Heartfelt Plea
Protect Others from your Evil
Head of the Central Executive Committee of Dawat-e-Islami, Mawlana Muhammad Imran Attari
During a Madani Muzakara, my spiritual guide, Amir Ahl al-Sunnah, Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ requested everyone to accept and internalise the following advice:
“If no one is harmed or put into difficulty because of me, many violations of people’s rights will be prevented.”[1]
O devotees of the Prophet! The perpetration of evil towards others has spread across our society, infiltrating our homes, neighbourhoods, roads, markets, offices and schools. Husbands oppress their wives and humiliate them in front of family members. Wives harm their husbands by being abusive and disobedient. A mother-in-law harms and disgraces her daughter-in-law for the most absurd reasons. A daughter-in-law annoys her mother-in-law. Parents are anxious due to the harm caused by their children. Children become worried and depressed because of the actions of their parents, sometimes even abandoning their homes because of this.
Parking your car in front of your neighbour’s house, dumping your rubbish on the doorstep of your neighbour’s home, and gossiping and laughing loudly whilst playing party games in the middle of the night disturbs people. Furthermore, using the car horn at night as a means of calling someone instead of using your phone, is also a cause of disruption to your family and neighbours. During weddings or other events, people are harmed by the commotion of fireworks and music. Playing cricket or other sports on the roads has a similar effect too. Driving the wrong way on one-way roads, parking incorrectly, using the horn unnecessarily during traffic jams, and blocking pedestrian pathways are becoming increasingly common. If you violate someone’s rights on the road and argue or fight with him, you will probably not meet him again to ask for forgiveness.
People who work together slander, backbite, mock and embarrass others to the point that they are diagnosed with mental illnesses. Co-workers go to the extreme length of leaving their jobs in order to protect themselves from this evil, or they take revenge by transgressing the boundaries of shariah. Employers violate the rights of employees by not compensating them for working longer hours and arrogantly talking down to them. Employees bring harm to their employers by leaving before their shift ends and by deliberately damaging company equipment. Businessmen harm people with their deceit by contaminating products and weighing them incorrectly. Doctors give their patients unneeded medications and tests, thereby increasing their medical bills. People who work in medical stores sell counterfeit medication which can have fatal consequences.
We must assess and reflect on our actions, especially those in a position of power. If we ponder deeply, we will find ourselves infringing on many rights of other people through wrongful actions. Are people at peace around us, or are they in pain because of our evil? In this regard, particular attention should be given to our subordinates, such as our children, wives, students and workers. We should bring serenity to others, not evil. Here are three statements of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to encourage us to adopt this mindset.
1Refrain from harming others, for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good.[2]
2Whoever consumes pure food, acts upon the Sunnah, and protects people from his evil will be admitted into Paradise.[3]
3The best amongst you is he who does not harm others and from whom goodness is hoped.[4]
ꜤAllāmah ꜤAbd al-Raˈūf al-Munāwī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:
Virtue is expected from a person who carries out pious acts to the extent that he becomes known amongst people for this. Hearts are protected from the evil of those whose virtues are numerous. When faith is firm in a person’s heart, good is expected from him, and people are protected from his evil. If faith is weak, virtue is reduced and he is overcome by evil.[5]
After reading such narrations, our mindsets change, and we become determined to protect others from evil whilst performing good deeds. Unfortunately, all of this is usually forgotten in a moment of anger. It is my appeal to the devotees of the Prophet that instead of bringing harm to others, become a source of peace and goodness اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه. May Allah grant everyone safety and well-being.
اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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