Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Allah Ta’ala says:
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بِهٖ
بَعْضَكُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ ط لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوْا ط
وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ط وَاسْأَلُوا اللّٰهَ
مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ ط إِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيْمًا ◌
“And do not wish
for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share
of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned.
And ask Allah of His bounty. Indeed, Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.”
[Surah An-Nisaa
4:32]
With regard to this Ayah and
its teachings, we are instructed by Allah Ta’ala not to covet and pursue those bounties
which others have been given, in preference over us. People are recipients of
different bounties from Allah Ta’ala and certain bounties cannot be otherwise
achieved. We should not pursue vain desires and fall behind those things.
Rather, we should ask Allah Ta’ala for those bounties which are possible to
attain and within our means. With Dua, we should also make an effort.
In Allah Ta’ala’s perfect
distribution, He knows who to give, who not to give, how much to give and
when to give. Allah Ta’ala’s Wisdom accompanies all that He does. We should
understand this point and accept Allah Ta’ala’s decisions and decrees as He has
given the best to everyone. If a person is not content with his or her lot, there will be jealousy,
hatred, revenge and even murder. Life will be very miserable.
REASON FOR REVELATION
This verse was revealed when
Umm Salamah (Radhiyallahu anha), the noble wife of Rasulullah Sallallaahu
‘alayhi wasallam as well as other women expressed their desire to also get
the rewards men get, on what is specifically prescribed to them, such as
performing Salaah in congregation, attending the Jumu’ah Salaah, participating
in military expeditions and Jihad, etc. …Allah Ta’ala has established a system
and delegates different and unique roles to males and females, and rewards both
according to what is commanded of them. The Ayah encourages that we should
instead ask Allah Ta’ala for His Bounty.
Women should be pleased with
their roles as wives, mothers, etc. This is their Jihad. Although not on the
battlefield, women are regarded as forefront fighters. They are the ones who
are tasked with the great work of nurturing and raising generation after
generation. Thus, if she leaves her post to work on a factory floor, in an
office, as an air-hostess, etc. there is nobody else who can fulfil her role as
a wife, mother, etc. – as she would. As such, we find the present chaos! There
is no boredom or uselessness for a woman to be at home! It is her greatest
honour. It is also her wonderful support to her family and contribution to humanity!
Women should not be deluded by
the call and stance of feminists, modernists and others. Their distorted ideas
divest women of respect and dignity and leads to a displaced life, outside of
the safe haven of her home, where she is vulnerable to all kinds of exploitation
and evil.
CHANGING THE CREATION
In our times, on a very
different level, people are consumed with vanity and pursuing physical changes
and transformations. …We all know that people are born of different
nationalities, colours and features - Chinese, Arab, African, Indian, etc. People
are of different heights, have different skin colours, different eye colours,
different hair colours and so forth. …This variety and diversity in the
creation opens the door to the Ma’rifah of Allah Ta’ala. There is no end to the
originality of Allah Ta’ala’s creation. Man merely copies or clones and
thereafter dishonestly and fraudulently credits himself.
Unfortunately, there is much
stereotyping when it comes to beauty, colour, race, ethnicity and so forth. These
are matters which are not in our control. If we pursue them, we will fall into
depression or go to extremes. For example: many want to lighten their
complexion and they use all sorts of creams and undergo different treatments.
Others are light-skinned and want to tan themselves. Many are unhappy with the
type of hair they have and will spend thousands on hair pieces, extensions,
etc. Others are obsessed with tattoos and body piercings to look different.
People undertake cosmetic surgery because they are unhappy over what Allah
Ta’ala has granted them of their shape and form, yet Allah Ta’ala says:
وَصَوَّرَكُمْ
فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ ﺝ
“…And
(He) has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful…”
[Surah Taghabun 64 : 3]
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا
الْإِنْسَانَ فِىْٓ أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ ◌
“We
have indeed created man in the best of moulds.”
[Surah Tin 95 : 4]
When we look into the mirror,
we read the Dua:
اللّٰهُمَّ
أَنْتَ حَسَّنْتَ خَلْقِىْ فَحَسِّنْ خُلُقِىْ
“O Allah, You have
beautified my features, so beautify my character as well.”
In this Dua, we express our gratitude
to Allah Ta’ala, who beautified us in our appearance. The Dua then draws our
attention to what takes precedence to physical beauty, and that is beautiful character.
These extreme measures and procedures, which are undertaken to change
physically are an expression of ingratitude to Allah Ta’ala.
Today, people have gone
further, wanting to change their gender and they undergo complex procedures. In
the process, they suffer tremendous physical, emotional and psychological harm.
And once this kind of gender re-assignment surgery is done, it is irreversible
– with so many deeply regretting their decisions and dealing with painful
consequences life-long.
All of these efforts to change
are from shaytaan. It is shaytaan’s promise:
وَلَاٰمُرَنَّهُمْ
فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللّٰهِ ط
“… and
I will surely order them so they will surely change the creation of Allah.”
[Surah
an-Nisaa 4 : 119]
It is Haraam – totally
forbidden – to undergo a gender change. Be content with what Allah Ta’ala has
made you. You are what you are and accept what you are. If Allah Ta’ala has
made you a man, be a man. Don’t try to become a woman or vice versa. Don’t
pursue what is not in your control. All these evils, which stem from shaytaan
and the enemies of mankind, are meant to destroy humanity; not better humanity.
…If we learn our Dien, all these matters will be resolved.
THOUGHTS
Thoughts will come. …The
Sahabah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhum) also experienced bad thoughts. On one
occasion, some of the Sahabah (Radhiyallahu
‘anhum) presented themselves to Rasulullah
Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam and said: “Our condition is that sometimes
we experience such evil thoughts and sentiments in our hearts that it is most
painful to even mention them.”
Rasulullah
Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said
to them: “But that is pure faith.”[1]
The
Sahabah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were not comfortable or happy with those
thoughts; on the contrary, they were concerned and uneasy, which is a clear
indication of Imaan.
We will not be taken to task or
held accountable for what thoughts comes on their own, into our minds. However,
to invite, accommodate and entertain the wrong thoughts, pursue them and try to
attain them will lead to great problems.
WHISPERINGS OF SHAYTAAN
Shaytaan will whisper all kinds
of evil to mislead us and create doubts in us. At such times, we should turn to
Allah Ta’ala. Seek protection in Allah Ta’ala:
مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ لا
الْخَنَّاسِ ◌ الَّذِىْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِىْ صُدُوْرِ
النَّاسِ
“…from the
mischief of the Whisperer (of evil), who withdraws (after his whisper). He who
whispers into the hearts of mankind.”
[Surah An-Naas 114 : 4/5]
Recite Ta’awwuz:
اَعُوْذُ
بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْم[2]
Establish
the habit of daily reciting the three ‘Quls’[3],
three times each, after Fajr and Maghrib. …Our
Sheikh, Hadhrat Moulana Hakim Muhammad Akhtar Sahib (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
would stress the importance of the recitation of the ‘Quls’. It is a great
fortification against every evil, fitnah and mischief – including the mischief
of the nafs.
When leaving home, read the Dua:
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰه
In the name of Allah, I rely on Allah.
There is no protection (against evil) and no power (to do good) except
with the help of Allah.
Rasulullah
Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: ‘Whoever recites this Dua, it is
proclaimed to him, ‘You have been guided, you have been sufficed (i.e., your
needs have been taken care of), you have been protected,’ and shaytaan leaves
his path.’[4]
DESIRES
If a person has desire to be
something else or somebody else – this does not mean that he must give into the
desire and fulfil the demands of the nafs. We are not the slaves of our
desires. We are the slaves of Allah Ta’ala. …Just as a car has brakes and hand
brakes and will have to be used, so a Mu’min applies brakes on his evil desires
by fearing Allah Ta’ala, remembering death and the hereafter.
If one’s desires are in the
right direction and fulfilled in a Halaal, permissible way – there is no
problem. However, when we give into wrong desires, there is great danger. We
should understand that at times, these wrong things are put as a test for us.
What is carrying on presently –
all the unnatural and abnormal behaviour of the ‘pride’ movement – is not for a
Muslim. A Muslim must not go in that direction. Don’t go in the direction of
Haraam. If caught up in fitnah, make the effort to come out. Change the
direction from Haraam to Halaal. If people are allowed to fulfil their evil
desires, this world will be a jungle of animals in human form. …In fact, this
whole fitnah has made man worse than animals.
Fulfilling one’s evil desires will
drive one further into Haraam. Hadhrat Moulana Jalaluddeen (Rahmatullahi
‘alayh) had equated sins to the salty water of the ocean. Drinking sea
water does not quench one’s thirst; rather it increases thirst and causes
serious harm. Similarly, giving into one’s evil desires increases one in sins,
and inevitably wrecks one’s spiritual well-being and health. Don’t be deceived
by shaytaan.
A Muslim restrains himself from
Haraam and strives against the evil demands of the nafs. In this Jihad against
the nafs, there will be great spiritual progress. Our Sheikh, Hadhrat Moulana
Hakim Muhammad Akhtar Sahib (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) would say: “Don’t
make Dua that Allah Ta’ala removes one’s desires. If there is no desire, one’s
spiritual progress is stunted. Spiritual progress is when you have evil desires
and you suppress and sacrifice them for Allah Ta’ala’s Pleasure.”
Allah Ta’ala promises Jannah for those who restrain
themselves from evil desires:
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهٖ
وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوٰى ۙ فَإِنَّ
الْجَنَّةَ هِىَ الْمَأْوٰى
“But as for him who feared
(in this world) to stand
before his Lord (in the
Hereafter) and restrained himself from (unlawful indulgence in) lust, Lo!
Paradise will be his home.”
[Surah An-Naazi’aat 79 : 40/41]
WHO IS PROMOTING THIS FITNAH?
The actual enemy is shaytaan
who deploys his agents. We should be careful not to become an agent of
shaytaan. A true Muslim can never subscribe to these evils or promote them in
any way. We should not promote their agenda by talking about their pride month,
participating in their marches, etc.
Many non-Muslims also cannot tolerate
these evils and shamelessness. They are speaking out against these vices
because of their own religious and traditional beliefs, wanting to protect
their children and preserve humanity. …As for governments – almost all are
bought out and are sell-outs; if not they are coerced and threatened. We cannot
look towards them as flag bearers of justice, morality and goodness. As for the
media, it is merely a propaganda tool to delude the people and mislead.
Don’t fall prey to all these
immoralities. To combat them, we must speak about the truth. Don’t keep quiet.
Unfortunately, we shy away. The agents of shaytaan talk of the wrong thing and
they continue ceaselessly. They do not stop. We, on the other hand, worry about
others and keep quiet.
Concealing the truth invites
great punishment. The Bani Isra’eel received the curses of Allah Ta’ala because
they concealed the truth. This warning is not only applicable to the Ulama. It
is very easy to blame the Ulama and similarly for the Ulama to blame the
people. All are responsible in their capacity. Each one will be questioned and held
accountable.
Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyas
Sahib (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) would advise that one way to annihilate
falsehood is to talk about Haq. Talk about the right thing. What you talk about
will flourish in the people. Our effort is to promote true, correct morals and
ways. Bring goodness in the people and it will spread. If we want
righteousness, bring righteousness alive.
We must not condemn those who
have become victims; rather try to bring them back ‘home’; to the safety of
Dien. Make them also understand that shaytaan, the devil, is our evil, open
enemy, determined to destroy humanity and take as many to hell with him. Nafs
is our other evil enemy - within us! Allah Ta’ala is our Protector. We have to
turn to Him, seek His help and seek His protection against the assaults and deceptions
of shaytaan, as well as the mischief of nafs. We must also make every effort to
obey Allah Ta’ala, earn His Pleasure and Jannah.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the
Taufeeq and give us firmness and steadfastness in Dien.
by Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is’haq Sahib (Daamat
Barakaatuhu)
