Because we forget

I overheard a conversation among friends today that struck a cord. And I literally felt a sudden chill run down my spine - like a shock of electricity. My heart felt heavy, so very heavy. I felt the urge to do something, to say something, to make them stop.

But in the end, I did nothing. 

I'm such a coward. 

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Below is something I posted more than 2 years ago, back when i had a steady supply of tarbiyyah - nurturing of the soul - from those in the know. I owe them dearly for sharing valuable lessons with me, and i wish to share with you what I have gained from them (and others). 

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The people of Sabbath, Monday, November 3, 2008

I'm not trying to write a review of the movie above nor am i trying to promote it. My housies told me about this trailer, and one part in particular struck me (and them) as very interesting. Now, if you could just drag the slider up to 0:52 - 0:56.. yeap, right about there. Okay, good! Now listen to what the guy is saying..

"kita kalau jahat pon Li, jangan sekat orang buat baik"
Okay, i'm just gonna leave that quote at that for the moment. (i'll get back to it later)

Now, most of you probably already know this (which is good), but for those who don't, i have something to share. So keep reading on, try to understand what i'm saying and may this be a reminder to all (myself included).

The story of the people of the Sabbath 
(Al-Araf: 163-166)

وَسۡـَٔلۡهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلَّتِى ڪَانَتۡ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلۡبَحۡرِ إِذۡ يَعۡدُونَ فِى ٱلسَّبۡتِ إِذۡ تَأۡتِيهِمۡ حِيتَانُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ سَبۡتِهِمۡ شُرَّعً۬ا وَيَوۡمَ لَا يَسۡبِتُونَ‌ۙ لَا تَأۡتِيهِمۡ‌ۚ ڪَذَٲلِكَ نَبۡلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ ١٦٣

163. Ask them (O Muhammad) of the township that was by the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath, when their big fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the day they did not have Sabbath. Thus We made a trial for them for they used to rebel against Allah's command.

Allah had forbidden the children of Isreal (Jews) from fishing on the day of Sabbath (i.e Saturday). But the village disobeyed Him and broke their pledge and their covenant to observe the sanctity of the Sabbath by using deceitful means to catch the fishes that came in abundance on that day.

So the village was divided into 3 groups of people: (1) The people who violated Allah's command; (2) The people (preachers) who reminded these violators to follow Allah's command; (3) The people who said the following:

وَإِذۡ قَالَتۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوۡمًا‌ۙ ٱللَّهُ مُهۡلِكُهُمۡ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُہُمۡ عَذَابً۬ا شَدِيدً۬ا‌ۖ قَالُواْ مَعۡذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ ١٦٤

164. And when a community among them said: Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or punish with a severe torment, (the preachers) said: "In order to be free from guilt before your Lord, and perhaps they may fear Allah."

In short, group (3) had questioned the act of group (2) in reminding others of Allah's words. "Let them be in sin, why should you even bother?" is in essence what they were saying. In other words, they are stopping the preachers from doing good.

In the next 2 ayat, Allah outlined the punishments and rewards of these different groups of people.

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِهِۦۤ أَنجَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلسُّوٓءِ وَأَخَذۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابِۭ بَـِٔيسِۭ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ ١٦٥ فَلَمَّا عَتَوۡاْ عَن مَّا نُہُواْ عَنۡهُ قُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَـٰسِـِٔينَ ١٦٦

165. So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel against Allah's command.

166. So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected!"

So as you can see, the people of group (1) were seized with a severe torment and the people of group (2) were saved. But ahh, what of the people in group (3) i.e the people who had stopped the preachers from doing good?? What became of them?

Well, this is just from my understanding of what i gained during our daily tadabbur sessions: Allah's wrath is so great and so immense on the people of group (3) for stopping others from doing good, that the punishment these people will get is not even mentioned in the Qur'an. Imagine a punishment that is so great to the point of being unmentionable!

When i first heard of this, i was scared cold to my bones. Have i ever done that without realizing it? Now take a moment to think: how many times have you unconsciously been those of group (3)? You may immediately say never, but think again, and think hard... It maybe something as simple as asking a friend to "play ball first instead of praying, heck it's barely 6pm, Maghrib is still far off" or anything along that line (I'm not really good with examples).

The quote from the movie above is just one of those situations i'm talking about.

Anyway, if you understand what i'm getting at, i'm sure you'll feel the same chilling coldness i feel this very moment (and it has nothing to do with winter).

So let us take heed of Allah's warning in this story of the people of Sabbath, and May Allah (The most merciful) forgive us our sins and rescue us from His torment, insyaAllah.

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