SH4 Reflection: Why the Anger?
15 Aug 2010 1 Comment
in Halaqa Reflections Tags: Discussion, Halaqas, Masjid, Reflections
Bismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem
“Whoever does not get angry, he is a donkey.”
Imam Shafi’i (ra) said, “Whoever does not get angry, he is a donkey.” Shocking I know! It was to me at first sight. But then he continues, “And whoever is not pacified (or quelled) when angry is a Shaytan!”
A powerful statement! He is referring to two extremes as far as a person’s “anger” is concerned. One in which you can either be in the “donkey” category or that of “Shaytan.”No offense to any one and that includes donkeys.
Honestly, I don’t know the nature of donkeys and I am not ready to go and search what science says about them. But from having seen and observed them from my parents’ home in Yemen—years ago—they always struck me as very patient animals. When burdened they passively endured, and when loaded above Allah’s “loading -limit” refused to budge.
Like the “donkey” some are provoked to every known human positive or negative limit and they are irresponsive–cold as cucumbers as the saying goes, or a two-tiered deep freezer! Excuse me, but that isn’t normal. Then there are others if provoked turn from kittens to roaring lions strutting around in their lair—no matter how much those around them try to quell their anger they are viciously bitten. Now that is, as Imam Shafi’i says a “Shaytan.”
Indeed the Prophet of Allah (saw) talks about the best and worst type of angers. He says, “Some are swift to anger and swift to cool down, the one characteristic making up for the other; some are slow to anger and slow to cool down, the one characteristic making up for the other; but the best of you are those who are slow to anger and swift to cool down, and the worst of you are those who are swift to anger and slow to cool down.” He continued, “Beware of anger, for it is a live coal on the heart of the descendant of Adam. Do you not notice the swelling of the veins of his neck and the redness of his eyes? So when anyone experiences anything of that nature he should lie down and cleave to the earth.” (Abu Sa’id al-Khudri ,Hadith – Al-Tirmidhi ,5145) The Prophet (saw) is not talking about a certain group of people, but about people in general. So, the issue is not anger as an emotion in and of itself, but rather how it is manifested. This brings me to a very important point. Anger is a blessing from Allah (swt). There you go, I uttered the unutterable! A blessing, you out of your mind! Indeed it is, like any emotion “anger” is a blessing from Allah (swt), one through which you come out as “best” as the hadith above so poignantly points out and, believe it or not, is also a way to Jannah.
When seen in this light, having anger is not the problem and we shouldn’t be doing away with it altogether. That’s impossible! We are all born with it as we are with fear, love, anxiety, etc. Originally it’s a blessing, but can turn into a curse when absent, taken to the extreme, aroused for the wrong reasons, or directed at the wrong target. Indeed, as is custom in our beautiful religion, anger can either win you rewards and Jannah, or it can pile up your sins high and lead you the only other way, hellfire.
There is that kind of anger that is one letter short of danger, as the saying goes. A human trait that is low, dirt-low, without exception. So, there’s no excuse for having any one of them in any degree, shape or form. They are a waste of your energy because simply put they are not worth getting angry over. Such as anger over the material world “dunya,” and for the self i.e. the “nafs.” These are two vast targets that your anger should not aim at. Furthermore, anger is a runner-up for violence; remember that a dog growls before it attacks. And violence is but the most severe and apparent form of anger, so beware of its undertones as well. Many don’t associate these hidden forms as “anger”: attempting to dominate by over asserting yourself; seeking faults of others; correcting other to the smallest detail of things; losing patience with others; being so brutally honest with others to the point that it hurts; holding an air of condescendence when dealing with other; constantly seeking out to debate with others; and being sarcastic. So, the kind of anger that transgresses moral boundaries, decency and propriety and cause one to be unjust is evil no doubt.
Guide your anger to a deserving target. I remember once a story I heard about a man on death row. His final request was to see his mother. When they brought her to him, he said, “I just wanted you to know that I am here because of you.” It distressed her to hear it. She had done all the right things a mother does towards her child—above all loved him unconditionally. He continued, “Remember when I was little boy and brought you a stolen egg and asked you to cook it for me?” Her face paled. “If only it had angered you to know that I had transgressed Allah’s limits, maybe you would have nipped it all in the bud. Maybe I would not have escalated from a thief to a murderer.” Her unconditional love for her son caused her to turn a blind eye to what displeased Allah (swt); by not being angry at the right moment and for the right reason she had failed her son. Actually, sharing in his demise.
Let us look at our Prophet (saw) and how he guided his anger—his anger was never personal. It was always for the sake of Allah (swt). Narrated by Abu Mas’ud, “A man came and said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! By Allah, I keep away from the fajr prayer only because so and so prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it.’ The narrator said, ‘I never saw Allah’s Apostle more furious in giving advice than he was at that time. He then said, ‘Some of you make people dislike good deeds (the prayer). So whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old and the needy.’” (Bukhari, 670) In another instance, Abdullah ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet (saw) saw a gold ring on a man’s hand. He took it off and threw it aside, saying, “Would any of you take a burning coal and hold it in his hand?”When the Messenger of Allah (saw) had gone away, someone said to the man, “Take your ring and make use of it (i.e., sell it.)” He said, “No, by Allah, I will not take it after the Messenger of Allah (saw) has thrown it away.” (Muslim) This is an anger that gave us a ruling that Muslims abide by and will be abide by to the end of time. And don’t forget the incident that Aisha (raa) narrated about Quraish being anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, and said, “Who will speak to Allah’s Messenger (saw) about her?” They said, “Who dare it, but Usama, the loved one of Allah’s Messenger (saw)?” So Usama spoke to him. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?” He then stood up and addressed (people) saying,” O people, those before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”(Sahih Muslim, 4187) The instances in the life of the Prophet (saw) are many, look them up.
Keeping your anger on a leash is key. Allah (swt) says, “Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good doers).” (3:134) The word in the Qu’an for “repress”[“kadhemeen”] is derived from a word that refers to a “strong that ties the opening of a water bottle”—so basically Allah (swt) is asking us to keep our anger “bottled up,” never let it spill out of our heart, never act on it, and eradicate it completely by forgiving. And the Prophet (saw) reinforces this, “The real strong man is the one who gets intensely angry, so that his face reddens and his hair stands on end, but he suppresses his anger.” (Ahmad, 5/367)
Indeed, anger can win you Jannah as the Prophet (saw) says, “Whoever suppresses his anger when he is able to vent it, Allah will call him before all the people on the Day of Resurrection and let him choose whoever of the hoor al-‘iyn he wishes.” (Abu Dawood, 4777) Imagine if you weren’t blessed with “anger”! Apart from the fact that you would be abnormal, your parents would worry, probably take you to a psychiatrist who would diagnose you with a complicated disorder [I wonder if ‘donkey’ would be one of them—just kidding, I am just keeping Al Shafi’I in mind!], and prescribe you some meds. Not being blessed with the emotion of “anger” or completely doing away with it, would cause you to miss out on a door that would lead you to Jannah. So, indeed praised anger and the management of “wild anger” according to Qur’an and Sunnah can lead you to your ultimate destination in life–Jannah. It would be a pity if we were to find this door to Jannah and say, “Too bad, I was told that anger was all bad so I never used it for any reason.” Passivity is not part of our deen, and neither is wildness—but a responsible responsiveness to our surroundings.
Now let’s look at Anger Management “Muslim Style:
1) Smile:
Anas bin Malik narrated: “I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, and he was wearing a Najrani cloak with a rough collar. A bedouin came and seized him roughly by the edge of his cloak, and I saw the marks left on his neck by the collar. Then the bedouin ordered him to give him some of the wealth of Allah that he had. The Prophet turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he should be given something.” (Fath al-Bari, 10/375)
2) Seek refuge with Allah from the Devil:
The Messenger of Allah said: “If a man gets angry and says: “I seek refuge with Allah,” his anger will go away.” (Sahih al-Jami, 695)
3) Whatever happens keep your mouth shut—you can never anticipate what may spew out of it when you are angry. You might even shock yourself :
The Messenger of Allah said: “If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.” (Sahih al-Jami, 693)
4) Change your position:
“Abu Dharr was taking his camels to drink at a trough that he owned, when some other people came along and said to one another, ‘Who can compete with Abu Dharr in bringing animals to drink and make his hair stand on end?’ A man said, ‘I can.’ So, he brought his animals and competed with Abu Dharr and ended up breaking the trough. Abu Dharr was standing when he saw this, so, he sat down, then he laid down. Someone asked him, ‘O Abu Dharr, why did you sit down then lie down?’ He said, ‘The Messenger of Allah said, ‘If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so that his anger will go away. If it does not go away, let him lie down.’”(Musnad Ahmad, 5/152 and Sahih al Jami, 694)
5) Remember the Prophet’s (saw) advice:
Abu Hurayrah narrated: “A man said to the Prophet, ‘Advise me.’ He said, ‘Do not become angry.’ The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet said to him, ‘Do not become angry.’”(Fath al-Bari, 10/456)
6) Keep your ultimate goal in mind:
The Messenger of Allah said: “Do not become angry [means control your anger, and aim it at what it deserves, and be wise in how you express it, and overall be sincere in it being for the sake of Allah], and Paradise is yours.” (Sahih al-Jami, 7374)
7) Fear the wrath and punishment of Allah (swt):
Ibn Abbas (raa) narrated that the Prophet (saw) sent Mu’ad to Yemen and said, “Beware of the cry of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.” (Bukhari)
8 ) Remember that uncontrolled and unfounded anger humiliates:
‘Alqamah bin Wa’il narrated, “My father said to me, ‘I was sitting with the Prophet, when a man came to him leading another man by a rope. He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this man killed my brother.’ The Messenger of Allah asked him, ‘Did you kill him?’ He said, ‘Yes, I killed him.’ He asked, ‘How did you kill him?’ He said, ‘He and I were hitting a tree to make the leaves fall for animal feed, and then he insulted me, so I struck him on the side of the head with an axe and killed him.’”(Muslim, 1307)
9) Follow the examples of the righteous:
In the Battle of Trench a man from the enemy’s side–by the name of ‘Amr bin Abdawud who was known for his strength, courage and swordsmanship– challenged the Muslims to a duel. There was a fierce fight between him and Ali bin Abi Talib, until Ali (raa) threw him down to the ground and mounted his chest, ready to kill him. At this very moment ‘Amr spat in the face of Ali (raa), and to the surprise of the spectators Ali (raa) dismounted ‘Amr’s chest and walked away. Shortly afterwards, ‘Amr attacked Ali (raa) again but was overpowered and killed. After the battle Ali (raa) was asked why he had spared ‘Amr the first time, to which he (raa) replied, “I had no personal animosity towards him. I was fighting him because of his disbelief, on behalf of Allah. If I had killed him after he spat on my face then it would have become my personal revenge which I do not wish to take” This is one of many examples of the righteous in our rich Islamic history—go and look up some more. Live with them through their words and lives, and imitate them for they were the best of examples after the Prophet of Allah (saw).
Know your anger, keep it on a leash, and guide it to a deserving target—it matters, it really matters. It could guide you to either Jannah or Jahanam!
SH3 Reflection: Iblis, Number One Public Enemy
03 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Halaqa Reflections Tags: Halaqas, Masjid, Reflections
Bismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem
The countdown for when Shaytan will be chained has started—but don’t think that he will submit without a fight. So, we ought to be on “red alert” until we safely enter the month of Ramadhan. He is a spoilsport and he may very well spoil Ramadhan for you.
Shaytan’s given name is “Iblis” and his nickname is “Shaytan.” Shaytan comes from the root word, “Shatan” meaning, “deviate or stray from.” It’s perfect because he has indeed strayed (deviated) from Allah’s (SWT) path, commands, obeying Him, repentance and Paradise (Jannah)–from all possible ways to success. So beware of taking on the trait. He was no angel—literally or figuratively—but rather of the Jinn as Allah clearly points out, “So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord” (Qur’an18:50).
Is he indeed an enemy? Yes, he definitely is a self-proclaimed enemy of ours; he picked a fight right from the onset, “And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.” So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord.” (18:50). He justified this disobedience saying, “I am better than him (Adam). You created me from fire, and him You created from clay” (38:75-76). Excuse me, but who said that fire is better than clay, white is better than black, Arab is better than a non-Arab, and the list can go on. You get my drift! Tut tut tut, don’t follow in Shaytan’s footsteps! It was exactly his arrogance made Shaytan ineligible to be a resident of Jannah, and it may make you ineligible too. The Prophet of Allah (saw) said, “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” (Muslim)
Shaytan’s disobedience to Allah (swt) made him a “disbeliever.” But he does believe that Allah (swt) is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and all that’s in them. Mark his words: “You have created me” (38:76); and in another verse he swears by Allah’s (swt) glory “By Your glory” and knows that Allah (swt) controls life and death when he asks Allah (swt) to: “Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected” (7:14). So how come he is described as someone who has “disbelieved”? Pay attention to this point, it is crucial. Shaytan considered believing in Allah (swt) and obeying His orders as two separate issues—not related in any way. In other words, it is true that Allah (swt) created him but he can wander about in the world as he likes—free to choose what to obey and what not to. But Allah (swt) says, “Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. . . “(7:54). In another verse, Allah (swt) drives the point home and says, “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision” (33:36).
So, mark that Shaytan was not an atheist or misguided for that matter, indeed he was guided but by choice refused to follow. He invalidated Allah’s (swt) command by simply relying on his own lowly opinion. Many of us fall into similar situations.Why can’t we eat pork? I guess, because it is unclean! Well, what if I were to rear it in a clean environment, feed it germ-free food, and sanitize it day in and out, and before I eat it I will place in under a high powered microscope to make sure it clean. That will make it halaal. I don’t need to pray because I have a good heart. Hijab is really cultural and not in any way related to Islam. The examples are exhaustive. The simple clear answer to all of these actions and many more is: Allah (swt) ordered us to do them. That should suffice a believer. When we accepted Islam out of our own freewill, Allah (swt) asked us as He (swt) asked Prophet Ibrahim (as), “. . . submit” and “he [and we Insha Allah will do the same] said, ‘I submit to the Lord of the Worlds’” (2:131). When you accept Islam, Allah (swt) asks you to surrender to His (swt) will, whether you are convinced or not and whether you like it or not. Choosing to be followers of Allah (swt) through obedience is a clear sign that you are not from the party of Shaytan.
Want more proof? Well we were, and are, ordered to bow down just as Shaytan was. Yes, in Salaah (prayer)– the last thing that Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) emphasized on his deathbed. He also said that it would be the first thing we will have to answer for on the Day of Judgment. In this sense, Salaat the way it has been prescribed (with the ruk’u and sujood) is a declaration that we as Muslims announce exactly the opposite of what Shaytan did, namely that we are: on Allah’s (SWT) path; that we listen to and obey His commands; adhere to the practice of repentance and do so for eternal residence in Paradise. Praying as Allah (swt) has ordered us, and in the same manner as the Prophet of Allah (saw) prayed—is a clear break from the ways of Shaytan. Indeed it was narrated by Abu Kuraib that the Prophet (saw) said “when Satan sees the son of Adam in prostration, he says: ‘Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him; and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.’” (Muslim)
Now let’s list some forms of arrogance:
1) Not praying and invoking Allah (swt), “And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!’” (40:60).
2) Being your own boss—no one else is fit to give you advice. Allah (swt), “And when it is said to him, ‘Fear Allah,’ he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!” (2:206).
3) Showing off, for Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari narrated that the Messenger (saw) once said, ”Three (kinds of people) will neither be spoken to by Allah on the Day of Resurrection, nor looked at, nor purified (from their sins), and shall receive a painful torment.” He repeated that thrice, so Abu Dhar said, “They are failures and losers. Who are they, Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet replied, ”Al-musbil (the one dragging his lower garment), the one who is used to reminding people of his generosity towards them, and the one who sells his goods through false swearing” (Muslim).
I am sure you can come up with other forms of arrogance.
So, what is Shaytan’s plan of action? Well, he asked for respite till the Day of Judgment to “. . . sit in and wait against them [human race] on the straight path. . . Then I will come to them from behind them, from their right and left, and You will not find most of them as grateful ones” (7:16). He is saving all his effort for those of us who are on Allah’s (swt) path, and intensifies his effort with the depth and power of our belief. He attempts to makes us ungrateful of Allah’s blessing. Even Allah (swt) confirms that in this particularly Shaytan will be successful, “Few of My servants are thankful” (34:13). Beware of forgetting Allah’s (swt) blessings and graces on you. Shaytan’s ultimate plan is as Allah (swt) warns, “O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun’s heat” (20:116-119). Let me just briefly comment on “that you will never be . . . naked”—our father Adam (as) and mother Hawa were never naked, as the supporters of nudists and naturists would have you think. They claim that nakedness comes natural to the human race. We were never abandoned by Allah (swt) after we were created–we were never left to wander naked learning through trial and error. Allah (swt) is the Creator and Sustainer for He (swt) says, “And He taught Adam the names of all things” (2:31). We were taught from day one that nakedness is not the way of Allah (swt) but the way of Shaytan.
Shaytan does not stop at stripping us of your clothes to humiliate us in the name of ”fashion,” but “…and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah” (4:119)—plastic surgery, tattooing, piercing, cloning, genetic engineering etc. take your pick. He promises to put the bridle around our mouths and attach the reins, exactly as is done to animals, to lead us to whatever he wants:“ I will surely put the bridle on them and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!” (17:61-62). How rude? He will help himself to a share of our wealth and children (4:118). Basically, it is a full-fledged war, “And befool them gradually, those whom you can among them, with your voice; make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry; share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them.” But Satan promises them nothing but deceit” (17:64).
Our religion is one of prevention rather than cure; we have been forewarned by Allah (swt) of all doors to the path of Shaytan. Allah (swt) says to Adam (as) and Hawa to not “. . . approach this tree otherwise you both will be of the unjust and wrong-doers” (7:19) and in another verse Allah (swt) says, “Do not come close to adultery” (18:32). And in another Allah (swt) says, “Do not follow in the footsteps of Shaytan . . .” (2:168). Just consider the footsteps that will lead to illicit relationships, ones that Shaytan will argue are not called “illicit” relationships but “girl-friends” and “boy-friends” he likes to change the names of things as well. Islam nips all of this in the bud, and asks both sexes to dress modestly and lower their gaze—one will not work without the other.
So, what is the solution? It is “Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take and treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his followers so that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire” (35:6). But don’t worry, Allah (swt) has given you 10 powerful ways to fight back:
1. Seeking refuge with Allah: Allah says, “And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytan, then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower” (7:200).
2. Dhikr (remembrances) of Allah (swt).
3. Reciting the Ma’audhatayn: the last two surahs of the Qur’an.
4. Reciting Ayat-al-Kursi: Prophet Muhammad (saw) says, “When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2:255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Shaytan will not be able to come near you until dawn” (Bukhari).
5. Reading Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow): The Prophet (saw) says, “Shaytan cannot come near the house whose people read Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow)” (Muslim).
6. Saying “There is no God but Allah, He who has no partner, owns everything, and to Whom we are all thankful. He has the power to create life and death and He is capable of everything.”Prophet Muhammad (saw) says, “Whoever says this 100 times daily is saved from Shaytan” (Bukhari).
7. Lowering one’s gaze: The gaze is a wide entrance for Shaytan.
8. Seeking the company of righteous Muslims.
9. Prayers (salaah): Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “If a man performs the Fajr (dawn) prayers and prostrates in worship, Shaytan says, “Woe to you! Man is ordered to prostrate and he did, hence his reward is Paradise. I was ordered to prostrate but I disobeyed, and my punishment is Hell” (Muslim).
10. Repentance: When Shaytan said to Allah, “I swear by Your Glory and Exaltedness to lure them” 38(:82) the Prophet (saw) reported that Allah (swt) responds to: “I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies.” And God replied: “(Then) I shall continue to pardon them as long as they ask My forgiveness” (Al-Tirmidhi).
If you don’t make use of these tools, then the odds are against you: “And indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them: and they followed him,” (34:20). So if we let our guards down and follow him we will be attending his final lecture in the hellfire, ““And Shaytan will say when the matter has been decided: ‘Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Shaytan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the worldly life). Verily, there is a painful torment for the polytheists and wrong-doers)’ ” (14:22). Insha Allah we won’t be there to listen to it, because we already listened to it in this life and took heed; and may we not be among those who is said to them, “O my slave! Read your book! “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily Shaytan is an open enemy unto you” (7:22). Insha Allah we will be the exception, those whom he says he will not be able to lead astray, “all except a group of true believers” (34:20).
SH2 Reflection: Reciprocal Love Between Allah & His Creation
17 Jul 2010 8 Comments
in Halaqa Reflections Tags: Events, Halaqas, Masjid, Reflections
Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem
Since childhood we have been told that we must love Allah (swt), but no one really took the time to tell us why. Maybe if you summoned up the courage to actually ask, you would have either been told, “Because he is Allah (swt)” or “Just do as you are told.” Of course, if we searched in the depths of our heart we would find our Creator (swt). But Allah (swt), out of His Mercy, has made Himself (swt) known to us through His creations as well as our sacred texts: Qur’an and Sunnah.
Even before Allah (swt) created us, He (swt) prepared for us our two abodes: the temporary abode (earth), and the permanent abode (Paradise). If we look at our temporary residence, Allah (swt) has asked us to “enjoy our stay.” Look around you, at the beautiful places on earth with all its rivers, seas, waterfalls, oceans, mountains and valleys and everything in them. Look at the phases of the sun, the breathtaking view of it rising or setting in the horizon; or the phases of the moon in a single month from a crescent to a full moon. Listen to the birds chirping a thousand melodies. I mean, how many birds do we actually eat? Very few, right? The rest are for us to enjoy their colors and their melodies. And don’t forget the flowers—we hardly eat any flowers do we? Okay some of us do–but the majority of us enjoy their fragrances and their radiant colors and styles. How about the assortment of nuts we know of or not know of? We have pistachios, peanuts, cashews, almonds and the list can go on endlessly. How about the kinds of fruit and vegetables? Every human is bound to find something that they like. All of this and more if we were but to contemplate on them would bring us to one reality. Our Creator (swt) out of affection for us wants us to “enjoy our temporary stay” here on earth before we head home to our original and final abode “Paradise.”
Yet at the same time Allah (swt) has through the Prophets (as) guided us to what “enjoy” means in the forms of what is permissible and what is not permissible. Not to restrict us, but because our very creation calls for only that that is good and pure on earth. We were created from the two purest elements on earth “dust” and “water”—need proof that they are pure? Well, we know that they are the only two elements we can use to purify ourselves for prayer (salaat). If that has already “wow-ed” you, well here’s another: Allah (swt) created you with His (swt) very own Noble Hands and not with “be and it was” to show you how much He values you—He (swt) personally took it upon Himself (swt) to mold you into the shape you are in, yes into the best of proportions. I can probably knock you down with a feather right now. But there’s more. He (swt) created our father Adam (as) in Paradise, your original birth place—your final destination in the journey called “life” insha Allah. To top it all, Allah (swt) did the greatest thing of all for you. Allah (swt) says, “. . . when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me. . .” [Surat Saad: Ayah 72]. Guess what, you have a Heavenly breath inside you. Don’t worry yourself with how, what it looks like etc. but know that you do. That is enough of an honor. Hence the angels had to bow down to you. Do you see how dear you are to Allah (swt)? Isn’t this a noble legacy to internalize, or one that tells you that your grandfather was an ape or chimpanzee? How can we after knowing this contaminate our pure bodies and souls with impurities and vile actions? It only leads to our corruption and eventual destruction. Don’t believe me. Just look around you.
Let us take the opportunity this coming Ramadhan to know Allah (swt) like we have never known Him (swt) before. How about deeply studying one of the 99 names and attributes of Allah (swt) every day of Ramadhan? How about studying the Hadiths Al-Qudasiyah?
I ask Him (swt) that through our pure intentions and genuine efforts He (swt) make Himself (swt) known to us, so that love for Him (swt) fills our hearts and results in Him (swt) becoming the very and only center of our existence.
SH1 Reflection: Friends in the Quran
15 Jul 2010 1 Comment
in Halaqa Reflections Tags: Events, Hadith, Halaqas, Masjid, Reflections
Bismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem
The Prophet (saw) said: “A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each of you look to who he takes a close friend.” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, 2378)
It’s a piece of religious advice, which to many might not be associated with religion at all. We usually see forms of worship such as prayer, fasting etc. as part of religion, but friendships? Well, remember Islam is a way of life, so you can’t be choosy and apply it to some areas of your life and not others. So yes our Islam has a say about who we befriend.
Let’s go back to the hadith. So if we look up the meaning of the phrasal verb “look to” in Arabic we realize it has a deeper meaning: “to look attentively and closely, scrutinize, weigh, consider carefully, and speculate.” Sounds like a scientific process, not a friend-choosing-process. In other words, every “potential friend” is pending approval. For this purpose, the Qur’an has actually gone through great pains to describe to us the kinds of friends we will encounter in our lives.
During our first BB4 Muslimas Halaqa we talked about a number of friends as they appear in Qur’an. The first kind we talked about are very close and intimate friends called “qareens” which mean “intimate companions.” They can either be from the Jinn (43:36) as Prophet Mohamed (saw) told us or humans (37:51-61). The second kind of friends are those around you in good ole times—called “khadool” (25:29). They are the opposite of the common saying, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” By the way, Shaytan is this kind of friend—don’t be surprised some of us befriend Shaytan—and on Judgment Day he will totally abandon all his friends. Another friend Allah (swt) warns against as well are “al-akhdaan” (5:5) who today are to girls “boyfriends” and to girls “boyfriends.” These are friends of the opposite sex with whom one has lewd relationships with out of wedlock.
Those were the negative kinds of friends. Let’s now look at the positive ones in the Qur’an. The first is a “rafeeq” (4:69) who at hours of need offers support and real comfort. A “rafeeq” should have the following characteristics: is righteous, relentlessly confirms the truth no matter the consequences, and is a walking example of Islam. Another great friend is a “walee” (5:55) who is a protective friend who has your back when you are in trouble—so you can definitely rely on them. Such friends are: Allah (SWT); the Messenger of Allah’s (saw) legacy; and the righteous Muslims who establish regular prayer, are humble, and purify their wealth through zakat. The third kind is a truthful friend– “sadeeq” (12:46)—who like a mirror gives you an honest image of yourself. A “sadeeq” is sincere in that he sees your flaws and points them out to you in all honesty. Another close friend whose love you feel deep in your heart, yea indeed you can almost call family is a “khaleel.” A “khaleel” is highly honored in the Qur’an for Allah (swt) took Prophet Ibrahim (as) as this type of friend. Moving on, another kind of friend appears in 70:10-11 in which Allah (swt) emphasizes the difficulty of the Day of Judgment, when those friends who were “hameem’s” in dunya would be within sight of each other but would each be occupied with redeeming himself. A “hameem” is a friend who expresses his friendship through actions, in other words they are willing to go all out for you. Yet, on the Day of Judgment you are a complete stranger to them.
How about friendships between Muslims and non-Muslims? The Qur’an handles the matter as well. In 9:16 Allah (swt) talked about the “waleeja.” This kind of friend is a trusted friend who is involved in your private matters. You do not want this kind of friend who is involved in your disputes, personal matters and secrets to be a non-Muslim or even any Muslim. They ought to be strong Muslim believers. And last but not least, Allah (swt) warns in 3:118 taking non-Muslims as “bitana” which literally means “inner lining of a garment” indicating a very close friend i.e. someone who is involved in all your personal matters. Your Mini-me! Your second-self! Allah (swt) warns that intentionally or unintentionally they cause you distress, and inflict loss upon you. This kind of friend should be well versed in the deen so that they are able to offer you true counsel, comfort and guidance. They show you the way to pleasing Allah (swt) and attaining Jannah.
Such are some of the kinds of “friends” in the Qur’an, and I am sure there are many others. But let’s take Prophet Mohammad’s (saw) advice to heart and pick out our friends with the utmost of care.
