Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (12) | Surveillance door (1)

0:00 Riyadh 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: Vigilance (Muraqabah)

0:13 Allah the Exalted said:

0:18 “Who seeth thee when thou standest up (to pray)” (26:218)

0:21 And your movement among those who prostrate.

0:24 And He the Exalted said:

0:26 And He is with you wherever you are.

0:29 And He the Exalted said:

0:31 “Lo! nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.” (3:5)

0:37 And He the Exalted said:

0:39 Indeed, your Lord is ever in observation.

0:42 And He the Exalted said:

0:44 “He knoweth the traitor of the eyes, and that which the bosoms hide.” (40:19)

0:49 The verses in this chapter are numerous and well-known.

0:53 On the authority of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

0:58 While we were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, one day,

1:03 A man appeared before us with extremely white clothing,

1:07 And extremely black hair,

1:10 With no signs of travel visible upon him,

1:12 And none of us recognized him.

1:15 He sat down before the Prophet, peace be upon him,

1:19 He rested his knees against his knees,

1:22 And placed his palms upon his thighs,

1:26 And said:

1:27 "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam."

1:31 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

1:35 "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah,

1:39 And that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,

1:42 To establish prayer, to pay the zakat,

1:45 To fast during Ramadan,

1:47 And to perform the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to find a way."

1:51 He said, "You have spoken the truth."

1:53 He said, "We were amazed at him; he would ask him and then confirm his answer."

1:57 He said, "Then tell me about faith (iman)."

2:01 “O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger and the Scripture which He hath revealed unto His messenger, and the Scripture which He revealed aforetime. Whoso disbelieveth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers and the Last Day, he verily hath wandered far astray.” (4:136)

2:08 "And to believe in the divine decree, both its good and its evil."

2:12 He said, "You have spoken the truth."

2:14 He said, "Then tell me about excellence (ihsan)."

2:17 He said, "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him,

2:21 For if you do not see Him, He surely sees you."

2:24 He said, "Then tell me about the Hour."

2:28 He said, "The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner."

2:33 He said, "Then tell me about its signs."

2:37 He said, "That the slave girl will give birth to her mistress,

2:41 And that you will see the barefoot, the naked, the destitute, and the shepherds of sheep competing in the construction of tall buildings."

2:48 Then he departed.

2:50 I waited for a long while,

2:52 Then he said to me, "O ‘Umar,

2:55 Do you know who the questioner was?"

2:57 I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best."

3:01 He said, "That was Jibril,

3:04 Who came to teach you your religion."

3:07 Narrated by Muslim.

3:09 The meaning of "the slave girl gives birth to her mistress"

3:12 Is her female master.

3:14 The meaning of the proliferation of concubines

3:18 Is that a slave girl might give birth to a daughter for her master,

3:22 And the master's daughter is in the same position as the master.

3:25 Other interpretations have also been offered.

3:27 The "destitute" are the poor.

3:30 His saying "a long while"

3:32 Means a long period of time.

3:34 This occurred after three days.

3:37 "Signs of travel"

3:40 Means the dust and dishevelment of travel.

3:42 "The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner"

3:46 Means that the knowledge of all creation regarding the time of the Hour is equal,

3:50 Because Allah has kept the knowledge of it to Himself.

3:53 "Its signs"

3:56 Are the indicators pointing to its approach.

3:59 "Shepherds"

4:00 Is the plural of shepherd.

4:02 "Sheep"

4:03 Is the plural of ewe.

4:05 "Competing in the construction of tall buildings"

4:07 Means they boast about the height of buildings.

4:13 From the benefits of the hadith:

4:15 The virtue of sitting with scholars,

4:17 And studying the Book and the Sunnah,

4:20 And that the religion is only upheld through teaching and learning.

4:24 It is recommended for the scholar and the student of knowledge

4:27 To be well-groomed at the time of the lesson.

4:30 It is recommended to seek permission to approach the scholar.

4:34 An illustration of the student's posture before the teacher,

4:39 Which should be like the posture of the tashahhud,

4:42 A state that indicates the student's reverence for his teacher,

4:46 And stimulates him to listen, understand, and engage in dialogue.

4:50 Jibril called the Prophet, peace be upon him, by his name,

4:54 Even though Allah the Exalted said:

4:57 “Make not the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another. Allah knoweth those of you who steal away, hiding themselves. And let those who conspire to evade orders beware lest grief or painful punishment befall them.” (24:63)

5:03 This was to further conceal his identity,

5:06 Or perhaps the angels are not included in the scope of that verse.

5:10 The Prophet, peace be upon him, interpreted Islam

5:14 As the outward actions of the limbs, both in speech and deed,

5:18 As he mentioned its pillars.

5:20 As for faith (iman),

5:22 The Prophet, peace be upon him, interpreted it as the inward beliefs.

5:27 The Messenger, peace be upon him, interpreted excellence (ihsan)

5:31 As the sincerity of the inner self and guarding against the corruptions and evils of deeds,

5:36 And the evils of the soul and its desires,

5:39 Where the servant is mindful of his Lord's closeness to him,

5:42 Which necessitates fear, awe, reverence, and glorification,

5:47 And necessitates sincerity in worship and exerting effort to improve, complete, and perfect it.

5:54 In the dialogue of Jibril with the Prophet, peace be upon him,

5:58 There is pedagogical guidance on the method of dialogue in education.

6:03 If a scholar is asked about something he does not know,

6:06 He should say, "I do not know."

6:11 This is evident in the words of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:

6:16 "The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner."

6:20 Know that this does not diminish him;

6:23 Rather, it is a sign of his piety and religious commitment,

6:25 For above every possessor of knowledge is one more knowing.

6:30 The determination of the Day of the Hour

6:32 Has not been revealed by Allah the Exalted to any of His creation,

6:36 For great wisdoms,

6:37 Among them that the servant may always remain in a state of readiness,

6:41 Which leads to the perfection of deeds and provisioning oneself with righteous acts.

6:46 The Hour has many signs,

6:48 Among them that the slave girl gives birth to her mistress.

6:52 This is an indication of the conquest of lands,

6:55 And the abundance of captives,

6:57 Until concubines become numerous and their children increase,

7:01 So the slave girl becomes a servant to her master,

7:04 And her children from him are in his status.

7:07 Among the signs of the Hour

7:09 Is that you see the barefoot, the naked, the destitute, and the shepherds of sheep

7:13 Competing in the construction of tall buildings.

7:15 This is an indication of the corruption of the order of religion and the world.

7:20 As for the corruption of religion,

7:22 It is when the leaders of the people are those who were poor and destitute,

7:27 For he will monopolize the rights of the people and deprive them of their wealth.

7:31 As for the corruption of the world,

7:33 It is when the kings of the people are in this state,

7:37 For all other conditions will be reversed:

7:40 The liar will be believed, and the truthful one will be called a liar;

7:43 The treacherous will be trusted, and the trustworthy will be betrayed;

7:46 The ignorant will speak, and the scholar will be silenced,

7:49 Or will be absent entirely;

7:51 And the base person (ruwaybidah) will speak on public affairs.

7:56 The condemnation of boasting and arrogance,

7:58 Especially in buildings,

8:00 Because that indicates extravagance and wastefulness.

8:04 A nation whose habit this is

8:07 Is worthy of being replaced.

8:09 The good manners of the Companions toward the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

8:14 By referring knowledge to Allah and to him during his lifetime.

8:18 It is recommended for the teacher,

8:20 If he hears a correct answer from the student,

8:23 To confirm the correctness of that by saying:

8:26 "You have hit the mark" or "You have done well,"

8:29 Just as Jibril did with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

8:33 By saying:

8:34 "You have spoken the truth."

8:35 It is recommended for one who knows a matter of religion,

8:38 And is among a people who are ignorant of it,

8:41 To ask a scholar,

8:43 So that the people may listen to his answer,

8:45 And learn from him.

8:47 The teacher should remove the confusion

8:50 And the astonishment that surrounds the process of education,

8:53 Just as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did

8:57 With ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,

8:59 When he removed his astonishment,

9:01 Informing him that the questioner was Jibril, peace be upon him,

9:05 Who came to teach the Muslims the affairs of their religion.

9:09 On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah,

9:14 And Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman,

9:16 Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with them both,

9:19 From the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said:

9:23 "Fear Allah wherever you are,

9:26 Follow up a bad deed with a good deed, it will wipe it out,

9:30 And treat people with good character."

9:35 Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

9:37 "Fear Allah":

9:39 Place between yourself and His punishment, wrath, and anger a shield.

9:44 "Wherever you are":

9:46 Meaning in any place you happen to be,

9:48 In private and in public,

9:50 In your solitude and in your social life.

9:52 "Follow up" means to attach.

9:56 "Treat people":

9:58 Meaning deal with them and interact with them.

10:01 From the benefits of the hadith:

10:05 The recommendation of a Muslim advising his brother,

10:08 And reminding him of what is due from him toward his Lord, his own self,

10:12 And his Muslim brothers.

10:15 The servant should be vigilant of his Lord in all his states and times.

10:20 A good deed wipes out a bad deed,

10:23 And this applies to matters other than sins

10:25 That relate to the rights of people.

10:28 Among good character is:

10:31 A cheerful face,

10:32 Refraining from causing harm,

10:34 And offering kindness.

10:35 And treating people as you would like them to treat you.

10:40 This hadith is a great piece of advice,

10:43 One of the comprehensive words given to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

10:49 On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:

10:54 "I was behind the Prophet, peace be upon him, one day, and he said:

10:59 'O young man,

11:01 I shall teach you some words:

11:03 Be mindful of Allah, and He will be mindful of you.

11:06 Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him before you.

11:09 If you ask, ask of Allah.

11:12 And if you seek help, seek help from Allah.

11:15 Know that if the Ummah were to gather to benefit you with something,

11:20 they would not benefit you except with something that Allah has already decreed for you.

11:25 And if they were to gather to harm you with something,

11:28 they would not harm you except with something that Allah has already decreed against you.

11:33 The pens have been lifted and the scrolls have dried.

11:37 Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

11:39 And in a version other than that of al-Tirmidhi:

11:42 Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you.

11:45 Acknowledge Allah during times of ease,

11:48 and He will acknowledge you during times of hardship.

11:50 Know that what has missed you was never going to befall you,

11:54 and what has befallen you was never going to miss you.

11:58 Know that victory comes with patience,

12:01 relief comes with distress,

12:03 and with hardship comes ease.

12:08 A 'ghulam' is a young boy from the time he is weaned until he reaches puberty.

12:13 "Be mindful of Allah":

12:15 meaning, preserve His religion by adhering to piety,

12:18 and by avoiding what He does not approve of.

12:22 "He will be mindful of you":

12:23 meaning, He will look after you, protect you,

12:25 strengthen you, and grant you victory.

12:27 "You will find Him before you":

12:29 meaning, He is with you in all your circumstances,

12:31 surrounding you, supporting you, and protecting you.

12:34 This is the special companionship [ma'iyyah] for the servant.

12:38 "Seek help":

12:39 meaning, request assistance.

12:41 "The pens have been lifted and the scrolls have dried":

12:44 meaning, the writing upon them has ceased,

12:47 because the matter was completed a long time ago.

12:50 For the writing of all decrees has already taken place.

12:54 "Ease" refers to blessings.

12:58 "Relief" refers to the exit from grief and distress.

13:03 Among the benefits of the hadith:

13:05 The permissibility of riding pillion on a mount.

13:09 The recommendation of teaching people beneficial knowledge,

13:13 using concise, useful, and comprehensive speech.

13:16 Concern for the youth of the Muslims,

13:19 because education in childhood

13:21 is like engraving on stone.

13:23 A scholar should stir the attention of the student of knowledge,

13:27 and encourage him toward it by being gentle with him,

13:30 or by alerting him to its importance.

13:33 The recompense is of the same nature as the deed.

13:36 Whoever is mindful of Allah, Allah will be mindful of him.

13:38 Allah the Exalted says:

13:40 “Is the reward of goodness aught save goodness?” (55:60)

13:44 The servant's preservation of the religion of Allah is of two levels:

13:49 The first:

13:50 Preserving His limits and rights,

13:52 and His commands and prohibitions,

13:54 such as preserving the prayers and preserving faith.

13:57 The second:

13:59 Preserving the limbs of the human being,

14:01 such as the sight, the hearing, the stomach, and the tongue.

14:05 Allah’s preservation of the servant includes two types:

14:09 One of them:

14:10 Preserving him in his worldly interests,

14:12 such as protecting him in his worldly life, his body,

14:15 his children, his family, and his wealth.

14:18 The second:

14:19 Allah’s preservation of the servant in his religion and faith,

14:23 so He protects him from misleading doubts

14:26 and burning desires.

14:28 The servant should stand at the limits of Allah,

14:32 and not transgress them.

14:34 He should revere them and submit to the command of his Lord, outwardly and inwardly.

14:39 The prohibition of asking anyone other than Allah the Exalted

14:42 for that which no one is capable of except Him,

14:45 such as provision, healing, forgiveness, victory, and others.

14:49 As for what people are accustomed to cooperating on, which they are capable of,

14:55 there is no objection to asking them,

14:58 such as borrowing, seeking a loan, seeking guidance, and so forth.

15:03 What is in the knowledge of Allah the Exalted,

15:05 or what He, the Glorified, has established in the Mother of the Book [al-Lawh al-Mahfuz],

15:09 is fixed; it does not change, alter, or get abrogated.

15:13 What has happened and what will happen is all by His knowledge, the Exalted.

15:18 Among the subtleties of coupling relief with distress and ease with hardship

15:23 is that when distress intensifies and reaches its peak,

15:26 the servant despairs of all created beings,

15:29 and his heart attaches to Allah alone.

15:32 This is the reality of reliance [tawakkul] upon Allah,

15:35 and it is one of the greatest means by which needs are sought.

15:39 And whoever relies upon his Lord, He is sufficient for him.

15:42 “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)

15:46 The incapacity of all created beings and their need for Allah.

15:50 The servant must please Allah, even if it displeases people.

15:55 Whoever does that, Allah will spare him the burden of people.

15:59 The servant cannot bring benefit to himself,

16:04 nor ward off harm, except by the permission of Allah.

16:07 The plotting of the plotters, even if they are many, does not recoil except upon its own people.

16:12 Unless Allah has decreed a trial for the servant.

16:16 Belief in the divine decree [qadar] is a right incumbent upon the servant.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (12) | Surveillance door (1)

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