Hatred is the 16th malady of the
heart. “Hiqd” is to hate another person, to bear animosity, and bear grudge in
one’s heart toward him. Having this type of animosity toward a person who gives
you advice is forbidden (harâm). You should obey his advice instead of hating
him. Since the advisor carries out the commandment of Allâhu ta’âlâ, he should be loved and respected. Hatred toward tyrants and
oppressors is not forbidden. When a creditor dies the debt owing to him will
shift
onto
his inheritors; in case the debtor does not pay them, he shall be made to do so
on the Day of Judgement. It is better to forgive an oppressor (zâlim).
The face of Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sal-lam’ was injured and one of his blessed teeth was broken during the war at
“Uhud” mountain. The Sahâba ‘ridwânullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaihim ajma’în’ observing
his state became very upset and asked Rasűlullah,
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ to ask a malediction on those people so that Allâhu ta’âlâ punish them. He replied, “I was not sent to
accurse (lâ’nat). I was sent to ask and pray for useful and beneficial things
as well as pity and compassion for every creature.”
Then he continued, “Oh my Lord! Give these people the sense of finding the right path
‘hidâyat’. They cannot recognize the truth and they do not know.”
He forgave his enemies and did not ask punishment to be sent upon them.
Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf:
“Almsgiving
will not deplete one’s property. Property away for charity ‘Sadaqa’ will not
decrease the property. Allah will promote forgivers to the ranks of the
honorable ‘’azîz’. Those who forgive for the sake of Allah will be exalted by Him.”
Gulâbâdî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ explains that the almsgiving mentioned in this hadîth-i-sherîf refers to obligatory almsgiving
(zakât). Humble people will earn more rewards for their worships and good deeds
and their sins will be forgiven more rapidly. Desires of the animal soul are
embedded in the creation of human beings. They love property and money. Thus,
feelings of wrath (ghadab), revenge and conceit (kibr) start
to assert themselves. This hadîth-i-sherîf
prescribes cures for these vices by suggesting almsgiving and obligatory
almsgiving. By recommending forgiveness, it cleanses the negative effects due
to the feelings of anger and revenge. The forgiveness referred to in this hadîth-i-sherîf is stated as a categorical,
unconditional injunction. A categorical injunction cannot be bound to a
condition. It is all-inclusive. It cannot confined into a few conditions.
Forgiving is better even if it is not possible to receive one’s compensation.
It is even better when it is in one’s power to obtain compensation for damage
suffered. Forgiving while one has the power to receive compensation forcibly is
a very hard thing to do for the ego (nafs). Forgiving the oppressor is the
highest degree of mildness (hilm), forbearance, compassion, and
bravery. Giving
presents
to a person, who has never done you a favor, is the highest level of favor (ihsân).
Doing a favor to a person who has done evil to you is the highest degree of
humanity. These attributes convert an enemy into a friend. Jesus (Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’)
said, “I had said earlier that anyone who breaks someone’s teeth should be
retaliated in kind and anyone who cut someone’s nose or ear should be
retaliated in kind. But now I am telling you that firstly, do not respond to an
evil doer with evil and secondly, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, turn
the left cheek.” Shaikh ibn-ul Arabî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ [Muhyiddin ibni
Arabî passed away in 638 Hijrî, 1240 A.D. in Damascus.], said, “Responding with
goodness to those who have done evil against you, comes to mean that you are
giving thanks ‘shukrân’ for the blessings bestowed upon you. Treating those who
have treated you with goodness with ill behavior comes to mean not giving
thanks for the blessings bestowed upon you.” Receiving one’s due right but no
more than the due right from a person who took away something from one would be
retaliation (intisâr). Forgiveness is the higher degree of
justice (’adâlat)
and retaliation is the lower degree of justice. The highest degree a pious
person (sâlih)
can rise is the degree of Justice. Forgiving an oppressor or
tyrant may give an impression of weakness (’ajz) to them and
might incur increased oppression. Practicing retaliation against tyrants and
oppressors always decreases amounts of oppression or stops it altogether. Thus,
in such instances retaliating instead of forgiving would be better and more
rewarding. Receiving more than what is due while one is getting even is
injustice (jawr). It has been reported that those who do
injustice will be punished. A person who forgives an oppressor will obtain the
love of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Receiving back what is
due from an oppressor for getting even with him would be justice. Justice
should be practiced toward disbelievers. But, forgiving is a better habit while
one has power to retaliate. When Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sal-lam’ witnessed someone cursing an oppressor, he said to him, “You have practised
retaliation (intisâr).” If he had forgiven him, it would
have been better. Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf,
which is quoted at the end of the first fascicle of the book Berîqa:
“One
who has three things will enter Paradise through any door he may wish: one who
returns others’ rights which he has
violated before, who
recites eleven times the chapter of ‘Ikhlâs’ of the Qur’ân after every ‘salât’
prayer, and who forgives his murderer before he dies.”
[The name of Zulkarnayn was mentioned in the Qur’ân. He was either a prophet or a Walî.] Those scholars who said that
Zulkarnayn was not a prophet said that he was
given four of the virtues that existed in prophets.
These four virtues are: He would forgive while he had the power of vengeance,
he would do whatever he had promised, he would always tell the truth, and he
would not prepare his sustenance (rizq) from the previous day.
The reward (thawâb) one would receive for forgiving would be proportional to
the amount of injustice one has suffered.
Eleven evils come out of hatred (hiqd): jealousy; rejoicing at misfortunes which befall others
(shamâtat); separation (hijr); viewing (others) with contempt (istisghâr); lie;
backbiting; exposing others’ secrets; making fun of someone; giving undue
difficulty to others; not paying others’ rights and preventing forgiveness.
Anyone who has hatred (hiqd) will be caught in the following sins: slandering; lying; false
testimony; backbiting; exposing others’ secrets; mockery; aggressiveness;
infringement and ceasing beneficial visits. The following hadîth-i-sherîf shows that Islam does
not permit sorcery: “It is hoped that all the sins of those who do not possess the
following three iniquities will be forgiven: (dying before) catching the
disease of disbelief (shirk); (not practising) sorcery; and (not having) hatred
(hiqd) toward brothers in Islam.”
Making “sihr” means practicing
sorcery (afsűn) and it is forbidden (harâm) in Islam. A
person who practices sorcery (sihr) is called
“jâdű (sorcerer)” in Persian. If a person who practices sorcery (sihr) believes that he can do anything through sorcery, he will become
a disbeliever. A person who denies the existence and effects of sorcery will
also become a disbeliever. We should believe that sorcery, like any other
medicine, may be effective, depending on the decree of Allâhu ta’âlâ. It is a grave sin to believe
that Allâhu ta’âlâ will create
all your wishes whatsoever, although it is virtually not an act of disbelief.
The cure for sorcery is written in length in the Turkish book Se’adet-i Ebediyye.
Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-
sherîf: “Allâhu ta’âlâ, on the fifteenth day of the holy month ‘Shabân’, pities
all of His creatures. However, He does not forgive disbelievers the ‘mushriks’
and the ‘mushâhin’.” “Mushâhin” means a person who
follows “bid’at” things (Ahl al-bid’a) and a
person who does not adapt himself to any Madhhab.
[Those who do not belong to the
Madhhab of Ahl as-sunnat wal jamâ’at, are called followers of a wrong path (Ahl al-bid’at). Anyone who does not follow one of the four Madhhabs has already
departed from Ahl as-sunnat group. Those who depart from the “Ahl as-sunnat”
group either become disbelievers or followers of a wrong path (Ahl al-bid’at).[1] There are various kinds of disbelievers. The worst among them is
the “mushrik”. “Mushrik” means a person who does not believe in Allâhu ta’âlâ and the day of Judgment.
Atheists, freemasons and communists are all “mushriks”. Followers of the wrong
path (Ahl
al-bid’at) are not disbelievers. But,
Islamic scholars informed us that those people of bid’at whose aberrations and
heresies lapsed into a denial of those tenets which are clearly communicated in
the Qur’ân and hadîths, would become disbelievers. The word “mushrik” is used
instead of the word “disbeliever” in the Qur’ân and hadîths. For example, when Allâhu ta’âlâ says in the Qur’ân that He will
not forgive the “Mushrik” this comes to mean that He will not forgive any kind
of disbeliever. If those people who deviate from the right path
---------------------------------
[1] Our Prophet
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ stated that Muslims would part into
seventy-three groups in credal matters, and that only one of those groups, i.e.
the group called Ahl as-sunnat, or Firqa-i-nâjiyya, would be following the right path. All the remaining
seventy-two groups appeared, and most of them disappeared again, in the course
of time. There are two different sub-branches, termed Madhhabs in credal matters, i.e. the Madhhab of Esh’ariyya and the Madhhab of Mâturîdiyya; and four other practical
sub-branches, termed Madhhabs in practical matters, i.e. the Madhhabs of Hanafî, Shâfi’î, Mâlikî, and Hanbalî, all of them within the group of
salvation (Firqa-i-nâjiyya),
commended in the aforesaid utterance (hadîth-i-sherîf) of the Best of Mankind ‘sall-Allâhu
’alaihi wa sal-lam’. Please see our other publications for detailed information
on this most vital matter. A suggested order of priority would be: Belief
and Islam, The
Sunnî Path, Endless
Bliss (five fascicles), Documents
of the Right Word, and the
rest.
do not go too far in their deviated beliefs, they are still
Muslims and they are “ahl al-qibla”. But, their harm to Islam is worse than the
harm caused by disbelievers. Those holders of religious posts who do not follow
any one of the four Madhhabs, e.g. the followers of Mawdűdî and Sayyid Qutb as
well as those who call themselves “Salafiyya” but in essence follow the
teachings of Ibn al-Taymiyya, are in the category of “ahl al-bid’at” mentioned
above. One of the renowned Indian scholars, namely, Muftî Mahműd bin
Abdulgayyűr Pishâwurî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’, in his book Hujjat-ul-Islâm published in 1264 Hijrî [1848 A.D], presents the following
Persian citation from the booklet Tuhfat-ul-’arab-i-wa-l-’ajam: It is wâjib for Muslims to adapt themselves to the teachings of
mujtahids, for the forty-third âyat of Sűra Nahl and the seventh âyat of Sűra
Anbiyâ purport: “... ask of those who possess the message;” and the hundredth âyat of Sűra Tawba purports: “The vanguard (of Islam)
the first of those who forsook (their homes), (i.e. the Muhâjirîn), and of
those who gave them aid, (i.e. the Ansâr), and (also) those who follow them in
(all) good deeds: Well-pleased is Allâhu ta’âlâ with them, (as are
they with Him).” These âyats command us to
imitate them. When Muâz bin Jabal ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh’ was appointed as governor of Yemen, Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’
asked him how he would manage the affairs of the people. He answered that he
would make “Judgement” (Ijtihâd) and decide
according to his understanding when he could not find a solution in the Qur’ân
and in the hadîths. Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ liked his answer very much and
thanked Allâhu ta’âlâ much.
Jalâluddin-i Suyűtî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ in his book Jazîl-ul-mawâhib informs that Ahmad Shihâbuddîn Qarâfî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ who
was one of the “Mâlikî” scholars who lived in Egypt [he passed away in 684
Hijrî or 1285 A. D.] said, “There is unanimity (Ijmâ’) of scholars that a new Muslim must imitate any scholar he
chooses.” As it is permissible for average Muslims to say that a certain hadîth-i-sherîf is sahîh if a scholar
(imâm) of Hadîth has said that it is sahîh, likewise it is permissible for them
to say that a certain religious judgement (rule) is sahîh (authentic) if a
scholar of Fiqh has said that it is sahîh.[1] Similarly, it is
permissible (jâiz)
---------------------------------
[1] Please see the sixth chapter of the second fascicle of Endless Bliss for kinds of hadîth-i-sherîf.
to repeat a judgment passed to them by the doctors of religious
law (Fiqh Imâms) about the correctness of a problem of “Fiqh” (Masala), e.g., they may say, “such and such a problem ‘Masala’ is correct
‘sahîh’ or alternatively doing such and such deeds this way or that way is
correct ‘sahîh’.” The fifty-eighth âyat of Sűra Nisâ of the Qur’ân al-kerîm purports: “When you disagree on
some religious matter, look for an answer in the Qur’ân and Sunnat of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’.” This commandment is
directed to the “mujtahid” scholars. Ibn al-Hazm stated: “It is not permissible
‘halâl’ to follow or imitate anyone dead or alive. Every individual has to make
his own ‘Ijtihad’! His statement is not a valid statement because he was not an
“Ahl as-sunnat scholar”. [It is written at the end of our book Ashadd-ul-Jihâd that Ibn al-Hazm is a heretical person without a certain
Madhhab.] It is necessary (wâjib) for a person who gives
religious judgements (muftî) to be a “mujtahid”. It is
forbidden (harâm) for a “muftî” who is not a
“mutlaq mujtahid” to give judgment (fatwâ). But it is
permissible for him to convey the earlier judgements. It is also not
permissible to ask a new judgement from a “muftî” who is not a “Mutlaq
Mujtahid”. The following is written in the chapter of fasting of the book Kifâya: It is not permissible for a person who is not a “mujtahid” to practice
according to a hadîth he has heard. For, that hadîth might be one of those
hadîths which needs explanation or one of the hadîths whose ruling has been
invalidated (by other hadîth-i-sherîfs). Not so is the case with fatwâs (judgements). [In other words,
a fatwâ is definitely authentic. There is no doubt about it and everyone has to
follow the fatwâ.] Identical information on this subject exists in the book Taqrîr. Translation from the booklet Tuhfat-ul-’arab-i-wa-l-’ajam ends here.]
One of the causes of hatred is anger (ghadab). When a person gets angry but is not able to take revenge, his anger transforms itself into hatred. Anger is caused by increase in the movement of the blood [because of an increase in blood tension]. Anger for the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ is a commendable deed. It emanates from one’s religious ghayrat.