Clarification that the saying "Religion is good conduct" is not a hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and pointing out the error in this phrase
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The Shaykh : What I want to point out on this occasion are two matters. The first matter is that this phrase is not a Prophetic hadith at all.
The second matter is that it is not correct in meaning in its absolute form, and because this construction, in terms of Arabic style, "Religion is good conduct" is on the same meter as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):, and this kind of restriction in the subject and predicate in Arabic style gives importance to this subject, whose predicate was advice .
The one who popularized this phrase "Religion is good conduct" compared it to his authentic saying in the Sahih: So is this good conduct like advice in religion? The answer is: No. There is no doubt that good conduct from a Muslim toward his Muslim brother is, without a doubt, part of the religion, which Islam commands. But it is not the religion, as this construction "Religion is good conduct" implies. Therefore, after this clarification, I say: If we find something of goodness or support in the dealings of the disbelieving Europeans or Americans or others, that does not mean that all their dealings are correct and good. For you know that they live a very miserable life because of their materialism, and as a result of this material life, strange and very, very unusual deviations have occurred. One of their effects was the spread of suicide among the strata of disbelievers. This is a verification of the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: [Taha 20:124-126] So, there is a type of good conduct among the Europeans, but most of their dealings are not good at all. Therefore, if they have something of goodness in their dealings, its origin came from the Muslims, because they were influenced by them when they mixed with them due to the Islamic conquests and due to the occupation of the lands of the disbelievers by the numerous Islamic armies in the past. Then, unfortunately, the situation reversed for the Muslims; they left much of the behavior that their religion commands them to follow.
This is what I can answer regarding such a question, and I do not know if I have answered as it is in the questioner's mind? Perhaps I have.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, something else.
The second matter is that it is not correct in meaning in its absolute form, and because this construction, in terms of Arabic style, "Religion is good conduct" is on the same meter as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
The religion is sincere advice
الدين النصيحةThe religion is sincere advice
الدين النصيحةThe one who popularized this phrase "Religion is good conduct" compared it to his authentic saying in the Sahih:
The religion is sincere advice
الدين النصيحة(124) And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." (125) He will say, "My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?" (126) [Allah] will say, "Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten."
ومن أعرض عن ذكري فإن له معيشة ضنكا ونحشره يوم القيامة أعمى * قال رب لم حشرتني أعمى وقد كنت بصيرا * قال كذلك أتتك آياتنا فنسيتها وكذلك اليوم تنسىThis is what I can answer regarding such a question, and I do not know if I have answered as it is in the questioner's mind? Perhaps I have.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, something else.