The Muslims’ Survival Guide

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ الشَّعْبَانِيِّ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ أَبَا ثَعْلَبَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – «فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ} [المائدة: 105] . فَقَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتُ عَنْهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَقَالَ: ” بَلِ ائْتَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَتَنَاهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ، حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَيْتَ شُحًّا مُطَاعًا، وَهَوًى مُتَّبَعًا، وَدُنْيَا مُؤْثَرَةً، وَإِعْجَابَ كُلِّ ذِي رَأْيٍ بِرَأْيِهِ، وَرَأَيْتَ أَمْرًا لَا بُدَّ لَكَ مِنْهُ فَعَلَيْكَ نَفْسَكَ، وَدَعْ أَمْرَ الْعَوَامِّ، فَإِنَّ وَرَاءَكُمْ أَيَّامَ الصَّبْرِ، فَمَنْ صَبَرَ فِيهِنَّ قَبَضَ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ، لِلْعَامِلِ فِيهِنَّ أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ رَجُلًا يَعْمَلُونَ مِثْلَ عَمَلِهِ “. قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ مِنْهُمْ؟ قَالَ: أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ مِنْكُمْ» “

Abu Umayyah Sha’bani said:“I came to Abu Tha’labah Al-Khushani and said: ‘How do you understand this Verse?’ He “O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who are in error.”?[5:105] He said: ‘ I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it and he said: “Enjoin good upon one another and forbid one another from evil, but if you see overwhelming stinginess, desires being followed, this world being preferred (to the Hereafter), every person with an opinion feeling amazed with it, and you realize that you have no power to deal with it, then you have to mind your own business and leave the common folk to their own devices. After you will come days which require patience, and remaining patient during those days will be like grasping a burning piece of coal, and one who does good deeds will have a reward like that of fifty men doing the same deed.” They said: Oh, Messenger of Allah, fifty men from among themselves?” He (ﷺ) replied:50 men from yourselves.”[1]

Benefits of this Topic:

1. Some scholars have placed this hadith under the chapter headings, “How to interact with the dregs of society,” and “When enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is abandoned” and “What Allah gives to those who obey Him.”
2. This hadith is a proof of Prophethood for Muhammad (ﷺ) as he spoke about something that would happen in the future during and is happening today. Since these things have started happening life has become difficult for those trying to adhere to their religion.
3. Ibn Mas’ud (Radi Allahu anhu): “At the end of times people’s hearts will be divided and they will split up into sects and thus mistreat each other.”[2]
4. O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance, no harm can come to you from those who are in error.”?  This verse refers to the people who will come after the Sahabah. They will be overwhelmed with their stinginess, immersed in their temptations and evil desires, and they will give preference to this world (to the Hereafter), and every person with an opinion will feel satisfied with it. Thus, such people will not accept advise.[3]
5. O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance, no harm can come to you from those who are in error.”?  Abu Jafar At-Tabari said: Oh, you who believe focus on yourself and rectify yourself by doing deeds that protect you from the punishment of Allah. Practice acts that bring you closer to Him and hence no harm can come to you from those who are in error. Those in error are the people are not travelling on the right path. You will not be affected if you are guided and believe in your Lord, obey Him in what He commanded you do, and stay away from what He has prohibited you from. Consequently, you avoid the Haraam and enjoy the Halal.[4]
6. “But if you see overwhelming stinginess…” When you see majority of the people being stingy and tight-fisted. This type of stinginess isn’t only related to money, but having greed in collecting wealth and not wanting to disburse Zakah , or Sadaqah with others; and are stingy with other charitable acts. i.e giving free food, free clothes, loaning a person something and etc.[5] Whatever they do spend in a charitable way inside themselves they consider it a loss.
7. “Desires being followed…” This means that you’ll see people following their evil desires and temptations and rejecting the correct guidance.[6]
8. “This world being preferred (to the Hereafter)…” This refers to people pursuing this worldly life by collecting wealth and abandoning good deeds. This is similar to how we see people intentionally setting their alarm clock at night for 6:30am , and deliberately missing the Fajr Prayer! What’s more, is people will be doing whatever it takes to get a position of power or to raise their status in this world. This is parallel to those people cheating and offering bribes to reach their objectives.[7]

1. “ Every person with an opinion feeling proud of it… These are the people you’ll giving verdicts from their own desires and whims and feel amazed with themselves. They don’t regularly return to the scholars, nor the Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of this ummah to check their understanding. Besides, if they do then they rely on their own understanding and interpretation. Hence, whatever they view as good although it might not be then they consider it good and thus don’t accept correction or advise.  This is identical to the pandemic of podcasts and Youtubers opening up channels and discussing issues in which they aren’t qualified to deal with. Sadly to say some of them have even added the title Sheikh to their names.[8]
2. “And you realize that you have no power to deal with it, then you have to mind your own business and leave the common folk to their own devices…”  At this phase public sinning will be widespread and you will not be able to address people; as some will have authority and advising them could cause you more harm. Other people will feel as though you are judging them and have right to do so. When in fact you are ONLY trying to help their souls. Therefore, when this occurs mind your own business and don’t sin publicly or privately. Minding your own business also includes worrying about yourself and those under your care. i.e spouse and children.[9]
3. “After you will come days of patience, during which patience will be like grasping a burning piece of coal,…”  During these days and time, one must remain patient in being obedient towards Allah. Being patient is the only way of salvation in this time. The words grasping a burning piece of coal displays the difficulty a patient person will encounter while trying to the right thing. Reflect over how hard it is to touch something while it’s burning then imagine trying to place it in the palm of your hands. How long could you hold it for? This informs that everywhere around us where we will notice misguidance being prevalent, temptations being followed, misguided callers amazed with themselves on their large platforms of followers leading people astray.
4. ” and one who does good deeds will have a reward like that of fifty men doing the same deed.” They said : Oh Messenger of Allah , fifty men from among themselves?” He (ﷺ) replied:50 men from yourselves.”  Sheikh Izuddeen Ibn Abdis Salam said: This implies that actions give a person nobility and that the strangeness of Islam at the end of times will be like the strangeness of it in the beginning.
5. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave an edict in this hadith that it’s better to distance yourself from people when you notice these things happening.
6. The focus is how to mind your own business when you find yourself unable to enact correction or change. Limit your exposure to wrongdoing and wrongdoers having access to you. This will limit temptation or the evil that we witness having a common place in out hearts.
7. Busy yourself with reminders and take some time to read with contemplation and reflection over Allah’s words and the Prophetic Sunnah.
8. Accept that you have no power to guide or change the people you love; so don’t become saddened when they go in error. Remember those better than us experienced similar situations. Hence, their stories are instructions on how  to handle our difficulties  and Allah knows best.

Prepared by the one in need of Allah’s Mercy;

Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle

Doha,Qatar 1443AH©

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[1]Abu Dawud 4341, Jami At-Tirmithi 3058, Ibn Majah 4041-Imam At-Tirmithi graded this hadith as being Hasan

[2] الاسنتذكار , by Ibn Abdul Bar, vol 2pg 272

[3][3] جامع العلوم و الحكم ,  by Ibn Rajab, under hadith number 35

[4] Tafsir At-Tabari

[5] Rerfer to Mafathi Sharh Musabih vol 5, pg 264. and

[6] ibid

[7] Ibid and Tufathul Ahwathi vol 8,pg 337

[8] ibid

[9] ibid

Islamophobia

A Movement against the spread of  Islam

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

A phobia has been defined as a persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it,despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous, or its a strong fear or dislike, or aversion. When checking the various kinds of phobia some people suffer from it’ll amaze you that they range from being afraid of water, mirrors or even working (1)

Islam is the religion sent to all of the Messengers in the general meaning, but more specifically as given to Muhammad. It refers to the belief that five pillars are obligatory; the testimony of absolutely ONE deity worthy of worship and that’s Allah, His final Messenger is Muhammad (ﷺ), to establish the prayers, to fast in the month of Ramadan, to pay the zakah, and to travel to Hajj. Islam has six tenets of faith; Muslims believe in Allah as God, His Angels, the scriptures sent to the Prophets, accept all of the Messengers, believe in Angels, recognize there is a Judgment Day, and testify the there is fate; which we must accept either good or bad.

That is Islam is in the least amount of words; hence attaching phobia to it has to be defined as a person afraid its tenets, or any person who accepts and believes in them.

The media-driven fear, racial hatred, and hostility toward Islam and the Muslims were created by a standard image of linking Muslims and their religion to all acts of terrorism today. This has resulted in discrimination and the bias profiling of Muslims in social and civic life. This form of stereotyping existed in the three continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa during the time of the Prophet. Many conclusions were drawn from his message and teachings from people of propaganda.

Allah sent Muhammad with the message of Islam as a mercy to everything created. He said: “And We have sent you (O Muhammad[ﷺ] ) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).”

 

The state of the people during the time Islam appeared is similar to what we witness today. People in Persia were Zoroastrians, while in some other regions Christianity and Judaica were more prevalent, except in Mecca where paganism was dominant. In China and Japan Buddhism was the religion of the state.

The fact the Muhammad appeared on the scene inviting people to worship One God only represented the reality that they needed to change their belief and behaviors; which are among two of the most difficult things to change in a human being. By nature, people tend to feel troubled when it comes to change. People go through two crucial cycles that require a caller to have patience. The first is denial, and then anger and resistance.  The feeling of people who reject Islam are connected to their status and threat of the things they did to get where they are incorrect, and thus would require change; so they create a phobia for themselves.

Take Fir’aun, for example, Allah said: Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said: “Leave me to kill Musa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!“[2]

Fir’aun was afraid people would realize he wasn’t the great almighty with the entire power.

Ponder over the fear of Queen of Sheba.

Allah said: She said: “Verily! Kings, when they enter a town (country), they despoil it, and make the most honourable amongst its people low. And thus they do.. “But verily! I am going to send him a present, and see with what (answer) the messengers return.”So when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman (Solomon), he said: “Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!”[Then Sulaiman (Solomon) said to the chief of her messengers who brought the present]: “Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased.”[3]

She was afraid of losing her might is Suleiman was to conquer her land.

Take the actions of the Pagans in Ahqaf into consideration. Allah said: They said: “Have you come to turn us away from our aliha (gods)? Then bring us that with which you threaten us, if you are one of the truthful!”[4]

Plainly put the ideology of Islamophobics isn’t anything new and goes back  to where it started with the Messenger, Nuh and up to the last Messenger, Muhammad (صلى الله  عليه سلم)

The Prophet [ﷺ] and his companions were patient in calling to Allah’s Religion with all of the abuse and torture they faced. Ibn Ishaq said: “Every Arab tribe abused, imprisoned, and even cut off the companions’ food and water supply.”

Islamophobia during the time of the Prophet meant everyone who followed him were to be met with physical abuse until they left Islam or followed the status quo. Ibn Al-Qayyim said: Allah protected the Prophet through his uncle, Abu Talib. However, there were companions who faced the consequences of Islamophobia during their lives and among them were;

• Uthman ibn ‘Affan
• Az-Zubair ibn ‘Al-Awam
• Zinirah
• Mus’ab Ibn Umair
• Bilal ibn Rabah
• Saeed ibn Zaid
• An-Nahdiya
• Al-Yasir
• Abu Fukhayha
• Suhaib Ar-Rumi
• Kabab ibn Ar-Rit
• Saeed ibn Abee Waqas
• Khalid Ibn Sa’eed (رضي الله عنهم اجمعين)

 

 

Uthman ibn ‘Affan (رضي الله عنه)

Uthman ibn ‘Affan’s uncle used and tie him in the hot sun and say to him, “ Are you abandoning the religion of your father for a newly invented religion?” By Allah, I won’t set you free until you leave Islam, but Uthman replied, “I swear by Allah I will never leave and when uncle saw that he was firm in his convictions, he set him free.

Zubair ibn Al-Awam (رضي الله عنه)

Zubair ibn  Al-Awam’s uncle used to torture him by tying him to a mat then lighting a fire around it, saying, “ return to this disbelief.” Az-Zubair said: “Never.”

Zinirah    ( رضي الله عنها)

Zinirah was a slave girl who Abu As-Sadeeq (رضي الله عنه) freed. After she was freed she lost her sight and the Quraysh used to say that Al-Lat and Al-Uza caused her to go blind. She denied it and swore by Allah that this wasn’t the reason, and later on her sight was returned. Before being set free she used to be tormented severely.

Mus’ab Ibn Umair (رضي الله عنه  )

Was a handosme young man in Mecca whom his parents both loved dearly. They use to spend money on him so that he could wear the finest clothes. Mus’ab was imprisoned until the 1^st migration to Ethiopia happened and after returning to Mecca his appearance changed a bit and his mother distanced herself from him.

Bilal ibn Rabah (رضي الله عنه )

Bilal’s slave master, Ummay ibn Khlaf used to drag Bilal to the public square in the middle of the day and have lie flat on his back then order that a huge boulder be placed on his chest. Ummay used to say to Bilal this is going to continue until you die or leave Islam and Bilal’s reply was , “ There’s only one God, there’s only one God.

Sa’eed ibn Zayd (رضي الله عنه )

Umar ibn Al-Khattab before becoming a Muslim was responsible for the torture of Sa’eed for the mere fact he was a Muslim.

 

An-Nahdiya (رضي الله عنه)

An-Nahdiya and her daughter were both tortured and Abu As-Sadeeq freed them both.

Al-Yasir (رضي الله عنهم )

Ammar ibn Yasir, his mother and father were those who were weak, and oppressed, and tortured in Mecca, and ordered to apostate. Abu Jahl was responsible for bringing them to the town square in the middle of the day when it was the hottest for torture. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pass by them saying, “Remain patient family of Yasir, as you are guaranteed Jannah.”

Ammar’s mother, Summayah (رضي الله عنها) is considered the first martyr in Islam at the hands of Abu Jahl. Ammar was burned, drowned and tortured until he couldn’t take it no more, so he cursed the Prophet, and praised the idols of the pagans. This wore heavy on his chest so he visited the Prophet (ﷺ) crying and informed him of what did. The prophet (ﷺ) wiped the tears from his eyes and the verse was revealed. “Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment. ”[An-Nahl 106]

Abu Fukhayha (رضي الله عنه)

Bani Abdudar used to punish Abu Fukhayha in the middle of the day by placing a hot rock on his back while he was chained up.

Khalid ibn Sa’eed ibn Al-As (رضي الله عنه)

Khalid used to stay close to the messenger of Allah and pray in the valleys where no one could see him. Once this news reached Abu Uhayha he ordered that Khalid be brought up so that he could apostate. Khalid remained firm and said, “I’ll die as a Muslim and never leave Islam.”.

Abu Uhayha hit Khalid with a pole until it cracked on his head. After this Khalid was imprisoned. While incarcerated they didn’t serve him water or food and this lasted for about 3 days until he saw an exit and broke free and migrated to Ethiopia.

Suhaib Ar-Rumi (رضي الله عنه)

Suhaib ibn Ar-Rumi was among the companions of the Prophet who were tortured and oppressed in Mecca.

Sa’d ibn Abee Waqas (رضي الله عنه)

Sa’d ibn Abee Waqas wasn’t actually tortured physically, but rather he went through a mental torture. His mother vowed to boycott him and starve herself to death unless he apostate from Islam. Sa’d’s mother said you claim Allah adivses you to treat your parents with kindness, then what about me , am I not your mother ?! and I order you to leave Islam. Sa’d said remain firm and the people in the streets you to say to him, “ there’s the one who killed his mother.” After three days of her of hunger strike, sa’d went to his mother and said if you were given a 100 souls and did this to each soul, I would never leave Islam. When she saw he was adamant about his religion she ate and Allah revealed the verse.” And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents, but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not.[  Al-Ankabut:8]  and the verse “And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents.[Luqman:15]

 

Kabab ibn Ar-Rat (رضي الله عنه)

Kabab ibn Ar-Rat faced the most severe of punishment. He used to be punished by everyone who found out he was a Muslim in Mecca. He used to be placed in the fire and it would burn until it was said the fat of his body is what caused the fire to stop burning.[5]

These are some of the heartfelt stories of the companions who faced Islamophobia in their lives and remained patient. The solution to combat Islamophobia is found in the verses.

Allah said: O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allah much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful.

 And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

Allah ordered those striving in his path with five things and any group of people that carry these five things will be successful against their enemies; regardless of their size and might.

1. Take a firm stand
2. Remember the Name of Allah much
3. And obey Allah and His Messenger
4. And do not dispute (with one another)
5. And be patient.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said:  “These five things are what build the dome of help. Whenever some of these things are non-existent then the help of Allah is weakened equivalently to what’s lacking. On the other hand, when all of these things exist the strength of them, aides, each other. Therefore he becomes a force to reckon with by Allah’s help. When the companions lived they had all of these five things mentioned and no nation could stand up against them. They conquered the world and established Islam. The nations that came after them differed and became weak until the point of what we are witnessing today.[6]

In closing, I’d recommend that our brothers, sisters, children enroll in some self-defense classes. For example, Brazlian Ju-Jit-Su, Krav Maga, Hapkido and MMA. Moreover, for sisters, then I strongly advise that they travel in groups and if they are alone, then come home at respectable hours of the night, and be vigilant of your surroundings. We ask Allah for his protection.

 

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Prepared and compiled by

Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle

Doha, Qatar 1439©

[1] http://phobialist.com/

[2] Ghafir :24

[3] An-Naml; 34-37

[4] Al-Ahqaf:22

[5]  Refer to :Al-Lu’lu Al-Mak’noon fi Seerah An-Nabi al-Ma’moon vol 1/pg 258-267

[6] Al-Furuseeyah/pg 326-327

Burying Bid’ah-1

Saying Masha-Allah when you see something that amazes you

عن أنس بن مالك ، رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : « من رأى شيئا فأعجبه ، فقال : ما شاء الله ، لا قوة إلا بالله ، لم يضره العين » . يعني : لا يصيبه العين

Anas ibn Malik (Radi Allahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Sallahu Alayhi Wa Salim) said, “ Whoever sees something that amazes    him, let him say, “ Masha-Allah, La Quwata illa bil lah” Hence, by doing so that person won’t be affected by the evil Eye.”

*Collected by Ibn Sunni (207) Al-Haythami graded this hadeeth as being extremely weak. (Majmu’ 5/109)Therefore doing this act is an innovation as it’s not authentically reported in the Quran or Sunnah.

Shaykh Mahir Al-Qahtani ( May Allah preserve him) said: “ Al-Manawee erred in his interpretation of the hadeeth where the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wa salim) said, “ Ask Allah to bless him . He interpreted this to mean say,” Masha-Allah La howla wa la quwata ilah billah”.  Moreover, Al-Manawee thought that saying these words repel the evil eye. Furthermore,  there isn’t any proof that the words ,” Ask Allah for blessings” indicate saying,” Mashallah La howla wa la quwata ilah billah”.

On the contrary the words,” Ask Allah for blessings” only imply asking Allah to bless him; as mentioned in the various authentic reports of the sunnah [1].

Reviving the Sunnah- Asking Allah’s Blessings when

You see something that Amazes you

The Prophet (sallahu alayhi wa salim) said:

إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ أَخِيهِ مَا يُعْجِبُهُ ، فَلْيَدْعُ

“ Whenever one of you sees something with his brother that amazes him, ask  Allah to bless him.”

Collected by ibn Majah (3500) and graded as being Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albani.

The order in this hadeeth to ask your brother for Allah’s blessings is obligatory.

It’s a must as the verb is in the present tense and preceded by the :lam لام

Which signals an obligatory order ,unless there is a context that shows otherwise.

Ibn Al- Qayyim said : The envious person has been ordered to say ,  “ Oh Allah bless him- Allahumma Barak Alayhi. This repels jealously and envy. [ Zad ]

Ibn Abdul Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “ This means a person says, “ Tabarak Allah” [ Tamheed 6-234]

Shaykh Mahir Al-Qahtani (may Allah preserve him) said: This hadeeth means a person can say, “ Barakallahu alayhi, Barakallahu feehee, or Barakallahu lahu.”

Taken from Rafu’l Ghayain by Shaykh Mahir Al-Qahtani

Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle Sr.

Doha, Qatar 1432

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[1]   Raf’ul Ghayin, page 48