THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UMMAH
“AMR BIL MA’ROOF WAN NAHI ANIL MUNKAR”
There is ijma of the u’lemaa’ that amr bil ma’roof wan nahi anil munkar is fard due to the explicit commands in the Quran and Sunnah and the condemnation, curse and criticism connected to those who neglect it. These two words came together in Quran ten times, and they are not separated. Just by calling people towards good may not work and will destroy the society as it has destroyed before.
(3:104) And from among you there must be a party who invite people to all that is good and enjoin the doing of all that is right and forbid the doing of all that is wrong. It is they who will attain true success.
(3:110) You are now the best people brought forth for (the guidance and reform of) mankind. *88 You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book *89 believed it were better for them. Some of them are believers but most of them are transgressors.
(3:114) They believe in Allah and in the Last Day and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and hasten to excel each other in doing good. These are among the righteous.
Abu Saee’d al Khudri reported that Nabi (saw) said “If one of you sees a munkar he should change it with his hand if he is not able then with his tongue and if he is not able then with his heart and that is the weakest of imaan” (MUSLIM) This hadeeth is a command to every individual Muslim to remove munkar if he encounters it, if he cannot remove it then she should forbid with his tongue and if he is not capable of this then he must at least hate the munkar in his heart and desire it to be changed.
(9:112Those who turn back to Allah over and over again; those who worship Him, those who sing hymns in His praise, those who move about in the land for His sake, those who bow down and prostrate before Him, those who enjoin virtue and forbid evil and strictly observe the limits prescribed by Allah (are the Believers who make such a bargain with Allah; and O Prophet, give good news to such Believers.
That is those who "strictly observe the limits prescribed by Allah . . . . . " in regard to the Articles of the Faith, worship-morality, social behavior, culture, economics, politics, judiciary, peace and war- in short, in all the aspects of their individual and collective lives. They neither transgress these limits in order to follow their lusts nor invent laws nor replace the Divine Law by other laws. They establish these limits and prevent their violations. Hence, the true Believers are those who not only strictly observe the limits prescribed by Allah, but also do their very best to establish them and safeguard them so as to prevent their violation to the best of their powers and capabilities.
These are limits which Ummah has responsibility towards mankind. Today what has been forbidden by law has become part of our life and what we have been to do, we have forgotten. This is exactly the reason when Ummah stop doing responsibility then Allah removed them from that responsibility.
This is what mentioned in Quran.
(5:78)Those of the Children of Israel who took to unbelief have been cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus, son of Mary, for they rebelled and exceeded the bounds of right.
(5:79)They did not forbid each other from committing the abominable deeds they committed. Indeed what they did was evil.
The corruption of any nation begins with that of a few individuals. If the collective conscience of that nation is alive, the pressure of public opinion keeps those persons in check and prevents the nation as a whole from becoming corrupted. But if instead of censuring such individuals, the nation leaves them free to behave corruptly, the corruption originally confined to a few continues to spread till it engulfs the whole nation. It was this which ultimately caused the degeneration of Israel. (For the curse against Israel in the words of David and Jesus see Psalms 10, 50 and Matthew 23.)
I am not discussing MARUF, I am talking of MUNKAR which has entered our society and slowly and slowly it becomes part of our society. Society has stopped them considering evil. These evils are destroying our society.
What are the major MUNKAR in our society?
1. Shirk (Associating others with Allah) – this is also not point of discussion today.
2. Riba – I have written about this in my previous posts.
TODAY’S PROBLEM IS, PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY AND MUSIC.
All these three has been forbidden in Islam but all these have become part and parcel of lives. Society has stopped considering it forbidden. (Haram) – Prohibited.
It is not permissible to make video recordings or produce pictures of animate objects where there is no dire need (eg; taking pictures for Passports, Visas etc). Picture making (of animate objects) is regarded to be a major sin in Islam.
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Every image-maker will be in the Fire, and for every image that he made a soul will be created for him, which will be punished in the Fire." Ibn 'Abbaas said: "If you must do that, make pictures of trees and other inanimate objects."
sahih Bukhari Vol 3, Book 34. Sales And Trade. Hadith 318.
Narrated By 'Aisha : (Mother of the faithful believers) I bought a cushion with pictures on it. When Allah's Apostle saw it, he kept standing at the door and did not enter the house. I noticed the sign of disgust on his face, so I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I repent to Allah and H is Apostle. (Please let me know) what sin I have done." Allah's Apostle said, "What about this cushion?" I replied, "I bought it for you to sit and recline on." Allah's Apostle said, "The painters (i.e. owners) of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, 'Put life in what you have created (i.e. painted).' " The Prophet added, "The angels do not enter a house where there are pictures."
Today there is phone with camera which can click anything all the time, it is just like evil in the hand. These pictures and video’s will take those who are clicking it to the fire of hell.
1. [It was narrated] from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) [that] he said: Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them ‘Bring to life what you have created!’” Al-Bukhari transmitted it in Bab ‘Adhab al-Musawwirin, and Muslim in this chapter.
2. [It was narrated] from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him) [that] he said: Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily, of the most grievously tormented people on the Day of Resurrection are picture-makers.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim transmitted it.
3. Abu Zur‘ah said: I entered the house of Marwan with Abu Hurayrah, and he saw pictures therein and said: I heard Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say, “Allah (Great and Glorious is He) said, ‘And who is more unjust than one who set out to create a creation like My creation? Let them create an atom, let them create a grain, or let them create a barleycorn!’” Al-Bukhari transmitted it in Bab Naqd al-Suwar, and Muslim in this chapter.
4. The hadith of Abu Talha in this chapter: “Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.”
5. [It was narrated] from Abu Hurayrah (Allah be pleased with him) in marfu‘ form: “Angels do not enter a house in which there are sculptures or pictures.” Muslim transmitted it in this chapter.
MUSIC
Islam totally forbids adultery and also those things that lead to it. Allah Most High says:
“And do not come near to adultery, for it is a shameful deed and an evil, opening the road (to other evils)” (al-Isra, 32).
Islam does not only prohibit adultery and fornication, but also those things that may lead to it. This is the reason why the Qur’an orders Muslim men and Women to lower their gazes. It prohibits one from being alone with someone from the opposite sex (khalwa). Informal interaction with the opposite sex has also been made unlawful.
This is also one of the main reasons for the prohibition of music, as it effects one’s emotions, creates arousal, passion and excitement, and also leads to various physiological changes in the person. It is a psychological proven fact that two things are instrumental in arousing the human sexual desire, one being the voice of a female (for males) and the other music.
1) Allah Most High says:
“And there are among men, those that purchase idle tales, to mislead (men) from the path of Allah and throw ridicule. For such there will be a humiliating punishment” (Surah Luqman, V. 6).
The great Companion Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) states in the explanation of the word “idle tales”:
“By Allah its meaning is music” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/223 & authenticated by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, 2/411).
Imam Ibn Abi Shayba related with his own transmission that He (Ibn Mas’ud) said:
“I swear By Him besides whom there is no God that it refers to singing” (132/5).
The great Companion and exegete of the Qur’an, Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) states:
“The meaning of the word is music, singing and the like” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/221& Musannaf Ibn abi Shayba, 132/5).
He also stated:
“Music and the purchase of female singers” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, 132/5).
Hasan al-Basri (Allah be pleased with him) said:
“This verse was revealed in relation to singing and musical instruments” (Tafsir ibn Kathir, 3/442)
The same explanation has also been narrated from Mujahid, Ikrima, Ibrahim Nakha’i, Mak’hul and others (Allah be pleased with them all).
(1) Hadhrat Abu Maalik Ash'ari says that he heard Rasulullah says:
"Most certainly, there will be in my Ummah people who will make lawful fornication, silk, liquor and musical instruments." (Bukhaari)
(2) In another version of this narration, Rasulullah said:
"Most certainly, people from my Ummah will consume liquor which they will describe with some other name. Over their heads will be playing musical instruments and singing girls. Allah will cause the earth to swallow them, and from among them He will transform into apes and pigs." (Ibn Maajah )
The punishment for music and singing is exceptionally severe. Some Juhhaal (ignoramuses) have attempted to escape the condemnation of music and singing stated in this Hadith by presenting a very stupid argument. They argue that the punishment mentioned in this Hadith applies to a collective act which consists of four deeds, viz., fornication, silk, liquor and music.
(3) Imraan Bin Husain narrates that Rasulullah said:
"In this Ummah will be earthquakes, disfiguration (of faces which will be transformed into apes and pigs) and showers of stone (descending on them from the heaven)." A man from among the Muslimeen said: "O Rasulullah ! When will this be?" Rasulullah said: "When singing girls and musical instruments will become profuse and when liquor will be consumed (in abundance)." (Tirmizi)
(4) Hadhrat Abu Hurairah narrated that Rasulullah said:
"During the last of ages (in close proximity to Qiyaamah) a nation from my Ummah will be disfigured (and transformed) into apes and pigs." The Sahaabah said: "O Rasulullah ! Will they be Muslim?" Rasulullah said: "Yes. They will be testifying that there is no deity but Allah and that I am His Rasool, and they will be fasting (in the month of Ramadhaan)." The Sahaabah asked: "O Rasulullah ! What will be their condition (to warrant such chastisement)?" Rasulullah said: "They will be indulging in musical instruments, singing girls, musical drums, and they will be consuming liquor. They will one night go to sleep after their liquor and amusement. When they arise in the morning, they will have been disfigured (and transformed into apes and pigs)." (Kaf-fur Ruaa’)
It is apparent from this Hadith that the musical drum (the Tablah of the Qawwaals) and similar other kinds of musical drums are not the duff mentioned in the Ahaadith. Musical drums have been declared Haraam unanimously by all authorities from the very age of the Sahaabah.
(3) Imraan Bin Husain narrates that Rasulullah said:
"In this Ummah will be earthquakes, disfiguration (of faces which will be transformed into apes and pigs) and showers of stone (descending on them from the heaven)." A man from among the Muslimeen said: "O Rasulullah ! When will this be?" Rasulullah said: "When singing girls and musical instruments will become profuse and when liquor will be consumed (in abundance)." (Tirmizi)
(4) Hadhrat Abu Hurairah narrated that Rasulullah said:
"During the last of ages (in close proximity to Qiyaamah) a nation from my Ummah will be disfigured (and transformed) into apes and pigs." The Sahaabah said: "O Rasulullah ! Will they be Muslim?" Rasulullah said: "Yes. They will be testifying that there is no deity but Allah and that I am His Rasool, and they will be fasting (in the month of Ramadhaan)." The Sahaabah asked: "O Rasulullah ! What will be their condition (to warrant such chastisement)?" Rasulullah said: "They will be indulging in musical instruments, singing girls, musical drums, and they will be consuming liquor. They will one night go to sleep after their liquor and amusement. When they arise in the morning, they will have been disfigured (and transformed into apes and pigs)." (Kaf-fur Ruaa’)
It is apparent from this Hadith that the musical drum (the Tablah of the Qawwaals) and similar other kinds of musical drums are not the duff mentioned in the Ahaadith. Musical drums have been declared Haraam unanimously by all authorities from the very age of the Sahaabah.
