Encouragement to one studying in a place where there is a stigma attached to practicing Sunnat

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Alhumdulillah Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala has blessed you with the Tawfeeq to keep a beard in this era where many muslims are afraid to be associated with Islam. Be proud of your identity. Always remember that eternal salvation lies in that which Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam taught us and that every other lifestyle leads to eternal failure.

The fact of the matter is that there is nothing you can do to compel the kuffar to love the Sunnat. Take the example of Rasulullah Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam himself. He was the most perfect ambassador of the Sunnat imaginable. Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala, the creator of Jinn, Angels, and all of mankid said about Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam:

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ (68:4)

“And surely you (Muhammad) are of a tremendous character”

‘Aisha Radiyallahu ‘Anha once described the noble character of Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam as the embodiment of the Quran^[1]. Yet, despite his lofty character, the yahood and mushrikeen of Arabia still hated him. They abused him and even tried to kill him. And despite these challenges, Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam remained unyielding in his mission to teach mankind how to earn Allah’s pleasure. Allah says in the Quraan:

 وَلَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ (2:120)

“And the Jews and Christians will never be pleased with you until you (abandon your religion and) follow their religion. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah is the true guidance. And if you (Oh Muhammad Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) follow their desires after knowledge has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah nor any helper.”

يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ (9:32) هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ (9:33)

“They (the kuffar) wish to blot out Allah’s Noor (of hidaayah) with their mouths but Allah insists on perfecting his light, though the kuffar dislike it. He is the one who sent His messenger with guidance and the true religion so that it may prevail over all religions, though the mushrikeen dislike it.”

فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَا يَسْتَخِفَّنَّكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَ (30:60)

“So bear patiently, verily the promise of Allah is true and don’t let those who have no certainty hold you (Muhammad) in light estimation”

لَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا (3:186)

“And you will most certainly hear much criticism from those given the Book before you and from the polytheists”

It is a misconception that Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam was loved by everyone. That isn’t the case. Even today, in parts of the world the kuffar openly display their contempt for the Noble Prophet Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam and those who practice on his Mubarak Sunnat. A muslim will face scrutiny in his life from those who disbelieve in the message of Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam.

There are aspects of Deen which the kuffar will never find acceptable. Therefore, a dutiful and conscientious muslim should not care about the negative attitude of the people. His goal is to please Allah, not the creation. Vilification of Islam will only grow worse as prophesized by Nabi Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam. We as an Ummat must learn to embrace infamy^[2].

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: بَدَأَ الْإِسْلَامُ غَرِيبًا، وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا، فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ

Abu Hurairah narrates that Rasulullah Salallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam said: “Islam began as something strange and soon it shall once more become a strange thing, so glad tidings to the strangers!”

As we grow closer to Qiyaamah, those who champion the Deen will appear more and more like strangers to the sinful people around them. However, the scorn of these people is not representative of the Muslim’s worth. In reality, they will be the best of all creation due to the persecution they face in upholding Deen at a time when people have reached the pinnacle of kufr and aversion to the obedience of Allah Ta’ala. You went there for a purpose. Stick to that purpose. The best advice for you in the meantime is to stay in the company of likeminded Muslims^{[3] [4]}. Keep your interactions with others formal. When you get the opportunity to make dawat, do so with wisdom and diplomacy. When you see anybody looking down at you, look at them with sympathy and care. Win them over and offer them the wealth of Islam and Sunnat.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

^[1] صحيح مسلم (1/ 512)

عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، أَرَادَ أَنْ يَغْزُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَقَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ، وَيُجَاهِدَ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ لَقِيَ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَنَهَوْهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ فِي حَيَاةِ نَبِيِّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَنَهَاهُمْ نَبِيُّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَقَالَ: «أَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ فِيَّ أُسْوَةٌ؟» فَلَمَّا حَدَّثُوهُ بِذَلِكَ رَاجَعَ امْرَأَتَهُ، وَقَدْ كَانَ طَلَّقَهَا وَأَشْهَدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا فَأَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: أَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى [ص:513] أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: مَنْ؟ قَالَ: عَائِشَةُ، فَأْتِهَا، فَاسْأَلْهَا، ثُمَّ ائْتِنِي فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا، فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ، فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا، فَقَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا، لِأَنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا، فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا مُضِيًّا، قَالَ: فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَجَاءَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ، فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَيْهَا، فَأَذِنَتْ لَنَا، فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا، فَقَالَتْ: «أَحَكِيمٌ؟» فَعَرَفَتْهُ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَتْ: «مَنْ مَعَكَ؟» قَالَ: سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، قَالَتْ: «مَنْ هِشَامٌ؟» قَالَ: ابْنُ عَامِرٍ، فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَتْ خَيْرًا - قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: وَكَانَ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ - فَقُلْتُ: يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَتْ: «أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟» قُلْتُ: بَلَى، قَالَتْ: «فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ»

^[2] سنن ابن ماجه (2/ 1319)

^[3] سنن أبي داود ت الأرنؤوط (7/ 204)

عن أبي هريرة أن النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال: "الرجُلُ على دِينِ خَليلِهِ، فلينظر أحدُكُم من يُخالِلُ"

^[4] {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ} [التوبة: 119]

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