Originally posted 2020-12-01 00:02:39.
How to Be Saved from Calamities and Punishment
Every society has its own safety valves
For example, the ministry of health protects, if Allah wills, public health
The ministry of interior ensures the safety of people, combats crime
The ministry of defense protects and ensures the national borders, and so on
Thus the responsibility of every ministry is to ensure the safety, health and welfare of the society
You can serve the same purpose
How?
Allah (Exalted be He) says: “And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers” (Hud 11:117)
He said “reformers”, “while their people were reformers”, meaning they mend each other
Is the people of a city give good counsel to one another then ordeal and distress will be removed from them
Indeed, we need to hold fast on reasons and causes to protect ourselves from harm
And this talk maybe one of the reasons
That’s why when Allah transformed some of the Children of Israel into apes and pigs, may Allah honour you, as it was mentioned in Surat Al-Ma’idah
He (Exalted be He) said: “We saved those who had forbidden evil and seized those who wronged, with a wretched punishment, because they were defiantly disobeying” (Al-A`raf 7:165)
SO, when you give good counsel you will help remove the plague from us
Sincere Advice
When you offer sincere advice to someone in religious matters you actually offer some kind of assistance in safeguarding your society
“We saved those who had forbidden evil” (Al-A`raf 7:165)
In a society where people give sincere advice to each other those sincere advisors become the safety valves of this society; they will not be punished while they were among them
So, we have to enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil
What do you mean by giving good counsel?
Do you mean to enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil
Or to quarrel with people and beat them!
What does good advice have to do with rudeness and harshness?
Did Allah (Exalted be He) say this?
Why does the Satan put into your mind that giving advice is synonymous with frowning, loud voice and harshness?
But to the contrary our Lord (Exalted be He) commanded us
Saying: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best” (An-Nahl 16)
So, why do you fill your head with these non-existent thoughts, then you want us to abide by it?
It’s like when the father of your fiancée asks you, ‘how are you asking us for our blessing to marry our daughter while you are going to mistreat her?’
You say: ‘Nay, I won’t mistreat her’
Then he says: ‘indeed you will’
You then say: what makes you think that I’m going to mistreat your daughter, have you heard this about me?
He said: ‘no, we’ve heard nothing but good about you, but there are husbands who mistreat their wives!
‘So, you are going to do the same’
‘But what does this have to do with me?’
‘Why are you judging me for something I have never done?’
And I don’t even think about it, so don’t involve me in this
The same happens when the Satan whispers to your mind the lie that advice and ill-treatment are one and the same. This is nothing but suspicion
But there is a question, how can I make my advice acceptable?
People naturally enjoy smelling good scents, and there are two certain scents that have a profound effect on others
usually love perfumes, and there are two perfumes if you use them then people will accept your advice
The first one is the fragrance of the heart
Purify your heart before offering advice
There’s a law that is unchangeable: “What comes from the heart, goes to the heart”
It is an unchangeable, unalterable law
Sincerely advice people for the sake of Allah
Not to show off your knowledge, your righteous deeds and how a good practicing Muslim you are
For the Sake of Allah
Do not advice people in order to only appear righteous, win praise or anything else
Just for the sake of Allah, because Allah loves you to give sincere advice
If you do this, people also will love you
The second is: fragrance of the tongue
Also, there is a very important thing to do; give advice in a humble way
Don’t talk down to them
This is the dividing line between accepting and rejecting the advice
People will accept your advice only when they feel that you really care about them and love good for them
He has no other choice but to accept it from you
It is human nature
But, how can I make a person feel this?
Just say to him: ‘By Allah, I only want the best for you’
“You may be better than me, and I love for you what I love for myself. You are dear to my heart”. Then smile at him
Smile creates miracles
There was a group of young people playing football in playground when Al-Maghrib Prayer was called to, then a young man they don’t know entered the playground
He didn’t want to play with them
But he entered anyway, he looked like a practicing Muslim
He entered making his way to the center of the playground as he wanted to advise them to pray
They stopped playing, while he was still walking towards them and didn’t reach them yet
The young people were very angry as they had to stop playing
And they agreed among themselves that they will beat that young man once he reaches them
And when he reached them, ‘he’, they said, ‘captivated us by a good word, a smile, and a supplication’
And ask them to accompany him to the mosque
They say: ‘By Allah, he had captivated our hearts, we couldn’t do anything but to go with him to the mosque’
Calling to Allah and good treatment are crafts
And you are the best one to master them
The most important thing is that you let nothing prevent you from giving sincere advice to those around you
Your advice can safeguard the society and protect all of us
Allah (Exalted be He) said: “And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers” (Hud 11:117)
Giving advice doesn’t require a lot of effort!
Even if it was about prayers, backbiting, or even a supplication to Allah for someone.
