The toilet is generally not a topic for discussion,
but it can serve as an apt analogy at times, and we can even draw lessons from it. ...Looking at how our lives are spent in sins, heedlessness and waste, we take
some lessons.
The toilet has different names: latrine, lavatory,
wash room, rest room and water closet – which certain English speaking people
refer to as W.C.!
Presently there is a different W.C. – which, as we
know, is the World Cup. Millions and millions of people,
including a large percentage of Muslims, have thrown themselves headlong into
the curse and Fitnah of the World Cup.
And it is, most definitely a curse, bringing with
it, multiple Fitnahs and compounded sin: There is wastage and extravagance; there is alcohol, gambling, music and immoral behaviour and attire; there
is "foul play", “hero-worshipping” and Tashabbu bil Kuffaar (imitating the non-Muslims in
their dress and ways), and often there is neglect of Salaah as well. We also hear or read of violence, stampedes and killings.
…Disobedience to Allah Ta’ala intensifies and heightens with such events. And this should create great concern, since sins summon the punishment of Allah Ta’ala. Moreover, a Muslim does not attach or associate himself, in any way, to what is displeasing to his Beloved Allah Ta'ala.
…Disobedience to Allah Ta’ala intensifies and heightens with such events. And this should create great concern, since sins summon the punishment of Allah Ta’ala. Moreover, a Muslim does not attach or associate himself, in any way, to what is displeasing to his Beloved Allah Ta'ala.
I translate this WC as a ‘WASTE Closet’.
The ‘Water Closet’ serves the function to flush
away human waste, but the world cup is a
‘Waste Closet’ in that it flushes away a person’s wealth, time and energy. So
much of good is just wasted away.
The one divergence or difference is that a water closet is a place of privacy, but this WC is on a public platform : There is open sin, open transgression and open rebellion against Allah Ta’ala. And this spreads across the world, especially via the media and the global broadcast. The majority get caught up in sin and futility.
I also translate it as the “Waste Catastrophe”. A catastrophe is an event causing great damage or suffering. It brings ruin and destruction. The World Cup is a catastrophe of great magnitude. The waste of time, wealth, energy; together with indulgence in various sins, including futility, causes great damage to our Imaan, our Aakhirah and our relationship with Allah Ta’ala.
We should keep in mind that Allah Ta’ala likens those who waste, to the brothers of shaytaan :
“…And do not squander recklessly. Surely, squanderers are brothers to shayateen, and shaytaan is very ungrateful to his Lord.”
[Surah Bani Israeel 17 : 26/27]
We should also keep in mind the Hadith : ‘(On the Day of Judgment), the feet of a
person will not move until he is asked regarding:
1.)
His
life; how did he spend it,
2.)
His
knowledge; how did he act upon it,
3.)
His
wealth; how did he acquire it (and)
4.)
How
did he spend it, and
5.)
His
body, how did he use it.’[1]
Considering the word, ‘WASTE’, the following lessons should be given some serious thought and reflection:
W :
|
WEALTH is wasted
|
A :
|
The ANWAAR of our Ibaadaat is wasted - because the darkness of sins ‘flushes' away the Anwaar and light of our good deeds.
|
Wastage invites AZAAB (punishment).
|
|
The AMAANAH of life is abused and wasted away.
|
|
S :
|
The SUKOON that resides in the heart of the Muslim is flushed away, on indulgence
in sins.
Our ACCUMULATED SAWAAB is wasted. The rewards, which we had earned are easily destroyed. |
T :
|
TIME, which is an extremely precious bounty, is wasted.
|
E :
|
ENERGY, which was to be utilised in the obedience of Allah Ta'ala, is wasted.
|
Taubah is translated as repentance. This means that
a person gives up his sins and does not return to them; rather he returns to the obedience of Allah Ta’ala.
So if we have driven in the direction of
disobedience, then we need to turn back or reverse – and drive in the direction
of the obedience of Allah Ta’ala and in the direction of His Pleasure.
This
soccer mania and sport obsession, which is taking us away from good
deeds and spoiling our Ta-alluq with Allah Ta’ala, needs to be flushed out of
our hearts and lives, with sincere Taubah.
The
WC, with its TOTAL WASTE and host of sins has no place in Islam. So, instead of flushing away our wealth, time,
good deeds - as well as losing out the precious and blessed month of Ramadaan and the
priceless and auspicious bounties of Taraweeh and Qur`aan Sharief, flush away
the World Cup.
There
is multiplied rewards for every single good deed carried out in Ramadaan. But there is
absolutely NO reward for the World Cup - NO reward in viewing it, NO reward in talking about it and NO reward in participating in it, in any other way. In fact, a person just gets caught up in sins.
...Where the words of Qur`aan Sharief, Zikrullah, Durood Sharief, Amr bil Ma'roof and Nahy anil Munkar and other good or permissible activity and speech can be written in our books of deeds, our angels, Kiraman Kaatibeen, are instead, obligated to writing down our viewing, or our talking, or our screaming, or our updates of something so utterly useless - with this WC. ...This will be of no benefit to us in the Court of Allah Ta'ala. We should ponder over this reality and remember that our books of deeds will be presented to us.
A Muslim's loyalty is with Allah Ta'ala
and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam). Now is an opportunity to prove
that loyalty!
Moreover, the goals scored in soccer matches or rugby matches, or other such games carry no weight
in the court of Allah Ta’ala. These ‘achievements’ are no achievements in the
Court of Allah Ta’ala. They will be of no assistance to anyone on the Day of
Judgment.
However,
Allah Ta’ala has granted the Believers the opportunity of this worldly life to
attain the Ultimate Goals: The Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala, the Muhabbat and Ishq
of Allah Ta’ala, the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, and Jannah, Insha-Allah.
So we should strive and go all-out for these goals.
So we should strive and go all-out for these goals.
With the reverse of the word, “WASTE”, lies the formula to achieve these goals:
E:
|
Bring an END to this waste,
|
T:
|
with sincere TAUBAH and with TAQWA
|
S:
|
with complete SUBMISSION and SURRENDER to Allah Ta’ala,
|
with following the SUNNAH of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)
|
|
A:
|
with the understanding that there is ACCOUNTABLITY,
|
with preparation for AAKHIRAH, by engaging in A’MAAL-E-SAWLIHAAT (good deeds). |
|
W:
|
In doing this, the Muslim becomes a WINNER. He WINS the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, and Insha-Allah, WINS Jannah
|
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding, the
Taufeeq of obedience, and the conscious awareness that the objective of this
worldly life is to prepare for our journey to the Hereafter and our return to Allah
Ta’ala.
By Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq Saheb
(Daamat Barakaatuhum)
[1]
Tirmidhi
