Ramadan Lecture Series 1446 A.H.
Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi
Lecture Sixth
6 Ramadan 1446 A.H. (6 March 2025 A.D.)
Certainty: A Divine Gift to the Prophets and Messengers to Fulfill Their Sacred, Supreme Missions
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
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.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'We also showed Ibrahim the wonders of the heavens and the earth, so he would be sure in faith'}. Yesterday, we began our discussion of this blessed verse and discussed Allah's way in preparing His prophets and messengers to their great missions, and we also illustrated the importance of their responsibilities and how they fundamentally differ from many other responsibilities due to their extraordinary nature. Their responsibilities require a high level of extensive preparation, as this is essential for the messengers and prophets themselves to serve as models of the divine message, embodying its guidance, spirituality, and light and what it imparts: maturity, wisdom, and purity of soul, values, and morals, among other things. Furthermore, a high level of preparation is needed for them to bear the substantial burdens of this responsibility, along with Allah's extensive support and care, which come in various forms.
For example, Allah (Glory be to Him) grants them what increases their certainty to an extremely high level. This is, it is a significantly elevated degree of certainty that corresponds to the magnitude, greatness, and sanctity of their tasks. This divine care manifests in various stages, including when they begin their mission, as they begin their mission with a very high moral impetus granted to them by Allah. The same is true during other stages, including as they carry out their duties, depending on the circumstances and complexities they face.
Therefore, regarding the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of Messengers, Muhammad (PBUH&F), Allah said that He granted him this divine care, as we, for example, see in this Quranic verse: {'Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed'}. What is the purpose of this wonderous journey, which contains astonishing signs? Allah (Glory be to Him) states, {'so that We may show him some of Our signs. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Seeing'}. Thus, this journey had this purpose: to prepare him psychologically and spiritually, and to elevate him in certainty, knowledge, and profound understanding—deepening and solidifying that knowledge and simultaneously reinforcing his confidence and certainty.
Allah cares for them in such a way that He shows them signs that elevate them to a very high degree of certainty and faith in the divine principles they uphold. This includes a profound knowledge of Allah, His sovereignty, and His authority over His servants, as well as the righteous path they follow and the methodology that guides their actions. All of this requires certainty. In the realm of the knowledge of Allah and His promise of reward and punishment, there are many aspects that demand a high level of certainty. Similarly, the methodology they follow in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities also necessitates a strong degree of certainty.
The power of certainty and its role in performing major tasks and responsibilities
A high degree of certainty is extremely important when it comes to performing major tasks and responsibilities. This does not merely require a basic acknowledgement or ordinary belief; rather, it necessitates a high and great level of certainty.
Certainty is also crucial when facing pressures and challenges when a messenger from Allah comes to an entire community or environment whose beliefs, customs, traditions, perceptions, and attitudes are fundamentally different, firmly rooted in falsehood, and fiercely attached to. Moreover, its beliefs, perceptions, concepts, myths, and falsehoods may be surrounded by extreme sensitivity so that the reaction from everyone may be harsh and severe towards anyone attempting to guide them out of their current state.
The prophets face these significant complexities with people, as they confront deeply rooted beliefs that may have persisted for generations and become a matter of extreme sensitivity that might be subject to political considerations, social considerations, economic considerations, or other kinds of considerations. In other words, such a community is deeply intertwined with falsehood in all its forms, while the prophets make every effort to guide people out of that condition. The sacred mission of the prophets can be summarised in guiding people from darkness to light, as mentioned in the all-encompassing theme in the Holy Quran. These complexities include challenges, difficulties, and severe reactions, including denial, insults, and threats. In some cases, the reaction of the people to their prophets and messengers is to kill them: There are martyrs among the prophets and messengers; some are tortured and killed. Thus, this monumental mission, with such significant complexities, requires extraordinary certainty in the face of isolation, as a prophet may find himself alone, striving to transform a reality completely at odds with his message. This requires immense certainty. All of that, including the opposing conditions they face—often beginning within their family environment—requires immense certainty, a truly high level of certainty.
Regarding certainty, when we see how Allah takes care of his prophets by showing them His signs to strengthen their certainty, why does Allah strengthen their certainty? This is because certainty represents a firm knowledge, complete conviction in the truth, unwavering faith, deep understanding, and strong confidence that leaves no room whatsoever for any doubt, confusion, or hesitation. As a result, a person's vision and conviction become steadfast and resolute and his position firm, grounded in compelling evidence and truths that he is certain of. They are endowed with insight, and consequently with complete conviction and absolute trust, leaving not even the slightest degree of doubt, confusion, or hesitation.
Certainty is a vital and fundamental aspect of Allah's religion. That is, it is not limited solely to prophets and messengers—whose level of certainty is extraordinarily high and unparalleled. It is an essential matter in the path of faith for all believers, especially prophets and messengers—they, as we have said, come at the forefront in exemplifying a highly elevated degree of certainty, but this quality remains necessary for every believer. For this reason, regarding the qualities of the pious mentioned in the Holy Quran, Allah (the Almighty) says, {'And they have firm faith in the Hereafter'}, and He also says, {'Only those are believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the cause of Allah: Such are the sincere ones'}.
That they {'have never since doubted'} means that their certainty is so profound that no doubt touches them—not confusion, not anxiety, not scepticism, not even partial disbelief in any matter. They are completely certain about Allah's promise, as they have absolute certainty in all that comes from Allah:
- They are certain that He will fulfil His word.
- They firmly believe in divine admonition.
- They believe in the truths presented in the Holy Quran, including matters of the unseen and its realm and everything that one is required to believe in—they have firm faith in all of that, without a trace of doubt, anxiety, confusion, or hesitation.
As we have already mentioned, certainty also holds highly great significance at the level of position: The firmness of a position arises from the strength of one’s certainty, and the degree of steadfastness a person exhibits is directly proportional to the depth of his certainty. Therefore, when we consider the effects and manifestations of certainty, we find that they appear initially as a state of complete assurance and full confidence in who you are: in the truth you embody, in the position you take, and in the faith you possess. You move forwards on the basis of your certainty while being strongly assured and completely confident and having not even the slightest hesitation, anxiety, or confusion. Additionally, they involve having profound trust in Allah (the Almighty), and consequently, based on absolute confidence, you respond to His promises, His warnings, and the truths He reveals to you.
The reality of the Islamic Ummah testifies to its weak or nonexistent certainty!
This is a very important matter because when we reflect on the reality of the Islamic Ummah in general, we find that the most striking feature is a lack of certainty. This is revealed in weak positions or, at times, in the absence of any position at all. In other words, many within our Ummah have reached a point where they completely lack certainty! Allah says to them, {'O you have attained faith, if you support Allah, He will grant you victory and strengthen your foothold'}. Isn't this a promise from Allah, the Almighty?
What is it that many within our Ummah lack when it comes to respond to this divine promise, which is the drive to fulfil this responsibility in supporting Allah by defending His religion, upholding the truth, and taking a stand against tyranny and oppression? Although the Ummah sees the oppression of the Palestinian people, one of the clearest issues, and sees the tyranny, aggression, and crimes committed by the Americans and Israelis—a case with no ambiguity whatsoever, with clear right belongs to the Palestinian people, as they are clearly being wronged—the prevailing response from many within the Ummah (especially governments, regimes, and leaders) is a failure to fulfil their responsibility, which is a religious duty they will be held accountable for on the Day of Resurrection and face consequences and punishments both in the immediate world and in the Hereafter for neglecting this duty! At the core of this failure lies a lack of certainty. In other words, many simply do not believe that if they were to act for Allah with sincerity and faith, answering His call and fulfilling this duty, He would fulfil His promise: {'He will grant you victory and strengthen your foothold.'} Indeed, they do not have certainty that He will fulfil this very promise.
In contrast, we see, for example, some members of our Ummah who, despite starting from scratch and having limited resources, move forward in responding to Allah (the Almighty) with unwavering confidence. Why is that? What sets their position apart from others? It is their certainty and trust in Allah's promise: They were certain, assured, and confident that when they respond to Allah, He will fulfil His promise to them. Thus, certainty plays a very significant role in strengthening one's position, remaining steadfast, and providing the necessary drive that reflects true engagement.
Matters of faith hold great significance and impact for those who believe in them with absolute certainty. In other words, they are not ordinary matters that remain ineffective even when firmly believed in. Unless, of course, the person has been forsaken by Allah (May Allah forbid). In such a case, a person witnesses certain signs and evidence yet still denies them. This represents a different, horrifying state of being forsaken, much like the state of Firaawn’s people, who saw the signs that Allah had shown in support of His Prophet Musa (PBUH). Allah said about them, {'And, although their hearts were convinced the signs were true, they still denied them wrongfully and arrogantly'}. But what was their fate? They faced loss and destruction.
This is not the case in the faith-based direction. Take, for example, certainty in the Hereafter—that is, to be certain that this temporary, limited life will come to an end and that what follows is the Hereafter, where there is Jannah, as described by Allah: the reward He has prepared for the pious. No person with certainty and firm faith could read the descriptions of Jannh in the Holy Quran, which Allah has portrayed in such magnificent and enticing terms, without being deeply moved. For instance, Jannah is described as being as vast as the heavens and the earth, containing the highest material pleasures and the noblest spiritual honour: Allah Himself honours you, and His angels do too. It is a life of bliss at the highest level, with everything a person desires or longs for—yet it never ends! There is no death, no ageing, no illness, no sadness, no grief, no discomfort of any kind. Humans, by nature, are drawn to simple pleasures in this life that fulfil their desires and needs. In fact, we see some people willing to sell their religion and everything they have just for a small amount of money to meet their basic worldly needs. So how can a person not be moved by such a divine promise? What has gone wrong? What is missing? It is the level of certainty. This is why Allah said about the pious, {'And they have firm faith in the Hereafter'}.
When it comes to divine admonition, we see how Allah has threatened in the Holy Quran that Jahannam awaits those who fall short in their duty to fear Him (Glory be to Him), neglect their responsibilities, and disobey His commands and prohibitions—Jahannam, with all the severity of torment Allah has described in detail:
- burning in its inferno, engulfed by raging and fierce flames;
- at the same time, drinking its scalding water, which burns faces and cuts the intestines, along with pus that those trapped in this torment will struggle to swallow (May Allah be our refuge); and
- wearing garments of fire, {'Garments of fire will be cut out for them'}, and garments of tar, {'with garments of tar'}.
It is an extremely terrifying fate for anyone to endure all that worry, grief, sorrow, anguish, distress, hardship, and suffocating anxiety—while chained in Jahannam, trapped eternally between its fiery layers and dragging through its scalding water. Yet we find that some things in this life—utterly meaningless when compared to such torment—strike fear into most people to such an extent that they abandon their duties.
What makes the majority of our Ummah’s people deeply fearful of America, to the point of submission and surrender? It is their fears of things that amount to nothing compared to the fire of Jahannam. What makes most regimes and governments stand paralysed before the Israeli enemy despite its crimes? It is their fears of things that are utterly insignificant compared to Hellfire—things that do not amount to even a single moment of its torment.
So why doesn't faith in this serve as a motivation to fulfil our responsibilities and carry out what we are required to do—implementing Allah's commands, striving for His cause, and taking a stand against His oppressive, criminal, and arrogant enemies? At the core of this lies a lack of certainty, heedlessness, and weak faith.
Certainty plays an immensely important role in the level of drive to carry out responsibilities, the degree of engagement and steadfastness, and the strength of one’s position.
How certainty prepares the Muslim Ummah for Allah's guidance and support in leading humanity!
It is also one of the key qualities, along with patience, that qualify any nation—through divine guidance and divine support—to take the lead in carrying Allah’s message and His religion to humanity. And that from among this nation should arise leaders and guides for His servants. For this reason, Allah (the Almighty) says, {'We raised from among them leaders, guiding by Our command, when they patiently endured and firmly believed in Our signs'}. When they remained patient and had certainty in the signs of Allah, He made them guides: {'leaders, guiding by Our command, when they patiently endured and firmly believed in Our signs'}.
Therefore, when a nation—whether or not it comprises all people or all Muslims—moves forward on the foundation of certainty in the signs of Allah, including His promises, warnings, truths, and principles, and remains steadfast in that certainty, particularly in the divine promises, while exercising patience (for patience is essential in practical realities as all aspects of life demand it), then such a nation becomes qualified for a great role. Also, Allah grants it leaders and guides who lead by His command. As a result, it assumes a global role in upholding the banner of truth and moving forward with the message of Allah and His religion to fulfil sacred, great, and honourable responsibilities. This is what Allah wants for Muslims: to act upon this foundation and inherit this role. During certain phases of the prophetic era, this role was given to the Children of Israel at certain stages. They held this honour, but when they cast aside the Book of Allah, lost their certainty in His signs, and abandoned their commitment to His religion and teachings, they forfeited everything. Thus, certainty is of utmost importance.
Because of the immense importance of certainty in people’s relationship with Allah’s revelations, Allah (the Almighty) says, while revealing a future event, {'And when the decree comes to pass against them, We will bring forth for them a beast from the earth, telling them that the people had no sure faith in Our revelations'}. That is because many people’s disregard for Allah’s revelations stems from their weak certainty. They do not engage with these revelations, do not commit to them, respond to them, or act upon the guidance, truths, promises, and warnings they deliver. As a result, many end up being forsaken by Allah, where His decree is fulfilled against them. But what does that mean? It means that they no longer can avoid Allah’s promised punishment, and they become destined for Jahannam, having lost all receptiveness to guidance. At this point, they are no longer capable of being guided. This is a perilous state for any person—approaching Allah’s guidance casually, without seriousness, and failing to reach a state of certainty. As a result of their terrifying state of being forsaken, Allah ultimately brings forth a creature from the earth to speak to them, as a great rebuke. It indicates an extremely perilous stage they have reached. {‘We will bring forth for them a beast from the earth, telling them that the people had no sure faith in Our revelations'}: It rebukes them for their lack of certainty in Allah’s revelations. Therefore, this matter is of great importance.
Maintaining this certainty is essential at every stage. A person must continuously strive to strengthen his certainty and seek the highest degree of certainty from Allah, as mentioned in the supplication of the honourable traits (Makarim Al-Akhlaq). ‘Make my certainty the most excellent certainty.’ Indeed, certainty is of utmost importance.
Therefore, in our relationship with the guidance of Allah and our drive of faith, we must strive to reach the level of certainty, high and firm certainty, and complete assurance, where no doubt or a state of confusion and hesitation remains regarding any of the truths Allah revealed: His promise for reward and punishment and the principles of this great religion. This can ensure that our connection with Allah's guidance (Glory be to Him) is based on the foundation of certainty, which is an extremely important matter.
Prophet Ibrahim: A model of certainty in faith and wisdom in calling others to truth
This is why Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was deeply concerned with attaining certainty, as Allah mentions in another passage discussing the story of the resurrection, which we will (Allah willing) discuss in a future lecture: {'And when Ibrahim said, “My Lord! Show me how you give life to the dead.” Allah responded, “Do you not believe?” Ibrahim replied, “Yes I do, but just so my heart can be reassured”'}. In fact, he lived in a time when the entire world around him denied this truth. They debated and rejected it. He felt alone among humanity while firmly believing in this reality. However, he sought to reach an exceptionally high level of certainty, one that nothing could shake. And through that elevated certainty, look how far Prophet Ibrahim reached: How steadfast and strong he was! Even when his people attempted to burn him alive, his trust in Allah did not waver, and he did not falter or retreat. He possessed an exceptional degree of steadfastness and resolve.
This is why Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) emerged as a strong, insightful, steadfast, and wise young man. He presented a powerful argument and offered convincing proofs to his people. He had many encounters with them, but his first step was to adopt a wise and effective method that would help them gradually grasp the ultimate truth he sought to convey: that those idols were unworthy of divinity, that there is no god but Allah, without partner or equal, and that no being deserves worship except Allah—the one true God, the Lord of all worlds and all creation. He understood that his first move needed to catch their attention gently and gradually, leading them step by step towards realising this ultimate truth. His goal was to guide them—not to provoke or confront them from the very first moment. He was sent to them as a messenger to guide them, not to cause conflict. Therefore, he had to focus on delivering the truth to them in a wise way.
They were deeply immersed in ignorance, enveloped in darkness, with closed minds and locked hearts. This issue was highly sensitive for them—there was no room for debate or discussion. His objective was to reveal to them that the idols were flawed and unworthy of divinity, so that they might realise that divinity is tied to absolute perfection. In other words, only the One Who possesses absolute perfection is worthy of being worshipped. What does this mean? It means the One Who has no need for anything else, whose perfection is limitless and not confined to a certain degree.
For example, when we say about Allah (the Almighty) that He is All-Powerful, it means He has power over all things. Nothing is beyond His capability—this is absolute perfection, unlimited by any measure. As for other beings, whatever power they have is granted to them by Allah, the Almighty. It is not inherent but rather a limited portion of power given to them by Allah, enabling them to do certain things within specific limits. They cannot surpass those limits.
Similarly, when we say that Allah (the Almighty) is All-Knowing, it means He knows everything—the unseen and the seen: {'Nothing on earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah'}, and {'Not an atom’s weight is hidden from Him'}. He knows the past, present, and future completely. However, other beings, whatever knowledge they have is limited to what Allah has granted them. They remain ignorant of many things.
This is the difference between the absolute and self-sufficient perfection and a certain degree of bestowed perfection. When it comes to all created beings, they have only limited abilities, strengths, talents, or potentials granted by Allah. These qualities are limited in scope, and they are not intrinsic. Rather, they are bestowed by Allah, Who alone is the Creator of everything that exists. In other words, these are not inherent qualities; they are gifts from Allah. This is because Allah is the One Who granted existence to all creatures in this universe: He created everything. At the same time, He bestowed upon them whatever energies, abilities, capacities, talents, or other attributes they possess, all within a limited and specific level. Therefore, they are not worthy of being elevated to the rank of divinity, as they themselves are needy and weak, as well as controlled and managed by the management and authority of Allah, the Almighty.
In the beginning, Ibrahim needed to find a practical approach, as he was aware that there was no room for meaningful discussion with them. In other words, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to talk to them about the matter, as this issue was entirely closed off—there was no room for debate. Moreover, many people also require practical approaches, as words alone won’t work with them. They need a practical method and concrete events. Sometimes, they need significant changes in order to shake their false convictions and make them accept the truth, due to their deep attachment to falsehood and how firmly it has been instilled in them. As mentioned in the Holy Quran, he adopted a practical approach, presenting himself as a seeker of truth. He went to them and presented this reflective discussion, which is described in the Quranic verses: {'When the night grew dark upon him, he saw a star and said, “This is my Lord!” But when it set, he said, “I do not love things that set.” Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This one is my Lord!” But when it disappeared, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will certainly be one of the misguided people.” Then, when he saw the sun shining, he said, “This must be my Lord—it is the greatest!” But again when it set, he declared, “O my people! I totally reject whatever you associate . I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth, being upright, and I am not one of the polytheists”'}.
In the next lecture, Allah willing, we will discuss these blessed verses.
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.