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Be with the Carriers of Books
It is reported that Imâm ‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Mahdî – Allâh have mercy on him – said, following a mention of the Sȗfîah (Sufis):
Do not sit with them, nor with the followers of Kalâm.(1) Be with the carriers of books,(2) for they are like mines, like those who descend: one brings up a gem and another a nugget of gold.
Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ article 483.
(1) Speculative theology, drawn from foreign philosophy and logic, as practiced by sects such as the Jahmia and Mutazila.
(2) Arabic al-qamâtir: covers or folders used to keep written material. ‘Carriers of books’ refers to the scholars and students who occupied themselves with Islamic knowledge and hadîth.
An Insult with a Gift [Backbiting]
It is reported that ‘Abd Al-Rahmān b. Mahdī – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “If it were not for the fact I hate that Allah is disobeyed, I would have wished that no one remain in this city except that he had spoken ill of me and backbitten me; for what is nicer than a good deed a man finds in his records on the Day of Resurrection without having done a thing or even having known?”
Abū Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 4:45.
Notes
This is a reference to a person who has been backbitten receiving good deeds on the Day of Judgment from the person who backbit him and didn’t repent and make amends, as mentioned in some narrations from the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The narration reminds us of the dire consequences of backbiting others: your good deeds may go to them if you don’t repent and make up for what you have done. It also provides assurance for those who have been backbitten: if left wronged in this life, they will be given good deeds in the hereafter as compensation and justice will be done.
Wasted Devotion
It is reported that a group of heretics (People of Bid’ah) and their devout worship was mentioned to ‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Mahdî. He said, “Allâh only accepts what conforms to what has been commanded and what is in the Sunnah.” Then he recited, And a monasticism which they (Christians) innovated, We did not ordain it upon them [Al-Hadîd: 27]. He went on to say, “So Allâh did not accept this from them and reprimanded them for it.” He then said, “Stick to the way and the Sunnah.”
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ` Vol.4 p44.
Intentions First
The Prophet Muhammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – said:
Actions are but by intentions, and everyone will have what he intended. So whoever migrated to Allah and His Messenger, he migrated to Allah and His Messenger. But whoever migrated for some worldly benefit, or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was only to what he migrated to.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o />
Al-Bukhâri, Muslim and others.
Traditionally, Muslim scholars chose to begin their works by quoting this hadîth, or report, from the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. Here is a brief commentary taken from Ibn Rajab’s Jâmi’ Al-‘Ulûm wa Al-Hikam, in which he explains the entire Forty Hadîth collection of Al-Nawawi:
Imâm Al-Bukhârî (as Al-Nawawi later did in his Forty Hadîth) begins his Sahîh collection with this hadîth, reminding us that any deed through which Allah’s pleasure is not sought is futile; it will bear no fruits in this life or the hereafter.
‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Mahdî, the great scholar of hadîth, said, “If I were to compile a work in chapters, I would place this hadîth at the beginning of each one.” He also said, “Whoever wishes to author a book, he should begin with the hadîth about intentions.”
This hadîth forms a fundamental principle of Islâm and an axis around which this way of life revolves.
It is reported that Imâm Al-Shâfi’î said, “This hadîth constitutes a third of all knowledge, and it relates to seventy areas of fiqh (correct understanding of the religion).”
It is reported from Imâm Ahmad that he said, “The foundations of Islâm are upon three hadîth: the one reported by ‘Umar – ‘Actions are but by intentions’, the one reported by ‘Âishah – ‘Whoever does a deed that does not conform to our commands will have it rejected’ and the one reported by Al-Nu’mân b. Bashîr – ‘The halâl and harâm are clear…’”
This hadîth teaches us the principle that acceptance of our deeds and whether or not they are regarded as righteous depends primarily on what the intention behind them is. If the intention is good and pure – to receive Allah’s pleasure and reward, the deed is righteous. Otherwise the deed is futile and false. This is the first thing that needs to be dealt with.
The second condition which needs to be met for our deeds to be accepted by Allah is that they should be in conformity with Islâm’s true teachings as taught to us by the Prophet – peace and blessing be upon him – and as understood and applied by the Righteous Predecessors. Hence, the Prophet stated:
Whoever does a deed that does not conform to our commands will have it rejected.
Al-Bukhârî and Muslim.
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