Following one's whims

Praise be to Allah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.

Of the dispraised qualities which cast their owners to destruction and blocking their insight where a person cannot differentiate between the truth and falsehood, good and evil is following one's whims.

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Have you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) seen him who has taken as his ilah (god) his own desire?" [Surat Al Furqan: 43].

Ibn Kathir said: The meaning is: Whenever a person approves something, he makes it his religion and doctrine[1] as Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Is he, then, to whom the evil of his deeds made fair seeming, so that he considers it as good (equal to one who is rightly guided)?" [Surat Fatir: 8].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "O Dawud (David)! Verily! We have placed you as a successor on earth, so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire for it will mislead you from the Path of Allah." [Surat Sad: 26].

Allah (may He be Exalted) mentioned in His Book the condition of those who follow their whims and explained that their condition is like that of animals. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle." [Surat Al Furqan: 44].

Part of following whims is what some people do from searching for the concessions of the Shari`ah, odd Fatwas, and lapses of scholars, and twist the meanings of texts for the sake of their whims, and when the texts become harmonious with their whims, they satisfy, submit, and do not argue. Allah mentioned in His Book that kind of people: "They (hypocrites) say: We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), and we obey, then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not believers. * And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Quran) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away. * But if the right is with them, they come to him willingly with submission. * Is there a disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) should wrong them in judgment. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimun (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.)." [Surat An-Nur: 47 - 50].

Some people respect positive laws when they are harmonious with their whims, but when they see their interests threatened by laws and the constitution, the approved law is in fact is their private interest.[2]

Whims blindfold and block a person from the truth. Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn Al Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "Temptations will be presented to men's hearts as reed mat is woven stick by stick and any heart which is impregnated by them will have a black mark put into it, but any heart which rejects them will have a white mark put in it. The result is that there will become two types of hearts: one white like a white stone which will not be harmed by any turmoil or temptation, so long as the heavens and the earth endure; and the other black and dust-colored like a vessel which is upset, not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is abominable, but being impregnated with passion."

Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) forbade His Prophet from following whims. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "So to this (religion of Islâm alone and this Qur'ân) then invite (people) (O Muhammad peace be upon him), and stand firm [on Islâmic Monotheism by performing all that is ordained by Allâh (good deeds), and by abstaining from all that is forbidden by Allâh (sins and evil deeds)], as you are commanded, and follow not their desires." [Surat Ash-Shura: 15].

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge from following whims. At-Tirmidhy reported in his Sunan from the Hadith of Qutbah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say: "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from bad morals, actions, and desires." [3]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed his Companions that following one's whims is a cause of destruction. Al Bazzar reported in his Musnad from the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Destructive sins are three: covetousness that is obeyed, a followed whim, and self-conceit."[4]

The emir of the believers, Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The most fearful things that I fear for you are: Hoping for a long life and following of desires. As for hoping for a long life, it causes forgetfulness to the Hereafter and following one's whims blocks the way of the truth."[5]

Many sayings reported from the Predecessors warned people against following scholars' lapses and odd views. Sulayman At-Taymy said: If you accept the concession of each scholar, all evil acts shall be collected in you.[6]

Imam Al Awza`y said: He who follows the odd views of scholars has left Islam.[7]

`Umar Ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Three things can demolish the religion: A lapse of a scholar, argument of a hypocrite, and misleading imams. [8]

Ibn Hazm said: There is another group who had soft religion and lack of piety because they seek the things that are in harmony with their whims from every person and accept concessions from every scholar without paying attention to the obligations of Allah and the obedience of the Prophet (peace be upon him). [9]

Al Bayhaqy reported on the authority of Isma`il Al Qady who said: I entered to Al Mu`tadid Billah, and while we were sitting, a book was given to him in which I saw the concessions of scholars and the proofs of each one of them. I said: The one who wrote this book is a heretic. He asked: Are not these Hadiths correct? I replied: The Hadiths are correct but the one who permitted intoxicants (i.e., Nabidh) did not permit Mut`ah (temporary) marriage and whoever permitted Mut`ah (temporary) marriage did not permit intoxicants. There is no scholar but he has a lapse, and whoever follows the lapses of scholars, his faith becomes weak. Thereupon Al Mu`tadid commanded the book to be burnt.[10]

Scholars severely rebuked those who accept concessions and odd views where they described them by "the most evil servants of Allah" as `Abdur-Razzaq reported from Ma`mar.[11]

Sometimes, they describe such a person with lewdness as Ibn An-Najjar mentioned. He said: It is prohibited for laymen to accept every concession and if they do, they are lewd.[12]

Al Ghazaly said: It is not permissible for laymen to follow the easiest view in each issue.[13]

Some people used to ask scholars of lenient opinions in every issue and when they are directed to scholars who abide by the Qur'an and the Sunnah, they say: Those people only know the language of prohibition, everything is unlawful according to their views. Such people have mocked at their religion, and Allah (Glory be to Him) says to His Prophet (peace be upon him): "So stand (ask Allah to make) you (Muhammad peace be upon him) firm and straight (on the religion of Islamic Monotheism) as you are commanded." [Surat Hud: 112], and He did not say "as you want." Ibn `Abdul-Bar (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: Scholars have agreed that it is not permissible for laymen to accept every concession.[14]

Muhammad ibn Sirin said: This knowledge is like religion, so pick up the people from whom you take your religion.[15]

As for the following saying: "Seek a shield from Hell-Fire by following the views of scholars." This saying cannot be true but after asking the people of knowledge who are known with piety with the purpose of knowing the truth and knowledge which please Allah. [16]

Of the examples of following the lapses of scholars and leaving out the views of the majority and the views which are harmonious with clear texts: Those who accept the view of those who permitted singing and leave out the view of those who prohibited it such as Abu Hanifah, Al Shafi`y, Malik, Ahmad, and the majority of scholars from the formers and the later.

Of them are the people who follow the views of contemporary scholars who adopt the permissibility of shaving one's beard, leaving out the explicit texts that were reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and the rest six books of Hadith which is the view of the former and the later majority; but rather shaving the beard has not been known but in late times.

Some of them are those who follow the view of those who permitted the prolongation of one's clothes with the purpose of showing off and leave out clear texts that were mentioned in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim stating the prohibition of the clothes that go below the ankles.

These examples are only few from many examples, I ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to guide us to follow the truth, keep away from whims, and hasten to execute the command of Allah and His Messenger.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds [i.e., people]. and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.