Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (38) | Chapter on the prohibition of injustice and the command to redress injustices (3)

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 'Adiyy ibn 'Amirah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

0:22 I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:

0:27 "Whomever among you we appoint to a post,

0:30 and he conceals from us a needle or anything greater,

0:34 it shall be an act of embezzlement (*ghulul*) that he will bring on the Day of Resurrection."

0:38 Thereupon, a dark-skinned man from the Ansar stood up—

0:42 as if I can still look at him—

0:44 and said: "O Messenger of Allah,

0:47 relieve me of my assignment!"

0:49 He asked: "And what is the matter with you?"

0:52 The man replied: "I heard you say such-and-such."

0:56 He said: "And I say it now:

1:00 Whomever we appoint to a post,

1:02 let him bring everything, whether little or much.

1:05 Whatever he is given from it, he may take,

1:08 and whatever he is forbidden from, he must refrain."

1:10 Narrated by Muslim.

1:13 "A needle or anything greater" (*mikhytan fa-ma fawqahu*):

1:17 That is, a needle or whatever is smaller than it.

1:20 "Embezzlement" (*ghululan*):

1:22 Meaning misappropriation of spoils of war by way of theft before their formal distribution.

1:27 Key lessons from the hadith:

1:33 In the hadith is a stern warning

1:35 and a definitive deterrence against embezzlement by an appointed official,

1:38 whether regarding small matters or large ones.

1:40 Thus, whoever is entrusted with the wealth of the Muslims

1:43 must safeguard it,

1:46 deliver it to its rightful recipients,

1:49 and never appropriate any part of it exclusively for himself.

1:52 The eager desire to avoid governance

1:55 and public office,

1:57 for they are prone to shortcoming.

1:59 Persons in authority

2:02 must know the sources from which public funds derive,

2:06 taking only that which is lawful,

2:09 and returning to its rightful owners whatever is not permissible to take.

2:13 The permissibility of describing a person by a physical trait for identification,

2:16 provided that it does not anger him.

2:19 For this reason, it was stated in the hadith:

2:22 "Thereupon, a dark-skinned man from the Ansar stood up."

2:26 The swift return of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to the truth

2:31 once it had become clear to them.

2:34 On the authority of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

2:39 On the day of Khaybar,

2:42 a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) came forward

2:46 and said:

2:48 "So-and-so is a martyr,

2:50 and so-and-so is a martyr,"

2:52 until they passed by a man

2:54 and said:

2:56 "So-and-so is a martyr."

2:58 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

3:01 "Nay!

3:03 Indeed, I have seen him in the Fire

3:05 on account of a cloak that he embezzled,"

3:07 or he said "an outer garment."

3:09 Narrated by Muslim.

3:11 "A group" (*nafar*):

3:14 A collective noun with no singular form from its own root,

3:17 applied to a group of fewer than ten men.

3:21 Key lessons from the hadith:

3:25 Misappropriating public funds by way of theft

3:29 is a grave sin.

3:31 The permissibility of applying the term "martyr" to one who died in the cause of Allah

3:36 and whose good deeds were evident to us,

3:38 whenever there exists Prophetic affirmation indicating so,

3:43 as was reported regarding 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,

3:46 'Uthman ibn 'Affan,

3:48 Talhah ibn 'Ubaydullah,

3:51 and Hamzah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them).

3:55 Designating a specific individual as a martyr is impermissible in general,

4:00 because a true martyr is only known through divine revelation.

4:05 A prohibition against this has been transmitted from the salaf (early generations; may Allah be pleased with them).

4:09 For 'Umar delivered a sermon and said:

4:13 "Do not say during your military expeditions: 'So-and-so is a martyr,'

4:17 or 'So-and-so died a martyr,'

4:20 for he may have overloaded his mount with embezzled goods.

4:24 Indeed, do not say that!

4:26 Rather, say as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

4:32 'Whoever dies in the cause of Allah or is slain is a martyr.'"

4:37 Al-Bukhari established a chapter in the Book of Jihad in his *Sahih*:

4:42 "Chapter: It Is Not to Be Said That So-and-So Is a Martyr."

4:46 Being slain in the cause of Allah does not expiate the violated rights of others.

4:51 Allah's honoring of His Messenger (peace be upon him),

4:57 by granting him knowledge of the final outcomes of certain servants.

5:01 On the authority of Abu Qatadah al-Harith ibn Rib'i (may Allah be pleased with him):

5:08 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood up among them

5:13 and reminded them that jihad in the cause of Allah

5:17 and belief in Allah are the best of deeds.

5:21 A man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah,

5:26 tell me: if I am killed in the cause of Allah,

5:29 will my sins be expiated for me?"

5:32 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him:

5:36 "Yes, if you are killed in the cause of Allah

5:40 while being patient, seeking reward, advancing and not retreating."

5:45 Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked:

5:49 "How did you say it?" The man replied: "Tell me: if I am killed in the cause of Allah,

5:55 will my sins be expiated for me?"

5:58 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:

6:02 "Yes, while being patient, seeking reward, advancing and not retreating,

6:08 except for debt, for Jibril told me that."

6:13 Narrated by Muslim.

6:17 "Seeking reward" (*muhtasib*): meaning sincere, hoping for reward and recompense from Allah.

6:23 "Advancing" (*muqbil*): meaning not fleeing nor turning your back.

6:28 Key lessons from the hadith:

6:32 The leader urges his companions and reminds them of the virtues of deeds and the best among them,

6:38 so that they may strive eagerly for them,

6:40 and renews faith in their hearts from time to time.

6:46 The eager desire of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to seek deeds that expiate sins.

6:53 Jihad in the cause of Allah to elevate His word and overcome His enemies

6:58 is among the greatest acts of worship and the most virtuous means of drawing near to Him.

7:02 The conditions of jihad are: patience over what befalls you in the cause of Allah,

7:08 sincerity therein seeking the Face of Allah,

7:12 and not fleeing on the day of battle.

7:16 Martyrdom in the cause of Allah expiates faults and sins.

7:21 Being slain in the cause of Allah does not expiate the violated rights of others

7:26 if one had the means to fulfill them yet failed to do so.

7:29 As for the one who was unable to free himself of them,

7:33 yet repented before his death and felt remorse,

7:36 Allah is his Guardian and will satisfy his claimant.

7:39 The permissibility of seeking clarification and repeating a statement

7:44 whenever there is an added benefit or clarification in doing so.

7:49 The Prophetic Sunnah is revelation from Allah,

7:53 but it is non-recited revelation.

7:56 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),

8:00 that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

8:04 "Do you know who the bankrupt person is?"

8:07 They replied: "Among us, the bankrupt person is the one who has neither dirhams nor goods."

8:13 He said: "The bankrupt person among my Ummah

8:16 is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting, and zakat,

8:21 but comes having reviled this one,

8:24 slandered that one,

8:26 unlawfully consumed the wealth of this one,

8:28 shed the blood of that one,

8:30 and struck this one.

8:32 So this one will be given from his good deeds,

8:35 and that one from his good deeds.

8:37 And if his good deeds are exhausted before his liabilities are settled,

8:42 their sins will be taken and cast upon him,

8:45 and then he will be cast into the Fire."

8:49 Narrated by Muslim.

8:51 "Goods" (*mata'*):

8:54 Everything from which benefit is derived

8:56 and enjoyed of worldly possessions,

8:59 whether little or much.

9:01 "Reviled" (*shatama*): meaning insulted.

9:04 "Slandered" (*qadhafa*):

9:05 Meaning accused of adultery/fornication without clear proof.

9:08 "Shed" (*safaka*):

9:10 Meaning spilled and poured out.

9:13 "Exhausted" (*faniyat*):

9:14 Meaning nothing remained of them.

9:17 Key lessons from the hadith:

9:21 The intellect possesses concepts drawn from what it has comprehended and learned in this worldly life,

9:26 by which it weighs things and evaluates matters;

9:30 however, the Shari'ah has a clearer standard for defining them.

9:35 Therefore, Shari'ah terminologies are authoritative in understanding the intent of Allah and His Messenger.

9:41 True bankruptcy

9:43 is the loss of oneself and one's family on the Day of Resurrection.

9:47 An emphasis on desisting from injustice,

9:51 particularly devouring the rights of others,

9:54 and assaulting their wealth, their blood, and violating their honor through speech or action,

10:01 because that spoils the fruits of righteous deeds.

10:04 Allah's dealing with the creation

10:07 is established upon justice and truth.

10:11 Among the methods of teaching knowledge

10:13 is dialogue that sparks the listener's interest,

10:16 engages his attention, draws his focus,

10:19 and corrects his misconception.

10:22 On the authority of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her),

10:26 that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

10:30 "I am only a human being,

10:33 and you bring your disputes before me.

10:36 Perhaps some of you are more eloquent in presenting their argument than others,

10:41 so I judge in their favor according to what I hear.

10:44 Thus, whomever I grant a ruling in his favor that infringes upon the right of his brother,

10:47 I am merely assigning him a portion of the Fire."

10:51 Agreed upon.

10:54 "More eloquent" (*alhan*): meaning more articulate and knowledgeable in presenting his case.

10:58 "You bring your disputes before me" (*takhtasimun*): meaning you litigate before me so that I may judge between you.

11:05 "In presenting his argument" (*bi-hujjatihi*): meaning his claim.

11:08 "I assign him" (*aqta'u*): meaning I give him.

11:12 Key lessons from the hadith:

11:16 The Messenger (peace be upon him) is a human being like others;

11:20 he does not know the unseen, nor does he know what is in the hearts,

11:24 but revelation is sent down to him.

11:27 The judge decides between the two disputants

11:31 based upon the evident proofs and circumstantial evidence presented to him;

11:34 he judges according to the outward,

11:37 while Allah oversees the inner secrets.

11:40 It is obligatory upon the judge and ruler not to issue a judgment before hearing both disputants.

11:45 If a judge errs after due investigation and verification,

11:49 there is no sin upon him; rather, he is rewarded.

11:54 A judge's erroneous ruling does not make a lawful matter prohibited, nor an unlawful matter lawful.

11:59 Whoever has a ruling issued in his favor while knowing he is wrongful toward his brother,

12:04 it is impermissible for him to take it, because it is merely a portion of the Fire.

12:09 The judge and ruler remind litigants of Allah

12:14 and warn them of His punishment,

12:17 for anyone who commits injustice and wrongfully takes another's right.

12:20 On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:

12:25 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

12:29 "A believer will continue to have ample room in his religion,

12:33 so long as he does not shed unlawful blood."

12:36 Narrated by al-Bukhari.

12:39 "Ample room" means spiritual latitude and hope in the mercy of his Lord.

12:46 "Shed unlawful blood"

12:49 means killing a Muslim without just cause.

12:54 Among the benefits of the hadith:

12:56 Preserving human life is one of the essential objectives of the Prophetic mission.

13:02 Killing a soul unlawfully

13:04 is among the gravest of major sins.

13:08 On the authority of Khawlah bint 'Amir al-Ansariyyah,

13:11 who was the wife of Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with them both),

13:15 she said:

13:17 I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:

13:23 "Indeed, some people dispose of the property of Allah wrongfully;

13:28 for them is the Fire on the Day of Resurrection."

13:32 Narrated by al-Bukhari.

13:35 "Dispose of wrongfully"

13:37 means misusing and misappropriating it unjustly.

13:40 "The property of Allah"

13:42 refers to public Muslim funds entrusted to state officials.

13:46 Among the benefits of the hadith:

13:51 The prohibition of mismanaging public Muslim funds

13:55 and spending them illicitly on whims and falsehood.

13:58 Whoever misuses people's wealth unlawfully

14:02 will be punished with the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.

14:05 Wealth is the lifeblood of society

14:08 and a foundation for the strength of the Ummah,

14:10 so it must be safeguarded.

14:13 Public funds of the Muslims

14:16 are relied upon to build defensive strength and conduct jihad,

14:20 provide vital civic amenities,

14:22 and spread sacred knowledge;

14:24 therefore, Islam attaches paramount importance to its protection.

14:29 Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (38) | Chapter on the prohibition of injustice and the command to redress injustices (3)

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