*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.
Chapter: Visiting the People of Goodness, Sitting with Them, Accompanying Them, Loving Them,
Seeking Their Visits and Supplications, and Visiting Virtuous Places.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"People are like mines, just like mines of gold and silver:
The best of them in the Jahiliyyah are the best of them in Islam, if they gain comprehension in religion (fiqh).
And souls are like conscripted soldiers:
Those who recognize one another will harmonize,
And those who find each other unfamiliar will differ."
Narrated by Muslim.
And al-Bukhari narrated his words:
"Souls..." to the end of the hadith,
From the narration of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.
*Ma'adin* is the plural of *ma'din* (mineral mine),
Which refers to an established substance within the earth,
And it may be either precious or base.
"The best of them" means the most noble of them.
"If they gain fiqh" means they acquired sacred knowledge and became scholars of fiqh.
"Conscripted soldiers"
Means gathered assemblies and distinct varieties.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The virtues and good deeds performed during the Jahiliyyah
Are not counted unless their performers embrace Islam.
Knowledge and fiqh are what refine the essence of human character,
Rather than worldly nobility or wealth.
Souls harmonize according to the innate temperaments upon which they were fashioned,
Yet one ought to cultivate the soul
So that it loves and befriends the righteous believers,
And recoils and turns away from all others.
On the authority of Usayr ibn 'Amr—
Also referred to as Ibn Jabir—
Who said:
Whenever the reinforcement contingents of the people of Yemen came to him,
'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him,
Would ask them, "Is Uways ibn 'Amir among you?"
Until he finally met Uways, may Allah be pleased with him,
And said to him,
"Are you Uways ibn 'Amir?"
He replied, "Yes."
'Umar asked,
"From Murad, then from Qaran?"
He replied, "Yes."
'Umar asked,
"Did you once have leprosy, then become cured of it except for the space of a dirham?"
He replied, "Yes."
'Umar asked,
"Do you have a mother?"
He replied, "Yes."
'Umar said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"There will come to you Uways ibn 'Amir
With the reinforcements of the people of Yemen,
From Murad, then from Qaran.
He had leprosy,
But was cured of it except for the space of a dirham.
He has a mother to whom he is exceptionally dutiful.
If he were to adjure Allah, Allah would surely fulfill his oath.
So if you are able to have him ask forgiveness for you,
Then do so."
"So ask forgiveness for me."
Thereupon Uways asked forgiveness for him.
Then 'Umar asked him,
"Where do you intend to go?"
He said,
"Kufa."
'Umar asked,
"Shall I not write on your behalf to its governor?"
He replied,
"To remain among the obscure common folk is more beloved to me."
When the following year arrived,
A nobleman among them performed Hajj
And met 'Umar,
Who asked him about Uways.
He replied,
"I left him living in a dilapidated house with meager provisions."
'Umar said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"There will come to you Uways ibn 'Amir
With reinforcements from the people of Yemen,
From Murad, then from Qaran.
He had leprosy,
But was cured of it except for the space of a dirham.
He has a mother to whom he is exceptionally dutiful.
If he were to adjure Allah, Allah would surely fulfill his oath.
So if you are able to have him ask forgiveness for you, then do so."
The man then approached Uways and said,
"Ask forgiveness for me."
Uways said,
"You have only recently returned from a righteous journey,
So ask forgiveness for me instead."
Then Uways asked him,
"Did you meet 'Umar?"
The man said, "Yes."
So Uways asked forgiveness for him,
Whereupon the people recognized his stature,
So he slipped away into obscurity.
Narrated by Muslim.
In another narration of Muslim, also on the authority of Usayr ibn Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him:
A delegation from the people of Kufa came to 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,
And among them was a man who used to mock Uways.
'Umar said,
"Is there anyone here from the clan of Qaran?"
That man stepped forward,
And 'Umar said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"A man will come to you from Yemen
Known as Uways.
He left behind in Yemen none other than his mother.
He once suffered from a white affliction,
So he prayed to Allah Almighty, and He removed it,
Except for the space of a dinar or a dirham.
Whoever among you meets him,
Let him ask him to seek forgiveness for you."
And in another narration of his from 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"Indeed, the best of the Tabi'un
Is a man called Uways;
He has a mother,
And he had a white affliction.
So bid him ask forgiveness for you."
His phrase *ghabra' al-nas* (the obscure common folk)
Refers to the poor and destitute among them,
And those indistinguishable from the general populace.
*Al-Amdad* is the plural of *madad*,
Meaning helpers and supporters
Who used to reinforce the Muslims during military campaigns.
Murad
Is the name of a tribe,
And Qaran
Is a clan of the tribe of Murad.
Leprosy (*baras*)
Refers to a depigmentation that appears on the body.
"He was cured"
Means he was healed.
"Dutiful" (*barr*)
Means he showed utmost devotion and kindness to her.
"If he were to adjure Allah, Allah would surely fulfill his oath"
Means that if he took an oath by Allah regarding any matter,
Allah would fulfill his oath
As a reward for his devotion to his mother.
"Of dilapidated house"
Means the furnishings of his house were shabby;
*Al-rathth* refers to something inferior
Or old and worn out.
"Mocks"
Means he ridicules him.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The distinguished merit of Uways ibn 'Amir al-Qarani,
And that he is the best of the Tabi'un;
This is clearly demonstrated by
His humility, his total focus on the Hereafter,
And his lack of conceit,
Even when he learned of his exalted station announced by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
The term *the Tabi'un*
Designates those who lived in the era of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
But did not see the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him;
It is a Prophetic designation.
Among the miracles of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Is his foretelling of future events before they occurred,
And that was through divine revelation from Allah.
The permissibility of requesting supplication from righteous people,
Even if the one asking holds a higher spiritual rank,
And seizing the opportunity to seek prayers from those whose supplications are likely answered.
Acknowledging merit in those who possess it.
The immense virtue of dutifulness toward one's mother,
And that it is among the greatest acts of worship that bring one near to Allah.
The virtue of undertaking a righteous journey,
And that one returning from it is more likely to have their supplication answered.
The profound humility of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him,
And his eager pursuit of goodness,
While serving as the Caliph of the Muslims at that time.
The hadith demonstrates the proper way to identify individuals,
Namely by mentioning the name first,
Followed by related identifiers such as agnomen, origin, or physical description.
The keenness of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
To direct his Companions toward the people of goodness and righteousness,
To meet them and see them,
And to request supplications from them.
The permissibility of withdrawing into seclusion from people
Whenever a person fears trials (*fitnah*) for their religious commitment.
A person's true worth lies in their inner character, not their outward appearance;
Therefore, the standard by which human beings evaluate others
Differs from the standard of the Truth, Blessed and Exalted is He.
For people look at outward manifestations and worldly ornaments,
Which is why they may mock the believers,
Whereas the Truth, Glorified is He, looks at the hearts and deeds of His servants.
On the authority of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I asked permission of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to perform 'Umrah,
And he granted me permission and said,
"Do not forget us, my dear brother, in your supplications."
He uttered a word with which I would not exchange the entire world.
In another narration he said:
"Include us, my dear brother, in your supplications."
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The supplication of a traveler is answered.
The recommendation of asking righteous people for supplications.
The recommendation of a resident asking a traveler for supplication
And requesting them to pray in blessed places of goodness,
even if the resident is ordinarily superior in virtue to the traveler,
especially when that journey is undertaken for Hajj or 'Umrah.
The virtue of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him):
the words that brought immense joy to 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
were the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to him:
"O my dear brother."
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), he said:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to visit Quba'
both riding and on foot,
and he would pray two rak'ahs there."
Agreed upon.
And in another narration:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to come to the Mosque of Quba'
every Saturday,
riding and on foot."
And Ibn 'Umar used to do likewise.
"Every Saturday" means every single week.
Quba' was a village situated about two miles from Madinah,
where the very first mosque founded upon piety in Islam was established.
Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
It is recommended to visit the Mosque of Quba',
and concerning its virtue, it has been reported that visiting it is equivalent to an 'Umrah.
The keen dedication of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)
to emulating the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Riyad al-Salihin.