Friday, July 3, 2020

3 Prophetic instructions to stay safe from fitna

  Pakrush Admin       Friday, July 3, 2020
When winds of fitna blow through a society or a land, it becomes more and more important for a Muslim to stay alert so they can protect against all kinds of evil that usually rear their head during chaos.

The Arabic word fitna is a broad term that can mean temptation, trial & tribulation, civil war or unrest. Fitna (or fasaad) by its nature can manifest itself in many forms in a society such as widespread corruption (immorality, debauchery, lawlessness) bloodshed and violence (sectarian, racial, religious etc.), fitna of women (projecting women as symbol of sexuality) and wealth.  


How Hadith guides us

Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) has taught us how to stay away from fitna through this beautiful Hadith of Tirmidi:


Uqba Ibn Amir reported: I said, "O Messenger of Allah, what will save us?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon Him, said, "control your tongue, let your house be enough for you, and weep for your sins,"



1) "Control your tongue" 

Humans can turn their life either into a blessing or a curse merely through the power of words. Spoken words contain energy. There's ample scientific research and data that reveals the truth behind what Prophet Mohammad SAW told centuries ago.

When fitna or chaos occurs, people spread all sorts of negativity, fake news, lies, deception, fear and hopelessness. So, we have to be the ever-alert guardian of our tongue and thinking.

Good and positive words carry positive energy that eventually manifests physically, right before our eyes. So, be very careful when choosing your words and if you intentionally or unintentionally use a bad word, a curse, or share ideas that create disappointment instead of hope and God's mercy, quickly stop the flow of negative thoughts and words and replace them with positive ones. 

To quickly cut the flow of negative/bad words, recite audu billahi minash shaitanir rajeem or recite Astaghfirullah for repentance and seeking mercy from Allah. 

2) "Let your house be enough for you" 

It can mean a lot of steps that a Muslim should take in order to act upon Prophet Mohammad SAW advice in this regard. When you sense chaos or fitna spreading, it is wise to stay at home, limit your movements and restrict your social activities. Avoid going into crowded places and spend more time in serenity --- this is especially important when there's violence, war or bloodshed. 

Your house being enough for you in this Hadith can also mean that you should limit your exposure to the media. Social activities have already been shaped by technology, the danger is now creeping into our lives through another door -- electronic media or social media. So limiting your activities on the social media or news is definitely one of the tactics we must employ during times of tribulation. 


3) "Weep for your sins"

We should repent for our sins as much as we can. Humans are fallible. We make mistakes all the time and most of the times we don't even notice it. Even when we feel we are not committing any sin, we could still be making sins, for instance, we are not spending time thanking God for His countless favors upon us. 
Such is the state of humans --- that God doesn't owe him anything --- he owes God everything. Although we may think we are avoiding committing major sins, the fact is we are so indebted to God for His countless blessings and favors that it should powerfully motivate us to keep thanking Him and seeking His forgiveness for ingratitude, sins and negligence.

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