Taunting a Muslim

A Warning from the Ahaadeeth

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu  ‘alayhi waSallam) said :

“Whoever taunts a brother (Muslim) with a sin (which the Muslim had committed), will not die until he (the taunter) commits the same sin.”

(Tirmizi Shareef)

This Hadeeth warns us of a very grave and serious consequence of looking down upon and mocking those who have repented of their sins. This is one reason (amongst others) why so many find themselves involved in major sins.

…When a person derides, scoffs and scorns at another person for his past sins, adopting an attitude of mock holiness, such a person is paving his way to the ditches of sins, and ends up falling into the very same sins.

These words of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu  ‘alayhi waSallam) should not be taken lightly. …If a person mocks at or deliberately reminds another of his past sins – which the person had sincerely repented of, thus causing him or her grief and hurt, then as is mentioned in the Hadeeth, such a person should expect to find himself or herself in the same gutter of evil. (May Allah Ta’ala protect us all.) 

How grave the situation would be if we mocked, jeered at, or disgraced a person who had sincerely repented of zina, or ribaa^[1], or gambling, or drugs and alcohol ? Would we like the disgrace and stigma of that same sin in our lives ?

No, we would not. …We should therefore carefully reflect over this reality and curb any evil, foul tendency of the nafs to disgrace another person over sins already given up… If not, we will inevitably disgrace ourselves.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu  ‘alayhi waSallam) also said : “Whoever conceals the wrong-doings of a brother Muslim, Allah will conceal his wrong-doings on the Day of Judgment, and whoever will publicize the wrong-doings of a brother Muslim, Allah will disclose his wrong-doings to the people, so much so that he will be disgraced sitting in his own house.”^[2]

Allah Ta’ala has mentioned in the Qur’aan Shareef regarding those who make Taubah:

إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوّٰبِينَ

“…Verily Allah loves those who repent…”

[Surah Baqarah 2 : 222]

When Allah Ta’ala, Himself, is stating that the one who has made sincere Taubah has become beloved to Him, who are we to criticize and condemn? His sin has been Divinely forgiven, and he has become a beloved of Allah Ta’ala.

Of course, if a person is indulging in sins – whether flagrantly or secretly, and one is aware, then in an approachable manner, with tact and wisdom, the duty of ‘Amr bil Maroof and Nahy anil Munkar’ should be carried out – encourage towards good, and forbid the evil.

We should keep in mind the Hadeeth :

‘ A sincere repenter of sins is like one

who has not committed sins.’

By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)

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[1] Ribaa : usury

[2] Ibn Majah

Qasms

Taking a Qasm (Oath) in the name of Allah Ta’ala has become all too common in these days. Qasms are taken for almost anything and everything, and often, over trivial matters – so much so that many take a Qasm and lie – (Na`uzu Billahi min zaalik)^[1]

What has happened, is that we have ‘reduced’ the greatness of taking a Qasm in the name of Allah Ta’ala.

A Qasm^[2] should only be taken if necessary.

Taking a Qasm is not to be treated in the light hearted manner that we do, or as a joke – that any little thing or on petty and silly issues, a person utters some oath, and sometimes many, many times in a day. It becomes a mockery of the name of Allah Ta’ala.

If a person has to break an oath or do something contrary to his oath, then he will have to give ‘kaffarah’. [3]

§ Kaffarah comprises of feeding 10 persons with two meals each. Alternatively, he could give some dry groceries to each poor person.

§ He also has the option of giving some clothing to 10 poor persons. The clothing must be such that it can cover a major portion of the poor person’s body.

§ If a person is poor and is unable to fulfill the requirements of Kaffarah, he will have to fast for 3 days consecutively.

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[1]  Na-oozu Billahi min zaalik :  We seek Allah’s protection from that.

[2] It is a major sin to take an oath in the name of anyone other than Allah Ta’ala.

[3] There are many more masaa`il (rules) relating to Oaths, Vows and Kaffarah. Refer to the Beheshti Zewar or a reliable kitaab of Jurisprudence or find out details from an Aalim.

By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)

Short Lessons in Anger Management

Bismihi Ta'ala

“Anger cannot be rooted out. What is necessary is to manage anger; 

to control anger."                 

[Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (RA)]

For advice and guidance on how to control Anger, 

listen to the after Zuhr talks of Hazrat Maulana:

http://yunuspatel.co.za/audio-ramadaan-musjidnoor-2009.php

Saturday	22-08-2009	After Zuhr	This is a month of detoxification. We should make up our minds to give up our addictions, weak points and sins. Take courage, make the little effort and have the firm intention to give them up.
Monday	24-08-2009	After Zuhr	Anger: We need to learn control over this anger
Tuesday	25-08-2009	After Zuhr	Anger is to be swallowed. It is one thing which will not break the fast.
Wednesday	26-08-2009	After Zuhr	Hadeeth : Don’t be angry. We are being x-rayed when at the Raudah  Mubarak.
Saturday	29-08-2009	After Zuhr	Treatment for Anger …
Sunday	30-08-2009	After Zuhr	Discussion on: And those who swallow their anger and forgive people…
Monday	31-08-2009	After Zuhr	The damage of anger
Tuesday	01-09-2009	After Zuhr	Our anger is directed to those who are weaker, not stronger. Good character is a means of spreading Islam.
Wednesday	02-09-2009	After Zuhr	One is to know the sickness and the other is to know the cure.
Thursday	03-09-2009	After Zuhr	The most powerful wrestler is one who suppresses his anger.

Watering the Root

The main reason for being unable to solve the many problems the Muslim community is facing presently is that we are misdirecting our energies in ‘watering leaves’, when in actual fact, the ‘root’ is in dire need of water. …We are not getting to the root of the problem, since we are too pre-occupied in watering the leaves of our problems.

Take the example of Zina (adultery and fornication) which is the scourge of our society: The consequences are illegitimate children, abortions and various physical and deathly diseases. It is common knowledge that many physical ailments today point to immoral, unrestrained behaviour as the cause.

Having moved away from the Nasihah (advice) of Qur`aan Shareef and Sunnah, and drawing from the manner in which the non-Muslims try to remedy their problems, many will suggest that a home be built for illegitimate and abandoned children, that more awareness be instilled in the youth on Aids and other transmitted diseases, and so forth.

As we all know, drugs are another major problem amongst our youth. Our attention to remedying the situation is building rehabilitation centres.

…Because we have adopted the Western way of thinking, we consider these the solutions.

The root cause is the heart. Change the condition of the heart and automatically sins will be given up.

If the spiritual heart is in a good condition, the actions will be good. If the heart is not in good condition, the actions will be bad. The person will suffer due to his own evil and mischief, and others will also suffer as a result.

The supreme qualities of the heart are Imaan and Taqwa, and this is what is lacking in most people. Shariah has laid tremendous emphasis on the purification of the heart.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) lived amongst a people who were immersed in sins, including sins such as adultery, liquor and gambling. His approach and method in eradicating those major problems, in that society, was creating the love of Allah Ta’ala, the Khauf (fear) of Qiyaamah and accountability, and the awareness that Allah Ta’ala is watching every deed: A person can hide and conceal his sins from people but there is Someone who is always watching from above.

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur`aan Shareef :

“Verily your Lord is Ever – Watchful (over them).”

[Surah Al-Fajr 89 : 14]

 “…And He is with you wheresoever you may be.

And Allah sees well all that you do.”

[Surah Hadeed 57 : 4 ]

In this manner, so many problems are solved in one capsule – The capsule of the Love and Fear of Allah Ta’ala. This is the real solution : Change the condition of the heart. Awaken the spiritual heart. Make the heart conscious of Allah Ta’ala.

Otherwise funds are being terribly burdened on various projects which are sometimes short term measures and not solutions.

The purpose of the Qur`aan Shareef is to learn it, understand it and practice upon its teachings.

It is the Qur`aan Shareef that works on the heart : If the person keeps before him the four witnesses which will either testify in his favour or against him, on the Day of Qiyaamah, he will definitely opt for abstinence from sins.

These four witnesses are :

                      I.            The Earth, which witnesses our deeds:

 “On that Day will she (the earth) declare her tidings.”

[Surah Zilzaal 99 :4]

                   II.            The Angels, Kiraaman Kaatibeen, who record all of our actions :

“But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you;

Kind and honourable, writing down (your deeds).

They know (and understand) all that you do.”

[Surah Infitaar 82 : 10 / 11 / 12]

                 III.            Our Book of Deeds, in which the actions are recorded :

“And the Book (of Deeds) will be placed (before you); And you will see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein; They will say : ‘Ah! Woe to us! What a book is this ! It leaves out nothing. Small or great, but takes account thereof!’ They will find all that they did, placed before them : And not one will your Lord treat with injustice.”

[Surah Al-Kahf  18 : 49]

                 IV.            Limbs of the body, which will testify against the person :

“That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did.”

[Surah Yaaseen 36 :65]

If the root of Imaan, which is in the heart, is watered, the tree of Imaan will bear the fruit of obedience.

The above is the solution to all our problems.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding and the Taufeeq of Amal.

By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb

(Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)