By Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim
Excerpted from the famous book, 'ad-daa wad-dawaa'
of Ibnul-Qayyim. Allaah has described the people
of victory to be those who perform good and have
fear and He has described the people of misery
to be those who perform evil and live in a sense
of security. Whosoever ponders over the lives of
the Companions will find them to be lives lived
to the full in performing good actions combined
with the fear of Allaah whereas we combine lack
of performing actions, indeed complete
negligence in performing actions, with a sense
of security!
Hence, just as Allaah the Glorious has made hope
to be the outcome of those who perform righteous
action, He has also made fear to be their
outcome.
alhamdulillaah was salaatu was salaamu alaa
nabiyyinaa wa habeebinaa muhammad
================
CHAPTER TWELVE: THE IMPLICATIONS OF HOPE
[Notes by Shaykh Ali Hasan]
It is imperative to understand that if someone
hopes and longs for something then this hope
must necessarily include three things:
1. Love of what he hopes for.
2. Fear of losing it.
3. His doing all he can to attain it.
As for a hope that does not contain these three
matters then it is nothing but idle desires –
hope is one thing and idle desires are something
totally different. Therefore every hopeful
person is fearful of losing the desired goal and
rushes to do all he can to attain it.
At-Tirmidhee reports from the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah (RA) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
’alayhi wa sallam) said, "the one who is afraid
(of not reaching a place in time) travels by
night and the one who travels by night reaches
his destination. Indeed the property of Allaah
is expensive, indeed the property of Allaah is
Paradise."
[Sunan at-Tirmidhee [no. 2452], al-Bukhaaree in
his 'Taareekh' [no. 178], al-Haakim [4/307], Abd
bin Humaid in his 'Musnad' [no. 1458] and
al-Baghawee in 'Sharh as-Sunnah' [no. 4183]
Its insaad contains Yazeed bin Sinaan
ar-Ruhaawee and he is da`eef. The hadeeth has a
witness reported by al-Haakim [4/308] and Abu
Nu`aym [8/377] from Ubayy bin Ka`b with a hasan
sanad.]
Hence, just as Allaah the Glorious has made hope
to be the outcome of those who perform righteous
action, He has also made fear to be their
outcome. Therefore it becomes known that the
fear and hope that brings about benefit is when
it is accompanied by actions. Allaah says,
"Indeed those who live in awe for fear of their
Lord; and those who believe in the signs of
their Lord; and those who do not join anyone (in
worship) as partners with their Lord; and those
who give in charity that which they give with
their hearts full of fear, because they are sure
to return to their Lord. It is these who race
for the good deeds and they are the foremost in
them." [al-Mu`minoon (23):57-61]
At-Tirmidhee reports from Aa`ishah (RA) that she
said, "I asked the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) about this verse
saying, 'does it refer to those who drink
alcohol, fornicate and steal?' He replied, 'no O
daughter of as-Siddeeq! It refers to those who
fast, pray and give charity while fearing that
these actions may not be accepted of them. These
are the people who rush to perform good
actions."
[Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh [Eng. Trans. 2/1110],
at-Tirmidhee[no. 3175], ibn Maajah [no. 4198],
ibn Jareer [18/26], al-Haakim [2/393], Ahmad
[6/159, 205] and others.
Its narrators are all trustworthy and precise
but the isnaad is munqati` The hadeeth is also
reported via a second route from Aa`ishah by ibn
Jareer [18/34] which strengthens it.]
This hadeeth is also reported from Abu Hurayrah
(RA).
[Reported by ibn Jareer [18/34] but its isnaad
contains Muhammad bin Humaid ar-Raazee and he is
da`eef.]
Allaah has described the people of victory to be
those who perform good and have fear and He has
described the people of misery to be those who
perform evil and live in a sense of security.
Whosoever ponders over the lives of the
Companions will find them to be lives lived to
the full in performing good actions combined
with the fear of Allaah whereas we combine lack
of performing actions, indeed complete
negligence in performing actions, with a sense
of security!
Here is none other than Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq
saying, "I wish that I were a hair on the back
of a believing servant" as reported by Ahmad.
[Reported by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' (2/13)]
Ahmad also mentioned that he used so say, taking
hold of his tongue, "this is what has led me to
my destruction!" [Reported by Maalik in
'al-Muwatta' [Eng. Trans. Pg. 421], ibn as-Sunni
in 'Amal al-Yawm' [no. 7], Abu Ya`laa [no. 5],
ibn Abee ad-Dunyaa in 'as-Samt' [no. 13], ibn
Abee ash-Shaybah [9/66] and ibn al-Mubaarak [no.
369] with a saheeh sanad.]
He used to cry a great deal saying, "cry, and if
you cannot cry then endeavour to cry." [Reported
by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' (2/13)]
When he stood to pray then it was as if he was a
piece of wood due to his fear of Allaah, the
Mighty and Magnificent. [Refer to 'Taareekh
al-Khulafaa' (pg. 104)]
He was given a bird and turned it over saying,
"no game is caught nor tree lopped but because
of the glorification it neglected." [ Reported
by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' (2/15)]
When death approached him he said to Aa`ishah
(RA), "O daughter indeed I have been given this
cloak, milker and slave from the property of the
Muslims, quickly take it to ibn al-Khattaab."
[Reported by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' (2/16)]
He used to say, "by Allaah I wish that I was a
tree that is eaten from and then truncated."
Qataadah said, "it has reached me that Abu Bakr
said, 'woe to me, if only I were grass that
would be eaten by the animals.'" [ Reported by
Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' (2/17)]
Here is none other than Umar bin al-Khattaab
(RA) reciting Surah at-Tur and when he reached
the verse,
"Verily the torment of your Lord will surely
come to pass." [at-Tur (52):7]
He began to cry so much that as a result he fell
ill and the people would visit him. [ Reported
by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' [2/29] and Abu Nu`aym in
'al-Hilya' (1/51)]
At the time of his death he said to his son,
"woe to you, leave me lying on the ground so
that maybe He will be merciful to me." Then he
said, "woe to me if He does forgive me" three
times and passed away. [Reported by Ahmad in
'az-Zuhd' (2/81)]
He would recite a verse during his nightly
devotions that would inculcate so much fear in
him that he would seclude himself in his house
for days to come such that the people would
think that he had fallen ill. [Reported by Ahmad
in 'az-Zuhd' [2/29] and Abu Nu`aym in 'al-Hilya'
(1/51)]
He used to have two black furrows running down
his face due to his crying. [Reported by Ahmad
in 'az-Zuhd' [2/30] and Abu Nu`aym in 'al-Hilya'
(1/51)]
Ibn Abbaas said to him, "through you Allaah has
allowed many lands to be conquered and many
battles to be won so do as you please." He
replied, "I only wish that I can be saved such
that my good deeds balance my evil deeds." [
Reported by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' [2/34] and Abu
Nu`aym in 'al-Hilya' (1/52)]
Here is none other than Uthmaan bin `Affaan (RA)
who used to cry so much when he stood by a grave
that his beard became soaked. [Reported by
at-Tirmidhee [no. 2424], ibn Maajah [no. 4267]
and Abu Nu`aym in 'al-Hilyah' (1/61)]
He used to say, "it is as if I am standing
between Paradise and Hell not knowing which one
I am destined for. I would choose to be burnt to
ashes before knowing which one I am to go to."
[Reported by Ahmad in 'az-Zuhd' [2/42] and Abu
Nu`aym in 'al-Hilya' (1/60)]
Here is none other than Alee bin Abee Taalib
(RA) whose crying and fear of Allaah is
well-known. He used to be extremely afraid of
two matters: excessive reliance on hope that
would lead to inaction and the following of
desires. He said, "as for excessive reliance on
hope then it causes one to forget the Hereafter,
as for vain desires then they divert from the
truth. Indeed this world will pass away and
ahead of it lies the Hereafter and each one has
its offspring. So be the children of the
Hereafter and do not be the children of the
world for indeed today is the time for action
without recompense and tomorrow is the time of
recompense with no action." [Reported by Ahmad
in 'az-Zuhd' [2/48] and Abu Nu`aym in 'al-Hilya'
(1/76)]
Here is Abu ad-Dardaa` (RA) who used to say,
"the thing I fear most for myself on the Day of
Judgement is that it be said to me, 'O Abu
ad-Dardaa` you have learnt but how much did you
act upon what you knew?'" [All of the following
narrations can be found in 'az-Zuhd' of Imaam
Ahmad and 'al-Hilya' of Abu Nu`aym so I shall
not unnecessarily lengthen by referring each and
every one of them.]
He used to say, "if only you knew what would
certainly happen to you after death – you would
never again eat a single bite out of a craving
appetite, neither would you drink a single sip
of water for the pleasure of insatiable thirst
and neither would you resort to your homes
seeking shade and comfort. Instead you would go
out to the open desert, striking your chests and
crying over what is to happen to you. Indeed I
wish that I were a tree that is truncated and
then eaten from."
The eyes of Abdullaah bin Abbaas (RA) used to be
continuously downcast due to his frequent
crying.
Abu Dharr (RA) used to say, "I wish that I were
a tree that is truncated and I wish that I were
not created."
When he was offered charity he used to say, "we
have a goat that provides us milk, a donkey upon
which we ride and a freed slave who serves us
(of his own free will). I possess a cloak which
I do not need and I fear that I will be judged
for it."
One night Tameem ad-Daaree (RA) recited Surah
al-Jaathiyah and when he reached the verse,
"Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We
shall hold them equal with those who believe and
do righteous deeds." [al-Jaathiyah (45):21]
He began to cry and kept repeating the verse
until the morning.
Abu Ubaydah Aamir bin al-Jarraah (RA) said, "I
wish that I was a ram that was slaughtered by my
family and then they ate its (cooked) flesh and
drank its soup."
There are many many narrations like this.
Bukhaaree said in his Saheeh, "Chapter: the
believer fearing that his actions be destroyed
while he is unaware."
Ibraaheem at-Taimee said, "I have never compared
my words to my actions except that I feared that
I was a liar."
Ibn Abee Mulaykah said, "I have met thirty of
the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) all of them
fearing hypocrisy for themselves and not one of
them said that he had the faith of Jibraa`eel
and Mikaa`eel."
It is mentioned from Hasan (al-Basree) that he
said, "none but a believer fears hypocrisy and
none but a hypocrite feels secure from it."
Umar bin al-Khattaab used to say to Hudhayfah,
"I ask you by Allaah did the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) list me amongst
the hypocrites?" He replied, "no, and I will not
give this tazkiyyah to anyone else besides you."
I heard our Shaykh, may Allaah be pleased with
him, saying, "the meaning of his words is not
that he will not clear anyone of hypocrisy save
Umar, rather the meaning is that he will not
allow this door to be opened such that anyone
can come and ask him this question so that he
can absolve him of hypocrisy."
I say: close to this in meaning is the saying of
the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) to
the one who asked him to supplicate and make him
one of the seventy thousand who would enter
Paradise without judgement, "Ukkaasha has
preceded you." He did not mean that Ukkaasha was
the only one deserving of this to the exclusion
of the other Companions. Rather the meaning is
that had he supplicated then another would have
stood and then another and the door to this
would have been opened and it is possible that
somebody stand who would not be deserving of his
supplication and therefore it would be better to
withhold. Allaah knows best.
