Isma’eel and the Sunnah

Ask our children:

1. Should a Muslim be shy to show his Islam and the Sunnah or should he show his Islam and the Sunnah wherever he goes?

2. What was the reason for Allah Ta‘ala making the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) successful in the world?

Now tell them the story:

There was once a young boy named Isma’eel who lived with his father, mother and little sister. Isma’eel also had grandparents who lived in another city. Isma’eel loved his grandparents very much, and his parents would sometimes take him and his sister to visit his grandparents and stay with them for a few days.

One day, when the holidays had just started, Isma’eel’s father came home with good news. He called his children and said to them, “Insha Allah, tomorrow we will be going to visit dadi and dada! Pack your bags, and don’t forget to take warm clothing because its cold where they stay!” Isma’eel was very excited, and all day long, he sat and thought about all the things he would do at his grandparents’ home.

The following day, after Isma’eel’s father packed the car, they recited the traveling dua and they all set off for the airport. On arriving at the airport, Isma’eel ran to fetch a trolley for all the bags. After they had checked in the luggage and collected their tickets, they went to the boarding area to wait for their flight to board. As they waited, Isma’eel’s father said to him, “Isma’eel! We will have to perform our Maghrib salaah before boarding the plane. Come, let us go to a corner, where we will not be in anyone’s way, and read our salaah.”

They thus went to a corner, worked out the qiblah, and lay down their musallahs. Then, Isma’eel’s father told him to call out the azaan. Isma’eel looked around him and saw that there were many non-Muslims in the boarding area. He felt shy to call out the azaan and read his salaah here, in front of all these people. What if they laughed at him and mocked him? So, he hesitated a little, but then, because his father was waiting for him, he gave the azaan and read his salaah with his father.

One hour later, as they were high in the sky, flying above the clouds, Isma’eel’s mother took out some food for them to eat for supper. Isma’eel was hungry, so he took his food eagerly and unwrapped it. However, since there was a non-Muslim person sitting next to him, Isma’eel felt shy to eat with his fingers, as they normally ate at home. He thought to himself, “What if this person thinks that I am dirty, to eat with my fingers and lick them clean?” So, he opened the cutlery packet that the airline gave him, took a knife and fork, and used these to start eating.

After a few minutes, his father saw what he was doing and said, “Isma’eel! Why are you eating with a knife and fork? Leave that knife and fork and eat in the Sunnah way – like we always do at home!” Isma’eel felt shy, but he listened to his father and ate with his fingers.

A few minutes later, after Isma’eel had finished eating, his nose began to itch, and before he knew it, he had a gigantic sneeze! Normally, he would loudly read the dua for sneezing so that others could reply to the dua and they could all practise on this Sunnah. But, since they were sitting with non-Muslims in the plane, he felt shy and kept quiet. However, his father immediately called out, “Isma’eel! Did you forget to read the sneezing dua?” Since his father had reminded him, Isma’eel read it, even though he felt shy.

The next day, while Isma’eel was at his grandparents’ home, a few of his cousins came to visit. However, these cousins would not dress in the Islamic way, with a kurta and topi, but would rather wear a jeans and t-shirt and would not wear any topi. When Isma’eel saw that his cousins had come, he wanted to play with them in the yard, but he was afraid that they would tease him for wearing his kurta and topi. Maybe they would tell him that he was acting too pious and would not want to play with him!

With this thought in mind, Isma’eel went to the room to take out his kurta and topi. However, as he came out from the room, his father saw him and scolded him saying, “Isma’eel! What is the matter with you?  Yesterday, you were shy to give the azaan, and were shy to eat with your fingers, and were shy to read the sneezing dua. Today, you are shy to wear your kurta and topi! Why are you behaving like this?”

Isma’eel replied, “Abba! I felt shy because I didn’t want the other people to laugh at me or to look at me in a funny way because I am different!” Isma’eel’s father said, “Isma’eel! When we are following the way of Islam and the Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then we are the ones who are normal and THEY are the ones who are different! We must NEVER feel shy or embarrassed of our Islam. Our Islam is given to us by Allah Ta‘ala and Islam is the only way that Allah Ta‘ala loves. Wherever we go, we should be firm on Islam and the Sunnah, as this is the only way that will make us successful in life! Never worry about what other people think of you!”

Isma’eel’s father then told him a story. He said:

There was once a great Sahaabi of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) whose name was Hazrat Ma’qil bin Yasaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). One day, Hazrat Ma’qil (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was eating when a morsel of food fell onto the ground. Hazrat Ma’qil (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) immediately practiced on the Sunnah by picking up the food, cleaning it and eating it. At that time, some of the leaders of the disbelievers were present, and when they saw him pick up the food from the ground and eat it, then they began to stare at him.

However, since Hazrat Ma’qil (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was practicing on the sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he was not worried about what the disbelievers thought. He said, “I will not leave out the Sunnah that I learnt from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) because of these disbelievers.”

Isma’eel’s father then said, “Isma’eel, this is why Allah Ta‘ala made the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) so successful! Wherever they went in the world, they did not try to blend in and fit in with the ways of the people. Rather, they always showed people the beauty of Islam and the Sunnah, and through their example, many people were attracted to Islam and became Muslims. So, no matter where we are, we must never be shy of our deen and the Sunnah! Rather, the Sunnah must always be seen in our lives.”

Isma’eel understood what his father said and realized his mistake. He understood that he should always be happy that he is a Muslim, and Islam is the greatest gift of Allah Ta‘ala. He understood that he should NEVER feel shy of his Islam. So, from that day on, wherever Isma’eel went in the world, and whoever was around him, Isma’eel’s life shone brightly with the Sunnah, because he knew that it is only the Sunnah that will make him beloved to Allah Ta‘ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

Lessons:

1. We must never be shy of Islam and the Sunnah. No matter where we are, or who is around us, we must not leave out the Sunnah or worry about what others think of us.

2. The reason why Allah Ta‘ala made the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) successful is that their lives showed true Islam and the Sunnah, and this attracted the disbelievers to Islam.