Brother Momodou,

May Allah (SWT) shower His blessings on you, for these good pieces. Amen

Alhaji
----- Original Message -----
From: "Momodou" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2003 1:56 PM
Subject: Dangers of the Tongue


Chapter One


Speaking about Allah without knowledge

1. Lying upon Allah and/or His Messenger (peace be upon him)

Various ways in which lying upon Allah and His Messenger are manifested

(a) Describing Allah without proof from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah

(b) Explaining Ayat of the Quran or the Hadeeth of the Prophet (peace be
upon him) with meanings other than their apparent ones.

(c) Making Haraam Halaal

(d) Making Halaal Haraam

(e) Using fabricated and unauthentic Hadeeth

2. Making Legal decisions in Allah's Deen without knowledge

3. Ruling by other than what Allah has revealed

4. Bid'ah (innovations)

____________________________________________

Speaking about Allah without Knowledge



Speaking about Allah, the Most High, without knowledge, is the foremost
aspect of shirk, which incurs the most severe punishment from Allah. For
this reason, this is not allowed under any circumstances. This is clearly
communicated by Allah in Surah A'araaf, which highlights the severity of
this sin, by comparing it with other major sins. He, the Mighty said:


"Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are, Al-Fawaahish (every
kind of illegal sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly


He, the Most High then moved on to describe a more severe


"sin, unjust oppression"


Then to that sin which is even more severe:


"joining partners (in worship) with Allah (shirk), for which He gave no
authority"


And then He, the All-Knowing punctuated it with that sin which most severe:


"and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge. "

[Al-A'araaf 7: 331


In the Tafseer of this Aayah, the scholars of Islam have said that: "If
speaking about Islam (Allah, the Most High) is not the greatest crime, then
Allah certainly intended to emphasize it that way. Zinaa (fornication and
adultery), the first mentioned (sin in the Aayah) is an act of one
committing a sin on his/her own soul. Secondly: (Allah mentions) oppression,
a sin committed against others. This is definitely a greater evil. Then He,
the Most High mentions shirk (i.e. joining partners in worship with Allah),
obviously a greater evil than the first two, and finally, speaking without
knowledge in Islam; Every sin that followed was always greater than the
previous one. Thus, if it (speaking about Allah without knowledge) is not
the greatest of sins, as it was mentioned last, it was certainly intended
(by Allah) to be understood that way."


It should be seriously noted that this very grave sin is only because of
Satan's encouragement of the ignorant and sometimes arrogant seekers of name
and fame.

Allah, the Most High said:


"Verily, it is indeed Satan that makes you do evil and say things about
Allah (or His deen) of which you have no proper knowledge."

[Al-Baqarah 2:169]


Therefore, based upon the above aayah, we find that this is the most serious
prohibition with Allah Himself. The following categories of sins are
incorporated in "Speaking of Allah without knowledge":


a) Lying upon Allah, the Almighty.


b) Attributing to Allah, the Most High, what is not suitable for Him


c) Bid'ah (innovation) or modifying and altering Allah's Deen


d) Negating what He, the Most High, has affirmed


e) Affirming what He, the Most High, negated


f) Hostility to those who champion His cause


g) Supporting His enemies


h) Loving those whom He hates and hating those He loves


i) Describing Him with what does not befit Him in His Essence, His
Attributes, His Statements or His Actions.


Therefore, because of the amount of sins included in this category, there
can be no greater prohibition. It is from this sin that Shirk (associating
partners with Allah) and all forms of Kufr (disbelief) originate. All forms
of Bid'ah (innovations) are also founded upon "speaking about Allah without
knowledge."


Some aspects of "Speaking about Allah without knowledge" are explained in
details below:


1. Lying upon Allah and/or His Messenger (peace be upon him)


Allah informs us that it is not allowed to follow anything without
knowledge, He, the Most High, said:


"And follow not, (O man i.e. do not say, act or witness) that of which you
have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight and the heart for each
of those will you be questioned " [Al-Israa 17: 36]


And He, the Mighty also warns us not to speak about Him without knowledge:


"Say (O Muhammad (peace be upon him)): indeed the things that my Lord has
forbidden are: (and from them is) saying things about Allah of which you
have no knowledge".

[Al - A' araaf 7:33]


In the above aayah, Allah, the Most High, is telling us that He has
forbidden Muslims to speak about Him without knowledge, and lying upon
Allah, the Most High, is one way of doing this. The one who lies about
Allah, the Most High, is not only guilty of speaking about Him without
knowledge, but also he is amongst the most oppressive of people as Allah
Himself describes:


"And who is more oppressive than he who lies against Allah, or who denies
His signs ....."

[Al - A' araaf 7:37]


Besides that, He, the Wise, also describes the punishment, on the Day of
Judgment, for anyone who involves themselves in this dangerous practice,
thus:


"And you will see on the day of judgment, those who lie upon Allah, their
faces blackened." [Al- Zumr: 60]


Ibn Al-Jawzee, in his Tafseer said: "Many scholars of Islam are of the
opinion, that lying upon Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) is
disbelief, and that it takes one out of Islam (i.e. it makes him a
disbeliever). Lying upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is
similarly serious, since indirectly it is lying upon Allah. The Messenger
(peace be upon him), emphasizing the severity of lying upon himself (peace
be upon him), said: "Whoever knowingly upon me, then let him occupy his seat
in the Fire".

[Bukhari, Muslim & others]


Many Muslims would tell you that stealing, bribery, killing, adultery etc.
are all prohibited (Haraam) acts. However, when it come to lying upon Allah,
the Most High, and/or His Messenger (peace be upon him), they are not even
aware that such a sin exist, and so they would indulge in it freely without
worry. This complacency among Muslims regarding this sin comes about because
of the great ignorance that prevails concerning (i) The rights of Allah and
His Messenger and (ii) the serious punishment that results from indulging in
sin.


This complacent attitude, coupled with ignorance, have been the main factors
for the majority of the deviances and differences found in Islam.



Various ways in which lying upon Allah, the Most High and His Messenger
(peace be upon him) are manifested.



(a) Describing Allah without proof from the Quran or authentic sunnah.


For example, describing Allah as being everywhere is a serious misconception
of which many Muslims are guilty. The Quraan and authentic sunnah are both
replete with proofs which show that Allah, the Most High, is above and
beyond His creation, and not a part of it, as the statement that 'He, is
everywhere' necessitates. The following Hadeeth clearly indicate this.
Ma'aaiyah Ibn Al- Hakim said:


'I had a servant girl who used to tend to my sheep in the area of Mount
Uhud, near a place called Al-Jawwaareeyah. One day I came to see them only
to find that a wolf had made off with a sheep from her flock. Since, I, like
the rest of Adam's descendants, am prone to do regrettable acts, I gave her
a terrible slap in her face. When I came to Allah 's Messenger (peace be
upon him) with the story, he considered it a grave thing for me to have
done. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) couldn't I free her?
He (peace be upon him) replied: "Bring her to me." So I brought her. He
(peace be upon him) then asked her, "Where is Allah?" And she replied:
"Above the sky." Then He (peace be upon him) asked her: "Who am I?" She
replied "You are Allah's Messenger". So he (peace be upon him) said: "Free
her; for she is a believer. "

[Muslim Vol. 1 Pg. 271-2 #1094]


It must be noted that one of the duties of the Messenger (peace be upon him)
was to correct any mistakes anyone committed in this religion (Deen). His
(peace be upon him) silence after asking her, "Where is Allah", and she
replied "Above the sky", is an indication that her answer is correct. His
(peace be upon him) affirming that she is a believer, at the end of the
Hadeeth, is the direct proof that her answers were correct, otherwise He
(peace be upon him) would be lying, and we seek refuge with Allah for even
thinking that lying is possible from the Messenger (peace be upon him).


What should be noted, is the fact that the first question he (peace be upon
him) asked her was: Where is Allah? and not if she believed in Him, the Most
High. Since the question was: 'Where is Allah?' great importance and
attention must be given to the fact that, since he (peace be upon him)
accepted that Allah is above the skies as the correct answer, that this is
direct proof that this is the correct view on the question.


Additionally, it establishes the importance of the issue in Islam, contrary
to the belief and attitude of many Muslims, even so-called Shaiks, who claim
that the issue is either trivial or too advanced. After all, this was the
first question the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked of a slave girl to
determine if she was a Muslim or not!


(b) Explaining the Aayaat of the Quran, or the Hadeeth of die Prophet (peace
be upon him) with meanings other than their apparent ones, is also another
way of lying upon Allah.


Allah, the Most High said:


"O Iblees (Satan)! What prevent you from prostrating yourself to one I have
created with My Two Hands... " [Saad 38:75]


In the above Aayah, Allah, the Most High, is saying that He created Aadam
with His Two Hands. Yet some Muslims try to explain "Allah's two Hands" to
mean His power Who knows Allah better, Himself or these people? As Muslims,
we have to believe in Allah as He describes Himself or as His Messenger
(peace be upon him) described Him. Therefore, if He, the Mighty, says he has
Two Hands, we must believe that. However, we must also believe, that they
are not hands like our: He, the Sublime said:


"There is nothing like Him; and He is the Hearer; the Seer of all." [Shooraa
42:11]


(c) Making Haraam things Halaal


This is another form of lying upon Allah. An example of this is telling
Muslims to get out of the Masjid. Since some of our brothers pray according
to the way demonstrated by the Prophet (peace be upon him), (i.e. according
to the sunnah), some administrators order them out of the Masjid just
because of that. These arrogant leaders should remember, that amongst the
greatest of oppressors, are those who prevent a Muslim from praying in the
Masjid of Allah. This is because they are making Haraam the most halaal of
deeds, purely out of their unlawful dictatorship. Allah, the Glorious said:


"And who is more unjust than those who forbid that Allah's Name should be
remembered in His Mosques, and strive after its destruction..."

[Al-Baqarah 2: 114]


(d) Making Halaal things Haraam


This is also another way in which Muslims lie upon Allah, the Glorious. An
example of this, is that Allah permits a Muslim man to marry and have up to
four wives, at any given time. However, if anyone attaches conditions, and
throws doubt on this, he/she is in fact making something which is Halaal,
Haraam. This is done by Muslims saying that a man can only marry once, and
if the circumstances of necessity presents itself, then the law of polygyny
(i.e. a man marrying more than one wife) becomes applicable. Allah, the
All-Knowing said:


"...then many (other) women of your choice, two or three or four, but if you
shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then many only one, (or the
captives) that your right hands

possess... "

[An-Nisaa 4:3]


In the above Aayah, Allah, the Wise has legislated that a man should marry
2, 3 or 4 wives, but if he was afraid of treating them unjustly, that is, he
would not be able to upkeep a balanced scale of equal treatment, then the
alternative is to marry only one. This, and only this, is the condition set
down by the Shareeah. Anyone trying to say that there are other conditions,
is inventing his own law. Those who propagate that the first wife must be
barren or sick, or that she has to approve of the second marriage, etc.,
have no evidence at all to support their false claims.


Even worst, are those who have adopted the orientalists' opinion, that
polygyny is a lustful act. Thus, anyone whose wife is otherwise perfect, but
he still takes a second wife, is, in the orientalists' view doing this only
out of evil lust and desires. This category is worst, because their
statement is blasphemy against the Quraan, since Allah, the Wise, promotes
and encourages therein, that a man can be married to more than one woman at
any given time. It is also blasphemy to the Prophet (peace be upon him), his
companions, and the scholars of Islam, as they practiced it during their
lifetime.


However, even if it was done purely for lust or desire, it would still be
according to the sunnah, since the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
informs us, that when someone satisfies his sexual cravings or lust in a
Halaal way, he will be blessed for it. He (peace be upon him) states:


"...and even when one of you cohabits (engage in sexual intercourse), he is
rewarded for it.''

We (the companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! Would one of us earn
blessings and rewards for satisfying his (sexual) lusts and desires?

He (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, don't you see that if he was to satisfy
it in the Haraam way (by adultery and fornication) that he would be sinned?
Similarly, when he satisfies it in the Halaal way, he is rewarded."



(e) Using fabricated and unauthentic Aa-hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) is another way of lying on Allah and His Messenger
(peace be upon him).


The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever knowingly lie upon
me, then let him occupy his seat in the Fire (of Hell)". [Bukhari, Muslim &
others]


The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said: "Whoever relates a
Hadeeth about me, knowingly it to be un-authentic, is himself a liar. " [Ibn
Maiah]



2. Another aspect of speaking about Allah without knowledge is: Making legal
decisions (giving fatwas) in Allah's religion without knowledge.


Allah, the Most High said:


"Say (O Muhammad (peace be upon him): Indeed the things that my Lord has
forbidden are: (and from them is) saying things about Allah of which you
have no knowledge".

[Al - A' araaf 7:33]


The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed Allah, the
All-Mighty will not take away knowledge by snatching it away from the people
but by taking the lives of the knowledgeable people, until when not one
scholar remains. The people will then take ignorant people as their leaders,
who they will ask to give judgments (in Allah's religion). This they will do
without knowledge. This will result in their going astray, and leading
others astray."

[Bukhari and Muslim].


How many Muslims are not in this sad state today? Furthermore, how many
rulings and legal decisions are given without knowledge? May Allah save us
from this dangerous situation in which we find ourselves.


It is strange that when it comes to secular knowledge, we are so respectful.
How many of us would dare speak of medicine in front of a doctor, or
dentistry in front of a dentist? Yet we speak about Allah's laws, and make
rulings in His religion ignorantly. Are we not aware that He hears us? -
What! Have we no sense?


What should scare people who involve in this great sin is the following
statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):


"Among the people who will receive the most severe punishment on the Day of
judgment is a person who killed a prophet, or who was killed by a prophet,
or a person who because of his ignorance, misguides people and lead them
astray..."

[Ahmad and At-Tabaranee]


What is even more severe and should discourage them even more is the fact
that they will carry the burden of everyone who is misguided because of
them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "...whoever
introduces a bad way which others follow, he will have its burden and the
burden of every one who acts upon it..."

[Sahih At-tagheeb wat Tarheeb- Al Mudhiree]



3. Another aspect of speaking about Allah without knowledge is: Ruling by
other than what was revealed by Allah.


Allah said:


"And whoever rules by other than by what Allah revealed, those are
disbelievers".

[Al-Maaida 5:44)


Allah, the Sublime, further states in the Quraan:


".by your Lord (Allah), they can have no faith until they make you (Muhammad
(peace be upon him) the judge in all their dispute amongst themselves, and
thereafter find no resistance against your decisions, but accept with full
submission."

[An-Nisaa 4:65]


Allah, the Most High says:


"The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah
and His Messenger to judge between them, is that they say "We hear and we
obey" - and such ate the successful. " [An Noor 24:51]


Ruling by other than what Allah, the Almighty has revealed is indeed one of
the most severe types of disbelief to which the tongue can fall prey. So, we
should be very careful about this. Be aware that ruling by other than
Allah's law is not only for the people who are in governmental positions,
although it is easiest for them to fall prey to this, but each person is
liable, based upon his responsibility, as is explained in the following
hadeeth:


"Each one of you is a guardian, and each person is answerable for his flock
(those under his charge); so the Imaam is guardian and he is answerable for
his flock (his people), the man is guardian of his family and he is
answerable for his flock (his family), and the woman is guardian in the
house of her husband and she is answerable for her flock (in his house) ...,
and each one of you is a guardian and ( responsible for his flock). "

[Bukhari and Muslim]


Since most decisions and rulings are generally communicated through
speaking, then making Haraam rulings would constitute misuse of the tongue.


So know, that making Halaal what Allah has made Haraam and making Haraam
what Allah has made Halaal, or accepting the ruling and following someone
who is involved in it, is a type of kufr (disbelief). This is clearly
understood from the following Hadeeth:


'Adi Ibn Haatim came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and heard
him (peace be upon him) recite the following aayah: "They took their rabbis
and monks as Lord besides Allah" So he said: "Messenger of Allah! They never
used to worship them. He (peace be upon him) said: "Verily, they have made
Haraam (unlawful) what was halaal (lawful), and they made halaal (lawful)
what was haraam (prohibited) and (the people) followed them - so that was
their (the people) worship of them (the rabbis and monks).

[At-Tirmidhee]


This Hadeeth is also applicable to the so-called Islamic countries, as well
as every constitution, or rules and regulations, set up by Organizations and
Mastoids, etc., which legislate laws that are not in accordance with those
that Allah has revealed.



4. Another aspect of speaking about Allah without knowledge is: Bida's
(innovations)


Bid'ah is changing any aspect of worship in Allah's Deen by either adding to
it, subtracting from it or altering it in way. It is for this reason that
the noble scholars of this Deen expended so much time to warn this Ummah
about the great fitnah (trial) of innovation. This is because the dangers of
Bid`ah, and its destructive effects upon this Deen, are much greater than
that of the other major sins, as is explained from the following Aayaat and
Aa-Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah:-


Allah, the Most High said:


"Say (O Muhammad (peace be upon him) to the people) if you love Allah then
follow me, Allah will love you and He will forgive your sins".

[Aali-'Imraan 3: 31]


The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Who ever innovates in this matter
of ours (Al-Islam), that which is not from it , will have it rejected".
[Bukhari & Muslim]


And He (peace be upon him) said: ".And hold fast to my sunnah and the sunnah
of the rightly guided caliphs, and beware of newly invented matters
(bid'ah); for every newly invented matter is misguidance which leads to the
fire."

[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi & others]


So, based upon the above Aa-Hadeeth, Muslims must be aware of all matters
that are not established from the Sharee'ah.


The following saying of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is even more
frightening. He (peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not accept the
repentance of anyone involved in Bid'ah, until he leaves it off completely.
"

[Authentic from At-Tabaraanee]


Brothers and sisters, let us not close off the doors of Repentance with our
own hands, by indulging in and/or propogating Bid'ah. However, we must know
that, even worse for the practitioner of Bid'ah, is what the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) said:


"Allah refuses to accept the deeds of the practitioner of Bid'ah
(innovations in the deen) until he leaves his innovation (bid'ah)." [Ibn
Majah & Ibn Abi 'Aasim]


Bid'ah is one of the most dangerous sins that send whoever practices it into
the fire (of Hell). Such action from a Muslim is most loved by Shaitaan.
This is because the Muslim involved in Bid'ah feels that he is doing
something good, but, in effect, it causes Allah's wrath to descend upon him.
A few examples of Innovation (Bid'ah) of the tongue are as follows:


a) Bid'ah in Belief


The statement that Allah, the Most High, is everywhere, as was discussed
before. (Refer to page 12)


b) Bid'ah in Zikr


Doing zikr in congregation behind one person, which is a common practise of
the Sufis. The following narration beautifully clarifies the evil of such a
practise.


Amr Ibn Salmah said: We used to sit at the door of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'oud
before the morning prayer, so that when he came our, we would walk with him
to the mosque. One day Abu Moosaa al-Ash'aree came to us and said: "Has Abu
'Abdur Rahmaan (Ibn Mas`oud) come out yet?" We replied: "No" So he sat down
with us until he came out. When he came out we all stood along with him, so
Abu Moosaa said to him: "O Aba `Abdir Rahmaan! I have just seen something in
the mosque which I deemed to be evil, but all Praise is for Allah, I did not
see anything except good." He (Ibn Mas'oud) inquired: "Then what is it?"
(Abu Moosaa) replied: " If you live you will see it. I saw in the mosque
people sitting in circles awaiting the prayer. In each circle they had
pebbles in their hands and a man would say: repeat Allahu Akbar a hundred
times. Then So they would repeat it a hundred. Then he would say: Say Laa
illaha illallaah a hundred times. So they would say it a hundred times. Then
he would say: Say Subhaanallaah a hundred times. So they would say it a
hundred times. (Ibn Mas'oud) asked: "What did you say to to them?" (Abu
Moosaa) said: "I did not say anything to them. Instead I waited to hear your
view or what you declared."

(Ibn Mas`oud) replied: "Would that you had ordered them to count up the evil
deeds they acquired and assured them that their good deeds would not be
lost!" Then we went along with him (Ibn Mas`oud) until he came to one of
these circles and stood and said: "What is this that I see you doing?" They
replied: "O Aba `Abdur Rahmaan! These are pebbles upon which we are
counting, takbeer, tahleel and tasbeeh." He (Ibn Mas'oud) said: "Count up
your evil deeds! I assure you that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe
to you, O Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him)! How quickly you go to
destruction! These are the companions of the prophet (peace be upon him) who
are widespread. These are his clothes that have not yet decayed and his bowl
which is unbroken. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you are upon a
religion better guided than the religion of Muhammad (peace be upon him) or
you are opening the door of misguidance." They said: "O Aba `Abdir Rahmman!
By Allah, we only intended good." He (Ibn Mas`oud) said: "How many are there
who intend good but do not achieve it. Indeed Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him) said to us: "A people will recite the Quran but it will not pass
beyond their throats. "Then he left them.

'Umar ibn Salamah (the sub-narrator) said: "We saw most of these people
fighting against us on the day of Nahrawaan, along with the Khawaarij.

[Ad-Darimee Vol. 1#79]


It should be observed from the above incident involving Ibn Mas'oud and the
people who were making their congregational (Soofie like) Zikr, that they
were:


(i) In the right place (i.e. the Masjid),


(ii) Saying the right and prescribed zikr -Tasbeeh, Takbeer, etc


(iii) Doing it at the right time, that is before, or according to some
narrations, after the

Salaah.


However, it was only one difference that caused Ibn Mas'oud to reject and
rebuke what they were doing -HOW they did it, that is, in congregation. This
emphasizes the importance of following the Sunnah with precision in every
possible way.


The following example further highlight the importance of doing any act of
worship, especially zikr or du'aa exactly and precisely as was demonstrated
by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).


Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated the Hadeeth that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) taught Al-Baraa ibn`Aazib a du'aa to use before sleeping, part of
which was: "...Aa-man-tu bi ki-taa-bi-kal la-zhee an-zalt, wa bi
na-biy-yi-kal la-zhee ar-salt..". However, when Al-Baraa repeated it to the
Prophet (peace be upon him) he said: ",..wa bi ra-soo-li-kal la-zhee
arsalt..." The Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately corrected him saying:
"No! bi na-biy-yikal la-zhee ar-salt"


This shows the importance of adhering to the sunnah, and not even changing a
single word, which in essence has the same meaning as the substituted word
(i.e. Nabee means prophet and Rasool means Messenger and both are titles
given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) by Allah, the Most
High).


c) Bid'ah of Du'aa in congregation.


A widespread practise amongst Muslims is making Du`aa in congregation after
the Fardh (compulsory) Salaah. This practice, in fact, does not have any
proof from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or the companions
who led Salaah all their lives but never once made a congregational du'aa
after the Salaah.


Of the many innovations of the tongue, these few examples will suffice.


The majority of Muslims are deeply involved in many innovations. However, we
must realize that Allah can only be worshipped with what He, the Most High
legislated, and that it must be performed as precisely as possible as was
explained or shown to us by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as it was
understood by the pious predecessors (the companions). Therefore, before
doing anything in this Deen, a Muslim must esquire about the proof for that
action from Quraan and authentic Sunnah, or whether it was something
practiced by our pious predecessors from among the companions, the Taabi'een
and the Tabi Tabi'een If there is no precedent from them, then It is
compulsory for us to leave it. May Allah guide us an to practise Islam in
its pristine purity. Ameen.

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