Following the Sunnah!

Abu Mas’ud Uqbah bin Amr Al-Badri (RA) reported: A man came to the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said; “I join the morning Salaat late because of so-and-so who leads it and prolongs it.” (Abu Mas’ud said); I have never seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so angry while giving a speech as he was on that day. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,”Some of you create hatred among the people against faith. Whoever leads Salaat, should make it brief (while still following the etiquette’s and requisites of Salaat) because the congregation includes old men and youngsters and those who have some urgent work to do.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Note: First, there is allowance for a genuine complaint regarding some public inconvenience. Second, a believer is supposed to be passionately uncompromising on religious precepts. Third, the Imam (leader) should refrain from prolonging Salaat and be considerate of the congregation standing behind him. But a brief recitation of the Quran or prayer does not imply a disregard of the example of the Prophet and the adjustment of different postures in Salaat. In no way should it be a haste and heedless Salaat as unfortunately offered by majority of men. They have little regard for the example of the Prophet in offering Salaat. What a pity! Fourth, one may be exempted from offering congregational Salaat for a valid religious excuse. Fifth, the Imam should eschew an attitude which may foment people’s aversion to worship.

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ” The most perfect man in his faith among the believers is the one whose behaviour is most excellent; and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives.” (Tirmidhi – Hasan Sahih)

Note: This hadith brings into light the corollary of faith and complaisant manners. We may put it in this way that the degree of a man’s excellent behaviour determines the degree of faith. Or the sublimity of faith calls for the sublimity of morals. Similarly, a man who is polite and courteous to his wife will be considered as the best.

Hadhrat Ibn Mas’ood (RA) narrates that he heard the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying: “At the approach of the hour of a salaat, an angel is deputed to proclaim, ‘Arise, O Children of Adam! and extinguish the fire that you have kindled (by committing sins) to burn yourselves.’ So, the people rise up, perform wudhu (ablution) and offer their Zuhr prayer. This causes forgiveness for their sins committed since daybreak. The same is repeated at Asr, Maghrib, and Ishaa. After Ishaa people go to bed, but there are some who busy themselves in good, while some in evil deeds.”

Hadhrat Salmaan (RA) says, “After Ishaa the people get divided into three groups. There are some for whom the night is a source of blessing and gain. They are those who spend it in the worship of Allah, while other people are asleep. For them the night brings great reward from their Lord. There are others who turn their night into a burden and curse for themselves, for they indulge in various dark deeds in the dead of night. To them the night brings woe and misery. There is the third group of people who go to bed immediately after Ishaa; they neither gain nor lose.”

Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (RA) reported: Mu’awiyah (RA) came to an assembly in the mosque and asked them: “What has made you sit together?” They replied, “We are sitting here to remember Allah.” He said, “I adjure you by Allah to tell me whether nothing else has made you sit together.” They replied: ” By Allah! We are sitting only to remember Allah.” Then he said, “I did not adjure because I suspected you. No one of my rank in the eyes of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the narrator of so few traditions as I am. The fact is that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to a circle of his Companions and said, ‘What has made you sit there?’ When they replied that they are sitting together to remember Allah and to praise Him for guiding them to Islam and bestowing favors on them, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘I adjure you by Allah to tell me that nothing else has made you sit together.’ On their reply that there was no other purpose, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘I did not adjure you because I suspected you, but Jibril ((Gabriel) peace be upon him) came to me and told me that Allah was talking proudly of you to the angels.'” (Muslim) 

Note: This Hadith mentions the merits of the meetings which are held for the remembrance of Allah as well as the distinction of those who participate in them, so much so, that Allah mentions them to the angels. Shouldn’t we strive to be so blessed that Allah remembers us to the angels?

Once, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to the mosque for Salaat (prayer), where he noticed some people laughing and giggling. He remarked:

“If you remembered your death, I would not see you like this. Think of your death often. Not a single day passes when the grave does not call out: ‘I am a wilderness, I am place of dust, I am a place of worms’. When a Mo’min is laid in the grave, it says; ‘Welcome to you. It is good of you to have come into me. Of all the people walking on the earth, I liked you best. Now that you have come into me, you will see how I entertain you. ‘ It then expands as far as the occupant can see. A door from Paradise is opened for him in the grave, and through this door, he gets the fresh and fragrant air of Paradise. But when an evil man is laid in the grave it says; ‘No word of welcome for you. Your coming into me is very bad for you. Of all the people walking on the earth, I disliked you the most. Now that you have been made over to me, you will see how I treat you!’ It then closes upon him so much that his ribs of one side penetrate into the ribs of the other. As many as seventy serpents are set upon him, to keep biting him till the Day of Resurrection. These serpents are so venomous that if one of them happened to spurt its venom upon the earth, not a single blade of grass would ever grow.”

After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“The grave is either a garden of Paradise or a pit of Hell.”

Fear of Allah is the basic and essential qualification of a Muslim. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) advised the believers to remember death, off and on, and to keep the fear of Allah ever present in their hearts. (Fazaile A’mal)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that a man abused Abu Bakr while Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was sitting. Appreciating the forbearance and patience of Abu Bakr (RA), he kept smiling, but when the man went on at length and Abu Bakr (RA) replied to some of the things he said; Rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) became angry and left. Abu Bakr (RA) went after him and said: O Rasulullah! He was abusing me in your presence, but when I replied to some of what he said, you became angry and left. He replied: There was an angel with you, replying to him on your behalf but when you replied to him, Shaitan got in, and I am not supposed to sit with Shaitan. He then added: O Abu Bakr! There are three things, all of which are true:

1. Anyone who is wronged and he ignores it for the sake of Allah Azza wa Jaal, Allah will help him out and strengthen him.

2. Anyone who begins to give intending thereby to unite ties of relationship, Allah provides him with much more because of it.

3. Anyone who opens a door of begging, desiring to increase his wealth, Allah Azza wa Jaal increases his scantiness because of it. (Musnad Ahmad)

Abu Dhar(RA) narrates that my close friend (Rasulullah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined upon me seven things: (1) He ordered me to love the poor, and be close to the them. (2) He ordered me to look at those inferior to me, and not to look at those who are superior. (3) He ordered me to bind ties of kinship; even if they turn away from me. (4) He ordered me not to ask anyone for anything. (5) He ordered me to speak the truth, though it may be bitter. (6) He ordered me not to fear the reproach of anyone in respect to the orders of Allah. (7) And he ordered me to recite frequently, La haula wala quwata illa billah (‘There is no might to resist evil, and no power to do good, except through Allah), for these words are undoubtedly from the treasures under the Throne. (Musnad Ahmad)

Note: You should always look to those that are inferior to you in regards to worldly things so that it makes you greatful and appreciative of what you have, and not look at those who has more than you. That will make you wish that you had more and not be greatful for the bounties that Allah has bestowed on you.  Anyone who regularly recites La haula wala quwata illa billah undoudtedly is entitled to a very big reward (Mazahir Haque).

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: He who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection, should honor his neighbor. Sahabah asked: O Rasulullah! What are the rights of a neighbor? He replied:  if he asks you for something, give it to him; if he needs your help, help him; if he asks for a loan, lend it to him; if he invites you, accept his invitation; if he is sick, visit him; if he dies, follow his bier; if some problem befalls him, comfort him. Do not trouble him with the smell of cooking, unless you send some of it to him; do not raise your house above his, which may obstruct his ventilation, except by his permission. (Targhib)

Ubadah ibne-Samit (RA) reported: I heard Rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) narrating a Hadith Qudsi from his Rabb (Allah) Tabaraka wa Ta’ala: My love is incumbent for those who love one another for My sake; My love is incumbent for those who sympathize with one another for My sake; My love is incumbent for those who meet one another for My sake; My love is incumbent for those who spend on one another for My sake. They would be seated on pulpits of Nur (light); Prophets and Siddiqin (truthful followers) will envy them for their high ranks. (Ibne Hibban)

 In another narration of Ubada ibne-Samit (RA) it is stated: My love is incumbent for those who maintain relations for My sake. (Musnad Ahmad)

In a narration of Muadh ibne-Jabal (RA) it is stated: My love is incumbent for those who sit together for My sake. (Muatta Imam Malik)

In a narration of Amr ibne-Abasah (RA) it is stated: My love is incumbent for those who are friends for My sake. (Tabrani, Majma uz-Zawaid)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in a Hadith Qudsi said: Our Rabb Tabaraka wa Ta’ala descends every night to (the lowest) sky of this world, when one-third of the night remains, and He says: Is there anyone to invoke me in du’a, so that I may accept it? Is there anyone to ask of Me, so that I may grant it to him?  Is there anyone to seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? (Bukhari)