Morals in the Life and Da‘wah of the Prophets - II

Adhering to Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) does not only apply to deeds
but also to words. Some of the Companions asked the Prophet, , to make
a tree for them that was known as "ThaatAnwaat" so that they could
hang their weapons on it in order toseek its blessings as the
disbelievers used to do. The Prophet, , responded: "By Allaah, you
have said to me the same as the Children of Israel said to Moosa; they
said:{ O Moosa make for us a god just as they havegods { . " [Ahmad
and At-Tirmithi - Hasan Saheeh [
The Prophet, , was asked about soothsayers, and he said: " They know
nothing." [Muslim] Even ifsoothsayers tell the truth once, they add to
it a hundred lies.
The Prophet, , warned us many times about using graves as Masjids
(mosques). Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } And [He Revealed]
that the masjids are for Allaah, so do not invoke with Allaahanyone. {
[Quran 72:18] Therefore, it is the duty of all people to return in
repentance to Allaah The Almighty, submit themselves to Him, abandon
any form of Shirk , Kufr (disbelief) or devoting any acts of worship
to anything other than Allaah and to believe in Him Alone. People must
also know that Tawheed comes first,as one must give precedence to what
is most important, whether in matters concerning seeking knowledge,
work or Da'wah .
The claims that the disbelievers, polytheists and philosophers have
set the measures and foundations for good morals and that they have
good manners is vain, as what is bred in the bone will come out inthe
flesh. Also, those disbelievers and polytheists will only benefit from
their good deeds in this worldly life, but in the Hereafter they would
embody the verse (what means):
· } And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as
dust dispersed. { [Quran 25:23]
· } But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a
lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to
it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allaah before Him, and He will
pay him in full his due; and Allaah is swift in account. { [Quran
24:39]
2- Adhering to Legislation: All ways are blocked except that of the
Prophet, , and it is not permissible, or indeed possible, to become
firmly established with good morals first, then try to interpret
Islamic texts in a way that would suit these morals. Allaah the
Almighty Says (what means): } O you who havebelieved, do not put
[yourselves] before Allaah and His Messenger,but fear Allaah. { [Quran
49:1] In fact, we are required to derive our methodology, principles,
and morals from the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, , without
permitting ourselves or others to neglect any of the Sharee'ah texts.
In this regard, we have to follow the example of theProphet, , where
we have many proofs. The Prophet, , saw a man walking during
pilgrimage supported by two men, so he asked about him. The people
informed him that he had vowed to go on foot to perform pilgrimage. He
said: "Allaah is not in need of this old man's torturing himself."
Then he told the people: "Order him to ride." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, when the Prophet, , saw Abu Israel standing in the sun and not
speaking, he asked the people about him. They said, "He has vowed that
on this day he will keep standing, remain in the sun and keep
silent."' The Prophet, , said: "Let him end his fast, speak, come in
the shade and sit down." [Al-Bukhaari] Sitting in the sun is a burden
that does not bring the person closer to Allaah the Almighty, and
abstaining from speaking is how the previous nations used to fast,
which is not a part of our Sharee'ah . The proof of this is what the
Prophet, , said: "Theone who believes in Allaah and the Day of
Judgment should say something good or remain silent."
Further proof is that when the Prophet, , knew that 'Abdullaah ibn
'Amr was fasting during the daytime and performing voluntary prayers
throughout the night, which made him neglect the rights of his wife,
he said to him: "Fastlike my brother, Daawood, [Prophet David ], who
would fast every other day and never fled from his enemies." [Muslim]
It was also narrated that the Prophet, , said: "Your Lord has a right
over you,and your wife has a rightover you, so give each one his
right." [Al-Bukhaari]
Thus, a person must be just, moderate and careful regarding the
different benefits in life and should maintain a good balance between
them, without excessiveness or negligence. One must also take the
requirements of the bodyand soul into consideration, without aloofness
or committing excess, and should have acomprehensive view of giving
every person his due right.
Another example is when three men went to the houses of the Prophet, ,
asking about his acts of worship. When they were informed about it, it
seemed as if they thought it was insufficient. Therefore, they said,
"How can we compare ourselves to the Prophet when his past and future
sins have been forgiven." Thereupon, one of them said, "I will offer
voluntary prayers throughout the night and never sleep." Anothersaid,
"I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The
third said, "I will keep away from women and will never marry." When
the Prophet, , was told about them, he mounted the pulpit and gathered
the people, then he said: "Why are some people saying such and such? I
am the most knowledgeable and mostfearful of Allaah among you, yet I
fast and break my fast, I offer voluntary night prayers and I
sleep,and I marry women. Therefore, the one who does not follow my
Sunnah, is not of my Ummah." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The path that leads to Allaah the Almighty and the Gardens of Pleasure
isthe way of the Prophet, , that should not be exceeded. This way
should be followed without innovations as the most perfect human is
the Prophet, , and his Sunnah is the praised way that was followed
byhis Companions . The Sunnah is every thing that the Prophet, ,
did,said or approved of. It also includes any characteristic that was
intended as a means of legislation for the Ummah . The one who turns
away from the Sunnah of the Prophet, , should be told as the Prophet,
, said: "The one who refrains from my Sunnah, is not of my Ummah." The
Prophet, , would say: "If someone innovates something that is not in
harmony with the principles ofour religion, that thing is rejected."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] It was narrated that the Prophet, , said:
"Every innovation is deviation, and everydeviation is in Hell."
According to Ash-Shaatibi an innovation is an invented way in the
religion that is falsely attributed to the Sharee'ah , even though it
is done with the intention of worshippingAllaah The Almighty.
Innovations are more preferable to Iblees (Satan) than sins, and
theone who does them is among those to whom the evil of their deeds
has been madeattractive, so he considers them good. 'Umar would say,
"Every innovation is a deviation, even if people consider it to be
good." Ibn Mas'ood would say, "Follow and do not innovate as you have
what suffices you. A dhere to the way of the early generations [the
Companions of the Prophet]."
The Companions followed this clear methodology and did notallow any
one to ruin Tawheed or Legislation. 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab for instance,
would kiss the Black Stone and say, "By Allaah, I know that you are
just a stone that can neither harm nor benefit, and I would have never
kissed you if I had not seen the Prophet kissing you." 'Ali dismissed
all the people from the mosque who would tell imaginary and unreal
stories under the pretext of reminding the people and softening their
hearts. Also, when Ibn 'Umar heard a man saying after sneezing,
"Praise be to Allaah andpeace and blessing be upon the Prophet " he
told him, "This isnot what the Prophet taught us. The Prophet said:
'When anyone of you sneezes, he shouldpraise Allaah' but he did not
mention that we should ask for blessings upon him."
When Ibn Mas'ood entered the mosque of Al-Koofah, he saw groupsof
people sitting in circlesand in the middle of eachcircle there was a
pile of stone s and a man standing by each group ordering them to
exalt Allaah The Almighty a hundred times, then to praise Him a
hundred times, and then to glorifyHim a hundred times, andthe people
responded. Ibn Mas'ood said to them, "O people! By Allaah you are
either more guided than the Prophet or you are approaching a
deviation!" They said, "O Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan! Weonly meant to do good
deeds. " He said, "There are many who want to do good deeds but never
do [as they do not follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ]." [Ad-Daarimi]
Any addition or deletion in acts of worship or behavior that is done
with the intention of drawing closer to Allaah The Almighty, is a
rejected innovation even if the intention was goodas long as this act
does not coincide with the Sharee'ah of Allaah The Almighty.