The Meaning of the Statement of Allah the Exalted: "Those who disbelieved and prevented [people] from the path of Allah, He has made their deeds lost."
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The Shaykh : Allah the Exalted clarifies in this surah that those who disbelieved and prevented [people] from the path of Allah, Allah has made their deeds lost, rendering them futile and wasted. And what did those who disbelieved disbelieve in? They disbelieved in what faith is obligatory in. They disbelieved in Allah, they disbelieved in His messengers, they disbelieved in His books, they disbelieved in His angels, they disbelieved in the Last Day, and they disbelieved in divine decree. If they disbelieve in any one of these six pillars, they are disbelievers. They are disbelievers even if they believe in some and disbelieve in some; they are still disbelievers. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:85] And He the Exalted said: [An-Nisa 4:150-151] So faith is a whole that cannot be divided. Whoever disbelieves in any part of it has disbelieved in all of it. Thus, the statement of Allah the Exalted: means they disbelieved in what faith is obligatory in from the six pillars that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to Jibril. These are [An-Nisa 4:167] meaning they turned away or they diverted. That is, they turned away or they diverted. If we interpret it as "they turned away," the verb is intransitive. If we interpret it as "they diverted," the verb is transitive. So, according to the first interpretation, the meaning is that they themselves turned away from the path of Allah. And according to the second, they diverted Allah's servants from the path of Allah. Is it possible to apply the verse to both meanings? Answer, everyone! Yes.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is possible, because among the rules of exegesis is that if a verse contains two meanings that do not contradict each other, it must be applied to both meanings, because that is more comprehensive and inclusive, and it is safer for the conscience and more cautious. Accordingly, these disbelievers turned away themselves from the path of Allah, and they also diverted Allah's servants from the path of Allah. These are the ones whose deeds Allah has made lost. No matter how much they think they are on the right, they are in error, and they are the most losing of people in their deeds, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Kahf 18:103-106].
So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part?
أفتؤمنون ببعض الكتاب وتكفرون ببعض(150) Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - (151) Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.
إن الذين يكفرون بالله ورسله ويريدون أن يفرقوا بين الله ورسله ويقولون نؤمن ببعض ونكفر ببعض ويريدون أن يتّخذوا بين ذلك سبيلاً أولئك هم الكافرون حقاً وأعتدنا للكافرين عذاباً مهيناًThose who disbelieved
الذين كفرواthose who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah
الذين كفروا وصدوا عن سبيل اللهprevented
صدواThe student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is possible, because among the rules of exegesis is that if a verse contains two meanings that do not contradict each other, it must be applied to both meanings, because that is more comprehensive and inclusive, and it is safer for the conscience and more cautious. Accordingly, these disbelievers turned away themselves from the path of Allah, and they also diverted Allah's servants from the path of Allah. These are the ones whose deeds Allah has made lost. No matter how much they think they are on the right, they are in error, and they are the most losing of people in their deeds, as Allah the Exalted said: