The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: << So he smiled, rejoicing at her words, and said: “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous deeds of which You approve.
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He said: [Surat al-Naml: 19].
In this is the permissibility of smiling when there is a cause for it, and the permissibility of laughing as well, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. This is from the actions of our Prophet, and the actions of the Prophets are a proof. The actions of the Prophets are a proof, even if it is not our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), except for what has come in our Shari'ah from... This is not... The evidence that the actions of the Prophets are a proof is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-An'am: 90]. And His saying: [Surat Yusuf: 111]. Good.
And in it is evidence of what Sulayman (peace be upon him) was upon regarding humility before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), where arrogance did not take him with this great kingdom until he said: [Surat al-Naml: 19].
And in it is evidence of acknowledging the favor of Allah's blessing, and that it is not from boasting, because Sulayman mentioned Allah's favor upon him, but he did not intend by that boasting or elevating himself above others. And Allah the Exalted said to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): [Surat al-Duha: 11]. But not by way of boasting or elevation, because in that case it would turn into a calamity.
And in it is evidence that Allah's favor upon the parents is a favor upon the child, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. And especially the favor of Islam, for it is among the greatest favors upon the child. If a child died and his parents were disbelievers, this child would be in this world in the status of disbelievers, and in the Hereafter, Allah knows his state. And if a child died between two Muslim parents, would this child be?
The student: In Paradise.
The Shaykh : A Muslim in this world and the Hereafter. And on this basis! So Allah's favor upon the parents, and especially in religion, is a favor upon the child. And this is the aspect of His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19].
And in this is evidence of attributing... that from reason, justice, and the Shari'ah, it is to attribute the favor to the one who bestowed it, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. And this is an acknowledgment, and more eloquent than if a person were to say: “Enable me to be grateful for the favor, and that is enough.” Because his saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19] is very clear in the submission of this person to this great favor which Allah bestowed upon him. So in this is evidence that it is from reason, justice, and the Shari'ah to attribute the favor... Yes.
The student: To the one who bestowed it.
The Shaykh : To the one who bestowed it, even if he is a human, even if he is a human. And among the known secrets with them: Only those who possess merit know merit. What does “those who possess merit” mean? The owners of merit. No one knows merit except the owners of merit. As for one who is not a person of merit, they deny merit. In fact, if you were to do them a favor, they would see it as a right for which they do not give thanks, and... Yes. And the greatest thing in this is for one to boast to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with what Allah has bestowed upon him, as in the story of the Bedouin: [Surat al-Hujurat: 17]. Yes.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Be patient, we have not finished yet. Good.
And in it is evidence that the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) are, like others, in need of Allah's guidance, and that without the guidance of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), they would not... do good that pleases Allah, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19].
And in it is evidence that work that is not righteous has no benefit. Rather, it is between two things: work that is not righteous revolves between two things: either sin, or mere safety. If it comes from knowledge, it is sin. And if it comes from ignorance, the person is safe, but there is no benefit for him in it. Just as if a person, for example, prays a prayer that is invalid due to a state of ritual impurity, a prayer in a state of ritual impurity, then if he did that intentionally, he would be sinful. And if he was ignorant, it would not benefit him, it would not benefit him in clearing his obligation, and he would be required to repeat it. As for the reward, he may be rewarded for it on account of the intention and the effort that caused hardship, but the discussion is about the benefit one gains from it in clearing his obligation, and it does not drop from him.
And in it is evidence that the goal to which the Prophets and those who followed them aspire is the pleasure of Allah, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. Because the intended purpose of a person's work is to reach the pleasure of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). In fact, the pleasure of Allah is a goal above everything. Allah the Exalted said regarding the attributes of the believers: [Surat al-Tawbah: 71] * [Surat al-Tawbah: 72]. Meaning: Greater than everything. Yes. Greater than everything. And if they are afflicted with... from Allah, this is the ultimate goal they desire. Yes. Good.
And in the verse is also evidence that the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) seek nearness to Allah, meaning: they ask Allah the Exalted through a means, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Isra: 57]. Meaning: Those whom these polytheists call upon, those are [Surat al-Isra: 57]. So all people, all creation, ask Allah the Exalted and seek nearness to Him by what is permissible.
And in it is evidence of the permissibility of seeking nearness to Allah through the attributes of Allah...
The student: .....
The Shaykh : The same verse?
The student: Yes, by His mercy.
The Shaykh : By His mercy, by His mercy.
And in it is also evidence, rather in it is a question: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. If someone says: The station of prophethood is higher than the station of righteousness, [Surat al-Nisa: 69]. Yes. So how did he ask Allah to include him among His righteous servants, when he is a Prophet, higher in rank than the rank of righteousness?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... included in it ... the Prophets and the martyrs.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: If it is ...
The Shaykh : And in the details, the ranks come.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the closest. The closest is that the intended meaning of righteousness here is: absolute righteousness. And absolute righteousness is the highest rank. And Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: [Surat Yusuf: 101]. Yes. And Allah the Exalted said about Ibrahim: [Surat al-'Ankabut: 27]. So the intended meaning here is absolute righteousness, not the righteousness that is mentioned with the ranks. For the station of righteousness with the ranks is lower than the station of prophethood, [Surat al-Naml: 19].
And in this is also evidence that worship is a noble and great rank that even the Prophets ask for, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. For this reason, Allah the Exalted mentions His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) with the description of servitude in his highest stations, at the revelation of the Qur'an and at its defense, and the like of that. And the poet said, addressing:
“Do not call me except ‘O her slave,’ for it is the noblest of her names”
Yes. This is I seek refuge in Allah! A disobedient one. Let us suppose, for example, that he is Bakr. He says: Do not say to me “O Bakr,” say: “O slave of Layla.” Yes. O slave of Layla, for it is the noblest of my names. So servitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is undoubtedly the noblest of a person's attributes, that he is a slave to Allah. And a person must be a slave, and must take a god. Even the communists and the atheists must be slaves and have gods, or not?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Correct, do you agree with me on this?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes, it is necessary. If they did not have gods other than their desires, [Surat al-Jathiyah: 23]. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: {Woe to the slave of the dinar, woe to the slave of the dirham}. And these people, without doubt, worship the dinar and the dirham. In fact, they do not strive except for that. These atheists do not strive except for that.
So: Every person must be a slave. If he is a slave to Allah, he has truly been freed from servitude, because the slave of Allah is free. He does not see anything in this world or in the creations that is a slave to him, but he sees his Creator, his Master, and his God, and that he is a slave to this Creator. Yes. [Surat al-Naml: 19]. I have finished. Do you have anything? Or is that enough?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : It can be taken from it, and without doubt, thanking the favors is among the favors. And the poet said:
“If my thanks is a favor of Allah, a favor upon me, for it, thanks is obligatory in its like
So how can the attainment of gratitude be achieved except by His grace, even if the days lengthen and life continues?”
And this is correct. If Allah guides you to thanks, it is a favor. It is obligatory upon you that you thank Allah for this favor. So if you thank Him, it becomes a second favor that requires thanks. Because Allah says: [Surat Saba: 13]. And if you see one who denied and you thanked a favor, these are favors.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : In?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Good, you have done well. Correct. In it is a refutation of the Qadariyyah, because the Qadariyyah see that the person is independent in his work, he does not need help from Allah or anything. Yes. And without doubt, this is a false statement. But yes, this verse refutes them.
And in it is also a refutation of the Jabriyyah, because he attributed the work to himself, and said: [Surat al-Naml: 19]. And his saying: [An-Naml 27:19] means: I can do something other than righteous, so he is a chooser. So in it is a refutation of both groups: the Qadariyyah and the Jabriyyah. What is the difference between them, O Adel?
The student: The Qadariyyah ... the person means ... and the Jabriyyah that the person is compelled in actions.
The Shaykh : He has no choice or anything.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes, good.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : How is that?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : We said: We said: The argument based on this, the argument is not strong, because Allah has a favor upon the disbeliever, or not? Allah has a favor upon the disbeliever, but the absolute favor does not exist except through Islam. From this perspective, we say...
The student: .....
The Shaykh : In any case! It is close, close to being a Muslim, but if something more correct than this were to occur, that would be good.
Then Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Naml: 20]. Yes.
So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِنْ قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَIn this is the permissibility of smiling when there is a cause for it, and the permissibility of laughing as well, due to His saying:
So he smiled with joy
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًاThose are the ones whom Allah has guided, so follow their guidance
أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهِThere was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِAnd in it is evidence of what Sulayman (peace be upon him) was upon regarding humility before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), where arrogance did not take him with this great kingdom until he said:
My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَAnd in it is evidence of acknowledging the favor of Allah's blessing, and that it is not from boasting, because Sulayman mentioned Allah's favor upon him, but he did not intend by that boasting or elevating himself above others. And Allah the Exalted said to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْAnd in it is evidence that Allah's favor upon the parents is a favor upon the child, due to His saying:
which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents
أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّThe student: In Paradise.
The Shaykh : A Muslim in this world and the Hereafter. And on this basis! So Allah's favor upon the parents, and especially in religion, is a favor upon the child. And this is the aspect of His saying:
to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me
أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّAnd in this is evidence of attributing... that from reason, justice, and the Shari'ah, it is to attribute the favor to the one who bestowed it, due to His saying:
to be grateful for Your favor
أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَYour favor
نِعْمَتَكَThe student: To the one who bestowed it.
The Shaykh : To the one who bestowed it, even if he is a human, even if he is a human. And among the known secrets with them: Only those who possess merit know merit. What does “those who possess merit” mean? The owners of merit. No one knows merit except the owners of merit. As for one who is not a person of merit, they deny merit. In fact, if you were to do them a favor, they would see it as a right for which they do not give thanks, and... Yes. And the greatest thing in this is for one to boast to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with what Allah has bestowed upon him, as in the story of the Bedouin:
They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا قُلْ لا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلامَكُمْ بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلإِيمَانِThe student: .....
The Shaykh : Be patient, we have not finished yet. Good.
And in it is evidence that the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) are, like others, in need of Allah's guidance, and that without the guidance of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), they would not... do good that pleases Allah, due to His saying:
and to do righteousness of which You approve
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُAnd in it is evidence that work that is not righteous has no benefit. Rather, it is between two things: work that is not righteous revolves between two things: either sin, or mere safety. If it comes from knowledge, it is sin. And if it comes from ignorance, the person is safe, but there is no benefit for him in it. Just as if a person, for example, prays a prayer that is invalid due to a state of ritual impurity, a prayer in a state of ritual impurity, then if he did that intentionally, he would be sinful. And if he was ignorant, it would not benefit him, it would not benefit him in clearing his obligation, and he would be required to repeat it. As for the reward, he may be rewarded for it on account of the intention and the effort that caused hardship, but the discussion is about the benefit one gains from it in clearing his obligation, and it does not drop from him.
And in it is evidence that the goal to which the Prophets and those who followed them aspire is the pleasure of Allah, due to His saying:
and to do righteousness of which You approve
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُThe believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌAllah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُAnd in the verse is also evidence that the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) seek nearness to Allah, meaning: they ask Allah the Exalted through a means, due to His saying:
And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَThose are the ones whom they invoke
أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَseek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy
يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُAnd in it is evidence of the permissibility of seeking nearness to Allah through the attributes of Allah...
The student: .....
The Shaykh : The same verse?
The student: Yes, by His mercy.
The Shaykh : By His mercy, by His mercy.
And in it is also evidence, rather in it is a question:
into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَthose will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous
فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَThe student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... included in it ... the Prophets and the martyrs.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: If it is ...
The Shaykh : And in the details, the ranks come.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the closest. The closest is that the intended meaning of righteousness here is: absolute righteousness. And absolute righteousness is the highest rank. And Yusuf (peace be upon him) said:
Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous."
تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَAnd We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous.
وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ لَمِنِ الصَّالِحِينَAnd admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَAnd in this is also evidence that worship is a noble and great rank that even the Prophets ask for, due to His saying:
among Your servants
فِي عِبَادِكَ“Do not call me except ‘O her slave,’ for it is the noblest of her names”
Yes. This is I seek refuge in Allah! A disobedient one. Let us suppose, for example, that he is Bakr. He says: Do not say to me “O Bakr,” say: “O slave of Layla.” Yes. O slave of Layla, for it is the noblest of my names. So servitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is undoubtedly the noblest of a person's attributes, that he is a slave to Allah. And a person must be a slave, and must take a god. Even the communists and the atheists must be slaves and have gods, or not?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Correct, do you agree with me on this?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes, it is necessary. If they did not have gods other than their desires,
Have you seen the one who took his desire as his god, and whom Allah led astray with knowledge, and sealed over his hearing
أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَى سَمْعِهِSo: Every person must be a slave. If he is a slave to Allah, he has truly been freed from servitude, because the slave of Allah is free. He does not see anything in this world or in the creations that is a slave to him, but he sees his Creator, his Master, and his God, and that he is a slave to this Creator. Yes.
And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."
وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَThe student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : It can be taken from it, and without doubt, thanking the favors is among the favors. And the poet said:
“If my thanks is a favor of Allah, a favor upon me, for it, thanks is obligatory in its like
So how can the attainment of gratitude be achieved except by His grace, even if the days lengthen and life continues?”
And this is correct. If Allah guides you to thanks, it is a favor. It is obligatory upon you that you thank Allah for this favor. So if you thank Him, it becomes a second favor that requires thanks. Because Allah says:
And few of My servants are grateful.
وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُThe student: .....
The Shaykh : In?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Good, you have done well. Correct. In it is a refutation of the Qadariyyah, because the Qadariyyah see that the person is independent in his work, he does not need help from Allah or anything. Yes. And without doubt, this is a false statement. But yes, this verse refutes them.
And in it is also a refutation of the Jabriyyah, because he attributed the work to himself, and said:
and to do righteousness of which You approve
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُand to do righteousness
وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًاThe student: The Qadariyyah ... the person means ... and the Jabriyyah that the person is compelled in actions.
The Shaykh : He has no choice or anything.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : Yes, good.
The student: .....
The Shaykh : How is that?
The student: .....
The Shaykh : We said: We said: The argument based on this, the argument is not strong, because Allah has a favor upon the disbeliever, or not? Allah has a favor upon the disbeliever, but the absolute favor does not exist except through Islam. From this perspective, we say...
The student: .....
The Shaykh : In any case! It is close, close to being a Muslim, but if something more correct than this were to occur, that would be good.
Then Allah the Exalted said: