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

Allah [The Exalted] said:

وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [Surah At-Tawbah. Ayah 71]

We do not judge anyone, but rather Allah is the only one who can judge!

This above statement has become quite popular on the lips of many people, especially some of the youth, when mistakes are pointed out and rebutted based on the infallible principles of the Shariah, so you hear them say, “We do not judge anyone, but rather Allah is the only one who can judge.” Indeed, this is either an oversight or a misinterpretation, because the utterers of this remark cannot argue that they will never seek justice through the decision of an arbitrator when their rights are violated.

Second, this claim of theirs goes against the guidance of the Prophet’s companions. Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab [may Allaah be pleased with him] said: “People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine revelation during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favour the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, because Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good”. (1)

Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: “Whoever manifests good, it will be accepted from him and a good suspicion is held about him. And if he manifests evil, it will be held against him and an evil suspicion is held about him”. (2)

Thirdly, this statement of theirs necessitates that they will never stand to give truthful witness because in their view only Allah can judge. Rather, Allah commanded us to give truthful witness.

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ‌ۚ إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَا‌ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْ‌ۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا

O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah; even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. [Surah An-Nisaa. Ayah 135]

I am free! 

Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allah have mercy upon him] was asked about the statement of a person who says, “I am free”.

Answer: If a free person says this and means freedom from slavery to the creation, then yes, they are free from servitude to the creation. However, if he means that he is free from servitude to Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic], he has erred in his definition of servitude and does not understand the meaning of freedom. This is because servitude to anybody other than Allah is considered bondage. In terms of obedience to Allah [The Mighty and Majestic], this is true freedom because if a person does not humble himself to Allah, he would humble himself to someone else. So he deceives himself when he claims to be free, free from obedience to Allah. (3)

Do not interfere!

Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allah have mercy upon him] was asked: “When a Muslim expresses disapproval of evil (done by) another person, the person responds by saying, ‘You are intrusive’ or ‘Do not interfere in that which does not concern you.’ Is this speech appropriate in this situation and what should be said in response to (this person)?”

Response:

This speech of his is wrong. To say to someone who opposes his wrongdoing, ”You are intrusive” or ”This is not your problem”. This is incorrect since Allah (The Most High) commanded us to forbid evil and encourage virtue. It is our obligation to enjoin good and forbid evil to the best of our ability, whether the person who is commanded or forbidden likes it or not. And he (the one who rejects evil) should respond to him by saying, ”Indeed, this concerns me since Allah has commanded me to enjoin good and forbid evil, and that is because the believer to another believer is like a sturdy building, with one portion supporting the other. So what concerns a Muslim (with regards to doing good and keeping away from evil) is also a concern of his brother (in this case). (4)

Three Types of Friends – By Imaam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymeen [may Allah have mercy upon him]

The freeloader: Befriends you as long as he benefits from you, either by way of wealth or status, or other than that. If this benefit ceases, he becomes an enemy of yours, considers you as someone unknown to him, and vice versa. Numerous are those who defame (others when they spend in) charity! When given from it, they are pleased, but if not given they are angered. You see a bosom friend of yours- the noblest in your eyes and vice versa- asks you one day, saying, “Give me your book”, so, you say, “I’m in need of it today and will give it to you tomorrow”, so, he shows you enmity. This is a freeloader friend.

The friend of pleasure-seeking: Does not befriend you, except due (to the fact) that he enjoys sitting and speaking to you, and for the sake of chatting and socialising, however, neither does he benefit you nor does he benefit from you. Neither party benefit from the other, rather you only waste time. This is also a type of friend to beware of.

The friend of virtue: Directs you to what beautifies (your character etc), forbids you from what dishonours you, opens doors of good for you, and guides you to it. And if you make a mistake, he informs you in a manner that does not blemish your honour.

Freeloader friends are more numerous because the means of benefiting (others) are many, therefore, if you see that this man has not befriended you except due to receiving (worldly) benefit from you, then know that he is an enemy and not a friend. A friend of pleasure-seeking busies and distracts you with enjoyment through chatting, time-wasting in the amusement parks, and other than that. There is no good in this type of person; rather the one who should firmly cling to is the friend of virtue -the one who directs you towards every virtuous deed and forbids you from every evil. (5)

[Ref 1: Saheeh Bukhaari; Vol 3; Hadith Number:2641]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaariy page:397 Vol 2 footnote 1]

[Ref 3: An Excerpt from ‘Al-Manaahiy al-Laf’dhiyyah: page 117]

[Ref 4: Al-Manaahiy Al-Laf’dhiyyah’ Page 144]

[Ref 5: Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm’ pages 159-160]