Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (7) | Chapter on patience (2)

0:00 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.

0:09 Chapter on Patience.

0:15 On the authority of Suhayb, may Allah be pleased with him,

0:18 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

0:22 "There was a king among those who came before you,

0:25 and he had a sorcerer.

0:27 When the sorcerer grew old, he said to the king:

0:30 'I have grown old,

0:32 so send me a boy so that I may teach him sorcery.'

0:35 So he sent him a boy to instruct.

0:38 On his way, there was a monk,

0:42 so he sat with him and listened to his speech, and it pleased him.

0:46 Whenever he went to the sorcerer, he would pass by the monk and sit with him,

0:51 and when he reached the sorcerer, the sorcerer would beat him.

0:54 So he complained about that to the monk,

0:57 who said: 'If you fear the sorcerer,

1:00 say: "My family detained me."

1:03 And if you fear your family,

1:05 say: "The sorcerer detained me."'

1:08 While he was in that state,

1:10 he came upon a huge beast

1:13 that was blocking the passage of the people.

1:15 He said: 'Today I will know

1:18 whether the sorcerer is better or the monk is better.'

1:21 So he took a stone and said:

1:24 'O Allah, if the way of the monk is more beloved to You than the way of the sorcerer,

1:29 then kill this beast so that the people may pass.'

1:33 He threw it at the beast and killed it, and the people passed.

1:37 Then he went to the monk and informed him.

1:40 The monk said to him:

1:42 'O my son, today you are better than I.

1:46 Your affair has reached what I see,

1:49 and you will surely be tested.

1:51 So if you are tested, do not guide anyone to me.'

1:55 The boy used to heal the blind and the leper,

1:58 and cure people of all kinds of illnesses.

2:01 A courtier of the king who had become blind heard of him,

2:05 so he came to him with many gifts

2:08 and said: 'All of this gathered here is yours if you heal me.'

2:13 He replied: 'I do not heal anyone;

2:17 it is only Allah Almighty Who heals.

2:20 If you believe in Allah Almighty,

2:23 I will supplicate Allah, and He will heal you.'

2:25 So he believed in Allah Almighty,

2:27 and Allah Almighty healed him.

2:30 Then he went to the king

2:32 and sat beside him just as he used to sit.

2:35 The king said to him:

2:37 'Who restored your sight to you?'

2:39 He said: 'My Lord.'

2:41 He said: 'Do you have a lord other than me?'

2:44 He replied: 'My Lord and your Lord is Allah.'

2:48 So he seized him and kept torturing him until he led him to the boy.

2:53 The boy was brought,

2:55 and the king said to him:

2:57 'O my son,

2:58 your sorcery has reached the point where you heal the blind and the leper,

3:02 and you do such and such!'

3:04 He said:

3:06 'I do not heal anyone;

3:08 it is only Allah Almighty Who heals.'

3:11 So he seized him and kept torturing him until he led him to the monk.

3:16 The monk was brought, and it was said to him:

3:19 'Renounce your religion.'

3:21 But he refused.

3:22 So he called for a saw,

3:24 placed the saw in the parting of his hair,

3:27 and sawed him until his two halves fell apart.

3:30 Then the king's courtier was brought,

3:33 and it was said to him:

3:34 'Renounce your religion.'

3:36 But he refused.

3:37 So he placed the saw in the parting of his hair

3:40 and sawed him with it until his two halves fell apart.

3:44 Then the boy was brought,

3:46 and it was said to him:

3:47 'Renounce your religion.'

3:49 But he refused.

3:50 So he handed him over to a group of his companions

3:53 and said:

3:54 'Take him to such-and-such mountain,

3:58 climb the mountain with him,

4:00 and when you reach its peak,

4:02 throw him down if he does not renounce his religion; otherwise, leave him.'

4:06 So they took him and climbed the mountain with him.

4:09 He said:

4:10 'O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will.'

4:14 Thereupon the mountain shook violently beneath them,

4:16 and they fell down.

4:17 He returned walking to the king.

4:20 The king said to him:

4:22 'What happened to your companions?'

4:24 He replied:

4:25 'Allah Almighty saved me from them.'

4:28 So he handed him over to another group of his companions

4:31 and said:

4:32 'Take him and carry him in a small boat,

4:35 sail into the open sea with him,

4:37 and if he does not renounce his religion, cast him in.'

4:41 So they took him,

4:43 and he said:

4:45 'O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will.'

4:48 Thereupon the vessel capsized with them, and they drowned.

4:51 He returned walking to the king.

4:54 The king said to him:

4:56 'What happened to your companions?'

4:58 He replied:

4:59 'Allah Almighty saved me from them.'

5:02 Then he said to the king:

5:04 'You will not be able to kill me until you do what I command you.'

5:09 He asked:

5:10 'What is that?'

5:11 He said:

5:12 'Gather the people in one open plain,

5:15 and crucify me on the trunk of a tree.

5:17 Then take an arrow from my quiver,

5:20 place the arrow in the notch of the bow,

5:23 and say:

5:24 "In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy."

5:27 Then shoot me.

5:29 If you do that, you will kill me.'

5:32 So he gathered the people in one open plain

5:35 and crucified him on a tree trunk.

5:37 Then he took an arrow from his quiver,

5:40 placed the arrow in the notch of the bow,

5:43 and said:

5:44 'In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.'

5:47 Then he shot it,

5:49 and the arrow struck his temple.

5:51 The boy placed his hand on his temple

5:54 and died.

5:55 Thereupon the people said:

5:57 'We believe in the Lord of the boy!'

6:00 The king was approached,

6:01 and it was said to him:

6:02 'Do you see what you were fearing?

6:05 By Allah, that very thing you feared has come upon you:

6:08 the people have believed!'

6:10 So he ordered trenches to be dug at the openings of the roads,

6:13 and they were dug,

6:14 and fires were kindled in them.

6:16 And he said:

6:18 'Whoever does not renounce his religion,

6:20 shove him into it,'

6:22 or it was said to the person: 'Jump into it.'

6:24 And they did so,

6:26 until a woman came

6:28 with an infant of hers,

6:30 and she hesitated to plunge into it.

6:33 The infant said to her:

6:35 'O mother,

6:36 be patient, for you are on the truth.'"

6:39 Transmitted by Muslim.

6:41 "The peak of the mountain" (Dhirwat al-jabal)

6:44 means its summit.

6:45 "Al-Qurqur"

6:47 is a type of ship or boat.

6:49 "Al-Sa'id"

6:51 here means elevated, open ground.

6:53 "Al-Ukhdud" (The trench)

6:55 refers to deep rifts in the earth,

6:57 like a small riverbed.

6:59 "Udrimat" (Kindled)

7:00 means lit and set ablaze.

7:02 "Inkafa'at"

7:03 means capsized.

7:05 "Taqā'asat"

7:07 means held back and shrank out of fear.

7:09 "A monk" (Rahib)

7:11 is a Christian ascetic and worshiper.

7:13 "Habasani" (Detained me)

7:15 means held me back.

7:17 "Al-Akmah"

7:19 is one who was born blind.

7:21 "Al-Adwa'"

7:22 means illnesses and diseases.

7:24 "In the parting of his head"

7:26 means where the hair of his head is parted.

7:28 "Farajafa"

7:30 means the mountain shook violently beneath them.

7:33 "Jidh'" (Trunk)

7:35 means a log,

7:37 that is, the trunk of a date palm.

7:39 "In the bow's waist" (Kabid al-qaws)

7:41 means at its center,

7:43 which is the handle gripped when shooting.

7:45 "In his temple" (Sidgh)

7:47 — the temple is the area between

7:49 the eye and the earlobe.

7:51 "At the openings of the roads" (Afwah al-sikak)

7:53 means at the entrances of the streets.

7:55 "Fakhuddat"

7:57 means the trenches were dug.

7:59 "Fa-aqhimuh"

8:01 means throw him in forcibly.

8:03 Among the lessons derived from the hadith:

8:06 People of corruption

8:08 actively seek those who will inherit

8:10 their corruption,

8:12 striving to engender it

8:14 and perpetuate it.

8:17 Kings and rulers

8:19 who do not govern by Allah's law

8:21 frequently resort to sorcerers and soothsayers.

8:23 The recommendation of

8:25 teaching in early childhood,

8:27 for it is like engraving upon stone;

8:29 indeed, a child can readily

8:31 be guided and instructed

8:33 in the desired manner

8:35 while learning from a young age.

8:37 Affirming the miracles (karamat) of the righteous allies of Allah (awliya'),

8:39 who are those that believe in Allah

8:41 and are ever mindful of Him.

8:43 The hearts of the servants

8:45 are in the Hand of Allah;

8:47 He guides whom He wills and leads astray whom He wills.

8:49 For the boy was guided to the truth

8:51 even while in the lap of the sorcerer

8:53 and under the care of the ruined king.

8:55 Not becoming deluded

8:58 by any miraculous gift,

9:00 but rather attributing it entirely to Allah Almighty

9:02 as its source and purely as His grace.

9:04 The permissibility of testing people's spiritual standings

9:06 when in doubt about them

9:08 and uncertain of their true state.

9:10 This was indeed done by

9:12 the believing boy

9:14 when he said,

9:16 "Today I shall know whether the sorcerer is superior

9:18 or the monk is superior."

9:20 The permissibility of equivocation (tawriyah) against adversaries,

9:22 due to the valid interest served

9:24 by such deception,

9:26 in warfare against enemies

9:28 and in saving oneself from destruction.

9:30 The believer is tested

9:33 regarding the sincerity of their faith

9:35 and their steadfastness in speaking the truth,

9:37 even if it leads to the loss of their life.

9:39 Sacrificing for the sake of

9:41 calling to Allah Almighty

9:43 and manifesting the truth.

9:45 The people of faith harness

9:47 all that Allah has bestowed upon them

9:49 and graciously granted them

9:51 in the service of His religion and calling

9:53 to His path.

9:56 Indeed, Allah Almighty makes the truth prevail,

9:58 grants victory to its people,

10:00 and defeats falsehood and its faction.

10:02 A Muslim is permitted to sacrifice their life

10:04 if doing so serves

10:06 an overarching religious benefit,

10:08 without fearing

10:10 confronting falsehood and its forces.

10:12 An elucidation of the true nature of the struggle

10:14 between tyrants and those who call

10:16 to Allah;

10:18 the root cause of this is

10:20 that the callers seek to bring the servants into servitude

10:22 to the Lord of all servants alone,

10:24 whereas the tyrants want

10:26 people to take them

10:28 as lords beside Allah.

10:30 The causes of destruction are in the Hand of Allah;

10:32 if He wills, He allows them to take effect,

10:34 and if He wills, He neutralizes them.

10:36 The determination

10:38 to convey the call to Allah

10:40 to all people,

10:42 even if that leads

10:44 to death in the cause of Allah.

10:46 The disbelievers do not

10:48 lack proofs and clear signs

10:50 to believe;

10:52 rather, the cause of their disbelief

10:54 is stubbornness and arrogance.

10:57 Tyrants and oppressors

10:59 are willing to slaughter all of humanity

11:01 merely to preserve

11:03 the worldly luxuries

11:05 they enjoy.

11:07 Indeed, Allah overtakes those who do wrong.

11:09 “He it is Who hath caused those of the People of the Scripture who disbelieved to go forth from their homes unto the first exile. Ye deemed not that they would go forth, while they deemed that their strongholds would protect them from Allah. But Allah reached them from a place whereof they recked not, and cast terror in their hearts so that they ruined their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So learn a lesson, O ye who have eyes!” (59:2)

11:11 For the people believed in the Lord of the boy

11:13 when they witnessed his steadfastness,

11:15 the sincerity of his call,

11:17 and his fearlessness for the sake of Allah,

11:19 undeterred by the blame of any critic.

11:21 Others spoke in the cradle

11:23 besides 'Isa (peace be upon him);

11:25 and this hadith

11:27 explains the words of the Messenger of Allah

11:29 (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

11:31 in the hadith of Jurayj the worshipper:

11:33 "None spoke in the cradle

11:35 except three,"

11:37 mentioning them and stating that they were

11:39 from the Children of Israel.

11:41 Affirming the miraculous nature of the Qur'an,

11:43 for it informed of

11:45 unseen matters lost to history,

11:47 as it narrated concerning

11:49 the companions of the ditch (Ashab al-Ukhdud),

11:51 about whom Allah Almighty said:

11:53 "Cursed were the companions of the trench."

11:55 An educator's use of

11:58 stories in instructional guidance,

12:00 for they carry an impact

12:02 that may not be achieved through direct

12:04 exhortation alone.

12:06 On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him),

12:09 who said:

12:11 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by

12:13 a woman who was weeping

12:15 beside a grave,

12:17 and he said,

12:19 "Fear Allah and be patient."

12:21 She said, "Leave me alone!

12:23 For you have not been afflicted

12:25 with a calamity like mine,"

12:27 not recognizing him.

12:29 It was then said to her,

12:31 "That was the Prophet (peace be upon him)."

12:33 So she went to

12:35 the door of the Prophet (peace be upon him),

12:37 where she found

12:39 no doorkeepers.

12:41 She said, "I did not recognize you."

12:43 Thereupon he said,

12:45 "Patience is only at

12:47 the first strike of calamity."

12:49 Agreed upon.

12:51 In another narration,

12:53 she was weeping over a young son

12:55 of hers.

12:59 "Leave me alone"

13:01 means: step aside and stay away from me.

13:03 "The first strike of calamity"

13:05 refers to the sudden onset of affliction

13:07 at its peak

13:09 and fiercest intensity.

13:12 Among the benefits derived from the hadith:

13:14 A lack of patience contradicts

13:16 piety (taqwa).

13:19 The patience for which a person is truly

13:21 praised

13:23 is that which is shown at the first onset of affliction;

13:25 as for what comes later,

13:27 with the passing of time,

13:29 consolation sets in naturally,

13:31 and at that stage,

13:33 there is no real virtue in patience.

13:35 Among the conditions of beautiful patience (sabr jamil) are:

13:37 sincerity, refraining from

13:39 complaining about Allah,

13:41 and displaying it in its due time.

13:43 The humility of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

13:45 and his gentleness

13:47 toward the uninformed.

13:50 The constant obligation to enjoin what is right

13:52 and forbid what is wrong.

13:54 A person is not rewarded simply for the affliction itself,

13:56 because it is not

13:58 of their own doing;

14:00 rather, one is rewarded for their good

14:02 intention, steadfastness,

14:04 beautiful patience, and contentment

14:06 with Allah's decree and predestination.

14:08 That is why the Messenger

14:10 (peace be upon him) commanded

14:12 the woman to fear Allah and be patient.

14:14 Pardoning an afflicted person

14:16 and accepting their apology;

14:18 this is why he turned away from her,

14:20 the Prophet (peace be upon him),

14:22 when she said to him,

14:24 "Leave me alone,

14:26 for you have not been afflicted with my calamity."

14:28 Whoever is commanded to do good

14:30 ought to receive it

14:32 with gracious acceptance

14:34 and submit to the truth,

14:36 even if they do not know the person commanding them.

14:38 Encouragement to endure

14:41 harm when offering sincere counsel

14:43 and delivering admonition.

14:45 A ruler or judge

14:47 must not install guards who barrier him

14:49 from his subjects or from

14:51 the needs of the people.

14:53 For when the woman came to

14:55 the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

14:57 she found by his door

14:59 no doorkeepers.

15:01 It is incumbent upon whoever is entrusted by Allah with an affair

15:03 of the Muslims' affairs

15:05 to look after those placed under his care,

15:07 enjoining them to do good,

15:09 forbidding them from evil,

15:11 overlooking their slips,

15:13 fulfilling their needs,

15:15 relieving their poverty,

15:17 and accepting their excuses.

15:19 *Riyad al-Salihin*

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (7) | Chapter on patience (2)

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