RIGHTS OF PARENTS - PART 2

Imam al-Qurtubi says that, in this verse (translation in previous post) Allah Ta'alah has made it necessary (Wajib) to respect and treat parents well by combining it with the command to worship Him. This is similar to what has been said in Surah Luqman  where the obligatory need to thank Him has been combined with the need to thank one's parents: "Be grateful to Me, and your parents. 31:14. This proves that, after the obligation of worshipping the most exalted Allah, obeying one's parents is most important and being grateful to parents like being grateful to Allah Ta'alah s Wajib (necessary). This is also supported by a Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari where a person reportedly asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ, "Which is the most favoured deed for Allah Ta'alah?" Rasool Allah SAW said, "Salah a its (mustahabb, preferred) time." The person asked again, "Which is the most favoured deed after that?" To that he said, "Treating parents well."

Abstract from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Bani Isra'il", by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

RIGHTS OF PARENTS - PART 1

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and do good to parents. If either of them or both reach old age, do not say to them 'uff' (a word of anger or contempt) and do not scold them. And address them with respectful words, and submit yourself before them in humility out of compassion and say, "My Lord, be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood." (Surah Bani Isra'il:23-24)

Hazrat Abu Umama RAA has narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said that on the day of Qiyamah when the book of deeds would be given to people in their hands someone would notice that some of their good deeds are not recorded in their book of deeds. He will say to Allah Ta'alah that my such and such good deeds are not recorded in this book of deeds. He will get a reply that because he used to do Gheebat (backbiting) against people that is why his good deeds have been erased from his record.

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

Allah Ta'alah had decreed that that the Bani Isra'il will be successful, having the best of both worlds, the material and the spiritual, as long as they continue to obey Allah. But, whenever they deviate from the dictates of Faith, they shall be put to disgrace, and that they would be subjected to punishment at the hands of enemies and disbelievers...

...The purpose of narrating these events relating to the Bani Isra'il in the Quran and making Muslims listen to them seems to be to let Muslims understand that they are no exception to this divine law. Their respect and ascendancy, both in this world and the Hereafter, are dependent upon their obedience to Allah Ta'alah. Whenever they would start disobeying Allah Ta'alah and His Holy Prophet ﷺ their enemies and disbelievers would be given power over them, who would also desecrate their places of worship.

Abstract from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Bani Isra'il, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

"Surely, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are good in deeds." (Surah Al-Nahl:128)

It means that Allah Ta'alah is with people who have two virtues, Taqwa and Ihsan. The essence of Taqwa is acting righteously or being good in deed, while the essence of Ihsan at this place is to be good to the creations of Allah Ta'alah, so this Ayet means that Allah Ta'alah is with those people who do good deeds because they fear Him, and those who are particular in dealing with others nicely.

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

Imam Shafi'i RE has said:

"When educating someone towards one of their mistakes (the rule is), if you pointed it out to them privately and politely then it is advice, but if you embarrassed them publicly then this is humiliation."

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

BEING PATIENT WHEN INVITING PEOPLE O THE PATH OF ALLAH

"Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel. And argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who strays from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path. [125] And if you were to harm them in retaliation, harm them to the measure you were harmed. And if you opt for patience, it is definitely much better for those who are patient. [126] Surah Al-Nahl

These verses of the Quran carry an important instruction for those who invite people to the way of Allah.  There are occasions when they come across people who are very harsh and ignorant. Regardless of how politely and softly one explains things to them, they still very angry, say very hurtful things, and at times don't refrain from even causing bodily harm.

In the second verse above the people who suffer such abuse have been given the legal right that they can retaliate but only as much as they were harmed, and what they do should not exceed the injustice done to them. But at he end of the verse it was suggested that if they remain patient and do not retaliate it is better for them.

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

THE PITFALLS OF RELIGIOUS DEBATES AND ARGUMENTS

Imam Ghazali RE has said that just like drinking alcohol is the root of many evils, in that it is not only a great sin in itself but also leads to many different types of sins, similarly when the intention of religious debates becomes defeating one's opponent and demonstrating superiority of one's knowledge over other people's knowledge, then it becomes a root of many evils for one's inner self which leads to many internal sins, for example, Hasad (jealousy), Bughz (harbouring ill-feelings towards others and wishing them harm), Takabbur (thinking of oneself as superior and other human beings as inferior), Gheebat (backbiting), being always preoccupied with finding faults in others, feeling happy when some harm comes to one's opponents and feeling sad if something good befalls them, refusal to accept the truth even if it becomes clear that the opponent is correct, and rather than objectively and judiciously considering what the other person is saying, just being preoccupied with responding to the argument , even if it means having to twist Quran and Hadith to fit one's argument.

Imam Malik RE said that arguing and fighting over knowledge removes the Noor (divine light) of knowledge from one's heart. Someone asked, "If someone knows the correct Sunnah (way of the Holy Prophet ﷺ) then is he allowed to fight for it?" Imam Malik RE said, "No! He should just let the other person what the truth is. If the other person accepts it, that is fine, otherwise he should become quiet about it."

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE

THE PROPHETIC ETIQUETTE OF DA'WAH (PREACHING) PART 4

While doing Tableegh (preaching Rasool Allah ﷺ took a lot of care about not embarrassing anyone or hurting anyone's feelings. Even when he saw someone committing a sin he didn't admonish them directly but rather addressed the whole gathering saying, "What has happened to people that they indulge in doing such and such things." This way the person it was meant for also heard it and started thinking about how to abstain from that act.

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Safi RE

THE PROPHETIC ETIQUETTE OF DA'WAH (PREACHING) PART 3

Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas RAA has said that you should become Rabbani scholars and Fuqaha (experts of Islamic jurisprudence). In Sahih Bukhari the word Rabbani was defined as that the person who takes care that when he is preaching he initially tells people to follow the simple and easy to follow commands first, and only when they have become used to the easy commands he tells them about the other commands which would have been difficult to follow to begin with, is a Rabbani scholar.

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Nahl, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE