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The
importance of action
Question:
Firstly, Allaah is my witness that I love you for His Sake
and I ask Allaah that He prolongs your life and that all the
Muslims benefit from you. Secondly, the Muslim community at
this time is in need of continual sincere actions and is not
so much in need of words and speeches. What, therefore, do
you suggest are the ways and means that the various centres
in western societies should adopt in order that they act according
to the Qur.aan and propagate Islaam in a correct way? May
Allaah reward you abundantly.
Response:
Firstly, may Allaah, who has given you love for us for His
Sake, love you and make us all from those who love each other
for His Sake. In an authentic narration the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said: ((Allaah will say on the Day
of Resurrection: Where are those that loved each other for
My Glory? Today I shall shade them with My Shade on a day
when there is no shade except My Shade.))
And
in another authentic hadeeth
He (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said: ((Allaah will shade seven on
a day when there is no shade except His Shade: A just Imaam,
a youth raised in the worship of Allaah, a man whose heart
is connected to the masjid,
two men who loved each other for the sake of Allaah - they
met for His Sake and parted for His Sake - a man who was invited
by a beautiful woman of standing but who said to her, Verily,
I fear Allaah,' a man who gave in charity and concealed it
to such an extent that his left band was unaware of what his
right band was spending, and finally a man who remembered
Allaah while alone and wept.)) Narrated by both Imaams
al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.
Concerning
the second question, then action is what is needed but speeches
and talks, published books and reports are all means to the
action you mentioned. if a speech or good, reliable report
is published, distributed or broadcast, then Allaah can benefit
with this whosoever He wishes. Allaah prescribed sermons and
speeches, books and advice in order that people might benefit
from them and use them to learn the religion and in order
that they are encouraged to fulfill their duties and what
is required from them. What is obligatory upon the scholars,
Islaamic centres, Islaamic charities and upon all those who
have the ability to benefit the Muslims, is to apply in action
and not only to utter in speech. Speech is beneficial at its
right time but action is more important. Prescribed speech,
such as remembrance of Allaah, ordering to good and forbidding
evil, asking forgiveness and supplication are all required.
However, when speech is linked to action, then action, such
as salaah,
sawm,
jihaad,
hajj,
zakaah
and so forth, is required as a result of it. Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) says: {Most hateful it is in the Sight of
Allaah that you say that which you do not do.} [Soorah
as-Saff, Aayah
3]
So
speech must be used at its correct time and place and so must
action. It is one of the attributes of a hypocrite that he
says that which he does not do. That is not permitted for
a Muslim. Rather, he must say and do, and he must be truthful
both in his speech and in his deeds.
It
is also a duty of the Muslim rulers, wherever they are, to
give importance to the Command of Allaah. The essential benefit
of governance by Muslim rulers is that they direct the Muslims
to Allaah's Religion, compel them to obey His Command, help
them in obedience to Allaah and forbid them from what is contrary
to or at variance with Allaah's Law. This is the intended
purpose of government, whether it be in a kingdom with a king
at its head, a republic with a president, an emirate having
an ameer or is called something else. Allaah's Command should
be established in His land by guiding the people to good and
by compelling them to adhere to what Allaah has made obligatory,
by preventing them from what He has forbidden and by implementing
the punishments prescribed by Allaah when necessary.
This
is what is obligatory and my advice to all my brothers everywhere,
whether in Islaamic centres, Islaamic organisations, institutions
or in schools and whatever their work might be, is to have
fear of Allaah and be dutiful to Him. They must obey His Command,
guide people to Allaah's Religion and be of those calling
to good and to guidance. In an authentic hadeeth
the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said: ((Whoever guides to good has
a reward equal to the one who performs it.)) He, prayers and
peace be upon him, also said to Alee (radhi-yallaahu
'anhu) when he sent him to Khaybar to invite the Jews
to Islaam: ((By Allaah, that one person comes to guidance
at your bands is better than humri na'am (camels having a
particularly pleasing red colour, which the Arabs take great
pride in).))
And
Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) says in His Noble Book: {And who is better
in speech than he who calls to Allaah does deeds of righteousness
and says: "I am one of the Muslims".} [Soorah
Fussilat, Aayah
33]
And
He (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) says: {The believers, men and women, are friends
and helpers to each other. They enjoin what is just and good
and forbid what is evil. They establish the salaah,
pay the zakaah
and obey Allaah and His Messenger. To these will Allaah be
Merciful. Verily, Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Soorah
Towbah, Aayah
71]
And
He (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) says: {Let there arise out of you a community
that calls to good, enjoining righteousness and forbidding
evil. It is they who are the successful.} [Soorah
Aal-'Imraan, Aayah
104]
So
Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) restricted success to them exclusively because
of the importance and worth of their work of inviting to Allaah
and enjoining good and forbidding evil. Allaah, the Sublime,
says: {You are the best of communities that has been raised
up for mankind. You enjoin righteousness and forbid evil,
and you believe in Allaah...} [Soorah
Aal-'Imraan, Aayah
110]
This
is what is obligatory upon the Muslims. They must invite to
what is good, enjoin righteousness, forbid evil and stick
to the truth, wherever they are. By adhering to this noble
and illustrious work the believing men and women will be from
the best community.
And
from Allaah do we seek assistance!
Shaykh
Ibn Baaz
al-Aqalliyaat al-Muslimah - Page 24, Fatwa No.2
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