Following the Sunnah!

It has been said that the best person is he who possesses five traits:

1. He worships Allah (as best as he can). He is mindful of Allah no matter where he is or what he is doing.
2. He is of use to the creation. He benefits Allah’s creation with his self and his wealth.
3. People are safe from his evil. He does not cause harm to Allah’s creation by his tongue nor his hands.
4. He is not aspirant of people’s wealth. He is content with what Allah has given him and doesn’t look at others with greed or envy.
5. He is always prepared for death. He remembers that death is a certainty. No matter who he is or what he has he will leave everything behind and stand before Allah to account for his actions. He remembers that death is always one step behind, but one day it will catch him.

Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir (RA) reported: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was reciting Sura At Takathur (102): “The mutual rivalry (of hoarding worldly things) preoccupy you. Until you come to the graves (i.e., until you die). Nay! You shall come to know. Again nay! You shall come to know. Nay! If you knew with surety of knowledge (the end result of hoarding, you would not have been occupied in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell). And Again, you shall see it with certainty of sight. Then, on that Day, you shall be asked regarding the delights (you indulged in , in this world).” After reciting, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Son of Adam says: ‘My wealth, my wealth.’ Do you own of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, and what you wear and wear out, or what you give in Sadaqah (charity) (to those who deserve it), and what you will have in stock for yourself.”     -Muslim

Commentary: This hadith enjoins that if a person is given wealth by Allah, he should show gratefulness by spending it in ways that is liked by Allah because it is this Sadaqah which will be a valuable treasure in the Afterlife. Whatever else he consumes in this world, will finish or rot in this world and will be of no avail in the Hereafter. We should not compete with one another for that which will bring us no benefit, rather vie against one another in doing good deeds. But in our greed for worldly things, we forget the true purpose of our life until death overtakes us. Only then do we realize the futility of hoarding wealth. We should make an effort to visit the graves so that we can remind ourselves that we too will have to die and will have to give account for our actions. Remember that every single one of us, without exception, will taste death.

Abu Khaithama narrated to us, saying: Hushaim reported to us, saying: Sayaar reported to us from Jareer Ibn Hayyaan that he said:

“A man traveled to Egypt just for this one hadeeth and he did not stop his journey to settle down, until he returned back to his home. (The hadeeth was) ‘Whosoever conceals (the faults of) his brother in this world, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Judgment.’“

Abu Khaithama reported to us, saying: Muhammad Ibn Khaazim reported to us, saying: Al-A’amash reported to us from Shimr from Sa’eed Ibn Jubair on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (RA), that he said:

“Indeed, every creature, even the fish in the sea, asks forgiveness for the one who educates people about the good (i.e. Islaam).”

Abu Khaithama narrated to us, saying: ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Ibn Mahdee reported to us, saying Bishr
Ibn Mansoor reported to us from Thawr from ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez Ibn Adh-Dhibyaan that he said:
‘Isa Ibn Maryam said:
‘Whosoever learns, then knows, then acts, then this is considered something grand in the kingdom
of the heavens.”

Hazrat Isa (Jesus son of Mary) (peace be upon him) has said: “This world is a bridge: cross it, but do not build on it.”

In other words, it is the existence in the Hereafter which is the actual REALITY and objective for which this world acts as the bridge or means to transport one from the cradle to the inevitable grave where one is bound to spend some time. Since this world is a temporary station, it doesn’t make sense to live in extravagance. Therefore it becomes imperative to study and gain enough knowledge about the conditions prevailing in the grave so that adequate preparations could be made and when one reaches the moment of truth one will not feel lonely, deserted or confused.

On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifaree (RA) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from his Lord, that He said:

O My servants! I have forbidden dhulm (oppression) for Myself, and I have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.

 O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I shall guide you.

O My servants, all of of you are hungry except those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you.

O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I shall clothe you.

O My servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from Me and I shall forgive you.

O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm me, and you will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.

O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as pious as the most pious heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not increase My Kingdom an iota.

O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as wicked as the most wicked heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not decrease My Kingdom an iota.

O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all to stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were to give everyone what he requested, then that would not decrease what I Possess, except what is decreased of the ocean when a needle is dipped into it.

 O My servants, it is but your deeds that I account for you, and then recompense you for. So he who finds good, let him praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself.

(Muslim)

On the authority of Abu Abbas Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) who said: One day I was behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) [riding on the same mount] and he said, “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, then ask Allah [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah [alone]. And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” (Tirmidhi)

Another narration, other than that of Tirmidhi, reads: Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. Recognise and acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity. And know that what has passed you by [and you have failed to attain] was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Masood (RA), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us, “Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop), then he becomes an alaqah (clot of blood) for a like period, then a mudghah (lump of flesh) for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy (i.e., whether or not he will enter Paradise).

By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

On the authority of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), who said:

One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journey were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down in front of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), with his knees touching against the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs he said, “O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Islam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to perform prayers, to give zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.”

He said, “You have spoken rightly”; and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. He [the man] then said, “Tell me about iman.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “It is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny (qadr), both the good and the evil of it.”

He said, “You have spoken rightly.” He [the man] said, “Then tell me about ihsan.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “It is to worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then (knowing that) truly He sees you.”

He said, “Then tell me about the Hour.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.”

He said, “Then tell me about its signs.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefooted, naked destitute shepherds competing in constructing lofty buildings.”

Then he [the man] left, and I stayed for a time. Then he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)] said, “O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “It was Jibril, who came to teach you your religion.” (Muslim)