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 Thirty-Two |
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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
Hadith 31 | The Reality of Zuhd (Asceticism)
عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ إذَا عَمِلْتُهُ أَحَبَّنِي اللهُ وَأَحَبَّنِي النَّاسُ؛ فَقَالَ: “ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبَّك اللهُ، وَازْهَدْ فِيمَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ يُحِبَّك النَّاسُ” . حديث حسن، رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ [رقم:4102]، وَغَيْرُهُ بِأَسَانِيدَ حَسَنَةٍ
On the authority of Abu al-’Abbas Sahl bin Sa’ad as-Sa’idee Radiallahu Anhu who said: A man came to Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and said, “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which, if I do it, Allah will love me and the people will love me.” So he [Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam] said, “Renounce the world and Allah will love you, and renounce what the people possess and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah]
| BRIEF EXPLANTION |
This Hadith comprises of two beautiful pieces of advice. Firstly, to gain the love of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala one has to detach himself from this world and acquire Zuhd (abstinence). Secondly, to acquire the love of people, one has to do without what people possess.
(1) To gain the love of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala one has to detach himself from this world and acquire Zuhd (abstinence)
When one understands that this world is blameworthy, totally insignificant, despicable, accursed and a hated object in the sight of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala, then he will disassociate himself from this world, and he will then focus on the hereafter and Jannah. Hence, he will adopt righteous deeds and inevitably he will become Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala’s beloved. There are numerous indications in the Qur’aan and the Ahadeeth that one should give preference to the life of the Aakhirah than the life of this Dunya. > Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala mentions in the Noble Qur’aan :
قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
Say (unto them, O Muhammad) : “The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The Aakhirah (Hereafter) is (far) better for him who has Taqwa (fears Allah), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly even equal to the Fatila (a scalish thread in the long slit of a date-stone) ~ Surah An~Nisaa 4:77
> In a Hadith, Sahl bin Sa’d RadiAllahu Anhu narrated that Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam said :
لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ
If the world (to Allah) was equal to a mosquito’s wing, then He (Allah) would not allow the disbeliever to have a sip of water from it. ~ Tirmidhi
Hence, when a person detaches himself from the Dunya (ie; he does away with the superfluous possessions of this world) and uses only that which is necessary for him to live in this world, then, he will gain the pleasure of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala.
(2) To acquire the love of people, one has to do without what people possess.
With regard to the second advice, the method of becoming beloved in the eyes of people is disinclination from their material possessions.
Hassan Basri Rahmatullah Alayh used to say : “A person is respected by others till he does not desire that which is in their hands. But, as soon as he desires those things, the people then regard him with contempt. They dislike speaking to him and they harbour hatred towards him.”
So, a person should abstain from asking people and endeavour to be independent of them. Whoever asks people for what they have, they will dislike him and hate him, because wealth is beloved to mankind. Thus, for that reason, they will come to dislike someone who asks them to give him what they love.