Question 16: Advice for the one who studied in Yemen and Saudi Arabia and then returned to the land of disbelief
“Some of the students of knowledge who benefited from studying in Yemen and Saudi Arabia with Ahlus-Sunnah walJamaa’ah have returned to the lands of the disbelievers, however, there actions show that they are out for the money. So what is your advice to these people?”
The Answer:
There is no doubt that calling to Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) has a significant status and is deemed to be an honor for the Muslim, for he who is sincere to Allaah in doing it, for verily an abundant reward and a great recompense is anticipated for him, and it is upon the caller to Allaah (Subhaanahu) that he does not exchange that which is better for that which is worse, and it is upon him to know that his mistake is not like someone else’s mistake, for verily he who knows is not like he who doesn’t know.
So he who Allaah has honored with knowledge then does something blameworthy, his punishment is not like the punishment of that ignorant person who perhaps if he knew similar to what this student or caller knew, perhaps he wouldn’t do this forbidden act.
Also, Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall) has said in His Noble Book threatening His Prophet Muhammad (‘Alayhis Salaatu Was Salaam), that if he were to lean towards the disbelievers and sway towards them, and he (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) is far above doing that, then Allaah would double his punishment as He (Subhaanahu) said:
وَإِن كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِيَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُ ۖ وَإِذًا لَّاتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا – 17:73
وَلَوْلَا أَن ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا – 17:74
إِذًا لَّأَذَقْنَاكَ ضِعْفَ الْحَيَاةِ وَضِعْفَ الْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًا – 17:75
“Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed to you, to fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you as a friend. And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. In that case, We would have made you taste a double portion of punishment in this life and a double portion of punishment after death. And then you would have found none to help you against Us.” – Al-Israa (17):73-75
So it is upon these people to fear Allaah and know that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) knows that which is secret and that which is most hidden, and Allaah (Ta’ala) knows what is in the breasts, and that Allaah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala) knows the deceitful eyes and that which the breasts conceal. So if they have gone over there with the pretext of calling to Allaah while in reality there goal is to collect money and enjoy the pleasures of this life, they must know that they are only fooling themselves and that they are only harming themselves. Also, we remind them of the statement of Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall):
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
“They may hide from the people, but they cannot hide from Allaah, for He is with them when they plot by night in words that He does not approve, and Allaah ever encompasses what they do.” – An-Nisaa (4):108
So we advise them to fear Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall) and to make their deeds sincerely for Allaah, and that they either stay over there for the purpose of calling to Allaah and be sincere in doing that and strive hard to convey it, or if not, they must leave those lands and return to the lands of Islaam, and by doing that they will be, Allaah (Ta’ala) willing, a good example for their brothers, and if not, if they don’t do that, then we, by Allaah, we fear for them tribulation in their deen, and we fear that Allaah will not bless them in their knowledge nor in the wealth they gathered because of their turning away from the truth after knowing it.
It is upon us all to beware of that which our Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) has warned us, and he has warned us of the temptation of the dunyaa and the temptation of wealth, for verily the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) he is the one who said as can be found in at-Tirmidhee from the hadeeth of Ka’b Ibn Maalik,
“Two hungry wolves released into a flock of sheep are not more destructive than the destruction that a person’s desire for wealth and status has on his deen.”
It is a saheeh hadeeth.
Also, in at-Tirmidhee with a chain that is hasan from the hadeeth of Ka’b Ibn Iyaad, he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) say,
‘Indeed, for every nation there is a fitnah (trial), and the fitnah of my nation is wealth.’”
So we advise them to have contentment, and to strive to implement what they know, and to beware of having greed for the dunyaa and competing with one another for it, for verily, if they were granted small provision in the lands of Islaam along with Allaah granting them the success to obtain knowledge and implement it and stand firm on the deen, then they, by Allaah, would be in prosperity and success as the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa ‘Alaa Aalihi Wa Sallam) informed of in his statement:
“He has prospered, he who embraces Islaam and his provision is just sufficient means for living and Allaah has made him satisfied with what comes to him.”
Muslim has transmitted it from the hadeeth of ‘Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al- ‘Aas. So our advice to these people is that they fear Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall).
And this previous advice of ours is only for he who is truly like that, he who has focused on gathering money, and he has focused on remaining in the lands of disbelief for that reason while at the same time he pretends as if he only wanted to go to those lands for the purpose of da’wah. Also, we advise all of the brothers to think good of their brothers and to beware of thinking bad of the callers and the students of knowledge for nothing other than doubts and notions without a distinct clear proof and clear signs which show that this is what they intend because Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall) says in His Noble Book:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
“O you who believe, avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicion is sin.” – Al-Hujuraat (49):12
And the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) says as has come in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (RadhiAllaahu Ta’ala ‘Anhu) transmitted by the two Shaykhs:
“Beware of suspicion, for verily suspicion is the most false of speech.”
So we ask Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall) for safety and well-being, and we seek refuge in Allaah (‘Azza Wa Jall) from every act that our Lord does not love and is not pleased with.
Source : Questions and answers concerning al-Hijrah – By Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahmaan al-‘Adanee
Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/hijrah/
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