Is it permissible to judge the inner state of a person based on circumstantial evidence?
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The Shaykh : And it is not possible to judge a person except by his outward appearance. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Usamah ibn Zayd, who had killed a polytheist who had reached him when he said, "There is no god but Allah." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Sahih al-Bukhari 6872 It is not possible, my brother. The matter of hearts and intentions is far from you, unless you find an apparent circumstantial evidence that indicates it, to the extent that you distort the texts of the Book and the Sunnah.
When socialism appeared in the past, thirty or forty years ago, and some Arab states encouraged socialism, and socialism is from religion, the scholars of the authority, yes, or the scholars of the state, they compromised and distorted the words of Allah and the words of the Messenger from their places to please the rulers. They said that socialism is from Islam. And Shawqi said: "And the socialists, you are their leader" Yes. They made the verse of a poet, of whom Allah knows his state, like a text of the Book and the Sunnah. And they lied about the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he is the leader of the socialists. They began to distort the words from their places. They said: Indeed, Allah the Exalted says, and His word is the truth:[Ar-Rum 30:28] You and those whom your right hands possess are equal in what We have provided for you. If socialism makes the master equal to his slave, how is it equal between the free man and the free man? Yes? It is even more so, it is even more so. And they said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and he said: and the like of that.
We know that their intention is not sound, but a man says something in which there is a possibility, and then we say his intention is sound, this is difficult, very difficult. And if we accused people of their intentions according to what appears to us, there would be difficulty, and this would be the affair of the hypocrites.[At-Tawbah 9:79] The hypocrites slander these and those. If a man comes with a large charity, they say, "He is showing off." And if he comes with a little, they say, "Allah is free of this charity."
The important thing is that this issue has two sides:
The first side: There is no riba in these currencies at all. Riba is in gold and silver.
The second aspect: The forbidden riba is that in which there is exploitation and injustice, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:279], and if the basis of riba, meaning the basis of the prohibition of riba, is injustice, then investment riba has no injustice in it; it has benefit. The worker takes the riba from the bank and benefits; he buys a plow, he buys a car. A plow to plow with, and he benefits. A car to work on, and he benefits. Yes, this has no injustice in it. Is the bank benefiting or not? Answer, people?
The student: Benefiting.
The Shaykh : And what is its benefit?
The student: The riba benefit.
The Shaykh : Yes, the riba increase. So he says: This has benefit for everyone, and consequently it raises the economy of the state, so that the unemployed do not become idle, they go about their affairs, and so that the banks do not become idle either, they profit. So this one profits and this one profits. What is the preventer? Religion did not come except for benefits, and this has not realized harm, because Allah says:[Al-Baqarah 2:279] This is a place of ijtihad in reality, and although it is a mistaken ijtihad in our view, because the evidence indicates that injustice or the absence of injustice is not considered. The evidence is the hadith of the dates that was brought to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Good dates. He said, "Where did this come from?" They said, "We take one sa' of this for two sa' of the bad, and two sa' for three." He said: , and he guided them to sell the bad dates for dirhams, then take good dates with the dirhams. So that indicated that riba is forbidden whether there is injustice in it or not, because such a contract, good dates for bad dates with a difference in quantity, has injustice or not?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Pay attention, there is no injustice, neither apparent nor hidden. I have good dates, one sa' for ten riyals. You have bad dates, one sa' for five riyals. How much does the sa' I have correspond to? It corresponds to two sa'. I gave you one sa' and took two sa'. I gave you one sa' so that you and your family can eat, and I took two sa' to give to the camels and cows. So I benefited from the quantity, and you benefited from the quality. There is no injustice. And yet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it. Good. These are good researches, people. Yes, good. They are more beneficial for you than inheritance.
The questioner : Shaykh. There may be circumstantial evidence by which a person almost becomes certain.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : There may be circumstantial evidence regarding the intention of this... person by which he almost becomes certain.
The Shaykh : By Allah, look, my brother, I say the matter of circumstantial evidence may be based on desire. Sometimes a person, as the poet said and was truthful in what he said:
"The eye of satisfaction is blind to every flaw *** Just as the eye of anger reveals the equalities"
The reality is that a person may have strong circumstantial evidence due to what is in his heart. And we are not far from reading al-Shawkani's (may Allah have mercy on him) letter regarding those who come to the sultans from among the scholars, where he refuted those who refute these people, and they said: These people come to the sultans for a great benefit. Yes, for a great benefit. And he mentioned a strange example, perhaps you remember it, in the story of the man who imprisoned a person to kill him, and the scholar came between him and him. Do you remember this case?
The student: Yes.
Who remembers it? Good.
The student: That the sultan imprisoned a man to kill him.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: So this scholar came.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... the sultan ... after the discussion and response in speech, he said, "We will not kill him, but I will flog him, and you will be the one who flogs."
The Shaykh : He proposed this to the sultan. He said: "Take him out to the people and flog him, and I will be the first to flog him." The scholar says to the sultan. The sultan was pleased with this, since a scholar who is respected by the people wants to stand up and flog this man. Everyone knows whether the sultan is just or not? He wants to know that the sultan is just and right. So the man was brought before the people, and this scholar came down and flogged him, the first to flog him. Yes. So the people cried out, "I seek refuge in Allah. This scholar is assisting the sultan in his injustice and doing and doing." While this man, what prevented him? It prevented his killing, but the people do not know.
So it is not possible. Intentions are very, very difficult. But praise be to Allah, if his statement is wrong, we say his statement is wrong, no matter how high his rank. And we have divided for you previously that scholars are three categories. What are they? A scholar of the state, a scholar of the nation, and a scholar of the religion.
The scholar of the state is the one who issues fatwas according to what the state sees, and distorts the texts for what the state sees.
And the scholar of the nation is likewise the one who issues fatwas according to what is good for the people and makes it respected among them, even if it contradicts the text, but he wants to win the affection of the people.
And the third: The scholar of the religion does not care. He issues fatwas according to what the religion requires, and he does not care about anyone, whether the people are pleased or angry. We ask Allah to make me and you among them.
The time is over. The apparent is...
The questioner : I have a question, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. An important question. Good. And if it is not important? Do you stand until the lesson ends? Do we allow him? Good. Please.
You killed him after he had said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah."
أقتلته بعد أن قال لا إله إلا اللهWhen socialism appeared in the past, thirty or forty years ago, and some Arab states encouraged socialism, and socialism is from religion, the scholars of the authority, yes, or the scholars of the state, they compromised and distorted the words of Allah and the words of the Messenger from their places to please the rulers. They said that socialism is from Islam. And Shawqi said: "And the socialists, you are their leader" Yes. They made the verse of a poet, of whom Allah knows his state, like a text of the Book and the Sunnah. And they lied about the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he is the leader of the socialists. They began to distort the words from their places. They said: Indeed, Allah the Exalted says, and His word is the truth:
He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein
ضرب لكم مثلا من أنفسكم هل لكم مما ملكت أيمانكم من شركاء فيما رزقناكم فأنتم فيه سواءPeople are partners in three things: water, pasture, and fire.
الناس شركاء في ثلاثة : الماء والكلأ والنارWhoever has surplus land, let him give it to his brother or let him cultivate it.
من كان له فضل أرض فليمنحها أخاه أو ليزرعهاWe know that their intention is not sound, but a man says something in which there is a possibility, and then we say his intention is sound, this is difficult, very difficult. And if we accused people of their intentions according to what appears to us, there would be difficulty, and this would be the affair of the hypocrites.
Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and [criticize] the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort
الذين يلمزون المطوعين من المؤمنين في الصدقات والذين لا يجدون إلا جهدهمThe important thing is that this issue has two sides:
The first side: There is no riba in these currencies at all. Riba is in gold and silver.
The second aspect: The forbidden riba is that in which there is exploitation and injustice, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.
إن تبتم فلكم رؤوس أموالكم لا تظلمون ولا تظلمونThe student: Benefiting.
The Shaykh : And what is its benefit?
The student: The riba benefit.
The Shaykh : Yes, the riba increase. So he says: This has benefit for everyone, and consequently it raises the economy of the state, so that the unemployed do not become idle, they go about their affairs, and so that the banks do not become idle either, they profit. So this one profits and this one profits. What is the preventer? Religion did not come except for benefits, and this has not realized harm, because Allah says:
you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.
لا تظلمون ولا تظلمونDo not do this; it is the very essence of riba (usury or interest).
لا تفعلوا هذا عين الرباThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Pay attention, there is no injustice, neither apparent nor hidden. I have good dates, one sa' for ten riyals. You have bad dates, one sa' for five riyals. How much does the sa' I have correspond to? It corresponds to two sa'. I gave you one sa' and took two sa'. I gave you one sa' so that you and your family can eat, and I took two sa' to give to the camels and cows. So I benefited from the quantity, and you benefited from the quality. There is no injustice. And yet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it. Good. These are good researches, people. Yes, good. They are more beneficial for you than inheritance.
The questioner : Shaykh. There may be circumstantial evidence by which a person almost becomes certain.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : There may be circumstantial evidence regarding the intention of this... person by which he almost becomes certain.
The Shaykh : By Allah, look, my brother, I say the matter of circumstantial evidence may be based on desire. Sometimes a person, as the poet said and was truthful in what he said:
"The eye of satisfaction is blind to every flaw *** Just as the eye of anger reveals the equalities"
The reality is that a person may have strong circumstantial evidence due to what is in his heart. And we are not far from reading al-Shawkani's (may Allah have mercy on him) letter regarding those who come to the sultans from among the scholars, where he refuted those who refute these people, and they said: These people come to the sultans for a great benefit. Yes, for a great benefit. And he mentioned a strange example, perhaps you remember it, in the story of the man who imprisoned a person to kill him, and the scholar came between him and him. Do you remember this case?
The student: Yes.
Who remembers it? Good.
The student: That the sultan imprisoned a man to kill him.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: So this scholar came.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: ... the sultan ... after the discussion and response in speech, he said, "We will not kill him, but I will flog him, and you will be the one who flogs."
The Shaykh : He proposed this to the sultan. He said: "Take him out to the people and flog him, and I will be the first to flog him." The scholar says to the sultan. The sultan was pleased with this, since a scholar who is respected by the people wants to stand up and flog this man. Everyone knows whether the sultan is just or not? He wants to know that the sultan is just and right. So the man was brought before the people, and this scholar came down and flogged him, the first to flog him. Yes. So the people cried out, "I seek refuge in Allah. This scholar is assisting the sultan in his injustice and doing and doing." While this man, what prevented him? It prevented his killing, but the people do not know.
So it is not possible. Intentions are very, very difficult. But praise be to Allah, if his statement is wrong, we say his statement is wrong, no matter how high his rank. And we have divided for you previously that scholars are three categories. What are they? A scholar of the state, a scholar of the nation, and a scholar of the religion.
The scholar of the state is the one who issues fatwas according to what the state sees, and distorts the texts for what the state sees.
And the scholar of the nation is likewise the one who issues fatwas according to what is good for the people and makes it respected among them, even if it contradicts the text, but he wants to win the affection of the people.
And the third: The scholar of the religion does not care. He issues fatwas according to what the religion requires, and he does not care about anyone, whether the people are pleased or angry. We ask Allah to make me and you among them.
The time is over. The apparent is...
The questioner : I have a question, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. An important question. Good. And if it is not important? Do you stand until the lesson ends? Do we allow him? Good. Please.