Exegesis of Verses (42 - 47) of Surat al-Najm.

The Shaykh : We have reached His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He: This verse has two recitations: the first is opening the hamzah and the second is breaking the hamzah Both are valid, canonical recitations. If a person recites with either one, it is valid. In fact, it is better for a person who knows the recitations to recite with this recitation once and with that recitation another time. However, not in front of a crowd of people or with their listening, because if the common people hear you reciting in a way different from what they know, harm will result. They will either say that this man does not know the Qur'an, or they will doubt the Qur'an, because the common person thinks that the Qur'an cannot be altered or changed. We also advise our brothers whom Allah the Exalted has given knowledge of recitation not to recite except with the recitation known to the common people, so that confusion does not arise. But between you and yourself, if you fully grasp the second recitation, recite with it sometimes, because all of it is Sunnah, all of it is the speech of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. If it is with the broken hamzah , then this phrase and what follows it is not in the scrolls of Ibrahim and Musa, but rather it is a new beginning. If it is with the open hamzah , then this phrase and what follows it is from what came in the scrolls of Ibrahim and Musa. In any case, it is the speech of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. In what matters? In matters of religion and worldly life. So to Allah is the ultimate end in matters of knowledge. When a matter of knowledge becomes difficult for us, where do we end up? Answer: To Allah and His Messenger, as He the Exalted said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not say anything from himself; it is only from Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So the ultimate end is to Allah in judging between people and in ruling over people. It is also the ultimate end of all creation, because this existing creation will perish and move to another creation, moving to another creation, as He the Exalted said: The ultimate end, on this understanding, is the Day of Resurrection. So to Allah is the ultimate end, to Allah is the return. So the end of our states, our rulings, and all that issues from us and is upon us is to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And if to Allah is the ultimate end, to whom do you complain if hardship strikes you? To whom? To Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And if you want benefit, from whom do you seek? Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because to Allah is the ultimate end. How many a person has the causes of his provision established, and then he is deprived of it at the last moment. Perhaps he works on establishing a station, for example, intending to earn a living from it, and if Allah did not will it, the station burns down. So no one brings you good except Allah, and no one prevents harm from you except Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So make Him your ultimate end in all your affairs. Is the intended meaning the actual laughter, or is the intended meaning its necessary consequence, which is joy? And the same is said regarding "made to weep": is the intended meaning the actual weeping, or is the intended meaning sadness? If we look at the apparent meaning of the word, we say: what is it? Actual laughter, and actual laughter does not arise except from joy. Actual weeping, and weeping does not occur except from sadness. So Allah the Exalted made to laugh in this world and made to weep, and made to laugh in the Hereafter and made to weep. The disbelievers are laughing in this world now. At whom are they laughing? At the Muslims, at the believers: What is it? But this laughter will be followed by weeping on the Day of Resurrection. What is it? So the One who made to laugh in this world and made to weep, and who made to laugh in the Hereafter and made to weep, is Allah, Mighty and Majestic. So it is decreed what causes laughter and decreed what causes weeping. He brought the two matters, which are opposites, to make known thereby that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is capable of everything, and He is the One capable of creating opposites.
Yes, He caused to die in this world and gave life in this world, and He also caused to die in this world and gave life in the Hereafter. Now, regarding humans, you find that the soul is breathed into one today, and Allah is what? He has given him life. And the soul is extracted from the body of another, and Allah has caused him to die. And so on and so forth. He is the One who caused to die and gave life. There is also a general death and a general life. He caused the world to die in this world and gave them life in the Hereafter. So He is the One who created death and He is the One who created life. These are also opposites: life and death. All of it is from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because Allah the Exalted is capable of everything. "Zawj" means a type or kind. An example is His saying, the Exalted: Meaning: types. And His saying, the Exalted: The intended meaning is not their wives, but their pairs, meaning: their types. So means what? The two types. Then He explained these two pairs, saying: From a single substance. Which is semen. Meaning: it is poured and cast into the womb of the woman. So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, created these two different types, different in constitution, different in intellect, different in thought. He created them from one thing, from a drop of fluid. For this reason, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said in Surat al-Qiyamah, at the end of the surah: He said: What is it? The answer: Yes. So Allah the Exalted created the two pairs, the male and the female, from one thing. And this indicates the perfection of His power, Exalted and Majestic, because He created two types that differ in all respects. Even in physical strength, the man differs from the woman, and in intellectual and organizational matters, the male differs from the female.
And by this we know the misguidance of those people who want to make the woman equal to the man in works that are specific to the man. They are foolish in intellect and misguided in religion. How can we equate two things, or two types, between which Allah has made a difference in creation and in law? There are rulings that the man is required to fulfill and the woman is not required to fulfill, and there are rulings that the woman is required to fulfill and the man is not required to fulfill. As for by decree and creation, the matter is clear. But these people who were not granted success, and whom Allah deprived of intellect and weakened in religion, are now trying to make women equal to men. This is undoubtedly a wrong idea, contrary to fitrah (the innate natural disposition), contrary to nature, and also contrary to the Shari'ah.
What does "tamna" mean? It means: to pour and to be cast into the womb. From this, the place called Mina, which is around Makkah, was named. The scholars said: because blood is poured there, because where is the sacrificial animal slaughtered? It is slaughtered on the day of the festival in Mina, so blood is poured there. Therefore, this place was named after what happens in it. Then He said: Upon whom? Upon Allah. And in this is proof that Allah obligated upon Himself to resurrect the people. Because if people lived and died without a return, this would be pure futility. Because we know now that people in this world differ in wealth and poverty, strength and weakness, intelligence and intellect, and so on. If creation were only like this without a return, this would be completely contrary to wisdom. But a return is necessary. For this reason He said: And "ala" (upon) implies... it implies what?
The student: The question

The Shaykh : The question: What does "ala" (upon) imply? If I say: "It is upon you to do such and such," it means it is obligatory. So "ala" implies obligation. Thus, Allah obligated upon Himself to create the people again. There is no objection to Allah imposing upon Himself what He wills, as He the Exalted said: What is it? Meaning: He obligated upon Himself mercy. Similarly, here He said: Meaning: upon Allah. Allah obligated upon Himself to create the people a second creation for recompense, each according to his work. The second creation implies that there is a creation before it, which is the first creation, which is the initial creation of people from Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
So in His saying: there is a great benefit, which is the indication that the One capable of the first is what? Capable of the second. And the second creation is easier than the first, as He the Exalted said: It is all easy for Him, but the ease differs in terms of its essence, not in terms of Allah's power. Allah's power does not differ. Whether it is the highest thing or the lowest thing. But with regard to the thing being created, which is easier with regard to the thing being created? Recurrence is easier, my brothers. But with regard to Allah's power, it is all the same, because the matter does not go beyond saying: And by this we know that some of the exegetes, may Allah have mercy on them and forgive them, said regarding His saying: They said the meaning is: and it is easy for Him. And this is wrong. How can Allah say about Himself: And we say: and it is easy? But we say: ease has two relations: a relation to the object acted upon and a relation to the actor. With regard to the actor, they are the same, because both of them are brought about by a single word:
As for the object, there is no doubt that the first is more severe than the second. So, we said a word that has a benefit, which is pointing out that the One who is able to do the second is able to do the first, a fortiori. Then we cited as evidence for this His saying, the Exalted: I ask Allah the Exalted to make our destination and your destination Paradise, and to make the end of our affairs better than the beginning. Indeed, He is Able to do all things. Now, let us move to the questions. We start with the oath, and each person has one question. Please, go ahead.