BENEFIT: Severity and Harshness: A Subjective and Objective Perspective

SUBJECTIVE: You may perceive something as harsh and severe due to your personal reasons, while others might see it as an expression of gentleness, kindness, wisdom, and protective jealousy for the truth. The key consideration here is adherence to the truth. If what is mentioned is the truth, whatever you perceive as severity and harshness will not render it false. And if what is mentioned is false, no amount of gentleness, kindness, or wisdom will make it true! (take some time to reflect over this) Some people claim that such-and-such Sheikh is harsh (a subjective opinion let's not forget!!), only to warn and put others off from accepting the truth they present. Did you know that the great scholar Ibn Taymiyyah was described as being harsh by one of his own students?! Adh-Dhahabi rahimahullah stated: «...على شدة تعتريه عند البحث والمناظرة، ولو تلطف بخصومه؛ لكان كلمة إجماع!!» "His severity (i.e. Sheikhul Islam) when it comes to research and debate, had he been gentler with his opponents, it would have been a matter of agreement/concensus." OBJECTIVE: Imām Muqbil raḥimahullāh said: "Harshness is when you make Harām (impermissible) to the people something that Allāh did not make Harām or you make something Wājib (obligatory) upon the people that which Allāh did not make wājib upon them, this is labelled as harshness. As for holding on firmly to the Deen, this is not regarded as being harsh." [Cassette: As'ilah Shabāb Qaryah As-Sa'eed]