Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #72

The Hadeeth of al-Fitan: "Believers by Day, Kaafir by evening..."

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (2/16-20) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عليه وسلم: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

بادروا بالأعمال فتناً كقطع الليل المظلم، يصبح الرجل مؤمناً ويمسي كافراً ويمسي مؤمناً ويصبح كافراً، يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا

“Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. During (that stormy period) a man would be a Believer in the morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a Believer in the evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for worldly goods.” [Saheeh Muslim (169)]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The author (Imaam al-Nawawi رحمه الله) mentioned the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Be prompt in doing good deeds”, meaning be quick towards it; “good deeds”, meaning righteous actions. “Good deeds” are those which are built upon two foundations: Ikhlaas (Sincerity) for Allaah and following the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم; and this is the fulfillment of the Shahaadah: لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمد رسول الله (That there is no one worthy of being worshiped but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah).

The actions which are not done out of sincerity are not considered as good. If the man gets up to pray but he intends with it to show-off, then his action will not be accepted even if he were to offer the prayer perfectly – by completing the conditions of prayer, its pillars and its obligatory acts and its optional acts – because he has mixed this deed with Shirk. Whoever associates someone or something with Allaah, Allaah does not accept his deed as has been mentioned in the authentic Hadeeth from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

قال الله تعالى: أنا أغنى الشركاء عن الشرك من عمل عملا أشرك فيه معي غيري، تركته وشركه‏

“Allaah تعالى said: {I am the One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates (with Allaah).}” [Saheeh Muslim (7666)]

Similarly: If a person does an act sincerely (for Allaah), but he comes with a Bid`ah which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not legislate, his deed will not be accepted even if he was sincere even if he were to cry out of humility – it will not benefit him. This is because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described Bid`ah as misguidance: He صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

فإن كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة

“…every newly-invented thing is an innovation and every innovation is going astray.” [Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1579) and the wordings are his. The second statement is also reported in Saheeh Muslim (1885), Sunan Abu Dawood (4607) and Ibn Maajah (44, 45, 47)]

He صلى الله عليه وسلم then said: “(before you are overtaken) by Fitan (turbulence) which would be like a part of the dark night”, he صلى الله عليه وسلم informed that there will be Fitan (sing. Fitnah – Trials) which would be like a part of the dark night – and we seek Allaah’s refuge. Meaning: it will be dark, pitch-black, where a person will not see in it any light – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – nor will a person know where he is going towards. He will be bewildered, not knowing where the exit is. I ask Allaah that He protects us all from the Fitan (trials).

Fitan can be caused due to doubts and misconceptions and then there are those which are caused due to desires.

The Fitan of doubts: It is every Fitnah (trial) based on ignorance. An example of this is that which happened with the people of Bid`ah who introduced in their Beliefs (`Aqeedah) that which was not from the Sharee`ah of Allaah; or the people of Bid`ah who introduced in their speech and actions which were not part of the Sharee`ah of Allaah. A man is put to trials through this – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – so he is led astray, away from the truth due to these misconceptions.

Another example is what takes place due to getting involved in doubtful matters. Matters which are clear for the one who has Faith with Certainty (and he avoids them altogether); but these matters are doubtful (and persist) in the heart of the misguided – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. So he (the misguided) deals in matters which are clearly Haraam (prohibited). But when there is a covering over the heart due to sins – and we ask Allaah for our well being – the matter becomes confusing for him. So (over time) his evil deeds become fair-seeming to him and he thinks that he is doing something good, as Allaah تعالى said:

﴿قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا * الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا﴾

{Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): “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!} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 103-104]

So such are the losers and Allaah’s refuge is sought.

Similarly, the Fitan are caused due to desires, meaning: a person may know that a thing is Haraam, but since his Nafs (Self) calls him towards it, he engages in these forbidden things, having no concern for the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم (statements). He knows that such and such an act is obligatory, but his Nafs (Self) calls him towards laziness, so he leaves off that obligatory act. These are the Fitnah of desires meaning the Fitnah of will.

And also from this Fitnah is, rather the most sever type, is the Fitnah of illegal sexual intercourse and homosexuality – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – for this is one of the most harmful Fitnah of this Ummah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ

“After me I have not left any trial more severe to men than women.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5096) and Saheeh Muslim (6603, 6604)]

And he صلى الله عليه وسلم also said:

وَاتَّقُوا النِّسَاءَ، فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ فِتْنَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ فِي النِّسَاءِ

“So avoid the allurement of women: verily, the first trial for the people of Israa’eel was caused by women.” [Saheeh Muslim (6606)]

And we have among us, and in our societies, those who call towards this vice – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – using twisted techniques and ways. Twisting in it the names (like using the terms Women’s rights, feminism etc.) which does not fulfill what they say, but rather it is a means for what they (these evil men) desire, uncovering the woman, making her come out of her house so that she mixes with men at their work, causing more evil and calamities. We ask Allaah تعالى that He turns their plot against them and make our rulers overpower them. So that they (the women) are prevented from (falling in the traps and) becoming the cause for evil and disruption in this land. We also ask Allaah تعالى that He provides our rulers with righteous ministers, who would guide them towards good and aid them in it.

The Fitnah of Banee Israa’eel was caused by women and indeed it is a great Fitnah. There are men, who are knitting ways so that they can shed the honor of the women. Placing their pictures (on magazines and posters), making dolls (with feminine features) inciting the desires, making people to look at them every time and every hour – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. But with Allaah’s Might, the Du`aa of the Muslims can overpower them, so that they are subdued, and made to take to their heels and that the women everywhere retain their honor, that which Allaah تعالى had given them.

The important thing is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has warned us about these Fitan, which are like part of a dark night in which a person will be a Believer in the morning and by evening will become an unbeliever – and Allaah’s refuge is sought. In one day he will apostatize from Islaam, coming out of the religion. And he will be a Believer in the evening and by morning will become an unbeliever – we ask Allaah for our wellbeing. Why? Because: “he would sell his faith for worldly goods”. Don’t think that “worldly goods” only means wealth. Rather, every pleasurable thing is part of “worldly goods”, be it wealth or fame or power or women or other than them. Everything on this earth which is enjoyable is from “worldly goods”, as Allaah تعالى said:

﴿تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ اللَّـهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ﴾

{Coveting the perishable goods of this life: with Allaah are profits and spoils abundant.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 94]

Everything on earth is from “the perishable goods of this life”.

So these people will be Believers in the morning and by evening will become disbelievers or they would be Believers in the evening but by morning will become disbelievers - all of them selling their religion for the perishable goods of this life. We ask Allaah تعالى that He protects us and you from these Fitan. And O my brothers! Seek Allaah’s refuge from the Fitan all the time; and among the major Fitan are those which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded us to seek Allaah’s refuge from them when he said:

إذا تشهد أحدكم فليستعذ بالله من أربع، يقول: اللهم إني أعوذ بك من عذاب جهنم، ومن عذاب القبر، ومن فتنة المحيا والممات، ومن شر فتنة المسيح الدجال

“When any one of you utters the (final) Tashahhud (in prayer) he must seek refuge with Allaah from four (trials) and saying: “O Allaah! I seek refuge with You from the torment of the Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death and from the evil of the trial of Maseeh al-Dajjaal.” [Saheeh Muslim (1217, 1219, 1220)]

We ask Allaah سبحانه وتعالى that He rewards us with firm footing in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.