Al-Baqarah 78: There are some among them who are illiterate; they did not understand the book. They were only making presumptions and guesses coming from hearsay.

78. In the verse: Among them there were some people who could not read, among them, they do not know the Book, they only indulged in hearsay assumptions and wishes. These too. Some of the people among them could not read or write. As for some of the people who could read and write, because they turned their backs on Allah's commands, they deceive people who cannot read with the lies they invent about Allah. They say: Allah said so in His Book, and made them indulge in assumptions about Allah Almighty. These people who cannot read believe these hearsay lies. They made guesses about Allah Almighty.

So what does the verse say? Among them there were some people who could not read; they do not know the Book, they only indulged in hearsay assumptions and guesses. They take the words they say as the truth, and in that way, in guesses and assumptions, they make assumptions about Allah Almighty. So who does this? Those who distort the books with their hands.

With their actions of this kind, in the Hereafter they have no share at all. If we reflect and contemplate, these people lived in this world. Did they live? They lived.

Does our Lord Allah tell us all the events in their nakedness, as if now? He tells the events. From that time to this, perhaps thousands of years have passed. Thousands of years. Because it has been one thousand four hundred years since the Prophet (peace be upon him) came into the world until now. One thousand four hundred and thirty-one years.

In this case, before that the Gospel, before that the Psalms, before that the Torah, and these people lived in this world; the feelings of their lives, look, how beautifully Allah Almighty tells us those feelings, what a fine example He gives us. They came and went, we will come to those verses now, they came and went as a community, He says. That is, now it is your turn, let us see; you too are a community, you will come and go, He says.

So if they were a community and came and went, perhaps their bodies sank into that soil, and perhaps not even their dust remains in the soil, these people, if the memories of these people have reached us, our Lord, giving us such a fine example from them, holds a light before us with His verses. He says: find life. He says: be among the owners of the Hereafter, of that highest Paradise. Find peace, and be included among the masters of that world; how beautifully He gives us examples from them. But who will use his covenant? For a moment we say: all right, truly one must be a servant of Allah, we say, and we decide by ourselves.

We say: all right, from now on we will turn to worship. One day, two days, three days later you see that the person has turned back to his old state. What does this resemble? We always give that example. A very fine example. It resembles a summer rain. Summer rain. In summer, from the drought, the sun has cracked the soil here and there.

If, in 10 or 15 minutes, 50 or 60 kilograms of rain fell per square metre, it fell. In 10 or 15 minutes. Then, if the sky cleared again, pay attention: one centimetre below the soil (?) does not seep in. That fifty or sixty kilograms of rain that flowed in those fifteen minutes runs off as a flood between the cracks of the soil. When the sun comes out, the inside of the soil is hot again. And the sun is beating down from above. Two or three hours later you see that, as if no rain had fallen at all, the soil is cracked here and there again. The soil is hot again. So let us not fall into this state of summer rain.

If we gave our word to Allah, let us show faithfulness to our word. If we fear Allah, let us be servants to Allah. If we gave our word to Allah, let us show faithfulness to our word. That is, what is the faithfulness in our word? Where did we give our word to Allah? We recited the word of testimony. What did we say? Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. And ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh. Muhammad is His servant and messenger. So when you recite the word of testimony, prayer. You will do it. Fasting. You will keep that too. Because I gave my word to Allah.

Hajj. You will (?) that too. If there is money to go. Zakat, you will give that too if you have money. In this case. With the word you gave Allah: well, I gave my word, but all right, I am a Muslim, but well, my nafs is not willing to serve You. I am sorry too, but let me live my life. Now, is this right? I am asking now, is this right? It is not. This is something half-done. It is, it is, and Allah's mercy is upon you, and is this how you were going to express the duty of servanthood to Him? Yes, if you gave that word, you will show faithfulness to that word. Yes, in this case one must be conscious; look what a fine example Allah Almighty gives: among them there were those who could not read or write.

They made guesses and assumptions about Allah, He says.