Part 2

Once ‘Umar ibn "Abdul ‘Azeez mimnum Was advised, "O ‘Umar, beware of being the ally of Allaah in open, while being his enemy in secret. If one’s nature in open.and secret do not equate, then he is a hypocrite, and the hypocrites occupy the lowest level

It was said by one of them, "Beware of hypocritical fear!" On being asked, "What is hypocritical fear?" he replied, "When your

body is seen to be fearing whéreas your heart is not fearing."

So search yourself. Does your open and secret (self) equate? Increase in seeking forgiveness knowing that whoever displays to thé people beyond what is in his heart is a hypocrite.

The following are some of the characteristics which Allaah the Most High ascribes to the hypocrites:

1) A lazy attitude towards prayer (salah) and little remembrance of Allaah whilst in prayer.

When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, to be seen by the people, but little do they hold Allaah in remembrance.’

2) They enjoin what is bad and forbid what is good.

The hypocrites both men and women, proceed one from another. They enjoin the wrong and forbid the right and they withhold their hands (from spending in the cause of Allaah). They forget Allaah so Allaah has forgotten them. Lo! The hyp-

ocrites, they are the transgressors.”

3) Their alignment and befriending the disbelievers (kuffaar) as the Most High has said:

Bear unto the hypocrites the tidings that for them is a painful doom, Those who choose disbelievers as their friends instead of the believers, is it honour they seek with them? Lo! All honour is with Allaah?

4) Their disapproval of Allaah’s decision.

1. Sooratun-Nisaa (4) : 142 2. Sooratut-Tawbah (9) : 67 3, Sooraum-Nisaa (4) : 138-139

When it is said to them, come to what has been revealed and come to the Messenger, you see the hypocrites turn from

5) Their lying, treachery and deception and insult during

The Messenger of Allaah (enistu'stinsim) Said, "Whoever has the following four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them will possess a characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives.it up. Whenever he speaks he lies. Whenever he promises he betrays. Whenever he makes a covenant he

proves treacherous. Whenever he quarrels he is insulting."

1. Sooratun-Nisaa (4) : 61 2. Collected by al-Bukhaari (1/81) and Muslim (2/46) in the chapter of alimaan, and an-Nasaai (8/116).also in the chapter of al-imaan.

Patience over tyranny and oppression:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their ample patience over the unfairness and tyranny of those in power. They would recognise that such situations were. far less than what

their sins had earned.

The Most High said, "Thus do We make the wrongdoers

turn to each other because of what they earn."?

“When We destroy a township We send commandment to those among them who are given the good things of this life, yet commit abominable sins, so that the word is established

against them, Then We destroy them completely."

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azeez. ernie WOuld say, “Hajjaj AthThaqafee was a tribulation from Allaah in accordance with the people's sinning.”

Another person wrote to Muhammad ibn Yusuf tasmanian COMplaining about their leader’s oppression. So he replied, "We have received your letter, but dear brother, it is not beyond your

knowledge that the sinner has no right to complain about his

1. Sooratul-An'’aam (6) : 129 2. Soorab Banee Israel (17) : 16

penalty. All that I see is that you are in the misery of sins. "

wards them is forbidden.

Do not incline to those who do wrong or the fire will seize

‘Abdullaah ibn, Mas’o00d ‘amumanny used to say, "Whoever aids an oppressor or taught him an argument to nullify the right of an ordinary Muslim, has drawn upon himself the anger of Alaah."

1. surah Hood (11): 113

Accompanying the righteous: From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their ardent zeal for the sake of Allaah to support the pure Sharee’ah and sense

of dishonour if anyone entered into the forbidden.

So they would never do an action nor accompany anyone without knowing whether the pleastire of Allaah was there or

not, never hating anyone or loving them for a worldly reason.

The Messenger of Allaah sun's vm Said, "Whoever possesses three things will find the sweetness of imaan. For Allaah and His Messenger to be more beloved to him than anything’ else. To love a person for Allaah’s sake alone. To hate to return

to disbelief the way he hates to be thrown into the fire."!

The Messenger of Allaah ‘atintw-an vrai also said, "Whoever loves for Allaah and hates for Allaah, gives for Allaah and withholds for Him, has completed his faith Gmaan)."”

One of them said, "Accompanying the righteous people

gives rise to righteousness in the heart.”

1, Collected by al-Bukhaari (1/60) and Al-Tirmidhi (10/91) both of them in the chapter Of al-imaan.

Ahmad ibn Harb ¢einnaan Said, "There is nothing more benefi-

cial to a Muslim’s heart than to mix with the righteous and to watch their actions, while nothing is more harmful to the heart

than mixing with thé sinners arid watching their actions."

2. Collected by Abu Daawood (4656) in the chapter of as-Sunnah, Al-Mundhiri said : That particular chain has al-Qaasim ibn * Abdur-Rahmaan in it. He has been slightly criticised by more than one person. Another hadith with the same-meaning though is reported by Mu’ aadh ibn Anas alJuhaani collected by Abmad (3/440) and at-Tinmidhi (9/323) in Sifat-ulQiyaamah who said : This hadith is Hasan. Al-Baghawi also reported this hadith in his "Sharh-us-Sunnah" (13/54). The editor said : The chain

“of this hadith is strong.

Disconcern at worldly gains & struggle for the Hereafter:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their infrequent laughter and bragging about worldly gains. Even worldly gain like clothes, riding animals, marriages etc., would be a cause to withdraw themselves, dreading that such temporary enjoy-

ments were reductions from their pleasures in the Hereafter.

‘Umar ibn-ul-Khattab jnauusuany Said, “If 1 was not to fear my good deeds would be reduced, I would have participated in your luxurious ways, but I heard Allaah rebukes some people (who are being sent to the Hellfire) saying : You received your good things in your worldly life and you took your gratification out

The people of Allaah rm only differ from others by their

preparations for the Afterlife in readiness for its conditions.

So dear brother, reflect upon your soul and how absorbed you are in negligence and unawareness of the things which bring you close to Allaah the Most High. Increase in seeking His for-

1. Sooratul-Ahgaf (46) : 20

One of the Salaf said, "If it can be that no one beats you to Allaah, then do.so."

Another person said, "If you see someone competing to overtake you in the worldly things, then compete to overtake him in the Deen."

Hasari al-Basfi (atimnmay WaS described by some as follows, “By Allaah! If he arrived, it was as if he had returned from a beloved’s burial, and if he withdrew, it was as if the fire was above his head. When he sat, it was as if he was a convict waiting for his head to be toppled. In the morning it was as if he had arrived from his Afterlife, and in the evening it was as if sickness had

Hasan al-Basri (ann Said, "It has reached me that one of the tighteous people persevered that Allaah should not see him laughing until he knew which of the two abodes he would be in; the Paradise or the Hell." He then said, “He was certainly determined - may Allaah have mercy on him - and he fulfilled his ambition, never being seen laughing until he met Allaah.”

Preference of death to earning Allaah’s perpetual hatred:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would wish for death if they feared indulging in what Allaah despises and loathes. This could be indicated by certain signs in

themselves like a prelude to continually sinning.

Initially the believer should not wish for death, but that is unless he fears some tribulation in his Deen. A believer has only to benefit from a prolonged. life. Because of this, one person from the Salaf said, "Everyday the believer lives is profit."

Abu Hurairah (amsuniusny reported that the Messenger of Alla ah ictuuan-asivi aw Said, "Let none of you wish for death. If he is a well-doer then he could have the chance to increase but if not, then he could reproach himself."!

Abu Hurairah aut 'ax also reported that the Messenger of Allaah (1m usinen Said, “Let none of you wish for death nor supplicate for it before it comes, since if one of you dies, his actions come to an end, but a believer's life can only increase in

1. A portion of a hadith reported by al-Bukhaari (10/127) in al-Mardaau and an-Nasai (4/3) in the chapter of al-Janaaiz,

However, if the calamities multiply, leaving the believer in fear about his religion, then it is recommended for him to wish and ask for death.

Abu Hurairah (usu nny Said, "A time will come when death will be more beloved to the scholars (‘Ulema) than red gold, until a person will pass a Muslim brother’s grave and say : If only I

was in his place."

’Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (redhiADaahy ‘enhu) said, "The elite of this world have gone and only the rotten remain. Death today is a

prize for every Muslim."

2. Collected by Muslim (17/8) in Ad-Dhikr & Ad-dua. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim collected on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik: Let none of you wish for death because of some evil befalling him, but if you have to do so then say, "O Allaah! Let me live as long as life is better for me, and let me die when death is better for me."

Fear of sinning before and after any action:

From the morals.and manners of the Salaf was their deep.fear of Allaah in the beginning and at the conclusion of any action. In the beginning they would fear that the action would involve them in siri and piinishment, and at the conclusion of the action they would fear they would be glorified and praised. Accordingly they would féar dying on evil. Allaah the Most High says."For the one who feats the standing in front of his Lord are two gardens." He also said, "Fear Me, all of you, if you are truly believ-