Continuing our look into the Sura Ya-Sin. The man from the far reaches of the city has told the people to listen to the prophets, and he himself says he believes so the people should listen to him. And because of his perception because of his ‘abd he is given a reward.

36.26 قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ

qela udkhul al-jannah qaala yaa layta qawm-e ya’lamon

It was said to him Enter Paradise. He said: Would that my people knew

And somehow he knew, either through the words of these apostles or by his own insight that the road, the way to paradise is through this ‘abd, and through the guidance of Allah through His Prophet and signs and kitaba. And his sincere wish that the other people knew just as the true believing minority in any religion wishes to educate and inform and help their brothers and sisters

36.27 بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

bi-maa ghafara li-y rabb-e wa-ja’ala-ne min al-mukramen

“For that my Lord has granted me Forgiveness and has enrolled me among those held in honor!”

This man was just a simple and honest soul but he heard and obeyed the call of the prophets and obtained his spiritual desire for himself and did his best to obtain salvation for his people. For he loved his people and traditions but he had no hesitation in accepting the new Light of Guidance when it came to him, all his past was forgiven and he was raised to honor and dignity in Jannah.

And we take this into ourselves? Every moment of our lives this choice is given to us anew. Do we hold on to this world, dunya? Grasping and greedy and self interested? Or do we open our hearts and our lives to Allah (SWT) and Rasool Allah (SAW), ready to give them our humble service and to help others that we find in our lives?

وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُنْدٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنْزِلِينَ 36.28

wam[a] anzaln[a] aaal[a] qawmihi min baaadihi min jundin mina a(l)ssam[a]-i wam[a] kunn[a] munzileen(a)

And We did not send down any hosts from heaven against his People, after him, nor was it needful for Us so to do.

إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ 36.29

in k[a]nat ill[a] [s]ay[h]atan w[ah]idatan fa-i[tha] hum kh[a]midoon(a)

It was no more than a single mighty Blast, and behold! they were (like ashes) quenched and silent.

يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ 36.30

y[a] [h]asratan aaal[a] alaaib[a]di m[a] ya/teehim min rasoolin ill[a] k[a]noo bihi yastahzi-oon(a)

Ah! Alas for (My) Servants! There comes not a messenger to them but they mock him!

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ 36.31

alam yaraw kam ahlakn[a] qablahum mina alqurooni annahum ilayhim l[a] yarjiaaoon(a)

See they not how many generations before them we destroyed? Not to them will they return:

وَإِنْ كُلٌّ لَمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ 36.32

wa-in kullun lamm[a] jameeaaun ladayn[a] mu[hd]aroon(a)

But each one of them all – will be brought before Us (for judgment).

And so for these, they have transgressed beyond the time they have on this earth. There came to each of these peoples messengers with a clear message but they chose to ignore it and even to reject it and call it evil. And Allah (SWT) has brought them to him for them to be judged by him. It is such a clear and understandable message. And, as we learned at the beginning of studying this sura, this message is brought to us in stark and sometimes hard to take lessons. It may agitate us, we hear always that Allah’s mercy is over his wrath. But yet that does not preclude the existence of his wrath. It is just where does it begin. What line do we have to cross in order to begin to deserve it?

Remember this is also a lesson for each one of us individually. We are each responsible for our own ‘abd, our own Taqwa. I cannot stand up here and magically fill your heart with awe and love for Allah and Muhammad (SAW). You have to search within yourself and find the far reaches of the city within you and find the place where you believe, where the love for Allah is so overwhelming that you cannot hold back.

For surely, without that you may find yourself as dust and ashes just as these people did, and to your surprise you will be standing before Him awaiting your judgement.

Part 2.

Rasool Allah (SAW) at the battle of Badr forbid his troops from corrupting and mutilating the corpses of their enemies. Even though this had been done to them in battles before. There are other instances of his (SAW) mercy upon prisoners and clear instructions from him (SAW) regarding times of war.

Torture by the anyone is deplorable, I condemn it and those who have perpetrated it, no matter how high, and I have no doubt that there are those for whom this is an intentional and more common practice than the US government would have us believe. It is disgusting and against US and international laws and I believe it is a symptom of the sicknesses of this society that each of us has had to deal with in our lives in a much more subdued level here in the US. But it proves the point of the shortcomings and the perversity of a society that allows people to transgress all bounds of morality and ethical behavior, it is these things that we, as Muslims, know to be against the will of Allah (SWT) whether they come from within us in our nafs, or from Shaytan.

At the same time, I condemn those who have perpetrated or encouraged suicide bombings and the killing of innocents. This also is unethical, immoral and against the sunnah of rasool allah (SAW). And to do it in the public forum as they do, proves to me that their intention has nothing to do with justice and only to do with self promotion and aggrandizement. I separate myself from them and denounce them in the strongest terms. It is time for the Muslim Ummah to stand up for Islam, Allah and rasool allah (SAW) and begin to bring forth the images of mercy and compassion and justice. I pray that it starts now, here in this room and spreads to the world. Amin

Wa allahu alim.