Following the Sunnah!

Abu-Darda (RA) reported: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said. “He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy for him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like the full moon to the rest of the stars (in brightness). The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham (wealth) but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire (Hell) and admitted to Jannah (Paradise), he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing).” (3:185)

“No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die…” (31:34)

“…when their term (death) comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).” (16:61)

“Until, when death comes to one of them (polytheists), he says: ‘My Rabb! Send me back. So that I may do good in that which I left behind!’ No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected. Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another. Then, those whose Scales (of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose Scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their own selves, in Hell will they abide. The Fire will burn their faces, and therein they will grin, with displaced (disfigured) lips. ‘Were not My Verses (the Qur’an) recited to you, and then you used to deny them?’ They will say: ‘Our Rabb! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were an erring people. Our Rabb! Bring us out of this; if ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be Zalimun (polythiests, oppressors, unjust, wrongdoers, etc).’ He (Allah) will say: ‘Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!’ Verily! There was a party of My slaves, who used to say: ‘Our Rabb! We believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for you are the Best of all who show mercy!’ ‘But you took them for a laughing stock, so much so that they made you forget My remembrance while you used to laugh at them! Verily! I have rewarded them this day for their patience, they are inded the ones that are successful.’ He (Allah) will say: ‘What number of years did you stay on the earth?’ They will say: ‘We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.’ He (Allah) will say: ‘You stayed not but a little, if you had only known! Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?'” (23:99-115)

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?

Wahab bin Munabbah says:

“Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) lost his eye sight in his old age. I once led him to the Haram in Mecca, where he heard a group of people exchanging hot words among themselves. He asked me to lead him to them. He greeted them with ‘Assalamu Alaikum’.They requested him to sit down, but he refused and said: ‘May I tell you about whom Allah holds in high esteem? These are those whom His fear has driven to absolute silence, even though they are neither helpless nor dumb. Rather they are possessors of eloquence and have power to speak and sense to understand. But constant glorification of Allah’s name has so over-powered their wits that their hearts are overawed and their lips sealed. When they get established in this state, they hasten towards righteousness. Whither have you people deviated from this path?’ After this admonition, I never saw an assembly of even two persons in the Haram.”

It is said that Hadhrat Ibne Abbas (RA) used to weep so much with Allah’s fear that the tears streaming down his cheeks had left permanent marks on them.
In this story, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) has prescribed a very easy way to righteousness. This is to meditate over the greatness of Allah. If this is done, it becomes very easy to perform all other acts of righteousness with full sincerity. Is it so very difficult to devote a few minutes, out of the twenty four hours of a day at one’s disposal, to this spiritual meditation? (Fazail-e-Amal)

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)

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says: O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families from the Fire, whereof the fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, and severe, who disobey not (in executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded. (Al-Tahrim:6)

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says: And worship and serve Allah. And ascribe nothing as partner to Him. (Show) Kindness to parents, and to near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the near neighbor, and to the distant neighbor, and your companion (in daily interactions or at work or in travel), and the traveller, and slaves whom you possess. Verily! Allah loves not such as are proud and boastful. (An-Nisa:36)

Note: A “close neighbor” is he who resides in the immediate neighborhood and is also a relative. The “distant neighbor” is one who is not a relative. Another interpretation is that a “close neighbor” is one whose door is just near to yours and a “distant neighbor” is one whose door is away. A “traveller” includes a person accompanying you on a journey, a traveller who is presently your guest or any tavelller who is in need.

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)