Part of Riyad as-Salihin — Gardens of the Righteous (series completed)
· Lesson 42 of 190
Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (52) | Chapter on honoring the family of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, and explaining their virtue
0:000:00
Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
0:00
*Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
0:09
Chapter: Honoring the Household of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and clarifying their virtue.
0:21
“And stay in your houses. Bedizen not yourselves with the bedizenment of the Time of Ignorance. Be regular in prayer, and pay the poor-due, and obey Allah and His messenger. Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing.” (33:33)
0:32
And the Exalted said: "And whoever honors the sacred symbols of Allah—it is surely from the piety of the hearts."
0:40
On the authority of Yazīd ibn Ḥayyān, who said: I set out along with Ḥuṣayn ibn Sabrah and 'Umar ibn Muslim
0:50
to Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with them). When we sat with him, Ḥuṣayn said to him:
0:58
"You have indeed encountered immense good, O Zayd! You saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
1:06
heard his hadith, fought alongside him in battle, and prayed behind him. You have indeed encountered immense good, O Zayd!
1:15
Relate to us, O Zayd, what you heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
1:22
He replied: "O son of my brother, by Allah, my age has advanced, my time has grown distant,
1:29
and I have forgotten some of what I used to retain from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
1:35
So whatever I relate to you, accept it, and whatever I do not, do not burden me with it."
1:42
He then said: "One day, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood up to deliver a sermon among us
1:49
at a water spring called Khumm, between Mecca and Medina.
1:54
He praised Allah, extolled Him, exhorted the people, and reminded them.
1:59
Then he said: 'To proceed: Hearken, O people, for I am only a human being.
2:06
The messenger of my Lord is soon to come to me, and I shall answer.
2:10
And I am leaving among you two weighty trusts: the first of them is the Book of Allah;
2:16
in it is guidance and light, so take hold of the Book of Allah and adhere firmly to it.'
2:22
Thus, he urged adherence to the Book of Allah and encouraged devotion to it.
2:26
Then he said: 'And the people of my household! I remind you of Allah regarding the people of my household!
2:33
I remind you of Allah regarding the people of my household!'"
2:37
Ḥuṣayn said to him: "And who are the people of his household, O Zayd?
2:42
Are his wives not of the people of his household?"
2:45
He replied: "His wives are of the people of his household,
2:49
but the people of his household are those who were forbidden from receiving zakat and charity after him."
2:53
He asked: "And who are they?"
2:56
He answered: "They are the family of 'Alī, the family of 'Aqīl, the family of Ja'far, and the family of 'Abbās."
3:04
He asked: "All of these were forbidden from receiving charity?"
3:08
He said: "Yes."
3:10
Narrated by Muslim.
3:12
In another narration:
3:14
"Hearken! I am leaving among you two weighty trusts:
3:17
one of them is the Book of Allah, and it is the rope of Allah;
3:22
whoever follows it will be upon guidance,
3:25
and whoever abandons it will be upon misguidance."
3:29
"A'ī" means: I remember and retain.
3:33
"Mā' Khumm" is a location between Mecca and Medina,
3:37
in which there is a well-known pool (ghadīr).
3:40
"The messenger of my Lord is soon to come":
3:43
meaning the Angel of Death is near to arriving,
3:46
summoning me to the meeting with Allah.
3:49
Among the benefits of this hadith:
3:53
The commendability of praising a scholar with qualities befitting him,
3:57
and praying for him before seeking knowledge from him.
4:01
For this reason, flattery is only permissible when seeking knowledge.
4:06
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
4:10
are people of virtue and righteousness.
4:13
It is permissible for a scholar to excuse himself to his listeners
4:16
before relating hadiths to them, concerning any inadvertent error or slip
4:19
that might occur on his part.
4:23
Old age is a cause for forgetfulness and weakening of memory.
4:27
A scholar ought
4:29
only to narrate what he knows with certainty,
4:32
and it is not permissible to speak without knowledge.
4:35
A seeker of knowledge should not embarrass his teacher,
4:39
nor burden him with what he cannot bear to answer,
4:43
if he sees that his teacher is content with what he has already related.
4:47
It is commendable for a scholar to seize opportune moments
4:51
to teach his companions and remind them.
4:54
A scholar ought to instruct his followers
4:58
with that which will rectify their affairs after he is gone.
5:01
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
5:04
is a mortal whom death overtakes just as it overtakes all human beings.
5:08
The Exalted said:
5:10
“Lo! thou wilt die, and lo! they will die;” (39:30)
5:15
The obligation of holding fast to the Book of Allah,
5:19
for it is Allah's firm rope
5:22
and the straight path;
5:24
whoever follows it is guided,
5:26
and whoever abandons it remains in misguidance.
5:29
The injunction to care for the family of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
5:34
and the requirement to attend to their affairs.
5:37
The wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
5:41
are among the members of his household.
5:43
Charity is forbidden for the Prophet's household,
5:46
and only the one-fifth share of the spoils of war was made lawful for them.
5:50
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both),
5:56
from Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him),
5:59
as a mawqūf narration,
6:01
that he said:
6:03
"Show reverence to Muḥammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
6:07
regarding the people of his household."
6:09
Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
6:11
The meaning of "Show reverence to":
6:13
Respect him, honor him, and venerate him.
6:17
And Allah knows best.
6:19
Among the benefits of this hadith:
6:22
Venerating the household of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
6:27
honoring them, and showing loyalty to them.
6:30
The recognition by the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
6:33
of the rights of the Prophet's household,
6:35
particularly the two elders, Abū Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
6:40
Chapter: Reverence for Scholars, Elders, and People of Virtue,
6:47
giving them precedence over others,
6:50
elevating their seating places,
6:52
and manifesting their elevated rank.
6:54
Allah the Exalted said:
6:58
“Is he who payeth adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed.” (39:9)
7:03
"Only people of understanding will take heed."
7:07
On the authority of Abū Mas'ūd
7:10
'Uqbah ibn 'Amr al-Badrī al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
7:15
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
7:19
"The people are to be led in prayer by the one among them who is most proficient in the Book of Allah.
7:22
If they are equal in recitation,
7:25
then by the one most knowledgeable in the Sunnah.
7:28
If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah,
7:31
then by the earliest of them to have emigrated.
7:33
If they are equal in emigration,
7:36
then by the eldest of them in age.
7:38
A man must not lead another man in prayer in his place of authority,
7:42
nor sit in his house upon his honored seat except with his permission."
7:47
Narrated by Muslim.
7:49
And in another narration:
7:51
"the earliest of them in acceptance of Islam"
7:53
instead of "eldest in age,"
7:55
or "earliest in entering Islam."
7:57
And in another narration:
7:59
"The people are to be led in prayer by the one among them who is most proficient in the Book of Allah
8:02
and the earliest of them in recitation.
8:04
If they are equal in recitation,
8:07
then the earliest of them to have emigrated shall lead them.
8:10
If they are equal in emigration,
8:13
then the eldest of them in age shall lead them."
8:16
What is meant by "his place of authority" is the realm of his jurisdiction
8:21
or the place specifically designated for him.
8:24
"His honored seat" refers to that which is exclusively his, such as a special rug, bed, or the like.
8:31
Among the benefits of this hadith:
8:33
Giving precedence to the more knowledgeable in leading the prayer:
8:38
the one most knowledgeable in the Book of Allah and most proficient in reciting it,
8:42
then the one most knowledgeable in the Sunnah,
8:44
then the earliest in emigration or acceptance of Islam,
8:47
then the eldest in age.
8:50
The greatest of all disciplines of knowledge is knowledge of the Book of Allah, Majestic and Exalted,
8:55
in recitation, teaching, and memorization;
8:58
and stemming from it is knowledge of the Prophetic Sunnah
9:03
in narration, comprehension, and implementation.
9:06
Precedence in Islam carries distinct weight.
9:09
The ruler, the owner of a house or workplace,
9:14
and the appointed imam of a mosque have greater right to lead prayer than anyone else,
9:18
even if someone else is more knowledgeable, unless they grant permission.
9:22
The host of a gathering has greater right to his own seat than anyone else.
9:26
A woman has no right to lead men in prayer,
9:30
because the word "qawm" (people) in this context refers specifically to men to the exclusion of women,
9:34
as Allah the Exalted said:
9:37
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
9:45
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
9:52
And on the authority of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr al-Badrī al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
9:59
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to touch our shoulders in prayer
10:05
and say:
10:07
"Straighten your rows and do not fall into discord, lest your hearts become discordant.
10:11
Let those of you who possess maturity and understanding stand closest to me,
10:15
and then those who follow them."
10:20
Narrated by Muslim.
10:22
His statement, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
10:26
"Let those of you who possess maturity and understanding stand closest to me":
10:30
meaning let those of sound intellect stand nearest to me.
10:33
"Those of maturity" refers to adults,
10:36
and it is also said to mean people of forbearance and virtue.
10:39
Among the benefits of this hadith:
10:42
The obligation to straighten the rows, fill the gaps,
10:46
and align shoulders and feet in prayer.
10:50
The imam should take care to inspect the congregants' rows before commencing the prayer.
10:56
Discord and contention are causes for corruption of the hearts.
11:00
Outward alignment exerts an influence on the inward state.
11:05
The most virtuous are placed closest to the imam,
11:08
and virtue here refers to people of knowledge and forbearance.
11:12
People of knowledge and forbearance should stand immediately behind the imam,
11:18
so as to prompt him if he errs or forgets,
11:21
or take his place if an emergency or sudden event requires it.
11:26
On the authority of 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
11:31
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
11:35
"Let those of you who possess maturity and understanding stand closest to me,
11:39
and then those who follow them"—saying it three times—
11:43
"and beware of the clamor of the marketplaces!"
11:46
Narrated by Muslim.
11:48
"The clamor of the marketplaces":
11:51
meaning their confusion, arguing, quarreling,
11:55
and the raising of voices therein.
11:59
Among the benefits of this hadith:
12:01
The prohibition against worshippers causing disturbances in mosques,
12:05
such as disputing, arguing, and raising voices,
12:09
because that dispels humility and focus.
12:12
Mosques have their sanctity;
12:16
for this reason, buying and selling are not permitted,
12:19
nor is announcing lost property inside the mosque.
12:23
The obligation of keeping the prayer rows distinct,
12:26
such that the men's rows are distinct from the women's rows,
12:30
and it is not permissible for them to be intermingled
12:33
in the manner of people intermingling in marketplaces.
12:36
On the authority of Abū Yaḥyā—
12:40
and it is also said: Abū Muḥammad—
12:42
Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathmah al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
12:47
'Abdullāh ibn Sahl
12:49
and Muḥayyiṣah ibn Mas'ūd set out for Khaybar,
12:53
which was at that time under a peace treaty.
12:55
They separated from each other,
12:57
and then Muḥayyiṣah came upon 'Abdullāh ibn Sahl
13:00
while he was wallowing in his blood, slain.
13:03
So he buried him,
13:05
and then returned to Medina.
13:07
Thereupon, 'Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Sahl
13:09
along with Muḥayyiṣah and Ḥuwayyiṣah, the sons of Mas'ūd, went
13:12
to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
13:16
'Abd al-Rahman began to speak,
13:19
but he said, "Let the eldest speak! Let the eldest speak!"
13:22
for he was the youngest among them.
13:24
So he remained silent,
13:25
and the elders spoke.
13:27
Then he asked,
13:28
"Will you take fifty oaths and claim the right against the killer of your companion?"
13:32
And he recounted the rest of the hadith.
13:35
It is agreed upon.
13:37
And his saying, peace be upon him:
13:40
"Let the eldest speak! Let the eldest speak!"
13:42
means that the oldest among them should speak first.
13:47
"And it was under a peace treaty that day"
13:49
means after its conquest,
13:51
and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) agreement leaving its people on it under a peace treaty.
13:56
"Wallowing"
13:58
means floundering and rolling in his own blood.
14:01
"The youngest of the people"
14:03
means the youngest in age among them.
14:07
Among the lessons derived from this hadith:
14:09
The permissibility of making a truce with the enemy out of necessity,
14:12
such that reconciliation is more advantageous for Islam.
14:16
But if Islam is dominant over disbelief,
14:20
and no clear benefit appears in making peace,
14:23
then it is not permissible.
14:25
Individual Muslims do not have the right to act on their own initiative regarding the enemy
14:30
if their action impacts the broader community of Muslims, without the permission of the ruler.
14:37
Giving precedence to the eldest in speaking.
14:40
Taking oaths in the claim of Qasamah is for the heirs of the slain.
14:45
Qasamah refers to fifty oaths,
14:47
divided among the heirs of the slain
14:50
when they claim blood money,
14:52
or upon the accused if they deny the charge.
14:55
Riyad al-Salihin.