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So, what's YOUR excuse?
A_Stranger
05/25/03 at 06:33:44
[size=3][color=Red]What will your excuse be tomorrow before Allaah?[/size][/color]

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Praise be to Allaah Who has created us to worship Him and has prescribed His religion and sharee’ah for us to adhere to, and Who accepts our excuses for our mistakes and for what we forget or are forced to do.

Allaah has commanded us to adhere firmly to His religion, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Hold fast to that which We have given you” [al-Baqarah 2:63].

Religion is a serious matter that distinguishes truth from falsehood, it is not a thing for amusement [cf. Al-Taariq 86:13]. Many people do not take the matters of their religion seriously, and they offer feeble excuses. This is one of the signs of the Munaafiqoon (hypocrites), who take their religion for mockery and fun [cf. Al-Maa’idah 5:57], and when they are rebuked or advice is offered to them, they come up with excuses which in fact are worse than the sin for which they are offering these excuses.  

Often we hear strange responses from people when we seek to offer advice or confront them about their evil actions and sins. For example:

Why do you not give up this sin?

-         These are difficult times, and everyone is like this.

-         I have not been guided yet.

The joke you told is a serious matter, and it is making a mockery of Islam.

-         My intention is sound, and I only meant to have some fun.

How can you work in this haraam job?

-         I can’t find any other job. Do you want me to die of starvation?

How could you shake hands with a woman who is a stranger to you (non-mahram)?

-         My heart is pure.

Why do you not wake your child up to pray Fajr?

-         Poor kid, he didn’t get enough sleep and he has to go to school.

Your daughter has passed the age of ten and she is still wearing short clothes; why don’t you tell her to wear hijaab?

-         She is still young. When she reaches the age of puberty we will tell her to wear hijaab.

Wear the correct Islamic hijaab.

-         It doesn’t look good on me. What will people say about me? The cover restricts my breathing.

Fear Allaah and do not wear abaayahs (outer garments) that are colourful or have patterns.

-         This is what is available in the stores.

How can you bring the means of forbidden entertainment (TVs etc.) into your home?

-         Our wives and children put too much pressure on us.

Why don’t you pray in the mosque?

-         The Imaam’s voice is off-putting, and there are too many offensive smells.

Why do you shave off your beard, my brother?

-         Because it doesn’t look nice, I can’t grow a full beard.

Thus people come up with excuses one after another, for major and minor sins alike, in a failed attempt to avoid feeling guilty and avoid the advice of sincere people. In order to find out the rulings on this matter and to learn more about this dangerous phenomenon, we will refer to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the words of the scholars.

Some of the incidents of false excuses referred to in the Qur’aan:

Allaah has mentioned in His Book some examples of false excuses, many of which were made by the Munaafiqoon, such as their excuses for failing to perform obligatory duties, the chief of which was jihaad for the sake of Allaah, and other duties.

(1)

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They (the hypocrites) will present their excuses to you (Muslims), when you return to them. Say (O Muhammad) ‘Present no excuses, we shall not believe you. Allaah has already informed us of the news concerning you. Allaah and His Messenger will observe your deeds. In the end you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He (Allaah) will inform you of what you used to do.’” [al-Tawbah 9:94]

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Here Allaah states that when the Muslims returned to Madeenah, the Munaafiqoon would offer excuses. “Say (O Muhammad) ‘Present no excuses, we shall not believe you” means, we will not accept it as true. “Allaah has already informed us of the news concerning you” means, Allaah has already told us about you. “Allaah and His Messenger will observe your deeds” means, your actions will be made known to people in this world. “In the end you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He (Allaah) will inform you of what you used to do” means, and He will inform you of your deeds, both good and bad, and will requite you accordingly.

Ka’b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) explained what happened when he stayed behind from the campaign to Tabook. He said:

“When I heard that (the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was on his way back from Tabook), I was filled with remorse and I began to think of a lie that I could tell so as to escape his anger and I consulted some of my relatives to ask for their advice. But when I heard that the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was close at hand, thoughts of falsehood left me and I knew that I would never find a way out by lying, so I resolved to tell the truth. In the morning, the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered (Madeenah), and whenever he returned from travelling he would always go to the mosque first. So he prayed two rak’ahs there, then sat down to await the people. When he did that, those who had stayed behind came and began to make excuses, swearing oaths. There were eighty-odd of these men. The Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted their public declarations and oaths of allegiance, and prayed for forgiveness for them, referring their secret thoughts to Allaah. Then I came to him and greeted him with salaam, and he smiled as a person who is angry smiles, then he said: ‘Come here.’ So I came and sat down before him. He said, ‘What kept you back? Did you not buy a mount (riding animal)? I said, ‘Yes. By Allaah, if I were sitting with anyone else in this world, I would think that I would be able to escape his wrath by making some excuse, for I am skilled in argument. But by Allaah, I know that if I told you a lie that you would accept, then soon Allaah would provoke your anger against me. But if I tell you the truth, which will make you angry with me, I hope that Allaah will forgive me for it. By Allaah, I had no excuse. I have never been stronger or richer than when I stayed behind.’ The Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘As far as that is concerned, he has told the truth. Get up (and wait) until Allaah decides concerning you.’ So I got up, and some men from Banu Salimah got up and followed me, saying, ‘By Allaah, we have never known you to commit any sin before this. How come you were unable to offer an excuse to the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as the others who stayed behind did?  It would have been sufficient if the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had asked for forgiveness for your sin.’ By Allaah, they kept at me until I wanted to go back and give the lie to myself. Then I asked them, ‘Is there anyone else who is in the same position as I am?’ They said, ‘Yes, there are two men who said something like what you said, and the same answer was given to them. I said, ‘Who are they?’ They said: ‘Muraarah ibn al-Rabee’ al-‘Amri and Hilaal ibn Umayyah al-Waaqifi.’ They had told me the names of two righteous men who had been present at Badr and who were exemplary characters. I remained silent when they mentioned them to me.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4066).

When Allaah mentioned those who told lies to the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and offered false excuses for staying behind, He mentioned them in the worse way that they could ever be mentioned: “They (the hypocrites) will present their excuses to you (Muslims), when you return to them. Say (O Muhammad) ‘Present no excuses, we shall not believe you. Allaah has already informed us of the news concerning you. Allaah and His Messenger will observe your deeds” [al-Tawbah 9:94 – interpretation of the meaning].

(2)
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when a party of them said: ‘O people of Yathrib (Al‑Madinah)! There is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!) Therefore go back!’ And a band of them ask for permission of the Prophet saying: ‘Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy).’ And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.” [al-Ahzaab 33:13]

This is the excuse that the Munaafiqoon used when they wanted to stay behind from the campaign of al-Ahzaab and go back to their houses, claiming that the houses were unprotected. Their excuse was unacceptable, because they did not really want to protect their houses; what they actually wanted to do was to run away. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.”

“And a band of them ask for permission of the Prophet.” It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that they said: “We are afraid that our houses may be robbed.” This was stated by more than one (of the scholars). They used the excuse of going back to their houses, claiming that they lay open (to attack), i.e., there was nothing to protect them from the enemy, so they were scared that the enemy may attack their houses. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning):

“And they lay not open” – it was not as they claimed.  “They but wished to flee” – i.e., to run away from battle.

(Tafseer  Ibn Katheer).

Source: Islamworld.net
Re: So, what's YOUR excuse?
A_Stranger
05/25/03 at 12:12:53
[wlm]

(I'm sure the title is a rhetorical question...but anyways..)

Your sickness prevents you from worshipping Allaah (swt) ?

You do know, I'm sure, that there are many forms of 'Ibaadah (worship of Allaah). Heck, even [i]eating[/i] is a form of 'ibaadah...if you do it in the correct manner.

May Allaah cure you of your sickness and guide you to that which pleases Him. (aameen).

Re: So, what's YOUR excuse?
Yasmeena
05/25/03 at 23:09:42
[slm]

OUCH!!!

Sometimes, I have trouble getting up to pray Fajr!

I have an abaayah that has an embroidered design on the back!

I guess it is time for me to get the "Fatwah for Women" book and READ it.

Thank you for the post.  It has opened my eyes to unintentional sin in my life.

[wlm]


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