← Volver a la ficha del textoSOFTENING
IHE HEART
Kitab az-Zuhd wa'r-Ragājig
ABDULLĀH IBN AL-MUBĀRAK
Translated by AISHA BEWLEY
SOFTENING
THE HEART
Kitab az-Zuhd wa'r-Ragāig
SOFIENING
THE HEART
Kitab az-Zuhd war-Ragāig
ABDULLĀH IBN AL-MUBĀRAK
TURATH PUBLISHING
2022
Copyright: Turath Publishing 1443/2022
ISBN: 978-1-906949-98-3
Published by:
Turath Publishing
84 Mitcham Road + 44(20) 8767 8613
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission of the
publishers.
Author Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak
Translator Aisha Bewley
Editors Shoaib Shah, Salim Azhari
Language editor Amanda Morris
General editor Yahya and Safira Batha
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Ibn al-Mubarak, Abdullah
Title: Kitab az-Zuhd wa'r-Ragā'ig
I. Title
Cover design & typesetting ARM (www.whitethreadpress.com)
Printed by Mega Printers, Istanbul, Turkey
Distributors for UK & Europe
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May the Ummah never be bereft
of the likes of
"Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak
as
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Meaning of Zuhd
How the Righteous Early Muslims Described Zuhd and
Those Who Practice it
Zahids and What Drove them to Zuhd
Sanctioned Zuhd and Innovative Zuhd
Zuhd of the Prophet ®
Food of the Prophet &
Clothes of the Prophet &
Bed of the Prophet ®
Zuhd of the Companions 4
Types of Zuhd
Levels of Zuhd
Harms of Loving the World
Books Written on Zuhd
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Name, Background and Birth
All Good Qualities Combined
Pursuit of Knowledge and Keen Intelligence
Worship and Fear of Allah &
Zuhd and Piety
Manners and Generosity
Humility and Renouncing Fame
Bravery and Military Service in Jihad
Scholars' Praise of Him
Sayings
Notable Teachers and Students
Literature
Death
BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NARRATORS OF IBN AL-MUBARAK'S
Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Sa‘id ibn Katib al-Hashimi al-
Abū ‘Umar ibn Hayyuwayh
Abū Bakr al-Warrāg
FEARING THE CONSEQUENCES OF 5
EXCELLENCE OF WORSHIP
SORROW AND WEEPING
HUMILITY AND FEAR
STRIVING IN WORSHIP
REFLECTION ON FOLLOWING FUNERAL BIERS
PROHIBITION OF HAVING HIGH EXPECTATIONS
REMEMBERING DEATH
REFLECTION AND CONSIDERATION
FLEEING FROM SINS AND TRANSGRESSION
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF A HOUSEHOLD
THE EARTH BOASTING
TRUTHFUL COMPANIONS
GUARDING THE TONGUE
HUMILITY
WALKING TO THE PRAYER, SITTING IN THE MASJID AND
OTHER THINGS
RELIANCE ON ALLAH &
GLAD-TIDINGS FOR A MUSLIM WHEN HE DIES
OSTENTATION, PRIDE AND THE LIKE
DAWUD’S REPENTANCE AND OTHER PROPHETS i&&
MAKING DO WITH LITTLE OF THIS WORLD
LOWLINESS OF THIS WORLD IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH &
RELIANCE AND HUMILITY
CONTENTMENT AND PLEASURE
POVERTY
SEEKING THE LAWFUL
CHARITY
TREATING ORPHANS WELL
AVARICE
INTENTION WITH FEW ACTIONS AND A SOUND HEART
LYING IN SPEECH TO AMUSE PEOPLE
MENDING RELATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE
CENSURE OF BLESSING IN THIS WORLD
KNOWLEDGE BEING TAKEN AWAY
BLAMEWORTHY QUALITIES
HUMILITY
UWAYS AND SUNABIHI &
‘AMIR IBN ‘ABD QAYS AND SILAH IBN ASHYAM
ABŪ RAYHANAH AND OTHERS
‘UMAR IBN ‘ABD AL-AZĪZ
THE MERCY OF ALLAH, GLORIFIED AND EXALTED IS HE,
THE SUBLIME, THE MOST HIGH
EXCELLENCE OF THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH &
BIBLIOGRAPHY
S
INTRODUCTION
MUSLIMS TODAY ARE suffering from an illness, unaware and
oblivious to its harmful consequences. The illness in question?
We have become attached to this worldly life and its
adornments, and are ignoring the realities of the afterlife. The
result is that our communities are weak, disrespected and even
oppressed.
The Companions of the Prophet % were not affected by
these ailments, and therefore, their progress was not stifled.
These men and women were mentored by the Prophet ®, and
through their unwavering belief, became towering examples of
what a Muslim should aspire to be. They honoured Islam, so
Allah & honoured them.
Allah & says,
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To those who disbelieve, the life of this world is painted in glowing
colours and they laugh at those who believe. But on the Day of Rising,
those who fear Allah will be over them. Allah provides for whomever
He wills without any reckoning. (2:212)
Muslims must strive not to be distracted by the temporary
nature of this worldly life, and we should not view the troubles
and calamities that occur in this life negatively, because the
Next World is the ultimate goal.
To help revive these Islamic values, we present to you one
of the most reputable books on the topic of rejection of worldly
life: Zuhd of * Abdullah Ibn al-Mubārak. This edition is unique
for several reasons: the inclusion of detailed introductions to
the topic, the book, and its author; removal of the chains of
narration; removal of many additions added by the narrators of
the Zuhd; removal of repetitions of narrations; and the addition
of brief commentary where it is needed.
We ask Allah & to reward us abundantly for what is
accurate in this book, and to pardon us and forgive us for any
mistakes we have made.
THE MEANING OF ZUHD
As is mentioned in Mukhtar as-Sihāh: Zuhd is the opposite of
desire. Ibn al-Manzür said in Lisān al-Arab, ‘Zuhd is the
opposite of desire and covetousness of the world.’ To do zuhd
in a matter is to not have any interest in it, as the words of
Allah & show:
€ «(وكانوا فيه مِنَ الزّاهِدِينَ
They considered him to be of little worth. (12:20)
Ahmad ibn Qudamah said,
Know that zuhd with regards to this life is one of the noble
attributes of the seekers. Zuhd is to turn your attention from one
thing to something better than it. A person will only be called a
zāhid (an ascetic) when the object of his self-discipline is
something that is usually sought after. He will not be referred to
as a zāhid if he forsakes something worthless like soil.
Common usage has now specified a zāhid as one who has
forsaken this world; the one who forsakes everything besides
Allah Almighty is known as the perfect zāhid. Be aware that it is
not considered zuhd to spend wealth comfortably and generously
while attracting people's admiration in the process. Zuhd is,
however, forsaking wealth based on the understanding that it is
insignificant in relation to the value of the Next World.
Zuhd is, therefore, emptying the heart of its worldly contents
and diverting it from love of this world to love of the next. This
life is not a primary concern nor the limit of one's knowledge,
but rather the heart should instead be focussed on the journey
from this world to the next. The foundation of happiness or
grief should not lie in this life, and there should be no desire
for worldly honours. The Next World must be the main aim
and primary focus, and knowledge that leads to this aim is
known as yaqin. As Allah & says,
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Yet still you prefer the life of this world when the Next World is better
and longer lasting. (87:16-17)
The world is like a block of ice—inexpensive and quick to melt
—while the Next World is like a valuable diamond that does
not dissolve. A person's zuhd in this world and desire for the
Next World is relative to his knowledge of the disparity
between the two. The Prophet €& had the most zuhd from the
whole of the Muslim community, because having absolute
certainty in and desire for the Next World will most definitely
lead to zuhd in this. There are numerous verses of the Qur'an
that establish and emphasise this basic concept:
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The life of this world is nothing but a game and a diversion. The abode
of the Next World—that is truly Life, if they only knew. (29:64)
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They rejoice in the life of this world yet the life of this world,
compared to the Next World, is only a fleeting enjoyment. (13:26)
No indeed! But you love this = world and you (ni the Next
World. (75:20-21)
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You desire the goods of this world, whereas Allah desires the Next
World. (8:67)
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To humans, the love of worldly appetites is painted in glowing colours:
women and children, and heaped-up mounds of gold and silver, and
horses with fine markings, and livestock and fertile farmland. All that
is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world. The best homecoming
is in the presence of Allah. Say, 'Shall I tell you of something better
than that?' The god-fearing will have Gardens with their Lord, with
rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever, and
purified wives, and the Pleasure of Allah. Allah sees His slaves. (3:14—
15)
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Say, ‘The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The Next World is
better for those who are god-fearing.’ (4:77)
Allah 8 relates the words of the believer from Pharaoh’s
people:
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My people! The life of this world is only fleeting enjoyment. It is the
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Allah % also says,
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The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion. (57:20)
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Yet still you prefer the life of this world when the Next World is better
and longer lasting. (87:16—17)
The noble hadiths also convey the same message of zuhd in this
world and desire for the next as these verse:
Mustawrid ibn Shaddad :& narrated that the Messenger of
Allah ® said,
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"The world, in comparison to the Next World, is like one of you
dipping a finger in the ocean and then seeing what it draws out’
(Muslim 2858 and Tirmidhi 2323).
Sahl ibn Sa‘d :& narrated that the Messenger of Allah € said,
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'If the world were equal, in the sight of Allah, to the amount of a
gnat's wing of good, He would not even give the unbeliever a sip
of water from it (Tirmidhi 2320).
Jabir % narrated:
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‘The Messenger of Allah È walked by the market while the people
were standing on the side. He & passed by a dead lamb with very
short ears, and he took hold of its ear and said, "Which one of you
would like to have this for a dirham?" They answered, ^We would
not take it for any price. What would we do with it?" He % then
said, "Would you like to have it (for free)?" They replied, "By
Allah, even if it was alive, it would still be defective because of its
short ears, but this is dead!” He % then said, “By Allah, the world
is more insignificant, in the sight of Allah, than this is to you.”
(Muslim 2957).
Abū Hurayrah # narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah
& say,
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"The world is cursed, and what it contains is cursed, except for the
remembrance of Allah and what leads to it, a scholar, and a
student.’ (Ibn Mājah 4112).
There is also a more authentic narration where the Prophet &
explicitly directed us to practice zuhd:
"5 DOA الاس is Ka الله وَارْهَدْ DEA ESN ازْهَدْ في
'Forsake the world, and Allah will love you. Forsake what is in
people's hands, and they will love you.’ (Ibn Mājah 4102).
He % also said,
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‘The world is sumptuous and lush, and Allah is going to place you
there as a deputy to see how you act. So avoid the world and
avoid the temptation of women.’ (Muslim 2742).
HOW THE RIGHTEOUS EARLY MUSLIMS DESCRIBED ZUHD
AND THOSE WHO PRACTICE IT
Sufyan ath-Thawri said, ‘Zuhd towards this world means
limiting one’s hopes. It is not eating coarse food and wearing a
woollen cloak.’
Sari said, ‘Allah & has snatched the world from His friends,
protected His close-ones from it, and removed it from the
hearts of those He loves, because He does not want that for
them.’ He also said, ‘Zuhd is found in the Words of the
Almighty:
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That is so that you will not be grieved about the things that pass you
by or exult about the things that come to you. Allah does not love any
vain or boastful man. (57:23)
The zahid is, therefore, one who is not overjoyed with worldly
things when he has them, and is not grieved when he loses
them.’ Sari also said, ‘Zuhd is ridding the heart of what the
hand does not possess.’
Ahmad said, ‘Zuhd means limiting one’s hopes.’ In another
report, he said, ‘It means not being overjoyed when it comes,
and not being sad when it goes.’ He was once asked if a man
who has 1,000 dirhams can be a zahid and he responded, ‘Yes,
provided he is not pleased if it increases nor despondent if it
decreases.’
A man asked Yahya ibn Mu‘adh, ‘When can I enter the store
of reliance and wear the uniform of the zahids and sit among
them?’ He answered, ‘When your training of your self reaches
such a point, that if Allah & was to suspend all sustenance from
you for three days, it would not weaken your spirit. If you have
not yet reached this stage, then for you, sitting on the mat of
the zāhids is mere ignorance and I cannot protect you from
being exposed.’
Hasan said, ‘The zahid is the one who, when he sees
anyone, says, "He is more of a zāhid than I am.”
Yunus ibn Maysarah said, ‘Zuhd towards this worldly life
does not entail making what is lawful unlawful, nor is it
wasting wealth. Rather, it means having more certainty in
what Allah possesses than in what you possess. It is to have the
same temperament in calamitous times and blessed times, and
it is for your attitude to be the same towards one who praises
you and one who criticises you for speaking the truth.’
Fudayl said, "The absolute essence of zuhd is to be content
with Allah ê.’ He also said, "The one who is content is the
zāhid. He is truly need-free.’
Ibn Taymiyyah said, ‘Zuhd is to abandon all those things
which will be of no benefit in the Next World and wara' is to
leave the things whose repercussions you fear in the Next
World.”
Ibn al-Qayyim & said,
The Gnostics agree that zuhd is the journey of the heart from the
abode of this world through the stages of the next. The earliest
scholars authored books of zuhd based on this concept. Some of
them are: ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak's Zuhd, Imam Ahmad's Zuhd,
Waki*s Zuhd, Hannad ibn as-Sari’s Zuhd, and others. Zuhd is to
abandon six things, and only a person who foregoes them all
deserves the title of zahid: they are wealth, appearance,
leadership, people, life, and everything besides Allah &.
This does not, however, mean that one must abandon all
responsibilities. In their time, no one was considered more zāhid
than the Prophets Sulayman and Dawid š, yet they still
possessed wealth and dominion, and they married. Our Prophet &
was considered the most zahid from all humans, and he had nine
wives. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Zubayr, and
Uthmān # were all zāhids, despite their great wealth. ‘Abdullah
ibn al-Mubarak, who is one of the leading zahids, owned a great
deal of wealth. Layth ibn Sa‘d, another one of the leading zāhids,
said of his riches, ‘Had it not been for this, these people would
snatch us away.' (Ibn al-Qayyim in Madarij 2:15-16).
ZAHIDS AND WHAT DROVE THEM TO ZUHD
Ibn Rajab & said,
Those who are true zāhids have varying observations of the world
and incidents which they experience:
Some experience fatigue when they try to acguire worldly
goods, so they leave them in order to rest. Hasan said, 'Zuhd of
the world rests the heart and the body.”
Some of them fear that their share of the Next World will
decrease by engaging in futile worldly activities.
Others fear the lengthy accounting required for worldly
matters. One of them said, 'Asking Allah & for the world is
merely asking to be held to account (on the Day of Judgement)
for a lengthy time.'
Some have seen the many faults of this life, such as its
inconsistency, its exhaustion and large numbers of wicked people
who crowd the path to it. Someone was once asked, ‘What has
made you denounce the world?’ He replied, ‘Its dishonesty, its
extreme aversion and its contemptible advocates.’
Some zāhids notice the inferiority of the world in the sight of
Allah and so they too despise it. Fudayl said regarding this, ‘If the
world and all it contains was presented to me without needing to
give an account for it in the Next World, I would still despise it
just as a person hates for a corpse to touch his clothes.”
Still others fear it will distract them from preparing for the
afterlife. Hasan said, ‘Some of them spend their whole lives
striving as much as they can for the next life. They have wealth
and they are asked, ‘Will you not take some of it and use it?’ But
they reply, ‘By Allah, I will not. I fear that if I do, it will corrupt
my heart and my deeds.’ On one occasion, ‘Umar ibn al-Munkadir
was sent some money, which made him weep profusely. He said,
‘I weep because I fear that this world will overcome my heart and
there will be no space left for the next.’ He then ordered that it be
given in charity to the poor of Madinah.
The highest level of this kind of awareness is the fear that the
world will preoccupy one from Allah %. Abū Sulayman said,
‘Zuhd is to abandon everything that distracts you from Allah.’ He
also said, ‘Family, wealth, and children that distract you from
Allah are all calamities.’
Zuhd is, in fact, freeing the heart from the distractions of the
world, so that it is free to seek Allah &, His knowledge, His
proximity, His benevolence, and His presence. These matters are
not of a worldly nature. (Ibn Rajab in Jami‘ al-ulūm wa'l-hikam
2:198).
We must be mindful that the finest example of a zāhid is the
Prophet ®. The Companions 4 were unsettled when the
Prophet % told them that a person's deeds cannot save him,
that even the Prophet's ® deeds could not save him! But then
he reassured them of Allah's & mercy, and said,
سدوا 5,55 وَاغْدُوا وَرُوحُواء Feo مِنَ ALAN وَالقَضدَ LI تَبْلْعُوا.
AAA
‘Seek what is balanced and correct! Worship Allah in the morning
and the evening and in a portion of the night. Be moderate! Be
moderate and you will reach your destination.’ (Bukhari 6463 and
Muslim 2818).
SANCTIONED ZUHD AND INNOVATIVE ZUHD
A clear disparity emerges when we compare the Prophet’s ©
guidance in zuhd with the zuhd of certain Sufis, who claim that
the highest levels of zuhd involve reclusion, monasticism and
celibacy, and as a result, the disciple is not permitted to marry
or even be friendly with anyone other than Allah &. They say,
‘Whoever marries has embarked upon the sea. Then if he has a
child, he has been shipwrecked.’ Such people have opposed the
guidance of the Prophet % in matters of zuhd because he
forbade celibacy. Sa‘d ibn Abi Waggās % narrated,
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‘The Messenger of Allah ® forbade ‘Uthman ibn Maz'ün from
being celibate. Had he % permitted it, we would have had
ourselves castrated.’ (Bukhari 5073 and Muslim 1402).
Ibn Hajar said,
Here, tabattul here means to forgo marriage and the enjoyment of
it in favour of worship. As for the tabattul which is commissioned
in Allah Almighty's words:
Devote yourself to Him completely (73:8), Mujahid explained it as,
'Being completely sincere to Him, which is a metaphorical
meaning. Even literally, the meaning of tabattul is cessation and
so it means, 'To cease something for Him.' However, since ceasing
something for Allah is not possible without sincerity, Mujahid
explained it as such. (Ibn Hajar in Fath 9:118).
Instead, the Prophet ® forbade being excessive in worship, so
that a person does not eventually abandon it or tire of it, and
he % demanded that a person be gentle when dealing with his
ego. Bukhari, in his Sahih, has named a chapter: It is disliked to
be excessive in worship. Under that heading, he relates from
Anas &:
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The Prophet È entered the masjid and there was a rope hanging
between two pillars. He asked, "What is this rope?' They said, "The
rope belongs to Zaynab. When [she is praying and] she gets tired,
she hangs on to it.’ The Prophet ® said, ‘No—remove it. You
should [stand and] pray as long as you have the energy for it.
When you are tired, you should sit down.’ (Bukhari 1150).
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr S narrated,
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The Prophet # said to me, ‘I have been told that you spend the
night in prayer and fast in the day?’ I said, ‘Yes, I do that” He %
said, ‘If you do that, your eyes will become weak and you will
become exhausted. Your body has a right on you and your family
has a right on you. So fast sometimes and do not fast at other
times, and pray, but also sleep.’ (Bukhari 1153).
The Prophet © forbade ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr & from fasting
consecutive days and spending the whole night in prayer
because a person will eventually be too tired to carry out his
other responsibilities towards himself and his family. The
Prophet © advised ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr &:
TIS RITU IER وگن GIEN aie 3515 صم صو
‘Fast the fast of Dawüd &. He would fast a day and not fast the
next, and he never fled from the enemy.’ (Bukhari 3419).
In this hadith, the Prophet % explained that if Dawud fasted
every day, he might not have sufficient strength to fight the
enemy, and so fasting one day and not fasting the next
preserved his strength. Aside from this, the Prophet ® explicitly
forbade perpetual fasting.
The Prophet ® opposed the trend of celibacy and
monasticism, stating that it has no place in Islam. The
monasticism of this community is struggling in the Path of
Allah and moderation in all matters—which is what
Muhammad % taught. Conseguently, a person will not fall
short in worship, nor will he exert strain on himself which
will lead to abandoning worship altogether.
The surest example of the Prophets ® method in worship
can be found in the hadith of the group of three. Anas %
narrated:
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Three people came to the houses of the Prophet’s e wives to ask
about how the Prophet ® worshipped. When they were told, it
was as if they thought it little and said, ‘We are nowhere near the
status of the Prophet %! He has been forgiven his past and future
wrong actions.’ Consequently, one of them said, ‘I will pray all
night every night.’Another said, ‘I will fast all the time and not
break the fast.’ The other said, ‘I will withdraw from women and
never marry.’ Later, the Messenger of Allah È came to them and
said, ‘Are you the ones who said such-and-such?' By Allah, from
all of you, I am the one with the most fear and awareness of
Allah, but I fast and break the fast, I pray and I sleep and I marry
women. Whoever disdains my method is not with me.'!
There is no doubt that what the three honourable companions
of the Prophet # decided on is what some Sufis promote, but it
is also what the Messenger of Allah ® specifically forbade. He
elucidated in his guidance that he fasts and does not fast, he
stands in prayer and also rests and he marries women.
Ibn Hajar said, "The Prophet ©, in his moderate upright
way, did not fast at times in order to strengthen himself for
more fasts, he slept in order to regain energy to stand in prayer
and he married to curb his desires, remain chaste and increase
offspring.' (Ibn Hajar, abridged from Fath 9:105—106).
Zuhd is not perfected through declaring unlawful those
things which Allah & has deemed lawful and renouncing
marriage. The perfection of worship is to show gratitude to
Allah & for His blessings. How excellent is the narration of
Hasan al-Basri, when he served a guest a sweet dish! The guest
refused to take it, offering the excuse that he will not be able to
show the gratitude it demands. So Hasan said to him, "Eat, you
fool! You are not able to show the gratitude required even for a
sip of cold water.'
The Prophet ® is the leader of the zdhids and the
worshippers, yet he married thirteen women and left behind
nine. He % used to say,
co ]3 مِنَ «EJUS UOI il وَجعلث 855 Ge في الصلاة.
'In this world of yours, women and perfume have been made dear
to me, and I find pleasure in prayer.’ (Nasa’i 3939).
Yet, he ® would pray until his feet became swollen. He was
asked, "Why do you do that, when your past and future wrong
actions have been forgiven?’ and he 8 said,
muse 3,51 Sit
‘Should I not then be a grateful slave?’ (Bukhari 1130).
He % would fast days continuously, but he forbade others from
doing so. When the Companions 4 wanted to increase their
level of worship and obedience to Allah, they began fasting
continuously and they pleaded with the Prophet %, ‘But you
fast continuously.’ He answered,
‘I am not like you. My Lord feeds me and gives me water to
drink.’ (Bukhari 1964).
ZUHD OF THE PROPHET ©
When explaining the zuhd of the Prophet #, his own
description about his relation to the world suffices. He ® said,
istb pes do à قال SIS GA Jes ملي SAY; Ju
"What do I have to do with the world? My example with the world
is only like a rider who seeks shade under a tree where he rests
and then leaves it.' (Ahmad 4208 and Tirmidhi 2377).
He ® also advised ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ®, saying,
ja „le 3 cs GEIS LSS) 3 ڪن
‘Be in the world as if you were a stranger or someone passing
through.’ (Bukhārī 6416).
The stranger does not strive for honour in the world and he is
not concerned with its [apparent] humiliation. He has his own
concerns and the people have their concerns. The books of
hadith are filled with authentic narrations describing the
Prophet's ® interactions with the world. Hereunder are some
examples:
FOOD OF THE PROPHET ©
One day, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab # spoke about all the goods of
the world the people had gained, and then he said,
A35 ay SAG مَا «él مِنَ i U3 os ade الله Lo iekš t xd
"Sometimes I would see that your Prophet % could not find even a
date to satiate his hunger.' (Muslim 2977).
‘Aishah % said,
ae
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ads 4J& الله bo الله ),55 2.5
"The family of Muhammad did not eat bread made of wheat for
two consecutive days until the Messenger of Allah ® passed
away.' (Muslim 2970).
Anas % said,
AIS Kiu «Su Ez ose fe وَسَلْمَ athe الله Le الي SG J
SU i
‘The Prophet % did not eat at a table until he died, and he did not
eat fine bread until he died.’ (Bukhari 6450).
Ibn Battal commented on this, saying, ‘He # only did this to
sacrifice the luxuries of the world in favour of the pleasures of
eternal life. He was only ever concerned with wealth if it aided
him for the Next World and so, generally, he did not reguire
wealth. In essence, this narration does not say that poverty is
better than affluence, but it does indicate the excellence of
contentment, abstinence and avoiding indulgence in the world.”
‘Aishah % said,
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'By Allah, nephew! We used to see the crescent moon, and
another crescent, and then another crescent; three crescents in
two months without a fire being lit in the houses of the Messenger
of Allah È’ ‘Urwah asked, ‘O aunt, what did you survive on?’ She
answered, ‘Aswadan—dates and water. However, the Messenger of
Allah % had some Ansārī neighbours who had sheep which were
lent to them for milking, and they used to give the Messenger of
Allah % some of their milk and he would let us drink.” (Bukhārī
2567 and Muslim 2972).
CLOTHES OF THE PROPHET 8
Abū Burdah ibn Abi Mūsā % said,
الله d,25 قيض ES MLE s AEL LES isse ue] Gas
g clas de in (>
«Ā'ishah Æ took out a woollen garment and a thick lower
garment, and she said, "The Messenger of Allah ® was wearing
these when his soul departed.”
BED OF THE PROPHET ©
‘Aishah & said,
is GSi ale Al الذي DS le الله Le wl گان فراش رَسُولٍ LS
a Si pA
ra
"The bed where the Messenger of Allah % slept was merely leather
stuffed with palm fibre.’ (Muslim 2082).
ZUHD OF THE COMPANIONS #%
The honourable Companions followed the example of the
Messenger of Allah ® in zuhd as they followed him in all
affairs, and they became living role-models for all Muslims.
‘Umar & is an example of that, as is clear from Anas %
narration: 'I saw him—and he was the Leader of the Believers
at that time—with three patches between his shoulder blades,
stitched one on top of the other.’ (Mu’atta’ 3400).
Muhammad ibn Sirin related, ‘We were with Abū Hurayrah
šķ and he was wearing two linen garments dyed with red clay.
He blew his nose and said, “How excellent! Abū Hurayrah is
blowing his nose with linen. I can recall falling down
unconscious between the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah ©
and 'Ā'ishah's room. Someone would put his foot on my neck,
thinking that I was mad, but I was not mad. It was only
hunger.” (Bukhari 7324).
Fadalah ibn ‘Ubayd 8 narrated, ‘When the Messenger of
Allah ® lead the people in prayer, some of the men would
collapse out of hunger. These were the Ashāb as-Suffah, whom
the Bedouins would call mad. When the Messenger of Allah &
finished praying, he turned to them and said, "If you knew
what Allah has in store for you, you would want to be
increased in poverty and need.”” (Tirmidhi 2368).
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, ‘Had I not feared that my
good deeds would decrease, I would join you in your
comfortable lives, but I have heard Allah rebuke people,
saying,
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You dissipated the good things you had in your worldly life and
enjoyed yourself in it (46:20).” (Ibn Shabbah in Tarikh al-Madinah
2:695)
‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn Samurah % related an example of
Uthmān's #zuhd, saying, ‘While the Prophet ® was preparing
the army for the Usrah expedition, Uthmān ibn ‘Affan came
to him with a thousand dinars in his garment and he poured it
into the Prophet's © lap. He ® began touching it and repeating,
“Whatever Ibn ‘Affan does from today onwards will not harm
him.”’ (Ahmad 20630).
Dirar ibn Hamzah said about ‘Ali :&,
By Allah, he shed many a tear, and he spent long hours grieving
in contemplation and conversing with his soul. He loved to wear
coarse clothes and eat simple food. By Allah, he was just like one
of us; he would answer us when we asked him something, he
greeted us first when we went to him and he came to us when we
called him. By Allah, despite being so close to us and dear to us,
we would not speak to him out of awe of him, and we never
initiated conversation with him, out of reverence for him. When
he smiled, his teeth were like well-arranged pearls. He honoured
representatives of the Religion and he loved the poor. The mighty
had no hope of his favour in their falsities and the weak never lost
hope of his justice. I swear by Allah, on one occasion, when night
had fallen and the stars had faded away, I saw him in his place of
prayer, holding his beard and weeping like he was mourning in
pain. I could hear him saying, 'O world, are you offering yourself
to me? Are you beautifying yourself for me? Never! Deceive
someone else! I have divorced you thrice irrevocably. Your life is
short, your sustenance is vulgar and your dangers are grave. Oh
how few the provisions, how far the journey and how lonely the
path"
Along with the Prophet ® and the Companions 4, the author
of this book is another prime example of a zāhid from the early
Muslim community. Ibn al-Mubarak did not refuse to earn a
livelihood, he did not confine himself to a zawiyah and only
wear woollen clothes and he did not abandon marriage. On the
contrary, he was a businessman who earned lawful wealth and
spent it on pilgrimage, military service, to promote unity
among people and in fulfilling other needs. In addition to this,
he strove tirelessly in worship, obedience and the fear of Allah
še. When the book, Zuhd was being read to him, he seemed like
an animal that had just been butchered. This is the kind of
zuhd we should strive to attain and promote. The one who
removes the world from his hands is not a zahid, if he still
holds it dear to his heart. The true zahid, however, is the one
who has removed the world from his heart, despite still holding
it in his hands.
TYPES OF ZUHD
Ibn al-Qayyim &said that zuhd is of four types:
1. The zuhd which is obligatory upon every Muslim:
avoiding prohibitions.
2. The zuhd which is recommended. There are levels of
recommendation which vary according to the object of one's
rejection. They are: rejection of disliked matters, rejection of
lawful superfluous matters and rejecting fascination with
lawful desires.
3. The zuhd of those who have committed themselves to this
endeavour. They are those who are actively journeying to Allah
&. This type is of two kinds:
a.
Rejection of the world in general. This does not imply
discarding all wealth and living empty-handed. It
merely refers to ridding the heart of it completely, so
that it is not a distraction in the heart, despite being in
one's possession. This was the state of the rightly
guided Khalīfs and ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, who
presided over the treasuries, but they were exemplars
in zuhd. In fact, Allah & granted complete sovereignty
in the world to the Prophet &, yet it only increased his
rejection of it.
Rejection of the ego which is the most difficult kind.
Majority of zahids merely arrive at this stage and do not
commit to it. Rejection of prohibitions becomes easy
when you consider some of its motives, such as the evil
consequence of the unlawful act and the safety of one's
belief in renouncing them. Rejection of disliked and
lawful superfluous matters also becomes easy when you
consider the ever-lasting bliss you stand to lose by
indulging in them. And rejection of the world is easy
when you know what comes after it. The difficulty of
rejecting the ego, on the other hand, is akin to trying to
slaughter something with a blunt object. It is carried
out in two ways:
٠ As a means to an end; which is to destroy the ego
until it is worth nothing in your eyes. Eventually,
you will not get angry on its behalf, you will not be
pleased for it, you will not aid for its benefit, nor
will you avenge it. This may be harsh, but it does not
deserve to be afforded any kind of comfort in
matters pertaining to your everlasting welfare.
* As the main objective; which is to fully employ the
ego specifically for the Beloved. It is rejection of the
ego from the perspective of a lover, who has escaped
its grasp and surrendered it to his Lord. All of the
aforementioned types of zuhd are, in fact, steps and
means to arrive at this stage, and one cannot achieve
this station without going through those steps.
LEVELS OF ZUHD
Ibn Qudamah said,
There are people who renounce the world while desiring it, but
they put strain on their ego. These are known as Mutazahhids, and
it is the first level of zuhd.
The second level is when one willingly renounces the world
and it does not bother his ego. Instead, he observes this zuhd and
is inclined to it and he seems to be delighted with his ego. He
feels that he has abandoned something valuable for something
more precious, like one who leaves a dirham in exchange for two
dirhams. This level of zuhd is deficient.
The third, which is the highest level, is to willingly reject the
world and to reject one's rejection, thereby giving no worth to the
object of his rejection. This is because he knows the world is
worthless in the sight of Allah &, and, therefore, he is like one
who leaves porcelain for a jewel. He does not see it as a
commutative contract since the world, in relation to the pleasures
of the Next World, has far less worth than porcelain has in
comparison to a jewel. This is the perfection of zuhd. The
similitude of the third level is like the one who is barred by a dog
from entering the king's door. He throws it a morsel of bread to
distract it, and he enters and gains closeness to the king. Should
he feel as though he has helped the king by discarding a morsel
for something far greater? Shaytān is the dog standing at the
open, unveiled door of Allah &, barring people from entering, and
the world is the morsel which is cast away in order to attain the
King's honour. He would never give the discarded morsel a
second thought.
HARMS OF LOVING THE WORLD
The Fire thrives through the people's love of the world and the
Garden thrives through people's rejection of the world. One of
the harms of loving the world is that it has an intoxicating
effect which is far more potent than wine, since the effects of
the latter will eventually wear off most of the time. As for the
intoxication of the love of the world, a person will not come to
his senses until he is in a dark grave.
Yahya ibn Mu'adh said,
The world is Shaytan's wine. Whoever is intoxicated by it will not
recover from it until he is dead, filled with regret among the
losers. The least harm it can do is to distract one from Allah's &
love and His remembrance. When the heart is distracted from
Allah's remembrance, Shaytan settles there and directs it
wherever he wishes. One of his evil schemes is that he keeps a
person content with few good actions, just to appease him and
show him that he is doing good deeds.
It is related that the Messiah # said,
Bhs obeis
'Love of the world is the cause of every sin.' (Abu Nu'aym in
Hilyah 6:388).
There are many reasons why love of the world is considered to
be the root of every sin:
1. Loving the world demands that you laud it, but it is
despised in the sight of Allah &, and one of the gravest sins is
to laud what Allah & has despised.
2. Allah & curses, detests and loathes everything in the
world that is not for Him, and the one who loves what Allah &
detests will face trials, scorn and anger from Him.
3. When one loves the world, he makes it his goal. He tries
to attain it using actions which are supposed to be used as a
means to get to Allah & and the Next World. He is, therefore,
doing the opposite of what he is required to do and he has
changed the rationale of his worship. There are two concerns
here: firstly, he has turned a means into a goal, and second, he
is seeking to gain access to the world through actions of the
Next World. This is an evil inversion and a gross reversal from
all angles. Allah & says about this very deed:
Y s وَهُمْ Gs iiti ay) s is vent] rea يُرِيدُ OB | 3.
gad صَنَعُوا ls Es; jJ إلا e a ed end riit i jās
pan li U det;
As for those who desire the life of this world and its finery, we will
give them full payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived
here of their due. But such people will have nothing in the Next World
but the Fire. What they achieved here will come to nothing, and what
they did will prove to be null and void. (11:15—16)
Along with the above verse, there are many narrations that
discuss this reprehensible sin, an example of which is Abū
Hurayrah's hadith about the three who will be the first to
burn in the Fire; the fighter, the charitable one and the reciter,
all of whom sought the world through their deeds. (Muslim
1905). Love of the world has deprived these people of reward,
spoiled their actions for them and made them the first to enter
the Fire.
4. Love of the World intervenes between a person and those
actions which will benefit him in the Next World, by
distracting him with things he is infatuated with. People are at
varying levels in this respect. Some are distracted by their
desires from investing in their belief, while others are
distracted from obligations and praiseworthy deeds.
5. The world becomes the primary concern for the one who
loves it. Regarding this, the Prophet ® said,
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Allah will satisfy the heart of the one who makes the Next World
his main concern, He will consolidate all of his problems and the
world will come to him grudgingly. Alternatively, Allah will put
poverty right before the eyes of the one who makes the world his
primary concern, He will make his problems many and only that
portion of the world which is destined for him will come to him.
(Tirmidhi 2465).
6. The one who loves the world will suffer the most because
of it. He will suffer through his effort in trying to attain it and
in vying with competitors. He will then suffer in the grave and
on the Day of Rising through the pain of being separated from
the world. The worms and insects crawling through his body
will not affect him as much as being separated from what he
loves. Allah % says,
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Do not let their wealth and children impress you. Allah merely wants
to punish them by them during their life in this world and for them to
die while they are unbelievers. (9:55)
7. Those who love it and prefer it over the Next World will
be filled with the most regret. They will regret their foolishness
which made them favour a dream over reality and something
temporary over the everlasting abode.
We ask Allah & to save us from falling into the temptations of
the world and to unite us with the Prophets, the truly sincere
and the righteous in the Next World. What excellent company
they are!
BOOKS WRITTEN ON ZUHD
The scholars have given special consideration to authoring
books on zuhd and ragā'ig (heart-softening anecdotes). Most of
the authors of the six primary books have included a chapter
on zuhd or a chapter on heart-softening narrations, or both of
them together, in their respective books. Some scholars have
written books specific to the topic of zuhd and others have
listed the books in compendiums—such as Kashf az-Zunūn,
Tarikh al-Adab al- Arabi and Fihrist of Ibn an-Nadim etc.
Firyawā'ī, an editor of Waki‘’s Kitab az-Zuhd, has mentioned 62
books authored on the topic of zuhd and heart-softening
anecdotes. Then, in the introduction of Hannād's Kitāb az-Zuhd,
he supplemented that with fourteen more books, bringing the
total to 76 books. Further details of all the books can be found
in these references, but we will suffice on mentioning a few
examples, listed in chronological order:
1. Zuhd of Imam Shaykh al-Islam ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak
al-Marwazi (118/797). It is the oldest extant book on the
theme of zuhd. There are two transmissions of this book: one of
Marwazi and the other of Nu‘aym ibn Hammad. Shaykh Habib
ar-Rahman al-A‘zami edited and verified the Marwazi text
which also included some additions from Yahya ibn Sa‘id and
Marwazi, but not through Ibn al-Mubarak. The total number of
narrations in this copy amount to 1,627. Thereafter, he added
the Zuhd of Nu‘aym ibn Hammad to it, and this is the copy
which is widely-used and accepted. The edition of the Zuhd
currently in your hands has removed the extra narrations
added by the narrators of Ibn al-Mubarak’s Zuhd and it does
not contain Nu‘aym ibn Hammad's Zuhd. This has been done in
an effort to make the Zuhd purely Ibn al-Mubarak's.
2. Kitab az-Zuhd of Imam Wakī' ibn al-Jarrah (197/813). It
is published with Dr ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar al-
Firyawā'ī's verification.
3. Kitab az-Zuhd of Imam Hafiz Asad ibn Misa, also known
as Asad as-Sunnah (212/827). It is published with Abū Ishaq
al-Huwayni’s verification, and it contains 104 narrations.
4. Kitab az-Zuhd of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal ash-Shaybani
(241/855). It is a collection of 2,345 narrations, some of which
are not related from Ahmad but have been added by his son,
‘Abdullah. Earlier scholars’ comments on the book indicate that
the current published edition seems to only be a portion of
Ahmad’s actual Kitab az-Zuhd.
5. Zuhd of Imam Hannād ibn as-Sarī al-Kūfī (243/857). It is
published in two volumes with Dr ‘Abd a-Rahmān ibn ‘Abd al-
Jabbar al-Firyawa’i’s verification. There is also another edition
of the book which is verified by Muhammad Abū '1-Layth al-
Khayrabadi. It contains 1,467 narrations.
6. Kitab az-Zuhd of Imam Hāfiz Abū Dawüd Sulayman ibn
al-Ash‘ath as-Sijistani (275/888). It is from the transmission of
Ibn al-A‘rabi from Abu Dawid. The narrations, which amount
to 521, are arranged according to the Companions and Tabiīn
who relate them.
7. Kitab az-Zuhd of Imam Abū Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr ibn Abi
‘Asim (282/895). It is published with Dr ‘Abd al-‘Ali ‘Abd al-
Hamid Hamid’s verification, and it contains 288 narrations.
8. Kitab az-Zuhd al-Kabir of Imam al-Muhaddith Ahmad ibn
Husayn al-Bayhaqi (458/1066). Dr Tagiyy ad-Din Nadwi
verified it and added notes to it. It consists of five parts and it
is published in one volume. The book is arranged in six
chapters. Each chapter begins with Prophetic hadiths, followed
by narrations from Companions and then statements of 71
and scholars.
1 Bukhari (5063). The warning: ‘is not with me’ means ‘is not upon
my way.' It does not result in exclusion from the Religion. If, however,
obstinate aversion leads him to believe his own actions are superior,
then ‘is not with me’ means ‘is not part of my Religion,’since such beliefs
constitute disbelief. Ibn Hajar in Fath (9:105-106).
2 Bukhari (3108) and Tirmidhi (1733). The wording is of Tirmidhi.
«M.
ES
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
NAME, BACKGROUND AND BIRTH
HIS NAME IS ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak ibn Wadih al-Hanzali
at-Tamīmī, the clients of Abū ‘Abd ar-Rahman al-Marwazī. He
is Shaykh al-Islām, the great scholar and leader of the
righteous in his time. His mother was a Khawarizmi and his
father, a Turk, was the slave of a trader from Hamdhan from
the Hanzalah tribe. Hasan said, 'Ibn al-Mubarak's mother was
Turkish, and he clearly looked like one of them.”
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said he was born in 118/797. He was
from Merv, which is a city in Khorasan (now located in
southern Turkmenistan).
‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Razmah said that Shu'bah once asked
him, "Where are you from? He answered, 'From Merv.' He then
asked, ‘Do you know ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak?' and he
replied, ‘Yes’. So he said, ‘We have never seen anyone like
him.’
Ibn al-Mubarak once visited Hammad ibn Zayd and the
latter asked, ‘Where are you from?’He answered, ‘From
Khorasan.’He asked, ‘Which part of Khorasan?’ He answered,
‘From Merv.’ He then asked, ‘Do you know of a man called
‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak?’ He responded in the affirmative.
‘What happened to him?’he asked. Ibn al-Mubarak answered,
‘He is the one speaking to you.’ He then greeted him and
welcomed him and they got along very well.
ALL GOOD QUALITIES COMBINED
Hasan in ‘Isa said,
Ibn al-Mubarak's companions, Fadl ibn Mūsā, Makhlad ibn
Husayn and Muhammad ibn an-Nadr, gathered and said, 'Let us
count Ibn al-Mubarak's good qualities.’ They counted: seeking
knowledge, understanding of jurisprudence, having knowledge of
literature, grammar, language, poetry, eloquence, zuhd, piety,
justice and fairness, worship and standing to pray at night, Hajj,
military service, bravery, equestrian skills, physical strength, only
speaking about matters that concerned him and few
disagreements with his companions.
Isma‘il ibn *Ayyash said, "There is no one on the face of the
earth like ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak. I do not know of any good
quality which Allah & has created and not put in «Abdullah ibn
al-Mubarak. My companions told me that they accompanied
him from Egypt to Makkah and he would feed them delicacies
while he always fasted.’
‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn Mahdi said, ‘I have not seen anyone
like Ibn al-Mubarak.’ Yahya ibn Saad al-Qattan asked, ‘Not
even Sufyan or Shu‘bah?’ He answered, ‘Not even Sufyan or
Shu‘bah. Ibn al-Mubarak was a jurists, a hadith master, an
ascetic, a worshipper, a wealthy man, a pilgrim, a warrior, a
grammarian and a poet. I have not seen anyone like him.'
‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Rizmah said, ‘Every praiseworthy trait
was found in ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak; modesty, generosity,
noble manners, friendliness, cordiality, zuhd, piety and
everything else.’
Nasa’i said, ‘During the time of Ibn al-Mubarak, we knew of
no one greater or nobler than him and no one possessed more
good qualities than him.’
Ibn Hajar said, ‘He is reliable, trustworthy, generous, a
jurist, a scholar and a warrior. Every good guality was found in
him.’
PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND KEEN INTELLIGENCE
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said,
In the time of Ibn al-Mubārak, there was no one who travelled
more to seek knowledge than him. He travelled to Yemen, Egypt,
the Levant, Basra and Kufa. He was one of the transmitters of
knowledge and he deserved that title. He took knowledge from
the young and the old. He took from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mahdi
and from Fazari, and he amassed a great deal of reports. No one
made fewer mistakes than Ibn al-Mubarak. He narrated from a
book, and whoever narrates from a book will hardly make
mistakes. Waki‘ would narrate from his memory without referring
to a book; consequently, he made some mistakes. After all, how
much can a person memorise?
Abū Khirāsh asked ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak at Mopsuestia,
‘Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, how much longer are you going to
pursue knowledge?’ He said, ‘Perhaps I have not yet heard the
word which will lead me to my salvation.’
Muhammad ibn an-Nadr ibn Musawir said, ‘My father told
me he said to ‘Abdullah (ibn al-Mubārak), “Aba ‘Abd ar-
Rahman, do you try to memorise hadiths?” His face changed
and he said, “I have never tried to memorise a hadith. I merely
read a book and whatever I like from it clings to my heart.”
Sakhr (Ibn al-Mubarak’s friend) said, ‘In our younger days
whilst in elementary school, we passed by a man giving a
lengthy speech and when he finished, Ibn al-Mubarak told me
he had memorised it. A man overheard him and challenged
him to repeat it, so he did. He had actually memorised it!’
Nu'aym ibn Hammad heard ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak say,
'My father told me, "If I find your books, I am going to burn
them." So I said to him, "What harm will that do me if it is
already in my heart?"
Shagīg ibn Ibrahim narrated that Ibn al-Mubarak was once
asked, ‘You pray with us but why do you not sit with us?’ He
replied, ‘I sit with the Companions # and their followers.’ The
people said, ‘There are no Companions or followers here!’ He
explained, ‘I look back at my knowledge and I retrieve their
traditions and their deeds. What would I do siting with you?
All you do is backbite others.’
Nu‘aym ibn Hammad said, “Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak
would often sit alone in his home and people would ask, “Do
you not feel lonely?” He answered, “How can I feel lonely
when I am with the Prophet $?"'
WORSHIP AND FEAR OF ALLAH &
Muhammad ibn al-Wazir (Ibn al-Mubarak's trustee) said,
I was with 'Abdullāh in the howdah when we passed by a
dangerous place at night. Ibn al-Mubarak got down and mounted
his steed until we passed that place, and then we arrived at a
river. He got down from his steed and I took the reins and I laid
down. He began performing wudū” (ablution) and he prayed until
dawn while I was watching him. Before the sun had risen, he
called out to me, ‘Get up and perform wudi?" and when I
answered, ‘I have wudū” already, he was filled with remorse
because I knew he spent the night standing in prayer. He did not
speak to me thereafter until noon when we arrived at our
destination.
Qasim ibn Muhammad said,
We used to travel with Ibn al-Mubārak and I would always
wonder to myself, ‘What has made this man better than all of us
and propelled him to fame? He prays, fasts, fights and performs
Hajj, but so do we.’ Once, when we were on one of our journeys
to the Levant, we stopped to rest for the night in a house and the
candle went out, so one of us got up to relight the candle. He
went out and it was a while before he returned with the candle.
When he brought the candle back, I looked at Ibn al-Mubarak and
his face and beard were drenched in tears. I told myself, ‘It is this
fear of Allah that has made this man better than all of us.' Perhaps
he was reminded of the Day of Rising when the light was snuffed
out and darkness fell.
Abū ‘Abdillah Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, ‘Allah & raised the
status of Ibn al-Mubarak because of a secret which he
possessed.’
Khalil Abū Muhammad said, ‘When Ibn al-Mubārak left for
Makkah, he would say:
بغض الحياة وخوف الله أخرجنى وبيع نفسي بما ليست له ثمنا
إفى وزنت الذي يبقى ليعدله هاليس ER o فلا والله ما اتزنا
Hate of the world, fear of Allah and selling my soul for
something invaluable have forced me to travel.
I have weighed the permanent against the temporary but, by
Allah, they are incomparable. (Khatīb in Tārikh 11:400).
Nu'aym ibn Hammad said, ‘When ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak
read Kitāb ar-Rigāg, he would weep like a butchered animal.
None of us had the audacity to approach him or ask him
something because he would push us away.’
Abū Ishaq Ibrahim ibn al-Ash‘ath said, ‘Once, when Ibn al-
Mubārak was sick, he became extremely concerned, and the
people could see he was anxious. They told him, "Your
situation is not very serious, so you need not be so worried.”
He said in response, "I have fallen sick while in a spiritual state
I am not pleased with.”
Fudayl once said, when he was talking about ‘Abdullah, ‘I
love him because he fears Allah.”
Abū Ishāg also said that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked, "Which
of two men do you prefer; one who fears Allah the most, or one
who is killed in the Path of Allah?” He replied, 'I prefer the one
who fears Allah the most.”
Abū Khuzaymah, the worshipper said, ‘I visited ‘Abdullah
while he was sick, and he was tossing and turning in his bed
out of grief. I said to him, “Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, what is this?!
Be patient!" He retorted, ^Who can be patient against Allah's
grip? His grip is painful, violent. (11:102)”
Abu Rawh related that Ibn al-Mubarak said,
Those with insight never feel truly safe from four: a past sin and
what the Lord % will do with it; remaining life and the
destruction that lies in it; a blessing bestowed—which one sees as
a good thing but could easily be a ploy to deceive and misguide;
and the gradual, but swift, deviation of the heart—his religion is
being snatched away while he is none the wiser.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Asim al-Harawi narrated:
An old man visited ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak and he saw him
leaning on a coarse elevated pillow. He said, ‘I wanted to say
something to him but I saw the fear in his eyes and I felt
sympathy for him. He was saying, “Allah & says: Say to the
believers that they should lower their gaze (24:30). Allah does not
approve of looking at a woman’s beauty, let alone fornicating
with her. Allah % says: Woe to the Stinters (83:1)—those who fall
short when measuring and weighing, so what will happen to those
who unjustly take the whole amount? Allah & says: Do not
backbite one another (49:12) and other similar verses, so what will
happen to the one who kills another?” I pitied him after I saw his
state, so I did not say anything.”
ZUHD AND PIETY
The essence of zuhd is to remove the world from the heart
while still holding it in your hand. Like Ibn al-Mubārak; he was
a trader, but he intended to use his wealth for Hajj, for military
use, in assisting people and other noble endeavours.
‘Ali ibn al-Fudayl said,
I heard my father say to Ibn al-Mubārak, ‘You encourage us to
make do with less and what is sufficient and to renounce the
world but we see you bringing goods from Khorasan to the Sacred
Land. Why is that?’ Ibn al-Mubarak answered, ‘Aba ‘Ali, I only do
that to save face, to protect my honour and to help me to obey my
Lord. Whenever I see a right of Allah, I rush to carry it out.' Then
Fudayl said to him, 'Ibn al-Mubarak, if that is the case, then how
admirable"
Regarding his piety, Hasan said, ‘I once saw a pigeon in Ibn al-
Mubarak's house and he said, ^We used to make use of this
pigeon's hatchlings but we are not going to do so anymore." I
asked, “Why is that?" and he replied, "Other pigeons [that do
not belong to us] mated with it, so because of that we do not
want to take benefit from its hatchlings.
Hasan ibn ‘Arafah said, ‘Ibn al-Mubarak told me, “I
borrowed a pen when I was in the Levant and I forgot to return
it. Then, when I got to Merv, I saw that I still had it in my
possession, so I went again to the Levant to return it to him!”
‘Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Shagīg narrated that he heard Ibn al-
Mubarak say, 'I would much rather return a doubtful dirham
than give 100,000, followed by another 100,000, even up to
700,000 in charity.’
‘Ayyash ibn ‘Abdillah narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn al-
Mubarak said, ‘If a person stays away from 100 things but
indulges in one thing, he is not considered God-fearing.
Similarly, if a person abstains from 100 things but indulges in
one thing, he is not considered to be pious. And whoever
possesses a single characteristic of ignorance is considered
ignorant. Have you not heard what Nüh said to Allah 8:
(49 مِنْ gop
My son is one of my family. (11:45)
And Allah responded,
»31 أَعِظْكَ dl تكُون مِنَ لجاهليت)
I admonish you lest you should be among the ignorant. (11:46)
MANNERS AND GENEROSITY
One day, Ibn al-Mubarak visited Hammad ibn Zayd, so the
students of Hadith said to Hammad, ‘Ask Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman
to narrate to us.’ So he said, ‘Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, will you
narrate to them? They told me to ask you.’ Ibn al-Mubarak
responded, ‘Glory be to Allah, Aba Isma‘il! How can I narrate
when you are present?’ ‘I implore you to do it,he pleaded. So
he said, ‘Listen. Abū Isma‘il Hammad ibn Zayd related to us...”
and he proceeded to narrate every narration he had heard from
only Hammad.
Ibn Humayd said, ‘A man sneezed in the company of Ibn al-
Mubarak, so he asked him, “What does one say when he
sneezes?” The man replied, “Al-hamdu lillah," and Ibn al-
Mubarak said to him, *Yarhamuk Allah." We were all amazed at
his politeness.’ Ibn al-Mubarak &strove to teach good etiquette
and he expounded its significance.
Abū Nu'aym *Ubayd ibn Hisham said that he heard Ibn al-
Mubarak saying to his students of hadith, ‘Possessing a few
good manners is more important for you than possessing
abundant knowledge.’
He also used to say, ‘We sought the knowledge of manners
because the well-mannered had all passed away.”
Yahya ibn Yahya al-Andalūsī said,
We were in Malik’s gathering when permission was sought for Ibn
al-Mubarak to enter and Malik granted it. We then saw Malik
move for him, in his own gathering, and give him space close to
him. I have never seen him move for anyone in his own
gathering. The reciter would read to Malik and occasionally, he
would stop at a narration and ask Ibn al-Mubarak, ‘Do you have
anything to share here?’ and Ibn al-Mubarak would answer very
quietly. He then got up and left. Malik, impressed with his
manners, said to us, "This is Ibn al-Mubarak, Jurist of Khorasan.’
In addition to having good manners and a sound character, he
was also the most generous and charitable of people. There are
many stories about his generous spending, but mentioning a
few here will suffice.
Hibbān ibn Misa said,
When Ibn al-Mubarak was criticised for giving wealth to people in
different cities but not his own, he responded, ‘I know the status
of those who possess virtue and sincerity. They sought knowledge
of hadith and they excelled in it because the people needed them.
If we do not help them, it would have all gone to waste. But if we
assist them, they will spread the knowledge to the Community of
Muhammad €. Aside from prophethood, I do not know of any
endeavour more virtuous than spreading knowledge.’
Salamah ibn Sulayman said,
A man asked Ibn al-Mubārak to help him clear a debt he owed, so
Ibn al-Mubarak wrote to his accountant. When the letter reached
the accountant, he asked the man, ‘How much was the debt you
asked him to clear?’ ‘700 dirhams,’he answered. But Abdullah had
[mistakenly] written that he should be given 7,000 dirhams. So
the accountant wrote back to him, saying, ‘The funds have almost
run out.’ ‘Abdullah finally wrote to him, ‘The funds have almost
run out and life is almost over too. So give him what my pen has
carelessly written.’
Muhammad ibn ‘Isa said,
Ibn al-Mubārak would often visit Tarsus, and on the way, he
would stop at Riggah and stay at an inn there. There was a
youngster who also used to go there to tend to his needs and
listen to hadiths from him. On one occasion, ‘Abdullah came there
but did not see him, and then he hurriedly left with the party.
When he returned, he asked about the youngster and they told
him, ‘He has been detained for a debt of 10,000 dirhams.’ So Ibn
al-Mubarak asked to be taken to the debtor, and he cleared the
10,000 and took an oath from him that he would not tell anyone
about this as long as he (i.e. Ibn al-Mubarak) was alive. He then
released the man and Ibn al-Mubarak set off that night.
Thereafter, the youngster met him on two more trips to Riqqah,
and ‘Abdullah asked him, ‘Where did you go, young man? I did
not see you.’ He answered, ‘I was detained because of a debt.’
‘Abdullah asked, ‘How were you freed?’ He said, ‘A man, whom I
do not know, came and he cleared my debt.’ ‘Abdullah said,
'Praise Allah" And the man only found out the truth after
‘Abdullah has passed away.
‘Amr ibn Hafs, the Sufi of Manbij said,
Ibn al-Mubarak left Baghdad for Mopsuestia accompanied by
some Sufis. He said to them, 'Your souls are too shy to allow
anyone to spend on you. Young boy, give me the dish and spread
a cloth over it. Now, each of you will place whatever wealth he
has under the cloth.' Some of them placed ten dirhams and others
placed twenty dirhams under the cloth. From that moment
onwards, he began spending on them until they arrived at
Mopsuestia. Then, when they arrived, he said, 'This is where the
war is, so we will split what remains,’ and when he proceeded to
give them twenty dirhams, one of them said, ‘But, Aba ‘Abd ar-
Rahman, I put twenty dirhams in.' Ibn al-Mubarak said to him,
‘Do you deny that Allah blesses the wealth of a warrior?”
Muhammad ibn *Ali in Shaqiq narrated from his father,
When it was the time for Hajj, Ibn al-Mubarak's companions from
Merv would gather around him and say, ‘We shall accompany you
on the Hajj, Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman,' and he would say, ‘Give me
your wealth.' He would then take their wealth and lock it away in
a chest. On the journey from Merv to Baghdad, he employed
people to serve them, and he continued to spend on them and
feed them the best foods and tastiest sweets. Then they left
Baghdad in honour and wearing the best clothes, until they
reached the Prophet's % city. When they arrived at Madinah, he
asked every person, ‘What gifts have your families asked you to
buy from Madinah?' and they responded, 'Such-and-such.' Then
they set off and arrived at Makkah. Once they had completed
their Hajj, he asked each of them, ‘What goods have your families
asked you to buy from Makkah?’ They answered, ‘Such-and-such,’
and he purchased it for them. Then they left Makkah, and he
continued to spend on them until they arrived at Merv. Once at
Merv, he had their homes and their entrances repaired and
decorated, and after three days he prepared a meal for them and
gifted them new clothes. When the meal was over, he called for
the chest, opened it and handed to each of them a purse with
their names on it.
HUMILITY AND RENOUNCING FAME
Despite possessing all of these virtues and good gualities, he
was filled with humility—and Allah % raises the rank of those
who are humble for His sake.
Hasan said, ‘Nadr ibn Muhammad married off his son and
he invited Ibn al-Mubarak to the wedding. When Ibn al-
Mubarak came, he got up to serve the people but Nadr refused
to let him, imploring him until he finally sat down.'
Hasan also said,
Ibn al-Mubarak's house in Merv had a big courtyard which was
approximately 50x50 cubits. If you wanted to see any scholar,
worshipper or reputable man of Merv, you would find them
gathered in Ibn al-Mubarak's home, every day, in study circles
discussing knowledge, and when he left his home, they would
stick to him. When Ibn al-Mubarak moved to Kufa, he lived in a
small house and he would go out for prayer and then return. He
hardly left his house and he did not have many visitors. One day,
I asked him, ‘Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, do you not get lonely here,
considering how you lived in Merv?' He told me, 'I fled from Merv
to escape the scene which you were amazed by, and I prefer this
scene here which you do not approve of. In Merv, whenever there
was an issue, they would come to me and whenever there was
some matter, they would say, "Ask Ibn al-Mubarak." Here,
however, I am safe from all of that.”
He also said, ‘I was with Ibn al-Mubarak once, when he came
by a watering-hole. People were drinking from it and he got
close to drink too, and the people, not knowing who he was,
pushed and shoved him. When he emerged from the crowd, he
said, "This is the life!" meaning, when no one recognises and
reveres us.'
BRAVERY AND MILITARY SERVICE IN JIHAD
In addition to his knowledge, his self-discipline, his generosity
and his worship, he was also known for his bravery while
serving in Jihad.
‘Abdah ibn Sulayman al-Marwazī said,
We were on an expedition with ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak in
Roman lands, when we unexpectedly encountered the enemy. As
the two rows faced off, a Roman stepped forward and called for a
duel. So a man came out to meet him but he was killed, and then
another stepped out and he too was killed. He again called for a
duel and someone came out to him. They fought for a while, but
then he stabbed the Roman and killed him. The people crowded
around him and I was one of them. He had covered his face with
his sleeve so I tugged on the edge of it, and it was ‘Abdullah ibn
al-Mubarak! He said, ‘Aba ‘Amr, you would expose me?’
‘Abdullah ibn Sinan said,
I was with Ibn al-Mubarak and Mu‘tamir ibn Sulayman in Tarsus
when the call to arms was made. Ibn al-Mubarak and Mu‘tamir
came out with the people. Once the Muslims and the enemy had
formed their ranks, a Roman stepped out and asked for a duel. So
a Muslim came out to meet him, but he was attacked and killed.
This carried on until the enemy had duelled six Muslims and
killed them all. He then began to prance between the ranks,
calling for more duels but no one took the challenge. At that
moment, Ibn al-Mubarak turned to me and said, “Abdallah, if I
am killed, do such-and-such,' and he jolted out with his horse.
The enemy came out and they fought for a moment before Ibn al-
Mubarak killed him. He then asked for another duel and he killed
that opponent too. He carried on until he had duelled six
opponents and killed them all. He again called for a duel, but
now, it seemed as though they were afraid of him. So he hit his
steed and penetrated the ranks and disappeared. Then, before I
could notice, Ibn al-Mubārak had returned back to his place, and
he said to me, “Abdallah, if you tell anyone about this while I am
still alive. . .' and he gave me a stern warning. So I did not divulge
it to anyone as long as he was alive.
As well as practically demonstrating bravery, chivalry and
taking part in Jihad, he also invited people to these endeavours
using poetry and prose.
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Abi Sakinah said,
‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak dictated these lines to me at Tarsus. I
bid him farewell as he departed with the army, and I delivered
the words to Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad in the year 170/787 (or the year
177/794 according to Abū 'I-Ghanā'im's narration).
لعلمت انك في العبادة تلعب
فنحورنا بدمائنا تتخضب
فخيولنا يوم الصبيحة تتعب
رهج الستابك والغبارالأطيب
قول صحيح صادق Y يكذب:
كشا امرئ ودخان نار تلهب
ليس الشهيد بميتِ Y يڪذب
ياعابد الحرمين لو أبصرتنا
من کان يخضب خهه بدموعه
أو كان يتعب خيله في باطل
ريح العبير لكم ونحن عبيرنا
ولقد أتانا من مقال نبينا
ves - -— ل الله في
O worshipper of the two Holy Masjids, if only you could see us,
you would realise that you are merely playing in your worship.
O one whose cheek is wet with his tears,
know that our necks are drenched with our blood.
O one whose horse tires from frivolity,
know that our steeds tire from the morning of battle.
You enjoy the sweet aroma of perfume, while our perfume—
the dirt and dust from the horses’ hooves—is sweeter.
The words of our Prophet W have reached us.
It is an authentic statement that cannot be denied:
The dust on a man's face, kicked up by the steeds of Allah,
can never be combined with the smoke of the raging fire.
This is the Book of Allah, speaking to us, saying,
‘The martyr is not dead!” which cannot be denied. (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 32:449).
I met Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad in the Holy Masjid and handed him the
letter. When he read it, tears began to fall and he said, "Abū ‘Abd
ar-Rahman has spoken the truth in his advice to me.' He then
asked me, ‘Are you one of those who writes narrations?’ I
answered, ‘Yes, Aba ‘Ali.’ So Fudayl said, "Then write this hadith
as a wage for delivering Abū ‘Abd ar-Rahman's letter to me,’ and
he dictated to me, with his chain:
Jas adig dip a Suny ot gtd :© 25 JE الجا
في J الل S aus af كبس Ged aae في Mi, CSE ash
حستات؟
Abū Hurayrah “ narrated, that a man said, ‘Messenger of Allah,
teach me an action whereby I can attain the reward of those who
fight for the sake of Allah.” The Prophet # asked the man, ‘Are
you able to pray salāh without stopping and fast without breaking
it? He said, 'Prophet of Allah, I am too weak for that.” So, the
Prophet % said, ‘By the One Who holds my life in His Hand, even
if you were able to do that, you would still not reach the reward
of those who fight for the sake of Allah. Are you not aware that
good deeds are written for the one going on Jihad for the steps his
horse takes while grazing tied by its rope?' (Bukhari 2785).
SCHOLARS' PRAISE OF HIM
In this world, one sign of a believer's good fortune is the
people's praise of him. The Prophet ® was asked about a man
who acts for the sake of Allah and people love him or praise
him. He ® said,
"That is immediate good news of the believer.' (Muslim 2642).
The great scholar, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak was afforded the
greatest share of praise. Dhahabi said, ‘By Allah, I love him for
the sake of Allah, and I hope to receive reward for loving him
because of his god-consciousness, his worship, his sincerity, his
military service, his great knowledge, his excellence, his
hospitality, his chivalry and the rest of his good qualities.'
There is no doubt that the love we have for these pious
personalities is a kind of provision from Allah & and regarding
provisions, He ê says,
(2355 1$ لِمَنْ $53 Bs ah)
Allah expands provision to anyone He wills and restricts it. (13:26)
It is the love Allah & has promised his righteous, believing
slaves:
(65 SAN سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُم UA الذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا Sp»
As for those who believe and do right actions, the All-Merciful will
bestow His love on them, (19:96)
It is the love mentioned in the hadith:
4 5
3d 32 5G 4
deol 696 Est 15 السمَاء: إن الله al في dite tt dm
IN يوضع له القبول في ALII Jal eus
When Allah loves a slave, He calls out to ,1111ل ‘Allah loves so-
and-so, so love him!” and so Jibril loves him. Then a call goes out
among the people of heaven, 'Allah loves so-and-so, so love him"
and so the people of heaven love him. Thereafter, people of the
world begin to adore him. (Bukhari 3209 and Muslim 2637).
The following is a small sample of the love the scholars had for
Ibn al-Mubarak:
Shu'ayb ibn Harb said, ‘Ibn al-Mubarak never met a man
who was better than him.”
Mu‘tamir ibn Sulayman said, ‘I never saw anyone
accomplish what Ibn al-Mubarak accomplished.’
When Ibn al-Mubarak passed away, the Khalif, Hārūn said,
‘The chief of the scholars has died.’
‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Zayd al-Jahdami said that 71
asked him, ‘Did you see Ibn al-Mubarak?’ When he replied in
the negative, Awzaa said, ‘If you had seen him, he would have
delighted you.’
‘Ata ibn Muslim asked ‘Ubayd ibn Jannad, ‘Did you see
‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak?’ ‘Ubayd answered, ‘Yes. I have not
seen anyone like him. You will never see anyone like him.’
‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mahdi said, ‘I have never seen anyone
with more concern for this Muslim community than ‘Abdullah
ibn al-Mubarak.
Yahya ibn Ma‘in commented, when Ibn al-Mubarak was
mentioned in his company, ‘He is one of the leaders of the
Muslims.’
Ahmad ibn ‘Abdah said, ‘Fudayl, Sufyan and other scholars
were sat in the Holy Masjid, when Ibn al-Mubārak came from
the direction of the mountains. Sufyān said, "This is the great
man of the East.’ Fudayl then said, "This is the great man of the
East, the West and whatever lies between them.’
Saīd ibn Mansür was asked why he did not write hadith
from Shu‘bah and Sufyan. He answered, ‘Once I met Ibn al-
Mubarak, I cared little for anyone else.'
‘Ali ibn al-Madini said, ‘Knowledge ends at two people: Ibn
al-Mubarak and Yahya ibn Ma‘in.’
Kharijah said to his brothers, ‘If you want to see a man who
seems to be from the Companions, look at ‘Abdullah ibn al-
Mubarak.’
‘Abdullah ibn al-Hasan said,
إذناسار عبد at من مرو A فقد سار عنها نورها ble,
When ‘Abdullah left Merv at night,
its beauty and radiance left too.
They speak of the great scholars of the world,
but they are merely its stars, while you are its moon. (Ibn ‘Asakir
in Tarikh 32:434).
Ibrahim ibn Musa said, ‘I was with Yahya ibn Ma‘in, when a
man came and asked him, “Aba Zakariyya, who is more
reliable in relating from Mas'üd; ‘Abd ar-Razzaq or ‘Abdullah
ibn al-Mubarak?' He was reclining at the time but then he sat
up straight and said, "Ibn al-Mubarak is better than "Abd ar-
Razzaq and his whole family.”
Sufyan said, ‘I would love to be like ‘Abdullah Ibn al-
Mubarak for one year of my life, but I cannot even manage
three days!
Yahyā ibn Ādam said, 'If I am searching for some subtle
information from the scholars and I do not find it in Ibn al-
Mubarak's books, I give up.’
Aswad ibn Sālim said, 'Ibn al-Mubārak was an exemplary
Imam and he was the most reliable in knowledge of the sunnah
of the Prophet ®. If you see a person slandering Ibn al-
Mubarak, be suspicious of his claim of being a Muslim.’
SAYINGS
Ibn al-Mubarak’s pearls of wisdom indicate his keen
intelligence and high status. When a person has refined his
character and perfected himself as a human being, he begins to
speak wise words and indisputable truths. The Following are
some examples of his sayings:
Ibn al-Mubarak said, "Whoever is miserly with knowledge
will be afflicted by one of three; death, forgetfulness, or
political alliance with rulers.’
When Abū Wahab al-Marwazi asked Ibn al-Mubarak about
pride, he said, 'It is to deprecate people.” When he asked him
about conceit, he said, ‘It is thinking you have something that
others do not have.'
A man asked Ibn al-Mubarak, ‘Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, what
should I dedicate most of my time to; learning Qur'an or
seeking knowledge?’ Ibn al-Mubarak asked him, ‘Do you know
enough of the Qur'an to pray your salah?’ The man said,
‘Yes.’ Ibn al-Mubarak then said, ‘In that case, dedicate your time
to seeking knowledge, since the Qur’an is only understood
through the medium of knowledge.’
Bishr ibn al-Harith said, ‘A man asked Ibn al-Mubarak about
a hadith while he was walking, so he said, “This is disrespectful
to knowledge.” I found that extremely commendable.’
Ibn al-Mubarak said, ‘When a person realises who he truly
is, he sees himself as more insignificant than a dog.”
When a man asked Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, ^What is
humility?' he answered, "To be proud in front of the rich.”
Ibn al-Mubarak said, "Nothing has made me more weary
than trying to find a brother for the sake of Allah &.'
A man asked Ibn al-Mubārak, 'Is there anyone left to advise
us?’ He replied, ‘Do you know anyone who will heed the
advice?”
Ibn al-Mubārak said, "We sought knowledge for the sake of
the world, but knowledge told us to abandon the world.”
Ibn al-Mubārak said, "The souls of righteous ones in the past
obliged when they did voluntary good acts. Our souls, on the
other hand, do not comply without force, so we must force
them.’
NOTABLE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Ibn al-Mubarak’s most senior teacher was Rabi‘ ibn Anas al-
Khurasani, although he had to trick his way into prison to meet
him. He heard approximately 40 hadiths from him, and then in
the year 141/758 he travelled extensively to take hadiths from
the remaining tabin (followers of the Companions 4). Among
the tābiīn Ibn al-Mubarak met were Hisham ibn 'Urwah,
Ismāīl ibn Abi Khalid, A*mash, Sulayman at-Taymi, Humayd
at-Tawīl, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Awn, Khalid al-Hadhdha’, Yahya ibn
Sa‘id al-Ansari and from Mūsā ibn ‘Aqabah.
Ibn ‘Asakir has presented a lengthy list of teachers Ibn al-
Mubarak studied with. Among them were:Awzaa, Yahya ibn
Abi Kathir, Ibn Lahi‘ah, Layth ibn Sa‘d, Ibn ‘Ajlan, Ibn Jurayj,
Mas‘tid, Misa ibn ‘Aqabah, Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Malik ibn
Anas, Sufyan ath-Thawri, Hammad ibn Zayd, Mubarak ibn
Fadalah, Shu‘bah, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Awn and many others. This is
but a brief sample of his teachers, while the actual number is
much higher. Ibn al-Mubarak himself said, ‘I studied with
4,000 teachers and I relate from a thousand of them.’ ‘Abbas
ibn Mus'ab said, ‘I have counted 800 of his teachers.’
His students too, like his teachers, are so numerous that it is
difficult to count them. One of the reasons the number of his
teachers and students is so high is because of his extensive
travels. The following are some of his students, some of whom
were also his teachers and contemporaries: Thawri, Mas'ūd ibn
Rashid, Abū Ishaq al-Fazari, Jafar ibn Sulayman 30-1131
Bagiyyah ibn al-Walid, Dāwūd ibn Sulaymān, Walid ibn
Muslim, Muslim ibn Ibrahim, Abu Usamah, Abü Salamah at-
Tabūdhakī, Nu'aym ibn Hammad, Ibn Mahdi, Qattan, Abū Bakr
ibn ‘Ayyash, Ishaq ibn Rahuwayh, Yahya ibn Ma‘in, Ibrahim
ibn Ishaq at-Taliqani, Ahmad ibn Muhammad Marduwayh,
Ismail ibn Abān al-Warrag, Bishr ibn Muhammad as-
Sakhtiyānī, Hibban in Musa, Hakam ibn Musa, Zakariyyā ibn
‘Adi, Sa‘id ibn Sulayman, Sa‘id ibn ‘Amr al-Ash‘athi, Sufyan ibn
‘Abd al-Malik al-Marwazi, Salamah ibn Sulayman al-Marwazi,
Sulayman ibn Salih Salmuwayh, Abū Bakr and ‘Uthman (sons
of Abi Shaybah) and others.’
LITERATURE
Ibn al-Mubarak also wrote books in many fields, some of which
are listed hereunder:
1. Tafsir: Dāwūdī mentioned it in Tabagāt al-Mufassirin. (Dāwūdī
1:250).
2. Musnad: Through the transmission of Hasan ibn Sufyan ibn ‘Amir
an-Nasawi. It is published through Maktabah al-Mafārif in Riyadh (1987)
with Subhi al-Badrī as-Samira'i's verification.
3. Kitāb al-Jihād: It is published through ad-Dār at-Tūnisiyyah in
Tunis (1972) with Dr Nazih Hammad's verification.
4. Kitab al-Birr wa’s-Silah: Dhahabi has mentioned it in Tārikh al-Islam
(Dhahabi 31:294), and Ibn Hajar has added some excerpts from it in
Isabah (Ibn Hajar 2:138 and 7:332).
5. Sunan: Dāwūdī mentioned it in Tabagāt (Dāwūdī 1:250).
6. Kitab at-Tarikh: Ibn an-Nadim has mentioned it (Ibn an-Nadim in
Fihrist p.280).
7. Arba%n fi l-Hadīth: Haji Khalifah has mentioned it (Haji Khalifah in
Kashf 1:1).
8. Rigā' al-Fatāwā: Haji Khalifah has mentioned it. (Haji Khalifah in
Kashf 1:911).
9. Kitab az-Zuhd and Kitab ar-Ragā'ig: The book currently in front of
you. It was published by Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah in Beirut with
Nu‘aym ibn Hammad's Zuhd and Habib ar-Rahman al-A'zami's
verification.
DEATH
The reliable position regarding his death date is that it was on
the 13th of Ramadan, in the year 181/797. Ibn al-Madini has
mentioned another date which is not so accurate. He said, “The
best of men all died in the same year, 179/795; Malik,
Hammad, Khalid, Sallam ibn Sulaym Abū 'l-Ahwas and
‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak.' Hasan ibn ar-Rabī' agrees with the
former position. He said, 'I was present around the time of Ibn
al-Mubarak's death. He passed away on the morning of the
1Oth of Ramadan in the year 181/797 and we buried him in
Hit.' Hasan asked Ibn al-Mubarak about his age before he died,
so he answered, ‘I am 63 years old.” Muhammad ibn Sa'd said,
'He died in Hit, at the age of 63, while returning from battle, in
the year 181/797. He was born in the year 118/736.'
Abū 'Abdillāh said, ‘When Ibn al-Mubarak was on his
deathbed, a man urged him to recite the Testimony of Faith,
saying, "Say: lā ilāha ill Allāh!” So Ibn al-Mubārak told him,
"You are not doing it right. I fear you will harm some other
Muslim after me [so listen to my instructions]. After
encouraging me to say lā ilāha ill Allāh, if I do so and I do not
say anything after that, then leave me be. If, however, I say
something after that, then encourage me to say lā ilāha ill Allāh
again, until it is the last thing I say.”
It is said that at the time of his death, Ibn al-Mubārak
opened his eyes, smiled and said,
(ó الْعَامِلُو jās ‘AS (3 Jal
It is for the like of this that all workers should work! (37:61)
And with that, this shinning sun set, after illuminating the
world with his brilliant light. His pure body which constantly
strove in worship, learning and teaching, fighting, spending,
assisting and other praiseworthy endeavours was now covered
in sand. All that remains is his remembrance and love for him
which fills the hearts of the believers.
1 Refer to Mizzi’s Tahdhib al-Kamal for a detailed list of his teachers
and students. (16:6—14)
W
3
BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NARRATORS OF IBN
AL-MUBARAK'S ZUHD
HUSAYN IBN AL-HASAN HARB AS-SULAMI IBN ‘ABDILLAH
AL-MARWZI
Among his teachers were: Ibn al-Mubarak, Hushaym, Yazid ibn
Zuray‘, Ibn *Ulayyah, Ibn ‘Uyaynah, Jafar ibn ‘Awn, Ibn Abi
‘Adi, Mu‘tamir ibn Sulayman and others. Some of his most
notable students were: Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Baqiyy ibn
Makhlad, Ibn Abi ‘Asim and Ibn Sa‘id.
He lived and taught in Makkah. Ibn Hibban, Maslamah and
others considered him reliable. He passed away in the year
246/860.
YAHYA IBN MUHAMMAD IBN ŠĀ TD IBN KATIB AL-HASHIMI
AL-BAGHDADI
Some of his teachers were: Luwayn, Ahmad ibn Mani‘, Siwar
ibn ‘Abdillah al-Qadi, Yahya ibn Sulayman ibn Fadlah, Hasan
ibn Hammad Sajjadah and others. Among his students were:
Abū 'l-Qasim Baghawi, Muhammad ibn ‘Umar al-Ji‘abi, Ibn al-
Muzaffar, Darqutni and many others.
He was a Hafiz and a reliable Imam. He was born in the
year 228/843 and passed away in 318/930. Abū ‘Ali an-
Naysābūrī said, ‘In Iraq, none of his contemporaries could
match him in understanding. Understanding, to us, is far
greater than mere memorisation. Dhahabī said, ‘Ibn Sa‘id is
firm in his discussions on the critical analysis of the narrators,
and this shows the depth of his knowledge.”
ABU UMAR IBN HAYYUWAYH
His teachers were: Baghandi, ‘Abdullah ibn Ishaq al-Mada'ini
and their contemporaries.
He is Muhammad ibn al- Abbas ibn Muhammad ibn
Zakariyya al-Baghdadi al-Khazzāz. He passed away in Rabī' al-
Akhir in the year 382/992 at 87 years of age. Khatib said, ‘He
is reliable. He spent his whole life writing and he transmitted
voluminous collections of hadith.’
ABU BAKR AL-WARRAQ
He was Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn al-‘Abbas al-Baghdādī al-
Mustamli. His father oversaw his pursuit of knowledge,
instructing him to study under Hasan ibn at-Tayyib al-Balkhi,
‘Umar ibn Abi Ghaylan and their contemporaries.
He was considered a reliable scholar of hadith. He lived for
85 years, and he passed away in the year 378/988.
We
ENCOURAGEMENT TO OBEY ALLAH
ALMIGHTY
Shaykh Abu Ghalib Ahmad ibn Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Bana’
reported from Abū Muhammad Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad
ibn Hasan al-Jawharī from Abū ‘Umar Muhammad ibn ‘Abbas
ibn Muhammad al-Warrāg from Abū Muhammad Yahya ibn
Muhammad ibn Sa‘id on Thursday 24 Rabi‘ al-Awwal in 315 at
the door of his house that Husayn ibn Hasan al-Marwazi Abt
‘Abdillah related in 245 that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak and
Fadl ibn Musa said:
1. Ibn ‘Abbas “ narrated that the Messenger of Allah © said,
نِعْمَتَانِ مَعْبُونُ فِيهما FS مِنَ Ll الصحة وَالمَرَاع.
"There are two blessings which many people are deceived in:
health and free time.’ (Bukhari 6412, Tirmidhi 2304 and Ibn
Majah 4170).
2. ‘Amr ibn Maymün al-Awdi said that the Prophet ® said to a
man he was exhorting,
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“1.07 49896 4idten s,s 7172 Tez 7-425 2 4S iei
مَوْتِكَ. JS Ds; Mes وَفْرَاعْكَ قبل NM
"Take advantage of five before five; your youth before you are old,
your health before you are sick, your wealth before you are poor,
your free time before you are occupied and your life before you
are dead.’ (Nasa'i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11832, Hakim 7846 and
Abū Nu'aym 4:148).
3. Abū Mūsā al-Ash'ari :& said,
jest s f at 2 IS p d s ne
"We do not expect from this world anything besides melancholic
burdens or impending trials.” (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah, 5).
4. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd '% said,
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*How numerous are the uncertainties of the world" (Ibn Abi 'd-
Dunyā in Zuhd, 171).
5. Abū Hurayrah related that the Prophet # said,
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"What are you waiting for except oppressive wealth, delayed
poverty, debilitating illness, feeble-minded senility, certain death,
or the Dajjal (and the Dajjal is an absent evil which is awaited) or
the Final Hour? And the Final Hour is more terrible and bitter.'
(Tabarani in Awsat 3945, Hakim 7906 and Bayhaqi in Shu'ab
10088).
6. Hasan used to say,
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"Son of Adam, beware of procrastination. You are involved in
today and not tomorrow. If you reach tomorrow, then be wise
tomorrow as you are today and if you have no tomorrow, then
you will not regret what you missed today.” (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in
Qasr 219).
Hasan also used to say,
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‘I have met people who are more miserly about their lives than
their dirhams and dinars. (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Qasr 91 and
Baghawi 14:225).
7. Abū 'd-Dardā” % said,
Ps 7 5 E"
لِمَوَاجِعِ الأمُور يَعْجَرْ Fall ag وَمَنْ لا ais LHS مَنْ
ن 2 - ومن د 2 ارو چ ور يعجز.
"Whoever seeks will not find, and whoever is not steadfast in
calamities is powerless.’ (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 206, Ibn Abi
Shaybah 34596 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:218).
8. Awn ibn 'Abdillāh used to say,
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‘How often a person looks forward to a day, but does not meet it!
How often one waits for tomorrow, but does not reach it! If you
are going to wait for an appointed time and its departure,
fallacious hope is going to vex you.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 34963 and
Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:243).
9. Abū Ishaq said that a man of the ‘Abd al-Qays was told in
his illness,
‘Instruct us!’ He replied, ‘I caution you about “will do.”
10. Ibn ‘Umar % said,
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453 Jal في LL 585 «i ple O3 في s E
‘The Messenger of Allah È took hold of me and said, “Be in the
world as though you are a stranger or a traveller, and count
yourself from the inhabitants of the graves.””
Ibn ‘Umar “ also said,
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'If you reach the morning, do not think about the evening, and if
you reach the evening, do not think about the morning. Make the
most of your health before your sickness and your life before your
death, for you do not know, slave of Allah, what your reputation
will be tomorrow.' (Tirmidhi 2333).
11. Hasan said,
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"You can find someone with insight lacking patience if you wish,
but if you see an insightful person with patience, then that is
something! (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Sabr 71).
12. Hasan commented on the words of Allah &: Those who give
(ya’tiina) what they have been given (ātū) (23:60),
"They give (yutūna) what they have been given (u'tū),”
And he said about: While their hearts are fearful (23:60),
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"They perform whatever good actions they perform while they
still fear that it will not save them from the punishment of their
Lord ê.’ (Tabari 19:45).
13. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz wrote to Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik:
$
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‘Beware of sudden death, for your calamity will dismissed, you
will not be able to return, those you have left behind will not
praise you for what you have left and those to whom you have
delegated your occupation will not pardon you. Peace be with
you.’ (Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā, 11864).
14. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd % said,
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‘A believer has no comfort except in [the thought of | meeting
Allah &. Whoever feels comfort in meeting Allah then it will be as
though it is so.' (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah, 1:136).
15. Jarir ibn Hazim said that he heard Hasan say,
أيْ قوم الْمُدَاوَمَةَ الْمْدَاوَمَةا p الله لَمْ Ja je الْمُؤْمِنِ MEN دُونَ DZ
"People! Perseverance! Perseverance! Allah has not appointed a
time limit for a believer's actions besides death.’ (Ibn al-Mugri” in
his Mujam, 720)
16. Mubarak ibn Fadalah related from Hasan about the words
of Allah &: Worship your Lord until what is Certain comes to you
(15:99). He said that it is death. (Tabari 17:160).
17. Hasan said,
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"When Shaytān looks at you and sees you constant in obeying
Allah, he seeks you and seeks you again. If he sees that you are
constant, he is controlled and leaves you. If you sway this way
and that, then he has hopes for you.” (Ibn al-Jawzī has recorded
this narration, Talbis p.346)
18. ‘Abdullah % said,
المَلِكِ يوشِك أن A Fda:
‘When someone is in the prayer, he is knocking on the door of the
King. If he continues to knock on the door of the King, it will soon
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be opened for him.” (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 144 and Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 1:130).
19. ‘Abdullah :& said about the verse: Fear Allah as He should be
feared (3:102):
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'Real fear of Him is that He is obeyed and not disobeyed,
gratitude is shown to Him and not ingratitude and He is
remembered and not forgotten.’ (Nasa in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
11847, Tabarani in Kabir 8502 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 7:238).
20. ‘Abdullah :& said,
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"The superiority of the night prayer over the day prayer is like the
superiority of secret charity over public charity.' (Tabarani in
Kabir 8998 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:166).?
21. Murrah narrated:
gal [AE mu حَرِيصٌ 5h Cas de Stal GT الله: Le Jb
o& 5 الفقرَ.
“Abdullah :$ said about: Give away their wealth despite their love
for it (2:177), *While you are eager and stingy, hoping for wealth
and fearing poverty." (Nasa in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11847 and
Bayhagī in Shu'ab 3197).^
22. Tāwūs narrated:
عن ابن Cul ver ape 52 Al « whe في بَصَرهِ ÓE حَجَرَاء وَقَال: ما
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‘After Ibn ‘Abbas’ “ eyesight became impaired, he passed by
some people while they were breaking stones. He asked, "What
are those people doing?" His companions said, "They are breaking
up stones." He said, "The workers of Allah are stronger than
these.” (Baghawi 14:270).
23. Abū Hurayrah :$ said that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
مَا AU eG JEM fe ea وَلَا Jee 21 تامَ طَالِيُهَ.
‘I have not seen anything like the Fire whose escapees are asleep
nor anything like the Garden whose seekers are asleep.' (Tirmidhi
2601).
24. ‘Isa ibn ‘Umar said,
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cA Po S ey qua SEH
*Amr ibn *Utbah ibn Farqad would leave on his horse and spend
the night at the graves, saying, "People of the graves, the scrolls
have been rolled up and actions removed." Then he wept and
pondered in front of them until the morning. He then returned
and was present for the Fajr prayer.’ (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
11865).
25. A freed-slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As ® said,
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Li وق جل st J ESS Jab ca سفن gia d
— الله di otis ài Er Perey
“Abdullah ibn ‘Amr looked towards the graveyard. When he saw
it, he got down and offered a prayer of two units. Someone then
said, “This is something you do not usually do.” He answered, “I
remembered the inhabitants of the graves and what is between
them and it so I wished to gain Allah's proximity through that.”
26. Ismāfīl ibn ‘Ubaydillah reported that Umm ad-Dardā” &
related to him:
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Abū 'd-Dardā” *% fainted, and when he regained consciousness,
his son Bilal was there with him. He said, ‘Get up and leave me.’
Then he said, ‘Who will do as I do lying down? Who will do as I
have done in this moment? We will overturn their hearts and sight,
just as they did not believe in it at first and We will abandon them to
wander blindly in their transgression (6:110). You will be brought
forth! He then fainted and remained for a time and then
recovered. He said that again and continued to repeat it until he
died. (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubra 11849, and Ibn Abi Shaybah
34607).
|
27. Abu Hurayrah % narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
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ata a دع ف اط ce seit المع 2 of ate <
£9 6,2 Y مسِيئا تدم أن OB نَدِمَ أن لا پڪون !155 وَإِنْ
"There is no one who dies who does not have regrets.' They asked,
‘What does he regret, Messenger of Allah?’ He % answered, ‘If he
did good, he regrets that he cannot do more. If he did evil, he
regrets that he cannot remove it.' (Tirmidhi 2403).
28. Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Amirah %, one of the Companions of
the Messenger of Allah 8, said,
3.23 Y ijj + و 2 وا > wr ūdra 5 امه as dr 842 "o ef of
opaa الله El في 658 us es مِنْ يوم وُلِدَ إلى ages le لوان
m" of? ERE etc x, Poe e
«DI الاجر Sa 31555 LES 54153; اليو US
If a slave were to fall on his face [in prostration] from the day he
was born until the day he died of old age obeying Allah, he would
think that insignificant on the Day of Rising. He will wish that he
had done more so that his reward and wage would be greater.
(Ahmad 17650, Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 5:133 and Bayhagī in
Shu‘ab 2:218).
29. Hurayth ibn Qays said,
ESE HSV al كنت في I5 o3 SSH 36 BN مِنَ Vl os
GN Jūs SAN كنت في Sy GIA LĪ ما اسْتَطعْتَ» وَإِذَا كنت في
ظولا. W653 «SIF 5) USD
When you want to do a good act, do not delay it until tomorrow.
If you are involved in a matter of the Next World, persist in it for
as long as you can, and if you are involved in a matter of the
world, stick to your purpose. If you are in prayer and Shaytan
tells you, ‘You are showing off,’ then make it longer. (Nasā'ī in as-
Sunan al-Kubrā 11856 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 8357).”
30. ‘Awn and Ma‘n (or one of them) related that a man went to
‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd % and said, ‘Instruct me.’ He said,
FS AS آمَئُوا) فَأَرْعِهَا سَمْعَكَ؛ spall Vol Gp J, us الله cane 15]
When you hear Allah say, ‘Believers!’ then listen. It is either good
that He commands you or evil that He forbids you. (Abū Nu‘aym
in Hilyah relates it from Ma‘n 1:130).
31. Hasan said,
Toten ta Busu sac eat tied 2 dt. duo uk Nu ua
‘If someone wants to know if he loves Allah, let him examine
himself through the Qur'an.' (Ibn Sam'ün in Amali 171).
32. ‘Abdullah ibn *Ukaym related that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'üd :&
said,
eR roger e اسار m a
يقُول: U cest S3 355 بي؟ يا ابْنَ آڌم ELE SU فِيمًا عَلِمْتَ؟ يا ابْنَ EI
Esi SU الْمَرْسَلِينَ؟
"Your Lord will be with each and every one of you in seclusion,
just as any one of you are alone with the moon on a night when it
is full. He will then say, "Son of Adam, what seduced you away
from me? Son of Adam, which of your knowledge have you
practiced? Son of Adam, how did you respond to the
Messengers?" (Tabarani in Kabir 8899 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah
1:131).
33. Abū 'd-Dardā” “ said,
)5 اوق مَا Gul إِذَا ŠĪ ULI fe tās? يُقَالَ لي: 35 عَلِمْتَ» SUS
ELE فِيمًا عَلِمْتَ؟
‘My greatest fear is that when I am stopped for the reckoning, I
will be told, “You had knowledge, so how much of your
knowledge did you practice?"' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 34598 and Abü
Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:213).
34. Abū Kabshah as-Salüli related that he heard Abū 'd-Darda?
4 say,
soley gists لا Mle Gala py Kt الله ite من 38 الگا d
"Among the worst of people with the worst station in the sight of
Allah on the Day of Rising is a scholar who did not benefit from is
knowledge.' (Darimi 268).
35. Abū Jafar (‘Abdullah al-Hashimi, not Muhammad ibn (Alī)
said,
'A man came to the Prophet % and said, *Allah sent you as a
blessing for all Muslims. Single me out with a specific blessing
from yourself.” He % said, "Are you asking for advice?" (I think
he said it three times.) He answered, “Yes.” He % said, “Sit. When
you intend to do something, ponder over its outcome. If it is good,
proceed and if it is bad, desist.” (Asam transmitted a variation.
Majmū' Musannafat 54).
1 Ibn Abi Shaybah transmits a variation where Thumamah ibn Bijād
said, 'I caution you about "I will get up," "I will pray," and "I will fast.”
(35247)
2 Ahmad (5002), Tirmidhī (2333) and Ibn Mājah (4114) transmit this
as a hadith elevated to the Prophet %.
3 This hadith has been related directly from the Prophet % and is
recorded in some copies of Zuhd. We have sufficed on only making
reference to it in this footnote to avoid repetition.
4 These words have also been related from the Prophet % in response
to a man who asked about the best kind of charity. Tabarani in Awsat
(8648)
5 It would be correct to assume ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr :$ offered the
prayer outside the graveyard when he saw it, since he said, "The
Messenger of Allah & forbade the praying of salah in graveyards.’ Ibn
Hibban (2319)
6 Another variation has abaytum (but you refuse), instead of utitum
(you will be brought forth). Nasa?i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā (11849).
7 Nasa’i and Ibn Abi Shaybah both have Harith instead of Hurayth.
SEEKING KNOWLEDGE TO OBTAIN WORLDLY
GOODS
36. Muhammad ibn Yahyā ibn Hibban said that a group of
people from Irag told him that they passed by Abū Dharr %.
They asked him about some narrations, so he said,
La ass ن us يها 5 الله ge aote as ŠĪ gts
Joc (GÀ Ležē لا يُرِيدٌ بها إلا J 30 4331 مِنَ ssh.)
Nee 4578 ŠĪ وَرَعَمَ عبد الله KE C عرف ا
‘You know that those who study these narrations, seeking the
mundane things of this world, will never smell the fragrance of
the Garden, because they should only be studied for the pleasure
of Allah the Almighty."
37. Qasim narrated that ‘Abdullah “ said,
7 2 vas fes (qw ہی اط ٩ چ «e
Ee بالله WEL I5 e الله ick 5
t 2
‘Fear of Allah is sufficient as knowledge, and being deluded about
Allah is sufficient as ignorance.” (Tabarani in Kabir 8927 and
Bayhagī in Shu'ab 732).
38. Ibrahim related that Hudhayfah % said,
o -
- سم ja =
6224) cal Qed ا Zw A wi th. (ati ا 27
aa KI AIG oad OS القَرَاءِء وَخُذوا ريق مَنْ phase اتوا الله يا
بَعِيدًا. YAS ALS وَشْمَالا لَقَدْ Gas تَرَكْثُمُوهُ 335 duas LL ica لَقَدْ
'Reciters of the Qur'an! Fear Allah, and be steadfast on the path of
your predecessors. By Allah, if you remain straight, you will reach
your destination ahead of others, but if you meander, you will go
far astray.' (Bazzar 2956 and Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:280).
39. Yazid ibn Abi Habib said,
ól5 gc مِنَ adi el ASH يَكُونَ ŠĪ الْمَقِيهِ udi zs مِنْ Ó)
DoS 5:5 hall sts AOL الاستمَاع G ain i
وَمِنْهُمْ Sails 55655 Gis $55 الله cae إلا ما pT 33 «iso
S55 BH مِنْ ey Bc بص الئاس 978 وَوَجْهِهِ B من يَرَى
aas Sl us ade oF وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ A23 GNI الْمَسَاكِينَ 5 يَرَاهُمْ
pāli Shale ني i من iu; site dins odd V5 dare
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s
ning tās مِنْ eco S Jaks 015 عَلَيْهِ كَيْءٌ مِنْ لِه 52 SI as ئى
duis أَنْ grt هِ dole Y zu LARES AGŽ AL CAS مَنْ
de الْمتَكلْفِينَ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَرْوِي کل مَا Ge CSS 235 لي ب die لا
AVS 5525 SI إِرَادََ GLEE; اليَهُود PS Got SIS
One of the faults of the scholar and jurist is that he loves speaking
more than listening, if he can find someone who will lend him an
ear. There is safety and increased knowledge in listening. The
listener shares in the good of the speaker, but speaking can bring
confusion, boasting, exaggeration and deficiency, unless Allah
wills. Some people think that certain individuals are more entitled
to speak than others due to their status and importance, and they
look down on the poor and think they have no right to speak.
Some of them hoard their knowledge, refusing to teach because
they do not want anyone but themselves to have knowledge.
Some of them behave with their knowledge like a sultan, who is
angered if any of his words are rejected or his ideas ignored.
Some of them dedicate themselves to giving legal verdicts, but if a
case comes to him that is out of his expertise, he will be too
embarrassed, and rather than admit his ignorance, he makes a
guess, and commits the sin of lying. Some of them relate whatever
they hear, even the words of Jews and Christians, out of a desire
to reinforce their words. (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 910).
40. Jafar ibn Burqan related that Maymūn ibn Mihran said,
Fea acts X ATP مِنَ الذي EEA ينْتَظِرُ ET
"The storyteller can expect punishment from Allah while the
listener can expect mercy.”
41. Abū Hurayrah :$ said that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
oai s le 105,205 بالدين dh 5, zs JK, UJ في آخر COE
u$ الله J M eg 55. مِنَ الْعَسَلِ s EI eS cally
55 As مِنْهُمْ Del, أ ESN ei Saf á le REENE
diae vend
'At the end of time, men who prefer this world to the religion will
appear. They will wear sheep's clothing in front of people, and
they will speak with soft tongues which are sweeter than honey,
while their hearts are the hearts of wolves. Allah Almighty says
about them, "Are you deluded, or just emboldened against Me? I
swear that I will send on them a test which will leave the strong
among you bewildered.” (Tirmidhī 2404).
42. Ugbah ibn Muslim related:
b apio uel mere RIT
Ibn ‘Umar “ was asked about something and he answered, ‘I do
not know.’ Then he continued, saying, "Would you prefer to be
able to say, “Ibn ‘Umar gave us a verdict on this," so we become
like bridges for you into Hellfire?’ (Baghawi 1:311).
43. Ibn Shubrumah said,
50 Wit 59-8 723 Fawr $9425 A - tt» m A a Sa م pa 550
Qi a UM. 2€ T m $ z a 2 aiv $2 وه > V اتن بي
. vs Z si : $ i Z * "| 5 2 .
تكون نت المحدث فافعل O ABL Ol ad So تميم G مسعود:
While Ibn Mas'ūd was addressing the people, he & saw Tamim
ibn Hadhlam motionless, he * said, ‘Tamim ibn Hadhlam, if you
can be the speaker, then do so.” (Ibn "Abd al-Barr 2200).
44. Haywah ibn Shurayh said he heard ‘Uqbah in Muslim
saying,
«5 al Ad عَظمَتِ 1515 aas dts BA AEDs JE aa aad
S453 أو
'Speak with only one, two, three or four. When the crowd grows
bigger, be silent or leave.” (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 8:169).
45. A man related that Wahb ibn Munabbih said,
3
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'Knowledge has excesses, just like excess in wealth.' (Abū Nu'aym
in Hilyah 4:55 and Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 831).
46. ‘Ata’? ibn as-Sā'ib narrated that ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi
Layla said,
ES il عِشْرِينَ BL; مِنْ Lo ssl Gel الله Jiii- hey ae في
cda V5 had 35 ale الو أن S32 عرو OB شی كنا dā
الْفْتًا. 8S أَحَاهُ SIS إلا
‘I met 120 of the Companions of the Prophet ®. (I think that he
said, ‘in this masjid”.) Not one of them related hadith without
wishing his brother would spare him having to relate it, and there
was no jurist who did not wish that his brother would spare him
giving legal verdicts.' (Ibn "Abd al-Barr 2199 and Baghawī 142).
47. Dāwūd ibn Shābūr said,
‘We said to Tawüs, “Make supplication for us," and he replied, “I
see no value in that.” (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:6).
48. ‘Ala ibn Sa‘d ibn Mas'ūd said that one of the male
Companions of the Prophet # was asked, ‘Why do you not
narrate the way this person and that person do?' and he
replied,
J 5235 4,727 U مل 5225 dA LU مغل da SSI ما لي
SAN STS يَحْفِينِي» SA أ UG OSL E das I gs
-
SS 83 إن dits che ee الله La d J 45 في حَدِيثِ Sal,
Aas جَوَابَهُ BSG BN de SI المَاءِ ors مِنْ d) أشقى tse بالگلام
Ni يَكُونَ dl
‘It is not that I have not heard what they heard or attended what
they attended. The formal study of hadith had not yet begun, but
people had already started to narrate to eachother. Seeing this, I
realised there were enough people relating, sparring me the need
to do so. I would hate to add anything or take something away
from the narrations of the Messenger of Allah %. By Allah,
sometimes a man speaks to me and responding to him would be
sweeter to me than cold water to a thirsty person, but I refrain
from answering out of fear it will be superfluous.'^
49. Abū Umayyah al-Jumahi :& narrated that the Messenger of
Allah © said,
E dip AM vāki 5 إِحَدَاهُنَ : SYS AEE bijā A ól
‘Three things are among the Signs of the Final Hour. One of them
is that knowledge is sought from the young.’ (Tabarānī in Kabir
908).
50. Jābir narrated that Muʻādh ibn Jabal * said,
Mass $5 gle, abi 2822 6 ada cs AAPA
‘Learn whatever you wish, but Allah will not reward you for
knowledge until you act on it.” (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 1227).
51. Sufyan narrated that Abū Dharr “ said to a man,
PG إلا رَادَكَ الله به ce Se ILS لا DIB, SUSU HEI
"Think well about what you ask me. Whatever you ask me about,
Allah will increase your trial regarding it.' (Muttaqi al-Hindi in
Kanz 17128).
52. Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid narrated that Sha‘bi said,
GEM أَدْخَلَكُمْ U فَيَقُولُونَ: JE إلى 058 في ll jal الْقَوْمُ مِنْ QE
با ير Ab US UY ASG وََغْليمڪُ seawall [Oe id dss US;
ays Y;
'Some of the people of the Garden will look at some of the people
of the Fire and ask, "What caused you to enter the Fire? We
entered the Garden by virtue of your discipline and your
teachings." They will reply, ^We used to command good but not
do it." (Nasa'i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11860 and Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 2:340)
53. ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Razin narrated that ‘Abd ar-Rahman
Ibn Abi Hilal said, when they were attending a funeral,
a) 4. PIS! يَڪفيتا SF إلى DR ازم
‘Look for a gathering to sit in which will spare us the need to
speak.’
1 A variation of this hadith is transmitted by Ahmad (8457), Ibn
Majah (252), Abū Dāwūd (3664), Ibn Hibban (78) and Hakim (288) as
an elevated hadith to the Prophet È. ‘Abdullah claimed that ‘arf is its
fragrance.
2 Tabarani in Kabir has related this as part of a lengthier hadith,
directly related to the Prophet % (13567).
3 Tāwūs, one of the followers (tabi‘in) of the Companions would not
supplicate, or rather do any action, until he felt it was justified. This
narration could also mean that he did not supplicate until he had a pure
and sincere intention for doing so.
4 Khatib al-Baghdadi has transmitted the first part in Kifayah. (p.171)
as
FEARING THE CONSEQUENCES OF SINS
54. Qasim ibn Muhammad narrated that a man asked Ibn
‘Abbas &,
LS es العَمَلٍ قليل الدَنُوبٍ Cael ]3 أو رَجل GS العَمَلٍ كثير
JE o3 لا JALIL asl
‘Which is better in your view: a man with few deeds and few sins,
or a man with many deeds and many sins?’ Ibn ‘Abbas “ replied,
‘I do not equate anything with complete safety.’ (Nasa'i in as-
Sunan al-Kubrā 11839, Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab 6927 and Ibn Abi
Shaybah 34771).!
55. Ibrahim narrated that 'Ā'ishah & said,
مَنْ سره أن CoD is المُجتَهِدَ فَليَكف ALZA عن WS فَإِنَكُمْ لن
jā الله Sal JE siis من pp BB
‘Whoever wants to overtake the one who is assiduous and
hardworking should stop himself from sinning, because you will
not meet Allah with anything better for you than scarcity of sins.”
(Abū Dawüd in Zuhd 326).?
56. Abū "l-Ahwas narrated that ‘Abdullah :& said,
-
75
ew 32
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SA EN 5| aE AS أن UE تخت صَخْرَةٍ SS ذَنْبَهُ SA المُؤْمِنَ Ó
E "cuu P i, de 5,94
AB) على = obs كانه 45
‘A believer views sinning as if he were under a rock, fearing that
it might fall on him. A disbeliever views his sins like flies buzzing
in front of his nose.’ (Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11846).
57. A man narrated that Sulayman ibn Habib said,
a =
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لد ee | اراد بعبدٍ كم Bt ‘ T ate M 21 جعا VAS aoe 3151 إذا aul إن
"When Allah desires good for His servant, He makes his sins a
burden for him. And when He desires evil for someone, He makes
his sins attractive to him.”
58. Awzāī said: ‘I heard Bilal ibn Sa‘d say,
لا abd Zo J) iss وَلڪن tye M عَصَيْتَ.
‘Do not look at the insignificance of the error, but consider the
One you have disobeyed.’ (Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11854, Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 5:223 and Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 282).
59. ‘Amr ibn al-Hārith heard ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As &&
say,
ASS 5, Boca p n ea A 5 50586 4.5 oat 2%
مِنَ العْصَمُور حِينَ يقدّف به. Ed ارْتِكاضًا مِنَ a4) لتفش الْمُؤْمِن
"The soul of the believer flees faster from an error than the
sparrow when something is thrown at it.’ (Hakim Tirmidhi in
Nawādir 1:279).
60. Abū Sa‘id al-Khudri :& narrated that the Prophet ® said,
xs إلى ee SIA ated في odi JES OL! ess phi es
-
$
* 2».
es S ues Gehl Sts إلى oU فَأَظعِمُوا طَعَامَكُمْ EGEN وَأوْلُوا
AA فڪم المؤْمِنْينَ.
"The metaphor of the believer and the metaphor of faith is that of
a horse tethered to a rope which lunges and is restrained by the
rope. So too the believer, when he forgets, he returns to faith. So
feed the God-fearing your food and bestow your favours upon the
believers.’ (Ahmad 11526, Ibn Hibbān 616 and Abū Ya‘la 1106).
61. "Abū ‘Amr ibn Qays said,
ores gil Xe ds ale Xu LS الله Jats أُصْحَابٍ is تاس €
yt M du: uns rm se ABS Stas
‘A group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah È gathered
around Ibn ‘Abbas V, becoming emotional as they discussed
good deeds, but Wāgid ibn al-Hārith stayed silent. They asked
him, "Abū ’l-Harith, aren't you going to speak?” He said, “You
have spoken, and it was enough.” They then said, “You should
speak. We swear, you are one of our elders.” So he said, “I hear
the words of a fearful one, but the actions I see are of one who
feels safe.” (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Samt 625).
62. ‘Imran ibn Abi '1-Ja'd narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd :&
said,
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‘All people speak well, but it is the one whose words agree with
his actions who will have his portion of reward, while the one
whose words are contrary to his actions will be the loser.' (Abü
Dāwūd in Zuhd 179).
63. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah said that Ibn Mas'ūd % used to say,
مَالَمْ يَعْمَلُوا. tis
[They seem like] people with deep knowledge, but they do not
act on it.'^
64. Yahya ibn al-Mukhtar narrated that Hasan said,
he Jas Í ولا S J الله Sy IRSE Re SD
IFPR I Poen Pe e
C
ne cae lai; فَنِعُمَ Le VS sil; ob
ally DL! " nite E BU أو dis Gs 483 US Nez Vu
مِنْ d Ge) Deas أدَمَ إن لك قولا وَعَمَلاء EAE US لا دعنك
ةا i-r بيحارت
"Judge people by their actions and =. their words. Allah will
not leave any statement without a proof of action which confirms
or denies it. When you hear good words, then wait and observe
the speaker. If his words and actions agree, this is excellent and a
blessing in itself, so take him as a brother, love him and have
affection for him. But if his words and actions differ, something is
unclear to you or hidden from you about him, so be wary of him.
Do not let him deceive you as the son of Adam was deceived. You
have both words and actions, but your actions say more about
you than your words. You have a secret face and a public face,
but your secret face is closer to the true you than your public
face. You have what is immediate and what is final, but your final
end is truer than what is immediate.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Samt
626).
65. Sufyan narrated that a man said to Hasan, ‘Advise me.’
Hasan replied,
AM 3 ay يعزا 4 TU i £el
‘Speak highly of Allah's & matters, and He will speak highly of
you.' (Baghawi 4137).
66. Hisham narrated that Hasan said,
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odi eua (2 OS Sy 22855 «nass «noo 00055 مِنْ UST
z 1 gez L 5 ^i 52,8527 9 6 1-22 ام 3 4 viesi sī ? 22 et 4
العلم فَيَعْمَلُ IRS S.S C$ uo مِنَ s eg ESN لو A) SSE فَجَعَلْهَا في
الآخِرَةٍ
"When a man seeks knowledge, it will very swiftly become
apparent in his humility, his sight, his tongue, his hands, his
prayer, his speech and his self-discipline. When a man obtains one
of the areas of knowledge and he practices it, it will be better for
him than the whole of this world and all it contains, if he were to
have it and put it in the Next World. (Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr 315).
67. Hasan said,
deg ale الله pa qi e أَوْجَدَهُ) 3553 g) صَعْصَعَةُ pai
ih as bis 2. chs «de الت >( الله fe قَدِمْتُ Ji كد
Jūs ii Us 15$ JU Jans وَمَنْ 053 sE 353 JS Jans dy
pact at dd eon une کو
Sa‘sa‘ah “ (i.e. the uncle of Farazdaq, or his grandfather) came
to the Prophet %, (or he said, ‘I went to the Prophet ®’) and
heard him recite this verse: Whoever does an atom's weight of good
will see it. Whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it (99:7—8).
He said, ‘It is enough for me! It is enough for me! I do not care if I
do not listen to anything else.' (Ahmad 20593, Nasa'i in as-Sunan
al-Kubrā 11630, Tabarānī in Kabir 7411 and Hakim 6571).
68. Zayd ibn Aslam narrated that a man asked:
55 Jui يَعْمَلُ s ly Wy iad 55 Jui fas Sah الله لَيْسَ Jus يا
التي JG يمُول: وَاسَوْءتَاكُ 585 Je SSG JE قَالَ: َعَم eS إلا vs
NEST «Ls gde A Lo
"Messenger of Allah, will every person see the atom's weight of
good he does and will every person see the atom's weight of evil
he does?” He # said, ‘Yes.’ The man then left, saying, ‘Oh how
unfortunate!’ The Prophet % said, ‘The man has believed.’ (Suyüti
in ad-Dürr al-Manthür 8:596).
69. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Rawwad narrated that Dahhak said,
«Iris تَعَالَ al Sk d$; aat SE, إلا ALS S الْقُرْآنَ Das asl مَا مِنْ
وَنْسيَانُ K uS SE وَيَعْفُو ——— RR
"The one who learns the Qur'an and then Duet it, does so
because of a sin he has done. That is because Allah Almighty says,
Any disaster that strikes you is through what your own hands have
earned, and He pardons much (42:30). Forgetting the Qur'an is one
of the great disasters.’ (Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab 1813 and Ibn Abi
Shaybah 29996).
70. Thawban “ narrated that the Prophet ® said,
Aat SNL 53) e522 K o]
'A man is deprived of sustenance due to a sin he has committed.”
(Ahmad 22386, Ibn Majah 4022 and Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
11775).
71. Sufyan related from a man that someone said,
Kea ESI ŠĪ J,
‘When I speak a lie, I can see [the effects of ] it in my actions.’
(Ibn Hibban in Rawdat al-'Ugalā” p.47)
72. Shu'ayb ibn Abi Sa‘id narrated that a man said,
ip EA ale GS aab إِذَا dé گی أنا؟ ciel ان ce ua ا رَسُولٌ
p PEE TRUST من CORE ودا cd 325 CES PER TN
p^ مِن EE EXE CS Gah Kp aim Ju. fe adl teu «ds
74 25215 HN AT مِنْ GA Cab y عَلَيْكَه Foe SSN; الآخِرَةٍ
Ames SE قات عَلَ i
Messenger of Allah, how can I know what state I am in? He ©
answered, "When you see that whenever you ask for something in
the Next World and seek it, it is easy for you, and when you
desire something of this world and seek it, it is hard for you, then
know that you are in a good state. When you see that whenever
you ask for something of the Next World and seek it, it is hard for
you, and when you ask for something of this world and seek it, it
is easy for you, then you are in a bad state.” (Bayhaqi in Shu'ab
9970).
73. Humayd ibn Bilal narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr 5
would say,
532 Us GGU) عاو حر INEO 15 93 est دغ ما لست مِنْهُ في
di;
'Leave that which has nothing to do with you, do not speak about
what does not concern you and guard your tongue as your guard
your silver.' (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:288 and Ibn Abi Shaybah
34713).°
74. Abu ’s-Sinan ash-Shaybani said,
Jui eg DEB Cae في Ju الله dacs all Sus الك
esl eS 0555 Juan وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ 42553( َالَ: الْعَمَلُ SA
'I heard Dahhak ibn Muzahim say about the words of Allah
Almighty: All good words rise to Him and He elevates all virtuous
deeds (35:10), “Righteous actions elevate good words.” (Bayhagī
in Shu‘ab 69).
75. Mas'ūd narrated that Hasan said,
eds wu us da يت إلى aiias eig Ķe ALA
‘Virtuous deeds elevate good speech to Allah Almighty. If it is
good speech and evil deeds, the words will be disproved by the
deeds. One's deeds tell the truth more than one's words.”
(Samargandī in Bahr 3:82).
Patādah said,
Lad AJL الْعَمَلّ dus الله 63 JG {iad ala jai}
‘The meaning of: Elevates all righteous deeds, is that Allah Almighty
elevates righteous deeds for the one who does them.” (Baghawī
(14:351).
1 Ibn Sa‘id said, ‘meaning, [I do not equate] anything [with
soundness].’
2 Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah (10:400) and Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab (692) have
transmitted the first portion of this hadith as referred directly to the
Prophet È.
3 Abū Ya‘la has transmitted a variation of it. Musnad (4254)
4 This narration and the two before it serve as admonitions for those
scholars who study the religion and can articulate their ideas very well,
but their true state and their actions in isolation contravene what it
means to be a true scholar.
5 Ibn al-Mubarak says that the correct word here is wa’khzun instead
of wa'hrūz.
ii
EXCELLENCE OF WORSHIP
76. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
oz sh س وکرو
‘May Allah have mercy on those whom M assume are sick
when they are not.' (Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 16591).!
77. Hammam narrated than Qatadah said,
A E zu dus se
'It used to be said that a hypocrite does not spend the night [in
worship].?
78. Abū ’d-Duha narrated that Masrūg said,
-
- o£
E inb AB) «SIAN تَمِيم dll pia مَكَة: هَدَا Jal Ge J25 ٿال لي
a E MS عل AT dtu tā s «il
p as iter split 212: "me
'A man of the people of Makkah said to me, "This is the station of
your brother Tamim ad-Dārī. I watched him one night until
morning, or it was almost morning, while he was reciting one
verse from the Book of Allah bowing, prostrating and weeping: Or
do those who perpetrate evil deeds suppose that We will make them
like those who believe and do right actions, so that their lives and
deaths will be the same? How bad their judgement is! (45:21) (Abū
Dāwūd in Zuhd 379, Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11833 and
Tabarānī in Kabīr 1250).
79. The wife of Masrūg said,
eo, bi a HS „af © $ 0 <i zz? Samira joke s oc ae
إن 13 ESS مِنْ ظول الصلاة. ERI as SUUS إلا m مسروق OS ما
(fa ekai tM asd
4 £25 فأنكي AI LAS uS
'Masrüq's legs were always swollen due to the length of his
prayer.’ She said, ‘By Allah, I used to sit behind him and weep out
of mercy for him.” (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11868).
80. Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated that Ka'b heard someone
reciting and supplicating and the like. He listened and then he
walked on, saying,
Jalal e JS ees B É el I;
*Oh how wonderful are those who lament themselves before the
Day of Rising!” (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 463).
81. Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdillah said,
EE e SS G5 J LLL الْعُيونُ قا olde I5) الله ize گان
8
-
"While everyone was asleep, ‘Abdullah used to get up, and I heard
a sound from him like the humming of bees until morning,
(Hakim 5377 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 6617).
82. *Ali ibn al-Aqmar narrated that Abü 'l-Ahwas said,
6,26 shh J Us التحلء GERE ^ e C A AT am] je! ól
يَخَافُونَ؟ Gl, OF ما
‘A man would pass by a tent and he would hear a sound like bees
humming. What is wrong with people who feel safe from what
those people feared?' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 34930).
83. Abū "l-Mutawakkil an-Nājī said that the Messenger of Allah
® said,
A5 السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِء وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ GS US 32530 S55 AN في 1553 J
JUS هَذَا؟ U 2) x55 203 فَيْمَرَعٌ has GB برق يَكَادْ S Bas
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0
Gd Jus Ju eise de 25 كان Jad dole a, Jail في قلي
SY يَْصَى.
"The distance between one degree in the Garden and next is the
distance between the heavens and the earth. The slave of Allah
will raise his eyes and lightning will flash before him and almost
take away his sight. He will be alarmed by that and will ask,
"What is this?’ and be told, ‘It is the light of your brother so-and-
so.” He will say, "My brother so-and-so? We used to work together
in this world, and yet he is preferred to me this much?' He will be
told, ‘He was better than you in actions.’ Then pleasure will be
placed in his heart so that he is satisfied.
84. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman # narrated:
: QU في الصلاة jesus. J ad —
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Aa SERE سْبْحَانَ i) io GES assis رُكُوعْهُ 6 مِنْ OK
des 8 A (cd Ad dj dado GES ge”) مِنْ VGH قِيَامُهُ JSS
dju e NEST Q5 ou A PU "e i 58S
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usi أو CAT gal
He (i.e. Hudhayfah) prayed with the Messenger of Allah & at
night. When he began the prayer he said, 'Allah is the greatest,
Lord of the Dominions, of Might, Majesty and of Glory.' He then
recited al-Baqarah and then bowed. His bowing was as long as his
recitation and he would say, 'Pure is my Lord, the Great!” Then he
lifted his head, and his standing was as long as his bowing, and he
would say, ‘All praise is for my Lord, all praise is for my Lord.’ He
then prostrated, and his prostration was as long as his standing,
and he would say, ‘Pure is my Lord, the Most High.’ Then he lifted
his head, and [the sitting] between the prostrations was as long as
the prostrations, and he would say, "My Lord, forgive me! My
Lord forgive me!' [He prayed] until he had recited al-Baqarah, Al
Imran, an-Nisā”, al-Ma'idah and al-An‘am. Shu‘bah said, ‘I do not
know if he ended with al-Ma?idah or al-An'ām'. (Ahmad 23375,
Abū Dāwūd 874 and Nasa’i 1145).
85. Hasan said,
۴
anbi يَكُونْ 5 وَأَرْوَحَهُ U ge S Ls «de الله لله Lo aile 2;
MUTET U ŠĪ aE So 125 559 cols ās
‘Then in the morning, the Prophet È would be more beautiful,
more charming and more cheerful than ever, while others would
be lethargic and lazy in the morning. Allah knows best about
that.’ (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 4:151).
86. Yazid ar-Raqqashi said,
Bal مستوية ey الله عليه Lo الله Jj iua ESE
‘The prayer of the Messenger of Allah © was proportioned as
though it was completely balanced.’ (Sa īd ibn Mansūr in Tafsir
160).
87. Abū 1-Mutawakkil an-Nājī said,
ST تي الله L2 الله BL xd SiS g CL ee مِنَ Wis oN عل
د
‘The Prophet % stood in prayer one night reciting a verse of the
Qur'an and repeating it to himself.’ (Sa īd ibn Mansür in Tafsir
160).
88. Ishaq ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Talhah related that a man said,
S sail [a JG AL وَسَلَمَ ade الله 12 الله J 5 Lis šā
i, ist. SNH IIS Ie DP اصْطَجَعَ
5p ser SESS Ue SU soe gat فَتَوَضًا. قَوَالذِي FEN 32)
Jai Jet es مِنَ 6S ی EEST THE NS
‘I was going to watch the Messenger of Allah È pray at night. He
prayed ‘Isha? and then lay down for a short time. Then he stood
and tended to the call of nature, and then he went to the end of
his saddle and took a tooth stick from it and cleaned his teeth and
did ablution. By the One who has my soul in His hand, he did not
bow until we did not know whether most of the night was over or
what remained of it was more, and until the like of mountains of
sleep piled on me.”
89. Rabi‘ah ibn Ka‘b al-Aslami said,
e$ 5) أَسْمَعْهُ eas ds athe الله Lo التي ad xe أَبِيتُ LS
Suzz 2S, JU ge الله رب Sez jui SS yall Sl الله
GAl ones
‘I used to sleep near the house of the Prophet # and I would hear
him when he got up at night repeating, “Glorified is Allah, the
Lord of the Worlds” for a long time. Then he would say, “Glorified
is Allah and praise be to Him” for a long while.’ (Ahmad 16574,
Nasā'ī 1618 and Ibn Hibbān 2595).°
90. Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah % said,
Jot 6 قَدَمَاهُ دَمّاه قالوا: EH BSS $5 Ley athe Al Le الله 45 Als
lie SS) قال: أقلا SE Gs ASS Sa تَقَدّمَ Le لَكَ Aul عَمَرَ 35 cal
1558
‘The Messenger of Allah & stood until his feet were swollen. The
people said, “Messenger of Allah, Allah has forgiven you your
future and past wrong actions!” So he replied, “Should I not then
be a grateful slave?” (Bukhari 4836).
91. Mutrif narrated that his father % said,
522) زوق کا ریو امكل jla as 12: 585 ce الله عَلَيْهِ و To ean as
GR
==
‘I came to the Prophet È while he was praying, and a wheezing
sound like a boiling pot emanated from his chest.' Meaning he
was weeping. (Nasai 1214 and Bayhagī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
3357).
92. Ibn Mas'ūd '% said,
«Js ades Gl à e Cn chy الله عَلَيْهِ Lo قال لي 1,25 الله
بَلَغْتٌ: US LEN 5552 È Lodi أن أَسْمَعهُ ِن غَيرِي. قال cel Yb
SUS QS ةيد وجغتا بك عل لاء F ين كل hy AS)
GS لي: JUS QU AS e
f
‘The Messenger of Allah € said to me, “Recite to me.” I asked,
"Shall I recite to you even though it was revealed to you?” He
replied, *I love to hear it from someone other than myself." So I
began Surat an-Nisā”, reciting until I reached: How will it be when
We bring a witness from every nation and bring you as a witness
against them? [4:41] and I saw his eyes overflowing with tears. He
said to me, "Enough.” (Bukhari 5050).
93. Khalid ibn Yasar said,
” sd
of abled LG, yd 5 se الله Jo gl e ace i gate
Ag ges Ee cS āsi jā
‘When Ibn Umm ‘Abd recited to the Prophet ©, he wept
profusely. Then he rose with his head covered and went into his
house.’
94. Yazid ibn al-Asamm said,
PLAN مَُقَاوبًا في hes he الله L2 الله ds 2 J
‘The Messenger of Allah © was never seen yawning in prayer.'?
95. Tāwūs narrated that the Messenger of Allah © said,
5 SE مِنْهُ مِمَنْ يَخْتَى الله BE مِنْ رَجُلٍ SUA cs y
"The Qur'an is not heard more pleasantly than from the one who
fears Allah &.' (Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz 2802).
96. Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi said,
Pa
Ji oz hey الله عَلَيْهِ Lo ndis ESE
‘The recitation of the Prophet © was such that each letter was
enunciated.
97. Hakim ibn ‘Umayr “ narrated that the Prophet € said,
poe LO! ga tH Nf IRI وى stod od d oc.) ادع zi:
AE Suo ($5 لا يَدْرِي SB فَليَنتَهِرْه ul Ge Ob d res مَنْ
'If someone has a door to good opened for him, he should take
advantage of it. He does not know when it will be closed on him.’
(Oudāt in Musnad ash-Shihāb 435).
98. Khaythamah narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd :& said,
a C785 ald iia. ižeiši Sal لا
'Do not let me find any of you like a corpse at night but an
energetic animal during the day.” (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 177,
Tabarani in Kabir 8763 and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:130).%
99, Sulayman said,
do os SIS الله )15 قَامَ إلى الصلاة Ace OK
"When 'Abdullāh would stand for prayer he was (still) like a
hanging garment.’ (Tabarāni in Kabir 9342, ‘Abd ar-Razzaq 3303
and Ibn Abi Shaybah 7249).
100. Abū ‘Ubaydah said,
!45 گان اذا قَامَ إلى aas SLI $725 55.05 4353
"When *Abdullah stood for prayer he would lower his gaze, his
voice and his hands.” (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 33:165).
101. ‘Abdullah ibn Damrah as-Salüli narrated that Ka‘b said,
ALE انْصَرَفَ F وَِذَا cde الله Sl ole FS في صَلَاتِهِ all e 15)
"When someone stands in his prayer and turns his attention to it,
Allah turns to him. When he turns away and leaves, He & leaves
him.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 4543).
1 Hasan said, ‘Worship has worn them out.’
2 Ibn *Abd al-Barr has recorded a variation of this as part of a
statement of ‘Ali ®. Jami‘ Bayan (1:907)
3 Ibn al-Mubarak transmits a variation of this hadith but as a
statement of ‘Awn ibn ‘Abdillah. Abū Nu‘aym has also transmitted the
statement of ‘Awn. (4:247)
4 Nasā'ī has transmitted a variation of this hadith related by Humayd
ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf. (1626)
5 Husayn said that hawiyy means long.
6 This could be understood as a practical effect of him % not being
affected by Shaytan, as Ibn Khuzaymah has transmitted a hadith stating
that yawning in the prayer is from Shaytan. Sahih (920)
7 Ahmad (26526), Abū Dāwūd (1466), Tirmidhī (2923) and Nasā'ī
(1022) transmit a variation of this narration from Umm Salamah *$.
(26526)
8 Ibn al-Athir said this refers to the one who strives throughout the
day for the sake of his worldly gains, then he sleeps throughout the night
like a motionless body. Jīfah is a dead body and gutrub is a small animal
that works all day (1:325, 4:80). Ibn Uyaynah said that a gutrub is the
one who cannot sit still in one place. Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah (1:130).
os
SORROW AND WEEPING
102. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
Spee AI الْمؤْمِن ās الْكَافِر
‘The world is a prison for the believer and a garden for the
unbeliever.’ (Muslim 2956).
Hasan said,
Uter 35; dnb = y de ENT yi ui Me re V الله
Br n & ES a فِيهًا s » (T A مِنَ الله DIÉN GUS
AXE SIS II إلى Bat قَارَقَهَا
‘By Allah, a believer is only sorrowful in this life. Why would a
believer not be sorrowful when it has been related from Allah &
that he will cross over Hell, but there is nothing about him
coming out of it? By Allah, he will fall ill, trials and tribulations
will torment him, he will be oppressed and no one will help him,
so he should seek reward for that from Allah &. He will remain
fearful and sorrowful in this life until he departs from it, and once
he departs, he will find comfort and honour.' (Ibn Qudamah in
Mutahābbīn 130).
103. Salim ibn Abi 'l-Ja'd narrated that "Īsā ibn Maryam ®
said,
z 7 pes m ad SSS uz Zeps e ct » 7
Abas jo S935 TUN ووسعه ZA, Vy ip] Go
‘Blessed is the one who guards his tongue, whose house is enough
for him and who weeps over his mistakes.' (Dinawari in Mujalasah
1224).!
104. Mis'ar narrated that ‘Abd al-A‘la at-Taymi said,
"^ sf T =? RI E 3) Ks A 7 j - sk: s pe mm
مَنْ sl مِنَ العلم مَا لا GIS Ss ألا يَكُونَ OY qu Ule gyl الله
(ede IE B الذِينَ أوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ Gp «JŪS الْعْلَمَاء ss dus
(5,5 3 QUIN 6,5 y dē إلى
‘It is only fair that the one given knowledge which does not make
him weep was not given beneficial knowledge, because as Allah
Almighty described the scholars: Certainly, when it is recited to
them, those who were given knowledge before it. . . until His words:
Weeping, they fall to the ground in prostration [17:107-109].’
(Darimi 299, Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:88 and Ibn Abi Shaybah
35360).2
105. Hasan said,
OB Sey dbl عبد G
‘Allah is not worshipped with anything better than long-lasting
3
SOITOW.
106. Mubarak ibn Fadalah narrated that Hasan recited this
verse: Are you then amazed at this discourse, and laugh and do not
cry? (53:59—60), and he said,
«ll S3 VERS «ems S3. الْقَوْعِ في هَذَا الأمْر ST SE إِنْ di;
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'By Allah, the most intelligent person regarding this matter is the
one who weeps, so make these hearts weep and make these
actions weep. A man's eyes may weep while his heart is hard.”
107. Sufyan said,
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‘Sorrow is commensurate with insight.'^
108. Salamah ibn Wahram narrated that Shu'ayb al-Jubba’i
said,
اڏا s LS الإِنْسَانِء مَلَكَ we فم SS ONE بَكَى.
‘When a person is utterly immoral, he can control his eyes and
weep whenever he wishes to weep.’ (Sakhawi in Magāsid p.614).°
109. ‘Arfajah narrated that Abū Bakr as-Siddiq said,
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'Anyone who is able to weep should weep. If you cannot, then
you should pretend to weep.’ (Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 785).
110. ‘Awn narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab + said,
iil كيء e ceti at Juan
‘Sit with those who repent. They have the softest hearts.’ (Ibn Abi
Shaybah 34465 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:51).
111. Mujāhid narrated that Yazīd ibn Shajarah was one of
those who would remind us, and his actions would confirm his
weeping. He would say,
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a قذ «ad T وَقَالَ Gp Jat JE So oF BUSS SL Ud
Sens (i Gedy Wee es مِنْ BES
People, remember Allah’s blessings upon you! How beautiful is
the effect of Allah’s blessings upon you! If only you could see all
the different things I have seen in my travels. When the prayer
begins the doors of the heavens, the doors of the Garden and the
doors of the Fire are opened. When two rows meet the doors of
the heavens, the doors of the Garden and the doors of the Fire are
opened. The Hūr al-‘In are beautified, and they peer out towards
the man who faces forward and they say, ‘O Allah, aid him and
keep him steadfast.’ When he turns away, they veil themselves
from him and say, ‘O Allah, forgive him.’ Ignore the attention of
people, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, and do
not disgrace the Hūr al-‘In. When he is killed, and his sins fall off
him with the first drop of his blood like leaves fall from trees, two
of them descend and wipe the dust off of his face and they say,
‘The time has come for you,’ and he will reply to them, "The time
has come for you.'* Then he will be made to wear a hundred
garments which are so thin that he would easily be able to hold
all of them in his hand. They are not of the fabric of man, but
they are cultivated in the Garden. (Hakim 6087 and Bayhagī in
Bath 562)
112. Malik ibn Anas said,
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Y من الذي لحن s gd cli d cen Js VLA 5 Jus aut ذِكْر
LESS Gua وَانْظرُوا DUST ESS الئاس o5 في vals Y; 5,25
Je وَاحْمَدُوا الله oA Jal ES duas [22 odds الئاس uS) Je
‘I heard that "Īsā ibn Maryam ®said to his people, “Do not speak
much without mentioning Allah Almighty, or you will harden
your hearts. A hard heart is far from Allah, but you are ignorant
of this. Do not look at the sins of people as if you were lords, but
rather as if you were slaves. People are of two kinds: those who
are being tested and those who are enjoying ease. Show mercy to
the people of affliction and praise Allah for ease." (Malik 3615).
113. Mujālid narrated that Sha*bi said,
Aaa oy Abi je عُرضَث pc مِنْ حَطيب U
"Every orator who gives a sermon will have that sermon presented
before him on the Day of Rising.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:312).
114. Nu'aym ibn 'Abdillāh, the scribe of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-
‘Aziz, narrated that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz said,
SBI BE MS مِنَ WS مِنْ ALĀ
‘Fear of boasting keeps me from speaking a lot.’ (Nasā'ī in as-
Sunan al-Kubrā 11863 and Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 5:340).
115. Hasan said,
sešas U 255 AK A] : 2 م s-f A 4 7 5 3 - "ni
acai بها G5 الٰححَمَة لو as أحدهم OY ol Glg لقد صحبت
$ A. QE muzejs Lee + Z pe —— —— x menu
pe eA of vp «8, مخافة y! v AA vīķe يمه a3 WE 2| * 20 3
(du 2 ahi tee a? ass ass yes z 72 «£1 "m.
Gal Ol aay Los qs EU le TM Uy إلا Asl الشهرة.
‘I have accompanied men such as the one who would avoid
speaking about some wisdom which he learnt that would benefit
him and his companions, only because he feared fame, and
another who would see something harmful on the road and
refrain from moving it, only because he feared fame.’ (Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 2:271)”
1 Abü Dawüd in Zuhd (364) and Tabarani in Awsat (2340) have
transmitted these words as part of a hadith which Thawban *% narrated
from the Prophet ®.
2 Husayn said, 'Sufyan ibn Uyaynah narrated something similar to us
from Mis'ar.'
3 Ibn al-Muqr? transmitted the same narration from Sufyan ath-
Thawri. Mujam (268)
4 A person's fear of Allah and his sorrow at the uncertainty of his fate
are signs of his knowledge of Allah & and his insight, and a person's
heedlessness and false sense of security shows his ignorance. This is why
the Prophet % said, From among you, I am the one who fears Allah the
most, and I have the most knowledge of Him.” Bukhārī (20). He % also
said, "Had you known what I know, you would laugh little and weep
much.” Bukhārī (1044) and Muslim (2359)
5 Being able to cry at any given moment is not a sign of piety and
fear of Allah &. Rather, it is the feeling of fear and regret in the heart
that is beloved to Allah &. Controlling one's tears and cry on-demand is
a sign of ostentation.
6 Some versions of Zuhd have atà (has come) whereas others have
anā (the time has come).
7 Ibn Sirin was one of these men. He said to Thābit, "Nothing stops
me from sitting with you except the fear of fame. I have been
continuously subjected to trials until I stayed in an outhouse. People say,
“This is Muhammad ibn Sirin. He consumed the people's wealth,” even
though he was debt-stricken.
Li
CONCEALED ACTIONS AND REMEMBRANCE
116. Ibn ‘Awn narrated that Ibrahim said,
5j كانوا لَيْكَرَهُونَ ذا اجْتَمَعُوا أن ana Sz 3 e E أو Sz ما
jra
0S
‘When they (i.e. the earlier generations) gathered, they disliked if
someone presented his best narrations or the best of what he had.’
(Ibn Abi Shaybah 26279 and Abii Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:229).!
117. Mubarak ibn Fadalah narrated that Hasan said,
45 Xd JE SE وَإِنْ e a Jabs وَمَا STAN جَمَعَ Ad 22 گان 5]
&, EJ LAN Lad 221 OF bly « 251 به 5245 U3 eS ial
HS de 36 USM SS 2s a وَمَا يَمْعْرُونَ 5531 Gies e في
Xj; Ax ase OKS في سر S ŠĪ e يَقْدُرُونَ ce مِنْ ZN
Us إلا SB إِنْ yo cd وَمَا مُسْمَعُ led گان 5,212.21 يْتهِدُونَ في
att VE) duis es $e Jus الله B S «jās Se ca o cs
3) JUS AS وَرَضِيٍ Uo ce گر Jus اله ST ds (iris js
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There is a man who has memorised the Qur'an, yet his neighbour
is not aware of him. There is a man with immense understanding
of the Religion, yet people are not aware of him. There is a man
who prays long prayers in his house, and people visit him but are
not aware of it. We have met such people who never did any
action in public if they could do it in secret. The Muslims used to
strive in supplication, yet no sound was heard from them except a
whisper between them their Lord %. That is because Allah
Almighty says, ‘Call on your Lord humbly and secretly’ (7:55). Allah
Almighty mentioned a righteous man whose words He was
pleased with, so He said, "When he called on his Lord in secret”
(19:3). (Tabari 14777).
118. Someone from the household of Abū ‘Ubaydah narrated:
aa o^ يقول: eos se : الله Le رَسُول الله f عمَرَ انه Gp الله ae
Qi Ee e$ AJ 25x25 وَحَقَرَهُ «lé. الله په سَامِعَ RES alin الاس
“Abdullah ibn ‘Umar “ heard the Messenger of Allah È saying,
“Whoever boasts about his actions to people, Allah will discredit,
disgrace and dishonour him in front of His creation." He said that
Ibn ‘Umar’s & eyes began flowing with tears.’ (Ahmad 6509,
Tabarani in Awsat 4984, Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:99 and Bayhagi
in Shu‘ab 6402).
119. Murrah said,
v de ue 33 JUS es $e الله ez في uli 65$ الله ace عِنْدَ S3
de HN SS الْمَلَائِكَة IS الرَجُمَانِ iei 15) 3] 55555 تَدْهَْبُونَ
451 DSS وَج الله 3, 3 ES GS d وَجْهَ du B Ss هَدَاء
Some people who had been killed in the Way of Allah & were
mentioned in the presence of ‘Abdullah '%, and he said, ‘It is not
as you believe and think. When the two armies meet, the angels
will descend and record people according to their stations: this
one fought for this world, that one fought for sovereignty, another
fought for fame, while another fought desiring the Face of Allah.
Whoever was killed desiring the Face of Allah, he will be in the
Garden.’ (Suyūtī in ad-Durr al-Manthür 7:344).
120. It reached Abū Yahya that Abū ’d-Darda’ or Abū Hurayrah
& said,
به خَاشعًاء ALI 653 SN هُوَ؟ قال: Leg i L5 GLEN p VES a auo تَعَوَدُوا
QE وَالقَلبٌ ليس
"Seek refuge in Allah from hypocritical humility.'Abu Yahyā was
asked, ‘What is that?’ and he answered, ‘When the body seems
humble, but the heart is not.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 35711).?
121. Awza‘i narrated that Bilal ibn Sa‘d said,
JUN SOT يَشْتَدُونَ بَيْنَ الأغرّاض» وَيَضْحَكُ بَعْضْهُمْ إلى ESI
IUE 3
‘I have met people who actively pursued [lawful] worldly
interests and who laughed at one another, but when it was night,
they became monks.’ (Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11855 and Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:224).
122. ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hārith ibn Juz’ % said,
eus «de الله Lo الله J,25 هق is OT is ab o
‘I did not see anyone smile more than the Messenger of Allah È.
(Ahmad 17704 and Tirmidhi 3641).
123. *Awn narrated:
Ae إلا ass Y SJ decas گان لا hey de الله L2 «3 SI
‘The Prophet's & laugh was only a smile, and he always turned
towards others with his whole body.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 26675).?
124. Jabir in ‘Abdillah or Ibn ‘Umar # said,
des رتيل أو eos «de الله bo الله J,5 في كلام SE
"There was tartil or tarsil in the speech of the Messenger of Allah
$.' (Abū Dawid has transmitted it from Jabir % 4838).^
125. Aishah & said,
als oj) Ee S Lo eds LS athe الله Le رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ الله U
lors id
‘I did not see the Messenger of Allah © laughing to the extent that
one could see his throat; he only ever smiled.' (Bukhari 6092 and
Muslim 899).
126. Hilal ibn Yasaf narrated that "Īsā ibn Maryam 8 said,
sx dl ah uis ds s sos maed يوم ta كان V
za» 2 ک2 224 52 2? Tez ody Sa -
4355) يمسم US الكَّنَاءَ 22:25 US al 1S ابه
‘When one of you fasts a day, he should oil his head and beard
and wipe his lips, so that people will not see that he is fasting.
When he gives with his right hand, he should conceal it from his
left hand. When he prays, he should draw the curtain over his
door. Allah Almighty shares out praise as He shares out
provisions.’ (Bayhagī in Shu'ab 6498).°
127. Khalid ibn Muhājir narrated that he heard Qasim ibn
Muhammad saying,
BEAN في 2s A iS الْعَلَانِيَة Je Fi dis التَافِلَةَ LAN É
"The optional prayer in secret is superior to that done in public,
like the obligatory prayer in a group is superior. (Baghawi
4:130).
128. Qasim Abū ‘Abd ar-Rahman narrated that the Messenger
of Allah 8 said,
ا sa s d
"There is no reward for the one who does not hope for reward.’
(Baghawi 14:325).
129. Abū Salamah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman narrated:
Klē الت صَلى الله QUSS سِدِينَ» e| Ade أَفطَرْت Le el 425 قال رَجُل: يَا
A552. SY «S5 bil ولا di ما zs
A man said, "Messenger of Allah, I have not broken my fast for
four years.' The Prophet % said, "Because you informed the people
of this, you have neither fasted nor broken the fast. This is
because he revealed his deed to people (as Ibn Hayawayh said).
(Ibn Wahb in Jami‘ 314).
130. Damrah ibn Habib ibn Suhayb narrated that the
Messenger of Allah ® said,
BE مِنْ سُجُودٍ LEH ia الله تَعَالَ J ما تَقَرَبَ الْعَبْدُ
‘One does not draw near to Allah Almighty with anything better
than prostration in private.” (Oudāī in Musnad ash-Shihāb 1294).
131. Damrah ibn Habib narrated:
JE ME 1353 dus zu 1,53 ول ache الله L2 an يمول N
VIS قال: adi ŠĀ U3 hs
The Messenger of Allah % said, ‘Remember Allah with an
undetectable remembrance.’ He was asked, ‘What is an
undetectable remembrance?’ and he said, ‘One that is hidden.’
(Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 1737).
132. Muhammad ibn Ziyād said,
وَيَدْعُو ext في SG في الْمَسْجِدِ وَهْوَسَاجِدٌ Jas le i ul eb aat;
BSS في s OE لَوْ «esl أت aul ul Jūs ass
‘I saw Abū Umamah go to a man in the masjid who was
prostrating and weeping in his prostration and supplicating to his
Lord. Abū Umamah said, "You! This should be done in your
home!" (Baghawi 4:130).
1 These are the god-fearing, the friends of Allah and the pious
scholars. It does not infer that they failed to share important statements
of the Prophet È and others. It means they refrained from presenting
wondrous and entertaining—but rare—anecdotes which tend to attracts
crowds. It could also mean that they did not present their most authentic
narrations merely for the purpose of competing with other hadith
scholars. Allah knows best.
2 Bayhagī has transmitted a variation of this hadith from the Prophet
% in Shu'ab (6568).
3 The first portion of the hadith has been related by Jābir ibn
Samurah /&, transmitted by Ahmad (20917) and Tirmidhi (3645).
4 Tartil and tarsil have the meaning of speaking gently and slowly
with absolute clarity in the letters and the words, so that those listening
can understand. ‘Azimabadi in Awn (13:126)
5 Ibn al-Mubārak has also related a similar narration in Zuhd from
‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ud “ which states that he should comb his hair when
he is fasting.
ii
HUMILITY AND FEAR
133. Hasan said that the Messenger of Allah & said,
PUE 30% ju aque ———À 1 T à uu ga ES t و
أمنين» A جمع عل عبدي خوفين» 15 اجمع b الله عز وجل وزیي s
ASM يوم iial Els ge يَوْمَ القِيَامَة وَإِذَا aal alg gel 5)
‘Allah & said, “By My Might, I will not combine two fears for My
slave nor will I combine two securities for him. When I make him
secure in this world, I make him fearful on the Day of Rising.
When he fears Me in this world, I give him security on the Day of
Rising." (Ibn Hibban 640, Abu Nu‘aym in Hilyah 6:98 and
Bayhagī in Shu'ab 2:223).
134. Salim ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Umar narrated that Ka‘b said,
ee 2$ a 2527 4j af A ieee va jērs de ad apa fat
لا ينجو مِنْ شر يوم Ol gts تبياء Gee له مل عَمَل OB رجلا ol لو
‘Even if a man were to perform actions of the likes of seventy
Prophets, he would still fear that he would not be saved from the
evil of the Day of Rising.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 5:371).
135. Mubarak ibn Fadalah narrated that Hasan said,
Bl cesi «gad! GA 356 Sl caa S يَدَيْكُحْ أَقْوَاء او ao لَقَدْ مَضَى
ex as "m
‘Men have passed before you, the likes of whom would still fear
not being saved from the immensity of that Day, even if they had
given in charity an amount like this pile of pebbles.' (Baghawi
14:374).
136. Habib ibn Abi Thabit narrated that Urwah ibn ‘Amir said,
* 3 £4 31 > 3?
AS dj ul Jui مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ SiL 325 aal يَوْمَ 25,85 «de تُعْرَضُ
wa) EPE AEF: 0 ^ Du
A person's sins will be presented before him on the Day of Rising.
He will pass by one of his sins and say, *I was afraid you would
show up." Then he will be forgiven.' (Dīnawarī in Mujālasah
2464).
137. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
La يَڪُونُ : D قِيلَ: گيف؟ EH y JAS C Od all &
Bi is de اپا قارا ae
'Someone commits a sin and will enter the Garden by it.' It was
asked, 'How? He said, 'It will continue to haunt him until he
enters the Garden.’ (As-Sunan al-Kubrā 11857)?
138. Abū ‘Imran at-Tujibi narrated that he heard Abū Ayyūb
al-Ansārī :& say,
355 abl GU £5 «iz t وَيَعْمَلُ le KES za Lad NB
Gal الله BE GS مِنهَاء $7255 SEN ليَعْمَلُ JOON وَإِنَّ :J SS jee
"Someone does a good action, and he relies on that, but he does
many petty sins until he comes to Allah È surrounded by them.’
He also said, ‘And another person commits a sin which terrifies
him so much that he comes to Allah in salvation.’ (Bayhagī in
Shu'ab 6880).
139. Isrā'īl Abū Musa narrated that he heard Hasan saying,
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'A person commits a sin which causes him such distress that he
enters the Garden by it.’ (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 2:158).
Abū Hazim said, "Sometimes a person does a sin and no good
action he has done will ever be more beneficial for him than that
sin, and sometimes he does a good action and no sin he has done
will ever be more harmful for him than that good action.” (Ibid.
3:242).
140. Safwan ibn Muhriz narrated about ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar &
يتا goal Gl مَعَهُ 552023 CES 52 MG xdi شيعت gia) الله
صل الله als «de 7545 في CETT يُقُولُ: 355 الْمَوْمِنْ مِنْ
5S 555 $e 55 يَضَعَ hio SS AIS ae. :0535 4,5 هَل
تَعْرِفُ؟ فَيَقُولُ: CHS, فَيَقُولُ: هَل تَعْرِفُ؟ فَيَقُولُ: َع EGAN
áh ai oly acte is ài doi e ale ما سَاءَ الله أن ay A
lg ONCE Us aS. LES kis قَالَ: es
قال الله J ويول الأشهاد dé 1358 aai ia رَه fiig 4235 الله
ERAN.
While I was walking with him (‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar E), a man
5
came to him and said, ‘Ibn ‘Umar, what did you hear the
Messenger of Allah % say about intimate conversation?’ He
replied, ‘I heard him say, “The believer approaches his Lord,
Almighty and Exalted, until He screens him from others, and tells
him what is in his book [of actions]. He relates to him his wrong
actions, saying, ‘Do you admit that?’ He will say, ‘Lord, I admit it.’
He will ask again, ‘Do you admit that?’ He will say, ‘Yes, Lord, I
admit,’ until he reaches what Allah wills. Then He will say, ‘I
have veiled them for you, and today, I forgive you."" He said, “He
will then be given his book of good actions. The unbeliever,
however, will be summoned in front of witnesses. Allah Almighty
says: And the witnesses will say, those are the ones who lied against
their Lord. Yes indeed! Allah’s curse is on the wrongdoers! (11:18)”
(Ahmad 5825).
141. Sufyān said about Allah’s & words: The greatest terror will
not upset them (21:103),
‘Once Hell is shut over the people.’ (Baghawi 15:199).
142. A man narrated that Hasan said about the words of Allah
Almighty: Calling out to Us in yearning and in awe, and humbling
themselves to Us (21:90),
Ad الائ فى Gh
‘It is constant fear in the heart.’ (Abū Nu‘aym transmits this from
Sufyan in Hilyah 7:77).
143. Mansur narrated that Mujahid said about the words of
Allah, Almighty and Exalted: Humbling themselves in their
prayers (21:90), ‘It is stillness.’ (Tabari 19:8).
144. Saad narrated that Qatadah said about the words of Allah
Almighty: Those who turn away from worthless talk (23:3):
Je وَقَدَهُمْ عن U الله 2T Sa ants أنَاهُمْ
‘By Allah, one of the commands of Allah came to them and made
them turn away from what is false. (Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah
2:339).
145. Shaddad ibn Aws narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
الکيسش مَنْ GIS نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ Jas UJ الْمَوْتِء وَالعَاجِرُ مَنْ e نَفْسَهُ هُوَاهَاء
des $e a de 65
"The intelligent one is the one who subdues himself and works for
what comes after death. The powerless one is the one who follows
his ego's passions while relying on Allah, Almighty and Exalted.'
(Ahmad 17123, Tirmidhi 2459 and Ibn Majah 4260).
146. Damrah ibn Habib narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
x szcwf owe 3 gad iz RaRh arii ce ع tax GÛ Qs
SF 3E لا šs it £ |; DYI يرفع مِن هده الامة ls Jl إن
‘Trustworthiness and humility—the first qualities to be removed
from this nation—will be lost, until you rarely see a humble
person.’ (Musnad ash-Shāmiyyin 1579)?
147. Mansür narrated that Mujahid said about Allah's & words:
Their mark is on their faces, the traces of prostration (48:29), ‘It is
humility.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 3:282).^
148. Muslim Abū 'Abdillāh said,
SS Sel قال: وَبَشّرِ E gai sb 18) مَسْعْودٍ Op الله Le OB
‘When ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘tid saw Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym, he said,
“Give good news to the humble.” (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:102).°
149. Hisham ibn Hassan narrated that Hasan said,
qy ga ot ee FASE šai ene soie ساغيف eee و eof oat ku
I5] أَحَدُهُمْ حَقَ JSG الشَبَعَء GS يَشْبَعُونَ 19$ US أذركث أقوَامًا X8) cals
5 < o z re 1 Z ء۶ - jw A IUGUM
Ale S e els aca azar S
'By Allah, I have met people who would not satisfy their appetite.
One of them would eat only to resist his desire (to continue) and
stop eating, even though his hungry mouth moved fiercely toward
it.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 35302).
150. Hasan also said,
FI قط ولا S34 (e, ما AS أَحَدُهُمْ يعيش عُمْرَهُ OE X) cuts 2435551
„E5 EE بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الارض Jas YG طَعَاءِ له dara, alal
‘By Allah, I have met such people who lived their whole lives
without any garment ever being folded for them. They have never
asked their wives to make food for them, and they have never laid
anything out for themselves on the ground.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah
35226).
151. Rabi‘ah ibn Yazīd heard Abū Idris al-Khawlani say,
7
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PEU CN E
á S 1 امرۇ قلادة أفضّل مِنْ X125 Us
"There is no better adornment one can wear than tranquillity.'
(Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:123).
1 Tabarani records a hadith wherein it is said that Ibrahim ® will
say something similar on the Day of Rising. Kabir (9763)
2 Nasā'ī has transmitted a variation of this.
3 Tabarani has transmitted it but without the word amānah.
4 When Mujahid related this commentary of the verse to Mansūr, he
said, 'I used to think it was only this mark on the forehead.' Mujāhid
then said, "Sometimes you find it on the forehead of one whose heart is
harder than Fir‘awn’s.’ Ibn Kathir (7:361)
5 In another narration transmitted by Abū Nu‘aym, Ibn Mas'ud tē
said to Rabi‘, ‘Had the Messenger of Allah ® seen you, he would have
loved you, and when I see you, I remember the humble.' Hilyah (2:106)
d
STRIVING IN WORSHIP
152. Layth narrated that Mujahid said,
مَا iš Led الْيَوْمَ إلا كاللاعب فِيهم.
"Today, those of you who strive are only like those of the earlier
generations who were merely playing.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah 34992
and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 3:269).
153. Awzāī reported that he heard Bilal ibn Sa‘d say,
UL bis pg ei as d eh t rufo ci ias
'Your ascetics are covetous, your diligent ones fall short, your
scholars are ignorant and your ignorant are deluded.” (Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:225 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 1697).
154. Humayd ibn Hilal narrated from Abu Qatadah that
‘Ubadah ibn Qurs al-Laythī :& said,
Je edad كُنَا J مِنَ cente في isl هن Yuet py glad 24
$365 QY E185 SE colin gl 54 Ds الله عَلَيْهِ Lo رَسُولٍ الله aie
Ji WD GE قال: هُوَإِذًا els رَمَانَنَا 3551 d GSS
"You do deeds today which, in your eyes, are lighter than a hair,
but during the time of the Messenger of Allah È, we considered
them to be destructive acts.'He (i.e. Humayd] said, ‘I asked Abū
Qatadah, "What [would have been his reaction] if he had seen
our time?!” He replied, "That is why I am saying this." (Ahmad
20752 and Hakim 7674).
155. *Urwah ibn az-Zubayr narrated that Miswar ibn
Makhramah said,
>
o2
ا qw zofo fyri LN شه هدوج ere وده
ots 2 الا رض أقوَامًا لو 3315( جَالِسَا مَعَكم لاستَحييت منهم.
"The ground is filled with the type of people who, if they were to
see me sitting with you, I would be ashamed.’ (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan
al-Kubrā 11851).!
156. Zuhri narrated from ‘Urwah that he heard ‘A’ishah & say,
ذُهَبَ Sall يهاش iy HSI في فل كجلٍ الاجرّب
z ms at miu RAE yee "ETC pu 9 wo a TE
لم غب ob aes la; dy WM als U Aad,
i LKS os مَن نن Ege eal J du Ji
‘Labid said:
“Gone are those in whose shadows people lived,
and I remain with their progeny like a scab on skin.
The [new generation] speak with fear, seeking refuge,
but their spokesman is frowned upon, even though he stokes no
trouble.”
She said, ‘What if Labīd met the people around us today?!
And Zuhri said, ‘What if ‘Aishah had met the people around
us today?!”
(Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 316).
157. Sa‘d ibn Mas'üd narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr 8 said,
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'If two men from the earliest generations of Islam were to be left
with their copies of the Qur'an in one of these valleys, and people
went to them today, the two men would not recognise anything of
what they were doing.’ (Ibn Waddah in Bida* 184).
158. Sufyan narrated that Abū 'd-Darda? % said,
alis ait س EN az;
‘I have found that if you try people, you will dislike them.’
159. Ibn ‘Umar 5 said that the Messenger of Allah © said,
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'People are like camels. Among a hundred you do not find a
proper mount.' (Bukhari 6498 and Muslim 2547).
160. ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Mu'afiri narrated that ‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As &5 said:
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‘I prefer to do an action today and stay steadfast on it, than do
double of it in the past, because when we became Muslim, we
dedicated ourselves to the works of the Next World. Today,
however, this world has seized us.’ (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 31:266).
1 With the passage of time, piety and righteousness in general has
slowly been decreasing from generation to generation, to the extent that
many elders can see stark differences between the people they remember
from their youth and the young men they see now they themselves have
become old. Miswar is saying here, how he would be embarrassed if the
older generations were to see him sitting with this new generation, not
because they lacked righteousness but because theirs paled in contrast
with the early Muslims. The Prophet ® said regarding this: ‘The best
people are my generation, then those that follow them, then those that
follow them.' (Bukhari 2652 and Muslim 2533)
2 Bazzār (4101), Tabarani in Musnad ash-Shamiyyin (1493) and Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah (5:154) have transmitted it as a direct narration from
the Prophet È. If you were privy to every little detail about people, you
would begin to hate them. Ibn al-Athir said that it means: when you put
people to the test you are going to be disappointed, and you will
abandon them, because of the flaws and faults you uncover. Nihayah
(4:106)
The purpose behind the statement is not to defame anyone, and it
does not encourage bad manners towards others. It does however
encourage us to shift our focus away from mere personalities by
demonstrating the fickleness of fame and celebrity culture. The greatest
wisdom one can take from this is that our only focus should be our
faultless Creator & and His beloved Prophet ®.
as
SINCERITY AND INTENTION
161. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said that the Messenger of Allah
® said,
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'Actions are only judged according to intentions, and man shall
only have what he intends. So whoever emigrates for Allah and
His Messenger, his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger.
Whoever emigrates to gain something of this world or to marry a
woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.’
(Bukhari 1 and Muslim 1907).
162. Ja‘far ibn Hayyan said,
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"The master of these actions is the intention. A man achieves by
his intention what he does not achieve by his actions.
163. Tawbah al-‘Anbari said,
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‘Salih ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmān sent me to Sulayman ibn ‘Abd al-
Malik. I went to him and said to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, “Do you
have something to convey to Salih?" He said, "Tell him: 'Focus on
what remains for you with Allah. What remains with Allah
remains with people, and what does not remain with Allah will
not remain with people." (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11862 and
Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:277).
164. ‘Urwah said that 'Ā*ishah % wrote to Mu'āwiyah %:
فاق اللّة؛ DEY ]15 انَقَيْتَ الله EN DUS « وَإِذَا اتَمَيْتَ الاس لَمْ يَغْنُوا SEE
مِنَ الله ABE
"Fear Allah! If you fear Allah, He will save you from people. If you
fear people, they cannot not help you at all against Allah.' (Abü
Dāwūd in Zuhd 320 and Nasa'i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11853).
165. Muhammad ibn Wasi‘ narrated that Luqman said to his
son,
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'My son, fear Allah, and do not show people that you fear Him,
seeking their respect, while your heart is sinful.’ (Abu ‘Ubayd al-
Qasim ibn Sallam in Khutab 109).
166. ‘Umarah ibn Ghaziyyah narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr said,
‘I complain to Allah of my shortcoming, which I cannot give up,
and my praise, which I do not condone.' He also said, "We only
mourn religion for the benefit of the world.' (Ibn *Abd al-Barr in
Jami‘ 1181).
167. Muqpbil ibn ‘Abdillah said about ‘Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythī,
‘One day, many people asked him questions, so he said,
par cape
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ls ets taa AUS
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“You have asked my opinion a lot. Do not perform actions for
other than Allah and then hope for a reward from Allah. None of
you should admire his own actions, even if they are many. All
that a slave can hope to reach of Allah's immensity is like the leg
of a fly.” (Bayhagī in Shu'ab 1766).
168. Sufyān narrated that Zubayd said,
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'It would please me very much to make an intention for all things,
even eating and sleeping. (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:61 and
Bayhagī in Shu'ab 9:191).
169. Jarir ibn Hazim said,
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‘One day, we visited Hasan and we gathered in front of him on his
terrace. He looked at the people's faces and said, "I see eyes, but
no friendly familiarity and no true word or action; just figures
wearing clothing."'?
170. Yahya ibn al-Mukhtar narrated that Hasan said,
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'You can meet as many as you like who are smart, witty and
eloquent, but their hearts and actions are dead. You know them
better than they know themselves. You see bodies, but you do not
see hearts. You hear voices, but there is no familiarity. Their
words are abundant, but their hearts are barren.’ (Dinawari in
Mujālasah 955).
171. Sulayman al-A*mash narrated that Shagīg ibn Salamah
said,
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"The reciters of our time are like mutton sheep with thin wool.
They eat chickpeas and drink water until their flanks are bloated.
A man passes by them and admires them, so he slaughters one of
the sheep, but it is not pure. He slaughters another and it is the
same, and he exlaims, “My day, what a waste!" (Abū Nu‘aym in
Hilyah 4:104).?
172. Mu'āwiyah :& wrote to "Ā'ishah & saying:
-
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Ue وَمَن «o4 She الله OLS رضًا الله ِسَحَط الاس KSI sa يقول:
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"Write me a letter with advice, but do not make it long.' So she
wrote, ‘From *A'ishah to Mu'āwiyah: Peace be upon you. I heard
the Messenger of Allah % say, "If anyone seeks the pleasure of
Allah despite people's anger, Allah will protect him from the
burden of people. If, however, one seeks the pleasure of people by
angering Allah Almighty and Exalted, Allah will hand him over to
the people." Peace be upon you.' (Tirmidhi 2414).
173. ‘Abbas ibn Dharih said that ‘A’ishah % wrote to
Mu'āwiyah % that:
مَنْ يَعْمَلُ polar, الله as حَامِده Sa الئاس ذَامًا.
'If one is involved in disobeying Allah, those who commend him
will eventually disparage him.’ (Masāwi” al-Akhlāg 221) ^
174. Humayd ibn Nu'aym narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab
and 'Uthmān ibn Affān * were invited to a dinner, so they
accepted. When they left, Umar said to Uthmān,
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‘I saw food I wished I had not seen.’ ‘Why is that?’ Uthmān asked.
He said, 'I feared that it would become a source of boasting.”
(Baghawī 9:144).
175. Hajjaj ibn Shaddad said that he heard ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abi
Jafar, or he said, ‘Abdullah, who was one of the wise, say in
one of his statements,
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‘If a man likes to speak in a gathering, he should be silent. If he
likes to be silent, he should speak.’ (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Samt 97).
176. Abū ’1-‘Ala said that it was related to him:
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'Any servant of Allah who offers the prayer in an isolated place
and prays well, Allah & says, "This prayer is for Me. This person
is praying and no one can see him and he is not showing off to
anyone.”
177. Abū Umamah # narrated that the Prophet 8 said,
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"Allah Almighty says, "My slave devotes himself to Me with
nothing I love more than wishing good for others." (Ahmad
22191).
178. Anas ibn Malik :& said,
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‘I heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb %% return the greeting of a man who
greeted him. Then he asked the man, "How are you?” and the
man replied, "I praise Allah to you." *Umar said, "That is what I
wanted from you.” (Malik 3532).
179. Habib ibn Abi Thabit narrated that 53610 ibn Jubayr said,
ANN يَحْمَدُونَ الله عل كَل حال أو قَالَ: في atas NER مَنْ ITY
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"The first of those called to the Garden will be those who praise
Allah in every state,’ or he said, ‘both in good times and in bad.”
(Saghīr 288, Awsat 3033 and Kabir 12345).°
180. ‘Alqamah ibn Mirthad narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar
& said,
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"We used to meet several times a day or more and ask each other
how we were, solely for the purpose of praising Allah &.
(Bayhagī in Shu'ab 4137).
181. Sufyan narrated that Abū '1-Bakhtarī used to say,
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‘I love for Allah to be obeyed, and that I am His own slave.’ (Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:380).
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Budayl said, "Whoever recognises his lord loves Him. Whoever
recognises this world renounces it. The believer does not amuse
himself to the point of heedlessness. If he reflects, he becomes
sad.' (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 3:108 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 35673).
183. Ja‘far ibn Hayyan narrated that Hasan said,
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"There is in one of the scriptures: "Son of Adam, you call on Me
but flee from Me, and you remember Me but forget Me."" (Hilyah
4:27)°
184. Abū Hurayrah :& said,
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‘One of you sees dust in his brother's eye, but forgets the trunk (or
he said, the stump) in his own eyes.’ (Musnad ash-Shihāb 610).”
1 Abū Nu'aym has recorded the following statement from Yahyā ibn
Abi Kathir: 'Study intentions as they are more effective (ablagh) than
actions.' Hilyah (3:70)
2 The friends of Allah and the pious scholars have the highest
standard in conduct with Allah & and minor actions that we do today
were damning in their eyes. The lack of fear for Allah which they see in
people too disturbs them and they cannot comprehend a person
behaving in such a way. This is what is meant by Hasan's statement in
that he sees no substance in people anymore and they are just like
floating images.
3 The reciters resemble these sheep in their impressive looks and lack
of substance.
4 Khara'iti transmits a variation of these words from the Prophet ®.
5 Tabarānī has related it as a direct narration to the Prophet ©
through Ibn ‘Abbas ®.
6 Abü Nu'aym has transmitted a variation of this from Wahb ibn
Munabbih.
7 0110361 has transmitted this as a direct hadith from the Prophet ®.
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ESTEEM FOR THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH
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185. Jabalah ibn Suhaym said,
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‘I came with Ziyad ibn Hudayr al-Asadi from the refuse tip, and as
I was speaking, I said, “No, by the trust!” Ziyad began to weep
and weep. I thought I had done something serious, so I asked him,
“Is it disliked to do that?” and he replied, “Yes. There is the
strictest of prohibitions on swearing by the trust.” (Abū Nu‘aym
in Hilyah 4:196)!
186. Thābit al-Bunani narrated that Mutarrif said,
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‘The majesty of Allah should be respected in your hearts. Do not
mention Him with like when one says to a dog, or a donkey or a
sheep, “O Allah, shame it!”
187. Jabir narrated that ‘Ata’ said regarding Allah Almighty’s
words: As for those who attach great importance to what Allah has
deemed unlawful, that comes from the God-consciousness in their
hearts (22:32), 'It is sins.” (Baghawi 14:340).
188. A Qurayshi man narrated that Musa ® said,
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‘Lord, teach me about those who are Your people.” He % said.
"Those who love one another for My sake, those who make My
mosques flourish, who ask forgiveness of Me before dawn, and
those who, when I am mentioned, mention Me. When they
remember Me, I remember them. They are those who return
frequently to My obedience as eagles return to their nest, those
who become enraged, like a leopard when it is angry, when the
things I have forbidden are deemed lawful.' (Bayhaqi in Shu'ab
8635).
189. Ibn ‘Abbas 5 said, ‘A man asked, “Messenger of Allah,
who are the friends of Allah?" He answered,
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“Those who remind you of Allah & when you see them.”
190. Wahb in Munabbih said, ‘One of the sages said,
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“I am too embarrassed to worship my Lord & out of hope of the
reward of the Garden, like a worker who only works if he is paid
his wage, otherwise he does not. And I am too embarrassed to
worship my Lord & out of fear of the Fire, like a bad slave who
only works when he is afraid, and if he does not fear, he does not
work."' Ibn Hayyuwayh said, ‘But I worship Him as is His right.”
(Abū Ishaq al-Khuttali in Mahabbah 88).
‘Umar said that Wahb ibn Munabbih said,
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'But love of my Lord the Mighty and Exalted brings out of me
what nothing else does.' (Shajari in Tartib al-Amali al-Khamsiyyah
2:22).
191. Muhammad ibn ‘Umayr ibn ‘Atarid ibn Hajib narrated
that the Prophet & was in a gathering of his companions when
Jibril came to him and poked his back. He 8 said,
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He took me to a tree, on which were what looked like two birds'
nests. Jibril sat in one and I sat in the other, and it grew, with us
in it, until it filled the sky. I could have touched the heavens if I
stretched my hand out to them. Then a rope was suspended, and
light descended. Jibril fell flat unconscious as though he was a
blanket, at which point I realised the superiority of his fear over
mine. Thereafter, it was revealed to me, ‘A prophet servant or a
prophet king? You will come to the Garden next.’ So Jibril
gestured while still laying down, 'Rather, a prophet servant.'
(Baghawi 13).^
192. Ibn Shihāb narrated,
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The Messenger of Allah © asked Jibril to appear to him in his true
form. Jibril answered, 'You cannot endure that” But the
Messenger È again said, ‘I want you to do it.’ So, one moonlit
night, the Messenger of Allah È came out to the prayer courtyard
and Jibril came to him in his true form, and the Messenger of
Allah % fell unconscious when he saw him. Then he regained
consciousness, and he was leaning on Jibrīl who had one hand on
his chest and the other on his back. The Messenger of Allah ©
said, ‘Glorified is Allah! I never imagined any created thing to be
like that!” Jibril said, "What if you had seen Isrāfīl! He has twelve
wings: one in the East and one in the West, and the Throne is on
the back of his shoulders. At times he shrinks until he becomes
like a crest (a small bird) due to the greatness of Allah Almighty,
at which point nothing can carry His throne except His Might.”
(Zaylaī in Takhrij Ahadith al-Kashshaf 3:146).
193. *Abd al-Azīz ibn Abi Rawwad said,
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‘One of the supplications of the angels is: ^O Allah, forgive us for
what our hearts cannot achieve in fear of You, on the day of Your
wrath upon Your enemies." or something similar. (Abū 'sh-
Shaykh al-Isbahānī in ‘Azamah 2:739).
194. ‘Ata narrated that Mūsā *» asked,
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‘Lord, which of Your slaves fear You the most?’ He answered,
"Those with the most knowledge of Me.' (Darimi 374).
195. Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid narrated from Abū ‘Isa, one of the
elders of earlier times:
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‘There is an angel who, when the Lord % rose above His Throne,
he prostrated and has not raised his head since. He will not raise
his head until the Hour is at hand. Then he will say on the Day of
Rising, "O my Lord, I have not worshipped You as You should be
worshipped, but I have not associating anything with You and I
have not taken a friend other than You.” (Abū ’sh-Shaykh al-
Isbahani in ‘Azamah 2:639).
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196. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said to Ka‘b, ‘Inspire fear in us,
Ka‘b!’So he said,
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'By Allah, Allah has angels who have been standing without
bending their backs since He created them. There are others who
have been bowing and have not straightened their backs, and
there are others who have been prostrating and have not raised
their heads, until the trumpet will be blown for the second time.
Then they will all say, "Glorified You are and praise be to You!
We have not worshipped You as You should be worshipped.”’ He
then said, ‘By Allah, on that day, if a man has the deeds of
seventy prophets, he will still consider his deeds to be less, due to
the intensity of what he will see on that day. By Allah, if a single
bucket of pus was to be suspended in the East, the skulls of the
people in the West would boil. By Allah, Hell will blow out and
any angel close by or anything else will kneel down or fall to their
knees saying, ^Myself! Myself!" Even our Prophets, Ibrahim and
Ishaq. He [i.e. Ibrahim] will say, ^My Lord, I am Your friend,
Ibrahim."
He made the people weep until they were sobbing. When
‘Umar saw that, he said, ‘Ka‘b, give us some glad tidings.’ So he
said,
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‘Rejoice, for Allah has 314 approved iterations of the shari‘ah of Islam
[throughout all of time] and whoever comes with one of them with a sincere
word, will be allowed to enter the Garden through the grace of Allah’s mercy. By
Allah, if you knew the full extent of Allah Almighty’s mercy, you would be slow
to act. By Allah, if a woman from the women of the Garden was to peer into this
world’s sky on a pitch-black night, the earth would be illuminated brighter than
the illumination of a moonlit night because of her, and the her scent would reach
all of the people of the world. By Allah, if a garment from the garments of the
people of the Garden was sent out in the world today, anyone who looked at it
would collapse, and their eyes would not be able to bear it.” (Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 5:368).°
197. Sufyān said about His % words: But when his Lord
manifested Himself to the mountain, He crushed it flat (7:143),
aS zu رو > t 5 22 ge NS A " TE ete
بعد. B23 فهو dl 385 SF SUSI an
‘The mountain sunk into the ground until it fell into the sea and
was swept away.’ (Ibn Kathir 3:470)
198. Ismatl ibn Raja’ narrated that Sha‘bi said,
AEs قال: call & EE PEN Jūs 55% جَبْرَئِيلُ عِيسَى ابْنَ 4
في SERS AMSG قَالَ: ELEN gs SHS یا روح اللّهء قَالَ: يَا -
SA NTC «BL gr BL e JD d asas i
5
(h d eia oli. Yy Jd y إلا بََْةٌ4 peat لا ie
"Jibra'īl & met sā ibn Maryam 8& and said, “Peace be upon you,
Spirit of Allah.” He said, "And upon you be peace, Spirit of
Allah." He said, *Jibra?il, when will the Final Hour be?" Jibra’il
shook in his wings and then said, “The one being questioned does
not know more than the questioner. It is heavy in the heavens and
the earth. It will only come to you suddenly," (7:187) or he said, *He
alone will reveal it at its time.”(7:187)’
199. Sha‘bi said,
e» لابن ERES (Ve ابْنُ 2572 )5 555 عِنْدَهُ السَّاعَةٌ gine گان
ESTAR ae Is sos ex af
‘When the Hour was mentioned in front of ‘Isa ibn Maryam 8, he
would cry and say, “It is not befitting for the Son of Maryam to
remain calm when the Hour is mentioned in front of him.” (Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:313).
200. "Alī ibn ‘Ali ar-Rifāī narrated that Hasan recited this
verse: We have created man in trouble (90:4. and he said,
US هَذَا leas ANI مِنَ Led iš RAR
‘I do not know of any creation who bears difficult matters as
much as these humans.” (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 6:311).
201. ‘Ali ibn ‘Ali narrated that Sa‘id ibn Abi ’l-Hasan recited
this verse one day and said,
ARS ee E les le الا
S Bo ve : 3 - ات
‘He bears the troubles of the world and the calamities of the
Hereafter.' (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 6:311).
202. Harun ibn Ri’ab said that he heard ‘As‘as ibn Sallamah say
to his companions,
tA, SG 54,5 ES Vlad ca ِن ee cea
4) Jus
CAN ون لاق gbé ذِي BLE إن كنج
ex بَكَوا ges بَحًَا مِنْ MEL مَا lead يون est Ac
‘I will recite a couplet to you.’ They began looking at him and
asking about the poem, so he recited:
‘If you are safe from it, you are safe from a disaster,
except that I do not believe you will be saved.’
The people began weeping profusely. I have not seen them weep
at anything as they wept that day.*
203. ‘Imran ibn Hudayr said that a man from ‘Anazah, whom
he named, said,
-
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is إلى العَصَايبٍ Colas) ās J des 5l لم
-S „7 A J |
A
‘I have not seen anything like us; one tribe does not go to another
weeping.' (Wakī' in Zuhd 26).
204. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah said,
- z £o sz g ١ 9 $
Zo - at 3 fti va sro ts Zar gu 2 s ZZ s9 vot 5 -
5 "
£ So is LONE Zot 0 < 1 z$ 7 ot ga 2 S o1 pty di 2 of
كنت نسيًا منْسيا. gS) لم تلذنى» SIE AES gh) AGE pā
- kad ج - ب - | = kadā - | ب hed e rr
-
‘I saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb :$ pick up a piece of straw from the
ground and say, ^Would that I were this plant. I wish that I had
been nothing. I wish that my mother had not given birth to me. I
wish that I were something forgotten.' (Baghawi 14:373 and Ibn
Abi Shaybah 34480).
205. Ziyad ibn Mikhraq narrated:
aS We G et US lh Sa ELS Sess
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb “ heard a man reciting, ‘Has man ever
known a point in time when he was not something remembered?’
(76:1) so ‘Umar said, ‘If only that was so!’ (Muttaqi al-Hindi in
Kanz 35764).
206. Aban ibn Uthmān ibn ‘Affan reported to him that ‘Umar
i& said, when he was dying,
„ft 5
PIS GS مَا gai ليه JL T 55 5
‘Woe to me and woe to my mother if He does not forgive me!” And
he passed away without saying anything after that. (Abū Dāwūd
in Zuhd [with Uthmān :$ as the narrator] 43)
207. Humayd ibn Hilāl narrated that:
eeu le يَسِيرَانِ S ELS cule Jp الله wes Ske Seb co
9$ > st Wat 24-42 -o 2 14516 ee AP Ii E ist 2351 9 2,2
هرم: à) Jūs cialis] is قا OLSEN anu les صت لهما
^ يهو Wat ae سه %% Stic ae و ا اس za s one E astu Be
yale ابن Jūs 85s التّاقة sis أن تَكُونَ 34 الصلياتة قا كلتك CSI
CENA 22? TERR T. l - 0 "- Ei UNE it d A 5 Dias
(53 وَإن AAI jas 5 الله lo ذلك وني لا رجو أن Col G aly
- - - $ - -
- >t of 5 t1 9 d £5 و » A 9g ^ TE T ro. T
: * 7 Ce 7 we, 2 - a E "^. 2* 36 P
أكُونَ IEE «guts أطاع في IE لو ah هَرِم: JUS 25 Y 5
2%% Zig . «ER ai 2 .
ARUBA SU)! si S356 DELA هذه
Harim ibn Hayyān and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir set out on a journey.
As they were riding on their mounts, a tree appeared in the
distance. The two camels dashed to it and one of them ate from it.
Harim said to ibn ‘Amir, ‘Would you like to be this tree, eaten by
this camel and then you are gone?' He replied, 'By Allah, I would
not like that. I hope that Allah & will admit me to the Garden. I
hope this and I hope that.’ Then Harim said, ‘By Allah, if I knew
that I could decide my fate, I would want to be this tree, be eaten
by this camel and then be gone.’ (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tārikh 73:375).
208. Ibrahim narrated that ‘A’ishah @ passed by a tree and
said,
sd 3555 مِنْ هَذِه الشَجَرَة.
‘Would that I were a leaf on this tree!” (Ibn Sa‘d in Tabagāt 8:59).
209. Hasan said,
-
iron o
“+
a c tae IE (7 511 SP WSS ene i ira, E e f
gg gēli تا كل LSU يا dl GB Jus dx على Vib ابو بكر pal
الطيرٌ. W 8525 الشَّجَرِ لَوَدِدْتُ أفي fe
‘Abu Bakr saw a bird on a tree, and said, “How fortunate you are,
bird. You eat fruit and perch on the trees. I wish I were fruit being
pecked at by birds.”’ (Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 35698).
210. Qatadah narrated that Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah % said,
5 وَيَحْسُونَ (gh OSU pl GKS US SI S333
‘I wish that I could be a ram, so that my family would slaughter
me and eat my flesh and taste my gravy.' (Hilyah 6:30).”
He also said that ‘Imran ibn Husayn “% said,
S333 اني كنت 19135 45 «X ET في e عَاصف خَبِيث.
‘I wish I could be ashes so the wind could scatter me on an
extremely stormy day.' (Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz 36663).
211. Hasan said,
Aie US 24515 US asics 1325
‘They hope and they hope, but when that fails, they strive.’ (Ibn
Abi ’d-Dunya in Mutamannin 92).
1 The strict prohibition refers to the statement of the Prophet ®:
‘Whoever swears on anything other than Allah has assigned partners to
Him.’Ahmad (5375), Tirmidhi (1535) and Abū Dāwūd (3251)
2 Ibn Abi Shaybah has transmitted a variation of it. (35136)
3 Bukhari transmits it through Asma? bint Yazid “in al-Adab al-
Mufrad (323) as does Ahmad (27599).
4 Tabarānī in Awsat (6214) has transmitted the variation: 'I realised
the superiority of his knowledge of Allah & over mine.’
5 Some copies of Zuhd have an extra narration mentioned by Ibn
Sa‘id that the Prophet % said, ‘If a woman from the women of the
Garden was to appear before the people of the world, she would fill the
earth with the fragrance of musk, and she would outshine the light of
the sun and the moon. By Allah, I would not chose you over them.’
6 This couplet has also been quoted from Silah ibn Ashyam. Abü
Nu'aym in Hilyah (2:241)
7 Ibn al-Mubarak has related a similar statement from Abü 'd-Darda?
ik which has been left out here as a repetition. Abū Nu'aym has
transmitted a variation of this from Kab.
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REFLECTION ON FOLLOWING FUNERAL
BIERS
212. ‘A’ishah & used to say,
531 us 5,51 ói 3 di 08; «li poti مِنْ p> Op get Vj
$5 dio az وين ol AE ميق EST os قلات من uet fe
DASS U djs 5345 Ip dis ade الل Lo الله J 7 Cad Cas
AN BUS di nis مق gadi Cod BF fts.
‘Usayd ibn Hudayr was of the best of people. He used to say, “If I
could choose, I would always be in one of three states: reciting
the Qur'an and listening to it being recited, listening to the
address of the Messenger of Allah È or attending a funeral. I did
not attend any funeral, but that I told my soul that the same will
be done to it and it will suffer the same fate." (Ahmad 19093,
Tabarani in Kabir 554, Hakim 5260 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 8835).
213. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Abi Rawwad said,
-
Ki الصمَات ŠĪ HEL GSI إا cias ale الله fo گان رَسُول الله
PA of 32,7€ 2 Sot 1€ sel uu s iw ae y - .321-4 دكت
حديث فسه» 1355 37 dažās bū LS) 5l بامر cate C lay «za!
E ROS
‘When the Messenger of Allah È followed a funeral bier, he would
remain extremely quiet and contemplate a lot. They believed he
would think to himself about the circumstance of the deceased,
what he is going through and what he is being asked about.’
(Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 18511).!
214. Budayl said,
GI gs AT SO GR راه alā Se deni ls ELSE
A3 gh S VE عَنْهُ jās ee I fe ag US
‘Mutarrif would meet one of his closest brothers at a funeral, and
perhaps he was absentminded, but he would do no more than
greet him and then turn away from him, preoccupied with what
he was doing.' (Ibn 'Asākir in Tarikh 58:332).
215. Muhammad ibn Sūgah narrated that Ibrahim said,
فِيهم. US jās 59,55 ALY 5,18 515,3 38 UG 5)
"When the earlier generations used to attend a funeral, they would
remain for days in sorrow and it could be seen in them.' (Abü
Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:227).
216. Qays ibn Ubādah said,
Xie مَسْتَحِبُوقَ حفص الصو clos «de الله Lo الله Jos Seal كان
A e; oth وَعِنْدَ «Seal
‘The Companions of the Messenger of Allah È liked to lower their
voices in battle, while reciting the Qur'an and at funerals.’ (‘Abd
ar-Razzaq 6281).
217. Abū Sa‘id al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet 8 said,
oo [pet اس PP HATTEN
‘Visit the sick and follow funeral biers so that they remind you of
the Next World.' (Ahmad 11445, Ibn Hibban 2955 and Tabarani
in Awsat 6027).
218. Abū 'd-Dardā” :& said,
ly Bé بمَعْمُولِ Vy aa ede Gols dis يَدْرِيء الله أ
aedis Abs فِرَاقُ Xie el diss nies 2 GM عَمَرَاتِ
VS eoe 5, stils Se abl gt st uS «odi أذري
Jen dy ECC
"Ihree things make me laugh and three make me weep. One who
hopes for this world while death is seeking him, one who is
heedless [of Allah] while Allah is not heedless of him and one
who laughs with a full mouth, not knowing whether Allah is
pleased with him or is angry with him, make me laugh. As for the
three that make me weep: the separation of Muhammad from his
beloved companions, terror at the scene of the throes of death and
standing before Allah, Mighty and Exalted, on the day when
secrets are made public. Then I do know whether it is to the
Garden or the Fire.' (Dinawari in Mujalasah 565).
219. Muhammad ibn *Abd ar-Rahman ibn Nawfal related that
Sawdah, the wife of the Prophet ® said, ‘Messenger of Allah,
when we die, ‘Uthman ibn Maz'ün will pray for us, until you
come to us.’ The Messenger of Allah % said to her,
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AJE انه اشد هما تَقَدِرِينَ ādā) x5 المَوْتِ 6 بنتَ e لو تعلمِينَ
: 2 2 I Ss 0
‘If you had knowledge of death, daughter of Zam'ah, you would
know that it is far more difficult than what you assume.' (Kabir
90).2
220. Muhammad ibn Urwah said,
Jus dis وَسَلَّمَ يَضْحَكُونَ ade الله Lo st ool مِنْ S ess
AN ab مَنْ ee ES S) a رَسُول JUS اسْتَرَاحَتْ» u$ 5 بلال:
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‘A female Companion of the Prophet ® who people used to laugh
at passed away and Bilal said, “Woe is she. Now she rests.” The
Messenger of Allah © then said, “Only those who are forgiven
rest.” (Abu Dawid in Marasil 519).
1 ‘Abd ar-Razzaq has transmitted a variation (6282).
2 Tabarani has transmitted a variation of this.
kal
PROHIBITION OF HAVING HIGH
EXPECTATIONS
221. Anas ibn Malik narrated:
115 255 — Ael Is SE وَسَلَمَ: هَدَا ابن ae صل الله ail رَسُول Ju
thal 255 all 25 — Jus ax; zs 33 aus xe
The Messenger of Allah È said, ‘This is man and this is his death.’
He placed his hand on his neck and then stretched his arm out
and said, ‘His death is here and his expectations are there.'!
222. Hasan said,
aa NT $23 zz Se xa nasa a2 d zc ix 1x teza
de cl فقال احدهم: لم calal بَعضهم بَعضا عن Js c a5 ثلاثة ase |
«29 Gi. E ع4 RE $39 4 zz M r1 5 exi c TE.
Jūs e 92 yol J; OGY إن هذا Jūs kd +9 ey اني LE إلا ui
ķi Retu Mt Hae. dete P es
"Three people met and asked each other about their expectations.
One of them said, “No month passes but I think that I will die in
it." He was told, "There is definitely some expectation here.” The
second said, “A day,” and he too was told, “There is expectation
here.” When the last person was asked, he said "I have the
expectation of someone whose death is in someone else's hand.”
(Ibn Abi Shaybah 35727).
223. Abū 'l-Mutawakkil an-Nājī said,
AIK يَدَيْهه GS أغوَادِء 5745 عُودًا S DIS ale الله صل الله ) isi
«Ael a 253 قالوا: الله el أَتَدْرُونَ ما «JŪS 5058 JU UG ais إلى
Az 5 5 ابن آدَمَ lb VI وَذَلِكَ LEI 3055 هَذَا الإِنْمَانُء US SE
41$ 5,5 MI
‘The Messenger of Allah È took three sticks. He planted a stick in
front of him, another next to it and he stuck the third further
away. Then he said, “Do you know what this is?" They replied,
*Allah and His Messenger know best." He % said, "This is man,
that is his death and that is the expectations which man pursues,
but death will seize him way before that.” (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in
Qasr al-Amal 10).
224. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib % said,
Jn فان ظول « e! dur pY طول aes! عليڪم T Lo}
Bde ELF 5) 35 يَصد عَن 32-1( وَإِنْ الدَنْيَا 559 USI وَإِن 452 Qos
Y5 الآخِرَة cll مِنْهُمَا بَنُونَه فَكُونُوا مِنْ Hel) BI ais وَالآخِرَةُ
عَمَل. V5 Ps MES «DU 13 Jot £52 SNS AI أَبْنَاءٍ Sa تَكُونوا
‘I fear two things for you: high expectations and pursuing desires.
High expectations make one forget the Next World and pursuing
desires bars one from the Truth. This world is retreating, and the
Next World is advancing. Each of them has followers, so be of the
followers of the Next World and do not be followers of this world.
Today there is action without reckoning, but tomorrow there will
be reckoning without action.” (Ahmad in Fadā'il 881 and Abū
Dawüd in Zuhd 106).?
225. Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
ets veo OUS dis 483 E asl ابن 6e ale 3 0 ا DU 1
‘The son of Adam is destroyed—or the son of Adam becomes
senile—and two things still remain in him: avarice and high
expectations.” (Ahmad 12142 and Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
11765).
226. Abū Ubadydillāh narrated that Abū 'd-Darda? said,
NN. K 2 mas aia ew To 1 Sy 2% 2 age of ate teen
كُلويَهُمْ لِلآخِرَة وَقَلِيلُ مَا هُمْ. al الذِينَ امْتَحَنَ
'One's soul is ever blazing with the love of possessions, even
though he is so old that his clavicle bones become crooked, except
those whose hearts Allah has tested for the Next World—but they
are few.' (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Zuhd 310).
227. Ibn Abi Nujayh narrated that Mujahid or someone else
said,
ái 395 Od) odes $e 455 قال له 25 Yt إلى est Jac UG
"When Adam descended to earth, His Lord & said to him, "Build
only for ruin, and procreate only for destruction." (Abu Nu'aym
in Hilyah 3:286).
228. Abū Sinān ash-Shaybānī said,
pat oe Go Gel تلات i zési cis AI ue Sa غ الله 2
LEE As Geil S) dē acl, في Ss a aeu في FER lēš alā
AT jai "CP يوم IŚ gue Saa «Jūs aÑ ie) 3 ادم
LS 153% : dus السموات ولا رض وما GES فى سكة Uz ati مستا
foal مِنْ
"Allah finished the creation of the heavens and the angels with
three moments remaining of Friday. I do not know with which He
began, but He created trials in a moment, expectations in a
moment and Adam in the last moment. The Jews said, “Then He
sat, and that is Saturday,” but Allah Almighty revealed: We
created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six
days and We were not affected by fatigue. (50:38). (Tabari 21:433).
229. Salih (i.e. al-Murrī) said,
dē de 35 SEU. إن 555 5321 ]15 فار
'If I cease to remember death for a moment, it corrupts my heart.'
(Ibn Wahab in Jami‘ 347)?
Malik [ibn Mighwal] said (regarding Rabi‘ ibn Abi Rashid),
-
ia; 55 أَظْهَرٌ حُرْنًا مِنْه.
'I did not see a man show more sorrow than he did.” (Ibn Wahab
in Jami‘ 347).
230. Sālih al-Murrī said about: Know that Allah brings the earth
to life after it was dead (57:17),
3% وي
15.5 بَعْدَ ol a ŠĪ iac
"Meaning, He softens hearts after they were hard.” (Nawādir
3:147)*
231. Hibban ibn Abi Jabalah narrated that Abū Dharr or Abū
'd-Darda? && said,
FIG وَتَدَرُونَ SEU Fe وَتحْرِصُونَ lsd 6552355 «520 Spl
ig sig LI SSIS Y
'You procreate for death, you build for ruin, you are eager for
what vanishes and you leave what remains. How beloved are the
three disliked things: illness, death and poverty! (Muttagī al-
Hindi in Kanz 44244)
232. Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated that the Messenger of Allah
® said,
136 U3 de ETE Yi vee SS 55 بيه مَا AA LAS g J
453 Gas WES
‘By the One who has my soul in His hand, any house that is filled
with joy is filled with tears, and there is no happiness except that
it is followed by grief.’ (Oudāt in Musnad ash-Shihāb 5
234. A‘mash narrated,
onl Ga ALĪ Gach ches ate رَسُولٍ الله صل الله ez قَدِمَ U
ما OB Uns qual به xà eS odd s» | عَنْ بَعْضٍ مَاء فَنَوَلَتْ:
Sa citē tē SI Aes) E ot jy اللّه. . 4
‘When the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ® came to
Madinah, they received the subsistence they received after
experiencing difficulty and it was as though they slackened
somewhat, so this was revealed: Has the time not arrived for the
hearts of those who believe to yield to the remembrance of Allah?
(57:16)' (Razi in Mafatih 29:460).
235. Malik ibn Mighwal said,
DUS JUS cs الله عَلَيْهِ Lo gil Sie de gi So Ol لتا
š "T Wat ati E „$ P : » a s m TP. e
UJ تَر كه LES Jūs — ذكْرَهُ eed 31 — 3545 سَمِعنَاه Le فقالوا: foi
ted od ; 9 wae ho ar x 3} 32 hz 2
Jūs قال: ليس صَاحِبكُمْ AI Se لِيُصِيبٌ a5! قالوا: f ALS
"We heard that a man was praised in the presence of the Prophet
%, so he asked, “How often does he remember death?” They
replied, ^We have not heard him mention it (or he does not
mention it much)." So he % asked, “How is his abandonment of
desires?" They replied, “He acquires some of the world." He ©
said, “Your companion does not deserve that praise.””©
236. Sahm ibn Shagīg narrated,
ae sits oe? Eo ardas weet A < coe m ope sagt مده ود
Hele ESI بْنَ ane الله» فخرّجَ «LAE 235 Cle فقلت: نك يعجبك
iac 2-347 fis sd 1eti»2s» TQ ae 1 ف X po; Wem
الغسل» قال: ebb lo) ثم قال: U جَاءَ بك؟ «Ls الحتديث» قال: 3463
5
x xi gl » 9S 1 4 $
‘One day, I went to meet ‘Amir ibn ‘Abdillah. He came out to see
me after bathing, so I asked him, "It seems as though you like to
bathe." He replied, "I do sometimes." He then asked, "What
brings you here?" I responded, "To talk." He said, "You know that
I love to converse,” meaning musāmarah.'”
1 Tirmidhi (2334) and Ibn Mājah (4232) transmit variations of this.
2 Bukhari has transmitted a portion of this as a note under the
heading of high expectations. (8:89)
3 Ibn Wahab transmits this from Rabī' ibn Abī Rāshid.
4 Hakim Tirmidhi transmits this from Ibn ‘Abbas &.
5 Abū Dāwūd has transmitted this is a statement of ‘Abdullah ibn
Masūd '%. Zuhd (136)
6 Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah has transmitted a portion of it. (7:299)
7 This does not negate the hadith of the Prophet ® about the
prohibition and disliked nature of musāmarah after ‘isha’. The hadith of
prohibition is a caution against wasting time gossiping or discussing
futile matters and an encouragement to engage in beneficial deeds. If
one is not going to use his time productively, it is better to sleep. If,
however, one is busy remembering Allah or studying the Religion, then
it is commendable to stay awake after ‘isha’.
os
REMEMBERING DEATH
237. Mubarak ibn Fadalah narrated that Hasan said,
pur gab وَاقَدَعُوا STE e ui call S3 Shih gab \ Sols
«ALS Y GRAY en we 75 Nesey SB wp
Ai lE 451
'Remind your hearts of Allah, as they are quick to forget. Restrain
these souls, because they are curious and they drag you to an evil
end. If you obey them in every whim, they will leave nothing for
you.' (Ajurri in Adab an-Nufüs 18).
238. Sufyan narrated a saying,
odas PX
'Beware of gluttony, because it hardens the heart, but overstuff
yourself with knowledge. Do not laugh a lot, otherwise no good
will penetrate the heart.' (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 7:36).
239. *Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Aswad would say,
=
s7-z
55 ela ILS
^Make the meeting with you Lord easy for yourselves." (Ibn
‘Asakir in Tarikh 34:233).
240. Jafar ibn Hayyan narrated that Hasan said,
dE EF Mas تَرَالُ s ess P a SEY ot
'A Muslim does not eat with his whole stomach, and he always
keeps his will by his side.' (Darimi 3220).
241. Sa‘d ibn Mas'ūd 4 narrated:
raul gs هُمْ لِلْمَوْتِ Ve RE E TS & nmn
ASIA RAI
‘That the Prophet © was asked, “Which believers are better?" He
answered, "The best of you in character." Someone asked, "Which
believers are the most intelligent?" He said, "Those who
remember death most and have made the best preparation for it.”
(Ibn Majah 4259 and Tabarani in Awsat 4671).
242. Mundhir ath-Thawri narrated that Rabī' ibn Khuthaym
said,
"Ihe best absent thing a believer can wait for is death.' (Abü
Nu'aym in Hilyah 2:114 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 34843).
243. Masrüq said,
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‘There is nothing at all I envy more than a believer in his grave
who is safe from the punishment of Allah and has been delivered
from this World.’ (Baghawi 5:271).
244. Hushaym ibn Mālik said,
P 9 8. ص z "T z a3
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ier المَدبوح) فتّدا كروا ABE عبد 22255 ابو op aw) عند coda كنا
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عطية؟ GI تقول يا G فقال ايفع: SEG فقالوا: فلان € „EL فقالوا: مَنْ انعم
a $ < ; 8 te zu
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‘We were speaking with Ayfa‘ ibn ‘Abd and Abū ‘Atiyyah al-
Madhbūh was with him. They were discussing ease and asked,
“Who is the most comfortable of all people?” Some people
suggested this person and that person. Then Ayfa‘ said, “What do
you say, Aba 'Atiyyah?” He replied, “I will tell you who the most
comfortable is; a body in a grave who is safe from punishment."
(Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:153).
245. Mu'adh ibn Jabal narrated that the Messenger of Allah
® said,
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اول Lay Gal es Greja) DUS Aul يقول Le اول Le (EI ELS إِنْ
getz مسوم 2 d Seo nt} bet pede pe set zs | 23 @ HIS sjors f s
Das 6:25 فيقولون: ta S رَبتاء G هل احببتم لِقاني؟ فيقولون: نَعَم
zaram a 5 a sapiat Red vea
مَغْفِرَقٍ. pē) 2555 55 i] AS وَمَغْفِرَتَكَ»
‘Do you want me to tell you what Allah Almighty will say to the
believers first on the Day of Rising, and what you will say to Him
first?” "Yes, Messenger of Allah,” the Companions answered. He
said, "Allah Almighty will say to the believers, "Did you want to
meet me?” They will answer, "Yes, our Lord.” He will ask,
*Why?” and they will say, "We hoped for Your forgiveness and
Your pardon.” He will say, “My forgiveness is mandatory for
you." (Ahmad 22072, Tabarani in Kabir 20:125 and Bayhagī in
Shu'ab 1017).
FEARING DEATH BECAUSE OF LEAVING
TYPES OF WORSHIP
246. Sad ibn Mas'ūd narrated that Abū 'd-Darda? && said,
Airi ce du ME liels Ug el S el مَا EG 3
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"Were it not for three things, I would not want to live for a single
day: the thirst of midday for the sake of Allah, prostration in the
middle of the night, and sitting with people who choose their
words in the same manner one chooses the finest dates.’ (Tha‘labi
8:227).
247. Bilal ibn Sa'd narrated that Mi'dad said,
«les $& بكتاب الله ae E3135 السَّتَاءِ l وَطُولُ Gold KE ولا
أكُونَ يَعْسُوبًا. dl ما بَالَيْتُ
"Were it not for the thirst of midday, long winter nights and the
pleasure of praying at night with the Book of Allah &, I would not
care if I were an insect [free of any consequence in the
Hereafter].' (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:159).
248. Ibn Lahi‘ah narrated that he heard ‘Uqbah ibn Muslim
saying,
ما مِنْ has في cel wall إلى الله SUS مِنْ es CH Sl 65 مِنْ سَاعَةٍ
s al أَقْرَبٌ إلى الله EES Ala US يد Mel
"There is no guality in a person which Allah Almighty loves more
than someone who wants to meet Him, and there is no time in
which a person is closer to Allah Almighty than when he falls into
prostration.'!
249. Qatadah narrated,
يُبْكِيكَ؟ قال: مَا ابی A ab ga fs u$ ale le az UI
| TRU PS Seely ast Bija و KR
JI Ji es
‘When ‘Amir ibn ‘Abd Qays was dying, he began to weep. He was
asked, “Why are you weeping?” and answered, “I am not weeping
out of fear of death nor eagerness for this world, but I weep for I
miss the thirst of midday and for standing in prayer in winter
nights.” (Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 3648).
1 Ahmad (25831) has transmitted a hadith from the Prophet % which
conveyed a meaning similar to the first half of the narration: ‘Allah &
loves to meet those who want to meet Him.’ Muslim (482) has recorded
a hadith from the Prophet % which is a variation of the second half of it:
‘The slave [of Allah] is closest to his Lord when he is prostrating, so
make excessive supplications.’
We
REFLECTION AND CONSIDERATION
250. Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid narrated from Tariq ibn Shihab that
Abū Bakr said,
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‘Fortunate is the one who died in the Frailty.” (Muttaqi al-Hindi in
Kanz 15:750).
Isma‘il ibn Abi Khalid asked Tariq what the Frailty meant and
he said, ‘I think he meant in early Islam,’ or he said, ‘in the
beginning of Islam."
251. Musa ibn ‘Ubaydah narrated that Muhammad ibn Kab al-
Qurazi said,
في الدّينء 55655 في is las LM جَعَلَ فيه VE aln الله SUIS]
وَيَصَرًا بعْيُوبِه. BAI
"When Allah desires good for someone, He gives him three
gualities: deep understanding of the religion, self-discipline in this
world and insight into his faults.' (Baghawī 4050).
252. Imran al-Kūfī narrated that ‘Isa ibn Maryam šsaid to the
disciples,
=
لا iš مِمَنْ تُعَلّمُونَ call JL WSN y أَعْطَيْكُمُونِ 65 jJ ela رْضِ»ء
Y تَفْسٌدُواء SY کل rest )15 325 35 يُدَاوَى hdl وَإِنَّ ell ذا فَسَدَ
SI lel, 2153.3 a فِيكُمْ las مِنَ الْجَهْل: Gel مِنْ عير
WE وَالصبْحَة مِنْ AB سَهَر.
‘Do not take a wage from those you teach except to the amount
you have given them. Salt of the earth,? do not spoil. Anything
that spoils is remedied with salt, but when salt spoils, it has no
remedy. Know that there are two qualities of ignorance in you,
laughing at nothing amazing and an early morning meal without
worship in the night.’
253. Khalaf ibn Hawshab narrated that ‘Isa ibn Maryam &said
to the disciples,
ABAN فَدَعُوا لَهُمُ DSSS AS 3, 25d 353 US
'Leave the world to the kings as they have left wisdom to you.'
(Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:73).
254. Rabi‘ ibn Subayh narrated that Hasan said,
SENG الْعَمَلٍ الْوَرَعَ gaf مِنْ ó)
'Scrupulousness and reflection are among the best actions.”
(Hilyah 3:68).*
255. ‘Awn ibn ‘Abdullah said,
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‘I asked Umm ad-Darda’, “Which worship did Abū 'd-Darda? do
most?" She answered, “Reflection and meditation." (Abū Dāwūd
in Zuhd 205, and Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11850).
256. ‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn Mawhib said he heard Muhammad
ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi say,
5
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APS هَذًا. أو قال: نره shh S3 Sal من أَنْ d) celos CANE
‘Reciting: When the earth is convulsed with its quaking (99:1-8) and
The Crashing Blow (101:1-11) and nothing more during the night,
repeating them and contemplating over them, is dearer to me
than reciting the whole Qur'an quickly in one night.” Or he said,
‘than strewing it out quickly.’ (Ibn Abī Shaybah 8732 and Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 3:214).
257. “Ikrimah narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas ® said,
3C 315 i e e GE IS g olās OES;
"Two medium-length units of prayer with reflection are better
than standing the entire night while the heart is heedless.'
(Baghawi 3:261).
258. Ghutayf Abū ‘Abd al-Karim narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Amr ibn al-‘As &5 said,
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‘ms سَخَط الله &$ و visi s ibi. ile KASES به الْمَلِيكَه
'A judicious, generous man does three things: he carries out the
obligations of Allah, he avoids evil, and he is rarely heedless. Do
not underestimate three things: good which you seek, evil which
you guard against and forgiveness sought for a sin too great.
Beware of playing games, because you will not obtain this world
by it, you will not reach the Next World by it and you will not
please the King by it. The Fire was created for anger, and I warn
you about the anger of Allah &.’ (Kuna 1529).°
259. Abū ‘Amr narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd % said,
1 ا ات ba Šanieuaās €» ون fF fe T PM e eg da
Deb تورث حزنا 3E حَفِيف 65 55 شَهوَة Ue cs ٿقِيل sel
"The Truth is heavy and wholesome, and falsehood is light and
contaminated. Sometimes, a short-lived appetite results in long-
lasting sorrow.' (Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:134).
260. Usamah ibn Zayd narrated,
Vab جَالِمًا إلا B5 عْمَرَ gi zd Set uel
*Nafi^ said that he only ever saw Ibn ‘Umar * in the state of
purity.’
261. Ibn ‘Abbas *$ narrated,
Tut € BUS يحرج يهريق OB وَسَلمَ ale الله be aul أن رَسول
AMAA iie x 65), à قريب a الْمَاءَ S) a يَا رَسُولَ 2,58
‘The Messenger of Allah È came out after answering the call of
nature and then performed tayammum (purification using sand).
So I said, "Messenger of Allah, the water is close to you," and he
replied, “How would I know? Maybe I was not able to reach it?”
(Ahmad 2614 and Tabarani in Kabir 12987).
262. Ibrahim said,
Lēš إلا 65 si مِنَ EE hey e الي صل الله 7: d
ASA GIG 331 JG
‘I was informed that the Prophet # was not seen leaving the
water closet without performing ablution after. (Ibn Sa'd in
Tabaqat 1:278).
Ibn al-Warraq said, "Without having performed ablution.'
263. Thawr ibn Yazid narrated that Khalid ibn Ma'dān said,
PS
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FEE GOS إلى نَفْسِهِ ex
'A man will not attain true understanding until he sees people as
camels in relation to Allah, and then he turns to himself and
realises he is the most inferior of all. (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah
5:212).*
264. Salim ibn Abi 'l-Ja'd narrated that Ibn ‘Umar *8 said,
3 C
BS ls de ou eas LI: في دينهم.
‘A man will not grasp the reality of faith until he sees people as if
they were foolish in their religion.' (Abu Dawüd in Zuhd 312).
265. Ghaylān ibn Jarir narrated,
9
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NEIN S iš RT
‘One day Mutarrif came to us and said, “If I were pleased with
myself, I would hate you, but I am not pleased with myself."' (Ibn
‘Asakir in Tarikh 58:301).
266. Humayd ibn Hilāl narrated that Mutarrif said,
-
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او - 455 USA old الشيطان» G65 S 57 GS ale Kall à, إِنْمَا
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‘I find the slave cast down between his Almighty Lord and
Shaytan. If his Lord saves him (or delivers him), he is saved and if
his Lord leaves him for Shaytan, Shaytān takes him away.’ (Ajurri
in Shari‘ah 475).
1 Referring to Islam’s weak and foreign beginnings. The Messenger of
Allah % said, ‘Islam was foreign when it began. . .' (Muslim 232).
2 Īsā # is addressing the scholars here because they purify people of
their spiritual maladies like salt purifies.
3 Ibn Abi Shaybah (34241) and Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah (5:73) have
transmitted a portion of this.
4 Abū Nu‘aym has transmitted a variation of this.
5 Dulabi has transmitted the second half of it.
6 This narration and the one that follows it does not encourage
disparaging others. It does however call for an understanding that, in the
sight of Allah &, people are like a herd of camels, and they need to be
led by a shepherd. They are not faultless, and some err more than others.
Ultimately, each person must hold himself accountable first. If every
person held himself responsible, most disputes would be solved in a swift
and responsible way.
id
FLEEING FROM SINS AND TRANSGRESSION
267. Tāwūs narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar *8 said,
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‘The son of Adam was created prone to mistakes, unless Allah &
shows him mercy.’ (Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 269).
268. ‘Asim said,
di (1 d GB Coa وای vielā رټ اهز ليه إن
ثم te Se أسمع EM وَرَاءٍ المس mee
‘I heard Shaqiq ibn Salamah say while he was prostrating, “My
Lord, forgive me! My Lord, forgive me! If You pardon me, then it
is generosity from You. If You punish me, You punish me without
being unjust or premature." ‘Asim said, ‘Then he wept until I
heard his sobbing from behind the masjid.' (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah
4:102).
269. Magbarī narrated that it has reached him that "Īsā ibn
Maryam & would say,
YÉ qum عِنْدَ مَنْ لا QA age 36 did Ge 1 asl g
FO WW Ca Las C9 I eue Ces ool ھن او
'Son of Adam, when you do a good action, have faith, as it is seen
by the One who will not let it go to waste.' Then he recited: We
will not let the wage of the good-doers go to waste (18:30), and said,
‘And when you do an evil deed, it should constantly haunt you.’
(Ibn *Asakir in Tarikh 47:445).
Ibn al-Warraq said, ‘[Keep it] before your eyes.”
270. Sa'd ibn Ibrahim narrated that Talq ibn Habib said,
s Sassi METEN EVI ši مِنْ ciel الله اك d
Sal dos eiut TN E ie); gab
‘The rights of Allah Almighty are too great for His slaves to fulfil
completely, and the blessings of Allah are too great to be counted,
but you should repent in the morning and in the evening.’ (Ibn
Abi Shaybah 35158, Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 3:65 and Bayhagī in
Shu‘ab 4204).
271. Mughirah ibn Mukhadish asked Hasan, ‘Abt Sa‘id, what
should we do in a gathering of people who relate to us until
our hearts almost soar [out of happiness]?’ He replied,
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الْمَخَاوفُ. eds £5 يوَمنُونَكَ Ul Caras of ن 2
'Shaykh, by Allah, it is better for you to keep the company of
people who make you fear until you obtain security than to keep
the company of people who make you feel safe until fear
overcomes you.’ (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 2:150).
272. The Messenger of Allah ® said,
ra . at Pde Pee Pe, PERI a ^ et? g ARS ل Gor اوه و
کر مرت " R Coe | m 1 gm SS e 5
يُصِيبٌ فيه مِنَ الهَلكات. BU يدري Y deas عمر
"The believer is a slave caught between two fears: a past sin and
the uncertainty of what Allah will do to him because of it, and his
remaining life and the uncertainty of the forms of destruction he
will encounter in it.'!
273. Sufyān narrated from a man that Muslim ibn Yasār
performed a long prostration and his front teeth fell out. Abū
Iyas went to see him and began expressing his sympathy for
him and making light of his worship, so Muslim mentioned the
greatness of Allah Almighty:
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z 0 وء > Sve - of Y ATE az o os of Gute او ^7 & e
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"Whoever hopes for something, pursues it, and whoever fears
something, flees from it. I do not know the value of a person's
hope who does not remain patient in what he hopes for when he
is struck by a calamity. And I do not know the value of a person's
fear who does not refuse a desire because of what he fears.” (Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 2:292).
274. Umar ibn al-Khattab :& said,
cem d- — 723 أنْ تاسبواء فاه 5221 — أو قال: ES حَاسِبُوا أُنْمْسَكُمْ
تَعْرَضُونَ لا Lay (« Sa 5542 54955 Ol قَبْلَ ERI n
PES. M uj 0 2
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'Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable, for
that is easier, or he said, 'Lighten your reckoning. Weigh
yourselves [in deeds] before you are weighed and prepare for the
greatest exposition: On that Day you will be exposed—no concealed
act you did will stay concealed (69:17). (Ajurri in Adab an-Nufūs
17).
275. Yahyā ibn al-Mukhtar narrated that Hasan said,
oU ie US. «Jes $e لله ALAS CLE auus je AIS S452 J
BEL es cold $i SAN في ead EV WIR
Kass الشَّىْءٌ TERR ek إن Kile هدا اللي عير es 235 É
she ما ِن ably Sends «gee Sol dis Led ٳئي dis dus
Ji Gi igi ينه Biss OS gS جيل lS Stes يك
V udi ES di Sel لا dit; ما لي وَلِهَذَاء «lūk di olu Ne "WE
ól | هلكوم G5 rt de «OG d arā) قوم Guias)! | الله alt
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The believer manages himself and calls himself to account for
Allah &. On the Day of Rising, the reckoning will be easy for the
people who have already held themselves accountable in this
world, and the reckoning will be hard for people who indulged in
this matter without reckoning. When something good suddenly
happens to a believer, he says, ‘By Allah, I desired to have you
and I needed you, but by Allah, there was no way to get you. How
unlikely! How unlikely! There was something in the way between
me and you.’ When something escapes him, he comes to his
senses and says, ‘I did not want this. What do I have to do with
this? By Allah, I will never return to this if Allah wills.’ The
believers are people whom the Ģur'an has made steadfast, and it
has come between them and their destruction. The believer is a
prisoner in this world who strives to free himself, and he is not
sure of anything until he meets Allah. He knows that he will be
taken to task for his hearing, sight, speech and his limbs. He
knows that he is taken to task in all of that. (Ibn Abī Shaybah
35209).
276. Sufyan narrated that a man—who he thought was ‘Ata’
ibn Yasār—said,
بَعْد. DEAN eSB «ia sz. AB oy Le إِبْلِيسٌ لِرَجُل cS
‘Iblis appeared to a man when he was dying, and he said, “You
have been saved from me.” The man retorted, “I am not safe from
you yet.” (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Maka’id ash-Shaytān 66).
277. Bakr ibn ‘Abdillah al-Muzani said,
J| عَبْدُ الله بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ C8 55 | cento S5 ES ف هه
eii jal dH PO t pË MEAE - فَجَاءَتِ «S e$ az
néé sil eal iz JO te ee ex RS UE Sen (fess
ie É EX 25) قال: KS بَحَيْتَ ath secl; تذري Y ASG
Age Salo dl BS d; SEN وارد di jes e الله آي يئي فيا ري
اا sill DUC
When this verse was revealed: There is not one of you who will not
come to it (19:71), ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah “ went to his house
and wept. His wife also came and wept. Then his maid came and
wept. Finally, all of the people of the house came and they began
to weep. When his tears ceased to fall, he said, ‘Family, what
made you weep?’ They answered, ‘We do not know, but we saw
you weeping, so we wept.’ He said, ‘A verse was revealed to the
Messenger of Allah in which my Lord & informed me that I will
come to the Fire, but He did not tell me that I would come out of
it. That is what made me weep.' (Hakim 8747).
278. Hasan said,
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Bu E
‘A man asked his brother, “Have you been told that you will come
to the Fire?” He responded, “Yes.” He asked, “Have you been told
that you will leave it?” He answered, “No.” He then asked, “Then
how can you laugh?” He was never seen laughing after that until
he died.’ (Ibn Abī Shaybah has transmitted a variation of it,
35196).
279. Abū Ishāq narrated that Abū Maysarah took to his bed
and said,
Bel) 3.251 35 abl 8) aaia Gl يا aba Hs iius J أن el یا
RES, وَاردُو الكار وَل GT لتا SKS الله قد $ed «1e JUS MU هَدَاكَ
AGE صَادِرُونٌ I
‘Oh, would that my mother had not given birth to me!’ His wife
said, ‘Aba Maysarah, Allah has been good to you, and He guided
you to Islam.’ He responded to her, ‘Of course he has. However,
Allah was clear about us coming to the Fire, but He did not tell us
that we will leave it.’ (Nasa?i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11837).
280. Wahb ibn Munabbih said,
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SE فِيهَا ;45 SE وَجَلَّ وَسَاعَةٍ يُحَاسِبٌ ALES a وَسَاعَةٍ (oai فِيهًا
Spiess cog Gye jl ot) i عَنْ So E REUS eus
ID sss as فِيمَا JĀ وَيَجْمُلُ e 55e EUN 3 S هَذِهِ ELI
Je وَيْقَبلَ «AL Aix دَمَانَهُ Be KĀ الْعَاقِلٍ eG p "ENG ple;
13 كلاث: !> لِمِعَادِه CA) فى Y seis لا Ī أَنْ pui fe ds; "E
an
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‘One of the wisdoms of the family of Dawid ® is that an
intelligent man should not neglect four moments: the time in
which he has intimate conversation with his Lord, Almighty and
Exalted; the time in which he calls himself to account; the time in
which to goes to his brothers who inform him about his faults and
are true to him about himself; and the time in which he frees
himself from pleasures which are fair and lawful. The last
moment is an aid for the other moments and a way for the hearts
to find rest. It is an intelligent man's duty to appreciate his time,
guard his tongue and look to his affairs. It is an intelligent man's
duty to only set out for three: provision for the Next World,
aiming for his livelihood, and pleasure in what is not forbidden.”
(Bayhagī in Shu'ab 4352).
281. Salih ibn Mismar narrated,
=
a
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Ús مُؤْمِنٌ SG es مُؤْمِنٌ SE ads يا habe ما انت يا حَارتُ» قال:
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35 les se do une Jio f gs tah. Ji ene
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دور الله قَلْمَهُ. 542 es «de الله Lo الله
M sis Ei فق ينكان gl», fel 5 aeuo 231 D sa 351 َال
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The Messenger of Allah ® said to Hārith ibn Malik, ‘How are
you?’ (or ‘What are you, Harith?’) He answered, ‘A believer,
Messenger of Allah.’ He asked, ‘A true believer?’ He answered, ‘A
true believer.’ He % said, ‘Every truth has a reality. What is the
reality of that?’ He said, ‘I have turned my self away from this
world, and so, I spend the nights awake and I am thirsty in the
day. It is as if I am looking at the Throne? of my Lord & and the
people of the Garden visiting one another there, and it is as if I
am listening to the howling of the people of the Fire.’ The
Messenger of Allah È said, ‘He is a believer whose heart Allah has
enlightened.” (Ma‘mar ibn Rashid in Jami‘ 20114, Ibn Abi
Shaybah 30425 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 10108).
Ibn al-Warraq said that Ibn Sa'd said, ‘I do not know of any
chain of transmission of Salih ibn Mismar except for one hadith.’
282. A man from the Bani Hashim (not Muhammad ibn (Alī)
said that the Messenger of Allah ® recited this verse: Is he
whose chest Allah has opened to Islam (39:22), and said,
Ag 9525 KL Sa DD هَل 5 =) EÉ 53-31 5,3 إِذَا دَخَلَ
exi Secr PACEM l5 إلى 516) y Al عَنْ دار auc JG
SANE
‘When light enters the chest, it expands and opens up.’ He ## was
asked, 'Is there a sign by which that is known?' He said, 'Yes,
withdrawal from the Abode of Delusion, turning to the Abode of
Eternity and preparation for death before death.’ (al-Qada? wa'l-
Oadr 389).*
283. Zubayr :& reported that Abū Bakr as-Siddiq :& said while
he was addressing people,
TB PL Mica M 7 a 20 7 a 3131 SAS
حِينَ JEY إن saco نَفْسِى GANS abl Go اسْتَحْيُوا Gu Ll يا مَعْشَرٌ
مِنْ 5 56 وَجَل. SU aS SES إلى العَائِط في المَضَاءٍ ssl
"Company of Muslims, have shame before Allah. By the One who
has my soul in His hand, when I answer the call of nature in the
open, I cover myself with my garment out of modesty before my
Lord &.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 1:34).
284. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah € said,
Ga رَسُولَ الله. قال: فَاقْضُرُوا eas AJ exa أَنْ يَدْخْلَ dd ues
Gadā الاب e وَاسْتَحْيُوا مِنَ الله S La بَيْنَ cem وينوا Ja
$ed; مِنَ الله zd DUIS الله. قال: لَيْسَ ga ESE اللي Ju
وان VIS MINAS NUT «idis id is الله أن لا s
Wb N 45 t 5 IZM كُرَامَةَ KS احْتوىء وَمَنْ U3 MR lay
a الْعَبْدُ مِنَ الله وَهْتَالِكَ أَصَابَ EN, الله $e وَجَلّ.
‘Do you all want to enter the Garden?’ They answered, ‘Yes,
Messenger of Allah.” He said, "Then manage your expectations,
keep your deaths firm in your sights, and be truly modest before
Allah” They said, "Messenger of Allah, all of us are ashamed
before Allah.” He # explained, ‘Modesty before Allah is not like
that. Modesty before Allah is that you do not forget the graves
and the decay, you do not forget the stomach and what it holds
and you do not forget the head and what it contains. Whoever
desires the honour of the Next World abandons the adornment of
this world. The slave is modest before Allah here, and in the Next
World, he will obtain the friendship of Allah ê.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in
Hilyah 8:185).
285. Muhammad ibn 'Amr said that he heard Wahb ibn
Munabbih say,
Al آطاعي i cate إِنْ Jis dus الله ŠĪ Cas uas يَجَدْتُ في
By gaze óp «alos of s مِنْ ati aae of JB لَه gi
مِنْ giii ches IS السَمَوَاتِ وَأَهْلُ Jat عَلَيْهِ CLT GG cour
Bath os os sa 555 abit GE auae Bj cule 55 «ds
CERE
I found in one of the books that Allah Almighty says: "When My
slave obeys Me, I respond to him before he calls on Me and I give
to him before he asks Me. When My slave obeys Me, if the people
of the heavens and the people of the earth were to gather against
him, I would give him a way out. If My slave disobeys Me, I cut
off his access to the doors of the heavens and leave him
suspended in the air, and none of My creation could help him at
all.” (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:38).
286. Bakr ibn 'Abdillāh al-Muzani narrated that Abū Dharr :&
said,
gs مِنَ الدَعَاءِ & g ON الطَعَامَ مِنَ الملح.
‘Piety suffices supplication as salt suffices food.” (Ibn Abi Shaybah
and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:164). ,29272
287. ‘Ali ibn Salih said about Allah Almighty’s words: If you are
grateful, I will certainly give you increase. . . (14:7), ‘I.e. increase
in My obedience.' (Bayhaqi in Shu'ab 4212).
288. Harmalah ibn ‘Imran said that he heard ‘Uqbah ibn
Muslim say,
الله ما sae — abl poles fe قَالَ: 51 — abl عَلَ مَعْصِيَة BI گان 15)
ALS انه في استد راج dee Ws يجب على
"When a man disobeys Allah (or he said, commits disobedient
acts) and Allah gives him what he wants despite that, he should
know that he is being lead on [his punishment is merely being
delayed]’. (Ādāb 819).
289. Simāk ibn Fadl said that he heard Wahb ibn Munabbih
say,
ds 2 os UM uei! wwe axo wee K Wes
"The likeness of someone who supplicates without performing
actions is like someone who shoots without a bow-string.' (Nasa'i
in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11869).
290. Ibn Abi Nujayh reported that his father said,
AGS ENI أن يُزِيلَ es $e الله de 3 Segoe لا S252 وان
‘If a believer did not sin and he took an oath that Allah % will
move a mountain for him, He would move it.' (Nasa?i in as-Sunan
al-Kubrā 11870).
1 Abū Nu‘aym has transmitted it as a statement of Hasan. Hilyah
(2:132). Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya has transmitted a variation of it from the
Prophet %. Qasr al-Amal (190)
2 ‘Arsh is throne. Some copies of Zuhd have “rd which means
generosity.
3 Bayhagi has transmitted a variation of it.
4 Bayhagī has transmitted a variation of it.
Ss
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF A HOUSEHOLD
291. Zuhri narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb recited this
verse: Those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ then are upright. . .
(41:30. and said,
EM SES يَرُوعُوا cs és, a aly اسْتَقَامُوا
‘By Allah, they were upright to Allah by obeying him, and they as
crafty as foxes.' (Baghawi 1:31).
292. Sa‘id ibn Nimran narrated that Abū Bakr as-Siddiq * said
that it means, "They did not associate anything with Allah.”
(Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 39).
293. Anas ibn Malik # narrated that the Prophet % said,
في Ue c5 5 ASS في $51 ole GIG حَسَئَتَهُ 34521 UES Y الله Ó)
'Allah will not cheat the believer in his good actions. He rewards
with provision in this world and rewards him for them in the Next
world.” (Ahmad 12264, and Bukhari in Khalq Af ‘al 01-160 p.95).
294. Sufyan explained the words of Allah Almighty:
rll Be GIN le JS)
gémi v (Isē Yip
Y; روا عل مَا E ِن صَيْعَاتِكُمْ.
Ze تَبْشِيرَاتِ: BI 5,752 SE 5,165 Šš aiat vil?
t£» وَإِذَا yu E dia وَإِذَا "CAL
wane 5 (529 5 C53 أَوليائُك: فى اليا o)
"The angels descend on them” (41:30)—when you die.
"Do not fear'—what is before you
‘and do not grieve'—for what is behind you of your estates.
‘But rejoice in the Garden which you have been promised. —They are
given good
news at three times: at death, when he leaves the grave and when
he is alarmed.
‘We are your protectors in the life of this world and in the Next’
(41:31).—They are with him. (Bayhagī in Ithbāt 75).
295. Muhammad ibn Süqah narrated that Muhammad ibn al-
Munkadir said,
asu d E فيهم.
‘By a person's righteousness, Allah & puts right his son and his
son's son, and He preserves him in his house and the houses
which are around him as long as he is among them’. (Nasā'ī in as-
Sunan al-Kubrā 11866).
296. Talhah said that he heard Khaythamah saying,
„Si من Buea Ju yed الله ól
‘Allah & drives Shaytān away from houses because of a person.’
(Ibn Abi Shaybah 35020, and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:117).
297. Sa'id narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas * said about His & words:
their father was one of the righteous (18:82),
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"They were protected because of their father's righteousness but
they were not mentioned as being righteous themselves.” (Abū
Dāwūd in Zuhd 332, and Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11838).
id
THE EARTH BOASTING
298. Thawr narrated that one of Hudhayl’s freed-slaves said,
tx مَهِدَتْ لَه بها Weal ee oN Se Bal GEES AI al مَا مِنْ
AAT TT I. 59 " dz — va zaz gals —
ABI قوم Aly بتكت عليه بوم تموث. قال: وما م منزل Vy الْقِمَامَة
d Pis Ja J U? A er ue ` £Á e “=
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‘No servant [of Allah] places his face on any part of the earth in
prostration to Allah except that it will testify for him on the Day
of Rising, and it will weep for him on the day he dies.’ He also
said, ‘The places where people reside either pray for blessings for
them or they curse them.’ (Sakhawi has transmitted a variation in
Maqasid 601).
299. Jafar ibn Zayd narrated that Anas ibn Malik % said,
$241 » zm we Ua » 5m NS Ar 5 - + 1 „a f- Eo g A
بَعضء يا جار de بقاع الا رض بعضها gals إلا gl Ys cle Ge ما
cJ 86 5.5 الله عَلَيْك؟ ŠĪ عَلَيْكِ a هَل 25 ك الَيَوْمَ عَبْدٌ
Mas aus ue vd Sf cas َال IS SS ats ومن
'Every morning and evening the areas of the earth call out to one
other, *Neighbour, has anyone passed by you today who has
prayed to Allah or mentioned Allah?" Some say, “No,” and some
say, “Yes.” When a piece of land says yes, it has an advantage
over the others.’ (Tabarani in Awsat 562, and Abū Nu‘aym in
Hilyah 6:174).
300. Musayyib ibn Rafi‘ narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib :& said,
LOC qi s pir annee SI
GE
"When the righteous servant dies, his place of prayer on earth and
the place in the heavens and on earth where his deeds ascended
weep for him.' He then recited: Neither heaven nor earth shed any
tears for them (the guilty ones). (44:29) (Ibn al-Ja‘d in Musnad
2305).
301. Ghalib ibn ‘Ajrad said that a man of the people of the
Levant related to him in the Mina masjid saying,
MOL rtv tcr Bou fd م
iš dens de AIS zi ER بي , «is aad AKI De, gšī
cds .)58 الله ELS lads قَالُوهَا: A M3 c y? ŠI ea sl
When Allah Almighty created the earth and created its trees,
every tree that the sons of Adam came across, they derived
benefit from it or found some use for it. The earth and trees
remained like that until the impious sons of Adam spoke those
terrible words: ‘Allah has taken a son.’ When they said that, the
earth trembled and some trees became thorny. (Ibn Abi Shaybah
35163).
302. Mujahid narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas 5 said,
Ee ieiet NSS
"The earth weeps for the believer for forty days.’ (Nasa'i in as-
Sunan al-Kubrā 11840, and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 3:297).
303. Yazid ar-Raqqashi narrated that Anas ibn Malik :& said,
iš le Kaa تحر على et مر
EAS EEN کر بد کر الله 5 Blas J) es ِن ga أَرَضِينَ» gals
šo TE 9348 2% 1 35 & e
Je eis dida; Jur عبد
‘Any piece of land where Allah & is mentioned with prayer or
invocations boasts to the places around it, and it rejoices at the
mention of Allah & up to its end in the seven earths. No servant
stands in prayer except that the land beautifies itself for him.”
(Kabir 6120).!
304. Abū Uthmān an-Nahdi narrated that Salman % said,
EIL colt 3 cosi $$ stl as لَمْ ls L555 8 vēju JEAN SE
ear adu 3 إلا اء مِنْ yz الله &$ lia s ما ى 4s b أو
S 82b Sp v
"When a man is in an uninhabited land and he performs ablution
—and if he cannot find water he performs the ritual dry-ablution
—then he makes the call to prayer and begins it, he becomes the
leader in prayer of rows of troops of Allah & as far as can be seen
on his side.” Or he said, ‘As far as can be seen on either side of
him.’ (Nasa'i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11835).?
305. Abū Uthmān also narrated that Salman '% said,
)" S5 BJSS
4365 le 5:295 TEES TEES Ke ac ogas 5
"They bow with his bowing, prostrate with his prostration and
they say, “Amin” to his supplication.’ (Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā
11835).
306. ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah narrated that Ka‘b said,
مَنْ أذنَ في السَمْر وَأقَامَ صل حَلقه مَا So الافق مِنَ ASSIS وَمَنْ اقام
bas J 558 Ss مَعَهُمْ إلا dae NWN ŠĪS
'If someone gives the call to prayer on a journey and begins the
prayer, angels pray behind him between the horizons. If someone
begins the prayer but does not make the call to prayer, only the
two angels that are with him pray with him.”
307. Hārūn in Riyāb narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘tid #
said,
zu "HT ^» rade. auc» PE wu gat te T ua s ga د g
محالة y ماسحها oS ob احدكم. ras فلا ye) OA T إن
Jiu ea aži ° 9] Bee yon ee tk tei
675 ولان EIS خير له مِنْ Sle 336 للنقلة.
"The earth beautifies itself for the one who prays, so none of you
should dust it off. If you have no choice, do it once, but to leave it
is better for you than a hundred camels for transport.' (Asamm in
Majmū* Musanafāt Asamm wa Saffār 79).^
308. ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Adi narrated that Yazid ibn
Maysarah said,
ِن الله dus يَقُولُ: أَيْهَا SUI 8 3 سَهْوْتَهُ Qa t سَبَابَهُ من «el
‘Allah Almighty says, "O youth who leaves his appetite for Me
and spends his youth for My sake, you are like one of My angels
in My sight." (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 488, and Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 4:138).
309. Abū 'l-Mukram narrated that Murih ibn Masrūg said,
asi yi «dias 4 asked 1255 Leal ve] $3) FX eU : o? v الله
viš galls. wales مُرِيج oil 2l Be ex وَسَبْعِينَ صِدّيمًا.
‘Any youth who abandons the pleasures and enjoyment of the
World, and works in his youth for Allah Almighty—by the One in
whose Hand is Murih’s life, Allah Almighty gives him a reward
similar to the reward of 72 truthful ones.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah
4:138).
310. ‘Utbah ibn ‘Abd as-Sulami %, who was a companion of
the Prophet ®, said,
55 و يقي عل الله 545i GLEN Gy
‘If the believing youth swears by Allah, He would fulfil it” (Abū
Dawid in Zuhd 395).
311. ‘Ushshanah al-Ma‘afiri said that he heard ‘Uqbah ibn
‘Amir % say,
io لَيْسَتْ له OUI Jus d cea;
‘Your Lord Almighty wonders at the youth who has no desire.’
(Bayhagī in al-Asma? wa's-Sifāt 993).
312. Abū Misa al-Ash'arī “ narrated that the Prophet ® said,
«de al L2 رَسُولُ الله 385 Lbs Abs is oce os IA
ad أَصَابِعَهُ بَعْضَهًا في alās
‘A believer in relation to another believer is like a structure whose
parts reinforce each other, and the Messenger of Allah ©
intertwined his fingers. (Bukhari 481 and Muslim 2585).
313. ‘Abdullah ibn Abi 'l-Hudhayl said,
pale DUE SRI IP gir ed
oils طرف ر disait ji 7 JG ^ J «dll
TEI Eg
CEA Kā ái as Y AN ER cb په 3 4 في E 53 Gre
=
J Ew لا ينه SS NES 65x 518 55 tjuod USS مُصِيبَةٌ
JO gress Ula به حلفت tasi JES die ce as
gE عليه Alig clans 45558 5 F3 «on At Sf الله تَعَالَ إِلَيْه: est
ESS JG 28855 SG یا مُوسَى؟ de Jab لَهُ: ما NGS ANS, eas
aidā didi je jest لا Gp JG خَيْرَ فيه» YU SG مِنْهُ؟
‘Ammar ibn Yasir %% went out to meet his companions who were
waiting for him. They said, 'You are late coming to us, Governor.'
He answered, ‘I will relate to you a hadith. A brother of yours
among those before you—Musa :&— said, "Lord, tell me which of
Your creation is most beloved to you." He % asked, "Why?” He
said, “So that I can love him for Your sake." He said, “I will tell
you—a man in one part of the earth who worships me and a
brother of his in another part of the earth who hears of him but
does not know him. If the former experiences an affliction, it is as
if the latter is himself afflicted. If a thorn pricks him, it is as if he
himself was pricked. He does not love him except for Me. That is
the most beloved of My creation to Me." Then Mūsā said, "Lord,
You created creation, and then You put them in the Fire." So
Allah & revealed to him: "Musa, plant a crop.” He planted a crop,
watered it and tended to it until he harvested it and milled it.
Allah asked him, "What happened to your crop, Musa?” He said,
“1 removed it.” He asked, "And what about what you left of it?”
He said, "There is no good in what was left.” He said, "I will only
put into the Fire the one with no good.” (Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah
5:93).
314. Hasan narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab % said,
EE UI: کے aia ا ae اک اہ ےد اء jen feg رکه ےه ورو
إن مِما يصقي لك ود أخيك ثلا ثا: |5| لقيته أن ele بالسلاع» ON ددعوه
ge ol «di SUL Cok لهُ في uz
"There are three things that make your love for your brother pure:
When you meet him you greet him first, you call him by the
names he loves the most and you make space for him in
gatherings.’ (Ibn Wahb in Jami‘ 222).
1 Tabarānī has transmitted a variation of it in Kabīr (11470).
Tabarānī transmits it as an elevated narration to the Prophet ®.
2 Tabarani transmits it as a narration related directly to the Prophet
&. Kabir (6120)
3 Malik has transmitted a similar quote from 53210 ibn al-Musayyib.
(240)
4 Bukhārī (1207) and Muslim (546) have recorded a narration from
Mu'/aygib *%, who narrates that the Prophet % said about moving
pebbles out of the way in salah, ‘Do it once if you have to.’ The advice
given to not dust off refers to the area on the ground where one places
his head in prostration in consideration for the earth. Another reason
why one should refrain from doing this is to prevent excessive
movement in salah and to ensure absolute concentration is present.
Nawawi said that to do this is makrüh tanzih as it contradicts humility
which is required in salah and it distracts the one praying. (5:37)
Ei
TRUTHFUL COMPANIONS
315. Mujahid narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas 5 said,
oles cals bails ad Col في Jis; al في اللهء GY, JE AS الله إلا
X& 5 «S, 5 طَعْمَ Se SPS 515 LLY وَصِيَامُهُ GS يَكُونَ
3b bos IIS ET AS UNTER NR مُواحَاة Sle 555 GUS
‘Love for Allah and hate for Allah, and be enemies for Allah and
friends for Allah, because the friendship of Allah is only obtained
that way. A man will not experience the sweetness of faith, even
if he prays and fasts a lot, until he does so. The friendship of
people today is only in worldly matters, and that will not help
people in the slightest of the Day of Rising.’ (Hilyah 1:312).!
316. Sufyan narrated that a man of the Ansar % said,
Sie 155 «85 إلا his لا šalzāji ŠĪ وَاعْلَمْ «281525 38 fe الاس Col
ole به BSS EY Lib; الْمَعْصِيَة Be وَاسِتَصْعِبٌ ABUL
‘Love people according to their fear of Allah, and know that
recitation is not beneficial except with self-discipline and humility
in obedience. Make it difficult to disobey, and envy the living in
those things which the dead envy them in.’ (Ibn al-A‘rabi in
Mujam 249).
317. Malik ibn Mighwal said that he heard that ‘Isa ibn
Maryam & said,
-
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ach) 180885 qgotecll Jaf e du dÊ dG
VS Gēli eol بِسَحَطِهِمْ - قال: لا tld, يبَاعِدُكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَالكَمِسُوا G
A53 بالله EX جَالِسُوا مَن dé e LJ 325 قَالوا: يا روح الل -
Air في cēji وَمَنْ dabis (ēnas يَزِيدُ في 55
‘Disciples, show your love to Allah by your dislike for the
disobedient. Draw close to Him by doing what will separate you
from them, and seek His pleasure in their resentment.' He said, 'I
do not know which of them he began with.' The disciples asked,
'Spirit of Allah, who then should we sit with?' He replied, 'Sit
with those who remind you of Allah when you see them, who
increase your knowledge when they speak and whose deeds
awaken a desire for the Hereafter.' (Abu Ubayd Qasim ibn Sallam
in Khutab 84).
318. Sa‘id ibn ‘Amr ibn Ja‘dah narrated that the Ghifar said
(and Ibn Hayyuwayh narrated that a man from Ghifar said)
while they were discussing the world,
JS JE الله Say teat aa ip
‘Deprive yourselves of this with the remembrance of Allah &.’
319. Mas'ūdī narrated that ‘Awn ibn 'Abdillāh said,
الْمَارّينَ. BS EIT الدَاكِرٌ الله في الْعَافِلِينَ
"Someone who remembers Allah among the heedless is like
someone who fights after those who flee.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah
34961).
320. Abū Mūsā '% said,
JS ll كليس ja Bis ge te
Hope ag 4 ball Cole J 332 جَلِيس
c LC au) مِنْ lao إن لم نرك idi جلییں السو مكل
ce and Ji e ST aol في ity, سدع ل القلب مكل
"Having a truthful companion is better than being alone, but being
alone is better than having an evil companion. A truthful
companion is like someone with perfume; even if it does not
overpower you, some of its scent will follow you. An evil
companion is like a blacksmith; even if it does not burn you, some
of its smell will follow you. The heart is so named because it
fluctuates. The heart is like a feather in the desert which the wind
blows into a tree and moves it back and forth.' (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā
in al-Azlah wa'L-Infirād 167).?
321. Ibn Abi Mulaykah and others narrated that Lugmān used
to say,
الله Y ْمَل Sell Shall Gal ذا د كرت ل hand 63 513 تيك J
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احرَنوٺي. bab لم يطيعوني» وَإِنْ OF ls «dy ss
'O Allah, do not appoint the heedless as my companions; those
who do not assist me when I remember You, who do not remind
me when I forget You, who do not obey me when I instruct them
and who trouble me when I am silent.” (Bayhaqi in Shu'ab 9035).
322. ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr said that it reached him that Prophet
Dāwūd * used to say,
ea لا Jal ja سء OSG $85 سوءٍ.
‘O Allah, do not appoint for me evil people, lest I become a man
of evil.” (Abd al-Malik ibn Habib in Adab an-Nisā” 4).
323. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr '% said,
Cu
NE = vast ās stes. JN 9I gl gas Ca S
Kae يی Ses. Il eats u je dS) ex
'In the past, when one man met another, it was as if he met his
blood brother, but today when one of you meets a man, it is like
you are meeting an enemy.' (Shajari in Tartib al-Amali 2166).
324. Tāwūs narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas *% said,
قَارَبَ l بَيْنَ القُلوب. 12355 us aul 55 salās cos c aeos ALS Ó
à GU EGS) d Vy ob أَبَدَاء 55 تلا foot Wood J القُلوبٍ Go
{455 الله الف Seals قلوبهم GS Gall K الرْضٍ
"People do not appreciate blessings, and they cut off ties of
kinship, while Allah Almighty joins hearts together. When He
brings hearts close together, nothing ever comes between them.’
Then he recited this verse: Even if you had spent everything on the
earth, you could not have unified their hearts, but Allah has unified
them (8:63). (Ma‘mar ibn Rashid in Jami‘ 20233).
325. Abū ’l-Ahwas narrated that ‘Abdullah %* said,
ts الْمْتَحَابُونَ في الله $e وَجَل.
‘They are those who love each other for the sake of Allah še”
(Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11146).
326. Abū Sa‘id al-Khudrī :& heard the Prophet ® say,
ES مو سدم es n „aj
A طَعَامَكَ إلا SU Y lenge إلا Colas لا
‘Only keep the company of a believer, and only someone god-
fearing should eat your food.’ (Tirmidhi 2395, Abū Dāwūd 4832
and Ibn Hibban 554).
327. Ibn ‘Awn said,
;z* a. A T. not j 29 1 221 CN E MF V E atza
43 o5 5$ 53 — x JUS eel! ا لحبْحَاب إلى l go ats Ul اعْتَدَرْتُ
JE <3 ae 5 g? 24€ © z «293 pot lot ez Tia
«D3 S EN. أو = ABMS Size yl O) AAS قال — قل عدرتك
'Shu'ayb ibn al-Habhāb and I asked Ibrahim to excuse us, and he
said—or a man said that he said, "I have excused you without you
needing to make an excuse. Excuses involve (or are mixed with)
lies." (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:224).
328. Dahhak narrated that the Prophet ® said,
8 3
-
GG, Gol مَنْ dā في الله $e وَجَلّ.
à -
‘Invite to your food those you love for the sake of Allah ê.’ (Ibn
Abi 'd-Dunyā in Ikhwan 197).
1 Tabarani in Kabir (13537) transmitted it from Ibn ‘Umar *% and
Abū Nu‘aym transmitted it from the Prophet & through Ibn ‘Umar %.
2 The Arabic word for heart is qalb. The root of qalb literally means
to turn something on its head. (Ibn al-Manzür 1:685)
Z2
GUARDING THE TONGUE
329. Umar ibn Dharr narrated from his father that the
Messenger of Allah ® said,
JG الله $221 عَلِمَ BE BE Fok) Le us ِن الله
‘Allah Almighty is with a person’s every utterance, so he should
fear Allah in what he utters.’ (Ibn Wahb in Jami‘ 334).
330. Abū Hurayrah “ narrated that the Prophet € said,
os mis 5 ہے
Feb Sog OB مَنْ Sle i pg Go OF مَنْ
aso, m; — n E adios. ŠĀ | ge موا Daag n وص
Lad gi VAS EG SV exis aly يُؤْمِنْ OS صَيْقَهُ. مَنْ a SSS
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his
neighbour. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should
honour his guest. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day
should speak what is good or be silent.’ (Bukhari 6018).
331. Zayd ibn Aslam related from his father that Abū Bakr as-
Siddīg # pointed to his tongue and said,
3,531 35551 s
‘This has brought me to many disasters!’ (Malik 3621).
332. Sa'id ibn Iyās al-Jariri related from a man who said that
he saw Ibn ‘Abbas &5 standing between the corner and the door
[of the Ka‘bah] holding the tip of his tongue and saying,
aiU le GGA eas عن 38 تَسْلَمْ. eS فل برا تغب أو az;
Sb ez qp الْعَبْدَ لَيْسَ غل کیو ŠĪ šāds x JUS لِسَانِكَ؟ 552% a د ael
Lavri es لِسَانِهِ fe مِنْهُ
"Woe is you! Say what is good, and you will profit. Do not answer
wickedness, and you will be safe.’ Ibn ‘Abbas *% was asked, ‘Why
are you holding the tip of your tongue?’ He replied, ‘I have
realised that the servant will not be more furious with any part of
his body on the Day of Rising than his tongue.” (Fākihī in Akhbār
Makkah 270).
333. Bakr ibn Mā'iz said,
أَكْثَرَتْ UG أَلْعَبُ؟ Laši det يَا chs لك iol ub بن i às
Ext de Cees لا JE eo ral J wile بَعْضُ d قال acie
cals at ŠĪ
‘Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym's daughter came to him and asked, “Father,
can I go and play?" After much persistence, one of those who was
sitting with him said, "You should let her go." He replied, "It will
not be written against me that on this day I told her to play.”
(Nasā'ī in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11859).
334. Khaythamah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman narrated that ‘Adi ibn
Hatim :& said,
A3) ga aid Gy Us te أَْمَنَ 8)
"The good and the bad of a person is found between his jaws,
meaning his tongue."
335. Abū 'd-Duha narrated that Masrüq was asked about a
couplet of a poem and he disliked that. When he was asked
why he disliked it, he said,
Mab girs أده في ST إن
‘I would hate to find poetry in my book of actions.’ (Nasa’i in as-
Sunan al-Kubrà 11867).
336. Ibn Shihab narrated that Abū Hurayrah % said,
كت abad قتا كله aas ŠĪ as 1 بخان — hal JU — td تق قال
ABS
‘If someone says to his son or daughter, “Here!” indicating that he
is going to give him something, but does not do so, it will be
written on him as a lie.”
337. Abū Husayn narrated that ‘Abdullah :& said,
bar «maja go „5 23 Tues X us wis TP»
5 L wee 0 Z - .
حاجته. ah انذرتڪم فضول الكلاء» حش احڍڪم ما
‘I warn you about speaking too much. What is necessary is
enough for you.’ (Ibn Wahb in Jami‘ 462 and Tabarani in Kabir
8507).
338. Abū Qilabah said that Abū Mas‘tid was asked, ‘What
have you heard the Messenger of Allah ® say about saying:
“Some say”?’ He replied,
Qe s شس
"What an evil conveyance for a man! (Bukhārī in al-Adab al-
Mufrad 762, Ahmad 17075 and Abü Dawüd 4972).?
339. ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Abjar narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
Mas'ūd said,
JE حَوْضًا في BST الئاس حَطَايًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ 5
"The people with the most sins on the Day of Rising will be those
who most often delved into falsehood.’ (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 150,
Tabarani in Kabir 8547 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 10317).
340. Abū ’l-Ahwas narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd :& said,
te مَا JE ESOS SV US
‘Relating everything you hear is enough to label you a liar.’*
341. Khalid ibn Abi Imrān narrated:
AS قال: zi LZ Lb لِسَائَهُ cs ade التو صل الله al
«Ls ai 9 AGA B ee ne قال rr الله >) ARTS گل عليڪم
‘The Prophet È held his tongue for a long time, then when he let
it go, he said, "I warn you of this! May Allah have mercy on His
servant who says good and he profits, or who does not respond to
evil and he remains safe.” (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Samt 64).
342. Sufyān narrated:
11025 és ES SS d E عبد اريز Ghat جَاءَ قوم لل
à bes LS yi Alas sear 13 pna od"
‘Some people came to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz so that he would
intercede on their behalf. They mentioned their close relationship
and ‘Umar said, “All right.” Then they mentioned their need and
he said, “Maybe.” They then left and seemed to be upset, so he
tended to their need.’
343. Tariq ibn Shihab narrated that Ibn Mas‘tid % said,
Šā g ا" اه pi & #8 X PTT, MEE jr 55 fer, 5-7 واس
(od belo} مِنْ Axa ace دينه» ثم يَرْجِع وَمَا BG test Aa aaa الرجل
pas EE 2t. ES E y i22 iris sī. 15 pe 1 S 010127 1
U3 e «£555 5:33 3) A Js وَلا نَفْعَا Ve Lis 5 d S لا
AE أسحّط الله ع 355 I حا جته ډو oy de
'Sometimes a man leaves his house with his religion and returns
with nothing. He encounters a man who cannot harm or benefit
himself or others and he says to him, "You are so-and-so!" and he
returns without providing for any of his needs, angering Allah in
the process.' (Hakim 8348).
344. Wuhayb and others narrated that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd 31-7
said,
AIS قل als a OS AE مَنْ
‘Whoever considers his words as his deeds will speak few words.’
(Darimi 313 and Abt Nu‘aym in Hilyah 8:157)
345. ‘Anbas ibn ‘Uqbah narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Masūd :&
said,
LED Ge o بظول Set a ما ِن
‘There is nothing which deserves to imprisoned for a long time
more than the tongue.’ (Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 4649).
346. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As ® narrated that the
Messenger of Allah È said,
a A au
‘Whoever is silent has succeeded.’ (Ahmad 6481 and Tirmidhi
2501).
347. Sufyan said, 'It has reached us that one of the
supplications of the Prophet ® was:
'O Allah, grant me salvation, grant me salvation.’ (Bukhari 806
and Muslim 299).°
348. Makhul related that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
LE es! الذي )5 قِيدَ انقادء وَإذا «os YI ES Sst) 5,28 5,222
صَخرَّةٍ استناخ.
"The believers are easy going, like a camel with a nose-ring. If he
is led somewhere, he goes, and if he is tied to a rock, he stays
tied. (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 5
349. Abū Kinānah narrated that Ash‘ari said,
(403 SAN AE الْقُرْآنِ Jobs إِكْرَامَ ذِي الشَّيْبّةِ الْمُسْلِمِء abl JE] Se Ó
2I QUELIN وَإِكْرَامَ ذِي xe لا ا لجافي
3
2
"Part of exalting Allah is honouring a Muslim with white hair, and
a bearer of the Qur'an—not those who are extreme in it or who
avoid it completely— and honouring the just ruler.' (Bukhari in
al-Adab al-Mufrad 357 and Abü Dawüd 4843).
Others have attributed this hadith to the Prophet ®.
350. Hasan said,
58 يَقَولُونَ: )5 لِسَانَ gari S982 ol SGI IS ends £155 Ge SH! إلى
OB «ds كان SEM وَإنْ SLL BB BANS Jol Oly Deal ade OF
Az sae {2 Sft (ZU 14. e-aj
ASU) iš J مَنْ ino عَقَلَ U 59,25 VE GEN ši d;
They used to say, "The tongue of a wise man follows his heart.
When he wants to speak, he first consults his heart and then
speaks if it is beneficial for him, or he stops if it is not in his
favour. The ignorant person has his heart on the tip of his tongue.
He does not consult his heart, and he says whatever rolls off his
tongue.' (Bayhagī in Shu'ab 4679).
Abū "l-Ashhab said, ‘They used to say, “The one who does not
guard his tongue does not understand his religion.”
1 Ibn Hibban (5717) and Tabarānī in Kabir (198) have transmitted it
as a hadith directly from the Prophet ®.
2 ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir “ said, ‘One day, my mother called me while
the Messenger of Allah ® was sitting in our house. She said, “Here!
Come and I will give you something!" The Messenger of Allah © asked
her, ^What did you want to give him?" and she answered, "I was going
to give him a date.” So the Messenger of Allah ® said, “If you were not
going to give him anything, a lie would be written in your account.”
Abū Dāwūd (4991) and Ibn Abi Shaybah (25609).
3 ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd *% called ‘some say’ and evil mode of
transport, since it is an expression filled with doubt and conjecture often
used when gossiping. Khattabi said that when someone needs to go
somewhere he mounts his matiyyah [animal or other transport] and he
rides until he reaches where he needs to be. Ma‘alim as-Sunan (4:130).
The statement: ‘some say’ is equated with a conveyance, but it does
nothing to help you arrive at any point of certainty, and therefore, it is
the worst kind of conveyance.
4 Muslim transmitted it as an elevated hadith to the Prophet ®. (4)
5 The Prophet % related that this will be the supplication of the
Messengers on the Day of Rising.
6 In describing a believer's conduct with the commands of Allah &,
the Prophet # draws a likeness to the submissive and obedient camel
who does as he is instructed. Ahmad (17142) and Ibn Majah (43)
transmit a portion of this hadith, wherein this description of obedience is
in reference to obedience of the leader.
os
HUMILITY
351. Makņūl said that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
ng hide V5 Gleb V5 مَدّاحِينَ» Y; Gye 13,255 لا
‘Do not be a criticiser nor a flatterer. Do not be aggressive nor
feeble.’ (Oudāt in Musnad ash-Shihāb 940).!
352. Anas ibn Malik :& said,
56 451 صل الله y As de اسْتَقْبَلَهُ Jas قَصَافَحَهُ لا Eo يَدَهُ عن
PI حت يَكونَ 425 Spa 3 p هو الذي o ڪون BS eos
ode st GE SES UAE 2s di ag gl 5h له
‘When the Prophet È met a man and shook his hand, he did not
remove his hand from his until the other man removed it first,
and he did not turn his face aside until the other man turned
away first. No one who ever sat with him ever saw the top of his
knees.’ (Tirmidhi 2490).
353. Aswad ibn Yazid narrated that 'Ā'ishah % said,
RU العِبَادَة: JH Glass) إِنَكُمْ
‘You neglect the best worship: humility.’ (Nasa'i in as-Sunan al-
Kubrā 11852).
354. Haytham ibn Khalid said,
YR TE Gl p IS شلك تن عن كتوخليه Ze Gt كنك
ue Jat وَرَاءَكَ قَالَ: ache ألا ‘Gadd, d ليم يا d Jus dacs ede
v jail 215 SB asc ot d] diss GS 45235 WG هدا 1,3155 قَالَ: fe
ex Si east 25 M 132155 Adz Vs USE Es S NM
ABS cote GAS يَرَالُ الْعَبْدُ 51553 مِنَ الله Y das AN dā
I was behind my uncle Sulaym ibn ‘Itr when Kurayb ibn Abrahah
passed by, riding on a steed while a non-Arab walked behind him.
Sulaym said to him, 'Abü Rushdin, will you not carry him behind
you?' He said, 'Should I carry a non-Arab like this behind me?' He
said, "Then why not put him in front of you to the door of the
masjid?' He said, "Why should I do that?” He said, "Will you not
help the small boy and carry him behind you?' He answered,
‘Why should I do that?'Sulaym said, ‘I heard Abū 'd-Darda? %% say,
“A person continues to increase in distance from Allah as long as
[someone] walks behind him.” (Dülabi in Kuna 996).
355. Abū '1I-Muhazzim narrated:
SEE V JUS خَلقَهُ gūs EE; «25 e رَأى رَجِلا lēja Ul عَنْ
AJ «long, ea doy) DS هْوَ SIS A ea
‘Abii Hurayrah “ saw a man riding on an animal while a child
was walking behind him, so he said, “Servant of Allah, carry him
because he is your brother and his soul is just like yours." So he
carried him.' (Ibn Abi Shaybah 26684).
356. Anas ibn Malik :& said,
SS pl وَقَالَ — BES 5 EZ الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ L2 رَسُول الله 55: 2
Asse ESU SV Be oy Ji 58 - o G
‘The Messenger of Allah È did not swear and he was not vulgar
(Ibn Haywah used the word fāhish [instead of fahhash]), and
when he reprimanded someone, he would say, *What is wrong
with him, may his forehead be covered in dust." (Ahmad 308 and
Bayhagī in Ādāb 334).?
357. Yahyā ibn al-Mukhtar narrated that Hasan mentioned this
verse: Those who walk lightly on the earth (25:63. and said,
الْمُؤْمِنُونَ tā maie a ails 255 «iš e 5( َسَبهم
Jad مَرْطَىء aly مَا els مِنْ مَرَضِء «o LAV LS وَآَكِنْ
es مِنَ وي o cile BAN ga pirts exa eis dU
y 323 Jl; الَذِي Gs Cad لحرن aly مَا 45S .552 الئاس» 5
cius شيهم ما GB ALĪ Eg [Ib مِنَ الگا d S
يعر elie, الله GA je 1L CAES حَسَرَاتٍء وَمَنْ لَمْ Ra «dé ay
33)» zs. FST $2 ag? EVITE A
AME as, قل علمه Jūs إلا فى مَطعَمِء أو مَشْرّب
. - p " = =
The believers are people of humility. By Allah, their ears, eyes
and limbs are so humble that an ignorant person might think
them to be ill. By Allah, they are not sick. They have sound
hearts, but a fear which has not entered others has entered them,
and their knowledge of the Next World has kept them away from
this world. They say, ‘Praise be to Allah who removed sorrow
from us!’ By Allah, they are not saddened by people’s sorrow, nor
are they proud of themselves for the deeds they do to seek the
Garden. Fear of the Fire makes them weep. Not being consoled by
the consolation of Allah creates sorrow in this world, and
someone who sees Allah’s blessings only in his food or drink has
little knowledge and his punishment is imminent. (Tabari
19:295).
358. ‘Aishah & said,
N53 5$ الله
'] wore a new chemise and I began looking at it [admiring it], but
then Abū Bakr said, “Do you not know that Allah sees you?”
359. ‘Azarah said,
jas فيه s ot fe uli iste fe cs ade الله Lo šā دَخَلَ
ASN 5555 2235 18) a £T cse يا Sas
‘When the Prophet € visited ‘Aishah *$, he saw a curtain at her
door with images on it, so he said, ""A'ishah, destroy it. When I
saw it, it reminded me of this 4
360. Abū ’n-Nadr said,
Qux sists فَوَصَلَهُ «cas الله عَلَيْهِ L2 رَسُول الله j Je dus ala às
وَاجْعَلُوا dā لَُمْ: اْرَعُوا JU SIS قَصَى CTS a g K J) 455 fasá
Lal hy ay us كنك Gy اللي كال: Jus e CES الأو 258 كفيق:
‘The strap of the sandal of the Messenger of Allah & broke, so he
fixed it with something new, then began looking at it while he
was praying. When he finished the prayer, he said, "Remove this
and put the first strap back in its place.” Someone asked, “Why,
Messenger of Allah?" He said, "I was looking at it while I was
praying.”” (Ibn Sa'd in Tabaqat 1:373).
1 A believer should have the most humility, but he should not be
dishonour himself. Ibn al-Athīr says that Umar '% saw a man hanging
his head low, so he said to him, 'Raise your head. Islam is not a
sickness.’ ‘A’ishah && once saw a man who looked like he was going to
die of fear, so she asked about him and she was told that he was a
reciter. So she said, *Umar was the master of the reciters, but when he
walked he was swift, when he spoke he was clear and when he struck it
was fierce.' (4:370)
2 Taribat jabinahu literally means *may his forehead be in dust.' The
intended meaning, however, is not used to curse or supplicate against
someone. Rather, it is an expression of the Arabs used for
encouragement. It can also be understood as a supplication of the literal
expression, i.e. praying for increased prostration of the one being
addressed. Ibn al-Manzür (1:229)
3 Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah (1:37) has related a more detailed narration
which explains this one. ‘A’ishah “says that as she was admiring the
garment she put on, Abū Bakr “ entered and said, *A'ishah, do you not
know that Allah is not looking at you right now?' Abu Bakr's statements
in the two narrations may seem contradictory, but they actually
compliment each other. ‘Allah sees you’ was said to evoke God-
consciousness and an awareness that it is not appropriate to be
distracted from the Almighty by the temporary pleasures of the world,
and Abü Bakr's words: 'Allah is not looking at you right now' is an
expression of Allah's displeasure intended to inform that Allah does not
appreciate the slave's distraction from Him.
4 Bukhari transmits a similar narration regarding Fatimah 9$. There
was a multi-coloured curtain at her door, so when the Prophet % came
to see her, he turned away and left. Later, when ‘Ali '% asked about that,
he È answered, ‘What do I have to do with the world?!’ (2613)
WALKING TO THE PRAYER, STTTING IN THE
MASJID AND OTHER THINGS
361. Abū Hurayrah :& narrated that the Prophet ® said,
55.5 إلى الصلاة OBE iki وَل šīs iE cK
‘A good word is charity, and every step you take to the prayer is
charity.’ (Bukhari 2989 and Muslim 1009).
362. Habib ibn Abi Thābit said,
je ael Sly ass في di SH dS ass الله في 18) Jus گان
Je الله ge &
‘It used to be said, “Go to Allah in His house, for there is none
who are visited in their house like Him and there is no one more
who has more right [to that] than Allah še.” (Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 5:61).
363. Sa'd ibn Ibrahim narrated that his father said,
esl اين ($535 JUS us I رَجُل ف SS ا لخظاب Et 2 pa
aw - -7 = - -
“Umar ibn al-Khattab *% heard a person's voice in the masjid, so
he asked him, “Do you know where you are?” (Nasa’i in as-Sunan
al-Kubrà 11848).
364. Ubaydullāh ibn Abi Ja'far narrated that the Messenger of
Allah © said,
من EI OK الله وَأَحْسَنَ aS Ls jis الله Sa DUS, AE ESE الله
Peca) فقيل: يا رَسُول الله Le حسْن Ey اللّه؟ قال: لا يُرْفَعٌ فِيهًَا
Qa SS Y, Ope 2390
'Anyone who responds to the caller of Allah and makes the
masjids of Allah flourish, will be given the Garden as reward from
Allah.” Someone asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is meant by
making the masjids of Allah flourish?' He answered, 'To not raise
your voice or utter obscenities there.' (Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz
20841).
365. Muhammad ibn Mutarrif narrated that Suhayl ibn Hassan
al-Kalbi said,
óy الله az الْعَبْدَ مَا pie apd Cue els الْقَرَيس السَّرِيع مِلْءَ
گشجه في Las a عَلَيهِ d iouis ei في BG الا JS
"Allah blesses a person who continues to sit in the masjid with an
area in the Garden that is covered by a fast-galloping horse—a
reward which will be to his heart's delight. The angels pray for
blessings upon such a person, and he will be recorded among
those who participated in the great guarding of frontiers. (Awsat
8144)?
366. Dāwūd ibn Salih narrated:
ji s ši ا يا اټ أجيه هل تذري ني xe Bis fy Je
G Sem الَآيَهُ: «(اصيرُوا وَصَابِرُوا 65 ؟ قَالَ: 635« لاء 6 إِنَهُ لَمْ aas
CST, فيه Hat 55e hoy athe الله Lo عَهْدِ رَسُولٍ الله je uel S
U كات dā || انار
«Abū Salamah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmān said, “Nephew, do you know
why the following was revealed: Be steadfast, be supreme in
steadfastness and guard the frontiers (3:200)?” He answered, "No.”
He said, "There was no expedition which involved guarding of
frontiers in the time of the Messenger of Allah %. Rather, it refers
to waiting for the next prayer after completing the prayer.”
(Hākim 31377).
367. ‘Ala’ ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmān narrated from Abū Hurayrah :&
that the Prophet € said,
Ga ا لطا إلى المَسَاجِدِ $055 «5S! ša SS šie RAN
55; BEN وَذَلِكَ «15 SI مِنَ MSD وَانتْظَارُ الصَّلَاةٍ بَعْدَ «5S
ارا
‘Doing ablution thoroughly in times of difficulty is a form of
expiation, and taking many steps to the masjid is a form of
expiation. Waiting for the next prayer after the prayer is a form of
expiation. That is guarding frontiers. That is guarding frontiers.’
(Muslim 251).3
368. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir al-Juhani % narrated that the Prophet ©
said,
ps lp bs iuh B.E + jee lk A cs Secu i «zs ALAS LO من da on
الْتَصَلِينَ a ds west LAN بطر acc ى Seid tins.
Ax dix $
"Whoever leaves his house for the masjid will have his two scribes
write ten good deeds for him for every step he takes. The one who
sits in the masjid waiting for the prayer is like the obedient one,
and he is written among those who pray until he returns to his
house.’ (Ahmad 17459, Ibn Khuzaymah 1492, and Tabarānī in
Awsat 185).
369. Abū Ubayd narrated that Mu'adh ibn Jabal :& said,
مَنْ Th مَنْ في الْمَسْجِدٍ لَيْس في SUAM إلا 32 d Lars E
"2 6
=+
-
"Whoever thinks that the only ones in salah are those in the
masjid who are standing in prayer, has not understood.’ (Baghawī
2:359).
370. Khalid ibn Ma'dān narrated:
-
à i iis ge الْمتحَابُونَ di عِبَادِي Cel 5) Stes الله Ji
yy Bl 3551 |5) aa á ou 645345 25 cas adl
c فَصَرَفْتٌ الْعْقُوبَةٌ عَنْهُمْ QUSS Les in
=: |
"Allah Almighty says, "The most beloved servants to Me are those
who love each other for the sake of My love, those whose hearts
are attached to the masjids and those who seek forgiveness before
dawn. When I want to punish people, I remember those beloved
servants and because of them I refrain from punishing.” (Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:212).
371. Muhammad ibn Ka*b al-Qurazi narrated that Mu'adh ibn
Jabal % said,
إن ab Joli مِنٰ pašās y dt SII DĪ ša oF فِيهًا
ا لجرا وَأَنْ a ق EYL ua أو 48 فِيهًا LEN َو 5283 15,2
"The masjids must be kept pure from five things: from penal laws
being carried out in them, from retaliations for injuries, from
being a platform for poetry, from announcing a lost camel and
from being used as a market.’ (Baghawi 2:376).
372. Musa ibn 'Abdillāh ibn Yazid al-Ansari said,
à ide 08; Soll) يريڌ 2535 بن شُرَحْبِيلٌ 5p الله Me sl Us
23121 os WAT . "SAEC » s^ 1 ا 8 e^ ANT
"ur! تَغْرْبَ GS — Gols bss) ee لا 31 — ol BS لا
‘Sometimes I would see ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid '% and Yazid ibn
Shurahbil al-‘Amiri 4&-—who was one of his own from the Ansar—
sitting next to each other in the masjid after the "Asr prayer, and
they would not speak to each other until sunset.”
373. ‘Abd Rabbihi ibn Sulayman narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
Muhayriz said,
Us أو cals 2515 أ « Laat كلام تلائة: إلا SLS كلام في الْمَسْحِدٍ $
أو معطيه. Gs
‘All words spoken in the masjid are idle speech except for three:
praying, remembering Allah, or asking for or giving a right.’ (Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 5:142 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 35482).
374. ‘Abdullah al-Mu’adhdhin said that he heard Sa‘id ibn al-
Musayyib say,
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من جلس في المسجدٍ - JGG ابن حيويه: من جلس في D - eal
?2 3 .2
رادي و
ATUS LUCA 5 atem S أن لا VY duis حرا
"Whoever sits in the masjid (Ibn Hayyuwayh said: whoever sits in
the gathering) sits in the company of his Lord È. (Qurtubi
12:265).
Muhammad ibn Muslim said, 'It is therefore not appropriate
for him to say anything but good.”
375. ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr narrated that
when Abū Bakr as-Siddiq prepared the armies to go to the
Levant, he said to them,
aa ud mu Vows ot $ K z T sees say 2 33% ot G
5+ (ss dus FI vr شبيعة» c»)! a5 «eui إنحكم تقدمون
JAS cens s ESE الله تڪ Da SG فِيها مَسَاجِدَء Ips
'You are going to the Levant, a heavily populated land. Allah
Almighty will set you there firmly, so you can build masjids. Allah
does not expect you to go there for amusement, so beware of
distractions.' (Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 8542).
376. Idris ibn Abi Idris al-Khawlani related that his father said,
FLM es US YS EN الله الذي 5,525 إلى الْمَسَاجِدِ في Sac
‘On the Day of Rising, Allah will completely illuminate those who
walk to the masjids in the dark.' (Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:125).
377. Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaydah said about Abū ‘Abd ar-Rahman as-
Sulami,
I گان ŠĪ ES يحْمِلُوهُ في الطّينٍ وَالمَظر إلى LN وَهُوَ مَرِيضُ.
"While he was ill, he ordered them to carry him to the masjid
through the mud and rain.” (Ibn Hajar in Matālib 3:549).
378. Hammad ibn Salamah narrated that ‘Ata ibn as-Sā'ib
said,
-
-—
-
ji dat كو ‘shal ced بد موك
o5 Sis „Jó — ET ان ches ade dh | bs ai قال: Jis Y
G Lo 3 ta دام 3 LAN ye ak
‘We visited Abū ‘Abd ar-Rahman as-Sulāmī (‘Abdullah ibn Habib)
while he was issuing judiciary verdicts and settling disputes in the
masjid. We said to him, “If you move to the bed, it will be more
comfortable (Husayn said they meant a lower platform).” He
responded, “A certain person narrated to me that the Prophet ©
said, ‘You are constantly in prayer as long as you remain in your
place of prayer waiting for [the next] salah."" (Muslim 649).^
379. Abū Mi‘shar narrated that Nakha‘i said,
كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ — 31 555 — أن gidi في YES DN مُوجبة.
‘They used to say (or used to believe) that walking [to the masjid]
in the darkness of the night was a cause of obligation [of entry
into the Garden].’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:225 and Ibn Abi
Shaybah 6439).
380. Abū Mijlaz narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab :& said,
ما dul عى fe «i2 Ju Gl ما أَحِبٌ desi fes لا أذري
S Ca sf Col Cus ui
‘I do not care what situation I wake up to; whether it is what I
like or dislike, since I do not know whether good is found in what
I like or dislike. (Abu Dawüd in Zuhd 96 and Abü Nu'aym in
Hilyah 7:271).
381. Mas'ūd said that he heard Salih ibn Mismar say,
GE وى Ga de Mas j| el bos igs de الله Gal esl o
‘I do not know which will be greater, the blessings of Allah which
He expands for me or what He removes from me.’ (Bayhagī in
Shu'ab 4170).
1 A good word has been likened to monetary charity because they
are both pleasing to the recipient and they remove any ill-feelings. Ibn
Hajar in Fath (10:449). Rather, the positive effects of a good word are far
more enduring.
2 Tabarani has transmitted a variation of it from the Prophet ®.
3 Ibn Sa‘id said, ‘I found it like this in a book; ‘Ala ibn ‘Abd ar-
Rahman does not relate it from his father. However, Malik ibn Anas,
Shu‘bah Ibn al-Hajjaj, Rawh ibn al-Qasim, Isma‘il ibn Ja‘far, Shibl ibn al-
‘Ala’, ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ibrahim, Sa‘id ibn Salamah ibn Abr'l-Husam,
Zuhayr ibn Muhammad, Yūsuf ibn "Abd ar-Rahman al-Madanī, the client
of Sukkarah (Ibn Haywah said, 'It is said that he was the client of
Sukkarah) and Darawardi all related it, and they said: from ‘Ala ibn
‘Abd ar-Rahman from his father from Abū Hurayrah “ from the Prophet
%. I saw it in a book other than the book of Husayn from Ibn al-
Mubarak, and he does not have it from his father.’
4 Ibn Sa‘id said, "This is how Ibn Fudayl narrated it.’
d
RELIANCE ON ALLAH &
382. Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib narrated:
DE أَحَدُهْمَا لِصَاحِبِه: إِنْ لَقِيت JUS g Jp abl سَلْمَانُ وَعَبْدُ Cis
B35 BE Ghd OLS td وَإِنْ ea gels sib ps
PA bes لم ار Ql pels ASS -à) Jūs «eai 3 صَاحِبَه BS احدهماء
2 قال ذلك تلات
Salman and ‘Abdullah ibn Salām *% met one day, and one said to
the other, 'If you meet your Lord before me, come to me and
inform me of what you encountered, and if I meet Him before
you, I will come to you and inform you.' One of them died and he
met his fellow in a dream and said to him, 'Put your trust [in
Allah] and receive good news. I have not seen anything like trust
in Allah.” He said that three times. (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 258 and
Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:205).
383. ‘Abdullah ibn Yazīd al-Khatami said (and Muhammad ibn
Ka‘b al-Qurazi thinks that it was related directly to the Prophet
®) that the Prophet % used to say,
ka n E «a dite es galls مَا 25 DES 25551 الله
A.
nói 0
0 VĒST Soa; 3 Tia Be au (8. 4 © كع . نز z
اغا فيمًا ilgā عم ما اخ ae, U "Wr M eed 5 فاجعله
ف رات فم : di d T D ri عماس Mri ai :
4 2
WF
=
‘O Allah, give me your love and the love of those whose love will
benefit me in Your eyes. O Allah, make Your provisions, which I
love, a source of strength for me to do what You love, and make
what You have removed from me of what I love an opportunity
for me to do what You love!” (Tirmidhī 3491).
384. Ibn ‘Umar *% said,
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ads; بأَسْمَاعِنَا dis) U $55 Lakhs وَاجِعَلهُ Siig مِنَاء وَاجِعَز
i2 ct ده ا وب ع1 ده zīda ركه Jo x SM, TE (d
ye "E. vow وہ ae f e- cet. TE: E b : 0 "CP j^ 237
The Messenger of Allah © almost never rose from his gathering
without making these supplications: ‘O Allah, bless us with fear of
You which will come between us and Your disobedience,
obedience to You which will bring us Your mercy, and certainty
which will make the disasters of this world easy for us. Grant us
our hearing, our eyesight and our strength for as long as You keep
us alive. Appoint an heir from us, avenge us against those who
wronged us and help us against our enemies. Do not place our
affliction in our religion, do not make this world our greatest
worry nor the extent of our knowledge and do not give power
over us to those who will not show us mercy.’ (Tirmidhi 3502).
385. Kathir ibn Suwayd al-Jundi narrated from someone who
heard Abū Hurayrah :& say,
1 2و 3 A Gor 782 م اس >9 > مو
لا رج عبد Lol Ge حت OIF SA
‘A servant will not leave the world until he sees what he fears.’
(Targhīb 4757).!
386. Rabi‘ ibn Khuthaym said,
S 35 إلى Goby el بي RS لا
‘[When I die,] do not inform anyone about me and hand me over
to Allah gently.’ (‘Abd ar-Razzaq 6466 and Ibn Abi Shaybah
11207).
387. Shabī said,
m tik. f£ vey 7-202955» g? 995 (i. 3 sad 2 NET
لما acl) Ga ee gab لبن £3 05 فَحَرَحَ مِنْ carta وَقال: XS Aul الله
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ERU ehh: tās Qs فجعل < وه cy
od af. ورم £ A o = lv "Ws > 1m” of I d o s
des ISS لو d OF اليَوْمَ ما طلعَت ale الشمس أو «55e لافتدَيت به
te g 5 116
When ‘Umar “ was stabbed, he was sent some milk and he drank
it, but it seeped out from his wound. He said, 'Allah is greater!
Allah is greater!” and those sitting around him began praising
‘Umar. He then said, ‘I hoped that I would leave the world with
only what is sufficient, just as I came into it. If I possessed
everything that the sun rises over or sets upon today, I would give
it in ransom to escape the horror of the Rising.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in
Hilyah 3:354).
388. Ubaydullāh ibn Mawhab narrated from someone who
heard Ibn ‘Umar ® say,
„nr -
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قال" es qeu d 45 n gra EXC
TR BIG ote Jó; «tās وه Del US في الْأَرْضٍ ob je
ndis Mg ame Pp pe Jus ene
tagi, او 55545 عن «ci تُقَدَّمُونِ ZS ga SG «35 J)
When *Umar was dying, he fainted, so I put his head on my lap.
He recovered and said, ‘Put my head on the ground.” Then he
fainted again and recovered, and his head was in my lap. He said,
"Put my head on the ground as I commanded you.” I said, "My lap
and the ground are the same, father. He said, 'You are
motherless!? Put my head on the ground as I commanded you.
When I am taken, bury me quickly. It is either good you are
taking me to or evil you are removing from your necks.' (Ibn
‘Asakir in Tarikh 44:445).
389. Usamah ibn Zayd narrated that he (i.e. Umar) % said,
gi 2 BÓ C 52.4 fiz See ot Es M = » as W jh
a . i وت کی ne PUE J RT e Tot, uu mds, Rue $ s 3
(Gyre في 1x55 AL tas LAE شَدِيدَة قال ابن ALES ale غشي
E
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"Throw the sand in my face, my dear son, so that Allah will have
mercy on me.’ So he wiped sand on his cheeks and then ‘Umar
swooned violently. Ibn Umar said, 'I lifted his head and placed it
in my lap, and when he recovered, he said, "Put my face on the
sand, so that Allah Almighty will have mercy on me." He then
said, ^Woe is Umar and woe is his mother, if he is not forgiven.”
(Ibn *Asakir in Tarikh 44:444).
390. Mas'ūd related that Nakhaī was weeping at the time of
his death, so someone asked him, ‘What makes you weep?’ He
replied,
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‘Iam awaiting a messenger from Allah who will give me news of
the Garden or the Fire.' (Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:224 and Ibn Abi
Shaybah 35392).
391. Hammad ibn Sa‘id ibn Abi ‘Atiyyah al-Madhbth said,
adi REST Te iui
"When death approached Abū 'Atiyyah, he became very anxious,
so someone asked him, "Are you worried about death?" He
replied, "Why should I not worry about death? It is merely a
moment, but then I do not know where I will be led." (Abü
Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:154).
392. Abū Nawfal ibn Abi 'I-"Agrab said,
a jp: yd iple MO
When ‘Amr ibn al-‘As % was dying, he placed his hand on his
neck near his chin and said, “O Allah, You commanded us, but we
neglected, and You for bade us, but we pursued. Only Your
forgiveness can accommodate us." That was his state until he
died, may Allah have mercy on him.' (Ahmad 17781).
393. "Abd ar-Rahman ibn Shammasah said,
When ‘Amr ibn al-‘As was dying, he wept. ‘Abdullah asked
him, ‘Why are you weeping? Are you afraid of death?’ He replied,
‘By Allah, no, but I am afraid of what follows it.” He told him, ‘But
you did good,’ reminding him that he was a Companion of the
Prophet % and that he took part in the conquests of the Levant.
‘Amr ibn al-‘As replied:
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ولا AS من جني tu SSL e GAN gs S الراب سه
5S عِنْدِي VAS 4555 Bp dad s EES oS في Gad
بِكُم. ECT e iss جَرُورِ
'You omitted something better than all that: the testimony that
there is no god but Allah. There were three stages in my life, and
in each stage, I discovered something about myself. First, I was an
unbeliever and the fiercest of people in opposition against the
Messenger of Allah &. If I had died then, the Fire would have
been mandatory for me. When I pledged allegiance to the
Messenger of Allah È, I was the most shy of him, to the extent
that my gaze never fully caught the Messenger of Allah È, out of
modesty before him. If I died then, people would have said
‘Congratulations to ‘Amr! He became Muslim, did good and died
in the best of states,’ and the Garden would be hoped for me.
After that I was mixed up in things, and I do not know whether
they will be in my favour or not. When I die, do not weep for me
and do not allow fire to follow my bier. Bind my waist-wrapper
on me, for 1 am going to be interrogated. Shape the sand over me
evenly, for my right side is not more entitled to the sand than my
left. Do not put wood or stone in my grave. When you have
buried me, then stay with me for the amount of time it takes to
slaughter a camel and cut it up, so that I can take solace from
you.' (Ahmad 17780).
1 Mundhiri has recorded the direct hadith of the Prophet #: ‘A
person shall not leave the world until he sees the blessings of his good
deeds and the evil of his bad deeds.’
2 This is an Arabic expression to show annoyance and it is not taken
literally.
d
GLAD-TIDINGS FOR A MUSLIM WHEN HE
DIES
394. Sufyān narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas & said,
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"When you see a man dying, give him good news, so that he meets
his Lord with a good opinion of Him. While he is still alive, make
him fear his Lord ê.’ (Baghawi 5:275).
395. Abū Sakhr narrated that Muhammad ibn Kab al-Qurazi
said,
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"When the soul of the servant succumbs, the angel comes to him
and says, "Peace be upon you, friend of Allah. Allah sends peace
upon you," and he extracts his soul with this verse: Those the
angels take in a virtuous state, they say, ‘Peace be upon you! Enter the
Garden for what you did (16:32).' (Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab 398).
396. Abū Ruhm as-Sima narrated that Abū Ayyūb al-Ansari #
said,
إِذَا x22 Jal as ŠI KS aši مِنْ ake الله US يَلْقَوْنَ 22d في
ua cess duis GI «de oles «d أَنْظِرُوا eel ڪٿ
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When the servant’s soul is seized, the people of mercy from the
servants of Allah meet him as they would meet someone with
good news in the world. They approach him to ask him question,
but some of them will say to others, ‘Give your brother time to
rest, as he has been in hardship.’ They then turn to him and ask
him, ‘What happened to this man? What happened to that
woman? Has she married yet?’ Then, when they ask him about a
man who has already passed on, he will answer, ‘He died.’ Upon
that they will say, "To Allah we belong and to Him we will return!
He has been taken to his abode,! the Abyss. What an evil abode it
is! What an evil accommodation it is!’ They are then shown their
deeds, and when they see good deeds, they are pleased and they
rejoice saying, ‘This is Your blessing upon Your servant, so perfect
it,’ and if they see an evil deed they say, ‘O Allah, reconsider Your
servant.’ (Tabarānī in Kabir 3887).?
397. Dāwūd ibn Qays heard Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi
say,
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"The earth weeps because of a man and it weeps for a man. It
weeps for the one who obeyed Allah & on its surface, and it
weeps because of those who disobeyed Allah on its surface.' Then
he recited: Neither heaven nor earth shed any tears for them (the
guilty ones), nor were they granted reprieve (44:29). (Abu Nu'aym in
Hilyah 3:213).
398. Khalid ibn Ma'dān said that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn 31-5
&5 related,
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"Ihe spirits of the believers are in starling-like birds who
recognise one another, and they are provided for from the fruits
of the Garden'. (Ibn Abi Shaybah 33978 and Abü Nu'aym in
Hilyah 1:290).
399. Uthmān ibn *Abdillah ibn Aws narrated that:
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Sa‘id ibn Jubayr asked him, ‘Allow me to see my cousin.’ (She was
‘Uthman’s wife, the daughter of ‘Amr ibn Aws.) [He said,] ‘So I
allowed him to see her. He entered, greeted her with salam and
then asked her, "How does your husband treat you?" She replied,
“As good as he can." He then turned to ‘Uthman and said,
*Uthman, be good to her. Whatever you do to her, ‘Amr ibn Aws
will hear about it.” "Uthman asked, ‘Do the dead receive news of
the living?’ Sa īd answered, ‘Yes. Whoever has a loved one will
receive news of his relatives. If it is good news, he is happy and
overjoyed about it, and if it is bad news, he is saddened and
grieves. The dead even ask about the man who had already died.
In response, they will be asked, *Has he not come to you?" They
answer, "He must have been diverted to his abode, the Abyss."
(Qiwam as-Sunnah in Hujjah 2:333).
1 The word umm literal means mother, but it can be used
metaphorically to mean abode.
2 Ibn Sa‘id said, ‘Sallam at-Tawil related it from Thawr, who reported
it as a hadith from the Prophet ®.’
il
OSTENTATION, PRIDE AND THE LIKE
400. Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillah ash-Shikhkhir said,
AC NU ud iN se م di CEA asl cl [ac SN 3
‘I prefer spending the night in sleep and waking up regretful to
spending the night in prayer and waking up proud.’ (Abū Nu‘aym
in Hilyah 2:200).
401. Someone said to Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, ‘A man gives
something and does something good and likes to be rewarded
and praised,’ so he asked,
V— a i Y
أن تمقت؟ OS!
‘Would you like to be abhorred?’!
402. ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib %* narrated that the
Messenger of Allah È said,
diei A e في gs PE SS Si S Ss jabs
te a تن € SD GS قد ASG 4,2553 188 التاق 5,2515 asi
M tie ِن Dbl أَصْحَابهِ ققال: هَل ترون في J idi et غلم
M is cb aul ai oid مِنْ diis ce, ads x d لاء
"This religion will continue to prevail, even crossing the seas on
horses charging for the Cause of Allah. But later, there will be
people who recite the Qur'an and say, "We have recited the
Quran. Who can recite it better than us? Who is more
knowledgeable than us?" He € turned to his companions and
asked, ‘Do you see any good in those people?’ *No,'they answered.
He % said, ‘They are from you and from this community, and
such people will be fuel for the Fire.’ (Abū Yalā 6698).
403. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr &* narrated that the Messenger of
Allah ® said,
uia gal gals S
"Most of the hypocrites of my community are its reciters. (Ahmad
6633, Tabarānī in Kabir 25 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 6559).
404. Damrah ibn Habib narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
JE 45,9535 ch SELS الله lie مِنْ all JU ET ِن الْمَلائڪة يَرْفَعُونَ
bis Shae 5 oul حَيْتُ اء الل ِن Je th
وَل «d oa J نَفْسِهِ. إِنَّ عَبْدِي هَذًا GU fe Cus; وَأنَا acme e
وَيحْقِرُونَه 5 1523 a eno عَمَله فَاجِعَلهُ في سِجِينٍ. وَيَصَعَدَونَ ole
Aa انكم l مِنْ سلطانهء فيوجي الله aul US Cos حت يَنْتَهُوا به إلى
As aši هذا CAE Sy sads ما في É عَم غبت واا رقت Je
کا c فا كتبوه في
At times, the angels take up the actions of one of the servants of
Allah, thinking highly of him and declaring him pure, until they
take it to wherever Allah wishes of His dominion. Allah % then
reveals to them, 'You are the guardians of the actions of My
servant, but I watch over what is inside himself. This servant of
5
-
Mine was not sincere to Me, and his actions were not sincere. Put
him in Sijjin.' Sometimes, they take up the actions of a servant,
underestimating and disregarding him, until they reach wherever
Allah wishes of His dominion. Allah & then reveals to them, ‘You
are the guardians of the actions of My servant, but I watch over
what is inside himself. This servant of mine made his actions
sincere, so record him among the ‘Illiyyin.’ (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in
Ikhlas 18).
405. Rabī' ibn Ziyad narrated that he heard Kab say,
2122-79
'By Allah, praise is not confirmed for a servant on earth until it is
confirmed for him among those in the heavens.' (Abū Dāwūd in
Zuhd 456, Ibn Abi Shaybah 35294 and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah
5:366).
406. Awzā1 narrated that Muttalib ibn Hantab said,
M - - 29 252 TEM - PLE ri or 2 > اج gt ss ($
ما شَاءَ الله 53 SS LAUS جَبْرَئِيلَ CSE ace Se مَجَلْ $e Aul (o2; 15]
jy 25, la 3 Qe چ Ó 2.7 a 1-5 Guys yes} uz I
فلان» وَصليت Se رب العالمِينَ» فيُقول: )3 قد رَضِيت 6 GLA فإذا أفاق قال:
TN Nu iut oalon Se oj» 5 aru Au s e [E 22 a7...
وَاظنه - 25 Y! ذلك إلى RES حى cae صل الله ASS J ās cae
rip Je Z isos — ONCE S
قال: فإذا أبغض عبدا فمثل MNS
"When Allah % is pleased with a servant, He calls Jibrīl who falls
unconscious for as long as Allah wills. Then, when he regains
consciousness, he says, “I am at Your service, o Lord of all the
worlds." He & will say, "I am truly pleased with this person, and I
have sent My blessings upon him." The angels then say, *May the
blessings of Allah be upon him,” until that reaches the earth.”
(One of the narrators thinks he then said, ‘and when He is
angered with a servant' like that.)
407. Abū ’l-Jawza’ narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
ال اج ررکم یال ا JUS 35 اجند من : Els مَسَامِعه مِنَ الكَنَاءِ
الْحَسَنٍ tēls VENT e ga مَسَامِعَهُ مِنَّ "a YU m | SS)!
€ I not inform you of the people of the Garden and the
inmates of the Fire? The people of the Garden are those who hear
their good praises ringing in their ears, and the inmates of the
Fire are those who hear disparaging words about themselves
ringing in their ears.
408. Abū Hurayrah # narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
uS 23) taal e dus RAE gs FA Us Caso sah Shed iu Sh
ما ES مِنْ LS VAT 3, Zi Gp Jis (uUo sets oi s.
LM إل sig A Gel Cal تظيل الشف Je 55S; «JU {ot};
CHS) uS SU ats real by يا )15 ومَطعمه حرام «25 6
Allah Almighty commanded the believers with the same
command He gave to the Messengers. He said: Messengers, eat
from good things and act righteously (23:51). He also said: You who
believe, eat from the good things with which We have provided you
(2:172). He % then mentioned a dishevelled and dusty man who
is on a long journey, and he stretches his hands out to heaven,
saying, ‘O Lord, O Lord!” but his food and his clothes are from an
unlawful source. How will that be answered?! (Muslim 1015).
409. Salih ibn Mismar said,
Da فاطلا T LE s; ase JS الله Jé
‘Allah Almighty says, “You supplicate to Me, but your hearts turn
away. What you fear is false.”
410. Yazīd ar-Raqqashi narrated that Anas ibn Malik % said,
2 اللة: io dd SL 6 لِلْجَمَاعَة FN E35 S05 ں ,UI e 3G
iehi acu a fase مِنْ DH وَلِمَا is)
Spel a+) JN sl قال
‘There will come a time upon the people when a believer
supplicates for the Community, but he will not be answered. Allah
& will say, “Supplicate for yourself and those who accompany
you in your affairs and I will answer you. As for the community, I
will not accept [supplications for them]."'
Anas “ also said, ‘He will say, “They have angered Me.” (Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 6:175).
411. Muhammad ibn Hamzah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Salam related
that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
ord في Si Yy حُسْنُ BE في ob E55 حَصْلَتَانٍ لا
"Two qualities are not found in a hypocrite: good behaviour and a
deep understanding of the Religion.’ (Tirmidhi 2684).
412. Sulayman ibn Mūsā said,
- BE F5; ISN عن BL; 37255 Gare ili cis 5)
فظرلة سوا exis Guy tx eds s BS ie ginis e
"When you fast, your ears and eyes should fast, your tongue
should fast from lies and you should not abuse your servant. You
should be tranquil and dignified. Do not treat the day you fast
and the day you do not as the same.’ (Bayhagī in Shu'ab 9500).
413. Mutarrif said, ‘I visited ‘Imran ibn Husayn “ one day and
I said, “I am going to stop visiting you because of the state I see
you in." He said,
dis إلى الله 2255 dj et Sy as «ais SG
“Then do not [visit me]. By Allah, what is dearer to Allah
Almighty is dearer to me.”
Jarīr said, ‘His stomach had ascites with perforations, and he
was bedridden for thirty years.”
414. Abü Hayyan narrated that his father said,
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re "ACE fa an sal 3A S OH ARTS U u$ m عن x. sel
555 IH TOU 3.25 dē NS 2 AE A M sally = S; "AU NIE À —
حر de وَكَذًا إلا E NL GS JUS fe - als أَوْقَالَ: ا - ges
M Gs شرفي آنه َقَصَت aa سويد gps
I came to the Levant and asked, 'Is there any sick person from
Najd we can visit?’ The people said, "No one but Suwayd ibn
Shubah al-Hanzali.' So I visited him. Had it not been for his wife
saying, ‘May my family be sacrificed for you. What should I feed
you? What drink should I give you?' I would have thought there
was nothing under his garment. I became anxious, so he lifted the
garment from his face and he said, ‘Perhaps you fear what you see
on me?' I answered, 'Yes, by the One other than Whom there is no
god.’ He said, ‘Do not let that upset you. My hipbone (or he said
hipbones) has slipped and I have not been able to recline except
on my face for many years. By the One in Whose Hand is
Suwayd's life, it would not please me to have it decreased even to
the amount of a nail cutting.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya has transmitted a
variation in Sabr 185).
415. Abū Hurayrah # narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
Ay يِب GE الله به ag من
"Whomever Allah wishes good for, He tests him with afflictions.”
(Bukhārī 5645).
416. Khalid ibn Yazid narrated that a son of ‘Iyad ibn Ugbah
al-Fihrī died, and when he was lowered into his grave, a man
said to Iyād, 'By Allah, he was a leader of the army, so hope
for reward through him.” ‘Iyad replied,
as Ol gat U3 وَقَدَ OB بالا ميس مِنْ hy لحيَاة MSN وهو PN مِنَ
ola الصالات؟
‘Why should I not hope for reward through him, when yesterday
he was an embellishment of the worldly life and today he is an
enduring pious deed?’
417. ‘Umayr ibn Sayf al-Khawlānī heard that Abū Muslim al-
Khawlānī said,
eset 08; alt Je حى )5| استووى asks P uu Ses Jā يولد T
وما فيها. EBRIE ICTU PETERET dió, U
‘I would prefer to father a child whom Allah nurtures until he is
an upstanding young man, and then have Allah take him from
me, than to have this world and all it contains.” (Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 2:126).
418. "Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Oāsim narrated that the Messenger
of Allah 8 said,
5 9 E
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"When Muslims are afflicted, they should console themselves by
remembering their affliction they suffered by losing me” (Mālik
809).”
419. Mas'ūd narrated:
JE CABS 36$ OA مِنَ ا aE LÉS y Jus abl JS عَنْ قاد في
oši e ES يقل إلا خَيرًا.
‘Qatadah said about Allah’s & words: and then his eyes turned white
from hidden grief (12:84), “He suppressed his grief and spoke
nothing but good.” (Ibn Abi Hatim 11888).
420. Shufayy ibn Mati‘ al-Asbahi said,
I entered the masjid of Madinah and the people were gathered
around a man, so I asked, ‘Who is this?’ "Abū Hurayrah, They
answered. When the people left, I approached him and said, ‘Aba
Hurayrah, relate to me a narration which you heard directly from
the Messenger of Allah ®.’ He said, ‘I will. I will relate to you a
narration which the Messenger of Allah & related to me directly.”
Then he sighed deeply and recovered and said, ‘I will do it. I will
relate to you a narration which the Messenger of Allah % related
to me directly.’ Then he sighed deeply again and recovered and
said, ‘I will do it. I will relate to you a narration which the
Messenger of Allah %* related to me directly.’ He sighed deeply a
third time or a fourth and then recovered, saying, ‘I will do it. I
will relate to you a narration which the Messenger of Allah ©
related to me directly, while I was in this room and no one was
there with him besides me. I heard the Messenger of Allah % say,
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الله gaa jās gis GEIS: leas Sab قال: فب مُعَاوِيَة yd ا
el GS 555 OA يُرِيدُ اليا OB S2 cos se الله fod
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“On the Day of Rising, Allah will descend to His servants to judge
them. Every nation will be kneeling. The first to be summoned
will be a man who learned all the Qur'an. Allah Almighty will say
to him, ‘My slave, did I not teach you what I revealed to my
Messenger?'He will answer, ‘Yes indeed, Lord.'He will say, "What
did you do with what I taught you?’ He will reply, ‘Lord, I used to
stand in prayer, reciting it during the night and the day.'Allah will
say to him, ‘You lie" and the angels will say to him, ‘You lie!’
‘You wanted people to say, "That man was a reciter," and it was
said. Now go! I have nothing for you today.”
Then someone with wealth will be brought, and Allah will say
to him, ‘My slave, did I not bless you? Did I not give you grace?
Did I not increase sustenance for you?' or words like that. The
man will say, "Yes indeed, Lord.’ Allah will ask, ‘What did you do
with what I gave you?’ and he will reply, ‘Lord, I used to maintain
ties with kin and give charity, and I did other deeds.’ Allah will
say to him, ‘You lie" and the angels will say to him, ‘You lie!’
‘You wanted people to say, “This man was generous," and it was
said. Now go! I have nothing for you today.”
Someone who was killed will be summoned, and Allah will say
to him, ‘My slave, why were you killed?’ He will say, ‘My Lord,
for You and in Your path.” Allah Almighty will say to him, ‘You
lie!” and the angels will say to him, ‘You lie!” You wanted people
to say, "That man was brave," and it was said. Now go! I have
nothing for you today.” Abū Hurayrah '% said, ‘Then the
Messenger of Allah hit my knee and said, “Aba Hurayrah, those
three are the first of Allah's creation to be burned by the Fire on
the Day of Rising.”
Walid said that ‘Uqbah told him that when Shufayy narrated
this narration to Mu'awiyah, he wept a lot. Then he recovered
and said, ‘Allah and His Messenger # spoke the truth: As for those
who desire the life of this world and its finery, We will give them full
payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived here of their
due. But such people will have nothing in the Next World but the Fire.
What they achieved here will come to nothing. (11:15)' (Tirmidhi
2382).
421. Bakkār ibn 'Abdillāh heard Wahb ibn Munabbih say,
-
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Allah Almighty said, in criticism of the rabbis of the tribe of
Israel: "You gain understanding for matters other than the
Religion, you learn without acting and you purchase this world by
the actions of the Next World. You show sheep’s clothing to
people, while you conceal appetites of wolves. You cleanse the
filth from your drink, but you swallow mountains of the unlawful.
You make the Religion burdensome for people like mountains,
and you refuse to lift even your littlest fingers to help them. You
make the prayer long and garments white, but you take
advantage of the property of orphans and widows. By My might, I
have sworn to smite you with a trial in which the opinion of
everyone with an opinion and the wisdom of the wise will be
misguided.’ (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 7).
1 ‘Iraqi and Ibn as-Subki have transmitted a variation where the man
responded, ‘No.’ so Sa‘id said, "Then when you do an action for Allah,
make it sincerely for Him.” Takhrij Ahādīth Ihya? (3121)
2 There are several reasons why some reciters are considered
hypocrites. Some reciters (i.e. scholars of the Qur'an) explain the Qur'an
using obscure and far-fetched interpretation, and they apply verses of
the Qur'an to scenarios and issues that have no relevance to them. Some
reciters study and recite the Qur'an to display a religious facade,
whereas, internally, they are quite the opposite. There are also reciters
who are literal hypocrites, like those in the time of the Prophet €, who
memorised and recited the Qur'an, so as to not arouse suspicion about
their true nature.
3 Bukhari records a similar hadith in his Sahih: When Allah loves a
slave, He calls out to Jibril, ‘Allah loves so-and-so, so love him!” and
Jibril loves him. Then a call goes out among the people of heaven, 'Allah
loves so-and-so, so love him" and the people of heaven love him. Then
acceptance is placed in the earth for him. (3209)
4 Bazzar has transmitted a variation of the first part of it from Ibn
‘Abbas ك8 who related it from the Prophet ®. (5303).
5 The Prophet % said, ‘Know that Allah does not accept any
supplication from a heart that is distracted and heedless.’ Tirmidhī
(3479).
6 Allah & says in the Qur'an: Wealth and sons are the embellishment of
the life of this world. But, in your Lord's Sight, enduring pious deeds bring a
better reward and are a better basis for hope (18:46).
7 The greatest calamity to befall the Muslims was the passing of the
Prophet %. His presence among us was a source of mercy and abundant
blessings. With his passing, the long line of prophet-hood came to an end
and the direct link to Allah & through revelation was severed. Anas %
said, ‘The day the Messenger of Allah È came to Madinah, everything in
Madinah was illuminated and the day he passed away, everything in
Madinah became grim. We had not yet dusted off the sand from our
hands after his burial when we began to feel a change in our hearts.'
Tirmidhi in Shamā'il (375)
f
DAWUD’S REPENTANCE AND OTHER
PROPHETS ©
422. Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd narrated that Dāwūd # asked his Lord
še to tell him which action He loved most. He % said,
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"There are ten, if you can do them, Dāwūd. Do not say anything
except good about any of My creation. Do not slander any of My
creation. Do not envy any of My creation.” Dāwūd said, ‘Lord, I
will not be able to do these three, so keep the seven from me. But,
my Lord, tell me who You love among Your creation, so I may
love them for Your sake.’ He said, ‘A powerful person who shows
mercy to people and judges for people as he judges for himself; a
man to whom Allah gives wealth and He spends it desiring the
Face of Allah and in obedience to Allah &; a man who spends his
youth and strength in obeying Allah &; a man who loves the
masjids and whose heart is connected to them; a man who meets
a beautiful woman, and she gives him access to herself, but he
leaves her out of fear of Allah; and a man who knows that Allah
Almighty is with him. Their hearts are pure, their earning is
wholesome, they love one another for My majesty, I am
remembered by them and they are remembered through My
remembrance. And [I love] those whose eyes overflow from the
fear of Allah &.’ (Samt 637)!
423. Hasan said,
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"When Dāwūd made the mistake, he fell into prostration for forty
years. He was told, “Dawiid, raise your head, for I have pardoned
you.” He responded, "My Lord, You are the Just Sovereign who
does not oppress, and I have killed a man." He said, *I asked him
to hand you over to Me and he did so, so I will reward him with
the Garden.”
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr said,
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'One night Dawüd fell in prostration weeping. Then when he
lifted his head, there was no piece of flesh left on his forehead.’
(Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Riqqah 345).
424. Bakkar ibn 'Abdillāh said that he heard Wahb ibn
Munabbih saying,
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'He did not raise his head until the angel said to him, "The
beginning of your matter is an offence and its end is
insubordination. Raise your head!" so he raised his head. For the
rest of his life, he never drank water that had not been mixed
with his tears, he never ate food that had not been soaked with
his tears, he never reclined on a bed without weeping profusely
until he became old and no blanket could ever keep him warm.’
(Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Riqqah 342).
425. Abü Nujayh related that Mujahid said,
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He (i.e. Dawüd) remained in prostration for forty days and did not
raise his head until grass sprouted from the tears falling from his
eyes, so he covered his head. He was asked, ‘Dawid, are you
hungry and want to be fed? Are you thirsty and want drink? Or
are you unclothed and want to be clothed?” But he was being
answered with things he did not want, so he let out a fierce cry
which caused some wood to burn because of the intense heat
inside of him. Then Allah revealed repentance and forgiveness, so
he said, ‘My Lord, place my mistake in my palm.” Whenever he
extended his hand to get food, drink or anything else, he would
see it and it made him weep. And whenever he was brought a
vessel filled two thirds with water, he would reach out for it, see
his mistake, and it would not reach his lips until it was
overflowing with his tears. (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya has transmitted a
variation of it in Riggah 385).
426. Abū ‘Abdillah al-Hadali said,
اود صل aoo وَجَلَّ SE 55 مِنْ ME SE ES LZ إلى Z5 55 ما
cus «de 3
‘Out of shame before his Lord &, he [Dawid s»] did not raise his
head to the heavens until he died.’ (Marwazi in Ta'zim Qadr aş-
Salah 855).
427. *Abd al-Malik ibn Sulayman narrated that Mujahid said,
اود مَنْقُوشَةٌ في كه ELS ESE
'Dawüd's mistake was imprinted on his palm.” (Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 3:297, 5:196).
428. Abū '1-Jald said,
"39
uad el she من i 2155 مَا all šā 5 315 aliua g dl
gl ou asl pils 5 5 ase Edas
solis مَرْضَاتِكَ؟ قال: ak من He لهي قتا JG . EL مِنَ
u AJ] J CD» ERTE É Jel يوم ت Seg Sch 25255 SI
-
z
5
yg del iiig J اتا مَرْصَاتِكَ؟ LS cadi 3S مَن e
تسيل LS m هن a جَرَاء فن US A) i Ji Jed dedos
gä ot "voe eis s AS NM Sages Je AE ga. التارء ;5 |5 Ata يوم
ejā عَنْ El ed
I read that Dāwūd ® asked his Almighty Lord, ‘My God, what is
the reward of someone who consoles a sorrowful afflicted person,
seeking Your pleasure?’ He said, ‘His reward is that I clothe him
with a garment from the cloaks of faith which will veil him from
the Fire.’ He asked, ‘My God, what is the reward of someone who
follows funeral biers, seeking your pleasure?’ He answered, ‘His
reward is that the angels will follow him on the day he dies and I
will send blessings upon his soul among the souls.’ He said, ‘My
God, what is the reward of someone who satisfies the hunger of
orphans and widows, seeking Your pleasure?’ He said, ‘His reward
is that I will shade him in My shade on the day when there is no
shade but My shade.’ He said, ‘My God, what is the reward of
someone who weeps out of fear of You until his tears run down
his face.’ He said, ‘His reward is that I will make his face
forbidden for the heat of the Fire and I will give him security on
the Day of Fear.’ (Shu‘ab 8841)?
429. Ka‘b al-Ahbar said,
est 5 f Jó; Ne E n "n 5 "T m xis 3 الله
KAS | i هما 1353 GS Le ع 355 5 JEG لي S لس
2 083 2 2 2 U
صِدَّيقٌ. Gl الَْدِ so LSS َال كغْب:
"While the tribe of Israel was praying in Jerusalem two men came:
one of them entered while the other did not. The one outside
stood at the doors of the masjid and said, "Should I enter the
house of Allah? Someone like me does not enter the house of
Allah when I have done this sin and that sin.” He began to weep
and did not enter.” Ka'b said, ‘From that day on, it was written
that he was truthful.' (Abu Dawüd in Zuhd 10, Abü Nu'aym in
Hilyah 5:378, and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 6762).
430. Yahya ibn Jābir narrated that Yazid ibn Maysarah said,
6 dI, ead مَنْ jui 56; بن رَكْرِيًا الجَرَاكَ وَقُلُوبَ الشَّجَِ GF Pb lab کان
edi 485 SUE وَطَعَامُكَ g%
"The food of Yahyā ibn Zakariyya was locusts and the inner bark
of trees. He used to say, "Who has more blessing than you, Yahya,
when your food is locusts and the inner bark of trees!” (Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 5:237).
431. Salim ibn ‘Abdillah narrated that the Prophet ® would
supplicate:
Aiit. Geshe ce 22 as VQ eee teen aregas
Ulis مِنْ GAASS al By) OCS us nite اللهم ارزقني
M وَالاضراس US الدّمُوع Ozas أنْ GS
'O Allah, grant me eyes two that weep with torrential tears and
eyes that cure me through fear of You before tears turn to blood
and teeth turn to cinder.’ (Tabarani in Du‘@ 1457 and Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 2:196).4
432. Abū Uthmān narrated:
b» i Jus adu. فَتَعَوَضَ dis athe jé abl [2 qn d) a5 جَاءَ
16,9555 Ó i$ oobis JÚ .; e J fex Lei) ds dei
B 3855 (953555 pea "Jūs نَعَمْ. SE شَرَابٌ؟ PEN 1 JG 035 قاڵ:
ait OB نَعَمْ. JE جمِيعًا في الْبَطن؟ iced "à e JÚ oss
-
dl
IMERIAS E M pn AP SE nce
A man came to the Prophet # and he began asking him questions.
The Prophet % said, ‘Do you have food?” ‘Yes,’he replied. He
asked, ‘Do you cook it, keep it pure and make it presentable?’ He
replied, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘Do you have drink?'he replied, ‘Yes.’ He
asked, ‘Do you tend to it, keep it cool, clean and pure?’ ‘Yes,’ he
answered. He % asked, 'Do you then gather it all in your
stomach?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘So where does it all end
up?” and he answered, ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.” He
asked it three times, then he % said, It ends up like the rest of the
world. You go behind your house [i.e. to the lavatory], and then
you hold your nose because of its horrible odour.’ (Ibn Abi 'd-
Dunya in Jü* 167).
433. Mustawrid ibn Shaddad :&, one of the Fihr tribe, said that
he heard the Messenger of Allah ® say,
o SEIS N في wih iol 22351 fad US Yrs في GNU
e
"This world in comparison to the Next World is nothing but the
likeness of one of you dipping this finger in the sea and then
looking at what it brings out.” (Muslim 2858).
434. Mutarrif related from his father that he came to him (i.e.
the Prophet #) while he was reciting: Fierce competition for this
world has distracted you, until you visit the graves (102:1-2).
Then he & said,
ELS كَأَفْئَيْتَ؟ أَوْ EIST مِنْ مَالِكَ إلا GV لي تقل Ju ge mika ARs
‘The son of Adam says, “My wealth, my wealth!” but you have no
wealth other than the food you consume and subsequently
destroy, the clothes you wear and subsequently wear out or the
charity you give, which you have invested (in the Hereafter).
(Muslim 2958).
435. Hasan said,
Sal يَا de eC dus 3553) بَقيع J) الله في أَصْحَابهِ d ess
& : Li ni وو ی ا MU Qa
GLi Sig) يا رَسُولَ الله au eene خَيْرٌ لي edis Jus lec
عل آجَالِهِمْ Kir “ide SBIR AES eo ed Ol us
خَرَجُوا مِنَ EU JÉ He IGS RE GS lle وَبَقَِافي da lacs prs
pees َنب ag eS pag من (iliam
Belts ath taf د edit قارا ag ciet asa
E E e PAT NS
The Messenger of Allah È went out with His Companions to the
Baqi‘ cemetery and he said, ‘Peace be upon you, people of the
graves. If only you knew what Allah has saved you from; from
what is going to happen after you.’ Then he turned to his
Companions and said, "These people are better for me than you.”
They said, "Messenger of Allah, They are our brothers! We became
Muslim as they became Muslim, and we emigrated as they
emigrated. We struggled in Your way as they struggled, and they
have met their deaths and passed on, and we are here with our
lives still remaining. What makes them better than us?'He
answered, "They left this world and did not consume any of its
wages, and they left while I was present among them. You, on the
other hand, have consumed your wages, and I do not know what
you will do after I am gone.” He said, "When the people heard
that, by Allah, they understood it and benefited from it. They
said, "We will be reckoned for what we get of this world and it
will decrease our wages. By Allah, they consumed good and spent
it purposefully with an excellent aim." (‘Abd ar-Razzaq has
transmitted a variation of it, 6720).
436. Hasan said,
U ما نَرَى على Gabe أن REI SIG gle الله en لما Y قال
ذَلِكَ؟ Sa DEAR Lag JU eus
‘A man said to his brother when Allah & had granted them
victory, "Brother, do you fear that what we are sure of [i.e. death]
will reach us before our victory?” He answered, "What could
possibly save you from that?”
437. Salim ibn Abi '1-Ja'd narrated:
r e ae 29 z „ož rūsu zw PII M Ei E EA A ا ان" gf
JE مقَرّنٍ Bo OUS p SF Ale أن عَمَرَ بْنَ لخظاب رضي الله
3 ee 2 JP». و P. o- D < s P^ P. ot EASY ai" P". 22
مِنْ OMS فى 4853 BES إلا نْبَعَهُ عن abl يِتَاشِدة all CBG SS
o e». 56,2 we + fon S. feo 3122 (254 : e 51 و 3
لي في دل يوم. BS مُومِسَة SS jās E DS Qul Is
SNE إلى Ma الذي zi في nis ied
“Umar ibn al-Khattāb *% appointed Nu‘man ibn Muqarrin as the
governor of Kaskar. Nu‘man wrote to him, saying that if ‘Umar
did not remove him from Kaskar and enlist him in one of the
Muslim armies, then Kaskar would tempt him (towards the world)
like a courtesan who adorns herself for him every day. So Umar
removed him and dispatched him with the army to 5
438. ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Yazid narrated that Ibn Mas‘tid :&
said,
ale Joab tess EPI أ Bole RT ِن أضْحَابٍ رَسُولٍ الله
f الل SU e a cen V VIS cos ade كاثوا ento T
في si cb ox
"You strive harder and pray longer (or you pray more salah) than
the Companions of the Messenger of Allah &, but they were better
than you.” The people asked him, "Why is that?" He replied,
"They abstained from this world more than you do, and they
desired the Next World more.” (Abu Dāwūd in Zuhd 123, Ibn Abi
Shaybah 34550, Tabarani in Kabir 8768, Hakim 7880, Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 1:136 and Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 10152).
439. ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf %, who is the ally of the tribe of ‘Amir ibn
Lu'ayy and was present at Badr with the Messenger of Allah ®,
narrated:
5e JUS paid بْنَ ال جراج šīs أبَا CS e رَسُولُ الله صل الله en
Ir gp الْمَجْرِ Mo IS GORE al podā SLA قَسَمِعَتِ zi
«Sall clas e الله صل Ji be LS وس «de صل الله d
OS Z حِينَ رَآَهُمْ cs ade الله L2 الله d, cs d فَتَعَرّصُوا
قَالَ: ail رَسُولَ 6 el MG tesis fod Ee UT ŠĪ tage LEE
e «4 PO Nut zet sazi ^ buss os dse iret s ors
US فَبْلَكُمْ فَتَتَافَسُوهَا OF Be fe EE US e G3 ELS GI
r1
KAR roa
Sal KS
| |
Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh returned with some goods from
Bahrain after the Messenger of Allah È had sent him there. The
Ansar heard of the arrival of Abū ‘Ubaydah, so they prayed Fajr
with the Messenger of Allah # and then presented themselves
before him after they had prayed. The Messenger of Allah ©
smiled when he saw them and said, 'I think that you heard that
Abū ‘Ubaydah has come with something?” They answered, ‘Yes,
Messenger of Allah.'He said, ‘Rejoice and hope for what pleases
you. By Allah, I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear that this
world will be given to you generously, as it was given generously
to those before you, and you will fight over it like they fought
over it and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.’ (Tirmidhī
2462, Ibn Mājah 3997 and Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubrā 11817).
440. Hakim ibn Hizam % said,
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Bog) نف ia tāsi 35 HLS ijas JUI ds se گال: يا
Y; jšt "n 6; فِيهء d G J تفس a SETTE
«I 1,55 G alās ASS السفل. كال al Se eS ا Salts ats
EN mpm بالق dis; cally
أن GG hall ses 22 8 Rd jussi d Sz. Ex
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rese kājas أَفهدُكُمْ ي do - Qs dS ais Lo
5
2
elei a gii Ju 2525 أن aas scáil ISS مِنْ dds أغرض عَلَيْهِ
35 cs de الئاس شيا بعد سول الله صل الله Ga
‘I asked of the Messenger of Allah ® and he gave to me. Then I
asked of him again and he gave to me. Then I asked of him and
he gave to me for the third time. After that, he said, “Hakim, this
wealth is sweet and lush. Whoever takes it with a generous soul is
blessed in it, but whoever takes it with a greedy soul is not
blessed in it. He is like someone who eats and is not satisfied. The
upper hand is better than the lower hand.” Hakim said, ‘I said,
"Messenger of Allah, by the One who sent you with the truth, I
will never take anything from anyone after you, until I leave this
world!” Later, Abū Bakr summoned Hakim to receive his stipend,
but he refused to accept it from him. Then ‘Umar summoned him
to pay him his stipend and he refused to accept anything from
him too. ‘Umar said, ‘Muslims, I call on you to witness against
Hakim, that I offered him his due of this booty, but he refused to
take it. He said, ‘Hakim did not take anything from anyone from
the people after the Messenger of Allah È until he died.’ (Bukhari
1472).
441. Uqbah ibn ‘Amir % narrated:
L2 d Ju be الله عليه ES le LC أحدٍ is GES Xx «المودع
Au وَالأَمْوَاتِء GS GE 5 Ged lb S 2 يڪم Ese 6l; P5
شهيد٬ وَإِنْ ie الحوؤضء 305 لا نظر 421 Gl في sles هَذَا. H5 لشت
i عَلَيْكُمْ SS Ol وَلَكنْ J iu
عَقْبَة: 565 آخِرَ نَظْرَةِ GSS الى رب سول الله Lo الله dos se
‘After eight years, the Messenger of Allah ® prayed over those
who were killed at Uhud like one who was bidding farewell to the
living and the dead. He then climbed the pulpit and said, “I am
your predecessor before you, and I am a witness over you. Your
appointed place is the Basin, and I can see it while I stand here in
my place. I do not fear that you will associate partners with Allah,
but I fear you will fight over this world."' Ugbah said, "That was
the last time I glanced at the Messenger of Allah ®.’ (Bukhari
6590 and Muslim 2296).
1 Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā has transmitted a variation with only the first
three acts.
2 The mistake of Dawüd ® is referred to in the Qur'an (38:23). Many
detailed Judaeo-Christian anecdotes also refer to it through
inappropriate narrations. The underlying principle that needs to be
appreciated in incidents like these is that all the Prophets ® are
infallible. His mistake drew Allah’s rebuke % but not His wrath and
punishment. This is clear from Allah’s statement after referencing the
mistake: His reward will be nearness to us and a good place to return to
(38:25). In terms of these kinds of narrations, we affirm what is in
accordance with traditional Islamic sources, we neither confirm nor deny
what Islam has not addressed and we reject those narrations that are at
odds with the Islamic understanding. This narration, Dāwūd killing a
man referred to therein and the subsequent narrations on the same topic
fall under the third category and can therefore not be accepted, as they
are conflicting with the fundamental rule in Islam regarding the
infallibility of the Prophets €. Some scholars have preferred the
explanation that Dāwūd's offence ** was giving a judgement without
listening to the second party in the dispute.
3 Bayhagi has transmitted a portion of it.
4 Some copies of Zuhd have the narration of Anas %% in place of this.
He narrated that the Prophet % said, "When dinner is served and the
prayer has started, begin with dinner. Bukhari (5463) and Muslim
(557).
5 Ibn Abi Shaybah (33747) and Abü Nu'aym in Hilyah (7:300) have
transmitted variations of it.
ul
MAKING DO WITH LITTLE OF THIS WORLD
442. Ibn Mas'üd “ narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
قَالَ: وَبِالْمَدِيئَة: مَا بِالْمَدِيئَة وَبِرَاذَانَ ASD الضَّيْعَةَ فَتَرْعْبُوا في | beds لا
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‘Do not acquire properties, lest you become attached to this
world.’ He [i.e. Ibn Mas'ūd “] said, ‘In Madinah too! What of
Madinah? In Radhan too! What of Radhan?’ (Tirmidhi 2328 and
Ahmad 4048).!
443. ‘Abdullah ibn as-Sa‘di ري who was a companion of the
Messenger of Allah & and a man from the tribe of ‘Amir ibn
Lwayy, would narrate from him ©:
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G CEG فِيهاء Ky GEA uals Usus 15] زااگار رم عل هبحق
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While I was asleep, I dreamed I climbed a mountain and while on
it, a group of this community appeared before me covering the
horizon. When they came near to me, the ravines presented them
with every adornment of this world, but they passed them by
without looking. Then the ravines closed up, covering what they
contained. I remained as long as Allah wished for me to remain,
and then a group of similar size appeared before me. When they
reached the point the first group had reached, the ravines again
showed them all the worldly adornments. Some took from them,
while others passed them by on their mounts, and the ravines
again closed over their contents. I remained as long as Allah
wished, and then the third group appeared. When they reached
the same point as the first two, the ravines again presented them
with every adornment of this world. Once the first rider made his
camel kneel, no rider passed him, and they all dismounted to
amass these worldly gains. My time is with the people who amass
this world, and the riders have all gone. (Ibn Abī 'd-Dunyā in
Zuhd 253).
444. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
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The likeness of me and you and the likeness of this world is like
people travelling through a dusty desert, who do not know
whether what they have traversed is more or what remains of the
journey is more. Their mounts are weary, their provisions are
depleted, and they collapse in the desert certain that they will die.
While they are in that state, a man in a robe with his head
dripping with water comes out to them. They say, 'This person
has just come from the countryside.' They go to him and he asks,
‘What is wrong, people?’ They reply, ‘What you see of the
weariness of our mounts and depletion of our provision, and we
have fallen in the middle of the desert. We do not know which is
more; what we have traversed or what still remains.' He says,
"What will you do for me, if I bring you water and green
meadows?’ They reply, ‘We surrender judgement to you.’ He says,
"You will give me your promise and your pledge to not disobey
me.' So they pledged to him and promised to not disobey him. He
takes them and brings them to green meadows and fresh water,
and they remain there for a short time. Then he says, "Come, let
us move on to meadows lusher than these meadows of yours and
water fresher than this water of yours.' Most of the people say,
‘We cannot do this. It is almost impossible for us to do it.’ One
group from them say, ‘Did you not give this man your promise
and pledge to not disobey him? He spoke the truth to you at the
beginning, and so his final words will be like his first words.' So
he goes and they go with him, and he brings them to green
meadows and fresh water. Meanwhile, the enemy comes to the
others in the night, and they are either killed or captured.
(Ramahurmuzi in Amthāl al-Hadith p.59).
1 Ibn Sa‘id said, ‘Radhan is a place in Madinah.’ ‘Abdullah ibn
Mas'ud “ had purchased properties in Madinah and in Rādhān, so he
was lamenting over his failure to act upon the advice of the Prophet %.
This hadith does not enforce a prohibition on purchasing properties. It
does, however, call for an understanding of the world for what it is, and
it advises us to not be excessive in this issue. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘tid %,
therefore, is not blameworthy in this respect. Rather, critiquing one's
own deeds, good or bad, is a sign of piety. Ibn Hajar in Tajil al-Manfa‘ah
(2:443-444)
2
LOWLINESS OF THIS WORLD IN THE SIGHT
OF ALLAH &
445. Mustawrid ibn Shaddād 8, one of the tribe of Fihr said, ‘I
was one of the riders who stopped with the Messenger of Allah
© at the dead lamb. [At that time,] the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
رَسُولَ € 53 Wigs Sa قَالُوا: edt ES QUI fe هَذِهِ هَانَتْ 555
Aghal fe ad مِنْ abl fe Spal WAG SÉ cai!
‘Do you think that this was so insignificant to its people that they
threw it away?’ The people replied, "They threw it away because
of its insignificance, Messenger of Allah.’ He % then said, ‘This
world is more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this lamb is
to its people.’ (Ahmad 18013, Tirmidhi 2321 and Ibn Majah
4111).
446. Uthmān ibn Ubaydillāh ibn Rafi‘ related that some men
of the Companions of the Prophet related that the Messenger
of Allah 8 said,
tipā IN go ele BI في ins CE d ite Juss a AY
‘If this world were equal, in the sight of Allah, to the amount of a
gnat's wing of good, He would not give the disbeliever any of it.”
(Timridhi 2320).
447. Hasan said,
-
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‘I have met people who refused to take lawful things of this world
that were presented to them, saying, “By Allah, I do not know
what state I will be in if I take it in my hand.”
448. Malik ad-Dar narrated:
-
2
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‘Umar ibn al-Khattab *$ took 400 dinars and put them in a bag.
He said to his servant, "Take these to Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah,
and wait in the house a while to see what he does.' The boy took
them to him and said, "The Amir al-Mwminīn has instructed you
to use this for some of your needs.” He said, "May Allah maintain a
connection with him and show mercy to him.' Then he said, 'Girl,
come and take these seven to this person and these five to that
person,’ until he used it all up. The boy returned to ‘Umar ibn al-
Khattab and told him what Abū ‘Ubaydah did, and he found that
‘Umar had prepared a similar amount for Mu'adh ibn Jabal. He
said, "Take this to Mu'adh ibn Jabal and wait in his house a while
to see what he does.’ He took them to him and said, "The Amir al-
Mu'minin instructs you to use this for your needs.” He said, ‘May
Allah maintain a connection with him and have mercy on him!
Girl, go to this person with this much, to the house of that person
with that much, and to the house of another with this amount.”
The wife of Mu'adh appeared and said, ‘By Allah, we are poor.
Leave some for us!” There were only two dinars left in the cloth,
so he gave them to her. The boy returned to ‘Umar and told him,
and Umar was delighted, saying, "They are the brothers of one
another.” (Tabarani in Kabīr 46 and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:237).
449. Misa ibn Abi ‘Isa narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab &
received some drink from the tribe of Harithah, and he saw
Muhammad ibn Maslamah, so ‘Umar asked him,
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‘What is your opinion of me, Muhammad?’ He answered, ‘By
Allah, in my opinion, you are as I would love you to be and as all
those who want good for you would love you to be. I think you
have the power to gather wealth, but you stay away from it and
you distribute it justly. If you were to deviate, we would
straighten you, as an arrow is levelled in a straightening device.’
‘Umar said, “There it is!’ He said again, ‘If you were to deviate, we
would straighten you, as an arrow is levelled in a straightening
device.” So ‘Umar “ said, ‘All praise is for Allah who made me
part of such people who, if I deviate, will straighten me.’ (Muttagī
al-Hindī in Kanz 35763).
450. ‘Abayah ibn Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ said,
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‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb “ came to know that Sa‘d was residing in a
castle and he had made a gate, saying, 'It will keep out even small
noises.’ So ‘Umar sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah, whom ‘Umar
would always send when he wanted a matter done according to
his wishes. He said to him, ‘Go to Sa‘d and burn his gate down.'!
So Muhammad went to Kūfah, and when he arrived at the door,
he took out his flint, lit a fire and burned down the gate. Someone
went to Sa‘d and informed him, describing him [i.e. Muhammad
ibn Maslamah] to him. Sa‘d recognised him, and so went out to
him and Muhammad said, ‘The Amir al-Mu?minin has come to
know that you said, “It will keep out even small noises.” Sa‘d
swore by Allah that he did not say that, but Muhammad ibn
Maslamah said, ‘We will do what we are ordered to, and we will
convey your message,’ and mounted his steed. Later, when he was
in the Rummah valley, he was affected by such hunger that Allah
knows best about. He saw a shepherd, so he sent his servant with
his turban and said, ‘Go and purchase a goat from her.’ The
servant came with a goat while he was praying. He was going to
slaughter it, but he gestured to him to stop. When he finished his
prayer he said, ‘Go back. If she is a Muslim slave, return the goat
and take the turban, and if she is free, return the goat.’ So he
went and came to know she was a slave, so he returned the goat
and took the turban. He took hold of the halter (or the reigns) of
his steed, and whenever he passed by any vegetation, he would
pull it out, until they took up accommodation for the night with
some people. They brought him some bread and milk and said, ‘If
we had something better than this, we would give it to you.’ He
responded, ‘In the name of Allah. Any lawful food that removes
hunger is better than food from an evil source.’ When he reached
Madinah, he first went to his family, cooled off with water and
then rested. When ‘Umar saw him he said, ‘Had it not been for my
good opinion of you, I would have thought you did not complete
[the task], because of how fast he completed the journey. He said,
‘I have done it, but he was making excuses and swearing by Allah
that he did not say that.’ ‘Umar asked, ‘Did he order something
for you [as provisions]?” He said, ‘I went to a place [for food].
Did you order something for me? (Ibn ‘Uyaynah said, ‘to take it
from him for me?) ‘Umar said, ‘Iraq is an elevated land and the
people of Madinah are dying around me out of hunger.? I feared
that if I ordered it for you, it would get cold while I will have it
warm. Have you not heard the Messenger of Allah © say, “A
believer is not satiated without his neighbour”? Or he said, ‘A
man is not satiated without his neighbour.' (Ahmad 390).
451. Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf went to Mu'āwiyah
in a delegation during his caliphate. He said,
I entered the palace, greeted a gathering of people of the Levant
with salam and I sat. One of them asked me, ‘Who are you,
youngster?’ I answered, ‘I am Ibrahim, the son of ‘Abd ar-Rahman
ibn ‘Awf.’ He said, ‘May Allah have mercy on your father. This
man (he named a man) told me that he swore he would go to
meet the Companions of the Messenger of Allah È, study with
them for a time and speak to them! He said,
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“I arrived in Madinah during the caliphate of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan
ik and I met all the Companions except ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf.
I was told that he was at his place near the coast. So I rode out to
him, and when I got there, I saw him turning water with a spade
in his hand while his shawl was on the ground. When he saw me,
he became embarrassed and dropped the spade and picked up his
shawl. I greeted him with salām and said to him, ‘I have come to
you for some matter, but what I see now is strange. Have you
come across any extra knowledge that we have not come across?
Do you know anything more than what we know? ‘Abd ar-
Rahman responded, ‘We have not come across any knowledge
that you have not come across, and we only know what you
know.' I said, "Why is it that we continue to abstain from the
world, while you covet it and we are ever ready for jihad in
Allah's way, while you find it burdensome, but you are our
predecessors, the best of us and the Companions of our Prophet &
?' "So ‘Abd ar-Rahman said, "We have only come across what you
have come across, and we only know what you know. However,
when we were tested with hardships, we were patient, but when
we were tested with ease, we could not be patient.”” (Abū Dāwūd
in Zuhd 113).^
452. Zuhri said,
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‘In the time of the Messenger of Allah ©, ‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn
‘Awf gave half of his wealth in charity—four thousand dinars,
followed by forty thousand, another forty thousand and yet
another forty thousand dinars. Then he provided 500 horses for
the path of Allah and then 1, 500 camels for the path of Allah.
The majority of his wealth was from trade.' (Tabarani in Kabir
265 and Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 265).
453. Sa'd ibn Ibrahim related from his father that ‘Abd ar-
Rahman ibn ‘Awf was brought food while he was fasting, and
he said,
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Ges. 355 LEI SA مِنَ bel JG أو eS EH بسك لتا مِن
gS a5 Sa bes Ai CIEE iuc 5,25 تَرَكَ الطعام.
‘Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, who was better than me, was killed and
shrouded in his mantle. When it covered his head, his feet
showed, and if it covered his feet, his head showed.” I think he
also said, ‘Hamzah, who was better than me, was killed, but then
the affluence of this world was given to us (or he said, ‘We were
given of this world what we were given”) and we feared that the
fruit of our good actions was given to us in advance.” Then he
began to weep until he left the food. (Bukhari 1275).
454. Ibn Shihab narrated that some of the remaining
Companions of the Messenger of Allah ® visited Khabbab %
and when they said,
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‘Rejoice, Aba ‘Abdillah! You are going to meet your brothers
tomorrow,’ he wept. They asked him, ‘Why are you in such a
state?’ He responded, ‘It is not because of fear, but you reminded
me of a people and you called them my brothers. Those people
passed on with their rewards intact, but I fear we have already
received the reward for our deeds.’ (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 261,
Tabarani in Kabir 3616, Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:145 and Bayhagi
in Shu'ab 10192).
455. Umayy al-Muradi narrated:
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‘Abii 'l--Ubaydayn said to ‘Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd **, “Companions
of Muhammad, do not differ and make things hard for us.” He
said, “May Allah have mercy on you, Aba 'l-Ubaydayn! The
Companions of Muhammad © are those who were buried with
him in mantles.”
456. Muhammad ibn Ziyad narrated:
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Abū ‘Inabah al-Khawlānī ** was sitting in a gathering of Khawlān
in the masjid, when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Malik went out, fleeing
the plague. He asked about him and they said, ‘He ran away from
the plague.’ He said, ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we will
return. I did not think that I would live long enough to hear such
a thing. Shall I teach you about the qualities of your late
brothers? Firstly, they preferred meeting Allah to the sweetness of
honey. Second, they did not fear the enemy, whether they were
few or many. Third, they did not fear scarcity in this world, they
were certain that Allah would provide for them. And fourth, when
plague spread, they did not leave until Allah had decided their
fate.’ (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 67:123).
457. Ibn Sābit (or someone else) narrated that Abū Jahm ibn
Hudhayfah al-‘Adawi said,
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On the day of Yarmük, I went looking for my cousin with a water
skin and a vessel. I said to myself, 'If he is alive, I will give him
water to drink and wipe his face with it.' Eventually, I found him
moaning. I asked him, 'Shall I give you water?' and he indicated
yes. At that moment, there was a man who groaned, ‘Aah!’ and
my cousin indicated that I should go to him. It was Hisham ibn al-
‘As, the brother of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. I went to him and asked, ‘Shall
I give you water?' Then another man groaned, 'Aah" and Hisham
indicated that I should go to him. I went to him, but he had died.
Then I went back to Hishām and he too had died. Then I went to
my cousin and he had died. (Bayhagī in Shu'ab 3208).
458. ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr narrated:
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Abū Talhah “ was praying in his garden when a small bird flew
by. It began flying back and forth looking for a way out, but could
not find one, because of the density of the trees. His gaze followed
it admiringly for a while and then he returned [to his prayer], but
he did not know how much he had prayed. He said, ‘A trial has
befallen me in this property of mine.’ So he went to the Prophet &
and mentioned that to him and said, "Messenger of Allah, [my
garden] is charity, so spend it wherever you see fit.' (Malik 326).
459. ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr narrated:
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'A man from the Ansār was praying in his garden in Quff during
the date season, and the palms' branches were weighed down
with fruit on all sides. He looked at them and admired the fruits
he saw. Then his focus reverted back to his prayer, but he did not
know how much he had prayed. He said, “A trial has befallen me
in this property of mine." So he went to Uthmān ibn ‘Affan and
mentioned that to him and said, "It is charity, so give it away in
the path of good." Uthmān ibn ‘Affan * sold it for fifty
thousand, and that property became known as the Fifty.' (Malik
327).
459. Ubaydullāh ibn al-Qibtiyyah narrated:
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'Ibn Abi Rabī'ah al-Qurashi missed the two units before the Fajr
prayer, so he freed a slave. (‘Abd ar-Razzaq 4780).
460. Muhammad ibn *Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Muslim al-Asadi
related about his grandfather:
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‘He offered the Maghrib prayer with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (or he
related from someone who prayed with ‘Umar). Something
distracted him until two stars appeared (signifying the ending of
Maghrib), and as a result he prayed it a little later into the
evening. So, when he finished that prayer, he freed two slaves.’
(Ibn Kathir in Musnad al-Fārūg 1:140).
461. One of the people of Basra narrated:
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When Mutarrif ibn ash-Shikhkhir's wife (or one of his family)
passed away, some of his brothers said, ‘Let us visit our brother
Mutarrif, so the Shaytan is not alone with him to distract him.’
When they went, he greeted them, appearing well and with his
hair oiled. They said, "We were worries, and hoped that Allah
Almighty would protect you.' They told him what they had said,
and Mutarrif responded, 'If I possessed everything in this world,
and was asked to exchange it for a drink of water on the Day of
Rising, I would ransom it all for that drink.” (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in
Zuhd 244).
462. Yahyā ibn al-Mukhtar narrated that Hasan said,
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'By Allah, they did not cherish deeds that win the Garden. It was
fear of the Fire that made them weep.' (Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah
2159)”
463. Ibn Sabīh narrated that Hasan said,
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The believer is the one who knows that what Allah & says is as
He said. The believer is the person with the best actions and the
most fear. If he were to spend a mountain of wealth, he would not
feel safe, unless he sees for himself. The believer does not increase
in righteousness, piety and worship without increasing in fear. He
says, ‘I am not safe! I am not safe!” The hypocrite says, "The
crowds of people will be huge, and I will be forgiven. I will have
no problems,’ while he commits sins and has high hopes of Allah
Almighty. (Ibid).
464. ‘Ata narrated that Mūsā ® asked,
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*O Lord, which of Your slaves is the best judge?’ He È answered,
‘The one who judges for people as he judges for himself.’ Musa 9
asked, ‘Which of Your slaves is wealthiest?’ He & answered, ‘The
one who is most content with what I have allotted him.’ He ®
asked, ‘Which of Your slaves is the most fearful?’ He È answered,
‘The one with the most knowledge of Me.’ (Darimi 374 and Abt
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 3:293).
465. Khalid ibn Umayr al-‘Adawi narrated:
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‘Utbah ibn Ghazwan 4$» delivered a sermon, wherein he praised
Allah and commended Him and then said, ‘As to what follows; the
world has foretold of separation and it has fled in haste. Nothing
of it remains except the likeness of a little water left remaining in
a container which you then spill. You are moving from this life to
an abode which has no end, so take with you the best of what you
have. We know this because it has been mentioned to us that a
stone will be cast into a pit of Hell and it will fall for seventy
years without hitting the bottom. By Allah, it will be filled, and
you will be astonished. It has also been mentioned to us that the
distance between two panels on the gates of the Garden is forty
years, but there will surely come a day when it is at full capacity.
I remember when I was one of seven with the Messenger of Allah
% and we had no food except leaves from trees which caused
ulcers to grow in our mouths. I once picked up a mantle and tore
it in two for myself and Sa'd ibn Malik. I used half as a lower
garment, and he used the other half as a lower garment, but now,
those of us who are alive today have become amīrs of cities. I
seek Allah's refuge that I should consider myself great while in
the sight of Allah I am inferior. There comes a time when
prophethood must come to an end and, eventually, it is replaced
with sovereignty. You will surely be tested, or you will experience
the amīrs after me.' (Ahmad 17575).
466. Mubārak ibn Fadālah related that when Hasan recited this
verse: Do not let the life of this world delude you and do not let the
Deluder delude you concerning Allah (35:5), he said,
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il she عَلَيْهِ ais أَنْ Std aus aus
"Who said that? The One who created it and is best aware of it
said it. Beware of being distracted by worldly gains, for this world
is extremely distracting. When a man opens a door to a matter, it
will lead to ten more doors after it.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah
2:153).
467. Wuhayb narrated:
ES; dūšlzā لَقَدْ گان لتا JUS ass lg a Las dum عْمَرَ seo
PEE a ERR lt itt cal
‘Ibn ‘Umar sold a donkey. Someone asked, “Why don’t you keep
it?” and he replied, “We would agree, but it has taken part of my
heart, and I would hate for my heart to be distracted by
something.” (Hakim Tirmidhi in Nawadir 2:309).
468. Sufyan narrated that Luqman ® said,
BŪSI اللي fe S وَشْرَاعْهَا ejās $e. abl UL) وَحَشُْوُهَا dā cesis
Get 3651 Y; gb
‘My son, this world is a deep sea where many have drowned. Let
your ship be the fear of Allah in this sea. Fill it with faith in Allah
ê, and make its sail trust in Allah. You might just be saved, but I
do not find it likely.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Zuhd 179).
469. Bakkar ibn 'Abdillāh said that he heard Wahb ibn
Munabbih say,
-
7 E: م 2 - az ae D 3902-53-22. 52. Te TET T2
ros of ova i لبود E,- o dez st 1-22 of 1
peed مِمن El وَلكِن te فقال: لا تَعْجَبٌ مِمَنْ ESM fl إلى
‘A worshipper passed by a man and found him hanging his head
in sadness. He asked, "What is wrong? I see you dejected." The
man replied, ^What occurred with a particular person surprised
me. You know he reached an elevated level of worship, but then
he became a worldly person again." The worshipper said, "Do not
be surprised at someone who relapsed. Be surprised at someone
who is consistent."
470. Hasan used to address the world,
MÀ فَوَجَدْنَا عَاقِبَتَهُ A ina lis S IOK
'How wicked! We have suffered all of your festivals and we have
found them to be bitter in the end.”
471. Sufyan related from someone who heard Hasan say,
hat Je v oda Js قل pah as cs
‘It [i.e. the world] has never pleased anyone except in deception.’
Hasan also said, *No moderate person would ever deviate.' (Awsat
8241 and Kabir 12656).
472. Sufyan said,
Ue Gis به MG 85 dao به Uis SG لَڪ A HS Jue o6
| of o eg
= Ax Mary s
= خرح مر
maw (eH
‘It used to be said that the best of this world for you is that which
you are not tested in, and the best of what you are tested in is
what leaves your hands.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 7:21).
473. Suhayl ibn Hassan al-Kalbi related that the Messenger of
Allah ® said,
e أقدَامُ le s لا call INGEN 3j
‘Avarice is the slippery slope where not even the feet of scholars
are firm.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Qand‘ah 184).
474. Khalid ibn Ma‘dan narrated that Abū ’d-Darda’ “ said,
وَالْعَالِهُ وَالْمتَعَلَهُ في ai أَدّى Lag فِيهاء إلا ذِكْرَ الله U Gade a5 gādā SAI
ا حر Bly olim الاس EE لا خَيْرَ فيهم.
‘This world is cursed and what it contains is cursed, except for the
remembrance of Allah and what leads to it. The scholar and the
student both have a share in good, but the rest of the people are
ravenous with no good in them.’ (Tirmidhi 2322, Ibn Majah
4112).8
475. Shahr ibn Hawshab narrated that Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit :&
said,
JEN à db Audi SĀKĀS UK tā p cle SY
"The world will be brought on the Day of Rising and everything
that was for Allah & will be separated from it. Then the rest will
be cast into the Fire.”
476. Hasan related that Ubayy ibn Kab :& said,
& عاد سے اه 2A و 2 4224008 Kus odi Rs
ن مطعم ابن ادم o Obs BV o 42-53 وملحه.
"Though they may embellish and season it, the food of Humans is
a metaphor for this world. (Ahmad 21239 and Ibn Hibban
702).10
477. ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf narrated that the Messenger of
Allah © said,
532
: 1 ə zu > om ot T£ ewel €
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5 - 38 u 0 P S
3,9» VIL V Za of 422.5221 „zi 12 tfi" $^ os Saza
Five وَإما أل cais فى غير Akas roe Al iae + A سه[ | ol aly cais 36 VC Ut.
ABS بِغَيْر VR ATV)
'Shaytan said, "I will get to the wealthy in one of three ways: I
beautify wealth in his eyes so much he refuses to pay what's due
on it; I make it easy for him to earn it so that he spends it
improperly; or I make him love it so much, he acquires it
unlawfully.” (Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 16677).
478. Salim ibn Abi '1-Ja'd narrated that Ibn Mas'ūd & said,
A ts BL PRS 95. gūst cats WA ai 2 ۶ ciprešu £
«QUI šis d zr بكل 6127 <= منه. OLS! الشيطان يريد o
3 2 JJ
'Shaytan makes every effort against people, but he is prevented
from them. So he lies in wait for them where there is wealth and
then grabs him by the neck.' (Ibn al-Jawzi in Talbis p.349).
479. Anas ibn Malik # related that the Prophet 8 said,
ESAS 16 $2 ska Sl داق dd ف JEM aso ADU
t" oer (5 - يعدي E S J رھ سے < sae 3
"Allah grants people this world when they aim for the Next World,
but He refuses to grant people the Next World when they aim for
this world.’ (Oudāf in Musnad ash-Shihāb 1108).!!
480. Muhasir ibn Habib reported that Abū 'd-Dardā” % said,
-
0 gor 325
i : Era caper EP za TRAC ə Mo v essi- كوه
لكُم انه خَيْرْكُم. GHEY انه أَزْهَدْكُمْ ceeds Je de لي tale WW)
'If you were to swear to me that one of you was the most
abstinent in terms of the world, I would swear to you that he is
the best of you.' (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Zuhd 138).
481. Sufyan narrated that Ibrahim at-Taymi said,
mis 5535 Aa ربوا CA agile CS vel ass peas ceo
IRE
'How different you are from the people! This world was offered to
them and they fled from it, but it turns away from you and you
chase after it.’ (Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 4:212).!?
482. Salim ibn Abi '1-Ja'd narrated that someone told him:
5 AED d M aita 3 NE o 3% iur i 1 $5 ucl
5 a nu Er og S ae wae d.a gd OS a.s Yd
esl togas لو 1>13 ss a c وَابِيَضه» s pao 1 els من أصفره»
PSAL
‘The Messenger of Allah # said, “I was brought the treasures of
the earth and they were placed in my hand." Then your Prophet
went the best way, and you were left in this world, eating its food
in all its colours, yellow, red, green and white. But your weakness
is just one thing: craving to fulfil your desires.' (Bukhari 6998 and
Muslim 523).!3
1 This may seem like an extreme measure, but he gave this order
because Sa‘d actions contravened ‘Umar’s policy on the availability of
the governors for the people's complaints. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab %* was
very concerned about the citizens of Muslim lands and the lands under
the protection of the Muslims. He went to great lengths to ensure no one
was oppressed, and on the rare occasions when oppression did take
place, he commanded his governors to employ a very strict and literal
open door policy. In this way, the people could take their grievances to
the governor at any hour of the day or night, and they would be given a
fair hearing. This is a far cry from all the complexities and formalities
followed by miles of red tape one must claw through to get the attention
of leaders and representatives, only to receive a standard template letter
in response. Tabarani also records a variation where Muhammad
brought 5360 out of the castle and told him, ‘Sit here for the people.’
Tabarani in Kabir (321)
2 A variation of this narration mentions that as Muhammad ibn
Maslamah was leaving to return to Madinah, Sa'd offered him provisions
for his journey, but Muhammad declined. (Ahmad 390)
3 Umar '% could not justify giving the food to Muhammad ibn
Maslamah for his journey to Sa'd instead of tending to the immediate
problem of the hungry people of Madinah.
4 Tirmdhi has only transmitted the words of "Abd ar-Rahmān ibn
‘Awf *$ at the end of the narration. (2464)
5 Those who died in poverty were buried in whatever they could
find, which was mostly mantles or upper garment sheets. Those who
lived to see more affluent times, on the other hand, could afford to
purchase custom-made shrouds. One a side note, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘tid
it was rightful of the respect and veneration he received, but he
practically demonstrated why he deserves those praises; by being
humble. One cannot help but be amazed at the humility of the
Companions #*, who attributed excellence to anyone but themselves.
6 Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya has recorded a lengthier variation in which Hasan
describes the qualities of the Companions of the Prophet #. Zuhd (233)
7 Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Zuhd (551) and Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah (8:167)
have masasnd (we have tasted and experienced) instead of madadnd (we
have suffered) which is more suitable in the context.
8 The first part of this hadith has been related directly from the
Prophet %. Abū Hurayrah “ narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said, ‘The world is cursed and what it contains is cursed except for the
remembrance of Allah, what leads to it, a scholar and a student.’
9 In another edition of Zuhd, this narration is followed by the same
narration with a variation in the chain and it is directly attributed to the
Prophet %. Zuhd, Ed. Habib ar-Rahmān al-A‘zami, Beirut: DKI, 1:192.
10 Other versions of it mention at the end: ‘Look at what it turns into
eventually.’ Ibid.
11 Those who seek the Next World may not achieve the riches and
glamour of this world, but Allah & will grant them honour in this world
and the next. As for those who seek the world, they may or may not
achieve what they crave of this world, but they have most certainly lost
the Next World.
12 The people referred here are the Companions of the Prophet ®.
13 There is a shorter variation of this statement of the Prophet % in
an authentic hadith. Abū Hurayrah “ said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ©
departed and now you are searching for it.’ i.e. the wealth and riches.
i
RELIANCE AND HUMILITY
483. Fadālah ibn 'Ubayd % narrated the he heard the
Messenger of Allah & say,
o OWS Le وان OLN Gab 33 ظوقٍ
'Blessed is the one who is guided to Islam, whose livelihood is
enough and he is content.' (Ahmad 23944 and Tirmidhi 2349).
484. Abū Hāni” al-Khawlani heard ‘Amr ibn Hurayth and others
say,
VI sas CII LG) في leo! الصفَة: 5 يَسَط الله !)$5 لِعِبَادِه لبَعَوا
^
*
"This verse was revealed about the people of the Suffah: Were
Allah to expand the provision of His slaves, they would act as tyrants
on the earth (42:27). That is because they desired worldly things,
saying, "If only we had had this world." (Hakim 3663, Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:338, and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 9848).!
485. Abū Dharr :$ said,
ĒD] مِنْ ذِي — USS حِسَابًا - أو قَالَ: ST ذُوَالدّرْهَمَيْنِ
"The one who owns two dirhams will be scrutinized more in
reckoning (or he said he will be held longer) than the one with
one dirham.’ (Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 192 and Ibn Abi Shaybah
34684).
486. Damrah, Muhasir ibn Habib and Hakim ibn *Umayr
narrated that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
“oe 20
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On the Day of Rising, Allah will resurrect two of His slaves who
were on the same course of action. One of them was poor and the
other wealthy. The first will be admitted to the Garden and not
turned away from it when he reaches its gates. Its chamberlains
will say to him, ‘This is for you.’ He will say, "Then I will not
return.’ With his sword on his neck, he will say, ‘I was given this
sword to strive with in this world, and I continued to strive with
it until I died in that state.’ He will then hand his sword to its
custodians and walk in. They will not turn him away nor
withhold him from the Garden. He will enter it and remain in it
for a time. Then his brother, who had ample provisions [in this
life], will pass by him and he [i.e. the poor person] will ask,
‘What kept you?’ He [i.e. the wealthy one] will reply, ‘I have not
been let go until now. I was called to such a difficult reckoning,
that if there had been three hundred camels which had eaten
chickpeas and drank no water, they would have been quenched
by my perspiration.’ (Muttagī al-Hindi in Kanz 16632).
487. Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
ēd dis gil $ Salus
‘I fear lack certainty for my community.’ (Tabarānī in Awsat 8869
and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 30).
488. Hasan narrated that the Messenger of Allah € said,
وَالْعَافِيَةء فَسَلُوهُمَا الله cadi مِنَ (S LE EM الئاس لَمْ 553 في Gy آلا
des e
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35 Ba est grēks eS ضير عل caus LI ec
I 655 SS aahi يَكقَارَبُونَ في US ally 15 as GS الله aU
سے ا و
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‘Listen! People have not been given anything better than certainty
and wellbeing in this world, so ask Allah & for those.”
Hasan said, ‘Allah spoke the truth and His Messenger spoke
the truth. One flees from the Fire with certainty, and the Garden
is sought with certainty. One is steadfast in adversity with
certainty, and obligations are performed with certainty. There is
much good in well-being given by Allah. By Allah, we have seen
people drawing near to one another when there is well-being and
when there is affliction, they drew apart.' (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in
Yagīn 13 and Bayhagī in as-Sunan as-Saghir 15).
489. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb :& said that he heard the Messenger
of Allah € say,
Ll تَغْدُو AEN 5553 US is B55 5 الله koksi
Uc 9555
‘If you were to put your trust in Allah as He should be trusted, He
would provide for you as He provides for the birds; they go out
hungry in the morning and return at night full. (Ahmad 205,
Tirmidhī 2344 and Ibn Mājah 4164).
1 Ibn Sa‘id said that this ‘Amr ibn Hurayth was a man from Egypt
who was not a Companion, and he is not ‘Amr ibn Hurayth al-Makhzümi
who saw the Messenger of Allah È and related from him.
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CONTENTMENT AND PLEASURE
490. Sa‘d ibn al-Akhram related that Ibn Mas'ūd “ said,
ABA مِنَ GLEN SU calle وَيْمْيِي pL le eas ILE LAU
‘A servant of Allah who remains in Islam in the morning and the
evening is not harmed by anything that comes to him from this
life.’ (Ibn Abi Shaybah 34534, Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 1:132 and
Bayhagī in Shu'ab 1199).
491. Yazid ibn Abi Habib narrated that Rabi‘ah ibn Lagīt
informed him that he was with ‘Amr ibn al-‘As % during the
Year of Unity! while they were returning from someone’s
house, when it suddenly began to rain down blood. Rabī'ah
said,
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J; «Jus أَصْلِحُوا مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَيَيْنَ الله « E el قال يا oH Jal d هو
OWEN IB اضظدَمَ d; idejas
‘I remember holding up a vessel and it filled up with fresh blood.
People thought that this was the end, and they became agitated.
At that moment, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As stood and praised Allah &
with praises He is rightful of, and then he said, “People, correct
your relationships with Allah Almighty and nothing will harm
you, even if these two mountains were to collide." (Muttagī al-
Hindī in Kanz 23552).
492. Magburī narrated that Abū Hurayrah *% said,
توس عبد x65 Ja الد رهم 55814550 Ges عَلَ ABA
"The slave of the dinar is wretched and the slave of the dirham is
wretched. Only the foolish rush to be devoted to this world.’
(Bukhārī 2886)?
493. Abū Hurayrah % said,
Lo 257 Bi gine OF الله عَلَيْهِ cus يَقُولُ SAN tec الْمَسَاجِدَ
eus G3 مِنَ Bly as d is وَالْبْيُوتَ مَتَازلء ووا مِنْ Geos
cal مِنَ الْمَاءِ 152745 235158 SUL GUS 55$ 38 شَرِيك: dé
«Īsā ibn Maryam &said to his companions, “Take the mosques as
your homes, and your houses as stopping places. Eat from the
plants of the wilderness and be saved from this world with
peace.”
Sharīk said, 1 mentioned that to Sulaymān and he added for
me, "Drink pure water.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah 34228).
494. Fadl ibn Thawr ibn Shagīg ibn Thawr, who was concerned
about his self, said,
$
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‘I asked Hasan, “Aba Saad, which of these two men would you
prefer? One who sought worldly gains and acquired them through
lawful means, maintained his family ties and sent forth for
himself; or the other, who inclined to this world?” He answered,
“The most beloved of them to me is the one who inclined to the
world." I repeated it to him and he answered me with the same.”
(Ahmad in Zuhd 1554 and Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Zuhd 213).
495. Muhammad ibn Sulaym narrated from Hasan that Abū ’s-
Sahba?, who is Silah ibn Ashyam, said,
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| ع
gs
o انه قال: ما o2 عن (3315 is Yy (dl ga i Ji;
أو قال: غي ele يعلم انه قد خِيرَ له إلا Y; ‘Ase مسلم 3552 )35 يوم
الراي.
‘I sought steady provision, but earning it made me weary.
However, seeking provision for one day at a time did not tire me,
so I realised that was better for me.’ (Bayhaqi in Shu'ab 1229).
He also said, ‘I heard Hasan say, or Dawid related to me that
Hasan said, "Any Muslim who receives provisions one day at a
time and does not think that is better for him is someone weak."
Or he said “someone with foolish opinions.” (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in
Dhamm ad-Dunyā 184).
1 ‘Am al-Jamā'ah is the year when the wars between the Muslims
came to an end, when Hasan %#, ‘Ali’s % son and successor relinquished
the caliphate in favour of unity between the Muslims. The Messenger of
Allah % once prophesised about his grandson: 'This son of mine is a
leader. Perhaps Allah use him to bring peace between two great groups
of Muslims.' Bukhārī (2704).
2 Bukhari transmits the first part of it as an elevated hadith from the
Prophet È.
3 Ķasan did not actually believe that a person should pursue the
world completely. His statement, however, is alluding to the importance
of dedication towards a single goal with complete focus. In a Muslims
case, the Hereafter is the primary goal, and lawful worldly pursuits,
while permitted, are distractions from the Hereafter. Hasan explains that
he admires the dedication of the one who immerses himself in the world
over the one whose heart is divided.
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POVERTY
496. Qays ibn Habtar al-Asadi narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
Mas'ūd # said,
Qr ers add FA siin gall إلا gh ما abl وَايْمُ šā] وهات : الْمَوْتُ S JH SS
فيه O) واا و )3 گان الف Šā d & SY «LE gal
eal) 4.3 5) HUN Sr ا
‘How beloved are the two disliked things, death and poverty! By
Allah, there is only wealth and poverty, and I do not care with
which of them I am tested, because the right of Allah is justified
in each of them. If it is wealth, there is affection in it, and if it is
poverty, there is steadfastness in it.’ (Tabarani in Kabir 8505, Abū
Nu‘aym in Hilyah 1:132 and Bayhagī in Shu‘ab 9502).
497. Qasim ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn
Mas‘tid “ said,
SBN e SIME $5 EAN مِنَ GI 333
‘I wish that I could be alone in this world like a rider who comes
and goes.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Zuhd 241).
498. Sa‘d ibn Mas‘tid % narrated that the Messenger of Allah ©
said,
-
B
‘Poverty is better (or more beautiful) for a believer than a fine
cheek-piece on the horse's harness.' (Tabarani in Kabir 7181).
499. *Ali ibn Abi Talhah narrated:
Fh فَلَمْ oz d sz ِن بَعْضٍ pos ale الله po خَرَجَ رَسُول الله
sis
-
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ll; AES eii ál Jeu CUN BE cele sul yell ól d$
z
ia BOY SUL ous, ri Us dio Li cae LU GSES Y UAI
P «5^2 J!) لي» ودا م في ما يوعدونل» 3
con pu à e e eet اهب „J$ الس
Oty U a^ à! Gero! CS
The Messenger of Allah % left one of his rooms to go to the
masjid, but he did not see anyone there. He heard a sound from
one of its corners, so he went to the people and asked them, ‘Are
you waiting for the prayer? This prayer did not exist in the
communities before you. It is ‘Isha?.” He looked at the sky and
said, "The stars are the safeguard of heaven. When the stars are
destroyed, the heavens will bring what is promised. I am the
safeguard of my Companions. When I die, what my Companions
are promised will come to them. My Companions are the
safeguard of my community. When My Companions are gone,
what my community is promised will come to them.' (Tabarani in
Saghir 967 and Kabir 11023). ?
500. *Uthman ibn Hayyan said,
DĪ SESS cts يا EJUS هِء LAI AEG ظعَامًاء 15530 el I asi
rans ŠĪ je FS Mss Šī AM SEM ER
‘We ate some food with Umm ad-Dardā” #, but we forgot to
praise Allah, so she said, ^My son, do not fail to season your food
with the mention of Allah. Eating with praise is better than eating
in silence.” (Ibn *Asakir in Tarikh 70:163).
501. Awzat informed us that the Messenger of Allah ® said,
tel GE S oj GUL
"I do not care if I am not kept away from poverty.' (Ibn Abi 'd-
Dunya in Jū' 183).
502. Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah &
said,
الطعام إلا باليلح. gala; لا celal كاليلح في gal إن مَثَل اصحَابي في
"The example of my Companions among my community is like
salt in food. Food is only good with salt.’
. Hasan said, "Our salt has gone, so how can we be good?”
(Ajurri in Shari‘ah 1157).
503. Khaythamah narrated that Sulayman ibn Dāwūd & said,
rūtī Jo
"We have experienced all kinds of life, affluence and poverty, and
we found that what is less is enough.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah 34266
and Abū Nu'aym in Hilyah 4:118).
504. Hafsah *» asked ‘Umar %,
323 مِنْ طَعَامِكَ هَذَا؟ cs أي Lalas کل 65 «ELS مِنْ EI US LS $ yl
«deis إلى A alU عَلَيْكَ مِنَ 43531 قَالَ: sj الأرْضء Dele الله es
Js Sy «iatis ša fs 5€ Us athe n Lo di 55 7265535
ZM عَيْشِهِمَا ro gas أدرك
"Why do you not wear softer clothes than what you have, or eat
better food than this food of yours? Allah & has conquered the
land for you and made sustenance plentiful for you.” He
responded, ‘I will explain my case to you,’ and then proceeded to
mention the circumstance of the Messenger of Allah © and the
harsh life he experienced. He continued to do so until she wept,
and then ‘Umar said, ‘I will most certainly share in their [the
Prophet and Abū Bakr] difficult living, in the hope that I will join
them in their comfortable life.” (Ibn Abi Shaybah 34334, Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:48 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 5777).
505. Yahya ibn al-Mukhtar said that Hasan spoke about the
Messenger of Allah #, saying,
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'By Allah, the doors were not locked behind him, chamberlains
were not appointed for him and bowls were not brought to him in
the morning or evening. Whoever wanted to meet the Prophet &
could meet him. By Allah, he sat on the ground, put his food on
the ground and wore rough clothing. He rode donkeys, let people
ride behind him on his mount and, by Allah, the donkeys licked
his hand.'*
506. Aslam, the freed-slave of ‘Umar '% said,
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Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, who was the most handsome of men
with the fairest and softest of skin, came to visit, then set off with
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb on the Hajj pilgrimage. ‘Umar was looking
at him in amazement, then he placed his finger on his body and
lifted what seemed to be lace, and said, ‘How excellent! We would
be the best of people if we received both this world and the next.’
Mu'āwiyah, [eager to tell him more about the luxuries of Sham]^
said to him, ‘Amir al-Mu'minin, I will tell you that we are in a
land of pools and rural areas.’ ‘Umar responded, ‘I will tell you
what is wrong with you; you treat yourself with the finest foods,
and you awake when the sun hits your body, while the needy are
at your door.” When we arrived at Dhū Tuwā, Mu'āwiyah took out
a garment to wear, and ‘Umar caught a fragrant smell from it like
the scent of perfume, so he said, *One of you intends to set out as
a pilgrim without any fragrance, and then, when he arrives at the
greatest land of Allah, His Sanctuary, he takes out his two
garments that seem to have been perfumed and wears it."
Mu'āwiyah said in response, “I only wore them for my family and
my people when I visit them. By Allah, your grievance here and in
the Levant has upset me, and Allah knows that I feel shame
because of it.” Then Mu'āwiyah removed the two garments and
wore his two-piece pilgrim garb.' (Dhahabi in Tarikh al-Islam
4:310).
507. Tāwūs related:
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“Umar ibn al-Khattāb “ saw Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan with his
stomach uncovered. He saw his soft skin, so he lifted a stick over
him and asked, “Skin of an disbeliever?" (Abu Dāwūd in Zuhd
94).
508. Sa'īd ibn Jubayr narrated that Ibn ‘Umar 5 said,
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News that Yazīd ibn Abī Sufyān was eating different kinds of
foods reached ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, so ‘Umar said to his freed-
slave Yarfa?, "When you come to know that his food has been
brought to him, inform me.’ When his food was brought, Yarfa‘
informed him, so Umar went, greeted Yazid with salam and asked
to enter, which Yazid permitted. ‘Umar entered, and he brought
the food closer. He brought meaty broth, and ‘Umar ate from it
with him. Then he brought the roasted meat and Yazid stretched
out his hand while ‘Umar refrained. ‘Umar then said to him,
‘Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, by Allah, is this a meal after a meal?! By
the One in Whose Hand lies ‘Umar’s life, if you are going to
oppose their way, you will surely go down a different path to
them,’ [referring to the Prophet È and the Muslims who had since
passed]. (Ibn Shabbah in Tarikh al-Madinah 3:831).
509. Hasan narrated:
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A delegation from Basra came to the Amir al-Mu'minīn, ‘Umar يِه
with Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘ari “ who said, We would visit him, and
every day he would have bread mixed with water. Sometimes we
would bring it to him with a condiment of fat, sometimes with oil
and other times with milk. At times, we presented dried pieces of
diced meat boiled in water and sometimes we provided tender
meat—but that was rare. One day, he said to us, "By Allah, I see
your difficulty with my food and your dislike for it. By Allah, if I
wanted, I could have the best food and the most comfortable life
of all of you. By Allah, I am not ignorant of meat from camels'
necks and their humps, of roasts, of fine bread and mustard
seeds, but I heard Allah È reproach a people because of
something they did. He said: You dissipated the good things you had
in your worldly life (46:20)." The narrator said, "Abū Mūsā al-
Ash'ari *% spoke to us saying, "If you would, speak to the Amir al-
Mu'minin and ask him to stipulate food for you from the
treasury." So we spoke to him, and he said, “Governors, are you
not pleased for yourselves with what I am pleased for myself ?"
We answered, “Amir al-Mu'minin, Madinah is a city where living
is difficult, and we do not think your food is palatable or edible.
We, on the other hand, live in a rural land, and our governor's
food is palatable and edible." ‘Umar “ lowered his head for a
moment, then he raised it again and said, "I have stipulated for
you two sheep and two patches of arable land from the treasury.
In the morning, place one of the sheep in one of the patches of
land and you and your people eat from there. Thereafter, call for
beverage and drink,? and give to the one on your right and then
the one after them, and then get up for your work. When it is
evening, place the remaining sheep on the remaining patch of
land and you and your people eat from there. Listen, feed the
people in their homes to their fill, and feed their families, because
calling the people to a meal will not improve their behaviour nor
will it satiate their hunger. Having said that, by Allah, I think
that any district which loses two sheep and two patches of land
every day is headed for ruin.” (Tarikh al-Madinah 2:696)
510. Ibn Tāwūs related that his father said,
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"The people suffered a drought during Umar's time, so he did not
eat any fat nor butter until the people had eaten.' (Ibn Shabbah in
Tarikh al-Madinah 2:740).
511. ‘Alqamah ibn *Abdillah al-Muzani said,
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*Umar ibn al-Khattab was brought a work horse, so he asked,
“What is this?" Someone said, “Amir al-Mu?minin, it is a beast
with weight, form and beauty which the non-Arabs ride." He got
up and when he mounted, its flanks shook. He said, “May Allah
make this ugly. By Allah, this is a bad animal!" and he
dismounted.' (Ibn Shabbah in Tarikh al-Madinah 3:824).
512. Hasan narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab :& said,
1 کے ے کو ر ر و EREN
AS طعام ails لا تنخلوا الدَقِيقَ
‘Do not sift flour. All of it is food.” (Ibn 31-7360 in Musnad 3210
and Ibn Shabbah in Tārikh al-Madīnah 2:695).
513. Abū Wa’il narrated that Yasar ibn Numayr said,
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‘I would never sift food for ‘Umar unless I was to disobey him.’
(Abū Dāwūd in Zuhd 79 and Ibn Abi Shaybah 34453).
514. Tārig ibn Shihāb said,
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When *Umar came to the Levant, a work horse was brought to
him, but it jolted to and fro and he disliked it, so he got down and
then mounted his own camel. He was then presented with a
pregnant camel, so he got down from his camel, took off his
leather socks, held them in his hand and he walked into some
water while he was holding its halter (or he said its rein). Abü
‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah said to him, ‘Today you have done
something grave in the sight of the people of this land.' So he
struck his chest and exclaimed while raising his voice, 'If only
someone other than you had said this, Aba ‘Ubaydah! You were
all the lowliest of people, few in number and the most despised,
then Allah honoured you with Islam. Whenever you seek honour
through anything else, Allah will disgrace you.' (Hakim 207).
515. Qasim ibn Muhammad said.
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I heard Aslam, the freed-slave of Umar, mention that he was with
‘Umar when he was on his way to the Levant. When they
approached the Levant, Umar made his camel kneel and he went
to tend to his needs. Aslam said, ‘I put my fur between the
pommels of my saddle.’ When ‘Umar finished, he went to Aslam's
camel and mounted on the fur, and Aslam rode Umar's camel.
They set off again until the people of the land met them, and
Aslam said, ‘When they were near to us, I pointed out ‘Umar to
them. They began to speak among themselves, and ‘Umar said,
"Their eyes turn to the mounts which have no worth," referring to
the mounts of the non-Arabs. (Malik as transmitted by
Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybani 928).
516. Hisham ibn Urwah narrated that his father said,
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NAA Gil lis ól الْمُؤْمِنِيتَ
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the Levant, and the generals of the
armies and great men of the land met him. ‘Umar asked, ‘Where is
my brother?’ They asked, ‘Who?’ He said, ‘Abi ‘Ubaydah.’ They
said, ‘He is coming to you now.” He came on a camel with a nose-
band and greeted him and asked him some questions. Then he
told the people, ‘Leave us.’ They went to his house, and ‘Umar did
not see anything there but his sword, his shield and his saddle.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said to him, ‘You should keep some goods
(or something). Abū ‘Ubaydah said, ‘Amir al-Mwminīn, this will
get us to our destination.’ (Ibn Abi ’d-Dunya in Zuhd 116).
517. ‘Urwah related that ‘Umar’s governor who oversaw
Daraa? said,
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*Umar ibn al-Khattāb came to us wearing a cotton shirt, and then
he gave it to me. He said, "Wash it and patch it." I washed it,
patched it and then cut him another shirt on those measurements.
I gave them to him and said, "This is your shirt, and this is
another shirt which I cut for you to wear." He touched it, found it
too soft, and said, ^We have no need for it. This shirt absorbs
sweat better than that.” (Ma‘mar ibn Rashid in Jami‘ 20627).
518. Thabit al-Bunānī related that Anas ibn Malik :& said,
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‘I saw four patches on ‘Umar’s shirt between his shoulder blades.’
(Ibn Abi Shaybah 34447).
519.
Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated from a Levantine man:
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He visited Abū Dharr while he was lighting a fire under a pot
with wood that had been drenched with rain, and his tears were
flowing. His wife said to him, ‘You had a choice to get away from
this. If you want, you could have more than enough.' He replied,
‘I am Abū Dharr and this is my way of living. You should be
content, otherwise I will have forfeited the protection of Allah.”
He seemed to be feeding the fire stone morsels, until the food in
the pot was well-cooked, so he brought a plate and broke some
pieces of coarse bread in it. Then he brought the contents of the
pot and poured it over the bread. He then brought it to his wife
and said, "Come close!” and we ate together. He then asked his
servant girl to give us drink, so she gave us a taste of milk from
his goat. I said, 'Aba Dharr, if only you would keep some
sustenance in your home.'Abü Dharr retorted, ‘Servants of Allah,
do you wish to be taken to account for more than this? Is this not
a bed we recline on, a cloak which we spread out, a garment we
wear, a pot we cook in, a plate we eat from, a leather flask
containing oil and a sack of flour? Do you want me to be held
accountable for more than this?’ I said, ‘You are given a large
stipend of 400 dinars, so where does it all go?’ He answered, ‘I
will be straight with you. In this city (and he indicated a city in
the Levant) I have thirty horses. When I receive my stipend, I buy
fodder for them, food for those who tend to them and
maintenance for my family. If anything remains, I purchase some
coins and leave them with that Nabatean there, and if my family
needs some meat, they take from him and if they need anything
else, they take it from him. Then I provide those horses as mounts
in the Path of Allah, and there are no dinars and dirhams left for
the family of Abū Dharr.’ (Ma‘mar ibn Rashid in Jami‘ 20629).
1 Abū Dawid has transmitted the first portion of it. Zuhd (165).
2 Tabarani has transmitted a variation of it.
3 Dinawari has transmitted a variation of it in Mujdlasah (2631).
4 The Levant.
5 Jarir said that silā” is roasts, sindb is mustard and sald’iq is fine
bread.
6 Ibn Sa‘id said this is lawful beverage.
7 Umar's concern for the people can be appreciated from this
statement. He understood that some people are not comfortable eating
with strangers and they intentionally eat less to save embarrassment,
whereas others embarrass themselves at public dinners with a lack of
manners and etiquette. Receiving their food in the comfort of the homes
will allow the people to eat without worrying about being judged by
others and it will prevent them from offending others with their bad
manners.
8 A city in the south-west region of Syria about 90km south of
Damascus.
il
SEEKING THE LAWFUL
520. Hasan said about the words of Allah Almighty: Allah
expands provision to whomever He wishes of His slaves and
constricts for them, ‘He chooses what is best for him.’ (Ibn Abi
Hatim in Tafsir 17168).
521. Ibn Lahi‘ah narrated that Yazid ibn Abi Habib said,
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"Whoever is not ashamed of the lawful will have his burdens
lightened and his pride decreased.’ (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Islāh al-
Māl 177).
522. Luqman ibn ‘Amir narrated that Abū 'd-Dardā” & said,
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"The people of wealth eat and drink, and we eat and drink, they
wear clothes, and we wear clothes and they ride, and we ride.
They have surplus wealth which they gaze at, and we gaze at it
with them. Its reckoning, however, is their burden, while we are
free of it.’ (Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh 47:174).
523. Bagiyyah ibn al-Walid narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattāb
ik said,
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'Self-discipline in this world is rest for the heart and body.” (Ibn
al-A'rabi in Zuhd 52).
524. «Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Jüran! heard Wahb ibn Munabbih say,
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"The example of this world and the Next World is like a man's two
wives. If one of them is pleased, the other is angry.' (Ibn Abi 'd-
Dunyā in Zuhd 64).
525. Hasan said,
— عد EREA — سبع J
‘One of the companions asked Messenger of Allah È, “Will we
have a reward for things we desired but were unable to get?” He
answered, "What else would you be rewarded for, if not for
that?!” (Ibn al-A‘rabi in Zuhd 64).
526. Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan :& said on the pulpit,
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‘I heard the Messenger of Allah © say, “What remains in this
world is affliction and trial. Your actions are like a vessel: when
they are good on top, they are good at the bottom. When they are
bad on top, they are bad at the bottom.” (Ahmad 16853).
527. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr :& said,
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"This world is a garden for the disbeliever and a prison for the
believer. A believer, when his soul leaves his body, is like a man
who leaves prison who begins to move around in the earth,
roaming freely in it.” (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunyā in Zuhd 192).
528. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As ® narrated that the
Messenger of Allah È said,
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‘This world is the prison of the believer and his slumber. When he
leaves this world, he leaves the prison and his slumber.’ (Ahmad
6855, Hakim 7882 and Abū Nu‘aym in Hilyah 8:177).
529. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As & narrated that the Prophet
® said,
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"Death is a gift for the believer.' (Hakim 7900 and Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 8:185).
530. Muharib ibn Dithār narrated:
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'Khaythamah asked me, "Does death delight you?" I answered,
“No.” He said, “I know that anyone who is not happy with death
is defective." (Ibn ‘Asakir has transmitted a variation of it in
Tarikh 57:69).
531. Abū 'Abd ar-Rahmān narrated:
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‘Abu ’l-A‘war as-Sulami was sitting in a gathering, when a man
said, "By Allah, Allah did not create anything I love more than
death.” Abū "l-A*war as-Sulami said, “I would prefer to be like you
to having red camels, but, by Allah, I hope that I will die before I
see three things: myself giving advice which is rejected, myself
not being able to change someone [for the better] and senility.”
(Ibn *Asakir in Tarikh 46:58).
532. Shurahbīl ibn Muslim narrated:
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*Amr ibn al-Aswad al-‘Anasi would refrain from eating his fill out
of fear of insolence.’ (Ibn Abi 'd-Dunya in Ju‘ 193).
533. Miqdam ibn Ma'dīkarib & said that he heard the
Messenger of Allah & say,
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"The son of Adam has not filled a vessel worse than the belly. The
son of Adam should eat what is sufficient to straighten his back. If
it that is not possible, then a third should be for food, a third for
drink and a third to breathe.’2
534. Ayyüb ibn Uthmān narrated that the Messenger of Allah
© heard a man belch, so he said,
SA في ees; SER WIE as الا ن جوعا یو Jost SG SLES مِنْ al
‘Cut down your belching. The person who will be hungry for the
longest on the Day of Rising will be the one who was most full in
this world.” (Tabarani in Kabir 68, Hakim 7864, Abū Nu'aym in
Hilyah 7:256 and Bayhagī in Shu'ab 5255).
535. Hamzah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Umar narrated:
MSTA SA أن ans Be ABU aE os عَبْدِ الله Sie OF َعَامًا كيرا SJ
led Hal Jus. Hine JÉ SIG SS مُطِيع gae Jes Je
a£ Ji طَعَامًا؟ 4) ntis ts. ach) ^s Aud ABADIE asal ane
«e Es إلا asm St s dal مِنْ st E a Vid; eid É
Eos ASN 52 LE مُطِيع: بع: يا با Sold JUS as في est ces
Sols i$ Ga eil ما oo ماني de JU dd «Jūs Bite He
Bet; ics YY SL - — 536 ريد أَنْ أَشْبَعَ oe يبق SAP bs إلا
QUE seb
If ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar && ever had a lot of food with him, he
would not eat his fill unless he found someone else to feed. Once,
Ibn Mutī' visited him and he saw that his body had grown thin, so
he said to his wife, Safiyyah bint Abi ‘Ubayd, ‘Could you have
pity on him and feed him, so that his body returns to him?' She
replied, ‘We do so, but he always calls his family or those around
him to [eat] it. So you speak to him about it.' So Ibn Mutī' said to
him, ‘Aba ‘Abd ar-Rahman, if only you would eat, so that your
body returns to you!’ He replied, ‘Eight years have passed since I
have not once eaten to my fill (or he said, except once). Now,
when nothing of my life remains except the thirst of a donkey,
you want me to eat to my fill?’ (Abu Dawüd in Zuhd 304, Abū
Nu'aym in Hilyah 1:298-299 and Bagyhagī in Shu'ab 10144).
536. Abū Dharr :$ said,
383 5 dace SU 22 eats 15] eos de الله po gue auos
ois Jal J) مِنْ جِيرَانِكَ ke roll بِمَعْرُوفٍ.
‘My friend È advised me, “When you make broth, add a lot of
water to it. Then look for families among your neighbours and
give them a fair share.” (Muslim 2625).*
537. Safiyyah bint Abi ‘Ubayd said,
4 965 «35 i كَلَمًا — 526 gh gah - at 38 SSG ues anb &
poh ppl A635 E J dats Qus
EE) Jal a d (£56 6 zziz M 353 dats 2$ قُلْتُ: NG e 5
das MIS Sus Šās
‘I have never seen him
The Heart (Qalb) in the Qur'an, Islam, and Spirituality
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