Directions on giving advice - II

Manners of giving advice
·Seeking the Pleasure of Allaah bygiving Naseehah )advice(
It is necessary that a person has the intention of seeking the
pleasure of Allaah Almighty whengiving Naseehah. Only such an
intention deserves reward from Allaah and acceptance from His slaves.
If the intention is other than that, then that person deserves the
anger and wrath of Allaah as well as the hatred and rejection of the
people - including the one being advised.
·Not slandering the one being advised
This is an affliction that has befallen many Muslims. Many times,
after taking a closer look, we find that the person giving Naseehah
actually wants to slander the person he is advising because of
personal hatred. This does not befit the one being advised and may
lead to a worse situation with no benefit resulting from the Naseehah.
·Naseehah is to be given in secret
Naseehah is most likely to bear its fruit when given to a person when
he is by himself, for in sucha situation the person is less likely to
be affected by the thoughts of others. The sincere advisor should not
aid the devil over his brother by publicly rebuking him and letting
Shaitaan )Satan( beguile his brother into not taking the Naseehah.
This closes the doors of goodness and acceptance, and reduces the
chances of the Naseehah from being accepted.
This is why our pious predecessors used to give Naseehah in secret.
Ibn Rajabwrote, "When the righteous predecessors intended to give
Naseehah to someone, they admonished him privately, to the point that
some of them said, 'The one who exhorts his brotherbetween him and
himself, then itis Naseehah. The one who exhorts him in front of
people, then it is merely scolding!'"
Al-Fudhail Ibn 'Iyyadhone of the pious scholars from our predecessors,
said, "A believer covers up and gives Naseehah, whereas an evildoer
exposes and humiliates." Ibn Rajab commented on this statement saying,
"It is Naseehah if it is witha cover, while it is humiliation with
broadcasting".
·Naseehah is to be given with kindness, gentleness and softness
A sincere advisor must be kind, soft and well-mannered in giving
Naseehah to others, as this mightget the desired response from the one
he is advising. One must understand that accepting Naseehah is like
opening a door, and that the door will not open without the proper
key. The one who is given Naseehah has a heart that has a lock in some
matter - for he has abandoned something that Allaah has demanded from
him, or has committed something that Allaah had forbidden him from.
There is no better key to unlock the heart than kindness in giving
advice, gentleness in exhortation and softness in speech as the
Prophetsaid,"Kindness is notto be found in anything but that it adds
to its beauty, and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it
defective."]Muslim[
·Do not compel others to follow one's Naseehah
It is Waajib )obligatory( on the advisor to render sincere advice to
others, but it is not his right tocompel others to follow his advice
as well. That is the right ofthe Muslim ruler upon his subjects, or a
Muslim Judge in his jurisdiction. A sincere advisor is one who guides
toward goodness, but he is not to command others to act upon it.
·Choosing the proper time to give Naseehah
The one giving Naseehah must choose the right time to give his advice,
since a person is not always ready to receive Naseehah. A person may
be angryabout something, upset about not getting what he wanted,
grieved for something he may have lost, or there may be some other
reason that might prevent him from responding to the Naseehah.
·Naseehah that is against Islam isnot to be followed
Giving Naseehah is part of Sharee'ah )Islamic Law(. Therefore, if
someone gives advice to act against Sharee'ah orto perform a forbidden
deed, then it is not called Naseehah. The one giving such should quit
doing that and the one being advised should not accept it.
Factors affecting the acceptance of Naseehah
I( Naseehah must be given according to the proper mannerswhich have
been described above.
II( One of the most important factors that contribute in one's
rejecting a fellow Muslim's Naseehah is arrogance. Arrogance prevents
one from accepting Naseehah and acting upon it; whereas, the one who
continuously strives to remove arrogance from his heart, finds it easy
to accept Naseehah. This is because the Prophetsaid,"Arrogance is to
reject the truth and despise the people".
Benefits of Naseehah
I( It purifies the one being advised from some weakness. When one sees
a fellow Muslim negligent in performing a good deed, or committing
some wrong, he should take it upon himself to mend the shortcoming.
The shortcoming may pertain to the rights of Allaah or to the rights
of His slaves.
II( When a believer gives Naseehah to his brother in Islam, he helps
him in a matter in whichhis brother has erred because thebeliever
loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
III( When a believer gives Naseehah to his brother, he is disposing of
the right that his brother has upon him. Just as you would not like to
see a fault in yourself, and would work to remove it, likewise, you
should not like to see that fault in your brother. You must hate to
see in him what you hate to see in yourself, hence, you should give
him Naseehah to remove that fault as you would have liked to receive
Naseehah to have that fault removed from you. Give your brother
Naseehah and guidehim toward goodness, and take him away from harm.
Giving Naseehah is a sign of true brotherhood, a way of bringing the
hearts closer, and of closing the doors of hatred and suspicion. This
is why 'Umar Ibn Abdul-Azeezsaid, "The one who grants Naseehah to his
brother in matters of his religion and concerns himself with mending
the affairs of this life; then, he has granted an excellentgift and
fulfilled a Waajib that was due on him .." If someone were to ask,
"How is Naseehah a right of brotherhood, when one'sfaults are
mentioned?" the answer is not to feel apprehension when your brother
informs you of your faults. He may know something that perhaps you are
unaware of, and is compelled to tell you about it out of sheer
compassion. It is a way of winning over the hearts ofthose who are
endowed with insight.
Shaitaan has declared war on all of humanity, and Allaah Almighty has
given the believers the tools necessary to win this war. Informing
each other of ugly deeds we perform or about loathsome characteristics
that we may have is like pointing out where the land mines are on a
battlefield. By pointing out these hidden dangers, we help to keep
each other from destruction. In this war of conquering the self, the
help, aid and guidance of our brothers and sisters is needed to assure
the ultimate victory, insha-Allaah )Allaah willing(, of true success
in this life and in theHereafter.

Directions on giving advice -I

Among the essential obligations Islam enjoins Muslims to do is to
offer sincere advice to people, whether fellow Muslims or others, in
the best manner, so as to spread good and eliminate evilin society.
How many of us have looked to our brothers and sisters in Islam and
have seen them straying from the path of Allaah, and haveturned our
faces away? How many of us have seen our brothers erring and said to
ourselves, it is none of my business? Well, it is our business, for
the Prophethas made it our business.
In the Hadeeth )narration( relatedby Tameem Ad-Daarithe
Prophetsaid,"The religion is )built on( advice."The people listening
asked,"To whom?"The Prophetreplied,"To Allaah, toHis Book, to His
Messenger, to theleaders of the Muslims, and the common
folk."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetequated the entire religion to giving Naseehah, but what
exactly is Naseehah? Naseehah is an Arabic word that is usually
translated tomean "sincerity" or "sincere advice", but actually
embodies every type of virtue. As believers, this statement of the
Prophetmust be taken to heart. By learning what Naseehah is, we can
then act on it and bring about positive changes in ourselves and each
other. Naseehah is a wonderful weapon,but like most weapons, if the
user does not know how to use itproperly, it can cause more harm than
good.
How is Naseehah given to Allaah?
I( By establishing His worship by offering the obligatory deeds with perfection.
II( By believing in Him; negating partners from Him; not denying any
of His qualities; describing Him with all the qualities of beauty and
perfection; and declaring Him to be far removed from faults and
qualities of imperfection.
III( By establishing His obedience and turning away from His disobedience.
IV( By loving and hating for His sake; befriending and making
allegiance to those who obey Himand taking as enemies those whodisobey
Him; and turning toward what He loves and distancing oneself from
displeasing Him.
V( By appreciating His blessings, bounties and thanking Him for them
by obeying Him out of love and drawing closer to Him through the
heart.
VI( By calling to all of the above, teaching it and being sincere in
itfor His sake.
How is Naseehah given to the Book of Allaah?
I( By firmly heartily believing that it is the Speech of Allaah and
His revelation; it is not like the wordsof the creation; and none of
His creation is capable of producing something similar to it.
II( By respecting it.
III( By learning and teaching it; reading, reciting, and writing it
properly; understanding its meaning; staying within its bounds; acting
upon what is contained in it.
How is Naseehah to the Prophet,given?
I( By affirming his prophethood.
II( By firmly believing everything he came with; obeying him in what
he commanded and what he forbade.
III( By aiding himwhile he was alive and after his death; taking his
enemies as one's enemies, and befriending those who take him as a
friend.
IV( By realizing the greatness of his right upon us, honoring himand
reviving his Sunnah )tradition/practice(.
V( By practicing his Sunnah, spreading and affirming it; refuting
those who cast doubts upon it; spreading its knowledge and its
understanding; not arguing about it without knowledge; calling others
towardit; teaching it with gentleness; showing its greatness and the
greatness of those who adhere to it by attaching oneself to them; and
showing it its due respect when studying it.
VI( By loving Ahl-ul-Bait )his family( and his companions; turning
away from those who belittle his family or revile his companions.
Naseehah to the leaders of the Muslims
It is Waajib )obligatory( to give Naseehah to the leaders of the
Muslims, since they have faults and are not protected from committing
errors, but who are the leaders of the Muslims? They are:
I( The caliphs and others responsible for the affairs of the Muslims.
II( The religious scholars.
As for giving Naseehah to the rulers of the Muslims, it includes:
I( Assisting and obeying them in the right.
II( Reminding them if they err or forget.
III( Fighting Jihaad with them.
Giving Naseehah to the scholars includes:
I( Spreading their knowledge.
II( Spreading their virtues.
III( Having good opinion about them.
IV( Accepting their rulings if they give sound proofs for their decisions.
V( Giving them the benefit of the doubt, or making excuses for them if
they make mistakes.
VI( Honoring and respecting them.
Naseehah to the common Muslims
The following includes giving Naseehah to all Muslims, be they black,
white, Arab or non-Arab; be they sinful, ignorant or heedless. It also
includes giving Naseehah to Muslims, no matter which organization or
group theybelong to or if one likes them or dislikes them.
How is Naseehah given to the common Muslims?
I( By guiding them to what will bring them benefit in this life andin
the Hereafter.
II( By removing harm from them and bringing them benefit.
III( By teaching them what one loves for oneself and hating for them
what one hates for oneself.
IV( By teaching them what will benefit them.
V( By commanding them what is right and forbidding them what is wrong
with gentleness and sincerity.
VI( By being soft with them, honoring the elderly, loving and being
merciful towards the youth.
VII( By not being deceptive and jealous toward them.
VIII( Protecting their honor and wealth.

Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib

Equality and brotherhood of man in Allaah are two of the major
principles of the Islamic faith. We read in the Qur'an what may be
translated as:"O mankind! Indeed, We have created you from male and
female and made you Peoples and tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most
righteous of you. Indeed, Allaah is Knowing and Acquainted."]Quran,
49: 13[. Whenever we read the glorious history of Islam we are
reminded again and again of these principles, especially that of
equality. An interesting illustration of this involved Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwho was not only a beloved uncle of Prophet Muhammadbut
also a playmate )since they were only a couple of years apart in age(.
In the Battle of Badr, the first major battle in Islamic history, some
leaders of the Makkah community were forced to join the army of the
pagan enemies of Islam mainly through moral pressure. These included
Al-'Abbaas and another prominent leader of Quraysh, who was knownfor
his sympathetic attitude and conduct towards the Companions of
Muhammad. Realizing this fact, Prophet Muhammadgave orders to his
followers not to kill such people, pointing out thatthey were not real
enemies who deserved death. Later, when Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwas taken captive to Al-Madeenah, the Companions found
the Prophet sleepless. So they asked him: "Why areyou restless, O
Messenger of Allaah?" He Answered, "I heard the moaning of Al-'Abbaas,
due to the tightness of the ropes with which he is being tied." A
little while later the Prophet asked, "Why is Al-'Abbaas quiet now?"
He was told that someone loosened the fetters for him. The Prophet
ordered that the same be done with the other prisoners.
The second incident occurred when ransom was collected from the
prisoners of war. When asked to pay ransom for himself and some
followers of his, Al-'Abbaas said, "But I am a Muslim and I was forced
to join the Makkah army." The Prophet's answer was, "Allaah knows
about your Islam. If it be true, then He will reward you and return to
you whatever you pay. According to what appears to us, you have to pay
the ransom." Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul Muttalibdespite his relationship
with the Prophetwas treated on equal footing like any other prisoner
of war, and was freed only upon payment of his ransom.
The supporting spirit of Al-'Abbaas to Islam and its Prophet explains
his attendance of the secret meeting at Al-'Aqabah where seventy-three
Medinites gave their oathof allegiance to Prophet Muhammadto protect
him whenever he migrated to Al-Madeenah. It was Al-'Abbaas who checked
the sincerity of the Medinites for the Prophet.
After the Prophet'svictorious re-entry to Makkah, the pagan tribesin
the neighbourhood of Makkah joined forces to fight the Muslims. For
the first time the Muslim army exceeded twelve thousand in number. So
many of the fighters had a sense of self-assurance, an attitude that
leads to defeat. Some Muslims said, "Never will we be defeated due to
paucity."However, it was Allaah's will that His soldiers be properly
trained for the battles they were to enter at various places and times
on this earth. The Muslim army in the battle of Hunayn was surrounded
by the enemy )being ambushed and taken by surprise(. The Messenger of
Allaah turned to the right and said: "O people! I am the Messenger of
Allaah. I am Muhammad, the son of Abdullah." Those who stoodfast by
him were only a few emigrants andsome of his kinsmen and Al 'Abbaas
was one of them. The matchless bravery of the Prophetwas then brought
to light. He went on and on in his attempts to make his mule steadfast
in the face of the disbelievers while saying loudly:
"Truly saying, I am the Prophet
I am the )grand( son of Abdul Muttalib."
However, Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-Haarithwho was then holding the rein of the
Prophet's mule, and Al-'Abbaas, who was holding its stirrup; were
endeavoring to make it halt. The Messenger of Allaah dismounted and
asked his Lord to render him help.
"O, Allaah, send down Your Help!"
The Messenger of Allaahordered his uncle Al-'Abbaas — who was a
sonorous voiced man — to call out on the companions. As loudly as he
could, Al-'Abbaasshouted: "Where are the lancers?" Al-'Abbaas said,
"By Allaah, upon hearingmy voice calling them back, they turned round
to the battlefield as if they had been oryxes )wild cows( tending
towards their calves."
It was the Prophet's strong and firm faith in Allaah and his courage
aswell as the heroic nature and behavior of people like Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalib that saved the day in that battle, known as 'the
Battle of Hunayn.' At those critical moments, it was Al-'Abbaas who
stayed all the time with the Prophetalong with a handful of
companions. The battle took a new turn, the enemy was defeated, andthe
Muslim army came out victorious.
Al-'Abbaasas pointed out earlier, was an uncle of Prophet Muhammadand
a dear one for that. Besides this, he is remembered for being the
father of the well-known authority 'Abdullah Ibn Al-'Abbaas on matters
of the Quran and the teachings of the faith. He passed away in
Al-Madeenah in 32 AH during the reign of 'Uthmaan Ibn Affaan.
Source:
The Sealed Nectar, by Mubarakpuri

The Explanation of SooratAl-'Aadiyaat )Those that Run(

This Soorah )Quranic chapter No.100( is one of the short Soorahs of
the thirtieth part of the Noble Quran. Herein is its explanation
extracted from 'Tafseer Ibn Katheer', one of the most reliable books
of Tafseer )interpretation(:
Text:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
1. By the racers, panting,
2. And the producers of sparks ]when[ striking.
3. And the chargers at dawn,
4. Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust,
5. Arriving thereby in the center collectively,
6. Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.
7. And indeed, he is to that a witness.
8. And indeed he is, in love of wealth, intense.
9. But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered.
10. And that within the breasts is obtained,
11. Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is ]fully[ Acquainted.
Explanation:
"By the racers, panting,"Allaah, the Exalted, swears by the charging
horseswhich gallop into battle in the Way of their Lord, panting and
snorting.
"And the producers of sparks ]when[ striking"that is, strike their
hooves on the rocks, making sparks fly.
"And the chargers at dawn,"that is, carry out a punitive raid at
daybreak as the Messenger of Allaahused to do; he would first discern
whether Athaan )call to prayer( is raised in a certain town or not, so
if he did not hearit, he knew the people of the town were not Muslims
and he would attack them. If he heard Athaan, it meant the people
wereMuslims and thus their lives and property were inviolate.
"Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust"that is, the horses' hooves
raise clouds of dust during the heat of battle.
"Arriving thereby in the center collectively"that is, they penetrate
into the midst of the enemy forces as one. 'Ali Ibn Abi Taalibsays
that"By the racers, panting,"refers to camels, as does.' However, Ibn
'Abbaassays that it means horses. Quranic commentators have differed
as to which saying is correct, though Ibn 'Abbaas and 'Ataa'pointed
out that no riding animal pants when it is running except the horse.
Those who said that it refers to horses understood from the second
verse that the horses' hooves strike sparks on the ground, although
some said it meant the raging of the battle between the riders, the
planning or strategy of the men, the kindling of the fires when they
returned home at night or the kindling of the fires in Muzadalifah,
during Hajj )pilgrimage to Makkah(. But according to Ibn Jareerthe
first explanation is the correct one. Ibn 'Abbaas, Mujaahid and
Qataadahsaid that the third Aayah )verse( refers to the dawn attack of
men on horsebacks in the Way of Allaah, while those who said that the
first verse referred to camels explained it asmeaning the journey from
Muzdalifah to Mina during Hajj.
"Stirring up thereby ]clouds of[ dust…"All commentators are agreed
that this verse refers to the feet of the animals churning up dust,
either in Hajj, or in battle. The third verse, according to
Al-'Awfiwho reports on the authority of Ibn 'Abbaas and 'Ataa', means
penetrating into the midst of the mass of the enemy. It is possible
that what is meant is the penetration of the mass of the Muslim
fighters into the enemy horde at one time.
"Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful."
It is to this that Allaah is swearing that man rejects the blessings
of his Lord. This explanation was the preferred one of Ibn 'Abbaas,
Mujaahid, Ibraaheem An-Nakha'i, Sa'eed ibnJubayr Ad-Dahhaak, Qataadah
andmany others. Al-Hasansaid: "He is the one who counts his
afflictions and forgets the blessings which come to him from Allaah."
"And indeed, he is to that a witness"Qataadah and Sufyaan
ath-Thawrisaid it means that Allaah is the One Who bears witness; it
is possible that "he" refers to man, as was said by Muhammad Ibn Ka'b
Al-Quradhi: That is, man is witness to the factthat he is an
ungrateful rejecter, his behavior being testimony to this, as in the
Words of Allaah )which mean(:
"It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allaah
]while[ witnessing against themselves with disbelief."]Qur'an 9:17[
"And indeed he is, in love of wealth, intense."There are two sayings
in regard to this verse; the first, that man is passionate in his love
of wealth, and the second, that he is greedy and miserly, and both of
these are correct. Then Allaah, the Most High, refers to the
renunciation of this world's pleasures, in favor of the Hereafter and
the situationof man at that time and the terror of it.
"But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are
scattered"that is, the dead will be expelled from their graves.
"And that within the breasts is obtained"
Ibn 'Abbaas and others said that this refers to thoughts and
deedswhich man kept secret which will, at this time be revealed.
"Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is ]fully[ acquainted."
That is, on that Day )of Resurrection( all of creation will be
assembled along with their deeds, to receive the repayment for that
which they did, and noneshall receive an atom's weight more or less
than he deserves.
This is the end of the Tafseer )explanation( of Soorat Al-'Aadiyaat,
all praise is due to Allaah and from Him proceeds all Grace.

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