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9 Muharram 1442 / 29 August 2020
Lavishness During Aashura
Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever increases his expenditure on his family on the day of Aashura, Allah Ta’ala will increase his sustenance for the rest of that year.”
It is indeed lamentable and mind boggling to note the extreme route of extravagance the Ummah has taken in light of ‘increasing expenditure’ on one’s family on the day of Aashura. Indeed, the route we have taken has led us into the major sin of Israaf (wastage). A simple Hadith – whose implication is simple as understood from the mere words of the above Hadith – has been stretched and used as a ‘justifier’ for the Israaf we arrange for and indulge in on the occasion of Aashura.
The decades of Haraam consumption by the Ummat has deafened and blinded the Aql (intellect). Hence, our thinking is so to say ‘out of order’, thus we have turned any and every Deeni occasion into a reason for fulfilling our Nafsaaniyat by gluttonous feasting, etc.
In this topic of consuming Haraam, both, the Muslim laymen and the certifying bodies are to be blamed. Pork – actual PORK – chickens, donkey meat, Haraam gelatine and other HARAAM products were and are sold with ‘Halaal’ logos of different certifying bodies in the stores across South Africa.
The fridges/freezers, aisles and shops which displayed and display actual PORK (Khinzeer) meat, Haraam chickens and other Haraam products with a ‘Halaal’ logo will bear witness against the Halaal certifying bodies on the Day of Qiyaamah! These so-called ‘Halaal’ products appeared and appear in the form of sausages, wors, chops, cheese (remember Melrose?) and other items, just to mention a few.
Thus, the disservice done to the Ummah by the Halaal certifying bodies by certifying these type of Haraam products in the past several years, and who also have ‘Ulama’ with them, has de-Halaalized the Muslim Ummah! Now and again, a HARAAM ‘Halaal’ certified PORK product will surface in some shop. In order to defend its image, the certifying body whose logo appeared on such a HARAAM product, will issue a statement which we call a ‘damage control’ statement with the same old and repeated stories of ‘labelling error’, etc.
The answer to this is simple: “If the certifying body can’t supervise that its logos are not used on Haraam products, what trust can we then place on the products they certify to be genuinely Halaal?”
Hence, the Ummah which has consumed such products, has been de-Halaalized. Therefore, the Haraam consumption has blossomed into bitter and poisonous fruits and is seen in the current un-Islamic activities the Ummah is (generally) drowning in, among other things:
- Happily accepting, promoting and practicing the alien-to-Deen social (Satanic) distancing in Salaah, in the Masaajid!
- Chucking Musallis OUT of the Masjid who wish to stand according to the 1400 year old Sunnah-friendly manner of shoulder to shoulder. ‘Chucking out’ may not be physical, but definitely by attitude, words and tones!
- Watching TV. Then going a step further into danger-zone by branding a TV station as ‘Islamic’ TV. This actually is like ‘throwing water’ over the Ahaadith that are replete in authentic Hadith Kitaabs which ban photography and warn of the severest punishments to be meted to those who indulge in photography. What then can be said about promoting a TV station as ‘Islamic’?
- Arranging a wasteful function at the occasion of a Nikaah. Inviting the rich to an extravagant meal who in turn may very possibly find and pick ‘faults’ with the meal, while the poor and needy remain hungry on the streets!
- Etc. (Whilst the list can go into the hundreds, we have kept it short)
Concerning Aashura, Muslims have not left it to its simple and easy-to-understand benefit as stated in the Hadith. The ‘extra’ spending encouraged in the Hadith has made Muslims spend thousands of valuable Rands to feed themselves, at a time when the Ummah is bleeding, hungry and needy.
In short, spending ‘extra’ on one’s family does NOT mean:
- Eating out at some restaurant where one is billed in the thousands!
- Cooking a seven or ten course meal!
- Inviting family and friends and hiring a hall (as was done in the past), or catering companies!
- Going shopping to buy gifts!
- Etc.
Islaam is simple and easy. Why have we made it so difficult and hard? By spending ‘extra’ on Aashura, it simply means that a little extra that is within one’s means should be spent. Something which one generally does not buy or have all the time, should be bought if one’s means allows one to.
While many of the Muslims enjoy lavish meals if not daily, then at least weekly, one should not forget the poor and needy. Find a poor family. Definitely, during these times where the economy is collapsing and jobs are being lost, one will find plenty of such needy Muslim families. Buy some groceries or whatever one can afford and send it to their home. Wallah! The Du’as one will receive from those broken-hearts in one’s favour will shake the Arsh (Throne) of Allah Ta’ala!
There is no basis for giving gifts and arranging feasts and parties on this day. These are totally alien-to-Deen! Live the simple Islaam. Abstain from the modern Islaam promoted by, unfortunately, even Ulama! May Allah have mercy on this Ummah, Aameen.