Bright Sun-Shiny Day

It's been foggy in Toronto. Although it's beautiful to look at, it causes trouble on the roads. What do you do when it's foggy? You slow down, or at least you should slow down because your vision is impaired by it. When you don't know your route very well, you have to look for the highway exit signs to get to the place you intend to arrive at. When you have a passenger who knows the way, he can tell you the route. When you trust your co-driver you will feel at ease with your driving.

Once the fog has lifted, you are able to recognize where you are. Recognition takes practice. We all have our talents and we like to practice them. It is easy for an artist, for example, to recognize good art. Once we become good at something, we can discern what is good.

Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) and the Sahabah had nuance. They understood their society and the world on a deeper level than most of us understand our own society. Their practices reflected their understanding. They easily discerned correct from incorrect deeds.

There is a beautiful hadith about a “teachable” moment with a Bedouin:

Anas Ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Whilst we were in the Mosque with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah exalt his mention) a Bedouin came and stood urinating in the Mosque. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah said, 'Stop it! Stop it!' and were about to attack him. But the Messenger of Allah said, 'Do not interrupt him; leave him alone.' So they left him until he had finished urinating, then the Messenger of Allah called him and said to him, 'In these Mosques it is not right to do anything like urinating or defecating; they are only for remembering Allah, praying and reading Qur'aan,' or words to that effect. Then he commanded a man who was there to bring a bucket of water and throw it over the (urine), and he did so." (Muslim)

Prophet Mohammed had two choices. To stop him or to leave him alone. He had the foresight not to injure the man by impeding his call to nature and treated him gently. If the Sahaba had surprised the Bedouin, there would be impurity spread over a larger area of the masjid and on the man and his clothing. It would cause the Bedouin embarrassment and shame and it would prevent him and possibly others from praying until he could wash himself and his clothing. Leaving the man alone was the path of least harm. 

 

Ibn Hajar explains what we learn from this moment and how it can be applied to the community: 

“We should be gentle when dealing with one who is ignorant and teach him what he needs to know without rebuking him, so long as he is not acting out of stubbornness, especially if he is one who needs to be won over.”

The idea of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is also shown in the care of hastening to clean up directly after the man had been educated and his well-being cared for. It is also notable that the person is cared for first and the cleaning up is secondary although it is not delayed because there was no need for any delay.

Prophet Mohammad shows nuance in his teaching by recognizing different levels and understanding of people. One man came to the Prophet and asked whether he could perform a certain deed and the Prophet allowed him. Another time a different man asked the same question and our Prophet forbade it. When the Sahaba asked our Prophet why he allowed it for one man and forbade another, he answered that one man was new to his understanding of Islam and the other one was well practised in Islam so allowing him would promote laxness in his deen.

At one point Islamic society allowed gambling, divining and alcohol. It was something ingrained in several cultures living together at that time. It was not until the fourth year of Hijra that alcohol was prohibited for Muslims. The ayat came down gradually to ween and correct a society that was young in Islamic teaching.

“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people." Qur'an 2:286

With practice comes discernment. With discernment – recognition. With recognition comes obedience and submission. When we recognize the qualities of Allah (swt), we recognize the path to be followed (suluk) and we recognize His beauty. In recognizing His beauty we can teach and learn, hear and obey in a beautiful way.

99 names - Ar-Rahman