Think you're smart?

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

Check out these scenarios.

- Muslim Child is in a bad mood and decides to join the prayer late, stand out of the line, fidget excessively, delay moving after the Imam, huff and puff in annoyance, etc.  Muslim Child is reprimanded after the prayer and responds with a slightly smug smile that implies, "Oh good, I succeeded in annoying you!"

- Muslim Wife is annoyed with husband over something he has done that she does not like. Muslim Wife decides she will punish husband by withholding his marital rights or even by teasing him first and then withholding his rights...leaving him hanging and frustrated. Muslim Wife smiles smugly, thinking she well and truly got him back.

- Muslim Sister finds herself in a plural marriage and is overcome by jealousy. At a gathering where she knows the co-wife will be, Muslim Sister wears something that exposes her best physical features, in detail. She brings great food, sports a love-bite, and talks in a condescending way to co-wife to show who's best and that there is no competition.

Muslim Child, Muslim Wife, and Muslim Sister think they are smart. They think they've gotten one over on their "opponent" and won, in some way. Muslim Child, Muslim Wife, and Muslim Sister are sadly mistaken.

Muslim Child did not pray to Allah. Muslim Child stood and went through the motions of prayer all the while focusing on disrupting the prayer and khushoo of those around them.

The Prophet (pbuh) said,
"The first of one's works that he shall be called to account for on the Day of Judgment is the Prayer. If he performed it well, he will be prosperous. Otherwise, he will be loser.” At-Tirmidhi

'Ubadah Ibn As-Aumit related, the Prophet (pbuh) said,
"Whoever makes ablution properly and performs properly the integrals of Prayer: bowing, prostration and recitation therein, the Prayer says, "May Allah preserve you as you preserve me.” Then the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with light. When approaching the heaven 's gates, it will find it opened. So it keeps on rising up until it reaches Allah. There, it intercedes for the one who performed it. But if he does not perform (its integral) properly: bowing, prostration or recitation therein, the Prayer says, "May Allah neglect you as you neglected me..” Then, the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with darkness. Approaching the gates of heaven, it will find it closed. Then, it will be folded as an old cloth and kicked back to the doer's face.” Al-Haythami

So tell me, Muslim Child, who did you hurt in the end?

As for Muslim Wife, she has not fulfilled her covenant with Allah; she hasn't guarded her husband's chastity.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: 
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace  and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses, and he went to sleep angry with her, the angels will curse her until morning.’” Al-Bukhari, 3065; Muslim, 1436

Ibn ' Abbas also related that the Prophet (pbuh) said,
"There are three people whom Allah cursed: Whoever leads a group of people in Prayer who dislike him, a woman whose husband spends the night angry with her and whoever heard the call to Prayer but he does not answer.” At-Tirmidhi

So tell me Muslim Wife, who will really suffer from your spiteful actions?

And finally for Muslim Sister, her jealousy is her worse enemy.

The Prophet (pbuh) said,
"Once a man was walking along in a new set of clothes, with a swagger to his step, pleased with himself, Allah caused the earth to swallow him and he will keep sinking until the Last Day.”Al-Bukhari
 
"Tyrants and the arrogant will be raised on the last Day as grain strewn under feet that the people will walk upon.”Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi
Arrogance, as early Muslims said, was the first fault against Allah.

Allah, the Almighty, says,
{And behold, we said to the angels: bow down to Adam: and they bowed down: not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject Faith} (AI-Baqarah: 34)
Therefore, Faith is of no avail if arrogance exists, as is Iblis.

The Messenger (pbuh) said, "Arrogance is belittling to admit the truth and considering people inferior.” Muslim

"No one with the slightest particle of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” Al-Bukhari

Do you have the upper hand now, Muslim Sister?


This is a reminder and warning to every Muslim Child, Muslim Wife, and Muslim Sister that may reside in us:

Don't think you're smart. 

I've let shaytaan fool me in the past, but by Allah's Grace and Mercy, I realized that I would have to answer for my actions. Allah is not going to ask you about what others did, He will ask you about what YOU did. Don't fool yourself into thinking that doing something out of spite is smart, because the saying, "What goes around comes around." is very true in Islam. Every soul will be recompensed as per its intention and there is no fooling Allah, subhaana wa taala.