Indexed OCR Text

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Vocabulary and Definitions
ouJ (intentions) is the plural of al-Niyyah. According to the lexicon, al-Niyyah means to intend
something and according to the shariah, it refers to an intention when doing an action.
" (his migration): The word Hijrah literally means 'to leave'. According to the shari'ah,
it means to leave a land of disbelief and proceed to a land of Islam due to fear of trials and
tribulations.
"Actions are gauged by intentions," means that the correctness and goodness of an action is
based on the intention with which it is done. Allah & looks at the underlying intention more
than the action itself. Hence, those who migrated in order to assist the religion of Allah des
will be rewarded, while those who migrated for marriage or trade will be deprived of a reward.
Commentary
The background of this hadith is explained by a narration of Ibn Mas'ud dos who said: "A
man amongst us proposed to marry a woman by the name of Umm Qais was, but she refused
to marry him unless he migrated to Madinah Munawwarah. He agreed and married her, and
therefore became known as Muhajir Umm Qais."
This hadith teaches us that actions are considered according to the intention with which
they are done. Mundane actions such as eating, greeting or speaking will earn a reward, if
coupled with the correct intention, but will earn chastisement if done with an evil intention.
The Șahabah A
and pious were particularly cautious of this and scrutinised their actions
at every step.
This hadith has been narrated with tawatur, meaning that many people have narrated it. It
enjoys great status and virtue and is a foundational principle of Islam. A narration in Bukhārī
states that the Messenger of Allah
would mention it in his sermons and that 'Umar
would narrate it from the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah
It is such an integral part of Islam, that some scholars have regarded it as being a third of all
Islamic teachings. Abū 'Ubayd > said, "There is no single hadith that is more comprehensive,
independent and beneficial than this hadith." Abu Dawud , the great scholar of hadith,
said, "It is half of all knowledge." According to Imam Bayhaqi #> it is a third of knowledge
because the deeds of man are associated with his heart, tongue and limbs, and intentions are
related to the heart. Abu Dawud (, also said, "I wrote five hundred thousand ahadith of the
Messenger of Allah
From these I chose four thousand eight hundred ahadith. From these,
four ahādīth are sufficient for a person's religion: 'Actions are gauged by intentions', 'the
permissible is clear and the prohibited is clear', 'the beauty of a man's Islam is his avoiding
that which does not concern him' and 'None of you (truly) believes unless he loves for his

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
brother what he loves for himself."
Imam al-Bukhārī
chose to begin his Sahih with this hadith in order to reinforce the
importance of sincerity and correctness of intention. In this way, he intended that his
compilation should be for the pleasure of Allah &S. History bears testimony to the fact that
he succeeded in his intention because his Sahih was blessed with unique acceptance amongst
Islamic books of both the east and the west.
Hadīth 2
وعن أمِّ المؤمِنِينَ أمِّ عبدِ اللهِ عائشةَ ه، قالت: قالَ رسول الله ﴿ه: ((يَغْزُو جَيْشٌ الْكَعْبَةَ
فِإِذَا كَانُوا بِيْدَاءَ مِنَ الأَرضِ يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وآخِرِهِمْ)) . قَالَتْ: قلتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، كَيْفَ
يُخْسَفُ بأوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ وَفِيهِمْ أَسْوَاقُهُمْ وَمَنْ لَيْسَ مِنْهُمْ؟! قَالَ : (( يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ
ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُونَ عَلَى نِيَّاتِهِمْ )) مُتَفَقٌّ عَلَيهِ . هَذَا لَفْظُ الْبُخَارِيِّ .
'Ā'ishah2
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "An army will
advance in order to attack the Ka'bah. When they reach an even plain, all
of them will be swallowed into the earth." I asked, "O Messenger of Allah!
How will all of them be swallowed up when among them were traders and
others who were not really part of them?" He replied, "All of them will be
swallowed up and they will be resurrected according to their intentions."
(Bukhārī, Muslim)
Vocabulary and Definitions
lg refers to desert or barren land and according to other scholars, it is the name of a place
between Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah.
J&Î refers to traders or, according to other commentators, common folk who did not know
why they accompanied the army.
2 'Ā'ishah bint Abu Bakr al-Şiddīq
was one of the mothers of the believers. She was most
knowledgeable and possessed great understanding of Islam because of her closeness to the Messenger of
Allāh
. After his demise, senior Șahabah used to approach her to obtain answers to their questions on
various jurisprudential issues. She was married to the Messenger of Allah
in Makkah Mukarramah
and went to live with him in Shawwal, in the 2nd year of the Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah
passed
away when she was eighteen. She lived for forty years after his demise and passed away in 58 Hijrī.
She was a virtuous woman who was very generous and humble. She would fast abundantly, set slaves
free and would perform haj every year. 2210 ahādīth are narrated from her, 174 of which appear in
both Bukhārī and Muslim.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
"They will be resurrected according to their intentions," means that Allah des will resurrect
people from their graves based on their actions, and judge them according to their intentions.
Commentary
One should be mindful of company and friends because their influence has an impact upon a
person. One often commits actions that he would not commit while alone, due to prompting
and peer pressure. According to the teachings of this hadith, merchants and traders should
constantly reflect upon whether their association with sinners is purely for trade and
necessity or whether it is needlessly assisting in their transgression. Muhallab & said, "One
who joins the sinners by choice and increases their numbers thereby invites punishment
upon himself."
This hadith expounds on a verse of the Qur'an,
﴿وَاتَّقُ وْا فِتْنَةً لَّا تُصِيْبَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا مِنْكُمْ خَصَّةً﴾
Beware of a trial that will afflict not only the oppressive ones from you. (Sūrah
al-Anfāl, 25)
Additional Points
Y Allah & alone knows the details of the army referred to in this hadith as well as the time
in which the incident will occur. It is a component of a believer's faith to believe in such
unseen matters because the Messenger of Allah
spoke only the truth.
v One should accompany the pious and righteous and avoid the gatherings of the oppressors
and sinners.
Hadīth 3
﴾ : (( لا هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الفَتْحِ ، وَلَكِنْ جِهَادٌ وَنِيَّةٌ ، وَإِذَا
وعن عائشةَ بِّهَا، قَالَتْ : قَالَ النبي
اسْتْفِرْتُمْ فَانْفِرُوا )) مُتَّفَقٌّ عَلَيْهِ . وَمَعناهُ: لا هِجْرَةَ مِنْ مَكّةَ لأَنَّهَا صَارَتْ دَارَ إِسلاَمٍ .
'A'ishah ws narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "There is no
migration after the conquest (of Makkah), but there is jihad and intention.
When you are commanded to go in jihad, you should go." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Vocabulary and Definitions
"When you are commanded to go in jihad, you should go," means that people who are
commanded to go in jihad (or any other noble venture) by their Muslim leader should proceed
without hesitation.

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Commentary
Hijrah (migration) was obligatory upon the Muslims in the early stages of Islam, because of
their small numbers. They could not practise upon Islam easily and there was a pressing
need for them to escape the tyranny and remain united. When Makkah Mukarramah was
conquered in the 8th year after Hijrah, Islam was strengthened and people began to accept
Islam in droves, hence this obligation fell away while the obligation of jihad and intention
remained. However, it will remain compulsory for Muslims to migrate from Dar al-Kufr
(territory of disbelief) where they cannot practise their religion. Similarly, Muslims may
leave their lands for the purpose of seeking knowledge or preserving their faith in the face
of tyranny and oppression.
While the obligation to migrate from Makkah Mukarramah no longer applies, the obligation
of jihad against the enemies of Islam is as valid today as it was in the early stages. A Muslim
should always be prepared and intend to participate in jihad if the need arises.
When it is not compulsory to migrate from Dar al-Islam to another Dar al-Islam, migrating
from Dār al-Islam to Dar al-Kufr out of love for the latter, and to reside there permanently is
discouraged by the shariah. Many Muslims nowadays settle in lands of disbelief, with their
wealth and property, and their focus is then diverted away from Islam. This is reprehensible.
Additional Points
v The hadith gives glad tidings that Makkah Mukarramah will forever remain a land of
Islām.
Hadīth 4
وعن أبي عبدِ اللهِ جابر بن عبدِ اللهِ الأنصاريِّ :﴿هَا، قَالَ: كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِّ :﴿ فِي غَزَاةٍ ، فَقَالَ
((إِنَّ بالمِدِينَةِ لَرِ جَالاَ ما سِرْتُمْ مَسِيراً، وَلاَ قَطَعْتُمْ وَادِياً، إلَّ كَانُوا مَعَكُمْ حَبَسَهُمُ الْمَرَضُ ))
وَفِي رَوَايَةٍ : (( إلَّ شَرَكُوكُمْ فِي الأَجْرِ)) رواهُ مسلمٌ .
، فقال : (( إن أقواما
ورواهُ البخاريُّ عن أنسٍ ﴿هَ، قَالَ: رَجَعْنَا مِنْ غَزْوَةٍ تَبُوكَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ
خَلْفَنَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ مَا سَلَكْنَا شِعْباً وَلاَ وَادياً ، إلاّ وَهُمْ مَعَنَا؛ حَبَسَهُمُ العُذْرُ )) .
Jābir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansarī4023 narrates: "We were once with the Messenger
3 Jābir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansarī 40% accepted Islam before the Hijrah. He participated with his father
in the pledge of 'Aqabah when he was young. Imam Muslim transmits from Jabir , who said: "I
fought in nineteen battles with the Messenger of Allah
, but I did not participate in Badr and Uhud
because my father stopped me. When my father was martyred in Uhud, I did not stay behind from the
Messenger of Allah
in any battle." 1540 ahadith were narrated from him. He passed away in 74 Hijrī

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
of Allāh
on a military expedition when he said, "There are some people
who remained behind in Madinah. They were with you when you traversed
any path or crossed any valley; it was only that illness kept them back."
Another narration has: "However, they will share the reward with you."
(Muslim)
Bukhārī narrates from Anas ibn Malik &g
s who said: "We returned from the
battle of Tabūk with the Messenger of Allah
when he said, "There are
some people who remained behind in Madinah, but we did not traverse
any path or any valley without them sharing the reward with us. A valid
excuse kept them back." (Bukhārī)
Vocabulary and Definitions
LayI (helpers) is the plural of al-Nasir and refers to those Șahabah
of Madīnah
Munawwarah who assisted the Messenger of Allah $
and the Șahabah A
who migrated
from Makkah Mukarramah to Madinah Munawwarah.
"We did not traverse any path ... " refers to the verse,
﴿وَّلَا يَقْطَعُوْنَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُوْنَ﴾
... and every valley that they cross will be recorded for them so that Allah
rewards them better than that which they do. (Sūrah al-Taubah, 121)
Commentary
The battle of Tabuk took place in the 9th year after the Hijrah. It was the last expedition
undertaken in the life of the Messenger of Allah
and is known by the name of Jaysh
al-Usrā, meaning the difficult battle. The Messenger of Allah
stayed at Tabūk for about
twenty days, but no fighting took place because the Roman enemy had retreated.
The hadith explains that a person who had the noble intention of participating in jihad but
was withheld by a valid reason will receive the same reward as the mujahidin (those who
participate in jihad). Scholars explain that this hadith indicates to a verse of the Qur'an,
﴿ذُلِكَ بَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَاً وَلَا نَصَبٌّ وَّلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِى سَبِيْلِ اللهِ وَلَا يَطَنُوْنَ مَوْطِئًا
يَّغِيْظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُوْنَ مِنْ عَدُوِّ نَّْلَا إِلَّكُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُضِيْعُ اَجْرَ
at the age of 94 and was the last Sahabī to pass away in Madinah Munawwarah. His bequest was that
the tyrant Hajaj ibn Yusuf should not perform his Janāzah salāh. He was buried in Baqī.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ﴾
That is because a good deed will be recorded for them for every bit of thirst,
tiredness and hunger that afflicts them in the path of Allah, as well as for
every step that they take by which the disbelievers are angered and anything
that they take from the disbelievers. Surely, Allah does not put the reward of
the righteous ones to waste. (Sūrah al-Taubah, 120)
In addition, scholars mention that the more a person is remorseful over his absence from
jihad or any noble venture, the greater will be his reward. This principle is explained in
another hadith which states that a person who intends to perform the optional night prayer
but is overpowered by sleep will receive the full reward of performing it. Therefore, one of
the means of attaining great rewards is by making good intentions and desiring to do the
good that other Muslims are doing.
Additional Points
v Jihad is the responsibility of every Muslim who is healthy and has the means to engage
in it.
v The noble intention of a believer is equivalent in reward to his good action.
Hadith 5
وعن أبي يَزِيدَ مَعْنِ بنِ يَزِيدَ بنِ الأخنسِ ط ◌َ، وهو وأبوه وَجَدُّه صحابيُّون ، قَالَ : كَانَ أبي
يَزِيدُ أَخْرَجَ دَنَانِرَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِهَا، فَوَضعَهَا عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ، فَجِئْتُ فَأَخَذْتُها فَأَتَيْنُهُ بِهَا
. فقالَ: واللهِ ، مَا إِيَّكَ أرَدْتُ، فَخَاصَمْتُهُ إِلى رسولِ اللهِ عُ﴾، فَقَالَ: ((لكَ مَا نَوَيْتَ يَا
يزيدُ ، ولَكَ ما أخَذْتَ يَا مَعْنُ )) رواهُ البخاريُّ .
Ma'n ibn Yazīd ibn al-Akhnasage
4 and he, his father and grandfather were
all Șaļābah, narrates, "My father, Yazīd, put aside some dīnārs to give in
charity and placed them in the hand of a person in the masjid. I came along,
took the dinars and brought them to him. He said: "By Allah, I did not
intend giving them to you." We then went and presented the case before
the Messenger of Allah
He said: "O Yazīd, you will receive what you
intended, and, O Ma'n, you may keep what you took." (Bukhārī)
4 Ma'n ibn Yazīd
og resided in Kūfa. He later moved to Syria. He participated in the Battle of Siffin
with Mu‘āwiyah
sand was martyred in 54 Hijrī. 5 ahadith are narrated from him.

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Vocabulary and Definitions
il (Şahābah) is the plural of Sahābī. The general definition of a Şahābī is one who met
with the Messenger of Allah
during his lifetime (even for a short while), believed in him
and passed away with īmān.
Wajib (compulsory) charity is that which is ordained by the Qur'an and Sunnah such as zakāh
whilst Nafl (optional) charity is that which is not confined to a specific time. Nafl charity
remains purely voluntary and is often referred to as lillāh or sadaqah.
Commentary
In this incident, Yazid dog was rewarded because he intended to give charity to a needy
person and his son was needy, even though he did not intend giving it to him. From this the
scholars have stated that a person who gives optional charity will be rewarded if his intention
was correct, irrespective of whether it reaches a worthy recipient or not.
Ma'n age took possession of the dinars with the permission of the person in the masjid, which
was justified, hence his action was valid.
Additional Points
v Optional charity may be given to ones offspring, as opposed to zakah, which may not be
given to ones parents or offspring.
It is permissible to appoint a representative to distribute ones charity, especially optional
charity because it has the element of anonymity, which is meritorious.
Y A child will not be regarded as disobedient to a parent in a dispute regarding a religious
issue in order to determine the truth.
Hadīth 6
وعن أبي إسحاقَ سَعدِ بنِ أبي وَقَّاصٍ مالِكِ بنِ أَهَيْب بنِ عبدِ منافِ بنِ زُهرَةَ بنِ كلابٍ بِنِ
مُرَّةَ بنِ كعبٍ بِنِ لُؤْيِّ القُرشِيِّ الزُّهرِيِّ ﴿هُ، أَحَدِ العَشَرَةِ المشهودِ لهم بالجنةِ طُ، قَال
جاءِي رسولُ اللهِ ﴿ يَعُودُنِي عَامَ حَجَّةِ الوَدَاعِ مِنْ وَجَعِ اشْتَدَّ بي ، فقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ،
إِنِّي قَدْ بَلَغَ بِي مِنَ الوَجَعِ مَا تَرَى ، وَأَنَا ذُو مالٍ وَلا يَرِثُني إلا ابْنَةٌ لِ ، أَفَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلَيْ آلِي؟
قَالَ: ((لا))، قُلْتُ: فَالشَّطْرُيَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ؟ فقَالَ: ((لا))، قُلْتُ: فالثُّلُثُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟
قَالَ : (( الثُُّثُ والثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ - أَوْ كَبِيرٌ - إنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرَ وَرَثَتَكَ أغْنِيَاءَ خيرٌّ مِنْ أنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عَالَةً
يتكفّفُونَ النَّاسَ ، وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجهَ اللهِ إلَّ أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي
فِي امْرَأَتِكَ )) ، قَالَ : فَقُلتُ: يَا رسولَ اللهِ ، أُخَلَّفُ بعدَ أصْحَابِي؟ قَالَ : ((إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
فَتَعمِلَ عَمَلاَ تَبتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللهِ إلَّ ازْدَدتَ بِهِ دَرَجَةً ورِفِعَةً ، وَلَعَلَّكَ أنْ تُخَلَّفَ حَتَّى يَنَفِعَ بِكَ
أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخرِونَ . اللَّهُمَّ أَمْضِ لأصْحَابِ هِجْرَتَهُمْ ولاَ تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أعقَابِهِمْ، لكنِ
البَائِسُ سَعدُ بْنُ خَوْلَةَ )) يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﴿ أَنْ ماتَ بَمَكَّة. مُتَّفَقُّ عليهِ .
Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās14055, one of the ten Sahabah who were given the glad
tidings of Paradise, narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
visited me in
the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage because I was afflicted with a serious
illness. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, you can see the severity of my illness
and I am a wealthy person with no heirs except a daughter. Should I give
two thirds of my wealth in charity?" He replied: "No." I asked, "A half, O
Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "No." I asked, "A third, O Messenger of
Allāh?" He replied: "A third is fine, but even a third is a lot (or much). It
is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them poor and
begging from people. You will most certainly be rewarded for whatever
you spend for the pleasure of Allah &S, even for the morsel of food which
you place in your wife's mouth." I asked: "O Messenger of Allah, will I be
left behind after my companions (leave Makkah Mukarramah)?" He replied:
"You will not be left behind, for whatever deeds you do for the pleasure
of Allāh &S, will increase you in status and rank. And perhaps you will be
left behind so that some people will benefit from you while others will be
harmed by you. O Allah, complete for my Șahabah their emigration and
do not let them turn back on their heels. However, the unfortunate Sa'd
ibn Khaulah." The Messenger of Allah
lamented over him because he
passed away in Makkah. (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Vocabulary and Definitions
The Messenger of Allah's
du'a' that his "Șahabah complete their migration and not turn
5 Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās
de was the conqueror of Iraq and Mada'in. He was one of the six Sahabah
specified by 'Umar 4% for the khilafah after him. He accepted Islam during the early stages and was
of the first emigrants. He participated in Badr and the battles thereafter. He was from the 'Asharah
Mubassharah (the ten Șahabah who were granted the glad tidings of Paradise in this world). The
Messenger of Allāh
made du'a' for him, 'O Allah, straighten his aim and accept his du'a'. He used
to guard the Messenger of Allah
during the battles. He was also the first Sahabi to fire an arrow
in the path of Allah &S. He passed away in 55 Hijrī at the age of seventy and was buried in Madinah
Munawwarah. 271 ahādīth are narrated from him. When his final moments approached he called for a
specific garment and said, "Shroud me in it, verily I met the polytheists on the day of Badr in it and
I kept it for this day."

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
back on their heels" meant that they should be granted the good fortune of leaving the land
they had intended to migrate from and receive the reward of their sacrifice.
The Hajjat al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage) is also known as Hajjat al-Balagh because the
Messenger of Allah
, on this occasion, instructed the Șahabah to convey the message of
Islam to others. It is also called Hajjat al-Islam because only Muslims were present.
Commentary
The hadith states that Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqas &
mentioned his illness to the Messenger of
Allāh
This proves that it is permissible for a patient to mention his condition for a valid
reason such as obtaining treatment, requesting the du'a' of a pious person or enquiring about
religious rulings that apply to him. It is disliked for a patient to mention his illness if it is done
out of displeasure as it will diminish the reward he would have received because of the illness.
The fact that a person will be rewarded for spending on his family, for giving to his relatives
and for leaving wealth for his heirs is based on his intention to please Allah Ks. From this,
the scholars have drawn the following principle:
أن المباح إذا قصد به وجه الله تعالى صار طاعة ويثاب عليه
Any permissible action done with the intention of pleasing Allah &s will become
an act of worship and will be rewarded.
"Perhaps you will be left behind so that some people will benefit from you while others will
be harmed by you" was actually a prophesy of the Messenger of Allah$
because Sa'd ibn
Abī Waqqās des survived the illness and lived until he conquered Iraq.
Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqāș
asked whether he would, "be left behind after his companions
(leave Makkah Mukarramah)", out of concern that his sacrifice of migrating from Makkah
Mukarramah to Madinah Munawwarah for Allah's & pleasure may not be rewarded if he
passed away in Makkah Mukarramah.
The Messenger of Allah
lamented over Sa'd ibn Khaulah &
because, according to
some scholars, he did not migrate and passed away in Makkah Mukarramah. According to
the narration of Bukharī, he migrated, participated in Badr and then returned to Makkah
Mukarramah where he passed away. According to others, he migrated to Abyssinia,
participated in Badr and other battles and passed away in Makkah Mukarramah during the
Hajjat al-Wadā“.

30
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Additional Points
V A testator is allowed to bequeath up to one third of his estate.
v A bequest cannot be made in favour of an heir. The wisdom of this ruling lies in Islam's
excellent model of wealth distribution. An heir automatically benefits from the estate
by his allocated share of it and others should therefore be allowed to receive a portion
of the deceased's estate.
V A leader should visit and console those of his subjects who are ill.
v It is permissible to gather wealth for permissible reasons and it will not be regarded as
hoarding if the rights of that wealth are fulfilled.
v Joining of family ties and kindness to one's relatives is an integral component of Islam.
It is more virtuous to join family ties with family who are close relatives as compared
to distant relatives.
Hadīth 7
: (( إنَّ الله لا يَنْظُرُ
وعن أبي هريرةَ عبدِ الرحمانِ بنِ صخرٍ بِّهِ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ الله
إِلى أجْسَامِكُمْ ، ولا إِلى صُوَرِكمْ ، وَلَكن ينْظُرُ إلى قُلُوبِكُمْ وأعمالكم)) رواه مسلم .
Abū Hurayrah456 narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Allah dés
neither looks at your bodies nor at your appearances; rather, He looks at
your hearts and your deeds." (Muslim)
Commentary
Allah & does not reward people based on their outer form or complexion. Instead, Allah des
rewards an action when one's heart is sincere and purified of evil qualities. This is supported
by a verse of the Qur'an,
﴿وَمَآ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَ أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُّكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَى إِلَّ مَنْ أَمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا﴾
Your wealth and children are not such that they can draw you closer to Us,
6 Abu Hurayrah 4% was the agnomen of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sakhr. Ibn 'Abdul Barr , mentioned that
Abū Hurayrah 4.)
said, "I had a cat in my sleeve one day and the Messenger of Allah
noticed me.
He said, "What is this?" I said, "It is a cat." He remarked, "O Abū Hurayrah." The Arabic word for cat
is hirrah, while hurayrah refers to a kitten. Abu Hurayrah 4% accepted Islam in the year that Khaybar
was conquered and participated in the conquest with the Messenger of Allah
. He remained in the
company of the Messenger of Allah
at all times. From all the Sahabah he remembered the most
ahādīth on account of the du'a' of the Messenger of Allah
in his favour. He passed away in Madinah
Munawwarah in 57 Hijrī at the age of 78. 5374 of his narrations are recorded in the books of hadith.

31
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
except for him who has īman and does good deeds. (Sūrah Saba', 37)
This hadith encourages us to correct our objectives and intentions. It further stresses the
need to purify the heart from evil qualities and to beautify it with praiseworthy qualities
because Allah &s considers the state of the heart. One should strive to purify the heart when
commencing any action with the limbs because a heart that is pure and conscious of Allah
des will rectify the action and guide it toward success.
The intention and state of the heart is unknown to us, therefore we cannot be sure that every
action of a righteous individual is good. Perhaps, Allah & is aware of some reprehensible
quality associated with his heart that renders his action worthless. Similarly, we cannot
be sure that a sinful person is evil since Allah & may forgive him because of a single
praiseworthy quality he possesses.
In summary, external actions are not absolute proof of the status of a person. We therefore,
should not exaggerate in honouring a person who does good actions; neither should we
despise a sinful person.
Hadith 8
وعن أبي موسى عبدِ اللهِ بنِ قيسٍ الأشعريِّ ﴿هَ، قَالَ: سُئِلَ رسولُ الله ◌ُ﴾ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ
يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً ، ويُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً، ويُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءَ، أَيُّ ذلِكَ في سبيلِ الله ؟ فقال رَسُول الله
:
(( مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هي العُلْيَا، فَهوَ في سبيلِ اللهِ )) مُتَّفَقٌّ عَلَيْهِ
'Abdullah ibn Qays al Ash'arīg7 narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
was asked about a person who fights to display his bravery, a person who
fights to protect his family honour and a person who fights to show off
and whether any of them were in the cause of Allah? The Messenger of
Allāh
replied: "The person who fights so that the word of Allah may
reign supreme is the one who is in the cause of Allah." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
7 'Abdullah ibn Qays al Ash'arī ag is also commonly referred to as Abu Musa al-Ash'arī age. He is
linked to the Ash'ar tribe of Yemen. He came to the Messenger of Allah
in Makkah Mukarramah
before the migration, accepted Islam and returned to his tribe where he converted fifty people to Islam.
He later came to Madinah Munawwarah with Ja'far ag and other Muslims who migrated to Abyssinia.
He had a beautiful voice and would recite the Qur'an extremely well. He used to pass fatāwa (religious
verdicts) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah
. He passed away in Kūfa in 44 Hijrī. 360
ahādīth are narrated from him.

32
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Vocabulary and Definitions
One "who fights to protect his family honour" refers to a person who blindly rallies to fight
on the side of his family irrespective of whether they are right or wrong.
Commentary
The hadith explains that the true mujahidin are those who only fight so that the religion
of Allah & may reign supreme. The virtues narrated in the Qur'an and various ahadith
regarding the mujahidīn are specific to those who fight for the advancement of the religion
of Allah &s and not for the questionable motives mentioned in this hadith. Despite this, the
rulings that apply to a martyr will apply to any Muslim killed in the battlefield; hence he
will not be bathed and shrouded as a mark of honour. His intention and purpose of fighting
are known and left to Allah &s.
One who fights seeking the reward of the Hereafter or the pleasure of Allah & is also included
in the reward mentioned in the hadith because his action is within the ambit of one "who
fights so that the word of Allah & may reign supreme."
Additional Points
A person may be engaged in an action that is outwardly good and may claim that his
intention is noble, however only such an intention which is for the pleasure of Allah
des will be rewarded by Him.
v A person should be careful not to succumb to their base desires or incline towards worldly
motives when engaging in any noble action.
Hadith 9
، قَالَ : ((إِذَا النَّقَى الْمُسْلِمَان
وعن أبي بكرَةَ نُفيعِ بنِ الحارثِ الثقفيِّ لَهُ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﴿
بِسَيْفَيِهِمَا فالقَائِلُ وَالمَقْتُولُ فِي النّارِ )) قُلتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، هذا القَاتِلُ فَمَا بَالُ المِقْتُولِ ؟
قَالَ : ((إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَريصاً عَلَى قتلِ صَاحِبِهِ )) مُتَّفَقٌّ عليهِ .
Nufay' ibn Harith&
8 narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "When
two Muslims attack each other with their swords, then both the killer and
the one who is killed will be in the Hell-fire." I asked, "O Messenger of
Allah, I can understand this with regard to the killer, but what about the
one who is killed?" He $
replied: "He was eager to kill his companion."
8 Nufay' ibn Harith al-Thaqafi 40% was a Sahabī from Ta'if. He was one of those who turned away from
the tribulations in the battles of Jamal and Siffin. He passed away in Başrah in 52 Hijrī. 132 ahādīth are
narrated from him.

33
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
(Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
The person who kills another living being will be in the Hell-Fire, if Allah &s does not forgive
him, because killing is regarded as a major sin and is viewed very seriously in the Qur'an.
Allāh &s says,
﴿وَمَنْ يَّقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنَا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خُلِدًا فِيْهَا وَغَضِبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهْ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ
عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا﴾
One who purposely murders a believer, his punishment will be Hell where
he will remain for a long time. Allah will be angry with him, curse him and
prepare for him a dreadful punishment. (Sūrah al-Nisā', 93)
The value of taking one human life in the light of the Qur'an is similar to taking the lives of
the entire humanity. Allah Les says,
﴿مِنْ أَجْلِ ذُلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَى بَنِّ اِسْرَاءِيْلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى الْأَرْضِ
فَكَانَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيْعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَانَّمَآ أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيْعًا﴾
Because of this We decreed for the Bani Israil that whoever kills another for a
reason other than in retaliation for another, or corruption on the earth, then
it is if he had killed all of mankind. Whoever preserves a life, it is as if he has
preserved the lives of all of mankind. (Sūrah al-Ma'idah, 32)
The magnitude of an intention can be gauged from the fact that the killer is punished for
his act of killing while the one who is killed will also be punished because his intention was
also to kill.
The hadith warns against Muslims fighting each other, as this weakens their collective
strength and draws the anger of Allah KS. This applies when Muslims fight each other for
invalid Islamic reasons such as tribal fanaticism. Nufay ibn Harith de, the narrator of the
hadith, practised on this hadith and did not fight during the time of trials and tribulations.
He said: "If someone comes to kill me, I shall not prevent him." However, the majority of
Șahabah and Tabi'in are of the view that it is compulsory for Muslims to uphold the truth
and fight against Muslims who defect and rebel.
The hadith also teaches us that a person will be held accountable for his firm intention to
perpetrate an evil action. If the thought of a sin crosses a person's mind and he rejects it,

34
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
then it will be forgiven as stated by other ahadith. However, if he affirms his intention to
proceed with the sin and utilises the means to accomplish it, then it will be recorded as
an evil, even if some factor prevents its culmination. When he commits the action itself, a
second misdeed will be recorded against him. If, after resolving to proceed with the sin, he
abandons it out of the fear of Allah &s, a good deed will be recorded in his favour.
Hadith 10
وعن أبي هريرةَ ﴿ّهِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُول الله :﴿: ((صَلاةُ الرَّجلِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ تَزِيدُ عَلَى
صَلاتِهِ في سُوقِهِ وبيتِهِ بضْعاً وعِشِرِينَ دَرَجَةَ ، وَذَلِكَ أنَّ أَحدَهُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الوُضوءَ
، ثُمَّ أَنَى المَسْجِدَ لا يُرِيدُ إلَّ الصَّلاةَ، لاَ يَنْهَزُهُ إِلَّ الصَلاةُ: لَمْ يَخْطُ خُطْوَةَ إِلَّ رُفِعَ لَهُ بِهَا
دَرجَةٌ، وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بها خَطِيئَةٌ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ المَسْجِدَ ، فَإِذَا دَخَلَ المَسْجِدَ كَانَ فِي الصَّلاةِ مَا
كَانَتِ الصَّلاةُ هِي تَحْبِسُهُ ، وَالمَلائِكَةُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ في مَجْلِسِهِ الَّذِي صَلَّى فِهِ
، يَقُولُونَ: اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ ، اللَّهُمَّ تُبْ عَلَيْهِ ، مَا لَم يُؤْذِ فِيه ، مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ فِيهِ
)) . مُتَّفَقُّ عليه. وهذا لفظ مسلم. وقوله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : (( يَنْهَزُهُ)) هُوَ بِفَتْحِ
اليَاءِ والْهَاءِ وبالزَّايِ : أَيْ يُخْرِجُهُ ويُنْهِضُهُ .
Abū Hurayrah &
's narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "The
salah which a person offers in congregation (in a masjid) is more than
twenty times superior to his salah in his business or his home. The reason
for this is that when a person performs a perfect wudu', proceeds to the
masjid with the sole intention of offering salah and nothing except salah
urges him on, then for every step that he takes, his rank is elevated by a
degree and a sin is wiped off his record, until he enters the masjid. Once he
enters the masjid, he is considered to be in șalāh as long as the salah keeps
him in the masjid. The angels continue making du'a' for him as long as he
remains seated at the place where he offered his salah, saying: 'O Allah,
be merciful to him! O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, accept his repentance!'
This continues as long as he does not harm anyone and as long as he does
not nullify his wudū'." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
This hadith explains the great reward for performing salah in congregation. Salah in
congregation is superior to the salah that is performed individually by twenty-five or twenty-
seven times as stated in other ahādīth. The sincerity of intention whilst performing salah
will determine the exact reward.

35
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
In addition, the hadith draws our attention to the virtue of performing wudū' with all its
Sunan and etiquettes, arriving early for the congregational salah and eagerly waiting for it to
commence. This routine is the perfect remedy for drawing closer to Allah &S, while asking
for ones needs from Him and obtaining relief from the worries and stresses of the day.
Allāh &s is exceptionally compassionate and generous in reward to those who perform salah.
For every step to the masjid, their rank is elevated and a sin is obliterated. Thereafter, the
angels, whose du'a's are certainly accepted by Allah Kes, seek forgiveness and mercy on their
behalf for as long as they remain in the masjid. A verse of the Qur'an confirms that one of
the duties of the angels is to make du'a' for the believers. Allah 's says,
( الَّذِيْنَ يَحْمِلُوْنَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُوْنَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ
لِلَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوا﴾
The angels carrying the throne, as well as those around them, glorify the
praises of their Sustainer, believe in Him and seek forgiveness for those who
have īmān. (Sūrah al-Mu'min, 7).
The angels continue making du'a' as long as the person performing salah remains in the masjid
with wudu' and does not speak or contravene any of the etiquettes of the masjid.
Additional Points
v Scholars state that salah is permissible in malls and marketplaces, but it is makrūh
(disliked) because the heart and mind are easily distracted at such places.
Hadith 11
وعن أبي العبّاسِ عبدِ اللهِ بنِ عباسٍ بنِ عبد المطلب وظُّهَا، عن رَسُول اللـه حُ﴾ ، فيما يروي
عن ربِهِ ، تباركَ وتعالى ، قَالَ : ((إنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ الحَسَنَاتِ والسَّيَّاتِ ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذلِكَ ، فَمَنْ هَمَّ
بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبِهَا اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالِى عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَبَهَا
اللهُ عَشْرَ حَسَناتٍ إِلى سَبْعمئةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلى أَضعَافِ كَثيرةٍ ، وإِنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا
اللهُ تَعَالَى عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً ، وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللهُ سَيَِّةً وَاحِدَةً )) مُتَفَقُّ عليهِ .
‘Abdullah ibn 'Abbās9
narrates from the Messenger of Allah
who
9 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas
was the cousin of the Messenger of Allah
He was born in Makkah
Mukarramah in the valley of Abū Talib where the Muslims were boycotted for three years. The
Messenger of Allāh
made du'a' for him, "O Allah, grant him understanding of religious matters
and teach him the interpretations." The Messenger of Allah
passed away when he was thirteen,

36
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
narrates from Allah &: "Allah & recorded the good and evil deeds and
He then explained them: Whoever intends doing a good deed but does not
carry it out, Allah & records it as a complete good deed. However, if he
intends doing a good deed and then carries it out, Allah de records ten
good deeds to seven hundred good deeds and multiplies it many times over.
Whoever intends doing an evil deed but does not carry it out, Allah des
records it as a good deed. But if he intends doing an evil deed and carries
it out, Allah & records it as one evil deed." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Vocabulary and Definitions
This is referred to as a Hadith al-Qudsī. The meaning of a Hadith al-Qudsī is communicated
by Allah &s to the Messenger of Allah
through inspiration, dreams or other forms of
revelation and the Messenger of Allah
then gives expression to it through his own words.
It is of a higher status than an ordinary hadith but lesser in status than the Qur'an. Hence
there are differences between the Qur'an and a Hadith al-Qudsī. One does not need to be in
the state of wudu' to touch a Hadith al-Qudsī. In addition, it is not inimitable and unique like
the verses of the Qur'an. Further, the Qur'an is on the level of tawatur (i.e. it is narrated by
many people) while a Hadith al-Qudsī may be related by even one person.
"Allah & recorded the good and evil deeds," means that Allah &s commanded the angels
to record the deeds.
Commentary
Allah's & system of recording good and evil actions is highlighted in this hadith. If a person
intends a good action, then resolves to carry it out and finally executes it, then a reward
is recorded for his intention and it is then multiplied up to tenfold for its execution. Allah
des says,
﴿مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ اَمْثَالِهَا﴾
Whoever brings a good deed will receive ten times as much. (Sūrah al-An'ām,
fifteen or ten according to some. 'Umar ibn Khattab
's maintained a close relationship with him
especially in meetings so that he could benefit from his deep knowledge and intellect. Many ahādīth
narrate his interpretations of Qur'anic verses as he was an expert in this field. He passed away in
Ța'if in 71 Hijrī and was buried there in the khilafah of Ibn Zubayr 4.0%. Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah
performed his Janāzah salah and said, "The rabbanī (one who has a close relationship with Allāh &s) of
this Ummah has passed away." 1660 ahadith are narrated from him. He said, "I saw Jibra'il twice," and
this was why he became blind in old age.

37
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
160).
In addition, Allah &s further multiplies the reward for whosoever He wishes. Allah &s says,
﴿وَاللهُ يُضْعِفُ لِمَنْ يَّشَاءُ﴾
Allah increases for those whom He wills. (Sūrah al-Baqarah, 261).
Another hadith states: 'It is multiplied up to seven-hundred times, except for sawm (fasting),
because it is for Me and I shall give the reward for it.' (Bukhārī, Muslim) From this, we learn
that the number of times the reward for sawm is multiplied is known to Allah &s alone, since
sawm is the most virtuous form of patience. The Qur'an states,
﴿إِنََّا يُوَفَّى الصُّبِرُوْنَ اَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ﴾
The patient ones shall be granted their reward without reservation. (Sūrah
al-Zumar, 10)
Conversely, if a person resolved to do an evil action, then abandoned it due to the fear of
Allāh &s and not for show, fear of people or helplessness, then a reward will be recorded for
him. If he abandoned it for any reason besides the fear of Allah des, a sin will be recorded
against him, because it is not acceptable to fear people, and not Allah &s.
The various stages of thought, resolve and intention have been discussed at length by the
scholars. The first stage is called hajis, which refers to stray thoughts that cross a person's
mind. If the thought lingers in the mind, it is called khatir and if the person deliberates within
himself whether to do the action or not, it is called hadith al-nafs. When preference is given
to a course of action, it is called hamm. 'Azm is the final stage wherein one resolves to do the
action. According to all the scholars, a person will not be answerable for hajis because stray
thoughts are not of his own doing. Regarding khatir and hadith al-nafs, the ahadith mention
that Allah &s overlooks them. In these first three stages, there is no reward for good thoughts
either because there is no firm intent or resolve to carry out the action. As for the stage of
hamm, a reward will be recorded for a good action, but a sin will not be recorded for an evil
one. If a person now abandons the evil thought due to the fear of Allah &s, Allah des will
record a reward for him and if he follows through with it, Allah & will record a sin against
him. As for the stage of 'azm, a person will be answerable for ones actions.
This entire process of recording good and evil demonstrates Allah's & compassion and
generosity. A person who does not execute an evil action, despite his prior intention to
perform the evil action, will be rewarded and will only receive one sin if he does execute it.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
However, a person who has the intention to do a good action receives one reward because
of his sincere intention, and if he follows through with the action, he receives ten to seven
hundred rewards, and even more if Allah & wishes. Imam Nawawi ( states: 'If Allah
had not shown such compassion upon His servants, none would have entered Paradise since
the sins of man exceed his good actions. It is Allah's &s compassion that He multiplied the
reward for his good deeds and not the punishment for his sin.'
Hadīth 12
وعن أبي عبد الرحمان عبدِ الله بنِ عمرَ بن الخطابِ ظَهَا، قَالَ : سمعتُ رسولَ الله
يقول : ((انطَلَقَ ثَلاثَةُ نَفَرٍ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَتَّى آوَاهُمُ المَبِيتُ إِلى غَارٍ فَدَخُلُوهُ، فانْحَدَرَتْ
صَخْرَةٌ مِنَ الجَبَلِ فَسَدَّتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الغَارَ ، فَقَالُوا: إِنَّهُ لاَ يُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ هذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ إِلَّ أنْ تَدْعُوا
اللهَ بِصَالِحِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ . قَالَ رجلٌ مِنْهُمْ : اللَّهُمَّ كَانَ لِي أَبَوانِ شَيْخَانِ كبيرانِ ، وكُنْتُ لا أَغْبِقُ
قَبَلَهُمَا أَهْلاً ولاَ مالاً ، فَأَى بِي طَلَبِ الشَّجَرِ يَوْماً فلم أُرِحْ عَلَيْهِمَا حَتَّى نَامَا ، فَحَلَبْتُ لَهُمَا
غَبُوقَهُمَا فَوَجَدْتُهُمَا نَائِمَينٍ، فَكَرِهْتُ أنْ أُوقِظَهُمَا وَأَنْ أَغْبِقَ قَبْلَهُمَا أَهْلاً أو مالاً ، فَشْتُ
- والْقَدَحُ عَلَى يَدِي - أَنتَظِرُ اسْتِيقَاظَهُمَا حَتَّى بَرِقَ الفَجْرُ والصِّبْيَهُ يَتَضَاغَوْنَ عِنْدَ قَدَميَّ ،
فاسْتَيْقَظَا فَشَرِبا غَبُوقَهُما . اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ ذلِكَ ابِغَاء وَجْهِكَ فَفَرِّجْ عَنّا مَا نَحْنُ فِهِ مِنْ
هذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ ، فانْفَرَجَتْ شَيْئاً لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الخُروِجَ مِنْهُ. قَالَ الآخر : اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ كانَتْ لِيَ
ابْنَهُ عَمّ ، كَانَتْ أَحَبَّ النّاسِ إليَّ - وفي رواية: كُنْتُ أُحِبُّهَا كَشَدِّ مَا يُحِبُّ الرِّجَالُ النساءَ -
فَأَرَدْتُهَا عَلَى نَفْسِهَا فامْتَنَعَتْ مِنِّي حَتَّى أَلَمَّتْ بها سَنَةٌ مِنَ السِّنِيْنَ فَجَاءَتْنِي فَأَعْطَيْتُهَا عِشْرِينَ
وَمِنَةَ دينَارٍ عَلَى أنْ تُخَلِّيَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِهَا فَفَعَلَتْ ، حَتَّى إِذَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَيْهَا - وفي رواية : فَلَمَّا
قَعَدْتُ بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهَا ، قالتْ: اتَّقِ اللهَ وَلاَ تَفُضَّ الخَاتَمَ إلاّ بِحَقِّهِ ، فَانْصَرَفْتُ عَنْهَا وَهِيَ أَحَبُّ
النَّاسِ إِلَّ وَتَرَكْتُ الذَّهَبَ الَّذِي أَعْطَيتُها . اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ ذلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فَاقْرُجْ
عَنَّا مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ ، فانْفَرَجَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الخُرُوجَ مِنْهَا. وَقَالَ الثَّالِثُ
: اللَّهُمَّ اسْتَأْجَرْتُ أُجَرَاءَ وَأَعْطَيْتُهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ غيرَ رَجُلٍ واحدٍ تَرَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ وَذَهبَ، فَثَمَّرْتُ
أجْرَهُ حَتَّى كَثُرَتْ مِنْهُ الأَمْوَالُ، فَجَاءَنِي بَعدَ حِينٍ ، فَقَالَ: يَا عبدَ اللهِ ، أَدِّ إِلَيَّ أَجْرِي ، فَقُلْتُ
: كُلُّ مَا تَرَى مِنْ أَجْرِكَ : مِنَ الإِبلِ وَالْبَقَرِ والْغَنَمِ والرَّقِيقِ ، فقالَ: يَا عبدَ اللهِ ، لاَ تَسْتَهْزِىءْ
بِي ! فَقُلْتُ : لَاَ أَسْتَهْزِئْ بِكَ ، فَأَخَذَهُ كُلَّهُ فَاسْتَقَهُ فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً. الَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنتُ فَعَلْتُ
ذلِكَ اِغَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فافْرُجْ عَنَّا مَا نَحنُ فِهِ ، فَانْفَرَجَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ فَخَرَجُوا يَمْشُونَ )) مُتَفَقٌ عليهِ .

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
‘Abdullah ibn 'Umar10
narrates: "I heard the Messenger of Allah
saying:
"Three people from a nation of the past were walking and took refuge in
a cave for the night. A rock from the mountain fell at the mouth of the
cave and trapped them therein. They said: "The only thing that will save
you from this rock is your supplication to Allah & by virtue of your good
deeds." One of them said: "O Allah, I had extremely old parents and it was
my habit that I never gave milk to my family and slaves before giving it to
them. One day I went far off in search of grazing pastures and I returned
late in the evening. I found that my parents had already fallen asleep. I
milked their drink as was my habit and brought it to them. I did not want
to awaken them from their sleep and I also did not want to give it to my
family and slaves before giving it to my parents. I remained standing with
the bowl in my hands, waiting for them to wake up until dawn broke and
the children were crying at my feet out of hunger. They then both awoke
and drank their milk. O Allah, if I did this for Your pleasure, then rescue
us from this cave by removing this rock." It opened slightly, but they were
still unable to get out. The second person said: "O Allah, I had a cousin who
I loved passionately." Another narration has: "I loved her as passionately
as a man could love a woman." "I tried to seduce her but she refused me.
Eventually, one year she was reduced to poverty and was forced to come to
me for assistance. I gave her 120 dinars on condition that she yield herself
to me. She agreed, but when I had full control over her - and in another
narration - when I was about to engage in sexual relations with her, she
said: "Fear Allah and do not break the seal of virginity unlawfully." So I
turned away from her despite the fact that I loved her so passionately
10 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar
was born one year before the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah
.
He accepted Islam with his father in Makkah Mukarramah as a young boy. He did not participate in
Badr. On the occasion of the Battle of Uhud, he was fourteen and the Messenger of Allah
felt that he
was too young to participate in the battle. He was given permission to participate in the Battle of the
Trench by the Messenger of Allah
when he was fifteen years of age. After this, he did not remain
behind from any army that was sent by the Messenger of Allah &
. The Messenger of Allah
once
said to his sister, Hafsah, "Your brother is a pious man, if he would only perform the optional night
prayer." He never omitted the night prayer after this. Amongst the Sahabah , he was a jurist and
known for his abstinence. He withdrew from the infighting of the Muslims. He was one of the most
knowledgeable regarding the rulings pertaining to haj and was an expert in the meaning of Qur'an and
ahādīth. It is said that he performed sixty haj and a thousand 'Umrah. He passed legal rulings for sixty
years and he mounted a thousand conveyances in the path of Allah &s. He passed away in Makkah
Mukarramah in 73 Hijrī. 2630 ahādīth are narrated from him.

40
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
and I also left her the gold which I had given her. O Allah, if I did this for
Your pleasure, rescue us from this cave by removing this rock." It opened
slightly, but they were still unable to get out. The third person said: "O
Allah, I hired some labourers and paid them their wages, except for one
man who left without taking what was due to him. I invested his wage and
it increased greatly in value. He came to me after some time and said: "O
servant of Allah, pay me my wage." I said: "All these camels, cows, sheep
and slaves that you see are part of your wage." He said: "O servant of Allah,
do not make fun of me." I replied: "I am not making fun of you." He then
took them all and led them away without leaving behind anything. O Allah,
if I did this for Your pleasure, rescue us from this cave by removing this
rock." The rock moved away completely and they were able to walk free."
(Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
The incidents of three people who had sincere intentions have been related in this hadith.
The first of these is the incident of a person who served his parents, dealt kindly with them
and gave preference to them over his wife and children. Serving one's parents is compulsory
as Allah &s commands,
﴿وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ اَلَّ تَعْبُدُوَّا إِلَّ ◌ِبَّهُ وَبالْوَالِدَيْنِ اِحْسَانَا اِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ
كِلُهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَّهُمَّا أُفٍّ وَّلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَّهَمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيْمًا (٢٣) وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ
الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَِّىْ صَغِيْرًا﴾
Your Sustainer has commanded that you worship only Him and that you treat
your parents kindly. If any one of the two, or both of them reaches old age
with you, then do not even tell them 'oof!' and do not rebuke them. Speak
gently to them. Lower for them the wings of humility out of compassion and
say, "O my Sustainer, be merciful to them as they had raised me when I was
young." (Sūrah al-Isrā', 23-24)
There are other ahadith that mention severe warnings for those who disobey their parents.
The second person abandoned the sin of infidelity when he had the full ability to commit it.
This requires spiritual strength and taqwa that can be developed by frequenting the company
of the righteous, avoiding places of evil and being conscious of Allah &'s at all times.
From the incident of the third person, we learn the virtue of fulfilling ones promises, returning