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

The Disbelievers of Old Also Called The Believers to Their Corrupt Path

Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ

And those who disbelieve say to those who believe: “Follow our way and we will verily bear your sins,” never will they bear anything of their sins. Surely, they are liars. [Surah Al-Ankabut. Verse 12]

Imaam At-Tabari [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: They (i.e. disbelievers of Quraish) said (to the believers), “Be upon the likes of what we are upon, such as our denial of the resurrection after death and that there will be no good recompense and punishment for the deeds of the people. If you follow our way in these affairs and are raised up after death (i.e. we doubt it), and you are recompensed for your deeds, we will indeed bear the burden of your sins”. [ Tafseer At-Tabari]

Imaam Ibnul Jawzi (may Allaah have mercy upon him] said that Mujaahid [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “This is the statement of the disbelievers of Quraish to those believers amongst the people of Makkah; they said to them, ‘Neither we nor you will be resurrected, so follow us. If anything is brought against you (i.e. we doubt it), the burden will be on us”. Allaah said that they (i.e. disbelievers of Quraish) are liars due to the claim that they will bear the sins of the (believers)'”. [Zaadul Maseer]

Imaam Ibn Katheer [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Allaah [The Most High] informed (us) about the disbelievers of Quraish that they said to those amongst them who believed (in the message of Muhammad) and followed the (right) guidance, “Abandon your religion, return to our religion and follow our way. We will verily bear your sins if you have any”, just as a person says, “Do this and your sin is upon my neck”. So Allaah declared their statement false, saying that never will they (i.e. the Quraish) bear anything of their (i.e. the believers) sins. Surely, they are liars. That is because no one will bear anything of the sins of others. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

Be Mindful of The Worldly Life and Be Mindful of The Fitna of Women

Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Verily the worldly life is sweet and green, and verily Allaah is going to place you as successors upon it in and will see how you act. So, be mindful of the worldly life and be mindful of women, because indeed the first trial for the Children of Israa’eel was due to women”. [Saheeh Muslim. 2742]

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] commented on the statement of the Messenger, “Verily the worldly life is sweet and green”- Mmeaning, sweet in taste and green in its image. And when something is green and sweet, the eye seeks after it first and then the Nafs; and when the eye and the nafs come together in seeking after something, the human being is drawn close to falling into it. The worldly life is sweet in its taste and green in its image, so the human being is deceived by it and pre-occupied with it. He places greater importance on it than what is due to it (of importance). However, the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] made it known that Allaah is going to place us as successors upon (the earth) and He ‘ll see how we act- whether we will be obedient to Him, forbid the nafs from desires, fulfil what Allaah has enjoined upon us and not allow the worldly life to deceive you or whether the opposite will take place! This is why he [i.e. the Prophet] said, “Be mindful of the worldly life”- Meaning, fulfil what you have been commanded and refrain from that which you have been forbidden, and do not let the sweetness and radiance of this worldly life to deceive you, as Allaah said: [فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّڪُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّڪُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ – [Let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allaah].

Then he [i.e. the Prophet] said, “So be mindful of the worldly life and be mindful of women”-Meaning, be mindful of them. This includes a warning to the woman with regards to her plot against her husband, and also a warning against women and the trial that can occur through them. And due to this reason he [i.e. the Prophet] said, “Indeed, the first trial for the Children of Israa’eel was due to women”. They were put to trial through women, thus they went astray and led others astray, and Allaah refuge is sought! And due to this, we find that at present our enemies are focused on women issues- adorning women, intermingling them and make them share the same occupations with men, until it becomes as if the people are donkeys having no other concern except for their stomachs and canal desires, and Allaah’s Refuge is sought! Women are portrayed as if they are mere images- pictures (which) people attached no importance to except that which is connected to the woman’s figure (outward appearance). See how they have decorated and beautified her! See how they have brought about beautifications for her and presented her in a desirable condition, in relation to (her) hair, skin, legs, arms, face and everything else; until they make it the most important issue for the woman, like a picture made out of plastic. They neither present to her the importance of establishing Ibaadah nor bearing children. [Slightly paraphrased] [Source: An Excerpt from this lecture: https://safeshare.tv/x/fKxP_Mt7o9w#

Free mixing between men and women: Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “There is no doubt that enabling women to free mix with men is the root of every calamity and evil. It is one of the major causes of sweeping divine punishment as well as one of the cause of corruption of the general and specific affairs. Free mixing between men and women is a cause of many immoralities and adultery, and it is one of the causes of widespread death and continuous plagues. When the prostitutes mixed with Musa’s [peace be upon him] army and immorality spread among them, Allaah sent a plague on them, and seventy thousand died in one day. The story is well-known in the books of Tafseer. One of the greatest causes of sweeping death is when adultery becomes rife, women are able to free mix with men and walk among them whilst dressed in an un-Islamic manner and beautified. If those in authority knew what is accompanied in this affair of corruption of this worldly affairs and the people – even before corruption in the religion, then indeed it would have been one the things they would more robustly seek to prevent. [At-turuq Al-Hukmiyyah. page 281. slightly paraphrased]

Read: Mind map illustration showing the mahrams (male chaperones) of a woman for travel and sittings- By Shaikh Abu Khadeejah [may Allaah preserve him]: https://www.abukhadeejah.com/mind-map-illustration-showing-the-mahrams-male-chaperones-of-a-woman-for-travel-and-sittings/

Music: Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated: Allaah [The Exlated] said:

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشۡتَرِى لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍ۬ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ مُّهِينٌ۬
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا وَلَّىٰ مُسۡتَڪۡبِرً۬ا كَأَن لَّمۡ يَسۡمَعۡهَا كَأَنَّ فِىٓ أُذُنَيۡهِ وَقۡرً۬ا‌ۖ فَبَشِّرۡهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

And of mankind is he who purchases idle speech to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allah, the Verses of the Qur’an) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire). And when Our Verses (of the Qur’an) are recited to such a one, he turns away in pride, as if he heard them not, as if there were deafness in his ear. So announce to him a painful torment. [Surah Luqman Verses 6-7]

The majority of the scholars say that the intent behind [لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ – idle speech (in this verse)] refers to music. Some of them stated in addition that thsi also refers to the sounds of the flutes and (forbidden) instruments of amusement. This is the idle speech intended in this verse and it is one of the causes of misguidance from the path of Allaah and being misguided.

Indeed, when the hearts are satiated with music, they become sick and hardened (i.e. corrupted); deviated and thus fall into misguidance. Listening to the Qur’an becomes difficult and they haughtly turn away from listening to it. It leads – those preoccupied with it – to corruption and deviation of the hearts- becomes hard for them to listen to the Qur’an and make them heedless through music. Abdullah Bin Mas’ood [may Allaah be pleased with him] said, “Singing (or music) grows hypocrisy in the heart as water makes plants grow”. This shows us the danger and evil of music and musical instruments.

It been transmitted in the Prophetic reports whose meaning show that music is forbidden, and from this reports is that Imaam Al-Bukhaari [may Allaah have mercy upon him] reported that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “There will be people among my Ummah who will make lawful illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk (i.e. for men even though only women are allowed to wear it), the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari 5590]

So the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] informed us that during the end of time a people will make it permissible- even though it is forbidden – because of their weak Eemaan. (1)

Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated regarding the effect of music upon the souls: “It is the intoxicant of the souls. When the souls are intoxicated with the sounds (from music and musical instruments), Shirk (gradually) comes to them, they incline towards lewd acts and oppression, and thus they begin to commit Shirk, murder and fornication. These three deeds are present – a lot – amongst the people who listen to music”. (2)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: That which we and others have witnessed and acquainted with based on experience, is that indeed musical instruments and instruments used for forbidden amusement do not appear amongst a people, spread amongst them and they busy themselves with it, except that Allaah (allows) their enemy to overcome them, and they are afflicted with famine, drought and evil rulers. https://salaficentre.com/2021/02/10/believers-bahaviour-towards-muslim-rulers-advisegiven-in-private-supplicate-for-them-and-refrain-from-rebellion-so-beware-of-spiteful-foreign-instigatorsand-some-dangerous-social-media-networ/ Therefore, the sensible person reflects on the state of affairs of the world and examines. And Allaah’s Aid is sought! (3)

Consequences of Persisting Upon Evil, Whilst Receiving More Provision

Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not. And I respite them; certainly My Plan is strong. [Surah Al-7:182-183]

[We shall gradually seize them with punishment] – Meaning, by granting them plentiful provision and respite until they think that they will neither be taken to task for their disobedience nor punished, so they increase in disbelief and transgression, and evil upon evil. And through this their punishment is increased and multiplied, so they harm themselves in ways they perceive not. (4) Imaam Sufyaan Ath-Thawree [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Whenever they commit (major) sins, Allaah bestows a blessing on them and make them forgetful of seeking forgiveness. (5)

Finally: We must always remember that “This Worldly Life is Prison For The Believer and a Paradise of The Disbeliever”. 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]”.(6)

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. (7)

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. (8)

[Ref 1: https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/7763/%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%AAD8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A1 paraphrased]
[Ref 2: Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 10/417]
[Ref 3: Madaarij As-Saalikeen 1/500]
[Ref 4: An Excerpt from ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan’ by
Imaam Sadi. slightly paraphrased].
[Ref 5: Al-Mukhallisaat 2352]
[Ref 6:Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2956]
[Ref 7: Sharh Saheeh Muslim 18/74. Daar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah. 1st Edition 1421AH (2000)]
[Ref 8: https://binothaimeen.net/content/8835 ]