Faraz Rabbani – The Rawha #065 The Branches of Faith Actions of the Limbs Relating to Others
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You're listening to the daily
guidance for seekers with Sheikh Rasra Behni, who
will be covering Imam Yusuf al Nabhani's beautiful
collection of 40 sets of 40 hadith of
the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
as well as imam Zarnooji's guidance for seekers
of knowledge regarding the ways of seeking knowledge.
Alhamdulillah.
We are in our daily Roha,
in which we look daily at some of
the guidance of the prophet
And
we completed looking at
40 hadiths
on the virtues
of faith and submission.
Forty hadiths on the virtues of iman and
Islam.
And
at the end, the author
looked
at Hadith at the Hadith of the prophet
relating
to
relating to
the branches of faith.
The branches
of faith.
And
the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam told us that
the branches of faith are
60 odd branches
or 70
odd branches.
And the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said,
and
modesty, shyness is a branch of faith. The
reason the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam mentioned shyness
as being a branch of faith is either
because hayah
is a fundamental value
of a faithful believer. The other reason the
prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam mentioned that even that
it's either for emphasis or that even shyness
is a branch of faith. That everything
in every act of good, whether
a virtuous quality
or
a virtuous action,
which is why the prophet
in another hadith said,
And that the the prophet said, faith has
70 odd branches. The highest of it is
to bear witness that there's no God but
Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of
Allah and the least of it is removing
some harm from
from another's
way.
Wal hayaushuarbatumna
il iman. And modesty
is a branch of faith. So this is
part of our
opportunity as believers that every act in life
we can nurture our faith through.
So the
so sheikh Yusuf al Nabhani who gathered these
40 hadiths, at the end, he has a
beautiful and very useful section
in which
he looks at the explanation of ibn Hajjar
al-'Asqalani,
the great imam
of hadith
in his work,
Thath al Bani,
Sharjah Sahih al Bukhari, the comment his commentary
on the Sahih of Imam al Bukhari,
on the efforts of some of the scholars
including Ibn Hiban and others to classify the
branches of faith. And we've been looking at
that over the last few sessions.
So to, you know, to review what we
looked at, the the author the imam, ibn
Hajjar explains that the branches of faith relate
to the actions of the heart, which are
what you believe in
and
the qualities of belief such as love of
Allah, hope and fear, and so on.
The second part of
the second type of
branches of faith are those related to the
tongue
because it's the most critical of the outward
limbs.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, oh, you believe,
have taqwa of Allah and say words that
are upright, and Allah will rectify for you
your deeds
and forgive for you your sins.
And whoever obeys Allah and his messenger
has in
has indeed
succeeded with tremendous success.
So
the critical nature of the tongue
means that it's the branches of faith relating
to the tongue are considered on their own,
and
we looked at those.
Then there's the branches of faith that relate
to
our outward actions, and our outward actions
relate to
3 categories.
Right.
Those that relate to
the worship of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
Those that relate to the rights
of
our immediate relationships,
parents,
family,
spouse, children,
etcetera.
And
then we have
the the the branches of faith relating to
outward actions that relate to the rights of
others in a general sense.
Right? So this is what he will look
at
in so he says,
and then there are those that relate
to the rights of others
and these are 17
qualities.
These are 17
qualities.
The first is
Alright. The first is
fulfilling
leadership
with justice,
fulfilling the rights of leadership
with justice. So that if
one is in a situation where one is
given leadership, one is given authority,
then
one does so with justice,
which is to fulfill the rights of others
soundly.
So as Muslims, we do not seek leadership.
Right. As Muslims,
we do not seek leadership. Leadership
is a trust and responsibility.
Right. So it is not sought,
rather
it should be given
to those who are most trustworthy
and most capable of fulfilling
the trust of leadership.
Right. The prophet
was very clear that we do not give
this matter
to those who seek it. Meaning leadership
is not given to those who seek it
because there, the likelihood of their having
ulterior motives, whether selfish or relating to interest
groups,
is much higher.
Right? So leadership isn't shouldn't be given
on basis merely on the basis that someone's
seeking it,
but rather it's given leadership is a trust.
It's to fulfill the public interest.
It's given to those
who are trustworthy.
Right? So they can fulfill it
with justice
and with concern for the public trust and
were capable.
Right? Who are capable? They have this the
leadership skills
and the requisite
know how to be able to fulfill it
with excellence. Alright? So that and that's a
branch of faith.
So it is not sought,
but
if one is entrusted with it, it is
one of the opportunities of greatest good.
Right? So it's not sought,
but if entrusted with it,
it is a branch of faith
because the faithful leader, the trustworthy and just
leader is one of those who are under
the shade of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
on the day of resurrection when there's no
shade but his shade.
So that is the first of the public
branches of faith.
The second branch of faith related to the
to, you know, to to the public is
and to follow the group
and to follow the group.
One part of this relates to faith that
the believer
makes their faith
according to the mainstream
belief.
Also has to do with that the believer,
you know,
upholds all the implications
of the words of the prophet sallallahu alaihi
wa sallam, alaykum bil jama'ah,
hold fast to the group.
So you may disagree with the decision made
by your masjid,
by an organization you're with, etcetera. But in
matters of judgment,
when there's a collective judgment
given,
we follow that collective judgment unless it is
munkar.
Right? Even if one disagrees with it. Right?
Even if one disagrees with it. 1, you
know, the prophet said, yadullahhim aaljama' Allah's hand
is with the group. The group should follow,
shura, consultation, etcetera. But one follows the group
and one leaves one's personal preference for the
preference of the group. And this is important.
This is a branch of faith. It's an
important ethic of the believer.
Believers consult,
but once a decision is made, one follows
the group. And the family is a group.
A
community group is a group, a masjid,
an organization you're part of. These are groups.
Once a decision is made, one one
follows. There's a time for consultation and there's
a time for coming together.
Related to that,
the
and obeying those in authority.
Right.
The hadith on this are numerous. So much
so that it has been considered to be
one of the integrals of faith.
Right? One of the integrals of faith that
the believer
obeys those in authority.
Why? Why? Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says
in the Quran.
Was it?
Obey Allah and obey his messenger and those
in authority
over you.
Right?
Even if one disagrees with them as long
as they do not call you directly to
the munkar, to that which is
categorically
wrong.
Of the public branches of faith of the
branches of faith relating to public rights are
and to mend relations
between people. And this is a very important
value in our religion.
Right? The believers are but brethren.
So mend relations
between your brethren.
Allah subhanahu wa'ala tells us elsewhere in the
Quran, that's from Surat Al Hujurat.
That mending relations,
that,
reconciliation
is good,
is always good.
The the prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, himself
tells us that of
the best of faith is mending
relationships.
Right. So this is a great virtue.
So whether it be within
your own relations,
we know from the teachings of our prophet
that if relations between you and another
are strained or harmed,
then it is praiseworthy for the
the great merit for the believer to be
the one who reaches out
and mend relations with another themselves.
Right.
Whether you were wronged or the other.
This is particularly true in family. The prophet
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said that
maintaining family ties is not that you be
good to your family when they're good to
you,
but rather maintaining family ties is that you
maintain the ties even if others are doing
things that would break the ties.
Right. So if you have a cousin,
uncles, aunts,
nephews,
whatever,
who are
acting wrongfully, strive to be the one who
mends relations. That's between you and others, but
also if relations between
any two believers
are harmed.
Whether it be
between family,
between friends,
or between people in general
to be the
Muslim,
right,
to be the one who is the means
to mending relations.
This is described by the prophet
as as
being of the best of faith.
So there's great, great merit
in
this act
and one should not neglect that as a
believer.
And learning the skills of being able to
do so
of how you can mend relations, which revolves
around
yourself having good character,
of having empathy,
of listening carefully
to what is it that concerns both parties,
and
having the insight of what course of action
would help each party come closer to the
other.
Right?
And that's part of being a shepherd, which
we the the prophet encouraged that every each
of you is a shepherd and each of
you should take responsibility for their flock.
And blessed are the shepherds. Right?
Because they
guide people towards the good and bring people
back to the good.
And from mending relations between people is fighting
is to fight
those who go out
against
the, you know, the government
and
those who rebel against government. Right?
So even if the government
is unjust,
it is against prophetic teachings
to go out in armed rebellion
against them.
And why? Because it
because the government's only in power because they're
able to have power. Right? And if you
try to take away someone's power, they're going
to resist. And that resistance is going to
affect harm
the common person.
Right? So this is an area where there's
numerous hadith of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
Right? That we do not accept armed rebellion
as a general principle. It's not an absolute
because if there
if there's no other way
to depose off a
an unjust
government,
but even then one has to carefully consider
outcomes
that will there be lesser harm, all things
considered,
in
the rebellion.
Right? But rebellion
in general is not permitted. The only time
would be when there's open oppression from the
government
and the only
way
of warding off or lessening that oppression
is by rebelling against the government
and that rebellion is number 1, likely to
succeed.
And number 2,
is
likely
based on sound new consideration
to result in
better outcomes
and that is not likely to result
in fitna
or,
or public harm. Right? And we see the
great wisdom of the the the scholars who
condemned the the Syrian uprising that this is
going to lead to mass
harm for the people of Syria
and some of the
excited
young,
some of the excited
could could attack those scholars such as Shikhil
Bhuti and others that owe your government scholars
whatever and he certainly was not.
But
the basis of most rebellions is that they
result in widespread harm
rather than good. Right? And that's
one of the the aspects.
And then from the branches of faith,
Ibn Hajar tells us
is
and from the branches of faith is
actively assisting others in virtue
and bir
is
majma'u
kisalil khair. Right? This term,
Bir, you know, virtue
is
encompassing
all qualities of good.
Right?
So al Muawanatulalbir
to to have an attitude
of assisting
in all
ways of good, all that is good,
virtuous,
beneficial,
the believer has an attitude, how can I
help?
And the least of it
is to to be pleased with the good,
to pray for the good,
to encourage
others.
When there's any good, the least of it,
pray for
it. Be pleased with it. Pray for it.
Encourage others for the good and assist it
with a word of encouragement
and give even a little.
The the quality of the righteous believer is
any pathway of good,
assist it even if it be with a
little.
Right? So they say these 5 basic qualities
with respect to the good. Be pleased with
it.
Pray for it.
Give
some positive words to the one who's doing
it because it gives them encouragement.
Assist it yourself and encourage others.
So what what what what are the 5
again?
So be pleased with it.
2nd? Pray for it. Pray for it. Number
3?
Give a good word. Give a good word
to the person.
It's so rare. So
for example, if the Imam Ghazali Institute
is doing a program somewhere, you
know, even if it be an indirect like,
just like it for example. Right? But you
don't have to say it every time but
recognize the good of others. It encourages them
And then assisted yourself
even if it be with a little financially.
If you can help, etcetera. And the the
final one is encourage others to do it.
If you do these, you're of those who
are
fulfilling this call of
Of course, this is a command in the
Quran. Ta'aanuaal birriwa taqwa, assist one another in
righteousness and good deeds
and assisting in good,
in righteousness, in virtue,
And included in this is commanding the good
and forbidding the wrong. It's an obligation of
the believers
to command other believers to that which is
agreed upon to be the good in a
manner that is good when it is likely
to be a benefit
and to forbid the wrong when it is
clearly wrong in a manner that is good
when it's likely to be of benefit.
And to establish
the
prescribed punishments.
Right? There needs to there's a need for
public law but
the preservation of public law is in the
hands of those of public authority, not the
individual. You cannot punish the thief.
Right? But
the law has to be established to preserve
limits
through which the rights of people are preserved
and so that they're not wronged.
And
fighting in the way of Allah in accordance
with its principles.
And from jihad,
Right?
And from that is
defending the frontiers
of
Muslim lands. Right? So and this is in
the old days particularly important. You know, there
there weren't formal borders,
but
the Muslim lands will be preserved by people
going and then it would be a devotional
act. They'll go and stay in these
rebots,
in these fortresses
defending the lands from attack
so that they could be peace in society.
And this is,
part of the function of jihad.
And fulfilling trusts.
Right? The believer strives to be true and
trustworthy. These are 2 of the fundamental qualities
of our beloved Messenger
to be
and one should be trustworthy
and
when one takes on a trust, the believer
fulfills that trust. When one takes on a
trust, the believer fulfills that trust.
Okay.
And
and from that
is
and from that is to give
the
the various types of taxes that are due.
Right? Because it's a public trust.
And from
fulfilling of trust
are loans and repaying them.
Right? So
it is praiseworthy to give loans,
right, to others
to assist them. That's what they call.
Right? Sometimes,
giving a loan is better than giving in
charity.
Right? Because let's say some young man named
Farid
is opening a business. If you just give
him the money, say here, Bitter,
here's $10,000.
Start your business.
It may not be in his interest
because he may not take it seriously. Yeah.
I can get money off people. He borrows
10,000 here below. He doesn't borrow it. Someone
gives him 10,000 just like that. He may
not take it seriously. But if you loan
him the money and it's expected back, oh,
I have to take my business seriously.
So he it'll be good for him because
it'll help him make his business successful.
So
having relationships where you can trust people
with with debt is praiseworthy because you're assisting
them in the good. But if you do
take on debt,
which is when it's needed,
when you need to,
you need to get married
and but you don't quite have enough money
but you take a debt that you're sure
that you'll be able to repay,
then that's part of fulfilling trusts. Only take
a debt when you are sure that you
can fulfill the trust of the commitment
that you have made.
And from the public branches of faith,
and honoring one's neighbor.
Right. Whoever believes in Allah and the last
day, let them honor their neighbor And this
should not be neglected
as a believer which entails you should know
your neighbor.
The least of it, least of honoring your
neighbor is do not harm them. Do not
inconvenience them with your actions,
with
your noise,
right, with your cooking,
right, and you should strive
to share in the good with your neighbors.
And from the pub branches of faith that
relate to the public are
good dealings. Husnulmuamala,
meaning anyone you deal with, you deal with
in a good manner.
Waqaliitinasa
bi khuluqinhasan.
In the hadith of Tilmadi, the prophet
gave a general principle.
Relate to all people on the basis of
good character.
And from good dealings with people also is
to acquire wealth
in
lawful ways.
And to spend
money where it must be spent,
spending on your family, spending on the poor
and needy, spending on public causes,
etcetera.
And from the public rights are
leaving, squandering,
and wastefulness.
Squandering
is to use things in a way where
there's no benefit.
Right? So you you know, you you know,
let's say you have a water you have
you bought some watermelons,
so you just throw around the watermelons.
Right? So you say you have watermelon shooting.
Right? You're you're squandering.
Wastefulness is to use things
beyond benefit.
Right? So they have 10 guests, you cut
5 watermelons.
So they get wasting wasted.
Tabdheer
is where
you just, you know,
do a watermelon rolling contest. You roll watermelons
off the cliff.
Right?
That's a silly example but
wastefulness
particularly related to things that people need. Right?
Squandering
is, you know, you have some clothing you
don't like, you throw it away.
That's squandering.
Right?
Rather, any you use things within need. What
is beyond need? The basis of the believer
is that you give it to those who
can benefit from it.
Give it to those who can benefit from
it.
And answering the salaams. This is the right
of others. Now specifically with Muslims, one says,
and it's a right of the that if
someone gives you the salaam, you respond to
it. And generally,
the general instruction is that you greet people
that you greet people. So there's a general
sunnah
of greeting people and returning their greetings and
to greet them in a good way which
we uphold in society.
If You walk down the street, you make
eye contact with someone, the believer,
the the sunnah is fulfilled by saying good
morning, good afternoon,
smiling, and so on. And with with a
Muslim, one says, assalamu alaikum.
And it's their right that one say,
with
the
and to pray for the one who sneezes.
So when when someone sneezes, we know the
sunnah is to say, Alhamdulillah,
and then the one who hears that should
say, in and it's wajib in the khanafi
school. One says, Right.
Collectively, it's a duty to answer the salaam
and to answer,
the one who sneezes and says, Alhamdulillah.
And this is a general principle to keep
away harm from people. Do not harm anyone.
They said this is.
The basis of
proper manners of adab is
is that you do not harm anyone.
And to
to keep away from
all foolish matters
because foolish things are only spread in society.
Is that which is foolish and without benefit.
The foolish pay no attention to
it. Don't talk about it.
Don't
participate in it.
Pay no attention to
it. Don't talk about
it. Don't participate in it,
let alone promoting it.
Right?
So don't talk about the latest video by
whichever artist.
Don't look at it.
Another
looking at the sin is sinful.
Right.
And and removing harm from people's path.
K. Removing harm from people's path.
Anything this literally, you're walking down the street.
There's a broken bottle. Strive to be the
person who picks it up.
Right? You're driving and there's a, you know,
there's a, you know, sometimes,
you know, let's say there's a broken tire
or whatever safely from parks on the side
and should be the person who who removes
it. Right?
To any harm in any way of people,
you know, if in winter, for example, in
cold countries, if there's ice
on on a pathway,
try to remove it, etcetera.
These are many ways of removing harm from
people's paths.
So these are
so Ibad Hajar said these are 69
traits.
Right? And
one can consider them to be 79,
right,
depending on how you count them.
And he says,
and Allah knows best
and Allah knows best. So these are the
branches of faith that we
that we wanted to expand upon from,
next
next Monday.
We're going to look at,
40 hadiths on the virtues of remembrance of
Allah.
So that's our Arruha
for,
for today.
Thank you for listening to the raha, daily
guidance for seekers with Sheikh Farazrabani.
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