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Tag: hadith

  • Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom

    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi

    Abū Hurairah (R) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Verily Allah the Exalted is pure. He does not accept but that which is pure. Allah commands the believers with what He commanded the Messengers. Allah (SWT) has said: ‘O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and act righteously’ [23:51-53]. And Allah (SWT) also said: ‘O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided you with’ [2:167-172]. Then he (the Prophet) mentioned the man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who stretches out his hands to the sky (saying): ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ whilst his food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful, his clothing was unlawful, and he is nourished with unlawful things, so how can he be answered?” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim).

    Introduction
    The word ṭayyib is used in the Qurʹān and Sunnah to describe actions, good deeds, people, things, and speech. This term is used linguistically to mean something which is good. Ibn Rajab interprets the word ṭayyib as “ṭāhir” or pure.

    Lessons

    A. Purity of Actions

    The first phrase which this ḥadīth starts with is “Verily Allah the Exalted is pure.” This means that Allah (SWT) has all the attributes and characteristics which are completely pure and complete without any defect, weakness, or need. As for the phrase “He does not accept but that which is pure,” this means that Allah does not accept deeds which are not performed for His sake. This is even if the deeds on the exterior appear to be performed for His sake only, but in actuality contain defects in niyyah and sincerity. Such described actions may arise if the deeds are done for the purpose of showing off to others, or for some worldly gain. Similarly, such actions may not be acceptable if they originate from sources which are impure. And that is the focus of this ḥadīth. For example, donations to Islāmic causes in the form of money but from ḥarām sources will not be accepted by Allah (SWT).

    B. Eat of the Ṭayyibāt

    In Sūrah Muʹminūn, Allah (SWT) commanded the Muʹminūn in the same manner as He commanded the Messengers: “O Messengers! Eat of the ṭayyibāt” (23: 51). In Sūrah Baqarah, Allah says: “O you who believe! Eat of the ṭayyibāt that We have provided you with…” (2:172). These āyāt, as mentioned in the above ḥadīth, imply beneficial and useful rulings. The criteria for acceptance of our deeds by Allah (SWT) are the following:

    1) The money that one earns needs to be pure and legal
    2) The food that is consumed must be ḥalāl and permissible
    3) The money one buys food with must be lawful, coming from lawful sources

    The question of something being permissible or prohibited is decided by the decree of Allah (SWT). It is Allah the Most Merciful who explains, guides, and tells us whether something is ḥalāl or otherwise. As described in the Noble Qurʹān, situations have occurred in the past whereby people have declared something to be ḥarām when Allah has described it to be otherwise. Sūrah Yūnus states: “Say, ‘Have you seen what Allah has sent down to you of provision of which you have made [some] lawful and [some] unlawful?’ Say, ‘Has Allah permitted you, or do you invent [something] about Allah?’” (10:59). It is only Allah’s right to declare something lawful or otherwise. No one else has the right to make such a declaration.

    C. Ādāb of Making Duʼāʹ

    Earning and consuming in a ḥalāl manner is an important prerequisite for the acceptance of our duʼāʹ by Allah (SWT). The period when one is travelling is one of the situations when duʼāʹ is more likely to be accepted by Allah (SWT). Other situations when duʼāʹ is more likely to be accepted mentioned in other aḥādīth are the following:
    1) When one is sick
    2) During prostration towards Allah
    3) During rain
    4) During the last third of every night.

    Such opportunities should not be disregarded since these are the times when our duʼāʹ is being accepted by Allah (SWT).
    The ādāb or manners of duʼāʹ are mentioned in this ḥadīth. It is important to realize that duʼāʹ itself has its own etiquettes and ādāb. Failure of observing these ādāb may result in Allah (SWT) not responding to our duʼāʹ. The making of duʼāʹ must be done in a humble manner as opposed to doing it with any pride or arrogance. Our hands should be raised during the making of such duʼāʹ. Furthermore, it should be done in full eagerness. This may be done by calling upon Allah (SWT) by the repeating the phrase “yā Rabb, yā Rabb, yā Rabb” which means “O Lord , O Lord, O Lord.” It should be noted that duʼāʹ is a high form of ʼibādah and shows our reliance and dependence on Allah (SWT). Thus, it must be practiced by the Muslims with full eagerness and enthusiasm. We are forever in need of Allah’s assistance, guidance, and mercy regardless of time and day, and in every movement that we make. Furthermore, we are in need of His mercy more than our need for the air that we breathe.

    Hence, if we want Allah to respond to our duʼāʹ, we must eat that which is pure and ḥalāl. Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth is the importance of supporting oneself through permissible means. One should live within one’s means, which will be blessed by Allah (SWT) if earned lawfully.

    D. Ghulūl and the Trust of Public and Private Property

    Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth by scholars is with regard to the trust of public or private utilities. This is similar to the property of another person or entity. This is related to ghulūl, which generally means stealing booty, zakāh funds, or the Muslim treasury, etc. It is important to note that ghulūl also occurs when unlawfully taking something from the property of a company, organization, or institution. Any property taken wrongfully from these tangible resources is considered ghulūl. This is an important issue because ghulūl is a major sin. Today, many Muslims unfortunately take this issue of ghulūl lightly. Examples include taking stationery from office, personal use of company photocopy machine, phone, funds, or other materials without getting the permission from the owner. Furthermore, we are also responsible for damage or vandalization of property, be it private or public.

    Thus, ghulūl is essentially a kind of theft, something that is illegal. In fact, if one commits ghulūl, it is not expiated even if a person performs jihād in the way of Allah (SWT), until one pays it back. This is related in a ḥadīth about a martyr who took a piece of cloth from the booty of war as narrated by Abū Hurairah (R):

    “When we conquered Khaybar, we gained neither gold nor silver as booty, but we gained goods, food, and clothes. Then we departed with Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) to the valley of “Al-Qirā” and at that time Allah’s apostle had a slave of his called Rifāʼah ibn Yazīd who had been presented to him by a man who had leprosy. While the slave was dismounting the saddle of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh), an arrow came and hit him. The people said, ‘Congratulations to him on his martyrdom.’ Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said: ‘No, by him in whose hand is my soul, he had a sheet (of cloth) which he had taken (illegally) on the day of Khaybar from the booty before its distribution and has become a flame of fire burning him’” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī).

    The ideal way in which we should be cautious regarding private/public utilities comes from the example of ʼUmar ibn ʼAbdul ʼAzīz (R), the fifth rightly guided khalīfah. While performing his public duty, he would light up a candle that was bought with money from bait al-māl, the entrusted Muslim treasury. He bought a second candle from his own money that he used for his personal affairs. Hence, whenever he finished acting in his public office, he would stop using the candle of the bait-al-māl and use his personal candle. Such notable actions and etiquettes should be emulated in the case of the stationery and items from our offices. These should only be used when performing duties which are within the scope of our employment. Furthermore, we should also ensure that we switch off the lights and other public utilities. Such practices will make us better Muslims and ensure that our duʼāʹ will be answered by Allah (SWT). Awareness must be raised among Muslims to be more responsible and not indulge in that which is ghulūl such as unlawful usage of utilities entrusted to us by others.

    E. Consuming Pure Food

    Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth relates to being careful about the food that we consume. We need to be aware of the ingredients of the food that we eat, whether from a restaurant or from packed or canned foods that we find in a grocery store. Extra caution needs to be emphasized especially if food is imported. We need to ensure that they are from lawful sources. Another issue is with food that can create problems to our health. We need to be aware of the various types of foods that can be detrimental to our health along with ensuring that they are “pure.” Schools and universities need to introduce health education so that the public can gain knowledge on food that is healthy. Muslims need to be knowledgeable about the preservatives, coloring, and chemicals used in foods. Foods which contain harmful contents are not ṭayyib.
    In addition to the effects of food on our health, we see from this ḥadīth that it also has spiritual repercussions. Scholars mention that the food we consume affects our behavior and way of thinking. Furthermore, we should also eat in the proper manner as per the Sunnah, and not overindulge or eat excessively. The Prophet says (pbuh): “The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Ādam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and a third for his breath” (Jāmiʼ al-Tirmidhī).

    F. Accepted Ṣadaqah

    Another ruling from this ḥadīth is that ṣadaqah is only accepted by Allah (SWT) if it comes from lawful sources. This is based on the statement “Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure.” Wealth that is obtained from unlawful sources cannot be given as ṣadaqah or be used in performing any form of worship. An example of this is when a person uses unlawful money to perform ḥajj. In this context, Ibn ʼAbbās (R) had stated: “Filth does not expiate filth.”
    According to the scholars, if someone stole money, then it must be returned and not be given away as ṣadaqah. This is particularly applicable in the case of a person wanting to do tawbah after committing theft. The person must return the money to the rightful owner. However, there may be cases when this is not possible, such as when the owner is not known or cannot be found. In this case, some scholars are of the opinion that the money equivalent to the stolen money can be given as ṣadaqah on the owner’s behalf or be used for public benefit such as making roads, schools, etc.

    Conclusion

    The main point from this ḥadīth is that we need to consume food which is ṭayyib and in the right manner as prescribed by Islām. The status of ṭayyib is attained when we ensure that we are earning, eating, and drinking from the ṭayyibāt in addition to giving ṣadaqah from it. This will then allow our actions to be ṭayyib as well, and be among those who are ṭayyibūn, pure and blessed by Allah (SWT). Doing this will inshā Allah lead us to become better Muslims with a better īmān and a purer heart devoted to Allah (SWT). Then everything that we do can be described as ṭayyib.

  • Purifying Your Intentions

    Purifying Your Intentions

    All praises are for Allah, The Almighty, and may His peace and blessing be upon His true servant and final Messenger Muhammad, on his Companions, and on his household.

    This topic, “purifying your intentions,” is a basic one and much talked about, as it permeates our everyday lives and all of our acts of ibaadah (worship). As such, it is never too much to be reminded of purifying the intentions. After all, it is the level of purity of intention that gives weight to a deed and which, in turn, will make the “scales” heavy on the Day of Judgment so that the deed gets the fullest reward. The opposite is also true. If the sincerity is light, so will be the deeds, the scales, and the reward.

    Deen Is Sincerity

    First and foremost, the entire deen (religion) is built upon sincerity and purification of intention. Deen is not how good one looks or how one performs. Indeed, everyone should strive for excellence in whatever has to be done, as Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) said: “Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence in everything…” (Muslim). But this excellence must come with pure intention.

    In another hadith narrated by Tameem Ad-Daari (RA), Rasoolullah (pbuh) said: “Religion is sincerity. We asked to whom and the Prophet (pbuh) said ‘To Allah, His book, and to his Messenger, and to the Muslims, and to the common folk of the Muslims” (Muslim). Here the words used are “ad-deenu naseehah,” roughly translated as “religion is sincerity.” Rasoolullah (pbuh) tells us that there are five aspects to this, the first of which is sincerity to Allah SWT.

    Sincerity to Allah SWT means there are certain requirements, and to assess our fulfilling of these requirements, we should try to answer some self-examining questions when getting ready to take action for Allah SWT. Here are examples of such questions:
    • Is the action done sincerely for Allah SWT alone?
    • Is the action done for the pleasure of Allah SWT alone?
    • Is the action done for the sake of Allah in the best possible way?
    • Is the action done, even partially, to be seen or talked about by others?

    Remember, one should not give that which is flawed or left over for Allah SWT’s sake. Such actions Allah SWT describes in Suratul Baqarah: “O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth. And do not aim at getting anything which is bad, in order that out of it you may give away something, while you would not take it [yourself] except with closed eyes. And know that Allah is free of need and Praiseworthy” (2:267).

    Ali (RA) said, “Do not be concerned with the smallness of a deed; rather be concerned with the acceptance of that deed.” Obviously, acceptance means that it is done purely and sincerely for Allah SWT. Imam Aḥmad bin Hanbal said, “Before you do anything, check your intention. Ask yourself before performing an action, ‘Is this for the sake of Allah SWT?’”

    Actions Are by Intentions

    Every book of hadith or fiqh begins with this hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu’minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (RA), who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), say, ’Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended. Whoever migrates with an intention for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And whoever migrates for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for’” (related by Bukhari and Muslim).

    We can understand from this hadith that while the outward action may seem fair and good, like migrating in order to marry a woman, if that action is not subsumed by the more important intention of migrating for the sake of Allah SWT, then that action will be only for the sake of the outward intention (i.e., marrying a woman). The deeper one goes in examining his intentions, the more he might find that while he thinks he is doing something for the sake of Allah SWT, his more outward pursuit of some tangible benefit is holding sway.
    Also, the outward action has the same stress and tiredness of the migration. Imagine two people migrating to get married. Both persons have to climb the mountains and cross the desert. Both might be in the same caravan, but one walks for Allah SWT’s sake alone and so he seeks to marry to fulfill his religion and please Allah, and the other to get married to a woman solely for his own personal, human reasons. These two migrations do not have the same value and do not get the same reward.

    How about a Masjid full of worshippers? All the worshippers stand, bow, prostrate, and sit. All the worshippers stand in line, but how sincere the intention of each man or woman will determine the level of the reward. Rasoolullah (pbuh) said, “A person may offer a prayer and nothing of it is recorded for him except one tenth of it, one ninth of it, one eighth of it, one seventh of it, one sixth of it, one fifth of it, one quarter of it, one third of it, or half of it” (this hadith is classed as hasan). This should not be a reason to be despondent, rather a reason to examine the intention when doing acts of worship.

    Purifying the Intention Is a Part of Aqeedah (Matters of Belief and Faith)

    Allah SWT says in the Qur’an, “…whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord” (18:110). In this verse, Allah SWT directs mankind to prepare for meeting Him by fulfilling two conditions:
    1. Working righteousness: a deed must be saalih (righteous) by following the guidance of Rasoolullah (pbuh) and be within the framework of deen.
    2. Worshipping the Lord: there should be no shirk or association of any partner with Allah SWT.

    With regard to both, working righteousness and worshipping the Lord, the focus must be on doing any act of good or any act of worship correctly in the outward sense and, at the same time, on being sincere to the core. Rasoolullah (pbuh) sent a man to redo his salaah because he did not perform it properly, and that is the outward aspect of acts of worship. But more importantly, the inner aspect, the intention and the degree of sincerity, can a reason for the deed to be accepted or rejected. The inner self is such that no one can see it except Allah SWT. Oftentimes, the individual can be blinded by the lower nafs and fail to see what obstructs his deed from being accepted.

    Struggling to Achieve Sincerity — Beware of the Ego

    The battle to purify the intentions should not be taken lightly. It is a big struggle. Ikhlaas (sincerity) means that nothing should come between you and Allah SWT in your actions. The struggle is to strive to make one’s emotions, speech, and actions free from all impurities. To achieve ikhlaas, one has to battle one’s own ego as well as the whispers of Shaitaan.
    Sahl bin Abdullah (died 896 CE, Basra, Iraq) said, “There is nothing tougher upon the soul than ikhlaas. How many times have I tried to extinguish riyaa (showing off) from my heart and it is as if it has appeared in a different color!”

    One of the challenges of doing good deeds is to maintain sincerity for Allah SWT alone, throughout that deed. So, before the action, there is the niyah (intention); during the action there is the necessity of ittiba’ (adhering to the teachings of Qur’an and following the guidance of Rasoolullah (pbuh); and after the action there is shukr (thanking Allah SWT for His guidance, for being able to complete the act, and for not boasting about it).

    Some of the root causes of insincerity are 1) being overly concerned about others’ perceptions and the desire to make oneself appear good in the eyes of others. This is a heart that loves praise and hates criticism. It seeks being glorified by others; 2) yearning to obtain what which is possessed by other people.

    Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated the following:
    “I heard The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: ‘The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought, and Allah will make known to him His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied. You did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so, it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hellfire.

    ‘[Another] will be a man who studied [religious] knowledge and taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought, and Allah will make known to him His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so, it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hellfire.

    ‘[Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought, and Allah will make known to him His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so, it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hellfire’” (related by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasa’i).

    The three men represent, respectively, those who look like they are willing to give of their lives, those who look like they are willing to give their time to become learned, and those who look like they spend of their wealth. All three thought they were taking action for the sake of Allah SWT. But they deceived themselves, falling victim to insincerity. The three represent people who allow their lower nafs/ego to dominate them, even when they think they are acting with sincerity and pure intention.
    Train the Soul Not to Crave Praise or Admiration:
    • Develop firm knowledge and conviction that there is no individual who can confer benefit upon you, and that the only true honor comes from Allah SWT being pleased with you.
    • Likewise, there is no individual who can inflict damage upon or disgrace you except Allah SWT.

    Train the Soul Not to Crave What People Possess:
    • Develop firm knowledge and conviction that Allah SWT alone possesses the treasures that are supreme and everlasting. What people possess is only temporary.
    • Likewise, know with conviction that no earthly pleasure or material possession can compare with the treasures that Allah SWT alone can bestow upon a person.

    These reminders are necessary as they help when the servant stands in front of the Creator on the Day of Judgment to answer for one after the other of his or her deeds. So, remember when we perform our good deeds, let us be cognizant that the intention needs to be purified. May Allah SWT facilitate for us the purifying of our intentions and the capacity to maintain sincerity in all that we do!

  • Hadith7 — Nasihah

    Hadith7 — Nasihah

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi. Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    —-

    On the authority of Tamīm Al-Dārī (RA) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:”Religion is nasihah.” We said: “To whom?” The Prophet (pbuh) said: “To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk”(Related by Muslim).

    Introduction
    There is no exact English translation for the word “nasihah” as it covers a broad concept. Some use the term “sincerity”, but this is only part of the meaning. According to Ibn Salah (RA), nasihah is “truly seeking the best, in terms of intention and action, for the one whom he is making nasihah to.” This hadith is a profound statement. Al-Sheikh JamālZarabozo says that this brief statement of the Prophet (pbuh) describes the essence of Islām. This is because it encompasses Islām, īmān and ihsan altogether.

    Lessons
    A. Nasihah to Allah

    Nasihah should first be towards Allah (SWT). This includes fulfilling the obligations with ihsan in the best possible manner. This should be the main purpose of this life for every Muslim. This includes striving to get as close as possible to Allah (SWT) by doing not only that which is obligatory but also that which is preferable. On the other hand, one should refrain from doing that which is forbidden and avoiding that which is disliked.
    Nasihah to Allah (SWT) encompasses the following:
    • Believing in Allah (SWT) and disassociating any partners with Him.
    • Believing in His names and attributes.
    • Obeying and fulfilling His commandments.
    • Abstaining from that which He has forbidden.
    • Remembering Him under all situation and circumstances.
    • Loving that which He loves and hating that which He hates.
    • Recognizing the blessings that He (SWT) has bestowed upon us and properly thanking Him for these blessings.

    One who wishes to do nasihah towards Allah (SWT) needs to have the correct intention. This is the case even if the individual may not be able to perform an obligation (due to an illness or lack of means). By having the correct niyyah, his responsibility towards Allah (SWT) is fulfilled. Thus, ikhlas is another important aspect of this great concept. One should always be honest and practice ikhlas in whatever is done. In fact, ikhlas should be the first thing that a Muslim should aim for when doing nasihah to Allah (SWT).

    The actions of the heart and limbs also fall under nasihah to Allah (SWT). Actions of the heart include hope in the mercy of Allah, to trust Him, to fear Him, and to seek refuge in Him. As for the actions of the limbs, they include salah, zakāh, fasting, speaking the truth, etc.

    B. Nasihah to His Book

    After having nasihah to Allah, we need to have nasihah to His Book, the Quran. This encompasses the following:
    • Believing that the Quran is the Word of Allah (SWT), and that it is not similar to the word of any human.
    • To read, recite and practice the Quran as per one’s ability.
    • To study its admonitions, lessons, and parables.
    • Calling others to have faith in the Quran.
    • To defend and protect the Quran from any kind of distortion or misinterpretation.
    • To defend the Quran against any false claims which are made against it.
    • To respect and treat the Quran in a proper manner
    o For example, we should not throw away a piece of paper which has an āyah printed on it out of respect. This includes that present on magazines, newspapers, etc. This āyahof Allah (SWT) may be stepped upon or get filth on it. If we were to see such a piece of paper on the ground, we should pick it up and safeguard it or destroy it by burning or shredding.

    C. Nasihah to His Messenger (pbuh)

    After the Quran, then we need to have nasihah to the Messenger of Allah. This includes the following:
    • Believing in the message revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) and believing all that was revealed to him (pbuh) was divinely inspired.
    • Accepting him (pbuh) as the true leader of the ummah with regard to matters of the religion, his words are an authority in itself while everyone else’s statements and opinions come only after his.
    • Accepting his Sunnah as the scale by which we judge a particular matter or issue.
    • Loving him (pbuh) more than the love that we have towards ourselves and our family. It is the second level of love after the love of Allah (SWT). Our love for him (pbuh) should lead us to fulfilling our obligations and obeying him.
    • Saying “sallallahu alayhi wassallam” whenever his name is mentioned.
    • Loving those who love him (pbuh) and hating those who hate him.
    • Reviving his Sunnah by learning, understanding, teaching and spreading it.

    D. Removing Bidah by Reviving the Sunnah

    Today, there are so many bidah being practiced by Muslims. One major way in removing the bidah is by reviving the Sunnah. As was said by one of the early scholars: “Bidah only arises when the Sunnah is not known or practiced.” One of the main problems today is that many Muslims are unaware of the Sunnah and the status of the Sunnah. To revive the Sunnah, one should not start by condemning the bidah but rather by introducing the Sunnah. One of the things that we should do is to make them aware of the Sunnah.In doing this, we should not be aggressive or confrontational as it may result in people who are being called to become offended and confused. This will result in the people rejecting the Sunnah.
    As advised by Al-ImāmAhmad, we should do it in a nice, gentle and proper manner so that we do not end up arguing and fighting over it. Furthermore, we need to be excellent role models for those who love and follow the Sunnah. In this way, those who were unaware can understand, love, and appreciate the Sunnah when they themselves see the beauty of the Sunnah. They will then use the Sunnah as the yardstick in measuring the value of a certain action etc. Slowly, insha Allah, bidah shall be reduced and minimized.
    While educating the people about the Sunnah, due care needs to be exercised so as to ensure that the people shall not be focusing on the minor issues. Sunnah is categorized into different levels and one should learn the basic elements before studying the details. We should also make the people understand, love and appreciate the Sunnah on a more basic and elementary level before going into the finer details. Insha Allah, this will lead to the revival of the Sunnah.

    E. Loving the family and the Companions of Muhammad(pbuh)

    There are some prominent deviant sects who propagate their false beliefs by creating doubts about the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) with the intention of making people hate them. Doing this actually entails rejecting the Sunnah. These sects believe the Sunnah is only derived through their aimmah and not others.
    Allah (SWT) defends the sanctity of all of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) in the Quran itself:
    “And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the muhājirūn and the ansār and those who followed them with good conduct —Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment” (9:100).
    Thus, it is necessary to love those who followed him (pbuh) during his time, defended him, and practicedIslām in the best manner. This is part of upholding the Sunnah. As for those who are of latter generations, we need to also love those who follow, defend, and strive to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

    F. Nasihah to the Muslim Leaders

    The hadith continues, and then mentions nasihah to the Muslim leaders. The word ‘leader’ stands for both ulama and leaders in authority. Nasihah should be given to all leaders, regardless of their authority and rank. In Islām, no one is above the law and no one is free from the need of advice. Even Rasulullah(pbuh) sought the consultation of the companions when the need arose. For example, he(pbuh)consulted his companions while making plan for battle against the kuffār during the Battle of Al-Khandaq. On some other occasions, the companions offered nasihah without being asked such as in the Battle of Badr. Nasihah is for the benefit of anyone who is in authority. This means that the ruler, leader, or scholar should be among the first to receive sincere advice. It is also important to choosing the appropriate method, etiquette, and channel in advising them.
    Nasihah to Muslim leaders include the following:
    • Helping them in that which is good and beneficial.
    • Obeying them in that which is right.
    • Reminding them if they were to make mistakes or forget.
    • Being patient with them if they do things which we dislike. We should try to give nasihah and at the same time tolerate them as opposing them will create instability in the Muslim community.
    • Making jihād with them and not rebelling against their authority.
    • Making duaʹ to Allah to give them guidance and piety.
    The scholars state that nasihah towards the leaders should be done in accordance with certain guidelines:
    1) One must have a good intention with sincerity.
    2) It should be done in a mild and respectful manner. One should always avoid harshness and not seek to embarrass them. Our aim is to advise and correct them rather than showing off.
    3) Not divulging or informing others about their wrongdoings as this may lead to more problems in society.
    4) Giving the nasihah privately and not publicly.

    If one is asked by the leader to commit a masiyah or sin, or something which contradicts with Shariah, one should never obey. Nevertheless, we should disobey in a non-aggressive manner. Our aim is to remind them that what they are seeking to do is wrong, so that they will change. This will be more effective in bringing about good than having a harsh response.
    As for the scholars, our nasihah is to seek knowledge from them. Some guidelines about giving them nasihah are the following:
    • We follow them if their opinion is based on sound proof and evidence.
    • We do not seek to point out their mistakes. There are some people who wish to point out the mistakes of scholars. We should avoid such a temptation as scholars are pious people, and such an action may cause Allah (SWT) to be displeased with us. It can also create chaos in the community.
    • We should not follow scholars blindly.
    • We should not disrespect them.

    G. Nasihah to the Muslim Community

    The hadith concludes with the nasihah to the Muslim community. This nasihah includes observing the rights of other Muslims and fulfilling our obligations towards them. These obligations differ depending on the category they fall in (i.e., parents, children, relatives, neighbors, etc.) Some obligations to our fellow Muslims include greeting them, visiting them when they are sick, making duafor them, giving sincere advice if they request it, and praying salahtul-janāzah for the one who dies. Furthermore, more emphasis should be placed on sacrificing time, effort, and money for the benefit of the Muslim community.

    H. The Concept of Al-Wala and al-Bara

    One concept that is important in the nasihah to the Muslim community is the concept of al-walāʹ. The concept al-wala refers to love, care, and affinity for one another within the ummah for the sake of Allah (SWT), and encompasses the following:
    1) to love every Muslim
    2) to care for all Muslims
    3) to help other Muslims
    4) to defend and protect other Muslims

    Al-wala also encompasses the actions that result from this. If one does not love, one will not care. If one does not care, one will not help. If one does not help, one will not protect. The reason why so many Muslims today do not care or help another is because their belief in al-wala is lacking. We should have love for other Muslims, especially those who are suffering, so that they can be cared for and helped. The scholars are of the opinion that the least that a Muslim can do for another is to make duʼāʹ for them.

    The concept of al-bara is actually contrary to al-walāʹ and refers to enmity and disassociation with the people of disbelief and falsehood. This is usually practiced for the purpose of preventing Muslims from committing evil. However, al-bara should be avoided if (1) it is done for our own self-interest, and (2) it will not lead the other person to mend his ways. Instead of disassociating ourselves from such an individual, we should give good and sincere advice and educate him or her. We should show our love and concern and provide good nasihah in the proper way. It is only if all other attempts fail, that we can use the concept of disassociation. And even this should be done only if al-barais capable of leading the individual to change his ways.

    I. Benefitting and Caring for the Muslim Community

    The Prophet (pbuh) said:”The Muslim is one whom other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
    The true Muslim is one who will not harm others verbally, physically, or by any other means. Mercy and respect are important elements of etiquette towards the community. Having mercy for the young and showing respect to the elders should be an end result from glorifying Allah (SWT). This is as per the following hadith:“He is not from us one who does not have mercy for our young or respect for the elders”(Al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and Sunan Abu Dawud).

    If we are the ones entrusted with authority, we should act sincerely towards the rest of the Muslims and do that which is in their best interest. We should give nasihah to the people by doing that which is best for the ummah. This means defending the community, placing appropriate and qualified people in their proper position and job. Any leadership or authority, whatever the level or rank, will be answerable in front of Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment. They will be asked regarding those under their responsibility. This also includes us who may be parents, community leaders, supervisors, managers, teachers, etc.

    Conclusion

    Based on all that has been discussed here, we see that nasihah encompasses much of Islām, īmān and ihsan. We see that nasihah carries many meanings. With respect to Allah (SWT), His Book, and His Messenger (pbuh), it carries the meaning of sincerity. With respect to the leaders and the Muslim community, it carries the meaning of sincere advising. Since this hadith defines the dīn as nasihah, it is important that we uphold and apply the obligation of nasihah in our lives. In our ummah, there is a great need for the Muslims to be benevolent and sincere to each other. Following this short but comprehensive hadith allows for the betterment of the Muslim and the Muslim Ummah.

  • Hadith 7 – Nasīḥah

    Hadith 7 – Nasīḥah

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    On the authority of Tamīm Al-Dārī (RAA) that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Religion is nasihah.” We said: “To whom?” The Prophet (pbuh) said: “To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk” (Sahih Muslim).

    Introduction
    There is no exact English translation for the word “nasihah” as it covers a broad concept. Some use the term “sincerity,” but this is only part of the meaning. With respect to Allah (SWT), His Book, and His Messenger (pbuh), it carries the meaning of sincerity. With respect to the leaders and the Muslim community, it carries the meaning of sincere advising. According to Ibn Salah (RAA), nasihah is “truly seeking the best, in terms of intention and action, for the one whom he is making nasihah to.” This hadith is a profound statement. Al-Sheikh Jamāl Zarabozo says that this brief statement of the Prophet (pbuh) describes the essence of Islām. This is because it encompasses Islām, īmān and ihsan altogether.

    Lessons

    A. Nasihah to Allah

    Nasihah should first be towards Allah (SWT). This includes fulfilling the obligations with ihsan in the best possible manner. This should be the main purpose of this life for every Muslim. This includes striving to get as close as possible to Allah (SWT) by doing not only that which is obligatory but also that which is preferable. On the other hand, one should refrain from doing that which is forbidden and avoiding that which is disliked.
    Nasihah to Allah (SWT) encompasses the following:
    • Believing in Allah (SWT) and disassociating any partners with Him.
    • Believing in His names and attributes.
    • Obeying and fulfilling His commandments.
    • Abstaining from that which He (SWT) has forbidden.
    • Remembering Him under all situations and circumstances.
    • Loving that which He (SWT) loves and hating that which He hates.
    • Recognizing the blessings that He has bestowed upon us and properly thanking Him for these blessings.
    One who wishes to do nasihah towards Allah (SWT) needs to have the correct intention. This is the case even if the individual may not be able to perform an obligation (due to an illness or lack of means). By having the correct niyyah, his responsibility towards Allah is fulfilled. Thus, ikhlas is another important aspect of this great concept. One should always be honest and practice ikhlas in whatever is done. In fact, ikhlas should be the first thing that a Muslim should aim for when doing nasihah to Allah (SWT). The actions of the heart and limbs also fall under nasihah to Allah. Actions of the heart include hope in the mercy of Allah (SWT), to trust Him, to fear Him, and to seek refuge in Him. As for the actions of the limbs, they include salah, zakāh, fasting, speaking the truth, etc.
    B. Nasihah to His Book
    After having nasihah in Allah, we need to have nasihah to His Book, the Quran. This encompasses the following:
    • Believing that the Quran is the Word of Allah (SWT), and that it is not similar to the word of any human.
    • To read, recite and practice the Quran per one’s ability.
    • To study its admonitions, lessons, and parables.
    • Calling others to have faith in the Quran.
    • To defend and protect the Quran from any kind of distortion or misinterpretation.
    • To defend the Quran against any false claims which are made against it.
    • To respect and treat the Quran in a proper manner.
    o For example, we should not throw away a piece of paper which has an āyah printed on it out of respect. This includes that present on magazines, newspapers, etc. This āyah of Allah (SWT) may be stepped upon or get filth on it. If we were to see such a piece of paper on the ground, we should pick it up and safeguard it or destroy it by burning or shredding.
    C. Nasihah to His Messenger (pbuh)
    After the Quran, then we need to have nasihah in the Messenger of Allah. This includes the following:
    • Believing in the message revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) and believing all that was revealed to him was divinely inspired.
    • Accepting him (pbuh) as the true leader of the ummah with regard to matters of the religion, his words are an authority in itself while everyone else’s statements and opinions come only after his.
    • Accepting his Sunnah as the scale by which we judge a particular matter or issue.
    • Loving him (pbuh) more than the love that we have towards ourselves and our family. It is the second level of love after the love of Allah (SWT). Our love for him (pbuh) should lead us to fulfilling our obligations and obeying him.
    • Saying “sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam” whenever his name is mentioned.
    • Loving those who love him (pbuh) and hating those who hate him.
    • Reviving his Sunnah by learning, understanding, teaching and spreading it.
    D. Removing Bidah by Reviving the Sunnah
    Today, there are so many bidah being practiced by Muslims. One major way in removing the bidah is by reviving the Sunnah. As was said by one of the early scholars: “Bidah only arises when the Sunnah is not known or practiced.” One of the main problems today is that many Muslims are unaware of the Sunnah and the status of the Sunnah. To revive the Sunnah, one should not start by condemning the bidah but rather by introducing the Sunnah. One of the things that we should do is to make them aware of the Sunnah. In doing this, we should not be aggressive or confrontational as it may result in people who are being called to become offended and confused. This will result in the people rejecting the Sunnah.
    As advised by Al-Imām Ahmad, we should do it in a nice, gentle and proper manner so that we do not end up arguing and fighting over it. Furthermore, we need to be excellent role models for those who love and follow the Sunnah. In this way, those who were unaware can understand, love and appreciate the Sunnah when they themselves see the beauty of the Sunnah. They will then use the Sunnah as the yardstick in measuring the value of a certain action etc. Slowly, inshāʹ Allah, bidah shall be reduced and minimized.
    While educating the people about the Sunnah, due care needs to be exercised so as to ensure that the people shall not be focusing on the minor issues. Sunnah is categorized into different levels and one should learn the basic elements before studying the details. We should also make the people understand, love and appreciate the Sunnah on a more basic and elementary level before going into the finer details. Inshāʹ Allah, this will lead to the revival of the Sunnah.
    E. Loving the Family and the Companions of Muhammad (pbuh)
    There are some prominent deviant sects who propagate their false beliefs by creating doubts about the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) with the intention of making people hate them. Doing this actually entails rejecting the Sunnah. These sects believe the Sunnah is only derived through their a’immah and not others.2
    Allah (SWT) defends the sanctity of all of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) in the Quran itself:
    “And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the muhājirūn and the ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment” (9:100). Thus, it is necessary to love those who followed him (pbuh) during his time, defended him, and practiced Islām in the best manner. This is part of upholding the Sunnah. As for those who are of latter generations, we need to also love those who follow, defend, and strive to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).
    F. Nasihah to the Muslim Leaders
    The hadith continues, and then mentions nasihah to the Muslim leaders. The word ‘leader’ stands for both ʼulamāʹ and leaders in authority. Nasihah should be given to all leaders, regardless of their authority and rank. In Islām, no one is above the law and no one is free from the need of advice. Even Rasulullah (pbuh) sought the consultation of the companions when the need arose. For example, he consulted his companions while making plan for battle against the kuffār during the Battle of Al-Khandaq. On some other occasions, the companions offered nasihah without being asked such as in the Battle of Badr. Nasihah is for the benefit of anyone who is in authority. This means that the ruler, leader, or scholar should be among the first to receive sincere advice. It is also important to choosing the appropriate method, etiquette, and channel in advising them.
    Nasihah to Muslim leaders include the following:
    • Helping them in that which is good and beneficial.
    • Obeying them in that which is right.
    • Reminding them if they were to make mistakes or forget.
    • Being patient with them if they do things which we dislike. We should try to give nasihah and at the same time tolerate them as opposing them will create instability in the Muslim community.
    • Making jihād with them and not rebelling against their authority.
    • Making dua to Allah to give them guidance and piety.
    The scholars state that nasihah towards the leaders should be done in accordance with certain guidelines:
    1) One must have a good intention with sincerity.
    2) It should be done in a mild and respectful manner. One should always avoid harshness and not seek to embarrass them. Our aim is to advise and correct them rather than showing off.
    3) Not divulging or informing others about their wrong-doings as this may lead to more problems in society.
    4) Giving the nasihah privately and not publicly.
    If one is asked by the leader to commit a masiyah or sin, or something which contradicts with Shariah, one should never obey. Nevertheless, we should disobey in a non-aggressive manner. Our aim is to remind them that what they are seeking to do is wrong so that they will change. This will be more effective in bringing about good than having a harsh response.
    As for the scholars, our nasihah is to seek knowledge from them. Some guidelines about giving them nasihah are the following:
    • We follow them if their opinion is based on sound proof and evidence.
    • We do not seek to point out their mistakes. There are some people who wish to point out the mistakes of scholars. We should avoid such a temptation as scholars are pious people, and such an action may cause Allah (SWT) to be displeased with us. It can also create chaos in the community.
    • We should not follow scholars blindly.
    • We should not disrespect them.
    G. Nasihah to the Muslim Community
    The hadith concludes with the nasihah to the Muslim community. This nasihah includes observing the rights of other Muslims and fulfilling our obligations towards them. These obligations differ depending on the category they fall in (i.e. parents, children, relatives, neighbors, etc.) Some obligations to our fellow Muslims include greeting them, visiting them when they are sick, making duʼāʹ for them, giving sincere advice if they request it, and praying salah tul-janāzah for the one who dies. Furthermore, more emphasis should be placed on sacrificing time, effort, and money for the benefit of the Muslim community.
    H. The Concept of Al-Wala and al-Bara
    One concept that is important in the nasihah to the Muslim community is the concept of al-Wala. The concept al-Wala refers to love, care, and affinity for one another within the ummah for the sake of Allah (SWT), and encompasses the following:
    1) to love every Muslim.
    2) to care for all Muslims.
    3) to help other Muslims.
    4) to defend and protect other Muslims.
    Al-Wala also encompasses the actions that result from this. If one does not love, one will not care. If one does not care, one will not help. If one does not help, one will not protect. The reason why so many Muslims today do not care or help another is because their belief in al-Wala is lacking. We should have love for other Muslims, especially those who are suffering, so that they can be cared for and helped. The scholars are of the opinion that the least that a Muslim can do for another is to make duʼāʹ for them.
    The concept of al-bara is actually contrary to al-Wala and refers to enmity and disassociation with the people of disbelief and falsehood. This is usually practiced for the purpose of preventing Muslims from committing evil. However, al-bara should be avoided if (1) it is done for our own self-interest, and (2) it will not lead the other person to mend his ways. Instead of disassociating ourselves from such an individual, we should give good and sincere advice and educate him or her. We should show our love and concern and provide good nasihah in the proper way. It is only if all other attempts fail, that we can use the concept of disassociation. And even this should be done only if al-bara is capable of leading the individual to change his ways.
    I. Benefitting and Caring for the Muslim Community
    The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The Muslim is one whom other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand” (Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhārī). The true Muslim is one who will not harm others verbally, physically, or by any other means. Mercy and respect are important elements of etiquette towards the community. Having mercy for the young and showing respect to the elders should be an end result from glorifying Allah (SWT). This is as per the following hadith: “He is not from us one who does not have mercy to our young or respect the elders.” (Al-Tirmidhī, Ahmad, and Sunan Abū Dawūd).

    If we are the ones entrusted with authority, we should act sincerely towards the rest of the Muslims and do that which is in their best interest. We should give nasihah to the people by doing that which is best for the ummah. This means defending the community, placing appropriate and qualified people in their proper position and job. Any leadership or authority, whatever the level or rank, will be answerable in front of Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment. They will be asked regarding those under their responsibility. This also includes us who may be parents, community leaders, supervisors, managers, teachers, etc.
    Conclusion
    Based on all that has been discussed here, we see that nasihah encompasses much of Islām, īmān and ihsan. We see that nasihah carries many meanings. With respect to Allah (SWT), His Book, and His Messenger (pbuh), it carries the meaning of sincerity. With respect to the leaders and the Muslim community, it carries the meaning of sincere advising. Since this hadith defines the dīn as nasihah, it is important that we uphold and apply the obligation of nasihah in our lives. In our ummah, there is a great need for the Muslims to be benevolent and sincere to each other. Following this short but comprehensive hadith allows for the betterment of the Muslim and the Muslim Ummah.

  • Ḥadīth 13 — Loving Your Muslim Brother

    Ḥadīth 13 — Loving Your Muslim Brother

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    Abū Hamzah Anas bin Mālik (RAA), who was the servant of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself” (Al-Bukhārī & Muslim).

    Introduction
    This ḥadīth states that the Muslim should love for other Muslims that which he loves for himself. This lays down a significant principle for the behavior of Muslims towards each other. A true Islāmic community is built upon love and compassion between its members. Loving that which is good for others is part of loving them. They should treat others in the same manner that they wish to be treated.

    Lessons
    A. Islāmic Brotherhood

    The Prophet (pbuh) says in a similar hadīth: “The servant does not truly believe until he loves for others what he loves for himself from the good” (Musnad of Al-Imām Ahmad). The Prophet (pbuh) also says in another hadīth: “…Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people as he wishes to be treated by them…” (Sahih Muslim). A true Islāmic community can only arise when barriers to brotherhood are removed. These can come from divisions such as race, ethnicity, color, economic class but can also arise from extreme affiliations to differing madhāhib or religious groups/circles. Other barriers that contribute to division between Muslims are jealousy, pride, selfishness, hatred, and envy. When we deal with other Muslims in the community, we should deal with them in the best manner.

    Furthermore, we should choose the best words in our conversations. Good words minimize disputes and confrontations between others. The Qur’an says in Sūrah Ahzāb, āyah 70: “O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak always the right word.” It also says in Sūrah Isrā’, āyāt 53-54: “And tell My servants that they should always say those words that are the best. Verily Shaytān sows a state of conflict and disagreement among them.”

    Mercy and compassion should exist in our dealings with others. This is related to al-walā [love, care, and affinity for one another]. Two of the four aspects of the principle of al-walā that come from this hadīth are that Muslims must love and care about one another. The other aspects of al-walā are to help and defend Muslims.

    B. Evil of Arrogance

    One important behavior that we should be wary of is arrogance. Arrogance can come in many forms, which includes belittling others, looking down on others, looking at oneself as better than others, etc. The Prophet (pbuh) says: “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” A person (among the listeners) said: “Verily, a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine.” The Prophet (pbuh) remarked: “Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and having contempt towards people” (Sahih Muslim). It is unfortunate that arrogance is rampant among the Muslim lands in the form of racism and ethnic pride. And as the Prophet (pbuh) mentions, it takes the smallest ounce of arrogance to qualify one for the Hell-fire.

    Altogether, we need to be humble and show mercy to others. Part of loving good things for others is to practice mutual consultation and to enjoin goodness and forbidding evil. When we advise others, we should do it in a good way, based on our love for them and not to seek personal interest. The Prophet (pbuh) used to show his love for others when giving advice to them. When advising others, it is better to explicitly mention that we are advising them because we love and care for them. If an advice is specific for an individual, it should be done in private so as to avoid offending the person.

    C. Wishing the best for your Brother

    Fudayl ibn Iyād was a famous Muslim ascetic who had been a thief but renounced his crimes and became a renowned zāhid and died in 187 A.H. He went one step further when putting this hadīth into practice. He said that we should wish others to be like us, but we should also wish them to be better than us. It is from the bounty of Islām that we have attained whatever good that exists within ourselves. Thus, we should wish the same for other Muslims. Similarly, Ibn Rajab also states that we should wish for other Muslims to be better than us in ibādah and in akhlāq. On the other hand, we should also wish for our own constant self-improvement. It is not sufficient to merely wish for something which is good for other Muslims while we are deficient and not striving to be better Muslims ourselves. Therefore, it is a matter of continuous competition among us to attain good.

    D. Brotherhood in Turbulent Times

    One important concept that is emphasized from the teachings of this hadīth is brotherhood. There are many Muslims in the world today, but unfortunately most of them are weak in īmān, except those upon whom Allah (SWT) bestows His mercy. Many of these weak Muslims commit sins regularly and violate principles of Islām. In the past, these people were the minority, and the Muslim community would tend to disassociate themselves away from such people. To do the same in contemporary times would, however, not be appropriate and instead would be counterproductive. In fact, even people with the minimum level of Islām should be regarded as brothers in Islām. Hence, if they were to commit a sin, we would love for them to leave the sinful act. We should care and love for them that which we love for ourselves, that we be guided aright, away from sins and disobedience.

    Conclusion

    This hadīth can be practiced at many different levels and in different ways. It can be applied in giving nasihah, giving sadaqah, and in enjoining the good and forbidding evil. The Muslim world today is unfortunately divided in so many different ways, and division has unfortunately become the norm. Through practicing this beautiful and powerful hadīth, the seeds for brotherhood and love can be implanted within own ummah. We can also protect ourselves from contempt, pride, suspicion, selfishness, and other evils.

  • Hadith 25 — The Concept of Sadaqah

    Hadith 25 — The Concept of Sadaqah

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    Abū Dharr reported that some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him:

    “O Messenger of Allah, the rich have taken all the rewards. They observe the prayer as we do, and they keep the fasts as we do, and they give sadaqah from their surplus wealth.” Upon this he (pbuh) said: “Has Allah not made for you (a course) by which you can also do sadaqah? Verily, every tasbih is a sadaqah, every takbir is a sadaqah, every tahmid is a sadaqah, every tahlil is a sadaqah, enjoining the good is a sadaqah, forbidding the evil is a sadaqah, and one of you having sexual intercourse (with your wife) is a sadaqah. They (RAA) said: “O Messenger of Allah, is there reward for him who satisfies his passion among us?” He said: “Tell me, if he were to fulfill it with something forbidden, would it not be a sin upon him? Similarly, if he were to fulfill it lawfully, it would be a reward for him” (Sahih Muslim).

    Introduction

    This hadith further defines the concept of sadaqah for the Muslim. Here, the poor of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) thought that giving sadaqah could only be done through money. They were disheartened at the reality that they could not give wealth to earn more reward like their wealthier counterparts. However, the Prophet gave them the glad tidings that all good deeds can be considered as charitable acts. This hadith also gives us a glimpse into the attitude and piety of the sahābah (RAA). These were indeed the greatest generation that lived because of their piety and striving for the good.

    Lessons

    A. Other Versions of Hadith 25

    In another hadith recorded by Al-Bukhāri, it is mentioned explicitly that the questioners were from the poor of the muhājirūn: “Some poor people came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, “The wealthy people will get higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment and they pray like us and fast as we do. They have more money by which they perform the hajj, and umrah, fight and struggle in Allah’s cause and give in sadaqah, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Shall I not tell you a thing upon which if you acted you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would overtake you and you would be better than the people amongst whom you live except those who would do the same. Say “subhānAllah”, “alhamdulillah” and “Allahu-Akbar” thirty-three times each after every (compulsory) prayer.”

    There are other versions of this hadith of Abū Dharr (RAA) as well which show a similar meaning. One of them is again narrated by Abū Dharr stating: “Your smiling in the face of your brother is sadaqah, commanding good and forbidding evil is sadaqah, your giving directions to a man lost in the land is sadaqah for you, your seeing for a man with bad sight is a sadaqah for you, your removal of a rock, a thorn, or a bone from the road is sadaqah for you, your pouring what remains from your bucket into the bucket of your brother is sadaqah for you ” (al-Tirmidhi). Another hadith in Sahih al-Bukhāri states, “Every good act is an act of sadaqah.”

    A hadith relating to money spent on one’s wife as sadaqah is in the Sahihayn: “You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah’s sake even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife’s mouth” (Sahih al-Bukhāri). In another hadith in Al-Bukhāri, it is mentioned that “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”

    B. Eagerness of the Companions for Ibādah

    According to Al-Imām Ibn Rajab, this hadith (hadith 25, cited at the beginning of this commentary) proves that the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) were so eager to do good acts and charitable deeds. They all had the strong desire to do the khair (or good) and give in sadaqah in order to please Allah (SWT). Some of the poorer companions were distressed that they could not obtain the thawāb or rewards of sadaqah like the wealthier companions. They were able to do other obligatory and supererogatory salāh, fasting and other ʼibādāt. Thus, they complained to the Prophet (pbuh) who told them to do more dhikr which was equal in terms of reward to giving money or sadaqah.

    Every Muslim should learn and emulate the eagerness of the companions of the Prophet when it comes to performing all forms and acts of ʼibādah in order to please Allah (SWT). This hadith should also push us to be eager in doing great deeds, even if we are incapable of doing them. The strong desire for good alone will yield for us a sincere intention which we inshā Allah will be rewarded with.

    C. Islāmic concept of Sadaqah

    Sadaqah is often translated as charity or alms but that is a limited meaning. It encompasses the meaning of alms with the intention of doing it for the sake of Allah (SWT), and by doing so, the deed conforms with the truth. According to Ibn Rajab, sadaqah in its broad sense can be divided into two types. The first type encompasses the acts of goodness and kindness towards other humans. This includes teaching knowledge, removing anything harmful from roads or pathways, helping one’s fellow brother or sister, etc. It can also include helping others by way of supplication and istighfār.
    The second type of sadaqah is not doing actions that harm people. In this way, people are benefited by being out of harm’s way. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Refrain from doing mischief to the people. That is the sadaqah of your person on your behalf” (Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhāri).

    D. The Need for Intention in Doing Good

    It is important to note that the charitable actions are rewarded on the condition that it comes with the intention to please Allah (SWT) only. It is important that we do not ritualize the good deeds that we do such that they become mere custom or culture. We should not do these charitable actions without the consciousness of Allah (SWT), and certainly not for people to notice. In the Qurʹān, Allah (SWT) says in Sūrah Nisāʹ, āyah 114: “There is no good in most of their secret talks except one who exhorts to a good deed of sadaqah or goodness or conciliation between people. To him who does this, seeking the pleasure of Allah, We shall soon give him a reward of high value.” Ibn Rajab said that this āyah shows that the reward for sadaqah or good is conditional only on a good intention.

    E. Various Types of Sadaqah

    Each of the phrases of dhikr such as tahmid, tahlil, and tasbih is a charitable act. This again shows us the importance of dhikr. Muslims should remember Allah (SWT) frequently. The best time to do dhikr is in the morning and the evening after the prayers. Every Muslim should maintain and observe dhikr in order to become among those who are described as dhākirūn.
    There are many seemingly trivial acts that count as sadaqah that we should apply in our lives, many which benefit others. A good example of this type of ʼibādah from a hadith that was already mentioned here is smiling at your brother. Because of this hadith, it is common to see Muslims smiling and greeting one another. Due to their smiles and other associated etiquettes such as saying “assalāmu ʼalaikum,” they have a positive influence on the behavior of others. And on the larger scale, this actually contributes to creating a pleasant environment within the Muslim community.
    I would like to narrate a personal story of an elderly man from my village in Libya named Mustafa. He was illiterate and elderly, yet he was able to do a lot of charitable acts for his village which others would not do. Every morning after the fajr prayer, he would clean the muddy and dusty road to the school. He then went around cleaning the other streets of the village. By doing so, this simple man was doing a great sadaqah which inshāʹ Allah will count for him as a great deed. Every Muslim should look for the opportunity to perform these acts of kindness for his community. These acts may seem simple and trivial but have great rewards as we shall also see in the following hadith of Al-Imām al-Nawawi.

    F. Talents in Doing Good Deeds

    Actions which may be done to please Allah (SWT) are plenty and diverse. People have differing abilities, preferences, and strengths but everyone has the ability to perform some form of sadaqah. We, as Muslims, are encouraged to do as many good deeds and charitable acts as we can. Thus, we should do the good deeds and sadaqāt that are feasible and most suitable for us.
    Al-Imām al-Dhahabi cites a dialogue between ʼAbdullāh al-ʼUmari and Al-Imām Mālik. Al-ʼUmari wrote a letter to Al-Imām Mālik encouraging him to worship in solitude and to abandon the gatherings of people for giving knowledge. Al-Imām Mālik was well known for his lectures in the Prophet’s Mosque, Masjid al-Nabawi where he used to disseminate the ʼilm and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) that he had learned. Al-Imām Mālik replied to Al-ʼUmari’s letter by stating that Allah (SWT) has divided the acts of deeds among people as He (SWT) has divided rizq among them. Some are given talents in knowledge and how to spread it while others are given talents in sadaqah, fasting, and so on. So, what he (Al-Imām Mālik) was given is not less than what Al-ʼUmari was given, and he hoped that both of them are on the right path and do the things that please Allah (SWT).
    From the lives of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), we can see that each of the sahābah excelled at doing certain good deeds. This shows that talents are divided among people. For example, the talent of Ibn Masʼūd (RAA) was the Qurʹān. Ibn Masʼūd (RAA) chose the recitation of the Qurʹān over the non-obligatory fasting, because it made him weak and prevented him from reciting the Qurʹān (this is mentioned by Al-Imam al-Shatibi in his book Al-‘Itisam). Thus, he chose to recite the Qurʹān over the supererogatory fasting.
    Only a few people have the ability to perform many different virtuous deeds. One of them was Abū Bakr al-Siddiq (RAA). He was gifted with the talent to perform all forms of ʼibādah and excelled at doing them. The Prophet (pbuh) indicated the talent of Abū Bakr in the following hadith: “…Those who engage in prayer will be invited to enter by the gate of prayer, those who take part in Jihad will be invited to enter by the gate of jihād, those who give sadaqah will be invited to enter by the gate of sadaqah, and those who observe fast will be invited to enter by the gate Al-Rayyān. Abū Bakr al-Siddiq said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, is it necessary that a person be invited through one of these gates? Will anyone be invited to enter by all those gates?’ The Messenger of Allah said: Yes, and I hope you will be one of them” (Sahih Muslim). Altogether, people have choices and preferences in doing acts of ʼibādah according to their ability, and this is acceptable in Islām.
    Ibn al-Qayyim mentions that it is recommended to compete in good deeds as mentioned in the Qurʹān. Allah (SWT) says in Sūrah Baqarah, āyah 148: “To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then race towards all that is good. Wheresoever you are, Allah will bring you together. Indeed, Allah Has power over all things.” Thus, people are allowed to compete for goodness and the acts of sadaqah in accordance with their talents and ability.

    G. Ghibṭah Versus Hasad

    In examining this hadith 25 about sadaqah, we see a unique quality among the poor sahābah, which was ghibṭah as opposed to hasad. Ghibṭah means to have the desire to have the good qualities that others have without it being taken away from them. Thus, ghibṭah is a positive feeling or attitude which motivates one to be as good as others. For example, when one sees a knowledgeable person with an excellent quality, that person will be emulated. The same holds true for a person who performs much ʼibādah, or for the one who gives much in sadaqah. Thus, these people are admired for their good actions to the extent that many would want to be like them. Ghibṭah, then, is good and desirable since it influences our attitude and behavior in a positive way.
    Scholars have emphasized the distinction between “ghibṭah” and “hasad.” Hasad, or (resentful) envy, is when one feels envy, jealousy, and resentment against another who is bestowed with some privilege or blessing. And to make things worse, the one with hasad wishes that the privilege be taken away from the other person due to their hatred and resentment. In many cases, it is hasad that causes people to hate each other. Sometimes envious people even exert effort to take away that privilege or bounty themselves! For these reasons, it is an extremely evil behavior that is prohibited and condemned in Islām. The Prophet (pbuh) said that hasad demolishes rewards: “Avoid envy, for envy devours good deeds just as fire devours fuel…” (Sunan Abi Dawud, graded as weak).
    Furthermore, it is Allah (SWT) who gives His Bounty to anyone He chooses. He (SWT) says in Sūrah Baqarah, āyah 211: “…and Allah bestows His abundance without measure on whomever He wills.” So, we should not feel any objection to Allah’s plan. For these reasons and more, hasad is a very evil feeling, and having this type of feeling or attitude is a major sin.

    H. Encouraging the Good and Forbidding the Evil is a Sadaqah

    We are encouraged to perform acts that enjoin the good and prohibit the evil. Doing this greatly contributes to the well-being of the society. However, we must enjoin and forbid with tolerance and patience so that the other party accepts it. We do it in order to help others and not to offend or put down anyone. When we do this act with good mannerisms and gentleness, the other person sees it as sincerity and concern for them. We should not advise others in a harsh or aggressive way. This will offend others who may turn away from the guidance that is being offered to them.
    Conclusion
    This hadith broadens the concept of sadaqah, essentially extending it to all good actions. Furthermore, from this hadith, we see that even permissible acts such as relations with one’s spouse can be a sadaqah. Scholars however affirm that these permissible actions become a sadaqah when they are done with the intention of pleasing Allah. Thus, from this hadith, many simple acts that we do in our everyday life can be turned into ʼibādah if we do them with good intentions and are mindful of Allah (SWT). At the end of the day, this will yield a great reward. Furthermore, seeing others who do good should also motivate us, similar to how the sahābah were motivated. We should maintain an eagerness to do good deeds such that they are regularly done, and that will benefit us in the Hereafter.

  • Hadith 1 – Actions are Judged by Intentions

    Hadith 1 – Actions are Judged by Intentions

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    It is narrated on the authority of Amīr al-Muʹminīn, Abū Ḥafṣ ʼUmar bin al-Khaṭṭāb (R), who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

    “Actions are judged by niyyāt (intentions), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose Hijrah (migration) is for Allah and His Messenger, his migration is for Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration is for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he may marry, his migration is for that which he migrated” (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim).

    Introduction

    This ḥadīth is considered to be one of the greatest ḥadīth in Islām. According to Al-Imām al-Shāfiʼī;, this ḥadīth is one third of the knowledge of Islām being related to over seventy topics of fiqh. This ḥadīth was expressed by the Prophet (pbuh) at the time when a man migrated from Makkah to Madīnah during the Hijrah for the sake of marrying a woman.
    Niyyah or intention has two meanings:
    1. The intention before performing an ʼibādah (an act of worship such as prayer, fasting, etc.)
    2. The willingness of performing an action
    In this ḥadīth, the Prophet (pbuh) starts with the principle “Actions are judged by intentions,” and then gives three practical examples. This is a methodology used by the Prophet (pbuh) when conveying certain Islāmic principles. Examples help illustrate the principle so that it is easier for people to understand it, and so that they can apply it to other situations. The three examples consist of: (1) a single good intention (migration for the sake of Allah and His Messenger) and (2) two inferior intentions (migration for the sake of worldly gains or marriage).

    Lessons

    A. Ikhlāṣ – Sincerity to Allah (SWT)

    This ḥadīth emphasizes the importance of ikhlāṣ, or sincerity. This is to be truthful and honest with Allah (SWT), performing an act solely for His sake whereby no other entity or thing is sought. Ikhlāṣ is the major condition for the acceptance of good deeds. This ḥadīth is therefore a criterion to help Muslims evaluate and judge what they do and say “as an ʼibādah” in their daily lives. The other condition is that actions must be done in accordance with the Sharīʼah (Islāmic Law) as is explained in Ḥadīth 5 [“Whosoever introduces into this affair of ours (Islām) something that does not belong to it is to be rejected” (Al-Bukhārī & Muslim)].

    Ikhlās, or sincerity is to be truthful and honest with Allah (SWT), performing an act solely for His sake whereby no other entity or thing is sought. Ikhlās is the major condition for the acceptance of good deeds

    The interdependence of these two conditions is illustrated in the Shahādah (declaration of faith). Its first statement “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah” is ikhlāṣ ensuring that our actions are for the sake of Allah (SWT) alone. The second part of the Shahādah, “I bear witness that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah,” is the Sunnah. This is the sayings, actions, and affirmations of the Prophet (pbuh) — which in turn is really the manifestation of the Qurʹān itself. The Prophet (pbuh) is our model and the best example to follow. Following his Sunnah in our ʼibādah, akhlāq (ethics), and muʼāmalāt (dealings) ensures that we are acting in accordance with the Sharīʼah. Thus, the Shahādah shows us that the conditions for performing an action and its acceptance are that:
    1) it should be for the sake of Allah (SWT) as He is the only One we worship
    2) it should be in accordance with the Sharīʼah

    B. Developing and Preserving Ikhlāṣ

    There are various ways in which we can gain or increase our ikhlāṣ. These are the following:
    • Checking the niyyah – Al-Imām Aḥmad said: “Before you do anything, check your niyyah – ask yourself before performing an action, ‘Is this for the sake of Allah (SWT)?’”
    • Seeking knowledge – Prior to the doing of any deed, we should seek ʼilm, or knowledge. Our actions and deeds should be based on knowledge to ensure that these are performed in accordance with the Sharīʼah.
    • Increase in righteous deeds – The more good deeds that we do, the closer we will get to Allah (SWT) and inshā Allah, the more sincere we will become.
    • Avoidance of giving false impressions – we should not make others believe that an action is good when it isn’t.
    To achieve ikhlāṣ, we must avoid four major things that directly negate ikhlāṣ. The first thing is to avoid shirk, or associating others with Allah (SWT) at all costs. The second thing which immediately spoils sincerity is hypocrisy, or nifāq. The third negator of ikhlāṣ closely related to hypocrisy is riyā’. This is performing an ʼibādah with the intention of showing off to others. Last but not least is ma’ṣiyah, or committing sins which decreases our sincerity. On the contrary, doing good deeds enhances it.
    According to Al-Imām al-Harawi, the root cause for insincerity is hawā’, or desire. Therefore, no deed should be done based on lowly desires. Al-Imām al-Harawī states that there are seven types of desires. These are the following:
    • To make oneself appear good in the eyes of others
    • To seek the praise of others
    • To avoid being blamed by others
    • To seek the glorification of others
    • To seek the wealth/money of others
    • To seek the services or love of others
    • To seek the help of others for oneself
    Ibn al-Qayyim says that any action we do may be defective for the following three reasons:
    1) Being conscious that others are observing the action
    2) Seeking a return (worldly benefit/reward) for the action
    3) Being satisfied with the action
    There are several different ways in which we can be sincere, and thus gain ikhlāṣ. For example, after every ṣalāh, we should be self-critical and tell ourselves that we could have performed it in a better manner. In this way, we not only prevent ourselves from self-praise, but we can improve our next ṣalāh. If we arrive early for the ṣalāh in the masjid before the imām or in the first ṣaff, we should steer away from thinking ourselves as better than others. We should rather, praise Allah (SWT) for enabling us to go to the masjid, and for being able to perform the
    ṣalāh without any difficulty.

    Although we must always ensure that our actions do not deviate from ikhlāṣ, there are several actions which can be automatically regarded as being done with a good intention. For example, ʼibādah in secret (qiyām al-lail, dhikr, ṣadaqah, fasting), daʼwah (inviting others to Islām), community service, and seeking knowledge in Islām are some of these good actions.

    C. Additional Matters Related to Intention

    Sometimes, there can be a combination of intentions included in an action. For example, this can happen in the madrassah where the teacher performs an ʼibādah as a means of teaching others. In this case, the ʼibādah is done first for the sake of Allah (SWT), but it also done with the intention of teaching others. This does not diminish from the niyyah of the action. We also see an example of this from the Prophet (pbuh). When he performed the ḥajj, he of course did it for the sake of Allah (SWT) but also as a means to teach his companions the rites of ḥajj.
    What if our niyyah changes while we are performing an action? Ibn Rajab says that if the niyyah at the end of the action matches the beginning (i.e. doing an action for the sake of Allah (SWT), then any changes in the middle of performing the action will be forgiven, or it will not matter, inshā Allah. However, if the niyyah at the end does not match the beginning (i.e. we do not perform the action for the sake of Allah (SWT), then tawbah, or sincere repentance must be done.
    Another instance which highlights the importance of niyyah in the qualification of an action is in unintentional swearing, which is commonplace in certain Arab countries. In these instances, the swearing by Allah is done simply out of habit – as it may be customary in that culture, an expression which frequently rolls off the tongue. When a person swears by Allah by saying “wallāhi” (by Allah), but their intention is not to actually swear by Allah, then the saying is without value. A Muslim should do his/her best to minimize this.
    D. Centrality of Ḥadīth 1
    This first ḥadīth is central to Islām in many different ways. Al-Imām Aḥmad; said: Islām is based on the following three principles:
    1. Actions of the heart – our internal actions
    2. Actions of the limbs — our external actions
    3. Interactions between people – our daily dealings or “muʼāmalāt” with people
    Here, principle #1 is based on this ḥadīth. Furthermore, this is the one of three major aḥādīth that forms the criteria for evaluating and judging an action of ʼibādah. Al-Imām Aḥmad says “Islām is based upon three aḥādīth,” which are the following:
    1. “Actions are judged by intention (actions of the heart)”.
    2. “Whosoever introduces into this affair of ours (i.e. Islām) something that does not belong to it, it is to be rejected.”
    3. “Truly, what is lawful is clear, and what is unlawful is clear, and in between the two are matters which are doubtful which many people do not know…”

    Conclusion

    Altogether, this ḥadīth is central to Islām in numerous ways, perhaps being the most important ḥadīth in Islām. The message of this ḥadīth is clear that each action of ours is determined by our intention, whether it is good or bad. Therefore, we should always check our intention. We must ensure that the action is done for the sake of Allah (SWT) so that it is accepted by Him and that we will be rewarded for it.

  • Hadith 15 – Essential Manners through Speech and Courtesy

    Hadith 15 – Essential Manners through Speech and Courtesy

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    Abū Hurairah (R)narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Let one who believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good or be silent. And let one who believes in Allah and the Last Day honor his neighbor. And let one who believes in Allah and in the Last Day honor his guest” (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim).
    Introduction
    This ḥadīthcontains the rulings concerning the tongue and the behavior of Muslims towards others. It also emphasizes that we are responsible for whatever that we say. Al-Imām Haythamī points out that this ḥadīthis very similar in meaning to Hadith 13 which says: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” He says that everyone is a neighbor to someone else. Therefore, if this ḥadīth is properly practiced and applied, there will be a stronger bond and love within society. However, one additional thing is that in this ḥadīth, neighbor can mean anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim. So, in this ḥadīth, good mannerisms are extended to a broader group of people including fellow non-Muslims who reside nearby.
    Lessons
    A. Guarding our Speech
    The responsibility of the Muslim upon what he/she says is mentioned in the Quran in Surahs Quaff,āyah 18: “Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it.” Furthermore, there are many hadiths which highlight the importance of our speech and utterances. The Prophet (pbuh)says:”A man utters a word pleasing to Allah without considering it of any significance for which Allah exalts his rank (in Jannah); another one speaks a word displeasing to Allah without considering it of any importance, and for this reason he will sink down into Hell”(Al-Buhari).
    This shows that the words spoken can have a direct effect on us, whether we perceive it or not. The Prophet (pbuh) also narrates a story about one righteous person who fell into the Hellfire on account of just one statement: “There were two men among Banū Isrāīl, who were striving for the same goal. One of them would commit sin and the other would strive to do his best in the world. The man who exerted himself in worship continued to see the other in sin. He would say: ‘Refrain from it.’ One day he found him in sin and said to him: ‘Refrain from it.’ He said: ‘Leave me alone with my Lord.Have you been sent as a watchman over me?’ He said: ‘I swear by Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor will he admit you to Paradise.’ Then their souls were taken back [by Allah], and they met together with the Lord of the worlds.He (SWT) said to this man who had striven hard in worship: ‘Had you knowledge about Me or had you power over that which I had in My hand?’ He said to the man who sinned: ‘Go and enter Paradise by My mercy.’ He said about the other: ‘Take him to Hell.’” Abū Hurairah said: “By Him in Whose hand my soul is, he spoke a word by which this world and the next world of his were destroyed” (Sunan Abu Dawud).
    B. Types of Good Speech
    There are many ways in which we can say good things. The best of these are the following: dhikrullah (remembrance of Allah), recitation of the Qurʹān, duʼāʹ, and naṣīḥah. These are all things that are pleasing to Allah. Furthermore, there are many sunan and ʼibādāt which assist us in saying that which is good and restrain us from uttering evil. Whenever we speak to another person, regardless of whether they are strangers, friends, relatives, or neighbors, we should use the best words and terms.
    Even when we do not intend to say something inherently bad, we should be careful with our tongues. Talk which has little or no benefit should be avoided. We need to realize that others may interpret our speech as negative from our body language, misinterpretation, or their viewpoint. Additionally, we should speak in a manner that is simple and easy to comprehend. Failing to choose the appropriate words and/or mannerisms may lead to a misinterpretation and end up with a conflict. On the other hand, as a listener, we have to interpret what is said in a positive and good way. We should not over-interpret what we hear or read between the lines. By paying attention to this, we minimize disputes and conflicts from our end. Furthermore, this helps in elevating our character by avoiding suspicion, bias, and negativity.
    If we are being consulted by someone and sought after for advice, we should try our best to give good advice. The advice given should assist and not exacerbate the problem or situation. If we do not have a sufficient amount of knowledge or are unable to provide the proper advice, then it is preferable that we exercise silence. We should also try to practice mu’āsah, to say good things of encouragement to those who are in low spirits. Whenever we meet people who are sick, sad, depressed or in a bad frame of mind, we should always say things that can make them feel better. Specifically, reminding them to have patience in facing their calamity and encouraging them to be positive and strong.
    If we find ourselves in the middle of a dispute between two people, such as between relatives or friends, we should not take sides. We should always try to assist them in reconciling their differences and in ending the dispute. In these types of circumstances or when giving naṣīḥah, we should ensure that confidentiality is maintained to minimize other problems from occurring.
    C. Keeping Silent: Restraining the Tongue
    It is essential that we restrain the tongue from the major evils before focusing on the smaller evils and ills. We, at all costs, have to refrain ourselves from saying that which is bad or untrue (i.e., a lie). Similarly, we must always verify any news that comes to us before disseminating it or adopting as true. This would prevent us from spreading lies and rumors. Additionally, it is essential for us to refrain from the major sins of the tongue such as slandering and backbiting. It is also a sin to make fun of others. Sarcasm and making fun of others is also to be avoided as it is a common social ill of today.
    The act of complaining on simple matters may lead us to the act of impatience. This may affect our attitude and our actions. Should we wish to lament, we should direct it towards Allah alone. Such an act is known as munājah, which is a form of ʼibādah. Complaining to others besides Allah(SWT)is known as tashakkī which cancels out the ʼibādah from munājah and sab with respect to this ḥadīth. In restraining the tongue, ṣabr can also be defined as (1) to refrain oneself from panicking or being out of control, and (2) refraining one’s tongue from complaining. Thus, we should learn to minimize and ultimately eliminate the act of complaining.
    Non-beneficial talk should be avoided to the best of our capacity. People can talk and chat for hours but a lot of what is said often has no value and is devoid of benefit, both for the talker and listener. In fact, such conversations can lead us into an area where we can say something displeasing to Allah(SWT). Furthermore, in Ḥadīth 29, the Prophet (pbuh) gave Muʼādh (R) a very important piece of advice in his question about the thing that will take him to Paradise and keep him away from Hell-fire: “…And shall I not tell you of the controlling of all that?” I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” So, he took hold of his tongue and said: “Restrain this.” I said: “O Prophet of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?” He said: “May your mother be bereft of you! Is there anything that topples people on their faces [or he said, on their noses] into the Hell-fire other than the jests of their tongues?”
    At times we may encounter a situation that involves a fitnah or trial. In these sensitive circumstances, we have to be more careful of what we say. People can easily panic, get hopeless, and believe things which are not true. Some people may take advantage of the situation and say things which can worsen it. That is why we must be careful of what we say as it may increase the public’s fear and anxiety. Rather, we should use words that are positive and hopeful, to uplift the spirit of those facing the tribulation or problem.
    D. Courtesy to the Neighbor
    The second part of this ḥadīth stresses courtesy and generosity to our neighbors and guests. This is mentioned in Sūrah Nisāʹ, āyah 36: “…do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer [you meet], and those [slaves] whom your right hand possesses.”In a ḥadīth, the Prophet (pbuh) said:”Jibrīl(AS) kept advising me concerning the neighbor to the point that I thought that he would inherit from his neighbor” (Sahih al-Bukhari; also narrated in Muslim).
    Another ḥadīth records the Prophet (pbuh) emphatically stating that one does not have complete īmān if his neighbor is not safe from his affairs. He (pbuh) said: “By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!” It was said, “Who is that, O Allah’s Messenger?” He (pbuh) said, “That person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil” (Sahih al-Bukhari). In another ḥadīth, the Messenger of Allah states: “When you make some soup, make a good amount by adding plenty of liquid, and give some to your neighbors”(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim). This sharing of food between neighbors strengthens the relationship between them. We should be nice to our neighbors and share our food with them, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. We should be patient with our neighbor even if he annoys us. In another ḥadīth, the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned one of three types of people beloved to Allah(SWT): “A man who has a bad neighbor who annoys and disturbs him, but he bears it with patience and forbearance until Allah ends the matter either during his lifetime or upon the death of either of them” (Musnad Aḥmad, ṣaḥīḥ as per Al-Sheikhal-Albānī). This shows the importance of keeping good relations with neighbors even if they are a source of annoyance or harm.
    E. Courtesy to the Guest
    The guest mentioned in the last part of the ḥadīth is generally interpreted as “a travelling visitor who has come to stay for a short while.” In another ḥadīth, the Prophet (pbuh) says: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. His special gift [to the guest] is one day and night. He [the guest] is to be entertained for three days. Whatever is beyond that is an act of ṣadaqah. It is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host to the extent that he makes things difficult for him [the host]”(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī).
    Regarding this ruling extrapolated from this ḥadīth, the majority of scholars are of the opinion that hosting is not wājib. Even though it is a great and noble act, it is considered mustaḥabb or a recommended act. According to many scholars, the recommended act of hosting does not extend to evildoers or heretics. This is because there is potential for harm for the host and his household. However, some contemporary scholars are of the view that we should host even those who are sinners. This is due to the likelihood that by hosting them and being good to them, we might influence them to change and become better people. Hosting sinners would be following a general principle of fiqh that allows us to tolerate a minor harm in order to attain a major benefit (e.g. daʼwah, naṣīḥah). Nonetheless, we should be very cautious when hosting such people; we should only do so if we know that no harm may be inflicted upon us or our household.
    Conclusion

    This ḥadīth teaches us the proper manners with regards to speech and the honoring of our neighbors and guests. Speech is a common cause of discord and division within society and at the individual level. Again, the Prophet (pbuh) summarizes a great and important principle with a few words. The second part of the ḥadīth emphasizes the best of mannerisms to our neighbors and guests. Compared to Ḥadīth 14 [about the sacredness of life, chastity, and fidelity – Ed.], good treatments obliged on a broader group, which may include [toward] those who are not Muslim. Following this sacred advice leads to elevation of the society in its mannerisms and etiquette, and exemplifies the uniqueness of Islāmic values. These behaviors are actually very important in contemporary society where there is widespread deterioration of values and manners within the Muslim world. Altogether, this advice given by the Prophet (pbuh) leads to a more peaceful and harmonious Islāmic society in this life, while attaining the pleasure of Allah in the Hereafter.

  • Hadith 10 – Purity

    Hadith 10 – Purity

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom

    Abū Hurairah (R) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Verily Allah the Exalted is pure. He does not accept but that which is pure. Allah commands the believers with what He commanded the Messengers. Allah (SWT) has said: ‘O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and act righteously’ [23:51-53]. And Allah (SWT) also said: ‘O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided you with’ [2:167-172]. Then he (the Prophet) mentioned the man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who stretches out his hands to the sky (saying): ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ whilst his food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful, his clothing was unlawful, and he is nourished with unlawful things, so how can he be answered?” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim).

    Introduction

    The word ṭayyib is used in the Qurʹān and Sunnah to describe actions, good deeds, people, things, and speech. This term is used linguistically to mean something which is good. Ibn Rajab interprets the word ṭayyib as “ṭāhir” or pure.

    Lessons
    A. Purity of Actions

    The first phrase which this ḥadīth starts with is “Verily Allah the Exalted is pure.” This means that Allah (SWT) has all the attributes and characteristics which are completely pure and complete without any defect, weakness, or need. As for the phrase “He does not accept but that which is pure,” this means that Allah does not accept deeds which are not performed for His sake. This is even if the deeds on the exterior appear to be performed for His sake only, but in actuality contain defects in niyyah and sincerity. Such described actions may arise if the deeds are done for the purpose of showing off to others, or for some worldly gain. Similarly, such actions may not be acceptable if they originate from sources which are impure. And that is the focus of this ḥadīth. For example, donations to Islāmic causes in the form of money but from ḥarām sources will not be accepted by Allah (SWT).

    B. Eat of the Ṭayyibāt

    In Sūrah Muʹminūn, Allah (SWT) commanded the Muʹminūn in the same manner as He commanded the Messengers: “O Messengers! Eat of the ṭayyibāt” (23: 51). In Sūrah Baqarah, Allah says: “O you who believe! Eat of the ṭayyibāt that We have provided you with…” (2:172). These āyāt, as mentioned in the above ḥadīth, imply beneficial and useful rulings. The criteria for acceptance of our deeds by Allah (SWT) are the following:
    1) The money that one earns needs to be pure and legal
    2) The food that is consumed must be ḥalāl and permissible
    3) The money one buys food with must be lawful, coming from lawful sources
    The question of something being permissible or prohibited is decided by the decree of Allah (SWT). It is Allah the Most Merciful who explains, guides, and tells us whether something is ḥalāl or otherwise. As described in the Noble Qurʹān, situations have occurred in the past whereby people have declared something to be ḥarām when Allah has described it to be otherwise. Sūrah Yūnus states: “Say, ‘Have you seen what Allah has sent down to you of provision of which you have made [some] lawful and [some] unlawful?’ Say, ‘Has Allah permitted you, or do you invent [something] about Allah?’” (10:59). It is only Allah’s right to declare something lawful or otherwise. No one else has the right to make such a declaration.

    C. Ādāb of Making Duʼāʹ

    Earning and consuming in a ḥalāl manner is an important prerequisite for the acceptance of our duʼāʹ by Allah (SWT). The period when one is travelling is one of the situations when duʼāʹ is more likely to be accepted by Allah (SWT). Other situations when duʼāʹ is more likely to be accepted mentioned in other aḥādīth are the following:
    1) When one is sick
    2) During prostration towards Allah
    3) During rain
    4) During the last third of every night.
    Such opportunities should not be disregarded since these are the times when our duʼāʹ is being accepted by Allah (SWT).
    The ādāb or manners of duʼāʹ are mentioned in this ḥadīth. It is important to realize that duʼāʹ itself has its own etiquettes and ādāb. Failure of observing these ādāb may result in Allah (SWT) not responding to our duʼāʹ. The making of duʼāʹ must be done in a humble manner as opposed to doing it with any pride or arrogance. Our hands should be raised during the making of such duʼāʹ. Furthermore, it should be done in full eagerness. This may be done by calling upon Allah (SWT) by the repeating the phrase “yā Rabb, yā Rabb, yā Rabb” which means “O Lord , O Lord, O Lord.” It should be noted that duʼāʹ is a high form of ʼibādah and shows our reliance and dependence on Allah (SWT). Thus, it must be practiced by the Muslims with full eagerness and enthusiasm. We are forever in need of Allah’s assistance, guidance, and mercy regardless of time and day, and in every movement that we make. Furthermore, we are in need of His mercy more than our need for the air that we breathe.
    Hence, if we want Allah to respond to our duʼāʹ, we must eat that which is pure and ḥalāl. Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth is the importance of supporting oneself through permissible means. One should live within one’s means, which will be blessed by Allah (SWT) if earned lawfully.

    D. Ghulūl and the Trust of Public and Private Property

    Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth by scholars is with regard to the trust of public or private utilities. This is similar to the property of another person or entity. This is related to ghulūl, which generally means stealing booty, zakāh funds, or the Muslim treasury, etc. It is important to note that ghulūl also occurs when unlawfully taking something from the property of a company, organization, or institution. Any property taken wrongfully from these tangible resources is considered ghulūl. This is an important issue because ghulūl is a major sin. Today, many Muslims unfortunately take this issue of ghulūl lightly. Examples include taking stationery from office, personal use of company photocopy machine, phone, funds, or other materials without getting the permission from the owner. Furthermore, we are also responsible for damage or vandalization of property, be it private or public.
    Thus, ghulūl is essentially a kind of theft, something that is illegal. In fact, if one commits ghulūl, it is not expiated even if a person performs jihād in the way of Allah (SWT), until one pays it back. This is related in a ḥadīth about a martyr who took a piece of cloth from the booty of war as narrated by Abū Hurairah (R):
    “When we conquered Khaybar, we gained neither gold nor silver as booty, but we gained goods, food, and clothes. Then we departed with Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) to the valley of “Al-Qirā” and at that time Allah’s apostle had a slave of his called Rifāʼah ibn Yazīd who had been presented to him by a man who had leprosy. While the slave was dismounting the saddle of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh), an arrow came and hit him. The people said, ‘Congratulations to him on his martyrdom.’ Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said: ‘No, by him in whose hand is my soul, he had a sheet (of cloth) which he had taken (illegally) on the day of Khaybar from the booty before its distribution and has become a flame of fire burning him’” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī).
    The ideal way in which we should be cautious regarding private/public utilities comes from the example of ʼUmar ibn ʼAbdul ʼAzīz (R), the fifth rightly guided khalīfah. While performing his public duty, he would light up a candle that was bought with money from bait al-māl, the entrusted Muslim treasury. He bought a second candle from his own money that he used for his personal affairs. Hence, whenever he finished acting in his public office, he would stop using the candle of the bait-al-māl and use his personal candle. Such notable actions and etiquettes should be emulated in the case of the stationery and items from our offices. These should only be used when performing duties which are within the scope of our employment. Furthermore, we should also ensure that we switch off the lights and other public utilities. Such practices will make us better Muslims and ensure that our duʼāʹ will be answered by Allah (SWT). Awareness must be raised among Muslims to be more responsible and not indulge in that which is ghulūl such as unlawful usage of utilities entrusted to us by others.

    E. Consuming Pure Food

    Another principle extracted from this ḥadīth relates to being careful about the food that we consume. We need to be aware of the ingredients of the food that we eat, whether from a restaurant or from packed or canned foods that we find in a grocery store. Extra caution needs to be emphasized especially if food is imported. We need to ensure that they are from lawful sources. Another issue is with food that can create problems to our health. We need to be aware of the various types of foods that can be detrimental to our health along with ensuring that they are “pure.” Schools and universities need to introduce health education so that the public can gain knowledge on food that is healthy. Muslims need to be knowledgeable about the preservatives, coloring, and chemicals used in foods. Foods which contain harmful contents are not ṭayyib.
    In addition to the effects of food on our health, we see from this ḥadīth that it also has spiritual repercussions. Scholars mention that the food we consume affects our behavior and way of thinking. Furthermore, we should also eat in the proper manner as per the Sunnah, and not overindulge or eat excessively. The Prophet says (pbuh): “The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Ādam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and a third for his breath” (Jāmiʼ al-Tirmidhī).

    F. Accepted Ṣadaqah

    Another ruling from this ḥadīth is that ṣadaqah is only accepted by Allah (SWT) if it comes from lawful sources. This is based on the statement “Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure.” Wealth that is obtained from unlawful sources cannot be given as ṣadaqah or be used in performing any form of worship. An example of this is when a person uses unlawful money to perform ḥajj. In this context, Ibn ʼAbbās (R) had stated: “Filth does not expiate filth.”
    According to the scholars, if someone stole money, then it must be returned and not be given away as ṣadaqah. This is particularly applicable in the case of a person wanting to do tawbah after committing theft. The person must return the money to the rightful owner. However, there may be cases when this is not possible, such as when the owner is not known or cannot be found. In this case, some scholars are of the opinion that the money equivalent to the stolen money can be given as ṣadaqah on the owner’s behalf or be used for public benefit such as making roads, schools, etc.
    Conclusion
    The main point from this ḥadīth is that we need to consume food which is ṭayyib and in the right manner as prescribed by Islām. The status of ṭayyib is attained when we ensure that we are earning, eating, and drinking from the ṭayyibāt in addition to giving ṣadaqah from it. This will then allow our actions to be ṭayyib as well, and be among those who are ṭayyibūn, pure and blessed by Allah (SWT). Doing this will inshā Allah lead us to become better Muslims with a better īmān and a purer heart devoted to Allah (SWT). Then everything that we do can be described as ṭayyib.

  • Hadith 19 — Allah’s Protection

    Hadith 19 — Allah’s Protection

    An Excerpt from Commentary on the Forth Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi
    Timeless Prophetic Gems of Guidance and Wisdom
    –
    Abū al-ʼAbbās ʼAbdullah bin ʼAbbās (R) reported: One day I was behind the Prophet (pbuh) and he said to me: “O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that even if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” (Al-Tirmidhī relates this and says it is a good, genuine ḥadīth.)

    In a version narrated by Ibn ʼAbbās in Musnad Aḥmad it reads: “Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship.”

    Introduction

    This ḥadīth conveys very important advice and a general ruling in Islām on seeking protection of Allah. Al-Imām Ibn al-Jawzī said: “What a pity for the one who is ignorant of this ḥadīth and has little understanding of its meaning.”

    Lessons

    A. Teaching Methodology

    The Prophet (pbuh) starts the ḥadīth by getting the attention of Ibn ʼAbbās (R) by saying “O young man, I shall teach you some words of advice.” By saying “O young man,” Ibn ʼAbbās (R) knows that the Prophet (pbuh) is talking specifically to him. And by following it with “I shall teach you…” Ibn ʼAbbās (R) knows the importance of the next words of the Prophet (pbuh). Hence, these words at the beginning have attracted the undivided attention of Ibn ʼAbbās (R). Thus, this ḥadīth exemplifies another of the teaching methods of the Prophet (pbuh). This teaches us that when we give a talk or speech, it is important that we start with words that will grab the attention of the audience. This is to ensure that our words of advice do not fall on “deaf ears.”

    B. Being Mindful of Allah

    The phrase “Be mindful of Allah” means to observe and fulfill Allah’s obligations, adhering to His commandments. It also means to avoid His prohibitions. If we are mindful of Allah, He (SWT) will be close to us by giving us guidance, help, and victory. Another benefit of being mindful of Him is that He (SWT) will also protect us. There are two kinds of protection from Allah:
    1. Allah (SWT) will protect His servants’ dīn and īmān. He will protect us from being misled or influenced by misconceptions and self-desires. He will help us and give guidance so that we are protected from negative influences. We may not be aware of Allah’s protection of our dīn. We may even be unhappy about it. For example, there may be a situation where Allah (SWT) prevents us from doing something which we want to do. This is actually a protection from Allah (SWT). He protects us by not allowing us to perform a particular deed, which in effect averts us from a disaster or from committing a sin. Allah (SWT) also protects us from Shayṭān’s attempt to lead us astray at the last moments of our life. This will ensure that we will leave this world having the īmān of a believer.

    2. Allah (SWT) protects His servants in their worldly affairs. We enjoy the mercy and bounty of Allah (SWT) in sight, hearing, and speech. Even as we grow old, Allah still allows us to enjoy these senses as well as our intellect and mental faculties. Allah (SWT) also protects our family, property, and money. If one is mindful of Allah (SWT) during his youth, Allah will protect him during his adulthood.

    The other narration of this ḥadīth mentions that if we are mindful of Allah (SWT) during times of ease, He will help us during our times of hardship. Therefore, when we are blessed with ease and prosperity, we should use that blessing to obtain the pleasure of Allah (SWT). Then, He will look after us in our times of hardship, weakness, and sickness. Even if we are no longer able to do something good that we used to do during our times of ease, Allah (SWT) will continue to reward us for that act.
    Gaining Allah’s protection does not come automatically. We have to strive to maintain taqwa, and do actions being mindful of Him (SWT). Some of the things we have to do in order to gain Allah’s protection include the following:

    • Performing the daily ṣalāh on time and in the best way we can.
    • Protecting our hearts from being involved in maʼṣiyah especially major sins. The moment a person is weak and commits a sin or maʼṣiyah, he/she should repent due to fear of Allah (SWT).
    • Guarding our senses — we should ensure that whatever we see, hear, or say is pleasing to Allah (SWT). We should fear Allah and not use these senses in a wrongful manner.
    • Maintaining cleanliness and purity.
    • Fulfilling our oath — if we swear by Allah (SWT) to perform an action, such a commitment needs to be fulfilled.
    • Ensure that we do not consume food or drink that is not ḥalāl.
    • Observing that our dealings and transactions are ḥalāl.
    The statement in which the Prophet (pbuh) tells ʼAbdullah bin ʼAbbās to “ask of Allah” and to “seek help from Allah” is from the fundamentals of tawḥīd. This is something that we say in every ṣalāh in the Fātiḥah. This shows us the importance of duʼāʹ and continuously asking Allah (SWT) for His support and guidance. We need to show our need for Allah (SWT) and our total dependency on Him by performing such forms of ʼibādah.

    C. Contentment with Qadr

    Allah (SWT) has already written in Lawḥul Maḥfūẓ what is to take place. There are events or occurrences that we have no control over (e.g. being sick, death of a loved one, falling into hardship, etc.). Facing these events in the appropriate manner necessitates contentment. Riḍā is the highest level for us to attain where we accept and are content with whatever Allah (SWT) has chosen for us. This is regardless of whether it is positive or negative. Such contentment needs to be practiced. The second highest level is ṣabr where we need to be tolerant, patient, and calm. When we are in a difficult circumstance we need to exercise restraint without saying or doing anything that may displease Allah (SWT). There are several āyāt in the Qurʹān emphasizing the same meaning mentioned at the end of the following ḥadīth: “And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (Sūrah Yūnus, āyah 107). Some verses conveying a similar meaning include the following: “Whatever of mercy [i.e. of good] Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it; and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise” (Sūrah Fāṭir, āyah 2). And in Sūrah Ḥadīd, āyah 22, we read, “No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in a register (Lawḥul-Maḥfūẓ) before we bring it into existence. Indeed, that for Allah is easy.”

    D. Qadr and Good Deeds

    In a ḥadīth in Sahih Muslim, we are informed that Allah (SWT) recorded qadr or destiny of all creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth. In a ḥadīth regarding qadr, a man asked the Prophet (pbuh) about the need to do good deeds if it had already been decreed. It is reported by Jābir (R) that this man said: “O Allah’s Messenger, explain our religion to us as if we have been created just now. Whatsoever deeds we do today, is it because of the fact that the pens have dried [after recording them] and the destinies have begun to operate or these have effects in future? Thereupon he (pbuh) said: No, the pens have dried and destinies have begun to operate. He (the man) said: If it is so, then what is the use of doing good deeds? …. He (pbuh) said: “Act, for everyone is facilitated in what he intends to do” (Sahih Muslim).

    From this ḥadīth, The Prophet (pbuh) commanded the questioner to do good deeds. However, the command was in the plural form, and thus, this command also pertains to us (i.e. the Muslim ummah) to do good deeds since everyone shall be guided to that which he/she has been created for.

    E. Qadr Regarding Occurrences Under Our Control

    Qadr regarding occurrences can be broadly broken down into two categories:
    1. Occurrences not under our control: These are results that take place which we do not have any control over by our actions. We have to surrender to the will of Allah (SWT) with these occurrences and be patient.
    2. Occurrences under our control: These are results that take place which we have control over through our actions. They can be positive or negative.
    Negative events can happen as a result of our recklessness, laziness, or carelessness. Positive events on the other hand occur through our diligence, carefulness, hard work, or iḥsān. The moment these events happen, they already become qadr, and those who are responsible for the actions are accountable. Examples of actions which lead to certain results are many and are logical. Following are some examples of outcomes resulting from negative or positive actions:
    • Carelessness of a construction worker leading to an accident hurting others.
    • Erratic driving or speeding that leads to an accident.
    • A surgeon exercising precision and care leading to a successful surgery.
    • A student who studies hard and passes the exam.

    Generally speaking, we are responsible for whatever we do, whether it is in worldly matters or in worship. Thus, we should act in a careful and complete manner and to the best of our ability. We are also reminded of the importance of iḥsān in our actions which generally leads to good results. We should always strive to improve ourselves and to constantly tell ourselves that we can do better. At the same time, we should not focus too much on our future, things which we have no knowledge of, or what is beyond our control, as the outcomes will not be our doing. We do the best we can and leave the rest to Allah (SWT).

    Part of the appropriate understanding and belief of qadr is to stay away from things that are potentially harmful to us. This may include things that are not necessarily spelled out in the Sharīʼah. Things like not wearing a seatbelt while driving or eating a diet very high in cholesterol may cause harm to us. We should be mindful to avoid things that are bad for us, and not blame it on qadr if it happens out of our own recklessness or negligence. On the other hand, seeking treatment for an illness does not contradict qadr. If we are faced with a problem, we should make the effort to solve it or to minimize it. Thus, we should strive to take certain precautions or preventions in our lives to avoid a result that is potentially dangerous if we did not do so.

    Many Muslims tend to view qadr negatively because of their lack of insight and correct understanding of this topic. Qadr needs to be understood in a positive manner. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to be proactive with regards to qadr by being diligent in doing good deeds, and not blame qadr for our inactivity (in doing good). Furthermore, we need to differentiate between things which we have control over versus things which we do not. Instead of merely accepting whatever has occurred as qadr, we should accept responsibility for all that we do and the choices that we make. We should analyze the reasons for why things have occurred in our life. We should make the effort to improve the situation and think on how we can avoid pitfalls.

    Conclusion

    This ḥadīth teaches us the importance of complete reliance and awareness of Allah (SWT). Those who are mindful of Allah (SWT) find Him as their Protector and Helper. The second part of this ḥadīth discusses the topic of qadr and that which has been decreed from His omnipotent knowledge. Part of the proper mindfulness of Allah (SWT) is to have riḍā and ṣabr in qadr, that which befalls us. In addition to this realization, we still need to understand qadr in a positive manner. We need to be proactive and take responsibility of all our actions. We also should take proper precautions so that a negative result does not occur related to our neglect.

    Altogether, applying this ḥadīth will lead us to a life in which we are content and stress-free. We will be mindful of Allah (SWT), fulfill His obligations, and fully trust and accept whatever He wills for us.