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Ask About Islam – Helping Others, Abrogation and more…

Maen Khalifa
13 August, 2016

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

 

We are glad to conclude this Live Session on Sunday, August 14, 2016, at 16:00 Makkah/13:00 GMT.

 

This session was dedicated to “Ask About Islam”; Br. Maan Khalife replied to general questions about Islam including interfaith issues, misconceptions and misinterpretations of Islamic concepts.

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Please don’t hesitate to send us any additional questions through the following email address:

 

[email protected]

Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016 | 14:00 - 16:00 GMT

Session is over.
DISCLAIMER
Views expressed by hosts/guests on this program (live dialogue, Facebook sessions, etc.) are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.  

Assalamu Alaykum. Is someone who helps someone purely for the sake of the person better than someone who helps a person for the sake of Allah since the person who is helping someone for the sake of Allah doesn't necessarily care about benefiting the other person but benefiting himself by getting reward and gaining the pleasure of Allah. Jazakallah Khayr.



Wa Alaykum Assalam Dear Brother,

 

Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.

 

The language of your question is a bit contorted, but I think that the meaning is clear. You are asking is it best to help a person for their own sake or is it best to help a person for Allah’s sake.

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As Muslims we try to do all things for Allah’s sake. That doesn’t mean we do it for Allah’s sake to get blessings for ourselves. That would be a selfish reason. It means we do it for Allah’s sake.

 

If we reach the state of being such good Muslims that we are indeed doing things for Allah’s sake alone, then He will reward us as He sees fit.

 

Also it is all related to our intention. If we intend to help someone to gain a worldly reward then we will not get Allah’s reward in the Hereafter. However, if we are doing it for the sake of Allah and, as you put it, to gain rewards from Allah then our intention is still correct.

 

That doesn’t necessarily mean I am helping just to get rewards from Allah. I am simply helping because it is a good act to help. However, there is nothing wrong of thinking as well that Allah will reward me because I am not really sure how Allah will do so.

 

There is a big difference of knowing the type of reward ahead of time before doing any good deed and not knowing what that reward is. As human beings we can relate to what is known more than what is unknown.

 

Allah’s reward remains unknown to us no matter how well it is described because what is in the Hereafter is beyond our imagination. There is a long hadith by Imam Muslim explaining this exact meaning about the Paradise. I am only quoting a small part of it:

 

“…[Paradise], which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has perceived…”

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch.

Asslamu Alaikum, I have been constantly troubled by Surah 9 of Quran and the related information that I read about it in Tafsir Ibn Kathir. The troubling points are:-1) It abrogates all other ayats in the Quran, even the ones commanding the believers to not mock others religions and help your neighbors even if they are non-believers etc.2) It explicitly asks for fighting, killing and ambushing the non-believers wherever you find them.So does this mean that it becomes a duty of every Muslim on earth to fight non-Muslims until they accept Islam. Please, provide me a good answer to this. I have looked for an answer on other sites, but everybody seems to be beating around the bush.



Wa Alaykum Assalam Dear Brother,

 

Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.

 

1) It abrogates all other ayas in the Quran

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There is no such a thing in Islamic Jurisprudence as all other ayas in the entire Quran are abrogated. There are certain verses of the Quran that abrogate others; therefore a verse abrogates another verse but not multiple verses.

 

Note that the Quran contains more than 6200 verses and about 10 verses abrogate another 10 verses, so a very small percentage of the Quran has been abrogated.

 

There is another type of abrogation which is mentioned in Surah 9, that is the abrogation of already established peace treaties with the non-believers of Quraish; so a verse abrogated such a treaty since the disbelievers broke the agreement that was established with the Muslims by killing a group of Muslims.

 

To fully understand abrogation in Islam, please read: Can the Sunnah Abrogate the Quran?

 

The reason for abrogation of a verse with another is that the Quran was revealed over 23 years and some rulings were gradual. In surah 9, there are three verses that contain some type of abrogation:

 

1. http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2554&Itemid=
2. http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2561&Itemid=
3. http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2581&Itemid=

 

Please locate the word “abrogate” within the above text.

 

2) It explicitly asks for fighting, killing and ambushing the non-believers wherever you find them

 

The verses that discuss the subject you mention are:

 

{Then, when the months made unlawful for fighting expire, kill the mushriks wherever you find them, and seize them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and establish Salat and pay the Zakat dues, then let them go their way for Allah is Forgiving and Compassionate. And if any of the mushriks requests you for protection so that he may come to you (to hear the Word of Allah), give him protection till he hears the Word of Allah; then convey him. to the place of his safety: this should be done because these people do not know the Truth.} (Quran 9:5-6)

 

Concerning the above verses, Maududi explains in his interpretation of the Quran:

 

“That is, “if during a fight, an enemy makes a request that he should be given an opportunity to understand Islam, the Muslims should give him a surety of protection and allow him to visit them. They should then present Islam before him in order to make him understand it. If, after this, he does not embrace Islam, they should convey him safely to his place”. Such a person who comes to Dar-ul-Islam under the above mentioned protection is called musta’min in the Islamic Code.”

 

The verses are clearly talking about a state of war with disbelievers and with those disbelievers who are persistent in fighting Muslims and not the ones who are at peace with the Muslims. It is a major sin in Islam to kill a non-Muslim who is not physically fighting against the Muslims in a state of war.

 

So those who persist in fighting Muslims, it is only fair for Muslims to fight them back in any way possible. As for those who are at peace with the Muslims then we should treat them with respect.

 

If we have the opportunity, we must clear any misunderstandings that they have about Islam. If they don’t accept Islam but still respect Muslims for who they are then it is the duty of the Muslims to protect them if their lives are in danger and it is only the Muslims who are able to protect them in this particular situation.

 

In order to understand the Quran properly and avoid misinterpreting it, one must read verses before or after the verse in question, otherwise it will be taken out of context and the true meaning will be lost.

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch.