Preventions of al-hidaayah

Prevention of al-Hidayaah

Two of the greatest blessings Allah can bestow upon a servant are guidance (Al-Huda) and mercy (Rahma) and what opposes them is misguidance (Ad-Dalal) and anger (Ghadab). Allah (swt) orders us to ask him every day and night to guide us to the path of those whom he is pleased with and those whom he has blessed: the people of guidance and rahma, and to say: 'Save us from the path of those whom you are angry with and save and those who are misguided.' This du'aa is considered the most jaami' (comprehensive) and maani' (restricted) du'aa. It is also the most virtuous and obligatory supplication, to the level where the servant is needy to ask Allah to guide him to the right path (those whom he is pleased with and not angry with) 17 times a day as an obligation.

The response to this supplication is subjective to the weakness of the heart of the person. It has been reported by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: 'Supplicate to Allah with full certainty that he will respond, and be aware that Allah will never respond to a supplication from the heart of someone who is ghaafil (unaware or doesn't understand) and laahin (too busy).' (At-Tirmizi volume 5, page 517, hadith number 3479)

And in Soorah Kahf verse 28 Allah orders us not to listen to and obey those who have ghaafil in their hearts: "And keep yourself (O Muhammad SAW) patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon… and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost." (EMQ Al-Kahf, 18: 28)

Many people may think that why with all these guidelines and supplications do we still feel a shortage of guidance? A person may also pray and make du'aa all day for guidance, but will feel as though he is not enjoying his salat nor have the opportunity to meet his Sheikh and study his Deen. These are just a few problems of a person who is lacking guidance, but what is its causes, results and cures is the real question.

There is no doubt that there are many preventions of guidance and at least one of them or all of them could be attributed to a person. With the will of Allah we have managed to scan full heartedly seeking guidance from Allah for an answer to this problem, and Al-Humdulillah he has guided us to 10 main preventions of guidance:

1. Lack of knowledge
The perfection of the servant is in two matters:

1. To be aware about the truth (haq) from the falsehood (batil)
2. Then to favor the haq against the batil

Some people may know the haq from the batil but he will favor batil, or his favoring of the haq from the batil could be weak (due to tests from Allah). If the ignorant starts to study and become aware of these two points than he will become closer to the truth and cut half his way to the path of guidance. The only thing remaining after that would be the will power to run towards the guidance. Some people may have a little knowledge but they will lack the will power to seek guidance from Allah, and evidence for this is the following supplication made by the Messenger Muhammad (saw).

Rasulullah (saw) used to ask: 'Oh Allah! I ask you for will power to seek guidance and to achieve the objective ('azeemah)' (Imaam Ahmad and Faidul Qadeer)

Without 'azeemah (to achieve the objective) you will always fail in anything you do. Allah informs us that Aadam (as) did not have the will power and was deceived by the whispering Iblees:

"And indeed We made a covenant with Aadam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm will-power." (EMQ Taa-Haa, 20: 115)

As for the kafir, this becomes an obstacle to reach Islam because they do not know anything about it even though they hate it so much. Man is an enemy to what he is ignorant about e.g. if he is knowledgeable about somebody it will effect how he deals with him. Unfortunate the ignorance about Islam among the Muslims today has reached a level where it has become an obstacle to an extent where some Muslims even say: 'if I repent and return back to Allah and do good deeds he will restrain my rizq (become poor) and make my life miserable. When I don't practice Islam help always comes to me, I have plenty of money and I become a better person.' This person worships Allah for the sake of his stomach and desires, and when this happens Allah is testing his servant's belief and patience. How many ignorant worshippers and so called practicing Muslims are spoilt without knowledge; claiming he knows all of the Deen yet he worships Allah just on the edge:

Wa minannasi may-ya'budallaha 'ala harf…
"And among mankind is he who worships Allâh as it were, upon the very edge (i.e. in doubt); if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face…" (EMQ Al-Hajj, 22: 11)

How many people are affected by having lack of knowledge, and how many fail in this test by thinking he knows it all? They are ignorant of the blessing of Allah, his tests and his mercy. If you do not know the sacrifice of the dunya and enjoyment of hereafter you will favor the lesser (dunya) than the higher, and if you do not recognize that the commands of Allah is a mercy for you as it will make you refrain from relaxation in the dunya and from becoming parts and pieces of it; you will be a permanent resident of the dunya rather than to be musaafir (traveller), targeting the blessings of the hereafter. Verily Allah has made the dunya so tight and difficult for the believers in order for us not to relax and to always seek the aakhira (hereafter).

2. 'Adam-min ahliyyah - They are not eligible for it

A person may have knowledge but is not eligible for hidaayah because he doesn't have the purity and the ability, and Allah (swt) informs us about people are not eligible for his guidance:

"Had Allâh known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them hear the truth, and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away, averse (to the truth)." (EMQ Al-Anfaal, 8: 23)

If the heart of a person is solid like a rock, he will not be able to accept any advice from people let alone guidance from Allah. The worst heart in the sight of Allah that is far from any mercy is Al-Qalbu qaasi (the solid heart).

Allah (swt) says: Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness. And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allâh. And Allâh is not unaware of what you do. (EMQ Al-Baqarah, 2: 74)

Therefore the heart that is ill, has no will power, no strength and is solid like a rock will not be eligible for any i'lm, and if Allah (swt) grants him i'lm it will have no affect on the heart made from stone.

Allah (swt) says: And when Allâh Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust and when those (whom they obey or worship) besides Him are mentioned, behold, they rejoice! (EMQ Az-Zumar, 39: 45)

Those who have hearts like stone will become sick and disgusted whenever the Deen of Allah is mentioned as they have no yaqeen (conviction) that they will be called to account for their deeds, whereas when something kufr or haraam is mentioned they become so happy and eager to rush to it.

3. Being envious (hasad) and arrogant (At-Takabbur)

It has been reported in Sahih Muslim by Abdullah bin Mas'ud that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: 'No person will enter Jannah if he has in his heart a small atoms weight of arrogance.' The Sahabah then asked him: 'Oh Rasulullah a man likes to have very nice cloths and shoes, is this arrogance?' Rasulullah (saw) said: 'No. Allah is beautiful and he likes anything that is beautiful.'

A person that is arrogant will always put down the truth and will look down to other people. They will belittle the truth to an extent that if you tell them something is haraam or kufr they will not care and the hukm (divine rule). Likewise, a person that is envious will want everything for himself, rather than to belittle be happy and content with what he has. Instead to compete on the good deeds, racing towards knowledge or da'wah, he will envy those who receive knowledge before him or have more knowledge than him. When he hears a person being praised he will become arrogant and envious of that person and will try to show others that he is better than him.

The solution to arrogance and envy is to be humble and have humility as these are the opposite of arrogance because it disagrees with a person's interests.

This disease of envy and arrogance is what made the Jews turn their backs and disbelieve in Rasulullah (saw) even though they were fully aware and convinced he was a Nabi (Prophet) as his signs and descriptions fit that which was in their books and scriptures; they could not accept his Prophethood due to arrogance and envy and therefore Allah (swt) exposed them in Soorah Al-Baqarah:

Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognize him (Muhammad SAW) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it - [i.e. the qualities of Muhammad SAW which are written in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] (EMQ Al-Baqarah, 2: 146)

This disease of arrogance is what also made Abu Jahl turn his back to Islam. When he was asked why he rejected the message of Islam he said: 'We were racing with Bani Haashim (the tribe) for an honorable position until we became like two jockeys. We used to say to them 'the nabi will be from among us' but when he came from Banu Haashim we said: By Allah we are not going to believe in him! Therefore I did not believe in him.' All of the Mushrikoon did not doubt his sincerity nor doubt that the haq was with him; it was arrogance and envy, denial (juhoud) and stubbornness ('inaad), which lead them to kufr and rejection.

4. Seeking leadership

Seeking leadership is another prevention of guidance. If a person has no envy nor any arrogance he should follow the haq even if he is not in a position of leadership as there is a world of difference between this and a person who seeks the haq to be in power. If a person targets leadership he will not be eligible for hidaayah and will not be able to maintain his leadership.

Sometimes seeking the hidaayah requires a sacrifice of wealth and leadership, and an example for this is when Hirakil said (in his last conversation with Abu Sufyan): 'If what you say about Muhammad is true, he is going to possess all of what is underneath my feet. And if I was going to be faithful to him, it will encourage me make effort to meet him, and if I was with him I would wash his feet.' This quote shows us that Allah did not grant Hirakil hidaayah as he did not want to loose his leadership among his people.

History also informs us that the Caesar of the Romans and the Pharaohs and kings of the past rejected the call of the truth out of fear from the own authority and leadership. Allah informs us that no person will be saved from the disease of seeking leadership except whom he wishes to be guided, such as the Najaashi of Abyssinia whom Allah protected. Whereas the Pharaoh and his people said:

Are we going to believe in two men like us, yet their own people worship like us? (EMQ Al-Mu'minoon, 23: 47)

It has also been reported that whilst Phir'awn (Pharaoh) was thinking about following Musa (as) out of love to him as he was his adopted son, he made consultation Haamaan. But Haamaan said to Phir'awn: 'after you have been a God that people worship and follow, you want to become a servant and follow somebody else!?' This increased the arrogance of Phir'awn; hence he chose leadership over guidance.

5. Ash-Shahwa wal Maal - Desires and wealth

Desires and wealth is what prevented the people of the book from believing in the message of Islam as they feared a loss of food, property and money. They were fully aware that Islam condemns some of their economic transactions i.e. riba (interest) and any money that was earned in haraam (prohibited) means would need to be donated as sadaqah (charity) or Zakaat. The people of the book (Jews and Christians) did not want to donate their money to charity, nor stop dealing with riba, eating haraam food, and drinking alcohol etc.

One of the tactics the Quraish used to use in order to deter people away from Islam was to come from the angle of benefit, enjoyment and fulfillment of desire. They would say to the one who loves fornication: 'don't listen to that man (Muhammad [saw])! He forbids fornication' or 'don't listen to him, he forbids alcohol.' This can even be seen today from the so-called Muslims who say: 'don't listen to that man, he forbids mortgages…' or even from the non-Muslims who don't want to obey Allah as they would need to give up their desires of pornography, alcohol, nigh-clubs, pork etc.

An example for this is the famous narration of a man called Al-A'ashaa, an Arab Mushrik who was addicted to alcohol but heard about Islam and wanted to meet the Messenger Muhammad (saw). On his way to meet him he was stopped by a few members of the Quraish who asked where he was going. He told them he was on his way to meet the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and embrace Islam. Upon hearing this, the members of Quraish said to him: 'this man completely forbids alcohol are you sure you want to meet him!?' The man then re-considered whether he should meet Muhammad (saw) or not, and decided he wasn't and hence tuned back round to go home after traveling hundreds of miles. On his way back home his camel became frightened by something and started shaking until it threw Al-A'ashaa off and trampled over him until he died. Al-A'ashaa was so close to becoming Muslim and being saved from the hellfire, but because of his own desires and alcohol addiction that he did not want to give up he died kaafir.

Furthermore, Ibn Abbas said: 'the people of I'lm from among the people of book said: 'I will never give up drinking alcohol! If I was to become Muslim I would not be allowed to drink and I would also be lashed!'' It is also narrated that the people of Yathrib (Madeenah) used to say: 'What you speak of is the truth, but my relatives have a lot of money and if I become Muslim I will not be able to inherit from them (as it is not allowed for Muslims to inherit from kaafir parents).'

There is no doubt that this disease is in the hearts and minds or all the kuffar, and unfortunately even many Muslims. If Islam apposes or comes into conflict with their interests and desires, those with weak eemaan or no eemaan (kafir) would respond to their desires and wealth. And Allah (swt) informs us about those who do not respond to the call of Allah:

And whosoever does not respond to Allâh's Caller, he cannot escape on earth, and there will be no Auliyâ' (protectors) for him besides Allâh (from Allâh's Punishment). Those are in manifest error. (EMQ Al-Ahqaaf, 46: 32)

6. The love for parents, children, wives (beloved ones) and tribes etc.

Love for the beloved ones will make a person subconsciously feel that if he follows what his heart signals is the truth he will lose them (wives, parents, children etc.). Therefore the fear of losing beloved ones could lead to the prevention of guidance as a person would be afraid of embracing or practicing Islam for fear of being rejected by his family and disowned by his parents.

For this reason many disbelievers prefer to reject the call of Islam because they see how over new converts are treated by their parents and family and do not want to face the same destiny. The same can also be said about the Jews and Christians who reject Islam and declare animosity to the believers, which makes their own family and children turn their backs to Islam for sake of not loosing their parents or wife etc. And unfortunately many Muslims, out of love to his secular parents or family will never support the truth if it contradicts with what his beloved ones say and believe in. Therefore it is not surprising when we hear parents say 'don't go to those talks and da'wah stalls…' the Muslims choose to fear their parents more than Allah and completely give up the Haq (da'wah, forbidding evil, studying Islam etc).

The love for children and wives will also prevent a da'ee from fulfilling his duties as he will be afraid of losing or upsetting his wife and not spending enough time with his children. Yet this is no excuse to miss or avoid carrying da'wah, for Allah (swt) says in the hardest ayat in the Qur'an (ashaddu aayatin fi kitabillah):

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight … are dearer to you than Allâh and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allâh brings about His Decision (torment). And Allâh guides not the people who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh). (EMQ At-Taubah, 9: 24)

Even if a secular person or a kaafir is asked 'who do you love more, Allah or your parents?' They will always say 'Allah'. But Allah (swt) is not asking us who we love more as everyone will say Allah. Allah is asking us if we love our beloved ones and obey them by disobeying the commands of Allah, we will become faasiq (sinful), face torment in the hereafter and become ineligible for his guidance.

7. The love of the homeland - Nationalism

Nationalism is a great prevention of guidance and we have seen many times people who choose to follow misguidance due to a member of their race or nationality not being a particular group who are following the haq i.e. a Bengali not joining a group because there are no other Bengalis with them. This same jaahiliyyah happened in the time of Muhammad (saw) where the hypocrites did not want to make hijrah to Madeenah as they didn't want to leave their tribes and their beloved city in which they were born (Makkah). It is also narrated that they used to say: 'we cannot leave Makkah and go to Yathrib…we love Makkah too much…'

A Muslim needs to sacrifice his country and nationality if he wants to follow Islam and be eligible for hidaayah. An excellent example can be seen in Salmaan al-Faarisi who left his homeland and traveled from country to country to meet Rasulullah (saw). When he ran out of money he even became slave for sake of earning money in order to pay for travel expenses. Finally when he reached Makkah he spent a long time looking for him then he realized that Muhammad (saw) was not even there as he moved to Madeenah. He then left Makkah and traveled to Madeenah where he met the messenger Muhammad (saw) and embraced Islam

8. Following customs and traditions and aiming to fulfil the ambitions of parents

Many people are ineligible for hidaayah as they believe the haq is an insult to their customs and traditions and is an obstacle in fulfilling the ambitions and dreams of their parents. This is exactly what prevented Abu Taalib, the uncle of Muhammad (saw) from getting any hidaayah from Allah as he rejected the message of Islam in order to fulfil the ambitions of his family and tribes. One of the enemies of Allah said to Abu Taalib: 'are you turning away from the deen of Abdul Mu'tablib?' Rasulullah asked his uncle to say Laa ilaha illallahu Muhammadar-Rasulullah but he replied: 'Oh my nephew, by Allah from the first day I knew you speak the truth but my people do not like this word (the kalimah) and I do not want to let them down…I am on the millah (deen) of Abdul Mu'talib.' It is also narrated that Abu Taalib said: 'I know for sure the deen of Muhammad (saw) is the best deen for the whole world but I don't want people to complain that I have brought a bad name to our tribes, otherwise you would have seen me testifying publicly.'

The majority of people, even Muslims, are still persistent in following their customs and traditions to a level where if the haq conflicts with a custom they follow, they will not only reject to follow it but will also publicly condemn it, curse it and even call it bid'a (which is complete zandaqah), for example the kufr and shirk of wearing Ta'weez or touching your parents feet.

When a person hears that free-mixing is not allowed in kufr universities and colleges they will completely reject the command of Allah as they do not want to fail the ambitions of his parents, such as becoming a doctor, solicitor, lawyer, engineer or any other so-called professional.

Many people do not want to leave the traditions and customs of their parents and Allah (swt) exposes them in the Qur'an:

And when it is said to them: "Come to what Allâh has revealed and unto the Messenger (Muhammad SAW)." They say: "Enough for us is that which we found our fathers following," even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever and no guidance. (EMQ Al-Maaida, 5: 104)

9. Choosing not to follow the haq as someone you hate is following it

When a person hates someone, they will dislike walking where he walks, sitting where he sits and eat what he eats. Therefore if he sees a person whom he hates with a group that is following the haq, he will not join them purely for the reason that a person he hates is with them, even though he knows that group is on the haq. This even happens with the kuffar where they will not embrace Islam as a family member he used to hate so much embraced Islam and is following the haq.

This is also another reason why the Jews rejected Islam as they were enemies with the Ansar therefore rejected Islam as the people they hate most are following the haq, despite the fact the Muhammad (saw) fit the exact description of a forthcoming prophet in their scriptures:

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad SAW) whom they find written with them in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)… (EMQ Al-A'araaf, 7: 157)

How many people choose not to follow the truth as somebody he hates is following that path?

10. Old habits

Some people grow up with certain worldly aspirations such as to get a top job, a position, to be a pop star, a boxer, DJ etc. and certain bad habits such as listening to music, watching movies, eating too much, smoking, lying, swearing and being lazy etc. They will fear that their profession could be affected if they follow the haq and commit themselves in fulfilling their duties and obligations and do not want to give up their bad habits.

This can be seen in many Muslims who find it so difficult to leave their prohibited jobs as it took them years to reach that position, and bad habits such as eating out all the time and looking at women with the justification of looking for a wife.

And Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: And similarly, We sent not a Warner before you (O Muhammad SAW) to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps." (EMQ Az-Zukhruf, 43: 23)

Those who follow their desires will find it difficult to give up cigarettes and European Coca-Cola etc. and say 'I have never heard that before!' without to realize that they are not scholars and there are many things in life which they have no knowledge about. When they here free-mixing, cinemas, credit cards and mortgages etc. are haraam they will say 'I wonder what is halal?' or 'everything is haraam for you people!' They will find it impossible to give up haraam food in KFC or Burger King and all other evil, hence become misguided.

For us to be open for the conviction and guidance of Allah we must not commit any of these 10 preventions, give up our old habits and take up the recommended Islamic habits. We must keep learning from the 'Ulama, attending talks in order to increase our knowledge and practice Islam the way the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and his companions did.