Lessons from Ahâdeeth Shareef by Moulana Naeem Motala | Commentary on 40 ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه with emphasis on perfecting one’s character
| Lesson Twenty-Five |
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اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَتَوَ كَّلُ عَلَيهِ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَناَ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily all praise is for Allah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness and we believe in Him and we place our trust upon Him, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none who can guide him, and we bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, having no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger
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اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad Wa’ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Baarik Wa Sallim | Oh Allah shower blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and upon the family of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam
| Hadith 24 |
Forbiddance of Oppression
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم فِيمَا يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: “يَا عِبَادِي: إنِّي حَرَّمْت الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي، وَجَعَلْته بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا؛ فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا. يَا عِبَادِي! كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إلَّا مَنْ هَدَيْته، فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ. يَا عِبَادِي! كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إلَّا مَنْ أَطْعَمْته، فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ. يَا عِبَادِي! كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إلَّا مَنْ كَسَوْته، فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ. يَا عِبَادِي! إنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا؛ فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ. يَا عِبَادِي! إنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضُرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي، وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي. يَا عِبَادِي! لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ، مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا. يَا عِبَادِي! لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا. يَا عِبَادِي! لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَسَأَلُونِي، فَأَعْطَيْت كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مَسْأَلَته، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إلَّا كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ. يَا عِبَادِي! إنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ، ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إيَّاهَا؛ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدْ اللَّهَ، وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَن إلَّا نَفْسَهُ”
[رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]
Hazrat Abu Dharr al-Ghifaree Radiallahu Anhu narrates from Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam among the sayings he relates from his Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) Who said:
“O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O my servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to become as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the ocean if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.”
[Muslim]
| BRIEF EXPLANTION |
In this Hadith which is a Hadith-e-Qudsi, Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala declares Zulm (oppression) to be Haraam. Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is ‘Aadil (Just). Amongst the beautiful names of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is Al ‘Adl (the One who delivers absolute justice).
> Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala mentions in the Noble Qur’aan :
وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا … and your Lord treats no one with injustice. [Surah Kahf 18:49]
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ ۖ Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom’s weight; [Surah An-Nisaa 4:40]
It is inconceivable that Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala will oppress or punish any innocent person! Despite this inconceivability, Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala has explicitly stated in this Hadith-e-Qudsi :
إنِّي حَرَّمْت الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي I have forbidden oppression for Myself …
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> Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in a Hadith :
اِتَّقُوا اَلظُّلْمَ, فَإِنَّ اَلظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ اَلْقِيَامَةِ
Save yourself from oppression (injustice) because injustice will be the cause of excessive darkness on the day of Qiyaamah [Muslim]
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> In another Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned :
وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ
* Beware the curse of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between his supplication and Allah [Bukhaari]
*ie : Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala readily accepts the Du’a of an oppressed person against the oppressor.
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> Another Hadith of Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam dispraises injustice by mentioning :
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ
*Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him (the oppressor), He never lets him escape. [Bukhaari]
*The oppressor will suffer the consequences of his oppression in Dunya, in the Qabr and especially on the day of Qiyamah when he will be thrown into Jahannum.
Furthermore, from this Hadith,
we have understood that :
• Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is the Giver of Hidayah. Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is the One who feeds and clothes every person. Man’s complete dependence is upon Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala. Therefore, Allah has commanded man to seek clothing, sustenance and guidance from Him alone.
• Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala becomes pleased with the one who begs and asks from Him and displeased with the one who does not ask of Him.
• Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala Alone is the Forgiver of sins. Despite the countless sins we commit, Allah is prepared to forgive all our sins. Hence, we have to turn only to Allah in repentance.
• Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala is independent. Neither does man’s obedience benefit Him nor does man’s disobedience harm Him. Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala needs no-one! His Sovereignty is not increased by the worship of His faithful servants nor is it diminished by the disobedience of His rebellious servants.
• Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala treasures are full and never become exhausted.
• Man has to remain engaged in good deeds in order to benefit from maximum rewards in the hereafter. Hence, if one has been granted the opportunity in doing good deeds, then he should praise Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala. On the day of Qiyamah, if he finds that he has only sins recorded against him, then he should not reproach anybody but himself.
Summary of points discussed :
(1) The harms of oppression / Allah has made oppression Haraam upon us (2) Man should ask only Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala for guidance/sustenance/clothing (3) Only Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala will forgive sins (4) Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala does not benefit in any way by the worship of His slaves nor is He harmed by the disobedience of His slaves (5) Man should continue doing good deeds to reap the full reward on the day of Qiyamah