who founded his building on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice so that it toppled with him into the fire of hell? Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.” (9:109)
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...or one who founded his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse?
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“Is he who founded his building upon duty to Allah and His good pleasure better; or he who founded his building on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice so that it toppled with him into the fire of hell? Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.” (9:109)
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And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
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Therefore, protect your structure through the strength of the foundation of faith.
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If something becomes worn in the upper parts of the building or its surface,
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it is easier for you to repair than the ruin of the foundation.
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This foundation consists of two things:
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First, the soundness of one's knowledge of Allah, His commands, His names, and His attributes.
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Second, the purification of one's submission to Him and His Messenger, to the exclusion of all others.
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This is the most secure foundation upon which a servant can build his structure.
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And according to it, the structure rises as much as it may.
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End of his words, may Allah have mercy on him.
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So look, may Allah have mercy on me and you,
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with your sight and your insight, at the reality of the Muslims today.
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You will find collapses in Islamic work.
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At that point, you will realize a bitter truth:
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that this work was not founded on piety from Allah and seeking His pleasure through the texts of revelation,
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and the fiqh of the Imams of the best generations in the religion.
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Milestones on the path of steadfastness.