Describing the Evil Scholars...

In describing the evil scholar, Abu Bakr al-Aajurri said:

“He has become infatuated with love of this world, and with praise, honour and position with the people of this world. He uses knowledge as an adornment just as a beautiful woman adorns herself with jewelry for this world, but he does not adorn his knowledge with action upon it… So these characteristics and their like predominate in the heart of one who does not benefit from knowledge, so whilst he carries these attributes his soul will come to have love of status and position – so that he loves to sit with kings and the sons of this world. The he loves to share in their opulent lifestyle, sharing their lavish attire, their comfortable transport, servants, fine clothing, delicate bedding and delicious food. He will love that people throng to his door, that his saying is listened to, and that he is obeyed – and he can only attain the latter by becoming a judge (Qaadi) – so he seeks to become one. Then he is unable to attain it except at the expense of his Religion, so he debases himself to the rulers and their helpers, serving them himself and giving them his wealth as a tribute. He remains silent when he sees their evil actions after entering their palaces and homes. Then on top of this he may praise their evil actions and declare them good due to some false interpretation in order to raise his position with them. So when he has accustomed himself to doing this over a long period of time and falsehood has taken root in him – then they appoint him to the position of judge (Qaadi) and in so doing slaughter him without a knife. [Alluding to the saying of the Prophet (saws), “He who is appointed as a judge has been killed without a knife.” Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi who declared it Hasan. I say: Its isnaad is saheeh]

Morals of the Believers DO NOT change !!!

The morals of the believers are not supposed to come into play exclusively at times of ease and convenience. In fact, true morality self-manifests during the moments of hardship, adversity, and crisis. Some people may seem well-mannered with a polite attitude and bashful conduct as long as they are calm and the surrounding circumstances are convenient and favorable. However, when they are subjected to anger or experience hardship, unfortunate conditions, and the like of adverse circumstances, they turn into completely different people, far from the well-mannered people you knew! Sadly, a person (who was once well-mannered) would turn into a bad-tempered, fierce, verbally abusive, harsh, intimidating, and vulgar transgressor! We see this saddening transformation quite often, and the extent to which someone’s character can change is quite shocking. Is this how distant Islamic morality is from our hearts and souls, due to which it fails to change such qualities?

It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “A believer is neither a slanderer nor a curser, nor is he obscene or vulgar.” [Sahih At-Tirmithi] Ibn Battaal said that ‘obscene’ means the one who is verbally abusive and commits obscene actions. ‘Vulgar’ means foul-mouthed [An-Nihaayah]. How could a person turn into one who fits such a bad description denounced by the Prophet (saws) in a single moment because of a situation or a word or a dispute!

We used to think that foolish people are those who are poorly-educated, ill-mannered, and have these sinful (evil) qualities. However, we were shocked to find many people whom we thought to be educated fitting the description as well!

World before the Prophet (saws)...

When Allah sent His last and greatest Prophet, Muhammad (saws), humankind was immersed in a state of degeneration. The messages of the past Prophets had been distorted and ignored, civilization was on the decline and humanity had slumped into an age of darkness, with disbelief, oppression and corruption prevalent everywhere. The condition of the world at that time presented the gloomiest picture ever of human history.

At the time of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (saws) there existed two great powers on earth: one in the East and another in the West. In the East there was the Persian Empire, and in the West, the Roman Empire. As it might be expected, these two powers were actively hostile and almost permanently at war with one another. As a result, they were weak and disunited, though appearing to be otherwise. Despite their disunity and weakness, they made no serious effort to eradicate the causes of their instability. 

The Arabs were living under no better conditions. They were families and tribes comprising different attitudes and feelings; but they were all similar in one respect: they were slaves of habits and impulses. They used to take pride in invasion and plunder. Moreover, they were so low in their moral affairs that a number of them used to bury their daughters alive.

Religiously speaking, the Arabs of that era were mostly idol worshippers. Some of them used to make their own gods from sweets, and subsequently, they would eat them when they got hungry. They had replaced the monotheism of Ibraheem (as) with the worship of idols, stars and demons, turning the Ka'bah, which was built for the One and Only Creator, into a pantheon of idols. In addition, tribal rivalries and blood feuds ran among them like the burning desert sands of Arabia.

Be Pragmatic !

What is Pragmatism? It is defined as “the quality of dealing with a problem in a sensible way that suits the conditions that really exist, rather than following fixed theories, ideas or rules.”

Indeed, the above definition can be utilized for truth and falsehood, because if the words ‘sensible’, ‘ideas’ and ‘rules’ are not confined within the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws) then definitely whatever is pursued in their name will cause harm. Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “And even though there is something in the paths of analogical reasoning and reflection that will lead to knowledge, however sometimes it cannot give detail explanation in a dispute between the people of the earth due to the minute details and ambiguities (in that dispute), and at other times due to the fact the people differ when prioritizing necessities. Therefore, due to this Allah commanded (us) to return to the revelation in times of dispute. Allah said: "Mankind were one community (i.e. upon Tawheed and Allah’s Shari’ah) and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed." [2:213] Therefore, Allah designated the revealed Books (i.e. the Qur’an being the final of them) as the judge between the people in matters wherein they differ.” [Dar Ta’arud Al-Aql Wan-Naql]

If you say that the intellect is to be given precedence over the revelation, then which intellect should we follow? Are the intellects of the people combined in the intellect of one man or do they differ? There are intellects of the philosophers, the atheists, the heretics, the people of evil desires and those who confound truth with falsehood; and due to this one of the pious predecessors said, ‘Had the desires been one, it would have been considered to be the basis of truth’; therefore, we say, ‘Had the intellects been one, it would have been considered to be the basis of truth.’

Knowledge never comes without effort...

Knowledge never comes without effort, and some time off sleep or some time off rest time, and some time off the social media time. We mention this to show you what the author  means when he says i’lam. I’lam, he wants you to know. He wants you to know how to honor knowledge. Something important is coming, I am going to teach you. We are engaging in something important and that is what he is trying to tell you, sacrifice for what I am about to tell you. We mentioned examples that we could never be like, I know that. Why do we mention them? We mention those examples and if you be like five percent of that or possibly ten percent of that, you would be in good shape. Unlike if we mention our surroundings, those who waste their time in vain or possibly in sins. They can never get anywhere but if we mention these supreme examples and you are like five percent or you try to hit fifty percent like them, then you are good.

 

Look at an-Nawawi wrote volumes and volumes. What amazes me about this man is that he died when he was a few years older than I am today right now. He died when he was forty four years old. Do you know that he only started writing when he was in his thirties? People today just want to jump to the Khutbah and give Khutbahs. He started writing when he was in his thirties.

 

He wrote Sharh Muslim, Riyad as-Saliheen, al-Adhkar, al-Majmu’, Minhaj fīi al-Fiqh, at-Tibyan fi Adaab Hamalat al-Qur’an, a great book on the manners of those who carry the Qur’an, al-Idhah, Bustan al-‘Arifin, Minhaj at-Talibeen, Rawdhat at-Talibeen, Tahdhib al-Asma’ wal-Lughat, and at-Taqrib, it is a summary of the book of Ibn Salaah on the science of Hadith. He compiled Forty an-Nawawi Hadith. Who does not have that? Who does not say an-Nawawi tens of times a day? Every student of knowledge says that. He wrote Zawa’id ar-Rawdhah and it is a book on Usool al-Fiqh. He started the interpretation or elucidation of Sahih al-Bukhari but he was never able to finish it. It would have been a great, magnificent book like that of Ibn Hajr on Sahih Muslim.

 

Covid-19 in India was blamed on Muslims !

The outbreak of COVID-19 in India has presented yet another opportunity to launch a fresh attack on the Muslim community. Physical, verbal and psychological warfare is being waged against Muslims, pushing further their ostracisation in Indian society.

Violent attacks on Muslims perceived to be carriers of the virus have been reported from different parts of the country. There have been reports of meetings in gated communities discussing the prohibition on Muslims being allowed in. Elsewhere, gangs of youth have been manning the entry points of villages to prevent the entry of Muslims. Muslim vendors have also been asked to stop selling on the streets.

There has been a sudden surge in Islamophobic hashtags and posts on different social media platforms accusing Muslims of purposefully spreading the virus. A new term, "corona jihad", has been coined to describe this conspiracy. Videos showing Muslims spitting on vegetables and fruit, licking plates and smearing surfaces with their saliva are being circulated widely.

It all started when news spread that people who had attended a large gathering of Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim missionary movement, at its premises in New Delhi had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. People travelled from outside India to attend this event and it is suspected that they may have introduced the virus into the congregation.

The Shirk of Voting in Legislative Elections !

Q and A with Shaykh `Umar Ibn Maḥmūd Abū `Umar Regarding the Shirk of Voting in Legislative Elections!

The Shaykh said: “I say: In the first question, they say; “Our Noble Shaykh, to begin with, some of those who spread (the idea of) Parliamentarian elections, and that they are permissible, have come with a new doubt which they have relied upon. And this doubt is based upon a Ḥadīth, the Text of which is the following:

From Umm Salamah Bint Abī Umayyah Ibn al-Mughīrah, the wife of the Prophet (saws) she said, “When we arrived in the land of Al-Ḥabashah, we were given the protection of the best neighbour, An-Najāshī.” Until she said, “So by Allāh! We were upon that (peace and security) until a person came upon him, – meaning one who disputed him in his kingdom –.” She said, “So by Allāh! We did not know grief that was more severe than the grief that we grieved at that point out of fear that that one would defeat An-Najāshī, so a man come not acknowledging our rights as An-Najāshī would acknowledge them.” She said, “And An-Najāshī went ahead (to engage with him in a battle), while between them was the width of the Nile.” She said, “So the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (saws) said, ‘Who is a man who will go out and observe what takes place between the people, then come to us with the news?’” She said, “So Az-Zubayr Ibn Al-'Awwām said, ‘I will.’” She said, “And he was among the youngest of the people.” She said, “So they blew into a water skin for him, then he placed it upon his chest, then he swam on it until he arrived at the place in the Nile River where the meeting place of the people was, then he went until he witnessed them.” She said, “So, we made Du`ā’ to Allāh for An-Najāshī, to have dominance over his enemy, and consolidation for him in his country. And the matter of Al-Ḥabashah was sought to be made stable through him. So we were with him in the best of homes, until we came back to the Messenger of Allāh (saws) and he was in Makkah.”

The questioner says, “Aḥmad and Al-Bayhaqī narrated it, and this phrasing is that of Aḥmad, from the path of Ibn Isḥāq, who said, Az-Zuhrī narrated to us (Ḥaddathanā), from Abī Bakr Ibn Abdir-Raḥmān Ibn al-Ḥārith Ibn Hishām, from Umm Salamah.

So the method of using this as evidence according to them, is that they made Du'ā’ to Allāh to give An-Najāshī consolidation in the land, and he was a kāfir at that time, as they said. And if Du'ā’ is the highest levels of support, then whatever is less than it like voting, is included in it from a more deserving point. Then they said, if you forbid (participating in) the elections, then is it allowed for you to make Du'ā’ to Allāh to consolidate a seat in parliament for a man, instead of voting for him? So what is your opinion with in the way the evidence is used, and what is the correct stance which it is upon us to take towards those who are of the opinion of the permissibility of voting in the general legislative elections, Wa Jazākum Allāhu Khayr.”

I say, and with Allāh is the granting of success, as it is known, that the issue of elections is a newly invented issue, modern and it is from the new occurrences.

Companions of The Cave supplicated for...

"Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs? (Remember) when the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to the Cave, they said: “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!” Therefore, We covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them, to go in deep sleep) in the Cave for a number of years. Then We raised them up (from their sleep), that We might test which of the two parties was best at calculating the time period that they had tarried." [18: 9-12]

"Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs?" - Meaning: Their affair was not something amazing in relation to Allah’s All-Encompassing Power and Authority Over all affairs, for indeed the creation of the heavens and earth, the alternation of night and day, the subjugation of the sun, moon, the stars and the other mighty signs demonstrates Allah’s All-Encompassing Power. Allah is able to do whatever He wills and nothing (in the heavens or in the earth) escapes Him. Ibn Jurayj reported from Mujahid who stated about the meaning of the above Ayah: You are amazed by the story of the people of the cave! Indeed, there are among the signs of Allah that which is more amazing than that. [Al-Misbahul Muneer Fi Tahdbeeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer] Allah has not ceased showing His slaves signs in the universe and in their ownselves, by way of which truth is distinguished from falsehood, and guidance from misguidance. [Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fi Tafseer Kalaam al-Manaan]

"(Remember) when the young fled to the Cave" - Meaning: Intending to fortify and shield themselves from the Fitna of their people.

The Right to Life !

Allah honored man and created him with His own Hand and blew into him from His Spirit. Then, He made His angels prostrate to him and subjected to him all that is in the heavens and the earth – all from Him. Moreover, He made him a successor on earth and bestowed talents and blessings upon him so that he can dominate the earth. He preferred him over all beasts and animals. Man cannot fulfill his goals unless he takes his rights in full. At the forefront of these rights, which are guaranteed by Islam, is the right to life – an inviolable right.

Allah says: "And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden (to be killed) except by [legal] right." [6:151]. The right that permits the taking of souls was explained by the Prophet (saws) when he reportedly said: "It is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and the one who forsakes his religion and separates from the group." [Muslim]

Out of its great concern for the protection of life, Islam threatens those who deem it permissible to kill with the severest punishment. In the Quraan, Allah says: "But whoever kills a believer intentionally – his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment." [4:93]

Moreover, it is clearly indicated in authentic hadiths that killing a believer is one of the gravest sins. In a hadith via Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, the Prophet (saws) said: "If this world were to be destroyed, that would be less significant before Allah than the unlawful killing of a believer." [Ibn Majah] In another hadith on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, the Prophet (saws) said: "If the inhabitants of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth all took part in shedding the blood of a believer, then Allah would cast them (all) in the Fire." [At-Tirmithi] Also, Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "He who helps in (the spilling of) the blood of a Muslim, even with half a word, it will be written between his eyes on the Day of Judgment 'Desperate of the mercy of Allah'." [Al-Bayhaqi]

Modern time moderation in Deen !!!

One of the eminent characteristics of our religion is moderation. Allah says: "Thus We have made you )true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)), a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you." [2:143]. Justice is a main feature of Islam in all matters, and that is the meaning of "a just nation" in acts of worship and transactions. Accordingly, there will be no extravagance, extremism, deviation, and negligence as done by the people of the Scriptures. The Christians have exceeded the proper limits regarding Jesus and made him a son of god of what they attribute to Him, in addition to monasticism which they innovated even though they did not practice it properly. As for the Jews, they described Allah with the ugliest characteristics: they described him as poor and miser may Allah curse them and cast anger upon them. Both religions have participated in distorting the revealed Books: the Torah and the Bible according to their whims.

In these days, groups of people —who deviated the moderation of Islam and its application in reality— emerged, most of them are from the public. Their view is: a person may do whatever he likes even if that action contains disobedience to Allah. According to this view, there is no harm for a person to listen to songs, watch deniable acts in television, in addition to backbiting and tale bearing. A person should not spend all his time in obedience, worship, religiousness, moreover there are some groups criticize religiousness and integrity. It was reported in the old traditions that Sahl ibn `Abdullah At-Tastury said: Adhere to the old authentic traditions and the Sunnah for I fear a time will come when the Prophet (saws) will be mentioned and followed in all his conditions, they would dispraise, averted, freed themselves of him, degraded, and insulted him.

Lawful wealth in the hands of the righteous...

 

Some of the Ahadith of the Prophet (saws) are quite terse yet convey a multitude of meanings, and this is no surprise since they were produced by the one who was given the keys of eloquent speech and wise sayings. Some of his statements serve as fundamental principles, general rules, and just standards. On every given topic, there are Ahadith that are considered all-inclusive fundamental principles under the heading of which all the respective subtopics fall. Some of these terse Ahadith address the topic of wealth, establishing the correct Islamic viewpoint on wealth and setting fixed criteria for dealing with it and ways of disposing of it.

One of these is the following Hadith, which was narrated on the authority of ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas: “The Prophet (saws) sent for me, commanding me to pack my clothes and arms and go to him. I did what he asked and came to him while he was performing ablution. He looked at me from head to toe then said: ‘O ‘Amr, I want to send you in charge of an army so that Allah will bless you with spoils, and I will give you your lawful share of the spoils.’ I said: ‘I did not become Muslim in pursuit of wealth; I became Muslim out of the desire for embracing Islam so that I would be with the Messenger of Allah (saws)!’ He said: ‘O ‘Amr! How excellent lawful wealth is in the hands of a righteous person!’” [Ahmad and Al-Bukhari. Abu ‘Awaanah, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Al-Albaani: authentic]

According to its very wording, the Hadith clearly states that wealth is praiseworthy if it is lawfully gained and in the hands of a righteous person. The lawfulness of wealth means that it is pure and earned through lawful means, and the righteousness of the owner means that he uses his lawful wealth in what benefits him and his community. He fulfills the Rights of Allah with regard to his wealth by paying the obligatory Zakaah on it and may spend it in  charity voluntarily. This is a praiseworthy attitude towards wealth, as evidenced by his saying “How excellent lawful wealth is…” In the same vein, another Hadith lauded wealth when it is lawfully earned and rightfully spent. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed that the Prophet (saws) said: “This wealth is sweet (alluring); whoever earns it lawfully and spends it rightfully, then what excellent help it is!” [Al-Bukhari] In this case, wealth is an excellent means for a Muslim to fulfill the due rights over him, uphold the ties of kinship, relieve the distressed and spares himself from the humiliation of begging for money, as well as all the other benefits of wealth. The Shari‘ah texts that laud wealth and commend richness should be interpreted in this light.