Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Feminism and enjoining good & forbidding evil

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

There is this notion that guidance given to a woman by a man is almost inherently misogynistic. Many times I find women offended at the very idea of a man offering guidance and it’s even more so if his guidance relates to a women’s issue or command that is particular to women. We, the majority of people (male and female) have ego problems that make us view advice as intrusive, uncalled for and generally, rude. We need to actively seek to overcome our Nafs in this regard. 

Often, I contemplate scenarios that happened in the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the Companions and the Taabi`een, and I play them out verbatim in our modern era. The results are disastrous. One such narration is mentioned below.

Ask yourself honestly, oh sisters in Islaam, would you accept it if a man from the Masjid asked if you were wearing perfume and then told you to go home and make Ghusl because your prayers would not be accepted otherwise? Would this upset you? Would your first thought be, “Oh my! He is right. I am glad to have people there to teach me when I don’t know and to address me when I slip into following my whims.” Or would your first thought be more along the lines of, “He isn’t my Mahram so why is he talking to me. He should be ashamed. He needs to mind his own business. Why is there so much negativity here? It’s not that big of a deal. Anyway, Islaam is in my heart!”

We really need to stop and think about how often we reject advice and label it as rude and aggressive simply because a correction makes us uncomfortable.

When you read of such incidents in the Ahaadeeth, really ponder. Think to yourself how you might react to the same advice. If your suspected reaction isn’t the one that aids you in growth and development towards the pleasure of Allaah then take steps to change. Recognize your ego and subdue it for your own betterment and benefit.

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Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾

{The believing men and believing women are Awliyaa’ (helpers, supporters, protectors) of one another. They enjoin what is right and FORBID WHAT IS WRONG and establish prayer and give zakaah and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.}

📚 [Surah al-Tawbah (9): 71]

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It was narrated that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه met a woman who was wearing perfume and heading towards the Masjid. He said: “O Amatul-Jabbaar (O maid-servant of the Compeller), where are you headed?” She said: “To the Masjid.” He said: “And have you put on perfume for that?” She said: “Yes.” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah say:

Any woman who puts on perfume then goes out to the Masjid, no prayer will be accepted from her until she takes a Ghusl (bath) [like that of sexual defilement].

📚 [Sunan Ibn Maajah (4002) and the wordings are his, and Sunan Abu Dawood (4174) and the words within the brackets are from him, and graded as “Hasan Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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📑 Some points of benefits:

🌟 1) Enjoining good and forbidding evil is a duty and an essential part of the Deen.

🌟 2) If people do not enjoin good and forbid evil, they will be in loss. The salvation of this Ummah depends upon it. [Surah al-`Asr]

🌟 3) It is from Naseehah (sincerity) to enjoin good and forbid evil.

🌟 4) Enjoining good and forbidding evil is a sign of Imaan (Faith).

🌟 5) There are three ways to enjoin good and forbid evil. The one with strong Faith will try to change evil with his hands (i.e. by using force), or with his tongue (by speaking against it); and the one with weak Faith will at least consider evil as evil in his heart. [Saheeh Muslim]

🌟 6) Enjoining good and forbidding evil is the trademark and one of the distinctive signs of the Best Nation (i.e. the Muslim Ummah). [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 110]

🚫 7) When the Best Nation stops enjoining good and forbidding evil, it will lead to its downfall and it would be treading the path of Ahl al-Kitaab (the Jews and the Christians) in this regards. And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had clearly warned that many amongst us will be following their path. [Saheehain]

🚫 8) One of the reasons for the downfall and deviation of Ahl al-Kitaab (the people of the Book) was because they had stopped enjoining good and forbidding evil. [Surah al-Maaidah (5): 78-79]

🚫 9) Not enjoining good and forbidding evil leads to Du`aa (supplications) not being accepted. [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2169)]

🚫 10) Not enjoining good and forbidding evil leads towards Allaah’s punishment. [Sunan Abu Dawood (4338), Ibn Majah (4005) and Tirmidhee (3057)

🌟 11) Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, in order to make her fear Allaah, addressed her by Amatul-Jabbaar (O maid-servant of the Compeller) instead of Amatullaah (O maid-servant of Allaah) which implies a kind of scolding in order to make her humble. [Al-Haashiyah of al-Sindee on Sunan Ibn Maajah (2/483)]

🚫 12) Not accepting advise because the advisor was harsh in his approach is not an excuse for a Believer. Whatever the reason, it should never defer us from accepting the truth after it has been made clear to us.

🚫 13) It is al-Kibr (Takabbur / pride / ego) to distain the Truth, and the one who has a mustard seed’s worth of pride in his/her heart will not enter Paradise. [Saheeh Muslim]

🌟 14) Before forbidding evil, one should ascertain two things, that it is bad in itself and that it is bad for the one who is doing it because a thing may be bad in itself, but it would not bad or evil for the one who is doing it. Example: It is bad to eat and drink during the day in Ramadhaan, but it is permissible for the one who is traveling or is sick. [Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen, Sharh al-Arba`een al-Nawawee, Hadeeth #34]

🌟 15) Advise is given to all, men and women, young and old. The status of a person should not prevent us from speaking the Truth. [Sunan Ibn Maajah (4007)]

🚫 16) The people of the Book went astray because when a “noble” person did something wrong, they would leave him, but they would inflict the punishment on a weak person if he did wrong. [Saheehain]


Abu Sahl and Umm Dahlia Barmem

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