Friday Nasiha

Ash-Shura (The Consultation)
Chapter 24: Verse 10

The Settler of Differences
"Whatever it be wherein ye differ, the decision thereof is with Allah: such is Allah my Lord: in Him I trust, and to Him I turn.”

This is the natural and logical demand of Allah Almighty's being the Master of the Universe and His being the real Guardian. When Sovereignty and Guardianship belong to Him only inevitably He alone is also the Ruler, and it is for Him to judge human beings' mutual disputes and differences.

The words are general and they clearly proclaim Allah as having the sole right to judge all disputes and differences - not only in the hereafter or on 'religious matters'. He is the Settler of the differences pertaining to beliefs as to what is the Truth and what is falsehood. He is the Settler of differences as to what is pure for man and what is impure, what is lawful and desirable for him and what is forbidden and undesirable, what is evil and vicious in morals and what is good and virtuous, what are the rights of the people in their mutual dealings and what are the right practices in social, political and economic life and what are wrong.

Source:
"The Meaning of the Quran" - By Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol. 4, pp. 524-525

Dignity of Work

Some people regard certain kinds of work or professions as contemptible. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) denied the validity of this notion. He taught his Companions that the whole of a human being's dignity is tied up with his work - any sort of work - and that real disgrace and humiliation consist of depending on other people's help. He said,

It is better that a person should take a rope and bring a bundle of wood on his back to sell so that Allah may preserve his honour, than that he should beg from people, (regardless of) whether they give to him or refuse him. [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

A Muslim can earn his livelihood by agriculture, trade, or industry or by any profession or employment as long as it does not involve doing, supporting, or propagating anything haram.

Source:
"The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam" - By Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, p. 127

Umar ibn al-Khattab, Allah be well-pleased with him, was approached one day by some people who complained, "We have an imam who, after praying the Asr prayer with us, began to sing!" Umar went with them and asked the man to recite to him what he had sang to them. He said:

My heart, every time I scold it, returns to pleasures
that fatigue me.
I never see it occupied except with empty pastimes
all the time, harming me.
My evil companion, what childishness is this?
Life has passed and you still play?
My youth has gone and left me
before I ever put it to its right use!
My soul! You and your lusts are nothing.
Fear Allah. Fear Him. Fear Him!

Umar repeated the last verse over and over, weeping. Then he said, "Whoever among you must sing, let him sing such things."

Narrated by the hafiz Ibn al-Sam`ani as cited in Kanz al-`Ummal (8944).