Chapter: On Asceticism and Renouncing the World

باب فی الزہد وترک الدعۃ — کنارہ کشی اور ترک آسائش

On withdrawal [from the world] and the abandonment of comforts.

قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى : اِعْلَمُوْٓا اَنَّمَا الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَّلَهْوٌ وَّزِيْنَةٌ وَّتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْاَمْوَالِ وَالْاَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ اَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهٗ ثُمَّ يَهِيْجُ فَتَرٰىهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُوْنُ حُطَامًا وَّفِي الْاٰخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيْدٌ وَّمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَّمَا الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَآ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُوْرِ ۔

(al-Ḥadīd 57:20)

Vocabulary: iʿlamū — know well; annama'l-ḥayātu'd-dunyā — that the life of this world is only; laʿib — play; wa lahw — and spectacle, mere amusement and play; wa zīna — and outward adornment and show; wa tafākhurun baynakum — and boasting to one another, self-importance; wa takāthur — and rivalry in abundance; fi'l-amwāli wa'l-awlād — in wealth and children. The likeness of this world is ka-mathali ghayth — like rain. Ghayth was originally ghayūth [reading uncertain]; the rain that comes after severe famine and drought is called ghayth; ghawth — one who answers a cry for help; aʿjaba'l-kuffār — it delighted the farmer, the cultivator, the one who sows. Kafr — to cover; kāfir — one who covers, one who conceals; one who conceals the truth; a tiller [is so called] because he puts the seed and covers it with soil; nabātuhu — its growth, i.e. on seeing the crop green he is glad; thumma yahīju — then it comes to full vigour, it comes to its peak; fa-tarāhu muṣfarran — then, O addressee, you see it turn yellow, i.e. the crop ripens and turns yellow; thumma yakūnu ḥuṭāman — then it becomes trampled, crushed to bits; wa fi'l-ākhira — and in the Hereafter, for the evil ones, for the disbeliever and the sinner; ʿadhābun shadīd — there is severe punishment; and for the good and the God-fearing, wa maghfiratun mina'llāhi wa riḍwān — forgiveness and good pleasure from Allah; wa ma'l-ḥayātu'd-dunyā — and the life of this world is nothing; illā matāʿu'l-ghurūr — but the goods of deception, the means of deceit, the capital of fraud.

Translation: Know well that this worldly life is play and amusement, and outward adornment, and boasting and self-importance among yourselves, and

rivalry in abundance and increase of wealth and children. Its likeness is like rain whose growth (of the crop) delights the farmer; then it comes to its peak; then you see it, that it has turned yellow; then it dries and becomes crushed to bits. And in the Hereafter there is (for some) severe punishment, and (for some) forgiveness and good pleasure from Allah Most High; and the life of this world is nothing but the capital of deception.

عَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ ﷺ اَلدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ ۔

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: sijn — prison; janna — garden.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever. (Reported by Muslim.)

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ ، اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ﷺ مَرَّ بِجَدْيٍ اَسَكَّ مَيِّتٍ قَالَ اَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ اَنَّ هٰذَا لَهٗ بِدِرْهَمٍ؟ قَالُوْا مَا نُحِبُّ اَنَّهٗ لَنَا بِشَيْءٍ قَالَ فَوَاللّٰهِ لَلدُّنْيَا اَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ مِنْ هٰذَا عَلَيْكُمْ ۔

(Reported by Muslim — Mishkāt [al-Maṣābīḥ], likewise.)

Vocabulary: jady — a small-eared goat [kid]; ahwan — most worthless, despised.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a dead small-eared goat and said: "Which of you would like this to be his in exchange for one dirham?" They said: "We would not want it even in exchange for anything at all." He said: "By God, the world is certainly more despised (worthless) with Allah than the rank this has with you." (Muslim — Mishkāt.)

وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَوْكَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تُسَاوِيْ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوْضَةٍ لَمَا سَقَى الْكَافِرَ مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ ۔

(Reported by al-Tirmidhī.)

Vocabulary: tusāwī — is equal to; janāḥ — wing, feather, pinion; baʿūḍa — mosquito.

Translation: And the Prophet ﷺ said: If the world were equal with Allah to a mosquito's wing, the disbeliever would not get even one sip of water from it.

عَنْ اَبِيْ سَعِيْدِ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ﷺ قَالَ اِنَّ مِمَّا اَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِيْ مَا يُفْتَحُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِيْنَتِهَا فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ! اَوَيَاْتِي الْخَيْرُ الشَّرَّ [reading uncertain] فَسَكَتَ حَتّٰى ظَنَنَّا اَنَّهٗ يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ فَمَسَحَ عَنْهُ الرُّحَضَاءَ وَقَالَ اَيْنَ السَّائِلُ وَكَاَنَّهٗ حَمِدَهٗ فَقَالَ اِنَّهٗ لَا يَاْتِي الْخَيْرُ بِالشَّرِّ وَاِنَّ مِمَّا يُنْبِتُ الرَّبِيْعُ مَا يَقْتُلُ حَبَطًا اَوْ يُلِمُّ اِلَّا اٰكِلَةَ الْخَضِرِ اَكَلَتْ حَتّٰى امْتَدَّتْ خَاصِرَتَاهَا اسْتَقْبَلَتْ عَيْنَ الشَّمْسِ فَثَلَطَتْ وَبَالَتْ ثُمَّ عَادَتْ فَاَكَلَتْ وَاِنَّ هٰذَا الْمَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ فَمَنْ اَخَذَهٗ بِحَقِّهٖ وَوَضَعَهٗ فِيْ حَقِّهٖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَعُوْنَةُ هُوَ وَمَنْ اَخَذَهٗ بِغَيْرِ

حَقِّهٖ كَانَ كَالَّذِيْ يَاْكُلُ وَلَا يَشْبَعُ وَيَكُوْنُ شَهِيْدًا عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ ۔ [reading uncertain]

(Agreed upon (al-Bukhārī and Muslim) — Mishkāt [al-Maṣābīḥ].)

Vocabulary: akhāfu ʿalaykum — I fear for you, I am anxious [for you]; zahratu'd-dunyā — the splendour and adornment of the world; ẓanannā — we thought, we supposed; fa-masaḥa ʿanhu'r-ruḥaḍāʾ — then he wiped away the sweat; al-rabīʿ — the spring season; akalat — she ate; imtaddat khāṣiratāhā — her belly swelled; fa-thalaṭat wa bālat — then she passed urine and dung; khaḍira — green, lush.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Among the things for which I fear for you after me is what will be opened up to you of the splendour and adornment of the world." A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, will evil also come along with good?" He fell silent, so much so that we thought revelation was descending upon him. The narrator said: Then he wiped away the sweat and said: "Where is the one who asked?" — as though he praised him. Then he said: "Evil does not come from good. But the spring season also grows such things as kill by swelling the belly, or bring one close to death. Is it not so? — [except] the one that eats greenery, who has eaten until both her flanks are filled and swollen; then she came out into the sunshine and passes urine and dung, then returns and eats again. And this worldly wealth is fresh and sweet. So whoever takes it rightfully and spends it on what is its due, it is the best of helpers; and whoever takes it wrongfully, his likeness is that of a man who eats and is not satisfied, and that wealth will become a witness against him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon — Mishkāt.)

وَعَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ رِزْقَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ قُوْتًا ۔ وَفِيْ رِوَايَةٍ "كَفَافًا" ۔

(Agreed upon (al-Bukhārī and Muslim).)

Vocabulary: qūt — provision, food; kafāf — sufficient.

Translation: And Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: O Allah! Give the family of Muḥammad such provision as keeps them alive, or is sufficient for life. (Agreed upon.)

وَعَنْ اَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُوْلُ الْعَبْدُ مَالِيْ مَالِيْ وَاِنَّ مَالَهٗ مِنْ مَالِهٖ ثَلَاثٌ مَا اَكَلَ فَاَفْنٰى اَوْلَبِسَ فَاَبْلٰى اَوْ اَعْطٰى فَاقْتَنٰى وَمَاسِوٰى ذٰلِكَ فَهُوَ ذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهٗ لِلنَّاسِ ۔

(Reported by Muslim.)

Vocabulary: mā akala fa-afnā — what he ate, he digested it; labisa fa-ablā — he wore it and wore it out.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The servant says "my wealth, my wealth", yet of that wealth his wealth is of three kinds: what he ate and digested, or wore and wore out by rubbing (made old), or gave and stored up (for the Hereafter); and everything besides this is going to go, and he is going to leave it for people.

عَنْ اَبِيْ بُرْدَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلٰى عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا فَاَخْرَجَتْ اِلَيْنَا كِسَاءً مُلَبَّدًا وَاِزَارًا غَلِيْظًا فَقَالَتْ قُبِضَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيْ هٰذَيْنِ ۔

(Compiled by the Five, except al-Nasāʾī.)

Vocabulary: fa-akhrajat — so she brought out; kisāʾ — cloth, sheet, blanket; ghalīẓ — thick.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Abū Burda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I went to Ḥaḍrat Bībī ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and she brought out a coarse-haired blanket and a thick waist-wrapper, then said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away in these very two garments. (Its compilation is by the Five, except al-Nasāʾī.)

عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُوْدٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ عَلٰى مُوْسٰى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَوْمَ كَلَّمَهٗ رَبُّهٗ تَعَالٰى سَرَاوِيْلُ صُوْفٍ وَجُبَّةُ صُوْفٍ وَكِسَاءُ صُوْفٍ وَكُمَّةُ صُوْفٍ ۔

(al-Tirmidhī.) [reading uncertain]

Vocabulary: sarāwīl — trousers; ṣūf — wool; kisāʾ — sheet; kumma [reading uncertain] — its sleeve.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: On Mūsā (peace be upon him), on the day his Sustainer spoke with him, there were woollen trousers, and a cloak of wool, and a blanket of wool, and its sleeves too were of wool. (al-Tirmidhī.)

عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْاَشْجَعِيِّ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اَنَا وَامْرَاَةٌ سَفْعَاءُ الْخَدَّيْنِ كَهَاتَيْنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ اِمْرَاَةٌ اٰمَتْ مِنْ زَوْجِهَا ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ حَبَسَتْ نَفْسَهَا عَلٰى يَتَامَاهَا حَتّٰى يَاْتُوْا اَوْمَاتُوْا ۔ [reading uncertain]

(Compiled by Abū Dāwūd.)

Vocabulary: āmat — she became a widow; manṣib — standing, status; jamāl — beauty; yatāmāhā — that woman's orphan children.

Translation: Ḥaḍrat ʿAwf ibn Mālik al-Ashjaʿī (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the noble Prophet ﷺ said: I and a woman with sunken cheeks will be like this on the Day of Resurrection — the woman who became a widow and remained without a husband, though she possessed status and beauty; she devoted herself to her orphan (children) until they reached maturity or died. (Abū Dāwūd.)