Explanation of the Book of Fitnahs and Rulings-01b

The reciter: Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us from al-Zubayr ibn 'Adi, who said: I heard this from your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : This is intended in general terms: regarding the dominance of the rulers and the disintegration and division of the Muslim community. In general, a time has come that is better than the one before it, but this does not contradict the continuity of the worsening, because a single time period under a hundred years is nothing. If we look at this, we find that the time of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) was much better than the one before it, and the one after it contained evil, but this does not negate what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, because the meaning is in general terms. Also, the evil may be according to the general situation, or it may be according to a part of the land or the Muslim community, in which case it is true that it is worse than what came before it. In this is evidence of the state of the Companions, that they were the jurists and not the readers. When they complained to him about what they were finding from al-Hajjaj, and al-Hajjaj was known for his injustice, aggression, and killing without right, he did not say, "Go out," or "Kill him," or "Assassinate him," or the like. Rather, he said: "Be patient". This is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the way of the righteous predecessors. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: What then? He said: As for what some people do, having tendencies that contradict the way of the righteous predecessors, when they see something they say, "Oh Allah, revolt, hold demonstrations, assassinations, if you can, make objections, and the like," which frightens the Muslim community and prevents it from what it is engaged in. As happens sometimes among us, you find that when an issue arises, it becomes the greatest concern of the youth, and they do not speak except about it, and they are preoccupied with it over things much more important than it. So it divided their thoughts, divided their opinions, and scattered their unity without benefit. And as if this problem, which is considered simple in the view of the righteous predecessors, is as if it is the greatest problem in the world, and that there are no problems in the world other than it. This is undoubtedly contrary to the way of the righteous predecessors. We do not say that we approve of falsehood, but we are patient with the thing that we cannot and are not able to rectify. We must be patient and take other paths than speech, chaos, and tending toward dispersion and division, for this is undoubtedly more harmful than beneficial, if there is any benefit. This is Anas, what did he say to his Companions when they complained to him? He said: "Be patient". And matters do not last. Before him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: And he said: The result is that this issue in our time now may cause much harmful chaos for the youth and society, from their talking about the matters that occur which are not approved. But it is obligatory for us, the rulers, to be patient and deal with things with wisdom, without making them a subject of discussion in every place and every gathering, until we are distracted by them from matters we are engaged in that are greater and more important. If the youth has this tendency, trust that the blessing of his knowledge will be removed. His greatest concern will be to be a rebel against the conditions he has and against the rulers he has. But if his concern is to establish knowledge and root it in his heart, and to deal with matters with wisdom without stirring up trouble, he will attain much good. Therefore, if you ask these brothers who have this tendency about the issues of knowledge that the lowest student of knowledge understands, you will not find that they have any knowledge of it or have stopped at any knowledge in it. We advise you against this path. But this does not mean that we say, "Kill the zeal in your hearts." No, there is a difference between having zeal in one's heart and being distressed by what happens, but being patient and asking Allah for relief, and a person who has no zeal but rebels and makes this matter the talk of every gathering and the occupation of his mind. For this, he lacks much good.