No poverty after Paradise and no wealth in the Fire

It is reported that Jundub b. ‘Abdillâh Al-Bajalî – Allah be pleased with him – was once asked for advice and instruction. He said:

I advise you to fear Allâh and obey Him (taqwâ) and I advise you to adhere to the Quran, for it is a light in the dark night and a guidance during the day, so implement it no matter how much struggle and poverty you have to face. If a calamity befalls you, put your wealth forward to protect your religion, and if the calamity continues, put forward your wealth and your life to save your religion [but never risk your religion], for the ruined is he whose religion is ruined, and the looted is he whose religion is taken. And know that there is no poverty after Paradise, and no riches after the Fire.

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 3:174.

A False testimony of Faith [hypocrisy and the shahadah]

The likeness [of the munâfiq] is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allâh took away their light and left them in darkness. So they could not see. They are deaf, dumb and blind, so they return not [to the Right Path]. (Quran 2:17)

Qatâdah – Allâh’s mercy be upon him – said:

This is the likeness Allâh has given of the Hypocrite (munâfiq); he says lâ ilâha illallâh and with it marries into the Muslims, inherits from the Muslims, fights alongside the Muslims, and protects his blood and wealth. But when death comes, [the testimony of faith] has no basis in his heart, and no reality in his actions, so the munâfiq is stripped of it at death and left in darkness and blindness wondering therein, just as he was blind about the right of Allâh and obedience to Him in his worldly life and deaf to the truth.

Al-Tabarî, Al-Tafsîr.

Love for Ahl Al-Bayt when they obey Allah

It is reported that Al-Hasan b. Al-Hasan b. ‘Alî b. Abî Tâlib – Allâh have mercy on him – said to a person from the Râfidah:

Love us, but if we disobey Allâh, then hate us; for if Allâh was going to benefit anyone because of his relation to the Messenger of Allâh – peace and blessings be upon him, without obedience [to Allâh], He would have benefitted the mother and father [of the Prophet].

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 4:486.

Wasted knowledge and rhyming prayers

Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “Address the people once a week, and if you must do so more often, then twice; and if you have to do even more, then three times; and do not make people tired or bored with the Quran. Let me not find you coming to the people to exhort them and tell them stories while they are speaking amongst themselves, thus interrupting their conversation and tiring them. Instead, listen, and when they tell you, address them when they desire to listen to your speech. And beware of making your supplications rhyme, stay away from this, for I found Allâh’s Messenger – peace and praise of Allâh be upon him – and his Companions doing nothing but [staying away from this].”

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh ‘What is hated about making supplications rhyme.’

Notes

In this narration, the illustrious Companion ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Abbâs gives some guidelines about being wise and aware of people’s condition when teaching them and calling them to Allâh. He advised that a person should not address the people and give talks to them too often, lest they become bored or fed up of hearing the Quran. This consideration is taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet – Allâh’s praise and peace be upon him – as related by Ibn Mas’ûd.

This tradition also expresses the dislike of trying to disseminate knowledge in a way that might be detrimental to its purpose. We are discouraged from spreading knowledge to those who do not desire it or those who are not enthusiastic to receive it and interrupting people while they are speaking. We are encouraged to teach knowledge to those who express their desire for it, because all this means it is more likely that the recipient will benefit from this knowledge.

The narration also warns against the practice of trying to make du’â (supplication) rhyme. This is because occupying oneself with putting together rhyming prayers conflicts with the state of being humble and imploring Allâh, which is how a person should be when supplicating. There is no contradiction between this disliked behavior and the fact that some of the Prophetic supplications and statements rhyme, because the Prophet never used to have to try and make them rhyme, but was effortlessly eloquent and at the same time fully humbled in front of Allâh.

Adapted from Ibn Hajr, Fath Al-Bârî.

Do you have to make up fasts consecutively? [Fiqh of Fasting]

Ibn ‘Abbâs and Abû Hurayrah – Allâh be pleased with them – said, “There is no harm in making up [fasts of] Ramadân separately from one another.”

‘Abd Al-Razzâq, Al-Musannaf 4:243; Ibn Abî Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 9114; Al-Dâraqutnî, Al-Sunan 2:193.

Abû ‘Ubaydah b. Al-Jarrâh – Allâh be pleased with him – said, when asked about making up missed fasts of Ramadân separately, “Allâh did not legislate upon you the breaking of the fast, and then cause hardship on you when making it up, so count the days [you excusably missed] and fast them as you wish.”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, op. cit. article 9133.

Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said, “If you wish, make up [missed fasts of] Ramadân consecutively, or if you wish, make them up separately.”

Ibid. article 9115.

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