The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “None argues about the verses of Allah except those who disbelieve, so do not be deceived by their movement in the lands.”
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We take the benefits of the verse before we move past it. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: [Ghafir 40:4]
So among the benefits of this verse is that the disbelievers argue about the verses of Allah, but for what purpose?[Ghafir 40:5].
And among its benefits is the eagerness of the disbelievers to invalidate the truth through argumentation and combat. Argumentation is as mentioned in the verse, while combat is when they are unable to invalidate the truth through argument, they invalidate it through beating and fighting, as in other verses.
And among the benefits of the noble verse is to be wary of arguing with the disbelievers if a person does not have a weapon, meaning do not enter into argument with the disbelievers if you do not have a weapon, because you will be defeated, and your defeat is not a personal defeat, but it is a defeat for Islam.
And among the benefits of the noble verse is that it is obligatory for us to know the defects and statements of the disbelievers so that we can argue with them, because argumentation, as we said previously, is contention where each one contends with the other to twist his words before him until it becomes difficult for him, so it is necessary to know the falsehood they are upon in order to refute them in it, meaning it is not sufficient in arguing with the disbelievers to know the truth you are upon, but it is necessary to know the falsehood they are upon, and I think this is clear, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic argues with the disbelievers in this manner, saying:[Yunus 10:59] And the verses in this regard are many, know what falsehood your enemy has in order to refute his argument.
So if someone asks how we reconcile this noble verse in which Allah mentioned that none argues about the verses except the disbelievers, with the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted: [Al-Nahl: 125], where He commanded argumentation, while in this verse He criticized argumentation and said that none argues except the disbelievers? The answer to this is easy: the argumentation we are commanded to do is argumentation to invalidate falsehood and establish truth, whereas the disbelievers argue to invalidate truth and establish falsehood, the opposite of what we are commanded to do.
And among the benefits of the noble verse is that Allah the Exalted allows the disbelievers to continue and delays them, enabling them to move in the lands wherever they wish, as He said:[Ghafir 40:4].
And among the benefits of the noble verse is warning the believer not to be deceived by what Allah has bestowed upon these disbelievers of movement in this world wherever they wish, as He said:[Ghafir 40:4].
And among the benefits of the noble verse is explaining the foolishness of those who were deceived and were deceived by the disbelievers, explaining their foolishness in intellect and their misguidance in religion, for some Muslims weak in faith were dazzled by what the disbelievers are upon, and they thought that their dissolution of morals, corruption of beliefs, and disbelief is what caused them to reach this level of material progress, so they were dazzled by it and strayed from the religion, and they lost their gait and the gait of the pigeon, becoming like the crow. They say that the crow liked the gait of the pigeon, and it is known the difference between the gait of the pigeon and the gait of the crow. The crow... and the pigeon walks as if in a hurry, meaning on its toes as you say, so he liked the gait and said: I will walk like the gait of the pigeon. He tried to do it but did not achieve anything. He tried to return to his original gait but was unable to recognize it, so he lost the first gait and the second. These poor people who were dazzled by the material strength of the disbelievers and what was adorned for them of this world lost their religion and did not reach what these people have of this world. And Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet:[Taha 20:131].
Now, and among the benefits of the noble verses is that no matter how long the duration for these disbelievers, their end is destruction and desolation. Look now, where did all the previous disbelievers go? They went to the Fire, because we testify by Allah that every disbeliever is in the Fire. So those who died upon disbelief moved from the world, which was made a paradise for them, to the Fire, may Allah protect us.
And I think I have narrated to you the story of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, yes, and he was the Chief Judge in Egypt, meaning the greatest of the judges. And when he walked, he walked in a carriage pulled by horses or mules in a procession. One day he passed by a fat Jewish man, meaning one who makes ghee or oil, and you know that the oil seller and the ghee maker have their clothes stained with oil and their conditions are poor. So he pointed to the procession and it stopped, and he said to Ibn Hajar: Your Prophet says:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2324Sahih (Darussalam) How does this statement agree with my condition and your condition? You are now a Muslim in this luxury and in this great procession, and he is a Jew and wretched, in oil or ghee that stains his clothes and his hands and everything. So Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said to him: "Yes, but the misery you are in is a paradise compared to what you will end up with when you die" Where will you be when you die? The Fire or this? This is a paradise compared to the Fire "And as for me, my enjoyment here is considered a prison compared to Paradise" because the enjoyment of Paradise is much higher than this. So the Jew said: I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Glory be to Allah, the matter became clear to him with a simple word. So I say that these disbelievers, no matter how this world is adorned for them, they will, may Allah protect us, end up in punishment. And as we all know, if a person ends up in punishment after enjoyment, the punishment becomes more severe for him, but if he moves from punishment to punishment, it becomes easier. As for one who moves from enjoyment to punishment, it is very difficult So these disbelievers who go and come, all of them, do not be deceived by them, especially if their movement in the lands is arrogance on earth and the plot of the evil one and elevation over creation and their claim that they will manage the people and establish a global system as they say. Then we know that their end is failure if we are truthful to Allah. If we are truthful to Allah, then their plot will not harm us: [At-Tariq 86:15-16] meaning a greater plot, and it is known that the plot from Allah is more severe than the plot from humans, yes.
No one disputes concerning the signs of Allah except those who disbelieve
ما يجادل في آيات الله إلا الذين كفرواSo among the benefits of this verse is that the disbelievers argue about the verses of Allah, but for what purpose?
and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth
وجادلوا بالباطل ليدحضوا به الحقAnd among its benefits is the eagerness of the disbelievers to invalidate the truth through argumentation and combat. Argumentation is as mentioned in the verse, while combat is when they are unable to invalidate the truth through argument, they invalidate it through beating and fighting, as in other verses.
And among the benefits of the noble verse is to be wary of arguing with the disbelievers if a person does not have a weapon, meaning do not enter into argument with the disbelievers if you do not have a weapon, because you will be defeated, and your defeat is not a personal defeat, but it is a defeat for Islam.
And among the benefits of the noble verse is that it is obligatory for us to know the defects and statements of the disbelievers so that we can argue with them, because argumentation, as we said previously, is contention where each one contends with the other to twist his words before him until it becomes difficult for him, so it is necessary to know the falsehood they are upon in order to refute them in it, meaning it is not sufficient in arguing with the disbelievers to know the truth you are upon, but it is necessary to know the falsehood they are upon, and I think this is clear, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic argues with the disbelievers in this manner, saying:
Has Allah permitted you [to do so], or do you invent [something] about Allah?"
آلله أذن لكم أم على الله تفترونSo if someone asks how we reconcile this noble verse in which Allah mentioned that none argues about the verses except the disbelievers, with the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnd among the benefits of the noble verse is that Allah the Exalted allows the disbelievers to continue and delays them, enabling them to move in the lands wherever they wish, as He said:
their [uninhibited] movement throughout the land.
تقلبهم في البلادAnd among the benefits of the noble verse is warning the believer not to be deceived by what Allah has bestowed upon these disbelievers of movement in this world wherever they wish, as He said:
so be not deceived by their [uninhibited] movement throughout the land.
فلا يغررك تقلبهم في البلادAnd among the benefits of the noble verse is explaining the foolishness of those who were deceived and were deceived by the disbelievers, explaining their foolishness in intellect and their misguidance in religion, for some Muslims weak in faith were dazzled by what the disbelievers are upon, and they thought that their dissolution of morals, corruption of beliefs, and disbelief is what caused them to reach this level of material progress, so they were dazzled by it and strayed from the religion, and they lost their gait and the gait of the pigeon, becoming like the crow. They say that the crow liked the gait of the pigeon, and it is known the difference between the gait of the pigeon and the gait of the crow. The crow... and the pigeon walks as if in a hurry, meaning on its toes as you say, so he liked the gait and said: I will walk like the gait of the pigeon. He tried to do it but did not achieve anything. He tried to return to his original gait but was unable to recognize it, so he lost the first gait and the second. These poor people who were dazzled by the material strength of the disbelievers and what was adorned for them of this world lost their religion and did not reach what these people have of this world. And Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet:
And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.
ولا تمدن عينيك إلى ما متعنا به أزواجا منهم زهرة الحياة الدنيا لنفتنهم فيه ورزق ربك خير وأبقىNow, and among the benefits of the noble verses is that no matter how long the duration for these disbelievers, their end is destruction and desolation. Look now, where did all the previous disbelievers go? They went to the Fire, because we testify by Allah that every disbeliever is in the Fire. So those who died upon disbelief moved from the world, which was made a paradise for them, to the Fire, may Allah protect us.
And I think I have narrated to you the story of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, yes, and he was the Chief Judge in Egypt, meaning the greatest of the judges. And when he walked, he walked in a carriage pulled by horses or mules in a procession. One day he passed by a fat Jewish man, meaning one who makes ghee or oil, and you know that the oil seller and the ghee maker have their clothes stained with oil and their conditions are poor. So he pointed to the procession and it stopped, and he said to Ibn Hajar: Your Prophet says:
