WHAT IS THE TREATMENT OF HASAD (حسد) (JEALOUSY)?

The first treatment for Hasad (حسد) (jealousy) is that a person should think that Allah Ta'alah has distributed His blessings according to his own divine wisdom between His creations. He has given someone the blessing of health, someone the blessing of wealth, someone the blessing of respect by other people, someone the blessing of beauty, and someone the blessing of peace and tranquility. There is no human being in this world who has not been blessed with one of Allah's blessings, and there is no human being who is completely free of all worries and anxieties. So the treatment of Hasad is that a person thinks off and on that if Allah Ta'alah has showered someone with some of his worldly blessings which are making me feel jealous, may be He has gifted me with much greater blessings which He has not granted to that person. Similarly, we may not know that that person may be suffering from great hardships which Allah Ta'alah has kept us safe from. If a person keeps contemplating about this then he is less likely to be jealous of others.

The second treatment of Hasad is that the person doing Hasad should consider that even though his wish is that the person he is jealous of should come to harm, but actually by doing Hasad he is doing exactly the opposite and bringing him great benefit. It is a natural concomitant of Hasad that it compels the jealous person to do Gheebat (backbiting), finding fault and slandering of the person he is jealous of, and by doing these he continues to transfer his own virtues into the account of the other person. This way even though while he wanted to harm the person he was jealous of, he actually ends up bringing him great benefit.

The core of Hasad is that a person loves material wealth, and worldly status and respect, so much that he can not tolerate seeing anyone else having it. So the third treatment of Hasad is that the person tries to remove the love of worldly wealth and status from his heart. The best way to do that is that a person frequently contemplates about how long am I going to stay in this world? Without a doubt a day is going to come when my eyes would close for the last time, and I will leave all this wealth, this status and all my material possessions in this world. After that day the only thing that is going to accompany me to the next world would be my good deeds. If a person contemplates frequently about this, then he would start noticing that his love for this material world and its symbols has started receding. And once his love for material possessions starts subsiding he will feel less jealous when he sees someone else get wealth or status.

Adapted from the talk "Hasad, a major sin" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

WHAT CAUSES HASAD (حسد) (JEALOUSY)?

There are two main causes of Hasad (حسد) (jealousy). The first cause is love for this material world, wealth, position and status. A person whose heart is full of love of money and status always tries to have more wealth and higher status than everyone else. If he sees another person progressing he becomes jealous and wants to block others from gaining either wealth or status.

The second main reason why people develop Hasad is harbouring ill-feeling and resentment towards others. If a person becomes resentful towards another person then he gets unhappy if something good happens to that person, and gets happy if something bad befalls that person. When someone harbours such negative feelings towards another person they are bound to develop Hasad towards them.

Adapted from the talk "Hasad, a major sin" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

THE THREE STAGES OF HASAD (حسد)

Hazrat said that there are three stages of Hasad (حسد) (jealousy). The first stage is the wish that I want to get the material blessings that someone else has got. If the other person continues to have it while I get it, that is well and good. Otherwise, I want the other person to lose all the material blessings so that I can get it.

The second stage is that the other person loses what material blessings he has got, and I get it. In this stage the first step is that the other person loses it, and the second stage is that I get it.

The third stage is the wish that the other person loses the material blessings he has got, and he should lose any respect or comfort he was enjoying because of it. Whether I get those material blessings or not is immaterial,  I just want the other person to lose them. This is the worst degree of Hasad, May Allah Ta'alah keep us all safe from it.

Adapted from the talk "Hasad, a major sin" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

WHAT IS HASAD (حسد)?

Just like Allah Ta'alah has declared some of our external or physical acts Fard (obligatory) or Wajib (necessary), and has declared some of them Hara'am (impermissible), similarly there are a number of internal or mental acts which Allah Ta'alah has declared Fard or Wajib or Hara'am. Abstaining from these internal or mental sins is as obligatory and necessary as abstaining from external or physical sins. Hasad (jealousy) (حسد) is one of those sins of the mind.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah RAA has narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ once said, abstain from Hasad as Hasad consumes (and lays waste) a person's virtuous deeds just like fire consumes wood or dry grass. (The narrator wasn't sure whether Rasool Allah SAW had used the word wood or dry grass)

What is meant by Hasad? A person sees that someone else has been blessed with something desirable, for example, either some material possession or religious knowledge. He then becomes jealous and resentful as to why the other person got that blessing and starts wishing that the other person loses that blessing. This is Hasad. Sometimes when a person sees someone else in good conditions, e.g. if they have a good house or good job they also wish that they had a similar house or job, but do not wish the other person to lose it. This is not Hasad (jealousy), this is envy (رشک، غبطہ). It is not a sin. But if the person starts wishing that the other person loses the blessings he has got, then it has turned into Hasad which is a major sin.

Adapted from the talk "Hasad, a major sin" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

ISLAMIC VIEWS ON TRAVELLING AND HIJRAH. PART 2

Continued from before...

There are nine kinds of journeys that are undertaken to seek something out.

1. THE JOURNEY FOR MORAL SELF-CORRECTION:
It means travelling through the world for the specific purpose of observing the creations of Allah Ta'alah and the manifestations of His perfect power, and to learn how previous civilisations came to an end, in order to improve one's own life.

2. THE JOURNEY OF HAJJ:
That it is an Islamic duty, subject to some conditions, is known to all.

3. THE JOURNEY OF JIHAD:
All Muslims know that it is either obligatory (Fard), or necessary (Wajib), or recommended Mustahabb).

4. THE JOURNEY FOR EMPLOYMENT:
If a person cannot earn enough income sufficient for his basic needs in his homeland then it is incumbent upon him that he travels elsewhere and looks for earning opportunities there.

5. THE JOURNEY FOR TRADING:
It means traveling to acquire wealth in excess of just fulfilling one's basic needs. This too is permissible under Shariah. When Allah Ta'alah has allowed trading even while travelling for Hajj, then travelling for the sole purpose of trading becomes even more permissible.

6. THE JOURNEY FOR EDUCATION:
It is an absolute duty for every Muslim to obtain enough education to practice Islam properly themselves. It is an obligation of sufficiency (Fard al-kifayah) for at least some Muslims to learn the whole knowledge of Shariah.

7. THE JOURNEY TO A PLACE BELIEVING IT TO BE SACRED AND BLESSED:
In Al-Qurtubi and Ibn al-Arabi's opinion this kind of journey is permissible to visit only three places; 1. Al-Masjid Al-Haram (Makkah al-Mukkarramah), 2. Al-Masjid An-Nabawiyy (Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah), and 3. Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (Baytul-Maqdis). (Other revered scholars of early Islam and their successors have also allowed the undertaking of travel to visit places generally considered blessed - Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE)

8. THE JOURNEY UNDERTAKEN TO GUARD ISLAMIC FRONTIERS:
This is known as Ribat. There are many Hadith reports which commend it strongly.

9. THE JOURNEY TO VISIT RELATIVES AND FRIENDS:
This has been declared a source of reward and Thawab in Hadith. A Hadith of Sahih Muslim mentions that angels pray for those who undertake a journey to visit relatives and friends. (This is contingent upon the purpose of the meeting only being to please Allah Ta'alah and not to seek material gains)

The end...

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

ISLAMIC VIEWS ON TRAVELLING AND HIJRAH. PART 1

Quoting Ibn al-Arabi, Al-Qurtabi says that people leave home and travel to new lands for two reasons, either they are running away from something, or they are going to seek something. The first kind of travel which is to escape and be safe from something is called Hijrah which is of six kinds:

1. Migrating from Dar al-Kufr (Abode of Disbelief) to Dar al-Islam (Abode of Islam):
This kind of migration was Fard (obligatory) during the days of Rasool Allah ﷺ, and will remain obligatory, subject to affordability and ability, right through to the days of Qiyamah (end of days) (in situations when a Muslim has no security of life, property or honour, or is unable to carry out religious obligations, the Fara'id of Din, while living in the land of non-Muslims).

2. To get out of Dar al-Bida (Abode overtaken by deviation from established religion):
Ibn Qasim says that he has heard from Imam Malik RE that it is not not Halal for any Muslim to stay at a place where the early righteous elders of the Muslim community (al-Salaf-al-Salihun)  are criticised and maligned.

3. To get out of a place overtaken by what is Hara'am:
This is because it is obligatory for a Muslim to make every effort to earn a Halal sustenance.

4. To migrate in order to avoid being subjected to physical pain:
This kind of migration is not only permissible but in fact is a blessing from Allah Ta'alah that a person is allowed to migrate from a place when he is in physical danger to so that he can protect himself from that danger.

5. To migrate due to unsuitable unsuitable climate or likely diseases:
This is also permissible in Islam as the Holy Prophet (Rasool Allah SAW) had advised some shepherds to settle in the outskirts of Madinah because the climate of the city did not suit them.

6. To secure personal property and possessions:
If a person feels in danger of being attacked by robbers then he is allowed to migrate from that place. Shariah has permitted this because the property and possessions of a Muslim are as sacrosanct as his of her life.

To be continued...

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

HOW TO DEVELOP TAWAZU (تواضع)?

Hazrat said that even though Tawazu (تواضع) is an internal attribute, that a person knows in his heart that he is  just like everyone else and nobody special, but to make this attribute permanent and always present what a person must do practically is that he should not consider any chore to be beneath him, and should not think that any chore is too low for him to do. People should not develop elevated standards about themselves in their own minds that if they do things that everybody else does then their respect would diminish. Be prepared to carry out the most mundane of chores.

The second important consideration is that in his dressing, in his mannerisms, in his speaking and behaving with other people, a person should adopt ways which exhibit meekness and a down to earth attitude, and not Takabbur (تکبّر). Even though as mentioned Tawazu is really an attribute of the mind, and does not solely depend on one's external behaviour, but this is also an important part of developing Tawazu that if a person adopts a down to earth attitude in his external behaviour, then InshaAllah Allah Ta'alah will grant him Tawazu in his heart and mind as well.

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

DO SHUKR (شکر) IN ABUNDANCE

Hazrat Dr Abdul Hai RE used to say that keep doing Allah's Shukr (شکر) (thanking Allah Ta'alah for His blessings upon us) frequently. The more you do Shukr the more Tawazu (تواضع) you will develop, InshaAllah you will be cured from Takabbur (تکبّر), and the ills of the spirit will get better.

And when you do do Shukr, try to think about what Shukr means. When we do Shukr for a blessing that Allah Ta'alah has bestowed upon us, what we are really saying is that I was not 'entitled' to this blessing, but Allah Ta'alah was so kind to me that He bestowed this upon me without any entitlement on my part. This feeling of lack of entitlement is Tawazu. If someone believes that they were entitled to every blessing that has been showered upon the, then there is no Tawazu. For example if someone gives a loan to someone else, then the lender is entitled to get it back from the borrower. When the borrower returns the money then the lender is not obliged to express Shukr because he was entitled to get that money anyway. Shukr is due when a person believes he was not entitled to a blessing that was bestowed upon him, what he was given was beyond his entitlement. So whenever you do Shukr for a blessing always think that I wasn't entitled to it, it was merely because of Allah's kindness that I got that. If you keep doing that InshaAllah you will develop Tawazu.

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

HOW TO KNOW IF ONE'S IBADAT (PRAYER) HAS BEEN ACCEPTED?

Once a person asked Haji Imdad Ullah Mahajir Makki RA that Hazrat! I have been praying Namaz (Salah) for so long. I don't know whether it even gets accepted by Allah Ta'alah or not. Hazrat Haji sahib replied, Brother! when you do an Ibadat (prayer) and then Allah Ta'alah gives you the inspiration to do it a second time, then InshaAllah it is a sign that Allah Ta'alah has accepted your first Ibadat. And not because there was anything special about your Ibadat, but because He gave you the inspiration to do it. So never think of your Ibadat and good deeds as insignificant.

Moulana Romi has narrated a story of a Buzurg (pious man) in Masnawi that he kept offering prayers, fasting, and doing Allah's Zikr (remembrance) for a long time. Then one day he had a thought that I have been doing all these good deeds for a long time, but I have never received any sign from Allah Ta'alah that He has accepted my Ibadat. How do I know whether these prayers even do get accepted in Allah's court or not? One day he went to his Sheikh (spiritual teacher) and said that Hazrat! I have been offering prayers to Allah for so long but I have never received any acknowledgment from Allah Ta'alah. The Sheikh said, The fact that you are getting the inspiration to do Allah's Zikr, is an acknowledgment from Him. Because if He didn't accept your Zikr, He wouldn't have given you the inspiration to do more of it. You do not need to keep waiting for any signs from Him.

کہ گفت آں الله تو لبّیک ماست

زیں نیاز و درد و سوزک ماست

meaning that your saying Allah, Allah is My way of saying Labbaik to you. This is a reply to your Allah, Allah that I give you the inspiration to take my name again.

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

Hazrat Bayazeed Bustami RE was one of the great saints of his time. It is narrated that after he passed away someone saw him in his dream and asked, "Hazrat! What treatment was mete out to you by Allah Ta'alah?" Hazrat Bustami RE replied, "I had a very strange experience. When I got here Allah Ta'alah asked me, 'O' Bayazeed! What good deeds have you brought with you?' I pondered over what should I say and what virtue could I present in Allah's court, but then realised that none of my virtuous deeds was good enough and pure enough to be presented in Allah's court. I replied, 'O" Allah. I have not brought any virtuous deeds and have come empty handed. I have nothing but hope for Your kindness.' Allah Ta'alah replied, 'Even though you did great virtuous deeds there was one good deed that I particularly liked. Once you woke up in the night and saw that a kitten was shivering because of the cold. You took pity on that kitten and put it in your duvet to protect it from the cold. Because of that act the kitten spent the night comfortably. I liked that act so much that because of it I granted you Maghfirah (deliverance).'"

Hazrat Bayazeed Bustami RE said that whatever great knowledge and wisdom I gathered in this world, accounted for nothing in the Aakhirah (Day of Judgment). The only act that led to my salvation was showing kindness to Allah's creations.

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

Once Hazrat Syed Ahmed Kabeer Rafai RE, who was one of the great saints of his time, was walking through the Bazaar. He saw a sick dog on the street who was so sick that he wasn't even able to walk. Hazrat Rafai RE took pity on him and brought him home. He got the dog treated and kept looking after him till he regained his full health. After that he asked his companions if someone was willing to take the dog home and continue to look after him, otherwise he will look after the dog himself. And that is how he continued to look after the dog.

Some time after this incident happened Hazrat Rafai RE was going somewhere walking on the narrow pathway between cultivated fields. It was raining and there was mud on both sides of the pathway. A dog came from the other side. The pathway was so narrow that both of them couldn't cross it simultaneously, and one would have had to step into mud.

It is narrated that there was then a dialogue between Hazrat Rafai RE and the dog. Only Allah Ta'alah knows how this dialogue took place but following is the dialogue that has been narrated. Hazrat Rafai RE asked the dog to step into mud so that he could pass. The dog replied, "why should I step into mud? You pass yourself off as a saint. True saints sacrifice their own comforts for other people. What kind of a saint are you that you are asking me to step into mud for you? Why don't you step into mud and let me pass?"

Hazrat Rafai RE said, "the point is that I am Mukallif (accountable) and you are not. I have to pray Namaz (Salah) and you don't. If you step down and get dirty it won't matter as you don't have to do ablution. But if my clothes get dirty I will have to clean myself up and wash my clothes before I can pray."

The dog replied, "if your clothes get dirty it can be remedied easily. You can wash them and they will get clean again. But if I step out of your way into mud your heart will become dirty, because you will start thinking that you are a human being, I am a dog, and that is why you are superior to me. And this thought of superiority will make your heart so dirty that there will be no way to clean it." This thought touched Hazrat Rafai so much that he stepped down into mud and let the dog pass.

After this incident Hazrat Rafai RE got a revelation from Allah Ta'alah that "O' Ahmad Kabeer! Today I have bestowed such wisdom upon you which is mightier than all other wisdom combined. Because you had taken pity on a dog and showed kindness towards him some time ago, that is why I have imparted this wisdom upon you through a member of his flock, as a reward. That wisdom is that a human being should not consider himself superior to even a dog, and should not consider even a dog inferior to himself."

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

LOVING ALLAH'S CREATIONS

Hazrat said that people who are truly religious have a lot of love for Allah's creations, and this love of His creations is a sign that they have true love for Allah. Moulana Romi says in a verse:

زتسبیح و سجّادہ و دلق نیست

طریقت بجز خدمتِ خلق نیست

It means that Tareeqat (Tasawwuf) doesn't consist of just Tasbeeh, Musallah or a specific attire, Tareeqat is nothing without helping other human beings. 

Hazrat Dr Abdul Hai Rehmatullah Elaih used to say that when a person starts loving Allah Ta'alah, and Allah Ta'alah starts loving him too, then Allah Ta'alah blesses him with love of His creations, as a result of which that person starts loving other human beings, and even animals, so much that we can't even begin to imagine the depth of that love.

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

WHAT IS TAWAZU (تواضع)?

Rasool Allah ﷺ  said، من تواضع لله رفعه الله

Translation: Whoever adopts Tawazu for Allah, Allah Ta'alah elevates his status. 

Tawazu (تواضع) is an Arabic word. It means, "thinking of oneself as inferior to others." For example a person thinks that he is no one special. If he is doing something good this is because Allah Ta'alah has given him inspiration to do so. It is only because of Allah Ta'alah's blessing that he is doing those good things. There is nothing special about him. This is the core of Tawazu. Once a person develops Tawazu in his heart then it doesn't matter whether he calls himself a nobody or not. The core of Tawazu is believing oneself to be no one special, not calling oneself no one special. 

Adapted from the talk "Tawazu, a means of greatness", by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

Once Hazrat Abul Durdah RAA stood at the pulpit of Damascus' main mosque and said, "O residents of Damascus! Would you listen to the advice of a caring brother? There have been people before you who accumulated a lot of wealth, who built grand palaces, and who made far fetched plans. Today they are all dead. Their graves are their palaces now, and their far fetched plans were a mirage. The people of Aad used to live nearby you who had filled the country with their men, their wealth, their weapons, and their horses. Is there someone today who would be willing to buy their inheritance from me even for two dirhams?

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Hajar, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA

SHUKR (شکر) AND SABR (صبر)

The core of Shukr is that a person doesn't spend the wealth given to him by Allah Ta'alah on things and activities declared Hara'am (impermissible) by Allah Ta'alah, keeps expressing Allah's Shukr verbally, and moulds his life according to the dictates of Allah Ta'alah.

The core of Sabr is that a person shouldn't get too upset about events that happen contrary to his wishes, does not show ungratefulness to Allah Ta'alah in his deeds and through his words, remain hopeful that Allah Ta'alah will bestow his blessings upon him, and keeps faith that in Aakhirah (life after death) will grant him great rewards for doing Sabr.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Ibrahim, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA.

A GOOD DEED WIPES AWAY A BAD DEED

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA has written in Ma'ariful Quran that another meaning of the verse

یدرؤن بالحسنة السیئة

is that a sin should be atoned for by a good deed. If you ever commit a sin immediately do Taubah (repentance) and then get busy in praying to Allah Ta'alah. This will wash away your sin.

Hazrat Abu Zar Ghaffari RAAhas narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ  said that whenever you commit a bad deed or a sin immediately commit a good deed. That will wipe out your bad deed. (What one should do is to do Taubah from the bad deed first, before doing the god deed, for the bad deed to be wiped out)

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA

REPLY TO A BAD DEED WITH A GOOD DEED

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA has written in Ma'ariful Quran that

یدرؤن بالحسنة السیئة

means that Islam teaches us not to respond to a bad deed with a bad deed, rather Islam tells us that we should reply to a bad deed with a good deed. Whoever has been cruel to you, be just and fair to him. If someone has not fulfilled the obligations of their relationship with you, you should still carry out all their obligations towards you. If someone has expressed anger towards you, be patient and tolerant towards them. This way your enemy will become your friend, and the person who wast doing mischief towards you will become nice to you.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA

SILAH REHMI (صلہءرحمی)

Hazrat Anas RAA has narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said that if a person wants Allah Ta'alah to make his livelihood comfortable, and to grant him Barakah (that his limited income fulfils more of his needs) then he should do Silah Rehmi (صلہ رحمی). Silah Rehmi means that you look after, and financially help as much as you can, those people who are related to you in any way. 

Hazrat Abdullah Ibne Omar RAA has narrated that Rasool Allah SAW said that Silah Rehmi is not just that you repay a relative's kindness, and do him a favour if he has done a favour to you. True Silah Rehmi is that if a relative has not been nice to you, does not maintain his relationship with you, does not fulfil your rights, but you still look after him and fulfil all his rights only to please Allah.

It is narrated in a Hadith in Saheeh Muslim (a book of Ahadith) that Rasool Allah SAW said that it is a high level of Silah Rehmi that a person maintains the same relationships with his father's friends, after his father's death, that he had with them in his father's life.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA

SPENDING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH TA'ALAH

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad has written in the Ma'ariful Quran that the verse

وانفقو مما رزقنھم سرا و علانیه

tells us that spending money in the way of Allah Ta'alah both overtly and covertly is permissible. It is preferred that one gives Farz and Wajib (mandatory) donations like Zakat and Sadaqatul Fitr publicly so that other people may also be tempted to pay these. But should give Nafil (non-obligatory) alms covertly so that he stays safe from Riya (ریا) (doing some Ibadat to please someone other than Allah Ta'alah).

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA.

IMPORTANCE OF RIGHTS OF HUMAN BEINGS

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA said that:

والذین یصلون ما امر الّٰلہ به ان یوصل

means that Islam doesn't preach that a person abstain from all worldly relations. In fact, it is Farz (obligatory) to maintain and fulfil the rights of one's close relations. Allah Ta'alah has ascribed specific rights to parents, children, wife, and even distant relatives and neighbours. These rights are so important that it is not permissible to engage in Nafil (non-obligatory) prayers or religious activities at the cost of neglecting these rights.

From Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA, interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad

ALLAH'S ZIKR (REMEMBRANCE) ALONE CAN BRING PEACE TO HEARTS

الذین امنو و تطمئن قلوبھم بذکرالّٰلہ، الا بذکر الّٰلہ تطمئن القلوب۔ (سورة رعد:۲۸)

Say, "Allah lets go astray whom He wills and gives guidance to the ones  who turn to Him, the ones who believe and their hearts are peaceful with the remembrance of Allah. Listen, the hearts finds peace only with the remembrance of Allah."

From: Ma'ariful Quran by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA

BREAKING IS A PRMOISE IS HARA'AM (IMPERMISSIBLE)

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA has said in the Ma'ariful Quran that:

الذین یوفون بعھدالّٰلہ ولا ینقضون المیثاق

means that once a promise is made it becomes Farz (obligatory) for a Muslim and it is Hara'am to break that promise. That promise may be with Allah Ta'alah and Rasool Allah ﷺ like the promise of always staying on the path of Iman (faith), or it may be with people, whether a Muslim or a non-Muslim. It is Hara'am to breach a promise in all of these situations.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA, interpretation of Surah Ra'ad

HAZRAT OMAR FAROOQ RAA AND PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF NON-MUSLIMS

It is a story of the days when Hazrat Omar Farooq RAA was Caliph of Muslim Ummah (nation). During those times a tax called Jazya was collected from non-Muslims living in Bait-ul-Muqadis (Jerusalem) in lieu of protection of all their rights. At one time there was a need to move the Muslim army from Bait-Ul-Muqadis to another front. Hazrat Omar Farooq said that we had taken on the responsibility of protecting the non-Muslims living in Bait-ul-Muqadis. If we remove our army now then who is going to protect them? We had taken Jazya from them for their protection but the army is direly needed in another place. He invited the non-Muslims to meet him and said that we had taken responsibility of your protection and had collected Jazya for that purpose, and that is why we had collected tax from you. Now we have to send the army elsewhere and we can not continue to protect you, so we are returning to you all the tax that we had collected from you.

Adapted from the talk "Islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB 

IT IS WAJIB (OBLIGATORY) TO TRY TO GUIDE ONE'S CHILDREN TOWARDS THE RIGHT PATH

Hazrat Ibrahim AS prayed to Allah Ta'alah,
"ومن ذرّیاتنا امة مسلمة لک..."

O' Allah, please let our next generation be Muslim. Please let them be obedient to you. In this prayer he has hinted that a Muslim's job is not by becoming a Muslim himself. It is obligatory upon every Muslims to worry about what path his children are adopting. There are so many Muslims now who pray Namaz (Salah) regularly in the first row, who read Quran regularly, who follow the religion piously, but who do not care which path their offspring is adopting.

Quran Karim says,
یا یھاالذین امنو قو انفسکم و اھلیکم نار

O those who believe! Protect yourself and your family from the fire. Just like it is obligatory upon us to be Muslims, it is also obligatory upon to make every effort to ensure that our next generation remains Muslim. 

Adapted from the talk "Hazrat Ibrahim AS and the building of House of Allah" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS: 5. PROTECTION OF BELIEFS

There is a verse of the Quran "لا اکراہ فی الدین". There is no compulsion in religion. In a Muslim country if a Christian wants to remain a Christian, or a Jew wants to remain a Jew, then he can be preached about Islam, but he cannot be forced to become a Muslim. It is not allowed in Shariah to force him to convert to Islam. 

Islam has declared the protection of life, wealth, reputation and respect of non-Muslims living in a Muslim country a responsibility of the state. It is obligatory under Shariah that not only should they have full freedom to practice their religion, but also that they should enjoy equal opportunities in education, employment and receiving justice. It is mandatory that Muslims should treat them with respect, and should not denigrate or humiliate them. Similarly, within the bounds of decency, they should be allowed to celebrate their religious occasions fully, and government should neither interfere with their celebrations itself, nor should let anyone else interfere with these celebrations.

Quran Karim says that (Translation): "Allah does not forbid you from doing good and justice to those who did not fight you because of faith, and did not expel you from your homes. Surely Allah loves those maintain justice." (Surah Al-Mumtahinah:8)

Adapted from the talks "Islam and Human Rights" and "Religious Tolerance" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Db

ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS. 4. PROTECTION OF RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING

It is narrated in a Hadith that after Faraez (obligatory Ibadaat [prayers]) earning a living through Halal means is the second most important Farz (obligatory Ibadat) for a person.

Every person has to earn a living to survive in this world. That is why the right to earn a living has been deemed as one of the basic human rights in Islam and has been protected as such. Rasool Allah ﷺ has said that no one person can be allowed to shut the doors on earning a living for others using his own wealth.

The primary difference between economic teachings of Islam and Capitalism is that in Islam Freedom of Contract is not absolute, and it has been said that every contract that creates imbalance in society, or harms people economically, is Hara'am (impermissible). Rasool Allah SAW has said, "Let people be as Allah Ta'alah will grant sustenance to some through some others."

There are three kinds of restrictions that have been placed on Freedom of Contract in Islam, but before going into that detail there is one core principle that must be understood. Unlike Capitalism or Communism Islam is not just an economic theory or system. Islam is a whole way of life and a belief system that encompasses every walk of life. In Capitalism there is only one measure of success, and that is money. A person who earns a thousand dollars a month is more successful than one earning a hundred dollars a month, and a person earning hundred thousand dollars a month is way more successful than one earning a thousand dollars a month. But in Islam the true measure of success is how well a person used his wealth to make his Aakhirah (life after death) better. If a person dies in a state that Allah Ta'alah was happy with him, he was successful regardless of how poor he dies. If a person dies in a state that Allah Ta'alah was unhappy with him, he died a failure regardless of how much money there was in his bank account at the time of his death.

On the other hand Islam does not teach abstention from all worldly comforts. It allows people to live in this world, to enjoy its comforts, but also cautions that the worldly comforts should not become the total and exclusive focus of all our efforts and our energies, we must also remember that there is a life after this, and we must keep striving to make that eternal life better. Once we understand this core principle then we can understand better why Islam has placed certain types restrictions on Freedom of Contract.

Islam has placed three types of restrictions on Freedom of Contract.

1. A religious injunction or prohibition.
In Islam if two parties enter into a contract to earn a profit or an income it is generally respected and binding, but there are certain types of contracts which are absolutely forbidden in Islam even if both parties involved are willing to enter into that agreement.

Interest (usury) based transactions are a prime example of these kinds of contracts and there is a warning of a declaration of war from Allah Ta'alah and Rasool Allah SAW for those people who engage in such transactions. There are whole books written on this topic but the core principle is that in interest-based transactions one person's gain is guaranteed, and the other person's gain is uncertain who carries all the risk. In Islam the principle is that the profit or loss both should be shared between both parties.

Gambling is another such transaction that is absolutely forbidden regardless of whether both parties are willing to engage in it. The out come of gambling, in all its various forms, always is that one or a few persons make a lot of money, while a much larger number loses their money. Allah Ta'alah is so kind to His subjects that He has forbidden them to engage in activities where they are likely to incur a loss, even if they wish to do so.

Ihtikar (hoarding) is forbidden in Islam. Rasool Allah SAW has even forbidden middlemen from the cities to buy the produce from farmers and then sell it onwards. Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB said that both of these activities drive prices upwards and make life more difficult for ordinary people, and that is why these have been forbidden.

Iktinaz (being so miserly about spending money that one doesn't even pay Zakat or fulfil financial Faraez like looking after one's family) has also been declared Hara'am in Shariah.

In all the activities mentioned above which have been declared Hara'am by Shariah even if its participants engage willingly in it, there is one common theme that is even though they may bring great financial benefit to one person or a few, but overall they are harmful for the masses, which is against the spirit of Islam.

2. Moral injunctions.
As mentioned above, the true measure of success in Islam is not who earned or saved the most money, but who made Allah Ta'alah most happy. That is why Islam encourages its followers to spend money in a lot of heads which while not obligatory and do not bring much financial benefit, but earn great rewards for the Aakhirah. And mostly it is related to brining relief to and satisfy needs of Allah's creations. For example a businessman estimates that if he installed a new factory he will earn a lot of profit, but if he built low cost housing for people who can't afford their own home otherwise, he may not earn as much but will earn a lot of Thawab because he will be providing relief to Allah's creations. If, in that instance, he then chooses to build low cost housing, even that it was not obligatory for him under Shariah to do so but was a moral imperative, InshaAllah it will earn him great rewards for his Aakhirah.

3. Legal injunctions
Islam has given the right to an Islamic government that at any time if it feels that it needs to make a specific law to change the direction in which the society is going, it can do so, and it is binding on people living under its rule.

Adapted from the talk "Islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS: 3. PROTECTION OF REPUTATION

The third basic human right that has been protected in Islam is protection of reputation. This has been protected so strictly in Islam that it is not allowed to say anything bad about a person even in their absence. It is termed Gheebat (saying something bad about a person in his absence that would hurt him if he heard that it was said about him) and it is such a great sin that Rasool Allah ﷺ has likened it to eating one's dead brother's flesh. Who amongst us would even want to imagine about eating one's deceased brother's flesh?

Some Sahaba (companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW) asked Rasool Allah SAW, "O Rasool Allah SAW! What if what we have said is true?" Rasool allah SAW said, "It is only Gheebat if it is true. Otherwise it would be Buhtaan (بہتان)." Buhtaan is an even greater sin because it is a combination of two sins, telling a lie, and saying something bad about a person. This is the difference between the English concept of Slander and Gheebat. The dictionary meaning of Slander is to say something false and damaging about a person. Gheebat means anything bad about a person in his absence, even if it is true.

Sometimes people say that what I am saying is not Gheebat as I can say it in front of that person, somehow assuming that it is only Gheebat if it can't be said in front of the person. Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB said that everything bad that is said about a person behind his back which would upset him if he heard it is Gheebat, it has nothing to do with being able to repeat the same in front of him, or not.

These days it has become almost fashionable to repeat without any investigation whatever is being said about a public figure, as if we have personally witnessed it. In Islam there is no distinction between a public or a private figure in that regard, everyone's reputation is equally protected. Rasool Allah SAW has said that it is enough for s person to be deemed a liar if he passes on everything he hears without doing any investigation. There are only specific circumstances in which it is permissible to do someone's Gheebat which have been described in a recent post.

Similarly people think think that it is permissible to do Gheebat of people who are known to be sinners. This is again wrong as Allah Ta'alah protects rights of every human being, regardless of how many sins they may have committed. In a gathering people were doing Gheebat of Hajjaj Bin Yousuf. A buzurg said that just like Allah Ta'alah will hold Hajjaj accountable for the lives of all the innocent Muslims whose blood he shed, similarly Allah will also hold all those people accountable who have done Hajjaj's Gheebat without just cause.

In nutshell Shariah has laid down very strict rules about protecting reputation of all human beings, and we should be very careful when saying something bad about someone being mindful that one day Allah Ta'alah will make us account for that.

Adapted from the talk "Human Rights in Islam" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS: PROTECTION OF PROPERTY 2.1

It would be difficult to come up with matching examples of the extent to which Rasool Allah ﷺ went to protect financial rights of even his enemies. Once Muslims under the leadership of Rasool Allah SAW had attacked Khyber fort and had surrounded it. There was a goat herder there who used to herd other people's goats for some small fee. He had a thought that he had heard a lot about Muhammad, now that he was there he wanted to go and meet him to find out what kind of a man he was. People told him which tent Rasool Allah SAW was in. He asked Rasool Allah SAW what his message was. Rasool Allah SAW told him about Tauheed (that Allah Ta'alah is One and Only, and no one shares His characteristics or powers). He asked what his status would be if he became a Muslim. Rasool Allah SAW said, "You will become our brother, and you will have the same rights as everyone else." To cut a long story short he was so touched that he embraced Islam then and there.

After converting to Islam he said, "Now I am ready to obey whatever orders you give me." The first order Rasool Allah gave him was not to pray Namaz (Salah), it was not to fast, or to pay Zakat. The first order Rasool Allah SAW gave him after converting to Islam was, "The goats you were herding belong to their rightful owners and you brought them here after doing a contract with their owners. They have ben entrusted (Amanat) to you. Now go and return the goats to their owners, and then come back and ask me what to do next." He asked in surprise, "O Rasool Allah SAW. These goats belong to your sworn enemies, who would make every effort to kill you. You want me to return these goats to them?" Rasool Allah SAW said, "If we had earned these goats as part of spoils pf war that would have been a different matter. But you have brought these goats here after making a promise to their owners. You are obligated under that promise to return them to their owners. So go and return it to them." The goat herder returned the goats to their owners, joined the Jihad and achieved martyrdom. Thus Rasool Allah showed by example that if one has entered into a contract even with an enemy, then that contract must be honoured.

Adapted from the talk "Islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB

HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM: 2 PROTECTION OF PROPERTY

لا تاکلو اموالکم بینکم بالباطل

DO NOT CONSUME EACH OTHER'S WEALTH UNJUSTLY

Protection of property is the second basic human right in Islam. As had been mentioned in a previous post there are three degrees of virtuous acts by doing which one earns Thawab (eternal rewards). Faraez and Wajibat (obligatory acts under Shariah), Sunnah (practices of Rasool Allah ﷺ) and Mustahib (acts which earn Thawab when performed, but there is no sin if one doesn't commit them). The financial Faraez and Wajibat include acts like paying Zakat, spending money on Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Makkah) and Qurbani (slaughtering an animal in the name of Allah), and fulfilling the financial needs of one's family. For some of these Faraez and Wajibat even the government has the right to enforce. And if there is a person who the person who is not carrying out these Faraez or Wajibat listens to, then he would be well within his rights to try to persuade him to carry these out. However, except for these financial Faraez and Wajibat it is not permissible in Shariah to force anyone to spend his money on any Nafil (non-obligatory deeds) Sadaqah or Khairat (charity). If someone forces anyone else to do so, not only they will not get any Thawab, in fact they will end incurring the sin of taking someone else's money with undue pressure or influence. 

In Shariah a term "Teeb-Khatir" (literally meaning happiness of the heart) has been used. It means someone giving their money voluntarily without any undue influence or pressure to someone else. The rule in Shariah is that it is Hara'am to take someone's money without him giving it away happily. In pre-partition India after the death of their fathers sons divided all his inheritance among themselves making their sisters forego their share. Hazrat Thanvi RA used to say that sisters relinquishing their inheritance rights would be valid only if they received their share of inheritance, used it for 1-2 years, and then gifted it happily to their brothers. That would be true Teeb-e-Khatir.

to be continued...

Adapted from the talk "islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB.