In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him] narrated that the Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings be upon him], said,

“The worldly life is a prison for the believer [in Allaah and the final Messenger] and a paradise for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger]”. [Ref 1]

The Meaning of The Above Hadeeth

Imaam An-Nawawi [may Allaah have mercy be upon him] said:

Every believer is imprisoned and prevented – in the worldly life – from evil and repugnant desires and obligated to perform demanding acts of obedience. But after death, he relaxes and receives what Allaah [The Exalted] promised of permanent bliss and perfect relaxation. As for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], he gets what he receives in the worldly life together with the fact that it is very little and disrupted by distress. And after he dies, he finds himself in permanent punishment and eternal wretchedness. [Ref 2]

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said:

Regardless how great the affair of the worldly life is – its good days and its dwelling places (surrounded by beautiful trees, plants, scenery  etc), then indeed it is like a prison for the believer, because a believer looks forward to a bliss that is better, more perfect and loftier. As for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], the worldly life is his paradise because he enjoys himself in it [i.e. outside the boundaries of halaal and haraam] and forgets the afterlife, and thus becomes like those about whom Allaah [The Exalted] stated:

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوً۬ى لَّهُمۡ

Those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode. [Surah Muhammad Aayah 12]

Therefore, when the disbeliever dies, he does not find anything in front of him except the fire and Allaah’s punishment, and woe to the people of the fire. So that which is found in the worldly life of distress, grief, sadness and sorrow is like a paradise in relation to the state of affairs of the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], because he will leave this world to receive Allaah’s punishment.

It has been mentioned about Ibn Hajar Al Asqalaani – the author of Fat’hul Baari – that he used to be the chief of the judges in Egypt in his era, and he used go past the market with an entourage. So, one day a Yahoodi stopped him and said, “Your Prophet said, ‘The worldly life is a prison of the believer and paradise of the disbeliever’, and how can this be the case whilst you are in a state of luxury and joy, and I am in a state of extreme poverty and low status?” So, Ibn Hajr said to him, “If in your view I am in state of joy and that people are at my service, then this state is a prison in comparison to what a believer will receive of bliss in Paradise. As for yourself, even though you are in state of extreme poverty and low status, then it is like paradise in comparison to what a disbeliever will receive in the fire”. So, the Yahoodi was amazed by this statement and then testified that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. [Ref 3]

Therefore, we say to the ideologues, “Yes indeed freedom is a valuable thing and that is why the believers utilize it to perform deeds that will benefit them in the afterlife, and strive to distance themselves from the chief deceiver shaytaan, because either a person willingly submits to Allaah or he is enslaved by other things – desires etc.

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] said:

If a free person says that he is liberated [or free] and intends by it freedom from slavery to the creation, then yes he is free from slavery to the creation. However, if he intends by this that he is liberated (freed) from servitude to Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic], then indeed he has erred in his understanding of servitude and he does not understand the meaning of freedom because servitude to other than Allaah is bondage. As for servitude to Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic], then this is real freedom because if he does not humble himself to Allaah, he will humble himself to other than Allaah. So he deceives himself when he says that he is free [or liberated]- meaning: he is liberated from obedience to Allaah. [Ref 4]

The Corruption That Occurs When Humans Abandon The Revelation And Completely Depend On Their Intellects

Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [rahimahullaah] said:

And even though there is something in the paths of analogical reasoning and reflection that will lead to knowledge, however sometimes it cannot give detail explanation in a dispute between the people of the earth due to the minute details and ambiguities [in that dispute], and at other times due to the fact the people differ when prioritising necessities. Therefore, due to this Allaah [The Most High] commanded [us] to return to the revelation in times of dispute. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيَحۡكُمَ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ -Mankind were one community (i.e. upon Tawheed and Allaah’s Sharee’ah) and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed]. [Surah Al-Baqarah’ Aayah 213] Therefore, Allaah [The Most High] designated the revealed Books [i.e. the Qur’aan being the final of them] as the judge between the people in matters wherein they differ.  [Ref 5]

Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr [may Allaah preserve him] said,

“If you say that the intellect is to be given precedence over the revelation, then which intellect should we follow? Are the intellects of the people combined in the intellect of one man or do they differ? There are intellects of the philosophers, the atheists, the heretics, the people of evil desires and those who confound truth with falsehood; and due to this one of the pious predecessors said, ‘Had the desires been one, it would have been considered to be the [basis of] truth’; therefore, we say, ‘Had the intellects been one, it would have been considered to be the [basis of] truth’”. [Ref 6]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

[إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهۡوَى ٱلۡأَنفُسُ‌ۖ  – They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire]. There is a tremendous benefit derived from this, because the one deprived of sound Eemaan and the sound creed sent down as revelation by Allaah- The Lord of the everything in the existence, then his affair is one of two: Corruption in Knowledge or Corruption in his Intent– corruption in knowledge occurs as a result of following conjecture and corruption in one’s intent occurs as a result of following desires, or the person may combine both of them.

Another benefit derived from this is that the rectification or well-being of a person cannot be attained except by way of two affairs: Upright [or sound] Knowledge and Upright [or sound] Intent. This is why Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said in Miftaah Daarus Sa’aadah that a person is in need of two things: ‘[Sound] Knowledge by way of which he is [rightly] guided and lofty aspiration by way of which he is urged towards that [sound aspiration]’, because it maybe that a person has beneficial knowledge but not [sound] intent and aspiration.  Therefore, one cannot be upright except by way of upright knowledge and intent.  Sound knowledge is corrupted through following conjecture and sound intent is corrupted through following the desires of one’s soul. [Ref 7]

Shaikh Abu Iyaadh [hafidhahullaah] stated whilst discussing the harm of alcohol:

The wisdom of the Islamic Shariah: Cut off evils and harms to society from their very roots and enjoy the resulting freedom, ease and wholesome life. In contrast: the barbarity and backwardness of commercialising corrosive evils– usurious banking, alcohol, gambling–in order to profit from the masses through affairs in which their ruin and impoverishment lies–and then managing this commercialisation through legislation, policies, guidelines and so on to “limit the harms”. The result? Inescapable enslavement, bondage, disease and ruin of the masses for the enrichment of the few who peddle these vices. Where is the intellect?! [Ref 8]

Imaam As-Sadi [rahimahullaah] said:

The call of those who have deviated from the path of Allaah and the final Messenger is designed to do away with good manners [traits, characteristics etc], whose end result is nothing but complete chaos and a state in which one goes along with lust [or evil desires of the soul] until the animals become more noble and beneficial than humans. This is no doubt their state of affairs – clearly manifested by what they are upon and what they proclaim with their tongues. Among the most amazing of affairs is that many contemporary writers and politicians seek to remedy the many social ills and try to do so do from many angles, however as for the problem of deviation from Allaah’s path – whose surge has carried away the majority of young people, they have not rushed to stop it by returning to sound faith and certainty; rather they have been  abandoned to wander blindly in their misguidance and wavering in beguilement, and thus the social ills they seek to remedy gives birth to other social ills- because if the path to remedying social ills is not based on sound faith and sound religion, they will increase and become worse. [Ref 9]

Allaah [The Most High] said:

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ خَيْرٌ أَمْ مَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَانْهَارَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and His Good Pleasure, better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the Fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the Zaalimoon [polytheists and wrong doers]. [Soorah At-Tawbah: Ayah: 109]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said:

Whoever wants his building to be elevated, then it is incumbent upon him to strengthen and fortify its foundation, because the elevation of the building is based on the firmness and fortification of its foundation. Deeds are a building and Eemaan is their foundation. If the foundation is strong, it carries and elevates the building, and if a part of the building is damaged, it is easy for it to bear the [damage]; but if the foundation is not firm, then neither will the building be elevated nor will it be firm. And if something from the foundation is damaged, the building will either collapse or close to that. Therefore, the duty of a knowledgeable person is that he makes the foundation sound and fortified. As for the ignorant person, he elevates [the building] whilst building upon other than a [strong] foundation, so his building does not remain.

The foundation of deeds is like the physical strength of a person- if the strength is vigorous, the body will be able to withstand burden and repel many harmful things; but if it is weak, the body’s ability to withstand burden is weakened and harm quickly overcomes the person. Therefore, support your building [i.e. your actions and deeds] with the foundation of sound faith; for if something from the top of your building decays and falls down, then it would be much easier for the [building] to bear [the damage], rather than the destruction of the foundation. This foundation [i.e. sound faith] is based on two affairs:

Firstly: Sound knowledge and awareness of Allaah, His Commandments, Names and Attributes. Secondly: Complete submission to Allaah alone [i.e. by worshipping Him alone] and [unconditional obedience to] His Messenger alone. This is the firmest foundation upon which the slave establishes his building [i.e. his actions and deeds]. Therefore, one solidifies the foundation, preserves its strength and carries on being enthusiastic, and thus what is desired [i.e. success in this life and the next] will be reached [InShaaAllaah]. [Ref 10]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] also said:

The Creation [i.e. Humans and Jinns] Find Themselves Within Two Types of Neediness:

The first type of neediness is inevitable. It is a type of neediness that applies to everyone – the righteous and the wicked. It neither necessitates praise nor dispraise, neither reward nor punishment; rather it is solely due to the fact that the creation are created beings [i.e. absolutely in need and completely dependent on their Creator in every way].

The second type of neediness is one based on choice from which emanates two noble aspects of knowledge. The first one is the servant’s knowledge and awareness of his Lord and the second is knowledge and awareness of oneself in reality. As soon as one acquires these two types of knowledge, it brings about a type of neediness that becomes a person’s distinguished and most precious source of wealth, the means to success and happiness in [this life and the next]. The people’s different stations in this type of neediness depends on their different stations in these two affairs of knowledge.

Whoever knows that his Lord is the only One Who is Self-Sufficient [absolutely free from all wants and to Whom everyone and everything depends, and cannot do without in the twinkling of an eye], then he will know that he is completely in need.

Whoever knows that his Lord alone is the Possessor of Perfect Ability [possessor of All-encompassing Ability and able to do all things], he will know that he is completely unable [cannot do anything in the twinkling of an eye without the help of] his Lord.

Whoever knows that his Lord is The All-Mighty, he will know that he is one completely in a state of [complete poverty, weakness and want unless his Lord provides for him etc]. Whoever knows that his Lord is the possessor of All- Encompassing knowledge and Wisdom, he will know that he is ignorant. [Ref 11]

Finally, we remind ourselves of few verses of the Qur’aan:

Shaytaan is a Betrayer

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

كَمَثَلِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ إِذۡ قَالَ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ ٱڪۡفُرۡ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ قَالَ إِنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ۬ مِّنكَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

فَكَانَ عَـٰقِبَتَہُمَآ أَنَّہُمَا فِى ٱلنَّارِ خَـٰلِدَيۡنِ فِيہَا‌ۚ وَذَٲلِكَ جَزَٲٓؤُاْ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

(Their allies deceived them) like Shaitan (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitan (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!” So the end of both will be that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein. Such is the  recompense of the Zalimun (i.e. polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers in Allah and in His Oneness, etc.). [Surah Al-Hashar. Aayaat 16-17]

We Can Never Be Other Than Allaah’s Slaves

The reality is that whether or not humankind worship their Lord and obey Him, they are still under His absolute control and will definitely return to Him. Allaah [The Most High] said:

إِن ڪُلُّ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّآ ءَاتِى ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ عَبۡدً۬ا

لَّقَدۡ أَحۡصَٮٰهُمۡ وَعَدَّهُمۡ عَدًّ۬ا

وَكُلُّهُمۡ ءَاتِيهِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ فَرۡدًا

There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender). [Surah Maryam. Aayaat 93-95]

Death is a Reality

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ وَنُنْشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَىٰ فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

‘We have decreed death to you all, and We are not unable. To transfigure you and create you in (forms) that you know not.   And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation (i.e. the creation of Adam), why then do you not remember or take heed?’56:60-62

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ

‘He is the Irresistible, Supreme over His slaves, and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one’s good and bad deeds) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our Messengers (angel of death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.’ 6:61

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ

‘It is He who has created life and death, so that He may test which of you is best indeed’ (Surah Al- Mulk 67:2).

Allaah (The Most High) said:

قُلْ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُلَاقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

‘Say (O’ Muhammed); ‘Indeed the death from which you flee will surely meet you. Then you will be sent back to (Allaah), the All-knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will tell you what you used to do’ (Surah Al-Jum’ah 62:8)

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

أَفَبِہَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدۡهِنُونَ

وَتَجۡعَلُونَ رِزۡقَكُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ تُكَذِّبُونَ

فَلَوۡلَآ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ ٱلۡحُلۡقُومَ

وَأَنتُمۡ حِينَٮِٕذٍ۬ تَنظُرُونَ

وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنكُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُبۡصِرُونَ

فَلَوۡلَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ غَيۡرَ مَدِينِينَ

تَرۡجِعُونَہَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ

فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ

فَرَوۡحٌ۬ وَرَيۡحَانٌ۬ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ۬

وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ

فَسَلَـٰمٌ۬ لَّكَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ

وَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

فَنُزُلٌ۬ مِّنۡ حَمِيمٍ۬

وَتَصۡلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ

فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

Is it such a talk (this Qur’an) that you (disbelievers) deny? And instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, on the contrary, you deny Him (by disbelief)! Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of a dying person) reaches the throat? And you at the moment are looking on, but We (i.e. Our angels who take the soul) are nearer to him than you, but you see not. Then why do you not, if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense (punishment, etc.). Bring back the soul (to its body), if you are truthful? Then, if he (the dying person) be of the Muqarrabun (those brought near to Allah), (there is for him) rest and provision, and a Garden of delights (Paradise). And if he (the dying person) be of those on the Right Hand, then there is safety and peace (from the Punishment of Allah) for (you as you are from) those on the Right Hand. But if he (the dying person) be of the denying (of the Resurrection), the erring (away from the Right Path of Islamic Monotheism), then for him is entertainment with boiling water. And burning in Hell-fire. Verily, this! This is an absolute Truth with certainty. So glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great. [Surah Al-Waaqi’ah. Aayaat 81-96]

True Reality of This Worldly Life

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخۡتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِيمً۬ا تَذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحُ‌ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّقۡتَدِرًا

ٱلۡمَالُ وَٱلۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا‌ۖ وَٱلۡبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابً۬ا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلاً۬

And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allah’s obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. [Surah Al-Kahf. Aayaat 45-46]

Reality of The Human being

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ (١) وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ (٢) ٱلنَّجۡمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ (٣) إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ۬ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡہَا حَافِظٌ۬ (٤) فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ (٥) خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ۬ دَافِقٍ۬ (٦) يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآٮِٕبِ (٧) إِنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ رَجۡعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٌ۬ (٨) يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآٮِٕرُ (٩) فَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِن قُوَّةٍ۬ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ۬ (١٠) وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجۡعِ (١١) وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدۡعِ (١٢) إِنَّهُ ۥ لَقَوۡلٌ۬ فَصۡلٌ۬ (١٣) وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلۡهَزۡلِ (١٤) إِنَّہُمۡ يَكِيدُونَ كَيۡدً۬ا (١٥) وَأَكِيدُ كَيۡدً۬ا (١٦) فَمَهِّلِ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ أَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدَۢا (١٧)

By the heaven, and At-Tariq (the night-comer, i.e. the bright star); and what will make you to know what At-Tariq (night-comer) is? (It is) the star of piercing brightness; there is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels in charge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds, etc.) So let man see from what he is created! He is created from a water gushing forth, proceeding from between the back-bone and the ribs, verily, (Allah) is Able to bring him back (to life)! The Day when all the secrets (deeds, prayers, fasting, etc.) will be examined (as to their truth). Then will (man) have no power, nor any helper. By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again. And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants), verily! This (the Qur’an) is the Word that separates (the truth from falsehood, and commands strict legal laws for mankind to cut the roots of evil).  And it is not a thing for amusement. Verily, they are but plotting a plot (against you O Muhammad). And I (too) am planning a plan. So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal you gently with them for a while. [Surah At-Taariq]

Therefore, we ask the worshippers of freedom, “How can we turn away from our Lord and submit to our desires in the name of freedom, whilst knowing that one day we’ll leave this world and will be questioned?” This is the concern of the believers and they neither worship freedom nor do they take their desires as their god, rather they strive to worship their Creator with love, fear and hope.

And Allaah knows best

[Re 1:Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2956]

[Ref 2: Sharh Saheeh Muslim 18/74. Daar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah. 1st Edition 1421AH (2000)]

[Ref 3: https://binothaimeen.net/content/8835 ]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Manaahiy al-Laf’dhiyyah: page: 117. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 5: Dar Ta’aarud Al-Aql Wan-Naql: 9/17-18]

[Ref 6: Muqaddimah Fee Diraasah At-Tawheed’ by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr (may Allaah preserve him) Lesson: 3]

[Ref 7: An Excerpt from Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed. Lesson 4. By Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr.  Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref8: http://www.shariah.ws/articles/suokooj-there-is-no-safe-limit-in-the-consumption-of-alcohol-and-the-prohibition-of-alcohol-in-the-quran.cfm ]

[Ref 9: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Adillatul Qawaatiq’ pages 40-41′. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 9: Source: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Fawaa-id: page 154. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 11: An Excerpt from Tareequl Hijratayn- By Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahulaah). Pages 9-10. Slightly paraphrased]