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Sunna's |
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Religion is advice It is not possible for human being to dispense with advice whatever his position or status is. The ruler needs advice in making his policy and to administer the affairs of his nation, the father is in need of it to manage the affairs of his family, the teacher and the educator also need it in their teaching and education and the Daiya (the one who calls to Allah's way) needs it to convey his message.
I. The definition of advice. a) Linguistically: In the Arabic language, the word "Nassiha" which means advice in English has many meanings. Among them: - Refining a thing from its extraneous compounds like ridding honey of wax (beeswax). - Sewing a cloth. b) Its deepest meaning: advice signifies guiding people by using appropriate methods to get ride of their defects and deviation.
II. Its necessity The individual needs a sincere advice from his Muslim brother at each time and place. The prophet -may peace be upon him- emphasized in many Ahadith the necessity to give and accept an advice. 1- Abi Ruqaya Tamim bnu Aous Ed-Dâri reported that the prophet -may peace be upon him- said: «Religion is Nassiha». They said: «To whom it is directed, o prophet of Allah». He said: «To Allah and His book and His messenger, to the leader of the Muslims and their common folk». [Reported by Muslim] - Advice to Allah: It means that one must believe in Allah alone without associating partners with Him, describe Him with all the features of perfection, beauty and sublimity, declare Him infallible of deficiency, and confess His boons and thank Him. - Advice to His book: It is to believe that it is the speech of Allah, to glorify it, red it and reflect on its meanings. - Advice to His prophet: It is to believe in His message, venerate him and support him alive and dead. - Advice to the leaders of the Muslims: It means to assist the leaders in what is right and remind them of their duties. - Advice to the common folk: It means to advise them. 2) Djarir bnu Abdul Allah said: «I pledged allegiance to the prophet of Allah on performing prayers, paying Zakat (legal alms) and giving advice for every Muslim». [Reported by El-Boukhari]
III. The prophet -may peace be upon him: the adviser. The prophet -may peace be upon him- was demonstrating Allah's injunctions, teaching, and judging according to the divine law. He played the role of a trustee adviser. 1. He warned about being involved in matters that are of no concern to us. Abi Hyrayra reported that the prophet -may peace be upon him- said: «Part of a man's good observance of Islam is that he leaves the matters that do not concern him». [Reported by Etermithi] 2. He warned against fury. Abi Hurayra reported that a man came to the prophet -may peace be upon him- and said to him: «Advise me». The prophet -may peace be upon him- repeated thrice «Do not be furious». [Reported by El-Boukhari] 3. Ibn Abas -may Allah be pleased with him- reported that the prophet -may peace be upon him- said: «O young man, be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you, when you ask for anything asks it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek it in Allah». [Reported by Et-Termidhi]
IV. The reasons of rejecting advice 1- Advice may be rejected in case the adviser does not respect the ethics of giving an advice; he may use words that harm the person he advises or he may give him advice before all people. - Haughtiness and arrogance: the arrogant person believes that he is above being advised. - Arrogance to more sins: the Almighty Allah said: «And when he is told "fear Allah" he is seized by sinful arrogance. Hell is sufficient for him, a miserable dwelling place». [Surat Al-Baqara/ The Heifer, 206]
V. The impacts of rejecting advice 1- The continuity of error and deviation. 2- Deserving sin and chastisement: many nations were punished in their worldly life before the Hereafter because of rejecting the advices given to them by their prophets. The Noble Koran portrayed what happened to the nation of the prophet Sâlih -may peace be upon him- as an example. The Almighty Allah said: «So they killed the she-camel and insolently defied the Lord's commend, and challenged Sâlih saying: "Bring us that which you threaten us with if you are a messenger. So a shocking catastrophe overtook them and they fell lifeless in their abodes. So Sâlih left them and said: "O my people I did indeed convey to you the message of my Lord, and I advised you, but you do not love the sincere advisors». [Surat Al-Arâf/ The Heights, 77, 78, 79] 3- The decrease of production at all levels.
VI. The ethics of giving advice In order for the advice to be effective and impressive, the following conditions should be fulfilled: 1- Giving advice for the sack of Allah. 2- Being certain of the existence of an error or a deviation. The Almighty Allah said: «O you who believe! If an immoral one comes to you with tiding assess it carefully, lest you should harm a people without knowledge, and then become regretful for what you have done». [Surat Al-Hujurât/ The Chambers, 06] 3- Showing the good qualities (amenities) of the person whom you advise before revealing his defects. Allah the Almighty said: «And do not withhold the things of people unjustly…». [Surat Ash-Shu'arâ'/ The Poets, from the verse183] 4- Choosing the appropriate situations and condition. 5- Choosing good words and shunning the harming ones. The Almighty Allah said: «And speak to him a gentle word that he may be mindful or perhaps he may fear». [Surat Tâ-Hâ, 44] 6- Sticking leniency and avoiding violence. The prophet -may peace be upon him- said: «Allah is lenient and likes leniency…». [Reported by Muslim] 7- Giving advice secretly and not publicly in order not to be a scandal. 8- Observing congruence in the age and the position of the adviser and the advised person. 9- Seeking good for the advised person. 10- Bearing the harm of the advised person.
VII. Conclusions 1. Every human being in is need of advice in responding to Allah's call or rejecting it, in victory and defeat, in prosperity and affliction, in hope and despair… 2. The predecessors from the pious people were giving and accepting advice. Omar Ibnu El-Khatab -may Allah be pleased with him- said: «May Allah have mercy on he who shows me my defects». - A person said to Omar Ibnu El-Khatab: «Fear Allah, o commander of the faithful». Another answered: «Be quiet, you have over burdened the Commander of the Faithful». Then Omar Ibnu El-khtab said: «Let him. They are of no vain if they do not say it, and we are of no vain if we do not accept it» - A woman said to Omar Ibnu El-khtab: «O Omar, fear Allah in your folk». Another said: «How dare you tell this to the Commander of the Faithful? ». Omar said: «Let her, don't you know who she is? She is Khawla, the daughter of Hakîm; the one whom Allah heard her request above the seven heavens. So, it is more adequate to Omar to listen to her saying». 3. The sticking of the pious to advice and acting accordingly. Ibn Atâ' Allah Es-Skandarani said: «Exhausting your efforts in what is guaranteed for you, and neglecting what is ordained for you prove that discernment is obliterated». [Do not despair if you are not granted what you invoked Allah for with insistence, because He grants what He Himself chooses for you and not what you choose for yourself, and in the time that pleases Him and not that pleases you…]. [Among the signs of success at the end, the seeking of Allah at the beginning. He whose beginning is successful, his end will be so]. - A man came to Hassan El-Bassri and said to him: «So and so speaks ill of you». He said: «Advise your companion and inform him that death is the end of every one of us. Every one of us will be embodied in the grave, and we will be gathered in the Day of Resurrection when Allah will judge us. Indeed, He is the Best Judge». |
