Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (O you who believe, protect yourselves)

Question:
We ask Your Eminence, the father, to re-explain the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Tahrim:6] to the end of the verse, as you explained it in the mosque of the Presidency, and may Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
This great verse has a great significance, and it is the saying of the Exalted: [al-Tahrim:6] Allah the Exalted commands the believers to protect themselves and their families from the punishment of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and although all people are commanded to do this, the believers have a special status; because they are the most knowledgeable of people about Allah, the most upright in fulfilling His right, and the most mindful of His limits, so for this reason He addresses them frequently with the commands He issues, saying: [al-Ahzab:70], [Ali 'Imran:102], [al-Tawbah:119] in many verses.
And He says here: [al-Tahrim:6] and in other places He commands people; because all people were created to worship Allah, to obey His command, and to fear His punishment, so He the Exalted says: [al-Nisa:1] This is general for both disbelievers and Muslims, and the single soul is our father Adam, whom Allah created from dust, and He created his wife from him—his wife Hawwa was created from him—and this is among the signs of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and He is Able to do all things.
So He commands all people to fear Allah, so the disbeliever’s fear of Allah is that he enters into Islam, embraces Islam, and remains steadfast upon it, and the believer’s fear of Allah is that he adheres to taqwa, remains steadfast upon it, and stays firm upon it until death.
And He says: [al-Hajj:1] He reminds them of the Hour, He reminds them of its occurrence, and that it is inevitable, so He commands all people, both disbeliever and Muslim, to fear Allah, and He says: [Fatir:3], and He says: [Fatir:5].
And He says: [al-Hujurat:13], and He the Exalted says: [Fatir:15], and He says: [Luqman:33] meaning Satan.
So these verses contain a call for people to fear Allah, to believe in what He has informed about, to remain steadfast upon His religion, and to beware lest Satan deludes them, or this world deludes them with its blossoms and adornment.
And in this verse about which he was asked, He says: [al-Tahrim:6] With what? With the fear of Allah, obedience to His command, and leaving what He has forbidden (Mighty and Majestic) This is the path of safety; the servant only protects himself and his family from the punishment of Allah by adhering to taqwa, remaining steadfast upon the command of Allah, leaving the prohibitions of Allah, and taking charge of his children, his household, his relatives, and his servants over whom he has control, and others, until he advises them to fear Allah, until he commands them to fear Allah, so you, O believer, must take charge of yourself and strive against it for the sake of Allah.
And so with your household, from wife and children, male and female, sisters and others among your family in your house, you take charge of them, direct them to good, oblige them with the command of Allah, and restrain them from the prohibitions of Allah, and by this you protect them from the punishment of Allah, and this Fire has as its fuel people and stones, so beware lest you be among these people, you and your family.
Then He mentions and says the Exalted: [al-Tahrim:6] There is no hope that they will have mercy on you if you are commanded to be sent to the Fire, there is no hope when the commands from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) come to you and your family regarding the Fire, for these angels do not have mercy on you, nor do they have mercy on them, rather execution is inevitable, and then they are also [al-Tahrim:6] there is no bribe and no compromise, the guards of the world, the guards of prisons, may have mercy, may take a bribe, and release the prisoner, but these angels do not, these angels are commanded to execute the orders [al-Tahrim:6].
And they are severe and harsh, you have no power to escape from them, nor to slip away from them, so whoever is commanded to be sent to the Fire; he goes to it, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah, so it is obligatory to be cautious today, and to protect yourself and your family from this great calamity, and you, praise be to Allah, have been made easy the matter, have reached the path, and have known what is the way, and that is to adhere to the tawhid of your Lord, and sincerity to Him in your worship, and following His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and remaining steadfast upon what he brought of doing the commands, leaving the prohibitions, and standing at the limits of Allah until you meet your Lord, until death and you are upon that, as Allah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [al-Hijr:99] meaning death, He said in the other verse: [Ali 'Imran:102].
Meaning adhere to taqwa, meaning remain steadfast upon it even if you live for a thousand years, so remain steadfast until death comes to you, do not get tired like this or like that, remain steadfast in performing the obligatory duties, leaving the prohibitions, and standing at the limits of Allah as long as you are alive and of sound mind until you meet your Lord, this is the path of salvation, and this is the meaning of the verse [al-Tahrim:6].
Some of the Salaf said: The meaning of that is: Fear Allah, and advise them to fear Allah, and some of them said: Teach them and educate them, and the meaning is close, the meaning is take hold of their hands, direct their faces to good, oblige them with the truth, warn them from falsehood; until they remain steadfast upon the guidance of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) May Allah grant all success and guidance.