Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation. May peace and blessings be upon the noblest Messenger. We advise you to exert effort in seeking Islamic knowledge not to waste your time on harmful things or any thing that distracts you from seeking beneficial knowledge. We also advise that you be among those who hasten to perform Salah in congregation and be courteous and kind to your parents and other family members.
One of the most important qualities religious knowledge seekers should adopt is good character and good manners. They should give importance to learning Islam, performing Salah in congregation, guarding tongues and limbs from engaging in what goes against Shari`ah, doing good, and avoid evil and harmful things. These are the qualities that the truthful seeker of knowledge and intelligent youth should pursue. In all cases, they should develop good manners and good reputation and, at the same time, avoid bad manners. They should guard against whatever may tarnish their reputation, whether at home, with their friends or while traveling.
We advise teachers to do their best to encourage students to do good deeds. They must care about preparing the lessons and helping the students understand them. A teacher should be a good example for the students to follow. We ask Allah to grant success, sincere intention and good work for all. Indeed, Allah is the Best to be asked for help.
Q 1: What are the causes of hardheartedness and how can we cure it?
A 1: The causes of hardhearteddness include sins, being heedless and befriending the heedless and the dissolute. Conversely, obeying Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), befriending good people, busying oneself with reciting Qur'an, Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and asking Allah's forgiveness soften the heart and bring tranquility. Allah (Exalted be He) states, verily, in the remembrance of Allâh do hearts find rest.
Q 2: What should I do when I sit with persons involved in Ghibah (backbiting) and I am not able to leave their company?
A 2: You should advise them, saying that this act is impermissible and Ghibah is prohibited. The Messenger (peace be upon him) stated, Whoever defends the honor of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will secure his face against the Fire on the Day of Resurrection. A believer should not join an evil gathering. If you are able to warn those persons that their act is impermissible and that they must abandon it, you should do so and be sincere to Allah. If not, you should leave even if they criticize you. If asked why, you can give them the reason, as Allah (Exalted be He) states, And when you (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur'ân) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaitân (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).
Q 3: What is the ruling on music in their different forms and what is the punishment of the singers and those who listen to them?
A 3: All music is prohibited and listening to it is impermissible as it comes under the idle talk mentioned in Allah's statement, And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allâh, or the Verses of the Qur'ân) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire). And when Our Verses (of the Qur'ân) are recited to such a one, he turns away in pride, as if he heard them not - as if there were deafness in his ear. So announce to him a painful torment.
'Idle talk' refers to, according to the majority of the scholars, singing and playing musical instruments. These songs are one of the causes of hardheartedness, moral diseases and becoming unmindful of Allah and heedless of serious matters related to the Hereafter. According to the two previous Ayahs, songs lead to misguidance, mocking Allah's Din (religion), disregarding and turning away in pride from listening to the recitation of Qur'an. A believer must not listen to these songs at all, whether they are broadcast on the radio or recorded in tapes, as they have worse consequences. Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him)
said, "Singing cultivates hypocrisy in the heart as water brings forth plants."
Q 4: What is meant by His saying, And there is none of you except he will come to it. and does the phrase "will come to it" mean entering Hell or passing over the Sirat (the bridge over the Fire)?
A 4: This phrase means passing over (the Sirat) as it was proved by authentic Hadith reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah will save those who fear Allah and leave the Mushriks (those who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and wrongdoers therein humbled on their knees. Allah (may He be Praised) states, Then We shall save those who used to fear Allâh and were dutiful to Him. And We shall leave the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers) therein (humbled) to their knees (in Hell).
The disbelievers and sinners are to be led to the Sirat. The sinners will cross it according to their deeds: some will cross it safely, some will be snatched and then saved and some will be thrown into the Fire. However, they will not abide therein forever; they will be punished for a fixed period of time. The disbelievers will abide therein forever.
Thus Allâh will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire. Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment.
Q 5: Please explain for whom should be the principle of Al-Wala' wal-Bara' (loyalty and disassociation for Allah's Sake)? Is it permissible to be loyal to the disbelievers?
A 5: Al-Wala' wal-Bara' is to love and be loyal to the believers and to hate, alienate, and disavow the disbelievers and their faith. Allah (may He be Praised) states, in Surah Al-Mumtahanah, Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allâh Alone"
Hostility and hatred to them do not mean that you are entitled to oppress or transgress against disbelievers, so long as they do not fight you. It is a duty on Muslims to keep themselves aloof from any kind of loyalty to disbelievers for Allah's Sake; rather they should resent them, but not harm, hurt, or oppress them without a rightful claim. When they greet you, you should return the greetings and advise them
to do good. Allah states, And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islâmic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of them as do wrong People of the Book are the Jews and Christians. The same applies to other disbelievers who are Dhimmy (protected non-Muslims living under Islamic rule) or have been secured or given a pledge of safety. However, they must be punished when they do wrong.
Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur'ân) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.
It is permissible for you to call them to Allah and to instruct and guide them to the truth; perhaps Allah may guide them to the straight path through you. Furthermore, there is no harm in giving them Sadaqah (voluntary charity) and deal with them in kindness, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states, Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered Asma' bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) to maintain good ties with her disbelieving mother during the truce between the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the people of Makkah in the year of Al-Hudaybiyyah.