Explanation of the author's statement: And the saying of Allah the Exalted: "Indeed, their divination is with Allah, but most of them do not know," and His saying
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The Shaykh : He said: "And the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-A'raf 7:131]" This verse was revealed concerning Moses and his people. [Al-A'raf 7:131] Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:131] The meaning of "they would take ill omens from Moses and those with him" is that they would say, "This is from you; this is from Moses and his companions. The calamity came from them; the drought came from them; the famine came from them; such and such came from them." So Allah the Exalted refuted this in matters of creed by saying: [Al-A'raf 7:131] And "ala" here is a particle of introduction that serves to draw attention. Yes, and what else does it signify? It signifies emphasis. And His saying: is a particle of restriction. "Tayyir" (divination) is the subject, and "with Allah" is its predicate. This means that the drought and famine that befalls them is not caused by Moses and his people, but it is from Allah Mighty and Majestic. He is the One who decreed it, and Moses and his people have no connection to it. In fact, the matter requires that Moses and his people be the cause of blessing and good, contrary to what they say. But these people, may Allah protect us from them, are misleading the common people and making them believe the opposite of reality. Now, regarding His saying: It is known that Moses and those with him are not birds, but the intended meaning is taking ill omens, and this was expressed as "tayyir" (divination) because the Qur'an is in the Arabic language. If the ill omens taken by those people were from Moses and his people, who are not birds, then the Arabs take ill omens most of all from birds. For this reason, taking ill omens was called "tayyir" among them. And His saying: [Al-An'am 6:37] is because they are immersed in ignorance, and they have no Lord except he
The student: Pharaoh
The Shaykh : except Pharaoh, who is their Lord. So they do not know that there is a God, a Lord who manages affairs, and that what befalls them is from Allah, not from Moses and his people.
The questioner : Their saying:[Ya-Sin 36:18] ...
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, they said[Ya-Sin 36:18] meaning, "We certainly took ill omens from you."
The questioner : They were before the Arabs.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, before the Arabs. But Allah described them as taking ill omens because the Arabs equate taking ill omens with "tayyir" (divination), as they used birds more than anything else for this purpose.
The questioner : Meaning, did they not utter the words "We took ill omens from you"?
The Shaykh : No, certainly they did not utter those words, because their language was not Arabic. Allah narrated what they said, and the Qur'an expressed it in the Arabic language. It is possible that they only expressed this meaning, and this is certainly the case, because all those whose words Allah narrated from among the non-Arabs, He narrated them by their meaning. He said: "And His saying:[Ya-Sin 36:19]" Who said? The messengers? No, those who were sent to the town. [Ya-Sin 36:13-19] Now, [Ya-Sin 36:19] in response to their saying, [Ya-Sin 36:18] meaning, "We took ill omens from you, and we do not see that you guide us to good, but rather you guide us to evil and what brings about our destruction." So they said: meaning, "Your companion is with you," i.e., what happens to you is from you and from your deeds. There is no contradiction between this verse and the one before it, because the first verse indicates the One who decreed this matter, which is Allah, and this verse clarifies its cause, which is that it is from them. So in reality, their divination is with them, meaning, if there is any ill omen, it is with you, accompanying you, and attached to you, because your deeds necessitate it. As Allah the Exalted said: [Al-A'raf 7:96] It is derived from these two verses that taking ill omens was known among the Arabs and among non-Arabs as well, because the first is about Pharaoh and his people, and the second is about the people of the town. Then, did those who took ill omens do so in reality, or was it for deception? It was for deception, otherwise it would be a lie. In reality, they were not the ones who brought them evil, but rather their own deeds brought them evil. So Allah decreed for them what displeases them as a recompense for an evil deed with its like. Now, he said: because he mentioned the verse. Here we should pause. [Ya-Sin 36:19] Then you say: [Al-A'raf 7:81] Because if "in" (if) is mentioned, the conditional clause has a deleted answer, and the implied meaning is, "If you mentioned it, you would take ill omens." Rather, you are a people who transgress. And on this basis, do not connect it to what follows, but rather say: Then you say: [Al-A'raf 7:81] And His saying: [Al-A'raf 7:81] Is "bal" (rather) here for negation or for transition? It is for negation, meaning, "Rather, what befalls you is not from me, but from your transgression." [Al-A'raf 7:81] And the meaning of "musrifun" (transgressing) is exceeding the limit that you should be upon.
Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allah, but most of them do not know.
ألا إنما طائرهم عند الله ولكن أكثرهم لا يعلمونAnd if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him.
وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُUnquestionably, their fortune is with Allah
ألا إنما طائرهم عند اللهUnquestionably, their fortune is with Allah
ألا إنما طائرهم عند اللهActions are only
إنماthey would take ill omens from Moses and those with him
يتطيروا بموسى ومن معهbut most of them do not know."
ولكن أكثرهم لا يعلمونThe student: Pharaoh
The Shaykh : except Pharaoh, who is their Lord. So they do not know that there is a God, a Lord who manages affairs, and that what befalls them is from Allah, not from Moses and his people.
The questioner : Their saying:
Indeed, we consider you a bad omen
إنا تطيرنا بكمThe Shaykh : Yes, yes, they said
Indeed, we consider you a bad omen
إنا تطيرنا بكمThe questioner : They were before the Arabs.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, before the Arabs. But Allah described them as taking ill omens because the Arabs equate taking ill omens with "tayyir" (divination), as they used birds more than anything else for this purpose.
The questioner : Meaning, did they not utter the words "We took ill omens from you"?
The Shaykh : No, certainly they did not utter those words, because their language was not Arabic. Allah narrated what they said, and the Qur'an expressed it in the Arabic language. It is possible that they only expressed this meaning, and this is certainly the case, because all those whose words Allah narrated from among the non-Arabs, He narrated them by their meaning. He said: "And His saying: