How to reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted, "And as for the favor of your Lord, then speak of it," with His saying, "So do not purify yourselves"?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
I say: How do you reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Najm 53:32] with His saying: [Ad-Duhaa 93:11]?
The Shaykh : Yes, you have done well, may Allah reward you. It is good. The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ad-Duhaa 93:11] means that a person should speak of what Allah has bestowed upon him, not that he should purify himself in the sight of his Lord, not that he should purify himself in the sight of his Lord. There is a difference between the two. A person says: "I prayed, I gave zakah, I fasted, I performed Hajj," intending to indicate by his deeds his Lord and purify himself in the sight of Allah. This is what is forbidden. But in [Ad-Duhaa 93:11], one says: "Praise be to Allah, Allah the Mighty and Majestic guided me after I was such and such." There is nothing wrong with this. This is 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him). Before he embraced Islam, he was the most hateful of people to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and he used to say: And when he embraced Islam, he said, "Now," meaning after he had embraced Islam, he spoke of the favor of Allah until he said: or as he said. There is nothing wrong with this.
My brother Salim, and you have also greeted us, and you are with us. How do you greet us when you are with us? The greeting, and Allah knows best, was known among the Companions that when they began to ask the Messenger, they did not greet except from the front of the circle. Yes, no, on the left.
The questioner : I say, O esteemed Shaykh.
The Shaykh : On the left, on the left, in order.
The questioner : O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
I say: How do you reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.
فَلا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىBut as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْThe Shaykh : Yes, you have done well, may Allah reward you. It is good. The saying of Allah the Exalted:
But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْBut as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْI wished I could get hold of him and kill him.
وددت لو تمكنت منه فقتلتهI could not look at him out of reverence for him.
كنت لا أستطيع النظر إليه تعظيما لهMy brother Salim, and you have also greeted us, and you are with us. How do you greet us when you are with us? The greeting, and Allah knows best, was known among the Companions that when they began to ask the Messenger, they did not greet except from the front of the circle. Yes, no, on the left.
The questioner : I say, O esteemed Shaykh.
The Shaykh : On the left, on the left, in order.
The questioner : O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.