539. He gives ten causes that can save oneself from the evil of hasad. (cont.)

This is because its actual purpose is to make the Word of Allah supreme and dominant.4 Its benefit accrues to those who are doing the boycotting, as they remain away from evil and the doers of evil, as well as the one who is boycotted, as he may be coerced into changing his evil ways. Muslim society as a whole benefits as it is a means to control the spread of evil and heresies. 5 Ibn Taimiya stated that if a person openly commits an evil, such as drinking alcohol, lewd acts and transgression against others, he must be repelled or told to stop his evil. He may openly be opposed to stop his evil. This includes an open boycott of the person wherein he is neither greeted nor is 1 Cf., ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, pp. 269-270. 2 Al-Suyooti gives numerous examples of the Companions and later scholars boycotting others for the wrong that they did. See Jalaal al-Deen al-Suyooti, Hujraan Ahl al-Bidah (Riyadh: Daar al-Salafiyah li-1-Nashr wa al-Tauzee, 1995), pp. 25-60. 3 This lengthy hadith may be found in Siddiqi, trans., Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, pp. 1445-1450. 4 Cf., Ahmad ibn Taimiya, Al-Hajr al-Shari: Ma Yuhill minhu wa ma Yuharram (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Tabariyyah, 1992), pp. 1 5-16. 5 Cf., Bakr Abu Zaid, Hajr al-Mubtada (al-Damaam, Saudi Arabia: Maktaba ibn al-Jauzi, 1410 A.H.), p. 1 1 . Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi his greeting responded to. Even after such a person dies, if he did not repent, the pious people may or should avoid him, in order to send a message to others who do such evil deeds. The pious people should refuse to perform the funeral prayer for such publicly impious people. 1 In particular, in the past, this approach of correction was used with respect to the heretics and those who followed innovations. Abu Zaid points out that the scholars would not accept their narrations, their witness, pray behind them, pray for them or give them a position of authority. Indeed, they would warn others about their innovations and heresies.2 It is very important to realize that this type of boycotting is only to be resorted to when it is judged that its benefits will be greater than any harm that may come about due to it. Ibn Taimiya stated that if the boycotting leads to a lessening of evil or a reformation in certain people, then it may be resorted to. But if the people who are following what is correct are small in number or power and their boycotting of others will not bring about any positive results, then boycotting is not to be resorted to.3 Similarly, if the boycotting may lead to greater harm, such as what could happen in the Western countries where a Muslim who is boycotted may be driven to be with the disbelievers, it should not be resorted to. Furthermore, if the "ahl al-sunnah" (Sunnis) themselves do not make a united front and all boycott the one who is to be boycotted, the results will be disastrous as there will be no benefit from the boycotting and the community may become divided due to the attempt at boycotting. Hence, it cannot be resorted to in that case either. There is another form of boycotting which is approved by the shareeah. This is where the husband boycotts his recalcitrant wife. This is based on the Quranic verse, > J J ,,. ਘਙ\  ½)¾\) â ¿j;• '; 0)G:._; À\j "As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct (al-nushooz), admonish them (first), then refuse to share their beds . . . " (al-Nisaa 34). Al-Sadlaan wrote, Boycotting is a kind of disciplining for the woman who loves her husband and cannot put up with his avoidance of her. The proper way that this is to be carried out is not that the man avoids the bed itself or that he avoids the bedroom that contains the bed that they would usually sleep in. Instead, he avoids her while they are both in the bed itself. Being together in the bed is what incites the marital feelings and both partners have solace in one another. In this way, the disturbances that 1 Ibn Taimiya, al-Hajr, pp. 25-26. 2 Abu Zaid, Hajr, p. 8. 3 Cf., ibn Taimiya, Al-Hajr, pp. 1 1 - 1 2. Hadith #35: "Do not be envious of one another . . . " they were feeling before may be removed. Therefore, when the man avoids her and turns away from her in that setting, this may lead the wife to ask about the reason for the action. It will take her from being a recalcitrant wife to one who wishes to be in agreement with her husband. Therefore, avoiding her and turning away from her while in the bed is in response to her obstinate behavior and rebellion. Note that it is avoidance in the bed itself and not avoidance from the bed.