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Friday Talks |
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Deterring against division and animosity
Written by: Sk Omar Ali
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
04 Muharrum 1432
h.10 De
cember 2010.
Slaves of Allah,
Today we talk about the duty and obligation of the unity of Muslims and talk about deterring against division and animosity between Muslims. The messenger ppbu said: { Do not break up, do not speak with ill intentions about one another behind their backs, do not hate each other and do not envy each other and be slaves of Allah and be brothers. No Muslim is permitted to desert his brother for more than three nights. They meet and they both shun off (reject) each other. The better of them is the one who starts with the peaceful greeting and he will be the first to go to paradise}.
Imam Malik explained that in his view plotting against your Muslim brother is: rejecting your brother and turning your face away from him. That means that in order to have the true meaning of Islam there has to be kindness, sympathy and compassion amongst Muslims without aggression and without hate. The messenger ppbu wanted all Muslims to remember his advice and act upon it, and that is for Muslims not to break up and not to abandon or desert each other. This is in order to remain a single coherent force that Satan can not have a go at.
Division and animosity are plots from Satan that Allah warned us against. Allah says: {Sata is an enemy of yours, and you should take him as enemy. Satan only preaches his followers so they will be the people of Hell} 35:6. Satan still declares animosity against sun of Adam since the time Satan was cursed and expelled from the mercy of Allah. Satan asked Allah postponement and for long life in order to misguide Allah’s slaves and lure them away from their faith. Allah says: {He said: Then go down from it. It is not for you to show pride here, so go forth, you are of those degraded. (13) He said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead). (14) He said: you are of those reprieved. (15) He said: Now, because you have sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on your right path. (16) Then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right hands and from their left hands, and You will not find most of them beholden (unto you)} 7:13-17. Satan kept on at Adam until he managed to get him out of paradise. And he kept on at the sons of Adam until he managed to put division and animosity between them. Satan; dear brothers and sisters; is eager to divide people and implant suspicion between them. He uses all ploys and tricks in order to achieve that. Allah says: {O you who believe, brewed drink and gambling and statues or idols and associates are only evil atrocity and handiwork of Satan. Leave it aside in order that you may succeed. (90) Satan seeks only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of alcoholic brewed drink and gambling, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. Will you then have done?}5:90-91. Satan is eager to cause division and animosity amongst the believers using every possible mean so they would separate, exactly what the messenger ppbu warned us against. Yet, in our present Islamic world today we see how a Muslim provokes his Muslim brother, and see how a Muslim is eager to hurt his Muslim brother and violates his honor and take away his property forgetting the messenger’s ppbu advice when he said: {the whole Muslim is forbidden to the Muslim, his blood, his money and his honor}. The messenger ppbu also said: {Satan has given up for people in the Arab peninsula to worship him, but he kept on working in turning them against each other}.
One of the greatest deeds to Satan is tempting sons of Adam into turning against one another. That is splitting a brother and a brother, and father and a son, and a wife and a husband. The messenger ppbu said: {Ibleece puts his throne on water and he sends divisions of his soldiers and the highest in status of them and closest to Ibleece is that who creates the greatest temptation. One of them would come and tell him about all he did with sons of Adam, and Ibleese answers him by saying: you didn’t do much. Until the one who says: I didn’t leave him until I managed to split between him and his wife. Then Ibleese brings him closer and says: yes you}.
Satan right from the old times managed to split Prophet Yousif and his brothers and put hatred into the hearts of his brothers to the point that they got red of him by dropping him into a well. The messenger ppbu said: {A Muslim is a brother to another Muslim, he must not oppress him or do him injustice, and he must not let him down, and he must not deny him or belittle him}
Two youngsters had a fight, one from those who emigrated from Mecca with the messenger ppbu (Muhajireen), and one from those who provided the refuge and support to the messenger ppbu in Madina (Ansar). One of the youngsters called for help saying: “All you Muhajireen come to the fight” and the other said: “All you Ansar come and fight”. The messenger ppbu came out and said: {that is the call of pre-Islamic ignorance}. The crowd indicated to the messenger ppbu that two Muslims are fighting and would they not support a Muslim? He said: {No harm of support. Let each man support his brother whether he was the aggressor or if he was the oppressed or victim. If he was the aggressor then support him by deterring him off his aggression. And if he was the victim then provide him with the support}.
The messenger ppbu said: {The true example of the love, kindness and sympathy amongst the faithful believers is like a single body. Whenever an organ suffers the rest of the body attends to it with lack of sleep and fever}. Yes the messenger ppbu advised us not break up, not to divide, not to plot against one another, and not to backbite each other, not to make false and fabricated accusations, and not to abandon each other at times of need, and not to hold hatred for each other, and not to abuse each other verbally or otherwise, and not to intentionally withhold what would be of benefit to others. And not to be a cause of animosity between other Muslims by delivering what some say about others with ill intentions to causing a bigger rift or divide between them. The messenger ppbu said: {Shall I tell what the rift or fracture is? It is the worst type of talk with ill intentions behind peoples back (Namimah)}.
Once the messenger ppbu was passing by two graves and he said: {those two are being tortured now, and they are not being tortured for a big sin, but its punishment is big, one of them used to practice ill backbiting (namimah), the other did not use to take care when urinating in avoiding getting drenched with urine on to his body and dress}. Then the messenger ppbu took two sticks off a dates tree and placed one on each grave and he said: {this may be a relief for them for as long as they don’t go dry}. This punishment or torture of the grave was due to the sin of turning Muslims against each other.
Imam Gazali said for whoever was talked to with an ill backbiting (namimah) that he recommends six points to follow:
1) One is not to believe a backbiter.
2) Is to deter him/her from doing so.
3) Is to dislike the backbiter for the sake of Allah.
4) Is not to have suspicion of the target of backbiting.
5) Is not to spy in order to verify the backbiting.
6) Is not to retell the message in backbiting to others.
Some good Muslim said: if someone backbites to you an ill talk about your own honor by allegedly being said by someone else, then snub him (who is bringing you backbite) even if he was one of your best brothers and say to him: if you believe this much about us then you and this who you claim has told you are the same. In fact you are worse than he is, because he did not make us hear this bad talk but you did. And if you believed this talk was false and not true about us then what is the point of bringing it to our attention.
One man told Wahb ebn Manbah (æåÈ ÅÈä ãäÈå) such a person has cursed you and ill spoke of you. He said to him: “and has Iblees (Satan) not found another man but you to deliver the message?”
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
- The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
- is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Aya (or Ayah):
- is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
- talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.
Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com
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