emotional relationship. If this kind of socializing is a sin for those other than you, then it is a sin twice as great for you and you know well the meaning of this. Although you are known to us to be one that is trustworthy and decent, I have mentioned this to you, to caution you against the downfalls of sins so that your feet may never slip. And in your chastity let there be content and in your dignity let there be adequacy. 8. As for alcohol, do not approach it. And do not use the climate as an excuse, because when Allah made it Haram (unlawful), He had full knowledge about all types of climate but did not exclude one country from another or one nation from another from this prohibition. Allah (swt) made it forbidden with neither doubt nor exception. So be aware not to let it occupy a part of your abdomen, otherwise it will remain as a black spot on its pure skin. Be determined as much as possible before the first drink. Because once your mind is concealed by it, you will follow it by the second and third drink, whereby you will have fallen into a pit, difficult to escape from and will have incriminated yourself and others. Then, even if you expiated this sin with repentance, you would still not match your original purity and superb credibility. 9. Do not taste anything in those restaurants which serve Haram (unlawful) food, like pork and dead meat. In that which is Halal (lawful) you have a substitute and enough for contentment. So do not taste the Haram (unlawful) and do not let your flesh grow on it, otherwise fire is what it deserves. Allah (swt) has prohibited that which is impure: ... He enjoins upon them what is good and forbids them what is evil ... (Quran 7:157) So leave that which is bad for that which is good. 10. As for casinos, night-clubs, and other such places of vanity, your time is far too precious to be wasted in them. I have looked into the saying, ‘time is made of gold’, and I do not approve of it. Time is far more precious than gold, for time is life. Is it not true that your life is nothing but a few hours and you never know when they will end? Dearest brother, be stringent with your time and do not spend it except in that which is significant, and acquire pleasure in that which is lawful. In the heavens there is calmness and on the earth there is beauty. In the gardens there is freshness and in you there is a sign. In the sea there is might and in the air there is nourishment. Take from all this comfort for your soul and recovery for your mind. And do not waste your time by being unmindful, this will shield you from good and lead you to evil. 11. Be critical, with insight, and be just and well acquainted with people. Do not let your goodness draw you to forget their bad, and their bad hurt you to forget their goodness. Rather, study them as would a researcher and an examiner7. Encompass with knowledge all of their affairs, and then with an eye of insight, scrutinize it all. Present back the good that you find to your people and nation, and return with it victorious and supported. Other than that, throw it back on them and do not come back until you have dusted off your hands and emptied your mind of it all. You will find there a group of people dishonoring your Prophet (saw), faulting your Quran and disgracing your people. Do not sit with such people, until they turn to a different theme, even if it is necessary for you to enter into a dialogue with them8. Argue with them in the best manner. Explain to them the good that you know and avoid controversies that lead to hatred and sedition (fitna). Lo! You (O Muhammad) guide not whom you love, but Allah guides whom He will. And He is best aware of those who walk aright. (Quran 28:56) Dearest brother, be aware that calling the people through practical example is far better than calling them through speech9. It is far more fruitful and beneficial to use your commendable character, the perfection of yourself and your straight manner to defend and call them to your religion and nation. Whenever an opportunity arises for you to deliver a speech or a lecture at one of their meeting places or societies, prepare yourself for it. Choose that which will not stir disorder and that which will not offend integrity10. Do not be apprehended by their stance, because Allah’s aid is with those who are sincere. Be positive and do not insult other people’s beliefs instead, elucidate to them their innate goodness and reveal to them our beliefs. By doing so, you will have adequately promoted awareness and incentive. Finally, and there is still so much for me to say and I would have loved to continue this advice with you, yet my concern is that if I prolong this discourse any more, you may forget most of what I have said; for over speaking does distract one from what is being said. For both of you then, may Allah raise you to be the best of the successors and may His safety accompany you. May He protect both of you and return you in goodness, as is wished by those who are sincere. I entrust to Allah your religion, your obligations and the outcome of your actions. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. Amin. Hasan Al-Banna Footnotes: 1. Islamic Law (Jurisprudence). 2. Glorified and exalted is He. 3. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra), who reports that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: Allah (swt) said: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.’ (Bukhari) 4. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra), who reports that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Three kinds of prayers are to be granted without an iota of doubt: the prayer of an oppressed person, the prayer of a traveler and the prayer of a father for his son.’ (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi) 5. May the blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad (saw). 6. On the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Busr (ra) it is reported that a man requested the Prophet (saw): ‘O messenger of Allah. The Islamic edicts appear to me a bit too much, so kindly tell me something (lighter and easier) which I should hold fast to.’ He (saw) answered: ‘Let your tongue remain busy constantly with the remembrance of Allah.’ (Tirmidhi) 7. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra) who reports that the Prophet of Allah (saw) said: ‘People are like mines of gold and silver. Those of them who are best before Islam are best in Islam, if they understand; and the spirits are like gathering armies, among those who are similar in qualities, they get mixed up with each other and those who are not, they drift away from each other.’ (Bukhari and Muslim) 8. Allah has enjoined upon you in the Book that when you hear the signs of Allah being rejected and scoffed at, you will not sit with them until they engage in some other talk, or else you will become like them. Know well, Allah will gather the hypocrites and the unbelievers in Hell all together. (Quran 4:140) 9. O you who believe! Why say you that which you do not? It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. (Quran 61:2-3) 10. ‘All ibn Abi Talib (ra) said: ‘Speak to the people about that which they can comprehend, otherwise you run the risk of making people disbelieve in God and His Messenger.’ (Bukhari) According to ‘Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Whenever you speak to the people of something their mind cannot comprehend, it could lead some of them towards Fitna (disbelief or doubt).’ (Muslim)
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