ONLY GOOD DEEDS CAN GIVE US GREAT LIFE 1

By
Shaikh Jalilu Issa

002: 047-048

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

Transliteration

[002.047. Ya banee isra-eela othkuroo niAAmatiya allatee anAAamtu AAalaykum

waannee faddaltukum AAala alAAalameena
002.048. Waittaqoo yawman la tajzee nafsun AAan nafsin shay-an wala yuqbalu minha
shafaAAatun wala yu/khathu minha AAadlun wala hum yunsaroona]

Translation

[002: 047 Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon
you, and that I preferred you to all other (for My Message).
002: 048. Then guard yourselves against a day when one soul shall not avail another nor
shall intercession be accepted for her, nor shall compensation be taken from her, nor shall
anyone be helped (from outside).
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Shaikh Jalilu Issa

In these verses Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is talking to the Israelites. Allah is addressing

them saying ‘Oh the children of Israel, recall my favors of saving you and I preferred you
to all nations. Here in these verses Allah is actually telling and reminding them how
much blessings were showered on them. In point of fact their lineage came from a noble
prophet according to the divine design of Almighty Allah. This was a first blessing of
Allah on them. And secondly Allah had sent a prophet to them to guide and let them
know that what was the life pattern of Allah where they is always a guarantee for the
blissful and successful life. And other blessing was this that they were rescued from the
raptorial talons of Pharaoh when they had no way to cross the river Nile. On the contrary
their enemies before their own eyes drowned in the floodwaters of river Nile. The circle
of their life in the reign of Pharaoh was tightened on them and they used to be punished
by the people of Pharaoh. They had no freedom of speech. They had no freedom of
preach. They had nothing until Allah sent Prophet Moses to them to teach and guide and
ultimately he also saved them from Pharaoh. And Allah told them they were preferred to
other nations. It was also a greatest possible blessing on them. The Israelites used to be
considered the best and beloved nation in the sight of Allah. So Allah Subhana-Wa-
Ta’aala is reminding them their past.
Jews’ problem is this that they regard themselves to be the best nations of the
world. Yes! They were use to be by that time. Allah tells us that there are some nations
that they are really good. For example the nation of the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam). The holy Quran says to the Muslims

you are the best nation that Allah

Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala has brought for the humanity. Now this time no nation is better
than the Muhammad’s nation. There used to be good and preferable nations but their
time and period was fixed and is now over. The Israelites were the best but in their time
only. But unfortunately they are still thinking that they are the best nation. They are
under the impression that they still deserve to be served. And they thing that Allah has
created them to be served. Because they have got the history with them. But they are
forgetting that now the picture is totally clear. They should think about the holy Quran
and they should act upon it then they would be regarded as the nation of Muhammad.
According to the Allah’s teachings they have to attain the Iman and Taqwa. The same
Iman and Taqwa what the holy Ahlul Bayt and holy twelve Imams had with them. So
one should achieve Taqwa (God-consciousness). In a practical sense, the term
incorporates the notions of seeking those things which
lead to God’s pleasure and love, while avoiding those things which may lead to His
displeasure. This consciousness and fear of Allah is understood as a protection and a
shield against wrongdoing. The abstention of evil through this fear, consciousness and
establishing a cautious awareness of Allah ultimately develops one’s love of Him. All
the prophets, Ahlul Bayt, all twelve Imams and after them all pious people acquired
Taqwa.
There is custom and rule os Allah that one who leaves and forgets the alssirata
almustaqeema does not deserve to have the blessings and shafa’a (intercession) of Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. And on it there is no compromise with Allah. So if Allah told the
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Shaikh Jalilu Issa

Israelites that they were selected to be the preferred nation to others, it did not mean they
would be forever. No. For the stipulated time period they were beloved to Allah. But
the rule and divine custom is this they one should remain on alssirata almustaqeema.
They left and forgot this way, Allah also left and forgot them in the same way. Allah had
a planning to let them inherit the earth. But they failed the exam of Allah. But after them
a new nation got the privileges of Allah on merits of the holy Quran and that nation is the
Muhammad’s nation. The Muslims. No nation of the world can claim that it will remain
in power till the last day of this universe. No. Those nations will survive who will foster
themselves with the manna of the holy Quran. Because the teachings of the holy Quran
and the practical demonstrations done in the practical life exhibited by Ahlul Bayt and
twelve holy Imams proved that the Quranic intellect is the elixir for them. This elixir will
keep them live in this world and in hereafter. Because no nation is forever be it the
nation of Muhammad. Only the Quranic teachings are forever and the people who will
follow its salat and zakat system they will not perish.
And after that in second verse

(Waittaqoo yawman la tajzee nafsun AAan nafsin shay-an wala yuqbalu minha
shafaAAatun wala yu/khathu minha AAadlun wala hum yunsaroona) mentioned above
Allah is trying to clarify some dreams of the Jews. They had a dream to lead the life for a
long time. And their dream was because their fathers were the noble prophets so on the
Day of Judgment there would be nothing to ask them about their deeds. And they used to
think that the way to paradise for them is always open to enter the heavens. They were
under the impression that they would be given the right and privilege of intercession
(shafa'a) on behalf of their prophet fathers. But the holy Quran proved them wrong. The
holy Quran told that on the Day of Judgment each and every soul would be responsible
for their maneuvers and actions and deeds. The holy Quran has discussed the same
phenomenon in different verses. So the Israelites had developed the thought they would
not be accountable for what they did in this world. But as we have seen that the holy
Quran vehemently rejects their false notion. That every human being would be
responsible for his deeds.
So we should not forget that Taqwa is the main thing which every Muslim has to
obtain. In this world there are so many ways to go on wrong path. We should avoid
them with open eyes in which there should be light of Iman and Quran. Shatitan says he
has two things to put a man on wrong path; he has money and women. That’s why there

is one hadith each nation Allah has sent them with special things. When it
was asked to the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam), he replied money.
You can see that for getting the money a man becomes ready to kill others. For money a
man can do all crimes and sins. Allah says you have
love for money so much.
So dear moumins the same money can be a source to enter the paradise and the
same money may become a bane and may send you to the hell. So if somebody spends
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Shaikh Jalilu Issa

the money for the sake of Allah, he will be having comforts of the life. And the money
earned through the haram way and harm sources, on the Day of Judgment such man
would be standing in the queue of hellish people. Their destination will be the hell.
When you have the money it becomes a great responsibility to expend and spend. There
is severe punishment for the type of this income. It is proved from the holy Quran and
holy hadith. Now it depends on us what way to select. The money acquired through ill-
gotten sources may become a source to buy the fires of Jhanam. So we should be careful.
Your every faculty will be audited on the Day of Judgment. Our intellect, our money,
and our deeds etc. And we have to keep all these things in the matrix of the holy Quran.
Otherwise our every effort will go in vain. So our children, our friends, our parents
whatever we may get in this world will not be in a position to do shafa’a (intercession)
for us until we become with pure heart on the Day of Judgment. Only our good deeds
may save us.
We can not think the measures of Allah regarding the justice given to us. But we
can understand that what we should do to get the paradise. We have been given clear
light of the holy Quran. On the Day of Judgment we should have only one relation with
us that is Taqwa.
But there is one thing very important from this verse the scholars and the people
from other school of thought they say that there is no concept of shafa’a (intercession).
But we the followers of Ahlul Bayt are convinced of the view that there is very open
concept of intercession (shafa'a). And we do have firm belief in it. We have sound proof
in the holy Quran which allows and permits for the intercession (shafa'a). The holy
Quran discusses another angle of shafa’a (intercession).

Further will be discussed in next lecture Inshallah!