The Lives Of The Prophets, Part 1
اَلْحَمْدُ لله ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلى سَيِّدِنَا محمد وَعَلَى اَلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ
Adam(آدم), when he was created, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ stroke his back,
so all of the descendants of Adam(آدم) came out from the back of Adam(آدم).
We don’t know in which form they came out, but they all fell down from his back, all of them.
And Allah سبحانه وتعالى put some light between their eyes.
Adam(آدم) said: “Who are they?”
Allah سبحانه وتعالى said: “These are your descendants.”
So Adam(آدم) looked at one of them and he saw some bright shining light between his eyes, and he liked him.
So Adam(آدم) said: “Who is this?”
Allah سبحانه وتعالى told him;
“This is one of your descendants who’s gonna come in the end of time, his name is Dawud(داؤد).”
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله) Allah’s telling Adam(آدم): “This is Dawud(داؤد),” it’s towards the end of time.
Where are we living then?
Adam(آدم) said;
كم عمره؟
“What’s his age?”
Allah سبحانه وتعالى said: “60 years old.”
Adam(آدم) loved him.
This is one of his children, one of his descendants.
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله) all of us are the children of Adam(آدم).
He views us all as his children, his descendants.
Even though there’s thousands of years between Adam(آدم) and Dawud(داود), but he loved him.
So he told Allah سبحانه وتعالى: “O Allah, give him 40 years from my life.”
He said: “O Allah, give him 40 years from my life.”
Allah سبحانه وتعالى told Adam(آدم);
“Then it would be written down and sealed.”
In other words: “Are you sure?”
Adam(آدم) said: “Yes.”
So it was prescribed and sealed, that’s it.
This happened when Adam(آدم) was created, very early in time.
Adam(آدم) was supposed to live 1000 years,
that’s the time Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ told Adam(آدم): “you would live.”
So now Adam(آدم) is living in Duniya(دنيا‎) and years and years are passing by.
Then, when he was 960 years old, the Angel of Death came to Adam(آدم)
and told him: “Are you ready to die?” because the Angel of Death takes permission from the Ambiya(أنبياء).
Are you ready to die?
Adam(آدم) said: “I still have 40 years to live.
Allah told me that I’m gonna live 1000 years, I still have 40 years to live.”
The Angel of Death said: “Didn’t you give 40 years of your life to your son, Dawud(داؤد)?”
Adam(آدم) denied.
This Hadith(حديث) is Sahih(صحيح). Adam(آدم) denied.
Rasool Allah ﷺ says;
فجحد آدم فجحدت ذرّيته
“Adam(آدَم) denied, so the children of Adam(آدَم), they deny.”
ونسي آدم فنسيت ذرّيته
“And Adam(آدَم) forgot, and his children forget.”
وخطئ آدم فخطئت ذريته
“And Adam(آدَم) made mistakes, and his children make mistakes.”
Adam(آدم) forgot.
See, sometimes we forget and that is human nature.
And it is said that the name Insan(إنسان) - Insan(إنسان) comes from Nisyan(نسيان);
Insan(إنسان) in Arabic comes from Nisyan(نسيان) which is forgetting.
It’s a human nature; we forget,
and when we forget, we reject.
Adam(آدم) denied - denied that he gave 40 years because he forgot.
He wasn’t lying, we need to understand that, Adam(آدم) forgot.
Adam(آدم) is a Nabi(نبي‎) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and the Ambiya(أنبياء) of Allah,
معصومون عن كذب
Allah سبحانه وتعالى made them infallible from falling in the sins,
so Adam(آدم) - he forgot that he gave this promise.
Adam(آدم) forgot, and Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ forgave him, this was a mistake from Adam(آدم).
And this is a Nabi(نبي‎) of Allah.
Always in agreements that we have with each other and things that we say in our daily conversations, this thing happens again and again.
I would say something today, you would come to me after a month
and you would say: “You promised me so and so.” I tell you: “No, I didn’t.”
You accuse me of lying. I’m not lying, I forgot, I did not lie.
We forget and that happens, and give excuse for your brothers.
Rasool Allah ﷺ says: “Find 70 excuses for your brother.”
No, we don’t find any excuses.
“You’re lying, I’m sure that I told you so. You are a liar!”
And you brand him as a liar for the rest of his life.
Adam(آدم), and this is something big, this is something really big;
I mean, you promised 40 years of your life, this is a big thing - Adam(آدم) forgot.
It’s human nature, you could forget major things.
And on small details, if somebody forgets, it’s a big problem and a big deal.
You know, let’s use these stories to learn some Akhlaq(أخلاق‎) also because we are in great need of Akhlaq(أخلاق‎).
You don’t know Al-Ghaib(الغيب), you don't know, maybe there was a miscommunication, maybe they didn’t understand you,
they forgot, they made a mistake, they misinterpreted.
You can find, easily if you want, 70 excuses or more, if you want to.
Adam(آدم) then submitted to the Will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and he gave away his soul.
And humans did not learn, these things are new for them,
so the angels descended and they washed Sayyidina Adam(سيدنا آدم) SAW - witran(وترًا) - an odd number of times
and they dug the grave for Adam(آدم) the Mala’ikah(ملائكة)
and they made it in the form of a Lahat(لهت) and they buried Sayyidina Adam عليه السّلام.
The angels washed him and the angels buried him.
This is our father Adam عليه السّلام.
This is the end of his story.
We ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to bring us together with our father,
في مستقر رحمته
In Jannah(جنة‎).
Sayyidina Sheeth(سيدنا شيث‎),
Sheeth(شيث‎) is one of the Ambiya(أنبياء) that are not mentioned in Qur'an.
He’s a Nabi(نبي‎) that we know of from Sunnah(سنة‎).
Rasool Allah ﷺ says;
أنزلت مائة صحيفة وأربع صحف منها خمسين على شيث
Rasool Allah ﷺ says: “Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has revealed the 104 scrolls, 50 of them on Sheeth(شيث).”
Sayyidina Sheeth(سيدنا شيث) received revelation from Allah,
and it is mentioned by some of the scholars that he is the son of Adam(آدم)
and that Adam(آدم) gave him the responsibility of leading when he was passing away.
So Adam(آدم) gave Wasiyyah(وصية) to Sheeth(شيث‎) to take care of the affairs of mankind.
Sheeth(شيث‎) assumed responsibility after his father Adam(آدم).
That’s almost all what we know about Sheeth(شيث‎).
Following Sheeth(شيث‎) is Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس).
Idris(إدريس), most of the scholars say, is a Nabi(نبي‎) that came between Sheeth(شيث‎) and Nuh(نوح).
But there’s an opinion of Sayyidina Ibn Masʿud رضي الله عنه that Idris(إدريس) is the same Nabi(نبي‎) as Ilyas(إلياس‎),
but that’s a lonely opinion of Sayyidina Ibn Masʿud(سيدنا ٱبن مسعود).
The rest say that Idris(إدريس) is between Sayyidina Sheeth(سيدنا شيث) and Nuh(نوح).
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ did mention about Idris(إدريس) in Qur'an.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِدْرِيسَ ۚ
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا ۝
وَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا۝
And remember in the book Idris(إدريس). He was a Siddeeq(صديق), truthful, and he was a Nabi(نَبِي).
And We elevated him to a high level.
That’s the extent of the knowledge, the accurate and sure knowledge that we have about Idris(إدريس).
But, we have some stories about him from Al-Israʼiliyyat(الاسرائیلیات).
And let me tell you what an Israʼiliyyat(اسرائیلیات‎) is as a definition that you will remember throughout this series.
Israʼiliyyat(اسرائیلیات‎) are the stories of the People of the Book.
We learn them through some of the Christians and the Jews who became Muslim.
Some of the Christians and the Jews who became Muslim and they were scholars before,
when they became Muslim, they brought some of these stories with them in Islam.
Rasool Allah ﷺ has said in the beginning: “Do not speak about the stories of Bani Israel(بني أسرائيل),” Al-Israʼiliyyat(الاسرائیلیات)
these stories that come from the old scripture.
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: “Don’t speak about them.”
But then after that, towards the end of the life of Rasool Allah ﷺ, he said;
حدثوا عن بني إسرائيل ولا حرج
“Speak about Bani Israel(بني أسرائيل),” but then he said;
لا تصدقوهم ولا تكذبوهم
“Do not believe them and do not disapprove.”
Do not approve those stories and do not disapprove them.
What does this mean?
It means we could use them sometimes, but we should not take it as certain knowledge.
And in the same time, if it does not contradict anything in Islam, we shouldn’t completely reject it.
That’s why many of the scholars say it is safe to stay away from many of these stories.
And that is what I’m gonna try to do, and whenever I do mention one of these stories,
I’ll mention it and mention to you that this is from Al-Israʼiliyyat(الاسرائیلیات) so that you know.
And Ibn Taymiyah(اِبْنِ تَيْمِيَّه) did mention that
we could use Al-Israʼiliyyat(الاسرائیلیات) as supplementary evidence, but not as primary evidence.
You cannot use it as a Daleel(دليل), as a primary evidence,
but we could use it as Isti’nas(استئناس),
you bring it along under an established thing in Islam, an established evidence, you could then use some of these stories.
There is a story about the death of Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس) from Al-Israʼiliyyat(الاسرائیلیات).
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ revealed to Idris(إدريس) and told him that
“everyday, your deeds are equivalent to the good deeds of everybody else on the face of the earth.”
With simple calculation, Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس) said;
“If that is the case, then if I ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to give me a longer life, I would be able to accumulate more good deeds.”
So he told one of his friends - an angel who was a friend of his, he told him;
“Why don’t we go and speak to the Angel of Death and see if we can go to Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and ask him to give me a longer life?”
So the angel said: “Okay, ride on my wings.”
So Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس) went on the wings of this angel, and the angel carried him up in the Samawat(سماوات).
So they passed the first heaven, As-Sama’ Al-Ula(السماء الأولى);
and then the second heaven, As-Sama’ Ath-Thaniyah(السماء الثانية);
the third heaven, As-Sama’ Ath-Thalithah(السماء الثالثة);
the fourth heaven, As-Sama’ Ar-Rabiʿah(السماء الرابعة),
and when they were going up, the Angel of Death was coming down.
The Angel of Death said: “Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله),
I just received an order from Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ to take the soul of Idris(إدريس) in the fourth heaven
and I had no idea how I was gonna do it when he’s on Earth.”
This angel speaking, with the Angel of Death looked on his back and saw that Idris(إدريس) has already passed away.
They use this as an explanation of the Ayah(آية) where Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا۝
We elevated him to a very high level.
So Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ took his soul in the As-Sama’ Ar-Rabiʿ(سماء الرابع), in the fourth heaven,
and elevated him to a very high level.
Nobody passed away in that level except Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس),
and that’s why Allah سبحانه وتعالى specifically said in Qur'an;
وَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا۝
We have elevated him to a very high level.
And Rasool Allah ﷺ, in the authentic Hadith(حديث), did meet with Sayyidina Idris(سيدنا إدريس) in the fourth Sama(سماء), in the fourth heaven, in the Isra’ Wal-Miʿraj(إسراء والمعراج‎‎).
In the Miʿraj(معراج‎‎), Rasool Allah ﷺ met with Idris(إدريس) in As-Sama’ Ar-Rabiʿah(السماء الرابعة).
Rasool Allah ﷺ says in Al-Bukhari(بخاريْ);
كان بين آدم ونوح، عشرة قرون كلهم على الإسلام
Rasool Ullah says in Al-Bukhari(البخاري);
“Between Adam(آدَم) and Nuh(نوح), there were ten generations; all of them were Muslim.”
Qarn(قرن) in Arabic means either century, a 100 years or generation.
If it means ten centuries, that’s a Millenium, 1000 years.
If it means 10 generations, it could be more than 1000 because we know that people used to live longer lives in those times.
Between Adam(آدم) and Nuh(نوح), there were many generations, not 10, but ten of them were Muslim.
So, out of the many generations between Adam(آدم) and Nuh(نوح), ten were Muslim,
and then disbelief and Shirk(شرك‎) slowly started to creep in.
How did it happen?
Ibn Abbas(ابن عباس) says, and this is the opinion of Ibn Abbas(ابن عباس) mentioned in Al-Bukhari(البخاري),
he says the descendants of Adam(آدم), they started slowly losing their religion and committing sins
but they still believed in Tawheed (توحيد‎), the unity of Allah,
but they were committing many sins and ignorance was spreading among them
and the righteous men among them were few.
Shaytan(شيطان) came to them and told them;
“When these righteous men pass away, you will have no one to remind you about Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and about Ibadah(عبادة),
you will have nobody to give you Naseeha(نَصيحة) and advice.
So how about when they pass away, you erect some statues in their memorial to remind you about Ibadah(عبادة)?”
Because these righteous men used to remind the people, they used to give them naseeha(نصيحة) and advice;
when they’re gonna pass away, who’s gonna give the people advice?
So Shaytan(شيطان) told them: “How about when they pass away, you erect some statues
so that whenever you would see the statue, you would remember good deeds and you would remember the righteous men?”
They followed the advice of Shaytan(شيطان) thinking it was a good one, and they erected these idols.
And then Shaytan(شيطان) left them alone. Shaytan(شيطان) is very, very patient.
He left them alone for a while, until they forgot the reason why these idols were built.
Generation after generation came and these statues were there, people forgot why these were built, why these were erected.
Shaytan(شيطان) came to them and told them;
“Why don’t you worship these statues?”
And that is how Shirk(شرك‎) started.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ talks about these five idols;
ود، سواع، يغوث، يعوق، نسر
five names of five idols.
Ibn Abbas(ابن عباس) says these were righteous men whom the people of Nuh(نوح) started worshipping their idols, their statues.
So this is how Shirk(شرك‎) started.
So Nuh(نوح) was the first Messenger of Allah to the people of the world,
and that is mentioned in the authentic hadith(حديث‎) of Ash-Shafaʿah(الشفاعة‎),
when the people on the Day of Judgement will go to Nuh(نوح), what will they tell him?
أنت أول الرسل إلى أهل الأرض
“You are the first Messenger of Allah to the people of the world.”
So Sayyidina Nuh(سيدنا نوح) is the first Messenger to the people of the earth,
and he is one of the five ‘Ulul-ʿAzm(أولو العزم).
‘Ulul-ʿAzm(أولو العزم) are the greatest five of the Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎, Nuh(نوح) is one of them.
The other 4 are Sayyidina(سيدنا) Muhammadﷺ, Ibrahim(إبراهيم‎), Musa(موسی), and ʿIsa(عيسى‎).
Muhammad ﷺ, Ibrahim(إبراهيم‎), Nuh(نوح), Musa(موسی), and ʿIsa(عيسى‎), these 5 ‘Ulul-ʿAzmi Min Ar-Rusul(أولو العزم من الرسل).
The greatest of them is Muhammad ﷺ.
What was the message of Nuh(نوح)?
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ۝
أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says:
And indeed We sent Noah to his people
and he said: “I have come to you as a plain warner that you worship none but Allah.
This is the message that every Nabi(نبي‎) has presented to the world;
Do not worship anyone but Allah - Tawheed(توحيد‎), the unity of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
That is the message of every Nabi(نبي‎).
And he tells them;
أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ۝
That you should worship Allah, be dutiful to Him, and obey me.
So the Nabi(نبي‎) told them to “worship Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and to have Taqwa(تقوى) and to obey me.”
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ
Every Messenger that We sent, We sent him to be obeyed.
The Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء) of Allah don't just come and deliver a message and leave.
They deliver the message and they tell the people that they have to obey them,
and this is Tahkeem Ash-Shariʿah(تحكيم الشريعة‎) - this is the establishment of the Law of Allah.
They came to be followed and to be obeyed.
What were the methods of the Daʿwah(دعوة‎) of Nuh(نوح), what methods did he use, how did he perform his Daʿwah(دعوة‎)?
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا۝
He said: “O my Lord, verily, I have called my people night and day.”
So he used to make Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them in the night and day, and he said;
ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ۝
ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا۝
“Then verily, I called to them openly, then verily, I proclaimed to them in public and I have appealed to them in private.”
So he used Jahar(جهر), which is announcing to everyone.
And then he used Aʿlantu Lahum(أعلنت لهم), I would speak to them,
and also, I would speak to them publicly and privately.
So he used Daʿwah(دعوة‎) at night, he used Daʿwah(دعوة‎) at day, he used public and he used private.
He varied his methods, he tried every way possible.
So in our Daʿwah(دعوة‎), we should take advantage of every resource that we have.
Everything, take advantage of everything;
telephone, CDs, audio cassettes, Internet, speeches, Daʿwah(دعوة‎) on the individual level,
visitations, through your Akhlaq(أخلاق‎), pamphlets, books, don't think that anything will not work.
Use whatever you can because Sayyidina Nuh(سيدنا نوح) used whatever was possible to him.
Any method, use it for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا۝
But all my calling added nothing but to their flight from the truth.
Allah Ho Akbar(الله أكبر).
Nuh(نوح) is making Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them,
and the more Daʿwah(دعوة‎) he gives them, the further away they become, the further away they go.
The more Daʿwah(دعوة‎) he makes, the more they fly away from him.
The more Daʿwah(دعوة‎) he gives them, the worse the situation becomes, Difficult, Very difficult.
And not only that, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟
وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا۝
And verily, everytime I called unto them that You might forgive them,
they thrust their fingers into their ears,
covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted in their refusal, and magnified themselves in pride.
He would give them Daʿwah(دعوة‎), he would be speaking to them, and they would put their fingers in their ears,
or they would cover themselves with their clothes, and they would be arrogant and proud.
If you are speaking to someone,
and he starts putting his fingers in his ear, and he covers himself up, and he acts arrogantly towards you,
will you be able to continue to talk to him?
It’s very difficult, you would barely be able to do it for half an hour or an hour, and then you would be fed up and then you would leave
and you would hate him for the rest of your life.
Nuh(نوح) did this for 950 years.
Nuh(نوح) was doing this for 950 years.
950 years - he’s making Daʿwah(دعوة‎) night and day, publicly and privately,
and the more Daʿwah(دعوة‎) he gives, the worse the situation would become
and the more animosity would become between him and his people,
and the people are not listening to start with.
He’s speaking to closed ears, but he had patience.
He had patience for 950 years.
Sayyidina Nuh(سيدنا نوح) told his people about the value of istighfar(ٱستغفار‎).
فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا۝
I said to them: Ask forgiveness from your Lord; verily, He is Oft-Forgiving.
And listen to the benefits of Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎).
Nuh(نوح) is telling his people the benefits of Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎).
If you make Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎), this is what will happen;
يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا۝
He will send rain to you in abundance.
وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا۝
And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens, and bestow on you rivers.
All of these are results of Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎).
فٱستغفروا الله نستغفر الله العظيم ونتوب إليه
And he also turned their attention to creation of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ around them
because the creation of Allah is a mirror of the Attributes of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
He told them;
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا۝
See you not how Allah has created seven heavens, one above the other?
وَجَعَلَ ٱلْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا۝
And has made the moon a light therein and made the sun a lamp?
وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا ۝
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا۝
And Allah has brought you forth from the dust of the earth,
afterwards He would return you into the earth and bring you forth again on the Day of Resurrection.
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًا ۝
لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟ مِنْهَا سُبُلًا فِجَاجًا۝
And Allah has made for you the earth widespread that you may go about therein in broad roads.
These are some of the Ayaat(آيات) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ that he turned their attention to.
When Nuh(نوح) was delivering this Daʿwah(دعوة‎), 950 years, only a few became Muslim,
and these few tended to be from the weak and the poor.
So, the leaders, the wealthy and the political leaders, influential men of the society, they came to Nuh(نوح) and they said;
فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا
إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۭ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ۝
The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said;
We see you but a man like ourselves nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us,
and they too followed you without thinking.
They told Nuh(نوح) that we don’t see any favour of you upon us.
I mean, you’re not any better than us,
and then they also told him that
the people who followed you are the weakest and the meanest among us, and they followed you without thinking.
Two things;
The people who are following you are the weak and the poor;
And the second thing, they followed you without thinking.
Let’s look at these two things;
The followers of Nuh(نوح) were the weakest and the poorest;
When Abu Sufyan (أبوسفيان) was on a business trip to Ar-Rum(الروم‎),
he was visiting Ash-Sham(الشام) which was part of the Roman Empire at the time.
Heracul(هرقل), the emperor of the Romans - Heraclius.
He was in Ash-Sham(الشام) at the time
and he heard about Muhammad ﷺ, so he demanded to meet one of his people.
When he heard that there’s an Arab caravan that’s in town, he said;
Go and see if any of them knows about Muhammad(محمد).
So they went and brought these businessmen from Quraysh(قريش) to meet with the Roman emperor, Heracul(هرقل).
So Heraclius asked this group;
Who of you is the closest relative of Muhammadﷺ?
So Abu Sufyan(أبوسفيان) said: “I am,”
and he was the closest relative of him among the group.
Heracul(هرقل) started asking Abu Sufyan(أبوسفيان) a few questions.
One of these questions he said: “Who are the followers of this man?”
Abu Sufyan(أبوسفيان) said: “His followers are the slaves, and the weak, and the poor, and the servant.”
What did Heracul(هرقل) say?
He said: “These are the followers of the Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء).”
These are the followers of the Messengers.
These were the followers of ʿIsa(عيسى‎), these were the followers of Musa(موسی),
these were the followers of Hud(هود‎), these were the followers of Salih(صالح)
the people who follow the Ambiya(أنبياء) in the beginning are usually the weak and the poor.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ gives them this blessing.
So, this point that the people of Nuh(نوح) are bringing is worthless.
The second point is they followed you without thinking;
They wanted them to study it, they wanted them to give it a second thought.
This thing that they’re using as an accusation against Nuh(نوح) is actually a point of pride for those who believed,
because what did Rasool Allah ﷺ praise Abu Bakr(أبو بكر) for?
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: “Everyone I presented Islam to hesitated for a moment except Abu Bakr(ابوبكر).
As soon as I presented the Message to him, he accepted without giving it a second thought.
When you receive truth, you shouldn’t give it a second thought, you shouldn’t sit on it for a while.
When you receive truth, as long as it’s the truth, you immediately follow it.
And that’s what these followers of Nuh(نوح) did.
So these chiefs are accusing these followers with something that is actually a point of praise for them and honor.
And you always find that they would accuse the Muslims today, with things that are, in reality, things that we should be proud of.
Nuh(نوح) said;
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا
And, O my people, I ask of you no wealth for it.
It’s very important that the Daʿiyah(داعيه), the one who’s calling to the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎,
never want compensation, financial, material compensation for what he’s doing.
It’s very important, the work should be done for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ alone.
إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ
My reward is from none but Allah.
And then he told them;
وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِطَارِدِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟
I am not going to drive away those who have believed.
These chiefs, they said;
You have to kick out those weak and slaves, otherwise, we’re not going to listen to you.
He said: I’m not gonna drive them out, these are the believers, these are the ones whom Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ honored with Islam.
And then he told them;
وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ
“And I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah.”
The Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ do not have to be wealthy for the people to follow them.
Notice Nuh(نوح) is telling them about things which, usually, people look for, in their leaders.
People want to see their leaders rich, we usually respect and honor the rich and the wealthy.
If somebody’s poor, we don’t care about him and we wouldn’t follow him or we wouldn’t accept having him as a leader.
Same thing that happened with Talut(طالوت‎).
They said;
وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ
“He’s not rich.”
Nuh(نوح) is telling them;
“I don’t control the treasures of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and I don’t have to be rich.”
And he told them;
وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ
And I do not know the Unseen.
We shouldn’t expect from the Ambiya(أنبياء) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى that they know Al-Ghaib(الغيب).
He said: “I do not know the Unseen except what Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ would teach me.”
And he told them: And I am not an angel.
Because, always, whenever a Nabi(نبي‎) comes, they say;
You should be an angel and you should be different, you shouldn’t be in human form.
So he told them;
وَلَآ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ
And I do not tell you that I am an angel.
Nuh(نوح) is giving Daʿwah(دعوة‎) for 950 years and he did not get tired.
He’s alone against all of the society, and he did not get tired and he never gave up.
Who gave up?
His people.
His people gave up, it wasn’t Nuh(نوح).
Nuh(نوح) persisted even though he was alone, and they were rejecting him,
but they are the ones who eventually gave up.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰنُوحُ قَدْ جَـٰدَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَٰلَنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ
إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ۝
They gave up.
They said: “O Nuh(نوح), you have disputed with us, and much have you prolonged this dispute with us.”
This has been going for too long.
Now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are truthful.
They told Nuh(نوح);
“You have been debating with us and this debate has been prolonged.
It’s taking too long;
can you please end it and bring the punishment of Allah that you said?
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله).
Look at the Sabr(صبر) of the Nabi(نبي‎), he never gave up,
and the whole society, one against the whole, and they lost.
One person, alone, was able to stand against the whole society,
and in the end, they are the ones who blinked first.
They said: “You bring the punishment if you can.”
قَدْ جَـٰدَلْتَنَا فَأَكْثَرْتَ جِدَٰلَنَا
We’re tired.
And they threatened him;
قَالُوا۟ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ يَـٰنُوحُ لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَرْجُومِينَ۝
They said: If you cease not, if you don’t stop,“O Nuh(نوح), you will surely be among those stoned to death.
We’re gonna stone you to death.
Now, Nuh(نوح) started making Duʿa(دعاء) against them
because they reached a level where they’re threatening him to take away his life,
they don’t want to believe anymore, they want to end it.
So Nuh(نوح) told Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎;
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًا۝
My Lord, they have disobeyed me and followed one whose wealth and children gave him no increase but loss.
They followed the wealthy and they followed the strong families.
These are the ones who they followed, “they didn’t follow me.”
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ said;
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُۥ لَن يُؤْمِنَ مِن قَوْمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدْ ءَامَنَ
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
And it was inspired to Nuh(نوح): “None of your people will believe except those who have already believed.
So, be not sad because of what they used to do.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ told Nuh(نوح): No one else will believe.
Nuh(نوح) now started making Duʿa(دعاء) to Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎
when he saw that we reached to the end, there is no further dialogue between us, the communication is cut.
وَلَقَدْ نَادَىٰنَا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ ٱلْمُجِيبُونَ۝
And indeed, Nuh invoked Us, and We are the best of those who answer.
Nuh(نوح) made a Duʿa(دعاء) and We will answer it.
Nuh(نوح) said;
وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ دَيَّارًا ۝
إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا۟ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا۝
Nuh(نوح) made his Duʿa(دعاء).
After 950 years of patience, he finally made a Duʿa(دعاء) against his people and he said;
O Allah, leave none of the non-believers on the face of the earth.
Destroy them all.
Why?
It's not because of a personal problem between Nuh(نوح) and them, no.
Nuh(نوح) said;
If You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.
Nuh(نوح) said: “O Allah, destroy them.” Why?
Because “if You leave them, they are going to deliver this disbelief to their children and they’re gonna insist on it,
and then they are going to corrupt the believers, so destroy them all.
And the Duʿa(دعاء) was received by Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ instructed Nuh (نوح) to build the ark - the ship.
وَٱصْنَعِ ٱلْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا
And construct the ship under Our eyes and with Our inspiration.
So, Nuh(نوح) started constructing the ark.
وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبْنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ۝
And address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong.
They are surely to be drowned.
So, he started building the ark.
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ
And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people would pass by, they would make fun of him.
They mocked at him.
تَسْخَرُونَ
they would make fun of him.
Nuh(نوح), are you crazy, did you lose your mind?
You're building a ship and there's no sea?
Nuh(نوح) is building an ark on top of this hill,
and there's no sea and ocean and there's no river, there’s nothing, and Nuh(نوح) is building a ship.
So, they would come next to him
because, Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), the people of Duniya(دنيا‎) can only see what is in front of their eyes,
they cannot understand that Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is able to do.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ۝
They are limited with this narrow vision of the material world.
There's no sea, there's no river, there's no ocean, what’re you doing?
And they would make fun of Nuh(نوح).
Nuh(نوح) told them;
قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ۝
If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ
وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيْهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ۝
And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا
So it was, till then came our command.
وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ
The springs of the earth started gushing with water and rain started falling from the sky.
قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ
وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ
إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ
وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ۝
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
So it was, till then there came our command and the oven gushed forth.
We said: Embark therein of each kind two, male and female,
and your family, except him against whom the word has already gone forth and those who believed with you.
And only a few have believed with Nuh(نوح).
When the water started coming out from the earth and rain falling from the sky,
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ instructed Nuh(نوح) to go in the ark and to take with him the believers and to take with him his family
and to carry a pair, male and female, of every animal.
The number of the believers with Nuh(نوح) goes from 7 till 80.
80 is the maximum number narrated.
That's the maximum, but then there’s 7 and there's 8 and there’s different numbers.
Maximum is 80; after 950 years of work, the fruit is 80.
Brothers and sisters, sometimes, when we listen to this, reflect.
We receive encouragement in our work when we see the fruits of it.
When you are studying and you’re receiving good grades, that encourages you to study.
When you are doing business and your business is flourishing, it encourages you to do business.
But when you see that your effort is put in something that is not improving,
and the more work you do the worse the situation becomes, it is very, very difficult, extremely difficult, to go on.
Nuh(نوح), for 950 years, is not seeing anything happening in front of his eyes.
Nobody is believing.
But because he had trust that Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is the One who rewards,
he's not waiting for reward in Duniya(دنيا‎).
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is the One who gives the Ajr(أجر); he kept on and persisted on doing this for 950 years.
That is the Yaqeen(یقین‎) and Tawakkul(توكل‎) and Eeman(إيمان) in Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
When he went on the ark, what did he say?
بسم الله‎
Whenever we start something, we say Bismillah(بسم الله‎).
وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ
And he said: Embark therein; in the name of Allah.
So we start everything in the name of Allah;
we start Salah(صلاة) in the name of Allah,
we start eating in the name of Allah,
when we go to bed, in the name of Allah,
when we go in our cars, in the name of Allah.
We start everything in the name of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
بسم الله‎
Allah is saying that this ark is on these waves, and what description was given to the waves?
وَهِىَ تَجْرِى بِهِمْ فِى مَوْجٍ كَٱلْجِبَالِ
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says: [So it] the ship [sailed with them amidst waves like mountains.]
We’re talking here about waves like mountains.
What is a mountain, 1000 feet, 2000 feet?
Imagine waves 1000 feet high or 2000 feet high.
Not even the biggest US aircraft carrier can sustain these waves.
So, it's not the ark, it's not this ship that Nuh(نوح) built that gave them safety.
It is not this ark that saved them from these waves, these are only the Asbab(اسباب).
This is the part that Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ told Nuh(نوح) to do.
Otherwise, that ark would be like a matchbox in these waves, it would not be able to survive at all.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ wants Nuh(نوح) to do his part;
just build the ark, but it's not the ark that will do you anything.
It is the Will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and the care of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ that will take care of you and save you.
So Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ told Nuh(نوح) to build the ark because you have to do your part.
You have to do your part, you have to take the first step.
إن مشيت إلي، هرولت إليك
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says: If you walk towards Me, I will run towards you.
You have to take the first step.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْاْ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى
The ones who seek guidance, you seek it, you look for it - Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ will guide them.
The victory of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ comes after you do your part, and that is what Nuh(نوح) is able to do, he build an ark,
but the rest is on Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
The waves picked up this ark and Nuh(نوح) is seeing his son in front of his eyes.
He's telling his son: “Come and join us.”
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ ٱبْنَهُۥ وَكَانَ فِى مَعْزِلٍ يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا
يَـٰبُنَىَّ ٱرْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ۝
O my son, embark with us and don’t be with the non-believers.
His son, thinking in the terms of this material world, said;
قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ
I will seek refuge in a mountain that will save me from this water.
He thought that a mountain will save him.
I mean, rain cannot cover mountains, we never saw that in our life.
Thinking in terms of the material world, he thought that this mountain will save him.
His father told him;
قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ
There's nothing that can save you on this day except the mercy of Allah.
He refused.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ۝
Waves separated between them, and he drowned.
Imagine standing and you see your son, in front of your eyes, and the waves are separating between you and him slowly.
And in front of your eyes, you know that that's the end of your son.
It's the end of it…what a difficult situation,
سبحان الله العظيم
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى
Rain stopped from the sky and Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ instructed, commanded the earth to swallow all of the water.
وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ
So this ark landed on the mountain called Al-Judi(ٱلجودى), Judi(جودي) mountain.
It is said that it’s in present-day Kurdistan.
That’s where they say the mountain is, that's where it landed.
And when everything settled, Nuh(نوح) wanted to ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ about something.
Nuh(نوح) said;
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُۥ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ٱبْنِى مِنْ أَهْلِى وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ
وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ۝
And Nuh(نوح) called upon his Lord and said;
O my Lord, verily my son is of my family, and certainly Your promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.
Allah has promised Nuh(نوح) that you will be saved with your family.
So Nuh(نوح) is asking Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ and saying;
O Allah, didn't You tell me that all of my family will be saved?
And my son is from my family and Your promise is true.
Nuh(نوح) is saying that I don't have any doubts in Your promise.
This is not doubt, he just wants to know, understand.
إِنَّ وَعْدَكَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ۝
Your promise is true, and You are the Most Wise and the Just of the judges.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ taught Nuh(نوح) a lesson.
We use words to mean some things, but Islam comes and gives them a new definition.
Salah(صلاة), for example, had the definition of supplication before Islam.
But then Islam gave it Maʿana Istilahi(معنى اصطلاحي), it gave it the meaning of the Salah(صلاة).
The meaning of happiness, for example we think of happiness in certain way but Islam defined happiness in a different way.
Family has a definition among us.
What is it?
Your blood relatives.
The blood relation, that’s what we call family.
And Nuh(نوح) is considering his son to be part of his family because he’s his blood son.
But Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is now going to teach Nuh(نوح) the true meaning of family.
So Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is telling Nuh(نوح),
قَالَ يَـٰنُوحُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَـٰلِحٍ ۖ فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ
فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ۝
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ said;
O Nuh(نوح), surely he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous.
Because his work is unrighteous, he is not part of your family anymore.
He is your family if he is a righteous Muslim.
Nuh(نوح) understood, and he said;
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ
O my Lord, I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge.
And then he made a Duʿa(دعاء);
وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ۝
And unless You forgive me and have mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.
The story of Nuh(نوح) has been mentioned in many Surah(سورة‎) of Qur'an, but the longest version is in Surat Hud(هود‎ سورة‎).
It starts with Ayah(آية‎) 25 and goes up till ayah (آية‎) 49.
After this long version of story of Nuh(نوح) that is revealed to Rasool Allah ﷺ from Ayah(آية‎) Verse 25 till 48,
Ayah(آية‎) Verse 49 is telling Rasool Allah ﷺ,
تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـٰذَا
This is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal unto you.
Neither you nor your people knew them before this.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is telling Muhammad ﷺ after this long story;
This is the closure, this is the conclusion of the story of Nuh(نوح).
O Muhammad(محمد), this is the true news of Nuh(نوح) that is revealed to you.
Neither you nor your people knew it before.
So what’s the lesson?
All of this in leading to the next word.
What is the lesson?
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is saying;
فَٱصْبِرْ
Be patient.
All of the story of Nuh(نوح), from Ayah(آية‎) Verse 25 till 48, is leading to this Ibrah(عبرة), to this meaning.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is closing this story of Nuh(نوح), telling Rasool Allah ﷺ look at the story of Nuh(نوح);
950 years of patience, of making Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to his people, he never gave up,
he persisted and he made Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them in the night and the day,
he made Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them publicly and privately,
he made Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them and he was alone,
he made Daʿwah(دعوة‎) to them and they were not listening to him.
What is the lesson to learn?
فَٱصْبِرْ
Be patient.
إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ۝
The end result, the winners in the end, are going to be who?
The ones who have Taqwa(تقوى).
This is the lesson.
فَٱصْبِرْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَـٰقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ۝
Be patient and remember that in the end, the ones who will win are the believers.
Nuh(نوح) did win, but he won after 950 years,
and he couldn't have won if he didn't have patience.
So the road is long and it needs a lot of energy, and that energy is Sabr(صبر).
If you don't have it, you're gonna fall in the middle of the way, you’re not gonna be able to complete it.
So we ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ to give us the patience that we need.
اللهم اجعلنا من الصابرين
You have the story of Sayyidina Hud(سيدنا هود‎).
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has sent Hud(هود‎) to the people of ʿAd(عاد).
We wouldn't have known where ʿAd(عاد) lived if it wasn't mentioned in Qur'an.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says that the people of ʿAd(عاد) lived in Al-Ahqaf(الأحقاف‎),
and that is mentioned in Surat Al-Ahqaf(الأحقاف‎ سورة‎).
Al-Ahqaf(الأحقاف‎) means sand dunes.
So, it's a desert area right now, it wasn't that case before.
And this is in Yemen, and they lived in the area of Hadramaut(حضرموت‎).
The people of ʿAd(عاد) - Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ described them in Qur'an.
The people of ʿAd(عاد) used to worship idols.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ described these people, and their description is amazing.
What Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has given them is amazing.
As individuals, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
وَزَادَكُمْ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ بَصْۜطَةً
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has increased you amply in stature.
So they were huge, tall, and very strong and well-built, powerful, as individuals very strong.
And as a society and a nation and a civilization,
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ told them or described them in Qur'an
and these are Ayaat(آيات) in Qur'an,
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ is mentioning what their Nabi Hud(هود‎ نبي‎) was telling them;
وَٱتَّقُوا ٱلَّذِى أَمَدَّكُم بِمَا تَعْلَمُونَ۝
And keep your duty to Him. Fear Him Who has aided you with all things that you know.
أَمَدَّكُم بِأَنْعَـٰمٍ وَبَنِينَ أَمَدَّكُم بِأَنْعَـٰمٍ۝
أَمَدَّكُم بِأَنْعَـٰمٍ
He has provided you with cattle.
In modern terms, we refer to that as livestock, animal resources.
So they were wealthy in terms of livestock, they had abundance of livestock.
وَبَنِينَ
and children
and that is what we call, in modern terms, manpower.
وَجَنَّـٰتٍ وَعُيُونٍ۝
وَجَنَّـٰتٍ
gardens
and that is what we call, in modern terms, agriculture.
وَعُيُونٍ
and that is water resources.
So Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has given them livestock,
and has given them manpower,
and has given them agriculture,
and has provided them with an ample supply, good supply of water.
That is ʿAd(عاد)’s society,
and then they as individuals, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ gave them a powerful structure.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has said about them;
أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ ۝
وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ ۝
وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُم بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ ۝
فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ۝
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ said, in these Ayaat(آيات),
they became so luxurious and so wealthy that they were spending their money in a wasteful way, Israf(اسراف).
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
أَتَبْنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً تَعْبَثُونَ۝
The people of ʿAd(عاد) had so much additional wealth,
they started to fall into the trap that rich nations fall into,
and that is using your money for pride and arrogance.
After you satisfy your basic needs, food and drink and shelter, and you have additional money,
if there is no Eeman(إيمان) to spend it the right way, then it will be spent in evil.
The people of ʿAd(عاد) had this additional wealth, so they started building monuments over mountains.
They would build on top of these mountains monuments
that they will not use for living, they don’t need them, they’re just building them for pride, to show off.
And Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
تَعْبَثُونَ
Do you build high palaces in every high place while you do not live in them?
Wastefully - ʿAbath(عبث),
ʿAbath(عبث) means when you waste something.
So they had so much wealth, so much disposable money,
that they started building these monuments on top of mountains.
وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ۝
These buildings on top of mountains, they don’t use them for living.
But the dwellings that they built for themselves,
they used to build it in a way as if they’re going to live forever, so strong and powerful.
وَتَتَّخِذُونَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَخْلُدُونَ۝
And do you get yourselves palaces as if you will live forever?
The way they would build their palaces shows that they used to think that they’re gonna live forever.
They used to build it so strong and well constructed, very strong structure, as if they are going to live on the face of the earth forever.
And Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ when He destroyed them, He destroyed them and He didn’t leave anything that they left
anything that they built, it was all destroyed.
وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُم بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ۝
And when you seize, you seize like tyrants.
They were powerful.
Even though this nation was wealthy
some nations, when they become wealthy, they become weak
but the people of ʿAd(عاد), they were keeping their strength.
Even though they were very wealthy and luxurious, they were still very powerful,
and then when they would attack any neighbours, they would completely destroy them.
Tyrants.
بطش وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُم بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ۝
So there’s a difference between the people of ʿAd(عاد) and Thamud(ثمود‎).
ʿAd(عاد) were powerful tyrants.
All of these things combined, when you put them together, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
عَادٍ إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ ۝ ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ۝
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
عَادٍ إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ
The land of pillars which Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has created no land similar to it.
This society and these people, Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ did not create anyone similar to them.
When you put all these things together,
all of these different resources that Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has given them, all of these blessings together,
they were able to build a civilization and nation and society that was unsurpassed by anyone in their time.
The like of which were not created in the land.
No one was like them.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ sent to them Hud(هود‎).
وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمْ هُودًا۝
And to ʿAd(عاد) their brother Hud(هود).
He was called their brother because he’s from them.
What was his message?
The same message of Nuh(نوح).
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا مُفْتَرُونَ۝
O my people, worship Allah; you have no other God but Him.
Certainly you do nothing but invent lies.
These gods who you are worshiping are lies.
See, the Ambiya(أنبياء) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ they are straightforward
because that is part of the Amanah(أمانة), Amanat At-Tabligh(أمانة التبليغ),
the trust that Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ has given them and the responsibility of conveying the truth, and that is why they say;
إِنِّى لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ۝
He said: I am a trustworthy.
وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ۝
And he said;
And I came to you to advise you with honesty.
So they are straightforward.
He told them: “You are lying,”
and he told them;
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ
O my people, seek forgiveness from Allah سبحانه وتعالى and then repent to Him.
And we just talked last night about Nuh(نوح), he told his people the same thing.
He told them: Ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ to forgive you,
and we talked about the things that they will be given if they ask Allah for forgiveness.
And here, Hud (هود‎) is also telling them additional things. He said;
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ۝
O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him;
He will send you from the sky abundant rain and add strength to your strength.
So with Istighfar(إستغفار), you would become more powerful than you are now.
They were already powerful and strong; if they ask Allah for forgiveness, Allah will give them more power and strength.
This tells us something, it’s telling us that we’re not making enough Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎) to Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎.
If we were making Istighfar(ٱستغفار‎) as we should, our situation would not be the way it is today.
What was their response?
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِىٓ ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ۝
They said: “O Hud(هود), no evidence have you brought us,
and we shall not leave our gods for your mere say, and we are not believers in you.
They rejected.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ says;
كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ۝
Ad(عاد) denied the Messengers.
How many Messengers did they receive?
One
but Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ said;
كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ۝
The people of ʿAd(عاد) have disbelieved in the Messengers.
Plural, not One,
but they only received one Messenger.
How come it’s made plural?
If you refuse one Messenger, it is as if you refused them all
because all of the Messengers came with the same message.
So if you refuse the message of Hud(هود‎),
it is as if you refused the message of everyone.
If you refuse the message of Muhammad ﷺ, it would not suffice you to believe in ʿIsa(عيسى‎) or Musa(موسی) or any other Nabi(نبي‎).
If you disbelieve in one Nabi(نبي‎), in one Rasul(رسول‎), it is as if you have disbelieved in all of them.
So even, let’s assume even that today,
there’s somebody who believes in ʿIsa(عيسى‎) and Musa(موسی) and believes in Allah only and doesn’t believe in any other god,
but he does not believe in Muhammad ﷺ that is not Islam.
You have to believe in all of the Ambiya(أنبياء) of Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎, from Adam(آدم) until Muhammad ﷺ.
So they disbelieved in Hud(هود‎) only, but Allah سبحانه وتعالى‎ said;
كَذَّبَتْ عَادٌ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ۝
They disbelieved in all of the Messengers.
And they started accusing him, and that will happen to every Nabi(نبي‎).
They accused him of insanity.
They said;
إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا ٱعْتَرَىٰكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ
All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with madness.
They said: Our gods have caused you insanity, you’re mad.
And they accused him of Sufaha(سفاها) and they accused him of lying.
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِى سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ۝
The leaders of those who disbelieved among his people said;
Verily, we see you in foolishness, and verily, we think you are one of the liars.
And notice who are the ones who are saying this? Al-Mala(ٱلملأ), the leaders.
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِلِقَآءِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَأَتْرَفْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا
مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يَأْكُلُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُونَ۝
And the chiefs of his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting in the Hereafter.
So they disbelieve in Akhirah(آخرة)
and to whom We had given the luxuries and comforts of this life.
Luxuries and comforts did not do them any good,
did not mean that they were intelligent, did not mean that they were better.
They had luxuries
أَتْرَفْنَـٰهُمْ
they had luxuries; nevertheless, their minds were not sufficient enough to lead them to the truth.
So, wealth and money and luxury does not mean anything in the standard of Eeman(إيمان).
You could have all the wealth in the world and refuse the truth,
and you could have nothing, nevertheless, you would be intelligent enough to know that this is Al-haqq(الحق).
They had a lot.
وَأَتْرَفْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا
We had given them luxuries, but they said;
He is no more than a human being like you.
He eats of that which you eat and drinks of what you drink.
They said: “How can we follow a man who eats and drinks like us?
وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُم بَشَرًا مِّثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ۝
If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, then verily, you indeed would be losers.
أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَنَّكُم مُّخْرَجُونَ۝
Does he promise you that when you have died and have became dust and bones, you shall come out alive?
They refuse to believe in the Resurrection.
Materialistic thinking.
هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ۝
Far, very far, is that which you are promised.
إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ۝
There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live, and we are not going to be resurrected.
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَمَا نَحْنُ لَهُۥ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ۝
He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah,
but we are not going to believe in him.
Now they are accusing Hud(هود‎) of lying against Allah سبحانه وتعالى.‎
They are claiming that they are the true believers in Allah and he is lying against Allah.
صَلَّى الله عَلى سَيَّدِنَا محمد وَعَلى اَلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ