The Benefit of Doubt

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

If one studies Suraħ al-Ḥujurāt, one will find that is Suraħ is filled with laws dealing with social issues. And in this very chapter of the Qur’ān, Allāh سبحانه و تعالى tells us how to deal with our fellow Muslims.  The saying of Allāh سبحانه و تعالى,

ياَ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ

“O you who believe! If a fāsiq comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done”[1]

In this ayaħ, Allāh سبحانه و تعالى tells us to make sure if the news or narration we hear from any fāsiq is true or authentic before accepting or basing our opinion on it.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله writes in his tafsīr,

“Allāh the Exalted ordered investigating the news that sinners and the wicked bring, to make sure of its authenticity. Otherwise, if the sinner’s word is taken for granted and a decision is based on it, regardless of whether the information is true or not, the authorities will be taking the lead of the sinners. Allāh the Exalted and Most Honoured forbade taking the path of the corrupted and sinners. This is why groups of the scholars of Ḥadīth refuse to accept narrations from narrators whose reliability is unknown, for they might be from among the wicked people, in reality”[2]

Imām Al-Māwardī رحمه الله writes,

“In this ayaħ is the proof that the report of one individual is acceptable if he is trustworthy.”[3]

Imām Al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله writes,

“…And whosever’s fisq is grounded (and proven) then his statement is rejected completely for reporting is a trust and the indication of fisq nullifies it.”[4]

We, the Muslims, are afflicted with the disease of accepting whatever is presented to us with any verification what so ever whether is be a Muslim or a non-Muslim source.  A prime example of this would be the onslaught of the media against Islām. They are trying their best to portray Islām in the worst way possible.  Even in Muslim countries, the liberals and secularists ‘Muslims’ try to put down those who follow or even attempt to follow the Sunnaħ of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. The non-Muslims accuse the groups of Muslims as ‘terrorists’ and when Muslims are told this, they hear and believe in instantly without trying to find the source of the news. And we learn from this ayaħ, that this is completely forbidden for a fāsiq, then what about a non-Muslim?

Not knowing the source of information and then accusing a fellow Muslim brother/sister of something can lead to slandering which is even worse than backbiting  as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said in the following ḥadīth,

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said

“Do you know what is meant by backbiting?” They said, “Allāh and His Messenger know best.” He said, “To say something about your brother which he dislikes.” One asked, “Even if what I say is true about my brother?” He replied, “If such defects you say are true about him, then you have backbitten him, and if he doesn’t have what you say, then you have committed slander against him.” [5]

And we see that Allāh سبحانه و تعالى tells us in ayaħ number 12,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) . And fear Allāh. Verily, Allāh is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful”.[6]

If one looks at this verse with an eye of a grammarian, he will find that the word  اجْتَنِبُوا starts with an alif known as ‘fa^cl amr’ which means a commanding action and that means that avoiding the much suspicion is an obligation upon us as Muslims.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله writes in his tafsīr,

“Allāh the Exalted forbids His faithful servants from being suspicious, which includes having doubts and suspicions about the conduct of one’s family, relatives and other people in general. Therefore, Muslims are to avoid suspicion without foundation. The Leader of the faithful ^cUmar bin Al-Khaṭṭāb said, “Never think ill of the word that comes out of your believing brother’s mouth, as long as you can find a good excuse for it.”

It is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; do not spy on one another; do not look for other’s faults; do not be jealous of one another; do not envy one another; do not hate one another; and do not desert (shun) one another. And O Allāh’s servants! Be brothers.”[7]

^cAbdullāh bin ^cAbbās says,

“Allāh has forbidden a believer to have bad suspicions about believers.”[8]

Al-Ḥasan رحمه الله says,

“We were in a time in which having suspicion of people was forbidden, but today; you act, remain silent and be suspicious of people however you will.”[9]

So being suspicious of your brothers and sisters doing acts, in general, against the teaching Islām is not allowed at all.  As ^cUmar رضي الله عنه said, we should try to give our brothers and sisters good excuses when we see them doing wrong.  For example, we see a brother talking to a ghayr maḥram. Normally the people would start having ill thoughts about that brother thinking maybe she is his girlfriend or such stuff. But, he being our brother deserves that we only think good of him. Instead having doubts about his Islāmic personality, we should give the benefit of doubt that maybe he is seeking assistance from the lady or maybe the girl is his own sister.

But, we find that some Muslims are ready to accept whatever they hear from the non-Muslim sources who accuse our brothers and sisters of ‘terrorism’ and all other such nonsense.  Moreover, we see that the accused Muslims get insulted and mocked by their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters sometimes just to please the non-Muslims and at times due to their ignorance of the teachings of Islām. In Islām we know that a person is innocent until proven guilty as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“Were people to be given according to their claims, some would claim the wealth and blood of others. But the burden of proof is upon the claimant and the taking of an oath is upon the one who denies (the allegation).”[10]

But the enemies of Islām think that a Muslim is guilty even when proven innocent. The reality is, we should be careful with whatever we utter as we are going to be accountable for everything we utter on the Day of Judgement.

If we let suspicion to creep in our hearts, then this gives a solid foundation to have more illnesses in our hearts such as finding faults in one another, being envious of one another, hating others and so on.

Brotherhood:

The saying of Allāh سبحانه و تعالى,

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

“The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allāh, that you may receive mercy.”[11]

This ayaħ is a general ayaħ, which means it does not specify that there comes a situation or a time when a believer does not remain another believer’s brother. Whether or not he practises his religion properly or he goes and carries out heinous crimes, a believer is a believer’s brother.

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ

Imām aṭ-Ṭabarī رحمه الله explains in his tafsīr,

“(Brothers) in religion.”[12]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he is not unjust with him nor does he forsake him.”[13]

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-^cAsqalānī رحمه الله writes in his book of sharḥ,

“‘The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim’ this is the brotherhood of Islām. For all the unity that is between the two people, takes the name of brotherhood.  ‘He is not unjust with him’ this report is of the meaning of a command for the oppression of a Muslim to another Muslim is forbidden. ‘Nor does he forsake him’ that he does not leave him with someone who is harmful or something that is harmful to him.”[14]

Imām al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله writes as an explanation of the verse,

“That is (brotherhood) in religion and sanctity, not in lineage. It was said regarding this, that the brotherhood in religion is stronger than the brotherhood in lineage for the brotherhood in lineage is disrupted due to the difference in religion whist the brotherhood in religion is not broken off due to the difference in lineage.” [15]

Part of injustice is having bad suspicion about your brother and it is one of the ingredients of the destruction of brotherhood as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“Do not be envious of one another; do not artificially inflate prices against one another; do not hate one another; do not shun one another; and do not undercut one another in business transactions; and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allāh. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. Piety is here – and he pointed to his chest three times. It is evil enough for a Muslim to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour.”[16]

From this ḥadīth we understand that holding a Muslim on contempt is also forbidden according to the Shari^caħ of Prophet Muḥammad صلى الله عليه و سلم. We should deal with our Muslim brothers and sisters with a clean heart and having no ill feeling having for them. This way one achieves two benefits:

1)      Having good relations with one another

2)      Possibility of committing injustice lessens as the heart is devoid of evil

فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ

This ayaħ was revealed in connection to the ayaħ preceding it but it can also be used for general purposes.

Imām al- Qurṭubī رحمه الله writes in his tafsīr,

“Abū ^cUbaydaħ said, ‘Reconcile between all the brothers.’”[17]

Then he goes on and says,

“In this verse and the one before, is evidence that the ones tyrannise (like khawārij) do not cease to carry the name of Imān because Allāh, the Exalted, named them brothers of believers in spite of the fact that they are wrong doers.  Al-Ḥārith al-A^cūr said that ^cAlī bin Abī Ṭālib was asked and he was exemplary in fighting the people of tyranny (khawārij or hypocrites) from the people of the Jamal and Ṣiffīn, ‘Are they polytheists?’ He said, ‘No, the one who do shirk have fled.’ Then it was asked, ‘Are they hypocrites?’ He said, ‘No, for the hypocrites do not remember Allāh except little.’ Then it was said to him, ‘Then what is their condition?’ He said, ‘They are our brothers who have transgressed against us.’”[18]

I have personally read statements of kufr against the brothers and sisters who are accused by the west of murdering many innocent people. The situation of ^cAlī رضي الله عنه was worse and still he considered them as his brothers.

In conclusion, we should try our best to refrain from all sorts of evils we could indulge in when dealing with our brothers and sisters. Not judging them, nor being suspicious of them nor speaking ill of them would solve many of the current problems this Ummaħ is facing. And indeed, Allāh سبحانه و تعالى knows best.

I ask Allāh سبحانه و تعالى to accept this work and give benefit to whoever reads it and save them from misguidance. Āmīn

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[1] Suraħ al-Ḥujurāt, 49:06ħ

[2] Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Karīm

[3] An-Nakat wal-‘Uyūn & Jāmi^c li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān (similar statement mentioned)

[4] Jāmi^c li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān

[5] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Sunan At-Tirmidhī

[6] Suraħ al-Ḥujurāt, 49:12

[7] Mu’ṭa Imām Mālik

[8] Jāmi^c al-Bayān Fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān

[9] Jāmi^c li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān

[10] Sunan al-Bayhaqi

[11] Suraħ al-Ḥujurāt, 49:10

[12] Jāmi^c al-Bayān Fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān

[13] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim  ħ

[14] Fatḥ al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī

[15] Jāmi^c li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān

[16] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

[17] Jāmi^c li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān

[18] Ibid

I have been committing sins…

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

قال زين العابدين رحمه الله

وَلي بَقايــا ذُنوبٍ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُها *** الله يَعْلَمُهــا في السِّرِ والعَلَنِ
مـَا أَحْلَمَ اللهَ عَني حَيْثُ أَمْهَلَني *** وقَدْ تَمـادَيْتُ في ذَنْبي ويَسْتُرُنِي
تَمُرُّ سـاعـاتُ أَيّـَامي بِلا نَدَمٍ *** ولا بُكاءٍ وَلاخَـوْفٍ ولا حـَزَنِ
أَنَـا الَّذِي أُغْلِقُ الأَبْوابَ مُجْتَهِداً *** عَلى المعاصِي وَعَيْنُ اللهِ تَنْظُرُنـي
يَـا زَلَّةً كُتِبَتْ في غَفْلَةٍ ذَهَبَتْ *** يَـا حَسْرَةً بَقِيَتْ في القَلبِ تُحْرِقُني
دَعْني أَنُوحُ عَلى نَفْسي وَأَنْدِبُـهـا *** وَأَقْطَعُ الدَّهْرَ بِالتَّذْكِيـرِ وَالحَزَنِ

Zayn Al ‘Ābidīn (May Allah’s mercy be upon him) said,

“I don’t know since when I have been committing sins, (only) Allah knows (what I did) in secret and public,

How Forbearing has Allah been with me with what he has given me! But indeed I have persisted in sinning but He has veiled me (i.e. me sinning),

I have spent hours of my days without regret, crying, fear or sadness,

I am the one who has striven to close the door for sins but the Eye of Allah is watching me,

O’ faults that have been written for me that have passed away in ignorance! O’ regret that has lingered in my heart burning me!

Leave me to wail and lament for myself and pass in time with its remembrance and sadness!”

Not Delaying Repentance: A Way to Overcome Devil’s Deception

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

How many times do we tell ourselves that we will repent later and not now? How many times we hear people saying, “I am young, let me enjoy. I will repent when I will be old!” Are we waiting for death to strike us unawares when we have not repented? Till how long will we allow Shayṭān to deceive us? Allāh سبحانه و تعالى gives us the answer for this question by describing the people of Taqwa for whom Paradise is the reward,

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who, when they have committed Fahishah or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; – and none can forgive sins but Allah – And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.[1]

Anas bin Mālik رضي الله عنه said, “I was told that when this Ayah, was revealed, Iblīs cried.”[2]

Mujāhid رحمه الله said, “These are two sins; Fāḥishah is one sin and their Dhulm upon themselves is another sin.”[3]

This ayah confirms with the ḥadīth when Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم said, “Fear Allah wherever you may be; follow up an evil deed with a good one which will wipe (the former) out, and behave good-naturedly towards people.”[4] Asking for forgiveness sincerely is in itself a good deed that leads others.

Imām Al Wāhidī رحمه الله mentions the reason of revelation of this ayah, “Aṭa’ reported that Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنهما said: “This was revealed about Nabhān, the seller of dates. A beautiful woman came to buy dates from him. He hugged and kissed her but then he regretted his action. He went to Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم and mentioned what he did. This verse was then revealed”. And he said, according to the narration of al-Kalbī: “Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم tied two men, one from the Helpers and one from Thaqīf, with the bond of brotherhood and they were inseparable. Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم went out one day to one of his military expeditions and the man from Thaqīf accompanied him, leaving his wife and business under the care of the Helper who used to look after the family of the man from Thaqīf. One day he saw the wife of his friend who had just finished having a bath, with her hair spread, and he fell for her. He entered in on her without asking permission and leaned to kiss her but she put her hand on her face such that he kissed the outside of her hand. But then he regretted what he had done, felt the shame of his action and retreated. Upon his retreat, his friend’s wife exclaimed: ‘Glory be to Allāh! You have betrayed your trust, disobeyed your Lord and failed to get what you desired!’ Regretting his action, the man went wandering in the mountains, to repent to Allāh سبحانه و تعالى, from his action. When the man from Thaqīf returned to his family, she informed him of what had happened. He went out looking for his friend until somebody told him where to find him. He found him in prostration, saying: ‘My Lord, my sin! My sin! I have betrayed my brother!’ His friend said: ‘O so-and-so come let us go to Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم and ask him about your sin, haply Allāh سبحانه و تعالى will ease your situation and relent on you’. And so he went back with him until they reached Madīnah one day, at the time of ‘Asr prayer and Jibrīl عليه السلام brought down the news of the acceptance of his repentance. Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم recited to him (And those who, when they do an evil thing) up to His saying (a bountiful reward for workers!). When he finished ‘Umar [ibn al-Khattab] رضي الله عنه asked: “O Rasūl Allāh! This applies specifically to him or is it to all people?’ Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم said: ‘No, it applies to all.’”[5]

The Tafsīr:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً

الَّذِينَ refers to the Muttaqīn in the ayah 132

Imām Al Ṭabarī رحمه الله comments on this verse, “The meaning of Fāḥishah is the ugly action that takes one out of what Allāh (SWT has made permissible. And the roots of the Faḥsh (pl. Fāḥishah) is the unpleasantness and the exceeding of limits (set by Allāh سبحانه و تعالى) and amounts in everything

As-Suddi رحمه الله said that the Fāḥishah in this ayah adultery/fornication

Imām Al Māwardī رحمه الله writes in his book of tafsīr, “As for Fāḥishah, then there are two statements regarding it:

1) Major disobedience (i.e. major sins)

2) Usury and this is the saying of Jābir رحمه الله[6]

أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ

Ibrāhīm رحمه الله said, “Dhulm is from Fāḥishah and Fāḥishah is from Dhulm.”

Imām ash-Shawkānī رحمه الله writes in his tafsīr, “By committing sins.”[7]

Imām Al Māwardī رحمه الله explains the meaning, “The intended meaning is minor disobedience (i.e. minor sin).”[8]

ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ

Al Kalbī رحمه الله says, “They contemplate about it within themselves that they would be asked by Allāh سبحانه و تعالى about it.”[9]

Muqātil رحمه الله said, “They remember Allāh سبحانه و تعالى with tongue at the committing of sins.”[10]

Imām Al Qurṭubī رحمه الله comments on this by saying, “Meaning (they remember) with fear from His punishment and shyness from Him.”[11]

Imām Al Māwardī رحمه الله mentions two points regarding this phrase,”

1) They remember Allāh سبحانه و تعالى in their heart and do not forget Him. They choose to remember Him in repentance and forgiveness.”

2) They remember Allāh سبحانه و تعالى with the words, “O’ Allāh, forgive our sins!” For Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has made easy upon this Ummah what He made difficult upon Banī Isra’īl. When one of them committed a sin, he found the following morning, written on his door step, what he should do to expiate his sin, ‘cut off your nose’, ‘cut off your ear’, ‘do this or do that and ask for forgiveness.’ And this is the saying of Ibn Mas’ūd and ‘Aṭa bin Abi Rabāḥ رضي الله عنهما.

The meaning of the phrase فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ is clear so I will not go into its tafsīr

وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

Al Ḥāfidh Ibn Kathīr comments, “For they repent from their error, return to Allāh سبحانه و تعالى before death, do not insist on error, and if they err again, they repent from it.”[12]

Mujāhid and `Abdullāh bin ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr رحمهما الله commented, “Whoever repents, then Allah will forgive him.”[13]

Imām Al Māwardī رحمه الله says,“ Sinning in secret and leaving it with seeking forgiveness from it as as-Suddī said.”[14]

May Allāh سبحانه و تعالى make us Muttaqīn. Allāhumma Amīn

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[1] Surat `Al ‘Imrān, 3:135

[2] Tafsīr Al Qur’ān Al Karīm (Ibn Kathīr)

[3] Jāmi‘ Al Bayān Fī Tafsīr Al Qur’ān (Aṭ-Ṭabarī)

[4] Sunan at-Tirmidhī, ḥadīth is Ḥasan Ṣaḥiḥ

[5] Asbāb al-Nuzūl Al Wāhidī (Al Wāhidī)

[6] Al Nakat wal ‘Uyūn (Al Māwardī)

[7] Fatḥ Al Qadīr(ash-Shawkānī)

[8] Al Nakat wal ‘Uyūn (Al Māwardī)

[9] Jāmi‘ Al Aḥkām Al Qur’ān (Al Qurṭubī)

[10] Ibid

[11] Ibid

[12] Tafsīr Al Qur’ān Al Karīm (Ibn Kathīr)

[13] Ibid

[14] Al Nakat wal ‘Uyūn (Al Māwardī)

Don’t do…

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

A Poet once said,

لاَ تَعْمَلْ للِنَّاسِ شَيْئاً

وَ لاَ تَتْرُكْ لَهُمْ شَيْئاً

“Don’t do anything for the sake of people!

And don’t leave anything because of them!”

The Advice of Imām Al Qurṭubī رحمه الله

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

Imām Al Qurṭubī رحمهالله wrote in his book, Tadhkirat Al Qurṭubī the lessons to be taken from death,

“Think, O’ you who are deceived by this world, of death and its agonies, how difficult and bitter a cup it is. What a true promise death is! How fair a judge it is! Death is enough to fill the heart with fear and the eyes with tears, to separate people, destroy pleasure and put an end to all worldly hopes.

Have you given any thought, O’ son of Adam, to the day when you will die and will be taken out of your place? When you will move from spaciousness (of this world) to the confines (of the grave), when friends and loved ones will let you down, and brothers and friends will desert you? When you will be taken from your bed and placed in a hole in the ground, and instead of a soft blanket you will be covered with dust and earth? O’ gatherer of wealth, O’ industrious builder, by Allah you will have nothing left of your possessions except shrouds, and even they will be destroyed and will vanish as your body disintegrates and turns to dust.

Where is the wealth that you amassed? Will it save you from these terrors? No indeed, you have left it behind for those who will not praise you, and you have come with your burdens (of sin) to One Who will not excuse you.

Imagine yourself, O’ you who have been deceived by this world, when the agony of death and stupor of death overwhelms you, and you start moaning in the throes of death. There will some who will say, ‘So and so has made a will, and his wealth has been calculated,’ others will say, ‘So and so can no longer speak, he does not recognise his neighbours and he does not speak to his brothers.’ It is as if I can see you listening to these words and unable respond. Imagine yourself, O’ son of Adam, being taken from your bed to the place where your body will be washed and shrouded, and being forsaken by your family and neighbours, wept over y your friends and brothers. Imagine the one who has washed your body saying, ‘Where is the wife of So and so to forgive him? Where are the orphans? Your father has left you and you will never see him again after this day.’

Where is the wealth that you have gathered and prepared for hardship and terror? There is no money in your hand when you are dying. The wealth and pride that you enjoyed have been replaced with humiliation and poverty. What has become of you, O prisoner of your burdens, O’ you who have been taken away from your family and your home?

What was it that concealed the right path from you, and caused you to have no interest in making provision for your long journey and time of difficulty? Did you not know, O’ you who were deceived by this world, that this journey to the Day of intense horror was inevitable, when the time spent gossip would be to no avail? That is the Day when you are standing before the Sovereign, the Judge, and the blows struck by your hands, the places where feet took you, the words uttered by your tongue, the actions of all your limbs and faculties, will be counted against you. If Allah has mercy on you, you will go to Paradise, otherwise you will go to the Fire of Hell.

O’ negligent one who ignores these matters, how long will this negligence last? How long will you delay? O you think that the issue is insignificant? Do you think that the matter is easy? Do you think that your situation will help you when it is time for you to depart? Or that your wealth will save you when your actions condemn you? Or that your regret will help you when your feet are slipping? Or that your friends will show you any sympathy when you are gathered (for judgement)? No, by Allah, you are wrong in your thinking, and you will inevitably come to know the reality. You are not content with enough, you never have your fill of that which is haram, you do not listen to lessons, you are not deterred by warnings. You persist in following desires and you go about your life without guidance. You are happy with the things that you have accumulated but you do not think what lies ahead. O’ you who are sleeping unawares, wandering without guidance, for how long will the neglect last? Do you think you will be left alone and let off, and that you will not brought to account tomorrow? Or do you think that death can be bribed? Or do you think that death distinguishes between gazelle and lion?

No, by Allah, wealth and sons can never ward off death from you. Nothing can benefit those who will be forgiven except righteous deeds. So good news to those who listen and understand, who practise what they preach, and are deterred from following their whims and desires, those who know that the victor is the one who pays heed, and that man will have he has striven for. So wake up from this negligence, and make righteous deeds the provision with which you equip yourselves. Do not wish to attain the status of the righteous when you are weighted down with the burden (of sin), doing immoral deeds, when Allah is watching you even when you are alone. Do not be so deceived by hopes and wishes that you neglect to strive. One poet said,

Take provision from this life to help yourself in the Hereafter.

Strive for the sake of Allah and do good deeds.

Do no accumulate too much in this world,

For that accumulation will eventually diminish.

Would you like to accompany people

Who have provision when you do not?”

And indeed Allah سبحانه و تعالى knows best.