LESSON SEVEN | 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه

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• LESSON SEVEN • DOWNLOAD AUDIO > Hadith 6 | Avoiding Doubtful Matters | DOWNLOAD NOTES > PDF

Lessons from Ahâdeeth Shareef by Moulana Naeem Motala  | Commentary on 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه with emphasis on perfecting one’s character

 

|   LESSON SEVEN   |


اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَتَوَ كَّلُ عَلَيهِ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَناَ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Verily all praise is for Allah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness and we believe in Him and we place our trust upon Him, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none who can guide him, and we bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, having no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ

Allahumma Salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad Wa’ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Baarik Wa Sallim | Oh Allah shower blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and upon the family of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam


|  HADITH 6  |

Avoiding Doubtful Matters

  

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: 

إنَّ الْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ، وَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ، فَمَنْ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ فَقْد اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ، وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ، كَالرَّاعِي يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى، أَلَا وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ

[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ، [رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]

 

An-Nu’man ibn Basheer Radiallahu Anhuma narrates that : Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said :

“That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters, clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour, but he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures his flock (very close) around a sanctuary, will soon pasture them in it. Behold, every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His ‘Prohibitions’. Verily in the body there is a morsel of flesh, which, if it be sound, the entire body is sound and which, if it is diseased, the entire body is diseased. Truly, it is the heart”.

 [Saheeh Buhkaari] [Saheeh Muslim]


|  BRIEF EXPLANTION  |

 
• This very comprehensive Hadith indicates that all matters are one of three types, namely ; clearly Halaal, clearly Haraam and that which is doubtful.

• Many Ulema have considered this Hadith as, one of four or five Ahaadeeth, around which the entire Deen of Islam revolves.

• In this Hadith we have been guided to be cautious not to fall into doubtful or dubious matters. This will serve as a protection for one’s Deen and integrity.

• Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has provided a succinct similitude for one who becomes involved in ambiguities or doubtful matters, with the example of a protected sanctuary/pasturage of a King from which others are prevented from grazing their flock close by.

Similarly, there are boundaries and limitations that Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala has placed for the Believers. Whoever oversteps that which is permitted and falls into ambiguity, comes as close as possible to that which is forbidden and Haraam. And so likely, a person will inevitably fall into Haraam.

• In the concluding sentence of the Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam emphasises the fact that one has to purify one’s heart and make sure it is sound, to be able to refrain from doubtful matters.

Only those with a strong and sound heart, ie : a heart that is filled with the love of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala and a heart that fears violating the commandments of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala, will such a heart, refrain from doubtful matters.

• In conclusion, there are doubtful matters that a Muslim might face in his/her everyday dealings and activities, and hence this Hadith helps a person to deal with such circumstances and overcome falling into doubtful matters by purifying his heart.