11. KHUTAB IX (1-4)

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1. FASTING IN HISTORY
Fasting is not something new either to human beings or to
animals. Human as well as animal will fast when they are in the times
of stress or illness, even at the slightest uneasiness. The early great
philosophers and thinkers, such as Hippocrates (460 BC – 370 BC),
Plato (428 BC-348 BC), Socrates (470 BC – 399 BC), Aristotle (384 BC
– 322 BC), and Galen (131 CE – 201 CE) used fasting for health and
therapy, and praised the benefit of fasting. Paracelsus (1493-1541),
one of the fathers of Western Medicine said, "Fasting is the greatest
remedy--the physician within."
Fasting in the early religious and spiritual communities was a
part of ceremonies and rites. Traditionally it was associated with a
period of quiescence, namely, being at rest, where most of physical
activities were suspended, and probably symbolically associated with
birth. In ancient times people traditionally fasted at the vernal
(spring) equinox (namely, time of the year at which the sun crosses
the equator and when day and night are of equal length), around 20
March, as well as at the autumnal (fall) equinox, around 22
September. These fasts were believed to increase fertility of the land
and the human body for reproduction. Among American Indians they
fasted to avert disasters, such as flood, drought, war, earthquake,
etc, and as penance for their sin.
Fasting has been a religious practice since the beginning of
recorded history. Its purpose is to purify the soul and to prepare for
receiving atonement of sins. It is still being practiced by Roman and
Orthodox Catholics, some Protestant sects (such as Episcopalians and
Lutherans), Tibetan Buddhists, American Indians, Jews, and Muslims.
Today it is practiced for various spiritual benefits, such as purification
of the soul, spiritual vision, mourning, penance or sacrifice, as well as
to break the habit of gluttony (eating too much).
In 1920 the Indian Yogi and Guru Paramahansa Yogananda (5
January 1893 – 7 March 1952) who founded a worldwide spiritual
organization called Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) based at Mount
Washington, California, Los Angeles, said: "Fasting is a natural
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method of healing."1 The oldest and most comprehensive health care
system called Ayurvedic Medicine includes fasting as therapy.
Ayurveda (ayuh means “life”, and veda means “knowledge”) is
“Science of Life” or “Wisdom of Life” deals with nature and all
aspects of life.
In Hinduism fasting is abstaining from food half a day, one day
and even more. The Hindus observe fast in the name of the deity
every once, twice, three times, or more times a week. For example,
Monday is associated with Shiva, and fasting on this day would
please him, and on Saturday would please Hanuman, “the monkey
God”, and others say, the god of that day is Shani or Saturn, whereas
Hanuman is “the God of Tuesday”. The Hindus also observe fast on
festivals like Navaratri (when people fast for nine days); Shivratri and
Karwa Chauth.
One should fast once a week with an empty stomach but can
drink water till afternoon. Then one can drink fruit juice or one or
two fruits. Then one breaks the fast after sunset. The time of fasting
is either (a) from sunrise to sunset, or (b) from midnight (12.00 a.m.)
to the midnight (12.a.m.) of the next day. While Muslims are
recommended to break their fast with dates or water, the Hindus
have to break their fast with rice, and meat is not allowed. The meat
is of an animal the soul of which is of human in the process of
incarnation. It is not a good idea to kill someone while fasting for the
deity.
1 Among his interesting statements are: "You are walking on the earth as in a
dream. Our world is a dream within a dream; you must realize that to find God
is the only goal, the only purpose, for which you are here. For Him alone you
exist. Him you must find." – (from the book The Divine Romance). For Muslims,
God Whom they call “Allah” and Who created the whole universe has been
found by them, and the purpose of life is no longer to find Him, but to worship
Him. He said: وَمَا خَلَقْ ت الْجِ ن نِْسَ
) وَالْْ إِ لّ لِيَعْ ب دونِ )الذاريات: 65 , “And I (Allah) created
not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone) (Q.
51:56)
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Buddhist monks fast the standard day of fasting eighteen days
where they drink a small amount of water daily. At first they start
with three days eating dry bread to prepare the stomach without
food. After eighteen days fasting, they eat small portions of thin
porridge or gruel every few hours for three days, until their digestive
system return to be normal. If this first fast is successful and
beneficial, it can be doubled into thirty-six days, or even seventy-two
days, but it has to be under supervision of an experienced teacher.
Buddhist people are not required to follow vegetarian diet and to
avoid dairy products, as they are only a personal option. Following
the practice of Buddha who was said to have eaten one meal a day,
before noon, some Buddhists do the same.
Among Jewish people there are seven traditionally accepted
fast days in a year, commemorating important events or
remembering tragedies of the past: (1) the Fast of the First Born
(observed by the first born males only), on the 14th of Nissan
commemorating that they were the first born saved from the plague
of the first born in Egypt; (2) the Fast on the 17th of Tammuz,
commemorating the breakdown of the wall of Jerusalem by the
Emperor Nebuchadnezzar and the cessation of Temple worship
during the siege of the Emperor Titus (the Fast of the 4th month); (3)
The Fast on the 9th of Av, remembering the tragedies of the Jewish
people, which is the most important fast day after Kippur fast day
(the Fast of the 5th month); (4) the Fast on the 3rd Tishri,
commemorating the murder of the Judean Governor Gedaliah (the
Fast of the Seventh Month); (5) the Fast Day of Atonement (Yom
Kippur) on the 10th of Tishri, the most holy day of the Jewish year,
and where no work of any kind is allowed; (6) the Fast day of the 10th
of Tevet, commemorating the fall of Jerusalem; on this day Kaddish
(Jewish prayer for the dead) was recited for people whose date or
place of death are unknown (the Fast of the 10th month); (7) the Fast
of Ester on 13th of Adar, before Purim festival which commemorates
the salvation of the Jewish people from the persecution of the
ancient Persian emperor.
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Fasting among Catholics could mean: not eating snacks
between meals, or by abstaining from all food. The Church strongly
recommends the Catholic to fast forty days before Easter Sunday
called Lenten Fasting and Penance with only one meal per day and
without meat. Then the rule became more lenient, where fasting is
only on the first day of the Lent (i.e. the forty days), and on Good
Friday. Although the rule remains, i.e. one full meal a day without
meat, a small amount of food in the morning is allowed.
Fasting is not required in the Bible, but highly recommended
for Christians to do so from time to time to become closer to God,
but it has to be done secretly (see Matthew 6:16-18).
How long a Christian should fast? It could be one day as in Bible
times (Judges 20:26), occasionally three days (Esther 4:16), or seven
days (1 Samuel 31:13), and forty days in three occasions: when
Moses received the 10 Commandments (Exodus 34:28), Elijah
encountering God (1 Kings 19:8), and when Jesus was being
tempered in the wilderness (Matthew 4). Fasting this long is not
recommended unless with medical supervision.
Jesus himself was said to have fasted voluntarily alone in the
desert east of Jerusalem for a full forty days and forty nights. This is
one of many differences between Islam and Christianity, where
fasting in Ramadan is prescribed in Islam, and one of its five pillars.
Since the Qur’an mentions that it has also been prescribed to people
of earlier generations (Q. 2:183), it must have been taught by earlier
prophets to their followers without being recorded. However, there
are many other fasts which are recommended, such as:
- the Day of ‘Arafah (9th of Dhu ‘l-Hijjah) except the pilgrims at
‘Arafah should not fast this day.
- the Day of ‘Āshūra’ (10th day of Muḥarram)
- Six days in the month of Shawwāl (the month following Ramadan)
- the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every lunar month
- each Monday and Thursday of a week
- every other day, known as the fast of Prophet David (Dā’ūd) a.s.
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There are some days of festivals where Muslims are
prohibited from fasting, as follows:
- ‘Īd al-Fitr (1st of Shawwal), following the fasting days in Ramadan.
- Īd al-Aḍḥā (10th of Dhū’-Ḥijjah)
- Tashrīq days (11th, 12th, 13th of Dhū’-Ḥijjah)
The objective of fasting as mentioned in the Qur’an is to obtain
taqwā. Allah says in the Qyr’an:
يَا أَيُّهَا ال ذِينَ آمَ نوا كتِبَ عَلَيْ ك م الصِّيَا م كَمَا كتِبَ عَلَى
) ال ذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِ كمْ لَعَل كمْ تَ تق ونَ )البقرة: 181
O you who believe! Observing fasting is prescribed
for you as it was prescribed for those before you,
that you may become the pious (Q. 2:183)
Muhammad Asad translated لَعَل كمْ تَ تق ونَ “so that you might
remain conscious of God,” namely, to gain taqwā, which could be
translated as “God consciousness’ or “God wariness.” On the other
hand, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall translates it “that ye may
ward off (evil),” so that taqwā means “avoiding evil.” The term
taqwā is also translated as “piety” and “fearing Allah.”
‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb r.a. asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b the meaning of
taqwā.
“Have you taken a path where there were many thorns on it?”
asked Ubayy.
“Yes,” answered ‘Umar.
“Then what did you do?,” asked Ubayy again.
“I protected myself and be careful [not to step on them],” said
‘Umar.
“That is taqwā,” said Ubayy.
For this meaning of taqwā which means “self-protection” the
Abbasi poet Ibn al-Mu‘tazz (851-908) explains it in his poem as
follows:
خَلِّ ال ذ نوبَ صَغِيْرَهَا * وَكَبِيْرَهَا ذَاكَ التُّقَى
وَاصْنَعْ كَمَا ش فَوْقَ أَرْ * ضِ ال شوْكِ يَحْذَ ر مَا يَرَى
لَّ تَحْقِرَ ن صَغِيْرَةً * إ ن الْجِبَالَ مْنَ الْحَصَى
Abstain from sins, either small or big, that is piety
And do like a person walking on a thorny piece of land,
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Being careful of what he is seeing.
Do not look down on a minor sin;
Verily, mountains are made of pebbles
The Prophet s.a.w. as narrated by Abū Hurayrah r.a. said:
الصِّيَا م ج ن ة فَل يَرْف ثْ وَلّ يَجْهَلْ، وَإِنِ امْ ر ؤ قَاتَلَ ه أَوْ
شَاتَمَ ه فَلْيَق لْ : إِنِّي صَائِ م مَ رتَيْنِ )رواه البخاري(
Fasting is a shield (protection from the Hell-fire).
So the person observing the fast should avoid sexual
relation with his wife, and should not behave foolishly
and impudently, and if somebody fights with him
or abuses him, he should say to him twice,
“I am fasting” (Reported by Bukhārī)
May Allah accept our fasting as well as other acts of devotion to
Him.
(CIVIC, 19 June, 2015)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah
Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān. Kuala Lumpur: Perc
etakan Zafar Sdn Bhd, 2005
Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dar al-
Andalus, 1984
http://casc.uchc.edu/ayurveda/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramahansa_Yogananda
http://hinduismfacts.org/fasting-in-hinduism/
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma9/fasting.html
http://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fast_Days/fast_days.html
http://www.jewfaq.org/holidaya.htm
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/645309/
jewish/What-Is-Purim.htm
http://www.allaboutprayer.org/christian-fasting-faq.htm
http://www.allaboutfasting.com/history-of-fasting.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting
http://www.medical-library.net/content/view/186/41/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Realization_Fellowship
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2. AMĀNAH (HONESTY, FAITHFULNESS, ETC.)
The term أَمَانَة (amānah) is derived from the verb أَمِنََ (amina),
meaning “to be safe,” “to feel safe,” “to be reliable,” “to be
trustworthy.” It is the opposite of خِيَانَة (khiyānah, faithlessness,
perfidy; betrayal; treason; deception). Linguistically, amānah means:
reliability, trustworthiness; loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, fealty;
integrity, honesty; confidence, trust, good faith; trusteeship;
confidentiality; secrecy (of something).
Technically, amānah means a right which should be fulfilled
and kept. It also means the object of the amānah, namely, alwadī‘
ah ( الْوَدِيْعَة , something entrusted to someone’s custody). This
includes keeping someone’s secret. The person who upholds this
amānah is called al-Amīn ( الَْْمِيْن , the reliable, trustworthy, honest,
faithful person) the epithet of the Prophet before he was appointed
by Allah as His Messenger. In this sense, the jurist and Qur’ān
commentator al-Ḥusayn al-Dāmaghānī (d. 478/1085) gives the
meanings of the term amānah in the Qur’ān as follows:
الْفَرَائِض . 1 , religious obligations, including praying and fasting, such
as:
يَا أََيُّهَا اَلَّذِينََ آَمَنُوا لَََ تََخُونُوا اَللَََّّ وََالرَّسُولََ وََتَخُونُواَ
)َ أََمَانَاتِكُمَْ وََأَنْتُمَْ تََعْلَمُونََ )َالْنفال: 72
O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His
Messenger, nor betray knowingly your amānah
(things entrusted to you, and all the duties
which Allah has ordained for you) (Q. 8:27)
إِنَّا عََرَضْنَا اَلَْْمَانَةََ عََلَى اَلسَّمَاوَاتَِ وََالَْْرْضَِ وََالْجِبَالَِ فََأَبَيْنََ أََنَْ يََحْمِلْنَهَا
)َ وََأَشْفَقْنََ مَِنْهَا وََحَمَلَهَا اَلِْْنْسَانَُ إَِنَّهَُ كََانََ ظََلُومًا جََهُولًَ )َالحزاب: 27
Truly, We did offer the amānah (the trust or moral
responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah
has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the
mountains, but they declined to bear it and were
afraid of it (i.e., afraid of Allah’s Torment). But
man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself)
and ignorant (of its results) (Q. 33:72)
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الْوَدَائِع . 2 , something entrusted to someone’s custody, such as:
إِنََّ اَللََّّ يََأْمُرُكُمَْ أََن تَُؤدُّواَْ اَلَْمَانَاتَِ إَِلَى أََهْلِهَا وََإِذَا حََكَمْتُم بََيْنََ اَلنَّاسَِ أََن تََحْكُمُواََْ
)َََ بِالْعَدْلَِ إَِنََّ اَللََّّ نَِعِمَّا يََعِظُكُم بَِهَِ إَِنََّ اَللََّّ كََانََ سََمِيعًا بََصِيرًا )َالنساء: 85
Verily, Allah commands that you should render back
the trusts to those to whom they are due; and that when
you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily,
how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you!
Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.َ (Q. 4:58)
After the conquest of Makkah the Prophet s.a.w. enter the Holy
Mosque, made ṭawāf (circumambulation around the Ka‘bah), and
then he called ‘Uthmān ibn Ṭalḥah (the keeper of the key of the
Ka‘bah), took the key from him and opened the door of Ka‘bah. He
entered it, then he stood at its door, citing,
لََ إَِلَهََ إَِلََّ اَللََُّّ وََحْدَهَُ صََدَقََ وََعْدَهَُ وََنَصَرََ عََبْدَهَُ وََهَزَمََ اَلَْحْزَابََ وََحْدَهَُ There is no god but Allah Alone, He had fulfilled His promise, He has
helped His servant and has defeated the Confederates by Himself.
Then he sat down in the mosque. ‘Ali ibn Abi Ṭālib stood up and
said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, appoint us doorkeeper as well as
water supplier (for Makkan pilgrims).” The Prophet asked: “Where is
‘Uthmān ibn Ṭalḥah?” When the person came, he said to him: “This
is your key, O ‘Uthmān, today is the day of piety and fulfillment.” To
this, Allah revealed the above verse, and the Prophet did not give the
key of the Ka‘bah to ‘Ali, and the job of serving the pilgrims and
supplying water for the pilgrims.
)َ وَالَّذِينََ هَُمَْ لََِْمَانَاتِهِمَْ وََعَهْدِهِمَْ رََاعُونََ )َالمؤمنون: 5, اَلمعارج: 11
Those who are faithfully true to their amanat (all the duties
which Allah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility
and trusts) and to their covenants; (Q. 23:8; 70:11)
الْعِفَّة . 3 , virtuousness, chastity; purity; modesty; honesty, uprightness,
such as:
قَالَتَْ إَِحْدَاهُمَا يََا أََبَتَِ اَسْتَأْجِرْهَُ إَِنََّ خََيْرََ مََنَََِ
)َ اسْتَأْجَرْتََ اَلْقَوِيَُّ اَلَْْمِينَُ )َالقصص: 72
And said one of them (the two women): “O my father!
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Hire him! Verily, the best of men for you to hire is the
strong, the trustworthy.” (Q. 28:26).
It is about Moses (Mūsā a.s.) because of his honesty and
integrity one of the girls he had helped in watering their sheep
asked her father to employ him. The father’s name was Jethro
يَثْرَى(َ orَ يَثْرُوْن ) , the other name of Prophet Shu‘ayb a.s. (Other
commentators said that he was the nephew of Prophet Shu‘ayb).
Dishonesty is one of the signs of hypocrisy. Abū Hurayrah
narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said:
آيَةَُ اَلْمُنَافِقَِ ثََلََ ثَ إَِذَا حََدَّثََ كََذَبََ وََإِذَا وََعَدََ أََخْلَفََ وََإِذَا اَؤتُمِنََ خََانََ )َرواه اَلبخاري(
There are three signs of the hypocrite: when he talks
he lies, when he promises he breaks it, and when he
is relied upon he betrays it (Reported by Bukhari)
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said:
أََرْبَ عَ مََنَْ كَُنََّ فَِيهَِ كََانََ مَُنَافِقًا خََالِصًا وََمَنَْ كََانَتَْ فَِيهَِ خََصْلَ ةَ مَِنْهُنََّ كََانَتَْ فَِيهَِ خَصْلَ ةَ مَِنَْ اَلنِّفَاقَِ حََتَّى يََدَعَهَا إَِذَا اَؤتُمِنََ خََانََ وََإِذَا حََدَّثََ كََذَبََ وََإِذَا عَاهَدََ غََدَرََ وََإِذَا خََاصَمََ فََجَرََ)رواه اَلبخاري(
Tََhere are four qualities of a pure (clear) hypocrite; if he
has one quality only, then he has a quality of hypocrisy until
he abandons it: if he is relied on he betrays, if he talks he lies,
if he promises he breaks it, and if he argues he acts
immorally (Reported by Bukhari)
What is meant by acting immorally, according to Ibn Baṭṭāl (d.
449/1057), the commentator of Bukhari’s collection of ḥadīths, is
“lying and misgiving” ) الَْكََذَِبَُ وَََالرَِّيَْبة (. What the Prophet means is that
sharing the dominant qualities of hypocrites does not means he has
turned into hypocrisy and apostasy, a dire warning and defamation
against these bad qualities.
Similarly, Anas r.a. narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said:
لََ إَِيمَانََ لَِمَنَْ لَََ أََمَانَةََ لََهَُ وََلََ دَِينََ لَِمَنَْ لَََ عََهْدََ لََهَُ )َرواه أَحمد( There is no faith for a person who does not
possess amanah, [i.e., unreliable] and there is
no religion for one who does not keep his
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promise.َ (Reported by Ahmad)
This indicates lack of faith, honesty and sincerity, not the loss
of faith, infidelity, and apostasy. It is like saying that a bottle is
empty, although it still contains little water.
A similar ḥadīth runs as follows:
مَنَْ غََشََّ فََلَيْسََ مَِنَّا )َرواه اَلترمذي)َ
Whoever cheats is not one of us
(Reported by al-Tirmidhī)
Before he became a prophet, Muhammad s.a.w. had been wellknown
for his honesty, and the people of Makkah called him “al-
Amīn”, (the reliable, trustworthy, loyal; upright, honest; faithful).
They had asked him to be judge in their disputes, and had entrusted
their goods to his custody. Before he left for Madinah to avoid their
persecution for his claim to be a prophet, he had entrusted their
goods to his cousin ‘Ali. Khadījah had employed him to sell her goods
in Syria, and because of his honesty people bought the goods he
brought with higher price to show their appreciation for his honesty.
This brought profit beyond his expectation, and Khadijah asked him
later to marry her. They married, and she became the first person
who believed in his message, a believer.
After he became prophet, his arch-enemy at that time, Abū
Sufyān, admitted to the Emperor Heraclius of his honesty when he
was asked about the new prophet. After learning his characters and
background, Heraclius told Abū Sufyān, “If I knew I could reach him
now, then I would go to him, and if I were in his presence then I
would gladly wash his feet.”
Honesty is inevitable in our daily-life. It is one of the
foundations of peace, from family to international relations. Our
dealings with others have to be based on trust. We trust everybody
until he cheats us, then we lose our trust on him. Everybody has to
be treated innocent until he is found guilty. If honesty is no longer in
a community, a society or a state then waits for its collapse and
destruction. Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah
s.a.w. said:
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إَِذَا ضَُيِّعَتَْ اَلَْْمَانَةَُ فََانْتَظِرَْ اَلسَّاعَةََ قََالََ كََيْفََ إَِضَاعَتُهَا يََا رََسُولََ اَللََََِّّ
قَالََ إَِذَا أَُسْنِدََ اَلَْْمْرَُ إَِلَى غََيْرَِ أََهْلِهَِ فََانْتَظِرَْ اَلسَّاعَةََ )َرواه اَلبخاري(َ
If honesty (trust) is missed then wait for the time of its
destruction. He was asked, how it is missed O Messenger of
Allah? He said that if a case is relied upon unqualified
person then wait for the time of its destruction
(Reported by Bukhari)
What the Prophet means is that no matter how smart a person
is he is not qualified for a position as long as he or she lacks honesty.
What if someone cheats us, is it allowed to cheat him back,
according to Islamic teachings? The Prophet s.a.w. taught us to treat
everybody with honesty, even to the cheater. He said:
أَدَِّ اَلَْْمَانَةََ إَِلَى مََنَْ اَئْتَمَنَكََ وََلََ تََخُنَْ مََنَْ خََانَكََ )َرواه أَحمد و أَبو دَاود وَالترمذي(
Be honest to a person who is honest with you,َ
and do not betray the person who betrays you
(Reported by Ahmad, Abū Dā’ūd, and al-Tirmidhī).
However, Ibn Baṭṭāl comments further that trying to get back
our right taken by deceit does not include in the Prophet’s statement
above, as long as we do not take back more than what we deserve.
The example is thatَ Hind, Abū Sufyān’s wife, complained to the
Prophet that her husband was stingy and did not provide sustenance
for her and her children, and the Prophet allowed her to take herself
what she needed from her husband’s wealth without his approval,
because the maintenance was her right and his obligation.
Scholars hold different opinions whether it is possible or not to
get something else equals to the value of the thing taken from us
through cheating. Al-Shāfi‘ī allows it based on the story of Abū
Sufyān’s wife mentioned above. According to Abū Ḥanīfah it is
possible only to take something similar to it, gold for gold, silver for
silver, measured for measured, weighed for weighed. Mālik as
reported by al-Qāsim does not allow it, but in another report by
Ziyād he allows it, as long as it does not exceed what is needed.
12
As Muslims we believe that our whole body is amānah, a trust
that we have to take care of it, not to abuse it, and that we will be
responsible for what we have done with it in the Hereafter. Allah
said:
وَلََ تََقْفَُ مََا لََيْسََ لََكََ بَِهَِ عَِلْ مَ إَِنََّ اَلسَّمْعََ وََالْبَصَرََ وََالْفُؤَادََََ
)َ كُلَُّ أَُولَئِكََ كََانََ عََنْهَُ مََسْئُولًَ )َالْسراء: 62
And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not or
witness not) that which you have no knowledge. Verily,
the hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of
those one will be questioned (by Allah) (Q. 17:36)
It includes spreading gossips which could lead to defamation.
Our job is amānah, a trust which we should perform the best
we can, even this very earth we are living in and its contents are
entrusted to us by Allah the Almighty to keep them in their best
condition. One of the six characteristics of the people promised with
Paradise is being faithful to their trusts and to their pledges (Q. 23:8)َ
as mentioned earlier. The treacherous person would be known in the
Hereafter. The Prophet s.a.w. said, as narrated by Ibn ‘Umar,
لِكُلَِّ غََادِ رَ لَِوَا ءَ يََوْمََ اَلْقِيَامَةَِ يَُعْرَفَُ بَِهَِ )َرواه اَلبخاري وَمسلم(
Every treacherous person will have a banner in the
Judgment Day by which he will be known
(Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
In conclusion, among the good characters of good Muslims is
amānah, namely, honesty, faithfulness, reliability. They believe that
they will be responsible for keeping this amānah before Allah the
Almighty in the Hereafter. (CIVIC, 26 June, 2015)
المصادر:َ
المكتبة اَلشاملةَ
. 1858 (. قََامُوْسُ اَلْقُرْآن )َالْوُجُوْهُ وََالنَّظَائِر(. بَيروت, 1856َ \ الحسين اَلدَّامغَانِي )َت. 825َ
تفسير اَلطبري )َت. 618َ هَ)َ
تفسير اَلقرطبى )َت. 221َ هَ(
http://www.knightsofarabia.com/arabian/001/arabian00007.html
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/ )امانة_)اسلَم
13
3. IT IS INTENTION THAT COUNTS
Umar ibn Al-Khattab r.a. reported: The Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّمَا ا أ لَْ أ عمَا ل بِالنِّيَّةِ وَإِنَّمَا لِِ أ مرِ ئ مَا نَوَى فَمَ أ ن كَانَ أ ت هِ أ جرَ ت ه إِلَى اللَِّّ وَرَ سولِهِ
فَهِ أ جرَ ت ه إِلَى اللَِّّ وَرَ سولِهِ وَمَ أ ن كَانَ أ ت هِ أ جرَ ت ه لِ د أ نيَا يصِي بهَا أَ أ و ا أ مرَأَ ة يَتَزَوَّ جهَا
فَهِ أ جرَ ت ه إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَ أ يه )رواه البخاري و مسلم(
Actions are (judged) by motives (intentions), so each man
will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah)
was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and
His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly
thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his
migration is to that for which he migrated.
(Reporter by Bukhari and Muslim)
This prophetic tradition (ḥadīth) is so important that Imam al-
Shāfi‘ī an Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said that it is one third of the
knowledge of Islam; it is related to about 70 topics of fiqh (Islamic
jurisprudence). It is because any human acquisition is either by his
heart, his tongue or his limbs, and intention is one of them.
Muslim scholars divide intention (niyyah) into two categories:
intention in matters of worship, and intention in worldly matters.
Intention in matters of worship is used by Muslim jurists as one of
many conditions for the validity of worship. It is intention that makes
distinction between obligatory and recommended prayers. When
you enter the mosque to pray, while you are standing for prayer you
make your intention whether you are going to perform an obligatory
prayer or a recommended one.
With regard to intention with worldly matters, Muslim jurists
have different views: The first view is that there is no need for
intention in matters of habitual actions, like drinking, eating,
sleeping, and wearing our clothes. The second view is that intention
is included in every action. If you eat to be full thanking Allah for his
blessing, or in order to make you strong in obeying Allah, you will be
rewarded. If you wear clothes to cover yourselves you will get
14
reward. But if your intention is to show off and to boast, then you
will become sinful. Therefore, any habitual and ordinary action, if it is
accompanied with intention, will turn into an act of devotion, a
religious observance in which you will be rewarded. If you build a
house to protect your family you will be rewarded for it. The Prophet
s.a.w. said to Sa‘d ibn Mālik in a long tradition, as follows:
...وَلَ أ ستَ بِنَافِ ق نَفَقَ ة تَ أ بتَغِي بِهَا وَ أ جهَ اللَِّّ إِلَِّ آجَرَكَ اللَّّ بِهَا
حَتَّى اللُّ أ قمَةَ تَ أ جعَل هَا فِي فِي ا أ مرَأَتِكَ ... )رواه البخاري(
… nothing you spend seeking Allah’s pleasure, except
that He will reward you for it, even the morsel you put
into your wife’s mouth … (Reported by Bukhari)
“Actions are (judged) by motives (intentions)”, means actions
are accepted or rejected, right or wrong are based on intention. The
expression “so each man will have what he intended” means the
reward of action is based on intention. Therefore, in order to get
reward for our good action we have to make good intention, namely,
sincerity for Allah’s sake, not as a show-off. In a ḥadīth qudsī
(namely, the idea is from Allah, but the wording is from the Prophet),
the Prophet s.a.w. said, that Allah the Almighty said:
أَنَا أَ أ غنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّ أ ركِ مَ أ ن عَمِلَ عَمَل أَ أ شرَكَ فِيهِ مَعِى
غَ أ يرِى تَرَ أ ك ت ه وَشِ أ ركَ ه )رواه مسلم(
I am the most in not needing association, whoever acted
an action associating Me (with something else), I would
leave him with his associate (Reported by Muslim)
If someone prays not for the sake of Allah, but as show off,
hypocrisy, then his prayer will not be accepted by Allah. Allah said:
إِنَّ ا أ ل منَافِقِينَ يخَادِ عونَ اللَّّ وَ هوَ خَادِ ع ه أ م وَإِذَا قَا موا إِلَى الصَّلَةِ قَا موا
) كسَالَى يرَا ءونَ النَّاسَ وَلَِ يَ أ ذ ك رونَ اللَّّ إِلَِّ قَلِي ل )النساء: 241
Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He
Who deceives them. And when they stand up for the prayer,
they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they
do not remember Allah but a little (Q. 4:142)
15
The Prophet s.a.w. said:
مَ أ ن صَلَّى يرَائِي فَقَ أ د أَ أ شرَكَ وَمَ أ ن صَامَ يرَائِي فَقَ أ د أَ أ شرَكَ
وَمَ أ ن تَصَدَّقَ يرَائِي فَقَ أ د أَ أ شرَكَ )رواه أحمد(
Whoever prays to be seen has become a polytheist,
whoever fasts to be seen has become a polytheist, and
whoever gives charity to be seen has become
a polytheist (Reported by Ahmad)
Therefore, in order to be safe from Allah’s punishment in the
Hereafter, we have to be sincere in our intention, that all our deeds
are for Allah’s sake, and all our actions are a kind of devotion and
obedience to Him. Allah says:
ق أ ل إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَ ر مِ أ ثل ك أ م يوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَ ه ك أ م إِلَ ه وَاحِ د فَمَ أ ن كَانَ يَ أ ر جو لِقَاءَ
) رَبِّهِ فَ أ ليَ أ عمَ أ ل عَمَ ل صَالِ حا وَلَِ ي أ شرِ أ ك بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَ دا )الكهف: 221
Say (O Muhammad), “I am only a man like you. It has been
revealed to me that your God is One God (Allah). So whoever
hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work
righteousness and associate none as a partner
in the worship of his Lord.” (Q. 18:110)
While we are performing our devotion with right intention,
when we change our intention, then our devotion will become
unacceptable, like the intentions and the acts of hypocrites.
However, if we made an extra intention, for example, the imam
bows or prostrates longer than usual to be seen as a pious man by
his friends or people in the congregation, then this is a minor shirk
(idolatry), but the prayer is still valid and sound. There will be no
reward for doing longer prostration or bowing, as it is not purely for
Allah’s sake. However, if after performing the prayer, for example,
and someone comes to the imam and praises him, then he wants to
do the prayer of the khuṭbah better than before, for Allah’s sake,
there will be nothing wrong with it, because the praise came after
performing the prayer.
There are some good deeds where besides the reward in the
Hereafter, the reward in this world is also mentioned. For example,
16
Anas ibn Mālik and Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet s.a.w.
said:
مَ أ ن سَرَّه أَ أ ن ي أ بسَطَ لَ ه فِي رِ أ زقِهِ أَ أ و ي أ نسَ أَ لَ ه فِي أَثَرِهِ
فَ أ ليَصِ أ ل رَحِمَ ه )رواه البخاري و مسلم)
Whoever wishes to have his sustenance increased
or his life span extended, he shall keep his good kinship
relationship (Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim)
Shaykh al-Albānī’s commentary on this ḥadīth is as follows:
The ostensible meaning of this ḥadīth is that Allah through
His Wisdom has made good kinship relationship as the motive
for long life, just like good character and good neighbourhood
as mentioned in some sound ḥadīths. But this is not contradictory
to what is known in religion by necessity that age has been fixed,
because this is considered final. It is like bliss and misery which
have been fixed for every person, and there has to be legal
reason for them. As faith increases with obedience and
decreases with disobedience, this does not contradict
what has been written in the Preserved Tablet.”
)14 / )صحيح الْدب المفرد , 2
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah says that there are two kinds of
appointed time of death: the absolute one which is known by Allah
only, and the restricted one. Referring to the above verse he says
that Allah ordered the angel to write his appointed time of death,
and said: “If he keeps his good kinship relationship I would increase
it,” but the angel did not know whether it would happen so that his
appointed time of death would be increased or not. It was Allah Who
knows the final decision which does not come earlier or later.
( 725 / . ( مجموع الفتاوى 8
Another example is that the Prophet s.a.w. said:
مَ أ ن قَتَلَ قَتِيل لَ ه عَلَ أ يهِ بَيِّنَ ة فَلَ ه سَلَ ب ه )رواه البخاري و مسلم(
Whoever kills a person (in the battlefield) with
indisputable evidence, the booty (he left) will be for
17
him (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
Since the worldly reward is mentioned to incite the Muslims to
go to the battlefield to defend Islam besides the reward promised in
the Hereafter, it is possible to have double intention here: to obtain
booty if kills the enemy, and to obtain martyrdom if he is killed. But if
no worldly reward is mentioned, then only one intention is allowed:
to defend Islam. Similarly, if we keep good kinship relationship for
the sake of Allah, and at the same time we expect the worldly reward
with prosperity and long life, this is also possible. If our intention is
more towards the reward in the Hereafter than the worldly reward,
then we shall get more reward from it, and vice versa.
If we go to Makkah with the intention to perform the
pilgrimage, but at the same time we bring some goods to sell to
assist us in our travel expense, there is nothing wrong with it, as the
main intention is the pilgrimage, while trade is only a means to assist
us in our expense. But if our main intention is for trade, while
pilgrimage is only our secondary intention, then our reward for our
pilgrimage is based on the degree of our intention for it.
As the main motive or intention for going to the battlefield is to
defend Islam, and not to gain booty, Imam Mālik did not like the
leader of the army to tell his solders about the booty that they may
get, so that they would not forget the main intention, to defend
Islam.
The ḥadīth continues with the Prophet’s statement that
whoever migrates for some worldly things, namely business or for a
wife he might marry, then there will be no reward for his migration,
as it is intention that counts. It is like a man gives charity for Allah’s
sake, another man did the same, but to let people know how
generous he was, and another person did the same, so that the
recipient of charity would stop bothering him. The reward is only for
the person who gave charity for Allah’s sake.
In another ḥadīth the Prophet s.a.w. encouraged us to seek
knowledge and wealth with good intention. He said:
18
إِنَّمَا الدُّ أ نيَا لَِْ أ ربَعَةِ نَفَ ر عَ أ ب د رَزَقَ ه اللَّّ مَا لِ وَعِ أ ل ما فَ هوَ يَتَّقِي فِيهِ رَبَّ ه وَيَصِ ل فِيهِ
رَحِمَ ه وَيَ أ علَ م لِل فِيهِ حَ ق ا فَهَذَا بِأَ أ فضَلِ ا أ لمَنَازِلِ وَعَ أ ب د رَزَقَ ه اللَّّ عِ أ ل ما وَلَ أ م يَ أ ر ز أ ق ه
مَا لِ فَ هوَ صَادِ ق النِّيَّةِ يَق و ل لَ أ و أَنَّ لِي مَا لِ لَعَمِ أ ل ت بِعَمَلِ ف لَ ن فَ هوَ بِنِيَّتِهِ فَأَ أ ج ر همَا
سَوَا ء وَعَ أ ب د رَزَقَ ه اللَّّ مَا لِ وَلَ أ م يَ أ ر ز أ ق ه عِ أ ل ما فَ هوَ يَ أ خبِ ط فِي مَالِهِ بِغَ أ يرِ عِ أ ل م لَِ يَتَّقِي
فِيهِ رَبَّ ه وَلَِ يَصِ ل فِيهِ رَحِمَ ه وَلَِ يَ أ علَ م لِل فِيهِ حَ ق ا فَهَذَا بِأَ أ خبَثِ ا أ لمَنَازِلِ وَعَ أ ب د
لَ أ م يَ أ ر ز أ ق ه اللَّّ مَا لِ وَلَِ عِ أ ل ما فَ هوَ يَق و ل لَ أ و أَنَّ لِي مَا لِ لَعَمِ أ ل ت فِيهِ بِعَمَلِ
ف لَ ن فَ هوَ بِنِيَّتِهِ فَوِ أ ز ر همَا سَوَا ء )رواه الترمذي و أحمد(
This world is for four kinds of people only: a man endowed by
Allah with wealth and knowledge with which he fears his Lord,
keeps his good kinship relationship, and knows that Allah has
rights on him, and this is the highest position; a man given by
Allah knowledge, not wealth, but he has good intention, and
says, “had I wealth like so-and-so has, I would have done like
what so-and-so did, and he is sincere in his intention, then the
reward for both of them will be equal; a man given by Allah
wealth and not knowledge, so that he will be brought down
with his wealth unknowingly, and will not fear Allah with it,
and he will not keep good kinship relationship, and he does
not know Allah’s right on him, and this is the worst position;
and a servant who is given by Allah neither wealth nor
knowledge, and he says that had he wealth he would have
done the same with what so-and-so did, and because
of this intention both (the rich without knowledge
and the poor) will bear the same sin.
(Reported by Tirmidhi and Ahmad)
In conclusion: in doing things with good intention we shall get
reward, without intension, there will be no reward, and with bad
intention we will become sinful.
(CIVIC, 24 July, 2015)
المراجع:
المكتبة الشاملة
الشيخ عطية محمد سالم. شرح الْربعين النووية: المكتبة الإلكترونية
http://ahadith.co.uk/downloads/Commentary_of_Forty_Hadiths_of_
An-Nawawi.pdf
http://islamqa.info/ar/145514
19
4. AL-ḤASAN AL-BAṢRĪ (1)
One of the duties of the Prophet is to explain the Qur’ān to his
people. Allah says:
) وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ )النحل: 44
And We have also sent down to you (O Muhammad) the
Reminder (i.e., the Qur’ān), that you may explain clearly
what is sent down to them, and that they may
give thought (Q. 16:44)
وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّّ لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ وَهُدًى
) وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْ م يُؤْمِنُونَ )النحل: 44
And We have not sent down the Book (the Qur’ān) to
you (O Muhammad), except that you may explain clearly
to them those things in which they differ, and (as)
a guidance and a mercy for a folk
who believe.(Q. 16:64)
After the death of the Prophet, his companions (ṣaḥābah) took
over and gave the explanation and commentary (tafsīr) of the
Qur’ān, among them were the four rightly-guided caliph (Abū Bakr,
‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Ali), although they did not give much about it, Ibn
Mas‘ūd, Ibn ‘Abbās, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Zayd ibn Thābit, Abū Mūsā al-
’Ash‘arī, and Ibn al-Zubayr. Their principal teacher was Ibn ‘Abbās.
Then came the generation of the tābi’īn (successors) that
followed the generation of the ṣaḥābah. The scholars of tafsīr in this
generation lived in Makkah, such as Mujāhid (d. 104/722), ‘Aṭā’ (d.
114/732), and ‘Ikrimah (d. 105/723). In Madinah they were:
Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qarẓī (d. 117/735), Abū ‘l-‘Āliyah al-Riyāḥī (d.
90/708), and Zayd ibn Aslam (d. 130/747). Their principal teacher
was Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. In ‘Irāq they were: al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d.
110/728), Masrūq ibn al-Ajda‘ (d. 43/482), and Ibrāhīm al-Nakhā‘ī (d.
95/713). Their principal teacher was Ibn Mas‘ūd, and their main
centres were Basrah and Kufah.
20
When the name “al-Ḥasan” is mentioned in the books of tafsīr
(commentary of the Qur’ān) he is not other than the well-known
Muslim scholar al-Ḥasan “al-Baṣrī” ( الحسن البصري ), “the native of
Basrah”. He was well-known not only for his deep knowledge, but
also for his wisdom and asceticism. He was a jurist, a theologian, a
preacher, who was famous for his eloquence and inspiring speeches,
a sufi (Islamic mystic), and a renowned follower of ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib.
Al-Hasan was the son of two ex-slaves of Persian origin. His
father, Peroz (Yasār) was taken prisoner at a town of Maysān in Iraq.
He was then taken to Madinah where he met Khayrah who would be
al-Ḥasan’s mother. Yasār became the slave of Zayd ibn Thābit, who
was one of the famous scribes who recorded Divine revelation for
the unlettered Prophet, whereas Khayrah became the slave of
Ummu Salamah, the wife of the Prophet.
Al-Ḥasan was born in Madinah in 21/642 and was brought up in
the house of Ummu Salamah who freed his mother from slavery
after his birth. He was said to have met many companions of the
Prophet including seventy of them who joined the battle of Badr. It
was said that ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb prayed for him, and said "O Allah!
Make him well-versed in religion and make people love him." He
spent his early years with his family in Wādī l-Qurā near Madinah.
When al-Ḥasan was about fifteen years old he moved to Basrah
where he learned various branches of Islamic knowledge from the
Prophet’s companions who were living there, such as fiqh (Islamic
jurisprudence), ḥadīth (Prophet’s traditions), Arabic language and the
Qur’ān. He learned tafsīr, ḥadīth, and qirā’āt (variant readings) from
Ibn ‘Abbās. He learned the recitation of the Qur’ān from the tābi‘ī
Ḥaṭṭān ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Raqqāshī and the methodology of delivering
religious sermons, speeches and tales from the ṣaḥābah and the
poet al-Aswad ibn Suray‘ al-Tamīmī, the first story-teller of Basrah.
At that time religious story telling in the mosque appealed
people, but as many of them tended to exaggerate, even invented
stories for their personal benefit, such as to gain respect and fame.
Eventually, the story tellers, the quṣṣāṣ were banned from telling
21
their tales in the mosque of Basrah except al-Ḥasan, as he talked
about life after death and religious morality based of the Qur’ān, the
Sunnah of the Prophet and the revered companions.1
Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī was a great teacher. He had a big class in the
mosque of Basrah in which he taught people hadith, fiqh, the Qur’ān,
Arabic language, and rhetoric2. He also taught people in his house
about piety and asceticism. As a mufassir (a commentator of the
Qur’ān), his commentaries were mentioned several times in the
books of tafsīr (commentary of the Qur’ān). Some examples of his
commentaries are as follows:
( وَمَنْ جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ إِنَّ اللَّّ لَغَنِ ي عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ )العنكبوت: 4
And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself.
Verily, Allah stands not in need of any of the alamin
(mankind, jinn, and all that exists (Q. 29:6)
This means, according to al-Ḥasan, a man can struggle in the
way of Allah without striking a sword, namely, without going to the
1 One day the celebrated scholars Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Yaḥyā ibn
Mā‘īn entered a mosque where a story teller was delivering his tale. When he
said that he heard from Yaḥyā ibn Mā‘īn and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal said that the
Prophet said such thing, they looked at each other and asked whether any of
them had said it, and both denied it. So, after delivering the tale, they
confronted him, saying that they had never said such thing. The story teller
said, “I have never seen such foolish people like you! Do you think that you are
the only persons called Yaḥyā ibn Mā‘īn and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal?” Another
incident was when a story teller was eating while he has walking on the street.
When his friend told him not to do so in front of people, he said that they were
not people, but cows and donkeys. In order to prove it, he called people, and
when they gathered around him, he said: “O people, listen to what the Prophet
said. ‘Whoever is able to touch his nose with the tip of his tongue will enter
Paradise’. When people did so, he told his friend, “See, I have told you so.”
2 Rhetoric, which is called in Arabic ‘ilm al-balāghah ) علم البلاغة ( is a part of the
science of Arabic language besides naḥw ) النحو (, i.e., grammar, syntax, and ṣarf
الصرف( (, i.e., inflection. This Arabic rhetoric is divided into three branches: ‘ilm
al-ma‘ānī ) علم المعاني ( dealing with verbal expression of concepts and content;
‘ilm al-bayān ) علم البيان ( dealing with metaphorical language, in general,
rhetorical art of the Arabs; and ‘ilm al-badī‘ ) علم البديع ( dealing with figures of
speech, and in general, the art of beautiful style.
22
battlefield, even once. 3
) كَلا بَلْ رانَ عَلى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ )المطففين: 14
Nay! But on their hearts were covered over
by what(sins) they earned (Q., 83:14)
Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī’s explanation of this verse is that continuous
sin makes heart blind and dead. He said: "It is because of doing one
sin after another, until the heart becomes blind and dies."4
وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْْخِرَةِ
) حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ )البقرة: 201
And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord!
Give us in this world that which is good and in the
Hereafter that which is good, and save us from
the torment of the Fire!” (Q. 2:201)
Al-Ḥasan al-Basri’s commentary of this verse is that “the good
of this world” is knowledge and worship, and “the good of the
Hereafter” is Paradise.5
In a ḥadīth narrated by Anas r.a. reported by Imam Ahmad that
the Prophet s.a.w. visit a man who was very sick. The Prophet asked
him whether he had asked Allah about something. He said that he
used to say, “O Allah! Whatever punishment you saved for me in the
Hereafter, give it to me in this life.” The Prophet s.a.w. said to him,
“All praise is due to Allah! You cannot bear it. You should have said,
“Our Lord! Give us in this world…” citing the above verse. The man
began reciting this supplication, and he was healed.
According to al-Ḥasan asking forgiveness from Allah is the
solution of many problems. The classical commentator al-Qurṭubī
3 قال الحسن البصري: إن الرجل ليجاهد، وما ضرب يوما من الدهر بسيف , see Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr.
Another interpretation is that whoever struggles for his own sake, not for
Allah’s sake, then Allah would not need his struggle, see Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī.
4 عن الحسن، قال: وقرأ) كَلا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ( قال: الذنب على الذنب حتى يموت
قلبه , see Tafsīr al-Țabarī. . وقال الحسن البصري :هو الذنب على الذنب، حتى يعمى القلب، فيموت
وكذا قال مجاهد ابن جبر وقتادة، وابن زيد، وغيرهم , see Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr
5 عن الحسن:" ومنهم من يقول رَبنا آتنا في الدنيا حَسنة وفي الْخرة حَسنة"، قال: الحسنة في الدنيا:
العلمُ والعبادةُ، وفي الْخرة: الجنة , see Tafsīr al-Țabarī.
23
said that when a man complained to him concerning the drought,
another concerning his poverty, another lack of rain, another about
having no offspring, he advised each of them to ask forgiveness from
Allah. When they were doubtful of it, he said that it was not from his
own, but following what Allah said in surat Nūḥ (chapter 71), citing
the following verse:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا. يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا. وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ
)12- بِأَمْوَا ل وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّا ت وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا )نوح: 10
I [i.e. Noah] said to them: Ask forgiveness of your Lord,
verily, He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in
abundance, And give you increase in wealth and
children, and bestowed on you gardens, and
bestow on you rivers. (Q., 71:10-12)
Ibn Taymiyyah said that when the tyrant al-Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf al-
Thaqafī (40-95/660-714) became the governor of Iraq, al-Ḥasan al-
Baṣrī said that he was sent by Allah as a punishment, and they should
not repel it with their hands, but rather, they should be humble and
submissive. Yet, he criticized him in front of people. Al-Ḥajjāj built a
building for himself at Wāsiṭ (between Kufah and Basrah), then he
invited people to spend good time with him and pray for him.
When al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī saw the crowd around the building, he
advised them to keep away from worldly matters to seeking Allah’s
pleasure. He then said, “We have seen what the most evil person has
done, the Pharaoh had built bigger and higher building than what he
has built, but eventually Allah destroyed him and what he built. May
al-Ḥajjāj know that the inhabitants of the heaven curse him, and the
inhabitants of the earth mislead him.
One of the audiences who feared al-Ḥajjāj’s punishment asked
him to stop preaching, and said, “Enough, Abū Sa‘īd, enough!” But he
kept talking, saying that Allah had taken a covenant from the
scholars to make it known and clear to people, and not to hide it,
the same covenant betrayed by the People of the Book (Q., 3:178)
The next day, al-Ḥajjāj came and said to his people: “Woe on
you! A slave belonging to the people of Basrah criticized us as he
24
pleased, and none of you challenged him. By Allah, I shall pour his
blood on you, coward!” He ordered them to bring a sword, a naṭ‘
نطع( , a leather mat put under the person whose head would be cut
off), an executioner, as well as al-Ḥasan to him.
When al-Ḥasan came and saw the sword, the leather mat, and
the executioner, he moved his lips, and came to al-Ḥajjāj with dignity
and full confidence, whereas the audience worried for him. Seeing
this unexpected behavior of al-Ḥasan, he changed his attitude and
said: “Come here, Abū Sa‘īd, come here!” and offered him to sit on
his carpet. He looked at him, and started asking him various religious
issues which he answered very well and with confidence.
“You are the master of scholars, Abū Sa‘īd!” said al-Ḥajjāj, and
asked his servant to bring him various kinds of perfume, rubbed it to
al-Ḥasan’s beard, and then let him go. He was followed by al-Ḥajjāj’s
guards who told him that al-Ḥajjāj had changed his mind, and asked
him what he said when he moved his lips after seeing the sword and
the leather mat. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said: “I was praying, ‘O my
Benefactor and my Protector in danger, make his torture cold and
safe for me, as You have made fire cold and safe for Abraham’.” He
was referring to the Qur’ānic verse Q. 21:69.
(CIVIC, 10 July, 2015)
:المصادر
المكتبة الشاملة
تفسير الطبري )ت. 310 ه )
تفسير القرطبى )ت. 471 ه)
تفسير ابن كثير )ت. 774 ه(
1986\ د. عبد الرحمن رفعت باشا. صور من حياة التابعين للصف الثالث المتوسط 1406
Ahmad von Denffer, ‘Ulūm al- Qur’ān. Kuala Lumpur: A.S. Noordeen,
1991.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_of_Basra
www.tawheedmovement.wordpress.com
http://sunnahonline.com/library/biographies/365-al-hasan-al-basri