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A Single Wolf Causes Great Harm to a Flock, Then What about Two Hungry Wolves?!- However, the One Who Craves For Wealth Or Status in the Deen Is More Harmful Than Those Two Hungry Wolves

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

The Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep are not more harmful than a person’s craving after wealth and status in his Deen.”

Two hungry wolves let loose on a flock! Then what will remain from the flock?! Even when a single wolf stops eating because its stomach is full, it still kills the rest of the flock; then what about two hungry wolves let loose on a flock!! Not a single (sheep) will remain.

Likewise, a person who craves for wealth or status will corrupt the religion. And because of this it is obligated on a person that his intention is far removed from this- far removed from craving for wealth and status in the religion. We ask Allaah to aid us to accomplish this.

There are many people who do not give concern except to wealth or status, so that they are pointed at (i.e. recognised). This destroys the religion because one’s soul inclines towards wealth and status and as a result of this a person forgets what is more important – the affair of the religion (i.e. sincerity etc).


[Source: At-Taleeq Alaa Siyaasah Shar’iyyah’ by Shaikh Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah). Page 454-455. Abridged & paraphrased]

 

[Fir’awn]- An Oppressive Disbeliever Who Gave No Importance to the Affairs of a Particular Group of People in His Society

Allaah (The Most High) said:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them, killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidun (i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.). [Soorah Al-Qasas Ayah 4]

[إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ  – Verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land]; (exalted himself)] in his kingdom, authority, army and might.

[وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا – and made its people sects]; – (divided them into) different groups, behaved towards them in a way that suited his desires and executed his dominance and strength amongst them based on what he wished.

[يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ – weakening (oppressing) a group among them]; that group was Bani Israa’eel whom Allaah preferred above mankind during their era – who were worthy of being honoured and elevated, however he oppressed them. He neither cared about them nor gave importance to their affairs, to the extent that he [يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ  – killing their sons, and letting their females live]- out of fearing that they will become many, plentiful in his land and have kingship.

[إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ – Verily, he was of the Mufsidun]- those who neither intend rectification in the affairs of the religion nor in the worldly affairs, and this was his corruption in the earth.

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[Abridged & slightly paraphrased.. source: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan’ by Imaam Sadi (rahimahullaah). Publisher: Daar Ibn Hazm 1st Ed 1424AH (Year 2003)]

[1] The Khawaarij and Takfeer- ISIS and others

Shaikh Muhammad Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him) said in his book titled ‘Al-Muhkam Wal Mutashaabih Fit Takfeer Wal Jihaad’ page 47:

It is Haraam to make takfeer of a Muslim without a Mukaffirah [i.e. a deed of major disbelief he (or she) has committed] or without establishing the proofs. [1]

Full information here: http://salaficentre.com/2015/06/unravelling-doubts-of-the-takfeeris-rebuttal-of-the-aqeedah-of-isis-and-their-supporters-1/

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[1] See here: The Principles of Takfeer

http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=MNJ&subsecID=MNJ09&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm

[2] Imaam Ash-Shafi’ee (rahimahullaah)

Imaam Shafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:

”The hour will not be established (i.e. the Day of Judgement) until knowledge becomes ignorance  and ignorance becomes knowledge”

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[Source: Quoted by Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bukhaari in Maqaalaat Ash-Shar-iyyah

page: 23; and the original source is in Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaybah 15/176]

[2] A Description of the One Who Abandoned Knowledge of the Book and Preferred the Dunya over the Aakhirah

Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullaah) said:

A dog’s heart is disconnected (i.e. inattentive) and it is (as if) it does not have a heart. It lolls it’s tongue out whether driven away or left alone. This is similar to the one who abandoned guidance; for it is (as if) he does not have a heart (to make him attentive); rather his heart is disconnected. The intent behind Ibn Jurayj’s statement that the dog’s heart is disconnected (i.e. inattentive) is that it does not possess (that type of) heart to enable it to exercise patience and abandon lolling its tongue out. This is also the case regarding the one who abandons the Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc) of Allaah. He is not left with a heart that will enable him to exercise patience with the worldly (goods) and to abandon exerting himself for them. So this person exerts himself for the sake of the worldly (goods) due to the little patience he possesses and the dog lolls its tongue out due to the little patience it possesses when in need of water.

A dog is among those animals with the least patience when thirsty and in need of water. It eats the moist earth out of thirst, even though it does have some patience when in need of food. Nevertheless, among all animals it lolls its tongue out the most, whether it is standing, sitting, moving or not moving. The intense desire inside it necessitates that it will always loll it’s tongue. Likewise, this is the affair of that person likened to the dog; the extreme eagerness and burning desire in his heart necessitates that he will always exert himself (for the worldly goods at the expense of the Aakhirah). He still exerts himself whether he is admonished and advised, and he still exerts himself when not admonished.

Mujaahid (rahimahullaah) said:

This is similar to the one given knowledge of the Book, but he does not act upon it. Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu-anhumaa) said: If you direct him towards wisdom, he does not carry it, and if you leave him alone he is not guided towards good, just like the dog that lolls it’s tongue out whether it is taking a rest or driven away.

Al-Hasan (rahimahullaah) said:

It is the Munaafiq. He does not remain firm upon the truth whether he is called or left alone; whether he is admonished or not admonished, just like the dog that lolls its tongue out whether driven away or left alone.

So Allaah (The Most High) gave an example of the one who abandoned His Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc), saying: He is misguided whether you admonish him or leave him alone, just like the dog that lolls its tongue out whether driven away or left alone. This Ayah (i.e. A’raaf 176) is similar to the saying of Allaah (The Most High):

[وَإِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَا يَتَّبِعُوڪُمۡ‌ۚ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَدَعَوۡتُمُوهُمۡ أَمۡ أَنتُمۡ صَـٰمِتُونَ  ] ”And if you call them to guidance, they follow you not. It is the same for you whether you call them or you keep silent.” [7:193]

To be continued In-Shaa-Allaah

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[Source: بدائع التفسير الجامع لما فسَّره الإمام ابن القيم الجوزية Abridged and slightly paraphrased. Vol 1. Page: 426-427]

[1] A Description of the One Who Abandoned Knowledge of the Book and Preferred the Dunya over the Aakhirah [Summarized Benefits from Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah)]

Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَأَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَٱنسَلَخَ مِنۡهَا فَأَتۡبَعَهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ

”And recite (O Muhammad) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw them away, so Shaitan (Satan) followed him up, and he became of those who went astray.” [7:175]

 وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَـٰهُ بِہَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُ ۥۤ أَخۡلَدَ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَٮٰهُ‌ۚ فَمَثَلُهُ ۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡڪَلۡبِ إِن تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡهِ يَلۡهَثۡ أَوۡ تَتۡرُڪۡهُ يَلۡهَث‌ۚ ذَّٲلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا‌ۚ فَٱقۡصُصِ ٱلۡقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

”And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect.’’ [7:176]

Allaah likens him—[the one whom He gave knowledge of the Book and taught him knowledge which was not given to others, but he abandoned it; followed his desires and preferred the Anger of Allaah over the Pleasure of Allaah; preferred the worldly life over the afterlife and preferred the created beings over the Creator]—to a dog, which is considered to be from the meanest of animals; the lowest in status and the meanest in inclination.

Its desire does not exceed beyond its stomach (i.e. its desire for food). It is considered to among the greediest (of animals) and most eager (for food). And due to its eagerness (for food), it does not go about except that it places its nose on the ground, whilst sniffing and roaming about greedily and eagerly. It does not cease smelling its anus besides all its other body parts. If a stone is thrown at it, it returns to bite it due to extreme greed. When it takes possession of a dead animal enough for a hundred dogs, it would not allow another dog to eat anything from it, except whilst growling and seeking to gain the upper hand due to eagerness, greed and covetousness.

                In this parable about the one likened to a dog that constantly lolls its tongue out—[the one who gave precedence to this worldly life and its quick fading enjoyment over the afterlife despite his abundant knowledge of the Book]—there is a marvellous underlying reason. And that is because this person whom Allaah mentioned as one who abandoned the verses of Allaah and followed his desires, he (only) did so out of severe eagerness for the worldly life and due his heart being separated from Allaah and the afterlife. He is extremely eager for it and his eagerness is similar to the constant eagerness of a dog whether it is troubled or left alone.

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[Source: بدائع التفسير الجامع لما فسَّره الإمام ابن القيم الجوزية Abridged and slightly paraphrased. Vol 1. Page: 426]

Patience at the time of calamities

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shaykh Fawzaan was asked how to be firm with calamities and how to be pleased with the predestination and decree of Allah in light of the prophetic guidance, the Shaykh – may Allah preserve him – answered:

Obligatory upon the Muslim at the befalling of calamities is patience and seeking the reward from Allah and supplication, due to HIS statement – The Most High – {give glad tidings to the patient ones. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”} (1) And also obligatory is restricting the tongue from complaining, wailing and moaning from what has come to pass of predestination and decree. So it is upon the Muslim to be patient and that he says: “Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.O Allah take me out of my plight and bring to me after it something better.” (2) This is what has been reported for the one stricken with calamity to say at the occurrence of the calamity. (1) Al-Baqarah Verses 155-156 (2) Muslim 2/632 http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/15176