Month: February 2013

Hadith ~ If a single person is guided

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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Sahl bin Sa’d (MAPH) reported: The Prophet (SAWS) said to Ali (MAPH), “By Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Hurairah (MAPH) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “He who calls others to follow the Right Guidance will have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any respect on that account.” (Muslim)

Commentary: “Better for you than red camels” is an allegory for everything that is better than anything else. Red camels used to be precious in Arabia, and their reference here is to highlight the value of guidance. Thus, this Hadith brings into prominence the importance of calling people towards Allah. But before calling others to the path of Allah, one must himself know it, and for this purpose, the knowledge of the Quran and Hadith is essential because one cannot provide any guidance in this respect without this knowledge.

The second Hadith has glad tidings for those who learn knowledge of religion, teach it and impart it to others.

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection
MAPH: May Allah be pleased with him

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Hadith 1: Chapter 241, Page 395, No 1379
Hadith 2: Chapter 241, Page 396, No 1382

Commentary ~ Retribution

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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah the Exalted, while promising that the retribution of good and evil will happen on the Day of Judgment, in fact, however, sends a small sample of that retribution here, at every instance and at every moment. If man discovers joy in his heart, he is being rewarded for making someone happy; if he is sad, it is that he has made someone sad. These rewards are presents from the other world and signs of the Day of Retribution, so that we may understand, with so little that which is great. We are being shown from a large warehouse, a small handful of wheat.

So that you know and remember that all discomfort, all darkness, all depressions that befall you, are the bitter fruit of sin and the pain you yourself have caused, even though you do not remember the evil that you have done through negligence, or ignorance, or because of a bad companion with no Iman (faith) who downplayed the sins in your eyes, to the point where you no longer considered them sins. Think of the reward: what is the level of your fulfillment and what is the degree of your depression? Certainly, depression is the punishment of sin and fulfillment is the reward of submission to Allah.

Hadith ~ An expiation for his past sins

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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Abu Hurairah (MAPH) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “The five (daily) Salat (prayers) and the Friday (prayer) to the Friday (prayer) expiate whatever (minor sins) may be committed in between, so long as major sins are avoided.” (Muslim)

Uthman bin Affan (MAPH) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) saying: “When the time for a prescribed Salat is due and a Muslim performs its Wudu’ and its acts of bowing and prostration properly, this Salat will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he does not commit major sins, and this applies for ever.” (Muslim)

Commentary: The first Hadith elucidates that the minor sins committed during the interval of the five prescribed Salat and in the period intervening between one Jumu’ah and the other are pardoned with the performance of the five-time prescribed Salat and the Jumu’ah prayer, provided one does not commit major sins which are not forgiven without repentance. Sins like Shirk (associating someone with Allah in worship), disobedience of parents, false oath, false evidence, encroachment on an orphan’s property, calumny against chaste women, etc., fall in the category of major sins and will not be forgiven by means of Salat only.

The second Hadith stresses the importance of performing Salat with all its essential prerequisites, i.e. Wudu’ and concentration of mind. Such a Salat will expiate the sins.

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection
MAPH: May Allah be pleased with him

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Hadith 1: Chapter 187, Page 310, No 1045
Hadith 2: Chapter 187, Page 310, No 1046