Those who regard Falsehood as True

Consequences of following the Misled

 

By: Shahid Bin Waheed شاهد بن وحيد

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين امابعد

All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.

 

In this treatise we will inSha Allaah discuss two topics as they in fact, represents the conditions of majority of Muslim masses’ around the world and/or in a nutshell majority of Muslims has unfortunately fallen into all these practices i.e.,

 

  1. Regarding the Falsehood as True
  2. Following the Misled

 

I

 

There are many Muslims who regard falsehood as true and conduct themselves accordingly. Such people are deprived of repentance, for, one who knows a sin, may repent at some time, but one who does not know a sin, might never repent.

 

Surah Al-Hajj 3-4

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيْطَانٍ مَرِيدٍ (3)

كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ مَنْ تَوَلَّاهُ فَأَنَّهُ يُضِلُّهُ وَيَهْدِيهِ إِلَى عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ (4)

And among mankind is he who disputes concerning Allâh, without knowledge, and follows every rebellious (disobedient to Allâh) Shaitân (devil) (devoid of every kind of good).

For him (the devil) it is decreed that whosoever follows him, he will mislead him, and will drive him to the torment of the Fire. (Tafsir At-Tabarî)

 

Such people neglect the commands of Allaah and the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم but obey the fellow men and/or jinns. All the observers of bidah will turn away from the truth and abide by the falsehood. They follow those who do not have correct knowledge and who lead them to Hell. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

Surah Al-Hajj 8

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ

And among men is he who disputes about Allâh, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allâh),

 

The former Ayaat (22:3-4) refers to the ignorant followers and this one to those who misled them, their fake saints, mentors, priests etc. They reject truth out of arrogance. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

It is like a patient of hydrophobia who detests water, and dies of thirst. The followers of falsehood are overcome by passion. [Mazahir-ul-Haq]

 

The observers of bidah turn away from the truth and adhere to falsehood. They obey their chiefs but disobey Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. The chiefs have no knowledge and will lead them to punishment in the Fire. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

II

 

Surah Al-'Ankabut 12-13

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَمَا هُمْ بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ (12) وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ وَلَيُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ (13)

And those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Follow our way and we will verily bear your sins." Never will they bear anything of their sins. Surely, they are liars.

And verily, they shall bear their own loads, and other loads besides their own; and verily, they shall be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about that which they used to fabricate.

 

The disbelievers used to suggest to the Muslims that if there were a sin in following them, they would bear their sin. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

Surah Fatir 18

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَإِنْ تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَمَنْ تَزَكَّى فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّى لِنَفْسِهِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden; and if one heavily laden calls another to (bear) his load, nothing of it will be lifted even though he be near of kin. You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) can warn only those who fear their Lord unseen and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât). And he who purifies himself (from all kinds of sins), then he purifies only for the benefit of his ownself. And to Allâh is the (final) Return (of all).

 

If anyone looks out for another to carry his load, no one would respond though he be a near relative- even a father, mother or son. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

Surah An-Nahl 25

لِيَحْمِلُوا أَوْزَارَهُمْ كَامِلَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ

They may bear their own burdens in full on the Day of Resurrection, and also of the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge. Evil indeed is that which they shall bear!

 

Allaah has granted them latitude that they may carry some burden of those whom they mislead. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

Hadeeth حديث: Sayyidna Jarir Ibn Abdullahرضى الله عنه reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘If anyone initiates a new good habit which was followed then he has his own reward too, and the reward of those who follow him on this way without their reward being reducedin any way. And if anyone introduces a new bad habit, which is followed then he has the sin of his deed as well as the sin[s] of those who follow it without their sin being reduced. [Tirmizi, Mishkat, Mazahir-ul-Haq]

 

Surah As-Saff 8

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

They intend to put out the Light of Allâh (i.e. the Religion of Islâm, this Qur’ân, and the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) with their mouths. But Allâh will bring His Light to perfection even though the disbelievers hate (it).

 

The disbelievers wish to reject the truth with falsehood. They are like one who tries to blow out sun’s light. Just as it is not possible to extinguish sun’s light, so to it is not possible to reject Allaah’s religion with the wishing of the disbelievers. Allaah will perfect His religion even if they do not like it. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

Surah Al-Ahzab 66

يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَا لَيْتَنَا أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ

On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh, would that we had obeyed Allâh and obeyed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)

 

At the edge of the Hell when the flashes of Fire will incinerate flesh on their faces, they will repent and lament. If only they had obeyed Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, let us see who was it that they listened to:

 

Surah Al-Ahzab 67-68

وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّا أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَاءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلَ (67) رَبَّنَا آتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْنًا كَبِيرًا (68)

And they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way.

"Our Lord! Give them double torment and curse them with a mighty curse!"

 

Whether Allaah doubles their punishment or curses them, the ones who followed have missed their opportunity and it is no use of their repenting. So, before that happens, let them repent now and reform.

 

Surah Saba 31-33

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنْتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ (31) قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُمْ بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِينَ (32)

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَنْ نَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَغْلَالَ فِي أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (33)

And those who disbelieve say: "We believe not in this Qur’ân nor in that which was before it." But if you could see when the Zâliműn (polytheists and wrong-doers) will be made to stand before their Lord, how they will cast the (blaming) word one to another! Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Had it not been for you, we should certainly have been believers!" And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you? Nay, but you were Mujriműn (polytheists, sinners, disbelievers, criminals)." Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day: when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allâh and set up rivals to Him!" And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets (for disobeying Allâh during this worldly life), when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what they used to do?

 

The followers and followed will argue at the edge of the Hell, the former accusing the latter of misleading them and the latter asking them why they chose to follow them when they were also invited by the true guiding ones and why they ran away from Allaah’s guidance and opted to follow their base desires. The followers would respond that they pestered them day and night to not forsake their ancestors’ religion. The charges and counter-charges will continue and both sides would repent. Their hands would be tied to their necks and each would be dealt with according to his deeds. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‚when they would be driven to Hell, just one flesh from Hell-Fire would reduce their flesh to cinders at their feet. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

Surah Gafir 47-48

وَإِذْ يَتَحَاجُّونَ فِي النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ الضُّعَفَاءُ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًا مِنَ النَّارِ (47) قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا كُلٌّ فِيهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَكَمَ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ

And, when they will dispute in the Fire, the weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Verily, we followed you: can you then take from us some portion of the Fire?"

Those who were arrogant will say: "We are all (together) in this (Fire)! Verily, Allâh has judged between (His) slaves!"

 

The followers will argue, “We obeyed you in the world. Now, do help us here. Take some punishment on yourself.” They will point out that they already had their share of punishment and could not bear their burden. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

 

 A man who commits a sin might repent someday. A Muslim who does not offer Salah or who drinks wine may repent one day; because he knows that he is doing something wrong. But the innovator (person of Bidah) will not repent as long as he considers bidah an act of worship, nearness to Allaah. He does not regard himself a sinner and he never will, unless Allaah wills!

 

When such people are told the true teachings and/or commands of Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم they rejects them because the words contradicts their conduct of bidah.

 

Every Muslim must examine the Glorious Qur’aan, Sunnah, (including Ahadeeth احاديث) and/or the lives of the Companions رضى الله عنهم. If he finds evidence there he must pursue otherwise give up what he does.

 

Monday, September 13, 2004

 

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