Bismi Allahi Al Rahmani Al RaheemiASA WR WB to believing Muslim friends.
Allahumma Salli Ala Wa Barak Ala Nabi Muhammad Wa Nabi Ibrahim
Inna Lillahi Wa Innaa Ilaihi Rajeun
The believer is one that does not engage in:
- gharrar (buying & selling when person doesn't know what they've bought or sold) (also means deception);
- najwa (involving the Nabi or muslim in a plan they know nothing about. Also, called "secret counsels". Sometimes bad even if plan is for good);
- laghwa (using ambiguous speech) Allah has said that there is no Laghwa in Paradise.
{Laghwa means vain talk or obscene language, but, also connotes ambiguity.}
- ikraha (compulsion in life or religion)
The above 4 things very well could be considered locks upon the Gates of Paradise for those that use them.
[There is a Carvana commercial, and the slogan is "We'll drive you happy." It has a little image of a Halo above a car to symbolize being like a Saint or an Angel. So naturally this is in contrast to "We'll drive you mad, or insane or miserable." with the image of red horns above the car to symbolize a Demon or a Devil (May Allah be refuge. Aoudhubillahi). Something that can be considered a madness, insanity and misery would be Najwa (as well as, Gharrar (deception and the buying and selling of which the buyer and seller know not what was bought or sold), Ikraha and Laghwa) Neither of these are to be found in Jannah. It should be one of the first rules of being a Salesman to effectively communicate the facts about the product or idea and leave people their freedom and right to say yes or no to the product or idea. To accept no for an answer. Ikraha (compulsion) and Najwa (involving the believer in plans that they did not consent to be involved in) is under the umbrella of possession as by evil principalities. Allah (swt) said that it was unlawful to practice Najwa upon the Nabi (saws) with the exception of for goodness and righteousness. The Nabi (leads) to Jannah and if Allah (swt) said do not do something to the Nabi then that thing forbidden does not lead to Jannah. Allah speaking about Laghwa was referencing Jannah, so Laghwa is not permitted there. As regards Ikraha, Allah (swt) said, "La Ikraha Fie Deeni" There is no compulsion in the religion or way of Islam. The Deen leads to Jannah, thus what is not permitted in the Deen does not lead to Jannah. We should accept the observation by Carvana that to drive believing Muslim friends to madness, insanity or misery is to be an indicator of a Demon or Devil (Aoudhubillahi) {this is supported by verse below when Allah says, secret counsels or Najwa are inspired by the evil one}. Najwa is averted by effective communication about the product or idea and leaving the listener their option and right to say yes or no. There was someone that said to me and many in a tweet, "Why use so many words when only using a few will do the trick?" We need to be clear and effective in communicating products and ideas that we want to sell other people on.]
Najwa:
"Turnest thou not thy sight towards those who were forbidden secret counsels (najwa) yet revert to that which they were forbidden (to do)? And they hold secret counsels among themselves for iniquity and hostility, and disobedience to the Apostle. And when they come to thee, they salute thee, not as God salutes thee, (but in crooked ways): And they say to themselves, "Why does not God punish us for our words?" Enough for them is Hell: In it will they burn, and evil is that destination!
O ye who believe! When ye hold secret counsel (najwa), do it not for iniquity and hostility, and disobedience to the Prophet; but do it for righteousness and self- restraint; and fear God, to Whom ye shall be brought back.
Secret counsels (najwa) are only (inspired) by the Evil One, in order that he may cause grief to the Believers; but he cannot harm them in the least, except as God permits; and on God let the Believers put their trust."~Holy Quran 58:8-10
It is probably safe to say that the only ones that are free to practice Najwa would be Allah (swt) Himself and His Malaika (Angels). There is a condition that Allah (swt) has given in which the practice of Najwa would be permissible, and that is when it is being done for righteousness, self-restraint, and fear of Allah. But, not for iniquity and hostility. You have to imagine that there are occasions in which someone could use najwa for good and it still be an oppression and imposition upon the one involuntarily involved. That would be when it is involving the resources of someone not knowing, and it places undue strain and hurt upon them, even though it was for good, the person that was uninformed may have suffered. Again it means to involve someone in plans that they did not give the other persons permission to involve them in; to practice secret counsel (again involving someone that is not knowing); and to do things in secret involving someone unbeknownst to them. If it could not be practiced on the Prophet (saws) then it is safe to say that it is not lawful to practice on his (saws) following.
Gharrar:
"Muslim relates from Abu Hurairah that, "The Messenger (saws) of Allah (swt) prohibited sales of whatever a pebble thrown by the seller hits and sales in which there is a chance of risk (gharrar - deception)" (Nasir al-Mutarriza)
Gharrar is chance or risk meaning it is not known whether it will come to be or not, such as selling fish in the water or birds on the wing. It includes transactions of unknown things, the particulars of which are not fully comprehended by the buyer and seller (al Mughrib fi tartib al-Mur'rib (y94), 2.100).
Gharrar (Deception) is also mentioned at Holy Quran 7:22, "So by deceit (bi ghuruwr) he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shameful parts became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan (May Allah be eternal refuge.) was an avowed enemy unto you?"
Laghwa:
Laghwa - “They shall there exchange, one with another, a (loving) cup free of frivolity, free of all taint of ill.” ~ Surahtul Turi Ayat 23
Ikraha:
Another thing that could be considered a lock on the gates of Paradise is Ikraha or compelling others in life and faith. The using of compulsion has been made forbidden. Even Allah (swt) Himself has said, “If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! “ ~ Surahtul Yunus Ayat 99
Further it is spoken:
Why is this important? Because a few of these things are branches of possession and are extremely unjust when used against a believer. Because you don’t want to be placed in the category of beings that practice possession. Because you don’t want someone or some being compelling you. Because if he has instructed us not to do them, or has said that it is not found in Paradise, then it can be deduced that doing them does not lead to Paradise, and so are locks upon the Gates of the Heavens for those that do them.
