Auzubillahi Minash Shaitan-Nir-Rajeem Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
When there is some mischief in a place and innocent people are killed mercilessly and there is clear violation of law and order and the police men who have all power to control the situation and stop the evils remain silent, won’t they share the crime equally? Yes and so is the case of muslims who are given the authority of police and they do not stop evils around them even though they have the power to do so. They will equally share the evil doing. That is why in a hadith it is said that when people don’t forbid evil around them, when the punishment descends, it will descend on them too for they were like with don’t care attitude.
There are four things in islam which is incumbent on muslims to act on which will bring the pleasure of Allah Azzawajal. They are:
1) Acting on what Allah Azzawajal commanded to do
2) Abstaining from committing sins
3) Enjoining good and
4) Forbidding evil
Each one of us should look at our own selves and see where we lag in the above four acts and should take steps to correct ourselves. For many, doing ibadat (worship) might be easy like praying, fasting and so on but giving up sins is difficult. As we come close to deen, we start doing acts of worship but we do not give up sins. Some sine we feel like it has been born with us and hence difficult to give up. Each person is different and situation is different. Some can give up sin immediately and some cannot give up altogether. In such a case for example, if person is addicted to ten sins, let him first give up one sin a day and slowly give up all the sins.
When coming to forbidding evils, we should again understand that the state of each person is entirely different and so is the family and not everyone can be approached with same tactics. One should hate the sins but should not humiliate the person for the sin for the consequence can be so worst that the person humiliating the fellow muslim might end up doing the same sin before tasting the death. So one should seek the help of shuyook about dealing the situation. Never show anger for your own sake like most of the time we become angry for our own sake but we give the name of deen for that. We should not be angry for our own selves like if food is not cooked properly or anything. Embrace wisdom when enjoining good and forbidding evil.
There are two main things where even the practicing people fail miserably. He might even be a haji but when it comes to akhlaaq (conduct) and muamalaat (transaction and interaction), they fail terribly. In fact if one works on just these two things, they will be bringing people to deen. Praying, fasting, doing hajj is an individual thing while these two things are collective and so when one works on this, the barakah (blessing) too will be collective. Many are quite negligent and heedless of sins and their effect. If one sees his wealth is decreasing and he is aware of theft, he will take necessary steps to protect his wealth. Similarly when one knows that his wealth is deprived of blessing and decreasing because of sins, he will take steps to correct. The problem is people are neither aware of sins nor aware of its evil consequence.
Two things can never be seen in a sinner. 1) He will never have blessings in his health or wealth or time and 2) He will never have peace in his heart. There will be loneliness and grief in his heart. Allah Azzawajal might give him abundance but He Azzawajal will deprive him of barakah. He Azzawajal will give all the means of comfort but He Azzawajal won’t give him peace and comfort. We are fortunate to live in an environment where it is easy to give up sins but do not know why we are not giving up sins. Do not lie for there is no need to lie, stay from the places where backbiting is going on and so you could hear it and protect the eyes from seeing haram things. As far as the halal earning, most of people’s earnings are halal. Protect the tongue, eyes and ears from sins and you will be saved. A heart will be cheerful and lively when the soul gets its food, which is taqwa (pitey). When we do not have taqwa and commit sins, our heart will be filled with grief and there will be only loneliness and this is what people call it as depression.
There is something called water-proof watch wherein water will not enter even when thrown in water and so will be the heart of a pious person, grief-proof. He might be surrounded by trials, tribulations and worries but it will not enter his heart for his heart will be grief-proof. He might not have good house or enough money but his heart will be very cheerful and lively. Someone asked Abdullah ibn Umar, RadhiAllahu Anhu, “How was Umar, RadhiAllahu Anhu?” He said that his father used to be a like a bird, frightened and alert of traps spread for it everywhere. In every step, we have the trap set to waste our good deeds and to fall into sins and disobedience and so we should live very cautious fearing for sins and inshaaAllah we will be helped by Allah Azzawajal. Sins are like poison. Just like a poison kills the life, the sins kill the heart. One major sin can bring us down from jannah to deep down hell. Everyday morning during the time of ishraaq, we should seek forgiveness to Allah Azzawajal for sins we committed in the previous night and we should seek forgiveness for the sins we committed during the day before we go to bed. We should ask the Creator to forgive us for disobeying Him Azzawajal and to forgive us if we cause any harm to His Azzawajal creations and to recompense them on our behalf. When we embrace taqwa, then Allah Azzawajal will open for us ways in an unknown way.
waman yattaqi Allaha yajAAal lahu makhrajan
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).)” Al-Quran:65:2
When Allah Azzawajal says something that He Azzawajal will do, He will definitely do for He has the power over every single thing. If we have difficulty in business, He Azzawajal might inspire His creations to rush to our shop, He Azzawajal might inspire us with some new business and marketing tips and so on. Let Allah Azzawajal help us all to save from all sins and to lead a life of taqwa. Ameen!