Dear sisters and brothers, may God bless you. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings. Today, we meet in our sixth session of the blessed month of Ramadan, with a group of ten questions that we hope will be enjoyable and beneficial. We always emphasize that the ultimate goal is benefit and action upon knowledge, for knowledge is learned to be acted upon. We ask God, the Almighty, to benefit us and you with what we learn.
Among the wisdom of God, the Almighty, is that He legislates for the believers laws that contain ease, allowing them to deal with polytheists in worldly matters that do not involve compromising a right or principle. However, it is essential to note that this permission does not entail acknowledging the owner of falsehood in his falsehood, nor does it mean that the owner of falsehood is equal to the believer in status.
Required: A part of an ayah from the sixth part that warns about this matter.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {And whoever disbelieves in the faith, his deeds have been nullified, and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter} [Al-Ma'idah: 5].
Explanatory Benefit: The context of the verse speaks of the permission to eat the food of the People of the Book and to marry chaste women from among them, but God concludes it with this warning. Ibn Ashur, may God have mercy on him, says: "The intended meaning is to warn that the permission to marry women from the People of the Book does not imply sanctifying their condition, but that is an ease for the Muslims." Al-Qurtubi mentioned that the women of the People of the Book said: "Were it not that God approved of our religion, He would not have permitted you to marry us," so the verse was revealed in response to them, to affirm that faith in Tawhid and in Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the criterion, and whoever disbelieves in that, his deeds are nullified.
We have previously mentioned that disobedience deprives one of good. There is a verse indicating that disobedience leads to more disobedience, and that God may punish the servant for his sin by turning him away from the truth.
Required: A verse indicating that disobedience is a cause of being turned away from accepting the Sharia.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {But if they turn away, then know that God only intends to strike them with some of their sins} [Al-Ma'idah: 49].
Educational Benefit: Disobedience has evil consequences, and among its immediate punishments is that a person is deprived of the success to accept the truth or to refer to the Book of God. God, the Almighty, obscures the hearts of some due to the sins they have committed, such as lying and distortion.
The more a person adheres to the command of God, the more he benefits from the Quran and understands it.
Required: A verse indicating that piety brings knowledge and guidance.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {By it, God guides those who follow what pleases Him to the paths of peace} [Al-Ma'idah: 16].
Benefit: Just as disobedience leads to more disobedience, obedience brings more obedience. And piety is the key to beneficial knowledge, as in His saying, the Almighty: {And fear God, and He will teach you}.
There is a part of a verse in the sixth part (consisting of three words) that Ibn Taymiyyah interpreted as what accompanies the disbelievers in this world before the Hereafter in terms of psychological pain, grief, and darkness of the heart.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {And they will have a lasting torment} [Al-Ma'idah: 37].
Ibn Taymiyyah's Insight: Ibn Taymiyyah says in his book "Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim": "His saying {And they will have a lasting torment} is an indication of what necessarily befalls them in this world and the Hereafter of psychological pains, grief, harshness, darkness of the heart, and ignorance. Indeed, disbelief and sins have immediate and constant pains that God is aware of. This is why you find most of them do not enjoy their lives except by what removes reason and distracts the heart, such as consuming intoxicants, listening to singers, and the like."
It is incumbent upon the servant to submit to the judgment of God, for He knows our interests better than we do, whether we understand the wisdom behind it or not.
Required: An ending of a verse consisting of five words that indicates this meaning.
Answer: {Indeed, God judges as He wills} [Al-Ma'idah: 1].
Benefit: This ending came after mentioning the rulings of what is permissible and forbidden regarding livestock and hunting, to affirm that God is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, and we must submit to His command, whether the wisdom behind it is apparent to us or hidden.
The certain person is one who knows the difference between the ruling of God and other things, and distinguishes in his heart what is good and beautiful in the ruling of God.
Required: A verse indicating that the certain person is one who perceives the goodness of God's ruling.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {Do they then seek the judgment of ignorance? And who is better in judgment than God for a people who are certain} [Al-Ma'idah: 50].
There is a verse in Surah Al-Hadid that explains a verse in the fifth part (yesterday's part) related to the deception of hypocrites to God, the Almighty.
Answer: The verse from the fifth part is: {Indeed, the hypocrites deceive God, and He is deceiving them} [An-Nisa': 142]. The verse that explains it from Surah Al-Hadid is: {On the Day the hypocrites, men and women, will say to the believers, "Look at us, take something from our light." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light..."} [Al-Hadid: 13].
God described the hypocrites as seeking pride with the disbelievers by flattering them.
Required: A verse that shows that their status in the Hereafter will be the complete opposite of what they sought.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest part of the Fire, and you will not find for them any helper} [An-Nisa': 145].
Some may cover up a mistake or embezzlement out of alleged "mercy," but the Sharia commands justice even towards the closest people.
Required: A verse commanding the establishment of justice and testifying for God, even against oneself or one's parents.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {O you who have believed, be constantly standing firm for justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives...} [An-Nisa': 135].
Educational Guidance: This stance applies to the employee in his work and the student in his exam. It is not permissible to call favoritism or cheating "mercy," but it is following one's desires. God is more merciful to His creation than we are, and justice takes precedence over all considerations.
In our time, oppressors use the policy "If you are not with us, you are against us," whereas Islam considers those who do not want to fight Muslims nor their own people.
Required: A verse that considers this peaceful group.
Answer: God, the Almighty, says: {Except for those who reach a people between you and them having a treaty, or who come to you, their hearts restrained from fighting you or fighting their own people...} [An-Nisa': 90].
Conclusion: This is the nobility of Islam and its mercy; as long as they are peaceful and averse to fighting you, God has made for them an exit and commanded you to leave them.
We conclude our episode today with these contemplative stops that show the greatness of the Noble Quran in dealing with human souls, whether in the matter of worship, transactions, or Islamic politics.
On the occasion of discussing honesty and testifying to Allah, we remind our student children who are taking their exams from home via the internet: Remember that the absence of human supervision does not mean the absence of the supervision of the Lord of humans. Make your studies and exams an act of worship through which you draw closer to Allah with sincerity and honesty, for what is with Allah is not attained through disobedience to Him.
We thank you for your kind follow-up, and we ask Allah to accept from us and from you the fasting, standing in prayer, and righteous deeds.
We will meet again tomorrow, God willing, in the seventh episode. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.