The Meaning of the Hadith: Whoever Pleases People by the Wrath of Allah
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Question:
And this question asks: What is the meaning of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever pleases upon him?”
Answer:
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2414Hasan (Darussalam) This is a hadith that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) wrote to Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) when he asked her for advice. She wrote to him with this hadith, stating that she heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Sahih Ibn Hibban 5:6, and whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by the displeasure of the people, Allah will be pleased with him and the people will be pleased with him. In this is evidence for the necessity of truthfulness from rulers and others.
And that they should not seek to please people by lying, except in cases of taqiyyah (dissimulation), diplomatic handling, or removing oppression; these are dispensations. As for anything other than that, it is not permissible for him to please people. If you encourage a person in sin, or in disobedience, or in what is wrong, you do not leave off advising him and forbidding the evil in the proper manner.
You want to please him, saying, “I am not disturbing his mind.” No, this is harming him. You want not to disturb his mind, but you have harmed him. If you advise him and fulfill what is required of you, you have fulfilled his right over you, meaning the right of advising you. As for saying, “Who will upset him or ignore him?” This is a matter that is not permissible. Yes.
So if you please people by the wrath of Allah and leave off enjoining good and forbidding evil, Allah will be wrathful with you and He will make the people wrathful with you. You did not achieve what you wanted, which was to please the people, and it did not happen because the hearts of people are in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). But if you please Allah, even if the people are wrathful with you, Allah will make the people pleased with you. This is a pure matter. You will find the advising, pious scholars who do not fear the blame of any blamer; you will find them respected by people and loved by people, because Allah was pleased with them and made the people and the hearts of the servants pleased with them. The hearts of the servants are in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
Whereas you will find the lax and the diplomatic; you will find them the cheapest of people, even among the owners of crimes and violations. Yes. This is a matter in the hand of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
And this question asks: What is the meaning of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever pleases
the people by the displeasure of the people, Allah was wrathful with him and He made the people wrathful with him
الناس بسخط الناس سخط الله عليه وأسخط الناسAnswer:
who ever seeks the people's pleasure by Allah's wrath
من التمس رضا الناس بسخط اللهWhoever seeks the satisfaction of people through the anger of Allah, Allah will be angry with him and make the people angry with him
من التمس رضا الناس بسخط الله سخط الله عليه وأسخط عليه الناسAnd that they should not seek to please people by lying, except in cases of taqiyyah (dissimulation), diplomatic handling, or removing oppression; these are dispensations. As for anything other than that, it is not permissible for him to please people. If you encourage a person in sin, or in disobedience, or in what is wrong, you do not leave off advising him and forbidding the evil in the proper manner.
You want to please him, saying, “I am not disturbing his mind.” No, this is harming him. You want not to disturb his mind, but you have harmed him. If you advise him and fulfill what is required of you, you have fulfilled his right over you, meaning the right of advising you. As for saying, “Who will upset him or ignore him?” This is a matter that is not permissible. Yes.
So if you please people by the wrath of Allah and leave off enjoining good and forbidding evil, Allah will be wrathful with you and He will make the people wrathful with you. You did not achieve what you wanted, which was to please the people, and it did not happen because the hearts of people are in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). But if you please Allah, even if the people are wrathful with you, Allah will make the people pleased with you. This is a pure matter. You will find the advising, pious scholars who do not fear the blame of any blamer; you will find them respected by people and loved by people, because Allah was pleased with them and made the people and the hearts of the servants pleased with them. The hearts of the servants are in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
Whereas you will find the lax and the diplomatic; you will find them the cheapest of people, even among the owners of crimes and violations. Yes. This is a matter in the hand of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you.
Source
شرح كتاب الكبائر للإمام محمد بن عبد الوهاب، بداية من باب ما جاء في زعموا — islamhouse.com (48:32)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.