The statesman paused for a moment, then said, "O young man, indeed, the Quran is an endless source of knowledge, like an endless stream of springs. If yesterday, you studied the Quran and you gained a bucket of knowledge, then, if you study it again today, you will get a dipper. And if tomorrow you study it again, you will get one basin. Insha Allah. Therefore, what I will tell you, is only a small part of the wisdom of the story that I have told you. And out there, you will find from the great scholars, more wisdom.
Allah mentioned the lesson we can take from the story of the Prophet Yusuf, alayhissalam. He, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, said,
ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ"That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muhammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired." – (QS.12:102)Allah narrated to the Prophet (ﷺ), the story of Yusuf and his brothers and how Allah raised him over them, giving him the better end, triumph, the sovereignty and wisdom (i.e., prophethood), even though they tried to harm and kill him. Allah said, "This and similar stories are part of the unseen incidents of the past, O Muhammad, which We reveal to you and inform you of, O Muhammad, because it carries a lesson, for you to draw from and a reminder to those who defy you."وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ"And most of the people, although you strive [for it], are not believers." – (QS.12:103)
وَمَا تَسْأَلُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ هُوَ إِلا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ"And you do not ask of them for it any payment. It is not except a reminder to the worlds." – (QS.12:104)
Allah said next, "You were not present with them, you did not witness their conference nor saw them, when they arranged their plan together, to throw Yusuf into the well, and (while) they were plotting against him. We taught you all this through Our Revelation which We sent down to you.’
Allah states that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Messenger and that He has taught him the news of what occurred in the past, which carry lessons for people to draw from, so that they acquire their safety in their religious affairs as well as their worldly affairs. Yet, most people did not and will not believe, so Allah said, "And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly."
Allah said next, "“You, O Muhammad, do not ask them in return for this advice and your call to all that is good and righteous, for any price or compensation for delivering it. Rather, you do so seeking Allah’s Face and to deliver good and sincere advice to His creatures, the Qur'an is no less than a Reminder unto the ‘Alamm (men and Jinn) with which they remember, receive guidance and save themselves in this life and the Hereafter."
Allah states that most people do not think about His signs and proofs of His Oneness that He created in the heavens and earth. Allah created brilliant stars and rotating heaveny objects and planets; all made subservient. There are many plots of fertile land next to each other on earth, and gardens, solid mountains, lively oceans, with their waves smashing against each other, and spacious deserts. There are many live creatures and others that have died; and animals, plants and fruits that are similar in shape, but different in taste, scent, color and attributes. All praise is due to Allah the One and Only, Who created all types of creations, Who Alone will remain and last forever. It is He Who is unique in His Names and Attributes.وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ"And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away." – (QS.12:105)
Allah said next, "And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him." Ibn 'Abbas, radhiyallhu 'anhu, commented, “They have a part of faith, for when they are asked, Who created the heavens? Who created the earth? Who created the mountains?7 They say, 'Allah did. Yet, they associate others with Him in worship.” In the Sahih, it is recorded that during the Hajj season, the idolators used to say in their Talbiyah, “ Here we rush to Your service. You have no partners with You, except a partner with You whom You own but he owns not!”
Allah said in another ayah,
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ"And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, 'O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah . Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice.'" - (QS. 31:13)
This indeed is the greatest type of Shirk, associating others with Allah in worship. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that ‘Abdullah bin Mas'ud said, “ I said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What is the greatest sin?’ He (ﷺ) said, "That you call a rival to Allah while He alone created you."
Allah said next.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented, "This is the hypocrite; if he performs good deeds, he does so to show off with the people, and he is an idolator while doing this.” Al-Hasan was referring to Allah’s statement,وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ"And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him." – (QS.12:106)
There is another type of hidden Shirk that most people are unaware of. Hammad bin Salamah narrated that ‘Asim bin Abi An-Najud said that ‘Urwah said, “Hudhayfah visited an ill man and saw a rope tied around his arm, so he ripped it off while reciting, "And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him."إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا"Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little." - (QS. 4:142)
In a Hadith, from Ibn “Umar collected by At-Tirmidhi who said, it was Hasan, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, " He who swears by other than Allah, commits Shirk."
Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and other scholars of Hadith narrated that ‘Abdullah bin Mas'ud said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Ar-Ruqa, At-Tama’ im and At-Tiwalah are all acts of Shirk."
In another narration collected by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Verily , At-Tiyarah [omen] is Shirk ; everyone might feel a glimpse of it, but Allah dissipates it with Tawakkul."
Then Allah said,
Allah asks, “Do they feel secure that a ghāshiyah will not come to them from the punishment of Allāh?” So, what is ghāshiyah? Ghāshiyah is that which covers up and that which envelops. Every single punishment is called ghāshiyah because you are enveloped in it. SubḥānAllāh we seek Allāh’s refuge from all of Allāh’s punishments. Look at what is happening now with the tsunami and earthquakes and what not. This is a type of ghāshiyah because you are overwhelmed and everything is neglected other than this. Ghāshiyah means you are covered up in it and you cannot think of anything else. Look at these people now. May Allāh make the situation easy and protect us from any fitan. This is exactly what a ghāshiyah is.أَفَأَمِنُوا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَاشِيَةٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ"Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allah or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?" – (QS.12:107)
The Qur’ān has a carrot, but it also has a stick. The Qur’ān entices with bashīr, reward, Jannah, and mercy, but it also has punishment. If you reject, you are going to have to face your Lord. The fact of the matter is that in our times, we consider it politically incorrect to talk about the fire of Hell. We say when we give da‘wah let’s not talk about “if you refuse, you have to face the wrath of your Creator,” whereas the Qur’ān has both. Human beings need both. You need the carrot and you need the stick.
After mentioning the carrot and the stick, and after mentioning so many miracles of the Prophet(ﷺ) and creation, the Prophet (ﷺ) is then told to say,
The path of Islam is a path that links you to Allāh Subḥānahu wa Ta‘āla. The path of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the job of the Prophet (ﷺ) is to call people to this path. How does he do this call? ‘Ala baṣīrah means upon a clear knowledge. “I’m not calling you based upon ignorance. I’m not jāhil. I know what I’m calling you to.”قُلۡ ہٰذِہٖ سَبِیۡلِیۡۤ اَدۡعُوۡۤا اِلَی اللّٰہِ ۟ؔ عَلٰی بَصِیۡرَۃٍ اَنَا وَ مَنِ اتَّبَعَنِیۡ ؕ وَ سُبۡحٰنَ اللّٰہِ وَ مَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ"Say, 'This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah ; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.'" - (QS. 12:108)
Baṣīrah is from baṣarah, which is to see. Baṣīrah means it is crystal clear. The Prophet (ﷺ) said in one ḥadīth, “I have left you upon the shining path. Its night is like its day. No one can deviate from this path except that he wishes destruction.” The path is clear.
Then Allah said,
The characteristics of the prophets are that they have been men that have been inspired from the cities. What does this mean? The point of saying this is to say the Prophet (ﷺ) has all of the characteristics the previous prophets had as well. “You have the exact same characteristics. You are not alone.”وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلا رِجَالا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَدَارُ الآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ"And We sent not before you [as messengers] except men to whom We revealed from among the people of cities. So have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah ; then will you not reason?" – (QS.12:109)
All prophets have been men. This is the standard position of ahl’l-sunnah wa’l-jamā‘ah. There have been no female prophets. We firmly believe this even though there is a small minority opinion that Maryam was a prophet, but it doesn’t appear to be the case. Rather, she saw an angel, and angel communicated with her, but she did not receive waḥy. She did not receive a book from Allāh ‘azza wa jall. Angels can come to women and can appear in front of women, but this does not make them prophets. Prophets means you get a revelation from Allāh, waḥy, and the dominant opinion has always been all prophets have been male, and it is quite clear from this verse. This is because for a woman to become a prophet, it would be more difficult for her to be accepted in any society, especially a patriarchal societies of old. Also, a woman has her own issues – such as if a man is attracted to her. It is not going to be the same as a man being a prophet.
No doubt, in our society it is politically incorrect to say that men and women are slightly different. We believe that they are different and spiritually equal. We don’t believe that men and women are equal physiologically or emotionally. It doesn’t mean that men are better or women are better. It is that Allāh has created each one for a role and a purpose, and Allāh ‘azza wa jall has made prophecy amongst men. By the way, if any Christian or Jew argues with you, you can ask them to look at the Old Testament, which is full of male prophets. There is no female prophetess over there either.
The prophets have been men who live in cities. There have been no bedouin prophets. Bedouins (people who don’t live in the cities) are, generally speaking, more uncouth and harsher and more gruff. They don’t have manners and don’t know how to talk. You all know the ḥadīth of the bedouin who walked into the masjid and lifted his pants in front of all the other men and urinated. This is what a bedouin does because he doesn’t live amongst other men, so he is not used to interacting with other men.
Of the characteristics of the prophets is that they come from cultures of the cities. They have manners, akhlāq and morals. The Prophet (ﷺ) came from the Quraysh, and the Quraysh were the most noble of all the Arabs.
[Part 10]
[Part 8]
