Part 68

and said that he [the Prophet] consulted the youth but not me, many people who were not hypocrites seceded too. There are many other examples of people who became hypocrites after they had accepted Iman. If those people had died before

“the occurrence of the tribulation, they would have died as Muslims that would be rewarded. However, they would neither be regarded as true believers who adhered to Iman when tested, nor as true hypocrites who turned away from Iman when tested via tribulations. In the case of many Muslims these days, when they are tested [via tribulations], their Iman diminishes. Many of them become hypocrites, some of them turn back [if the enemy defeats Muslims]. However, they remain Muslims [if Muslims are defeated], although covertly as well as overtly they believe in the Messenger, but do not adhere to Iman when tested.

For this reason, these people frequently abandon their religious obligations and commit prohibited acts. These are the people who, when they said: “We believe,” Allah replies: “. .. Do not say we believe, but say: we profess Islam. For Iman has not yet entered your hearts . . .” (49:14). That is, they are not true believers. For true Iman, when referred to in the absolute sense in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah, is not affected by tribulations. Allah says: “Only those are believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their lives in the Cause of Allah: such are the sincere ones” (49:15). Unlike doubt, which does not occur except with regard to the knowledge of heart, suspicion applies both to the knowledge as well as the works of the heart. Therefore, nobody is characterized by [true] conviction except he whose heart is tranquil both theoretically and practically; that is, with respect both to what he knows and to what he does. Otherwise, if he knows the truth but suspicion enters his heart when a calamity happens, then he is not characterized by [true] conviction. Allah says: “In that situation were the believers tried: they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking” (33:11).

Often a believer is exposed to a brand of hypocrisy, then repents and Allah accepts his repentance. Sometimes his heart may be exposed to hypocrisy but Allah protects him. Anda believer is tested by Satan’s evil suggestions and blasphemous thoughts that annoy him, as reported in the Companions’ saying: “Oh, Prophet of Allah, indeed, one of us finds himself in a state where he would rather fall from the sky to the earth than speak about the evil thoughts in his soul.” To this, the Prophet (pbuh) replied: “That is evidence of pure Iman.” In another version it was

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said: “It was even oppressive to talk about it.” To which the Prophet replied: “Praise be to Allah! Who returned his guile of evil thoughts.” In other words, the occurrence of such evil thoughts along with the hatred and aversion against them are evidence of the purity of one’s Iman. People who experience this are like the fighter [for the Sake of Allah] who fights his enemy until he conquers it. This is the greatest jihad. The pure and sincere [Iman] is like pure milk. The reason is that it is pure is because it causes one to dislike satanic evil thoughts. Thus Iman becomes pure.

The general public cannot avoid being exposed to evil suggestions and thoughts. Some people welcome and encourage these thoughts, and then become either unbelievers or hypocrites; others whose hearts are full of sins and bestial passions do not revive such thoughts unless they seek religion, in which case they either become believers or hypocrites. Accordingly, people are more frequently exposed to evil thoughts when praying than when they are not. That is, a worshiper who wishes to draw nearer to Allah is more frequently exposed to Satan. Likewise the people of knowledge and religion are more frequently exposed to satanic thoughts than the general public, who have not obeyed Allah’s ordinance or walked in His path, but instead follow their own whims, which distract them from the remembrance of their Lord. For they are the enemies of Satan, who tried his best to hinder them from making advances toward Allah. Allah says: “Indeed Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy . . .” (35:6). The reciter of the Qur’an is commanded to seek the protection of Allah from Satan in order to have Iman in his heart and to increase his conviction, tranquility, and spiritual health. Allah says: “We send down [stage by stage] of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it increases the wrongdoers nothing but loss” (17:82). Allah also says: “Here is a plain statement to men, a guidance and instruction to those who fear Allah!” (3:138); and“. . . And it is a guidance to the righteous ones” (2:2); and “. .. You, those who believe, their belief is increased, and they do rejoice” (9:124).

Indeed, every believer feels that Satan tried his best to suggest evil thoughts to him in order to prevent him from benefitting from the Qur’an. For this reason he is commanded by Allah, when he recites the Qur’an, to seek the protection of Allah from it [Satan’s incitement]. Allah says: “When you do read the Qur’an, seek Allah’s protection from Satan, the Rejected One. No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is over those only who

take him as patron and who join partners with Allah” (16:98—100). It is clear that when one seeks the protection of Allah and asks His aid against Satan, Allah protects and helps him. Allah says: “. . . Repel [evil] with what is better; indeed, the one between you and him, there was enmity and it [will appear] as though he was a close friend. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint—none but persons of the greatest good fortune. And if [at any time] an incitement to discord is made to you by the Evil One, seek refuge in Allah. He is the One who hears and knows all things” (41:34-36).

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “I know a statement that, if one utters it, will cause all bad feelings to disappear; namely, it is: ‘I seek the protection of Allah against the cursed Satan.”” So, Allah commands us to utter this statement whenever we seek good [in order not to be hindered by Satan] and whenever we are exposed to evil [in order to be defended]. For this reason, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Satan still comes to one of you asking him: who created this, who created that, until he asks: who created Allah? Whoever [of you] has such an experience, must seek the protection of Allah against Satan. And he must stop it.” Thus Allah commands us to seek protection from him when Satan attempts to trap a person or make him commit an evil act or even prevents him from doing good as an enemy behaves and acts toward his enemy.

Indeed, the greater a desire one has for knowledge and worship, and the more capable he is of these things, the more frequently he will be exposed to evil thoughts. If Allah protects him against Satan, his reward will be greater. On the other hand, if Satan has the power to mislead him, his error will be greater. Al-Sha‘bi said: “The scholars of every community are the worst people, except those of Muslim communities. They are the best people.”

The people of the Sunnah are the distinguished Muslims. So in Islam, Orthodox Muslims are to Islam as Islam is to other religions. That is, they are superior to other Islamic sects, just as Islam is superior to other religions. To put it differently, all communities, except Muslims, are misguided; they are led astray by their scholars, who are the worst group. In contrast, Muslims are rightly guided by their scholars, who are the best group among them. Likewise are the Orthodox Muslims, whose leaders are the best of the community. While the leaders of the people of heresy are more dangerous than the sinners. For that reason the Prophet

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(pbuh) commanded them to fight the Kharijites and forbid fighting unjust rulers, unlike those who have a desire for knowledge and worship. Thus it appears to them that bad thoughts misguide them; however, they think that this will put them on the right path. And he who is safe from these evil thoughts is considered one from among the leaders of the pious, who are the leaders of guidance and fountains of knowledge, as Ibn Mas‘id said to his friends: “Be fountains of knowledge, lights of wisdom, lights of the night, pure-hearted; stick close to home, wear worn-out clothes, be known to the people of the heaven, and unknown to the people of the earth.”

Understanding Iman and Islam: Interpreted by the Messenger As the Ultimate Authority

What has to be known is that if the meanings of the words, and what is intended by them, that exist in the Qur’an and the Sunnah and were known by the Prophet (pbuh), then there would be no need to seek additional information from philologists or any others. Thus, jurists have said that words are of three kinds. One kind is defined by shar‘, Jaw (e.g., “prayer and “zakah”), and another is defined by language (e.g., “sun” and “moon”). The third is defined according to convention (e.g., qabd, holding, and ma‘rif, kindness, as indicated in Allah’s saying: “... And treat them with kindness . . .” (4:19). It is related on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that tafsir, the explanation of the Qur’an, is of four types. These are tafsir known to Arabs through their language: tafsir no one is excused for being ignorant of, tafsir known to scholars, and tafsir known only to Allah such that whoever claims to have knowledge of it is considered a liar. The Messenger interpreted the meanings of words such as “prayer,” “zakah,” “fasting,” “pilgrimage,” and similar words, and what is intended by them which is based on the words of Allah and His Messenger and also the word “wine” and other such words. On this basis their meanings are known such that if anyone wanted to interpret them differently from the Messenger, it would not be accepted from him. But talking about their derivations and their connotations, that is to be dealt with in ‘ilm al-bayan, rhetoric, and refinement of judgment adds to knowledge and to clarifying the wisdom of the words of the Qur’an. However, knowing what is meant by these words is not dependent on this.