Moutasem Al-Hameedi talks about misusing ones authority.
Abu Huraira Center
Moutasem al-Hameedy – Misusing Authority
AI: Summary ©
The importance of gratitude and the Koran's teachings is discussed, as it is crucial to protect others and not use power when given. The speaker emphasizes the need to live up to Islam principles and trust in one's own power. The importance of respect for human beings is also emphasized, particularly in regards to money and property. The speaker warns against harming others and offers advice on avoiding negative consequences and avoiding giving back money to others.
AI: Summary ©
I
decided to talk this week on this court about
on the same topic I was talking about last week, the last few verses seem to have profound meanings. And it's not only the wordings of these verses, but it's also the principles behind them. Because there is one of the aspects that show the beauty of the haoran. The beauty of the words of Allah subhanaw taala is that you can take a very practical, immediate advice from the words of the Quran, so you can walk away with it, and you can benefit from it, you can implement it, and it could change your life. But part of the richness of the Koran it's a treasure of wisdom and knowledge is that if you dig a bit deeper, you will find principles guiding principles. So you might take the advice, for
example of being nice to your parents. But you can see the principles the principle there is gratefulness, being grateful. Being a good human being these are principles. So that is that extends the benefit of this advice, and the blessings of this advice not only to your parents, but to any other human being, specifically elderly people, seniors, and not only the seniors, but almost everyone on earth. And not everyone or not only everyone on Earth, but even the dead ones.
From the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is something I Lost Planet Allah taught us to do. Allah Allah, Allah Allah, Allah now what where Juan in alladhina, Saba coolabah, amen. Oh, Allah forgive our sins protects us from the consequences of our sins, and forgive the sins of the people of the righteous people who came before us. Because we recognize their contribution, we recognize their goodness, and we know that we are on the same path. And part of our continuity is built on their contribution. And their goodness, we find we feel the connection and we experience it and we live it. So every time we dig deeper in the Quran, you will find beautiful lessons. And we all to
actually delve deeper into the Quran and take more of these principles. So it like we can find these principles that can help us live a godly life that can help us really live our life fully, in a sense that makes us maximize our potential and our opportunity to please Allah subhana wa to add and meet him favorably on the day of judgment and make it to paradise, and also increase our chances of living a rewarding life, a fulfilling life in this world, a life of contribution, a life of meaning, a life of excellence and goodness. And that's what Islam is designed for. This is why Allah subhanaw taala sent it to us as guidance.
So lots of parents, Allah says again, salatu salam,
what are takanobu mallia teamie liability, yes or no Hector jablonka showed that this is a special advice for the orphans, people who lost their parents, people who don't probably don't know their parents,
they have a wealth, they have some kind of property. If you are their guardian, if you are looking after them after their affairs, you are not allowed to misuse their wealth, even if you are in charge of it. They say they are still young, they still unable to, you know, take care of their own affairs. So a guardian is appointed. And this islamically this is what the government should provide for the orphans. It should provide a person to be a guardian or a body of people, or a committee to be a guardian for that person to decide, you know, or to make a decision in the best of his or her interests to take care of whatever funds, they have probably something they inherited from their
parents, something that was given to them as sort of as gift. So there's supposed to be a guardian that will take care of this, and increase it and invest in it and make sure that it is spent in the right way or in the best interest of that author. This is how Islam looks after these people. And that for as a matter of fact, it provides a guidance to looking after every human being Islam provides for everyone. So Allah subhanaw taala, saying do not misuse it. Because authority gives us power and power sometimes is overwhelming, and makes us take advantage of it. So sometimes when you have the authority or the power or the control over something, we tend to misuse it. And in the
human sciences, in this in the social sciences, this is proven by research that once you give it give most for the most for the biggest majority of human beings. Once you give them power, they tend to misuse it. They tend to misuse it. Whether this power is personal, whether it is judicial, whether it's legal, whether it is economical, or whether it's even in terms of communication, like the media and we see how the media tried to
defames Islam and Muslims and put them on the spot and magnify and blow out of proportion any individual incident that's committed by a Muslim trying to make it look as if it's, this is what Islam stands for. And yet when a crime is committed by any faiths, or any ideologies or any philosophies or other individuals, it's not even mentioned, it's barely mentioned in fine print. And it doesn't occupy the main lines or the front pages in the mainstream media. So this is authority, and people tend to misuse it.
That's the principle behind the simple advice. Don't misuse your authority, the authority that Allah has given you to look after that first of an orphan. So make sure they use it in their best interest, not based on your own wishes, not to make any kind of personal benefit for yourself, you're not allowed to do this, you are completely interested, and you are supposed to act selflessly in that position. So this is the immediate advice, the general advice or the general principle behind it is that do not ever use or misuse, power when it's given to you. And when you have power over something over someone, remember that what that the days keep changing, and one day you will be
in the lower end, you will be in the weaker, the weak link in the chain. So somebody else will have power over you. And so Pamela, the balance that Allah says in this universe, is that when you commit injustice, it will come back to you sometime.
It will come back to you. You have caused the breach to the balance that Allah created in this universe. And this is why the sins of human beings create a lot of corruption in the creation of Allah, Allah. Allah says in sola to Rome, the hidden facade of a battery well battery be Marchesa, but aiding us in a corruption, destruction, deformities have appeared on Earth and in the oceans because of the sins of human beings. So sins have an impact on the universe, because they break the balance the meezan that Allah created to govern this creation and this universe. So as a principle, we are not allowed to misuse that power. Sometimes people are put in a financial position where they
can control for example, where the soda company goes, where this account money goes, and they abuse it, and how often we find this in Muslim communities.
And why is this is because we don't look at the Koran as a guide as guidance as a way for life. Sometimes we just tend to learn about it, and we keep it in our heads, but we never take it as something to implement, how often certain Muslims are caught in corruption cases where they misuse the money of public money or money of Muslim communities or schools.
Or sometimes government agencies, or sometimes even using something as simple as
welfare or benefits system.
This is an authority This is a power this is a right that you are given. But when you misuse it, you are breaching the laws of Allah subhanaw taala you're not supposed to misuse the power. You're, you're given it as a trust. And you are supposed to maintain that trust and rise up to that level. Even if you think the people in charge of this institution, or that kind of buddy, don't deserve your honesty and your integrity. Allah subhanho wa Taala demands it of you.
So you don't take these people to stipulate how you're going to behave. Circumstances should not make you breach your principles. But you should rise above the immediate moment, the immediate circumstances and live up to a higher principle that is pleasing to Allah subhanaw taala because you can see beyond the moment you're not controlled by the circumstances, you know, there is far greater wisdom behind everything and you know that Allah is watching you, and you want to please Allah subhanaw taala no matter what, and you know, that everything is in the hands of Allah and if you stay truthful and true to Allah, Allah will find you a way out.
And people who have developed the patience and the perseverance, to hold on to the truth, hold them to the right principles to the ethical principles of Islam in difficult moments.
They know they know exactly what I'm talking about, because later on, things will open up.
Things will loosen up and the future will be better. Because once you be once you are truthful to Allah, Allah subhanaw taala will never let you down and the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said mantella Kashi and Lillah wa la halen Minho whoever leaves something or gives up something for the sake of Allah because there's something wrong in it or there's something dodgy in it. So he or she leaves it for the sake of Allah mantella cache and Allah He leaves it for Allah for the sake of
Allah because he knows that a law when he stipulated a principle or an Islamic ruling, it's for our own benefit even if I can't see through it.
Once you that shows how much trust you have in Allah so once you trust Allah, Allah will pay you back in the same currency. Allah will respond in kind and Allah will give you more. And this is part of the meaning of the Divine Hadith that is found inside al Bukhari were the prophets of Salaam, the rates from Allah that Allah Subhana Allah says, and avani ibdv for Liana Devi Masha, I am to my servant, I am to the human being as he or she thinks of me. What do you believe about Allah?
What do you think about Allah? Do you think Allah will let you down? Do you think Allah will give you a law or a stipulation that is against your own benefit and interest.
If you think that way, then you will break the laws of Allah. And you will have to deal with the consequences. But once you trust Allah, Allah will never let you down. And the problem is that most people haven't developed the patience. They haven't developed the perseverance to hold on, until that predicament is over. So they see what's behind it. Most people are blown away and overwhelmed by the hardship or the predicament at the moment, and they decide to give in
and they lose the benefit of holding on to the truth until it's over. And you will see that a new world of blessings will open up to you.
Then Allah subhanaw taala.
At the end of this verse makes it clear he refers to this principle, he says in Dhaka Anima, sola any kind of Covenant, any kind of agreement, any kind of promise, any kind of commitment that you have made, you will be asked and questioned about it, whether you made it to a Muslim, or to a non Muslim, to a man, or a woman,
to Assyria, or a child. Once you make a commitment or agreements, you will be asked by Allah about it.
Because your words are binding,
we think was just some air that we blow into the atmosphere, but it's not. You words have significance, they have value, they have a life of their own, they have a personality of their own, and they will come on the day of judgment as proper creatures, and you will be able to see them, touch them and feel them. And worse, Worst of all, is that you will deal with their consequences. So you might they might be invisible now, but we know that words can end your hearts, they can destroy lives, they can destroy nations, so they have a life of their own. So our last Mandela saying in any promise, any covenant, any commitment, kanima school, etc.
piano, any covenant you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment.
Even if it's a child, the prophet SAW Selim saw a woman
calling her child she wants a child to come in, says come come, the child refused. So she had something in her hand. Oh, she she seemed to have something in her hand. And she said, Come on, I will give you I'll give you this.
So the prophets of Salaam said Is there anything in your hand?
She said yes, there was a date in her hand. He said if there was if there were nothing in your hand, it would be written as a lie in your records. And that's a little child.
And how often we lie to our children.
How often we lie to our parents, to our friends or colleagues, how often we do this. Even if someone is a liar, you're not allowed to lie to him or her You can't.
Even if they act treacherously, you're not allowed to do this. Because you're dealing with Allah through the people. This is how we should look at it. You're not dealing with the people they might seem to be you might seem on the surface to be dealing with human beings. But in reality, you're dealing with Allah, through these people, these people are a test for you. They are the immediate environment through which you're dealing with Allah subhanho wa Taala.
So don't treat people for who they are.
Treat them how you want a lot to treat you keep that in mind, and that will make all the difference. That will make all the difference and that will free you from the negativity the cynicism that you might find that might come your way from certain people. free yourself from that and free yourself from making other people who might not live up to a high standard stipulate how you live your life and how you behave.
So these points
benefit, we can take them from one simple verse, and there is much more. But at least at this moment, this is what this this is what seems that we are able to take our drive away from it.
Then Allah subhanaw taala says what oh full Kayla either kill tomasino Bella star cinema star team.
And when you weigh up goods, when you have transactions when you buy and sell, give people that exact right? Don't even deduct from it or subtract from it, even something little, even if it's change, you give it back to those people. Oftentimes we don't return the change, we think it's not a big deal. But you will be asked about it, it's the other person's right. Even if it's a sense, it's their rights. So you don't want to deal with that on the Day of Judgment. So that's the immediate, the immediate meaning that once you deal with someone in a transaction, you give them the exact right you make sure that they get the right and you get your right. So this is the immediate meaning
in sha Allah and the second part of the hotbar. We will talk about the deeper meaning and the general principle behind it. Apollo probably heard our stuff a little louder.
Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen, wa salatu salam ala nabina, Muhammad, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi edomae. What this verse is also referring to as a general principle, is the principle of justice
that other people's rights have held on for you.
Even if they fall in your hand, by accident or by mistake,
the fact that something fell into your possession or in your hands, when it's not your own possession, it belongs to someone else, by mistake, they gave you extra change. By mistake, they gave you something that doesn't belong to you. The fact that you have personal or legal possession over it does not necessarily mean it's your rights.
Oftentimes, people like abused probably the law, or some kind of mistake, or an error, human error, some money, they find some extra money in their, in their bank accounts, or something that belongs to someone else somehow lands in your hand. And you think, wow, I can I can take this because no, there's no legal consequences for that no one saw me, no one realized this. And we tend sometimes to abuse this, I'm in need of money. And that's sometimes you might find some people who might go as far as saying this is a provision from Allah, this is a risk from Allah. If something doesn't belong to you, you're not allowed to take it, you're not allowed to use it, it's not yours. Even if there
is no legal consequences for you using it.
Make sure that you'll meet a lot on the Day of Judgment, and no other human being has rights upon you. No one is going to ask you to pay them back on the Day of Judgment, because that's going to be the worst thing for you on the Day of Judgment, because the only way you will be paying them back is to give them from your own good deeds, when you need the most. And when they are, when you run out of them, they will throw their evil deeds on you.
That's the only currency on that day. So you want to avoid putting yourself in that situation. So make sure maybe you've borrowed some money from someone, maybe you've invested some money with someone or someone invested money with you. And for some reason.
You managed to get away with it. You managed to get away with it.
And you took it for your own self. You use it for your personal use. And you think oh, you know, there's nothing wrong with that. You'll be asked about this on the Day of Judgment. What will happen?
That's the worst time you want to pay off your debt, when to pay off your commitments.
That's one deeper level. Let's go a bit deeper. Oftentimes, you know, we try to see these things on this principle of justice only with tangible things, with money with possessions, with things we can see and feel and touch. But what about dignity? What about respect?
What about someone's respect, you're not allowed to look at someone with contempt. It's how long because you're violating the rights, to be respected, to be honored with Allah subhanho wa Taala has honored every human being last month. Allah says in the Quran in salatu salam, what happened? Rama, Benny, the
son of Adam, all children of Adam are dignified by Allah by default.
So when you treat someone with disrespect for some mistake they made or some misunderstanding, you think you have the right to do this or you have authority over them. So you tend to misuse it and you think you can get away with this. You're violating one of the law
Allowing you to disrespect someone, when you look down upon them.
When you treat them with contempt, you are violating the principle of justice that Allah does not take lightly.
And you will pay that back on the Day of Judgment. So you're not allowed to disrespect a Muslim,
or to scare them.
Not only a Muslim, actually even a non Muslim, any human life is precious in Islam. So every human being have their each one of them has their own basic standard level of respect and dignity and honor that is given to them by Allah, you can't take it away from them, no matter what, even if it's your child.
Even if it's your enemy, still, you need to observe that level of respect.
And that's justice. And likewise, you have that respect that inherent right to be respected and dignified, no one can take that away from you. And if they take it away from you be sure that they will pay it back on the Day of Judgment.
So it's not only tangible things, intangible things. And this is what a loss of autonomy, they're held on. to violate the sanctity of any human being this will allow me to hold on to back bites, to lie to slander, to carry tails, allow me to hold on because they violate other people's rights. You're, you're not allowed to do this. You can't. It's just like taking the money. You're not allowed to take someone's turn in the line.
That's injustice. What's the difference between taking some property from someone that belongs to someone else? Or taking their rights in the line that turned on the line?
Because you know, someone, you can bypass the line, right? You know, someone in that institution can bypass the line.
You taking someone else's right?
And because it's intangible, we've been programmed somehow that it doesn't matter. We can do it. There's nothing wrong with this.
But what's the difference between this in between taking money and property that belongs to someone else? What's the difference? It has value. It has value, the fact that you can't see it, you can't touch it is irrelevant in this in this context.
And this is why this is an aspect of Islam that we have not been utilizing well as Muslims. And this is why one of the reasons why we suffering a lot, why in our communities, and in our societies, Muslim societies, in the Muslim countries, there's a lot of cynicism, a lot of negativity, a lot of trauma. A lot of personal disputes, families are being destroyed. Children are brought up with lack of respect and lack of self esteem, thinking this discipline, when we are taking their sense of dignity away from them from an early age,
we're not allowed to do this, you just can't. And the fact that you are abusing the power that Allah has given you, you will pay back.
And it will be the worst type of transaction that you will do at that time. That's the worst currency you want to pay off your debt with.
So in this verse, Allah subhanaw taala concludes the and this is where I will conclude this horrible that he can hire senator Wheeler that is best.
That is best for you, generally speaking for everyone. Well as an OTA, and this is the best buy this by observing these principles, you will get the best consequences. So sometimes you might abuse the power, you might disrespect someone, you might take advantage of certain situation, thinking, well, it's, you know, you're you're on the winning end.
But Allah is saying no, in the final tally, it will work against you. It will work against you, not only on the day of judgment in this life, when you violate these rules and these laws of Allah to keep your promise, keep your words, keep your commitments, and don't abuse your authority, and to observe justice and give everyone their rights. When you observe these allies saying in the final tally in the end in the final consequences, this will work out best for you.
But most people are not patient enough to see through it. And to hold on to what Allah advises to see the beautiful consequences and how often you see someone who's abused people and they seem to be everything seems to be just falling in place for them. But later on towards the end of the life, you will see they're in a very miserable state. How did things go that way? they violated the laws of Allah subhanaw taala and sometimes you'll see someone who has been abused or been taken advantage of, but somehow miraculously towards later on in the life you will see everything is just coming into place for them.
That's the wisdom of Allah. That's the wisdom of Allah subhanaw taala for the moment in our minutes
Right