*Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn* from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter: The Desirability of Giving Glad Tidings and Congratulating upon Good Occurrences.
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
We were sitting around the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and with us were Abū Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) among a group of people.
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood up from among us,
and he stayed away for a long time, so we feared that he might be harmed or cut off in our absence.
We were alarmed and stood up, and I was the first to become alarmed.
So I went out seeking the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
until I came to an enclosed garden belonging to the Ansar, of the Banū al-Najjār clan.
I circled around it looking for a gate,
but found none; however, I found a small stream entering the interior of the garden from a well outside it.
(A *rabī'* is a small stream), so I squeezed myself together
and entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He said: "Abū Hurayrah?" I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah."
He asked: "What is the matter with you?" I said:
"You were among us, then you got up and stayed away from us for so long
that we feared you might be harmed in our absence,
so we became alarmed, and I was the first to take fright.
I came to this garden and squeezed through just as a fox squeezes through,
and the people are behind me."
He said: "O Abū Hurayrah!" and gave me his sandals, saying:
"Take these two sandals of mine,
and whomever you meet beyond this garden who testifies that there is no god but Allah,
with full certainty in his heart, give him the glad tidings of Paradise."
And he mentioned the hadith in its entirety.
Narrated by Muslim.
The word *al-rabī'* means a small river,
which is a rivulet, as explained in the hadith.
And his word *iḥtafaztu*
is narrated with an *r* (*iḥtarafartu*) and with a *z* (*iḥtafaztu*),
and its meaning with a *z*
is: "I compressed and made myself small
until it was possible for me to enter."
"Among our backs" (*bayna aẓhurinā*)
means: among us.
"Cut off away from us" (*yuqṭa'a dūnanā*)
means: to be afflicted with harm by an enemy.
*Al-faza'* (alarm/fright)
means rising up hastily for a matter and being deeply concerned about it.
Among the lessons derived from this hadith:
It shows the deep devotion of the Prophet's Companions, peace be upon him,
and their constant care and protection around him.
It illustrates how people check on their leader, seek him out,
and become alarmed when he is missing.
It includes giving a physical sign or token
to prove the truthfulness of the emissary and confirm his statement.
The people of Tawheed (monotheism)
are the ones who show the greatest care for the Prophets and the righteous,
and they are the most deserving of glad tidings above all others.
Uttering "there is no god but Allah"
guarantees Paradise for the one who says it,
provided it comes sincerely from the heart.
On the authority of Ibn Shumāsah, who said:
We attended 'Amr ibn al-'Āṣ (may Allah be pleased with him)
while he was in the throes of death.
He wept for a long time
and turned his face toward the wall.
His son began to say:
"O my father!
Did not the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, give you glad tidings of such-and-such?
Did not the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, give you glad tidings of such-and-such?"
So he turned his face toward them and said:
"The best thing we rely upon as provision
is the testimony that there is no god but Allah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Indeed, I have passed through three distinct phases:
I remember when no one was more intensely hateful of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, than me,
and nothing was more beloved to me than to overpower him and kill him.
Had I died in that state,
I would certainly have been among the people of the Fire.
But when Allah placed Islam into my heart,
I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said:
'Stretch out your right hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.'
So he stretched out his right hand,
but I withdrew my hand.
He said:
'What is the matter with you, O 'Amr?'
I said:
'I wish to stipulate a condition.'
He said:
'What do you wish to stipulate?'
I said:
'That I be forgiven.'
He said:
'Did you not know that Islam wipes away whatever came before it,
that the Hijrah (migration) wipes away whatever came before it,
and that the Hajj pilgrimage wipes away whatever came before it?'
After that, no one was more beloved to me than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
nor was anyone more majestic in my eyes than him.
I was unable to look at him fully out of veneration for him;
and if I were asked to describe him, I could not do so,
because I never filled my eyes with looking at him.
Had I died in that state,
I would have hoped to be among the people of Paradise.
Then we were entrusted with positions of governance over various affairs,
and I do not know what my standing will be regarding them.
So when I die,
let no wailing woman or fire accompany my funeral.
And when you have buried me,
pour the earth over me gently.
Then stand around my grave for the duration it takes to slaughter a camel and distribute its meat,
so that I may draw comfort from your presence
and ascertain how I will answer the messengers of my Lord."
Narrated by Muslim.
His saying *shunnū*
means: pour it gradually and gently.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.
*Siyāqat al-mawt*
means the state of facing imminent death.
*Aṭbāq thalāth*
means three distinct phases or states.
*Fa-shunnū*
means pouring easily and gently.
Among the lessons derived from this hadith:
The immense status of Islam, the Hijrah, and the Hajj pilgrimage,
and that each of them erases the sins committed prior to it.
The recommendation to remind a dying person to maintain good expectations of Allah, the Exalted,
to mention verses of hope,
and hadiths of divine pardon in his presence,
and to give him glad tidings of what Allah Almighty has prepared for the Muslims.
The recommendation of mentioning his best deeds in his presence
so that he may think well of Allah Almighty and pass away in that state.
The profound veneration of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
and students of knowledge should likewise show such respect to the scholars of the Ummah.
It shows compliance with the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
against having a funeral followed by wailing or fire.
The recommendation of gently pouring dust into the grave,
and that one must not sit upon a grave.
The prohibition of sitting upon a grave,
due to the clear, authentic prohibition reported concerning it.
Affirmation of the trial of the grave and the questioning by the two angels.
It is from the Sunnah to remain by the grave for a short while
to supplicate for the deceased and ask for his steadfastness.
Chapter: Bidding Farewell to a Companion,
Giving Him Counsel upon Parting for Travel or Other Reasons,
Praying for Him, and Asking Him for Supplication.
Allah Almighty said:
“The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)
“The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)
“The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Lo! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him).” (2:132)
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
"...Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac..."
“Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons: What will ye worship after me? They said: We shall worship thy god, the god of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One Allah, and unto Him we have surrendered.” (2:133)
As for the hadiths,
among them is the hadith of Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him),
which was previously cited in the chapter on honoring the household
of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood among us to deliver a sermon;
he praised Allah, extolled Him,
exhorted, and reminded the people.
Then he said: "To proceed:
Hearken, O people!
I am only a human being;
the messenger of my Lord is soon to come, and I shall answer the call.
I am leaving among you two weighty matters:
the first of them is the Book of Allah,
wherein is guidance and light;
so adhere to the Book of Allah and hold fast to it."
Thus, he urged and encouraged commitment to the Book of Allah.
Then he said: "And the people of my household;
I remind you of Allah regarding the people of my household."
Narrated by Muslim,
and it has already been mentioned in full.
On the authority of Abū Sulaymān Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
We came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
when we were young men of similar age,
and we stayed with him for twenty nights.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was merciful and gentle.
When he sensed that we longed for our families,
he asked us about those we had left behind among our families,
so we told him.
Thereupon he said:
"Return to your families,
stay among them,
teach them, instruct them,
pray such-and-such prayer at such-and-such a time,
and pray such-and-such prayer at such-and-such a time.
When the time for prayer arrives,
let one of you call the Adhan,
and let the eldest among you lead you in prayer."
Agreed upon.
Al-Bukhārī added in his narration:
"And pray as you have seen me pray."
The phrase *raḥīman rafīqan* (merciful and gentle)
is narrated with an *f* and a *q* (*rafīqan*),
and also narrated with two *q*s (*raqīqan*, tender-hearted).
Among the lessons derived from this hadith:
Youth are more capable of carrying knowledge and traveling to seek it.
Whoever seeks knowledge and understanding
must search for it diligently,
endure patience in acquiring it,
and endure parting from family and loved ones
in order to attain it.
When a learner returns to a people who possess less knowledge than him,
it is obligatory upon him to teach them.
The prescribed prayers have appointed times that cannot be known except through instruction.
A group should be led in prayer by the one most knowledgeable of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger;
but because they had all learned together from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
at the exact same time,
and they all showed equal dedication to his gathering,
nothing remained to distinguish leadership in prayer except seniority in age.
The worshiper is obligated to follow the description of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
[This shows] the mercy of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) toward his Companions,
his gentleness toward his followers, and his compassion for his Ummah.
On the authority of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for permission to perform 'Umrah,
and he granted me permission and said:
'Do not forget us, my dear brother, in your supplications.'
He thus uttered a word so dear to me that I would not exchange it for the whole world."
In another narration, he said:
"'Include us, my dear brother, in your supplications.'
Related by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi."
And on the authority of Salim ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar,
that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)
used to say to a man when he intended to travel:
"Come close to me so that I may bid you farewell,
just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
used to bid us farewell."
He would then say:
"I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust,
and the final outcomes of your deeds."
Related by al-Tirmidhi.
And on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khatmi, the Companion (may Allah be pleased with him),
who said:
"Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
wished to bid farewell to an army,
he would say:
'I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust,
and the final outcomes of your deeds.'"
Related by Abu Dawud.
Among the lessons derived from the hadith are:
It is recommended to bid farewell to the traveler,
just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did.
The keenness of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
to adhere closely to his guidance in all their affairs.
It is recommended for a Muslim to supplicate for his fellow Muslim brother
in all circumstances,
whether in his absence or to his face.
The greatest possession a person has in this life and fears losing
is their religion.
A Muslim should wish for his brother a good end,
just as he wishes for himself to be granted a good end.
Success is entirely in the hands of Allah,
so a Muslim must seek it
by pursuing its means and knocking upon His door.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
and said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
I intend to travel,
so provide me with provision [through supplication]."
He (peace be upon him) said:
"May Allah provide you with piety (taqwa)."
The man said:
"Give me more."
He said:
"And may He forgive your sins."
The man said:
"Give me more."
He said:
"And may He facilitate goodness for you wherever you may be."
Related by al-Tirmidhi.
Among the lessons derived from the hadith are:
It is recommended to seek permission from the Messenger (peace be upon him) before traveling
and to inform him of it.
The keenness of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he supplicate for them throughout their travels and stays.
The greatest counsel a servant can give his Muslim brother is the fear of Allah (taqwa),
for it is the true provision for the soul,
without which it cannot attain its ultimate destination in the exalted assembly.
It is recommended to seek an abundance of good by asking for frequent supplications from righteous people.
[From] Riyad al-Salihin (The Gardens of the Righteous).