Part 36

Tariq ibn Shihab # reported that the Prophet # said: “One man entered Paradise because of a fly, while another man entered Hellfire because of a fly.” The Companions # asked: ‘How is that, O Mesenger of Allah?’ He 3& replied: ‘Two men passed by some people who worshipped an idol, and let no one pass by until they had offered a sacrifice for that idol. So they (the pagans) said to one the two men: ‘Offer something.’ He said: ‘I don’t have anything to offer.’ They told him: ‘Offer something (as a sacrifice), even a fly.’ So he offered a fly, and they let him go free; but he (later) entered the Hellfire. They told the other: ‘Offer something.’ He said: ‘I would never offer something as a sacrifice except to Allah 38.’ So they executed him, and he entered Paradise.””

‘Aishah & reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever vows that he will be obedient to Allah, should remain obedient to Allah; but

' Surat al-Hajj, verse 29.

? Recorded by Muslim.

> Recorded by Ahmad.

whoever vows that he will disobey Allah, should not (try to) disobey Him.”

Likewise, submission and humility should only be manifested to Allah a; yet we see some people showing it to others beside Allah, such as people who prostrate on the steps of graves, crying in a full state of humility, at least as much as if they were concentrating on their salah.

Love should also be sincerly devoted to Allah 3. Many claim to have it, but how could someone claim so when he gives precedence to the commands of his manager, his wife, or his child over the Command of Allah 3%. The sign of true and sincere love for Allah and His Messenger is to follow the Right Path; Allah 3€ said: (Say (O Muhammad): If you really love Allah then follow me; Allah will love you)’.

Reliance and attachment of the heart should also be made upon Allah 3% Who is the One Who manages all affairs and creates all motives.

Seeking help from Allah 32 alone: (You Alone we worship, and You Alone we ask for help)’. The Prophet % said: “When you need help, seek it from Allah.”

Glorifying Allah 3 is a duty upon every Muslim, man or woman. Allah is glorified by implementing His Commands and avoinding any carelessness: (And whosoever honours the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly from piety of the heart)‘.

One’s real fear should be for Allah because fearing anyone besides Him & is an act of polytheism, which is a detailed subject divided, in two sections:

First: Fear in worship and glorification, which is to Allah 8 Alone.

' Recorded al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nas&’i, Ibn Majah, al-Darimi and Malik.

? Surat al-‘Imran, verse 31.

3 Surat al-Fatiha, verse 5.

“ Surat al-Hajj, verse 32.

Second: Instinctive fear, such as the fear of a lion, fire, or man wielding a weapon; which does not affect one’s sincere belief in the Oneness of Allah 3 and fear of Him Alone.

Therefore, there is a clear distinction between the two types of fear, and it is obvious that a person who makes a vow to anything else besides Allah, like the grave of a pious man, thinking that if he should fail to do it, he would be harmed by the deceased pious man, has in fact committed an act of polytheism, by having devoted his fear to anyone other than Allah.

Also, the distinction between fear in worship and instinctive fear is that the former is associated with love, while the latter with aversion. In the first case, the devotee fears his/her Supporter (Allah) but loves Him, while in the second he/she fears a lion and also loathes it.

Hope should be associated and related to Allah 4 Alone; for a believer hopes for the Mercy of Allah but dreads His Punishment. So fear and hope are two wings upon which a believer flies to the Pleasure of Allah.

One’s oath should be made upon Allah 38; Ibn ‘Umar % heard a man say: ‘By the Ka‘bah!’, so he admonished him, saying: ‘Do not swear by anything besides Allah, for I have heard the Prophet 4% say: ‘He who swears by anything besides Allah is guilty of an act of disbelief (or of associating something with Allah).’””?

So, swearing by the Prophet, or a waliy (holy man), or the Ka‘bah, or any other creature is an act of disbelief, because the Prophet 4 said: “If anybody has to take an oath, he should only swear by Allah.” The people of the Quraysh used to swear by their fathers, but the Prophet 3¢ rebuked them: “Do not swear by your fathers’, and he 4 said: “Whoever has to take an oath should only swear by Allah or remain silent”, and Buraydah 4 reported that the Prophet 38 said: “He who swears by Amanah (faithfulness) is not one of our number.”

' Recorded by al-Tirmidhi.

? Recorded al-Bukhari, on the authority of ‘Umar .

> Recorded by al-Bukhari, on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. * Recorded by Abu Dawud.

Another major element of ‘ibadah is supplication to Allah (du‘q); the Prophet ¥ said: “Supplication is worship.”!

Therefore, whoever devotes all these ‘ibadat (acts of worship) sincerely to Allah 4€ is among the Party of Allah 3: €Verily, it is the Party of Allah who will be successful)”. But whoever devotes any of these aspects of worship to anyone besides Allah is among the party of Satan: €Verily, it is the party of Satan who will be the losers)’.

The third shield: Adhering to the main body (jama‘ah)

To stay attached to a jama‘ah keeps Satan away and pleases the Lord, so you have to adhere to the main body, because a wolf may easily prey on a solitary sheep straying away from the flock.

If a man wants to go on a long trip, especially in the desert, then he should travel with company; the Prophet 4 said: “A single rider is a devil, and a pair of riders is a pair of devils, but three are a company of riders.“ And he 4 also said: “If people knew what solitude meant, no rider would have travelled alone by night.”> And he 4 also said: “Jama ‘ah is mercy but separation is torture.”*

Adhereing to the jama‘ah requires

First: Adhering to the creed of the jama‘ah which is the faith of the first jama‘ah of our pious predecessors, the Companions and their followers#, and whoever adopted and practised their ways’. Likewise, Ibn Mas‘ud # said: “Al-Jama‘ah is anything that conforms to the truth, even if you were holding such a belief, alone.”*

' Recorded by al-Tirmidhi.

? Surat al-Mujadilah, verse 22.

3 Surat al-Mujadilah, verse 19.

“Recorded by Abu Dawud, Malik and al-Tirmidhi.

5 Recorded by al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi.

7 Refer to the book “sifat wa nuzul” by al-Daraqutni, the book of “Jman” by Ibn Abu Shaybah, and also the interpretation of Hadith “nuzul” by Ibn Taymiyya.

* Transmitted by Ibn ‘Asakir, in “History of Damascus”.

Second: Towing to the line of the jama‘ah; being actively involved with the correct jama ‘ah, wherever they are and wherever they go; for they are the people of whom the Prophet 3 said: “A group of people from my Ummah will continue to fight in defence of the truth and remain triumphant, until the Day of Judgment.”

Among the signs of the people of truth is their love for the scholars of a hadith, such as Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Qattan, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Ishaq ibn Rahawih, then one should know that one is following the way of the truth, and the Sunnah, as whoever opposes them is on a deviated path of innovation in religion.

Saleem Al-Hilali said: “It is because the People of Hadith did not deviate from the pure Straight Path, and they are the safe group; the prevailing party supported by Allah.”

When Imam Ahmad was asked about this group, he said: “If it is not the People of Hadith, then I do not know who they might be?”? Other scholars who had similar opinions were: ‘Ali ibn al-Madini, Ibn alMubarak, al-Bukhari, al-Hakim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, al-Suyuti, etc.

They do not precede with the opinion of anyone before that of the Prophet 4; and they believe in the Attributes of Allah 4%, without comparing them {to any human characteristics), or nullifying them, or altering their expression and meaning; and they say exactly what Imam al-Shafi‘i did when he was asked about the Straightness of Allah a on His Throne?: “I believe in Allah 3% and in what the Revelation tells about Him, in the manner He intended; and I believe in the Messenger of Allah % atid in what was related about the Messenger of Allah, in the manner that he intended”, and as Imam Malik said: “The Straightness (of Allah 4 on His Throne) is known, the method (of His Straigthnéss on His Throne) is unknown, the belief in it is obligatory, and the question about it is bid‘ah (innovation in Islam).

' Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2 Fath al-bari (13/293).

The fourth shield: Observing salah Jama‘ah (salah in congregation)

Neglecting salah jama‘ah encourages Satan to be more daring with man, enticing him to commit more misdeeds. Abu Darda’ # reported that he heard the Prophet # say: “If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe prayer in congregation, for a wolf may only eat a straggling animal.”

Allah 3% said: (Satan has overtaken them. So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah)’.

The fifth shield: Adhering to the Book of Allah (the Quran) and the Sunnah of His Prophet #

The greatest thing that can be used as a defense against the devils is sticking to the Book and the Sunnah, with one’s knowledge and by one’s actions. The Book and thé Sunnah present the straigth path, however Satan strives to steer us from this straight path. Allah says in the Qur’an: (And He (commands you, saying): This is My Straight Path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, Jest you be parted from His Way. This has He ordained for you, that you may become pious)’. The Prophet 3 explained this verse. He once drew a straight line with his hand and said: “This is the Straight Path of Allah”, then on its left and on its right he drew other lines, saying: “All these paths have Satan calling people to follow them,” and then he recited the above Verse’.