BAD COMPANY

There are three ways to disapprove of an action that does not correspond to Islamic rules:

1. With force - this applies especially to heads of state, parents and teachers.

2. With the mouth - this applies to the scholars of Deen but also to the public in general if one has adequate knowledge of what one wishes to disapprove.

3. With the heart - this applies to everyone and it means: to feel disgust in one's heart for the evil deed one is facing.

A "Mu'min" (believer) must disapprove of any evil deed in at least one of these three ways. This is the prerequisite of his attestation of faith; it is an automatic demand of his Imaan. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) has called the third way of disapproving as belonging to the last degree of Imaan. In another Hadith he even declared that below this third degree there is no longer an Imaan, not even of the size of a mustard seed.

This is why the Shari'ah forbids Muslims to be present in a place, in an assembly where evil is practiced. In fact, when one is continually confronted with a shameful practice, the disgust demanded by our Imaan gradually fades away and eventually disappears altogether before being replaced by an approval of evil. From disapproval of evil, we then shift to its approval and in the process, the original disgust shifts to Islamic teachings. Are there not "Muslims" who express a disgust for the pardah, to cite one example amongst so many? This is why and how, over time and generations - if not in the same generation - many of our brothers and sisters, while attesting in good faith to their identity as Muslims, end up changing sides without realizing it. For example, the indecency that is rampant in our society – whether it is a street corner, a bus to get on, a store to enter or its surroundings, a queue at the station or an office... In short, there is no longer a single place where our colleagues or fellow citizens do not display their indecency. When one adds everything that people see on TV and in the cinema, indecency ends up having such a place in our country that it no longer shocks. Conversely, it is the opposite - the state of pardah, decency - that shocks. As paradoxical as it may seem, the contemporary Muslim, instead of feeling disgust for indecency, relish it and very often turns out to be the first to be offended by the wearing of pardah by our few sisters who have had the courage to return to Islamic teaching. There are even families who object to their daughters wearing "chousse" and "horni" to go to school or elsewhere as these two items of clothing have ended up being considered as a sign of old age in our corrupt minds.

"DATING"

There is also the very nasty practice of "dating" before marriage which has spared almost no family so far. Those who practice a little Deen and feel a certain concern have found no better way than to replace the dating of just the two by dating in family; which is also blameworthy, because one does not replace one evil with another. A boy who is not yet married to a girl remains a stranger to her. And as a "ghair mahram", he is not allowed to romance with the girl even if it is in the presence of the other members of the family. By the way, this is how we often hear that the boy broke off his marriage proposal for the girl - in the meantime, he fell in love with the younger sister!

SHAVING OF THE BEARD

Another example: shaving your beard. We have been so close to the "Ghair Qaum" and we have been so influenced by foreign cultures that keeping a beard ends up being considered an obstacle to beauty. However, it is indeed a Sunnah practiced by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) and the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu anhum). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) even considered the shaving of the beard as a sign of a "Mushrik." Allaamah Shaami, in his book Raddul Muhtaar, clearly states that none of the Salaf-e-Saaliheen has ever permitted the shaving of the beard. Yet our brothers often entrust the important post of Mutawalli to those who shave their beards; This clearly shows that for Muslims in general, shaving their beards does not represent any breach of Islamic regulations and consequently they do not feel any disgust for them.

'SHORT'

Another reprehensible practice that even concerns Namaazis (five out of five daily) - that of staying in "shorts". The girl has her knees exposed while the boy goes about his business in a "swimsuit" even outside the house.

In short, Muslims today have been so exposed to all these shameful practices that the disgust they should feel for them no longer exists. However, this disgust did not disappear overnight. It is in fact a slow process that is gnawing in depth without the effects being immediately visible on the surface. It is a virus that undermines the foundation of our Imaan and that cannot be called anything other than "bad company".

Bad company leads to three changes in our country:

1. A practice that is illegal from the Islamic point of view, but which is perpetrated by the majority instead of shocking us, ends up becoming a trivial thing over time.

2. Consequently our disgust for the wrong action gradually fades; which represents a danger to our Imaan.

3. Finally, the evil action becomes quite acceptable in our eyes, while its alternative in the Shari'ah appears as something undesirable to us; which is an even greater danger for our Imaan because while verbally attesting that we are Muslims, a part of ourselves is deeply committed to the "Kufr" - rejection of what has been established by Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala.

Commenting on the verse 68 of Surah 6 Allaamah Abu Bakr Al-Jassaas says:

"In the light of this verse, it is clear that if a Muslim finds himself in a congregation where sins are being committed and he is not in a position to prevent anything, he should withdraw as a sign of disapproval."

It was in the same principle that Hadhrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (Radiyallahu Anhu) punished a person who was fasting but who had been caught in the company of others who were consuming alcohol.

In a Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"Whoever has faith in Allah Ta'ala and on the Day of Judgment, let him not sit at a table where alcoholic beverages are served!"

Since cleanliness always leads to more cleanliness and uncleanliness always leads to more uncleanliness, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) put a lot of emphasis on good company and forbade bad company.

It must be emphasized, however, that this principle of withdrawing from a place where one commits sins does not apply to the case of committing sins in a place where one is supposed to do good.

Example: One does not abandon Salah with Jama'ah in a Masjid where people practice things contrary to Shari'ah because Salah with Jama'ah is of such great importance in Islam that some scholars have been led to consider it to be Farz.

In the same way, we must not withdraw from any place where our presence is important simply (or under the pretext) because we are committing sins there.

In these cases, if there is no other way, it is enough to disapprove internally of the deviation in question.

It is in this sense that Imaam Hassan Basri (Rahimahullah) said:

"If we abandon our important duties because of the sins of others, then the "Fussaaq" and "Fujjaar" will have free rein to obliterate the Sunnah and the Shari'ah in general."

To sum up, there are 4 ways to associate with the Ahl-e-Baatil.

1. Actively participate with the kuffaar in an action of Kufr and Shirk of one's own free will, which is like committing Kufr.

2. Choosing to be present without any valid Islamic reason at an assembly where one is practicing the Kufr, even though with internal disgust and disapproval. This is tantamount to committing sin (gunaah) and making us a person whose testimony is not valid in Islam.

3. Being forced by some necessity to be in a place and among people who commit all kinds of sins - e.g. during a journey by train, plane, ship, etc. This is Mubaah and tolerable - permitted.

4. Choosing to be present in a place where one commits sins with the firm intention of spreading the Deen. This is nothing more and nothing less than an Ibaadah.

May Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala strengthen us and enlighten us in the choice of our companionships. (Ameen)

[English version of "Mauvaise fré‎quentation" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 5]