A righteous man, but his brothers do not pray, and he has advised them but they did not respond; what do you advise him regarding his dealings with them or otherwise?
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The questioner : He says: I am a committed young man, praise and thanks be to Allah, but I am suffering from a great problem. I have brothers who do not attend the congregational prayer, nor do they perform it at home, not even for the Friday prayer. Furthermore, they consider forbidden things to be permissible and commit other sins. I have given them tapes, and one of the righteous people called them to the truth, but they did not respond because of their hatred for the people of goodness and faith. What do you advise me to do, whether in terms of dealing with them or otherwise? I also ask you, may Allah reward you, to make du'a for me.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory for you to continue advising them, for perhaps Allah will open their hearts. If they persist in remaining as they are, do not grieve over them and do not let your chest be constricted by it. Know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) preceded you in this, for he used to call his people and call his uncle, even when he was on his deathbed he called him, saying:Sahih al-Bukhari 6681 But, seeking refuge in Allah, he persisted in his shirk (associating partners with Allah), and the last thing he said was that he was on the religion of 'Abd al-Muttalib, which is shirk. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2035Sahih (Darussalam) Then Allah revealed the prohibition: [At-Tawbah 9:113] So you should call them and not despair, and ask Allah for their guidance. If they have a father and mother, ask the father and mother to make du'a for them, because the du'a of a parent for his child is answered.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : As long as he hopes for their guidance, he should do so. If he does not hope for their guidance, let him look at the benefit. It may be that his staying with them results in some deterrence, modesty, and shame, unlike if he left them and distanced himself, in which case they might become even more deviant. Yes, he must do what he can of informing the authorities and the rulers after he has despaired of them. Yes.
The questioner : These are not questions but rather suggestions. The honorable Shaykh says: I hope from you, may Allah reward you and assist you in what you are doing, that you increase your lessons on tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) so that, with the help and power of Allah, you can complete the tafsir of the Qur'an to complete the benefit, by the permission of Allah. For what has been completed of the tafsir is distinguished by precision and the extraction of benefits in a way that has not been preceded. May Allah guide you and bless you, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : It seems he wants tafsir in the lesson.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory for you to continue advising them, for perhaps Allah will open their hearts. If they persist in remaining as they are, do not grieve over them and do not let your chest be constricted by it. Know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) preceded you in this, for he used to call his people and call his uncle, even when he was on his deathbed he called him, saying:
Say: La ilaha illallah, a word with which I will be able to defend you before Allah.
قل لا إله إلا الله كلمة أحاج لك بها عند اللهI will keep on asking for Allah's forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so.
لأستغفرن لك ما لم أنه عنكIt is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : As long as he hopes for their guidance, he should do so. If he does not hope for their guidance, let him look at the benefit. It may be that his staying with them results in some deterrence, modesty, and shame, unlike if he left them and distanced himself, in which case they might become even more deviant. Yes, he must do what he can of informing the authorities and the rulers after he has despaired of them. Yes.
The questioner : These are not questions but rather suggestions. The honorable Shaykh says: I hope from you, may Allah reward you and assist you in what you are doing, that you increase your lessons on tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) so that, with the help and power of Allah, you can complete the tafsir of the Qur'an to complete the benefit, by the permission of Allah. For what has been completed of the tafsir is distinguished by precision and the extraction of benefits in a way that has not been preceded. May Allah guide you and bless you, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : It seems he wants tafsir in the lesson.