Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 09/11/2023
In Tirmidhi Sharif, there is a chapter on carrying out good deeds. What can be considered as good deeds? Showing kindness to someone, doing good to others etc. Also, what is considered as Ma’roof (good) is not only what a person logically regards as good, but also what Shariah regards as good. A person might perceive something as good, but if Shariah doesn’t classify it as Ma’roof (good) , then it will not be considered as good. There are many good actions that may seem trivial or minor, but if carried out, one receives the reward of Sadaqah.
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: تَبَسُّمُكَ فِي وَجْهِ أَخِيكَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَأَمْرُكَ بِالمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهْيُكَ عَنِ المُنْكَرِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَإِرْشَادُكَ الرَّجُلَ فِي أَرْضِ الضَّلَالِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَبَصَرُكَ لِلرَّجُلِ الرَّدِيءِ البَصَرِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَإِمَاطَتُكَ الحَجَرَ وَالشَّوْكَةَ وَالعَظْمَ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَإِفْرَاغُكَ مِنْ دَلْوِكَ فِي دَلْوِ أَخِيكَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ (سنن الترمذي#1956)
The first thing that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned in the narration is, “To meet your brother with a smiling face is Sadaqah.” There is absolutely no difficulty in carrying out this action. Irrespective of whether the person is known or not, his background, ethnicity etc. merely smiling at him is Sadaqah.
“To command good and forbid evil, is Sadaqah.” For example, a person advises a child to be obedient to his parents; this is a Sadaqah for that person. It is mentioned that Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Sahib’s brother in law, Maulana Qasim Ali Saheb Rahimahullah, when at a traffic light, would open his window and give some Naseehat to the person in the car alongside him. When he would fill petrol, he would advise the attendant to respect his parents and take care of his wife and children, etc. This all falls under commanding good. Advising someone to refrain from evil is also Sadaqah but today, we have to look at the occasion, or consider the person, before reprimanding them. Sometimes a person is not at that level where he is prepared to listen and accept what is being said to him, even though it’s Haqq, and it might be that in retaliation, he utters words of Kufr.
Maulana Thanwi Rahimahullah was on a train and saw a person wearing his trousers below his ankles. With Ikhlaas, Hadrat told him to raise his trousers. The person in turn swore at the Shariah resulting in him losing his Imaan. Hadrat made Taubah and resolved that unless he knew the person, he would not correct anyone. When people would attend the Khanqah of Hadrat in their initial days, even though they were there for their Islaah, Hadrat refrained from reforming them. First, he ensured that love for him was instilled in that person because only then the person would be ready to accept from Hadrat.
Once we were performing Taraweeh in Azaadville Darul Uloom and Hadrat came to sit next to us, just behind where the Imaam stands. Hadrat addressed us saying, “Yesterday you read the last quarter of the eighth Juz. In the last quarter, all the incidents of the Ambiya Alaihimus Salaam are mentioned. Considering that you understand Arabic, why didn’t you read in a manner where you completed one story, and then the next, according to the Rakaats?” Being the first time, Hadrat saw our demeanor change-this is an indication of pride when we aren’t prepared to accept what someone is saying. Just on that, Hadrat backtracked and said, “Don’t worry about it.” We understand now that when we are not at a specific level, you cannot accept criticism.
We find on the WhatsApp groups, for example, ladies promoting Diwali recipes. When the concern was raised, they became defensive and unable to accept fault. However, at this point we must exercise caution in going further with it because it might lead them to utter statements of Kufr.
In the Khanqah of Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib Rahimahullah, Mufti Sahib said that his first concern when a person comes to the Majlis is cleansing him of pride. If a person has just an atom’s weight of pride, he will not enter Jannah. Mufti Sahib Rahimahullah says that once the product has been abated, everything else will follow. And for Maulana Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alaihi, his starting point was for the love of the Sheikh to be instilled in the person. So today, we must be very careful as to how we advise people. It is incumbent on us to enjoin good and forbid evil. The Mashaaikh are very cautious not to offend any of the people in their Majlis when enjoining good and forbidding evil, because it might turn them away from attending the gathering. So when they speak, they speak in a general sense whereby they address everybody and the guilty person should get the hint. Unfortunately, the guilty person thinks that someone else is being referred to, and he remains unaffected. So, this is the method of advising others that should be adopted.
Continuing with the Hadith, “To guide someone to his destination when he is lost.” With the advancement of technology, we have maps in the palm of our hands. However, there are times when this fails us too. So if we stop to ask for directions, the person assisting us will receive the reward of Sadaqah. Such a simple act but worthy of reward nonetheless. Azaadville is such a small town, it’s generally difficult to get lost. However, a person once stopped to ask for directions. Despite it being easy to just direct him, the person assisting him jumped into his own car and drove with him to his destination.
“And you guide a man who is blind.” A person is disabled in some way where his vision is impaired or he is wheelchair-bound and we assist them, this is Sadaqah for us. Sometimes a person is pressed for time, and by us showing him the way, we save him time, the reward there is of Sadaqah.
“To remove an object from the road is Sadaqah.” The other day while driving, we saw a youngster parked in his driveway. On the opposite driveway there was a stone obstructing the way. He got up and removed it. In this way he earned the reward of Sadaqah. But the reality of things today is such that these actions are few and far to be found. If we find dirt outside our residence, we will push it on to our neighbour’s side. We should be assisting our neighbours and cleaning their side. Look at the condition of our surroundings, if we all played our part, we would have cleaner streets.
These are all acts of Sadaqah and we don’t know which action of ours will be accepted by Allah Ta’ala. Just one action with Ikhlaas can earn us entry into Jannah. You remove a stone, your Jannah is made. You assist a person in crossing the road, your Jannah is made. All our Ibaadat one side, our charity one side, our works of Deen one side, but one seemingly insignificant action is accepted and appreciated by Allah Ta’ala, like the lady who gave water to a dog, Allah Ta’ala entered her into Jannah.
“To pour from your bucket into the bucket of your brother in Sadaqah.” In the previous times, perhaps a person would come with his bucket or drum to collect water and he finds a person already there filling his own bucket. So that person takes the water he filled for himself and pours it into the container of the man who just arrived. This form of giving preference to the next person is Sadaqah. A person desires to reach Hajr-e-Aswad and he is waiting in line. He sees an elderly person and gives him way before himself. By giving preference to the elderly man, Allah Ta’ala will grant one much more than just kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad. Instead we push our way and fight which is Haraam. Such simple etiquettes and courtesy can earn us Jannah. Allah Ta’ala grant us Taufeeq.
A person asked on which hand should one wear his watch. The Ulama have written that it can be worn on any hand. However, they advise that any good a person does is done with the right, for example, entering the house or Masjid is with the right foot. And anything unsavoury, is done with the left hand such as Istinjaa. So, in this case, we would use the watch to check Salaah times, which constitutes something good. Therefore, the watch should preferably be worn on the right hand.
Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilani Rahmatullahi Alaihi
The month of Rabiul Awwal is nearing its end. On the 1st of Ramadhaan, 470 AH, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Rahmatullahi Alaih was born. What a special month that he was born in and how Allah Ta’ala blessed his life thereafter. He passed away on 11 Rabiul Aakhir 561 AH. He lived for 91 years and was a great Wali of Allah Ta’ala. Due to him passing away on the 11th, people began commemorating him through the Giyaarwie Sharif. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Baghdad at this time of the year. Undoubtedly, he was a Wali of Allah Ta’ala but we cannot condone the wrong that takes place at his burial site.
Once, a senior Aalim happened to be in Baghdad during this time. When this person made Salaah, he faced in the direction of Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaihi. These are great Auliya but we cannot be involved in such Haraam just to honour them. While there is no restriction in visiting their graves, we should not practice any Bida’h or do any action that contradicts Shariah. We should recite for them, make Dua through their Waseelah, and Insha’Allah that Dua will be accepted.
Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahimahullah has written many Kitaabs, and some have even been translated into English. Ibn Jowzi was present during the time of Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani, and he was a heavy critic of Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahimahullah not knowing who he was. One day, the opportunity arose for Ibn Jowzi to meet Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaih. Upon meeting him, he realized that this is not a man of only Taqwa and Tasawwuf, but also a man who had expertise in Quraan, Hadith and Fiqh. Thus his perception of Sheikh Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaihi changed completely. He made sincere Taubah and rectified his perception of Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaih.
The Credibility of Hadrat Sheikh Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Sahib Rahimahullah
Hadrat Sheikh Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Sahib Rahimahullah is the author of Fadhaail A’maal-the most read book after the Quraan Sharif. It has been translated into many languages. However, the Salafis are against this Kitaab citing that a number of Ahaadith that Hadrat Sheikh quotes in the Kitaab are weak narrations. When it comes to Fadhaail, which means “virtues”, there is no harm in quoting weak narrations. As long as they are not classified as extremely weak or fabricated narrations, one will be allowed to act upon the narrations. This is a grave error which the Salafis have made i.e. they have classified weak and fabricated narrations as one. Fabricated Ahaadith are those narrations which are outright lies against Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا، فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ(صحيح مسلم #3)
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said regarding a person who intentionally invents lies about him, that he should make his abode in Jahannam.
As far as weak Ahaadith are concerned, there is a Kitaab prepared by Darul Uloom Zakariyya which states that a person can use weak Ahaadith to extract Daleel (proofs) and even extract Masaa’il at times.
When Hadrat Sheikh wrote his Kitaab, Awjazul Masaalik, which is a commentary of the Muwatta of Imaam Maaliki Rahimahullah, then the Maaliki Ulama came to meet him. They said, “If ‘Khandelwi’ (the place where Hadrat hailed from) wasn’t written on the Kitaab, we would have said that the greatest Maaliki scholar of the time wrote this Kitaab, whereas Hadrat was a Hanafi.
Allaamah Yusuf Binnori Rahmatullahi Alaihi was a great Aalim. He wrote a Kitaab, “Hajjatul Widaa wa Umratun Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam”, referring to the Hajjatul Widaa and Umrahs of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Despite being such a great Muhaddith himself, he wrote in his foreword that the greatest Muhaddith of the time is Hadrat Sheikh Rahmatullahi Alaihi.
So like this, Ibn Jowzi realized his error in judgement after meeting Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaihi and it led him to make Taubah and thereafter promote Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Rahmatullahi Alaihi.
A Profound Poem
Sheikh Jilaani wrote a poem:
كَمْ مِنْ كَفَنٍ مَغْسُوْلٌ وَصَاحِبُهُ فِي السُّوْقِ مَشْغُوْلٌ
“How many Kaffans have been washed,
And the one who will wear the Kaffan is busy in the marketplace.”
وَ كَمْ مِنْ قَبْرٍ مَحْفُوْرٌ وَصَاحِبُهُ فِي السُّرُوْرِ مغرورٌ
“And how many Qabrs have been dug,
And the person who is destined for that Qabr is deceived in his happiness.”
وَ كَمْ مِنْ فَمٍ ضَاحِكٌ وَ هُوَ عَنْ قَرِيْبٍ هَالِكٌ
“And how many mouths are laughing whereas they will soon be destroyed.”
If we look at our burial committees, they keep the Kafans cut and packaged, ready to be used.
The Israeli manifesto is to kill every Palestinian child. The reason is because tomorrow that child would grow up and become an opposition to them. A parallel can be drawn here with Firoun. When Firoun was told that a young boy would be the one to destroy his Kingdom, he killed 80 000 children. He would alternate the year of killing with a year of allowing them to live. The year that Nabi Moosa Alaihis Salaam was born, coincided with the year that the boys should be killed.
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (القصص آ:7)
The mother of Moosa Alaihis Salaam was inspired, not to worry, but to look after him and suckle him, and when she fears him, then she should put him in a basket and set him on the river without fear or grieve; Allah Ta’ala would return him to her and make him from amongst the messengers. Look at the system of Allah Ta’ala. Firoun and his wife are walking along the river when they see this basket floating along.
فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ (القصص آ:8
They took the child and brought him up in their own home without realizing that this was the boy they feared. So, likewise for the Israelis, they can kill as many children as they want, but Allah Ta’ala is the best of Planners. Sheikh Ahmad Yasin prophesized that by 2027, there will be no Israel anymore. We hope that this Dua of his materializes before 2027.
The shroud of death awaits a person but he is heedless, concerning himself with the Dunya. He is absorbed in making money, trading, amassing wealth. A family who was involved in foreign investments told us that they cannot use that money any longer. They are unable to bring it back into the country, so the only way to use it is where it’s been stored.
There are always Qabrs dug, ready to receive its occupant. Many years ago in the U.S., they would use a payloader to dig up the grave in matter of minutes. And after burial, the same method was used to fill the grave, thereby taking away the throwing of handfuls of soil which is the teaching of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. There wouldn’t even be a hump on the Qabr. Ideally there should be a hump that is 45cm in height, but the use of machinery causes the ground to be flattened.
When you meet people and enquire of them, they speak of all their enjoyments in Dunya, attending weddings and Walimahs, going on holidays and visiting places, investments, etc. The comparison of this is like children who play a game of Monopoly. Initially, they are driven and passionate, buying the properties, collecting rental, putting up houses and hotels. A short while later, they get bored and give up on the game. We are also playing like them; our cars are metal, their cars are plastic; our houses are of mud and brick and their houses are plastic; their game comes to an end and our life also comes to an end.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us Taufeeq to prepare for the hereafter. Ameen!