Mind Your Own Business

Action upon one verse:
This is very short verse of the Holy Qur’an. It is a wonderful miracle of the Holy Qur’an that if a man acts even upon a short verse after understanding its meaning, then that action is enough to ameliorate his life. This short verse also possesses this distinction. This verse discloses a wonderful reality and it contains guidance for the entire Muslim Ummah. If we take this guidance to our hearts and resolve to act upon it, then I can say that this shall put an end to all our troubles and calamities.

Cause of the sad plight of the Muslims
Before giving the meaning and explanation fo this verse, I draw your attention to an important question which occurs to many of us off and on. You are beholding that the entire Muslim Ummah is facing many problems, wherever it is residing in the world. It is surrounded by worries and calamities.

In one place the Muslims of Bosnia are being subjected to oppression and wrongs, in another place the Muslims of Kashmir are undergoing torture and tyranny. The Muslims in India are suffering from untold excesses infidels. In Somalia the Muslims are involved in a civil war. In Afghanistan the Muslim are fighting against each other. The Muslims are facing all these problems. Those who have some Eeman (Faith) in their hearts say after giving some though that the cause of these failures and disgraces lie in the fact that we have become totally unmindful of Deen, have given up acting on the teaching of the Holy Prophet ( saws ) and have forsaken service to Allah, have stopped from obeying the injunctions of the Holy Prophet ( saws ) and are, above all drowned deed in the disobedience and misdeeds. These vices have brought on us these calamities. What has been said above is quite true because Allah has said in the Holy Qur’an:

Whatever misfortunes strike you are due to your own (bad) deeds and (Allah) excuses many (of the sins) (42:30)

Thus, you yourselves are responsible for your misfortunes and distresses. Being All-Compassionate, Allah forgives many of your sins. Some misdeeds and sins are such as they are requited in this world in the form of misfortunes and calamities. There is hardly a sitting or assembly in which we do not admit lapses and misdeeds on our part. We confess in these our meetings that our calamities are due to our own negligence towards our Deen.

Why do the efforts remain fruitless?
Despite all the attempts made to arrest the deterioration and bring improvement in our conduct and behaviour, we see no improvement at all in our sad plight. It seems that the flood of our indifference to our Deen is increasing and intensifying instead of diminishing, as some poet has said:

What kind of a destination is it that we get tired in our journey towards it., but the distance remains the same as it was at the start?

You begin the work of reform on others
The verse I have recited just now points out the tendency that when you embark upon a reform campaign, you begin the work of reform on others, thinking that all defects, shortcomings and excesses through bribery, interest, etc. are found in others who need to be purified from these sins. On the other hand you totally forget your own self that perhaps some of these vices and misdeeds are lurking in your own souls.

You have no thought of reforming your ownselves
This idea seldom occurs to a person that he too, is addicted to some of those defects, weaknesses and vices which he is trying to look for in others and that it is his first priority to reform his own soul, It is incumbent upon a man first of all to care about his own reform and betterment before taking care of others. This has become a general trend that those who stand up for doing reform work arc worried about the amelioration of others. They seldom think that they themselves may be suffering from some vices and shortcomings which need to be eradicated first.

The sermons delivered remain ineffective
When a Preacher or a Reformer is suffering from some shortcomings and has no worry to remedy them, then the words of advice which he directs to others have no effect on the addresses. His words of advice will have weight only when he sincerely admits that he himself has in him so many vices, defects and sins. If he thinks about himself in this way he will not be mindful of, and worried about, the weaknesses and shortcomings of others. In the absence such a negative attitude, the sermons delivered, however attractive, prove ineffective and fall flat.

Everyone is accountable for his own deeds
The Holy Qur'an has said in the verse quoted above: O believers be mindful of your reform. If you have reformed yourself and taken the path of right guidance, the sins and vices of those who have gone astray from the straight path will do you no harm. You have all to return ultimately to Allah and Allah shall tell you what you have been doing in the world. This verse tells in clear terms that every one will be accountable for his deeds. The deeds of one person shall not be charged against another person. No. this will not happen. Everyone will have to account for his own deeds. It is, therefore, necessary that you should first of all take care of. and reform your own deeds and conduct. When you are in the presence of Allah what explanation shall you give for your deeds and conduct ? You should, therefore., be mindful of your own self before turning your attention to what others are doing. Everyone must make a critical survey of his own actions, conduct and character, to find out what sins and wrongs he himself is committing. If he has any, he should give up these sins and misdeeds and try to reform himself. It should not happen that he should become engaged in reforming others and be neglectful of his own reform.

There is a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet (Saws) has said: He, who says that all the people have perished, is himself the most perished one of all. This is because he has an eye on the sins and vices of others who have in his opinion perished on account of their sins. etc. but the man who so thinks does not look into his own sins and vices. If a man begins to make a survey of his own faults and shortcomings, he will feel that he is the worst of all and he will, therefore, not pry into the affairs of others.

An incident that happened with Hazrat Zunnoon Misri rahmatullah alayh)
Hazrat Zunnoon Misri (rah) was a friend of Allah (saint) of a very high status the height of which we can hardly imagine. It is written that once famine occurred in his city and there were no rains. The people were very much oppressed and perturbed and-were praying to Allah to release the rains. Some people approached Hazrat Zunnoon Misri (rah) and informed him how the cessation of the rains had caused severe famine, neither men nor animals had water to quench their thirst or to water their fields. Therefore, they requested the saint to pray to Almighty Allah to send down the rains. He promised to pray to Allah, but told them that whatever misfortunes and calamities descend on men are due to their own misdeeds and sins. The cessation of the rains means that they were all engrossed in evils and misdeeds on account of which Allah had withheld the rains. It was therefore, necessary to find out the greatest sinner among them. After taking a stock of his own personal life, the great saint thought that he was the greatest sinner of the place and his stay there was the real cause of the cessation of the rains. In order to attract divine mercy in the form of the rains, the saint decided to leave that place. Thus did the saint plan to bring down the rains.

The saint had his eyes on his sins
Look here! A great Wali. a righteous servant of Allah and an accomplished spiritual servant thinking that he was the greatest sinner on the surface of the earth and if he left the place, the rains would descend by Allah's mercy. Now think! Was the saint lying or did he display this humbleness out of modesty? A Wali like Hazrat Zunnoon Misri could never tell a lie. The fact is that he really and truly thought that he was the worst sinner. Why did he think so? It was because he had his eyes always fixed on his own defects and shortcomings and thought of ways and means to get rid of them.

None remained bad in his eyes
During this age Almighty Allah has made Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (rah) a model of action and righteousness. One of his successors has related the following incident:
Once I said to him: When you are delivering a sermon and I am in your assembly. I feel that in that assembly there is none more wretched than I: I am the worst sinner; in comparison with others I feel that I am like an animal.

In reply Hazrat Maulana Thanawi (RAH) said: Really I also feel about myself the same as you have described about yourself. When I deliver a sermon I feel that I am the worst of all and the others are better than I.

Why was it so? It was so, because they were always anxious to discover their own shortcomings and sins and how they should get rid of them. How should man attain Allah's pleasure? If man begins to look for his own sins, he cannot care for the shortcomings of others. In such a situation man begins lo feel worried about reforming his own affairs instead of worrying about others.

The last Mughal monarch. Bahadur Shah Zafar (rah) has expressed this idea very beautifully in the following lines of poetry:

I was unaware of my own shortcomings and was looking for the shortcomings of others. However, when I knew that in reality all are free from defects and shortcomings, while I alone am full of sins and defects.

You must remember that nobody can be aware of the vices of others better as he is aware of his own vices. Man knows quite well what he thinks about himself and what ideas he harbours in his heart and how diverse intentions and thoughts occur to his heart from time to time. Notwithstanding, this he takes no notice of these ideas and thoughts only because he remains occupied most of the time searching for the faults and vices of others.

Look ! How anxious man becomes about his own sickness !
Suppose that a man has got severe stomach-ache and is restless on that account. Will this person be making a survey of the various maladies from which others are suffering, forgetting his own stomach-ache? No. he shall become totally concerned with his own malady and will pay no attention to the maladies of others and will try first of all to get medical treatment for his own stomach-ache. You will not find in this world a single man who will care for the simple ailments of others neglecting his own serious ache.

An event of a lady that is full of morals
One of my relative ladies once suffered from severe gastric pain which made her restless. She was affected psychologically and began to think that she was seriously ill- I took her to a Hospital for medical check up and treatment. When we took the lift to go up, we saw that another lady was there sitting on a wheelchair whose entire body was burnt with fire and some bones were also broken. Her skin was also burnt at many places. By way of Providing comfort and solace to my relative lady and palliating her feeling of sickness. I said to her: Look! How seriously afflicted is this lady and how painful a torture she is enduring?" Hearing these words and casting a cursory glances, my relative lady said; yes she is undergoing painful suffering, indeed, but she is not suffering from gastric pain. Now. Look! One's own comparatively mild sickness is being felt more acutely than the torture of another patient whose entire body is burnt and many bones are broken.

Through this incident Allah inspired into my heart a desire if such thinking was created in our hearts about Deen (Faith) and our own inner diseases might totally occupy our care and thoughts instead of our searching for the weaknesses, faults and shortcomings of the others.

Hazrat Hanzalah (ra) become obsessed with the idea that he had become a hypocrite
Once Hazrat Hanzalah (ra) called on the Holy Prophet (SAWS) and said: O Messenger of Allah! I am perished and destroyed. The Holy Prophet (saws) said: What is the matter? He (ra) said that he had become a hypocrite. On being asked how this happened the Noble Companion replied, saying: O Prophet of Allah, when I am present in your assembly, nice ideas and emotions rise in the heart, Allah's remembrance is refreshed. I think of reforming myself and I am reminded of the blessings of the Hereafter. However, when I return to the world of action and its affairs and am among the wife and children, the earlier sublime condition of the heart disappears. Attention to Allah, the thought of self-reform and the thought of the Hereafter and of Paradise do not linger. This is a sign of Hypocrisy that apparently I am a Muslim but very bad and heinous ideas rise in the heart. That is why I have become a hypocrite. O Prophet of Allah (saws), tell Me how I can get rid of hypocrisy.

Look here! A Noble Companion (ra) of the Holy prophet (saws) is making complaint like this and the entire Ummah is unanimous on this that all the Companions, are just and it is not possible that anyone of them should be a sinner, yet one of them is suspecting about his having turned a hypocrite. Pacifying his anxiety, the Holy Prophet (saws) said: You should not feel disturbed by the change in your thoughts on going home, because thereby a man does not become a hypocrite. Such changes do take place with the change of times. Sometimes a man's heart is overwhelmed by Allah's remembrance causing more gentleness and softness of the heart, but there are times when these emotions are absent or are not so intense. So a man does not become a hypocrite by such changes in the conditions of the heart. (Sahih Muslim) This Companion (ra) did not feel worried that such and such a man turned a hypocrite. His worry was that perhaps he himself had turned a hypocrite.

Hazrat Umar (ra) suspected Hypocrisy in himself
Hazrat Umar (ra) is the second Caliph of the Muslims about whom the Holy Prophet (saws) said:

If there had been a Prophet after me. Umar would have been that Prophet (but there will be no Prophet after me).

So high a status Allah had granted him (ra) yet hear his problem. Hazrat Huzaifah bin Yaman (ra) was a companion of the Holy Prophet (saws) who was known to be his confident, because the Holy Prophet (saws) had confided to him the names of the hypocrites of Madinah Munaw-warah and under some policy he (saws) had not disclosed their names to any other Companion (Ra). When anyone died the people would watch if Hazrat Huzaifah (ra) joined the funeral prayer of the deceased. The participation of Hazrat Huzaifah (ra) in the funeral prayer of a person was a sure sign that the deceased was not among the hypocrites. If he did not participate in the funeral prayer, it was concluded that the deceased was among the hypocrites.

Hazrat Umar (Ra) used to call on Hazrat Huzaifah (ra) and ask him if "Umar"s" name was not in his list of the hypocrites. Just see! This question is being put by a personality like Hazrat Umar (ra) who had heard with his own ears the Holy Prophet (saws) say: (Umar shall be in Paradise). As already mentioned, the Holy Prophet (saws) also said that:
If there had been a Prophet after, me Umar would have been that Prophet.

See such a godly personality is feeling so much worried, lest he should be among the hypocrites. The Holy Prophet (Saws) has also said that whoever recites the Kalimah shall enter Paradise. Hazrat Umar (ra) thought that one who recites this Kalimah shall indeed enter Paradise, yet if anyone's deeds become vicious before his death that person shall not be entitled to this glad tidings. Hazrat Umar (Ra) feared lest his deeds should become vicious to make him a hypocrite. It is true that when a man makes a survey of his faults and sins, he becomes worried about his reform and betterment. When a man begins thinking in this way, he does not find fault into others as he does with his own self. ( Al- Bidayah wan- Nihayah- Vol 5,P-19)

Extreme Ignorance of Deen
Today our affairs have just reversed. If we speak today anything about Deen, our speech is generally devoid of reformative aspects. It is seen that these speeches either contain sectarian colours, political topics or theoretical issues which have nothing to do with the practical life of man. All this has resulted in a general depletion of knowledge of Deen in our society. Today highly educated Muslims are ignorant of matters concerning Deen which were well known to young boys in the olden days. If some problem concerning Deen is mentioned to them, they feel surprised and say: Oh. is it a point of Deen'? We did not know that. The reason for all this ignorance is that the desire of self-reform has disappeared from our minds. The Holy Qur'an has clearly declared that, however numerous unions and associations you may establish, it will not be possible to reform the society unless everyone creates in his heart a desire to reform himself.

This is our plight
Banners in hands, we take out processions uttering slogans in favour of reform and betterment, but when an occasion of accepting bribe arrives, we do not lag behind anyone, we do refrain from taking money from others by fraudulent means. We cry hoarse against the usurious system, but when an opportunity comes for dealing in usury, we quietly take advantage of this. Such being the situation, how can reform of the society be possible? We are not tired of finding faults with others and condemning fraudulent and sinful deeds, but we do not lag behind when it becomes advantageous to tell lies, submit false and forged medical certificates to extend leave. Do we ever think on such occasions that all these are heinous sins by which we attract Allah's displeasure? When we are not prepared to give up all these vicious practices and sins, what is the use of uttering slogans and taking out processions in favour of reform of the society? Likewise, I taunt others on their aversion to Deen and on their indifference to the injunction of Deen, yet our assemblies are not free from backbiting and slanders, etc. As the Holy Quran has mentioned, one who backbites others is like one who eats the flesh of one's own brother. How, then, can a man addicted to these heinous sins reform the society. Indeed he cannot.

The way of Reforming
It is possible to reform the society, when I give up lying, backbiting and defrauding others, taking bribe and refrain from violating the rules of Pardah, shunning nudity and lewdness, etc. We cannot impart the idea of reform and amelioration to others, unless we create them in our own hearts. That is why the Holy Qur'an has said:

(O, you who believe), guard your own souls. He who has gone astray cannot harm you, if you are rightly guided. (5:105)

How did the Holy Prophet (saws) train the Companions (ra)
The Holy Prophet (saws) came to this world in which he lived 23 years after being commissioned to the status of Prophethood. He appeared on the scene at a time when the entire Arabian Peninsula was drowned in the darkness of ignorance and no ray of hope shone, nor was there any light of guidance. At such an inopportune time, the Holy Prophet (saws) came to this world and he (saws) was commanded to change the entire society and revolutionise it altogether.. After 23 years when he (saws) left the world infidelity and polytheism had been totally uprooted from (the Arabian Peninsula. The community which had been drowned in heresy and ignorance emerged after 23years as a model for the world.
Out of these 23 years, 13 years were spent in Makkah. During this period of 13 years the Muslims had (no orders to wage Jihad- nor was there any state or government, nor any constitution. Moreover, if the infidels tortured them, as they did. the Muslims were not allowed to take revenge and they had to bear the torture patiently and passively.
Endure patiently with the help of Allah (16:127)

They were strictly forbidden to retaliate, even though they were not so helpless. Hazrat Bilal (Ra) was being made to lie on burning sand and stone slabs were placed on his chest and he was asked to reject the Kalimah (There is no god but Allah). Hazrat Bilal (Ra) could avenge the torture inflicted on him by dealing a slap on the enemy, but at that time the Muslims had no orders to take revenge by raising either their hands or their swords.

The Noble Companions (ra) turned into Gold
Why was all this tyranny to be borne so patiently? It was because, by subjecting them to all these trials and tribulations, they had to be made pure and steadfast in the Faith like burnished gold; that they may endure the torture with patience without a word of complaint. Is there a man who will take beating and insult without being provoked and enraged ? But the Muslims are being commanded to suppress their anger and irritation for the sake of Allah, as this control over anger and provocation was, in turn, to generate in them the power to sacrifice their personal desires and preferences in obedience to the commands of Allah and for the sake of attaining His pleasure. The Divine Order for the Muslims to follow the 13 years of the Makkah life was not to retaliate and take revenge in any circumstances. They were commanded during this period to devote themselves to the worship of Allah and to turn to Him and remember Him and visualise the Hereafter. Paradise and Hell and reform their conduct and character. When during this training period of 13 years, the Noble Companions (ra) became pure like gold after passing through so many trials and tribulations, then commenced civic life in the Prophet’s city of Madinah. In that sacred city the Holy Prophet (saws) laid down the foundation of a State and a system of Government the like of which was seen neither before it nor after it. Having become fully absorbed in the thought of one's own reform everyone had made himself sincere and pure like pure gold. It is, therefore, your duty first of all to think of your own reform. A man shall succeed, by the grace of Allah, in reforming others, if he has first reformed himself. That is why triumph and victory was the fate of the Noble Companions (ra) because they had been trained by the Holy Prophet (saws) himself.
As for the present days it seems that all attempts made at reforming the society are being wasted as a whole without leaving any visible impact on the society. This is because we have totally neglected our own reform. We have become unmindful of the fact that one day we shall have to render account in the presence of Almighty Allah of our deeds. We have also overlooked to make a search of our own lives to find out what shortcomings lie hidden in ourselves and what should be done to remedy them.

Let us make our own survey
The gist of my address is that at the day's end everyone should try to find out where and in what matters he has disobeyed Allah's commands from morning till evening. Islam is composed of five branches of beliefs and acts:

1- The beliefs should be sincere true and right.
2- Items of worship, viz. Salatt, Fasting during
Ramadhan. the Hajj, Payment of Zakat should be
rightly practised and observed.
3- Dealings in trading should be lawful and free from
fraud.
4- Social living with one another should be strictly
according to the injunctions of Allah and His
Messenger (saws).
5- Morality, i.e., conduct and character should be
sound. Man should be free from the vices of hatred,
pride, jealousy, enmity, etc. He should be adorned
with good qualities, like modesty, reliance (on
Allah), gratitude and patience.

Man's religion becomes complete only when he fulfills the demands of all these five departments of religion. A man becomes a true Muslim when he has completed with the requirements of all these branches. In other words he should satisfy himself as to the following questions:
Are my beliefs correct and sound?
How many of the five-time obligatory Salat do I
offer? Do I miss any of them?
3- Do I have lawful earnings?
4- Are my dealings in sales and purchases fair and
honest?
5- Do I possess good moral character?
Do I behave with others amicably?
Am I guilty of telling lies, backbiting, and hurting
others? Do I tease or trouble others?

Everyone should examine his conduct and character in the light of the above observations. If one finds that he is deficient, he should try his best to make up the deficiency as far as possible. For example, he should find out how many lies he has told in the day and he should give up immediately. He should start working on this line to reduce his sins one by one by way of reforming himself. If the thought of reforming our life is born in our heart this change shall, God willing - enlighten our lives. Do not think that if only one life is reformed, what difference will it make?

One lamp lights another lamp
Bear in mind well that what we call society is composed of individuals, you, he and I. If one man's life is reformed, he gives up a few sins and he begins to obey the injunctions of Allah, this may be regarded at least as one candle lighted. A lamp, however, small may it be, is sure to spread its light in the space around it. It is quite likely that seeing a lamp burning another man may light his lamp. Thus the process of one lamp lighting another lamp may gradually enlight the entire environment and in this way the entire society may one day become enlightened. On the other hand if there is a man who keeps his lamp unlighted but desires to light the lamps of others with his unlighted lamp, this is impossible. It is obvious that an unlighted lamp cannot light other lamps. The same truth applies to the reform of human beings. A man who has no care to reform himself cannot succeed in guiding others. May Almighty Allah create in out hearts the thought of reforming our own selves first of all!

How to create the thought of self-Reform?
The question now arises how to create the thought of self-reform. One way to answer this question is this. Just as in this session we have talked about and heard the problem concerning self-reform which has stirred in us some urge to solve this problem, the same talk and discussion should be projected and heard in different sessions and assemblies again and again. This practice will - god willing rouse in our hearts the thought of self-reform. Just see that the words: (Establish the Salat) has been repeated in the Holy Quran sixty two times, even though only one Divine Command to this effect was enough. This is because it is man's nature that it is not impressed by an idea unless it is repeated off and on; ideas get settled when they are stamped on the mind again and again. A single impression does not prove lasting. It is, therefore, imperative that we should arrange to hold, and participate in such gatherings in which the topic of self-reform is discussed, this practice will create in us the thought of reforming ourselves before aspiring to reform others.

By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
From Discourses on Islamic Way of Life Vol VII