The one that can save you from hellfire and save others from you.
Today, we are living in an era of severe fitnah (trial and tribulations). Islam is under bombardment and its name and image is being damaged from the enemies of Islam, inside and outside.
The external enemies of Islam are not the ones I fear. I am more scared for the so-called Muslim scholars, inviters or even the average Muslim who spread rumours, falsehood and wrong knowledge and understanding of Islam under the banner of Islam. These kinds of enemies are the most treacherous.
With the immense division we are witnessing today, fitnah between each other is adding fuel to the fire of confusion, and the masses, including the youth are becoming lured and trapped into all the flames of the misunderstanding and chaos.
Some of them mean well, and some of them are genuine seekers of knowledge. Yet, by lending our support to the wrong information and unscrupulous persons, many of us are unwittingly aiding the enemies of Islam, whose objective is to create colossal misunderstanding and confusion to the level that leads to the mass rejection of Islam amongst both Muslims and non Muslims.
To our discredit, the majority of the actions against Islam are actually perpetrated by our own hands.
My advice to you is to be careful about every word, action or reaction you take when coming across any information, status update and other sources claiming to be done in the name of Islam. Do not pass on such knowledge, unless you ensure its authenticity first, that it has been quoted in the right context and has reflected the original spirit in which it was revealed.
I consider the following verses to be the constitution of a major warning from Allah, promising a severe torture from Him to those passing knowledge or judgment against individuals, including family members, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters in Islam, neighbours, society and mankind.
O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done. (Al Qur’an 49:6).
This is a command from Allah for all the believers, which means it is an obligation. In this verse, the one spreading falsehood or wrong interpretation is labeled by Allah as a “fasiq”: a person who is utterly evil and completely disgraced. For them, Allah warns of a severe torture.
The Warning Signs
When reading a piece of information, ask who it is originally from, and what the effect is likely to be if it is spread to others. A few are warning signs of messages that should not be spread even if purported to be in the name of Islam:
1. Hate messages. Islam is a message of peace and mercy, and any message of hate, even if claimed to be quoted from Qur’an and Sunnah, goes against this core principle;
2. Insulting other religions: Islam prohibits abusing or making fun of other belief systems, including the deities and methods of worship. This applies to insulting non Muslims or making personal attacks against them;
3. Racism: Any racially biased comments, which marginalise certain races or elevate others, are contrary to the message of racial equality that Islam champions;
4. Promotion of political agendas: Islam is an apolitical belief system. If someone uses Islam as a platform to promote a political creed, that message is based on the person’s own ideology, and not Islam;
5.Violence or bloodshed: A call to arms, or anything that promotes vengeance, demonstrations, upheavals and violence. There is nothing in Islam that justifies the killing of innocent people or attacking any part of civilian society, young or old, men, women or children. If anyone claims that we are entitled to seek revenge because the same is being done to us, and if they quote Hadith and Qur’an to support this, please be aware that such quotes are tightly governed by volumes of strict regulations and ethics. This is why the violent acts in the name of Islam we see recently never existed in the past 1400 years. Much of the mayhem, attacks and killings are new phenomena. They are highly questionable acts and have no roots in Islam, especially if they can harm innocent people;
6. Promotion of Islamic sects or cults: There is only one version of Islam. Those who claim that their methodology of Islam is superior are to be treated with extreme caution;
7. Promotion of “new” values”: Recently, new “Islamic” groups are challenging long established Islamic principles. Their reinterpretation of Islam is not based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, but rather are launched from their own personal dogma. Many of these are motivated by the rejection of certain Islamic teachings, to accommodate their own personal beliefs, desires and lifestyles. Faith, piety and authentic Islamic knowledge are absent from their messages;
8. Controversial messages: Many of these are designed to attract attention and provoke retaliation and hostility, thus multiplying the division in the ummah.
Look at the potential implications of the above. They generate a lot of negative and ugly perceptions of Islam. Non Muslims are now looking through a window into Islam, which is soiled, bloody, full of screaming, shouting and chaos. If a customer looking into a store and this is what they see, how will they be tempted to buy any of the products or even have any dealings with this store?
Today we have to set our house in order, so that it is clean, well scented and filled with beautiful high quality products that people will be attracted to. This high quality product is each one of us, with our honesty, manner, conduct, cleanliness, consideration and all the other qualities promoted by Islam. This is what the Companions did.
In recent history, Umar al Mukhtar, who defended Libya against the Italian occupation, refused to torture the Italian prisoners of war even though the Italians tortured the Muslim prisoner of war. He said:” Our beloved Prophet is our teacher, and the enemy of Islam is not our teacher.”
We cannot allow their actions of our enemies to drag us down to their level of behaviour. We have a constitution which governs our ethics, manner and conduct. Let’s go back to the soul and beautiful ethics of Islam and not be drawn in any act or understanding by others which allows us to behave in a way never sanctioned by Islam before.
What should we do?
We draw to your attention the following verses of the Qur’an:
“Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, in this world and the Hereafter, a grievous penalty would have seized you in that ye rushed glibly into this affair.
Behold, ye received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things of which ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah.
And why did ye not, when ye heard it, say? – “It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to Allah! this is a most serious slander!” Allah doth admonish you, that ye may never repeat such (conduct), if ye are (true) Believers.
And Allah makes the Signs plain to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows, and ye know not.”(Al Qur’an 24:19)
The above verses lay out the warnings and promises of Allah of severe torture to those who spread falsehood, or news, against even one person, without investigation, clarification, proof or evidence.
We all want to do good, but if we violate the sanctity of one person in the process through our lies and slander, the magnitude of that wrong is great in the eye of Allah. What if we are spreading wrong knowledge or understanding of Qur’an or Hadith, historical accounts of Islam, or even the daily affairs and news, which can cause major fitnah to thousands and millions, tarnishing the name of Islam and creating confusion to Muslims and non Muslims alike? What if this makes people turn against Islam?
We should not take this issue lightly nor spread “knowledge” without caring who the author or scholar is, whether the knowledge is sound, in the right context, manner and understanding, and whether or not for the benefit of others. It takes the smallest careless action to trigger a ripple effect that will affect many.
How many of us have initiated division and mischief between each other as an ummah or mankind, with the innocent intention that it looked interesting or might encourage a healthy debate? We should be aware, alert and vigilant about what we say, or post or promote on Facebook, email, Twitter, etc because the sharing of every piece of knowledge is an amanah or trust, for which we will be questioned. At such time, we face Allah with no one to defend our actions. We will be responsible for the consequences, and will then be made to severely account for those few hasty keystrokes which have led others to destruction.
Verify knowledge first with a learned person or persons you trust. When seeking a trusted and learned person, don’t just look at that person’s knowledge, but also to his character, credibility and style of life. A person’s character lies in his conduct, not his words.
Consider if it is wise to pass on such information. Will it benefit or harm? Always ask yourself if what you are doing will be to elevate the name of Allah, Islam and Muslims, or if you are headed in the opposite direction, causing division, misunderstanding, confusion and mischief.
We are at the end of time and each one of us should guard his hand and tongue and think thoroughly, consult, and verify before disseminating everything we come across. We want to be on Allah’s side, not the enemy of Allah, knowingly or in ignorance. Ignorance is not an excuse on the Day of Judgment because it is incumbent on all of us to seek authentic knowledge.
Certain individuals in Islamic history have contributed in the cause of elevating and spreading Islam. They created a wave of change for upcoming generations. We have plenty of such people, from the time for the companions up to today. Now think about your contribution to our condition today, and the effect to your family, society and mankind.
The Golden Advice
“Mankind were one community and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed. And only those to whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it after clear proofs had come unto them through hatred, one to another. Then Allah by His Leave guided those who believed to the truth of that wherein they differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path.” (Al Qur’an 2:213)
“He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah) after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!” (Al Qur’an 25:29)
And how many cities have We destroyed, and Our punishment came to them at night or while they were sleeping at noon. (Al Qur’an 7:4)
The above contain two major warnings. The first is for those who spread division after they gain knowledge, and the Qur’an is filled with warnings for those who do so.
The other, we see now unfolding before our eyes. The ummah is in a state of turmoil and distress. Division, killing, fitnah, oppression, aggression, greed and selfishness are on the rise. There is a spike in natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes etc) and torture from Allah, as a wake-up call and warning to all of us to remedy our behaviour.
When the Companions of the Prophet SAW met each other, the following short chapter was their golden reminder and constitution between each other:
“By Al Asr (the time, or (the Token of) Time (through the ages), Verily! Man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. ” (Surah Al ‘Asr)
Some early scholars said that if Muslims learn this chapter and live it, and make it a constitution of their own lives, it would suffice for them. Please let us study and understand it thoroughly, and make it an essential constitution of our lives.
May Allah make us among those who stand for the truth, spread the truth and be the cause and keys of spreading goodness and locks of evils, ameen yarabb-ilalameen.
