"Surely, the true religion in Allah's sight is Islam" (3:19)
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
When the Mu’min sins, a black spot forms on his heart. If he makes istighfaar and taubah, the black mark is removed and his heart is purified. If he increases his sin, the black mark increases. This is the corrosion of the heart spoken of by Allah Ta’ala (in the Qur’an)
[Ahmad, Tirmizi, Ibn Majah]
Source: Hayatul Muslimeen
Narrated AbudDarda’ (رضى الله تعالى عنه):
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said: There is nothing heavier than good character put in the scale of a believer on the Day of Resurrection. [Sunan Abu Dawud]
Abu Bakrah radhiyallahu anhu narrates that someone said to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, “O Apostle of Allah! Who is better among men (i.e., what kind of a man will be successful in the Hereafter)?” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam replied, “He who lived long and did good deeds.” The same person then asked, “Who is bad to a greater degree among men (i.e., what kind of man will be a loser in the Hereafter)?” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam replied, “He who lived long and did evil deeds.”
(Musnad-i-Ahmad)
Commentary
The longer a person who leads a virtuous life lives, the more will he develop to a higher religious state. In a similar way, the bondsman whose deeds are such as to make him removed from Allah will go incurring His displeasure as he continues to live.
Ubayd Ibne Khalid radhiyallahu anhu narrates that once the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam established “brotherly relationship” between two persons (i.e., declared them to be brothers according to the custom of the age). It so happened, soon afterwards, that one of them got killed in jehad and the other, too, died within a week of it. The Companions offered the funeral prayers at the latter’s death. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam then asked the Companions who had performed the burial service, “What did you say in the funeral salaat (i.e., what prayer did you make for the sake of your dead brother)?” The Companions replied, “We prayed that Allah may forgive his sins and have mercy on him and make him join his brother (so that they may live together in Heaven as they did in the world)”. On hearing this, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam remarked, “And where did the prayers go which he offered after the prayers of the martyred brother?” (i.e., after the chain of his prayers had been terminated due to falling a martyr in jehad). “And where did the good deeds go that he performed after the good deeds of the martyred brother?” [Or, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said something to the effect that where did the fasts go that he kept after the fasts of his martyred brother? (The narrator is not sure whether the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam mentioned, ‘good deeds’ after ‘prayers’ or ‘fasts’)]. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam then said, “The difference between the stations of the two is even greater than that between the heavens and the earth.”
(Abu Dawud and Nasa’i)
Commentary
The Companions considered the brother who had died later to be of a lower rank than the one who had attained martyrdom in jehad, and that was why they prayed that Allah might join him with the martyred brother in Heaven. But the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam told them that it was just the opposite of it and the brother who had died a natural death had gained a much more elevated position owing to the prayers he had offered, the fasts he had kept and the other good deeds he had performed after the martyrdom of his brother.
To lay down one’s life in the path of Allah is, doubtlessly, an act of a very high order, but the advance and improvement affected through salaat, fasting and other virtuous deeds, provided that these are endured with earnestness, is also unlimited.
Besides, since the brother who died later was also a soldier of Allah, ever-willing to sacrifice his life in His path, he too had, because of the purity of his intention and eagerness for martyrdom, attained the state of martyrdom though he had died in his bed, and the acts of worship and other good deeds he had performed after the death of his martyred brother had produced such an elevation in his ranks that the sacred Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam described the difference between their stations in the Hereafter to be even greater than between the earth and the sky.
Asma’a reported that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w said: “Spend and don’t count lest Allah counts for you, and don’t hoard up lest Allah withhold from you. Spend what you can.
Bukhari & Muslim
Commentary:
If you keep strict account of your charity, Allah will also keep strict account of His gifts and wealth on you. This principle applies everywhere. Suppose a rich father gave his son some coins of silver and then asked back for one of them. He did not return it fearing that it would fall short of purchasing sweets. His father laughed and said: “How foolish is the boy! He does not understand where the money comes from.” Had he returned it to him, he would have given him more, because a father, is pleased with his son, he gives more.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w said: “The Almighty Allah says: O son of Adam! Spend, you will then be spent for.”
Bukhari & Muslim
Commentary:
You will be given wealth and rewards from the treasures of Allah, in case you give away in charity, because a cistern when vacated is usually filled up and that which remains filled up without consumption is not at all filled up. The Qur’an says: “And whatever thing you spend, it will be given in exchange.”
Abu Omamah reported that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w said: “O son of Adam! That you spend wealth is good for you and that you withhold it is bad for you, and you should not be backbitten for miserliness. Begin with those who are in you family.”
Muslim
Commentary:
First of all, every man should provide the necessities to his family members and then there is the question of charity in case of surplus. In such a case, a gift to family members will bring greater rewards than a gift to strangers.
Source: Bilal Academy
It is related by Abdullah bin Omar that the Apostle of God said:
“Islam is built upon five things: the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad (PBUH) is his bondman and apostle; and the observance of prayer, and the paying of the poor-due, and the pilgrimage to Mecca, and the fast of Ramadhan.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Commentary:
In the above tradition the Prophet has compared Islam to a building that is built upon pillars and said that the structure of Islam is raised upon the five fundamental tenets it is, therefore, inconceivable for a Muslim to be negligent in the observance of these principles which, in fact are the foundational pillars of Islam.
It should, however be remembered that duties in Islam are not confined only by the five basic principles but extended to other matters as well, such as the sanctioning of what is rights and prohibiting of that is wrong, and Jihad in the path of Allah. Since the importance that they enjoy is not equalled by any other tenet they have been elevated to the status of fundamental doctrines ad this is identical to what been pointed out in the commentary of the proceeding tradition.
The five points are to Islam that body is to soul. Moreover they exemplify the principal aspects of worship that are an end in themselves and whose obligator-ness is not lasting only for a limited time of related to a particular situation. These are binding and compulsory at all times and in all conditions as against Jihad and the sanctioning of what is allowed and the forbidding of what in prohibited which are an obligatory duty only on certain occasions and in certain circumstances.
Abu Zarr (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that the Apostle of Allah (once) said to him: ‘You as a person, enjoy no superiority over a white-skinned or a black-skinned man. You can, of course, be superior through piety and fear of Allah.’
(Musnad Ahmad)
Commentary
It shows that honour and superiority does not rest with wealth, nationality, birth, language or face and figure. it is determined by piety (i.e., fear of Allah and the way of life stemming from it). Thus, with Allah, he is greater in honour who is more pious. As the Qur’aan says:
‘Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.’
(Al Qur’aan 49:13)
It is related by Mu’aaz ibn Jabal (radhiyallahu anhu) that the Apostle of Allah sent him to Yemen as the governor (and when he was leaving for that place) the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam went with him (for some distance by way of a send-off), giving him (necessary) instructions and advice. At that time, Mu’aaz ibn Jabal (at the bidding of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was riding on his mount while the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was walking on foot beside him.
The last thing the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, after he had given the necessary instructions was: ‘We may not meet again after this year (i.e., it is the last year of my life and I am about to depart from the world). It is possible that (when you return from Yemen) you may visit this mosque and my grave.’ On hearing it, Mu’aaz ibn Jabal began to cry. Turning his face away from him and in the direction of Madinah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam remarked, ‘Much closer and dearer to me are the bondmen who fear Allah (and observe piety), whoever they are and wherever they may be.’
(Musnad Ahmad)
Commentary
The concluding part of the above Hadeeth denotes that spiritual nearness and attachment is the main thing, and, in the sight of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is dependent on piety. Hence, however distant a man may be from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam physically, he may be in Yemen or in any part of the world, if he possesses the virtue of piety and has the fear of Allah, he is close to him, or, rather, with him. On the other hand, if a person is near him, in the physical sense, but his heart is devoid of piety, he is removed from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam is removed from him, all the seeming nearness not withstanding.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has, in this way, consoled Mu’aaz ibn Jabal. He has advised him not to grieve over the apparent separation for with piety and the fear of Allah in his heart he will not be far from him even if he lived in Yemen. Moreover, the present existence is transitory, and the permanent dwelling place is the future world where all the righteous bondmen of Allah will live with the Prophet forever and there will be no question of separation.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam had turned his face away while speaking these words, probably because he too had been moved to tears at the weeping of Mu’aaz ibn Jabal and wanted to conceal it from him. It could also be that the spectacle of a true friend weeping was unbearable for the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, therefore, he looked away.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam ordered Mu’aaz ibn Jabal to ride on his mount while, for himself, he preferred to walk on foot by his side. What a great lesson and good example does it contain for those who are regarded to be the religious and spiritual deputies of the Apostle.
By Maulana Manzoor Nu‘maani
Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu relates that the Apostle of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:You should never be envious of an evil-doer (an infidel or a pervert) because of a blessing or prosperity. You do not know what suffering he is going to endure after death. At Allah’s place (i.e., in the Hereafter) there is a killer for him that will not die.
The narrator, Abdullah ibne Abi Maryam who related it, on the authority of AbuÊHurayrah radhiyallahu anhu says, “By ‘killer’, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam meant the Fire of Hell (ie. the evil-doer is going to live in Hell forever. To be envious of such a man is rank foolishness and ignorance).”
(Baghawi)
Commentary
Often when a truthful Believer, who is spending his days in pain and poverty, sees some wicked and godless person surrounded with comfort and luxuries, the devil puts various doubts into his heart, or, at least, he begins to feel envious of his happy circumstances. But it is the height of ingratitude to Allah. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, in this Tradition, has warned that no believing person should grudge the short-lived happiness and prosperity of those who are devoid of the blessings of faith and good-doing because, after all, they are going to undergo the torment of Fire in the Hereafter.
If the bitter end which is awaiting those unfortunate men can be known, material comfort and physical pleasures they are enjoying will appear to be no better than the special consideration that is shown to those who are sentenced to death a few days before their execution. This, exactly, is the nature of the prosperity and bodily enjoyment of the rebels against Allah in the sight of the bondsmen who are blessed with faith in the reality of the Hereafter, as related by the Apostles. They do not view with envy their wealth and comfort but are thankful to Allah that by endowing them with Faith He has saved them from the frightful chastisement that is in store for the impudent slaves of the flesh.
The humble writer has known faithful bondsmen who, on seeing godless men of the world, spontaneously recited the prayer of gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord the sacred Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to say when he saw anyone in distress: Praise be to the Lord who saved me from that with which He hath inflicted thee, and made be better than many of His creatures.
It is related by Abdullah bin Abbas that the Apostle of God said: “Even if a man possesses two fields and two forests full of worldly goods, he will like to have a third, and man’s belly will get filled up only with earth [i.e., his insatiable appetite for wealth will end only in the grave], and God shows compassion to the bondsman who turns his face towards Him.”
Bukhari and Muslim
Commentary:- Excessive desire for wealth is a common human failing to the extent that if a man’s fields and forests are overflowing with riches he will still not be satisfied and go on wanting an increase in them till the last moment of his life.
Fondness for wealth ends only with death. There is a special favour of the Lord on those who make Him, and not the material world, the object of their adoration. God grants them contentment and they lead a happy and peaceful life here in this world too.
‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his grandfather that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Do not pluck out white hair. It will be the light of a Muslim on the Day of Rising.”
[at-Tirmidhi]
It is related by Abdullah bin Masood that the Apostle of God said: “The tears that fall from the eyes of a truthful Believer, out of the fear of the Lord, and, then, roll down his face, however little they are, even of the size of a fly [i.e., just one drop], shall prevent the Fire of Hell from [touching] his face.”
–Ibn Majah
Commentary
It shows that the face that gets wet, at any time, with tears shed in response to the fear of the Lord will remain protected from the Fire of Hell.
When the happy tidings of protection against the Fire of Hell are given in a Tradition, as a result of performing a virtuous deed, it, generally, means that it is the characteristic attribute of that deed, and God will keep him safe from the infernal Fire who will carry it out provided that he is not guilty of a mortal sin which calls for the punishment of Fire, or if he has ever committed a sin entailing damnation, he has offered sincere repentance for it and resolved not to do it again. It must not be taken for an attempt at explaining away a difficulty but even in our common parlance such a condition is supposed to be implied with a promise or assurance of that kind.
Source: Marif ul Hadith