In the Name of Islam
In the Name of Islam by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) There is a sickness in society which has now reached epidemic proportions. It is so severe that it requires repetition in its warnings to drive the point home. Fitnas abound, and the worst and most dangerous fitnah is that which takes the form and garb of Deen. In the name and guise of Deen, Muslims are being invited to ‘Fund-raising’ programmes, lunches, dinners, and pre-Ramadan and Eid Fairs, and funds are being raised for Deeni projects in this manner. The context of these programmes is ‘Fun’ and ‘Entertainment’, which entails socializing. The Muslim is encouraged to bring his wife, daughters, mother and sisters along. Since this is in the name of Deen, people consider it as Ibadah (worship), something virtuous. One can gauge how serious the matter is. The person is not going to make Taubah for this. He will not consider the intermingling and the socializing as sinful because the event is promoted as something meritorious and ‘Halal’, and because the invitation is from people and organizations representing Deen —whom it is expected, would know better as to what is Haram and Halal. ‘What a kind of revolution! … That Ummah, which detested Haram and stayed far from that which is doubtful, now has no fear indulging in Haram.’ Even if an Aalim is involved in such activities, endorsing such programmes, or is seen at such venues, this does not make a Haram Halal. This is the weakness of that Aalim. There are so many who are ‘Deendar’, and they know better than to attend such programmes; their hearts will give them the fatwa: ‘Don’t go’ – then why still go? Thereafter complaints are presented of the immodest dressing of the women, the intermingling of sexes, the alarming condition of the youth, etc. -this is the trap of Shaytan and Nafs. The person is gazing at such women (or vice versa), engaging the nafs in Haram pleasure and destroying the heart with evil desires. Those who have Ta-‘alluk with Deen and the Mashaikh must prove their piety and sincerity by restraining themselves from such evils. The instruction and order of Shariah are: ‘It is not permissible to be present in a gathering where Allah Ta’ala is being disobeyed.’ Mullah Ali Qari (rahmatullahi ‘alayh) has defined Haya (modesty) as : “The Haqiqat (reality) of Haya is that your Maula must not find you in that place which He has forbidden or indulging in that which He has forbidden.” Such events and functions bring one close to Zina (adultery). Allah Ta’ala says: “And do not go near Zina. Indeed, it is a shameful and evil path” [Surah Al – Isra 17:32] Such functions promote Zina of the eyes, whereas it is from the Commandments of Allah Ta’ala that we lower our gazes from looking at Ghair-Maharim. Allah Ta’ala addresses both the believing men and believing women: “Tell the Believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at that which is Haram) and to be modest (i.e. To protect themselves from prohibited deeds like adultery and fornication, etc.) That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is aware of what they do.” “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at that which is forbidden) and to be modest (i.e., To protect themselves from prohibited deeds like adultery, fornication, etc.) And not show off their beauty except that which is apparent, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms )” [Surah An – Nur 24:30/31] Young men have written to me and have mentioned quite explicitly that their intentions in frequenting such functions, fairs and programmes is for no other purpose but to admire the women. Some have even mentioned deriving Haram pleasure by deliberately touching those women in the crowd (na ‘uzu billahi min zalik) – and if these are not our wives, then they are our daughters, mothers, sisters or nieces who are exposed to lustful glances and touching. So when it is evident that these programmes and fairs are against the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, we can stop ourselves and our families, even if we cannot stop others. Rasulullah (sallallahu’ alayhi wa sallam) said: “The most beloved places to Allah are the Masajid, and the most disliked places to Allah are the markets”.[1] [1] Sahih Muslim
Character
Character by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) As Muslims, our character, morals and etiquette should differentiate us from others. Non-Muslims are not so attentive to our beautiful Salah, Tilawah, Zikr, and other Ibadat as they are to our character and dealings with others. Wherever the Sahabah (Radhiyallahu ’anhum) went, their character attracted many people, often becoming the focus of attention and admiration. When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) invited the Quraysh to the worship of ONE Allah, he climbed Mount Safa and called out to his people, calling every family of the Quraysh. When they arrived, he asked them: ‘If I told you that horsemen were advancing to attack you from the valley on the other side of the hill, would you believe me?’ Simultaneously and immediately, they all responded: ‘Yes, we have always found you honest.’ Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) presented his credentials to them: That person who has never spoken a lie for 40 years, do you think he is going to do so now, in his invitation to the worship of One Allah? How many of us can present trustworthiness, honesty and truthfulness as outstanding traits within us, let alone beautiful speech and etiquette in our dealings with people? This is one of the main reasons why many non-Muslims remain aloof from Islam. Our poor character and dealings have become barriers to them entering Islam. It is as if we are standing at the door of Islam, keeping them out or pushing them away. Have we ever given thought as to how we are going to answer for this? Islam is not only Salah, Fasting, Hajj and ‘Umrah. These forms of worship only make up one branch of Shariah. The person may be fulfilling the rights of the Creator (Allah Ta’ala), but he is at the same time displeasing Allah Ta’ala by neglecting and violating the rights of creation (Makhluq). There are five branches of Shariah : ♦ Aqa`id: Beliefs ♦ Ibadat: Worship ♦ Mu’amalat: Business transactions and dealings. ♦ Mu`asharat: Social dealings ♦ Akhlaq: Character Every Muslim has to make an effort to correct allof these branches for the perfection of Islam. It must not be that any one of us returns to Allah Ta’ala with plentiful Ibadat, which subsequently benefits others and is lost to ourselves. Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) relates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) once asked his companions: ‘Do you know who is a pauper?’ The Companions replied that a pauper is a person who has no money or property. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained and said: ‘A pauper from among my followers (Ummah) is one who will come on the Day of Judgement with a good record of Salah (prayers), Saum (fasting), and Zakah (compulsory charity); but also he had abused somebody, slandered someone or beaten another person. Then all the oppressed persons will receive a part of the aggressor’s good deeds. Should they fall short of his aggression, then the aggrieved persons’ sins and defaults will be transferred from them to him, and he will be thrown into the Fire (Hell).’[1] Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) also narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no Dinars or Dirhams (money to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.”[2] I often say: ‘Pay back HERE, to save your back THERE.’ If we want safety and salvation, we have to get our deeds in order and make amends for our shortcomings HERE -in this worldly life. Otherwise, THERE, on the Day of Resurrection, there will be great regret and humiliation. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all, Aameen. [1] Tirmidhi [2] Sahih al-Bukhari
The Reality of Our Islam
The Reality of Our Islam by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) If we had to analyse the eras when Muslims throughout the world were dominant, we would find that they had the Haqiqat (reality) of Islam in their lives; they were living Islam happily, willingly and enthusiastically. They understood their purpose in this world. They understood that they had higher and more noble objectives to aspire for because they looked beyond this life. Before them was their return to their Creator —Allah Ta’ala, Aakhirah (the Hereafter), and Jannah, they exerted themselves in the direction of obedience to Allah Ta’ala and securing His Pleasure. Allah Ta’ala put into people’s hearts love for these sincere and obedient servants and granted them success. There was a dynamic effect when people met with these Muslims because they had both the Haqiqat and the “Surat” (outer form). People changed their religion, culture, dress and language because they saw Islam’s beauty and blessing. In the early days of Islam, we see how a small number grew to 500, then 700 and thereafter 1500 —which was a great and wonderful accomplishment, considering the odds against the Muslims at that time. Today, we are plus one billion —but what a difference between the early Muslims and us! In the 1950s, as a young boy, I recall visiting the museum. There were different animals: wild animals, omnivores, carnivores and so forth, but they were all stuffed with sawdust. And there were signs near the animals which read: ‘PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH.’ Would we find such a sign in the Kruger National Park when we go on a safari, wanting to see the Big Five? When does the king of the jungle require a sign such as: ‘PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH’? Yet, in the museum, this sign was placed next to the lion because there was no life in that lion. There was no Haqiqat (reality). Even if it was the king of the jungle, he was now stuffed with sawdust. Rats, too, could nibble without fear because there was no life, no worry of even a roar. Looking at the present scenario of the Muslim Ummah globally, we see our likeness to those stuffed creatures. We have lost that power and supremacy which is otherwise reserved for the Believers. The majority of Muslims today have no reality. We have ‘stuffed’ our hearts with the love of Dunya and, therefore, our great weakness and overwhelming incapacity —a prophecy that clearly manifests today. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you, just as people invite others to share their dish when eating. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be many in number at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish, like that, carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take away the awe and fear of you from the chest of your enemy and cast ‘wahn’ into your hearts. Someone asked: What is Wahn? The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.[1] One billion in number, but how shameful, humiliating and dishonourable that we are subservient to the minority. Who is influencing the political and economic climate? Who is manipulating global dynamics? Certainly not the Muslims. The early Muslims had the reality and spirit of Islam. As such, success and victory were theirs for the taking. On the other hand, we want to conquer the world with only the Surat (form) of Islam or with talks and literature. Dominance, Supremacy, Power and Authority do not come with Surat. The majority cannot even be recognised as Muslims – So even the surat seems to fall away. On one of my trips to Pakistan, I visited someone at his home. There was a bowl of plastic fruit which looked so real – but it was “good for looking”, not suitable for eating. Many of us Muslims today are not even good for looking. The plastic fruit was a good imitation – but in our Surat, there is no imitation also, very much like the Munafiqeen: neither here nor there. Developing genuine piety in the heart and practising Islam are the keys to success and dominance, not selecting what we like and leaving off what our Nafs do not incline to. Allah Ta’ala wants us to enter into Islam completely. “O you who Believe! Enter into Islam completely…” [Surah Baqarah 2:208] This is the recipe for success. But we will have to bring together the correct ingredients to make that “flop-proof” success. [1] Abu Dawud
Islamic Law
Islamic Law by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) We want Islamic law to conform to our liking, so much so that we will find some Fatwa (Islamic ruling) to justify our actions. The ordinary laymen, and so too, many who are highly qualified in the secular field, read the Qur’an Sharif and authentic Hadith kitabs [1] such as Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and find some Ayah (verse) or Hadeeth to justify their actions. The Ayah or Hadith is often taken out of context and expounded to justify grave and major sins. Each Ayah and Hadith has an explanation and commentary. If there was no need for explanations, we would not have had Allama Sayyid Mahmud Baghdadi (rahmatullah ‘alayh), Ibn Kathir (rahmatullah alayh) and other Mufassirin (commentators of the Qur`an Sharif), or Hafez Asqalani(rahmatullah ‘alayh), Mulla Ali Qari (rahmatullah ‘alayh) and other Muhaddithin [2] writing volumes in commentary. Therefore, just reading and presenting an Ayah from the Qur’an Shareef or a Hadeeth from a kitaab is insufficient to justify one’s actions. Although there are so many law books and medical journals at the disposal of the layman, not everyone is qualified to understand, explain, and interpret these. One has to spend many years studying and researching under one already qualified in law, medicine, etc. before one can do so. If some quack has to give a wrong opinion or an incorrect diagnosis, he would be sued for malpractice. In the field of Ifta [3], only those qualified in the science of Qur’an and Hadith may issue verdicts. No matter how many certificates, degrees and other qualifications and titles a person may have acquired in the secular field, these do not give him (or her) the license and authority to issue Fatwas (rulings) in the sphere of religion. Then there are so many who have a superficial knowledge of just the Arabic language, but they consider themselves qualified to interpret the Qur’an Sharif and Ahadith. The Sahabah (radiyallahu’ anhum), who were perfectly acquainted and well-versed in the Arabic language, were still required to formally learn the Qur’an Sharif from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). It would therefore be false and arrogant of a person with a basic study of Arabic to lay claim to having more knowledge and understanding than the noble Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) by presenting his own commentary of the Qur’an. So many who have not studied Shariah under the guidance of Ulama-e-Haq, reject the teachings of the Mujtahidin[4] and present their own concocted theories and commentaries. Others are quick to quote Ayat and Ahadith in support of their sinful actions or misinterpret the same. Such people should seriously heed the warnings of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) regarding their careless and erroneous statements and ignorant behaviour. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whosoever, in interpreting the Qur’an, says therein anything of his own opinion commits a mistake even if he is correct.”[5] In another narration, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentioned: “Whosoever interprets the Qur’an without knowledge, let him seek his abode in the Fire.” [6] And: “Whoso interprets the Qur’an according to his opinion, let him seek his abode in the Fire.” [7] Regarding misquoting Ahadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu’ alayhi wasallam) stated explicitly: “Be careful of (narrating) traditions from me except what you know. Whoso imputes falsehood to me intentionally, let him then seek his abode in the fire.”[8] Yes, when it comes to etiquette, character, the stories of the Ambiya (‘alayhimus salam) and nations of the past, the causes of rise and decline; paradise and hell, reward and retribution, then read and quote authentic Tafsir or translation. However, when it comes to the laws of Shariah, Fatawa (Islamic rulings), and commentary of the Qur’an and Hadith, leave it to those who have spent years mastering these sciences and are experts in these fields. Nowadays, the title of ‘Mufti’[9] has also become very cheap. Some spend a few months or a year in a Darul Ifta [10] and become rubber stamp “Mufti so and so”.Before enquiring about matters of Deen, verify the person’s qualifications, just as we do in worldly matters. Women have a weakness; if a woman gives a powerful speech on a subject, having read some Islamic books, she is asked questions on all subjects. The speaker, too, will sometimes reply to all questions, even though unaware or ignorant. Just giving a good speech is no qualification to answer all questions on the Qur’an Sharif and Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). We should be cautious and selective regarding whom we acquire Ilm-e-Deen [11]. There is a famous statement by Muhammad bin Sirin (rahmatullah ‘alayh): “This knowledge is a matter of Deen, so be careful whom you take your Deen from.” We should keep these points in mind, and we should also not lay claim to qualifications we do not possess. [1] kitaabs: Books [2] Muhaddithin: Scholars of Hadith [3] Ifta: Legal Shar’i injunctions [4] Mujtahideen: Scholars certified to interpret Islamic Law [5] Tirmidhi [6] Tirmidhi [7] Tirmidhi [8] Tirmidhi [9] Mufti : Muslim Jurist [10] Darul Ifta: Institution offering a course concentrating on Islamic Law and passing verdicts. [11] Ilm-e-Deen : knowledge of religion/Islam
Our Signboards
Our Signboards by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh) Our Muslim names, Islamic dress and prayers are like the sign board found outside a shop, which informs us that sweets, chocolates, biscuits, cakes, fruit, etc., are stocked and sold inside this shop. The person reading the signboard thus expects to find what has been advertised outside, inside that shop. What would be the person’s reaction if they found cow dung, horse manure and cat droppings inside instead of sweets and chocolates? Similarly, our beautiful Muslim names and Islamic garb informs others that inside our hearts, there are specific ‘merchandise’ in the form of firm Imaan in Allah Ta’ala and love for His Beloved Rasul (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). A person expects to find the attributes of trustworthiness, honesty, sincerity, forgiveness, charity, Taqwa (piety), Zuhd (asceticism), Sabr (patience), Shukr (gratitude), etc. These are the qualities and traits a person expects to find in his social dealings with us. The Beard, Kurta, Turban, Tasbih, Cloak, Purdah, etc., are all additional signs that emphasise the person’s virtue and goodness. What would be a person’s reaction when instead of these virtues, they find arrogance, pride, malice, greed, jealousy, etc.?