The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts

كتاب الزهد والرقائق

Chapter 14: The Prohibition Of Praising if It Involves Exaggeration And There Is The Fear That It May Be A Source Of Temptation (Fitnah) For The One Who Is Praised

Abu Ma'mar reported that a person lauded a ruler amongst the rulers and Miqdad began to throw dust upon him and he said

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded us that we should throw dust upon the faces of those who shower too much praise.

Hammam b. al-Harith reported that a person began to praise 'Uthman and Miqdad sat upon his knee; and he was a bulky person and began to throw pebbles upon his (flatterer's) face. Thereupon 'Uthman said

What is the matter with you? And he said: Verily, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: When you see those who shower (undue) praise (upon others), throw dust upon their faces.

Chapter 19: The Hadith Of The Hijrah

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported that Abu Bakr Siddiq came to the residence of my father ('Azib) and bought a haudaj from him and said to 'Azib

Send your son to my residence (to carry this haudaj), and my father said to me: Carry it (for him). So I carried it and there went along with him (with Abu Bakr) my father in order to fetch its price and he ('Azib) said to Abu Bakr: Abu Bakr, narrate to me what you both did on the night when you set out on a journey along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He said: We set out during the night and went on walking until it was noon, and the path was vacant and so none passed by that (until) there appeared prominently before us a large rock. It had its shade and the rays of the sun did not reach that place. So we got down at that place. I then went to the rock and levelled the ground with my hands at the place where the Prophet (ﷺ) would take rest under its shade. I then set the bedding and said: Allah's Messenger, go to sleep and I shall keep a watch around you. I went out and watched around him. There we saw a shepherd moving towards that rock with his flock and he intended what we intended (i. e. taking rest). I met him and said to him: Young boy, to which place do you belong? He said: I am a person from Medina. I said, is there any milk in the udders of your sheep and goats? He said: Yes. He took hold of a goat, and I said to him: Clean the udder well so that it should be free from hair, dust and impurity. I saw al-Bara' striking his hand upon the other (to give an indication) how he did that. He milked the goat for me in a wooden cup which he had with him and I had with me a bucket in which I kept water for drinking and for performing ablution. I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and did not like to awaken him from sleep but he was accidentally startled from the sleep. I poured water upon the milk (till It was cold) and I said: Allah's Messenger, take this milk. He then took It and I was delighted and he (the Holy Prophet) said: Is now not the time to march on? I said: Of course. So he marched on after the sun had passed the meridian and Suraqa b. Malik pursued us and we had been walking on soft, level ground. I said: Allah's Messenger, we are about to be overtaken by them. Thereupon he said: Be not grieved. Verily, Allah is with us. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) cursed him and his horse sank into the earth. I think he also said: I know you have hurled curse upon me. So supplicate Allah for me and I take an oath that I shall turn everyone away who would come in search of you. So he (Allah's Messenger) supplicated Allah and he was rescued and he came back and to everyone he met, he said: I have combed all this side. In short, he diverted everyone whom he met and he in fact fulfilled his promise.

Chapter 0

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

The world is a prison-house for a believer and Paradise for a non-believer.

Jabir reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) narrating a hadith like this with a slight variation of wording.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of al-'Ala' b. 'Abd al-Rahman with the same chain of transmitters.

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Three things follow the bier of a dead man. Two of them come back and one is left with him: the members of his family, wealth and his good deeds. The members of his family and wealth come back and the deeds alone are left with him.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don't look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for that is better-suited that you do not disparage Allah's favors.In the chain narrated by Abu Mu'awiya's he said: Upon you.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas is reported to have, said

By Allah, I am the first person amongst the Arabs to throw an arrow in the cause of Allah and we used to go with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and there was no food for us to eat but only the leaves of hubla and samur trees (they are wild trees) and as a result thereof one amongst us would relieve himself as does the goat. (How strange it is) that now the people of Banu Asad (the progeny of Zubair) instruct me in religion and try to impose punishment upon me (in regard to it). If it is so (that I am so ignorant of religion), then indeed, I am undone and my deeds have been lost. Ibn Numair, however, did not make a mention of the word (idhan) thus? (in his narration).

Khalid b. Umair reported

I heard Uqba b. Ghazwan as saving: I found myself as the seventh amongst the seven who had been along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). We had nothing to eat but the leaves of hubla (a wild tree) until the corners of our mouths were injured.

'A'isha reported

Never had the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) eaten to the fill since their, arrival in Medina with the bread of wheat for three successive nights until his (Holy Prophet's) death.

'A'isha reported

Never did the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) eat to the fill the bread of barley for two successive days until Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died.

`A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died (in such a state) that there had been nothing in my wooden tub which a living being could afford to eat but a handful of barley. I had been eating out of that for a fairly long duration when I thought of measuring it and it was almost finished.

Nu'man b. Bashir said

Don't you eat and drink according to your heart's desire, whereas I saw that your Prophet (ﷺ) (at times) could not find even an inferior quality of the dates with which he could fill his belly? Qutaiba, however, did not make a mention of It.

Chapter 1: The Prohibition Of Entering Upon The People Of Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) Unless One Enters Weeping

Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the people encamped along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the valley of Hijr, the habitations of Thamud, and they quenched their thirst from the wells thereof and kneaded the flour with it. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded that the water collected for drinking should be spilt and the flour should be given to the camels and commanded them that the water for drinking should be taken from that well where the she-camel (of Hadrat Salih) used to come.

Chapter 2: The Virtue Of Treating Widows, The Poor And Orphans Kindly

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

One who makes efforts (for earning to be spent) on a widow and the destitute is like a striver in the cause of Allah, and I think he also said: He is like one who constantly stands for prayer and observes fast without breaking it.

Chapter 5: The Prohibition On Showing Off

Ibn Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

If anyone wants to have his deeds widely publicised, Allah will publicise (his humiliation). And if anyone makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds) Allah will make a display of him.

Jundub reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

He who wants to publicise (his deeds), Allah will publicise (his humility), and he who makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds), Allah will make a display of him.

Chapter 9: Saying: "May Allah Have Mercy On You" To One Who Sneezes, And Yawning Is Disliked

Anas b. Malik reported that two persons sneezed in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He (the Messenger of Allah) invoked mercy for one, and did not invoke for the other. The one for whom he had not prayed said

So and so sneezed and you said: May Allah have mercy upon you. I also sneezed but you did not utter these words for me. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: That person praised Allah, and you did not praise Allah.