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Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Riyadh as-Saaleheen: Loving Others, Recognising True Love, Warning Against Harming & Suspicion (Pt. 18)


THE VIRTUE OF LOVING OTHERS FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH, ENCOURGING TO INFORM OTHERS OF IT AND HOW IT IS SAID


This has been made a part of Eman and a sign of the truth was even revealed in the books before us…


مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاء عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاء بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الإِنجِيلِ
48:29

وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّؤُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
59:9

This was revealed about the Ansar when the Muhajiroon immigrated from Makkah.

PRINCIPLES:

-In the Dunya, it’s Mustahab to prefer his brother over himself if he won’t be harmed.
-One must prefer himself over others in acts of worship and reward (الإيثار بالقرب)
-One must have righteous company and not prefer harmful isolation 

375-"There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman: To love Allah and His Messenger () more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)".

-Completion of Eman which creates a love for Allah and His Messenger, and then…

376-"Seven are (the persons) whom Allah will give Shade of His Thrown on the Day when there would be no shade other than His Throne's Shade: … two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah.

-Reward of being under the Ursh when people will be drowning….

377-"On the Day of Resurrection, Allah, the Exalted, will say: 'Where are those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory? Today I shall shelter them in My Shade when there will be no shade except Mine".

-After the standing on that day, he is then called by this characteristics on the Day of Judgement, and then….

378-"By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! You will not enter Jannah until you believe, and you shall not believe until you love one another. May I inform you of something, if you do, you love each other. Promote greeting amongst you (by saying As-salamu 'alaikum to one another)".

-After all of the above… their conclusion is Jannah.

So how can we prepare now?....

379-"A man set out to visit a brother (in Faith) in another town and Allah sent an angel on his way. When the man met the angel, the latter asked him, "Where do you intend to go?" He said, "I intend to visit my brother in this town". The angel said, "Have you done any favour to him?" He said, "No, I have no desire except to visit him because I love him for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious." Thereupon the angel said, "I am a messenger to you from Allah (to inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake)".

-Sincere love and care for your brother…

380-The Prophet () said about the Ansar: "Only a believer loves them, and only a hypocrite hates them. Allah loves him who loves them and Allah hates him who hates them".

-To love and follow those who came before us so that we can be united with them….

381-"Allah, the Exalted, has said: 'For those who love one another for the sake of My Glory, there will be seats of light (on the Day of Resurrection), and they will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs".

How it is said?....

382-Abu Idris Al-Khaulani (May Allah had mercy upon him) reported:

He was born 8AH and died 80AH
His father was a Companion
Adh-Dhahabi said about him, “He was THE Qadhi of Damascus at his time”

I once entered the mosque in Damascus. I happened to catch sight of a young man who had bright teeth (i.e., he was always seen smiling). A number of people had gathered around him. When they differed over anything they would refer it to him and act upon his advice. I asked who he was and I was told that he was Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him).

The next day I hastened to the mosque, but found that he had arrived before me and was busy in performing Salat. I waited until he finished, and then went to him from the front, greeted him with Salam and said to him, "By Allah I love you."

He asked, "For the sake of Allah?"

I replied, "Yes, for the sake of Allah".

He again asked me, "Is it for Allah's sake?"

I replied, "Yes, it is for Allah's sake."

Then he took hold of my cloak, drew me to himself and said, "Rejoice,! I heard Messenger of Allah () saying, 'Allah, the Exalted, says:

My love is due to those who love one another for My sake, meet one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake and spend in charity for My sake".

383-"When a man loves his brother (for Allah's sake) let him tell him that he loves him".

384-Messenger of Allah () held my hand and said, "O Mu'adh, By Allah, I love you and advise you not to miss supplicating after every Salat (prayer) saying: 'Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika, wa husni 'ibadatika,' (O Allah, help me remember You, expressing gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner)".

385-Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man was with the Prophet () when another man passed by and the former said: "O Messenger of Allah! I love this man (for Allah's sake)". Messenger of Allah () asked, "Have you informed him?" He said, "No". Messenger of Allah () then said, "Tell him (that you love him)". So he went up to the man and said to him, "I love you for the sake of Allah;" and the other replied, "May Allah, for Whose sake you love me, love you."

“Let him tell him that he loves him for the sake of Allaah” means, it is mustahabb for him to tell him, by saying I love you for the sake of Allaah, i.e., not for any other reason such as kindness and so on, because it ensures that the bond will last longer and makes love stronger, and it increases and multiplies love, and brings people together, thus the Muslims will be united, and troubles and grudges will be dispelled. This is one of the good features of Islam.
-al-Manawi


      HOW TO RECOGNISE THE LOVE OF ALLAH UPON A PERSON AND ENCOURAGMENT TO SEEK IT

-Nobody acts or moves except it be connected to love and wants and needs
-Qaidah fil Mahabbah

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
3:31

It should be understood that the one who loves a thing gives it precedence and gives precedence to what is in accordance with it, otherwise he is not sincere in his love, and he is a mere pretender.
-Al-Qaadi Iyyad 



يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لائِمٍ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاء وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
5:54



The one who sincerely loves the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the one in whom signs of that appear, the first of which is following his example, adhering to his Sunnah, emulating him in word and deed, complying with his commands, avoiding that which he prohibited, and striving to follow his teachings in times of hardship and of ease, when one feels energetic and when one feels reluctant….
So we should give precedence to what he prescribed and encouraged over our own whims and desires.
-al-Qadi Ayyad


386-"Allah, the Exalted, has said: 'I will declare war against him who treats with hostility a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary prayers or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, (so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My Protection (refuge), I will surely protect him".

One will only follow what he loves even if he loves something but will follow what he loves more.

Therefore, there is only one ultimate thing you love, thus anything below it will always be connected to the superior form of love

-Qaidah fil Mahabbah

387- "When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him".


The love of Allah has no limits and can never be blameworthy or negative.

-Ibn Taymiyyah

388- 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Messenger of Allah, () appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in Salat (prayer); he always concluded his recitation with Surat Al-Ikhlas: "Say (O Muhammad ()): 'He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (Allah - the Self-Sufficient). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none equal or comparable to Him."' (112:1-4) Upon their return to Al-Madinah, they mentioned this to Messenger of Allah (), who said, "Ask him why he does so?" He was asked and he said, "This Surah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it. Messenger of Allah () then told them, "Tell him that Allah loves him".


This incident shows us the wisdom and love the Companions had for Eman and Tawheed..

They knew how to direct that love – based on Eman and actions…

Excessive in loving something without knowledge creates deviation and removes actual love.

Love based on pride but without knowledge will create Anger and this also removes any actual love.

-Ibn Taymiyyah



WARNING AGAINST HARMING THE PIOUS


What is harm?

So if a person is advised to stay away from another person because of a particular fault that the person has, so that the person being advised can avert himself from harm and sin, then this is commendable. However, if the intent to describe the mistakes of others is purely for the sake of exposing the persons sins, then this is Haraam and a despicable action.
-Ibn Rajab

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
33:58
Therefore, having bad thoughts about another, especially if there is no basis, then this is something that has been made Haraam by Allaah and His Messenger. Surely, presuming something about another and basing a negative opinion about such a person on this presumption are from the vices which lead to evils and corruption to spread, to which Allaah and His Messenger have clearly made Haraam. In such an instance, the one with the bad thoughts about the other has not only sinned with such a presumption but has combined this sin with other severe sins, which is to attribute a lie and a sin to someone who is innocent of them.

In extension of such evil consequences, the one with these corrupt presumptions will increase in his malevolence; it will lead to an influx of hatred and enmity and a lacking of piety and controlling of ones tongue – all of which leads to one backbiting, slandering and being envious of others in that which Allaah has Blessed them from His Bounties and Favours upon them
Ibn Rajab

فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلا تَقْهَرْ
وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلا تَنْهَرْ
93:9-10

And He Described the believers as being those who are patient and sincere in advising one another to the truth based on compassion and mercy.

Whereas the faces of the immoral one vary from his wicked intent from wanting to spread evil, exposure of sin, seeking superiority over others, love for creating enmity and the great satisfaction he sees in harming his believing brother. Harming your believing brother is a characteristic of the Shaytaan - the one who makes Kufr, disobedience and sin fair-seeming to the Children of Aadam so that they can join him in being from the dwellers of the fire. This is how Allaah Says:

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
-Ibn Rajab


There are many Ahadith that can be related, including:

“Whoever harms Me Friend then I have declared a war against him.”

And the hadith which has preceded:

389-"He who performs the Fajr (dawn) prayer comes under the Protection of Allah, so beware lest Allah questions you about what you owe Him. For if He questions anyone of you and he falls short of fulfilling the duty which he owes Him, He will requite and then throw upon his face into the Hell- fire".

TO ASSUME OF OTHER MUSLIMS BY WHAT IS APPARENT AND TO LEAVE THEIR PRIVATE MATTERS WITH ALLAH, THE MOST HIGH


فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
9:5

390- "I have been commanded (by Allah) to fight people until they testify that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat and pay Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and property from me except when justified by Islam, and then account is left to Allah".

As for Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa’ah then they are balanced between all these aforementioned parties; balanced between extremism and negligence.
Perhaps the above mentioned mistakes have become apparent because of the weakness of al-Emaan and the diseases in the hearts. If one was to observe the method of correcting with the major scholars of knowledge, they will see how they advised, and continue to do so, with sincerity and wisdom. However, there are those who wish to fish in murky waters, seeking to pick out mistakes from obscure matters with the only objective of seeking a way to expel the one who made the mistake outside the fold of Ahl as-Sunnah.
The advice of Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (may Allaah  have Mercy on him), and an amazing piece of advice he gave, when faced by a youth who sought to get a ruling on a particular person. The Shaykh didn’t succumb and instead commanded all those who want to call to Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, that they call with insight and knowledge. That they follow the path of the Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa’ah in explaining the truth, rectifying mistakes and to refute in a manner legislated in the Sharee’ah. As for those who claim that they are trying to protect Ahl as-Sunnah from innovators when talking about the mistakes of our scholars with the objective to create discord, then such a person is a liar. Whoever wants the truth will find it and whoever wants discord then they are fishing in murky waters, as the Shaykh described.

-Shaykh Saaleh as-Suhaymee


391- "He who professes La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah), and denies of everything which the people worship besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and it is for Allah to call him to account".

392- Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I said, "Tell me, O Messenger of Allah, if I meet an enemy, and we fight together, and he cuts off my hands with his sword, then hides from me behind a tree and (then) says he has submitted himself to Allah. Shall I kill him after he has said it?" He () replied, "Do not kill him." I submitted, "But O Messenger of Allah, he cut off one of my hands and only then he said it." Messenger of Allah () then replied, "Do not kill him, for if you do so, he will be in the position in which you were before you killed him (i.e., he will be considered a Muslim and thus his life will be inviolable), and you will be in the position in which he was before he made his testimony (i.e., your life will not be inviolable, for his heirs can ask for Qisas)".

393- Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
Messenger of Allah () sent us to Huraqat, a tribe of Juhainah. We attacked that tribe early in the morning and defeated them, (then) a man from the Ansar and I caught hold of a man (of the defeated tribe). When we overcame him, he said: 'La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah).' At that moment, the Ansari spared him, but I attacked him with my spear and killed him. By the time we went back to Al-Madinah, news had already reached Messenger of Allah (). He said to me, "O Usamah, did you kill him after he professed La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah)?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah! He professed it only to save his life." Messenger of Allah () repeated, "Did you kill him after he had professed La ilaha illallah?" He went on repeating this to me until I wished I had not embraced Islam before that day (so that I would have not committed this sin).

394- Jundub bin 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah () dispatched a contingent of the Muslims to a tribe of the polytheists. The two sides met (in combat) at one place. A man among the polytheists was so dashing that, whenever he intended to kill a man from Muslims, he killed him. Amongst the Muslims, too, was a man looking forward to (an opportunity of) his (polytheist's) unmindfulness. He (the narrator) said: We talked that he was Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). When he raised his sword, he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah)." But he (Usamah bin Zaid) killed him. When the good news of victory reached Messenger of Allah () he asked him (about the events of the battle), and he informed him about the man (Usamah) and what he had done. He (Messenger of Allah ()) sent for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them." And he named some of them. (He continued): "I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said: 'La ilaha illallah."' Messenger of Allah () said, "Did you kill him?" He (Usamah) replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah then remarked, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Beg forgiveness for me". He (the Prophet ()) said, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Messenger of Allah ()) added nothing to it but kept repeating, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?".

Once a person becomes a Muslim and he is a Sunni then you cant conspire against him…

As for the people of innovation and misguidance, those from them who are falsely perceived as being scholars but in actuality are not people of knowledge, then it is permissible to expose their ignorance and make apparent their faults, with the intention that the masses will be warned against following them. Note, this exposure only applies to the people of innovation and not the mistakes made by an upright scholar, and Allaah Knows Best
-Ibn Rajab


395- 'Abdullah bin 'Utbah bin Mas'ud reported:
I heard 'Umar bin Al- Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported saying: "In the lifetime of Messenger of Allah () some people were called to account through Revelation. Now Revelation has discontinued and we shall judge you by your apparent acts. Whoever displays to us good, we shall grant him peace and security, and treat him as a near one. We have nothing to do with his insight. Allah will call him to account for that. But whosoever shows evil to us, we shall not grant him security nor shall we believe him, even if he professed that his intention is good."

The author here is explaining on how rectification is brought about; not by defamation or seeking fault, rather it is to respond to a mistake or a misunderstanding or even an innovation by quoting the relevant evidences in explaining the truth. However, this is on the condition that one only enters into the field of rectification once their intention has been purified, that they are only inserting to clarify and make the truth apparent. Not to defame. This is the path of scholars upon which they have consensus upon; the truth must be clarified and any ideas which are false or innovated must be expelled. Therefore, the objective of clarification is in giving advice to the Muslims without being extreme or negligent, but being balanced between the two extremes. This was the way of the Salaf, however despite this, they did not see themselves as being infallible. Some of them have been reported to say, “A person will not become a man of knowledge until he realizes that despite whatever he knows , he is yet an ignorant.” [From Ibn al-Mubaarak in Ihyaa ‘Uloom ad-Deen (1/59)] So you will find the Salaf acknowledging their deficiency and questioning their own level of understanding because they knew that a scholar has a chance of getting it right but is always prone to mistake. They understood  that their opinions are subjectable because they knew that the religion is not a religion of opinion. For this reason, some of them (attributed to Aboo Bakr and Ibn Mas’ood) would conclude stating their opinions by saying, “If this is correct then it is from Allaah but if it is not then it is from my own misunderstanding and Shaytaan.” [See al-Bayhaqee in Sunnan al-Kubraa (7/246) and Tafseer at-Tabaree (8745)]  Added to their humility, they were also ready to accept the truth from wherever it came from, even taking it from those younger than them. A practical example of this is the fact that Ibn ‘Abbaas [may Allaah have Mercy on him] was, at a point in time, a reference for Fatwaa and religious issues. Especially in matters that were extremely important. This is despite the fact that there were many much older than him, and at times, he even choose opinions that were odd and conflicted with the view of the majority of the other Companions. Nevertheless, he remained a source of religious information because the Salaf knew and had the intention to seek the truth, regardless of the status of the person stating it. 
Shaykh Saaleh as-Suhaymee

And Allah Knows best


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