Thorns on my Path Class # 8 24 th June 2014
Introduction Thorns in our path refer to the Fitna. We will discuss the way Fitna is mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah. In the Quran, Fitna is used for the following: Punishment i.e. Hell fire Anything that leads to the punishment of Allah (SWT) i.e. Hell fire Disbelief is the cause of punishment therefore; it s mentioned as Fitna in Quran Evidence from the Quran: Surah An-Nur verse 63 So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitna strike them or a painful punishment. To disbelief is to do something contrary to what Prophet (SAW) did and to oppose him. In this verse, Allah (SWT) mentioned disbelief as Fitna. When someone is a disbeliever, the disbelief is like a deception for him. 2
Stages of Fitna for Disbelievers The disbeliever will go through different levels of Fitna. This person has denied the blessings of Allah (SWT). He covers Allah s favors and attributes them to himself or to others. He doesn t believe in Allah (SWT). The disbelief consists of several types of Fitna. 1. The disbeliever will be affected by the means of this world (duniya) In general, this world (specifically the means in this world) is a trial and it can deceive a person. If Allah (SWT) provides you from the sky and money will fall from there, you will believe that Allah (SWT) gave you but He will give you money through means. The means of this world can deceive a person and he will disbelieve. The believer doesn t sees the means but he sees the one who brings the means i.e. Allah (SWT). They are attached to the names and attributes of Allah (SWT) 2. The disbeliever are tested by the Messengers Allah (SWT) sent the guidance by sending the Messengers but for the disbelievers they are a Fitna e.g. Allah (SWT) sent Prophet (S AW) to guide the people and show them the right way but for the disbelievers, e.g. Quraish and Jews of Madina, he was a trial. 3. The disbelievers are opposing and denying the Messengers The disbelievers are having so much Fitna in them. They disbelieve and they are punished in stages. 4. The disbelievers have been deceived by the punishment of this world. The disbelievers are worried and stressed about the world so there is a misery even behind their enjoyment. They are stressed about small things and are not in peace. On the contrary, the believer, although he doesn t have too many worldly possessions, he s living in Paradise because there s remembrance of Allah (SWT) in his heart. Believers are having inner 3
peace even if there life is upside down. They are guarded by a fortress and are not affected by the life. 5. The disbeliever will be tried by the punishment of the grave Fitna of the grave leads to the punishment of the grave. Fitna of the grave are the questions of the grave (Who s your Lord, What is your Religion, Who s your Prophet?). If you don t know the purpose of your life, the questions of the grave will be very deceiving. The questions and their answers were given to us by the Prophets and we have the answers written in the form of books (Quran & Hadith). 6. The disbelievers will be tried by the trial of the Day of Judgment On the Day of Judgment, the disbelievers will see one of the place resembling their gods and they will be hypnotized by it. They will follow it and fall into the Hell fire. The two levels, Day of Judgment and the grave, you don t have a choice but for the other four levels you have a solution. In this world, you have the option to win or lose and based on that you ll be treated in the grave and the Day of Judgment. 7. Finally, they will be tried by the biggest trial that will make them forget all previous Fitnas: Punishment of the Fire Evidence from the Quran: Surah Az Zariat verse [It is] the Day they will be tormented over the Fire Allah (SWT) tested them with the trials of this world and they failed so they were given the punishment of the Hell fire. Therefore, we should supplicate to protect us from the trial of disbelief. 4
What did Prophet (SAW) tell us about the Fitna? There will be more Fitna as we go closer to the Day of Judgment. Someone sitting is better than someone standing in the Fitna This means not going or involving in the Fitna. Standing refers to someone looking at the Fitna. Someone standing is better than someone walking into the Fitna Someone walking is better than someone running in the Fitna This shows that people have different reaction towards different trials of this world. The best one is the one sitting (Al Qaid). Sitting means they don t get involved in it. It doesn t mean literally sitting but it means not talking about it. Anyone who plans to look at it will be overtaken by the Fitna. You can t trust yourself. If you hear about Dajjal, don t think that I want to see how he looks. Anyone who looks at Dajjal will fall into his trial. Therefore, Prophet (SAW) said when you hear about Dajjal, stay in your house and don t even look at him and if someone has a refuge or a shelter let him go there. It means that you have to protect yourself from Fitna. Reaction of a Momin to a Fitna He will just sit and will not even talk about it. He s scared of the Fitna because it can affect him and his belief negatively. What is the refuge? The refuge of the believer is his faith and good deeds especially the remembrance of Allah (Azkar). Azkar not only protects from the Satan and the evil eye but they also protect you from trials. Someone who doesn t have faith will not be scared of the Fitna. It s as if someone doesn t have money, he s poor and he ll not be scared of the thieves. The believers are rich and the disbelievers are poor. The 5
Fitna can eat the faith and the good deeds of the believers but the disbelievers are like poor people-they don t have faith. 6