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What excuse will they give Allah?

What excuse will they give Allah?
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March 08, 2024
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In Surat Tawbah, Allah summarised the story of the Battle of Tabouk, which took place in the ninth year after the migration. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mobilised an army of 30,000 soldiers which was the largest Muslim military campaign in his lifetime against the formidable Roman army, who were 100,000 troops. The believers lacked military equipment, funds and provisions. Allah called this battle the Battle of Usrah (9:117), as it was a time of hardship and difficulty. It was the challenging time for the Muslims due to their lack of resources and the overwhelming size of the opposing Roman forces.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) canvassed and campaigned to raise funds and this was the famous instance when Abu Bakr donated everything he owned, Umar gave half of what he owned, Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf paid a lot, Al-‘Abbass as well and many others but Uthman donated considerable amounts, to the extent that he was by far the largest donor: 300 camels fully loaded and 1000 dinar.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked for contributions from the people who were comprised of the sincere, the hypocrites and the disbelievers. The Quran tells us of those who invented excuses including the Bedouins who asked to stay behind. Allah knew they were lying. They had the funds and equipments but they were not interested.

وَجَاۤءَ ٱلۡمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ لِیُؤۡذَنَ لَهُمۡ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِینَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۚ سَیُصِیبُ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

And the excuse-makers from the Bedouins came, so that they might be allowed (to stay behind), while those who were false to Allah and His Messengers (just) stayed behind (without seeking permission). A painful punishment is about to fall upon those of them who disbelieve. [At-Tawbah, Ayah 90]

لَّیۡسَ عَلَى ٱلضُّعَفَاۤءِ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡمَرۡضَىٰ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَجِدُونَ مَا یُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ مَا عَلَى ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِینَ مِن سَبِیلٍ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمٌ

There is no blame on the weak, or on the sick, or on those who have nothing to spend, if they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is no way against those who are good in deeds. Allah is most Forgiving, Very Merciful. [At-Tawbah, Ayah 91]

وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ إِذَا مَاۤ أَتَوۡكَ لِتَحۡمِلَهُمۡ قُلۡتَ لَاۤ أَجِدُ مَاۤ أَحۡمِلُكُمۡ عَلَیۡهِ تَوَلَّوا۟ وَّأَعۡیُنُهُمۡ تَفِیضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا یَجِدُوا۟ مَا یُنفِقُونَ

Nor (is there any blame) on those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with a carrier (that they could ride for Jihād ) and you said (to them), “I find no carrier to give to you”, went back with their eyes flowing with tears in grief, because they had nothing to spend. [At-Tawbah, Ayah 92]

إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِیلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ یَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُونَكَ وَهُمۡ أَغۡنِیَاۤءُۚ رَضُوا۟ بِأَن یَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ

Blame lies, in fact, on those who ask you permission despite being rich. They are happy being with women who sit back. Allah has sealed their hearts; so they do not know. [At-Tawbah, Ayah 93]

وَقُلِ ٱعۡمَلُوا۟ فَسَیَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمۡ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَیۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَیُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

Say, “Do (what you do); Allah will see your deed, as will the Messenger and the believers. And you shall be returned to the Knower of the Seen and the Unseen, then He will tell you what you have been doing.” [At-Tawbah, Ayah 105]

وَءَاخَرُونَ مُرۡجَوۡنَ لِأَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِ إِمَّا یُعَذِّبُهُمۡ وَإِمَّا یَتُوبُ عَلَیۡهِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِیمٌ حَكِیمٌ

And there are others whose matter is deferred till the command of Allah (comes): either He would punish them or relent towards them. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [At-Tawbah, Ayah 106]

This is the same situation we have in Palestine today– those who can really help, have decided they are not interested. They have closed the borders, the water and food supplies. They are inventing flimsy excuses why they can’t do this. Allah is highlighting this part of the story to show us that this type of people will continue in the Ummah. They are going nowhere.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned from the campaign, Allah revealed these ayahs. It describes the types of people and their response. Those who were genuinely ill were excused and those who had no means, they lacked equipment or transport and camels, were upset and crying, because they could not take part, were excused.

Those who are around Gaza and air dropping aid, why are they not opening the borders or expelling ambassadors? But they are not interested. Then they will bear the consequences of their choices. Allah says :(Do what you want, Allah will see your deeds) (11:104). Your deeds will be presented to Allah and if you have a shred of imaan in your heart, it makes your heart quiver out of fear of Allah. Allah knows they can help their brothers and sisters but they prefer to betray their brothers and sisters than upset America.

What excuse will they give Allah for what they are doing? Perhaps they will say they were afraid – they should fear Allah more than people.

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الخدري رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
” لَا يَحْقِرْ أَحَدُكُمْ نَفْسَهُ، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يَحْقِرُ أَحَدُنَا نَفْسَهُ؟ قَالَ: يَرَى أَمْراً لِلَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ مَقَالٌ، ثُمَّ لَا يَقُولُ فِيهِ، فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ: مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَقُولَ فِيَّ كَذَا وَكَذَا؟ فَيَقُولُ: خَشْيَةُ النَّاسِ، فَيَقُولُ: فَإِيَّايَ كُنْتَ أَحَقَّ أَنْ تَخْشَى”. رواه ابن ماجه.

“Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘Let none of you belittle himself. ( feel inferior and weak)’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how can one of us belittle himself?’ He said: ‘When he sees something clearly wrong which he should speak about to correct it, and he does not speak, ( he’s silent where he should be vocal), Allah will say to him on the Day of Resurrection: ‘What prevented you from speaking about such-and-such thing?’ He will say: ‘The fear of people.’ Then Allah will say: ‘Rather, it is I whom you should have feared more.'” Ibn Majah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“تُعْرَضُ عَلَيَّ أَعْمَالُكُمْ”. رواه البزار.

“Your deeds will be presented to me”. Al-Bazzar.

And he said ( peace be upon him):

“Do not embarrass me on the Day of Judgement”. [Musnad Ahmad].

We are so sorry, they have embarrassed you, O Rasul Allah, by what they have done so far. They can help their brothers and sisters, but they have left them to their fate. How do they sleep at night knowing that their brothers and sisters are being persecuted and massacred on a daily basis. Yet they turned their backs on them.

It is not just the Muslim countries, but the countries in the West as well continue to allow the atrocities to continue than upset their allies. It will come back and haunt them for a long time. When they return to the sphere of the Unseen and face Allah, they will have to justify what they did. You can invent excuses in the dunya but you cannot invent excuses before Allah. It is not a joke facing Allah. For the oppressors, Allah says they will receive their punishment in this life. Allah will respond to the supplications of the oppressed in several hadith.

Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ

Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no veil between it and Allah. [Bukhari]

Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

اتَّقُوا دَعَوَاتِ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهَا تَصْعَدُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَأَنَّهَا شَرَارٌ

Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for it ascends to Allah as if it were a flare. [Al Mustadrak]

Khuzaymah ibn Thabit reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

اتَّقُوا دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهَا تُحْمَلُ عَلَى الْغَمَامِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلالِي لأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ

Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for it is carried above the clouds. Allah Almighty says: By My might and majesty, I will help you in due time. [Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr]

Abu Hurayrah reported that Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ الصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَالْإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ يَرْفَعُهَا اللَّهُ فَوْقَ الْغَمَامِ وَيَفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ وَعِزَّتِي لَأَنْصُرَنَّكِ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ

The supplications of three are never turned back: a fasting person until he breaks his fast, a just leader, and the supplication of the oppressed is raised above the clouds by Allah, the gates of heaven open for it and the Lord says: By My might, I will surely help you in due time. [Tirmidhi]

We ask Allah to enable us to support the truth and defend the truth and be among the righteous people.

Based on the khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim – 8th March 2024

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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.

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