The Fundamentals of the Prohibited Deeds – Khutbah of Imam al-Sa’di

From a collection of more than 400 sermons of Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di:

خطبة في قوله تعالى : < قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ …> ـ

Khutbah on Allah’s statement, “Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed…'”

الحمد لله الذي أمر عباده بكل ما فيه خير لهم وصلاح ، ونهاهم عن جميع المضار والأعمال القباح . ـ

All praise belongs to Allah who commanded His slaves with everything in which there is good and rectitude for them, and prohibited them from all harms and despicable actions.

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له الكريم الفتّاح . ـ

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no partners, the Noble, the Giver of victory.

أشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله الذي نهى عن كل خبيث وأذن في كل طيب وأباح . ـ

And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger who prohibited every abhorrent thing and permitted every good and allowable thing.

اللهم صلّ وسلّم على محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أولي الرشد والتقى والنجاح . ـ

O Allah! Bestow Your peace and blessings upon Muhammad and upon his family and his companions, the preeminent ones in terms of guidance, reverence of Allah and ultimate salvation.

أمّا بعد : أيها الناس ؛ اتّقوا الله بترك مساخطه ومناهيه ، والقيام بفرائضه ومراضية ، فقد جمع لكم أصول ما حرّم عليكم في آية واحدة ، وهي قولة تعالى : < قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ‌ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِ‌كُوا بِاللَّـهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ> [الأعراف 33] . ـ

To proceed: O Mankind! Have taqwa of Allah by abandoning what angers Him and his prohibitions, and by enacting what He has obligated and what pleases Him. And He has gathered the fundamentals of what He has made forbidden for you in a single ayah, which is His statement,

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّ‌مَ رَ‌بِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ‌ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ‌ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِ‌كُوا بِاللَّـهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Say, “My Lord has only forbidden al-fawaahish – what is apparent of them and what is concealed – and al-ithm, and al-baghi, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.” [7:33]

فهذه الآية لم تُبق شيئا من المحرّمات إلا شملته ، ولا شرّا وضررا إلا حذّرته . ـ

So this ayah did not leave any of the the forbidden actions remaining without including them, nor any evil or harm without warning against them.

حرّم الله بها الفواحش وهي كبائر الذنوب وعظائمها ، ما ظهر منها : كقتل والزنا والربا والخمر والميسر وأكل مال اليتيم ، وما بطن منها : كالكبر والنفاق والحقد والغش للمسلمين ، وحرّم منها ما ظهر للناس وشاهدوه عيانا ، وما اختفى صاحبه به وأسرّه كتمانا . ـ

With this, Allah forbade al-fawaahish, which are the major sins and the most egregious of them. And [He forbade] what is apparent of them – such as murder, illegal sexual intercourse, usury, intoxicants, gambling, and consuming the wealth of the orphans. And [He forbade] what is concealed on them – such as pride, al-nifaaq, and hatred towards and cheating of the Muslims. He forbade what is apparent to the people and clearly seen of them, and what the perpetrator hides and conceals of them.

وحرّم الإثم وهو كل معصية تعلّقت بحق الله ، والبغي وهو الظلم والتجرِّي على عباد الله ، وحذّر فيها من الشرك وهو صرف شيئ من العبادات لغير الله ، <إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِ‌كْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ‌ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ‌> [المائدة 72] . ـ

And He forbade al-ithm, which is every act of disobedience connected to the rights of Allah. And [He forbade] al-baghi, which is oppression and transgression against the slaves of Allah. And in this ayah He warned against al-shirk, which is diverting anything of the acts of worship towards other than Allah.

إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِ‌كْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّ‌مَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ‌ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ‌

Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are no helpers for the wrongdoers. [5:72]

وحرّم القول عليه بغير علم في أسمائه وصفاته ، وفي شرعه ودينه وقدره . ـ

And He forbade speaking about Him without ‘ilm in regards to His Names and Attributes, and in regards to His Divine Legislation, His deen and His decree.

وهذه المحرّمات التي حذّر الله منها تهوي بصاحبها ألى أسفل الدركات ، لما فيها من الشر والضرر والفساد والهلكات ، فالفواحش تُحلِّل الأخلاق ، وتُوجب غضب الخلّاق ، ويُعجّل لصاحبها الفضيحة والخزي في الدنيا ، مع ما ادُّخر له من العقوبة في الأخرى . ـ

And these forbidden actions which Allah warned against cause their perpetrator to drop down to the lowest levels [of the Hell-Fire], due to what is in them of evil, harm, corruption and destruction. For al-fawaahish gradually dissolves one’s akhlaaq (good manners) and inevitably brings about the anger of the creation, and it hastens disgrace and shame in the dunya, along with the storing up of punishment for him in the hereafter.

والمعاصي والمآثم تُخرِّب الديار العامرة ، وتسلب النعم الباطنة والظاهرة . ـ

And disobedience and sins ruin the civilized places, and deprives one of both the inward and outwardly blessings.

والمشرك بالله قد خسر دينه وعقله ودنياه ، فإنه محرّمٌ عليه الجنة والنار مصيره ومأواه . خلقه ربه فعبد سواه ، ورزقه فشكر غيره واتّبع هواه ، وأنعم عليه بـصناف النعم فتمرّد عن طاعة مولاه . ـ

And the one who associates partners with Allah has lost his deen and his intellect and his dunya, for verily al-Jannah is forbidden for him and the Hell-Fire is his final destination and his residence. His Lord created him but then he worshiped someone other than Him, his Lord provided for him but then he showed gratitude to other than Him and followed his own desires, and his Lord blessed him with all variety of blessings but then he revolted against obedience to his Master?!

ومن تقوّل على الله بغير علم فقد تجرّأ على أمر فظيع ، ولم يخش من هو مُطّلعٌ عليه السميعٌ . ـ

And whoever fabricates lies about Allah without ‘ilm, then he risks a horrible affair, and he is not among those who are cognizant and aware.

فاعرفوا رحمكم الله حدود هذه المحرّمات ، واجتنبوها فإنها تفضي إلى الهلكات ، وتوبوا إلى ربكم من مقارفة الخطيئات ؛ فكل من تاب تاب الله عليه ، وكل من أقبل على ربه آواه وقرّبه إليه . ـ

So recognize – may Allah have mercy on you – the limits of these forbidden things, and avoid them for indeed they lead to destruction. And repent to your Lord for the commission of sins, for everyone who turns in repentance, Allah turns to him in forgiveness, and everyone who advances towards his Lord, Allah will receive him and draw him near to Himself.

فيا من عافاه الله منها هنيئا لك السعادة والفلاح ، ويا فوزك بالخيرات الكثيرة والأرباح .ـ

So O you whom Allah has protected from that – congratulations, happiness and joy for you, O you who have achieved abundant goodness and profit!

أجارني الله وإياكم من الفواحش والمآثم والعدوان ، وحفظنا من الشك والشرك والتجري والطغيان ، وغمرنا بالعافية والرحمة والإحسان فإنه الرب الكريم المنان . ـ

May Allah grant me and you safe haven from al-fawaahish, sins and aggression, and protect us from doubts, shirk, transgression and tyranny, and abundantly bestow well-being, mercy and goodness upon us, for verily He is the Noble and Gracious Lord.

[Majmoo’ al-Khutub al-Sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Naasir al-Sa’di pg. 438-440]

See also: Why Speaking about Allah without Knowledge is more serious than Shrik: Ibn ‘Uthaymeen

See also: Speaking About Allah Without Knowledge is the Foundation of All Shrik, Kufr, & Innovation: Ibn al-Qayyim

See also: Disputing about Allah without knowledge: Tafsir al-Shinqitee

See also: Six Categories of Wrong-Doings: Sheikh al-Raajihi

See also: Four Means of Attaining Allah’s Forgiveness: Imam al-Sa’di

See also: Avoid the sins which prevent forgiveness and the acceptance of du’a: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali