Bismihi Ta`ala
*THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICING UPON THE DEEN OF ALLAH TA`ALA.*
Allah Ta`ala has created us to practice upon His set orders, called Deen. The religion of Islam is the ONLY deen that is currently acceptable by Allah Ta`ala. Any other practices or religion is not accepted by Allah Ta`ala:
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِين [آل عمران : 85]
‘’Anyone who seek another deen other than Islam, then it will not be accepted from him. And he will be amongst the losers in the Akhirah.’’(3:85)
Allah Ta`ala has decreed that whoever dies upon kufr, then his destiny is hell fire:
وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُون [البقرة : 217]
‘’Whoever amongst you renounce his Deen of Islam and dies in that state of Kufr, then they are the ones whose good actions are nullified in this world and aakhirah. And they are the ones that are hell fire dwellers and they will stay in there for eternity.’’(2: 217)
So whatever good actions have been done by a person, but if he dies without imaan on Allah and whatever prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought, then all his good actions and sacrifices goes null and void and he is destined to go to hell fire for ever.
That is why, it is our responsibility to invite others to the well being of Paradise and abandon the way to hell fire.
The most noble action is to give one`s life on the side of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. To die in the battlefield supporting the beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. But Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam clearly defined to all those fighting for him, that if their fight was not for sake of deen and not based on imaan then they will die as non muslims. If he or she died supporting the muslims on humanitarian ground or on the basis of belonging to same community, but he or she never embraced Islam, died not Muslim, then he or she will be destined to eternal hell fire unfortunately.
Reported on the authority of Muslim Shareef, that Jundub Ibn Abdillah Albajali r.a. said that he heard Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam saying: ‘’One who is killed under the banner of unclear faith, in solidarity of the community or helping on the humanism of nationalism, then he has been killed on ignorance era( that he is not a martyr of Islam).’’(Sahih Muslim)
صحيح مسلم – (9 / 392)
حَدَّثَنَا هُرَيْمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ عَنْ جُنْدَبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَجَلِيِّ قَالَ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ قُتِلَ تَحْتَ رَايَةٍ عِمِّيَّةٍ يَدْعُو عَصَبِيَّةً أَوْ يَنْصُرُ عَصَبِيَّةً فَقِتْلَةٌ جَاهِلِيَّةٌ
The case of Shireen known to be a Christian Palestinian died in reporting for Al Jazeerah is not an exception to Islamic rulings.
She is NOT A MARTYR. Muslims should not participate in her funeral proceeds, nor should we go to cemetery nor can we supplicate in her favour.
Allah Ta`ala says that we should not pray for the deceased non muslim nor should we go to the tomb of the non muslim(9:84):
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَى قَبْرِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ [التوبة : 84]
‘’A prophet or the muslims cannot ask forgiveness for a polytheist, even if he is a family member, after it has been clear that he is amongst the hell dwellers(died as non muslim).’’(9:113)
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ [التوبة : 113]
Now listen to me. The deen of Allah is more important than the land of Makkah, the land of Madinah or even the land of Palestine. The deen of Allah is the core cause of our creation. The beloved prophet of Allah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam left Makkah, the most precious land on earth, with Ka`bah full of filthy idols, for the sake to be able to practice upon the deen of Allah.
سنن الترمذي – (12 / 435)
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ وَأَبُو الطُّفَيْلِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِمَكَّةَ مَا أَطْيَبَكِ مِنْ بَلَدٍ وَأَحَبَّكِ إِلَيَّ وَلَوْلَا أَنَّ قَوْمِي أَخْرَجُونِي مِنْكِ مَا سَكَنْتُ غَيْرَكِ
Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam address to Makkah Mukarramah when on the way of Hijrah: ‘’There is no better place than you. And you are the most dear place to me. Had it not that my people took me out of you, I would live only by you.’’(Tirmizi)
Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam made hijrah to Madinah for the sake of freedom to practice on deen. Reported in Abu Dawood that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to say: ‘’We were abused and trodden upon in Makkah, then we made Hijrah to Madinah…’’
سنن أبى داود – (4 / 165)
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا قُرَّانُ بْنُ تَمَّامٍ ح و حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ وَهَذَا لَفْظُهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْلَى عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ أَوْسُ بْنُ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ
قَدِمْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي وَفْدِ ثَقِيفٍ قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ الْأَحْلَافُ عَلَى الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ وَأَنْزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَنِي مَالِكٍ فِي قُبَّةٍ لَهُ قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ وَكَانَ فِي الْوَفْدِ الَّذِينَ قَدِمُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ قَالَ كَانَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ يَأْتِينَا بَعْدَ الْعِشَاءِ يُحَدِّثُنَا و قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ قَائِمًا عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ حَتَّى يُرَاوِحُ بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ مِنْ طُولِ الْقِيَامِ وَأَكْثَرُ مَا يُحَدِّثُنَا مَا لَقِيَ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لَا سَوَاءَ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مُسْتَذَلِّينَ قَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ بِمَكَّةَ فَلَمَّا خَرَجْنَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ كَانَتْ سِجَالُ الْحَرْبِ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ نُدَالُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُدَالُونَ عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةً أَبْطَأَ عَنْ الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَأْتِينَا فِيهِ فَقُلْنَا لَقَدْ أَبْطَأْتَ عَنَّا اللَّيْلَةَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ طَرَأَ عَلَيَّ جُزْئِي مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَجِيءَ حَتَّى أُتِمَّهُ
Madinah Munawarah was the place that deen could be practiced peacefully. Although it has no virtue over Makkah, but the deen of Allah flourished from this peaceful environment. That is why the light of Hidayat will return to Madinah again(Muslim).
All this to tell you that lands are not as important as the Deen of Allah. Hijrah or emigration is a must if impossible to practice upon the deen of Allah. So instead of breaking the ahkaam of Allah, I advise those muslims troddened under non muslim rule to make Hijrah to practice fully and peacefully upon the deen of Allah.
مسند أحمد ط الرسالة – (11 / 511)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: ” إِنَّ الْمُهَاجِرَ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى الله عَنْهُ، وَالْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ “
In the final note, the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’The true muhajir/one who emigrate for Allah`s deen is the one who leave whatever Allah Ta`ala has made impermissible. A true muslim is one who the muslims are safe from his speech and his hand.’’(Musnad Ahmad)
Mufti Mackoojee