Backbiting in Islam

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Allah says And never backbite each other. Does any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother, which you so detest?

Allah gives the example of backbiting to eating the flesh of a persons dead brother. Just as people detest and hate this cannibal act, they should also hate the act of backbiting.

Backbiting (gheebat) is a serious offence in the Shariah, and is sadly carried out even by people who regularly perform their namaz and are regarded as being pious. We fail to realise the gravity of this deed in this world but will be harshly reminded in the Hereafter. Then, it will be too late for regrets.

The Prophet (s) once asked the Sahabah, “Do you know what backbiting is?” … “It is to mention such a thing about your brother which he dislikes” … “What if the thing mentioned is to be found within the person?” .. “If it is in him, you have backbitten him, and if it is not in him, then you have slandered him.”

A person will be guilty of backbiting even though one mentions the fault which is disliked in front of the person concerned or in his absence.

The Prophet (s) once mentioned that backbiting is worse than adultery.
When someone asked the reason, the Prophet (s) said, “When a person commits adultery, and repents to Allah, Allah will forgive him. However, if he perpetrates backbiting, he will not be forgiven until he is first forgiven by the person against whom he had spoken ill of.”

Backbiting is also violating Allah’s rights because Allah had forbidden it. At the same time, he violates the rights of the people because he is bringing dishonour and shame to someone.

If we have backbitten about someone, then as well as sincere repentance (tawbah) to Allah, we should also ask forgiveness from the person we have abused.

You only have to ask forgiveness from them if they find out what you have done.
If they don’t find out, then you have to seek forgiveness FOR them from Allah until your heart is content that you have made up the wrong of backbiting.

The Prophet (s) has mentioned that the expiation of backbiting is to pray for the forgiveness of the person who was backbitten by saying - Allahummagh fir lee wa la - O Allah, forgive me and him.

The Prophet (s) has said that on the night of Miraaj, he saw some people whose nails were of copper. They were constantly tearing their faces and chests with these nails. These are people who stole the honour of others, meaning they backbited about people.

Just as it is haraam to engage in backbiting, it is also haraam to listen to backbiting.

When a person hears another engage in backbiting, it will be necessary for the listener to forbid the backbiter and to speak in defence of the person being backbitten.

The Prophet (s) said: “When a person defends someone whose flesh is being consumed by backbiting, it will be binding on Allah to save him from the fire of Jahannam”.

The Prophet (s) said: “When a person defends the honour of his Muslim brother, it will be binding on Allah to save him from the fire of Jahannam on the Day of Qiyamah.”
The Prophet (s) then recited the verse: Assisting the Mumineen is a binding duty upon us.

Backbiting about dead people is just as bad as doing it about living people.

Backbiting is not only verbal but is also with eyes and limbs as well as
mimicking a person.

Backbiting about a persons children or wife will be double backbiting.

If a person cautions another about the evil of someone, it will not be regarded as backbiting.

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Religion

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

His religion is Islam, the only religion that leads to success and safety. Allah said:

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.

(Surah Aale Imraan, Verse 85)

It is the religion that came to free human beings from the shackles of misguidance; it is an easy religion, and it is a comprehensive, complete and perfect religion.

..This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion ..

(Surah Maaidah, Verse 3)

Islam came to free people from servitude to those who themselves are slaves, and to guide them to worship the Lord of all slaves. It came to take them from the narrowness of this world to the vastness of the Hereafter; from the darkness of polytheism to the light of Islamic monotheism; from the misery of disbelief to the happiness of Faith.

It is a religion that is at once appropriate and valid for all times and all places. The One Who legislated Islam as a religion is alone able to forgive sins, and He alone knows both what His slaves outwardly display and what is hidden in the deepest recesses of their hearts.

This perfect and well balanced religion came with beneficial knowledge and good deeds, which is what makes its adherents distinct from Jews and Christians. The Jews had knowledge, but it did not benefit them since they did not apply it. The Christians, on the other hand, strove to perform good deeds, but since they lacked knowledge, they strayed from the Straight Path. Islam is the Straight Path, the path that is followed by those who have not incurred upon themselves Allah's wrath, and who are not misguided.

Despite being illiterate, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was sent to recite to people Allah's verses, to purify them, and to teach them the Book and wisdom; for, prior to his advent, they had been in manifest error.

Islam came to forbid lying and the giving of false testimony; it came to forbid oppression and tyranny; it came to forbid cheating people in the buying and selling of goods. Islam came to forbid all forms of wrongdoing.

And it also came to preserve the sanctity and dignity of human life - to protect the heart with faith; to protect the well being of the human body, by legislating laws that achieve that effect; to protect people's wealth from being wrongly seized or taken; to protect people's honour from all forms of slander and backbiting; to safeguard people's lives, by forbidding the wrongful shedding of blood; and to protect the mind from anything that diminishes or outright destroys its ability to function properly.

Wasalaam!

Be Cheerful at Heart

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Look at life with a spirit of love and optimism, for life is a gift from Allah to us. So accept this gift from the One, take it with joy and embrace the morning with its glow, and the night with its quietness, and the day with its brightness.

Drink this fresh water with gratitude, breathe the fresh air with joy, smell the roses and glorify Allah. Think about the universe and learn from it, make use of the blessed gift of land, the beautiful flowers, the sweet air, the delights of the garden, the warmth of the sun, the light of the moon.

Let these blessings motivate you to obey Allah, the Exalted, give thanks to Him and praise Him for His blessings and bounty. 

Do not let worry and distress prevent you from seeing these blessings or make you ungrateful; rather, remember that the Creator and Provider has only created these blessings as a means to help you obey Him, and He says:

O you Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat (all kinds of Halal foods) and do righteous deeds ..

(Surah Al-Muminoon, Verse 51)

The most sincere generosity comes from those who do not have anything but recognize the value of a kind word and a smile. How many people give, but it is as if they are giving a slap.

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Manners

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When it came to manners, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was superior to all other people. And why would he not be so, for it was Allah who guided him, trained him, and refined his character. As such, the Prophet (saw) had the best manners; he was the most truthful human being in speech; he was the most rightly-guided person; he feared Allah the most; he was the kindest of all people towards his relatives; he was the bravest person to have ever walked the earth; he was the most generous of people; he was the most just of all people; and he was, in every other way, the most superior of all people. All of this was a natural consequence of the Prophet (saw) being nurtured, cared for, trained, and taught by Allah.

Because of his wonderful qualities, the Prophet (saw) was near and dear to the hearts and souls of people. He was blessed and easy going, and yet he had about himself an aura of dignity and gravity that suited his lofty character. His face shone with the light of guidance; his mouth smiled with love; his heart was truly alive; and his mind was illuminated with elevated thoughts.

He had the uncanny ability of making all those around him happy, and of making all of his Companions feel at ease. While he loved favourable signs (signs that make one feel that something good will happen), he detested evil omens: the former, he (saw) knew, prompted one to be positive and to act well; the latter, on the other hand, made one pessimistic and deterred one from performing good deeds.

It was the Prophet's (saw) wont to pardon and forgive the mistakes of others. And he was generous, more generous, in fact, than gentle wind or much needed rain. He subdued people, not with a sword, but with generosity and good manners. With his message, he brought happiness to mankind. Whoever saw him, loved him; whoever knew him, stood in awe of him; and whoever met him, venerated him. His speech captivated people's hearts, and his noble manners at once tamed and subjugated people's souls.

Allah made his heart firm and steadfast, so that it never deviated from the truth. Allah guided his speech, so that he never spoke ignorantly. Allah safeguarded his Faith, so that he never went astray. And, Allah supported his mission, so that he was never forsaken or forced into despair. In every way imaginable, he was blessed and guided.

And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.

(Surah Qalam - Verse 4)

And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently ..

(Surah Aale-Imran - Verse 159)

The Prophet (saw) said: "The person among you who fears Allah the most and is most knowledgeable about Allah, is me".

In another hadith, he said: "The best among you is he who is the best towards his family. And among you all, I am the one person who stands out as being the best towards his family."

He (saw) is also related to have said: "Verily, I have been sent only to make complete (both in myself and others) the noblest of manners".

All the Glory be to Allah, Who chose the Prophet (saw), raised him, protected him, guided him, and looked after him.

Wasalaam! 

La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa Billah

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

A young man was jailed and his mother had no one else but him. She could not sleep and distress took hold of her completely. She wept until she could weep no more, then Allah guided her to say, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is no power and no strength except with Allah).

She repeated these great words, which are one of the treasures of Paradise, and only a few days after she had despaired of her son ever coming out of jail, he was knocking at the door and she was filled with joy. Such is the reward of one who puts her trust in Allah, calls upon Him constantly and delegates all her affairs to Him.

So you should recite this dhikr, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, for these great words are the secret of happiness and success. Recite them a great deal, chase away the specters of grief and distress with them, and receive the glad tidings that Allah will soon grant you happiness and a way out.

Beware of losing hope or becoming frustrated, for there is no hardship but it is followed by ease. This is how it has always been, and always will be.

Think positively of Allah, the Exalted, and put your trust in Him; seek that which is with Him, and wait for a way out.

Wasalaam!

This is Awakening Part One

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It's hard to describe the feeling. Imagine living your entire life in a cave and believing it was your whole world. Then suddenly you step outside. 

For the first time in your life, you see the sky. You see the trees and the birds and the sun. For the first time in your life, you realize that the world you once knew was false. For the first time, you discover a truer, more beautiful reality.

Imagine the high of the realization. For a moment, you feel you can do anything. Suddenly, nothing from your previous life in the cave matters. You become empowered, fully awake, fully alive, fully aware for the very first time. It is an unexplainable feeling. This is the spiritual high that comes with newly discovered Truth.

This is Awakening.

A convert to Islam knows this feeling. A born Muslim who comes back to the deen knows this feeling. Any human being, who lives their life away from Allah, and returns, knows this feeling. 

This state is what Ibn ul Qayyim (ra) calls yaqatha (awakening) in his book, Stations on the Path to God. He describes this state as the first station on the path to Allah. This is the state sometimes referred to as the "convert zeal". When a person first converts or starts coming back to Allah, they are often full of motivation and energy that others do not have. The reason for this energy is the spiritual high, the characteristic of this state.

What are the characteristics of the station of awakening?

Allah makes worship easier - While in this state, worship becomes much easier. A person is so driven and motivated that they may easily sacrifice everything for the sake of the new reality they have discovered. The strength that you have is not from your own self, but from Allah. 

Some may advise not changing too much, too fast. I don't think fast change is the problem. I think arrogance is. I think hopelessness is. If Allah gives you a gift whereby you are able to do more, use it. But thank Him - not yourself, for that ability. And know, that this heightened state is temporary.

Temporary - Like every state in this life, this state is temporary. Life is never linear. And neither is the path to Allah. Not realizing this can cause despair and hopelessness once it passes.

What are the pitfalls of this state?

The two pitfalls associated with this state correspond to not understanding the characteristics of the state listed above. These two pitfalls are also the two causes of stagnation on the path to Allah: arrogance and hopelessness. The arrogant person already feels they are good enough, so they stop striving. The hopeless person believes that they will never be good enough, so they stop striving. Two opposite maladies, leading to the same result: to stop moving on the path to Allah.

Arrogance - The first pitfall corresponds to not understanding that the increased ability to worship came from Allah, and is a characteristic of the state - not the individual. The one who doesn't understand this, wrongfully attributes the heightened ability to worship to one's own righteousness. This false attribution is very dangerous because it leads to arrogance and self-righteousness. Rather than realizing this heightened 'religious state' is a gift from Allah, the worshipper feels a sense of hidden pride and may look down on others who don't share similar zeal.

Despair and Hopelessness - This pitfall corresponds to not understanding that like all states in life, the spiritual high is temporary. This does NOT mean you have failed nor done something wrong! Most people know what it feels like after the Ramadan high has passed. The instability of the 'high' is a characteristic of life. And that lesson is one even Abu Bakr (ra) had to learn.

One day, Abu Bakr (ra) and Hanzala (ra) came to the Prophet (saw) and said, "Hanzala is a hypocrite, Messenger of Allah!" The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "Why is that?" I said, "Messenger of Allah, when we are with you, you remind us of Jannah and Jahannam, and it is as if we can see them with our own eyes. When we leave your presence, we attend to our wives, children and estates in a state of great heedlessness". The Prophet (saw) said, "By the One in whose hand my soul is, if you were to remain in the state you are in when you are in my presence and in the dhikr, the angels would shake hands with you on your bed and in the street, but, Hanzala, different times are not the same". He repeated this three times. (Muslim)

(Yasmin Mogahed)

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - The Messenger

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It was, to say the least, tremendous news, amazing news and life changing news for everyone on earth: The Seal of all Prophets (as), after a long wait, had finally come to preach his message to mankind.

What are they asking one another? About the great news (Islamic monotheism). About which they are in disagreement.

(Surah An-Naba, Verse 1-3)

Kings and peoples of foreign lands, nomads, inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula - everyone was discussing the Prophet (saw) and his message. It was as if history temporarily stopped while all people took a collective long, deep breath, so that they could absorb the significance of the Prophet's (saw) arrival on earth.

The earth was spiritually barren and dry, given that the last Prophet before Muhammad (saw) was sent by Allah more than six hundred years earlier, that the message of that previous Prophet - Isa (as) - was all but lost, and that very few monotheists remained on earth.

If people starve to death in the absence of food and drink, then the inhabitants of the earth, prior to the advent of the Prophet (saw), were spiritually starved, with no nourishment - knowledge and guidance - to keep their souls alive.

Therefore, the arrival of the Prophet (saw) on earth was very similar to the falling of rain in a time of drought. In short, the Prophet's (saw) arrival represented light: And can light be hidden or shut out?

They intend to put out the Light of Allah with their mouths. But Allah will complete His Light even though the disbelievers hate it.
(Surah Saff, Verse 8)

In fact, it is authentically established that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The example of what Allah sent me with, in terms of guidance and knowledge, is the example of beneficial rain that falls from the sky and causes crops to grow".

The Prophet (saw) was therefore sent for one main reason - so that Allah alone could be worshipped, without any partners being associated with Him. He was sent so that it could be said on earth, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah".

He was sent to uphold the truth, and to crush falsehood. He was sent with clear proofs; with a wonderful and perfect religion; with justice and kindness; with peace and love; with safety and faith; with purity, prayer, charity, fasting, Hajj and Jihad; with the concepts of enjoining good and forbidding evil; with noble deeds and good manners; and, with uprightness and happiness.

He was sent to disprove all forms of polytheism, to destroy all false idols, to eradicate ignorance, to wage war against falsehood and oppression, and to deter people from all base and vile manners. Anything that is good, he guided people to it; and anything that is evil, he warned people against it.

Wasalaam!