What is the meaning of the statement of Allah the Exalted: “...until the camel enters the eye of the needle...”?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. He says, Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:40] What is the meaning of His statement: [Al-A'raf 7:40]?
The Shaykh : Yes, the Arabs use this kind of expression to indicate something impossible. Can a camel, which is a male camel, enter the eye of a needle or the hole of a needle? Answer.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It is impossible. So instead of saying they will never enter Paradise, He said[Al-A'raf 7:40]. The equivalent of this in linking impossible matters to an impossible thing is the saying of the stranger in his exile:
“If the crow grows white, I will come to my family *** And the pitch becomes like fresh milk”.
Does the crow grow white? Fine. And the pitch, meaning black oil, becomes like fresh milk? Is that possible? So the meaning of his statement is that it is impossible for him to come to his family. He is a stranger and will not come to his family unless the crow grows white and the pitch becomes like fresh milk. This is an exaggeration regarding the impossibility of the matter.
Indeed, those who deny Our verses and are arrogant toward them - the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle
إن الذين كفروا بآياتنا واستكبروا عنها لا تفتح لهم أبواب السماء ولا يدخلون الجنة حتى يلج الجمل في سم الخياطuntil a camel enters into the eye of a needle
حتى يلج الجمل في سم الخياطThe Shaykh : Yes, the Arabs use this kind of expression to indicate something impossible. Can a camel, which is a male camel, enter the eye of a needle or the hole of a needle? Answer.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It is impossible. So instead of saying they will never enter Paradise, He said
nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle
لا يدخل الجنة حتى يلج الجمل في سم الخياط“If the crow grows white, I will come to my family *** And the pitch becomes like fresh milk”.
Does the crow grow white? Fine. And the pitch, meaning black oil, becomes like fresh milk? Is that possible? So the meaning of his statement is that it is impossible for him to come to his family. He is a stranger and will not come to his family unless the crow grows white and the pitch becomes like fresh milk. This is an exaggeration regarding the impossibility of the matter.