Never judge a Believer

Summary & Main Points of discourse by Shaykh Abdul Mueed Saheb (Hafizahullah) of Sukkur – Pakistan

Friday, 24 May, 2019 – After Taraweeh – Mo’min Masjid, Sukkur

1. To declare or consider a Believer to be a disbeliever is a major sin. Irrespective of how sinful a Believer maybe, no one has the right to label a believer with disbelief. Never look down at a disbeliever, because he can become a Muslim and could surpass us in belief and good deeds. Labelling a Believer with Kufr (disbelief) is a major sin.

2. The story of Shaykh Abu Abdullah Andalusi (Rahimahullah) is well-known . He was a great scholar of the Naqshbandi order. On one occasion, whilst walking with his disciples they came across some Christians worshipping the cross – a bad thought crossed his mind which caused him to despise them. They proceeded to the next town where some Christian girls were gathered at a water well. The great Shaykh’s eyes fell on one of them – he was so infatuated by her that he asked his students to take leave, as he was now going to marry this woman and live with her. He asked this girl to take him to her father and negotiated with the father her hand in marriage. The father made it conditional that he will need to herd the pigs as they were pig farmers – he accepted all the conditions and married the woman. The very same staff he would use on the mimbar for sermons, today was used to herd pigs.

3. In the meanwhile the students continued making dua for their mentor and tried their level best to bring him back to Islam. After all, their Shaykh was a great scholar of the time with thousands of followers.

4. At this point we need to be reflective and remain in fear of our own condition changing – we should never become complacent about our good condition – always live in fear of being deprived of the ability to do good deeds.

5. Eventually, after some years, the day came when the Shaykh returned and repented and regained his former status and position. When his students asked him why and how did all this happen, he explained that whilst we were walking pass that town, we saw those Christians worshipping – a feeling of lowness and disdain for them entered my heart and this became the means of my deprivation – I felt like a window opened in my heart and my Imaan flew away like a bird escaping through it.

6. A very important lesson that we learn from this incident is never ever look down upon the sinner or the disbeliever. Despise the sin not the sinner – despise disbelief not the disbeliever. Even the worst sinner will enter Jannah one day, and moreso once a sinner repents he’s free from sin – he could be more closer to Allah than us whilst we are despising and looking down upon him.

7. A Believer will be given the honour that his placement in the fire will be for the purposes of cleansing, for the purposes of purification and not for punishment – just as clothes are placed into warm water and ironed so that they may be worn with honour and dignity. A Believer will go to Hell fire to qualify for Jannah. The Jannah of the lowest believer will be 10 times greater than this world. What an honour for the very last or lowest believer – how can we ever despise a believer or label him a disbeliever ?

8. Once in Ramadan, Hakeemul Ummat Hadhrat Thanwi (Rahimahullah), in the presence of his students, among them many prominent Ulama and scholars, declared that I take an oath – it is the month of Ramadan, in the state of fasting and with wudhu, I declare that I regard myself to be the lowest of all Believers in this world. Every believer is better than me. Additionally, I regard myself lower than every disbeliever, based on the possibility of him accepting Islam. If he enters the fold of Islam he is better than me. This was the level of annihilation of our pious seniors.

9. Today, regrettably there is no tolerance for others, we lack true humility and find ourselves in an environment of enmity, hatred and despise for others – this is dangerous and detrimental for our spirituality and faith. We should develop the ability to forgive and love the creation for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.