Allah the Exalted said: << ولقد فتنا الذين من قبلهم فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا وليعلمن الكاذبين >

in their faith, with the knowledge of direct observation [Al-'Ankabut:3] in them. This means We tested those before them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that among the trials of those before us was that a man would be combed with iron combs between his bone and his skin, and yet he would remain patient and seek reward, meaning he would be subjected to iron combs and the flesh would be cut by them. Yes, he would be combed, and yet he would remain patient in his religion and not apostatize. So if this was the case with those before us, then this Ummah is more deserving of patience in this great matter, especially if the situation is one of jihad, such as what happened to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) during the days of the Inquisition (Mihnah). He was beaten with whips and dragged by donkeys to make him say that the Qur'an is created, and yet he refused to say that the Qur'an is created. Because if he had said that the Qur'an is created, it would not merely be that the matter would pass over him, but rather the corruption of the entire Ummah would follow from it. Therefore, if a person is coerced into disbelief, and his disbelief necessitates the disbelief of others, such as the corruption of the religion, then it is not permissible for him to agree, even if he is coerced. Because the situation in his case is what? It is a situation of jihad, and a person must strive in the path of Allah, even if he faces death. However, if the matter is personal coercion into disbelief, then it is permissible for him to do so, on the condition that his heart remains firm in faith. So, for example, a man who is a role model and an imam for the people is coerced to commit a sin or to commit disbelief. His action is not merely to escape the harm, but rather a community of people follows his example. So we say to him: Do not do it, do not agree, even if you are coerced or beaten, because the situation is a situation of jihad in the path of Allah. And another person who is not of significance, whom people do not look to and do not follow as an example, is coerced to do something from disbelief or less than that. Then it is permissible for him to do so, on the condition that his heart is firm in faith, just as Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: Who are the truthful ones? Truthfulness is the conformity of speech to reality, or the conformity of action to reality. So those who were truthful in their claim that they are believers, whoever is truthful in his faith, he will be safe thereby. And whoever is a liar, then, refuge with Allah, he will be deceived by this trial and will turn on his face, losing both this world and the Hereafter. And the author's statement: "knowledge of direct observation" indicates that Allah's saying: Indeed, His saying: is future, as evidenced by the entry of the emphatic nun upon it, and as evidenced by the fact that it is an oath clause, and the oath clause is for the future. So it is a present tense verb occurring in an oath clause emphasized by the nun, so it is for the future. And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, knows that before the trial occurs, is that not so? So how is the answer to His saying: which indicates that knowledge does not occur except after the trial? The author said: "knowledge of direct observation" and that is because the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted, of things is divided into two categories: knowledge that they will occur, and knowledge that they have occurred. So the first is knowledge of what has not been, and the second is knowledge of what has been. And this is what such verses are attributed to, such as: [Muhammad:31] and the intended meaning is knowledge of direct observation, because knowledge of who will be a mujahid is prior, but it is knowledge that he will come. So the object of knowledge is either future, which Allah knows that it will be, or actual, which Allah knows that it has been. This is the answer. And the second answer is that knowledge is divided into two categories: knowledge upon which recompense follows, and knowledge upon which recompense does not follow. So the knowledge of Allah in eternity before the occurrence of the thing is knowledge upon which recompense does not follow. And the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted, after the occurrence is knowledge upon which recompense follows. So the knowledge which Allah, the Exalted, makes contingent upon the occurrence, the intended meaning is knowledge of recompense. Whether it is good or evil, these are the two answers regarding such a verse. And it is not said that Allah does not know a thing except after its occurrence, as the extremists of the Qadariyyah said. For the extremists of the Qadariyyah say: Allah does not know a thing except after its occurrence. And they argue with this ambiguous part of the Qur'an. But we say: these people have deviation in their hearts because they followed what is ambiguous in it. If they had returned to the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Hajj:70] it would have become clear to them that Allah is All-Knowing of what will be before it is. And His saying: [Al-'Ankabut:3] the liars in what? In their claim that they are believers. So Allah, the Exalted, when He tests the creation, He knows who was truthful in his statement and who was a liar. And in this warning is a warning for a person when trials occur not to apostatize from his faith, thereby becoming a liar. Yes?