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*Riyad al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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Chapter: The Virtue of Asceticism in the World, Encouragement to Have Little of It, and the Virtue of Poverty.

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On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

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I was walking with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the stony tract of Medina,

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when Mount Uhud came into our view.

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He said, "O Abu Dharr!" I replied, "At your service, O Messenger of Allah!"

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He said, "It would not please me to possess the equivalent of this Mount Uhud in gold,

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and have three days pass while a single dinar of it remains with me,

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except for something I reserve to settle a debt,

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unless I were to distribute it among the servants of Allah like this, and like this, and like this,"

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to his right, to his left, and behind him.

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Then he walked on and said,

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"Indeed, those with the most wealth will have the least on the Day of Resurrection,

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except for him who dispenses his wealth like this, and like this, and like this,"

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to his right, to his left, and behind him,

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"and how few they are!"

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Then he said to me, "Stay where you are; do not leave until I return to you."

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Then he set out into the darkness of the night until he disappeared from sight.

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Then I heard a raised sound,

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and I feared that someone had accosted the Prophet (peace be upon him).

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So I wanted to go to him,

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but I remembered his words: "Do not leave until I return to you."

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So I did not leave until he came back to me.

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I said, "I heard a sound that frightened me,"

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and I mentioned it to him.

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He said, "Did you hear it?"

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I said, "Yes."

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He said, "That was Gabriel who came to me

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and said: 'Whoever dies from your Ummah without associating anything with Allah

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will enter Paradise.'"

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I asked, "Even if he committed adultery and even if he stole?"

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He replied, "Even if he committed adultery and even if he stole."

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Agreed upon,

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and this is the wording of al-Bukhari.

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And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),

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from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

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who said:

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"If I had the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold,

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it would please me that three nights do not pass

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while any of it remains with me,

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except something I reserve to settle a debt."

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Agreed upon.

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*Harrah*:

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It is land covered with black stones.

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*Arsuduhu* (I reserve it):

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That is, I prepare and set it aside.

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"Indeed, those with the most wealth will have the least on the Day of Resurrection":

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What is meant

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is having an abundance of wealth, but having the least reward.

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*Makanaka* (Stay where you are):

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That is, remain in your spot.

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*La tabrah* (Do not leave):

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That is, do not depart from your place.

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*Tawara* (He disappeared):

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That is, his person vanished from sight,

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so I could no longer see him.

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*'Arada*:

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That is, someone accosted him with ill intent.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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The humility of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with his Companions,

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and his lack of superiority over any of them.

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The excellent manners of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

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and his intense concern for his safety from every harm.

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The permissibility of holding wealth for an absent creditor,

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or to settle a deferred debt when it falls due,

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because paying off a debt takes precedence over voluntary charity.

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Encouragement to spend in the cause of Allah

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and not hoard wealth.

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The permissibility of a person referring to himself by his kunya for a valid reason,

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such as his kunya being more well-known than his given name.

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The obligation to comply with a command and abide by it

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takes precedence over acting against it based on personal reasoning,

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even if that personal reasoning involves

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the assumed repelling of harm, until that harm is confirmed,

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in which case repelling the harm takes precedence.

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The prompt obedience of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

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and their avoidance of disobeying him.

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The permissibility of a teacher asking his student questions to impart a point of knowledge or other benefits.

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The permissibility of a student following up with his teacher to verify something or remove an ambiguity.

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One should not be excessively persistent when following up,

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and if someone does so, it is permissible for the teacher to reprimand him in an appropriate manner,

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such as the Messenger of Allah's reprimand of Abu Dharr,

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as mentioned in some narrations with his words:

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"Even if Abu Dharr's nose is rubbed in the dust."

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The one who commits a major sin is not a disbeliever.

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The Sunnah is revelation from Allah,

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which Gabriel used to bring down to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

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though it is non-recited revelation.

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The permissibility of using the word "if" (*law*) when wishing for good.

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The asceticism of the Prophet (peace be upon him),

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for he used to spend like one who does not fear poverty.

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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

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The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

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"Look at those who are below you,

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and do not look at those who are above you,

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for that is more likely to keep you from belittling Allah's favor upon you."

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Agreed upon,

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and this is the wording of Muslim.

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In a narration of al-Bukhari:

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"When one of you looks at someone who has been favored over him in wealth and physical form,

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let him look at someone who is below him."

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"Below you":

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That is, lesser than you in worldly matters.

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*Ajdar*:

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That is, more fitting.

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*Tazdaru*:

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You belittle and despise.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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It is recommended for a Muslim to look at those who are below him in worldly matters,

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and to look at those who are above him in religious matters.

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Looking at those who have more wealth

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leads to discontent, anxiety,

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and a failure to show gratitude for Allah's blessings.

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Looking at those who are higher in religious devotion

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motivates one to greater obedience and devoted worship to Allah Almighty.

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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),

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from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:

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"Wretched is the slave of the dinar, the dirham, the velvet plush, and the fine cloak;

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if he is given, he is pleased, and if he is not given, he is displeased."

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Narrated by al-Bukhari.

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*Ta'isa* means: he is ruined.

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*Al-qatifah* is a fabric with a plush nap.

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*Al-khamisah* is a square patterned cloak.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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A warning against servitude to other than Allah,

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especially to these transient worldly things

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like wealth and fine clothing.

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Servitude to Allah

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engenders contentment and satisfaction,

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unlike servitude to other than Allah,

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which breeds greed, stinginess, anxiety, and selfishness.

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The blameworthy accumulation and possession of wealth is that which exceeds one's needs,

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distracts from Allah Almighty,

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and is not used in the service of Allah.

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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

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I saw seventy of the people of al-Suffah,

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not one of whom possessed an upper cloak (*rida'*);

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they had either a waist wrapper (*izar*) or a single sheet of cloth,

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which they tied around their necks.

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Some reached down to mid-calf,

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while others reached down to the ankles,

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and each man would gather it with his hand out of reluctance for his private parts to be exposed.

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Narrated by al-Bukhari.

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The people of al-Suffah were ascetic Companions,

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poor and transient,

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who used to seek shelter under a shaded veranda at the back of the Prophet's Mosque;

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it was a shaded area

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where the destitute used to take shelter.

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*Rida'*:

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That is, a garment covering only the upper body.

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*Al-izar*:

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That which covers only the lower body.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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The permissibility of wearing a single garment.

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The believer's diligence in covering his private parts.

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The permissibility of men sleeping overnight in the mosque.

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The asceticism of the people of al-Suffah and their dedication to knowledge and striving in the cause of Allah.

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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

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The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

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"The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever."

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Narrated by Muslim.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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The insignificance of this worldly life before Allah.

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Urging the believer to turn away from the love of the world,

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avoid indulging in its pleasures,

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and yearn for the Abode of the Hereafter.

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The disbeliever consumes his good things during his worldly life.

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On the authority of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:

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The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took hold of my shoulders and said:

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"Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer."

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Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say:

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"When evening comes, do not await the morning;

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and when morning comes, do not await the evening.

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Take from your health for your illness,

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and from your life for your death."

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Narrated by al-Bukhari.

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The scholars said in explaining this hadith:

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Its meaning is: do not rely on this world, do not take it as a permanent homeland,

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do not harbor notions of a long stay in it,

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nor become consumed with tending to it;

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do not attach yourself to it except as a stranger attaches himself to an unfamiliar land,

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and do not busy yourself in it with what a stranger who wishes to return to his family would not busy himself.

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And with Allah lies all success.

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Key takeaways from the hadith:

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The Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) grasping the shoulders of Abdullah Ibn Umar

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is proof of his love for him

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and an alert to the importance of what he was saying to him.

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The Prophet's keen guidance.

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Encouragement toward asceticism in the world and sufficing with what is indispensable.

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And whoever desires that

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is like a wayfarer,

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who only takes provisions enough to sustain him,

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and unburdens himself of heavy loads

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that would hinder his journey and interrupt his travel to his destination.

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The believer in this world is a stranger,

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because Paradise is his original home,

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from which his enemy caused him to be expelled as a captive,

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so he gathers the provisions that will convey him to the highest station.

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taking the initiative to perform every deed in its proper time,

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urging the seizing of opportunities for increased acts of obedience,

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and avoiding sluggishness and procrastination in them.

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Health and life are opportunities for the believer,

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which one must utilize in performing good deeds,

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so it is not fitting for a person to squander them,

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wasting them on things that will not benefit them in the Hereafter.

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And on the authority of Abu al-Abbas,

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Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

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A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said,

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"O Messenger of Allah,

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direct me to a deed which, if I perform it, will make Allah love me

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and make the people love me."

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So he said,

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"Renounce the worldly life and Allah will love you,

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and renounce what is in the hands of the people and the people will love you."

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Related by Ibn Majah.

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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:

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The eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to know what brings them closer to Allah

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and what benefits them among people so their coexistence with them is upright;

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this is part of combining the good of both this world and the Hereafter.

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Whoever practices detachment from the worldly life, aspires to what is with Allah,

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and yearns for His meeting, Allah loves him,

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for whoever loves meeting Allah, Allah loves meeting him.

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Not coveting what is in the hands of people is a means to gain their affection,

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and for this reason, all the Messengers never asked the people for any payment.

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And on the authority of al-Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:

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'Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned the worldly wealth that the people had acquired,

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and said, "I have seen the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) spend the entire day bending over,

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unable to find even poor-quality dates with which to fill his stomach."

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Related by Muslim. And "al-daql" means inferior-quality dates.

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"What the people acquired" refers to what they attained and gained

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of worldly goods, such as wealth, status, and the like.

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"Spend the day bending over" means spending the day bending over his noble stomach due to hunger.

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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:

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Companions and students ought to be mindful of the state of their senior leader and scholar,

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grieving for his distress and rejoicing in his joy,

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just as the Companions of the Messenger of Allah were.

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The asceticism of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this world,

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and his patience through hunger, giving preference to the Hereafter over the worldly life

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and educating his Companions thereby.

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Riyad al-Salihin.