Day 21 Surah Furqan ) أر ءيت من ٱتخذ إلهه ۥ هو ٮه أفأنت تكون عليه و ڪ يل% ) ٤٣ Have you (O Muhammad SAW) seen him who has taken as his ilâh (god) his own vain desire? Would you then be a Wakîl (a disposer of his affairs or a watcher) over him? (43) In the previous ayah, Allah says that the disbelievers will soon come to know who is more misguided. Here He describes the misguided ones. A question that Allah is asking Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, didn't you see :أر ءيت them and feel surprised at their situation? You brought guidance and they are calling you misguided. This is how he SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would get the firmness. When you deal with the Quran as if it has been revealed unto you, it will give you confidence and firmness. In ayah 41, the kafiroon are taking Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as a mockery. And in ayah 43, He tells us that they are taking their gods to be their desires. Ilaah: anything you get attached to, and you love to and you take as a god. god. to adore, admire, attach and to make it a :اله time. the thing which you think about all the :وله The desire is more difficult than the idols. That s why in Islam, we want something, but we will do what Allah wants. It frees us from the slavery of ourselves. There are people who eat, sleep, work, everything according to their desires. Allah didn't say the obey their desires, no, they take it as a god. They can't see anything else. You can't have power over someone like this. There are different types of disbelievers. Eg when people do bidah, or they are extremist, so they are obeying their desires, not following what Allah and His Messenger SallAllahu alaihiwasallam said. Its very difficult to guide these type of people. You can't have a control over them. Allah is saying this to Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam he will not be able to guide them, be a wakeel over them. Nothing you say will attract them. Eg Qarun, what made him reject people's advice? Because he made his desires his god. Wakeel: protector, guard, taking responsibility. What stops a person from benefiting from the advices? When he is taking his desires as his gods. We need to advise these people, but don t take tension about them, because whatever you say, it will not benefit them. Because their desires have overpowered
them. They don't see that they are on the falsehood. Everyone doesn't repent. Only the one who thinks he is wrong will repent. IF someone thinks he isn t wrong, you will never be able to guide him. You find people who are doing wrong, but they feel guilt in their heart. They will repent some day. So this is a serious matter. Surah Furqan tells us about the criterion. Why are the disbelievers behaving like this? Because they have taken their desires as their gods.
(أم تحسب أن أڪثر هم يسمعون أو يعقلون k إن هم إل كٱلنعم f بل هم أضلb سبيل% ) ٤٤ Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path. (i.e. even worst than cattle). (44) Those kafiroon who have taken their desires as gods. All man made religions, extremism, bidah are all based on desires. Do you think that most of them hear or understand? Allah is telling us that we should doubt this matter. They can't hear beneficial things and can't get a beneficial understanding. If their desires have overpowered them, nothing will benefit them. So these two senses have been cancelled from them. If either one is available for them, it will help them to get guided. Allah is saying not all those who follow their desires are like that, but most of them. This is being fair to them. Humans are like this normally. Eg. A person may desire is to recite surah yaseen every morning, they don't have a hadeeth but they want to do it. If someone advises them, they will not want to listen, because they don t want to disturb their peace. If you tell them, just think about it, they will refuse. Allah gave us a mind to know the
right and wrong. If they will think with their mind, they will know what they are doing is wrong. Why did Allah mention about hearing and understanding? Because what makes a person to be guided? Being a good listener. Eg a person is not Muslim, but they are listening. This shows the humility of this person. But those who are following their desires don;t even want to hear. Same for thinking. If you really think with an open mind, and keep your desires aside, you will accept the truth. Listen even to your enemy. Humble people will always be guided, and arrogant people will never be guided. If we find we are following our desires, we need to show humbleness and listen to guidance and give it a thought, even if it is against what we like. And you will see how Allah will guide you. So we live for Allah and for the truth.
Allah is saying those people who have taken their desires as their gods and who don't hear nor understand are like cattle sheep, goats, etc. (plural). Because they are blind followers. Notice how ayah 43 starts with a singular and in ayah 44, it turns into plural. Because the follower of desires advertises for his actions and gets many followers. These cattle just blindly follow what the shepherd is telling them to do. Allah is mocking at those who mock His Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. He says, even the cattle are better, more guided than them. How? We can't go and tell people, you are like this animal, first because this is a lie, and second because this is mocking and making fun. But Allah is the creator and He knows what is the best example for each person. Therefore the parables are all different. Some places Allah uses the example of a spider, of a donkey, of zebras, etc. In ayah 42, Allah says that when they see the punishment, they will come to know who is more misguided. And in ayah 44, Allah tells us that they are more misguided than the cattle.
Why are the cattle better than them? 1. They follow wherever their shepherd is taking them. Maybe the shepherd is taking them to slaughter them! But at least they are following the shepherd. They don t have maps. But the people who follow their desires have been sent guidance and messengers from Allah, yet they still don't follow. 2. Cattle distinguish between what harms them and what benefits them. They have instincts given to them from Allah. If they see food, they will come close to it. If they see fire, or dangerous animals, they run away from them. Humans have not just instincts but also a mind. But they have given their mind a vacation. We need to use our mind to lead us to the guidance, to go to Allah Subhanahu wa taala. So the cattle is better than them and more guided than them. Why are the people more misguided than the cattle? 1. they dont respond to their messenger, so they don't listen. 2. they dont differentiate between what is good and what is bad, they don't use their minds. Allah gave human beings the ability to listen, to understand, to think. Animals can understand a little, they can hear sounds, and they have instincts, but they follow their shepherds.
What stops people from following the Furqan? Blind following of their desires.
Assignment: Repeat these 2 ayaat 7 times. We want to understand the Quran more and more. Take ayat 45, 46 and 47 and read them in Arabic or English. Then take a piece of paper and write down what questions come in your mind.