Dangerous Types of Self-Deception

Shaykh
Categorized under: Al-Ḥayāʾ, Desires, Desires, Deviation, Fitnah, Ḥadīth, Matters of the Heart, Seeking Knowledge, Self-amazement, Taqwá

Dangerous Types of Self-Deception

The shaikh, Dr. Muḥammad ibn Ghālib Al-ʿUmarī, may Allāh protect him, said:

It’s not appropriate for the carriers of [Islamic] knowledge [to engage] in ignorant behavior as others [might] do, nor to [get] into situations that are not right [for the likes] of them; nor to [carry any] traits that [they] must keep far beneath them.

Knowledge is [meant to be] a sign of piety, a path to taqwá,¹ a source of guidance.

Treating [Islamic] infractions lightly while relying on al-sitr² [to be forgiven] is self-delusion and wishful thinking:

From Ibrāhīm ibn Ad`ham, who said: “It reached me that ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd Al-ʿAzīz had said to Khālid ibn Ṣafwān, ‘Spur me [to righteousness], and be brief.'”

[Ibrāhīm] said: “So Khālid [replied]:

O Commander of the Believers, indeed [there are] people who’ve [let themselves] become deluded by the sitr of Allāh, Almighty and Exalted, and who’ve been put to trial by good things that have been said [about them]. So don’t ever let other people’s not knowing [the real] you, get the better of your knowing your [real] self.

May Allāh protect us and you from letting al-sitr deceive us
or the praises of other people please us;
or from lagging and being found lacking in things Allāh’s made binding;
or that towards [evil] desires [our hearts] are twisting and winding.

Al-Baihaqī. Al-Zuhd Al-Kabīr, vol. 1, p. 187.

¹TN: protecting oneself from Allāh’s punishment by fulfilling His commands and His prohibitions
²TN: Al-Sitr refers to Allāh’s keeping His slave’s sins hidden from other people; then, if the slave does not publicize his sins to others, he has hope of falling under the ḥadīth: “My whole community [of followers] is under [Allāh’s care and protection] except those who publicize [their sins….]” (Al-Bukhārī) He should not, however, deceive himself, as mentioned above, into making light of sins that he does in secret.

Source: twitter.com/m_g_alomari. 23 Oct 24.