Distancing?

The mighty-garuda went on by telling a story,

"A dog used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite them without notice. His master, suspended a bell about his neck, that he might give notice of his presence wherever he went. The Dog grew proud of his bell, and went tinkling it all over the market-place.

An old hound said to him, 'Why do you make such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, believe me, any order of merit, but, on the contrary, a mark of disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill-mannered dog.'

Notoriety is often mistaken for fame."

On continuing the story of the healer and the seeker, the mighty-garuda then said, "But why must distancing?" asked the seeker. "O human!" exlaimed the healer, "Like viruses, there are four ways through which sins may invade a person, by looking, by desires, by speech, and by footsteps. Therefore, when implementing "social-distancing," you have to put on a mask, to cover these four ways. 

When a person got infected, sins have the effect of reducing one's intellect. When you consider two men, one obedient to Allah and the other disobedient to Allah, you will see that the intellect of the one who is obedient to Allah is better, that his opinion is sounder, and that he is often closer to the truth. Therefore, you will find that the Qur'an always addresses 'men of understanding,' among aothers,

يُّؤْتِى الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَّشَاۤءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُّؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ اُوْتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيْرًا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ اِلَّآ اُولُوا الْاَلْبَابِ

"He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding." [QS. Al-Baqarah(2):269]

'Wisdom' signifies sound perception and sound judgement. The purpose of this statement is to point out that one who is possessed of wisdom will follow Allah's path rather than that of Satan. The followers of Satan believe that it is the height of wisdom and shrewdness to be constantly concerned with saving out of one's earnings, and to be perpetually on the look-out for higher income. But for those endowed with Divine perception such an attitude is sheer folly. True wisdom consists in using one's resource moderately to meet one's needs and in spending whatever is left for charitable purposes. It may be possible for a person who does not spend for charitable purposes to attain a much greater degree of worldy prosperity than others. The life of this world, however, is only a fraction of man's total life which is not limited to the confines of this world. One who risks the well-being of his eternal existence for the sake of highly transient well-being in this world is indeed a fool. The truly wise person is he who makes full use of the tenure of this life and invests his resources in prosperity in this life that will never cease.

How could a person have true intellect if he disobeys Allah in Allah's World, knowing that He is watching over him? He commits a sin, knowing that he cannot conceal himself from Allah's Sight, ignoring the fact that he is inviting the Curse of Allah upon him. He knows that his sinful activities drive him away from Allah's Pleasure and Allah's Protection. He knows that he would be denied looking at Allah's Face on the Day of Judgment, and would be in the company of those who had earned Allah's Anger. It is not difficult for a reasonable person to realize that attaining real pleasure, happiness and delight in this life and the Hereafter requires that one pleases the Rabb, and does not earn His Anger nor His Curse.

A person who pleases Allah by adhering to His Commands, enjoys real pleasure in life, with a living heart that experiences every blessing bestowed upon it. But one who displeases Allah indulging in sinful activities, would not be free of worry, anxiety or misery. Therefore, a person who exchanges the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace; the Prophets, the true followers of the Prophet (ﷺ), the martyrs, and the righteous, with those who have earned Allah's Anger and Curse, certainly has a defective intellect.

O human! When there is a rupture of relations with Allah, all causes of goodness disappear, while causes of evil emerge. What kind of life could one lead if one broke one's relations with one's Master, Whom one cannot do without, and Who is irreplaceable? Do you remember a qisa from the Qur'an that Allah, Who has created the heavens and the earth, has the power to keep a few persons in a state of sleep for a couple of hundred years and then to raise them up same as they were at the time of going to sleep. If you ever had pondered over the wonderful creation of the sun and the moon and the earth, you would never have expressed any doubt that such a thing was anything difficult for Allah? Do you not think that the people of the Cave and Ar-Raqim were one of Allah's wondrous signs?

Allah said about the people of the Cave, the youth, said to one another,

هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ قَوۡمُنَا اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً​ ؕ لَوۡ لَا يَاۡتُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ بِسُلۡطٰنٍۢ بَيِّنٍ​ ؕ فَمَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ افۡتَـرٰى عَلَى اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا

"These, our people, have taken besides Him deities. Why do they not bring for [worship of] them a clear authority? And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie?" [QS. Al-Kahf(18):15]

وَاِذِ اعۡتَزَلۡـتُمُوۡهُمۡ وَمَا يَعۡبُدُوۡنَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ فَاۡوٗۤا اِلَى الۡـكَهۡفِ يَنۡشُرۡ لَـكُمۡ رَبُّكُمۡ مِّنۡ رَّحۡمَتِهٖ وَيُهَيِّئۡ لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ اَمۡرِكُمۡ مِّرۡفَقًا

"Since you have distanced yourselves from them and what they worship besides Allah, take refuge in the cave. Your Rabb will extend His mercy to you and accommodate you in your ordeal.” [QS. Al-Kahf(18):16]

And Allah also said,

نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ نَبَاَهُمۡ بِالۡحَـقِّ​ؕ اِنَّهُمۡ فِتۡيَةٌ اٰمَنُوۡا بِرَبِّهِمۡ وَزِدۡنٰهُمۡ هُدًى

"It is We who relate to you, their story in truth. Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance." [QS. Al-Kahf(18):13]

This is a true story about "men of understanding," who made a choice. Just as you practice social distancing to protect yourselves from a physical disease, they did so to protect themselves from a disease of the heart and mind.

O human! There are two important rules in Islam meant to ensure a healthy physical body. The first rule is "No-harm" and the second rule is "Cleanliness."

Allah says,

اَلَّذِيْنَ يَتَّبِعُوْنَ الرَّسُوْلَ النَّبِيَّ الْاُمِّيَّ الَّذِيْ يَجِدُوْنَهٗ مَكْتُوْبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِى التَّوْرٰىةِ وَالْاِنْجِيْلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَيَنْهٰىهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبٰۤىِٕثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ اِصْرَهُمْ وَالْاَغْلٰلَ الَّتِيْ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْۗ فَالَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِهٖ وَعَزَّرُوْهُ وَنَصَرُوْهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّوْرَ الَّذِيْٓ اُنْزِلَ مَعَهٗٓ ۙاُولٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ

"Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So, they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful." [QS. Al-A'Raf(7):157]

People used to think that alcohol had some health benefits. In fact, too much alcohol, ages the brain, increases the risk of breast cancer, damages the liver, kidney and pancreas, leads to many cardiovascular problems and heart diseases, causes a burning sensation in the chest, erodes the stomach lining (gradually inducing ulcers), raises the blood pressure, and increases the risk of impotence - it "provokes the desire but takes away the performance". In addition, alcohol raises the risk of miscarriage and increases the chance of birth defects if consumed during pregnancy, and women who drink regularly are more prone to premenstrual mood swings and cravings.

Some people think that drinking alcohol in cold weather warms the body. What alcohol actually does is to dilate the superficial blood vessels causing the blood to rush towards them, which gives a temporary feeling of warmth. This feeling is soon dissipated by heat transfer from the body to the surrounding environment due to the continuous blood circulation. In addition, alcohol causes temporary numbness of the hypothalamus (the region of the brain responsible for giving you warnings if your body feels cold, hot, hungry or thirsty). This causes the intoxicated person not to feel the cold, and this is the reason one hears about people who froze to death in winter time, when a lot of people drink alcohol and go outdoors without even noticing that they were cold.

The Prophet (ﷺ)  said,

لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ

"There should neither be harming (of others without cause), nor reciprocating harm (between two parties)." [Sunan Ibn Majah and al-Daaraqutni; Hasan by Al-Albani]

This hadith mentions one of the most important principles in Islamic law. Its lesson or ruling virtually touches upon every aspect of fiqh. This brief statement of the Prophet (ﷺ) has been understood in many different ways. Again, the hadith basically says, "No dharar and no dhiraar." One interpretation of the hadith is that the two words dharar and dharaar simply mean the same thing, "harming," and have been stated together as a type of emphasis. A second interpretation is that dharar means that no one is to be harmed, meaning that a person who is being harmed is not required to be patient and take that harm, while dhiraar means that no one is to harm anyone else. A third interpretation is, that dharar is a case where a person gets some benefit fom something while his neighbor is harmed by it. Dhiraar, on the other hand, is refrence to a case where the person himself enjoys no beneft fom something while it is harmful to his neighbor. However, the best or strongest interpretation seems to be that, the translation here, "There is not to be any causing of harm nor is there to be any reciprocating of harm."

Ibn Rajab breaks down "harm" into two categories. The frst category is an act whose only result is the harming of others. This type of act is an evil and is prohibited in Islam. Indeed, one cannot imagine a true believer doing such a deed to his brother in Islam. It strikes at the very root of the brotherhood and love that each Muslim should have for each other.

The second category is where the act brings about some benefit to the person but harms another person. A much more problematic area is where a person performs an act that is permissible and beneficial for him but that, unfortunately, has negative consequences for others. An example is when a person uses his property in a way that is permissible but while doing so, he has damaged his neighbor's property. No Muslim should ever intentionally cause harm to another Muslim. If he does so, even if his act is considered legal in this world, he may be held sinfl and accountable fr that act on the Day of Judgment.

As for the second rule, besides the purification of the heart, mind and inner self, the physical cleanliness must be concerned as well.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

‏الطهور شطر الإيمان

"Purification is half the Iman." [Sahih Muslim]

The Prophet (ﷺ) said to the Ansar,

يَا مَعْشَرَ الأَنْصَارِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَثْنَى عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الطُّهُورِ فَمَا طُهُورُكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا نَتَوَضَّأُ لِلصَّلاَةِ وَنَغْتَسِلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ وَنَسْتَنْجِي بِالْمَاءِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ هُوَ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَيْكُمُوهُ

"'O Ansar! Allah has praised you for your cleanliness. What is the nature of your cleanliness?' They said: 'We perform ablution for prayer and we take bath to cleanse ourselves of impurity due to sexual activity, and we clean ourselves with water (after urinating). He said: 'This is what it is. So adhere to it.'" [Sunan Ibn Majah; Hasan]

Bathing, a ritual shower, is compulsory in Islam in cases of nocturnal emission of semen, or the corresponding fluid in women, sexual intercourse and for women, after menstruation and at the end of the period of post-childbirth bleeding. In addition, there are some cases where bathing is recommended in the Sunnah, like the shower on the two Eid days and every Friday, before the congregational prayers that mark those days.

There is a very important physical reason for the wisdom behind these Islamic requirements. Bacteria and viruses - especially the common cold - collect on the hands, in between fingers and under fingernails; feet and toes, too, get dirty quickly. The mouth, nose, and ears are also places that germs tend to collect, and the eyes are very susceptible to infection. The Islamic ritual ablution ensures that all these parts of the body are rinsed free of surface germs before the prayer.

As previously mentioned, that a person who has a defective intellect, is he who exchanges the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace; the Prophets, the true followers of the Prophet (ﷺ), the martyrs, and the righteous, with those who have earned Allah's Anger and Curse. These youth, do the opposite. They cut ties with people who had cut their ties with Allah, then replaced them by reestablishing a relationship with Allah. Those youths, those who belong to the "men of understanding."

So, those precocious youths realized at an early age that the good and bad in people are each as contagious as a virus. They knew that the company you keep can make you or break you. We know this because an anonymous dog is eternally honored in the Qur'an simply for having guarded the boys as they slept in the cave, as Ibn Kathir wrote that "this is the benefit of befriending good people: this dog is now memorialized and valued."

One bad friend can destroy you. So a "man of understanding" takes no chances when it comes to the company he keeps. Most of the Salaf preferred seclusion over mixing with people. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave an example while seclusion in the latter part of Ramadan. He (ﷺ) would seclude himself from people, not mixing with or paying attention to them. There's no time for gossiping or socialization.

Ibn al-Jawzi identified at least four ways that seclusion can change you for the better, i.e. your heart, your mind, your dignity, and your discipline. But seclusion is only as appropriate as the beneficial changes it causes within you, so it should be applied with care. You must look at the person and his circumstances, his company and their circumstances, what he gains from them, what he loses through them, compare the gains and losses. Keep in mind, that the caliphs, are responsible for the safety and survival of the people, then you'll see the truth of the matter.

And Allah knows best."

References:
- Imam Shams-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah, Spiritual Disease and Its Cure, Edited by Shaikh Zakariya 'Amiraat, Al-Firdous
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
- Amira Ayad, Healing the Body and Soul, IIPH
- Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi Volume 2, Al-Basheer Publications
- UAE Council for Fatwa, Fatwa No. 11, 2020, Pertaining to the Rulings of Performing Congregational Rites in Light of the Spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease)

Bahasa

The Viruses Resemble the Misdeeds

The migthy garuda, with his handsomeness, also good at singing, he sang, melodious,

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you

Though I know that evening's empire has returned into sand

Vanished from my hand

Left me blindly here to stand, but still not sleeping *)

Then, he continued, "O my brother and sisters, I didn't say about music, but singing together, which, when in tune and not exaggerating, unites.

At first, listen to this story,

"A rat was traveling along the King's highway. He was a very proud rat, considering his small size and the bad reputation all rats have. As Mr. Rat walked along—he kept mostly to the ditch—he noticed a great commotion up the road, and soon a grand procession came in view. It was the King and his retinue.  By the way, the King's retinue, once said that, the highway, belongs only to the king and his supporters, not to the people, because it was the king who built it, no matter what the people had to do to pay taxes. 

The King—who exudes charm in the way of anti-heroes do, i.e. wearing simple clothes, in order to attract fans—rode on a huge Elephant adorned with the most gorgeous trappings. With the King in his luxurious howdah—a seat with canopy and railings in the back of the elephant—were the royal Dog and Cat. You must have known what the functions and duties of these dogs and cats were. The dog, in charge of barking when someone criticizes and expresses opposing opinions and threatens the position of the King. The cat, with her adorable behavior, will meow to invite people to cheer-up and acknowledge whatever the king and his retinue do. Unlike the previous kings, today, these dogs and cats, are officially kept by the kingdom. It was said that, the King, even though he knew there was a time limit to rule and it was not certain that the people would elect him again, but out of his stupidity, wanted that his reign be extended for life, at least, equal to those the monarchs. 

Probably, the King had forgotten, that there were two Kings before his reign, one was crowned as a King for unlimited time, and the other, somehow, though, at that periode, it was not contradicting to the constitution, had his reign extended many times, engendered the rise of Dictatorships. In the communist system, dictatorship lived as the proletariat, therefore, people didn't want it. People wanted changes, so there were some amendments in the Constitution, but not the Kingdom's Philosophy. At that time, until today, Democracy was still the first-option, though not the best, but not the worst either. As for the Sharia system, the Founders of the Kingdom had incorporated it as the Soul of the Constitution and Philosophy of the kingdom, ever since the kingdom was founded. While it was incomplete, the future generations were expected to work it out. If the King didn't realized, then really, the king was indeed, stupid! He ignored the spirit of change.

A great crowd of people followed the procession. Thanks to the work of dogs and cats, the crowd were so taken up with admiration of the Elephant, that the Rat was not noticed. His pride was hurt.

"What a fool!" he cried. "Look at me, and you will soon forget that clumsy Elephant! Is it his great size that makes your eyes pop out? Or is it his wrinkled hide? Why? I have eyes and ears and as many legs as he! I am of just as much importance, and ..."—But just then the royal Cat spied him, and the next instant, the Rat knew he was not quite so important as an Elephant. A resemblance to the great, in some things, does not make us great."

Afterwards, he said, "Now, let me continue my story about the healer and the seeker. The healer went on, "O human! It should be known that sins, which caused by our misdeeds, harm to the heart, like the effect of poison on the body, according to the degree of the damage done. In fact, all evil and harm that one faces, in this world and the Hereafter, are caused by one's sins and misdeeds. It would becomes an ailment, which if it continues, becomes a disease that would damage our potential in both this world and the Hereafter.

Today, the coronavirus has outbreak everywhere. Know that the virus, is a sign within us. Allah says,

وَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ اٰیٰتٌ لِّلۡمُوۡقِنِیۡنَ

وَ فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِکُمۡ ؕ اَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُوۡنَ

"There are ˹countless˺ signs on earth for those with sure faith, as there are within yourselves. Can you not see?" [QS. Adh-Dhariyat (51):20-21]

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned to us and said,

 يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ خَمْسٌ إِذَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ بِهِنَّ وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تُدْرِكُوهُنَّ لَمْ تَظْهَرِ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي قَوْمٍ قَطُّ حَتَّى يُعْلِنُوا بِهَا إِلاَّ فَشَا فِيهِمُ الطَّاعُونُ وَالأَوْجَاعُ الَّتِي لَمْ تَكُنْ مَضَتْ فِي أَسْلاَفِهِمُ الَّذِينَ مَضَوْا ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَنْقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِلاَّ أُخِذُوا بِالسِّنِينَ وَشِدَّةِ الْمَؤُنَةِ وَجَوْرِ السُّلْطَانِ عَلَيْهِمْ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَمْنَعُوا زَكَاةَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ إِلاَّ مُنِعُوا الْقَطْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَلَوْلاَ الْبَهَائِمُ لَمْ يُمْطَرُوا وَلَمْ يَنْقُضُوا عَهْدَ اللَّهِ وَعَهْدَ رَسُولِهِ إِلاَّ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ فَأَخَذُوا بَعْضَ مَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ ‏.‏ وَمَا لَمْ تَحْكُمْ أَئِمَّتُهُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَخَيَّرُوا مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ بَأْسَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ

‘O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you will be tested, and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them,

Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them.

They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity and the oppression of their rulers.

They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them.

They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands.

Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah; Sahih]

It was said that Muhammad bin Sirin felt so apprehensive because of an old debt, so he said, "I know that the cause of this anxiety is a sin which I had committed forty years ago."

People continue to underestimate an important concept regarding sins as they do not see the effect of a sin, immediately. Its effect could be delayed, and so people would forget it, and believe that they are not really in the wrong, and therefore do not need to change themselves. This misconception has caused so much torment to many people; it deprived them of many blessings, and caused them misfortunes.

O human! Sins, like the viruses, leave disturbing and damaging effects, on the body and soul, which have consequences both in this world and the Hereafter, which Allah Alone, knows. Some of these effects are, deprivation of knowledge; withdrawal of blessings; loneliness; facing hardship; feeling anxiety; prevention from doing other obedient acts; shortening of one's lifespan.

Sins also cause corruption and rottenness to different aspects of the environment, such as one's residence, water, air, plants and fruit. Sins extinguish the light of ghaira, the sense of honour, in the heart. The sense of honour is to a person's life like the basal temperature is to the rest of the body; it removes all aspects of wickedness and bad attributes in one's personality. The most dignified people are the ones who observe a strong sense of honour in themselves, their families, and others. Sins take away from the sinner all sense of modesty, hayaa', which is the living substance of the heart. Modesty is defined as the basis of all good, and its removal is the elimination of all that is good.

O human! Sins, like the viruses, lead to the production of other sins, until one finds it hard to give them up. A virus works in much the same way. On its own, a virus particle is inert and unable to reproduce. But once it finds a living cell, it forces its way in and tricks its host into duplicating itself so many times that the host cell ultimately bursts apart in a flood of newborn virus.

A scholar of the past has said, "Among the punishments for a sin is committing a subsequent sin. And among the recompenses for a good deed is doing a subsequent good deed. When a person does a good deed, another good deed besides it says, 'Do me as well.' If he does it, a third one says likewise, and so on; therefore, his good deeds, and recompense for them, increase. The same thing occurs, but in a negative way, when a person commits a sin. It should be noted that the ratio between the rewards of sins and the rewards of good-deeds, is between 1/10, 1/70, and even up to 1/100. The intention to sin will not be counted, but the intention to do good-deeds, will be counted. 

Consequently, good and bad deeds become established as habits and attributes in one's life. If a righteous person misses an obedient act, he/she would feel strained. He/she would feel like a fish out of water, and would remain calm only once he/she fulfilled his/her obligations.

On the other hand, if a sinner misses a sin, he/she would feel strained, and would be only relax once he/she had committed that sin. In fact, many sinners commit their sins without savouring them, just to prevent the withdrawal symptoms of missing them. One such prominent sinner has said, "One glass of wine I drank for pleasure, followed by another to heal myself from the first drink."

O human! Tyranny and oppression are among the greatest sins because they oppose justice, upon which the heavens and the earth were established. Allah sent His Messengers and Books in order that people might establish justice among themselves.

The act of killing unlawfully, without any right, is a great sin. Islam cites many examples of such evil acts, like the killing of one's child for fear that the child might share one's provision (i.e. food, drink, and money); the killing of one's parents who were the cause of one's existence; the killing of one's kin.

The grade of such an evil act differs according to the nature of the act itself; therefore, the person who will receive the utmost punishment on the Day of Resurrection is the one who killed a prophet, followed by the one who killed an Imam, or a scholar who commanded justice among people and invited them to the Path of Allah. Allah has set the punishment for the intentional killing of a believer as dwelling eternally in the Hell-Fire, with the Curse and Anger of Allah.

It is known that the sin of the one who killed a hundred persons is greater in the Sight of Allah than the sin of the one who killed only one person. Some people believe that the resemblance in the sin suggests the resemblance of the punishment; but resembling one thing with another thing does not suggest taking it with all its regulations. If it is said, "Then where is the resemblance between the one who kills one person and the one who kills a hundred persons"? The resemblance is in many aspects,

First, both of them are disobedient to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and are to receive Allah's Punishment, and both of them have earned Allah's Anger and Curse, and dwelling eternally in the Hell-Fire. The difference between them is in their punishment in their lowest levels of Hell.

Second, they both equally deserve being killed.

Third, they are both equally guilty in their willingness to kill unlawfully. Whoever kills a person without any right, simply for causing mischief in the land, can kill anyone just to take their property; therefore he is an enemy to humanity!

Fourth, Allah has made the believers, in their mercy and sympathy towards one another, as one body; so when a killer hurts one part of that body, all the other parts of that body are also hurt. So when someone hurts a believer, it is as if he has hurt all the believers.

O human! Fornication is a great evil which can destroy society. It is contrary to the benefit of the global values of preserving lineage, protecting chastity and the sanctity of individuals. It spreads animosity and enmity among people, as committing adultery affects other people's wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. It causes destruction to human society, and therefore comes after the evil of killing in terms of the grade of its evil.

Since the starting point for the evil of adultery is the vision, Allah has commanded Muslims to lower their gaze; because evil starts with a glance, followed by a feeling of passion, then moving closer, and finally in committing the sinful act.

There are four ways through which sins may invade a person. First, looking at the unlawful is the main way to generate passion, and so whoever abstains from it, has indeed preserved his/her chastity. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, to Ali,

يَا عَلِيُّ لاَ تُتْبِعِ النَّظْرَةَ النَّظْرَةَ فَإِنَّ لَكَ الأُولَى وَلَيْسَتْ لَكَ الآخِرَةُ

"Do not give a second look, Ali, because while you are not to blame for the first, you have no right to the second." [Sunan Abi Dawud; Hasan by Al-Albani]

Staring, lies behind some of the main calamities which afflict mankind. Indeed, looking produces desire; desire produces thoughts; thoughts produce passion; passion produces will power which turns into strong determination, and ends up as an action, as long as there is no impediment.

The second way through which sins may invade a person, desires and inclinations, are the starting point of good and evil, and it is from them that will and determination are generated. Therefore, whoever controls his/her desires has indeed controlled him/herself; and whoever surrenders to his/her own desires, would be overwhelmed by them, but whoever thinks little of his/her inclinations, they would guide him to his/herself-destruction. Desires keep on approaching the heart until they become wishes, as Allah has said,

وَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡۤا اَعۡمَالُہُمۡ کَسَرَابٍۭ بِقِیۡعَۃٍ یَّحۡسَبُہُ الظَّمۡاٰنُ مَآءً ؕ حَتّٰۤی اِذَا جَآءَہٗ لَمۡ یَجِدۡہُ شَیۡئًا وَّ وَجَدَ اللّٰہَ عِنۡدَہٗ فَوَفّٰىہُ حِسَابَہٗ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ سَرِیۡعُ الۡحِسَابِ

"But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allah before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allah is swift in account." [QS. An-Nur (24):39]

The most despised people, in terms of their determination, are those who tum facts into false wishes, and observe these in their mean lives. These false wishes are damaging to man, as they generate a sense of lassitude and apathy, and produce a feeling of negligence, remorse and regret.

When the wisher misses the interaction of the truth within his/her body, he/she depicts its picture in his/her heart, and so he/she becomes contented with illusionary images portrayed by his/her own thoughts, which never brings him/her any real satisfaction in life. His/her example is like that of a person who is both hungry and thirsty, picturing images of food and drink in his/her mind, without having any food or drink to ease his/her hunger and thirst.

Accepting such a state of mind shows a low degree of the self esteem and is also a disgrace; because the dignity and purity of the self lies in rejecting any unreal desire or fantasy.

Man's desires may be divided into four categories. Desires with which man attains worldly benefits, desires with which he drives away his worldly problems, desires with which he attains benefit in the Hereafter, and desires with which he drives away any harm in the Hereafter.

A reasonable person would not hesitate to prefer desires which would gain him/her the benefits in the Hereafter, by seeking the Pleasure of his/her Rabb. Such desires and thoughts are defined according to their priorities. First, reflecting on the Revelation and understanding its meaning. Allah did not send it down just to recite it. Rather, its recitation is just a means to enable a person to ponder on its context. One past scholar said, "The Qur'an was revealed to be implemented on; so turn its recitation into practice!"

Second, reflecting on Allah's Signs and using them as evidence to confirm Allah's Names, Attributes, Wisdom, Benevolence and Generosity, as Allah has urged His Servants to reflect on His Signs and understand them. Third, thinking of Allah's Beneficence, Forgiveness, Mercy, Patience, and bestowing His Blessings upon His Servants. These three types of reflection extract from the heart: the knowledge, love, and fear of Allah, which may be firmly established by the remembrance of Allah. Fourth, thinking of the defects of the self and of one's actions. This thought has a great beneficial effect, as it breaks the self which commands evil, allowing one's heart to live in a serene world. Fifth, thinking of the duty of time and its function, and directing all worries around it, to avoid wasting any fraction of it. In fact, all benefits are generated from time, and any wasted time remains irreplaceable.

A person's time is indeed his/her lifetime; it is a way leading to his/her eternal blessed life in Paradise, or the way to his/her eternal tormented life in the Hell-Fire. It passes by faster than the clouds move. Whatever time a person spends in obedience to Allah is indeed his/her true life, but whatever else cannot regarded as his/her life; even if he/she has already lived it, his/her life could be compared to that of animals. Even a person performing Salat does not gain from his/her Salat except that which he/she remembers of it; therefore man's life is only that spent in obedience to Allah, and everything else is but the devil's whisperings and false wishes.

You should know that a desire in itself does not harm anyone; what is harmful is interacting or reacting to it. A desire is like a passer-by; if you ignore it, it will go away; but if you invite it in, it would bewitch you with its deceptive speech.

Allah has placed two kinds of selves in man: a self that is commanding and a self that is peaceful, and they oppose eachother; whatever is light for one is heavy for the other, and whatever satisfies one torments the other. An Angel is on the right side of the heart, while a devil is on the left side of it. There is an on-going battle, until the self completes its life in this world. All falsehood is on the side of the devil and the self commanding evil; while all the truth stays on the side of the Angel and the peaceful mind. The on-going battle is recorded, and victory is gained by one's patience. Whoever endures, shows patience and fears Allah would have a good ending in this world and the Hereafter. Allah has decreed that there will be a blessed end is for the pious.

The third way through which sins may invade a person, is speech, should be preserved and used only for what is beneficial. One should say only that which is beneficial to one's Deen (religion). One should think twice before uttering a word, and whether it is useful for one's religion or not; if there is no gain in saying it, one should abstain from uttering it; but if there is any benefit in it, one should not waste the opportunity of saying it. If one wants to give evidence about what is inside the hearts (of others), one should consider their expressions. In fact, the tongue reveals the condition of the heart, whether its owner likes it or not!

There are two great ailments related to the tongue; if a man is safe from one, he is not safe from the other; they are the ailments of "speech" and "silence". One can be a greater sin than the other; for a man who keeps silent about the truth is a "dumb devil", disobedient to Allah; while the man who speaks falsehood is a "speaking devil", disobedient to Allah.

Righteous people are those who restrain their tongues from uttering falsehood, but loosen them to speak about whatever is beneficial for them in their Hereafter. A person could come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds, the size of mountains, yet they were ruined by his/her tongue; or a person could come with bad deeds, the size of mountains, but he/she would find that his/her tongue destroyed them with constant remembrance of Allah!

The fourth way through which sins may invade a person, footsteps, should be preserved in the sense that one has to use his feet to take one to where one should gain the Reward of Allah, not His Curse. Since a slip is related to the foot as well as to the tongue, they were both mentioned in the Verse, as Allah said,

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

"And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily,1 and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace." [QS. Al-Furqan (25):63]

Allah described His Faithful Servants with straightness in their words and footsteps.

O human! Out of mercy, Allah sends you the signs to remind you of your wrongs, and of what He can do to your fragile body in this life and the next due to those wrongs. As a human being, you try to forget your wrongs, move on, and live comfortably. But such comfort is an illusion. When Kufah was stricken with an earthquake, Ibn Mas'ud turned to those with him and said, 'O people! Your Rabb is teaching you a lesson, so learn it!'

And Allah, the Almighty, knows best."

At last, the mighty-garuda sang,

I'm ready to go anywhere

I'm ready for to fade

Into my own parade

Cast your dancing spell my way

I promise to go under it

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you *)

References :

- Imam Shams-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah, Spiritual Disease and Its Cure, Edited by Shaikh Zakariya 'Amiraat, Al-Firdous

- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
*) "Mr. Tambourine Man" written by Bob Dylan.

Bahasa

The Limits

Now, after the eagle and the hawk, it's time for the mighty, the garuda, to come forward. After saying the salaam, he delivered the opening kalimah, "All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, seek His Support, Guidance and Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah, from the evils of our selves and from our misdeeds. He whom Allah guides, will never be misguided by anyone and he whom Allah misguides, will never be guided by anyone. I testify that there is no deity but Allah Alone, having no partner, and I testify that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Servant and Messenger.

O believers, fear Allah, and speak words hitting the mark, and He will set right your deeds for you and will forgive your sins. Whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), has won a mighty triumph. And fear Allah as He should be feared, and see you do not die, save as Muslims. The truest discourse is the Qur’an, the most noble of traditions is the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ), the most evil of things is their novelties, every novelty is a bid’a, every bid’a is a dhalala [act of misguidance], and every dhalala is in Fire!"

"Amma ba'du!" then he said,

The Mountains told me, do not go up, do not go up!

But my feet were headed to the wet streams in heart of the mountains

The Mountains told me, do not go on, do not go on!

But my feet were headed to the muddy streams in heart of the mountains

I want to live like a single gust of wind and go

Like the wind travels through mountains, clouds and tears

He continued, "There was a seeker, who had walked a long way, until he came to a closed door. He knocked on the door, a voice said, "Please come in!" The seeker looked doubtful, but slowly, he opened the door.

A spacious, white room, he found behind the door. In the middle, there was a man, the healer, sitting in a rocking chair. The seeker drew near, they looked at each other, the healer smiled. The seeker greets with a salaam.

The seeker stayed around, there were no windows, there were only two closed doors, one, the one he had passed, and the other, he did not know which way to go if he passed. He looked at the healer, as if asking.

Shaking his chair, the healer said, "O human! The closed door is the limit, and behind the closed door, you will find nothing but a destruction. Listen to this story, 'A Wolf meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea, which should justify to the Lamb himself his right to eat him. He thus addressed him, 'Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.''Indeed,' bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, 'I was not then born.' Then said the Wolf, 'You feed in my pasture.'

'No, good sir,' replied the Lamb, 'I have not yet tasted grass.' Again said the Wolf, 'You drink of my well.'

'No,' exclaimed the Lamb, 'I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me.' On which the Wolf seized him, and ate him up, saying, 'Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.' The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

Man has several muses, among which there are the muses of innate faith and temporal self-interest. If the muse of temporal self-interest triumphs, the reproachful soul intervenes to redress the balance. However, if the soul were devilish, it demands the fulfillment of pleasure, because it is a soul that incites man to do evil. But, if it complies with Allah’s Law and does what Allah commands, then it is a peaceful soul. The person who wrongs himself is the one who pursues the desires of his soul, giving it a temporal enjoyment, and therefore, expects a deferred misery. Therefore, by doing so, he has wronged himself.

One is unjust to himself by harbouring a temporal pleasure for it, and thus; causing it a permanent misery. As a result, man finds himself in a strange situation, because he has embroiled his self in an eternal misery through an ephemeral pleasure. Injustice to the self is one of the most distressing forms of injustice, and is there any person with a sound mind who disobeys Allah by not executing His commands and by committing the forbidden?

A person with a sound mind would not do that, because he knows that, apparently, there is a fulfillment of a desire, but, deeply, there is an involvement of the self in misery. For example, sleeping without observing prayers means an apparent fulfillment of a sleeping desire for his self, but means an isolation of the self from Allah. Similarly, if one drinks alcohol, he would think that he has fulfilled a desire for himself; whereas, in reality, he has wronged himself by involving it in an enormous misery. When one wrongs himself, he does feel secure towards it.

O human! Injustice entails the involvement of two parties: the unjust and one to whom injustice has been done. But in the case of being unjust to the self, who is the unjust? And who is the party to which injustice has been done?

The self, refers to the presence of soul in matter, and it is this union which gives the soul the character of peacefulness, the character of evildoing, or the character of reproach. The convergence of soul and matter, produces the human soul. Prior to this convergence, the soul would, by nature, be good, and the substance is subdued according to the will of its subduer. I am saying this so that nobody would argue that there is a materialistic life and a spiritual life, and that the materialistic life is evil, and the spiritual life is good. Arguably, the matter is, generally, good, obedient, subjugated, worshipping and glorifying; and so is the soul.

Corruption arises when the soul meets with the matter. At this interaction, there comes the principle of choice. A mature person, legally responsible for his actions, would be told, 'Are you satisfied with Allah’s Law? Or are you going to vacillate between the reproachful soul and satisfaction? Or are you going to indulge in disobedience of Allah O and have an evil soul?' This variation comes at the convergence of soul and matter.

Which does wrong when the soul and matter meet? It is desire which wrongs the soul in an act of disobedience. This is to say that the wrongdoer fulfils a desire for his soul by committing a sin, but, in reality, he burdens his soul.

There is a difference between committing a wrong in order to fulfill a desire, for one’s self committing a wrong in order to fulfill a desire for someone else’s self. Committing an act of indecency is something, and wronging the self is a different matter. Committing an act of indecency may be a momentary enjoyment for the soul. However, one who has wronged himself for the sake of fulfilling someone else’s desire, cannot be said to have brought enjoyment to himself; he has wronged it. He has not given his self the short-lived desire in this life nor protected it from the torment of the Hereafter.

O human! Generally, Zulm is like Al-Jawr (oppression): a form of aggression, coercion, subjugation or devaluation of importance. The antonym of Zulm is Al-Insaf (justice), just as the antonym of Al-Jawr (oppression) is Al-‘Adl (justice). Az-Zulm is, therefore, injustice, and when one does injustice to himself, he would, then, be wronged by himself and unjust towards it. Wronging one’s self is the worst forms of injustice. The soul which Allah honoured and created deserves to be guarded by man, who should achieve what Allah W wants from it, and prevent any relentless desire which incurs Allah’s wrath, from reaching it.

Man may be both a wrongdoer and wronged at the same time. This is because people wrong their selves, and the human soul possesses the muses of immediate or temporal interest and muses of desires and fantasies; which compete with one another. If you have done wrong and reproached your self and performed a good deed, then you are a person with a reproachful soul. If your soul is used to doing evil and indulging in desires, then you are a person with an evil soul. If your soul succumbs to Allah, then you are a person with a peaceful soul. It is the evil soul which has violated people’s rights and wronged them, and it, at the same time, wronged itself by giving it a temporal enjoyment and goading it into a permanent wretchedness.

O human! If Zulm (injustice) means usurping somebody’s right; that is, what he/she has earned legally, then Az-Zalim (the wrongdoer) wrongfully and with hostility takes what the other has sweated for. This stops the activity of life, because given that I work and other takes my fruits unlawfully is the result of work, then I am not going to work. Moreover, when the wrongdoer does wrong, he not only takes unlawfully the right of the other, but mislead other powerful people like him to usurp the rights of the weak and wrong them. As a result, injustice prevails, and if it prevails in a society, then it would give rise to unemployment and paralyses the flow of the entire life.

Therefore, the wrongdoer takes more than his right, lies to others, wrong and usurp their rights. However, even if he were to take all that is in the present life, and would like on the Day of Judgment ransom himself with it against the torment of that Day, it would not be accepted from him. But why? This is because he has transgressed the limits, wronged and lied to people.

If the all punishment had been postponed for the Hereafter, then injustice would have prevailed among people and across the entire universe. A person who does not believe in the Hereafter, would lark about as he pleases. For this reason, it was necessary to set up a punishment for his actions in this life, which would draw people’s attention to Allah’s control over His Universe. The punishment of the wrongdoer would also set a lesson for others. Yet, the serious punishment still awaits him in the Hereafter.

O human! Allah forbids us lean on the wrongdoers, because if you incline towards the wrongdoer and believed in him, he would involve you with him. But if you keep away from him and do not lean on him, he would feel that you lean on a strong base. Therefore, do not lean on him until he understands that you have confidence in Allah and His Ability to take on the wrongdoer. At that time, he would feel weakened. One of the evils of the present life is leaning on the wrongdoers and helping them in their wrongdoing. He who does so does not notice that Allah is capable to cause the collapse of the wrongdoer and of all his tyranny and power. And one of the sign of the collapse of the wrongdoer, is the epidemy. And Allah knows best."

Garuda was silent, then said,

The Mountains told me, forget it, forget it!

But my feet were headed to the wet streams in heart of the mountains

The Mountains told me, go down, go down!

Pushing my tired sholder as I can't bear the weight of something I couldn't understand

But my feet were headed to the muddy streams in heart of the mountains

I want to live like a single gust of wind and go

Like the wind travels through mountains, clouds and tears

References :
- Muhammad Mutawalli Shaarawi, Oppression and the Oppressors, Translated by Chafik Abdelghani, Al-Firdous
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons

Bahasa

The Instinct (2)

The oldman continued,

O young man! The next instinct is the instinct of wanting to be loved. It is an inherent quality in all of us that we want to be loved, adored and appreciated by others, especially those who are close to us. Therefore, children want to be loved by their parents and vice versa, and wives want to be loved by their husbands as well as husbands want to be loved by their wives. No one wants to live in a loveless marriage, since it is totally un-natural. This is why we all have friends. Friends that we keep in close contact with and enjoy being in their company.

It is for this same reason, why people engage in intimate relationships at high schools, colleges and universities, i.e. boy friend, girl friend relationships. They want to feel emotionally secured, and confident about themselves being beautiful, handsome, comely and attractive. They want to know that they are special in someone’s heart. Because of this it is very important that parents display their love and affection in their behaviour towards their children. If this is lacking the children will seek after this love and affection from strangers outside the home and therefore become vulnerable to rascals who will not hesitate to manipulate them. Children who are from homes where they were not shown any love nor attention often end up as class clowns disrupting the class in order to seek the attention of others. Likewise, girls who were not shown any love at home often start intimate relationships with men at an early age.

Husbands who are not shown enough love and affection from their wives at home often engage in extra-marital love affairs with their co-workers at work; their secretaries or any other women they come into contact with on a regular basis. Some of them even go as far as to hire the services of prostitutes. These same practices apply to the women who are not shown any love by their husbands; they may end up seeking it from other sources that are obviously haram.

All these vices occur because we all have this inherent instinct to fulfil. To love and to be loved. Hence whenever there is a vacuum the consequences can be startling and catastrophic for the individual and the society.

Also, we all want to be loved and appreciated by our Muslim brothers and sisters, because the Muslim community is our extended family. The only way we can be loved by other Muslims is for us to improve on our relationship with Allah our Rabb and Creator. If the relationship with your Creator is good, then your relationship with his entire creation automatically becomes good.

O young man! Man likes to know. Because knowledge signifies honour and dignity. Whereas ignorance signifies dishonour and ignobility. Allah Ta'ala instilled in us this instinct so that we will progress spiritually, academically, mentally scientifically and otherwise. Allah on many occasions in the Holy Qur’an has encouraged us to reflect and ponder on his creation. At times he has even invited us to travel through the different parts of His creation in order to learn from it.

This instinct of being inquisitive and loving knowledge was given to us by Allah so that we will make many discoveries and break through for us to progress spiritually as well as technologically. Therefore this instinct when utilised properly produces wonderful and marvellous results.

O young man! We are all living in a cruel and selfish world. A world were people will not hesitate to exploit others for their own selfish ends. So, Allah gave us the instinct of wanting to defend ourselves so that we will not allow others to use, misuse and abuse us. To defend oneself against oppressors, aggressors and assailants is also an inherent quality in us all.

Today, the world is filled with tyranny and oppression, all because men refuse to acknowledge the rights of others. This was expected because if man does not give Allah his right, which is Islamic monotheism then it becomes impossible for him to give a fellow human being his rights.

O young man! In addition to giving us the natural instinct of loving wealth, possessions and properties for various reasons, Allah also has given us the instinct of fearing poverty. The most important is that Allah told us to use our wealth as a means of doing righteous deeds and thus inherit the paradise. Additionally we were told not to neglect our portion of wealth from this world and upon acquiring it we should not use it to spread mischief and corruption on the earth, as is the case with wealthy people who have no piety. The other reason why Allah has given us this natural instinct is, to test us to see which of us is best of conduct.

Wealth is a test from Allah Ta’ala. However it becomes a source of blessing whenever its owner utilises it righteously. Most rich people find it difficult to behave properly upon acquiring wealth. Thus they are given to greed, pride, lust, fighting the truth and so on.

The man-made systems of capitalism, socialism and communism, have failed miserably to regulate man’s instinct of loving wealth. In capitalist societies, people pay attention to the life of this world and forget the Hereafter. They live for the sake of money, technology and pleasures of the flesh.

The communist system was expected to perish, since they too like their capitalist counterparts, have denied the natural instinct of worshipping Allah, instead they both worship materialism. Additionally, the Communist have sealed their fate by also denying man his right to utilise his natural instinct of wanting to own properties, claiming that every thing is state owned. Every other man-made system is short lived, because in one way or the other, they are all in conflict with our natural instincts. Hence the people who live under these systems, live a life of misery, stress and mental depression. Since all man-made systems have proven to be inadequate and thus failed the people spiritually, socially, economically and otherwise, man is left with no choice but to humble himself and embrace, implement and carry out heavenly revealed laws which is al-Islam.

O young man! Allah also gave us the instinct of loving delicious food and drinks so that we will eat right rather than abusing our bodies by eating just about anything, i.e. foods that are not nutritious. Allah wants the best for us in regards to food, clothing, shelter, guidance etc. There are many people today that have gone astray in regards to this natural instinct. There is no doubt that it is the Shaitaan who has caused them to loose their balance and go astray. There are many who loved food and drink to such an extent that it causes them to be selfish and unkind to their guests. Know that to take care of our guests is a sign of Iman.

O young man! Men love for life, and his strong fear of old age and death, this is what the survival Instinct. If someone should hold a child of two, for example, and pretends like he is about to throw that child from a balcony or a veranda, you will see that child screams and cries out of intense fear for death and danger. This is so because everyone including this child was born with the inherent quality to fear death. This instinct was given to us by Allah so that we would avoid committing suicide. Therefore whenever a person commits suicide, this behaviour of his or hers is considered abnormal. Any society in which suicide occurs a lot, such a society is spiritually empty and this abnormal practice is a sign telling us that the society is on its way to destruction.

The quality of hating old age and death is so inherent in Mankind that even our father Adam, alayhissalaam, was deceived by Iblees and ate from the forbidden tree after he was assured by Iblees that he Adam would live forever if he should eat from that particular tree. The Shaitaan deceived Adam, alayhissalaam, by promising him immortality because he knows that man hates old age and death instinctively.

Mankind's fear for old age is so strong at times it leads a lot of men and women to undergo numerous amounts of plastic operations in order to look many years younger than they actually are. Even though these people at times suffer excruciating pains as a result of these plastic operations they bear the agony with patience because of their intense anxiety to look younger. Old age has affected a lot of people psychologically, in that they become miserable, loose their confidence, feel unwanted and retarded. They try to fight these feelings by dating young people who are sometimes half their age, thus came the slang terms known as sugar-daddy or sugar-momma.

Unbelievers are more affected with old age than Muslims because their societies and families reject them; also because this world is their paradise and they have nothing in the hereafter to look forward to.

O young man! About the story of Adam, alayhissalaam and Iblees, Allah said,

دَلّٰىہُمَا بِغُرُوۡرٍ ۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَۃَ بَدَتۡ لَہُمَا سَوۡاٰتُہُمَا وَ طَفِقَا یَخۡصِفٰنِ عَلَیۡہِمَا مِنۡ وَّرَقِ الۡجَنَّۃِ ؕ وَ نَادٰىہُمَا رَبُّہُمَاۤ اَلَمۡ اَنۡہَکُمَا عَنۡ تِلۡکُمَا الشَّجَرَۃِ وَ اَقُلۡ لَّکُمَاۤ اِنَّ الشَّیۡطٰنَ لَکُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِیۡنٌ

"Thus he cunningly seduced them, and when they ate from the tree, their shame became visible to them and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden. Then their Rabb called out to them, 'Did I not forbid you to approach that tree, and did not I warn you that Shaitan was your open enemy?'" [QS. Al-A'raf (7):22]

Allah Ta’ala gave us the instinct of covering nakedness, for various reasons. Such as to elevate us above the animal level. Additionally, to safeguard our chastity, morality and potency. Your clothes give you protection from harsh weather conditions. It gives you honour and dignity, defines your gender and beautifies you. This instinct, also implies, that we as humans, have a sense of shame. Therefore, do not believe when someone says, "I have no shame anymore!" It was mere speech, and a sign of arrogance.

Is is said that Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah pleased with him, approached by a boy and they spoke for a short while. Then he bought from the boy a robe costing three dirhams. Its length was from the wrist to the ankles. He, Ali then wore it and made the following du’a, ‘All praise is due to Allah who has blessed me with this garment which I used to beautify myself in front of others and cover my aura (nakedness)'. It was said to him, 'What you just recited, was it from yourself or from the Prophet (ﷺ)'. He, Ali said, 'This du’a I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was putting on his garments.'

Man was created with the natural instinct of covering his aura (nakedness), and the purpose of garment, to beautifying ourselves and covering our nakedness.

O young man! You asked me, is it wrong to love your country? Know that man is nationalistic by nature. Therefore he strives for unity, independence, interest, prosperity and even the dominion of his nation. He wants the best for his country and it hurts him to see his country’s backwardness, especially moral and economic backwardness. Whenever he leaves his country, he reads newspapers and magazines that inform him of the situation back home. Likewise, he buys goods and merchandise that were imported from his homeland to the country where he is residing. Whenever his country is participating in any competition, like the world Olympics, world cup football, the common wealth games and so on, he automatically becomes a fan and supporter of his national team without anyone having to tell him to do so. If his country is invaded by another country he would lay down his life to repel the aggressor and defend his homeland. This is so because he is by nature, a lover of his country. Because of this, it is considered bad manners by Islam to speak ill about someone's birthplace because his heart is connected to his country, hence by doing so you actually hurt him. Not only would you hurt him but you would cause him to hate you. Thus the Islamic brotherhood would be affected with hatred, malice, spite, resentment and rancour.

But as Muslims, we should not allow our love for our country to turn us into, what is called, Asabiyya, giving preference to nationalism, tribalism, racism, partisanship, clannishness over the Islamic brotherhood. Regarding this Asabiyya, we should be careful not to let this understanding become a group fanaticism that is blind to tribes, ethnic groups, and nations. According to Ibn Khaldun, Asabiyya is an important element in building the country. Without it, the state will easily collapse because it does not have a strong bond of social solidarity, to cooperate with each other, build mutual understanding, and work hand in hand to maintain the integrity of the country. However, we should still be careful not to let this understanding become a group fanaticism that is blind to tribes, ethnic groups, and even nations. In fact, the unity of a nation, comes from the unity of diverse visions, which is manifested into a strong bond of solidarity, based on a sense of brotherhood.

About Asabiyya, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

وَمَنْ قَاتَلَ تَحْتَ رَايَةٍ عُمِّيَّةٍ يَغْضَبُ لِعَصَبَةٍ أَوْ يَدْعُو إِلَى عَصَبَةٍ أَوْ يَنْصُرُ عَصَبَةً فَقُتِلَ فَقِتْلَةٌ جَاهِلِيَّةٌ وَمَنْ خَرَجَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي يَضْرِبُ بَرَّهَا وَفَاجِرَهَا وَلاَ يَتَحَاشَ مِنْ مُؤْمِنِهَا وَلاَ يَفِي لِذِي عَهْدٍ عَهْدَهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ ‏

“One who fights under the banner of a people who are blind to the cause for which they are fighting, (i.e. do not know whether their cause is just or unjust, who gets flared up with Asabiyya, calls people to fight for their Asabiyya. And supports his kith and kin (i.e. fights not for the cause of Allah but for the sake of his Asabiyya) if he is killed (in this fight) he dies as one belonging to the days of Jahiliyah (the pre-Islamic days of ignorance). Whoso attacks my Ummah (indiscriminately) killing the righteous and the wicked of them, sparing not (even) those staunch in faith and fulfilling not his promise made with those who have been given a pledge of security - he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him." [Sahih Muslim]

The Prophet (ﷺ) also said,

لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ وَلَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ قَاتَلَ عَلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ وَلَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ

“He is not one of us who calls to Asabiyya. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of Asabiyya. He is not one of us who dies following the way of Asabiyya.” [Sunan Abī Dāwūd; Sahih according to Al-Suyuti]

Regarding the bond of solidarity based on brotherhood, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ وَمَنْ بَطَّأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ

“Whoever relieves the hardship of a believer in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever helps ease one in difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother. Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. People do not gather in the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and studying it together, but that tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround them, and Allah will mention them to those near him. Whoever is slow to good deeds will not be hastened by his lineage.” [Sahih Muslim]

Remember, most wars that are being fought today taking a heavy toll on human lives and properties are fought in the name of nationalism. Nationalism was the dogma used by Hitler to incite his soldiers to pursue the second world war which lasted for seven years between 1939 and 1945. So was the eight year old war between Iraq and Iran. Millions of people died in both wars, soldiers as well as civilians. Likewise the destruction of what use to be Yugoslavia was done in the name of nationalism with the Serbs as the aggressors. Many more wars of the past and present can be used as examples of the Shaitaan using the natural instinct to love our country to turn us into violent nationalists. The Shaitaan has been using this instinct to cause great destruction on the earth in that he has turned a lot of people into nationalists, thinking that they are a superior nation and that they have the right to dominate others.

So, there is nothing wrong with loving your country, it is an instinct, but don't overdo it so that you become trapped in what is so called Asabiyya. As for the Hadith, "To love your country is a part of Iman", is classified fabricated by all the scholars of Hadith.

O young man! Finally, man was endowed with numerous and various natural instincts. This fact was acknowledged by psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, biologists, historians and all the Prophets that were sent by Allah. And Allah knows best."

Then the hawk sang,

What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way

What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you

What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way

What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you

And I don't wanna fall in love

With you *)

References :
- Sheikh 'Abdullah Faisal, Natural Instincts, Darul Islam
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
*) "Wicked Game" written by Chris Isaak

[Part 1]

Bahasa

The Instinct (1)

The Hawk went on by singing,

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you

It's strange what desire will make foolish people do

I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you

And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you

No, I don't wanna fall in love

With you *)

And he said, "The young man asked, again, 'O uncle, Am I wrong if I love my country?' The oldman said, 'O young man! Listen to this,

'A farmer walked through his field one cold winter morning. On the ground lay a snake, stiff and frozen with the cold. The farmer knew how deadly the snake could be, and yet he picked it up and put it in his bosom to warm it back to life.

The snake soon revived, when it had enough strength, and resuming its natural instincts, bit the man who had been so kind to it. The bite was deadly and the farmer felt that he must die. As he drew his last breath, he said to those standing around, 'Learn from my fate, not to take pity on a scoundrel!'

When we examine the world in which we are living in, we find people suffering from crimes, hunger, diseases, mental depression, and many other societal problems. This is a result of their use, misuse, and abuse of their, what is called, natural instincts. Those natural instincts that were given to man by Allah in order to enable him to carry out his role as a Khaleefah properly and effectively is known as Al-Fitrah.

Since these natural instincts are a dominant force in the bodies of human beings, males and females alike, it becomes a dire necessity for us all to adhere to certain laws and principles that will enable us to control our natural instincts rather than having these instincts controlling us.

As human beings, our success in this life and the hereafter depends on the ability to control ourselves, i.e. our natural instincts. Likewise that which elevates us human beings above the animal level is our controlling of these instincts and utilising them properly and effectively, and consequently they will be assets for us rather than liability.

Those who were reduced to the level of being the lowest of Allah's creation are people who cannot control themselves. Who follow their whimsical ideas and opinions. Those who worship their evil desires instead of submitting to Allah's heavenly revealed laws.

Since these feelings and inclinations were endowed to man by Allah, the natural instincts are instinctive, therefore he does not need someone to tell him to act upon them. For example he does not need someone to tell him to love his parents or children, because this is a natural inclination created in him by Allah.

O young man! Natural instincts that exist in humans, are nobler than the instincts in animals, such as the snake mentioned earlier. These natural instincts, imprinted in your heart, aim, above all, to know Allah. Man was created with the instinct of acknowledging monotheism and to prefer it as a religion and way of life over polytheism. Since we were all born with monotheism in us, the rejecters of faith who worship false deities, ascribing them as partners to Allah, have all rebelled against the fair nature in which Allah has created them.

O young man! One of these instincts, is the instinct to distinguish between good and evil. Allah has placed within every human being the instinct to distinguish and differentiate between good and evil, right and wrong, the pure and the corrupted. Every man was given a conscience. So whether the person is a Muslim, Christian, Jew, agnostic or even an atheist he will agree that deeds like murder, stealing, rape and so on, are shameful deeds which are punishable. While deeds like helping the weak, feeding the poor and leading the blind, are noble deeds that deserve a reward.

O young man! Another instinct is the instinct to love honour, power and prestige. Man likes to know that he is appreciated by many. He desires the respect of others. He wants to be held in high esteem by those around him. He becomes frustrated and miserable if he should be rejected, dishonoured and belittled by others. Parents like to be honoured by their children, likewise children like to be respected by their parents. Husbands and wives cherish a marriage which is built on the foundations of love, honour and respect for each other. Therefore a marriage without mutual respect cannot survive. A teacher at school, college, or university adores a pupil who respects him or her even if that pupil is dull. However the teacher despises the pupil who does not show any respect to him or her even if that pupil is bright. This is so because we were born with the natural instinct of loving to be respected and honoured by others. We at times take sides with a person even though the person is wrong because we know that, that particular person respects us. And at times we take sides against a person even though that particular person is ip the right because' we know that, that person does not respect us. This behaviour of ours, is a grave mistake, because when we speak the truth, we gain the respect of those who used to disrespect us.

People should not entertain the idea that because of their positions as parents, husbands, wives, teachers, sheikhs, prime ministers, presidents and so on, automatically gives them the right to demand respect from others. Respect cannot be demanded, but instead, respect has to be earned. Therefore children would not respect parents who cheat on each other. Nor will the Muslim community respect a sheikh who supports a corrupt regime which kills Muslims, for the sake of worldly benefits. Nor a leader who claims to be a Muslim but does not govern by what Allah has revealed, but instead fights Islam and governs by man-made laws.

When a person is entrusted with authority and power, but he has no Iman, he becomes proud, haughty and tyrannical. As for the believers whenever they are entrusted with power and authority they do not become proud, ostentatious and tyrannical because they know that only Allah is Al-Qadeer the All-Powerful, Al-Hakeem the All-wise, Al-'Aleem the all-knowing.

O young man! Along with the instinct to love honour, power and prestige, Allah also gave us the instinct of wanting to take revenge, in order to protect ourselves from would be oppressors. Had it not been for this instinct some people would have exterminated others. In regards to this, Allah said,

فَهَزَمُوْهُمْ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ ۗوَقَتَلَ دَاوٗدُ جَالُوْتَ وَاٰتٰىهُ اللّٰهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهٗ مِمَّا يَشَاۤءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللّٰهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الْاَرْضُ وَلٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ ذُوْ فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعٰلَمِيْنَ

"So they defeated them by permission of Allah, and David killed Goliath, and Allah gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allah is the possessor of bounty for the worlds." [QS. Al-Baqarah (2):251]

In any society, where the system of retaliation or capital punishment is established, the murderer thinks twice before he carries out his crime. This is so because he knows that if he should kill someone the system would kill him, hence he abstains from murder and consequently he saves his life and the life of his brother. Thus Allah said,

وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

"And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous." [QS. Al-Baqarah (2):179]

The crimes of murder, terror and violence have become rife in most countries today because the law of retaliation is simply ignored or even if it is being implemented, its implementation is carried out on the poor with the exclusion of the rich and famous. Since its a natural instinct in us to take revenge whenever any member of our family is hurt or killed by others, Allah gave us the choice of retaliation in the Qur’an. Thus He said,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى ۖ الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ بِالْأُنْثَىٰ ۚ فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

"O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother [i.e., the killer] anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him [i.e., the deceased's heir or legal representative] with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that3 will have a painful punishment." [QS. Al-Baqarah (2):178)

Allah has given us the choice of retaliation so as to fulfil our natural instinct. The whole of the Qur’an was revealed to coincide with our natural instincts. Its because of this reason why Islam has gained the title "Deenul Fitrah” i.e. the religion that coincides with all the natural instincts of man.

In this world today, there is no country that governs with the Shari’ah in its totality. Because of this, there is wide spread oppression, terror and gruesome miscarriages of justice. People see every day, their loved ones being killed and nothing is done about it. This occurs even in the so-called civilised nations of the developed countries. Consequently, people are left with no choice but to take the law into their own hands and carry out their revenge on criminals who have offended their relatives and loved ones. This results in these societies saturated with murder and terror. If only these societies had been fair and just by implementing the law of retaliation, they wouldn’t have been reduced to such a low and base level where people are no longer safe in their own homes much less to be safe on the streets.

In reference to the evil and unfair practice of implementing the Shari ’ah on the poor with the exclusion of the rich, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Usaama approached the Prophet & (to intercede) on behalf of a (rich) woman who had committed theft . The Prophet (ﷺ) said , ‘The people before you, were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in whose hand my soul is! If Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ)) did that (i.e . stole), I would cut off her hand.’”

[Part 2]

Bahasa