‘The Reminder Benefits the Believers’

Rabi al-Akhar 10 1433 

Live Lectures From Dammaaj

Shaykh Aboo Abdur-rahmaan Yahya ibn ‘alee al-Hajooree

‘The Reminder Benefits the Believers’

The shaykh hafidhahullaah starts off by saying in the name of Allaah, he than praises and thanks Allaah  and makes witness there is no deity but Allaah and Muhammad [sallallaahu’alayhee wa sallam] is His final messenger, and he sends peace upon him, his family, and companions. To proceed, the shaykh hafidhahullaah states the ayaah of Allaah azza wa jal, interpretation of the meaning “And remind for verily, the reminding profits the believers.” [1]

Allaah mentions to us that the believer benefits from the reminder and there is no doubt as Allaah said, interpretation of the meaning “Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqûn when an evil thought comes to them from Shaytân, they remember (Allâh), and (indeed) they then see (aright).”[2]And the best of those who remember and ponder are those who humble themselves to Allaah as Allaah said, interpretation of the meaning “He is successful who purifies himself, and remembers the name of his Lord.”[3] And Allaah also said, interpretation of the meaning, “Verily! In this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought.”[4]

Allaah tabarak wa ta’aala said “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded."[5]

So those who have a mind and sense are those who ponder and reflect and Allaah said, interpretation of the meaning “those who ponder and reflect are none but those who turn to Allaah seeking his aid and mercy” Allaah also said in regards to those who are coming back to Allaah seeking His mercy and forgiveness, “It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkam (commandments, etc.), Al-Fara'id (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudud (legal laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers, etc.)]; and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials, etc.), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings save Allaah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord." And none receive admonition except men of understanding.”[6] Allaah also tells us “Thus do We explain the Ayaat in detail for the people who reflect.”[7]

So the shaykh Aboo ‘Abdir-Rahmaan ibn ‘Alee Yahya al-Hajooree hafidhahullaah said there are many ayaat which clarify to us about the individual who ponders over the ayaat of Allaah, who has a mind, he reflects and ponders over Allaah’s ayaat and so that individual who looks back and ponders will surely benefit, and the shaykh said this is what we would like to remind ourselves with; the Quran and Sunah of the prophet [sallallaahu’alayhee wa sallam] taking it and holding on to it and beseeching in Allaah that we become firm in it and the prophet [sallallaahu’alayhee wa sallam] said "And you will live to see great difference, so cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me, even if it be with your teeth”[8]

Also the shaykh hafidhahullaah says the individual who would like to seek this from Allaah, this position, this status of being firm upon the Quran and Sunnah using them and seeking from them and getting this success and being of those who firmly uphold it, this is what the individual should be like; of those who seek it as Allaah said  interpretation of the meaning, “Verily this Quran guides to that which is most upright”[9] and ”It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat to His slave that He may bring you out from darkness into light. And verily, Allaah is to you full of kindness, Most Merciful.”[10]

The ayaat of Allaah increases these individual’s in faith. So shaykh yahya reminds himself and us that it is upon you to hold to unto the Quran and Sunnah especially in these times and days since there are many trials and tribulations and darkness everywhere.

So the individual should return to the Quran and Sunnah since there is no doubt that this darkness and trials and tribulations the people live in are due to them leaving off the Quran and Sunnah as Allaah said,” Let those who oppose his command beware lest a trial might strike them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.”[11] Allaah also said, interpretation of the meaning, “Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer verily, to him We will give a good life.”[12] So the individual should not turn away from the religion of Allaah, His Quran and Sunnah and if the individual is afflicted by harm, trials and tribulations it is because he has turned away from Allaah, as Allaah said “But whosoever turns away from My Reminder verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection." He will say: "O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)." (Allaah) will say: "Like this, Our Ayaat came unto you, but you disregarded them (i.e. you left them, did not think deeply in them, and you turned away from them), and so this Day, you will be neglected."[13]

So the individual should cling onto the Sunnah of the prophet [sallallaahu’alayhee wa sallam] and his rightly guided khulafa. As Allaah said, interpretation of the meaning, “and he who is fearful and concious of Allaah than Allaah will grant him means of success (ayaah surah at talaq)[14] So, the shaykh hafidhahullaah mentions and says this is what he wanted to remind us and himself with, he asks that Allaah makes us of those who benefit greatly.

The shaykh was also asked a question regarding: What is your advice, O shaykh for the people of ahlul sunnah generally and the people of Syria especially from that which we see today? What is the stance in this matter?

The shaykh hafidhahullaah said our advise is for them and for whoever hears this is to go back to the Quran and Sunnah and mentioning to us the hadeeth which states that for every time there is a time in which an individual falls back and becomes lazy and for every individual the time in which he is not coming back to Allaah not turning to Allaah, as he should in every time, so whoever turns back to Allaah has truly succeeded and what this hadeeth means is that this individual should not allow there to be a time where shaytaan overwhelms him but rather he should also be with Allaah and His messenger [sallallaahu’alayhee wa sallam] with the Quran and Sunnah.

So the shaykh said whatever the enemies tried to prepare for the Muslim shouldn’t faze him as long as he holds onto the Quran and Sunnah. He also mentions the hadeeth verily those who became before you and were destroyed before you were destroyed because they denied the messengers and they used to question a lot.

So the shaykh said this in which we see occurring in the Muslim world requires from us sincere repentance as Allaah said “O you who believe repent and return back to Allaah all of you,” So he mentions as a whole what is going on in the ummah is because of the sins of mankind as Allaah tells us “Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned.“

The shaykh tells us that the individual should uphold and implement this Quran and Sunnah in themselves, so our advise is this, as for the specific matter the Syrian matter, than we mention the case of this upholding and holding unto the Quran and Sunnah and to be patient as Allaah says “o you who believe seek in patience in salaah and it is only of grate value who humble themselves to their lord

We ask Allaah to grant us and you success in this life and hereafter and make us those who are firm upon the Quran and Sunnah along with the understanding of the salaf as salih of this ummah.

Transcribed by:

The one in need of Allaah’s pardon, Umm Khadeejah Kayla bint Isaac al-Ashanteeyyah

Subhanaka Allaahumma wa bi hamdik, wa ash hadu an laa illaha illa ant, astaghfirooka wa atuboo ilayk,

Was salaamu ‘ala mursaleen, walhamdulillaahi Rabbil’Alameen

__________________

Foot Notes:

__________________

[1] Soorah Adh-Dhariyat ayaah 55

[2] Soorah Al-A’raf ayaah 200

[3] Soorah Al-‘Alaayaah 14-15

[4] Soorah An-Nahl ayaah 10-11

[5] Soorah Al-Anfal ayaah 2

[6] Soorah Al-e-Imran ayaah 7

[7] Soorah Yunus ayaah 24

[8] Saheeh Bukhaaree

[9] Soorah Al-Isra ayaah 9

[10] Soorah Al-Hadeed ayaah 9

[11] Soorah An-Noor Ayaah 63

[12] Soorah An-Nahl Ayaah 97

[13] Soorah Taha ayaah 124