1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,660 Our Mother 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). 2 00:00:04,660 --> 00:00:12,150 "O 'A'ishah, 3 00:00:12,150 --> 00:00:18,000 gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it." 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:29,339 The Prophet's ﷺ upbringing of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was not limited to one aspect over another; 5 00:00:29,339 --> 00:00:36,340 rather, it was a comprehensive nurturing encompassing every dimension of our Mother 'A'ishah's character. 6 00:00:36,340 --> 00:00:39,340 For just as he nurtured her in the etiquettes of giving charity 7 00:00:39,340 --> 00:00:42,340 according to sublime, established principles 8 00:00:42,340 --> 00:00:45,340 from which the Ummah benefits throughout the ages, 9 00:00:45,340 --> 00:00:50,340 he likewise nurtured her upon noble moral foundations 10 00:00:50,340 --> 00:00:54,340 that governed her ethical conduct with all people. 11 00:00:54,340 --> 00:00:58,340 The Prophet's ﷺ method of education and upbringing 12 00:00:58,340 --> 00:01:03,340 was evident in how he utilized events that occurred around him 13 00:01:03,340 --> 00:01:07,340 to instruct them in the teachings of this great religion. 14 00:01:07,340 --> 00:01:11,560 The story we are discussing in this article 15 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,560 involves a new party from outside the fold of Islam, 16 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:17,560 namely, the Jews. 17 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:22,599 How did the Prophet (peace be upon him) deal with this party? 18 00:01:22,599 --> 00:01:25,599 And what was the rule of engagement with people 19 00:01:25,599 --> 00:01:32,599 that the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught our Mother 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)? 20 00:01:32,599 --> 00:01:35,849 On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: 21 00:01:35,849 --> 00:01:40,849 A group of Jews entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 22 00:01:40,849 --> 00:01:44,849 and said, "Death be upon you (al-sām 'alaykum)." 23 00:01:44,849 --> 00:01:50,849 'A'ishah said: "I understood it, so I said, 'And upon you be death and the curse!'" 24 00:01:50,849 --> 00:01:55,879 She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 25 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:57,879 "Gently, O 'A'ishah! 26 00:01:57,879 --> 00:02:01,879 Indeed, Allah loves gentleness in all matters." 27 00:02:01,879 --> 00:02:03,879 I said, "O Messenger of Allah, 28 00:02:03,879 --> 00:02:06,879 did you not hear what they said?" 29 00:02:06,879 --> 00:02:09,879 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 30 00:02:09,879 --> 00:02:12,879 "I have already said: 'And upon you.'" 31 00:02:12,879 --> 00:02:14,879 [Narrated by al-Bukhari]. 32 00:02:14,879 --> 00:02:17,879 And on the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): 33 00:02:17,879 --> 00:02:22,879 The Jews entered upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) 34 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:25,879 and said, "Death be upon you (al-sām 'alayk)." 35 00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:29,879 So the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: 36 00:02:29,879 --> 00:02:31,879 "And death be upon you." 37 00:02:31,879 --> 00:02:33,879 Thereupon 'A'ishah said: 38 00:02:33,879 --> 00:02:37,879 "Death be upon you, O brothers of apes and swine, 39 00:02:37,879 --> 00:02:40,919 and may the curse and wrath of Allah be upon you!" 40 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,919 He said: "O 'A'ishah, hold on!" 41 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,919 She said, "O Messenger of Allah, 42 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:48,919 did you not hear what they said?" 43 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,919 He said: "Did you not hear how I responded to them? 44 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:54,919 O 'A'ishah, 45 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,919 gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it, 46 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,919 and it is not removed from anything except that it mars it." 47 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,039 [Narrated by Ahmad]. 48 00:03:05,039 --> 00:03:07,039 Indeed, wordplay and linguistic manipulation 49 00:03:07,039 --> 00:03:11,039 is an evil trait characteristic of the Jews and those who resemble them. 50 00:03:11,039 --> 00:03:15,039 They utter a word while twisting its meaning, 51 00:03:15,039 --> 00:03:18,039 intending thereby a malicious sense, 52 00:03:18,039 --> 00:03:20,039 or they distort its pronunciation, 53 00:03:20,039 --> 00:03:22,039 as occurred in this story. 54 00:03:22,039 --> 00:03:27,039 Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, has warned us against adopting their words, 55 00:03:27,039 --> 00:03:29,039 which seem correct on the surface, 56 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:33,039 but by which they intend an evil meaning. 57 00:03:33,039 --> 00:03:35,039 For He, the Exalted, said: 58 00:03:35,039 --> 00:03:45,039 “O ye who believe, say not (unto the Prophet): "Listen to us" but say "Look upon us," and be ye listeners. For disbelievers is a painful doom.” (2:104) 59 00:03:45,039 --> 00:03:50,039 ◁and for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.▷ 60 00:03:50,039 --> 00:03:52,039 In this incident, 61 00:03:52,039 --> 00:03:55,039 they twisted the word 'al-Salām' (peace) into 'al-Sām' (death), 62 00:03:55,039 --> 00:03:58,039 intending by it death. 63 00:03:58,039 --> 00:04:01,039 Whoever truly loves the Messenger (peace be upon him) 64 00:04:01,039 --> 00:04:05,039 and hears the Jews saying such words to him 65 00:04:05,039 --> 00:04:11,039 will inevitably feel anger for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and defend him. 66 00:04:11,039 --> 00:04:14,039 How much more so when the one hearing it 67 00:04:14,039 --> 00:04:17,040 is 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), 68 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,040 the beloved of our Prophet (peace be upon him)! 69 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:25,040 Nothing was to be expected from her except anger, defense of him, 70 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,040 and rising to his aid (peace be upon him). 71 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,040 This is likewise expected of every Muslim 72 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:39,040 who hears the enemies of Allah verbally disparaging our Prophet (peace be upon him), 73 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,040 mocking him, or waging war against his religion. 74 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,040 Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) 75 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,040 did not object to 'A'ishah defending him; 76 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:53,040 he only objected to her manner of defense. 77 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,040 For 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said in response to the Jews: 78 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,040 "And upon you be death and the curse," 79 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,040 and described them as the brothers of apes and swine. 80 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:08,040 The Prophet's ﷺ objection was directed solely 81 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:14,040 toward some of the expressions 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) used in defending him. 82 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:19,040 He taught her that defending the Prophet (peace be upon him) is possible 83 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,040 through other words and different methods, 84 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,040 and he clarified his own method of responding to them by saying: 85 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,040 "I have already said: 'And upon you.'" 86 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:36,040 This demonstrates the obligation to defend our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 87 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:41,040 whenever spiteful disbelievers and hypocrites attack him, 88 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:47,040 and that we must employ in our defense the means and methods sanctioned by the Sharia, 89 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,199 which is part of gentleness and does not contradict it. 90 00:05:51,199 --> 00:05:54,199 What Muslims are doing today regarding France, 91 00:05:54,199 --> 00:05:59,199 following its grave insults against the Prophet (peace be upon him)— 92 00:05:59,199 --> 00:06:04,199 by boycotting its products and calling for such a boycott— 93 00:06:04,199 --> 00:06:10,199 is an approach sanctioned by the Sharia, causing distress to the enemy and grief to the hypocrite, 94 00:06:10,199 --> 00:06:14,199 and exposing the reality of the cowardly appeaser. 95 00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:18,199 Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) 96 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:23,199 taught 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) the guiding rule for dealing with people, 97 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:30,199 saying to her: "O 'A'ishah, gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it, 98 00:06:30,199 --> 00:06:33,199 and it is not removed from anything except that it mars it." 99 00:06:33,199 --> 00:06:39,300 Do we, then, need gentleness when defending the Prophet (peace be upon him)? 100 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:42,300 The answer is yes, 101 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:45,300 based on the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): 102 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:50,300 "O 'A'ishah, indeed Allah loves gentleness in all matters." 103 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:55,300 Gentleness is kindness and leniency in word and deed, 104 00:06:55,300 --> 00:06:57,300 and choosing the easier, most gracious course. 105 00:06:57,300 --> 00:07:00,300 This principle of gentleness 106 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:05,300 was taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) 107 00:07:05,300 --> 00:07:09,300 in an incident concerning interactions with the Jews 108 00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:13,300 and defending him (peace be upon him). 109 00:07:13,300 --> 00:07:16,300 They are the ones about whom Allah said: 110 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:26,300 ◁And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion.▷ 111 00:07:26,300 --> 00:07:28,300 And the Exalted and Glorious said: 112 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:33,300 “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.” (5:64) 113 00:07:33,300 --> 00:07:39,300 “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.” (5:64) 114 00:07:39,300 --> 00:07:47,300 ◁Rather, both His hands are extended;▷ 115 00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:51,300 ◁He spends however He wills.▷ 116 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:58,300 ◁And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them▷ 117 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:02,300 ◁in transgression and disbelief.▷ 118 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:08,300 “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.” (5:64) 119 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:10,300 ◁until the Day of Resurrection.▷ 120 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:18,300 “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.” (5:64) 121 00:08:18,300 --> 00:08:21,300 ◁And they strive throughout the land [causing] corruption,▷ 122 00:08:21,300 --> 00:08:25,300 “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.” (5:64) 123 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:27,300 And the Exalted and Glorious said: 124 00:08:27,300 --> 00:08:37,299 “Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud.” (5:82) 125 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:43,299 But what is the required gentleness when dealing with the Jews and others? 126 00:08:43,299 --> 00:08:46,360 And why do we treat them with gentleness? 127 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,360 Firstly, we deal with them with gentleness 128 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,360 because gentleness is the source of all good, 129 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,360 and this is what our Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded us to do. 130 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,399 Secondly, because whoever abandons gentleness in dealings 131 00:09:00,399 --> 00:09:03,399 falls into the pitfall of hasty recklessness, 132 00:09:03,399 --> 00:09:07,399 and haste yields no good when interacting with people. 133 00:09:07,399 --> 00:09:11,399 Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding haste: 134 00:09:11,399 --> 00:09:14,399 "It ruins deeds 135 00:09:14,399 --> 00:09:16,399 and causes ill repute; 136 00:09:16,399 --> 00:09:19,399 and it is that which is expressed in his saying: 137 00:09:19,399 --> 00:09:22,399 'and it is not removed from anything except that it mars it,' 138 00:09:22,399 --> 00:09:24,399 meaning it blemishes it 139 00:09:24,399 --> 00:09:26,399 and brings disgrace upon it." 140 00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:31,399 The practical application demonstrated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) 141 00:09:31,399 --> 00:09:36,399 guides us to the nature of gentleness required when dealing with the Jews. 142 00:09:36,399 --> 00:09:42,399 They used words to invoke death upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), 143 00:09:42,399 --> 00:09:46,399 and the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded to them 144 00:09:46,399 --> 00:09:49,399 by praying against them using their own very words. 145 00:09:49,399 --> 00:09:54,399 He (peace be upon him) said to 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 146 00:09:54,399 --> 00:09:57,399 "Did you not hear what I said? 147 00:09:57,399 --> 00:09:59,399 It is answered against them, 148 00:10:00,399 --> 00:10:02,399 while their prayer against me is not answered." 149 00:10:02,399 --> 00:10:04,399 [Narrated by al-Bukhari]. 150 00:10:04,399 --> 00:10:09,429 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) likewise responded to them with words, 151 00:10:09,429 --> 00:10:14,429 but she used phrases that went beyond the bounds of gentleness, 152 00:10:14,429 --> 00:10:17,429 indicating hasty reaction 153 00:10:17,429 --> 00:10:19,429 and intense emotional agitation, 154 00:10:19,429 --> 00:10:23,429 which would have allowed the Jews to exploit such phrases 155 00:10:23,429 --> 00:10:27,429 to reproach 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). 156 00:10:27,429 --> 00:10:32,559 However, when the Jews resorted to treachery, plotting against the Muslims, 157 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:36,559 and allying with the Arab polytheists against Islam, 158 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:41,559 the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not respond to them with words; 159 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,559 rather, he responded with arms and warfare, 160 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:49,559 as occurred in the incident of Banu Qurayzah and Banu al-Nadir. 161 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,559 That was the precise firmness and appropriateness required in such situations. 162 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,620 Thus, the gentleness required by the Sharia is based upon two matters: 163 00:10:57,620 --> 00:11:02,620 First, deliberate thought to arrive at the appropriate response. 164 00:11:02,620 --> 00:11:09,620 Second, that the response matches the method employed by the Jews. 165 00:11:09,620 --> 00:11:12,750 It is therefore unbecoming of Muslims, 166 00:11:12,750 --> 00:11:18,750 when the Jews employ lethal weapons to kill Muslims and usurp their lands, 167 00:11:18,750 --> 00:11:23,750 to meet that with mere words and self-restraint under the guise of gentleness, 168 00:11:23,750 --> 00:11:26,750 for that is utter cowardice and defeatism. 169 00:11:26,750 --> 00:11:28,750 Therefore, O Muslims! 170 00:11:28,750 --> 00:11:31,750 Indeed, the usurping Jews today 171 00:11:31,750 --> 00:11:33,750 have invaded our lands, 172 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:36,750 violated our sanctities, slaughtered our brothers and sisters, 173 00:11:36,750 --> 00:11:42,750 and manipulated all the treaties and pacts signed with our politicians, 174 00:11:42,750 --> 00:11:44,750 indeed, outright breaching them. 175 00:11:44,750 --> 00:11:50,750 It is unfitting for us to confront that with mere words and supplications alone; 176 00:11:50,750 --> 00:11:54,750 rather, there must be a response that restores rights to their rightful owners 177 00:11:54,750 --> 00:11:56,750 and bridles the usurping Jews, 178 00:11:56,750 --> 00:12:00,750 just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) bridled them 179 00:12:00,750 --> 00:12:04,750 when they betrayed their covenants and transgressed the bounds. 180 00:12:04,750 --> 00:12:09,200 We shall continue in our next gathering, if Allah wills. 181 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:15,009 And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 182 00:12:15,009 --> 00:12:19,009 Our Mother 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).