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.

A moment to consider what the takfiri groups are doing in Syria!

Before we begin the lecture, let us take a moment to address what is unfolding these days in Syria. The takfiri groups there are committing acts of mass genocide against hundreds of innocent Syrian civilians—unarmed, peaceful citizens. These groups even record their own crimes on video, post them on social media, and boast about such crimes. The footage shows them mercilessly killing unarmed, peaceful civilians—some are dragged from their homes and executed, while others are murdered in the streets, whether in urban areas or the countryside.

Such criminal behaviour is utterly condemnable, and everyone must denounce it. Those with a shred of human conscience should strive to put an end to these crimes. They also reveal their determination to persist on this brutal, criminal path by killing the innocent, civilians, and the peaceful in the most horrific ways imaginable. They share responsibility for these crimes with those who support them financially, politically, and militarily. Consequently, there will be severe consequences for all those involved, for they seem to believe that they have secured favour with America and Europe, which give them free rein to do as they please. They forgot Allah—they forgot that He punishes, holds people accountable, and dispenses retribution. They forgot that the shedding of innocent blood inevitably brings about severe consequences.

By perpetrating these crimes and acts of aggression against a wide swathe of the Syrian people—targeting unarmed, peaceful ordinary citizens—they are doing a great service to the Israelis and the Americans. They tear apart the social fabric of Syria and practice savagery and criminality against the Syrian people. This holds true because the Americans and the Israelis seek to portray themselves as the saviours and protectors of the Syrian people, all in the context of occupation.

The Israelis have declared their protection of the Druze in Suwayda. Because of this, those takfiri groups did not dare to harm them; instead, they treat the Druze with respect, engage with them cordially, and deal with them humbly. Why? It is because the Israelis have announced their protection and have threatened to act should they be harmed. Similarly, America presents itself as the protector of the Kurds in the areas where they reside, arming and recruiting them. Therefore, when they face an attack, they fight fiercely, relying on American support and protection.

As for other Syrians, they feel targeted because they are not under American protection like the Kurds, nor under Israeli protection like the Druze. They find themselves being violated and killed in cold blood, quite simply, with no one in the Arab and Islamic world to object or criticise; everyone just watches, taking no stance. They find themselves being utterly violated simply because they have no American or Israeli protection.

Takfiri groups: An American-Israeli-Zionist-Jewish creation!

It is clear that the brutality and criminality of these takfiri groups is the product of an American-Israeli, Zionist-Jewish scheme. They are the ones who have nurtured, created, and groomed them for this very role; they have prepared them to exhibit such levels of brutality, criminality and aggression against the peaceful, the unarmed, and those not engaged in any military activity. They do exterminate them, killing women and children, the elderly and the young. They are committing acts of genocide. Why? It is an American-Israeli scheme that serves Zionist-Jewish objectives:

• Firstly, to distort Islam, as these groups present themselves as devout, jihadist organisations, only to then brutally kill innocent, peaceful, unarmed people;
• to divide our peoples from within and tear apart their social fabric; and
• to portray the enemies as protectors and saviours, thereby justifying and gaining acceptance for their occupation.

Therefore, it is clear that after seizing control of Syria, these takfiri groups have not fired a single shot at the Israeli enemy—not one—despite its incursion into southern Syria across three provinces, its occupation of vast areas, and its ongoing raids that demolish Syria’s capabilities, which belong to the Syrian people. Yet, they make no practical response. Instead, they have ordered their media outlets and activist journalists not to use the term 'enemy' when referring to the Israeli enemy—not even to refer to it as 'the Israeli enemy'! They avoid referring to as such, let alone take action! At the same time, they act with brutality, aggression, and criminality against unarmed, peaceful civilians, committing mass extermination and portraying their crimes as acts of heroism, boasting and taking pride in them.

What is happening is very unfortunate, and the Arabs are silent, the Islamic world is silent. Why? It is so that only the Israelis and the Americans can speak. As we said, this is to allow the Americans, the Europeans, and the Israeli enemy to present themselves as the protector of peoples.

This serves as a significant lesson for all peoples of our Muslim Ummah regarding the true nature of these groups and their criminality. However, Islam is innocent of their criminality and brutality. Indeed, Islam is innocent; jihad for the sake of Allah is a sacred cause that has nothing to do with their crimes. These groups have nothing to do with jihad. If they were engaged in true jihad, they would confront the Israeli enemy. They are not devout groups; rather, they are criminals who adhere to falsehood rather than guidance and truth and are clearly aggressive.

Anyone who doubts our words should witness for themselves the crimes that these groups have documented, published, and boasted about, although their regional sponsors who support them financially, try to present a different image in their media, portraying these groups as a state, as security forces, as a regular army, and so on. However, the situation is completely clear. What has happened in recent days is extremely horrific; remaining silent about it is a crime. Silence contradicts religious and humanitarian responsibilities. What is happening is dangerous, and its consequences are severe for these groups and their sponsors, as they will incur punishment from Allah, the Almighty. It also serves as a very important lesson for our peoples.

***

Continuing our journey through the story of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH)

Yesterday, we discussed the story of Allah's prophet, messenger, and confidant Ibrahim (PBUH) in the light of Allah's saying, {'And his people argued with him. He responded, "Are you arguing with me about Allah, while He has guided me?! I am not afraid of whatever you associate with Him unless my Lord so wills. My Lord encompasses everything in [His] knowledge. Will you not be mindful?"'}[Al-An'am 6:80].

In our discussion of the blessed verse, we shed light on several topics. Among these topics was the importance of grounding one’s religion and belief in the guidance of Allah, the Almighty. As we mentioned, one must be keen to ensure he is truly on the path of guidance and understands Allah's way of guidance, verifying whether he is truly walking on the path of guidance. This is a crucial matter for every individual.

Furthermore, when a person is granted success in walking on the path of guidance, he should take pride in his connection to Allah's guidance and his journey along this path. He should recognise this as a tremendous blessing and something of great value to cherish, maintain, and strive to uphold, ensuring he remains steadfast on the path of Allah's guidance. This is an extremely important matter. In fact, a person who does not appreciate the blessing of guidance may exchange it either for something of this world (becoming one of those who trade Allah's verses for a small price) or for false claims of misguidance, which he may be deceived by and drawn towards. This is a serious issue because if a person strays and deviates after having received guidance and walking on the path of truth, this represents one of the worst and most dangerous forms of misguidance for a person that he may end up being forsaken by Allah! When a person's heart strays from the truth and becomes misguided after walking on the path of truth, then the danger of misguidance after guidance is truly serious for a person, potentially leading to a situation where they are forsaken and may never find their way back to the path of guidance.

We also spoke about fear based on the guidance of the blessed verse that reads, {'And how should I fear your associate-gods, 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]. I explained the importance of this comparison and our significant need for it in today's time, where most Muslims are gripped by fear of others rather than Allah, the Almighty—they are shackled by fear of America, Israel, and the tyrants who ally with these powers. This comparison is crucial to liberate people from external fears and to make them understand what they should truly be afraid of: What a person should fear most should be being in a state of sin, burdened with grave sins, and subject to divine punishment, which is far more severe than anything humans can inflict—when one’s adversary is Allah, when one gets himself in trouble with Him, the Almighty.

In the light of Allah's saying, {'if you really know'}[Al-An'am 6:81], and through the comparison, we highlighted that when you fear Allah's punishment and strive to act in ways that please Him so as to be safe from His torment, He may protect you from the harm and evil of others. But when it comes to Allah Himself, no one can save you from His punishment or protect you from His might. Indeed, no one can do so. {'And If Allah touches you with harm, none can undo it except Him'}[Al-An'am 6:17]. {'Their intercession would not be of any benefit to me, nor could they save me if the Most Compassionate intended to harm me'}[Ya-Sin 36:23]. No one can rescue you, save you, or protect you from the might and punishment of Allah.

The path to security and guidance: Pure faith untainted by any impurities of injustice!

The path of security and guidance, as described by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) is this: {'Those who have believed and did not tarnish their faith with injustice are the ones who are guaranteed security, and it is they who are [rightly] guided'}[Al-An'am 6:82]. The path to security and guidance lies in having sincere and true faith, embracing all its tenets: to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day and maintain uprightness in accordance with that. When a person takes this path with full and sincere faith, free from any association with wrongdoing, embarks on the path of guidance, and keeps his faith untainted and free from all impurities, striving to purify his practical march from any impurities of injustice—injustice is a broad concept that encompasses every form of transgressing the limits set by Allah.

In your dealings with others, do not oppress them or exceed the bounds of what is right, for that amounts to injustice. Any instance of going beyond what is just falls under injustice—whether by taking what belongs to others, treating them unfairly and wrongly, or committing any form of overstepping what is right and violating the limits ordained by Allah for our conducts with people. Similarly, in your relationship with Allah and all other obligations of faith, do not ever transgress His limits, for any such transgression is, in itself, an act of injustice.

This matter is also very important for all who are walking the path of faith and jihad in the cause of Allah, the Almighty: to ensure that he remains free from all forms of injustice in all his dealings with others. In other words, you must be extremely careful—as this is part of true faith—not to fall into or become entangled in injustice, for doing so nullifies your deeds and, at the same time, strips your faith of its value. That is, your religious affiliation then ceases to have any worth, neither serving as a means of salvation nor as a means of drawing you closer to Allah, the Almighty. Why is that? It is because you have nullified it through injustice by transgressing the limits set by Allah. If a person fails to take this to heart in his walk of faith and jihad, he may take the matter lightly—something that indeed happens with some people. In the faith-based march of a devout, striving ummah empowered by Allah, this responsibility is considered extremely significant, and this understanding must be firmly established. It is crucial to guard against injustice, ensuring that neither your faith nor your jihad is tainted by any acts of injustice against others, as this indeed diminishes the spiritual value of your affiliation to faith: It no longer holds any positivity or value, nor does it represent a means of drawing closer to Allah (Glory be to Him).

The serious danger to people lies in greed and all forms of tyranny, especially during times of gaining power. Therefore, we find that Allah (Glory be to Him) addresses His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F), saying: {'So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, along with whoever has repented with you, and do not transgress'}[Hud 11:112]. A person is particularly prone to tyranny when he gains power. Indeed, some exercise tyranny when they gain power. When they gain influence, strength, or resources, and believe that their actions are supported by their military power, influence, authority, social standing, or other means, they lose their balance and become oppressive. They commit injustice, dare to wrong others, and forget Allah (Glory be to Him). In doing so, they invalidate their deeds, their jihad, and their faith. Due to their injustice, they expose themselves to divine punishment. The divine decree of punishment applies to them; they will be for it, and nothing can protect them. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every believer to reflect on himself and evaluate his actions. This is because greed, which is very dangerous, may drive some people to covet others' property or land and act tyrannically and unjustly to satisfy their greed, using their influence and power. They may transgress against others and act arrogantly, combining all these traits: Even if they maintain a connection to the path of faith and jihad, they have become arrogant, unjust, and tyrannical, since no one can deceive Allah. Consequently, they become vulnerable to various forms of divine punishment: They may be forsaken by Allah and never find success in the rest of their life. Various punishments may befall them, for Allah punishes and holds to account, no matter how deluded the arrogant and tyrannical—those who stray from the path of faith and embrace tyranny.

That’s why it is crucial for a person to protect his faith from any impurities that arise from overstepping the limits set by Allah, the Almighty. True faith yields uprightness and good deeds. In fact, the importance of constantly striving to purify one’s faith from impurities cannot be overstated.

This is not to mention that kind of tranquility and peace a person can gain in his relationship with Allah, which is of great importance for him. After all, every person is in constant need of Allah (Glory be to Him). However, some may lose sight of this truth after gaining power. Yet, when divine retribution comes, Allah humiliates them and brings them low, just as He has humiliated other tyrants. In fact, some fail to learn from the experiences and mistakes of others.

That is why we often remind our brothers in our Quranic march: Do not inherit injustice from the oppressors, and don't follow their example. A person must be cautious not to turn into a thug, seizing the land and property of others just because he wants to imitate an officer who was a criminal or a tyrant. This is a dangerous matter for a person. Allah will humiliate him just as He humiliated them, no matter how arrogant he may become; he has no immunity from Allah, the Almighty.

Nothing that a person might become arrogant about, such as names, titles, and lineages, can provide immunity from divine accountability. Committing injustice exposes one to divine accountability and punishment, with no escape from Allah’s punishment. Therefore, a person is in constant need of Allah; he is in constant need to purify his faith from injustice and strive to protect it, so as not to become an oppressive, arrogant, and aggressive wrongdoer. After all, you are always in need of Allah. If you persist in your arrogance and vanity, you will witness how Allah holds you accountable and strike you down with His might, just as He did to others like you who were arrogant and ignored the truth.

Divine guidance includes inspiring you with compelling evidence to help guide others!

Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'That was the argument We gave Ibrahim against his people. We elevate in rank whoever We please'}[Al-An'am 6:83]. {‘That was’} refers to the compelling proofs that Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) presented to his people, providing compelling arguments that refuted their falsehood and exposed the baselessness of the doubts and flowery language they clung to. This compelling and powerful argument through which he presented the truth persuasively and eradicated falsehood is part of Allah’s guidance: When Allah (the Almighty) said, {'We also showed Ibrahim the wonders of the heavens and the earth, so he would be sure in faith'}[Al-An'am 6:75], among the signs that Allah showed him were those that deepened his insight, strengthened his argument, and guided him to persuasive, effective means for debating his people, leading them to the truth, and presenting clear, compelling proofs. This is part of Allah’s grace and guidance. A crucial aspect of Allah’s guidance is to provide you with a strong argument to support the truth when you share it with others. It is an expression of His care and guidance.

Another fruit of certainty and deep-rooted awareness is that a believer who follows divine guidance possesses a clear, compelling, and convincing argument and becomes capable of presenting the truth effectively while being keen on guiding others and remaining steadfast in unshakable principles. That is because the goal is not to defeat others but to refute falsehood and eradicate the notion of polytheism from their hearts, save them from its grip, and deliver the radiant truth to them so that it becomes clear to them. This is a very important matter.

His saying, {'This was the argument,'} indicates that the context, from the very beginning, is one of presenting proofs and striving to guide them. This is why after the performative contemplation Prophet Ibrahim engaged in regarding the planet, the moon, and the sun, he shifted his discussion with them to speaking about Allah directly. This makes it clear that he was not ignorant of Allah, lost in confusion and seeking a deity. Rather, he made that display of contemplation take the form of a conscious search for truth and then immediately started his discussion with them about Allah (Glory be to Him)—{'Are you arguing with me about Allah, while He has guided me?!'}[Al-An'am 6:80]—pointing to the fact that the path to security is through faith in Him.

{'That was the argument We gave Ibrahim against his people'}[Al-An'am 6: 83]. When you follow Allah's guidance, you are endowed with the ability to argue effectively and clarify the truth in your discussions with others while inviting them to embrace divine guidance.

The argument, proof, and evidence are the pillars that uphold the truth and bear witness to it, affirming that what you present is indeed the truth from Allah. This is a fundamental issue we have discussed. When you possess a sound argument and have awareness, knowledge, and the ability to present the truth in a way that eradicates falsehood, this represents a crucial weapon in confronting misguidance and falsehood, and it is an essential means in striving to guide people and save them from misguidance and falsehood.

Thus, a believer, while following the guidance of Allah (the Almighty) and recognising the truth, should strive to possess strong arguments and clear evidence. He should also be capable of presenting the truth effectively, especially if he is involved in educational, cultural, media, or counselling roles aimed at guiding people. This demands great awareness and sincere faith, enabling a person to comprehend the proofs and evidence within Allah’s guidance, recognise the truth for oneself, and present it clearly to others, dispelling falsehood from people’s hearts. In dispelling falsehood from people’s hearts, one can, consequently, dispel falsehood from life.

As we have said, falsehood extends into people's lives in the form of crimes, injustices, and corruption. Falsehood is not merely an idea that remains confined to people's minds, trapped in their thoughts, or locked away in their writings and books, nor does it remain limited to certain rituals. Rather, it extends into reality. Take, for example, the takfiri groups: Despite their brutality and criminality against the Syrian people, they show an extremely disgraceful humility and submissiveness towards the Israeli enemy—this is a form of misguidance that manifests in conduct. So they become like fearless heros when confronting unarmed civilians with no intent to fight. They kill unarmed civilians with extreme brutality, boast about it, and even excel in killing people with extreme brutally. However, when it comes to confronting the real enemy of Islam and Muslims and the real godless entity—the Israeli enemy—they appear weak, submissive, and humble, not even daring to call it an enemy. This is a form of misguidance and falsehood.

The importance of comprehending divine guidance and possessing the capacity to convey it, along with the need to be wary of meddling!

In this era, there are extremely intense campaigns orchestrated by the enemies of Islam and Muslims. The Jews are leading campaigns that put into action all the groups that serve them, every faction aligned with them, every group of falsehood and misguidance. This is how the Jews operate: They have many allies and can mobilise more people for their support than any other group in this era. Indeed, they have countless supporters, many voices working for them, and numerous groups serving them under various names and banners. They wave various banners, including Islamic ones, but they are all part of intense campaigns aimed at leading people astray. Allah has warned us in the Holy Quran that they strive to misguide people and wish to lead us away from the right path. The Holy Quran repeatedly warned us about this: {'And they want you, too, to lose the right path'}[An-Nisa 4:44], {'A faction of the People of the Scripture wish they could mislead you'}[Ali 'Imran 3:69], and {'If you were to yield to a group of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back from belief to disbelief'}[Ali 'Imran 3:100]. These campaigns are vast, and they use modern tools to achieve their goals including the internet, which is a tool that reaches and influences many people, and satellite channels that are another means that reach and impact large audiences.

Therefore, it is the duty of those who sincerely embrace the truth and follow Allah’s guidance to realise that a crucial part of their jihad is to present Allah’s guidance. They must fully grasp this guidance, understand its proofs, evidence, and arguments, which dismantle falsehood, expose its deception, and dispel it from people’s hearts. They must also possess the ability to effectively convey Allah’s guidance, which is an extremely important matter. At the same time, those who lack the ability to present Allah’s guidance, who do not fully understand its proofs, must avoid intruding into roles they are not qualified for.

For example, some may engage in online debates without having fully grasped Allah’s guidance or the necessary evidence and proof. Their arguments may be weak and flimsy, and they may easily be swayed by those doubts that present a stronger argument than theirs due to their own lack of awareness and knowledge. It is unwise for a person to meddle when he is weak and lacks a strong argument. Having a basic belief is good, but he should avoid meddling in such matters and instead leave them to others who are better equipped to handle them correctly.

Similarly, some may participate in television programmes or call into talk shows, offering weak and ineffective contributions. This, too, is wrong. Those who lack the necessary background should refrain from engaging with platforms of misguidance, its advocates, and its propagators. We have repeatedly emphasised this in previous lectures, drawing on Allah’s words: {'And when you come across those who ridicule Our revelations, do not sit with them'}[Al-An'am 6:68].

Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'We elevate in rank whoever We please. Surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing '}[Al-An'am 6:83].

This concludes our lecture for today. We will resume our discussion in the next lecture, Allah willing.

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.