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

Contemporary_Hearts Protected Through Servitude to Allaah Alone_ [Safeguard Against Celebrity Infatuation and Attachment to Influencers, Socialites, Ideologues]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰهَآ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ‌ۚ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍ۬ مَّن نَّشَآءُ‌ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ۬
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥۤ إِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ‌ۚ ڪُلاًّ هَدَيۡنَا‌ۚ وَنُوحًا هَدَيۡنَا مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۖ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِۦ دَاوُ ۥدَ وَسُلَيۡمَـٰنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ‌ۚ وَكَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحۡيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلۡيَاسَ‌ۖ كُلٌّ۬ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
وَإِسۡمَـٰعِيلَ وَٱلۡيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطً۬ا‌ۚ وَڪُلاًّ۬ فَضَّلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
وَمِنۡ ءَابَآٮِٕهِمۡ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِہِمۡ وَإِخۡوَٲنِہِمۡ‌ۖ وَٱجۡتَبَيۡنَـٰهُمۡ وَهَدَيۡنَـٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬
ذَٲلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَہۡدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ‌ۚ وَلَوۡ أَشۡرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحُكۡمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ‌ۚ فَإِن يَكۡفُرۡ بِہَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدۡ وَكَّلۡنَا بِہَا قَوۡمً۬ا لَّيۡسُواْ بِہَا بِكَـٰفِرِينَ
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ فَبِهُدَٮٰهُمُ ٱقۡتَدِهۡ‌ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا‌ۖ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

And that was Our Proof which We gave Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. And We bestowed upon him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya’qub (Jacob), each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nuh (Noah), and among his progeny Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ayub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses), and Harun (Aaron). Thus do We reward the good-doers. And Zakariya (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and ‘Iesa (Jesus) and Iliyas (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous. And Isma’il (Ishmael) and Al-Yas’a (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lout (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of their times). And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren, We chose them, and We guided them to a Straight Path. This is the Guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He will of His slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. They are those whom We gave the Book, Al-Hukm (understanding of the religious laws), and Prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein (the Book, Al-Hukm and Prophethood), then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people (such as the Companions of Prophet Muhammad ) who are not disbelievers therein. They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance. Say: “No reward I ask of you for this (the Qur’an). It is only a reminder for the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns). [Surah Al-An’aam. Verses 83-90]

Therefore, the above people are the perfect guides amongst humankind [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them] and Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] is the seal of the Prophets. Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] said:

لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ۬ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأَخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرً۬ا

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. [Surah Al-Ahzaab. Aayah 21]

This noble Aayah – as the people of knowledge have stated – is a basis to establish the fact that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] is to be emulated; but emulating him cannot be actualized except through acquainting oneself with his characteristics, his qualities in general, his specific qualities and deeds by way of which Allaah distinguished him from everyone amongst humankind, his manners and etiquettes. The one who is unacquainted with the Prophet’s [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] characteristics and manners will not be able to emulate him, and that is why the scholars of Islaam have written beneficial books regarding his characteristics and qualities.

The manners and qualities of the Prophet are a means of inviting humankind to this mighty religion of Islaam. Indeed, many people- during his era and thereafter – have been guided through their acquaintance with his manners and qualities. One used to come to him whilst harbouring the severest hatred towards him, but after meeting him and observing his great (unmatched noble) etiquettes, noble manners, lofty dealings and benevolence, the person would depart whilst loving him more than everyone else on the face of the earth. Therefore, his characteristics are a means to calling to this religion- an evidence for the one inviting the people in the path of Allaah.
Speaking about his qualities, emulating him and calling others to emulate him strengthens the religion of Islaam, because he was the one whom Allaah appointed to convey and explain the religion to humankind. Allaah chose him and he is the best of all the slaves of Allaah- the greatest in his servitude to Allaah. Calling the people to emulate his qualities is a means to calling people to believe in the religion ordained by Allaah and a means to strengthening the belief of the one who has already believed in his Messenger-ship. This is why turning away from his Seerah has been the cause of people’s inclination towards the path of losers amongst men and women [i.e. those upon a path other than the path of Allaah]. As for the biographies of the Imaams of Guidance- the greatest of them being the Messenger, they are a means of rectifying the person and a means to safety from corruption and evil. On the other hand, the biography of the losers is a path that will lead to evil, ruin and corruption. Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] said:

قَدۡ كَانَتۡ ءَايَـٰتِى تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَعۡقَـٰبِكُمۡ تَنكِصُونَ
مُسۡتَكۡبِرِينَ بِهِۦ سَـٰمِرً۬ا تَهۡجُرُونَ
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءَهُم مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ آبَاءَهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ

Indeed My Verses used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels [denying them, and with hatred to listen to them]. In pride [they Quraish pagans and polytheists of Makkah used to feel proud that they are the dwellers of Makkah sanctuary Haram], talking evil about it [the Qur’an] by night. Have they not pondered over the Word [of Allaah, i.e. what is sent down to the Prophet], or has there come to them what had not come to their fathers of old? Or is it that they did not recognize their Messenger [Muhammad] so they deny him? [i.e. this is a rebuke against them because all of them – young and old – knew his lineage, truthfulness and trustworthiness, yet they turned away from his message]. [Surah Al-Muminoon. Verses 66-69]

This shows that contemplating on the Qur’aan and acquainting oneself with the Messenger’s guidance and biography is a path leading to safety, and a safeguard against turning back on one’s heels [i.e. a safeguard against turning away from the guidance he was sent with]. On the other hand, abandoning the Seerah of the Prophet and inclining towards the biography of the losers [i.e. those men and women upon other than the guidance of the Messenger] will lead to ruin. The people became corrupted – in this era – after being put to trial through movies and films; but had they turned to the biographies of the Prophets and the noble companions of the Prophet Muhammad, they would have found guidance and a path leading to steadfastness.(1)

Studying the prophet’s biography (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)and reading it strengthens the certainty, steadfastness and perseverance of the believer upon the religion of Allah stronger- makes the believer’s heart honourable due to Islam, ennobled by (through sound) Islamic monotheism, ennobled due to what the heart contains of knowledge and awareness of Allah, belief in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and that which Allah sent down upon his Messengers. Allaah said:

[وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ – But honour, power and glory belong to Allah, His Messenger (Muhammad), and to the believers]. These are from the many benefits that every believer benefit from by studying the biography of The Chosen One (المصطفى). (2)

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَمَكْرُ أُولَٰئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ

Whosoever desires honour, then to Allah belong all honour. To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allah unless and until they are followed by good deeds), but those who plot evils, theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish. [Surah Al-Faatir. Verse 10]

[مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا – Whosoever desires honour then to Allah belong all honour, power and glory]- Meaning, let him seek it through sincere obedience to Allaah, because indeed he will not find it except through obedience to Allaah. Some of the pious predecessors used to supplicate: [اللهم اعزني بطاعتك ولا تذلني بمعصيتك – O Allaah! Grant me honour through obedience to you and do not humiliate me through disobedience to you].

Therefore, whoever seeks honour, then let him seek it through sincere obedience to Allaah by way of uttering good speech and righteous deeds. (2.1)

O you the one who wants honour! Seek it from the one in whose hand it, because indeed honour is in Allaah’s Hand and cannot be attained except through obedience to Allaah. And Allaah has mentioned this in His statement: [إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ-To Him ascend (all) the goodly words]- Meaning, such as recitation of the Qur’an, utterance of Subhaanallaah, Alhamdulil laah and Laa Ilaaha illal laah. All good speech ascend to Allaah and is presented to Him, and Allaah praises the one who uttered it. The righteous deeds also ascend to Him – the deeds of the heart and the limbs. Allaah raises the status of a person and honours him by these righteous deeds that ascend to Him.
As for evil deeds, they are the opposite. The perpetrator wants to be raised by way of them, plots and plans, but this will haunt him and he is not increased except in ignominy and degradation. This is why Allaah said:

وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَمَكْرُ أُولَٰئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ

And the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allah unless and until they are followed by good deeds), but those who plot evils, theirs will be severe torment. [وَمَكْرُ أُولَٰئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ-And the plotting of such will perish] – Meaning, destroyed and annihilated. It will not benefit them in anything because they plotted by way of falsehood and for the sake of falsehood.(2.2)

Allaah [The Exalted] stated about the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]: [مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمۡ وَمَا غَوَىٰ-Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred]. That is because the Daal (misguided person) is one whose knowledge is corrupted and the Ghaawiy (astray one) is the one whose intent is corrupted. Also, the Prophet described his four khulafaa [Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them)] with the words ‘Raashideen and Mahdiyyeen’, because the Raashid [i.e. The one who is steadfast upon the right path and is firmly established upon it] is the opposite of the Ghaawiy [The one who strays from the right path or conduct], and the Mahdee [The one guided to the path of truth and yeilds obediently to it] is the opposite of the Daalun [the misguided one, especially in knowledge and creed]. (3)

Therefore, this suffices the believer as a guide in every place, era and in all circumstances, even though many ideologues constantly seek to replace this path of the Prophets with something else. Shaikh Amjad Rafiq – Abu Iyaad [may Allaah preserve him] stated, “We are living in a time in which the League of Iblees have a frightening grip and amazing amount of resources and means through which waves and waves of assaults are maintained against faith (eemaan), and against tawhid (monotheism), and against the morality that is based upon revelation (as opposed to the “do what thou wilt” of secular humanism), and against the family unit and its bonds (husband-wife, child-parent). And so it is necessary for the Muslims to beware and take extreme caution against the waves upon waves of such assaults that are being made from all directions, the aim of which is to desecrate the foundations of faith, and to desecrate the Prophets of Allaah, in particular Jesus, the Son of Mary (peace be upon them both) and to replace the foundations of faith with a “new age spirituality” which is nothing “new” at all, but comes from none other than Iblees himself and is but the same deception that Iblees used to make Adam err, which is the promise of immortality and eternity, and this is the core, underlying principle of the “new age spirituality” in all of its flavours and manifestations. Further, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) warned that there would be many dajjaals (liars) in the later times. Such liars and imposters claim divinity or prophethood, and preach a religion other than that preached by the Prophets and Messengers, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad (peace be upon all of them). For this reason, given the huge amount of propaganda disseminated through the great many forms of media in the modern age, it is necessary for Muslims to be well-informed about the plots of Iblees his deception and misguiding of the people through their army of devils amongst Jinn and men, all of whom refer to Iblees, spuriously, as “the light bearer”. The meaning of the word “Dajjaal” linguistically means “a great liar, deceiver”, and signifies great deception and lies. As such, all magicians and soothsayers are also referred to as “dajjaals”, because they lie and deceive. Hence, we will also be discussing magic and its practitioners on this site as they come under the general meaning of “dajal” (deceit, trickery, deception)”. (4) Read this article: The Role of Television in Social Engineering, Predictive Programming, Culture Creation and Destruction of Children and Society: http://www.dajjaal.com/liar/articles/xsxpr-the-role-of-television-in-social-engineering-predictive-programming-and-destruction-of-children-and-society.cfm

Indeed, what Shaikh Abu Iyaad [may Allaah preserve him] stated above is the truth because we are all well aware of the manner in which many ideologues have attempted – in different eras – to replace the path of the Prophets through their concocted political ideologies, theories, slogans and leaderships. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “The difference between the desire for righteous leadership as opposed to merely desiring leadership: It is the difference between exalting the command of Allaah and being sincere to Allaah as opposed to love of exalting oneself and hastening towards the fulfilment of desires. Indeed the one who is sincere to Allaah and exalts Him, he loves that his Lord is obeyed and not disobeyed; [loves that] Allaah’s Word should be uppermost and that all affairs of the religion should be established sincerely for the sake of Allaah, and that the servants should obey Allaah’s commands and keep away from what Allaah has forbidden. He is sincere in his servitude to Allaah and sincere to Allaah’s creation in calling them to the path of Allaah. So he loves to be [an upright] leader in the religion; rather he asks his Lord to make him from the leaders of the righteous people who are followed, just as he is a follower of the righteous. Therefore, if this servant -[i.e. this person] who calls to Allaah- loves that he is considered dignified in the eyes [of the people], revered and beloved in their hearts and is one followed amongst them, so that he is trusted by them and they follow the example of the Messenger through him, then this [desire of his] does not harm him; rather he is praised for it. That is because the caller to Allaah loves that Allaah is obeyed and singled out in worship. He loves to be a means by way of which [people] are aided to [obey Allaah, single out Allaah in worship and follow the Messenger]. And due to this, [when] Allaah mentioned those chosen slaves of His- whom He praised in His revelation and will grant the best of reward on the day they meet Him- He mentioned them with the best of their deeds and characteristics, and then said:

[ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا – And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the (pious)].

So they ask Allaah to grant them the comfort of the eye by making their wives and offspring obedient to Allaah, and to grant them happiness in their hearts due to being followed by the righteous in obedience and servitude to Allaah. That is because a trustworthy leader in the religion co-operates with [others] upon obedience [to Allaah and His Messenger], and that is to call them to [sound] leadership in the religion, whose foundation is patience and certainty, as Allaah [The Most High] said: [ وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ – And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). [32:24]

Therefore, in their supplication -[in Soorah Al-Furqaan Ayah 74]- to Allaah that He makes them leaders of the righteous people, is that Allaah guides them, grants them success, bless them with beneficial knowledge and righteous actions–outwardly and inwardly–without which [sound] leadership in the religion cannot be achieved. This is different from [merely] seeking leadership, for indeed its seekers hasten to obtain it in order to achieve their goals, [such as] exaltedness in the earth; enslavement of the hearts to them, attachment to them and aiding them in all their goals, whilst they are exalted and everyone subservient to them. This pursuit of leadership brings about corruption-which none can enumerate except Allaah- such as rebellion, envy, transgression, enmity, oppression, trials, being ardent in defending oneself at the expense of violating the rights of Allaah, exalting those despised by Allaah and belittling those honoured by Allaah”. (4.1)

And when a replacement of the path of the Prophets is not pursued through ideology, it is pursued through celebrity Journalism. Some people are obsessed and infatuated with so called celebrities and some journalists are here to feed this habit through which they can sell their stories as well as satisfy advertisers. We’ve all heard how some people are so obsessed or infatuated with so called celebrities to the extent that they devote ample time to acquaint themselves with the details of the personal lives of such people, whether that is an author, a politician, actor or musician. Even if those afflicted with this disease are very few, however it does not divert us from the fact that the goal and aim of some of these journalists is to divert humankind from the path of the Prophets and Messengers- the only perfect guides in every era and in all aspects of life until the Day of Judgement. They know that humans – regardless wherever they live – will always look up to others, so they manipulate this natural desire for a role model to divert them from the path of Allaah by attaching the hearts of the masses to others. As for the believers, their hearts are not diverted, rather they are filled with love of Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic], as Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated, “If the heart loves Allaah and devotes all the religion sincerely to Allaah, it will not give a share of this love to anyone else, let alone being afflicted with infatuation; but when afflicted with infatuation, then that is due to its deficient love of Allaah. This is why due to Yoosuf’s [peace be upon him] love of Allaah and him sincerely devoting all the religion to Allaah alone, he did not depart from it; rather Allaah said: [ڪَذَٲلِكَ لِنَصۡرِفَ عَنۡهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ – Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves]. But as for the wife of the Azeez, she and her people were polytheists, and due to this she was afflicted with infatuation (or obsession)”.(5)

He also said, “Those people whose hearts are infatuated with images are to receive the greatest punishment and the smallest reward, because if the heart of the one who is infatuated with images continues to be attached and is enslaved by it, then various types of evils, loss and corruption will be gathered for him, which none can enumerate except Allaah. And even if he is safe from committing a major lewd act, the continuous attachment of the heart to the image without committing a lewd act is a greater than the harm that afflicts a person who commits a sin and then repents and thus the effect of that sin ceases to exist in his heart. The greatest aspect of this calamity is when the heart turns away from Allaah, because indeed when the heart tastes the worship of Allaah and sincerity to Him, there will never be anything more sweet than that- neither more tasty and enjoyable nor better. A person does not abandon something beloved to him except due to another beloved thing which is more beloved to him or due to fearing harm. The heart is turned away from a corrupt love by an upright love or due to fearing harm. Allaah [The Exalted] said about Yusuf [alayhis salaam]:

[ڪَذَٲلِكَ لِنَصۡرِفَ عَنۡهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ – Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves. [Surah Yusuf. Aayah 24] So, Allaah turned His servant away from that which would plunge one into evil due to inclining towards an image and being attached to it, and turns him away from lewd conduct due to his sincerity to Allaah. This is why this can occur before a person tastes the sweetness of servitude to Allaah and sincerity to Him – when one is overcome by his soul through following its (evil) desires; however when one tastes the sweetness of sincerity to Allaah and his heart becomes strong, it subdues its desires without the great remedy (needed for) rectification”.(6)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Hearts that are emptied of Love for Allaah -hearts that are turned away from Him and seeking remedy from others besides Him- are afflicted with an infatuation with images; for when the heart is filled with Love of Allaah and a strong love for meeting Him [i.e. in the hereafter], this infatuation with images is repelled from it. And for this reason, Allaah [The Most High] stated about Yusuf [peace be upon him]: [كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ -Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves]. This shows that sincerity to [Allaah] is a means to repelling [evil]. And because of this, some of the pious predcessors said: ‘’Infatuation is an agitation in empty hearts.” Meaning: [Hearts] emptied of other than what they crave for”. (7)

He [may Allaah have mercy upon him] also said, “The basis of all sins – major and minor – are three: the heart’s attachment to other than Allaah, going along with the intense strength of one’s anger and the intense urge of one’s desires. These three affairs constitute shirk, injustice and indecency. Shirk and invoking other than Allaah is the ultimate affair related to the heart’s attachment to other than Allaah, murder is the ultimate affair related to going along with one’s intense anger and fornication is the ultimate affair related to going along with the intense urge of one’s desires. And because this Allaah mentioned the three together in the [following] verse:

وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَدۡعُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ وَلَا يَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا يَزۡنُونَ

And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse. [Surah Al-Furqaan. Verse 68]

These three affairs invite to one another – Shirk inevitably leads to injustice and indecency, just as Tawheed [sound Islamic Monotheism] and Ikhlaas [sincerity] turns a person away from them. Allaah [The Exalted] stated [about Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)]:

ڪَذَٲلِكَ لِنَصۡرِفَ عَنۡهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ

Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely, he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves. [Surah Yusuf. Aayah 24] – Meaning, turned him away from infatuation and illegal sexual intercourse.

Likewise, injustice inevitably leads to Shirk and indecency, because Shirk is the greatest injustice, just as Tawheed is the greatest justice. Justice is a companion of Tawheed and injustice is a companion of Shirk, and this is why Allaah mentioned both together.

As for Tawheed and justice, Allaah said: [شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَآٮِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ – Allah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice]. [Surah Aal Imraan. Verse 18]

As for injustice and Shirk, Allaah said: إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ – Verily, Shirk is great injustice]. [Surah Luqmaan. Aayah 13]

Indecency leads to Shirk and Injustice, especially when there is a strong desire which cannot be reached except through some type of injustice, such as seeking help through magic and shaytaan. And indeed Allaah mentioned both fornication and Shirk together in the Aayah: [ٱلزَّانِى لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوۡ مُشۡرِكَةً۬ وَٱلزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَآ إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوۡ مُشۡرِكٌ۬‌ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٲلِكَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ – The adulterer marries not but an adulteress, or a female polytheist and the adulteress none marries her except an adulterer or a male polytheist [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely he is either an adulterer, or a polytheist)]. And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a male polytheist or an adulterer, then she is either a prostitute or a female polytheist)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers [of Islamic Monotheism]. [Surah An-Noor. Aayah 3]

These three affairs [i.e. Shirk, Indecency and Injustice] can either be the cause of one another or inevitably lead to one another. And this is why whenever Tawheed in the heart is weaker and the Shirk in it is greater, it commits more indecency, becomes stronger in its attachment to images and infatuated with them. And what is similar to this is the statement of Allaah:

فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىۡءٍ۬ فَمَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا‌ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَبۡقَىٰ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّہِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُواْ هُمۡ يَغۡفِرُونَ

So whatever you have been given is but a passing enjoyment for this worldly life, but that which is with Allah (Paradise) is better and more lasting for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and put their trust in their Lord (concerning all of their affairs). And those who avoid the greater sins and indecency, and when they are angry, they forgive. [Surah Ash-Shooraa. Aayaat 36-37]

Allaah informed us that what He has with Him is better for the one who believes in Him and relies upon him, and that is Tawheed. Then Allaah said: [وَٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ – And those who avoid the greater sins and indecency – Meaning, avoid the intense urge towards lowly desires].

Then Allaah said: [وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُواْ هُمۡ يَغۡفِرُونَ – And when they are angry, they pardon]. This opposes the intense strength of anger; so Allaah mentioned Tawheed, pardon and justice together, and they are that which gathers every good”. (8)

Finally, we should Allaah to protect our hearts and supplicate saying:

[اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُنِي إِلَى حُبِّكَ

O Allaah! I ask You for Your love and the love of those who love you, and love of the deeds that will bring me close to Your love]. (9)
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[Ref 1: Source: An Excerpt from: [شرح المختصر في صفات النبي ﷺ وأخلاقه] Lesson 1. slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 2: Silsilatu al-Muhādarāt al-‘ilmiyyah Vol.4 Pgs. 506-507]
[Ref 2.1: An Excerpt from Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim Vol 2. pages 346-347]
[Ref 2.2: An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi. Slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 3: An Excerpt from Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed. Lesson 4. By Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr. Slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 4: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=8&Topic=10682 ]
[Ref 4.1: An Excerpt from ‘Ar-Rooh’ pages 487-489’. slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 5: Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 10/135]
[Ref 6: Al-Uboodiyyah 114-115. slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 7: An excerpt from At-Tibbun Nabawiy. page180. slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 8: An Excerpt from Al-Fawaa’id 131-132. Slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 9: As-Saheehah 3169 By Imaam Al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy upon him]