▶ 0:00

Host: Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim. Questions can be asked from all over the world to Ghamidi Sahib. This is the beginning of this series. Please be attentive when your turn comes, ask your question concisely, clearly, and loudly so the voice can reach. Let’s start. Asif Sahib (US), please unmute.

▶ 0:39

Asif: Assalamu alaikum.

Ghamidi: Wa alaikum assalam.

Asif: My question refers to verse 89 of Surah Yunus, where Allah says to Musa and Haroon regarding their people: “Qāla qad ujībat daʿwatukumā fa-staqīmā wa-lā tattabiʿānni sabīla alladhīna lā yaʿlamūn” (Your prayer has been answered, so remain steadfast and do not follow the path of those who do not know). We hear from you that the addressees of the messengers who deny the truth do so knowingly. Here the discussion is with the direct addressees of Prophet Musa, yet the words are “those who do not know.” This seems contradictory to me. Please explain.

Ghamidi: This has been said at many places in the Quran. As a result of the arguments presented to the people of the prophets, a stage comes when they knowingly deny out of stubbornness and enmity. It is not that the moment the prophet arrives and invites them, everything becomes clear instantly. It takes time. Attention is drawn through words, verses are revealed, and they also witness Allah’s signs. These are different stages.

In the earlier stage it may be said that these people lack knowledge or have fallen prey to heedlessness and have not paid attention. If everything were already fully clear from the first moment, there would be no need for the continuous reminders the Quran gives across its 114 surahs. There comes a time after which only stubbornness, obstinacy, and arrogance remain. After that, Allah announces His decision.

▶ 3:28

Wasim Zia: Assalamu alaikum.

Ghamidi: Wa alaikum assalam.

Wasim: My question is about the list of Sunnah and Uswah Hasanah. I have heard your lectures on Meezan and read the book. A common Muslim regards the Messenger of Allah as his ideal and follows his actions. Does that ordinary person need to distinguish whether what he is doing is Sunnah or part of the beautiful example (Uswah Hasanah)? If he leaves something from the Uswah, does he feel the same deficiency as if he left a Sunnah? I may not have understood it properly from Meezan.

Ghamidi: Look again at the list of Sunnah in my book Meezan. The first things are the acts of worship, and these are obligatory on everyone. Whoever abandons an obligatory worship is sinful, just as committing a forbidden act is a major sin.

After that come matters whose status is that of divine commands. Acting against them is also sinful (major or minor depending on the case). Everything in the Sunnah is described in this capacity.

The Uswah (beautiful example) is placed before us. If we follow it we attain nearness and receive Allah’s blessings and grace. But if a person limits himself only to the obligatory duties (fara’id) or the clear rules, he is still guaranteed Paradise, provided he has not committed major sins. That is the big difference between what is obligatory and what is recommended or exemplary. Keep this soft distinction in mind.

▶ 5:39

Usman Shaukat: Assalamu alaikum, Ustad Mohtaram.

Ghamidi: Wa alaikum assalam.

Usman: In Surah An-Nisa and Surah An-Nahl Allah orders that witnesses be brought for every ummah. If the descent of Jesus is near the Day of Judgment, then the testimony of Jesus (along with the Prophet ﷺ) should also be there over the Ummah of Muhammad, since his descent is close to the end times.

Ghamidi: My view on this is already known. I do not accept the kind of physical descent that people generally believe in. I have discussed this in detail in Meezan and in the Aitraaz series (now also available as a book). Please read it. This question does not arise for me. The last prophet of Allah has delivered his message. We have the Quran, which is Allah’s argument. On the basis of this we have to answer to Allah.

Usman: I have a small request. In your book on the descent of the Messiah, regarding verses 115–117 of Surah Al-Ma’idah, I feel the Hadith from Sahih Bukhari (4625) that comes in its commentary is missing. Its wording is similar and fully supports your view. It should be included.

Ghamidi: I will definitely look into it. Thank you for drawing attention to it.

▶ 7:31

Ubaid Nadvi: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.

Ghamidi: Wa alaikum assalam.

Ubaid: Recently there was a conversation between Hassan Bhai and Maulana Akram Nadvi. Maulana Akram’s view is that intellect is insufficient to prove or deny God’s existence; the proof of God’s existence lies in human nature (fitrah). Is it possible to understand fitrah without intellect? What is your opinion?

Ghamidi: My view is available in written and printed form. Please read the relevant section in my book Maqamat under “Faith in God.” I have also included it in one of the discussions of Meezan, and it is part of the pamphlet Da’wat-e-Haq that is being published. Listen carefully to how I explain it, and also listen to how other people of knowledge express their views. Ask questions and try to understand their perspective as well.

I have said that we observe creation, and because of the credibility of our observation we are compelled to accept a Creator. This is where reason leads us. Who is that Creator? The Prophet tells us. How do we recognize the prophets? The Quran has put forward three clear criteria, and intellect decides in their light. When we accept the Prophet, we receive knowledge of God through him.

Regarding fitrah: the things inherent in nature do not emerge on their own. Only when intellect demands them, or when rejection challenges them, does nature give the sign of its acceptance. I have explained this in Meezan and at the end of that article.

The correct order, in my view, is: reason leads us to the Creator; who the Creator is, is known through the Prophet; how to recognize the Prophet is given by clear intellectual standards in the Quran; once convinced, the Prophet’s words become decisive; through them we recognize God; then human nature gives the certificate of acceptance. That is the sequence.

Follow-up: A related objection is that the case of religion starts from the foundation that man is a creature. People ask: we did not complain about our birth, so how does this claim become a reality?

Ghamidi: If people spent even half the time they spend raising objections in listening to someone’s full statement, these questions would not arise. I did not describe my personal creation; I described the creation of man, the entire act of creation and all its scenes that we observe every day, from the birth of a child onward. These are observable everywhere.

▶ 11:51

Saqib Khan: Assalamu alaikum, Ustad.

Ghamidi: Wa alaikum assalam.

Saqib: Once while discussing Hadith you said that if the complete Arabic text of a narration is read it becomes very clear. However, if somewhere in the narration the Prophet ﷺ has stated a sentence of his own, both the original wording and its translation should be presented. When the entire tradition is being narrated in relation to the Prophet, what is the purpose of a separate sentence of the Prophet appearing in it, and what is the process of identifying it?

Ghamidi: I do not recall the exact context now, but the point is that when we read the narrations, a companion often says “I was present, I saw such-and-such, this incident occurred, the Companion asked this, and in response the Prophet said…” The process of identifying the Prophet’s own words involves looking at the full Arabic text, the context of the report, and distinguishing the narrator’s description from the actual quoted speech of the Prophet.