You may say: “I want to repent but my old friends are threatening to reveal my past and publish
my secrets to everyone. They have pictures and other papers they can use against me. I am
worried about my reputation, and I am scared!”
Our advice is: fight back against these friends of Shaytaan. The tricks of Shaytaan are weak, and
all the pressure that the helpers of Iblees may bring against you will soon crumble in the face of
the patience and perseverance of the true believer.
You should realize that if you try to placate them, this will only give them more evidence to use
against you, and you will be the loser sooner or later. Do not pay any heed to them, ask Allaah to
help you to deal with them and say: “Hasbi Allaah wa ni’m al-wakeel (Allaah is Sufficient for
me and He is the Best Disposer of affairs).” When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) was afraid of a people, he would say: “Allaahumma innaa naj’aluka fi nuhoorihim
wa na’oodhu bika min shuroorihim (O Allaah, we ask You to seize them by their throats and we
seek refuge with You from their evil).” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood; see also Saheeh
al-Jaami, 4582).
It is true that this is a difficult situation. Take the poor girl who has repented, but her former
boyfriend calls her on the phone and threatens her by saying: “I have recorded our conversations
and I have pictures of you. If you refuse to go out with me I will disgrace you in front of your
family.” She is certainly in an unenviable position.
Look at the way in which the friends of Shaytaan wage psychological war on those singers and
actors, male and female, who have repented. They distribute the worst of their former
productions in the marketplace, to put pressure on them. But Allaah is with those who fear Him
and those who repent. He is the Friend and Supporter of the believers. He will not abandon or
forsake them. Never has anyone sought His protection and been refused. Remember that with
hardship there is ease, and after every difficulty comes relief.
The following moving story offers clear testimony in support of what we are saying. This is the
story of the great and heroic Sahaabi Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi, who used to help
oppressed Muslims flee from Makkah to Madeenah in secret.
There was a man called Marthad ibn Abi Marthad, who used to smuggle Muslim prisoners-ofwar
from Makkah to Madeenah. There was a prostitute in Makkah, called ‘Anaaq, who had been
a friend of Marthad’s. Marthad had promised to take one of the prisoners from Makkah to
Madeenah. He said: “I came to the shade of one of the gardens of Makkah on a moonlit night,
then ‘Anaaq came and saw my shadow by the garden. When she reached me, she recognized me
and said: ‘Marthad?’ I said, ‘Marthad.’ She said: ‘Welcome! Come and stay with us tonight.’ I
said, ‘O ‘Anaaq, Allaah has forbidden zinaa (unlawful sexual relations)’ She called out, ‘O
people of the camp! This man is taking your prisoners away!’ Eight men came after me, and I
climbed al-Khandamah (a mountain outside one of the entrances to Makkah) and hid in a cave.
They came and stood right over me, but Allaah blinded them and they did not see me, so they
turned back. I came back to my companion (the prisoner he was planning to take to Madeenah)
and picked him up, and he was a heavy man. When we reached al-Udhkhar, I released him from
his chains. Then I carried him again and I found the journey difficult. When I reached Madeenah,
I came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked
him, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, should I marry ‘Anaaq?’ I asked him twice. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) remained silent and did not answer me at
all, until the aayah ‘Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman
similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever; nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a
woman; to the Believers such a thing is forbidden’ [al-Noor 24:3 – Yusuf ‘Ali’s translation] was
revealed. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
‘O Marthad, Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman similarly
guilty, or an Unbeliever; nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman, so
do not marry her.’”
(Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3/80).
Do you see how Allaah protects those who believe and how He is with those who do good?
But if the worst comes to the worst, and the thing you fear happens – they broadcast bad things
about you – what you need to do is to be honest and explain your situation to others. Tell them,
“Yes, I was a sinner, but now I have repented to Allaah, so what do you want?”
We should all remember that true disgrace will occur not in this world, but in the Hereafter, on
the Day of Judgement, the Day of the Greatest Humiliation, not in front of one or two hundred
people, not in front of one or two thousand, but in front of the whole of creation, angels, jinn and
mankind, all the people from Adam to the last man.
Let us remember the du’aa’ of Ibraaheem:
“And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected;
The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail,
Except him who brings to Allaah a clean heart”
[al-Shu’araa’ 26:87-89 – interpretation of the meaning]
At moments of distress, seek help with the du’aa’ of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him):
“Allaahumma ustar ‘awraatanaa wa aamin raw’aatanaa. Allaahumma aj’al tha’ranaa ‘ala man
zalamananaa wa’nsurnaa ‘ala man baghiya ‘alaynaa. Allaahumma la tushammit binaa’l-a’daa’
wa laa’l-haasideen (O Allaah, cover our faults and calm our fears safe. O Allaah, avenge us over
those who have oppressed us, and grant us victory over those who have wronged us. O Allaah,
do not cause our enemies or those who envy us to take malicious joy in our misfortune).”
my secrets to everyone. They have pictures and other papers they can use against me. I am
worried about my reputation, and I am scared!”
Our advice is: fight back against these friends of Shaytaan. The tricks of Shaytaan are weak, and
all the pressure that the helpers of Iblees may bring against you will soon crumble in the face of
the patience and perseverance of the true believer.
You should realize that if you try to placate them, this will only give them more evidence to use
against you, and you will be the loser sooner or later. Do not pay any heed to them, ask Allaah to
help you to deal with them and say: “Hasbi Allaah wa ni’m al-wakeel (Allaah is Sufficient for
me and He is the Best Disposer of affairs).” When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) was afraid of a people, he would say: “Allaahumma innaa naj’aluka fi nuhoorihim
wa na’oodhu bika min shuroorihim (O Allaah, we ask You to seize them by their throats and we
seek refuge with You from their evil).” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood; see also Saheeh
al-Jaami, 4582).
It is true that this is a difficult situation. Take the poor girl who has repented, but her former
boyfriend calls her on the phone and threatens her by saying: “I have recorded our conversations
and I have pictures of you. If you refuse to go out with me I will disgrace you in front of your
family.” She is certainly in an unenviable position.
Look at the way in which the friends of Shaytaan wage psychological war on those singers and
actors, male and female, who have repented. They distribute the worst of their former
productions in the marketplace, to put pressure on them. But Allaah is with those who fear Him
and those who repent. He is the Friend and Supporter of the believers. He will not abandon or
forsake them. Never has anyone sought His protection and been refused. Remember that with
hardship there is ease, and after every difficulty comes relief.
The following moving story offers clear testimony in support of what we are saying. This is the
story of the great and heroic Sahaabi Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi, who used to help
oppressed Muslims flee from Makkah to Madeenah in secret.
There was a man called Marthad ibn Abi Marthad, who used to smuggle Muslim prisoners-ofwar
from Makkah to Madeenah. There was a prostitute in Makkah, called ‘Anaaq, who had been
a friend of Marthad’s. Marthad had promised to take one of the prisoners from Makkah to
Madeenah. He said: “I came to the shade of one of the gardens of Makkah on a moonlit night,
then ‘Anaaq came and saw my shadow by the garden. When she reached me, she recognized me
and said: ‘Marthad?’ I said, ‘Marthad.’ She said: ‘Welcome! Come and stay with us tonight.’ I
said, ‘O ‘Anaaq, Allaah has forbidden zinaa (unlawful sexual relations)’ She called out, ‘O
people of the camp! This man is taking your prisoners away!’ Eight men came after me, and I
climbed al-Khandamah (a mountain outside one of the entrances to Makkah) and hid in a cave.
They came and stood right over me, but Allaah blinded them and they did not see me, so they
turned back. I came back to my companion (the prisoner he was planning to take to Madeenah)
and picked him up, and he was a heavy man. When we reached al-Udhkhar, I released him from
his chains. Then I carried him again and I found the journey difficult. When I reached Madeenah,
I came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked
him, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, should I marry ‘Anaaq?’ I asked him twice. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) remained silent and did not answer me at
all, until the aayah ‘Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman
similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever; nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a
woman; to the Believers such a thing is forbidden’ [al-Noor 24:3 – Yusuf ‘Ali’s translation] was
revealed. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
‘O Marthad, Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman similarly
guilty, or an Unbeliever; nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman, so
do not marry her.’”
(Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3/80).
Do you see how Allaah protects those who believe and how He is with those who do good?
But if the worst comes to the worst, and the thing you fear happens – they broadcast bad things
about you – what you need to do is to be honest and explain your situation to others. Tell them,
“Yes, I was a sinner, but now I have repented to Allaah, so what do you want?”
We should all remember that true disgrace will occur not in this world, but in the Hereafter, on
the Day of Judgement, the Day of the Greatest Humiliation, not in front of one or two hundred
people, not in front of one or two thousand, but in front of the whole of creation, angels, jinn and
mankind, all the people from Adam to the last man.
Let us remember the du’aa’ of Ibraaheem:
“And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected;
The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail,
Except him who brings to Allaah a clean heart”
[al-Shu’araa’ 26:87-89 – interpretation of the meaning]
At moments of distress, seek help with the du’aa’ of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him):
“Allaahumma ustar ‘awraatanaa wa aamin raw’aatanaa. Allaahumma aj’al tha’ranaa ‘ala man
zalamananaa wa’nsurnaa ‘ala man baghiya ‘alaynaa. Allaahumma la tushammit binaa’l-a’daa’
wa laa’l-haasideen (O Allaah, cover our faults and calm our fears safe. O Allaah, avenge us over
those who have oppressed us, and grant us victory over those who have wronged us. O Allaah,
do not cause our enemies or those who envy us to take malicious joy in our misfortune).”
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