Every Action Has Its Reaction
Every Action Has Its Reaction
Every Action Has Its Reaction: Another aspect that some commentators have mentioned is that one, whom you abuse, in turn, abuses (finds fault with) you. It is the condition or nature of creation. Who forgives? Not even one in a thousand forgives his or her abuser.
So, by finding fault with others, you aided faultfinding with yourself. Hence, do not talk bad about anyone so that he may talk badly about you. Do not abuse anyone so that no one abuses you. This is testified by the tradition, which says: Curse of God on the one who abuses his parents. I asked, “O Master! Who abuses his or her own parents?” He replied, “The one who abuses the parents of anyone else and in return he or she abuses his parents. This amounts to abusing one’s own parents.”
Why did you take the name of anyone’s father? He will abuse your father in retaliation. Why did you abuse anyone’s mother whereby he will abuse your mother! Here is another fine reason.
Whatever you do, you do to yourself
Whatever befalls one it is only due to one’s own deeds. Nothing comes from outside or from another person. Man kills himself. It is so when one finds faults with another. By God! In fact, in that case one makes his own self faulty but he does not realize. What is he doing while finding faults with others? He makes himself or herself a target of cynicism, pessimism, enmity and jealousy. These are the evils which man brings to himself by abusing others. When you say: Such and such person is shameless, you are decreasing your own modesty.
In the words of Lady Zainab as she told Yazid: You think you beheaded Husain, but in fact, you have beheaded yourself. You did not peel off but your own skin. Otherwise, Husain is near the Throne (Arsh) of God. The head of Husain is high. Husain is the chief of all creation in the other world. You are degraded and headless. You have deprived yourself of every honor. You have become valueless. Look at the facts. O unlucky Yazid! What do you know? You imagined that you hit my brother with your swords and spears. No, you inflicted all these wounds on your own dirty and inauspicious soul. You have wounded yourself. Husain’s life will be extended and your death will be nearer. O Muslims! If you have abused anyone, you have abused your own self. If you have harmed anyone, you have harmed yourself. Whatever you do, you do it to yourself as it returns to you.
Do not call one another names
وَلا تَنَابَزُوا بِالأَلْقَابِ
“…nor call one another by nicknames… (49:11)”
That is, do not give bad titles to anyone. If one was Jew formerly and thereafter became a Muslim, do not call him: O son of a Jew! One was earlier a drunkard but then repented. Do not call him a drunkard.
بِئْسَ الاِسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الإِيمَانِ
“…evil is a bad name after faith… (49:11)”
This man has faith. He says: There is no god except Allah. Never say he is a disbeliever or a denier. Curse on him who calls a Muslim “disbeliever.” Giving a bad title to anyone is totally unlawful. Rather every address, which grieves the addressee, is unlawful. For example you call someone “bald.” You are not lying, yet it is unlawful to say so if it makes him unhappy. Such a bad or ugly title, which makes a man grieve, is prohibited. Whenever a Muslim called another Muslim, it must be with a good and nice address. As a narration, in brief: A man once came to the Imam. His name was not known. The Imam asked him, “O Saad (lucky gentleman)! How are you?” Saad means fortunate. See how nice is the address! It is prohibited to call a believer by an ugly title or address. O short statured! O tall fellow! It has become common practice to use such words although it is absolutely unlawful.
It is must to repent after sinning
After mentioning the unlawfulness of these three things, it is being mentioned that as these three things are unlawful, Muslims is one who, when he comes to know that he has committed a sin, he repents. For example: You were in a meeting place. A man gave a bad title to another person. It is a must for you to tell the former to repent. It is also compulsory for the former to accept the latter’s advice and to say: ‘I seek Allah’s forgiveness’. Do not leave him until you hear him repenting. You must continue to give him good advice and guidance towards good from evil. It is obligatory for you to admonish him and it is obligatory for him to accept your advice. If he does not accept then:
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ
“…and whoever does not turn, these it is that are the unjust. (49:11)”
The Holy Qur’an says oppressor is one who commits a sin and then fails to repent, whatever that sin may be.
I have oppressed myself
Certainly it is “oppression of oneself”, one has oppressed himself. In the words of Khwaja Rabee, he used to weep during the nights instead of sleeping and he was begging to God. His mother asked him, “What sin have you committed that you are weeping so much restlessly? You are burning you heart so much. If you have killed someone, tell me. Do not fear. I will go there and make the victim’s relatives pleased and make them forgive you.” Listen to the reply of Rabi. What a nice reply. He said, “Mother! I have killed a soul, but not anyone’s soul. I have murdered myself. Ill luck is upon me. I have made myself valueless in front of Almighty Allah. I do not dare to raise my head before Almighty God.” It is suicide. A sinful man has killed and oppressed himself!
Suspecting a believer is unlawful
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنْ الظَّنِّ، إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
“O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin… (49:12)”
The following verse also has given three commandments. We are speaking about these verses at length. You must keep in mind these off repeated descriptions and should not neglect or forget them while doing anything. O Faithful! You must, as a demand of your faith, give up three other things also. First, suspicion then spying and thirdly, backbiting, as these are inter-connected most of the time. If there is no suspicion, spying and backbiting does not follow. Since suspicion is the fountainhead of these evils, it is banned so that you may not indulge in spying and backbiting.
Spying is also not permissible
It is recorded in Islamic history that once in the middle of the night, Umar for over-seeing the people, moved in the streets and lanes of Medina. He reached the door of a house wherefrom he heard some voices of play or amusement. He climbed wall, looked into the house and, in a harsh voice, asked loudly, “O Lewd person! What are you doing? Have you no decency or modesty?” etc.
The owner of the house, who by the way was a knowledgeable person, replied, “O Caliph! If I have committed one sin, you have committed a number of sins and offences. First: God has forbidden entering a house from behind:
وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَنْ تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا
“…and it is not righteousness that you should enter the houses at their backs…”
Why did you come from behind the wall? God has commanded that one must enter a house from the entrance:
وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا
“…and go into the houses by their doors…”
Secondly: Allah orders in Qur’an:
لا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا
“Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates…
Take permission from the owner of the house. Entering a house without such permission is unlawful. You cannot peep into a house even if it is your friend’s. I say more than this: Even if it is your father’s house. Take permission before entering even your father’s house. May be your father’s wife is near him in a position, which they may not like to be seen by anybody. It is desirable that you must not enter even your own house without announcing. It is possible that ladies inside may be in a condition they may not like that even her husband should see her. Third: God has in Qur’an commanded:
وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا
“…and saluted their inmates…”
Say Salam (salute) before entering any house. Say Salam to the people in your house. God has ordered it. O sir, you must salute your family. Do not say: Should I salute my wife! What is there in doing so? Do say Salam to her. Discard thoughts like, ‘my wife in lower than me’. If you are in the Ummah (community) of Muhammad then hear what he says: There are three things which I would not give up until my last moment: Salam to the youngsters, children and being first in saying Salam.
The Prophet saluted everyone he saw, be he big or small, young or old, on foot or mounted. He never paid attention to such things. He never waited for anyone’s Salam. Summary: Say Salam while entering your house, even to your wife and children, even if they did not say Salam to you first. It is desirable that one who comes should say Salam to those who are present there. It is also written that one should say Salam even if there is no one in the house. He should keep in mind the angels including the record-keeper angels and should say: Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah (As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh).
It is also mentioned in narrations that if there is no one in the house, say: Peace be upon us from our Lord (As salaamu alainaa mir rabbina) or say Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants (As salaamu alainaa wa alaa ibaadillaahis swaaliheen). In short, do not enter any house without saying Salam. Fourth: Allah says in Qur’an:
وَلا تَجَسَّسُوا
“…and do not spy… (49:12)”
Do not indulge in spying (inquisitiveness) in people’s affairs. Do not peep from any hole or from a corner of a door or window. So not look from the terrace to observe what is going on in a house. Curse of God on every spy! What right have you to interfere in the affairs of others. Everyone is free in his or her own house.
If a spy loses his eye while spying….
Jurists have opined that if one peeps into the house of others, it is lawful to hit him throwing anything on him to prevent him from doing so. No matter if the indecent peeping Tom loses his eye as a result. Qur’an says such spying is unlawful. Muslims must have freedom in their homes. Maybe the one who lives in the house does not like to be seen by others. He may be sitting by the side of his wife. What right have you to look at him? He may be playing with his children and may not like that others observe him. Everyone may have his or her own secrets to be kept in their house. One may not like to show others what they are eating or what they are doing.