*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: Scrupulousness (*Wara'*) and Avoiding Doubtful Matters.
On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him,
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, found a date in the road
and said:
"Were it not that I fear it might be from charity, I would have eaten it."
Agreed upon.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Among the unique characteristics of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his household
is the prohibition of accepting obligatory and voluntary charity.
It is permissible to make use of insignificant items found on the road,
which people generally overlook.
Encouragement to pick up food from the road and eat it if it is clean and edible,
and not leave it for Satan.
Whoever is uncertain about the ruling on a matter
is obligated to leave it and stay away from it.
On the authority of al-Nawwas ibn Sam'an, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which wavers in your heart
and you would hate for people to find out about."
Related by Muslim.
Meaning: it causes hesitation and unease.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Exhortation to cultivate good character due to its immense status in Islam,
and that it delivers one from sin and transgression.
Sin has two distinguishing signs:
that it causes inner hesitation and unease,
and that one hates for people to discover it,
because it is an ugly blemish that a person of modesty shrinks from exposing.
The hadith proves that the soul possesses an innate, primordial sense
of what is praiseworthy and what is blameworthy;
thus, it is capable of distinguishing between sin and righteousness,
because Allah created His servants with an innate disposition to recognize the truth, find tranquility in it, and accept it,
and He ingrained in human nature a love for it and an aversion to its opposite.
On the authority of Wabisa ibn Ma'bad, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and he said: "Have you come to ask about righteousness?"
I replied: "Yes."
He said: "Consult your heart.
Righteousness is that with which the soul and the heart feel at ease,
and sin is that which wavers in the soul and hesitates in the chest,
even if people give you religious verdicts again and again."
Related by Ahmad and al-Darimi.
"Consult your heart" means: seek a verdict from your own conscience;
and "hesitates in the chest" means: the chest finds no ease or expansion with it.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Among the miracles of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
is informing the questioner of what he intended to ask before he spoke,
which is from the unseen knowledge that Allah revealed to him.
Truth and falsehood are never ambiguous to an insightful believer;
rather, he recognizes the truth by the light it carries,
so his heart embraces it and turns away from falsehood,
rejecting it and finding no affinity with it.
This hadith does not support the claim of some Sufis
that mystical inspiration (*ilham*) and direct unveiling (*kashf*) are legitimate proofs for deriving legal rulings.
On the authority of Abu Sarwa'ah, 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith, may Allah be pleased with him,
who married a daughter of Abu Ihab ibn 'Aziz:
A woman came and said,
"I breastfed both 'Uqbah and the woman he has married."
'Uqbah said to her,
"I did not know that you breastfed me, nor did you ever inform me."
So he rode out to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Medina
and asked him.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"How can you remain together when this has been said?"
So 'Uqbah separated from her, and she married another husband.
Related by al-Bukhari.
"How can you remain together when this has been said?"
Meaning: how can you remain together
when it has been stated that you are foster-brother and sister?
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Fosterage establishes the same marital prohibitions as biological lineage.
The testimony of a wet nurse regarding the one she breastfed is sufficient to establish fosterage.
The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were deeply eager to ascertain the correct ruling,
even if doing so entailed hardship,
as 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith rode all the way from Mecca to Medina
to ask the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Whoever is unclear about a ruling or faces a doubtful matter
must ask the people of knowledge.
The recommendation of traveling in pursuit of knowledge.
Whoever learns a legal ruling is obligated to abide by it.
A Muslim servant should leave doubtful matters
and take precautions to safeguard their religion and honor.
On the authority of al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
I memorized from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
"Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt."
Related by al-Tirmidhi.
The meaning is: leave what you are doubtful of
and take what you have no doubt about.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
One should halt at doubtful matters and beware of them,
for purely lawful matters cause no doubt in the believer's heart;
rather, the soul finds comfort and tranquility in them.
As for doubtful matters,
they induce anxiety and turbulence in the heart, giving rise to doubt.
On the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, had
a slave who used to pay him a set daily tax from his earnings (*kharaj*),
and Abu Bakr used to eat from his earnings.
One day, the slave brought something,
and Abu Bakr ate from it.
The slave said to him,
"Do you know what this is?"
Abu Bakr asked,
"What is it?"
He said,
"I practiced soothsaying for a man during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance (*Jahiliyyah*),
though I was no expert in soothsaying;
I merely deceived him.
He met me today
and gave me this, of which you just ate."
Thereupon, Abu Bakr inserted his hand into his throat
and vomited up everything that was in his stomach.
Related by al-Bukhari.
*Kharaj*:
a fixed sum that a master imposes upon his slave,
which the slave pays to the master daily,
while the remainder of his earnings belongs to the slave.
"Used to pay him a set daily tax"
means he would bring him the earnings of that stipulated tax.
"I practiced soothsaying"
means: I told him of future events without any basis.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
The profound scrupulousness (*wara'*) of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him,
and his extreme care that nothing unlawful enter his belly.
Clarification of the prohibition of soothsaying,
as well as the payment given to a soothsayer;
for it is established that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
forbade the earnings of a soothsayer.
The permissibility of eating from the earnings paid by a slave.
The default presumption regarding Muslims' food
is that it is lawful,
and one should not inquire about it
unless an unlawful aspect becomes apparent.
It is impermissible to eat from the food of one whose wealth is known to be unlawful.
On the authority of Nafi',
that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him,
allocated a stipend of four thousand to the earliest Emigrants (*Muhajirun*),
but allocated three thousand five hundred to his own son.
It was said to him:
"He is also from among the Emigrants,
so why did you reduce his share?"
He replied: "His father brought him along when he emigrated,"
meaning:
"He is not like one who emigrated of his own accord."
Related by al-Bukhari.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
The scrupulousness of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.
The superior virtue of the earliest Emigrants,
who set out on their own, fleeing for their religion and seeking the countenance of Allah.
The ruler has the right to allocate a stipend to certain believers to assist them in their livelihood,
including those who devote themselves entirely to religious calling and knowledge.
On the authority of 'Atiyyah ibn 'Urwah al-Sa'di, the Companion, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"A servant will not reach the level of the truly pious (*muttaqin*)
until he leaves that which is harmless
out of caution against falling into that which is harmful."
Related by al-Tirmidhi.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Consuming purely lawful sustenance is a quality of the pious.
Piety (*taqwa*) serves as a barrier between the servant and doubtful matters.
True piety entails safeguarding oneself against doubtful matters and turning away from them.
Chapter: The Recommendation of Seclusion during the Corruption of People and Times,
or when Fearing Tribulation (*fitnah*) in Religion and Falling into Unlawful and Doubtful Matters, and the Like.
Allah Almighty said:
"So flee to Allah.
Truly, I am a clear warner from Him to you."
On the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"Indeed, Allah loves the servant who is pious, self-sufficient, and obscure."
Related by Muslim.
"Self-sufficient" refers to contentment and richness of the soul,
as previously established in the authentic hadith.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
The virtue of secluding oneself from people while remaining steadfast in obedience to Allah,
when fearing tribulations and the moral corruption of society.
Affirmation of the attribute of love for Allah,
and that He loves His obedient servant.
Clarification of the qualities that earn Allah's love for His servants,
namely piety, humility, and contentment with what Allah has apportioned.
Richness is not measured by an abundance of worldly goods and wealth;
rather, true richness is the richness of the soul.
The best of deeds are those performed purely for the sake of Allah Almighty,
done in obscurity away from people's view,
out of fear of ostentation and seeking fame.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
A man asked,
"Which of the people is best, O Messenger of Allah?"
He replied:
"A believer who strives with his life and his wealth in the path of Allah."
The man asked,
"Then who?"
He replied:
"Then a man in seclusion in a mountain pass, worshiping his Lord"
— and in another narration:
"fearing Allah
and sparing people from his harm."
Agreed upon.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is recommended to ask about necessary matters of religion.
The virtue of the mujahid due to sacrificing his life and wealth in the cause of Allah.
Mixing with people when they are corrupt
is an incitement to committing sins.
It is permissible to withdraw from people when turmoil and tribulations occur,
because of the safety it provides against harms.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"The time is soon approaching when the best wealth of a Muslim will be
sheep which he follows along the mountain peaks
and the places where rain falls,
fleeing with his religion from tribulations."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
And "mountain peaks" (sha'af al-jibal)
refers to their highest points.
"The time is soon approaching" means it is near.
"The places where rain falls" (mawaqi' al-qatr)
refers to the places of pasture where rain descends,
for if it falls upon the land, vegetation grows.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
Fleeing from tribulations
is the way of the sincere believers,
because it preserves their religion.
The best wealth of a Muslim is a small flock of sheep he pastures on permitted grazing land,
thereby earning wholesome sustenance from them.
Seclusion brings relief from bad companions.
Permission to live as a desert nomad during times of tribulation;
for it was previously forbidden for one who migrated in the cause of Allah
to return after his migration to living as a Bedouin,
yet it was permitted when tribulations arise.
Seclusion is recommended for anyone who fears for his religion.
The hadith is among the signs of prophethood,
as what the truthful and trusted one foretold has indeed occurred,
such that a believer can scarcely keep himself safe by night or by day.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),
from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said:
"Allah did not send any prophet except that he tended sheep."
His Companions asked,
"And you?"
He said,
"Yes,
I used to tend them for the people of Mecca for a few qirats."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
Allah inspired all the prophets before their prophethood to tend sheep,
so that by caring for them they would gain training and experience
for the task they would be charged with in guiding and leading people.
Mingling with sheep
fosters forbearance, patience, and compassion;
for in patiently tending them and gathering them after they scatter across the pasture,
repelling their attacking enemies such as predatory beasts,
understanding their differing temperaments and tendency to scatter,
along with their weakness and need for someone to care for them,
they grew accustomed to being patient with the Ummah,
and bearing the differences in their temperaments and the variation in their intellects;
so they repaired their fractures,
showed gentleness to the weak among them,
and showed kindness to those among them who erred.
This is part of Allah the Exalted's care and guardianship over His prophets,
nurturing them gradually to bear the trust and convey the message.
Sheep were specifically chosen to be tended by the prophets
because they are weaker than other animals,
and because they scatter more than camels and cattle.
The humility of the prophets (peace be upon them),
as seen in their engagement in modest crafts.
It is recommended for a servant to earn his sustenance lawfully,
and even if it is little, it contains blessing for one who is content.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),
from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that he said:
"Among the best of livelihoods for people
is a man holding the rein of his horse in the cause of Allah;
he flies upon its back,
whenever he hears a battle cry or an alarm,
he flies toward it, seeking combat or death wherever it is expected;
or a man with a small flock of sheep upon the peak of one of these mountains,
or in the bottom of one of these valleys,
who establishes prayer, pays zakat,
and worships his Lord until certainty comes to him;
he deals with people only in good."
Narrated by Muslim.
"He flies" means he rushes swiftly,
and "its back" refers to the back of the horse.
"Hay'ah" is the clamor or call of battle,
"faz'ah" has a similar meaning,
and "the places where a thing is expected" (madann) means the places where it is likely to be found.
"Ghunaymah" is a diminutive form of "ghanam" (a small flock of sheep),
and "sha'fah" is the mountain peak.
"Rein" ('inan) is the strap of the bridle by which the mount is held.
"Seeking combat"
means seeking it against the disbelievers in jihad.
"Certainty" means death.
"He deals with people only in good"
means he does not mix with people except in goodness.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
The virtue of jihad, preparing for it, anticipating it,
and resolving inwardly to undertake it, seeking martyrdom in the cause of Allah.
The virtue of tending sheep,
due to its sufficiency of provision and lawful earnings,
when withdrawing from people during times of tribulation and corruption.
Whoever mixes with people, the Muslims should be safe from his hand and his tongue.
Seclusion due to tribulations
must not prevent a servant from fulfilling the legal rulings properly,
such as prayer, fasting, zakat, and Hajj.
Riyad al-Salihin.