7) Quran Study: Surah 62, 63 (3/24/89)

Study From Azhar 7, Sura 62 & Sura 63 By Kathryn, God's Religion Will Dominate In 20 To 50 Years.

Speaker 1 (0:00) I think I need to start by making a momentous announcement. (0:09) The pure Quran never existed. (0:20) The Prophet Muhammad received the Quran and wrote it to his own hand. (0:25) And the last surah revealed, surah number 110, was revealed in his Hajj pilgrimage only a few months before he died. (0:40) The last surah revealed in Medina was surah number 9. (0:46) So the Prophet had the Quran written in his own hand, in the chronological sequence, with instructions on the side saying where every piece goes. (0:59) That's all the Prophet had. (1:02) It was not the Quran that God intended for the world. (1:07) Nineteen years later, during the era of Uthman, Islam had gone to Syria and Iraq to send to those new Muslims, to carry out the Prophet's, God's, instructions, to take that original copy. (1:34) By that time it was with the Prophet's wife, Hafsa, Umar's daughter. (1:40) Uthman sent for it and got the instructions. (1:46) This piece goes here, this piece goes here. (1:48) And put the Quran in the order that God intended for the world. (1:53) And I think you know the rest of the story. (1:56) When they finished, the last surah revealed in Medina, surah 9, someone suggested to add a couple of verses to honor the Prophet that caused the war between Ali and Afghanistan, Ali and his family, the Prophet's family, that ended with the eradication of the Prophet's family. (2:30) The winners were the Umayyads. (2:37) So the version that came to us about the war and the history of the Quran is the version of those so-called winners. (2:50) So the announcement I want to make is that this is the last time we use this. (2:55) As of next week, we'll use it. (2:58) This is the announcement. (3:00) So it will not be in a book form yet. (3:07) This is the last time we use this. (3:09) It's a historical document. (3:14) It's going to be hardcover. (3:18) This is a very hazy cover itself. (3:31) The hardcover outside will be dark blue. (3:34) It will be, for the first time in history, in Arabic and in English. (3:43) So as you know, some of you read this. (4:02) I mentioned the reasons why God did not let those people have the pure Quran, because they simply did not deserve it. (4:10) Because only 19 years after the Prophet's death, they corrupted the religion. (4:15) They started to worship Muhammad against his will in the same way the Christians do with Jesus. (4:22) They're all humans. (4:23) The Christians are humans and the Muslims are humans, and both of them fell for the trap of Satan, and they started to idolize the Prophet against his will. (4:33) They invented an adhan that does not have the name of God alone. (4:40) The prayer became distorted, did not have the name of God alone. (4:43) And just to make a long story short, they did not deserve the pure Quran. (4:49) Now there are people who devote their worship to God alone, and they uphold the Quran alone. (5:05) As you know, the famous statement in the Quran is that the month of Ramadan is when the... (5:15) And this is exactly when the Quran is going to be sent to the press. (5:26) And I know you'll believe me when I tell you that I didn't plan it this way. (5:34) I was slowed down so many times. (5:35) I was frustrated due to my ignorance. (5:39) I shouldn't be frustrated. (5:40) I should know that God is arranging the time. (5:45) All these delays were designed so that... (5:56) Go to our teacher, Catherine. Speaker 2 (6:04) On page 39... (6:09) Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. (6:11) Glorifying God is everything in the heavens and the earth. (6:14) He is the king, the sacred, the almighty. (6:18) He is the one who raised among the Gentiles a messenger to recite his revelations for them, sanctify them, and teach them the scripture and wisdom. (6:27) Before this, they had gone astray. (6:30) Others among them refused to join. (6:35) This is God's grace. (6:36) He bestows it upon whomever he wills. (6:39) God possesses unlimited grace. (6:42) The example of those who were given the Torah and failed to study it is that of a donkey carrying great works of literature. (6:50) Miserable indeed is the example of those who reject God's revelation. (6:54) God never guides the wicked people. (6:58) Say, O you who are Jewish, if you claim that you are God's chosen to the exclusion of all other people, then you should long for death if you are truthful. (7:07) They never long for it because of what their hands have committed. (7:11) God is fully aware of the wicked. (7:13) Say, the death that you flee from will inevitably catch up with you, then you will be turned over to the knower of all secrets and declarations. (7:20) He will inform you of everything you did. (7:27) Glorifying God is everything in the heavens and the earth. (7:30) He is the King, the Sacred, the Almighty, the Most Wise. (7:36) If we take that thought through all of our day, God will be our God all day long. (7:41) Because everywhere we look and everything we do, everything we hear, everything we see is submitting to God, including our bodies, our minds, and our hearts. (7:56) Donna said recently that we should strive to be like the animals and the rocks and the mountains and the trees. (8:04) And when she said that, I agreed with her. (8:10) This is going to sound funny. (8:11) I've always been fascinated by rocks and mountains. (8:16) And when I was in Ireland, I was fascinated even more because the people live on a rock. (8:24) They have to carry dirt and put it between rock crevices to grow food, and then it blows away and they have to repeat the process again. (8:32) The rocks remain in the people's soul. (8:35) They've worked out a compromise with God, as it were, and they have in the example of the rocks around them, the mountains and the boulders, what they should be striving to be like. (8:46) It gets dead fast as the rocks and the trees and the animals. Speaker 1 (8:50) It never changes. (8:53) No. (8:56) No. Speaker 2 (8:58) They're all pit rum. (9:00) I said it was going to sound funny. (9:04) It's part of the reason that I'm comfortable in Tucson, too. (9:07) I have to say this. (9:08) And green things and all living things. (9:11) We have so many reminders around us that there's no way that we could ever say that we did. (9:23) He is the one who raised the Gentiles, the messenger to recite his revelations for them before they had gone astray. (9:30) This is incredible mercy from God. (9:33) He did not have to do this for us. (9:34) We blew it the first time around. (9:37) We just totally blew it. (9:39) We missed. (9:40) And this is a time when closest is only good in horseshoes. (9:44) This is a real big miss. (9:46) God has no reason to do anything for us. (9:49) He doesn't need us for anything. (9:51) He doesn't need us to know him. (9:53) He doesn't need that. (9:56) And yet, he sends messengers, consistently sends messengers, spends 1,400 years purifying his final message. (10:06) He didn't have to do that. (10:08) I mean, he gave it once. (10:10) Why spend 1,400 years sending even more messengers and purifying the message? (10:16) For the very few who hear it. (10:20) Incredible mercy. (10:22) God just did not have to do this for us. (10:26) We live in a world where not too many people are given second chances. (10:29) You either pull your own weight or you're jettisoned like so much luggage or baggage. (10:36) That's not God's pattern. (10:38) Not only are we given one chance, but multiple chances throughout our lives to come to the truth. (10:43) And so many messengers and so many messengers in so many ways. (10:47) The mercy that is described in the next verse as unlimited is beyond anything that we can understand. (10:56) We have limits. (10:58) We can give people multiple chances, but at some point, we're going to turn around and not give them another chance, and we're going to walk away. (11:11) Or us, in those times. (11:14) We cannot imagine what unlimited grace or mercy is. (11:18) And I don't think we will until the extent that waits for us. (11:30) Others among them refuse to join. (11:33) This is verse 3. (11:34) He is the Almighty, the Wise. (11:36) There's a verse in this one I do know, Lisa. (11:39) It's 81-29, and you don't have to turn to it. (11:42) I'll read it. (11:43) It says, Whatever you will is in accordance with the will of God, Lord of the universe. (11:49) For some time, the realization that whatever thoughts I had were not my own has been a mind-boggler for me. (11:59) The only thing I do is choose God alone. (12:03) After that, this is an illusion, as I've spoken of before, including the illusion that I did something, that I thought something, that I had this idea. (12:15) As Rashad said, God arranges everything, including the thoughts in our minds. (12:19) Those of us who are going to invent some new and exciting tool to make a job easier, when we do that and we discuss it with those fellow people, fellow colleagues, and say, Look what you thought of. (12:31) Look what I thought of. (12:32) Look what it will do. (12:33) Never a thought that God did that. (12:35) You didn't do that. (12:37) God put the thought for the invention in your mind and brought it to reality. (12:42) Every thought we have is in accordance with God and with God's will, whether we're believers or not. (12:48) God tailors each of our lives and experiences according to our original decision before we came. (12:55) So that verse, which pops up as I read through so much of the Quran, is a constant reminder for me that whatever I will is according to the will of God, meaning this is God's grace. (13:13) He bestows it upon whomever he wills. (13:16) God possesses unlimited grace. (13:20) The example of those who were given the Torah then failed to study it. (13:24) I often wish when I'm talking to people that I could remember funny jokes that I've heard or these really great lines. (13:33) There are some really funny lines and I don't have that kind of mind. (13:37) This is one of those lines. (13:41) A donkey carrying great works of literature. (13:44) There's another verse in Quran that refers to the ugliest voice being that of the donkey, which I remembered when I was reading this. (13:52) I just don't know where it is. (13:54) The Quran is of no use to them. (14:01) They won't understand words and they're very simple. (14:06) They're attainable and understandable by everyone. (14:13) You ask them, what does that mean? (14:15) Instead of ABC, you'll get some foreign language. (14:22) That prevents Quran and the truth from getting to those people who they are like donkeys. (14:36) The metaphor of a wooden log is used. (14:40) Incapable of understanding. (14:42) On the other hand, it's an interesting group of words, a donkey carrying great works of literature. (14:59) Sometimes I feel like that. (15:15) This verse created a whole bunch of pictures for me when I read it. (15:23) Miserable indeed is the example of those who reject God's revelations. (15:27) God never guides the wicked people. (15:29) Again, whatever we will is according to the will of God. (15:33) If we choose not to be guided, we get impatient. (15:56) They won't be able to say anything. (16:05) Verse 6, oh you who are Jewish, if you claim that you are God's chosen to the exclusion of all others, then you should long for death. (16:12) They never long for it because of what their hands have committed. (16:15) God is fully aware of the wicked. (16:18) You don't have to be Jewish. (16:21) There are lots of people who seem to feel that they're chosen for one thing or another. (16:29) The history of the Jewish people, each and every one of them who lives their lives according to, and they really don't believe. (16:53) So for those people who put themselves above other people all of us are in the same boat. (17:10) We're all responsible for our own death. (17:29) Verse 8 says, the death that you flee from and then you'll be turned over to the knower of all secrets and declarations. (17:38) He will inform you of everything. (17:52) Child psychology and about sibling rivalry and about children who fight with each other and drive parents crazy because they argue over everything and nothing. (18:01) And the only thing I got out of this hundreds of pages of book was a really cute scenario about these kids squabbling in a room and the din being so loud that no one could think. (18:13) And the man suggested that the parent go to the door of the room and simply say, I saw that. (18:27) Because both children or all children would then turn around and look up at the parent and begin to spill out at once. (18:33) Three voices at once. (18:34) What happened? (18:35) He did this to me. (18:36) No, he did that to me. (18:37) And if you just waited for five minutes you'd have the whole story. (18:39) And you'd be able to put it in the right order and make a judgment that would be correct. (18:45) And when I read this verse, then you will be turned over to the knower of all secrets and declarations. (18:51) I see it like that. (18:52) We don't know when our death is going to come. (18:55) And when it comes, the Quran tells us many of us won't even know that we've died. (19:00) We'll wake and be with God, without God. (19:05) And I see God standing there saying, I saw that and I don't have to say anything because he did that. (19:16) And that's not an uncomfortable feeling. (19:18) That's a very comfortable feeling. (19:20) To know that God is always with me. (19:22) That God sees my mistakes and works on me to correct those mistakes. (19:26) And that the things that I may have forgotten about I'll be reminded about hopefully in this world and forgiven for in the next. (19:36) Does anybody have any comments or questions? (19:40) Right. Speaker 1 (20:17) See, they carried it a bit too far. (20:22) God did choose them and gave them the scripture, saved them from Egypt, split the sea for them. (20:30) Not just they were chosen, they were God's chosen. (20:34) But they made it exclusive. (20:37) Also, they exaggerated it way beyond reason. (20:45) First they were God's chosen, then they became almost equal to God. (20:51) Hands around his shoulder, walked around like friends. (20:54) Then God became like a child. (21:02) He talks as if God is a child. (21:04) He says, it's okay, we forgive you. (21:07) Literally, I'm not talking about his inability. (21:13) You hear him stand up and I tell you what he says. (21:18) I mean the extreme arrogance of the majority of them. (21:22) So this is what happened. (21:26) The distortion of the concept. (21:32) He distorted it and exaggerated it too much. (21:38) The synagogue, they sent the kids here, maybe one time, the sign out there was having a submission to God. (21:53) And I was talking to the kids, to God. (22:06) They objected. (22:08) We do not submit to anybody. (22:10) They said, not even to God? (22:11) Not even to God. (22:14) So this is the majority of Jews, the majority of Christians. (22:25) This verse here, 6, is talking about the distortion of God's word. (22:36) And also, to make it like it's guaranteed. (22:39) It doesn't matter what they do. (22:41) That's why God says, why to long for death? (22:44) And like Catherine said, we don't long for death because we know that the longer we worship God, the greater, the bigger, the more developed is our soul. (22:54) Also, we're not that arrogant. (22:58) You have to be really arrogant to long for death. (23:02) But if you feel that you need to develop and grow your soul, that you need to atone, how about sibling rivalry? (23:55) I guess these people didn't know what happened. Speaker 3 (24:06) They've seen it, right? Speaker 1 (24:07) They destroy all concepts of sibling rivalry. (24:16) Actually, I have noticed it with Iranians a lot. Speaker 3 (24:43) I'm just giving an example of how much we love each other. Speaker 1 (24:46) And I've seen this many, you know, quite often. (24:49) It's genuine. (24:49) It's not just... (24:54) You like this at home, right? Speaker 6 (24:56) See? Speaker 1 (25:42) Here, we don't say we're the only one. (25:47) We see that person. (26:56) I mean, the person is related to you. (27:39) You can be a Jew, if you want to, and go to heaven. (27:47) On the Sabbath, the scripture, the message from God evolved. (29:30) See, when I say Jewish, I mean Jewish. Speaker 3 (29:35) A Christian who does not believe in the hereafter, heaven, and heaven, is not a philipologist. (30:30) No, see? Speaker 1 (30:30) By definition, a Christian is one who follows Christ. (30:35) The so-called Christianity. (31:17) It's one religion practiced by Jews. (31:45) The message evolved. (31:56) If you read the Bible, the Torah, really, the original scripture started with the Torah. (32:14) Then we have, after this, the Psalms of Isaiah and Solomon, the Proverbs, all identical to the Quran. (32:25) There's no conflict at all. (32:29) Where is the conflict? (32:30) Give me an example of conflict. (33:10) But that's... (33:11) Where is the conflict? Speaker 3 (33:13) Do they all worship God alone? Speaker 1 (33:41) No, okay. (33:43) There's no conflict at all. (33:44) All of them advocate the worship of God alone. (33:47) And all of them give you a system to develop your soul. (33:54) Right. (33:55) That's it. (34:07) God's mercy. (34:12) It's verse 2. (34:14) He's the one who raised among the Gentiles a messenger to recite the tribulation. (34:24) Gentiles are the people who do not have a scripture. (34:27) God did not want to leave them alone. (34:29) He didn't leave them lost. (34:31) He wanted to guide them. (35:07) Okay, actually, this is the chicken and the egg. (35:12) God permitted the distortion of the other scriptures, because this is the one that is going to be in the whole world. (35:20) The others will be history. (35:22) But this is the only scripture. (35:24) This is untouched. (35:25) This is God's complete message to be given to the vast majority of the human race. (35:30) I mean, even 50 years from now, we'll still have 65 billion people coming to use this as their message. (35:41) This is God's message to come to supersede. (36:07) All the scriptures are supposed to vanish. (36:11) This is why we have these overwhelming physical proofs. (36:40) Look at Phase 396. (36:42) Right there in front of you. (36:44) Verse 9. (36:46) He's the one who sent his messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions. (36:53) This is God's law. Speaker 3 (36:55) It is not wishful thinking. Speaker 1 (37:36) When Islam would be the dominant, like America would be a Muslim country, if you want to look at it this way. (37:41) It would no longer be a Christian country. (37:44) This is God's law. (37:50) Today, can you call America a Muslim country? (37:53) Okay, 50 years from now, and it's not wishful thinking. (38:01) Huh? (38:07) No, it is not. (38:08) Apparently, you don't know the message, so I suggest that you read America. (38:24) It's going to happen very fast in the next 20 years. (38:26) I'm giving myself a long time. (38:48) 19 times, 19 times, 22. (39:03) Things are going to happen very fast, folks. (39:07) Like I said, 50 years is maximum, but it's most probably 20 years. (39:12) New lifetimes, inshallah. (39:21) Hamid, do you know that the sun will rise tomorrow? Speaker 3 (39:25) Yeah. (39:26) How? Speaker 1 (39:32) Because there are certain signs that indicate. (39:36) See, look at the clock. (39:37) It is 8.15. In 12 hours now, it will be 8.15 in the morning. (39:41) So you know that the sun will come. (39:42) This is a sign that the sunrise is approaching. (39:46) And the same with... (39:47) If you read the American Quran and understand, and I showed you, it is God's law. (39:59) I have seen it from verse 9. (40:02) This is a verse that is repeated 3 times in the Quran. (40:07) Back to Catherine. (40:08) We're taking the whole thing from her. (40:10) Verse 9. Speaker 2 (40:13) O you who believe, when the Salah prayer is announced on Friday, this is better for you if you only knew. (40:24) Once the Salah prayer is finished, yet when they see business or entertainment, they rush to it and leave you standing. (40:37) Say, what God possesses is far better than the entertainment. (40:45) I think most of you know that I am employed in a crisis center. (40:52) Masha'Allah, I haven't missed a Friday, Juma, since going to work there. (40:59) Actually, that coincided with a commitment on my part not to miss. (41:03) And you can't organize crises. (41:05) As you all know, they just kind of fall out of the sky, and every Friday, thank God, I've been able to walk out of there. (41:14) And no one calls me back, and the building is still standing when I get back there, and no one says anything. (41:20) It's very important that we understand how important it is that we come and join together on Fridays. (41:27) There is nothing that should keep us from that. (41:30) What I wrote in the margin, and I don't know when it was I wrote it, but I wrote in the margin of those three verses, illusion and unreal, and we need to leave it as easily as we turn off the television, because this is what's real. (41:44) Coming together at Juma and to study Quran and be with believers is real. (41:50) The rest of the world we live in is the illusion that God created to sustain us and guide us and teach us and extend his mercy to us, but it's set up entirely for us. (42:01) It's like some giant playground. (42:03) Some people get injured on the playground, and some people have a wonderful time, but it is an illusion, and this is the real thing. (42:12) There's nothing that should keep us from this. (42:14) Absolutely nothing. (42:17) Does anyone have any comments on the last three verses? (42:20) Yes. Speaker 1 (42:38) How would you have a group of people meet in your house? (43:17) What is Friday in Arabic? (43:44) Friday came from Abraham. (43:57) What do you mean it came first? (43:59) Are you talking about two things? (44:00) What are the two things? (44:08) Is there a first and second in your mind? (44:09) I understand your question. (44:17) You said which came first. (44:19) What do you have in mind when you say which came first? (44:21) Which and which? (44:22) What and what? (44:46) There was a time when there were no names of the weekdays, like the Sabbath. (45:03) We didn't know that all the practices of Islam came through Abraham. (45:13) All the practices came from Abraham. (45:15) Look at 16.123, it will tell you. Speaker 3 (45:56) No, that's wrong. Speaker 1 (46:48) Back to Catherine. (46:51) Let me emphasize, absolutely, this is what I was going to say now. (46:59) It is unfortunate that my generation, for example, in Iran, did disastrous, from my observations. (47:23) There are many fortunate people, like the Sabahis and the Mu'inis, they came to the Friday prayer readily. (47:28) God is guiding them. (47:32) It was not easy for many people to do the Friday prayer and they found it disastrous for them. (47:39) Just the Friday prayer, because they didn't do it, they caused their dropout. (47:48) I'm just trying to emphasize the extreme importance of the Friday prayer. (47:52) God is saying, here, drop all business. (47:56) It is very important. (47:57) And it says, this is better for you. (48:00) If you are waiting for somebody to sign a deal with you, that will give you $10 million. (48:05) And that is at the time of the prayer, God is telling you, go to the Friday prayer and leave those $10 million, and it will be better for you. (48:13) Because God will give you $20 million. (48:15) It is very important, and it is difficult. (48:18) If we grow up, like the last generations in Iran, if we grow up without it, it becomes more difficult to adapt to the Friday prayer. (48:30) But at the same time, the reward is also doubled, actually multiplied many-fold for doing that. (49:13) It doesn't say, oh, you believe in men. Speaker 3 (49:16) You should not go to the Friday prayer. Speaker 1 (49:41) And the next hadith says that women are deficient in religion because they don't go to the Friday prayer. (49:47) What else? (49:54) What about cats, 22? (50:06) No, they said, we discourage them because they follow hadiths. (50:14) But obviously, verse 9 says, oh, you who believe. (50:16) This is an obligatory duty. (50:23) It is very, very important. (50:30) It is a commandment. (50:34) It says, oh, you who believe, when the Salat prayer is announced on Friday, you shall hasten to commemorate. (51:00) Sorry. Speaker 3 (51:01) It is not solving problems. Speaker 1 (51:18) The purpose is to commemorate. (52:09) When is it? (52:09) At the end of the week, if you want to. Speaker 3 (52:10) Yeah, this happens automatically. Speaker 1 (53:12) If you carry out the commandment, this will happen automatically. Speaker 3 (53:29) You agree with the Friday prayer? Speaker 1 (54:15) What if the Imam is giving fantastic lessons that will save your life? (55:21) I don't think anyone is objecting to that. (55:58) Oh, master, master, please, let's not discuss it. (56:09) We can make an assumption and go on discussing it. (56:13) What if the sky is green? Speaker 2 (56:20) The hypocrites. (56:24) The hypocrites come to you and say, we bear witness that you are the messenger of God. (56:29) God knows that you are his messenger, and God bears witness that they use their oaths to deceive and to repel others from the path of God. (56:41) They have believed and disbelieved. (56:43) Consequently, their hearts were sealed, and consequently, they cannot understand. (56:48) When you see them, you may be impressed by their appearance, and when they speak, you hear their voice. (56:53) But they are like wooden logs. (56:55) They think that every cry is intended against them. (56:58) Beware of them. (56:59) God curses them, for they have deviated. (57:02) When they are told, come, let the messenger of God ask forgiveness for you, they turn their heads away, repulsed by their arrogance. (57:09) Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them, God will not forgive them. (57:15) God does not guide the wicked people. (57:17) They are the ones who say, don't give any charity to those who follow the messenger of God, that they may abandon him. (57:24) To God belongs the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites don't understand. (57:28) They say, if we return to the city, the powerful will displace the weak therefrom. (57:34) All dignity and power belong to God and to his messenger and the believers, but the hypocrites don't know. (57:42) Verse 1, the footnote says, even though the hypocrites are uttering a truth, God calls them liars. (57:49) He teaches us that we must reject all fabrications attributed to the prophet under the name of Hadith, even if such Hadith narrates a truth. (57:57) The fabrication of a good Hadith is the bait that Satan uses to cover a deadly hook. (58:04) There are many people who are very talented with words in their individual languages. (58:12) And how scriptures and Hadith (58:15) and the oral traditions in the Jewish faith and so on came to be (58:20) was those human beings who were very talented with words (58:24) took the truths and elaborated upon them (58:27) to the point where they became man-made laws, (58:31) regulations, suggestions, traditions, (58:35) to the point where those became the truths that people followed (58:38) as opposed to the real message, (58:40) which was at the core originally. (58:42) There is some truth, some veracity, to what we hear in oral faith. (58:48) The test is to figure out where it is and what it is. (58:50) If you know what the truth is from the beginning, you can recognize the distortion. (58:56) Sometimes they're so well done that it's hard to argue with people because you're not as articulate as they are, for instance. (59:05) Some people are very articulate and very well-versed with the words and very good abstract thinkers, if I can use that phrase. (59:12) And I'm not. (59:13) I just know what the truth is, thank God. (59:15) And when it starts to get so complicated that it's hard to find it in what I'm hearing, I have to stop that. (59:22) And I have to say, no, there is a bottom line here. (59:25) God says, even if there's truth in what we hear mixed in with the distortion, we're to discard all of it because it is a game. (59:34) And it's Satan's game. (59:35) It isn't a person's game that's talking to you. (59:38) It's Satan's game. (59:39) Satan's out to bring us on those things that we're perhaps not as sure about, not as able to argue about, to get us to go to him and forget God alone. (59:50) And this is really difficult because this is in the media, this is in the newspapers, it's everywhere. (59:56) It's everywhere. (59:57) It's in comedy. (59:59) It's on street signs. (1:00:01) I mean, the distortions are everywhere and the truth is always buried in there somewhere. (1:00:05) It's almost like playing chess. (1:00:07) When it's your turn to move, you have to walk very carefully to the next square because there's so much of that stuff all around us. (1:00:16) And it's stuff. (1:00:18) Don't laugh. Speaker 1 (1:00:21) Chess. Speaker 2 (1:00:22) Chess. (1:00:23) And spaghetti, no doubt. (1:00:26) Okay. (1:00:27) They use their oath to deceive and to repel others from the path of God. (1:00:31) Evil indeed is what they do. (1:00:33) They believe, then disbelieve. (1:00:35) Consequently, their hearts were sealed and they cannot understand. (1:00:38) Once a person has believed and then disbelieved, they're done. (1:00:43) God will continue to support that person throughout their life here and give them even the things that they want, but they'll never get to the truth. (1:00:52) Once they have had it and gave it up, they won't be able to come back. (1:00:58) And God is very definite in this verse about that. (1:01:02) And then goes on to describe them as if they were wooden logs. (1:01:06) And we may be impressed, as I said earlier, by their appearance, by their way of life. (1:01:12) Verse 8 says that all dignity and power belong to God, to his messenger, and the believers. (1:01:19) But the hypocrites don't know. (1:01:22) We are provided for. (1:01:23) Everything we need is provided for. (1:01:26) So when people who don't understand that plot and scheme to prevent us from getting the things that we're supposed to get, it's totally useless. (1:01:35) We get what we're supposed to get from God, not from anyone else. (1:01:39) So those schemes and plans to disrupt or disband or fight with don't go anywhere. (1:01:47) They're diffused before they ever get off the ground. (1:01:50) What they do do is keep those people occupied and out of our business while we go about it, because they're busy doing things that are fruitless. (1:02:00) And that's a form of protection for us as well, because we know that we can't be hurt by them. (1:02:08) Does anyone have any comments, additions, subtractions on that section? Speaker 1 (1:02:17) No. (1:02:56) What this means is that God will accept the prayer for forgiveness for the believers, but not for the hypocrites. (1:03:08) They are too arrogant anyway, and they don't have the belief in their hearts, so they think it's all nonsense anyway. (1:03:16) But it actually proves there is no shafa'at, because it's only the believers who will be helped, and the believers will go to heaven anyway. (1:03:35) The disbelievers and the hypocrites cannot be helped, so what's the use of shafa'at? (1:03:38) So this was the Quranic position. (1:03:41) But the Quranic position is that every one of us, inshallah, when we go to heaven, will say, please God, I want my mother with me. (1:03:49) I love her very much. (1:03:52) And this is shafa'at. (1:03:54) You will say it, I will say it, everyone will say it. (1:03:57) Inshallah in heaven. (1:04:00) Now this shafa'at is useful if the mother is a good person that is already going to heaven. (1:04:07) If the mother was not to go to heaven, this shafa'at would not do any good, therefore it is really useless. (1:04:11) But we would say it anyway, out of emotion. (1:04:15) So this is the understanding of shafa'at. (1:04:17) And this is exactly what this verse will say. (1:04:21) Saying when the messenger asks for forgiveness, it will be accepted for the belief, because it's true. Speaker 2 (1:04:37) It's our human nature to do it. Speaker 1 (1:04:39) Because it's true. (1:04:40) Because it's something that is a fact. (1:04:54) Anybody can repent. (1:04:56) I think this is the point that Catherine... (1:04:59) The verse goes back from belief to disbelief. (1:05:01) There are other verses in the Quran, verse 127 says, the Quran is talking about the period when they are disbelievers. (1:05:19) The thing is that God cannot. (1:05:31) Rephrase your question. (1:05:49) Now you can ask. (1:05:50) Go ahead. (1:06:00) This is the end of the verse. (1:06:01) Look at it. (1:06:04) God does not guide the wicked people. (1:06:07) They are really wicked, so He does not guide them. (1:06:13) Yes, they can, because this is our free decision. (1:06:18) God will not guide us to repentance. (1:06:20) The minute they change their decision to believe, not as long as they are hypocrites or disbelievers, only when they make a decision to believe. (1:06:32) Right. (1:06:32) As soon as they make a decision to believe, they step into God's kingdom. (1:06:37) Right. Speaker 4 (1:06:38) As long as they are hypocrites and disbelievers, they're outside of God, you still don't see. Speaker 1 (1:07:09) God sees. (1:07:10) God says, I know them, you don't know them. (1:07:38) In fact, there's an Arabic, they're standing there like a log. (1:07:54) Turkey, yes. (1:07:56) And then Arabic, too. Speaker 2 (1:08:09) Verse 9. (1:08:10) O you who believe, do not be distracted by your business and your children from the commemoration of God. (1:08:16) Those who do this are losers. (1:08:18) And spend in charity from what we provide for you before death comes to the one of you and then say, My Lord, if you postpone this for a short while, I'll be charitable and righteous. (1:08:28) God never postpones the end for any soul once the predetermined time has come. (1:08:34) God is cognizant of everything you do. (1:08:38) The easiest thing in the world to do is to be distracted by those that we care about the most. (1:08:43) And God warns us against that. (1:08:44) In other verses, He says that these may be enemies of ours, and we do need to be cautious of that and avoid idolatry. (1:08:52) Spending in charity is so easy if we know that nothing we have came from us or will go with us anywhere. (1:08:58) It comes from God, it's not ours to start with, and if we give it in charity, we give it only where it was meant to go. (1:09:05) Verse 11 says, God never postpones the end for any soul and once the time has come, there's nothing more that you can do after the day of resurrection. (1:09:14) But there is so much mercy from God and we have so many chances before that day. (1:09:19) So many, they're limitless. (1:09:21) As long as we live, we have a chance, an opportunity. (1:09:24) God constantly provides those opportunities for the hypocrites to repent, for us to continue to work right up until the last moment. (1:09:32) Verse 11 sounds very final, but when we know the mercy of God and what he provides for us on a minute-to-minute, second-to-second basis in this world, it's extraordinary and it doesn't need to frighten us. (1:09:46) We just need to know that there is a limit and once we've reached it, it's over. (1:09:52) We have no more to do. (1:09:55) Any other comments and questions? Speaker 1 (1:10:01) Go ahead. (1:10:03) Well, let's go to the last time, Catherine, for an excellent Quranic study. Speaker 2 (1:10:07) I think we're up to 1.14 in 10 minutes. (1:10:09) You said you wanted me to go on. Speaker 1 (1:10:13) We'll get to general questions. (1:10:56) Everything God said. (1:11:06) That's a good sign, yeah. (1:11:08) But all of them are important. (1:11:09) All the laws are important. (1:11:12) I want to go back to the Friday business. (1:11:14) Remember that the title of the surah is named after Friday. (1:11:20) There's a surah in the Quran entitled Friday. (1:11:23) And the commandment is there saying, O you who believe, when the Salah traders announce on Friday, go and drop all business. (1:11:30) That's the commandment. (1:11:32) All the commandments of God are important. Speaker 3 (1:11:38) It's a requirement. Speaker 1 (1:11:43) It's not there till nothing else exists. (1:11:47) Everything else will be in vain. (1:11:49) I mean, a person can be truthful and honest and is a very nice person, but he does not believe in God. (1:11:57) All his work is in vain. (1:12:04) La ilaha illallah goes without saying. (1:12:07) Then after that, all the commandments are very important. (1:12:11) Every single one of them. Speaker 3 (1:12:15) So what is more important? Speaker 1 (1:12:19) No. Speaker 3 (1:12:20) Does it mention more than one? Speaker 1 (1:12:23) Actually, they are both usually mentioned together. (1:12:26) Salat and zakat. (1:12:28) Fasting is very important. (1:12:32) If you disobey God, if you don't fast, if you disobey God, if you don't do the zakat, if you disobey God, if you don't do the prayer, if you disobey God, if you lie or cheat. (1:12:42) Take your pick. (1:12:43) It's very expensive. Speaker 5 (1:12:45) But God can also... Speaker 1 (1:12:55) Well, it's our choice, you know. (1:12:56) You can put your finger in the fire or not. (1:13:00) It's up to you. (1:13:02) I mean, God left it up to us. (1:13:11) We have Jahan today. (1:13:14) If he doesn't want to do the push-ups, he will think that God is doing everything, not him. (1:13:20) So it's as simple as that. (1:13:24) We're celebrating Layla's birthday today. (1:13:30) I don't mean to embarrass you. (1:13:34) But her birthday was the 19th of March. (1:13:40) She didn't even know that her address was the month of the 19th. (1:13:46) So that's why she came to Tucson. (1:13:53) There are so many things that we need to do. (1:13:56) We read al-Fatiha for Suhail, remember? (1:13:59) It was in her test. (1:14:01) But she passed. (1:14:11) There's another big test coming up. (1:14:18) And she's greedy again, and she wants us to read al-Fatiha for her. (1:14:24) God never turns us down. (1:14:28) And Ahmed needs that we ask Allah to help him with his Ph.D. exam. (1:14:35) It's Monday. (1:14:35) Okay, do it for me too. Speaker 3 (1:14:37) Yes, of course. (1:14:39) I'm a deaf mom. (1:14:41) Yes, you better ask. Speaker 1 (1:14:46) God is generous. (1:14:48) God is generous. (1:14:49) And we have a perfect record so far, alhamdulillah. (1:14:54) God never turns us down. (1:14:56) Strange things we ask for, and He never turns us down. (1:15:00) We even overturned governments. (1:15:04) We did that. (1:15:07) What else? (1:15:08) You're supposed to remind me. (1:15:11) Who else asked for al-Fatiha? (1:15:13) Huh? (1:15:16) Yes, we said al-Fatiha for Linda Baroni because she had some infection in the hospital. (1:15:24) We want to take advantage of Jahan's presence so he'll be our teacher next week. (1:15:31) He wants to go AWOL. (1:15:50) Let's say al-Fatiha so he stays, okay? (1:16:00) Okay, so let us recite al-Fatiha and ask Allah SWT to give Layla a happy year coming up. (1:16:07) Every year to be happier than the previous year. (1:16:10) And we're going to recite also al-Fatiha for Suad, for her coming test. (1:16:16) And for Ahmed Rayan, as you recite al-Fatiha to him, to God, and ask him for your own personal wishes, anything you want. (1:16:32) Al-Fatiha. (1:16:52) Congratulations, you special people. (1:16:57) Yes, of course. (1:16:58) Was I supposed to?