Our Ummah is now undergoing great crises whose causes and sources are many. They are crises in matters that relate to our religion, politics, policies, economies and social being. Others are crises that affect our children, honour and lives. They are crises in which awful things are portrayed as beautiful and beautiful things are portrayed as unpleasant. These are crises in which falsehood is adorned and promoted and an attempt is made to wipe out the truth and make it frightening. Crises that seek to destroy and cause disturbances. These crises are being spread through many means that include destructive ideologies, misleading precepts and false propaganda. These are crises that manifest in attacking Islaam and casting doubts at it.
Brethren in faith! The Messenger of Allaah has informed us about a crisis in matters of religion and worldly affairs. As for the crisis in matters of religion, it is anything that blocks the way to belief in Allaah, abiding by His commandments and following the guidance of His Messenger like false and destructive creeds, corrupt behaviour and blocking the way to remembrance of Allaah and carrying out religious obligations. As for the trial in worldly affairs, it is killings, fear and usurpation of people's properties that happen. The Messenger of Allaah said, 'Times will move closer to one another, the deeds will become fewer, greed will become rampant and trials will appear.'
Fellow Muslims! The danger of trials affects all if it is not attended to in the light of Islaamic teachings. Allaah warns against trials and their evil effects when He says, 'And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong.' (Al-Anfaal 8:25)
Ibn Katheer said in his explanation to this verse: 'Though this verse was primarily addressed to the companions, other Muslims are also included. For the Messenger of Allaah had always warned against crises.'
Brethren in faith! The law of Islaam which is applicable at all times and places contains fundamentals and principles that guarantee security against crises, has preventive measures against their occurrences and provides ways to remove them when they occur. The teachings of Islaam in this regard are sublime. They are teachings that mark out the proper ways for the ummah in times of crises. These are teachings whose understanding protects the ummah from erroneous paths and brings to them all good things. These teachings are based on some principles:
One: Muslims in general, should do all they can to keep away from places of fitnah and its causes. Allaah says,
'And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong.' (Al-Anfaal 8:25)
The Messenger of Allaah said, 'There will be afflictions (in the near future) during which a sitting person will be better than a standing one, and the standing one will be better than the walking one, and the walking one will be better than the running one, and whoever will expose himself to these afflictions, they will destroy him. So whoever can find a place of protection or refuge from them, should take shelter in it.' (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Two: Holding fast unto Qur'aan and Sunnah. Holding fast unto them saves the Muslims from all evils and corruptions. Allaah says,
'O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.' (An-Nisaa 4:59)
Ibn Abbaas, said 'The Messenger of Allaah gave a sermon in the Farewell Pilgrimage in which he said, 'O you people! I am leaving for you something which if you hold tenaciously to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allaah and my Sunnah.' (Maalik)
In another Hadeeth narrated by Al-Irbaad bin Saariyah, the Messenger of Allaah said, 'You should fear Allaah and you should listen and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is made a ruler over you. You will experience serious differences after I am gone. So hold fast unto my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors after me. Hold tenaciously unto it and beware of innovated things. For every innovation is erroneous.' (Abu Daawood and others)
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, 'When a man adheres to Qur'aan and Sunnah, Allaah will guide him to the straight path. For the religion of Islaam is like Noah's Ark. Whoever boards it will be saved and whoever stays away from it will be drowned.' All this is in the context of following the path of the righteous predecessors of this ummah, which guarantees safety from perversion and cures all corruptions.
Brethren in Faith! Adherence to Qur'aan and Sunnah implies fearing Allaah, turning to Him in repentance and remaining firm on His religion. Fear of Allaah is the way out of crises and tribulations. Allaah says:
'And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.' (At-Talaaq 65:2-3)
The Messenger of Allaah said, 'Hasten to carry out righteous deeds before there come trials in which man will wake up in the morning as a believer and will enter into the evening as an unbeliever and he will enter into the evening as a believer and wake up in the morning as an unbeliever.' (Muslim)
Crises usually have its greatest effect on those who are weak in faith and those who follow their lusts. For crises find in this kind of people no resistance. Hudhayfah said: 'The crisis will not affect you as long as you know your religion. The crisis is only when you cannot distinguish between truth and falsehood.'
The Prophet said: 'Safety of this your Ummah lies in its first generation. Its later generations will be afflicted with calamities and things you will find repulsive. Trials will follow one another successively until later ones will make the former seem insignificant until the believer will say at the advent of each trial: 'This is the one that is going to destroy me.' So let whosoever wants to be saved from Hell and made to enter Paradise die while he is believing in Allaah and the Last Day and let him do to people what he would like them to do to him.' (Muslim)
It is imperative on Muslim rulers and the ruled to know that whatever crises and tribulation that affect the Muslims are the results of their deeds. Allaah says,
'(What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us? Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds)." (Aal `Imraan 3:165)
Therefore, the implementation of Shareeah in all aspects of life is a necessity for all the Muslims and it is only by adhering to it that they can achieve the glory in this world and happiness in the Hereafter. It is also the only guarantee against trials and afflictions.
Conversely, lack of implementing the Sharee'ah is the major cause of crises and evils that is widespread among Muslims and there is no way out of all this except through upholding the Sharee'ah in all parts of the Muslim world and establishing a wholly Islaamic order in politics, administration and economy and in every aspect on human life.
Three: Staying with the community of the Muslims and their leader. Allaah says, 'And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur'aan), and be not divided among yourselves.' (Aal Imraan 3:103)
The rope of Allaah in this verse includes the Book of Allaah as it includes staying with the community of the Muslims and their leader. The Messenger of Allaah said: 'Allaah loves that you do three things and dislikes that you do three things: He loves that you worship Him alone without associating anything in worship with Him; that you hold fast together the rope of Allaah and that you do not be disunited. He dislikes for you gossiping, too much questions and wasting of money.' (Muslim)
He also said: 'The believer's heart never betrays in three things: Sincerity to Allaah in all deeds, giving sincere advice to the rulers and sticking to the community of the Muslims.' (Ahmad)
Ibn Taymiyyah pointed it out that these three things Summarize all fundamentals of religion. The well-being of the Muslims in their religious and mundane lives lie in their unity and their adherence to the rope of Allaah.'
Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhaab said after mentioning these three things, 'People's religion never became defective until after there was a defect in these three things.'
The Messenger of Allaah said: 'Whoever disapproves of something done by his ruler then he should be patient, for whoever disobeys the ruler even a little will die as those who died in the Pre-Islaamic Period of Ignorance (i.e. as rebellious Sinners).' (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
In the Hadeeth reported by the Al-Bukhaari and Muslim, Hudhayfah bin Al-Yamaan said:
'The people used to ask Allaah's Apostle about the good but I used to ask him about the evil lest I should be overtaken by them. So I said, "O Allah's Apostle! We were living in ignorance and in an (extremely) worst atmosphere, then Allah brought to us this good (i.e., Islam); will there be any evil after this good?" He said, "Yes." I said, 'Will there be any good after that evil?" He replied, "Yes, but it will be tainted (not pure.)'' I asked, "What will be its taint?" He replied, "(There will be) some people who will guide others not according to my tradition? You will approve of some of their deeds and disapprove of some others." I asked, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He replied, "Yes, (there will be) some people calling at the gates of the (Hell) Fire, and whoever will respond to their call, will be thrown by them into the (Hell) Fire." I said, "O Allah s Apostle! Will you describe them to us?" He said, "They will be from our own people and will speak our language." I said, "What do you order me to do if such a state should take place in my life?" He said, "Stick to the group of Muslims and their Imaam (ruler).'
Four: The Muslims must be patient is the face of trials. Many trials actually happen as a result of lack of patience. Having patience and perseverance are therefore, the safety from calamities and afflictions. Patience also removes many hardships. Allaah says:
'O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the prayer. Truly! Allaah is with the patient.' (Al-Baqarah 2:153)
Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'No trial occurs except as a result of abandonment of what Allaah commands. He has commanded the truth and patience. So trials occur either as a result of abandonment of truth or abandonment of patience.'
Al-Bukhaari reported on the authority of Zubayr bin Adiyy who said: 'We went to Anas bin Malik and complained about the wrong we were suffering at the hand of Al-Hajjaaj. Anas bin Maalik said, "Be patient till you meet your Lord, for no time will come upon you but the time following it will be worse than it. I heard that from the Prophet.'
Imaam Ahmad used to say: 'Bearing our present situation with patient is better than taking part in a crisis in which blood is shed and properties and honours are violated.'
Five: Dealing with issues with deliberateness and perseverance. Allaah tells us in His Glorious Book that the path of the Prophets is deliberateness and sure guidance. He tells us about Prophet Ibraaheem that,
'Verily Ibraaheem (Abraham) was one who invokes Allaah with humility, and he was forbearing.' (At-Tawbah 9:114)
The Messenger of Allaah told Ashajj Abdul Qays: 'Indeed, you have two traits that Allaah loves: Patience and deliberateness.'
It is through patience and deliberateness that matters can be seen in their true pictures and the real form of disease is known only through careful diagnosis. So whenever there are crises, the first thing that people need most is patience, perseverance and deliberateness.
Six: Handling matters with utmost gentleness: Treating people gently in times of crises is an important factor in achieving best results. For one of the general principles of Islaam is to stick to gentleness in all things. The Messenger of Allaah said: 'Anything in which there is gentleness becomes adorned and anything from which gentleness is removed becomes marred.'
Seven: Matters should be adequately studied from every angle in order to have proper understanding of them. Whenever there is a crisis, Muslims must study the matters deeply and not rush into conclusion, because one of the general principles of Islaam is that what is important in anything is its essence not its outward appearance. There is also a principle that says: 'Making a decision on something is a result of its proper understanding.' Allaah says:
'And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will be questioned (by Allaah).' (Al-Israa 17:36)
Eight: Muslims must give the scholars their due regard and ask them of whatever is not clear to them. For a Muslim's guidance depends on his adherence to Qur'aan and Sunnah and his adherence to these two depends on following those who have the knowledge of both. Allaah says:
'So ask of those who know the Scripture (learned men) if you know not.' (An-Nahl 16:43)
Imaam Ahmad said: 'People are in need of knowledge more than food and drink. For knowledge is needed at all time.' All Muslims, especially the youth, must therefore follow the sincere scholars. They should take knowledge from them and stick to their guidance. Allaah says:
'When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people); if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allaah upon you, you would have followed Satan, save a few of you.' (An-Nisaa 4:83)
Some scholars of Tafseer said: 'This is a reproach from Allaah to His slaves. He is telling them that whenever they are faced with important issues that relate to security and happiness or that relate to fright in which there is a tribulation for them, they should not rush to spread them. They should rather refer them to the Prophet and to the wise and knowledgeable ones among them. It is only the scholars who recognize beneficial and harmful things. When these knowledgeable men see that there is good for the Muslims in spreading these issues, they spread them and if they see that there is no good in doing that or that the harm in doing that outweighs the good, they will not spread that. That is why Allaah says: 'the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly).'
Fellow Muslims! Crises are special situations. Cares should therefore be taken and consequences should be studied before we utter any statement or take any action regarding them.
Nine: We should beware of losing hope in achieving our goals. Allaah says:
'So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allaah may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allaah likes not the wrongdoers. And that Allaah may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers.' (Aal Imraan 3:139-141)
Dear brother! I implore you in the name of Allaah to be a sincere, steadfast and strong believer during trials. Be an ardent follower of the Prophet may peace and blessings of Allaah be on him. Allaah says: 'Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test).' (Al-Ankaboot 29:2-3) Brethren in faith! Trials occur according to the level of Imaan. Be sincere with Allaah in all that you say or do. Change for better, humble yourselves for Allaah and put your trust in Him.
Brethren in faith! Whenever there are trials and afflictions, Muslims should go back to Allaah and seek refuge with Him through sincere supplication. Among the supplications recommended by the Messenger of Allaah is to seek refuge with Allaah from trials of life and death just before the end of every prayer.
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