The Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning. By what was the beginning of this Ummah rectified, and what is the way to that in light of
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. He saysThe questioner : The Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning". The question is: By what was the beginning of this Ummah rectified? And what is the way to that in light of the division and disagreement we are in?
The Shaykh : Yes, the beginning of this Ummah was reformed by obeying the command of Allah and His Messenger, with sincerity and following, sincerity to Allah and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The end of this Ummah, in our current era, sincerity is missing in many people, and following is missing in many people, is that not so? There are now among the Muslims those who worship graves; they come to the person in the grave and call for aid from him as they call for aid from the Lord of lords (Mighty and Majestic). They call for aid from Allah and the person in this grave as they call for aid from Allah, or even more so when the most severe trials befall them. What do they say? Here "O my master so-and-so, save me", and they do not say "O Allah." The easy things, like obtaining bread or the like, are called upon Allah for, but the difficult things? For so-and-so and so-and-so, for the master so-and-so. Is this a path of the Muslims? No, by Allah, this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) itself.
As for following, many Muslims neglect following. If they pray, they pray in a manner other than the prescribed way. If they purify themselves, they do so in a manner other than the prescribed way. If they perform tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah), they do so in a manner other than the prescribed way. Now, in the tawaf, when you tell a person, "Come, my brother, this book you have has a supplication for the first lap, a supplication for the second lap, a supplication for the third, the fourth, the fifth," and it is forbidden for a person to recite the supplication of the first lap in the second lap. If he does so, he is an innovator who is misguided. Why? Because the first lap has a specific supplication, and a child is not attributed to anyone other than his father. This supplication is for the first lap; it is forbidden to recite a single letter of the supplication of the first lap in the second lap. Even if the tawaf is light and the lap ends before the supplication is finished. Yes, if he is standing at "O Lord" wanting to say "Forgive me" and the lap ends, that is it. It is forbidden to say "Forgive me." Why? Because?
The student: The lap has ended.
The Shaykh : The lap has ended, and the reverse is the reverse. The reverse is the reverse. If the tawaf is crowded and the supplication ends before the lap ends, what does he do? Yes.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Let him repeat the supplication. He stays silent. He stays silent until the second lap comes, and then he recites the supplication of the second lap. If he says this is a bid'ah (religious innovation), the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not assign a specific supplication to each lap. He said: No, you do not know. And he refuses but to walk in this bid'ah. Well, where is the following? Did the Messenger teach the Companions to say a specific supplication for each lap? Never. The utmost of it is the takbir (saying Allahu akbar) at the Black Stone or[Al-Baqarah 2:201] between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone. As for these supplications, Allah has not sent down any authority for them, to assign a supplication to each lap. And so you find wonders from these common people, and a common person with a book, a clear letter, and the title "Supplication of the First Lap" in large letters. It is not acceptable from you. So I say, by what was the beginning of this Ummah rectified? By complete sincerity and following.
If this Ummah now returned to what its Salaf (the earliest generations) were upon of sincerity and following, the matter would return as it was, because Allah says:[At-Tawbah 9:33] For what? [At-Tawbah 9:33] This religion will prevail over every religion if we act upon it. And He the Exalted said: [Al-Hajj 22:40-41].
The second part of the question, what is the second part?
The questioner : He says, in light of the division we are in, advice for the youth.
The Shaykh : He did not say advice. I did not hear advice. Give it to me. Bring it, bring it. Do not change it. Read, read.
The questioner : The time is up, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Read, read. Yes, let us complete this.
The questioner : The Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning". The question is: By what was the beginning of this Ummah rectified, and what is the way to that in light of the division and disagreement we are in?
The Shaykh : Yes, the way to that is the sincerity of intention. The sincerity of intention is that a person has a sincere intention to return to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), not to what the fathers and grandfathers were upon if it contradicts the Shari'ah. If we were sincere in intention and each of us humbled himself to the truth without looking at his position, his presidency, his salary, or his rank, it would be easy for us to return to what the righteous Salaf were upon. But if everyone wants people to follow him, whether right or wrong, then it is not possible for the Ummah to return to its former glory.
I see that the scholars of the Muslims from every land should gather with sincerity and advice to Allah and His Messenger, and to the leaders and common people of the Muslims. Then they should study the current conditions of the Muslims and what is happening, and start with the most important, then the next, and take it step by step, because reform between one evening and the next is impossible. And if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to whom revelation was sent, stayed in Mecca for how many years? Thirteen years calling people, and the call did not succeed in Mecca as it should have. So how about us?
I see that the scholars of the Muslims from every land should gather and discuss the conditions of the Muslims, and issue a general statement in which they outline for the Muslims the plan that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were upon. And they should not hasten the matter so that they want the Ummah to be rectified between one evening and the next. Rather, patience is necessary. If they are sincere to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), sincere to Allah, and follow the best path, Allah will make things easy for them.
I ask Allah the Exalted to make our affairs easy, and to make us among those whom Allah made easy for the easy path and kept away from the difficult path, and to forgive them in the Hereafter and the first life.
And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh : Yes, the beginning of this Ummah was reformed by obeying the command of Allah and His Messenger, with sincerity and following, sincerity to Allah and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The end of this Ummah, in our current era, sincerity is missing in many people, and following is missing in many people, is that not so? There are now among the Muslims those who worship graves; they come to the person in the grave and call for aid from him as they call for aid from the Lord of lords (Mighty and Majestic). They call for aid from Allah and the person in this grave as they call for aid from Allah, or even more so when the most severe trials befall them. What do they say? Here "O my master so-and-so, save me", and they do not say "O Allah." The easy things, like obtaining bread or the like, are called upon Allah for, but the difficult things? For so-and-so and so-and-so, for the master so-and-so. Is this a path of the Muslims? No, by Allah, this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) itself.
As for following, many Muslims neglect following. If they pray, they pray in a manner other than the prescribed way. If they purify themselves, they do so in a manner other than the prescribed way. If they perform tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah), they do so in a manner other than the prescribed way. Now, in the tawaf, when you tell a person, "Come, my brother, this book you have has a supplication for the first lap, a supplication for the second lap, a supplication for the third, the fourth, the fifth," and it is forbidden for a person to recite the supplication of the first lap in the second lap. If he does so, he is an innovator who is misguided. Why? Because the first lap has a specific supplication, and a child is not attributed to anyone other than his father. This supplication is for the first lap; it is forbidden to recite a single letter of the supplication of the first lap in the second lap. Even if the tawaf is light and the lap ends before the supplication is finished. Yes, if he is standing at "O Lord" wanting to say "Forgive me" and the lap ends, that is it. It is forbidden to say "Forgive me." Why? Because?
The student: The lap has ended.
The Shaykh : The lap has ended, and the reverse is the reverse. The reverse is the reverse. If the tawaf is crowded and the supplication ends before the lap ends, what does he do? Yes.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Let him repeat the supplication. He stays silent. He stays silent until the second lap comes, and then he recites the supplication of the second lap. If he says this is a bid'ah (religious innovation), the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not assign a specific supplication to each lap. He said: No, you do not know. And he refuses but to walk in this bid'ah. Well, where is the following? Did the Messenger teach the Companions to say a specific supplication for each lap? Never. The utmost of it is the takbir (saying Allahu akbar) at the Black Stone or
Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good
ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة حسنةIf this Ummah now returned to what its Salaf (the earliest generations) were upon of sincerity and following, the matter would return as it was, because Allah says:
It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth
هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى ودين الحقto manifest it over all religion
ليظهره على الدين كلهAnd Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might. (41) [And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.
ولينصرن الله من ينصره إن الله لقوي عزيز الذين إن مكاناهم في الأرض أقاموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة وأمروا بالمعروف ونهوا عن المنكر ولله عاقبة الأمورThe second part of the question, what is the second part?
The questioner : He says, in light of the division we are in, advice for the youth.
The Shaykh : He did not say advice. I did not hear advice. Give it to me. Bring it, bring it. Do not change it. Read, read.
The questioner : The time is up, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Read, read. Yes, let us complete this.
The questioner : The Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The end of this Ummah will not be rectified except by what rectified its beginning". The question is: By what was the beginning of this Ummah rectified, and what is the way to that in light of the division and disagreement we are in?
The Shaykh : Yes, the way to that is the sincerity of intention. The sincerity of intention is that a person has a sincere intention to return to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), not to what the fathers and grandfathers were upon if it contradicts the Shari'ah. If we were sincere in intention and each of us humbled himself to the truth without looking at his position, his presidency, his salary, or his rank, it would be easy for us to return to what the righteous Salaf were upon. But if everyone wants people to follow him, whether right or wrong, then it is not possible for the Ummah to return to its former glory.
I see that the scholars of the Muslims from every land should gather with sincerity and advice to Allah and His Messenger, and to the leaders and common people of the Muslims. Then they should study the current conditions of the Muslims and what is happening, and start with the most important, then the next, and take it step by step, because reform between one evening and the next is impossible. And if the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to whom revelation was sent, stayed in Mecca for how many years? Thirteen years calling people, and the call did not succeed in Mecca as it should have. So how about us?
I see that the scholars of the Muslims from every land should gather and discuss the conditions of the Muslims, and issue a general statement in which they outline for the Muslims the plan that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were upon. And they should not hasten the matter so that they want the Ummah to be rectified between one evening and the next. Rather, patience is necessary. If they are sincere to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), sincere to Allah, and follow the best path, Allah will make things easy for them.
I ask Allah the Exalted to make our affairs easy, and to make us among those whom Allah made easy for the easy path and kept away from the difficult path, and to forgive them in the Hereafter and the first life.
And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.