The Nabawi Gold Dinar  and Silver Dirham: Embracing the Hidayah of Allah

The Nabawi Gold Dinar  and Silver Dirham: Embracing the Hidayah of Allah

By Hisham Kassim

(First Published 1 Rabiulawwal 1430 Hijri )

“Show us the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom Thou has bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not Wrath, and who do not go astray.”

(Surah al-Fatihah 1:6-7)

It is rather unfortunate that many Muslims today still prefer to store their valuable assets in fiat currencies rather than silver or gold because of the perceived value being attached to them by the central banks of their respective countries. When queried about the wisdom of their choice, the standard answer would normally be that they were still waiting for the Hidayah of Allah to make a better decision.

Hidayah()

Hidayah means present or gift in Arabic. In its Islamic context, Hidayah means guidance or leadership as given by Allah Almighty. It is only through the Grace of Allah Almighty that His true and loyal servants are being granted guidance. Thus, Hidayah is actually a very precious and personal gift from the Creator bestowed upon whoever He pleases. It is a guiding Light or Nuur from Allah Almighty which He, in His infinite Wisdom places in the heart of His tried and tested true believer, one who has proven his unconditional love for his Creator.

“And on them did Iblis [Satan] prove true his idea, and they followed him, all but a party that believed. But he had no authority over them, except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things.”

(Surah Saba 34:20-21)

A true believer is usually characterized by his element of Ikhlas or sincerity, and his level of Taqwa (high consciousness of God) is known only to Allah Almighty. He constantly acts without hesitation upon the Hidayah he receives, and in doing so, he perfects and maintains his servanthood to Allah Almighty.

“O ye who believe! Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calls you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to Whom ye shall (all) be gathered.”

(Surah al-Anfal 8:24)

In al-Jami’-us-Sahih of Imam Muslim, in the chapter pertaining to the similitude with which the Messenger of Allah  has been sent with guidance and knowledge, Abu Musa  narrated that the Holy Prophet  once said,

”The similitude of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly), and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water, and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first type who develops the understanding of the religion of Allah, and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. The second type is that of one who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. Then the other type is that of one who does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge), and thus does not accept the guidance of Allah with which I have been sent.”

Heart, Mind and Soul

Hidayah is something that concerns the heart, mind and soul of the loyal servant. It cannot be detected or measured by any known scientific instrument, and is awarded as a result of the close bond between Allah Almighty and His servant. When Allah Almighty forbids usury, it is because He knows the devastating effect it would have on His servant. However, even as the Nabawi silver dirham and gold dinar are being reminted today and making a comeback to help re-establish the original pillar of Zakat, many Muslims are still hesitant to embrace them. Sadly, some even reject the notion of their true significance to the well-being of the economies of the Islamic countries because they cannot see beyond the impermanence of this material world. For those who fail to appreciate the Hidayah of Allah Almighty, the warnings issued in the following verses of the Holy Qur’an are very clear and straightforward:

“To such as Allah rejects from His Guidance, there can be no guide: He will leave them in their trespasses, wandering in distraction.”

(Surah al-A’raf 7:186)

“But those who were blind [of heart] in this world, will be blind in the Hereafter, and most astray from the Path.”

(Surah Bani Israil 17:72)

“… We gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness [of heart] to guidance …”

(Surah Ha-Mim 41:17)

Apart from reflecting inwardly upon these verses from the Holy Qur’an, we should also ponder over this question posed by Imam al-Ghazali (1058 – 1111CE):

“Are you bound for the House of King of kings, when you are neglecting His commands here at home, belittling and ignoring it?”

2 Types of Hidayah

For those who sincerely seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty in this world and in the Hereafter but who do not really have a clear idea of what to look for, there are basically two types of Hidayah or guidance that one should be aware of. One is Hidayat al-bayan which is guidance through clear exposition or explanation. This would include the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah or traditions of the Holy Prophet . We can always refer issues pertaining to usury to our Imam, Shaykh or religious teacher. However, there are also individuals who have sound knowledge in these matters, and who make a serious and concerted effort to raise the awareness of others regarding them. These are the guides who have clarity of mind to impart knowledge of religion to others. The second type of guidance is Hidayat al-tawfiq which is guidance through providential (by divine foresight or intervention) success. This gift can only be granted by Allah Almighty so that the chosen servant understands and embraces Hidayat al-bayan.

For the majority of Muslims in Malaysia who follow the ash-Shafi’i Mazhab, it is a normal routine to recite Du’a al-Qunut during the Fajr prayer. Some Muslims still argue whether it should even be included in the Fajr prayer at all, and many do not know its actual history. To appreciate its significance, we should examine the key prayer located in the very beginning of Du’a al-Qunut when we supplicate to Allah Almighty for His divine Guidance: “AllahumMahdini fiman hadait …”

In a Hadith narrated by Imam ash-Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, and ibn Majah, the beloved eldest grandson of the Holy Prophet , Sayyidina Hasan ibn Ali  said, “The Messenger of Allah taught me the [following] words to say in the Witr prayer: “O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided. Grant me safety among those whom You have granted safety. Take me into Your charge among those whom You have taken into Your charge. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil that You have decreed, for You decree and nothing is decreed for You. And there is no humiliation for whom You take as a ward. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord.”” Al-Tirmidhi graded this Hadith as Hasan, and said,“… Nothing is known from the Holy Prophet concerning Qunut more authentic than that.”

Rabiulawwal: The Blessed Month

Rabiulawwal is the month of the blessed birth of the Khatam al-Anbiya’ (Seal of the Prophets), Holy Prophet Muhammad . He was sent as a manifestation of the Mercy of Allah Almighty for all creation. However, there is a real sense of urgency today for the Ummah to awake from the slumber that is robbing them blind in broad daylight of their mental, physical and spiritual bond to the Haqq or truth. Such is the affect that usury has on its victims. The Holy Prophet  prescribed the Nabawi silver dirham and gold dinar to overcome this problem, and we need to embrace the Hidayah of Allah Almighty in order to break free from the orchestrated chains of deception that have taken us hostage in our very homes. The only way out to safety is by pleading for the Grace of Allah Almighty, and by accepting His Guidance without hesitation.

“… He whom Allah guides is rightly-guided, but he whom Allah leaves to stray, for him will you find no Waly (Friend of God) to lead him to the Right Way.”