Sound Creed #30: Saying “If only Such & Such”

Read by our brother Abu Muadh Taqweem

Summary

• The one who curses time or the wind etc is in reality cursing The Creator
• What should you say if you see strong wind or a storm?
• The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said if some trouble comes to you, then do not say “if only such and such”. Why? What are the harmful effects of saying this?
• Being content with the decree of Allah

Recap of previous lesson

• Cursing time and the like, e.g. the wind, is from minor shirk

Cursing the Wind

• The hadith of Ubayy Ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) who related to us that the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said “”Do not abuse the wind” [Related and deemed Sahih by At-Tirmidhi]
• What did the The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) advise us to say if we see something which we do not like? E.g. a storm?
• The wind is a from amongst the innumerable gifts of Allah
• It has its force and effect by the command of Allah as He is its creator and controller
• Therefore cursing the wind is in reality cursing the one who created it
• Therefore The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) commanded us, when we see something of the wind which we are afraid of or dislike, then to return back to its Creator, Allah, and ask him for its blessing and seek protection from its harm

Corruption of Cursing the creation

• Time or wind etc are not to be cursed as they do not act of their own accord, therefore they are not befitting to be cursed
• Cursing the wind or time etc incorporates within it shirk (polytheism) as the person who does this is doing so based on his thinking that these elements themselves bring good or harm whereas in reality it is only Allah who has control of the affairs
• The cursing or abuse of these elements will in reality go back to Allah, their creator

The advice of the The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ)

• The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) advised us, if we see something which we are afraid of or dislike (e.g. a fierce wind), then:
  •  to ask Allah for the goodness of the wind, the goodness of what is within it and what it was commanded with, 
  • and to seek the protection of Allah from its evil and the evil within it and the evil with which it was sent with
• We must always return the matter back to Allah
• A person should know that whatever occurs to him, then it is only by the decree of Allah
• The effect of our sins
• Allah says: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” [Qur’An: Ash-Shura (The Consultation): verse 30]

Allah says: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.”

[Qur’An: Ash-Shura (The Consultation): verse 30]

• Being grateful to Allah in all circumstances, whether in ease or difficulty 

Understanding reality

• It is important that we as Muslims
• A believer understands that whatever afflicts him or her  from that which is disliked, then we need to consider our own actions and repent from our sins
• A poem

Saying “if only this” and “if only that”

• Some utterances, which imply lamenting one’s misfortunes, may contradict belief
• From amongst these phrases is if a trial afflicts a person and he or she says “if I had done such and such then that would not have happened”
• For example, if a person comes across a difficulty, then he or she says “if only I had done such and such then it would not have happened”
• Or for example, if a person says “If I had not done such and such then this would not have happened”
• We do not know
• Saying this indicates several things:
  • A lack of patience
  • A sorrow or depression about something you cannot change
  • A lack of eemaan (belief) and lack of contentment with the decree of Allah
  • You are harming yourself by thinking this way
  • That the whispers of the shaitan (satan) has affected you and that you need to stop paying attention to this and get rid of this
• The importance of submitting ourselves to the decree of Allah
• We keep our trust in Allah, we also alongside this take the necessary means to seek goodness for ourselves and keep harm away from ourselves
• The battle of Uhud

Allah says: “…They say, ‘If there was anything we could have done in the matter, we [i.e., some of us] would not have been killed right here…”

[Qur’an: Aali ‘Imran (The Family of Imran):  verse 154]