Asalam alaikum Warahmatulah Wabarakatuh

Surah Kafiroon - Dream Student Notes - Nouman Ali Khan [Transcribed]

[ Download Original Lectures in this series by Nouman Ali Khan from !ayyinah"com#media ]

Introduction: This is an intimidating surah to study because of its sim$le language% yet nothing is as sim$le as it looks" Also there is re$etition and we need to understand the reasons and wisdom behind it with dee$ study" Discussion and linguistic and literary analysis of this surah is &uite com$le'% so it(s been watered down for us in this lesson% yet remaining coherent"

Connection with Surah al-Kauthar: )n *urah al+Kauthar% the kuffar had insulted the ,ro$het -saws. -and had called him batara /uhammadun + /uhammad is cut off -in lineage.." Allah *WT res$onded to that language in the last ayah when 0e said inna shaaniaka huwa al+abtar" !ut when they called him something% Allah *WT has gi1en him -saws. has the right to call them something back" And instead of insulting them% the word used for them is al+kafiroon" *o from the 1ery beginning% it(s not e1en addressing them directly" )t(s not 2ya ayyuha al+ kafiroon2 [oh you who disbelie1e]% rather% it(s 2&ul ya ayyuha al+kafiroon [say oh you who disbelie1e] """ "2 )n other words% Allah *WT is telling 0is /essenger to now call them al+ kafiroon" The insult they hurled at him was abtar% and the word hurled against them by Allah is al+kafir" We(ll look at this difference in more detail a little later but for now3 4. Their insult didn(t ha1e any reality" The reality of his name or his legacy not being
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mentioned anymore 5ust isn(t true" )t(s in fact the o$$osite + his mention will be made until the Day of 6udgment" *o he(s farthest from being abtar" On the other hand the allegation Allah makes against them and the name he calls them fits $erfectly" 7. When they tried to critici8e the ,ro$het -saws. it wasn(t a criticism of his character or his beha1ior or his actions% because there(s nothing to critici8e there" !ut when Allah *WT critici8es them% 0e uses an attribute that(s tied to an action" *o it(s not 5ust a bad word for them% but kafir -disbelie1er% denier% re5ecter. re$resents a crime which they are actually guilty of% and something they are blameworthy of" The second connection with *urah al+Kauthar is that the kuffar are called 2shaniak2 + the enemy" And shani is the worst kind of enemy" )t(s as if we are learning Allah(s definition of who is the enemy of ,ro$het -saws." )t(s being further defined here3 it(s the ones who are bent u$on kufr after years and years of da(wah" After years and years of the softest a$$roach" 9ears and years of warning% and they not only not get the message but insult the /essenger -saws." These $eo$le are the worst kind of enemy because of their kufr" *o instead of using the same word% Allah calls them kafir here because there is no difference" Later on in the /adani :ur(an Allah *WT commands 0is /essenger -saws. in *urah Tahreem3; to make struggle against the kuffaar and munafi&een and be harsh towards them" We will understand later why he -saws. is told to be harsh when we see that the /essenger -saws. by nature is not harsh" 0e(s soft and merciful -many aayaat dedicated to how merciful he is -saws.." <1en in the /akki :ur(an when Allah(s /essenger -saws. talks to the kuffaar% he(s always soft with them" This is a tough ayah% re1ealed against the $eo$le of disbelief" The other thing is these kuffar outnumbered and out$owered the belie1ers at this $oint" ,olitically and socially" On to$ of that status% they(re belitting the ,ro$het -saws. by saying he doesn(t e1en ha1e sons to carry his name" And they felt all this $ut them in a $osition of strength% and $ut the ,ro$het -saws. in a $osition of weakness" One of the things they offered him as a com$romise was 2we(ll acce$t your religion for a year and you acce$t ours for one year" Then we(ll come back to ours ne't year% and we(ll alternate"2 )n other words% we(ll all share )slam for a season% and then shirk for a season" =i1e and take" Or we(ll gi1e you wealth and whate1er else% 5ust lea1e us alone" Don(t bother us in our $ractices" *o they offered the ,ro$het -saws. this com$romise" This sentiment of com$romise tells us two things3 4. they(d figured out that this man would ne1er sto$ calling to whate1er he(s calling to" And they knew they weren(t going to let go
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either% so they knew they had to come to a $olitical com$romise" =et him to gi1e a little% and gi1e a little of their own" )n the :ur(an Allah says in *urah :alam3; + they really want that you soften u$ a little bit so they can soften u$ a little" !oth com$romise a little bit so that all can be ha$$y" That(s what they want" They(1e understood that he -saws. would ne1er gi1e u$ )slam altogether so they(ll 5ust take a $iece of it" And they know he -saws. would ne1er acce$t all of their religion so they(re OK with him acce$ting 5ust a $art of it" And this is one of the classic tricks of *haytan" Allah says in the :ur an in *urah !a&arah37>? + Those of you who claim to belie1e enter into the fold of )slam% into submission% com$letely and absolutely while not following the footste$s of *haytaan" )n other words% entering into )slam but not com$letely is following the footste$s of *haytaan" 0e doesn(t necessarily want us to lea1e )slam% 5ust com$romise a $art of it" 0e wants a little at first% then ne't time he comes around a little more% and so on" !r" Nouman(s teacher used to gi1e the e'am$le of dam with a little tiny crack in it" 9ou don(t need to destroy the dam + all you need is a tiny crack" )t(s going to grow bigger and bigger until the whole thing is gone" The rest takes care of itself% and this was the strategy of the :uraish" !ut in the $re1ious surah% Allah has gi1en the ,ro$het -saws. al+kauthar% so much that nobody can gi1e him anything that can com$ete" *o no matter what you gi1e him% $ower% money% wealth% it can(t com$ete" 0e(s not bribable" @urther% he -saws. can(t be threatened% because again in the $re1ious surah% the enemy is gone -huwa al+abtar." 0e(s taken care of by Allah" *o at this $oint% the ,ro$het -saws. need not be afraid or gi1e in to them" 0e(s being told% go straight to their faces and tell them yaa ayyuha al+kafiroon" Aery $rofound $lacement of this surah% connected with the one before it" No need to be concerned with how they(re going to react% based on assurances in the $re1ious surah"

Ayah 1:

Say, "O dis elie!ers, Introductory comments to surah: The kuffar were willing to gi1e a little bit% but Allah still called them kafiroon" 0e -*WT. didn(t
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call them com$romisers or e1en mushrikoon" This is im$ortant" The $eo$le who disbelie1e in the :ur(an are called 2al+ladheena kafaroo%2 and they are addressed directly in the :ur(an at only one $lace% in *urah Tahreem3B% when they will addressed on the Day of 6udgment" ,erha$s it is the angels or belie1ers saying this to them because elsewhere in the :ur(an Allah tells us that 0e won(t address the kuffar" Now the :uraish weren(t saying we re5ect your god% yet they were still called kuffar" When they were asked who created the hea1ens and the earth% Allah swears they will surely say Allah" Kufr means re5ecting Allah% shirk means acce$ting Allah but associating other $artners" *o their crime from what we understand based on their words is that of shirk" !ut in this surah% Allah calls them al+kafiroon" )t(s a 1ery strong term" This difference is im$ortant" Why use this termC These offers of com$romise were coming from Aswad b" Abdil /uttalib% Dmayyah b" Khalf% Waleed b" /ughirah and other such $eo$le% the leaders of :uraish at the time" =i1ing da(wah has some $arallels with making a sale" The customer has the higher $osition% es$ecially if the salesman sounds des$erate" *o the kuffar think he -saws. is in the weaker $osition because he is gi1ing da(wah% and they think they can cut a deal with him to their ad1antage" Allah tells 0is /essenger% no you(re not des$erate% actually you don(t e1en need to res$ond% ) will res$ond" 6ust tell them this" :ul" Kafiroon is used in the noun form% not in the -weaker. 1erb form" )t refers to their being engaged in disbelief in the $ast% $resent and future% $ersistently" )n other words Allah is talking to $eo$le who are at the $oint of no return" 0e(s addressing 2cemented2 disbelie1ers% who it is clear are ne1er going to change" And Allah is the One who is sure% so 0e(s calling them that% not the ,ro$het" )f the surah had said 2alladheena kafaroo%2 it lea1es o$en the $ossibility of them belie1ing in the future" !ut the use of 2al+kafiroon2 shuts that" Their fate is sealed" This answers an im$ortant &uestion + this surah is not talking about all the kuffar" )t(s talking s$ecifically about a section of $eo$le who ha1e been gi1en the best o$$ortunity to acce$t )slam" They recei1ed the most effecti1e da(wah from the most effecti1e da(iee with the best character" There is none better than him" 0e(s e'hausted his efforts and they ha1en(t budged" The only descri$tion left for them is al+kafiroon"

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Why kufr and not shirk? All these years when they refused to lea1e their shirk% refusal and denial and re5ection% this is kufr" Another meaning of the word kafir3 Whene1er Allah uses this word% 0e also says kufr of what" Like disbelie1ing in Allah% or 0is *igns% or 0is /essengers% or the :ur(an% etc" !ut here% nothing s$ecific is mentioned% so it means all of these things" They think they belie1e in Allah and worshi$ 0im at the Ka(aba% but they really don(t" They disbelie1ed in the /essenger and 0is *igns" Also in their own fitrah -B34B7." They denied on the outside as well as what was inside% and they are $ermanently kafiroon" Another $owerful meaning of the word kafiroon or kufr3 )t doesn(t only mean refusal or denial or re5ection% it can also mean denial of a fa1or" Kufraan an+ni(mah in Arabic% to be ungrateful for a fa1or" They are a $eo$le who recei1ed the fa1or of Allah% es$ecially because of the du(a of )brahim -as. -last ayah of *urah :uraish." They recei1ed $rotection from Ashaab+ul+@eel% they got to go on their merchant tri$s in both seasons% and abo1e all this% they recei1ed Allah(s @inal /essenger as a result of )brahim -as.(s du(a" And they are so ungrateful" The soft nature of the /essenger -saws. is described at many $laces in the :ur(an and is im$licit in many other $laces -being told to be soft in argumentation etc". and such harsh words cannot come from him -saws. so Allah -*WT. tells him 2&ul2 + tell them" 6ust say it to them as 0e is telling him to" Kafiroon im$lies $ermanence" These are hea1y words% 1ery dee$ in meaning and they im$ly a finality" )t is a 1ery big% momentous and harsh thing to call $eo$le 2al+kafiroon"2 0e -saws. came as a mercy% with concern for humanity% but now he(s being told say what e1en he doesn(t like hearing himself" )t means that this s$ecial brand of kuffar will ne1er get the message" 6ust in that word 2&ul2 there are so many lessons" The kuffar think they can choose who to worshi$% they think they ha1e freedom of religion" The ,ro$het -saws. isn(t $resenting his o$inion% he has no authority to change what he(s bringing to them" Allah is saying 0< will talk back to them% to let them know that he -saws. is in no $osition to com$romise% he has no authority to do so% he can(t make these decisions" 0e(s only communicating with them% and that(s why he(s called a messenger" There(s no room for com$romise"

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"ho is this surah tal#in$ to% )t(s not for all disbelie1ers" )t(s not for your neighbor% not for the 6ews and Ehristians" )t(s s$ecifically for a grou$ of $eo$le who recei1ed the s$ecial fa1or of Allah for generations% and then the most s$ecial fa1or of Allah% and 0is Fe1elation heard by their own ears from the mouth of the /essenger -saws. himself and who still refused to belie1e" )t(s at this $oint they get this title" Today we are 1ery careless in how we understand the :ur(an and how we communicate it to others" We think we can 5ust use this for any non+/uslim" )t(s not that sim$le" We shouldn(t o1ersim$lify and be careless with the Word of Allah" )mams *haukani and Gamakhshari say these are s$ecific kuffar% who Allah already knew will ne1er belie1e" Ean(t throw around that word to anybody" The kuffar $ro$osed a com$romise with two $arts3 we worshi$ your god one year% and you worshi$ ours for one year" And Allah *WT answers both $ro$osals with re5ections% se$arately% which is one understanding of the re$etition in the surah" Two offers and two re5ections" )t(s not 5ust random re$etition" We(ll see more benefits to the re$etition"

0ow did the ,ro$het -saws. deli1er this messageC The leaders are ha1ing their meeting% and he -saws. walks straight u$ to them and says yaa ayyuha al+kafiroon" *traight u$% he didn(t call them $eo$le of /akkah or :uraish or anything" 9ou(1e re5ected me% )(m re5ecting you" 0e(s saying he -saws. has nothing to do with them" Eom$letely disassociating himself from them" This com$lete se$aration is $retty much a declaration of war" 0e(s not e1en going to call them by a dignified name but 5ust kafiroon% and it(s not 5ust him but he(s been commanded" The kuffar knew ,ro$het -saws. doesn(t lie% e1en if they said so outwardly" They knew he -saws. only uses the best of language% so what is making him use these words nowC 0ow bad do you ha1e to be to in1ite such languageC )t adds a le1el of disgust and ugliness to his message" Des$ite the commandment for da(wah being to do it with utmost softness and good s$eech% at this $oint Allah is making clear that 0e doesn(t care about these $eo$le anymore" The
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doors to da(wah are closed% and so are the doors to the ,ro$het -saws.(s mercy"

&se of Yaa ayyuha This is used in formal settings in Arabic" @or e'am$le% it(s not used to address a child" The ,ro$het -saws. is accorded an e'tra degree of res$ect when being addressed 9aa ayyuha al+ rasool or yaa ayyuha an+nabi" *ame with al+ladheena aamanu" Dse of ya ayyuha also im$lies that what is to come is no small talk% it(s serious" @ormality and distancing" )t is an announcement of se1ering of all relationshi$s with them" At this $oint% ) ha1e nothing to do with you and you ha1e nothing to do with me" And all of this is 5ust in the first ayahH We think it comes in the last 1erses% but this message is contained 5ust in the first call" The language so far shows how disgusted Allah *WT is with the com$romise $ro$osal they came u$ with" )t(s not 5ust a sim$le 2No%2 0e *WT calls them kafiroon first" Almost like a curse" This is the anger of Allah manifest in these words"

Ayah ':

) do not worshi$ what you worshi$"

We need to understand the definition of (ibadah to understand this ayah" !riefly co1ered here% more e'tensi1e co1erage in $re1ious surahs" )mam )bn Taymiyyah has I conditions in his definition of being an (abd of Allah3
4. Need to ha1e O edience to Allah -Ta(a." Also im$lies that o edience to Allah trum$s obedience to anything else" Ean only obey Allah(s Ereation while it also means obeying Allah% and if you(re disobeying Allah in the $rocess this is already shirk and you(re no longer (abd"
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7. (o!e )*u +, We ha1e to lo1e Allah (a88a wa 5all more than anything else" Those who belie1e are intense in their lo1e for Allah -734JI." We lo1e different things% our family% assets% etc" but for belie1ers all of that comes under lo1e for Allah" K. -awa##ul: We ha1e to trust . rely our /aster" We ha1e embody this attitude3 )(1e acce$ted myself as a sla1e% )(1e acce$ted 0im as the /aster% so whate1er instructions 0e gi1es me ) ha1e to trust that they are better for me" Whate1er situation 0e(s $utting me through% ) ha1e to trust 0im% in that no matter how hard obeying 0im is in that situation% it is better for me" We ha1e to trust that that(s true"

L. Sincerity, When we do something% es$ecially an act of (ibadah% we ha1e to do it sincerely for the sake of Allah alone" We can(t mi' with Allah other things" )f we(re gi1ing sada&ah to the mas5id% we can(t think yeah it(s a good ta' writeoff% AND it(s good sada&ah" We can(t mi' those intentions" This sincerity is talked about in the $re1ious surah as well -fa *allee li rabbik.% and in other $laces as well -J34J7." We ser1e the deen in many ca$acities" )n the beginning it(s for Allah% but soon frustration and discontent kicks in and we start thinking we need to be in charge and our ego kicks in" Nobody a$$reciates me" We don(t reali8e it but o1er time we begin to do it for a$$reciation" We ha1e to maintain this ikhlas" I. -erms of sla!ery, When we get a 5ob% there(s a contract with the com$any" *$ells out what each owes each other" )t(s an understanding" @or e'am$le between a husband and a wife% or $arent and child% or go1ernment and citi8en" Dsually these contracts are a result of com$romise% and s$ells out each other(s rights" With Allah% these terms are not a result of discussion and com$romise" These come from abo1e% we 5ust take them" We are in no $osition to define or discuss these terms% we can(t define what it means to worshi$ or obey Allah" Those definitions are coming from Allah% and that(s what makes us a sla1e" The kuffar are making tawaf% making sa5dah% etc" but the terms of their worshi$ are not as s$ecified by Allah" They came u$ with it themsel1es" !ut Allah says if you do that it(s unacce$table" The only way it(s acce$table is if it comes from Allah% and the only way it comes to us is through the /essenger" )f you worshi$ Allah the way you want% you(re not a sla1e" (Uboodiyyah is not 5ust worshi$ but also sla1ery" Two terms% combined in Arabic" *o when the /essenger -saws. says laa a(budu ma ta(budoon% it doesn(t 5ust mean ) will not worshi$% also ) will not be ensla1ed to" Worshi$ is s$ecific acts% but we are always sla1es of Allah whether we are doing those acts or not" This is a $owerful conce$t + we are not to li1e our li1es according to how Allah wants us to only in 6umuah or s$ecific times% we are ensla1ed to Allah in between the $rayers too" A lot of the time $eo$le worshi$ Allah but don(t act like 0is sla1e" ,artial <nglish definitions contribute to this confusion" ()badah includes both"

The Arabs refused to worshi$ Allah alone% and also refused to be 0is sla1es" There are two $roblems addressed in this surah" When they refused to direct their worshi$ to Allah alone% that(s a $roblem of worshi$" !ut when they refused to take care of the or$han and feed the needy and en5oin 5ustice% when they refused to act like 0is sla1es" The ayah says ) will not be ensla1ed to% and ) will not worshi$% what you ha1e been worshi$$ing" The /essenger -saws. is being told to talk about what they worshi$ and what they are sla1es of" They(re worshi$$ers of idols% false gods% and they are sla1es of their own desires" The ,ro$het -saws. is refusing both of those things" The laa% according to some scholars% is more an
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em$hasis on the future rather than the $resent% to &uash any com$romise ideas the kuffar might ha1e had" )t(s ne1er going to ha$$en% get it out of your heads"

Ayah /:

Nor are you worshi$$ers of what ) worshi$" wa laa antum 'abidoona ma a'bud. And !y the way% you are not worshi$$ers of nor are you ensla1ed to what ) worshi$" (Abidoon again is a noun% so it signifies that ne1er ha1e you been in the $ast% nor are you now nor will you e1er be in any way worshi$$ing the same =od as ) do or be ensla1ed to 0im" That has ne1er ha$$ened and it will ne1er ha$$en + it(s a guarantee they will remain in kufr"

Why is Allah SWT cursing them in this wayC The answer lies in another $art of the :ur(an3 LK3B;" The Arabic word is ibram" )t means to tie a ro$e for construction" They didn(t ha1e cement in the $ast% so they had to tie things together" )t has to be a thick% strong ro$e% tied and twisted in 1ery strong ways" <1ery $art of the $rocess is double to ensure the ro$e will ne1er be loose" This is the word Allah uses to describe the commitment of the kuffar to remain kuffar" 0a1e they tied their ro$e when it comes to this decisionC Are they so sure about their decision to remain kuffarC )f so% then We ha1e tied u$ our ro$e also% i"e" they will remain in kufr" When the kuffar 2tied their ro$e%2 the word used is a 1erb% signifying transience% but when Allah ties their ro$e% he uses a noun signifying $ermanence" On the day of 5udgment% $erha$s the disbelie1ers will try to untie their ro$e" !ut it(s too late then" fa inna mubrimoon" )n this 1erse it was hy$othetical% but in *urah Kafiroon it )* the case + they(1e most certainly tied their ro$e% made u$ their minds" *o the message is don(t be confused% don(t think you(1e e1er worshi$$ed what ) worshi$% not e1en before ) was a /essenger" The ,ro$het -saws. ne1er did shirk% we know that% but he -saws. truly became Allah(s sla1e after re1elation came" This is reflected in the 1erb form in the $re1ious ayah -a(budu."
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These two ayaat ha1e to do with the future now% taken together" ) will not be com$romising% and it(s clear that you will not be com$romising% you won(t be coming to the sla1ery and worshi$ of Allah alone"

Ayah 0:
Nor will ) be a worshi$$er of what you worshi$" Now we turn to the $ast" Two ayaat for the future% two for the $ast" wa laa ana 'abidun" + and ) am not a worshi$$er of" ) ha1e ne1er e1er been ensla1ed to maa (abadtum% what you worshi$$ed" Don(t think that your god was the same as mine and don(t think mine was the same as yours" The one ) was worshi$$ing before was ne1er the same as yours" And if ) ha1en(t done so in the $ast% do you e'$ect me to com$romise now that re1elation has come to meC )t(s e1en more im$ossible now"

Ayah 1:

Nor will you be worshi$$ers of what ) worshi$" And now tied to the $ast + wa laa antum 'abidoona ma a'bud. The second re$etition is for the $ast" This is another understanding of the re$etition" A third way to understand3 when you declare animosity to someone you use the harshest tone" ,art of being harsh is to re$eat" Like 2) hate youH ) hate youH2 )t illustrates anger" They better get it right% if they didn(t understand $ro$erly the first time around% here it is again" The word maa is im$ortant" Allah didn(t say man a(bud + and you don(t worshi$ W0O ) worshi$" 0e *WT didn(t say that" 0e said 2what"2 2What2 ) worshi$" The word what is used for non+li1ing things% not li1ing things" Who is for li1ing things" TwiceH
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One way to understand is to take it as referring to the acts of worshi$" 9ou don(t do those acts that ) do" 9ou will ne1er take the form of worshi$ and sla1ery that ) do" They mean two different things"

*econd meaning3 if taken as the actual being to which worshi$ is directed% it(s a way of saying what a $athetic falsehood you worshi$ and what an ama8ing =od ) worshi$" Difference between who and what3 who in1ol1es an identity -like a name." What in1ol1es &ualities -accountant% $rogrammer% etc"." When maa is used% the &uestion is about &uality" *o the &uality of Allah% a True =od is being highlighted -maa a(bud in ayah K." What an ama8ing =od ) worshi$" When maa is used for them% -maa (abadtum. what $athetic falsehoods you(re following + what are the &ualities of what you follow and what ) follow" That(s the word maa here" 9ou think you(re worshi$$ing the same ama8ing Allah that ) worshi$C Ean your acts be attributed to AllahC Ne1erH Do you really think the ser1ice ) $erform for my /aster is com$arable to what you do for your $athetic gods in front of youC Ne1er" The difference is made clear and wide by the use of the word maa" The nature of Allah is highlighted in the use of the word maa"

Ayah 2:

$" ! # "
@or you is your religion% and for me is my religion"2 Lakum deenukum wa leeya deen. ,robably one of the most misunderstood ayaat in the :ur(an in our times" Eommonly translated as to you be your religion and to me be mine" Lakum is early + it(s not deenukum lakum" )t im$lies e'clusi1ity" *o what(s being said is your way of life% your religion is only for you" )t(s ne1er e1er going to be for me" )f lakum was after
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deenukum it wouldn(t be 2only"2 And wa leeya deen + and my deen is only for me when it comes to you" )n other words% there(s ne1er going to be any e'change" That time is $ast" )n other words% ) am lea1ing this town" These ayaat are a $recursor to the hi5rah of ,ro$het /uhammad -saws." Da(wah is done with these $eo$le% and now hi5rah has to ha$$en" 0is only $ur$ose in /akkah is da(wah" !ut now he(s saying the doors are closed + he(s basically renounced his citi8enshi$" Now for one more angle" The word deen" )t comes from the word dain% or loan in <nglish" *omething owed to you or something you owe someone in $recise terms" Also used in Arabic for go1ernment because a go1(t gi1es the $eo$le what they are owed and the $eo$le gi1e the go1(t what they owe" )t(s a $recise e'change" A deen necessitates an authority" The Day of 6udgment + when $eo$le get e'actly what they deser1e and $ay e'actly what they owe is also called 9aumu ad+deen" *o one of the meanings of lakum deenukum wa leeya deen is you will get e'actly what you deser1e" 9our 5udgment will be only for you" And my 5udgment will be only for me" And you(ll find out the conse&uences of your kufr when the day of Deen comes" *o this is an o$en challenge% you want to head for 0ellfire% it(s only for you at this $oint" A s$ecial 5udgment for those bent u$on kufr" And my s$ecial 5udgment is for me" Let(s see who comes out on to$ in the end" )t(s an o$en challenge" *ome ha1e misunderstood this to mean that the ,ro$het -saws. doesn(t care whether they do shirk% you go your way ) go mine% )(ll mind my own business and you mind yours" This is a misinter$retation and a misreading of the ayah" To understand you 5ust need to look at the conte't" When was this ayah re1ealedC After a decade of da(wah" And at that $oint what they(re being told is you kee$ it u$% you kee$ doing what you(re doing and )(ll kee$ u$ what )(m doing and e1entually we(re not going to collide with words% we(re going to collide with the sword" This is a $recursor to the conflict that(s about to come" There(s a conflict embedded inside these words because the mushrikoon are kee$ing their idols at the 0aram% and the /essenger(s 5ob -saws. is to $urify the religion of )brahim -as. by reclaiming the 0ouse of Allah for the $ur$ose it was built for" 0e can(t do it as long as there are idols there"
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)n order for his deen to be com$lete% their deen has to go" 9ou kee$ doing your deen% )(ll kee$ doing mine% and we(ll see who comes out on to$" )n *urah *aff3; Allah says 0e sent 0is /essenger with guidance and the deen al+ha&& + the religion or 5udgment of truth + so it may o1ershadow and o1ercome and encom$ass all the other deens there are" Any other form will be o1ershadowed and o1ercome e1en if the mushrikoon hate it" *o kee$ doing what you(re doing but it(s going to be o1ercome" /y deen has already been guaranteed" The word deen comes u$ again in the ne't surah -wa ra(ita an+naasa """ ." We learn that conflict is announced in this surah% and in the ne't surah 1ictory is announced"

A $ersonal attack was made on the ,ro$het -saws. in the $re1ious surah and his family + that his family is cut off and his name won(t last" They thought his followers were unim$ortant and he had no children% but Allah *WT is saying that the /essenger -saws. alone is enough for these $eo$le" *o 0e *WT doesn(t command the belie1ers together to say -&ooloo. and 0e doesn(t say laa na(budu -we don(t worshi$ """ ." )t(s &ul and a(budu" *ingular" Non+/uslim historians say sometimes that /uhammad de$ended on his followers for all that he achie1ed" !ut this surah shows us belie1ers that it(s not true" )n *urah Taubah Allah tells the *ahaba if they don(t hel$ him% Allah has already hel$ed him" *o that(s not our attitude" 0e has already gotten hel$ from Allah" )n 0unayn% some of the *ahaba got shocked and ran away and he(s all alone and the archers are abo1e the hill% and he -saws. is 5ust standing there saying ana ar+rasoolu la kadhib + )(m the /essenger% )(m not a liar" 0e stood there by himself" This is the courage Allah *WT has gi1en 0is /essenger" The kuffar were looking to com$romise with the /essenger% but Allah tells them he(s not the one they should be dealing with" These are /y decisions" The /essenger is only communicating" The res$onse isn(t e1en in his words + Allah is dictating it"

*o at the end of the surah% lakum deenukum wa leeya deen. The deen at the end is actually deenee" @or rhetorical reasons% the final ya is remo1ed" 6ust a kasra left now" This kind of omission is used for se1eral $ur$oses" One of them is for e'clamation" We don(t e'tend the 1owel when we want to be em$hatic" We don(t say rabbee when we make du(a we say
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rabbi" )t(s short% we(re des$erate before Allah and it(s a cry to Allah" 0ere is shows the em$hatic $ower with which Allah(s /essenger -saws. declares that it(s his deen" The ya would refer to his deen% and his role has been minimi8ed in this declaration and Allah(s role has been ma'imi8ed -by the word &ul." )t(s as if Allah is saying% e1en at the end% don(t mention yourself much" )t(s not really you who(s making this decision" *ubhanallahH

3eally eautiful and elo4uent conclusion to the surah, Third and final $oint about the end of this surah" The last ten surahs are a good de$iction not only of the seerah of the ,ro$het /uhammad -saws. but also of his legacy as it is tied to that of the ,ro$het )brahim -as." Eonsider /umtahinah3L" )brahim -as. and those with him said they were com$letely disassociating themsel1es% no doubt about it% from those and what they worshi$ anything besides Allah" We are cutting oursel1es off from you and your worshi$" *ound familiarC 3. The 1erse goes on to say kafarna bikum + we are doing kufr of you $eo$le and your $eo$le" And now animosity and hatred has been born between us and you fore1er -that grou$ in $articular. until you belie1e in Allah the One and Only" )sn(t this another form of *urah Kafiroon and how the /essenger -saws. deals with :uraishC <1en in his animosity to the :uraish he -saws. is re$eating the legacy of )brahim -as." Not 5ust in fa *allee li rabbika wan0ar" And Allah e'$lains 0is ayaat in this manner" 0ow beautifully things come togetherH 0ow incredibly well history connectsH The ,ro$het -saws. was told to s$eak alone% and )brahim -as. was told to s$eak with the few followers he had with him" The contrast is clear + /uhammad -saws. had more followers at that time is told to s$eak alone% because the kafiroon need to know what he(s made of and they can(t s$eak to him in this way" /ay Allah (a88a wa 5all gi1e us an a$$reciation of the :ur(an and an understanding of it and a lo1e of 0is /essenger -saws."
!arakallahu wa lakum fee :ur(an il+0akeem% wa nafa(na wa iyyakum bi ayaati wa dhikri al+0akeem"
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[,lease /ake Du(a for the the brother who Transcribed this lecture for you"]

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