The Meaning of the Statement of Allah the Exalted: (Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills)
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[The Meaning of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: (Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills)
O Shaykh! What is the meaning of the verse: [Surah al-Qasas: 56] ?And his statement: Does it refer to Allah the Exalted or to the servant?
Its interpretation: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was eager for the guidance of creation; he loved (peace and blessings be upon him) that all of creation would be guided by him. However, this is not within his power. His only duty is to convey the message and call to Islam. As for guiding creation, he is not responsible for that.As He said in another verse: ((It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills)) [Surah al-Baqarah: 272] This is similar to: [Surah al-Qasas: 56] Here, guidance means success (tawfiq), not indication; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) indicates the truth to creation,As Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Shura: 52] but it is not in his hand to make a person be guided. For this reason, he strove with utmost effort to have Allah the Exalted complete the life of his uncle Abu Talib with the word of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), but he was unable to do so. We all know the favors and support Abu Talib provided to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), protecting and defending him with his words and actions. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was eager for him to be guided. He came to him while he was in the throes of death,And he said to him: (O my uncle! -a gentle word-Say: Say: There is no god but Allah, a word with which I will argue for you before Allah. There were two men from Quraysh with him, and a bad companion is all badness,So the Messenger used to say to him: Say: There is no god but Allah, and they were saying to him: Do you desire to turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib?) What is the religion of Abdul Muttalib? Al-Lat is a god, and al-Uzza is a god, and Manat is a god - Do you desire to turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib? The last thing he said -may Allah protect us from that- was that he was on the religion of Abdul Muttalib -O Allah, make our endings good, O Lord, O Allah, make our endings good, O Allah, make our endings good-He said: He was on the religion of Abdul Muttalib and refused to say: There is no god but Allah. Do you know what happened? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was among the most faithful people in repaying kindness. He rewarded his uncle and interceded for him before Allah. So he was in a shallow part of the Fire, and he had two sandals of fire on his feet from which his brain boiled -may Allah protect us from that- and they were on his feet, and his brain is at the top of his body, boiling from them. What about his belly and chest? It is more severe and more severe; because it is closer to the Fire -we ask Allah for safety- so he was in a shallow part of the Fire, and his brain boiled from them forever.The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: (And if not for Me, he would have been in the lowest depth of the Fire) The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was distressed and said: (I will seek forgiveness for you as long as I am not forbidden from doing so) Meaning: He was distressed by the action of Abu Talib and his refusal, not by the decree of Allah. The decree of Allah is something he is pleased with, without doubt.When he said: (I will seek forgiveness for you as long as I am not forbidden from doing so) Listen to what was revealed?Allah the Exalted revealed: [Surah al-Tawbah: 113] Then Allah answered another matter and responded to the seeking of forgiveness by the Messenger -do not be surprised- the seeking of forgiveness by the Messenger, one of the resolute prophets, for his father,Allah answered him and said: [Surah al-Tawbah: 114] For this reason, it is not permissible for us, if we know that one of our relatives or friends died while not praying, to seek forgiveness from Allah for him. If we did so, we would deviate from the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who believed;Because Allah says: [Surah al-Tawbah: 113] So if you know that your father or your brother or your son died while not praying, do not seek forgiveness for him. Do you want to compete with and oppose Allah in His decree? Indeed, Allah has decreed that the disbelievers are in the Fire, and no one ever seeks forgiveness for any of the polytheists.
So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) can guide creation to the truth -indicate it to them- but he cannot make them be guided. The matter is in the hand of the One who is above the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and above everyone, and that is Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Glory be to Allah! The wonders of creation. Ibrahim, his father, was he a disbeliever or a Muslim? A disbeliever. Noah, his son, was a disbeliever, Glory be to Allah! A disbeliever came out of a Messenger, one of the resolute prophets, and a Messenger came out of a disbeliever, one of the resolute prophets. So that you may know thereby the power of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and that He is Able to do all things. O Allah, guide us among those You have guided.
O Shaykh! What is the meaning of the verse:
Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills
إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُwhom He wills
مَنْ يَشَاءُIts interpretation: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was eager for the guidance of creation; he loved (peace and blessings be upon him) that all of creation would be guided by him. However, this is not within his power. His only duty is to convey the message and call to Islam. As for guiding creation, he is not responsible for that.As He said in another verse: ((It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills)) [Surah al-Baqarah: 272] This is similar to:
Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills
إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُAnd indeed, [O Muhammad], you guide to a straight path -
وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍIt is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِAnd the request of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became apparent to Abraham that his father was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed was Abraham compassionate and patient.
وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌIt is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَىSo the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) can guide creation to the truth -indicate it to them- but he cannot make them be guided. The matter is in the hand of the One who is above the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and above everyone, and that is Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Glory be to Allah! The wonders of creation. Ibrahim, his father, was he a disbeliever or a Muslim? A disbeliever. Noah, his son, was a disbeliever, Glory be to Allah! A disbeliever came out of a Messenger, one of the resolute prophets, and a Messenger came out of a disbeliever, one of the resolute prophets. So that you may know thereby the power of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and that He is Able to do all things. O Allah, guide us among those You have guided.