Two hungry wolves..

Two hungry wolves…

From the pearls of Shaykh Ahmed:

Before I enter into the hadeeth, I want to clarify some of its wording; so, his – صلى الله عليه وسلم –statement: (ما ذِئبانِ ) -the word – الذئبان – (wolves) is the dual form of ذئب (wolf), and it is the well-known animal.

It is said that the wolf was named “ذئب” because it is not stabilized in its movements, rather it comes without direction. And the wolf is an animal that has specific characteristics, it is said that from its characteristics (is that):

It doesn’t suffice itself solely with that which it wants; meaning it is not satisfied with the thing it wants unless he destroys other than it as well; and that is why when it enters into an area that has livestock, it doesn’t suffice itself with eating just one, rather it will kill all and destroy all of the livestock that are in the barn and the yard. And that is why the wolf is known as a corrupter, because it will eat that which is in front of it and kill the rest.

So the general meaning of this narration is that the craving of a Muslim for gathering wealth and seeking a high position in the earth – harms his religion and leads him to a harmful situation.

Ibn Rajab – May Allaah have mercy on him – said, in an explanation of the narration: “This is a very great similitude given to us by the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – to show how the Deen of the Muslims is corrupted by craving after wealth and worldly status, and that the damage caused to the Deen by it will not be less than the damage caused by two hungry and ravenous wolves which spend the night amongst sheep whose shepherd is absent – so that they feast on them and massacre them.

As is obvious none but a small number of these sheep would escape from the havoc caused by these hungry wolves – and the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – informed us that a person’s craving after wealth and status does not cause less harm than these two hungry wolves amongst the sheep. Rather, either it will be the same or worse. So this shows that hardly any of a Muslim’s Deen remains secure if he craves after wealth and status in this world – just as hardly any of the sheep will be saved from hungry wolves. So this great similitude contains a severe warning against the evil of craving after wealth and status in the world.”

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That the craving of wealth is of two types:

1️⃣“The first type of craving for wealth is that a person has extreme love for wealth and also relentlessly exerts efforts to attain it – via means which are lawful – being excessive in that, striving hard and making painstaking efforts and toiling in order to attain it.”

Ibn Rajab said: “There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a person’s noble life for that which has no value. Instead he could have earned a high rank (in Paradise) and everlasting bliss, but he lost this due to his craving after provision – which had already been assured to him and allotted to him, and it was not possible for anything to come to him except what was decreed for him – then on top of this he does not benefit from that, but rather abandons it and leaves it for someone else. He departs from that and leaves it behind so that he will be the one held accountable for it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it for someone who will not praise him for that, whilst he himself goes on to One who will not excuse him for that – this itself would indeed be enough to show the blameworthiness of this craving.

The person who has this craving wastes his valuable time and engages himself in that which is no benefit to himself – in journeying and exposing himself to dangers in order to amass that which will only benefit someone else.”

The Shaykh said:

And from the benefits of this hadeeth:

2️⃣The second type of craving after wealth is that in addition to what has been mentioned in the first type, he also seeks wealth through unlawful means and withholds people’s rights – then this is definitely blameworthy greed and covetousness. Allaah, the Most High, says:

{{ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ }}

{{And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.}}

It is reported in Sunan Abee Daawood from Abdullaah ibn Amr – رضي الله عنه – from the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – that he said:

((Beware of greed (avarice) for indeed greed (avarice) destroyed those who came before you. It ordered them to cut off ties of relationship so they cut off ties of relationship, and it ordered them to be miserly so they were miserly, and it ordered them to commit sins so they committed sins.))

“If the person’s craving after wealth reaches this level then the deficiency it causes in a person’s Religion is clear – since failing to fulfill what is obligatory and falling into what is forbidden reduce one’s Religion and Eemaan without a doubt to the point that nothing but a little remains of it.”

Ibn Rajab – may Allaah have mercy on him – said:

“Know that love of status attained by having one’s orders and prohibitions obeyed and enacted, and by merely the attainment of a position above the people and to have importance over them, and that it be seen that the people are in need of him and seek their needs from him – then the soul of this person is seeking to compete with Allaah in His Lordship and His Divinity and right to worship. Some such people may even seek to put the people into such a condition of need that they are compelled to request their needs from them, and to display their poverty before them and their need of them.”

“So these matters are worse and more dangerous than mere injustice and are more sinister, and they are a part of shirk – and shirk is the greatest injustice and transgression with Allaah. It is reported in the Saheeh from the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – that he said:

((Allaah, the Most High, says, ‘Pride is my cloak and majesty is my lower-garment so whoever vies with Me regarding them I will punish him.”))

Ibn Rajab – may Allaah have mercy on him – said:

“The second type is he who through his knowledge, action and shunning of this world seeks: leadership of the people and a position of honour above them and that the creation should comply and submit to him and turn their faces to him. He seeks that it should become manifest to the people that he has the greater knowledge than the scholars so that he can attain a status greater then theirs and so on.

The appointed place for a person like this is the Hell-Fire. This is because intending to arrogantly raise oneself above the creation is itself something forbidden, then if one seeks it through the means of attaining the Hereafter then this is worse and more despicable than attempting it through use of worldly means such as wealth and leadership.”

In general, my brothers – May Allaah bless you – I bring your attention to a benefit that Ibn Rajab mentioned – and it is very precise – he said after he mentioned that which pertains to seeking status through knowledge, asceticism, righteous actions and gaining status above the people:

“This matter is very vast,” – and the meaning of النكتة is; benefit and an unknown or hidden matter – he said, “and there is a fine point here. It is that a person may criticize himself before some people, intending thereby that the people should see that he is modest and therefore be raised in their eyes and be praised by them. This is one of the subtle doors of ostentation/show (riyaa’) and the Pious Predecessors have warned us about it.

Mutarrif ibn `Abdullaah ibn ash-Shikhkheer said, “It is sufficient to amount to conceit that a person criticizes himself in a gathering intending only self-adornment, and this to Allaah is foolishness.”

What is the meaning of the prophet’s – صلى الله عليه وسلم – dispraise in the narration (Two hungry wolves…)?

I say as the people of knowledge have said, that its meaning is:

That the Muslim (should be) abstinent and he (should) suffice himself from being in need of the people. And he (should) work and not eat by way of his religion as we see some of the people walking around surrounded by merchants, and he walks around and gathers wealth and spends it upon himself – whilst he does not work – he purchases a house and they (the people) purchase for him land and build for him a house and get him a car and they spend hundreds of thousands on this person; not due to his exertion or his effort or his work – rather it is because of religion – he consumes (the peoples wealth) using his religion; and this is blameworthy, this is corrupt in this manner; because he has made his religion a tool used to gain the worldly life and he has degraded the religion in this way, and he has unknowingly degraded knowledge in this manner.

And due to this, that is the meaning of the narration: that the person consumes (wealth) by way of his religion.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “Oh gathering of reciters (of the Qur’aan) strive in good deeds and seek Allaah’s bounty and do not be dependent on the people”

“Do not become dependent on the people”; meaning: don’t ask them for anything and do not be in need of them for wealth, rather work and enrich yourselves.

And his statement: “Oh gathering of reciters”; meaning: Oh you who memorized the Qur’aan and knows its meaning.

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

That it is possible for the scholar to fall into this fitnah – the fitnah of wealth and the fitnah of seeking status – the scholar or the student of knowledge may fall into this matter nevermind other than them. So (it is not as) some of the ignorant ones think that the Salafi students of knowledge and the scholars cannot be imagined falling into this fitnah; because this (belief) is in opposition to that which the legislated texts and Salafi narrations have pointed to.

Sufyaan ath-Thawri – may Allaah have mercy on him – said, “They – meaning the Salaf – used to seek refuge in Allaah from the evil of the (wicked) scholar and the evil of the ignorant worshipper, for indeed their fitnah is the trial of everyone who is put to trial.”

So in this hadeeth is a warning to the scholars from devouring (wealth) by way of their religion, so they devour (the peoples) wealth, and also in it is a warning to the scholars from seeking status and leadership and (seeking) to become a reference and other than that, in this hadeeth is a warning to them from this matter. And also upon the students of knowledge is to fear Allaah and not to make wealth their endeavor, and to consume wealth by way of their religion and knowledge.

From the benefits of this narration:

That it points to the dangers of showing off and (seeking) fame; because the one how is showing off acts for the sake of commendation and praise and this is from love of glory and seeking it.

And the danger of showing off is more dangerous than the Dajjaal, the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

((‘Shall I not tell you of that which I fear more for you than Dajjal?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Hidden polytheism, when a man stands to pray and makes it look good because he sees a man looking at him.’”))

May Allaah bless you – the sultan and the legislated ruler have position and status and it is befitting that it be taken into consideration and for it to be known, and commanding him with good and forbidding him from evil should be done in a legislated manner.

And I end this statement by bringing the attention of those who are of the opinion of it being absolutely blameworthy to enter upon the sultan; that this is against that which is better, and it is in disagreement with the correct (opinion). And Allaah knows best.

From the benefits of this hadeeth:

The danger of seeking wealth without justification.

The Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

((Verily this dinar and dirham destroyed those before you and it will destroy you (as well))

meaning it will destroy this nation if they are put to trial by the dinar and they sell their religion for an offer from the dunya.

I say – May Allaah bless you -: Some of the people bigotedly adhere to falsehood even if it was from a scholar; the statement is a statement of a scholar, either:

▪️it is correct with evidences

▪️or it is false and against the evidences

▪️or it is suspended; meaning there is no evidence to make it obligatory, or any evidence to falsify it; then this is from his striving and his statement, but it is not held on to. Because if the scholar’s statement that is against the truth is falsehood.

And what is amazing is that some of the buffoons and some of the ignorant ones who put themselves forward deny that the scholar’s statement which is in contradiction to the truth be called falsehood, and I swear by Allaah that this is strange. And this, I swear by Allaah, if it points to anything – it points to ignorance and stupidity in the religion. And if it points to anything – it points to the fact that this speaker is in need of joining those ignorant ones and to learn and study anew.

And even more amazing is the statement of some of them; that the one who chants the statement that the scholar can be correct or incorrect is a person of desires – I seek refuge in Allaah – rather the one who says this statement is a person of desires, and that is because the scholars say by consensus, “That the scholar (his statement) can be correct or incorrect by way of consensus”

So this (statement) makes the consensus (of the scholars) (following) whims, so what whim is greater than this?! This is from one angle.

The second angle: is that he makes refuting the scholars’ statements which are in disagreement to the truth from the door of (spreading) doubts in the statement of the scholar and as if all of the scholars’ statements are correct; and this is falsehood in speech, because this statement is not present in any single one of the scholars’ statements.

And who is the one who will claim that he never makes mistakes!? As ibn Ma’een said, “He is a liiiaaaaar!!”

Oh you buffoon! Oh you buffoon! Your clownery, gabbling and ranting is sufficient, you have become senile; senile in your intelligence, and a senile person who is unable to comprehend anything – and we ask Allaah for safety -, you give a number of lectures and make your own false principles and reject the truth openly!!

Is there not amongst the people an intelligent one to deter you from this false speech of yours!?

You haven’t found anything to reject except the truth!?

You used to be a lowly Ma’rabi insulting the scholars and accusing them of lying, the Salafi scholars which you are now saying (to them) “adhere to the scholars’ statements! Adhere to the scholars’ statements!” and the likes of this.

And you say that we are insulting the scholars, you (are the one who) used to accuse them of lying, we do not accuse the scholars of lying, rather all we are saying is that they are human beings; they are correct (at times) and incorrect (at times). So we accept that which is correct and reject that which is incorrect, and the if the mistake is in disagreement with the truth then it is falsehood.

So oh you who is destitute of knowledge and intellect!! And oh you buffoon!! Your clownery is sufficient!!

May Allaah bless you – from the benefits of this hadeeth:

Is that the scholar can be correct and incorrect; we characterize ourselves with this statement and we make it customary because there are (some people with) fanatic intellects! And biased hearts that make all the statements of the scholar correct, if it agrees with his desires; otherwise, oh you buffoon! You haven’t accepted the tazkiya of the scholar for some of the (other) scholars and students of knowledge in Libya, and you were at war with him (I.e. this scholar); you were at war (with him) so you could rush to overthrow him from amongst the scholars, until your lies and evil-doing were exposed in these matters, so do not play in the religion of Allaah!!

Play with that which you wish in the dunya, but do not play with the religion of Allaah!!

Do not think that we are small and that we don’t have intellect so that we do not know what you say! Rather – by Allaah – we know and we are patient, but for the speech to be done openly in this manner, then this is foolishness!

And this is ignorance!!

And this is stupidity!!

So enough of this stupidity, foolishness, and clownery oh buffoon!!

And this my brothers – may Allaah bless you –is from that which we were put to trial with; ignorant people who don’t know the religion of Allaah putting themselves forward through social media, and through the means of communication whist they invent these false principles!!

And unfortunately there are some of the Salafis from those who are affected by this type of speech even if – all praise be to Allaah – from that which has reached us and from that which we were informed about concerning our brothers in Libya; that many of the Salafis have disbanded from him, and this is from that which has increased his exasperation and stupidity, so he became a clown, and he started to come with this type of intimidation – and we ask Allaah for safety and well-being.

Do not play with your religion! You are seeking honor, you are seeking honor and glory through your religion but you do not want to be touched (i.e. your position), so you play with your religion but your position is not to be touched!!

No habibi, beware!!

Beware! This is wrong!!

I call you to return and make repentance to Allaah, I call you to the truth if you want the truth, otherwise, I swear by Allaah and again I swear by Allaah! As long as the soul hasn’t reached the throat, I will warn against you to make clear your ugliness. And I swear by Allaah if I warn against you, then I seek by that warning, the face of Allaah – عز وجل -. So fear Allaah with regards to yourself in this affair.

Oh my brothers from the benefits of this hadeeth – and I apologize if I exited (off topic) for a bit with that buffoon – but it has reached me, or I have seen on WhatsApp a benefit being spread for him in which he says, “Whoever says and chants and increases in saying that the scholar can be correct (at times) and incorrect (at times), then this is a person of desires!”

I seek refuge in Allaah!!

He has by this statement of his, accused all of the Salafi scholars of being people of desires whilst he does not know!! It’s natural (for him to say this) because he is a buffoon.

Many of the people take some of the Salafis from amongst their brothers as enemies, why is this?

Because they say the truth, and many of the people; and I do not just say from the people only – meaning (also) – from the general Salafis and from the students of knowledge and from some of the Salafi scholars they take some of their Salafi brothers as enemies, why is this?

Because they have spoken the word of truth and this has angered them. And many of these people love those who praise them with falsehood, why is this?

Because (they are) seeking honor and leadership.

And this point – I mean the hidden desire – is very important, and I must mention some points on it, so I say:

From what enters into seeking leadership is what some of the students of knowledge and some of those who put themselves forth, and some of those who are described as being a scholar or a symbolic scholar unfortunately, force the people accept their opinion, and if his opinion isn’t accepted, he is angered.

So this enters into the dispraise, because the opinion – as we previously mentioned – is not binding, as the people of knowledge have stated and established, and this buffoon is ignorant of it.

So where is the Salafiyyah!?

Where is the fear of Allaah – عزّ وجلّ – !?

Where is the fear of the dunya (wordly life)!?

Where is the fear from the fitnah!?

Unfortunately these people have made their religion a tool to fish for the people; and because of this – as we have mentioned – the scholars disliked that they be made a reference. Rather, if other than him was asked and was benefitted from, he would be pleased with this. And he indicates to other than him so everyone would be benefitted from, and all of the Salafi scholars would be returned to.

There is no regionalism with us – Beware! – this is a mistake in calling to Salafiyyah, I say: this is a mistake in calling to Salafiyyah; restricting the Salafi scholars to a certain place is a mistake, none of the people of knowledge have ever said this. Rather the Salafi scholar is returned to in any place.

But if the student of knowledge speaks, then either his speech is correct so it is obligatory to accept it whether he has returned back to the scholars or not. And connecting the acceptance of the statement of the student of knowledge on the condition of him returning back to the scholars is an innovated statement – beware!

I am straightforward in this affair; (it is) an innovated statement, an innovation that has come to us from the remnants of these groups that have been raised upon partisanship, so the effects of it has remained in their hearts and their methodology, so they wish to apply it to us.

No, it is not binding upon me if I have spoken the truth along with its evidence for me to return back to a scholar. This is not necessary, and it is not obligatory upon me as long as I speak the truth along with its evidence, and I know that.

But if the student of knowledge speaks from the aspect of Ijtihaad and he makes a mistake, then his statement is not accepted, whether he retruned back to the scholars or not. Rather if the mistake occurs from a scholar himself then it is not accepted. So then why is the religion of Allaah – عزّ جلّ – being manipulated!?

Some of them say you must return (back to the scholars), anything small or big (they say), have you consulted the scholars?

Have the scholars allowed you?

Oh my brother the scholars are not rulers. The scholars benefit us and they indicate to us (the truth), and we seek their advice and we benefit from them, there is no harm in this. But if the person has spoken the truth, and the person is in an affair which is not falsehood, then he is not obliged to return back to the scholars – that is to say – from the aspect of it being better, then this is a different matter, but from the aspect of it being obligatory and from the aspect of refuting him to the point that the student of knowledge is described as being reckless and impatient if he speaks before returning back to the scholars; this is a mistake, this is a mistake.

And therefore my brothers, unfortunately some of them have no argument except to blame: so and so is impatient and reckless – okay – clarify to us with evidences his recklessness and impatience.

Have you seen that Salafi giving a fatwa in the matters of Libya for bloodshed so that the people sloshed in blood and killed the innocent ones because of his false fatwa!?

Because this is the reckless impatient one. He built his speech against the evidences or he did ijtihaad whilst he is not worthy of ijtihaad.

But if he does ijtihaad and he is worthy of ijtihaad then this one is excused, but if it is evil and he himself is from the people of evil and he does ijtihaad whilst he is not worthy of it, then he is not excused.

Have you seen me characterizing a Salafi with bad characteristics, and have I praised the people of deviation with the characteristics of truth and made them the reference in Libya whilst they are from the Ma’rabiyyah and deviated? This is impatience and recklessness.

Have you seen me waging war against the evident Salafis? This is impatience, this is recklessness, this is putting yourself before the truth, and the truth as we previously mentioned, has nothing to do with being small or big.

Beware! – May Allaah bless you – from being an aid to transgression, aggression, envy and tyranny. And unfortunately sometimes envy comes from some of the students of knowledge towards their brothers so they rush to overthrow them, they don’t leave a single person. So they overthrow many of the scholars and the students of knowledge and leave themselves.

Okay – you are the ones that remain, you are only wolves except those whom Allaah has had mercy upon and they are few. You are ignorant wolves who don’t know how to go about and how to deal with the matters of knowledge. These ones who hear your speech and attend your lessons, what will you say to them?

I fear that you will establish for them the creed of the Sufiyyah and the creed of the Jahmiyyah and the creed of the Mu’tazilah and the Ashaa’irah whilst you are unaware thinking that you are establishing Salafi issues. I swear by Allaah that this has occurred, I swear that this has occurred from some of the Salafis unfortunately.

Oh my brothers the religion of Allaah is not a game. Oh my brothers fear Allaah in the religion of Allaah – عز وجل – I swear by Allaah, I swear by Allaah, I swear by Allaah we will be asked about this on the day of judgement.

We will be asked about remaining silent and being pleased (with this), and about distortion and about subduing false statements which have occurred from those whom you deem to be great and you do not refute it. Rather you refute and speak ill of he who clarifies the truth from falsehood.

I swear that we will be asked about this on the day of judgement if we remain silent and if we have agreed with them. So prepare for the question an answer – may Allaah bless you.

From the benefits I wish to mention in this hadeeth: From the benefits I wish to mention in this hadeeth:

That from the cures for this insatiability and craving of the dunya is that which came in the hadeeth of the prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – that Allaah and His messenger should be more beloved to the slave than all else;

It was reported from Anas – رضي الله عنه – in the two saheehs that the prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

((Whoever possesses the following three qualities – meaning whoever they are found in and is described with them – will taste the sweetness of faith:

1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle become dearer than anything else.

2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah’s sake.

3. Who hates to revert to disbelief (Atheism) after Allah has brought (saved) him out from it, as he hates to be thrown in fire.))

And also from the types (of love for leadership and glory): is that some of them are not pleased for it to be said to him, “You have made a mistake.” And if he makes a mistake and is asked to retract, he will retract in a twisted manner.

Either he will say such and such a person has made the same kind of mistake, or as some of the foolish ones do, such and such a person made the mistake and I followed him in it, – okay – you made a mistake, and even if such and such a person made a mistake, why would you follow him in it?

How? Whilst this one has lied about such and such!?

So he has combined along with him falling into a mistake; lying (as well).

Also from the love leadership and glory; a new stage has begun of overthrowing the Salafis and criticizes them and glorifying the deviants and putting them forward; so whoever is with them is put forth even if he is a deviant, and whoever opposes them is criticized even if he is upon the truth.

And from the effects of loving leadership and glory is that some of them begin to acknowledge that which he used to reject and reject that which he used to acknowledge. As Hudaifah – رضي الله عنه –clarified:

“Indeed true misguidance is that you acknowledge that which you used to reject and you reject that which you used to acknowledge. And beware of inconstancy in the religion”

So from the effects of loving glory is inconstancy in the religion. So that one which they used to praise and walk along with him like a lion – and if only he ate him at that time! And he would walk in front of him like a lion – and if only he ate him at that time so we could rest from his evil – we ask Allaah for safety and well-being – today, he became ignorant, vile, and bad. And (they say) he is like this and this and (in reality) he is himself and has not changed, so I do not know who it is that has changed. So beware of inconstancy in the religion.

My brothers – may Allaah bless you – it is befitting that we are keen regarding these matters and pay attention to them, and to strive for the truth. And to get ourselves accustomed to adhering to the truth. To adhere to the truth and to know the truth and not to attach it to the creation.

Yes the scholars are returned back to and they are benefitted from and their statements are accepted as long as they have spoken the truth; but if falsehood occurs from a scholar or a student of knowledge or lesser than them, then it is refuted. And the meaning of falsehood occurring from a scholar; meaning a mistake, and it is described as being falsehood because it is in contradiction to the truth. Not that the scholar fell into falsehood purposely as some of the buffoons say.

_____________________

🎙From the lecture: “Understanding the narration (Two hungry wolves…)”

Source: https://t.me/Ahmedbazmool

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