LECTURE By Dr. M. R. Nabulsi
Allah, Most Gracious, has endowed man with the ability to distinguish between vice and virtue, which enables him to feel ugliness of a certain deed and turn away from it, and beauty of another deed and highly appreciate it.
Therefore, people usually praise the good deeds and those who do them, and dispraise evil deeds and those who do them. Islamic texts confirm the existence of moral and ethical consciousness in human beings. They also strongly encourage a believing Muslim to resort to his conscience in order to judge concerning any kind of conduct or behavior. To this effect, Allah, All-Mighty, says, “By the earth and Him Who spread it! By the soul (of man) and Him Who perfected it in proportion; then He showed it what is wrong for him and what is right for him! Indeed, he succeeds who purifies it (his soul). And indeed, he fails who corrupts it.” [XCI; 6-10]
Ever since he was created, man has been shown, through his pure human original nature, the way to piety and that to profligacy. In other words, he has been endued with a natural predisposition whereby he distinguishes good from evil. He has been endowed with an insight whereby he holds himself morally responsible for his deeds and intentions, even if he tries to argue in defense of himself or puts the blames on others. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says, “Nay! Man is a witness against himself, though he may put forth his excuses (in defense of himself).” [LXXV; 14,15]
In his book of Hadith, Imam Muslim narrates on authority An-Nawas bin Sam’an that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “Piety is good manners; and sin is that which you keep secret and hate to be seen by people.” This Prophetic Hadith shows that man has a sense whereby he distinguishes sinful deeds from good ones. That is why he hates that bad deeds should be seen by others, for he knows that they share him the same feelings and senses. Such sense is called by ethicists “Conscience”.
Narrated Imam Ahmad and Ad-Darimi on authority of Wabisah bin Ma’bad: I came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), and he said, “Have you come to ask about piety?” I said, “Yes, I have.” He, (PBUH), said, “Ask your own heart. Piety is something that your soul feels comfortable with, and (also) your heart feels comfortable with. And sin is something that your soul feels uncomfortable with and is kept secret in your breast, no matter what else should people tell you.” This Prophetic Hadith makes clear that man has an ethical sense, which can be called “moral conscience”, and which, if pure, sound and clean, can sense and distinguish virtue and good behavior from vice and bad behavior.
Piety, which the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), defines as “good manners”, is a kind of behavior that a normal person does while he feels peaceful and free from worry or fear. But when he commits a sinful deed he feels worried and fearful. In other words, tranquility and peacefulness are the token of piety and righteousness; while worry, hesitation, imbalance, and fear of publicity are all tokens of sinfulness wrongdoing.
However, things might get confused for man’s mind and conscience with regards some deeds, in which cases he is in bad need of guidance and enlightenment. Quite often, man’s desires and caprices, customs and traditions, overwhelm him; and he is constantly subject to misguidance and evil insinuations of Satan and his evil army of jinn and mankind. The only way out from such confusion or misguidance is to avoid dubious matters or suspicious things. Therefore, in order not to fall easy prey to sinful deeds and Satanic insinuations it is better for a Muslim to avoid doing things unless they are definitely lawful. Also, it is better for him, in case of suspicion or uncertainty whether something is lawful or obligatory, to do the thing that is obligatory. In support of this tendency, narrated Al-Bukhari and Muslim on authority of An-Nu’man bin Al-Basheer: I heard the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), say, “Lawful things are obvious and so are unlawful things. But between both (lawful and unlawful things) are dubious things that a great many people do not know. Therefore, he who avoids dubious things safeguards his religion and honor; but he who commits dubious things falls in the unlawful, just like a shepherd who pastures (his cattle) around the sanctuary (of a king), and is about to pasture therein. Verily, every king has a sanctuary; and verily, Allah’s Sanctuary is the things that He has made sacrosanct. And verily, in the human body is a lump: if it is sound, the whole body is sound; but if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily, it (this lump) is the heart.”
The above Hadith is one of the basic comprehensive ones, and it embraces a lot of great fundamental principles of behavior. It divides canonic rules into three categories. Te first category includes definitely lawful things, the legality of which is quite clear and unblemished by any dubiety, upon which no two people differ, and which are done with no feeling of worry, embarrassment or sinfulness. The second category includes definitely unlawful things the illegality of which is quite clear, upon which no two wise people differ, and which are committed with a great feeling of embarrassment, sinfulness and fear of the evil consequences thereof. The third category, however, embraces the things that get confused for people, whether they are lawful or unlawful. Such dubious things that fluctuate between being lawful or unlawful are known only by learned scholars and people of good knowledge. Therefore, it is safer for a true Muslim who surrenders to his Lord, Most Gracious, with submission and devotion, to avoid such dubious things in order to safeguard his religion before Allah and his honor among people. To this effect, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), says, “Leave that which makes you suspicious for that which does not make you suspicious.” Also, narrated ‘Atiyah bin’Urwah As-Sa’di: I heard the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), say, “Man can not be of the pious until he quits unobjectionable things for fear of (committing) objectionable ones.”
Undoubtedly, man has been endowed with an intelligent mind, which, if he uses well enough, can lead, through contemplation on the heavens and the earth, to firm belief in Allah, All-Mighty, as his Creator, Lord, and Disposer, Who exists and is One and Perfect.
Man has also been equipped, in his original nature, by an ethical sense that enables him to discern good from evil and truth from vanity, without the need for a teacher or instructor. In other words, he is endued with a mind that leads him to Allah, and a pure original nature that shows him his mistakes and errors. Therefore, such mind and pure nature (i.e. conscience) are enough to help him know the Greatness of Allah, All-Mighty, and himself; and that is why it will be said to him when he receives his Scrolls of Deeds on the Day of Judgment: “Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day.” [XVII; 14] In other words: On the Day of Judgment, man shall reckon his own deeds by himself because he has been provided with two criteria whereby he measures things: his mind and his Fitrah (i.e. his pure original nature).
In addition to the ethical sense that Allah endued man with, there are certain moral rules and principles to guide such ethical sense in man. From among such rules and principles is the Prophetic Hadith that was narrated by Imam Muslim on authority of Abdullah bin Omar: “Treat people as you like them to treat you. Whosoever likes to be removed from the Fire and admitted into Paradise, let death come to him while he is believing in Allah and the Last Day; and let him come unto people with things that he likes them to come unto him with.”
In the light of the above-mentioned Hadith it can be said that whenever one gets confused concerning which course of behavior to follow towards other fellow humans, one has to imagine oneself in their position and, hence, do to them the best things that he wishes them to do to him. In other words, a true believer in the sight of Allah is someone who loves for his brethren humans what he loves for himself.
In this context, narrated Al-Bukhari and Muslim on authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him: The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “The one of you shall not be a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself.”
Therefore, a true believer is true to his fellow humans because he likes them to be true to him. A true believer is trustworthy concerning wealth, property, honor and chastity of other fellow humans because he likes them to be as such to him. A true believer hastens to help his fellow humans with his wealth, knowledge, power, advice, prayer, mediation and intercession, because he likes them to do as such to him. A true believer invites his fellow humans to true faith and righteous work, because he likes that for himself. A true believer displays patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and pardon towards his fellow humans and covers their errors and shortcomings, because he likes them to do that to him.
But what is the purpose of commitment to virtue and good manners, which conform to man’s pure human nature and are highly advocated by Islam? And what is the purpose of averting vice and evil manners, which contradict man’s pure human nature and are strongly disavowed by Islam?
In fact, the purpose behind all that is safety and happiness of man’s heart, attainment of good recompense and safety from punishment and chastisement in the present world and attainment of absolute happiness and prosperity in the world to come.
Undoubtedly, corporal enjoyments and pains are the least important in man’s life. Although, among other things, they provide man with some happiness, they soon fade away from man’s heart and mind. More important and far reaching than physical enjoyments are psychological and emotional mundane enjoyments and pains, which are deeper, more comprehensive, and more enduring. However, above man’s psychological mundane enjoyments are those that are related to the Hereafter, which penetrate man’s innermost self and embrace all his life, movements and activities, and which are eternal and never-ending. They begin when true faith invades man’s heart and grow endlessly.
Sometimes psychological enjoyment dominates corporal pain and renders man senseless towards physical suffering. Similarly, enjoyments related to the Hereafter sometimes dominate mundane psychological pains and, hence, render man senseless of such pains. Sometimes, psychological pains dominate corporal enjoyments and render them valueless.
To wrap up, if man sticks to virtue, which conforms to his pure human nature and with which his heart feels comfortable and secure, he accomplishes the purpose of his existence and safety, perfection and continuity thereof. This is because in man’s heart there is a feeling of the lack of peace and tranquility that can not be restored except by turning to Allah with love, submission, and devotion; in man’s heart there is a feeling of loneliness that can not be eliminated except by loving Him and being in intimate terms with Him; in man’s heart there is a feeling of sadness that can not be removed except by happiness of being conscious of Him; in man’s heart there is a feeling of anxiety that can not be subsided except by seeking His Good Pleasure and taking refuge with Him; in man’s heart there is a feeling of sorrow that is not relieved except by contentment with His Commands, Enjoinments, and Divine Decree; in man’s heart there is a feeling of poverty and need that can not be eradicated except by loving His Lord, remembering Him, being truthful to Him, turning to Him and seeking refuge with Him.
Beyond a shadow of doubt, true Faith is the essence of all virtues, the repellent of all vices and the soul of man’s conscience.
The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), says, “The best Muslims are the best mannered. The most perfect in Faith are the best mannered. The most beloved to Allah of all of His slaves are the best mannered. The best thing man is given is good manners. Nothing is heavier in the scales of a believer, on the Day of Resurrection, than good manners. A true believer reaches by his good manners the rank of someone who is constantly fasting and standing the night (in worship and devotion). Man attains by his good manners the highest ranks in the Hereafter. Good manners eliminate sins as water thaws ice; and evil manners spoil work as vinegar spoils honey.
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Here is a story of Ka’b bin Malik, a venerable Companion, who failed, with no excuse, to join in Tabouk Expedition. The story relates how he suffered after the battle was over, what was his situation with the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), and how his problem ended with a Favor from his Lord, Most Gracious, and His Messenger (PBUH). The story is here mentioned because it conforms to our topic. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated the story of the three men who failed to join in Tabouk Expedition and, therefore, Allah, All-Mighty, sent down for them Quranic Verses that will be read till the Day of Resurrection. Imam Muslim narrated on authority of Ka’b bin Malik: I had never failed to join the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), except in Tabouk Expedition. And I had never been more powerful and well-off than when I did (fail to join him in Tabouk Expedition). The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) set out on this Expedition when it was very hot; the journey was very long across the desert, and Muslims had to face enemy fighters that outnumbered them. The Messenger of Allah carried out this expedition when there was a lot of fruit and shade (in Medina), which I liked so much. So, every time I wanted to get ready to join them I did nothing and said to myself, “I can do that whenever I like”, and kept on hesitating until things became so serious and the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), and other Muslims were ready to go out; but I had prepared nothing. I remained so until they hastened and set out. I simply could not join them and stayed behind; and I wish I had not done, for upon their departure, none remained behind (in Medina) except hypocrites or feeble old men. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), did not remember me until he reached Tabouk, where he asked his men, “What has Ka’b bin Malik done? A man from Bani Salamah said, “O Messenger of Allah! He Has been detained by the cool weather and comfortable life!” Mu’ath bin Jabal addressed the man, “How evil what you say is!” Then, he turned to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), saying, “O Messenger of Allah! By Allah! All we know about him is good.” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), kept silent and said nothing.
When I heard that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), turned back from Tabouk, I was very sorrowful especially when I thought of telling lies to him in order avoid his being angry with me. I sought help from members of my family. When I was informed that he (PBUH) arrived back, things became clear to me, and I realized that nothing could save me from him except my being truthful. Therefore, I decided to tell no lies to him. Whenever he came back from travel, it was the Prophet’s habit to go to the mosque and perform two Rak’as of prayer and then sit with people. This time, when he did, those who stayed behind, about eighty men, came to him apologizing for not being able to join him in the Expedition, putting forward different excuses, which he (PBUH) accepted and asked forgiveness from Allah for them, leaving their secrets up to Allah, All-High. Then I came to welcome him. But he (PBUH) smiled coldly and said, “Come!” I went and sat beside him. He (PBUH) asked, “Why did you stay behind? Had you not bought a she-camel?!” I replied, “O Messenger of Allah! If I sat with others than you, I would be able to put forward an excuse that would soon end their anger with me, because I am a man of eloquent and convincing speech. But I know for sure that if I tell you something untrue in order to gain you pleasure thereby, Allah will certainly make you angry with me; and if I tell you the truth, you will get angry with me but Allah will not consider me as a liar. O Messenger of Allah! I swear by Allah that I did not have any excuse whatsoever. And I swear by Allah that I had never been more powerful or well-off than when I failed to join you.” The Messenger of Allah, said, “As for this man, he speaks the truth (which means that the other men who came to him to apologize were liars). Go now, until Allah gives His Judgment concerning you.” When I stood up to leave, men from Bani Salamah addressed me, “By Allah! We have never known that you have ever committed a sin before now. Why did you not apologize to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), as the others did?” And they kept encouraging me until I was just about to return to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), to belie myself [i.e. change the excuse I put forward to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH)].”
The above-related story has an exciting completion that can be sought in books of the Prophet’s Biography. The end of the story, however, is related in the Holy Quran. Allah, All-Mighty, says in Surat At-Tawbah: “Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajireen (the Emigrants), and the Ansar (the Helpers), who followed him in the time of distress (Tabouk Expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated, but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of Kindness, Most Merciful. And (He did also forgive) the three who stayed behind (and failed to join the Prophet) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straightened, and their own selves were straightened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them so that they may repent (unto Him). Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” [IX; 117,118]
Ka’b bin Malik was one of the three men mentioned in the above Verses of the Holy Quran.
The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), says, “Verily, truthfulness leads to piety; and verily, piety leads to Paradise.”
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