A short note to an Alcoholic
It is reported from Yazid bin Asam that there was a Syrian, who used to regularly visit Sayyidina Umar(radhiyallahu anhu). As days passed the Syrian stopped his visits. This perturbed Sayyidina Umar(radhiyallahu anhu), so he enquired from his companions: “Where is such and such a man?” The people said :” O Commander of the Faithful! He has fallen to drinking alcohol.” The narrator says that hearing this he called a companion and ordered him to write:
“Greetings from Umar bin Khattab to such and such a man. All praise be to Allah beside Whom there is no God. He is the one Who forgives sins, accepts penitence, meets out severe punishment and give rewards.There is no God save him and unto Him is the retreat.”
Thereafter he said to his companions: “Invoke Allah for your brother that Allah may revert his heart and accept his penitence.” So when Sayyidina Umar(radhiyallahu anhu)’s letter reached that man he began to read it again and again saying: “No doubt that Allah’s punishment frightened me and He has promised that He will pardon me.”
It says in one tradition that the man read the letter again and again and then wept and desisted from taking wine. When information reached Sayyidina Umar (radhiyallahu anhu), he said:” You also may do like this. When you see that a brother has involved himself in some sin or error, try to set him right with wisdom and invoke Allah that he may make an attempt not to repeat his error and don’t be assistant of satan against him.”
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- Sayyidina Umar(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: “Each one of you is a mirror for his brother. Therefore, if anyone finds a stain on it, he should remove it.” [ Tirmizi]
- Sayyidina Anas(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: “Refrain from holding a bad opinion of people. ” [ Tabarani]
- Sayyidina Abdullah bin Abbas(radhiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: “That encoraging good, prohibiting evil, lifting the burden of a weak person and removing an offensive thing from the path are all acceptable prayers to Allah. “
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za
