The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: << فانظر كيف كان عاقبة مكرهم أنا دمرناهم وقومهم أجمعين >
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And in His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 51].
In this verse there are benefits:
First: the exhortation to take heed, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 51]. Reflection occurs with the heart, and it is called the reflection of insight; and it occurs with the eye, and it is called the reflection of sight. Both are required matters if they lead to a required outcome.
As for when it does not lead to a required outcome, but rather leads to the opposite, such as taking heed and gaining insight, then using this reflection as a means to criticize the wisdom of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), or to describe Allah the Exalted as unjust, or similar to that which occurs from some of the atheists, then its harm is great, and I seek refuge in Allah. But whoever reflects in order to take heed, whoever reflects with the eye of intellect and justice, then both are necessary: intellect and justice. For without intellect, a person is not recognized, and without justice, one is unjust.
So in any case, in this verse there is evidence that it is obligatory for a person to reflect and contemplate matters, especially the matters of the deniers.
And in it is evidence that in the station of warning, one should use the harshest words and those with the greatest impact, due to His saying: [Surat al-Naml: 51]. He did not say: "We destroyed them," for destruction has a greater impact on the soul, and the soul repels from it more. For this reason, He said: [Surat al-Naml: 51].
And in this is also evidence that punishments come by the causes of a person, where He made this destruction the consequence of their plotting. And this is also indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-A'raf: 96].
And He the Exalted said specifically regarding the People of the Book: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 65 - 66]. "From above them" means: from the good fruits. "And from beneath their feet" means: from the crops that are under the ground.
In His saying also: [Surat al-Naml: 51]. In this is evidence that the punishment is comprehensive. But as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And this is observed, whether the punishment is from Allah, meaning: from the action of Allah, or from the action of the servants. Allah the Exalted empowers some of His servants over others, so this one who is empowered destroys both the righteous and the wicked. But people are resurrected on the Day of Resurrection according to their deeds and their intentions.
Or Allah the Exalted sends down a calamity from Himself, such as floods, winds, and others. So it destroys the righteous and the wicked, and on the Day of Resurrection they are resurrected according to their intentions.
And it is so, and the wisdom with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is so that people will be upright in the command of Allah. For if I know that the calamity will be comprehensive, I will strive to remove the evil that necessitates the punishment. But if we knew that the punishment is specific to the doer, the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil would not be upright.
And therefore, it is obligatory that a person's fear of the sins of others be like his fear of his own sins, because the punishment is one, and when it descends, it is comprehensive. Indeed, the sins, glory be to Allah, are like smoke that strikes down whoever smells it, even if it is not in his house.
And therefore, the sins of people today have affected the people of good who are far from them. I mean: if you asked the people of good and said: Do you find in your hearts what you used to find years ago of turning to Allah, humility, submission, and love of good? If you asked them, they would answer: No.
Let us leave aside the people who died thirty years or more ago; it is known that they were safe from this trial. But even those who are present now, their escape from it thirty years ago was much better than today, even though their state is the same. You find, for example, a person in his mosque as an imam, not connected to the world and not occupied with it. You find a person, for example, in his family, not looking at anyone other than them. And yet, the hearts were affected, because sins are harms, whatever they are.
But with this, Allah the Exalted may send a great volcano that scatters these things. Allah the Exalted may appoint for the Muslim community a victorious, manifest group that scatters all this matter. For this reason, work is necessary. Stagnation is not beneficial; there is no safety in stagnation at all. Work is necessary, but on a straight guidance and with utmost wisdom. For what harms the callers to Allah is one of two things: either ignorance, or folly.
I mean: either they do not have clear, established knowledge, so you find them forbidding what Allah has made lawful, and obligating what Allah has not obligated.
Just as there are some of the brothers who are strict in matters, forbidding what Allah has made lawful, or obligating what Allah has not obligated. And this is a great harm.
Or they may have folly, meaning: they do not have wisdom in calling to Allah, so they have haste, threat, and violence, or delay in a place where it is not appropriate.
So in the first case, a deep reaction occurs from those being called, and in the second case, persistence occurs from those being called, which causes the callers to miss the opportunity. So knowledge and wisdom are necessary [Surat al-Nahl: 125].
He says: [Surat al-Naml: 51].
Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.
فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ مَكْرِهِمْ أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَاهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَIn this verse there are benefits:
First: the exhortation to take heed, due to His saying:
So look
فَانظُرْAs for when it does not lead to a required outcome, but rather leads to the opposite, such as taking heed and gaining insight, then using this reflection as a means to criticize the wisdom of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), or to describe Allah the Exalted as unjust, or similar to that which occurs from some of the atheists, then its harm is great, and I seek refuge in Allah. But whoever reflects in order to take heed, whoever reflects with the eye of intellect and justice, then both are necessary: intellect and justice. For without intellect, a person is not recognized, and without justice, one is unjust.
So in any case, in this verse there is evidence that it is obligatory for a person to reflect and contemplate matters, especially the matters of the deniers.
And in it is evidence that in the station of warning, one should use the harshest words and those with the greatest impact, due to His saying:
We destroyed them.
دَمَّرْنَاهُمْWe destroyed them.
أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَاهُمْAnd in this is also evidence that punishments come by the causes of a person, where He made this destruction the consequence of their plotting. And this is also indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning."
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَAnd He the Exalted said specifically regarding the People of the Book:
(65) And if only the People of the Scripture had believed and feared Allah, We would have removed from them their misdeeds and admitted them to Gardens of Pleasure. (66) And if only they upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَكَفَّرْنَا عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَأَدْخَلْنَاهُمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ * وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْIn His saying also:
that We destroyed them and their people, all.
أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَاهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَPeople will be resurrected according to their deeds.
يُبعث الناس على أعمالهمOr Allah the Exalted sends down a calamity from Himself, such as floods, winds, and others. So it destroys the righteous and the wicked, and on the Day of Resurrection they are resurrected according to their intentions.
And it is so, and the wisdom with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is so that people will be upright in the command of Allah. For if I know that the calamity will be comprehensive, I will strive to remove the evil that necessitates the punishment. But if we knew that the punishment is specific to the doer, the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil would not be upright.
And therefore, it is obligatory that a person's fear of the sins of others be like his fear of his own sins, because the punishment is one, and when it descends, it is comprehensive. Indeed, the sins, glory be to Allah, are like smoke that strikes down whoever smells it, even if it is not in his house.
And therefore, the sins of people today have affected the people of good who are far from them. I mean: if you asked the people of good and said: Do you find in your hearts what you used to find years ago of turning to Allah, humility, submission, and love of good? If you asked them, they would answer: No.
Let us leave aside the people who died thirty years or more ago; it is known that they were safe from this trial. But even those who are present now, their escape from it thirty years ago was much better than today, even though their state is the same. You find, for example, a person in his mosque as an imam, not connected to the world and not occupied with it. You find a person, for example, in his family, not looking at anyone other than them. And yet, the hearts were affected, because sins are harms, whatever they are.
But with this, Allah the Exalted may send a great volcano that scatters these things. Allah the Exalted may appoint for the Muslim community a victorious, manifest group that scatters all this matter. For this reason, work is necessary. Stagnation is not beneficial; there is no safety in stagnation at all. Work is necessary, but on a straight guidance and with utmost wisdom. For what harms the callers to Allah is one of two things: either ignorance, or folly.
I mean: either they do not have clear, established knowledge, so you find them forbidding what Allah has made lawful, and obligating what Allah has not obligated.
Just as there are some of the brothers who are strict in matters, forbidding what Allah has made lawful, or obligating what Allah has not obligated. And this is a great harm.
Or they may have folly, meaning: they do not have wisdom in calling to Allah, so they have haste, threat, and violence, or delay in a place where it is not appropriate.
So in the first case, a deep reaction occurs from those being called, and in the second case, persistence occurs from those being called, which causes the callers to miss the opportunity. So knowledge and wisdom are necessary
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 أَحْسَنُHe says: