The 3 Destructive Behaviours
(Based on the Khutba by Imam Mohamed Baianonie, IAR - Khutbas)
Brothers in Islam: In a hadith, reported by Imam Abu-Dawood
and At-Tirmidhi that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Three are
destructive behaviours - a leading Stinginess (the kind of
stinginess that leads the person to obey it and follow it), a
Followed Desire (the kind of whims and desires that lead the
person to follow them), and Conceit (stuck-up, arrogant person)."
In this hadith, the prophet (pbuh) warns us against the three
destructive, deadly diseases. If they spread amongst individuals,
they will definitely destroy him, and if they prevail in the society, it
will destroy the society. These diseases are so dangerous that
they are not confined within the infected individuals, but the harm
reaches others. When this happens, the relationship will
breakdown and Muslims do not perform their duties and as a
consequence, the Ummah will be divided and ultimately the fabric
of the healthy Muslim society will be destroyed.
Therefore, our prophet (pbuh) warned us from the great danger
of these diseases so that we protect ourselves.
The first destructive behaviour is the leading stinginess:
What is Leading Stinginess?
Allah swt says in Surah at- Taghaboon 64:v16: “So fear Allah
as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend [in the
way of Allah]; it is better for yourselves. And whoever is protected
from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the
successful."
Brothers in Islam: Stinginess can be in everything that is
valuable and dear to the human beings like life, wealth, time,
effort etc. Stinginess leads the person to think that all his
valuables are extremely dear to him. The prophet (pbuh) qualifies
the stinginess in the hadith with the leading kind of stinginess that
causes the infected person to obey it and follow it.
What happens if the stinginess becomes obeyed?
The person would stop performing his duties and neglect his
responsibilities. The Ummah and the Muslim society would
become paralysed. Helplessness will prevail; this life and this
Deen would be lost.
Since this disease is really dangerous, the prophet (pbuh) has
said in a hadith: "Stinginess and Iman (faith or belief) never get
together in a heart of a believing servant." (reported by Bukhari).
This hadith makes the believer disgusted with the stinginess
because Iman (belief) is the dearest for a Muslim; he is keen
about having his belief settle in his heart and as a consequence
he has to expel stinginess out from it.
And the prophet (pbuh) in his many supplications used to ask
refuge with Allah from stinginess. In another authentic hadith
reported by Imam Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqi, the prophet (pbuh) has
said: "The worst a man can have is: frightening stinginess, and a
deadly cowardice." A man may have some bad behaviour,
manners and corruption, but the worst is the frightening
stinginess because it causes the man to be frightened every time
he is called to spend in good causes and finds all kinds of
excuses for not spending.
This is because the one that prevents from spending is the fear of
poverty that Shaitan plants in the heart of people. All this is due
to ignorance about Allah swt and the lack of His trust and His
promise. If we know all that, we will know why the prophet (pbuh)
warned us from stinginess when he said: "...Protect yourselves
from stinginess because it destroyed people before you: it
caused them to kill one another and dishonour themselves."
(reported by Imam Muslim). All these things are big crimes and
major sins that divide the Ummah and destroy the society.
The second destructive behaviour is a ‘followed desire’:
What is Followed Desire?
Allah swt said in Surah Al-Jathiyah v23: “Have you seen he
who has taken as his god his (own) desire, and Allah has sent
him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing
and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide
him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?
‫أيها المؤمنون‬: Desire is the inclination of the soul, and its yearnings
are found in every human being. Prophet (pbuh) qualified it with
‘followed desire’. If the desire is not followed, it cannot be
dangerous, rather the person would be in a state of struggle
against it and he will be rewarded for his struggle. But if the
desire is followed, it becomes dangerous because the infected
person transgresses against Allah swt and commits sins and
stops performing his duties. Then, no knowledge can help him;
desire becomes his god, he worships his desire along with Allah
or his desire alone.
‘Followed desire’ prevents the person from following the truth.
Allah swt has said in surah Al-Qasas, v50, "But if they answer
you not (do not believe in your message), then know that they
only follow their own lust (vain desires). And who is more astray
than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah?
Verily! Allah does not guide the people who are wrong-doers."
‘Followed desire’ happens along with evil deeds and actions
looking good and beautiful to the person. Allah swt has said in
Surah Muhammad, v14 "Is he who is on a clear proof from his
Lord, like those for whom their evil deeds that they do are
beautified for them, while they follow their own evil desires?"
For that, Allah swt warned His prophet Dawood (pbuh) in Surah
Saad, v26, "… And do not follow your desires, for it will mislead
you from the path of Allah." Allah swt makes this a condition to
enter paradise, i.e. restraining of the soul from following evil
desires.
The third destructive behaviour is ‘conceit’:
What is Conceit?
Allah swt says in Surah Ghafir 40, v29: “Pharaoh said, "I do not
show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the
way of right conduct."
‫أيها المؤمنون‬: Conceit is the third destructive behaviour that prophet
(pbuh) warned us against. This happens when someone is
pleased with oneself and does not see his or her defects no
matter how bad they get. They become so opinionated thinking
that they are always right and that others are wrong. This is one
type of arrogance that the prophet (pbuh) defined as: "Arrogance
is looking down on people and rejection of the truth”. Arrogance
is one of the most dangerous diseases and that’s why the
prophet (pbuh) said: "No one will enter Paradise if he has in his
heart a seed weight of arrogance."
Arrogance is the disease that led Iblees to disobey Allah swt
when He ordered him to prostrate to Adam (pbuh). Arrogance
was the reason for the eternal curse of Iblees.
One of the bad consequences of conceit is that it leads to
transgression. The person conducts his life based on his own
opinion. This can happen in the individuals, or groups as well as
societies. Others’ opinions and thoughts are looked down upon
and ignored no matter how true and correct they are, and as a
consequence, development and advancement is curbed and the
well-being of the society is endangered.
Brothers in Islam: In conclusion, we should be very careful from
these destructive and deadly behaviours, which our beloved
prophet (pbuh) warned us from, and we should take precautions
to protect ourselves, our groups, and our society from it. And if
we find ourselves infected with these deadly diseases we should
hurry to treat it before it worsens, and cause total destruction.
Finally, let’s repeat the supplication of our prophet (pbuh):
"O' Allah guide us to the best manners and indeed You are the
only one who can guide us to the best manners.
O' Allah take away from us the bad manners and bad behaviours
and indeed You are the only one who can take them away."
Ameen