Extract from
"ISLAHI KHUTBAAT" Discourses
on Islamic Way of Life by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani english translation by
Iqbal Hussain Ansari Published by
Darul Isha'at Karachi Pakistan. Based
on two hours of urdu audio lectures
Extract from "ISLAHI KHUTBAAT" Discourses on Islamic Way of Life by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani english translation by Iqbal Hussain Ansari Published by Darul Isha'at Karachi Pakistan. Based on two hours of urdu audio lectures
The Signs of the Age of Fitnah (Trials)
All praise is for Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and seek His forgiveness and believe in Him and rely on Him. We seek refuge with Him from the evils of our souls and from the vices of our deeds. There is none to misguide him whom He guides and there is none to guide him whom He lets go astray. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah the One Who has no partner. We also bear witness that our sire, and our authority and our Prophet and our Master, Muhammad
is His servant and His Messenger. May Almighty Allah have mercy on him, his household and bless and salute them all in great abundance.
The
Holy Prophet
was commissioned as a Prophet for
all peoples of the world till the Day of
Judgment
To
day I want to say something briefly
about such a theme of the teachings of
the Holy Prophet
as is very necessary today but is
generally overlooked. Almighty Allah
sent the Holy Prophet
to this world as the last of the
Prophets 
,
thus finalizing with him
the chain of Prophet hood.
Another distinction which Allah bestowed
upon him
over other Prophets, is that the
latter Prophets were
sent to some particular people residing
in a particular land in a particular
age. Their teachings and preaching
were-confined to territory. For example,
Sayyidn'a Moosa (Moses)
sent
to the Children of Israel, living in
Egypt, his
prophet hood was limited only to
this community
and this
territory As against this, the
Holy Prophet
was
sent to the entire world and entire
humanity and for
all times till the Day of
Judgment. The Holy
Qu’ran bears witness to this
fact:
And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a bringer of good tidings and as a Warner to all mankind..(34:28 )
The words of all mankind' imply all human wherever and in whatever age they are living. This clearly that his prophet hood was not confined only to Arabian Peninsulas nor to any particular age. His prophethood encompassed all periods and ages till Day of Judgment.
His teachings and injunctions
shall
remain valid, effective and in
force till Judgment. As already pointed
out his
teaching are not confined to any particular
age and apply to every walk
of life. These teachings consist
of two aspects
(1) prescribes the rules of
the Shari 'ah concerning lawful,
unlawful, desirable, permissible, and
other aspect (2) predicts the
events which will confront the Ummah in
the times to come, and how the Ummah
should tackle
these events.
Prediction
about future events
This
second aspect is also a very important
part of
the teachings of the Holy Prophet
in which, peeping into the
future through the light of his
Prophethood, he
has informed his Ummah
(all human being including his
followers) of many future events and the ways how
the members of his Ummah should tackle
these events, so as to remain on the
right path of Deen. Today I want to say
something on this second aspect of the
Prophet's teachings.
Anxiety
for the salvation of the Ummah
The
Holy Prophet
always remained concerned about the good
of his Ummah. It occurs in a narrative:
The Holy Prophet
What
was the cause of this anxiety and grief?
it was indeed not about collecting
worldly resources, nor about improving
his own honor and status among his
community.
The grief under which he was
pining was about how to save from
Hell-Fire the people to whom he had been
sent; how to divert them from the path
of error and to guide them to the
straight path of right guidance.
Finding His Prophet
drowned
in such grief Allah has frequently
revealed verses to advise the Prophet
to
give up such pining and fretting. Thus,
Allah has said:
It may be that you will torment your soul that they do not become believers. (18:6)
This
verse indicates how concerned the Holy
Prophet
was about the right guidance of
his Ummah on to the path of Eeman
(Faith). He
is reported to have said in a
Hadith (his saying or action) :
My example is like that man who kindles fires and seeing the fire, the moths begin to fall on the flames. The man tries to keep the moths away from the flames to save them from being burnt in the flames. In the same way I am
So
concerned did the Holy Prophet feel about the right
guidance of his Ummah, including also
those who were yet to come to the world
!
What
Trials and Tribulations are expected to
break out in the future?
The
Holy Prophet
has, therefore, informed the future
generations of the events that shall
occur in their times.
Accordingly all books of Ahadith
contain permanent chapters on Trials.
In the Chapters all such Ahadith
have been collated in which the Holy
Prophet
has informed of, and warned the
people against, the tribulations
expected to occur in the future. The
Holy Prophet
has said in a Hadith:
In the future trials will fall down into your houses like the falling down of the drops of rain water.
These trials have been compared to the drops of rain water because the trials will fall down on your houses in an unbroken succession one after another.
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another
Hadith:
Very soon trials and tribulations will appear which will be like dark nights.
In
other words, just as a man is not able
to find his way in dark nights in the
same way during these blinding trials
people will not know what to do and
where to go Those trials will encompass
the entire society, leaving no place of
shelter for the people. The Holy Prophet
also taught the people a supplication
to find refuge with Allah from these
trials:
O Allah, we seek refuge with You from these apparent or hidden trials. This supplication was included in the Prophet's daily routine.
What
is a Trial?
We
should now try to understand the meaning
of
(Trial). we should also try to
find out the teachings of the Holy
Prophet
for all of us to obey in order to
remain safe from the harms of these
trials. We are not aware of the real
implications of this term, although we
use it from morning till evening.
This word has also been used in
the Holy Qur'an many times. It has been
mentioned in the Holy Qur'an at one
place meaning that:
"... The creation of a trial is more grievous sin than murder...."
The
meaning of Trial
The
word
(fitna or fitnah ) is an Arabic word the
dictionary meaning of which is to find
out the purity or impurity of precious
metals like gold or silver by melting it
on fire. Melting the metal on fire
discloses the reality.
For the same reason, it is also
used to mean testing and examining
something. Thus, a second meaning of
this word is "trial". When
hardships and misfortunes descend on a
man his real worth and character are
tested by his conduct and behavior under
these trying situations. It is observed
whether he bears these trying hours,
days with patience makes a fuss and
raises hues and cries. this testing is
also called
(Trial).
The
word (Trial) as used in the Ahadith
The
word d (Trial) has been used in the
Ahadith to express a situation at any
time. When the truth is obscure and it
becomes very difficult to distinguish
between good and bad, right and wrong
and truth and falsehood.
When such a situation arises, it
is said that it is a time of trial.
It is also a time of trial when sins,
crimes and disobedience become rampant.
In the same way to regard falsehood as
truth and truth as falsehood and to put
forward something as a proof which is
not proof; these are forms of
(Trial).
For example, if you tell a person
that such an act is unlawful and
strictly prohibited, the person shall
reply that the entire society, the whole
world including Saudi Arabia is doing
this act.
In our times it has become a
common practice that when an objection
is raised to any act, the doer at once
replies that he has seen the same act
being done in the Saudi Arabia.
This is also a (trial) to put
forward some act or practice as a proof
which is not at all a proof.
In the same way we find that many
groups and parties have sprung up in the
city, each with its slogan and tenet and
it is difficult to decide which is on
the right path and which is on the wrong
path.
Truth and falsehood have thus
become mixed up. All these fall within
the definition of
(Trial).
A
quarrel between two parties is a
(Trial)
It
is also a case of trial when two Muslims
or two Muslim groups fall out with each
other so violently that they are ready
to shed blood and commit murder and it
is not known which of the two is right
and which is wrong.
The
Holy Prophet
is reported to have said in a
Hadith
When two Muslims begin to fight With each other with their swords, the murderer as well as the murdered will both enter Hell-Fire.
One
of the Companions 
said to the Holy Prophet O Messenger of
Allah
It is understandable that
the murderer shall go to Hell for
murdering a Muslim, but why shall the
murdered shall enter Hell?
The Holy Prophet
replied, saying: The murdered
will enter Hell because he too had come
out to fight with the intention of
murdering his opponent but he did not
succeed in his intention but his
opponent succeeded in his intention.
None of the two was fighting in
the cause of Allah, but worldly benefit
in the form of money or some political
benefit. Both will, therefore, enter
Hell.
Killing
and robbing are Trial
The
Holy Prophet
said in another Hadith:
A
time will come upon the people when
there will be a great deal of a
(confusion/disturbance). on being
asked about he
answered:
It is killing and robbing, i.e.,
in those days these crimes will increase
by leaps and bounds and human life will
become meaner than that of mosquitoes
and flies.
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another Hadith:
A time will come upon the people in which the killer will not know why he killed the victim nor will the victim killed know why he was killed.
Look
at the conditions obtaining today in the
society which fully confirms the truth
of the Holy Prophet's
prediction. This is as if the
Holy Prophet was seeing these conditions
with his own eyes.
In
the olden days it was not known who was
the killer, but it could be known why
the victim was killed, i.e., he was
killed by robbers for robbing the victim
of his money? or by enemies.
Anyway, the
cause of the murder became known. What
is happening now-a-days?
A man is sitting or standing in
front of his door, he has no enemies, he
is not involved in politics
yet some hooligan shoots at him
and kills him without any apparent
cause. The Holy Prophet
has predicted all these
events in clear words:
A
Hadith about the Holy City of Makkah
It
is narrated by Sayyidn'a Abdullah bin Umar
that the
Holy Propeht
said:
Until recently the people were not able to understand the real meaning of this Hadith, but now the meaning has become quite clear to them. The hadith may be translated as under:
When the belly of Makkah will be cleft open and through it will be dug out river-like passage (i.e. tunnels) and the buildings of the Holy City of Makkah will rise higher than its mountains when you observe these signs, then understand that the time of ? (Trial) is near at hand.
The
cleaving asunder of the belly of the
Holy City of Makkah
This
Hadith has continued on records of the
last fourteen centuries. The
commentators of the Hadith felt baffled,
while explaining this Hadith as they
could not understand how belly of' the
Holy City of Makkah could be cleft
asunder nor could they understand the
meaning of digging out river like
passages. It was really very difficult
to imagine the sense of all these
predictions.
But by seeing today's Makkah one
feels that the Holy Prophet
made these
predictions, as if he e was actually
seeing with his own eyes today's
Makkahtul-Mukarramah.
Previously the commentators (Muhaddithin)
interpreted
this Hadith by saying that in their
times Makkah was a dry and mountainous
city, but in some future age Allah may
cause rivers and canals to flow in that
city. However today one
feels by seeing these (underground)
tunnels how the belly of Makkah has been
cleft asunder:
Rising
of building higher than mountains
The
other sentence which the Holy Prophet
spoke out in this Hadith is that the
buildings of the Holy City of Makkah
will rise higher than its mountains. A
few years ago none could imagine that
buildings would be built in Makkah which
would rise higher than its mountains, as
the city was surrounded by mountains on
all sides. But go to Makkah and see for
yourself how (high-rise) buildings
higher than mountains have been built
there.
It
appears from this Hadith, as if fourteen
centuries ago the Holy Prophet
had seen these changes and
conditions with his own eyes. All these
things had been shown to him clearly
through revelations and light of
Prophetic knowledge which Allah had
granted him The Holy Prophet
has clearly mentioned one by one what
trials and tribulations the Muslims will
have to face in the times to come. He
has also mentioned simultaneously
what the Muslims should do at such a
time.
The
present era in the light of the Ahadith
Every
Muslim should keep in view those Ahadith
in which the Holy Prophet
a has predicted the future
events. Maulana Muhammad Yusuf
Ludhyanawi Sahib 
has compiled a book titled "The
Present Era in the Light of the
Ahadith" He has tried to
gather together in this book all the
ahadith about the Trials.
He has included in this book a
Hadith in which the Holy Prophet
has mentioned seventy-two events
which will occur during the Era of the
Trials. I advise you to read them one by
one and see how these events exactly
agree to those taking place in our times
and in our environments.
Seventy-two
(72) signs of Trials and Tribulations
Sayyidn'a Huzaifah
has narrated that the holy Prophet
predicted that seventy-two
events shall occur in the period close
to the Day of Judgment. These are:
(1) People will begin to miss their prayers and pay no attention to them.
If this is said in our times, there will be nothing surprising in it because the majority of the Muslim does not offer their prayers. The Holy Prophet
(2) They shall begin to betray their trusts.
That is, they will misappropriate the trusts entrusted to them for safe custody.
(3) They will begin to eat usurious income.
(4) They will begin to consider lying to be lawful. Telling lies will become an art.
(5) They will begin to commit murders on ordinary grounds.
(6) They shall construct high-rise buildings.
(7) They shall sell their Deen (Faith)
(8) They shall violate the bonds of relationships
(9) Justice will become a virtue almost hard to find anywhere.
( 10) Falsehood will become truth (and vice versa).
( 11 ) Silk garments will be worn by men.
( 12) Oppression and wrongdoing will become rampant.
( 13) Divorces will become a common practice.
( 14) Sudden deaths will become a common occurrence.
(15) One who betrays his trust will be regarded as trustworthy.
( 16) The trustworthy will be regarded as untrustworthy.
( 17) The liar will be regarded as truthful.
(18) The truthful will be regarded as liar.
(19) Calumny (slandering) will become a common feature, i.e., people will put false blames on one another.
(20) The weather shall be hot despite rains. ( possible indication of global warming)
(21 ) Instead of desiring children people will hate them. They will pray to Allah not to favor them with children.
This is actually happening as a result of the Family Planning Department of Governments are raising the slogan, "Only Two Issues" guarantee Prosperity.
(22) The meaner classes will be happy and prosperous.
(23) The respectable classes will be in trouble and cast out of the society.
(24) The Rulers and the Ministers will become used to lying-engrossed in lies from morning till evening.
(25) The trustworthy will begin to betray their trusts.
(26) The leaders of the people will become wrongdoers.
(27) The scholars of Deen and the reciters of the Qur'an will become lewd and sinners.
(28) The people shall put on skin-garments.
(29) The hearts of the wearers of skin-garments will be more foul-smelling than dead animals; and
(30) They will be more bitter than the aloe plant (with bitter leaves).
(31) Gold will become widely used.
(32) Silver will be in great demand.
(33) Sins will be on the increase.
(34) Peace and security will deteriorate (as we see this at the moment).
(35) The pages and covers of the Holy Qur'an will be lavishly decorated.
(36) The Mosques will be decorated with beautiful writings and designs.
(37) Lofty minarets will rise from the mosques.
(38) Even so, the hearts will remain desolate and empty.
(39) Wine will be drunk freely.
(40) Punishments of the Shari 'ah will be suspended.
(41) The slave girl shall bear her master.
In other words, the daughter shall rule over her mother and behave with her as a master behaves with his slave girls.
(42) The bare-footed, the naked and the uncultured shall become Kings and Rulers.
The mean, the untouchable classes and the depressed ones will become Heads of State - (this is what has happened in India).
43) Woman and man shall be partners in trade, as women are trying to take part in every walk of life side by side with men.
(44) Men will imitate women; and
(45) Women will imitate men.
In other words, men and women shall adopt each other's guise and appearance. See what has actually happened today under the frenzy of fashion, so it is difficult to distinguish between men and women from a distance.
(46) The people will swear by names other than Allah's name.
It is lawful to swear only by Allah or some attribute of Allah or by the Holy Qur'an. In the later ages people will swear by objects as 'by your head', etc. This is unlawful and strictly forbidden.
(47) In the times to come even the Muslims will bear false witnesses.
The use of the word 'even' indicates that the non-Muslims do bear false witnesses freely but a Muslim who is not expected to do so, will also commit this sin.
(48)
Salam (salute) will be bidden only to
those who are known and not to
strangers. This is against the
injunction of the Holy Prophet
who has said in a Hadith:
Salam should be bidden to everyone whether you know or do not knock the the person.
If you are on a way you must bid Salam to every passer-by, except that if the number of the passers-by is very large, you may ignore this formality. However, a time will come when people will avoid bidding Salam even when there are only a few men passing on the road, and the custom of Salam will come to an end.
(49) Religious knowledge will be acquired not for the sake of religion but for the sake of earning worldly resources and worldly honor and status.
(50) Work relating to the Hereafter will be done to earls worldly gains.
(51 (War-spoils) will be taken as personal estate has been used here to imply public property which will be enjoyed as personal property.
(52) A trust shall be taken and misappropriated as plundered property.
(53) Zakat (the obligatory Islamic tax) will be paid reluctantly, as if it were a penalty.
(54) The meanest man shall become the leader of the community by their consent or votes.
(55) Men will disobey their parents.
(56) Men will misbehave with their mothers.
(57) A man will not hesitate in causing harm to his friends.
(58) A man will obey his wife.
(59) The voices of the wrongdoers will rise in the mosques.
(60) Women engaged in the singing profession (Film Actresses) will be held in great esteem and accorded high status.
(61 ) Musical instruments will be kept and preserved with care.
(62) Wine will be drunk by road-sides.
(63) Wrongdoing and tyranny will be looked upon as acts of pride.
(64) Justice will be sold (with bribery) in the Courts of Justice.
(65) The number of the Police will increase
(66) The Holy Qur'an will be recited in a musical style, so as to enjoy the singing tone and its musical cadence. The Qur'an will not be recited for the sake of its Da'wah (preaching) for understanding it and for reaping the reward for its recitation
(67) Beast skins will be used.
(68)
The later people of the Ummah will taunt
and curse the former people, i.e. the
latter will pass derogatory remarks at
the former. As a result of this trend a
large section of the people is deriding
insolently the Noble Companions and are behaving in the same way with
the leaders of Deen who conveyed to us
the message of Deen. These elder Doctors
of Deen are being blamed as being
ignorant of the Ahadith and the Holy
Qur'an whereas the later generations
claim to have understood those sources
of Islam better than the former The Holy
Prophet
.
also said that when these signs appear
then:
(69) Red wind-storm may come from Allah, or
(70) Earthquakes may upheave the earth; or
(71 ) The people's faces may be distorted; or
(72) Stones may rain down from the sky or some other torment may descend from Allah - God forbid. All these signs are proving true of our society one by one. The punishment that has come over us is really due to these misdeeds. (Durre-Mansoor vol 4, P-52)
A
mountain of misfortune shall fall down
It
has been narrated by Sayyidn'a Ali that the
Holy Prophet
said: When fifteen misdeeds
become common among my Ummah a mountain
of misfortunes will fall down on them.
When
the Noble Companions
asked: O Messenger of Allah if
what these fifteen misdeeds are, he
replied saying:
Who
are the thieves of the Public Funds?
(1)
When public money is regarded as
looted property. See how the public
funds are being misappropriated today.
This loot is not confined only to the
rulers, but influential men from among
the public also plunder these funds as
and when they are able to do so. We do
many things without thinking that these
are also acts of stealing public funds.
For example, illegal electric
connection, long foreign or local calls
without paying the due charges with the
unauthorized assistance of some
Telephone Exchange employees, ticket
less journeys or traveling in a higher
class than that for which the tickets
were purchased for the purpose.
Serious
Theft
The
theft of public money is more serious
than ordinary cases of theft. If a man
commits theft in the house of anyone, it
is possible to return the amount stolen,
the thief ever feels inclined to repent
of his act of theft, or to get the
amount stolen waved by its owner. The
thief's crime will thus be washed off,
but this is not possible in the case of
theft of public money, because it
belongs not to one man but to
innumerable men of the public in such a
case repentance becomes impossible. May
Allah protect us from this theft.
2) When people begin to misappropriate trusts, treating these as plundered booty.
3) When the people regard payment of Zakat (obligatory tax) as the payment of a penalty.
(4) When a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother. For example, his wife wants him to do something which is unlawful and his mother tries to stop him from this unlawful act but the man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother.
(5) When a man behaves well with his friends and misbehaves with his parents.
(6)
Raising voices in the mosques voices
will be raised in the mosques.
The
mosques have been built for remembering
Allah and offering Salat and no
disturbance should be caused in such
devotional acts. However, people disturb
these acts of worship and devotion by
raising their voices in the mosques. The
Nikah (matrimonial tie) is performed in
the mosques and this is a desirable
practice but on such occasion the
parties do not maintain the sanctity of
the mosques and raise hues and cries
which is a sin with no compensatory
benefit. whatsoever. This is
condemnable.
(7) The leader of the community is the meanest person of it.
(8) A man is held in esteem for fear of his mischief as when he is not esteemed he may involve his opponents in some trouble.
(9) Wine will be drunk openly.
( 10) Silk garments will be worn by men.
(11
) Singing women in Houses Singing girls
and maids will be lodged in the houses
and musical instruments will be kept
with great care. The Holy Prophet
has predicted these things at a
time when none could imagine them.
In
his prediction the Holy Prophet
has said:
They shall lodge in their houses singing
girls. It is, however, a fact that
every man has not the capacity to lodge
and maintain in his house singing girls.
What does then the Hadith mean? The
invention of the Radios, tape-recorders
video cassettes and TVs has corroborated
the truth of the words spoken by the
Holy Prophet .
In the presence of these appliances
anyone can enjoy music dancing and see
singing girls at his choice and
pleasure. For the same reason it is not
necessary for anyone now-a-days to
purchase musical instruments and keep
them in one's house. The appliances
enumerated above provide all sorts of
audios- videos enjoyments.
(12) The later generations of this Ummah will curse the people of the former generations
The
Holy Prophet
said that when these vices spread in his
Ummah, torments and misfortunes shall
fall on them God forbid. All the vices
which the Holy Prophet
has enumerated in this Hadith are
clearly visible in our society today.
Wine
will be drunk under the name of a
harmless drink
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another Hadith that:
The people of his Ummah will make wine
lawful by giving it the name of a (soft
drink) beverage.
We
see that today books have been written
on this topic claiming that the wine
presently in use is not prohibited and
no where in the Holy Qur'an has the word
unlawful been used for wine. As regards
to beer - this is nothing more than
barley-water. This is also a beverage
like all other beverages. In this way
proofs are being invented and offered to
declare wine lawful. This
is exactly what the Holy Prophet
declared fourteen centuries ago.
Usurious
transactions will be given the name of
business
A
time will come when the people of my
Ummah will make usury lawful by
declaring it to be a business
transaction, as is being done
now-a-days. They say that bank interest
is the form of a business transaction.
If this is declared unlawful, the
business activities will be greatly
handicapped.
Bribery
will be given the name of a Gift
There
will come a time when the people of
"my Ummah will make bribery lawful
by giving it the name of a gift"
The giver of bribery will give and the
taker of bribe will take bribe under the
name of a gift, even though the offer is
nothing other than bribery. All these
sins, crimes and vices are present today
in the society.
These
four predictions of the Holy Prophet
fully apply today to our
Society.(Kanzul-Amal. Hadith No: 38497)
To
come to mosques, sitting on cushions
The
Holy Prophet
a
has said in a hadith that:
During the later ages (of trials and tribulations) the people will arrive (to the gates of) at the mosques on Mayasir (an Arabic word, meaning very costly and fine silk cloth which the rich men used in those days to cover the saddles of their horses). In the olden days it was difficult to imagine what going to the mosques on Mayasir meant. Now it has become very clear that the indication in the Hadith point to the comfortable spring-based car seats on which the richer class of the society go to the mosques for Salat.
Women
will be naked notwithstanding that they
will be clad in garments
The
Holy Prophet
next
said:
Their women will be naked notwithstanding that they will be clad in garments.
It was difficult to understand the meaning of the pardah, (Veil) but today we are seeing own our own eyes the truth of this Hadith. Either the women wear finely thin garments reflecting the hidden contours of their bodies or the garments will be of close-fitting and short that parts of their bodies will remain naked. It is seen that the heads of the womenfolk remain naked in 80% cases and according to the injunctions of the Shari 'ah bare-headed women come under the definition of naked ones. (Sahih Muslim)
Women's
Hair
Thereafter,
the Holy Prophet said:
The hair on these women will be bulging upwards like camel-humps.
This is also one of those Ahadith whose meaning was not clear to the Ulama of olden days. But today the meaning has become quite clear to us, because the women make their hair bulging upwards by adding artificial wigs to their natural hair.
The
Holy Prophet
next said:
“These women are cursed
ones.”
Allah has created womenfolk to remain confined within their prescribed injunction. When these women go out of their houses unveiled, then according to Hadith Satan begins to gaze and peep at them. When a woman goes out to the market having applied perfume to her body and Clothes, Allah and His Angels both curse her.
The
real purpose of garments
The
real purpose of wearing garments is to
cover i.e. o those parts of the body
that are 'shame' which must be covered.
Almighty Allah has said about it in the
Holy Qur'an:
O children of Adam v we have sent down to you raiment to conceal your shame and for adornment. (7:26)
So the garment which does not conceal the part of the body that form "shame" defeats the purpose for which it is worn. If the real purpose of the garment is thus defeated, it means that the person wearing that garment is naked. Therefore, for God's sake, we should wear proper dresses - Even God-fearing people who are righteous and regular Namazis (observed salat) do not pay attention to this aspect as they do not mind at all whether the dress they are putting on fulfils the purpose of covering their bodies properly. The woeful conditions we are facing these days are the results of these lapses on our part. It is our duty to make sure that at least the members of our own households and relatives, etc. put on dresses which conform to the injunctions of the Shari 'ah in this behalf.
Other
nations will eat up the Muslims
Sayyidn'a
Sauban
has narrated that the Holy
Prophet
said in a Hadith:
There will come upon you a time when the other nations of the world will invite one another to eat you up as people sitting round a dining cloth invite others to partake of the food served on that cloth. In the same way a time will come when the stronger nations of the world will invite other nations to eat up the Muslims. (Abu Dawood)
Those who are acquainted with the last century's history, i.e. from the first world war till now know quite well how tyrannically the non-Muslim communities have behaved with the Muslims and how they have been dividing the Muslim countries among themselves, saying: Egypt is yours and Syria is mine, Algeria is yours and Morocco is mine, India is mine and Burma is yours, and so on so forth.
The
Muslims will become like Straws
When
the Holy Prophet
thus predicted the
condition of the Muslims to the Noble
Companions 
some
Companions, asked:
O Messenger of Allah!
Will the number of the
Muslims become so small at that time
that that non-Muslims will begin to eat
up, and will invite others also to feast
upon, the Muslims? The Holy Prophet
replied, saying: No, "at that time
your number will be very large (i.e one
billion, . about one-third of the
total world population), but your
example will be like countless straws
floating on the surface of flood
water." In other words,
the Muslims will have no say in any
matter; they will go on drifting in the
direction in which the world powers want
to take them.
The
Muslims will become coward
The
Holy Prophet
next said:
Almighty
Allah shall take away your awe from the
hearts of your enemies and weakness and
cowardice will find access to your
hearts. A Companion
asked: O Messenger of Allah!
What are weakness and
cowardice? The
Holy Prophet
replied saying: "it is weakness
that love of the world shall creep into
the hearts and the people will begin to
hate death" and this
means that they will dislike meeting
Almighty Allah. All their thoughts will
be concentrated on earning the worldly
resources together with fame and respect
whether by lawful or unlawful means.
The
courage of the Noble Companions
It
is narrated that a Companion
remained all alone in a battle and
three
or four infidel, stout fighters came in
front of that lonely Companion , When
the Companion
as a, advanced to fight the
infidel fighters some other Companions,
tried to dissuade the former
Companion
from confronting those strong and
experienced infidel fighters and advised
him to wait for the Muslim forces to
arrive there. The Companion
did not agree to their advice and asked
them on oath and without any hesitation
not to try to intervene between him and
Paradise, as those wrestler fighters
were like a path leading to Paradise.
This being the condition of the Noble
Companions they were not able to
understand the meaning of cowardice and
weakness. The fact remains that by virtue
of the company of the Holy Prophet
Allah had removed from their
hearts the love for the world. They had
always in view the Hereafter as well as
scenes from Paradise and Hell. That is
why they were not afraid of deathand
rather desired to find access to the
Divine Court of Almighty Allah.
The
burning desire of a Companion for
Martyrdom
A
Companion
entered a battlefield and found that in
front of him a well equipped and armed
force of the infidels was ready to
encounter him.
Seeing this enemy force, the
Companions spontaneously recited this
Arabic poetical couplet:
Tomorrow we shall meet friends, i.e. Muhammad
Once
a Companion
was hit by
an arrow and blood began to gush forth
from his wound. At this critical moment
he spontaneously uttered these words:
By the Lord of the Ka'bah I have been successful.
They were people who possessed belief and firm conviction. They had full trust in Allah and there was no trace in their hearts of the love of the world.
The
first command concerning the period of
Trials
What
should a Muslim do during such a period?
The first injunction which the Holy
Prophet
has issued about this is as
under:
(At such a time) the major party of the Muslims and their Imam (leader) should be followed.
A
Companion , put this question: O
Messenger of Allah!
What should the Muslims do
when they have neither an organized
association of the Muslims nor have they
a popular and acceptable Imam ? The Holy
Prophet
replied to this question, saying:
In such a situation lead a
secluded life away from every group and
party and stick to your houses like the
mats and rugs spread on the floor of
your houses and remain confined to the
boundary of your houses as far as
possible and do not join the disorganized
groups.
Now what injunction can be more
evident and clear than this?
The
second command concerning the period of
Trials
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another Hadith:
While you are leading a secluded life away from the people and if the Muslims begin to fight among themselves killing one another, do not look at them, because the onlooker of such scenes may be caught in the trial and disturbance (the scene may catch him too who looks at the scene of quarrel). In such a critical time keep to the bounds of the house.
The
third command concerning the period of
Trials
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another Hadith:
The trial will be such that one who remains standing during that period will be better than the one who is walking and one who is sitting will be better than the one who is standing.
In other words, during that time of trials, you should take no part in its activities and movements. You should instead, try to ameliorate your own personal life, sitting quietly at home. Do not involve yourself in the collective trials and tribulations.
The
best property of a man during the period
of Trials
The
Holy Prophet
has said in another Hadith:
A time will come when the best property of a man will be his goats with which he can go up to the mountain peaks, leaving the hustle and bustle of town life. For his sustenance he should depend on his goats. He will be much safer in the mountains than in the towns where visible and invisible trials are ready to pick him up.
An
important injunction to follow during
the period of Trials
The
Holy Prophet
wants to advise by means of these
Ahadith that time will not be suitable
for collective and social activities,
because all the parties and associations
will be unreliable and untrustworthy.
It
will not be possible to distinguish
between right and wrong. So, during such
an uncertain period one should engage
himself in obeying Allah and
safeguarding his Eeman (Faith), so
as to die as a believer. This is
the only way of safety from these
trials. The verse I have recited in the
beginning lays emphasis on the same
point, viz.,
“O those who believe, take care of yourselves. The one who has gone astray cannot harm you, if you are on the right path........ (5-105)
When
this verse was revealed, the Noble
Companions , put this question to the
Holy Prophet
They said:
This verse seems to tell that man should mind his own business without worrying about others. if someone is going astray let him go and do not advise him to do good and refrain from doing wrong. This is one side of the problem. On the other side there are clear injunctions to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. How to reconcile these two conflicting injunctions:
Four
signs of the period of Trials
While
replying to this question the Holy
Prophet
said:
The verses which enjoin doing good and forbidding doing wrong are also quite right in their places as they advise the preaching of Deen. A time will, however, come when man will be responsible to take care of, and reform his own self. this will be the time in which the following four signs will appear:
(1) Firstly, it will be the time when a man will be hankering after wealth and will become miserly. From morning till evening he will be engrossed in his lust to increase his balance by hook or by crook All that he will do will be in the interest and love of worldly gains.
(2) Secondly, people will be drowned at all times in satisfying their desires and lusts. A man will follow the direction towards which his desires push him, without caring what is lawful and what is unlawful and whether the path he is following leads to Paradise, to the pleasure of Allah or to His displeasure. Forgetting all these considerations, he will be running after his desires..
(3) Thirdly, preference will be accorded to the worldly gains over the gains of the Hereafter. The people will be warned against the approach of the Hereafter; arrival of death about which there is no doubt; burial in the grave; attendance before Almighty Allah. The only reply to all these warnings will be: I cannot help, this is the trend of the times. After all one should follow the affairs of the world also in which one has to pass his life with others. Thus ignoring all these admonitions man will become totally absorbed in earning the worldly resources.
(4) Fourthly, every man will be self-willed, not prepared to heed better advice. He will think that he alone is right and the others are wrong. This is a common observation. Everyone has formed his own opinion about what is lawful and what is unlawful even though he has not spent a single day in trying to study and understand the Holy Qur'an and the sacred Ahadith. When some problem of the Shari 'ah is mentioned before him, he raises objections and begins to project his own misleading notions. Everyone will feel proud of his own opinion.
Anyway, try to seek your own safety when these four signs become apparent, viz:
I) Love of worldly resources;
2) Hankering after one's own desires;
3) Preferring the world to the Hereafter.
4) Taking pride in being self-willed.
As
already stated, at such a critical time
people should mind their own salvation
and safety forgetting what the others
are doing. They should keep themselves
aloof from the common men and try to
reform their own selves.
Keeping within the bounds of
their houses at all costs. This is the
injunction of the Holy Prophet
to his Ummah to follow during the
period of trials and tribulations.
The
conduct of the Noble Companions on
difference of opinions
After
the sad demise of the Holy Prophet
the responsibility of guiding the
Ummah passed to the Noble Companions
During this period serious differences
cropped up between Sayyidn'a Ali
and Sayyidn'a Mu'awiyah
which ultimately ended in armed
confrontation between their armies.
differences also arose between Sayyidn'a
Ali
and Sayyidah Ayeshah
This also resulted in an armed
conflict between the supporters of the
two sides through these differences
during the time of the Noble Companions
and their conduct during the difference
Almighty Allah has taught how the future
generations should tackle situations
arising out of such differences and
conflicts. As a result, those Companions
and their immediate followers (Ta-bi-'een),
who believed in Sayyidn'a Ali's
right conduct acted on that Hadith in
which the Holy Prophet
said:
(At such a time) the major party of the Muslims and their Imam (leader) should be followed.
Acting
upon this Hadith, they sided with Sayyidn'a
Ali
whom they regarded as the Imam of the
major
group. Some Noble Companions, and
the Ta-bi- een believed that Sayyidn'a Amir
Muiawiyah
was on the
right path and was their Imam. So,
they sided with him. There was a third
group who was not able to find out who
was on the right and who was on the
wrong path. In pursuance of a Hadith of
the Holy Prophet
they
decided to dissociate themselves from
either party They, therefore, remained
neutral in the conflict between the
two parties and remained with the bounds
of their houses.
The
conduct of Sayyidn'a Abdullah bin Umar
Sayyidn'a Abdullah bin Umar
the son of Sayyidn'a Umar
was a Companion and jurist of a very
high order. He confined himself to
his house when a man called upon him and
asked him: Why was he sitting quietly
when a battle between right and wrong
was raging outside his house between Sayyidn'a
Ali
and Sayyidn'a
Amir Mu'awiyah
? He should
side with Sayyidn'a Ali
whom the man considered to be on the
right path. Sayyidn'a Abdullah bin
Umar
, replied, saying: that he had heard
this ahadith from the Holy Prophet
that when the Muslims fall
out with one another and it becomes
obscure what was right and what was
wrong, then one should confine himself
to the four walls of his house and put
aside his weapons. As Sayyidn'a Abdullah
bin Umar
could not distinguish between the right
and the wrong in that conflict he
remained neutral and did not become a
party to any of the opponents.
The
man took objections to Sayyidn'a Abdullah
bin Umar's
stand and invited his attention to the
following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
And fight them until persecution is no more. (2:l93)
Sayyidn'a
Abdullah bin Umar
gave a very apt reply to this;
saying:
When
we fought against the enemy along with
the Holy Prophet
Almighty Allah put an end to the
persecution. On the other hand, when you
took part in the fight ( i.e taken a
side) the persecution did not stop but
it increased and became more violent.
That is why, acting upon the advice of
the Holy Prophet
I confined myself to the
bounds of my house.
How
to conduct ourselves during conditions
of peace and disturbance
I
was extremely overjoyed when I came
across a statement of a Muhadith which
runs thus:
Follow Sayyidn'a Umar
as a, during conditions of peace and
tranquility and follow his son
during conditions of trials and
disturbances. The meaning of this
statement is self-explanatory
Amicable
mutual relations in spite of differences
Almighty
Allah showed us all these scenes and
situations during the era of Noble
Companions ,. Those Companions who
believed that Sayyidn'a Ali
was right sided with him, and
those who believed that Sayyidn'a Amir
Muiawiyah
was right supported him. The world
witnessed a unique scene, never seen
before, that despite hostilities when
someone, in the army of Sayyidn'a Ali, died the army men of
Sayyidn'a Amir Muiawiyah
joined the
funeral prayer of the deceased belonging
to the opposite camp and vice versa The
reason for this was that this battle was
not fought for the sake of some selfish
worldly gain, honour and position. The
cause of the armed conflict was
obedience to a Command of Allah as
interpreted by each party. In
other words, each side was busy acting
upon Allah's Command sincerely as it had
interpreted the command.
The
conduct of Sayyidn'a Abu Hurairah
My
late, respected father used to tell us
that Sayyidn'a Abu Hurairah
was a literate Companion and a
religious scholar, busy at all times in
studies. During the battle between the
two warring Companions
he used to visit both without
taking anyone's side. When there was
prayer time he would go to Sayyidn'a Ali's
army to pray behind him. When it was
meal time he would go to Sayyidn'a Amir
Muiawiyah's
army and take meal with the latter.
Someone asked Sayyidn'a Abu Hurairah
about this strange conduct of him, he
replied:
The prayer behind Sayyidn'a Ali
The
reply of Sayyidn'a Musawiyah
to Caesar of Rome.
Just
when these two armies stood face to face
ready to grapple with each other, a
message from the Caesar of Rome came to Sayyidn'a
Amir Mu'awiyah
to the effect:
I
have heard that your brother Sayyidn'a Ali
has done a great wrong to you. He is not
taking revenge from the killers of Sayyidn'a
Usman
If you desire, I can send you a
huge army to help you, so that you may
confront him.Sayyidn'a Amir Muiawiyah
In at, at once replied to Caesar in the
following words:
"O
Christian Ruler! you plan to attack Sayyidn'a
Ali
on account of our mutual
differences. Beware! If you have the
audacity
to cast an evil eye at Sayyidn'a Ali
the first man emerging from Sayyidn'a Ali's
army to behead you shall be Mu'awiyah
All
the Noble Companions are
honourable and dignified in our
eyes
It
is very sad that now-a-days people utter
unworthy words for the Noble Companions
although they are too respectable and
dignified. It is impossible for us to
understand their status and religious
fervour. We begin today to compare their
mutual quarrels and differences to our
own, but this is not right. We must
understand that Almighty Allah, in His
mercy, provided through the quarrels
among the Noble Companions , a model and
code of conduct for the Ummah to follow
during mutual differences and disputes
arising among them in the times to come.
Each of them, whether he is Sayyidn'a Ali,
Sayyidn'a Amir Mu'awiyah
or Sayyidn'a Abdullah bin Umar
has left behind for us a
beautiful model to emulate when caught
in similar situations. We must therefore
beware of those who speak ill of one or
another Companion because of their
mutual disputes and differences. None
can even dream of approaching such high
status and station they occupy in the
sight of Allah.
The
sincerity and Godliness of
Sayyidn'a
Amir Mu'awiyah
The
people say many undesirable things about
Sayyidn'a Amir Mu'awiyah
because he nominated his son Yazeed his
heir-apparent. In one Friday during the
Friday sermon he made foe following
supplication from the pulpit:
O Allah! I assert on oath that in nominating my son my heir-apparent I had nothing in my mind except the good and interest of the Ummah of Muhammad
Just
consider coolly that no father can pray
in this way against his son as Sayyidn'a
Amir Mu'awiyah
did
This shows beyond any shadow of
doubt that his action in nominating his
son heir-apparent was based on
sincerity. All men, except Prophets are
liable to err. The decision taken by Sayyidn'a
Amir Mu'awiyah at a, might have been
erroneous but it was based on sincerity
and it was for the sake of Allah alone.
Retire
into seclusion
By
acting upon all the Ahadith about trials
and tribulations the Noble Companions
have left behind for us examples to
follow during such disturbed conditions.
When such time comes that the
distinction between right and wrong
becomes difficult and obscure, there is
no alternative but to take to seclusion
and retirement as did Sayyidn'a Abdullah
bin Umar
It is a fact that Allah had decided upon a unique plan from the point of His creative scheme. Allah accomplished great jobs and performances through such Companions Is as had gone into seclusion. If they had taken part in the battle many of them would have to fallen martyrs, depriving the future generations of their valuable services in the path of Deen (Faith).
Those who dissociated themselves from the world and went into seclusion began to collect and compile the Ahadith. Thus, they left behind a great treasure for the future generations in the form of books of Ahadith and other literature on Islam.
Take
Care of your own reform and well-being
Thus
the command about the period of Trials
and tribulation is that one should
confine himself to the four walls of his
house, devote his time to the rehearsal
of Allah's name and keep himself aloof
from all sins and wrongs and try to
reform the members of his household
also. If everyone follows this path and
reforms himself this will lead to the
reform of the entire society slowly and
gradually. This is how one lamp is
lighted from another lamp and the
darkness of disturbance and chaos is
dispelled
Look
into your own weaknesses
The
time we are passing through today is a
period of severe trials and
tribulations. To steer clear of this
hectic situation the Holy Prophet
has advised us not to join any party,
but confine ourselves to our houses, try
to reform ourselves and search for our
own weaknesses and short-comings.
Consider seriously if the prevailing
trials and disturbances may be due to
the ill-omen of our own sins. Everyone
of the society should adopt this trend
of thinking. Take an example. During a
severe famine in Egypt the people called
upon Sayyidn'a Zun-noon
of Egypt to complain of this
calamity. He told the people that this
might be due to his own sins. Ho should,
therefore leave the place, so that his
absence might perhaps dispel the
calamity and attract Allah's mercy. As
for ourselves! we are used to find fault
with and attribute all misfortunes to
others. In these days we hardly find
persons who try to look into their own
faults and defects. It is, therefore,
imperative that everyone should try to
reform himself instead of finding fault
with others.
Refrain
from sins
While
thinking to reform yourself, the least
you should do is to give up one by one
the sins that you commit from morning
till evening. You should also turn to
Allah every day in repentance and seek
His forgiveness. You should also pray to
Allah to keep you and your household
away from the ill-omen and woes of the
period of trials. The words of prayer
may be:
O Allah! I seek refuge with You from all apparent and hidden trials.
You should in addition save yourself as far as possible from the following sins:
1 - Backbiting
2- Sins due to casting evil eyes
3- Lewdness and nakedness
4- Hurting others
5- Sins of accepting bribe
6- Dealings in Usurious transactions, etc.
If you spent your life in negligence, thoughtlessness and recklessness, then this may - God forbid - result in a bad end and loss of Eeman (Faith). May Allah help us to act upon these injunctions. Aameen !
As-Sidq (The Truth) Montreal Canada, a Non-Profit
Organization, Serving Islam
http://www.as-sidq.org/
info@as-sidq.org
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