Sixth Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1444 A.H.

Sixth Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1444 A.H.

The destiny prepared for the people of the left!

I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, 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 All-Hearing, All-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.

We continue the discussion in light of the blessed verses from Surah Al-Waqi'ah, which highlight the scenes of the Day of Resurrection and the inevitable destiny that awaits all humans, as well as the classification of people in the ground of gathering before they move on to receive their reward, to the eternal abode, the permanent abode, either in Jannah or in the Fire.

In previous lectures, we have read in the blessed verses about the pioneers and the people of the right (also referred to as those on the right) and what Allah has prepared for them in terms of great bliss and immense spiritual honour. At the end of these blessed verses that speak about the people of the right, the Holy Quran makes it clear that the people of the right are a multitude, {'A throng of the ancients and a throng from the latecomers'}. This means a large group from the nations of the past and also from our generations and the remaining period in the history of humanity since the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F).

Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'And the people of the left—how will they be!'}. This is the third category, and this group, which includes the rest of human society excluding the previous ones (the pioneers and the people of the right), is for the people of the left: They are the people of misery, wretchedness, and loss (We seek refuge in Allah from that). It is an extremely terrifying matter! They are the ones who will receive their records in their left hands, symbolizing their misery, wretchedness, and loss. They are the ones who brought upon themselves their own misery, wretchedness, and loss—a great loss indeed!

When Allah says about them, {'How will they be!'} it is emphasizing and magnifying their wretched state, their immense misery, and their terrible punishment—the state of misery and punishment they have reached is truly horrifying (We seek refuge in Allah). It is an extremely terrifying matter!

The Holy Quran clarifies their state, the psychological torment they are experiencing, the intense fear and regret that reach such a level that their hearts rise to their throats: {'when the hearts will jump into the throats'}. It is an extremely intense fear. Their hearts are filled with fear and extreme terror. Their lungs inflate, causing their hearts to crowd upward until they reach near their throats. {'When the hearts will jump into the throats'}—it is an extremely intense fear, intense regret, and intense remorse because they realize that they could have done the deeds that would have saved them from what they have reached. They realize that it was their own negligence, heedlessness, turning away, and audacity that led them to their current state.

In the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection, from one situation to another, their horror, fear, regret, remorse, sorrow, and intense psychological torment increase. When they receive their records in their left hands, they will feel deep regret: {'They will say , "I wish I had not been given my record, nor known anything of my reckoning! I wish it were the end'}. It will be a state of intense remorse and regret.

In other situations, when the process of reckoning is complete—that is, when the believers (the successful ones, the saved ones, the righteous ones, the winners, those destined for Jannah) who belong to the category of the pioneers and the category of the people of the right are distinguished in one direction, and the criminals, the doomed ones, and the companions of the left are distinguished in another direction—the feeling of regret also comes. Intense regret arises when Allah says, {'And separate yourselves today, you criminals'}. This is because it is part of the process where the arrangement begins to move each party towards their destiny, towards their punishment.

Therefore, the Holy Quran narrates a poignant and significant scene—a scene carrying a profound lesson for some who belong to Islam, who affiliate to Muslims—in that state of sorting and distinguishing each group to be separated in its own direction, preparing to be transferred to meet their reward: {'On the Day the munafiqin (men and women) will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light." It is said, "Go back behind you and seek light"'}. In the processions of light where the believers (the successful ones, the righteous ones, the saved ones, the winners) move, darkness envelops the others, intense darkness, and they then are sorted and distinguished in a separate direction. They try to join the ranks of the believers, to join them and enter with them. They attempt to catch up with them and enter alongside them, but the angels intervene, obstructing them, and forcing them to retreat, saying, {'Go back behind you and seek light.'} There is no light for them because they did not accept the light of Allah in the worldly life, follow that light, or hold onto it, with its magnificent guidance. It is a terrifying state!

Shaytan and the followed ones disassociate themselves from their followers!

After they gather, and Shaytan addresses them—his sermon mentioned in the Holy Quran: {'And Shaytan said, after the judgment has been passed …'}—the stage of reckoning has ended, and all it remains is the transportation to Jahannam. Then, all those whose destiny is Jahannam will be gathered with the devils, the criminals, the oppressive rulers, the tyrants, the transgressors, the corrupters—the different categories of the people of the Fire are gathered. Shaytan will address them, saying as Allah mentioned in the Holy Quran, {'And Shaytan said, after the judgment has been passed, "Indeed, Allah has made you a true promise. I too made you a promise, but I failed you"'}. The promises of Shaytan and the desires he presented and used in deceiving many people, are all worthless.

{'I did not have any authority over you. I only called you, and you responded to me'}. In other words, he says, 'I did not force you. I did not compel you to deviate from the guidance of Allah or to disobey the commands of Allah and His prohibitions. It was only an invitation.' {'I only called you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me'}: He disassociates himself from them, blames them, and absolves himself of responsibility for what has befallen them. {'So do not blame me; blame yourselves. I cannot save you, nor can you save me. Indeed, I denounce your previous association of me with Allah'}—he completely turns his back to them and absolves himself.

The followed ones will disassociate themselves from their followers, those who followed them in falsehood and in disobedience to the guidance of Allah, His commands, and His prohibitions. {' when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed , and they see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties '}. They curse one another, disassociate themselves from each other. It is a terrible state when they see the fire of Jahannam while they are still in the gathering place. It is an extremely horrifying situation!

The painful destiny of tyrants and criminals!

{'Once it sees them from a distance, they will hear it fuming and growling'}. It is a terrifying situation, filled with extreme fear and dreadful anxiety, as they anticipate the moment of arrival, which is an immensely horrific moment. {'And on that day, Jahannam is made to come forward'}. It is an incredibly terrifying event when they witness it and hear its horrifying sounds. Therefore, when they are being transported to it, they try to resist because they are extremely afraid and they realize that it is an incredibly dreadful predicament. They comprehend the enormity of the great horror, that immense horror, its enormity and its awe-inspiring terror.

When they resist, they will be driven with great force by the angels: {' the Day they will be fiercely shoved into the Fire of Jahannam'}. They are pushed against their will, with violence and harshness. {'The wicked will be recognized by their appearance, then will be seized by forelocks and feet'}. They are pushed and dragged by their feet and forelocks (We seek refuge in Allah), and they are subjected to such violence and severity until they reach the gates of Jahannam. It is a moment of utter terror, an extremely dreadful and terrifying moment, when they approach Jahannam and reach its gates. {'When they arrive there, its gates will be opened'}. The gates open to receive them!

It is described: {'It has seven doors; and each door has its determined part'}. This will be according to the severity of the torment intended for them in the fire of Jahannam. There are different levels within Jahannam.

Within Jahannam itself, in the lowest level, in the most intense torment, there will be a group from among those who belonged to be Muslims. {'The munafiqin will certainly be in the lowest depths of the Fire'}. It is a terrifying thing! (We seek refuge in Allah.)

In that moment when they reach the edge of Jahannam, before being cast into it, it is an extremely terrifying moment! The Holy Quran describes it with a horrifying scene: {'If only you could see when they will be detained before the Fire!'}—they will have a moment there, a moment before being thrown into the fire of Jahannam, a moment where they express their regret, their immense remorse—{'They will cry, "Oh! If only we could be sent back, we would never deny the signs of our Lord and we would be of the believers'}. They wish, if possible, to be returned to the world to accept the signs of Allah, to follow them, to believe in them, and to act upon the divine instructions in them. They wish to be believers, committed and obedient to Allah. It is an extremely terrifying state, but it is too late. They cannot return, nor can they go back or repent. There is no other opportunity, no room for that.

Similarly, in that moment when they stand at the edge of Jahannam, will they enter willingly? It is a terrifying state of extreme fear and horror. They are cast into the fire of Jahannam by force, despite their resistance. The angels take hold of them and forcefully throw them into the raging fire of Jahannam. Then, its gates are closed with massive iron pillars, unlike anything in this world, something completely different. {'Every time a group is cast into it, its keepers ask them, "Did a warner not come to you?" They reply, "Yes, a warner did come to us"'}. They are asked if they were not warned in the worldly life, if someone had not warned them about the fire of Jahannam, about this destiny and what leads to it. They then admit.

Different forms of dreadful torment and the organized programme of torture!

In the fire of Jahannam, in its blaze and its various forms of torment, they themselves will say, {'And they will lament, "If only we had listened and reasoned, we would not be among the residents of the Blaze"'}. That is because the warning reached all people. People hear about the Day of Resurrection, and even those who do not believe, the news of the Day of Resurrection has reached their ears. When they are cast into the fire of Jahannam, there is nothing but torment—no situation or condition is torment-free, and the program is organized to torture them with different types and forms of punishment (We seek refuge in Allah). That is why Allah (Glory be to Him) says in these blessed verses, {'And the people of the left—how will they be! in scorching heat and boiling water'}. The first thing mentioned there is the scorching heat.

In this worldly life, one of the things we need the most, something we need in every moment, is oxygen, which we inhale. We need it more than anything else. You need oxygen in every moment to breathe, more than you need food and water. You breathe and inhale oxygen in every moment, and you live on that. If it is cut off from you for moments, you are on the verge of death. So if the oxygen is pure and in a cool environment, you find comfort in that—your body finds comfort in that.

As for them, even the air they inhale in the fire of Jahannam is of intense heat. It is extremely hot—a very, very, very hot air! Everything in Jahannam is hot, including the oxygen, the air that serves as a substitute for oxygen, which they breathe into their bodies every moment. It is extremely hot, and the heat enters their bodies, their lungs, their entire bodies, and every cell of their bodies. Just as the oxygen we inhale in this world reaches every cell of our bodies, their state is the same in that scorching air they inhale.

Even the process of inhalation and breathing in Jahannam is not a normal and easy process, as it is in this life. In a state of good health, a person inhales oxygen and breathes comfortably, without difficulty or exertion. There may be some difficulty in certain respiratory illnesses, but to some extent. However, in the fire of Jahannam, the process of inhalation and breathing itself, even with that extremely hot air that causes internal burning and intense heat in the lungs and throughout the body, is extremely difficult: {'where they will be sighing and gasping'}. It enters only with difficulty, with a sound, and it comes out in the same way, with a sound like the braying of donkeys. It is as if a person is braying, as if they are braying in the fire of Jahannam. So sounds are heard as they breathe in and bring out that air with great difficulty. Their voices, all of them, are like the braying of donkeys in this world—intense gasping and breath, very terrifying sounds. And their condition continues so they constantly face difficulty in breathing and inhaling that scorching air. The heat intensifies, extreme heat that enters their bodies!

The plan set for their torment is well organized, with times allocated for them to burn in the raging fires of Jahannam. {'They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and covering beneath them'}. There are numerous types of systematic and continuous torment (We seek refuge in Allah). It is a terrifying matter.

In that extreme and intense heat, where a person would long for something cold to cool their body, to drink from, to bathe in, to alleviate the intensity of the heat, what will be provided for them? What will be available? {' in scorching heat and boiling water.'} The boiling water, boiling intensely in the fire of Jahannam, is what is provided for them to drink, to bathe in, and even to be dragged into. It is an extremely terrifying state!

They are afflicted with severe thirst, extreme dehydration, and intense hunger while they are still in the gathering place before they even reach Jahannam. When they enter Jahannam, the abyss, its heat, its fires, and its scorching heat, their thirst increases greatly, to a point that no one can imagine. They long for water and seek water, but only boiling water is presented to them: {'And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds faces'}. When it is brought close for them to drink, it scalds their faces before they can even drink it due to its intense heat. It is an incredibly intense heat, and the scorching steam burns their faces. Despite that, they drink from it due to their extreme thirst and dehydration, which is beyond human imagination. It severs their intestines, and they suffer greatly, burning inside their depths. It is an extremely terrifying state!

Taking shower there is not something they choose; rather, they are taken against their will to specific places in Jahannam, some of the worst places there: {' "Seize them and drag them into the depths of the Hellfire'}—into the heart of Jahannam—{'Then pour over their heads the torment of boiling water'}. {'And boiling water will be poured over their heads, melting whatever is in their bellies, along with their skins'}. It is a very terrifying thing! The angels, more specifically the keepers of Jahannam, are the ones who will pour the boiling water over their heads, causing their skins and whatever is in their bellies to melt! Even their skins will melt because of the severe heat. They will be dragged in the boiling water: {'Then they are dragged into the Fire'}. They are also dragged between the pools of Jahannam, among its various types of pools, in which there is extremely boiling water. They are chained and pulled towards it to be immersed in it, thus experiencing its intense heat and painful torment.

There is no shade for them there to have some comfort. No need to say that when a person is facing extreme heat, he seeks protection for himself by rushing into the shade of his home, a tree, or whatever can provide shade for him. But what is the shade in Jahannam? {'In the shade of black smoke, neither cool nor refreshing'}—they see shade in Jahannam, so they rejoice and approach it, but then they are met with dense, suffocating, intensely hot black smoke. In Jahannam, there is dense, suffocating, intensely hot black smoke coming out from a very terrifying place that is one of the blazing, scorching, and worst places there, and when they see it, they, as mentioned in another verse in Surah Al-Mursalat, {'Proceed into the shade which rises in three columns, providing neither coolness nor shelter from the flames. Indeed, it hurls sparks as huge castles'}. This is an extremely terrifying matter! That shade is described as {'neither cool'}. Rather, it is extremely hot, reaching the peak of heat, as mentioned in another verse, {'nor shelter from the flames'}. Inside it are terrifying fires—{'nor refreshing'}. So they do not benefit from it at all. It is a horrifying state in which they suffer from everything! {'Indeed they were, before that, indulging in affluence'}. These are examples of their torment in Jahannam.

You can take a look at other verses and surahs that picture their torment in the blazing fires of Jahannam, where they are engulfed, burned, and exposed to its blaze and sparks. Allah speaks about their garments, saying, {'Garments of fire will be cut out for them'}—made especially for them. {'With garments of tar, and their faces covered with fire'}. There are many verses that also shed light on their shackles, the chains that are placed upon them, dreadful types and varieties of torment, the iron maces they are struck with whenever they try to escape from Jahannam, the state of humiliation and disgrace, the pus they drink in Jahannam, and the other various forms of torment (We seek refuge in Allah).

The affluent as the ones who lead human society to Jahannam!

{'Indeed they were, before that, indulging in affluence and persisted in the worst of sin'}. Before that, they used to live a life of affluence. They are the most prominent among the people of Jahannam: They are the ones who lead human society towards Jahannam. Who are the affluent? They are those who go beyond the limit in dealing with blessings and who allow the blessings of this life to cause them lose their balance. Therefore, they employ and exploit these blessings to fulfill their desires and ambitions and engage in immorality, corruption, injustice, oppression, and arrogance. Their practice of exceeding the limits and dealing arrogantly with blessings make them use and exploit such blessings in ways that do not align with the commands of Allah (Glory be to Him): They use them to satisfy their unlawful desires, spread corruption, commit injustices, display arrogance in their dealings with the servants of Allah, turn others away from the path of Allah, wage war against the divine religion, and spread corruption among communities.

Of all people in human society, the ones who play the worst role in human reality are the affluent, those with material potentials who dedicate all their capabilities, power, and wealth to pursue that . And this is what we witness in our world, in our reality, in our era and time. The ones who lead human society towards destruction—they turn it away from the path of Allah (Glory be to Him); strive to spread corruption in it; exert control through injustice and tyranny; commit injustices, crimes, and transgressions; and seek to deviate and hinder people from the path of Allah—are led by the affluent. In our Islamic world, who are the ones moving in this manner? They are the affluent, with their immense capabilities that they employ for this purpose. On a global level, they are the affluent. In the West and the East, they are the ones who utilize all their resources for this purpose.

Throughout history, in opposing the prophets, confronting them, and hindering people from the path of Allah (the Almighty) and from His guidance and religious teachings, they have stood out as the leading power that opposes the Divine Message.

Therefore, Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {'And We did not send into a city any warner except that its affluent said, "Indeed we are disbelievers in that with which you were sent"'}. They are the ones who stand out at the forefront and take the lead in opposing the guidance of Allah and striving to corrupt people, to lead them astray, to spread corruption among them, to buy their loyalty and consciences with money, to entice them, to attract them, and to mobilize them in the ranks of falsehood and in the service of falsehood. They actively engage in such actions.

The destiny of the weak followers, and their argument with the arrogant ones

This blessed verse does not mean that it is only the affluent who go to Jahannam, for it mentions them in this context to contrast them with the pioneers: They play a leading role in spreading corruption and deviation among societies and leading them towards Jahannam, while the pioneers play a leading role in guiding people towards Jannah and the pleasure of Allah (Glory be to Him). So they have a role that goes into the opposite direction: towards Jahannam. You can return to the Holy Quran and see what it says about those poor, destitute, and indigent people who may experience extreme misery, abject poverty, and great suffering. Even though they are ordinary individuals, yet they deviate with those affluent. Their direction aligns with the one of the affluent in transgressing the instructions of Allah, deviating from His path, indulging in disobedience to Him, and following their own desires. What does the Quran say about them, even when they are on the ground of resurrection? {'They will all appear before Allah, and the lowly will appeal to the arrogant '}. Who are the lowly mentioned in this verse? Who are these lowly individuals? They are those who lived in a state of misery, poverty, and difficult circumstances. They are ordinary people who have no influence or power in society. They are ordinary individuals, but their direction was aligned with the direction of those criminals. {'And the lowly will appeal to the arrogant , "We were your followers, so will you protect us from Allah's torment in any way?"}—even if it were in a limited way against the destruction that comes from following them—{'They will reply, "Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we suffer patiently or impatiently, there is no escape for us"'}.

Even in Jahannam, where they will be burning and suffering its torment, Allah says about them, {' when they will dispute in the Fire'}—they will be arguing, blaming and rebuking one another, feeling hatred towards one another, and holding one another responsible. {' when they will dispute in the Fire, and the lowly will appeal to the arrogant , "We were your followers, will you then shield us from a portion of the Fire?" The arrogant will say, "We are all in it!}—the rich as well as the poor, the leaders as well as the followers—{ Allah has already passed judgment over servants."'}. We seek refuge in Allah! We seek refuge in Allah!

With their capabilities, wealth, and influence, the affluent lead human society towards Jahannam, using money to tempt and recruit others and spreading corruption through their capabilities. They push people towards whims, inclinations, lusts, and evils, using all means of temptation, which are many today: programs, media production, and various methods and ways. (We seek refuge in Allah.) So this includes them and all those involved with them, as noticed in the Holy Quran when it speaks about the rebellious, criminals, and the munafiqin. The promised punishment for the munafiqin includes not only the rich and wealthy ones but also the poor and destitute ones. The ordinary munafiqin are included in that punishment: {'The munafiqin will certainly be in the lowest depths of the Fire'}.  

Among the sins that result in eternal punishment in the flames of Jahannam!

One can read in the Holy Quran how Allah warned against some grave transgressions and sins and threatened with the eternal punishment of the Fire. Such sins and transgressions include usurious practices, intentional and unjust killing of believers, devouring the property of orphans, violating inheritance rights or stealing others' rightful shares, committing fornication or moral corruption—{'And whoever does that will face the penalty. Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of Resurrection, and they will remain in it forever, in disgrace'}—hindering others from the path of Allah, and concealing the revelations and guidance of Allah by scholars, disciples, and the educated ones in times that call for enlightenment.

Hindering others from the path of Allah is one of the terrifying crimes that are punishable by remaining in the Fire forever. The warning about it is explicitly mentioned and sets the everlasting torment in the fire of Jahannam as a punishment for it.

Such sins and transgressions also include neglecting great responsibilities and duties and disbelieving in some of what Allah has revealed. There are many things that are warned about in the Quran as to be punishable by Jahannam and eternal residence in it.

Supporting the enemies of Allah, the enemies of Islam, is also another thing that leads to the Fire and its torment: {'And whoever does so will have nothing to hope for from Allah'}; {'Whoever takes them as Auliya becomes one of them'}—and where else are they headed except for Jahannam?

In the Quran, you find that the warning specifies the inevitable destiny based on those deeds, based on those crimes, based on those violations. Such a destiny leads towards the Fire (We seek refuge with Allah). include neglecting important responsibilities such as establishing justice and equity, standing against injustice, striving in the path of Allah, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and so on.

The consequence of stubbornness and disbelief in the resurrection!

{'Indeed they were, before that, indulging in affluence and persisted in the worst of sin'}. They persisted in committing major sins, terrible sins, sins that Allah has warned of punishment by Fire for. They did not pay attention to the warnings in the Holy Quran, nor to what the Messenger (PBUH&F) warned against and clarified the punishment Allah set regarding those sins. They persisted in that, and they did not seek to abandon that, repent, rid themselves of those sins, or return to Allah, the Almighty.

{'They used to ask , "When we are dead and reduced to dust and bones, will we really be resurrected? And our forefathers as well?"'}. Their position from the resurrection, the Hereafter, and the judgement in the afterlife was a position of people who rejected and denied that truth in an explicit way, as shown in this statement, as well as in their reality, just as the case with many people revealed in the Holy Quran. If a person truly has certainty, this will lead to Taqwa: Allah says, {'And of the Hereafter they are certain '}. This is how it describes the people of Taqwa; their certainty in the Hereafter leads them to Taqwa and motivates them to act in a way that saves them from its punishment.

{'Say, "Most certainly, earlier and later generations will surely be gathered for the appointed Day"'}. All people—with all their generations and different periods of history that start with Adam and conclude with the last human who comes to this life—will be gathered for one appointed day. Human generations keep leaving this life one after another, approaching their appointed day that marks the end of human existence on the earth and sees the last human being who is destined to complete the total count of human beings, the culmination of human existence. After that, the resurrection takes place, and there are no new births, no additional generations. Everyone follows one another in generations, but ultimately, the Day of Resurrection comes, and they are all gathered together for a specific appointed time determined by Allah, the Almighty. Only He knows its timing, as it is among the secrets of the Hour: {'It will not come up to you except suddenly'}.

Referring to those who have gone stray from the path of Allah and His guidance and chose to deviate instead of following and adhering to it, Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Then you, O misguided deniers,'}—those who disbelieve in the truth and deny the divine truths and the inevitability of the Hereafter, the reckoning, and the judgment—{'will certainly eat from the trees of Zaqqum, filling up bellies with it. Then on top of that you will drink boiling water'}. This will be their food in Jahannam. They will enter the fire of Jahannam while in the most intense state of hunger. Their hunger increases, and that extreme hunger compels them to eat from the tree of Zaqqum, which is their food and a terrible punishment. Its odour is foul, the most repulsive scent, the filthiest smell. Likewise, its taste is bitter, the worst flavour a person can experience. It is extremely hot, to the point that it boils in the stomach, as mentioned in another verse of the Quran: {'It will boil in the bellies like the boiling of hot water'}. It boils in the person's stomach with an intense and extreme heat. However, due to their extreme hunger, the severe hunger they are punished with, they eat from it despite its bitterness, its repulsive odour, its hideous appearance, its heat, and its wretched taste.

{'Then you, O misguided deniers, will certainly eat from the trees of Zaqqum, filling up bellies with it.'} Their bellies will be filled, but this will not satisfy their hunger. Then the heat within them intensifies due to what they have eaten. {'Then on top of that you will drink boiling water'}. There are no beverages or refreshing drinks to accompany their meal. Instead, they drink from the boiling water, the scalding water of Jahannam, heat upon heat, torment upon torment!

The pursuit of a luxurious life is what often brings damnation upon a lot of people. Their obsession with luxury, wealth, and having the finest food and drinks makes them indifferent to whether their means are lawful or unlawful, righteous or wrongful. All they seek is to fulfill their desires, whims, and carnal pleasures, entangling themselves in the process and facing the consequence for that: severe punishment. Some persons do end up having a luxurious life, but there are also those who strive for luxury but fail to reach the level they had hoped for and desired.

{'And you will drink like thirsty camels do'}—thirsty camels that suffer from a disease called 'Hayam'. This disease that affects camels is a severe thirst: They do drink intensely, repeatedly, yet remain unquenched until they eventually die. So they will drink as much water due to extreme thirst and heat. The heat intensifies their thirst, and they, in fact, drink and swallow boiling water despite its severe heat. It indeed scalds their faces and tears their intestines into pieces. However, they have no choice but to drink—drink and drink. That definitely increases their torment: They will never quench their thirst no matter how much they drink.

{'This will be their accommodation on the Day of Judgment'}: In fact, this will be the reception accorded to them. From the moment they step into Jahannam, such a table and such hospitality will be offered to them. They will arrive very hungry and thirsty, such food and such drinks will be offered to them (as a form of hospitality) in a profoundly humiliating and degrading manner (We seek refuge in Allah) on the Day of Reckoning, the Day of Judgment.

This is a message for mankind, so that they may be warned by it

All of this is just examples, examples of their torment and their wretched and terrifying state, serving as a warning for us in this worldly life. Therefore, Allah addresses us, saying, {'O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones, and is overseen by rigorous and stern angels, who never disobey whatever Allah commands and do whatever they are commanded'}.

Is there any desire of this worldly life that is worth risking oneself for and getting involved in the fire of Jahannam?! A single immersion in the fire of Jahannam will definitely make one forget all the blessings of this life: every pleasure and leisure one had enjoyed in this life—a single immersion! Which deed among all the deeds that guarantee your salvation, your success, and your prosperity have you abandoned and distanced yourself from? You have abandoned those deeds, distanced yourself from them, though Allah has informed you that they are the means of your salvation: {'Shall I guide you to a trade that will save you from a painful punishment?'}. Why don't you have the drive, the motive, the response to what leads to your salvation, what ensures your protection from that terrible punishment? Why don't you have the eagerness for your success, your triumph?!

There is nothing worth risking for or causing you to abandon those deeds, even if it is a matter that conflicts with your desires or you imagine to cause you hardship, displeasure, irritation, anger, or any other things. Those are the deeds that lead to your success, your prosperity, and your salvation. Through them, you secure your eternal and magnificent future in Jannah, in Allah's pleasure, and you safeguard yourself from that punishment. What holds you back? What discourages you? What delays you? Why don't you have certainty? Why don't you have firm faith and respond to Allah, the Almighty? Why don't you seize the opportunity of this blessed month to focus on obedience, recite the Quran, and perform good deeds? Then assess your reality to identify areas where you fall short, so that you do not become among those who persist in committing grave transgressions and immense sins. These may involve exceeding the limits set by Allah or disobeying His commands and instructions that you are aware of but neglect and fall short in. Why don't you increase your supplication in this blessed month, seeking salvation from punishment, liberation from the Fire, and guidance towards the means of salvation? Why don't you nurture yourself in this holy month with Taqwa, cultivating a habit of Taqwa that protects you from the punishment of Allah? Why don't you make a habit of patience, commitment, and practical obedience to Allah?

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to accept our fasting, nights of worship, and good deeds.

O Allah, have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are All-Hearing!