The Blog of aamsaafanquran

49- DID YOU THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES BETTER AND PURER THAN THE REST, BUT ALLAH PURIFIES WHOM HE WILLS, AND YOUR ARE NEVER UNJUSTLY TREATED IN THE LEAST.

50- SEE HOW THEY INVENT LIES IN ALLAH’S NAME, AND THIS IS ENOUGH FOR A MANIFEST SIN.

These Ayahs aim at two groups:

1-    The Jews and Christians:  For they claim to be the righteous and favoured by Allah the Highest “AND THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTIANS SAID: WE ARE ALLAH’S CHILDREN AND LOVED ONES”.  (S:5 A:18)

Also they claim that only they will enter the Paradise “AND THEY SAID: “NO ONE WILL ENTER THE PARADISE EXCEPT THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS”, SUCH ARE THEIR HOPES.  SAY: “SHOW US YOUR PROOF IF YOU ARE TRUTHFUL”.  (S:2 A:111)

2-    Some Muslims consider themselves better and purer than the rest.  Some may just feel this inside that they are better than others but do not express this feeling.  Like Al-Meqdad Ibn Amro who went to be a governor of any area.  He went back to see Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him who asked him: “How did you find commandeering?” He said: “It made me see myself as if I am above people, and they are all below me, by Him who sent you with the truth, I will never be in command of even two people after today”. 

Al-Meqdad realized that his nature could not cope with the temptations of leadership; even it was just a feeling of superiority inside him.

Others might express this feeling by praising themselves which is bad for only Allah the Highest knows us truly.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Do not call yourselves better and purer, for Allah knows those who are righteous of you”.  (M: Adab; 19)

Indeed, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him feared for the Muslim nation to engage in self praise.  Qetada reported that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “One of you should not say: I prayed by night throughout Ramadan.  For only Allah knows”.  Then Qetada said: ‘He feared for his nation to consider it’s self better and purer’.  (A: 4; 48)

Praising others may make them feel better than the rest, causing them to be proud and arrogant.  In the past, poets used to earn their living by being rewarded for composing poetry praising kings, princes and the wealthy.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad us from doing that saying: “Heal earth in the faces of the praise praising others”. (A: 6; 5 &D: Adab; 9 & M: Zohd; 68 & T: Zohd; 55)

Praising others excessively and with qualifies they do not have, is bound to get to the soul of the person being praised.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him heard a man excessively praising another, he said to him: “You are destroying your friend”.  (B: Shahadate; 17 & M: Zohd; 67 & A: 4; 412)

Indeed, Mohamed prayer and peace upon him told the Muslims not to say that he is better than other prophets, he said: “Do not say that any of the prophets is better than others”.  (B: Khsomat; 1 & M: Fadael; 163 & D: Sonah; 13 & A: 3; 33, 35)

There was once a friction between a Muslim and a Jewish man over who is better of the two, Mohamed or Moses prayer and peace upon them both.  He said: “Do not say that I am better than Moses”.  (B: Anbia; 21 & M: Fadael; 160 & D: Sonah; 13 & A: 2; 64)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was aware of the dangers of a person or even a prophet and messenger being excessively praised.  It might make people believe them to be more than human, as happened with Jesus peace upon him who people ended up calling his son of God or even God.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Do not praise me lavishly as the Christian did to Jesus the son of Mary, but say Allah’s slave and messenger”.  (B: Anbia; 48 & Da: Reqaq; 68 & A: 1; 23, 24)

Excessive praise is bad for the person who praises making him hypocrite, and for the person being praised leading him to pride and arrogance.  They are all characteristics that lead people to the Hell-Fire.  Let me stress that pride and arrogance are feelings not outward appearance.  Allah’s messenger prayer and pace upon him said: “Does not enter the Paradise he who has as much as an atom of arrogance”.  He was asked: “But a man likes his nice cloths and nice shoes”.  He said: “Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty.  Arrogance is to deny the truth because of pride and to look down on people”.  (M:Eman;147 & D:Lebas;67 & T:Ber;61 & Ma:Moqademah;9 & A:1;399,412)

B: Bukhari    M: Muslim     Mal: Malek    A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi