The Book of Miscellany
كتاب المقدمات
Chapter 53: Excellence of Weeping out of Fear from Allah (swt)
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Ubayy bin Ka'b (May Allah be pleased with him), "Allah (SWT) has ordered me to recite to you Surat-Al-Baiyyinah (98): 'Those who disbelieve ..."Ubayy (May Allah be pleased with him) asked, "Did He name me?" Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. Whereupon Ubayy (May Allah be pleased with him) began to weep.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
After the death of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu Bakr said to 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them): "Let us visit Umm Aiman (May Allah be pleased with him) as Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to visit her." As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said to her, "What makes you weep? Do you not know that what Allah has in store for His Messenger (ﷺ) is better than (this worldly life)?" She said, "I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (in the Hereafter) is better than this world, but I weep because the Revelation has ceased to come." This reply moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her.[Muslim].
Food was brought to 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf (May Allah be pleased with him) when he was observing Saum (fast) and he said: "Mus'ab bin 'Umair (May Allah be pleased with him) was martyred and he was better than me, but only one sheet was available to shroud him. It was so small that when his head was covered; his feet remained uncovered and if his feet were covered, his head remained uncovered. Then the bounties of this world have been bestowed upon us generously. I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds have been awarded to us in this world." On this he began to sob and left the food untouched.[Al- Bukhari].
Chapter 54: Excellence of Leading an Ascetic Life, and Virtues of Simple Life
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "This world (i.e., its pleasures and duration) in comparison with the Hereafter is (similar to the amount of water) one gets when he puts his finger in the sea. Let him then see what it returns with".[Muslim].
I was walking with the Prophet on the stony ground in Al-Madinah in the afternoon when Uhud Mount came into sight. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Dharr!" I said, "O Messenger of Allah, here I am responding to you". He said, "If I had as much gold as the weight of Uhud, it would not please me to have a single dinar out of it with me after the passage of three days, but I would hold back something for the repayment of a debt. I would distribute it among the slaves of Allah like this and like this and like this." And he (ﷺ) pointed in front of him, and on his right side and on his left side. We then walked a little further and he (ﷺ) said: "The rich would be poor on the Day of Resurrection, except he who spent like this and like this and like this,". and he pointed as he did the first time. "But such persons are few". Then he said, "Stay where you are till I come back to you". He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) walked ahead a little further in the darkness of the night and disappeared from my sight. I heard a loud voice. I said (to myself): "The Messenger of Allah might have met (mishap or an enemy)". I wished I could go after him but I remembered his commanding me to stay till he came back. So I waited for him; and when he came, I made mention of what I had heard. He asked, "Did you hear it?". I said, "Yes". Then he said, "It was Jibril (Gabriel), who came to me and said: 'He who dies among your Ummah without having associated anything with Allah (in worship) will enter Jannah.' I said: 'Even if he committed illicit sexual intercourse or steals?' He (Jibril) said: 'Even if he has committed illicit sexual intercourse or steals".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The world is the believer's prison and the infidel's Jannah".[Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died when my house was void of any edible thing except for a small quantity of barley I had on a shelf and from which I kept eating it for a long time. Then when I measured what was left of it, it soon finished.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
We emigrated with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) seeking the pleasure of Allah and expecting our reward from Him. Some of us died without enjoying anything of it. Among them was Mus'ab bin 'Umair (May Allah be pleased with him), who was killed in the battle of Uhud, leaving only a small coloured sheet of wool (which we used as his shroud). When we covered his head with it, his feet were exposed, and when we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered. So the Prophet (ﷺ) told us to cover his head and to put some Idhkhir (i.e., fragrant grass) over his feet. Others among us enjoy prosperity.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily! The world is accursed and what it contains is accursed, except remembrance of Allah and those who associate themselves with Allah; and a learned man, and a learning person."[At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Do not crave for property lest you should be absorbed in the desire of worldly life."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].
We were repairing our thatchy hut when Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed by and asked us, "What are you doing?" We said, "The thatch had gone weak and we are repairing it." He (ﷺ) said, "I see the sure thing (death) approaching sooner than this."[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmdhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, there is a Fitnah (trial) for every nation and the trial for my nation (or Ummah) is wealth."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].
I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was reciting (Surat At-Takathur 102):"The mutual rivalry (for hoarding worldly things) preoccupy you. Until you visit the graves (i.e., till you die). Nay! You shall come to know! Again nay! You shall come to know! Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of hoarding, you would not have been occupied in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)! And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! Then (on that Day) you shall be asked about the delights (you indulged in, in this world)!" (102:1-8)(After reciting) he (ﷺ) said, "Son of adam says: 'My wealth, my wealth.' Do you own of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, and what you wear and wear out, or what you give in Sadaqah (charity) (to those who deserve it), and that what you will have in stock for yourself."[Muslim].
Chapter 55: Excellence of Simple Living and being Content with Little
The family of Muhammad (ﷺ) never ate to the fill the bread of barley for two successive days until he died.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].Another narration is: 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: Never did the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) eat to the fill, since their arrival to Al-Madinah, the bread of wheat for three successive nights until his death.
'Utbah bin Ghazwan, the governor of Basrah, delivered a Khutbah. He praised Allah, glorified Him, then said: "Amma b'adu, verily, the world has been given the news of its end and is running to meet its end swiftly. Nothing is left out of it but a very little amount. Similar to the remainder in a dish whose owner is collecting it to drink; and you are going to move to an abode which knows no end, and you should proceed there with the good before you, for we have been informed (by the Prophet (ﷺ)) that a stone would be thrown at one side of the Hell and it would travel down for seventy years but would not reach its bottom. By Allah, it will be filled (with men and jinn). Do you find it strange? We have been informed (i.e., by the Prophet (ﷺ)) that the distance between two shutters of the gate of Jannah is forty years (distance). And a day would come when it would be fully packed; I was the seventh amongst the seven who had been with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and we had nothing to eat but the leaves of the tree until the sides of our mouth were injured. We found a sheet which we tore into two and divided between myself and Sa'd bin Malik. I made the lower garment with half of it and so did Sa'd. Today, there is none amongst us who has not become the governor of a city, and I seek refuge with Allah that I should consider myself great while I am insignificant to Allah."[Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to supplicate: "O Allah, make the provisions of family of Muhammad (ﷺ) bare subsistence."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I would fall in swoon between the pulpit of (the mosque of) Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the chamber of 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) and every passer-by would put his foot on my neck thinking I was insane. I was not insane but I was awfully hungry."[Al- Bukhari].
Chapter 50: Hope in Allah's Mercy
In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching a message. So I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that (this man who was) Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained hidden because of the persecution by his people. I had entered Makkah stealthily and when I met him I asked him, "Who are you?" He (ﷺ) said, "I am a Prophet." I asked; "What is a Prophet?" He said, "Allah has sent me (with a message)". I asked, "With what has He sent you?" He said, "He sent me to strengthen the ties of kinship, to destroy idols so that Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him". I asked, "Who has followed you in this?" He said, "A freeman and a slave". (At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilal (May Allah be pleased with her) were with him). I said, "I shall follow you". He said, "You can not do that now. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? Go to your people, and when you hear that my cause has prevailed, come to me". So I went back to my people, and while I was with my people, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) emigrated to Al-Madinah. I continued to ask people about him till some of my people visited Al- Madinah. On their return, I asked them, "How is that man who has arrived in Al-Madinah faring?" They said, "People are hastening to him. His own people had planned to kill him but did not succeed." Then I went to Al-Madinah and came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He (ﷺ) said, "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of that which Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware. Tell me about Salat first." He (ﷺ) replied, "Perform the Fajr (morning) Salat, then stop Salat until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves before it at that time. Then perform Salat, for Salat is witnessed and angels attend it, until the shadow becomes equal to the length of its object; then stop Salat, for at that time Jahannam (Hell) is heated up. Then pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and angels attend it, until you perform 'Asr prayer; then stop Salat till sun sets, for it sets between the horns of a devil. At that time the infidels prostrate themselves before it." I then asked the Messenger of Allah to tell me about Wudu', and he (ﷺ) said, "When a person begins the Wudu' and washes his mouth and nose, the sins committed by his face, mouth and nostrils are washed out. Then when he washes his face as commanded by Allah, the sins of his face are washed out with the water from the sides of his beard. Then when he washes his hands up to elbows, the sins of his hands are washed out through his fingers with water. Then he passes his wet hands over his head and the sins of the head are washed out through the ends of his hair with water. Then he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet are washed out through his toes with water. Then, if he stands up for Salat and praises Allah, glorifies Him, proclaims His Greatness as He deserves and devotes his heart wholly to Allah, he emerges sin free as the day he was born".When 'Amr bin 'Abasah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadith to Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) a Companion of the Prophet (ﷺ), the latter said to him, "Watch what you are saying. O 'Amr bin 'Abasah, a man will be getting all of this in one shot?" 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, "O Abu Umamah, I have attained old age, my bones have become dry, my death is approaching and there is no need for me to tell lies concerning Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah only once, twice, thrice (and he counted up to seven) I would never have reported it. Indeed I have heard this frequently".[Muslim].
Chapter 51: Excellence of Good Hopes
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying three days before his death: "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah".[Muslim].
Chapter 52: Combining Hope and Fear (of Allah)
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a dead body is placed on a bier and men carry it on their shoulders, if the deceased was pious, it (the corpse) will say: 'Take me in haste'; but if he was not, it will say (to its bearers): 'Woe to it. Where are you taking it?' Everything except man hears its voice. Had a human being heard its voice, he would have surely died".[Al- Bukhari].