The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And you were not concealing yourselves lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins bear witness against you, but you supposed that Allah does not know much of what you do…”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The saying of Allah the Exalted: [Fussilat 41:22] to the end of it contains among its benefits that these criminals do not believe in the Resurrection, as indicated by His saying: [Fussilat 41:22].
Among its benefits is the perfection of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that He is able to make everything speak, as He made the hearing, the sight, and the skins speak.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that these criminals suppose that Allah does not know much of what they do, which is what they conceal. For this reason, they concealed from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) what they committed of disbelief.
Among the benefits of the following verse is that such a supposition is a cause of a person’s destruction: to suppose that he will not be resurrected. This is a cause of his destruction; indeed, it is his destruction in reality, because the one who denies the Resurrection is a disbeliever, and the disbeliever has no share in this world or the Hereafter, as Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zumar 39:15].
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that these criminals suppose that they won the battle by their concealment. This applies fully to the hypocrites, but the reality of the matter is that they lost, as Allah the Exalted said:[Fussilat 41:23].
Among the benefits of the verse is that the people of the Fire will not come out of it, whether they are patient or not, as indicated by:[Fussilat 41:24], and it is clarified by His saying: [At-Tur 52:16] and His saying: [Ibrahim 14:21].
Among the benefits of this noble verse is the indication that the Fire does not cease, as indicated by:[Fussilat 41:24]. This—meaning that the Fire does not cease—is the statement of the people of the Sunnah and the community, just as Paradise also does not cease. Some scholars have claimed that the Fire will cease at the very end, but this claim is invalid; that is, it does not deserve the status of being called “weak,” but rather we say that it is invalid and it is not fitting to write it in the pages of books. This is because the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), who created the Fire and knows it and its outcome, explicitly states its eternity in three places in the Book of Allah the Exalted. The first place is… Brother, raise your hand, what is it? You don’t know… The first place is in Surat al-Nisa; what is the verse?
The student:[An-Nisa 4:168-169]
The Shaykh : The second place
The student: Surat al-Ahzab
The Shaykh : What is it?
The student: ....
The Shaykh :[Al-Ahzab 33:64-65] Good. What is the third place?
The student: Surat al-Jinn[Al-Jinn 72:23]
The Shaykh : Well done. Is there any speech after this? No. For this reason, a person is amazed that some scholars would say that the Fire ceases, despite the existence of these three verses. Good, this[Fussilat 41:24] may contain an indication that it will remain forever, because if it had an end, they would be pardoned at the very end.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is the affirmation of the Fire, as indicated by:[Fussilat 41:24].
And among them is that it is the dwelling place, and it is not as some writers today claim, saying that when a person dies, he goes to his final abode. We have clarified that this word is a word of disbelief if a person believes in its meaning; that is, if he believes that the grave is the final abode and there is no resurrection after it, he would be a disbeliever. It is said: the grave is not the final abode.
And you were not covering yourselves, lest your hearing testify against you
وما كنتم تستترون أن يشهد عليكمAnd you were not covering yourselves, lest your hearing testify against you
وما كنتم تستترون أن يشهد عليكمAmong its benefits is the perfection of the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that He is able to make everything speak, as He made the hearing, the sight, and the skins speak.
Among the benefits of this noble verse is that these criminals suppose that Allah does not know much of what they do, which is what they conceal. For this reason, they concealed from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) what they committed of disbelief.
Among the benefits of the following verse is that such a supposition is a cause of a person’s destruction: to suppose that he will not be resurrected. This is a cause of his destruction; indeed, it is his destruction in reality, because the one who denies the Resurrection is a disbeliever, and the disbeliever has no share in this world or the Hereafter, as Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "Indeed, the losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection
قل إنَّ الخاسرين الذين خسِرُوا أنفسهم وأهليهم يوم القيامةAmong the benefits of this noble verse is that these criminals suppose that they won the battle by their concealment. This applies fully to the hypocrites, but the reality of the matter is that they lost, as Allah the Exalted said:
and you have become among the losers."
فأصبحتم من الخاسرينAmong the benefits of the verse is that the people of the Fire will not come out of it, whether they are patient or not, as indicated by:
So [even] if they are patient, the Fire is a residence for them
فإن يصبروا فالنار مثوى لهم[Enter to] burn therein; then be patient or impatient - it is all the same for you. You are only being recompensed [for] what you used to do."
اصْلَوهَا فاصْبِرُوا أو لا تصبروا سواءٌ عليكم إنما تجزون ما كنتم تعملونIt is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape."
وسواءٌ علينا أجزِعْنا أم صبَرْنا ما لنا من محيصAmong the benefits of this noble verse is the indication that the Fire does not cease, as indicated by:
So [even] if they are patient, the Fire is a residence for them
فإن يصْبِرُوا فالنَّار مثْوًى لهمThe student:
(168) Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong [or injustice] - never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a path. (169) Except the path of Hell; they will abide therein forever. And that, for Allah, is [always] easy.
إن الذين كفروا وظلموا لم يكن الله ليغفر لهم ولا ليهديهم طريقًا * إلَّا طريق جهنم خالدين فيها أبدًا وكان ذلك على الله يسيرًاThe Shaykh : The second place
The student: Surat al-Ahzab
The Shaykh : What is it?
The student: ....
The Shaykh :
(64) Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a Blaze. (65) Abiding therein forever, they will not find a protector or a helper.
إنَّ الله لعنَ الكافرين وأعَدَّ لهم سعيرًا * خالدين فيها أبدًا لا يجدون ولِيًّا ولا نصيرًاThe student: Surat al-Jinn
And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger - then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever.
ومن يعص الله ورسوله فإن له نار جهنم خالدين فيها أبداThe Shaykh : Well done. Is there any speech after this? No. For this reason, a person is amazed that some scholars would say that the Fire ceases, despite the existence of these three verses. Good, this
and if they ask to appease [Allah], they will not be of those who are allowed to appease.
وإن يستعتبوا فما هم من المعتبينAmong the benefits of the noble verse is the affirmation of the Fire, as indicated by:
the Fire is a residence for them
فالنار مثوى لهمAnd among them is that it is the dwelling place, and it is not as some writers today claim, saying that when a person dies, he goes to his final abode. We have clarified that this word is a word of disbelief if a person believes in its meaning; that is, if he believes that the grave is the final abode and there is no resurrection after it, he would be a disbeliever. It is said: the grave is not the final abode.