Stories Of The Prophets-01 Introduction To Stories Of The Prophets - Mufti Ismail Menk

understand as well. Because without that, we won't be able to succeed. Imagine, Allah sends with us a manual to say, this is how you should operate yourself. And we don't know about that manual.

I decided to spend a few moments to explain the importance of this book because it is the month of the Qur'an. And not only the recitation in the Arabic language. Yes, that is important. Very important. But more than that is to understand the Qur'an, the message of Allah.

Addressing Misconceptions About Reading Quranic Meanings

I've heard people saying, it is haram to read the meaning of the Qur'an. Where did they get that from? We want to know, how can we behave like those of the previous scriptures and prohibit our people from trying to understand the word of the one who made them. When Allah asks me after I've died, and you, that I sent a book, did you read it? Did you try to understand it? What will our answer be?

Our Priorities in Reading

And then if you were to ask us, how many books have you read and understood? And we will be mentioning all the novels and all the little story books, and fairy tales, and bedtime stories that we've read. We give preference to Harry Potter over the Qur'an. It's a fact. We give preference to all these other books over the Qur'an. It's a fact. I think it's about time we use this Ramadan to change that. We can change it.

And this is why we have reminders of this nature. This is why we are standing up here reminding ourselves and yourselves to say, it is about time, ya ummah al-Qur'an, oh ummah, oh nation, whom the Qur'an has been sent to, to try and understand this book. I guarantee you it will change your life. I guarantee you it will raise you in spirituality without a bat of eyelid. Allahu Akbar. That is the book of Allah.

Guidelines for Studying the Quran

Yes, there are rules and regulations governing how to deal with a question that crops up in your mind whilst you are reading the meaning. Those questions need to be answered by the professionals, the ulama, those who know. So when you come across a verse, you will find if there is a question in your mind, it would be wrong for you to answer it on your own. Go and ask the ulama. I read this verse, I don't understand it. But there are so many verses in the Qur'an that are very easily understood.

The Stories of the Prophets

The stories of the prophets which makes the bulk of the Qur'an. That's why we want to go into it this year. Very easily understood. Allah tells us about Nuh, Noah. Allah tells us about Jacob, about Joseph, may peace be upon them all. Allah tells us about Lut, may peace be upon him.

So it's important insha'Allah for us to make an effort to try and read these stories. To try and see why Allah revealed them? Why Allah sent them down? For what reason? And then insha'Allah we see how everything is connected.

The Selection of the Best as Messengers

When Allah sent messengers to mankind, He selected the best. He did not send messengers from amongst the worst or the mediocre of community. No. A Rasul or a Nabi was always selected the best of them.

And this is why there are certain qualities that all the prophets had. We need to know these qualities. Because if we'd like to continue the work of the messengers, we need to try and learn from what Allah selected and chose. May He choose us all to serve His cause.

Allah says regarding some of His prophets:

"Indeed, Allah chose Adam"

Definitely He was chosen. Then Allah says, Allah has chosen. Istafa means to choose. Allah chose Adam.

We believe that whenever we say the name of a messenger, it is our duty to say, May peace be upon them. They have done a splendid job. In fact, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) says that there is a curse upon the one who says Muhammad without saying (صلى الله عليه وسلم). May peace be upon him.

Qualities of the Messengers - Truthfulness

So, some of these qualities. The messengers were always truthful. They never uttered a lie. Even prior to prophethood. Never uttered a lie. Even prior to prophethood. They were known by their people as truthful. Always. One might ask, what about Ibrahim a.s? We'll get to that inshallah. It's not actually a lie. It was something. And inshallah when we speak about Ibrahim a.s in a few days time, we will get there.

Trustworthiness

They were trustworthy. And they were known as trustworthy. All of them. So in order for us to be chosen by Allah, we need to try our best to also be truthful and trustworthy. Because if a person is not truthful and utters lies, there is a chance they become champions of the devil and shaitan. Shaitan becomes pleased with them. We don't want that. So it's about time we started telling the truth. And it's about time we were honest. And trustworthy.

Training Through Shepherding

Then all the messengers were trained in a specific way. Do you know what the prophet s.a.w says?

(Bukhari hadith 2262)

There was no Nabi except that he was a shepherd at one stage.

He looked after some sheep. So Allah trained them. Allah trained them with sheep, with animals before they came to human beings. Because what is more difficult? To look after animals or to look after human beings? I see the smiles. MashaAllah. Does someone have a doubt here? May Allah open our understanding.

It is definitely more difficult to look after animals. But in the Quran Allah describes certain people. He says:

There are certain people who are like cattle and in fact worse than cattle.

Because with the sophisticated minds and brains and eyes and ears and noses that Allah has given mankind, they still don't want to hear, they don't want to see, they don't want to understand. Allah says, for those type of people, can we equate them to cattle? No, they are worse than cattle. Allahu Akbar. May Allah not make us from amongst those.

The Quality of Propagation

So it's important for us all to have the quality in us to want to propagate what we have. We want to dish out what we have. That is a quality. The messengers had that quality. They wanted to give the message. They wanted to always spread the goodness. They were not selfish with it. So every time we learn something, let us try and think of ways of how to spread it.

To whom? Let me tell you to whom.

There was a stage when Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was instructed to start primarily with his family members. So we start with those around us. We try and remind them. We want to tell them. May Allah make it easy for us.

Intelligence of the Messengers

Then there is another quality of the messengers. They were very intelligent. Allah did not send, astaghfirullah, people who were thick to a nation. No. Allah sent highly intelligent people. Look at Ibrahim a.s. Allah says, subhanallah, that he had given Ibrahim al-hukmah wal-nubuwwah. Allah gave him so much. Allah gave him prophethood. Allah gave him wisdom. Allah gave him authority.

When he was a young boy, look at how intelligent he was. He began questioning. And he debated. Did you ever know that the messenger who has debated the most was Ibrahim a.s. His debates are

mentioned in the Quran. Allahu Akbar. He had the most debates. From a young age, he questioned. He asked the questions.

Importance of Asking Questions

And this is why for us, when the young ask questions, find answers for those questions. Sometimes they are innocent questions. And we rattle out words of rebuke to these youngsters without even knowing that this might have shaped some negativity in the youngsters mind that will last forever because we did not answer the question.

So it's important for us to try and look at the questions that are being asked. And we need to ask questions as well. There was a time when people used to say, don't ask. No. In Islam, it is simple to understand. We ask, but we have iman. That when we are given an answer from Allah's revelation, we surrender to it. There we are.

There are certain things we may never understand. But we will try our best to. And there are certain explanations for as long as those explanations are coming from revelation, inshallah, we surrender to them. It's important for us to know this. So the anbiya were always highly intelligent.

Physical Beauty and Magnetic Presence

Another quality of the prophets of Allah. Physically, they did not have any defect that was repulsive. Repulsive meaning chase people away. Rather when you looked at them, you felt like getting closer. Allahu Akbar. All the messengers were described as very handsome. All of them. And they were not only good looking, but they had this like magnetism.

Do you know what Abdullah ibn Salam radiyallahu anhu says about Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)? He says, Wallahi, when I saw the face of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), I knew that this is not the face of a liar. The other sahaba radiyallahu anhu described him and say:

Allahu Akbar. As though he's a piece of the moon.

Subhanallah. And they have all said, we have never seen anything more beautiful, more handsome than Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

The Blessed Company of the Prophet

So those who did not see the light and who did not come closer to him, they had to be really really rejected by Allah for that to happen. It is reported that it is enough for a person to look at Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) or to be in his company in order to be totally rectified and known as a sahabi

and deserve after his name the word radiyallahu anhu. May Allah be pleased with him. Just by being with him for a moment as a mu'min, as a believer.

But there were others who were fortunate and unfortunate. Who were they? They were the likes of Abu Jahl and the enemies of Islam who fought Islam and they fought Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). They were fortunate in that they lived in his midst, but they did not look at him with the eye of sincerity even once. Not even once. So for that reason, they did not receive that cleanliness. They did not receive that spiritual level of sahabi. Allah again has chosen the sahaba of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Protection from Sin - Ma'soomeen

Then there is another very important point that we need to know. The messengers were all protected by Allah from committing sin. All of them were ma'soomeen. Ma'soomeen meaning, they were protected by Allah from committing sin. Now one might ask, what about this deed that was done by Musa alaihi wasallam? InshaAllah we will get to that. What about that which was done by this nabi? Or that nabi? We will get to that inshaAllah. They were protected by Allah from sin and we need to know that and we believe that. And Allah thereafter has kept certain merits in these messengers.

Divine Inspiration in Their Speech

The messengers, whenever they spoke, whenever they uttered, whatever they said, was inspired by Allah through divine revelation. And we know this about Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Allah says in surah an-Najm:

He does not utter anything from himself. It is indeed revelation that was revealed. It was revelation that was revealed.

Learning from Prophetic Corrections

So one might say, well look, once the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) looked away from Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoom r.a, and the Quran came and admonished him. So people say, well, what was that? Allah had a lesson for us in that. Because sometimes it is the plan of Allah to let something happen so that when the solution of it is shown or when the remedy of it is shown, the lesson can remain up to the end.

We learn a lesson from that, that no matter how high you are, no matter how knowledgeable you are, no matter how much you think you know, when you are corrected, take it properly and accept it and be happy that you are corrected.

When the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was corrected, why was he corrected? Why did he make a mistake in the first place? Because had he not been made to make that mistake, where in his sunnah

would there be a lesson for those who make mistakes to learn from? Subhanallah. So it was part of his perfection to make that mistake for us to have a perfect example to follow so that when you make a mistake you know what to do because when he did it, he was also shown or he showed us what exactly to do. I hope we've understood this.

No Worldly Rewards Sought

Then Allah has spoken about how the messengers, none of them sought a reward. None of them wanted money in return for their message. None of them wanted to gain some form of popularity through their message. No.

This is why in surah Yasin, we know the verse where Allah speaks about a man who came from the innermost part of the city and he says:

Follow those who are asking no recompense from you. They don't want any reward from you. Follow those who are rightly guided. May Allah grant us an understanding.

Direct and Clear Message

Also it is very important to know that the messengers came with a direct message. They did not beat about the bush. When Lut a.s. came to his people, he told them directly, abstain from homosexuality. He didn't say, yeah, you know, now there's something you guys need to worry about and there's something we need to talk about. No. The messengers, they came with a direct, clear-cut message. And they delivered it as it was given from Allah and we will see that in the Quran.

Firm Belief in Monotheism

Also, we will know or we will notice that the messengers, they had firm belief in monotheism. They worshiped Allah alone. If there was anyone who worshiped anything with Allah or besides Allah, they were not messengers of Allah. They worshiped Allah alone. And they believed in the unseen and they promoted the unseen and they gave preference to the hereafter over this life.

The Wisdom Behind Prophetic Stories

Now, the last question we have for this evening. Why talk about stories of the prophets in the Quran? Why? Why does Allah make mention of these stories? Well, Allah answers the question, who can there be better than Allah to answer the question? And Allah says:

The stories of the prophets are lessons for those with sound intellect. Allah says, it was not fabricated. It was not at all fabricated, but it is a lesson. And the details of everything are made mention of for those who believe. We need to believe. So Allah says, it is a lesson for us.

Lessons from the People of Noah

When the people of Noah, may peace be upon him, when the people of Noah, may peace be upon him, transgressed. How long did they transgress for? For many many years. What was the result? We all know they were drowned in the floods. They were destroyed.

So what will happen? Allah is showing all of us that look, it might appear to you that the forces of evil are winning and the forces of goodness are losing. But Allah says, don't worry, it's just a matter of time. When we pull, we pull completely. And Allah says, always the winners are those who are in the force of goodness. Always. Maybe not immediately, but ultimately.

The Test of Life and Entry into Jannah

And this is why Allah speaks about entry into Jannah. And He says, do you think it's going to be easy to enter into Jannah? Do you think it's going to be simple? Do you think you're going to enter Jannah without a test? This life is a test.

Allah says:

Do you think you're going to enter Jannah? And when there comes to you the example of those who passed away before you, misery touched them, and hardship, and shaking, until the Messenger and those who believed with him said, When is the help of Allah? Allah says, Allah says, Do you think you're going to enter Jannah?

And that which afflicted those before you has not yet come to you. They were tested and they were shaken. And they were tested in so many different ways with trials and tribulations, with war and sickness, until the Messengers from amongst them said, When is the help of Allah going to come? Imagine for a Messenger who is sent by Allah to say, When is the help of Allah going to come? And then Allah says, Then we said, No, the help of Allah is very near.

Subhanallah. Which means you are tested right to your peak.

The Analogy of Life as a School

I always like to give the example of a school. The higher you go, the greater the test. The more difficult it is. And remember, your life is not in the school. Your life, the real life that you are living is outside the

school. I mentioned this on Friday.

So those who don't understand that the life in the school is just a test, and they need to work as hard as possible, whether they like the school or not, whether they like the work or not, whether they like the teachers or not, whether they enjoy wearing the uniform or not. They need to wear the uniform, they need to work hard, they need to try their best. They will pay in order to attend the school and they must write the exams every so often. And every time they write an exam, they will have a higher qualification than the previous exam.

And when they graduate, they will now with that certificate be able to do whatever they want in the world. The higher the qualification, the more chances you have. Let us take that example and put it into our lives.

Our life compared to the akhira, and the life after death, is like a school. So we are in the school now. We will have tests every year, every second year. We will have so many difficulties. We will have to dress in a specific uniform, in a specific way. We will have to do certain things, we will have to engage in things we may not like, or they may be difficult to engage in.

And every time you write a test, you have a certificate of a higher level. And the greater the test, the more the love of Allah. And then when we die, what will happen? We have the ultimate certificate, we can do what we want thereafter in the akhira.

When you have all A's, what will happen? Allah will say:

Enter into Jannah with peace. Here is your certificate.

And Allah speaks about it in the Quran, how He will give it in the right hand. Allahu Akbar, may He give us all our books in the right hand.

Making the Most of Ramadan

This is the month of Ramadan. We need to earn the forgiveness of Allah. Let us take this month seriously. Let us make an effort every day, to fulfill the taraweeh correctly. And to try and listen to a message or two on a daily basis. To make an effort with the Quran. To fast properly. To try and change our lives. Bad habits need to be kicked out. Music CDs need to be changed with Quranic CDs. And with the message of Allah.

The Blessing of Witnessing Ramadan

We will be asked, life is too short. So many people are dying. There are people who passed on just before the month of Ramadan. Where were they? Allah did not accept them to see the month of Ramadan. Or we can word it differently, Allah had mercy upon them and took them away. May Allah open our doors.

Indeed, we are blessed by Allah to be gathered in His home. There are people as we are speaking, who are suffering across the globe, and I'm talking of Muslimin, who are homeless, who were wealthy moments ago, but they are being bombarded on a daily basis. Whether it is in Libya, whether it is in Afghanistan, or Pakistan, or Iraq, or Somalia, or Sudan. Wherever it is on the globe, in Palestine, anywhere on the globe. There are so many who are unable to gather in this manner that we have gathered here this evening.

Seizing the Opportunities Allah Provides

So let us take this as a gift of Allah. Let us never feel too lazy. Because if we are not to seize the opportunities that Allah gives us, they will stop at some point. And we will not be able to then have the opportunities. May Allah grant us the ability to seize the opportunities when He has given them to us.

He says that, I give you the opportunity of your good health, you should seize it before it does not exist anymore, or before sickness overtakes you. Your life before death overtakes you. Your wealth before poverty overtakes you. Your free time before occupation overtakes you. Your youth before old age overtakes you. It's important for us to make use of this.

Conclusion and Tomorrow's Topic

Inshallah, we will meet here by the will of Allah tomorrow at the same time. And we will commence with the stories of the creation of man. And we hope and pray that Allah accept us all, and grant us every form of goodness.