https://www.khutbah.info/the-quranic-examples/ Allah revealed the Qur’an as a light whose illumination will never be extinguished, a torch whose flame never fades, an honor whose supporters can never be defeated, and a path whose followers will never go astray. It is the source of faith and the fountain of knowledge. It is the invigorator of hearts and the cure after which no illness remains. In it is the narratives of those before us, the news of what will come after us, and the judgment of what is between us. Through it, Allah raises some people and lowers others. Whoever adheres to it is guided to the straight path. Al-Ma’idah (5) 83: And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Allah revealed the Qur’an as a light whose illumination will never be extinguished, a torch whose flame never fades, an honor whose supporters can never be defeated, and a path whose followers will never go astray. It is the source of faith and the fountain of knowledge. It is the invigorator of hearts and the cure after which no illness remains. In it is the narratives of those before us, the news of what will come after us, and the judgment of what is between us. Through it, Allah raises some people and lowers others. Whoever adheres to it is guided to the straight path.
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ
Al-Ma’idah (5) 83: And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.
It is a book that whoever recites it, is as though they are directly addressing the Most Merciful.
Indeed, we will not find narratives, parables, or accounts more truthful than it, not will we find anything more exciting or captivating than the words of the Creator Almighty, which the Trustworthy Spirit brought down upon the heart of our Prophet ﷺ so that he may be among the warners, in a clear Arabic language.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
An-Nisa (4) 82: Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.
If we reflect upon the examples in the Qur’an, we find a book full of wonders that guides to the right path. Allah the Exalted says:
وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَثَلٍ
Ar-Rum (30) 58: And We have certainly presented for the people in this Qur’an from every [kind of] example.
The Qur’an contains forty-three examples. Their eloquence and power can only be appreciated by those with living minds and discerning intellect. One of the early scholars said: “Whenever I came across an example in the Qur’an and failed to ponder it, I wept for myself; because Allah says:
وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ
Al-‘Ankabut (29) 43: And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.
Allah has provided us various types of examples in the Quran that are not limited to one type of creation over another. Sometimes He sets an example with a plant, as in His words:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ
Ibrahim (14) 24: Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree?
At other times, He uses an animal, as in the case of the those who turn away from His signs after having come to them. So Satan pursued them and they became among the astray. Allah Almighty said:
فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Al-A‘raf (7) 176: So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.
And Allah may give an example of a human being, as Allah Almighty said:
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَى مَوْلَاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّهْهُ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي هُوَ وَمَنْ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَهُوَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
An-Nahl (16) 76: And Allah presents an example of two men: one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice while he is on a straight path?
How great are these examples, containing the ultimate in admonition and moral lessons, the ultimate in eloquence, conciseness of expression, beautiful similes and powerful metaphors.
Allah Almighty said:
اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُتَشَابِهًا مَثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ
Az-Zumar (39) 23: Allah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah leaves astray – for him there is no guide.
And if you are amazed, then be amazed that Allah sets an example with the most insignificant and smallest of His creations.
Allah Almighty said about the spider:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Al-‘Ankabut (29) 41: The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.
This is the state of anyone who clings to other than Allah, fears other than Allah, hopes in other than Him, or pleases people at the expense of Allah’s displeasure. Whoever loses Allah, what could they ever find? And whoever finds Allah, what could they ever lose?
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ
Al-An‘am (6) 14: Say, “Is it other than Allah I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and the earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?”
It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ تَعَلَّقَ شَيْئًا وُكِلَ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ عَلَيْهِ
Whoever attaches himself to something will be entrusted to it or burdened by it. [al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad]
So what a loss it is for those who depend on other than Allah in all of their affairs!
And the amazement only increases, that Allah strikes an example of a fly, that creature that people abhor with disgust and contempt. Yet, unlike other examples, Allah singles it out in urging us to listen to it and pay attention to it. Allah Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِاجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِنْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَا يَسْتَنْقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ (73) مَاقَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ
Al-Hajj (22) 73–74: (73) O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued. (74) They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
How amazing! How Allah uses this tiny creature, so despised by people, as an example. If they only knew the secrets within it, they would realize the greatness of the Creator—glory be to Him—and be certain that they cannot encompass Him in knowledge. For He—glory be to Him—can place great secrets in the weakest of His creations.
How many scientists, doctors, pharmacists and researchers have been left in awe by this tiny creature. How many experiments have been conducted on it, leading to discoveries so amazing that minds are bewildered and eyes are left wide open. Some people have embraced Islam after witnessing Allah’s greatness in the creation of the fly. Among its wonders is the keen sensitivity Allah placed in it to escape strikes, making it extremely difficult to catch. At the same time, it carries both disease and cure within its wings.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ indicated this when he said:
إِذَا وَقَعَ الذُّبَابُ فِي شَرَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلْيَغْمِسْهُ ثُمَّ لِيَنْزِعْهُ؛ فَإِنَّ فِي إِحْدَى جَنَاحَيْهِ دَاءً وَالْأُخْرَى شِفَاءً
If a fly falls into the drink of anyone among you, let him dip it fully, then remove it; for indeed in one of its wings there is disease, and in the other there is cure.[al-Bukhari]
This hadith was criticized past and present. Then modern science confirmed its truth. Researchers found that one wing of the fly carries harmful bacteria that cause illness, while the other carries the cure in the form of antidotes to those bacteria. How could the Prophet ﷺ have known this except through revelation from Allah, the Almighty?
Allahu Akbar! How great are the examples of the Creator! Allahu Akbar! We cannot enumerate His praise; He is as He praised Himself.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
So fear Allah, and know that He has set forth examples in the Qur’an so that people may take lessons and be reminded. Al-Mawardi — may Allah have mercy on him — said: “One of the greatest branches of Qur’anic knowledge is the knowledge of its examples. Yet people are heedless of it. They become preoccupied with the examples themselves and neglect the lessons. That is, they neglect this knowledge because they are preoccupied with the examples themselves as rhetorical terms or beautiful expressions, and they neglect the meanings that these examples contain.
And this is because of what the examples contain of decisive rebuttals to even the most argumentative and elimination of the obstinacy of the stubborn.
They affect hearts in a way that a description of a matter in itself cannot.
If we were to reflect, on the examples of the fly and Allah’s words that follow it:
مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ
Al-Hajj (22) 74: They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal.
We would see how far we fall short of truly recognizing Allah’s greatness in all aspects of our lives. Do we truly live in word and deed for the purpose for which Allah created us? Do we truly grasp His majesty and give Him His due? Do we feel the reality that every single thing submits to Him alone, without partner?
وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَكِنْ لَا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ
Al-Isra (17) 44: And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting.
Allah Almighty said:
إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا
Maryam (19) 93: There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
The trust was offered to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, out of proper estimation and reverence of Allah. Only humankind, unjust and ignorant, took it on. All of creation gave Allah His proper reverence, except the children of Adam.
Allah tells us that all in the heavens and the earth prostrate to Him: the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, and the animals. Yet when it comes to mankind, He does not say, “and mankind,” but instead said:
وَكَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ
Al-Hajj (22)18: And many of the people – and many [i.e., most of the people] is [due] the punishment.
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ
Ibrahim (14) 34: Indeed, mankind is most unjust and ungrateful.
And Allah Almighty said:
وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
Az-Zumar (39) 67: They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
How insignificant we are in the sight of Allah. Allah Almighty says:
مَا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ
Luqman (31) 28: Your creation and your resurrection will not be but as that of a single soul.
Yes, indeed, how insignificant creation is to Allah. Abu Darda’ said this when he saw the kingdom of the Kisra crumble at the feet of the Muslims and wept. He was asked: What makes you weep? He said: How unimportant creation is to Allah when they neglect His command. They were a dominant and victorious nation. They abandoned Allah’s command and became what you see.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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