LESSON TWENTY-TWO | 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه

bismillahh

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 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 TWENTY-TWO   |

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

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


|  Hadith 21  |

Steadfastness (Istiqamah)

 

عَنْ أَبِي عَمْرٍو وَقِيلَ: أَبِي عَمْرَةَ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْت: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! 

قُلْ لِي فِي الْإِسْلَامِ قَوْلًا لَا أَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ أَحَدًا غَيْرَك؛ قَالَ: قُلْ: أمَنْت بِاَللَّهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ

[رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]

Hazrat Abi Amr Radiallahu Anhu and it also said Hazrat Abi Amrah Sufyaan bin Abdullah Radiallahu Anhu who said: “I said, “O Rasullullah! (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) … tell me a statement about Islam such that I will not have to ask anyone other than you”. He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) answered, “Say, I believe in Allah and then stand firm and steadfast (on that)”.

[Muslim]

 

|  BRIEF EXPLANTION  |

 

In this Hadith, we understand that Sufyaan bin Abdullah Radiallahu Anhu makes a request to Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam to teach him some comprehensive words concerning the matter of Islam, which would be sufficient that he would not need anything else after that.

Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said to him, Say, I have Imaan in Allah and then go straight ahead and then be steadfast on it”.

This all embracing advice covers all aspects of our Deen, more especially, our beliefs (Aqeedah) and our actions (A’maal).

: أمَنْت بِاَللَّهِ ‘I have brought Imaan in Allah’, affirming thereby, one has become a true believer, one has accepted all the fundamental beliefs of Deen, one will fulfil the demands of Deen by adopting the qualities of a believer and one will become steadfast on every condition and every occasion. One will unswervingly continue to discharge the obligations of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala.

Hazrat ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab Radiallahu Anhu would recite the following verse :

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

Verily, those who say: “Our Lord is Allah (Alone), and then remained on a right course (steadfast) the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised. [Surah Fussilat 41:30]

and thereafter say, that this refers to the fact that they do not turn deceitfully, this way and that way, like the fox does. One remains conscious of Allah Ta’ala’s orders and avoids Allah Ta’ala’s disobedience and maintains firmness in executing the demands of Imaan and Islam, without dodging any command of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala or being deceitful in any way.

When the verse :

فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا ۚ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Therefore stand firm (steadfast on the straight Path) as you have been commanded, and those who have turned back with you [in repentance to Allah ] and transgress not. Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do. [Surah Hud 11:112]

was revealed … Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam was never seen to be laughing again. He would hasten to exert himself energetically in fulfilling the commands of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala as he had been commanded.

Isitiqaamah is travelling the straight path without turning away from it, to the right or to the left. It comprises doing all acts of obedience (outward and inward).