Advice to young men who isolate themselves in abandoned houses and commit evil deeds
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Your Eminence! We have a group of young men living in old abandoned houses. After visiting this group, we found that they were engaged in a number of evil deeds. Unfortunately, this is a phenomenon that has spread in many countries and societies. We found some of these young men sitting in front of satellite dishes, and some of them playing cards. Generally speaking, they spend their time in things that are of no benefit. After visiting them, they wished to hear words from you on this topic and some advice. Perhaps through this, we can send this tape to them, and perhaps this tape will be a cause of their guidance. May Allah reward you with good?
First: Why did they choose these old abandoned houses?The questioner: So that they would be far from the new neighborhoods and from people.
The Shaykh: Are they on the outskirts of the country?The questioner: They are our houses that we used to live in in the past, we and our ancestors.
The Shaykh: So, inside the town.
As for the answer to what you mentioned: The truth is that, unfortunately, the young man has fallen into complete idleness. And you know that idleness is one of the greatest causes of corruption, as the wise poet said:
Youth, idleness, and wealth are a corruption for a man, what a corruption
So what these young men should do is seize the time of their youth in what pleases Allah (Mighty and Majestic), either by seeking knowledge, or by studying among themselves, or by reading tafsir or hadith or other beneficial books. They should avoid gossip, backbiting, obscene talk, describing women, and the like. They should also avoid these temptations that are spread on video or on satellite dishes or on television; because, by Allah, it is the deadly poison that destroys a man’s character first, and then his creed second; because if the character is corrupted, everything is corrupted.For this reason, Allah the Exalted said: [al-Isra: 32] It is a bad path, not just for the sake of zina and attaining desire, but because it causes a turning away from Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) in the heart of a man, and a turning toward the causes of His displeasure and anger.
So my advice to these young men is not to waste their youth in such forbidden matters, and for each one of them to think for a moment: Why were you created? Is the world merely pleasures and desires? Then let him measure himself so that he knows that his heart is in desolation, and that this joy in this amusement is only a physical, outward joy. But the joy of the heart in the remembrance of Allah (the Exalted), and loving Him, fearing Him, and hoping in Him, that is the true joy. So let him think. Then, this young man should avoid such companions; for these companions, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described them, are bad companions: (The example of a bad companion is like the bellower of the bellows: either he burns your clothes or you find a foul smell from him) So the zealous ones for themselves who advise them should avoid the company of these wicked people. And we ask Allah for safety.
Then, their family members, whether a father, an older brother, or an uncle, should observe them, get to know their conditions, and prevent them from associating with bad companions; because every man is a shepherd in his family and is responsible for his flock.
The questioner: O Shaykh! If it were suggested to the rulers—may Allah guide them in this land—that they not rent to these people except with the approval of the authority.
The Shaykh: Their guardian or the general authority?The questioner himself: No, the general authority. I mean, they should not rent until the authority approves of this young man; because, O Shaykh, the majority of those who rent now are fifteen or twenty years old! They are young in age.
The Shaykh: There is no doubt that this is one of the causes of repelling this harm, and a sound path to preventing it.
First: Why did they choose these old abandoned houses?The questioner: So that they would be far from the new neighborhoods and from people.
The Shaykh: Are they on the outskirts of the country?The questioner: They are our houses that we used to live in in the past, we and our ancestors.
The Shaykh: So, inside the town.
As for the answer to what you mentioned: The truth is that, unfortunately, the young man has fallen into complete idleness. And you know that idleness is one of the greatest causes of corruption, as the wise poet said:
Youth, idleness, and wealth are a corruption for a man, what a corruption
So what these young men should do is seize the time of their youth in what pleases Allah (Mighty and Majestic), either by seeking knowledge, or by studying among themselves, or by reading tafsir or hadith or other beneficial books. They should avoid gossip, backbiting, obscene talk, describing women, and the like. They should also avoid these temptations that are spread on video or on satellite dishes or on television; because, by Allah, it is the deadly poison that destroys a man’s character first, and then his creed second; because if the character is corrupted, everything is corrupted.For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
وَلا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلاًSo my advice to these young men is not to waste their youth in such forbidden matters, and for each one of them to think for a moment: Why were you created? Is the world merely pleasures and desires? Then let him measure himself so that he knows that his heart is in desolation, and that this joy in this amusement is only a physical, outward joy. But the joy of the heart in the remembrance of Allah (the Exalted), and loving Him, fearing Him, and hoping in Him, that is the true joy. So let him think. Then, this young man should avoid such companions; for these companions, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described them, are bad companions: (The example of a bad companion is like the bellower of the bellows: either he burns your clothes or you find a foul smell from him) So the zealous ones for themselves who advise them should avoid the company of these wicked people. And we ask Allah for safety.
Then, their family members, whether a father, an older brother, or an uncle, should observe them, get to know their conditions, and prevent them from associating with bad companions; because every man is a shepherd in his family and is responsible for his flock.
The questioner: O Shaykh! If it were suggested to the rulers—may Allah guide them in this land—that they not rent to these people except with the approval of the authority.
The Shaykh: Their guardian or the general authority?The questioner himself: No, the general authority. I mean, they should not rent until the authority approves of this young man; because, O Shaykh, the majority of those who rent now are fifteen or twenty years old! They are young in age.
The Shaykh: There is no doubt that this is one of the causes of repelling this harm, and a sound path to preventing it.