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Disciplined Offspring, Concealing Sins, Why People Steal?

Issue 264 » March 5, 2004 - Muharram 13, 1425

General

Living the Quran

Ibrahim (Abraham)
Chapter 14: Verse 40

Disciplined Offspring
"My Lord, cause me and my offspring to remain constant in prayer, and accept this my prayer.”

The true Muslim is one who shows genuine concern for how his children relate to their Lord and their Muslim brothers and sisters; not one whose only preoccupation is to crowd society with his own undisciplined offspring!

To have success in raising children who stand up for the rights of Allah is great prosperity. It is a measure of the magnitude of the faith in the heart of Ibrahim that his dearest wish was to have righteous children. Ordinarily, men wish for children who will become wealthy or powerful or otherwise successfully occupied with the stuff of this world. Beyond that nothing much matters to them. But the Prophets of Allah were of a different mettle, because their concern is with the matter of faith.

Source:
"Remembrance & Prayer" - Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 50
Understanding the Prophet's Life

Concealing Faults

On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who said, "Whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal [his faults] in this life and the Hereafter." [Muslim]

A true believer would not like the mistakes and faults of others to be broadcast about. If a person made a mistake, it is not good that his sin be told to everyone and he be made a spectacle. When a person is happy with such events, it is a sign that his faith has a shortcoming.

Everyone should love that Allah would conceal their faults and not reveal them to others. Part of Allah's concealing of a fault is His overlooking it and excusing it. If a person is desirous of that reward, he should not expose the slips and faults of his brother Muslims.

It must be noted that this hadith is giving a recommendation not a command. There is a consensus that if somebody witnesses a sin and he does not conceal that sin but he reports that action to the proper authorities, he is not committing a sin by not concealing the act.

Concealing sins must meet the following conditions:

1. The sin that the person committed must be one related to the "rights of Allah" and not the rights of mankind.

2. The sin must have been already finished. In other words, if a person is committing a sin at the present moment in front of another Muslim, he must put a stop to that sin, even if it means he must tell others about it.

3. The person must be a religious person who has made a mistake.

4. The concealment must not be in a situation where one has been called to be a witness to what has occurred.

5. The benefit of concealing the person's sin must outweigh the benefit of letting his sin be known.

Source:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith" - By Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 1318 - 1322
Cool Bits!

Why do People Steal?

People steal because they want or need something without having to pay for it. They forcefully take it from its rightful owner or sneak it away without the owner's knowledge. Some people are more aggressive; they break into people's homes, businesses and property and commit thefts. Some thieves resort to violence, often harming or killing the people they rob.

Islams grants every human being the right to his money, property and personal possessions. Personal property belongs to the owner because he earned it by working or he received it as a gift. If the owner consents, we may purchase his property at an agreed upon price. But no one has the right to steal to satisfy his own greed.

Source:
"Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq" - B. Aisha Lemu, p. 115