Main Topic
An exploration of how a society's leadership and broader circumstances directly reflect its collective deeds (a'mal), alongside a call to preserve the true spirit of sacrifice during Qurbani.
Key Lessons
- Oppressive and corrupt rulers are appointed as a direct consequence of a community's sins and disobedience to Allah Ta'ala.
- Allah Ta'ala controls the hearts of leaders; fighting or complaining about leadership is ineffective if people do not first rectify their own actions and turn to Allah.
- Divine favor brings timely blessings and compassionate leaders, whereas divine displeasure leads to mismanaged public resources and harsh governance.
- True victory and divine assistance (nusrat) stem from piety, night worship, fulfilling promises, and avoiding sins, as recognized even by the enemies of Islam during the Battle of Yarmouk.
- Qurbani is fundamentally an act of supreme sacrifice for Allah Ta'ala and must not be degraded into commercialized entertainment or a carnival atmosphere.
Quranic/Hadith References
- Surah Al-An'am (6:129): Verse explaining that Allah appoints oppressors over one another due to what they have earned.
- Hadith of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam: Leaders are set over a people according to their deeds.
- Passage from the Zabur: Allah controls the hearts of kings, setting kind rulers over the obedient and oppressive rulers over the disobedient.
- Dua taught by the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam: Asking Allah not to appoint over us those who will have no mercy on us due to our sins.
Practical Advice
- Focus on personal islaah (self-rectification) by establishing regular Salah, abandoning sins, and treating family, employees, and neighbors with justice.
- Turn to Allah Ta'ala through tawbah (repentance) and dua rather than relying solely on political solutions to fix societal problems.
- Maintain the sacred intention and spirit of sacrifice during Eid al-Adha rather than participating in superficial or commercialized events.
Hazrat Moulana Dawood Seedat Saheb