The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: << وجدتها وقومها يسجدون للشمس من دون الله وزين لهم الشيطان أعمالهم فصدهم عن السبيل فهم لا يهتدون >
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,
وَجَدْتُهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لا يَهْتَدُونَIt is derived from this verse: that these people were associating partners with Allah, as He said:
I found her and her people prostrating to the sun
وَجَدْتُهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِAnd in it is evidence that creation is innately disposed to reject shirk (associating partners with Allah), because the hoopoe rejected their shirk, even though the hoopoe is not among the people of intellect. However, all animals, and indeed all created things other than animals, are innately disposed to the oneness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic),
The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِFrom this, a benefit is derived: that the polytheists are the worst of creation, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said. That is to say, if the animals and inanimate objects glorify Allah and recognize His right, and the sons of Adam, these people, associate partners with Him, then they have become the worst of creation:
Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِAnd in it is evidence that a person is blamed for his action or praised for his action, because the hoopoe mentioned it by way of blame. The purpose of mentioning this benefit is to arrive at the fact that a person’s action is by his choice. For if he were compelled, it would not be valid for him to be a subject of blame or praise, because one who is compelled to do a work is not praised for it, even if it is good, nor blamed for it if it is bad. But it is his action, so then... And in it is evidence for refuting the claim of whom?
The student: The Jabriyyah.
The Shaykh : The Jabriyyah, who say that a person is compelled in his actions, because if he were compelled, he would not be worthy of praise for good or blame for evil.
And in this is evidence that evil deeds are from the adornment of Satan, as He said:
and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them
وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْWe have made pleasing to them their deeds, so they wander blindly.
زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَMade pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds
زُيِّنَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ أَعْمَالِهِمْThe student: The direct adornment is from Satan, but it is by Allah’s decree.
The Shaykh : It is attributed to Allah by decree and to Satan directly. Good.
If someone were to say: Evil deeds are adorned for people in Ramadan, and it is established in the hadith that the devils are chained and shackled in it, and yet we see that many of the people have their evil deeds adorned for them in Ramadan. So how is the reality reconciled...?
The student: ....
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ....
The Shaykh : This would be from the adornment of the self, because it also adorns evil deeds...