Why They Ran When Punishment Came

Towns which were upon disbelief and oppression were destroyed by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. After which we brought up another town in their stead, in their place. This verse here articulates to us the majority of those who were sent messengers by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. When we see that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran speaks about destroying an entire village This is a people whom a messenger was sent to and Allah destroyed them for their transgressions. an entire people the entirety of a city's citizenry was destroyed by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. This will be as a result of their disbelief. As a result of their rejection of their messengers. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has sent to every people a messenger. To every people a messenger. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has promised that none will be punished by Allah. Until a is received by them. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says We would never punish anyone until we send a messenger to them. Doesn't mean that every single person receives a messenger from Allah. Rather it means every people will receive a messenger and all of the people that enter the hellfire will receive the message. Clearly. Those who die prior to receiving this message will receive it in the hereafter. They will receive it an environment of acceptance or rejecting, rejection. and whatever truth they follow during their lives that they were aware of. Just because a person or a people have not believed in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the correct way, in a pristine way, doesn't mean that they don't have any part or element of the truth with them. people in general know that. stealing is wrong. Murder is wrong, you know, oppression, lying, etcetera. That these things are wrong. In all religions, in all faiths, in all beliefs. and so when a person knows that these things are wrong, or by remnants of the messages of the messengers who have come before them and they reject this wrong, that counts against them. that is counted against them. because a person is rejecting an element of the truth However, in order for this decision to be made completely clear, a person must receive the message of the prophets and messengers. and if a person rejects that message, then and they reject that message when it was presented clearly to them and it has punctured the emotional barrier that they have around them as the message of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala does. So eloquently, when that rejection takes place, this is when a person becomes eligible for the anger law and the punishment of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us that not only did he destroy these people but he brought up a people to replace them. and this articulates to us how meaningless our lives are and how meaningless we are to Allah if we do not fulfill what we have been commanded by We have no meaning. Without the commands of Allah, the prohibitions of Allah. And we have no stature with Allah. If we do not fulfill his commandments. Rather our worth and our value is gauged by our obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And authored by Imam Al Bukhari. Al Imam collected a narration on the authority of Abdullah that the prophet said.

[Silence]

Placed in one side of a scale and in the opposite side, would outweigh them all. What does this mean? This means that the heavens and the earth and all that is in between they get their value from Allah. Without we have no value with Allah. And with we may reach our full potential of value with Allah. So Allah tells us that he destroyed them and he brought up a people to take their place as if they never existed. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala Grant us physician and stature with him he says that when he destroyed these people He says, and when they had a, when they began to feel our punishment, suddenly, they began to run. What does this mean? Suddenly, they began to run. Meaning, running from the punishment of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. physically and figuratively physically running from the punishment of Allah and figuratively. Running from the punishment of Allah in the form of repentance. But repentance at this point is too little, too late. Everybody repents when they feel pain. Everyone That's not unique What's unique is a person who repents when they feel pleasure. Repent in times of ease. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says as a kind of mockery of these people and their state of being That's when they feel they need Allah, they turn to him in repentance but when they are under the illusion and misdirection, of the material world, that they are independent and don't need Allah, they forget him and worship other than he. He says, do not run. And return to your luxuries. That you were in. And your homes so that you may go back to being asked. Asked here means that they were of high stature in the public eye. And people would come to them with their issues. We need this. We need that. Whether they're being asked for money or this is this gives a person a feeling of power. human beings naturally power and comfort and they tend towards these things. They don't only want to feel comfortable but they want to see others feel in need of them. and less comfortable than themselves It makes them feel good that they're being asked for money and help. They don't want people to have what they have. They want to be in a position to be asked and they won't give unless they're asked. Even if they know someone is in need. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala here is saying Now, you are fleeing from your homes. Don't flee. Come back. Go back to your homes. Return to your luxurious homes and the luxuries you were in. Those luxuries that led you astray, led you to believe that you were not in need of Allah. Why are you running from them now? They are not intrinsically valuable because when punishment takes place in them, you run from them. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says that they are pleased revolve around Woe to us, indeed we were in clear air, and we were indeed misguided, and wrong, and oppressive. This is what everyone says when punishment comes, when death comes, nobody is different in this sense. The idea is not to believe when you are dying. Everybody believes when he's dying, everyone. How can you not believe in that situation? Everyone believes when they're in pain, everyone believes when they're in discomfort, everyone calls to Allah when they're thirsty. But it is those who call to Allah and repent to Allah when they are well and healthy and alive and satisfied. Those are the people Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has chosen for paradise. Because They have essentially said with their actions, our worship of Allah and our gratitude to Allah essentially exists in a timeless place. In a vacuum. Whether we are comfortable or uncomfortable, whether we are hungry or satisfied, we will always thank Allah just the same. These are the people Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has chosen for paradise. May Allah make us of those.