WEBVTT 00:00:00.780 --> 00:00:09.779 *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. 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:17.910 Chapter on Forbearance, Deliberation, and Gentleness. 00:00:17.910 --> 00:00:19.910 Allah the Exalted said: 00:00:19.910 --> 00:00:23.910 "And those who restrain anger and pardon people," 00:00:23.910 --> 00:00:26.910 "and Allah loves the doers of good." 00:00:26.910 --> 00:00:28.910 And the Exalted said: 00:00:28.910 --> 00:00:33.909 "Take to pardoning, enjoin what is right, and turn away from the ignorant." 00:00:33.909 --> 00:00:35.909 And the Exalted said: 00:00:35.909 --> 00:00:38.909 “The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend.” (41:34) 00:00:38.909 --> 00:00:41.909 "Repel [evil] by that which is better." 00:00:41.909 --> 00:00:47.909 “The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend.” (41:34) 00:00:47.909 --> 00:00:51.909 “But none is granted it save those who are steadfast, and none is granted it save the owner of great happiness.” (41:35) 00:00:51.909 --> 00:00:56.909 “But none is granted it save those who are steadfast, and none is granted it save the owner of great happiness.” (41:35) 00:00:56.909 --> 00:00:58.909 And the Exalted said: 00:00:58.909 --> 00:01:04.909 “And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth - lo! that, verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things.” (42:43) 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:10.129 On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said: 00:01:10.129 --> 00:01:15.129 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Ashajj 'Abd al-Qays: 00:01:15.129 --> 00:01:19.129 "Indeed, you possess two qualities that Allah loves:" 00:01:19.129 --> 00:01:22.219 "forbearance and deliberation." 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:24.219 Related by Muslim. 00:01:24.219 --> 00:01:28.250 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:01:28.250 --> 00:01:30.250 Affirming the attribute of love for Allah. 00:01:30.250 --> 00:01:35.790 Moral traits are of two kinds: innate and acquired. 00:01:35.790 --> 00:01:41.790 For it occurred in the hadith of al-Ashajj in another narration in al-Bukhari and others: 00:01:41.790 --> 00:01:44.790 He said: "O Messenger of Allah," 00:01:44.790 --> 00:01:49.790 "did I acquire them myself, or did Allah create me naturally disposed to them?" 00:01:49.790 --> 00:01:53.819 He said: "Rather, Allah created you naturally disposed to them." 00:01:53.819 --> 00:02:00.859 He said: "Praise be to Allah, Who created me naturally disposed to two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love." 00:02:00.859 --> 00:02:06.299 Encouragement to verify matters and consider their consequences, 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:10.300 as well as to be deliberate before passing judgments on them. 00:02:10.300 --> 00:02:15.300 And on the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:19.360 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:24.490 "Indeed, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all matters." 00:02:24.490 --> 00:02:27.699 Agreed upon. 00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:29.699 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:02:29.699 --> 00:02:33.900 Encouragement to maintain a gentle demeanor in word and deed, 00:02:33.900 --> 00:02:35.900 and to choose the easier option, 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:38.900 due to the connection and harmony it brings. 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:44.860 Gentleness should encompass the entirety of a Muslim's life. 00:02:44.860 --> 00:02:48.860 Returning the greeting to the *Ahl al-Dhimmah* (non-Muslim citizens) is done by saying: 00:02:48.860 --> 00:02:50.860 "And upon you." 00:02:50.860 --> 00:02:53.860 This is clarified by the context of this hadith's occurrence: 00:02:53.860 --> 00:02:56.860 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 00:02:56.860 --> 00:03:01.860 A group of Jews entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) 00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:04.860 and said: "Death be upon you." 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:06.860 I understood what they meant, 00:03:06.860 --> 00:03:10.860 so I said: "Upon you be death and curse!" 00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:14.860 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 00:03:14.860 --> 00:03:16.860 "Be calm, O 'A'ishah!" 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:20.889 "For indeed, Allah loves gentleness in all matters." 00:03:20.889 --> 00:03:22.889 I said: "O Messenger of Allah," 00:03:22.889 --> 00:03:25.889 "did you not hear what they said?" 00:03:25.889 --> 00:03:29.889 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 00:03:29.889 --> 00:03:32.889 "I have already said: 'And upon you.'" 00:03:32.889 --> 00:03:37.430 A Muslim should accustom his tongue to politeness 00:03:37.430 --> 00:03:40.430 and not become habituated to insulting others. 00:03:40.430 --> 00:03:43.430 For this reason, the Messenger (peace be upon him) disapproved 00:03:43.430 --> 00:03:48.430 of 'A'ishah's response to the Jews with such excess, 00:03:48.430 --> 00:03:51.430 even though they deserved that and worse, 00:03:51.430 --> 00:03:56.430 for Allah has cursed them and is angry with them in the explicit text of the Noble Qur'an. 00:03:56.430 --> 00:04:00.069 The keenness of the Messenger (peace be upon him) 00:04:00.069 --> 00:04:04.069 to convey Islam to all people; 00:04:04.069 --> 00:04:07.069 therefore, the Messenger wished to win their hearts, 00:04:07.069 --> 00:04:10.069 along with his keen discernment (peace be upon him) 00:04:10.069 --> 00:04:15.069 and his returning their words back upon them without their even realizing it. 00:04:15.069 --> 00:04:19.029 And on the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), 00:04:19.029 --> 00:04:22.029 that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 00:04:22.029 --> 00:04:26.029 "Indeed, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness," 00:04:26.029 --> 00:04:30.029 "and He grants for gentleness what He does not grant for harshness," 00:04:30.029 --> 00:04:33.029 "nor does He grant it for anything else." 00:04:33.029 --> 00:04:36.220 Related by Muslim. 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:38.930 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:04:38.930 --> 00:04:43.149 Affirming the attribute of love for Allah the Exalted. 00:04:43.149 --> 00:04:47.569 The high status of gentleness among noble morals. 00:04:47.569 --> 00:04:51.860 The gentle person deserves beautiful praise and immense reward 00:04:51.860 --> 00:04:54.860 from Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He. 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:59.269 The reprehensibility of harshness, severity, and coarseness, 00:04:59.269 --> 00:05:02.269 as the one who possesses them is deprived of good 00:05:02.269 --> 00:05:05.269 because he does not do good. 00:05:05.269 --> 00:05:09.329 And on the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), 00:05:09.329 --> 00:05:13.329 that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 00:05:13.329 --> 00:05:18.329 "Indeed, gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it," 00:05:18.329 --> 00:05:22.329 "and it is not withdrawn from anything except that it blemishes it." 00:05:22.329 --> 00:05:24.519 Related by Muslim. 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:29.100 "Beautifies it" means makes it fine and adorned. 00:05:29.100 --> 00:05:33.259 "Blemishes it" means faults it and makes it ugly. 00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:36.899 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:05:36.899 --> 00:05:39.220 The necessity of adorning oneself with gentleness, 00:05:39.220 --> 00:05:46.220 for it adorns a person and beautifies them in the eyes of people and with Allah the Exalted. 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:49.699 Staying away from violence, severity, and harshness, 00:05:49.699 --> 00:05:51.699 because they disgrace their possessor, 00:05:51.699 --> 00:05:54.699 bring blame upon them among people, 00:05:54.699 --> 00:05:57.699 and incur sin with Allah the Exalted. 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:02.939 And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:05.939 A bedouin urinated in the mosque, 00:06:05.939 --> 00:06:08.939 so the people rose to fall upon him. 00:06:08.939 --> 00:06:12.980 The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 00:06:12.980 --> 00:06:17.980 "Leave him, and pour a bucket of water over his urine," 00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:19.980 "or a large pail of water," 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:24.980 "for you have only been sent to make things easy, and you have not been sent to make things difficult." 00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:27.980 Related by al-Bukhari. 00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:32.329 A *sajl* is a bucket full of water, 00:06:32.329 --> 00:06:34.329 and likewise is a *dhanub*. 00:06:34.329 --> 00:06:40.100 "To fall upon him" means to blame and reprimand him. 00:06:40.100 --> 00:06:43.259 "Leave him" means let him be. 00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:46.379 "Pour" means spill over it. 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:50.379 "To make things difficult" means acting harshly and repelling others. 00:06:51.379 --> 00:06:55.060 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:59.379 This hadith indicates the coarseness of many bedouins 00:06:59.379 --> 00:07:02.379 and their ignorance of the rulings of the Sharia. 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:07.920 Avoiding impurities was firmly established in the hearts of the Companions; 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:12.920 that is why they rushed to denounce the act in his presence (peace be upon him) 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:14.920 before seeking his permission, 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:20.920 because enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong was established with them. 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:27.370 Changing an evil is obligatory whenever one has the capacity to change it, and delaying it is not permissible. 00:07:27.370 --> 00:07:34.779 Changing an evil must be guided by wisdom and consideration of consequences. 00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:39.170 The caller to Allah must give precedence to the weightier interest, 00:07:39.170 --> 00:07:44.170 which is repelling the greater of two harms by bearing the lesser of the two, 00:07:44.170 --> 00:07:48.170 and attaining the greater of two benefits by foregoing the lesser one. 00:07:48.170 --> 00:07:53.170 That is why the Messenger (peace be upon him) forbade them from attacking him 00:07:53.170 --> 00:07:55.170 and commanded them to refrain from him, 00:07:55.170 --> 00:08:01.170 saying to them: "Do not interrupt him," meaning do not cut off his urination. 00:08:01.170 --> 00:08:05.199 For if they had done so, the bedouin would have fled, 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:10.199 and the impurity of his urine would have affected a larger area of the mosque floor; 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:16.199 thus, a greater harm would have occurred than the bedouin's initial act. 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:19.620 One should take the initiative to change evil 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:23.620 and remove harms as soon as impediments are gone. 00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:27.620 That is why the Messenger (peace be upon him) commanded them, 00:08:27.620 --> 00:08:30.620 as soon as the bedouin had finished urinating, 00:08:30.620 --> 00:08:32.620 to pour water over it. 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:37.029 Gentleness must be shown to the ignorant person, treating him with ease, 00:08:37.029 --> 00:08:40.029 without rebuking, overpowering, or scolding him, 00:08:40.029 --> 00:08:45.029 because doing so prevents him from seeking knowledge and accepting instruction. 00:08:45.029 --> 00:08:50.580 Mosques must be venerated and purified of impurities. 00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:54.019 A demonstration of the Prophet's keenness (peace be upon him) 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:57.019 to teach people what is good, 00:08:57.019 --> 00:09:01.019 his compassion for his Ummah, and his gentleness with the one who errs, 00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:04.019 so long as he is not obstinate. 00:09:04.019 --> 00:09:07.440 One should admonish the impulsive when they make a mistake 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.440 and guide the actions of the overzealous 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:14.440 when they are inflamed with zeal, agitation, and emotion. 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:18.529 And on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:09:18.529 --> 00:09:21.529 from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: 00:09:21.529 --> 00:09:24.529 "Make things easy and do not make them difficult," 00:09:24.529 --> 00:09:27.529 "and give glad tidings and do not repel people." 00:09:27.529 --> 00:09:30.529 Agreed upon. 00:09:30.529 --> 00:09:33.460 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:37.779 It is the duty of the believer to make Allah beloved to the people 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:39.779 and to encourage them toward goodness. 00:09:39.779 --> 00:09:42.129 The caller to Allah should 00:09:42.129 --> 00:09:45.129 wisely consider how 00:09:45.129 --> 00:09:48.129 to convey the message of Islam to people, 00:09:48.129 --> 00:09:52.129 namely by being one who facilitates ease, not difficulty. 00:09:52.129 --> 00:09:55.580 Giving glad tidings generates joy and receptivity, 00:09:55.580 --> 00:09:57.580 as well as trust in the caller 00:09:57.580 --> 00:10:00.960 and in what he presents to the people. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.960 Creating hardship generates aversion and withdrawal, 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:07.340 as well as doubt regarding the caller's words. 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:10.340 The vastness of Allah's mercy toward His servants, 00:10:10.340 --> 00:10:13.340 and that He has approved for them a tolerant religion 00:10:13.340 --> 00:10:15.340 and an easy Sharia, 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:18.820 and He expects His callers to be likewise. 00:10:18.820 --> 00:10:21.820 Strictness, difficulty, and repelling others 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:25.820 befall people from themselves and by their own hands; 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:30.879 whoever is overly strict, Allah will be strict with him. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:34.879 And on the authority of Jarir ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:39.879 I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:44.009 "Whoever is deprived of gentleness is deprived of all good." 00:10:44.009 --> 00:10:46.259 Related by Muslim. 00:10:46.259 --> 00:10:49.259 And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:53.259 that a man said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:55.259 "Advise me." 00:10:55.259 --> 00:10:58.259 He said: "Do not get angry." 00:10:58.259 --> 00:11:00.259 The man repeated his request several times, 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:03.299 and he said: "Do not get angry." 00:11:03.299 --> 00:11:05.299 Related by al-Bukhari. 00:11:05.299 --> 00:11:09.580 Among the benefits of the hadith: 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:13.580 The legitimacy of asking questions and seeking guidance toward goodness, 00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:17.580 for this man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) 00:11:17.580 --> 00:11:20.580 to give him a brief counsel 00:11:20.580 --> 00:11:23.929 that encompasses all virtues of good. 00:11:23.929 --> 00:11:26.929 Scholars have considered this hadith 00:11:26.929 --> 00:11:32.409 to be among the comprehensive hadiths upon which Islam revolves. 00:11:32.409 --> 00:11:35.409 Anger is the key to evil; 00:11:35.409 --> 00:11:38.409 that is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised him 00:11:38.409 --> 00:11:40.409 not to get angry. 00:11:40.409 --> 00:11:43.409 The man then repeated this question several times, 00:11:43.409 --> 00:11:46.409 and the Prophet (peace be upon him) 00:11:46.409 --> 00:11:49.409 kept repeating this same answer to him. 00:11:49.409 --> 00:11:54.529 And on the authority of Abu Ya'la Shaddad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:11:54.529 --> 00:11:57.529 from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), 00:11:57.529 --> 00:11:59.529 who said: 00:11:59.529 --> 00:12:03.620 "Indeed, Allah has prescribed excellence in all things;" 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:06.620 "so when you kill, kill well," 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:10.620 "and when you slaughter, slaughter well." 00:12:10.620 --> 00:12:13.620 "Let one of you sharpen his blade" 00:12:13.620 --> 00:12:16.820 "and spare his slaughtered animal suffering." 00:12:16.820 --> 00:12:18.820 Related by Muslim. 00:12:18.820 --> 00:12:22.710 "Prescribed" means made obligatory. 00:12:22.710 --> 00:12:25.710 "Excellence" (*ihsan*) means perfecting the deed, 00:12:25.710 --> 00:12:28.940 or bestowing favor and benevolence. 00:12:28.940 --> 00:12:32.940 "Kill well" refers to the manner and state of killing. 00:12:32.940 --> 00:12:37.190 "Slaughter well" refers to the manner of slaughtering. 00:12:37.190 --> 00:12:41.190 "Blade" refers to a wide knife. 00:12:41.190 --> 00:12:45.279 Among the lessons derived from this hadith: 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.279 One should show excellence, gentleness, 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:51.659 and compassion to all creation. 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:54.659 One should swiftly take the life 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:57.659 of whatever is permissible to slaughter, using the easiest and most humane method. 00:12:57.659 --> 00:13:00.659 For this reason, it is impermissible to torture an animal 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:04.820 when slaughtering it. 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:07.820 And on the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: 00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:10.820 "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was never given a choice 00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:13.820 between two matters 00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:16.820 except that he chose the easier of them, so long as it was not a sin. 00:13:16.820 --> 00:13:19.820 But if it was a sin, 00:13:19.820 --> 00:13:22.820 he was the furthest of all people from it. 00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:25.820 And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never took revenge 00:13:25.820 --> 00:13:28.820 for himself in anything at all, 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:31.820 except when the sacred limits of Allah were violated, 00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:34.850 in which case he would exact retribution for the sake of Allah the Exalted." 00:13:34.850 --> 00:13:39.159 Agreed upon. 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:42.509 Among the lessons derived from the hadith: 00:13:43.509 --> 00:13:46.860 Choosing the easier option 00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:49.860 in all matters of religion and worldly life 00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:53.440 is the upright and sound approach. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.440 Staying far away from disobedience and sin, 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:59.440 even if it aligns with one's desires 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.440 or one perceives some personal benefit in it, 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:05.980 because all goodness lies entirely in righteousness. 00:14:05.980 --> 00:14:08.980 The magnanimity of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:11.980 and his pardoning of anyone who mistreated him, 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:15.980 which demonstrates his immense mercy toward his Ummah. 00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:30.360 And on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:33.360 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.389 "Shall I not inform you 00:14:36.389 --> 00:14:39.389 of who is forbidden to the Fire, 00:14:39.389 --> 00:14:42.549 or for whom the Fire is forbidden? 00:14:42.549 --> 00:14:44.549 It is forbidden for everyone who is approachable, 00:14:44.549 --> 00:14:47.710 gentle, mild-mannered, and easygoing." 00:14:47.710 --> 00:14:52.220 Narrated by al-Tirmidhi. 00:14:52.220 --> 00:14:55.220 "Approachable" means close to people 00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:58.220 and beloved to them 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:01.409 due to his good companionship and kind treatment. 00:15:01.409 --> 00:15:04.500 "Gentle" means humble. 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:07.659 "Mild-mannered" means pleasant in dealings. 00:15:07.659 --> 00:15:10.659 "Easygoing" means lenient when settling debts, 00:15:10.659 --> 00:15:13.659 claiming rights, or selling. 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:17.750 Among the lessons derived from the hadith: 00:15:17.750 --> 00:15:20.750 Noble character is a means of salvation from the punishment of Allah. 00:15:20.750 --> 00:15:25.200 Good character toward people is an integral part of faith. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:28.580 One should draw the attention of the learner or listener 00:15:28.580 --> 00:15:31.580 to matters of great importance. 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:35.419 Riyadh al-Salihin.