The Consequences of Befriending the Kuffaar
Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 21/12/2023
Honouring a Guest
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has mentioned in a Hadith, “That person who believes in Allah Ta’ala and the Last Day should honour his guest.” A guest is honoured by giving him his “gift”. The Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum asked, “O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam! How do we gift the guest?” Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “One day, one night.” Meaning that, on the first day, go out of your way and feed him the best and show him the best hospitality. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then said, “Hosting the guest is for three days and three nights. Whatever is after that is Sadaqah. ” The first day, you go out of your way to accommodate him. Thereafter, whatever you prepare for your home can be given to the guest.
عنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ العَدَوِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَبْصَرَتْ عَيْنَايَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَسَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَايَ حِينَ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ قَالَ: مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ جَائِزَتَهُ قَالُوا: وَمَا جَائِزَتُهُ؟ قَالَ: يَوْمٌ وَلَيْلَةٌ، وَالضِّيَافَةُ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ، وَمَا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَسْكُتْ. (سنن الترمذي)
In another Hadith, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “It is not permissible that you stay with your host until you put him into difficulty.” Meaning that you overstay your welcome. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then said, ” That person who believes in Allah Ta’ala and the Last Day should speak what is good or remain silent.” Meaning that, a person subtly hints in a good way that it is time for the guest to leave, there is no issue with this. One should not be harsh or intolerant towards his guest.
عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ الكَعْبِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: الضِّيَافَةُ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ، وَجَائِزَتُهُ يَوْمٌ وَلَيْلَةٌ، وَمَا أُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَثْوِيَ عِنْدَهُ حَتَّى يُحْرِجَه (سنن الترمذي)
Hadrat Maulana Yusuf Khandelwi Rahmatullahi Alaih used to say that every Muslim home must be a hotel. We know the vile conditions of hotels and what goes on therein, the filth that take place in those rooms and beds, the filth prepared in the utensils and we use the same utensils, but a Muslim home is the complete opposite. Staying in a Muslim home, one is certain of everything being Paak and Allah Ta’ala’s Name of called therein.
Hadratjee mentioned that a person has two eyes. One eye is to see to his own personal needs and the second eye is to see to the needs of others and fulfil them. Majority of the Ulama are of the opinion that hosting a guest is Sunnat-e-Muakkadah. An example of Sunnah Muakkadah is the four Rakaats before the Dhuhr Salaah or the two Rakaats immediately after Zuhr Salaah, that if one foregoes it without a valid reason, he is sinful.
Some Ulama go further and classify looking after a guest as Waajib. The narration they cite, “To host a guest is a Haqq (right) of every Muslim.” This narration is found in Abu Dawud Sharif but it was later abrogated and classified as Mustahab. In Al-Kowkabud Dhurri, the same is mentioned, that initially it was Waajib, but later the law was abrogated. In the early days, people would travel through the deserts and jungles, and acquiring food and finding accommodation was not possible, hence it was obligatory upon the dwellers of these places to host their guest. However, the commentators of Hadith have written that the Ahadith of Wujoob will not be based on Istihbaab. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the ability to fulfil this noble act (of hosting guests) as it has become something rare within the Ummah.
Taking the Jews and Christians as Friends
لا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ [المائدة: 51]
In the abovementioned verse, Allah Ta’ala speaks about befriending the Jews and Christians. It is a very dangerous act. During the time of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, there was the group of Munaafiqeen who would openly sit with the Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum and at the same time, secretly interact with the Jews and the Christians. By doing so, they wanted their bread buttered on both sides. When the goings were good for the Muslims, then the Mushrikeen partook of their victory (spoils of war); and when the Muslims faced trials and tribulations, then the Mushrikeen took support from the Jews and Christians.
Allaamah Aaloosi Rahimahullah has written in his Tafseer, “They (The Mushrikeen) even had pacts with the Jews that if the Muslims were at a loss, they should remember them and they would even say, I am a Jew or I am a Christian.” The effect of this was that Allah Ta’ala blocked the Noor of Imaan from their heart and consequently they died upon Kufr.
Allamah Shaami Rahimahullah has written in his Raddul Muhtaar, “A person who greets a Kaafir due to honoring him and finds him to be respectable, then there is no doubt that a person loses his Imaan immediately.”
(وَلَوْ سَلَّمَ عَلَى الذِّمِّيِّ تَبْجِيلًا يَكْفُرُ) لِأَنَّ تَبْجِيلَ الْكَافِرِ كُفْرٌ وَلَوْ قَالَ لِمَجُوسِيٍّ يَا أُسْتَاذُ تَبْجِيلًا كَفَرَ كَمَا فِي الْأَشْبَاهِ وَفِيهَا: لَوْ قَالَ لِذِمِّيٍّ أَطَالَ اللَّهُ بَقَاءَك إنْ نَوَى بِقَلْبِهِ لَعَلَّهُ يُسْلِمُ أَوْ يُؤَدِّي الْجِزْيَةَ ذَلِيلًا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ. (رد المحتار ص413 ج6)
If a person’s interaction with a Kaafir is restricted to business dealings, then it is permissible. But, if the interaction goes beyond this because a person has taken a liking to the Kaafir, there exists a great danger that the person could lose his Imaan.
Reason for Turning Apostate
Allaamah Uloosi Baghdadi Rahmatullahi Alaihi writes, “To befriend the Jews and Christians pulls a person towards Irtidaad.” Currently, there are many cases of Muslims becoming Murtad and one of the main causes is due to the friendships they have struck with the Kuffaar. These friendships affect people at the time of their death as well.
Allah Ta’ala states clearly, “Do not take the Jews and Christians as your friends.” The Munaafiqeen went against this and secretly met with the Yahood and Nasaarah. As a result, they were blocked from Imaan and passed away on Irtidaad.
The Quraan Sharif says, “O people of Imaan, whoever turns away from Deen (he becomes Murtad), Allah Ta’ala is Independent and will bring another nation to replace this nation and He will love them and they will love Him.”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ (مائدة اية 54)
The Ulama have commented that first, Allah Ta’ala says that He will love them and then they will love Him. This denotes that when Allah Ta’ala loves a person, then love for Allah Ta’ala is created in that person. Allah Ta’ala says, “Remember me, as I remember you!” Allah Ta’ala always thinks of us and as a result, when we are granted Taufeeq, then we make the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala. And when Allah Ta’ala has turned away from us, then we are deprived of remembering him.
Musailamah Al-Kadhaab
Allaamah Aaloosi Rahmatullahi Alaihi writes about Musailamah Al-Kadhaab that it was during the time of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam that he claimed Nabuwwah. He wrote a letter to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, “From Musailamah the Rasul of Allah, to Muhammad the Rasul of Allah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. I am a partner with you in this matter of Risaalat. Half the land belongs to us and the other half belongs to the Quraish. But the Quraish are such people who are oppressors and will take our land away.”
من مسيلمة رسول الله الي محمد رّسول الله اني قد اشركت في امر الرسالة معك فان لنا نصف الأرض ونصفا لقريش ولكن قريشا قوما يعتدون
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam questioned the person who brought the letter to him, “Do you believe that Musailamah is a Nabi of Allah Ta’ala?” He replied in the affirmative. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said to him, “By Allah! Had it not been that the lives of the messengers (people who bring the letter are not taken, I would have slain the necks of both of you.”
والله لولا ان الرسل لا تقتل لضربت اعناقكما
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then wrote back to Musailamah, “Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem. From Muhammad the Rasul of Allah to Musailamah the Great Liar!
بسم الله من محمد رسول الله الي مسيلمة الكذاب – – – والعاقبة للمتقين
All the land belongs to Allah Ta’ala. And the good ending is for those people who have Taqwa.”
The Redemption of Hadrat Wahshi Radiallahu Anhu
After the demise of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Hadrat Abu Bakr waged war against Musailamah. Hadrat Wahshi Radiallahu Anhu was responsible for the killing of Musailamah. The wisdom behind Allah Ta’ala choosing Hadrat Wahshi to kill this imposter was that during the Battle of Uhud, Hadrat Wahshi was a Kaafir at the time and had killed the beloved uncle of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Hadrat Hamza Radiallahu Anhu. This action tarnished the reputation of Hadrat Wahshi Radiallahu Anhu. Hence, Allah Ta’ala provided this opportunity of redemption for Hadrat Wahshi. He said, “During the days of Jaahilayyah, I killed the best of men; and now, during the days of Islam, I killed the worst of people! Now it is equal.”
قتلت في الجاهلية خير الناس وقتلت في الإسلام شر الناس فتلك بتلك
Allah Ta’ala Himself says in Quraan Sharif that He is Pleased with the Sahaba Radiallahu Anhum, so who are we to judge or hold them accountable?!
The Effects of Interacting with the Kuffaar
In the corporate world, this is the time where the companies host their year-end parties and braais. And we, the Muslims who work for them, we attend and fraternize with the Kuffaar employees. These informal gatherings lead to friendships where one will find himself attending their weddings, funerals, holidaying with them. We fail to see that our love for these people will spell our destruction at the end. May Allah Ta’ala protect us and save us!
Our Akaabireen were very staunch on this aspect of Deen. In particular, Hadrat Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madni Rahimahullah had strong hatred for the British. He wanted nothing to do with them. This time of the year is also a time where grave sins are committed. A person should make Shukr that he finds himself in the Masjid whereas people are frequenting the dens of evil. Hadrat Maulana Abraar-ul-Haq Sahib Rahimahullah used to say that a person who would return home on a boiling hot day, would ask his family to put the fan on and bring a cool drink, and once he was satiated, he would ask for a fire to be lit around him. The family would think he is foolish. Lighting that fire would defeat the purpose. Likewise, a person who is regular in offering Tahajjud, making Zikr etc., destroys all his rewards by engaging in sin.
An engineer by the name of Anwarul Haq Sahib was very close to Hadrat Hakeem Sahib. He was a resident of Makkah Mukarramah. On one occasion, he was taking Hadrat Hakim Saheb and Malana Abraarul Haq Sahib to the Haram Sharif. On the way, Maulana felt very hot and asked if the aircon in the car was working. The engineer said it was working buy maybe a window was open in the car. So, they tightened all the windows and the air inside the car cooled down. Hadrat likened this to a person who is regular with his Ibaadah but, just visiting one wrong place, all his good is obliterated.
Protect Your Good Deeds
Hadrat said a car has 4 windows through which the cool air can be lost. But we, as Insaan, have 5 senses and we can easily lose the rewards of our good deeds through these senses. The first sense is touch. A person is in Haram Sharif, making Tawaaf but taking enjoyment by touching a Ghair Mahram woman. A person is travelling by plane and the air hostess smiles at him. He becomes smitten and loses all his good as a result. The second sense is hearing. A person listens to Haraam and all his Ibaadah is lost. The third sense is sight. A person looked at Haraam, all his Ibaadah is down the drain. The fourth sense is taste. A person eats Haraam, and all his Ibaadah is lost and for forty days thereafter, his Ibaadah is not accepted.
The Quraan Sharif states,
من جاء بالحسنة
Whoever brings good deeds on the Day of Qiyaamah, then he will enjoy the fruits of his efforts. After engaging in good, we should protect it so that is in our book of deeds on the Day of Qiyaamah.
The Effects of Salt
A person wrote to Maulana Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alaih, “I make Zikr of Allah Ta’ala daily, but I do not find contentment in my heart.” Hadrat replied, “When Zikr is incomplete (Naaqis) due to sins, then there won’t be complete (Kaamil) satisfaction and ease in the heart either. If your Zikr is perfect (Kaamil), then the contentment in your heart will also be perfect (Kaamil).” This is no way means that he will be Ma’soom. However, if a person who is a Muttaqi has to slip up, then due to the Noor in his heart, he will become restless. He will cry to Allah Ta’ala, tears of blood due to his Ikhlaas.
Tears are not pure water, they are salty. Just like the ocean is salty. Allahmah Aaloosi Rahimahullah writes that the ocean is such a great Nimah of Allah Ta’ala in that it is so vast and if it had to be that the water turns bad, it would cause such a putrid smell that all the houses along the shoreline would have to be evacuated. Not to mention the many water-borne diseases that will arise as a result of this and the destruction of all marine life. But Allah Ta’ala’s Fadhl is that the water is salty, and so it cleanses itself. Despite the sewerage currently contaminating the beaches causing its closure, we don’t find any traces of bad smells by the water.
After Qurbani, if a person wishes to keep the skin of the animal, immediately salt is thrown on the skin to preserve it from rotting. In the early days, salt was added to butter to prevent the butter from going off during transportation and delivery. Allah Ta’ala has put great effects in salt. Likewise, our tears are salty. The jurists have written that if a person is reading Salaah and tears fall, he should wipe the tears before they enter the mouth due it’s saltiness.
Two Oceans Meeting
Look at the Qudrat of Allah Ta’ala. We visit and swim in the beach but do we ever contemplate Allah’s Hikmat. One side we have a river, and then we have the ocean. Sometimes that river swells and flows directly into the ocean. Where the river and ocean merge, both are at the same level. And in some instances, they don’t mix, they just meet. Allah Ta’ala mentions in Surah Rahmaan that He has placed a barrier between the two. The water of the river remains sweet and the water of the ocean remains salty. These are from the treasures of Allah Ta’ala.
مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ * بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لَا يَبْغِيَانِ [الرحمن: 19، 20]
And the tears, they are salty for the protection of the eyes. Perhaps we would lose our eyesight if the water from the tear ducts weren’t salty. During this time of year, many vices and evils are perpetrated, so we should endeavor to save ourselves from falling into the traps of Shaytaan. The Hadith states, “Your house should suffice you!” As far as possible, remain at home.
Taubah After Shopping
Once, in the company of Maulana Muhammad Gardee Sahib, he advised that one should stay at home. A person who would make Safr on the grounds of Deeni work was present and Maulana told him that it is better from him to stay at home too. Reason being that we are living in such an era that no one is safe from getting caught up in sins. The mall, the beach, the supermarket, are all filled with Fitnah. Despite the necessity arising, when we return from shopping which is a necessity we must make Taubah. Perhaps we listened to music, or we looked at Haraam. And other than the necessity, we should stay at home.
Allah Ta’ala grant us Taufeeq, Aameen!