Love The Poor and Needy!
It is not something amazing that a poor and needy person would love the one who is kind to him [or her], rather what is amazing is that a kind person loves a poor and needy person.
[Al-Fawaa’id 112]
Iblees and His Offspring Are The Enemies of Mankind!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا
And (remember) when We said to the angels; “Prostrate to Adam.” So they prostrated except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinns; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zalimun. [18:50]
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] stated:
Allaah says to His slaves: I ennobled your father; raised his rank and gave him preference over others. I commanded all the angels to prostrate to him as a [sign] of honour and nobility, and they obeyed Me; but my enemy and yours [i.e. Iblees] refused [to prostrate] and disobeyed my command. He refrained from obeying Me [Allaah], so how can it be fair seeming to you [sons of Aadam] that you take him and his offspring as allies besides Me [Allaah]- obeying him and disobeying Me; allying with him against what pleases Me, whilst they [Iblees and his offspring] are the severest enemies to you. So you ally with My enemy and he commands you with his enmity. Whoever allies with an enemy of a king, then he is the same as the enemy of the king, for indeed love and obedience cannot be complete except by way of having enmity towards the enemy of the one you follow and having allegiance to the friends of the one you follow. As for having allegiance to the enemy of the king and then claiming that you are the ally of the king, this is impossible…..[Source: Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi…118-119. abridged]
http://www.salaficentre.com/2016/08/salaah-tawbah-prayer-repentance/
AbuBakr and Umar [radiyallaahu-anhumaa] Used to Compete Each Other In Good Deeds
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said:
Every competitor compete the other and is happy when joined in it, just as the companions of the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahua-alayhi-wasallam] used to compete in good and they were pleased when others joined them; rather they used to encourage one another whilst competing. This is part of seeking to be foremost in [good deeds]. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ-So hasten towards all that is good]. Allaah [The Most High] said:
[سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ – Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allah), and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth]. [57:21]
Umar Ibnul Khattaab [radiyallaahu-anhu] used to hasten towards [good deeds to compete] Abu-Bakr [radiyallaahu-anhu], but he never won. [Ref 1]
Umar [radiyallaahu-anahu] said: One day the Messenger of Allah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] commanded us to give sadaqah. At that time I had some property, so I said: Today I shall surpass Abu-Bakr if I am to surpass him any day. So I brought half of my property. The Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: What did you leave for your family? I replied: The same amount. Then Abu-Bakr brought all that he had with him. So the Messenger of Allah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said to him: What did you leave for your family? He replied: I left Allah and His Messenger for them. I [Umar] said: I shall never [excel you] in competing you in anything. [Ref 2]
[Ref 1: Source: Ar-Rooh of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim 431-432) abridged]
[Ref 2: Abu Dawood and graded Hasan by Sh Albaani’ Hadeeth Number: 1678’ kitaab Az-Zakaah (page: 259)]
Noble Manners and Etiquettes Revolve Around Four Ahaadeeth
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Ibn Abee Zayd Al-Qayrawaani [rahimahullaah] said: All noble manners and etiquettes revolve around four ahaadeeth.
The First Hadeeth: “Whoever believes in Allaah and the last day then let him speak good or keep silent”.
This Hadeeth teaches us about restraining the tongue from (evil, false, doubtful speech etc); for whoever is unable to restrain his tongue from (these blameworthy affairs) is not considered to be from the people of good manners.
The Second Hadeeth: “Part of the perfection of a person’s Islam is to leave that which does not concern him.”
This Hadeeth teaches us to refrain from engaging in excess and that which does not concern us. The person who concerns himself with those affairs of the people that do not concern him – either by listening, looking or speaking -is not considered to be from the people of good manners.
The Third Hadeeth: A man said to the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasalam) “Advise me.” He said, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet said to him, “Do not become angry.”
This Hadeeth teaches us self-restraint when we are angry. That is because anger is the basis of every evil in speech and action. Whoever cannot restrain himself (or herself) from (evil) when he is angry cannot be considered to be from the people of good manners.
The Fourth Hadeeth: None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
This Hadeeth is a means of rectifying the heart and soul, so that a person’s heart is free from harbouring malice, hatred, envy towards his Muslim brothers and sisters.
Conclusion:
If a person acquires a precise understanding of these four ahaadeeth and acts upon them, they have indeed acted on all the affairs related to good manners and etiquettes. These four Hadeeth comprise of four affairs:
Restraining the tongue from (evil, false, doubtful speech etc)
Restraining oneself from excess – be it by way of speech, looking, listening etc
Restraining oneself from evil desires and wishes during anger.
To have a heart free from unjustified hatred; blameworthy envy (i.e. wishing that blessings bestowed on others should cease) and malice etc
[Lesson15. Explanation of the forty Hadeeth of Imaam An-Nawawi’ (rahimahullaah) by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr (may Allaah preserve him). Paraphrased]
The One Who Abandons What is Beneficial For His [Or Her Religion] Will Face Trials- By Imaam As-Sadi
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy
This is found in a number of Aayaat, that when the polytheists shunned the worship of Ar-Rahmaan [Allaah], they were put to trial through the worship of idols. And when they behaved haughtily and claimed that the Messengers were [only] humans [i.e. therefore they will not follow the Messengers], they were put to trial through submission to everything that made [their] intellects and Religion unstable.
And when Eemaan was clearly shown to them [i.e. the disbelieving nations] at the first instance and they recognised it, but then they turned away from it, Allaah [Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections] averted, afflicted and sealed their hearts. So, they believed not until they saw the painful punishment.
And after the straight path was clarified for them, but they deviated from it by choice and approved the path of deviation in opposition to the path of guidance, Allaah deviated their hearts and caused them to be confounded in their path [of misguidance].
And when they belittled the signs of Allaah and His Messengers, Allaah belittled them with a humiliating punishment.
And when they behaved haughtily, Allaah humiliated them in this life and the next.
And when they forbade that Allaah’s Name be glorified and mentioned in the Mosques of Allaah and strive for their ruin, then it was not fitting after that they should enter it except in fear.
وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ عَاهَدَ اللَّـهَ لَئِنْ آتَانَا مِن فَضْلِهِ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
فَلَمَّا آتَاهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُوا بِهِ وَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّـهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ
And of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying): ”If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily give Sadaqah (Zakat and voluntary charity in Allaah’s cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous. ”Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay the Sadaqah (Zakat or voluntary charity)], and turned away, averse. So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies”( 9:75-77)
The Aayaat that convey this affair are numerous and they show that the servant was close to being guided and made to follow the straight path, but then he abandoned it after knowing it, or he renounced it after following it, so he is punished and has no right to guidance. This is a recompense for his actions, as Allaah said about the Yahood [i.e. those who knew the truthfulness of Muhammad’s (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) Messengership, but turned away from it wilfully)]:
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّـهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّـهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ
And when there came to them a Messenger from Allaah (i.e Muhammad) confirming what was with them, a party of those who were given the Scripture threw away the Book of Allaah behind their backs as if they did not know! They followed what the (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan. 2:101-102
They abandoned the most sublime, the most beneficial and the truthful Book (i.e. the Qur’aan), so Allaah put them to trial and they followed the most debased, untruthful and harmful path. Those who wage war against Allaah and His Messenger abandon spending their wealth in obedience to Allaah, and (instead) spend it in obedience to shaytaan.
[Source: Al Qawaa-idul Hisaan Li-tafseer Al Qur’aan” by Imaam Abdur Rahmaan As-Sadi (rahimahullaah). Pages: 96-97. Abridged and slightly paraphrased]
Seize Every Opportunity to Sit With Elders
Abu Juhayfah said:
Sit with the elders, ask the scholars and mix with the wise people.
[Al-Aadaab Ash-Shar’iyyah’ by Ibn Muflih 2/120]
Knowledge Should Keep You Away From Foolishness!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Sufyan Ibn Uyaynah (rahimahullaah) said: If my morning is like that of the foolish and my night like that of the ignorant, then what will I do with the knowledge I have written?’’ [Source: Akhlaaq Al-Ulamaa’ page 44’ by Imaam Al-Aajurree (rahimahullaah)]
Reminder:
Repentance:
Salah At-Tawbah
http://www.salaficentre.com/2016/08/salaah-tawbah-prayer-repentance/
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 ]
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]