Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Halaqah #13 - 3/14/07

Verse 5:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ صَبَرُوا حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِمْ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

If only they had patience until thou couldst come out to them, it would be best for them: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.


And if

وَلَوْ

They had

أَنَّهُمْ

Patience

صَبَرُوا

till

حَتَّى

You could come out

تَخْرُجَ

to them

إِلَيْهِمْ

it would have been

لَكَانَ

better

خَيْرًا

for them

لَّهُمْ

And Allah is

وَاللَّهُ

Oft-giving

غَفُورٌ

Most Merciful

رَّحِيمٌ


After the disapproval in the previous ayat (Allah condemned the Bedouins who called out to the Prophet in such a manner), Allah explains to the Bedouins the correct mode of behavior with the main emphasis on sabr (patience). They should have knocked on one of the apartment doors and found out where the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) was.


The group of Bedouins form the Tameen tribe who came to the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) had wanted to act on behalf of some pagan prisoners taken in recent battles against the Muslims. The Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) listened to their request and decided to free half of them and charge a ransom for the rest. But if they had patiently waited outside the Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) house, he would have probably freed all of the them. From this, we can see that the quality of patience is among the greatest virtues in Islam, hence why its emphasized in almost every surah of the Qur’an.


Allah opens the door of his mercy by concluding the ayat, وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ , wallahu ghafoorun raheem (Allah is oft-forgiving, most merciful).


This verse can be taken into further meaning and applied to the leaders of the community (ex: it is inappropriate to knock on someone’s door and call out loudly to them). Everyone is entitled to their right of privacy.


From the mercy of Allah, He warned us against bad behavior, and then allowed the opportunity for those who committed the mistake a chance to repent to Him.


Abu Hanifah said don’t raise your voices because it is a sign of foolishness (…donkey) and lowering your voice is a sign of wisdom.


Abu Sai’d Khudri reported: We were in the company of Ubayy b. Ka’b that Abu Musa Ash’ari came there in a state of anger. He stood (before us) and said, I ask you to bear witness in the name of Allah whether anyone amongst you heard Allah’s Messenger (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) as saying: Permission (for entering the house) should be sought three times and if permission is granted to you (then get in): otherwise go back.


Ubaay b. Ka’b said: What is the matter?


He said: I sought permission yesterday form ‘Umar b. Khattab three times but he did not permit me, so I came back; then I went to him today and visited him and informed him that I had come to him yesterday and greeted him thrice, then came back, whereupon he said: Yes, we did hear you, but we were busy, but why did you not seek permission (further and you must have never gone back until you were permitted to do so).


He said: I sought permission (in the manner) that I heard Allah’s Messenger (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) having said (in connection ‘with the seeking permission for entering the house of a stranger). Thereupon he (Hadarat Umar) said: By Allah, I shall torture your back and your stomach unless you bring one who may bear witness to what you state.’


Ubaay b. Ka’ab said: By Allah, none should stand with you (to bear testimony) but the youngest amongst us. And he therefore, said to Abu Sa’id: Stand up. So I stood up until I came to Umar and said: I heard Allah’s Messenger (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) say this


Also in Surah An-Noor, it mentions:

فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا فِيهَا أَحَدًا فَلَا تَدْخُلُوهَا حَتَّى يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ وَإِن قِيلَ لَكُمُ ارْجِعُوا فَارْجِعُوا هُوَ أَزْكَى لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ

If ye find no one in the house, enter not until permission is given to you: if ye are asked to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity for yourselves: and Allah knows well all that ye do. (24:28)


Minor etiquettes, such as this, have been abandoned, but need to be implemented once more.


The Prophet (sallahu alaihyi wa salaam) had a great level of modesty. Even if things bothered him, he would not say anything and was patient with the people’s actions and behavior. It was Allah (swt) who spoke on behalf of His Prophet.