Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.
Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi
Lecture Nine
Wednesday, 10 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (20 March 2024 A.D.)
The Story of Adam (PBUH)
(Part Three)
Key Lessons to Grasp
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.
Seeking the guidance presented in the blessed verses of Surah Al-Baqarah in which Allah clarifies for us some of Adam’s story and His vicegerency on the earth and the beginning of human existence, this lecture is going to be focusing on some important lessons and guiding examples that we benefit from the story in its mentioned context. The story, as we said before, is mentioned in many surahs of the Holy Quran, such as Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-A’raf, Surah Taha, Surah Al-Isra, Surah Al-Hijr, and other surahs of the Holy Quran. In each surah, the story of Adam was mentioned within a particular context, focusing on specific points and topics related to that context. Its context in Surah Al-Baqarah contains very important points and important lessons and guiding examples, and we are going to discuss some of them.
Among the most important lessons we can benefit from this important context of the story is the importance of establishing the principle of submission to Allah (Glory be to Him), which is one of the most important principles of faith. In our belief in Allah, one of the most significant principles related to faith is submission to Allah (Glory be to Him) in what He commands us, directs us towards, or ordains for His servants. This is a very important matter, as a person may sometimes become confused or raise questions about a matter or something that Allah ordained when he does not know the wisdom behind it. This may cause the person to experience confusion and start questioning or doubting that matter because the wisdom behind that is not clear to him. So we return to the principle of faith that Allah (Glory be to Him) is the Knowing, the Wise: He knows, while we do not know, and He (Glory be to Him) is the Most Just of Judges. Therefore, we should believe that the reason behind our doubts regarding that fixed ordinance designed by Allah is our ignorance. That is because Allah knows what we do not know, because we lack knowledge regarding many matters, and because He is the Most Just of Judges. This is a very important matter.
Sometimes doubt may be caused by looking at the issue from a single perspective, as happened to the angels (peace be upon them) when they looked at the task of vicegerency on the earth as an act of worship to Allah (Glory be to Him) based on what they knew from their own reality of worshipping Allah, the Almighty. However, it became clear to them in the end that there are various roles within the framework of servitude to Allah (Glory be to Him) and that the role of humans is one of them, but it differs from the role of the angels. This is a very important matter.
The positions of the angels, Iblis, and Adam: A stark contrast!
Among the lessons we benefit from the story, we find a significant difference between the three positions in terms of the drive and reason behind each one of them and how they dealt with the results of that. As for the angels (Peace be upon them), we find the reason for their inquiry and offer to take on the role of vicegerency on the earth, although they shouldn't have raised any questions—after all, everyone is in need of the guidance of Allah, the Almighty. Every creature, whether angels, jinn, or humans, is in need of the guidance of Allah. They benefited greatly from the lesson, and it was one of the means that increased them in guidance. Indeed, that lesson played an important role in that. Therefore, they showed absolute obedience when they were commanded to prostrate to Adam, as the doubt and questioning had ended, removing all obstacles before them. This resulted in their absolute obedience to Allah’s command to prostrate to Adam. The result was that they were increased in guidance and learned a great lesson from what happened to them.
As for the position of Iblis, we find a significant difference. The drive of his position was arrogance, accusing Allah (Glory be to Him) of injustice and lack of wisdom, selfishness, and self-centeredness. He became a worshipper of himself instead of worshipping Allah and entirely submitting to Allah, the Almighty. He had an overinflated sense of self-worth and fell into a state of arrogance. Therefore, he showed stubbornness, disobedience, arrogance, and rejection and persisted in his position of disobedience. The result was terrifying for him: He was cursed and cast out from the mercy of Allah and became despised, rejected, and misguided due to that position. Sometimes, one action can be so dangerous to this extent that it diverts a person from the path of truth and from the religion of Allah (Glory be to Him), leading him to deviate completely from the right path, never returning to it (We seek refuge in Allah).
As for the position of Adam and Hawwa, we find that their disobedience in eating from the tree was a slip, as they were deceived by Satan. He continued in his temptation and kept using various methods to mislead them, even swearing by Allah that he was advising them: {'Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors'}. He deceived them, enticed them, and lied to them, and they forgot that Allah had previously warned them against him and forbidden them to eat from that tree. They forgot that Allah had made it clear to them that the consequence would be that Satan would remove them from the garden if they did not guard against him properly and remain vigilant against his plots and tricks. Allah had already clearly warned them about Satan, forbidden them to eat from that tree, told them about the outcome and consequence if they were to eat from it, and clarified and revealed to them the true purpose of Satan, which was to expel them from the garden.
They committed that slip as a result of that deception and enticement, coupled with forgetfulness and weakness of resolve. Then they immediately repented and turned back to Allah with sincere repentance. The repentance of Adam (PBUH) is used as an example. It was great repentance, as he hastened towards Allah after committing that forbidden act, despite all the circumstances, influences, and factors that allowed Satan to deceive him and make him eat from the tree. But the repentance of Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them) was sincere repentance, a true return to Allah, an acknowledgment of their sin, and intense remorse. In addition to that, they immediately turned to Allah and showed caution and vigilance in the future. This became an unforgettable lesson, and it was all that they needed to become cautious and vigilant and remain in such a state in the future.
Indeed, we find differences between the three positions: the position of the angels regarding their inquiry and the result they reached (elevation in guidance and enlightenment); the position of Iblis, who showed defiance and stubbornness and refused to turn back from his deviation; and the position of Adam, whether in how he committed a forbidden act and transgressed the divine command or what he did later on when he hastened to return to Allah (Glory be to Him).
One of the most important lessons learned from the angels' position is when they (through the guidance of Allah) later remembered what their faith entails: In other words, they did not remember that early on when they started questioning, but they in the end reached absolute conviction that Allah is the Knowing and the Wise. This is a lesson that clarifies the importance of already keeping in mind what one's faith entails. This is a highly important matter.
We, as Muslims, believe in Allah (Glory be to Him) and in His noble attributes; however, we often forget what this faith entails in our practical reality and in the times and circumstances when we should remember that. For example, we believe that Allah (Glory be to Him) is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Subduer above His servants, the Dominant over all creation, the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and the One Who is Capable of all things. What this faith entails is to have trust in Allah (Glory be to Him) and in His promise. So when Allah (the Almighty) says, {‘And Allah will surely grant victory to those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might’}, we notice here a promise from Allah (the Almighty) of granting victory to His believing servants if they respond to Him, support His cause, raise the banner of jihad, and move in His path to confront oppression, injustice, criminality, and arrogance. However, we find many Muslims lack confidence in the fulfillment of Allah's promise and the possibility of victory, even though the promise itself is certain: {‘And Allah will surely grant victory to those who support Him.’} The very wording of {‘And Allah will surely grant victory’} is of an emphatic tone that affirms this divine promise.
Allah concludes the verse by saying, {'Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might'}. When we remember our belief that Allah is Powerful regardless of the power and capabilities of our enemies, we will have trust in Allah's capability of fulfilling His promise of victory. This is because He is Powerful and Exalted in Might, and no one can stand in His way, defeat Him, or prevent Him from accomplishing what He wants or fulfilling His promise.
So being mindful of what our belief entails is a very significant matter. Although we believe in the Hereafter, recompense, and reckoning, people often overlook this belief and forget what it entails in terms of being cautious of disobedience in the face of temptations, fears, or any factors that lead towards transgression.
The catastrophic consequence of the Muslim Ummah's heedlessness of the concept of vicegerency!
Among the important lessons we derive from this significant story is the extremely grave dilemma Muslims have faced since they overlooked the concept of vicegerency on the earth. As a result, they lost their civilisational role and the opportunity to build their reality as a strong ummah. This is a genuine problem in the reality of the Ummah. The reason behind the state of backwardness that the Islamic Ummah has reached today compared to other nations is neglecting the concept of vicegerency on the earth. This concept is no longer a foundation for its movement to build a civilisational programme and project. In fact, this is a very serious problem.
For example, when it comes to the basic needs of people in their lives, such as food, medicine, clothing, and other essential requirements, we find that Muslims depend mostly on their enemies for these requirements and are no longer a productive ummah. But why did they fail to become a productive ummah? Why did they not focus on building a distinctive and advanced Islamic civilisation? This concept disappeared, and as a result, they had no problem falling into such a miserable state.
We find how impactful this is on the Ummah and its religion, for it is the focus of the comprehensive targeting of its enemies. Dependence on them for life necessities becomes a pressure card in their hands, which they exploit against the Ummah: They resort to blockade and economic sanctions among other tactics as a means to target the Ummah, torment it, and exert pressure on it.
It is the duty of Muslims to be a productive ummah, not to depend on their enemies to meet their life requirements and necessities. They are human beings, and Allah endowed all human beings with the ability to play this productive role in life to provide for their life requirements and essential necessities. This role is within the power of all human beings, not limited to a group of humans in the West or in any corner of this earth. This is within the reach of all humans! Therefore, Muslims were supposed to be concerned with improving their reality so as to be a strong ummah even at the economic and military levels. Their state should not be as what it is currently, a very unfortunate state! Their enemies surpass them militarily to a great extent as a result of their advancement in manufacturing, production, and capabilities. They also outperform them economically. Even there are countries that possess fewer economic resources than some Islamic countries do, yet we find those Western countries that have fewer resources to be more advanced, while those countries remain at a ground zero or very low level. This is a very tragic situation!
Muslims should have prioritised civilisational development because this has to do with their religion, identity, freedom, and dignity; otherwise, it could become a means of exerting pressure against them. Moreover, they should focus on building their civilisation in order to present a distinctive model of the Islamic civilisation based on the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him). This is a highly important matter because, despite its advancement in production and manufacturing, Western civilisation is notably lacking in one crucial aspect: values, ethics, and divine principles—it has detached itself from the teachings of Allah and His law and way. Due to their separation from divine guidance, their production and scientific supremacy have resulted in significant harm and very adverse consequences in their own societies and other nations. They utilise their capabilities and exploit their scientific supremacy largely in ways that harm human society. In other words, only a small percentage benefits humanity, while a substantial portion brings harm to it. Therefore, their civilisation lacks values, ethics, and wisdom and fails to maintain a positive perspective on humanity and its role in this context.
This reflects that it is important that knowledge goes hand in hand with divine guidance. Humans need science to fulfil their role as vicegerents on the earth to understand the secrets of the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them in this worldly life and how to benefit from them and identify the means that facilitate the process, and so on. At the same time, they need Allah's guidance and His teachings to protect themselves and their civilisation, so that their scientific supremacy and production do not become a means of harm, evil, and corruption on the earth.
For example, at the military level, how does the West utilise its military capabilities? It utilises such capabilities as a means of subjugation, tyranny, and injustice. This is evident in what is happening in Gaza: Immense and powerful military capabilities, including American weapons and bombs with great destructive power, are used to kill the innocent—children and women—and to exterminate an oppressed people.
Due to its detachment from maturity, values, and morals, as well as divine principles and teachings, the West exploits such many means to harm human societies or to spread corruption on the earth: spreading moral corruption and undermining values of chastity and purity. Many are the enormous advanced means and capabilities that are used for this purpose.
Therefore, without guidance, people will harness their scientific supremacy and their material and civilisational capabilities to a large extent for what harms and corrupts. However, with guidance, it is possible to have a refined, mature, and distinguished civilisation that benefits and protects people and can be utilised for what is good for them and what serves their interests. The negative aspects in the Western reality are very significant: While there are certain benefits people gain, there are also great harms and evils. Therefore, it is the duty of Muslims to build a civilisation that is based on two pillars, knowledge and guidance, and that provides a model that represents hope for human society and sets a refined example. This is also one of the important lessons.
The obligation to recognise the many good things Allah has made lawful for us and the punishment for violating His command.
One of the lessons we observe and learn from this story is that Adam and Hawwa began their journey and mission in the garden. In other words, Allah, by His grace and mercy, did not create them and then cast them, for instance, into a barren desert, where Adam would find himself in a very difficult condition in the middle of the desert.
Following the creation of Adam, the test of the angels, the story of the names, and the creation of Hawwa (Peace be upon them both), Allah admitted them to the garden that He had prepared for them. It contained everything they needed for their lives, allowing them to live there comfortably and without hardship. It was an expansive garden, where they were provided with all they needed and even more than what they needed. The only thing forbidden to them was the one tree that Allah had commanded them to avoid in that garden. As for everything else in that garden (the many varied things that were sufficient), Allah permitted it for them and blessed them with all of it, except for that one tree.
When reflecting on our reality and divine law, we similarly find that Allah has made lawful for us all the good things, provided that one should obtain them according to the legitimate way prescribed by Allah, the Almighty. As for what He has forbidden, He has only forbidden the bad things, which are very limited compared to what He has permitted, which is very abundant. So the proportion of lawful good things is very wide and relates to all of a person's needs. That is, in the fields of food, drink, clothing, and various other fields, what Allah has permitted to meet human needs suffices what a person needs and much more. The forbidden things are very limited, and what Allah has forbidden us from is something limited, in contrast to what He has permitted for us.
This is a very important lesson, which shows that Allah has cared for human society since the beginning of its existence, providing abundant blessings. It also shows that when a person turns towards what Allah has forbidden, he is only harming himself; there is no justification for that! This is because Allah has allowed him a vast and good alternative.
Another important lesson, which is among the most important lessons, is how disobedience to divine commands leads to the removal of blessings. This is a very important matter. Humans harm themselves by disobeying divine commands and injunctions. The immediate consequences in this world, before the Hereafter, are related to what Allah has blessed the person with. This is because when humans disobey Allah, they use the means and blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them, so they are misusing and mishandling the blessings of Allah (Glory be to Him). As a result, they cause themselves to lose those blessings that Allah has blessed them with. This is a grave matter for humans. Therefore, what really preserves the blessing for humans is gratitude, and to practically follow the right path is part of gratitude.
Satan seeks to bring misery to humanity. He endeavours to deprive people of divine blessings. Whenever he sees you enjoying any of Allah's blessings, he tries to find ways to make you lose that blessing on your own. He is an enemy to humans; he cannot stand to see anyone enjoy any blessing, so when he sees you enjoy a blessing, whether it be a material or non-material blessing, this enrages him and stirs up his hatred—his enmity towards humans is extremely severe. Therefore, he plans and works on how to make you lose that blessing through your own actions and by your means. He tries to push him to do what will cause him to lose that blessing. This is why he strived to expel Adam and Hawwa from that garden, and he harboured intense hatred towards them and was enraged by the blessings they enjoyed. When a person has any blessing from Allah, Satan, the enemy of humans, seeks to remove that blessing and make him by himself act in ways that bring that end.
When reflecting on the punishment and consequence of that transgression by Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them), we see how it led to their expulsion from that garden, which was not the eternal Jannah of the Hereafter, despite the specific circumstances surrounding that transgression, so how do we expect that one still can enter the Jannah of eternity despite fearlessly committing heinous, grave transgressions and failing to remember Allah, the Almighty. The transgression of Adam caused him to lose a garden that provided him and his wife with blessings and life requirements, so how about the Jannah of eternity? Do you think that you can enter it while you are burdened with transgressions, sins, and iniquities and persist on them?! Transgressions have serious consequences for humans. If a transgression deprived Adam of a garden to live in, then how do we expect that one cannot be deprived of entering the Jannah of eternity due to heinous transgressions he fearlessly commits in disobedience to Allah (Glory be to Him), following his own desires and obeying his enemy, Satan?
This is what Satan wants. In other words, just as he tried to make Adam lose that garden, he is trying to make us lose the eternal Jannah in the world of the Hereafter, the world of our eternal future. This is one of the top priorities he has set for himself in his enmity towards the children of Adam: to exert all his effort, using every means of deception and cunning, to lead them astray so that they do not reach the Jannah of eternity in the Hereafter, that great bliss and honour. He spares no effort to make them end up in Jahannam, the worst destiny. In his fierce enmity, he strives for this because he sees that the greatest harm he can inflict on a person is this: making them lose Jannah and leading them to the Fire because they obeyed him. He aims to ensnare the children of Adam, depriving them of the eternal Jannah in the future and entangling them to become among the inhabitants of the blazing fire. It's not just about making one lose a blessing in this world; he seeks to deprive you of any blessing you might have in this life, but he also aims for something even greater.
The sin of Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them) ended with repentance, so that sin did not extend to their descendants or offspring, contrary to what some might think. Some do think that the sin of Adam and Hawwa became a continuous curse for generations of mankind. This is simply not true. They immediately repented to Allah (Glory be to Him) and turned back to Him, and He accepted their repentance. He accepted the repentance of Adam, chose Him, and elevated his status. Adam was one of the righteous servants and had a high rank and great honour in the sight of Allah, the Almighty.
Therefore, this belief is incorrect for two reasons:
- Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them) repented to Allah (Glory be to Him), and thus their sin was forgiven.
- No one bears the burden of another, even if there is a blood connection. For instance, a child does not carry the burden of their parent's sin. Allah says, {'And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another'}. This is a fundamental principle in the justice of Allah (Glory be to Him) and what He has prescribed for His servants.
A person can be considered a partner in a particular sin if he actively participated in it or supported, encouraged, or deemed that sin as good and appropriate. Indeed, one may share in the responsibility for a particular sin if he endorsed it in any way or was satisfied with it. Therefore, a person may share in a particular action or crime through endorsement and approval or through direct involvement. However, beyond this, a person does not bear any burden for another's sin.
Also, Allah opened the door for Adam and Hawwa (Peace be upon them) and their descendants to turn to Him in repentance, and this is one of the greatest blessings that Allah has bestowed upon humanity: to open the door for people to repent and turn to Him. However, it really important for a person to hasten to seek repentance.
After Adam and Hawwa were expelled from the garden, did Satan’s enmity towards their descendants come to an end?
There are important lessons that can be learned from Allah's saying, {'as enemies to one another'}—this was right after He commanded them to descend. There are several crucial points to consider.
The enmity of Satan did not come to an end after the expulsion of Adam and Hawwa from the garden. He did not say, 'Now I have taken my revenge,' as he developed hatred towards them and considered them the reason for what happened to him, although it was not their fault. He fell into a state of arrogance and transgression, and he brought upon himself all that happened to him due to his arrogance. So they had nothing to do with that, yet he bore utmost animosity towards them.
Even after Adam and Hawwa were expelled from the garden, his enmity towards them did not come to an end; instead, he remained a sworn enemy to them and never considered his war with them to be over! He viewed that as just the first round and even continued his intense enmity towards their descendants. His enmity persists, and he considers that act of deception as merely the beginning of his struggle against Adam and his descendants. In fact, his intense enmity towards the descendants of Adam and Hawwa will never come to an end, and this everlasting and deep-seated enmity drives him to plot against their descendants throughout the generations.
Satan's attitude remains the same even towards those humans who join his ranks and support him! His intense enmity remains constant, even towards those who align with him, support him, or even glorify and worship him. He continues to harbour enmity towards all humans. This is why Allah says about him, {'He only invites his followers to become inmates of the Blaze'}. Even though they are his followers, he does not wish them well as long as they are human; he wants them to face the torment of Jahannam. Therefore, he never changes his attitude towards anyone who joins his party and strays from the path of Allah.
The human soul is capable of good and evil, and Satan seeks to influence people by exploiting their desires through deception. Therefore, to bear enmity towards him serves as an important motivation. Satan is an enemy, and we must take him as an enemy because he acts as an enemy to us: {'And We said, "Go down as enemies to one another."'} If a person is vigilant and takes the right position against Satan as an enemy, this will help him to preserve his righteousness. Otherwise, even without the presence of Iblis or jinn devils, the human soul has the potential for both good and evil. Therefore, some people could still be drawn towards evil and act as human devils even in the absence of Iblis and jinn devils.
Humans are capable of both good and evil, but recognising the enmity with Satan and understanding that he is an enemy who seeks to lead them astray can serve as a powerful motivation for righteousness and salvation and drive them to take a decisive stance against the paths of evil and corruption. This is why Allah says, {'Surely, Satan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy'}. This is a very important point that we can benefit from. By opposing Satan, you can avoid the paths of corruption, evil, and misguidance and instead follow the path that leads to your salvation. This awareness becomes a source of support and motivation for you, so this is beneficial.
The serious consequences of contempt: An important lesson from the prostration to Adam!
The serious consequences of contempt serve as an important lesson, along with the lesson of prostrating to Adam: The position of the angels reflected what could be considered as contempt towards humans, as they did not view them as worthy of the task of vicegerency on the earth. In addressing this issue, Allah made them prostrate to Adam as a form of honouring him (PBUH) and humans in general. This is an important lesson.
There is another similar incident that took place among humans, although there is a significant difference between them and the angels: The brothers of Joseph held Joseph in contempt, as Allah mentions their statement about him, saying, {'When they said, "Yusuf and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error'}. They resorted to cunning and conspiring against him, but in the end, Allah says about them, {'And they bowed to him in prostration'}.
Contempt is extremely dangerous, as it can make one experience a state of submission—a situation similar to prostration, even if it may not be a prostration in the literal sense. Therefore, a Muslim must never hold another Muslim in contempt. While it might be acceptable for one to disdain a person who is wicked or criminal because of his evil actions and corruption, it is not right to disdain any Muslim, male or female.
- First, at the level of feelings, one must never harbour feelings of contempt and disdain towards any believing man and woman, as this is an extremely dangerous state and is completely inconsistent with faith.
- Then, at the level of actions, a person should not act in a way that shows contempt or disdain towards anyone. This must never be done.
- This also applies to the practical domain.
There is no need to say that one's wrong and shortsighted perception might be the reason behind his contempt towards others and the way he feels and thinks of them. This happens because some people judge others according to their limited criteria without considering the positive aspects of these people. This or that person may lack something or even have nothing in one area, but he may possess other strengths, talents, and abilities in other areas.
Every believer can play a role in the practical domain. This life with all the responsibilities in it and the wide-ranging responsibilities of the Muslim Ummah can encompass all roles, talents, and efforts. A person may not be skilled in one area, but he still can contribute in another. He may lack competence in one field, but he may excel in another. Even if a person cannot offer something in a specific domain, he can still be beneficial in a different one. All roles are interconnected, and each role is important to the others; therefore, there should be no sense of contempt even when it comes to practical efforts. It is also important to be aware of the inferiority complex that many members of the Muslim community experience. Unfortunately, there is a widespread sense of contempt for the Ummah as a whole and its current situation, along with a lack of hope for its future, accompanied by a significant admiration for the enemies.
Some individuals, for instance, become so impressed with the West that they completely disdain their own Ummah, believing that there is no hope for any change in its reality. They adopt a contemptuous view, as if the situation for Muslims and Arabs were an inherent part of their identity—that they are incapable of changing or improving their reality. This is a very dangerous mindset. Such an inferiority complex can act as a barrier to moving forward with hope for change. It is a serious issue, and it is not consistent with truth.
There are significant lessons from both the past and present of the Muslim Ummah regarding the possibility of change. At the beginning of the Islamic movement, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) set forth along with a small group of believers most of whom were of the weak ones as individuals and in terms of their abilities and their social standing. Many were simple individuals with very limited abilities, yet Islam elevated them to a position of prominence on the global stage. There are countless lessons from history, and the lessons from the present also inspire hope. Therefore, the inferiority complex is indeed a very serious issue.
There is also an important belief we should hold regarding this point: the greatness of Islam. When we move forward based on the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him), it elevates us, and Allah plays a role in shaping our souls. This means that the Ummah can rise again, and the weak among its members can reclaim a leading position in the reality of human society.
Along with the warning against contempt, we must also beware of vanity. Indeed, we must be cautious of both contempt and vanity: One should not be conceited about himself or look down on himself. Instead, one should place his hope in Allah (Glory be to Him) that when you, as well as others in your Ummah, move based on His guidance, Allah will qualify you for the role assigned to you through His grace, generosity, and assistance, as well as through your pursuit of the necessary means. This is a matter of great importance.
As for vanity, it is self-conceit. It is an extremely dangerous state when a person is vain about himself, taking pride in his own abilities—not in the sense of trusting and hoping in Allah (Glory be to Him) or out of taking the proper means: the means of growth and improvement. Vanity is a highly perilous state for a person. Regarding contempt, one, as we mentioned, should disdain no one except the criminals and the evil ones, due to their criminality, debauchery, and tyranny.
The importance of keeping in mind what we believe about the unseen
There are other lessons regarding the forgetfulness of Adam (PBUH) and the importance of remembering what we believe about the unseen. Allah (Glory be to Him) warned Adam and Hawwa (peace be upon them) about Satan and forbade them to eat from the tree. He also made it clear that the consequence would be their expulsion from the garden, but they forgot, just as Allah said, {'However, he forgot, and We did not find in him a firm resolve'}. This is not to mention the temptation of Satan, his deception, his oaths, and the way he presented the matter in a completely different light. Indeed, Satan promised a misleading outcome of eternal dominion and everlasting life, while Allah had already clarified that the outcome would be loss and expulsion from that garden. Satan presented a different outcome, which was a misleading and false outcome. At that moment, they failed to remember what Allah had warned them about, which ultimately led them to disobey the divine command.
We must recall in advance the things that Allah has warned us about and their consequences. In situations that put pressure on us—whether through temptations or overwhelming fears—we should remember and reflect on the divine warnings in the Holy Quran, which we believe in. The consequences of negligence that Allah told us about should make us cautious and alert.
Refuting Western theories on the origin of human existence and life stages!
One of the important lessons is that the beginning of human existence is not unknown. In the culture of the Western world and the theories they have promoted, there has been an attempt to portray the origin of human existence as a mysterious and unclear matter. For this purpose, they try to come up with speculative and imagined theories, such as the theory of evolution, which claims that humans evolved from apes! This perspective stems from their disbelief and denial of the divine message and the teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him).
Allah (Glory be to Him) has explained to us the beginning of human existence in the Holy Quran and clarified that in His previous books. This knowledge was also part of the heritage passed down among humans from generation to generation. The beginning of human existence is Adam (PBUH); Allah created him and created Hawwa from him (Peace be upon them). He created her from Adam (PBUH), but we do not know the details or the exact manner of this creation. Nonetheless, both of them were human beings, and from them humanity spread, as Allah (Glory be to Him) said in the Holy Quran: {'O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women'}.
The Jewish lobby seeks to distort the facts about the beginning and origin of humanity for a very evil purpose: to destroy the sense of dignity in humanity. The Zionist Jews want to prevent humans from ever feeling dignified and to view their origins in a way full of contempt and disdain and devoid of respect. This narrative contradicts what Allah has informed us about our creation and formation: that He created humans initially from clay, not as descendants of another animal. Humanity is created by Allah (the Almighty) since the beginning (Glory be to Him) with honour, as He commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam. They attempt to present a false image with the aim of eroding the sense of dignity within human society and making it more accepting of humiliation, enslavement, triviality, corruption, and degradation. This is because they aim to humiliate and enslave humans.
Additionally, the civilisational origin began with Adam (PBUH). He is also the first of Allah’s prophets, and Allah (Glory be to Him) taught him all the names. The prophets of Allah, starting with Adam (PBUH), are the cornerstone of history and the foundation of human existence.
Therefore, the perceptions and theories presented by the West about humans and their lives in the early stages and ancient eras are inaccurate. They excessively portray early human societies as extremely primitive. In other words, they want to depict human societies in the early stages of human existence and in ancient times as living very primitively, almost like animals, and that civilisation was brought about only by the West during its very late renaissance.
This is something they try to present as indeed a general culture shared by all human societies. You find, for example, that what exposes them is how they talk about America, the American continent, in general: They talk about it as if it were not discovered before they invaded it, killed its people, and imposed their control, as if history there began only from that stage.
Then when they talk about its native inhabitants, who were subjected to genocide at their hands, they talk about them in an offensive manner, as if they were very primitive. However, some of the relics found across various parts of the American continent date back ten thousand years, and they are sophisticated and prove the existence of an ancient civilisation that once thrived there.
What they promote about the beginning of human existence is not right: Humans did not live for very long periods in a primitive state akin to animals. From the very beginning, since the time of Adam (PBUH) and afterwards, humans have been distinguished by what Allah (Glory be to Him) granted them. That is, in ancient times, there were great and advanced civilisations. In fact, there were civilisations in history that we may not yet have matched in our current era, such as the civilisation of Prophet Sulaiman (PBUH), his kingdom, and what Allah enabled him to achieve, as well as the civilisation of Dhul-Qarnayn, which was a truly great civilisation.
Thus, our view of those times should be fair. It might be true some isolated societies were primitive or rather became primitive, but this should not be the lens through which we view all past stages of history.
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.