FOUNDATIONS FOR THE ISLAMIC AWAKENING!!

FOUNDATIONS FOR THE ISLAMIC AWAKENING


By the Scholar of Hadeeth, Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee[1]


[QUESTION]: What are the foundations that will enable the Islaamic world to arise again anew?

[ANSWER]: That which I believe, is what has been reported in the authentic hadeeth – which is a clear answer to this question, and to those questions similar to it which are asked in our present time – and that is the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), “When you deal in 'eenah (a transaction involving usury), take hold of the tails of cows, become content with agriculture and abandon jihaad in the Path of Allaah, then Allaah will permit your humiliation and He will not remove it from you, until you return to your Religion.” [2] Thus, the foundation is the return to Islaam.

This very fact has been pointed out by Imaam Maalik (d.179H) – rahimahullaah – in a statement transmitted from him, which is worthy of being written in golden ink; and that is his saying, “Whosoever introduces into Islaam an innovation, and holds it to be something good, has indeed alleged that Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) has betrayed his message. Read the saying of Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High:

“This day I have perfected your Religion for you, completed My favour upon you and I have chosen for you Islaam as your Religion.” [Sooratul-Maa‘idah 5:3]

So that which was not part of the Religion at that time, cannot be part of the Religion today. And the last part of this Ummah cannot be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part.” [3]

The last sentence is the essential part with regards to the answer to this question, since he said, “And the last part of this Ummah cannot be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part.” So, just as the affairs of the Arabs in jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance) was not rectified, except by the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) via Divine Revelation – which brought them happiness in this world and will bring them salvation in the Hereafter – then likewise, re-establishing a happy and successful Islaamic life cannot be based upon anything other than returning to the Qur‘aan and the Sunnah.

However, this matter is in need of some clarification, due to the presence of a multitude of Islaamic groups and parties in our midst today, each of them claiming to have set out the correct manhaj (methodology) which will bring about the Islaamic society and the rule of Islaam.

We know the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that the path to be taken in order to realize this objective (of bringing about the Islaamic society and the rule of Islaam) is a single path, and that is the one which Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – mentions in His saying:

“Indeed this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths that will separate you from His Path.” [Sooratul-An'aam 6:152]

And the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) explained this to his Companions since: One day he drew a straight line for them on the ground and then drew many short lines on both sides of it. He then recited the previous aayah whilst he was moving his noble finger over the straight line, and he said, “This is the Path of Allaah.” He then pointed to the other lines and said, “These are other paths, and at the head of each of them is a devil calling towards it.” [4]

Our Lord – the Mighty and Majestic – emphasized in another aayah this very same point which was mentioned in the very same aayah; along with the explanation of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in the hadeeth. Allaah – the Most High – said:

“And whosoever opposes the Messenger, even after the guidance has been clearly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that of the Believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen and land him in Hell, what an evil destination.” [Sooratun-Nisaa‘ 5:115]

This aayah contains a great wisdom, since He – the Most Perfect – placed the path of the Believers in conjunction with that which the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) brought. And the fine point of this wisdom was also indicated by the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in the hadeeth of al-Iftiraaq (the authentic narration concerning the splitting of this Ummah into seventy three sects), when he was asked about the Saved-Sect, so he replied, “It is that which I and my Companions are upon today.” [5]

So what is the wisdom in Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – mentioning the path of the Believers in the previous aayah? And what is the underlying point of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) mentioning his Companions right after mentioning himself, in the previous hadeeth?

The answer to this is: that the noble Companions are the very people who received the two Revelations (the Qur‘aan and the Sunnah) from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who explained it to them directly – without an intermediary – and this is contrary to all those who came after them. And there is no doubt that the issue is as the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, “Indeed the one present sees that which the one absent does not.” [6] This is why the eemaan (faith) of the Companions was greater than the faith of those who came after them, and this is what has been clearly indicated by the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) an the authentic hadeeth, “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” [7] Therefore, it is not possible for any Muslim to independently understand the Book and the Sunnah. Rather, one must seek aid in understanding them by returning to the understanding of the noble Companions, who took their understanding from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam); via his statements, his actions and his tacit approvals.

Thus, along with calling to the Book and the Sunnah, it is absolutely essential to attach the understanding and the practice of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors: the first three generations of Muslims whose excellence has been testified to in the above hadeeth); acting upon the preceding verses and hadeeth, which order clinging to the path of the Believers, which has been explained to be the path upon which the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), his Companions and those who followed them in belief and actions, were upon.

And here, a very important question arises, which many of the groups and parties neglect; and that is: How does one obtain knowledge of the understanding and the practical application of the Sunnah that the Companions adhered to?

The answer to this is: that there is no way in obtaining this knowledge, except by returning to 'ilmul-hadeeth (the knowledge of hadeeth); 'ilm mustalahatul-hadeeth (the science of hadeeth) and the science of al-jarh wat-ta'deel (the science of verifying the condition of the narrators) – applying its principles and its terms such that the Scholars are able to distinguish that which is authentic from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), from that which is not.

So in ending the answer to the question, we say in the clearest possible manner, to those who wish to bring back to Islaam its honour, strength, supremacy and rule, that you must actualize two matters:

FIRSTLY: to bring back to the minds of the Muslims the knowledge of the Sharee'ah (Laws) of Islaam; purified from all the innovations that have entered into it, which were not a part of it upon the day when Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High – revealed His saying:

“This day I have perfected your Religion for you, completed My favour upon you and I have chosen for you Islaam as your Religion.” [Sooratul-Maa‘idah 5:3]

Accomplishing this matter requires a huge and tremendous effort on the part of the Muslim Scholars in all parts of the world.

SECONDLY: It is a must that this purified knowledge is coupled with constant and steadfast action.

Thus, the day that the Muslims return to understanding their Religion as the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) understood it; then act upon this purified Islaam in a correct manner, in all aspects of life, then that will be the day when the Muslims will rejoice at the help of Allaah and His victory. So this is what I am able to write in this short time. I ask Allaah that He grants us and all of the Muslims the correct understanding of Islaam – in light of the Book, the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and that which the Salafus-Saalih (pious predecessors) were upon – and that He grants us the ability to be able to act in accordance to it. Indeed Allaah is the One who hears and responds.



Footnotes:

[1] Taken from al-Asaalah magazine (11/84-87)

[2] Saheeh: Related by Aboo Daawood (no. 3462) and al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunanul-Kubraa (3/316), from 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar (radiyallaahu 'anhu). It was authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmoo'ul-Fataawaa (29/30)

[3] Related by al-Qaadee 'Iyaad in ash-Shifaa‘ (2/676)

[4] Hasan: Related by Ahmad (1/435) and an-Nisaa‘ee (7/49), from Ibn Mas'ood (radiyallaahu 'anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Dthilaalul-Jannah fee Takhreejis-Sunnah (no. 16)

[5] Hasan: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2796) and al-Haakim (1/128), from 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr Ibnul-'Aas (radiyallaahu 'anhu). It was authenticated by al-Haafidh al-'Iraaqee in Takhreejul-Ihyaa‘ (3/199).

[6] Saheeh: Related by Ibn Sa'd in at-Tabaqaat (2/176), from 'Alee (radiyallaahu 'anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami' (no. 1641).

[7] Related by al-Bukhaaree (5/199) and Muslim (7/184), from Ibn Mas'ood (radiyallaahu 'anhu).

WHO IS YOUR ENEMY?

WHO IS YOUR ENEMY?


Shaykh Ahmad Al-Munayee حفظه الله

The Shaykh حفظه الله after praising Allaah سبحانه و تعالى as He deserves to be praised and sending the salaat and the salaam upon the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, he said:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned us and cautioned us about Shaytaan and He clarified to us his evil and the Sharee’ah – the legislation of Islaam, came to bring to the Muslim all types of good and to warn them from all types of evil; and to warn them from the evil of the Shaytaan as was mentioned in the hadeeth of Hudayfah ibn Yammaan, which is well-known to most of us, that:

“The people used to ask Allaah's Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about good, but I used to ask him about evil for fear that it might overtake me. o nce I said, 'O Messenger of Allaah! We were in ignorance and in evil and Allaah has bestowed upon us the present good (the religion of Islaam); will there by any evil after this good?' He said, 'Yes.' I asked, 'Will there be good after that evil?' He said, 'Yes, but it would be tainted (with Dakhan i.e. little evil).' I asked, 'What will its taint (Dakhan) be?' He said, 'There will be some people who will lead (people) according to principles other than my tradition. You will see their actions and disapprove of them.' I said, 'Will there by any evil after that good?' He said, 'Yes, there will be some people who will invite others to the doors of Hell, and whoever accepts their invitation to it will be thrown in it (by them).' I said, 'O Messenger of Allaah! Describe those people to us.' He said, 'They will belong to us and speak our language' I asked, 'What do you order me to do if such a thing should take place in my life?' He said, 'Adhere to the Jamaa’ah (group) of Muslims and their Leader.'
I asked, 'If there is neither a Jamaa’ah (of Muslims) nor a leader (what shall I do)?' He said, 'Keep away from all those different sects, even if you had to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree, till you meet Allaah while you are still in that state.'‏[3] This is a magnificent hadeeth that was mentioned by Imaam al-Bukhaaree and others, and in this hadeeth the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified the evil when he was asked about it and he cautioned and warned against it and he ordered with holding fast to the Jamaa’ah of the Muslims. This is due to the fact that the Shaytaan has plots and plans and traps and we will mention some of these plots and traps of the Shaytaan.


THE PLOTS, PLANS AND TRAPS OF SHAYTAAN

He flows through the son of Aadam like blood.

This is as it was mentioned in an authentic hadeeth of Safiyyah bint Huyay رضي الله عنها that:

“While Allah's Apostle was in I’tikaaf, I called o n him at night and having had a talk with him, I got up to depart. He got up also to accompany me to my dwelling place, which was then in the house of Usama bin Zaid. Two Ansari men passed by, and when they saw the Prophet they hastened away. The Prophet said (to them). 'Don't hurry! It is Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyay (i.e. my wife).' They said, 'Glorified be Allah! O Allah's Apostle! (How dare we suspect you?)' He said, 'Shaytaan circulates in the human mind as blood circulates in it, and I was afraid that Shaytaan might throw an evil thought (or something) into your hearts.” [4]


He enters into the heart of the human being.

This is based upon the hadeeth that was mentioned by Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله from a hadeeth of Abi Hurayrah رضي الله عنه where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“When the adhaan is called for prayer, Shaytaan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhaan and when the call is finished he comes back, and when the Iqaamah is pronounced, Shaytaan again takes to his heels, and when the Iqaamah is finished he comes back again and tries to interfere with the person and his thoughts and says 'Remember this and that (which he has not thought of before the prayer)', till the praying person forgets how much he has prayed. If anyone of you does not remember whether he has offered three or four rak’aat then he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (forgetfulness) while sitting.”[5]


He whispers into the soul of the human being.

The heart of the human being is free of any evil or evil thought. Then, the Shaytaan comes to him and shows him an image within himself and causes him to desire that image, and he encourages and seeks to increase that desire until the desire becomes something that is uncontrollable and it becomes a part of him. It is something that he reflects o n and ponders over and the Shaytaan continues to beautify this desire for him until his self (nafs) starts to lean towards this and desires it. The Shaytaan continues to encourage him and he causes him to forget the harm which is in this desire that he has sparked. He comes in-between the slave and his effort to avoid the sin itself, until he causes the slave to forget the harm that it is to his Dunyaa and his Deen. As a result, if the individual inclines towards it, it increases and he encourages him; and if the slave turns away from it he encourages him (to return to it) and this is as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says in the Qur’aan:

{See you not that We have sent the Shayâtîn (devils) against the disbelievers to push them to do evil.} [Maryam 19:83]

This is o ne of the plots and tricks of the Shaytaan – that he encourages and draws an image inside the human being and he encourages the human being until he makes him forget the evil that is found in that thing – whether it is an evil that will harm him in his worldly affairs or his religious affairs. If the slave desires it then he pushes him forward and if the slave turns back and he doesn’t desire it then he continues to encourage him until the soul desires that the slave leans towards it until he eventually opens this door for him. This is as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says as mentioned in the ayah: {See you not that We have sent the Shayâtîn (devils) against the disbelievers to push them to do evil.}

He steals from the food and the drink of the human being and he lives in the house.

This is due to the fact that if the human being does not mention the Name of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى o n his food or drink before he eats and drinks. The Shaytaan steals from his food without his permission as he did not mention the Name of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى over his food and over his drink. Likewise, when the slave enters into his house, and this is something that the brothers and sisters have to pay close attention to – it is something that we very easily forget; we all fall victim to this. When the individual enters into his house and he does not mention the Name of Allaah before doing so then the Shaytaan enters along with him. This is due to the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillaah رضي الله عنهما which is found in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“When a person enters his house and mentions the name of Allaah at the time of entering it and while eating the food, Shaytaan says (addressing himself: You have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; but when he enters without mentioning the name of Allaah, the Shaytaan says: You have found a place to spend the night, and when he does not mention the name of Allaah while eating food, he (the Shaytaan) says: You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal.”[6]


When the slave sleeps the Shaytaan ties knots o n his neck.

When the human being sleeps Shaytaan ties knots o n his neck which causes him to sleep and it may even cause him to miss the prayer. This is as related in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree from the hadeeth of Abi Hurayrah رضي الله عنه where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Shaytaan ties three knots at the back of your head when you sleep, and he seals the place of each knot with ‘You have a long night ahead, so sleep.’ If you wake up and remember Allaah, a knot is untied. If you do wudu’, a knot is untied. If you pray, a knot is untied, and morning finds you lively and in good spirits, and if not, morning finds you in bad spirits and lazy.” [7]


He urinates in the ears of the slave if he sleeps and does not awake for prayer.

This is as mentioned in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنه found in the Saheehayn of Bukhaaree and Muslim where:

“It was mentioned before the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that there was a man who slept the night till morning (after sunrise). The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, 'He is a man in whose ears (or ear) Satan had urinated.” [8]


He plots and sits and waits for the son of Baani Aadam at the head of every path of good.

Shaytaan sits at the head of every path of good that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has made for the servant to get closer to Him and waits for the human being – the son of Aadam. If the son of Aadam opposes the Shaytaan and continues and travels this path of truth to get closer to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى the Shaytaan puts all sorts of obstacles in his way and he makes things very difficult for him and he tries to busy him from following this path. If the slave continues to follow this path without looking towards the Shaytaan then the Shaytaan takes it to another level trying very diligently to turn him away from following this path of good.


He swore by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى that he would sit and wait to lead the children of Aadam astray.

He swore this by Allaah; and that he would come to them from before them and behind them and from their right and their left, all to lead them astray. This is as found in the Qur’aan where Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says about the Shaytaan:

{(Iblîs) said: 'Because You have sent me astray, surely, I will lie in wait against them (human beings) o n Your straight path. 'Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful o nes (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).'} [al-A’raaf 7:15-17]

He makes false promises to you.

The Shaytaan makes false promises to you and he encourages you to follow these false promises which coincide with the desires of the human being, as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says:

{He [Shaitân (Satan)] makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaitân's (Satân) promises are nothing but deceptions.} [an-Nisaa’ 4:120]

The Shaytaan o nly makes these false promises to you in order that you fall into sin and disobedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. Then, o nce you fall into sin and disobedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى he will abandon you, as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says:

{… And Shaitân (Satan) is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need.' (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi)} [al-Furqaan 25:29]

On Yawmul Qiyaamah – the Day of Judgment, the Shaytaan will tell the truth about his deception and trickery which he played o n the human being. He will make known to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and to everyone, the trickery which he played o n the human being, and that his false promises were truly false promises, and that the o nly thing that he did was to encourage your desires to follow these false promises. This is as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says in the Qur’aan:

َ{And Shaitân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: 'Verily, Allâh promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allâh (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong doers).'} [Ibraaheem 14:22]

Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is explaining here that the Shaytaan makes false promises and then he encourages you to follow these false promises. Then after you fall into sin and transgression against Allaah سبحانه و تعالى he abandons you. Then o n the Day of Judgment when Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is finished (in His matters) with creation, and all of the people who are destined for the Jannah enter the Jannah and those destined for the Hellfire enter the Hellfire, the Shaytaan will stand in front of the people of the Hellfire as a khateeb – as o ne who will deliver a khutbah (sermon) to them and he will say: {“Indeed, Allâh promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you”} meaning that you cannot say to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى: ‘the Shaytaan led me astray.’ The Shaytaan said that he has no authority over you {“except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Shaytaan) as a partner with Allaah.”} Here Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is informing us that the Shaytaan will abandon them after he makes them fall into the sin. {“Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong doers).'}

He will befool the human being.

He will befool them. He will use his voice and he will make an assault o n them and he will share with them in their wealth and children. This is based upon the statement of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in suratul-Israa:

{'And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allâh's disobedience) , make assaults o n them with your cavalry and your infantry, share with them wealth and children (by tempting them to earn money by illegal ways usury, or by committing illegal sexual intercourse) , and make promises to them.' But Satan promises them nothing but deceit.} [al-Israa 17:64]

Here, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى informs us that this is from the trickery of the Shaytaan – that he will befool you gradually until you fall into sin and disobedience and he will use his many means and ways to do this – by using his voice in songs, and by using his partners from the jinn and human beings and he will share with the human beings in their children and in their wealth.

We understand that Shaytaan is the o ne who got Aadam put out of Jannah. In reality, we are children from the children of Jannah. It is necessary that we don’t become delighted until we return to it; but Shaytaan is not satisfied with the removal of our parents (Aadam and Hawaa) from Jannah until he takes away from their progeny a large group of their successors; from every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine. [9]

It is enough that he tried to sway Ibraaheem, the Khaleel (خليل – friend) of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, until his people cast him into the fire with a catapult, and Allaah repelled the plot of Shaytaan against him and made the fire upon his Khaleel عليه السلام cool and safe.[10] He is also the same o ne who came to the Maseeh ‘Eesah ibn Maryam عليه السلام and encouraged the Jews to try and kill ‘Eesah until Allaah سبحانه و تعالى raised ‘Eesah to himself – and they didn’t kill him as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى described in the Qur’aan[11]. Likewise he set out against Zackariyyah and Yahyaa until they were both killed عليهما السلام.

The Shaykh حفظه الله mentioned previously that Shaytaan befooled the people so much that out of every thousand people o nly o ne would enter the Jannah. This is from the plots of the Shaytaan. He encouraged the Jews to kill Zackariyyah and to kill Yahyaa. He also encouraged Fir’aun to spread all types of corruption and evil o n the earth. He beautified to Fir’aun the idea that he (Fir’aun) was the lord, the most high. Shaytaan even came to our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and he encouraged the kuffaar (disbelievers) of the Quraysh and others to kill the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but Allaah سبحانه و تعالى chased him away and gave victory to the Muslims. When Shaytaan saw this he turned away and he left and he abandoned the Mushrikoon (hypocrites) and the kuffaar of Quraysh.

It is not possible that we can enumerate all the evil of the Shaytaan. Rather, all of the evil that is seen o n this earth, Shaytaan has a share in it. He is a part of it and he is the o ne who encourages it. There are six things that his evil can clearly be seen in. We will mention them now.

SIX TRICKS OF THE SHAYTAAN WHICH HE USES TO LEAD MANKIND ASTRAY

The Shaykh stated: As I mentioned, all of the evil that you see in this Dunyaa, o n this earth, is as a result of the Shaytaan. It is not possible that we can enumerate all of the evil of the Shaytaan or all of his plots, or all of the evil that he does – it is not possible that we could enumerate everything; but, we will mention six things that the Shaytaan is very diligent in getting the son of Aadam to fall into. He (Shaytaan) will start with the most tremendous and the most severe of these six, and he will continue at the children of Aadam until he can get them to at least fall into the least severe of these six. He will continue until he encourages the son of Aadam to fall into o ne of these six. If the son of Aadam dies before he falls into o ne of these six and moves o nto the next life, then the Shaytaan falls into despair because he realizes that he lost o ne.

Kufr

The first o ne is Kufr - disbelief or Shirk: disbelief and associating partners with Allaah سبحانه و تعالىwa ma`adaatillaah – and to show enmity and hatred to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. If the Shaytaan is successful at getting the human being to fall into Kufr, and to fall into Shirk, or to fall into showing enmity and hatred to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم – then he relaxes, because he realizes that he got him to fall into the most severe, the most tremendous of these six.

As a result of this individual falling into Shirk or into Kufr; this individual becomes from the du’aat – the callers of the Shaytaan. He becomes from the party and those who call to the Shaytaan, because this is the most tremendous thing that the Shaytaan wants the human being to fall into – Kufr and Shirk and to show enmity and hatred to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. So if he can get you to fall into this then he relaxes because he realizes that he has you and you are a part of his team. You are a part of his party, you are from his callers, and he got you to fall into the most tremendous of these six.


Bid’ah

The second thing is that if the Shaytaan despairs and is not able to get the human being to fall into Shirk and Kufr, and hating Allaah and showing enmity to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم due to the fact that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى through His Mercy has decreed that the individual accept Islaam, then the Shaytaan goes to the next level which is to try to get the individual to fall into Bid’ah (innovation) .

This is the most beloved thing to Shaytaan. It is more beloved to him than Fisq wa Ma’aasee (فسق و معاصي) i.e. than plain disobedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and major sins. This is because, the person who falls into innovation, into Bid’ah; the harm of the Bid’ah itself is not something that o nly the individual who fell into it is affected by, but the effects of Bid’ah also affect others that are around him. It affects the affairs of the Religion. This is because the person who falls into innovation will not repent. He will not make tawbah (توبة – sincere repentance), he will not repent from the innovation because when the individual is upon innovation, he believes that what he is doing is correct, and as a result of that he will not make tawbah.

This is as opposed to the Muslim falling into ma’aasee – falling into sins and disobedience where he knows that he is wrong and that he is a sinner and as a result of that he makes tawbah. He commits a sin and then he turns (to Allaah) and he makes tawbah. It is very easy to make tawbah from a sin as opposed to an individual falling into innovation, falling into Bid’ah. The o ne who falls into innovation believes that what he is doing is correct and as a result of this, he will not make tawbah. Rather, when he falls into the innovation, he desires and he wishes that other people would do it! He desires and he wishes that other people would do the same innovation so that they can get the reward. He believes that by doing this innovation, there is a reward waiting for him! As a result of that, he becomes a caller to the innovation, desiring for other people to do the innovation like he is doing.

This is the most beloved thing to the Shaytaan after Kufr and Shirk – that he can get an individual to fall into Bid’ah, innovation. Innovation itself is in total opposition to the call of the Prophets and Messengers. Actually, innovation opens up the door to committing Shirk. How is this? When you look at those who celebrate the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, they go to such extremes in celebrating the birthday of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, that they eventually raise him صلى الله عليه وسلم to the level of Uloohiyyah – they raise him to the level of Divinity. After that level, they raise him صلى الله عليه وسلم to the level of Rubboobiyyah. They start attributing things that go o n in the world – like attributing provision, attributing children, attributing different things that are part of the Rubboobiyyah of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, they attribute it to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and this in itself is Shirk. So you see that innovation opens up the door to Shirk. This is the most beloved thing to Shaytaan after Shirk and Kufr. He (Shaytaan) will continue to encourage the human being upon this innovation until the individual’s heart soaks up everything and is 100% convinced and he will never turn back.


Transgression, Disobedience, and Major Sins

The third level is that if the Shaytaan cannot get the individual to fall into Bid’ah because the slave is from those whom Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has decreed to be from amongst Ahlus-Sunnah and that he is from the mu’aadaat ahlul-Bid’ah i.e. those people who are enemies to the people of Bid’ah and innovation, and the Shaytaan falls into despair about getting him to fall into innovation, then he takes him to this third level, which is to get him to fall into transgression, disobedience, and major sins.

This is especially those who are Students of Knowledge or those who have a voice in their community, or those who are emulated and imitated in their community. The Shaytaan gets them to fall into sins, transgression and major sins. And what does the Shaytaan do after this? He spreads those sins amongst the community, so that the people abandon him.

But how does the Shaytaan spread these sins amongst the community? He spreads the sins of the individual amongst the community by encouraging those people who intend to do good to take those sins and to spread them amongst the community. These people do this believing it to be from Deen. They believe it to be something that is going to bring them closer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. They are those who are second in command. They are the callers of the Shaytaan and they don’t even realize it. They believe that what they are doing is good, by spreading his evil and spreading his sins amongst the community, when in actuality they are the callers and the aides and supporters of the Shaytaan. Indeed, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has promised those who spread and those who love to spread the sins of the people in the community, a terrible punishment as He سبحانه وتعالى says in the Qur’aan:

{Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allaah knows and you know not.} [an-Noor 24:19]

There is no naseehah i.e. there is no advice for these people because they believe that what they are doing is going to bring them closer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. They believe that spreading this individual’s sin is something that is part of the Deen , something that is going to bring them closer to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, and as a result of that you can’t advise them, you can’t stop them. All of this is so that the Shaytaan can chase the people away from him. Yes, he may have fallen into some sins. He may have fallen into some major sins, or things that were inappropriate for a Student of Knowledge, or someone who is emulated and imitated in his community, to have fallen into. But the door of tawbah is open and he can make tawbah. But these people take his sins and they spread them amongst the community so that the people run away from him and they turn away from him. They are the aides, supporters and the callers of the Shaytaan and they don’t even realize it.

The transgression of the o ne who fell into these sins is something that is minute to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى as opposed to the sin of those who are spreading it. Meaning, the sin of those who take his sins and spread them amongst the community, is more severe in the Sight of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى than the o ne who originally committed the sin. This is because, the sinner – the o ne who fell into these major sins – his sins o nly affect him. As for those who take his sins and spread them amongst the community, then they are destroying the community. That sin itself is worse because it affects all of the Muslims, it tears communities apart and it separates the Muslims and separates the hearts of the Muslims. This sin is more tremendous in the Sight of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى then the sin of the o ne who initially committed the act.

Leading the slave to persist in minor sins

If the Shaytaan is unable to get the human being to fall into Shirk and Kufr, and he is unable to get him to fall into Bid`ah or to fall into major sins and getting the people to spread those sins, then he takes it to the fourth level which is getting him to fall into the minor sins. These minor sins, if they are combined together, they will destroy the human being because they become major sins. They are minor sins in their essence but when they are combined and the human being is persistent and he continues in them, then they are eventually raised to the level of major sins and they will destroy the individual.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم gave an example of some people who settled in a desert and they didn’t have any firewood, so o ne went to get a twig, and another went to get a twig, and all of them brought twigs. All of them put their twigs together and then they had a tremendous fire. They started out with something small – o ne or two twigs, and it was a small flame, and then each o ne put a twig o n the flame until it became a magnificent and tremendous fire. Likewise with the minor sins when they are combined.

In the authentic hadeeth reported by Abu Ya’laa in his Musnad and narrated by ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم mentioned:

“Stay away from the minor sins. The Shaytaan has fallen into despair that idols will be worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula, but he is diligent to make you fall into the minor sins. Stay away from oppressing o ne another, because the slave will come o n Yawmul Qiyaamah with all of his hasanaat, with all of his good deeds, and he will believe that all of these good deeds will save him from the Hellfire until someone stands up and says: “O Allaah! This individual took a right from me!” And another o ne stands up and says: “O Allaah! This individual took a right from me! O Allaah! This individual oppressed me, he took a right from me unjustly!” And then Allaah will order that his good deeds be taken away from him. He will be stripped of his good deeds and they will be given to those whom he oppressed or took a right from, until there will be no good deeds left for him and he will be thrown into the Hellfire.” [12]

This is because he considered these affairs to be minor but when they were combined they took away all of his good deeds. Likewise the minor sins, they are minor in their essence, but when they are combined and the individual is persistent and continues to commit these minor sins, then they eventually turn into a major sin. The Shaytaan will continue to belittle the sin in the sight of the human being. He will continue to make the sin look as though it is minute and worthless and that you won’t be punished for it, until you begin to belittle the sin. o nce you belittle the sin you will continue to commit it until it eventually turns from a minor sin into a major sin.

In some instances the major sinner is better than the minor sinner. Why is this? Because the o ne who commits a major sin knows that what he is doing is a major sin. He is fearful of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and fearful of the Punishment of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. As for the o ne who commits the minor sins, he doesn’t fear Allaah; he doesn’t fear the minor sin itself. The minor sin in his eyes – in his sight, is minute. He doesn’t believe that it is something that is going to harm him, so he begins to belittle the sin and as a result he will continue to do the sin. As for the major sinner, he feels bad every time he does it. He knows that it is a major sin and he fears the Punishment of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى that may be waiting for him because of the sin that he is committing and as a result of that, every time he does it, he repents and he feels bad. As for the o ne who commits the minor sin – No, he considers the sin to be minute. He belittles the sin itself, and as a result of that he continues to commit the sin until it eventually destroys him.


Encouraging the slave to busy himself with deeds for which there is no reward or punishment (the Mubahaat)

If the Shaytaan is unable to get the human being to fall into these four things that were previously mentioned i.e. to get him to fall into either Shirk and Kufr, or to get him to fall into Bid’ah, or to get him to fall into committing major sins, or to get him to start to belittle the minor sins, then he takes him to the next level. The fifth level is that the Shaytaan busies the servant with some of the affairs of the mubaahaat i.e. those affairs which, if o ne does it there is no reward and if he leaves it off or abandons it, then there is no punishment. These are the mubaahaat – those affairs that are mubaah (مباح - allowed).

Rather, the punishment for doing many of these affairs of mubaahaat, is that he will become negligent as it relates to some of his affairs which are waajibaat i.e. those affairs which are mandatory. o nce he becomes negligent of the waajibaat, the Shaytaan will eventually take him to the next level, which is to lead him to the muharramaat. To lead him to those affairs which are haraam. The Shaytaan will continue to encourage the individual to busy himself with these things and he will become negligent of those things which Allaah has made compulsory o n him. He will busy himself with those things for which there is no reward or punishment involved in them, until eventually he takes him to the level of doing the muhaaramaat, those affairs which are haraam.


Busying the slave with actions that are good as opposed to actions that are better

If the Shaytaan is unable to get the human being to fall into these five things which we have mentioned previously, then he takes him to the sixth level, which is such that when he sees that the slave is someone who is very diligent and stingy about his time; he doesn’t waste time and he knows the value of time and the value of his deeds and the value of the time that he has to do these deeds, then he takes the slave to the sixth level, which is that he busies the slave with those actions which are good as opposed to those actions which are better than them.

He encourages the slave to busy himself with those actions that are good, so that he is negligent as it relates to those actions which are better than them. As a result of this, he encourages the slave to busy himself until he leaves off that which is better for him. The Shaytaan continues to call him; you may see someone calling to good, without paying attention that this individual that you see calling to good is actually not calling to good[/u], because the Shaytaan doesn’t call to good. From the outward appearance it seems that this person is calling to something good, but you fail to realize that there are other actions which are better, more prosperous and more virtuous than those actions which the individual is calling to. [b]The Shaytaan has seventy doors that he tries to call the individual to, and if he can’t get you to fall into all of them, then he at least tries to get you to fall into o ne of them; and the o ne that you fall into and you busy yourself with, is always going to be of lesser importance, or of a lesser virtue, than that which you should be busying yourself with.


CONCLUSION AND A GREAT REMINDER

This can o nly be understood by those in whose heart Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has placed a light – the light of knowledge. He gives the slave the Tawfeeq and gives him the success to strictly follow the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and to be sincere to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and to be sincere to His Book and to His Messenger and to the common Muslims. No o ne understands these affairs o n this level, except those who inherit their knowledge from the Prophets, and they are the ‘Ulamaa, they are the Scholars. Most of the creation are negligent of this principle.

When the Shaytaan cannot get the slave to fall into any of these six that were mentioned previously, what does he do? The Shaytaan encourages his party, or his troops, or his army, to overcome you, overtake you, and to conquer you. They are the Shayateen from the jinn and from the human beings. He sticks them o n you. They attack you and they attack your honour and they preoccupy you with everything other than that which you should be busying yourself with. They encourage the people to backbite you, they encourage the people to stay away from you, and they encourage the people to busy themselves with talking about you and all of the other affairs that the party of Shaytaan busies themselves with – all to turn you away from that which you should be busying yourself with until you are wrapped up in this, so much so that you lose focus.

The Shaytaan is not gentle when he does this. He is very diligent, he is very stern and he is firm and he is serious about leading you astray. The o nly way that you can defend yourself is that you have to wear your armoury. You have to wear your armoury for war and you NEVER TAKE THIS ARMOURY OFF - YOU NEVER TAKE IT OFF. What is this armoury that you are wearing? This armoury that you are wearing is the Knowledge of the Religion of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى – the knowledge of the Kitaab and the Sunnah, the knowledge of the legislation of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. This is the armoury that you adorn yourself with in your war with the Shaytaan and his army.

You never take this armoury off. You wear it outwardly and you wear it inwardly. You wear it when you eat, when you sleep, when you drink, when you look, when you talk, you wear this armoury in every aspect of your life – you never take it off. You will continue to wear this armoury, and you will continue in your war – in your battle with Shaytaan and his army, until you meet Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. This battle will never end. This battle will never end between you and Shaytaan and his army. You never take your armoury off and you realize that this battle will never end. It will be o ngoing and continuous until you meet Allaah سبحانه وتعالى.

So pay attention brothers and sisters, to what we have mentioned. Pay attention to the trickery and the plots of the Shaytaan. Pay attention to the evils of the Shaytaan, and use these principles that we have given you. Use them as the scale which you use to judge your own self. Use them as the scale that you use to judge your deeds. Use them as the scale that you use to judge other people; to judge the levels and the stations of people that are around you.

I want to draw the brothers’ and sisters’ attention to o ne thing before I end, and that is that the Shaytaan has many plots and many plans. He has many means and ways which he uses to lead the human being astray. But the believing man and the believing woman, the Mu’min and the Mu’minah are not scared in the face of the Shaytaan. They are not scared or frightened in the face of the Shaytaan. Rather, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has strengthened the hearts of the slaves – male and female – with His love, and He has given them tools which they can use to ward off the Shaytaan and to fight the Shaytaan. He has given him certain supplications, and certain Adhkaar – certain remembrances that the slave of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى uses to ward off the Shaytaan. These remembrances and these supplications will preserve him from the Shaytaan and his army.

The believer is not afraid of Shaytaan himself, in his essence, but he is afraid of his trickery and the paths which the Shaytaan uses – the obstacles which he uses to lead the slave astray. That he never becomes content, and that he never deems himself to be safe from the plots of the Shaytaan. He is not scared of the Shaytaan within himself, but he is scared of the paths and the obstacles which the Shaytaan uses to lead the individual astray, because the Shaytaan is not going to stop. HE IS NOT GOING TO STOP. He is going to continue. Your battle with him will continue until you meet Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, and until you return to your original place where you started from – which was the Jannah. And we ask Allaah for the Tawfeeq.

(The translator then made du’aa for the Shaykh and closed with praising Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and sending salaams and salaat o n our Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. Aameen.


References and Notes

[1] Reported in Sunan Abi Daawuud, Kitaab al-Ilm 3/317 (#3641). Shaykh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says with a Saheeh isnaad. Also reported by at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Hibbaan, Haakim from Abi Dardaa.

[2] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab al-‘Ilm as a chapter heading (#13) and part of hadeeth (#71) in that chapter and found in other chapters as (#2948, 6882). Also reported in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab az-Zakaat as part of hadeeth (#1037).

[3] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab al-Manaaqib (#3411, 3412) and Kitaab al-Fitan (#6673) from Hudhayfah bin Yamman. Also found in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab al-Imaarah (#1847).

[4] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab Badul-Khalq (#3107) and in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab as-Salaam (#2175).

[5] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab Badul-Khalq (#3111).

[6] Reported in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab al-Ashribah (#2018).

[7] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab Bad’ al-Khalq (#3096).

[8] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab Bad’ al-Khalq (#3097) and in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab Salaatul-Musaafiree n wa Qasruhaa (#774).

[9] Reported as part of various aahaadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Kitaab al-Anbiyaa’ (#3170), Kitaab at-Tafseer (#4464), Kitaab ar-Riqaaq (#6165) and as a chapter heading in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab al-Eemaan, Chapter (#96), hadeeth (#222) as follows:

[10] Surah al-Anbiyaa 21:67-68

{They said: 'Burn him and help your âlihah (gods), if you will be doing.' We (Allâh) said: 'O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrâhîm (Abraham)!'}

[11] Surah an-Nisaa 4:157-158

{And because of their saying (in boast), 'We killed Messiah Eesah (Jesus), o n of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allâh,' – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them [the resemblance of Eesah (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him not [i.e. Eesah (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) ['alayhis-salâ m] But Allâh raised him [Eesah (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) to Himself (and he ['alayhis-salâ m] is in the heavens). And Allâh is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise}

[12] Shaykh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb Vol. 2 (#2221). Reported by Ahmad and at-Tabaraani.