The three qualities which Allaah تعالى loves:
بسم الله والحمد لله
والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد
It is reported on the authority of `Aamir bin Sa`d that
Sa`d bin Abee Waqqaas رضي الله عنه was in the fold of his camels when his son `Umar came to
him. When Sa`d saw him he said: I seek refuge with Allaah from the mischief of
this rider. And as he (`Umar) got down he said to him (Sa`d): You are busy with
your camels and your sheep and you have abandoned people who are contending
with one another for kingdom. Sa`d struck his chest and said: Keep quite. I
heard Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم
as saying: “Allaah loves the servant who is
God-conscious (pious) and is free from want and is inconspicuous (hidden from
the view of the people).” [Saheeh Muslim (7072)]
Chapter: Desirability of seclusion at the time when the
people become corrupt, or fearing Fitnah for his religion or involvement in
unlawful or doubtful acts.
Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:
Know that the best is a Believer who mixes with the
people and endures their injury with patience – he is better than the Believer
who does not mixes with the people nor endures their harm with patience. [1]
But sometimes, somethings happen in which adopting seclusion is better than
mixing with the people. Example: If a person fear for himself of falling into a
Fitnah, like if he is in a place where he is forced to change his religion; or
to call towards a Bid`ah (innovation); or when he sees too much corruption
(drinking, gambling, immorality, promiscuity,) in the land; or if he fears that
he may commit Fawaahish (unlawful sex) etc., then in this case seclusion is
better for him.
[Note 1: Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said: “The believer who
mixes with people and endures their injury is better than the person who does
not mix with people nor endure their injury.” [Sunan Ibn Maajah (4032), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2507) and
al-Adab al-Mufrad (388) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
And this is why a person has been commanded to migrate
from the land of Shirk (and Kufr) to the land of Islaam; from the place (where
people are) disobedient to a place (where people are) firm upon the Deen [2] - this
is when the people and the time has changed. It has been authentically reported
from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
said: “A time will soon come when the best
property of a Muslim will be sheep which he will take on the top of mountains
and the places of rainfall (valleys) so as to flee with his religion from
afflictions.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (19, 3300, 3600, 6495, 7088)]
[Note 2: In the long Hadeeth about a man who killed hundred
people, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
said: “…He (the killer) then asked about the
learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him
that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any
scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you
and the repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people
devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not
come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you)…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3470) and Saheeh Muslim
(6662, 6663) and the wordings are his]]
So, seclusion is better if mixing with the people will
lead to evil and Fitnah in the Deen; otherwise, the best is to mix with the
people. It is better when a person mixes with other people, enjoining what is
good and forbidding what is evil, inviting them towards the truth, and
explaining to them the Prophet’s Sunnah etc. But if he fears that he cannot restrain
himself (from the Haraam) and the Fitnah has increased, then seclusion is
better, even if he had to worship Allaah on top of a mountain or in a deep
valley.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has informed about the merits (and the
characteristics of) a person whom Allaah عز وجل loves, when he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah loves the servant who is God-conscious (pious)
and is free from want and is inconspicuous (hidden from the view of the
people).”
The pious: The one who fears Allaah عز وجل, following His Commandments and refraining
from the things He تعالى
has made forbidden. Following the commandments like establishing the prayers
and offering them in congregation; paying the Zakaah and giving it to those who
deserve it; fasting in the month of Ramadhaan; making pilgrimage to the House
(Ka`bah); being kind to the parents, maintaining ties of kinship, doing good
for the neighbors and the orphans and other than that which is considered from
the acts of piety.
Richness: [3] The one who is self-content, free of wants, Allaah عز وجل provided him
sufficiency from everything except Himself. He does not ask the people, nor
does he abase himself in front of the people. He is not in need of the people;
he knows his (limits), and is satisfied by what His Lord has provided him and
does not turn to anyone other than Allaah.
[Note 3: Richness does not mean abundant wealth. Rather it
is self-sufficiency, even if the person is poor, as Allaah تعالى says:
﴿لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ
أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِي الْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ
الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَاهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ
النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا ۗ
وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ﴾
{(Charity is) for Fuqaraa’
(the poor), who in Allaah’s Cause are restricted (from travel), and cannot move
about in the land (for trade or work). The one who knows them not, thinks that
they are rich because of their modesty. You may know them by their mark, they
do not beg of people at all. And whatever you spend in good, surely Allaah
knows it well.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 273]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Richness
is not the abundance of wealth, rather it is self-sufficiency.” [Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree (6446) and Saheeh Muslim (2287)]]
Inconspicuous: This is a person who does not manifest himself. And
he is not concerned with being displayed in front of the people, or being
famous or having the people mention him. You find him going from his home to
the Masjid and from the Masjid to his home, from his home to his relatives and
brothers secretly (and silently). He hides himself (and hides his good deeds). [4]
[Note 4: In the Hadeeth of the seven who would receive Allaah's shade on the day of Judgment, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
said: “Allaah will give shade, to seven, on the
Day when there will be no shade but His...a man
who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what
his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity),
and a person who remembers Allaah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded
with tears.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (660, 1423, 6806) and Saheeh
Muslim (1031)]
Sufyaan al-Thaawree رحمه الله said: “Beware of fame. I never met anyone except that he warned
me about fame.” [Imaam adh-Dhahabee in al-SiyaarA`laam al-Nubalaa, (6/640)
– Dar al-Hadeeth (Cairo)]]
But this does not mean that when Allaah تعالى gave
him knowledge, that he isolates himself in his home and does not teach it to
the people. This opposes piety. He teaching the people is better than his sitting
in the house and not benefiting them with his knowledge; or his siting in his
house and not benefitting the people with his wealth.
But if the matter is that one has to choose between
manifesting himself and making people know about himself and between hiding
oneself, then in this case he should choose to hide himself. But if the matter
is that he has to come out and make himself known (for teaching the people the
truth), then he should manifest himself. And these (are the qualities) which
Allaah عز وجل
loves. And in this Hadeeth there is encouragement for a person that he should be
inconspicuous, free from want from anyone other than Allaah عز وجل, and that he should
be pious (god-conscious, righteous) so that he worships Allaah تعالى in
goodness and wellbeing.
[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen by Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (3/509-511)]
No comments:
Post a Comment