يا من رضيتم بالله ربا وبالإسلام ديناً، وبمحمد نبياً ورسولا اعلموا أن الله قد أنزل في محكم التنزيل بعد أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وكونوا مع الصادقين [التوبة:119].
The sidq (truthfulness) which Allah demands is the harmony between the inner and the outer, between the private and the public, between what we claim we believe in and follow and our actual actions from day to day. If you were allowed to open up the heart of one of the saadiqeen, you would find no difference between it and his outward appearance, in fact you may find it to be better. This is why some of the early generations used to pray:
(اللهم اجعل باطننا خيراً من ظاهرنا، واجعل ظاهرناً خيراً).
مطابقة الظاهر مع الباطن:
The heart is under the control of the Knower of all secrets - Allah, 'azza wa jall. If the inner does not match the outer, it cannot stay hidden long and it will be revealed. So, if the inner is superior to the outer state, it will manifest sooner or later. Likewise, if the inner is more wicked than the outer state, it cannot stay hidden for long and will be revealed by Allah. A person cannot stay in a state of self-deception for long. It is the sunnah of Allah and the nature of man that the two will come together. If they diverge by means of riyaa, kadhib or nifaaq, sooner or later either the inner true state will improve, or the corruption of the inner state will become apparent on the exterior. It cannot remain long in the unbalanced state. This is the fitrah upon which Allah created us and every heart returns eventually to its true nature.
صبغة الله ومن أحسن من الله صبغة [البقرة:138].
فأقم وجهك للدين حنيفاً فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها لا تبديل لخلق الله ذلك الدين القيّم ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون [الروم:30].
The fitrah (nature) upon which Allah created us does not tolerate lies and falsehood for a long period of time. Insha Allah, it will eventually be awakened and shaken out of its stupor by a reminder from a daa'i or by hearing a verse of the Qur'an or a statement of the Prophet (sas). Even for those who lie about you, oppress you and plot against you. If you maintain sidq (truthfulness) with Allah and long patience you will find his/her sound fitrah wins out eventually and tires of the long conflict between the ideal and the real between the inner reality and the outer claims and insha Allah tauba to Allah and the rectification of what is between the hearts is the result.
Bad actions are the useless "foam" which is of no effect or benefit. No actions are of any use but righteous actions and Allah does not accept anything less than truthfulness. Allah created us, life and death in order to test "who is best in actions".
ليبلوكم أيكم أحسن عملاً [الملك:3].
كما قال الفضيل بن عياض: (أصوبه وأخلصه)، وأخلصه: من الرياء، وأصوبه: يعني أصدقه؛ ما كان موافقاً لسنة رسول الله ، ولما جاء به الوحي الأمين من عند رب العالمين.
Without sidq, none of our affairs will go straight and our future will be nothing but division and destruction.
فأما الزبد فيذهب جُفآء وأما ما ينفع الناس فيمكث في الأرض [الرعد:17].
Among the signs of the last day when Muslim life is cheap and the nations swoop down upon us like hungry people on food, the Prophet (sas) our weakness despite HUGE numbers as being like the "foam on top of the flood". This is the condition of an Ummah afflicted with "wahn" - defined by the Prophet (sas) as "love for this world and hatred of death". Only truth will last on the earth and that which grows out of truth. As for the khabeeth (the foul), it has no roots and does not last.
ألم تر كيف ضرب الله مثلاً كلمة طيبة كشجرة طيبة أصلها ثابت وفرعها في السماء تؤتى أكلها كل حين بإذن ربها ويضرب الله الأمثال للناس لعلهم يتذكرون ومثل كلمة خبيثة كشجرة خبيثة اجتثت من فوق الأرض مالها من قرار [إبراهيم:24].
Truth is deeply rooted in the fitrah of man. Allah is the truth and He only aids the truth and his deen is the truth.
ذلك بأن الله هو الحق وأن ما يدعون من دونه هو الباطل [الحج:62].
Don't be fooled by temporary setbacks and the prevalence of falsehood over truth.
قل لا يستوي الخبيث والطيب ولو أعجبك كثرة الخبيث [المائدة:100].
والخبيث يركمه رب العزة بعضه فوق بعض، يركمه جميعاً، فيجعله في جهنم وأصحابه هم الخاسرون.
For this reason, the salaf were steadfast for the truth even if it was bitter, steadfast for truthfulness even if it was difficult and steadfast that their outer self and inner reality be in complete harmony no matter how difficult that may be. Al-Hassan Al-Basry, one of the foremost "preachers" of his time relates that every night when he returned to his home he wept in fear that his inner reality may not be a match for his beautiful and inspiring words given to others.
The used to work to have good deeds between them and Allah which no one else could see. This why Umar used to slip off away from the eyes of people and sweep and clean the house of an elderly, poor widow.
When Imam Ahmad walked on the street, he used to walk between to laborers carrying loads so it would appear he was one of them and no one would point him out.
Whenever any society is short on saadiqeen, such examples are not to be found. The ones who the Prophet (sas) described as:
((الأخفياء الأتقياء الأبرياء)).
Rather, you will find everyone only looking out for themselves and only supporting truth where it coincides with their agenda and their interests. Otherwise, it is easily sacrificed and elaborate explanations of denial concocted in their defense. We should build for ourselves in the hereafter whether or not that coincides with building for ourselves in this life.
وكما قال لعبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص في الحديث الحسن الذي رواه أصحاب السنن: مر علينا رسول الله ونحن نصلح خُصّاً لنا قد وهى – خصاً من القصب ومن الخشب قد ضعف –، فقال : ((ما أظن الأمر إلا أعجل من هذا)).
Are we busy "fixing our fortresses" while this affair - the affair of the hereafter - is much quicker than that - and much more dangerous, serious and longlasting? That's why the salaf were occupied all of their lives with the hereafter and with consciousness of Allah and taking care to do what pleases him. They looked at this dunya as if looking down from a high tower.
الجزاء من جنس العمل:
Allah in His wisdom treats us according to the secrets of our hearts and according to our true intentions. Subhaana Allah! He made the rewards and punishments of the same nature as the deeds.
فاذكروني أذكركم [البقرة:152].
ولا تكونوا كالذين نسوا الله فأنساهم أنفسهم [الحشر:19].
ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين [آل عمران:54].
المكر نتيجة على صاحبه.
فانظر كيف كان عاقبة مكرهم أنّا دمرناهم وقومهم أجمعين فتلك بيوتهم خاوية بما ظلموا إن في ذلك لآية لقوم يعلمون [النمل:51].
قال رجل لابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: (لقد وجدنا في التوراة أن من حفر لأخيه حفرة أوقعه الله فيها)، قال هي في القرآن: ولا يحيق المكر السيء إلا بأهله [فاطر:43].
الظلم أول نتيجة على صاحبه.
وما ظلمناهم ولكن كانوا أنفسهم يظلمون [النمل:118].
الحمد لله ثم الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، سيدنا محمد بن عبد الله، وعلى آله وصحبه ومن والاه.
So beware of thinking that anything in your heart is hidden. It may be hidden from people, but only for a time and it is NEVER hidden from the Knower of the unseen who created this heart with His own Hand. Beware of concealing any secret which is not pleasing to Allah or any intention not acceptable to Allah Most High. None of this is hidden for long.
((إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكم امرئ ما نوى، فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله، ومن كانت هجرته لدنيا يصيبها أو امرأة ينكحها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه))[5].
The Prophet (sas) informed us that the fire will be kindled FIRST for a scholar, a mujahid and a judge (who were not sincere or truthful in their actions). When Mu'aawiya heard this hadith from Abi Bakr he wept until his beard was soaked and then passed out. when he came to, exclaimed, "Allah's Messenger spoke the truth. Allah said:
من كان يريد الحياة الدنيا وزينتها نوف إليهم أعمالهم فيها وهم فيها لا يبخسون أولئك الذين ليس لهم في الآخرة إلا النار وحبط ما صنعوا فيها وباطل ما كانوا يعملون [هود:15-16].
Allah does things where their is sound intention and honest striving in His path with truthful hearts which would be regarded as impossible by everyday standards. So, be truthful with Allah and seek the means to the success in this life and in the hereafter.
وكما قال عن الأعرابي الذي جاء وحضر أول معركة مع رسول الله فأعطاه الغنيمة، قال: ما اتبعتك لهذا، اتبعتك لأن أضرب هاهنا، فأدخل الجنة، ودخل معركة ثانية، فافتقده فوجد السهم قد أصابه حيث أشار، فقال : ((صدق الله فصدقه))[1]، فاصدقوا الله يصدقكم، وانصروا الله ينصركم ويثبت أقدامكم.