Rights of the Colleagues: A Series on Counsels to the Students of Knowledge (XII)

Tuesday 30-Jul-2019, 1:44AM / 1418


Translation: Aboo Aamaal Misbaah Olagunju

The Last Counsel (O Student of Knowledge) is: 

حقوق زملائك
RIGHTS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES 

From the rights to be fulfilled is: the rights of your colleagues, and they may either be your colleagues at  work or be your colleagues on the path of knowledge; because you are seeking knowledge and you are seeking it with others, therefore be keen towards fulfilling the rights of your brothers from amongst the students of knowledge and the rights of your brothers who are your colleagues at work, whether you are a teacher or a civil employee, wheresoever, accord to them their rights, accord rights in every conditions to everyone designated with a right, and whoever Allah —the exalted— designated any right to among the generality of the people، you fulfil to him his right.

However Al-Hassan Al-Basriy —Allah the exalted be merciful to him— said: 

“The righteous are those who does not harm the small ant”, he said: 'the righteous doesn’t cause harm to even the likes of these small insects.' 

And everyone is safe from the harm of the righteous; because the righteous does not hurt anyone except that it is considered a harm done in obedience to Allah —the exalted— from a perspective of the sharee'ah, when they hurt the one for whom Allah had enjoined it (harm), the one who transgress the limit, then the righteous is not reproached for this; because this is harming the one for whom Allah had mandate harm, as for the righteous harming the people around him with his tongue (speeches) and actions, or by insulting them with his writings and whatever is similar to that, then never will the righteous be like that, this is why he said: “indeed the righteous does not harm Adh-Dharr (small ant)”. And it is one of the crawling insects, then how more so, is the one for whom Allah —the exalted— had obligated rights amongst the Muslims?

Conclusion

These counsels O brothers, are given in haste, I beseech Allah to allot to me and you all ample portions (benefits) from them and to make it a proof in our defense and not against us, and we beseech Allah to make us be from those who admonish with truth and patience, and to support us in this world and the next, and honour us with good endings and honour us with firmness in knowledge and acting by it and to make it a proof in our defense one the day when we'll meet with him, and elevate us with it and support us in this life and the hereafter, and we beseech Allah to raise the rank of our prophet Muhammad and grant him peace, and all his household and companions. 

Written by: Abdullah bin Abdul'Azeez Al-‘Anaqriy


Wasaayaa Litulaabil Ilm (27 – 29) — Ash-Shaykh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul'Azeez Al-‘Anaqriy