In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

The great scholar, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (d.1420), may Allaah have Mercy on him, was asked: [1]

What is the meaning of the disbelief mentioned in the hadeeth, “A man will wake up as a believer, and be a disbeliever by nightfall; and a man will go to bed as a believer and wake up as a disbeliever, selling out his religion for some small worldly commodity”?  And what is meant by “selling out his religion”?

HIS ANSWER:

It has been authentically established that he (the Prophet, may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, as part of a long hadeeth:

بادروا بالأعمال فتناً كقطع الليل المظلم، يصبح الرجل فيها مسلماً ويمسي كافراً، ويمسي مؤمناً، ويصبح كافراً، يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا

“Rush to perform (good) deeds now, before fitan (trials and tribulations) of pitch-black darkness (appear), wherein a man wakes up as a believer and becomes a disbeliever by nightfall, and another man goes to bed as a believer and wakes up as a disbeliever, selling his Religion for some worldly commodities.” [2]

This means that the strangeness of Islaam will increase to a point where a believer wakes up as a Muslim and becomes a disbeliever by nightfall, or the opposite – he goes to bed as a believer and wakes up as a disbeliever, by selling out his Religion for some worldly commodity, by speaking with words of disbelief or behaving with actions of disbelief for the sake of some worldly gains.  He begins his day as a believer, and then someone comes to him requesting him to speak ill of Allaah and the Messenger, or to stop praying, offering him something (a raise, a promotion, etc.).   “Consider fornication or alcohol to be permissible,” (they say,) “And we’ll give you such and such,” to make him join the disbelievers.  They convince him to be amongst the disbelievers, in their (political) party, among their supporters, giving him large amounts of money to be the disbelievers’ ally and an enemy of the Muslims.

There are many, many different kinds of apostacy.  It usually occurs for some worldly reason, loving this world (too much) and preferring it over the Next Life.  This is why he said:

 يبيع دينه بعرض من الدنيا
“He sells out his Religion for some worldly commodity”

In another narration:

بادروا بالأعمال الصالحة، هل تنتظرون إلا فقراً منسياً أو غنى مطغياً، أو موتاً مجهزاً، أو مرضاً مفسداً، أو هرماً مفنّداً، أو الدجال، فالدجال شر غائب ينتظر، أو الساعة فالساعة أدهى وأمر

“Rush to perform good deeds now!  Are you waiting for crippling poverty? Or riches that spoil and corrupt you?  Or unexpected death?  Or debilitating illness?  Or hopeless senility?  Or the Dajjaal (the Lying Anti-Christ)?  The Dajjaal is a hidden evil waiting to appear!  Or the Hour (the Day of Judgment)?  The Hour is more grievous and most bitter!”[3]

A true believer hastens to perform (good) deeds, and he worries that he could be tried by unexpected death, dying by total surprise, or that he be afflicted by a disease that takes his strength so he can not do anything.  He worries that he could be afflicted with senility or other things, so he takes advantage of his life, good health, and sound intellect by performing good deeds before he is prevented from doing them by those things, things he could be tried with, like illness.

Sometimes (apostacy can occur) by seeking worldly things and loving this world (too much), preferring it over the Next Life, preferring its (deceptive) decorations placed there by the enemies of Allaah and the missionaries of disbelief and misguidance.

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

FOOTNOTES:

[1] From a recording (no. 9/49) of the shaykh’s answers to questions during Hajj in 1415, as found on his website: http://binbaz.org.sa/mat/3339

[2] Saheeh Muslim (#118), with the word “believer” ( مؤمنا ) in place of the word “Muslim” ( مسلما ).

[3] Jaami’ at-Tirmithee (#2306), with a dha’eef (weak) chain due to a hidden defect (a missing link), as explained by Al-Albaanee in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth adh-Dha’eefah (#1666).