Returning Home to Paradise Reflections on Surah al-A raaf

Returning Home to Paradise: Reflections on Surah al-A'raaf

Opening Prayer and Introduction

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ. اَلصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِيْنَ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِيْنَ. ثُمَّ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ. الم ص. كِتَابٌ أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُنْ فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِنْهُ لِتُنْذِرَ بِهِ وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ. اِتَّبِعُوْا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ قَلِيْلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُوْنَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Reference: Quran 7:1-3

ثُمَّ أَمَّا بَعْدُ. It's been quite some time since I've been back at Darul Islah. Mashallah, it's good to be here, alhamdulillah.

The Approach: Understanding Quranic Arguments

I wanted to take a different approach in this talk. I want to share with you something very pertinent to attaining Jannah, but I'm going to use the Quran and its arguments themselves, in organization of the ayat themselves from Surah Al-A'raaf, to go through a lesson that Allah teaches.

Usually I take one or two ayat and build an entire khutbah around them. But today, inshallah ta'ala, I'm going to try to finish two or three pages of Surah Al-A'raaf, in a flowing argument, and try to connect these ayat together, so we understand how Allah builds an argument, and how He teaches lessons, and He mentally prepares you one thing over the next.

Why Surah Al-A'raaf?

The reason I picked this passage in particular is because it has a lot to do with Jannah, it has a lot to do with what I call going back home, because humanity's starting point is Jannah, then we left Jannah, and now we have to go back, find our way back home. So this passage has a lot to do with that, and it actually has a lot to do with the big reason for which we were expelled in the first place.

This is a Makki Surah, which means it was revealed before the migration of the Prophet ﷺ to the city of Medina. It's a late Makki Surah, which means the tone of it is very aggressive. Allah is increasingly warning the Quraysh more and more. As Shah Waliullah al-Dahabi said about this Surah, it has Ayyamullah in it - the days of Allah, the days in which He destroyed nations.

The Opening: A Book to Warn

الم ص. كِتَابٌ أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ

Reference: Quran 7:1

A magnificent book has been revealed to you.

فَلَا يَكُنْ فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِنْهُ

Reference: Quran 7:1

So there should be no discomfort in your chest. The messenger ﷺ - an amazing book has been given to him. But the more he delivers the message of this book, the more people start hating him and making fun of the Quran. And that makes him very uncomfortable. Allah says there's nothing wrong with the book that's been sent to you, and you shouldn't feel any discomfort because of it.

لِتُنْذِرَ بِهِ

Reference: Quran 7:2

The only purpose you've been given this book is to warn by means of it. Other places in the Quran Allah tells his messenger بَشِيْرًا وَنَذِيْرًا - He's come to give good news and warning. But look, the beginning of the surah didn't even mention good news. He just said a magnificent book has come to you so that you may warn.

When you're talking to people that have potential of good in them, you give them more good news. When you're talking to tough students, you give them warnings more.

وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:2

And it will serve as a strong reminder for those who truly believe. Even for the believers, Allah did not say بشرى للمؤمنين . He says it's a reminder. When he is terrifying the disbeliever of hellfire, it will serve as a strong reminder for the believer.

The Call to Follow Revelation

اِتَّبِعُوْا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ

Reference: Quran 7:3

Follow whatever has been sent down to you from your master. Two audiences have been mentioned: a nation that has to be warned and a nation that will benefit from the reminder. And to both of them Allah says follow whatever Allah has revealed to you from your master. So the call of this surah is to obey revelation.

وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ

Reference: Quran 7:3

Don't follow any other protective friends. Don't find any other guardians other than him.

قَلِيْلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:3

How little an effort you make to remember. Now he's complaining to both believers and disbelievers, saying you need to put some work in. How little you like to remember.

The Historical Lesson: Destroyed Nations

وَكَمْ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَائِلُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:4

Have you forgotten how many towns we've destroyed? The Arabian Peninsula, specifically the land of Hijaz - when the Arabs used to travel for trade, they would pass by a number of towns that were destroyed. Allah made it a point to highlight those areas that particularly have ruins that the Arabs passed by. Allah says you really want to remember? Why don't you remember that?

Then our war came at them in the middle of the night. بيات comes from the word بات. An easy Arabic word from that is بيت. What does بيت mean? بيت is called house because you sleep at night in it. بات يبيت means to spend the night.

Night is quiet, calm. Everybody is sleeping peacefully in bed. Allah didn't just say war came against them. He says our war came against them. If Allah just said the attack came against them, it's bad enough. Allah says our attack came against them - specifically I prepared, manufactured the punishment that should come at them.

أَوْ هُمْ قَائِلُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:4

Or they're in the middle of the day taking a nap قائلون in Arabic means to take an afternoon nap.

The Confession of the Wrongdoers

فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِيْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:5

When our war came, what was the only thing they were calling out? The only thing they were saying at that point is: "We were the ones that were wrong." Once the beating began, then they got their act together all of a sudden.

The Divine Interrogation

فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:6

Allah says: We will absolutely interrogate the ones to whom messengers were sent. Every single person to whom a messenger was sent will be interrogated. And we will interrogate the messengers too - those who were sent and the nation to whom they were sent.

There were two audiences: Disbelievers who need a warning, and believers who need a reminder. Are we included in those upon whom a messenger was sent? Yes. Allah will interrogate the disbelievers and He will interrogate the believers. And there's only one more group left - the messengers. Allah says I'll even interrogate the messengers.

Allah's Complete Knowledge

وَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِعِلْمٍ وَمَا كُنَّا غَائِبِيْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:7

And then we will narrate to them with thorough knowledge. And we were not absent. This is actually irony in the Quran. The Arabs used to take a lot of pride in their history. They used to tell stories about their ancestors. Allah says you want to hear stories? I'll tell you your stories and the stories of your ancestors with thorough knowledge.

When a criminal is taken to court, there are prosecution and defense lawyers. The defense tries to say where are your witnesses? Allah says when you come before me, who's gonna come and tell me there's more to you? I know your whole story. I'm gonna tell you your story with thorough knowledge. I know all your motivations, all your background. We were never absent.

The True Scale of Justice

وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ

Reference: Quran 7:8

And the scale on that day is gonna be true. How is it that that scale will have any misjudgment in it if Allah knew everything and he himself is telling the whole story of every one of our lives?

فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِيْنُهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:8

Those whose scales become heavy are the ones that are truly successful. مفلح in Arabic is different from فائز فائز means successful. مفلح means someone who reaches success after a lot of work. Allah is saying it's not easy to fill our scales and make them heavy. It takes work.

Success after you put a lot of work in is sweeter. When you get success without putting a lot of work in, you don't even taste it. When you work for something, the joy of it is so much more, even if it's minuscule.

The Loss of the Light Scales

وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِيْنُهُ فَأُولَئِكَ الَّذِيْنَ خَسِرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَظْلِمُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:9

And as for those whose scales were light, didn't put in any work. It's a very interesting analogy - scales being heavy or light. It's exactly like worldly life. For a believer, worldly life is heavy. For a disbeliever, worldly life is light - everything is light, no big deal, take it easy.

You take it heavy here, it's a heavy matter to you here, your scales will be heavy over there. These people took it lightly in this world, so their scales are light. They're the ones who put themselves in loss. They bankrupted themselves because of the wrong they were doing against our ayat.

Allah's Provision on Earth

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَعَايِشَ قَلِيْلًا مَا تَشْكُرُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:10

We have settled you down in the land. Allah was talking about the akhira - scales being heavy or light. But where are we right now? In the earth. And Allah says it's not like I've given you a bad life here. I've given you a good life here too. I've settled you down. I've given you homes, comfort, beautiful environments, trees, mountains, tasty foods.

معايش comes from عيش وعيشة - living well. Allah says we made for you means on this earth to live well. Allah didn't want us to live in misery here. The world in the Muslim's point of view is beautiful. Allah Himself says I made it beautiful for you.

Part of being a Muslim, an essential part, is to be grateful. To be grateful you have to appreciate things. Allah wants us to appreciate the world around us.

قَلِيْلًا مَا تَشْكُرُوْنَ

Reference: Quran 7:10

How little you thank. How many of us get into our home and appreciate that we have air conditioning, carpet on the floor, a kitchen, a sink? We take these things for granted.

The Story of Creation

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ

(Reference: Quran 7:11)

We created you, then we molded you, fashioned you, designed you. التصوير، التصميم - we molded you artistically. Allah takes credit of His creativity in making your face and mine, in creating our bodies and fashioning our hands.

When Allah says we created you, it means my creation is something special. When a Muslim believes that Allah created me, then a Muslim does not have low self-esteem or low self-worth. How can I complain about myself when Allah created me?

ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ

(Reference: Quran 7:11)

Then He said to the angels: bow to this creature, make sajda to him. We're going into the story of creation. The surah began with "how little you remember." The Arabs used to take pride in their ancestry. Allah says you want to take pride in your ancestry? How about I take you to the beginning - Adam عليه السلام?

Iblis's Refusal

فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ

(Reference: Quran 7:11)

All of them made sajda, all of them prostrated, with the exception of Iblis. He wasn't from those who made sajda. Allah is teaching us a hint - the intelligent person can take a hint. Allah says you want to be like Iblis? Just don't make sajda.

Iblis refused one sajda. The Muslim who refuses to pray - how many sajdas we turn away? How many sajdas?

Allah's Question to Iblis

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ

(Reference: Quran 7:12)

Allah says: What forbade you? What stopped you that you should make sajda at the very second I commanded you? The problem Allah has with Iblis is not that you didn't make sajda - the problem is you did not make sajda at the very second I told you. Even if he had taken two seconds to make sajda, that would not have been good enough.

I'm better than him. You created me from fire, you created him from clay, from dirt, from wet soil.

Iblis's Expulsion and Threat

He said: Descend from here. Get out of here. هبط in Arabic is to come down - it means he was in a high place before, honored. And to come to a low place means you have been dishonored. "It's not becoming of you to show any greatness of your own in this place. Get out, you are from those who have been made small."

He says: Wait for me, give me time until the day that they will be raised again. He already knows about judgment day. An intelligent person can figure this out - someone who knows Allah knows that there will be justice.

Allah said: No doubt about it, you've been made of those who have been given extra time.

Iblis's Declaration of War

He said: Because you made me slip, because you conned me, you tricked me - I swear, I will sit on that straight path of yours, that you think they're gonna walk on, I'm gonna sit there waiting for ambush.

قِعْدَة in Arabic is to sit for a long time. Even if nobody shows up, I'll sit there waiting. That straight path the moment you start going on this path, that's where he's gonna attack. He will not get in your way on the way to the club - that deal's already been made. I need to come into the masjid.

Then I will come at them - I'll attack them right in front of them, right behind them, from their right and on their left. I'll come at them from every angle. There's one angle he didn't mention - above, because revelation comes from above. The weapon against him comes from above.

You will discover most of them aren't grateful. Before the story began in this surah, Allah was telling us: I've given you a good life, how little you thank. Before humanity even got started, Iblis said: I'm gonna make sure they are not grateful. I'll make sure they don't appreciate anything - they are always complaining.

Complaining is the opposite of being grateful. I will make them constant complainers.

Iblis's Final Expulsion

He said: Get out of here, blameworthy, expelled. Whoever follows you among them, I will fill hell with them all together.

Paradise and the Test

The conversation comes back to Adam. Allah says: Adam, settle down, you and your spouse, live in Jannah. سُكُون، سَكِينَة means to be calm, relaxed - chill in Jannah.

Eat from wherever you like. Don't go near this one tree. Everything else is open for you. Just that one tree. There is no fence around it, no alarm sign. It's just accessible, a nice looking tree too. Just don't go near that one. Everything else is fine. And if you do, you'll be from the wrongdoers.

Shaytan's Deception

Then Shaytan gave them waswas. Allah describes the agenda of Shaytan - this is لام التعليل, the laam of giving a reason. So Allah is saying Shaytan whispered to both of them for this reason: so he can expose to them what was covered up of their bodies, their ugliness.

He wanted them to have their clothes removed. Shaytan's agenda against the human being was not the fruit - his real motive was get their clothes off.

Multi-billion dollar industry - an industry that outshines the entire technology sector - does not compare with the pornography industry. One agenda: get humanity to remove their clothes. To this day, the biggest marketing ploy, the biggest tool in advertising. This is the battle shaytan is winning - to get human beings to not care about their covering, to lose their shame.

He's giving further incentive: The only reason he doesn't want you to eat from this tree - you guys will become angels, you'll get to remain here forever. And he swore to both of them: I mean well for both of you. I care for you. He can be very convincing.

The Deception Process

He got them with deception. دلی in Arabic means to lower a bucket. When you lower a bucket to catch an animal, does that happen quickly or slowly? Slowly. Shaytan got them slowly with deception. It wasn't one waswasa - he came again and again and again. Little by little, I'll get him closer to the tree. I'll take my time with them.

Shaytan will not come to you one time and get you to sin. He'll come, then he'll come again, then he'll come again until he gets you. And he will not stop until he gets you.

The Fall and Immediate Consequence

The moment they both tasted the tree, their clothes were exposed. And they started slapping leaves of jannah on top of themselves. They were so embarrassed - not even putting one leaf was enough. They kept putting on top of the same leaf over and over again.

You know what we learned from that? Allah had never taught haya or libas to Adam. It was in the fitrah of the human being. We are already pre-programmed to be shameful creatures. We're already pre- programmed. It's in our nature. And when we lose that nature, we're no longer human - we become animals.

Allah's Gift of Clothing

Allah now sends Adam to the earth. The conversation was about Adam, but now He says Children of Adam - so I just told you a story about your parents, kids, now it's your turn.

Children of Adam, listen up. We have revealed, we have sent down clothes for you. This is something Allah sent down - like He sends water from the sky, He sent the Quran from the sky, He said I sent clothes from the sky for you. It'll cover your shame.

And I've given to you ريش - literally feathers, decoration. Allah says I gave you clothes to look nice. It's perfectly wonderful for you to have fashion statements once the first agenda is met - cover your shame. After that, dress nicely. Allah wants you to look nice.

And the clothing of taqwa - that's better. There's clothing made of cotton and material, and then there's a clothing of our personality, the garment of your character. You can dress halal, appropriately, but still not have an appropriate character. So you not just have to wear the libas that is legitimate, you have to wear the libas of taqwa.

The Final Warning

Children of Adam, don't allow shaytan to attack you just like he got your parents out of Jannah. He pulled their clothes off of them to expose their shame to one another. Don't let that happen to you.

The Logic of Shamelessness

Whenever they do something shameless - Allah didn't talk about clothing only, but is telling us there's a logical conclusion. Once the clothes come off, then the only thing left is acts of shamelessness. Once your standards of clothing are dropped, then your standards of behavior will drop until fahisha will become normal.

Whenever they do something shameless, they say: "We found our ancestors committed to this." This is freedom of expression. This is what our ancestors gave us. Allah says what are you talking about? Your tradition began with Adam. He crushed this idea of following ancestry because he started with the original ancestry.

Tell them: Allah does not command shamelessness.

Conclusion: The Battle for Shame

The conversation switches from our clothing, a lack of regard for clothing, to a conversation about shamelessness and lewdness. May Allah protect us against this environment of shamelessness. May Allah allow us to raise a generation of shameful, watchful, protective brothers and sisters, young men and young women that will revive the sense of shame in humanity because this is the one attack he started against humanity.

Iblis's attack of shame is not just against Muslims - it's against all of humanity, because once they lose their humanity there is nothing else they'll learn. The Prophet ﷺ says:

(Bukhari Hadith 3484)

If you have no shame left, do whatever you want.

All the doors to all evil will open once shame is gone. That's what he knows. That's why he wants to attack this. May Allah make us the preservers of shame and the revivers of shame for all of the world.