Listen to the complains of friends, colleagues in the office, co-wives, the haves versus the have-nots, including the political party in disagreement or a fight, scratch beneath the surface, the cause of what turn out to be major quarrel or war today are petty things that should ordinarily not have cause any trouble in the first instance.
The reality is that most of the causes of conflict or war are either material: possession or attention, position or power. People fight, go petty over what will finish sooner or later. Issues like: I senior you and I fine pass you have been known to be cause for conflict and envy. In truth, someone must senior someone and someone must fine pass someone. What matters to your maker is your heart. Taqwa in Islam which is termed God-Consciousness.
Sometime, the one you are trying to help might go petty and rake up issues. Issues that is of no bearing to the complainant whatsoever. Even in the manner the mediator construct his wordings, someone might find flaw in the adjectives used in qualifying or description.
The truth is that Shaitan (devil) is active, he brings disharmony among human race at will. How do you now avoid pettiness, by extension avoiding the devil and it’s evils?
Sometimes, people look at your Dress / dressing and have a good or bad thought of you. You know that dressing sometimes determines how you will be addressed.
Sometimes too, appearance is very deceptive. An elegantly dressed person might be a crook, meanwhile, the person that appear ‘Local’ might be a person of honor and integrity.
Anyone dressed in Suit might not be able to speak Queen’s English. Meanwhile, one dressed in Nigerian attire might be a teacher of English Language, the Queen’s English!
For those that are petty, appearance is what judgment is based.
Again, petty one miss the substance and chase shadows. To have the benefit of anything, you must avoid pettiness.
The petty ones are also quick to conclude that a particular religion, tribe or race are violent, greedy, or loose. Meanwhile, those that are from his domain could have a less than acceptable character!
The outcome of pettiness are many. It ranges from misjudgment, oppression, aggression, which could result into far more serious consequences. Let us see what Islam presented to us today in other to prevent us from the evil effect of pettiness.
Allah is not petty, He takes care of all. He gives what everyone, man or animal, plant and bacteria etc deserves. Hear what advice Allah s.w.t has for you dear sincere believers.
Suratul Hujuraat: Reconciliation helps much:
49:10. “The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy”.
Special Address to Believers: Mind Your Language and Gestures:
49:11. “O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult ones brother after having Faith (i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: “O sinner”, or “O wicked”, etc.). And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimoon (wrong-doers, etc.)”.
No spying, backbiting or eavesdropping:
49:12. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) . And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
The eternal Truth: Listen attentively please:
Chapter 13 Book 32: OPPRESSION is Forbidden: Number 6246:
Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: “My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another”.
“My servants, all of you are liable to err except one whom I guide on the right path, so seek right guidance from Me so that I should direct you to the right path”.
“O My servants, all of you are hungry (needy) except one whom I feed, so beg food from Me, so that I may give that to you. ”
“O My servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except one whom I provide garments, so beg clothes from Me, so that I should clothe you.”
“O My servants, you commit error night and day and I am there to pardon your sins, so beg pardon from Me so that I should grant you pardon.”
“O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor can you do Me any good”.
“O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and even the whole of human race of yours, and that of jinns even, become (equal in) God-conscious like the heart of a single person amongst you, nothing would add to My Power.”
“O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of the Jinns too in unison become the most wicked (all beating) like the heart of a single person, it would cause no loss to My Power”.
“O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of jinns also all stand in one plain ground and you ask Me and I confer upon every person what he asks for, it would not in any way, cause any loss to Me (even less) than that which is caused to the ocean by dipping the needle in it”.
“My servants, these for you I shall reward you for them, so he whose deeds of yours which I am recording finds good should praise Allah” and “he who does not find that should not blame anyone but his own-self”.
Sa’id said that when Abu Idris Khaulini narrated this hadith he knelt upon his knees.
Guard against Oppression: Book 32 Number 6248: Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h) said:
“Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection”, and
Consequences of Oppression:
“be on your guard against petty-mindedness for petty-mindedness destroyed those who were before you, as it incited them to shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them”.
Note that:
Drinking, same sex union, greed, robbery, kidnapping, electoral manipulation, rigging, false worship, arrogance, etc are all consequent of petty-mindedness.
Be Your Brother’s Keeper: Book 32, Number 6250:
Salim reported on the authority of his father that Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h) said:
“A Muslim is the brother of a fellow-Muslim. He should neither commit oppression upon him nor ruin him”, and “he who meets the need of a brother, Allah would meet his big needs, and he who relieved a Muslim from hardship Allah would relieve him from the hardships to which he would be put on the Day of Resurrection”, and “he who did not expose (the follies of a Muslim) Allah would conceal his follies on the Day of Resurrection”.
What is of interest is the special mention of believers not to do what is untoward. He is expected to be calm by keeping a pure heart unaffected by any intoxicant of substance or ego. The unbeliever has already fallen bellow standard. The believer is expected to be the shining light. What is the consequence for the lesser metals if Gold can rust?
The Real Hard Currency: Book 32, Number 6251:
Abu Huraira.reported Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h) as saying:
“Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said:
” A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth”.
He (the Holy Prophet) said: “The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and Fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others”, and “his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand).
And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire”.
What You Must Accept: You Reap What You Sow:
17:15. “Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear anothers burden. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)”.
Our Differences is for Identity:
49:13. “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (i.e. one of the Muttaqoon (pious – see V.2:2). Verily, Allah is All- Knowing, All-Aware”.
The Essence of Life is to know that pettiness does not pay, it is of no good to the one that is petty. You are at peace when you are not petty, while you suffer the loss and unhappiness for your pettiness.
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