Lessons from Ahâdeeth Shareef by Moulana Naeem Motala | Commentary on 40 ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه with emphasis on perfecting one’s character
| LESSON SIXTEEN |
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اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَتَوَ كَّلُ عَلَيهِ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَناَ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily all praise is for Allah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness and we believe in Him and we place our trust upon Him, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none who can guide him, and we bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, having no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger
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اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad Wa’ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Baarik Wa Sallim | Oh Allah shower blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and upon the family of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam
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| HADITH 15 |
ISLAMIC MANNERS
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ:
مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ
[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ، [وَمُسْلِمٌ]
Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiallahu Anhu narrates that : Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said :
“Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour [be generous to] his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last day honour [be generous to] his guest.”
[Saheeh Buhkaari] [Saheeh Muslim]
| BRIEF EXPLANTION |
In this Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, has commanded a Believer with three things, namely : [1] Speaking good or remaining silent, [2] honouring one’s neighbour, and [3] being generous towards one’s guest.
These are special qualities of a Believer [ie: one who believes in Allah and in the Last Day].
[1] Guarding the Tongue
A Mu’min (believer) has been exhorted to use his tongue in virtuous deeds and acts, viz. : Tilaawat (recitation) of the Qur’aan, Zikrullah, Salawaat (salutations) upon Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, speaking kindly to people, etc…. If he is unable to do so, then at least let him maintain silence and avoid futile talk.
In a Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned :مَنْ صَمَتَ نَجَا “Whoever is silent is saved.” [Tirmidhi]
In another Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam mentioned: “Verily the extent a person slips with his feet is much more, than, when he slips with his tongue.” [Baihaqi].
Many people regard the tongue to be insignificant. The tongue is small in size, but it’s crime is great. A person should be careful of abusing his tongue by giving false evidence, backbiting, lying, slandering, swearing, using indecent language etc…
Once, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam mentioned to Muadh bin Jabal Radiallahu Anhu : “The tongue will be the cause of people being cast headlong into Jahannum”. [Tirmidhi]
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri Radiallahu Anhu narrated : Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said : “When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all of his limbs humbly beseech [plead to] the tongue and say: “Fear Allah regarding us, because both we and our well-being are aligned with you … If you are upright, we will be on the right … and if you are crooked then we will all be misled.” [Tirmidhi]
[2] Honouring one’s Neighbour
The second command concerns being generous [honouring] and fulfilling the rights, of one’s neighbour.
In a Hadith, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned :
مَا زَالَ يُوصِينِي جِبْرِيلُ بِالْجَارِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ … “Jibra’eel Alayhis Salaam has continuously emphasized to me, the right of neighbours [so much] that I began to feel that soon Jibra’eel Alayhis Salaam would instruct that the neighbour also becomes an inheritor of one’s wealth.” [Saheeh Buhkaari]
Hazrat Abu Shuraih Radiallahu Anhu narrated : Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said three times : قَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ “By Allah, he is not a Mu’min, By Allah, he is not a Mu’min, By Allah, he is not a Mu’min (ie : he does not have faith).” It was said, “Who is it, O Rasullullah?”. Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said : الَّذِي لاَ يَأْمَنُ جَارُهُ بَوَايِقَهُ “He, through who’s mischief, his neighbour is insecure ...” [Saheeh Buhkaari]
Hence, Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in another Hadith :
وَخَيْر الْجِيرَانِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرُهُمْ لِجَارِهِ “And the best neighbour to Allah is the best to his neighbours.” [Tirmidhi]
Hazrat Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu reported: Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, لَيْسَ الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي يَشْبَعُ وَجَارُهُ جَائِعٌ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ “He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while the neighbour to his side goes hungry.” [Baihaqi].
Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiallahu Anhu narrated : A man said, “ O Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, a woman prays in the night, fasts in the day, does many deeds and gives charity, yet she harms her neighbours with her tongue.” Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, لاَ خَيْرَ فِيهَا، هِيَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ “There is no good in her. She is among the people of Hellfire.” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, another woman prays the obligatory prayers and gives bits of food in charity, yet she does not harm anyone.” The Prophet said, “She is among the people of Paradise.” [Saheeh Buhkaari]
[3] Being Generous to one’s Guest
The third command concerns being generous [honouring] and showing hospitality to one’s guest. Apart from seeing to the food and drink of one’s guest, the host should also attend to him politely and ensure that nothing occurs contrary to the guests temperament.
Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said : “A guest should be fed well for one day and one night, and hospitality is for three days, and anything after that is Sadaqah [charity bestowed upon him]. [Saheeh Buhkaari]
