The Difficulty of Pleasing Everyone in the Current Climate

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا

And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan sows [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy. [Al-Isra 53]

Allah – The Blessed and Most High – commanded His slave and Messenger to command Allah’s believing slaves that they speak to one another in their conversations and discussions with what is better and good, for if they do not do that, shaytaan will initiate a state of conflict between them and speech will lead to actions, and thus evil, [blameworthy] argumentation and fighting will arise; for indeed shaytaan is an enemy of Aadam and his children since [the time] he refused to prostrate to Aadam. His enmity is clear and manifest, so because of this it Is prohibited for a man to point at his Muslim brother with an iron [instrument], for indeed shaytaan [can entice an evil action] in his hand and he may strike [ his Muslim brother] with it. [1]

Shaytaan wants to cause disagreements between you. He hastens towards that which will corrupt the religious and worldly affairs of the slaves. Therefore, the remedy for this is that he is not to be followed when he incites you to utter statements that are not good in order to cause enmity and disagreements between you. He is your real enemy and it is incumbent upon you to wage war against him because he calls you to be among the people of the hell fire. [2]

In the correct climate of competing narratives – both covert and overt, if you are harsh with someone who deserves it, there will be an unjustified outcry from some people. If you are frank with an evasive, persistent transgressor who has status in the eyes of some, you’ll be unjustly accused of disrespect by some people. If you are gentle, but straightforward with someone who deserves to be addressed, they call it weakness, compromise or appeasement. Others say, “This is definitely not your character; you are simply trying to impress people and polish your bad image.” Indeed, it is impossible to please everyone.

And if you speak ambiguously, without mentioning the person you are addressing by name, some will exploit that ambiguity for their own purposes, while others will accuse you of cowardice for not mentioning names.

After labelling some or most of us in Manchester and on this website as harsh, abrupt, non-conformists, reckless, stubborn, self-amazed, angry, and whatever else they can come up with, the accusations and insinuations continue. But what some love most is seeing us display harshness and anger towards someone whom some people admire, so that they can use our manner of addressing that individual to distract from or completely divert attention away from the actual discussion, saying: “Manchester brothers, especially Fulan, are known for this behaviour”.

At the end of the day, we cannot please everyone. Rather, we must strive to fear Allah and make sure that we do not harbour personal grudges against others when discussing or disagreeing with them. However, when there is a need for harshness, whether on the minbar or on this website, the critics, like it or not, will hear it.

Some would love it if we resort to vague speech, or alternatively to be harsh when sharing some reflections with Shamsi Al-Jazaa’iri. But that is not going to happen Insha’Allah. Rather, we will endeavour to employ the best speech while sharing reflections on his views, and with the main aim of establishing clarity for our youth who come across these views insha’Allah.

There will be no indirect addressing, nor will there be unnecessary harshness. Instead, there will be direct, gentle and straightforward speech, alongside an endeavour to establish clarity. We remind ourselves as follows.

Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

One must know that neither is it conceivable to the intellect (i.e. sound intellect) nor (plausible) in the religion to seek the pleasure of the creation [i.e. mankind and Jinn] due to two affairs: First, Imam Ash-Shafi’ee, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: The people are an unattainable goal”. Therefore, it is obligated on you to (pursue) that which would rectify your affairs and adhere to it; abandon its opposite and do not concern (yourself) with it. Second, indeed, we have been commanded to (seek) the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger, as Allah, The Most High, said:

وَٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَحَقُّ أَن يُرْضُوهُ إِن كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ

But it is more fitting that they should please Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), if they are believers.[at-Tawbah. 62]

It is obligated to us to fear Allah and not fear anyone except Allah, as Allah, The Most High, said:

فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers. [Aal Imran. 175]

Allah said:

فَلَا تَخْشَوُا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخْشَوْنِ

Therefore fear not men but fear Me. [Al-Ma’idah. 44]

Allah said:

فَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ

Then, fear Me (Allah) much [and Me (Alone), i.e. be away from all kinds of sins and evil deeds that Allah has forbidden and do all that Allah has ordained and worship none but Allah. [An-Nahl. 51]

Allah said:

وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ

And fear Me and Me Alone. [Al-Baqarah. 41]

It is obligated to us to fear Allah – fear Allah concerning the (rights) of the people- neither harm them with our hearts (i.e. blameworthy hatred, malice etc) nor with our limbs (i.e. physical harm); fulfil their rights with our hearts and limbs (i.e. wish them good, love for them what we love for ourselves, physically do what will benefit them etc), but do not fear them and leave what Allah and His Messenger commanded. The one who adheres to this path will (reach) the (praiseworthy) outcomes, just as Aa’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, wrote to Mu’aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, and said, “To proceed: Indeed, whoever seeks the pleasure of the people at the expense of Allah’s displeasure will (earn) Allah’s displeasure and Allah will cause the people to be displeased with him. And the praise of the people will become blame against him. And whoever seeks Allah’s Pleasure at the expense of people’s displeasure, will (earn) Allah’s Pleasure and Allah will cause the people to be pleased with him”.

Therefore, a person’s concern and intention should be nothing else but to (seek) the Pleasure of Allah and to avoid Allah’s displeasure, and there is no power or might except with Allah. [3]

We ask Allah to grant us Ikhlas, Sidq, Thabat and Husnul Khatimah, and to include us among those who strive – especially in this era – to be honest in private and public, those who treat everyone fairly, distance us from selective rage, selective accountability, selective punishment, selective verification, and evasion of responsibility. We ask Allah:

اللهمَّ كما حسَّنتَ خَلقي فحسِّنْ خُلُقي

[1]An Excerpt from Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheb Tafseer Ibn katheer’ Surah Al-Israa 17: 53

[2] An Excerpt from Tayseer Al-kareem ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan

[3]An Excerpt from Majmu Al-Fatawa 3/233