Interviewer:
As-Salamu Alaikom wa Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon you).
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, his folks and companions, and whoever follows his way of life in the best manner till the Day of Judgment.
Welcome, dear brothers in faith, dear listeners. We meet with Dr. Sheikh Rateb Al-Nabulsi to discuss some issues related to the Islamic Community. May Allah the Almighty, benefit us from his knowledge, reward him with the best reward, and make him among the sincere servants.
Before starting this discussion, let me give a brief overview of the biography of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Rateb Al-Nabulsi, may Allah protect him.
He was born in Damascus in 1938, and he is a member of a family of religious knowledge. His father was one of the notable scholars of Damascus, and he studied at Masjid Sheikh Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-Arabi, and at Masjid Sheikh Abdul Ghani Al-Nabulsi.
He left a large library that contains some manuscripts, and then he studied at Damascus primary, intermediate and secondary schools. After secondary school, he enrolled at Teachers Training Institute, and he graduated from it in 1956. Then he enrolled at the Faculty of Literature, Department of Arabic Language at Damascus University, and graduated in 1964. After that he enrolled at the Faculty of Education at Damascus University to pursue postgraduate studies, and in 1966 he obtained a diploma in Educational Qualification with an excellent grade. Then, he studied M.A at the University of Lyon, Lebanon Branch. The subject of his M.A thesis is "Tawfiq Al-Hakim as a Critic".
After that he worked as a teacher at the secondary schools and then at faculties. He was appointed as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at Damascus University in 1969.
He is the author of Etiquettes of Life and The Principles of Teaching the Arabic Language. He sought religious knowledge early in his life, and he became committed to Shari'ah lessons taught by a number of notable scholars of Damascus. He studied the interpretation of the Noble Quran and Hadith, Fiqh (jurisprudence), Sirah (biography of the Prophet, peace be upon him) and religious Fara'id (obligations).
He was licensed for narrating the Noble Hadith by his Sheikh Subhi Al-Saleh, the professor of the Quranic and Hadith sciences and Fiqh of Arabic Language at Damascus University,.
In 1974 he was appointed a Khatib in his grandfather's Masjid Sheikh Abdul Ghani Al-Nabulsi and a teacher of religious sessions in several Masajid in Damascus. He is still preaching at Al-Nabulsi Masjid and gives religious lessons.
He was also appointed as a supervising member of Nahj al-Islam magazine, and he was appointed as director of the Institute for Memorizing the Quran in Al-Nabulsi Masjid. Furthermore, he was appointed as a member in various other committees; he was on the official Hajj mission for three years. Moreover, he represented Syria in the ISESCO conference which was held in Rabat in 1993.
He has lot of works, such as books and articles. I beseech Allah the Almighty to make him a pillar of Islamic Knowledge to this Ummah, and to be one of the sincere hard-working scholars.
Dear brothers, we move with you to talk to Dr. Rateb Al-Nabulsi.
Dr. Nabulsi, As-Salamu Alaikom.
Dr. Rateb:
Wa Alikom As-Salam wa Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh.
Interviewer:
Today we are talking to you from the Islamic Voice Radio Station in Sydney- Australia. We are on air, and Muslims from all over Sydney are listening to us now. In this interview, we would like to thank you for enriching this radio station with valuable tape-recorded lectures and on air ones that reached every Muslim's house in the Islamic Community. Thus, there is no need to introduce you to the people of the Islamic Community who know you very well and who are used to listen to your lectures carefully.
First of all, we would like you to address the Islamic Community with your effective words.
Man is the foremost creature in the universe who is dignified and assigned by Allah:
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest.
Dr. Rateb:
Dear noble brothers, the people of the Islamic Community in Sydney in particular and in Australia in general, the first fact I would like to mention is that man is the foremost creature in Allah's Sight. The proof is in the following Ayah:
﴾ Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).﴿
Besides, man is the honored creature by Allah the Almighty and the proof is in Allah's Words:
﴾ (And indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with At-Taiyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preference.) ﴿
Man is Divinely assigned to fulfill his religious duties, such as worshipping Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).) ﴿
Among the most accurate definitions of worship is that it is a voluntary act of obedience mixed with heartfelt love, based on certitude, and leads to eternal happiness. Through this precise definition, it is clear that in religion there are three major issues; the issue of knowledge, the issue of manners, and the issue of aesthetics. If man does not consider these three major issues, he will go to the extreme, and he will not excel in anything. Excellence means seeking the knowledge that brings happiness to man in his religion and in the worldly life.
When he applies what he learns, he will be connected to the Origin of the universe, and to the essence of beauty, Allah, may His Glory be glorified, and so he will be pleased with being close to Him in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
Safety and happiness are two basic needs in man's life:
Every man, whenever and wherever he might be, seeks two basic needs: his safety and his happiness. In order to meet these needs, he has to apply the Divine Instructions of the Creator.
Man is the most complicated machine in the universe, and this machine was created by Wise Creator Who has the instructions of operation and maintenance. Hence, as long as man follows these instructions, he will guarantee his safety, and the closer he is to Allah, the happier he will be. Accordingly, the only way to meet these basic needs is to follow the Divine Way. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything).) ﴿
In another Ayah, He the Almighty says:
﴾ (And none can inform you (O Muhammad PBUH) like Him Who is the All-Knower (of each and everything).) ﴿
By Fitrah (man's innate disposition), man likes his existence, safety, perfection and the continuity of his existence. However, he will not be able to reap the fruitful results of his deeds unless he follows the Divine Way of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
Accordingly, the matter of being religiously committed is not a secondary matter, or a matter that can be neglected, but rather it is a fateful one.
Man is but a number of days:
Man is nothing but a number of days, and whenever a day passes away, a part of him passes away. Allah, may His Glory be glorified swears by the time, because man is time in his reality. Allah the Almighty says to man:
﴾ (By Al-'Asr (the time)* Verily! Man is in loss) ﴿
Allah Almighty swears by time to man who is the foremost creature, but at the same time he is no more than few days, and whenever a day passes away, a part of him passes away. This is the greatest truth in the definition of man; he is but few days, and whenever a day passes away, a part of him passes away. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Verily! Man is in loss) ﴿
He is definitely in a loss, because the passage of time consumes him. What should he do to avoid such a loss? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (By Al-'Asr (the time)* Verily! Man is in loss* Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar)which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad, etc.).) ﴿
Man either consumes time, like most people do by enjoying themselves and eating as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode, or he invests his time in useful things. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (By Al-'Asr (the time)* Verily! Man is in loss* Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad, etc.).) ﴿
Knowing Allah the Almighty is unavoidable.
Knowing Allah is the essence of religion:
Knowing Allah the Almighty is the essence of religion, and man can know Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, through His Creations:
﴾ (Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire* "Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers.) ﴿
[ [Aal-'Imran, 190-191] ]
Allah the Almighty is known through His creation as well as through His Actions:
﴾ (Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who rejected truth.") ﴿
In addition to His Creations and Actions, Allah is known through His Words:
﴾ (Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?) ﴿
The Divine Signs in the universe are Allah's Creations, whereas the formative Divine Signs of Allah are His Actions and the Quranic Ayaat which are His Words.
The believers are those who have known Allah the Almighty, and so they obey His Orders, keep away from His Prohibitions, do righteous deeds, act upon Allah's Order, help His Creations, remain patient on Allah's Divine Qada' and Qadar (Destiny and Decree), remain patient while avoiding sinning and obeying Allah's Commands, and recommend one another to the truth. Furthermore, these believers call people to Allah the Almighty, and this is what they are supposed to do as believers. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah i.e to the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge.) ﴿
Whoever follows Allah's Messenger, should call to Allah with sure knowledge; his Da'wah should be supported with proofs from authenticated religious texts. Actually, Da'wah to Allah is Fard Ayn on every Muslim, lest Batil (falsehood) spreads wider than Al-Haqq. If this happens, all Muslims will be blamed and will be considered sinners.
Surat Al-Asr contains serious facts that if people think of attentively, they will be enough for them to understand the purpose of their existence. Regarding this point, let me repeat what I have said earlier: By Fitrah, man likes his existence, safety, perfection and the continuity of his existence. However, he will not be able to guarantee his safety and happiness unless he knows Allah the Almighty and the purpose of his existence.
The good deed is the price of Jannah:
When Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, has assigned man to bear the trust (his ownself), and man has done that, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds)* And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, etc. or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds).) ﴿
Whoever, achieves the purpose of his existence, purifies his ownself. Such purification is the price he pays to be admitted to the Jannah Allah the Almighty has created him for.
The serious truth is that man has been created for the Jannah that is as wise as the heavens and the earth are, so the worldly life is but an abode wherein he gets himself prepared to pay the price for Allah's Jannah. Listen to the following Hadith, please:
(( (O people, this worldly life is a place of crookedness and is not a place of straightforwardness. It is a place of grief and is not a place of joy. Whoever recognizes this will not feel joy at [the achievement of] some hope [because, he knows it is temporary] or feel grief at wretchedness. Allah has meant for the worldly life to be a place of trial, and has meant for the Hereafter to be a place of ramification. Hence, He has made the adversity of the worldly life a reason for the reward in the Hereafter, and He has made the reward of the Hereafter a compensation for the adversity of the worldly life. He takes to give and afflicts to reward.) ))
Dear noble brothers, the person who travels to a distant country, stays at a hotel, wakes up in the morning of the first day, eats breakfast, and wonders what he should do next, the first question he will be asked is: why he has come to this country, so that we can give him the proper answer? If he is a student, and he comes to pursue knowledge, he should go to a certain institute or faculty. If he is a trader, he should go to the factories and companies. If he is a tourist, he should go to tourist attractions. Why do I give you such an example? I want to show you that whatever you do is based on knowing the purpose of your existence in a certain place. Much in the same line, your actions and deeds will not be done the right way unless you know the purpose of your existence. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!) ﴿
Knowing the truth about the universe, the worldly life and man is a delicate matter in religion, because the endless happiness or misery is closely related to such knowledge as referred to in the following Hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
﴾ (I swear by the One who controls my life that there is no asking, petitioning or soliciting favor of God after death, and there is no home after this world except for Heaven and Hell.) ﴿
[ [Al-Jame' As-Saghir, on the authority of Hamzah bin Hamran] ]
[ ]
Knowing the purpose of your existence guarantees you success in all aspects of your life. Furthermore, performing good deeds is the price for the Jannah for which man has been created:
﴾ (No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.) ﴿
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said in Hadith Qudsi what Allah the Almighty said:
(( (Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said, "Allah said, "I have prepared for My Pious slaves things which have never been seen by an eye, or heard by an ear, or imagined by a human being." If you wish, you can recite this Verse from the Noble Qur'an: "No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do." (32.17).) ))
[ [Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Abi Hurairah] ]
Whoever knows Allah the Almighty, strives in the worldly life in order to be rewarded in the Hereafter, because it is the abode that befits his deeds. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (PBUH) calls you to that which will give you life...) ﴿
Allah the Almighty calls us to true life, to the life we deserve and for which we have been created. It is the life which leads man to the Jannah of His Lord in the Hereafter.
Being religiously committed is a fateful issue:
There is one more thing regarding the point we are discussing. If a student has an exam after few days, and this exam is important for his future, and given his job, marriage and happiness in the worldly life are based on this exam, in this case he will be extremely worried about it. Now if he spends his time with his dear friends in a beautiful house where the view is fascinating and the food is delicious, why does he feel distressed? He feels so because these things he did do not serve his purpose. In other words, when the actions contradict the goal man aims at, he will be distressed. If this student sits in an ordinary place studying hard for his exam, he will be happy. This example reflects the reality of happiness.
In fact, when you act according to the goal you aim at, you will be dearly comfortable, but when your actions do not serve your goal, you will feel gloominess. This explains the happiness casted into the heart of the believer who acts according to the purpose of his existence. Better yet, he is the happiest man. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision)…) ﴿
He the Almighty also says:
﴾ ("But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."* He will say: "O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)."* (Allah) will say: "Like this, Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) came unto you, but you disregarded them (i.e. you left them, did not think deeply in them, and you turned away from them), and so this Day, you will be neglected (in the Hell-fire, away from Allah's Mercy)." ﴿
The issue of being religiously committed, the issue of knowing Allah the Almighty, and the issue of knowing the truth about the worldly life, are crucial, because gaining happiness in the worldly life and the Hereafter is based on understanding these issues properly. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make.) ﴿
Is it acceptable that the good man and the bad one, the steadfast man and the immorally one, the honest man and the dishonest one, the modest man and the arrogant one and the just man and the oppressive one, stand on an equal footing in The Sight of Allah? If they were so, then such a thing would contradict Allah's Justice and Existence. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Is then he who is a believer like him who is Fasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allah)? Not equal are they.) ﴿
In another Ayaat, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?* What is the matter with you? How judge you?) ﴿
He the Almighty also says:
﴾ (Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise), which he will find true, like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in the Hell-fire)?) ﴿
Man's happiness is manifested in obeying Allah the Almighty:
Dear noble brothers, the people of the Islamic Community in Australia, Allah may His Glory be glorified, has created man to grant him happiness. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth – Islamic Monotheism) and for that did He create them.) ﴿
True happiness is found only in obeying Allah the Almighty. He the Almighty says:
﴾ (And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise). ﴿
True success, prosperity, achievement and excellence are all achieved and gained through knowing and obeying Allah the Almighty. Listen to the following Hadith, please:
(( Abu Dharr and Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Fear Allah wherever you are, do good deeds after doing bad ones, the former will wipe out the latter, and behave decently towards people". ))
[ [At-Tirmithi, on the authority of Abi Dharr] ]
The sound Aqidah is the essence of religion:
Dear noble brothers, the entire universe is a manifestation of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah. There are more than 1.300 Ayaat in Quran bout the universe. These Ayaat are headlines so that man will ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth. In fact, when you know Allah the Almighty properly, and then you know His Commands, you will obey Him in the best manner, but if you know the Divine Commands, but you don't know the Commander, you will find ways to break away from His Orders.
Let me clarify this point by giving you an example: if you are informed by the postal office to pick up a registered letter, you will not be worried about going or not going there, but if you receive a letter from a powerful party, you will not be able to sleep all the night thinking of such a letter. Why do you act differently in both cases? Because the sender is different. Hence, when you know Allah the Almighty properly, and then you know His Commands, you will be dedicated to obeying Him, but if you know the Divine Commands, and you don't know the Commander, you will artfully break away from His Commands.
Dear noble brothers, as I have said, the issue of being religiously committed is crucial. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an)?* And you laugh at it and weep not* Wasting your (precious) lifetime in pastime and amusements (singing, etc.).) ﴿
We beseech Allah the Almighty to guide us to do the right thing and to have sound belief in the Aqidah, because it is the foundation of the religion and the most serious matter in it. If your Aqidah is right, everything will be right, but if it is corrupted everything else will be corrupted as well.
Aqidah is like the scale with which you weigh everything, so if this scale is not accurate, whatever is weighed in it will not be accurate either. However if weighing things is not done properly, while the scale works well, then such a mistake can be corrected. Therefore, the gravest mistake in religion is to have false beliefs that contradict the Book (the Noble Quran) and Sunnah. However, if someone sins, this can be fixed by repenting, and Allah will accept his repentance.
Questions and answers:
Interviewer:
After this introduction, I am waiting for the questions of dear brothers.
We are thankful to you dear Sheik for this useful introduction. During our discussion, we - with Allah's Help- allow the listeners to ask you questions, so I would like to remind them of the number: 97426061.
May we start dear Sheikh?
The first question we would like to ask you is about injustice, which is common among people. Some people have misconceptions about maintaining kinship ties and defending one's own rights. To clarify, some parents abuse their rights upon their children to impose things on them they do not have the right to impose. Also, in some cases people sever ties with their relatives out of arrogance, and they insist on this, while their relatives are religiously committed, and they fear Allah, but they cannot do anything about this. What should they do in this case? Can they react to their relatives the same and sever the ties with them or should they maintain their ties and humiliate themselves before their relatives? Or should man not pardon others unless he gets his own rights first?
We hope that you clarify this issue, because many people take advantage of the piety to wrong them.
The bad relationship between relatives causes hostility and enmity:
Dr. Rateb:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. First of all, Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says in his Noble Book:
﴾ (So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you…) ﴿
This Ayah refers to the point that every believer should fix his relationship with Allah the Almighty, then he should fix his relationship with his surroundings, and after that he should fix the relationship between people. All the Divine Orders in the Noble Quran are obligatory.
﴾ (So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you…) ﴿
Listen to the Hadith, please:
(( (Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Beware of evil with each other, for indeed it is the Haliqah." [The meaning of his saying]: "Süw'a Dhãt Al-Bain (evil with each other) is enmity and hatred, and his saying: "The Haliqah" [it is said] that it severs the religion.) ))
[ [At-Tirmithi, on the authority of Abi Huriarah] ]
Here is another Hadith:
(( (Ya'eesh bin al-Waleed narrated that a freed slave of the family of az-Zubair told him that az-Zubair bin al-'Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to him that The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy and hatred. Hatred is the 'shaver' (destroyer). I do not say that it shaves hair; rather its shaves (destroys) religious commitment. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that will help you to achieve that? Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves.') ))
[ [At-Tirmithi, on the authority of az-Zubain bin al-Awwam] ]
The bad relationship between kins will reflect badly on their religion:
(( (Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Beware of evil with each other, for indeed it is the Haliqah." [The meaning of his saying]: "Süw'a Dhãt Al-Bain (evil with each other) is enmity and hatred, and his saying: "The Haliqah" [it is said] that it severs the religion.) ))
[ [At-Tirmithi, on the authority of Abi Huriarah] ]
If you look for the reason behind enmity and hatred among relatives, you will find it in the following Ayah:
﴾ (And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection (when they discarded Allah's Book, disobeyed Allah's Messengers and His Orders and transgressed beyond bounds in Allah's disobedience), and Allah will inform them of what they used to do.) ﴿
The relationship between any two obedient Muslims should lead to affection between them. This is a fact.
﴾ (And He has united their (i.e. believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) ﴿
This deep affection among believers, relatives, neighbors and those who have a solid relationship, is created by Allah the Almighty, and it can never be ruined but due to a sin committed by one of them.
Obeying Allah entails having affection among relatives, neighbors and believing brothers. Think of how great the affectionate relationship among the Noble Companions was! This is because they were all obedient to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. Well, if the members of a certain society are disobedient to Allah, enmity and hatred shall arise between them. This is a Divine Rule:
﴾ (…and none can alter the Words (Decisions) of Allah.) ﴿
We call people to be obedient to Allah the Almighty, because by doing so affection among us, believers, remain strong. It was reported in the Noble Hadith, that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
(( (The believers advise one another, and they are kind to one another even if they live far from each other, whereas the hypocrites deceive one another and envy each other even if they live close to one another.) ))
[ [Al-Baihaqi in Shu'ab Al-Iman, on the authority of Qatadah] ]
This is one issue.
Obeying the Noble Prophet in social issues strengthens ties among kins:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us the things that strengthen the relationship between believers and their relatives, such as greeting, accepting the invitation, and avoiding backbiting. In fact, avoiding backbiting, mocking, rebuking, disdaining, and denying others' favor establishes an affectionate relationship between believers and their relatives. On the other hand, when people disobey Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, backbite one another, mock one another, plot with the enemy against one another, criticize one another sharply, and humiliate one another, enmity shall arise between relatives.
Accordingly, following the social manners of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, generates compassion and love between relatives, while disobeying his commands is the cause of enmity and hatred among them. I am not exaggerating if I say: The most dangerous thing that threatens religion is enmity among believers; moreover, such enmity is considered Kufr. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And how would you disbelieve, while unto you are recited the Verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH)?) ﴿
When you do not act upon Allah's Way, Shaitan will find a way to cause disputes among us, which lead to hatred and enmity. As a result, we become weak:
﴾ (And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).) ﴿
Listen to this Hadith, please:
(( (Nu'man bin Bashir reported that his mother bint Rawaha asked his (Nu'man's) father about donating some gifts from his property to his son. He deferred the matter by one year, and then set forth to do that. She (Nu'man's mother) said: "I shall not be pleased unless you call Allah's Messenger (PBUH) as witness to what you confer as a gift on your son." (Nu'man said): "So father took hold of my hand, and I was at that time a boy, and came to Allah's Messenger (PBUH), and said: "Allah's Messenger, the mother of this son (of mine), daughter of Rawaha wishes that I should call you witness to what I confer as gift to her son." Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Bashir, have you any other son besides this (son of yours)?" He said: "Yes. He (the Noble Prophet) said: "Have you given gifts to all of them like this?" He said: "No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: "Then call me not as witness, for I cannot be witness to an injustice.") ))
[ [Agreed upon, on the authority of An-Nu'man bin al-Bashir] ]
When the father does not follow the steps of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in his relationship with his children, he will cause hatred and enmity among them because of his unjust treatment. Such a treatment will make children hold grudge against their father, forgetting his position as their father.
It is said, "If you want the gains of the worldly life, you should seek Islamic knowledge, if you want the gains of the Hereafter, you should seek Islamic knowledge, and if you want the gains of them both, you should seek Islamic knowledge as well." Hence, the father should know his rights and duties very well. May Allah have mercy upon whoever knows his limits and never exceeds them. The same goes for the son, he should know his rights and duties.
If the father, mother, son, daughter and relatives know their rights upon one another and their duties towards one another, there will be no room for hatred and enmity.
Interviewer:
Your Eminence, I just would like to comment on a point to make it clearer. If there is enmity between two relatives, and one of them is the oppressed, while the other is the oppressor, and later insists on his oppression, who is considered the sinful then? In other words who is the sinner among the two? The following Hadith is good to the point I would like you to clarify:
(( (Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man said to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "I have relatives with whom I try to keep the ties of relationship but they sever relations with me; and whom I treat kindly but they treat me badly, I am gentle with them but they are rough to me." He (PBUH) replied, "If you are as you say, it is as if you are feeding them hot ashes, and you will be with a supporter against them from Allah as long as you continue to do so".) ))
[ [Muslim, on the authority of Abi Hurairah] ]
Do this Hadith make it obligatory on every Muslim to maintain ties with his relative though he oppressed him? Or is it only recommended and he is not sinful?
Whoever refuses to fix his relation with his fellow brother is sinful:
Dr. Rateb:
Well, pay attention to Allah's description of the believers, please:
﴾ (And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."* The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! He, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.) ﴿
This is a Divine Order, and so it should be obeyed.
﴾ (…then verily! He, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.) ﴿
Listen to what the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, please:
(( (Nine things the Lord has commanded me: Fear of Allah in private and in public; justness, whether in anger or in calmness; moderation in both poverty and affluence; that I should join hands with those who break away from me; and give to those who deprive me; and forgive those who wrong me; and that my silence should be meditation; and my words be remembrance of Allah; and my vision be keen observation; and enjoin what is good.) ))
[ [Zayadat Razin, on the authority of Abi Hurairah] ]
If the relationship between believers is severed, and one of them hastens to maintain it, but the other one refuses to do so, and he even says harsh words, then the first believer will have done his best, while the other one is considered sinful.
Anyway dear brother, you should do your best and hasten to fix your relationship with your fellow believing brother, but if he refuses to maintain his relationship with you, he is considered sinful, while you are not.
Interviewer:
Your Eminence, I have one more question. In general, there are many Imams in the Islamic centers in Australia, and since we are in a foreign country, we would like you to give us an idea about the characteristics the Imam in any Islamic center should have. Is he required to speak Arabic, or can he give Fatwa based on the Islamic knowledge he has acquired by using his native language, like English in here? May you clarify this issue, please?
The characteristics the Imam should have in every Islamic center:
Dr. Rateb:
I think that an Imam who leads Muslims in Salat and issues Fatwas should have knowledge of the Arabic language first, because it connects him to the Divine sources of Shari'ah, connects him to the books of Fiqh (jurisprudence).
In fact, having a good Islamic knowledge is very essential to be able to call people to believe deeply in Allah the Almighty and to give them Fatwas. Beware, whoever gives other people Fatwa that is not based on authenticated religious sources, will have committed a grave sin. Better yet, whoever gives Fatwa that serves his own interests, and it contradicts the religious texts will have committed a grave sin.
I repeat what I have just said; whoever gives other people Fatwa that is not based on authenticated religious sources will have committed a grave sin, and he will lead those who act upon his Fatwa to Hell-fire.
Those whose Islamic knowledge is deep never issue Fatwa hastily, because such a thing needs great knowledge of authenticated religious texts. Actually, one of the Signs of the end of times is that ignorant Imams are asked about religious issues about which they give people Fatwas without solid religious basis, and so those people fall into the evil of Imams' wrong Fatwas.
If a Muslim, wherever he is, assumes that he doesn't bear full responsibility for any fatwa he seeks from any religious man, given it servers his interests, is in big delusion. If you lived in the prophet's era and you were eloquent, and you had profound evidence in an issue you seeks Fatwa about, and you took from his noble mouth a Fatwa that serves your interest while you don't deserve it, you would not escape Allah's punishment, because the prophet PBUH said:
(((Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Verily, I am only a human and the claimants bring to me (their disputes); perhaps some of them are more eloquent than others. I judge according to what I hear from them). So, he whom I, by my judgment, (give the undue share) out of the right of a Muslim, I in fact give him a portion of (Hell) Fire". ))
The Muslim should keep in mind that he will never escape Allah's Punishment if he gets a Fatwa from someone whose Islamic knowledge is not that deep. On the other hand, the Imam who gives Fatwa that is not based on religious texts will be the reason behind admitting people into Hell-Fire. The sincere believer never gives Fatwa before he does deep research. Imam should be religiously well educated and have great knowledge of Allah's Book, the Prophetic Sunnah, books of Fiqh, books of Sirah and so on. Hence, when we accept someone to be Imam, although his Islamic knowledge is shallow, we will commit a deadly mistake, because he will give Fatwa that deviates people and deviates himself from the Right Path, and Allah knows best.
Interviewer:
Dear Dr. Rateb, what do you think of those who live in a country where many Kuffar live? I mean how can we stay in such a country while the Prophet, peace be upon him, said the following Hadith?
(( (Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Any Muslim who stays among the polytheists, does not belong to me." Related by the three Imams with a sound chain of narrators. Imam Al-Bukhari considered it as Mursal (i.e. the companion is absent from the chain of narrators.) ))
[ [At-Tirmithi, on the authority of Jarir bin Abdullah] ]
What is the occasion this Hadith was said for, and what should the Muslim do to remain religiously committed? I mean can he live in a place that is far from any Islamic center or any Masjid?
The characteristics the Muslim should have in a foreign country:
Dr. Rateb:
As far as I know, even if man reaches the best success on earth, the hugest wealth with a hefty income, the best position or he achieves a scientific degree that elevates him to the highest scientific rank, yet his child is not as he wishes, then he is the most miserable man on earth.
This misery comes from having his child raised with polytheists, and thus the parent will pay a heavy price that he is unable to bear its consequences, namely his children. In other words, when you live in a foreign country where you can achieve your materialistic dream, but your children are morally deviated due to turning away from their Islamic religion and Ummah, and they lose their Hereafter, you will have paid the highest price ever for living in such a country.
This is the most serious problem for Muslim brothers in foreign countries all over the world. So, if you live in a foreign country, but you think most likely that your son will not be a Muslim, he will not be a believer, and he will not be steadfast upon Allah's Orders, you should not reside in this country.
In fact, we were at a conference in Detroit in America, and Dr. Al-Qaradawi was asked a question about residing in a foreign country. He said, "If you do not guarantee that the son of your son's son is a Muslim and a believer, you should not reside in this country." Perhaps it seems a harsh answer to the members of the Islamic Community, but the bitter truth is a thousand times better than the comfortable illusion. Well, things are very good in some countries, but what will a father do when he sees his son believe in a religion other than Islam? What will the father do if his son is a Muslim by birth, but all his habits and manners are affected by the deviated; imitating them in their daily life activities?
The issue of living abroad is very serious, so I wish for every Muslim brother who traveled to a distant country, resided there and achieved great things to return to his country. Whoever travels to a foreign country should not make a comparison between that rich country he resides in and his home country, but rather he should make a comparison between the worldly life and the Hereafter, between the eternal happiness and the eternal misery.
Children are the most precious earning the parents earn, but when they live in a foreign country where Kufr is widely spread, the parents will pay a heavy price. However, parents can avoid such catastrophic result of residing abroad by living with other Muslims in the same neighborhood, so that they can meet regularly in Islamic centers to give pieces of advice to one another.
Indeed, the closer Muslims are to one another, the stronger they will be in facing the bad consequences of living in a foreign country. By Allah, whoever makes a decisive decision to return to his country at the appropriate time, marry his daughters to whom he is pleased with, and raise his children according to Islamic teachings is a wise man. On the other hand, if he doesn't take such decision, he will find his children away from the religion, away from the Ummah and away from the party that will grant them happiness, and thus he will have paid a heavy price and regret living in a foreign country.
If you want to act upon an action, you should consider its consequences. By Allah, I know many sad stories and painful cases in which parents have become the most miserable people because they lost their children. This is all I can say about this issue.
Interviewer:
We have a new call, but it seems it has been interrupted. The caller is with us once again.
Caller:
As-Salamu Alaikom, Your Eminence I have a question regarding maintaining kinship ties. What do you think of the relationship between the non-Muslim and his Muslim relatives?
Courtesy is acceptable with the non-Muslim at one condition:
Dr. Rateb:
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.) ﴿
In another Ayah, He the Almighty says:
﴾ (So long, as they are true to you, stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves Al-Muttaqun (the pious).) ﴿
If you have a non-Muslim neighbor who never hurts or fights against you, it is acceptable to greet him kindly and congratulate him on his Eid. Congratulating him does not mean that you agree with what he believes in, but rather it is a kind of courtesy.
Interviewer:
We have a call. As-Salamu Alaikom.
Caller:
We thank Dr. Rateb for answering the first part of our question, but what about the second one, which is about the tendency to be religiously committed to Islam by Fitrah? What is the definition of reason which is divinely assigned to fulfill the religious duties? May Allah reward you.
The definition of reason according to Shari'ah:
Dr. Rateb:
By Allah, the human mind has three principles: The principle of causation, the principle of purposefulness, and the principle of harmony. This mind is compatible with the universe in the sense that in the universe, everything has a cause to happen, it happens for a purpose and nothing contradicts itself. These are the principles of Allah's creation in his universe. Similarly, Allah has installed these very principles in the mind. Therefore, the compatibility of the mind with the universe is wondrous. Without this compatibility, you will not be able to know Allah the Almighty. In other words, Allah the Almighty has made a cause for everything in His creation, and has created in you an organ (i.e. the mind) that understands nothing without a cause for it. The cause of things to happen is what makes you reach Allah the Almighty.
The reason is a consulting device, and it is assigned Divinely to fulfill its religious duties towards Allah the Almighty. About 1000 Ayaat revolve around man's reason. Allah the Almighty says in the following Ayaat:
﴾ (And he whom We grant long life, We reverse him in creation (weakness after strength). Will they not then understand?) ﴿
﴾
(Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge.) ﴿
﴾ (Do they not look at the camels, how they are created?) ﴿
﴾ (…in order that they may remember or receive admonition.) ﴿
As I have just said, Man's reason is an advisor. As you know, man is composed of soul, self and body besides this advisor. The self is you; it is what believes or disbelieves, elevates or falls and it is what is tortured in Hell-fire or pleased in Jannah. Your ownself never dies; it is immortal. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Everyone shall taste death.) ﴿
[Aal-'Imran, 185]
Your ownself tastes death, but it does not die. As for the body, it is a vessel. It will be separated from its owner at death, and it remains buried under the ground in the dust. Unlike it, the soul is the moving force of man. You move, see, and hear with the soul, and upon someone's death, his soul is taken away from his body, and this is why the body stops moving, because the moving power that Allah has created inside him is taken away from him.
As for man's ownself, it is his character, while his body is the vessel of his physical organs. Regarding the mind, it is a consulting device. To clarify, when you want to figure out the result of a complicated matter in mathematics, you use the calculator you keep in your pocket to get the accurate result. Likewise, the reason is a highly accurate consulting device, so it is the organ that is Divinely assigned to fulfill the religious duties.
Take this example, if someone has a device that detects forged currency, yet he didn't use it when he received a huge amount of foreign currency, and he discovered later that this money is forged, isn't he the one to be blamed for that? He didn't use the device, thus he is to be blamed.
Interviewer:
We have a call, Your Eminence, Dr. Rateb.
Caller:
As-Salamu Alaikom, Your Eminence. Dr. Rateb, you mentioned that the mind is the storehouse of faith, and I have a question that has crossed my mind several times, and this is a very appropriate opportunity to ask you.
If a believer heart was transplanted in a disbeliever's body, would his beliefs change? May Allah reward you with the best reward.
The transplanted believer's heart will not change the disbeliever:
Dr. Rateb:
Well, it is just a muscle to pump blood. I believe that it has nothing to do with changing the beliefs of the disbelieving patient. It has not been proved yet that if a patient has a transplanted heart, his manners or habits will change. I think it is but a joke, not a fact. This physical organ is just for pumping blood, while the belief is located in the heart of the ownself. Regarding this point, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand…) ﴿
Allah knows best.
Interviewer:
There is another call.
Caller:
I would like to ask whether it is acceptable in Islam to exchange gifts on Eids with my non-Muslim neighbor or not. Thanks for your reply.
It is unacceptable to have an intimate relationship with a non-Muslim:
Dr. Rateb:
Sir, I think that if you are so close to one another, then this is a serious problem, because Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them.) ﴿
[Al-Ma'idah, 51]
The intimate relationship with the non-Muslim is unacceptable, but if it is not that intimate or they are just colleagues, there is nothing wrong with it. What I mean is that it is not acceptable in the Divine Way of life to spend the evenings until midnight or going for mixed picnics with non-Muslims. There should be limits that one does not exceed lest his steadfastness will be affected negatively.
How can you have a close relationship with someone who does not obey Allah's Orders or keep away from His prohibitions? How could you be close to such a person whose household is morally deviated? This issue is clear enough for you.
Let me tell you one more thing; you shouldn't admire or idealize those who have strayed from Allah the Almighty, who have not known Allah, who have been only interested in the worldly life and who have indulged in its pleasures. Those people have lost their religion and the Hereafter for the sake of the worldly life. It was reported in the Hadith:
(( (He who loves [i.e., bears affinities to / is infatuated by / is fond of / admires / is inclined to / takes a fancy to] Kuffar, he shall be resurrected with them, and none of his deeds shall benefit him) ))
There should be loyalty to one's own faith, and so there should be limits the Muslim does not exceed.
The problem is that, there is a kind of openness that one should be careful not to be affected by. One of the philosophers says, "I allow the wind to refresh the air in my room, but I never allow it to uproot me." So, having a close relationship with a non-Muslim is not openness, but rather this is destruction (of the Muslim's beliefs).
This relationship can be like the tug of war; if you have a close relationship with a non-Muslim, and you start to be affected by his beliefs, you should beware of him, but if you can convince him with your beliefs, then keep close to him.
Interviewer:
We have a call.
Caller:
As-Salamu Alaikom, we are called Alawites (A sect that call themselves the followers of Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him), so people here avoid visiting and talking to us. What do you think about their behavior?
Interviewer:
Have you heard the question?
Dr. Rateb:
No, by Allah. May you explain it to me, please?
Interviewer:
Some people who live in here belong to the Alawites sect, so people accuse them of worshipping Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, so they get annoyed. The caller said that this is but a false accusation, and being someone who belongs to this sect, he never thinks like that, so what do you think of other people's accusation?
Whoever knows Allah and acts upon his Order is a Muslim:
Dr. Rateb:
Sir, whoever knows Allah the Almighty and acts upon His Order is a Muslim, by the Lord of Ka'bah. This is the answer.
Interviewer:
Your Eminence Dr. Rateb. I just would like to ask one last question regarding the issue of Riba (usury). Of course, Allah the Almighty mentions the limits of the legal necessity concerning the dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and other things in the Noble Quran. If the Muslim is forced to exceed the limits of these prohibitions, then there is nothing wrong with that. As for pork, in some cases, man is forced to eat it, lest he dies, but as for Riba, is it acceptable in Islam to deal with it if there is a serious reason?
I mean if someone is obliged to take a loan in order to buy a house, using the same rule (the rule of necessity), so this person is looking at his own interest and might overlook the harm that comes from dealing with banks, what will you say in that matter?
Desperate times call for desperate measures:
Dr. Rateb:
According to what I know, if man is 90% sure that he and his family are surely objects of starvation, nakedness, or homelessness, then he can eat flesh of swine, drink intoxicants or say a word of blasphemy. Let me assert this point one more time; when one thinks that most likely his family and he will die out of starvation, nakedness and homelessness, then it is necessary to save his life, otherwise it is not considered desperate times. In other words, desperate times mean fearing to lose life, to cause damage to one of the physical organs, or to lose all the money. In these cases desperate times call for desperate measures. However, some people go beyond what is necessary which reflects lack of knowledge and piety.
Interviewer:
We have a call. As-Salamu Alaikom.
Caller:
Your Eminence, may Allah bless you, may I know how we can differentiate between congratulating Kuffar (infidels) on their Eids and the prohibition of celebrating their Eids? Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And those who do not witness falsehood…) ﴿
Some of the scholars of the Noble Quran interpret this Ayah as a reference to celebrating the Eids of Kuffar which are related to their false creed. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allah)* But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Beneficent (Allah) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children).) ﴿
Are we permitted to congratulate them on their Eids?
Celebrating Kuffar's Eids is one thing and congratulating them is another:
Dr. Rateb:
Celebrating their Eids with them is one thing and congratulating them is another. I mean it is not allowed to be with them and participate in celebrating their Eids, but saying "congratulation" is something verbal, and so there is no harm caused by that.
Let me refer to a similar issue; is the one who abandons Salah, Kafir (disbeliever) or Fasiq (a sinner)? There is a difference between the two. If he abandons it, because he denies it as an obligation, he is considered a Kafir, but if he abandons it, because he falls short in his religious duties towards Allah, he is considered a sinner.
Regarding the relationship with the non-Muslims, if you believe in what they believe and you establish a close relationship with them, glorify them, and celebrate their Eids, these things are prohibited in Islam. On the other hand, if you just congratulate them on their Eids and you do not have a close relationship with them, then nothing is wrong with doing this, and Allah knows best.
Interviewer:
At the end of this meeting, we would like to thank you for your kind words, asking Allah to make them useful to other people
Would you like to conclude this meeting with few words addressing by them the Muslims in the Islamic Community in here?
Dr. Rateb:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( (Have fear of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people.) ))
[ [At-Tirmizi, on the authority of Abi Dharr] ]
Even if you live in the furthest spot of the world, you should fear Allah the Almighty.
I would like to refer to another point; the Muslim should support and help his Muslim brothers. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion).) ﴿
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, also says:
﴾ ((Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allah)…) ﴿
Racing requires being together, and keep in mind that the Hand of Allah is with the group, and that whoever parts the group of Muslims, shall be admitted in the Hell-fire, thus stay with the group of Muslims. It was reported in the Hadith:
(( (It is incumbent upon you to be with the Muslim group and you must avoid disunity. The Satan is with a single person and it is far from two persons.) ))
[ [At-Timithi and Ahmad, on the authority of Ibn Umar] ]
(( (Verily Satan is the wolf of a man just as the wolf is (the enemy) of a flock. He seizes the solitary sheep going astray from the flock or going aside from the flock.) ))
[ [Al-Hakim, on the authority of Abi Ad-Darda'] ]
We should establish a close relationship with our believing brothers in whatever Islamic center we work at, and we should bring up our children according to the Islamic teachings, so that they become the comfort of our eyes when they grow up. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqun" (pious).") ﴿
Tawhid is the utmost result of all man's deeds; it is to join none in worship with Allah the Almighty. It is to believe that there is no Mu'ti (Superb Provider) and Mani' (Preventer), Rafi' (Exalter) and Khafidh (Abaser), and Mu'izz (Bestower of Honour) and Muthil (Humilator) but Allah the Almighty. Whoever believes in Allah's Oneness and fear Him, has achieved the purpose of his existence.
