One of our pious predecessors said: " I warn you of delaying and saying that i will do it later, for this is a phrase that prevents one from doing good and causes one to fall behind in deeds of righteousness"
Showing posts with label Life of our predecessors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life of our predecessors. Show all posts
Monday, 22 October 2012
Friday, 8 June 2012
I advise you to adhere to the Quraan
Shu’bah and Qatadah related from Yunus bin Jubair, who said that he and his companions visited Jundub and said to him, “Give us some advice”. He replied:
“I advise you to fear Allah. I advise you to adhere to the Quraan – for it is light in the darkest of nights and it is guidance during the day. Apply it…and if a trial, such as poverty comes to you, give precedence to your religion over wealth. If that trial worsens, continue to put your religion before your wealth and your soul, for indeed the one who is destroyed is the one whose religion is destroyed; the one who is poor is the one who has lost his religion. Know that there is no poverty after Paradise and there is no richness after the Hellfire
O time!
It is reported that the night before he was martyred, Husayn bin ‘Ali bin Abi Talib رضي الله عنهماsaid the following words:
أُوفِي لَكَ يَا دَهْرُ مِنْ خَلِيلِيكَمْ لَكَ بِيإِشْرَاقِي وَأَصِيلِيمِنْ صَاحِبٍ أَوْ طَالَبٍ كَفِيلِيوَالدَهْرُ لَا يَتْرُكُ بِالْبَدِيلِيإِنٌمَا الْأَمْرُإِلَى الْجَلِيلِيوَكُلُ حَيْئٍ مِثْلُ الْسَبِيلِي
“O’ Time! What an awful friend you are! For all those who have pursued you, you have killed them by day and night And you have always attained your target, And the time does not leave replacement for it,Verily all matters will go back to the Sublime One, And every person who is living will walk my path.”
Monday, 26 December 2011
I met Uwais Al-Qarni. I ignored him in the beginning of our meeting, but carried his shoes at the end!!
I met Uwais Al-Qarni. I ignored him in the beginning of our meeting, but carried his shoes at the end!!
Our beloved brother Shaykh ibn ‘Abd Al-Ghani narrates the following story in theArabic forum.
He [May Allah Preserve him] writes:
“The story of Uwais Al-Qarni was mentioned in Sahih Muslim as well as in other books. Now even though he was from the Tabi’een and did not see the Messenger [Salah Allahu Alaihi wa salam], the Messenger [Salah Allahu Alaihi wa salam] had advised ‘Umar ibn Al-Khatab [Radiya Allahu ‘Anhu] that if he meets [Uwais] then he, ‘Umar, should ask [Uwais] to ask Allah to forgive him and to make supplication for him.
Thus ‘Umar [May Allah be pleased with him], during his Caliphate, used to ask all the delegates coming from Yemen: ‘Is Uwais among you?’, until finally during one of the years he met him. He found him a man not among the nobles of his people; nobody cares much for him, even those accompanying him, sidelined. So ‘Umar told him about the advice Prophet Muhammad gave him and asked Uwais to ask Allah the Exalted to forgive him. When ‘Umar discovered that Uwais was headed to Al-Kuffa he offered to write a letter to his assistant over there, so that he treats him with hospitality. However, Uwais refused and requested that ‘Umar doesn’t do that. He explained his request that he would love to live as an unknown among the people (the story is summarized and mentioned from memory).
Now, I do not claim that I met that Noble Tabi’ee himself; rather I met a man from his school. A man following in the same footsteps of Uwais, and here is my story with him.
During one of the Fridays of Ramadan, I left my house to give the Friday Khutbah in one of theMasjids of Al-Jam’iyah Al-Shar’eyah in Cairo. While riding my car my clear white Thawb (dress worn by men in Arab countries) got stained with a black spot. That really upset me. I asked myself, ‘How could I stand in front of the people giving the Khutbah when this spot had stained my elegant dress?’ I left the car and headed towards the Masjid. During my walk I passed by a store that had a big mirror at its entrance. I stood in front of it fixing my clothes and making sure my head covering is placed properly. I then continued to the Masjid.
I reached the Masjid, but the issue of the stain was still bothering me. The entrance of theMasjid had a few beggars standing there. They usually stand there during this blessed month, each of them with a story that he uses to gain the sympathy of the people going to pray. I didn’t give them much attention and entered the Masjid. I climbed the Minbar quickly, hoping that no one would get a chance to see the black spot that stained my dress in the car.
I delivered the Khutbah, and then we prayed. After prayers, I leaned my back at a pillar that was next to the Qiblah, and I stretched my legs to relax.
Now Egyptians usually go and shake the hands of the Imam after the prayers making supplications for him. I started shaking their hands while being seated in the same manner, and replied to their supplications by nodding my head up and down. I was really exhausted at this time because of the hot weather and the fasting.
At that point, I noticed a blind man crossing the lines with extreme difficulty, asking to reach the Shaykh (referring to me). Nobody was paying attention to his request, rather some of them were waving their hands in an annoyed manner since the blind man used to [unintentionally] come in contact with them while crossing the lines. The caretaker of theMasjid took his hand and brought him to me. I looked at him, and saw that his clothe were worn-out. He had the appearance of a person that if he greets others they would not reply back to him, and if he speaks no one would care about what he said. My first impression was that he was one of the beggars I saw at the entrance of the Masjid.
The man reached where I was seated; he greeted me and I replied back to him while still being seated in the same manner I described earlier, relaxing and stretching my legs.
I waited for him to start by telling me how miserable his life is, like beggars usually do, but he didn’t.
Rather he started by praising the topic of my Khutbah!! I though to myself: ‘A new method of begging! Start by showing that you understood what was mentioned in the Khutbah so that my heart would soften?!’.
Then he said: “But I have some remarks about your Khutbah, so I hope you do not mind listening to them”.
I said in amazement, while still sitting in the same manner: “Remarks on my Khutbah!! and you are the one that will point them out?!”
He replied: “Yes”.
I said: “In what aspects of the Khutbah?”
He said: “In the Language, Hadith, and Tafseer”.
After that I honestly, stared at his face in astonishment, and said: “And to what extend is your knowledge in these sciences?”
He introduced himself to me, he was a graduate of Dar Al-‘Uloom and specialized in IslamicSharee’ah. He had completed several papers/studies on Tafseer, and he studied along side several known scholars.
I looked at the people around me in the Masjid and they nodded their heads, affirming what the man was saying.
At that point I sat straight, and crossed my legs, and said to the man: “And what are these remarks you had, my dear respected sir”.
He said: “As for the language, you have used some words of the ‘Amiyah (slang) and that ruins the nobility and sublimity of the Khutbah” (he kept speaking to me about the importance of the Khatib using the proper language, with words that increased my love to our beautiful language).
“As for the Hadith, you quoted some traditions and mentioned the source of some, but didn’t do that for the rest. Also how can you quote a tradition and refer it to Abu Dawud, while it is in Bukhari don’t you know that this is something that relegates the status of the speaker”. (Then he kept speaking to me about the methods and manners of the scholars of hadith, which increased my love for the Science of Hadith).
“As for the Tafseer, you mentioned some statements of those who interpret the Quran by their opinion, so beware when speaking about the Book of Allah and do not be like a night-time woodcutter (lumberjack)”. (Then he kept speaking to me about the different methodologies used by the people of Tafseer, which increased my love to the science of Tafseer).
By that time, people had dispersed from around us.
As he was about to stand, I stood [quickly] and took his hand. I then rushed and got him his shoes, and assisted him in putting it on. He kept asking me not to. I took by his hand to take him to his home, but he swore to me not to.
At that point, I saw that we were behind a wall where no one can see us, so I took out a sum of money from my pocket, and I politely requested that he accepts it from me. Here, he got mad and raised his voice a little scolding me roughly. I apologized to him, and he accepted my apology, and said: “You might have felt sorry for me, when you saw the way I am dressed”. I said: “Yes, and I hope you can forgive me for not thinking highly of you the first time I saw you”, so he forgave me.
I told him: “Please, comfort me, how do you live and with whom?” He said: “I will answer you briefly. I have a small income, but Allah has blessed it with His Grace, and it suffices me from the disgrace of asking [others]”. I asked: “With whom do you live?” He replied: “By myself, my children and wife have already beaten me to the Hereafter” and then he said: “I want nothing from this Dunia, and my relationship with it is not that good. All I need is a dress to cover my body and a meal that would silence my hunger, and apart from that I do not need anything”.
So I fell on his hand to kiss it, and I shook his hand and walked away for a few steps. Then I looked back at where he was heading. I saw that the people are giving him no notice as he held his stick, which he used to feel the road in front of him.
As for me, I walked thinking about myself, and how upset I was when my clean white dress got stained. As I walked, cars would slow down so that I can cross [the street], and people passing would come by to shake my hands and ask me for supplications.
They were all deceived by my looks and appearance.
I remembered the statement of Prophet Muhammad [Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam], when he was between his companions and a man passed by who had the appearance of a wealthy man. So he [Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam] asked: “What do you say about that [man]?” They said: “O Prophet of Allah, he is the kind of person that when he speaks we would listen, and if he asks for our daughter’s hand in marriage we won’t oppose, and if he intercedes for someone we would accept his intercession”. Then a man who appeared poor and needy passed by, so he [Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam] asked: “And what do you say about that man?” They said: “He is the sort of person, that if he speaks we won’t listen to what he has to say, and if he requests our daughter’s hand in marriage we would oppose his request, and if he intercedes for someone we would not accept his intercession”. Then he [Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam] said: “That [poor] man is better (worth more) than all the earth filled with that other man”, Aw Kama Qaal Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam".
Thursday, 24 November 2011
How Imâm Muslim Died
How Imâm Muslim Died
On the authority of Ahmad b. Salamah:
A gathering of knowledge and revision was held for Abul-Husayn Muslim b. Al-Hajjâj where a hadîth that he did not know was mentioned. He went home and lit his lamp and said to those at home, “no one should enter the house (disturb me).” He was told, “We have been gifted a basket of dates.” He said, “Put it out for me,” so they served it to him. He started searching for the hadîth and taking a date at a time until the morning, by which time the dates where finished and he had finally found the hadîth.
Muhammad b. ‘Abdillâh (one of the reporters of this narration) added, “A reliable companion of ours added that this was the cause of his death.”
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Imâm Muslim
On the authority of Ahmad b. Salamah:
A gathering of knowledge and revision was held for Abul-Husayn Muslim b. Al-Hajjâj where a hadîth that he did not know was mentioned. He went home and lit his lamp and said to those at home, “no one should enter the house (disturb me).” He was told, “We have been gifted a basket of dates.” He said, “Put it out for me,” so they served it to him. He started searching for the hadîth and taking a date at a time until the morning, by which time the dates where finished and he had finally found the hadîth.
Muhammad b. ‘Abdillâh (one of the reporters of this narration) added, “A reliable companion of ours added that this was the cause of his death.”
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Imâm Muslim
Monday, 14 November 2011
By Allaah they have lied...
Sa’d bin Ibraheem said:
” Zinneerah was a roman slave and became a muslimah. The mushrikeen tortured her until she lost her sight because of the severe torture. The mushrikeen said “the laat and ‘uzzah took her sight”. She said, ” I disbelieve in al-laat wal ‘uzzah” and Allaah returned back her sight”.
In another narration
:” Abu Bakr Radiyallaahu anhu freed zinneerah from slavery and she lost her sight when she was freed. Quraish said:” its only laat and ‘uzzah that took her sight”. She said, “By Allaah they have lied, al-laat wal ‘uzzah neither harm or benefit“, and Allaah returned back her sight”
['Al-'Isaabah fee tamyeez as-Sahaabah', by Ibn hajr al-'Asqalaani]
Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani and the Jew
Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani (a chief of the court in Egypt used to wear very nice clothes.
Once he met a Jew wearing old /torn clothes. The Jew stopped Al Asqalani and asked him:
“Don’t you see the situation I am in and compare it with the bounty you enjoy, although I am unbeliever and you are believer? How can you explain your Prophet’s saying: ‘Life on this earth is like a prison for the believers and a garden for unbelievers?’”
Ibn Hajar answered him: “Although you have a miserable life on earth, you will consider yourself in paradise compare to what you will suffer in the hereafter if you die as an unbeliever. For me with all this bounty I have, if Allah Subhanahu wata’ala will reward me with Paradise, then this life will be like a prison to me compared to life in Paradise.”The Jew said, “If it is so, then I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet.”
the hadeeth is saheeh. Narrated by Imam Muslim, Ahmad bin Hanbal in his Musnad, and in Sunan at-Tirmithee, and Sunan Ibn Majah.
"Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah, He will replace it for him with something better than it"
"Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah, He will replace it for him with something better than it"
The teacher of our teachers,[1] the great scholar and historian, Shaikh Muhammad Raaghib At-Tabbaakh, rahimahullaah, mentioned the following story in his book “I’laam an-Nubalaa bi-Taareekh Halab ash-Shuhabaa” (7/231):
“Shaikh Ibraaheem Al-Hilaalee Al-Halabee – a pious and noble scholar – traveled to Al-Azhar University in search of knowledge. While seeking knowledge, he became very poor and used to rely on charity. One time, several days passed by and he did not find anything to eat, so he became extremely hungry.
So he came out of his room in Al-Azhar to ask for some scraps of food. He found an open door from which a pleasant smell of food was coming out of. So he entered the door and found himself in a kitchen with no one around. There he found some tempting food, so he grabbed a spoon and dipped it in, but when he lifted it to his mouth, he held himself back from eating it, since he realized that he had not been given permission to eat from it. So he left it and returned to his room in the dormitory of Al-Azhar, still hungry and starving.
But no less than an hour passed by, when one of his teachers, accompanied by another man, came into his room. And his teacher said to him: ‘This noble man came to me seeking a righteous student of knowledge to choose for marrying his daughter, and I have chosen you for him. So rise and come with us to his home where we can complete the marriage contract between you and his daughter and you can become part of his household.’ So Shaikh Ibraaheem struggled to get to his feet, obeying the command of his teacher and went with them. And behold they took him to the very same house he had been to, and which he had entered and dipped the spoon into the food!
So when he sat down, the girl’s father married her to him and the food was brought out. It was the same food he had put the spoon into before and which he abandoned. But now he ate from it and said to himself:
‘I withheld from eating it when I had no permission, but now Allaah has given me this food with permission.’
Afterward, this righteous wife went back with him to Halab, after he had finished his studies. And she bore righteous children for him.”
So this is the fruit of patience and this is the result of having taqwaa, as Allaah says:
“And whoever has Taqwaa of Allaah, He will make a way out for him (from hardship), and He will provide for Him from places He never imagined.” [Surah At-Talaaq: 2-3]
But as for those who are hasty – those who do not distinguish between the truth and falsehood, seeking after the transitory vanities of this worldly life – they will never experience anything but grief and sorrow in their hearts, for they will never attain the worldly life nor will they ever achieve Religion.
This is because they forget – or perhaps neglect – the saying of Allaah: “Is not Allaah sufficient for His servant?”
[Surah Az-Zumar: 36]
As for those who are patient and firm and who have Taqwaa, they will gain ascendancy in this life and glory and honor with their Lord on the Day of Judgement. And Allaah says:
“So give the glad tidings to the patient ones.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 155]
And He says: “Verily, the patient ones will be given their reward without any reckoning.” [Surah Az-Zumar: 10]
Footnotes:
[1] Translator’s Note:
He is referring to Imaam Al-Albaanee, who was a student of Shaikh Muhammad Raaghib At-Tabbaakh.
Published: June 11, 2004 | Modified: June 11, 2004
Source: AUTHOR: 'Alee Hasan al-Halabee, Al-Asaalah Magazine (Issue 31, pg. 60-61), , Al-Ibaanah.com
I went to steal from him, but he stole from me
I went to steal from him, but he stole from me
A burglar scaled the wall of Maalik bin Dinar's house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see that there was nothing inside actually worth stealing. The owner of the home was inside at the time, he was busy performing prayer. Realizing that he was not alone, Maalik quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief. Without showing any sign of being shocked or afraid, Maalik calmly extended greetings of peace and then said, "My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing that is worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave my home without taking away some benefit."
He stood up, went to another part of the room, and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said, "Make ablution and perform two units of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought when you entered it."
Much humbled by Maalik's manners and words, the thief said, "Yes, that is a generous offer indeed."
After making ablution and performing two units of prayer, the burglar said, "O Maalik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?"
Maalik said, "Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now."
The thief ended up spending the entire night at Maalik's house. He continued to pray until the morning. Then Maalik said, "Leave now and be good."
But instead of leaving, the thief said, "Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast the day?"
"Stay as long as you wish," said Maalik.
The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting throughout the duration of each day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, "O Maalik, I have made a firm resolve to repent for my sins and for my former way of life."
Maalik said, "Indeed, that is in the Hand of Allah."
The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, He came across another burglar he knew. [His friend] said to him, "Have you found your treasure yet?"
He said, "My brother, what I found is Maalik bin Dinaar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door [of His Mercy and Forgiveness] until I achieve what his obedient, loving slaves have achieved."
Reference:
[al-Mawaa'idh wal-Majaalis: 85]
A burglar scaled the wall of Maalik bin Dinar's house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see that there was nothing inside actually worth stealing. The owner of the home was inside at the time, he was busy performing prayer. Realizing that he was not alone, Maalik quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief. Without showing any sign of being shocked or afraid, Maalik calmly extended greetings of peace and then said, "My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing that is worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave my home without taking away some benefit."
He stood up, went to another part of the room, and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said, "Make ablution and perform two units of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought when you entered it."
Much humbled by Maalik's manners and words, the thief said, "Yes, that is a generous offer indeed."
After making ablution and performing two units of prayer, the burglar said, "O Maalik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?"
Maalik said, "Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now."
The thief ended up spending the entire night at Maalik's house. He continued to pray until the morning. Then Maalik said, "Leave now and be good."
But instead of leaving, the thief said, "Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast the day?"
"Stay as long as you wish," said Maalik.
The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting throughout the duration of each day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, "O Maalik, I have made a firm resolve to repent for my sins and for my former way of life."
Maalik said, "Indeed, that is in the Hand of Allah."
The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, He came across another burglar he knew. [His friend] said to him, "Have you found your treasure yet?"
He said, "My brother, what I found is Maalik bin Dinaar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door [of His Mercy and Forgiveness] until I achieve what his obedient, loving slaves have achieved."
Reference:
[al-Mawaa'idh wal-Majaalis: 85]
The Story of Malik bin DInar
Once upon a time, there was man called Malik bin Dinar. He was sinful person who used to drink alcohol and was drowning in his sins.
Malik had a young daughter whom he loved dearly. When he wanted to drink alcohol, however, this daughter would tip over the bottle and spill its content.
When she reached two years of age she passed away. This caused Malik great grief and sadness.
One night, Malik went to sleep after drinking alcohol and without praying. In his dream he saw that the day of Judgement had come and that the people had risen from their graves. They were all gathered and he was amongst them.While Malik was standing with the people he heard some noise behind him. When he turned around he came face to face with a huge frightening dragon (i.e. huge Python). The dragon’s huge mouth was wide open, as it was rushing towards him.
Very frightened from the dragon, Malik began to run. While getting away, he passed by an old man who was wearing white and who had a nice scent.
Malik said: “As Salamu Alykum” to the man and asked him help.
However, the old man was not able to help Malik. Rather, he told him to run quickly so he could escape the dragon.
Malik kept on running until he was overlooking hellfire. There he heard a voice calling out to him, “go back, you are not amongst its inhabitants” This comforted Malik a little, as he back away while continuing to run.
Still running away, the dragon was getting closer. Malik returned to the old man and asked for his protection. The old man started weeping and said: “I am weak.” He instructed Malik to run towards the mountain. Muslim children, who died young, were gathered in that mountain. The old man said: “If you have a child in that mountain, then your child will save you.”
Malik saw the mountain, which seemed majestic in its beauty, and he quickly ran towards it desperately trying to escape the dragon.
When Malik got closer the mountain, an angel called out: “lift the covers and open the doors” The angel then told the children to come forwards perhaps one of them was as son or a daughter of this desperate man, and they in turn can save him. The young children, who were as beautiful as the full moon looked at Malik.
When the dragon got closer to Malik, the children called upon each other to hastily come forward and see if any of them knew him. Group by group, the children passed by Malik, until finally his daughter who had died when she was young came forward and identified him.
When she saw him, the daughter wept and said: “I swear by Allah this is my father.”
She threw her self at him, and with her left hand held her father’s right hand. she then confronted the dragon by lifting her right hand in his face. That was enough to repel the dragon which quickly turned away and started running.
She sat her father down as she emotionally said, “Oh father” and she recited an Ayah from the Qur’an which means: Isn’t it time for the believers’ hearts to soften upon hearing the name of Allah and the recitation of the Qur’an, and for them to submit and obey Allah.”
When Malik heard this he started weeping.
He then asked his daughter, “You children know the Qur’an?”
She replied: “We are more knowledgeable in it that you are.” He then asked her to tell him about the dragon.
She said: “He represents your bad deeds. He was made stronger by your sinning and by your drinking of alcohol, He wanted to throw you into hellfire.” Malik then asked his daughter about the old man, to which she replied: “He represents your good deeds which were so weak that they could not out-power your bad deeds.”
Malik suddenly a woke frightened and vowing to repent to his Creator. Malik repented from his sins, and he eventually became a great and pious person. (Muslim Youth of Truth)
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Wise sayings of the righteous on their death beds
Wise sayings of the righteous on their death beds
Written by Abu Faaris
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
When he was on his deathbed, Abu Bakr summoned for Umar to come to him. When the latter arrived, Abu Bakr said "indeed , i want to give you some final advice-if you will accept it from me: Indeed , Allah azza wa-jall has rights during the night, wich he does not accept during the day; and rights during the day, wich he does not accept during the night. And verily, He Azza wa-Jall does not accept voluntary acts of worship until obligatory ones are fist performed . Do you not see that those whose scales are heavy in the hereafter are heavy only because they followed the truth in the world, for doing so was heavy upon them(i.e, it required striving and effort, like an upward climb.) And it is befitting for a scale to be heavy when only truth is placed on it. Do you not see that those whose scales(i.e , scales of good deeds) are light in the hereafter are light only because they followed falsehood in the world; and doing so was light for them( i.e, easy, without strain, like descending a downward slope). And it is only befitting for a scale to be light when only falsehood is placed on it. Do you not see that Allah aza wa-jall revealed verses that inspire hope after verses that inspire terror, and verses that inspire terror after verses that inspire hope. This is so that a slave remains both hopeful (of reward) and fearful(of punishment), without taking his own life, and without hoping for anything other than the truth from Allah Azza wa-jall. If you remember and preserve (i., apply) this advice of mine, then let no matter of the unseen world be more beloved too you than death-wich, at any rate, is inevitable. And if you do not heed this advice of mine, then let no matter from the unseen world be more hateful to you than death."
Umar bin Al-Khattab
Ibn Umar said " After Umar was stabbed,(i placed his) head on my lap. He said " place my head on the ground". Thinking that that was simply restlessness on his part, i did not do as he asked. Then he said, " Place my cheak on the ground-may you have no mother! Woe upon me , and woe upon my mother , if Allah azzza wa-jall does not forgive me"
And when Umar was in the final moments of his life, Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah said to him "congratulations to you for paradise, o leader of the belivers". Though one should not say such statments to somwone while he is healthy, it is recommended to do so when someone is dying, so as to help him have good thoughts about Allah,
"O ibn umm al-mughirah," Umar said, " And what makes you know (that i will enter paradise)? by the one who has my soul in his hand, if i possessed all that is in the east and in the west, i would have ransomed it all to be saved from the terror of the beginning (of judment day)"
Uthman bin Affan
After Uthman bin Affan was killed, his belongings were searched. Among the things that were found was a locked box. When it was tried open, a jar containing a piece of paper was found. On the piece of paper the following was written:
This is the final testament of Utham bin Affan. In the name of Allah, The most gracious, the most merciful. Uthman bin Affan bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, and he has no partner; that muhammad (saw) is his slave and messenger; that paradise is a reality ; that hell is a reality; that Allah will resurrect those that are in their graves on a day regarding wich there is no doubt; and that Allah never fails in his promise. Upon this (testimony) does he
(i.e, hemself, Uthman) live, upon this does he die, and upon this will he be resurrected, In sha'Allah.
Ali bin Abu Talib
When Ali was struck with a lethal blow, he said "where is the one who struck me?"
"we have apprehended him" Someone said
"Feed him from my own food", Ali instructed . "And provide for him from my supply of drink. If i get through this alive, I will issue judgment regarding his case. But if i die, then kill him with no more than a single blow( i.e dont torture him)"
Ali then charged Al-Hasan with the duty of washing his corpse, making it clear that Al-Hasan should not be extravagant in providing him with a shroud. Ali then said , "Indeed, I heard the messenger of Allah say:
"Do not be extravagant with the shroud, for it will be quickly taken away from him(i.e, the earth tears it apart quickly)" Abu dawood 3154
And when you walk with me (i.e, carry me to the grave), walk neither fast nor slow, for if (my destination) is good , you will be hastening me towards it, but if (my destination) is evil, then at least you will have cast me from your shoulders (i.e, Freed yourselves from me)."
Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas
When sa'd ws on the verge of dying , he requested that someone should bring him a tattered, wool garment that he had been keeping safe for many years. " Enshroud me in it," he said, " For indeed , I was wearing it when i fought the disbelievers on the day of badr, and i have been saving it jut for this very day."
Mu'adh bin Jabal
When Mu'adh was about to die, he said, " O, Allah , i have feared you my entire life , yet today i am hping from you (i.e, hoping for your mercy). O Allah , you indeed know that i did not love the world for a long stay in it, for the flowing of rivers, or for the planting of trees; but rather for the thirst of the midday heat(i.e., for fasting on a hot day), for striving hours at a time (in worship), and for sitting near scholars in circles of remembrance (i.e., gatherings whering you are remembered)."
Khalid ibn Al-Waleed
When the time of Khalid ibn Al-Waleed, r.a., came to depart from the world, he said: "I reached every possible place for Shahadah, but it was written in my fate that I should die on my bed. In my opinion there is no deed more dearer than my waiting with my horse and shield in the darkness of night, the sky to be glittering due to the rain, waiting for the onset of dawn, so that I can attack the enemy."Ibn al-Mubarak in al-Jihad
Written by Abu Faaris
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
When he was on his deathbed, Abu Bakr summoned for Umar to come to him. When the latter arrived, Abu Bakr said "indeed , i want to give you some final advice-if you will accept it from me: Indeed , Allah azza wa-jall has rights during the night, wich he does not accept during the day; and rights during the day, wich he does not accept during the night. And verily, He Azza wa-Jall does not accept voluntary acts of worship until obligatory ones are fist performed . Do you not see that those whose scales are heavy in the hereafter are heavy only because they followed the truth in the world, for doing so was heavy upon them(i.e, it required striving and effort, like an upward climb.) And it is befitting for a scale to be heavy when only truth is placed on it. Do you not see that those whose scales(i.e , scales of good deeds) are light in the hereafter are light only because they followed falsehood in the world; and doing so was light for them( i.e, easy, without strain, like descending a downward slope). And it is only befitting for a scale to be light when only falsehood is placed on it. Do you not see that Allah aza wa-jall revealed verses that inspire hope after verses that inspire terror, and verses that inspire terror after verses that inspire hope. This is so that a slave remains both hopeful (of reward) and fearful(of punishment), without taking his own life, and without hoping for anything other than the truth from Allah Azza wa-jall. If you remember and preserve (i., apply) this advice of mine, then let no matter of the unseen world be more beloved too you than death-wich, at any rate, is inevitable. And if you do not heed this advice of mine, then let no matter from the unseen world be more hateful to you than death."
Umar bin Al-Khattab
Ibn Umar said " After Umar was stabbed,(i placed his) head on my lap. He said " place my head on the ground". Thinking that that was simply restlessness on his part, i did not do as he asked. Then he said, " Place my cheak on the ground-may you have no mother! Woe upon me , and woe upon my mother , if Allah azzza wa-jall does not forgive me"
And when Umar was in the final moments of his life, Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah said to him "congratulations to you for paradise, o leader of the belivers". Though one should not say such statments to somwone while he is healthy, it is recommended to do so when someone is dying, so as to help him have good thoughts about Allah,
"O ibn umm al-mughirah," Umar said, " And what makes you know (that i will enter paradise)? by the one who has my soul in his hand, if i possessed all that is in the east and in the west, i would have ransomed it all to be saved from the terror of the beginning (of judment day)"
Uthman bin Affan
After Uthman bin Affan was killed, his belongings were searched. Among the things that were found was a locked box. When it was tried open, a jar containing a piece of paper was found. On the piece of paper the following was written:
This is the final testament of Utham bin Affan. In the name of Allah, The most gracious, the most merciful. Uthman bin Affan bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, and he has no partner; that muhammad (saw) is his slave and messenger; that paradise is a reality ; that hell is a reality; that Allah will resurrect those that are in their graves on a day regarding wich there is no doubt; and that Allah never fails in his promise. Upon this (testimony) does he
(i.e, hemself, Uthman) live, upon this does he die, and upon this will he be resurrected, In sha'Allah.
Ali bin Abu Talib
When Ali was struck with a lethal blow, he said "where is the one who struck me?"
"we have apprehended him" Someone said
"Feed him from my own food", Ali instructed . "And provide for him from my supply of drink. If i get through this alive, I will issue judgment regarding his case. But if i die, then kill him with no more than a single blow( i.e dont torture him)"
Ali then charged Al-Hasan with the duty of washing his corpse, making it clear that Al-Hasan should not be extravagant in providing him with a shroud. Ali then said , "Indeed, I heard the messenger of Allah say:
"Do not be extravagant with the shroud, for it will be quickly taken away from him(i.e, the earth tears it apart quickly)" Abu dawood 3154
And when you walk with me (i.e, carry me to the grave), walk neither fast nor slow, for if (my destination) is good , you will be hastening me towards it, but if (my destination) is evil, then at least you will have cast me from your shoulders (i.e, Freed yourselves from me)."
Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas
When sa'd ws on the verge of dying , he requested that someone should bring him a tattered, wool garment that he had been keeping safe for many years. " Enshroud me in it," he said, " For indeed , I was wearing it when i fought the disbelievers on the day of badr, and i have been saving it jut for this very day."
Mu'adh bin Jabal
When Mu'adh was about to die, he said, " O, Allah , i have feared you my entire life , yet today i am hping from you (i.e, hoping for your mercy). O Allah , you indeed know that i did not love the world for a long stay in it, for the flowing of rivers, or for the planting of trees; but rather for the thirst of the midday heat(i.e., for fasting on a hot day), for striving hours at a time (in worship), and for sitting near scholars in circles of remembrance (i.e., gatherings whering you are remembered)."
Khalid ibn Al-Waleed
When the time of Khalid ibn Al-Waleed, r.a., came to depart from the world, he said: "I reached every possible place for Shahadah, but it was written in my fate that I should die on my bed. In my opinion there is no deed more dearer than my waiting with my horse and shield in the darkness of night, the sky to be glittering due to the rain, waiting for the onset of dawn, so that I can attack the enemy."Ibn al-Mubarak in al-Jihad
Miscellaneous accounts about death
Miscellaneous accounts about death
When al-Hasan ibn Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) was dying, he asked people to take him out to the hall. Then he said: “O Lord, I trust myself in you”.
On his death Muadh ibn Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “Look if the day has broken? “They looked and answered negative. Later on, he was informed that it was morning. Then he remarked: “I seek refuge in Allah from a night whose morning leads to Hell-fire. Welcome to death, an absent visitor and a beloved returning while we are defected. O Lord, I used to fear you, but now I expect good from you. You know that I never loved this world or long stay in it. I used to observe fasting on extremely hot days, praying at long nights of winter, and joining scholars in their circles of knowledge”.
Abu Muslim said:”I visited Abu Ad-Darda(May Allah be pleased with him) on his death. He said, “Would you get prepared for this day and for this hour? “Then he breathed his last”.
Salman al-Farisi(May Allah be pleased with him) wept on his death. Asked about this, he said: “The Prophet (Peace be upon him) commanded us to have sufficient provisions for the hereafter”.
Al-Mazini said that he visited Ash-Shafi’i on his deathbed. He said, “I asked him, how are you?” He replied,” I am leaving this world, leaving my brothers, meeting my sins, drinking the cup of death, and returning to the Almighty. But I do not know to Hell or Paradise my spirit will be admitted”.
Abu Ad- Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) was once asked about his visit to grave. He said “I visit people who remind me of death. They never back bite me when I depart”.
Maymun ibn Mahran said, “I joined Umar ibn Abdul Azeez in his visit to graves. Beholding them he wept and told me, “Maymun , these are the tombs of the predecessors from the Banu Umayyah. Look, as if they never shared this world’s delight. Do you not see them lying being exemplary to others. They have decayed”. Then he shed tears and said, By Allah I know non better that the dead who have been saved from Almighty’s torture”.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “Death has exposed this world, leaving no delight for sensible people therein”
When Ibn Umar remembered death, he trembled like birds. He used to convene with the jurists every night talking about death and the hereafter. Then they shed tears as if they were in funerals.
Hamid al-Qasyrasi said: “Though we know death is certain, we have not prepared ourselves for it. Though we know paradise is definite, we have not worked for it. Though we know the hell fire is sure, we have not feared it. So why are you delighted? What are you waiting for? Death is the first visitor from the Almighty bringing good or evil tidings. Brothers get closer to your Lord”.
Habib Ibn Muhammad’s wife said that Habib used to tell me,”If I die today get so-and-so to bath me”. She was asked if he had seen a dream of his death. She replied that he used to tell her likewise every day.
Source: Mukhtasar Minhaj Al-Qadisin (towars the hereafter) by Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi Translated by Wa'il 'A.Shihab
When al-Hasan ibn Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) was dying, he asked people to take him out to the hall. Then he said: “O Lord, I trust myself in you”.
On his death Muadh ibn Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “Look if the day has broken? “They looked and answered negative. Later on, he was informed that it was morning. Then he remarked: “I seek refuge in Allah from a night whose morning leads to Hell-fire. Welcome to death, an absent visitor and a beloved returning while we are defected. O Lord, I used to fear you, but now I expect good from you. You know that I never loved this world or long stay in it. I used to observe fasting on extremely hot days, praying at long nights of winter, and joining scholars in their circles of knowledge”.
Abu Muslim said:”I visited Abu Ad-Darda(May Allah be pleased with him) on his death. He said, “Would you get prepared for this day and for this hour? “Then he breathed his last”.
Salman al-Farisi(May Allah be pleased with him) wept on his death. Asked about this, he said: “The Prophet (Peace be upon him) commanded us to have sufficient provisions for the hereafter”.
Al-Mazini said that he visited Ash-Shafi’i on his deathbed. He said, “I asked him, how are you?” He replied,” I am leaving this world, leaving my brothers, meeting my sins, drinking the cup of death, and returning to the Almighty. But I do not know to Hell or Paradise my spirit will be admitted”.
Abu Ad- Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) was once asked about his visit to grave. He said “I visit people who remind me of death. They never back bite me when I depart”.
Maymun ibn Mahran said, “I joined Umar ibn Abdul Azeez in his visit to graves. Beholding them he wept and told me, “Maymun , these are the tombs of the predecessors from the Banu Umayyah. Look, as if they never shared this world’s delight. Do you not see them lying being exemplary to others. They have decayed”. Then he shed tears and said, By Allah I know non better that the dead who have been saved from Almighty’s torture”.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “Death has exposed this world, leaving no delight for sensible people therein”
When Ibn Umar remembered death, he trembled like birds. He used to convene with the jurists every night talking about death and the hereafter. Then they shed tears as if they were in funerals.
Hamid al-Qasyrasi said: “Though we know death is certain, we have not prepared ourselves for it. Though we know paradise is definite, we have not worked for it. Though we know the hell fire is sure, we have not feared it. So why are you delighted? What are you waiting for? Death is the first visitor from the Almighty bringing good or evil tidings. Brothers get closer to your Lord”.
Habib Ibn Muhammad’s wife said that Habib used to tell me,”If I die today get so-and-so to bath me”. She was asked if he had seen a dream of his death. She replied that he used to tell her likewise every day.
Source: Mukhtasar Minhaj Al-Qadisin (towars the hereafter) by Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi Translated by Wa'il 'A.Shihab
A sermon of Hasan al Basri
A sermon of Hasan al Basri
Habib al-’Abid reports: Once, when I arrived in al-Basrah, I was surprised to see that the markets were closed, and the streets empty.
I called out, “O people of Basrah, is this some kind of holiday of yours that I am unaware of?”
Someone answered, “No, but al-Hasan al-Basri is in the main gathering place (of basrah), giving a khutbah to the people.”
I hurried to his gathering , and when I arrived there, I saw him sitting down on some high ground .
He was saying:
“O people, prepare for departure, for very little time remains from this world.
Prepare to move (to the akhirah), for there is no way to stay here.
Do you not know that you will soon be surrendered to the place of trial?
Do you not know that each one of you will soon be alone with his deeds and that you will be presented (with your deeds) to Allah on the day of judgment?
He forbade you from sinning, but you have not stopped sinning.
He (threatened) you with the hell-fire, but you are neither afraid nor terrified of it.
He has encouraged you to seek our Jannah, but you do not (seem to) desire it or long for it.
Your white hairs are warning you of approaching death, so what are you waiting for?
O white-haired one, you are able to perform good deeds , so what is your excuse.
O one who obeys his mouth and his desires, who wastes his share of the akhirah by taking his entire share in this world, who persists in committing sins and evil deeds , if only I knew : what your excuse will be before him?
What argument will you put forth when you go to him? You are lost and misguided, so ask Allah, the All-Mighty, to forgive both me and you.”
(al-Mawa’idh wal-Majalis’ , pg 181)
When the Salaf Would Wish For Death...
When the Salaf Would Wish For Death...
1 - Prophet Yusuf said:
{"...cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous."} [Yusuf; 101]
Qatadah said, commenting on this verse:
"When his possessions were many, and his eye had been cooled, and he was engulfed in the worldly pleasures and delights, he longed to be joined with the righteous people before him."
[at-Tabari's 'Jami' al-Bayan'; 13/48]
2 - The magicians of Fir'awn said, after Fir'awn threatened to kill them:
{"And you take vengeance on us only because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! Pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims."} [al-A'raf; 126]
3 - Mu'adh bin Jabal said:
"One day, the Messenger of Allah did not show up for the morning prayer, to the point that we noticed the Sun was about to rise. We then saw him coming out quickly, and he called for the prayer, and quickly prayed. When he made taslim, he said to us: "Remain in your places."
He then turned to us and said: "I will speak to you about what prevented me from showing up earlier. I got up at night, performed ablution, and prayed as much as I could. I then felt sleepiness to the extent that I was overtaken by it, so, I slept. Suddenly, I awoke to find myself in front of my Lord - the Mighty and Exalted - in the best image possible. He Said: "O Muhammad! Do you know what those of the highest ranks are busy quarrelling over?"
I said: "I do not know, my Lord." [The Prophet repeated this three times, then said] I then saw Him laying His Palm between my shoulders until I could feel the coolness of His Fingers in my chest, and then everything was revealed to me, and I knew it. Then, He Said: "O Muhammad! Do you know what those of the highest ranks are busy quarrelling over?"
I said: "Regarding those deeds that wipe out sins."
He Asked: "What are they?"
I replied: "Walking to the congregational prayer, remaining in the mosque after the prayer, and making your ablution lengthy and perfect in times of hardship."
He then Asked: "And what are those deeds that increase one's ranks?"
I replied: "Providing food to the people, speaking gently, and praying at night while the people are asleep."
He then Said: "Ask!"
I said: "O Allah, I ask You to grant me the ability to perform good deeds and abandon the bad ones, the love of the poor, and that You Forgive me and have Mercy on me, and that if You want to test a group of people, I ask You to allow me to die without having experienced any fitnah, and I ask for Your Love and the love of those who love You, and the love of a deed that brings me closer to Your Love."
The Prophet then said: "It is true. So, study it and learn it.""
[Reported by Ahmad (5/243) and at-Tirmidhi (3235), and it is authentic]
4 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"None of you should wish for death because of a calamity that has befallen him. But if he has to wish for death, he should say: 'O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.'"
[Reported by al-Bukhari (5671) and Muslim (2680)]
Ibn Hajar said, commenting on this hadith:
"The Prophet's saying "because of a calamity that has befallen him" is intepreted by a group of the Salaf to mean a calamity in his worldly affairs. So, if he is stricken with a calamity in the affairs of the Hereafter by way of him fearing a fitnah in regards to his religion, this does not fall under the Prophet's prohibition...and this indicates the permissibility of longing for death if one fears fitnah in regards to his religion, and Allah Knows best."
['Fath al-Bari'; 10/128]
an-Nawawi said what is similar to the above in his 'Sharh Sahih Muslim' (9/8).
5 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"There are two things that the son of Adam hates: death - and death is better for the believer than fitnah - and a lack of wealth - and a lack wealth makes the Account lighter."
[Reported by Ahmad in his 'Musnad' (5/427), and it is authentic]
6 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"The Hour will not be established until a man passes by the grave of another man and says: 'If only I were in his place.'"
[Reported by al-Bukhari (7115)]
Ibn Hajar said, commenting on this hadith:
"Ibn Battal said: "The inhabitants of the graves being envied and death being longed for at the time of the emergence of fitnah will be out of fear of the weakening of religious practice with the increase in falsehood and its people, and the emergence of disobedience and sin." [Ibn Hajar continued] and this longing is not something general for all people. Rather, it is specific to the people of righteousness. As for the rest, then they might long for death because of a calamity that has befallen them in their health, family, and worldly affairs, without any of these things having affected his religious practice...
...and many of the Salaf did this, such as 'Umar bin al-Khattab, 'Isa al-Ghifari, 'Umar bin 'Abd al-'Aziz, and other than them. al-Qurtubi said: "It is as if this hadith is indicating that overwhelming trials and hardships will descend until the importance of and concern with religion becomes minimal, and there will remain for nobody except the concern with the worldly affairs and connected matters. As a result, the value of worship in the times of fitnah has been magnified greatly, as Muslim reported, from the hadith of Mu'aqqal bin Yasar: "Worship in the times of trials and tribulations is like a migration to me.""
...and al-Hakim reported that Abu Salamah said: "I visited Abu Hurayrah and said: "O Allah! Return Abu Hurayrah's health to him." So, Abu Hurayrah said: "O Allah! Do not return it to me. O Abu Salamah, if you are able to die, then do so. By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, there will come a time upon the scholars in which death is more beloved to them than red gold, and one of them will pass by the grave of his brother and say: 'If only I were in his place.'""
And 'Abdullah bin as-Samit reported that Abu Dharr said: "There will come a time when a funeral procession will pass through the marketplace in front of a group of people, and a man will see it and shake his head, saying: 'If only I were in this person's place.'" So, 'Abdullah said: "O Abu Dharr! This must be because of something overwhelming!" Abu Dharr replied: "Yes, it certainly is.""
['Fath al-Bari'; 13/81]
1 - Prophet Yusuf said:
{"...cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous."} [Yusuf; 101]
Qatadah said, commenting on this verse:
"When his possessions were many, and his eye had been cooled, and he was engulfed in the worldly pleasures and delights, he longed to be joined with the righteous people before him."
[at-Tabari's 'Jami' al-Bayan'; 13/48]
2 - The magicians of Fir'awn said, after Fir'awn threatened to kill them:
{"And you take vengeance on us only because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! Pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims."} [al-A'raf; 126]
3 - Mu'adh bin Jabal said:
"One day, the Messenger of Allah did not show up for the morning prayer, to the point that we noticed the Sun was about to rise. We then saw him coming out quickly, and he called for the prayer, and quickly prayed. When he made taslim, he said to us: "Remain in your places."
He then turned to us and said: "I will speak to you about what prevented me from showing up earlier. I got up at night, performed ablution, and prayed as much as I could. I then felt sleepiness to the extent that I was overtaken by it, so, I slept. Suddenly, I awoke to find myself in front of my Lord - the Mighty and Exalted - in the best image possible. He Said: "O Muhammad! Do you know what those of the highest ranks are busy quarrelling over?"
I said: "I do not know, my Lord." [The Prophet repeated this three times, then said] I then saw Him laying His Palm between my shoulders until I could feel the coolness of His Fingers in my chest, and then everything was revealed to me, and I knew it. Then, He Said: "O Muhammad! Do you know what those of the highest ranks are busy quarrelling over?"
I said: "Regarding those deeds that wipe out sins."
He Asked: "What are they?"
I replied: "Walking to the congregational prayer, remaining in the mosque after the prayer, and making your ablution lengthy and perfect in times of hardship."
He then Asked: "And what are those deeds that increase one's ranks?"
I replied: "Providing food to the people, speaking gently, and praying at night while the people are asleep."
He then Said: "Ask!"
I said: "O Allah, I ask You to grant me the ability to perform good deeds and abandon the bad ones, the love of the poor, and that You Forgive me and have Mercy on me, and that if You want to test a group of people, I ask You to allow me to die without having experienced any fitnah, and I ask for Your Love and the love of those who love You, and the love of a deed that brings me closer to Your Love."
The Prophet then said: "It is true. So, study it and learn it.""
[Reported by Ahmad (5/243) and at-Tirmidhi (3235), and it is authentic]
4 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"None of you should wish for death because of a calamity that has befallen him. But if he has to wish for death, he should say: 'O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.'"
[Reported by al-Bukhari (5671) and Muslim (2680)]
Ibn Hajar said, commenting on this hadith:
"The Prophet's saying "because of a calamity that has befallen him" is intepreted by a group of the Salaf to mean a calamity in his worldly affairs. So, if he is stricken with a calamity in the affairs of the Hereafter by way of him fearing a fitnah in regards to his religion, this does not fall under the Prophet's prohibition...and this indicates the permissibility of longing for death if one fears fitnah in regards to his religion, and Allah Knows best."
['Fath al-Bari'; 10/128]
an-Nawawi said what is similar to the above in his 'Sharh Sahih Muslim' (9/8).
5 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"There are two things that the son of Adam hates: death - and death is better for the believer than fitnah - and a lack of wealth - and a lack wealth makes the Account lighter."
[Reported by Ahmad in his 'Musnad' (5/427), and it is authentic]
6 - The Messenger of Allah said:
"The Hour will not be established until a man passes by the grave of another man and says: 'If only I were in his place.'"
[Reported by al-Bukhari (7115)]
Ibn Hajar said, commenting on this hadith:
"Ibn Battal said: "The inhabitants of the graves being envied and death being longed for at the time of the emergence of fitnah will be out of fear of the weakening of religious practice with the increase in falsehood and its people, and the emergence of disobedience and sin." [Ibn Hajar continued] and this longing is not something general for all people. Rather, it is specific to the people of righteousness. As for the rest, then they might long for death because of a calamity that has befallen them in their health, family, and worldly affairs, without any of these things having affected his religious practice...
...and many of the Salaf did this, such as 'Umar bin al-Khattab, 'Isa al-Ghifari, 'Umar bin 'Abd al-'Aziz, and other than them. al-Qurtubi said: "It is as if this hadith is indicating that overwhelming trials and hardships will descend until the importance of and concern with religion becomes minimal, and there will remain for nobody except the concern with the worldly affairs and connected matters. As a result, the value of worship in the times of fitnah has been magnified greatly, as Muslim reported, from the hadith of Mu'aqqal bin Yasar: "Worship in the times of trials and tribulations is like a migration to me.""
...and al-Hakim reported that Abu Salamah said: "I visited Abu Hurayrah and said: "O Allah! Return Abu Hurayrah's health to him." So, Abu Hurayrah said: "O Allah! Do not return it to me. O Abu Salamah, if you are able to die, then do so. By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, there will come a time upon the scholars in which death is more beloved to them than red gold, and one of them will pass by the grave of his brother and say: 'If only I were in his place.'""
And 'Abdullah bin as-Samit reported that Abu Dharr said: "There will come a time when a funeral procession will pass through the marketplace in front of a group of people, and a man will see it and shake his head, saying: 'If only I were in this person's place.'" So, 'Abdullah said: "O Abu Dharr! This must be because of something overwhelming!" Abu Dharr replied: "Yes, it certainly is.""
['Fath al-Bari'; 13/81]
Friday, 14 January 2011
The story of the Shaykh from Azhar and the Prostitute
Did you hear of the story of the Shaykh from Azhar and the prostitute?
No …
Well, there you go, as was narrated by Shaykh Ali Tantawi [May Allah have mercy on him] in his memoir about Shaykh Ahmad Al-Zayaat [May Allah have mercy on him].
Shaykh Ali Tantawi said:
“The Shaykh (Ahmad Al-Zayaat) was a teacher, who did not know anything of this world except: The Azhar where he used to teach, the house he used to live in, and the road between them.
As years passed by, and he got older, his health started to deteriorate, and he needed to rest. So the doctor forced him to take some time of, and suggested that he goes somewhere away from his place of work and residence, and advised him to enjoy the quietness and calmness of the parks next to the Nile.
So one day, the Shaykh went out and stopped a carriage (as cars were not that available at the time). He told the driver: My son, take me to a nice place were I can enjoy the view and relax.
The driver of the carriage, however, was a wicked person, and took the Shaykh to a place in Egypt, which at the time had several prostitution houses.
After arriving he told the Shaykh: Here [we are].
The Shaykh said: O son, Magrib prayer is drawing near, where can I pray? Take me first to the Masjid.
The Driver [pointing to one of those houses] said: The Masjid is over there.
The door [of the place] was open, and the lady running that house was sitting, in the manner those like her usually sit.
When the Shaykh saw her, he lowered his gaze. He saw a seat, so he headed there and sat, waiting for the Call for prayer (Adhan).
[The woman in confusion, just] stared at him.
What brought that man here?
He doesn’t look like any of her regular customers.
She kept thinking to herself, but did not dare ask him what he was doing here.
What kept her from asking was the shyness that remained in her heart, even as a prostitute. However, that shyness only appears in front of people of Piety.
He, on the other hand, kept doing Tasbeeh (saying Subhan Allah), whilst looking at his watch, until he heard the Adhan of Maghrib from far away.
He asked her: Where is the Moazin (Person who calls for prayers) here?
Why didn’t he call for prayer when the time entered?
Are you his daughter?
She … kept silent.
He waited for a while, and then said: My daughter, Maghrib time is short, and it is not permissible to delay it, and I do not see anyone here, so if you have your Wudu (ablution) then pray behind me Jama’ah.
He gave the call for prayer, and without looking at her, as he was about to give the Iqamah, he noticed stillness behind him?!
He asked: What is wrong? Don’t you have your Wudu?
All of a sudden, as if her Iman (Faith) woke up and she remembered the old days. The days when she was filled with purity, and was away from sin, she started to cry loudly, and threw herself at his feet.
The Shaykh surprised, did not know in what way he can calm her.
She then, started narrating her story.
He saw in her words great regret, and felt the truth in her repentance. He realized the sincerity in what she was saying, so he told her: Listen, my daughter, to what the Lord of all creation says: {Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah forgives all sins …”} (39:53).
All sins, my daughter, all sins …
The door of repentance is open to every sinner and it is so wide that it can encompass them all no matter how heavy their load [of sins] is … even Kufr.
So whoever disbelieves in the all Mighty, after he was a believer, but repents before the hour of his death comes, and he was sincere in his repentance, and he renewed his Islam, Allah will accept him.
Allah, my dear daughter, is the most Generous of all. Did you ever hear of anyone generous shutting the door in the face of those who come seeking him?
Stand up and go wash yourself, and cover yourself. Go and clean your skin with water and your heart with repentance and regret. Approach your Lord, and I will wait for you.
But do not delay, so that we do not miss Maghrib prayer.
She did as he asked, and returned to him with a new dress and a new heart. She stood behind him and prayed. She felt and tasted the sweetness of that prayer, and felt that this prayer purified her heart.
When the prayer was over, he told her: Come with me, and try to cut every relation you have with this place and everyone in it. Try to erase the time you spent here from your memory.
Consistently ask Allah for his forgiveness, and increase in doing righteous deeds.
Verily, adultery is not as big a sin as Kufr, and Hind [bint ‘Utbah – May Allah be pleased with her], who was a disbeliever and had animosity in her heart to the Prophet of Allah. After that she became from the righteous believers, and we started saying: Allah is well-pleased with her.
The Shaykh then took her to a house of righteous ladies, and then found her a righteous husband and advised him to take good care of her” 1/252.
[Original writer in Arabic forum said]: Notice [May Allah shower you with Mercy] the state of this woman, how she was and how she changed. It was nothing more than simple words from an old man that led her into changing her life upside down.
So if you only think how many people are just like this woman.
People who are drowning in filth, people who the dust from their sins gathered around their hearts shedding away its light.
These sins caused them to see the Truth as Falsehood and the Falsehood as Truth.
How much are they in need of one to take by their hands, and to clear the dust away from their hearts.
They do not need complicated educational and behavioral philosophical treatments, or theories in the manners of interaction and persuasion. Neither are they in need of complicated statements.
What they truly need is for someone to feel sorry for them and for their state … Someone to understand their situation and to hope for their guidance … Someone who would speak a word that would leave his heart, [and touch theirs]. A word which he seeks nothing from except the Face of Allah.
After this the light, that was for so long covered with sins, would emerge and their souls would return to its Fitrah, and would return to its harmony with the universe and to the true manner of life.
No …
Well, there you go, as was narrated by Shaykh Ali Tantawi [May Allah have mercy on him] in his memoir about Shaykh Ahmad Al-Zayaat [May Allah have mercy on him].
Shaykh Ali Tantawi said:
“The Shaykh (Ahmad Al-Zayaat) was a teacher, who did not know anything of this world except: The Azhar where he used to teach, the house he used to live in, and the road between them.
As years passed by, and he got older, his health started to deteriorate, and he needed to rest. So the doctor forced him to take some time of, and suggested that he goes somewhere away from his place of work and residence, and advised him to enjoy the quietness and calmness of the parks next to the Nile.
So one day, the Shaykh went out and stopped a carriage (as cars were not that available at the time). He told the driver: My son, take me to a nice place were I can enjoy the view and relax.
The driver of the carriage, however, was a wicked person, and took the Shaykh to a place in Egypt, which at the time had several prostitution houses.
After arriving he told the Shaykh: Here [we are].
The Shaykh said: O son, Magrib prayer is drawing near, where can I pray? Take me first to the Masjid.
The Driver [pointing to one of those houses] said: The Masjid is over there.
The door [of the place] was open, and the lady running that house was sitting, in the manner those like her usually sit.
When the Shaykh saw her, he lowered his gaze. He saw a seat, so he headed there and sat, waiting for the Call for prayer (Adhan).
[The woman in confusion, just] stared at him.
What brought that man here?
He doesn’t look like any of her regular customers.
She kept thinking to herself, but did not dare ask him what he was doing here.
What kept her from asking was the shyness that remained in her heart, even as a prostitute. However, that shyness only appears in front of people of Piety.
He, on the other hand, kept doing Tasbeeh (saying Subhan Allah), whilst looking at his watch, until he heard the Adhan of Maghrib from far away.
He asked her: Where is the Moazin (Person who calls for prayers) here?
Why didn’t he call for prayer when the time entered?
Are you his daughter?
She … kept silent.
He waited for a while, and then said: My daughter, Maghrib time is short, and it is not permissible to delay it, and I do not see anyone here, so if you have your Wudu (ablution) then pray behind me Jama’ah.
He gave the call for prayer, and without looking at her, as he was about to give the Iqamah, he noticed stillness behind him?!
He asked: What is wrong? Don’t you have your Wudu?
All of a sudden, as if her Iman (Faith) woke up and she remembered the old days. The days when she was filled with purity, and was away from sin, she started to cry loudly, and threw herself at his feet.
The Shaykh surprised, did not know in what way he can calm her.
She then, started narrating her story.
He saw in her words great regret, and felt the truth in her repentance. He realized the sincerity in what she was saying, so he told her: Listen, my daughter, to what the Lord of all creation says: {Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah forgives all sins …”} (39:53).
All sins, my daughter, all sins …
The door of repentance is open to every sinner and it is so wide that it can encompass them all no matter how heavy their load [of sins] is … even Kufr.
So whoever disbelieves in the all Mighty, after he was a believer, but repents before the hour of his death comes, and he was sincere in his repentance, and he renewed his Islam, Allah will accept him.
Allah, my dear daughter, is the most Generous of all. Did you ever hear of anyone generous shutting the door in the face of those who come seeking him?
Stand up and go wash yourself, and cover yourself. Go and clean your skin with water and your heart with repentance and regret. Approach your Lord, and I will wait for you.
But do not delay, so that we do not miss Maghrib prayer.
She did as he asked, and returned to him with a new dress and a new heart. She stood behind him and prayed. She felt and tasted the sweetness of that prayer, and felt that this prayer purified her heart.
When the prayer was over, he told her: Come with me, and try to cut every relation you have with this place and everyone in it. Try to erase the time you spent here from your memory.
Consistently ask Allah for his forgiveness, and increase in doing righteous deeds.
Verily, adultery is not as big a sin as Kufr, and Hind [bint ‘Utbah – May Allah be pleased with her], who was a disbeliever and had animosity in her heart to the Prophet of Allah. After that she became from the righteous believers, and we started saying: Allah is well-pleased with her.
The Shaykh then took her to a house of righteous ladies, and then found her a righteous husband and advised him to take good care of her” 1/252.
[Original writer in Arabic forum said]: Notice [May Allah shower you with Mercy] the state of this woman, how she was and how she changed. It was nothing more than simple words from an old man that led her into changing her life upside down.
So if you only think how many people are just like this woman.
People who are drowning in filth, people who the dust from their sins gathered around their hearts shedding away its light.
These sins caused them to see the Truth as Falsehood and the Falsehood as Truth.
How much are they in need of one to take by their hands, and to clear the dust away from their hearts.
They do not need complicated educational and behavioral philosophical treatments, or theories in the manners of interaction and persuasion. Neither are they in need of complicated statements.
What they truly need is for someone to feel sorry for them and for their state … Someone to understand their situation and to hope for their guidance … Someone who would speak a word that would leave his heart, [and touch theirs]. A word which he seeks nothing from except the Face of Allah.
After this the light, that was for so long covered with sins, would emerge and their souls would return to its Fitrah, and would return to its harmony with the universe and to the true manner of life.
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Memoirs from the Life of Imâm Ahmad
Memoirs from the Life of Imâm Ahmad
By Muhammad al-Sharîf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In an interesting book, Wadaa' ar-Rasul li 'Ummatihi, Shaykh al-Qahtaani recalls the final words that Rasulallâh said on his deathbed.
After living a life of Jihâd, Dâ'wah, and Ibâdah, Rasulallâh, sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam, gathered the people around him on his deathbed and said, "I have left two things that you shall not go astray after them so long as you stick to them: the Book of Allâh and My Sunnah."
After Rasulallâh, sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam, moved onto ar-Rafîq al-'Alâ, the Ummah was tested with humans that tried to corrupt, discredit, or amputate the Sunnah from Islâm.
And from the depths of the Ummah's men and women, Allâh ta'ala - from His mercy to the Ummah of Muhammad - raised up warriors that would stand in the face of the most vicious of the enemies of the Sunnah.
From those people that Allâh ta'ala raised was a young boy named Ahmad. Ahmad lived in Baghdad over a thousand years ago. On those cold wintery nights, his mother - the blessed Mu'minah that she was - would wake long before Fajr to warm the water for her son. Then - again long before Fajr - she would wake him to make Wudhû, then she would wrap him in shawls and off through the molten dark alleys of Baghdad they would carefully make their way to the Masjid.
There was no male to escort him (he was an orphan), so Ahmad's mother would take him that early so that he could get a good seat in the hadîth halaqah after Fajr. Then she would wait for him long after the sun rose to safely escort him back home. Her son grew up to be one of these warrior defenders of the Sunnah, one of the four Imâms of this Dîn, Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
In his collection, al-Musnad alone, he narrated from over 280 teachers.
He grew up under the shade of the Sunnah and he lived the Sunnah. It was reported that he said, "I've never written a hadith that I did not try to implement."
And he raised his children like this too. When you see other fathers throwing a baseball with their young Muslims that Allâh entrusted them with, remember this example:
Abdullâh, Imâm Ahmad's son, taught his students that when he was young his father would play with him, "Take any chapter you wish from the Musannaf of Wakî'. Ask me any hadîth and I'll tell you the chain of narrators, or tell me any chain of narrators and I'll tell you the hadith!"
He was challenged in his Deen like few other humans have been challenged. His name remains engraved in our admiration till today - across hundreds of years, across thousands of miles, across thousands of nations - because of his love for the Sunnah and his stand against those that would seek to corrupt it.
Reading through his life, I came across an event that brought back sad memories. How do you feel when your father is swore at in public. Imâm Ahmad once prayed 'Asr and he sat with his son in the Masjid alone with another man by the name of Muhammad ibn Sa'îd Al-Khuttalî. Al-Khuttalî then remarked, "Did you (O Ahmad) tell the people to boycott Zayd ibn Khalaf?" Imam Ahmâd replied, "I received a letter from his people asking about his affair, so I replied explaining his Madhhab and what he has innovated (in the Sunnah) and commanded that they not sit with him.." Al-Khuttalî exploded in Imâm Ahmad's face, red with anger, "I'm going to make sure you go back to prison. I'm going to have them crush your ribs." The vulgarity grew louder and louder. Imâm Ahmad turned to his son, "Don't reply to what he says and don't speak to him."
Imâm Ahmad took his sandals - al-Khuttalî swearing from behind his back - and told his son, "Tell the neighbors to not speak to him nor to reply him." Imâm Ahmad stepped away as Al-Khuttalî continued in the backround cursing and shouting profanity.
When the Khalifah al-Mu'tasim heard that Imâm Ahmad had not agreed with him and his court Muftîs on a specific issue, they brought him and questioned him in the courtyard of the Khalifah. They would debate with him and like a gladiator with a spear he would hit back with bigger and stronger arguments. The Muftîs would shout, "O Khalifah, he has done Kufr!" Until the Al-Mu'tasim was convinced and in came the executioners.
They stripped Imâm Ahmad and each of the strongest guards would take turns lashing Imâm Ahmad until he fell unconscious. Regardless of his state, they continued the lashing. The sun went down that day and Imâm Ahmad had not relented in his faith. That day he became an icon for all followers of Sunnah.
Qutaybah said, "If you ever see someone that loves Imâm Ahmad, know that they are a follower of the Sunnah."
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah narrated, "I visited Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal after he was whipped and tortured. I said to him, "O Abu Abdillâh, you have reached the station of the Prophets!" He said, "Keep quiet. Verily, I saw nothing more than people selling their Dîn. And I saw scholars that were with me sell their Faith.
So I said to myself, 'Who am I, what am I. What am I going to say to Allâh tomorrow when I stand in front of Him and He asks me, "Did you sell your Dîn like the others did?" So I looked at the whip and the sword and chose them.
And I said, "If I die I shall return to Allâh and say: 'I was told to say that one of Your Characteristics was something created but I did not.' After that, it will be up to Him - either to punish me or forgive me."
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah then asked, "Did you feel pain when they whipped you?" He said "Yes, I felt the pain up to 20 lashes then I lost all feeling (They whipped him over eighty times). After it was over I felt no pain and that day I prayed Dhuhr standing."
[In fact he prayed as the blood soiled his clothes.]
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah started weeping when he heard what had happened. Imâm Ahmad questioned him, "Why are you crying? I did not lose my Îman. After that why should I care if I lose my life."
Qul lan yuseebana illa maa kataballaahu lana, huwa Mowlaana, wa ala Allâhi falyatawakkalil mutawakkilun.
Before - when Imâm Ahmad was being led off to the Khalifah - people had tried to dissuade him from a most certain execution. His student: Al-Marrudhî had told him, "O teacher, Allâh says, Do not kill yourselves." Imâm Ahmad had replied, "O Marrudhî, go outside and tell me what you see." Al-Marrudhî went to the wall of the Khalifah's court and saw an ocean of students with their pens and scrolls in their hands.
Al-Marrudhî asked some of them, "What are you waiting here for?" They said, "We are waiting to see what Ahmad will say and then transcribe it." Al-Marrudhî went back to Imâm Ahmad and told him what he had seen.
"O Marrudhî," he said, "what shall I gain by misguiding all those people?"
Imâm Ahmad lived a life of poverty. When others eat lavishly remember there were days - as 'Abdur-Razzaq recalls - that Imâm Ahmad would make a mistake in Salâh. When 'Abdur-Razzaq inquired further he learnt that Imam Ahmad had not eaten for 3 days.
In this life of poverty, hardship and trials, Abdullâh asked his father one day, "Abi when will we ever relax?" His father, one of the greatest revivers of the Sunnah, a role model for all Muslims, looked him in the eye and said, "With the first step we take into Jannah."
Rahim Allâhu Al-Imam Ahmad.
By Muhammad al-Sharîf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In an interesting book, Wadaa' ar-Rasul li 'Ummatihi, Shaykh al-Qahtaani recalls the final words that Rasulallâh said on his deathbed.
After living a life of Jihâd, Dâ'wah, and Ibâdah, Rasulallâh, sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam, gathered the people around him on his deathbed and said, "I have left two things that you shall not go astray after them so long as you stick to them: the Book of Allâh and My Sunnah."
After Rasulallâh, sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam, moved onto ar-Rafîq al-'Alâ, the Ummah was tested with humans that tried to corrupt, discredit, or amputate the Sunnah from Islâm.
And from the depths of the Ummah's men and women, Allâh ta'ala - from His mercy to the Ummah of Muhammad - raised up warriors that would stand in the face of the most vicious of the enemies of the Sunnah.
From those people that Allâh ta'ala raised was a young boy named Ahmad. Ahmad lived in Baghdad over a thousand years ago. On those cold wintery nights, his mother - the blessed Mu'minah that she was - would wake long before Fajr to warm the water for her son. Then - again long before Fajr - she would wake him to make Wudhû, then she would wrap him in shawls and off through the molten dark alleys of Baghdad they would carefully make their way to the Masjid.
There was no male to escort him (he was an orphan), so Ahmad's mother would take him that early so that he could get a good seat in the hadîth halaqah after Fajr. Then she would wait for him long after the sun rose to safely escort him back home. Her son grew up to be one of these warrior defenders of the Sunnah, one of the four Imâms of this Dîn, Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
In his collection, al-Musnad alone, he narrated from over 280 teachers.
He grew up under the shade of the Sunnah and he lived the Sunnah. It was reported that he said, "I've never written a hadith that I did not try to implement."
And he raised his children like this too. When you see other fathers throwing a baseball with their young Muslims that Allâh entrusted them with, remember this example:
Abdullâh, Imâm Ahmad's son, taught his students that when he was young his father would play with him, "Take any chapter you wish from the Musannaf of Wakî'. Ask me any hadîth and I'll tell you the chain of narrators, or tell me any chain of narrators and I'll tell you the hadith!"
He was challenged in his Deen like few other humans have been challenged. His name remains engraved in our admiration till today - across hundreds of years, across thousands of miles, across thousands of nations - because of his love for the Sunnah and his stand against those that would seek to corrupt it.
Reading through his life, I came across an event that brought back sad memories. How do you feel when your father is swore at in public. Imâm Ahmad once prayed 'Asr and he sat with his son in the Masjid alone with another man by the name of Muhammad ibn Sa'îd Al-Khuttalî. Al-Khuttalî then remarked, "Did you (O Ahmad) tell the people to boycott Zayd ibn Khalaf?" Imam Ahmâd replied, "I received a letter from his people asking about his affair, so I replied explaining his Madhhab and what he has innovated (in the Sunnah) and commanded that they not sit with him.." Al-Khuttalî exploded in Imâm Ahmad's face, red with anger, "I'm going to make sure you go back to prison. I'm going to have them crush your ribs." The vulgarity grew louder and louder. Imâm Ahmad turned to his son, "Don't reply to what he says and don't speak to him."
Imâm Ahmad took his sandals - al-Khuttalî swearing from behind his back - and told his son, "Tell the neighbors to not speak to him nor to reply him." Imâm Ahmad stepped away as Al-Khuttalî continued in the backround cursing and shouting profanity.
When the Khalifah al-Mu'tasim heard that Imâm Ahmad had not agreed with him and his court Muftîs on a specific issue, they brought him and questioned him in the courtyard of the Khalifah. They would debate with him and like a gladiator with a spear he would hit back with bigger and stronger arguments. The Muftîs would shout, "O Khalifah, he has done Kufr!" Until the Al-Mu'tasim was convinced and in came the executioners.
They stripped Imâm Ahmad and each of the strongest guards would take turns lashing Imâm Ahmad until he fell unconscious. Regardless of his state, they continued the lashing. The sun went down that day and Imâm Ahmad had not relented in his faith. That day he became an icon for all followers of Sunnah.
Qutaybah said, "If you ever see someone that loves Imâm Ahmad, know that they are a follower of the Sunnah."
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah narrated, "I visited Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal after he was whipped and tortured. I said to him, "O Abu Abdillâh, you have reached the station of the Prophets!" He said, "Keep quiet. Verily, I saw nothing more than people selling their Dîn. And I saw scholars that were with me sell their Faith.
So I said to myself, 'Who am I, what am I. What am I going to say to Allâh tomorrow when I stand in front of Him and He asks me, "Did you sell your Dîn like the others did?" So I looked at the whip and the sword and chose them.
And I said, "If I die I shall return to Allâh and say: 'I was told to say that one of Your Characteristics was something created but I did not.' After that, it will be up to Him - either to punish me or forgive me."
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah then asked, "Did you feel pain when they whipped you?" He said "Yes, I felt the pain up to 20 lashes then I lost all feeling (They whipped him over eighty times). After it was over I felt no pain and that day I prayed Dhuhr standing."
[In fact he prayed as the blood soiled his clothes.]
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah started weeping when he heard what had happened. Imâm Ahmad questioned him, "Why are you crying? I did not lose my Îman. After that why should I care if I lose my life."
Qul lan yuseebana illa maa kataballaahu lana, huwa Mowlaana, wa ala Allâhi falyatawakkalil mutawakkilun.
Before - when Imâm Ahmad was being led off to the Khalifah - people had tried to dissuade him from a most certain execution. His student: Al-Marrudhî had told him, "O teacher, Allâh says, Do not kill yourselves." Imâm Ahmad had replied, "O Marrudhî, go outside and tell me what you see." Al-Marrudhî went to the wall of the Khalifah's court and saw an ocean of students with their pens and scrolls in their hands.
Al-Marrudhî asked some of them, "What are you waiting here for?" They said, "We are waiting to see what Ahmad will say and then transcribe it." Al-Marrudhî went back to Imâm Ahmad and told him what he had seen.
"O Marrudhî," he said, "what shall I gain by misguiding all those people?"
Imâm Ahmad lived a life of poverty. When others eat lavishly remember there were days - as 'Abdur-Razzaq recalls - that Imâm Ahmad would make a mistake in Salâh. When 'Abdur-Razzaq inquired further he learnt that Imam Ahmad had not eaten for 3 days.
In this life of poverty, hardship and trials, Abdullâh asked his father one day, "Abi when will we ever relax?" His father, one of the greatest revivers of the Sunnah, a role model for all Muslims, looked him in the eye and said, "With the first step we take into Jannah."
Rahim Allâhu Al-Imam Ahmad.
Monday, 27 December 2010
So you must be patient over this in obedience to al-Rahman and for the sake of this Deen.'
Glimpses from the Great Trial (Mihna)
The son of Imam Ahmad said:
'I used to hear my father frequently say, 'May Allah have mercy on Abu Haytham. May Allah forgive Abu Haytham. May Allah pardon Abu Haytham.'
So I said, 'O father, who is Abu Haytham?'
He said, 'When I was taken out to be whipped and my hands had extended forth to the punishers, a young man began tugging on my garment behind me.
He said, 'Do you know me?'
I said, 'No.'
He said, 'I am Abu Haytham the scoundrel, the thief and rascal. It is written in the records of the Amir al-Mu'minin that I was whipped 18,000 times in set-portions, and I was patient over that in obedience to the Shaytan and for the sake of the Dunya. So you must be patient over this in obedience to al-Rahman and for the sake of this Deen.'
Sifat al-Safwah, by Ibn al-Jawzi
The son of Imam Ahmad said:
'I used to hear my father frequently say, 'May Allah have mercy on Abu Haytham. May Allah forgive Abu Haytham. May Allah pardon Abu Haytham.'
So I said, 'O father, who is Abu Haytham?'
He said, 'When I was taken out to be whipped and my hands had extended forth to the punishers, a young man began tugging on my garment behind me.
He said, 'Do you know me?'
I said, 'No.'
He said, 'I am Abu Haytham the scoundrel, the thief and rascal. It is written in the records of the Amir al-Mu'minin that I was whipped 18,000 times in set-portions, and I was patient over that in obedience to the Shaytan and for the sake of the Dunya. So you must be patient over this in obedience to al-Rahman and for the sake of this Deen.'
Sifat al-Safwah, by Ibn al-Jawzi
No matter how bad we think we are, we can always become better.
Here is the story of how the Tabi’ee Zaadhaan repented. He narrates:
I was a boy with a nice voice and I was good at playing drums. I was once with a friend and we had nabeedh (a date infusion drink that can turn alcoholic) and I was singing for my friends. Ibn Mas’ud was passing by and entered upon us; he struck the drink container we had and broke the drum. Then he said, “O boy! If your nice voice was to be heard reciting Qur`aan instead you would be the man!” And then he went on his way. I asked my friends, “Who was that?” They told me it was Ibn Mas’ud. At that point tawbah was cast into my soul, and so I ran after him crying, I grabbed his garment and he turned to me and embraced me and cried. He said, “Welcome to him who Allah loves. Sit down.” He then went inside and brought out some dates for me.
Thereafter, Zaadhaan became pious; Al-Dhahabi also reports that he was seen praying and it was as if he was a piece of wood or a tree in his stillness and humility in prayer.
He died in 82H, Allah have mercy on him.
Al-Dhahabi said about Zaadhaan:
He was one of the major scholars, he was born during the life of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him…he was a reliable and truthful reporter…he reported numerous ahadith. The following are some of the Companions he reported from:
‘Umar
‘Ali
Salmaan (Al-Faarsi)
Ibn Mas’ud
‘Aa`ishah
Hudhayfah
Jareer Al-Bajali
Ibn ‘Umar
Al-Baraa` b. ‘Aazib
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’laam Al-Nubalaa`, in his biography of Zaadhaan.
I was a boy with a nice voice and I was good at playing drums. I was once with a friend and we had nabeedh (a date infusion drink that can turn alcoholic) and I was singing for my friends. Ibn Mas’ud was passing by and entered upon us; he struck the drink container we had and broke the drum. Then he said, “O boy! If your nice voice was to be heard reciting Qur`aan instead you would be the man!” And then he went on his way. I asked my friends, “Who was that?” They told me it was Ibn Mas’ud. At that point tawbah was cast into my soul, and so I ran after him crying, I grabbed his garment and he turned to me and embraced me and cried. He said, “Welcome to him who Allah loves. Sit down.” He then went inside and brought out some dates for me.
Thereafter, Zaadhaan became pious; Al-Dhahabi also reports that he was seen praying and it was as if he was a piece of wood or a tree in his stillness and humility in prayer.
He died in 82H, Allah have mercy on him.
Al-Dhahabi said about Zaadhaan:
He was one of the major scholars, he was born during the life of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him…he was a reliable and truthful reporter…he reported numerous ahadith. The following are some of the Companions he reported from:
‘Umar
‘Ali
Salmaan (Al-Faarsi)
Ibn Mas’ud
‘Aa`ishah
Hudhayfah
Jareer Al-Bajali
Ibn ‘Umar
Al-Baraa` b. ‘Aazib
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’laam Al-Nubalaa`, in his biography of Zaadhaan.
Friday, 14 May 2010
While Imaam Ahmed ibn Hanbal was in prison..
While Imaam Ahmed ibn Hanbal was in prison.. Bismillah Hir Rahmaan Nir Raheem Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu While Imaam Ahmed ibn Hanbal was in prison... In al-Siyar (11/238), al-Dhahabi reports from Abu Ja'far al-Anbaari: When Ahmad was taken to al-Ma'moon, I was told about it, so I crossed the Euphrates and found him sitting in an inn, where I greeted him. He said, "O Abu Ja'far, why did you go to the trouble (of coming here)" I said, "Listen to me, today you are the leader and the people are following you. By Allaah, if you accept that the Qur'aan is created, a lot of people will go along with that, but if you do not, then neither will they. Even if this man (al-Ma'moon) does not kill you, you will still die, because death is inevitable, so fear Allaah, and do not go along with (al-Ma'moon).? Ahmad began to weep and said, "Ma sha Allaah" Then he said, "O Abu Ja'far, say it again,' so I said it again, and he kept saying, "Ma sha Allaah." With regard to his being taken to al-Ma'moon, Imaam Ahmad said: "We reached al-Rahbah at midnight, and a man came to us and said, "Which of you is Ahmad ibn Hanbal" He was told, "This man." He said to the camel-driver, 'Slow down.' Then he said, "Listen to me, why should you worry if you get killed here and go to Paradise" Then he said, "May Allaah be with you," and left. I asked about him and I was told, "He is an Arab from the tribe of Rabee'ah who deals with wool in the desert. He is called Jaabir ibn 'Aamir, and they say good things about him." (Siyar A'laam al-Nubala', 11/241). In al-Bidaayah wa'l-Nihaayah, it says that a Bedouin said to Imaam Ahmad: "Listen to me, you are a representative of the people, so do not be bad news for them. You are the leader of the people today, so beware of doing what they are asking you to do, lest you bear their sins on the Day of Resurrection. If you love Allaah, then bear this with patience, for the only thing standing between you and Paradise is your being killed." Imaam Ahmad said: "His words strengthened my resolve not to do what they were asking me to do." (Al-Bidaayah wa'l-Nihaayah, 1/332). It was reported that Imaam Ahmad said: "I never heard any stronger words at that time than what a Bedouin said to me at Rahbat Tawq, a village between al- Raqqah and Baghdaad on the banks of the Euphrates. He said, "O Ahmad, if they kill you for the truth, you will be a shaheed (martyr), and if you live, you will be praised." And so my heart grew strong." (Siyar A'laam al-Nubala', 11/241). Imaam Ahmad said of the young man Muhammad ibn Nooh, who accompanied him at that time of trial: "Even though he was so young, he had such great knowledge, and I never saw anyone who adhered more firmly to the command of Allaah than Muhammad ibn Nooh, and I hope that his end was good. He said to me one day, "O Abu 'Abd-Allaah, you are not like me. You are a man whom people follow, and they are straining their necks to see what you will do, so fear Allaah and adhere to His commands.? Then he died, and I prayed the janaazah (funeral) prayer for him and buried him." (Siyar A'laam al-Nubala', 11/242) Even his fellow-prisoners, whom Imaam Ahmad used to lead in prayer in chains, had a role to play in helping him to stand firm. One day when he was in prison, Imaam Ahmad said, "I don't care about being in prison ? it is no different from my home ? or about being killed by the sword, but I am afraid of the trial of being whipped.? One of the other prisoners heard him and said, "Don't worry, O Abu 'Abd-Allaah, it is only two lashes of the whip, then you don't feel where the rest fall." It was as if this reassured him and calmed him down. (Siyar A?laam al-Nubala?, 11/240) Al-Ma'mun adopted this belief, and came to torture Ahmad bin Hambal, so that he would do the same. al-Ma'mun died, al-Mu'tasim continued in torturing him, and he took a stand for Allah - the Mighty and Exalted - in which he honored this religion. Eighteen years, and three rulers who tortured him so that he would accept and endorse the belief of the Qur'an being created, but, he refused. Then came al-Wathiq, who reversed all that had happened in terms of the affair of the creation of the Qur'an. He wanted to honor Ahmad bin Hambal publicly, but, Imam Ahmad refused. So, he sent for his sons and showered them with gifts, which they accepted. When Ahmad bin Hambal learned that his sons had accepted the gifts of al-Wathiq, he built a wall between his home and theirs, boycotting them. One day, Ahmad bin Hambal became sick. So, his doctor instructed him to roast a ear of corn in the oven and eat it. So, he bought the corn, and asked that it be roasted. So, it was taken to the oven of his uncle, Salih. When it was brought back to Ahmad, he asked: "Where did you roast it?" They said: "In the oven of your uncle, Salih." He said: "I will not even taste it, as his wealth has been mixed with the gifts of the ruler." As a result, it got to the point that even the jinn would fear him! A crazed girl was brought to al-Wathiq, so, he said: "Send her to Ahmad bin Hambal." When she was brought to Ahmad, they asked him: "Please cure this crazed girl for us!" So, he began to speak to the jinni that had possessed this girl, saying: "Get out of this girl! Get out of this girl!" But, it didn't come out. He continued, saying: "Get out, or I'll - and Ahmad began to threaten the jinni - " and the jinni came out, saying: "O Ahmad! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you!" The jinni waited until Ahmad bin Hambal eventually died, and it returned to possess the girl once again. So, they brought the girl to a shaykh - who, as it was said, is more like us than Ahmad bin Hambal - and he began to speak to the jinni, saying: "Get out, or I'll..." Suddenly, the jinni began to laugh, saying: "Ahmad bin Hambal has died; Ahmad bin Hambal has died..."" "Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you." ['Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 195-196]
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Allah will not Change the Condition of a People until They Change Themselves
Allah will not Change the Condition of a People until They Change ThemselvesQuite often the servant of Allah is granted abundant blessings but he becomes bored and longs to change it for another which he claims is better. In fact, Allah, the Merciful does not deprive him of this blessing, and He excuses him for his ignorance and bad choice until the servant is unable to bear the blessing, feels discontent, and complains about it. Then Allah will take it away from him. When he gets what he wished for and sees the great difference between what he had before and what he has now, he is filled with worry and regret and he wishes to have what he had before. If Allah wishes good for His servant, He would make him see that whatever blessings he now has is from Allah and He will show him that Allah is pleased with him, and the servant would praise Him. If he is deceived by his soul to change this blessing, he would ask Allah for guidance.There is nothing more harmful to the servant than becoming bored from the blessings of Allah; as he neither sees them as a blessing, praises Allah for them, nor is happy with them but he becomes bored, complains, and considers them as a means of distress. He does not think that these things are from the greatest blessings of Allah. The majority of people are opposed to the blessings of Allah. They do not feel the blessings of Allah, and moreover, they exert their effort to drive them away because of their ignorance and injustice. How often is a blessing bestowed on a person while he is exerting his effort to drive it away and how often does he actually receive it while he is pushing it away, simply because of his ignorance and injustice. Allah says, "That is so because Allah will never change agrace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves." (Al-Antal, 8:53) And He, the Almighty says,"Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah)." (Ar-Ra'd, 13:11)What can be worse than the enmity of a servant toward the blessings he has received? In so doing, he supports his enemy against himself. His enemy arouses fire in his blessings and he increases the fire unawares. He enables his enemy to light the fire and then he helps his own enemy to blow on it until itbecomes strong. Finally, he seeks help against the fire and blames fate
ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
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