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Author: Masjid Al Furqan

If You Concentrate On Your Own Rectification, Whilst Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil To The Best of Your Ability, You Will Not Be Harmed By Those Who Are Astray

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the right guidance no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do. [5:105]

Allaah [The Most High] said:[  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ – O you who believe! Take care of your own selves]-Meaning: Strive to rectify and perfect your own souls, and keep them firm upon the straight path. That is because if you are righteous, you will not be harmed by the one deviated from the straight path; rather he only harms himself [or herself].  [However], this does not indicate that the servant [i.e. a Muslim] is not harmed if he abandons enjoining good and forbidding evil or becomes negligent of it, for indeed his guidance will not be complete except through fulfilling what is obligated on him [or her] with regard to enjoining good and forbidding evil.  If he is [genuinely] unable to stop evil with his hand and his tongue, but rejects it in his heart, then indeed he will not be harmed by the misguidance of others. [Ref A]

[إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا  – The return of you all is to Allah]-Meaning: Your final destination is the day of Judgement and your gathering will be in the presence of Allaah [The Most High]; [فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ -then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do]- Meaning: [Your] good and evil [deeds]. [Re 1]


Ref A:

Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

Question to Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [Rahimahullaah]:

Is enjoining Ma’ruf and forbidding Munkar, namely correcting the wrong by the hand, a right for all Muslims or is it just confined to those in authority and their deputies?

A: Correcting the wrong is a right for all Muslims according to their ability, because the Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Anyone of you who sees Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect), let them change it with their hand (by taking action); if they cannot, then with their tongue (by speaking out); and if they cannot, then with their heart (by hating it and feeling that it is wrong); and that is the weakest of Iman (faith).”(Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi & others)

However, changing by the hand must be based on ability that will not result in greater corruption or evil. Man has the right to rectify matters with his hand (by taking action) in his home, with his children, wife, and servants; and a manager has the authority to make changes with the hand within the organization they are responsible for, in accordance with the instructions that were given to them. Otherwise, people should not change with their hand anything they are not authorized to change.  If they do make changes in matters that they have no authority over, this will result in more evil and great corruption between them and the people and between the people and the state.

In this case they should make the change with their tongue (by speaking out). They may say: “O so andso! Fear Allah! That is not permissible. This is Haram (prohibited),” or: “That is Wajib (obligatory) on you,” and clarify it with Shar’iy (Islamic legal) evidence. This is what can be done by the tongue. As for changing matters with the hand, this should be done where one has authority, such as one’s home, with those under one’s responsibility, or those authorized by the ruler, such as organizations given permission and authority to enjoin Ma’ruf (that which is judged as good, beneficial, or fitting by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect). They should make changes in accordance to the degree of authority that has been given to them, in the way prescribed by the Shari’ah (Islamic law), without exceeding their jurisdiction. The same applies to the governor of a city; he should make changes with his hand, in accordance with the instructions he has. [Fataawaa Ibn Baaz 8/208. Salafitalk.net]

Ref 1:

[Source: (Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and slightly paraphrased]

 

Murder, Suicide, Dodgy Contracts, Theft etc – all Impermissible

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا

O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. [4:29]

Few Reminders from the above Aayah

Allaah forbade His believing slaves [from] eating one another’s property in falsehood- through force, theft, gambling and [other] evil earnings; rather consuming your own wealth out of vanity and extravagance is included in this because it is considered a path of falsehood.

After forbidding [the servants] from consuming property through falsehood, Allaah made trade permissible for them and earnings that are free from what is unlawful- including contracts established through mutual consent and other than that.

[وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ – And do not kill yourselves]- Meaning: Neither kill one another [i.e. except what is legislated by Islamic law and executed by the authorities (Ref 1)], nor should a person kill himself [or herself] by bringing about destruction to oneself and engaging in dangerous activities that will lead to ruin and destruction.

[إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا  – Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you]- Meaning: And from Allaah’s Mercy is that He safeguards your lives and properties. He forbids you from wasting and ruining your lives and properties and legislated prescribed rulings in relation to that.

[Source: (Tayseer Al-kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and paraphrased]


Ref 1: Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] stated about the statement of Allaah:

وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ

And when you seize, you seize as tyrants. [26:130]

This is a rebuke from Allaah against Aad-the people of Hud (alayhis-salaam). Allaah rebuked them with this and that they are oppressors who strike people without right. They oppress people by way of striking, killing and seizing wealth by force. This is a rebuke against them and a blameworthy trait of theirs. Therefore, this is not permissible; rather it is obligated on a Muslim that he does not take wealth except based on what is right and he does not strike anyone except based on what is right. He neither has a right to transgress against the people nor to strike them; rather he seeks what is right through the path of the Islamic Law. If he has a right to seek after, he should seek it through the courts; through an upright path and through the authorities. He does not strike the people by way of oppression, transgression and injury. He should not oppress them by confiscating their wealth and striking; rather it is obligated on him to take his rights through the path of the Islamic Law and from an Islamic perspective. This (i.e. this statement of Allaah) is a rebuke against Aad and a blameworthy affair for which Allaah sent a devastating barren wind against them. They used to oppress the people and transgressed against them.

[Source: Slightly Paraphrased. see link: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/9111 ]

Hasten Towards The Jumu’ah Prayer For The Remembrance of Allaah!

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu’ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salat (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you if you did but know! Then when the (Jumu’ahSalat (prayer) is finished, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah (by working, etc.), and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. [Soorah Al-Jum’ah. Aayaat 9-10]

Few Reminders from the above Aayaat

Allaah [The Most High] commands His believing slaves to attend the Jumu’ah prayer and that they hasten towards it when the call for it is proclaimed. And ‘hastening’ towards it means to come to it- giving it importance and making it the most important [affair].

[وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ -Leave off business]-Meaning: Leave off business when the call for the prayer is proclaimed and perform it, for indeed [ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ – that is better for you] than preoccupying yourself with business and missing the obligatory prayer, which is from the most emphasised of obligations; [إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُون – if you did but know!] that what Allaah has with Him [of reward] is better and more everlasting, and that the one who prefers the worldly life over the religious [commandments and prohibitions], then indeed he has [incurred] a real loss, whilst thinking that he has profited.  This command to leave off business is during the time of the prayer.

[فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ – Then when the (Jumu’ahSalat (prayer) is finished, you may disperse through the land] to seek earnings and business (transactions)].

And when it is the case that preoccupation with business is most likely to make a [person] heedless of the remembrance of Allaah, Allaah commanded that He be remembered much, saying:

[وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا – and remember Allah much]- Meaning: Whilst you’re standing, sitting and reclining;

[لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ – that you may be successful]; for indeed an increase in remembrance of Allaah is the greatest means to success.


Source: (Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and slightly paraphrased

Make Room For Your Brothers In The Gatherings And Allaah Will Give You Ample Room From His Mercy

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ انْشُزُوا فَانْشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, (spread out and) make room. Allah will give you (ample) room (from His Mercy). And when you are told to rise up, rise up. Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do. [58:11]

This is a practical code of behaviour commanded by Allaah to His believing slaves- that when they come together in one of their gatherings, some of them or some of those who have already arrived should make room (for others); for indeed it is from (good) etiquettes to make room for him (i.e. the other person) to reach his goal.  And this is not to harm the one who is (already) in the gathering in anyway, rather he enables his (Muslim) brother to reach his goal without him being harmed, and reward is given in accordance with a deed; for indeed whoever makes room, Allaah makes room for him, and whoever shows generosity to his brother, Allaah will show him generosity.

[وَإِذَا قِيلَ انْشُزُوا – And when you are told to rise up]- Meaning: To rise up and retire from your gathering for an (obligatory or important) need (i.e. prayer etc), then [فَانْشُزُوا – rise up] – Meaning: proceed towards the fulfilment of that beneficial affair, for indeed the fulfilment of the likes of these affairs is connected to knowledge and Eemaan. And Allaah [The Most High] will exalt in degree the people of knowledge and Eemaan in accordance with what He has portioned out for them from knowledge and Eemaan.

[وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِير -And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do]- Meaning: Allaah [The Most High] rewards every performer of deeds in accordance with his [or her] deeds-if they are good, there will be good recompense, and if evil deeds, there will be an evil recompense. And in this Ayah [i.e. 58:11] is [a mention] of the virtue of knowledge, whose beautification and benefit is that one disciplines [himself or herself] with its etiquettes and act in accordance with what it necessitates.


[Source 🙁 Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and slightly paraphrased]

 

Children and Wealth Are Temporary Gifts of This Worldly Life, So They Should Not Divert Us From The Remembrance of Allaah

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.” [Soorah Al-Munaafiqoon: Ayah 9]

Allaah [The Most High] commanded His believing slaves to remember Him a lot because in that there is profit, success and abundant good.  And He [The Most High] forbade them from being diverted from His Remembrance by their wealth and children because many souls have a natural inclination towards love of wealth and children, so he (a person) gives them precedence over love of Allaah and in that there is a great loss.  And for this reason He [The Most High] said: [وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ – And whoever does that] – Meaning: Diverted by his wealth and children from the Remembrance of Allaah, [فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ -Then they are the losers] – Meaning: [Losers] in that eternal happiness and abiding bliss, because they preferred what will come to an end over what will abide forever.


 [Source: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan]

 

Remember Allah at All Times

The Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said to his cousin, Abdullaah ibn `Abbaas) whilst he was still a youth, “O young boy, surely I will teach you some words” and then he began to teach Abdullaah ibn `Abbaas. He said to him:

“Be mindful of Allāh and he will protect you, be mindful of Allāh and you will find him in-front of you. If you ask than ask of Allāh, and know that if all the people were to gather together to benefit you with something, they could not benefit you except with that which Allāh has already written for you – and if they were to gather together to harm you with anything they would not be able to harm you except with that which Allāh has already written and decreed for you. Indeed the pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.”

(At-Tirmidhee)

The First Affair to be Accounted For on the Day of Judgement

 

Abdullaah Ibn Qaratnarrated from Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) that he said:

 

“The first thing that the slave will be accounted for on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayer – if that is sound then the rest of the deeds will be sound, and if that is corrupt then the rest of the deeds shall be likewise corrupt.”

(At-Tabaraanee in Al-Awsat 1859; Al-Albaanee declared it saheeh in As-Saheehah 1358)

 

Normalization of Evil Cannot Distract the People of Taqwa –By the Tawfeeq of Allaah

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

Allaah [The Most High] said:

قُل لَّا يَسْتَوِي الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ ۚ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

Say: “Not equal are Al-Khabith (all that is evil and bad as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.) and At-Taiyib (all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.), even though the abundance of Al-Khabith (evil) may please you.” So fear Allah much [(abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], O men of understanding in order that you may be successful.

[Surah Al-Maa’idah Ayah 100]

[قُل -say (O Muhammad)] to mankind- Meaning: Warning against evil and desiring good;

[لَّا يَسْتَوِي الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ  – Not equal are (all that is evil and bad) and At-Taiyib (all that is good)]- Meaning: Imaan is not equal to kufr; obedience to [Allaah and His Messenger] is not equal to disobedience to [Allaah and His Messenger]; the people of paradise are not equal to the people of hellfire; filthy deeds are not equal to good deeds, and unlawful wealth is not equal to lawful wealth.  [وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيث  – even though the abundance of Al-Khabeeth (evil) may please you (people)]- Meaning: Indeed it will not benefit the person in anything, rather it will harm his religious and worldly affairs.

[فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ – So fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], O men of understanding in order that you may be successful]


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