Explanation of the author's statement: "Chapter Twenty-Three: On the Categories of Those Who Deviate from Straightness in the Chapter of Faith in Allah and the Last Day.
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The Shaykh :"Straightness in the chapter of faith in Allah and the Last Day".
We have mentioned many times that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) pairs faith in Him with faith in the Last Day, because faith in Him is the foundation of all faith, and faith in the Last Day is the cause that drives a person to work. If a worker does not believe that there is a resurrection in which people are rewarded for their deeds, will he work or not? If he does not believe that and have faith in it, he will not work. If a person saw only that this is worldly life, where some people live and others die, he would never work for the Hereafter, and he would give himself complete freedom to Satan and desire. Therefore, Allah always pairs faith in Him, which is the foundation of all faith, with faith in the Last Day, which is the sole cause for action.
People are divided in this chapter into three categories, or rather four categories: a group upon the truth, a group of those who delude, a group of those who are ignorant, and a group of those who interpret figuratively. Four categories.
As for the first category, here is its explanation. It says: "The way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, and those who followed them with excellence, upon the straight path in knowledge and action".
"Knowledge" refers to the scientific matters of creed, and "action" refers to the practical matters of the limbs, which pertain to the limbs.
"They are upon the straight path in knowledge and action. This is known by tracing it with knowledge and justice". Pay attention to these two words.
Looking at people if it is not with knowledge and justice becomes a cause for injustice and oppression.
If you look at someone else, look at him with knowledge and justice so that you give him the ruling that befits him. Because if you look with ignorance, you may rule on something he does not deserve, and if you look at him with injustice, you may rule against him with something you see he is innocent of, because you are unjust, because you are unjust. Even if you find indications pointing to what you ruled, and it is among the matters that are hidden, it is not permissible for you to rule against him.
Have you not seen Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) when he caught up with the polytheist with the sword? The polytheist stopped and said: "There is no god but Allah." Usamah thought he said it as a plea to be saved from being killed, so he killed him. Then he informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, and he said: It was not sincere nor from the heart, so he said: .
Pay attention, so ruling on people requires what? Knowledge and justice. So whoever speaks with ignorance is unjust, and whoever speaks with injustice is unjust. And often we suspect a person of something, and then the matter is the opposite.
If you found a man with a woman walking in the market, talking to her and conversing with her, you would say: This man is a failure, he talks to women in the markets and walks with them, there is no good in him. And you ruled that he is a low, base man, because he walks with a woman in the market and talks to her. What do we say about this speech, about this ruling?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Because it is based on what? On ignorance. Did you know that she is a stranger to him? No. So how do you rule?
If you saw a person you know that the woman walking with him is one of his mahram (a relative one may not marry), and you went to the authority, you said: Come, look at this man, and may Allah protect us, he has a stranger woman with him, deal with him, strike him. What would this be? Injustice or ignorance?
The student: Injustice and oppression.
The Shaykh : Yes, injustice and oppression. This is contrary to justice. Therefore, listen to the speech: You must look at people when ruling on them with what? With knowledge and justice, with knowledge and justice. As for ruling with ignorance, this is an error, and as for ruling with injustice, this is an error. And many people you find speaking with ignorance, and perhaps speaking with injustice in ruling on people, and this is haram (forbidden). Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:[An-Nisa 4:58].
Now, whoever looks at the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with knowledge and justice, he rules that it is what? "Upon the straight path, and that they have perfected faith in Allah and the Last Day, and they acknowledged that it is truth in its reality, and in their action they are sincere to Allah and follow His Shari'ah, so there is no shirk (associating partners with Allah), no bid'ah (religious innovation), no tahrif (distortion of a text's meaning), and no denial".
This is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, whoever looks at this way with knowledge and justice knows that it is the best way and that it is the only path to happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
We have mentioned many times that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) pairs faith in Him with faith in the Last Day, because faith in Him is the foundation of all faith, and faith in the Last Day is the cause that drives a person to work. If a worker does not believe that there is a resurrection in which people are rewarded for their deeds, will he work or not? If he does not believe that and have faith in it, he will not work. If a person saw only that this is worldly life, where some people live and others die, he would never work for the Hereafter, and he would give himself complete freedom to Satan and desire. Therefore, Allah always pairs faith in Him, which is the foundation of all faith, with faith in the Last Day, which is the sole cause for action.
People are divided in this chapter into three categories, or rather four categories: a group upon the truth, a group of those who delude, a group of those who are ignorant, and a group of those who interpret figuratively. Four categories.
As for the first category, here is its explanation. It says: "The way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, and those who followed them with excellence, upon the straight path in knowledge and action".
"Knowledge" refers to the scientific matters of creed, and "action" refers to the practical matters of the limbs, which pertain to the limbs.
"They are upon the straight path in knowledge and action. This is known by tracing it with knowledge and justice". Pay attention to these two words.
Looking at people if it is not with knowledge and justice becomes a cause for injustice and oppression.
If you look at someone else, look at him with knowledge and justice so that you give him the ruling that befits him. Because if you look with ignorance, you may rule on something he does not deserve, and if you look at him with injustice, you may rule against him with something you see he is innocent of, because you are unjust, because you are unjust. Even if you find indications pointing to what you ruled, and it is among the matters that are hidden, it is not permissible for you to rule against him.
Have you not seen Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) when he caught up with the polytheist with the sword? The polytheist stopped and said: "There is no god but Allah." Usamah thought he said it as a plea to be saved from being killed, so he killed him. Then he informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, and he said:
Did you kill him after he said "There is no god but Allah"? He said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah, he only said it as a plea.
قتلته بعد أن قال لا إله إلا الله؟ قال نعم يا رسول الله إنما قالها تعوذاDid you kill him after he said "There is no god but Allah"? He kept repeating it until Usamah said: I wished I had not become a Muslim after that.
قتلته بعد أن قال لا إله إلا الله؟ فما زال يكررها حتى قال أسامة : تمنيت أني لم أكن أسلمت من بعدPay attention, so ruling on people requires what? Knowledge and justice. So whoever speaks with ignorance is unjust, and whoever speaks with injustice is unjust. And often we suspect a person of something, and then the matter is the opposite.
If you found a man with a woman walking in the market, talking to her and conversing with her, you would say: This man is a failure, he talks to women in the markets and walks with them, there is no good in him. And you ruled that he is a low, base man, because he walks with a woman in the market and talks to her. What do we say about this speech, about this ruling?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Because it is based on what? On ignorance. Did you know that she is a stranger to him? No. So how do you rule?
If you saw a person you know that the woman walking with him is one of his mahram (a relative one may not marry), and you went to the authority, you said: Come, look at this man, and may Allah protect us, he has a stranger woman with him, deal with him, strike him. What would this be? Injustice or ignorance?
The student: Injustice and oppression.
The Shaykh : Yes, injustice and oppression. This is contrary to justice. Therefore, listen to the speech: You must look at people when ruling on them with what? With knowledge and justice, with knowledge and justice. As for ruling with ignorance, this is an error, and as for ruling with injustice, this is an error. And many people you find speaking with ignorance, and perhaps speaking with injustice in ruling on people, and this is haram (forbidden). Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:
Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice
إن الله يأمركم أن تؤدوا الأمانات إلى أهلها وإذا حكمتم بين الناس أن تحكموا بالعدلNow, whoever looks at the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with knowledge and justice, he rules that it is what? "Upon the straight path, and that they have perfected faith in Allah and the Last Day, and they acknowledged that it is truth in its reality, and in their action they are sincere to Allah and follow His Shari'ah, so there is no shirk (associating partners with Allah), no bid'ah (religious innovation), no tahrif (distortion of a text's meaning), and no denial".
This is the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, whoever looks at this way with knowledge and justice knows that it is the best way and that it is the only path to happiness in this world and the Hereafter.