At the end of this article I have included 3 charts and an explanatory note, as follows: 1. A Chart (Series 4) that lists the titles of the 10 Six Minute Talks with the corresponding Talk Number. These Scripts or Articles could be read or downloaded from ScribD 2. A Chart (Series 3) that lists out the series of talks that covers the subject ‘Muslim History’ or ‘Islamic History’ . This interesting subject is covered in two approaches. One set of talks (Talk No’s 114 & 116) are an outline of what happened, and The second lot of talks (Talk No’s 117 to 119) is a description of the reaction of the Muslim world or the Muslim Populace to the changes or the social tribulations that were taking place right throughout this history. 3. A Chart (Series 2) that lists out the 16 Talks (or Episodes) under the series ‘Knowing Allah Ta’aalah or Knowing GOD’ These Scripts or Articles too could be read or downloaded from ScribD 4. Notes to these talks or to these scripts/ articles
The main objective of these talks (and therefore the scripts of these talks), is to stimulate thinking. Sensible, rational and logical thinking. So, my message, think, think & think! Be sensible, be rational and be logical.
#122 Takabbur – Some Insights Dear Friends,
Alhamdulillah, during the last two weeks, I have been focusing attention on the observation that the Quran repeatedly and in many ways refers to two categories of people. For simplicity we could refer to them as the ‘good’ and the ‘evil’ [See ‘#120 The Categories of People’ and ‘#121 Learning about the Qualities of People ’] Now within those two categories we find the Quran describing many, what we could even describe as subcategories of people. For example in the category of good people we find other categories of people being defined or described as Muslim, or Mu’min, or Mukhlis, or Muhsin and so on. And similarly within the category of evil people we find other categories of people being defined or described as Kaafir, or Munafiq, or Faasiq, or Mufsidh and so on. Now in the Quran Allah does not just randomly call people names. What we read in the Quran is about ‘named’ qualities and then we are told that those who possess these ‘named’ qualities belong to a selection of categories, all of which are named, as well as described and defined. So we read in the Quran about the qualities of a Mu’min, the qualities of a Kaafir, the qualities of a Munafiq, the qualities of a Swaaleh and so on.
So it becomes very very interesting. i nteresting. We do not ‘just randomly or ‘according to our likes and dislikes’ or ‘our fancies and prejudices’ name people as we wish. But it is through reading the Quran that we begin to understand these qualities and then gradually we begin to recognize those qualities in people. This is how we first begin to understand the categories that people belong to. However, it may be relatively easy to detect qualities of others, especially the evil qualities of others, but then the main task is to turn the search inwards and to seriously think, ‘ Am I also not possessing these evil qualities too?’ It would surprise many of us to find out that we do indeed possess traits of many evil qualities. The problem is that we just did not look! Then the next question, ‘How do I eliminate these evil qualities from my life?’ Or in better words, ‘How do I purify myself?’ In today’s talk I would like to give a brief introduction to these categories of persons as well as the qualities that make up these categories. I am doing this by reading to you the Aayaths of the Quran that point out these factors to us.
In the meantime, another interesting point that I would like to point out, is that one task or purpose we have on this earth i s to be able to identify these qualities, identify those people who possess t hese qualities and realize as to what category they belong to and then, as I say, most importantly, look at ourselves, identify the qualities that we possess, strengthen the good ones and eliminate the evil ones – Insha Allah!
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Now how do we do that? From where do we start? I think a good place to start from would be from the events that surrounds our creation. Allah describes these landmark events in the form of beautiful stories, and they are even repeated a few times in the Quran. There are many lessons to be learnt in every word that is used in every one of those Aayaths that make up this narration. Whilst repeatedly reading these Aayaths it becomes obvious to us that Allah is describing to us an absorbing drama. Allah describes to us tthe he roles played by the Malaa-ikah, the part played by the Jinn named Iblees and we also have the involvement of a representative from the Insaan or us Humans and that is our forefather, Aadham (AS). One objective of this drama or the enactment of these events is to demonstrate or to provide evidence to us about the treachery of Iblees, and to clearly point out to us the fact that he had become arrogant. An important lesson that all of us should learn from this event is, as Allah describes or teaches us, the consequences of this arrogance or Takabbur. Let me read this interesting Aayath from Surah Saad
(38:75) He (Allah) said, “O Iblīs, what prevented you from performing Sujoodh
to one whom I created with My hands? Are you arrogant or are you from amongst the exalted ones?”
﴾﴿
Allah is informing us that Iblis had developed this reprehensible quality known as, ‘Takabbur’ in Arabic, and as arrogance or pride in English.
And then Allah condemns Iblis. Let me read a few Aayaths from the Quran where Iblis is being condemned. Allah is drawing our attention to, or in fact actually warning us about the evil qualities that Iblis possesses. Surah A’raaf
(7:13) He said, “Then, go down from it,
it is not for you to show arrogance in it. So, get out. You are one of the degraded.
﴾﴿
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Surah Al Hijr (15:34) He said, “Then, get out of here, for you are an outcast,
﴾﴿
Surah Al Hijr (15:35) and upon you is the curse up to the Day of Judgment.”
﴾﴿
Allah is now describing to us the qualities of Iblis. These are all despicable qualities. Allah tells us that Iblis has Takabbur, which means that Iblis thinks that he is ‘great’ Now Allah tells us something very enlightening, something very interesting. I would like to once again, read to you Aayath No 13 from Surah A’raaf. This time too let me read it to you in 3 phrases It becomes clearer when we read this Aayath in this manner In the first phrase Allah informs us about what He tells Iblis:
(7:13a) He said, “Then, get down from it,
This is an indication that Iblis is being sent from an exalted place which could even include some status, to a lowly place and position. Now, where would that lowly place be? In the next phrase we are informed
(7:13b) it is not for you to show arrogance in it.
This means that in that exalted place and in that position, there is no place for arrogance and that arrogance is just not tolerated, and Iblis is now being expelled to a place where apparently , arrogance is tolerated. Now, where would that place be?
(7:13c) So, get out. You are one of the degraded.
﴾﴿
Iblis is expelled and is demoted to a ‘SwaaGHireen’ SwaGHeer is the opposite of Kabeer, K abeer, which means that this Iblis who enjoyed some status (the Quran indicates the company of the Malaa’ika) has now been degraded to a despised position – a SwaaGHireen.
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Coincidently, we find that Allah does not refer to Iblis by his name thereafter, until when Allah is explaining to us the events that would unfold on Judgment Day, and in that explanation the name Iblis reappears. So the explanation points out to the fact that this Jinn who was formerly named Iblis, has now been relegated to the category of Shaithaans, which consists of evil Jinns and evil men. There is that possibility that this Jinn Iblis who has been demoted to a Shaithaan is in fact leading the pack of Shaithaans in their evil exploits. Anyway, one important point that I wish to draw attention to is the fact that Iblis or the Shaithaans now all exist in a Universe or in the only part of the Universe where Takabbur is tolerated. Now we as Human Beings live in this environment. It is an environment where we cannot directly see or observe God. However, we are all gifted with this innate quality of curiosity. We want to or have to know how things work. If we seek with humility then we would recognize the Signs of God and then Allah will guide us. On the other hand if we allow arrogance or pride to tempt us, then we begin to develop the mindsets that it is ‘we’ who are ‘great’ It is we who are looking after this world It is we who are caretakers of this world and everything that it contains, and gradually this evil quality of Takabbur grows and grows within us. We must also realize that we are in the presence of all the Shaithaans, and their objective would be to corrupt us. How? The Shaithaans would try to infect us with their quality of Takabbur. We just do not realize. We just grow and glow with pride and arrogance. If we observe carefully we can detect it all around us, and also within us. Let us try to get more knowledge about this quality ‘Takabbur’ Allah informs us that Iblis has Takabbur or arrogance. He also informs us that as a result of this Takabbur Iblis has been degraded or is now of the SWaaGHireen. He also informs us that as a result of this Takabbur Iblis has been expelled from an exalted place, We can thus assume that he is now in a ‘lowly’ place He also informs us that as a result of this Takabbur Iblis is now an outcast (a Rajeem)
(15:34) He said, “Then, get out of here, for you are an outcast,
﴾﴿
He also tells us that Iblis is cursed and the curse would stand till the day of Judgment. That means that due to this curse the degraded Iblis, is unable or incapable of doing any good, everything he does would be evil. He is cursed. [Is this not a pointer to us that any deed, however wonderful it may appear to us, if it is done with Takabbur, it would in fact be evil?]
(15:35) and upon you is the curse up to the Day of Judgment.”
﴾﴿ 4
Now Allah also informs us about the response of Iblis. Just listen!
(15:36) He said, “My Rabb, then give me respite up to the day they (the dead) shall be raised.”
﴾﴿
Surah A’raaf
﴾﴿
﴾﴿
(7:15) He (Allah) said, “You are granted respite’’.
Surah Bani Israel or Surah Isra (17:62) He said, “Tell me, this one whom You have honored more than me,
if You give me respite till the day of Qiyaamah I will destroy (subdue) his progeny, (La ah thanikanna zurriyyathaHu) except a few of them.” Surah Bani Israel or Surah Isra (17:63) He (Allah) said, “Go then, for whoever of them follows you, (QaalazHab Faman thabighaka minHum) the Hell shall be the recompense of you all, a full recompense.
﴾﴿
Surah Al Hijr (15:39) He said, “My Rabb, since You made me go astray, I swear that I shall (La Uzaiyyinanna laHum) beautify for them (evils) on the earth, and shall lead all of them astray,
(15:40) except those of Your servants from among them who are chosen (by You).”
﴾﴿ ﴾ ﴿
So we are all in a position where we could choose to remain humble. Make conscious efforts to recognize the presence of God through the creation and functioning of the Universe, especially when we observe the majestic as well as the intricate components, systems and balances involved. Or, we could ignore the message ‘within what we observe’, and get tempted and drawn towards the delusional message being directed towards us by t he Shaithaans.
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Shaithaan has a great strategy. He attacks the strong point of man. He assaults those faculties of Man which in fact is the nighmeth that God has endowed man with. Those nighmeth is what Allah repeatedly describes as the Qalb, the Swudhoor, the Baswr, the Samgha, the Af’idha and the Aql. Man is designed to use these faculties for realizing and reasoning out truths. With the use of these faculties man develops a variety of skills. Let me describe to you, in my words one such skill. Man has this great skill of forming a thought and then transferring this complete thought along with all the emotions associated with this thought in to someone else’s mind. Amazing isn’t it?
If I have an idea, even an emotion, a need, an urge, a fear, a message or whatever, - I can think about it and then through a few words I could transfe r this thought and the associated emotion from ‘my mind’ in to ‘your mind’ The inflections and intonations I use in my words, and my facial and other bodily expressions, or what is now commonly referred to as ‘my body language’ enhances this message. Now when I am attempting to put some thoughts ‘in’ to ‘your head’, through the use of words, you are also in a position to judge what I am saying saying and either to accept what I am am saying or to reject what I am saying. Of course it is not always as simple as that. Right through you would be judging what I am saying and then accepting or rejecting selected parts of what I am saying. You form your own opinions; you build on your own opinions. Similarly, the Shaithaans too continuously try to influence your thought processes through their own form of messaging. How do the Shaithaans do that? The Shaithaans from amongst the humans would communicate with us just as al l humans do. But then the Jinn Shaithaans have their own methods, very subtle methods!. These Shaithaans do not communicate with us in the manner humans do. These Shaithaans have direct access to o ur thought processes. It is this facility that they use to ‘hack into’ our thought processes and to corrupt us. Let me read two Aayaths from the Quran that point this out to us. First about a faculty we are blessed with and then about the strategy of Shaithaan to involve us or to make us willing collaborators in corrupting or misusing that blessing
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(29:49) But it (the Qur’ān in itself) is (a package of) evident signs in the SWudhoor of those who are given knowledge.
And no one rejects our Aayaath except the DHzaalimoon.
﴾﴿
So we see that it is in our Swudhoor that the Aayaths of All ah are made clear; And then we are also told that the Shaithaans whisper doubts in to our Swudhoor The Quran also instructs us to seek refuge with our Rabb against these eveil whisperings of these evil Jinn and evil men.
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(114:1) Say, “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind,
﴾﴿ ﴾﴿
(114:2) the King of mankind,
(114:3) the Allah of mankind,
﴾﴿
(114:4) from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws (when Allah’s name is pronounced), (114:5) the one who whispers in the hearts of people, (114:6) whether from among the Jinn or Mankind.
﴾﴿
﴾﴿
Once we willingly allow the Shaithaans access to our SWudhoor, then they convert in it to their own playground. Because they have access to our Swudhoors, they are now in a position to become familiar with our most private and innermost feelings and emotions. Allah informs us: (4:120) He (the Satan) makes promises to them, and he tempts them with hopes. The Satan does not make a promise to them but to deceive.
﴾ ﴿
Allah also informs us of the different ploys of Shaithaan
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(2:268) Satan frightens you with poverty, and bids you to commit indecency, and Allah promises you forgiveness from Him, and grace as well. And Allah is All-Embracing, AllKnowing.. Knowing
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This is how Allah advises us.
(7:201) Surely when the God-fearing
are touched by an evil thought from Satan, they become conscious (of Allah), and at once they discern (the reality).
﴾﴿
Let me read a few of the Aayaths that describe what the Shaithaans do.
(7:27) – Part - Indeed, he sees you – he and his company – from where you do not see them.
Surely, We have made the Shithaan friends to those who do not believe.
﴾﴿
S Nisaa
(4:120) He (the Satan) makes promises to them, and he tempts them with hopes.
﴾ ﴿
The Satan does not make a promise to them but to deceive. Surah Mujaadhilah (58:19) The ShaiTān (Satan) has prevailed upon them; so he has made them neglect to remember Allah.
They are the party of ShaiTān S haiTān . Be assured that it is (the members of the) party of ShaiTān that are the losers.
﴾﴿
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The Shaithaans possess Takabbur. It is this very ‘Takabbur’ that they wish to infect us with. True humility is to be aware or to always be conscious about the greatness of Allah. Takabbur is the quality that erodes that humility and deceives us in to thinking that we are ‘great’ So Allah explains to us that Shaithaan deceives us with desires and false hopes ‘YaghidhuHum wayu ManeeHim’ And when we begin to feel ‘great’ then we begin to neglect to remember Allah ‘Fa AnsaaHum ZikraLLaaH’
Allah first tells us what happened to Iblis when he displayed arrogance. Now Allah is describing what happens to us when we begin to traverse the path of arrogance.
(7:146) I shall keep away from My Aayaths (Sa ASWrifu ghan Aayaathiyallazeena ) those who show Takabbur (arrogance) on the earth with no right to do so.
Even if they were to see every Aayath, they would not believe in it;
and if they see the Path of guidance, they do not take it as their way;
and if they see the path of misguidance, they would take it as their way.
That is because they have rejected Our signs,
﴾﴿
and have been neglectful of them. (*25*)
S Aal E Imraan
(3:188) Do not think of those who are delighted with what they did, and love to be praised for what they never did - do not think they are secure from the punishment. For them there is a painful punishment.
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I sincerely hope and hope that all of you benefit from these talks as much as I benefit from preparing and then presenting these talks to you. May Allah Ta’aalah guide us all and accept us all.
Jazza Kalla Khairan. Assalamu Alaikum
Imtiaz Muhsin
Colombo Sri Lanka
[email protected] You Tube Channel - HaneefanMusliman
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APPENDIX
Series 4
The Talks Numbered 125 to 134 are a series of ‘Six Minute Talks’ presented in the month of Ramadhlaan (2013). The titles are as follows: Talk No 125 126
Talk Number & Title The Muslim Shaithaan
Comments http://www.scribd.com/doc/152723 http://www.scrib d.com/doc/152723750/125-The-Musl 750/125-The-Muslim im
127
How did the Prophets Earn?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865622/127-How-Didhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/152865 622/127-How-DidProphets-Earn
128
The Swudhoor
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152866510/128-The-Swudhoor
129
Scolding’s the Prophet Received
130
Understanding Allah’s Justice
131
Arabic language of the AQL
132
Pretending to be Mu’min
133 134
Jinns and Insaan The Mu'min
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865037/126-Shaithaan
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152867109/129-Scoldings-the-Prop http://www.scribd.com/doc/152867109/1 29-Scoldings-the-ProphetshetsReceived http://www.scribd.com/doc/152944005/ http://www.scribd.com/ doc/152944005/130-Understanding-Al 130-Understanding-Allah-slah-sJustice http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575145/ http://www.scribd.com/ doc/153575145/131-Arabic-The-Langu 131-Arabic-The-Languageageof-the-AQL http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575 http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575915/132-Pretending915/132-Pretending-to-Beto-Bea-Mu-min
http://www.scribd.com/doc/153687834/133-Jinns-and-Insaan http://www.scribd.com/doc/153688 http://www.scribd.com/doc/153688620/134-The-Mu620/134-The-Mu-min min
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Series 3 Note on Talks on History of Muslims M uslims As Muslims it is necessary that we are aware of the History of Muslims over the last 1400 years. It is necessary for us to realize the winds of change over these last 1400 years especially since Muslim Populations have been through quite some turbulent times. I have covered this vast area in 5 talks. (This is insufficient) The first two talks were on the history and the next three talks were from another viewpoint. I discuss the response of the Muslims due to the many changes that were affecting their lives their religion and thus their culture. These Talks are numbered and titled as follows: Talk No 114 116 117 118 119
Topic The History Series The Effects of 1400 Years - Part 1 Effects of 1400 years - Part 2 The ‘Muslim Response’ Series The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the Caliphates of the Khulafaa Ur Raashidheen The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the beginning of the Ummayyads The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events in the Period of the Muslim Empires
Date Broadcast th
Jan 25 2013 th Feb 8 2013 nd
Feb 22 2013 th
March 29 2013 th
April 5 2013
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Series 2 The Talks numbered 054 to 071 is under a series titled ‘Knowing Allah Ta’aalah or Knowing GOD’ The details of the scripts of these 16 Episodes (Talks) are as follows; Talk No
Talk Number & Title
Episode 1
054 Ilm – Knowing Allah
Episode 2
055 Rationality - The Foundation of Islam
Episode 3
056 Is Man Special?
Episode 4
057 Ar Rahmaan - The Beneficent
Episode 5
058 Nature or GOD?
Episode 6
059 Our Relationship with GOD!
Date Broadcast th Dec 9 2011 Dec 16 2011
h
th
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15 Episode 16
Sub Series: 060 Is this what we are created for? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 1) Sub Series: 061 What do we see on Earth (Is this what we are created for? – Part 2) Sub Series: 062 Who are WE? Where do we fit in? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 3) Sub Series: 063 Our benefits on Earth (Is this what we are created for? – Part 4) Sub Series: 066 What makes us 'Stand Out'? What makes us 'Special'? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 5) Sub Series: 067 Who is in charge? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 6) Sub Series: 068 What ALLAH Teaches Us, About Himself (Is this what we are created for? – Part 7) Sub Series: 069 Our Special Faculties How they should be used, How they should not be used! (Is this what we are created for? – Part 8) Sub Series: 070 The TWO Paths 071 Is this what we are created for? A review of Parts 1 to 8 from the Sub Series ‘Is this what we are created for?’
Dec 23 2011 t Dec 30 2011 th Jan 6 2012 th Jan 13 2012 th
Jan 20 2012
th
Jan 27 2012
rd
Feb 3 2012
Details of Picture on Cover Wellawatte Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka Parasangaswewa Mosque (a remote village) in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka Mutwal Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka The Akbar Mosque in Slave Island, Colombo, Sri Lanka Mosque in Matara, from the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Beach Mosque at Kalmunaikudi in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka A Mosque in the Kurnegala District, Sri Lanka Maradana Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka Colpetty Jummah Mosque, in Colombo, Sri Lanka The Jummah Mosque at Natpidimunnai, in the Ampara District, Sri Lanka
Feb 10 2012
th
Feb 17 2012
th
The Devatagaha Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Feb 24 2012
th
A Mosque in a rural village in the Ampara District, in Sri Lanka
nd
Mar 2 2012
th
Mar 9 2012
The Jummah Mosque in ‘Oluvil’ a village in the Ampara District, Sri Lanka
The Dhanakawewa Jummah Mosque in a remote village in the Anuradhapura District in Sri Lanka
t
Mosque at Madhavakulam in the Puttlam District, Sri Lanka
rd
A Mosque by a river in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
Mar 16 2012
Mar 23 2012
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Please Note 1. I have had the great privilege, (since Aug 2010), of presenting talks on the weekly Radio Program ‘Culture of Islam’ [Friday 5.30 to 6.00 am, Radio Sri Lanka - FM 97.4 ] 2. Since these are Radio Talks, I refer to, or address the audience as ‘listeners’ 3. I am well aware that the audience to these talks would consist of people belonging to a variety of faiths. So as to make people of all faiths feel included, I very often use words and names that are common to all religions. 4. For these reasons, I use the name GOD, as well as Abraham, Moses, Jesus etc as well as the names Allah, Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam), Moosa (Alaihis Salaam), Easa (Alaihis Salaam) etc 5. Muslims by habit usually say ‘Sallallahu Alaihiwasallam’, when the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, and ‘Alaihis Salaam' when the name of a Prophet is mentioned. However, in these series of talks I have reduced the use of these prayers & sayings to the bare minimum. 6. Muslims, also by habit, use a number of Arabic prayers or sayings, such as Alhamdulillah, Insha Allah and so on. Again, I have reduced the use of these prayers or sayings to the bare minimum. 7. Sometimes I have to write Arabic words in the English script. I have devised my own way of writing Arabic in English, as follows;
th
s
DHL
H
Gh
TH
Ss
DHZ
h
GH
SW
Information on these talks along with all download links can be found on my on my Blog (http://imtiazm.wordpress.com/) The dates or the schedules of these t hese talks can be viewed on the Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/ImtiazMuhsin786) The Scripts of these talks can be downloaded from www.ScribD.com (http://www.scribd.com/imtiaz_muhsin_1 http://www.scribd.com/imtiaz_muhsin_1)) (www.ScribD.com Author – Imtiaz Muhsin) The audio files of these talks can be downloaded from YouTube (YouTube Channel – Imtiaz Muhsin) The YouTube Link to this talk is at
All Praise and Thanks is due to Allah and Allah alone Alhamdulillah!
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