The Fiqh of Da'wah-A must read.

[fisabililah]

The Fiqh of Da'wah:


"...and from here, we see that the method of the various callers in seeing to the upbringing of the youth is very successful. This method consists of giving a given youth a small bit of knowledge every week, then asking him: 'Did you act according to what you have learned this week?' and repeating this the week after, and the week after that, etc. You build him up in a gradual manner. Every time he rises a level, you give him a greater task, and greater responsibility. You do this to the point that his soul becomes ripe enough that you can finally say to him: 'Now is the time for Jihad. Would you like to perform Jihad?'

This method is the divine method to see to the upbringing of the human soul.

So, a youth can live in a state of jahiliyyah, and then return to Allah - the Exalted and Majestic - as the result of some traumatic event in his life: he survives a terrible car accident, his mother dies, Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - shows him a dream...in any case, he returns to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. He reads about Abu Bakr, and how he used to do this and that, and suddenly, he looks to the people around him, thinking: 'this person is a liar; this person tried stealing from me,' - he wishes to put down all the people around him! All of the Muslims around him! Why? Because they are not like Abu Bakr. He finds nobody besides Abu Bakr - from all of the Companions of the Prophet - to compare the people to. Do you expect everybody to be like Abu Bakr? They will never be like Abu Bakr. The best person after the Messenger of Allah is Abu Bakr. The Companions, themselves, said: "We did not hold anyone to be like Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then 'Ali. After them, we would look at the rest of the Companions without preferring one over another."

As for you, you expect all of humanity to be at the same level of zuhd as 'Umar. There is no zuhd like the zuhd of 'Umar. Maybe one, five, ten people in this Ummah can acheive this level of zuhd. But, to expect everyone to be at this level? This is not realistic. Do you expect all of them to be at the level of generosity of 'Uthman? There is only a very small number of people...but, everyone having the bravery of 'Ali? The firmness of Abu Bakr? No. Only a very small group can have this.

{"Likewise, were you yourselves, before Allah conferred on you His favors (i.e. guided you). Therefore, be cautious in discrimination."} [an-Nisa'; 94]

Yesterday, you were driving around the streets in your car, chasing after girls. Is this not so? This is how you were. So, you, as Allah has conferred on you, and allowed you to return to Him, He can also confer on this person, and allow this disobedient one to repent.

This youth who wishes to hit this person, discipline that person, reveal the faults of another person, insult another person...why? He does this out of the burning he feels in his heart for Islam. He has returned to Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - while his blood is boiling. However, if he had the least bit of knowledge, he wouldn't have done any of this. If he had some Shar'i knowledge, he wouldn't have come in front of the people, revealing his faults. Instead, he would have come to him privately, saying: 'By Allah, my brother, I used to be a disobedient, fasiq sinner. But, Allah bestowed His favors upon me, and I saw some deviance from you, a small mistake, a big mistake, in such-and-such a matter, and I just wanted to draw your attention to it, because I love you, and I don't want you to be punished for it on the Day of Resurrection.' This is better than that you come in front of the people, saying: 'Fulan is a fasiq! This person is such-and-such! That person is this, and this person is that!' This is the method of the ignorant, and if the Messenger of Allah had done this, 'Umar would never have entered into Islam, nor would many others. He would've just said: 'Kill 'Umar, and relieve us,' back when 'Umar was fighting against him. However, despite the fact that they were enemies to him, and were harming and torturing him, whenever the hardship became more unbearable, he would simple say: "O Allah! Forgive my people, for they do not know."

Therefore, it is a must for the da'i to learn this Religion, and how to work for this Religion. Just as he acts, he must know, and if he doesn't know, he must ask those who know. However, nobody is good enough for him in this world, at all. You say to him: 'Ask Shaykh such-and-such!' He replies: 'This Shaykh is a sinner!' 'This Shaykh is a fasiq!' 'This Shaykh is from the slaves of the tawaghit!' 'And this one...!'

OK, so, who is left in the world, then?"

[shiekh Abdullah Azzam-'at-Tarbiyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 3/186-187]

[Naaima]

Salam alaikum

thanks for posting walalkiis,... hmm anyone know what zuhd is ??

[fisabililah]

wa alaikuma salaam sister, zuhd is breifly as follows, i hope it benefits inshallah.


Practising az-Zuhd in the Dunyaa


Abu Al-'Abbas, Sahl ibn Sa'd As-Sa'idi () said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) and then said, "O Messenger of Allah (saw)! Inform me of a (good) deed that if I performed it, Allah (swt) will love me and the people will love me." He said,

"Practice Az-Zuhd (modesty in the way of life is lived) in the Dunya (the life of this world), and Allah (swt) will love you; and practice Az-Zuhd (disinterest) in what people own (or have, or possess), and the people will love you." (Ibn Majah, and refer to Sahih Al-Jami')

What does zuhd mean

Az-Zuhd is, "The opposite of being eager and concerned about the Dunya (the life of this world)."

Further, ibn Al-Qayyim said,

"Az-Zuhd, in the Arabic language, the language of Islam, entails abandoning a matter while despising it and while belittling its significance, so that one will exchange it for what is more significant."

The Muslim ancestors who set good examples in the application of Islam have various opinions with regards to the meaning of Az-Zuhd. Ibn Al-Qayyim for example said,

"I heard Shaikh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah say, "Az-Zuhd entails abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Al-Wara' (abandoning a part of the permissible for fear of falling into the impermissible) entails abandoning what you fear its consequences in the Hereafter." "

Then, ibn Al-Qayyim commented, "This statement is one of the best and most comprehensive definitions of Az-Zuhd and Al-Wara'."

In addition, Sufyan Ath-Thawry said,

"Az-Zuhd in this Dunya entails having a short hope (or avoiding having hopes that one will live long), not by wearing the thick clothes or wearing the garment (as some people who observe fake Zuhd think is a part of Az-Zuhd)."

Imam Az-Zuhry also said that Az-Zuhd, "Entails avoiding thanking Allah (swt) only for the Halal, and avoiding being patient only with the Haram."

The author of Al-Lisan (a dictionary on the Arabic language) commented onthe statement of Az-Zuhry, "He means that one should not only thank Allah (swt) for the permissible things that He has given him (but also for the obligations, for their rewards with Allah (swt) are significant), and should avoid restricting his patience to avoiding the impermissible (but couple that with avoiding enjoying all types of the Halal, as an act of modesty, patience and Zuhd)."

Al-Hasan Al-Basri also said, "Az-Zuhd in this Dunya is not achieved by prohibiting the Halal, nor by wasting money. Rather, it entails your being more certain in what Allah (swt) has in His Hands, than your are about what you have in your hand. It also entails being eager for the reward of (practicing patience during) the calamity, if a calamity touches you, more than if the calamity did not touch you (as in this case, one will not gain the reward for observing patience during hard times. However, one should not wish for disasters to hit)." All these sayings given to us by the Muslim ancestors who set good examples in the application of Islam, are among the best definitions for the meaning of Az-Zuhd.

Az-Zuhd resides in the heart, and it can be achieved by ridding the heart of the slave from the love and the eagerness for this life. This way, the Dunya will be in one's hand, not in his heart, where the love for Allah (swt) and the Hereafter will and should reside. Az-Zuhd does not entail abandoning the Dunya altogether. The Messenger of Allah (saw) was the leader of all those who practiced Az-Zuhd. Yet, he married nine times. Also, Prophet Dawood (AS) and Sulayman (AS) were kings as Allah (swt) has described them. Yet, they were also among the Zuhhad (those who observe Zuhd). The companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw) were also among the Zuhhad. Yet, they all had wives, children and material possessions.

Imam Ahmad divided Az-Zuhd into three parts:

1. Avoiding the prohibitions, and this is the Zuhd of the commoners. Ibn Al-Qayyim stated that this type is an obligation.

2. Abandoning what is not a necessity among the Halal matters. This type is the Zuhd of the distinguished people.

3. Abandoning what will busy one from the remembrance of Allah (swt). This is the Zuhd of those who have knowledge in the religion.

The status of the hadeeth

This Hadith's importance is demonstrated in the fact that it explains the way through which one can gain Allah's (swt) Love, which is the ultimate prize that mankind can and should ever seek to achieve and attain. He whom Allah (swt) loves, Allah (swt) will honor him and will spread about his love in the earth. As for he whom Allah (swt) hates, He will spread about his hatred in the earth.

Further, this Hadith explains the conduct because of which mankind will love the slave. It is a fact that when a person is loved by his community, he or she will feel great happiness and joy. Also, when one is loved by his community, he or she will be more acceptable and familiar to his people, and this will help those who call unto Allah (swt) succeed in their mission, Allah (swt) willing.

Belittling the Dunya

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said,

"Perform Zuhd in the Dunya"

There are many Texts in the Quran and the Sunnah that encourage being a Zahid in the Dunya. These texts demonstrate the little significance that the Dunya has and point out its briefness and quick demise. These texts also strengthen the eagerness in the Last Life, which joy is eternal. Allah (swt) says,

"Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever with Allah (of good deeds) will remain."
(An-Nahl 16:96)

"Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the believers, evildoers), and (there is) Forgiveness of Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, gooddoers), whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." (Al-Hadid 57:20)

The Dunya, therefore, is brief and is bound to end sometime soon. Therefore, the slave ought not busy himself with its affairs, nor forget the affair of the Last Life which will never end.

The last Ayat states that the life of this world is a deceiving, short-lived joy that contains what does not bring about any benefit. Also the life of this world is pomp, which will encourage one to indulge in it and forget the Hereafter.

Further, this life is full of competition and boasting about having what this life offers of money, offspring, etc. Allah (swt) then illustrates the briefness of this life by mentioning the rain when it comes down on the earth and thus the ground becomes green and lively with various plants and vegetation. Soon afterwards, the earth will revert to its near past and will become dry and dead again. This is the exact case with the life of this world.




Reason behind Zuhd

There are several reasons that encourage one to indulge in Zuhd:
1. The slave's Iman being strong, his remembering when he or she will stand between the Hands of Allah (swt), and his remembering the torments of the Day of Resurrection will all rid his heart from all will belittle the love of this Dunya and its short-lived joys. Hence, the slave will avoid excessive indulging in the joys and the desires of this life, all the while feeling content with whatever he has in it.

2. The slave's feeling that this Dunya busies the hearts from the remembering of Allah (swt) and that it hinders the path of mankind from stepping up the ladder of acquiring higher grades in the Hereafter. Also, the Muslim's feeling that mankind will certainly be asked about the joys and the delights of this life, as Allah (swt) says,

"Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)!"
(At-Takathur 102:8)

3. One will not acquire the material joys of this life unless he or she works hard to achieve such a goal. In this regard, mankind pays a significant effort and deep thinking. One may then have to mingle with the worst types of people. All this will come at the expense of seeking knowledge of the religion, conducting Da'wah unto Allah (swt), performing Jihad and worshipping Allah (swt). When the slave feels all this and when he has an enlightened heart, he will feel compelled and encouraged to disregard the Dunya, so that he will be able to preserved what is essential and that which will never end.

4. The Quran's belittling the significance of the Dunya and its joys, while describing this life as deceiving, false and short-lived pastime that involves wasting the time. Also, Allah's (swt) criticism of the adverse effect that excessive indulging in the Dunya will result in the Hereafter. The numerous Texts in the Quran and the Sunnah about this subject will encourage the Muslim to abandon matters of the Dunya and busy himself with what will truly remain.

Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) said that the Messenger of Allah (swt) once passed by the marketplace, passing from the area of Al-'Aliyah, while people were all around him. He then passed by a dead goat, which ears were small, then took it by the ear, saying, "Who amongst you would like to have this (dead goat with small ears) for a Dirham (a currency)?" They said, "By Allah (swt)! Even if it was alive, its small ears will be a deficiency, so how about when it is dead?" He (saw) said, "By Allah (swt)! The Dunya is less significant in the Sight of Allah (SWT) than this is to you." (Sharh Muslim)

Furthermore, Al-Mustawrid Al-Fihry related from the Prophet (saw) that he said, "The Dunya, as compared to the Akhirah (the Hereafter), is just like when one of you dips his finger in the sea! Let him see how much (water) it (his finger) will carry." (Sahih Al Jami')