Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 10)
Teaching Six: Nurturing the Soul to Avoid Haram and Its Grounds
Allah Almighty commands Adam and Eve: “لَا تَقْرَبَا هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ” Translation: “Do not approach this tree or eat from it, because (if you do so) you will be of the wrongdoers.” [1]
This command is an exercise to nurture the soul and teach one to stay away from dubious sources so that the soul does not weaken in the face of Satan’s temptations or the pressure of instincts and does not fall into haram. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in an enlightening statement: “إنَّ الحلالَ بيِّنٌ وإنَّ الحرامَ بيِّنٌ وبينهما أمورٌ مُشتبِهاتٌ لا يعلمهنَّ كثيرٌ من الناس فمنِ اتَّقى الشُّبُهاتِ استبرأ لدِينِه وعِرضِه، ومن وقع في الشُّبهاتِ وقع في الحرامِ ، كالراعي يرعى حول الحِمى يوشكُ أن يرتعَ فيه، ألا وإنَّ لكلِّ ملكٍ حمًى ، ألا وإنَّ حمى اللهِ محارمُه” Translation: “The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are doubtful matters that many people are unaware of. So, whoever avoids doubtful matters has purified his religion and honor, and whoever falls into doubtful matters is caught in forbidden matters. Like a shepherd grazing in the confines of a forbidden pasture and at any moment he may enter it, be aware that every king has a sanctuary and the sanctuary of Allah is His laws.” [2]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, in explaining this parable, points out that Arab kings protected special pastures for their livestock and anyone who grazed there without permission was punished. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) showed that by this familiar example to his audience, just as it is wise to stay away from the confines of kings, it is also necessary to stay away from the divine sanctities. Because approaching the forbidden area, even with caution, increases the risk of slipping, because sometimes animals penetrate the area or drought outside the area draws the shepherd inside. Allah, who is the true owner, has made His area forbidden. [3] This concept is emphasized in several verses of the Quran. Allah says: “تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللّهِ فَلاَ تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ” Translation: “These (the rules of fasting and seclusion) are the limits and boundaries of Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His signs to people, so that they may become righteous.” [4]
It also commands us to avoid immorality and to protect the property of orphans. “وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ” Translation: “And do not approach major sins (including adultery), whether (they are open to people when they are committed) or hidden.” [5[
“وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ” Translation: “Do not approach the property of an orphan except in a way that is best (and the best way that will preserve and increase it) (and continue in this pious manner) until the orphan reaches his full maturity (and at that time he can properly dispose of his property, at that time hand over his property to himself).” [6]
The jurists have inferred from these verses the principle of “Sad’e Zarayeh” (closing the paths of corruption); that is, even if an act appears harmless, it is prohibited. [7]
Pious individuals avoided not only the forbidden; but also approaching it inspired by this principle, many of them also abandoned permissible things so that they would not be drawn into forbidden things.
Hasan Basri says: “The pious advanced so far in piety that they abandoned many permissible things out of fear of forbidden things.” [8]
Ibn Umar narrated: “I like to place a barrier of permissible things between myself and the forbidden so that I do not break it.” [9]
Abu al-Darda also emphasized: “The perfection of piety is that a servant fears Allah to the point of an atom and even abandons some permissible things out of fear of being forbidden, so that they become a barrier between him and the forbidden”. [10]
Teaching Seven: Adam’s Fall Opened the Door to Repentance for His Children
The fall of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife when eating from the forbidden tree was in fact a blessing for their descendants. Allah Almighty opened the doors of His mercy and taught them the way to escape from the consequences of sins by the grace of this event. Therefore, repentance acts as a solid shield against sin and completely erases it, so that no material or psychological trace of it remains. As is clear, sins, although fleeting, but it affects the human soul and constantly torments him until one of two outcomes occurs: First, the individual becomes so accustomed to repeating sin that he no longer feels remorse for it and his conscience is not troubled. This state is the same black layer that darkens the heart and deprives man of the ability to distinguish between good and evil, as Allah says: “كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ” Translation: “Never! Indeed, their deeds and efforts (vile and ugly) have rusted their hearts (and have settled like rust on their hearts and closed the holes of guidance on them). [11]
Second, the individual experiences a sense of liberation from sin by seeking forgiveness from the Almighty, the Forgiving Allah; A feeling that enables one to overcome sin and forget it, because He is assured that one will not be held accountable. This can only be achieved through repentance, which Allah taught to Adam (peace be upon him) and bestowed upon the human race as a gift.
Adam’s fall is not the cause of human cruelty
This fall never deprived humans of happiness or immortality, because man was not created for eternal life in Paradise; rather, according to the Quran: “إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً” Translation: “Indeed, I am making a vicegerent on earth.” [12] His mission is to develop the earth. In fact, it was this event that opened the door to repentance and seeking forgiveness and paved the way for true immortality in Paradise.
The necessity of immediate repentance (Tawbah) and seeking forgiveness
A Muslim should immediately repent and seek forgiveness after committing a sin, without delay like Adam. Delaying repentance causes sin to penetrate the heart, hardness of the heart, and courage to repeat the sin. In his interpretation of “Ra’an” on the heart, Hassan Basri says: “Al-Ra’an” is sin upon sin until the heart becomes blind and dies.” [13] If a person reaches this stage, repentance becomes impossible for him, because he neither regrets the sin, nor has the ability to abandon it, nor has the determination not to return to it in the future. These three elements (regret, immediate abandonment, and determination not to return) are the pillars of true repentance. How is it possible for someone to repent in such a situation? [14]
Continues…
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[1]. Al-Baqarah/35.
[2]. Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith number: 52; Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim, Hadith number: 4070.
[3]. Fath al-Bari, vol. 1, p. 170.
[4[. Al-Baqarah/187.
[5]. Al-An’am/151.
[6]. Al-An’am/152.
[7]. ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn ‘Ali, al-Subki, Hashiyat al-‘Attar ‘ala Jam’ al-Jawami’, Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, n.d., vol. 2, p. 198.[7]
[8]. ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad, Ibn Rajab, Jami’ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, Saudi Arabia: Dar Ibn al-Jawzi, 1420 AH, vol. 1, p. 74.
[9]. Ibid.
[10]. Ibid.
[11[. Al-Mutaffifin/14.
[12]. Al-Baqarah/30.
[13]. ‘Imad al-Din Abi al-Fida’ Isma’il, Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, vol. 4, p. 485.
[14]. ‘Abd al-Karim, Zaydan, al-Mustafad min Qasas al-Qur’an li al-Da’wah wa al-Du’ah, vol. 1, p. 32.
