Title of the Sermon: The Fires of Tyranny
Elements of the Sermon:
Tyranny: The Disease of Nations.
The Two Types of Allah’s Punishments.
The Causes of Punishments.
A Comprehensive Perspective.
Praise be to Allah, the Compeller who vanquishes the arrogant, the Subduer who overpowers kings and rulers. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, with no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, through whom Allah established the religion and made the faith triumphant. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him in this world and the Hereafter.
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, as He should be feared, and be mindful of Him in private and in public:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
(Aal ‘Imran: 102)"O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims." (Aal ‘Imran: 102)
"O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims." (Aal ‘Imran: 102)"O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims." (Aal ‘Imran: 102)
Servants of Allah:
Jubayr ibn Nufayr (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated: “When the cities of Cyprus were conquered, the people began dividing the spoils of war and separating families, with some weeping over their loved ones. Abu al-Darda' stepped aside, weeping. Jubayr ibn Nufayr approached him and asked, ‘Why are you weeping, O Abu al-Darda'? On this day, Allah has exalted Islam and its people and humiliated disbelief and its people!’ Abu al-Darda' struck Jubayr’s shoulders and said, ‘Woe to you, Jubayr ibn Nufayr! How insignificant is creation to Allah when they abandon His command! They were once a mighty nation, dominating others, enjoying sovereignty, until they abandoned Allah’s command, and now they are as you see!’” (Reported by Saeed ibn Mansur)
Servants of Allah:
Allah created man with His own hand, taught him, honored him, and subjected for him whatever is in the heavens and on earth. He bestowed upon him His blessings, both apparent and hidden, and revealed books and sent messengers to guide him to the straight path, clarifying truth and falsehood. Yet within man lies an inclination toward arrogance. When Allah grants him strength, power, and authority, he may see himself as self-sufficient and rebel against his Lord, oppose His messengers, distort His scriptures, follow his desires, and lead others astray from the path of Allah.
كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَى * أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَى
"No! Indeed, man transgresses because he sees himself self-sufficient." (Al-‘Alaq: 6-7)
Allah recounts the stories of perished nations: the people of Noah, ‘Ad, Thamud, Midian, the people of Ibrahim, the people of Lut, and Pharaoh’s people. Their history is one: their hearts were alike, as though each nation advised the next in their misguidance. Allah states:
أَتَوَاصَوْا بِهِ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ طَاغُونَ
"Did they pass down this statement as a legacy to one another? No! They are a transgressing people." (Adh-Dhariyat: 53)
This is arrogance—arrogance of disbelief, oppression, and corruption. Such arrogance was the root cause of the destruction of those nations. Allah says:
وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَى * وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَى * وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَى * وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَى * فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّى * فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَى
"And that He destroyed the first people of ‘Ad, and Thamud—leaving none—along with the people of Noah before them. Indeed, it was they who were most unjust and most rebellious. And He overturned the cities, so they covered them with what He covered. Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt?" (An-Najm: 50-55)
Allah has informed us that He is ever watchful over these criminals and that they cannot escape Him, no matter how great their power or how advanced their civilization.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ * إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ * الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ * وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ * وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ * الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ * فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ * فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ * إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ
"Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ‘Ad—with Iram, who had lofty pillars, the likes of which had never been created in the land? And Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley? And Pharaoh, the one of mighty structures? [All of] them transgressed throughout the land, spreading much corruption. So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment. Indeed, your Lord is ever watchful." (Al-Fajr: 6-14)
But why did Allah inflict His wrath upon them?
The greatest crime for which these nations were destroyed was their disbelief in the Lord of all worlds and their rejection of His messengers.
أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَآثَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَاقٍ * ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانَتْ تَأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَكَفَرُوا فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ قَوِيٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
"Have they not traveled through the land and observed the end of those before them? They were greater than them in strength and left greater traces upon the earth, but Allah seized them for their sins. And they had not from Allah any protector. That was because their messengers used to come to them with clear proofs, but they disbelieved, so Allah seized them. Indeed, He is Powerful and Severe in punishment." (Ghafir: 21-22)
Thus: "They disbelieved, so Allah seized them." That alone was a crime deserving Allah’s retribution.
Allah destroyed them for their oppression, tyranny, transgression, and corruption.
وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَى أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِمْ مَوْعِدًا
"And those cities—we destroyed them when they wronged, and We
made for their destruction an appointed time." (Al-Kahf: 59)
وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَنْ نُهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا
"And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein, so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction." (Al-Isra: 16)
Allah recounts these stories so we may take heed, for the outcomes do not change, and Allah’s laws are unalterable.
The punishments that Allah sent upon disbelievers are of two types: total annihilation that leaves nothing behind and warning punishments that do not cause total destruction but serve as harm, warning, and admonition, so they may return to the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving.
وَمَا نُرِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا وَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
"And We showed them not a sign except that it was greater than its sister; and We seized them with affliction that perhaps they might return [to Allah]." (Az-Zukhruf: 48)
Reflect upon Pharaoh’s people, to whom Allah sent successive warning punishments. Yet they arrogantly persisted in their crimes.
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ
"So We sent upon them the flood, locusts, lice, frogs, and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people." (Al-A‘raf: 133)
Praise be to Allah, the All-Powerful who causes the mighty to fall and humbles the arrogant. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him, his family, and companions.
Servants of Allah,
Look at the companions of the garden who conspired to withhold the right of the poor and needy. How did Allah punish them with a fire that consumed their fruits, leaving them as though they had never existed?
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ * وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ * فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ * فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ
"Indeed, We tested them as We tested the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the early morning, without making exception. So there came upon it a visitation from your Lord while they were asleep. And it became as though reaped." (Al-Qalam: 17-20)
At the end of their story, Allah says:
كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
"Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew." (Al-Qalam: 33)
Servants of Allah:
History repeats itself. Just as there were once mighty nations like ‘Ad, whose leaders arrogantly said,
مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً
"Who is greater than us in strength?" (Fussilat: 15).
So, too today, there exists a rebellious nation that has committed every form of disbelief and wickedness. This nation oscillates between polytheism and Christianity, promotes atheism and irreligiosity, and embraces Zionist ideology. It spreads depravity, distorts human nature, and wages war against Islam and its followers across the globe.
This oppressive nation supports every tyrant and criminal, funding the murderous Zionist Jews with money and weapons. It wreaks havoc in Muslim lands, seizing their resources and looting their wealth.
This nation is marked by extreme arrogance, deceived by its power and fleets, believing itself invincible. Yet Allah, in His creation, has manifest signs. He says:
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا * وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ
"And We do not send signs except as a warning... And [remember] when We told you, 'Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people.'" (Al-Isra: 59-60)
In the blink of an eye, Allah sends winds and hurricanes; fires ignite, forests blaze, homes burn, and people flee from the inferno after a life of comfort and ease.
The entire universe is under Allah’s control.
He alone governs it. He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Subduer, who does whatever He wills. Not a single creature moves except by His decree. He grants and takes away kingdoms, honors and humiliates, elevates some and brings others low.
No one knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. These events are but reminders for humanity.
They are reminders for those of weak faith, who despair of the mercy of the Most Merciful. They serve as a warning that Allah is ever-watchful over all things, that He gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not let him escape.
May Allah bless us in the Glorious Qur’an, and benefit us through its verses and wise reminders. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you. Indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and all those who follow him. To proceed:
Some Muslims may become blinded to the truth, their vision clouded and fail to comprehend Allah’s punishments upon the criminal disbelievers. Yet, those guided by revelation perceive the truth as a radiant light.
Our Prophet ﷺ was the mercy of Allah to the worlds. When the Angel of the Mountains came to him and said, “If you wish, I will crush them between the two mountains,” the Prophet replied, “No, I hope that Allah will bring forth from their descendants those who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
However, this same Prophet ﷺ also prayed against the disbelievers of Quraysh in his prayer, saying: “O Allah, make it hard upon Mudar, and make their years like the years of Yusuf.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
The Prophet ﷺ devoted his life to conveying the message of Islam. Despite his mercy and desire for people’s guidance, the disbelievers of Quraysh opposed him, insulted him, accused him of madness and lying, struck him, and even attempted to kill him. He endured all of this with unmatched patience, praying for their guidance.
When their oppression of the weak believers intensified, the Prophet ﷺ supplicated against them, asking Allah to inflict upon them His punishment, famine, and hardship like the years of Yusuf, hoping they might repent and return. Allah answered his supplication, bringing upon them such severe famine that they ate skins, carrion, and corpses. When one of them looked at the sky, he saw smoke from hunger.
This was the way of the Prophets before him. When a Prophet despaired of his people’s response, he would supplicate to Allah for their destruction.
Noah (peace be upon him), after 950 years of calling his people, said:
رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا * إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا
"My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers an inhabitant. Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and will not beget except wicked and disbelieving [descendants]." (Noah: 26-27)
Moses (peace be upon him) and his brother Aaron supplicated against Pharaoh and his people for their disbelief and misguidance:
وَقَالَ مُوسَى رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ آتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَأَهُ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَالًا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِكَ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ
"Our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his establishment splendor and wealth in the worldly life, our Lord, that they may lead people astray from Your way. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so they will not believe until they see the painful punishment." (Yunus: 88)
Servants of Allah,
The believer hopes for guidance for all of humanity and rejoices when disbelievers embrace Islam. At the same time, he struggles against disbelievers and hypocrites. When Allah’s punishment descends upon the criminals, he praises Allah for soothing the hearts of the believers through His justice.
قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَا إِلَّا إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْنِ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا فَتَرَبَّصُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ مُتَرَبِّصُونَ
"Say, 'Do you await for us except one of the two best things, while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed, we, along with you, are waiting.'" (At-Tawbah: 52)
O Allah, fight the disbelievers who hinder Your way, deny Your messengers, and harm Your allies. O Allah, divide their ranks, cast fear into their hearts, and send upon them Your punishment and wrath, O Lord of truth.
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor to the Muslims. Destroy the Zionist criminals. O Allah, send tranquility into the hearts of those striving in Your cause, save Your oppressed servants, and raise the banner of the religion with Your strength, O All-Powerful, Almighty.
O Allah, grant us safety in our lands, guide our leaders and those in authority over us, and place our leadership in those who fear You, follow Your commands, and seek Your pleasure.
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
