COWARDICE (JUBN)

Jubn” means being cowardly. The necessary amount of anger (ghadab) or treating harshly is called bravery (shajâ’at). Anger which is less than the necessary amount is called cowardice (jubn). Cowardice is a vice. Imâm-i Muhammad bin Idris Shâfi’î ‘rahimahullâhu ta’âlâ’ says, “A person who acts cowardly in a situation which demands bravery resembles an ass. A person who is given a punishment by the judge will look like the devil if he does not accept the punishment”. A coward would not be able to show ghayrat for his wife or for his relatives when the situation requires it. He would not be able to protect them and thus will suffer oppression (zulm) and depreciation (zillat). He would not say anything when he saw a prohibited act (harâm) being committed and he would also be greedy toward other people’s money or property. He would not be able to hold a steady job nor would he appreciate the importance of a duty that is assigned to him. Allâhu ta’âlâ in sûra “Tawba” of the Qur’ân al-kerîm praises bravery (shajâ’at) and in sûra “Nûr” commands us not to pity while punishing adulterers.

Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “If my darling daughter Fâtima committed theft, I would cut her hand off.” Allâhu ta’âlâ praises the Companions (Sahâba) of His blessed Messenger ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ by stating, in Sûra Fat-h: “They are harsh towards unbelievers.” He praises them because they are angry toward disbelievers and treat them harshly in war. The seventy-third âyat-i-kerîma of Sûra Tawba of the Qur’ân al-kerîm purports: “Be harsh towards disbelievers!” It means we should not be cowardly when disbelievers attack. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “The best of my Ummat (Muslims) is the one who is staunch like iron.” It is necessary to be tough and rough toward those who attack Islam or hold animosity toward Muslims. It is not permissible (jâiz) to be cowardly toward those people. Pusillanimous flights will not change the Decree of Allâhu ta’âlâ. When Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Decree about one’s time of death arrives, the angel of death (Azrâil) will find that person wherever that person may be. It is not permissible to expose oneself to danger. It is a sin to stay in a dangerous place alone or to walk on a dangerous road alone.