Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (93) | Chapter on fulfilling the covenant and fulfilling the promise

0:00 *Riyadh as-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: Fulfilling Covenants and Keeping Promises

0:16 “Come not near the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better till he come to strength; and keep the covenant. Lo! of the covenant it will be asked.” (17:34)

0:26 Allah Almighty says: ﴾And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken a covenant...﴿

0:31 “O ye who believe! Fulfil your indentures. The beast of cattle is made lawful unto you (for food) except that which is announced unto you (herein), game being unlawful when ye are on the pilgrimage. Lo! Allah ordaineth that which pleaseth Him.” (5:1)

0:37 And Allah Almighty says: ﴾O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?﴿

0:45 “It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not.” (61:3)

0:51 Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

1:00 "The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it;

1:07 and when he is entrusted, he betrays his trust." Agreed upon.

1:11 A narration by Muslim adds: "Even if he fasts, prays, and claims that he is a Muslim."

1:18 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

1:28 "Four characteristics—whoever possesses them is a pure hypocrite,

1:33 and whoever possesses one of them possesses a trait of hypocrisy until he relinquishes it:

1:41 when he is entrusted, he betrays his trust; when he speaks, he lies; when he covenants, he acts treacherously;

1:48 and when he disputes, he behaves insolently." Agreed upon.

1:53 "Trait" (*khaslah*) means a quality; "acts treacherously" (*ghadar*) means breaking what was agreed upon.

2:01 "Behaves insolently" (*fajar*) means exceeding all bounds in dispute and deviating from the truth.

2:06 Among the key takeaways of the hadith: The previous hadith mentioned three traits,

2:13 whereas this one mentions four; thus, the specific count does not imply exclusivity.

2:18 Therefore, there is no contradiction between the two.

2:21 Insolence in dispute is one of the distinct traits of a hypocrite.

2:25 Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

2:30 The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me:

2:34 "If the wealth of Bahrain arrives, I will give you such-and-such, and such-and-such, and such-and-such."

2:41 However, the wealth of Bahrain did not arrive until after the Prophet (peace be upon him) had passed away.

2:47 When the wealth of Bahrain finally arrived, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered an announcer to proclaim:

2:54 "Whoever had a promise or an outstanding debt with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

3:00 let him come to us." So I went to him and said:

3:04 "The Prophet, peace be upon him, told me such-and-such."

3:10 Thereupon, Abu Bakr scooped up a handful of coins for me, and I counted them;

3:15 they amounted to five hundred. He then said to me: "Take double that amount as well." Agreed upon.

3:23 "Such-and-such, and such-and-such, and such-and-such"

3:26 was a gesture indicating scooping up handfuls three times.

3:30 "Passed away" (*qubida*) means died; "promise" (*'idah*) refers to whatever he had promised him.

3:38 "Scooped up a handful for me" (*hatha li hathyah*) means he scooped up money for me using both his hands.

3:43 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

3:47 It is recommended to fulfill promises and carry out covenants,

3:51 just as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did

3:54 when he assumed the leadership after the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

3:58 He took personal responsibility for whatever duties—whether obligatory or voluntary—the Prophet had undertaken.

4:02 Hence, he discharged every single debt and promise owed by the Prophet, peace be upon him.

4:09 The Prophet, peace be upon him, loved fulfilling promises and carrying out covenants.

4:17 A report transmitted by a single trustworthy narrator (*khabar al-wahid*) constitutes binding legal proof in itself.

4:20 For this reason, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq hastened to give Jabir his share,

4:24 relying entirely on his report and deeming him truthful.

4:30 Chapter: The Recommendation of Perseverance in Good Deeds Previously Habitual

4:34 Allah Almighty says:

4:38 “For him are angels ranged before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts; and if Allah willeth misfortune for a folk there is none that can repel it, nor have they a defender beside Him.” (13:11)

4:45 And Allah Almighty says:

4:48 “And be not like unto her who unravelleth the thread, after she hath made it strong, to thin filaments, making your oaths a deceit between you because of a nation being more numerous than (another) nation. Allah only trieth you thereby, and He verily will explain to you on the Day of Resurrection that wherein ye differed.” (16:92)

4:55 The word *ankathan* (untwinted strands) is the plural of *nakth*, which refers to unravelled spun yarn.

5:00 And Allah Almighty says:

5:02 “Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16)

5:06 “Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah's reminder and to the truth which is revealed, that they become not as those who received the scripture of old but the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened, and many of them are evil-livers.” (57:16)

5:10 And Allah Almighty says:

5:12 “Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.” (57:27)

5:18 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported:

5:23 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me:

5:27 "O 'Abdullah,

5:29 do not be like so-and-so;

5:31 he used to offer night prayers,

5:33 but then he abandoned night prayer altogether."

5:36 Agreed upon.

5:38 Chapter: The Recommendation of Pleasant Speech and a Cheerful Demeanor Upon Meeting Others

5:47 Allah Almighty says:

5:49 ﴾And lower your wing to the believers...﴿

5:52 And Allah Almighty says:

5:54 ﴾And if you had been rude in speech and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you...﴿

6:00 'Adi Ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

6:05 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

6:09 "Guard yourselves against the Fire, even if only with half a date.

6:12 And whoever cannot find even that,

6:14 then with a good word."

6:17 Agreed upon.

6:19 Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported

6:23 that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

6:27 "A good word is a charity."

6:30 Agreed upon.

6:32 Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

6:35 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me:

6:39 "Do not disdain any good deed whatsoever,

6:43 even if it is merely meeting your brother with a cheerful face."

6:47 Narrated by Muslim.

6:49 Chapter: The Recommendation of Speaking Clearly and Articulately to the Listener,

6:57 and Repeating Speech to Ensure Comprehension When Necessary

7:02 Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported

7:05 that whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

7:08 spoke a sentence,

7:11 he would repeat it three times so that it might be fully understood from him;

7:15 and whenever he came upon a group of people and greeted them,

7:19 he would greet them three times.

7:23 Narrated by al-Bukhari.

7:25 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

7:28 Repeating greetings and speech

7:30 when there is concern that one might not be heard or understood

7:33 is a recommended practice.

7:36 Repeating something three times

7:38 usually ensures complete clarity.

7:41 It illustrates the proper style of discourse and speech in teaching and admonition.

7:46 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:

7:52 "The speech of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

7:56 was clear and distinct,

7:58 understood by everyone who heard it."

8:01 Narrated by Abu Dawud.

8:03 "Distinct" (*fasl*)

8:05 means clear and self-evident.

8:09 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

8:11 Speech must be clear,

8:13 free from ambiguity,

8:15 and transparent in its intended meaning.

8:17 One should not hesitate in articulating the truth being spoken.

8:22 A speaker ought to ensure that the listeners comprehend his speech,

8:27 so that no part of it remains obscure to any of them.

8:31 One should project one's voice to every listener to the best of one's ability,

8:36 so that all present may benefit.

8:40 A caller to Allah (*da'i*) ought to

8:42 exert every effort to convey his words to everyone eager to hear them.

8:48 A caller should be compassionate toward those he addresses

8:52 when delivering the truth to them,

8:55 showing genuine concern for them

8:57 and prioritizing their well-being above his own affairs.

9:00 Chapter: A Listener's Duty to Attentively Listen to Permissible Speech,

9:08 and the Scholar's or Preacher's Call for Silence Among the Audience

9:12 Jarir Ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

9:17 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me during the Farewell Pilgrimage:

9:23 "Call upon the people to be silent and listen."

9:25 He then said:

9:27 "Do not revert after me to behaving like disbelievers, striking the necks of one another."

9:32 Agreed upon.

9:35 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

9:38 It is permissible for a scholar to request the audience to listen to him,

9:43 and to designate someone to convey that request

9:46 or someone capable of hushing the crowd.

9:49 Listening attentively to scholars is an obligation upon students,

9:53 because scholars are the heirs of the Prophets.

9:56 The first stage of knowledge is listening,

9:58 followed by attentive silence,

10:00 then memorization,

10:01 then application,

10:02 and finally dissemination.

10:04 The Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade his Ummah

10:09 from reverting to their Jahiliyyah practices

10:13 of deeming one another's blood lawful to shed.

10:17 Muslims fighting against one another

10:20 resembles the conduct of disbelievers,

10:22 whom Allah has commanded us to refrain from imitating in any matter whatsoever,

10:28 requiring us to remain distinct from them in all things,

10:31 so that we may be the best community brought forth for mankind.

10:35 This hadith is among the proofs of his prophethood,

10:39 as it contains a prophetic forewarning

10:43 that this Ummah would draw the sword against itself

10:47 and destroy its own vital strength from within;

10:50 hence he explicitly warned them against doing so.

10:55 Chapter: Moderation in Preaching and Exhortation

11:00 Allah Almighty says:

11:02 ﴾Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction...﴿

11:07 Abu Wa'il,

11:10 Shaqiq Ibn Salamah, reported:

11:13 Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to preach to us every Thursday.

11:18 A man said to him:

11:20 "O Abu 'Abd ar-Rahman,

11:22 I wish that you would preach to us every day."

11:26 He replied:

11:27 "As for that, the only thing preventing me is that I dislike causing you boredom.

11:32 I deliberately space out my exhortations to you

11:35 just as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to space them out to us,

11:41 out of concern that we might grow weary."

11:44 Agreed upon.

11:46 "Space out to us" (*yatakhawwaluna*)

11:48 means to choose suitable times for us.

11:50 "Weariness" (*as-sa'amah*)

11:53 means boredom and annoyance.

11:55 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

11:58 It is recommended to space out exhortations

12:01 for fear of inducing weariness.

12:03 It demonstrates that the deeds most beloved to Allah are those done consistently, even if small.

12:08 A preacher ought to make his sermon engaging,

12:13 so that people are eager to listen to it;

12:16 and this can only be achieved through knowledge accompanied by action.

12:21 A preacher should not accede to every demand made of him;

12:25 rather, he should evaluate for himself what is appropriate in each circumstance,

12:30 because he assesses matters through the insight of his knowledge,

12:33 whereas people often act on emotional impulse.

12:37 Abu al-Yaqzan 'Ammar Ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them) reported:

12:43 I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:

12:48 "Indeed, the length of a man's prayer and the shortness of his sermon

12:52 are a sign of his deep understanding of fiqh.

12:54 So lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon."

12:58 Narrated by Muslim.

13:00 "A sign" (*ma'innah*) means an indicator pointing to deep understanding (*fiqh*).

13:05 Among the key takeaways of the hadith:

13:08 The Friday prayer ought to be longer than the sermon.

13:13 Prolonging the prayer should not be so excessive as to cause undue hardship to the congregants,

13:18 nor should it alienate the weak or those with urgent needs.

13:21 Giving matters their due rights, placing them in proper perspective,

13:25 and approaching them through the channels ordained by Allah

13:28 can only be attained through sound understanding (*fiqh*) of the religion.

13:32 Mu'awiyah Ibn al-Hakam as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

13:38 While I was praying alongside the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

13:43 a man among the congregation sneezed,

13:46 so I said:

13:47 "May Allah have mercy on you!"

13:49 The people glared at me with their eyes,

13:52 so I exclaimed:

13:53 "Woe be to me!

13:55 "What is the matter with you, looking at me?"

13:58 So they began striking their thighs with their hands.

14:02 When I realized they were trying to silence me,

14:05 I fell silent.

14:07 When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished praying—

14:11 may my father and mother be sacrificed for him—

14:13 I have never seen a teacher before him or after him better at teaching than he was.

14:19 By Allah, he did not scold me, strike me, or insult me.

14:24 He said:

14:25 "Indeed, in this prayer of ours, nothing of human speech is permissible;

14:30 it is only glorification of Allah (tasbeeh), magnification of Him (takbeer),

14:33 and the recitation of the Qur'an,"

14:36 or as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said.

14:40 I said, "O Messenger of Allah,

14:44 I have only recently left the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (Jahiliyyah),

14:47 and Allah has now brought Islam,

14:50 yet among us there are men who visit soothsayers."

14:54 He said:

14:55 "Do not visit them."

14:57 I said:

14:58 "And among us there are men who practice augury (seek omens)."

15:01 He said:

15:02 "That is something they find within their own hearts,

15:06 so let it not turn them back."

15:08 Related by Muslim.

15:10 "Thukl" refers to loss, affliction, and bereavement.

15:14 "He did not scold me (kaharani)" means: he did not rebuke or reprimand me.

15:18 Among the lessons derived from this hadith:

15:22 The permissibility of minor movement in prayer when necessary,

15:26 and that the invalidation of prayer due to movement is not strictly limited to three movements.

15:32 A clear demonstration of the sublime character of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

15:37 to which Allah Almighty bore witness.

15:41 The Prophet's gentleness with the ignorant,

15:45 as well as his compassion and mercy toward his Ummah.

15:49 The prohibition of talking during prayer,

15:52 whether out of a perceived need or otherwise,

15:56 and whether for the sake of the prayer itself or not.

16:00 Speech uttered out of ignorance during prayer does not invalidate it,

16:05 provided it is brief

16:07 and does not alter the fundamental nature of the prayer.

16:12 The prohibition of saying "Yarhamukallah" to someone who sneezes during prayer,

16:15 as it constitutes human speech that is forbidden in prayer,

16:19 which invalidates it if done knowingly and intentionally.

16:23 The prohibition of visiting soothsayers,

16:26 because they claim knowledge of the unseen (Ghayb),

16:30 which no one knows except Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

16:33 Going to soothsayers is prohibited by scholarly consensus (ijma');

16:38 whoever goes to them will not have their prayer accepted for forty days,

16:43 and whoever asks them and believes what they say

16:46 has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).

16:51 Belief in bad omens must not deter a Muslim

16:55 from pursuing whatever beneficial action they intended to do.

17:00 On the authority of Al-'Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

17:04 "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave us a deeply moving sermon

17:09 by which hearts were filled with awe and eyes overflowed with tears..."

17:13 and he mentioned the rest of the hadith.

17:15 This hadith has already been cited in its entirety in the chapter on the command to adhere to the Sunnah

17:21 in Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (93) | Chapter on fulfilling the covenant and fulfilling the promise

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