Al-A'raf 183: I give them time, but My punishment is severe.

This is understood.

We have come to the 183rd verse.

I give them respite, respite. But My punishment is severe, it says. As we said a moment ago, that abundance comes, mercy comes, Allah gives, and the nafs is not satisfied. Yes, the nafs are not satisfied. He clings to that world more and more. And Allah Almighty gives him respite here. That person will prove himself, will prove what kind of person he is; in the end if it is crime upon crime, crime upon crime, the blessings Allah gave he does not see, but sees himself, his own existence. And if he also displays his kufr to those around him as an example, then Allah Almighty's giving him (?) — how severe it will be.

Like what? Like Qarun. He too — the keys to that treasure, it says, a strong, mighty group could barely carry, it says, of the people around him. Well, every week he would come out before his people and boast. And Allah Almighty, so that people would not envy that kufr of his, sank him into the depths of the earth. And those who envied him said: good thing we were not in his place.

I give them respite, but My punishment is severe, it says.

Every deed has a responsibility. Responsibility.

Do I not have a responsibility? I am explaining. If I told you things at random, or explained to you as Allah's verses according to my own mind, or saying Allah said so, slandered Allah Almighty, slandered the Messenger, would I not have a responsibility?

Everything has a responsibility.

Allah Almighty gives him property, gives, gives, gives, and he benefits from the blessings of that property — and does he not carry its responsibility on himself? Of course he does. Yes.

I give them respite, but My punishment is severe, it says. One of Allah Almighty's attributes is as-Sabur. Allah Almighty even tells His righteous servants too: you, recommend patience to people, patience. Through patience many hard paths are overcome; for people who take refuge in Allah Almighty's mercy, through that patience, Allah opens to them the doors of mercy. Every climb has a descent, it says. As it says, every descent also has a climb. Yes.

One of Allah Almighty's attributes is patience. Allah Almighty treats people on earth with His mercy. My mercy has surpassed My wrath, He declares.

On earth people, whether idolaters, non-Muslims, or Muslims, whatever they may be, benefit from Allah's attribute ar-Rahman. He says 'My mercy has surpassed My wrath', doesn't He, to everyone in the universe; He never discriminates among His servants in the universe. Never discriminates. He even says in a verse this: We divided even the earth among you with justice, He says. The earth. We divided it with justice. Well, Hodja, one is in deserts, arid, another in green, abundant lands. How is this justice? Do you know the treasures under that ground? There is need for that place. That treasure under that ground: a treasure of oil, a treasure of uranium.

Yes, what unknown treasures are still there?

Nothing just falls into your lap. Work. You will work. Yes.

Allah Almighty, within people's lifetimes, deals with all He created with justice. Since people were created deficient — when we say created deficient, it is not a missing hand, a crooked nose, a crooked mouth, an eye that squints. The mind is deficient. Otherwise, in terms of the body, a (?) world. A land of wonders in terms of the body. And 'wonder' falls short. We call what people make wonders.

Such a work of art. Magnificent. What people's minds still cannot grasp — the making of man is magnificent. These are separate. Created deficient in mind. Yes, because people are created deficient, they commit errors. Because they are created deficient in mind. They swim in the darkness of ignorance. Created so deficient in mind, and on top of that, by origin, among swindlers, among blasphemers, among gamblers and drinkers, let's say, he may have grown up among usurers who have declared war on Allah. Yes.

They swim in the darkness of ignorance. Again, Allah Almighty says in a verse: if, because of the mistakes you made, you were seized immediately, you would not find a single living being walking on earth, He says. So, there is a span of time He gives to people. They will prove themselves.

This situation shows that Allah Almighty gives people respite within their lives. He created deficient minds, but He does not call them to account immediately for what they did. Yes, He records the sin, but when one repents He forgives him. Because He had created him deficient, after all. Well, Hodja, why did He create him deficient? Had He not — had He not created him deficient, man too would have become a creator. Allah Almighty would have created (?) to His essence. That is why His creatures were created in need of Allah. Yes.

But if people, within this respite Allah gave, do not wake from sleep, swim in the darkness of obstinacy and shirk, adopt evil ways, turn their backs on Allah, under this appearance of mercy Allah's wrath will be very severe. That mercy, wrath — under mercy, under that mercy which is seen, His wrath too will be severe. May Allah Almighty, giving life to our dead hearts, grant us to see the truth and to complete our lives on the straight path, we said. Yes, may He give life to our hearts that are dead. Well, Hodja, if hearts are dead, isn't the person dead? Doesn't a person die by the (?) of the heart?

Look what Allah Almighty declares in His verse. Do not be with the dead.

Yes. Do not be with the dead, it says. These are the living dead. People whose hearts have had no joy and life.

Yes.