16 June 2013 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Pre-Zhuhr Suhbah
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`alaa fee haadha 'l-masjid.
This is a continuation of the previous session regarding Allah swt showing us the importance of wisdom in understanding things that are around us. And we have explained that it is very important when we read the Holy Qur'an or read hadith, understand the different meanings they contain. That is why the first message that Allah has sent with Prophet (s) is to begin with tilawat (recitation), to learn how to read the Holy Qur'an. And it is like an order to every mu’min and Muslim to do tilawat al-quran, recitation of the Holy Qur’an. As the Prophet (s) related to his Sahaba, verse after verse, we have to read that, and that is what is called tilawat.
Allah said to Muslims in Holy Qur'an:
هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاء وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ
Huwa alladhee ba`tha fi’l-ummiyyeena rasoolan minhum yatloo `alayhim aayaatihi wa yuzakkeehim wa yu`allimuhumu ‘l-kitaaba wa ‘l-hikmata wa-in kaanoo min qablu lafee dalaalin mubeen. Wa aakhareena minhum lamma yalhaqoo bihim wa huwa ‘l-`azeezu ‘l-hakeem. Dhaalika fadlu-Llaahi yu’teehi man yashaau wallahu dhul fadli ‘l-`azheem.
It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in clear error. And (to) others of them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. That is the bounty of Allah , which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. (Surat al-Jumu`ah, 62:2-4)
He is the one who sent from among illiterate people, that is a miracle, that He send from within illiterate people miraculous words and verses. He recited to them miraculous verses, to learn, and then Allah gave him the authority to purify these Muslims. And the Prophet (s) was doing it, saying “Ya Rabbee, by Your order I am purifying them.” Purifying here means on Judgment Day there will not be one Muslim who will not be purified by the Prophet (s), (through his shafa`ah).
That is mentioned in Holy Qur'an: Allah first mentions sending the ayats of Holy Qur'an and then he purifies them, then teaches them the Holy Qur'an. When Allah says yu`allimahumu ’l-kitab, “teaching them the Book,” the Prophet (s) takes it on himself, as he is the one whom all prophets come to on Judgment Day to take shafa`ah. As Allah taught Holy Qur'an to the Prophet (s) with all its secrets the Prophet (s) will teach the whole Ummah the Holy Qur'an with all its secrets.
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ
Ar-Rahmaan. `Allama 'l-qur'an. Khalaqa 'l-insaan.
(God) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught the Qur'an. He has created Man.
(Surat ar-Rahmaan, 55:1-3)
To whom did Allah teach the Quran? To the Prophet (s). And then as Allah ordered the Prophet (s) he taught the Ummah the Holy Qur'an, not piece-by-piece but taught everything that Allah gave to him, he gives to the Ummah. He doesn’t leave anything out as he wants to bequeath that knowledge to the Ummah. The Prophet (s) took the responsibility to teach the Ummah the Holy Qur'an. so on Judgment Day we will be standing on full knowledge of Holy Qur'an, although we don’t know the full knowledge of Holy Qur'an by yourselves, but with the responsibility that the Prophet (s) took on his shoulders we will know it all. and then he taught them wisdom.
Sayyidina `Ali (r) said:
راس الحكمة مخاة الله
Raas al-hikmata makhaafatullah.
The head of wisdom is fear of Allah (swt).
The head of wisdom is fear of Allah. That is not just to fear Allah's punishment but to fear being away from Allah. On that day you will see your relatives closer to Allah and imagine the effect on you that Day. You will say, “Why didn't I do more?”
So when Allah says that He sent the Prophet (s) to teach wisdom, that is wisdom you cannot imagine in your mind. I mention the hadith that is evidence for this, that what we understand is not enough and is incomplete; what we understand is not up to the meaning of hikmat, wisdom.
To whom you give sadaqa? You give it to the poor people. If you give sadaqa to someone who is not poor, is it accepted to give him a donation, $100 or whatever?
Normally you say "no". Do you give sadaqa to someone who does not deserve it? Do you give sadaqa to a person who is stealing people's money? Do you give sadaqa to a lady who does zina, a prostitute, or to a man who is, I am sorry to say, a pimp? No, you would not do that.
But see this hadith.
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " قال رجل لأتصدقن بصدقة، فخرج بصدقته، فوضعها في يد سارق، فأصبحوا يتحدثون: تصدق على سارق! فقال: اللهم لك الحمد لأتصدقن بصدقة، فخرج بصدقته، فوضعها في يد زانية؟! فأصبحوا يتحدثون: تصدق على زانية فقال: اللهم لك الحمد على زانية، لأتصدقن بصدقة، فخرج بصدقته، فوضعها في يد غني, فأصبحوا يتحدثون! تصدق الليلة على غني, فقال: اللهم لك الحمد على سارق ، وعلى زانية، وعلى غني! فأتى فقيل له: أما صدقتك على سارق، فلعله أن يستعف عن سرقته، وأما الزانية فلعلها تستعف عن زناها، وأما الغني فلعله أن يعتبر، فينفق مما آتاه الله" ((رواه البخاري بلفظه، ومسلم بمعناه)).
`an abi hurayrah anna rasoolullah (s) qaal: qaala rajulun la atasadaqanna bi-sadaqah. fa kharaj bi-sadaqatihi fa-wada`ahaa fee yadi saariq. fa asbahoo yatahaddathoon: tasadaqa `alaa saariq. fa qaal allahuma laka ’l-hamd la-atasadaqanna bi-sadaqah. fa kharaj bi-sadaqatihi fa-wada`ahaa fee yadi zaaniya. fa asbahoo yatahaddathoon: tasadaq `alaa zaaniya. fa qaal allahuma laka ’l-hamd la-atasadaqanna bi-sadaqah. fa kharaj bi-sadaqatihi fa-wada`ahaa fee yadi ghaniyy. fa asbahoo yatahaddathoon: tasadaq al-laylayta `alaa ghaniyy. fa-qaal: allahuma laka ’l-hamdu `alaa sariqun wa `ala zaaniyyatin wa `alaa ghaniyy. fa ataa faqeela lahu: amma sadaqatuk `alaa saariq fa la`llahu yasta`nifa `an saraaqatih, wa amma ’z-zaaniyata fa la`llahaa tasta`nif `an zinaahaa, wa amma ’l-ghaniyy fala`allahu an ya`tabir fayunfiqu mimmaa aataahu ’Llaah.
Abu Hurayrah (r) related that the Messenger of Allah (s) said:
A man said, “I am going to find someone in need and give him charity.” (This hadith is going to flip everything we know, as if we know nothing. Everything we know in front of that hadith is zero. As we said we don’t give sadaqa to a rich man, a thief or an adulterer, but this is going to change everything.) That man went out to give his charity to someone in need.He went out of his house and he saw someone, a thief, and put the money in his hand. Look, he went out from his house and put the donation in the hand of a thief. His intention when he goes out is to put sadaqa in the hand of someone who deserves it and needs it. Then he puts it in the hand of a thief. Does the thief need it? No he does not. So he said, Allahuma laka ’l-hamd `alaa saariq, “O Allah! Praise be to You. I have given charity to a thief.” It means, “it is not me but it is Your Will, Iraada, that made me to put sadaqa in the hand of that thief.
Then he said a second time, after many days, “I am going to give from the halal money I made a sadaqa.” So he went out with his donation and put it in the hand of a prostitute. It might be he thought she deserves it. He gave it to her and the whole city began to speak, that the man gave a donation to a prostitute. Before he gave to a thief and now he gave to a prostitute and they said “how bad is that man.” And he said, Allahuma laka ’l-hamdu `alaa az-zaaniyya. “O Allah! Praise be to You. I have given sadaqa to a prostitute.” It means, “I didn't want but Your Will made me to put that charity in the hand of a prostitute.”
Then he said, “Now I am going to put the money in the hand of someone who deserves it and insha-Allah I will not make a mistake.” And he went out looking and looking and found a person he thought is poor and he gave him money and it was a large amount of money. If it had not been a lot he would not have accepted. For example, a prostitute will not take 10 cents, she will throw it in your face. So the people of the city began to speak about him: he is giving his money to a thief, to a prostitute and to a rich person. And he said, Allahuma fa-laka ’l-hamdu `alaa saariqun wa `ala zaaniyyatin wa `alaa ghaniyy, “O Allah! Praise be to You (for helping me) give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man.”
He thanked Allah that it was His Will that he gave to these. fa ootiyya, so it means either he heard or saw a vision or heard an angel saying, “your sadaqa to a thief might be cause for Allah to drop his being a thief and become a good person. It might be it makes him look bad to himself and therefore he stops stealing from people.”
That means “with your sadaqa to a thief Allah will turn that bad person to a good person due to the good money you put in his hand. And as for the prostitute Allah might make her drop all her bad work due to the sadaqa you gave her. That means his sadaqa was accepted by Allah swt and by the Prophet (s). As for the rich man, giving him charity might cause him to take an example that a poor man is giving him sadaqa while he doesn't give sadaqa to anyone, and that might inspire him to find the poor and give him sadaqa.
So this hadith if mentioned by none other than Bukhari and so they cannot say "it is weak" but from Imam Bukhari this hadith shows that if your intention is good and your intention is to give sadaqa to someone in great need, not in need of money to spend, but in need of sadaqa to save him from the bad situation he is in, to know he is bad and “while you don’t deserve it” it gives you a moral lesson to stop doing the wrong you are doing. Similarly it might be the cause for the rich person to begin to giving sadaqa to those who deserve it.
So not everything is just what we read literally, but the reality is behind the meanings, the secret of the wisdom. If we take this hadith literally, the Prophet (s) explained what the man did to give a thief, a prostitute and to a rich person, and we see it turned these people back to a good life. Not everything you have to read literally as there are meanings behind them. Allah wants us to have wisdom. When we have wisdom then we can clearly give explanation of what we are reading; not reading like parrot with no understanding.
Where the mission of the Prophet (s) is, as he said,
انما بعثت لاتمم مكارم الاخلاق
Innamaa bu`ithtu li utammimu makaarim al-akhlaaq.
I have been sent to perfect the best of conduct (your behavior and character). (Bazzaar)
Not to be loud and to be involved in dunya. Now people have nothing but drugs, and hard rock and soft rock and rap music. What is going to take you where? That takes you to dunya. It does not take you to Akhira. what takes you to Akhira? Tahdheeb al-akhlaaq which means to fix, clean and purify your character.
The Prophet (s) said, “I was sent to perfect human beings character.”
When we purify ourselves, when the self is purified then Allah will inspire the heart.
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
Fa alhamahaa fujoorahaa wa taqwaahaa.
He inspired the self of its bad and its good. (Surat ash-Shams, 91:8)
When Allah inspires the self you will be inspired with what is good and what is bad. It is like having two hands. Why do we have two hands? In order to balance. The Prophet (s) gave us a balance, by saying:
إنما الأعمال بالنيات
Innama al-`amaalu bi ’n-niyyaat
Verily actions are by intentions. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Verily if your intention is to do good you will be given the reward of one doing good.
They asked Grandshaykh, “Why don’t you teach fiqh?” He is `alim in Shafi`i fiqh.
Once I asked Grandshaykh a question about the meaning of a verse. they say sami`naa wa at`anaa, “we listen and obey”, or “we hear and we obey.”
So what they say, when I asked Grandshaykh the meaning of one ayah, he said, “O my son. There is a mufti down in the city. Go ask him. Here (in this place) is the polishing of the self and how to implement good manners and good character.”
Not everyone touches on this subject where the Holy Qur’an mentioned the highest level, Maqaam al-Ihsaan in the verse:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
wa innaka la-`alaa khuluqin `azheem.
Verily you are on the best of conduct. (Surat al-Qalam, 68:4)
“Here,” he said, “is listen and obey. There are many teachers of fiqh. I am not teaching fiqh here, you can learn there.”
It is very delicate balance we have here. Akhlaaq is important. That is why fiqh you can learn it, but discipline, you might be faqih but you have no discipline.That is what the Prophet (s) said in his hadith:
نعوذ بالله من منافق عليم اللسان جهول القلب
na`oodhu billahi min munaafiqin `aleemu ’l-lisaan jahoola ’l-qalb
As narrated by Umm Salama (r), Prophet (s) said: I seek refuge in Allah from a hypocrite who has an eloquent tongue but an ignorant heart. (Muslim)
It means “the thing I fear most for my ummah is a scholar who is ignorant in his heart.” It is in the same category of hadith, akhwaf maa akhaafu `alaa ummattee, `alimun `aleemu ’l-lisaan jahool al-qalb. He is very well spoken but he is ignorant in his heart. so purification of the self allows to differentiate between what is good and what is bad. grandshaykh said, that Allah gave everyone a mind and intelligence to differentiate what is good and what si bad. he said, I am not teaching fiqh here, but anything you want to do weigh it through the scale of good and evil. If your mind says to you “This is good decision,” follow it and if it says, “This is bad,” stop. Allah gave you mind to know what is good and what is bad, for example you say to yourself, “I need to go to movie theatre,” if you say it is good, no you are wrong, I say it is bad, as it takes time from your dhikrullah. If you say, “I am making dhikrullah and doing my prayers is it okay to go see a movie/” that is okay, not bad movies. Yes it is ok, but if there is nothing bad in it. If you see good do it and if you see bad, stop and don't do it.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات
innama ’l-`amaalu bi ’n-niyyaat,
Verily actions are by intentions.
Allah has sent in Surat al-Israa verses 23-38, all we need in our life, from understanding Islam is first, not to make shirk, then to be good to parents, to be humble in front of them, to give the rights of relatives and those who are poor, to try not to waste wealth, to try to speak nicely, to make people happy, to try not to make zina nor kill people, try to help the orphan, all of it is in Surat al-Israa, mentioned all of it.
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا. إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَاء رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْءًا كَبِيرًا وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاء سَبِيلاً وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللّهُ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ يُسْرِف فِّي الْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنْصُورًا وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَأَوْفُواْ بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُواْ بِالقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولـئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاً
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age (while) with you, say not to them (so much as), "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up (when I was) small." Your Lord is most knowing of what is within yourselves. If you should be righteous (in intention), then indeed He is ever, to the often returning (to Him), Forgiving. And give the relative his right, and (also) the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful. And if you (must) turn away from the needy awaiting mercy from your Lord which you expect, then speak to them a gentle word. And do not make your hand (as) chained to your neck or extend it completely and (thereby) become blamed and insolvent. Indeed, your Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts (it). Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Acquainted and Seeing. And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin. And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way. And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly, We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in (the matter of) taking life. Indeed, he has been supported (by the law). And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And fulfill (every) commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever (that about which one will be) questioned. And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even balance. That is the best (way) and best in result. And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart--about all those (one) will be questioned. And do not walk upon the Earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the Earth (apart), and you will never reach the mountains in height. All that, its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord, detested. (Surat al-Israa, 17:23-38)
This shows the immensity of our duty to our Lord as well as to people on earth with whom we live together. In it are 15 ayats, including the prohibition of shirk, to order and command to have good manners and to leave bad manners, to leave forbiddens and do the orders. And awliyaullah have counted 500 maamooraat, orders by Allah to follow and 800 forbiddens we are asked to drop form our life. We ask Allah to forgive us and to purify us. We are all falling into the category of shirk. When we are trying to make ourselves say “O we are good people.” No, we are not good people as long as we are listening to Shaytan and making sins. So we must always tell the bad ego we are bad, not good and then purify ourselves where Allah said in Holy Qur'an:
فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ
Fa laa tuzakoo anfusakum.
Don’t praise yourself. (Surat an-Najm, 53:32)
Don’t praise your ego, but be humble. ‘laa’ means never, never make yourself above others, try to be under everyone. Don’t criticize except yourself. Don’t criticise others, they might be better than you. I will read it again now in Arabic.
That hadith changes all the measures that we understand about sadaqa or even about Islam completely.
After he gave sadaqa to a thief, a prostitute and a rich person, and the people criticized him for this, he said, “It is your will ya Rabb, I intended to give sadaqa.” fa ootiya, it came to him in dream as a vision or he heard a voice, “your sadaqa to that thief might cause him to repent, and as for the prostitute it might be a cause for her to repent and as for the rich one that one will understand that he is rich and he is giving only ‘crumbs’ and it will inspire him to give with full hands.”
Not everything we read is understood with the literal meaning. These 15 verses describe what Allah wants from every Muslim. That is literally and interpretationally it is even more. We leave that for next time wa wa min Allah at-tawfeeq bi hurmati 'l-Fatiha.
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