Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (14) | Chapter on piety

0:00 Riyad al-Salihin

0:03 From the words of the Master of the Messengers

0:06 Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him

0:09 Chapter: Taqwa (God-consciousness)

0:13 Allah the Exalted says:

0:17 "O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared."

0:20 “O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not save as those who have surrendered (unto Him)” (3:102)

0:22 And He the Exalted says:

0:24 “So keep your duty to Allah as best ye can, and listen, and obey, and spend; that is better for your souls. And whoso is saved from his own greed, such are the successful.” (64:16)

0:27 This verse clarifies the intended meaning of the previous one.

0:32 And He the Exalted says:

0:34 "O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak a word of appropriate justice."

0:37 And speak words that are sound and upright.

0:40 The verses commanding taqwa

0:42 are numerous and well-known.

0:44 And He the Exalted says:

0:46 “Then, when they have reached their term, take them back in kindness or part from them in kindness, and call to witness two just men among you, and keep your testimony upright for Allah. Whoso believeth in Allah and the Last Day is exhorted to act thus. And whosoever keepeth his duty to Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for him,” (65:2)

0:50 “And will provide for him from (a quarter) whence he hath no expectation. And whosoever putteth his trust in Allah, He will suffice him. Lo! Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah hath set a measure for all things.” (65:3)

0:54 And He the Exalted says:

0:56 “O ye who believe! If ye keep your duty to Allah, He will give you discrimination (between right and wrong) and will rid you of your evil thoughts and deeds, and will forgive you. Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (8:29)

1:00 “O ye who believe! If ye keep your duty to Allah, He will give you discrimination (between right and wrong) and will rid you of your evil thoughts and deeds, and will forgive you. Allah is of Infinite Bounty.” (8:29)

1:05 And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

1:08 The verses in this chapter are numerous and well-known.

1:13 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

1:18 It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah,

1:20 who is the most noble of people?"

1:22 He replied, "The most God-conscious (atqahum) among them."

1:24 They said, "We are not asking you about this."

1:29 He said, "Then it is Yusuf, the Prophet of Allah,

1:32 the son of the Prophet of Allah,

1:34 the son of the Prophet of Allah,

1:36 the son of the Friend of Allah (Khalil Allah)."

1:38 They said, "We are not asking you about this."

1:41 He said, "Are you asking me about the mines of the Arabs?

1:45 The best of them in the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah)

1:48 are the best of them in Islam, if they attain fiqh."

1:52 Agreed upon.

1:54 "Attain fiqh" means they learn the rulings of the Shari'ah.

1:57 "Most noble" (akram) is the superlative form derived from nobility (karam).

2:02 Its root implies an abundance of goodness.

2:04 It is the opposite of baseness.

2:07 Yusuf is the Prophet of Allah,

2:09 the son of the Prophet of Allah,

2:11 who is Ya'qub, peace be upon him,

2:13 the son of the Prophet of Allah,

2:15 who is Ishaq, peace be upon him,

2:17 the son of the Friend of Allah,

2:19 who is Ibrahim, peace be upon him.

2:22 "Mines" (ma'adin) is the plural of "mine" (ma'dan),

2:25 which is the source of minerals like gold and the like,

2:28 and the origin of everything.

2:30 The intent here is the tribes of the Arabs.

2:34 From the benefits of the hadith:

2:37 The hadith clarifies the categories of people

2:39 and the nobility of their lineage and ancestry.

2:42 It shows that some lineages are noble,

2:45 while others are less so.

2:47 The nobility of lineage

2:49 is considered only when accompanied by taqwa

2:51 and the fear of Allah.

2:53 Otherwise, it is not.

2:55 A person is honored and ennobled

2:58 through the taqwa of Allah the Almighty.

3:00 Whoever is God-conscious

3:02 possesses much goodness in this world

3:04 and a high station in the Hereafter.

3:08 A person is ennobled by the nobility

3:10 of his forefathers and his clan

3:12 if they were God-conscious

3:14 and he followed their pattern

3:16 and their way.

3:18 "The best of them in the Jahiliyyah,

3:20 the best of them in Islam,"

3:22 means those who possessed chivalry

3:24 and noble character traits in the Jahiliyyah

3:27 remain so in Islam

3:29 once they believe and attain taqwa,

3:31 because Islam came to perfect

3:33 noble character traits.

3:35 A servant is rewarded for

3:37 the good he performed in the past.

3:39 And if he combines the nobility of taqwa

3:41 with the nobility of lineage,

3:43 it is goodness upon goodness

3:45 and virtue upon virtue.

3:47 An illustration of the virtue of the Prophet of Allah,

3:49 Yusuf, peace and blessings be upon him,

3:52 for he combined noble character traits

3:54 with the nobility of prophethood

3:56 and the nobility of lineage.

3:58 To this was added the nobility of knowledge

4:00 in the interpretation of dreams,

4:02 and his capability in governance and administration.

4:05 An illustration of the virtue of knowledge,

4:07 and that it is superior to lineage,

4:09 status, prestige, and wealth.

4:12 On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,

4:18 from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:

4:22 "Indeed, the world is sweet and green,

4:25 and Allah has made you successors in it,

4:28 so He watches how you act.

4:31 So beware of the world,

4:33 and beware of women,

4:35 for the first trial of the Children of Israel

4:38 was through women."

4:40 Narrated by Muslim.

4:42 "Sweet and green"

4:45 likens the inclination toward it

4:47 to fruit that is sweet in taste

4:50 and green in color.

4:52 "Made you successors"

4:54 means He has made you generations, one succeeding another.

4:58 "Beware of the world"

5:00 means be cautious of being deceived by it.

5:03 "Beware of women"

5:05 means be cautious of being tempted by them.

5:08 "Through women"

5:11 means because of them.

5:13 From the benefits of the hadith:

5:15 One should practice asceticism (zuhd) regarding the world

5:19 and not chase after its fleeting debris

5:22 or become attached to its illusions.

5:24 For it presents itself to the servants

5:27 with its sweetness, greenery, and adornment,

5:30 and whoever becomes attached to it, it destroys him.

5:33 However, the servant should

5:35 not forget his share of it.

5:38 Allah made the children of Adam successors,

5:41 one succeeding another in this worldly life,

5:45 to see how they act,

5:47 because it is a house of trial,

5:49 not a house of permanence,

5:51 and a house of passage to the final destination.

5:54 Caution against being tempted by women,

5:57 which is done by avoiding the direct causes

6:00 that stir desire,

6:02 such as free-mixing with them,

6:04 and looking at the parts of them that cause temptation

6:07 when they are not one's mahram (unmarriageable kin).

6:09 And that enjoyment of them should not distract

6:12 from obligatory duties if they are one's spouses.

6:15 Taking heed and learning lessons

6:17 from previous nations,

6:19 for what befell the Children of Israel

6:22 will befall others if they engage in the same causes.

6:26 On the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him,

6:31 that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

6:34 used to say:

6:36 "O Allah, I ask You for guidance, taqwa,

6:40 chastity, and self-sufficiency."

6:42 Narrated by Muslim.

6:45 "Guidance"

6:47 means direction and righteousness.

6:50 "Chastity"

6:51 means refraining from what is unlawful

6:54 and abstaining from it.

6:56 "Self-sufficiency"

6:57 means the richness of the soul

6:59 and independence from people and what they possess.

7:03 From the benefits of the hadith:

7:07 Submission to Allah the Exalted

7:09 and turning to Him in all circumstances.

7:13 The soul's need for noble character traits

7:17 to remain steadfast upon the command of Allah,

7:20 to fear His punishment, and to hope for His mercy.

7:23 It is appropriate for a person

7:25 not to rely solely on his own deeds,

7:27 for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

7:30 used to ask Allah for these qualities,

7:33 even though he was the most knowledgeable of people regarding them

7:35 and the one most characterized by them.

7:38 On the authority of Abu Tarif,

7:41 'Adi Ibn Hatim al-Ta'i, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

7:45 I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

7:49 say: "Whoever swears an oath,

7:52 then sees something else more God-conscious than it,

7:55 let him choose that which is more God-conscious."

7:57 Narrated by Muslim.

7:59 "Swears" means he took an oath by Allah.

8:04 "More God-conscious" means more pleasing to Him and further from His disobedience.

8:09 From the benefits of the hadith:

8:14 The permissibility of swearing by Allah.

8:17 Whoever swears by Allah,

8:19 it is obligatory upon him to fulfill his oath

8:22 and not break it.

8:24 If the oath prevents one from an act of obedience,

8:27 or causes one to miss out on great good,

8:30 or leads one into disobedience,

8:32 then the servant must offer expiation for his oath

8:35 and do what Allah has commanded him,

8:38 and avoid His disobedience.

8:40 The obligation to adhere to taqwa in times of ease and hardship,

8:43 and in times of willingness and reluctance.

8:46 Whoever resolves to commit a sin,

8:49 he must not do it.

8:51 Even if he had sworn to do it,

8:54 he should break his oath and offer expiation,

8:57 and not commit the sin.

9:00 On the authority of Abu Umamah,

9:03 Sudayy Ibn 'Ajlan al-Bahili, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

9:08 I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

9:11 delivering a sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and he said:

9:15 "Fear Allah,

9:17 perform your five prayers,

9:19 Observe the fast of your month.

9:21 Pay the zakat on your wealth.

9:24 Obey those placed in authority over you.

9:26 You shall enter the Paradise of your Lord.

9:30 Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

9:33 The Farewell Pilgrimage.

9:35 It is the final pilgrimage performed by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

9:40 It was named as such

9:42 because he, peace be upon him,

9:46 "Observe your five prayers,"

9:48 meaning: perform the five obligatory prayers.

9:51 "Observe the fast of your month,"

9:54 meaning: observe the fast of the month of Ramadan.

9:57 "Obey those placed in authority over you,"

9:59 meaning: obey those in positions of leadership among you.

10:02 Among the benefits of this hadith:

10:06 The obligation to adhere to the pillars of Islam,

10:09 including prayer, zakat, fasting, and pilgrimage.

10:13 That adherence to these deeds

10:17 is part of having taqwa (God-consciousness) of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

10:20 And that taqwa of Allah, the Exalted, is the path to Paradise

10:23 and a condition for entering it.

10:25 Steadfastness in this world

10:27 is the cause of salvation in the Hereafter.

10:30 The obligation to obey rulers and leaders,

10:33 with the condition for their obedience being

10:35 that they do not command what constitutes disobedience to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

10:40 Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (14) | Chapter on piety

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