Surat Yaasin Verse 20-25 Class 9 - Lesson 12

Learning Objectives: Provide an explanation of verses 20 to 26 of Surat Yasin Continue with the story of Sahib Yasin mentioned in verses 20 onwards Memorise Surat Yasin up to verse 26

What can we learn from this? Verse 20 وَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ There came a man hurrying from the city outskirts. He said, ‘O my people! Follow the apostles! As soon as Saabib Yaasin – Habib Najjar – found out the situation in the city and the problems the messengers were going through, despite living in the complete outskirts of the city, he rushed to the aid of the messengers. What can we learn from this? Let us now look at the arguments Habib Najjar brings forth in his defense of the messengers…

Verse 21 اتَّبِعُوا مَن لَّا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ Follow them who do not ask you any reward and they are rightly guided. 1) “Follow them who do not ask you any reward” – This is the first sign of the truthfulness of the messengers. They have no material benefit to gain from their preaching. This is an important argument that all the messengers used when inviting their people to Allah (SWT).

In Surat al-Shu’araa, we see a number of prophets making this same argument. One example given is that of Prophet Nuh (A): إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ when Nuh, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]? إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you. فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ So be wary of Allah and obey me. وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds. [26:106-9] CHALLENGE: Starting from the above verses in Surat al-Shua’raa, find 4 other prophets who had a similar message for their people. [Answer: P.Hud (26:124-7); P.Saalih (26:142-145); P.Lut (26:161-164); P.Shu’ayb (26:177-180)]

REFLECTION: Why do you think none of the prophets ever asked for any recompense for their struggles in preaching to their people? Answer: So that no one can have an excuse on the Day of Judgement for disbelieving in Allah (SWT) by saying that they couldn’t afford to pay the wages of His prophets in order to get guidance from them! أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ Or do you ask them for a (financial) reward, so that they are overburdened by a debt? [52:40]

Verse 21 اتَّبِعُوا مَن لَّا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ Follow them who do not ask you any reward and they are rightly guided. 2) “…and they are rightly guided” – It is clear from the wise intellectual arguments of the messengers and their noble characters that they are guided along the right path and thus, worthy of following. LESSON: When you find out about the truth (haqq), submit to it!

ووَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ Verse 22 ووَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ Why should I not worship Him who has originated me, and to whom you shall be brought back? 3) “Why should I not worship Him who has originated me, and to whom you shall be brought back?” The people of the town believed in Allah (SWT) as the all-Powerful Creator; however, they worshipped various demi-gods in their everyday lives, because they believed that the all-Powerful Creator was too transcendent to help them. Instead, the demi- gods would help them with their everyday needs if they worshipped them instead. What is the point Habib Najjar is trying to make to his people here?

Verse 23 أَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَٰنُ بِضُرٍّ لَّا تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ Shall I take gods besides Him? If the All-beneficent desired to cause me any distress, their intercession will not avail me in any way, nor will they rescue me. 4) Argument no. 4 (above): Why is this such a powerful argument? REFLECTION: In our daily lives, do we exclusively worship Allah or do we too perform shirk? What kind of shirk do we perform? Can you think of any examples?

Verse 23 أَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god? (25:43) What do you understand from the above verse? Does this apply to us? How so?