Question #316:
I have a question regarding certain things that have happened to me, and am certain that it has happened to others.
- Sometimes when one is waiting for a bus and the bus isn’t one time, in his/her heart one says “I wish the bus would come fast” or “Please come fast, please come fast”
- When writing, an exam/text and the teacher is distributing the question paper one thinks “Please be easy, please be easy” as if supplicating to the test.
In the above two, and similar scenarios has the person committed shirk? if so is it major or minor?
And when a similar incident happened to me, I did not even realize what was going through my heart until Allāh made me realize it.
JazākAllāhu Khayr
Answer:
What is clear is that these are nothing but mere wiswās (whisperings) of one’s own soul, they are thoughts which run through one’s mind from time to time,
As Allāh the Most High says:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ۖ
ق: ١٦
We have created mankind and we know that which their own souls whisper to them.
So Allāh has informed that the man whispers to himself, and these thoughts or whispers by the mercy of Allāh one is not accounted for it unless he utters it or acts upon it. The Prophet ﷺ said:
Allāh has overlooked (forgiven) my nation for that which its chests whisper and they do not utter it nor act upon it)). Reported by Bukhārī on the authority of Abū Hurayrah.
We advise the brother to exercise his mind and thoughts and his tongue with the remembrance of Allāh.
Two words light upon the tongue, heavy on the scales beloved to Ar-Raḥmān, سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّه الْعَظِيم (Subḥānallāhi wa biḥamdihi, subḥānAllāhil-ʿaẓīm). Agreed upon on the authority of Abū Hurayrah.
Also try blocking-off these thoughts at times of difficulty or anticipation as mentioned in the question by making supplication such as
” اللَّهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إِلا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلا ، وَأَنْتَ إِنْ شِئْتَ جَعَلْتَ الْحَزَنَ سَهْلا “
((Allāhumma lā sahla illā ma jaʿaltahu sahlā,wa anta in shiʾta jaʿaltal-ḥazana sahlā))
اللَّهُمَّ يَسِّر لِي أَمرِي
((Allāhumma yassir lī amrī)).
Also it is a must upon us all as Muslims that we give importance to the affair of adhkār, so memorize what we can or we have something at hand to return back to when needed. The gathering of duʿā of our Shaykh ʿAbdullāh al-Iryānī is very good and simple and it is now available as an app which can be downloaded [1], and its translation shall follow in the future in shāʾ Allāhu al-Karīm.
Wal ḥamdulilāh.
Note: What is mentioned in the question that sometimes he thinks ‘please come quick’ when waiting for the bus, ‘please be easy’ when taking exams…
The one who believes that these things can hear and answer his call, or there is something besides Allāh that he is calling out to for aid in these matters!! Then no doubt this is shirk Akbar, major shirk which makes him leave the fold of Islaam.
Allāh ʿAzza wa Jalla knows best.
والحمد لله رب العلمين
Answered by: Abū Hārūn Muḥammad ʿAbdin-Nūr
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[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sed.hisnulmumin&hl=en