Ramadan Lecture Series 1446 A.H.

Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi

Lecture Eight

Prophet Ibrahim

Facing His People’s Arguments and Their Idol-Based Threats!

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Regarding the story of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH), yesterday we reached Allah's saying in the blessed verses from Surah Al-An'am, {'Indeed, I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth, being upright, and I am not one of the polytheists'}[Al-An'am 6:79].

We touched on the important term 'upright'. We discussed how this term is repeated in various contexts related to Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and in other similar contexts concerning how a Muslim should be in terms of devotion to Allah (Glory be to Him) through worship in its comprehensive sense, as well as concerning what Allah has mentioned about commending the previous nations to uphold this quality.

We also spoke about what the term 'upright' signifies in its broad sense and how it holds great importance that has often been overlooked by Muslims. There has been little focus on this term and the richness of its broader meaning.

We also mentioned that some Quranic exegetes have narrowed this concept to a limited scope, as we explained what this concept entails regarding devoting one's worship to Allah (Glory be to Him) and continuously moving on the path of faith with steadfastness, sincerity, love, humility, and submission to Allah, the Almighty. This embodies the essence of setting out on the path of faith, as it expresses a state of submission to Allah, a willingness to respond to His commands, and a serious and sincere commitment to His teachings and instructions.

In addition, we highlighted the significant danger for a person who sets out on the path of faith with a soul burdened by deeply rooted impurities. These impurities are those bad issues that he has not purified himself from and, therefore, keep affecting his soul, which may ultimately keep him from responding to Allah, the Almighty.

Therefore, as we mentioned yesterday, the discussion about Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) includes characteristics that align with this direction: a readiness to respond to Allah (Glory be to Him) with submission and humility. This is exemplified in the Quranic verse describing Ibrahim as {'obedient to Allah'}[An-Nahl 16:120]. He indeed held this orientation, which is also expressed in another phrase that we spoke about yesterday.

How should our walk of faith be?

This draws our attention to our reality in our religious journey: how we should strive and seek to ensure that our walk of faith is built upon responding to Allah (Glory be to Him) and obeying Him with submission, humility, and love for Him and to remove the obstacles within ourselves. These obstacles can weigh a person down in his walk of faith and expose him to negative influences, hindering his promptness and responsiveness.

When a person sets out on the path of faith in a correct way, the pursuit of Allah's pleasure becomes the only motivation he needs to act and exert effort. This is because he carries within himself a sincere desire to respond to Allah, to obey Him, and to fully submit to Him.

In contrast, there are those who may begin, or even after beginning, their walk of faith but are not quick to respond, nor do they move forward with ease. They constantly or very often require great effort to persuade them to move. If something runs counter to their personal desires or ambitions, they become really tiring, driven entirely by stubbornness. It requires great effort to get them to respond, change their mind, and accept discussing practical issues with others. This is an unhealthy state in every sense of the word.

The state of stubbornness in a person is certainly not a positive one. Therefore, Allah (Glory be to Him) describes the tyrants as being stubborn in the Holy Quran: {'And both sides called for judgment, so every stubborn tyrant was doomed'}[Ibrahim 14:15]—such a 'stubborn' person who does not accept the truth! This is truly the case for some people: Even in their walk of faith, they are really tiring that they do not move, change their mind, or respond without great effort. And after all the effort it takes to get them moving, the slightest obstacle, any minor problem or provocation, could be enough to throw them off course and affect their responsiveness.

If a person’s orientation is based on complete sincerity to Allah (Glory be to Him), with love, reverence, and submission, then he will move on the path of faith with full responsiveness, complete obedience, and wholehearted submission to His command, with an open heart and genuine willingness.

Prophet Ibrahim: A role model in disassociating from the enemies of Allah, not in normalising relations with them!

This issue is extremely important. In fact, some individuals—even among those engaged in jihad for the sake of Allah— do not embody the spirit that Allah attributes to His believing servants: to be upright, devoutly obedient (as He describes them in Surah Ali 'Imran), profoundly humble to Allah, and consequently, submissive and responsive to Him. One does not need to make great effort and remove many obstacles before getting them to move or achieving any practical step with them on the path of faith and jihad. This is a vital lesson, for it represents the very soul for our walk of faith—one that begins on a sound footing, free from negative barriers.

{'And I am not one of the polytheists'}[Al-An'am 6:79]—this is a declaration of disassociation as well. He disassociated himself from polytheism and also distanced himself from polytheists. Yesterday, we spoke about the importance of such disassociation. On the path of faith, one must, by virtue of his belief, adopt a position against falsehood, misguidance, disbelief, and polytheism. Matters like polytheism, falsehood, disbelief in Allah, deviation from His path, or hindering others away from His way should not be seen as differences of opinion to be accommodated or tolerated. That is, one may regard (as some people do) life's issues as if they were mere viewpoints—one about belief in Allah, another about disbelief, polytheism, corruption, tyranny, and criminality—thinking that all is acceptable. No, it is not so. One must take a firm position.

This disassociation from polytheism and from polytheists is also expressed elsewhere in the Holy Quran. Indeed, Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) is a symbol and exemplar of disassociation from the enemies of Allah: {'You already have an excellent example in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people, “We totally dissociate ourselves from you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you. Enmity and hatred has arisen between us and you forever, unless you believe in Allah alone"'}[Al-Mumtahanah 60:4]. Thus, Allah presented His Prophet Ibrahim in the Holy Quran as a symbol of disassociation from the enemies of Allah. So when the Americans and Israelis, along with their loyal Arab proxies, attempt to portray him as a symbol of normalisation and allegiance to the enemies of Allah, it constitutes a grave offence to him and stands in total contradiction to the truth, which Allah confirmed in the Holy Quran. Allah willing, we will shed more light on this matter in other contexts based on the guidance of the blessed Quranic verses.

Following this presentation and this declaration of position—in fact, he, through this declaration, implicitly offered an invitation to them. That is, he expressed not only his own position and faith, affirming the oneness of Allah, but also what could be interpreted as an explicit call for them to abandon polytheism and to turn to monotheism and faith in Allah, the Almighty. He conveyed that to them but through this approach, which served as an appropriate first step to overcome a major barrier and numerous obstacles, thereby making the truth accessible to them if they were willing to understand it. Following that, how did his people react?

Their reaction: Mere disputing—no logic, no evidence!

Their reaction showed that he truly succeeded in drawing their attention to the important truth that perfection belongs to Allah alone and that their false idols (whom they call gods) fall far short of true divinity—he achieved this using an appropriate approach. That is, even though the subject was extremely sensitive, their reaction was neither excessively violent nor overly rigid. It is true that they were shocked at his position and surprised by the truth he led them to, but their response did not escalate into overwhelming indignation or deep resentment. This was because his approach from the beginning was successful. He introduced himself as a seeker of truth, and his invitation to them was implicit, drawing their attention to the matter. For them, it appeared as though he was expressing his personal stance and attitude, which made this encounter less confrontational than later encounters. Indeed, he later had other encounters that were more confrontational with his people and began a new phase of argumentation, evidence, rebuke, reminder, and more.

Allah (Glory be to Him) describes their reaction in the Holy Quran, saying, {'And his people argued with him'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. This means that they attempted to engage in a debate with him regarding the concept of monotheism and his stance on polytheism. Certainly, they did not possess valid arguments; they lacked the evidence that could withstand the reasoning and proof he presented.

{'He responded, “Are you arguing with me about Allah … ?"'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. Here, he draws their attention to the grave mistake they are making by debating about Allah (Glory be to Him). This is because claiming lordship or divinity for anyone other than Allah is an offence against Him. Allah has no equal or counterpart; He is sanctified, glorified, and free from any partner or equal. He does not require assistance. In fact, when the polytheists attributed partners to Allah in divinity, they claimed that these partners were helping Allah and sharing in the management of the affairs of creation. In doing so, they insulted Allah, the One Who possesses absolute perfection, utterly free from all partners or equals and exalted in greatness and majesty.

{'Are you arguing with me about Allah, while He has guided me?'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. This means that there is no way he could agree with them; it is impossible for him to accept their claim while Allah has already guided him. The evidence and knowledge he possessed regarding Allah's perfection (Glory be to Him), His oneness, and His incomparability were more than enough to completely refute their falsehood. This is because the truth is clear in the falseness of polytheism; it is an undeniable and obvious truth.

This reasoning expresses complete confidence and unwavering determination in his position. This is very important because expressing such confidence and steadfastness plants despair in the minds of the arguers. He made it clear to them that he would never accept what they claimed while arguing with him about Allah for the sake of powerless idols that possess neither benefit nor harm, nor the power to give life, death, or resurrection, or anything at all! Therefore, he demonstrates this steadfastness and confidence in his position because he relies on Allah's guidance (Glory be to Him).

As we have pointed out earlier, a person must fully rely on the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him) when it comes to religious beliefs and orientation. This is the solid foundation and the source upon which a person must base his beliefs—not on superstitions, myths, fabrications, doubts, or illusions. One must also keep away from the paths of falsehood and those who follow them.

What we learn from this statement in Prophet Ibrahim's saying, {'while He has guided me'}[Al-An'am 6:80], is the importance of taking pride in being guided, understanding the true value of guidance, and recognising the greatness of being on the right path. This is incredibly important for a person. When Allah (Glory be to Him) grants you success in following the path of guidance, you must deeply appreciate how valuable and significant this guidance is, and that it is a great blessing from Allah granted to you. Indeed, it is a great blessing. If a person does not regard guidance as something great, important, or valuable, he may trivialise it, deviate from the path of guidance, and be influenced by falsehood and misguidance. This is a detrimental state for a person, one that may even deny him divine success. A lack of appreciation for the blessing of guidance is, in effect, a failure to appreciate Allah’s grace. At the very least, out of gratitude to Allah, one should appreciate this blessing of guidance, for it is the greatest of all blessings: {'The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favour'}[Al-Fatihah 1:7].

As we have pointed out, guidance and misguidance are two prominent and essential concepts in the journey of human life. That is, a person is either on the path of guidance or, alternatively, on the path of misguidance (We seek refuge in Allah). This issue goes beyond mere claims; in other words, a path cannot be considered one of guidance simply because those leading assert so, or because those following it make such claims.

Firaawn, with all his falsehood and misguidance, said to his people, {'I am leading you only to the way of guidance'}[Ghafir 40:29], claiming to be one with true guidance. The polytheists, despite their profound misguidance, went so far as to level accusations at the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F), who is a Messenger from Allah, granted guidance by Allah, and whose call is a call to truth and guidance. They said about him, {'He would have almost led us astray from our gods, had we not been so devoted to them'}[Al-Furqan 25:42]. In other words, they accused him of being misguided.

Threatening with idols after losing the argument!

These are cases that Allah has referred to and mentioned in the Holy Quran, and they are numerous in this regard. Therefore, the matter is not merely about claims; rather, there is a clear path to true guidance—the path of Allah's scriptures, His messengers, and His righteous servants who walk in their footsteps and follow their way.

They failed in the matter of argumentation because they lacked any valid proof in the first place. In other words, their position was based on their customs, traditions, and matters that, in themselves, offered no valid justification for the falsehood they adhered to. As a result, they shifted from reasoning to psychological tactics, aiming to instil fear by threatening consequences from their powerless idols, since they did not possess any convincing argument at all.

They attempted to scare him, suggesting that he would bring upon himself calamities and problems, among other things. He responded to them in a decisive, wise, and enlightened manner at the same time: {'I am not afraid of whatever you associate with Him'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. In other words, he explicitly stated that he did not fear countering the campaign of fearmongering they used against him. In fact, fearmongering is the one that is commonly employed by those who uphold falsehood, even when their falsehood has been exposed. In other words, they attempt to use intimidation tactics and fearmongering campaigns as a means of pressuring individuals to abandon the clear truth in favour of their equally evident falsehood. Despite their threats, he was not affected by their fearmongering tactics and even gave a compelling response, for he did not fear what they associated with Allah—those very idols. He knew their reality: They possessed neither benefit nor harm, nor did they have any ability at all—neither positive (to grant benefit) nor negative (to cause harm). He would later present a comparison, as we will discuss, that is highly significant regarding fear: Who should truly fear due to being guilty and deserving to be held accountable and punished by Allah, the All-Powerful?! This comparison will soon follow.

At the outset, he told them, {'I am not afraid of whatever you associate with Him unless my Lord so wills'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. This exception is a significant feature in the discourse of the prophets and appears in the speech of more than one prophet in the Holy Quran. This exception is crucial, as it signifies that their position is not based on personal considerations. Even in this situation, it is not about relying on oneself. That is, it is not that he does not fear what they associate with Allah because of reliance on himself, his own strength or his own power. In fact, the prophets were always careful to attribute their stance to Allah (the Almighty) and sought to direct people towards Him and to rise above subjective personal motives. This is a matter of great importance.

Here, he expresses that he acts as a servant of Allah, fully submitting himself to Him, acknowledging that all affairs belong solely to Allah, the Almighty. He here articulates his trust in Allah and his complete submission to His will. Thus, he reflects what Allah has set forth in His instructions to us in the Holy Quran—addressed to His Prophet and the believers, {'Say, “Nothing will ever befall us except what Allah has destined for us"'}[At-Tawbah 9:51]. Therefore, this logic is very important. {'My Lord encompasses everything in [His] knowledge'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. In other words, nothing will come from the enemies without Allah's knowledge. He is the All-Encompassing in knowledge, fully aware of everything. Thus, he states that he is sincere to Him, guided by His guidance, and believes in Him alone. He believes that Allah is fully aware of all things, so nothing can harm him at a time unknown to Allah, for nothing is hidden from Him. He affirms his reliance on divine care and entrusts his affairs to Allah, the Almighty. If something occurs by Allah’s knowledge, then so be it. Indeed, he expresses his complete trust in Allah, his refuge in Him, his dependence upon Him, and his unwavering reliance on Him, the Almighty.

{'Will you not be mindful?'}[Al-An'am 6:80]. After reminding them of the truth, he drew their attention to the fact they had been heedless of and ignorant about. In such a situation, a person is expected to respond with openness and a willingness to change. When a person is on the wrong path and someone comes to remind him, draw his attention, and alert him, the rational and fair-minded reaction is to respond positively. In contrast, if a person is dull-minded and burdened with inner complexities, reminders will be of no benefit. The truth may be presented, evidence may be displayed, arguments may be offered—but nothing will have an effect. No matter how strong the proof, how clear the truth, or how obvious the reality is, such a person remains stubborn and unresponsive. This is because his mind is closed and dulled, and at the same time, he is burdened with inner complexities, shackled by misguidance, and enslaved by falsehood. Some people reach such a state that they become prisoners of falsehood, shackled by misguidance.

A crucial comparison between fear of Allah and fear of idols and the allies of Satan!

{'And how should I fear your associate-gods,'}[Al-An'am 6:81]—he continues addressing them regarding the matter of intimidation, which they attempted to use as a means to influence him—{'while you have no fear in associating [others] with Allah, a practice He has never authorised? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you really know?!'}[Al-An'am 6:81]. Here, he presents a profound comparison, asking them, {'And how should I fear your associate-gods … ?'} The idols they carved with their own hands cannot do anything—neither life nor benefit, harm, or power of any kind. Should he fear them simply because they had falsely bestowed upon them the status of divinity—a false attribute that holds no reality and is nothing more than mere names, void of any reality or existence? {'And how should I fear your associate-gods, while you have no fear in associating [others] with Allah, a practice He has never authorised?'} In other words, they are the ones guilty and the ones who should fear the sin of associating partners with Allah. They acknowledge the existence of Allah, His absolute power over all things, and that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the One Who holds sovereignty over everything—they and Prophet Ibrahim all believe in Him. They are the ones who should be afraid, for it is they who bear the weight of a most grievous sin, subjecting themselves to Allah's wrath and punishment and setting them at odds with Allah Himself. Thus, it is they who should be afraid, for they have associated partners with Allah.

{'A practice He has never authorised'}[Al-An'am 6:81]—as we repeatedly emphasised, religious beliefs must be built on what has been proven to be from Allah, grounded in evidence and clear proof, not in conjecture or empty claims. That is why a person must be vigilant in this matter—your religious principles, foundations, and beliefs must be built upon what is truly from Allah—His divine guidance—supported by clear evidence and undeniable proof of Allah’s guidance (Glory be to Him). One must also be cautious of false opinions, deceptive embellishments, and superstitions falsely attributed to the religion of Allah, for there are those who fabricate lies against Allah and adorn falsehood with deceptive embellishments to mislead others into believing falsehood. Deviant groups, those who propagate misguidance, are actively engaged in misleading people. In this era, the Jewish exhibit extensive activity, concentrating on intellectual, cultural, and doctrinal infiltration. They deploy activists and writers who disseminate content across social media platforms, the internet, and satellite channels that serve as platforms for misguidance and are utilised for deception by them—the channels affiliated with those who lead others astray.

Therefore, here, he draws their attention to this truth, {'while you have no fear in associating [others] with Allah, a practice He has never authorised?'}[Al-An'am 6:81]. In other words, they have no evidence from Allah to justify their falsehood; there is no proof, no argument, no guidance from Allah, nor any scripture from His scriptures that they can rely on to support what they have done or to justify the deviation they have reached by associating partners with Allah, the Almighty.

{'So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you really know?! '}[Al-An'am 6:81]. Which one is secure and can be called secure, {'if you really know?!'}? As for the two parties referred to here—{'So which of the two parties … ?!'}—the first party is the one that believed in Allah with pure faith, free from any impurities, while the other party is the one that associated partners with Allah without any divine warrant. {'If you really know?!'}—that is, if they truly comprehend, they will recognise the truth through comparison.

A powerful lesson for the Ummah drawn from this important comparison!

Such a comparison in the face of intimidation serves as a crucial lesson. In fact, it is one of the most pressing needs in our time, where tyrants, criminals, misguiders, the misguided, hypocrites—all factions allied with Satan—heavily rely on fearmongering. Everything they use to instil fear falls within the scope of the verse, {'They threaten you with others apart from Him'}[Az-Zumar 39:36]. For example, they seek to frighten you with America, with its military forces and capabilities, its economic pressures, and so on. Fearmongering has a profound impact on a lot of people; in fact, it is one of the most influential factors affecting many people.

If we reflect on the reality of our Muslim Ummah, regarding how it deals with clear issues—where the truth is completely evident, with no ambiguity—such as the Palestinian cause and the oppression of Palestine and the Palestinian people, we may find that fear is the main reason behind this passivity for many. Fear of America has kept many governments and regimes from moving and taking action. As for the peoples of this Ummah, they are often held back by their fear of these same governments and regimes. This is a serious problem because such fear does not lead to salvation. In other words, when people abandon their religious and faith-based responsibilities out of fear, they bring upon themselves the wrath and punishment of Allah (the Almighty), which is the very thing they should truly fear and is far greater than what they fear and have abandoned their duties for. Take, for example, fear of America—its military capabilities: What are these compared to the punishment and wrath of Allah, to a single moment in Jahannam, to the torment of Allah in this world and the Hereafter? It is nothing. The same applies to the capabilities employed by the Israelis to kill people and commit acts of oppression and tyranny—these are nothing compared to one hour in Jahannam or even a single moment in its flames.

Therefore, a person must be conscious and aware—even when it comes to fear. One should ask himself what should he truly fear? Where does the greatest danger lie? Which threat is more serious and deserves his full attention: the consequences from Allah (Glory be to Him) if he disobeys Him, neglects his responsibilities, abandons his duties, or goes against His guidance and instructions or the consequences that come from people? What comes from people is nothing compared to the punishment and wrath of Allah.

Thus, the standard for determining what we should fear must be the one defined by the Holy Quran. Those within this Ummah who have chosen to submit to America, obey it, align themselves with it, and offer it support (financial or otherwise) have distanced themselves from Allah. In effect, they treat America as if it were greater than Allah (Glory be to Him), as if it were a rival to Allah, the Almighty. They have put themselves at grave risk of Allah’s punishment and wrath, for by submitting to America, they support falsehood, stand with it, serve it, and pave the way for oppression and criminality. The biggest factor that Israel has benefited from in its aggression against the Palestinian people is the inaction of the Muslim Ummah. This has allowed Israel to act with such levels of brutality, criminality, and tyranny.

On a broader level—one that has to do with principles and faith—what hinders most of the Ummah from following Allah’s guidance (Glory be to Him), from taking a Quranic stance, and from acting according to Allah’s commands? It is fear. Fear affects them to a great extent.

Therefore, it is essential to remind people of this comparison and to firmly establish it, as it represents a solution to this dilemma for those people of understanding who benefit from reminders: Who is in the stronger position? Is it the one who relies on Allah, trusts in Him, and depends on His support and aid? Or is it those who have earned Allah’s anger and wrath, and who have been promised the severest punishment in the Holy Quran, along with those who side with them?

{'… if you really know?!'}—when you fear Allah’s punishment and strive to protect yourself from it, you will, first and foremost, be secure from His punishment. In addition, Allah (the Almighty) is capable of protecting you from the harm of others. We find a profound lesson in the story of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH), as will be discussed in other contexts. They even tried to burn him in the fire, but they failed. Therefore, this comparison is extremely important.

That is enough for today.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.