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Friday Talks |
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Friday Talks |
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151 |
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Envy not one another
Written by: Sk Omar Ali
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
11 Muharrum 1432
h.17 December 2010.
Slaves of Allah,
The messenger ppbu said: {Do not break up, do not speak with ill intentions about one another behind their backs, do not hate each other and do not envy each other and be slaves of Allah and be brothers. No Muslim is permitted to desert his brother for more than three nights. They meet and they both shun off (reject) each other. The better of them is the one who starts with the peaceful greeting and he will be the first to go to paradise}. We today talk about envy, or deterring against being envious. Envy is a forbidden act and is one of the greater sins. Envy means if there is something good; that someone is blessed with; is to wish for it to be taken away, or for it to be taken away and be given to the envious person instead. Envy is a bad trait or a bad moral. It is said that being envious eats away the reward one has accumulated for good deeds (hasanas) just as fire would destroy timber. It was also said that envy ruins faith as Cactus would ruin the taste of honey. It was also said that envy would bring the envious person to five types of punishments: endless grief or gloom, and a disaster which one does not get rewarded for the suffering it brings, and a bad moral not to be praised for, and it brings the anger of God, and for doors of success are to be closed in his or her face. Others said that an envious person is a person who denies what Allah decides.
Brothers in faith, our Islamic faith seeks to build a cohesive knitted society which is free from those fatal diseases, social diseases such as selfishness and envy and love of oneself and the self centred attitude. Such that our nation remains a good nation with healthy hearts and souls, and well groomed feelings and clear hearts just like the first generation of Muslims who were brought up and taught by the messenger ppbu. The messenger ppbu said: {Do not envy each other, do not use tricks and deceptions or plot against each another, do not hate each other and do not get involved in talks and conversations with ill intent, and do not try to out sell each other’s when involved in transactions, and be slaves of Allah and be brothers. A Muslim is a brother to another Muslim; No Muslim is permitted to wrong (or transgress against) his brother or let him down and not to lie to him and not belittle him. God fearing is right here – he pointed at his chest three times – it is enough evil for an individual to be demeaned or belittled by his Muslim brother. A Muslim is sanctity or is sacred to any other Muslim, his blood, his money and his honour}.
Allah Akbar, how those few words contain such a tremendous meanings and ideas and fantastic guidance. The first thing the messenger ppbu deterred against is envy. Envy was the first sin with which Allah was disobeyed when Satan envied Adam, and he kept at him until he managed to get him out of paradise. It is through envy that Satan was cursed and was made a condemned evil creature.
Envy is a moral and a character of the Jews and of the polytheists. They intentionally became enemies of the messenger ppbu and denied his message and yet they know it was right form Allah. They did that just because they envied him. Alah says: {many of the people of the book would love to bring you off your faith back to being disbelievers. This is because of enviousness in them after they realised that your religion is the truth} 2:109.
An envious person is a person who denies the fate and destiny of Allah. Someone who do not accept what Allah decided and what Allah gave to others. That is an evidence of a bad soul and a bad nature. Envy is one of the results of hate and evil. Envy is a psychological crime. It is said that envy is the crime for which punishment is imposed before the crime is done. The opposite of any other crime where punishment normally happens after a crime occurs. In fact punishment for envy happens to the envious person before he or she starts envy. Because an envious person only envies when his or her heart and feelings are torn apart by seeing the good and seeing the joy of the person who is being envied; while the heart of a true believer is clean and pure and envy has no room in it. The messenger ppbu said once: {there shall come through this route a man who is one of the people of paradise}. A man did come through that gab. The happened on three different days and the same man came through. The companions were astonished and one of them asked the man what he does to earn him such a status. He said: “I find in my soul no cheating and no envy towards any Muslim”.
Ebn Sereen said: “I never envied any one for anything in this life. For if this person is of the people of paradise then how could I envy him for something in this life that could hurt him while he is heading for paradise. And if he was of the people of hellfire, then how could I envy him for something in this life when he is heading for hell fire”. It was also said: an envious person gets nothing from crowds and talks and chats except giving out and ridicule, and gains nothing from angels except cursing and hate, and gains nothing from people except him getting gloom and fear, and gains nothing at the time of taking the soul (death) except violence and tragedy, and gains nothing from the time of judgement except disgrace and pain. Muawiah (ãÚÇæíÉ) said: “It is possible to satisfy all types of people except an envious person, because an envious person would only be satisfied by the disappearance of the grace he envies”.
Dear brothers and sisters, if Allah bestows a mercy on to a brother of yours, then there are two situations:
1) Is to hate its presence and you would love it to disappear. This is envy.
2) Is not to hate its presence and you would not love it to disappear, but you would love to have something like it. This is a minor form of an acceptable envy. It is called Ghebtah (ÛÈØÉ ).
The messenger ppbu said: {No envy is allowed except in two cases: (1) a man Allah gave him a lot of money which he directs it where it is all gets spent in the good, and (2) a man that Allah gave him a lot of wisdom (or knowledge) which he uses to arbitrate between people and he teaches people}. Meaning only two things in this life deserving any form of an acceptable envy: knowledge or spending money in the sake of Allah. It is also allowed in some other situations of this life and faith.
You who have been afflicted with this decease of envy, I say to you fear Allah, and do not forget that you are a Muslim who has faith into Allah who decides and splits out the livelihood to all people. There are those who are well off and there are those who are not so well off. Allah has elevated some over others; many grades, for so, some may take others with ridicule. If you want to have wellbeing in your faith and assurance in your heart, and if you want Allah’s satisfaction then keep a watch on yourself, and purify your heart, and persuade yourself with Allah’s way of managing things and distributing riches and livelihood, and ask Allah to give you off His grace. He; may He be elevated, is the one who provides or withholds, and He is the one who relegates and elevates, and He is the one who gives honour to whom he wishes and He humiliates who he wishes. His stores are full and His provision is so broad and extensive, may He be praised.
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
- The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
- is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Aya (or Ayah):
- is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
- talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.
Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
