Excerpted from the famous book, ad-daa wad-dawaa of
Ibnul-Qayyim. Allaah has described the people of victory to be those who
perform good and have fear and He has described the people of misery to be
those who perform evil and live in a sense of security. Whosoever ponders over
the lives of the Companions will
find them to be lives lived to the full in
performing good actions combined with the fear of Allaah whereas we combine
lack of performing actions, indeed complete negligence in performing actions,
with a sense of security!
Hence, just as Allaah the Glorious has made hope
to be the outcome of those who perform righteous action, He has also made fear
to be their outcome.
It is imperative to understand that if someone
hopes and longs for something then this hope must necessarily include three
things:
1. Love of what he hopes for.
2. Fear of losing it.
3. His doing all he can to attain it.
As for a hope that does not contain these three
matters then it is nothing but idle desires – hope is one thing and idle
desires are something totally different. Therefore every hopeful person is
fearful of losing the desired goal and rushes to do all he can to attain it.
At-Tirmidhee reports from the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah (RA) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)
said, "the one who is afraid (of not reaching a place in time) travels by
night and the one who travels by night reaches his destination. Indeed the
property of Allaah is expensive, indeed the property of Allaah is
Paradise."
[Sunan at-Tirmidhee [no. 2452], al-Bukhaaree in
his Taareekh [no. 178], al-Haakim [4/307], Abd bin Humaid in his Musnad [no.
1458] and al-Baghawee in Sharh as-Sunnah [no. 4183]
Its insaad contains Yazeed bin Sinaan
ar-Ruhaawee and he is da`eef. The hadeeth has a witness reported by al-Haakim
[4/308] and Abu Nu`aym [8/377] from Ubayy bin Ka`b with a hasan sanad.]
Hence, just as Allaah the Glorious has made hope
to be the outcome of those who perform righteous action, He has also made fear
to be their outcome. Therefore it becomes known that the fear and hope that
brings about benefit is when it is accompanied by actions. Allaah says,
"Indeed those who live in awe for fear of
their Lord; and those who believe in the signs of their Lord; and those who do
not join anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; and those who give in
charity that which they give with their hearts full of fear, because they are
sure to return to their Lord. It is these who race for the good deeds and they
are the foremost in them." [al-Mu`minoon (23):57-61]
At-Tirmidhee reports from Aa`ishah (RA) that she
said, "I asked the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)
about this verse saying, does it refer to those who drink alcohol, fornicate
and steal? He replied, no O daughter of as-Siddeeq! It refers to those who
fast, pray and give charity while fearing that these actions may not be
accepted of them. These are the people who rush to perform good actions."
[Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh [Eng. Trans. 2/1110],
at-Tirmidhee[no. 3175], ibn Maajah [no. 4198], ibn Jareer [18/26], al-Haakim
[2/393], Ahmad [6/159, 205] and others.
Its narrators are all trustworthy and precise
but the isnaad is munqati` The hadeeth is also reported via a second route from
Aa`ishah by ibn Jareer [18/34] which strengthens it.]
This hadeeth is also reported from Abu Hurayrah
(RA).
[Reported by ibn Jareer [18/34] but its isnaad
contains Muhammad bin Humaid ar-Raazee and he is da`eef.]
Allaah has described the people of victory to be
those who perform good and have fear and He has described the people of misery
to be those who perform evil and live in a sense of security. Whosoever ponders
over the lives of the Companions will find them to be lives lived to the full
in performing good actions combined with the fear of Allaah whereas we combine
lack of performing actions, indeed complete negligence in performing actions,
with a sense of security!
Here is none other than Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq
saying, "I wish that I were a hair on the back of a believing
servant" as reported by Ahmad. [Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/13)]
Ahmad also mentioned that he used so say, taking
hold of his tongue, "this is what has led me to my destruction!"
[Reported by Maalik in al-Muwatta [Eng. Trans. Pg. 421], ibn as-Sunni in Amal
al-Yawm [no. 7], Abu Ya`laa [no. 5], ibn Abee ad-Dunyaa in as-Samt [no. 13],
ibn Abee ash-Shaybah [9/66] and ibn al-Mubaarak [no. 369] with a saheeh sanad.]
He used to cry a great deal saying, "cry,
and if you cannot cry then endeavour to cry." [Reported by Ahmad in
az-Zuhd (2/13)]
When he stood to pray then it was as if he was a
piece of wood due to his fear of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent. [Refer to
Taareekh al-Khulafaa (pg. 104)]
He was given a bird and turned it over saying,
"no game is caught nor tree lopped but because of the glorification it
neglected." [ Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/15)]
When death approached him he said to Aa`ishah
(RA), "O daughter indeed I have been given this cloak, milker and slave from
the property of the Muslims, quickly take it to ibn al-Khattaab."
[Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/16)]
He used to say, "by Allaah I wish that I
was a tree that is eaten from and then truncated."
Qataadah said, "it has reached me that Abu
Bakr said, woe to me, if only I were grass that would be eaten by the
animals." [ Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/17)]
Here is none other than Umar bin al-Khattaab
(RA) reciting Surah at-Tur and when he reached the verse,
"Verily the torment of your Lord will surely
come to pass." [at-Tur (52):7]
He began to cry so much that as a result he fell
ill and the people would visit him. [ Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/29] and
Abu Nu`aym in al-Hilya (1/51)]
At the time of his death he said to his son,
"woe to you, leave me lying on the ground so that maybe He will be
merciful to me." Then he said, "woe to me if He does forgive me"
three times and passed away. [Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/81)]
He would recite a verse during his nightly
devotions that would inculcate so much fear in him that he would seclude
himself in his house for days to come such that the people would think that he
had fallen ill. [Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/29] and Abu Nu`aym in al-Hilya
(1/51)]
He used to have two black furrows running down
his face due to his crying. [Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/30] and Abu Nu`aym
in al-Hilya (1/51)]
Ibn Abbaas said to him, "through you Allaah
has allowed many lands to be conquered and many battles to be won so do as you
please." He replied, "I only wish that I can be saved such that my
good deeds balance my evil deeds." [ Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/34]
and Abu Nu`aym in al-Hilya (1/52)]
Here is none other than Uthmaan bin `Affaan (RA)
who used to cry so much when he stood by a grave that his beard became soaked.
[Reported by at-Tirmidhee [no. 2424], ibn Maajah [no. 4267] and Abu Nu`aym in
al-Hilyah (1/61)]
He used to say, "it is as if I am standing
between Paradise and Hell not knowing which one I am destined for. I would
choose to be burnt to ashes before knowing which one I am to go to."
[Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/42] and Abu Nu`aym in al-Hilya (1/60)]
Here is none other than Alee bin Abee Taalib
(RA) whose crying and fear of Allaah is well-known. He used to be extremely
afraid of two matters: excessive reliance on hope that would lead to inaction
and the following of desires. He said, "as for excessive reliance on hope
then it causes one to forget the Hereafter, as for vain desires then they
divert from the truth. Indeed this world will pass away and ahead of it lies
the Hereafter and each one has its offspring. So be the children of the
Hereafter and do not be the children of the world for indeed today is the time
for action without recompense and tomorrow is the time of recompense with no
action." [Reported by Ahmad in az-Zuhd [2/48] and Abu Nu`aym in al-Hilya
(1/76)]
Here is Abu ad-Dardaa` (RA) who used to say,
"the thing I fear most for myself on the Day of Judgement is that it be
said to me, O Abu ad-Dardaa` you have learnt but how much did you act upon what
you knew?" [All of the following narrations can be found in az-Zuhd of
Imaam Ahmad and al-Hilya of Abu Nu`aym so I shall not unnecessarily lengthen by
referring each and every one of them.]
He used to say, "if only you knew what
would certainly happen to you after death – you would never again eat a single
bite out of a craving appetite, neither would you drink a single sip of water
for the pleasure of insatiable thirst and neither would you resort to your
homes seeking shade and comfort. Instead you would go out to the open desert,
striking your chests and crying over what is to happen to you. Indeed I wish
that I were a tree that is truncated and then eaten from."
The eyes of Abdullaah bin Abbaas (RA) used to be
continuously downcast due to his frequent crying.
Abu Dharr (RA) used to say, "I wish that I
were a tree that is truncated and I wish that I were not created."
When he was offered charity he used to say,
"we have a goat that provides us milk, a donkey upon which we ride and a
freed slave who serves us (of his own free will). I possess a cloak which I do
not need and I fear that I will be judged for it."
One night Tameem ad-Daaree (RA) recited Surah
al-Jaathiyah and when he reached the verse,
"Or do those who earn evil deeds think that
We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds."
[al-Jaathiyah (45):21]
He began to cry and kept repeating the verse
until the morning.
Abu Ubaydah Aamir bin al-Jarraah (RA) said,
"I wish that I was a ram that was slaughtered by my family and then they
ate its (cooked) flesh and drank its soup."
There are many many narrations like this.
Bukhaaree said in his Saheeh, "Chapter: the
believer fearing that his actions be destroyed while he is unaware."
Ibraaheem at-Taimee said, "I have never
compared my words to my actions except that I feared that I was a liar."
Ibn Abee Mulaykah said, "I have met thirty
of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)
all of them fearing hypocrisy for themselves and not one of them said that he
had the faith of Jibraa`eel and Mikaa`eel."
It is mentioned from Hasan (al-Basree) that he
said, "none but a believer fears hypocrisy and none but a hypocrite feels
secure from it."
Umar bin al-Khattaab used to say to Hudhayfah,
"I ask you by Allaah did the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa
sallam) list me amongst the hypocrites?" He replied, "no, and I will
not give this tazkiyyah to anyone else besides you."
I heard our Shaykh, may Allaah be pleased with
him, saying, "the meaning of his words is not that he will not clear
anyone of hypocrisy save Umar, rather the meaning is that he will not allow
this door to be opened such that anyone can come and ask him this question so
that he can absolve him of hypocrisy."
I say: close to this in meaning is the saying of
the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) to the one who asked him to
supplicate and make him one of the seventy thousand who would enter Paradise
without judgement, "Ukkaasha has preceded you." He did not mean that
Ukkaasha was the only one deserving of this to the exclusion of the other
Companions. Rather the meaning is that had he supplicated then another would
have stood and then another and the door to this would have been opened and it
is possible that somebody stand who would not be deserving of his supplication
and therefore it would be better to withhold. Allaah knows best.
