In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
None follows Allah’s Guidance and knows the station of this guidance, except one whom Allah has given (sound) intellect and certain knowledge. He knows the consequences and outcomes behind matters, where ignorance, kufr, Shirk and (evil) desires will finally take its people, and where (sound) knowledge, guidance, (sound) intellect and understanding will finally take the person upon (its path).
Then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery. But whosoever turns away from My Reminder [i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.] verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection. He will say: “O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight [before].” [Allah] will say: “Like this, Our Ayat [proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.] came unto you, but you disregarded them [i.e. you left them, did not think deeply in them, and you turned away from them], and so this Day, you will be neglected [in the Hell-fire, away from Allah’s Mercy].” [Surah Taha 123-126]
Ignorance is the cause of turning away from the remembrance of Allah, thus the person wanders blindly in the darkness of ignorance, so his final destination, end and abode is that which Allah [The Blessed and Exalted] stated in this noble verse, that he will be raised up blind, so he will say, “Why have you raised me up blind?” Allah will say to him, “Like this, Our Ayat came unto you, but you disregarded them, and so this Day, you will be neglected [in the Hell-fire, away from Allah’s Mercy].
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
I wish read some of the verses that convey Allah’s Greatness and Exaltedness – that indeed He is the master and Lord of of this universe, and the One in control of it; therefore, He alone has the right to be worshipped and the religion (i.e. worship, obedience) should be sincerely devoted to Him alone. We are not able to express this affair, but we shall take from the verses of the Qur’aan that shows the Greatness of our Lord – The Exalted and The Most Great; the only one worthy of worship, the one worthy that one humbles and submits himself to Him, and that we feel shy in His presence. Allaah [The Blessed and Exalted] said:
All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High. It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day. For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah. Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah). But when Allah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector. It is He who shows you the lightning, as a fear (for travellers) and as a hope (for those who wait for rain). And it is He Who brings up (or originates) the clouds, heavy (with water). And Ar-Ra’d (thunder) glorifies and praises Him, and so do the angels because of His Awe, He sends the thunderbolts, and therewith He strikes whom He wills, yet they (disbelievers) dispute about Allah. And He is Mighty in strength and Severe in punishment. For Him (Alone) is the Word of Truth (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He). And those whom they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke, answer them no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not, and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e. of no use). And unto Allah (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons. [Al-Rad 9-15]
We stop here with fear in the presence of Allah’s Greatness, which has been clearly shown in these verses. Allaah is The Most Great, The Exalted, The Knower of everything and nothing is hidden from Him. Nothing can stand in front of what He wills, and everything in the heavens, the earth and the angels surrender to Him. I am not able to express this affair (i.e. in the manner it deserves). [Majmu 1/21]
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, continued…
Kab Bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I never remained behind Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from any expedition which he undertook except the Battle of Tabuk and that of the Battle of Badr. So far as the Battle of Badr is concerned, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Allah’s Messenger and the Muslims (did not set out for attack but for waylaying) the caravan of the Quraish, but it was Allah Who made them confront their enemies without their intention (to do so). I had the honour to be with Allah’s Messenger on the night of ‘Aqaba when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was more dear to me than my participation in the Battle of Badr, although Badr was more popular amongst people as compared with that (Tabuk). And this is my story of remaining back from Allah’s Messenger on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk. Never did I possess enough means and (my circumstances) more favourable than at the occasion of this expedition. And, by Allah, I had never before this expedition simultaneously in my possession two rides. Allah’s Messenger set out for this expedition in extremely hot season; the journey was long and the land (which he and his army had to cover) was waterless and he had to confront a large army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual situation (they had to face), so that they should adequately equip themselves for this expedition, and he also told them the destination where he intended to go. And the Muslims who accompanied Allah’s Messenger at that time were large in numbers but there was no proper record of them. Ka’b (further) said: Few were the persons who wanted to absent themselves, and were under the impression that they could easily conceal themselves (and thus remain undetected) until revelations from Allah, the Exalted and Glorious (descended in connection with them). And Allah’s Messenger set out on an expedition when the fruits were ripe and their shadows had been lengthened. I had weakness for them and it was during this season that Allah’s Messenger made preparations and the Muslims too along with them. I also set out in the morning so that I should make preparations along with them but I came back and did nothing and said to myself: I have enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) until people were about to depart and it was in the morning that Allah’s Messenger set out and the Muslims too along with him, but I made no preparations. I went early in the morning and came back, but I made no decision. I continued to do so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. I also made up my mind to march on and to meet them. Would that I would have done that but perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of Allah’s Messenger as I went out amongst people, I was shocked to find that I did not find anyone like me but people who were labelled as hypocrites or the people whom Allah granted exemption because of their incapacity.
This excerpt highlights the significance of the Pledge of Aqabah and its position in his heart, as it embodied profound meanings that represents the robust foundation upon which is established the migration to Madinah by the companions of Allah’s Messenger, the support given by the Ansar, the establishment the Islamic state, and served as the foundation for Jihad and the strength of Islam and the Muslims. From this foundation emerged the various expeditions and campaigns, leading to the defeat of apostasy and the expansion of Islamic armies across the world, illuminating hearts with the light of Iman and guiding them out from darkness into light. It was from this understanding that this noble companion recognised the status of the Pledge of Aqabah, expressing that he would not be pleased with any substitute for it, as he stated: “It was more beloved to me than participation in the battle of badr”.
He spoke about the circumstances surrounding his absence from the Battle of Tabuk with the courage of the truthful, in a clear and illuminated manner, overflowing with truthfulness from a heart exemplifying Iman, and a soul filled with integrity and truthfulness whose similarity is not witness in that type of dreadful situation where the cowardly the hypocrites would resort to lying and false pretenses by fabricating excuses that were swiftly exposed by Allah, leading to their disgrace and ultimately consigning them to the abode of destruction (hell fire).
He clearly stated that his absence was not due to poverty or hardship, nor was it a result of incapacity or weakness, as he had previously participated in the Battle while in a condition less favourable than that of this particular expedition. He said: “Never did I possess enough means and (my circumstances) more favourable than at the occasion of this expedition. And, by Allah, I had never before this expedition simultaneously in my possession two rides”.
He clearly stated the reasons that undermined his resolve in participating in Jihad (Battle of Tabuk, which included the intense heat, the long journey, the perilous vast terrains between Madinah and Tabuk, and the numerous forces of the Romans and Arabs allied with them. He mentioned that the Messenger of Allah informed the people of their duty to prepare themselves for their expedition.
He clearly stated what may be one of the most significant reasons for staying behind (.e. not going for the Tabuk expedition), which is the ripe fruits and good shade. He then clearly expressed it despite the possibility of (being able) to conceal it, but his truthful soul did not allow him except to reveal it, (saying) “I had a weakness for them”, in other words, “My soul inclined towards them”. This represents a profound level of truthfulness that very few individuals attain. He mentioned his internal struggle and hesitation regarding joining the Messenger of Allah.
He mentioned the pain of regret and sorrow that accompanied his state of being left behind, as he found no example of his condition except for a man deeply entrenched in hypocrisy or a person whom Allah has excused due to weakness. This reflects the vitality of his heart and being truthful in his Iman. [Paraphrased. Refer to the Arabic text here sidq ]
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Umar Ibn Abdul Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Whoever advises his brother to rectify affairs related to his religion and gives him insight into a worldly affair has perfected their relationship and fulfilled his obligation of (brotherhood) to him”. [Tarikh at-Tabari 6/572]
Imam Al-Barbahaaree, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated: “From the Sunnah is that you do not help anyone in disobedience to Allah, whether they be parents or any of the creation. There is no obedience to a human in disobedience to Allah and no one is to be loved for that; rather all of that is to be hated for [the sake of Allah], the Blessed and Most High”.
“From the Sunnah is that you do not help anyone in disobedience to Allah”.
Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, commented saying: This is a fundamental principle from the fundamental principles of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah that has been derived from the statement “There is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator”. And he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Obedience is only in that which is good”.
Thus, whoever commands disobedience to Allah is not to be obeyed. He is not to be obeyed in disobedience, whether your father, mother, or from the closest of the people to you, a ruler or a king. [Footnote a] He is not to be followed in disobedience. Allah [The Exalted] stated about the Yahud and Nasara when they followed [their Rabis and Monks] in disobedience: [ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَحۡبَارَهُمۡ وَرُهۡبَـٰنَهُمۡ أَرۡبَابً۬ا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ – They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah)]. [Al-Tawbah. 31] [Footnote b]
And regarding the statement of Imam Barbahaaree, “Whether they be parents or any of the creation”. Allah [The Exalted] said about parents:
And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination. But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance. [Surah Al-Ankabut. 8]
There is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator, regardless who that may be, even if he is the closest of the people to you, such as the two parents; then what about other than them! [1]
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, said:
And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor you would then be helped. [Hud 113]
Do not incline towards the oppressors—those who oppress the people by (shedding) their blood, (seizing) their wealth, and (violating) their honour, or they oppress people in their religion through Bidah and various forms of misguidance, spreading harmful propaganda and calls (ideas) that contradict Islam. Refrain from inclining towards such people; do not assist them or support their falsehoods. The verse includes all these types (of people).
Every follower of falsehood is an oppressor, every Mubtadi is an oppressor, and everyone who (violates) a Muslim’s honour is an oppressor. Therefore, do not lean towards any of them, thus you are afflicted by the fire. That is because when you incline towards the sinner, the Mubtadi, the oppressor, the criminal, the one who violates people’s honour and those who violate the sanctity of the Islamic legislation, it is as if you are pleased (with that), as if you are aiding and endorsing. A believer must exercise caution to avoid falling into this perilous inclination. A believer should be careful of this type of inclination, for indeed it is from the causes of deviation and misguidance, and Allah’s refuge is sought.
So when they turned away (from the Path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the Right Path). And Allah guides not the people who are Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)]. [As-Saff 5] [2]
Al-Allamah Zayd Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:
There is no (unrestricted or unconditional) allegiance except to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, because he is infallible and never speaks out of his desires. As for unrestricted allegiance to personalities whether they are correct or mistaken, this is not permissible for the seeker of knowledge. On the other hand, he should look to such and such Shaikhs as to which of them is upon uprightness and is following the methodology of the pious predecessors. This is the one whom we place our hands on his hands- not out of blameworthy blind following, rather due to the fact that he is upon the truth. So we agree with him upon truth and follow a singular path in obedience to the statement of Allah, The Mighty and Majestic:
[وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ – And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path] [6:153]
As for the one who selects Shaikhs, leaders and guides, whilst being in agreement with them- in what is correct and wrong- to the extent that they do not leave their methodology whether they are correct or wrong, these are the people who bring evil upon themselves and others. If they do not repent, they are most worthy of being blamed. Thus, the matter – and all praise belongs to Allah- is clear and it is not permissible for a person to be in confusion regarding this . We are with those who follow the straight path-we follow a singular path which Allah, The Mighty and Majestic, has commanded us to follow and which the messenger called us to. Those you follow the wrong path or are mistaken in many matters, or in some, we leave him [i.e. we leave his mistakes]. None is followed in everything except the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. As for the people, they can be correct or mistaken. Indeed, we do not follow them and we do not follow their footsteps solely because they are Shaikhs, callers to Islam, leaders or guides; instead, you should be with the people of the Salafi Methodology -those who follow the correct methodology and understanding. [3]
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
The Salafi is not afraid of criticism or correcting his mistakes if they exist in reality, but he does not accept criticism devoid of proof
Khalid Bin Hayyaan narrated from Jafar Bin Burqaan, may Allah have mercy upon them, who said: Maymoon Bin Mihran, may Allah have mercy upon him said to me, “O Jafar! Say what I detest (i.e. the bitter truth) in my face since a man will not have (fulfilled) advice to his brother until he says in his face what he detests”. (1)
Umar Ibn Abdul Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Whoever advises his brother to rectify affairs related to his religion and gives him insight into a worldly affair has perfected their relationship and fulfilled his obligation of (brotherhood) to him”. (2)
Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Speech about the people has to be with knowledge and justice, and not based on ignorance and oppression”. (3)
“The just among men is the one who informs of an affair the way it is; he neither adds to it and becomes a liar nor does he subtract from it and becomes a concealer”. (4)
The one who follows the path of justice will exalt the one worthy of being exalted and he will love and ally with him; he will give the truth its due right, exalt the truth and show mercy to the creation.(5)
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, said: “The Salafiyyoon do not accept statements, except when they are based on evidence and proof”. (6)
The Shaikh also said:
When you speak about a Muslim, whether an individual who is a Mubtadi or a Sunni, firstly, examine yourself. What do you want through this speech? “Whoever believes in Allah and the last day should either speak good or remain silent”. If in this speech of yours there is good for the Muslims by warning them about this man, and your intention is to seek Allah’s Face, you intend to sincerely advice the ummah, then speak while being cautious of entering into personal desires and personal goals for revenge against this or that person. If the speech stem from an intention for revenge, this would be detrimental to the person (i.e the speaker) and would exceed the permissible allowance in this matter, whose initial basis is fundamentally prohibited. This is because Allah has forbidden backbiting and tale carrying, as these matters corrupt the lives of Muslims. A Muslim should resort to (such speech) only in cases of dire necessity. He does not unleash his tongue to speak freely. Instead, he only speaks out of necessity and when he knows completely that this matter is incumbent upon him and the people will benefit from it. May Allah bless you, be conscious (mindful) regarding this subject matter. (7)
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
We are with the truth. We do not accept mistakes, even from scholars of the Sunnah. We accept the truth, but not (reject mistake) through foolish (behaviour), recklessness, or hostility; instead (should be done) with etiquette, respect, truthfulness and sincerity. [Majmu 15/230]
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, continued…
Indeed, Allah has praised the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and has commended them a lot in His book; and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has praised them in many Prophetic reports. One of the most prominent and evident characteristics attributed to them is truthfulness, without which neither the religion nor the worldly affairs will be established (in an upright manner). These truthful people, along with their successors, have – with absolute truthfulness and integrity- transmitted to us the text of the Quran (based on its successive, numerous unbroken and authentic chains of transmission from every generation), the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger, including both the reports (based on their successive, numerous unbroken and authentic chains of transmission from every generation) and the ones (based on their authentic chain from a single trustworthy narrator), in which are established – with authenticity – the biography of Allah’s Messenger, his Jihad and military expeditions. [Footnote a]
The authentic books, the Musannafaat, the Jawami, the Ma’aajim, the books of creed and and other than them are replete with these transmissions. The Imams of Al-Jarh Wat-Tadeel, have distinguished – in them – the sound narrations from the weak ones, ensuring that the Ummah remains on a straight path, an upright methodology, a conscious and rightly guided life. They transmitted the biography of the noble companions, their different statuses and virtues, which distinguished them among all the nations of the prophets, and through this they are indeed the best nation brought forth for humanity. The books on the virtues of the companions and their statuses, along with all the compilations of the Sunnah, are replete with such (lofty characteristics).
Allah’s general praise for them regarding their lofty characteristics and truthfulness being one of them has already been stated in this speech. However, this speech of mine cannot accommodate the mention of (all) authentic accounts of their truthfulness, instead I will provide an example involving three individuals who experienced a specific single incident. The Most prominent among these three is that noble companion, Ka’b ibn Malik – that man whom Allah saved from the hell fire, hypocrisy, the wrath of Allah and His Messenger through his truthfulness. His story is well-known, and although it is lengthy and cannot be fully recounted here, I will select excerpts that illustrate the status of this companion and his peers in this event, from which a Muslim can draw lessons and inspiration from these truthful individuals. [Paraphrased. Arabic text here: sidq ]
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Exalted, said in Surah Hud verse 88 that Prophet Shu’aib, peace be upon him, said to his people:
[يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي – O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear evidence from my Lord]- Meaning: I am upon certainty and tranquility regarding the correctness of (the Message) I have brought. [وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا – and He (Allah) has given me a good sustenance from Himself]- Meaning: Allah has given me various types of wealth.
[وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ – I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you]- Meaning: I do not wish to forbid you, yet I myself do the same and eventually you will charge me for doing so, instead I will not forbid you from a matter except that I will be the first person to hasten to abandon it. [إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ – I only desire reform so far as I am able, to the best of my power]- Meaning: I do not have any other intentions other than to rectify your circumtances and the things that are of benefit to you. Because this statement of Prophet Shu’aib, peace be upon him, contains something that may indicate attributing piety to himself, he repels it with the statement:
[وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ – And my guidance cannot come except from Allah]-Meaning: The ability I have to do good and to refrain from evil is a bestowal from Allah [The Most High] and it is neither due to my strength nor power.
[عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ – in Him I trust and unto Him I repent]- Meaning: I rely on Allah in all my affairs and suffice myself with Him. I turn to Allah in all types of worship (through which) He has commanded me to draw close to Him by performing good deeds. Through these two matters- seeking aid and assistance from Allah, turning to Him in repentance, complete submission and obedience- a person’s circumstances become upright, as Allah [The Most High] said in another verse: [فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ– So worship Him (O Muhammad) and put your trust in Him]. [1]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
The distinction between advice and reprimand (without right) is that advice is kind treatment towards the recipient with mercy, compassion, and protective jealousy for him. It is pure kindness that stems from mercy and tenderness, with the advisor seeking Allah’s Face and Pleasure, and kind treatment towards Allah’s creation. He approaches the task with utmost gentleness, enduring the harm and blame of the one being advised, while dealing with him in a manner akin to a knowledgeable and caring physician tending to a seriously ill patient. He endures the patient’s bad manners, ill-temper, and aversion, while being gentle in his pursuit to administer the remedy in every manner possible. This is the affair of the advisor. As for the one reprimanding (without right), he is a man whose aim is to reprimand, belittle, and dispraise the one he reprimands in the image of advice. He may say, “O you who have done such and such; O you who deserve dispraise and humiliation,” portrayed in the image of a compassionate advisor. A sign of this (behaviour) is that if he were to witness someone he loves and would show kindness engaging in similar or worse actions, he would neither confront nor say anything to him, and he would seek excuses for him. If overwhelmed, he might say, “Which one of us is guaranteed infallibility from error. The human being is prone to error? His (i.e. the person he seeks excuses for) good deeds outweigh his faults, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”. It is indeed perplexing how such is afforded to the one he loves and not for the one he hates. One of the distinctions between an advisor and a reprimander (without right) is that the advisor does not hold animosity towards you if you choose not to accept his advice. He says: “The reward (for the advice) may be attained from Allah whether he (the recipient) accepts or not”, and supplicates for you in your absence. Neither mentions your flaws nor exposes them to the people, while the one reprimanding (without right) is the opposite. [2]
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, said:
We are with the truth. We do not accept mistakes, even from scholars of the Sunnah. We accept the truth, but not (reject mistake) through foolish (behaviour), recklessness, or hostility; instead (should be done) with etiquette, respect, truthfulness and sincerity. [3]
We ask Allah: [اللهم كما حَسَّنْت خَلْقِي فَحَسِّنْ خُلُقِي – O Allah! Just as You made my external form beautiful, make my character beautiful as well]. [4]
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Rectify your hearts, thus, your tongues and limbs will be upright. Concern must be given to rectification of the hearts by adhering to truthfulness, sincerity, and repentance; concern must be given to “Muraqabatullah”[(a)], being cautious of showoff, envy, malice, and what corrupts the heart. [1]
[a] Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Muraqabatullah” refers to the continuous awareness of a servant of Allah with certainty that Allah, Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections, is fully aware of both their outward actions and inner thoughts. The persistence of this knowledge and conviction constitutes true Muraqabah. It is the result of the (individual’s) knowledge that Allah is ever-watchful over them, sees and hears them, fully knows about their deeds at all times and in every moment. [2]
