Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
How to Save Oneself from the Fitnahs of Dajjaal
In the Mubaarak Ahaadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) gave the ummah the prescription to protect themselves against the fitnahs of all times as well as the fitnahs of Dajjaal. It is reported that Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) once enquired from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! What is the way to gain salvation (from all fitnahs)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Gain control over your tongue, your home should be sufficient for you, and cry (and express remorse) over your mistakes and sins.” (Sunan Tirmizi #2406)
In this Hadith, we find that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) explained three guidelines through which one will be able to gain salvation from the fitnahs of all eras as well as the fitnah of Dajjaal.
1. Remain within Your Home
The first guideline is that one should remain within his home and avoid visiting places where fitnah is found. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) described the fitnahs before Qiyaamah to be of such a magnitude that if any person merely looks towards them, they will instantly attract him and pull him in. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:
من تشرف لها تستشرفه
The one who extends his neck to look at it (out of curiosity), it will draw him in. (Saheeh Bukhaari #3601)
Hence, for a person to save himself and his family, he should ensure that he and his family remain completely distant from any such gathering or place wherein fitnah and sin is found. In another Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) emphatically advised the ummah to remain within their homes in the following words:
كونوا أحلاس بيوتكم
Become (like) the underfelt of your homes. (Sunan Abu Dawood #4262)
In other words, just as the underfelt of the carpet remains attached to the ground and does not move, similarly one should remain protected within his home.
2. Exercise Extreme Caution Over Your Speech and Communication
The second guideline is that one should exercise extreme caution over one’s speech and communication, as communication is the cause for creating and stirring up fitnah.
In the Hadith of Hazrat Uqbah bin Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned above, though the word ‘tongue’ is used, the purport of the Hadith also includes exercising caution in all modes of communication, as one’s speech and words are conveyed via these modes of communication. Hence, be it the cell phone, social media, internet, or any other form of communication, a person should be extremely cautious when using it.
It should be borne in mind that when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) instructed us to remain within our homes, then the reason is that when a person remains within the confines of his home, then he has less exposure to the outside world, thus reducing the chances of him falling prey to the external fitnahs.
Hence, if a person remains within the home, but has contact with all the events that take place in the outside world through the medium of the internet, phone, social media, etc. then though he is within the home, he is no different to a person who is out of the home, as he is affected and influenced by all that happens outside the home and thus easily becomes a victim of fitnah.
3. Be Perpetually Concerned About Your Own Weaknesses and Sins
The third guideline is that one should be perpetually concerned about his weaknesses and sins and make a concerted effort to gain self-reformation. If a person introspects, he will begin to recognize the numerous faults and weaknesses that he has within his life. Thereafter, he should cry and repent for all his sins and make an effort to reform himself. By a person focusing on his own weaknesses and sins, he will not become involved in trying to find the faults of others.
4. Firmly Hold onto the Qur’aan and Sunnah
Apart from the abovementioned three guidelines, in other Ahaadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) commanded the ummah to firmly hold onto the Qur’aan Majeed and Mubaarak Sunnah despite the great challenges which they will face. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:
Indeed, you will remain upon clear guidance from your Rabb, so long as the intoxication of two things does not overcome you; the intoxication of ignorance, and the intoxication of love for luxury (of the world). You are presently commanding people towards righteous actions, forbidding them from evil actions and striving (and waging jihaad) for the cause of Deen. When the love of the world overcomes you, then you will no longer command people towards righteous actions, forbid them from evil actions and strive for the cause of Deen. The people who hold firmly to the Qur’aan Majeed and Sunnah at that time will be like the Muhaajireen and Ansaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) in the beginning of Islam. (Musnad Al-Bazzaar #2631, Majma’-uz- Zawaaid #12159)
5. Refrain from Emulating the Ways of the Kuffaar
In many Ahaadith, the ummah has been cautioned and prohibited from emulating the ways of the kuffaar and following them in their fashions, culture and lifestyles. Through emulating the kuffaar, one will fall prey to their fitnahs and wrongs.
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) once mentioned, “Refrain from emulating the enemies of Allah Ta‘ala, the Jews and Christians, in their celebrations, for indeed the anger of Allah Ta‘ala descends upon them. I fear that (if you emulate them in their ways or participate in any of their celebrations,) the anger of Allah Ta‘ala will descend upon you. When you do not know their inner condition (and the hatred they have for Islam in their hearts), then how is it that you adopt their ways and mannerisms?!” (Shu’abul Imaan #8940)
Similarly, Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) once said, “The one who resides in the land of the disbelievers, participates in their celebrations and emulates them until he dies in that state, he will be resurrected with them on the Day of Qiyaamah.” (Al-Muhazzab fikhtisaari Sunanil Kabeer #14659)
6. Recite Surah Yaseen and Surah Kahf
In order to acquire peace of heart and mind as well as deeni security and blessings, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) encouraged us to recite Surah Yaseen daily and Surah Kahf every Friday. If one ponders over the verses of these two Surahs, then one will find that the theme of Surah Yaseen is the Hereafter, while the theme of Surah Kahf is the manner in which the youth of the cave extricated themselves from fitnah and remained firm on Deen. Hence, when reciting these Surahs, one should do so with the hope that Allah Ta‘ala blesses us with the goodness of the Hereafter and grants us divine protection from the fitnahs of this world and the next.
