Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … “O Allah! Bear witness.” That is, bear witness to the fact that these people are acknowledging that I (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) have conveyed Your message to them, and Your bearing witness is sufficient.

Dear readers! This was the very first and last great gathering in the blessed life of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. On the occasion of this gathering, the purpose of his prophethood and messengership appeared to be fulfilled, while this was the first and last Hajj of his life after being sent as a Prophet. Reflect that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is addressing in the most sacred day, in the most sacred city, and in the most sacred month—sanctity upon sanctity is being layered. Yet, what is being taught? That one must care for the life, wealth, and honor of another human being. If only the Muslim Ummah would understand this secret and begin to fulfill the demands of valuing and honoring humanity.

Gentlemen! What are those demands? Certainly, this is not such a lengthy topic, but to understand it and to fulfill its demands, a very great Shari‘ah-oriented disposition is required, which is severely lacking in this era. Among all the people we have encountered, including ourselves, not a single person has been seen fulfilling the requirements of respecting a Muslim. Every person has determined for himself a few deficient acts of worship, on the basis of which he considers himself such a perfect Muslim that he regards every other Muslim as deficient. Please! Do not consider these remarks as mere assumptions; these are facts. But the calamity is that our temperaments do not even have the capacity to accept them.

At this point, we wish to say that performing prayer (salah), fasting (sawm), Hajj, zakat, and other obligatory acts of Islam is easy, but fulfilling the rights of the servants (‘huquq al-‘ibad’) is very difficult—unless one’s disposition is illuminated by the light of the Shari‘ah. Due to political factions, religiously prejudiced and unjust groups, family rivalries, personal grudges, and ancient enmities and resentments, we have come to regard the bare, stripped-down form of Islam as complete Islam. Reflect yourself: if a person is disobedient to his parents, does not fulfill the Islamic rights of his children, and along with that, is also neglectful of prayer, then tell honestly, which aspect of Islam can be expected to be fulfilled by such a person? Whereas, according to cautious estimates, ninety-three percent (93%) of people in our society are involved in these crimes.

At this point, we will suffice with just one example: A man was returning after performing the Eid prayer with an elder of his family. On the way, they passed by the Eid gathering place of their relatives who were political opponents. By Allah’s will, as they approached their opponents’ Eid place, those people also began to come out after finishing. The man said to his elder, “Now that we have encountered these people, we should greet them on the occasion of Eid.” But the elder immediately replied, “Are we shameless?” Even though that elder was a Haji, was also distinguished by memorizing the Qur’an, was very regular in prayers, and was considered quite religious, yet to him, meeting a Muslim on a joyous occasion was considered shamelessness. What will become of the many verses and countless ahadith that require meeting such people? O people! Turn towards self-reformation and do not, in your own estimation, consider yourselves to be so much.