Al-Isra 16: When a nation deserves punishment (and continues on that path), We order (goodness to) the leaders who were boasting with their wealth. But they still commit evil there. Thus, the nation will deserve punishment and We destroy that place.

Surah Al-Isra, verse 16. Look now, Surah Al-Isra, verse 16. A verse that has been explained wrongly. We have corrected it here. Yes.

We are reading verse 16. Here. Let us read you the wrong one. When We wish to destroy a land, to that land's leaders, spoiled because of their wealth, We command good deeds. Despite this, they commit evil there. Thus that land deserves destruction. And We tear it to pieces. it says. What is here? Now where is the mistake here? Let me look once more. Listen.

"When We wish to destroy a land," it says. Here it makes it depend on Allah's whim. Even if it is good, He will now destroy that land.

Even if He sends it a scholar, they will surely understand it the wrong way, and He will destroy it anyway. Whereas in the verse: when a land deserves destruction, when it deserves destruction. "When We wish to destroy a land" is one thing, a land deserving destruction is another. I wonder whether you can grasp the subtleties here now? What does it mean for a land to deserve destruction?

Let's say a state, and those people go against all the laws of that state. What happens? They are punished, aren't they? Likewise Allah Almighty, with the laws He has sent: if they push Allah's limits, if they push them, then of course, before destroying that land, He first commands it to do good (amr bil-ma'ruf). But when it says "when We wish to destroy a land," our Lord, good or bad, whatever way it may be, will destroy that place anyway. The prophets He sent to it, or the people commanding good, will merely have been a so-called reason, and again Allah Almighty will have destroyed it. So the meaning is tangled. These parts are being corrected.

When a land deserves destruction, when it continues on that path, to that land's leaders, spoiled because of their wealth, We command good deeds. Despite this, they commit evil there. Thus that land deserves destruction. And We tear it to pieces, it says. Right. Well then, now, even though, more than those lands' peoples, people pushing Allah's limits and marrying their own sex, homosexuals, indecency, nudist camps have appeared, why are they not destroyed?

Can you tell?

Will you tell? Why are they not destroyed? Allah Almighty sent the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a mercy to the worlds. If He had not said about the Prophet (peace be upon him), "he is alive," if He had not said it, had He not said "he is alive," then because the Prophet (peace be upon him), who came as a mercy to the worlds, would not be alive, the same destructions would occur. The Prophet being alive and coming as a mercy to the worlds: the mercy removes destruction, and calamities come in its place. Calamities. Yes.

How beautifully Allah Almighty, with His language and its subtleties, opens up the verses to us and tells them.

Thus that land deserves destruction. And We tear it to pieces, it says.

The evil and unruliness in man's nafs yes The world's goods, matter and money, whip up man's nafs. They come to a state where they do not believe in Allah and the hereafter. Since man is inclined to the nafs and to unruliness, money spoils him. Egotism and pride come over the person. Since most people are respectful toward the rich and do what they say, these people of money and rank become even more spoiled, and act irresponsibly, as if unrestrained. After all, there is no one to call them to account. Since these people set a bad example to their (?), that is, to their people, their people too envy such people and, to live like them and imitate them, they try.

This people and its members have now overstepped the bounds in their unruliness. They have no (?) either. So Allah Almighty has the truth conveyed to the rulers of this town.

He has them called to the right path, invited to the right path. He has good commanded. But since these people have stopped their ears to the word of truth, it is impossible to explain Allah to them or make them hear of Him. Like what? Hatemallâhu alâ kulûbihim ve alâ sem'ihim ve alâ ebsârihim gışâvetün ve lehüm azâbün azîm. Their eyes are veiled from seeing the truth, their ears blocked from hearing the truth, and by this state of theirs they have caused Allah Almighty to seal their hearts. They no longer hear. They are blind. They look, yet they are blind. Yes. Allah Almighty did not create these worlds for people to do evil and for the evils of the people He created to harm Allah's decency and propriety, His order and harmony.

He laid down His laws for the beings He created and granted them life within the framework of these laws. Those who step outside this, who push Allah's limits, are those who do not believe in Allah and the hereafter. And they are the ones who meet Allah's wrath and perish.

So Allah Almighty commands the rulers and the leading rich of these towns to do good, through His prophets. But when they continue in evil where they are, then these people have asked for their own destruction themselves, and have opened their arms to Allah Almighty's punishment. In the face of this, Allah Almighty sends His command to that people. What is His command? The command of destruction. And He destroys that place, they say. That place is torn to pieces. So the era of this people, the era of a people, thus, on the face of the earth, (?) comes to a close. Like whom? Like the people of Salih.

Others? Like the people of Lot. Others? Like Pharaoh.

Then? Like the flood of Noah. Yes.

Allah Almighty, by thus offering examples to people, by leading every person through reason to reflection and thought, Allah, who wants people by their own will and reason to know their Lord, leaves people to their own responsibility. Yes. That (?) arena. Live as you wish. People (?) themselves irresponsible in this world. I am free. I do whatever I want, you do. Because He left your will to you. In the end, however free you may be, you are obliged to obey the laws of a state.

Outside that state's laws and its guards, you may do unlawful things.

That state's officials may not see you.

But according to the verse in which Allah Almighty says: even if you leave the earth and go to the remotest corner of the universe, or even, it says, if you hide among solid and perfect (?), We will still find you there, no one can step outside Allah's sight, and regarding what he has done, he can hide nothing from Allah. So if man, this man who seems irresponsible, could only know that he is under such a responsibility, could only know how great the yoke on his neck is, if he knew that with every step he takes and every time he speaks, with every breath he draws, his Lord sees him, would these people really behave this way?

Now I will tell you a verse. About the Prophet (peace be upon him).

"O," it says, "Prophet who lies wrapped in his garment."

Why? "Prophet who lies wrapped in his garment," it says. Because, it says, he is at every moment under His sight, and at every moment he knows that He observes and sees all this world, that He sees it. So out of decency and propriety he wraps himself in his garment and lies down. Out of decency and propriety. So arise, worship during part of the night. Before a part of it, or after a part of it. So in that case this verse of Allah Almighty says this: Those who know Me most fear Me most. Me, it says, those who know Me most love most, it says. Yes. Therefore, if man only knew that he truly is under a great yoke in this world, he could never do evil.