الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي هدانا لهذا وما كنا لنهتدي لولا أن هدانا الله، نحمده ونستعينه، ونستغفره ونشكره وَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ ونَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ ،و نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهده الله فلا مضل له، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، بلغ الرسالة وأدى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، وكشف الغمة، وجاهد في الله حق جهاده حتى أتاه اليقين ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما
قال الله تعالى في كتابه الكريم: وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ
Beloved brothers, sisters, elders, and respected scholars,
Today, we delve deeper into the ayah that illuminates essential concepts crucial to understanding our purpose and responsibilities in this world. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah: “And when it is said to the hypocrites do not cause Fasad in the earth, they answer we are only (muslihoon) upholding the natural order or doers of good” (2:11).
This verse encapsulates three foundational concepts: Fasad, Salah, and the qualities of the hypocrite. These concepts are not merely theoretical but profoundly relevant to our lives and the challenges we face as individuals and an ummah. Last week, we explored the issue of hypocrisy (nifaq). Now, let us delve deeper into understanding how the principles of Fasad and Salah serve as pillars of public welfare and societal benefit.
What is Fasad how is it related to Salah?
Ash-Shaheed Dr Ramadan al-Buti defines Fasad as any action that deviates from the path of uprightness and Salah is any action that is regulated by order which produces benefit. Therefore, we say that the result of disorder is called “Fasad”, and the result of beneficial order is called “Salah”. The more Fasad, the less Salah and vice versa.
In the Qur’an one will not find an ayah stating that Allah loves Fasad or those who cause it, on the contrary, Allah states emphatically:
وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ
Allah does not love Fasad.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ
Indeed, Allah does not love those who cause Fasad.
The Divine Guidance is unequivocally against Fasad. Why? The answer is “Love” It is because of Allah’s immense love for us. Allah mandates certain actions through Shariah because He desires order from which we all benefit. Conversely, He forbids certain actions because He does not love for us disorder which leads to chaos and misery. The essence of the deen is to protect humanity from Fasad and its devastating consequences, and to promote Salah because Salah by its very nature restricts Fasad. There is no higher purpose in this world than to distance humanity from Fasad and so ensure public welfare for all.
If you encounter doctrines that insult this divine method, or religious principles that undermine the goal of achieving Salah, recognize them as pathways of Fasad. The hypocrite seeks to transform the earth’s prosperity into misery. How?
وَإِذَا تَوَلَّىٰ سَعَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ
“And when the (hypocrite) goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption, destroying crops, animals and lineages (progeny)…” (2:205)
These hypocrites claim they are doing good, yet their actions cause widespread devastation. Today, we face an unprecedented global poverty crisis, social disintegration at every level, moral decline on every street, and legal confusion from inheritance to parental responsibilities. By abandoning the solutions Allah has provided and disregarding His laws, we forfeit the means to preserve our land and our livelihoods. These divine laws are the maintenance He has established for us, for our sustenance and well-being.
In order to ensure that this concept is well-understood, let us take a device as an example, you don’t know how it works, but you’ve acquired it so that you may benefit from it. After unboxing it, What do we find? A user manual, which details the ways in which you should and shouldn’t use the device and even how the device should be maintained. If you have never used such a device before, then no intelligent right-thinking person would take the user’s manual and throw it away and then proceed to operate this device in a chaotic manner. Impossible! The intelligent person would never do that.
Our Most Generous, Most Loving, Most Merciful Lord only established us on this earth after guaranteeing for us all the elements of happiness, goodness, prosperity, and benefit. From the air we breathe to the land we reside on, both deep in the earth and on its surface. Then He (رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ) even established for us the system that we would use between ourselves.
What is the means that Allah has guaranteed for us to maintain uprightness and avoid Fasad? We’re not going to say a manual, ma’atha-Allah, It is the Divine Revelation, the guidance that encompasses the reality of this universe in which we live, our connection with existence, our destiny hereafter – how we interact with this universe – how each of us treats his brother. This is why, whoever turns away from that which Allah has sent to His servants is clearly deranged, just like the one who operates the device after throwing away the manual. It has been conveyed to us how we should treat each other and the earth we live on; the Creator calls those who do otherwise ‘the corrupters’. Why? Because they work against the welfare of the community promoting actions and behaviours that lead to harm, injustice, and chaos.
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، أرسله بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته قال الله تعالى في كتابه الكريم: ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ
“Fasad has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of what they have done so that perhaps they will return.”
From this Ayah, we learn that they turned away from the commands of Allah and disregarded the instructions He made obligatory upon them. When people abandon Allah’s commands and instructions, what remains? Each one acts according to what they deem appropriate in themselves, even at the expense of the interests of others. If he doesn’t care about the laws of Allah then he certainly does not care about the rights of others. Nothing can restrain or control the evil inherent in humans except for adhering to the commands of Allah with knowledge that he is a slave of Allah.
Let us say that this person turns his back on the commands of Allah and the protection this affords him. He uses all his capability and all his knowledge to benefit himself and even if he is the worst at it then the Fasad would still be apparent, just as it is today, Fasad on earth and in the sea, in our food that makes us sick, in our environment, in the very air we breathe and water we drink. Why? Because humanity has turned its back on the commands of Allah and upon the duties he has mandated. When he turned his back, he became obstinate and focused his attention on self-glorification and gratification – the minority of the world in possession of the wealth of the world, the rise of the 1%ters. There is no discipline, no order. His self-interest compels him to exploit this land. Even if this exploitation leads to deaths or diseases affecting a quarter if not more of the population, he proceeds. The human being is more dangerous than a wild animal. Just as he can ascend to the heights of greatness so too is he capable of descending to the lowest depths of depravity yet unknown. And nothing, nothing can stop him except servitude to Allah.
The Creator (الباري) has linked our sustenance to this earth. When a large number of people began to stray from the regulations and commands of Allah, and the fear of Allah left the hearts of most people, leading to the emergence of arrogance. The rise of self-interest emerged. It is not enough to make double profit; we need to make ten times the profit. How can you do that? The reply: “Where there is a will, there is a way, don’t worry”.
By exploitation, by degradation, by mass famine, by spread of disease, by intoxication and by poison. This is what is meant by “there is a way”,
Recently, the factories of Armani and Dior in Italy have come under scrutiny. Shockingly, illegal Chinese workers are forced to endure appalling conditions, sleeping in workshops while earning only $3 per hour. Meanwhile, Dior spends $57 to assemble a handbag that retails for $2780, and Armani bags, which cost $93 to produce, are sold to consumers for $1947. Fasad is clear for all to see by what the hands of people have earned. They have turned away from upright conduct in line with the nature of this world in favour of personal gain and self-interest at any cost, what can I put in my pocket. O Mankind, do you not have mercy or compassion for your fellow man?
What is the solution? It lies in reviving the sense of servitude to Allah deep within our hearts. This is the essential component for correcting our situation, rectifying deviations, and fostering compassion within individuals, whether they are money handlers, bankers, businessmen, or others, towards their fellow brothers and sisters. This cannot be achieved by merely establishing one, two or three laws. Yes, have the laws but the way to enforce our laws is to raise a generation brought up with Eman and Islamic education. A generation of people who know who they are, who know that they are a slave of Allah, owned by Him and that his matter is tied to the laws of Allah (رَبُّ الْعِزَّةِ وَالْجَلَالِ). And no matter what he tries he knows that Allah will seize him by his forelock, and he will be punished with severity, no doubt of that! Especially with regards to the rights of others. The rights of the slave with each other are built upon dispute. But if the fear of Allah and knowledge that you will be answerable for every big or small thing you do is ingrained in an entire generation of Muslims, then you will not need laws to stop Fasad or wrongdoing. The hearts of these people will be their watchers and will command them to right their wrongs themselves. The tarbiyyah, Islamic upbringing and knowledge is available. How do we revive the sense of servitude to Allah? Ubudiyatillah? With worship, especially salah! 5 times a day you are invited to stand before the Lord of All and everything and everyone and complain! Complain about your circumstances, your feelings, your pain, your suffering, your emotions will become alive again. Your aqeedah, your belief will strengthen and strengthen. Your heart will sway between love and fear of the Merciful and Powerful Lord Allah. After this, will you give the creation of Allah poison? Never! You will feed them only that which will benefit them, even if it costs you. But the state of the munafiq is different and dangerous in that he doesn’t want to reform himself, no Eman, no aqeedah, no discipline, his conduct will be the same as those who desire to live in this world on the backs of other people. The entire deen is there to remove Fasad from the earth and to replace the places of Fasad with Salah (صلاح).
“ما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج” “He (Allah) has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.” He wants our lives to be protected and safeguarded with elements of happiness, love, and cooperation in piety. And that is why the establishment of the deen, a khalifah on this earth, the law of Allah as supreme, is of utmost importance.
May Allah (SWT) guide us to uphold Salah and reject Fasad. May He instil in us the understanding and adherence to His laws, ensuring that we prosper in this life and the Next.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شُيُوخِنَا، وَعَلَى رئيسنا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، اللهم ألف بين قلوبنا، ووحد صفوفنا، واجعلنا يا رب العالمين من عبادك الصالحين. اللهم اجعلنا من أهل الجمعة، واجعلنا من الذين يستمعون القول فيتبعون أحسنه. اللهم اغفر لنا ذنوبنا، وكفر عنا سيئاتنا، وتوفنا مع الأبرار. ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار.
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.
