Nasīhatu Ahli Az-Zamān (The Exhortation of the People of the Time) 02

We shall continue from where we stopped in the Preface to the Book _Nasīhatu Ahli Az-Zamān_
The Shaykh said
أما بعد،
فهذا كتاب (نصيحة أهل الزمان) تأليف العبد الفقير عثمان
_”As for what follows, this is the Book *Nasīhatu Ahli Az-Zamān*”_
He is Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio – rahimahullāh – as we have stated earlier, the Shaykh of Sunnah, Da’awah, Jihād and Dawlah
_”Written by the Poor Slave Uthmān”_
He said
ألفته لأهل السودان ولمن شاء الله من الاخوان من العرب والعجم في جميع البلدان
_”I have written it for the People of Black Africa, and for whosoever Allāh wills of the Arab and Non-Arab Brothers in all the lands”_
جعل الله جزاءه الخلود في رضوان الرحمن. ومقصودي في تأليفه إن شاء الله تعالى
دعوة الناس إلى تقوى الله الديان
_”May Allāh make its reward everlasting dwelling in the Pleasure of the Most Merciful…”_
We say Āmīn to this Du’ā.
He said
_”And my aim in its writing, if Allāh Ta’ālā wills, is the Calling of Men to the Taqwah of Allāh the Recompenser”_
Look o beloved ones, how the Shaykh made the sincerity of his intentions subject to the will of Allāh
This is because the Arabic word _’Qasd’_ means ‘to aim’ but it also means ‘to intend’
You may aim at something but intend another
So, to aim at something with the right intention is only a Tawfīq of Allāh – ta’āla
For this reason, the Salaf used to say that the most difficult thing for them to handle is purifying their intentions
And the rewards of deeds are scaled only by Allāh with respect to the intentions of its doers.
Because they are ratio with respect to the purity of their intentions
One same deed, carried out by numerous people, will earn them all different rewards each
May Allāh purify our hearts and intentions
Āmīn
He said
وإحياء سنة المصطفى من أهل عدنان
_”…And to revive the Sunnah of the Chosen of the People of Adnān”_
Don’t forget that the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – is from Adnān
And Adnān was of Ismā’īl alayhissalām
He mentioned here that of his aims in its writing is to revive the Sunnah of the Rasūl salallāhu alayhi wasallam
He said
_”…And to emphasize love and bond between the Brothers”_
وتأكيد المحبة والوصلة بين الإخوان
That is because, in writing a book drawing their attentions to the importance of accommodating other people’s views even in matters of the Dīn, is what brings about strength of relations and tenacity of love
He said
وإن كانت النيات لا تخلو عن الخلل والنقصان
_”Even though intentions, are often times, not entirely free of errors and defects”_
What he means here is to absolve himself of claiming purity of intention
This is the Path of the Salaf
They blame themselves and always point to their incapbilities and inability to be perfect and impeccable
This contrasts sharply with the people of our time among the Scholars and the Jāhils
They always claim superiority of knolwdge, insight and near perfection
He said
وهو كتاب ذو إنصاف، لا يميل إلى سبيل التفريط والذي هو التساهل في المعاصي والبدع، ولا إلى الإفراط الذي هو إنكار ما فيه خلاف، إنكار حرام
_”And it is a Book that attempts to be balanced. It does not subtend to the path of laxity which is negligence in sins and innovations, nor to the path of severity that condemns matters upon which there is difference – a condemnation that is Harām”_
Na’am, so he brings it here to fore.
In commanding right and forbidding evil for there are matters that Ulamā differed upon that shouldn’t be condemned as Munkar
We will, Allāh willing, explain this matter in full later
I.e the matter of making inkar on a Munkar that the Ulamā differed upon
He said
وكل من نظره بعين الإنصاف حقق ذالك
_”And whomsoever looks unto it (the book) with just lenses will surely realise that”_
The Shaykh is very right here
This is because the books attempts to strike this balance
For there are matters that he Shaykh himself disagreed with, yet he didn’t list them among the matters that must be condemned and banned
He said
ولا أذكر فيه قولا إلا نسبته لقائله أو أذكر الكتاب الذي نقلت منه أقرب إلى طمأنينة النفوس.
وينحصر في مقدمة وسبعة فصول وخاتمة
_”And I do not mention in it a thing unless that I make reference to its sayer or quote the book from which I took it. This is closer to making the hearts tranquil and at rest.”_
This is the path of the Salaf : to not claim statements and works that aren’t theirs
And to attribute them to their rightful sayers
Imām Badruddīn Ibn Al-Jamā’a said in Al-Muz’hir 2/319
_”It is authentically recorded from Sufyān Ath-Thawrī rahimahullāh that he said that attributing a word of benefit to its owner is of truthfulness in Ilm and showing of gratitude and that been silent over that is of lie-telling and lack of gratitude.”_
It is mentioned in Zādu Ar-Rifāq that Al-Asma’ī – rahimahullāh – said
_”It is of the rights of the one that benefitted you with a slice of Ilm that you should quote and reference him”_
Imām Ibn Abdil Barr – rahimahullāh – said in Jāmi’i Bayān Al-Ilmi Wa Fadlihi
_”It is of the Barakāt of Ilm that you attribute everything to its sayer”_
Aside that it is a right of its sayer, it also helps to strengthen your position and makes it easier for people to accept your words and conclusions.
It is mentioned in the Tabaqāt of the Shāfi’ī Madh’hab from the Zāhid Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdil Malik Al-Fāriqī – rahimahullāh that he said
إذا أفادك إنسانٌ بفائدةٍ
من العلوم فأدمِن شكره أبدا

وقل: فلان جزاهُ الله صالحةً
أفادنيها، وألقِ الكبرَ والحسدا

“If a person benefits you with a single benefit,_
_Of Ilm, be everlasting in being grateful_

_And say: Allāh reward him with Good,_
_He benefitted me with that. And throw away arrogance and envy”_
May Allāh reward all our Shaykhs, our Teachers, our Mentors and our Leaders in the Dīn
Jazākumullāhu Khayran
Bārakallāhu fīkum
Assalāmu alaykum Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh