The Unhealthy Obsession with End Times (3/3): Armenia & Azerbaijān

The war between these two nations has, for reasons unfathomable to me, spiked the adrenaline of the end times obsessed quarters. Whatever their motivation, their lack of care with Ḥadīth, in terms of interpretation and translation is shocking. Like the scholar of Johannesburg, they are generally Ḥanafī Sunnī, not heretics. Is thus to be hoped that they will desist from this sensationalist agenda driven interpretations, especially those who are linked to the teacher of my teachers, Shaykh ʾAbul Ḥasan ʿAlī ʾan-Nadwī, a paragon of moderation and an unbiased examiner of facts.  

There are two Ḥadīth which they quote from ʾal-Mustadrak lil Ḥākim. The translations are theirs, not mine:

Dubious Translations

I shall not comment on the state of the English in these translations, but I must dispute some very questionable translations.

Firstly, any decent dictionary can confirm that  إِذَا خُيِّرْتُمْ means “when you will choose”. “If you are forced to choose” has insertions that has no justification.

Secondly, الْأَرَضِينَ is a plural word. To change it to the Arabic dual is a disingenuous ploy to make the Ḥadīth seem to fit a war between two nations. Further, where does the word “nation” even come from? الْأَرَضِينَ means “earths” or “lands”

We are all human, prone to error, but to change, “When you will choose between the lands” into “If you are forced to choose between two nations…” shows utter carelessness with the words of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) at best, and context points to the possibility of deliberate slanting of the translation to achieve an intended meaning. In either case, these are crimes against Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) which should not be condoned.

The second Ḥadīth, mentions various places by name. Place names are not literally translated. Italy is not translated as land of the cows. Yemen is not translated as the fortunate land. France is not translated as land of the free.  

 ʿal-Jazīrah is a known geographical term used by the Arabs. It is south of Armenia and to specifically translate it literally as “island” so that it can supposedly apply to Azerbaijān, which is east of Armenia, is absolutely shocking. Azerbaijān is NOT ʾal-Jazīrah. I would hope that this was another careless mistake, but the evidence of the continuous distortion of the translations leave open the sad probability of people trying to make Ḥadīth suit their agenda.   

Taken collectively, these weird translations point to those infected with the end times virus having slanted the words of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) to achieve an agenda. In this case, the agenda is to prove that he specifically referred to the current Armenian-Azeri war. This is a very audacious move. I believe the Ḥadīth simply advices Ṣaḥābah not to settle in Armenia, but I may be wrong. I cannot deny the possibility that others are correct and that it does indeed refer to the current conflict, but can one so brazenly specify a Ḥadīth which is so loosely stated? What special knowledge or association do you have with Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), other than a desire to interpret everything in the light of end times? How will you face him if you are wrong?

“Torment”

It should also be asked how does the “torment” in Armenia equate to supporting Azerbaijān in a war? Does the Qurʾān not mention cursed lands in Jordan and Arabia? Why this stretching of words and meaning to achieve an end which may or may not have been meant?

al-Jazeerah, a known geographic region since the beginning of Islam, south of Lake Van and Armenia

Azerbaijan - EAST of Armenia

Using Lake Van as a comparison point for two very different places

What is Armenia in the first place?

The end times obsessed happily apply the term “Armenia” to the modern republic, as if Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) has to abide by our circumstances. What was Armenia when he referred to it?

Ancient Armenia was massive compared to the current state. In the time of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) it was partitioned as two provinces of the Byzantine and Persian Empires. Examine these maps:

Byzantine Armenia

Persian Armenia even includes parts of modern Azerbaijan!

All that is potential Armenia of the Ḥadīth which does not specify where exactly the “torment” is. Those borders do not only encompass modern Armenia, but parts of Turkey and even Azerbaijān as well! Modern Armenia covers such a small part of the ancient borders, it is statistically more likely that the “torment” is NOT in modern Armenia at all, but Allāh knows best. It is not for me to impute words and meaning into the mouth of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) like others do.

May Allāh guide us to moderation and caution in our religion and protect all from all forms of tribulations.

سليمان الكندي

@KindiSulayman
[Twitter has without explanation suspended my account @sulayman_Kindi]

The Unhealthy Obsession with End Times (2/3) : Imran Hosein

ʿImrān Naẓr Husayn

Literally, ʿImrān who was dedicated in a vow to Ḥusayn, a product of the University of Karāchī, is the ultimate example in our time of the harms which end times hysteria can inflict upon the Muslims, in faith and deed. Allāh knows best if he started off as a sincere specialist in the field, but the practical ramifications are that he now intentionally bends every possible narration and event to match an agenda which is no longer in the interests of Islām in general, let alone the ʿAhlus Sunnah.

His hysteria on end times (or “eschatology” as he loves saying, to apparently show his western academic credentials), has led him to setting up Russia as an idol and to support for those who curse and abuse ʿAbū Bakr and ʿĀʿishah (may Allāh be pleased with them). These two articles of his faith dictate his every view and decision even, or perhaps especially, when it contradicts the entire community of Muslims. Thus he gleefully approved the Srebrenica massacre of the Muslims in Bosnia, simply because the Serbs are allies of his idol, Russia.

His interpretive methodology (or hermeneutics to use his western lingo) is akin to the heresies of the Bāṭinīyah or ʾIsmāʿilīyah rather than the ʾAhlus Sunnah. A simple example happens to be from one of my first articles. I had written to alert the Muslims against the deception of some Shīʿah boys who presented him as a “Sunnī scholar” and quoted him in their deceptive “documentary”, “The Arrivals”. He may present himself as Sunnī, but his beliefs are closer to those boys than to ours. I reproduce the relevant part below:

Brazen distortion of Qurān and Ḥadīth

Our interpretation of Qurān and Ḥadīth is what Allāh and His Rasūl ﷺ taught us, via the chain of the Ṣaḥābah, Mufassirūn and Muḥaddithūn. Aḥādīth warning against personal interpretations are well known. Perhaps the most detailed Ḥadīth describing ad-Dajjāl is narrated by an-Nawwās bin Sam‘ān in al-Imām Muslim’s Ṣaḥīḥ, Chapter on the Mention of ad-Dajjāl. It is quite lengthy, but based on the print version where it covers 16 lines; the producers conveniently only quote a half-a-line to suit their purpose. Due to the length I only mention the relevant parts below:

عن النواس ابن سمعان ......انه خارج خلة بین الشام و العراق....قلنا یا رسول اﷲ و لبثه فى الأرض قال أربعون یوما یوم كسنة و یوم كشهر و یوم كجمعة و سائر أیامه كأیامكمقلنا یا رسول اﷲ فذلك الذى كسنة أ تكفینا فیه صلاة یوم قال لا اقدروا له قدره

An-Nawwās bin Sam‘ān narrated.... [Rasūlullāh ﷺ said that ad-Dajjāl] will emerge on the road between ‘Irāq and Syria....We asked, “O Rasūlullāh,” How long will he stay on earth?” He replied, “Forty days. A day like a year, and a day like a month, and a day like a week, and the rest of his days will be like your days.”“O Rasūlullāh,” we asked, “That which is like a year, will the Ṣalāh of a day suffice us in it? ’“No,” he replied, “Calculate for it according to its extent.”

The producers make the following claims:

ØAd-Dajjāl has already emerged.

ØThe first day represents his rule in England, starting in 900 of the Christian era.

ØThe English monarchy started in 900.

ØThe second day represents his rule in America, starting in 1917.

ØThe third day represents his rule in Palestine, starting in 2001.

The unbiased will realise:

ØEngland and “between Iraq and Syria” cannot be the same.

ØThe continuous monarchy of England is dated from the reign of Egbert in 829. Is Arrivals deliberately lying to get their date of 900?

ØThe question of Ṣalāh, clearly shows that the Ṣaḥābah understood the prophecy to mean that a normal 24 hour day will be extended to a year.

ØThis is in line with the clear, uncomplicated Dīn which Rasūlullāh ﷺ brought us.

 ØThe esoteric UK-US theory seems more in line with Masonic thinking. Let the unbiased ask, “Has there been a single day since 900, when the day had to be shortened to 24 hours and divided into 5 for Ṣalāh purposes?” Obviously this has never happened in the general world, except for the poles, which is a permanent feature.

If we accept the producers’ theory, we must accept one of two possibilities: Rasūlullāh ﷺ did not know the real meaning of his prophecy, but the producer did! The stupidity of such a belief is self-evident. Rasūlullāh ﷺ knew the real “sophisticated” meaning but chose to toy with the Ṣaḥābah when they made their “simple” interpretation. Allāh save us from having either of these filthy thoughts against Rasūlullāh ﷺ. We must however ask, “The producers omitted the question of Ṣalāh which tears down their argument. Was this an oversight, coincidence or something more sinister?”

Mr Hosein made a slight response to me on his website. He initially mentioned me by name, but later edited me to “Br XYZ”.

سليمان الكندي

@KindiSulayman

[Twitter has without explanation suspended my account @sulayman_Kindi]

The Unhealthy Obsession with End Times (1/3)

عن أَنسٍ رضي الله عنه: أَنَّ أَعرابيًّا قَالَ لرسول اللَّه ﷺ: مَتَى السَّاعَةُ؟ قَالَ رسولُ اللَّه ﷺ: مَا أَعْدَدْتَ لَهَا؟ قَالَ: حُبُّ اللّهِ ورسولِهِ، قَالَ: أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ. متفقٌ عَلَيهِ، وهذا لفظ مسلمٍ.

ʾAnas (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated:

A Bedouin asked Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), “When will the Hour [end of the world] be?” Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) responded, “What have you prepared for it?” He said, “Love for Allāh and His Messenger.” Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) thereupon remarked, “You will be with whom you love.” [Muslim].

Amongst the miracles of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) is that his concise words are diamonds of wisdom with myriad facets. Thus the above narration may enlighten some on seeking knowledge. Others may be struck on the importance of love and faith. Students of Arabic will see this narration as a perfect example of the rhetorical device ʾuslūb ʾal-ḥakīm. [Here I refer to competent students, unlike those students of mine who read both a tanwīn and lām ʾat-Taʿrīf on the same noun].  

Strangely enough, few note the overarching message. The primary purpose of knowledge of the Hour is preparation for meeting Allāh. It is not to obsess over events beyond our control and knowledge, and in the case of most mankind, events which most of us will not even experience.

Ḥadīth Scholars

Are these narrations then of no consequence? Allāh forbid that such disrespect should ever be thought, let alone expressed to any utterance of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ). Narrations on the end times are valuable. They prove the truth of the station of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) when they do transpire. They alert us to the transitory nature of this ethereal realm and that we are travellers to a permanent abode. They remind us that much a life may be difficult, the people who will experience the end times will undergo the worst tribulations ever. A person who bears some of these facts in mind will lead a more productive life in those fields where it really counts.

The compilers of the sacred prophetic words certainly paid attention to these narrations and they certainly understood what I wrote above with far greater scholarly ability and spiritual insight. Yet show me which of these scholars made it a focus and obsession as so many do today. Did ʾal-ʾImām Muslim commence his compilation with this topic? Did it take precedence over the basics of faith, prayer, purity etc? How much did ʾAbū Dāwūd devote to the topic as a percentage of his work?

Are you aware that much of what circulates on this topic amongst the masses are from sources, such as ʾAbū Nuʾaym, whose works, to put it respectfully, is not of the same standard as senior ʾAʾimmah of Ḥadīth? What we authentically know is much less than that which will titillate the cyber generation who are in need of constant entertainment, and perhaps it is not exciting enough for them.

Moderation and Extremism

I do not tire of mentioning that Allāh says:

وكذلك جعلناكم أمة وسطا

“And thus have We made you a moderate nation…” [ʾal-Baqarah: 143]

For I believe that almost every problem we face as a community stems from diverging from the moderation of the Sunnah and leaning to one extreme (ghulūw) or the other.

Extremism includes obsession over the end times and placing it outside of its proper perspective. Incidentally the tafsīr of ẓulm, which is popularly translated as oppression, is in fact to place something out of its proper place. The end time extremists are thus ẓālimūn infected with a deadly disease.

I do not cite this extremism as a theoretic problem which irks me. History testifies to the practical insane and bloody consequences of this disease. The least harm of this disease is an obsession to examine every matter in the light of end times, even if it means bending scripture to fit your interpretation. The ultimate harm is that there are those who have actually left Islām because of this.

One of the lesser harms of this disease is the misunderstanding, even if innocently perpetuated, that anything prophesied in end times narrations is an evil. If this distortion of our religion were the only negative of this phenomenon it would be sufficient to regard it as a problem.

Moreover, this disease is such that it infects sincere learned Muslims, as well as people of perhaps every other faith. For example, there was the Turkish Jew, Sabbatai Tzvi, whose extremism on the topic made the rabbis expel him and his followers in 1651. Amongst the reasons King Charles I lost his head (literally) in 1649 was the belief amongst sectors of the English, that it was the end times, and that Jesus should now reign as King Jesus. The examples of end times obsession making people extreme in belief and violent in action are numerous and are to be found amongst Muslims and others. Use Google to find more examples. If I know how to use it, then I am sure that you can too.  

Amongst Muslims

• The impending arrival of the Islāmic year 1000 spiked unnatural obsession with end times ultimately leading many Muslims into heresy. The Ẓikrī sect of Baluchistān accepted Mullā Muḥammad as a new prophet in 977.
• Bā Yazīd ʾAnṣārī of Afghānistān started the Roshanīyah sect in 971. He proclaimed himself the Mahdī and discarded Islāmic laws on purity and prayer.
• The Mahdawī sect overran south India and Gujerat and famously martyred the great scholar, Muḥammad Ṭāhir of Pattan in 986 (author of Majmaʿ Bihār ʾal-ʾAnwār)
• Ultimately the obsession with the year 1000 was sufficient for deviants to convince the Moghul Emperor that Islām had expired, and he made this official imperial policy. I shall not cede him the courtesy of mentioning his name, you may research it at your leisure. I however feel obligated to highlight that these deviants were not uneducated laymen, but agenda driven scholars of extreme proficiency.
• In terms of the media and languages at my disposal, it appears that four centuries later there remains an above average end times “concern” in these regions. (Allāh knows best if end times hysteria more severely grips the Muslims in a village in Liechtenstein or perhaps South-West Mongolia). This “concern” manifests via perennial statements from regional scholars categorically linking specific narrations to current events. Thus the Ḥadīth on crawling over snow was positively associated to a specific commander of the Ṭālibān. I do not have a problem with offering educated opinions. I too offer opinions. I most certainly have a problem with using the sacred words of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) as a tool for an agenda, instead of us being his willing tools. I have an even greater problem when the translation and interpretation are tweaked to service an agenda. Often, such acts are at the hands of scholars, not laymen, as was the case at the Moghul court.  
• The tragic bloodshed which occurred at the Kaʾbah a short four decades ago in 1400 was directly due to end times obsession, although additional factors cannot be denied. It should be noted that the proclaimed Mahdī in this case, Muḥammad ʾal-Qaḥtānī, was a legitimate scholar, not a heretic of the magnitude of the previous examples. Yet end times obsession led such a person, who died as a Muslim as far as we know, to actions leading to bloodshed at the Kaʿbah.
• Two decades later, a scholar from Johannesburg, South Africa, became noted for his end times obsession. Although a Ḥanafī Sunnī, his actions and statements are indictive of the harms this infection can wreck on mind and soul.
• He categorically declared that the Ḥajj of 2003 CE would be a bloodbath. Many were discouraged from performing their sacred duty because of him.
• Similarly the Mahḍī was supposed to appear in 2004 CE. Scholars who adhere to authentic narrations and do not twist scripture to sort their interpretation do not utter such foolish proclamations.
• Amongst his public statements announcing the Mahdī is, “Allāh has secrets? No the Vatican has secrets. If Islām has secrets then I do not want to be a Muslim.”
•    If you need further proof of how this disease can turn even the sincere, pious and learned into mentally unhinged blatherers, he said, “Let’s say the Mahdī comes and I invite him home. I offer him custard. The Mahdī like any normal human being will eat the custard with a spoon. There are those who will reject this as against the Sunnah, and I have seen such people insist on eating custard with their fingers. They will thus reject the Mahdī, and thus lose their faith.”

سليمان الكندي

@KindiSulayman

[Twitter has without explanation suspended my account @sulayman_Kindi]

First Friday Sermon after the Liberation of ʾAqṣā

The Pulpit Ṣalāḥuddīn brought with and installed upon liberating Jerusalem. Destroyed in 1969 fire attack.

When it was announced that Jumuʿah would be held in the Ayasofya for the first time after 86 years, the parallel with ʾal-ʾAqṣā struck me. The Crusaders took Baytul Muqaddas on 15 July 1099 and Ṣalāḥuddīn liberated the city on 2 October 1187. For a similar period of 88 years no Jumuʿah was conducted.

I must have been a teenager when I read that someone had recorded the first sermon delivered after the liberation. I could not find it in the English books I searched. I became a student of the Islāmic sciences and could now search Arabic books, but to no avail. It was perhaps after a decade since my quest began, that I finally found my treasure. May Allāh reward ʾIbn Khalliqān!  

The parallel with Ayasofya made me think that I should perhaps translate the sermon and share it. Why should others have to repeat my quest? It may seem contradictory, that when I examine what knowledge I do have, I know it to be less than a drop, but when I examine what can be shared, only a tiny pebble from a mountain has been shared. How wonderful if some reader of this translation will also listen to the first sermon in ʾal-ʾAqṣā after its liberation from the Zionists. He remembers what he read and offers a word to Allāh to overlook my shortcomings. That may be enough for my salvation.  

Notes:

• I have never spoken or written in any form about Ayasofya and cannot claim any share of the reward for those who strove to purify the masjid from its Kemalist chains. I salute them but declare my disdain for those who suddenly hype on social media as if this were their lifelong dream which they campaigned for since childhood, and for which every Muslim prayed after every Ṣalāh. Most non-Turkish Muslims were probably not even aware of the existence of this masjid a few weeks ago. Exaggeration and misrepresentation of facts are inappropriate for Muslims. May Allāh grant us sincerity.  
• I have intentionally omitted explanatory notes in my translation in regards obscure references to Islāmic history and geography. A people who know every detail of their favourite sports, movie or music idol can make the time to study their religion and allied sciences.
• I have intentionally translated Biblical names and not kept them in Arabic. You may read my reason here.
• The translated text is that of three people as follows:

1. The bulk is the actual translated sermon of the Qāḍī, Muḥammad bin Zakī ʾal-ʾUmawī, known as Muḥyī ʾad-Dīn. I have formatted his words with quotation marks to separate it from the rest. Ibn Zakī (550-598 Hijrī) was a direct descendant of ʿUthmān bin ʿAffān (may Allāh be pleased with him), a Shāfiʿī jurist and Qāḍī of Damascus. An accomplished jurist, poet and orator, Ṣalāhuddīn greatly respected him.  
2. The historian, ʾIbn Khalliqān (1211-1282) who records the sermon, and offers certain statements, before, during and after the text of the sermon. He was a Shafiʿī jurist, Qāḍī of Damascus, and author of the celebrated Wafayātul ʾAʿyān in which he recorded this sermon. His words are in Bold.
3. Limited translator’s notes in square brackets.

سليمان الكندي
Twitter: @sulayman_Kindi

ʿIbn Khalliqān narrates:

When the Sulṭān [Ṣalāḥuddīn] conquered ʾal-Quds ʾash-Sharīf, the learned ones who were present in his service stretched their necks [wished to] deliver the Friday sermon. Each prepared a most eloquent sermon, with the hope that he would be appointed for the task. An edict was sent to ʾal-Qāḍī Muḥyī ʾad-Dīn instructing him to deliver the sermon. The Sulṭān and the prominent personalities of the realm gathered for the first Jumuʿah to be prayed since the conquest.

ʾIbn Zakī mounted the pulpit and commenced with Sūrah ʾal-Fātiḥah in its entirety. He then recited:

فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۚ وَالْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

The wrongdoers have been cut off to the last remnant! All praise be to Allāh, Cherishing-Lord of the worlds [ʾal-ʾAnʿām: 45]

الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ

All Praise be to Allāh, Who created the heavens and the earth, and made darknesses and light…. [ʾal-ʾAnʿām: 1]

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَم يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلَّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

And say: All praise be to Allāh Who never made a son, nor has He a partner in sovereignty, nor a protector due to weakness. So declare His greatness with all glory. [ʾal-ʾIsrāʿ: 111]

الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجًا ۜ . قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا . مَّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا

All praise be to Allāh Who revealed the Book upon His Slave and made no crookedness in it. It is straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him, and to bring glad tidings unto the believers who do good deeds that for them will be a good reward. Wherein they will abide forever. [ʾal-Kahf: 1-3]

قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لله وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَى آلله خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

Say: All praise be to Allāh and peace be upon His slaves whom He chose. Is Allāh better or those partners which they attribute? [ʾan-Naml:59]

الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ

All praise be to Allāh to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. All praise belongs to Him in the hereafter. He is Most Wise, All-Informed. [Sabaʾ: 1]

الْحَمْدُ لله فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاء إِنَّ الله عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

All praise be to Allāh, the Originator of the heavens and earth, maker of angels as messengers with two, three and four [sets of] wings. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily Allāh has power over everything.

[ʾal-Fāṭir: 1]

He thus intended gathering from the Noble Qurʾān the praises of Allāh. He then commenced the sermon as follows.

All praise be to Allāh, the Grantor of honour to Islām through His help, the Inflictor of disgrace upon the attribution of partners through His overwhelming power; the Changer of affairs by His command, the Lengthener of bounties when He is thanked, the Lengthener of respite to the ungrateful disbelievers, through His design.

It is He who measured days in turns for domination by His justice but made the final outcome for those who fear Him through His grace. He showered His booty upon His slaves from His Shade and made His religion triumph over every other religion. He is overpowering over all His slaves and cannot be blocked. He is manifestly apparent over all His creation and His attributes cannot be expunged. He commands as He wills, and none can appeal against that. He decrees as he intends, and none can repel that.

I praise him for the conquest and victory He has bestowed, for honouring His friends and helping His helpers, for purifying His Holy House from the attribution of partners and its filth and pollution, such a praise which is perceived to the inner mystery and outer manifestation.

I testify that there is no god but Allāh alone. The One! He who is independent, but all depend on. He Who does not beget nor is begotten, and there is none similar to Him. A testimony of one who purifies his heart with monotheism and is pleased with Him as Cherishing-Lord.

I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and Messenger, the remover of doubt, he who silenced polytheism, who washed away false accusation, who was taken on the night journey from ʾal-Masjid ʾal-Ḥarām to ʾal-Masjid ʾal-ʾAqṣā. From there he was raised to the highest heavens, to the Furthest Lote Tree, there is the garden of rest, his sight did not swerve nor overstep. Allāh’s salutations be upon him and his successor, ʾAbū Bakr the Truthful who was the foremost in hastening to faith, and upon the Commander of the Believers, ʿUmar son of ʾal-Khaṭṭāb, who was the first to remove the symbols of the Cross from this House, and upon the Commander of the Believers, ʿUthmān son of ʿAffān, the possessor of the two lights, the gatherer of the Qurʾān, and upon the Commander of the Believers, ʿAlī son of ʾAbū Ṭālib, the shaker of polytheism, the smasher of idols, and upon his family, his Companions and those who follow them in good.

O people! Rejoice at the tidings of Allāh’s pleasure, which is the ultimate goal and most elevated station. For indeed Allāh had eased through your hands the return of this lost she-camel from the clutches of a lost people. He returned her to her proper home in Islām after the polytheists had been abusing her for almost a hundred years. He purified this House which he had commanded be raised and that His Name be remembered therein. He removed polytheism from its pathways when the tent of polytheism had been pitched over it and its rituals entrenched. He had raised its foundation upon His Oneness and built upon that a building for His Glorification. Its foundation is awareness of Allāh, from behind, from in front.

This is the land of residence of your forefather Abraham and the place from where your Prophet Muḥammad ascended, salutations and peace be upon him. This is the direction you prayed towards during the early days of Islām. It is here that Prophets stayed, and saints headed towards. Here Messengers were buried, and revelation descended. Commands and prohibitions were revealed here. This is the land of the gathering and this is the plain of resurrection. This is the sacred land which Allāh mentions in His Clear Book. This is the Furthest Masjid in which Allāh’s Messenger led the archangels in prayer, Allāh’s salutations and peace be upon him. This is the land to which Allāh sent His Slave and Messenger and Word which He cast in Mary – His spirit, Jesus, whom He honoured with His Message and ennobled with Prophethood, but never moved him from his station of Slavery. The Most High says:

لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لله وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

Never would the Messiah disdain to be a slave of Allāh, nor would the close angels…

[ʾan-Nisā: 172]

Those who invented partners with Allāh have lied and gone far off in their misguidance.

مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِذًا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

Allāh has not taken any son nor is there any god with Him. For then each god would have taken what he created and some of them overcoming others. Pure is Allāh from they describe! [ʾal-Muʾminūn: 91]

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَآلُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ

Indeed those who said, “God is Jesus son of Mary” have disbelieved…

[FROM VERSE 17] UNTIL THE END OF SŪRAH ʾAL-MĀʾIDAH!

This is the first direction of prayer, the second masjid [built on earth], and the third sacred sanctuary. After the two Masjid, no [set religious] journey is permitted, except to this masjid. After the two lands, no other is honoured above others, except for this land.  

If you were not amongst those slaves of Allāh whom he had selected, and chosen from amongst the inhabitants of His lands, He would not have specified you for this virtue which others cannot approach, and this honour which others cannot divest you from.

Congratulation to you for being part of that army upon whose hands the miracles of the Prophet was manifested, battles like Badr, resolve like that of ʾAbū Bakr the Truthful, conquests like that of ʿUmar the Distinguisher, legions like that of ʿUthmān, eradication of the enemies like that of ʿAlī. You have renewed for Islām the days of Qādisīyah, the battles of Yarmūk, the sieges of Khaybar, the campaigns of Khālid.

May Allāh reward you, the best of rewards, on behalf of His Prophet Muḥammad, salutations and peace be upon him. May He appreciate the lifeblood which you sacrificed in battling the enemy. May He accept your efforts to draw closer to Him through the blood that you made flow. May He reward you with Paradise in which is the abode of the fortunate of ones.

 May Allāh have mercy upon you, for you should value this bounty as per its right. Stand up for Allāh, for this bounty has an obligation of gratitude attached to it. In specifying you for this bounty, and nominating you for the office of this service, the Most High also places a debt upon you. For this is a conquest for which the gates of heaven have been flung open , and whose light glared upon the faces of the wrongdoers. The archangels rejoiced at it, and the eyes of the Prophets and Messengers found comfort in it.

So imagine the obligation upon you, that He has made you the army at whose hands He conquers the Holy House at the end of times, the army which after the period of Prophethood stands with its swords as the banners of the faith. It may be close that Allāh manifests similar conquests at your hands, and that the inhabitants of the heavens offer more congratulations than the inhabitants of the earth.

Is this not the House which Allāh mentioned in His Book, and explicitly recorded in His Categoric Speech? The Most High says:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى

“Pure is He Who took His slave by night on a nocturnal journey from ʾal-Masjid ʾal-Ḥarām to ʾal-Masjid ʾal-ʾAqṣā….”

[ʾal-ʾIsrāʾ: 1]

Is this not the House which all religious communities respect? Which the Messengers extolled? In which were recited all four books revealed from Allāh, Most Mighty and Majestic? Is this not the House for whose sake Allāh prevented the sun from setting on Joshua, and slowed its progression to ease his approach and conquer it? Is this not the House which Allāh, Most Mighty and Majestic, commanded Moses to command his people to investigate for, yet none liked it except two men? This angered Allāh and He cast them into Tīh as a punishment for their disobedience. So praise Allāh for implementing in you that resolve, for which the Children of Israel were punished, whereas they had been preferred above all nations. In addition, you have been guided to do that which those before you, the nations of the past, forsook.

For its sake He united your word, whereas you were disparate before. And he enriched you with that which before had been used to hurt His House. It should make you happy that Allāh  mentioned you to those who are with Him; and whereas you were armies of different personal desires, He transformed you into His one army; and that the angels who descend are grateful to you for gifting the purity of monotheism back to this House and for spreading the words of Allāh’s holiness and magnificence, and grateful for your removing from its pathways the harms of polytheism and the Trinity, and sinful filthy beliefs. Now the angels of the heavens pray for your forgiveness and shower prayers of blessings upon you.

Allāh have mercy upon you. You are responsible for preserving this gift amongst you. Be on guard in regards this bounty amongst you, through the means of fearing Allāh, for he who does so will be safe. He who holds onto this handle is saved and protected. Beware of following your desire, and falling into destruction, and determined retreat, and refusal to face the enemy.   

Seize the beautiful opportunity, remove what anger remains, strive in Allāh’s way as it should be strived.

O Slaves of Allāh! Sell your lives for His pleasure, for He has already made you amongst His best slaves. However, beware that Satan should not let you slip and enter beyond the bounds. He may make you imagine that this victory was through your sharp swords, and your excellent horses, and your fights on the battlefields. No! By Allāh! Victory is only from Allāh. Allāh is Most Mighty and Wise.  

O Slaves of Allāh! You have been honoured with an august victory, an immense prize, selection for Allāh’s clear help, and your hands have been joined on His strong rope. Beware, should after all this, you get involved in any major prohibition of His and approach a considerable disobedience unto Him. For then you will be like she who unravelled her own thread into thin filaments which had been strong when she had spun it, and like him to whom we gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators.

Jihād! Striving in Allāh’s way is amongst your best forms of worship and noblest of your habits. Help [the religion of] Allāh, He will help you. Protect [the commands of] Allāh, he will protect you. Be grateful unto Allāh. He will increase for you and extend gratitude to you. Exert all out to fight the disease, and utterly eradicate the very roots of the enemy. Purify whatever remains polluted of the earth, such pollution which has angered Allāh and His Messenger! Cut every branch of disbelief and pull out every root. For the very days call out, “O for the vengeance of Islām! O for the followers of Muḥammad!”

Allāh is the greatest! Allāh has conquered and is victorious! Allāh has overpowered and dominates! Allāh has disgraced those who disbelieve. Know that this is an opportunity, so seize it; a hunted animal, so catch it; a booty, so take it; a task of importance, so bring forth your courage and face it. Despatch your expeditions and prepare for it. Affairs matter according to how they end. Earnings matter in what has been saved. For Allāh has granted you victory over a disgraceful enemy whose number equals yours or perhaps more. Yet it has now become that 20 of you face one [survivor] of them. Whereas Allāh says:

إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ

“…If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.”

[ʾal-ʾAnfāl: 65]

May Allāh assist us and you to obey His commands and restrain from what He restricted. O Muslims, may He grant us that help which is with Him.

إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا الَّذِي يَنصُرُكُم مِّن بَعْدِهِ

If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him?

[ʾĀl ʿImrān: 160]

The noblest of words which can be said in any situation, the most penetrating arrow against the hardest of speech, the most effective quote which opens understanding, is the Speech of the One, the Singular, the Mighty, All-Knowing. Allāh the Most High says:

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.

[ʾal-ʾAʿrāf: 204]

I seek Allāh’s protection against the accursed Satan. In the Name of Allāh, Whose Being is Merciful and Who grants Mercy to the believers.

He then recited the beginning portion of Sūrah ʾal-Ḥashr, and then said…

I command you and myself with what Allāh commands, beautiful obedience, so obey him. I prohibit you and myself from what He prohibited, ugly disobedience, so not disobey Him. I seek forgiveness of Allāh the great, for myself and for you and for all Muslims, so you too seek His forgiveness.

He then recited the second sermon, which was concise as per the habit of the orators and prayed for ʾan-Nāṣir, who was the Khalīfah at that time. He then said…

O Allāh, preserve the kingdom of Your slave who is humble to You in fear, grateful for Your bounty, acknowledges Your gift, Your cutting sword, Your shining flame, ardent defender of Your religion, unpassable defender of Your sanctuary, the noblest chief, the helper king, the unifier of the strength of the faith, crusher of the Cross-Worshippers, righteous one of the world and religion, the Sulṭān of Islām and the Muslims, the  purifier of the Holy House, ʾAbul Muzhaffar Yūsuf bin ʾAyyūb, revivor of the empire of the Commander of the Believers.

O Allāh, extend his empire far and wide. Let Your angels surround his flags. Grant him his reward on behalf of a religion which turns away from all but You. Extend gratitude to him on behalf of the Muḥammadan people for his resolve and its implementation.  

O Allāh, for the sake of Islām, let his soul remain; for the sake of the faith, let his territories be protected. Spread his call throughout the east and west of the earth.

O Allāh, just as You conquered the Jerusalem through his hands, after doubts afflicted the people and tribulations tested the believers, conquer at his hands the near lands and the distant. Grant him mastery and control over the fortresses of disbelief. Let no squadron of theirs encounter him except that he shreds them apart, and no group except that he splits them. Should they send army after army, let each meet the fate of the previous.  

O Allāh, on behalf of Muḥammad, salutations and peace be upon him, extend thanks to him for his efforts. Implement his commands and prohibitions in the east and west. O Allāh, use him to rectify the conditions of the central lands and the peripheries, through the countries and their borders.

O Allāh, disgrace the noses of the disbelievers through him, and frustrate the sinners. Spread the ascendancy of his kingdom over the cities. O Allāh, keep the kingship firmly in him and his descendants until the Day of Reckoning. Protect him through his sons and the sons of his father, the fortunate princes, and strengthen him by maintaining them. Grant honour to his allies and their allies.    

O Allāh, just as you manifested through his hand this good in Islām, which will last for days and remain as months and years pass, grant him an eternal kingdom which will never end in the Abode of Certainty. Accept his supplication when he says:

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

“O my Cherishing-Lord, enable me to be grateful for the bounty which You blessed me and my parents with, and enable me to perform that which is righteous and which You are please with. Enter me through Your mercy amongst Your pious slaves.”

[ʾan-Naml: 19]

He then supplicated further as per his habit.

The Sunnah of Dubbāʾ - Which Plant is it?

Many people eat pumpkin out of love for Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). This is based on the Sunnah established from Ḥadīth, such as the following narrated by ʾal-ʾImāmʾal-Bukhārī:

أنس بن مالك يقول إن خياطا دعا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لطعام صنعه قال أنس فذهبت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فرأيته يتتبع الدباء من حوالي القصعة قال فلم أزل أحب الدباء من يومئذ

ʾAnas said, “A tailor invited Allāh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم for a meal which he had cooked. So I went with Allāh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and saw him plucking the dubbāʾ from around the edges of the platter. So I always loved dubbāʾ since that day.” [Chapter of plucking from the edges of a platter if your companion does not dislike it].

Reliable contemporary dictionaries, such as Almaany, suggest both “pumpkin” and “gourd” as English translations for dubbāʾ. Both are scientifically fruits (having seeds). They are botanically related, both are under the classification of Cucurbita, yet they are obviously distinct fruits. In seeking to be as close to the Sunnah as possible, which of the two would be the better translation?

In their commentaries on the above narration, giants of the science of Ḥadīth, such as ʾIbn Ḥajar and ʾān-Nawawī (Allāh’s mercy be upon them both), discuss issues of etiquette, Sunnah, the correct pronunciation of dabbāʾ yet contrary to their usual attention to detail, neither ʾImām makes an effort to clarify which fruit is applicable to the Ḥadīth. This is not surprising when one considers that in that time and place only one of the two fruits existed. There was no need to clarify between a known fruit and one which the Arabs heard never seen to that point.

The Tree of Yūnus (peace be upon him)

Before turning to the historical evidence, we do have access to a detailed description in the Islāmic sources, which provide further clarity. In his commentary, ʾIbn Ḥajar narrates from Nasāʿī that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “It is the tree of my brother, Yūnus.”

The Qurʾān uses the synonym yaqṭīn in ʾāṣ-Ṣāfāt:146, “And We made a Yaqṭīn tree grow over him [Prophet Yūnus peace be upon him].”

ʾIbn Kathīr describes the tree as follows in his commentary:

“It grows quickly. It gives shade due to its large leaves and that it rises. Flies tend to stay away from it. Its fruit is excellent nutrition wise. It is eaten raw and cooked, the flesh and shell is also edible. It is an established fact that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) loved dubbāʾ and plucked it from the edges of the platter.”

From this description is would be clear that the tree which “rises" and is shady, must be bottle gourd (calabash/ Lagenaria siceraria) which grows as a vine, not pumpkin which grows on the ground and does not give shade.










In regards the shell, calabash is not normally edible, but can be eaten when the fruit is still young.

Historical Origins

Calabash originated in Africa and reached Asia thousands of years ago. It would not have been an alien to the Arabs, as opposed to pumpkin which originated in Central America and was only recorded by the “Old World” in 1584, a millennium after Allāh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. It would therefore seem more likely that he ate bottle gourd and not pumpkin.

May Allāh guide us to the Sunnah, in its love, knowledge and implementation.
سليمان الكندي
@sulayman_kindi

Quraan Etiquette

 

I love these gems I came across, because so many practices are culture specific. Which are good in themselves, unless imposed upon other cultures. These are however applicable to all Muslims:

1. Sit in a state of Wuḍūʾ, facing the Qiblah. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/37]


2. Place the Qurʾān manuscript (Muṣḥaf) on a pillow or high place. [Fatḥul Karīm ʾal-Mannān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān: 1/4]


3. Recite Taʿawwuẓ before reciting. [ʾan-Naḥl: 98]


4. Recite slowly, with Tajwīd. [ʾal-Muzzammil: 4]


5. If some need arises, close the Muṣḥaf before going to attend to the need. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/58]


6. Upon returning from that need, recite Taʿawwuẓ again before recitation of the Qurʾān. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/58]


7. If there are others engaged in their own work who are present, then recite softly. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/58]


8. If the people turn in attention to your recitation, then recite aloud. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/58]


9. Ponder over the meaning during your recitation. [Ṣād: 29]


10. Let your heart be aware of the lofty status of the Qurʾān. [ʾat-Tibyān fī ʾĀdāb Ḥamalatil Qurʾān lin Nawawī: 1/97]

In regards point 7.

Imam Nawawi did not live in an age when Quraan was played on CDs, radio etc as something in the background. What would he comment on this common disrespect? Allah says:

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

"When the Quraan is recited, then listen with attention to it and be silent that mercy may be shown to you." [al-A'raaf: 204]

Secondly, verses of prostration in particular should be recited softly, as some (the Hanafi school for example) hold that the prostration is compulsory. The one who hears might not be aware of the ruling, or that that particular verse requires a prostration, or might not be a state that he can prostrate and you have inconvenienced him.

May Allah grant us His closeness through His Word.

سليمان الكندي
@sulayman_kindi

Erdogan’s Humanitarianism to Zionists Does Not Necessarily Contradict the Sunnah

حدثنا عبد الله بن يوسف حدثنا الليث قال حدثني سعيد بن أبي سعيد أنه سمع أبا هريرة رضي الله عنه قال بعث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خيلا قبل نجد فجاءت برجل من بني حنيفة يقال له ثمامة بن أثال فربطوه بسارية من سواري المسجد فخرج إليه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال ما عندك يا ثمامة فقال عندي خير يا محمد إن تقتلني تقتل ذا دم وإن تنعم تنعم على شاكر وإن كنت تريد المال فسل منه ما شئت فترك حتى كان الغد ثم قال له ما عندك يا ثمامة قال ما قلت لك إن تنعم تنعم على شاكر فتركه حتى كان بعد الغد فقال ما عندك يا ثمامة فقال عندي ما قلت لك فقال أطلقوا ثمامة فانطلق إلى نخل قريب من المسجد فاغتسل ثم دخل المسجد فقال أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله يا محمد والله ما كان على الأرض وجه أبغض إلي من وجهك فقد أصبح وجهك أحب الوجوه إلي والله ما كان من دين أبغض إلي من دينك فأصبح دينك أحب الدين إلي والله ما كان من بلد أبغض إلي من بلدك فأصبح بلدك أحب البلاد إلي وإن خيلك أخذتني وأنا أريد العمرة فماذا ترى فبشره رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأمره أن يعتمر فلما قدم مكة قال له قائل صبوت قال لا ولكن أسلمت مع محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا والله لا يأتيكم من اليمامة حبة حنطة حتى يأذن فيها النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم

زاد ابن هشام " ثم خرج إلى اليمامة فمنعهم أن يحملوا إلى مكة شيئا ، فكتبوا إلى النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : إنك تأمر بصلة الرحم ، فكتب إلى ثمامة أن يخلي بينهم وبين الحمل إليهم "

 

Amongst the many indignations Muslim cyber warriors are expressing, is the horror at Erdogan for supplying medical aid to both the Palestinians and the Zionist entity. I have not read any details, and do not care to. I am not required to read every news item on the net. There may even be some detail which justifies the indignation, which I am not aware of. However, the language used makes it clear that the very act of the humanitarian gesture is the cause for upset. This concerns me for once we lose our bearings and guidance from the humane ways of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ, we have already lost a battle in the war, for the enemy has made us less Muslim than what we are supposed to be.

I strongly advise every Muslim to be acquainted with the biography Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ. It will increase your love for him. It will not qualify you to pronounce a decree on every single issue you feel entitled to comment on, but at the very least it will shape your outlook in a manner pleasing to Allāh. There is no excuse in this era for any literate person to know more about Hollywood and sports stars than what they know about Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ .

In the interim I present you with a Ḥadīth, which Imāms Muslim and ʾal-Bukhārī have authenticated. I do not present this as categoric support for Erdogan’s actions, but as a general balance against what I see as the unnecessary and ignorant harshness of sectors of Muslims.

 

First a Comment on Turkish Generosity

 

After all these years I have still not decided what to think about Erdogan. Is he the greatest Muslim leader of the century with some serious flaws, doing the best he can, or the greatest deceiver we currently face? Allāh knows best.

What I do know is that history testifies to the Turkish people as being generous, hospitable to fellow Muslims and chivalrous to non-Muslims. I do not doubt that some of this must flow in Erdogan’s veins, for such qualities were found in the worst amongst Turks.

Sulṭān ʿAbdul Majīd I destroyed the reality of the Islamic Ottoman system and as much as Ottoman romanticists will howl at me, ʾAbdul Majīd was the seminal seculariser of Turkey almost a century before the Republic. Yet we must admit to his Turkish manners. When the English were starving the Catholic Irish, he went out of his way to show his humanitarianism to people far away who were not Muslims. You can read more about this HERE.

Perhaps the worse being ever to be called a Turk, “Kemal” something-or-the-other, was reported to be chivalrous enough to write a letter of condolence to the mothers of Allied troops who had died at Gallipoli. Historians dispute the attribution, but the fact that the myth was believed for long could only be believed by a world which had experienced examples of such Turkish chivalry in fact.

 

Context of the Ḥadīth

 

Some facts need to be understood in the context of the Ḥadith:

• Thumāmah رضي الله عنه was the chief of Banū Ḥanīfah in Yamāmah and a vicious enemy of Islām.


• The Quraysh were experiencing severe famine.


• They were desperately dependent upon wheat imported from Yamāmah, without which they would be destroyed.

 

The Ḥadīth of Thumāmah bin ʾUthāl رضي الله عنه

 

The Prophet ﷺ sent cavalry to Najd. They returned with a man [captured] from Banū Ḥanīfah named ʾThumāmah bin ʾUthāl. They tied him to a pillar amongst the pillars of the Masjid. The Prophet ﷺ came to him and asked, “What do you have, O Thumāmah?”

“I have much wealth, O Muḥammad,” he replied, “If you slay me you slay one whose blood [will be avenged], if you are kind to me, you will be kind to one who is grateful. If you want wealth, then ask of him what you will.”

He was left till the next day. [Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ] then asked, “What do you have, O Thumāmah?”

“Exactly what I told you before,” he replied, “If you are kind to me you will be kind to one who is grateful.”

He was again left for the next day. [Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ] then asked, “What do you have, O Thumāmah?”

“I have what I told you!” he replied.

Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ commanded, “Release Thumāmah.”

He then went to palms near the Masjid, bathed and then re-entered the Masjid, declaring, “I testify that there is no god besides Allāh, and I testify that Muḥammad is Allāh Messenger. O Muḥammad! By Allāh, there used to be no face on earth more despicable to me than your face. Now your face has become the most beloved of all faces unto me. By Allāh, there used to be no religion on earth more despicable to me than your religion. Now your religion has become the most beloved of all religions unto me. By Allāh, there used to be no city on earth more despicable to me than your city. Now your city has become the most beloved of all cities unto me. When your cavalry captured me, I was on my way to perform ʿUmrah, so what is your view on the matter?”

Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ gave him glad tidings and commanded him to proceed with his pilgrimage. When he reached Makkah, someone said, “O you apostate!”

“No,” he replied, “I have submitted with Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allāh, Allāh’s salutations and peace be upon him.  By Allāh, never and again I say never will a grain of wheat reach you from Yamāmah, until the Prophet ﷺ permits it.

[End of Ḥadīth]

Ibn Ḥajar in his commentary on ʾal-Bukhārī, Fatḥul Bārī, quotes Ibn Hishām that Thumāmah رضي الله عنه  cut off all exports to Makkah when he returned to Yamāmah. The Quraysh wrote to complain to Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ. He commanded Thumāmah رضي الله عنه to lift the embargo.

Situations need to be judged on an individual basis. Leaders may make decisions which are right or wrong, which we agree with or dislike. Whatever the situation, the biography of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  is a guiding light. If the specifics do not fit a particular situation, then at the very least the guiding principles should always be kept in mind.  

سليمان الكندي
@sulayman_kindi

Seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a Dream

Question posed to me:

Is it true that there’s really nothing that one can do to see the Prophet ﷺ in a dream ?

My Reply:

 

Basic Beliefs of the Ahlus Sunnah

The first point to clarify is our belief in the reality of seeing Allāh’s Messenger.

من حديث أنس رضي الله عنه قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من رآني في المنام فقد رآني، فإن الشيطان لا يتخيل بي

ʾAnas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “He who sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for Satan cannot imitate my form.” [ʾal-Bukhārī & Muslim]

 

The second point is that such dreams are personal matters. The mission of Muḥammad ﷺ and his religion is complete. The ʿUlamā are clear that any claim of a new Sharʿī command from dreams e.g. perennial chain letters or to even present the words of the dream as a new Ḥadīth is not accepted. Whoever claims otherwise is ignorant at best, and likely a charlatan and liar with pretensions. The preface of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and its commentaries are useful in regards this doctrine.

The Desire to See him is natural but not for all

عن أبي هريرة؛ أن رسول الله قال "من أشد أمتي لي حبا، ناس يكونون بعدي، يود أحدهم لو رآني، بأهله وماله

Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated that Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said, “Amongst the most intense in their love for me amongst my followers will be people who will come after me. Each of them would love to see me, even if he had to sacrifice his family and wealth.” [Muslim]

Thus the burning desire to gaze on the blessed face of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ is a sign of true faith and is not an absurd fancy. At the same time the wording of the Ḥadīth indicates that this vision is not for everyone. The Arabic word “law” is an indication of improbability as opposed to the possibility of the word “in”. Then also on the general principles of Islām there is no mechanism for sacrificing your family. Rather the converse is true and known. ʾUways ʾal-Qarnī sacrificed the opportunity to see Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ due to service to his mother, and for that he was praised. In fact those who did see Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  were instructed to seek the supplications of he who did not see Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ . He had understood that obedience to the beloved takes precedence over one’s own wishes, even if it is the sincere wish to glimpse the beloved but once.

Please get to the Point – Is there Nothing I can Do?

 

Alright, first accept that we do not command the master. It is unseemly that there should be a specific set of words or acts which would in effect summon him. Even during his earthly life the Qurʾān reprimanded the Bedouins as “lacking in intelligence” for summoning him out of his private chambers [ʾal-Ḥujarāt: 4]

Accept that there is the possibility of a dream but not all receive this.

Certain saintly people may have mentioned deeds which they found beneficial. Their personal experience may not be applicable to all. I shall therefore mention ʾAhādīth which have a general bearing for all Muslims, which have an indication in regards seeing Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ .

Muʿāẓ Departs for Yemen

 

The various narrations, when strung together, paint a very emotional scene of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  walking alongside Muʿāẓ bin Jabal (may Allāh be pleased with him) as he leaves ʾal-Madīnah. He advises the young man on how to act in Yemen, but there is more to say, which he knows Muʿāẓ will find difficult to bear. Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  will try to soften the blow, but it remains a blow which will break the young Companion’s heart into pieces.

As a student I noticed the fond way many Companions narrated Ḥadīth, personalising the experience as far as possible, e.g. “I heard with my ears…”. Whereas Muʿāẓ is so devastated, he narrates as if this happened to someone else…

عن معاذ بن جبل - رضي الله عنه - قال : لما بعثه رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - إلى اليمن ، خرج معه رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يوصيه ، ومعاذ راكب ورسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يمشي تحت راحلته ، فلما فرغ قال : " يا معاذ ! إنك عسى أن لا تلقاني بعد عامي هذا ، ولعلك أن تمر بمسجدي هذا وقبري " فبكى معاذ جشعا لفراق رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ثم التفت فأقبل بوجهه نحو المدينة ، فقال : " إن أولى الناس بي المتقون ، من كانوا وحيث كانوا "

Muʾāẓ, may Allāh be pleased with him, narrated: When Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  sent him to Yemen, Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  went out with him, giving him advice. Muʿāẓ was riding while Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  walked beneath his camel. When he finished he said, “O Muʿāẓ! It may be that you will not meet me after this year of mine. You may instead pass by this masjid of mine or my grave.” So Muʿāẓ wept in grief at separation from Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ . So Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  turned his face away and looked in the direction of ʾal-Madīnah and said, “Verily the closest people unto me are those of Taqwā (awareness of Allāh), whosoever they may be and wheresoever they may be.” [ʾAḥmad]

1. The very first item you would have to inculcate is Taqwā, you would have to clean your heart if you wish to enter the presence of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ .


2. The Ḥadīth indicates a link between one who visits the Masjid and visiting Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ .


3. The three advices given to Muʿāẓ were to establish the Shahādatayn – so establish this with all its requirements and recite frequently.


4. Then Ṣalāh [prayers]


5. Then charity.

There are some whom he wishes to see

 

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَتَى الْمَقْبُرَةَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لاَحِقُونَ وَدِدْتُ أَنَّا قَدْ رَأَيْنَا إِخْوَانَنَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا أَوَلَسْنَا إِخْوَانَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَنْتُمْ أَصْحَابِي وَإِخْوَانُنَا الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بَعْدُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالُوا كَيْفَ تَعْرِفُ مَنْ لَمْ يَأْتِ بَعْدُ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً لَهُ خَيْلٌ غُرٌّ مُحَجَّلَةٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَىْ خَيْلٍ دُهْمٍ بُهْمٍ أَلاَ يَعْرِفُ خَيْلَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْتُونَ غُرًّا مُحَجَّلِينَ مِنَ الْوُضُوءِ وَأَنَا فَرَطُهُمْ عَلَى الْحَوْضِ أَلاَ لَيُذَادَنَّ رِجَالٌ عَنْ حَوْضِي كَمَا يُذَادُ الْبَعِيرُ الضَّالُّ أُنَادِيهِمْ أَلاَ هَلُمَّ ‏.‏ فَيُقَالُ إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَدَّلُوا بَعْدَكَ ‏.‏ فَأَقُولُ سُحْقًا سُحْقًا ‏"‏

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to the graveyard and said: “Peace be upon you! The abode of the believing people and we, if Allāh so wills, will join you. I would love that we see our brothers.”

They said, “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allāh?

He replied, “You are my companions, and our brothers are those who have not yet come.”

They said, “O Messenger of Allāh, how would you recognise those persons of your followers who have not yet [been born]?”

He replied, “Imagine a man having horses with white blazes on foreheads and legs among horses which were all black, tell me, would he not recognise his own horses?”

They said, “Definitely, O Messenger of Allāh.”

He continued, “They will come with white faces and arms and legs because of ablution, and I will arrive waiting at the Pond before them. Some people will be driven away from my Pond as the stray camel is driven away. I will call out to them, Come here! Come here!” but it will be said, “They changed after you”, and I will say, “Get out of my sight! Get out of my sight!” [Muslim] ‏

The Ḥadīth gives further hope, that not only are there those desirous of seeing him, there are those whom Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  wishes to see.

6. My sixth advice is to remain in a constant state of Wuḍū. I in no way claim this to be a sure way of meeting Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ , but as it is mentioned in the above context, has immense spiritual benefits and is a practice of the pious, it will assuredly benefit one on the spiritual path. It may be noted that when Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ wished to be in this state without any intention of performing a deed requiring Wuḍū he would make a gesture of Tayammum on his wall, i.e. solely for the spiritual benefit, not for prayers etc.


7. The people of innovation will be rejected. Do not compromise on the Sunnah. Sunnah includes belief, character, attitude and practices. The hallmark of the Sunnah is moderation and a balance between emotion and knowledge. The hallmark of every heretical sect is exaggeration and loss of balance. For the example, the Shīʿah exaggerate their love for ʿAlī, may Allāh be pleased with him, and there is a dearth of knowledge and logic in their system. The Muʿtalizah, Khawārij and their contemporary modernist counterparts emphasise knowledge and logic and their dead hearts display a shocking lack of respect towards Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ . You who have written to me and posed the above question show a tendency to blazing emotion and uttering words without sufficient knowledge. You are sincere, but if you do not rectify this imbalance soonest, I fear that there may be regret later in life.

 

Salutations

عن ابن مسْعُودٍ أنَّ رسُول اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: أَوْلى النَّاسِ بِي يوْمَ الْقِيامةِ أَكْثَرُهُم عَليَّ صَلاَةً رواه الترمذي

ʾIbn Masʿūd (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated: Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ  said, “The closest of people unto me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who recited the most salutations (Ṣalāh ʾalan Nabī) upon me.” [ʾat-Tirmiẓī]

 

8. Recite Ṣalāh ʾalan Nabī not only during your special time you set for personal devotions, but in free wasted seconds during your daily life, e.g. how much can be recited from the time you walk from your bed to the bathroom. You may be going to perform ablution for compulsory prayers but in just those seconds you will eventually accumulate so much if done daily. Consciously use these precious moments throughout the day and you will have mountains to present on the Day of Resurrection.

Much more can be said, but I hope the above gives a sufficient overview without information overload. May Allāh accept you and grant your heart’s desire when the time is appropriate.

 

سليمان الكندي
@sulayman_kindi

Qabāth Teaches us Etiquette for the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم

Qabāth bin ʾAshyam ʾal-Kinānī (may Allāh be pleased with him) was a Companion of Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم). The Mustadrak of ʾal-Ḥākim records the following touching incident that I would like to share which teaches us about care in our choice of words and tone when we address Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

ʿAbdul Malik bin Marwān asked, “O Qabāth, are you older or Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم)?
Qabāth was in fact the older of the two, but he felt sensitive to directly reply in the same wording as ʿAbdul Malik (ʾakbar), for ʾakbar can not only mean “older” but has several other meanings such as “bigger” and “greater”. Context is essential during interpretation, and had he used the same word, nobody would have blinked. It would have been  clearly understood if he had said that he was ʾakbar to Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم), that he meant that he was simply older in terms of years. He was the born before him. Yet the Companions would not tolerate the slightest insinuation of a shadow of disrespect towards Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم). Qabāth’s reply is so touching, if only we have the hearts to perceive.

Qabāth (may Allāh be pleased with him) replied,

بل رسول الله صلى الله عليه و على آله و سلم أكبر مني و انا أسن منه
“Rather [I say that] Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is greater (ʾakbar) than me.

I merely have some years more than him (ʾasann).”

Encyclopaedias of knowledge, including Ḥadith, have little value if we do not know how to address Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) with respect. Qabāth teaches us that it is not enough to utter cold clinical facts, however true,  but the tone and choice of words we employ are essential for the true lover. It distinguishes us from those with dead hearts.

May Allāh guide us all.

سليمان الكندي
@sulayman_kindi

Seeing the Good in Others – The Case of South African Taxi Drivers

Being without my own transport for the past two months I to resort to daily usage of the public taxi service in South Africa – generally a Toyota HiAce certified to carry 15 passengers.

The South African taxi driver is notorious as a wild driver prone to accidents. In fact, just this morning, I was in a taxi that met up in an accident. I had not used this service with frequency since my teen years. However, the older and hopefully wiser version of yours truly now has the opportunity to look at the good in people who otherwise do not enjoy wholesome reputations.

• Intelligence – the taxi driver is under immense pressure stopping to pick up and drop off passengers while demonstrating his wild Grand Prix skills. Yet he is carefully aware of who owes what and how much change he owes to whom. This may seem minor in the greater scheme of things, but if you have ever dealt with the average cashier in South African shops who cannot manage simple calculations without an electronic device, you would surely have to salute the computing skills of the taxi driver.


• Charity – I have seen taxi drivers stop and give charity during trips.


• Consideration – I have witnessed passengers saying they do not have enough fare and the driver lets them board the taxi.


• Courtesy – Most drivers I have observed show great courtesy in dropping passengers at an exact spot most convenient to them.


• Cleanliness – although a minority in my observation, there are those who display a fanatical desire to keep their vehicles clean. A truly marvellous feat if you examine what they accomplish and measure it against the hundreds who tread in and out of their vehicles on a daily basis.


• Humility – I have witnessed them maintaining calm and silence when irrational rude passengers vent their anger at them. I driver slammed the door closed early as I was disembarking. My hand was trapped where the door shuts and received the full force of the door slamming. My knuckles turned black and my hand swelled. It pained for two weeks. Yet the sincerity and humility with which he apologised made it impossible to be angry with him.

I have also had opportunity to observe little Black children (generally not Muslim) walking to school and commuting with self assured independence. This is a most refreshing sight when compared to the average Muslim youth who does not seem to be capable of doing much for himself. Mummy will take me to school.

Make no mistake. I do not say that these taxi drivers are angels. I hold to whatever negatives I have alluded to. Furthermore there are other factors I have not mentioned which make the usage of this means of transport a daily inconvenience and hardship. Yet that is exactly the point I wish to drive at.

To see good in saints, scholars, parents, friends, benefactors, spouses etc is easy. To see good despite the negatives requires a concerted effort. But why bother?

On a personal level, if I harp on finding fault in others I am merely blackening my own soul and ruining my character. Actively searching for the good in others is a means of purifying myself.

On a global level, Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was a well-wisher unto every living person, desiring that they accept the truth and ultimately enter Paradise. I would venture that it is truly difficult to be a sincere well wisher if we allow ourselves to only see evil in people. The least good we should acknowledge is the common dignity of descent from Adam (peace be upon him) and that Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would have strove for his guidance if he could.

One extreme is those who actively collaborate with evil. The Sudaises of the world. The scholars who keep silent when the land of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is evermore desecrated.

The other extreme is the arrogance of the religious to condemn to Hell people who are still living and about whose fate we have no idea of. I am grateful to Allāh that I am amongst the few amongst my fraternity who have spoken and written against the Satanists who rule the sacred lands. Yet it would be claiming knowledge of the unseen to act as if their fates are sealed. That they will not repent. That they will burn in Hell while I am guaranteed Paradise. Allāh knows best if the delinquent little boy who massacres Yemen as if he is playing some Play Station game might repent and attain the closest of relations with Allāh.

While I live I am obliged to hate his evil and fight it as best I can. When my life is over I am answerable for my deeds, not his. May Allāh grant us an easy reckoning.

My deeds are defective. My sins are many. I can but hope that Allāh smiles on all who held onto His religion during this time of endless tribulation and allows us to enter Paradise without any reckoning at all.

That is much for a sinner to ask for, but absolutely nothing for the Most Generous to grant.

سليمان الكندي

@sulayman_kindi

Advice for the Cyber Muslim

Muslims are taking to the internet and various social media outlets in increasing numbers. Some burn with zeal to use these tools to elevate the Word of Allāh. May He reward them and guide them. Herewith some words as a reminder which may be of benefit, Allāh Willing.

 

1.      Verification

عن حفص بن عاصم قال : قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : كفى بالمرء كذبا أن يحدث بكل ما سمع

Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “It is sufficient lie for a man to narrate whatever he has heard.” [Muslim]

Perhaps one of the most negative effects social media has had on Muslim character is the elimination of the injunction to verify before passing on information. Our pious predecessors were extremely cautious in what they uttered, especially if it concerned religious matters.

Social media has made it possible to transmit information to many people in seconds. These people then transmit in turn, sometimes not even reading the statement in full. False information can compound and reach multitudes in seconds. Such rapid transmission without pausing for verification will inevitably include a deliberate lie from the dishonest and even errors from the sincere.

Each person who has transmitted false information, is responsible for the lie, a most heinous sin in Islām. Retractions are not as sensational as the original message and often fails to erase the false news. Any false news is a crime. It is even worse if the reputation of an innocent has been sullied. Consider the weight of transmitting a lie against Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) which many do with a click of a button. Ask why we narrate all that we hear and see. Is our ego so fragile that it needs such an ethereal ego boost (“I sent this information out first! I know something that you do not!”) Is our carelessness in transmission without verification and our selfish egotism worth the reckoning we might face in the Divine Court?

2.      Silence

عن سماك بن حرب، قال: "قلت لجابر بن سمرة: أكنت تجالس النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال: نعم كان طويل الصمت، قليل الضحك، وكان أصحابه ربما تناشدوا عنده الشعر والشيء من أمورهم، فيضحكون، وربما يتبسم

Jābir bin Samurah (رضي الله عنه) narrated, “He [the Prophet] (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would observe lengthy silence and not much laughter. Sometimes his companions would recite poetry amongst each other in his presence and talk about their [worldly] matters and laugh. He would merely smile at times.” [ʾAḥmad]

We are his followers. Learn to observe silence. Every one of the millions of tweets do not require a response. Engaging in every frivolous and/or false statement is a waste of time, a detriment to one’s spirituality, a disturbance to mental serenity and most importantly – it is not the way of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

 

3.      If we must act, think first!

"إِنَّ فِيكَ خَصْلَتَيْنِ يُحِبُّهُمَا اللَّهُ.. الْحِلْمُ وَالأَنَاةُ"

ʾIbn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said to ʾAshajj, “There are indeed two such qualities within you which Allāh loves – forbearance and pausing before acting.” [Muslim]

Not only are we not obligated to reply to every issue in nano seconds, be it in the real or cyber worlds. The unseemly haste we display in clicking off a response is contrary to the spirit of the Sunnah. Logically we can understand the greater probability of errors and inappropriate words which can stem from haste. Reflection before composing a statement can save one from much regret.

4.      Balance between Activism & Spirituality

أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه يقول جاء ثلاثة رهط إلى بيوت أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يسألون عن عبادة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما أخبروا كأنهم تقالوها فقالوا وأين نحن من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قد غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر قال أحدهم أما أنا فإني أصلي الليل أبدا وقال آخر أنا أصوم الدهر ولا أفطر وقال آخر أنا أعتزل النساء فلا أتزوج أبدا فجاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إليهم فقال أنتم الذين قلتم كذا وكذا أما والله إني لأخشاكم لله وأتقاكم له لكني أصوم وأفطر وأصلي وأرقد وأتزوج النساء فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني

 ʾAnas narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “…By Allāh! I am the most fearful amongst you of Allāh, and the most regardful of Him. Yet I fast and do not fast. I pray and I sleep. I marry women. So he who is averse to my way is not of me.” [ʾal-Bukhārī]

Building on the previous point of silence is to balance one’s activities. The Sunnah is to be balanced. A break is needed to fulfil the rights of others, one’s own body and mind and very importantly, to refresh oneself spiritually. Non-stop cyber combat and surfing is a call for hardening of the heart however good your intention may be. Cyber missionary work is no substitute the food of the soul, such as recitation of the Qurʾān, remembrance of Allāh etc.

5.      Intention

عن أمير المؤمنين أبي حفص عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله تعالى عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه وعلى آله وسلم يقول: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات

ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) narrated that he heard Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) saying, “Verily actions are according to intentions…” [ʾal-Bukhārī & Muslim]

Traditionally rectification of intention is often addressed first when giving advice. However, I am not addressing those who already start off with incorrect intentions. Why should such folk heed me? Frankly I do not respect scholars whose profile pictures are carefully crafted poses of themselves. One does need to be able to read hearts to see a “tread with caution” sign highlighted over such faces.

My concern is for the sincere cyber Muslim who becomes so engrossed, he does not realise that his intention has become contaminated. Thus intention is not the primary issue to be addressed, for the change comes about subtly and after a period.

The other party has enraged me during cyber combat. Is it really because he insulted my religion, or is it that he insulted me? Do I use your religion or cause as an excuse to blast him back in what is really a personal issue between two cyber toddlers?

Do I feel elated at the amount of reposts and likes my cyber material receives? Do I anxiously wait for these likes and reposts? Am I devastated when nobody gives me a like? Do I monitor my number of followers and friends like an addict? Do I check my social media first thing upon awakening and last thing before closing my eyes? Do I actually moan in public that I have few followers and make a public appeal for people to become my cyber followers?

If any of these points hits a raw nerve then I need a serious period of disengagement from the internet. How sad it will be that all that time was spent on ostensible good, but one is not rewarded. For the reality is that all that effort was for self-glorification, not worship of Allāh.

6.      Truth vs Sensationalism

 

من حديث كعب بن مالك الأنصاري رضي الله عنه: عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلـم قال: «مَا ذِئْبَانِ جَائِعَانِ أُرْسِلَا فِي غَنَمٍ، بِأَفْسَدَ لَهَا مِنْ حِرْصِ الْمَرْءِ عَلَى الْمَالِ وَالشَّرَفِ لِدِينِهِ

Kaʿb bin Māik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Two hungry wolves let loose amongst goats are not as damaging as a man’s greed for wealth and status [damages] his religion.” [ʾAḥmad]

Presentation is important, but deliberate sensationalism is a conspicuous sign of insincerity and greed for name and fame. This should be obvious under the topic of intention, but the pervasive of sensationalism on social media warrants a separate mention. Ostentation is a disease which takes hold of the heart in subtle ways and destroys our rewards which we would have received in the next world. It infects both laymen and scholars.

An American scholar impressed me with the depths of his knowledge and level of service unto people. However, I started to notice him increasingly give in to promoting sensational unsubstantiated statements which he refused to retract. Ẓul Qarnayn went to Norway! Allāh have mercy. I felt it better to disengage from him.

7.      Beware of Your Company

قال : سمعت رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يقول : الوحدة خير من جليس السوء والجليس الصالح خير من الوحدة

ʾAbū Ẓarr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that he heard Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) saying, “Solitude is better than a companion of evil. A good companion is better than solitude.” [ʾal-Bayhaqī]

Those whom we interact with in the cyber world will affect us in outlook and spiritual development. It will also affect our other cyber companions who will get linked up to others through us. “Retweets are not an endorsement” is one of the emptiest statements ever coined. Why then did I transmit this statement? What mental condition is this that I broadcast without a stated reason? Why did I give it publicity? Has the Ḥadīth not warned me about narrating all that I hear? Why have I promoted this person amongst my companions? Have I considered that perhaps it is I who have become the companion of evil in this instance?

Then there is the issue of companions of the opposite sex. So many Muslim cyber warriors engage flirtatiously with the opposite sex on these public forums. What you do in your private space is between you and your Creator, but how shameless must you be to entice Muslims with religious content and then flirt on the same platform? If you are really going to engage in both cyber promotion of faith and less wholesome broadcasts, at least have the decency to have different platforms for them and not rub it in our faces.

The Cyber warrior must also assume responsibility for the profile pictures he retweets or replies to. I was so disappointed to be following a discussion on Ḥadīth, history and the like, when suddenly the same person replies to a female with a profile picture of herself in her bikini. How many brain cells does one need to understand the disrespect displayed to the sacred texts just quoted on the same page?

As for the sisters, why do they have to splash their faces for every stranger to ogle at? Do they not aspire to be like ʾUmm Khallād? She came running to Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) when her son was killed. The men were surprised that she was covering her face despite her clear distressed state. She replied, “I may have lost my son. I shall never lose my modesty.” [ʾAbū Dāwūd]

8.      Address Issues not Personalities

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا بلغه عن الرجل شيء لم يقل: ما بالُ فلانٍ يقول؟ ولكن يقول: ما بالُ أقوامٍ يقولون كذا وكذا رواه أبو داود

Our Mother ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated, that when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) heard something [untoward] about a person he would not say, “What is the state of that [specific] person that he says that?” Instead he would say, “What is wrong with people that they say such things?” [ʾAbū Dāwūd]

Personalising issues detracts from the central issue and degenerates the discussion into a mud slinging match. Is there a need to even mention the name of the opponent? Are we promoting truth versus falsehood, or is it an ego contest under the cover of promoting Islām? We all have our deficiencies. It is highly immature to target the personal defects of the other party, rather than the topic of discussion. In so doing, we invite personal attacks on our own reputation which we have intentionally or not tied to the reputation of Islām. Thus Islām becomes sullied due to our childish behaviour.

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ

Do not revile those whom they call upon besides Allāh, for then they will revile Allāh in enmity without knowledge. [ʾal-ʾAnʿām:108]

That being said, I have diverted from this principle when I felt that there was a need. This has been the exception, not the rule in my case.  For example, I mentioned Yasir Qadhi when he saw fit to tour my country to preach his heretical doctrine that the incorrect beliefs of the Shīʿah are no greater wrong than the sin of a Muslim, they remain our brothers. The heresy which he preached is not the belief of a general body of people, but an idiocy of a specific public figure. Hence, I felt that the Sunnah of not naming people does not apply in this case. Previously I had shown the deviant, Imraan Hosein, the courtesy of this Sunnah, but I now believe that that was an error on my side. He too is a specific public figure who campaigns against the sanctity of Muslim blood and the orthodoxy of our sacred beliefs. His crimes are not personal sins which should be concealed.

 

9.      Choose your Role Model

 

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

There is indeed for you in Allāh’s Messenger an excellent paragon [ʾal-ʾAḥzāb:21]

We do not live in bubbles of isolation. One way or another we consciously or subconsciously accept the influence of others. If we do not consciously model ourselves on Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم), others will fill the void and lead the way in the way in which we behave, and more importantly, the way we think.

The wise and beautiful ways of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم), does not seem to have the status it deserves amongst the cyber ʾUmmah. Currently it seems as if the more course, derogatory and narrow minded a cyber Muslim is, the greater his following will be in certain quarters. This group seems to find ecstasy in childish abuse of others and influence others to behave the same. Not only can I not imagine Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) behaving the way they do, but some are shamelessly deceptive and conniving. A certain hard-line Salafī will happily portray himself as a champion of the Ahlus Sunnah and bask in the attention he receives from all schools, yet his writing shows possible greater venom against Sunnīs who adhere to Taqlīd, than against the Shīʿah whom he supposedly combats. They only respond to likes and praises. When one questions their shallow arguments against fellow Sunnīs they react with the only response a person without knowledge is capable of…. Blocking, which leads me to my next point.

 

10. Consult the Learned

 

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

Above every person of knowledge is one [greater] in knowledge. [Yūsuf: 76]

As accomplished as one may be, a certain field may not be yours to comment on. Even if one has a certain grasp of a subject, it is dangerous to comment with limited knowledge and insufficient overview of the religious sciences and facts. Instead of offering an unsubstantiated opinion on every matter, rather consult the learned and continuously tread the path of learning.

Some cyber Muslims had a good laugh at a Salafī fatwā on camel urine. While the perspective of the Cyber warriors is certainly backed by strong juristic views, there are also contrary views from great classical giants of Islām, who are not part of the Salafī tradition. By going on a mocking rampage, such enthusiasts with limited knowledge, actually mock ʾAʾimmah of Islām, and indirectly mock the Ḥadīth from which these scholars drew their rulings.

Our ʾAʾimmah were noted for saying, “I do not know.” In particular, ʾImam Mālik, was noted for such humility. How fortunate we would be to have but one percent of his humility.

11. The ʾUmmah is Global, Circumstances are Local

 

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ

And We have not sent a messenger except with the tongue of his own people to clarify for them. [ʾIbrāhīm: 4]

As universal as Islām is in its message, and as much as the world has become a global village, Islām has never imposed a single megalithic system over all adherents in regards secondary non-categorical rulings. It is most unseemly that we sit at our technological interface of choice and judge Muslims from far off lands based on our culture, mores, school, circumstances and understanding. Pause before judging. If you feel it is any of your business, then find out their rationale. Their actions may in fact be within the ambit of Islām, while our judgemental dogmatism may be at fault.

 

سليمان الكندي

@sulayman_kindi