اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ
الْعٰلَمِیْنَ وَ الصَّلٰوۃُ وَالسَّلَامُ علٰی سَیِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِیْنَ ط
اَمَّا بَعْدُ فَاَعُوْذُ
بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ ط بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ
الرَّ حِیْم ط
A Cancer in
our Society
Satan will try
its utmost to keep you from reading this book, but read it at its entirety. You
will come to know as to why Satan was not letting you study it, اِنْ
شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
Excellence of Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī صَـلَّى الـلّٰـهُ
تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِـهٖ وَسَـلَّم
Shaykh Majduddīn Fīrauzābādī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحۡمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـهَادِی has stated, ‘When you sit in a gathering and
recite بِسۡـمِ
اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will designate an
angel that will keep you from backbiting. When you depart from that
gathering and recite بِسۡـمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد,
the angel will keep others from backbiting against you.’ (Al-Qaul-ul-Badī’,
pp. 278)
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Majority of ours is involved
in committing the severe sin of backbiting, whether it is the father or the mother,
the brother or the sister, the husband or the wife, the mother-in-law or the
daughter in-law, the father-in-law or the son-in-law, the teacher or the
student, the employer or the employee, the buyer or the seller,
the foreman or the labourer. Similarly, the rich or
the poor, the ruler or his subject, the materialist or the spiritual, the old
or the young and the ones affiliated with a religious organization or members
of a worldly institution – almost everyone is involved in backbiting. These days,
none of our gatherings are devoid of this heinous act of speaking ill against
others because of the habit of constant gossip.
Many people, who are apparently devout, are also
indulged in this grave sin. They are seen listening to, smiling at and nodding
their heads in favour of backbiting. Since backbiting is so commonplace, no one turns a deaf ear to the
backbiter and so instead of remaining pious, the listener becomes a sinner and
worthy of the fire of Hell. Presented here are twenty perils of backbiting compiled from the
Quranic verses, Ḥadīš narrations and the sayings of our pious predecessors. Glance at
these perils. It might instill fear in your heart:
1.
Backbiting severs faith.
2.
It can cause a faithless
end.
3.
Furthermore, excessive
backbiting is also a major cause for one’s supplication not being accepted.
4.
Backbiting deprives one
from the blessings of Ṣalāĥ and Ṣaum (fasts).
5.
It erases the good deeds.
6.
It devours the good deeds.
7.
Even if the backbiter
repents, he will still be the last one to enter Paradise.
8.
Backbiting
is absolutely Ḥarām, a major sin that condemns one to the
inferno of Hell.
9.
It is worse than
fornication.
10.
The one, who backbites
against a Muslim, commits a sin worse than fornication.
11.
If backbiting is submerged
in the ocean, the whole ocean would smell foul.
12.
Backbiters will be made to
eat the dead in Hell.
13.
Backbiting is like eating
the dead body of the brother.
14.
It brings torment in the
grave.
15.
In Layla-tul-Mi’rāj (the night of ascension), the Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم witnessed that the backbiter was eating his
own flesh cut from the sides and was peeling his face and chest with his own
copper nails.
16.
Backbiters will be forced
to eat their own flesh.
17.
In
addition, the backbiter will be resurrected looking like a dog on the Day of Judgement.
18.
The backbiter will be a
monkey of Hell.
19.
The backbiter will be
running between the boiling water and the blazing fire of Hell asking for
death. Even the dwellers of Hell will be sick of him.
20.
The backbiter will be the
first one to enter Hell.
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Ṣadr-ul-Afāḍil, Shaykh Sayyid Muhammad Na’īmuddīn Murādābādī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحۡمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـهَادِی states on the 823rd page of his
commentary of the Holy Quran, Khazāin-ul-‘Irfān that when the Noble
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would set out on an
expedition he would group one poor person
with two rich individuals so that the poor person would serve his rich
companions and the rich would in turn feed him. This way all would
benefit from each other. Once on a journey, Sayyidunā Salmān رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was grouped with two well-off individuals; at one time during
the journey, he was unable to prepare food as he had gone to sleep. His
companions, therefore, sent him to get some food from
the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The Noble Prophet’s chef at that time was Sayyidunā Usāmaĥ رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ who did not have any food left, hence Sayyidunā Salmān رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ had to return empty-handed. When he informed his companions
about the situation, they replied, ‘Usāmaĥ has been stingy.’ When those two
people came before the Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم he (revealing the unseen by the Will of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ) said, ‘I can see the
traces of flesh in your teeth.’ The two replied, ‘We have not eaten any meat!’
The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
told them, ‘You have just committed backbiting and the one, who backbites
against a Muslim, eats his flesh.’ (Tafsīr Baghwī, vol. 4, pp. 194)
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has stated in the
Glorious Quran:
وَ
لَا یَغْتَبْ بَّعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًاؕ-اَیُحِبُّ اَحَدُكُمْ اَنْ یَّاْكُلَ لَحْمَ
اَخِیْهِ مَیْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوْهُؕ-
And do not backbite one another. Would
any one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would not
tolerate it!
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt, verse 12)
Commenting on backbiting, Shaykh Imām Aḥmad Bin Ḥajar Makkī Shāfi’ī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الۡـقَـوِی
states that the wisdom behind the forbidding of tarnishing someone’s character
or reputation (by backbiting), even if it is factual, is to protect, to the
highest degree, the honour and reputation of a Muslim. This also signifies the
importance of preserving the rights, reputation and character of others.
Moreover, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ emphasised the honour of a Muslim by likening
it to flesh and blood, and not only this, backbiting was related exaggeratedly
with eating the dead body of brother. Hence, it is stated in the Quran:
اَیُحِبُّ اَحَدُكُمْ اَنْ یَّاْكُلَ
لَحْمَ اَخِیْهِ مَیْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوْهُؕ-
Would any one of you like to eat the
flesh of his dead brother? You would not tolerate it!
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt, verse 12)
A reason for likening honour to flesh is that the
victim suffers the similar (emotional) pain due to being insulted that he would
feel if his flesh were physically cut off from his body, or maybe more. The
wise considers a Muslim’s prestige far more valuable than the flesh and blood, therefore like any sane person
detests eating human flesh, the wise person also detests dishonouring a Muslim’s reputation even more strongly
because it also causes agony for the victim. Also, the reason for
relating with ‘eating the flesh of one’s brother’, is that eating the flesh of
one’s brother is unspeakable, in fact it would impossible to even chew on it. (Az-Zawājir
‘Aniqtirāf-il-Kabāir, vol. 2, pp. 10)
In order to explain
backbiting, Shaykh Imām Aḥmad
Bin Ḥajar
Makkī Shāfi’ī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ
الـلّٰـهِ الۡاَکۡبَر poses an objection about backbiting and then goes on to refute
it himself:
Objection: It is understandable
that it is Ḥarām to expose someone’s faults in his immediate presence because
that causes pain to the victim, but why is it Ḥarām if the person (whose flaws are being revealed) is not present,
because then he would feel no pain because he is not even aware of the
conversation about him taking place?
Refutation: By the use of the
word ‘dead’ (مَيۡتًا) (in Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt,
part 26, verse 12) this objection is automatically answered. Although this is a
very despicable act, the dead person whose
flesh is eaten, does not (seemingly) feel the pain. However if the dead person would
come to know that he is being eaten, then he would certainly go through much
agony. Similarly, if the person disparaged is not present, then he would
certainly be hurt if he comes to know that someone spoke ill of him behind his
back.
(Az-Zawājir ‘Aniqtirāf-il-Kabāir, vol. 2,
pp. 10)
The Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once asked, ‘Do you know what backbiting is?’
They (the companions) answered, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم know the best.’ Then the Beloved and Blessed
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained, ‘Backbiting is
that you talk about your brother in a manner which he would dislike.’
Someone then asked, ‘What if that (fault) is present in him?’ He صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘If the statement you
are making (about his fault) is present in him, you
have in fact committed backbiting against him; whereas if that (fault) is not
in him, then you have slandered him.’
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 1397, Ḥadīš 2589)
The renowned commentator of the Quran, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الْـحَـنَّان has stated, ‘Backbiting is to make disparaging
remarks that are true and slander is to lay false allegations and make remarks
that are untrue. Backbiting is speaking the truth; however, it is Ḥarām. The abuses are often true but remain profane and Ḥarām. This leads us to the following principle that truth is not
always Ḥalāl. The conclusion is that backbiting is a sin and slander is two
sins.’
(Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, vol. 6, pp. 456)
Muftī Amjad ‘Alī A’ẓamī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی
has defined backbiting as ‘backbiting is to mention someone’s hidden fault in his absence in order to disparage him.’
(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 16, pp. 175)
Dear Islamic brothers! Sadly, the majority of the
population today is not even aware of the definition of backbiting, even though understanding and knowing laws related to backbiting is
Farḍ (obligatory) upon all Muslims.
On page 256 of Ānsūon kā Daryā [the 300-page
publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], Shaykh ‘Allāmaĥ Abul Farāj ‘Abdur Raḥmān Bin
Jauzī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی has stated, ‘For you to
mention your brother in such a manner that
would upset him, if he hears or comes to know about it, even if it is the
truth. That is to say that you talk bad about or find faults in his
personality, intellect, clothes, deeds, the statements that he makes, his lack
of practice of the religion, house, means of transportation, children, slaves,
and everything that is associated with him. Even saying that his sleeve or
shirt is too long is considered an act of backbiting.’(Baḥr-ud-Dumū’,
pp. 187)
Shaykh Imām Aḥmad Bin Ḥajar Makkī Shāfi’ī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الۡـقَـوِی
has stated, ‘The honourable scholars رَحِمَـهُـمُ
الـلّٰـهُ الـسَّلَام concur that backbiting is to mention any shortcoming that the person possesses. Whether
the fault is in his non-practice of religion, worldly affairs, personality,
character, wealth, children, spouse, servant, slave, ‘Imāmaĥ, demeanour and
mannerism, clothes, smile, lack of common sense, rudeness, politeness and
anything related to him. Examples of backbiting about the other’s appearance
are: ‘He is blind, crippled, bald, midget, lanky, and black or yellow, etc.’
Whereas statements such as: ‘He is corrupt, thief, deceitful, oppressive,
lazy in offering Ṣalāĥ, disobedient of his parents’ would
fall under examples of backbiting about someone’s irreligiousness.’
The Imām رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has further mentioned, ‘It is said that backbiting is as sweet
as dates and as sharp and exhilarating as alcohol.’ May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ protect us from this
evil. May He عَزَّوَجَلَّ fulfil the rights (with His mercy and
compassion) of those that we may have violated as He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the only One who knows
the exact number of our violations.’
(Az-Zawājir ‘Aniqtirāf-il-Kabāir, vol. 2,
pp. 19)
Gunaĥ-e-gadā kā ḥisāb kyā
woĥ agarchay lākĥ say ĥayn siwā
Magar ay ‘Afū, Tayray
‘afw kā to ḥisāb ĥay na shumār ĥay
What to say of the accounts of this servant, sins of whom are
countless
However, O Forgiver, Your Forgiveness has no limits and is endless
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Sincerely repent from the
serious habitual sin of backbiting and make
an ardent effort to safeguard your tongue (from sins). In order to attain
perseverance in repentance, embrace Dawat-e-Islami’s fragrant Madanī
environment and travel in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ to learn the Sunnaĥ. To seek inspiration and motivation, read the
following account that shows the marvels of Dawat-e-Islami:
A Muballigh states that while travelling with a
Madanī Qāfilaĥ in Jumādil-Aulā, 1428 A.H. (June 2008) he reached Okara, Punjab. There, he met a bearded old man crowned with a green ‘Imāmaĥ (turban). The old Islamic brother iterated how his amazing transformation took place, ‘Before embracing the
Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami, I was an infamous gangster in my
locality. My addiction to alcohol was so severe that bottles of it
could always be found in my car. I would always carry a weapon for my safety
with the armed bodyguards that would
accompany me. Because of my evil actions, people resented me so much
that they preferred not to even pass by me.
What caused me to walk on this Madanī path is
that the Muballighīn (preachers), who were
actively calling people towards righteousness in our area, would try to invite
me too, but I was drowned in heedlessness. Therefore, instead of
answering to their call, I would hold their
hand and say, ‘Come sit and have a drink with me.’ Sometimes I would rebuke
them, at other times I would reprimand them harshly; but despite that adverse
reaction, they would still find opportunities to come and try to inspire me.
A long period passed by like this where they
resolutely persisted with their invitations and I kept consistently putting
them off. Then, as usual, when the brothers came to me, I thought to myself
that these poor people had been striving for a long time, why don’t I pay
attention and listen to what these brothers have to say. Following my
heart, I listened to them carefully. By the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, their message pierced my
heart. I said Labbayk (i.e. I am ready), and went along with the brothers to
the Masjid. As far as I could recall, that was the
first time I had entered the Masjid after attaining maturity.
The company of the
devotees of the Prophet and the Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ completely transformed my heart. Then I began to regularly seek the
company of these Islamic brothers and also
became a Murīd (disciple) into the Spiritual Sufi
order of Ghauš-e-A’ẓam
(Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَـلَيْه). After I became a Murīd,
gradually, my demeanour began to change. I sincerely repented from all my sins,
gave up alcohol, began to offer Ṣalāĥ punctually. I also grew a beard according to the Sunnaĥ, and
wore the crown of the green ‘Imāmaĥ (turban) on my head. People were astonished
on that transformation and could not believe how such an evil person could
become an upright individual.
Once, an amusing incident took place when two
journalists were astonished to see me as they
crossed my path. They confirmed with me as to whether I was the same gangster
and wanted to publish my story in their newspaper, but I refused. By the
grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it was the
blessings of the righteous Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami that a person
as corrupt and immoral as me made a change within himself. I began to step on
the path of Ṣalāĥ and Sunnaĥ and became a respectable person of the community.
Allah karam aysā karay
tujĥ pay jaĥān mayn
Ay Dawat-e-Islami tayrī
dĥūm machī ĥo
O Dawat-e-Islami, may Allah bless you so;
That, around the world, you prosper and glow!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you observe the benefits
of sincerity and perseverance in striving to invite towards good? Due to
someone’s inspirational efforts, one who was trailing
on the path of devastation of the Hereafter, changed course and set out on the
path to Paradise. All Islamic brothers should call everybody towards righteousness
without hesitation. You never know that a few words you say may change
someone’s life and in turn might lead to continuous reward for you. Inviting
towards good has many virtues.
Once, the Prophet Sayyidunā Mūsā Kalīmullāĥ عَـلٰى
نَبِـيِّـنَا وَ عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام asked Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! What is the reward for
the one who invites his brother towards good and forbids evil?’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ replied, ‘For his every
word, I grant him the reward worth a year’s worship and I observe Ḥayā in punishing him with the torments of Hell.’
(Mukāshafa-tul-Qulūb, pp. 48)
Mujĥay tum aysī do ĥimmat
Āqā
Dūn sab ko naykī kī
da’wat Āqā
Banā do mujĥ ko bĥī nayk
khaṣlat
Nabī-e-Raḥmat Shafī’-e-Ummat
Give me such strength my Merciful Prophet, that I invite all towards
righteousness,
Make my manners refined, please, the Intercessor, the Prophet of
Mercifulness
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the consequences of
backbiting are extremely perilous. Our homes are like war zones and families
and communities are falling apart because of
this evil. Even many preachers of the religion have built walls of resentment
around each other. Alas! How will our weak
flesh bear the severe and terrifying punishment of backbiting?
Listen carefully! The Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has warned us, ‘On Layla-tul-Mi’rāj (the Night of Ascension), I came
across such men and women who were hanging by their chests. I asked, ‘Jibrīl! Who are these people?’
He replied, ‘These are the ones who slander people (with false
allegations) in their presence and speak ill against them behind their backs.
Regarding these people, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ states in the Quran:
Woe to the one who scorns the people
openly, badmouths in (their) absence. وَیْلٌ
لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةِ ﹰۙ (۱)
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 30, Sūraĥ Al-Ĥumazaĥ, verse 1)
(Shu’ab-ul-Īmān, vol.
5, pp. 309, Ḥadīš 6750)
The Noble Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم has cautioned, ‘On Layla-tul-Mi’rāj (the Night of Ascension), I came across such a nation that were
scratching their faces and chests with nails made of copper. I asked, ‘Jibrīl!
Who are these people?’ He replied, ‘They used to eat the flesh of humans
(backbite) and would tarnish their honour.’
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 353, Ḥadīš
4878)
The renowned commentator
of the Quran, Shaykh Muftī Aḥmad
Yār Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الْـحَـنَّان
has expounded on this subject, ‘They were inflicted with the torment of
itching. They would scratch and wound their own faces and chest with their
sharp and pointy nails that were made of copper. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant us refuge from such
punishment as it is indeed severe. What the Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم observed with his own eyes will take place
after the Day of Judgement.’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has further added, ‘Those
people used to backbite against and disparaged the reputation of Muslims. Women
indulge in it more often therefore they should derive a lesson from this.’ (Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ,
vol. 6, pp. 619)
Dear Islamic brothers! I urge you to reflect about
this in solitude. If we cannot even bear a minor itch or a minor cut, then how
will we endure the punishment of picking and peeling the chest and the face –
as a punishment for indulging in backbiting and failing to repent from this
major sin? Listen carefully to the following narration about another serious
punishment for backbiting. Sayyidunā Abū Sa’īd Khudrī رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated that the Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated, ‘The night in which I was made to
travel through the Heavens, I came across a nation that was being fed flesh cut
off from their own sides. They were told, ‘Eat, as you used to eat the flesh of
your brothers.’ I asked, ‘Jibrīl! Who are they?’ He replied, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ!
They used to backbite against people.’
(Dalāil-un-Nubūwwaĥ, vol. 2, pp. 393;
Tanbīĥ-ul-Ghāfilīn, pp. 86)
The Merciful and Compassionate Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Whoever eats the flesh of his dead brother (i.e. backbites) in this
world, (that brother) will be brought close
to him on the Day of Judgement and he (the backbiter)
will be ordered, ‘Eat his dead body, (just as) you used to eat him alive.’ He
will then eat his dead brother’s flesh and moan and cry (because of pain)
expressing disgust from his facial expressions.’
(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ, vol. 1, pp. 450, Ḥadīš
1656)
Dear Islamic brothers! Break away from backbiting and
other sinful conversations and engage in the remembrance of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the recitation of
Na’at of His Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Reap numerous rewards by immersing in the recitation of the
Quran, sending salutations upon the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
(Tafsīr) ‘Rūḥ-ul-Bayān’ cites a Ḥadīš Qudsī: Whoever recites once بِسۡـمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ and Sūraĥ Al-Fātiḥaĥ by joining them together (like this بِسۡـمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ till the end of the Sūraĥ) then be a
witness that I have forgiven him, accepted all his good deeds and forgiven his
sins, and I will not burn his tongue, I will free him from the torment of the
grave, the torment of the fire, the torment of the Day of Judgement and from fear.’ (Rūḥ-ul-Bayān, pp. 9, vol. 1) Note the proper manner of joining [join the last letter Mīm
(with Kasraĥ) of بِسۡـمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ
الرَّحِيۡمِ
with Lām (with Jāzm) in الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ] as in …حَـمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ-مِلۡ- بِسۡـمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡـمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡ and then completing the entire Suraĥ Al-Fātiḥaĥ.
Riĥāī mujĥ ko milay kāsh!
Nafs-o-Shayṭān say gunāĥ
Tayray Ḥabīb kā daytā ĥūn
wāsiṭaĥ Yā Rab
Bay ‘adad aur jurm bĥī
ĥayn lā-ta’dād
Ker ‘afw, seĥ na sakūn gā
koī sazā Yā Rab
Would that I be free of Satan and sins
I supplicate by means of Your Ḥabīb Yā
Rab
Sins are too many to be counted
Forgive! I won’t be able to bear the torment Yā Rab
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear
Islamic brothers! One of the problems of backbiting is that it leads to the
deprivation from the blessings
of Ṣalāĥ and fasts. One day, when two people completed their Ẓuĥr or ‘Aṣr Ṣalāĥ, the Knower of the Unseen (Ghayb), the Noble
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم told them, ‘Both of you do Wuḍū, repeat your Ṣalāĥ, complete your fast and make up (perform Qaḍā of) today’s fast by
tomorrow.’ They asked, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Why have you ordered us to do this?’ He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
replied, ‘You have committed backbiting against so-and-so.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Īmān,
vol. 5, pp. 303, Ḥadīš 6729)
Dear Islamic brothers!
Backbiting is detrimental to worship. Here are two sayings of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم that further
clarify this point:
1.
‘Fast is a shield until it is broken.’ Upon which he was asked, ‘What
breaks it?’ He replied, ‘Lies and backbiting.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ,
vol. 3, pp. 264, Ḥadīš 4536)
2.
‘Fasting
is not just abstaining from food and drink. Fasting is to (also) abstain from
profane and irrelevant conversation.’ (Al-Mustadrak, vol. 2, pp. 67, Ḥadīš 1611)
Backbiting causes the
deprivation of blessings from the fast and worship. The Guiding Light of
Spirituality, the Scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence, Muftī Amjad ‘Alī A’ẓamī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی
explains on page 984 of Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, volume 1 [the publication of
Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami]: ‘The fast is not invalidated by nocturnal emission or backbiting. (Durr-e-Mukhtār,
vol. 3, pp. 421, 428) Even
though backbiting is a major sin as the Quran likened
backbiting to devouring the flesh of your dead brother and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم classified it as a sin ‘worse than fornication.’
(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ, vol. 5, pp. 63, Ḥadīš 6590) However, the blessings are taken away from
the fast. (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 984)
On page 996, the Shaykh رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه
has further added, ‘Sinful acts such as lies, tale-bearing, backbiting, abusing, vulgarism, and hurting others are
generally Ḥarām, moreover, whilst
observing fast these acts are even worse and bring a sense of repugnance to the
fast.’ (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 996)
The Revered and Renowned
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى
عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has warned us, ‘Four types
of dwellers in Hell will be running between Ḥamīm and Jaḥīm (i.e. the scorching water and fire) seeking Wayl and Šubūr (i.e.
destruction). One of them will be eating his own flesh. The dwellers of Hell
will say, ‘What is wrong with this wretched soul, he is intensifying our
suffering.’ They will be told, ‘This wretched person used to eat others’ flesh
(backbite) and was a tale-teller.’ (Żamm-ul-Ghībaĥ li-Ibn-e-Abid Dunyā, pp. 89,
Raqm 49)
Dear Islamic brothers! Alas, the painful torment of Hell! It is imperative that we distance ourselves from backbiting and sins or else we will
face extreme hardship. We should have remorse
and fear because of our sins. Here is a parable that explains tremendous fear
that our righteous predecessors
possessed: Once a caravan of ‘Ābidīn (righteous worshippers) set out on
a journey. Sayyidunā ‘Aṭā رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَـلَيْه was also a part of the
group. Their devotion in worship had caused sunken eyes, swollen feet and
weakness. So weak, that it looked as if
they had just come out of their graves. One of them fainted during the journey.
Despite the fact that it was very cold, he started sweating out of fear. When
he regained consciousness, people asked him about the cause of his
perspiration, to which he replied, ‘When I crossed this area, the sin that I
had once committed here came to my mind and an intense fear of the
accountability on the Day of Judgement touched my heart and I lost consciousness.’ (Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm,
vol. 4, pp. 229)
Kisī kī khāmiyān daykĥayn
na mayrī ānkĥayn aur
Karay zabān na ‘aybaun kā
tażkiraĥ Yā Rab
Tulayn na ḥashr mayn ‘Aṭṭār
kay ‘amal Maulā
Bilā-ḥisāb ĥī Tū is ko
bakhshnā Yā Rab
Allah, may I never see others’ deficiency
Nor may I ever talk about their frailty
Allah, on the scales don’t weigh ‘Aṭṭār’s
deeds
May he be forgiven without any accountability
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The companion Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Bin Mas’ūd رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated, ‘We were in the noble court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم when a person stood up and left. After his
departure, a person started backbiting against him, upon which the Noble
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Pick your teeth.’
The person asked, ‘Why should I pick my teeth as I have not eaten any meat?’
The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
replied, ‘Indeed you have eaten your brother’s flesh (you slandered him).’(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabīr,
vol. 10, pp. 102, Ḥadīš 10092)
When some people leave
from a gathering, others often slip into backbiting against them. They should learn a lesson from the aforementioned
narration. Here are some expressions of backbiting listed to serve as
examples:
1.
Good riddance, he is gone!
2.
We were bored in his
company.
3.
He argues just for the sake
of it.
4.
It is his way or the
highway.
5.
He does not listen to
anyone.
6.
He thinks he knows it all.
7.
Take his talk with a grain
of salt.
8.
He is always looking for a
reason to burst into laughter.
9.
He is so full of himself.
10.
He is stubborn.
11.
Brother! May Allah save us
from such individuals.
12.
He is a bit of a bigmouth.
13.
He spreads news everywhere.
14.
He blurts out everything.
15. Whatever you said
in front of him; now watch how it spreads and everyone finds out.
16.
Yes brother! Next time he
comes, change the topic, because he is a loudmouth, etc.
Tū ghībat kī ‘ādat cĥuřā
Yā Ilāĥī
Burī bayṫĥakon say bachā
Yā Ilāĥī
Ĥo bayzār dil toĥmaton
chugliyon say
Mujĥay nayk bandaĥ banā
Yā Ilāĥī!
From the habit of backbiting, my Allah, May I abstain
From the wicked gatherings, may I restrain
From tale-bearing and accusations, my heart is in disdain
Righteousness and piety, my Allah! May I attain
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Someone asked Sayyidatunā Umm-e-Salamaĥ رَضِیَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا a question regarding backbiting to which she replied, ‘One Friday, when I woke up in the morning the
Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to offer Ṣalāt-ul-Fajr. One of my neighbours, an Anṣārī
woman from Madīnaĥ, came to the house and began to speak-ill (backbite) against
some men and women. I also took part in it and began to laugh. Upon the return
of the Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, we became silent. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم covered his nose with a corner of his shawl as
he stood in the doorway and ordered, ‘Both of you go and rinse your mouth with
water.’ I vomited a lot of (pieces of) flesh. Similarly, the other woman also
vomited out flesh. I asked the Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as to why I threw up pieces of flesh. He صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘This flesh is of the person against
whom you have committed backbiting.’ (Ad-Dur-rul-Manšūr, vol. 7, pp. 572)
Islamic sisters should also carefully read to this
narration over and over again and give it due
consideration. Sadly! When the Islamic sisters sit together, they often indulge
in backbiting against other sisters who are not present. Here are 23 examples
of such expressions that are commonly used:
1.
She is divorced.
2.
She has a long tongue.
3.
She does not let her
husband stay in peace.
4.
She is disrespectful of her
husband.
5.
Well, she is then beaten.
6.
She has no decency.
7.
It seems that she will only
rest after she gets a divorce.
8.
She breathes down her
daughter-in-law’s neck.
9.
She treats her
daughter-in-law like a maid.
10.
She even beats her
daughter-in-law.
11.
She purposely starves her
daughter-in-law.
12.
Though her daughter-in-law
is sick, she does not let her rest.
13.
She quarrels with her
neighbours.
14.
She is irritable.
15.
She is snobbish because of
her husband’s wealth.
16.
She yells at her children.
17.
She is so stingy.
18.
She acts poor, but has lots
of (wealth and) gold.
19.
The girl is good mannered
but because of her mother her engagement was broken.
20.
She is getting older but no
one is ready to take her hand in marriage.
21.
Her daughter is a teen now,
but she does not make her stay home.
22.
She got her two daughters
married, but did not invite her neighbours, even verbally.
23.
She has left her in-laws
(after quarrelling with them) and gone back to her parents’ house.
Vision of the
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Islamic sisters! Sincerely repent from backbiting and
protect your tongue from such insinuations.
Embrace the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami to achieve steady
persistence in your course of actions against backbiting. Continue to endeavour
in the Madanī activities organised by
Dawat-e-Islami and travel in the auspicious Madanī Qāfilaĥ to learn the
Sunnaĥ. If anyone were to ask me as to what benefit does Madanī Qāfilaĥ bring;
I would ask them what benefit does it not bring? Here is an account that shows
the blessings of the Madanī Qāfilaĥ. Read it as it is filled with the love of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and put your seal of approval on it by saying سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ at the end of the couplet after the parable.
An Islamic sister from Hyderabad (Bāb-ul-Islam, Sindh) has reported that, ‘A sisters’ Madanī Qāfilaĥ came to my city. I
was fortunate to attend the Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ on the second day after the area visit to call people towards
righteousness. After the speech in the Ijtimā’ while Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī was being recited, I saw with my very own eyes that the source of Peace for our Hearts, the Holy
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, wearing a
garland of flowers,
arrived to the Ijtimā’. My tears began to flow involuntarily as I was
overwhelmed by the glorious sight of my Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Then, the faith-refreshing sight of the
Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم vanished and afterwards the Ijtimā’ came to its conclusion.’
Mil gaye woĥ to pĥir kamī
kyā ĥay
Dauno ‘ālam ko pā liyā
ĥam nay
Do we really need anything else?
When we got him, both the worlds we possess
The Holy Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم was once in his blessed home when some meat
was brought before him as a gift. Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was teaching Ḥadīš
narrations to the Aṣḥāb-e-Ṣuffaĥ next to the Masjid-un-Nabawī. They asked Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
if he would ask the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
for some meat on their behalf as they had not eaten any meat in days. When he
left, they started talking amongst themselves that Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
meets the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the same manner as
they would, so why is it that he would narrate Ḥadīš to them!
When Sayyidunā Zayd Bin
Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
came into the blessed court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
and repeated the desire of the Aṣḥāb-e-Ṣuffaĥ, the Knower of the Unseen, the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
told him, ‘Go and tell them that they have just eaten some meat.’ When
Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ relayed the message of the
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to them, they swore that they
had not eaten meat for several days.
Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
went back to the holy court and requested again for some meat. The
Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said the same thing, ‘They just ate some meat.’
Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
came back and relayed the same message. That time all the Aṣḥāb-e-Ṣuffaĥ went to ask the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
themselves. The Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘You just ate
your brother’s flesh and the traces of the meat are still in your teeth. Spit
it out and have a look at the redness of the flesh.’ Thereupon, they did
exactly and blood was all over (in their saliva). They all repented, took back
their words, and asked Sayyidunā Zayd Bin Šābit رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
to forgive them. (Tanbīĥ-ul-Ghāfilīn, pp. 86)
Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Bin
‘Abbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا
has reported that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم
saw the dwellers of Hell on Layla-tul-Mi’rāj (the Night of Ascension) who were eating a
dead body (of a person). The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
asked, ‘Jibrīl! Who are these people?’ Angel Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام replied, ‘They are
those who would eat peoples’ flesh.’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم
also saw a person who was extremely red in colour and had blue eyes. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
asked Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام
as to who he was. Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ
الـسَّـلَام replied, ‘He is the one who cut
off the legs of the she-camel of Prophet Sayyidunā Ṣāliḥ عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام.’
(Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 1, pp. 553, Ḥadīš 2324)
Dear Islamic brothers! Backbiting seems very easy but
keep this in mind that eating a dead body in Hell will not be easy by any means. One cannot consume the fresh raw
meat of a goat. Sometimes we do not feel like eating meat if it is not cooked
properly, or if it does not have enough salt or proper spices or if it is cold.
Just imagine! How can one eat, not Żabīḥā meat but that of the dead and not of a Ḥalāl animal but of a dead human being. Further, the person with red skin
and blue eyes mentioned in the Ḥadīš was none other than the evil Qadār Bin Sālif from the nation of
Šamūd. He cut off the legs of the Sayyidunā Ṣāliḥ’s she-camel.
Mujĥay ghībaton say bachā
Yā Ilāĥī
Gunāĥaun kī ‘ādat cĥuřā
Yā Ilāĥī
Pa-ay Murshidī day mu’āfī
Khudāyā
Na dozakh mayn mujĥ ko
jalā Yā Ilāĥī
Allah, from backbiting, may I am saved
Allah, habit of sins, may it be erased
Forgive me, for my Murshid’s sake
From fire of Hell, may I be spared
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Just glance at the devastating punishment of
backbiting. The famous saint Sayyidunā Ḥātim Aṣam عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡاَکۡرَم has stated, ‘It has been
relayed to us that in Hell a backbiter’s face will be turned into the face of a monkey, a
liar’s face will be turned into the face of a dog and a jealous person’s face
will be turned into the face of a pig.’
(Tanbīĥ-ul-Mughtarrīn, pp. 194)
From page 163 of Minĥāj-ul-‘Ābidīn
[the 344-page publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the
publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], following sayings of Sayyidunā Ibrāĥīm Bin Adĥam عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡاَکۡرَم are extracted: ‘I stayed in the company of
many saints رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی in the Lebanon mountains.
All of the saints advised me to disperse the following four pieces of advice
wherever I go:
1.
Whoever eats to the fullest
of his appetite will not enjoy the taste of worship.
2.
Whoever sleeps excessively
will not have blessings in his lifespan.
3.
Whoever seeks only to
please the people will be in despair from Allah’s pleasure.
4.
Whoever excessively
backbites and indulges in lots of irrelevant conversations will not die on
Islam.’ (Minĥāj-ul-‘Ābidīn (Arabic), pp. 98)
The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Backbiting and tale-telling sever
faith as a shepherd cuts a tree.’ (Attarghīb
Wattarĥīb, vol. 3, pp. 332, Ḥadīš 28)
Dear Islamic brothers! From the above Ḥadīš, we came to learn that there is a chance that one may lose his
faith, because of committing backbiting. Alas, the one who loses his faith is
doomed. Whoever dies on Kufr, when he reaches his grave
then he will not be able to correctly answer the questions posed by Munkar and
Nakīr. Then the series of terrifying torments will
start in the grave.
The Scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence, Muftī Amjad
‘Alī A’ẓamī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی writes on page 110 of Baĥār-e-Sharī’at,
volume 1 [the 1250-page publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami]: At that moment, a
caller in the skies will call out, ‘He is a liar. Place a bed of fire for
him, clothe him with clothing made of fire and open a door towards Hell.’ The
heat and flames of Hell will then reach him and two blind and deaf angels will be ordered
to punish him. They will have iron rods. If they were to strike a mountain
with their iron rods, it would turn to dust. The angels will continuously
strike him with their rods. Snakes and scorpions will also torment the
person. Hence, his actions will turn into a dog, a
bear or any other form and will punish him (as well).’ (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at,
vol. 1, pp. 110-111)
Kuffār (unbelievers) will
also be subjected to several torments on the Day of Judgement and eventually,
they will be dragged by their heads and thrown into Hell, where they will
reside forever. After describing the heart wrenching punishments, Guiding Light
of Spirituality, the Scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence, Muftī Amjad ‘Alī A’ẓamī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی, further goes on to say,
‘Then, the Kāfir will be placed in a chest of fire, which will be as long as
his height. A fire will then be ignited inside the chest which will be locked
with a lock of fire. Then, the chest will be put into another chest of fire in
which fire will also be lit between the chests. That chest will also be locked.
Likewise, the chest will be placed into a third; a fire will be lit and then
locked with a lock of fire. At this point, every Kāfir will think that he is
the only one in the fire now and this will be the torment on top of all other
punishments. This torment will continue forever for him.
When all those destined for Paradise will enter
Paradise and only those will remain in Hell that are to dwell in it forever;
death will be brought looking like a sheep and placed in between Paradise and
Hell. A caller will call the dwellers of Paradise, who will glance fearing that
they may be banished from Paradise. Then, the caller will call the Hell
dwellers who will glance excitedly
thinking that they are being freed from their torment. The caller will
then ask them all if they recognize this. They will answer, ‘Yes, this is
death.’ Death will then be slaughtered and it will be called out, ‘People of
Paradise! Eternity! There is no death anymore. People of Hell! Eternity! There is no death now.’ At that time, it will be joy for
the dwellers of Heaven; whereas sorrow will be for the Hell-dwellers.
نَسۡاَلُ اللّٰهَ الۡعَفۡوَ وَالۡعَافِيَةَ فِي الدِّيۡنِ
وَالدُّنۡيَا وَالۡآخِرَةِ
We ask Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) for forgiveness and we seek the wellbeing of
our religion, our worldly matters and of our Hereafter. (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, vol. 1, pp. 170-171)
‘Aṭṭār ĥay Īmān kī ḥifāẓat
kā suwālī
Khālī naĥīn jāye gā yeĥ
darbār-e-Nabī say
Preservation of faith, ‘Aṭṭār seeks
Empty-handed from the Prophet’s court, he will not leave
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
It has been reported on the
authority of Sayyidunā ‘Āmir Bin Wāšilaĥ رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ,
‘During the apparent life of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
a person passed by a community and greeted them with Salām. The people
responded to his Salām but when he left, one person from them said, ‘I hate him
for the sake of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ
the Exalted. When he, who had left, came to know about the opinion of the other
person he approached the court of the Glorious Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
and narrated the whole incident and then requested the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to summon the other person and ask him why he hates me.
The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
called for the person. When he came, the Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked him about his statement. He affirmed
that he did say such a thing. The Prophet of Raḥmaĥ صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم
asked him, ‘Why do you hate him?’ He
replied, ‘I am his neighbour. I want the best for him. By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, I have not seen him offer any Nafl Ṣalāĥ besides the Farḍ that he offers and Farḍ is offered by the righteous and the wicked.’ The person who had brought the
complaint said, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!
Ask him if he has seen me delay the fulfilment of any of my Farḍ Ṣalāĥ, or if he has observed that I have been deficient
in the performance of Wuḍū or Rukū’ or Sujūd.’ When the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
asked him, he said that he had not seen any deficiency in that regard but he
added, ‘By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
I have not seen him observe fast other than the fasts of Ramadan; both the righteous and the wicked observe
fast in this blessed month.’ To this the person replied, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!
Ask him if I have missed a fast in Ramadan or had any shortcoming in the
fulfilment of its rights.’
He replied, ‘No, however I have not seen him give
anything to the poor besides paying Zakāĥ nor spending in the path of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. All righteous
and wicked people pay Zakāĥ.’ The person who complained
asked the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
to ask him if he had ever seen any of his shortcomings in paying Zakāĥ or if he
had ever delayed its payment. He replied in the same negative expression. The
Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
said to the person who hated the other, ‘Stand up; he (the person who
complained) might be better than you.’ (Musnad
Imām Aḥmad, vol. 9, pp. 210, Ḥadīš 23864)
Dear Islamic brothers! Making statements about others
regarding someone’s inability or lack of
completion of Farāiḍ
and Wājibāt (the necessities of religion), without a valid cause, also falls under backbiting. The
same ruling applies to Nawāfil and Mustaḥabbāt, because
this would also cause distress to the Muslim. Here are nine examples of such
statements:
1.
He does not offer Taĥajjud.
2.
In his entire life, he has
never observed fast on the day of ‘Āshūrā.
3.
He does not offer Ṣalāt-ul-Ishrāq and Ṣalāt-uḍ-Ḍuḥā.
4.
How will he even offer the
Nawāfil of Awwabīn! Go ask him when those Nawāfil are supposed to be offered?
5.
He calls the food, which is
served to the people with the intention of presenting the Šawāb to the pious
predecessors, a blessing and is always there to eat it; however, he never
donates money for it.
6.
My
boss is a little uptight. He never gives me some time off to travel with the Madanī Qāfilaĥ.
7.
I even asked him to offer Ṣalāt-ut-Taubaĥ as others were offering it, but he still did not.
8.
In the congregation to read
Quran, he comes at the very end. Maybe he doesn’t know how to read the Quran.
9.
He comes late to the Na’at
recital gatherings, but in time for the food.
On page 313 of ‘Uyūn-ul-Ḥikāyāt, volume 2 [the 413-page
publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of
Dawat-e-Islami], a saying of Sayyidunā Ḥāriš Muḥāsibī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی is narrated, ‘Refrain
from backbiting. It is such an evil that a person seeks it willingly. What do
you think of an action that entices you to be disloyal to the one who has
favoured you and causes good deeds, earned by you, to be given to those who you slandered until they are pleased
because wealth will not come to your aid? Your religion will be taken
away from you, equal to the measure of the harm that you caused to a Muslim’s reputation. Therefore,
refrain from backbiting, make yourself aware of it and recognize its different forms and how it entraps you.’ He
further added, ‘Take this to heart!
Indeed some ignorant and naive individuals indulge in backbiting by manifesting
their anger on the sins committed by others.
They make false assumptions and are jealous of them. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ
grant us refuge. Satan further misleads these people into thinking that by manifesting their anger;
they are actually protecting the faith. They make claims of showing anger by speaking ill and making
derogatory remarks against another person, not for personal reasons, but
for protecting the religion. The evil of such thought and action is not hidden
from the wise.
Even some learned people
have been observed to make statements like, ‘We are only doing this for their rectification. We are their well-wishers and only
want the best for them.’ The fact of the matter is that if these people wanted
the best for the others they would not have indulged in such an evil action (of
backbiting). The thought of giving advice would not cause them to indulge in
backbiting (i.e. they would have taken the adopted the method that is
permissible by Islamic law which is to directly advise the one who has made a
mistake and not to make a public display of others’ faults). Embed this in your
heart! At times, even seemingly religious and righteous individuals commit
backbiting by saying expressions that are astonishing. As for teachers, leaders
and officers, they at times indulge in backbiting by trying to show compassion
for their subordinates and students; with phrases like, ‘I feel so sorry for
that person that he commits such-and-such evil. I wish he wasn’t involved in
those things (i.e. drug addiction).’ In reality, these people are not feeling sorry for others, but are actually exposing their
faults and shortcomings disguised as
compassion and well-wishing and thus indulging in backbiting. Instead of
saying such expressions, if they really want the best for the other person,
they could directly approach them and make an effort to rectify their
behaviour.
Some people have been observed making this point that
they are only exposing the faults to another person so that the listener
supplicates for him. They think that they are doing them a favour but instead
they are actually backbiting. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ protect us from the
deceit of Satan and protect us from speaking-ill against other Muslims.’
(‘Uyūn-ul-Ḥikāyāt, vol. 2, pp. 38)
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Afsos marz bařĥtā ĥī jātā
ĥay gunāĥaun kā
Ĥo naẓar-e-shifā ‘arz ay
Sarkār-e-Madīnaĥ ĥay
Sadly, the disease of sins has grown, O Prophet please!
Cast a sight of relief upon this helpless
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
According to Islamic law, one is not allowed to
backbite against children just as it is impermissible to lie to them. One
should not backbite against a child, even if the child is only a day old.
Parents should be meticulous about this, neither should they speak ill behind
their child’s back nor speak bad in front of them. They should avoid phrases
like, ‘you are arrogant, mischievous’ etc.
Shaykh ‘Allāmaĥ ‘Abdul Ḥayy
Lakĥnawī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی writes in his book titled
‘Ghībat Kyā Ĥay’, ‘Shaykh Sayyidunā Ibn-e-‘Ābidīn Shāmī قُـدِّسَ
سِـرُّهُ الـسَّامِی cites a saying of Imām Ibn-e-Ḥajar عَـلَیْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الْاَکۡـبَر, ‘It is Ḥarām to
backbite against a child who has not reached puberty and an insane person, just
as it is Ḥarām to backbite against an adult.’(Rad-dul-Muḥtār,
vol. 6, pp. 676)
Shaykh ‘Abdul Ḥayy
Lakĥnawī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی further elaborates:
1.
Backbiting of such a child
who has not reached puberty, who has attained some level of maturity that he is
pleased when praised and displeased when spoken ill off, is not allowed. The
same rule applies for someone who is partly insane, as they can also
distinguish between their praise and condemnation.
2.
Backbiting
of a child who has a lack of understanding or an insane person, who cannot distinguish between their
praise and condemnation, is not permissible. This is because their
parents, guardians or heirs would be hurt, if they came to know about it.
3.
Backbiting is permissible
against a child or an insane person who cannot distinguish between their praise
and condemnation and has no apparent heirs or guardians. However, it is best to
refrain from doing so. (Because some jurists ruled that it is Ḥarām to backbite against an insane person and even a child who is just a
day old).
(Ghībat
Kyā Ĥay, pp. 20, 21)
In short, we should refrain from committing
backbiting whether it is against someone sane or an insane person, an adult or
an adolescent child, an old person or an infant. There could be several instances of backbiting against infants and young
children, because people are normally unaware that doing so could lead
to sins. Here we present only seventeen examples that can be categorized as
backbiting:
1.
He urinated on his bed.
2.
He has grown, but has not
learned any manners yet.
3.
He has become a habitual
liar.
4.
He scratched his younger
sister.
5.
When we take the young one
in our arms, the elder one feels jealous.
6.
Both of the young ones tell
on each other.
7.
The
younger one is very intelligent but our eight year old is not as bright in his
studies.
8.
He bothers his mother.
9.
The
infant screams at night. She does not sleep at night nor does she let anyone else sleep.
10.
My child threw the glass in
anger.
11.
He has become very grumpy.
12.
He has become very sulky in
behaviour.
13.
He argues at mealtimes
every day.
14.
He is not too bright in his
studies.
15.
My elder child pulled her
sister’s hair and brought her down to the floor.
16.
He fights a lot.
17.
We get tired of waking him
up, but he still does not answer.
Normally children are seen backbiting against their
siblings and other people in their childish ways. Parents and elders at home
encourage this behaviour by their smiles and laughter.
For example, if a child saw someone limping and imitates that person, the
parents laugh and smile at their child’s actions, thus encouraging him.
This leads the children to think that their actions are appropriate, whereas in
reality, their copying a specific handicapped
person is considered as backbiting under Islamic law. When the father returns home from work at night, the children normally
relay the events of their day. It is pleasing to hear their stories, but
their story telling normally comprises of many instances of tale-telling and backbiting against others. Children
do not get their sins recorded in their deeds; however, it is the
responsibility of the parents to raise them according to Islamic morals and
manners. By listening to your children backbite; you are wrongly training them
to backbite. Thus, the burden of improper upbringing falls upon the parents.
When these children grow up, this sinful behaviour will be deeply rooted in
their minds.
Therefore, whenever the child backbites against
someone or lies to you, do not let Satan deceive
you into smiling at them and encouraging their behaviour. Be serious and
discourage them for their actions. Inform them that backbiting is not a
dignified act. When you continue with the same message over and over again, it
will eventually embed
itself into their hearts
and minds and they will اِنْ
شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ begin to hate against
backbiting and become pious Muslims.
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى
اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Remember, if the child is telling you about his
situation not merely to relay his story but to actually complain and wants it
resolved, then you should listen to him as this is not considered backbiting.
If he does not tell his parents, then who will he complain to? For example, if
he says that my sister has hidden my toy – the parent would then take the
appropriate steps to get his toy back to him.
Also remember, once the matter has been settled, if
the child goes to his mother and tells her in the sister’s absence that his
sister had hidden his toy and her father scolded her and got the toy back for
him. Then, this will be considered as backbiting, despite the fact that the
sins of children are not recorded. Normally children ask for justice from those
people in the household they are comfortable with. Therefore if someone is not
in a position to solve the child’s problem then they should refrain from
listening to their complaints and should politely divert their attention
towards something else.
1.
He broke my toy.
2.
She snatched my candy.
3.
She caused my ice cream to
fall on the ground.
4.
He scared me by screaming
in my ear from behind.
5.
She threw a kitten on me.
6.
He teases me by saying that
I am a bad boy.
7.
She tore my book.
8.
He pushed me and I fell to
the ground.
9.
He spoiled my clothes.
10.
He ran over my foot with
his bicycle.
11.
He ruins his clothes.
12.
He is a mischievous boy.
13.
He tells tales about me to
my mother.
14.
He lied to our teacher and
tricked him into punishing me.
15.
He cries when his mother
asks him to go to the Madrasaĥ.
16.
The child hits her mother.
17.
The teacher disciplined him
the other day.
18.
He is old now, but he still
sucks on a dummy.
19.
He always has a runny nose.
20.
He loses his pencil every
day.
21.
He stole money from his father’s
wallet.
22.
The other day my mother
grounded him.
On page 159 of Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, volume 16
[the 312-page publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of
Dawat-e-Islami], it is extracted from Sunan Abū Dāwūd and Al-Bayĥaqī
that Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Bin ‘Āmir رَضِىَ
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated, ‘Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had come to our home. My mother said to me, ‘Come, I will give
you something.’ Hearing this, the Most Noble Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked her, ‘What do you intend to give?’ She said that she had
intended to give dates. Upon which the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘If you had not given anything, it would have been
written down as a lie.’ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 387, Ḥadīš
4991)
Did you realize that it
is impermissible to lie, even if it is to children. Sadly in the modern era, in order to comfort and calm children down, adults often make false
promises which they
do not keep like ‘We will buy you a toy’ or ‘We will buy you a toy
plane’ etc. Similarly, in order to put fear into the hearts of
children, parents often lie making statements like ‘Bogeyman is coming’
or ‘Big Foot is outside’ etc. Whoever has done this should sincerely
repent from their actions.
In order to develop a Madanī mindset to refrain from
backbiting even against children and to instil the same values into the minds
of your children, embrace the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami. Travel in
the Madanī Qāfilaĥ; regularly partake in the Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ and lead
your lives according to the Madanī In’āmāt. Here is an inspiring Madanī incident , read it carefully and
appreciate (the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami): In the city of Khushab
(Punjab province, Pakistan), an Islamic brother, who was deaf and dumb, had
repented from his sins and had begun to tread on the path of righteousness by
the blessing of the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami. Another deaf and dumb
person, who was Qādiyānī, used to live close to his house. The Islamic brother
would often call the Qādiyānī towards Islam and would advise him that Islam is
the only religion that holds the key to the success in this world and the
Hereafter and that the true source of peace of the heart lay in the
acceptance of this beautiful religion. The Qādiyānī man would take interest in
his inspirational words, but would never take the step to accept Islam.
The Qādiyānī was going through some rough times and
was very distressed about his worldly problems. The Islamic brother invited him
to join the 3-day Annual Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ which he gladly accepted. When he reached the site of the Ijtimā’
at Ṣaḥrā-e-Madīnaĥ in Madīna-tul-Awliyā, Multan, he was truly inspired by
the countless people wearing green turbans
and the faith enlightening sounds of Ṣalāt & Salām. He was so inspired that he abandoned
his false religion, repented from Qādiyāniyat and embrace Islam. He also pledged Bay’at (spiritual bond) into the blessed
doctrine of Ghauš-e-A’ẓam (Sayyidunā Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه) and thus became Qādirī and Razavī.
Dawlat-e-dunyā say bay
raghbat mujĥay ker dī-jiye
Mayrī ḥājat say mujĥay
zā-id na karnā māldār
‘Ārṣa-e-maḥshar mayn Āqā
lāj rakĥnā āp ĥī
Dāman-e-‘Aṭṭār ĥay
Sarkār! Bay-ḥad dāghdār
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The Most Noble Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِـهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Indeed, humiliating a Muslim, without a cause, is
one of the major sins.’ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 353, Ḥadīš
4877)
Annoying Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ
تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِـهٖ وَسَلَّم
Dear Islamic brothers! In reality, a Muslim is the
protector of another Muslim’s honour. Sadly, in these trying times, things have
shifted to the opposite end of the spectrum and Muslims are seeking
opportunities to humiliate other Muslims. Muslims are backbiting, tale bearing,
accusing and hurting others feelings without any justification. It is stated on
page 19 of booklet titled ‘Ẓulm kā Anjām’ [the publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department
of Dawat-e-Islami]: The matters of the rights of others are very fragile.
Sadly, these are difficult times. Not only are common people infringing upon
the rights of the people, but the apparent flag bearers of religion are also
oblivious to these matters. The disease of anger is common and so-called
‘righteous and noble’ hurt the feelings of other people. They remain oblivious
of the fact that hurting the feelings of a Muslim, without a permissible
cause under Islamic law, is a sin and an act that leads one to Hell. A’lā Ḥaḍrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن has quoted a Ḥadīš from Aṭ-Ṭabarānī on page 342 of Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, volume
24, ‘The Most Dignified Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has cautioned:
مَنۡ اٰذٰي مُسۡلِمًا فَقَدۡ اٰذَانِيۡ وَمَنۡ اٰذَانِيۡ
فَقَدۡ اٰذَي اللّٰه
Meaning: ‘Whoever (without a cause that
is permissible under Islamic law) harms a Muslim, he has annoyed me and the one
who annoys me, has annoyed Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ).’
(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ, vol. 2, pp. 387, Ḥadīš 3607)
Regarding those that harm Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has stated in the Quran,
part 22 and Sūraĥ Al-Aḥzāb:
اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یُؤْذُوْنَ اللّٰهَ
وَ رَسُوْلَهٗ لَعَنَهُمُ اللّٰهُ فِی الدُّنْیَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ وَ اَعَدَّ
لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُّهِیْنًا(۵۷)
Indeed those who
offend Allah and His Messenger – upon them is Allah’s curse in the world and in
the Hereafter, and Allah has kept prepared a disgraceful punishment for them.
[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part
22, Sūraĥ Al-Aḥzāb, verse 57)
The Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the
Intercessor of Ummaĥ, the Owner of Jannaĥ صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم addressed the Ka’baĥ and said, ‘The respect of a Mu`min is greater than yours.’
(Sunan Ibn Mājaĥ, vol. 4, pp. 319, Ḥadīš
3932)
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated:
اَلۡمُسۡلِمُ
مَنۡ سَلِمَ الۡمُسۡلِمُوۡنَ مِن لِّسَانِہٖ وَيَدِهٖ
A Mu`min (true believer) is he from
whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, vol. 1, pp. 15. Ḥadīš 10)
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! An ideal Muslim is the one who
does not swear with his tongue, does not pass bad remarks about someone unless
justified by Islam. An ideal Muslim does not
backbite against anyone, does not label anyone as stupid, does not reveal other’s
faults, does not harm anyone and refrains from hurting other’s feelings.
In addition, a Muslim abstains from physical violence
and does not criticise anyone just for the sake of criticism. Whoever does not
possess the qualities stated above, but instead hurts others in various ways;
physically abuses others, signals with his eyes in a way that hurts others and everyone is fed up with him
cannot be an ideal Muslim. His faith is weak in his heart and he is very
likely to be overpowered and deceived by Satan near his death. Satan might even
sway him away from the true path, so he will be away from Paradise and on the
path towards Hell مَـعَـاذَ
الـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant us refuge from such
evil.
On the other hand, if a Muslim has firm faith, has
true love for Islam in his heart, has qualities and actions of piety, does not
have the burden of violating the rights of others; then in that case the deceptions of Satan will not affect him. With the
mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the strength of his faith will enhance, an angel will drive Satan
away, and safeguard the Muslim from his deceptions, thus the Muslim will die
with Īmān. Satan will be disgusted and will yell and cry (at his own failure).
Zindagī aur maut kī ĥay
Yā Ilāĥī kashmakash
Jān chalay Tayrī rizā per
baykas-o-majbūr kī
It is a struggle between life and death,
For this helpless, may Allah be pleased when this soul departs
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! In order to get rid from the
habit of backbiting and to make a habit of offering Ṣalāĥ and
practicing the Sunnaĥ, travel in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ with the devotees of the Prophet. Lead your life according to the
guidelines of Madanī In’āmāt in order to prosper in the world and to be
successful in the Hereafter. Fill in the booklet and turn in (the back cover)
to the representative of Dawat-e-Islami on the first day of the new Madanī
(Islamic) month. Also take part, from beginning till the end, in the weekly
Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’.
For your persuasion, here is a firsthand account of
an inspiring Madanī incident that has been relayed by an Islamic brother from
the area of Latifabad, in the city of Hyderabad (Bāb-ul-Islam, Sindh, Pakistan): Due to the company of a certain
group of people, I had many misconceptions
due to which, I would argue at home against gatherings where food is
served with the intent of presenting the Šawāb and celebrating Mīlād – the Blessed
Birthday of the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم. This went on for about three years. Before
that, I used to love reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī (salutations and peace upon the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم), but due to the evil effects of the company,
I completely lost the passion to recite it.
One day while reading, I came across the virtues of
reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī, and my passion was revived
and I began to recite Ṣalāt regularly and extensively. Once, I went to sleep while
reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī and by the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, I saw the Green Dome (of the Prophet’s Shrine) in my dream
and I involuntarily uttered ‘اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيۡكَ يَا رَسُوۡلَ
اللّٰه’.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt a revolution within myself. I began to question as to which path was
the righteous and true path. Fortunately, I was invited to travel with
the Madanī Qāfilaĥ that was visiting a Masjid in our neighbourhood. My state of confusion and the quest for the
right path, lead me to travel with that Madanī Qāfilaĥ.
During the journey, I had wrapped a white ‘Imāmaĥ
around my cap but my companions in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ who had the crown of the
green ‘Imāmaĥs on their heads, neither criticised nor ridiculed me. In fact,
the Amīr of the Qāfilaĥ introduced the Madanī In’āmāt to me and advised me to act upon them. After thoroughly reading the
Madanī In’āmāt booklet, I was astonished to discover such Madanī pearls of
training that I had never read anything like before in my entire life.
With the blessing of the Madanī In’āmāt and the
company of devotees of the Prophet, I attained the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. I gathered all the companions of the Qāfilaĥ
and declared that until yesterday I had many false beliefs, but today I make
you my witness that I repent from such false beliefs and intend to embrace the
Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami. The Islamic brothers showed their
happiness on my action.
The next day, I bought some sweets and served it with my own
hands as Īṣāl-e-Šawāb to Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir
Jīlānī قُـدِّسَ سِـرُّہُ
الـرَّبَّـانِی. Before travelling in the
Qāfilaĥ, I had a respiratory disease for 35 years because of which every night was agonizing. I also
had pain in my right wisdom tooth which caused problems when chewing.
Both the problems were cured by the blessings of the Qāfilaĥ. I bear witness
with absolute certainty that the beliefs of
Aĥl-e-Sunnat Wal-Jamā’at are correct and I strongly
believe that the Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami
is favoured by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
Cĥāye gar shayṭnat, to
karayn dayr mat
Qāfilay mayn chalayn,
Qāfilay mayn chalo
Ṣuḥbat-e-bad mayn pař,
ker ‘aqīdaĥ bigař
Gar gaya ĥo chalayn,
Qāfilay mayn chalo
If Satan has overpowered you, do not delay
Let’s go to Qāfilaĥ, let’s go to Qāfilaĥ
If bad company has implanted false believes
Let’s all go, let’s go to Qāfilaĥ
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! What magnificent blessings are
attained by travelling with the devotees of the Prophet in Dawat-e-Islami’s
Madanī Qāfilaĥ. The fact of the matter is that he was led astray by the company
of misguided friends but due to the grace of reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī
extensively, that fortunate person not only travelled in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ,
but also found guidance and the right path. We should always abstain from the
company of the misguided deviants as well and seek only the company of the
devotees of the Prophet because the company of the misguided is detrimental for
one’s Īmān. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ
وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم has laid great emphasis to refrain from establishing
friendships and relationships with the misguided.
Hence, the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Whoever greets a deviant with
Salām or meets him graciously or deals with him in a manner which makes him
happy; that person has disrespected that which Allah عَـزَّوَجَــلَّ has revealed upon Muhammad
(صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم).’ (Tārīkh-e-Baghdad,
vol. 10, pp. 262)
The Greatest and Holiest Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم parted these guiding words of advice, ‘Whoever respected a
person having corrupt beliefs, he has helped in bringing down the religion.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ,
vol. 5, pp. 118, Ḥadīš 6772)
My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, (Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن) has stated on page 184
in Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, volume
21: It is impermissible for the Sunnīs to mingle with people of other
religions, especially if the deviant is in a position of authority and the
Sunnī is subservient. قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰي (meaning Allah Almighty
says):
وَ اِمَّا یُنْسِیَنَّكَ الشَّیْطٰنُ
فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرٰى مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ(۶۸)
And if the devil causes you to forget,
then do not sit with the unjust ones after remembering.
[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part
7, Sūraĥ Al-An’ām,
verse 68)
The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم said, ‘Stay away from them and they stay away
from you, lest they may lead you astray and put you in disarray (about your
faith).’ (Muqaddamaĥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 9, Ḥadīš 7)
My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā, Ash-Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن has strictly emphasised
the impermissibility of seeking religious and worldly
education from a misguided person. Thus, he writes, ‘The company of the people
of other religion is fire. Many mature, intelligent and even knowledgeable
individuals have been lead astray from their faith. ‘Imrān Bin Ḥaṭṭān’s case is well known. During the era of the Tābi’īn, he was a
master of Ḥadīš. He married Khārijī woman and in her company, مَـعَـاذَ
الـلّٰـه,
he became a Khārijī. When he married her, he had claimed that he wanted to
convert her to Sunnī Islam.’
(Those people, who in their false pretence, consider
themselves well-grounded in their Sunnī beliefs and brag that no one can affect
their faith – their strong foothold – should learn a lesson from the Shaykh’s
advice).
My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه further goes on to say, ‘If just
company of a deviant caused such disastrous results (for such a great master of
Ḥadīš), then how detrimental would it be to take a deviant as your
teacher? The influence of the teacher is often swift and long lasting. Therefore, only those people will give their children
to deviant misguided
teachers who do not really care about religion and
are unconcerned about their children get misguided.’ (Fatāwā
Razawiyyaĥ, vol. 23, pp. 692)
Maḥfūẓ Khudā rakĥnā sadā
bay-adabaun say
Aur mujĥ say bĥī sarzad
na kabĥī bay-adabī ĥo
Allah, save me from the blasphemer
And may I never commit an act of blasphemy, ever
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
It has
been narrated on the authority of the companion Sayyidunā Abū Umāmaĥ رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
that the Most Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visited Baqī’ (the
graveyard of Madīnaĥ) and stood close to two
graves and said, ‘Did you bury so-and-so person?’ The companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم
answered, ‘Yes, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ! Then, (with the ability granted by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, revealing the
Knowledge of the Unseen) the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
said, ‘Just now, so-and-so person was made to sit (in grave) and was beaten.’
Then he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم continued, ‘By the One in whose power my soul is!
He was beaten so severely that all his body
parts have separated and a fire has been ignited in his grave and he screamed,
which all creatures except humans and jinns heard. If you did not have
Fasād [i.e. barrier] in your hearts and
did not talk a lot, you would also hear what I heard.’ Then he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
said, ‘Now, the other one is also being punished.’ Then he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
further continued, ‘By the One in whose power my soul is! He has been beaten so
severely that each of his bones has separated. Fire has been ignited in his
grave. He also screamed in such a manner that all the creatures except humans
and jinns heard. If you did not have Fasād [i.e. barrier] in your hearts and
did not talk a lot, you would also hear what I heard.’ The companions رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم
asked, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, what were their
sins?’ The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘The first
one did not protect himself from urine and the other one would (backbite) eat
the flesh of others.’(Ṣarīḥ-us-Sunnaĥ liṭ-Ṭabārī, pp. 29, Ḥadīš 40)
Dear Islamic brothers! The above narration has many
pearls of wisdom for those who do not refrain from backbiting and fail to
protect themselves from droplets of urine. Even those who do not obtain purity but get themselves and their clothes
impure (from droplets of urine) after urinating should take heed and
fear Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. The Greatest and Holiest Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Guard yourself from urine,
usually the torment of the grave is because of it.’ (Sunan
Dār Quṭnī, vol. 1, pp. 184, Ḥadīš 453)
Here is another parable that elaborates on this very
issue.
On page 187 of ‘Uyūn-ul-Ḥikāyāt, volume 2 [the 413-page publication
of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], it is
narrated that Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Ibn ‘Umar رَضِیَ
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا said: Once during a journey, I came across a
graveyard that existed from the era of ignorance. Suddenly, a dead person rose
out of his grave. He was shackled with a chain of fire around his neck. I had a
container of water. When he saw me, he said, ‘O ‘Abdullāĥ! Give me a sip of
that water to drink.’ I thought to myself that since he called me by my name,
either he knows who I am or he is referring to me as ‘Abdullāĥ as it is
customary amongst Arabs (for addressing any unknown person). Then suddenly
another man rose from that very grave and said to me, ‘O ‘Abdullāĥ! Do not give
any water to this disobedient person. He is a Kāfir.’ The latter then dragged him back to his grave.
I spent the night at the
house of an old woman. There was a grave right next to the house. I heard the following statements from that grave بَوۡلٌ وَّمَا بَوۡل؟ شَنٌ وَّمَا شَنۡ؟ ‘Urine, what is urine?
Vessel, what is a vessel?’ Later, I asked the old woman about the voice
from the grave. She said, ‘The grave belongs to my husband. He is being
punished for two wrongdoings. One, whilst urinating he would not protect
himself from droplets of urine. I would often tell him, ‘Shame on you! Even a
camel spreads its legs when urinating in order to protect itself from its
urine, but you are so careless.’ My husband would not pay attention to my
warnings. Since his death, this voice continues to sound from his grave.’
I asked the old woman, what about شَنٌ
وَّمَا شَنۡ؟
‘Vessel, what is a vessel?’ She replied that once a thirsty man came and
asked him for water. He told him (pointing towards an empty water container),
‘Go drink water from that container.’ The thirsty person leaped towards the
vessel to quench his thirst, but found it empty. Due to the severity of his
thirst, that man fainted and fell to the floor and passed away. Ever since my
husband has died, this voice continues to come from the grave every day, شَنٌ وَّمَا شَنۡ؟ ‘Vessel, what is a vessel?’ Sayyidunā
‘Abdullāĥ Ibn ‘Umar رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا, further goes on to say
that I relayed this whole story to the Most Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم upon which he ordered me not to travel alone.’
(‘Uyūn-ul-Ḥikāyāt, vol. 2, pp. 307)
Dear Islamic brothers! No matter how minor or small a
sin may seem, if Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ brings us to justice,
then we will not be able to bear its punishment. Instilling fear into the heart
and minds, Shaykh Sayyidunā ‘Abdul Waĥĥāb Sha’rānī قُـدِّسَ
سِـرُّہُ الـنُّـوۡرَانِی has quoted the following saying of Sayyidunā Yūnus Bin ‘Ubayd رَحْمَةُ
الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَالٰی عَـلَيْه, ‘The hand is cut off as punishment for stealing a minimum of five dirhams
(ten dirhams according to the Ḥanafī School of Jurisprudence). There is no doubt that the smallest sin
you commit is worse than stealing five dirhams, therefore for each sin that you
commit a limb will be severed in the Hereafter.’ (Tanbīĥ-ul-Mughtarrīn,
pp. 172)
Dear Islamic brothers! Indeed the anxiety of the
trials in the grave is very discomforting. Who knows when death will come our
way and take us through to the lonely grave. Even the very thought of the
tribulations, at the time of death, is heart-wrenching; on top of that how will
we bear the punishments, if Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are displeased?
Here is the description of the hour of death and
agonies of the deceased written by my master,
A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā, Ash-Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن, ‘The soul, feeling the fresh taste of death – the shocks of
death, the weakest of which is like the pain of a hundred strikes of a sword,
which is more agonizing than a thousand strikes of a sword. In fact, the sight
of the Angel of Death alone is more painful
than a thousand strikes of the sword. That will be a
new place – utter seclusion – a horrifying sense of helplessness – then the
startling arrival of the Nakīrayn (i.e. two angels Munkar and Nakīr) – the exhibition of those hideous and fearsome faces which would leave one aghast, even if seen in the
presence of thousands of people – black faced – boulder-sized, big blue
eyes, glistening like shiny metal, breath, like raging flames – long
sharp-pointed teeth, like the long horns of cattle; long entangled hair
dragging on the floor. The gigantic
appearance of the angels is yet another torment, their shoulders – miles
apart; the sledgehammer in their hands – so heavy that if one community of
humans and jinns gathered to lift it they would be unable to do so – the
thundering voices – announcing their arrival into the grave by ripping the
ground with their teeth. As if all these ordeals were not enough, as soon as
they come they will sit the dweller up and will grant no time and in a stern
voice and rebuking tone, take the test etc.
وَحَسۡبُنَا
اللّٰهُ وَنِعۡمَ الۡوَكِيۡلُ اِرۡحَمۡ ضُعۡفَنَا يَا كَرِيۡمُ يَا جَـمِيۡلُ
صَلِّ
وَسَلِّمۡ عَلَي نَبِيِّ الرَّحۡـمَةِ وَاٰلِهِ الۡكِرَامِ وَسَائِرِ
الۡاُمَّةِ اٰمِيۡنَ اٰمِيۡنَ يَا اَرۡحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيۡن
Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ) is Sufficient for us – and what an excellent
(and reliable) Trustee (of affairs). Compassionate! Have mercy on our
feebleness. The Excellent One! Send Your Peace and Blessings upon the Merciful
Prophet (صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم), his honourable descendents and upon the rest of his Ummaĥ
(nation). The Most Merciful, accept this (Du’ā), please accept.
(Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ,
vol. 9, pp. 934-937)
Kĥařayn ĥayn Munkar Nakīr
sar per na koī ḥāmī na koī yāwar
Batā do ā ker mayray
Payamber kay sakht mushkil jawāb mayn ĥay
I am helpless, yet Munkar and Nakīr are breathing down my neck
You are my helper and defender O Prophet, as I am in great trial and
test
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
In order to get rid of the habit of backbiting and
listening to it and to develop a habit of offering Ṣalāĥ and
practicing the Sunnaĥ; always keep yourself attached to the righteous Madanī
environment of Dawat-e-Islami. Travel in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ with the devotees of the Prophet to learn the Sunnaĥ. To prosper in
this life and to be successful in the Hereafter, transform your deeds in
accordance with principles laid out in the Madanī In’āmāt. Fill in the booklet
and return it to the representative of Dawat-e-Islami on the first day of each
Madanī (Islamic) month. Attend the Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ and there gain the opportunity to listen to the sermon attentively.
Here is an inspiring Madanī incident for your
inspiration, which is a summary of a letter written
under oath by an Islamic brother from Bāb-ul-Madīnaĥ, ‘I was a student at Dawud
Engineering College and was very ‘confused’ because of the company of misguided
and deviant friends. I was unable to
ascertain as to which the right path was. Two years passed by in this
bewilderment. Then, one day I met a brother whose demeanour and character really inspired me. This devotee of the Prophet,
had the crown of the green ‘Imāmaĥ on his head, was wearing white clothing and had an enlightened face
due to his devotional worship. Trying to call me towards righteousness, he
personally invited me to the 3-day annual congregation to be held in
Madīna-tul-Awliyā Multan, (Pakistan). I was so impressed by him that I could
not refuse and ended up travelling to the Ijtimā’. Witnessing the largest
congregation of Muslims after Hajj – the sheer number of people there – really opened my eyes and my
heart testified that this is indeed ‘the true path’ leading to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. On the last day, I was
affected after listening to the inspiring speech on the topic of ‘Allah’s
Hidden Decree’. Then the Du’ā after the sermon, truly penetrated my heart and
it changed my life. I was like an animal before but Dawat-e-Islami’s Madanī
environment made me a human. I now have a passion and eagerness to commit
righteous deeds and have grown a fist-length beard and intend to memorize the
whole Quran. Another important thing is that before attending the annual
congregation at Ṣaḥrā-e-Madīnaĥ in Madīna-tul-Awliyā, Multan both of my
parents’ arms were paralyzed
and they could not move their arms at all. By the blessing of Du’ā asked
during the Ijtimā’, their paralyzed arms were cured.
Tayrā shukr Maulā diyā
Madanī Māḥaul
Na cĥūṫay kabĥī bĥī Khudā
Madanī Māḥaul
Khudā kay karam say Khudā
kī ‘aṭā say
Na dushman sakay gā cĥuřā
Madanī Māḥaul
I am grateful O Allah that I am associated with this Madanī Māḥaul
O Allah, may I never ever leave this glorious Madanī Māḥaul
With the mercy of Allah and the grant of Allah
The enemy will not be able to lead me astray from this Madanī Māḥaul
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you realize how the Madanī
attire and the individual efforts to call others to righteousness were
effective in aiding the seeker in finding the true path? Furthermore, did you
also notice that in the Madanī parable, at times, worldly problems like
unemployment or sickness can be resolved by the blessings of attending
Dawat-e-Islami’s Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’? However, in addition to seeking
resolutions for worldly problems before attending the Ijtimā’ one should also make
intentions to seek knowledge and to reap good deeds for the Hereafter.
The companion Sayyidunā Abī Bakraĥ رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has stated: I was walking along with the Merciful and
Compassionate Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was holding my hand and
another man was on the left of him. We came across two graves upon which
the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم informed us, ‘Both of them in the graves are being tormented
and they are not being tormented due to something major. Which one of you would
bring me a branch?’ We both tried to precede each other and I beat him in
bringing back a branch.
Then the Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the
Intercessor of Ummaĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم broke it along the length in two halves, planted one on each grave and declared, ‘The
torment of both will be reduced till these branches dry out and they are being punished because of backbiting and urine.’ (Musnad
Imām Aḥmad, vol. 7, pp. 304, Ḥadīš 20395)
The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم possesses the Knowledge of the Unseen
Dear Islamic brothers! Did
you see that the two causes of the torment of the grave are committing
backbiting and not protecting oneself from the droplets of urine? Alas! Our
weak bodies cannot even bear a minor scratch, a prick of a thorn, the heat of
the sun or a mild fever. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
We seek Your forgiveness from the impurity of the droplets of urine on our clothes or body and we repent from
backbiting, tale telling and all major and minor sins. O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, be eternally pleased
with us and grant us forgiveness without any accountability.
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
From the aforementioned
account we also came to learn that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
possesses ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb – Knowledge of the Unseen – granted to him by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, which is why he saw
the punishments in the grave as stated in the Ḥadīš. My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, the Reviver of Religion,
Maulānā Ash-shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن
has expressed this in Ḥadāiq-e-Bakhshish:
Sar-e-‘arsh
per ĥay tayrī guzar, dil-e-farsh per ĥay tayrī naẓar
Malakūt-o-mulk
mayn koī shay naĥīn, woĥ jo tujĥ pay ‘iyān naĥīn
Heights of the ‘Arsh is your walkway; bottom
of the earth is in your vision
Nothing in the universe is such that is
concealed from your sight
The Knower of the Unseen,
the Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى
عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم approached a grave in which the
dweller was being punished. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
stated, ‘He is being punished because he would eat the flesh of other people
(backbite).’ He then called for a fresh twig, planted the twig on the grave and
said, ‘I am hopeful that until this twig remains fresh, his punishment will be
lessened.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ, vol. 2, pp. 35, Ḥadīš
2413)
It is Mustaḥab to put flowers on the grave
Dear Islamic
brothers! Both the aforementioned narrations mention indulging in backbiting and not protected oneself from the
droplets of urine as the causes of punishment in the grave. Every Muslim should
lead their lives carefully. Regarding the planting of the twig on the grave as
mentioned in both the narrations above, the renowned commentator of
the Quran, Muftī Aḥmad Yār
Khān Na’īmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated in his famous
book ‘Jā-Al-Ḥaq’, volume 1,
page 240-41: It is narrated that the punishment will be lessened until the
plant’s branches stay fresh because they will do Tasbīḥ (glorify Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ). Imām Nawavī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی has stated: Based on this narration, the
scholars contend that recitation of Quran near the grave is a Mustaḥab (rewardable) act because reciting the Quran is more virtuous than
doing Tasbīḥ. It is stated in Ṭaḥṭāvī ‘Alā Marāqil Falāḥ on
page 364: Based on this Ḥadīš, some of
our contemporaries have declared in their Fatwā (verdict) that it is a Sunnaĥ to place perfume and flowers on the
grave as it is customary amongst Muslims. Muftī Aḥmad Yār
Khān Na’īmī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has further added, ‘From
the explanations of the scholars of Ḥadīš and
the rulings of the Fuqaĥā (scholars of Jurisprudence), we learn two things:
Firstly, that it is permissible to place any fresh green part of a plant on any
Muslim’s grave, since the Compassionate Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى
عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself placed the (fresh green) branches on the graves of
those who were undergoing punishment. Secondly, that the Tasbīḥ of these branches caused the reduction of the punishment.
Therefore, if we place fresh plants and flowers on the grave, اِنْ
شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ it will benefit the
deceased in their graves. Actually the wisdom in leaving the top of the grave
un-bricked is so that green grass grows on it with rain water and its Tasbīḥ relieves the punishment.’
Ĥay kaun kay jo giryāĥ
karay Fātiḥaĥ ko āye
Barsāye kaun qabr pay
baykas kī baĥaran pĥūl
Who will recite Quran and pray for grace for the powerless
Who will spray flowers on the grave of this helpless
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The Noblest Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى
عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘اَلۡغِيۡبَةُ اَشَدُّ مِنَ الزِّنَا Backbiting
is worse than fornication.’ People asked, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!
Why is that?’ The Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘A person fornicates then he repents,
then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ accepts his repentance.
Whereas the repentance of the backbiter will not be accepted until the person
he slandered forgives him.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Īmān,
vol. 5, pp. 306, Ḥadīš 6741)
Similarly, Sayyidunā Anas رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has relayed, ‘The fornicator repents, but there is no
repentance for the backbiter.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Īmān,
vol. 5, pp. 306, Ḥadīš 6742)
A young man came to Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Bin Mubārak رَحْمَةُ
الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَـلَيْه and informed the Shaykh
that he had committed a major sin and that he was too embarrassed to reveal his
sin to him. After some time he told the Shaykh, ‘I have fornicated.’ The Shaykh
replied, ‘I thought that perhaps you had indulged in backbiting.’ (Tażkira-tul-Awliyā,
pp. 173)
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you observe the perils
that backbiting entails? Keep in mind, that backbiting is worse than
fornication only when it (fornication) does not include the violation of
people’s rights. Similarly, the act of backbiting becomes an infringement on peoples’ rights only when the victim being
slandered becomes aware that you spoke against him. Once that happens,
then it is not sufficient to only repent, but one has to seek that person’s
forgiveness as well. Otherwise, if he does not find out then only repentance is
sufficient.
Here is an informative Fatwā (verdict) regarding grave sins such as backbiting etc. as relayed
in Fatāwā Razaviyyaĥ, volume 21 and pages 162-163:
Question: What is the degree of
severity of the following sins: backbiting and lying, (especially lying which causes discord amongst Allah’s عَزَّوَجَلَّ creation, or
results in disputes or even the ending of relationships
between two friends, husband and wife, father and son, and mother and
daughter), looking for faults in fellow Muslims, publicizing a sin which
someone may have committed in private (after finding out about it or based on
suspicion? Is the person indulged in such sins worthy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Prophet’s curse? Is this person sinful? Are these sins
greater, equal, or lesser (in severity) in comparison to fornication?
Please provide a detailed answer with evidence. بِيِّنُوۡا تُوۡجَرُوۡا ‘Please reply and be
rewarded.’
Answer: All of these are major sins
worthy of damnation and the one who commits such acts is a sinful person. It is
narrated in a Ḥadīš:
Backbiting is even
more severe than Zinā. اَلۡغِيۡبَةُ
اَشَدُّ مِنَ الزِّنَا
(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ,
vol. 5, pp. 64, Ḥadīš 6590)
It is obvious that
killing a true believer (Mu`min) is a greater sin than backbiting. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says:
And their mischief is worse than murder. وَ الْفِتْنَةُ
اَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِۚ-
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 2, Suraĥ Al-Baqaraĥ, verse 191)
False statements which cause discord amongst Allah’s
creation are far worse than killing a true believer. These sins (of backbiting,
murder, and causing discord) are all related to people’s rights. Therefore,
these sins are definitely worse than the fornication which does not involve the
violation of the right of the other. A lie, which is uttered without a valid
cause under Islamic law but causes no harm to anyone, cannot be considered as
being equivalent to fornication. A harmless lie is a minor sin under Islamic
law, and is considered as a major sin, only after the person is defiant on
committing it. وَاللّٰهُ تَعَالٰي اَعۡلَمُ ‘And Allah, the Exalted, knows’. (Fatāwā
Razawiyyaĥ, vol. 21, pp. 162-163)
Pīcĥā mayrā ghībat kī muṣībat
say cĥuřā day
Ĥer bāt sanbĥal ker
karūn, taufīq Khudā day
May I kick off the habit of backbiting
Provide such assistance that every word I utter is carefully
evaluated
Dear Islamic brothers! Do not let Satan deceive you
in believing that fornication is a minor sin. By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, this is definitely not
the case. Always keep this in mind that if somebody commits a minor sin,
considering it as a minor then it turns into a major sin. Fornication is not a
small sin; in
fact, it is classified as one of the major sins. Read
about the punishments and torments associated with fornication and tremble with
fear. Try to imagine the severity of these punishments as you read them and
bear in mind that this is the punishment for fornication. The torments for
backbiting would be much more severe. Just imagine and let it be a warning for
you.
Sayyidunā Masrūq عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقُـدُّوۡس narrated, ‘Whoever engages in stealing,
drinking (alcohol), or fornication; when he dies, two snakes will be appointed to him to bite away at
his flesh and consume it.’ (Sharḥ-uṣ-Ṣudūr, pp. 172)
It is relayed that some people in Hell will be
confined in chests made of fire. When they request for relief, the chests will
be opened and the flames will reach the people of Hell, who will then proclaim simultaneously, ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Curse the people in the
chests. They took advantage of women’s private parts through Ḥarām means.’(Baḥr-ud-Dumū’, pp. 168)
On page 229 of ‘Ānsūon kā Daryā’ [the 300-page
publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of
Dawat-e-Islami], it is cited, ‘When Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ created Paradise, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ ordered it to speak and
it stated, ‘Whoever enters within me will be successful.’ To that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ replied, ‘I swear by My
Reverence and Exaltedness that eight types of people will not enter within you:
1.
Habitual alcoholic;
2.
Persistent fornicator;
3.
Taleteller;
4.
Dayyūš;
5.
Oppressive soldier;
6.
Eunuchs;
7.
One who breaks off relations;
and
8.
One who swears by Allah’s
name that he would do such-and-such, but does not act upon it.’ (Itḥāf-us-Sādaĥ
liz-Zabīdī, vol. 9, pp. 345)
After relating this
narration, Shaykh ‘Allāmaĥ Ibn Jauzī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی
explained: Persisting on fornication does not only
refer to the one who commits adultery all the time nor does habitual drunkard
refer only to that person who drinks all the time. It also incorporates those
individuals who do not stop themselves with the fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ when they have alcohol readily available. Likewise, it also includes those who do not
control their carnal desires (Nafs) and stop themselves, when they get an
opportunity to fulfil this despicable desire. Surely, their destination is
Hell. (Baḥr-ud-Dumū’, pp. 168)
Dear Islamic brothers! The companion Sayyidunā
‘Abdullāĥ Bin Mas’ūd رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ narrated that the Beloved
and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has warned us: ‘اَلۡعَيۡنَانِ تَزۡنِيَانِ Eyes also fornicate!’ (Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 2, pp. 84, Ḥadīš 3912)
Therefore, it is
essential to safeguard the eyes. Ḥujjat-ul-Islam, Sayyidunā Imām Muhammad Bin Muhammad Ghazālī عَـلَـیۡـهِ
رَحْـمَـةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـوَالِی has said, ‘One, who does not possess enough
self control to close his eyes, cannot guard his private parts.’
(Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm, vol. 3, pp. 125)
It is narrated that on the Day of Resurrection,
molten lead will be poured into the eyes of
those individuals who look at the beauty of a Nā-Maḥram
woman with lust. (Ĥidāyaĥ,
vol. 2, pp. 368)
Ḥujjat-ul-Islam, Sayyidunā Imām Muhammad Bin Muhammad Ghazālī عَـلَـیۡـهِ
رَحْـمَـةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـوَالِی relayed, ‘One who fills his eyes with the Ḥarām; his eyes will be filled with fire on the Day of Judgement.’ (Mukāshafa-tul-Qulūb, pp. 10)
Sayyidunā ‘Allāmaĥ Ibn Jauzī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی says, ‘Displaying the beauty of a woman is one
of the poisonous arrows of Satan. A needle of fire will be passed in the eyes
of those who do not safeguard their eyes from Nā-Maḥram
women.’ (Baḥr-ud-Dumū’, pp. 171)
On page 235 of ‘Ānsūon kā Daryā’ [the 300-page
publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of
Dawat-e-Islami], it is stated: Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ sent a revelation towards
Sayyidunā Mūsā عَـلٰى نَبِيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام, ‘O Mūsā! I have freed
three (kinds of) eyes from Hell:
1.
The eyes which stay guard
in My path;
2.
Eyes which refrained from Ḥarām; and
3.
The eye that shed tears out
of My fear.
There is one reward for every deed except for the
tears which will be rewarded with blessings, forgiveness and entry into
Paradise and nothing less than that.’
(Baḥr-ud-Dumū’, pp. 172)
A man approached the blessed company of the Beloved
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and inquired, ‘I only
fast for one month and no more and I pray only five times a day and no more. I
neither qualify to pay Zakāĥ or performing Hajj pilgrimage nor do I qualify to perform Nafl Hajj. Where will I go after I die?’ The Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم smiled and replied, ‘You will be with me in
Paradise as long as you safeguard your heart from two – envy and dishonesty;
and you prevent your tongue from two – lies and backbiting; and you save your eyes from two – those sights
which have been made Ḥarām by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and from looking down upon any Muslim with
disdain.’ (Qūt-ul-Qulūb, vol. 1, pp. 433)
To adopt the mindset of preventing the tongue from
backbiting and the eyes from sinful glances, try to make a habit of travelling
with the Madanī Qāfilaĥs of Dawat-e-Islami and strive to lead your lives
according to the principles laid out in the Madanī In’āmāt
booklet. اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, you will be successful in both the worlds. To persuade you towards calling others towards righteousness through your
individual efforts, listen to the following Madanī parable of a brother
from Sardarabad (Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan) who said: I was a student of Dars-e-Niẓāmī at a local religious institution. Occasionally an Islamic brother
from Attock (Punjab) would come to visit his maternal uncle, who resided close to our
institution. He would visit our school during his stay and would try to call us
towards righteousness. He became my friend. He used to tell me about the
righteous Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami. Listening to him, I became an
admirer of Dawat-e-Islami and upon his invitation, I had the opportunity to
attend my first weekly Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ in Faizān-e-Madīnaĥ of Sardarabad (which is located on Susan Road,
Purani Tanki, Madina Town).
On my very first visit, the Muballigh (preacher)
addressed the congregation on the blessings and benefits of wearing an ‘Imāmaĥ. I was so motivated by the speech that I bought an ‘Imāmaĥ right
away and adorned my head with it. I also bought a copy of Faizān-e-Sunnat
and soon afterwards, started giving Dars from it at our local Masjid. As time passed, I adopted the complete Madanī attire as well. I
used to take other students along with me to the weekly congregation. In the
first week there were only three other students with me. The following week our
group grew to twelve. I also travelled with the Madanī Qāfilaĥ and also started
doing various righteous Madanī works. In 1994, I was appointed as an administrator of Madrasa-tul-Madīnaĥ Faizān-e-Madīnaĥ in Sardarabad. اَلْـحَمْـدُ
لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, up until the time of writing this letter, I am a member of the administrative
body of Madrasa-tul-Madīnaĥ for Punjab province. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant me
steadfastness in the righteous Madanī environment of
Dawat-e-Islami.
‘Aṭāye Ḥabīb-e-Khudā
Madanī Māḥaul Ĥay faizān Ghauš-o-Razā Madanī Māḥaul
Agar Sunnatayn sīkĥnay kā
ĥay jażbaĥ Tum ā jāo day gā sikĥā Madanī Māḥaul
Gift from the Beloved of Allah is the Madanī environment
Blessing of Ghauš and Razā is the Madanī environment
If you are yearning to learn
Come and join the Madanī environment
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you realize how the
individual efforts of one Islamic brother towards a student led to such amazing
results that he embraced the righteous Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami?
Individual inspirational effort is relatively easier than congregational
invitation because not everyone can deliver a speech in front of a crowd. On
the other hand, everyone can take part in inspiring and calling others towards
righteousness whether they are skilled at public speaking or not. It is an easy
way to earn virtues. Therefore, keep calling others towards righteousness and
keep gaining treasures of virtuous deeds.
The Noblest Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has warned us, ‘Whoever attained food by
speaking ill about a Muslim, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will give him that much food from the
food of Hell; and whoever attained clothing by speaking ill about a Muslim,
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will give him that much clothing
from the clothing of Hell. In addition, if somebody stands in the place of hearing and seeing
because of another person, then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make him stand in
the place of hearing and seeing on the Day of Judgement.’
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 354, Ḥadīš
4881)
On page 619 of Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, volume 6, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Na’īmī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, commenting on this Ḥadīš, has stated, ‘In a way that when two Muslims have a dispute, he
goes to one and backbites against the other, denounces and criticizes his rival
and advises him of ways to cause harm to his
rival, all in the hope that this person might feed him or clothe him.
One can find such flattering people in great numbers these days.’ The Shaykh رَحْمَةُ
الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَالٰی
عَـلَيْه
has further added, ‘There will be embers of hellfire served as retribution of
this food. In order to please another person, whoever backbites against a
Muslim or troubles him, and in return he is provided with clothes, then on the
Day of Judgement, he will be clothed with the clothing of fire as a consequence of
that.’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه continues on to elaborate
(the part of the Ḥadīš, ‘Stands in the place of hearing and seeing because of
another person…’), has several explanations: Firstly, whoever denounces and
criticizes a famous, yet righteous person or gets into a dispute with that
person, so that he himself will gain popularity.
Secondly, whoever provokes someone in a wrongful
manner in order to gain popularity and
income, for example, these days, disciples of some fake Sufi Shaykhs relate
false miracles; so that they gain some respect of being a disciple of
such a great Shaykh and spiritual guide.
Thirdly, a person, who for the sake of popularity and ostentation, performs
good deeds or makes himself popular and
famous through someone, on the Day of Judgement, such people will be disgraced publicly. An angel will make them
stand on a high place and then the angel will announce ‘O people! He is a liar,
a cheat and a fraud.’
Dear Islamic brothers! Those people who disclose
private matters and slander the opponents of their leaders in order to please
their leaders, Nigrāns, officers and masters, or to acquire their sympathy or
to prove their loyalty, should take a lesson from this. Those people, in fact,
are only confirming their own stupidity and making themselves worthy of Hell.
Ah! They will not be able to eat the food of Hell nor
will they be able to wear the clothes of fire. Depicting the food served to
the people of Hell, Muftī Amjad ‘Alī A’ẓamī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی explains in Baĥār-e-Sharī’at on page
167, ‘People (in Hell) will be fed a thorny cactus. Its intensity is such that
if one drop of it came to this world, its smell and stench would destroy the global economy and put the world into chaos.
The thorny cactus will go into their throat and will choke them. The
people will ask for water to swallow it down; they will be served boiling
water. As soon as they bring it close to their mouths, the skin from their
faces will melt and fall in the water. When the water enters their stomach, it
will tear up their intestines to pieces and will make their insides flow like
gravy towards their feet. They will be so thirsty that they will rush towards
this water like those extremely thirsty camels that rush towards the stream.’ (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at)
Nār-e-Jaĥannam say Tū
amān day, khuld-e-barīn day bāgh-e-jinā day
Az-paey Ḥazrat-e-Abū Ḥanīfaĥ,
Yā Allah mayrī jĥaulī bĥar day
Grant me, clemency from Hell, bestow high gardens and Paradise
please
For the sake of Imām Abū Ḥanīfaĥ, Yā Allah, fulfill
my earnest pleas
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Sayyidunā Yaḥyā Bin Mu’āż رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه commented, ‘I am surprised at those individuals who point
fingers at pious individuals for performing permissible acts, but do not
consider the worst of sins as deplorable and blameworthy for themselves. You
will see them involved in evils of backbiting, tale bearing, jealousy, hatred, fraud, arrogance and self-appreciation
without any remorse or repentance, whilst criticizing the pious individuals
for using permissible things like clothes, delicious cuisines and savoury
desserts.’(Tanbīĥ-ul-Mughtarrīn, pp. 66)
Dear Islamic brothers! It is definitely true that
some people have the habit of needlessly criticizing others. The criticizers
themselves earn impure and Ḥarām income through
borrowing money on interest, selling by lying, mixing inferior goods and
engaging in tax fraud. Yet, when an Imām or a preacher receives an extra
payment or a box of sweets on the birth of a child, then these individuals
forget their own ‘unhealthy’ earnings and start backbiting and slandering against the scholars. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant us refuge from such
acts. Such individuals utter sentences like:
1.
He is a Mawlvī who only knows how to eat.
2.
He is a pot-bellied Mawlvī.
3.
He (loves to) eat halvah.
4.
He’s always looking out for
extra payments.
5.
He has gained a lot of
weight by eating for free at these gatherings.
6.
His neck has grown fat by
excessively eating (free food).
7.
He is a greedy ‘Mawlvī’
etc.
Keep in mind! It is not Ḥarām but permissible for an Imām or scholar to accept extra payments, invitations or sweets (under
Islamic law), and is an act that could be a source of virtues with intentions. The one who criticizes should review his own
ways of earnings. If in fact his earnings are from Ḥarām sources, then he should strive to fulfil all the
obligations of repentance. Further, he should
sincerely repent from backbiting, accusing others and for carrying ill opinions
of fellow Muslims. Have you
ever noticed that when you point one finger
towards someone, three of your fingers point towards you, as if they are silently portraying a message, ‘Before you
point at others, work on improving yourself.’
Sayyidunā Abū Ĥurayraĥ رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said, ‘You see the splinter in others eyes (meaning you look
for the smallest mistake in other people and publicize it), but fail to see a
rock in your own eyes (meaning you fail to see your own major shortcomings).’
(Żamm-ul-Ghībaĥ li-Ibn Abid Dunyā, pp. 95, Ḥadīš
57)
Kab gunāĥaun say kanārā
mayn karūn gā Yā Rab
Nayk kab ay mayray Allah
banū gā Yā Rab
Kab gunāĥaun kay maraz
say mayn shifā pāūn gā
Kab mayn bīmār Madīnay kā
banū gā Yā Rab
When will I distance myself from sins and enormity
When will I actually join the ranks of piety
O Allah! When will I discover the remedy
To cure my heart and become a sincere devotee
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Whether you lead private life
or are in the public spotlight, we all should strive to lead our lives
carefully and try to avoid actions which open the doors of backbiting. Let us
look at a summary of a question in Persian and its answer (with its Urdu
translation) which is printed in Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, volume 21, on pages
612-616. After reading this, you will realize how deplorable it is to carry out
actions which lead other Muslims towards
backbiting, tale-telling, making allegations and having suspicions
leading to personal hatred. My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā Ash-Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن was asked:
Question: What do scholars of religious sciences and
jurists of the spiritual path say about the fact that
Zayd is an Imām and also acts as a deputy. He eats at people’s houses who serve
unslaughtered meat of animals as well as pork to Christians and claims that
there is no problem in cooking meat of unslaughtered animals and that of pork.
He says that people should just wash their hands afterwards, and thus will
attain purity. Based on Zayd’s actions, most people of the town have started
eating at those people’s houses, whereas some people despise this action. Thus,
a situation of conflict has risen. Thus, in the light of knowledge of Quran and
Sunnaĥ, please state the ruling as prescribed by Islamic law for Zayd.
Similarly, what does the law say about the ones who support and assist Zayd, بِيِّنُوۡا تُوۡجَرُوۡا ‘Reply and be rewarded.’
Answer: Pious and practicing Muslims
should completely avoid eating at the house of those Muslims who are so
audacious and far from the fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ that they have taken up
an occupation to cook and serve such Ḥarām meats. Keep in mind,
wherever there is an abundant use of Ḥarām things; there is
always a lingering doubt that the utensils might become contaminated with Ḥarām impurities. Therefore, going to such places and dining there in doubtful contaminated utensils could give rise
to public allegations. It is narrated in a Ḥadīš,
‘Whoever believes in Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the Day of Judgement should refrain from places of
allegations.’ Therefore, it is essential to safeguard and avoid
situations that could result in accusations from others. Otherwise, these
actions could cause your Islamic brothers to be drawn into grave sins of
backbiting, laying false accusations, engendering hatred for others or enticing
them to name calling. It is relayed in a Ḥadīš,
‘Avoid actions which displease the ears.’ (Musnad
Imām Aḥmad, vol. 5, pp. 605, Ḥadīš 16701) Yet in
another narration it is narrated, ‘Refrain from those actions on account of
which you have to apologize.’ (Al-Aḥādīš-ul-Mukhtāraĥ, vol. 6, pp. 188, Ḥadīš
2199)
Furthermore, without any genuine permissibility under
Islamic law, it is not allowed to cause others to dislike you. The Noblest
Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: بَشِّرُوۡا وَلَاتُنَفِّرُوۡا ‘Give Muslims
glad-tidings and do not cause them to have hatred.’
(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, vol. 1, pp. 42, Ḥadīš 69)
Islamic law intends to unite individuals and to bring
them closer rather than alienating them and
pulling them apart. The sound intellect also would agree to avoiding suspicious
situations and disliked places, which lead others to have suspicion. It is
relayed in a
Ḥadīš, ‘After believing in Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ the Exalted, the
foundation of intellect is to have love and friendship with people.’ (Jam’-ul-Jawāmi',
vol. 4, pp. 339, Ḥadīš 12332) This Faqīr
has collected these Aḥādīš at length and in detail in his epistle Jamāl-ul-Ijmāl
and in its explanatory notes under the title Kamāl-ul-Ikmāl. In short,
intellect and courtesy dictate that these
undeniably wrong actions entail several evils and their end is definitely
disgraceful. When such actions are bound to
result in dispute and discord amongst Muslims, then it becomes a grave
crime to act upon them. Hence, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says:
And their mischief is worse than murder. وَ الْفِتْنَةُ
اَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِۚ-
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 2, Suraĥ Al-Baqaraĥ, verse 191)
In addition it is relayed to us in a Ḥadīš, ‘Fitnaĥ (discord) is sleeping. Allah’s curse be upon the one who awakens
it.’ (Al-Jāmi’-uṣ-Ṣaghīr, vol. 4, pp. 339, Ḥadīš 12332) If you observe these people
carefully, you will come to realize that those individuals, who carry out such
actions, are utterly oblivious of the requirements of our religion. They think
that the purpose of their lives is to lead a lifestyle free of any restriction
or worry. A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن continues on to explain
that eating and performing other actions with Christians are the acts of
ill-mannered and morally corrupt people. Further on, A’lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَـلَيْه has said: ‘...And whoever
claimed that cooking pork and meat of a dead animal and feeding it to
non-Muslims does not matter and that there was no harm in it; has surely propagated a false concept. It is certainly not
advisable to issue such judgements without
prior knowledge or research. It is unacceptable and strictly forbidden
to defile oneself with impurities, without any lawful reason under Islamic law.
It is extremely essential to refrain from
the acts that result in struggling to improve the things which have been damaged by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
Surely, it is impermissible and Ḥarām for a Muslim to pollute their hands for cooking things
that are Ḥarām
or impermissible. The rule
and principle is that whatever is Ḥarām to take, is also Ḥarām to give. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says:
And help not one another in sin and
transgression. وَ
لَا تَعَاوَنُوْا عَلَى الْاِثْمِ وَ الْعُدْوَانِ۪-
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 6, Sūraĥ Al-Māidaĥ, verse 2)
And Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ the Exalted is Pure, the
Most High and the All-Knowing.’
٭…٭…٭
Cĥup kay logon say kiye
jis kay gunāĥ
Woĥ khabardār ĥay kyā
ĥonā ĥay
Aray O Mujrim bay-parwā
daykĥ
Sar pay talwār ĥay kyā
ĥonā ĥay
Dear Islamic brothers! اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Dawat-e-Islami
a non-political propagational movement of Quranic
teachings and Sunnaĥ has several departments which aid in spreading the Islamic
message around the globe. Amongst them is the department of Madanī Channel, a channel that is popularizing the message of Dawat-e-Islami in households through television in several countries. It is the
only channel in the world which is fully Islamic, as it has no films or drams,
no songs, no women, and no music of any kind.
اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, several non-Muslims have
embraced Islam through its programmes. Several non-practising individuals have
adopted regular Ṣalāĥ and countless of people have repented
from their past sins and have opted for a path of Sunnaĥ. Let us hear one
Madanī parable of Madanī Channel to highlight its effectiveness. One
Islamic brother e-mailed me this Madanī parable.
Here is its summary: It is commonplace that during
our conversation these days, we are known to
engage in backbiting without even realizing it. One brother, who was staying in
Bāb-ul-Madīnaĥ (Karachi), came from Bāb-ul-Islam (Hyderabad) relayed this
Madanī parable in the presence of other Islamic brothers: One of my friends
told me, ‘My sister is short-tempered and gets easily annoyed. If she gets
upset with anyone, she does not come forward
and greet them first. My sister and my sister-in-law had a confrontation on
some issue and my sister stopped talking to her. Coincidentally that very
evening on the channel loved by millions, the 100% Islamic channel run by
Dawat-e-Islami – Madanī Channel – a Silsilaĥ (program) entitled ‘Madanī
Mużākaraĥ’ was aired and the topic of discussion
was on how to safeguard oneself from backbiting. After watching the program
(my angry sister who never compromised with anyone),
not only approached my sister-in-law but also apologized for her mistakes and
reconciled with her.’
Dear Islamic brothers!
The above-mentioned Madanī parable begins with a true statement that during our conversations a lot of backbiting is committed
without us even realizing it. Even in the above parable, there are four
occurrences of backbiting, but they will not be considered as sinful backbiting
because for them to count as a sin, they have to be specified to a particular
individual.
In the parable relayed, it talks about a sister, but
the sister is not specified. It is highly possible that the person had more
than one sister. Now if the narrator talked to the brothers who knew that he has only one sister and he told them without
having any valid reason in Islamic law, then in that case all four would
count as sins – as they
constitute backbiting. Just to make us realize the reality of backbiting, let
me list the four phrases used in the Madanī parable above, which constitute as backbiting:
1.
My sister is short-tempered
and gets easily annoyed.
2-3. If she gets upset with anyone, she does not come forward and greet
them first or meet with them. (These two instances of backbiting were repeated
twice.)
1.
2.
3.
2.
3.
4.
The mentioning of ‘My sister and my sister-in-law had a
confrontation on some issue and my sister stopped talking to her’, also counts
under revealing household secrets, which in itself is against good manners and
falls under backbiting.
Now if the person who relayed the Madanī parable
revealed that his sister used to get annoyed with the intention that our Sunnaĥ
inspired Madanī Channel gains publicity and people
realize its importance, then this would be deemed as a virtuous intention.
Still with good intention, it is advisable to tell the Madanī parable with
caution and to disguise the identities so that people can never find out who is
actually being referred to. For example, he could have said, ‘This happened
with one Islamic brother that his sister was short tempered...’ However,
during such conversations, seriousness is important otherwise if one is smiling
and relaying the event in a peculiar manner, it might cause others to realize
that he is talking about his own household.
Ilāĥī! Apnī raḥmat say Tū
ḥikmat kā khazīnaĥ day
Ĥamayn ‘aql-e-salīm
Maulā! Paey Shāĥ-e-Madīnaĥ day
Khudāyā guftagū kernay ka
Tū Madanī qarīnaĥ day
Bachā ghībat say, bak bak
say ĥamayn Qufl-e-Madīnaĥ day
With Your mercy grant me wisdom O Allah!
Grant me complete comprehension for the sake of the Holy Prophet!
Allah! Give me the proper etiquettes of conversing
Safeguard me from backbiting and excessive talking
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The love of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
for his companions
The Revered and Renowned Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘No companion should come to me with any words about another; I
want to come to you with a clean heart.’ (Sunan Abī
Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 348, Ḥadīš 4860)
The grand master of Ḥadīš,
Shaykh ‘Abdul Ḥaq Muḥaddiš Diĥlvī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الۡـقَـوِی
while elaborating on this phrase, ‘No companion should come to me with any
words about another’ has written: Neither should we talk about their
shortcomings, wrong actions and bad habits, nor should
we say that ‘he said this’ or ‘he did this’ or that ‘he was saying
such-and-such’. (Ashi’a-tul-Lam’āt, vol. 4, pp. 83) Explaining the other part ‘I want to
come to you with a clean heart’: The renowned commentator of the Quran,
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Na’īmī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said,
‘i.e., without any enmity or hatred for anyone. Keep in mind, this is only mentioned for our guidance that we should keep our hearts clean from
hatred for fellow Muslims to gain the true illumination of Madīnaĥ in them.
Otherwise, the Prophet’s blessed heart is the fountain of mercy and guiding
light, and there is not even a trace of any negative attribute (of malice and
hatred etc.) there.’(Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, vol. 6, pp. 472)
سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه
عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the aforementioned narration gives a glimpse
of the depth of love of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم for his slaves and followers. A’lā Ḥaḍrat’s brother, the renowned expert of poetry, Maulana Ḥasan Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الْـحَـنَّان has written this
beautiful couplet (in Urdu):
Tum ko to ghulāmaun say
ĥay kucĥ aysī maḥabbat
Ĥay tark-e-adab warnaĥ
kaĥayn ĥam pay fidā ĥo
You have such love for your slaves, that we would say you
You have sacrificed yourself for us, but this is against manners
(Żauq-e-Na’at)
The aforementioned Ḥadīš is
a lesson for those who, without any justification under Islamic law, reveal
weaknesses and shortcomings of people to others and indulge in backbiting; like
those who speak ill about a student to his teacher, a son to his father, an
employee to his employer, a disciple (Murīd) to his Murshid (spiritual guide). Thus, carrying the burden of a major sin and tarnishing the
reputation of those people in the eyes of the other person. They might not
realize that their actions could cause several problems – problems which every
intelligent person can easily comprehend when a student falls from grace in the
sight of his teacher, when a subordinate falls in the sight of his Nigrān and
when a disciple (Murīd) falls in the eyes of his
Murshid (spiritual guide). It is my heartfelt wish that the person backbiting would stop and think what would happen
to him if he himself was humiliated and degraded in front of his teacher
or spiritual guide. I wish that we never fall in the sights of our Murshid.
I wish that we stay forever under the merciful gaze of our blessed Murshid.
Sadā Pīr-o-Murshid raĥayn
ĥam say rāzī
Kabĥī bĥī na ĥaun yeĥ
khafā Yā Ilāĥī!
Allah! May our Pīr stay well-pleased
And may he never be displeased
Ah! I wish, the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم remains pleased with us slaves forever and may he never remove
us from his merciful gaze.
Na uṫĥ sakay gā qiyāmat
talak Khudā kī qasam
Kay jis ko tū nay naẓar
say girā kay cĥoř diyā
O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! O Lord of the Beloved
Prophet! Forgive all our mistakes and keep us in the shade of Your mercy. Ah!
If You are displeased with us, where will we turn? Whose door will we knock on?
Gar Tū nārāz ĥuwā mayrī
ĥalākat ĥogī
Ĥaye mayn nār-e-Jaĥannam
mayn jalūn gā Yā Rab
Ker mu’āf aur sadā kay
liye rāzī ĥo jā
Yeĥ karam ĥogā to Jannat
mayn raĥūn gā Yā Rab
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
It is my sincere Madanī request to teachers, Nigrāns
etc. if someone comes to you and backbites against your subordinates without
any justification under Islamic law, and if you
are able, then stop them right away. Otherwise, you would fall into the sin of
listening to backbiting. It is highly
possible that after hearing backbiting about your subordinate or
student, you might get angry and utter ‘something’ in retaliation, which that
backbiter might relay to the other person leading to further evils.
Assuming he succeeds in
conveying negative comments to you about someone and if you do not manage to safeguard yourself from listening to this
backbiting, then in that case, repent sincerely right away (fulfilling all the
requirements of backbiting) for the sake of success in the hereafter. Try to
persuade the backbiter to repent as well, do not change your favourable
attitude towards the person who was mentioned to you and do not let this cause
suspicions to grow in your heart. Don’t pass this information to anyone and as
soon as the evil thought of relaying this negative
talk to others crosses your mind, remind yourself the Ḥadīš:
كَفٰي
بِالۡمَرۡءِ كَذِبًا اَنۡ يُّحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ
It is enough for a person to be a liar
that he relays anything he has heard
to others (without research).(Ṣaḥīḥ
Muslim, pp. 8, Ḥadīš 5)
With the intent to learn a lesson from the
aforementioned Ḥadīš, do not narrate the negative things you heard to anyone else,
otherwise, you would also fall into the sin of backbiting. After research, if the things you heard turn out to be
true, with good intentions, try to reform the subordinate Islamic
brother as well.
Always bear in mind that on the face of it, you have
been granted a position of authority, but
you are unaware what the hidden divine decree holds for you. Therefore, with a
sincere heart adopt humility,
humility and humility. Accepting your low status and ranking, recite
these couplets in the court of the Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:
Khāk mujĥ mayn kamāl
rakĥā ĥay
Mustafa nay sanbĥāl rakĥā
ĥay
Mayray ‘aybaun pay ḋāl
ker pardaĥ
Mujĥ ko achcĥaun mayn ḋāl
rakĥā ĥay
Tayrā Ayjaz kab kā mar
jātā
Tayray ṫukřon nay pāl
rakĥā ĥay
On my own, I have no distinction; however,
The support of the Prophet is my foundation,
Covering my deficiencies,
He has put me amongst the righteous
Your Ayjaz would have been destroyed long time ago,
But he is sustained by your endowments and donation
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Never believe whoever comes to you and backbites
about a believer, because whoever backbites, that person becomes a Fāsiq (sinner). The information relayed by a Fāsiq is not considered
reliable (under Islamic law).
Once Shaykh Sayyidunā Imām Muhammad Bin Shiĥāb Zuĥrī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی was sitting close to the king Sulaymān Bin
‘Abdul Malik, when a man came and the king addressed him in an annoyed manner,
‘I have learnt that you said such-and-such against me.’ He said, ‘I have not
said anything like that.’ The king insisted, ‘Whoever told me is a truthful man
(how can he lie to me).’ Imām Zuĥrī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی intervened and said to the king, ‘(Whoever informed you is a telltale and) a
telltale cannot be a truthful person.’ Upon this, the king regained his
composure and replied, ‘Shaykh you have made a statement which is definitely
true.’ Then he turned to that person and told him: اِذۡهَبۡ بِسَلَامٍ ‘Return with peace.’ (Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm,
vol. 3, pp. 193)
One man approached Amīr-ul-Muminīn Sayyidunā ‘Umar
Bin ‘Abdul ‘Azīz رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and said something
against another person. He warned, ‘If you would prefer, I could research what
you have told me and if you are found to be untruthful than you stand a chance
of coming under this verse of the Quran:
اِنْ جَآءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌۢ بِنَبَاٍ
فَتَبَیَّنُوْۤا
If any disobedient one comes to you
with a news, make a strict investigation.
[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt, verse 6)
On the other hand, if you were found to be truthful,
you would still be considered as explained in this verse of the Quran:
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِیْمٍۙ(۱۱)
One who taunts a lot, going around with
slander.
[Kanz-ul-Īmān
(Translation of Quran)] (Part 29, Sūraĥ Al-Qalam, verse 11)
And if you prefer I may forgive you.’ He replied, ‘O
leader of the faithful, please forgive me! I will refrain from this (i.e. backbiting
and tale-telling) forever.’
(Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm, vol. 3, pp. 193)
May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on him and
forgive us without accountability for his sake!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
One man approached a saint رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and said some negative things about one of saint’s friends. The
saint said to him, ‘Sadly, you have come to me with three evils:
1.
You have caused me to
dislike a fellow Islamic brother;
2.
Because of your talk, you
have caused me to ponder (and worry about someone’s character); and
3.
You
have tarnished your truthful character (i.e., I considered you a truthful
individual, but you turned out to be a person who
cannot keep a secret to himself).’
(Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm,
vol. 3, pp. 193)
Scholars of our religion have advised us to safeguard
ourselves from the enemies of the intellect
and the thieves of love. These thieves speak ill and tell tales. A thief steals
worldly materialistic possessions, but they (who backbite and tell tales)
steal the love and respect that people have among themselves. (Al-Mustadrak,
vol. 1, pp. 151)
Shaykh Sayyidunā Manṣūr Bin Zāżān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الْـمَـنَّان
said, ‘By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
Whenever someone comes and sits with me, I find myself
usually in a state of battle against that person because neither will that person refrain from distancing me from my
friends by backbiting
against them, nor will he avoid revealing what others
say about me. In this way, people put me through anxiety and mental agony. (Tanbīĥ-ul-Mughtarrīn,
pp. 196)
May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on him and
forgive us without accountability for his sake!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
Mujĥay ghībaton say bachā
Yā Ilāĥī
Bachūn chughliyon say
sadā Yā Ilāĥī
Kabĥī bĥī lagāūn na tuĥmat kisī per
Day taufīq ṣidq-o-wafā Yā
Ilāĥī
Allah! Guard me from backbiting and slandering
May I refrain from gossiping and tale-bearing
Allah! Safeguard me from laying false allegation
Aid me in truthfulness and Your loyal devotion
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Let me summarize the incident relayed to me by an
Islamic brother from Siddiqabad: There was a 50-year old non-Muslim living in
Karachi. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, he embraced Islam while
watching Madanī Channel on Monday the 20th of April 2009, impressed by the true
teachings of the Muslim faith. He was given a Muslim name – Muhammad Ṣiddīq.
Soon afterwards, he attended the weekly
Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ at Dawat-e-Islami’s International Headquarters,
Faizān-e-Madīnaĥ and from there he travelled with a 12-day Madanī Qāfilaĥ with
the devotees of the Prophet to learn the Sunnaĥ. Two or three days after his
return, a car near Kakri Ground (in Bāb-ul-Madīnaĥ, Karachi) hit him.
The accident proved fatal and seventeen or eighteen
days after gaining the precious gift of Īmān (faith), he left this world. May
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgive him.
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
Madanī Channel kī muĥim
ĥay Nafs-o-Shayṭān kay khilāf
Jo bĥī daykĥay gā, karay
gā اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه i’tirāf
Nafs-e-ammāraĥ pay zarb
aysī lagay gī zordār
Kay nadāmat kay sabab
ĥogā gunaĥgār ashkbār
To campaign against the Nafs and Satan is Madanī Channel’s aim
Whoever watches it shall اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه proclaim
It will move your heart and rattle your Nafs
The deviant will weep with guilt and remorse
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ,
he was indeed fortunate
to be endowed with the wealth of Islam only seventeen
or eighteen days before he passed away. No-one knows the hidden divine decree
of Allah Almighty. Someone might have spent all his life in a state of
disbelief, but may be blessed with faith at the time of his death. Whereas,
another person might have spent all his life performing virtuous deeds, but
might die without faith. We seek goodness from Allah Almighty عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
In this context, listen to and learn a lesson from
the following Ḥadīš, reported by the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidatunā ‘Āishaĥ Ṣiddīqaĥ رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا: When Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ wills good for a person,
then one year before his death, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ designates an angel to
him who keeps taking him towards the right path until he dies with belief. Upon
his death, people say that so-and-so died in a good state. When such a
fortunate and pious person starts to die, his soul departs quickly. At that
time, he wants to meet Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ likes to meet him. When
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ wills bad for a person, then one year before
his death, a Satan is appointed upon him, who deviates him until he reaches the
worst time of his life and then dies. As death approaches him, his soul begins
to get
stuck. At that time neither does the dying person
want to meet Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, nor does Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ (Musnad
Ibn-e-Rāĥawayĥ, vol. 3, pp. 503)
Īmān pay day maut Madīnay
kī galī mayn
Madfan mayrā Maḥbūb kay
qadmaun mayn banā day
Grant me death on faith in the street of Madīnaĥ
Make my burial by the feet of the Beloved of Allah
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
This is a summary of what
an Islamic brother from Sultanabad [Bāb-ul-Madīnaĥ, Karachi (Pakistan)] reported, ‘There was a non-Muslim who was living with
some of his friends in our locality (he was about 30 years of age). Some of his
friends were Muslims as well. They used to
watch movies and TV programs on cable television, as it is a common practice
amongst the youth today. When Madanī Channel was launched in the blessed month of Ramadan 1429 A.H., its Madanī broadcasts were also relayed on the cable
networks. The non-Muslim really liked the Madanī broadcasts when he saw them
and now he began to watch Madanī Channel
often. By the blessings of watching the programs, one day he went to the International Headquarters of
Dawat-e-Islami, Faizān-e-Madīnaĥ in order to wash away the darkness of
his disbelief and to enlighten his heart with the light and guidance of Islam
and there he pronounced the Kalimaĥ and became a Muslim.
In the weekly Sunnaĥ-inspiring Ijtimā’ in front of
thousands of attendees and viewers of the Madanī Channel, he became the
disciple of Ghauš-e-A’ẓam Shaykh ‘Abdul Qādir Jīlānī رَحْمَةُ
الـلّٰـهِ تَعَالٰی عَـلَيْه. Thereafter, he attended
congregational Ṣalāĥ and started growing a beard.
Occasionally, he would also adorn his head with an ‘Imāmaĥ upon his cap.
Furthermore, he also started learning the proper recitation of the Quran in
Dawat-e-Islami’s Madrasa-tul-Madīnaĥ (for adults). He also attended the 3-day Sunnaĥ-inspiring
Ijtimā’ at Ṣaḥrā-e-Madīnaĥ in Madīna-tul-Awliyā, Multan. May
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ
grant him and all of us steadfastness on our faith.’
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
Nāch gānon aur filmon say
yeĥ channel pāk ĥay
Madanī Channel ḥaq bayān
kernay mayn bĥī bay-bāk ĥay
Madanī Channel mayn Nabī
kī Sunnataun kī dĥūm ĥay
Aur Shayṭān la’īn ranjūr
ĥay maghmūm ĥay
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
٭…٭…٭
Sayyidunā Shaykh Faqīĥ Abul Layš Samarqandī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی has said, ‘Supplications of three individuals
are not accepted:
4.
Whoever eats Ḥarām;
5.
Whoever excessively
backbites; and
6.
Whoever envies other
Muslims.’ (Tanbīĥ-ul-Ghāfilīn, pp. 95)
Here is a blessed narration from the Prophet of mankind, the Peace of our
heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘Whoever sits in his home and does not
backbite against other Muslims, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is his Guarantor for
Paradise.’
(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ, vol. 3, pp. 46, Ḥadīš
3822)
Neighbour of
the Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Paradise
Companion Sayyidunā Abū Sa’īd Khudrī رَضِىَ
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُ reported that the Most Noble Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Whoever performs Ṣalāĥ properly, whilst his household is large (has more members) but
provisions are limited, and he does not backbite, he and
I will be like this in Paradise (i.e. the Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم put his index finger and middle finger
together).’ (Musnad Abū Ya’lā, vol. 1, pp. 428, Ḥadīš 986)
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! The above mentioned Ḥadīš mentions a Madanī
method to gain the neighbourhood of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Paradise. سُبۡحٰنَ اللّٰه, سُبۡحٰنَ اللّٰه, سُبۡحٰنَ اللّٰه, the greatness of
Paradise is truly marvellous. Dawat-e-Islami’s publishing house
‘Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ’ has published a 1250-page book (in Urdu) entitled ‘Baĥār-e-Sharī’at.’ Here are some
glimpses from that book’s chapter on Paradise, اِنْ
شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, which will increase your
desire to enter it. Step up your spirited efforts to attain the beautiful
Paradise of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Thus, it is narrated:
7.
If any object from
Paradise, the size of a fingernail is revealed in this world, all the lands and
the seas would be beautified by it.
8.
If a Heavenly bracelet was
to be displayed, it would cancel out the sunshine from the sun just like the
sun dims out the light of the stars.
9.
A space small enough to lay
down a whip in Paradise is better than this entire world and all the things in
it.
10.
Walls in Paradise are made
of gold, bricks are made of silver, and musk is used to join them together.
11.
The
dwellers of Paradise will be presented with the tastiest of tasty cuisines.
Whatever they wish shall be promptly presented in front
of them.
12.
When they see a bird and
they wish to eat it, it will be presented to them roasted at that very moment.
13.
If
they wish to have water, a container will come into their hands and it will
have the exact
amount of water, milk, heavenly wine, and honey that they desire, with neither
a drop more nor a drop less. After they have finished their drink, the
container will go back to where it came from.
14.
Worldly alcohol has a foul
odour, a bitter taste, and an intoxicating effect. Whoever drinks it, loses his
reasoning ability, self-control, and starts using bad language. The wine in
Paradise will be free from such negative factors.
15.
There are no impurities in
Paradise. There is no urine, no faeces, no earwax, no dried nasal mucus nor
bodily dirt.
16.
One
will have a fragrant burp which will be enjoyable and he will also perspire fragrantly.
17.
All the food will be
digested. (12. The burp and sweat will smell like musk.
18.
19.
Just like breathing, the
tongue will be glorifying and praising Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ voluntarily and
involuntarily.
20.
Everyone will have at least
ten thousand servants at his service. Each one of them will have a silver bowl
in one hand and a gold bowl in the other. All bowls will be filled with a
variety of blessings (cuisines), each different in colour. As they eat, instead
of the taste reducing, it will actually enhance. Every morsel will have seventy
flavours, each distinct from the other and all these flavours will be tasted
without one flavour overwhelming the other.
21.
Neither will their clothing
ever wear out nor will their youth wither away.
22.
If someone were to wear
clothing from Paradise in this world, whoever saw it would faint, as people would not be
able to bear its sheer magnificence.
23.
If any Ḥūr (heavenly maiden) from Paradise were to place her saliva into the ocean, it would all turn sweet.
According to one Ḥadīš, if a Ḥūr were to place her saliva into the seven oceans (of the world) the
water would turn sweeter than honey.
24.
Besides
the hair on the head, the eyebrows, and the eyelashes, the dwellers of Paradise will not have any bodily hair. They will all be clean-shaven and
their eyes be lined with kohl. Everyone will look thirty years old and will
never look older than that.
25.
Then, the people will go
(by Allah’s order) to the market place which would be surrounded by the angels.
They will see things that their eyes have never seen, that their ears have
never heard; and their minds have never thought of. There will be no buying or
selling, rather whatever they like in the market place will just be sent along
with them.
26.
People of Paradise will meet others in this market. When a person from a lower level
will meet another from a higher level and will like his clothing, then before
their conversation is finished, he will feel that his clothing is better than
the other’s because there is no sorrow in Paradise.
27. Whenever they
will want to meet each other, their thrones will move closer. According to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the most respectable
person amongst them is the one who is blessed with
the privilege of seeing Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in the mornings
and in the evenings.
28.
When all the dwellers of
the Paradise would have entered, then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will ask them, ‘Do you
want anything else that I shall provide for you?’ They will say, ‘You have
illuminated our faces and you have let us enter Paradise and saved us from
Hell.’ Then the veil, which is drawn upon the people, would be lifted and they
will see Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. They will not be awarded anything greater
than this (gift).’
(Baĥār-e-Sharī’at,
vol. 1, pp. 152-162)
اَللّٰهُمَّ
ارۡزُقۡنَا زِيَارَةَ وَجۡهِكَ الۡكَرِيۡمِ بِجَاهِ
حَبِيۡبِكَ
الرَّؤُوۡفِ الرَّحِيۡمِ عَلَيۡهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالتَّسۡلِيۡمُ ، اٰمِيۡن!
Allah! For
the sake of Your Beloved, the Compassionate and Beneficent Prophet (صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم),
endow us with Your Divine Vision. Āmīn!
٭…٭…٭
Ĥo naẓar-e-karam
baĥr-e-Ziyā sūay gunaĥgār
Jannat mayn pařausī
mujĥay Āqā kā banā day
Bestow your grace towards me, the sinner, for the sake of Ziyā
Make my abode in the blessed vicinity of the Holy Prophet, in
Paradise
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
How to gain Ḥūrs (heavenly maidens)?
Dear Islamic brothers!
During your conversations, strive to avoid backbiting and all sinful conversations; and make yourself worthy of Paradise. Use your
tongues for good and recite اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ اللّٰهَ الۡعَظِيۡم, and be rewarded with Ḥūrs in Paradise. After worshiping for forty
years, a saint made a supplication, ‘Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
Show me a glimpse of the blessings You will bestow upon me in Paradise.’ While he was still busy in his supplication, the
arch of the Masjid split open, a beautiful Ḥūr emerged from the gap and said, ‘You will gain one hundred Ḥūrs like me, each will have one hundred helpers, and each helper
will have a hundred slave-girls, and each slave-girl
will have a hundred assistants.’ Upon hearing this, the saint rejoiced and
inquired, ‘Will anyone get more than me in Paradise?’ She replied, ‘Every
inhabitant of Paradise, who would have recited اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ اللّٰهَ الۡعَظِيۡم in
the morning and evening, will receive this. (Rauḍ-ur-Riyāḥīn,
pp. 55)
The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم said, ‘Everything that belongs to a Muslim is Ḥarām for another Muslim: his possessions; his honour and his blood.
It is enough for a person to be evil that he considers his Muslim brother
inferior to himself.’ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 354, Ḥadīš
4882)
Dear Islamic brothers! Arrogance is when someone
considers himself superior than others. Firstly, arrogance is Ḥarām and secondly, it leads to backbiting. Furthermore, an arrogant
person tends to ridicule those who he considers inferior to himself. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said in the Quran in Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt, part 26, verse 11:
یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا
لَا یَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّنْ قَوْمٍ عَسٰۤى اَنْ یَّكُوْنُوْا خَیْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَ
لَا نِسَآءٌ مِّنْ نِّسَآءٍ عَسٰۤى اَنْ یَّكُنَّ خَیْرًا مِّنْهُنَّۚ-
O Believers! Men must not ridicule
other men, perhaps the ridiculed ones are better than the mockers, nor must the
women ridicule other women, perhaps the ridiculed women are better than the
mockers.[Kanz-ul- Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Sūraĥ Al-Ḥujurāt,
verse 11)
Shaykh Sayyidunā Imām Aḥmad Bin Ḥajar Makkī Shafi’ī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الۡـقَـوِی
while elaborating on this verse said: ‘سُخۡرِيَه [Sukhriyaĥ in this verse] refers to one
who is mocked and is looked down upon with despise. This order of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ signifies that we should
not look down upon anyone with disdain. It is possible that the one who we look
down upon is actually at a better and higher status in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. It is reported from the
Intercessor of the Ummaĥ صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ
وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘There are several people who are in a miserable state, their
hair is scattered and their clothes are worn out. No one cares about them, but
if they were to swear by Allah’s name on any matter, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ would
fulfil their words.’ (Sunan-ut-Tirmiżī, vol. 5, pp. 459, Ḥadīš 3880)
Satan, the cursed, considered Sayyidunā Ādam Ṣafīyullāĥ عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّـنَا وَ عَـلَيْـهِ
الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام inferior to himself and thus suffered eternal loss. On the
other hand, Ādam Ṣafīyullāĥ عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّـنَا وَ عَـلَيْـهِ
الـصَّلٰوة ُ وَالـسَّلَام received everlasting respect and there is a great difference
between them. This Ḥadīš also infers that we should not consider others as inferior to
us and should always avoid despising them with disdain because we are unaware
that perhaps, one day the other person might attain a position of respect and
we might be disgraced – and then he might take revenge.
لَا تُهِيۡنَ الۡفَقِيۡرَ عَلَّكَ
اَنۡ تَرۡكَعَ
يَوۡمًا وَّالدَّهۡرُ قَدۡ رَفَعَہ‘
Don’t disgrace a poor man, you never know; you might
be needy one day. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ might grace him with wealth; and give you poverty.
(Az-Zawājir
‘Aniqtirāf-il-Kabāir, vol. 2, pp. 11)
Dear Islamic brothers! It is necessary upon every
Muslim that he does not hurt another Muslim
needlessly. He should neither steal the belongings of other, nor should he
backbite against him. Also, a Muslim should never ridicule a believer
nor should he hurt him or fight with him; in fact, both should be each
protectors for each other. The Knower of the Unseen صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: ‘A (complete) Muslim is one who avoids harming other Muslims with his hand and tongue.
Similarly, a (complete) Muĥājir is one who gives up all that is forbidden by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ (Ṣaḥīḥ
Bukhārī, vol. 1, pp. 15, Ḥadīš 10)
The renowned commentator of the Quran, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَـلَيْهِ
رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الْـحَـنَّان, while elaborating on this Ḥadīš, has explained: A complete Muslim is one who is a Muslim in every way – by definition and
by actions [as mentioned under Islamic law].
A person is a Mu`min when he neither backbites another Muslim, nor curses at
him, nor tells tales about him, nor makes sarcastic remarks about him.
He does not physically hurt him, nor does he
write anything against him. Furthermore, a complete Muĥājir is one who not
only migrates from his homeland, but also migrates from the going towards sin;
or literally leaving sins, which is also migration – and continues
persistently.(Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, vol. 1, pp. 29)
Dear Islamic brothers! The Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the Intercessor of Ummaĥ, the Owner of Jannaĥ صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘It is not allowed for any Muslim to
scare another Muslim.’ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 391, Ḥadīš
5004)
At another time, he صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘It is impermissible for a Muslim to
roll his eyes in a manner which harms another Muslim.’ (Az-Zuĥd
li-Ibn-e-Mubārak, pp. 240, Raqm 689; Itḥāf-us-Sādaĥ liz-Zabīdī, vol. 7, pp. 177)
Dear Islamic brothers! It might seem very simple and
easy to harm a fellow Muslim and hurt his feelings; to curse him, to backbite
against him, and to slander him, but this could turn into a heavy burden in the
Hereafter, if these acts result in displeasing Allah Almighty عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
It is narrated on 21st page of the Urdu
booklet ‘Ẓulm kā Anjām’, published by
Dawat-e-Islami’s publishing department, Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ: Shaykh Sayyidunā
Yazīd Bin Shajaraĥ رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَالٰی
عَـلَيْه
has narrated that: Like seas have shores, Hell also has shores which have snakes like the Arabian camels and scorpions like mules. When the dwellers of Hell will plead for
their punishments to be reduced, it will be ordered for them to be pulled out
to the shore. As soon as they are pulled ashore, these snakes will grab them by
their lips and faces, and peel away their skins. They will turn towards the
fire to safeguard themselves, and then they will be inflicted with an itch.
They will itch so much that all their muscles and flesh will be plucked away
and only bones will remain. It will be called
out, ‘So-and-so! Are you hurting now?’ They will say,
‘Yes.’ Then it will be said, ‘This is the punishment for the harm you caused to
the believers.’
(Attarghīb Wattarĥīb, vol. 4, pp. 280, Ḥadīš
5649)
Ay khāṣa-e-khāṣān-e-Rusul
waqt-e-Du’ā ĥay
Ummat pay tayrī ā kay
‘ajab waqt pařā ĥay
Tadbīr sanbĥalnay kī
ĥamāray naĥīn koī
Ĥān aik Du’ā tayrī kay
maqbūl-e-Khudā ĥay
Prophet it is time to make a special supplication
As turmoil and hardships engulf your nation
No recourse in sight, only relying on your supplication
For surely your pleas are accepted without exception
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! In order to get rid of the
habit of backbiting and to develop a habit
of offering Ṣalāĥ
and practicing the Sunnaĥ, keep yourself attached to the righteous Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami and travel in the Madanī
Qāfilaĥs with the devotees of the Prophet to learn the Sunnaĥs of the Holy
Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ
وَسَـلَّم.
To prosper in this life and to be successful in the Hereafter, act according to
the Madanī In’āmāt booklet. Fill in the questionnaire and turn it in to the
representative of Dawat-e-Islami on the first day of each Madanī month.
Celebrate Mīlād – the Blessed Birthday [of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم] – with the devotees of the Prophet as it has
numerous blessings.
Here we present to you the summary of the narrative
of an Islamic brother, who was from the
city of Trarkhel Sudhnoti district (in Kashmir): On the 12th night of Rabī’-un-Nūr
1430 A.H., our Masjid was being decorated with green
flags and beautiful illuminations to celebrate
the blessed night. Just then, four drug addicts entered the Masjid and informed
the Imām that they were just about to use drugs, but then they thought to
themselves that, ‘Tonight is the night of Mīlād. Will we sin
even on this night? Why should not we repent?’ Therefore, they had come to him
for this reason. Thereafter, they repented and joined the congregation to gain
the blessings of the Mīlād celebrations. The Imām of the
Masjid quickly contacted a representative of
Dawat-e-Islami. He came soon afterwards with some Islamic brothers and they met
with the drug addicts with great enthusiasm. Later that night, the drug addicts
travelled with the 3-day Madanī Qāfilaĥ, following the schedule of the Qāfilaĥ
and their passion was highly commendable. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, by the blessings of the Mīlād celebration, all four of
them made righteous intentions to establish Ṣalāĥ,
adorn the beard, acquire the blessing of 63-day Tarbīyyatī Course and attend
the Masājid etc. Furthermore, all of them made Bay’at [pledge of allegiance] into the Qādirīyyaĥ Razawiyyaĥ Ṭarīqaĥ (spiritual path) along with their family members and became
‘Aṭṭārī. At the time of delivering the statement, it had only been a few
days since they joined the righteous Madanī environment and at that time, they
were travelling in a 12-day Madanī Qāfilaĥ.
Khūb jĥūmo ay gunaĥgāraun
tumĥarī Eid ĥay
Ĥo gayā bakhshish kā
sāmān Eid-e-Mīlād-un-Nabī
Transgressors! Sway with joy, today is your celebration
The day of Mīlād, Prophet’s birthday commemoration
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you realize the Madanī
blessings of celebrating Mīlād? It was because the devotees of the Prophet were
celebrating the Mīlād that those drug addicts found out about that blessed and
mercy-filled night and felt that they should respect it. So, they entered the
Masjid which was adorned with decorative lights and where green flags swayed in celebration of the blessed night.
The benefits of celebrating the birth of our Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are truly incredible. One Islamic brother told
me [the author] that once, a Masjid was
decorated beautifully to mark the Mīlād celebrations. It so happened
that a non-Muslim passed by it and when he saw the magnificent decorations on
the Masjid, he inquired about the occasion. He was informed that the splendid
decorations were placed to mark the birthday of our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Upon hearing that, his heart filled with the
respect for the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He thought, ‘Even though almost fifteen
centuries have passed, still these Muslims celebrate the birthday of their
Prophet with such passion and enthusiasm, and
decorate their homes and Masājid. This proves that
this is the true religion.’ اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه
عَزَّوَجَلَّ, he repented from his false beliefs and
embraced Islam, reciting the Kalimaĥ.
On page 174 of Malfūẓāt-e-A’lā Ḥaḍrat [the 561-page publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], it is stated:
Question: Is it wastage to decorate with lights,
chandeliers or flooring[4] for the celebrations
of Mīlād?
Answer: Scholars state that, لَا
خَيۡرَ فِي الۡاِسۡرَافِ وَلَا اِسۡرَافَ فِي الۡخَيۡر that is, there is no
goodness in wastage and there is no wastage
in goodness. Hence, anything
that is intended to increase the honour of a gathering of remembrance
cannot be deemed impermissible.(Malfūẓāt A’lā Ḥaḍrat, pp. 174)
Imām Muhammad Ghazālī عَـلَـیۡـهِ
رَحْـمَـةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـوَالِی has narrated in Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm from Sayyid Abū ‘Alī Rūżbārī
رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَالٰی عَـلَيْه that
once a person arranged a gathering for the remembrance of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and for this gathering, he lit one thousand
candles. Another person came, noticed all these candles, and turned around to
leave, but just then the host held his hand and told him to put out any candle
which he thought had been lit to please anyone else other than Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He tried to put out the
candles, but not even a single one of them went out. (Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm,
vol. 2, pp. 26)
Laĥrāo sabz parcham ay
Āqā kay ‘āshiqaun!
Gĥar gĥar karo charāghān
kay Sarkār ā gaye
Prophet’s devotees! Fly green flags today
Decorate every house and street for Noble Prophet’s birthday
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The Greatest and Holiest Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم asked his companions رَضِىَ
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم, ‘Who is poor?’ The companions رَضِىَ
الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم answered, ‘A poor person is he who has no wealth.’ He صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then replied, ‘The poor person from my Ummaĥ is the one who will come on the Day of Judgement with his Ṣalāĥ, fasts and Zakāĥ, but he would have cursed someone,
blamed another, stole from someone, caused someone’s blood to flow and hurt
someone. Therefore they all will be given a share from his good deeds and if
his good deeds run out before their rights are fulfilled; then their sins will
be given on him and then he will be thrown into Hell.’ (Ṣaḥīḥ
Muslim, pp. 1394, Ḥadīš 2581)
Dear Islamic brothers! Tremble with fear! Truly, a
person, who is left empty-handed on the Day
of Judgement despite bringing Ṣalāĥ, fasts, Zakāĥ, generous charity, social works, and other great virtuous deeds; is indeed poor. Since he had
cursed, made allegations, blamed someone without any cause under Islamic law,
ridiculed someone, disgraced someone, hit
someone, borrowed something from someone and deliberately not returned
it, not repaid his debts, hurt the feelings of others; all these people will
take away his good deeds. After his good deeds have finished, he will be thrown
into the fire of Hell with the burden of other peoples’ sins. Therefore, if you have
slandered against someone or compromised
their rights in any way, then the best thing to do is to seek their forgiveness
without any hesitation, along with repenting in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. My master, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā, Ash-Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن wrote in his Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ: ‘It is easier to get others to
forgive you here (in this world), but there is very little chance on the Day of
Judgement because everyone will be engrossed in his own worries, wanting more
good deeds and disgusted by his sins. In such a situation, who will not want
for good deeds to be added to his deeds and for his sins to be taken away and
given to someone else! To this extent, that it is reported in a Ḥadīš that if parents have some claim over the son, they will go to
him demanding their rights. Expecting them to have mercy on him, he will say,
‘I am your son!’ On the other hand, his parents would wish that they had even
more rights to settle (so they could have taken away more of his deeds or given
him more of their sins).
It is narrated in Ṭabarānī by Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ūd رَضِىَ
اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ that he heard from the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ
تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم that, ‘A son will owe
something to his parents, so on the Judgement Day they will rush towards him
and he will say, ‘I am your son!’ Then the parents will be given their
rights and they would wish that they had even more rights due on him.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabīr,
vol. 10, pp. 219, Ḥadīš 10526)
When this is the case with
one’s own parents, expecting anything from others is just a wishful desire. If Allah, the Exalted and the
Almighty wishes to show mercy on someone, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ will grant gardens of
paradise to the one who makes the claim and will also make him forgive the
other person. In this wonderful scene of compassion, both will achieve success.
Neither will his good deeds be given to the one making the claim, nor will the
sins of the one who makes the claim be passed to him, nor will he deprived of
his rights. In fact, he was granted thousands of times more than what his claim
was worth. The mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is so remarkable that the oppressor will be
forgiven and the one who was oppressed will also be made happy. فَلِلّٰهِ الۡحَمۡدُ حَمۡدًا كَثِيۡرًا طَيِّبًا مُّبَارَكًا
فِيۡهِ كَمَا يُحِبُّ رَبُّنَا وَيَرۡضٰي (All praise is for
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ,
abundant, pure and blessed praise, as our Lord likes and is pleased with).’
Yā
Ilāĥī! Jab pařay maḥshar mayn shor-e-dār-o-gīr
Aman
daynay wālay piyāray Payshwā kā sātĥ ĥo
Yā Allah! As uproar starts to call to
account on Judgement Day
We seek the help of the Your Beloved on
Judgement Day
Dear Islamic brothers!
Backbiting is a disease that very few Muslims refrain from it. We should all
strive to refrain from backbiting and other sins and strive to safeguard others
from these sins as well. Personal grudge, hostility and hatred is one of the
causes of backbiting whose cure is to forgive, try to understand it in a way
that someone has robbed you of your dignity, your wealth or hurt you physically
and for this reason, you are filled with
hatred for him and you continue to backbite him everywhere and on every
occasion, certainly, this conduct of yours will cause you continuous loss in
the afterlife. Instead of remaining displeased, it is good for well-being to
make a habit of forgiving so that differences and strained relations do not
flourish.
سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! It has been proved
by some of our pious saints that they would forgive their rights on people in
advance. Encouraging us to forgive others, the Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the
Intercessor of Ummaĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would often say: Who amongst you is not capable of being like Abū Ḍamḍam? They asked, ‘Who is Abū Ḍamḍam?’ He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ
تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘He was a
man from the previous nations who used to say in the mornings: O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Today I forgive my
rights upon the person who oppresses me.’(Shu’ab-ul-Īmān,
vol. 6, pp. 261, Ḥadīš 8082)
One Muslim said to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, ‘O Allah (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! I do not have any
money to give in charity, therefore whoever oppresses my rights, I forgive
him.’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ
revealed to the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘I have forgiven
him.’ (Iḥyā-ul-‘Ulūm, vol. 3, pp. 219)
When oppressed Imām
Sayyidunā Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
would leave his home, he would say: O Allah
عَزَّوَجَلَّ! I will give charity today, and that charity is that whoever
backbites against me I have given my honour
to him.’ (Ḥayāt-ul-Ḥaywān-il-Kubrā, vol. 1, pp. 202)
Dear Islamic brothers! The
meaning of this blessed statement of Imām Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
is that today whoever backbites against me, I will not take revenge from him,
neither in this world nor in the Hereafter. However, this does not denote at
all that backbiting is permissible. Backbiting still remains a sin as normal
and hence repentance of this sin is Wājib
(compulsory). It should not be misunderstood that violating the rights
of the person becomes permissible who has forgiven rights of people in advance
in order to save himself from hatred, hostility, grudge and malice. Remember
that forgiving in advance is certainly a desirable act but in spite of it being
desirable, the person who has forgiven his
rights remains with a right to demand [justice] in case his rights are
violated. However, if you forgive the rights which were violated in past
then the rights of the person will be forgiven but the rights of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will still remain and
repentance will be necessary for them. Therefore we should take up forgiveness
and not only should we make a habit of forgiving in advance but also forgive
all those people who have violated our
rights up to now for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Listen to the following two narrations, which explain the marvellous benefits of
forgiving others.
On the last page of ‘Ghuṣṣay kā ‘Ilāj’ [the 32-page booklet of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], it is
narrated, ‘On the Day of Judgement, it will be
announced, ‘Whoever has their reward with Allah’s mercy let them stand up and
enter Paradise.’ It will be asked, ‘For whom is this
reward?’ The announcer will reply, ‘This is for those who forgive.’ Then,
thousands of people will stand up and enter Paradise without any
accountability.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ liṭ-Ṭabarānī, vol. 1, pp. 542, Ḥadīš
1998)
On page
28 of ‘Nāchāqiyon kā ‘Ilāj’ [the 48-page booklet of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the
publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami], it is cited that Sayyidunā Abū
Ĥurayraĥ رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
has narrated: The Merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
said, ‘Whoever
has three things, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will take him to account
with ease. That person will enter Paradise with the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ Then I asked, ‘Yā Rasūlallāĥ (صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم)! What are those three things?’ He صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ وَسَـلَّم replied, ‘(1) Mending relations with those who
break ties with you, (2) giving to those who deprive you and (3) forgiving
those who oppress you.’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsaṭ liṭ-Ṭabarānī, vol. 1,
pp. 263, Ḥadīš 909)
Maulānā Rūm عَـلَیۡـهِ رَحۡـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ
الۡـقَـیُّـوۡم said:
Tū barā-ay waṣl ker dan
āmadī
Nay barā-ay faṣl ker dan
āmadī
You have come here to join, not to break
اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه
عَزَّوَجَلَّ, with the intention to please Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Sag-e-Madīnaĥ (the
author) has forgiven beforehand all physical and materialistic rights upon me,
including all previous loans, all those who
have stolen my property, everyone who slandered me, laid allegations
upon me, committing backbiting against me, disgraced me, even those who have
hit me. Regarding this, it is stated about,
honour, status and life on page 10 of Madanī Waṣiyyat Nāmaĥ [the booklet of
Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami]: ‘To
please Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, I have forgiven, in
advance, anyone who curses me, ridicules and insults me (i.e. backbites against
me), brings harm or injury to me, or otherwise hurts my feelings. No one should take revenge from any individual who tries to hurt me
in any way. In case that I am martyred, I forgive my rights as a victim. As for
the rights of my heirs, I have requested them to forgive their rights as well
(and not to file any case etc.). For the sake of the intercession of the
Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم,
if I am blessed on the Day of Judgement, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ
I shall take the person who martyred me to Paradise
provided that he died with true faith.
(In case that I am murdered, no one should call for a
strike or cause riots. If a ‘strike’ means to forcefully ask people to close
their businesses, throw stones at others’ cars and at their place of business
then such grave violations against fellow beings cannot be termed as
permissible by any Muftī of Islam. Such
‘strikes’ are utterly Ḥarām
and could lead to Hell.
Such outbursts of violent emotions and disorderly
conduct result only in the loss in this world and the Hereafter, and nothing else. Usually those who go on strike
get tired quickly and then the government and law enforcement
authorities eventually overpower them).
Essential explanation: According
to Islamic law, when a Muslim is murdered, there are three kinds of rights:
Firstly, the right of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; secondly, the right of the murdered victim;
and thirdly, the right of the heirs. If the victim has pardoned his right
beforehand then only his right is forgiven.
To gain forgiveness for the right of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the murderer will have to sincerely repent. Heirs have their right too and it is
upon them if they wish to forgive their
right or they could demand blood money as a compensation to be paid to them for the murdered person. If the heirs are not
asked for forgiveness nor compensated then they can demand their rights
on the Day of Judgement.’
Ṣadaqaĥ piyāray kī ḥayā
kā na lay mujĥ say ḥisāb
Bakhsh bay-pūcĥay lajāye
ko lajānā kyā ĥay
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
To all the Islamic brothers and all Islamic sisters,
I humbly plead you to forgive me if I have committed backbiting against you,
slandered you, and laid allegations upon you; if I have been harsh with my
words or have brought any kind of grief or pain to your heart in any way,
please forgive all of these rights. Assume that I have violated the biggest
right possible, and then forgive all rights you may have upon me and earn
immense virtues. With my hands together, I humbly ask you and present to you my
Madanī request that with a sincere heart say at least once, ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! I forgive Muhammad Ilyas
Attar Qadiri Razavi.’
If I owe any debts or if I temporarily borrowed
anything and did not return it, then please contact the Nigrān of Markazī
Majlis-e-Shūrā of Dawat-e-Islami or my two sons. If you do not wish to get your
property back, then for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, forgive me and gain
immense rewards. Whoever owes me any money, I hereby forgive them all my
personal loans. Yā Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ:
Tū bay-ḥisāb bakhsh kay
ĥayn bay-ḥisāb jurm
Daytā ĥūn wasiṭaĥ Tujĥay
Shāĥ-e-Ḥijāz kā
Grant a pardon without a trial as the list of offences is extensive
I seek my acquittal for the sake of King of Makkaĥ & Madīnaĥ
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
In order to get rid of the habit of backbiting and to
make a habit of offering Ṣalāĥ and practicing the Sunnaĥ, keep yourself attached to the
righteous Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami. Travel in the Madanī Qāfilaĥ with the devotees of the Prophet to learn the Sunan of the Holy
Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰى عَـلَيْـهِ وَاٰلـِهٖ
وَسَـلَّم.
To be successful in this life and the Hereafter, act according to the Madanī
In’āmāt booklet, fill in the questionnaire, and hand it in to the representative of Dawat-e-Islami on the first day of
each Madanī month.
For your persuasion, here is a firsthand account of
an inspiring Madanī incident, which was narrated by an Islamic brother from
Pakka Qila, Hyderabad (Bāb-ul-Islam, Sindh, Pakistan): All of a sudden, I started having chest pain. The medications given
did not have any major effect; therefore, I
went to Jinnah hospital in Karachi for heart surgery, but my condition worsened even after
surgery. I was taking several medications for this illness, but the pain
was still persistent. Then, upon the individual efforts of an Islamic brother,
I travelled in a Madanī Qāfilaĥ of Dawat-e-Islami with the devotees of the
Prophet to
learn the Sunnaĥ. I did not use any medications
during the travel, neither did I take any dietary precautions. اَلْـحَمْـدُ
لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, with the blessings of
this Madanī Qāfilaĥ, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ cured me from the illness
of my heart.
Dil mayn gar dard ĥo, yā kay
sar dard ĥo
Pāo gey ṣaḥatayn, Qāfilay
mayn chalo
Operation ṫalayn, aur
shifā-ayn milayn
Ker kay ĥimmat chalayn,
Qāfilay mayn chalo
If have heart pains or headache
To find wellness, let’s go in the Qāfilaĥ
Operations dismissed, wellness achieved
Let’s make a move; let’s go in the Qāfilaĥ
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Did you realize how the
disease of the heart was cured by the blessings of travelling in the Madanī
Qāfilaĥ? As the apparent disease of the heart was cured اِنْ
شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the spiritual disease of
the heart will also be cured by travelling in these outreach travels. By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! The spiritual disease of
the heart is a thousand degrees worse than the heart disease; rather I should
say that there is no comparison that can be made between the two. The actual
pain of the heart could lead to Paradise if the person suffering from it has true patience; whereas, the
spiritual disease of the heart is a cause of failure in this world and the
Hereafter.
From page 561 of Faizān-e-Sunnat,
volume 1 [the 1022-page publication of Maktaba-tul-Madīnaĥ, the publishing department of
Dawat-e-Islami], it is narrated: ‘A Ḥadīš is reported that when
a person commits a sin, a black spot forms on his heart. When he sins again,
another spot forms on his heart until his heart is blackened and as a result of
this, any advice towards righteousness has no effect upon him.’ (Ad-Dur-rul-Manšūr,
vol. 8, pp. 446)
It is obvious that if someone’s heart is rusted and
blackened, words of advice would have no effect on it. It is difficult for such
people to refrain from sins and to get discouraged from committing them. Their hearts do not incline towards virtuous
deeds and even if they come towards good deeds, they still do not enjoy
themselves because of the blackness of the
heart. They only plan to move far away from the righteous Madanī environment.
The desires of the soul give them long expectations, which eventually
leads to heedlessness overcoming them and
then these unfortunate people leave the righteous Madanī environment.
Gunāĥaun nay mayrī qamar
toř ḋālī
Mayrā ḥashr mayn ĥogā kyā
Yā Ilāĥī
Banā day mujĥay nayk
naykaun kā ṣadaqaĥ
Gunāĥaun say ĥar dam
bachā Yā Ilāĥī
My sins have broken my back and caused devastation
What will happen on the Day of Resurrection
For the sake of the pious, grant me piety
Safeguard me from sins every instant of the way Yā Allah!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! We are unaware of the hidden
plan of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. If He so wills, He can take us to task for
any one of our minor sins; or if He wills, He can forgive thousands of our
sins, or He can even take us under the shade of His mercy on account of only
one virtuous deed. Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Shiblī Baghdādī عَـلَيْهِ
رَحـۡمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـهَادِی said, ‘After I saw one of my deceased neighbors in a dream, I asked him, مَا فَعَلَ اللّٰهُ بِكَ؟ ‘meaning, how did Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treat you?’ He said, ‘I faced severe difficulties. I could not even recall
the answers to the questions of Munkar and Nakīr. I thought that I might not have died on faith. Meanwhile a voice
called out, ‘You are receiving this punishment because of the unnecessary use of your tongue.’ Now the angels
responsible to carry out the punishments, advanced towards me. Right then a handsome man, who had a beautiful
fragrance coming from him, intervened between the punishment and me. He
reminded me the answers to the questions of the Munkar and Nakīr. Thus, I was
able to answer their questions and اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ,
the punishment was repelled from me. I asked that man, ‘May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy upon you, who are you?’ He said, ‘I am created by the
blessings of your abundant recitation of Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī and I am to help you in your times of affliction and need.’ (Al-Qawl-ul-Badī’,
pp. 260)
Āp kā nām-e-nāmī āy صَلِّ عَلٰي
Ĥer jagaĥ ĥer muṣībat
mayn kām ā gayā
Prophet, your renowned name assisted us
In times of distress, at every hindrance
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى
مُحَمَّد
سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه
عَزَّوَجَلَّ! If through reciting Ṣalāt-‘Alan-Nabī
in abundance, an angel can come in the grave to help a person, then why would
it not be possible for the Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to come for our
assistance. Someone has captured the essence of this in the following couplet:
Mayn gor andĥayrī mayn
gĥabrāun gā jab tanĥā
Imdād mayrī kernay ā jānā
mayray Āqā
Raushan mayrī turbat ko
Lillāĥ shaĥā karnā
Jab naza’ kā waqt āye
dīdār ‘aṭā karnā
In my dark grave, when the darkness scares me
Come to my aid my Beloved Prophet
Illuminate my grave for the sake of Allah
When it is time to depart, show me your sacred glance
صَلُّوۡا
عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى
الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘If anyone says something by which he
intends to disgrace a Muslim, then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will stop him on the bridge of Ṣirāt until he is freed of what he said.’ (Sunan Abī
Dāwūd, vol. 4, pp. 354, Ḥadīš 4883)
٭…٭…٭
Dear Islamic brothers!
Did you realize how dangerous the consequences of laying allegations on others are? A person will be held back on the bridge
of Ṣirāṭ, which is built over Hell. It is thinner than a strand of hair and
sharper than the sword. I swear by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! This is a serious
punishment.
Let me present to you this Ḥadīš, which explains the conditions of this bridge. Thus, it is narrated
from Sayyidatunā ‘Āishaĥ Ṣiddīqaĥ رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا that
the Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the Intercessor of Ummaĥ صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘There is a bridge over Hell, which is thinner than a strand of hair and sharper than a sword. It
is lined with iron hooks and thorns, which will grab whoever Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ wills. People will pass
over it; some will pass within the blinking
of an eye like lightning, wind and like the fastest horses and camels. The
angels will be calling out رَبِّ سَلِّمۡ ، رَبِّ سَلِّمۡ (O Rab! Let them pass with ease! O Rab! Let
them pass with ease). Some Muslims will be forgiven, some will be wounded,
some shall be hanging upside down and yet others will fall on their faces into
the hellfire.’(Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 9, pp. 415, Ḥadīš 24847)
٭…٭…٭
For further
information about this bridge, read the booklet published by the publishing
department of Dawat-e-Islami, titled ‘Pul Ṣirāṭ kī Daĥshat’ and try to distribute this
booklet with the intention to pass its reward to your relatives.
Yā Ilāĥī! Jab chalūn
tārīk rāĥ-e-Pul Ṣirāṭ
Āftāb-e-Ĥāshimī,
Nūr-ul-Ĥudā kā sātĥ ĥo
Yā Ilāĥī! Jab
sar-e-shamshīr per chalnā pařay
رَبِّ
سَلِّمۡ
Keĥnay wālay ghamzudā kā sātĥ ĥo
Yā Ilāĥī! Nāmaĥ-e-a’māl
jab kĥulnay lagayn
‘Ayb Paush-e-Khalq
Sattār-e-Khaṭā kā sātĥ ĥo
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَى اللّٰه اَسۡتَغۡفِرُ
اللّٰه
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ
تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
