BE A TRUE AND CAREFUL MUSLIM

By 

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

Even in our world, there are clear examples and signs to lead a discerning mind to the truth (Islaam according to Sunnah). But those Allaah has destined to be misguided will not even look at those signs, talk less of learning from them. Allaah's aid is sought.

When we were in University of Ilorin, some of our friends and colleagues didn't know they weren't students until a week to our final exams. It was heartbreaking. They checked some people's results and it was detected that some bought fake JAMB forms and some had fake or incomplete results and they weren't ordinarily registrable. This shows that it is possible for someone to think he is a University student without being one. 

However, the point of benefit here is that someone might also be thinking he is a Muslim in his own ignorant estimation without being one. The former is manageable because he can still retrace his step back to school, but the latter is disastrous and destructive because after death, nothing can be done again. Allaah's aid is sought. Islaam is not by merely bearing a Muslim name. It is about knowledge, it is about conviction, it is about devotion, it is about steadfastness and carefulness. Islaam is about learning and knowing what truly makes one a Muslim and guarding it jealously against its nullifiers as mentioned and explained by scholars with evidences from the Qur'an or Sunnah or both. 

To be true Muslims, we need adequate knowledge, understanding and practice of what it takes to be real Muslims. Don't let us deceive ourselves. A lot of people are being deceived to think once they say I am a Muslim", they are automatically Muslims, and that is all, even if they are always doing clear and incontrovertible kufr or shirk (disbelief or polytheism). Many people are ignorant, which makes it easy for them to become victims in the hand of fake scholars (people of bid'ah and desire) who mislead them from the path of Sunnah because of some material benefits. Those fake scholars would not be able to defend them on the Day of Judgment. There will no excuse for the misguided. Both groups would end up blaming one another.

Perhaps, there is need to declare a state of emergency on matters of 'aqeedah in our society even if it involves paying with one's life. By Allaah, if we hide the truth (Sunnah) from you and you later die on falsehood thinking you are on the right track, Allaah will query us. They say we are indoctrinating people. If we indoctrinate one another with the correct 'aqeedah in order to attain paradise, is that not a good indoctrination? May Allaah guide us aright. In practising Islaam, the Sunnah is the only true way. Don't let anyone deceive you to adopt any path other than it. So, be wise! 

As Muslims, we need to always check ourselves from time to time and ensure we are still on the right track of Islaam (Sunnah based on the understanding of the salaf) and not the wrong paths as mentioned in the hadith of seventy-three (73) sects, seventy-two (72) of which are in hell except only (1) that stands on what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Companions رضي الله عنهم were upon. This requires sound knowledge of 'aqeedah, deep understanding and steadfastness.

The case of a person who is not a Muslim abinitio is fair because he has never smelt the fragrance of Islaam and Sunnah in the first place. But for a person who thinks he is living a Muslim life to later find out after death that he has been wasting his efforts and time, this is the real meaning of destruction. May Allaah save us from it. 

Those who die upon other than Islaam or those who die mixing their Islaam with dhulm (injustice, polytheism) would not even have a scale on the Day of Judgment. Their records would not even be examined because it is tainted with unforgivable and unpardonable acts of disbelief. Allaah says in Suratul Kahf:

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا (103) الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا (104) أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا (105) 

Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance [Q18:103-105]

May we live and die as true Muslims. May we never be misled. May our efforts not be wasted in this world and the hereafter.

Aameen