Commentary ~ Qutaibah and His Prisoner

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

Abu ‘Ubaidah relates that a number of people were presented to Al-Hajjaj; they were all accused of rebelling against him, and so he ordered that they all be executed. Because the time of prayer had arrived, there remained one from them who was still not executed. Al-Hajjaj said to Qutaibah bin Muslim, “He shall remain with you and you will bring him to us early tomorrow.”

Qutaibah said: I went and took the man with me, and as we were on our way, he said, “Qutaibah, do you wish to do a good deed?” I asked, “And what is that?” He said, “I have things that were trusted to me by people, and your companion, Al-Hajjaj, will surely kill me. Let me go free so that I may return each item to its rightful owner. And Allah is my Guarantor that I will return to you tomorrow.” I was amazed at what he said, and I laughed at him. He then repeated for a second time the same words and said, “By Allah, I will return to you.” He continued and persisted in the same manner, until finally, I said, “Go.” When he left, and when I could no longer see him, I returned to my senses and said: ‘What did you do to yourself, O Qutaibah?’ I returned to my family and spent the night, which seemed to last forever. In the morning, there was a man knocking at our door, and when I went to open it, there stood before me the same man from the day before. I said, “You have returned?” He said, “I made Allah as a Guarantor and then why should I not return?” I took him with me, and when Al-Hajjaj saw me, he said, “Where is the prisoner, Qutaibah?” I said, “He is at the door.” I brought him before the ruler and I informed him of the story. Al-Hajjaj gave him many piercing glances, and then said to me, “I give him to you as a gift.” I left with him and when we had exited from the building, I said to him, “Go wherever you please.” The man raised his head to the sky and said, “O Allah, all praise is for You.” He said nothing more and left.

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
P203

Hadith ~ A person who used to loan money

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

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “There was a person who used to loan money to the people and he used to say to his servant: “When an insolvent person comes to you, show him leniency so that Allah may forbear our faults.” So when he met Allah (i.e., when he died), Allah forgave him.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapter 240, Page 393, No 1370

Hadith ~ Which charity is the most rewardable?

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

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: There came a man to the Prophet (SAWS) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, which charity is the most rewardable?” The Prophet (SAWS) said: “That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy and stingy and fear of poverty, hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: “This is for so-and-so, and this for so-and-so.” Lo! It has already come into (the possession of) so-and-so”. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Commentary: Charity in the real sense is that which a person gives when he is healthy. If a person gives charity when he is facing death, it does not have much value before Allah. This injunction is an inducement for people to hurry in doing good deeds, especially in the matter of alms and charity. In fact, he should do it without delay.

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapter 10, Page 35, No 90

Ayaat 7-29 ~ At-Tur (The Mount)

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

7. Verily, the Torment of your Lord will surely come to pass,

8. There is none that can avert it;

9. On the Day when the heaven will shake with a dreadful shaking,

10. And the mountains will move away with a (horrible) movement.

11. Then woe that Day to the beliers;

12. Who are playing in falsehood.

13. The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the Fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing.

14. This is the Fire which you used to belie.

15. Is this magic, or do you not see?

16. Taste you therein its heat, and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same. You are only being requited for what you used to do.

17. Verily, the Muttaqûn (pious – see V.2:2) will be in Gardens (Paradise), and Delight.

18. Enjoying in that which their Lord has bestowed on them, and (the fact that) their Lord saved them from the torment of the blazing Fire.

19. “Eat and drink with happiness because of what you used to do.”

20. They will recline (with ease) on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris (female, fair ones) with wide lovely eyes.

21. And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned.

22. And We shall provide them with fruit and meat, such as they desire.

23. There they shall pass from hand to hand a (wine) cup, free from any Laghw (dirty, false, evil vague talk between them), and free from sin.

24. And there will go round boy-servants of theirs, to serve them as if they were preserved pearls.

25. And some of them draw near to others, questioning.

26. Saying: “Aforetime, we were afraid with our families (from the punishment of Allâh).

27. “But Allâh has been gracious to us, and has saved us from the torment of the Fire.

28. “Verily, We used to invoke Him (Alone and none else) before. Verily, He is Al­Barr (the Most Subtle, Kind, Courteous, and Generous), the Most Merciful.”

29. Therefore, remind and preach[1]. By the Grace of Allâh, you are neither a soothsayer, nor a madman.

Sura 52. At-Tur (The Mount)

[1]: Therefore, remind and preach: mankind, O Muhammad (SAWS) of Islâmic Monotheism