Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (37) | Chapter on the prohibition of injustice and the command to redress injustices (2)

0:00 *Riyad al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

0:09 Chapter: The Prohibition of Injustice and the Command to Redress Injustices.

0:16 On the authority of Abu Humayd 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

0:25 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed a man from the Azd tribe,

0:30 known as Ibn al-Lutbiyyah, to collect zakat.

0:35 When he returned, he said, "This is for you, and this was gifted to me."

0:41 Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mounted the pulpit,

0:46 praised and glorified Allah,

0:49 and then said, "To proceed:

0:52 I appoint men from among you to oversee duties that Allah has entrusted to my authority,

0:58 yet one of you comes and says, 'This is for you, and this is a gift presented to me.'

1:05 Why did he not remain in his father's or mother's house to see if his gifts would be brought to him, if he is indeed truthful?

1:13 By Allah, none of you takes anything unlawfully

1:17 except that he will meet Allah Almighty on the Day of Resurrection carrying it!

1:22 Let me not catch any one of you meeting Allah carrying a grunting camel,

1:28 a mooing cow, or a bleating sheep!"

1:33 Then he raised his hands until the whiteness of his armpits was visible,

1:38 and said, "O Allah, have I conveyed the message?" three times.

1:43 Agreed upon.

1:46 "Appointed" means he was charged with collecting zakat.

1:52 "Ibn al-Lutbiyyah" is an attribution to Banu Lutb,

1:56 a clan of the Azd tribe, and his given name was 'Abdullah.

2:00 "Entrusted to my authority" means Allah granted me disposal and stewardship over it.

2:06 "Grunting" is the sound made by a camel.

2:11 "Mooing" is the sound made by cattle.

2:14 "Bleating" refers to the cry of a sheep or goat.

2:18 Key benefits of the hadith:

2:20 The ruler dispatches collectors to gather zakat

2:24 and then distributes it equitably to those entitled to it.

2:29 Gifts given to public officials are a form of misappropriation and bribery;

2:32 hence, officials are not entitled to receive exclusive personal gifts from the public.

2:37 Consequently, when employees accept money and gifts in their official capacity,

2:42 it constitutes the unlawful consumption of wealth.

2:44 An official has no right to exploit his post for personal gain.

2:50 Whoever takes people's wealth unlawfully,

2:53 Allah will disgrace him in front of all witnesses on the Day of Resurrection.

2:56 Every wrongdoer will be brought carrying the very thing he wrongfully took on the Day of Resurrection.

3:03 The Prophetic methodology in counseling and admonishing

3:07 relies on addressing matters generally rather than singling out individuals publicly,

3:10 for this serves a legitimate legislative interest;

3:13 thus, his address was delivered to the general public.

3:17 A clear indication that provision is obtained through personal endeavor,

3:21 as highlighted in his statement (peace be upon him):

3:25 "Why did he not remain in his father's or mother's house

3:28 to see if his gifts would be brought to him, if he is indeed truthful?"

3:33 The recommendation of raising the hands in supplication.

3:37 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),

3:42 from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:

3:46 "Whoever has wronged his brother

3:49 in his honor or anything else,

3:52 let him seek his pardon today,

3:54 before there is neither dinar nor dirham.

3:58 If he possesses righteous deeds,

4:01 they will be taken from him in proportion to his wrongdoing;

4:04 and if he has no good deeds,

4:07 the bad deeds of the aggrieved party will be taken

4:10 and cast upon him."

4:12 Recorded by al-Bukhari.

4:14 "Wronged" refers to any right of another that one has unjustly violated.

4:19 "Honor" refers to the aspects of a person's reputation subject to praise and blame.

4:24 "Let him seek his pardon"

4:27 means he must clear his liability by restoring the right or obtaining the victim's forgiveness.

4:32 Key benefits of the hadith:

4:36 The strict prohibition of injustice,

4:38 and urging the wrongdoer to absolve himself of his injustice

4:41 before a Day comes when the excuses of wrongdoers will be of no avail.

4:46 The rights of people

4:48 are not forgiven by Allah unless they are returned to their rightful owners.

4:53 Dinars and dirhams

4:55 are mere worldly instruments to secure benefits;

4:59 but on the Day of Resurrection,

5:01 settlement is made through good deeds and bad deeds.

5:04 Good and bad deeds

5:06 will be weighed on the Day of Resurrection in exact proportion to the wrongs committed.

5:11 Righteous deeds

5:13 are spoiled and stripped of their reward by wronging and harming others.

5:18 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported

5:24 from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:

5:28 "A true Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe,

5:33 and the true emigrant is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden."

5:37 Agreed upon,

5:39 and the wording is that of al-Bukhari.

5:41 Key benefits of the hadith:

5:45 The best of Muslims and the most complete of believers

5:48 are those who fulfill both the rights of Allah Almighty and the rights of Muslims.

5:53 Transgression may occur through actions or through words.

5:58 One must abandon acts of disobedience and strictly adhere to what Allah Almighty has commanded.

6:04 Whoever maintains good conduct with his Lord

6:06 must likewise maintain good conduct with his fellow Muslims,

6:11 for true faith yields righteous deeds and wholesome speech.

6:16 Emigration is of two kinds: outward and inward.

6:21 The outward emigration is to flee with one's religion from trials and tribulations,

6:26 moving from the abode of disbelief to the abode of Islam,

6:30 or from a land of fear to a land of security.

6:33 The inward emigration is to abandon the base desires and whims of the self,

6:38 curbing its impulses and disciplining it upon obedience to its Creator.

6:44 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:

6:50 Appointed over the personal baggage of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

6:54 was a man named Karkarah, who died.

6:59 Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

7:03 "He is in the Fire." The people went to inspect his belongings

7:08 and found a cloak that he had stolen from the spoils of war.

7:11 Recorded by al-Bukhari.

7:14 "Baggage" refers to heavy luggage and dependent traveling companions.

7:20 "Cloak" refers to an outer garment with black stripes.

7:25 "Misappropriation" (*ghulul*) signifies breach of trust,

7:28 specifically the illicit taking of war booty prior to its legitimate division.

7:32 Key benefits of the hadith:

7:36 The prohibition of misappropriating public property, whether in small or large amounts.

7:40 Embezzling the public wealth of the Muslims is therefore among the major sins,

7:46 condemning its perpetrator to the Hellfire,

7:49 whether the amount taken is meager or abundant.

7:55 On the authority of Abu Bakrah Nufay' ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him),

8:00 from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:

8:04 "Time has completed its cycle, returning to the state it was in on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth.

8:10 The year is twelve months,

8:13 four of which are sacred:

8:15 three consecutive months—

8:17 Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and al-Muharram—

8:21 and Rajab of Mudar,

8:23 which falls between Jumada and Sha'ban.

8:26 What month is this?"

8:28 We replied,

8:30 "Allah and His Messenger know best."

8:33 He remained silent

8:34 until we thought he would call it by another name.

8:39 He said,

8:40 "Is it not Dhu al-Hijjah?"

8:42 We replied, "Indeed it is."

8:44 He asked,

8:45 "What land is this?"

8:48 We replied,

8:49 "Allah and His Messenger know best."

8:52 He remained silent

8:53 until we thought he would call it by another name.

8:58 He said,

8:59 "Is it not the Sacred City?"

9:01 We replied, "Indeed it is."

9:04 He asked,

9:05 "What day is this?"

9:08 We replied,

9:09 "Allah and His Messenger know best."

9:12 He remained silent

9:13 until we thought he would call it by another name.

9:18 He said,

9:19 "Is it not the Day of Sacrifice?"

9:21 We replied, "Indeed it is."

9:23 He said,

9:24 "Verily, your blood, your property, and your honor are inviolable to one another,

9:30 as sacred as this day of yours,

9:32 in this city of yours,

9:34 in this month of yours.

9:37 You shall surely meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds.

9:41 Beware! Do not revert after me to disbelievers, striking one another's necks!

9:48 Let the one who is present convey this to the one who is absent,

9:51 for perhaps the one to whom it is conveyed will understand it better than some who heard it directly."

9:57 Then he said,

9:59 "Have I not conveyed the message?

10:01 Have I not conveyed the message?"

10:03 We said, "Yes!"

10:05 He said,

10:06 "O Allah, bear witness!"

10:08 Agreed upon.

10:13 "Completed its cycle"

10:14 means it returned to its original arrangement of years,

10:18 and the year to its natural division into months,

10:21 in accordance with the words of the Almighty:

10:24 “Lo! the number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah's ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them. And wage war on all of the idolaters as they are waging war on all of you. And know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).” (9:36)

10:33 "Four of which are sacred."

10:36 "Its state"

10:37 signifies its original form, order, and condition.

10:40 "Four sacred months"

10:42 means it is forbidden to initiate warfare during them.

10:47 "Rajab of Mudar"

10:49 was attributed to the tribe of Mudar

10:51 because they were the most diligent of tribes in observing its sanctity.

10:56 "As sacred as this day of yours"

10:59 emphasizes the enormity of committing a transgression on such a day.

11:02 "More attentive / better grasp" (*aw'a*)

11:03 means possessing greater comprehension.

11:05 Key benefits of the hadith:

11:09 The invalidation of intercalary postponement (*al-nasi'*),

11:11 which was a practice of pre-Islamic ignorance:

11:13 whenever they wished to wage war in the sacred months,

11:17 they would treat them as permissible and defer the sacred status to subsequent months,

11:22 thereby also delaying the time of the Hajj pilgrimage.

11:25 A Muslim's blood, honor, and property are inviolable to his fellow Muslim;

11:31 they must be protected, preserved, and defended.

11:36 Every Muslim will be made to stand before his Lord,

11:39 Who will hold him to account for every minor and major deed.

11:43 The obligation to convey knowledge and transmit it with honesty and truthfulness after comprehending and memorizing it.

11:50 The permissibility of receiving and bearing knowledge before attaining full scholarly maturity,

11:55 and that deep comprehension is not a prerequisite for transmission;

11:58 rather, accurate memorization and preservation suffice.

12:00 People differ in their levels of understanding;

12:03 therefore,

12:05 someone from a later generation may understand and grasp legal principles better than someone who came before him.

12:11 The Prophetic pedagogical method of teaching, guiding, and drawing parables,

12:18 which maximizes rhetorical impact

12:20 and clearer to the listener's mind.

12:26 On the authority of Abu Umamah,

12:28 Iyas Ibn Tha'labah al-Harithi (may Allah be pleased with him),

12:32 that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

12:36 "Whoever wrongfully usurps the right of a Muslim by his oath,

12:40 Allah has decreed the Fire for him

12:43 and forbidden him Paradise."

12:46 A man asked,

12:48 "Even if it were something trivial, O Messenger of Allah?"

12:51 He replied,

12:53 "Even if it were a twig of an arak tree."

12:56 Related by Muslim.

12:59 "Usurps"

13:01 means taking it unjustly without any right.

13:04 "By his oath"

13:06 means through a false oath.

13:08 "A twig of an arak tree"

13:10 refers to a stick from the well-known arak tree,

13:13 whose branches are used for tooth-sticks (siwak).

13:18 Among the lessons of the hadith are:

13:20 the strict prohibition of usurping people's rights,

13:23 the obligation to diligently restore them to their rightful owners,

13:26 even if they are something insignificant.

13:29 People's violated rights will bar the usurpers

13:32 from entering Paradise

13:34 until they fulfill what is due from them,

13:36 or their good deeds are taken

13:38 and given to the wronged,

13:40 or the sins of the wronged are taken

13:43 and cast upon the oppressors.

13:45 A false, perjurious oath is among the grave, destructive sins.

13:50 Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (37) | Chapter on the prohibition of injustice and the command to redress injustices (2)

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