The Humblest Branch of Faith

"O young man, know that faith has more than seventy branches." said the man with walking stick to young wayfarer. Then he said, "The most excellent of these is to declare,لاَ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ اللّهُ, (there is no worthy of worship but Allah), and the humblest of the ranks is to remove a harmful thing from the road. The teaching of the Prophet (ﷺ), is to remove injurious and harmful things from people's passage. These may be thorns, garbage, and so on. This is the lowest of the branches of faith and the last symbol of civility. There is a story of the man who earned Paradise on this simple task." The young wayfarer said, "Please, tell me the story!"
The man said, "Abu Huraira,رضي الله عنه, reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said,

مَرَّ رَجُلٌ بِغُصْنِ شَجَرَةٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِ طَرِيقٍ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لأُنَحِّيَنَّ هَذَا عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لاَ يُؤْذِيهِمْ ‏.‏ فَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ

"A person while walking along the path saw the branches of a tree lying there. He said: By Allah, I shall remove these from this so that these may not do harm to the Muslims, and he was admitted to Paradise." - [Sahih Muslim]

Another version is that Abu Huraira,رضي الله عنه, reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that he saw a person enjoying himself in Paradise because of the tree that he cut from the path which was a source of inconvenience to the people. - [Sahih Muslim]

To remove anything that causes inconvenience to the passersby is the lowest form of faith. This means that if anyone finds an obstacle on the road and does not remove it then he deprives himself of even the lowest kind of faith.

The Hadith teaches us that Allah forgives even those who practice the lowest form of faith. The man mentioned in the Hadith was forgiven for that.
There is an important lesson in this narrative for the Muslims and religious-minded people of the current era for they regard such a practice as very ordinary and commonplace.
Today, the non-Muslim people hold it as against civil behaviour to leave obstacles on common thoroughfares and inconvenience the passersby. It is worth thinking over that this teaching was first imparted by Islam which made it instrumental in getting forgiveness. Alas, today, the people of Islam, instead of removing obstacles from the road, have identified themselves with those who hurd hindrances on the roads. The position on our roads in areas where ninety percent of the residents are Muslims is that they are blocked and obstructed in different manners which cause inconvenience to the passersby. The many ways in which road-users are put to trouble include people spitting here and there, ejecting beetle-nut after chewing it. parking motor cars before door-steps of homes and mosques, throwing rubbish on roads, draining house-hold waste on streets, and so on. This is a very common observation in our Muslim societies although it is clearly against teachings of Islam. The overflowing sewers, stinking drains, broken roads and such scenes reflect our conduct and show how we default in abiding by the teachings of Islam. It is something all of us must ponder.

Must we not think that if Allah forgives a man for removing obstacles from the road and admitting him to Paradise then will He not punish those who act against that and throw rubbish and obstacles on the road and inconvenience passersby in other ways? Surely, He will call to account these people and will punish them. The Believers must correct their behaviour for Islam does not merely teach Salat and fasting but it also requires its adherents to adopt excellent maners and social conduct conducive to a better civil society."

Then the man said, "O young man, the first lesson we learn is that the teachings of Islam are not limited to worship alone. Islam is not the name of a few customary forms of worship but it is a method' of spending one's life in an instinctive way, being pure, having high moral character and clear thinking. It develops a proper civic sense and grows a highly civilised society.
Second, it is the right of the road that pedestrians and road-users are not inconvenienced. It is not even proper to stop on the road and converse if that causes inconvenience to other people.
Third, to try to protect a Muslim from inconvenience and wish well for him is a conduct that entitles one to enter into Paradise. Obviously, to remove an obstacle from the road is trying to protect a Muslim from inconvenience; it earned for that man enjoyment in Paradise. A Muslim is a well-wisher of another Muslim and he tries his best to save another Muslim from difficulty and hardship. This is what Islam teaches and this is the name of Islam.
Finally, if a tree is proving an obstacle on a passage then it is allowed to chop it out. If a tree provides a shade and does not inconvenience anyone then it must not be cut down. Wallahu a'lam."

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ

"Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?" - [QS.14:24]

تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الأمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

"It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Rabb. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded." - [QS.14:25]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at.

Rights and Duties of Muslim Leaders

Next, the crow, representing the elders of Kampong Banyan, were asked to give his sermons. And so, he came forward, then said, "All praises and thanks are due to Allah Whose Favor directed the believers to guidance, and because of His justice, the wicked were misguided. He is never asked about what He does, while they all will be asked. I thank and praise Him and testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah Alone, without partners, and that our beloved Prophet ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be on him ﷺ), his progeny, Companions and all those who followed him.
O Allah’s slaves! Islam came to honor mankind and as a mercy for them. Islam came to organize mankind’s affairs in life, whether material or spiritual, and establish them on firm grounds of reform and on strong foundations. Islam came to explain to people the causes of wickedness and evil, so that they avoid them and the causes of safety, so that they embrace them.

Among the aspects that Islam explained, is one’s relationship with his Rabb, prophet, leaders and commanders. Allah said,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الأمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلا

"O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result." - [QS. 4:59]

Those in authority, is in reference to those who are responsible for public duty, whether a Grand Imam, scholar of the religion, commander, president of the people and so forth.

Allah, Owner of the Mighty Power, has ordained great rights for those Muslims who are in authority, in this Ayah. Fulfilling these rights ensures tranquillity, peace and harmony for the Muslim Ummah (Nation). Allah, Who has ordained these rights, is the All-Knower of the secrets of this universe and the nature of mankind, that require the presence of leaders and the absence of disputes and uprisings. Tranquillity ensures a stable social life and protects the nation from disarray that is stirred by the ignorant and the foolishness of the wicked. Allah ordained these rights for Muslim Leaders and made them a part of His worship that should be fulfilled in times of hardship and times of ease, in times of activity and times of relaxation, and even under the rule of tyranny. This is always the case, unless one is ordered to do what he cannot bear or to disobey Allah, in which case, there is no hearing or obedience in the disobedience of Allah.
It was narrated, Ibn 'Umar,رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ , said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

لَى الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ وَكَرِهَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَإِذَا أُمِرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَلاَ سَمْعَ وَلاَ طَاعَةَ

"The Muslim must hear and obey whether he likes it or not, unless he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience. If he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience, then he is not required to hear and obey." - [Sunan an-Nasa'i; Sahih]

A decision that Allah has ordained and from which He brings great benefits in this life and tremendous rewards in the Hereafter is worthy for the Muslim to embrace and adhere by.
Referring to what Allah has revealed for judgment, establishing Allah’s Law, directing people to worship Allah Alone and abandoning all other deities are some of the best and most significant duties, ordained on Muslim Leaders. Fulfilling these duties will bring about all that is good and righteous, so that Allah’s blessings will descend on the Muslim Ummah at large.

Fear Allah, O Allah’s slaves, and seek the means of approach to Him by fulfilling His Commandments. Obey your Muslim Leaders, invoke Allah for them, help them in Birr (righteousness) and Taqwa (piety) and practice patience with them, as long as they obey Allah and His Messenger and establish Allah’s religion. 

O Allah’s slaves, those who have any type of authority or responsibility! Know that Allah, the Just Ruler of all that exists, has ordained for you rights on those under your responsibility and commanded that these rights be respected. Likewise, Allah has ordained duties on you for those who are under your authority and responsibility. Allah has made you aware of the seriousness and importance of your job by the words of His Messenger (ﷺ). Narrated Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ عَلَى بَيْتِ بَعْلِهَا وَهِيَ مَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْهُ وَالْعَبْدُ رَاعٍ عَلَى مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ أَلاَ فَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ

"Indeed each of you is a shepherd and all of you will be questioned regarding your flock. The commander who is in authority over the Muslims is responsible and he will be questioned regarding his responsibility. The man is responsible over the inhabitants of his house and he is the one who will be questioned about them. The wife is responsible in her husband's house and she will be questioned about it. The slave is responsible regarding his master's property, and he will be questioned about it. Indeed each of you is a shepherd and each of you will be questioned about his flock." - [Jami` at-Tirmidhi; Sahih]

Fear Allah with regards to the responsibility that Allah has entrusted you. Fulfill your duties towards your subjects and those whom Allah allowed you to be responsible for. This way, you will be among the best Imam (Leaders) and otherwise, you will avoid those. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ , narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخِيَارِ أُمَرَائِكُمْ وَشِرَارِهِمْ خِيَارُهُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَتَدْعُونَ لَهُمْ وَيَدْعُونَ لَكُمْ وَشِرَارُ أُمَرَائِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ

"Shall I not inform you of the best of your leaders and the worst of them: The best of them are those whom you love and they love you, you supplicate for them, and they supplicate for you. And the evilest of your leaders are those who hate you, and you hate them, and they curse you and you curse them." - [Jami` at-Tirmidhi; Sahih]

Know that ruling Muslims with justice and being compassionate and lenient with them, are among the duties Muslim Leaders have towards their subjects. Allah the Exalted said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الأمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

"Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing." - [QS.4:58]

Know that those whom you are responsible for also have the right on you to be sincere with them, to advise them with their benefits and to fend off harm from them. Beware of all actions and statements that might enrage the subjects or cause division and enviousness between them, including preferring yourselves with the delights of ruling, while treating them with harshness and heavy-handedness. Do not require them to perform what is beyond their capabilities and what they cannot bear, for all this will lead them to dislike your rule and dispute with you in this life, thus exposing themselves to painful torment in the Hereafter. Narrated Ma'qil that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ اسْتَرْعَاهُ اللَّهُ رَعِيَّةً، فَلَمْ يَحُطْهَا بِنَصِيحَةٍ، إِلاَّ لَمْ يَجِدْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ

"Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise." - [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

Hasan reported that Ubaidullah bin Ziyad went to see Ma'qil bin Yasir and he was ailing. He ('Ubaidullah) inquired (about his health) to which he (Ma'qil) replied, "I am narrating to you a hadith which I avoided narrating to you (before). Verily the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed,

لاَ يَسْتَرْعِي اللَّهُ عَبْدًا رَعِيَّةً يَمُوتُ حِينَ يَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لَهَا إِلاَّ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ
"Allah does not entrust to his bondsman the responsibility of managing the affairs of his subjects and he dies as a dishonest (ruler) but Paradise is forbidden by Allah for such a (ruler)." - [Sahih Muslim]

Those leaders, who are hard and lack compassion and kindness, should be aware of the Messenger of Allah's (ﷺ) supplication,

اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَرَفَقَ بِهِمْ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ

"O Allah, who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is hard upon them-be Thou hard upon him, and who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is kind to them-be Thou kind to him." - [Sahih Muslim]

O Muslim Leaders, you are supposed to be protectors of Islam and Muslims, to succeed in bringing about their own religious benefit, as well as the religious benefit of their subjects. Verily, He is the best of those who are sought, Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
And lastly, O servants of Allah! Know that, anything good I have said in my today’s sermon is from Allah the All-Mighty, and any mistakes are my own and we seek refuge in Allah from giving wrong advice and from all forms of calamities and fitnah. And I ask Allah’s forgiveness if I stepped beyond bound in anything I said or I do. With this, my beloved and respected people, I conclude my sermon and ask Allah again, the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful to forgive all our failings and shortcomings. And may the salutation, peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet (ﷺ), his family and his companions."

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ

"And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful" - [QS.26:217]

الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ

"Who sees you when you arise" - [QS.26:218]

وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ

"And your movement among those who prostrate." - [QS.26:219]

إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

"Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing." - [QS.26:220]

Bahasa

Reference :

- Darussalam, Selected Friday Sermons, Darussalam Publisher.

Sustenance from Heaven

The baker said to young wayfarer, "O young man, trust in Allah and reliance on Him is the asset of the servants of Allah. It is an asset which renders its owner independent of everyone else. Anyone who is blessed with trust in Allah and reliance on Him finds himself released of everything. The Creator of the universe Himself is Responsible for his needs. Unique and unprecedented examples of His working come to be seen-in their lives." The he asked, "Would you like to listen a story a pious couple who were very poor and needy and lived a life of destitution, they faced extreme hunger but were blessed with faith and trust in Allah?" The young wayfarer said, "Of course, tell me!"
The baker said, "Abu Hurayrah, رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ, said,

“A man and his wife from an earlier generation were poor. He went out to the desert in search of livelihood. His wife prayed behind him to Allah, 'O Allah! Grant us what we may knead into bread.'
Once when the man came back from a journey, he went to his wife saying to her, while feeling hunger and fatigued, ‘Do you have anything to eat?' She said, 'Yes, receive the good news of Allah's provisions.' He again said to her, 'If you have anything to eat, bring it to me.' She said, 'Wait a little longer.' She was awaiting Allah's mercy. When the matter was prolonged, he said to her, ‘Get up and bring me whatever you have to eat, because I am real hungry and fatigued.' She said, 'I will. Soon I will open the oven's cover, so do not be hasty.' When he was busy and refrained from insisting for a while, she said to herself, 'I should look in my oven.' So she got up and looked in her oven and found it full of the meat of a lamb, and her mortar and pestle was full of seed grains; it was crushing the seeds on its own. So, she took out what was in the mortar and pestle, after shaking it to remove everything from inside, and also took the meat out that she found in the oven.”
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If he had left it to itself, the millstone would have circled on and on till the Day of Resurrection or kept on grinding the flour (which would never have exhausted)." [Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Bazzar, Ahmad; Sahih by Shaikh Al-Albani]

The young wayfarer said, "Please explain about the story!" The baker said, "Extreme hunger forced the husband to go to the desert and looked for food and his wife turned to Allah in her terrible predicament for He alone is the Support of those who have no one to lean on. She prayed to· Him, "O Allah! Give us some flour that we may grind it into bread."
When the husband returned home, he observed an amazing scene. There was a vessel full of flour. Grinded flour was there and the millstone filled with wheat and it was grinding the flour and the oven was roasting fresh meat. He was surprised how they had fresh meat and plenty of flour. He asked his wife in amazement, "Where did this come from?" She said, "It is a provision from Allah." So, he sweeped the particles around the mill-stone with a broom.
The Prophet (ﷺ) revealed to us that if he had not swept the place, the mill-stone would have continued to grind in that manner until the Day of Resurrection.

Similarly, there was a miracle at the hands of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Battle of Trenches. The food prepared by Jabir, رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ, though little was enough for a large army. Here, too, the Prophet (ﷺ) had said to Jabir, "Do not open the vessel until I come." Then, he poured out the broth with his own hands but he covered the utensils again after taking out the broth and bread.

Some people refuse to believe in such events. They argue that this measure to the standard of men's knowledge and their intellect is unwilling to accept them. Denial of these cases which are confirmed by Hadith is tantamount to denial of Hadith and Shari'ah and the powers of Allah because Allah nourishes His slaves even without known agencies.
Man is dependant on means, but Allah is not dependent on anything. He is Rabb of worlds. In fact, the means too are created by Him. Hence, His ability encompasses all those things. It is wrong to measure such instances on the scale of man's intellect otherwise we will have to reject an important section of religion-miracles and supernatural occurences which are very true. Slaves of intelelct and materialists look at everything with this narrow approach. Why cannot Allah provide livelihood to His slave who believes in Him, obeys His commands and relies on Him? He is Allah who nourished Prophet Musa, alaihissalam, at the home of his enemy, Who feeds the worm deep inside a rock, Who turns mother's blood into sustenance for her infant, Who grows seed in the darkness of earth to pierce it and turn into a fruit-bearing tree, Who nourishes millions and billions of mouths all together and will go on doing that until the Day of Resurrection. He does all that and He can provide livelihood to His slave without any apparent agency. To reject is to show oneself as unintelligent. There are innumerable instances in the Qur'an and Hadith that speak of unique and amazing powers of Allah."

Then the baker said, "O young man, this Hadith confirms that unusual occurences do occur for the pious slaves of Allah. It shows that Allah helps His pious slaves and provides them their livelihood. The out-of-the-ordinary acts of the righteous are a reality. It is the belief of the abiders of sunnah and the people of the path (ahl-us-sunnah wa al-Jama'ah) that the slaves of Allah and the righteous slaves do perform the extra-ordinary. However, certain people who pretend to be saints claim to execute miracles and supernatural deeds. Hence, many false stories are reported about them with the result that we may confirm the reliable and true happenings but it is wrong to report everything that reaches our ears. It must also be understood that an unusual occurence cannot be cited in support of an issue or religious argument in place of Shari'ah.
The Hadith also emphasises the significance of supplication to Allah. If a supplication is made sincerely and the necessary conditions are fulfilled then it surely meets divine approval. In fact, sometimes there is a spontaneous response. In our story, the woman's supplication was answered immediately. Therefore, we must always make our supplications remembering to meet the conditions attached to it.
The confirmation of this incident by the Prophet (ﷺ) makes it the most reliable narrative. His statement also makes it clear that we must refrain from putting a stop to the unexpected blessings of Allah or to show ungratefulness for them. He said that if the mill-stone was left to itself to grind and the surrounding area was not swept then it would have maintained its production unceasingly until the Day of Resurrection. However. that man was taken aback and he swept and cleaned it ·and the grinding came to a halt. Man must not try to investigate into the unseen help but he must have faith in Allah's help and His blessings. And Allah know best."

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

"And your Rabb says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible." - [QS.40:60]

Bahasa

References :
- Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at.
- Syaikh Safiurrahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume X, Darussalam

Be Unite!

It was time for owl to give his speech, representing the elders of Kampong Banyan. The Owl came forward, started with basmalah, gave salaam, then said, "All thanks are due to Allah, Rabb of the Worlds. We thank and praise Him for guiding us to the religion of Islam, and we would not have been directed to it if Allah did not guide us. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah Alone, without partners, worthy of all praise in the Hereafter and this life. His is the Decision and to Him shall be our return.
I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is Allah’s slave and Messenger whom He sent as a mercy to the Worlds. May Allah’s peace and blessings be on Muhammad (ﷺ), his progeny, Companions and all those who followed his guidance and spread his call of Islamic Monotheism.

Allah the Exalted created mankind and endowed them with the ability to comprehend and distinguish between things. Allah gave mankind the power of mind and understanding, so that they know what benefits them and what harms them, what is good and pure and what is evil and impure, and which path to take. Meanwhile, Allah’s path is straight, plainly clear and filled with light, leading to the Rabb of all that exists. Other than this Straight Path, there are wicked and crooked ways that lead to various paths, all of which are paths of misguidance and loss. Everyone among mankind chooses the path that he or she wants to go on in this life and they will all end up doing what Allah has decided they would be doing.
Therefore, mankind has only two paths to take: the path of goodness and righteousness, which is Straight, or the path of evil, which is crooked and has many parts and ways all leading astray and to misguidance. Mankind is able to distinguish between these conflicting paths, especially if they analyze various statements and acts to help them identify various creeds and methodologies.

There is a very active, yet secretive international movement in the present time, started and steered by Jews and communists, who are working tirelessly to destroy religions and morals, especially and foremost, Tauhid. It is the secular movement called, Almaniyyah, in Arabic. This movement instigates trouble, disputes and disunity between Muslims, in particular, and between father and son, families, and employees and employers. They stir disputes regarding dealings, acts of worship, creeds, traditions and trends. They seek to deviate Muslim governments and peoples from Allah’s Straight Path to the various sects and methodologies of misguidance, so that the Muslim Nation’s strength departs them and their unity shatters. If and when this occurs and the secularists succeed (naudhubillah), Muslims will no longer be able to defend themselves against their enemies. For their strength will be spent in disputing with each other, with all the evil consequences such disputes bring forth.
When troubles are addressed at the onset, it will be easier to solve them before they become rooted in the ground and have many branches. Otherwise, they will become much harder to deal with. It is a blessing from Allah that He grants the Muslims unity and purifies their Aqeedah (beliefs) with the help of righteous rulers. The result of this is that the Muslims will live in case, safety, tranquillity and security.

The Muslim Ummah will be blessed with solidarity, honor and might. Worship will be directed towards Allah Alone, and the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) will be followed in the manner in which he brought it. This is a blessing upon the Muslim nation that the enemies of Islam envy. We long to enjoy this peace, tranquillity and unity around Iman, the Islamic Creed and the Sunnah of our Prophet (ﷺ). We ask Allah to make this peace and unity prevalent in all Muslim areas. Because of this prevalent tranquillity, the enemies of Islam work hard and use various deviant and wicked methods to stir disputes between Muslims and resurrect old conflicts so that secularists, masons, Jews and communists are able to assume the leadership of the Muslim Nation at large. It is a sad fact that Muslim nations do not refer to Allah’s Law and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ﷺ) for judgment. Let all Muslim Leaders be certain that the only One Able to grant them victory is Allah. They will regain their might only through Allah’s help and aid. Let them know that only Muslims will support them, those who follow their Faith and practice their religion.
Another aspect of the war against Islam, is that there are elements living among Muslims and enjoying the peace and tranquillity that the Muslim Society offers them. Yet, because they follow various misguided sects and groups, they try their best to resurrect the methods of their groups that cause division and shake the foundation of the society that offered them safe refuge. They try to discredit the correct faith and annul the true belief in Allah and in the Messenger of Mercy and Guidance, our beloved Prophet (ﷺ). Consequently, it is incumbent on all Muslims, especially the scholars and those in authority among them, to protect the fabric of the Muslim Society and its faith, which is the resource that provides it with victory and dominance by Allah’s help. Fear Allah O Muslims, O Muslim Leaders, O defenders of Islam!

We ask Allah to give triumph to His religion and raise high His Word and the flag of the Islamic Faith, and make it mighty, victorious and apparent over the whole world. We invoke Allah to protect our area and the entire Muslim Nation, as well as its creed, from the evil plots of the envious enemies of Islam. We invoke Allah to protect for us our progeny and those who followed them with excellence until the Day of Resurrection. O Allah! Grant us Your pleasure, with Your Compassion and Kindness, O You Who is the Most Merciful among those who have mercy.

O Allah! Give victory and aid to Islam and Muslims. Unite their word, gather their ranks, guide them to the ways of peace and take them out of darkness to the brightness of light. O Allah! Grant triumph to the Muslim armies. Make their feet firm, their hearts strong and aid them against the disbelieving people.

O Allah! Humiliate Shirk and its people and destroy the enemies of Islam. O Allah! Make the efforts of the Jews and all those who help them fruitless. O Allah! Send fear to their hearts, dissipate their ranks, disunite their gatherings and make them taste the evil end, as well as defeat. Verily, You are the Most Powerful, Able to do all things.

O Allah! Forgive all Muslims, male and female, those among them who died and those who are still alive. O Allah! Remove the sadness of the depressed and send relief to the distressed. O Allah! Help those indebted to repay their debts and heal Muslims who are ill.
O slaves of Allah, always be in remembrance of Allah and thank Him for His graces and Favors."

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

"Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded." - [QS.16:90]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Darussalam, Selected Friday Sermons, Darussalam Publisher.

Parable of a Garden

The hanging parrot said, "Everyone is tried by Allah, some with a heavy examination. Some of us are tried in hardship and some of us are tried in ease. Some of us are tried with the things that we love.
For the believer, every trial in this world is like a vaccination for the child, it hurts but there is a wisdom. That is for their own good if they understand every single trial in this world. It is like a vaccination that we give to our own children that Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala is sending down something for them, to wake up before it's too late. Every blessing from Allah is a test and when we try to be stingy with those blessings, then not only will that work against us, perhaps the very blessing itself will be taken away. That is of a lesson we will learn from the very first story that Allah revealed in the Quran.
Stinginess has two prices: Allah will send us a calamity in this life, and in the hereafter, we will be punished with what we were stingy with. Narrated Haritha bin Wahb that The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَاعِفٍ، لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ، أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ

"Shall I inform you about the people of Paradise? They comprise every obscure unimportant humble person, and if he takes Allah's Oath that he will do that thing, Allah will fulfill his oath (by doing that). Shall I inform you about the people of the Fire? They comprise every 'utul (cruel person), jawwaz (greedy and stingy), mustakbir (proud and conceited person)." - [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

The sparrows asked, "O my brother, tell us about the story!" The hanging parrot said, "The story is a parable that Allah made of the behavior of the Quraysh disbelievers with the great mercy, and tremendous favors He granted them. The mercy and favor of sending of the Prophet (ﷺ) to them. But they met him with denial, rejection, and opposition. Allah says,

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

"Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning." - [QS.68:17]

Some of the Salaf mentioned that, these people, the People of the Garden which Allah mentioned, were from Yemen. Said bin Jubayr said, “They were from a village that was called Darawan which was six miles from San'a’ (in Yemen).” It has also been said, “They were from the people of Ethiopia whose father had left them this garden, and they were from the People of the Book. Their father used to handle the garden in a good way. Whatever he reaped from it he would put it back into the garden as it needed, and he would save some of it as food for his dependants for the year, and he would give away the excess in charity." We shall not examine the detail of location as it does not add value to the lessons to be learnt from this story.

So, it was said, there was an old man who owned a garden containing different types of fruits and vegetation. Every season, at harvest time, he would give the first cut of his crops to the poor and needy and only used what remained. This practice was so renowned that the poor looked forward to every harvest season. As with the characteristics of pious people, the old man was also extremely generous in giving charity and taking care of the needy.
The man had three sons, and when he passed away, they inherited his garden. However, they did not inherit his piety and generosity, and resented the idea of having to share their wealth with the poor. They felt a sense of entitlement to all the fruits there, overlooking that this was the bounty of Allah that they should, as believers, share with the less fortunate.
Therefore, after some time, the brothers decided to break from tradition and bar the poor people from entering the garden during the harvest season. In fact, they even went further, they vowed between themselves during the night that they would pluck the fruit of the garden in the morning, so that poor and the beggars would not know what they were doing. In this way they would be able to keep its fruit for themselves and not give any of it in charity. At no point in their scheming did they remember to mention “In sha' Allah” (if Allah wills) to their vow that they made. Therefore, Allah broke their vow.

One of the brothers was not comfortable with this plan. He wanted to continue the legacy left by his father, but he did not voice his opinion strongly enough, nor did he prevent his brothers from implementing their plan. Eventually, not only did he fail to counsel his brothers adequately, but he also followed them to the garden when they wanted to execute their evil plan.
It is also noted that like most of the stingy and greedy, the brothers were not thankful for the blessings of Allah. They attributed the abundant harvest to their own skills and abilities, without giving due recognition that the trees only bore such beautiful fruits because of the power of Allah.
The gardens bore abundant crops, and giving the best in charity would not have deprived the brothers in the least. However, their discontentment sickened their hearts with the disease of stinginess, accumulation and love of dunia. Such are the characteristics of the stingy: they fail to attribute their provisions to Allah, always feel shortchanged and deprived, and always hunger for more.

One day, during the blackness of the night, Allah caused the garden to catch fire. All the trees were razed to the ground, leaving everything in cinders. Allah said,

وَلا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

"Without making exception." - [QS.68:18]
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ
"So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Rabb while they were asleep." - [QS.68:19]

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ

"And it became as though reaped." - [QS.68:20]

The brothers were unaware of this disaster. As soon as morning broke, they called to one another and set forth secretly but confidently to reap the harvest of the garden in secret. Then Allah said,

فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ

"And they called one another at morning," - [QS.68:21]

أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ

"[Saying], 'Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit'." - [QS.68:22]

فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ

"So they set out, while lowering their voices," - [QS.68:23]

أَنْ لا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ

"[Saying], 'There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person'." - [QS.68:24]

وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ

"And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able." - [QS.68:25]

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ

"But when they saw it, they said, 'Indeed, we are lost'." - [QS.68:26]

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

"Rather, we have been deprived." - [QS.68:27]

They spoke privately about what they were doing so that no one could hear what they were saying. Then Allah, the All-Knower of secrets and private discussions, explained what they were saying in private. Some of them said to others, “Do not allow any poor person to enter upon you in it (the garden) today." And they went in the morning with strength and power. They thought they had power to do what they claimed and what they were desiring.
When they arrived at it and came upon it, and it was in the condition which Allah changed from that luster, brilliance and abundance of fruit, to being black, gloomy and void of any benefit. They believed that they had been mistaken in the path they took in walking to it. This is why they said,  "We have walked down a path other than the one we were seeking to reach it." Then they changed their minds and realized with certainty that it was actually the correct path. Then they said, "Nay, this is it, but we have no portion and no share of harvest."

The most just of them and the best of them said, "Did I not tell you,‘Why do you not Tusabbihun?' means “Why do you not say, 'If Allah wills?’” It means that the best of them said to them, “Did I not tell you, why don’t you glorify Allah and thank Him for what He has given you and favored you with?” Allah said,

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلا تُسَبِّحُونَ

"The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [ Allah ]?' " - [QS.68:28]

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ

"They said, 'Exalted is our Rabb! Indeed, we were wrongdoers'." - [QS.68:29]

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَلاوَمُونَ

"Then they approached one another, blaming each other." - [QS.68:30]

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ

"They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors." - [QS.68:31]

عَسَى رَبُّنَا أَنْ يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ

"Perhaps our Rabb will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Rabb desirous." - [QS.68:32]

كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

"Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew." - [QS.68:33]

This was a very bitter lesson, but the brothers realised that they had only themselves to blame for Allah’s punishment. At that point, all of them felt guilt and remorse, and turned to Allah in sincere repentance for their sins, for they understood that what they had attempted to do was both wrong in this world, and would have grave penalties in the hereafter.
Allah accepted their repentance and in time, their gardens were restored back to their former glory. This time, the brothers, having learnt their lesson, were careful to continue acting out as their father wished, and gave in charity generously and never deprived the poor anymore after that. And Allah knows best.

Abdullah ibn Abbas, radhiyallahu anhu', said that this is just a parable to show the people of Makkah were. It is not an actual event which took place. Saeed ibn Jubayr, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said that it is actually happened. Now, wether this is a happening or just a parable, the Qur’an has taken an lesson from it to serve as a warning. It tells of the disobedience of Quraish and their rejection of Rasulullah (ﷺ) and especially refers to the evil deeds of one of their leaders Waleed bin Mugheera. Now by relating this story, it says that planning against the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and to disregard the teachings of the Qur'an regarding the rights of Allah and the rights of men, and to continue to degrade and insult the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Muslims — will lead to the same result as happened to these people who were the people of the garden.
This is so because Allah has a law whereby He grants respite to even sinners with the aim of them coming to their senses. But when such respite is granted and someone fails to take advantage thereof or takes it as a sign that he is on the right path, then suddenly Allah's punishment will come and surprise him and destroy him. Then he will be a lesson for others and no amount of regret will be beneficial."

Then the hanging parrot said,"O my brothers and sisters, Allah created this universe for man in which to live his congregational social life with others. And he has made man’s needs so intertwined among themselves that this factory of life is unable to function without mutual cooperation and because a collective life is made up of individual lives it is necessary that for the growth and continuance of life on earth that such devine laws should be fixed through which to ensure mutual brotherhood and love, and to ensure that discord and hatred not exist. Therefore in order to perfect the system, Allah has for the social life fixed two sets right viz the right of social life and the various ranks of society.
The first one is the right to a livelihood. This law states that in this world every living being has a right to life and none may be deprived of it. It is the right of every person individually. In this respect all living beings are equal and no one has superiority over another. The second on is the various ranks of life. It is right that each one should have it but it is not necessary that everyone should receive the same. However the difference in ranks of livelihood and the giving of more or less to some does not mean that whatever a person earns or receives is his own individual possession, but the more a person earns so much also will be the rights of Allah and the rights of men on it. He who considers it has individual right and reject the rights of others in it, then too it will not be good for him and he may find himself the earner of Allah’s wrath. And Allah know best."

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

"And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah . So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing." - [QS.16:112]

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ

"And there had certainly come to them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him; so punishment overtook them while they were wrongdoers." - [QS.16:113]

Bahasa

References :
- Ibn Katheer, Stories of the Qur'an, Dar al-Manarah.
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
- Shaykh Safiur-Rahmnan Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume X, Darussalam.

Bribery

One morning, on a happy day for the residents of Kampong Banyan, Raven has been appointed as a state official. He now serves as an official on the Capital of Kampong Banyan. Eagle, representing the elders, was asked to deliver a khutbah. So, slowly and quietly, eagle came forward, and said, "All praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His aid and forgiveness. We further repent to Him and seek refuge with Him from the evil of ourselves and from our wrongdoings. Whomever Allah guides none can lead astray, and whoever Allah misguides none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah Alone, having no partner with him. I also bear witness that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger. May the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him, his family, his Companions and any one that follows in their footsteps until Judgement Day.

O people, fear Allah and fulfill what he entrusted you with in all matters. Carry out these trusts with a pure intention and sincerity for Allah, submitting to Him and following His Commandments, and intending to remit yourselves from responsibility and correct your society. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

"O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence]." - [QS.8:27]

O you who believe! The trust you are entrusted with is not an easy matter. It is the religion, the responsibility of safeguarding it, the methodology and the way. It is a heavy burden and a great responsibility. It was offered to the heavens, the earth and the mountains, yet, despite their high strength and durability, they declined to bear it and were afraid of its consequences. Instead you, man, have bore it for the reasoning and understanding that Allah has created in you, and the knowledge, revelation and guidance He has made available to you. With the reasoning and understanding you may recognize things and with the revelation and knowledge you may be guided and shown the right way. For this you were qualified to endure and fulfill the responsibilities of this trust. Therefore you must attend to the responsibilities of the Trust’ you bore completely and perfectly, so as to please your Lord and achieve the piety of your society. However, if you fail to keep it, the whole society shall suffer a great destruction in its body and disintegration in its ties.

O Muslims! In order to protect and safeguard this trust, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has prohibited every cause leading to its ruin or even its partial loss. He therefore, prohibited the practice of bribery, which is to give money to someone or forgive him from his dues for the purpose of accomplishing an unlawful gain. Allah says,

وَلا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا فَرِيقًا مِنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالإثْمِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]. - [QS.2:188]

Bribery is a form of Suhut (possessing something by a forbidden way) as was explained by Ibn Masud, radhiyallahu 'anhu, and others. Ibn 'Amr, radihyallahu 'anhu, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had cursed the briber and the one bribed. In different wording the Hadith says that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الرَّاشِي وَالْمُرْتَشِي

"The curse of Allah is upon the one who offers a bribe and the one who takes it.” - [Sunan Ibn Majah; Hasan]

This Hadith could be a statement by the Prophet (ﷺ) as stated directly, or an invocation against them to be expelled from the mercy of Allah as Satan was cursed, hence expelled from the mercy of Allah.

O Muslims! The curse of Allah and His Messenger is only deserved for doing a great evil and a detestable matter. Certainly bribery is one of the most corrupting practices on earth, for it is a form of changing Allah’s verdict, neglecting people’s rights, establishing fraud and ruining what is right. Bribery is a great cause of corruption in the society and a betrayal of the Trust’. By practicing bribery, the briber wrongs himself, for he spends his money to gain an illegal achievement. On the other hand, the bribed wrongs himself by yielding to injustice and oppression against the commandments of Allah. Both of them usurp other people’s rights and take the possession of prohibited property. This shall not benefit them; it shall rather harm them and thus ruin their wealth or the blessing therein.
Judges and rulers can be the target of bribery, when they tend to favor the briber in their judgement and decisions against the truth. They do so at the expense of other people’s rights, for the sake of benefiting themselves through bribes. The executive officials may also be targets for bribery, when they neglect carrying out orders, or even worse than that, when they deliberately cease to execute verdicts, especially a court verdict against a criminal, all because of being bribed.
In employment, bribery has an impact in hiring someone at the expense of another who may be more entitled. For being bribed, the one in charge may pass the answers of the test, by which the employer decides who is to be hired, to the person who is only favored by bribery. A Hadith states something to that effect as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

“He who gives authority to a man from amongst a group, while another from the same group is more pleasing to Allah, has indeed betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers.” - [Al-Hakim; Hasan]

Bribery can also be involved in implementing projects. In this regard, a tender for a project is published, and one of the bidders may bribe the ones in charge, so he takes the project, despite that other bidders may be more honest and more proficient. Bribery' can also be influential during conducting criminal investigations, as the investigators can be bribed to be lenient or even negligent in their investigations in favor of the culprits.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

مَنْ وَلاَّهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَاحْتَجَبَ دُونَ حَاجَتِهِمْ وَخَلَّتِهِمْ وَفَقْرِهِمُ احْتَجَبَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ دُونَ حَاجَتِهِ وَخَلَّتِهِ وَفَقْرِهِ

"If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and he secludes himself (from them), not fulfilling their needs, wants, and poverty, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his need, want and poverty." - [Sunan Abi Dawud; Sahih Shaikh Al-Albani]

Al-Ghalul (misappropriation, stealing through abuse of authority) is a great sin. A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) to tell him that someone had died a martyr, but the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “ Nay! He is being dragged into the Fire for a garment he stole from the spoils of war.” (Ahmad; Hasan)
It is worth a moment of thinking to fathom how bribery can effect the decisions of the people in charge of educating our children. With bribery, a lazy student may be given or hinted the answers for the finals, or be allowed to cheat during the exam, then pass and take the place of another student who may be better and hardworking. This occurs because the people in charge are vulnerable to the temptation of the bribe.

O servants of Allah! You now know the punishment of the briber and the bribed in the Hereafter, which is to be ousted from the mercy of Allah, the Merciful. You also learned how corrupting bribery can be in the society. Should not this be a deterrent to every God-fearing and faithful believer who is also fearful of Allah’s punishment and caring about his religion and society, to not practice this evil? How could a man with reason strive to destroy and ruin his society? O Muslims! Actions can easily be taught and passed on from one group to another. If bribery’ spreads in one area of this society, it will spread quickly to all the other areas, and the one starting it will be the example for every one until the Day of Resurrection.
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and safeguard your religion and the trust you are shouldering the responsibility thereof. Think for a moment of which is better for you: to please Allah by establishing His justice and protecting yourselves from falling in the mud of your lusts, or to be oppressors reclining to the deception of this earthly life and subsequently being subjected to the wrath of Allah. And Allah know best.

O Allah! Guide us and protect us from the causes of ignorance and destruction! Save us from the defects of ourselves! Cause the last of our deeds to be the best and most righteous! And forgive all of us. Amien."

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا

"O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice." - [QS.33:70]

صْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا

"He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment." - [QS.33:71]

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الأمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الإنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولا

"Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant." - [QS.33:72]

لِيُعَذِّبَ اللَّهُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ وَالْمُشْرِكَاتِ وَيَتُوبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

"[It was] so that Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allah may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful." - [QS.33:73]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Darussalam, Selected Friday Sermons, Darussalam Publisher.

Umm al-Khaba'ith

The guard said, "O young man, a sin follows another and one who performs a sin agrees quickly to commit a graver sin, a bar where wine is served and which is called Umm al-Khaba'ith, the mother of all impurities, pulls the most ascetic of men into trial and mischief. One who reconciles himself with wine does not hesitate to commit any known sin on earth. The Shari'ah has declared wine as impure although it may .have certain advantages. It has declared as unlawful, the earnings of anyone associated with it in any way, and his work as the worst crime. This worst of impurities dampens a man's intellect and takes him on the path of the devil. It is a grave sin to be attached in anyway with wine or a bar where it is served. It also points out the evil and corrupt things that result from drinking wine and its bad influence on society. The sin of drinking wine leads to inumerable other sinful acts.
The servant of Allah have to pass through many trials. The wicked people try to divert Allah's pious slaves from the pious path to the wrong path of different methods. Sometimes lack of religious knowledge causes a worshipper to be misled. A worship cannot be discharged as it should be if one does not have proper knowledge. It is just' like knowledge which is not put into practice. A deed which is not backed by knowledge cannot grow religious comprehension in a man. If that pious man also had religious knowledge he would not have resigned himself into doing any one of the choices of sin offered to him but he would have faced difficulties firmly anq would have been prepared to die if that was necessary to avoid being sinful- Death is certain and a man dies only once. Hence, he would have giyen away his life for the sake of religion and preserved himself from being misled. Nevertheless, it is not without the blessings of Allah that one may hope to come through scratchless.

It was narrated from Abu Bakr bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith that his father said, "I heard 'Uthman, radhiyallahu 'anhu, say: 'Avoid Khamr for it is the mother of all evils. There was a man among those who came before you who was a devoted worshipper. An immoral woman fell in love with him. She sent her slave girl to him, saying: We are calling you to bear witness. So he set out with her slave girl, and every time he entered a door, she locked it behind him, until he reached a beautiful woman who has with her a boy and a vessel of wine. She said: 'By Allah, I did not call you to bear witness, rather I called you to have intercourse with me, or to drink a cup of this wine, or to kill this boy.' He said: 'Pour me a cup of this wine.' So she poured him a cup. He said: 'Give me more.' And soon he had intercourse with her and killed the boy. So avoid Khamr, for by Allah faith and addiction to Khamr cannot coexist but, one of them will soon expel the other." - [Sunan An-Nasa'i; Sahih by Al-Albani]

Tabarani has transmitted the Hadith of Abdullah bin Amr Al-Aas that

once after the death of the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Bakr, Umar bin Al-Khattab and other Companions, radhiyallahu 'anhum, were sitting together. They discussed among themselves and wondered what would be the gravest of sins. They did not know for sure what it was, so they sent me to Abdullah bin Amr Al-Aas to ask him about it. He told me that to drink wine was the gravest of the major sins.
I came back to them and told them what he had said but they disagreed with him and all of them went to his house (for explanation). He told them that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said,
"One of the kings of the Bani Isra'il arrested someone and put before him certain choices (of which he was bound to choose one). He could drink wine, kill an infant, commit adultery, or eat pork. But, if he rejected all of these then he must be prepared to be put to death. He (thought wine was the least harmful and) chose wine. Hence, when he drank wine, none of the other things were forbidden to him (in his eyes and he did them all).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said at this time, 'Whoever drinks wine, his Salat are not accepted for forty nights (and days) and if he dies while there are traces of wine in his bladder then Paradise is forbidden to him, but if he dies within forty days then he dies the death of the Days of Ignorance'." - [Tabarani; Sahih Marfu' by Al-Albani]

These Ahadith speak of a similar incident which reflect on the corruption in the Isra'ili societies. Perhaps, the man who was compelled to do the unlawful and destructive acts was a well-known and influential man, one whom other people imitated in their lives. Perhaps the king feared that he might become more popular than him and more influential than him because of his piety and asceticism and he himself may become less popular. This has been a weakness among all monarchs and tyrants and they cannot stand anyone gaining public acclaim. They have always tried to suppress such people and to disgrace them. So, the king used a high-class lady to further his evil designs. She was asked to corrupt the pious man' and put him to trial. A trial through women is the most effective of all trials. Evil people have used this strategy in every era.
That woman was very rich and highly placed in society but she was an immodest woman. She did not feel repelled from doing a shameless act. She deceived the pious man by asking him to visit her to bear witness to a deed and ·she had sent her slave for the purpose. He knew that it was virtuous to stand witness between people so agreed to go with the maid-slave to the woman. When he entered the house, the slave-girl shut the doors behind him. When they had passed some doors in this manner he encountered she had before her a bottle of wine and an infant child. The woman divulged to him that there was no affair for him to witness but that he was called to commit adulteiy with her and if he did not then he may either kill the infant baby or drink wine. If he did not do any of those things then he must be prepared to die. The other version tells us that the woman also presented him the choice of eating swine flesh. That man was a worshipper, and an ascetic at that, but not a religious scholar or one who has enjoyed the company of religious scholars, so he did not show will-power and steadfast perseverence in religion. He did not place reliance on Allah Who would have definitely relieved him of the difficulty and afforded him a way out as He had done for Prophet Yusuf, alaihissalam, although the doors were locked behind him. Prophet Yusuf did not consider himself helpless but put his trust in Allah and was confident of receiving His help. He prayed to Him to get him out of the trying situation and Allah got him out, the locked doors, opening as he advanced towards them.

The pious worshipper in this narrative, however, did not have insight and he supposed that if he did not obey the woman then he· would be murdered. He thought wine was the least sinful of all things and he opted for it. He was intoxicated and kept asking for more and he lost his senses and did not know what faith was and what fear of Allah was. He was unconcerned of the Hereafter and became shameless and immodest so he slept with the lady and also killed the infant.
It appears from the Hadith that their objective was to disgrace this pious man and bring his piety and worship to nothing. This is apparent from the choice placed before him and not compelling him to commit adultery. Each of the three or four choices before him was in opposition to belief and harmful to this man's nobility and virtue. Anyway, the Prophet (ﷺ) had narrated this story to point out that wine is the worst of sins, and the root of all evils. It intoxicates and causes a man to lose his senses. In a state of intoxication, he does things which are disgracing and harmful."

Then the guard said, "O young man, this incident teaches us that every righteous Muslim must constantly pray to Allah to preserve him from being misled. He must keep away from misleading practices and misled people. He must also be careful of devilish human beings and Jinns.
The forces of piety and evil have been always antagonistic. The evil forces appear to exceed those of piety. Pious people have been fewer than the wicked. Reliability of pious and wicked forces however, does not depend on numbers but on the will of Allah, the Great. Whover has been defined as evil, by Allah, continues to be evil, even if all the people choose to do that and regard that as a good thing. Similarly, piety is defined by Allah as good and approved. All the people may give it their own definition but it will continue to be as Allah has defined it. The pious people are taught in this story that they must remain determined and ambitious rejecting the influences of evil surroundings. They must not be overawed by evil forces. They must under all circumstances continue to practice piety and shun evil and prevent it with all in their power, so that the evil forces are subdued. They must not be dictated by circumstances but they must dictate to the circumstances. And Allah knows best."

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

"They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, 'In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.' And they ask you what they should spend. Say, 'The excess [beyond needs].' Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought." - [QS.2:219]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at.

Greedy

The ape said, "The greedy, is just like someone who drunk after drinking wine, forgets everything, doesn't care about anyone. Wine is the mother of all evils, it clouds the mind, wastes money, causes headaches, tastes foul, and is an abomination of the Shaytaan’s handiwork. It creates enmity and hatred between people, prevents them from remembering Allah and praying, calls them to zina. It takes away pride and gheerah, and generates shame, regret and disgrace, and puts the drinker in the same category as the most imperfect type of people, namely those who are insane. It leads to the disclosure of secrets and exposure of faults. It encourages people to commit sins and evil actions. It makes people transgress sacred limits and the one who is addicted to it is like an idol-worshipper. That's why, drinking alcohol is a major sin.
Allah has warned us against it, in His Book, He says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأنْصَابُ وَالأزْلامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

"O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah ], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful." - [QS.5:90]

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar, radhiyallahu 'anhu, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْخَمْرَ وَشَارِبَهَا وَسَاقِيَهَا وَبَائِعَهَا وَمُبْتَاعَهَا وَعَاصِرَهَا وَمُعْتَصِرَهَا وَحَامِلَهَا وَالْمَحْمُولَةَ إِلَيْهِ

"Allah has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who conveys it, and the one to whom it is conveyed." - [Sunan Abi Dawud; Sahih by Al-Albani]

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah, radhiyallahu 'anhu, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

مُدْمِنُ الْخَمْرِ كَعَابِدِ وَثَنٍ

“The one who is addicted to wine is like one who worships idols.” - [Sunan Ibn Majah; Hasan by Al-Albani]

It was narrated from Abu Darda’ that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مُدْمِنُ خَمْرٍ

“No one who is addicted to wine will enter Paradise.” - [Sunan Ibn Majah; Sahih by Al-Albani]

It was narrated from Abu Bakr bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith that his father said, "I heard 'Uthman, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said, 'Avoid Khamr for it is the mother of all evils. There was a man among those who came before you who was a devoted worshipper. An immoral woman fell in love with him. She sent her slave girl to him, saying, 'We are calling you to bear witness. So he set out with her slave girl, and every time he entered a door, she locked it behind him, until he reached a beautiful woman who has with her a boy and a vessel of wine.' She said, 'By Allah, I did not call you to bear witness, rather I called you to have intercourse with me, or to drink a cup of this wine, or to kill this boy.' He said, 'Pour me a cup of this wine.' So she poured him a cup. He said, 'Give me more.' And soon he had intercourse with her and killed the boy. So avoid Khamr, for by Allah faith and addiction to Khamr cannot coexist, but one of them will soon expel the other." - [Sunan An-Nasa'i; Sahih by Al-Albani]

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
كُلُّ مُخَمِّرٍ خَمْرٌ وَكُلُّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ وَمَنْ شَرِبَ مُسْكِرًا بُخِسَتْ صَلاَتُهُ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًا فَإِنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ عَادَ الرَّابِعَةَ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَمَا طِينَةُ الْخَبَالِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ صَدِيدُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَمَنْ سَقَاهُ صَغِيرًا لاَ يَعْرِفُ حَلاَلَهُ مِنْ حَرَامِهِ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَسْقِيَهُ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ ‏"‏
"Every intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every intoxicant is forbidden. If anyone drinks wine, Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, but if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he repeats it a fourth time, it is binding on Allah that He will give him tinat al-khabal to drink."
He was asked, "What is tinat al-khabal, Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "Discharge of wounds, flowing from the inhabitants of Hell. If anyone serves it to a minor who does not distinguish between the lawful and the unlawful, it is binding on Allah that He will give him to drink the discharge of wounds, flowing from the inhabitants of Hell." - [Sunan Abi Dawud; Sahih by Al-Albani]Imam Al-nawawi said, "With regard to his prayer not being accepted, what this means is that he will not be rewarded for it, even though it is valid, and he does not have to repeat it."

How many wars has it started, how many rich men has it made poor, how many noble people has it brought low, how many blessings has it destroyed, how many disasters has it caused? How often has it created division between man and wife? How much regret has it generated and how many tears has it caused to flow? How often has it closed the doors of goodness to the drinker and opened the doors of evil to him? How often has it brought about calamity and hastened death? How much trouble has it brought to the one who drinks it? It is the source of sin, the key to evil; it takes away blessings and brings calamity. Even if it did not have all these evil consequences, the fact that one cannot have both the wine of this world and the wine of Paradise is sufficient deterrent. And the evil consequences of alcohol are many time more than mentioned.
But, I'm not going to tell you any  further about wine or alcohol, but I'm going to tell you about a story of a greedy trader who traded in wine, the worst of the unlawful things. His desire to earn more in a little time induced him to adulterate wine with water.

Abu Hurayrah, radhiyallahu 'anhu, reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying that a man sold wine on a shop. (He was so greedy that he was not satisfied with his unlawful earnings through wine and so engaged in cheating.) He mixed water into the wine. He had a monkey with him who picked up his purse and climbed up the top of the mast. There, he began to throw a dinar into the sea and a dinar into the ship until he had divided them into two parts (half of it went into the sea because it was income from the adulterated and the man had no right over it). [Al-Harith, Bayhaqi, Ahmad; Sahih by Al-Albani]

We must know that wine was not disallowed by some religions before Islam, and it was not forbidden in the beginning in Islam as well. Hence, we should not wonder why this man was blamed for adulteration and not for dealing in wine. Or, we should not ask why the Hadith has not questioned him for selling wine. We do not get the impression from the Hadith that there is nothing wrong in dealing in wine.
We must also remember that this is a story of one of the earlier people. Wine is unlawful, and it is a grave sin in the Shari'ah of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) to have to do anything with wine including drinking it, serving it, selling it, buying .it, brewing it, preparing it or abetting and helping in these things.
Anyway, that man, used to sell wine mixed with water and he carried on his business on a ship. He had a monkey with him who observed his conduct. One day, he suddenly picked up his master's purse and climbed up the top of the mast of the ship so that no one could get hold of him. He opened the purse and threw one dinar into the sea and one into the ship. In this way, he threw away half of the money into the sea and half of it in the ship for the trader. He told him, as it were, that the money that was not his was returned to the sea.

Then the ape said, "O my brothers and sisters, the main lesson of the Hadith teaches us is that cheating and adulteration are wrong acts and are disallowed. It is unlawful to cheat anyone and the income therefrom is unlawful too. The Shari'ah has termed adulteration as the worst of sins.

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed by a man who was selling food. He put his hand in it and saw that there was something wrong with it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ غَشَّ

'He is not one of us who cheats."' - [Sunan Ibn Majah; Sahih]

Unfortunately, our Muslim brothers are much involved in this sin. Greedy people, bereft of human qualities, adulterate every necessity of life-milk, honey, ghee (clarified butter), and so on. They also mix impurities in medicine. These people neglect the Hereafter and they sort of worship money. These filthy people play a horrible game with our society very boldly for there is no one to stop them. These people are murderers. So, it is a grave sin to sell adulterated items just as it is sinful to adulterate.
The Hadith also reveals amazing secrets of the animals. Allah has given the animals too some intellect and ability to understand some things. The story shows that the monkey understood what was happening and could dispense justice. While Allah will punish the wrong-doer in the Hereafter, sometimes He also gives him some punishment in this world. The problems and difficulties a man faces in this world are the result of his wrong-doing. Allah punished the trader in our story through his own monkey who threw away half his earnings in the sea.
We also learn from this case that if anyone has accumulated unlawful earnings, then he must not use it, but rather give it to a needy person. The Shari'ah commands us in the first instance to desist from making unlawful earnings but if any of it comes in our hands then we must no use it. It is better to give that money to a deserving person. The Ulama should be consulted to determine who the deserving person is. And Allah knows best."

إِنَّ الإنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ

"Indeed mankind, to his Rabb, is ungrateful." - [QS.100:6]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at.

When a Dead Man Revived

The man with a book said, "O young man, Allah is able to bring the dead to life but He has set the principle for this earth that He will not revive them before the Day of Resurrection. However, there have been instances of the dead being resurrected on the supplication of a Prophet or pious people so that the living may take a lesson from that and know that Allah is capable of doing everything. Among these are the story of Ezekiel, the story of Uzair, and the story of a cow. All of these stories are about the Children of Israel.
The Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) told us unusual cases of the Children of Israel so that we may take a lesson from them." The young wayfarer asked, "Why was the Children of Israel?" The man said, "This is because they were a very unusual people. They were very different from other people in habit and their living. Thus there are many unusual cases of their conduct which are full of lessons and guidance for us.

There is no doubt whatsoever about the authenticity of the reports of earlier people as narrated by the Qur'an and Hadith. We must draw a lesson from them. However, we cannot say anything conclusively of reports received from sources other than the Qur'an and Hadith.
There are some reports that have come to us through the Jews or Christians. These are the Isra'iliyat (or Judaic/Judaistic traditions) and nothing can be said with confidence about their reliability. The agreed principle in this regard is that any of the Judaic traditions which contradict the Qur'an or Hadith should be rejected outright."

The young wayfarer asked, "What is the Isra'iliyat?" The man said, "Some of the Companions were attached to Jews or Christians religions before they embraced Islam. When they came across references in the Qur'an and Hadith to the earlier people, they remembered what they had read in the Books of their previous religions, and they related the tales to the Muslims. These found their place in the exegesis as Isra'iliyat. Ibn Kathir has said that the Isra'iliyat are of three kinds, first, those traditions which are proved true by the Qur'an and sunnah. For example, the Isra'iliyat relates that Prophet Musa, alaihissalam, visited the Mount Tur, or that the Pharaoh was drowned. The Qur'an confirms these reports.
Second, those traditions which the Qur'an and sunnah prove as wrong. For instance, the Judaic traditions hold that Prophet Sulayman, alaihissalam, turned an apostate in his last days (we seek refuge with Allah). The Qur'an rejects it [QS.2:102]. The Judaic traditions also say (we seek the protection of Allah) that Prophet Dawood, alaihissalam, committed adultery with the wife of his soldier Awriya; this too is a lie according to the spirit of the Qur'an and sunnah. We must, therefore regard such reports as false.
Third, those traditions about which the Qur'an or sunnah or other evidences of Shari'ah do not say anything. For example, the commands in Torah, and so on. The teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ) ask us to say nothing about them, neither must we confirm them nor deny them.

So, let me tell you an incident about the Children of Israel. The incident which will be narrated, is from Hadith and it is absolutely true and the story is authentic. The incident is an example of the powers of Allah. The incident is about the revival of the dead to life, to impress upon us that Allah, Who has revived them, will certainly revive all mankind on the Day of Resurrection. Thus the objection of the ignorant is foolish that the dead cannot come back to life because not only their bodies but their bones too would have rotted and wasted." The young wayfarer said, "Tell me about the incident!"

The man said, "Jabir bin Abdullah, radiyallahu 'anhu, has said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

"A party of the Children of Israel set out on a journey. They came to one of their several graveyards in the course of their jorney and said to one another 'If we should offer two raka'at Salat and supplicate Allah, the Full of Glory, perhaps He would revive one of the dead men for us and bring him out that we may ask him about death.
They did what they had suggested. Meanwhile, from one of the graves, a man raised his head. He was wheat-coloured and between his eyes there was a mark of prostration. He addressed these people saying, 'O you there! What do you intend with me? (Why have you got me revived?) I have been dead for the past hundred years and the fever of death has not yet cooled on me. It is there till now! Pray to Allah, the Glorious, the Majestic, that He may restore me as I was'." [Ahmad, Abu Shaybah, Al-Bazzat]

It is human nature to try to know more about death and what transpires in the grave. A group of the Children of Israel were travelling and they happened to pass through a graveyard. Suddenly, a thought passed their minds that if one of the dead buried there, came back to life, they would find out from him the nature of death and the grave. They agreed among themselves that they should offer Salat and make a supplication to Allah for that.
Hence they offered the Salat and made a supplication to Allah Who accepted their plea and a dead pious man came back to life. As soon as he was returned to the living, he addressed some words to these people. The Prophet (ﷺ) described him as a wheatcoloured man who had a mark of prostration between his eyes. It shows that this man had been regular in offering Salat and obedient to Allah when he lived on earth.
When he was restored to life, the first thing he said to those men was to express his displeasure on their getting him back to life. He disclosed that he had been dead for a hundred years and all the while the heat of death had not cooled. He requested them to pray to Allah to restore him to his condition, (that is, to death). This shows that the severity of death lasts for a long period of time."

The young wayfarer said, "What is the lessons and the messages of the incident?" The man said, "The Hadith tells us that before doing anything important we must offer two raka'at Salat and make a supplication to Allah. This is mustahabb and it will invite the mercy and blessings of Allah on what we do. The blessings through Salat ensure goodness in all our affairs and they are accomplished easily. This is why the Qur'an has commanded the Believers to observe this conduct.
The Hadith also gives evidence that the righteous and pious people are favoured with supernatural and extraordinary occurences. We have seen that Allah raised a dead man on the supplication of the few pious people. Sometimes, Allah grants the supplication of some of His slaves even though generally such supplications are not granted and may even be contrary to the general practice of Allah. And Allah know best."

Then man said, "O young man, may Allah preserve all believers from the severity of death and the agony of the final moments of life! May He grant us comfort in this world and the Hereafter and let our graves be gardens of Paradise. Aameen!"

وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنْتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

"And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid." - [QS.50:19]

Bahasa

Reference :
- Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at