Mu’aawiyah Bin Abee Sufyaan (radiyallaahu-anhumaa) said: I am able to please all the people (in what is lawful) except the one who harbours envy towards a blessing (bestowed on a person) because he will never be pleased until that blessing ceases.
Say: “I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak,
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
“From the evil of what He has created;
وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ
And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; (or the moon as it sets or goes away).
وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ
“And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots,
وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
“And from the evil of the envier when he envies.
Envy is the most despicable trait. The first deed of disobedience through which Allaah was disobeyed in the heavens was Iblees’s envy towards Aadam and the (first deed of disobedience through which Allaah was disobeyed) in the earth was Qaabil’s envy toward Haabil. [1]
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[1] [Source: Zaadul Maseer’ by Ibn Jawzi (rahimahullaah)]
“Our Lord! Make us not a trial for those who have disbelieved, and forgive us, Our Lord! Verily, You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [60:5]
Mujaahid (rahimahullaah) said: The meaning of it is: Neither punish us at their hands nor through a punishment from yourself, so they say: ‘’Had these (Muslims) been upon the truth they would not have been afflicted with this (punishment).
Az-Zujaaj (rahimahullaah) said: The meaning of it is: Do not give them victory over us, so they think that they are upon truth and we are put to trial by way of that.
And upon Allah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path but there are ways that turn aside.’’ [16:9]
[وَعَلَى اللَّهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيلِ- And upon Allah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path]: Az-Zujaaj (rahimahullaah) said: It is Allaah who will clarify the straight path and call to it with Hujaj (i.e. clear and overwhelming proofs that defeats all the obstinate and stubborn ones) and Burhaan (i.e. proofs that clarify and distinguish between truth and falsehood in everything).
[وَمِنْهَا جَائِر -but there are ways that turn aside]: Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu-anhu) said, ‘’They are the different types of desires (i.e. evil desires). Ibnul Mubaarak (rahimahullaah) said, ‘’They are the (evil) desires and the innovations in religion.’’
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[Source: Zaadul Maseer’ by Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (rahimahullaah)]
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness in the earth or corruption. And the good end is for the Muttaqoon (pious ones) [28:83]
[تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ- That home of the hereafter]: Meaning Paradise.
[ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ –We shall assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth]: Saeed Ibn Jubair said, ‘’It is (those who do not desire) transgression.’’ Ad-dahhaak said, ‘’It is (those who do not desire) oppression.’’ Yahyah Ibn Sallaam said, ‘’It is (those who do not desire) shirk’’ and Muqaatil said, ‘’It is (those who do not desire to show) haughtiness by rejecting Eemaan.’’
[وَلَا فَسَادًا – or corruption]: Ikrimah said, ‘’It is (those who do not desire) disobedience (to Allaah and His Messenger).’’ Ibn Saa’ib said, ‘’It is (those who do not) call to the worship of other besides Allaah.
[وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِين-And the good end is for the Muttaqoon (pious ones)]. They will have a praiseworthy end.
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[Source: Zaadul Maseer of Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (rahimahullaah); abridged and slightly paraphrased]
And those who disbelieve say to those who believe: “Follow our way and we will verily bear your sins,” never will they bear anything of their sins. Surely, they are liars. [29:12]
Imaam Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said:
Allaah (The Most High) informed (us) about the disbelievers of Quraish that they said to those amongst them who believed (in the message of Muhammad) and followed the (right) guidance: ‘’Abandon your religion, return to our religion and follow our way. We will verily bear your sins if you have any’’, just as a person says: Do this and your sin is upon my neck. So Allaah declared their statement false, saying that never will they (i.e. the Quraish) bear anything of their (i.e. the believers) sins. Surely, they are liars. That is because no one will bear anything of the sins of others. [1]
Imaam At-Tabari (rahimahullaah) said:
They (i.e. disbelievers of Quraish) said (to the believers): Be upon the likes of what we are upon, such as our denial of the resurrection after death and that there will be no good recompense and punishment for the deeds of the people. If you follow our way in these affairs and are raised up after death (i.e. we doubt it), and you are recompensed for your deeds, we will indeed bear the burden of your sins…[2]
Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (rahimahullaah) said that Mujaahid (rahimahullaah) said:
This is the statement of the disbelievers of Quraish to those believers amongst the people of Makkah; they said to them: ‘’Neither we nor you will be resurrected, so follow us. If anything is brought against you (i.e. we doubt it), the burden will be on us.’’ Allaah said that they (i.e. disbelievers of Quraish) are liars due to the claim that they will bear the sins of the (believers). [3]
Question to Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah):
Is attendance at the Haram (in Makkah) to break the fast over there something desired in the Sunnah or not, for some people obligate that on themselves?
Answer:
It is not Sunnah; rather some people break their fast at the Haram in order to be present for Maghrib Salaah. That is because they will miss the Maghrib Salaah if they were to break their fast at home. And it is not the case that breaking the fast at a Masjid has a distinguished virtue; rather it is for the purpose of attending the congregational prayer. So they (i.e. the people) break their fast over there in order to attend the congregational prayer and not miss it. As for merely breaking the fast, it contains the same reward whether the person does so in his house or at another place. They (i.e. the people) only choose it (i.e. the Masjid) because the Salaah is established over there, so that they can perform it at the Kabah and together with the Muslims as a group. This is the aim.
Question to Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah):
Will the Muslims living in hot countries or in hot houses be rewarded for their fasting more than those living in cold countries?
Answer:
Reward is received in accordance with the level of difficulty (i.e. the difficulty that is faced whilst carrying out legislated duties and obligations. As for innovations they are rejected). The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: “Perhaps a fasting person will gain nothing but hunger and thirst from his fast (i.e. little reward).’’ [1]
The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: Whoever does not give up lying speech, (false statements) and acting on them (i.e., telling lies), and evil deeds, and behaving in an ignorant evil way, and speaking bad words to others, then Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.” [2]
But if he (or she) intends to please Allaah through his (or her) fast; safeguards it from what will corrupt and nullify it, and distances him (or herself) from backbiting the people, then indeed the reward will be greater whenever difficulty, thirst and hunger increases. So this person (i.e. the fasting person who is living in a hot country) has more reward than others. It is well known that reward is given in accordance with the level of difficulty and that has to be carried out with a sincere intention. [Source: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjidil Haraam…pages: 497. Slightly paraphrased]
Question to Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah)
Some of the people come for Umrah and eat in the Haram because they are travellers; but they eat in the presence of the people. Is it permissible for them to do so?
Answer:
It is permissible for a traveller to eat, but the scholars have stated that he (or she) should not eat in the presence of the people. He (or she) should eat in private lest the people disapproved of him (or her) and say that this person is thoughtless or lest the sinful people blindly follow him (or her).
You have a (legislated) excuse because you are a traveller. But it is not befitting that you eat in the presence of the people because they will accuse you and a person is commanded to safeguard his (or her) honour. Also the sinful people will follow you when they see you eating, saying: ‘’Such and such a person eats so we will also eat like him.’’
And indeed the scholars from the Hanaabilah (i.e. the scholars of the Madhab of Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) and other than them have stated that it is permissible for the traveller to eat during the day in Ramadhaan and there is no harm in doing so, except that it is not befitting for him (or her) to eat in the presence of the people, rather of he (or she) should eat in private.