To be
precautious and prudent is a Prophetic directive, especially when dealing with
those who have been proven deceitful and dishonest. It is unbecoming of a
Muslim to be gullible that he would be deceived twice by the same trick. A
person may see things in other than their real form and, thus, he gets deceived
by them – and this is normal – but to not be precautious and allow himself to
be deceived twice, this is unacceptable naivety that is unbecoming of a
believer. This directive is a universal principle and most beneficial advice
eloquently coined in a terse statement made by the master of eloquence, Prophet
Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “A
believer should not be stung twice from the same hole.” [Al-Bukhari
and Muslim]
Commenting
on the Hadeeth, Abu ‘Ubayd said: “This eloquent statement was never
uttered by anyone before the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and he
first said it to an Arab poet named Abu ‘Azzah Al-Jumahi. When this man was
taken prisoner by the Muslims during the Battle of Badr, he appealed to
the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) to release him without ransom
because he was poor and had a family to support. The Prophet (sallallaahu
alayhi wasallam) granted him his request. When the same man was later taken
prisoner by the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud, he again appealed to the
Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) for his release, mentioning his
poverty and dependents. In response, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi
wasallam) said to him: “You will not boast in Makkah and say
that you had mocked Muhammad twice!” Thereupon, the Prophet
(sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), ordered that he be killed. This story was
cited by Ibn Ishaaq in Al-Maghaazee.” [End of Quote]
Given the
richness and depth of the meaning of this succinct Prophetic directive, the
commentators of Hadeeth mentioned many interpretations for it that are all
possible despite its brevity. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar cited some of these
possible interpretations. He quoted Al-Khattaabee saying: “The wording of
this Hadeeth is in the form of a statement intended as an imperative, as if
saying: let the believer be firm and precautious lest he would be fooled twice
by the same source. This applies to one’s religious affairs as much as it
applies to worldly ones. In fact, the religious affairs are worthy of
precautious and prudence with greater reason…” End of Quote
It can be
said that the Hadeeth instructs a Muslim to be precautious of potential harms
incurred on his worldly affairs or those of the Hereafter. He is enjoined to be
vigilant and prudent regarding all his affairs. The fact that the wording of
the Hadeeth indicates one of them in particular (i.e. the worldly affairs) does
not prevent interpreting it to apply to both the worldly and religious affairs.
What matters is the general indication of the statement, not the specific
context in which it was made.
Evidently,
a Muslim needs to heed this prophetic directive in all his affairs, especially
with people who are principally
treacherous and dishonest and known for their evil intentions towards
Muslims. A believer should be cautious of the plots of Satan and the enemies of
Islam with their different names and ideologies. It is unbecoming of a Muslim
to let himself be vulnerable to their scheming and deceit. The basic principle
regarding the Muslim’s interactions with them should be extreme precaution,
heedfulness and prudence; otherwise, he would be repeatedly harmed by them and
vulnerable to serious dangers.
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