Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
On the day of Qiyamah, those who followed the wrong people will complain to Allah Ta’ala:
“And they will say: ‘Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way.”
[Surah Ahzaab 33: 67]
…And of course, on the day of Qiyamah everything will become very clear. They will realise that those whom they followed and obeyed – their leaders, chiefs and elders – were people who misled them and took them in the wrong direction. On that Day, when it will be too late and they find themselves going into Jahannam, into its severe punishment, they will make badd Dua for their leaders:
“Our Lord, give them double the punishment, and send a curse on them, an enormous curse.”
[Surah Al- Ahzaab 33: 68]
…O Allah, increase their punishment; double it and pour Your curses upon them, over and over.
These are realities that the Qur'aan Sharief explains. It will happen. May Allah Ta’ala save us all. …We must take lesson that we have to be very careful and vigilant as to whom we are following. We must not be amongst those who follow the wrong people, nor must we be of those who mislead the people, directing to the wrong and towards Jahannum.
This applies to all of us. As the husband for our wives: Are we leading them in the wrong direction? Are we influencing or coercing them to do the wrong deeds? As the parents and the fathers of our families: Are we leading our families in the wrong direction?
We must not think this refers to other people. We ourselves must be wary not to follow the wrong people. We must also not lead others towards the wrong.
In the Qur’aan Sharief, these same people who followed their leaders will argue with them:
“And they will turn on one another accusingly. They will say: “You came to us from a position of power [i.e., ordered us with polytheism / stopped us from the truth].”
They will reply: “No! It was you who would not believe - we had no authority over you - and you were already exceeding all limits. Our Lord’s sentence on us is just and we must all taste the punishment. We led you astray as we ourselves were astray.”
[Surah As-Saffaat 37:27-32]
The laypeople … the public … awaam … will blame their leaders but in vain. May Allah Ta'ala save us from that situation.
Shaytaan too will present his argument:
“And shaytaan will say when the matter has been concluded, ‘Indeed, Allah had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allah] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment.’”
[Surah Ibraheem 14: 22]
Regarding all of the above, we are facing a fitnah of a different kind – with many scholars and Imams misleading the masses instead of guiding them in the direction of salvation. Today, we find scholars who are endorsing interfaith, usury, LGBTQ and other vices. Haraam is made Halaal. These scholars sugar-coat poison and serve it to the Ummah. Following them will lead to evils which can easily invalidate and nullify a person’s Imaan. As such, there is a need to caution, inform and advise so that we can be selective on who we take as our leaders.
THE MOST SEVERELY PUNISHED
Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said:
“The people punished most severely on the Day of Resurrection are a man who was killed by a Nabi or who killed a Nabi, an Imam of misguidance, and a sculptor of graven images.”[1]
This Hadith mentions three categories of people who will be punished most severely on the Day of Qiyamah.
- A person killed by a Nabi of Allah Ta’ala.
All the Ambiyaa (Alaihimus Salaam) are embodiments of mercy and kindness. How wretched must be the person and how evil his actions must be that a Messenger of Allah Ta’ala has to kill him?!
- Or a person who killed a Nabi.
A Nabi is an embodiment of Mercy and Kindness, through and through! He only wants good for everyone, in every way, everywhere! How wretched must be the one who kills such a noble soul?!
- An Imam who misguides his people
In this same category of wicked, contemptable people are those leaders who misguide their followers, leading them in the direction of wrong and evil, to the displeasure of Allah Ta’ala and to the Fire of Jahannam!!
In another Hadith, Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “What I fear most for my nation is misguiding leaders...”[2]
These are leaders, scholars and Imams who misinform the people and distort the teachings of Dien for a paltry sliver of dunya.
The last category of those who will be punished most severely are:
- The ones who sculpt images or make pictures (of animate objects)!!!
In another Hadith, it is stated: “The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.”[3]
What serious matters and how important to guard against these evils! No matter what excuses we make and what explanations we give, these are such sins which draw terrible and severe punishment!!!
INTERFAITH SCHOLARS
There is a saying and it is a reality also: “If you lie down with the dogs, you will wake up with fleas.” …That is, keeping the company of wrongdoers will have harmful consequences. Often, their misdeeds and crimes are infectious and the person falls into transgression. Moreover, you are known by the company you keep.
Presently, we find scholars who are bedfellows with the Shi'as, Christians and Jews, and they have joined the interfaith club, participating in Christian vigils, visiting temples, synagogues, etc. They misrepresent the teachings of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, persuading the people towards this great fitnah of interfaith; advocating that all should join with Christians, Jews and others in the name of unity - Na'uz Billah. These scholars should think as to what their position will be in the hereafter. Their actions, speech and conduct belie the knowledge they have. They have become leaders who mislead.
Of course, there is still an opportunity to sincerely repent. However, if they remain collaborators and “clubmates” with the enemies of Islam, then this affiliation will cause them to rise up with such people on the Day of Qiyamah. …On that day, those who had rejected Allah Ta’ala – the Christians, Jews, Hindus and others will become eternal companions in Jahannum. May Allah Ta’ala protect us.
Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “Whoever is pleased with the action of a nation, then he is a partner to their action.”[4]
Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam also said: “A person is with whom he loves.”
It is mentioned in another Hadith: “…And a person does not love a nation except that he will be raised with them [on the Day of Qiyamah].”[5]
That is, you will be with whom you love and who you want to be with. If friendship and love is with Christians, Jews, Shi’as and Hindus, what a bad condition and what disgrace there will be on the Day of Qiyamah. How grievous the outcome of this association and friendship.
Taking into account all that is unfolding, we find that often the truth is concealed or altered by such scholars. Their similarity is like the Jewish scholars who altered the Words of Allah Ta’ala, deceiving and misleading their people.
“And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say: ‘This is from Allah,’ but it is not from Allah. And they tell lies about Allah while they know.”
[Surah Aal- Imraan 3: 78]
Allah Ta’ala says:
“Indeed, they who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and exchange it for a small price - they consume nothing into their bellies except the Fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. And for them is a painful punishment.”
“Those are they who have purchased misguidance at the price of Guidance, and torment at the price of Forgiveness. How patient they are for the Fire!”
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 174/5]
In the Tafsier of these Aayaat, we learn that there were Jewish scholars who fell into corruption and would issue incorrect rulings in favour of those who bribed them. They would go to the extent of even changing the verses of the Taurah to appease such people.
Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) mentioned in his Tafsier, Ma’ariful Qur’aan, that in this Ayah, there is a warning for the Ulama of the Ummah of Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. They should be wary not to fall into the same evil – concealing the Commandments of Allah Ta’ala for material gain or other worldly motives.
Those who conceal the truth or alter Allah Ta’ala’s Commandments for a few miserable pennies of this world are, in fact, consuming the fire. Allah Ta’ala mentions the consequences:
· He will not speak to them on the Day of Qiyamah.
· He will not purify them, that is by His Forgiveness.
· They will have to contend with a painful punishment.
This, because these scholars opted for misguidance and punishment over guidance and forgiveness. Allah Ta’ala describes them as persistent and bold in their pursuit for Jahannum.
We should thus be very alert as to who we follow and in which direction we are going.
May Allah Ta’ala guide us and protect us and keep us steadfast on our Dien.
[1] Musnad Aḥmad
[2] Sunan Ibn Majah
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari
[4] Kanz-ul-Ummaal
[5] Al Mu’jamul Awsat
