I came across This Statement/Post & it struck me as something which I must in fact speak to. The Post was asking about the Making of a Pious/Righteous-Person. Actually, al-Birr (Piety/Righteousness) is something which we, as Muslims, must/should strive for. But, never at the Expense of thinking/feeling that it’s onlu ourselves whom’re “Pious/Righteous”.
Courtesy of Abu Naeemah Alim via Facebook
In spite of it being a Good-Question…I want to focus more on the Implications of the Statement itself. The Implications are in fact rather dangerous & could easily fally under al-Kharajiyyah/Religio-Extremism. I’ll explain what I mean by this.
at-Tanzīl/Revelation corrects & debunks the Pseudo-Piety/Fake-Righteousness Mythos. And, it’s actually via Gentle-Ways…it serves as an Advice more than a Criticism. People are inherently more attracted to Advice, as opposed to Criticism. Knowing Their Creation better than Creation knows themselves-Allah (via Their Eternal-Mercy/Justice) always reveals Things via Ways which can be clearly comprehensible.
Pursuing al-Birr is a lot different than thinking/claiming we’ve got it, while Other-Muslims don’t.
Following Group-Screenshots are an Online-Convo I had, regarding Disgruntle-Individuals. They’re Salty about the Religio-Evolution of Polygyny-Culutre amongst Fellow-Muslims. This actually generally segways into a Larger-Issue, which is the Religio-Evolution of Marital-Culture amongst Muslims holistically.
The Persons I was conversing with really thought they were on to something “deep”. But, evidently, their Posture was extremely shallow. It was a Typical-Sifah/Manifestation of Blame/Fault-Culture.
They allow their Human-Weaknesses, the Deception of ash-Shaytān/Satan, the Pressure of their Socio-Cultural Backgrounds, etc. determine how they operate in Human-Relationships, pertaining to whether or not they have Multiple-Wives. As per Adultery: there’s Muslim-Men whom think/feel that being Debaucherous/Irresponsible is more Cost-Effective than maintaining Multiple-Wives. I literally know Muslim-Men who’d rather commit az-Zinā/THOTery via Adultery, as opposed to having Multiple-Wives.
It’s so convenient, via the Modern-World, for People to complain about This-Or-That. But, they’ll never…ever bother to introspect as to whether or not they themselves are the Problem. Humans are always seeking to scapegoat, deflect, gaslight, etc., instead of owning-up to their own Flaws. We must/should do a Better-Job being responsible & accountable for our own Character/Behavior.
al-Istighāthah basically means ad-Du`ā’ (Request, Petition, Verbal-Prayer, etc.). More specifically, al-Istighāthah is centered upon making ad-Du`ā’ to Dead-People and/or Presumably-Dead People. Which ironically: Allah directly commands to not do this Multiple/Numerous-Times via at-Tanzīl/Revelation. (Chpt.7, V.194; Chpt.72, V.18; Chpt.10, V.106-107; Chpt.26, V.213; Chpt.40, V.14; V.46:5-6; at-Tabarī; as-Suyūtī; Lisān-ul-`Arab: Lexicon of the Arabic-Language, ibn-Manzhūr)
There’s Several-Muslims whom I know (not from any Exclusive-Hizb/Sect), whom openly pontificate, claim, advocate, promote, etc. al-Istighāthah. And, their Pseudo-Justification is using the Prophetic-Position of Muhammad (Peace be upon them)…they of course do this via the Pontification/Claim that Muhammad is Alive & not Dead. We’re going to unpack this definitely. This is equally the Pseudo-Justification Countless-Muslims use to co-sign the Mawlid (Birthday-Of-Muhammad) for the Record.
At This-Point, we’ll switch Gears with a Statement made directly towards me, regarding what I’ve aforementioned. These’re Statements which are very commonly made to. Needless to say, they didn’t take kindly to my Religio-Madhāhib/Stances. But, I honestly don’t care, so it’s actually OK.
And, of course, my Response via Typical Gareth Bryant Fashion:
1. Fuck as-Salafiyyah/Salafism…just in case People audaciously/arrogantly accuse me of being “Salafī”.
2. I’m not obligated to accept any Fatwā/Religio-Ruling from any Particular/Specific-Scholar, via any Particular/Specific Hizb (Religio-Sectarian Group).
3. al-Wahhābiyyah/Wahhābism is a Mythos/Pseudo-Narrative. Wahhābism has never been a Real-Thing.
Then, of course there was Another-Statement, via the Same-Individual:
Of course, my Response was:
What Nuzūl/Revelatory-Texts state that Dead-Persons are “Alive”, in spite of Death touching them?!!! Last-Time I checked: Chpt.23, V.99&100 are Crystal-Clear, as per when soneone dies they’re no longer of ad-Dunyā/the Mundane. That’s literally like saying/claiming that Abū-Bakr was “wrong” for saying that Muhammad is Dead. Make that Goofy-Shit make Sense.
Their Response:
They’re the Same-Person whom sent me the Article from http://www.deoband.org in the 1st-Place, concerning the Pontification/Claim that Muhammad is presented via their Grave the Deeds of the Muslims (Relative to the Revelation of The Qur’ān). And, they attempted to use a Revelatory-Text to “prove” their Claim:
My Response:
This isn’t a “Proof” that Muhammad (Peace be upon them) isn’t Dead:
a. The Dead…all the Dead are in a Sleeping-State: this is precisely how/why when we’re resurrected we’ll actually think that we’ve only been asleep for a Day or Part of a Day.
b. This applies to any/all of the Anbiyā’/Prophetic-Individuals, that when we salute them the Salutations are Angelically-Delivered to them.
c. Allah commanding the Earth to not consume the Flesh-Of-Muhammad: that’s a Divine-Courtesy granted to all the Anbiyā’.
My Other-Response:
This-Hadīth/Narration, by default, debunks the Entire-Maqsid/Premise of the Aforementioned-Article. Had Muhammad already known the A`māl/Actions of those Angelically-Denied Access to the Hawdh, then they won’t be questioning/challenging the Angels (Peace be upon them) stopping Certain-Muslims from Access to the Hawdh. The Angels denying Certain-Muslims (relative to the Revelation of The Qur’ān) to drink via the Hawdh/Fountain-Of-Muhammad is a Hujjah/Indictment against this Entire-Article.
(Honestly) none of the aforementioned actually bothered/triggered me, except the Following-Comment via the Same-Person I had dialogued with:
That’s a very Disrespectful-Implication… …they’ve literally implied (based upon their Statement) that those whom don’t support/co-sign al-Mawlid, al-Istighāthah, etc. don’t possess Muhabbah/Love for Muhammad (which is Theologically-Mafrūdh/Mandatory to love them for the Record). That’s literally no different than/from Muslims whom’re Ash`arīs accusing Muslims whom’re Non-Ash`arīs of al-Kufr/Disbelief, for being Non-Ash`arīs…this is in spite of the Fact that Abul-Hasan al-Ash`arī: the Progenitor/Founder of al-Ash`ariyyah/Ash`arism (on their own Deathbed via Baghdād/`Irāq) stated they’d no longer make Unjust-Takfīr/Blasphemy against Fellow-Muslims. They literally don’t even care how Theologically-Dangerous their Last-Comment actually is. Apathy is worse than Ignorance.
“And never let your hatred, against any People, prevent you from behaving justly.” (Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.5, V.8)
My Father went through a lot in their Life. They were born prematurely, not expecting to live beyond 1-Year Old. They had Health-Problems their Entire-Life. And, sadly, they still chose to abuse their Body via Tabacco-Usage & Alcoholism. Their Substance-Abuse Addiction almost exclusively stemmed from their Mother dying when my Father was a Young-Person. My Father never recovered from their Grief of losing their Mother. Substance-Abuse was used by my Father, to mask the Pain they lived with, over their Mother’s Death. When my Father died: they were 51-Years Old & I was 8-Years Old. I remember 2-Weeks prior to their Death: they were receiving At-Home Hospice-Care (they had Lung-Cancer which couldn’t be humanly-cured). My Father had smoked Cigarettes from Age-16 to Age-49 (Age-49 was when they were diagnosed with Lung-Cancer and died 2-Years later). As an 8-Year Old, no one explains these Types/Kinds of Things (in spite of the Fact that they should). All I knew was that my Father, my Male-Parent, my Hero, etc. was gone. I was a Trainwreck, when my Father died. My Grief over my Father’s Death became so severe, that my Mother saw fit that I go into Therapy. I went to Therapy up until my Junior-High School Years (Important-Note: Therapy actually works which is 0-Surprise how/why I’m a Chaplain till This-Day). Then, as I learned more about how/why my Father died: I began to severely despise/hate them.
My Karh/Hatred against my Father was exclusively predicated upon the Fact that they destroyed themselves via Substance-Abuse. Realistically (Allah knows best), they could’ve easily lived another 2-Decades had they never smoked Cigarettes. My Hatred against my Father was so severe, that there were Times I wish that they weren’t my Father at all. When People would tell me that I looked, acted, walked, talked, etc. like my Father: I hated it all. I had wanted 0-Connection with my Father.
And, this is where my Mother comes-in. Literally, one of the Reasons how/why I respect my Mother so highly: they never tolerated me having any Negative-Opinions of my Father. What I’ve aforementioned: I’ve never expressed to my Mother, out of Respect for them & I know that it would’ve greatly disappointed them (especially back when I was a Young-Person). I remember there was a Note which my Father wrote for me…I still have it by the way. My Mother always said to me periodically: “Your Father wrote this, so keep it & don’t lose it.”. In my Mind, at the Time, I was like: “Uff” (an Arabic-Term which basically means “Whateva Nigga”)…it’s a Term which ironically Allah commands Muslims to never say to their Parents. And, periodically, I’d read the Note & really think nothing of it, I really didn’t even care for the Note back then honestly. However, when I became Muslim: my Attitude towards my Father became a 180⁰-Difference, and the Love for them which died with them was resurrected. 1-Day, as a Muslim, I was feeling nostalgic…I looked into an Album of mine & saw the Note my Father wrote for me. And, that’s when the Message of the Note truly hit me hard.
“Whomever disrespects their Parents never enters Paradise.”.
(al-Kabā’ir/The Major-Sins, adh-Dhahabī)
When my Father wrote That-Note, they knew they weren’t going to live long enough to watch me grow-up…they knew they were dying. But, in spite of that: they wanted to leave behind a Fatherly-Legacy, for me to remember them by & to take Pride in. And, via the Mercy-Of-Allah, that was a Mission-Accomplished. It reminded me, back then, what I always tell People currently: Just because the Father wasn’t present doesn’t mean they wanted to be absent.
It doesn’t end there though…there’s Several-Things which I had to do thereafter:
1. I had to make at-Tawbah/Repentance to Allah, for all of Those-Years which I spent hating my Father unjustly.
2. I had to forgive myself, for unjustly hating my Father.
3. I had to forgive my Father, for oppressing themselves via Substance-Abuse.
After completing the Aforementioned-Things: I was finally capable/able to escape my Plantation-Of-Pain, caused by my Unjust-Hatred against my Father. Having the Opportunity (granted by Allah of course) to release the Pain I held against my Father, via my Sadr/Mind&Heart-I became a Better-Person, a More-Liberated Person, a More-Confident Person, a More-Courageous Person, etc.
It’s actually taken a lot out of me, to be this open, vulnerable, truthful, honest, transparent, etc. concerning what I truly harbored via my Mind/Heart. These were very much Intimate-Moments of my Life, which I’ve never shared publicly (to the Extent I’ve detailed) like this here. It’s scary, for anyone to be this Self-Exposed. I literally wrestled with myself, whether or not I should’ve even written this. I even cried about it, cried while I was authoring this, etc. Yet, as I always tell People: Courage isn’t the “Absence-Of-Fear”. Rather, it’s the Willingness&Ability to confront Fear.
I know, for an Absolute-Fact, that my Hadīth/Story concerning my Ab/Father: it’s a Universal-Hadīth. Countless-Humans have experienced what I experienced, as per the Perplexities/Complexities of the Relationship-Dynamics between Father&Son, Father&Child, etc. I’m not an Anomoly. What I’ve articulated, it’s something Countless-Persons have went through & still go through. I’m simply hopeful, that Allah will expand the Sudūr/Minds&Hearts of any/all those who’ve read this…that it grants them the Tawfīq/Empowerment to improve themselves & to free/liberate themselves from their own Plantations-Of-Pain.
Gareth Bryant 