5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

"He said to me, 'He said, 'There is no one worthy of worship but Allah,' then you killed him?' "I said, 'He did not say it willingly. He only said it out of fear of our weapons' "But the Prophet repeated his question, 'Did he say, 'There is no god worthy of worship but Allah,' and you then killed him? Did you cut open his heart to know for certain that he only said it out of his fear of your weapons?!''' Usamah remained silent, for he obviously did not cut open his heart. But it was still in the battlefield, and the man he killed was, indeed, a warrior. Still, the Prophet kept repeating the criticism, "Did he say 'There is no god but Allah', and then you killed him?" "O Usamah! You killed a man after he had said, 'There is no god but Allah!' How would you deal with this testimony – 'There is no god but Allah' – on the Day of Resurrection?!" "He continued to repeat himself until I wished I had only accepted Islam that day", said Usamah. (al-Bukhari and Muslim) Contemplate on how he gradually explained to him his fault, convinced him thereof, and then admonished and advised him. In order to convince the one you are advising, try to debate his thoughts and principles however much you can. Try to think from his view point. Convince him of his error so he may accept advice Once, while the Prophet was sitting in his blessed gathering, surrounded by his immaculate Companions, there came a young man into the mosque and began to look right and left as if he was looking for someone. His eyes fell on the Prophet so he walked towards him. It was assumed that the young man would sit in the circle and listen to Allah's remembrance. But he did not. The man simply looked at the Messenger of Allah and the Companions around him, and said with all boldness, "O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to…" seek knowledge? No. This is not what he said. If only he had said that! Nor did he say, "Allow me to make Jihad". If only he had said that. Do you know what he said? He said, "O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to fornicate." How astonishing! He asked such a question so frankly! "Allow me to fornicate!" The Prophet looked at the young man. Although, it was possible for him to admonish him by reciting Qur'anic verses, or advising him briefly with words that may move his heart, he chose to take a different route. He said to him gently, "Would you like anyone to fornicate with your mother?" The young man shook as he thought of someone fornicating with his mother and said, "No. I would never like that for my mother." The Prophet then said to him gently, "Likewise, the people would not like it for their mothers either." He then asked him, Convince him of his error so he may accept advice "Would you like it for your sister?" The young man was shaken again as he thought of his chaste sister fornicating and instantly said, "No. I would never like it for my sister." The Prophet replied, "Similarly, the people would not like it for their sisters." He then asked him, "Would you like it for your paternal aunt? Would you like it for your maternal aunt?" The young man kept saying, "No… No…" The Prophet then said to him, "Then love for the people what you love for yourself, and dislike for the people what you dislike for yourself." The young man then realised he was wrong and said with all humility, "O Messenger of Allah! Pray to Allah to cleanse my heart!" The Prophet then called him, and the young man walked towards him and sat down in front of him. The Prophet placed his hand on his chest and said, "O Allah! Guide his heart, forgive his sins, and guard his chastity." The young man then left saying, "By Allah, I went to the Messenger of Allah while fornication was the most beloved action to me. But as I left his company, fornication was the most hateful action to me." Also, take note of his tender treatment when he called him, placed his hand on his chest and prayed for him. He used all possible means to rectify the person he was dealing with. This was after convincing him of the repulsiveness of the action, so that when he abandoned the action, he did so out of his own Convince him of his error so he may accept advice conviction, and therefore never performed that evil action, either in his presence or absence. Rule… If the wrongdoer realises the despicableness of his wrongdoing, he inevitably becomes convinced that he is in need of advice. He therefore becomes more receptive to, and more convinced of the advice being given.