The Great Enslavement : By Shaykh Sulaymaan as-Sulaymee

Source: Al-Istiqaamah, Issue No.7

Without doubt, we all hate the slavery and subjugation that we see on the earth today; meaning the subjugation of some men over others, by which some enslave others; humiliating them, and trampling over them. This is indeed hated. However, the enslavement that we wish to talk about is different to this. It is as Rib’ee ibn ‘Aamir radiallaahu ‘anhu said: “Allaah has sent us to deliver whomsoever chooses, from the ‘uboodiyyah (enslavement, worship and servitude) of men to the ‘uboodiyyah of Allaah, And from the narrowness of this world, to the vastness of this world and the Hereafter. And from the tyranny and oppression of (false) religions, to the justice of Islaam.” 2

The ‘uboodiyyah (enslavement, servitude and worship) mentioned here is the ‘uboodiyyah to Allaah, which makes a person the noblest of all creatures upon the earth. One of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) said in a couplet:

“What has made me noble and precious;
Is that You, O Allaah, have mode me enter into Your submission.
And have made me one of the followers of;
Your Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”

Being a Slave to Wealth – Shaykh Sulaymân as-Sulaymî

Being a Slave to Wealth
The Great Enslavement by Shaykh Sulaymân as-Sulaymî
Source: Al-Istiqaamah, Issue No.7

Someone may ask: What is the proof that some people become slaves to money, or other similar things, and worship it? The proof is in the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam where he said: “Woe be to the ‘abd (slave and worshipper) of the dirham, woe be to the ‘abd of the deenaar (dirham ond deenaar: equivilant to the Pound and the pence) …“[3] Someone may ask: How does this enslavement to money manifest itself, and what is its nature! It is when the heart becomes so in love with money, that it covers up, or suppresses the love for Allaah, This love can reach such an extent that a person desires to attain this wealth by any means possible – neither caring whether the wealth comes to him through halaal (lawful) means; in obedience to Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, or means that are haraam (unlawful and forbidden) in the Religion.