All praise is due to Allâh, Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allâh be on the Prophet, his household and the companions.“O you who believe! Fear Allâh as He should be feared and die not except in the state of Islâm.” Fellow Muslims! Allâh has endowed us with a complete and perfect law. Whoever seek protection under it will be protected from all evils. It is a law whose system is well-organised and balanced and which is free from all imperfections. It is founded upon justice, wisdom, welfare and mercy. There is no weakness nor crookedness is it. It never commands nor forbids anything that will be in contradiction with the reason. It commandments are nourishment and remedy and its forbiddances shields and protection. Whoever seeks for guidance without its light will never find guidance. Brethren is Islâm! Mankind, without Islâm is an unfortunately living a miserly, wasted disgraceful and unhappy life. “And whomsoever Allâh disgraces, none can honour him.”

The life that honours a Muslim is a life under the shade of Islâmic law and there will be no honour or glory for man except by holding fast unto it, working by its teachings and respecting its limits. Fellow Muslims! The Islâmic law has a many fierce enemies who spare no efforts to fight, uproot, destroy its values and cast doubt on it. They do so by promoting innovations (bid‘ah), causing unrest in the rank of the Muslims, employing trickery, lying and deception of all forms to achieve their mischievous goals. This devilish machination is championed by the hypocrites who show the opposite of what is in their hearts and cause disorder on the earth. This set of people could not reject the Islâmic law openly, hence they take a crooked way of painting the truth of Islâm in bad colour and whitewashing the falsehood. Sometimes, they approach the gullible individuals with fake issues whose outward is beautiful but carries within them trickery and deception. These gullible individuals will then judge by the outward appearance of those issues and decide that they are lawful, but those with real knowledge will examine these issues inwardly and outwardly and expose the evil intent of their proponents.

Imâm Ahmad said, “These tricks that these people invented, they wanted to contradict the Sunnah with them. They came upon the things that were forbidden for them and employed every conceivable trick to make them lawful. How vicious are they! They are playing tricks to contradict the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allâh.”

Ziyâd bin Jubayr said, ‘Umar told me: ‘Do you know what destroys Islâm?’ I said: No. He said, ‘It is lapses on the part of the scholars, argument of the hypocrites over the Book of Allâh and the rule of the erroneous and misleading leaders.’ (Ad-Dârimî)

Beware therefore, dear brethren from following this devilish path for some of the righteous predecessors said, “There are three things that will destroy whoever has them: trickery, injustice and disloyalty.”

Allâh says, “But evil plot encompasses only him who makes it.” (Fâtir 35:43)

Fellow Muslims! Defending the Islâmic law, refuting the allegations of its detractors, delivering its message and explaining it to people is a major obligation of every Muslim according to his capabilities. It is however more biding on the scholars who have the knowledge of the lawful and unlawful things and with whose light people are guided. This is a great duty that must be done in order to preserve the religion and protect its fundamentals from alterations of any kind.

The Messenger of Allâh said, “The bearers of (the knowledge of) this religion shall be trustworthy men who shall cleanse it from the distortions of the extremists, the arrogation of the liars and misinterpretation of the ignorant.”

This Hadeeth is an interpretation of the covenant which Allâh has taken from the scholars when He says, “(And remember) when Allâh took a covenant from those who were given the Book to make it clear to mankind and not to hide it.” (Aali Imrân 3:187)

Qatâdah said, “This is a covenant which Allâh took from the people of knowledge. So, whoever knows anything should teach it to others. And beware of concealing it, for, concealment of knowledge is destruction.”  

Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “The rule of Allâh is known through four people: The narrator of Hadeeth, the giver of religious rulings (Muftee), the ruler and the witness. It is therefore incumbent on these four to tell the truth that is based on sure knowledge. The bane of anyone of them is lie and hiding the truth. Whenever anyone of them hides the truth or lies, he has opposed Allâh in His Law and Religion. And it has been the way of Allâh to remove blessings from the knowledge, religion and worldly affairs of such a person. On the other hand, whoever stays by the truth and explain it to people, his knowledge, religion and worldly affairs will be blessed for him. It is by concealment that the truth is removed and falsehood whitewashed. Since the recompense is in accordance with the deed, those who remove the truth will also have their authority, honour, love and the respect that the truthful people have for them removed and Allâh will cover them with the garment of disgrace, ignominy and hatred. On the Day of Judgement, Allâh will reward whomsoever He wills among the liars and hiders of truth by effacing their faces and turning them hindwards as they have also effaced the face of the truth.”

Fellow Muslims! concealing knowledge and truth knowingly and deliberately is a malicious act that Allâh mentions in the glorious Qur’ân among the signs of those who has earned His wrath and those who have gone astray. He says,

“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you mix truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?” (Aal ‘Imrân 3:71) He also says, “And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 42)

Ibn Katheer, in his commentary on the following verse: “(And remember) when Allâh took a covenant from those who were given the Book to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed is that which they bought.”

He said, “The covenant that Allâh took with them is the message of Muhammad and his description, but they battered that which Allâh has promised them of the good of this world and the hereafter for the pleasures of this insignificant world. Theirs is indeed an evil bargain and evil transaction! There is in this a warning for the scholars that they should not take after them lest they be afflicted with that which afflicted those. It is also incumbent on the scholars to teach what they possess of the useful knowledge that leads to good deeds and not to conceal anything thereof.”

Brethren in faith!

Concealing knowledge and truth is one of the causes of disgraceful torment, Divine curse and banishment from the Mercy of Allâh. Allâh says,

“Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allâh and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah 2:159-160)

Abu Hurayrah said, “If not because of two verses in the Book of Allâh, I would not have narrated to you a single Hadeeth.” He then read the above two verses.

The Messenger of Allâh said, “Whoever is asked of a knowledge which he possessed and he conceals it, he will be reined in on the Day of Judgement with the bridle of fire." (Ahmad and others)

Brethren in faith! Allâh has praised in His Book those who deliver His message sincerely and carefully. He says, “Those who convey the Message of Allaah and fear Him, and fear none save Allâh. And Sufficient is Allâh as a Reckoner.” (Al-Ahzâb 33:39)

The Messenger of Allâh said in one of his sermons, “Let no fear of men prevents any one of you from saying the truth when he knows it.”

He also said, “Let none of you downgrade himself.’ The companions said: How can anyone of us downgrade himself? The Prophet replied, ‘It is when he sees something in which he must say a word for the sake of Allâh and yet keeps silent. Allâh will then tell him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something in My sake?’ He will answer, ‘Because of the fear of people.’ Allâh will then tell him, ‘I was the One who deserved most to be feared by you.’ (Ibn Mâjah).

Fear Allâh, therefore, and convey His Message in accordance with the prescribed rules in other to achieve wellbeing and success and to be saved from undesirable things. Fellow Muslims! Indeed, there is no safety and goodness except in delivering the Message of Allâh and not hiding it. Allâh addressed His Prophet thus,

“Say: It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the Right Path. Say: None can protect me from Allâh’s punishment (if I were to disobey Him), nor can I find refuge except in Him. (Mine is) but conveyance (of the truth) from Allâh and His Messages.” (Al-Jinn 72:21-23)

He also says, “O Messenger! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allâh will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allaah guides not the people who disbelieve.” (Al-Mâidah 5:67)

Ibn ‘Abbâs said, “This is an instruction for the Prophet and an instruction also for the people of knowledge that they should not conceal anything of His law.” Fellow Muslims! The Messenger of Allâh has delivered all the Message with which he was sent. ‘Aishah said, “Whoever tells you that Muhammad concealed anything of the revelation has told you a lie.” (Muslim)

Abu Dharr said, “The Messenger of Allâh did not die until he taught us a knowledge in everything even in a bird who flies with its two wings.”

The Messenger of Allâh also said, “I am leaving you in a clear path, whose night is as bright as its day. None can deviate from it except the doomed.”

O you people of knowledge, guidance and piety! O you followers of Muhammad! Carry out what Allaah has made obligatory on you and convey the Message of your Lord to all mankind. Warn them against the retribution of Allâh and remember the saying of the Prophet that goes thus,

“That Allâh should guide by you a single man is better for you than possessing red camels.”

Therefore, teach the ignorant, admonish the heedless and argue with the liars in the best possible manner. Let the propagation of Islâm and its creed of monotheism be your utmost concern. Do not be disunited while the enemies are united and do not relax lest the falsehood prevail. Declare the truth and spare no efforts in doing that, for the Messenger of Allâh kept delivering the Message repeatedly until he breathed his last. O you callers to the truth and guidance! Cooperate with one another, give glad tidings and do not scare people and listen to the Word of Allâh,

“Invite (mankind) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.” (An-Nahl 16:125)

Brethren in Islâm! It contradicts the sincerity in the act of delivering the Message of Islâm to give religious verdicts (fatwa) under the influence of whims and desires in other to achieve some gains of this world and to follow the opinions that run in contrary to correct evidences. The evil effects of this phenomenon on Islâm and Muslims is not unclear to those even with slight understanding and none engages in that except those whose hearts are devoid of the fear of Allâh and are only concerned with the beauties of this world. One of the righteous predecessors said, “ The most wretched of all people is the one who batters his hereafter for his worldly benefits but the one that is more wretched than him is the one who batters his hereafter for the worldly benefits of others.” Let these people remember a day that the limps will testify against man and the contents of the hearts will be revealed. It is then that the deceivers will know that they only deceived themselves while they did not know. Fellow Muslims! Zealousness about Islâm and the desire to convey its message cause some of those who have little knowledge and understanding to wade into important and delicate issues on which they have no knowledge, thereby meddling into such issues carelessly and causing harm to Islâm in the name of Islâm. It is a great calamity that some people who have no knowledge should be so audacious as to issue religious decisions. Let this set of people therefore, fear Allâh and preserve the sanctity of this religion.

Imâm Ahmad said, “No one should give religious decisions except those who have the knowledge of the Qur’ân and Sunnah.”

Abu Husayn Al-Asdî said, “You are too daring to deliver verdict on issues that, if it were to be raised before ‘Umar, he would have gathered to decide on it, those companions who participated in the battle of Badr.”

Suhnûn bin Sa’îd said, “The most daring people in issuing the religious decision are the least in knowledge. If any of them knows only a chapter of knowledge but will think that he alone possessed the truth.”

Allâh says, “And say not concerning that which your tongue put forth falsely: ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allâh. Verily, those who invent lies against Allâh will never prosper.” (An-Nahl 16:116)

Finally, the Messenger of Allâh said, “That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are ambiguous matters about which not many people know. Thus, he who avoids ambiguous matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour, but he who falls into ambiguous matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allâh’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly, in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body will be whole and which if it be diseased, all the body will be diseased. Truly, it is the heart.” (Al-Bukhârî and Muslim.)