What is your advice for the believer who wants to preserve his religion and his faith?

The questioner : Shaykh, to complete the good words you have been kind enough to share, what do you advise the Muslim who loves to preserve what he has of religion and faith? I mean, there must be some advice that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave to his Companions. So if you would be kind enough to give us a piece of advice to guide us in the time we are living in, with its trials, tribulations, and stumbles, and the like, may Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : In any case, if you are remembering a hadith, remind us of it, and may Allah reward you with good. Otherwise, what I mentioned earlier of the verse and the hadith of Abu Bakr is sufficient, if Allah wills, as an answer to what you asked, with an addition that we always and forever keep coming back to: that the Muslim should continue in seeking beneficial knowledge accompanied by righteous action, and that he should remember the wisdom that came in some of the hadiths. Even though they are weak in terms of their chains of narration, in terms of their meaning they contain profound rulings, such as: "Blessed is the one whose own faults occupy him from the faults of others." Because I truly see that many of our brothers, the students of knowledge, are more concerned with others than with themselves. So I am reminding of this wisdom, and I am not saying this by way of the hadith: "Blessed is the one whose own faults occupy him from the faults of others." And I do not mean, of course, that his being occupied with his fault and his self-accounting should also occupy him from directing his advice to his brothers. No.
The Shaykh : But I do not want the Muslim student of knowledge to reverse the matter, becoming occupied with guiding people and directing them, and then forgetting himself. And yet I repeat the request, perhaps you have a hadith in mind regarding this, so remind us of it, and may Allah reward you with good.

Another questioner : The advice of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to Mu'adh.

The Shaykh : Yes.

Another questioner : The advice of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to Mu'adh.

The Shaykh : And what is it?

Another questioner :

The Shaykh : Yes, there are many advices, and praise be to Allah.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : Shaykh, I remembered a hadith in the context of the conversation, and perhaps we spoke with you about it once on the phone. It is a strange hadith, and what we hear is repeated in the gatherings of our brothers.

The Shaykh : Good.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : The Salafis, despite their greatness in methodology, and praise be to Allah. A hadith in *Mushkil al-Athar* by al-Tahawi and in *al-Mu'jam al-Awsat* by al-Tabarani, from Mu'adh, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: We said, "What is the way out of them, O Messenger of Allah?" He repeated the same word:

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

The questioner : We said, "What is the way out of them, O Messenger of Allah?" He repeated it a third time, then Mu'adh repeated the same question, and then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who had been leaning, sat up and said:

The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : And this confirms the principle that our professor always repeats to us, which is purification and education. The Ummah cannot get out of the trials except by returning to the original command, and it is not possible in these days to return to the original command without going through purification and education.

The Shaykh : Yes.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : Is that not so, my professor?

The Shaykh : There is no doubt and no ambiguity, and praise be to Allah for this advice.
Al-Halabi : Allahu Akbar.

The Shaykh : And among that is the saying of one of the Salaf, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "Follow and do not innovate, for you have been sufficed. Hold fast to the original command." This is derived from the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Hold fast to the original command.

The questioner : O Shaykh, I also remembered a verse related to this. Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, says:

The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Yes, so fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic. That is the foundation of success. But this also needs to be linked to beneficial knowledge, because much of what is claimed to be the fear of Allah is not of it in any way. Knowledge, as we also mention, is the primary, original matter, even in creed. So this issue of beneficial knowledge and righteous action is the starting point for Muslims if they want their former glory and majesty to return to them. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.
Abu Layla : Shaykh, the topics, for example, should be arranged according to... if...

The Shaykh : You, my...Abu Layla : May Allah guide you. In the first place, I wanted to give it the first priority. Now, on the contrary, what is this?
Abu Layla : Shaykh, my intention is so that the people benefit from it with great benefits. Perhaps the Shaykh has da'wah issues and the like, so they would be arranged.

The questioner : If Allah wills, they are written, if Allah wills...

Another questioner : Please go ahead.