Ethics of Islam

prayer called namâz [1] in jamâ’at) to recite sûras longer than the
ones advised in the sunnat and thereby to prolong the namâz. If
all the participants in the congregation consent to his long
recital, then it would not be fitna; it would be permissible.
Preachers’ and men of religious posts’ speaking or writing on
subjects which are beyond the comprehension of their audiences
or readers is considered as fitna. We should speak to others in a
level they can understand. No one should order Muslims acts of
worship they cannot perform. Instead, they should be advised to
perform the worships which they can carry out even if that
advice depends on a weak proof of fiqh. We should also be
careful not to raise fitna while doing amr al-ma’rûf. We are not
ordered to put ourselves into danger in order to do amr alma’rûf.
We should neither cause instigation with respect to
religion nor ever cause any instigation in worldly affairs by
harming others. Amr al-ma’rûf which will cost you worldly losses
is permissible; in fact, it is an act of jihâd. However, it should be
given up if you are not patient enough to go the distance. At
times of fitna, it is advisable to stay home and avoid company.
Patience is the sole way out once you get embroiled in any sort
of fitna (which you cannot help).
Imâm ar-Rabbânî ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ says in the 68th
letter of the second volume of his Maktûbât: Oh my dear son! As
I write time and again, we live in a time when we should make
tawba for our sins and implore forgiveness from our Lord, Allah.
At such times as this, when all sorts of fitna are on the increase,
we should shut ourselves up in our home and avoid all sorts of
company. Presently, fitna is like a heavy rain, and the entire land
is well-nigh awash with it. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’
states in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “Instigations will spread
everywhere before the time of Doomsday. The oppression of the
instigations will turn the daylight into the darkness of the night.
At that time, a person who leaves his home as a Believer will
return to his home in the evening as a disbeliever. The one who
returns to his home as a Believer in the evening will get up in the
morning as a disbeliever. At that time, sitting is better than
standing. The walking person is better than the runner. Break
your arrows, cut your bows and strike your sword to the stones at
[1] Please see the fourth fascicle of Endless Bliss for detailed information
about (the daily prayer termed) namâz.
– 141 –