Gardens of the Righteous — Page 50
50. GARDENS OF THE RIGHTEOUS when he had just put his foot in the stirrup: What is the highest form of striving? He said: Speaking truth to a tyrant (Nisai). 198. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud relates that the Holy Prophet said: The first weakness crept in among the children of Israel in this wise. One of them would meet another and say to him: Fear God and give up what you are doing, for this is not permissible for you. Then he would meet him the next day and find no change in him, but this would not prevent him from eating, drinking and associating with him. When it came to this Allah perverted the hearts of some on account of their association with others. Then he recited: Those of the children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by David and by Jesus son of. Mary. That was because they disobeyed and were given to transgression. They did not try to restrain one another from the iniquity that they committed. . Evil indeed was that which they used to do. Thou shalt see many of them taking the disbelievers as their helpers. Evil indeed is that which they have chosen to send on ahead for themselves, which is that Allah is displeased with them and in this torment shall they abide. Had they believed in Allah and this Prophet, and in that which has been sent down to him, they would not have taken the disbelievers as their helpers, but most of them are disobedient (5. 79-82). Then he continued: Indeed, by Allah, you must enjoin good and forbid evil and seize the hand of the wrongdoer and persuade him to act justly and establish him firmly on the right, else Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as he cursed them (Abu Daud and Tirmidhi). . The version of Tirmidhi has it: The Holy Prophet said: When the children of. Israel became sinful their divines forbade them, but they would not desist. Yet the divines associated with them and ate and drank with them. So they were cursed by the mouths of David and Jesus son of Mary because they were disobedient and were given to transgression. At this stage the Holy Prophet who had been leaning back on a pillow sat up and said: No, No. By Him in Whose hands is my life, there is no escape for you but that you persuade them to act justly. 199. Abu Bakr Siddique relates: O ye people who read this verse: O ye who believe, be heedful of your own selves. If you make sure of being rightly guided yourselves, the going astray of another will not harm you (5. 106); I have heard the Holy Prophet say: When the people see a wrongdoer committing a wrong and do not seize his hand to restrain him, it is most likely that Allah would afflict them with His chastisement (Abu Daud, Tirmidhi and Nisai). 24. . On Chastisement of One who enjoins Good and forbids Evil but his Conduct belies him. Allah, the Exalted, has said: 94. Do you, then, admonish others to do good and forget