Explanation of the author's statement: The seventeenth: The strange matter, which is the admission of the idolaters that no one answers the distressed except Allah

The Shaykh :"The seventeenth: The strange matter, which is the admission of the idolaters that no one answers the distressed except Allah, and for this reason they call upon Him in times of hardship, making their religion pure for Him". This is, as the author said, a strange matter: they know that no one answers the distressed except Allah, and yet they call upon other than Allah, bow to it, and prostrate to it, may Allah protect us from that. And to this day, there exist among the nations those who prostrate to the carved idols that they themselves carved. They stand before them in humility, their tears flowing from weeping, prostrating on the ground in reverence for them. This is something that exists to this day, may Allah protect us from that. In truth, this is among the strangest things: these polytheists associate partners with Allah, yet when they fall into hardship, they call upon Allah, making their religion pure for Him. If their idols had been true, they would have turned to their idols. However, among the polytheists today are some who are more severe in their shirk (associating partners with Allah) than the previous polytheists. When they fall into hardship, they call upon their awliya (close friends of Allah). If the matter is simple, they call upon Allah. That is, they call upon 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, saying "O 'Ali," when they fall into a hardship greater than which there is none. And if they want something supplementary, they call upon Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If they want to swear an oath in which they do not lie, they swear by 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and others of their awliya. And if they want to swear an oath in which they will lie, they swear by Allah. Yes, fine. These people are, may Allah protect us from that, more severe in shirk than the shirk of the first ones.
"The eighteenth: The protection of the Chosen One (peace and blessings be upon him) of the sanctity of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and proper conduct with Allah".
The author, therefore, chooses that his statement, may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him: is a matter of proper conduct in words and distancing oneself from relying on other than Allah, and that a person's reliance should always be on Allah (Mighty and Majestic). He knows the community that when they fall into hardships, they do not turn to anyone except Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and they do not utter the word of istighathah (calling for aid) except to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).

The questioner : The Prophet, may the prayers and blessings of Allah be upon him...

The Shaykh : Yes, he knows them, and he informed Hudhayfah of the names of specific people.

The questioner : Why...

The Shaykh : It is possible... it is possible to say that the problem now is that the Messenger, may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him, explained the 'illah (the operative cause of a ruling) and said: And if this matter is missed in the present time, this person is treated as they are treated. And the hypocrites in the time of the Messenger, may the prayers and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not display their hypocrisy; they concealed it. But whoever displays his hypocrisy, we know it, display it, and clarify it. This is what we can treat as a Muslim: what they displayed.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Because when they saw his harm, they judged him to be a hypocrite, which is one of its signs.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : No, there is a difference. Isti'adhah means taking refuge in the one sought for refuge, even if I do not want him to protect me from this specific thing. And istighathah (calling for aid) is taking refuge in him from a specific thing. And istin'ah (seeking help) is seeking assistance, even if the person is not in hardship, but even in supplementary matters where I am not in dire necessity for their removal or not in dire necessity for their acquisition, I seek his help, as the Messenger, may the prayers and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: .

The questioner : ...intermediary

The Shaykh : Yes

The questioner : A person acts as an intermediary...

The Shaykh : An intermediary, how?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : This intermediary: there are no intermediaries between Allah and His servants in the matter of du'a' (supplication). But in the matter of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), yes, between Him and creation there is an intermediary, and they are the messengers. As for the matter of du'a' (supplication), it is not possible for there to be an intermediary between us and Allah. For this reason, it is not permissible for me to say, for example, to the Messenger, may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him, now, "Be an intermediary between me and my Lord in such and such." But if the person is alive and is one whose du'a' (supplication) is expected to be answered, there is no harm in my asking him to call upon Allah for me, as 'Umar said to al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib: And as the Companions used to come to the Messenger, may the prayers and blessings of Allah be upon him, and say, "Call upon Allah for us." Yes.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : The sign of the hypocrite.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : We spoke about it yesterday in the lesson and said that the sign means that whoever adopts these morals has adopted the morals of the hypocrite purely. So the meaning of "whoever adopts envy" is that he has some of the morals of the Jews. This means that this is the sign of the hypocrite, and it is not hypocrisy itself. The sign of a thing is not the thing itself, but its meaning is that these traits are what the hypocrites practice. So when the four are gathered, the person is practicing all the morals of the hypocrites.

The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : No... but if...