Cautioning of Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd to one of his comrades

 

Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd said to one of his companions:

“You are living in an age in which scholars of jurisprudence are numerous, while those who recite [and memorize] the Qur’an are few, an age in which the limits set by the Qur’an are preserved in people’s memories though its specific words may be lost. It is an age in which those who ask are few, while those who have answers to give are many, in which they prolong prayer while keeping their sermons brief, and in which people show preference for [virtuous] action over whims and desires.

 

However, an age is coming in which scholars of jurisprudence will be few, while those who recite and memorize the Qur’an will be many. The words of the Qur’an will be committed to memory while the limits it sets will be lost. Many will be those who ask, but few will be those who have answers to give. Their sermons will be lengthy and their prayers brief, while they show preference for their whims and desires over the virtuous actions they might perform.”

[Narrated by Imam Malik with a chain of transmission traceable to Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd. See al-Muwatta’, the section entitled Jami al-Salah (“A Compendium on Ritual Prayer”)]

 

Indeed, both our academic and practical lives have been afflicted by many such imbalances and reversals in values and priorities.

The numbers of those who recite and memorize the Qur’an are on the rise while those who derive true knowledge and wisdom from it have grown steadily fewer.

 

There is an exaggerated emphasis on mastering forms and utterances, while the meanings which they were meant to convey and the rulings for which they form the basis are lost.

 

Attention is given to appearances and formalities, while objectives and essences are overlooked. Particulars rule the day while universals are, for all practical purposes, forgotten.

 

Traditions based on the example of the Prophet (ﷺ) are put to death while innovations are brought to the fore.

 

[Taken from “Theory of higher objectives and intents of Islamic law”, pg 16]

 

Imam Shaybani’s first encounter with Imam Malik [rahimahullah]

When the young Iraqi jurist, Imam Shaybani [Muhammed Ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani], visited Madina for the first time, he went incognito to the circle of Imam Malik and inquired:

“What is your opinion about a person who is in need of major ablution (ghusl) and who comes to a mosque and finds that the water for ablution is available only in the mosque where a congregational prayer is already in progress?”

Imam Malik replied: “A person who is in need of major ablution cannot enter mosque.”

The young stranger repeated the question several times only to receive the same answer from Imam Malik. Noticing that the young man was not satisfied with the answer, the teacher asked: “What, then, is your opinion?”

“He should make tayammum, enter the mosque, obtain water and make ablution to join the prayer”, came the prompt answer.

Astonished with the clarity and presence of mind of the young visitor, Imam Malik asked: “Where are you from?” “From here,” (pointing to the earth) was the answer.

When he left the company, Imam Malik asked his colleagues as to who the visitor was. When he was told that he was a young disciple of Abu Hanifah from Iraq, he wondered: “But he told me he was from here!” When it was explained to him that while saying so he had pointed to the earth, Imam Malik observed that his second answer was even more astonishing and intelligent.

[Al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, Tareekh Baghdad (Cairo, 1931), vol. II, pp. 174-175]

Benefits:

• Everything is not known to anyone except to Allah: No matter how knowledgeable one is, it is always possible that he might not know what other knows even those with lesser knowledge.

 

• Manners: Imam Malik did not show his anger to this stranger even though he repeated his question several times.

 

• Respect: Imam Malik did not become angry on being told different answer to his by al-Shaybani. He did not say: “How dare he to ask me?” “Who is he to question my knowledge?” since I am the Imam of Madina etc. etc. Rather he respected his knowledge and admired it.

 

 

• Travelling to learn knowledge: Scholars of past used to travel to different parts of world to gain knowledge. Even Musa [alaihi salam] travelled to meet Khidr to gain knowledge from him bestowed on him by Allah.

[Benefit notes by Admin]

Everyone is Different! A great reminder in this conversation of Imam Malik [rahimahullah]

 

‘Abdullāh bin ‘Abdul-’Azīz al-‘Umarī رحمه الله once wrote a letter to al-Imām Mālik رحمه الله encouraging him to worship in solitude and to abandon the gatherings of people in knowledge. So al-Imām Mālik رحمه الله wrote to him in reply

, “Indeed Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has apportioned actions amongst His servants the same way He has distributed provisions.

 

So it may be that Ṣalāh (voluntary indulgence) has been made easy upon an individual whereas Ṣiyām is not.

 

And it is possible that Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has made it easy for someone else to wage in Jihād (voluntary indulgence) whilst indulgence in Ṣalāh is not made as easy.

 

And it is also possible that Ṣadaqah is made easy for someone else whereas Ṣiyām is not.

 

You are you well aware that spreading and teaching knowledge is from amongst the most virtues actions and I am pleased with what Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has made easy upon me and given me from it. I do not suspect that what I am indulged in and what you are indulged in is other than worship and both of us are upon goodness in shā Allāh.” [1]

 

This story is filled with some amazing lessons and in shā‘ Allāh I shall be sharing few of them in this post.

 

Lesson 1:

 The first thing we learn is the righteousness in the heart of ‘Abdullāh al-‘Umarī رحمه الله when he wrote a letter advising his Muslim brother. This is a practice many Muslims have forgotten. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“Religion is naṣīḥah.” We said: “To whom?” The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “To Allāh and His Book, and His messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” [2]

 

Many a times we find people wanting to give advice to their brothers but they end up using incorrect means to do so such as:

1.   They do not maintain the correct mannerism when giving advice

2.   They backbite and ‘share’ the mistake of the brother by telling it to someone else and not telling to the actual brother.

 

Lesson 2: 

I used to think that any Muslim who is not actively involved in seeking knowledge or not intending to do so is not a ‘good’ Muslim. But the reality couldn’t be any different. This incident of al-Imām Mālik رحمه الله, firstly, shows his in depth knowledge of this Dīn. Secondly; it also shows on how the deeds differ from people to people. Not everyone is same. Some people might be good at one type of good deeds and others are good something else. Some people have a strong passion for charitable works and they are not good at memorizing Qur’ān. This should not be a reason to discriminate between Muslims. However, one should keep in mind that we are referring to Sunan and Nawāfil actions and not the Fard ones. We, as Muslims, are in such a situation in our lifetime (as an Ummah) that there is a huge demand of good Muslims in every field of life from worship in solitude to being a good politician.

It is narrated that

‘Ali رضي الله عنه said, “We were accompanying a funeral procession in Baqī` Al-Gharqad when the Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم proceeded towards us and sat down. We sat around him. He had a small stick in his hand. He was bending down his head and scraping the ground with the stick. He said, “There is none among you but has a place assigned for him either in the Jannah or in the Hell.” The Companions said: “O Messenger of Allāh, should we not depend upon what has been written for us (and give up doing good deeds)?’” The Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه و سلم said, “Carry on doing good deeds. Every one will find it easy to do such deeds (as will lead him to his destined place) for which he has been created.” [3]

 

This ḥadīth tells us that we should continue performing any good deeds we are currently performing. Whatever they maybe, they could the means towards our end to Jannah. One should also not feel bitter by seeing someone engaged in, for instance, Islamic activism whilst he is busy in charity work degrading his own actions. Maybe Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has made it easy for this person charity and that will lead him to Jannah. Each one of us should sit down with themselves and contemplate. Which voluntary deed do I enjoy doing? Which voluntary deed I often find myself engaging in? Is it dhikr? Is it recitation of Qur’ān? Is it spending money in charity? This way we can build upon our already obligatory deeds (which we should be fulfilling anyway!)

 

 

Lesson 3:

Finally, we also see al-Imām Mālik رحمه الله’s good akhlāq when he responds to the letter. He does not have bad suspicion about his brother rather he accepts his advice with patience. He does not blast at him. He does not insult him. He does not tell him, “Who are you to tell me when I am Imām Mālik?!” We have probably never heard of ‘Abdullāh al-‘Umarīرحمه الله but he advised al-Imām Mālik رحمه الله who, being the giant he was, politely accepts his advice unlike many of us who are maybe more learned religiously or even in worldly issues. He was not like those whom Allāh سبحانه و تعالى has mentioned in the āyah,

“And when it is said to him, ‘Fear Allah’, he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!” [4]

 

On top of that, he also concludes his letter by saying that both of them were involved in worship. This shows that he did not put down anyone’s effort in Dīn whatever it may be and how little it may be.

And Allāh سبحانه و تعالى knows best

 

Footnotes:

[1] Tanwīr ul-Ḥawālik

[2] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

[3] Ṣaḥīḥ ul-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

[4] Sūrat ul-Baqarah,2:206

 

Taken from alMufakkir blog.

 

“I Wish To be Killed Following The Sunnah”

 

Ibn Al-’Arabi Al-Maaliki said: ‘I once invited Shaikh Abu Bakr Al-Fihri in Muharras Ibn Ash-Shawwa’ at Ath- Thagr. Abu Bakr was of those eminent Shaikhs who earnestly followed the prophet’s example in raising his hands in Salaat. He arrived at the Thagr where I teach.

 

The Shaikh entered the mosque and stood in the first row. And I was standing at its end near a window looking over the sea to enjoy the breeze. In the same row, there were the chief of the sea crew Abu Thamnah, his deputy and some members of the crew waiting for the Imaam to lead them in the Salaat.

 

During his [Naafilah] Salaat, the Shaikh raised his hands when doing Ruku‘ and when raising from it. Abu Thamnah addressed his companions: ‘Do you see what has this eastern done?! Go and Kill him and throw his body in the sea and let no one see you’. Hearing this, I felt that my heart jumped into my throat and said to them: ‘Subhaana Allaah, this is the great Faqeeh [scholar] of our time, At-Turtushi’.

 

They asked: ‘Why does he raise his hands then?’

 

I said: ‘This is the prophet’s (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) Sunnah and Imaam Maalik’s Mathhab as is narrated by the scholars of Madinah(*)’. Then I tried to keep them calm and quiet till the Shaikh finished his Salaat. We, then, returned back to the  residence at the Muharris. The Shaikh noticed my anger and inquired about the reason. I told him the whole thing.

 

He, then, laughed and said:

‘Indeed, I wish to be killed following the Sunnah’.

 

I said: ‘You should not do this; you are in a town where if you follow this Sunnah you will be killed’. He then said: ‘leave aside this idle talk and lets discuss something more useful’.(1)

 

FOOTNOTES:
(*) Ibn Abdil Hakam said: ‘Ibn Al-Qaasim was the only one to relate from Maalik that he used not to raise his hands in Salaat. We believe in the opposite’. See: “Al-Qawaanin Al-Fiqhiyyah” (p. 64).
(1) “Ahkaamul Qur’aan” (vol. 4 / p. 1900). It was also mentioned by Al-Qurtubi in “At- Tafsir” (vol. 19 / p. 279) and Ash-Shaatibi in “Al- I‘tisaam” (vol. 1 / p. 295).

 
[Taken from “The Clarified Ruling Of Mistakes Done In Salaah” By Sh. Mashhur Hasan Aal Salmaan, p. 95]