Hadeeth: The two matters that rectify the Ummah and the two that destroy it

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا وَيُلْهِهِمُ الْأَمَلُ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

{Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know!}

[Surah al-Hijr (15): 3]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝The first part of this Ummah was rectified[1] through al-Zuhd (asceticism)[2] and al-Yaqeen (firm Faith)[3], and its destruction will be because of al-Bukhl (niggardliness)[4] and al-Amal (false hope)[5].❞ 

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #114

There is good for a Believer in everything:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

27. Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinaan رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said:

❝How wonderful is the case of a believer; for all his affairs are good for him, and this applies only to a believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (7138), Kitaab al-Zuhd]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The author (Imaam al-Nawawee) رحمه الله mentioned the Hadeeth of Suhaib al-Roomee that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything…❞, meaning: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم expressed his amazement in a good way; ❝…for the case of a believer…❞, meaning: the affairs concerning a Believer. All the affairs concerning a Believer are only good for him, and this is not applicable to anyone except a Believer. 

When a man wrongs his family

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Minor sins regarding the rights of the wife, children, and neighbors are expiated through Salaah, Saum, Sadaqah, and enjoining good and forbidding evil:

Hudhaifah Ibn al-Yamaan رضي الله عنه said that the Prophet ﷺ said:

❝A man's afflictions (i.e. wrong deeds) concerning his relation to his family, his property, his own self, his children, and his neighbors are expiated by his:

✔ Salaah (prayers),

✔ Saum (fasting),

✔ Sadaqah (giving in charity),

✔and Amr bil-Ma`roof (enjoining what is good),

✔and Nahee `anil-Munkar (forbidding what is evil).❞

📚 [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (525, 1435, 1895, 3586, 7096) and Saheeh Muslim]

Seeking Allaah's refuge from the Fitan

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

It is reported that `Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said:

❝One should not say: “I seek Allaah’s refuge from the Fitan”, as there is no one except that he will be tested and put to trials. Rather, if one has to seek refuge then he should say: “I seek Allaah’s refuge from falling into dilemma or going astray because of the Fitan.”

He then recited:

﴿إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ﴾

{Your wealth and your children are only a Fitnah} [Surah al-Taghaabun (64): 15]❞

Ibn Rajab said: “He (Ibn Mas`ood) was indicating that one does not seek Allaah’s refuge from wealth and children, even though they are a Fitnah, (but rather from the dilemma that arises because of them.)”

[Ibn Rajab in الجامع المنتخب (1/104) and al-Tabaraanee in Mu`jam al-Kabeer (8931). Al-Haithamee said in Majma` al-Zawaaid (11959), “it is reported by al-Tabaraanee and its chain is broken in.”]

NOTE: The purpose of this post is to indicate that the Fitnah is not always bitter. At times it can be sweet and tempting, as Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ﴾

{And We shall test you with EVIL and with GOOD as trial; and to Us you will be returned.} [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21): 35]

And the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: ❝The (Hell) Fire is surrounded by all kinds of desires and passions, while Paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked undesirable things.❞ [Saheehain]

The one who comes out safe from it will be successful, and the one who does not will be left confused, or misled or destroyed, as the Prophet ﷺ said: ❝Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. During (that stormy period) a man would be a Believer in the morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a Believer in the evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for worldly goods.❞ [Saheeh Muslim (169)]

Contrary to the statement of Ibn Mas`ood, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed to say:

نَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ

We seek Allaah’s refuge from the Fitan, both visible and invisible.

[Saheeh Muslim]

Types of calamities:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Calamities are of two types:

1) Affliction in the self: (And this is from the worldly perspective). This includes loss in wealth, health, live, honor, hunger, fear or any other type of physical or psychological loss or affliction. As Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ﴾

{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits…} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 155]

۞۝۞

2) Affliction in the Deen: (and this is from the perspective of the Hereafter). Affliction in the Deen is far worse than affliction in the self. As Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾

{And Al-Fitnah (affliction in the Deen) is worse than killing} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 191]

And

﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾

{...and Al-Fitnah is greater than killing} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 217]

This includes being afflicted by Shirk, or Bid`ah, or getting confused even after knowing the correct path, or having doubts about the Deen, or belittling the Sunnah, or giving preference to personal opinions over the Texts, or laziness in religious duties, or self-amazement, or following the path of falsehood after being guided etc.

Part of this affliction also includes being prevented from carrying out the religious duties by the enemies, or persecution in the name of religion. As Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ﴾

{They (the enemies) had nothing against them (the believers), except that they believed in Allaah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!} [Surah al-Burooj (85): 8]

Affliction in the Deen can lead to misguidance and eternal damnation. Moreover, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم frequently used to supplicate saying:

يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوبِ، ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ

❝O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.❞ [Sunan al-Tirmidhee and Sunan Ibn Maajah, and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Explanation of the Hadeeth: “I’ve been supported by awe over my enemies”

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿سَنُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ بِمَا أَشْرَكُوا بِاللَّـهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا﴾

{We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allaah, for which He had sent no authority.} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 151]

He تعالى also:

﴿إِذْ يُوحِي رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ سَأُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ﴾

Hadeeth: Fixing certain time and place for teaching women

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Narrated Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه:

❝Some women requested the Prophet ﷺ to fix a day for them as the men were taking all his time. On that he promised them one day for religious lessons and commandments.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (101)]

Narrated Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه:

❝A woman came to Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ and said: “O Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so please devote to us from (some of) your time, a day on which we may come to you so that you may teach us of what Allaah has taught you.” Allaah's Messenger ﷺ said: ❝Gather on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a place.❞ They gathered and Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ came to them and taught them of what Allaah had taught him.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (7310) and Saheeh Muslim (6368)]