Unnecessary disputation vs. forbidding evil

Source: seekersguidance.org

By: Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

The matter of avoiding unnecessary disputation while upholding sounds standards of decency and conduct returns to the issue of enjoining the good and forbidding evil, which is a communal obligation (fard kifaya) and an essential duty in Islam. Based on the criteria outlined below, if the conditions of enjoining the good and forbidding evil are met, one must do so. Otherwise, one can be vague so as to avoid disputation of no benefit.The Obligation and Importance

Allah Most High states, “And let there be amongst you a group inviting to virtue, commanding the good and forbidding evil—those indeed are the successful ones” (3:104).

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 Lets fulfill our duty in front of Allah swt. the lord of the universe.

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Feeding the Poor: An Important Religious Duty of Muslims!!

 The holy Quran has linked man’s salvation to the wellbeing of fellow human beings. One cannot find salvation without caring for the fellow human beings particularly those in distress, need and hunger. One of the acts of caring for the distressed is feeding them. This act of feeding the needy and hungry has been stressed in the Quran so many times and in such strong words that one might think that not feeding the poor regularly can even earn the wrath of God leading him to the torment of hell despite all his prayers, fasting and other good deeds.

Thus, the Quran envisions a society in which every member cares for the hungry, the distressed and the needy every moment of his being along with all his personal piety and righteousness. The rights of the neighbours have also been emphasised in the same sense so that a Muslim keeps the well being of his neighbours, especially those neighbours who are poor and needy. While stressing the right of the poor and hungry, the Quran does not specify the Muslims. It only stresses on the feeding of the hungry, suggesting that a hungry person may be a Muslim, a Hindu or even an atheist.

There are more or less seven occasions on which the Quran stresses on the feeding of the poor, the hungry, the orphans and the captives. Though some of the verses recommend the feeding of the poor as an act of penitence for some sins or skipping some religious injunctions like fasting or not keeping an oath, the other verses generally require Muslims to feed the hungry and the poor as a social duty regularly or whenever required. In fact, the stress with which the Quran instructs Muslims to feed the poor, makes it seem that feeding the poor should be one of the social habits of the Muslims. If not done, the Muslims may invite the wrath of God both in this world and in the Hereafter.

The Quran says:

“And (ask) of the Sinners: What led you into Hell Fire? They will say: “We were not of those who prayed; Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;
(Al Mudaththir: 41-44)

Thus feeding only to please God is the favourite acts of the believers:

“A Fountain where the Devotees of Allah do drink, making it flow in unstinted abundance. They perform (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil flies far and wide. And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive,- (Saying),”
We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks. (76: 6-9)

The Quran presents the picture of those who are thrown in hellfire because of not feeding the poor or the orphan while indulging in gluttony.

“This was he that would not believe in Allah Most High. And would not encourage the feeding of the indigent! (Al Haqqa: 33—34)”

In Surah Fajr, Quran lashes out at those who do not feed the hungry despite the fact that God has provided them with all the luxuries of life. It also suggests that Muslims should encourage the practice of feeding the poor and this way this practice should become a common and visible practice of the Muslims

“Nor do ye encourage one another to feed the poor!
(Al Fajr: 18)”

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Feed the hungry, visit the sick and set free the captives.” – Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 552

“(The righteous are those) who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of God, saying: ‘We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.'” – The Holy Quran, 76:8-9

Obedience of parents is a duty but not when they are clearly wrong. In such a case we must respectfully decline and lovingly correct them.

 Obedience of parents is a duty but not when they are clearly wrong. In such a case we must respectfully decline and lovingly correct them.
 La obediencia de los padres es un deber, pero no cuando son claramente erróneas. En tal caso, debemos rechazar con respeto y amor que los corrija.
 Gehoorzaamheid van de ouders is een plicht, maar niet wanneer ze zijn duidelijk verkeerd. In dat geval moeten we respectvol weigeren en hen liefdevol corrigeren.
 L’obéissance des parents est un devoir, mais pas quand ils sont manifestement erronée. Dans un tel cas, nous devons respectueusement décliner et amoureusement les corriger.
 Gehorsam der Eltern ist eine Pflicht, aber nicht, wenn sie eindeutig falsch. In einem solchen Fall müssen wir respektvoll und liebevoll sinken korrigieren.
 Fùmǔ de fúcóng shì yīzhǒng zérèn, ér bùshì dāng tāmen xiǎnrán shì cuòwù de. Zài zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng xià, wǒmen bìxū xiàng xiàhuá, qīnqiè gēngzhèng.
 Lydnad av föräldrarna är en plikt, men inte när de är helt klart fel. I så fall måste vi respektfullt avböja och kärleksfullt rätta till dem.
 Poslushaniye roditeley yavlyayetsya obyazannost’yu , no ne togda, kogda oni yavno ne tak . V takom sluchaye my dolzhny s uvazheniyem snizhat’sya i s lyubov’yu ispravlyat’ ikh.
 Onlar açıkça yanlış olduğunda velilerin itaat görevidir değil. Böyle bir durumda biz saygıyla düşüş ve sevgiyle onları düzeltmek gerekir.
 L’obbedienza dei genitori è un dovere, ma non quando sono chiaramente sbagliato. In tal caso dobbiamo rifiutare rispettosamente e amorevolmente correggerli.
 Ketaatan dari orang tua adalah tugas tetapi tidak ketika mereka jelas salah. Dalam kasus seperti itu kita harus hormat menurun dan penuh kasih memperbaikinya.