The Importance of “Lá iláha illalláh”

The weigh of la ilaha illallah

The belief in the words of “Lá iláha illallah” cause one to enter Islam, to refute all deities and accept Allah as the only God and Lord of the Universe and what it contains. No one can be a Muslim without believing and adhering to the tenets of of Lá iláha illallah.

Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the divine lordship of Allah (referred to as “ruboobiyyah”), meaning believing that Allah is the only one power who creates, gives life and death, and maintains the affairs of all that’s in this universe.

Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the divine nature (referred to as “uloohiyyah”), meaning believing that Allah is the only one to whom people should devote their words and actions of worship. None therefore should be worshiped but Him.

Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the names and attributes of Allah (referred to as “al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat”), which means affirming what Allah has affirmed for Himself of names and attributes, and denying any attributes that Allah has said are not His, without denying any of His attributes or likening any of His attributes to the attributes of any of His creation.

The excerpts of the sermon that follows later in this post is on the topic of Lá iláha illallah and was delivered by the Muslim leader Umar bin Abdul Aziz who sometimes is considered as the fifth caliph in Islam. He was from the Umayyad dynasty and ruled the Muslims from 717 to 720 CE. He was the great-grandson of the companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Umar bin Al-Khattab. Within Islamic history, he was known to be extremely pious and disdainful of worldly luxuries. He preferred simplicity to the extravagance that had become a hallmark of the Umayyad lifestyle, depositing all assets meant for the caliph into the public treasury. He abandoned the caliphate palace and instead preferred to live in modest dwellings.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz delivered the sermon (excerpts follow) on assuming the leadership of the Muslims and highlights the importance of living by the tenets of Láiláha illallah.

All praise is due to Alláh, Who opened the doors of knowledge to those who strived in His worship by granting them the key that is Lá iláha illallah (there is no deity worthy of worship except Alláh).

He resurrected the hearts of the knowledgeable worshippers and filled the cups of those who always remember Him from the fountain of Lá iláha illallah.

He perfected the creation, brought them into existence and sealed this perfection with Lá iláha illallah.

He Who created the fetus from a worthless fluid (semen) so that mankind may worship Him with Lá iláha illalláh.

He sent the Messengers to deliver the good news of this Word Lá iláha illalláh and to warn against whatever contradicts it and to understand its implications.

Lá iláha illalláh is the pillar of the religion and the Thick Rope of Alláh; those who adhere to Lá iláha illalláh will never earn failure.

Verily, the minds of the ignorant ones were led astray and the hearts of the stubborn infidels have earned misguidance on account of their taking two gods, even after the full moon of Lá iláha illallah has risen.

“So know (O Muhammad SAW) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women.” Quran (47:19)

Muhammad (peace be upon him) embraced this word and declared it. So! Fear Alláh the Exalted and renew your faith by night and by day by contemplating the meanings of Lá iláha illalláh.

O you who have wisdom! Seek your means of (eternal) success granted only to the people of Lá iláha illalláh.

Surely, Lá iláha illalláh is the Word of Islam and the key to the Dwelling of Peace (Paradise).

Verily, the heavens and earth would never have remained, nor would anyone acquire safety on the Day of Gathering except by Lá iláha illalláh.

The humankind divided into two parts and went two separate ways: a group of them adhered to Lá iláha illalláh and the other group strayed away from it. They refused it because they knew that the religion of their ancestors would be annulled if they embraced Lá iláha illalláh. All praise is due to He Who made His slaves different from each other with His Wisdom and Will. Indeed, this is one of the proofs to Lá iláha illalláh.

Tuba (a tree in Paradise) is for those who know the meaning of this testimonial, agree with it and practice its implication inwardly and outwardly. By doing so, they would be realizing and tasting the true essence of Lá iláha illalláh. Verily, woe to those who were driven by the devil to fall into polytheism! They became filled to the top with associating others with Alláh in worship and consequently refused with arrogance to submit to Lá iláha illalláh. Have you not heard Alláh’s Statement?

“And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession; except those who bear witness to the truth (i.e. believed in the Oneness of Allah, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allah).” Quran (43:86)

The true essence of Lá iláha illalláh entails directing all acts of worship, intentions and thoughts to Alláh Alone rather than any other object. All other objects of worship are annulled and refuted by Lá iláha illalláh. This is what is meant by disbelieving in Taghut and believing in Alláh Alone, and this is how the heart is purified of anything that is not for Alláh Alone, and cleansed from the intention to commit whatever Alláh has prohibited or dislike for whatever He has commanded.

This is the true essence of Lá iláha illalláh, contrary to the practice of those who utter this testimonial with their words, but contradict it with their actions. These people, do not benefit from saying La iláha illallah.

Directing any act of worship to other than Alláh and associating any among the creation with Him in worship are acts of disbelief, even if one pronounced La iláha illalláh a thousand times with his tongue. It was once said to Al Hasan Al-Basri: “Some people say that those who proclaim La iláha illalláh shall enter Paradise.” He said, “Yes. For those who proclaim this word and fulfill its implications and requirements, then saying La iláha illalláh shall enter them into Paradise.” In addition, Wahb bin Munbih asked: “Is not La iláha illalláh the key to Paradise?” He said, “Yes. However, every key has teeth; if you use a key that has teeth it will open for you, otherwise it will not open.”

Therefore, these types of people will not benefit from proclaiming La iláha illalláh because they do not say it from their hearts.

We advise you, O Muslims, to never think that Shirk (Polytheism, which contradicts La iláha illalláh is far away from you, because there are tremendous hindrances and lures that seek to corrupt the sincerity of your uttering La iláha illalláh.

Where are those who associate none with Alláh in regards to their love, fear, hope and worship? Where are those who direct their humbleness, submissiveness, reverence, intention and reliance to Alláh Alone, all the while trusting in Him for each and every thing? All these qualities are parts of the meaning of La iláha illalláh.

O slaves of Alláh, rush to the forgiveness of your Lord and a paradise as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the Muttaqin (the pious). They are those who fulfill the duties and responsibilities of La iláha illalláh. They are those, who have not placed any other iláh (god) along with Alláh.

Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him. Hold on to the pillars of La iláha illalláh. Surely, those who reject what La iláha illalláh rejects, assert what it asserts…, then this word will elevate them to the highest grades the grades of La iláha illalláh.

May Alláh direct us all to the blessings of the Noble Qurán and benefit us in whatever is in it of the Áyát and Wise Dhikr. I say this and ask Alláh the Great, and the Most Honored for forgiveness for me, you and all Muslims for every sin. Seek His forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. {Source: Selected Friday Sermons}

Consider this hadith on the value that Allah the Exalted placed onLa iláha illalláh

Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri said, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Moses (Alayhi salam) said: O Lord! Teach me something that I can remember You with and I can supplicate You with. Allah said:“Say ‘La ilaha ill Allah’, O Musa.” He (Musa) said: All of your servants say this. He (Allah) said: “If the seven Heavens and those who dwell in them other than Me and the seven Earths are put into one pan (of the scale) and ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ is put into the other; ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ would be heavier.” [Ibn Hibbaan and Haakim]

The Messenger of Allah (Sall’Allahu alayhi wa salam) said (narrated by Jabir bin `Abdullah):

“The best Dhikr (remembering Allah) is La ilaha illallah and the best supplication is Al-Hamdu Lillah.” [At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah]

Let’s ensure that we never forget to make the letters La ilaha illallah a constant part of our living moments and to live by what those letters stand for. Remember, our success in this life and the hereafter is all tied to La ilaha illallah.

— Source: iqrasense.com

Dealing with Life’s Challenges and Difficulties

We all come across various difficulties in our lives. However, not all of us handle them as effectively as we should. As strategies for getting through life’s problems are rarely formally learned, we are constrained to use trial and error, sometimes leading to sub optimal results.

Dealing effectively with our difficulties and problems requires appropriate emotional control, acceptance of realities, charting out a course of action, and finally taking preventive measures to keep future problems at bay. Thus, arming ourselves with the right intellectual, mental, and spiritual strategies to get through these phases can help us achieve successful breakthroughs.

Let’s go over those steps in more detail.

The Emotional Response

An emotional response to a difficulty or calamity is normal and only human. However, emotions have to be managed and channeled appropriately; else they can manifest negatively within our personalities and affect our lives in general. Research, too, confirms that emotionally-reactive individuals confronting even relatively minor challenges in their lives are prone to increased physical problems and diseases.

One potential way people channel their emotions is to act them out uncontrollably and irresponsibly. In such situations, the prophet (peace be upon him) instructed us to exercise patience and to maintain a composed demeanor instead. When his son Ibrahim was dying, the prophet’s eyes filled with tears. Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Awf said, ‘Are you weeping when you have forbidden us to weep?’ The Prophet said, ‘I do not forbid weeping. What I have forbidden is two foolish and evil kinds of voices: voices at times of entertainment and play and the flutes of Shaytaan, and voices at times of calamity and scratching the face and rending the garments and screaming.’” [Al-Tirmidhi, al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (4/69), classed as hasan by al-Albaani].

In other cases, emotions are channeled to fester, which then leads to the development of a victimized mindset. You may not realize it, but believing that your life is a teary saga may be the anchor weighing you down and preventing you from moving forward.

So, be conscious of how you channel your emotions. You can temper them with positive thinking and a strong faith. If you show any signs of having a victimized mindset then you need to snap out of it and adopt a more positive and reality based mindset instead. That can put you on the right path to get out of your difficulties faster.

Trying to make sense of the difficulties:

The divine decree: When facing difficulties, our weak faith can sometimes drive us to question the fairness of it all. In this context, we should remind ourselves that believing in al-Qadr (Allah’s divine will and decree) is one of the pillars of Islamic faith. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, it means belief in (1) Allah, (2) Angels, (3) revealed Holy Books (Quran, Bible, Torah, etc.), (4) His Messengers, (4) Day of Judgment, and (5) to believe in al-qadar (the divine decree) both good and bad. Allah also says in the Quran, “No calamity befalls on the earth or in your selves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al?Lawh Al?Mahfooz) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.” [al-Hadeed 57:22].

As part of that belief, we should therefore recognize that Allah does what He wills for reasons that are only known to Him. Any attempt to comprehend with our limited minds His wisdom, or to understand how our current situation fits in His overall plan can only lead us to erroneous conclusions.

The “If-Only” Trap: Another trap that many of us fall into has to do with using the “if-only” logic. Very often, our minds tell us that “if I could have done such and such, then this wouldn’t have happened.” The prophet warned us against falling into such satanic traps. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah, the prophet remarked,

“…….If anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done (such and such), the such and such would have happened,’ rather say: ‘Allah has decreed and what He wills He does,’ for ‘if only’ opens the door to the work of the shaytaan.” Narrated by Muslim (2664).

We see another example of this during the battle of Uhud when many Muslims died. This gave the hypocrites an excuse to criticize the divine decree. But Allah refuted their claims by stating (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death’”. [Aal ‘Imraan 3:154].

This further goes to show that what Allah decrees is inevitable. Any attempt to imagine a different outcome based on different actions that we could have taken in the past will only increase our frustrations. This belief is also a blessing because it prevents us from returning to the past that can result in nothing but an added emotional baggage.

In this context, many among us also resort to blaming people, including those close to us. This blaming attitude in turn nurtures a mindset where people (even within families) resist future temptations to recommend anything or engage in an open dialogue. This not only weakens communications amongst people but also causes irreparable rifts and a loss of trust between them.

To summarize, accepting the divine decree can help us in not only forgoing the past but to also win Allah’s pleasure. Suppressing our urge to blame others by maintaining a positive mindset can help us maintain healthy relationships and in also keeping good recommendations and advice flowing.

Getting yourself out of trouble

Having accepted Allah’s decree, and after getting over any emotional challenges, the next step involves taking the right actions to get us out of our problems and difficulties. Actively engaging our God gifted faculties to pull us out of such situations is not as common as one may think. Thus, many a time we fail to achieve successful breakthroughs because we either follow a haphazard approach to resolve our problems or give up on our efforts too early in the process. This leads us to get stalled and makes us regard situations as irresolvable, hoping and praying for miracles to pull us out.

If you find yourself in such situations, this may be the time to rethink your overall approach. You see, most of us are accustomed to looking for “silver bullet” types of solutions. However, such solutions aren’t that many and thus can’t be relied on to get you out of your life’s challenges. Adopting a realistic but methodical approach instead has a better chance of putting you closer to your desired outcomes.

This requires that you take time to define the problems and difficulties that you face with increased clarity and specificity. This is bound to yield better results because you will get clearer about the outcomes that you desire. You will also be able to clearly delineate the constituent tasks that potentially can put you closer to your desired solution. Follow those tasks through to the end with perseverance and patience and you may reduce the load of your problems.

On the spiritual front, we should recognize that if Allah puts us through trials or punishes us because of our sins, the decision is His. However, as highlighted in another post on this site, seeking forgiveness through repentance (Istighfar) can help undo the damage of our sins. As the prophet (peace be upon him) said: “whoever does a lot of Istighfar, Allah will provide him a way out of each concern he has, and will solve all his troubles, and will provide him with livelihood from sources that were not known to him” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Sanad Sahih.)

Preventive measures:

Finally, although Allah’s decree is ordained, there are things we can do beforehand to influence the outcome of our efforts, and thus prevent problems from piling up. First, we should never forget that Allah has provided us with a free will and associated faculties to think and act. As the prophet had stated, while we should fully trust Allah, we should tie our horse first – meaning we should use all our God-gifted faculties and exercise the required due diligence.

Second, for cases in which we fumble to choose between options, we should exercise the use of the Istikhara prayers. The text of the dua recited in those prayers clearly reflects your plea to Allah to make the desired decision work for you if it’s good for you, or to ward it off if it’s not. By doing so, you consciously put your faith in Him to guide you. This will reduce the likelihood of you ending up with a failed outcome and thus an added burden for you to carry in the future.

Conclusion

To summarize, remember that effectively channeling your emotions, letting go of a negative past, maximizing the use of your God-gifted faculties, and above all a strong faith can help you attain the wisdom that life demands from you to get through even the most difficult challenges. Just ensure that you get serious about resisting the old attitudes and inculcate a positive mindset to propel you forward.

— Source: The Iqrasense.com

The Blessings of Gratitude and Shukr

The Blessings of Gratitude and Shukr

Gratitude (shukr) is about expressing thanks and appreciation to those who do any favor to us. Obviously, none can come close to our creator, Allah, who gave us everything. As the Quran states:“Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion” [Infitar 82:7]. As humans, Allah has bestowed on us the nature to be grateful and we should thus express that gratitude not just to Allah but to the people whom we deal with as well. In many places in the Quran, Allah divides people as being grateful and as ungrateful to motivate us to join the camp of those who are grateful. In one of such verses, Prophet Sulaiman said, as stated in the Quran,“. . . then when (Sulaiman (Solomon)) saw it placed before him, he said: “This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful” [An-Naml: 40]

Having a sense of gratitude is thus a great blessing and those of us who instill that sense within themselves not only seek Allahs pleasurebut embody a sense of happiness, relieving us of the many pressures and anxieties. Although the blessings and benefits of gratitude are many, this post highlights certain important ones that you should recognize and use as a means to motivate that sense within yourselves.

Gratitude is knowing that whatever we have is from Allah.Gratitude helps us focus our minds on Allah, something that has unfortunately become so difficult today on account of life’s distractions and attractions. Gratitude, therefore, corrects our perceptions by reminding us that everything that happens to us doesn’t happen because of its own volition and thus we shouldn’t take matters for “granted”. Allah says in the Quran: “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah” [al-Nahl 16:53]. He also says, “And He found you poor and made you rich (self?sufficient with self?contentment)” [al-Duha 93:8]. Let’s therefore constantly remind ourselves of Allah’s bounties by expressing our gratitude to Him in prayers and at other times.

Gratitude helps in warding off punishment from Allah. Not recognizing Allah’s blessings can prevent us from gaining His pleasure. We know that if Allah were to punish us for our negligence, He would be justified for it. He says in the Quran: “If Allah took mankind to task by that which they deserve, He would not leave a living creature on the surface of the earth; but He grants them reprieve unto an appointed term, and when their term comes – then verily Allah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves” [Fatir (35):45]. At the same time though, Allah provides us a way to escape that punishment by being thankful to Him. He says, “Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him. And Allah is Ever All-Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing” [(An-Nisa, Verse #147)]. Gratitude, therefore, is not an option and we should clean our hearts to thank Allah for everything that He has provided us.

Gratitude helps us to slow down and to enjoy what we haverather than always waiting for the next wish to come true. Gratitude can help us recognize that we already have enough of what many people have for long been yearning for. We must therefore tame ourNafs to understand that if we can’t find happiness in the blessings that we have today, then we won’t be happy with what we get tomorrow. You see, gratitude is a sense of fulfillment that comes not from wanting more but rather from a sense of knowing that Allah has already blessed us with what we need. In one of the hadiths the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “…if the son of Adam has one valley, he will wish that he had a second, and if he had two valleys, he would wish that he had a third. The stomach of the son of Adam will be filled only with dust (i.e., he is never satisfied)…” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/219; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1781). So, let’s use gratitude to learn to enjoy what we have rather than fretting over what we don’t.

Gratitude sought by exercising patience against unlawful desires prevents us from harmful consequences later. This was very aptly addressed by Ibn Qayyim, who stated that “Patience in resisting desires is easier than patience in dealing with the consequences that result from going along with desires, because it either leads to pain and punishment or it prevents a more complete pleasure, . . . or it deprives one of a blessing, having which is more pleasurable and better than fulfilling desires, . . . or it cuts off an oncoming blessing, or it has a negative impact on one’s character that will remain, because deeds have a great impact on one’s character and behavior.” [Al-Fawaa’id (p. 139)]

Gratitude trains our minds to focus on the right things in life. It’s akin to walking in a room filled with various colored items and focusing only on items of a specific color. If you do so, your mind will be able to easily mask the other colors as you focus on items of that specific color. Our life is no different. When we let our minds look for problems, we see plenty of them. Instead, if we rather look away from problems and focus on possibilities and go for solutions, we will get those too. Let’s, therefore, use gratitude to motivate ourselves to find possibilities and solutions and not the negatives associated with problems.

Gratitude helps us recognize other people’s favors to us. The Prophet through his sayings made it quite clear that expressing our gratitude to Allah by thanking Him also involves that we thank people who do favors for us. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said as narrated by Abu Hurairah: “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). He also said: “Whoever does you a favor, then reciprocate, and if you cannot find anything with which to reciprocate, then pray for him until you think that you have reciprocated him”  Abu Dawood (1672). In another hadith, he said: “Whoever has a favor done for him and says to the one who did it,‘Jazak Allahu khayran,’ has done enough to thank him” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi]. Let’s therefore ensure that we do our part to sincerely thank our families and those who have done good to us.

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring our problems. On the contrary, gratitude helps us to be patient, accepting of life’s trials, and accordingly trains us to seek personal fulfillment with less. Gratitude thus makes us “low maintenance” in our demands and expectations. This trait reduces our burden on those around us, making our company more pleasing to others instead of leaving us always unhappy, more demanding, and impossible to please because of unending requirements.

Gratitude is going beyond words and instead thanking through our actions. We see this in the example of the prophet whose sins were forgiven by Allah although he continued to strive for His pleasure. It was narrated that Aa’ishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed, he would stand for so long that his feet would become swollen. ‘Aa’ishah said: O Messenger of Allah, are you doing this when Allah has forgiven your past and future sins? He said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, should I not be a thankful slave?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4557) and Muslim (2820). Let’s, therefore, pray the extranawafil as one way to thank Allah for His blessings.

Gratitude helps increase one’s blessings. Allah says: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings); but if you are thankless, verily, My punishment is indeed severe’” [Ibraaheem 14:7] Let’s, therefore, make thanking Allah part of morning and evening remembrances (adhkars) to get more of Allah’s blessings in our lives.

Gratitude helps us to get the pleasure of Allah in the hereafterwhen in Paradise we express our gratitude to Allah for His blessings to enter us into paradise. Abul-Abbaas al-Qurtubi said: “. . . gratitude for blessings – even if they are few – is a means of attaining the pleasure of Allah, may He be exalted, which is the noblest situation of the people of Paradise. When the people of Paradise say, “You (Allah) have given to us what You have not given to anyone among Your creation,” Allah will say to them: “Shall I not give you something better than that?” They will say, “What is it? Have You not brightened our faces, and admitted us to Paradise and saved us from Hell?” Allah will say, “I bestow My pleasure upon you, and I will never be angry with you after that.” [Al-Mufhim lima ashkala min Talkhees Kitaab Muslim (7/60, 61)]. What better reward can we expect? So, why not be grateful to Him for what He has provided us day and night?

Conclusion

Gratitude’s importance was emphasized by the Prophet when he took the hand of Mu’aadh ibn Jabal and said: “O Mu’aadh, by Allah I love you, by Allah I love you.” Then he said, “I advise you, O Mu’aadh, do not fail to say this after every prayer: O Allah help me to remember You, to thank You and to worship You properly.” The Arabic version of this Hadith is the following. Let’s ensure that we memorize it and recite it after every prayer.

Allahumma A’inni Ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibadatika

Finally, remember that being grateful is not an option and being one brings us closer to those whom we thank and appreciate.

— Source: Iqrasense.com

Islamic Beliefs on Afterlife

According to Islamic beliefs, a person will be held accountable for all his deeds after the person moves on to the next life. According to hadith, the following are first of the many questions that a person will be asked

First Stage of questioning (In the Grave) 

A person’s first stage of reckoning will be in the grave where he will be asked three questions. Allah will help reinforce the person’s answers based on his deeds in this world. The three questions are the following:

• Who was your Lord?
• What is your religion?
• Who is this man who was sent amongst you? (referring to Prophet Muhammad (S))

[Based on the hadith Narrated by al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him), which was narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan (4753) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2979.]

Second Stage of questioning (On the Day of Resurrection)

The second stage of the person’s reckoning will be on the Day of Resurrection when he will be brought to account for every major and minor action, even though he has already been brought to account for that in the grave. The first thing for which he will be brought to account for then will be his prayer.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The first thing among their deeds for which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be prayer. Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows best, ‘Look at My slave’s prayer, is it complete or lacking?’ If it is complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, ‘Complete the obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be examined in a similar manner.”

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 864; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 770).

— Source: iqrasense.com

Correcting Others by “Advising” and not “Condemning”

People always seek advice to gain from others’ knowledge and experience. Companies, governments, and individuals all engage in various forms of advising to move ahead and progress. Advice is also sought and given in all matters of human values pertaining to right and wrong. In general, advising others is essential for the overall betterment of groups and societies.

Providing advice by enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is an integral part of Islamic teachings. Allah says in the Quran, “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (the good that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (the bad that Islam has forbidden)” (Quran 3:110). He also tells us that within families, we should actively advise each other to do what’s right and to stay away from the wrong. Allah says, “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell)…” (Quran 66:6).

As promising as the concept may seem, advising people does require a willingness and sincerity on the part of all involved. Advising takes even a different form when it is done to correct others’ faults and mistakes. In personal situations, the issues can become even more delicate and complex. That is because when done incorrectly, advising people can have a reverse effect and can hurt relationships. This usually happens when one crosses the lines of “advising” people and instead “condemns” them. One can sense condemnation when the demeanor of the person seeking to correct the other appears tofind fault rather than taking a sincere interest in helping the other person to rectify his faults. Sensing any feelings of condemnation, a person’s ego becomes defensive to ward off any outright attempts at hurting it. We generally find people emerge from such interactions as being hurt, insulted and with soured relationships.

Here we look at issues related to correcting others and how we can make the most of such situations without demeaning each other and souring relationships in the process.

Your role when providing advice

When you take on the role of pointing out other people’s faults and of advising them, you actually stand a very good chance of ensuring a positive outcome – both by ensuring that the recipient attentively listens to your advice and also by making certain that your interaction with the other person doesn’t damage your relationship. You can exercise that influence by adopting the right intentions and actions and thus mitigating the risk of your advice being mistaken negatively. This will help you win the person’s confidence and provide him the assurance that you could be trusted.

We should remember that while “advising” to correct someone’s mistake can be helpful and beneficial to the one being advised, it involves walking a slippery slope because one can cross the lines of mutual respect and get into “condemning” the other person instead. Condemning not only is the antithesis of providing sincere advice, it also constitutes a serious sin. For example, the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) even forbade even the condemnation of an adulteress, though he didn’t abrogate her prescribed punishment. (Based on the report in Al-Bukhaaree (4/350) and Muslim (1704) on the authority of Abu Hurairah. See Sharh-us-Sunnah (10/298) of Imaam Al-Baghawee.)

Tips to consider when correcting others

Consider following some of these tips when correcting others.

Purify Your intentions: Our intentions, whether explicit or hidden, act as the catalyst in determining the final outcome of our actions. The Prophet (S.A.W.S.) said: “Actions are but by intentions and each person will have but that which he intended” (narrated by al-Bukhaari (1) and Muslim (1907)).Therefore, whenever you decide to correct and advise others, pause to ask yourself if your intent is to sincerely help the other person or to rather punish and belittle the person by exposing his defects. Surprisingly, just asking the question can reveal your hidden intentions. That will provide you an opportunity to stop yourself if you are fueled by the wrong intentions that are hidden in your psyche, which in turn can lead you on the path of “condemning” others.

Reflect the sincerity of your intentions in your demeanor: Once you are clear about your intentions, your demeanor should also reflect a sincere wish on your part to provide suggestions for improvement to the other person. It would be difficult for you to convince the other person that your intentions are pure and clean if your action and words are demeaning and punishing to the other person. Any hint of such an attitude will cause the other person to activate his defenses rather than being open and receptive to your advice. This in turn will not only lead to resentment and the weakening of your relationship but will hurt your credibility, thus locking away all future opportunities as well.

Never publicize people’s faults: Unless there are valid reasons, when correcting others it is best to keep the interaction private rather making it public. If you do it, that will make the recipient of the advice feel more humiliated and exposed. Again, if your intention is to sincerely help the other person rather than exposing his defects, the affair should be kept private. Allah (SWT) has warned us in the Quran: “Verily, those who love that the evil and indecent actions of those who believe should be propagated (and spread), they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, (Allah would have hastened the punishment on you) and that Allah is full of kindness, Most Merciful” (An Noor, 24:19, 20). According to Al-Hasan, and as reported in At-Tirmidhee and other collections in marfoo’ form [i.e. that the Prophet said]: “Whosoever condemns his brother for a sin (he committed) that he repented from, will not die until he has committed it (i.e. the same sin) himself.” Al-Fudail, one of the salaf, said: “The believer conceals (the sin of his brother) and advises (him), while the evildoer disgraces and condemns (him).”

In this context, we should, therefore, also refrain from gossips and other idle talk that can lead us to discuss people’s faults. Let’s remind ourselves of the stern warnings both from Allah and His prophet about those who engage in spreading others’ defects.

Don’t go after looking at people’s faults: While advising people of their faults with the sincere intention of correcting them is acceptable, as Muslims we are also advised not to go on a witch hunt looking after other people’s faults. The prophet (S.A.W.S.) said, “O you group of people that believe with your tongues while not with your hearts! Do not abuse the Muslims nor seek after their faults. For indeed, he who seeks after their (other people’s) faults, Allah will seek after his faults. And whomsoever has Allah seek after his faults, He will expose them, even if he may have committed them in the privacy of his own home” (reported by Abu Ya’laa in his Musnad (1675) and with a strong chain of narration in Ahmad (4/421 & 424) and Abu Dawood (4880) and other soruces).

Refer people to the truth of Islam: As Muslims, when correcting someone, we should always refer them to the teachings of Islam and the prophet. This tells the other person that you aren’t forcing your opinions on them but rather simply reminding them about the divine commandments related to those matters. This will make the person more receptive to the advice rather than becoming defensive.

Understand the difference between ‘naseehah’ and ‘fadeehah’:Ibn hajar in his book points out that we should be careful to note the difference between giving advice (naseehah), and disgracing the other (fadeehah) and taking joy in it. The Prophet (S.A.W.S.) cautioned us when he said: “Do not express joy at your brother’s misfortune or else Allah will pardon him for it and test you with it” (reported by multiple sources including by At-Tabaraanee in Al-Kabeer (22/53)).

This hadith therefore warns us not to rejoice at other people’s misfortunes because we could be punished by it as well. Consider that when Ibn Sireen failed to return a debt he owed and was detained because of it, he said: “Indeed, I am aware of the sin (I committed) by which this befell me. I condemned a man forty years ago saying to him: ‘O bankrupt one.’”

Advising in personal situations

As stated earlier, giving advice and correcting others takes a special meaning when done in closer relationships such as being with close friends and family members. Sharing the day to day lives with others is bound to expose our faults to others more than in other situations. Furthermore, in such closer relationships where our lives are interconnected with others, one becomes more inclined to correct and advise others. The following are some of the tips that can make the process easier and less stressful.

• When correcting others, choose words that aim to “advise” rather than condemn, demean, or punish the other.
• Avoid correcting the other person when your emotions are running high. As mentioned earlier, if your intent is to see longer term behavior change in the other person without hurting your relationship, save the advice for future when you are more in control of your emotions. Angrily advising someone is bound to push the other to erect barriers rather than staying open to listen to the advice.
• If you think that you have the right to advise others to correct their mistakes, then you also have the obligation to appreciate the good in the other person. Relationships certainly improve when you take an interest in the other person along with acknowledging and mentioning the other person’s positive traits. Appreciation is the best way to reach out to the other, touch their hearts and improve your relationship. This will also lead them to put their defenses down when you need them to listen to your advice and suggestions.
• You should also be open to advice as well. When you show that you are no exception to the rules, you reveal your rational side, thus appealing to the listener and strengthening your relationship.
• Agree on a mutual protocol about advising and correcting each other. As many times, people in close relationships object to how the other advises them and on other related matters, setting expectations with the other person about the “when”, “what”, and “how” of correcting each other can prevent getting into relationship potholes.
• Even when you know that the other person is at fault, it is important to maintain humility. Consider this story which is an important reminder: The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:"There were two men from Banoo Israa’eel who strove equally. One of them committed sins and the other strove hard in worship. And the one who strove in worship continued to see the other sinner and kept saying to him: ‘Desist’. So one day, he found him committing a sin and said to him: ‘Desist’. He replied: "Leave me to my Lord; have you been sent as a watcher over me?" He said: "By Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor will Allah admit you to Paradise." Then their souls were taken and they came together before the Lord of the Worlds. So He (Allah) said to the one who strove in worship: "Did you have knowledge of Me, or did you have any power over what was in my Hands?" And He said to the sinner: "Go and enter Paradise through My Mercy." And He said to the other: "Take him to the Fire." Aboo Hurairah said: "By Him is Whose Hand is my soul! He spoke a word which destroyed this world and the Hereafter for him." (Saheeh – reported by Aboo Hurairah and collected in Aboo Daawood (Eng. trans. vol.3 p.1365 no.4883); authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami (4455)).

Conclusion

Let’s remember that in the Quran, Allah the Beneficent regards Muslims as helpers, supporters, friends, and protectors of each other:“The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another (Quran: At-Taubah, 9:71). Our duty, therefore, is to be genuinely concerned about each other so that we can contribute to making life pleasant in this life and to help ourselves and others to prepare for the life in the Hereafter. And to reach that end, we need to be vigilant in ensuring that Islamic teachings are implemented and followed correctly. This necessitates giving and taking correct advice and constructive criticism wherever required.

— The Iqrasense.com Blogger

Dishonoring Others

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

al-Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah

Retaliation in connection with dishonouring others is also lawful.  If a man curses another man or invokes Allah to maltreat him in some way, the other man may retaliate (return same for it); similarly, when one abuses some other one by mentioning certain demerits of his.  Forgiveness (in all these cases), however, is better.  Allah, be He exalted, has said: "And the recompense of evil is punishment like it; but whoever forgives and amends, his reward is with Allah.  Surely He loves not the wrongdoers.  And whoever defends himself after being oppressed, these it is against whom there is no way (of blame)." (42:40-41).  The Prophet, peace be upon him, has said:  "The two who abuse each other - whatever they may say - he who has begun is to blame, unless the oppressed (abused preliminarily) has retaliated in excess:  has exceeded (lawful) reparation (satisfaction for wrong).

An insult which does not constitute a lie is one which tells of the shameful behavior of a man, or one in which such a man is called son of a bitch or an ass or the like.  (In this case retaliation in the same terms is permitted).  But if a man ascribed to another man demerits which are not known of the other man, the other man is not permitted to retaliate in the same manner.  Even if the former has accused the latter - unjustly, however - of disbelief and debauchery, the latter has no right to return the same accusation to the former.  And if the former has cursed the father or the tribe of the latter, the latter has no right to curse the father or the tribe of the former, since the father and the tribe of the former were not those who cursed him.  In this respect, Allah, be He exalted, has said:  "O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearer of witness with justice; and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably.  Be just, that is nearer to observance of duty.  And keep your duty to Allah.  Surely, Allah is aware of what you do." (5:8)  Allah has (in this verse) enjoined the Muslims that their hatred, (even) to the infidels, should not cause them to be unjust, as He has said:  "Be just; that is nearer to the observance of duty."

If the dishonouring insult was forbidden because it would inflict some personal injury on the man cursed, a retaliation with similar terms is permitted:  if a man invokes Allah that an evil should befall another man, the other man may invoke Allah that the same evil befall the first man.  But if the dishonouring insult, on the other hand - was forbidden because it violates a commandment of Allah - such as telling a lie - no retaliation whatever is permitted.  Very many of the jurists agree to this.  (They say:  If a man) has killed another man by burning or submerging in water or by strangling, the guilty may be treated in the same way.  But if the offence was a forbidden act, such as (if a man) has forced another to swallow some wine or has violated him (sexually), no retaliation is allowed.  Certain jurists have said that the penalty to be executed on the killer mentioned may only be effected with the sword.  The foregoing opinion (retaliation in the same way) conforms better, however, with the Book, the Sunna and with justice.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com