DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ANYONE!

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

Some people are in the habit of looking down on people who don't dress well according to the Sunnah of our beloved Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Instead of correcting or admonishing them politely, they neglect them to sway upon their error and meet them with disgusting look, forgetting that we (human beings) are all sinners.

Those who still struggle with their way of dressing are still our brethren in the deen regardless of their poor manner of appearance, if they firmly believe and they do not engage in clear cut kufru that take them out of Islaam. No doubt, those who dress in contravention of the Sunnah are sinning against Allaah and no sin is too small. But it must be noted that, sins, no matter how grievous do not take a Muslim out of Islaam, albeit, they are means of reduction in faith. The sign of increase in eeman is abstinence from sins and obedience to divine injunctions (including dressing properly as prescribed in the Sunnah). So, a Muslim deserves some rights from another Muslim in as much as he has not left Islaam.

Let's not look down on fellow Muslims for falling short in some aspects of their deen. I was at Faculty of Agric, Unilorin some few weeks back, and someone asked a question that suggested that some sisters in hijab do not greet or respond to tesleem from sisters who don't wear hijab. If the allegation is true, the action is wrong and condemnable. It is praiseworthy to be the first to greet a Muslim and it is sinful not to respond to the tasleem of a Muslim. We should rather pray Allaah to make the dressing easy for those who are in default the way He has made it easy for us. We should show them mercy and correct them with wisdom.

On the other hand, those who don't dress properly shouldn't make jest of those who dress well by coining some derogatory names for them. This evil is very common in our society. People call the adherents of sunnah so many bad names because of what they wear. To make jest of any aspect of the Sunnah is kufr. We should rather admonish one another from time to time to strive to reflect our inward beliefs by way of following the divine injunctions outwardly. One of the ways of doing this is to dress properly as prescribed in the Sunnah. Women should dress in their full hijab (or niqab), and men should appear with their beards and some other physical features. There are so many benefits in appearing like an ideal Muslim.

No matter how knowledgeable or firm you think you are in the worship of Allaah, don't ever think you are better than anyone, even if such a person is a prostitute or gangster. This is not to say that a perpetual grievous sinner is comparable to an obedient servant. No! But it is from islamic humility for someone to lower himself in his estimation, no matter how fervent he is in worship. Self amazement is self destruction. When you see a sinner, shytaan can prompt it in your to feel that you are special, once that enters your brain, you are in trouble. This is one of the traps shaytaan has set for those who are fervent upon Sunnah. He has so many plots against us. By his thought, he believes if we escape one, we wouldn't escape one. We just need to keep calling ourselves to order. May Allaah save us from his antics. Allaah said regarding shaytaan;

(قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ)

[Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path [Surat Al-A'raf 16]

This world is very strange. The person you are looking down upon today might later repent from sins and become a better servant in sight of Allaah. So, when you see a person who has issues with his deen, don't scorn or shun him (or her) or feel you are better than him. Rather, supplicate for him and pray Allaah not to afflict you with what He has afflicted him with.

The Companions رضي الله عنهم were great in worship, yet they were humble. They used not to look down upon those who were weak among them. No matter what they did, they never felt satisfied. Then, we should remember that no one would attain the mercy of Allaah except by His pleasure. Our salvation is not based on the quantity of our 'ibaadah. What Allaah needs from us is obedience, sincerity and humility. We should not be carried away by the amount of 'ibaadah we are able to do. We should still behave as if we have done nothing, and that we are only hoping for Allaah's pleasure on the Day of Accountability.

May Allaah guide us aright.