"Because You have thrown me out of the way, I will lie in wait for them on the straight way;(17) then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left, nor will you find in most of them gratitude (for your mercies)."
(A'raf: 16-17)
This Satanic tendency develops in the nature of the spiteful people and destroys their hearts. Islam has severely warned people to keep away from this forbidden tendency, and to give place to tranquility and satisfaction in life.
Anas bin Malik narrates that we were sitting with the Prophet when he said: "Just now a man of Paradise is coming to you." Immediately a man from Ansar came there. His beard looked disheveled from the water of ablutions (Wuzu), and he was carrying in his left hand his shoes. On the second day also the Prophet repeated the same words, and the same man again appeared before them, in the same condition. On the third also the Prophet repeated the same thing and the man of Ansar again appeared in the same condition. When the Prophet stood up, Abdullah bin A'mar went after that man, and said to him: "I have had a quarrel with my father, and I have sworn not to go to my house for three days. If you give me shelter, it would be most desirable." He said: "It is all right,"
Anas says that Abdullah bin A'mar says that he spent three nights in the company of that man, but he did not find him praying in the night, but whenever he went to bed, he used to remember Allah till he used to get up for the prayer of the morning. But Abdullah bin A'mar says that he did not hear anything from his mouth except words of goodness. Abdullah says:
"When three nights passed and in my eyes his conduct did not hold any importance, I told that man: 'O slave of God! I have neither quarreled with my father, nor have I severed relation with him. The fact is that I have heard the Prophet of Allah saying that a man of Paradise is coming before us, three times, and you appeared before us. Then I desired to stay with you and to see what act of yours is that - so that I may follow the same, but I did not see you doing any extraordinary work, What is the reason that the Messenger of Allah has said such a nice thing about you?
He replied: "The reality is what you have seen." When I was returning he called me and said: "The reality is the same that has been witnessed by you; however, I do not keep any spite against any of my Muslim brethren, and if Allah has blessed someone with any good thing, I am not jealous of him. Abdullah bin A'mar said: "This quality of yours must have reached the Prophet of Allah."
(Ahmed)
In another narration the words of the hadith are as follows:
"The thing that you have seen is correct. O my nephew ! I do not pass a night keeping spite against a Muslim."
(Bazzar)
Do not go near Jealousy
Islam has declared jealousy as haram (forbidden). Allah has commanded his Messenger to seek shelter from the mischief of jealous people, because jealousy is a spark that burns inside the bosom and hurts the jealous person as well as others.
The man who wishes that the good things of life should be destroyed; he becomes a source of trouble for the society. His conscience is not satisfied with anything, Allah's Messenger has said:
"in the stomach of a man, the dust flying in the path of Allah and the flames of hell cannot be together, nor can the faith and jealousy dwell together in the stomach of a man,"
(Baihaqui)
In another tradition it is mentioned:
"Keep away from jealousy, for jealousy eats up virtues in the same way as fire eats up wood."
(Abu Daud) The person who hates the rewarded person or the one deserving Allah's favors and wishes that they should have been deprived of those things, for such a man there are a number of causes which repel him from the realities of life.
The first cause is that he is imprisoned by the world and the lure of the wealth of the world. He fights for it, and he sheds tears for not achieving his material goal, and he entertains feeling of jealousy against those who are successful in this world. He is angry with them.
This is a great misunderstanding about comprehending both the worlds; and the fact is that he has completely ignored the next world and has closed his eyes from the necessity of making preparations for that world.
This negligence on his part has resulted in his reaching this condition. It is necessary that every man should prepare for the next world, and should be sorry for losing opportunities to do so.
"0 mankind! there has come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts, and for those who believe, a guidance and a mercy. Say: 'In the bounty of Allah, and In His mercy,-in that let them rejoice,.' that is better than the (wealth) they hoard."
{Yunus.. 57-58}
The man who is jealous is weak of determination, helpless, forgetful of his Lord, and unaware of his Lord's principles operative in this world. For this reason, when he fails to achieve something, he conspires and schemes against the successful people. As an. Arabic poet says:
"People became jealous of the young man because they could not reach up to his successes. So every one appears to be his enemy and opponent."
The proper thing for him was to turn to his Lord,
to seek His favors because his treasures are not limited to or reserved for any single person. After this he should again strive for his objective. It is quite likely that what he could not achieve in his first attempt could be available in the second. Undoubtedly this is much more desirable than nursing spite and rancour in his bosom.
There is a very big difference between jealousy and high ambition, in jealousy and desire and envy, in jealousy and not desiring any deviation in straight dealing, and in charity and in expressing displeasure against contamination. It is obvious that these two things cannot be placed together.
Ambition is the name of the desire for reaching the high pinnacle and of achieving it, and this is the quality of Allah's faithful slaves. Hazrat Sulaiman prayed to his Lord thus:
"My Lord ! Forgive me and bestow on me sovereignty such as shall not belong to any after me. Surely, You are the Bestower."
(Sad: 36)
A quality of the slaves of the Most Gracious that has been mentioned is that they pray to their Lord thus:
"Our Lord ! Vouchsafe us comfort of our wives and of our offspring, and make us patterns (leaders) of the righteous."
(Furquan: 74)
To achieve Allah's blessings it is necessary to strive for it and primarily to have a sincere desire for it. To grieve internally over another person's. achieving His blessings is an abominable tendency. There is a great difference between these two.
Envy is the name of the desire to have those gifts which Allah has bestowed on others. But since nursing such a desire and envy can also open the gateways of mischief, can encourage the inclination towards wrong desires, and can also incite for achieving that which is apparently beneficial but in the ultimate analysis harmful. Islam has, therefore, fixed the norms for the things for which a man can have desire and for which competition is permissible. Allah's Messenger has said: "Excepting two things, in no other thing jealousy is permissible:
One-it is permissible to be jealous of the man who has been given wealth by Allah and who is spending it in the cause of truth unhesitatingly,
and second, that man whom Allah has blessed with wisdom, in whose light he a1 takes decisions and imparts education in it to others."
The sense in which the word jealousy has been used in the hadith does not include the desire for bringing to in an end the blessing or the favour, but it means the efforts to achieve that blessing and having envy for that blessing has been termed as jealousy.
The idea is that the thing which a man should make his objective should be great and magnificent. It is lack of ambition or courage that a man should desire for small things, and should entertain expectations from them. There are many things which do not yield anything but distress and sorrow, and the spite against other people is generated because they think in an unhealthy hat manner as to way other people have achieved those things from which they are deprived.
About such things Allah says:
"In no wise covet those things in which Allah has bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on others, to men is allotted what they earn. And to women what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty; for Allah has full knowledge of all things."
(Nissa.. 32)
As regards disliking the untaught dealing in general conditions and matters, this is the rightful demand of justice and assertion. It has nothing to do with despicable jealousy.
If we feel angry that some person has earned a lot of benefits from a little labor, or has obtained a high ranking position, then such an anger is understandable and praiseworthy. This is a kind of public welfare which has nothing to do with jealousy.
Islam has been hearing and watching individuals at intervals, so that it may clean them of the impurities of spite and enmity, and may nourish in the hearts of the general people clean and pure feelings for their good, and for itself also. Every day, every week and every year arrangements are made for the cleaning of the individuals, so that their dirt and filth may be removed, defects may be done away with, and even the slightest trace of spite and rancor may not be found in the faithful heart.
About the daily Farz salat (compulsory prayer) it has been clarified that its reward will not be given to a Muslim unless his heart is not found free from ill will against others, and is not bereft of all disputes, quarrel enmity and rancor against the people. Allah's Messenger has said: "There are three persons whose prayer does not rise even a fist above their heads. One is that man who leads the prayers of others who do not like it. Second is that woman who spends her night in such a way that her husband is displeased with her. And third are those two brothers who have severed their relations with each other." (Ibn Maja) Every week the acts of Muslims are evaluated. Allah sees every week what a Muslim has collected for the next world, and what feelings are hidden in his heart. If his bosom is free from spite and rancor, then he is saved from destruction, and if it is filled with the feeling of displeasure, jealousy and ill will then he remains backward in the field of action. Allah's Messenger has said: "Every Monday and Thursday men's acts are placed before Allah. On these days Allah forgives the sins of everybody, except the polytheists. However, if there is a person who has spite and rancor against his brother, He says about them: “Leave these two alone in their condition till they come to a settlement." (Muslim)
It is not correct for a Muslim that the days an nights may pass off and he should be shackled for the whole year in the chains of enmity and spite, and tied with the handcuffs of rancor and ill-will. Allah grant gifts to those who are sincere and broad-minded. In the hadith it is mentioned:
“In the night of the 15th of Sha'ban, Allah acquaints himself of the conditions of His slaves. So He forgives those who seek His pardon, bestows mercy on those seeking mercy, and leaves the spiteful people alone."
(Baihaqui)
Even after this much cleansing if a man leaves this world carrying the dirt and filth of spite, rancor and jealousy, then he deserves to be burnt in the fire of hell.
The man whose cleansing has not been possible by the , Shariah, the fire of hell will reach him and it will not be helpless in burning his sins and his enmity.
Spite and jealousy and the diseases which were created by them have been condemned by Islam, and they have developed and progressed because man is a prisoner of the world and the desires to achieve it, and the longing to enjoy the pleasures and luxuries of life to the utmost keep him in trouble.
But if some one is hated for Allah, if a man gets angry in the cause of truth, or if tumultuous enthusiasm and liking is displayed to achieve righteousness and virtue, then this is quite a different matter.
It is no sin for a Muslim if he severs his relation till the end of his life with such persons as disobey the commands of Allah, or who cross the limits of Shariah. If he hates such persons or declares his enmity towards them, then he cannot be blamed for that; on the contrary it is a sign of his perfect faith, selflessness and sincerity.
Allah has commanded us that we should keep away from His enemies, even if they may be our relatives:
"0 you who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure
in disbelief rather than faith. Whosoever of you takes them for friends, such are wrongdoers."
One whose company is bad, who has the habits meanness and of talking glibly and endlessly, to keep away from such a one is necessary.
And one who has committed a wrong against Allah to punish such a one there is nothing wrong if that on is boycotted for a fixed period, because the Prophet had severed his relation with some of his wives for a period of forty days and Abdullah bin Umar did not have an relation with one of his sons till his death, because he had rejected one command of the Messenger of Allah.
His father, Abdullah bin Umar narrated a hadith' which women were allowed to go to the mosques, but his son had rejected this hadith. CHAPTER 13 STRENGTH Faith-A Revolutionary Strength
A firm and strong faith is such a never-drying spring, from which flow the strength for the desired activities, coveted courage and forbearance to tolerate adversities and to face dangers. It creates in man such a restless feeling and deep attachment to his ideal that if he is unable to achieve his coveted objective, he does not hesitate to partake of the drink of death.
When faith finds a place in a man's heart and takes deep roots in it, it brings out these results only. It fills a man's heart and mind with such power and strength that cover and influence all his dealings. Accordingly, when he opens his mouth, he talks with confidence and certainty. When he undertakes a work, he attends to it with full interest and sincerity. When he starts on a journey, his destination is before his eyes. If he enjoys the wealth of the correct end firm thinking, the world of the heart too is inhabited by the enthusiasm and restless courage. Hesitation and ambivalence do not find a place in his heart, and high-velocity winds do not move him from his path or make him deviate from his objective. It will not be surprising if he says to every one, in the words of an Urdu poet:
"Come here O tyrant! we will try our art,
"You try your arrow, and I will try my liver (courage)."
And he may challenge the people around him thus:
"You work in your manner, I too am acting. Soon you will know who will get disgraceful punishment, and who will get the everlasting punishment."
(Zumar : 39-40)
This challenging accent, this independent spirit in action and deeds, this self-confidence in understanding truth and tradition are the qualities which make him a distinguished personality in life. He deals with the people in the light of the facts seen and experienced by him. If he finds the people on a policy which is right f and truthful, he extends his hand for co-operation; and if he finds them committing errors, he withdraws himself, ,and leaves his conscience alive and wakeful.
Allah's Messenger has said:
"Everyone of you should desist from walking with every traveler. He should not say that he is with the people, and that if people would do good deed, he would also do the good deeds; and that if they would do wicked deeds then he would co-operate with them. You should prepare yourself to co-operate with them if they do righteous deeds and to keep away if they do wicked deeds." (Tirmizi)
But one who is weak, the current customs and habits make one their slave. On such a man's conduct rule the things which are current in the society. If these customs and practices are wrong and destructive, then he carries the burden of the troubles of this world as well as of the next.
Among the people, various kinds of innovations have become customary on the occasions of celebrations and mourning. They pay more attention to performing these innovative acts than on the realities of the religion.
But a straight-going Momin does not take any interest in these things, for which there is no supportive proof in religion. He is confronted with opposition and experiences difficulties in opposing the popular and customary rituals, but it is obvious that he need not care for any condemnation from anybody in the affairs of Allah. He has to achieve his ideal. No weapon of criticism and fault-finding and no injuries from tongue can obstruct his way.
Falsehood which sometimes is successful is subsequently ruled by powerful individuals. They then destroy its position and rank. This also cannot stay for a long time with the help and support of its allies, because many enemies who are today with it, having been deceived by falsehood, tomorrow they would become the supporters of the other enemies; they approve of their aims and objects after knowing their character and pledge their support after severe hostility and spite.
Ibn Abbas has narrated that Allah's Messenger has said:
"He who has displeased Allah for seeking the pleasure of the people, Allah is displeased with him and those people are also displeased for pleasing whom he had earned Allah's displeasure. And he who pleases Allah by displeasing the people, Allah is also pleased with him and also those people whom he had displeased for pleasing Allah, so much so that He made him splendid and his speech and acts in the eyes of others beautiful."
(Tibrani)
A Muslim should stick to what he believes to be true, and he should ignore all the insults, fun-making, and difficulties with which he is confronted. He should adopt for himself such a policy through following which he should always try to get rewards (sawab) from Allah. If those, who believe in superstitions and absurd things, make fun of the faithful people and laugh at them, then it is necessary for a Momin to be strong and to stand his ground with firmness.
"When they see you, (0 Muhammed !) they treat you only as a jest (saying): Is this he whom Allah sends as a messenger? He would have led us far away from our gods if we had not been staunch to them. They will know, when they behold the doom, who is more astray as to the road."
(Furqan : 42-43)
No doubt, a Muslim must feel in his personality the strength of belief and in his heart the pressure and awe of faith. If the things around him do not influence him, then he is like a rock which is not moved by the lashing of the waves of the sea. What harm these men can inflict on a man who feels in his heart the strength of faith and belief, and on account of his relation with his Lord and steadfastness in his religion feels in himself a new determination and a fresh courage ? If all these rush and attack, they will not be able to harm him a bit. Ibn Abbas says that he was sitting on a mount be- hind the Prophet. The Prophet said:
"O child! remember Allah, He will take care of you. Remember Allah, you will find Him everywhere. Recognize Allah's rights in your prosperity, He will recognize you in your adversity. If you want to ask anything, ask from Allah. If you need help, seek help from Allah, for if all the men together decide to help, they will not be able to do so, if Allah has not written that for you and they have no control over it. And if all of them decide to inflict some harm on you which Allah has not meant for you, they cannot harm you a bit. The ink of the pen has been dried and the sheets have been collected."
The fact is that in a Muslim the basis of strength and power is the belief in the oneness of Allah. Similarly other virtues prevent him from accepting any disgrace and insult in this world, because a Muslim is most honored and of high rank on account of his relationship with the heavens. In his own sphere of faith he has the power to become a whole community. These are Allah's words, speaking for him:
"Say: 'Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who feeds and is never fed?' Say: 'I am ordered to be the first to surrender (to Him). And be not you (0 Muhammed !) of the idolaters'.'"
(An'am: 14).
Determination and Trust-the best Manifestation of Strength
Islam has declared achievement of strength and power essential. Its one characteristic and manifestation is that you make a firm determination and a strong resolve to achieve, with the help of your nearest available means and resources, your objective. Try your utmost in achieving your goal. You should leave no stone unturned and no room for chance, and thereafter leave the outcome in the hands of destiny. There are many individuals who take Allah's shelter in order to cover their objectionable defects reprehensible negligence, inability and laziness, and grumble against luck. Islam has disapproved of this tendency.
Auf bin Malik says that Allah's Messenger once gave a decision in a dispute of two people. When the man against whom the Prophet's decision was given was returning, said:
"For me Allah is sufficient, and He is the best support." The Prophet said: "Allah sends curses on helplessness and weakness. You should give proof of your wisdom. When you are overpowered in any matter say: 'For me Allah is sufficient, and He is the best support'."
It is the duty of everybody that he should make full efforts and try to the best of his ability to overcome his difficulty, till the time he achieves his objective. If he overpowers his difficulties then he has fulfilled his responsibility. However, if after making all the efforts he fails, then at such a time the support of Allah is the best shelter for him, which would help him to overcome the sense of defeatism and frustration. In both the states he is strong and powerful. First by making efforts and working, and in the second case by relying on God he receives strength.
Islam does not like that in your affairs you should be a prey to vagueness and hesitation, You should not be undecided in the matter of selecting the advantageous alternative. Your head should not be filled up with doubts and misgivings, resulting in an atmosphere of indetermination and indecision, making it difficult for you to come to a decision. It does not like that due to your weakness you may not be able to strongly hold the advantageous things in your firm grip, and they should slip through your fingers and may be wasted. This restlessness and indecision does not become a Muslim.
Allah's Prophet has said:
“ A strong Momin is better than a weak Momin and is more liked by Allah, and there is good ill each one. Desire profitable things and seek Allah's help and be humble. If you are harmed then do not say that had you done in this way the result would have been different, but say Allah is Controller, whatever He likes He may decide, because the botheration of ifs and buts opens the door of the devil's workshop."
(Muslim)
What is the work of Satan? To remind of the troubles and the difficulties of the past, which would create a sense of heart-breaking disappointment and de-privation. Man thinks about the prospects of his present and future. As regards shedding tears on the defeats of the past, to bring back the memory of the past sadness, to think of old enmities and to be entangled in the net of ifs and buts, are inclinations which do not suit the conduct of a Muslim. Quran has listed them with sorrow and frustration in those manifestations which are generated in the hearts of the infidels:
"0 you who believe ! Be not as those who disbelieved and said of their brethren who went abroad in the land or were fighting in the field : If they had been (here) with us they would not have died or been killed; that Allah may make it anguish in their hearts. Allah gives life and causes death and Allah is Observer of what you do."
( Ale Imran .. 156)
One hadith has it:
"One who wants to be strong among men, should rely on Allah."
Trust in Allah which makes a man powerful is a kind of confidence in Allah, which saves a man from destruction at a time when he is surrounded on all sides by harrowing difficulties, and when he is unable to get help from anyone else, nor is there any hope of getting it from elsewhere.
Accordingly he becomes a mountain of strength at the time of confrontation with the enemy. If the reliance is on Allah, then in spite of the shortage of weapons and war equipment and insufficient number of supporters, he feels that he has a strong support. From this trust in Allah he receives encouragement and support to be steadfast. He sticks to his job till in the dark and frightening atmosphere the glad tidings of victory are heard by him. The holy Quran says that trust is such an eternal food for war that with its help prophets and their followers have bravely and successfully faced the tyrants of their time:
"How should we not put our trust in Allah when He has shown US our ways? We surely will endure that hurt you do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust"
(Ibrahim: 12)
The faithful and their supporters stand their ground, sticking to their mandate. They have expectations of well-being in the future. They have full confidence that their present weakness will be converted into a powerful victorious force, but the wicked and evil rulers and their disciples term this determination and trust of the faithful as their pride and madness:
"When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease said: 'Their religion has deluded these. Whosoever puts his trust in Allah (will find that) surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise."
(AI-Anfal: 49)
The correct and true trust is that which accompanies profitable striving and firm determination. From these things trust became deprived when the face of Islam was disfigured and religion was made a plaything For becoming strong and powerful a Muslim should take care that he keeps away from the life of wickedness and evil, loves the policy of cleanness and steadfastness. A man who is ill mannered, and bereft of decency and consideration, cannot attain strength. He should put on the hide of the beasts and walk in the wake of the kings as a servant.
Allah informed the nation of Hud, that was tyrant and rebellious against Allah, the correct and profitable causes of strength:
"Ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him repentant ; He will cause the sky to rain abundance on you and will add to you strength to your strength. Turn not away, guilty.”
(Hud: 52)
The kind Prophet wanted to present the worship to the people in a beautiful form and to persuade them to perform it. When a man performs a righteous deed, he opposes the Satan and tries to rise towards the angels. At that time how great becomes his sanctity and magnificence! To focus attention on this the Prophet has explained it by giving an example:
"When Allah created the earth, it tilted and was unsteady. Accordingly Allah put the stakes , (nails) of mountains in it, and it became steady, and stood in one position. The angels were amazed by the strength of the mountains. They asked the Creator: 'Our Lord! Have you created anything harder than the mountains ?' He replied: 'Yes, Iron is harder than this.' The angels again asked: ”Is anything harder than iron ?' He said: 'Yes, Fire has more power,' They asked: 'Is there any- thing more powerful created by you than fire ? He said: 'Yes. Water is more powerful than this.' The angels asked: 'Does anything among your created things exist more powerful than water ? He said: 'Yes, air has more power than this.' They asked: : 'Have you created anything more powerful than air ?' He said: 'Yes. Adam's son is more powerful, provided he gives charity from his right hand without letting his left hand know it." (Tirmizi)
Man is the strangest creature of the universe. The day his personality attains greatness and excellence of moral character he becomes the hunter of the universe. He brings under his control the hardest and the most powerful things of the universe, and derives benefit from it. But the day when his personality declines, he earns the curses of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, and the particles of dust carry him with them in their flight.
In the hadith quoted above the value and importance of such a virtuous man has been mentioned who tries to forge ahead in the field of righteousness and who tries to touch the heights of excellence and decency.
One factor of strength is that a Muslim should be in the habit of stating the truth unhesitatingly. He should meet people with an open heart, and on the basis of righteous values and principles. He should not compromise in the matter of truth, so that his decency and his companions' character may not be tarnished.
He should consider his strength a direct outcome of his belief which he represents and for which he is alive. He should never waver in unhesitatingly and courageously proving a reality.
It is reported that when the Prophet's son Ibrahim died, the sun went into an eclipse. The people said that the eclipse was due to the death of Ibrahim. Allah's Messenger gave a sermon to the people, and said:
"The eclipse of the sun and the moon are not on account of the death or life of some person, but they both are the signs of Allah, which He shows to His slaves. So when you see the eclipse of the sun or the moon, you run for offering salat."
(Bukhari)
A man who breathes in the atmosphere of realities, does not compromise with falsehood and absurdities. He is always indifferent to such things, and his uncompromising words point to the vast treasure of greatness and nobility, whose owner does not derive any benefit from deception and his character, stands on the rock of excellent moral character.
The performance of the duty of ordering the righteous thing and preventing the commitment of the forbidden thing comes from the personal excellence, because it results from the courageous talk of the sincere people who want to earn Allah's reward by ending their own egoist leanings.
In our other books we have explained the social and political objectives which is related to the performance of the righteous and the forbidding of the forbidden. (Author's Arabic book)
Here what we want to emphasize is that a Muslim must necessarily straight away criticize the general evils, should be courageous in attacking them. neither the fear of a big man nor the consideration for a relative should prevent him from doing the right thing, and in the path of Allah no condemnation from any source should block his away.
Islam has disliked that a man should feel weak in the presence of wicked and evil persons, and should address them in a respectable way. Allah's Messenger has said: "When a man addresses a hypocrite as 'Ya Sayyedi' (My master), he makes Allah very wrathful." This is a double crime that a man should not respect the Allah's commands about forbidden things, and then he should only listen to those who think him respectable and should not care for those who consider him mean and humble:
"He whom Allah scorns. there is none to give him honor. Surely, Allah does what He will."
(Hajj: 18)
Islam has declared backbiting as haram, so that man's life may continue and the factors of strength may remain in it, for the man who states the defects of a person in his absence and derives satisfaction from it, is undoubtedly very mean and low.
But the man who has the strength to respond to the motivation and call of truth, he stops those whom he likes, in whatever manner and words he thinks proper he criticizes them. He does not keep anything hidden in his heart for condemning anybody behind the scene.
However it does not mean that we may address anybody whom we like in an insulting way. If we find any defects in persons, we may fix up certain] norms about dealing with them.
If his defect is limited to his own person or if it is not in consonance with his position, then it would be foolish to castigate him in his presence or in his absence.
And if his steps are slipping towards a sin, and he does not seem to be in a mood to give it up like a horse who flounders and falls on his face then to defame such a person among the people is meanness.
However, if he is a blatant sinner, and he openly breaks the rights of Allah and usurps the rights of his fellow men, then it is necessary that he should be opposed with the words of truth and without caring for anybody he should be properly warned.
Since this dialogue has to be straight, it is necessary that curses and abuses should be avoided and physical hurt should be averted. The purpose should be to change the bad habit and to reform the individual and the society. It does not mean that his mention before his enemies should be in demeaning words, so that you may get closer to their hearts, or may derive some benefits or may claim yourself to be innocent of those sins. Allah's Messenger has said:
"He who has eaten food in exchange for the honor of a Muslim, Allah will feed him fire of hell in compensation on the Doomsday; and he who put on clothes in exchange for dishonoring a Muslim, Allah will clothe him in compensation with the cloth of hell fire; and if he who earned respect and fame by playing with the chastity of a Muslim, Allah will make him taste fully for this on the Doomsday."
Backbiting is the policy of the weak persons, and "only those people try to indulge in backbiting who are unable to strive for themselves." Sycophants are Disliked by Islam
Islam dislikes those persons who become merely a supplement of other people, those persons who live on the charity of others, those who want to live like foxes that is content with eating the remnants of a Lion's prey.
A Muslim is much above this kind of living, to maintain himself in this superficial way on the support of others. It is necessary that he should shun all places or situations of insults and ignominy, and should go to the end of the world in search of a life of honor and dignity.
Allah's Messenger has talked of the people of the Paradise and their companions, and the people of the hell and their companions. Accordingly he has mentioned in the first group the good qualities and advantages of strength, decency and morality, while in the other group he has mentioned the infamy, ignominy, helplessness and immoral enjoyments.
"People of paradise will be of three kinds. First that powerful man who was just and balanced in his dealings, who popularized the practice of charity and virtue, and adopted the attitude of softness and rightness. Second will be that person who was kind, who was soft hearted for every relative and every Muslim. Third will be that person who having a wife and children, yet was able to save himself from the forbidden things. In the people of the hell will be that dishonest person whose greed will not be discernible, but he would be indulging in misappropriation, that man who may deceive you every morning and evening in connection with your property and your family. And the Prophet talked about miserliness, falsehood, speaker of vulgarity and ill-mannered person, and said:
"Allah has inspired me to say that you should be humble and none should feel proud, nor should anyone oppress others."
(Muslim)
Although many occasions come when a Muslim is caught in dilemmas and sometimes he feels mean in his own eyes, if he is bound by these melancholic handcuffs. Accordingly the fear of individual infamy and social ignominy sometimes compel a man to be inactive.
He thinks on wrong lines and considers these misfortunes as bad omen. His productivity in the field of life reduces considerably. But it is the responsibility of a Muslim that he should break all these chains of sorrow and adversities and should strive fully to extricate himself from these crippling curbs.
The last Prophet of Allah used to pray for shelter under his Lord from all these adversities:
"O Allah! I seek shelter through you from sorrow and hardship. I seek shelter from humility and laziness, and through you seek shelter from cowardice and miserliness, from the defeat of the religion and from the cruelty and tyranny of the oppressors."
Patience and hope are the weapons of the present and the future. In their company man is able to bear the severest of the hardships and is not disgraced, and all sides of his life become more safe from evils, and he rises above the mischief and trials, because he is a Momin a faithful slave who begs and supplicates in humbles before Allah only. CHAPTER 14 TOLERANCE AND PARDON Tolerance and Forbearance
People react differently to the motivations and the occasions that generate feelings of sorrow and pain.
Some people are provoked by ordinary things, and they become unmindful of every thing and in haste take a very unwise step. But there are also such persons as pass through various hardships and adversities and yet do not forget to behave with seriousness, wisely, with tolerance and good manners.
It is true that the original nature of a man and his natural temperament playa very big part in a man's being hot- tempered or softhearted, serious or hasty, righteous or wicked. But there is a very deep relation between a man's self- confidence and his solemn behavior with others and in forgiving the errors of others. In reality, the more good mannered and perfect a big man is, in the same proportion his heart will be big and the circle of his tolerance and forbearance will be wide. He will try to find the extenuating circumstances for the errors of others and will accept their apologies when offered. If anybody may attack him with the intention of injuring him, he will look at him as a philosopher looks at the children playing marbles on the roads, and will ignore him.
We have seen that anger makes a man mad. A man is disgraced in his own sight, when he feels that he has been put to great humiliation, and feels that this blot cannot be removed without shedding blood.
Can a man who has high moral character take such a step merely because he has to pass through sorrow and pain? Never. Those who indulge in inflicting insults on others are disgraced in their own eyes before insulting others.
This is what we understand from the tolerance and forbearance shown by Hud. He invited his nation to accept the belief of oneness of Allah. His nation greeted him with abuses, curses and accusations which he tolerated peacefully. The people of his nation said:
"Indeed, we see you in foolishness, and surely, we deem you of the liars. He said.. 'O my people!
There is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds. I convey to you the message of my Lord and am for you a true adviser'." ,
(AI-A'raf.. 66-68)
The abusing and the curses of the Nation of Hud did not provoke him, because there is a lot of difference between the two groups. On the one side is a man whom God has selected to be His Messenger. He is a representative of goodness and righteousness. On the other side are persons who are imbedded in ignorance and foolishness, and vying with each other in worshipping stones. On account of their foolishness they think that the stone idols are the masters of their destiny. How can a great teacher be disheartened by the misbehavior of such a flock ?.
How Allah's Messenger imbibed the qualities of tolerance and forbearance to his companions can be understood from the following tradition, which shows the foolishness of an Arab and the love and serenity of the Prophet. It is reported that a Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked for something, and the Prophet gave him something, and asked: "Did I treat you well 1" The Bedouin replied: "No, you have not treated me well." Hearing this, the Muslims got angry and advanced towards him. The Prophet made a sign to stop them. Then he got up and went to his house and gave him some more gift, and again asked: "Did I treat you well ?" He replied: "Yes, may Allah grant prosperity to your family." The Prophet said to him: "Whatever you have said to me, is alright in its place, but my companions are angry in regard to you, if you like you may repeat before them whatever you have said to me so that the anger from their heart may be removed." He said that it was agreeable to him. When the morning came, he came again, and the Prophet pointed towards him and said: "On what this Arab had said, I gave him something more, and now he says that he is happy and pleased. Is that so ?" The Bedouin replied: "Yes, May Allah grant prosperity to your family."
Then Allah's Messenger said: "My example and that of this man is like that of a man whose she-camel bas been lost and the people ran after her to catch her, but the animal was more startled; so that man told his companions: 'Leave me and my she-camel alone, I know her ways more and I can bring her to the right path,' Accordingly he lifted some grass from the ground in his two hands and showed it to the she-camel. it returned and sat near his feet, He tied the 'kajawa' on her back and rode her,"
"If I were to leave you when he was using foul language, you would have killed him and he would have been sent to hell,"
The kind Prophet was not provoked in the beginning from the misbehavior of the bedouin, He understood his nature and temperament, which was like that of the illiterates who are habituated to wild and foul language, if such people are summarily punished, then they will be destroyed and it would be unjust.
But the great reformers do not allow the errors of people reach such a sad end. They try to remove the. ignorance and emotionalism of the people by their tolerance and forbearance, so persistently that they have to turn to rigorous things, and they become all praise for them.
The wisest of the wise intellectual and the wealthiest man cannot reach his destination, however charitable and generous he may be. Of what use is that charity which is meant for making people indebted to the giver?
It is not unlikely that the bedouin whose satisfaction was bought by giving him money might have become a wealthy man himself subsequently and he might have performed a great deed by giving his life willingly. In reality the wealth given by such great reformers is meant for such needy people, or in other words such a wealth is like the grass growing on the ground which is lifted in the hands and shown to the startled she-camel, and by means of it and by a little display of love the astray mounts are called near so that they may be used for traveling great distances.