Story of the People of Saturday

1. Story of the People of Saturday Surah Al-Araaf verses 163-167 ICN Sisters’ Dars 1-29-13

2. Important Reminder • Warning not to follow the same actions as the people that are mentioned in this story • The way the Sahabahرضي الله عنهم understood the Quran and the way the people came after them was different • قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: » إِنَّكُمْ لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سَنَنَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ • The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم said you are going to follow the ways of those before you (At-Tirmidhi-Saheeh)

3. Beginning of the Story • وَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ كَذَلِكَ نَبْلُوهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ (163) • 163. and ask them (O Muhammad ) about the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed In the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the Day they had no Sabbath. Thus we made a trial of them for they used to rebel • What was the name of the sea? What was the name of the people who was their leader? When was this?

4. A Little About the Sabbath The Jews were originally given Friday as their holy day, they refused and did not follow the orders of their Prophet. In Surah An-Nahl v . 124 Allah said إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ (124) • 124. the Sabbath was Only prescribed for those who differed concerning it, and Verily, Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they used to differ. • قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « نَحْنُ الآخِرُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَنَحْنُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ بَيْدَ أَنَّهُمْ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا وَأُوتِينَاهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ فَاخْتَلَفُوا فَهَدَانَا اللَّهُ لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ فَهَذَا يَوْمُهُمُ الَّذِى اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ لَهُ - قَالَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ - فَالْيَوْمُ لَنَا وَغَدًا لِلْيَهُودِ وَبَعْدَ غَدٍ لِلنَّصَارَى

5. Allah Has Favored the Muslims • Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: We are the last (but) we would be the first on the Day of Resurrection, and we would be the first to enter Paradise, but that they were given the Book before us and we were given after them. They disagreed and Allah guided us aright on whatever they disagreed regarding the truth. And it was this day of theirs about which they disagreed, but Allah guided us to it, and that is Friday for us; the next day is for the Jews and the day following for the Christians. Saheeh Muslim • Because Muslims worship Allah on a daily basis there is only a prohibiton of working during the time of Jummahsalah for those on whom Jummah is fard • يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (9) فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (10

6. Lies They Fabricated • They were prohibited from working on Saturday • The reason was because they neglected their daily acts of Ibaadah, so to make up for it they were ordered to do Ibaadah on Saturday • They claimed that Allah created the heavens and earth in six days and He rested on the seventh and that is what they are doing. Allah refuted them in places in the Quran • وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِنْ لُغُوبٍ (38) • 38. and indeed we created the heavens and the earth and All between them In six days and nothing of fatigue touched us.

7. Fundamental Problem With the Religions that Came Before Islam • Ascribe deficiency to Allah سبحانه و تعالى • We say that Allah is perfect, He has no deficiency • Everyone is dependent on Him and He is in need of no one • Some of the attributes they attributed to Allah are the following • - fatigue • -poverty or stinginess • Lack of knowledge • Human characteristics when they said Uzayr is Allah • Allah is above and pure from anything they associate with him

8. Halaal is Plentiful • Allah has created everything on earth for us • هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (29) • 29. He it is who created for You All that is on earth. Then He Istawâ (rose over) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything • يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ (168) • 168. O mankind! eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Verily, He is to You an open enemy.

9. Haraam is Restricted • Default principle is Muamalaat is that everything is halaal until proven otherwise • Burden of proof is on the one claiming something to be haraam • قُلْ لَا أَجِدُ فِي مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَى طَاعِمٍ يَطْعَمُهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًا مَسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنْزِيرٍ فَإِنَّهُ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (145) • 45. Say (O Muhammad ): "I find not In that which has been inspired to Me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytatah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork, etc.) for that surely is impure, or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâhbut Whosoever is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, (for Him) Certainly, Your Lord is Oft­Forgiving, Most Merciful." • Also Maaidah: 3

10. Previous Principles in Relation to the Story • The people of the town were fisherman • They were permitted to fish on six days but were prohibited only on Saturday • Allah tested their commitment to His commands • إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لَا يَسْبِتُونَ لَا تَأْتِيهِمْ كَذَلِكَ نَبْلُوهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ (163) • when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the Day they had no Sabbath. Thus we made a trial of them for they used to rebel

11. What is Fisq? Relationship Between Obedience and Rizq • Fisq is turning away from the obedience of Allah • If rizq is plentiful for a person and it is through haraam means this a sign that Allah does not want good for this person • فَذَرْنِي وَمَنْ يُكَذِّبُ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (44) وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ (45) • 44. Then leave Me alone with the ones that reject This Qur'ân. we shall Punish them gradually from directions they perceive not. • 45. and I will grant them a relief. Verily, My Plan is strong. Qalam • فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ (44) • 44. So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, we opened to them the gates of Every (pleasant) thing, until In the midst of their enjoyment In that which they were given, All of a sudden, we took them to Punishment, and Lo! they were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.

12. Believers Relationship With Rizq • Depends on Allah not on himself • Does not sacrifice his dunya for the sake of the aakhirah • وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (96) • 96. and if the people of the Towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), Certainly, we should have opened for them Blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). so we took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes, etc.). • A believer finds contentment, even if someone whose Imaan is lacking works day and night he will never be content • “If the son of Adam were to possess two valleys of riches. he would long for the third one. And the stomach of the son of Adam is not filled but with dust. And Allah returns to him who repents.” Saheeh Muslim

13. Bani Israel’s Rizq was Constricted • This is some thing by which Allah tests people • وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ (155) الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ (156) أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ (157) • 155. and Certainly, we shall test You with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.). • 156. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! to Allâh we belong and Truly, to Him we shall return.“ • 157. they are those on whom are the Salawât (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (They are those who) receive his Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.

14. How Did Bani Israel Respond? • Rather than repent and turn back to Allah and do more of his ibaadah • They tried to find loopholes or ways around His commands and prohibitions • They would set out the traps on Friday and then collect the fish that came out on Saturday night or Sunday morning • They were prohibited from fishing and from capturing the fish that came out on Saturday

15. Activity • In groups come up with ways Muslims come up with ways to try and divert the commands of Allah?

16. Ways Muslims Try and Find Ways Around the Commands of Allah • Gender relations • Giving dawah or we are just friends • Cousins • Business • To get away from riba try and say things like its not interest it’s a loan with some benefit • Selling haraam things to non-Muslims • Fatwa shopping • Giving half the story and getting an answer they are looking for

17. Announcements • Family Class Change • In Sha Allah on Wednesdays at 7 at Ogden • Topic Stories of the Prophets عليهم السلام • IIN • Saturday- Belief in the Messengers and Their Messages • Sunday-Fiqh of Family Life