Johnnie Ellington II May 18, 2014 · In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Praise GOD, who revealed to His servant this scripture, and made it flawless. A perfect (scripture) to warn of severe retribution from Him, and to deliver good news to the believers who lead a righteous life, that they have earned a generous recompense. Wherein they abide forever. And to warn those who said, "GOD has begotten a son!" They possess no knowledge about this, nor did their parents. What a blasphemy coming out of their mouths! What they utter is a gross lie. You may blame yourself on account of their response to this narration, and their disbelieving in it; you may be saddened. The End of the World We have adorned everything on earth, in order to test them, and thus distinguish those among them who work righteousness. Inevitably, we will wipe out everything on it, leaving it completely barren.* The Dwellers of the Cave Why else do you think we are telling you about the people of the cave, and the numbers connected with them? They are among our wondrous signs. When the youths took refuge in the cave, they said, "Our Lord, shower us with Your mercy, and bless our affairs with Your guidance." We then sealed their ears in the cave for a predetermined number of years. Then we resurrected them to see which of the two parties could count the duration of their stay therein. We narrate to you their history, truthfully. They were youths who believed in their Lord, and we increased their guidance. We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and proclaimed: "Our only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never worship any other god beside Him. Otherwise, we would be far astray. Here are our people setting up gods beside Him. If only they could provide any proof to support their stand! Who is more evil than the one who fabricates lies and attributes them to GOD? The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus* "Since you wish to avoid them, and their worshiping of other than GOD,* let us take refuge in the cave. May your Lord shower you with His mercy and direct you to the right decision." A Guiding Teacher is a Prerequisite You could see the sun when it rose coming from the right side of their cave, and when it set, it shone on them from the left, as they slept in the hollow thereof. This is one of GOD's portents.* Whomever GOD guides is the truly guided one, and whomever He sends astray, you will not find for him a guiding teacher. You would think that they were awake, when they were in fact asleep. We turned them to the right side and the left side, while their dog stretched his arms in their midst. Had you looked at them, you would have fled from them, stricken with terror. When we resurrected them, they asked each other, "How long have you been here?" "We have been here one day or part of the day," they answered. "Your Lord knows best how long we stayed here, so let us send one of us with this money to the city. Let him fetch the cleanest food, and buy some for us. Let him keep a low profile, and attract no attention. "If they discover you, they will stone you, or force you to revert to their religion, then you can never succeed." Connection With the End of the World* We caused them to be discovered, to let everyone know that GOD's promise is true, and to remove all doubt concerning the end of the world.* The people then disputed among themselves regarding them. Some said, "Let us build a building around them." Their Lord is the best knower about them. Those who prevailed said, "We will build a place of worship around them." Footnote Some would say, "They were three; their dog being the fourth," while others would say, "Five; the sixth being their dog," as they guessed. Others said, "Seven," and the eighth was their dog. Say, "My Lord is the best knower of their number." Only a few knew the correct number. Therefore, do not argue with them; just go along with them. You need not consult anyone about this. Remembering God Every Chance We Get You shall not say that you will do anything in the future, without saying, "GOD willing."* If you forget to do this, you must immediately remember your Lord and say, "May my Lord guide me to do better next time." They stayed in their cave three hundred years, increased by nine.* Say, "GOD is the best knower of how long they stayed there." He knows all secrets in the heavens and the earth. By His grace you can see; by His grace you can hear. There is none beside Him as Lord and Master, and He never permits any partners to share in His kingship. You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord's scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it. Quranic Study Groups You shall force yourself to be with those who worship their Lord day and night, seeking Him alone. Do not turn your eyes away from them, seeking the vanities of this world. Nor shall you obey one whose heart we rendered oblivious to our message; one who pursues his own desires, and whose priorities are confused. Absolute Freedom of Religion Proclaim: "This is the truth from your Lord," then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve. We have prepared for the transgressors a fire that will completely surround them. When they scream for help, they will be given a liquid like concentrated acid that scalds the faces. What a miserable drink! What a miserable destiny! As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, we never fail to recompense those who work righteousness. They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode! Property as an Idol* Cite for them the example of two men: we gave one of them two gardens of grapes, surrounded by date palms, and placed other crops between them. Footnote Both gardens produced their crops on time, and generously, for we caused a river to run through them. Once, after harvesting, he boastfully told his friend: "I am far more prosperous than you, and I command more respect from the people." When he entered his garden, he wronged his soul by saying, "I do not think that this will ever end. "Moreover, I think this is it; I do not think that the Hour (the Hereafter) will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will (be clever enough to) possess an even better one over there." His friend said to him, as he debated with him, "Have you disbelieved in the One who created you from dust, then from a tiny drop, then perfected you into a man? "As for me, GOD is my Lord, and I will never set up any other god besides my Lord. Important Commandment "When you entered your garden, you should have said, `This is what GOD has given me (Maa Shaa Allah). No one possesses power except GOD (La Quwwata Ellaa Bellaah).' You may see that I possess less money and less children than you. "My Lord may grant me better than your garden. He may send a violent storm from the sky that wipes out your garden, leaving it completely barren. [18:41] "Or, its water may sink deeper, out of your reach." Indeed, his crops were wiped out, and he ended up sorrowful, lamenting what he had spent on it in vain, as his property lay barren. He finally said, "I wish I never set up my property as a god beside my Lord." No force on earth could have helped him against GOD, nor was it possible for him to receive any help. That is because the only true Lord and master is GOD; He provides the best recompense, and with Him is the best destiny. Cite for them the example of this life as water that we send down from the sky to produce plants of the earth, then they turn into hay that is blown away by the wind. GOD is able to do all things. Rearranging Our Priorities Money and children are the joys of this life, but the righteous works provide an eternal recompense from your Lord, and a far better hope. The day will come when we wipe out the mountains, and you will see the earth barren. We will summon them all, not leaving out a single one of them. They will be presented before your Lord in a row. You have come to us as individuals, just as we created you initially. Indeed, this is what you claimed will never happen. The record will be shown, and you will see the guilty fearful of its contents. They will say, "Woe to us. How come this book leaves nothing, small or large, without counting it?" They will find everything they had done brought forth. Your Lord is never unjust towards anyone. Classification of God's Creatures We said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan. He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord.* Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute! Footnote I never permitted them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves. Nor do I permit the wicked to work in My kingdom.* The day will come when He says, "Call upon My partners, whom you claimed to be gods beside Me," they will call on them, but they will not respond to them. An insurmountable barrier will separate them from each other. The guilty will see Hell, and will realize that they will fall into it. They will have no escape therefrom.