Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "To Allah belongs what is in the heavens and what is on the earth. If you reveal what is in your souls or conceal it, Allah will hold you accountable for it..."
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The Shaykh : As for what I intend to speak about, as is customary, it is what our imam recited in the obligatory prayer, where he recited the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:255] to the end of the surah. Let us speak about it briefly. His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:107] This is a declarative sentence containing what indicates exclusivity. What is its method? Brother, stand up.
I say this sentence contains what signifies exclusivity:[Al-Baqarah 2:107] [Al-Baqarah 2:255] So what is its method? Be patient, my brother. What is its method? Do you know or do you not know? May Allah reward you with good. Sit down, your neighbor.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No. Sit down.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done. Sit down. The method of exclusivity in this verse is bringing forward what is due to be delayed, because bringing forward what is due to be delayed signifies exclusivity — pay attention — did you understand?
The student: Bringing forward the exclusivity.
The Shaykh : Sit down, my brother. Bringing forward what is due to be delayed signifies exclusivity in this verse:[Al-Baqarah 2:255] We brought forward what is due to be delayed, which is the predicate, over what is due to be brought forward, which is the subject.
[Al-Baqarah 2:255] No one shares with Him in it, ever, not a near angel nor a sent prophet. Listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Saba 34:22-23] [Saba 34:22] independent ownership, [Saba 34:22] shared ownership, [Saba 34:22] meaning no one assisted Him in creating the heavens and the earth. [Saba 34:23] meaning no one intercedes except by Allah's permission.
And with these four negated matters, the ties of the polytheists who claim that their gods intercede for them with Allah are severed.
And His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:284]. This means that if a person conceals something in his heart and then reveals it to people, meaning he displays it, or conceals it, then Allah will hold him accountable for it. And if He holds him accountable, the result is [Al-Baqarah 2:284].
And when this verse was revealed, it was difficult for the Companions, because a person may have things in his heart for which he deserves punishment. But Allah, Mighty and Majestic, then revealed[Al-Baqarah 2:286]. So you are not held accountable for what is not within your capacity. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Bulugh al-Maram 8:133.
So if your soul tells you, it tells you of things of disbelief, but you did not incline to this thought and rejected it, will you be held accountable for it?
Answer: No. Satan throws things into the heart of a person; if he were to incline to them, he would be a disbeliever. He may throw into your heart doubts about the existence of Allah, the Exalted, such as "What is the evidence for the existence of Allah?" He may throw into your heart that the Qur'an is not the speech of Allah. He may throw into your heart that prayer is of no benefit. He may throw into your heart that you have divorced your wife, and so on from the whispers that are countless.
So if you do not incline to them, they are on the path of being forgiven; they are forgiven, and you are not held accountable for them, because Allah said:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] What? . For this reason, many people are tested with these whispers. You find one coming to ask, saying, "I thought that I had divorced my wife." What do we say to him? Do you divorce or not? Do not divorce. Okay.
He said, "I imagined that I was arguing with her and quarreling with her, and that she said to me, 'You did such and such,' and I said, 'I did such and such,' and that I became angry and divorced her." Do you divorce?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Why? Because this is a thought of the soul to which the person did not incline. And I say, to give relief to those who are tested with the whisper in the matter of divorce, I say that the one who is afflicted with the whisper does not have a divorce take place, ever, even if he says, "My wife is divorced." His divorce does not take place because he is one afflicted with the whisper. Some people, when tested with the whisper and their hearts become narrow, say, "Then I will escape from this matter. My wife is divorced." Yes. Does she divorce? No. Why? Because this is a divorce in a state of distress, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan ad-Daraqutni 16:86.
A questioner asked a person who had some knowledge, saying, "I am in doubt whether I passed wind or not. I was in a state of purity, but I am in doubt whether I passed wind or not." So the mufti said to him, "Pass wind, for what? To be certain that you passed wind." And this is a wrong fatwa. The correct thing is to say, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If something is unclear to you, did something come out of you or not? What? And do not leave the mosque ."
And on this basis, the fatwa of this man is considered a wrong fatwa, because in reality he did not solve a problem except with something more confusing than it, since a person does not want to perform wudu' while in doubt about the state of impurity. So how do we say, "Your wudu' is broken, then purify yourself"? This is wrong. And this is something that greatly displeases us, that someone should come forward with such fatwas that are not based on guidance from Allah. The matter is serious. A fatwa without knowledge and proof is from those who have fabricated a lie, or it is from the fabrication of a lie against Allah. So a person should prepare to be questioned on the Day of Resurrection for issuing a fatwa without knowledge.
Okay, so His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:284] This is a heavy burden on the souls, but Allah lightened it with what? Stand up.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : With His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286]. So what is not within your capacity, you are not obligated to do it.
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth
لله ما في السماوات وما في الأرضto Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth
لله ملك السماوات والأرضI say this sentence contains what signifies exclusivity:
to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth
لله ملك السماوات والأرضTo Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth
لله ما في السماوات وما في الأرضThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : No. Sit down.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done. Sit down. The method of exclusivity in this verse is bringing forward what is due to be delayed, because bringing forward what is due to be delayed signifies exclusivity — pay attention — did you understand?
The student: Bringing forward the exclusivity.
The Shaykh : Sit down, my brother. Bringing forward what is due to be delayed signifies exclusivity in this verse:
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth
لله ما في السماوات وما في الأرضTo Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth
لله ما في السماوات وما في الأرض(22) Say, [O Muhammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant. (23) And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.
قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ظهير وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُThey do not possess an atom's weight
لا يملكون مثقال ذرةand they do not have therein any partnership
وما لهم فيهما من شركnor is there for Him from among them any assistant.
وما له منهم من ظهيرAnd intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.
ولا تنفع الشفاعة عنده إلا لمن أذن لهAnd with these four negated matters, the ties of the polytheists who claim that their gods intercede for them with Allah are severed.
And His saying:
Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it
وإن تبدوا ما في أنفسكم أو تخفوه يحسابكم به اللهThen He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills
فيغفر لمن يشاء ويعذب من يشاءAnd when this verse was revealed, it was difficult for the Companions, because a person may have things in his heart for which he deserves punishment. But Allah, Mighty and Majestic, then revealed
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعهاAllah, the Most High, has forgiven my followers what they contemplate on within themselves (i.e. evil thoughts) as long as they do not act upon or speak about them.
إن الله تجاوز عن أمتي ما حدثت به أنفسها ما لم تعمل أو تتكلمSo if your soul tells you, it tells you of things of disbelief, but you did not incline to this thought and rejected it, will you be held accountable for it?
Answer: No. Satan throws things into the heart of a person; if he were to incline to them, he would be a disbeliever. He may throw into your heart doubts about the existence of Allah, the Exalted, such as "What is the evidence for the existence of Allah?" He may throw into your heart that the Qur'an is not the speech of Allah. He may throw into your heart that prayer is of no benefit. He may throw into your heart that you have divorced your wife, and so on from the whispers that are countless.
So if you do not incline to them, they are on the path of being forgiven; they are forgiven, and you are not held accountable for them, because Allah said:
Allah does not charge a soul
لا يكلف الله نفساexcept what it can bear
إلا وسعهاHe said, "I imagined that I was arguing with her and quarreling with her, and that she said to me, 'You did such and such,' and I said, 'I did such and such,' and that I became angry and divorced her." Do you divorce?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Why? Because this is a thought of the soul to which the person did not incline. And I say, to give relief to those who are tested with the whisper in the matter of divorce, I say that the one who is afflicted with the whisper does not have a divorce take place, ever, even if he says, "My wife is divorced." His divorce does not take place because he is one afflicted with the whisper. Some people, when tested with the whisper and their hearts become narrow, say, "Then I will escape from this matter. My wife is divorced." Yes. Does she divorce? No. Why? Because this is a divorce in a state of distress, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
There is no divorce in a state of being overwhelmed.
لا طلاق في إغلاقA questioner asked a person who had some knowledge, saying, "I am in doubt whether I passed wind or not. I was in a state of purity, but I am in doubt whether I passed wind or not." So the mufti said to him, "Pass wind, for what? To be certain that you passed wind." And this is a wrong fatwa. The correct thing is to say, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If something is unclear to you, did something come out of you or not? What?
So do not turn away from the prayer
فلا تنصرف من الصلاةuntil you hear a sound or smell a wind
حتى تسمع صوتا أو تجد ريحاAnd on this basis, the fatwa of this man is considered a wrong fatwa, because in reality he did not solve a problem except with something more confusing than it, since a person does not want to perform wudu' while in doubt about the state of impurity. So how do we say, "Your wudu' is broken, then purify yourself"? This is wrong. And this is something that greatly displeases us, that someone should come forward with such fatwas that are not based on guidance from Allah. The matter is serious. A fatwa without knowledge and proof is from those who have fabricated a lie, or it is from the fabrication of a lie against Allah. So a person should prepare to be questioned on the Day of Resurrection for issuing a fatwa without knowledge.
Okay, so His saying:
Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it
وَإِنْ تُبْدُوا مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : With His saying, the Exalted: