Riyadh al-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous)
From the Words of the Master of the Messengers,
may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter on Hope (al-Raja').
Allah the Exalted said:
“Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (39:53)
“Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (39:53)
﴾Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.﴿
And the Exalted said:
“This We awarded them because of their ingratitude. Punish We ever any save the ingrates?” (34:17)
And the Exalted said:
“Lo! it hath been revealed unto us that the doom will be for him who denieth and turneth away.” (20:48)
And the Exalted said:
“And ordain for us in this world that which is good, and in the Hereafter (that which is good), Lo! We have turned unto Thee. He said: I smite with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraceth all things, therefore I shall ordain it for those who ward off (evil) and pay the poor-due, and those who believe Our revelations;” (7:156)
On the authority of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner,
and that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger,
and that Jesus is the servant of Allah and His messenger,
“O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.” (4:171)
and that Paradise is real,
and that the Fire is real,
Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of what deeds he did."
Agreed upon.
And in a narration of Muslim:
"Whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah,
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
Allah will forbid the Fire from consuming him."
"His Word":
Meaning that Jesus came into being by His command, without a father.
"A spirit from Him":
Meaning among His creation and originating from Him.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
None shall enter Paradise except a believing soul.
The highest station of a believer
is to be a true servant of Allah the Exalted in reality.
Whoever dies upon faith,
major sins do not remove him from the fundamental fold of faith,
although faith increases through obedience and decreases through disobedience.
Jesus, upon him be peace and blessings,
is a proof of Allah over His creation,
as He created him without a father.
Among the matters of faith
is believing that Paradise and Hellfire are real.
On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says:
'Whoever comes with a good deed
will have tenfold its reward, or even more;
and whoever comes with an evil deed,
its recompense is an evil deed like it,
or I shall forgive him.
Whoever draws near to Me by a handspan,
I draw near to him by an arm's length;
and whoever draws near to Me by an arm's length,
I draw near to him by a fathom's length;
and whoever comes to Me walking,
I go to him running.
And whoever meets Me with nearly an earthful of sins,
associating nothing with Me,
I will meet him with an equivalent measure of forgiveness.'"
Narrated by Muslim.
The meaning of the hadith:
"Whoever draws near to Me through obedience to Me,
I draw near to him with My mercy;
and if he increases, I increase further.
And if he comes to Me walking, hastening in My obedience,
I go to him running":
That is, I pour out mercy upon him and anticipate him with it,
without requiring him to walk extensively to attain what he seeks.
"Qurab al-ard" (nearly an earthful):
Nearly its full capacity.
And Allah knows best.
"Al-Ba'" (a fathom):
The full span of a person's outstretched arms, forearms, and chest width.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
Instilling longing and hope for Allah's pardon and mercy,
and avoiding despair of His forgiveness.
The lowest level of multiplying good deeds is tenfold,
and the promise has reached seventyfold and seven-hundredfold.
This hadith is among the hadiths concerning divine attributes,
affirming the coming of the Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He;
we accept them as they have come,
without nullifying or figuratively reinterpreting them,
nor likening them to the attributes of created beings,
nor delving into them with burdensome speculation.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
what are the two deciding factors (al-mūjibatan)?"
He said:
"Whoever dies associating nothing with Allah
shall enter Paradise,
and whoever dies associating anything with Him
shall enter the Fire."
Narrated by Muslim.
"Al-Mūjibatan" (the two deciding factors):
Namely, the trait that necessitates Paradise
and the trait that necessitates the Fire.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah are unanimously agreed
that the sinner shall not remain eternally in the Hellfire
as long as he died upon faith,
whereas the disbeliever shall abide therein eternally.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him),
that while the Prophet (peace be upon him) had Mu'adh riding behind him on the saddle, he said:
"O Mu'adh!"
He replied:
"Here I am at your service and pleasure, O Messenger of Allah."
He said:
"O Mu'adh!"
He replied:
"Here I am at your service and pleasure, O Messenger of Allah."
He said:
"O Mu'adh!"
He replied:
"Here I am at your service and pleasure, O Messenger of Allah,"
repeating it three times.
He said:
"There is no servant who testifies that there is no god but Allah
and that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger,
truthfully from his heart,
but that Allah will forbid the Fire from consuming him."
Mu'adh said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
shall I not inform the people so they may rejoice?"
He said:
"Then they would rely solely on it."
Yet Mu'adh disclosed it upon his death out of fear of sinning.
Agreed upon.
His saying "ta'aththuman" (out of fear of sinning):
That is, fearing the sin of concealing this knowledge.
"Radifuhu":
Meaning riding on the mount behind him.
"Labbayk":
Meaning answering your call repeatedly.
"Wa sa'dayk":
Meaning continually assisting in your obedience.
"Yattakilu" (they would rely solely on it):
Meaning they would depend upon this and abandon righteous deeds.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
The permissibility of riding pillion on a mount.
Clarifying the esteemed status of Mu'adh with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his love for him.
The permissibility of withholding hadith narrations that the minds of the listeners cannot grasp or comprehend,
out of fear that a prohibition might result from it,
or that a superior deed might be abandoned.
It is impermissible to conceal knowledge out of fear of its loss,
yet this applies within well-known conditions.
It is permissible for a person to adopt the more cautious course of action,
just as Mu'adh did,
when he narrated it out of fear of falling into the concealment of knowledge.
The permissibility of inquiring about whatever hesitations arise in the questioner's mind.
Among the requirements of "there is no god but Allah
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"
is that the one who utters it must be truthful, harboring neither doubt nor hypocrisy.
The people of Tawhid will not abide eternally in the Hellfire;
even if they enter it due to their sins,
they will be brought out of it after being purified.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah
or Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with them both)—
the narrator was unsure,
yet uncertainty regarding the specific Companion does not harm the authenticity,
because all of the Companions are upright—
who said:
On the day of the Expedition of Tabuk,
the people were stricken by famine.
So they said: "O Messenger of Allah,
if only you would grant us permission,
we would slaughter our water-carrying camels,
eat from them, and use their fat."
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Do so."
Then 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came
and said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
if you do that, the riding mounts will become scarce.
Rather, summon them with whatever surplus provisions they have,
then supplicate Allah to bless it for them,
so that Allah may grant them blessing in it."
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Yes."
So he called for a leather mat and spread it out,
then called for the remnants of their provisions.
One man began coming with a handful of corn,
another with a handful of dates,
and another with a piece of bread,
until a small amount gathered on the leather mat.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) supplicated for blessing,
after which he said:
"Take into your vessels."
So they filled their vessels,
until they did not leave a single vessel in the camp
but that they filled it.
They ate until they were fully satisfied,
and a surplus still remained.
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"I testify that there is no god but Allah,
and that I am the Messenger of Allah;
no servant meets Allah with these two testimonies, without doubting them,
but that he will be shielded from being barred from Paradise."
Narrated by Muslim.
"Nawadihuna" is the plural of "nadih",
which refers to the camel used to draw and carry water.
"Al-Zahr" refers to riding beasts that are mounted on their backs.
"The surplus of their provisions,"
meaning the remainder of their food.
"Barakah" (blessing),
meaning increase, growth, and abundance of good.
"Upon a leather mat,"
meaning a mat made of hide.
"With a crust,"
meaning with a piece of bread.
"Your vessels" is the plural of vessel,
which is any container in which something is kept and gathered.
"The camp,"
meaning the army.
"He will be screened,"
meaning he will be shielded and prevented.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is recommended for the leader to accompany his army into battle,
to serve as a support for them in remaining steadfast during it.
The reverence and etiquette of the Companions toward the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
as they would ask his permission in matters they wished to do.
Likewise, it is incumbent upon the community not to act without the leader's permission,
because of the potential harm and damage that might ensue.
The sound judgment of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),
his excellent management, and his deep-rooted knowledge.
The life of the first salaf (early generations) was based on mutual consultation and dialogue,
so Allah guided them to the most prudent course in their affairs.
The humility of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
as he listened to the opinion of 'Umar because it served the common good.
Encouragement of mutual cooperation among Muslims in all their affairs,
which is evident in each of them bringing the surplus of his provisions,
to the extent that one man brought a handful of corn,
another a handful of dates,
and another a crust of bread.
The confirmation of the miracle granted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
for the multiplication of food occurred through him on more than one occasion.
Clarification of the virtue of the statement of Tawhid (La ilaha illa Allah),
and that it is the key to Paradise,
so long as the one who professes it harbors no doubt concerning it.
On the authority of 'Itban Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him),
who was among those who fought at Badr,
he said:
"I used to lead my people, Banu Salim, in prayer.
There was a valley between me and them,
and whenever it rained, it became difficult for me to cross it toward their mosque.
So I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
and said to him:
'My eyesight has deteriorated,
and the valley between me and my people floods when it rains,
making it difficult for me to cross.
I would love for you to come and pray in my house at a spot I might take as a place of prayer.'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
'I will do so.'
The next morning, the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to me
after the heat of the day had intensified.
The Messenger of Allah asked permission to enter,
and I permitted him.
He did not sit down until he asked:
'Where in your house would you like me to pray?'
I pointed to the place where I wished him to pray.
The Messenger of Allah stood and proclaimed the takbir,
and we formed rows behind him.
He prayed two rak'ahs,
then concluded with the taslim, and we made the taslim when he did.
I then detained him for a meal of khazirah that was being prepared for him.
The people of the neighborhood heard that the Messenger of Allah was in my house,
and men began pouring in until the house became crowded with men.
One man said:
'What has Malik done? I do not see him.'
Another man remarked:
'That hypocrite does not love Allah and His Messenger!'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
'Do not say that!
Do you not see that he has said:
"There is no god but Allah,"
seeking thereby the face of Allah Almighty?'
The man replied:
'Allah and His Messenger know best.
As for us,
by Allah, we see his affection and his talk directed only toward the hypocrites.'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
'Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Fire for anyone who says: "There is no god but Allah,"
seeking thereby the face of Allah.'
Agreed upon."
"Al-Khazirah"
is flour cooked with fat.
And his saying: "men poured in" (thaba rijalun)
means they arrived and gathered.
"I used to pray for my people,"
meaning I used to lead them in prayer.
"Crossing it,"
meaning traversing through it.
"Toward their mosque,"
meaning in the direction of it.
"My eyesight has deteriorated,"
meaning I have lost it,
or my vision has worsened and grown weak.
"It becomes difficult,"
meaning it becomes hard.
"I would love,"
meaning I wished.
"The day intensified,"
meaning the sun rose high and its heat increased.
"I detained him,"
meaning I kept him from leaving in order to honor and host him.
"Do you not see?"
meaning do you not know?
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
The keenness of the people of faith to attend the congregational prayer and observe it regularly.
The concession to miss the congregational prayer for a valid excuse that prevents people from performing it.
Asking the people of knowledge,
and seeking clarification from them regarding an obligation that cannot be fulfilled except with severe hardship.
The permissibility of setting aside a dedicated place of prayer in the home,
and praying in it is more virtuous than in the rest of the house.
The permissibility of a blind person leading the prayer.
The permissibility of an individual disclosing a physical defect or ailment affecting him,
without that being considered an act of complaining against Allah.
A Muslim ought to accept an invitation
and respond to his fellow Muslim's request.
The permissibility of praying supererogatory prayers in congregation behind an imam.
The permissibility of entering upon one's brothers to visit people of virtue,
provided their implicit permission is known.
Bearing witness to the faith of anyone who professes that there is no god but Allah,
seeking thereby the face of Allah.
The prohibition of harboring ill thoughts about the people of faith on mere suspicion.
The obligation to defend the believers and safeguard their honor in their absence,
and to support them and not let them down.
Riyad al-Salihin.