Healing Through Sadaqah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
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Abu Umamah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

وداووا مرضاكم بالصدقة

“And treat your sick by giving sadaqah (voluntary charity).” [1]

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1. ‘Ubadah bin Saamit رضي الله عنه narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

ما من رجل يجرح في جسده جراحة فيتصدق بها إلا كفر الله عنه مثل ما تصدق

‘There is no person who is afflicted with a wound on his body, and he gives charity due to that, except Allah expiates from him the like of (what he gave in) charity.” [2]

2. Hudayfah ibn Yaman رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

فتنة الرجل في أهله وماله وولده وجاره تكفرها الصلاة والصوم والصدقة والأمر والنهي

“A fitnah that a man faces in regard to his family and wealth and his son (i.e. children) and his neighbour is expiated by prayer and fasting and sadaqah and enjoining good and forbidding evil.” [3]

3. Hatim ibn al-Jarrah said he heard Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Shaqeeq who heard Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak asked by a man about a sore knee he (the man) was suffering from for seven years. He tried various treatments and had asked doctors but to no avail; so Ibn al-Mubarak advised him:

اذهب فاحفر بئرا في مكان حاجة إلى الماء فإني أرجو أن ينبع هناك عين ويمسك عنك الدم ففعل الرجل فبرأ

“Go and dig a well in a place where people need water, I hope that water will spring up (there) and by which you’ll stop bleeding.’ The man did that and Allah cured him.” [4]

4. Al-Bayhaqi quoted a story of his shaykh, Al-Hakim Abu Abdullah thus:

فإنه قرح وجهه وعالجه بأنواع المعالجة فلم يذهب وبقي فيه قريبا من سنة فسأل الأستاذ الإمام أبا عثمان الصابوني أن يدعو له في مجلسه يوم الجمعة فدعا له وأكثر الناس التأمين

“He was afflicted with sores/ulcers on his face, and he had tried a number of treatments but they did not go away, and it remained like that for nearly a year. He then asked the teacher, Imam Abu Uthmaan as-Sabooni to make Dua’ for him in one of his gatherings on Friday, so he made Dua’ and many of the people with him said Ameen.

فلما كان يوم الجمعة الأخرى ألقت امرأة في المجلس رقعة بأنها عادت إلى بيتها واجتهدت في الدعاء للحاكم أبي عبد الله تلك الليلة فرأت في منامها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كأنه يقول لها قولي لأبي عبد الله يوسع الماء على المسلمين فجئت بالرقعة إلى الحاكم فأمر بسقاية بنيت على باب داره وحين فرغوا من بنائها أمر بصب الماء فيها وطرح الجمد في الماء وأخذ الناس في الشرب فما مر عليه أسبوع حتى ظهر الشفاء وزالت تلك القروح وعاد وجهه إلى أحسن ما كان وعاش بعد ذلك سنين

“When it came to the next Jumu’ah, a woman came to the gathering and left a brief message saying that she had gone back home and exerted herself in making Dua’ for al-Haakim Abu Abdullaah that night, and that she had seen the Messenger of ﷺ in her sleep, and it was as if he was saying to her: tell Abu Abdullaah to distribute water amongst the Muslims. I came with that message to al-Haakim, and he ordered that a watering place be built at the door of his home, when they had finished building it, he ordered for water to be poured into it and ice placed into that water, and then the people began drinking from that water. Not a week had passed by, except that it was obvious that his health had been restored, and the ulcers had ceased. His face had become better than it was before, and he lived like that for a number of years.” [5]

5. Abu Tahir as-Silafi said in ‘Mu’ajam as-Safr’:

سمعت أبا الحسن علي بن أبي بكر أحمد بن علي الكاتب المينزي ( لعلّها المزّي ) بدمشق يقول : سمعت أبا بكر الخبازي بنيسابور يقول : مرضت مرضاً خطراً، فرآني جارٌ لي صالح، فقال : استعمل قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( داووا مرضاكم بالصدقة )، وكان الوقت ضيقاً فاشتريت بطيخاً كثيراً واجتمع جماعة من الفقراء والصبيان فأكلوا ورفعوا أيديهم إلى الله عز وجل ودعوا لي بالشفاء، فوالله ما أصبحت إلا وأنا في كل عافية من الله تبارك وتعالى

“I heard Abu’l Hasan Ali bin Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Ali, the scribe of al-Maynzi in Damascus saying: I heard Abu Bakr al-Khabazi (d. 449 AH) from Nisaboor say: ‘I became sick with a very dangerous illness, and a righteous neighbour of mine saw me and said: ‘Utilise the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : ‘Treat your sick by giving Sadaqah (charity).’ It was summer time, and I bought many watermelons, and a group of poor people and children got together and ate them, then they raised their hands to Allah Almighty and they made Dua’ for me to be cured. I swear by Allah I had not reached the morning except that I regained complete health from Allah, Tabaraka wa ta’ala.” [6]

6. Al-Barzali said in his Fatawa (5/612):

“Ibn Rushd was asked about the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : ‘Treat your sick by giving Sadaqah (charity).’ Is it authentic or not? And what does it mean? And if a person becomes sick and treats his illness with all types of medicines and they did not benefit him, then what is the way of giving Sadaqah as a medicine? He answered:

“I do not remember this text (narration) in any of the authentic collections of narrations, however, if it is authentic, then the meaning is an encouragement to visit the sick, because it is from the obligatory rights from the Sunnah that it is upon a Muslim that he visit a Muslim if he becomes sick. As for the saying ‘The Muslim is a brother of a Muslim, he encourages him to say the Shahadah at the time of death, and he visits him when he is sick, and advises him when he is absent or if he has to testify.’ As for visiting him then this is a good deed, and every good deed is sadaqah, since it has a connection with the sick person and visiting him brings happiness to him, just as making Dua’.

There is no doubt that there is hope that the Dua’ will be answered and he will be cured. Therefore, it does benefit him as a type of medicine, due to the saying of the Messenger ﷺ : ‘He who sent down the illness also sent down the treatment.’ Al-Barzali said: ‘Some of our teachers from al-Qayrawan understood this to have an evident meaning, namely that if a person gives Sadaqah on behalf of the sick, and that he requests the person whom he gave Sadaqah to, to make Dua’ for the sick then it is hoped he will be cured, due to the saying of the Messenger ﷺ : ‘The supplication of one of you for his brother in his absence is answered’. And Allah knows best and Tawfeeq is from Him.'”

7. Many from the Salaf saw the giving of charity as a means for their expiation. Ibraheem an-Nakha’i (from the major tabi’i) said:

كانوا يرون أن الصدقة تَدْفَع عن الرجل الظلوم

“It is seen that (the giving of) sadaqah pays for (and repels) the oppression of men.” [7]

8. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said:

فان للصدقة تاثيرا عجيبا في دفع انواع البلاء ولو كانت من فاجر أو من ظالم بل من كافر فان الله تعالى يدفع بها عنه انواعا من البلاء وهذا امر معلوم عند الناس خاصتهم وعامتهم واهل الأرض كلهم مقرون به لانهم جربوه

“Indeed sadaqah has a great effect in repelling different types of trials and tribulations, even if the charity was given by an evil or an oppressive person, even (if it was given) by a non-Muslim! Indeed Allaah, The Most High, repels different types of trials and tribulations due to giving sadaqah. This is a matter which is well-known to the scholars and the general folk and the people on the earth can relate to it as they have experienced it.” [8]

9. Allah ﷻ Said in the Qur’an:

إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

“Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds” [Hud: 114]

As part of a lengthy hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ said:

والصدقة تطفئ الخطيئة كما يطفئ الماء النار

“Sadaqah extinguishes (minor) sins just as water extinguishes fire…” [9]

In relation to seeking healing through charity, we also understand that the evil deeds and sins, which are removed by good deeds (i.e. giving sadaqah) can also impact positively on one’s health due to their removal. Ibn al-Qayyim said in his ‘Ad-Daa’ wa’l Dawaa’: “It is essential to know that sins and acts of disobedience are very harmful; their harmful effect upon the heart is akin to the harmful effects of poison upon the body – though the effects vary in their levels and intensities. Thus, is there any evil or harm in this world or in the Hereafter, except that it is due to sins and disobedience?

10. He also said: “There are types of medicines that can treat illnesses which the minds of the senior doctors cannot comprehend, and which their sciences, experiences and measurements cannot reach. These are the medicines of the heart and soul, and the strength of the heart, its dependence upon Allah and trust upon Him and seeking refuge in Him. Prostrating and feeling in dire need of Allah and humbling oneself for Allah. Likewise giving sadaqah and making Dua’, repentance and seeking forgiveness, being good to fellow creation, aiding the distressed ones and liberating them from grief and unhappiness… We have indeed experienced these matters a great deal as have others and we have seen what ordinary medicine can and cannot do.” [10]

And Tawfeeq is from Allah alone.

 

Footnotes:

[1] Al-Bayhaqi, 3/282; Abi Da’wud, ‘Kitab al-Marasil’ and others – classed as hasan in ‘Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3358

[2] Musnad Ahmad 5/316 & 329; – classed as saheeh in ‘Silsilah as-Saheehah, 2273

[3] Saheeh al-Bukhari, 502 and others

[4] Siyar A’laam an-Nabula’, 8/407

[5] Saheeh Targheeb wat-Tarheeb’, 964 – graded as saheeh Maqtu’

[6] Siyar A’laam an-Nabula’, 18/44

[7] Shu’ab al-Iman, 3/283

[8] Al-Wabil as-Sayyib, 1/49

[9] Al-Tirmidhi, 2616

[10] Zaad al-Ma’ad, 4/11

“It Will be Better For You”

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Sending salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ is from the greater deeds of ‘ibadah; and making it in abundance is among the reasons to attain immense goodness and invite blessings to oneself, as well as deterrence against evil and calamities. The noble Hadeeth in discussion reflects the great care and attention the Companions paid towards this deed and showed keenness and responsibility for it:

Download here:

Sending Salawat Upon the Prophet

Rank of ‘Afuww and Safh 💖

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Allah ﷻ‎ Said in An-Nur, 22:

وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“Let them pardon and overlook. Would you not love for Allah to forgive you? Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

He ﷻ‎ also said in Al-A’raf, 199:

خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ

“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.”

He ﷻ‎ also Said in Al-Hijr, 85:

وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَءَاتِيَةٌ ۖ فَٱصْفَحِ ٱلصَّفْحَ ٱلْجَمِيلَ

“…And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.”

Imam Taqi’udeen, Abu’l Abbas ibn Taymiyah al-Hanbali رحمه الله commented in his ‘Qa’idah fi’l Sabr’ (1/102):

أن يعلم أنه ما انتقم أحد قط لنفسه إلا أورثه ذلك ذلا وجده في نفسه فإذا عفى أعزه الله، وهذا مما أخبر به الصادق المصدوق عليه الصلاة والسلام حيث يقول:

“Know that none ever takes revenge for oneself except that he inherits humiliation for himself. If he forgives and pardons instead, Allah will honour him. And such is what the Prophet ﷺ informed us:

ما زاد الله عبداً بعفو إلا عزا

“Allah does not increase (in) his servant (the ability) to be forgiving, except he’s given honour.”

فالعز الحاصل له بالعفو أحب إليه وأنفع له من العز الحاصل له بالانتقام، فإن هذا عز في الظاهر وهو يورث في الباطن ذلا؛ والعفو ذل في الظاهر وهو يورث العز باطناً وظاهراً

So earning honour by being forgiving is more beloved and beneficial for a person than taking revenge. Indeed such honour becomes apparent on him, and humiliation is kept away… he inherits honour, both inwardly and outwardly.

Commenting on arbitrary revenge, ibn Taymiyah continues:

أن من اعتاد الانتقام ولم يصبر، لابد أن يقع في الظلم، فإن النفس لا تقتصر على قدر العدل الواجب لها*، لا علما، ولا إرادة، وربما عجزت عن الاقتصار على قدر الحق، فإن الغضب يخرج بصاحبه إلى حد لا يعقل ما يقول وما يفعل، فبين هو مظلوم ينتظر النصر والعز، إذ انقلب ظالماً ينتظر المقت والعقوبة

“Those who are used to taking (arbitrary) revenge and aren’t patient will fall into injustice, for one’s self is such, that it doesn’t limit itself to the proportion of justice that is required…”

As humans, we’re inclined to taking revenge if we’ve been personally wronged; we want to give out to others “what they deserve”. Yet, overlooking and pardoning ensures greater reward and cuts hugely, the risk of overstepping boundaries in disproportionately responding to what was initially done.

To overcome such risks, we need to be ready to overcome our ego; so let’s change this permanently and condition ourselves to pardon and forgive at the first strike.

The Five Forts 🏰

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Musa ibn Ahmad al-Hajjawi (d.968H), the author of the renowned ‘Zad al-Mustaqni’, painted a profound parable regarding the preservation of one’s Adab; failure of which, would lead to grave consequences for Iman itself:

يقال مثل الإيمان كمثل بلدة لها خمس حصون : الأول من ذهب ، والثاني من فضة ، والثالث من حديد ، والرابع من آجر ، والخامس من لبن ، فما زال أهل الحصن متعاهدين حصن اللبن لا يطمع العدو في الثاني ، فإذا أهملوا ذلك طمعوا في الحصن الثاني ثم الثالث حتى تخرب الحصون كلها ، فكذلك الإيمان في خمس حصون اليقين ، ثم الإخلاص ، ثم أداء الفرائض ، ثم السنن ، ثم حفظ الآداب ، فما دام يحفظ الآداب ويتعاهدها فالشيطان لا يطمع فيه ، وإذا ترك الآداب طمع الشيطان في السنن ، ثم في الفرائض ، ثم في الإخلاص ، ثم في اليقين

❝ It is said that the example of Iman (faith) is like the example of a town that has five (defensive) forts. The first of which is made of gold, the second of silver, the third of iron, the fourth of baked bricks, and the fifth of straw bricks. As long as the people of the town protect the straw bricked fortress, the enemy will not be able to reach the next fortress. If they neglect to defend it, the enemy will be covetous to reach the next, and then the next, until all the forts are ruined (and devastated).

As such Iman is like these five forts. The first is Yaqeen (certainty), the second is Ikhlas (sincerity), the third is fulfilling the Fara’id (obligatory duties), the fourth is performing the Sunan (recommended supererogatory deeds), and the fifth is preserving of Al-Adab (etiquette and mannerism); and shaytan makes a (false deceptive) promise that he has no desire in (targeting and spoiling) it. And so if Adab is abandoned, then shaytan makes an attempt on the Sunan, and then on the Fara’id, and then on Ikhlas, and then finally reaching Yaqeen. ❞

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📗  غذاء الألباب في شرح منظومة الآداب للسفاريني 1/37

Seeking & Trusting

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Pleasure of Seeking & Trusting

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لأن الدعاء مقارن للعمل، فالعبد يجتهد فيما ينفعه في الدين والدنيا، ويسأل ربه نجاح مقصده ويستعينه على ذلك، كما قال ﷺ

Making du’a is comparable to enacting a deed; thus the servant should strive seeking what is useful for his religious well-being as well as worldly grace, so one should beseech and ask his Lord for help to achieve his goals. As the Prophet ﷺ said:

احرص على ما ينفعك واستعن بالله ولا تعجز، وإذا أصابك شيء فلا تقل : لو أني فعلت كذا كان كذا وكذا، ولكن قل: قدر الله وما شاء فعل، فإن لو تفتح عمل الشيطان

❝ Keep asking Allah for what brings benefit and seek His aid and do not refrain from asking. If you are afflicted in any way, don’t say, ‘If only I had done such and such (it would have resulted different),’ rather say, ‘Allah so determined and did as He willed.’ The word ‘if’ opens the gates for shaytan. ❞  [Saheeh Muslim, 2664]

فجمع ﷺ بين الأمر بالحرص على الأمور النافعة في كل حال والاستعانة بالله وعدم الانقياد للعجز الذي هو الكسل الضار وبين الاستسلام للأمور الماضية النافذة، ومشاهدة قضاء الله وقدره

The Prophet ﷺ combined the command to be enthusiastic about seeking useful things with the command to ask Allah for help and not be lazy and give up easily. He also combined being resigned to things that have taken place with the pleasure of trusting Allah’s decree.

وجعل الأمور قسمين: قسماً يمكن العبد السعي في تحصيله أو تحصيل ما يمكن منه، أو دفعه أو تخفيفه فهذا يبدي فيه العبد مجهوده ويستعين بمعبوده وقسماً لا يمكن فيه ذلك، فهذا يطمئن له العبد ويرضى ويسلم

Thus, he divided the affair into two parts: the first part is what a servant can work for, in which case he must have sincerity and ask Allah for help. The second part is what he can’t possibly do, in which case he is reassured and submits to the pleasure of Allah.

ولا ريب أن مراعاة هذا الأصل سبب للسرور وزوال الهم والغم

There’s no doubt that holding onto this principle is the reason for much contentment and happiness. It does away with worry and sorrow.

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[ Al-Allaamah ‘Abd Al-Rahman ibn Nasir Al-Sa’di (d. 1376H), ‘Al-Wasaa’il al-Mufeedah’, p. 19]

With What People Can Understand

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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‘Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه said:

حَدِّثُوا النَّاسَ، بِمَا يَعْرِفُونَ، أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يُكَذَّبَ، اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

 “Narrate to people what they can understand; do you want Allah and His Messenger be lied against?” [1]

1. Ibn Hajr رحمه الله commented in his ‘Fath Al-Bari’:

وفيه دليل على أن المتشابه لا ينبغي أن يذكر عند العامة . ومثله قول ابن مسعود: ما أنت محدثا قوما حديثا لا تبلغه عقولهم إلا كان لبعضهم فتنة

“[In this narration] there is evidence that ambiguous knowledge should not be mentioned among the general public. And an example of this is (found in) the saying of Ibn Mas’ood, ‘Whatever you tell a people (anything) that their intellect don’t understand, will become a fitnah for some of them.’” [2]

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2. Shaykh Muhammad Salih ibn al-‘Uthaymeen رحمه الله expounded on this important and often misunderstood point beautifully. After mentioning the narration of ‘Ali, he stated:

“It is therefore an aspect of wisdom in da’wah (calling others to Allah) that you should not surprise people with things they are unable to comprehend. Rather, you should call them in stages, bit by bit until their minds settle…

He continued saying:

“[The statement of ‘Ali] ‘Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be disbelieved?’ is a rhetorical question, posed as a criticism of such behaviour. It means: by narrating to people things they cannot understand do you want Allah and His Messenger to be disbelieved? This is because in such cases when you say, “Allah said, and His Messenger said” they will say you have lied if their minds cannot comprehend what you are saying. They are not disbelieving Allah and His Messenger per se, but they are disbelieving you for the speech you have attributed to Allah and His Messenger. Thus they will end up disbelieving Allah and His Messenger – not directly – but by way of the one who transmits this knowledge (i.e. you).

Now if it is said: Should we stop telling people things they cannot understand even if they need to know? The answer is: No, we do not leave this knowledge altogether, but we should tell them in a way that they will be able to understand. This is done by telling them in stages, bit by bit until they can accept the speech we want them to know, and they can feel comfortable with it. We do not abandon knowledge that people cannot understand and just say ‘this is something they will reject or dislike so we will not speak about it at all.’

The same is the case with acting upon a Sunnah that people are not used to and which they might find objectionable. We should act by this Sunnah, but only after informing people about it, such that they will be able to accept it and feel comfortable about it.

We learn from this narration (of ‘Ali) that it is important to employ wisdom in calling to Allah, and it is incumbent upon anyone who calls to Allah to consider the level of understanding of those he is inviting, and he should put everyone in its proper place.” [3]

3. What then of the confusion caused by Muslims who’re openly engaged on social media, discussing matters in public, which are usually privy in circles of knowledge. Imam Al-Dhahabi رحمه الله said:

وليجتنِبْ روايةَ المُشْكِلات مما لا تحملُه قلوبُ العامَّة فإن رَوَى ذلكَ؛ فليكُن في مجالسَ خاصّة

“Leave out relating difficult (and problematic info) that can’t be borne by the hearts of the general public. If such is narrated, then let it be in private gatherings.” [4]

4. Similar to this topic is the benefits we gain from understanding the wisdom behind the length of various Surahs of the Qur’an: http://tinyurl.com/3row8z2

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References:

1. Saheeh al-Bukhari, ‘Book of Knowledge’ (127): Whoever specified some people to teach them knowledge, preferring them over others for fear that others may not understand it.

2. Fath Al-Bari, 1/225

3. See, ‘Majmu’ Fatawa’, vol. 10, (pgs. 774-775)

4. Al Muwaqidha fi Mustalah al-Hadeeth, p.85

 

Towards Self-Reform

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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The path of self-reform primarily begins with having an intricate knowledge of the shortcomings within us and our imperfections – by recognising the diseases of our souls and our hearts – before the process of abandonment and detoxification treatment can begin. This is achieved in four important ways, as mentioned by the late Sh. Dr. Uthman ibn Jumaa al-Dhumayri (may Allah have mercy on him).

الطريق الأول: العلم الذي يبصرنا بذلك ويوضح الطريق أمامنا، فهو الكشاف الذي يكشف لنا خبايا العلل وسبيل ذلك والطريق إليه هو: مصاحبة كتاب الله تعالى ومدارسته، ومدارسة حديث الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم والتأسي به واتباعه

The first way: Building our knowledge base that permits us to see all those (faults and) and clarifying the way ahead for us. It is like a scout with a searchlight revealing to us the ambiguity (and secrets) of our ills. And the path (in attaining that) is accompanying the Book of Allah and the school of hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and by reviving it and following it (as per our righteous predecessors).

والطريق الثاني: أن تطلب لك أخاً ناصحاً شفيقاً، وصديقاً صدوقاً، يبصرك بعيوبك، ويرى أن ذلك واجب عليه يفرضه الإسلام عملاً بقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “الدين النصيحة” قالوا: لمن يا رسول الله؟ قال: لله ولكتابه ولرسوله ولأئمة المسلمين وعامتهم . وقد كان أمير المؤمنين الفاروق عمر رضي الله عنه يقول: رحم الله امرءاً أهدى إلينا عيوبنا . ولنذكر أن المؤمن مرآة أخيه المؤمن

The second way: Seeking the counsel of a well-tempered and empathetic brother and a righteous friend who sees your faults. He sees looking our ofr his brother as a duty obligated on him by Islam, as per the words of the Prophet ﷺ, “The Deen is Naseehah” [in showing sincerity]. It was asked, “To whom O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common people.”  [Saheeh Muslim, #55]

And in the words of Ameer’ul Mu’mineen, Al-Farooq ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) who said, “May Allah have mercy on a man who shows to us, our faults/shortcomings.” Let us remember that the believer is a mirror of his believing brother.

الطريق الثالث: أن تنظر إلى ما يقوله فيك خصومك، فإنهم يتلمسون لك المعايب، فلا تأس على فعلهم ذاك، فإنهم بهذا يعرفونك بعيوب نفسك التي قد تغفل أنت عنها، أما هم فلا يسكتون
وقديماً قال الشاعر: وعين الرضا عن كل عيب كليلة… ولكن عين السخط تبدي المساويا

The third way: Looking at what your adversaries and opponents are saying. They sense and perceive (what you don’t), so don’t be aggrieved by that, for by doing so, they will highlight your defects that you may have overlooked. They won’t keep quiet about it either; as the poet said: “The eye of pleasure (seeks) after every fault (even at) night… And yet the eye of discontent shows its equivalent (opposite).”

والطريق الرابع: مخالطة الناس ومعايشتهم، فإذا رأيت منهم ما لا تحمده من الصفات التي نهى الله تعالى ورسوله عنها فخذ نفسك بالابتعاد عنها والحذر منها، وتحل بمكارم الأخلاق ومحاسن الصفات التي تحبها في الناس وتحببك أنت إليهم

And the fourth way: Associating with people and seeing how they live their lives. If you see from them, any qualities that Allah and His Messenger forbade, do not applaud them and remove yourself away and beware of them. Only consolidate and settle for the lofty akhlaq and beautiful qualities that you love in people and they love you for.

فهلا حاولت ذلك أيها المسلم وجربت وجاهدت نفسك ليكتب الله تعالى لك الهداية إلى السبيل الأقوم وإلى الفلاح والفوز في الدنيا والآخرة (والَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهدِيَنَّهُم سُبُلَنَا وإنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ المُحسِنِينَ)

Therefore, endeavor to implement this and experience and strive in fulfillment of personal reform so that Allah Almighty may write for you guidance upon the path of people who are successful and triumphant in the dunya and akhirah. As Allah Said, “And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” [Al-Ankaboot, 69]

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Reference:
Adapted from an article entitled: على طريق الإصلاح النفسي (as found in the channel of Sh. Muhammad ibn Abdullah bin Jaber Al-Qahtani).

The Uthmani Dawn ☀

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The nascent Ottoman Sultanate was founded at the end of the thirteenth century in northwestern Anatolia in the modern-day Bilecik Province in Turkey. The Oghuz Turks rallied around their tribal leader Osman in what was then, a small emirate – which was later to be transformed into a trans-continental empire in the centuries after his death, becoming the premier super power.  It is thus, always refreshing to learn about aspects of the values and visions these tribes held, by which Allah blessed them with honour and victory and in turn, reignited the pride of the Muslim world.

The following are excerpts from the wise counsel of Ameer Osman ibn Ertugrul (d.726H) – the founder of the Uthmani Sultanate – to his noble son and successor, Orhan I. On his deathbed, Osman called his son and imparted several pieces of gem, whose effects continued to define the character of early Uthmani leadership.

The Wise Counsel

يا بني: إذا واجهتْك في الحكم معضلةٌ فاتخذ من مشورة علماء الدين موئلًا

“O my son: If you encounter a dilemma in making judgment, seek advice from scholars of the deen.”

يا بني: لا يغرَّك الشيطانُ بجندك ومالك، وإياك أنْ تبتعدَ عن أهل الشريعة

“O my son: Do not let shaytan tempt you with your armed forces and wealth. And you should not turn away from the people of shari’ah.”

 يا بني: لسنا من هؤلاء الذين يقيمون الحروبَ لشهوةِ الحكم، أو سيطرةِ أفراد

“O my son: We are not among those who wage wars for the lust of power, or for dominating over individuals.”

يا بني: أوصيك بعلماء الأمة، أدِمْ رعايتَهم، وأكثِر من تبجيلهم، وانزِل على مشورتهم، فانهم لا يأمرون إلا بخير

“O my son: I advise you with the scholars of the ummah, take care of their needs and hold them in much esteem. And reach out to consult with them, for they don’t command anything except with goodness.”

يا بني: إياك أن تفعل أمرًا لا يُرضي الله عز وجل، وإذا صعب عليك أمرٌ فاسأل علماءَ الشريعة، فإنهم سيدلُّونك على الخير

“O my son: Do not enact an order that earns the displeasure of Allah. And if it becomes difficult for you, then ask the scholars of shari’ah, for they’ll guide you to goodness.”

واعلم يا بني: أنَّ طريقنا الوحيدَ في هذه الدنيا هو طريق الله، وأنَّ مقصدَنا الوحيدَ هو نشرُ دين الله، وأننا لسنا طلابَ جاهٍ ولا دنيا

“And know O my son: That our sole path in this dunya is the path of Allah. And that our only purpose is to spread the deen of Allah, and that we are not seekers of status/fame and dunya.”

يا بني: ليس في الدنيا أحدٌ لا تخضع رقبتُه للموت، وقد اقترب أجلي بأمر الله جل جلاله، أسلمك هذه الدولةَ وأستودعك المولى عز وجل، اعدِل في جميع شؤونك

“O my son: There is none in the dunya who does not succumb to death. I’m drawing near (to death) by the Will of Allah Almighty. I hand over to you the reigns of this dawlah, and I entrust you to the Almighty. Be just and fair in all your affairs.”

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References:

📗 العثمانيون في التاريخ والحضارة لأستاذي لدكتور المؤرِّخ محمد حرب: ص16
📗 تاريخ الدولة العثمانية للدكتور الصلابي: ص49

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Essence of Eloquence 💫

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Imam Abi Al-Qasim, Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi al-Gharnati al-Andalusi (d.741H) wrote the following lines of beautiful poetry in attempting to delineate his feelings towards the act of praising the noble Prophet  ﷺ:

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اروم امتداح المصطفى ويردني
قصوري عن ادراك تلك المناقب
ومن لي بحصر البحر والبحر زاخر
ومن لي باحصاء الحصى والكواكب
ولو ان اعضائي غدت السنا اذا
لما بلغت في المدح بعض مارب
ولو ان كل العالمين تسابقوا
الى مدحه لم يبلغوا بعض واجب
فامسكت عنه هيبة وتادبا
وعجزا واعظاما لارفع جانبي
ورب سكوت كان فيه بلاغة
ورب كلام فيه عتب لعاتب

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❝ I desired to praise Al Mustafa, being hindered by my own inability to grasp the extent of his immaculacy.

How can one such as I confine the ocean, when the ocean is vast? And how can one such as I count the stones and the stars?

If all of my limbs were to become tongues, even then I couldn’t begin to praise him as intended.

And if all of creation gathered to compete in attempting to praise him, even then they would fall short in his due.

I have altogether ceased trying – awestruck, clinging to courtesy, laced by timidity in glorifying his most lofty rank.

Indeed, sometimes silence has within it, an essence of eloquence. And often speech becomes mere fuel for those who like to find fault. ❞

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Reference:

ابن جزي ومنهجه في التفسير 2/236

Mixing and Enduring

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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‘Abd Allah bin ‘Umar رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

المؤمن الذي يخالط الناس و يصبر على أذاهم ، أفضل من المؤمن الذي لا يخالط الناس و لا يصبر على أذاهم

“The believer who mixes (and associates) with people and patiently endures (and tolerates) their injury is better than the believer who does not mix with people and does not patiently endure their injury.” [1]

This narration has many profound benefits, from them are the following three:

1. The word أذاهم means more than injury, it denotes every type of damage or offense or annoyance caused by people, whether physical, verbal or mental. The most glaring example would by the bitter harsh experience of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself when he travelled to Ta’if to invite its people to Islam. His صلى الله عليه وسلم composure and manner in face of severe physical injury and verbal attacks suffered at the hands and tongues of the people epitomises a moral standing in the history of this ummah that will continue to guide Muslims until the Last Day.

2. It is necessary for Muslims in general and the preachers in particular to be patient with the people for any harm they may encounter, to recognise the reward for such an attitude and always show discerning acumen. Any suffering experienced while standing for the truth is indeed greatly rewarded – and that patience, compassion and mercy must not be compromised when delivering the message of Islam. Allah سبحانه و تعالى Said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم regarding his gentleness:

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ

“And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs…” [2]

4. This profound Ayah provides a blueprint for the type of characteristics one should adopt in dealing with people around them. Not only does it call for being polite and gentle and overlooking their faults, while seeking Allah’s guidance for them, it also asks to be empathetic to their situation and to discuss their affairs in bringing about mutual understanding and reasoning. Qatadah said about the words: ولو كنت فظا غليظ القلب لانفضوا من حولك – that Allah cleansed him صلى الله عليه وسلم from (using) vulgar language and cruelty and made him (become) closer to the believers through his (adapting of) mercy…” [3]. This can only be achieved when one excels in morality. As Allah سبحانه و تعالى Said:

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

“And whosoever shows patience and forgives, verily that would be from (the resolute) things recommended (by Allah).” [4]

 

References:

[1] Al-Bukhari, ‘Al-Adab al-Mufrad’, 300; Ibn Majah, 3273; Al-Bayhaqi, 18573 and others – graded as hasan by Ibn Hajar (Bulugh al-Maram, 451), Al-Ajluni (Kashf al-Khafa’, 2/446), Ibn Muflih (Al-Aadab al-Shar’iyyah, 3/449); Al-Manawi and others; Al-Albani said it was saheeh (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6651 & Silsilat al-Saheehah, 939). See also Saheeh at-Tirmidhi, 2507 with the wording “verily the Muslim who”; Musnad Ahmad, 4875 (7/94), which Ahmad Shakir grading as saheeh; and Saheeh Ibn Majah, 3273 with the wording “has greater reward” and graded as saheeh by al-Albani.

[2] Aal-Imran, 159
[3] See Tafseer Al-Tabari, 8120
[4] Ash-Shoorah, 43

See also, shaykh Waleed al-Sa’eedan’s short commentary: http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=251587