Ustadz Nouman Ali Khan’s ‘Who Dares’ has as its premise verse 32 of Surah Al-Aaraaf i.e. Quran – 7: 32 Say, “Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?” Say, “They are for those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection. Thus do We detail the verses for a people who know.”
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ وَٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ مِنَ ٱلرِّزْقِۚ قُلْ هِىَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِۗ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ https://englishquran.app/surah/7#7:32
Now let us approach this ayah from the human perspective :- Animals care not for beauty. They care not if their nest or burrow is the best in the tree or field. They care not if their mate is the most beautiful cat of all the cats in the neighbourhood. But not humans. Allah created us to love beauty. We visit Niagara Falls to witness the splendour of plunging water; travel thousands of miles thorough biting cold simply to gaze upon the Northern Lights.
However this ayah is not referring to these things of beauty. Rather Allah is informing us that that which Allah made halal is in itself a manifestation of Allah’s Beauty. The fact that He gave us halal marriage, halal food, halal income are in themselves Allah’s Beauty and when we live in accordance with His halal then it beautifies our life. Thus Allah’s Beauty exists within that which has been made permissible for us.
Next, the verse goes on to say that these beauteous things are gifts from Allah for His servants that shall be made purely for them in Paradise. Allah is giving us a peek into what He will gift us in Jannah. And on Resurrection Day these gifts shall be ours without the trials endured in the dunya. Therefore when a believer stays inside the halal that act itself is an act of gratitude to Allah for which we shall be rewarded on Judgment Day.
Lastly, what is the lesson of this ayah? While your day may be quite full, it is important for you set aside that half hour with Muslim Central to follow this khutbah to its conclusion which will illuminate your understanding of the love your Creator has for you.
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