What is the meaning of al-istidraj, and how does the believer guard against it?
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The questioner:
A person fears many things, Shaykh Salih, especially what our scholars have described as al-istidraj. Would you please explain this term so that the believer may be wary of it? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
Yes, *istidraj* (gradual drawing into sin) is dangerous; *istidraj* is dangerous. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said:[Al-Qalam 68:44-45] He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Al-An'am 6:44] When blessings are accompanied by obedience, they are a good thing and a sign of the pleasure of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and a help in obeying Allah. [Al-A'raf 7:96], and if the People of the Book had... [Al-Ma'idah 5:66], then when a blessing is accompanied by worship and obedience, it is a good thing and help from Allah. But when blessings are accompanied by sins and disbelief, they are *istidraj* from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. He, the Exalted, said: [Ali 'Imran 3:178] And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:55-56] This is the difference and the sign.
If blessings are accompanied by obedience, they are a good thing and assistance in obeying Allah, and a sign of His pleasure, Glorified and Exalted is He. But if blessings are accompanied by sins and disbelief, they are al-istidraj from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. How can the believer guard against this, Shaykh Salih?
The Shaykh:
He should look at himself and his deeds. If he is upon the obedience of Allah and upon uprightness, he should consider this as assistance from Allah for him and thank Allah for it. If he is upon disobedience, sins, and violations, let him know that this is al-istidraj from Allah, so he should repent to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and not be deceived. May Allah be the Helper. He should not be deceived by these blessings and this respite from Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
The questioner:
Many people have been deceived, Shaykh Salih. Is there a word to say?
The Shaykh:
Yes, many of the scholars were deceived and the punishment befell them. This is the Sunnah of Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, in His creation, in the first and the last. There is no doubt that this is a reality, but we hope that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, will awaken the Muslims to His obedience, keep them away from the path of His disobedience, and make them aware of this dangerous matter. They should not be deceived by the blessings and the abundance in sustenance they are given, so that they become heedless of the remembrance of Allah and the obedience of Allah, and it leads them to arrogance, pride, and transgression, as happened to Qarun and others of the people of power and tyranny. This is what Allah has related to us in His Noble Book regarding the story of 'Ad, Thamud, and the people of Pharaoh:[Al-Fajr 89:6-10], [Al-Fajr 89:11-14]. Yes. May Allah reward you with good.
A person fears many things, Shaykh Salih, especially what our scholars have described as al-istidraj. Would you please explain this term so that the believer may be wary of it? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
Yes, *istidraj* (gradual drawing into sin) is dangerous; *istidraj* is dangerous. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said:
(44) So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Qur'an. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know. (45) And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.
فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌSo when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَAnd if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِthey upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet
أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمAnd let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ(55) Do they think that what We extend to them of wealth and children (56) Is [because] We hasten for them good things? Rather, they do not perceive.
أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُونَIf blessings are accompanied by obedience, they are a good thing and assistance in obeying Allah, and a sign of His pleasure, Glorified and Exalted is He. But if blessings are accompanied by sins and disbelief, they are al-istidraj from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. How can the believer guard against this, Shaykh Salih?
The Shaykh:
He should look at himself and his deeds. If he is upon the obedience of Allah and upon uprightness, he should consider this as assistance from Allah for him and thank Allah for it. If he is upon disobedience, sins, and violations, let him know that this is al-istidraj from Allah, so he should repent to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and not be deceived. May Allah be the Helper. He should not be deceived by these blessings and this respite from Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
The questioner:
Many people have been deceived, Shaykh Salih. Is there a word to say?
The Shaykh:
Yes, many of the scholars were deceived and the punishment befell them. This is the Sunnah of Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, in His creation, in the first and the last. There is no doubt that this is a reality, but we hope that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, will awaken the Muslims to His obedience, keep them away from the path of His disobedience, and make them aware of this dangerous matter. They should not be deceived by the blessings and the abundance in sustenance they are given, so that they become heedless of the remembrance of Allah and the obedience of Allah, and it leads them to arrogance, pride, and transgression, as happened to Qarun and others of the people of power and tyranny. This is what Allah has related to us in His Noble Book regarding the story of 'Ad, Thamud, and the people of Pharaoh:
(6) Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with 'Aad - (7) [With] Iram - who had lofty pillars, (8) The likes of whom had never been created in the land? (9) And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley? (10) And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes? -
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ(11) [All of] whom oppressed within the lands (12) And increased therein the corruption. (13) So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment. (14) Indeed, your Lord is in observation.
الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما معنى الاستدراج ، وكيف يحذر المؤمن منه؟ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.