. Li (cont.)

Al-Ghazzaali's argument has some logic to it but again, though, the overriding principle that must be remembered is that if the result is a greater evil or harm than the original evil, then one is considered "incapable" and must move down to the next level of changing the evil, that of changing it with the tongue. For example, in the United States, there are some Muslim communities who seek to impose the Islamic legal punishment on sinners. By doing so, they are putting the entire Muslim community and mosque at risk from the legal authorities. One cannot risk the safety of the entire community just to punish an individual for a sin he committed. Hadith #34: "Whoever of You Sees an Evil. . . " As for love, hatred, want and dislike in the heart, it must be complete and definitive. One will only find a shortcoming in that aspect if there is a shortcoming in imaan itself. However, the actions of the body are according to one's ability. If the want of the heart and its hatred is complete and perfect and the person acts accordingly given his ability, he will be given the reward of the person who performs the act completely [even if he did not perform the act because he did not have the ability to do so].1 What is the Meaning and Actual Benefit of "Changing it with the Heart?" "Changing it with the heart" means that the evil is hated in the person's heart and if the person had the ability to remove it, he would remove it. 2 This is not a completely passive aspect, as some people might suspect. First, for the individual himself, this is one of the means by which a person keeps his heart pure. The heart is definitely affected and influenced by what it witnesses and what it becomes willing to accept. One of the worst effects of the modern media is that Muslims are witnessing on television and in movies acts that are clearly forbidden. But when they continue to watch them over and over again, they are no longer shocked by them. Their emotions no longer race and they sometimes even begin to accept such evils as normal. Then when they see other Muslims, maybe even their own children, performing the same evils, they are not shocked and scared to death but they have already been conditioned to accept it and think of it as part of modern-day life. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, "Temptations and trials will be presented to men's hearts like the way a reed mat is woven, stick by stick. And any heart which is filled by them will have a black mark put into it. But any heart which rejects them will have a white mark put into it. The result will be that there will be two types of hearts: one white like a white stone which will not be harmed by any turmoil or temptation so long as the heavens and earth endure; and the heart black and dust-colored like 1 Quoted in al-Masood, pp. 35-36. 2 Cf., al-Haitami, Fath, p. 247. Commentary on the 40 Hadith of al-Nawawi a vessel which is overturned, not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is evil but only being impregnated with passion." (Recorded by Muslim.) Second, "changing the evil with one's heart" can save the person from Allah's punishment. To be pleased with evil is very similar to performing the evil itself. Therefore, if a Muslim does not "change the evil with his heart," by continuing to hate that evil, he may be exposing himself to Allah's punishment. Third, when someone really hates something in his heart, his behavior becomes affected. He will not be willing to sit in the presence of that evil.1 He will not even like those people who commit that evil. Allah says in the Quran, .. ., ,,,. ,,. ,,,. ., ,.,,, ,,,. •1/' / , ,/ ਽/ জ Ƌ , .,LI /I/ , , , / 1· 1 ,•I ·/ ""11 . ,, 'I/ J"/· ' /-/ ஔ· AU ඵ -• .._ .. / ,. , హ u Úබc :...i ...UJ J'"-- ஒ :.. - / - 6 1- / • v · / / I' - J / / / ,,,, / ., ., ,,._ / / ..,, ,,,. ,,. ,,. .:. \ Commentary on the 40 Hadith of al-Nawawi This relationship has been beautifully explained by Muhammad al-Sindi who wrote, No one is going to reject munkar in the way it should be rejected except for the one who knows Allah in the proper way, knows His right, and loves Him from the depths of the heart. [He is also only the one] who sees that everything is in Allah's hand and no one other than Allah is of any concern to him. This is the person who, if he sees his Beloved disobeyed or His ruling contradicted, will stand out of jealousy and honor for the sake of Allah and to get closer to Him.