Tazkiyyah

When you get involved in da’wah, don’t forget yourself. We see many examples of this–people join the local MSA, and spend 40 hours a week to keep it alive. And the next year, you see them in the bar, with their girlfriend or boyfriend. Or others spend months putting together The Biggest Conference Ever, and while it goes on, they miss all the lectures and mill around outside with their friends, or out in the parking lot arguing about lunches.

Familiarize yourself with Ar-Rajal, companion to the fake prophet Musaylimah. Many people believe that when you don’t practice Islam 100%, you’re not hurting anyone but yourself. But subhanallah, if you look at Ar-Rajal, how many people did he misguide by not practicing Islam? Howmany tens or hundreds or thousands joined Musaylimah because Ar-Rajal endorsed him? If you work or attend school, look around you. How many “Muslims” do you know who don’t wear a beard, don’t observe hijab, they drink, they go clubbing, they have a girlfriend or boyfriend.

A man came to the Prophet (salallhu alayhi wa sallam) from Al-Yamamah, learned some Quran, and apostated and joined Musalimah. His kunya (pet-name) was Ar-Rajal (“the man”). He endorsed Musaylimah. His fitna was more intense then Musaylimah. People thought he was learned and scholarly, and he believed in Musaylimah. It caused a huge doubt among the ignorant people. They felt that if Ar-Rajal listened, they should listen, too. Today, everyone has endorsements.

To know your identity, know your roots. One way to destroy a people is to isolate them from their roots. Muslims today remain ignorant of their identity. Who was the Prophet, (صلي الله عليه وسلم)? What was he like? Who are Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Aisha, Az-Zubayr, Abu Darda? Who was Imam Shafi’ee, Imam Malik, Salahuddin (may Allah be pleased with all of them)? So study your history! Read the seerah of the Prophet, the seerah of the Khulafa, and Islamic history — including major figures like the four imams, Salahuddin, and others.

In Surah Nisaa, Allah says: وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَارِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا وَإِذاً لَّآتَيْنَاهُم مِّن لَّدُنَّـا أَجْراً عَظِيمًا وَلَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا Translation: If We had ordered them to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it. But if they had done what they were (actually) told, it would have been best for them, and would have gone farthest to strengthen their (faith).

The key to gender interaction (aka gender relations) is professionalism. During the lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him, ‘Umar said to one woman sahaba in Abysinnia: “We have more right to the Prophet then you”. She said (to the effect of) “nope”. She approached the Prophet and narrated the incident to him, and he said “‘Umar was incorrect. You (Abyssinians) made hijrah (migration) twice, you get double the reward.

Common reactions among many types of people when their spouse burns their food, or forgets the salt, or oversalts, or otherwise destroys it, are statements such as “what’s wrong with you, don’t you know how to cook” and “didn’t your mother/father ever teach you anything” and so on. Remain patient, as the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) remained when his wives cooked food he didn’t like. He sat, and said nothing at all, nor did he eat from it.

From the teachings of the khulafa rashideen: when you’re about to do something, ask yourself: “Would I be happy and unregretful of how I spent my time today?” If the answer is “no”, then find something better to do with your time. And remember: Time is one of the ONLY irreversable resources. Money comes and goes, status builds, but time, once it’s gone, it never comes back. The Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, said: Two things about which people are deceived are their health and their time.

In Surah Baqarah, Allah says: وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكْمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِؤُونَ Translation: “When they meet those who believe, they say ‘we believe,’ but when they are alone with their shayateen, they say ‘we are with you‘ …” (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:14)1 Although the hypocrites say they believe, they associate their identities with shayateen (devils, or “evil ones”). The lesson: your belief system shapes your identity.

During the reign of Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم), and later, the reign of Abu Bakr, the first Khalifa, may Allah be pleased with him, Khalid bin Walid, commander of the Muslim army, rocked the non-Muslim armies again and again and again and lead the Muslims to many victories. In this way, he became a fitnah–people ascribed victory to him, and not to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). After the battle of Yarmuk, the newly-instated Khalifa, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) removed Khalid bin Walid from leadership of the army and instated Abu Ubaydah (RA) as the commander.