How to deal with troublemakers and complainers
In the first couple of pages of Surat Al Anbiya, we see the complaint in the community against the prophets and messengers Allah sent them. They keep demanding that their prophets produce miracles on demand and at their command. This pattern of behaviour was not exceptional; we see it repeated with Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Eesa and Muhammad (peace be on them all).
There are always troublemakers in every community. Nothing satisfies them. The always find something to complain about. Unfortunately we have these people amongst us. In every nation, neighbourhood and house we have the one specialises in whingeing and moaning.
Here Allah demands from the community do they want their prophets to be angels?! Had He sent them angels they would have complained that they cannot identify with them or relate to them. Allah highlight their continual dissatisfaction and refusal to be pleased. He sent them prophets who were human and who will die.
وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ جَسَدًا لَّا يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ خَـٰلِدِينَ
We did not give those messengers ˹supernatural˺ bodies that did not need food, nor were they immortal. (21:8)
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
Every soul will taste death. And We test you ˹O humanity˺ with good and evil as a trial, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned. (21:35)
If people make fair requests then that is a different matter. However these people were not asking genuine questions or making reasonable suggestions. They were creating pointless arguments for the sake of it. They were troublemakers. How should you deal with this behaviour?
Do the right thing. Don’t care about their complains. Don’t listen to such negative voices, as they will hold you back. Throw their complaints in the bin. Many are not genuine. They are trying to divert you.
Distinguish between genuine complaints, troublemakers and loaded questions.
Let’s understand this so we can fare better in our journey to Allah. Ameen
Shaykh Haytham Tamim – Tarawih 4 4.4.22
- Ghazali on tawbah
- Advice to newly weds on their wedding
- What should you do if isha is past your child’s bedtime?
- How can you be in the first batch rather than the last batch being admitted to Jannah?
- The elephant and the ants. Don’t be distracted from your purpose.
Shaykh Haytham Tamim
Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.
