A Response to Those Who Justify Sin by Saying the Criterion Is What Is in the Heart, Not the Outward Appearance

The Shaykh: This is a fatwa, and it is from some of the scholars.
The student: No, this is not a fatwa. May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh: Hehehehe.
The student: But by the grace of Allah, I have performed the Hajj thirteen times, if Allah wills, and I am committed, and we will complete it, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh: Yes, but isn’t it, I want to ask you a question, isn’t the completion of commitment following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) outwardly?
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh: So where is the commitment?
The student: But he is falling short.

The Shaykh: If this had been before that.
The student: Perfection belongs to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) ... .

The Shaykh: Before you say the word "the criterion is not the outward appearance," may Allah bless you, we would not have liked to hear it from you, especially since you are a brother between two committed brothers, at least outwardly, and Allah takes care of the secrets. But it is established by the Shari'ah and by psychological knowledge that the outward appearance is the indicator of the inner reality. The outward appearance is the indicator of the inner reality. Do not believe a Muslim, for example, who walks naked in the streets, or a woman who is among those who display their adornment, and she says to you, "O Shaykh, the criterion is what is in the heart." Would a Muslim or a Muslim woman say this? Tell me, say it plainly: No.
The student : ... .

The Shaykh: No, O Shaykh, may Allah guide you. The believers are advisors to one another A, so if I said it, or if you said it and I heard you and you heard me, the intention is not that there is a scholar and an ignorant person, or a Shaykh and a student, but rather "the believers are advisors to one another" is the intention. So I intended to draw your attention to the fact that saying "the criterion is not the outward appearance" is not sound, neither by the Shari'ah nor by reason, neither by the Shari'ah nor by reason. So now, if you think that someone else is more knowledgeable than you in one matter or another, but you share with him that you are a person of reason like him, and I am discussing this with you now on the basis of reason: if we see a Muslim woman on the side of the road who is displaying her adornment, and we are gentle with her and draw her attention to the fact that this is contrary to the Shari'ah, and she says to you, "The criterion is what is here," what is your answer? Not the religious one; you might say, "You are more knowledgeable than me." It might be so, but is her answer correct by reason? By reason, is this answer correct? You do not want to answer, so it is your affair. But I am only reminding you; I wanted good for you, and that is all.
The student : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh: Welcome ... . Among the believers when you lead them in prayer So we ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to make us among these guided ones. There is no god but Allah.