The story of Prophet Eesaa - part 2

In the first part of the Story of Prophet 'Eesaa (Jesus)  we highlighted the most important events in his life: his miraculous birth, his childhood, the opposition of the Jewish authorities to his mission, his miracles, etc. Here we continue his story:

Prophet 'Eesaa  continued calling people to Almighty Allaah and laying down for them what might be called the 'Law of the Spirit.' Once, when standing on a mountain surrounded by his disciples, 'Eesaa  saw that those who believed in him were from among the poor, the wretched, and the downtrodden, and their number was small. Some of the miracles which 'Eesaa  performed had been requested by his disciples, such as their wish for a 'holy table-spread' to be sent down from heaven.

Allaah the Exalted Says (what means): "[And remember] when the disciples said: 'O 'Eesaa, Son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven?' ['Eesaa] said: 'Fear Allaah, if you should be believers.' They said: 'We wish to eat from it and let our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among its witnesses.' Said 'Eesaa, the son of Maryam: 'O Allaah, our Lord! Send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.' Allaah said: 'Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you - then indeed will I punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds.'” [Quran: 5:112-115]

'Eesaa  commanded his disciples to fast for thirty days; at the end of it, they asked 'Eesaa  to bring food from heaven to break their fast. 'Eesaa  prayed to Allaah after his disciples had doubted Allaah's power. The great table came down between two clouds, one above and one below, while the people watched. 'Eesaa  said: "O Lord! make it a mercy and not a cause of distress." So it fell between 'Eesaa's hands, covered with a napkin.

'Eesaa  suddenly prostrated, and his disciples followed suit. They sensed a fragrance, which they had never smelled before. 'Eesaa  said: "The one who is the most devout and most righteous may uncover the table, that we might eat of it to thank Allaah for it." They said: "O Spirit of Allaah! You are the most deserving."

'Eesaa  stood up, performed ablution and prayed before uncovering the table, and behold, there was a roasted fish. The disciples said: "O Spirit of Allaah! Is this the food of this world or of Paradise?" 'Eesaa  said to his disciples: "Did not Allaah forbid you to ask questions? It is the divine power of Allaah the Almighty, Who said: 'Be' and it was. It is a sign from Almighty Allaah warning of great punishment for unbelieving mortals of the world. This is the kernel of the matter."

It is said that thousands of people ate from it, and yet it was never entirely consumed. A further miracle was that the blind and lepers were cured by 'Eesaa  by Allaah's leave.

The Day of the Table became one of the holy days for the disciples and followers of 'Eesaa . Later, the disciples and followers who forgot the real essence of the miracles, worshipped 'Eesaa  as a god. Almighty Allaah asserts (what means): "And [beware the Day] when Allaah will say: 'O 'Eesaa, Son of Maryam! Did you say to the people: 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allaah?' He (i.e. ‘Eesaa) will say: 'Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen'" [Quran: 5:116]

'Eesaa  went on his mission, until the corrupted leaders and hypocritical men of religious power felt his threat to them. So the forces of evil accused him  of magic, infringement of the Mosaic Law, and allegiance with the devil; and when they saw that the poor people followed him, they began to scheme against him.

The Sanhedrin, the highest judicial and ecclesiastical council of the Jews, began to plot against 'Eesaa . The plan took a new turn. When the Jews failed to stop the call of 'Eesaa  they decided to kill him. The chief priests held secret meetings to agree on the best way of getting rid of 'Eesaa . While they were in such a meeting, one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to them and asked: "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" Judas bargained with them until they agreed to give him thirty pieces of silver, known as shekels. The plot was laid for the capture and murder of 'Eesaa .

The priests had no authority to pass the death sentence at that time, so they convinced the Roman governor that 'Eesaa  was plotting against the security of the Roman Empire and urged him to take immediate action against him. The governor ordered that 'Eesaa  be arrested and crucified.

The Glorious Quran, contrary to the Gospels, affirms that Allaah, the Exalted, did not permit the people of Israel to kill or crucify 'Eesaa . Allaah saved him from his enemies and raised him to heaven. They never killed 'Eesaa ; they killed someone else.

Allaah the Almighty declares (what means): "And [We cursed them for] their saying: 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, 'Eesaa, the son of Maryam, the messenger of Allaah.' And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allaah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allaah Exalted in Might and Wise." [Quran: 4:157-158]

Almighty Allaah also revealed (what means): "[Mention] when Allaah said: 'O 'Eesaa! Indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allaah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.'"[Quran: 3:55]

Almighty Allaah refutes the claims of the Jews and the Christians many times in the Glorious Quran. For example, He Says (what means): "And they say: 'The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.' You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation; That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son. There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant."

In many verses, in addition to those already mentioned, Allaah, the  Almighty, affirmed His being highly above having a child, a wife, or a partner, thus, refuting all such false allegations. Allaah, the Almighty, revealed a separate Quranic chapter to affirm His Unity and Uniqueness. This chapter is the one-hundred and twelfth, the meaning of which is: "Say: 'He is Allaah, [who is] One. Allaah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.'" [Quran: 112:1-4]

The story of Prophet Eesaa - part 1

While Maryam (Mary), may Allaah exalt her mention, was praying in her place of worship, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled with terror, she tried to flee, praying(what means): "…'Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allaah.' He said: 'I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son].' She said: 'How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?' He said: 'Thus [it will be]; your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.''" [Quran: 19:18-21]

The angel's visit caused Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, great anxiety, which increased as the months went by. How could she face giving birth to a child without having a husband?

Later, she felt life kicking inside her. With a heavy heart, she left the place of prayer and went to Nazareth, the city in which she had been born, where she settled in a simple farm house to avoid the public.

But fear and anxiety did not leave her. She was from a noble and pious family. Her father had not been an evil man nor was her mother an impure woman. How could she prevent tongues from wagging about her honour?

After some months, she could bear the mental strain no longer. Burdened with a heavy womb, she left Nazareth, not knowing where to go to be away from this depressing atmosphere.

She had not gone far, when she was overtaken by the pains of childbirth. She sat down against a dry palm tree, and here she gave birth to a son. Looking at her beautiful baby, she was hurt that she had brought him into the world without a father. She exclaimed (what means): "…Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten." [Quran: 19:23]

Suddenly, she heard a voice nearby saying (what means): "…'Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say: 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.'" [Quran: 19:24-26]

For a while she was comforted by Allaah's miracle, for it was a sure sign of her innocence and purity. She decided to return to the city. However, her fears also returned. What was she going to tell the people?

As she had expected, her arrival in the city with a newborn baby in her arms aroused the curiosity of the people. They scolded her: "This is a terrible sin that you have committed!" She put her finger to her lips and pointed to the child. They asked: "How can we speak to a newborn baby?" To their total amazement, the child began to speak clearly, saying (what means):"…'Indeed, I am the servant of Allaah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and Zakaah as long as I remain alive. Allaah [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.'" [Quran: 19:30-33]

Most of the people realised that the baby was unique, for if Allaah wills something, He merely says 'Be' and it happens. Of course, there were some who regarded the baby's speech as a strange trick, but at least Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, could now stay in Nazareth without being harassed.

It was said that Yoosuf (Joseph) the Carpenter was greatly surprised when he knew the story, so he asked Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention: "Can a tree come to grow without a seed?" She replied: "Yes, the one which Allaah created for the first time." He asked her again: "Is it possible to bear a child without a male partner?" She replied: "Yes, Allaah, created Aadam without male or female!"

The Jewish priests felt this child ('Eesaa, or Jesus) was dangerous, for they felt that the people would turn their worship to Allaah, the Almighty, displacing the existing Jewish tenets. Consequently, they would lose their authority over the people. Therefore, they kept the miracle of 'Eesaa's speech in infancy a secret and accused Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, of a great misdeed.

As 'Eesaa, may Allah exalt his mention, grew, the signs of prophethood began to increase. He could tell his friends what kind of supper waited for them at home and what they had hidden and where. 

When he was twelve years old, he accompanied his mother to Jerusalem. There, he wandered into the temple and joined a crowd listening to the lecture of the Rabbis (Jewish priests). The audience was all adult, but he was not afraid to sit with them. After listening intently, he asked questions and expressed his opinion. The learned rabbis were disturbed by the boy's boldness and puzzled by the questions he asked, for they were unable to answer him. They tried to silence him, but he ignored their attempts and continued to express his views. 'Eesaa  became so involved in this exchange that he forgot he was expected back home.

In the meantime, his mother went home, thinking that he might have gone back with relatives or friends. When she arrived, she discovered that he was not there, so she returned to the city to look for him. At last she found him in the temple, sitting among the learned, conversing with them.

Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, became angry with him for causing her worry. He tried to assure her that all the arguing and debating with the learned had made him forget the time.

'Eesaa  grew into manhood. It was the Sabbath (Saturday), a day of complete rest for the Jews: no fire could be lit or extinguished, nor could females plait their hair. It was a Jewish practice that Saturday be dedicated to the worship of Allaah. However, the wisdom behind the Sabbath and its spirit had gone, and only the letter remained in the Jews' hearts. Also, they thought that Sabbath was kept in heaven, and that the People of Israel had been chosen by Allaah only to observe the Sabbath.

They made a hundred things unlawful on Saturday, even self-defence, or calling a doctor to save a patient who was in poor condition. There was, for example, a rule which prohibited a journey of more than one thousand yards on the Sabbath day.

One day (on a Sabbath), 'Eesaa  was on his way to the temple. He reached out his hand to pick two pieces of fruit to feed a hungry child. This was considered to be a violation of the Sabbath law. He made a fire for the old women to keep themselves warm from the freezing air, which was considered another violation. He went to the temple and looked around.

There were twenty thousand Jewish priests registered there who earned their living from the temple. The rooms of the temple were full of them. In the temple, the Pharisees and Sadducees acted as if it was a market place, and these two groups always disagreed on everything. 'Eesaa  followed the scene with his eyes and observed that the poor people who could not afford the price of the sheep or dove were swept away like flies by the Pharisees and Sadducees. 'Eesaa  was astonished. Why did the priests burn so many offerings inside the temple, while thousands of poor people were hungry outside it?

On this night, the two noble Prophets Yahyaa (John) and Zakariyyaa (Zachariah), may Allaah exalt their mention, were executed by the ruling authority. On the same night, the revelation descended upon 'Eesaa . Allaah, the Exalted, commanded him to begin his call to the children ofIsrael. To 'Eesaa  the life of ease was now closed, and the page of worship and struggle had opened.

Like an opposing force, the message of 'Eesaa  came to denounce the practices of the Pharisees and to reinforce the Law of Moosaa . In the face of a materialistic age of luxury and worship of gold, 'Eesaa  called his people to a nobler life by word and deed. This exemplary life was the only way out of the wretchedness and diseases of his age.

'Eesaa's call, from the outset, was marked by its complete uprightness and piety. He continued inviting people to Almighty Allaah. His call was based on the principle that there is no mediation between the Creator and His creatures. However, 'Eesaa  was in conflict with the Jews' superficial interpretation of the Torah. He said that he did not come to abrogate the Torah, but to complete it by going to the spirit of its substance to arrive at its essence.

He made the Jews understand that the Ten Commandments had more value than they imagined. For instance, the fifth commandment does not only prohibit physical killing, but all forms of killing: physical, psychological, or spiritual. The sixth commandment does not prohibit adultery only in the sense of unlawful physical contact between a man and a woman, but also prohibits all forms of unlawful relations or acts that might lead to adultery. The eye commits adultery when it looks at anything with passion.

'Eesaa  was, therefore, in confrontation with the materialistic people. He told them to desist from hypocrisy, showing off and false praise. There was no need to hoard wealth in this life. They should not preoccupy themselves with the goods of this passing world; rather they must preoccupy themselves with the affairs of the coming world because it would be everlasting. He told them that caring for this world is a sin, not fit for pious worshippers. As for the believers, they know that their sustenance is with Allaah, so they trust in Him and scorn this world.

'Eesaa  continued to invite people to worship the Only Lord who is without partner, and to purify the heart and soul. His teaching annoyed the priests, for every word of 'Eesaa  was a threat to them and their position, exposing their misdeeds.

The priests started to plot against 'Eesaa . They wanted to embarrass him and to prove that he had come to destroy the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law provides that an adulteress be stoned to death. They brought him a Jewish adulteress and asked 'Eesaa : "Does not the law stipulate the stoning of the adulteress?" 'Eesaa  answered: "Yes." They said: "This woman is an adulteress." 'Eesaa  looked at the woman and then at the priests. He knew that they were more sinful than she. They agreed that she should be killed according to Mosaic Law, and they understood that if he was going to apply Mosaic Law, he would be destroying his own rules of forgiveness and mercy.

'Eesaa  understood their plan. He smiled and assented: "Whoever among you is sinless can stone her." His voice rose in the middle of theTemple, making a new law on adultery, for the sinless to judge sin. There was none eligible; no mortal can judge sin, only Allaah the Most Merciful.

He continued his mission, aided by divine miracles. Some Quranic commentators said that 'Eesaa  brought four people back from the dead: a friend of his, an old woman's son, and a woman's only daughter. These three had died during his lifetime. When the Jews saw this, they said: "You only resurrect those who have died recently; perhaps they simply fainted." They therefore asked him to bring back to life Sam, the son of Nooh.

When 'Eesaa  asked them to show him his grave, the people accompanied him there. 'Eesaa  invoked Allaah the Exalted to bring him back to life and behold, Sam came out from the grave grey-haired. 'Eesaa  asked: "How did you get grey hair, when there was no ageing in your time?" He answered: "O Spirit of Allaah! I thought that the Day of Resurrection had come; from the fear of that Day my hair turned grey."

The story of Saba

All perfect praise is due to Allaah; I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger; as well as his family and all his companions.

Allaah Says (what means):“There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told]: 'Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [you have], and a forgiving Lord.' But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam [i.e. the overwhelming flood that caused a break in their dam], and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees. [By] that We repaid them because they disbelieved. And do We [thus] repay except the ungrateful?And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [In the lands of what is now southern Syria and Palestine] [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey [i.e., We placed the intermediate settlements at calculated distances for the convenience of travellers.], [saying]: 'Travel between them by night or by day in safety.' But [insolently] they said: 'Our Lord! Lengthen the distance between our journeys,' and wronged themselves, so We made them narrations [i.e., their story became a tale related amongst people to take an example from] and dispersed them in total dispersion. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. And Satan had already confirmed through them [i.e. the people of Saba’] his assumption [i.e., that mankind could readily be misled by him.], so they followed him, except for a party of believers. And he had over them no authority except [it was decreed] that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian.” [Quran 34: 15-21]

The people of Saba’ were the kings of Yemen and Balqees, the wife ofSulaymaan  was from them. The people of Saba’ lived happy and joyful lives that were full of blessings; their sustenance was abundant and their trees and plants very fruitful. Allaah sent messengers to them, instructing them to eat from what He had provided for them and show gratitude towards Him, as well as to worship Him alone and believe in His oneness. They adhered to these instructions for a while, but then shunned His commandments, and were thus punished by a flood on their land.

Ibn ‘Abbaas,  narrated that a man came to the Prophet and asked him whether Saba’ was a name of a man, a woman or a land; the Prophet  answered by saying: “It is the name of a man who had ten children from his progeny, all of whom were Arab; six of them later lived in Yemen and four in Shaam (i.e., ancient Syria). The ones in Yemen were later known as the tribes of Mathhij, Kindah, Al-Azd, Al-Ashaa’iriyyoon, Anmaar and Himyar. As for the ones who lived in Shaam, they were to be the known tribes of Lakhm, Juthaam, ‘Aamilah and Ghassaan.”[Ahmad]

Imaam Ibn Katheer,  said: “The meaning of the saying of the Prophet : “…who had ten children from his progeny, all of whom were Arab”is that these ten descended from his offspring, to whom all the Arab tribes originate. It does not mean that they were his direct children, because between him and some of them were two or three generations, and more in some cases. After the flood of the dam hit their area, some remained in their land, while others left to other locations.” End of quote.

The sign that Allaah gave to them refers to their land, which was blessed with fields of gardens, as well as being protected from afflictions, all of which necessitated gratitude. These gardens yielded enough fruits to suffice them, so they were overwhelmed by the happiness of being free from need. Allaah commanded them to express gratitude for these favours, namely:

1.    The abundant provision He provided for them from these two gardens.

2.    Good land, a beautiful climate and few cases of sickness (i.e., they rarely became sick due to the nice weather Allaah blessed them with).

3.    The forgiveness they were promised in return for expressing gratitude towards Allaah.

Instead of continuing to be thankful, they turned away and shunned the commandments of Allaah; they shunned monotheism and His worship,and refused to be thankful; they began worshipping the sun instead of Allaah, as the hoopoe bird informed Sulaymaan saying, as Allaah informs us what means: “… 'I have come to you from Saba' with certain news. Indeed, I found there a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allaah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided.” [Quran27: 22-24]

The flood that Allaah sent upon them comprised of a huge amount of water, which resulted in the total destruction of their gardens; their fruitful trees were rendered into others that were useless, bearing bitter fruits.

Look what happened to them! Look how their gardens, with their fruitful trees, pleasant shade and fine natural views, were rendered into thorns and trees with bitter fruits, all of which resulted from their ungratefulness, their refusal of the truth and their association with Allaah. What was the result? “…That We repaid them”meaning that they were punished.

Allaah knew that these people needed to travel in order to conduct trade with people of other villages, so He facilitated for them the means to reach these places for trade in a very easy manner, without them having to encounter any difficulties or feeling fearful in the least whilst on their journeys. 

This was another of the favours that Allaah had bestowed upon them. There were villages along their way which were close in distance, so that they would not have to carry much provision and water for their trips; also, the way to their destination was simple and well-known so that they would not get lost. Their travel was safe, regardless of whether they travelled during the day or by night, as an additional bounty.

Nonetheless, they did not appreciate these bounties and favours from Allaah, and instead of being grateful, they requested that Allaah make their trips lengthy. They became very ungrateful and supplicated for distances that demanded large amounts of provision for their trips; therefore, their journeys became frightening ones, which also required much effort to complete. 

These people acted just as the children of Israel did with Prophet Moosaa,  when they requested him to provide them with green herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions instead of having the bountiful provisions and life that Allaah had provided them with; this is why Allaah addressed the children of Israel saying what means: “…'Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked.' And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allaah [upon them]…” [Quran 2: 61]

The punishment that befell them was exemplary; an illustration for people of how they would instigate the punishment of Allaah if they were to ever act with ungratefulness. Also, it is a lesson for the afflicted to persevere through hardships; it is also proof that punishment befalls the disobedient in this life prior to the one they will face in the Hereafter. Mutarraf, used to say: “The best slave is he who when blessed gives thanks and when afflicted, perseveres.”

Suhayb ibn Sinaan, narrated that the Prophet  said:“How wonderful is the case of a believer! There is goodness for him in everything, and this is not the case with anyone except for a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allaah, and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently, and that is also good for him.”[Muslim]

Satan has taken a vow to mislead mankind, as Allaah informs us, saying what means: “[Satan] said: 'By your might, I will surely mislead them all. Except, among them, Your chosen servants.'” [Quran 38: 82-83] Satan was not certain of what he would do, because he could not have been; this is due to the fact that what would happen in the future was something of the unknown and unseen for him, and thus it was merely an assumption on his part. The people of Saba’ in general are amongst those for whom Satan’s assumption came true, and they indeed followed his way. On the other hand, there was a group of them who did not follow Satan, and these were thus included in the exception mentioned in the abovementioned verses of Chapter Saad.

Allaah affirms that Satan has no power or authority over people to force them to do anything; Imaam Al-Hasan Al-Basri,  said: “I swear by Allaah! Satan has no stick with him with which he hits people to (force them to) follow his way; this is nothing but whispers and self-delusion on the part of people – he simply calls people, and they respond.” End of quote.

The wisdom behind allowing Satan to do what he does and whisper to people is to test them and make evident those amongst them who are truthful, and those who are liars.

There are many lessons one can derive from this great story, the following are but some of them:

-  The people of Saba’ are a real life example to anyone who even contemplates being rebellious to the commands of Allaah, or ungrateful regarding His favours. Allaah warns people, especially the rich amongst them, to not follow in the footsteps of the people of Saba’ or imitate them, lest the same punishment befalls them.

- It is mentioned in many places in the Qur’aan that certain disbelievers enjoyed gardens and fruits, but these gardens were squandered and eventually faced destruction; this story is one such example. Another example concerns Pharaoh and his people, about whom Allaah Says

(what means): “So We removed them from gardens and springs. And treasures and honourable station – Thus. And We caused to inherit it the Children of Israel.” [Quran 26: 57-59]

-  Allaah is the only Provider and Sustainer.

- The punishment of Allaah follows very quickly when people are rebellious and shun His commands. It is the way of Allaah that whenever people shun His commandments He sends punishment down upon them, and there are numerous verses in the Qur’aan addressing this issue, such as the saying of Allaah which means: “And Allaah presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favours of Allaah. So Allaah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.” [Quran 16: 112]

-  If the slave does not thank Allaah for a favour, his punishment could be through that very favour. Water was one of the favours that the people of Saba’ had been bestowed with, and they were punished with it when they were ungrateful for it and shunned the commands of Allaah.

- Allaah never punishes people without them being deserving of it due to their sinning and disobedience, as Allaah Says what means: “…And We would not destroy the cities except while their people were wrongdoers.” [Quran 28: 59]

- Only those who persevere and are grateful would benefit from the lessons of the Qur’aan and the signs of Allaah, despite the fact that all people observe these signs, yet the heedless never benefit from them, as Allaah Says what means: “And how many a sign within the heavens and the earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.” [Quran 12: 105]

There are three types of perseverance:

-   In performing acts of obedience

-   In refraining from prohibitions

-   During decrees of Allaah that are painful

There are three ways of expressing gratitude to Allaah:

-   By the heart: through having it devoted to the One bestowing the favours, and acknowledging that He is the source of all favours.

-   By the limbs: through continuously being obedient to Him and using His favours in ways that please Him.

-   By the tongue: through the repeated mentioning, praising and glorification of Him.