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| Counsel to Fellow Muslims Imam al-Haddad You must be of good counsel to all Muslims. The highest point of this is that you conceal nothing from them which if made known would result in good or preserve from something evil. The prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said, "Religion is good counsel" Support a Muslim in his absence as you would in his presence Not to give him more verbal signs of affection than you have for him in your heart. When a muslim asks you for advice, and you know that the correct course does not lie in that which he is inclined to do, you should tell him so. The absence of good counsel is indicated by
the presence of envy of the favors God has given other Muslims. The origin
of such envy is that you find it intolerable that God has granted one of
His servants a good thing whether of the religion, or of the world. The
utmost limit is to wish that he be deprived of it. It has been
handed down that "envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes dry
wood". The envious man is objecting to God's management of His
dominion, as if to say "O Lord! You have put your favors where they
do not belong." It is permitted to be envious without
rancour whereby when you see a favor being bestowed on one of His
servants, you ask Him to grant you the like. When someone praises you, you must not feel
pride for his praises within your heart. If he has praised you for
something you truly possess, say: "praise belongs to God who has
revealed the good things and hidden the ugly things." And if he
praises you for something you do not possess, say "O God! Do not call
me to account for what they say, forgive me what they do not know, and
make me better than they think." In your case, do not praise anyone
unneccesarily. When you wish to give advice to someone
regarding any behaviour of his that you have come to know about, be
gentle, talk to him in private and do not express explicitly what may be
conveyed implicitly. Should he ask you to tell him who told you that
which you know, do not tell him lest it stir up enmity. If he
accepts your advice, praise God, and thank Him. If he should refuse, blame
yourself. If you are given something as a trust guard
it better than if it was yours. Return that which was entrusted to you,
and beware of betraying trust. The prophet (Allah bless him and give him
peace) said: "He who cannot keep a trust has no faith" "Three things are attached to the
Throne of God: Speak truthfully and honor commitments and your promises, for breaching them are signs of hypocrisy. "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Beware of arguments and wrangling, for they
cast rancour into the breasts of men, alienate hearts and lead to enmity
and hatred. If anyone argues against you and has right on his side, accept
what he says for truth must always be followed. If on the other hand he is
wrong, leave him, for he is ignorant, and God has said: Renounce all joking, if very occasionally you do joke to assuage a Muslim's heart, then speak only the truth. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said: "Neither argue with your brother nor quarrel, and do not make him a promise and then break it." Respect all Muslims, especially those deserving of merit, such as the scholars, the righteous, the elderly. Never frighten or alarm a Muslim, never
mock or ridicule them, or despise them. Be humble for humility is the attribute of
believers. Beware of pride for God does not like the proud. Those who
humble themselves are raised up by God, and those who are proud are abased
by Him. There are signs that distinguish the humble from the proud: "that God may separate the vile from the good" [VIII:37]. Signs of humility include a liking for obscurity, dislike of fame, acceptance of truth whether it be from a lowly or noble person, to love the poor, associate with them, to fulfill the rights people have upon you as completely as you can, thank those who fulfill their duties to you, and excuse those who are remiss. Signs of pride include a liking for positions of most dignity when in company, praising oneself, speaking proudly, open haughtiness, arrogance, strutting, and neglecting the rights of others upon you while demanding your rights from them.
Imam al-Haddad on Giving Good Counsel to Fellow
Muslims |