Ya Sadiq- your faith proven true

Hudhayfah  ibn Al-Yaman (ra), 

Whenever Umar (ra), the second rightly guided, wished to appoint someone as governor of a province, or to raise someone in authority over others, it is said that he liked to consult the opinion of Hudhayfah (ra). 

Some commentators say that Hudhayfah (ra) had a unique ability to gauge people’s nature. And that is why Umar (ra) used to consult him. 

But that is less than half of it. 

For Hudhayfah had been given a title by the Messenger (saw): “the trustworthy of my Nation”. 

For he was entrusted with the names of the twelve hypocrites that had been provided to the Messenger (saw) from Gibreel (as) himself. 

And Umar (ra) was acutely aware of this trust, and of the harm that can be done to the society of Muslims by the munafiq. 

He himself narrated that they did not know who they were until Hudhayfah failed to present himself for their Janazza (funeral) prayer. 

This tells us of two facts:

1- that Hudhayfah (as) was assiduous in the keeping of the trust. And did not reveal the names to anyone. 

2- that the Munafiq were indistinguishable from the believers, until the last. 

Umar (ra) rightly worried to give honour, and authority, to those who hid their true nature under the semblance of belief. 

And if they were present in that the best of generations, do you not think that they are present here, even amongst us even now?

We know from the first lines of Baqara that their nature is of a deep self-deception. That they cannot see their hypocrisy, and instead in the interpretation of Al-Ghazali are want to bring arguments to shore up their self belief. So they thrust their fingers deep into their ear holes forcing out any sound of reason that could enliven them to self scrutiny. 

We must not just watch out for a slowly creeping hypocrisy within ourselves, but we must also be vigilant, just like Umar (ra), against both befriending them and allowing them to take positions of authority amongst us. 

So off course we must deliberate upon their essential characteristics not just to avoid being like them, but also to mark out those who we know who are of them. 

This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (saw) to mark them out so that they are known, but not to call them out. 

And to leave the Most Gracious to deal with one He created alone. 

So what are their characteristics?

In times of plenty they will be your brothers, and be by your side. 

And you will be happy with them, and them with you. 

But when a trial is put upon you, not only will they dessert, but they will double and even triple the trial. 

So that they will try to benefit from what they see as your misfortune. 

And when a trial is put upon them, then you will see how they loose their very own morality. 

They are like those mentioned in Surah Fajr, that even a small trifling trial causes them to loose themselves. 

How they will lie, and support lies. 

How they will call out what you or others do, even though they would have benefited from the very thing that they called out. 

How they will play a game between two people and think it fun to watch the outcome. 

How they will turn and twist every which way, and use arguments to justify their every insolence. 

“O I am your brother. And the Believers are but brothers of one another”

A true statement from the one who is a liar, and a supporter of a liar. 

But for the believers when a trial is put upon them they only say: “this is what has been promised” and it does not affect their morality. 

For they know that to Allah is our return. 

And they bear with patience every trial. 

And for them the last of Baqara rings true -

That God does not put a burden on any that they cannot bear. That what good you earn is for yourself and that what evil you earn is for yourself. 

That trials and oppression are no excuse for immorality, for lies or their ilk, for sowing discord in the name of democracy or any other fine words that mean little to nothing. *1

And so for the believers trials and oppressions only bring them closer to the Most Gracious. 

And they worry about the means and know that the ends lie with the Most Gracious. *2

For at the end of it, He asks us to call upon Him in apparent and clear familiarity - Anta Maulana- O Allah you are the protecting friend of those who believe, and we have believed in you. 

And if you have Allah as your Maula, and your second, why would you not fight to remove oppression from yourself?

And this is the answer to the ask that precedes it- give us not a burden, the like of which you gave to those before us. A reference to the early Christians, our earlier brothers, who were torn limb from limb for professing faith. 

For they were meek. 

But we are strong. 

And so Allah t’ala commands you to fight against oppression which is against the very free nature of your soul- with your thoughts, and your words and your actions. 

And to be patient is no less a fight, so long as you do not give up yearning to fight and free yourself from it. 

For once the fight is out of you, then you will have lost. 

And the Believers they are the successful ones. 

And for such people when we look at “laysal birr”.. it is not righteousness that you face the east or the west. 

The description you will find there will relate to you, for there God calls you as-Sadiq: the one whose faith has proved true. 

Those who do not give up on hope. 

Who will never give up the fight.

And will bear with patience their inability to fight, until it is rendered easy for them. 

And then they fight with their brains, and their might and their hearts against every oppression. 

But for the Munafiq there is only doom and dismay. For they do not believe, and they purchase but paltry things for this life and ignore the everlasting things. 

So even though you will  not be able to distinguish them, you should at the very least try. And then do not lend an ear to them, or allow them any authority over you. 

What an excellent title for an excellent soul- ya Sadiq. Those whose faith has proven true.