In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

 

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

 

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

                       As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

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1) "Let them forgive and Overlook"

MADINAH-AL-MUNAWARRA, THE CITY OF THE PROPHET , IS ABUZZ with rumors. Ever since the Muslims returned from the battle of Bani al-Mustaliq the hypocrites have been busy spreading lies against Aisha radi-Allahu anha. These stories have become the topic of every gathering, the subject of discussion in every household in Madinah. Though most of the sincere Muslims are confident in the innocence of Aisha radi-Allahu Anha, they are still quiet, waiting for this to be ascertained by the Prophet . The Prophet is also quiet, waiting for Allah to inspire him towards the truth. Thus, the hypocrites led by Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salool have advantage over the seemingly confusing situation and gear all their energies in spreading the lies. Unsuspectingly influenced by the hypocrites' rampage, a few Muslim thus begin to believe this false story. Some of these Muslims even actively help propagate it.

Among them is Mistah bin Uthatha radi-Allahu anhu, a cousin of Abu Bakr radi-Allahu anhu. He is an extremely poor man with no money except that which Abu Bakr radi-Allahu anhu regularly gives him. Mistah's endorsement of the hypocrites' story adds somewhat more weight to it, as he is a man with a fine reputation. It can be no longer said that belief in this story is limited to the circle of hypocrites.

And so a trying and gruesome month passes before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala reveals the innocence of Aisha radi-Allahu anha. The Muslims finally exhale a sigh of relief and a sense of normalcy returns to Madinah.

Hurt and angered by Mistah's previous allegations, Abu Bakr takes an oath that he will never spend on Mistah again. Considering Abu Bakr's perspective, this is a perfectly justifiable, even expected, position. Here is a person wholly dependant on Abu Bakr and yet is willfully spreading and endorsing wild, enormous rumors about Abu Bakr's beloved daughter. How else could Abu Bakr react in such an ironic situation? How else can he treat a person who slandered his daughter, the Mother of the Believers, with the worst of slander?

And then Allah reveals: And let not those who are good and wealthy among you swear not to help their kinsmen, those in need and those who left their homes in Allah's Cause. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Verily! Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (24.22)

Abu Bakr radi-Allahu anhu, despite his anguish and hurt feelings, immediately responds by exclaiming, "By Allah, I would love it that Allah forgives me!" He promptly returns to his previous habit, and swears that he will never cease spending on Mistah.

This was the mercy and forgiveness the Qur'an teaches, the mercy and ties of kinship that Allah is pleased to see in His servants.

Now let's think ... what would one of us do in the same situation? What would YOU do? Here's someone you've always helped, been good to; someone who absolutely depends on you. And now when you're going through some tough times yourself, that person, instead of being thankful for all what you've done and using this opportunity to make it up to you, gets up and stabs you in the back. Instead of telling the world of your goodness, goes on to spread tales. Would you go on enjoining ties of kinship?

Conflicts, trivial and great, arise between friends and families all the time. But the question is: how are we supposed to react in the face of such? Should we defend ourselves to the end because we are in the right? Should we refuse to forgive the other and overlook his/her faults, because we were wronged? Should we cut off relationships, shun one another due to a petty or even great argument? How can we let go of our ego and just forgive and overlook despite the great misdeed targeted against us?

A glance at Abu Bakr radi-Allahu anhus life will tell us that no matter what the sin, no matter how grave the misdeed is, there should always remain a window leading to reconciliation and forgiveness. In the Qur'an we are time and time again reminded to forgive each other and live with each other in harmony and love. Regardless if the squabble is wholly the fault of the notorious "other" it is vital to realize that greatness is not in raising our head high and stomping off, rather it is in bending down and seeking to reconcile; in forgiving and overlooking. There is no attitude that can ever bring about the most reward and pleasure than that of unhesitant forgiveness. Being oft-forgiving is an attribute Allah uses to describe Himself, and indeed we should aspire to build this lofty description within us, even with our limited capabilities. We beg Allah to forgive our transgressions, our faults when we are entirely at fault; can we not forgive pettier mistakes directed at us!?

There will, of course, always be times when forgiving may seem the hardest pill to swallow. It may sometimes seem impossible to simply dispense with all the frustration and anger and move on. We may be more willing to move a mountain than forgive a person who has wronged us, to overlook his insults, to overcome our bad feelings. Abu Bakr, radi-Allahu anhu, despite being faced with attacks that were entirely unprovoked, did not hesitate to forgive once he was enlightened with the virtues of forgiveness. In his zeal, he produced the most sublime example of forgiving, in response to one of the most vicious attacks perpetrated.

As differences and conflicts arise and pollute the atmosphere, there needs to be this window present to ventilate it. The window makes it possible to blow away the charged feelings and allow fresh air in one's life. It may be hard to open it and push it back along its rusty railings. But we must remember, that this very window is the same window which has been promised to lead to the forgiveness and mercy of Allah Himself.

2) The Characteristics that made the Prophet

(Sallalaye wa alayi wa sallam) great

Why was the character of the Prophet (saw) great? His character was great because he had one purpose in life. 

One of the great scholars of Tafsir explained why the Prophet’s character was great.

 He said ‘The Prophet (saw) was a great man with a great character because his only concern was Allah.’

What does this mean? Because the Prophet (saw) lived the most active of lives – he was a successful business man, a very successful husband, the most successful leader that humanity has seen, everything that he did he was tremendously successful in. No one achieved more in this life than he did, (saw). What made him great was his concern of the pleasure of Allah (swt). This is the challenge. Guide us to the straight path, guide us to the way in life that gets us straight to you and that’s the way of the Prophet (saw).

And this is the question someone who is striving to achieve something in this life to truly bring benefit to themselves in the next life, should ask themselves. Am I seeking the pleasure of Allah (swt)? Where am I going in my life? Allah asked us ‘f’ayna tathab?n?’ So where are you headed?

We should be headed in a straight line. What’s that straight line? Seeking the pleasure of Allah. That straight line is straight forward, because you can do anything in life within certain limits but do it for the sake of Allah (swt) and do it with excellence, which is the way of the Prophet (saw). These are the two aspects of greatness: the first is to make a commitment in life to seek the pleasure of Allah, secondly to follow the example of the Prophet (saw).

Ibn Rajab, one of the great scholars of Isl?m asked the question ‘What was the character of the Prophet, what is it that made him great?’ and he mentioned five things that made the Prophet (saw) a great man:

 (1) The first is fulfilling the rights of others. There are people whom you owe rights to – fulfil their rights. So for example, your parents, your siblings, your relatives, your friends have rights over you – fulfil their rights.

 (2) The second: avoid harming people. This is the second part of the excellence of Prophetic character. The Prophet (saw) – he did not even harm his enemies. And this is the second aspect of good character. This is common sense.

 (3) The third aspect of being great is the way you act with people. How did the Prophet (saw) act with people? He was positive and cheerful in his dealings with people. He was positive and cheerful. He would be walking down the streets of Medina and little girls would grab him by the hand, saying that they wanted to show him something. They would be play, skip and jump around him, telling him they wanted to show him something. The Prophet (saw) would not let go of their hand until they let go of his.

He’d be walking down the streets of Medina, and can you imagine the Prophet having nothing to do? No. He would be extremely busy, but he’d be walking down the street and if anyone greeted him, as is mentioned in the books that describe the Prophet (saw) ‘If he turned to someone, he turned completely.’ He wouldn’t just say ‘wa ‘alaykum Al-sal?m’ hurriedly. If someone greeted him he would turn completely to that person and give them his complete attention. Many of the Sahaba thought they were the most beloved to the Prophet (saw). Why? Because he dealt with everyone in a positive way.

The fourth and fifth aspects of good character are a little more difficult. It’s not so hard to smile although you’d think that in the religion there was something to say that it was bad to smile too much. But there isn’t. The Prophet (saw) was always cheerful, but always full of concern. There were always things he was thinking about, but he was always cheerful. People think that if you get religious, you had better start frowning. Sometimes when you go to the mosque it feels like everyone has just died. But no, the sunnah is to smile. The Prophet (saw) said ‘Your smiling at another is an act of charity.’ It’s something pleasing to Allah (swt).

 (4) The fourth aspect of good character is to respond to the good that others do, with good, or that which is better. [Audio truncated]

We don’t fully appreciate what others do for us. How many times do we really thank our parents, or any one of our friends, and this is an important Sunnah. The Prophet (saw) warned that anyone who doesn’t thank people hasn’t thanked Allah. This is another aspect of good character.

But these four are not that difficult.

The test of good character, of greatness, the test of whether you are really someone seeking the pleasure of Allah (swt) is not just being good to people – which is a summary of what these four things are.

 (5) The fifth aspect of good character is that you respond to the wrong of others with nothing but the good. And this is the greatest thing you will find in the Prophet (saw).

You will find many people who did many great things in life, but you’ll find no one who unfailingly responded to the bad of others with nothing but the good, like the Prophet (saw). Look at every stage of his life. People threw garbage at him, people threw their slippers at him, people hurt him, harmed him, did all kinds of things, and how did the Prophet respond?

You saw nothing but beautiful action in response. The Prophet was firm; he didn’t act like a door mat. He was a firm man, he knew exactly what he had to achieve in life and he took steps towards that and when he was opposed he stood firm both in Mecca and Medina. He stood firm in the face of opposition, but with excellence. And even when people came and were unreasonable with him, you see nothing but beautiful conduct.

When he entered Mecca again after the conquest of Mecca, all of Qureysh were under the power of the Prophet (saw); he could do with them as he wished. What was prevalent at that time when you conquered a city: blood bath. People were scurrying into each other’s houses, going here and there, but what did the Prophet (saw) say to them? He said to them something the Prophet Yusuf had said to his brethren, because the brothers of the Prophet Yusuf tried to get rid of him and move him to a well, but when they reunited the Prophet Yusuf forgave them and said this to his brothers. His brothers. The Prophet said it to those who had been opposing him for 20 years. He said ‘I say to you as the Prophet Yusuf said to his brothers, there is no blame on you today, we are brothers. May Allah forgive us and you.’ And he did not take any of them to task even though he could have. He could have done anything he wanted with them and the customs prevalent at his time would not have prevented that. They were expecting a blood bath and nothing happened.

By Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

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