Part One
Praise be to Almighty Allah! He is the First and the Last; the Manifest and the
Hidden. There is no deity except Him; He is the Creator of everything and the Guardian of
every single creature. No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the
All-Gentle, the All-Knowing. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no
associate, and that Muhammad is Allah’s Servant, Messenger, Chosen Friend and the Best of
His creatures. He has conveyed the Message, delivered the trust, and exhorted the Ummah.
He left us on the white and well-defined path where night and day are equally bright. None
but the doomed may go astray. May Allah’s abundant peace and blessings be upon him, his
righteous and virtuous family, his righteous and benevolent Companions and the tabi’in (the
contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon
him] after his death) who followed in their footsteps until Doomsday.
Now then,
The exhortation set forth for you and me is taqwa vis-à-vis Allah in private and in
public, in dismay and in satisfaction. It is a torch to light the way and water to quench thirst.
It is good company in loneliness and comforting chanter for the traveller. It is one’s safe
haven from fear and sadness.
The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him
who brings to Allâh a clean heart [clean from Shirk (polytheism)
and Nifâq (hypocrisy)]. [Ash-Shu’ara: 88, 89] No doubt! Verily, the
Auliyâ' of Allâh [i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allâh and
fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which
he has forbidden), and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good
٢
deeds which He has ordained)], no fear shall come upon them nor
shall they grieve, Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh -
Islâmic Monotheism), and used to fear Allâh much (by abstaining
from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). [Yūnus: 62-
63]
Now then, O people!
In the hustle and bustle of life, when people are engaged in feverish race to collect the
scattered pieces and fragments therein, they are in dire need for solidarity rather than
separation, cooperation rather than letting one another down, and support for one another
rather than languor and submission to the other.
In this day and age, there is a pressing need for morals that bring people closer
together, not for interests that pull them apart. People need deeds more than they do money
and words. What they need is heart-felt sympathy and friendship regardless of linguistic,
territorial, gender or racial considerations.
In other words, should a Muslim sneeze in the east, his fellow Muslim in the west
should hasten to pray Allah to bless him1. If a poor Muslim falls sick, the rich Muslim should
pay him a visit, and if a weak Muslim is wronged, his strong fellow should support him.
Such is –O servants of Allah– the “commiseration” sought by every Ummah that is
cognizant of its value, that clings firmly to it as a token of solidarity, and that is bent on
making an unshakable bond out of it.
Commiseration –O slaves of Allah– is a noble feeling that bespeaks the purity of the
one who practices it. A society that practices commiseration deserves to be united where
sympathy, friendship, and pity take turns in caring for it so that it can resist catastrophes such
as egotism which tears the social body into pieces.
This is exactly what the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] meant by
his hadith “The parable of the faithful in their compassion, pity and sympathy is the human
body: should part of it be afflicted with pain, the rest of the body would respond with
sleeplessness and fever.” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]
Without commiseration, the parable of the single body cannot be achieved in the
Ummah. Moreover, it cannot attain the sublime degree of success and sovereignty if some are
1 This refers to one of the obligations of a Muslim towards a fellow Muslim. When a Muslim sneezes and says
“Al hamdulillah” (Praise be to Allah), it is the duty of the other Muslim/s in his company to respond to his
sneezing by saying “May Allah bless you”.
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rejoicing and others are crying over what they have lost, if some are eating their fill and their
neighbours are hungry, if some drink their fill and their neighbours are thirsty, if some enjoy
fanciful attire and their neighbours are poorly dressed.
The Truthful and Credible Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said,
“He is not a believer, the one who eats his fill and his neighbour next door is hungry.”
[Narrated by Al-Ḥākim et al]
An insensitive and unsympathetic heart is a detrimental plight whose fire burns all
virtues, and whose dirt buries compassion and sensibility. The loser, no doubt, is the whole
Ummah, individuals and communities alike.
A society marked with the spirit of commiseration is definitely a positive society;
otherwise it is purely negative. Why not try to train our souls to heed virtues and feel
sympathy for others? Why not seek to set matters right, tolerate flaws, admit defects, and
reach out to those who are set to do good? Why not give to the poor and help those who are
in need but simply feel too modest and chaste to beg?
Now then ‒O servants of Allah‒ some of us may wonder how it is possible for a
Muslim to commiserate with others albeit he has no money to do so! To answer this question,
we say that it would be totally erroneous to believe that commiseration is pinned exclusively
on financial ability. It is a feeling that emanates from the heart before the pocket. It is more
an emotion than a physical action.
Some actions of commiseration require no money at all. For instance, it needs no
money to pat an orphan on the head, walk in funerals, visit a sick person, smile to your
Muslim brother, or console an afflicted person. There are so many forms of commiseration
which require a living heart that is beating with love for others, that is cognizant of the
reward of commiseration and certain that it leads to the midst of Gardens and Rivers
(Paradise) in a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, the All-Blessed,
the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour).2
In a hadith, the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] is reported to
have said: “Charity is due on the souls of all human beings at every sunrise.” “But whence
can we get charity to give?” they asked. “Benevolence takes plenty of forms,” he answered,
“glorifying and praising Allah, takbeer (saying ‘Allahu akbar’), tahleel (saying ‘lā ilaha
illa Allah’), enjoining good and forbidding evil, removing harm off the road, helping the
deaf, guiding the blind, giving directions, helping people in distress and the weak carry
their load, etc. All these are given by way of charity payable on your soul.” he concluded.
[Narrated by Ahmad, Al-Nasā’i and Ibn Habbān]
2 This is a reference to Surat Al-Qamar (54-55).
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It is, however, awfully strange –O servants of Allah‒ to have among the Ummah of
mercy people so hard-hearted that they have wiped out the concept of commiseration from
their lexical repertoire and their hearts have turned callous. Consequently, they would feel no
grief for others’ pain or sympathy with those crying for help. They would feel no pity for the
needy; their hearts hardened and became senseless.
It is rather an obligation on the part of the Muslim Ummah not to glorify this worldly
life with its Dinars and Dirhams and being oblivious of its orphans or Miskins (the needy)3.
Thus, the Ummah will not be enslaved by aberrant thought when dealing with the other in
terms of money, life, and feelings; for such a conduct will guarantee that the rich will treasure
money and the poor hostility. In this case the strong will not give a hand to the weak, nor will
the capable support the helpless. As a result, the needy and the weak will be lost in the midst
of the hustle and bustle and subsequently crushed under the impact of cruelty and evil
neglect.
A nation such as this will never be able to defeat its enemy, for it must first overcome
its own desires: Nay, you prefer the life of this world (16); Although the
Hereafter is better and more lasting. [Al-A’lā: 16-17]
The Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said one day to his
Companions: "Who amongst you is fasting today?" Abu Bakr replied: ‘I am’; then the
Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said: "Who amongst you followed a
funeral today?" Abu Bakr said: ‘I did’; then the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be
upon him] said: "Who amongst you fed a poor person today?" Abu Bakr said: ‘I did’; then
the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said: "Who amongst you visited a
sick person today?" Again, Abu Bakr said: ‘I did’; then the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and
Peace be upon him] said: "He who does all this, he will be admitted into Paradise."
[Narrated by Muslim]
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and hasten to revive the concept of commiseration by
means of advice, encouragement, and by setting exemplary conduct through volunteer and
charity work both as individuals and groups; you can do this by Waqf (religious
endowments), Wasāyā (wills or testaments of donation), and cooperative organizations. Let
us keep hold of this worldly life in our hands not in our hearts, and let us constantly
remember that He who has granted us a smile is capable of taking it away and that He who
has given us wealth can choose not to bless it for us: The life of this world is only the
enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). [Ᾱl Imrān: 185]
May Allah bless you and me by the Glorious Qur'ān and make its verses and wise
sayings beneficial to you and me! This is what I have said. If it is correct, it is so thanks to
3 This is a reference to ‘Surat Al-Balad’, verses 15-16.
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Allah, but if it is wrong, it is my own fault and Satan’s. I ask Allah to forgive my sins, yours,
and those of all Muslims, so ask Him for forgiveness, for He is Most Forgiving!
٦
Part Two
Praise be to Allah for His blessings, and thanks are due to Him for His guidance and
bounty!
Now then,
Observe taqwa, O servants of Allah, and keep in mind that Allah has created man
“into hardship”4, that man is labouring towards his Lord with his deeds and actions (good or
bad) and will meet Him5. Let it also be known to you that all humans will not be spared
calamities nor will they escape life intrigues.
Therefore, the ethics of commiseration will form the best solace against these
disasters; commiseration can help stop tears, and soothe heartbreaks. It is thanks to it that the
Muslim community can be stronger and its weaknesses can be remedied. This will result in
an increase in its cohesion, unity, and integration.
Throughout his life, man may not be free of complaint since it is a feature of life.
However, such a complaint must be met with commiseration with the complainant in order to
comfort him and share his grief.
Despite all of this, O you who is undergoing an affliction, you are ordered in the
absence of a condoler to trust Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, for He ‒may He be exalted‒ is
the Lord of the condoler himself and is the Most Merciful. Indeed, He may, perhaps, have
taken something from you in order to give you more later, and has not given you something
in order to protect you against its harm.
If it is neither this nor that, then it is an increase in reward (in the Hereafter) and
forgiveness of sins. He who was unable to help you financially would not abstain from
condoling you with his words or feeling your pain in his heart. In that case, you will feel that
you are not suffering alone and that there are fellow Muslims who cry when you cry and feel
sad when you are sad.
When reality goes dreary because there is no helper, then you should know that
patience has consequences sweeter than purified honey: Only those who are patient
shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning. [Al-Zumar: 10]
Some people of the Ansār (patronisers/supporters of the Prophet in Medinah) once
asked the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] to give them (goods and
financial support); so he did, then they asked him again for more, and he did give them till he
used up what he had; then he said: "What wealth I have I will not hoard from you. Whoever
shows forbearance, Allah will help him. Whoever tries to be independent, Allah will enrich
4 This is a reference to Surat Al-Balad, verse 4.
5 This is a reference to Surat Al-Inshiqāq, verse 6.
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him. Whoever tries to be patient, Allah will give him patience, and no one is given a better
or vaster gift than patience." [Narrated by Ahmad]
This being said, do send (O you Muslims) your salat and peace upon the best and
most honest of all mankind, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon
him] the sole possessor of the Blessed Basin and the only interceder in the Hereafter. For
Allah ordered you ‒O believers‒ after beginning by Himself and then His angels, who are
praising His Sanctity, saying:
O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him
(Muhammad), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic
way of greeting(salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum. [Al-Aḥzāb: 56]
O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honours and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon
Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, who has the brightest face and the most radiant
forehead, upon the four Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, upon all of his
Companions, the tabi’īn (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s
Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death) and those who righteously follow them till the
Day of Judgement. O Allah! Be also pleased with us all, along with them, by Your Pardon
and Generosity, O You, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!
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 fail polytheism and polytheists
(who associate partners with You), O Allah! Grant glory to Your religion, Your Book and the
Sunnah of Your Prophet, and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Bring an end to the suffering of Muslims! Rescue those in distress, and help
those indebted pay back their debts! Cure those of us and those of the Muslims who are ill! O
You, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, and set right our Imams and leaders! O
Allah! Entrust our government to those who fear You and seek Your satisfaction, O Lord of
the Worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to say and do whatever You love and please, O You, the
Living, the Everlasting! O Allah! Set right his retinue, O You, the Lord of Majesty and
Honour!
O Allah! Set right the conditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere; O
Allah! Set right the conditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere; O Allah! Grant
them victory over their oppressors and enemies!
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O Allah! Guide us to what You love of words and deeds, O You, the Living, the
Everlasting! O Allah! Grant our souls righteousness and purify them, for You are the best
purifier; You (alone) are their Lord!
Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from all that is
wrongly attributed unto You! And may peace be upon the Messengers, and the last of our
supplication is: praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
