Ta’leem and Tarbiyat Series #9

Qur’aan and Tafseer

“What! Do you tell others to do good whilst you are forgetful of yourself, whereas you read the Kitaab?”

(Surah Baqarah, 44)

Question: Does this mean that one whose actions are not in order should desist from admonishing others?

Response: No! The purport of this Aayat is that one who tells others to do good deeds should not forget about himself. Telling others to do good deeds is vital and there is definitely some benefit in it or other. The benefit to the listener is self-evident; even the admonisher benefits. It is my experience that when I find some deficiency in me, I give a bayaan on the subject and from that day onwards I automatically start engaging in the work for it is embarrassing to find myself lacking in something which I have propagated to others. (Ashrafut Tafaaseer)

Hadeeth and Sunnah

• The wonderful physical features of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) have been described to inculcate and strengthen our love for him. Many are attracted to physical beauty. Your Nabi, O Mu’min, possesses the most beautiful and perfect physical beauty of all humans. Your love for him should, therefore, be intensively natural as well, together with the incumbent intellectual love.

• Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

“Miserable is the slave of a gold coin, the slave of a silver coin and the slave of expensive garments. If he is given, he is pleased and if he is not given he becomes angry. He is miserable and disgraced.” (Bukhari – Mishkaat)

In this Hadeeth Nabi Kareem (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) expresses his severe displeasure at a person who hankers after money and fashionable garments. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) branded such a person as “miserable” and described him as a “slave” of what he hankers for.

The nafs desires pleasure and basks in the base attractions of showing off, being haughty, greedy and the like. To fulfil its aim of pride, pleasure and ostentation it (the nafs) drives a person to hanker, and slog and slave for more money and garments of show. This person becomes a slave of his desires. His desire is for money and exquisite garments. He is thus a slave of money and fashion. His inordinate craving for money and the best of garments drives him to the point of recklessness in acquiring the two. He casts aboard all conscience of halaal and haraam. He becomes blind to jaaiz and na-jaaiz, ethical and immoral. In his insane pursuit he is miserable. He is pleased with and flatters those who give him and aid him in achieving his desires, whilst he becomes furious and abusive at those who do not give him for some reason or the other. Misery upon misery piles up on his head. He thus becomes humiliated. He ends up as a loser in the world and in the Aakhirah. May Allah Ta’ala save us from the twin evils of love for money and love for fame.

Fiqh and Masaail

• It is not permissible to derive benefit from liquor in any way whatsoever. It is not even permissible to look at it with enjoyment.
• It is haraam to look at a picture of an animate object intentionally for enjoyment. If unintentionally the gaze fell on a picture then no sin is involved.

(Ashraful Ahkaam)

Tasawwuf and Sulook

• One accomplished in Tasawwuf [a Soofi] thinks about Allah Ta’ala and takes His name as well [i.e. he makes muraaqabah as well as zikr]. He understands that his Beloved [Allah Ta’ala] wants him to look at Him and take His name as well. The Soofi thus combines the two…Listening to Allah’s name his ears derive pleasure, thinking about Him brings pleasure to his heart and taking His name brings pleasure to the Soofi’s tongue.

(Kamaalaat-Ashrafiyyah)