An-Nahl 113: Verily, a Prophet came, from amongst them and they denied him. When they oppressed him, destruction seized them.

Surah An-Nahl, verse 113. Indeed, to them came a prophet from among themselves, but they denied him. So the punishment seized them while they were doing wrong, it says. Yes. Here Allah Almighty, from the past peoples too, to their prophets — mentions the prophets He raised from among themselves. What does He say? Indeed, prophets came to them from among themselves. Now what does this support, this verse? Pay attention. What did we say? Allah Almighty is self-subsisting. He was an unknown treasure. He willed to be known. From His light, of Muhammad (peace be upon him) the light; then He gave him of His spirit.

From his spirit He first created the prophets, each separately. The prophets not from one another. Pay attention. He created all the prophets separately from the spirit of the Prophet. That is why the prophets say, we are the first of Islam. The first of Islam. If the prophets too had been created from one another's spirits, since one came before another, one could not say, I am the first of Islam. So, let's say, if this is the spirit of the Prophet, from it they are taken one by one. One by one. However many prophets Allah Almighty created, from the spirit of the Prophet He created them. Now, since He created the spirits of their peoples from the spirits of those prophets, what does it say here? Indeed, to them came a prophet from among themselves, it says.

So when it says from among themselves, that is, their prophet is in the position of father and elder of a people. In the position of father and elder. From among themselves. Yes, a prophet came, but they denied him. So the punishment seized them while they were doing wrong, it says. Their prophets, their prophets — while they were wronging them, Allah Almighty separated those prophets from among the wrongdoers and gave them the punishment they deserved. Allah Almighty — the past peoples' communities denying their prophets, and denying Allah, that there is no resurrection after death, associating partners with Allah, those seeking help from the idols they worshipped, those turning their backs on Allah's blessings, to these societies that did not thank Allah He sent prophets, made Himself known; despite this, these people continued in their misguidance, and those who overstepped the limits of the command Allah had sent — such societies and peoples Allah Almighty destroyed.

Like the people of Lot, well, like drowning Pharaoh in the Red Sea, like the flood He gave to Noah (peace be upon him), like destroying the people of Salih, (?) many more peoples, destroying them in this way, Allah Almighty punished those who overstepped the limits. But are there not those who overstep the limits in our time? There are. Allah Almighty sent the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a mercy to the worlds. A mercy to the worlds. What does this mean? Where there is mercy, there is no oppression. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) has tasted death; he is alive. Because he is alive, destructions have been lifted, and calamities given instead.

Allah Almighty says in His verse: We give them, it says, three or two calamities a year, it says. Today in the world, according to the news we get from the world, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, well, let me say, floods, disasters have run rampant. Everywhere there are calamities like this. In the world He gives them three or two calamities, it says. In this situation, people are still blind in their eyes, deaf in their ears, and if their hearts are sealed, of course there is no turning back for them. So why does Allah Almighty give calamities? Allah Almighty is free from (?) attributes.

Let people not say: if You had tested me, if You had given me, well, a calamity, I would have turned back — let them not say that, He says. Yes. Indeed, what does He say in His verse? Although We give them so many calamities, He says, they help one another. If only, it says, they had asked their Lord for help, it says. Yes.

Allah Almighty, reminding people of these things in this verse — these continued in their transgression, in their rebellion. Denying their prophets, not believing in Allah and the Hereafter, in their excesses those who were wrongdoers against their own selves — Allah's command, that is, the punishment, seized them. This is the punishment.