Part of Riyad as-Salihin — Gardens of the Righteous (series completed)
· Lesson 62 of 190
Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (72) | Chapter on the virtue of hunger, hard living, and abandoning desires (2)
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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*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.
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Chapter: The Virtue of Hunger, Living a Rigorous Life,
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Restricting Oneself to Little Food, Drink, and Clothing,
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And Renouncing Other Desires and Pleasures of the Self.
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On the authority of Khalid ibn 'Umayr al-'Adawi, who said:
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'Utbah ibn Ghazwan, who was the governor of Basra, delivered a sermon to us.
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He praised and extolled Allah, then said:
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"To proceed: Verily, this world has announced its departure
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and turned away swiftly,
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and nothing remains of it except a meager remnant like the dregs left in a vessel
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which its owner tries to drain.
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You are surely moving from it to an abode that knows no end,
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so depart with the best of what you have at hand.
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For it has been mentioned to us that a stone thrown from the brink of Hellfire
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falls through it for seventy years
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without reaching its bottom.
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Yet, by Allah, it will surely be filled—does that surprise you?
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And it has been mentioned to us that the distance between two doorposts of the gates of Paradise
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is a journey of forty years,
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yet a day will certainly come upon it when it is packed with throngs of people.
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Indeed, I remember myself as the seventh of seven with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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having no food except tree leaves,
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until the sides of our mouths became ulcerated.
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Then I found a cloak and tore it in half between myself and Sa'd ibn Malik;
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I wore half of it as a waist-wrap,
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and Sa'd wore the other half as a waist-wrap.
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Yet today, not one of us remains
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except that he has become a governor over one of the major cities.
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And I seek refuge in Allah from being great in my own eyes,
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yet small in the sight of Allah."
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Related by Muslim.
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His saying *'adhanat'* means it has announced.
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His saying *'bi-sarmin'*—
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his saying *'bi-sarmin'*
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means its severance and passing away.
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His saying *'wallat hadhdha'*
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means it has turned away swiftly.
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And *al-subabah* is the meager remnant left behind.
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His saying *'yatasabbabuha'*
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means he tries to collect it.
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And *al-kaziz* means packed full and crowded.
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His saying *'qarihat'*
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means sores and ulcers formed in them.
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*Shafir Jahannam*
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means its uppermost edge.
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*Fayahwi* means it falls downward.
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*Qa'ran*—
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*al-qa'r* is the very bottom of something.
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*Misra'ayn*
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is the dual form of *misra'*,
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which is one leaf of a two-leaved door.
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*Ashdaquna*
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is the plural of *shidq*,
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which is the inner side of the cheek or corner of the mouth.
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*Burdah*
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refers to a striped woolen cloak.
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Among the beneficial lessons of this hadith:
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The Sunnah regarding the sermon
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is to begin with the praise and glorification of Allah as He deserves,
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followed by invoking blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
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The legitimacy of advising one's brothers,
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encouraging them toward good,
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and warning them of the Hereafter.
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The nearness of the Hour
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and the swift passing and vanishing of this worldly life.
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Demonstrating the majesty of Allah Almighty
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through the immense creation of the Fire and Paradise.
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The vast multitude of those entering Paradise
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owing to the all-encompassing mercy of Allah Almighty
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and His abundant grace.
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An illustration of the condition of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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and the early Companions who preceded others in Islam,
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regarding the severity of their hardships
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and the austerity of their lives,
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all for the sake of spreading the religion of Allah Almighty among all mankind.
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Thus, when they showed patience and possessed firm conviction,
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they became leaders guiding by Allah's command,
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and the succession and empowerment on earth were fulfilled for them—
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which the Lord of the worlds promised
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to His believing servants.
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The obligation of taking refuge in Allah Almighty
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from the delusions of the self and the embellishments of Satan.
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On the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, brought out to us
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a thick woolen garment and a coarse lower wrap,
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and said:
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"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was taken in death
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while wearing these two."
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Agreed upon.
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*Kisa'* means a garment,
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and *izar* means the garment that covers the body
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from the navel downward.
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*Ghaliz* means coarse and thick.
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Among the beneficial lessons of this hadith:
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Encouragement toward living a rugged life
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and wearing coarse garments,
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in accordance with the principle:
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"Accustom yourselves to a rugged life, for blessings do not last forever."
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The permissibility of wearing a *kisa'* and an *izar*.
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The asceticism of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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as well as his humility and contentment;
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for he used to wear whatever was readily available,
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without extravagance or pride.
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On the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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"I was the first of the Arabs to shoot an arrow in the cause of Allah.
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We used to go on military expeditions with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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having no food except the leaves of the *hublah* tree
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and this *samur* (acacia),
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to the extent that one of us would pass stool just as a sheep does,
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without it sticking together."
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Agreed upon.
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*Al-hublah* and *al-samur*
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are two well-known types of desert trees.
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"Would pass stool" is a polite euphemism for defecation,
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"just as a sheep does"
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referring to droppings,
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*khalat*—
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meaning they did not clump together
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due to extreme dryness.
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Among the beneficial lessons of this hadith:
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The permissibility of speaking about the favors of Allah Almighty
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and mentioning acts of obedience,
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provided this does not lead to conceit or ostentation.
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The striving Ummah
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does not indulge excessively in food and drink,
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nor does it immerse itself in worldly luxuries and pleasures,
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because of the lethargy and weakness that result from such indulgence;
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rather, it contents itself with little
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in order to reach its destination and rightful standing,
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and to spread its faith.
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The patience of the Companions in enduring the hardships of life
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and the coarseness of food,
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for the sake of raising the banner of faith
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and spreading the message of Islam.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
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"O Allah, make the provision of the family of Muhammad sufficient for basic sustenance."
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Agreed upon.
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The scholars of language and rare hadith vocabulary stated:
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The meaning of *qutan* (basic sustenance)
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is that which merely sustains life and keeps one going.
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Among the beneficial lessons of this hadith:
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Asceticism is contentment with whatever Allah has apportioned,
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being satisfied with the little that strengthens your back,
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gets you safely to your destination,
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and spares you from need and begging.
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Moderation of condition brings safety from the pitfalls of both wealth and poverty.
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It is not permissible to ask Allah for poverty,
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for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sought refuge from it;
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rather, he asked Allah for sufficiency.
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This does not contradict the permissibility of wealth,
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provided it is earned lawfully
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and Allah's due right regarding it is fulfilled;
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for indeed, among the Companions were grateful wealthy individuals.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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"By Allah, besides Whom there is no deity worthy of worship,
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I used to press my liver against the ground out of hunger,
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and I used to bind a stone against my belly out of hunger.
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One day, I sat along their path from which they used to emerge,
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and the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed by me.
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He smiled when he saw me,
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recognizing what was on my face and what was in my heart.
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Then he said: 'O Aba Hirr!'
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I replied: 'At your service, O Messenger of Allah!'
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He said: 'Come along!'
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'Come along!'
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and he walked on,
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so I followed him.
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He entered his house, so I asked permission to enter,
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and he granted me permission,
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so I entered.
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He found milk in a bowl
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and asked: 'From where did this milk come?'
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They said: 'It was gifted to you by so-and-so (man or woman).'
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He said: 'O Aba Hirr!'
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I replied: 'At your service, O Messenger of Allah!'
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He said:
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'Go to the people of the Suffah and invite them to me.'
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He said:
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'The people of the Suffah were the guests of Islam;
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they had no families, wealth, or anyone to rely upon.
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Whenever charity was brought to him,
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he would send it to them
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and take nothing from it;
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and whenever a gift was brought to him,
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he would send for them,
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partake of it himself, and share it with them.'
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That distressed me,
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and I said to myself:
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'What is this milk among all the people of the Suffah?
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I was more deserving of having a drink from this milk to gain some strength!
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Yet when they arrive, he will command me
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to be the one serving them,
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and what chance is there that any of this milk will reach me?'
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But there was no alternative to obeying Allah and obeying His Messenger, peace be upon him.
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So I went to them and invited them;
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they came, asked for permission to enter,
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and he granted them permission,
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and took their seats in the house.
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He said,
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"O Abu Hirr!"
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I replied,
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"At your service, O Messenger of Allah!"
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He said,
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"Take it and hand it to them."
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He [Abu Hurayrah] said:
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So I took the bowl
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and began handing it to each man,
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who would drink until fully quenched,
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then hand the bowl back to me.
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I would then hand it to the next,
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and he would drink until fully quenched,
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then hand the bowl back to me,
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until I reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
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and all the people had drunk their fill.
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He then took the bowl
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and placed it on his hand,
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looked at me, smiled,
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and said,
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"Abu Hirr!"
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I replied,
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"At your service, O Messenger of Allah!"
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He said,
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"Only you and I are left."
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I said,
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"You have spoken the truth, O Messenger of Allah."
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He said,
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"Sit down and drink."
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So I sat down and drank.
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He kept saying,
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"Drink,"
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and I drank,
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and he continued to say,
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"Drink,"
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until I said,
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"No, by the One Who sent you with the truth,
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I find no further room for it!"
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He said,
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"Then show it to me."
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So I gave him the bowl;
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he praised Allah Almighty, pronounced His Name,
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and drank the remainder.
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Transmitted by al-Bukhari.
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"I would press my liver against the ground,"
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meaning: I would press my stomach against it [from severe hunger].
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"The bowl" (al-Qadah):
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a vessel large enough to quench two men.
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"No room for it" (Maslak):
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meaning: no passage or place for it to enter.
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Among the benefits derived from this hadith:
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Concealing one's need or alluding to it
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is preferable to stating it explicitly and broadcasting it.
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The Prophet's (peace be upon him) honor
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shown to the poor among his Companions
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and his deep care for them.
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Affirmation of the miracle of multiplying food
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for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
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A man inquiring
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about what he finds in his house
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that is unfamiliar to him,
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so that the appropriate ruling may be applied.
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The prohibition of receiving zakat for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
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and the lawfulness of receiving gifts for him;
13:10
this is why he asked about the bowl of milk,
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and once informed it was a gift, he accepted it.
13:17
The hadith encompasses several etiquettes of eating and drinking,
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including:
13:24
The Sunnah when drinking is to sit,
13:27
and the prohibition of drinking while standing has been established in a number of hadiths.
13:32
When the server of a gathering serves a beverage to the people,
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he should take the vessel back from each person
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and then hand it himself to the next one,
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rather than leaving one guest to pass it to his companion,
13:44
to avoid any disrespect toward the guest.
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The recommendation of offering seconds to the guest,
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encouraging them to have more food or drink.
13:53
The permissibility of eating and drinking until full,
13:57
provided there is no extravagance,
13:59
and provided this is not a person's habitual practice,
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because moderation is always superior.
14:05
Giving precedence to guests, family, and servants over oneself
14:09
is among the noble traits of character and the hallmarks of the righteous.
14:13
The server of the people should be the last of them to drink.
14:18
The recommendation of drinking the remainder,
14:21
which is whatever is left in the vessel.
14:23
One should pronounce the Name of Allah (Tasmiyah) at the beginning of eating and drinking,
14:28
and praise Allah (Tahmid) at the end.
14:31
When an invited person arrives at the host's house and residence,
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he should not enter without seeking permission;
14:37
for this reason, the people of the Suffah sought permission
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when they arrived at the houses of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
14:44
It is recommended for the guest to sit in the designated place,
14:50
with each person taking a seat appropriate to them.
14:54
The permissibility of calling someone by their kunyah (teknonym)
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and shortening a name affectionately (tarkhim), as it fosters endearment and gladdens hearts.
15:04
Riyad al-Salihin.