Friday Nasiha

General

Surah Bani Israel (Children of Israel)
[aka. Al-Isra (the Ascension)]
Chapter 17: Verse 53

Translation:

Tell My servants (O Muhammad), to always say that which is best. Verily it is Satan who sows discord among men. Satan indeed is an open enemy to man.

Commentary:

Do not loose temper

In their discussions with the unbelievers and polytheists, in fact with all opponents of their faith, Muslims should refrain from losing their temper. Additionally, they should not resort to exaggerated and extremist statements. Even in the face of provocation from their opponents, Muslims should not utter even a word that is contrary to the truth; nor should they lose their temper at the vulgarities which are flung at them by their opponents, nor should they be provoked to the point of paying back their opponents in the latter’s own coins. Instead, they should keep their composure and say only that which is balanced and true, and is in keeping with the grace and dignity of the faith which they seek to uphold.

Be mindful of Satan

The Quran tells believers that whenever in the course of their discussion on contentious issues with unbelievers, they feel overly provoked and overwhelmed with rage, they should immediately realize that such reactions are instigated by Satan who is keen to hurt the cause of their faith. Satan will certainly try to prompt the believers to give up, as their opponents had done, all efforts of reform, and to become entangled in futile wrangling and strife. For it is Satan’s aim that all mankind remain perpetually enmeshed in such controversies.

[compiled from "Towards Understanding the Quran" Vol. V by Abul Ala Mawdudi,
(The Islamic Foundation, UK), p. 51]

The Evil Of Craving For Wealth And Status

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Two ravenous wolves remaining amongst sheep whose owner has lost them will not be more harmful than a Muslim`s seeking after wealth and status is to his Deen.” [at-Tabaranee]

The first type of craving for wealth is that a person has extreme love for wealth and also relentlessly exerts efforts to attain it - via means which are lawful - being excessive in that, striving hard and making painstaking efforts and toiling in order to attain it.

It has been reported that this hadeeth was in response to the appearance of some elements of this, as at-Tabaranee reports from Asim ibn Adiyy, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "I bought a hundred shares from the shares of Khaybar and the news reached the Prophet," and so the Prophet uttered the above words.

There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a person's noble life for that which has no value. Instead he could have earned a high rank (in Paradise) and everlasting bliss, but he lost this due to his craving after provision - which had already been assured to him and allotted to him, and it was not possible for anything to come to him except what was decreed for him - then on top of this he does not benefit from that, but rather abandons it and leaves it for someone else.

[By Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, taken from http://www.islaam.com/Article.asp?id=602]

In commenting on the title of "Rabbil `Alameen" that Allah is addressed with in Surah Al-Fatiha, Imam Muhammad Al-Razi [rahimahullah] (author of Tafsir al Fakhr Al Razi) says:

"Strange it is, that Allah, all praises belong to him, has other creations besides you (humans). Whereas you have no Sustainer besides Him. Yet He looks after you as if he has no other creation besides you; while you serve Him as if you have many sustainers besides Him!"

[Taken from Tafsir Ishraq Al-Ma`ani. Vol. 1. By Syed Iqbal Zaheer]