Part One


Praise be to Allah, the Lord of Worlds!Ultimate success is the reward of the pious while


harsh punishment awaits the sinners. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship


except Allah, alone with no associate. He is the Lord of all the Messengers and the Ever-


Vigilant Commander Who sustains the whole existence; and I bear witness that our Prophet,


Muhammad, () is His Servant and Messenger. He is the Seal of Prophets, the Imam (leader)


of the pious and the guide of the Ghurr and Muhajjaleen1. O Allah, send Your Salat (Graces,


Honours, Mercy)and Peace upon Your Servant and Messenger Muhammad, all his family and


Companions, the tabi'īn (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [] after his


death), and all those who follow them in righteousness till Judgement Day.


O servants of Allah! Observe taqwa (fear of acting against Allah’s commands) and beware


whatever may cause His wrath. Let it be known to you that there is neither refuge nor escape


from Allah except by returning unto Him. So, return unto Allah, trust Him and relyonHim.


O Muslims! Following in the footsteps of the salāf (early exemplary generations of


Muslims, especially the Companions) and select elite of this Ummah is the best option, the


ideal approach, and the most forthright path which leads to optimal divine satisfaction, to


Paradise where one will enjoy Allah’s unremitting beneficence and eternal grace, and in the


vicinity of Allah’s devout worshippers and the select few of His servants.


Our Lord () did advise His Select Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (), to adopt the


conduct of his predecessors among Allah’s prophets and messengers and take them as


exemplary models, for Allah did bestow on them divine guidance and unequivocal signs of


1An Arabic expression borrowed from the hadith ( أ,م(ّتي الغر المحج لّون i.e. those practicing Muslims whose hands,


faces and feet are white because of frequent wudhū (ablution).


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revelation. This is clear in Allah’s ‒may His Name be glorified‒Qur’ānic verse: They are


those whom Allâh had guided. So follow their guidance.[Al-An’ām: 90]


Among their most venerable qualities, one can list: total commitment to


takingthepathofrighteousness, abstaining from offending othersandreining in offensive drives,


and distancing themselves from committing any sort of harmful acts against the believers,


men and women. Their source of motivation was the highly refined ethics and the sublime


moral standards which Allah, their Supreme Lord ()imparted to them when He educated


them. He taught them that the principal bond to be established among Muslims is religious


brotherhood. Thus, Allah says, The believers are nothing else than brothers (in


Islâmic religion).[Al-Hujurāt: 10]


Brotherhood means mutual sympathy, friendliness, affection, solidarity, and acquittal of


duties vis-à-vis others. This conforms to the Hadith reported by Imam Muslim and Imam


Bukhari in their Saĥîĥ Books on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased


with both of them) who narrated that Prophet Muhammad () said: “The Muslim is brother


to his fellow Muslim; he shall neither wrong him nor let him down. Whoever facilitates the


business of his Muslim brother will benefit from Allah’s assistance with his own business;


whoever alleviates the affliction of a Muslim believer will benefit from the alleviation of an


affliction on Resurrection Day; and whoever abstains from divulging the privacy of a


Muslim will be spared exposure by Allah on Resurrection Day.”


Brotherhood alsomeans abstaining from harming others. The true Muslim is the one


whose faith is so perfect that peopleare safe from his/heroffence, both physical and verbal.


This is confirmed in the “Jāmi’ As-Saĥîĥ” (a collection of hadiths) by Imam Bukhari‒bless


his soul‒ with its authentic chain of narrators on the authority ofAbdullah Ibn Amr Ibn


Al’Ās(may Allah be pleased with both of them) that Prophet Muhammad’s ()said, “A


Muslim is someone from whose offence people are safe: both his hand and his tongue; and


amuhājir2 is the one who departs from what Allah proscribed.”


If harm, be it physical or verbal,manifests itself in endless forms, its worst and most offensive


form is when it is both physical and verbal. An instance of that is when someone uses his


tongue to defame Muslims by concocting lies and tainting their reputation, but in addition to


that he uses his hand (physical form of harming) to write down in words, articles, speeches,


letters, and twittersto further harm people through propagating such offending


misinformation, which would inevitably aggravate the offence along with its drastic


repercussions.


This explains why there are such serious threats and strong warnings to anyone who harms


a believer. Such warnings are meant to appal the wrongdoer and thus deter him from


2A muhājir ( مھاجر ) was the title given to any emigrant fleeing from Makkah to Madinah and escaping


persecution because of his/her conversion from shirk (polytheism) to Islam.


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offending others, if he can get this message of deterrence. This is affirmed in the Hadîth


reported by Imam Ahmed in his Musnad(a collection of hadiths), by Abu Dawoodin his


Sunan(a collection of hadiths), and by Al-Ĥākimin his Al-Mus’tadrak(a collection of hadiths)


with an authentic chain of narratorsonthe authorityof Abdullah Ibn Omar (may Allah be


pleased with both of them) that Prophet Muhammad () said: “And whoever says something


(bad or defamatory)about a believer that is not in him will be imprisoned in the quagmire


of vice until he retracts what he has said, etc.” (cf. the rest of the Hadîth).


Servants of Allah! “The quagmire of vice” is the liquid flowing from the dissolved bodies of


theHellfire residents. “Retracts” in the Hadîthabove implies “repents sincerely” to Allah ()


and seeks pardon from his Muslim brother (the offended believer).


In addition to reaching individuals, harm can also reach groups,which,for instance, can be


targetsforinsult, defamation, mockery, fault-finding, detection of pitfalls, exposing their


weaknesses, rejoicing at their defects, and taking pride on publicising their faults, as if it were


a valuable prey or abigbooty.


Throughtrickeryand malice,what is tiny canbemagnifiedand what isbigcan be belittled


without any valid proof, clear evidence, or persuasive argument which stands sincere


verification and cross-checking through whichthe pleasure of Allah and a safe destiny in


theHereafter are aspired to. An echo of this is in Allah’s Holy Book in a statement made by


prophetShu’aib (): ... I only desire reform so far as I am able, to the best


of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allâh, in Him I


trust and unto Him I repent.[Hūd: 88]


O servants of Allah!


One of the most critical motives behind harming people is vehementanimosity. This is why


the best of allmankind(Prophet Muhammad) [] voiced serious warnings against the


perpetrator of such a vicious act and the bearer of such an abhorrent trait of personality. He


() said, “The most resented man by Allah is the vehemently hostile disputer.”


The real strong warning against quarrelling for a false cause while knowing thatcomesfrom


the Hadîth reported by Imam Ahmed in his Al-Musnadand by Abu Dawood in his Sunanwith


an authentic chain of narratorson the authorityof Abdullah Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased


with both of them)that Prophet Muhammad () said: “Whoever is engaged in an unfair


dispute and is aware of his behaviour shall be eternally inflicted by Allah’s wrath until he


retracts thereof.”


Therefore, it behoves any victim of aggression to avoid retaliation,as an act of obedience


to Allah ()and also as a precaution against committing errors which do not befit the status


of a believer or would even downgrade him morally. A true believer never chooses the option


of defamation and affront because this runs contrary to his high moral standards and


instinctively virtuous nature. This is affirmed in the Hadîthreported by Imam Ahmed in His


Al-Musnadand by Al-Ĥākim in his Al-Mus’tadrakwith an authentic chain of narratorson


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theauthorityof Abdullah Ibn Abbes (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that Prophet


Muhammad () said: The believer is neither a defamer, an insulter, a curser, an utterer of


obscenity, nor an offender.”


One of the modelsalāfbelievers reportedly said, “There is no better way to punish someone


who disobeyed Allay by offending you than to obey Allah through treating him properly.”


That is to say, insistence on observing Allah’s taqwa and obedience when dealing with such a


person will be the strongest motivation for him to restrain his instincts, ward offhis


aggression, and parry his wrongdoing.


Therefore, blessed be those who neither seek to meet abuse with abuse nor to ward off


injustice with injustice. Those are indeed worthy of their Lord’s grace, care, companionship,


and support. Allah (I) says in this respect: Truly, Allah defends those who believe.


Verily! Allah likes not any treacherous ingrate to Allah [those who disobey


Allah but obey Shaitan (Satan)]. [Al-Hajj: 38]


Fear Allah –O servants of Allah– and work towards pursuing the path of those righteous


people whom the Merciful (Allah) has chosen to be the elite from among His servants. You


may achieve this through your will to rise above the potential of inflicting harm regardless of


its shape or form, to exercise prudence vis-à-vis any temptation towards that end or any


attempt at voicing any slogans or claims that would result in undermining social peace,


brotherly ties and righteous and acceptable norms. Such are slogans and claims that would


nurture fitnah (temptation), dissent, discord and dispute and make them an asset in the hands


of trouble makers, the spiteful and the envious and a delight for the enemy of Muslims and


those seeking to harm them.


We are at a time in which all must exercise vigilance regarding what is being plotted,


devised and planned; what is being intended, targeted and desired (by the enemies of Islam).


This era with all its upheavals prompts a visionary approach to the evolvement of events as a


measure to ward off perils and evils.


May Allah benefit you and me with His Book's guidance and the Sunnah of His Prophet ()!


Having said this, I ask Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted to forgive my sins, yours and those of


all Muslims; He is truly the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful!


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Part Two


Praise be to Allah! We thank Him, seek His assistance, and repent to Him. We also have


recourse to Him against the evil in ourselves and the wickedness of our deeds. Whoever


Allah chooses to guide to the right path may never be misguided and whoever He causes to


go astray shall find no guide to help him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah Who


has no partner and that Muhammad () is Allah’s Servant and Messenger. O Allah! Send


Your Salat (Graces, Honours,Mercy) and Peace on Your Servant and Messenger


Muhammad, on his family, his Companions and those who followed him in righteousness!


Now then, O servants of Allah!


On the authority of Abu Hurairah and Abu Shuraih –may Allah be pleased with both


ofthem– it was reported in the two Sahihs that the Prophet () said: “He who believes in


Allah and the Last Day, let him either speak good or remain silent.”


This Hadith contains reference to the norms of social peace and the essence of happy and


rational life which some of the Ulamā (religious scholars) pointed out thus: “When one


speaks one must say good things and must train one’s tongue to speak handsomely;


expressing oneself in a good manner is a high moral for which Allah has held accountable all


people regardless oftheir religion.”


The HolyQur’ān pointed out that speaking good is part of the covenant Allah had taken from


the children of Israel during the time of Moses ():And (remember) when We took


a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allah


(Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to


orphans and Al-Masakin (the poor), and speak good to people, and


perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat.[Al-Baqarah: 83]


Good and virtuous talk is acceptable for all whether they are friends or enemies, and it pays


off well too. With respect to friends such talk would help sustain their love and friendship


and safeguard them against the machination of Satan: And say to My slaves (i.e. the


true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those


words that are the best. (Because) Shaitan (Satan) verily, sows


disagreement among them. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is to man a plain


enemy. [Al-Isrā’: 53]


As for enemies, good words would help mitigate their hostility, defeat their severity or at


least contain the escalation and propagation of their evil:The good deed and the evil


deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah


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ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to


excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! He, between whom and


you there was enmity, (will become) as though he were a close


friend.[Fussilat: 34]


Regarding getting people accustomed to saying good things notwithstanding the


circumstances, the Messenger of Allah () says: “Nothing is heavier on the believer's Scale


on the Day of Judgement than good character. For indeed Allah, Most High, is angered by


the shameless obscene person.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi in his Jame’ (collection of


Hadiths) with an authentic chain of narrators]


Rather, Allah considers withholding charity while keeping up kind talk is better than


giving it (charity) accompanied with indecency in manners and words: Kind words and


forgiving of faults are better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by harm.


And Allah is Rich (Free of all wants) and He is Most-Forbearing.[Al-


Baqarah: 263]


Good talk is a quality that belongs with the qualifications of virtue which, in its turn,


would lead to achieving Allah’s satisfaction and everlasting heavenly bliss.


Therefore, fear Allah –O servants of Allah– and always remember that Allah ()


commanded you to send your salat and peace on the best of mankind. He, the Exalted, the


Almighty, said: Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the


Prophet (Muhammad صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and


forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât[1] on (ask Allâh to bless) him


(Muhammad صلى لله علیھ وسلم ), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the


Islâmic way of greeting (salutation, i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum.[Al-Ahzāb: 56]


O Allah! Send Your Salat(Graces, Honours, Mercy) and Peace on Your Servant and


Messenger, Muhammad! O Allah! Be pleased with his four Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar,


Othman and Ali, with all his family, Companions, wives, the mothers of the believers, the


tabi’în, and those who righteously followed them till the Day of Judgment! O Allah! Be


pleased with us all, along with them, by Your Pardon and Generosity, O You, the Most


Merciful, Most Compassionate of all!


O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and


Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! And protect Your Religion! Destroy


the enemies of Your religion and all the despots, the corruptors, the spiteful, the envious and


those who seek to harm Muslims! O You, Lord of al-'alamîn (the worlds)!


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O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnahof Your Prophet


Muhammad () and Your truthful believing servants and Mujahideen!


O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, set right our leaders and those responsible


for our affairs, support with truth our Imam and leader, provide him with a righteous retinue


and guide him to do whatever you love and accept! O You, All-Hearing of our prayers! O


Allah! Guide him, his Crown Prince and his brothers to do what is good for Islam and


Muslims, for the country and for the people! O You, to Whom people shall return in the Day


of Resurrection!


O Allah! Grant us a good ending in all of our affairs and save us from the humiliation of


the worldly life and the punishment of the Hereafter!


O Allah! Make better our religion which is our bond, and make better our Dunya(life in


this world) which is the source of our living, and make better our Hereafter towhich we are


returning, and make life for us an increase of all that is good, and death arelief from every


evil!


O Allah! We ask You to guide us to do good deeds, forsake reprehensible actions and love


the needy! O Allah! We ask You to forgive us and have mercy upon us! O Allah! If You


want to send an affliction on a nation, please make us die before your affliction strikes!


O Allah! We seek refuge in You against the vanishing of Your blessing, the change in the


good health you granted us, the suddenness of Your vengeance, and all kinds of Your wrath!


O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that pleases You, O Lord of


al-'ālamîn(the Worlds)! O Allah! Protect us against Your enemies and ours in any way that


pleases You, O Lord of al-'ālamîn! O Allah! We leave Your enemies and ours to You (to deal


with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils! O Allah! We leave Your enemies and


ours to You (to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils! O Allah! We leave


Your enemies and ours to You (to deal with them) and seek refuge in You from their evils!


… Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the


Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the


Fire![Al-Baqarah: 201]


Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow


not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.[Al-A'rāf: 23]


O Allah! Cure those of us who are sick, have mercy on our dead, help us fulfill our hopes


in accordance with what you please, and make our last deeds good ones.


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O Allah! Make it an accepted hajj into the grace of the Lord, a forgiven sin, an approved


effort,and a return home that is praised, safe and blessed, O Lord of al-'ālamîn!


(They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after


You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the


Bestower."[Āl‘Imrān: 8]


May Allah send HisSalat(Graces, Honours, Mercy) and Peace on His Servant and Messenger,


our Prophet, Muhammad, on his family and all of his Companions, and all praise be to Allah,


the Lord of the Worlds!