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Al-Bayan, Discourses on the Qur'an
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi

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Surah Aal i Imran
Aayaat 100 to 104.

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Gratitude is only for God,
the Lord of the World,

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and may His peace and mercy
be on Muhammad, the trustworthy.

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I seek refuge with God
from the accursed Devil.

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In the Name of God, the Most Gracious,
the Ever Merciful.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, We are beginning

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the study of Surah Aal I Imran from 
verse 100 in the Quran.

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Earlier, the first section of the chapter
concluded on verse 99

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This chapter is based on two sections,
one introduction and one conclusion.

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This is the structure of its subject 
matter.

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There is an introduction.

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Then begins a section on the completion of
proof on the People of the Book

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and it reaches a conclusion on verse 99.

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Now begins the second section which 
would finally lead

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to the conclusion of the chapter.

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This verse onwards the address is 
directed towards the Muslims.

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The direction of the address has changed.

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In these verses of the Quran, this 
method is generally adopted.

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Either the address is 
directed towards the Muslims,

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as in Surah Nisa and then the 
People of the Book are discussed.

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After the introduction of the chapter,
the chapter will either begin

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by addressing the People of the Book
and then the Muslims.

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If you look here, the proof has been
completed upon the People of the Book.

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All proofs were given and as we 
say in the last lecture,

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at the end of that topic, the Quran 
provided answers to the

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three main objections raised by
the people of the book.

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After providing answers to their 
objections

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they were sternly reprimanded and
then they were also invited to Islam

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and they were asked to not reject 
the Quranic verses

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and not to stop people from Allah's
path

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and not to malign those things that
they have been made witness to

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because this is not the correct attitude.

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Now the address is directed 
towards the Muslims,

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Muslims are first warned of the 
deviant schemes of the People of the Book

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which they would employ to turn away 
the Muslims from the path of the truth

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But they should stay steadfast 
on the path of Allah.

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After this, the subject of purification 
and cleanliness of the Muslims will begin

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In other words, Muslims should 
reform themselves,

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they should fulfil their obligation 
towards islam,

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they should hold on to the rope 
of Allah steadfastly,

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they should follow the way of Allah
and the Prophet (pbuh) in difficult times.

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So, these things which are important 
for their purification, eduction

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the purification of their wisdom and
character will be discussed.

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So, this is the structure of this
chapter.

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Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo 
in tutee'oo fareeqam

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minal lazeena ootul Kitaaba

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Believers! If you yield to a group from 
among these People of the Book,

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It is obvious that from all the things
that have been said,

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one of these includes telling the 
people of the book

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about things they have been 
doing wrong.

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On the other hand, since they are
religious people

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and they are at the forefront of religious
issues,

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people look up to them with respect to
these issues,

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in a way, they have the status 
of religious leaders,

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the common people of Arabia,
those from the tribes of Aws and Khajraj

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and people from other tribes think that
these people have the best understanding

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of issues relating to Prophethood for
they have a whole history of Prophets.

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We can make a mistake but

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these people cannot make any 
mistakes in this regard.

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So, these people would be influenced 
by them to an extent as well.

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That is why this issue was introduced by
stating that:

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Believers! If you yield to a group 
from among these People of the Book,

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By 'a group', Quran refers to those
people who are stubborn

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and these people usually include their
religious leaders,

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something which the Quran tells us.

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They are the leaders and hence trusted
by the common populace.

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It is mostly those people.

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By 'a group', Quran refers to those
people only.

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And By 'a group', Quran also refers to 
those people

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who are not part of this group.

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It Is not as thought every one from 
among the people of the Book

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has become an ingrate.

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A group from among them which also 
plays the leadership role

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indulges in such activities.

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If you yield to this group from 
among the People of the Book,

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then what will these people do?

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yaruddookum ba'da eemaanikum kaafireen

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Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo in 
tutee'oo fareeqam

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minal lazeena ootul Kitaaba

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Believers! If you yield to a group from 
among these People of the Book,

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they will turn you back from belief to 
disbelief.

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Their real intention is that you 
yield to these people

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so that they will also lead the 
Muslims into disbelief like themselves.

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I have already mentioned that the people
of justice from among them,

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those people that the Quran will praise 
later on,

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the Quran always mentions them by setting 
them apart from these people.

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The Quran tells us that there are such 
people who talk of justice,

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and don't act stubbornly at all.

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Although it can be the case that

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their minds may still lack 
clarity,

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but they ask questions and they 
engage and then again

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there are people who have a
clarity in their thoughts

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but their still persists a dissonance
in their actions.

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In other words, he pauses regularly
wondering

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if his decision was right of not.

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Even those people that have such 
ambiguities are different.

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But these people are the ones who are
in such a place

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because of their stubbornness that if you 
listen to them,

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then you should know their objective.

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It is that they will also lead you into
disbelief

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just as they disbelieve out of
their sheer stubbornness.

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And you think that since they are 
believers

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and hence they cannot lead you into
disbelief...

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It is obvious that if religious leaders 
and believers are like that

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then people feel that the leaders
have no reason to lead them away.

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The Quran stated that their religion 
is merely ritualistic

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and they are the primary enemies of 
religion.

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They not only themselves are 
its disbelievers they will also

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lead the Muslims into disbelief if the 
Muslims are led away by them.

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The Quran stated that their actions 
would lead to such consequences.

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Wa kaifa takfuroona wa antum 
tutlaa 'alaikum Aayaatul laahi

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O Muslims [Be forewarned of this].
In other words, [Be forewarned of them]

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Be forewarned of what you have been told.

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[just reflect] how can you disbelieve 
when God’s verses are being recited to you

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It is understandable that they want 
to lead you away

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but how can you disbelieve 
when God’s Book has been revealed to you

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and His own Messenger is among you,
when God’s verses are being recited to you

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when the truth is being manifested 
before you

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Wa kaifa takfuroona wa antum tutlaa 
'alaikum Aayaatul laahi

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when God’s verses are being 
recited to you

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wa feekum Rasooluh;
and His own Messenger is among you.

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If in spite of this they disregard 
the truth

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then there is no bigger 
deprivation and misfortune than that.

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They will now have no excuse to present 
before the Almighty

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which in other words would mean 
that they have slipped in broad daylight.

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The result would be that even though
everything was visible even then

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they surrendered themselves to the dark.

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wa feekum Rasooluh; wa mai ya'tasim

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billaahi faqad hudiya ilaa Siraatim 
Mustaqeem

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[So hold fast to God]

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To hold fast to God” means that

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in good and bad circumstances 
a person adheres to the truth

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and does not swerve in any way from 
the directives of God

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and the teachings of His Book.

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[So hold fast to God] and [remember that] 
he who holds fast to God

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[then know that] he shall be guided 
to the straight path.

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So, he who holds fast to God 
shall never be misguided

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If you hold fast to your own ego 
then you will face the same misfourtune

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that these people have faced.

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Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanut 
taqul laaha haqqa tuqaatihee

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Believers! Fear God as you rightly should

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This is an explanation of what holding 
fast to God actually means:

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When it was instructed to
hold fast to God

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and when it was said that

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he shall be guided 
to the straight path

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who holds fast to God and
shall never be misguided.

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So, what does holding fast to 
God actually mean?

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The Quran makes clear its meaning in the
next verse:

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to fear God the way a person rightly 
should.

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The word 'fear' that is usually used...

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Here, the Quran uses the word 
righteousness

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In other words, they should be vary of
the limitations.

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They should be wakeful with respect 
to Allah.

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So, generally people feel that it is a 
way of intimidation.

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Fear is both rational as well as
delusional.

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The fear of ghosts, for example, is a fear
that stems from delusions

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You come across such a situation when
you, for instance,

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visit some house.

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It is a fear that stems from delusions.

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Fear is also rational.

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It is a rational fear when you know
that the bridge in front of you

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is broken and there are chances that
you will fall off the bridge.

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To be cautious about it...

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In other words, a child is quite
courageous.

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He can catch hold of a snake.

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But why?

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Because, rationally speaking, he does 
not understand the concept of a snakebite.

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By 'fear of God', it does not mean that
you are frightened by a ghost.

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It entails that you should be conscious of
the fact that one day

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you will stand before Allah.

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He is your almighty.
You have to face him.

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If you go before him as a dishonest,
fraudulent person,

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if you are guided by stubborness
and envy

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do you know the consequence of such 
an action?

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Every reasonable person should 
be apprehensive of it.

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Our discourses are based on the 
same principle in this world as well.

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This is what the Quran is 
trying to explain.

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So, this is being stated.

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The word 'righteousness' that has 
been used,

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it is obvious that the Quran has said:

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aamanut taqul laaha haqqa tuqaatihee

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Believers! Fear God as you rightly should.

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But Fearing God is required to the extent 
that a person is capable of.

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The Qur’ān itself has explained this in
Surah Tagaful.

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Fataqul la masta ttaatu

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You should fear god as much as you 
are capable of.

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In other words, such an attitude
is not detrimental for the individual.

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It he is fearful and apprehensive, 
if he is conscious of the transgressions

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and if he bound by the limits set 
by God,

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he will do it to the extent that 
a person is capable of.

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God doesn't ask you shoulder 
more responsibility

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than you are capable of shouldering.

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But he will fear god by accepting 
the truth of fearing god.

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In other words, he will fear god
with the consciousness that

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he is dealing with God himself.

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Firstly, the obligations a person owes to 
God

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are ones which he owes to no other person.

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Secondly, the limits and bounds set 
by God

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and the punishments for violating them

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have been prescribed for the worldly 
and next-worldly benefit of people;

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God does not stand to gain from obeying 
these limits; it is they who stand to gain

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Even when we apply the system of
recompense and Punishment

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we do it for the reformation of the
community and the people,

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we do it for their benefits.

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In other words, the system of
recompense and Punishment

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and the judicial system does not 
stand to benefit from it.

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It is meant for human beings
only.

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And if they transgress the set limits 
then everyone feels

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that they should be criticised.

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So, the judicial system of
recompense and Punishment

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that has been legislated by Allah

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is meant for the benefit of human beings
only.

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Thirdly, God is watching over 
everything; so much so,

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He even knows what is in the 
hearts of people.

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Fourthly, no one can save a person 
from God’s punishment

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and the Almighty can punish a person 
both in this world

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and in the Hereafter and this 
punishment can be eternal.

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So, these the things which when an
individual takes into consideration

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while fearing god, it is only then that
he fears god as he rightly should.

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Unless a person keeps an eye on all these 
aspects of fearing God,

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he cannot grasp the real meaning of 
fearing God.

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??

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it is the fear of god, his virtue 
that is stated here.

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aamanut taqul laaha 
haqqa tuqaatihee

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Believers! Fear God as 
you rightly should.

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wa laa tamootunna illaa wa 
antum muslimoon

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and when you leave this world 
leave it as followers of Islam whatsoever

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In other words, when the time comes
to leave this world

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99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then you should be a follower
of Islam

231
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
until that time.

232
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Wa'tasimoo bi Hablil laahi jamee'anw

233
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and together cling to the rope of God

234
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
wa laa tafarraqoo
and let nothing divide you

235
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
These are the things that have
been stated.

236
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we should take note of each
of the aforementioned aspects.

237
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
wa laa tamootunna illaa wa 
antum muslimoon

238
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It means that the instruction to fear
Allah

239
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or when you are instructed to be
obedient towards Allah,

240
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it is a commitment for a lifetime.

241
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There is no scope for to leave it.

242
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Once you have become mature,

243
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
once god consciousness has become a
part of your thought process,

244
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
once it has become part of your intellect,

245
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then this struggle will go on until your
last breath.

246
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Therefore, you should be mindful.

247
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If you leave this struggle before your
death,

248
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then your hardwork will go to waste.

249
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, when the Quran stated that:
wa laa tamootunna illaa wa antum muslimoon

250
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it entails that this matter is not meant 
for a day or two,

251
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
instead the duration that Allah has
decided for this test,

252
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the entire duration must be spent in
piety, by fearing Allah.

253
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It also makes clear that it is an
uneven path,

254
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we will face ups and downs,
we will face difficulties,

255
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we will face discord, we will face
satan who will ambush us at night

256
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and come across many hitches 
and obstacles from enemies.

257
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
At times, greed will try to lure people and, at others, fear will try to intimidate them.

258
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Those who passed through all these phases while protecting their faith

259
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and reached their destination that Allah has ordained for the believers...And what is the nature of that destination?

260
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
??

261
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This is what the Quran has interpreted by 
using the word verse

262
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
cling to the rope of God steadfastly,

263
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
mentioned the Quran and 
then elaborated it at length.

264
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What is the rope of Allah?
It is the Quran.

265
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This refers to the Qur’ān because this is the rope

266
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which is stretched from the heavens 
to the earth between God and His servants

267
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It is this rope which is the means to reach 
God and it is also our covenant with Him.

268
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Consequently, holding firmly the rope of God means nothing but

269
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to firmly grasp the Book of God and in no situation leave it.

270
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Holding steadfast is qualified by the word verse

271
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then the Quran has used the words
verse

272
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Quran has instructed us against
any sort of dissension.

273
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What does it mean?

274
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This means that this requirement is from Muslims

275
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in their collective and individual capacity to cling firmly to the rope of Allah.

276
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They should not become divided 
by forsaking it.

277
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
While being united they should 
adhere to the Qur’ān,

278
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
read it and reflect on its verses.

279
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They should gather counsel from it, 
turn to it in all their affairs

280
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
considering it to be a 
barometer of justice

281
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and before its verdicts give no 
importance to any other thing whatsoever.

282
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This is what verse would signify.

283
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You should firmly grasp this rope 
of Allah as the Quran said:

284
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Wa'tasimoo bi Hablil laahi jamee'anw

285
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Take it that as it was said earlier that
you should hold on to Allah firmly,

286
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and a person holds on to Allah by fearing 
him and by fully obeying God

287
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and once you have the fear of God,

288
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then you are inclined towards 
the book of Allah

289
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so that I do not transgress
the limits set by Allah.

290
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
?

291
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
wazkuroo ni'matal laahi alaikum

292
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And the Quran said:

293
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and remember the favour 
God has bestowed upon you:

294
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What favours?

295
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
iz kuntum a'daaa'an

296
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Here, the companions are the addressee,
that when you were enemies of one another

297
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
fa allafa baina quloobikum
so He united your hearts

298
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
fa asbah tum bini'matiheee ikhwaananw

299
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and with His grace you became brothers.

300
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And remember, the Quran said:

301
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
wa kuntum 'alaa shafaa 
hufratim minan Naari

302
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and [remember] when you stood 
at the very brink of an abyss of fire;

303
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
fa anqazakum minhaa;
then He saved you from it

304
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The companions, who were party to
the Prophet are told

305
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about the grace that Allah has bestowed
upon them.

306
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Anyone who is aware of the history 
of Pre-islamic Arabia knows that

307
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Before the revelation of this Book, 
every tribe was an enemy of the other

308
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and they would be engaged in 
fighting and warfare.

309
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The stories of their warfare

310
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
are spread across their literature
and poetry.

311
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Their was no unifying thread 
between them on basis of religion also.

312
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They were, each one of the them, 
the progeny of Abraham,

313
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but only in name.

314
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Each tribe had its own deities.

315
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Their interests clashed with one 
another

316
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the fields of politics and 
economics as well.

317
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
With the introduction of the Quran,

318
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it knitted them together and 
weaved them into a locket of pearls

319
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and foes became friends and well-wishers.

320
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Here, they are reminded 
of the blessings bestow upon the arrival

321
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the Prophet and the Quran.

322
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They were told that:

323
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they stood at the very 
brink of an abyss of fire;

324
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Warfare, hatred for each other, disbelief
and internal grudges

325
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which were founded on disbelief,
and colliding with each others profits

326
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
had dragged you to a place 
where

327
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you stood at the very 
brink of that abyss of fire.

328
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And the nature of that fire is such 
that

329
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it is quite extraordinary for nations
in this world as well as in the next world

330
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
where it won't spare anyone indulging in
idolatry,

331
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
injustice and transgressions against 
others.

332
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, the Quran said:

333
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then the Prophet and the Quran
saved you from it.

334
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu lakum 
aayaatihee

335
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Thus God explains to you 
His revelations

336
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
la'allakum tahtadoon
so that you may be guided.

337
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Through these verses we come to know
that

338
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
one really important blessing from 
among God's blessings

339
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
bestowed upon a nation or a group is
that

340
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a bond of love comes into 
being between them

341
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The truth is that it doesn't happen
easily.

342
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Hence, look at the words that the
Quran uses:

343
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
iz kuntum a'daaa'an fa allafa 
baina quloobikum

344
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Allah put love between you people
when you were foes.

345
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This is a great blessing by Allah.

346
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Otherwise, minor issues result in
the disintegration of nations.

347
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The ego of human beings is such 
and it breeds suspicions so easily

348
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and they are so prone to profits

349
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that it is even difficult for 4 
people to walk together.

350
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
At every step we are anxious that
they might fall in a ditch.

351
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And internal conflicts, the sort that
we see amongst Muslims...

352
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
People are slaves to profits.

353
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If two people work together, then we 
do not expect them

354
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to live their lives together and 
put faith in each other.

355
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Mistrust is in the family and outside,
it is in the society,

356
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the cultural and the political world.

357
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In other words, they have engulfed the
entire community.

358
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If you look at the environment in 
your social milieu,

359
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you will find out that moral
degradation is exemplified

360
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in communal discordance.

361
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The entire community will become
discordant and perturbed

362
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because from a moral point of view,

363
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
people are not able to trust each other.

364
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This environment of mistrust creates a
crisis of trust.

365
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And then it is very difficult to come out 
of it.

366
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Hence, Allah has especially brought it to
the attention of the Companions that:

367
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
my greatest blessing towards you was to 
turn your enmity into love

368
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You became brothers because of my
blessings.

369
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And the situation of your nation was such
that

370
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it would have resulted in a pit of fire
in this world as well as the next

371
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and Allah pulled you out of it.

372
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Then the Quran stated that:
this is the manner in which

373
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Allah explains his verses.

374
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And this is how Allah explains to
you that

375
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a slight mistake in this matter 
can result in grave trials.

376
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if they want to sustain love 
and unity among them

377
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In other words, Allah has
united you

378
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and if you want to sustain it

379
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they must hold fast to this Book otherwise

380
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they will revert to the age 
of ignorance they used to be in.

381
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It was undeniable that they were 
standing at the brink of an abyss of fire

382
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If you read their history, it becomes
absolutely clear.

383
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Almighty caught them 
by their hands and saved them from it.

384
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So now if they forsake this Book,

385
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
there is a strong chance that they 
will fall in this abyss

386
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then will not be able to 
save themselves from its flames.

387
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This directive that was applicable to the 
muslim collectivity at that point of time

388
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it is applicable in the same manner even
today.

389
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The discord and disagreement, 
the ugliness

390
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which has become part of our 
culture, politics, economics,

391
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
one of the major reasons behind that
is that

392
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Muslims have abandoned the book
of Allah.

393
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The instructions and guidance that
was there in the Quran,

394
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the manner in which our moral being
was made the real objective of our lives,

395
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
this is the most foundational and
axial point of the Quran

396
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that you have to purify your
moral being,

397
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you have to be of service to others,
your wealth is not your own,

398
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
others have a right to it as well.

399
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You have to spend in the way of your lord
and it is obvious that when

400
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
someone is willing to spend their wealth

401
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
then how is it possible that he commits
injustice and transgressions

402
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and how is it possible for him
to steal from others.

403
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This is something which purifies human
beings from a moral point of view.

404
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This was the real message of the Quran.

405
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Even today if you read the quran,

406
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you will find that the Quran does not
consist of things like

407
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which are very common in our
culture such as:

408
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
stories and ?

409
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He invites human beings to the simple
message that

410
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they should try to verify the true 
essence of virtue.

411
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That is the real faith in god.

412
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It is a feeling of being present 
before him.

413
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You should live with the sentiment
that you will be accountable to god.

414
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and the basis for this accountability
is the purification of your moral being.

415
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Moral being should be as pure as possible.

416
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The Quran calls it verse

417
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You should act in such a way that

418
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it guides you, your culture, your 
environment to the straight path,

419
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
When things become part of a jargon
then people stop focusing on its meaning.

420
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It is a very beautiful interpretation.

421
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In other words, there are certain
actions which when commited

422
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
result in internal friction within 
yourself.

423
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
These actions stem discord at your home,
in your community,

424
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And then there is a sort of action
which leads to goodness and success everywhere.

425
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What is that action.

426
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It is obvious that it is the same action
where an individual has a cognition

427
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of his moral being and confirms it.

428
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He should recognise himself and 
the essence of his dignity.

429
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I am a moral being and I will take
moral purification to that level

430
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
where it is supposed to be and
then I will achieve eminence.

431
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If I fail to do that then there is no
difference between myself and an animal.

432
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, this is the teaching of the Quran.

433
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
If you hold steadfast to the 
directives of the Qur’ān

434
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and if you make it the center and
axis of all things

435
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which I always translate as the
following:

436
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The main reason for the decline of
the muslim community is that

437
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it neither made quran the center and
axis of its knowledge

438
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
nor did it make the Quran the center and
axis of its actions.

439
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In terms of knowledge, if you visit
the religious schools,

440
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if you look at religious edition, philosophy
or debates in jurisprudence

441
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
making quran the axis of your religion
and then trying to comprehend the Quran

442
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as the Quran wants us to do has escaped
our knowledge.

443
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Due to this reason we are left with
the stories of fazeil, fables

444
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the debates on ? and those things
that have no relevance to our lives

445
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The most important reality of our life
is that which the Quran states as

446
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the act of leading one's life with the
sentiment of accountability before god

447
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
One day I will have to stand in the
court of my lord

448
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I cannot take any chances.

449
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I cannot deceive anyone, I cannot 
do adulteration,

450
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I cannot be dishonest, I cannot
be unjust towards others.

451
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You will feel this sentiment only when


452
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you will lead your life with the 
consciousness that

453
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you are accountable to your lord.