The importance of akhlaaq with a main focus on examples of the righteous predecessors.

Don’t underestimate that, the price of which will cost you eternity. From the stories of our pious predecessors, we learn the importance they gave to good akhlaaq, whether it was in their private or public lives. Their no compromising attitude in having good akhlaaq reflected from the hadith of Prophet Muhammad salAllahu Alayhee wasSallam, where Abu Umamah Al-Bahili reported him saying,

“I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners” [Abu Dawood].

So what exactly did they do to ensure that Allah becomes pleased with their akhlaaq and by His mercy they enter the eternal abode of Jannah? One of the stories Shaykh Muhammad ibn Faqih mentioned during the Rules of Engagement seminar was of a man who was stuck in a cave with two other companions. It was decided they would do dua’ to Allah, entreating Him to open the cave through their good deeds. A prime example of adaab with Allah subhanawat’aala was of one of the men who were in love with his female cousin. He invited her to be with him but due to fear of Allah, she refused. Once she was in need of financial help and she asked him for his help. Consequently he made a deal with her to let him do as he pleased with her and he would give her the money. When he got close to her, she said, “Fear Allah and do not do this (without marriage).” He got away from her, gave her the money and let her walk away for the sake of Allah subhanawat’ala. Because of his fear of Allah and His judgment upon him, the fear of entering hell fire overpowered him. When she reprimanded him at that moment, it was as if his goal became clear to him, his goal of entering jannah, of not giving in to temptations when it seems no one else is watching. He knew the All Knower would also be aware of what he was about to do in the privacy of his home.

Another story Shaykh Muhammad mentioned was of the time of Prophet Muhammad salAllahu Alayhee wasSallam. It’s a comprehensive incident of the basic rights and obligations of a person towards His Lord, himself, and his family:

When Salman al Farsi, a muhaajir from Mecca, and Abu Darda, an Ansaari from Madinah, were paired up in Madinah, Salman radiAllahu anh came to Abdu Darda’s house finding her in a disheveled state (this was before the commandments of hijab were revealed). He questioned her state and reprimanded her to look good for her husband to which she replied, “he has no interest in me, anything I do doesn’t effect him. He’s indulgent in ibaadah.” Right away Salman knew there was an imbalance in the way Abu Darda was leading his life. That night, he went to sit with Abu Darda, who gave him food and in turn Salman offered him some food to which Abu Darda declined saying he was fasting. Salman forced Abu Darda to eat his food (since Abdu Darda was fasting a nafl fast, he was allowed to break it). At night, Abu Darda brought a mat for Salman to sleep on and he sat next to him. When Salman asked him where his own mat was, Abu Darda said he was going to do qiyaam. However Salman didn’t let him do qiyaam until the last third of the night when they did it together. The next morning after fajr, Salman reported the previous days’ happenings to the Prophet to which the Prophet replied, “Your Lord has a right over you, your family has a right over you, and your self. has a right over you!”

From the examples above, the reason for the importance of akhlaaq highly emphasized in Islam becomes clear. Contrary to thinking that akhlaaq are limited to being nice to others, they are about doing what’s right, abstaining from what’s wrong, fulfilling your obligations and in essence, doing what the most beneficial thing is, according to the Qur’aan and Sunnah. By understanding the dynamics of how we behave, we can lead a balanced life, beneficial to us and those around us and most importantly, one pleasing to our Rabb.

You know, I keep hearing about all these non-muslims converting to islaam, especially after 9/11. It makes me really happy and at the same time, very sad. “Sad? Are you okay brother, you may ask? Why would it make you sad?” I am sad because out of all of those thousands who have converted to Islam, I have not helped with even one. I am sad because I have a beard and I look and try to act like a Muslim around others. I am sad because I know I am supposed to treat my friends and neighbors well and I do. Yet they may have asked me questions on Islam but nothing has led them to conversion.

The part of our class on manners that really caught my attention was this part. It was taught to us that Islam provides us with guidelines for dealing with non-Muslims and this is an important topic for those living in the midst of a non-Muslim society. Shaikh Muhammad taught us that our way of life teaches us that we must have good character and respect for fundamental rights when we deal with non-Muslims. Allah says:

Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity.

He also taught us that Islam is a universal message and not something that we keep in our shelves all to ourselves. Allah says:

“Indeed, we sent you not except as a mercy to the worlds. (Anbiya 17:107)

The Prophet (S.A.W) also encouraged us to realize the good qualities of those who were good people even before they became Muslim. He said:

“…the best of them in ignorance are the best of them in Islam, when they acquire knowledge.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

Even today we have seen many people convert to Islam and become the leading figures in the teaching and propagation of our faith. Justice and kindness with others are qualities that are good to maintain and prescribed by our faith. Allah says:

“…and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety…” (al-Maa’idah 5:8)

Our default with non-Muslims is that we hate them as people because of their Kufr that they practice and propogate. Even the non-Muslims who attack Islaam, we have to be just with them though we hate them with a passion. Yet Allah says that hatred and enmity must not reach such a level with a human being where it affects justice and kind treatment. So what do you think Allah (S.W.A) thinks of those Muslims who don’t even treat each others with justice?

Allah gives us one of the most common obligations that we find all over the Qur’aan. This is of the obligation of Da’wah or spreading the message of our faith to others. If Christians, with their faith of darkness, are spreading their faith to others, what about us Muslims, who have light upon light? Allah says:

Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way…” (an-Nahl 16:125)

A lot of Muslims today feel that Da’wah is hanging up posters and doing interactvies on the streets in loud and annoying voices. Interestingly, Allah says in a wise way and a good form along with reasoning. Muhammad as-Shareef commented on this verse and said, notice that argumentation does not come first but is a last resort. And even when it comes in propagation, Allah says to do it in a better way. We have lost these guidelines of the Qur’aan. Today, our Da’wah is composed of interfaith and saying we are all going to heaven and making up lies that may please people but will never please Allah. And our spreading of the message contains calling people to Islam and letting them know that they are stupid and dumb for not knowing about it. And our spreading of the message contains Friday sermons which make people turn away from Islam rather than come towards it. The way the Prophet (S.A.W) called the people to the religion was quite different and may Allah (S.W.A) help us follow his way.

Many people are very enthusiastic about the noble cause of calling non-Muslims to Islam. Whenever a person accepts Islam in the masjid, everyone rejoices. Everyone is willing to support projects and sponsor literature for dawah. All Muslims are ready to unite for such a cause; however, most of our communities are themselves in need of dawah. Though we are very pleasant and helpful to “Rob” who works with us, we forget to smile at Ibrahim who takes care of the masjid. Our professors find us so pleasant while our parents are victims of our abuse. We also focus much in ibaadah and forget what should follow. Many of our eyes flow with tears behind the imaam but as soon as he says salaam, we turn around and yell at the brother who brought his four years old son to the masjid. This is indeed the paradox that exists or even dominates the Muslims living here in the west.

The obligation that deserves higher priority, however, is to display good manners towards our own brothers and sisters in Islam. Rasulullah (sallah Allahu Aleyhi wasallam) said: “I was sent to perfect noble character (akhlaaq)”. Rasulullah also informed us that the heaviest deed on the Balance is that of good character.

Though the manners of the sahabah are the ideal manners, it is unrealistic for society to transform overnight. Instead transformation comes gradually step by step. The first step in our times can be to remind ourselves the rights that we owe each other and actually fulfill them. Thus, it is for this reason that the rights of Muslims upon other Muslims are being presented as a noble reminder to fulfill our duties to Muslims and bring the Ukhuwwah (brotherhood) back.

Rights of Muslims upon each other:

· Either initiate Salaam or return it: This is a right of all Muslims regardless of who we know and whom we know not. The younger person should strive to initiate the greeting to the older person, the common or layman should greet the Scholar or Imaam or Leader, the individual should greet the group, the rider should greet the one walking and the one who enters should greet the one already present.

The Companions of the Prophet used to greet each other even if separated by a barrier for a moment. And the two Muslims who greet each other and shake hands do not part except that there (minor) sins are forgiven. We also learn from the Prophetic guidance that we should not respond to the person who starts without starting with Salaam. Muslims shouldn’t say their Salaams while frowning or in an angry mood since As-Salaam is a name of Allah and saying it is dhikr (remembrance of Allah) which should be done in a peaceful manner. Muslims should shake hands and make cheerful eye contact to fulfill the true nature of the salaam.

· If a Muslim sneezes and praises Allah, invoke Allah’s mercy on him/her:
When a Muslim becomes ill, visit him/her. We should make duaa for them, try to cheer them up, remind them that their sins are being forgiven, and try not to depress them further by giving them any bad news. If it is not a burden, taking a gift for them is something that will please them and is recommended.

· Attend the funerals of those Muslims who pass away. And make duaa for them.

· If a Muslim extends his/her invitation, accepting except with a valid excuse: Some scholars have specified this for the invitation of a waleemah but others say it is general and refers to all invitations formal or informal. Valid reasons for rejection are: haram being involved in this invitation, conflict of time with a prior invitation, or another issue which requires priority.

· Giving sincere advice: This applies to those who ask for it and those who do not. Rasulullah (sallahAllahu Aleyhi wasallam) advised the Muslims to help their brothers/sisters, whether they are oppressed or oppressors and indeed the oppressors are helped by being stopped. Thus when we see others in need of advice, we shouldn’t shy away; rather we should realize that it is right they have upon us. Wisdom, however, must be used in this lest a bigger problem arises.

· Loving for our brothers/sisters what we love for ourselves: and hating for them what we hate for ourselves. When we sell things to our brothers because we don’t like it for ourselves anymore, we should tell them that “I wouldn’t want it for myself” and the reason for that. Sometimes it becomes hard to put our brothers in front of us. We can make it easy by realizing that if we value our imaan/belief, we should value those who believe the same. Looking at our brothers as our supporters and fellow slaves of Allah facing a similar struggle, will also help us as opposed to looking at them as just another human being.

In conclusion, Rassulallah said that it is enough evil for a person to look down upon his/her brother/sister. It is hoped that this article will inspire us to pick up what we dropped and enable us to rise above the level we are at. May Allah accept this from us and be pleased with us and allow us the company of the highest companion. Ameen.

I keep hearing stories of the men of aqeedah,
The ones with manners, who even give naseehah,
They are found rarely in this world, scholars of high caliber,
They know so much but are humble, we need to heed this parable
Why do people criticize so much those who have the right belief,
They say “look at those high pants, big beards but a sharp mouth with the teeth”
I wonder if we will ever actually follow the people whose history we claim,
Not only in belief but in how we treat others, in our most inner strains,
The heart is a heavy thing, that’s why the pious ones treat it well,
Other people talk more theory while sins make their hearts swell,

Mercy, justice and a balance of patience in the moving organ,
Blood pumping hard to your brain due to modesty being unbroken,
Having imaan in Allah reflects all these qualities,
For one man to have taqwaa and as-sidq, it’s a novelty.

As Shaikh said, manners are a reflection of your belief,
They make you stand up at night while other people sleep,
They widen your outlook in life, you have an advantage over others,
But we will lose this advantage if we can’t properly treat our mothers,

They say this class was a paradigm, a proper way of thinking,
It removed us from what culture taught us along with our minds shrinking,
From the qualities of disbelief, ungratefulness and improper rations,
May Allah raise us in akhlaaq and widen our imaan station….

Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (saws) and said,

“Who among the people is most deserving of a fine treatment from my hand?” He said, “Your mother.” The man again asked, “Then who?” He said, “Again it is your mother.” The man asked, “Then who?” Our Prophet (saws) then said, “Again, it is your mother.” The man again asked, “Then who?” Thereupon he replied, “Then it is your father.” [Muslim]

What was your first thought upon first glance at the title of this article? Two teens getting into a “yo mamma” insult exchange or the hadith of our beloved Prophet (saws)? It is so sad that disrespect to parents has become such a common pastime today. Due to the prevalence of horrible treatment to parents, we tend to underestimate the severity of such a sin. How can we laugh at kids engaging in a “yo mamma” battle when we hear the wise words of our Prophet Muhammad (saws):

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: Allah’s Apostle (saws) said. “It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents.” It was asked (by the people), “O Allah’s Apostle! How does a man curse his parents?” The Prophet said, “‘The man abuses the father of another man and the latter abuses the father of the former and abuses his mother” [al Bukhari].

Parents are sacred. Mistreatment of parents is one of the worst sins:

Allah (swt) states [in surat al Israa]:

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small” [al Qur’an 17:23-24].

Here Allah (swt) commands obedience to parents directly after the worship of Him alone. To say the mildest word of disrespect against your mother or father, even if it is as tiny as “oof” or a gesture such as rolling your eyes, is prohibited. If letting “oof” slip through your lips is forbidden by Allah (swt), imagine the wickedness of the acts children commit against their parents in today’s society.

The immense importance of goodness towards our parents is seen in a hadith recorded in Saheeh Muslim and Saheeh al Bukhari:

‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud reported:

“I said: ‘Messenger of Allah (saws), which of the deeds (takes one) nearer to Paradise?’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) replied: ‘Prayer at its proper time.’ I said: ‘What next, Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘Kindness to the parents.’ I said: ‘What next?’ He replied: ‘Jihad in the cause of Allah.’

Allah (swt) places this deed in a very lofty position. He chose our parents to be the direct means of our existence so the least we can do is honor them in a manner befitting their status before the Eyes of Allah (swt). If being kind to our parents is a deed that will direct us towards Jennah, we should view it as such and strive to be amongst those who are granted Paradise, by the Mercy of Allah (swt), for treating our parents with obedience, respect, honor, kindness, and care.

We have been provided with several beautiful examples of the respect and kindness many of our pious predecessors have exhibited towards their parents. Allah commands us to be good and obedient to them but when we hear the amazing stories of those who preceded us, we realize how far kindness towards our mother and fathers can reach.

In the hadith about the people of the cave narrated in al Bukhari and Muslim, we learn of one man who said,

“O Allah, You know that I had old parents whom I used to provide with the milk of my sheep every night. One night I was delayed and when I came, they had slept, while my wife and children were crying with hunger. I used not to let them drink unless my parents had drunk first. So I disliked to wake them up and also disliked that they should sleep without drinking it, I kept on waiting till it dawned.”

If this man was able to do this for his parents, yet we remain disobedient to ours, how can we look at ourselves in the mirror every morning knowing that we are required to be kind to them and, furthermore, that we are capable of unlimited heights of kindness towards those who raised us, cared for us, protected us, and nurtured us?

“My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims” [alQur’an 46:15].

Are YOU Treating Your Parents the Way They Deserve to be Treated?!

QUIZ

If one or both of your parents are alive:

1. Are you obedient to them?

1. Always

2. Often

3. Sometimes

4. Rarely

5. Never

2. Do you respect and honor them?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

3. Do you treat them with kindness?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

4. Do you make du’aa for them?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

5.Do you care for them (financially, emotionally, physically)?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

To calculate your score, add up all of the points you accumulated:

A = 4 points

B = 3 points

C = 2 points

D = 1 points

E = 0 points

17 to 20 Points- May Allah (subhanahu wa taala) reward you for your devotion to your parents. Keep up the good work and remember that kindness to your parents has no limit so keep trying to do more for them!

13 to 16 Points- You are doing okay but make sure that you notice the particular areas where your treatment towards your parents is less than satisfactory. Although you may view your score as “pretty good,” you cannot be satisfied with that when it involves your treatment of your parents!

9 to 12 Points- You are treading a very dangerous path. Learning about the honorable position that parents hold according to the ayaat of Allah and the ahadith of Prophet Muhammad should motivate you to treat them as they deserve to be treated! May Allah (subhanahu wa taala) guide you towards improving your treatment of your parents. Ameen.

5 to 8 Points- How can you expect the forgiveness and mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa taala) when you are not kind and merciful to those who have raised you? To those that Allah (subhanahu wa taala) have made the direct means of your existence? To those who cared for you when you were helpless? You are in a sorry state and you better begin to take the command of Allah to be dutiful to your parents seriously- before it is too late.

0 to 4 Points- How can you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning?! Parents are sacred and if you are mistreating them, then you should be terrified that you may meet Allah (subhanahu wa taala) in this state. You are taking advantage of the hearts of your parents. How ungrateful is the one who treats a source of mercy and compassion in such a way? Now is the time for you to repent to Allah (subhanahu wa taala), seek the forgiveness of your parents, and begin treating them correctly. Do not allow another second to pass without seeking the pleasure of your parents.

If one or both of your parents have passed away (May Allah have mercy upon them):

1. Do you pray for them (if they were Muslim)?

1. Always

2. Often

3. Sometimes

4. Rarely

5. Never

2. Do you ask Allah to forgive them (if they were Muslim)?

1. Always

2. Often

3. Sometimes

4. Rarely

5. Never

3. Do you fulfill their wishes and promises (as long as they are permissible)?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

4. Do you honor their friends (visiting, calling, caring for them)?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

5. Do you keep ties with relatives you are related to through your parents?

1.Always

2.Often

3.Sometimes

4.Rarely

5.Never

To calculate your score, add up all of the points you accumulated:

A = 4 points

B = 3 points

C = 2 points

D = 1 points

E = 0 points

17 to 20 Points- May Allah (subhanahu wa taala) reward you for your devotion to your parents. Keep up the good work and remember that kindness to your parents has no limit so keep trying to do more for them!

13 to 16 Points- You are doing okay but make sure that you notice the particular areas where your treatment towards your parents is less than satisfactory. Although you may view your score as “pretty good,” you cannot be satisfied with that when it involves your treatment of your parents!

9 to 12 Points- You are treading a very dangerous path. Learning about the honorable position that parents hold according to the ayaat of Allah and the ahadith of Prophet Muhammad should motivate you to treat them as they deserve to be treated! May Allah (subhanahu wa taala) guide you towards improving your treatment of your parents. Ameen.

5 to 8 Points- How can you expect the forgiveness and mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa taala) when you are not kind and merciful to those who have raised you? To those that Allah (subhanahu wa taala) have made the direct means of your existence? To those who cared for you when you were helpless? You are in a sorry state and you better begin to take the command of Allah to be dutiful to your parents seriously- before it is too late.

0 to 4 Points- How can you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning?! Parents are sacred and if you are mistreating them, then you should be terrified that you may meet Allah (subhanahu wa taala) in this state. How ungrateful is the one who treats a source of mercy and compassion in such a way? Now is the time for you to repent to Allah (subhanahu wa taala), continually pray for your parents, and begin fulfilling their rights even though they have passed away. Do not allow another second to pass like this.

In most masaajid, we hear many speeches and heart to heart talks with uncles and aunties about the rights of parents over their children. We hear about them so much because unfortunately a lot of people do not fulfill their duties to their parents. But we also need to go into the topic of the rights of children. In my dissection of the issue,(figuratively speaking, I believe in Peace for All) I observed that the rights of the parents and children are interdependent, in fact some rights of children maybe needed in order for the rights of parents to be fulfilled. I know at this time your eyebrows might be raised and some of you are about to make judgments but HOLD YOUR HORSES.

The biggest clue in this maybe lies in where the rights of each party start; the rights of parents do not start before the birth of the child and actually not even until much after that birth. However the rights of children start way before their birth. (Before I go any further and start getting labeled and refuted against, I would like to say that this is absolutely not a justification for any child to not fulfill the rights of ANY parent. This is just for us to understand why a certain problem may have occurred. And once you read it all, I am sure you would at least understand where I am coming from.

When it comes to children, we learn from the sunnah that there are three major rights that children have over their parents.

1. To choose for the children a righteous father/mother: This is very important right that the children have and a very important choice that you (brother or sister) have but affects your children in a much bigger way than it affects you. When you marry that person, you are fully capable of distinguishing between right and wrong and you know the Islamic ways of doing things because your parents taught you that. IF your parents did not teach you that, then it was totally a surprise turn in your Qadr, ordained by Allah, that Allah guided you and you learned it. If He didn’t, you wouldn’t know that, Correct or Not? So it seems there are only two ways of learning these things: through parents or by Surprise. And can anyone count on a latter? If not, then make sure you let your children count on the former. Parents are the children’s first teachers, super heroes, role models, and leaders. Are you going to choose a gorgeous beauty whom uses the F-word like its “Hi” and let your children look up to them?
2. To give them a good name: Firstly we see that many times this is the task that must strengthen the child’s character with the family he is born in by making the name rhyme with the rest of the siblings or similar to the father’s name or such patterns like that. While, in the sunnah, we learn that this task should strengthen the child’s relationship with Allah. Rasulullah (sallahAllahu Aleyhi wasalam) informed us that the two most beloved names to Allah for boys are Abdullah and AbdurRahman. Secondly, the name affects the people. To understand it in the easiest way, ask yourself this; Would you name your child Devil? Why Not? And Thirdly, the name is not something totally in your (parents’ dominion) rather it is an amaanah that truly belongs to the child since he or she will be called by those names not only in their whole life in the dunya, but also on the Day of Judgment. So don’t embarrass him in front of his classmates in school, and don’t let people say he is such a big sheikh/doctor/president/general but when one looks at his name, they don’t match.
3. To teach them the Book of Allah: I know engineering and medicine is important but remember when you were speaking to your non-Muslims coworker, you told him about all the science in the Quran, if you teach your children the Quran properly, they will eventually get the hint that they should excel in some worldly science in obedience to the commands of Allah in the Quran. You want him to be dutiful to you and listen to you, not one book of Medicine tells them to be dutiful to the parents, nor does ANY worldly science either. Teach them the Quran and you get everything else as a gift from Allah. Teaching doesn’t mean that they can read it in Arabic but don’t understand one word of it, teach them the understanding of it, let them see what Allah told them and just sit back and watch the results.

Now, think about it, what if your child is non-practicing and is disobedient to the parents (mother or father)? And you never taught him how important it is to be good to the parents which is (no. #3) in the Quran, do you actually believe they will give you your rights? You can engineer your children actually. Do the above three and you will get an A grade in your child. Otherwise, they are going to be some other grade. I am sure none of us want that.

The eye of envy, sometimes known as the evil eye, or just simply “the Eye” is a widely distributed element of belief in many different religions, cultures and societies. Although many now would cast it as folklore, with no reason to believe in it in the modern world, Islam strongly confirms the existence of the eye of Envy in it’s two sources of revelation; the Quran and the hadith.

As for the Quran Allah states:

“And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message” [68:51]

Ibn Abbas, commentating on the verse said “They cast the Eye”. And in the hadith Prophet Muhammad (S) said

“The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath.”

Narrated by Muslim

The evil eye comes from people who feel jealous (hasad), it may also come from a person who is not jealous but merely likes something, because of the hadeeth:

“Whoever among you sees something in himself or in his possessions or in his brother that he likes, let him pray for blessing for it, because the evil eye is real.”

Narrated by Ibn al-Sunni in `Aml al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, p. 168; and by al-Haakim, 4/216. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Kalim al-Tayyib, 243.

Dr. As-Sayed Nuh, professor of Hadith Sciences at Al-Azhar University, states a number of precautionary measures against the Eye of envy, some of which are:

1- Seeking Allah’s protection against the evil eye and envy
This can be done by remembering Allah at all times and this is an impenetrable shield against Satan and his devils. Allah says: ?Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of Daybreak. From the evil of that which He created. From the evil of the darkness when it is intense. And from the evil of malignant witchcraft. And from the evil of the envier when he envieth.? (Al-Falaq 113)

Also Prophet Muhammad (S)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn and say: U’eedhukuma bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammati min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli ‘aynin laammah (I seek refuge for you both in the perfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).’” [Al-Tirmidhi, 2060; Abu Dawood, 4737.]

And he would say,

“Thus Ibraaheem used to seek refuge with Allaah for Ishaaq and Ismaa’eel, peace be upon them both.”

[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371.]

2- Observing piety, showing obedience to Allah and forsaking sinful acts

Allah says, ?But if ye persevere and keep from evil their guile will never harm you. Lo! Allah is Surrounding what they do.? (Aal `Imraan 3:120)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his cousin, `Abdullah bin `Abbas:

“Observe Allah’s duties and He will protect you; be pious to Allah and He will always support you…”

(This Hadith is classed as authentic by At-Tirmidhi in his book As-Sunan under the chapter “Concerning the Day of Judgment)

3- Demonstrating patience and perseverance

This means that one should never show any sign of being affected by envy, nor should one get overwhelmed with thoughts on it. Rather, one should show patience, for that will definitely drive the envious or evil ones to doom.

In his commentary on the previous issue, Ibn Al-Qayyim states that the third precautionary measure against envy is to show patience rather than waging war against the envious or showing signs of being harmed by them. Nothing grieves or inflicts pain or even doom on the envious or evil one than seeing that his evil act or scheme has not affected the target. This is the effect of patience, reliance on Allah and putting one’s trust in Him. Allah says: ?That (is so). And whoso hath retaliated with the like of that which he was made to suffer and then hath (again) been wronged, Allah will succour him. Lo! Allah verily is, Mild, Forgiving.?? (AL-Hajj 22: 60)

In this Qur’anic verse, we can see that Allah has guaranteed victory for a victim of contempt or hatred, even if he has tried his best to avenge himself of the assailant. This means that a person who shows patience, despite being a victim of hatred and contempt, deserves strong support.

4- Putting one’s trust in Allah

This is one of the strong precautionary measures against envy and oppression. Allah says, ?And whosoever putteth his trust in Allah, He will suffice him…?? (At-Talaq 65: 3)

5- Doing ruqya

This is based on the fact that the Angel Gabriel used to make du`a’ upon Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) whenever he became affected with anything.

`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says:

“Angel Gabriel used to pronounce some words upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to relieve his pain. He used to say: “May you get relief from the pain, cured from the disease, and be protected from envy and evil eye by the virtue of Allah’s Name.”

(Reported by Muslim)

Abu Sa`eed also mentions that the Angel Gabriel once came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him:

“Are you affected with something?” The Prophet answered, “Yes”. Gabriel said: “May you get relief and be protected from evil by the virtue of Allah’s Name.” (Reported by Muslim)

8- Washing off the effects of envy

This is done by pouring the water on a person affected with envy and the evil eye.

This is based on the Hadith reported by Abu Umamah, Sahl bin Hunayf on the authority of his father who told him that as they went out one day with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) upon reaching the valley called Al-Harar at Jahfah, Sahl washed himself and appeared as having a very fine figure. This attracted `Amir ibn Rabi`ah to the extent that he actually said: “Wow! What a nice and delicate figure! You look like a charming lady!” Upon uttering this remark, Sahl fell unconscious, and when the people took him to the Prophet, he said: “Do you suspect someone?” “Yes”, they replied, “We suspect `Amir ibn Rabi`ah”. The Prophet called him and reprimanded him, saying: “Why try to kill your brother in faith? Why not say upon seeing something fascinating: ‘Allah is Blessed or may Allah bless you…etc?’” To wash off the traces of envy, `Amir was told to wash his face, hands, elbows and thighs, and then to wash his feet and his private parts, over a bowl. Then the contents of this bowl were to be poured over Sahl bin Hunayf, and the bowl turned upside down. Upon doing this Sahl recovered.

(Classed as authentic by Imam Ahmad in Al-Musnad, and by Ibn Majah)

Ibn Al-Qayim commented on this process saying:

Anyone who denies, mocks or has doubt about the effect of this Prophetic way of healing will never benefit from it. The same applies to anyone who does it in way of trial without full conviction. Why not regard this as part of the privileges in the Islamic perspective instead of condemning it. Medical practitioners acknowledge that in the field of medicine there are some areas that are untouchable and are somehow deemed as very unique.

Ibn Hajar says that the aforementioned process of washing away the effects of envy is meant to be done after being affected with envy.

Islam has also drawn attention to a precaution against that effect. This is what the Prophet means by ordering us to utter Allah’s Glorification when we have something good: ‘Allah is Blessed!’ Also we can supplicate for the person by saying: ‘May Allah bless you!’”

Is it just me, or is there a new edition of an organic chemistry textbook sprouting up every year? Granted, it’s the same basic information, only slightly tweaked as to appease powerhouse publishers and scientific fanatics. It seems change is inevitable in the world we live in. Those who do not follow change are often left behind. Similarly, it’s unsettling to see a new edition of a Holy-Book being printed every so often. One could say it is introduced for precisely the same reasons; to appease greedy and bored people. One may also wonder if a Holy-Book can still be deemed holy, if it is modified. Being Muslims, we are expected to follow religious texts of believers in their original form. Now the question is, how do we discern original form when all these alterations are taking place.

This is a testament to how much of a blessing it is to have a book, the Qur’aan, in its original form. Not a word from the Qur’aan has been added, deleted, or manipulated. Those who dispute the message have been powerless to change it. This is due to great pains taken by Muslims, past and present, to ensure that the words of the Qur’aan remain untouched. Mostly, it is a sign of the mercy of Allah. Surah Al-Hijr:9 is a proof of this preservation;

“Without doubt, We have sent down the Message; And We will surely guard it (safely from evil.)”

It is important to keep the message of the Qur’aan intact. The Qur’aan is the final book to have been sent down to us directly from Allah. It illustrates living one’s life, in accordance with worshiping your Creator. The message of this Book resonates to all people, regardless of gender or race. It’s necessary to have the Qur’aan because it provides humans with knowledge of things that are unseen and unknown to us. For those who search for the meaning of life, they need not look any further than the Holy Qur’aan.

At the time of its revelation, the Prophet(saw) took great measures to protect the words of the Qur’aan. Each time a verse was revealed to him, he would have one of his Companions write it down. Afterwards, they would read it back to the Prophet(saw) to make sure no error was made. These verses were then stored for safe-keeping through memorization and in-text.

Those with the best memory and most righteous character were chosen for this task. In Rays of Faith, we learned certain rules needed to be followed if one were to inscribe the Qur’aan. Firstly, the scribe could record no other book except the Qur’aan. All of the companions needed to be familiar with what was being written and two witnesses needed to be present in order to solidify the authenticity of these lines. Those who were literate often memorized and wrote down the verses of the Qur’aan, as soon as they were revealed by the Prophet(saw). In his lifetime, he made sure to recheck the written verses at least once a year to ensure wording and order. After the death of the Prophet(saw), Abu Bakr made sure that all copies of the Qur’aan were written on sheets of similar material and bounded.

In this day and age, believers strongly defend their Holy Book. There are millions of people who have memorized the Qur’aan and they make sure that, upon recitation, all words are spoken exactly as they were written. In most Islamic countries, there is a death penalty to anyone who tries to change the wording of the Qur’aan. These people are treated no less than murderers. Anyone who has been guilty of changing the words of the Qur’aan for their own gain, has been punished. No other people will defend their Book with such passion as those who follow Al-Dhikr.

In this way, Allah has ensured that through His blessing upon His believers, the words of the Qur’aan are preserved and protected. Either way, no being could possibly match the beauty and meaning of the Qur’aan. Surah Al-Baqara:23-24, is proof of the completeness and perfection of the Book, as well as Surah Al-Isra’:88.

The Qur’aan has been preserved since the time of its revelation. It is the word of Allah; and will live forever, unchanged, because of His mercy. The sacrifices made by people who wanted to keep the message and meaning safe, should not be compromised in order to seek worldly fame. The Qur’aan is preserved for a reason, and any threat to its message should be prevented. As the decay of greed and boredom reach other books, it would be wise to appreciate how the Qur’aan has remained intact, and how it will remain intact, InshaAllah, in years to come.

Part of our Iman, as Muslims, is to believe in Allah’s Books. Why is it Books and not just Book.? I thought Muslims only believed in the Qu’ran. Although it is an essential part of our Iman to believe in Prophet Jesus (Alaih Assalaam) and his revelation, the “Bible” that exists today is, unfortunately, not the same Injeel (Bible) that Prophet Jesus (A.S) preached during his lifetime. It has been distorted and changed over the centuries. There is no doubt that physical/visual proof for this controversial claim exists, however the only proof that Muslims need to prove that the existing Bible has been changed, is the word of Allah, which, AlhamdurAllah, can be found in the Qu’ran. Whatever is in the Qu’ran is the absolute truth and if something in the Bible contradicts something in the Qu’ran than the Bible is the one that is flawed.

Now I would like to shift the focus to disapproving and revealing the falsehood and absurdity of the most essential belief in the Christian Faith. The Christians claim to follow a doctrine of Trinity a.k.a a doctrine of Shirk. The doctrine claims the divinity of Christ and raises his status to that of Allah(S.W.A). The doctrine is nothing but conjecture and blasphemy, as Allah (S.W.A) stated in Surah 4 Verse 171 ,

“O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity” : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.”

For any Muslim, the word of Allah (S.W.A) is enough, but for a non-Muslim, further proof might be necessary. And that proof can be found by analyzing the Council of Nicea. The issue of debate at the Council was the idea of the trinity that millions of people today and billions of people in the past had and have accepted blindly and unquestioningly. So in other words, the main belief in the Christian Faith is something that was debated, decided and made by a council of Bishops, leaders and others. Therefore, it can be concluded , that the trinity was a controversial, debatable and unclear matter that was made clear by man. Why was the matter so unclear? If it was the main basis of the religion why would Christ not have made it clear? Once more people can turn to the Qu’ran and find the answer. As stated in Surah 5 Verses 115-119,

“116. And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah.?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

117. “Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, ‘worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.

118. “If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise.”

119. Allah will say: “This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are gardens, with rivers flowing beneath,- their eternal Home: Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah. That is the great salvation, (the fulfilment of all desires). By worshiping Jesus (A.S) and equating his status to that of Allah’s (S.W.A), Christians are not only disgracing their own Prophet, but they are also receiving no reward or “salvation” from him.

It is a sad reality that so many are going astray and so many have gone astray because they accept blindly, don’t question their faith and try to make sense of something that is nonsense. The Muslim’s job is not to leave their Christians peers in the dark, but instead, their job is to give Da’wah to them and to try show them the light of Islam, while knowing that ultimately all power is in Allah’s (S.W.A) hands and He guides whom he will.

At the Rays of Faith seminar, Sheikh Waleed Basyouni taught us about the origins of Iblis. Scholars disagree on his status prior to his damnation, some holding the opinion that he was an angel, while the majority believe that he is a jinn. The master of fitnah, a cause of controversy? Could we expect anything else?

Before we talk abut the opposing views amongst the Islamic scholars, let’s take a look at what others have said about Iblis. The pagan Arabs believed that the shaytan was the evil brother of God. We know that this can’t possibly hold any truth, as Allah (SWT) is One. The Christians commonly believe that Iblis, or Lucifer was an angel who rebelled against God. They believe that he and his followers launched a war in the heavens. Lucifer’s loss resulted in his expulsion from heaven and he as well as his followers were demons or “fallen angels.”.

One thing that both parties agree on is that Iblis was a very devout believer in Allah prior to his descent. So devout, that he was present at the monumental event when Allah (SWT) breathed life into His creation: Adam.

“And recall when We when we said to the Angels, “Prostrate yourselves before Adam”; all of them fell prostrate, except Iblis. He was of the Jinn and so disobeyed the command of his Lord.

-(Surat Al-Kahf) 18:50

This iyat is where the controversy begins. Some scholars believe that this is proof that Iblis was an angel, why else would he be grouped among them? Imam Al-Shafi said that the quote

“he was of the Jinn” means that Iblis was an angel belonging to a tribe called “jinn.”

Others (Sheikh Waleed among them) believe that this same iyat proves that Iblis was a jinn and not an angel. Firstly, because the iyat directly identifies Iblis as a jinn. The second proof is in the fact that he disobeyed Allah’s decree, something angels aren’t able to do since they have no free will. As a jinn, Iblis had the free will to disobey.

The question remains then why Allah (SWT) would group Iblis among the angels in this iyat. Ibn Taymiyya said that Iblis was an angel in the sense that he was given the shape of an angel in the form of a reward for his piousness. He was a very righteous jinn, and so, while he was with the angels, he wasn’t from them.

The other point lies in Shaytan’s arrogant protest to prostrating. Surah Sad shows us this scene in more detail:

The Lord said:

“O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating yourself before him whom I created of My Two Hands. Are you waxing proud, or fancy yourself to be too exalted?” He replied: “I am nobler than he. You created me from fire and created him from clay.[38:75-76]

In this iyat, Shaytan clearly states that he is made from fire, not light which is what the angels are made from. We know that jinn are made from fire because Surah Al Rahman says:

He [Allah (SWT)] has created man from dry, rotten clay like the potter’s, and has created the jinn from the flame of fire. -[55:14-15]

Ibn Taymiyah said that Iblis is the father of all jinn, citing Surat-Al Kahf as proof of this.

…Will you, then, take him and his progeny as your guardians rather than Me although they are your open enemies? What an evil substitute are these wrong-doers taking!-(Surat Al-Kahf) 18:50

Ibn Taymiyah believed that the term “progeny” implied that the jinn are Shaytan’s children.

While we have been offered very strong evidence that Iblis is a jinn (and Allah knows best), the point here is not to cause divisions amongst ourselves arguing over Shaytan (of all things.) The point is to draw a lesson from what became of Iblis.

No matter how devout we think we are, no matter how favorable we delude ourselves into thinking we are in Allah’s eyes, we must remain ever vigilant of our complete submission to Allah. We must not let arrogance lead us astray, as Iblis has shown us that a single act of arrogance can bring us far, far from Allah. And whomsoever Allah leads astray, none but Allah can guide.