Bismihi Ta`ala
*TIGHTENDLY LOCKED DOWN*.For every condition, there is a reason for its existence. Allah Ta`ala bring some conditions due to our bad actions. Allah Ta`ala says: ‘’Whatever difficulty befall upon you, it is because your actions and Allah forgive a lot(without punishment)-Shura:30وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِير [الشورى : 30]
When the hypocrites asked about the reason about the defeat of muslims in Uhud. So Allah Ta`ala replied to them that it was because of themselves leaving the battle field.(3:165).
أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُمْ مِثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّى هَذَا قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ [آل عمران : 165] Today, we are locked in because of our bad actions. Let`s try to see from the Qur-aan and sunnah what could be the real reason so that we may correct it.In surah Tawbah, Allah Ta`ala describe the tightendly condition of 3 sahabahs who did not accompany the expedition with Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam in the path of Allah-Tabouk. So they were punitively boycotted and then they felt that the ‘’earth has tightened over them although the earth was wide open.’’
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ [التوبة : 118]
So one reason for locks ins is that we have neglected to go in the path of Allah.We should make tawbah and make intention to go out in the path of Allah when everything normal. It is reported that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam described the generous and the miser. Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’The example of a generous and a miser is alike two men who wore steel armors from chest to collar bones. So when the generous spend, then the armor extend till it covers his whole body such that it covers his finger tips and covers his footprints. And when the miser want to spend, then the armor clings and locked over itself and tighten him by his chest and collar bone. Hazrat Abu Hureirah r.a. said that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam was describing how the miser wish to move freely, but the armor locked him tightendly. Ibn Khuzeimah/Ahmadصحيح ابن خزيمة – ()قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : مَثَلُ الْمُنْفِقِ وَالْبَخِيلِ ، كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُبَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ مِنْ لَدُنْ ثَدْيَيْهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا ، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْمُتَصَدِّقُ ، وَالْمُنْفِقُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ أُسْبِغَتْ عَلَيْهِ الدِّرْعُ ، أَوْ وُفِّرَتْ حَتَّى تَقَعَ عَلَى بَنَانِهِ وَتَعْفُو أَثَرَهُ ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْبَخِيلُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ قَلَصَتْ وَأَخَذَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مَوْضِعَهَا حَتَّى أَخَذَتْ بِتَرْقُوَتِهِ ، أَوْ بِعُنُقِهِ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ : أَشْهَدُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ بِيَدِهِ وَهُوَ يُوَسِّعُهَا وَلاَ تَتَّسِعُ So, miserly bring tightenedness. And generosity bring freedom. So we all should increase generosity and Insha Allah, all locks of lock downs will open. When hazrat Yunus a.s. was locked in the fish, then he kept reading laa ilaaha illaa anta subhaanaka inni kuntou minazzalimeen. Allah Ta’ala delivered him and pathed his way for a healthy freedom life under the commandments of Allah. Allah Ta’ala promised his deliverance on this kalimah of laa ilaaha illaa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen.
Mufti Mackoojee