Shaykh Rabee’s Golden Words of Advice

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood narrated: Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: I order you to be truthful, for verily truthfulness leads to righteousness (al-birr) and verily righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man continues to be truthful and strives for truthfulness until he is written as a truthful person with Allaah. Beware of falsehood, for verily falsehood leads to sinning (al-fujoor) and verily sinning leads to the Fire. And a man continues to tell lies and strives upon falsehood until he is written as a lair with Allaah. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, and others]


Shaykh Rabee’s Golden Words of Advice

The following benefits were recorded during a truly blessed sitting with our father Shaykh Rabee' bin Haadee al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah), in his house after Isha' in Makkah on the 16th of Rabee'-ul-Aakhir, 1435 (corresponding to 2-16-14).

The Shaykh (hafidhahullaah) said:

All praise is due to Allaah, we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from the evil within ourselves and the evils of our deeds. Whoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whoever Allaah leads astray will never find guidance. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone, without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

Oh you who believe, fear Allaah as He truly should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims in submission to Him. (Aali 'Imraan, ayah 102)

Oh mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women. And fear Allaah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. (An-Nisa`, ayah 1)

Oh you who believe, fear Allaah and speak with an upright word (always speak the truth). He will then rectify for you your deeds and forgive your sins, and whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. (Al-Ahzaab, ayah 70-71)

Verily, the most truthful speech is the Book of Allaah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and the worst affairs are newly invented matters. Every newly invented matter is a bid'ah (heresy), and every bid'ah is misguidance.

You have heard this great Prophetic khutbah (Khutbat al-Hajah). He (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to give sermon by way of it, for it comprises of (affairs) related to belief, actions and taqwa (piety). So it is desirable that a person reflects upon it. (Allaah, The Most High, said:) Fear Allaah as He truly should be feared. (Aali 'Imraan, ayah 102)

'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radiAllaahu Ta'aala 'anhu) said (in explanation of this verse): "That He should be obeyed and not disobeyed, that He is remembered and not forgotten, and that He is shown gratitude and not ungratefulness." [1]

And Allaah said: And do not die except as Muslims. It is from the Sunnah of Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, and from His mercy to his servants that the one who remains firm upon the true Islaam, he will depart (upon death) as a Muslim. This (affair) is not in your hand, but it is in the hand of Allaah, by which He bestows a favour upon him (the servant).[2] When you are steadfast (with istiqaamah) and are pious (with taqwa) and you follow His sharee'ah - in both creed and methodology - then Allaah will make him firm upon the true Islaam and enter him into gardens beneath which rivers flow. The day on which Allaah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believe alongside him... (At-Tahreem, ayah 8)

Oh mankind, fear your Lord Who created you from one soul. (An-Nisa`, ayah 1) The origin of mankind returns to one (soul), from Adam then Hawaa, so they do not excel over each other except with respect to piety (taqwa).

Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who is the most pious amongst you. (Al-Hujuraat, ayah 13) No matter which land or area you are from, if you are pious (taqiyy) ... Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who is the most pious amongst you. (Al-Hujuraat, ayah 13)

Taqwa (of Allaah) is a great affair, (it is) that you believe in the correct authentic belief, that you act upon what is in His Book, that you obey His Messenger ('alayhis salaatu was salaam), you treat lawful what He declared lawful and you treat as unlawful what He declared unlawful. You abandon the doubtful matters. All of this is the taqwa of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

Oh you who believe, fear Allaah and speak with an upright word (always speak the truth). He will then rectify for you your deeds and forgive your sins, and whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. (Al-Ahzaab, ayah 70-71)

A great ayah, Laa illaaha ilAllaah (none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah)! Fear Allaah and speak with an upright word (always speak the truth). Do not speak except the truth and what is correct! Avoid desires and excess speech, may Allaah bless you. Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). (Qaaf, ayah 18)

So let him have taqwa of Allaah, the Blessed and Exalted, and respect those Angels, those who write every small and large thing: Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). (Qaaf, ayah 18) And the one who witnesses and brings to mind these verses and this hadeeth (mentioned previously), then he will remain upright if Allaah wills. And this an indication that success has been granted to him from Allaah. It is an indication that Allaah desired for him goodness. He desired that he should be from the people of taqwa and the people of Paradise, if Allah wills.

One must avoid lying for, truthfulness leads to righteousnesss and righteousness leads to Paradise.[3] Look at this, Allaahu Akbar! The man who is truthful and observes truthfulness with great care, he is cautious of what he says and intends, until he is written as truthful (siddeeq) with Allaah. Being a siddeeq (truthful to the utmost) is a lofty rank - there are the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous - the level of siddeeq is higher than the martyr. The person who adheres to truthfulness, he is truthful in his speech and his action, truthful in his creed and his methodology. He observes truth with great care and likewise is truthful (with great care).

And a man does not cease to lie...and lying leads to sinfulness and sinfulness leads to the Fire. And a man does not cease to tell lies until he is written with Allaah as a liar. So beware of lying, beware of lying... This is the meaning of Fear Allaah and speak with an upright word (always speak the truth). So if you have taqwa of Allaah and speak the truth, Allaah will suffice you and will rectify your actions. He will then rectify for you your deeds and forgive your sins, and whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. Allaahu akbar. Piety (taqwa), truthfulness (sidq) and righteousness (birr) make your actions correct (rectified) and acceptable to Allaah, because they are upon the legislation of Allaah. There is no bid'ah in them, no deviations in them. And whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. He has been successful with (attaining) Paradise.

We ask Allaah that He sustains us with taqwa (piety) and ikhlaas (sincerity) in speech and action, in creed and methodology, for indeed our Lord is the All-Hearer of the supplication, and may He send salaat and salaam upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions. [End of advice from Shaykh Rabee']
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Abu Sarah 'Abdul-Ilah Lahmami (hafidhahullaah) asked: "Oh Shaykh, you wrote in your refutation of Bakr Abu Zayd that: I prefer to be killed a thousand times than that I should tell a single lie upon a Muslim."

Shaykh Rabee' said: "We ask Allaah to make us from the truthful, (upon a man is to) have taqwa and to observe truthfulness with care. One should beware from the vile qualities (traits)."

Our Shaykh was pleased to hear about the Masjid Athari Project again, and made du'aa for its success. He asked to be excused as he was very busy with his work. May Allaah preserve him for many many years to come. Ameen.

From those present in the gathering were: Abu Idrees, Abdul-Ilah Lahmami, Bilal Hussein, Ozan ibn Bedir, Abu Amaan, Waqqas and other brothers from the UK who were on 'Umrah with the "TaqwaHajj" Group.



Source: http://www.masjidathari.com/shaykh-rabees-golden-words-of-advice/
Posted by: Ozan Bedir (jazahu Allaahu khairan)
Note: Edits, modifications were made.

Notes:
[1] This has an authentic chain of narration to 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood. Al-Hakim (rahimahullaah) collected this Hadith in his Mustadrak. [For tremdous advices of Ibn Mas'ood, click here: http://www.salafitalk.com/threads/916-Allaah-s-Messenger-Hold-Tightly-Onto-The-Advices-of-Ibn-Mas-ood ]

[2] In "Nafahaatul-Hudaaa wal-Eemaan min Majaalisil-Qur`aan" pg. 44-46, Shaikh Rabee' relayed other benefits concerning the Statement of Allaah (which means): Do not die except as Muslims in submission to Him. (Aali 'Imraan, ayah 102)

"It can be said that the person doesn't have control over this matter for himself. However it is said: Upon him is to take the means (that will enable him to die as a Muslim). It is that he is upright in this life upon the true religion of Allaah. It is that he obeys Allaah with the right of obedience. It is that he thanks Him, and asks Allaah for establisment upon this religion just as the Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to do - and he was the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam): Oh Turner of the hearts, establish my heart upon Your religion." [Ahmad in his Musnad; authenticated by Al-Albaanee due to its supports in as-Sunnah of Ibn Abee 'Aasim, rahimahumullaah]

[3] 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radiAllaahu 'anhu) narrated: Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: I order you to be truthful, for verily truthfulness leads to righteousness (al-birr) and verily righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man continues to be truthful and strives for truthfulness until he is written as a truthful person with Allaah. Beware of falsehood, for verily falsehood leads to sinning (al-fujoor) and verily sinning leads to the Fire. And a man continues to tell lies and strives upon falsehood until he is written as a lair with Allaah. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, and others, rahimahumullaah]

To read Shaikh Rabee's Sharh of this hadeeth, click here: http://www.spubs.com/sps/downloads/pdf/SCL100015.pdf