It is reported that Ash-Sha’bī said:
“Oh students of knowledge, do not seek knowledge whilst being insolent, inconsistent and haphazard; seek it in a calm, dignified and deliberate manner.”
Rawdatul ‘Uqalā – Dār al-Mirāth Pg. 75
Al-Hasan Al-Basri [rahimahullaah] said: ”The night and the day have not ceased to lessen the life spans and bringing close the appointed times of death.” [Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 400]
Awn Bin Abdillaah [rahimahullaah] said: Indeed, the most beneficial days the believer has in the worldly life, is the one about which he thought he would not reach its end. [Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 401]
Oppression is from the most disgusting, despicable of major sins, it’s evil consequences Allāh (The Glorified) has informed us of in His Tremendous Book:
وَمَن يَظْلِم مِّنكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَابًا كَبِيرًا
And whoever among you does wrong, We shall make him taste a great torment. (Al-Furqān: 19)
And Allāh says:
وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُم مِّن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
And the Dhālimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) will have neither a Wali (protector) nor a helper. (Ash-Shūra: 8)
Hence, oppression is a great evil and it has evil consequences, the Messenger (sallāhu alayhi wa salam) said:
“Fear oppression for indeed oppression is darkness on the day of resurrection.” (Muslim)
Furthermore, Allāh has said in a Hadīth Qudsī (which is narrated by the Prophet (sallāhu alayhi wa salam)):
“Oh my servant! Indeed I have forbidden oppression upon myself and between you, so do not oppress.” (Muslim)
Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of perpetrating oppression to any of the people, whether it be your family, your wife, your brothers, your children, your mother, your father, your neighbours and other than them.
Likewise, do not oppress your employees, give them their wages in full, every month (for e.g.) give him or her their wages.
Give everyone who has a right upon you; your children, your wife and other than them; their rights.
The intent in being cautious regarding oppression of the people is because indeed Allāh has made sacred the blood, honour and wealth of the Muslims.
So, the Muslim takes himself to account and fears his Lord, so do not oppress anyone, not their honour or their wealth, regardless of whether they are close to you or not.
Paraphrased from Shaykh ‘Abdul Azīz ibn Bāz:
https://www.binbaz.org.sa/noor/8490
If one of you wishes to say something, then let him weigh up his speech. Ponder what is the outcome, if the outcome is good proceed and do not waver or hesitate. And if the result is evil, then withhold and leave it.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:
“من كان يؤمن بالله و اليوم الآخر فليقل خير
أو ليصمت”
Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day then let him speak good or remain silent. (Muslim & Bukhāri)
When one of you wants to carry out an action, then ponder [whether] performing it is good or [whether it is] good to leave? If leaving it is what is good, then leave it. If performing it is what is good, then ponder whether it will it divert you from something better or more important!
If it will busy you from that which is better or more important, then leave it, because it’s impossible that one with sound intellect will [deliberately] busy himself with something virtuous, [even though it is less virtuous at that specific time and/or place] than something greater in virtue, because this leads one to lose the virtue of the act that is more virtuous.
Shaykh al-Uthaymīn’s Ad-Diyaa’u al-Laami’u min a-Khutab al-Jawaami’ Vol. 5 Pgs. 392-393
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Excerpt:
O my brothers! Be warned against this statement, for indeed it is a statement of the people of Bidah and Ignorance. I use to hear it being uttered regarding Shaikh Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah], Shaikh Al-Albaani [rahimahullaah] and other Mashaayikh. It is a false statement when examined from several perspectives.
Firstly: Indeed, this statement is an insult against the Shaikh, that he is not one who determines affairs precisely and that he accepts information merely based on what his students transmit. However, what is known about the Shaikh- the basis of his affair-is that he is trustworthy and one who determines affairs precisely. Therefore, this [i.e. insult] is contrary to the basis of what is known about the Shaikh, so either proof is produced to substantiate it or otherwise it is rejected.
Secondly: Allaah made it unlawful to utter this type of statement about the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] and the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. [Allaah (The Most High) said]:
وَمِنۡہُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡذُونَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ۬ۚ قُلۡ أُذُنُ خَيۡرٍ۬ لَّڪُمۡ يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَيُؤۡمِنُ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡذُونَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬
And among them are men who hurt the Prophet [Muhammad] and say: “He is (lending his) ear [to every news].” Say: “He listens to what is best for you; he believes in Allah; has faith in the believers; and is a mercy to those of you who believe.” But those who hurt Allah’s Messenger [Muhammad] will have a painful torment. [Surah At-Tawbah’ Aayah 61]
Imaam At-Tabari [rahimahullaah] stated about this Aayah: Allaah [The Most High] stated that amongst those hypocrites there is a group that seeks to hurt the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] and declare him deficient [in judgement or character], saying that he is one who listens to every news- listens to everyone [or too willing to listen], accepts and believes what that person says. This statement was made by the people of hypocrisy as an insult against the Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam]; but at present it is uttered by the people of Bidah and the ignoramuses as an insult against the scholars- a means of repudiating their statements [i.e. verdicts of the scholars] and to hinder people from their knowledge. Therefore, they [i.e. those who utter this insult against the scholars] resemble – in relation to this deed of theirs- the people of Nifaaq.
Thirdly: Indeed, those who make this statement utilise it as a veil to reject the statements [i.e. verdicts] of the people of knowledge against certain individuals or affairs, and this is the evilest and falsest state this affair can be, because the statement of a scholar is not rejected except based on a Sharee’ah proof. So, is this statement of theirs [i.e. that such and such scholar is influenced by the youth around him] among those Sharee’ah proofs?
Fourthly: Indeed, this statement contains many perils and among them is that it firmly establishes a lack of trust of the Shaikh’s statements and rulings. And if the Shaikh’s reliability is lost, then the reliability of his Uloom [i.e. his explanations of the Sharee’ah texts in different subject matters, clarifications, verdicts etc] will be lost.
Fifthly: This statement will lower [or drop] the dignity and esteem of the Shaikh in the hearts of the students.
Ibaaraat Moohimah’ pages 51-52. Abridged and paraphrased
Your feedback is welcomed to improve the content of this article Jazaakumullaahu khayran
Follow the Truth and Don’t Worry About Those Who Oppose It
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan in explanation of the following verse:
And indeed, We sent Nûh (Noah) and Ibrahîm (Abraham), and placed in their offspring Prophethood and Scripture, And among them there are some who are guided, but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh). (Soorah al-Hadeed: 26)
MEANING ALLAH REVEALED THE BOOKS TO THE PROPHETS FROM THE OFFSPRING OF NOOH AND IBRAHEEM (ALAYHIMUS SALAAM), FROM THEIR OFFSPRING ARE THOSE WHO ARE GUIDED; ALLAH GUIDED THEM AND THEY FOLLOWED THE MESSENGERS AND BELIEVED IN THE (REVEALED) BOOKS, {BUT MANY OF THEM ARE FASIQUN}, MEANING THEY HAVE LEFT THE OBEDIENCE OF ALLAH, LEFT GUIDANCE AND THEIR HARM IS UPON THEMSELVES.
THERE IS A BENEFIT TO BE EXTRACTED HERE:
IT IS THAT, YOU SHOULD NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE UPON WHAT THEY ARE UPON (I.E. FALSEHOOD IN TERMS OF AQEEDAH, MANHAJ, INNOVATIONS ETC). YOU SHOULD ONLY FOLLOW THE TRUTH, EVEN IF THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON, OR A FEW PEOPLE UPON IT. SO DO NOT FORSAKE THE TRUTH DUE TO THERE BEING A FEW PEOPLE OF TRUTH. AND DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY FALSEHOOD DUE TO THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE UPON IT, BECAUSE ALLAH SAID:
But many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh). (Soorah al-Hadeed: 26)
Shaykh Fawzaan’s Maa Tayassar wa Tahassal min Duroos al-Quraan fee Hizb al-Mufassal Vol.1 Pg.420-421
Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān (hafidahullah):
A person shouldn’t be deceived with what he has from religion, knowledge or acts of worship. Instead, he thanks Allah for His blessings upon him (verbally with the tongue and physically with his limbs by using these blessings in the obedience of Allah), and he acknowledges (with his heart) that this is a favour from Allah bestowed upon him.
Shaykh Fawzān’s Mā Tayassar wa Tahassal min Durūs al-Qurān fī Hizb al-Mufassal Vol.1 pg.24
Imaam Maalik [rahimahullaah]:
O, would that I knew! By way of which intellect should the [evidences in the] Qur’aan and Sunnah be determined? Is it that whenever a man who can argue better than another man comes to us we take his statement and abandon the Qur’aan and the Sunnah because of him? [i.e. abandon what is already established by way of sound and unambiguous proofs and take the statement of that person]
The shaytān will attempt to divert you from Allāh’s religion in many different ways, and if he fails with one method, he will continue with a different method, as can be seen by the speech of the Imām ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullāh):
Evil of disbelief, polytheism and enmity to Allāh and His Messenger.
And if he is unable to get you to fall into this trap he goes to the next:
Evil of Innovation and opposing the Messenger’s Sunnah. And this is a doorway to disbelief and polytheism.
Evil of Major Sins, with all their various types.
Evil of Minor Sins, which if gathered together it’s possible they will be the cause for a persons destruction.
Evil of Busying Oneself with Permissible Affairs, for which there is no reward and no punishment associated with; however the consequences of this trap is losing out on potential reward by utilising energy and time with affairs that have no reward.
Evil of Busying Oneself with actions of good (المفضول), however by way of performing them, actions which are of greater virtue and reward are not performed (الفاضل).
Finally if the shaytān fails in the aforementioned levels he and his supporters from jinn and mankind don’t cease to attempt to divert you and misguide you from Allāh’s religion, not leaving you, even whilst you are on your death bed.
Summarised & Paraphrased from Badā’i at-Tafsīr al-Jāmi’ li mā Fassarahu al-Imām ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Vol.3 pgs. 452-452
NB: The Shaytān tries to seduce, deceive and trap mankind one level at a time, starting with the most severe and working down. Seek refuge from the accursed Shaytān and be ardent upon the remembrance of Allāh and recitation of legislated supplications.
The people said to Jundub [radiyallaahu-anhu], “Advise us.” He said: “The first thing of the human body to putrefy is the abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good food [halaal and earned lawfully] should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervenes between him and paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood [i.e. unlawful killing], should do so.”
Bukhaari 7152