Ramadhaan Preps (3) [Discarding Sin]

17 Sha’baan 1440 / 23 April 2019

Preparation for Ramadhaan Series (3)

Discarding Sins

Alhamdulillah, previously we had touched on the topics of consuming Halaal food and getting our daily A’maal in order. Once these two aspects are put right in our life, then Insha Allah, the beauty and love for Ibaadat will soon be experienced.

However, one should not remain complacent into thinking that just the two topics discussed should be in order. There remains a little bit more that we have to keep a check upon. And that is ‘discarding sins’.

Sins come in many forms, ways, excuses, trends, fashions, and venues. Many a times, we also see sins presenting itself in ‘Islamic’ attire and flavour and makes itself at home in a Muslim’s home, without the Muslim family really regarding that to be a sin.

Therefore, it is imperative to discard and abandon all forms of sins even if they may be presented in ‘Islamic’ dressing or slogans. To remind ourselves and the Haq-seeking Ummah, we will mention a few common sins which are prevalent in our era and in our communities, which we have to imperatively discard from our lives:

1. The sin of animated photography: Indeed, this is a major sin. Severe warnings have been sounded in the Hadith regarding those involved in it. Be it digital photography or hand-drawn photography, the ruling is the same. We will mention just two of the severe warnings sounded in the Hadith regarding photography:

Nabi Sallallahu alaihi wasallam sad, “Those involved in picture making will be subjected to the worst of punishments on the Day of Qiyaamah.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

“Those involved in picture making will be severely punished on the Day of Qiyaamah and they will be told, ‘Give life to what you have created!’” (Bukhari, Muslim)

If this is the stance of the Hadith regarding photography, what can then be said of the severity of videography and TV? And worse, what about the sin of appearing on TV? As we mentioned in our previous articles, we are not interested in the Fataawa of permissibility of appearing on TV, any sane Muslim who reads the two mentioned Ahaadith will conclude that TV is also 100% Haraam.

 

We are involved in photography in many ways. Here are few common ways we are entrapped in the sin of photography/videography:

 

By sending animate photos and videos to our contacts

By snapping pictures of people/friends when meeting them

By taking selfies

By setting an animate picture or selfie as a profile picture (on social media)

By posting an animate picture or video on social platforms

Etc.

 

2. The sin of un-Islamic dressing: This is a truly sad sin. Many of us are born and named with Musilm names, yet our dressing conforms to the Kuffaar. Leave alone the Muslim layman, a Haafizul-Qur’an will be seen dressed in short pants (Bermuda) and short sleeves while strutting around in public amidst people without a Topi. Does he not have shame? Does he not have respect for the Hifz of the Greatest Book he has made which is in his heart? Comes the month of Ramadhaan he wants to perform Taraweeh! What a disgrace!

 

Does he believe that living within the Laws of the Qur’an, Sunnah and Islam is only in Ramadhaan? Such a scoundrel mock Haafiz is not fit to be honoured with the Musallah and lead the Ummah in Taraweeh Salaah! A most deserving Haafiz-ul-Quran to lead the Ummah in Taraweeh Salaah is he whose life out of Ramadhaan and in Ramadhaan is in conformity to the Qur’an and Sunnah!

 

Women should dress modestly in proper Islamic clothing. They should not follow fashion and trends. Many a times, fashion and trends drifts them away from a modest Islamic dressing-code. Recently, the Haraam camel-humped headgear had become a Haraam fashion among women. The Hadith narrated in Muslim Shareef mentions that Nabi Sallallahu alaihi wasallam commented regarding women who don a camel-humped headgear to be doomed to Jahannam. Hence, women should adopt simplicity in their dressing.

 

3. The sin of misused Islamic terms: A common sin which many of us are involved in. There are many examples of this. We will mention a few of them.

 

• ‘Islamic’ radio stations which airs the voices of women, hosts interviews of opposite genders, hosts programs in which opposite genders laugh and giggle together on air, promote interest deals and subdue the Haq by brainwashing the listeners with Baatil and baseless views and opinions.

 

• Pre-Ramadhaan Souks, Eid-Festivals and similar shopping markets. The issue here is that since they have an ‘Islamic’ name and flavour, the participants are hoodwinked into believing that all the things they see and buy at such places are permissible. Hence, the Tawfeeq of Taubah may at times never come to a person since he was believing he committed no sin. For him/her to see women going around with mics and interviewing customers, men or women, appears to be permissible. For him/her to see photography and videos taking place there appears to be permissible since it is an ‘Islamic’ shopping fete.

While there are many other sins which could be discussed, for the sake of brevity we have sufficed on the three mentioned above.

May Allah Ta’ala safeguard us and grant us Tawfeeq to mend our ways immediately from the sins we are involved in.