As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 17, Al-Isrâ or the Night Journey, verses 61-77. These verses tell of Shaitan’s (or Satan or Iblis or Lucifer) enmity towards human beings and his vow to seduce them to the dark side. Also, on the Day of Judgment, every community and its leaders will be held accountable for their deeds and no compromise is allowed in matters of Islamic law and principles.
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Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.Recall the occasion when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam.” They all prostrated except Iblees (Shaitãn), who replied: “Should I prostrate to the one whom You have created from clay?”[61] Then he asked: “Tell me, is this the one whom You have honored above me? If You give me respite till the Day of Resurrection, I will certainly uproot all but a few of his descendants.”[62] Allah said: “Go away! Hell is your reward, and the reward of those who follow you, an ample reward it shall be.[63] You may try to allure whomsoever you can with your seductive voice, muster against them all your cavalry and infantry, be their partner in their riches and their children, and promise them what you will – the promises of shaitãn are nothing but deception[64] – as for My servants, you shall have no authority over them. Your Lord is sufficient as their Guardian.”[65] 17:[61-65]
Your Lord is the One Who drives your ships across the ocean, so that you may seek His bounty; indeed He is ever Merciful to you.[66] Whenever any adversity strikes you at sea, all those to whom you pray besides Him forsake you except He; yet when He brings you safe to the land, you turn your backs upon Him. Indeed, man is ever ungrateful.[67] Are you confident that He will not cave in the land beneath you, or let loose a deadly tornado upon you? Then you may not find anyone to protect you.[68] Or, are you confident that when again you go back to sea He will not smite you with a violent tempest and drown you for your thanklessness? If that happens, then you will not find anyone who can question Us regarding this end of yours.[69] It is Our favor that We have honored the children of Adam, blessed them with conveyances on land and sea, provided them with good and pure things and exalted them above many of Our creatures.[70] 17:[66-70]
Just imagine the scene of that Day when We shall call every community with their respective Imams (leaders): then those who will be given their ‘book of deeds’ in their right hand will read it with pleasure and they will not be wronged in the least.[71] But those who have played blind in this world will be blind in the hereafter, rather worse than blind in finding the Way to Salvation.[72] 17:[71-72]
O Muhammad! These people have tried to entice you from Our revelations, hoping that you might fabricate something in Our name. Had you done that, they would have made you their friend.[73] Had We not strengthened your faith, you might have made some compromise with them.[74] In such a case We would have given you double punishment in this life and in the life hereafter. Then you would have found no helper against Our wrath.[75] They almost scare you off the land, to expel you from it. If they do so, they will not be able to stay here much longer after you.[76] This has always been Our Sunnah (course of action) with regards to those Messengers whom We sent before you, and you will find no change in Our Sunnah (course of action).[77] 17:[73-77]
Ameen.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.