 أعود بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم والحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا ونبينا محمد وأهل بيتها الطيبين الطاهرين اللهم صلي على محمد وآل محمد قال تعالى في كتابه الكريم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أدعوا إلى سبيل ربك بالحكمة والموعظة الحسنة وجادلهم بالتي هي أحسن my dear brothers and sisters السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته previously we discussed two important points that the Almighty الله سبحانه وتعالى for nations to have coexistence and harmony among themselves we said the first point that Quran emphasizes on is diversity and variance and divergence in thoughts and worldviews at the same time that Quran condones the people are entitled to have different opinions alternative opinions from each other at the same time it admonishes them for unity to be unified and the call is not only to Muslims rather to entire human being where it says وأن هذه أمتكم أمتا واحدة وأن ربكم فعبدون the call is to entire humanity ask them to be unified to have harmonious and peaceful relationship among themselves to be united but not at the expense of their free will after all this is how civilizations thrive and grow when civilizations thrive when people have different ideas multiple ideas when they have diversities in views at the same time they live in harmony and peaceful way among themselves at that time you see civilization thrive and grow tonight we will be talking about the method of choice that Quran has described in debating and discussing the points among different people in debating between two opposing parties when you and your counterparts have different opinion and opposing opinion Quran shows a method of choice in debating and discussing these issues the first point it is illustrated in ayah number 23 of surah 7 where the Almighty Allah سبحانه وتعالى says قل من يرزقكم من السماء والأرض قل الله وإن أو إياكم لعلى هدا أو في ظلال مبين the call is to the prophet who says that قل او مبينة رائعة ومسنجر قل أو عسفات المككا قل them that either us or you are either on the guiding side on the guidance or misguided either both of us are guided or misguided المهمة في هذه الآية is that the Almighty is telling His Prophet and the Prophet is the most noble creature that God has ever created. The best among humanity, the most perfect human being who has ever walked on the face of the planets. يدى Almighty الله سبحانه وتعالى is telling Him, oh Muhammad tell them that either you and them are guided or you and them are misguided. Here is the important point is that at the outset of any debate and discussion you have no right to show that you have and control the absolute truth. You do not own the absolute truth. You should not be presumptuous and thinking that you are all right and good while your counterpart is all evil and wrong. This kind of debate is futile. This kind of debate is a fruitless. It will not get you anywhere. When you debate with your counterpart, with your opposing party who has an opposing thought, an opposing opinion, you better discuss in a way that your thought is right but also could be wrong. And his thought is wrong but also could be right. You should be objective. You should not be arrogant and presumptuous that you claim to have the absolute truth while your opposing party have the absolute falsehood. It doesn't work that way. The Quran teaches the Holy Prophet how to start debating. Telling him to be objective. The point of debate and discussion is not for the sake of the debate and discussion itself. Rather is that both parties are objective. Both are in search of a truth. Both are looking for the truth. Therefore, when you start a debate you have to be impartial. You have to be very objective in seeing the reasoning where your opposing party stands. Therefore, you cannot start the debate while you think you have owned the absolute truth and your counterpart is on the falsehood. You have to start all at a point that both are at the same level. And then you will carry the debate and the subject. In fact, the Quran ridicules those people who claim that they are on the right path while they discredit others. For example, the Holy Quran mentions two religions. Christianity and Judaism. And ridicules both the Jews and the Christians for discrediting each other. For the notion that they believe they own the truth while their counterpart is at falsehood. And the ayah goes like this. It says وقالة اليهود ليست النصارة على شيء. كذلك قال الذين لا يعلمون مثل قولهم. The Almighty scolds those two groups by denouncing the way of their thinking. When they discredit their opposing party and claim that their opposing party does not have any ground of a truth. While they are the one who possess all the truth. The Quran ridicules and is called this type of notion. And then it says كذلك قال الذين لا يعلمون مثل قولهم. It could be some Muslims but ignorant ones. Look at the description. The Quran is very specific and detailed oriented. It says وكذلك قال الذين لا يعلمون. Meaning oh people who are glued to the TVs. When you see those channels regardless whether they are followers of Ahl al-Bayt or they are the followers of the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt. Whoever claims to have the absolute truth. This is a good sign for ignorance. Ignorance teaches us to be presumptuous. That I am only on the right track while others are on the wrong track. In debate what you care for is to be objective. And the facts debate the point in reference. Not to be presumptuous thinking that you are on the right track while your enemy or your adversary is on the wrong track. Because that kind of debate will not get you anywhere. Will not be fruitful. Therefore the Holy Quran warn against this fact. It says that do not start any argument. Any debate where you consider yourself possessing the absolute truth while your adversary possesses the absolute falsehood. You may have big portion of the truth. And he may have the big portion of falsehood. Yet you cannot claim that you own the absolute truth. In fact you would not know that anyone possesses the absolute truth until the day of judgment. Here is what the Allah سبحانه وتعالى where the Almighty says فالله يحكم بينهم يوم القيامة فيما كانوا فيه يختلفون. God will decide but when on the day of judgment. Therefore the first point in any debate in any discussion you have with your adversaries is that you do not claim having the absolute truth while your adversary is on the wrong track. This is one important point. The second point that Quran raises is the way you present yourself. When you present yourself you are debating not for the sake of debate. In fact you are debating to win the heart and mind of your adversary. This is a strategy that you need to implement. Therefore the ISS أدعو إلى سبيل ربك بالحكمة والموعظة الحسنة وجادلهم بالتي هي أحسنة. Three step strategy. Number one uses حكمة. حكمة means wisdom. Means knowledge. When you sit down with your adversary and discuss the point number one be knowledgeable. Understand the position of your adversary. Read your adversary very well. Do not base your judgment on rumors or somebody has said such and such. Go back to his own resources and read his own resources. You maybe have gotten the idea wrong to start with. Therefore you have to clear your mind on the position of your adversary and the position of yourself. So number one you need to use wisdom. The second point and the second step that you go forward it says بالموعظة الحسنة. When you advise you better start with a nice way. With a good way. A pleasant way. Meaning that advise has two types of ways. One is a good one. The other one is a denigrating one. An insulting one. Quran says choose the first one. The first one that you win the heart and the mind of people. Here the Almighty tells Musa. He says when you go to your enemy فرعون who is very arrogant who is very ruthless فقول له قولا لينا. When you talk to him be pleasant with him. Speak nicely with him. This is the second strategy. The third one is when you go into argument. Choose the best. وجادلهم بالتي هي أحسن. You have bad way of doing it. You have bad way of doing it. You have bad way of debating. You have good way of debating. And third one. You have the best way of debating. The Almighty chooses the best way. When you speak to them be very courteous to them. Be nice with them. Be cordial. Be respectful. Even if their ideas is very blasphemous. Is ridiculous. Yet you have to be very mindful of respecting them. In another ayah The Almighty tell us the end result of such kind of behavior. He says The good gesture and the bad gesture are not equal. They are on two different levels. Choose the best one. The good one. Why would you choose the good one? Because of the result. You have an adversity that there is hostility and animosity among yourselves. You are killing each other. But when you present yourself in a best demeanor in a respectful way and you respect him the same adversary he becomes very loyal. Very loving to you. Then he said this secret this type of argument is missing by the overwhelming majority of people. Only who have four birans. Only those who are patient can realize and appreciate this point. Someone who has the best luck who have understood well who has patience can deliver this type of argument. Meaning that unfortunately the overwhelming majority of Muslims today and Muslim nations and Muslim governments missing them this point. They don't have the four birans. They don't have the patience and the will to sit down and argue in civility and in mutual respect. يا رب يا كشفات ضر يا مالك الملك يا قا سبحانك يا لا إله إلا ألواث ألواث خلصنا من النار يا من هو في عهده وفايا يا من هو في وفايا يا من هو في قوته على أجيب يا من هو في علوه قلي يا من هو في قربه لطيب يا من هو في لطفه شري يا من هو في شرفه عزum يا من هو في عظمتي مجي يا من هو في مجده حمي سبحانك يا خلصناه من النار اللهم إني يسألك باسمك يا كافي يا شافي يا وافي يا معافي يا ها سبحانك يا لا خلصناه من النار مرحبا مرحبا again with the beautiful and eloquent جوشن الكبير Tonight we will cover segments number 34, 35 and 36 The theme for segment 34 is to long for God's mercy Where it says These are again the attributes of Allah سبحانه وتعالى يا كريم الصفح يا عظيم المن God is the most forgiving When you look at the verses in the Holy Quran You will see an amazing thing God promises if you ask repentance and repent from your mistakes The same piles of mistakes and sins that we have accumulated Throughout our lives will all will be changed to rewards Meaning if you are minus 100 and you ask for repentance And you repent and ask for forgiveness from the Almighty The Almighty make those minus 100 If you are in the minus he will make them positive 100 Those same mistakes and sins and crimes that we have done Throughout our lives will be changing to حسنات To good things As the Almighty says الله سيئاتهم حسنات وكان الله غفورا رحيما If you have faith and repent God will transform those sins into good deeds Who does this besides Allah سبحانه وتعالى Who would not only forgive our sins Forgive our misconduct Rather he will reward us for the same misconduct that we have done in the past And now we are showing remorse and repenting from In another ayah God does not even ask for repentance He doesn't ask for you to come back to him And repent from your mistake Just to acknowledge his mercy لا تقنطون الرحمة الله All those people who had excesses on themselves Do not be hopeless from the mercy of God إن الله يغفر الدنوبة جميعا God will forgive your entire sins All your sins will be forgiven Remember here is no mention of repentance Here is no mention that you will come and remorse and ask for forgiveness Just the fact that you acknowledge the mercy of God The majesty of Allah سبحانه وتعالى by itself Will entitle you That God will forgive you from your sins Who's better and forgiver And more generous than the Almighty In another segment it says The goodness of God is in abundance An ample cannot be matched by anything I will give you examples We as humans, we have two kinds of activities One activity in our bodies that we have control over For example, I control the amount of food intake And a drink intake that I do I control my movement I control at what time I sleep and what time I wake up These are in my hands These are vital movements that are in my control But then there are vital activities in my body That I have no control over For example, the breathing when I am sleeping The heartbeat, the work of my liver and my kidney Are those in my control? Absolutely not When I am sleeping When I am totally oblivious Around my surroundings Who takes care of those? Who controls those and make me alive? If I don't breathe for one minute or two minutes I am dead If my heartbeat stops for one minute I am completely dead Who keeps those activities alive And ongoing It is the almighty Allah When I am sleeping Or when I am walking He is always in control, in charge Out of his mercy That's why he is كثير الخير The ample of goodness of God Cannot be matched by anything Wherever you will go You will see the goodness The blessings and mercy Of Allah سبحانه وتعالى The second segment Segment number 35 And the theme is to strengthen The bonds with God And it goes يا من هو في عهده وفي يا من هو في وفائه قوي يا من هو في قوته علي يا من هو في علوه قريب يا من هو في قربه لطيف يا من هو في لطفه شريف يا من هو في شرفه عزيز يا من هو في عزه عظيم يا من هو في عظمته مجيد يا من هو في مجده حميل He, oh, he who fulfills his promise He who is great in his might He who is near everyone In spite of his greatness He who is benign in his wariness He who is noble in his benignity He who is powerful in his nobility He who is great in his power He who is exalted in his greatness He who is praiseworthy in his exaltation The words يا من هو في عهده وفي يا من هو في وفائه قوي The covenants between God and people The contract between those two entities Social scientists and economists Tell you if you want to make a contract Between two people It's better that both will be on equal footing Meaning both should have same leverage Same power, same strength In this immutable contract between themselves Why? Because if one of them is weak And the other party is strong Then there is a fear That the stronger party will aggress Upon the weaker party But this is invalid in the case of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala He has made a covenant with us We worship him We obey him We are obedient to him In return he will give us heaven He will give us a successful life In this life and in the hereafter This is a covenant And it's going either way Despite the fact that God is the Almighty He's the all-powerful And we are the all-weakest Our power is unmatched by the power of God Yet he's very devout And faithful in his covenants If we do not break our promises God would not break his promise He will continue with his promise As says يامن هو في عهده و في يامن هو في وفائه قوي The pledge that he gives The devotion that he gives Are very very strong This is in segment number 25 Segment number 36 My apologies Segment number 35 that we just read And then the last one is segment number 36 The theme of segment number 36 Is to drive away evil Where it says اللهم إني أسألك بسمكة يا كافي يا شافي يا وافي يا معافي يا هادي يا داعي يا قاضي يا راضي يا عالي يا باقي Oh Allah I beseech thee in thy name Oh sufficient Oh restorer Restorer of health Faithful Forgiver Guide Summoner Judge Agreeable High Eternal These beautiful attributes يا كافي يا شافي God is the healer وإذا أمرثت فهو يشفين If I become sick If I go through illness He's the ultimate healer My curvent is in his hand Also He is وافي معافي وهادي He's the one that is guide He's the one who is faithful and forgiver He guide us Without his guide We cannot be guided We always recite this holy verse In the holy Quran اهدنا الصلاة المستقيم You the Lord You show us the true path You guide us toward the true path He's the guide He's the healer But again remember The law of nature That God has designed Has to take its natural course Meaning if I do not go to the doctor If I do not take the proper procedures of healing God would not bestow healing on me I have to be realistic I have to strive I have to work hard I have to go to the hospital I have to see the doctor I have to go under the harsh treatment Of the doctor that he prescribes The medicine for me At that time You see the healing Not from the doctor Rather from the Lord This is how God has set up the state of this life Everything has its own apparent cause And we have to take these causes We have to follow on those procedures I cannot sit in the corner of my house And say Oh Allah, why didn't you cure me Or I do not sit in the corner of my house And say Oh God, why my family My children went astray You didn't guide them Yes God is the ultimate and absolute guide Yet he wants us to take the proper procedure That we take our children to the proper school We educate them the right education The education that get them to be guided If I abandon my children And leave them, they venture And they fool around And at the end of the day I blame God for their misguidance I should not blame anyone But myself Why? Because God has shown us the road Said If you stay vigilant In teaching your children In guiding them In taking them to the proper education And proper schooling Then you will see that they are guided But if you leave them abandoned Without any guide Without any chaperoning Then at the end Of course they will be misguided Why? Because this is the golden formula That God has set up You deserve what you have earned The ayah says You do not reap anything But what you have sow yourself You only earn What you have strolled for it You have to strive And work hard For that thing And then Ask the guidance Ask the blessing Ask the ease Of Allah سبحانه وتعالى Then you will see That God will answer you In such holy night We should strive For betterment For fixing our souls And our spirits And guiding ourselves And our families Then we ask the Almighty To help us In that path To make us And our families Guided He who is sorrowful for this world Is in fact displeased By the dispensation of Allah He who complains of a calamity That befalls him Complains of his Lord He who approaches a rich man And bends before him On account of his riches Then two-thirds of his religion Is gone If a man reads the Quran And on dying goes to hell Then it means that he was Among those who treated Divine verses with mockery If a man's heart Gets attached to the world Then it catches three things Namely, worry That never leaves him Greed That does not abandon him And desire Which he never fulfills