Riyad al-Salihin
From the words of the Master of the Messengers
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him
Chapter: Encouragement to increase in good deeds toward the end of one's life
Allah the Almighty says:
“And they cry for help there, (saying): Our Lord! Release us; we will do right, not (the wrong) that we used to do. Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein? And the warner came unto you. Now taste (the flavour of your deeds), for evil-doers have no helper.” (35:37)
Ibn 'Abbas and the scholars of verification said:
Its meaning is: "Did We not grant you a life long enough for sixty years?"
This is supported by the hadith we shall mention, if Allah the Almighty wills.
It is also said that it means eighteen years.
And it is said forty years.
This was stated by al-Hasan, al-Kalbi, and Masruq.
It was also narrated from Ibn 'Abbas.
It is reported that the people of Medina, when one of them reached forty years of age,
would devote themselves to worship.
It is also said that it refers to the age of puberty.
Regarding His saying: "And the warner has come to you,"
Ibn 'Abbas and the majority of scholars said:
It is the Prophet, peace be upon him.
It is also said to be gray hair.
This was stated by 'Ikrimah, Ibn 'Uyaynah, and others.
And Allah knows best.
From Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said:
"Allah has left no excuse for a man whose life He has extended until he reaches sixty years."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
The scholars said: This means He has left him no excuse, as He granted him respite for this duration.
It is said that a man is "excused" (a'dhara) when he has reached the ultimate limit of excuse.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The vastness of Allah's mercy toward His servants,
as He extends their lives so they may be able to perform sincere repentance.
That Allah the Almighty does not punish His servants until after establishing the proof against them.
Reaching sixty is a likely sign that the end of one's life is near.
Because the lifespans of this Ummah are generally between sixty and seventy.
And few exceed that.
Whoever reaches sixty has no excuse for failing to repent from sins.
From Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to include me with the elders of Badr.
It seemed as though some of them felt slighted by this,
and said: "Why do you bring this boy in with us when we have sons like him?"
'Umar replied: "He is of the status you know."
One day, he called me and brought me in with them.
I felt he only called me that day to show them.
He asked: "What do you say about the saying of Allah the Almighty:
“When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh” (110:1)
Some said: "We are commanded to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness
when He grants us victory and opens [lands] for us."
Others remained silent and said nothing.
He asked me: "Do you say the same, O Ibn 'Abbas?"
I said: "No."
He asked: "Then what do you say?"
I said: "It is the term of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
which Allah made known to him.
[He said:] 'When the victory of Allah and the conquest comes,'
that is the sign of your approaching end.
“Then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.” (110:3)
Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance."
'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
"I know nothing of it other than what you have said."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
"Ashyakh" is the plural of "shaykh."
The intent is the senior Companions who fought at Badr.
They are among the most virtuous and noble of the Companions.
"Wajada" means he became angry or felt slighted.
"Yudkhilu" means he involves you with us in important matters and consultations.
"Of the status you know":
From the house of Prophethood, the source of knowledge, and the mine of nobility.
"Sign of your end":
Meaning the nearing of the end of your life.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The call to seek forgiveness when the end of life draws near,
because it should be the final act of one's affairs.
The virtue of knowledge and its people,
as a person advances ahead of his peers through his keen understanding and vast knowledge.
The virtue of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas,
and his understanding of the Book of Allah the Almighty,
to the point that he was titled the "Interpreter of the Qur'an."
The permissibility of a person speaking of the blessings Allah has bestowed upon him.
The permissibility of understanding the implications of verses
beyond their literal wording,
through the context and the occasion of revelation,
and other signs and indications.
Only those firmly grounded in knowledge are capable of this.
The permissibility of bringing the young into the company of the elders
if there is a benefit in doing so.
Good tidings for the Prophet, peace be upon him,
regarding the conquest of Mecca.
It is incumbent upon the ruler and the leader
to consult the people of knowledge and virtue
in important matters.
A person's value lies in his knowledge and his deeds,
not in his lineage or his advanced age.
From 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, never prayed
a prayer after there was revealed to him:
“When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh” (110:1)
but that he would say in it:
"Glory be to You, our Lord, and with Your praise;
O Allah, forgive me."
Agreed upon.
In a narration in the two Sahihs from her:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
used to say frequently in his bowing and prostration:
"Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise;
O Allah, forgive me."
He was interpreting the Qur'an.
The meaning of "interpreting the Qur'an"
is that he was acting upon what he was commanded to do in the Qur'an,
in the saying of Allah the Almighty:
"So glorify the praise of your Lord,"
"and ask His forgiveness."
In a narration by Muslim:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
used to say frequently before he died:
"Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise;
I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You."
'A'ishah said:
I said: "O Messenger of Allah,
what are these words that I see you have begun to say?"
He said:
"A sign has been set for me in my Ummah;
when I see it, I say them."
“When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh” (110:1)
to the end of the surah.
In another narration of his:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
used to say frequently:
"Glory be to Allah and with His praise;
I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him."
She said:
I said: "O Messenger of Allah,
I see you frequently saying:
'Glory be to Allah and with His praise;
I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him.'"
He said:
"My Lord informed me that I would see a sign in my Ummah;
when I see it, I should frequently say:
'Glory be to Allah and with His praise;
I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him.'
And I have indeed seen it."
“When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh” (110:1)
The conquest of Mecca.
“And thou seest mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops,” (110:2)
“Then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.” (110:3)
Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The increase in the Prophet's seeking of forgiveness and his supplication,
and his turning toward Allah the Almighty.
A servant should increase in thanking Allah the Almighty
upon the attainment of blessings.
The occurrence of what Allah gave glad tidings of to His Messenger, peace be upon him,
because His promise is true.
From Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
Indeed, Allah the Almighty
sent down the revelation continuously to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
before his death,
until the revelation was at its most frequent when he passed away.
Agreed upon.
"Sent down the revelation continuously":
Meaning it was sent down frequently near his death.
"Until the revelation was at its most frequent when he passed away":
Meaning the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed away
at a time when the revelation was descending upon him frequently.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Allah raises the status of the servant
through his frequent recitation of the Book of his Lord.
The continuity of revelation at the end of the Prophetic mission,
unlike its beginning,
when the revelation was interrupted for a period.
The polytheists said to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
"Your Lord has abandoned you."
The completion of the revelation before his death, peace be upon him.
The frequency of the revelation descending at the end of his life, peace be upon him,
is a sign of the approaching end and nearness to Allah the Almighty.
From Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Every servant will be resurrected according to the state in which he died."
Narrated by Muslim.
"Every servant" means every accountable person,
whether free or enslaved,
man or woman.
"According to the state in which he died":
Meaning the state upon which he died and which was his final end.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Encouraging the human being to perform good deeds,
so that they may be his companion on the Day of Resurrection,
because he will be resurrected according to the state in which he died.
One should adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
in his acts of worship, character, and all his affairs.
Increasing in acts of obedience at all times,
due to the possibility of death being near.
Especially in old age and during illness,
because deeds are judged by their endings.
What matters is the conclusion of one's deeds.
Whoever performs good deeds at the end of his life,
it is a sign of good tidings.
And whoever performs evil deeds at the end of his life,
it is the opposite.
Riyad al-Salihin