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by
Ibn Nuhaas
Commentary by Yusuf Estes |
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Note:
"Jihad" means lit. - struggle and is understood in the
context of Islamic teachings as struggle for the sake of Almighty
God. This can mean struggling to overcome evil within one's own
self, in the society or even the struggle against enemies, terrorists
and oppression where ever it may be found. The word most often
associated with military combat throughout the Quran is not the
word "jihad," but rather, it is the word, "qital"
and it means exactly to engage in mortal combat against the enemy.
However, there can never be oppression committed in the name of
Islam by misusing these teachings.
Brief
commentary about Ibn Nuhaas
Ibn
Nuhaas was a scholar and mujahid from the past and was mentioned
by the great scholar, Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani(1) by the
following words, "He was inseparable from jihaad in the
front line of Demyaat, and this is a perfect and excellent quality".
What
other scholars say about him:
As-Sakhaawy3
states: "He strove in doing good, and preferred obscurity,
he did not become proud because of his knowledge, on the contrary
maybe those who did not know him would think him to be a commoner,
with his pleasant appearance, beautiful beard, stocky and even
body, he participated much in ribaat4 and jihaad until he was
martyred"
Abu
Imaad States: "The sheikh, the Imam, the scholar and the
example" During the year of 814 hijry the enemy attacked
the people of At-Teenah, a village in Egypt, and the people
of Demyaat marched to their help, the most notable of them being
Ibn-Nuhaas. There then flared an immense battle between the
two sides and Ibn-Nuhaas was killed whilst attacking the enemy
not fleeing.
Modern
day scholars mention his works as following:
Abu
Abdul-Faatih Alee bin Haaj5 states about this very extract:
"The best that I have read from Ibn-Nuhaas Ad-Demyaaty
is an investigation which explains the reasons for sitting back
from jihaad in the cause of Allah the most high, so I wish to
quote it in it’s entirety for that which it contains of
benefits for the rest of the brothers, maybe Allah will awaken
the sleeping concerns..."6
Shaheed
Abdullah Azzaam7 stated: "This is the best book written
on jihaad"
[This article is actually only taken from his introduction to
his book on Jihad. This article has been translated from Arabic]
Shaheed8 Ibn Nuhaas warns on page 113-132, volume 1...
Know!
Oh abstainer from that which has been obligated of jihaad!
[Jihad = struggle against terrorism,
aggression and oppression]
Deviator
from the ways of success and correctness, that you have been exposed
to expulsion and relegation. By Allah! Prevented from happiness
by obtaining the objective. What that I knew! The reason for your
abstinence from fighting and plunging yourself into the battles
of the brave. Your miserliness in the path of Allah with your
soul and wealth. All this is due to distant hopes, fear of an
on-slaughting life span and hatred of leaving a beloved from family,
wealth, son, servant, or relative. A blood brother of yours, a
compassionate relative, a generous supporter, a cherished friend,
working extra pious deeds, love of a beautiful wife, a preventative
high
rank, a lofty position, a raised palace, a long shade, magnificent
garments or wholesome food. There is not beside these that hinder
you from jihaad and none beside these distant you from the Lord
of the worshipers. By Allah!
What is this from you? Oh brother! Did you not hear the words
of the Most High?
"Oh
you who believe what is the matter with you that when you are
asked to march forward in the cause of Allah you cling heavily
to the earth are you pleased with the life of this world rather
than the hereafter but little is the enjoyment of the life of
this world as compared with the hereafter "
(At-Tauba:38)
Hearken!
To that which I dictate to you of decisive evidences and listen
that which I present to you of glaring proofs, so that you may
learn, nothing hinders from jihaad, not even the two Holy Mosques9
and there is no reason for your delay except the lower self and
the devil.
"But
I fear death! "
As
for your appease to distant hopes, fear of an on-slaughting life
span, vigilance of death which must occur and fear of the path
which must be traversed, by Allah! Verily! Bravery does not shorten
the life of the brave just as refrainment does not lengthen the
life of those who lag behind:
"And
every nation has its appointed term when there term is reached
neither an hour can they delay nor an hour can they advance."
(Al A’raaf:34)
"And
Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time comes and
Allah is all aware of what you do."
(Al-Munaafiqoon:11)
Verily!
In death there is swooning Oh tribulated one! Verily! The terror
of the dying is great but you do not sense and verily! In the
grave there is a punishment none is saved from it except the righteous.
Verily!
In it there is the Questioning of the two tribulating angels:
"Allah
will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm
in this world and the hereafter and Allah will cause to go astray
those who are wrong doers" (Ibraaheem:27)
Then
after this immense danger either blessed and to the everlasting
pleasure or accursed and hence to the punishment of the fire.
The martyr is safe from all this, he fears not a thing from these
destructors and the prophet of Allah (S.A.W) has stated: "The
martyr feels not the pain of
killing except like a pinch"10 So do not hinder Oh brother!
From seizing this opportunity, and you would be protected in the
grave from punishment and you would be victorious in the reckoning
of Allah. Attaining an excellent return, you would be saved from
the tribulation of the Questioning
and that which is after it of intense fear, for the martyrs are
alive with their Lord provided for, no fear upon them nor do they
sadden. Happy for what Allah has bestowed upon them from his favours
and they rejoice, their souls in the bodies of green birds flying
freely in the highest parts of paradise. What a difference between
this noble death and a painful death !
"But
my relatives and wealth! "
If
you say: "my relatives, wealth, children and family hamper
me from jihaad", for Allah has stated words that are clear
not concealed:
"and
it is not your wealth nor your children that bring you nearer
to us..."
(Saba:37)
and the Most High says:
"Beautified
for men is the love of things they covet; women children much
of gold silver branded beautiful horse, cattle and well tilled
land.
This is the pleasure of the present worlds life, but Allah has
the
excellent return"(Al-Imraan:14)
and
the Most High says:
"Know
that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and
mutual boasting among you and rivalry in respect of wealth and
children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain , thereof the
growth is pleasing to the tiller, afterwards it dries up and you
see it turning yellow then it becomes straw. But in the hereafter
a severe torment and forgiveness from Allah and good pleasure
whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment"
(Al-Hadeed:20)
There
are many verses similar to this and the proofs are clear and gleaming.
In a hadeeth; "If the present world were to be worth the
wing of a mosquito in the reckoning of Allah he would not give
a disbeliever a drink of water from it"11 and the prophet
(SAW) has said "The space of a whip of any one of you in
paradise is better than the present world and that which is in
it, a morning march in the cause of Allah or an evening march
is better than the
present world and that which is in it and the veil of a woman
from the people of paradise is better than the present world and
that which is in it"12. So how do you let hinder you from
this vast kingdom a family? Who after a while will be amongst
the dead, tear them apart the hands of the dispersers and split
them the decent of diseases. With that which emanates from them
of annoyance, enmity, bad manners and malevolence for that which
you averted from their share to loss. Their desertion of you when
wealth is scarce and their transformation to love of you when
situations change.
Greater than this their abandonment of you on the Day of Consequences,
holding you to account for the smallest of things at the moment
of the Grand Questioning so much so that each one of them would
wish that he be saved and you carry that which is upon him of
sins and burdens.
How
do you let hamper you that which is in the fair of departure and
decline? Fleeing from you when friendship is lost and when relatives
disperse. Abandoning you every friend who use to frequent your
company, then on the Day of Judgement you will be asked about
him, where did you meet? And what did you do? Oh you who will
be questioned! On a day that children will
become grey haired, fears intensified, crushing crowds plentiful,
disputes heated, every suckling mother shall neglect her suckling
infant and every pregnant mother shall miscarry13 from the fear
of that day. The guilty shall be known by their marks and they
shall be grabbed by their forelocks and their feet14.
On
that Day the rich shall be held to account for the spot on a date
and the skin of a date pip, the significant and the wretched,
the incomplete and complete and the poor shall precede the wealthy
to paradise by five hundred years15. They shall feast, drink and
enjoy in the abode of peace, whilst you Oh rich one! Shall be
held from them because of your wealth and you will
fear that you be ordered to be taken to Maalik16. Then do you
sadden upon the departure of that17 which if scarce increases
your worries and concerns, if plentiful makes you rich and causes
you to transgress, if you die you leave it behind you, of the
things which you return. In front of you the standing and accounting
for it, what can make you perceive? Give it that the
whole world in its entirety is yours, is not to an end its eventuality?
Your departure from it is a must, even if you cling to its deceptive
glory.
"But
my precious son! "
If
you remember your precious son and you sympathise for him the
sympathy of a compassionate father, for Allah the Most High has
said:
"Your
wealth and your children are only a trial whereas Allah with him
is a great reward" (At-Taghaabun:15)
By
Allah! He is more merciful to the child than his father, mother,
brother and uncle and how not! when he had nurtured him before
them with the breast of his mercy in the darkness of the interior
organs. The child’s heart is in the hand of his gentleness
and mercy in the womb of his mother and the loins of his father.
So where was your compassion and sympathy for him when he was
such? And after you where will be your closeness to him? How do
you let hamper you from the abode of pleasure and neighbouring
the noble Lord? A child who if small, you are with him concerned,
or large for you are with him grieved, healthy for you fear for
him, sick and your heart due to its weakness restless. If you
manner him he angers and bolts or advise him, he
sulks and bears grudge. With that which you expect from him of
disobedience as of from many children. If you give precedence
to your cowardliness, if you pass by your miserliness, if you
abstain from your preferences, then the trial will be greater.
You hold it to be a blessing, but the tribulation will prevail
and you see it as a favour. You wish for him contentment at the
sake of your worry, his happiness for your sadness, his profit
at your loss and increase in his dirham and dinar at decrease
in your scale You burden for his sake that which you can not and
you enter because of him into every tight situation. Cast him!
Oh you! from your concern to he who created you and created him,
trust his sustenance after you, upon the one who sustains
you and sustains him. You have surrendered to Allah control of
the affairs of the dominion and the realm and you do not surrender
to him control of the affairs of your child after you die, and
do you have even a slight control over such?
"...and
to Allah belongs the domain and the earth and that is between
them and to him is the return" (Al-Ma’idah:18)
By
Allah! You do not posses the ability to benefit or harm him or
yourself.
Nor the ability of causing death, life or resurrection, you can
not increase his life span by even slight nor his sustenance by
the spot on a date. Death could ravage you suddenly then you would
be reduced to powder in your grave, cast down and because of your
deeds held prisoner, your dear child after you an orphan. Your
wealth divided, you are inherited by an enemy or one of mercy,
your family disperses in departure and residence and you say:
"Oh that I would have been amongst the martyrs! I would have
won an immense reward.", and it is said to you: Impossible!
Impossible! Passed that which has passed. Regrets will be intensified
and you will be alone with that which you have sent forth of good
deeds and bad. Verily! Listen to the words
of Allah the Mighty, the Forgiving warning you about that which
you are in of deception:
"Oh
mankind be afraid of your lord and fear a day when no father can
avail ought for his son nor a son avail ought for his father,
verily the promise of Allah is true , let not then this present
life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver deceive you about
Allah" (Luqmaan:33)
If
your child is from amongst the blessed, then you shall be joined
with him in paradise and if he is of the accursed , then he shall
be so from now. The people of paradise do not join with the people
of the fire, nor the pious with the wicked, it maybe that Allah
grants you martyrdom and you intercede for him. Your absence from
him would be an endeavour to save him, so seek
that which will save you from the punishment and exert yourself
in it for tomorrow:
"That
day shall a man flee from his brother, and from his mother and
his father, and from his wife and his children. Every man that
day will have enough to make him careless of others."
(Abasa:34-37)
Verily!
This is an immense declaration:
"...and
Allah guides whom he wills to a straight path" (Al-Baqarah:213)
"But
my dear ones! "
If
you say: "It is difficult for me to part from a brother,
relative, friend or dear one", for you it is as if the Resurrection
has already been established upon the entire of creation:
"Friends
on that day will be foes one to another except the pious."
(Az-Zukhruf:67)
For
if the friendship was for Allah’s sake, then you shall be
joined in the highest ranks, in luxury forever and if the friendship
was for other than Allah, then from now: Departure! Departure!
Before comrade be joined with comrade, because a person in the
hereafter is with his dear one, for his participating with the
other in achieving his desire. If he is of the God fearing, his
brother will benefit him and if he is of the accursed he will
damage him.
With
that which you expect from relatives and friends in this abode
of harshness, aversion, little loyalty, much annoyance, lack of
fairness, their transformation in your presence and their blame
of you. Their injustice to you, their abandonment of you during
loss of possessions and that which their hearts conceal of defects
and diseases. If you fall into hardship they leave you to yourself,
or if you make a mistake they free themselves from you, brothers
of prosperity and enemies of hardship. Their friendship necessitates
affluence, their companionship is fraught with pains, if your
wealth is little you are cuffed and if your situation changes
he is your
brother! Your brother! If you are in doubt about part of this
declaration, then it shall become apparent to you with certainty
during the Grand test.
If you triumph your hand from them with a brother from the best
of brothers and remote is that, or a friend from loyal friends,
then what will make you perceive that the two of you tomorrow
as says the One truest in speech:
"And
we shall remove from their breasts any sense of injury, brothers
facing each other on thrones" (Al-Hijr:47)
So
do not hamper yourself from jihaad, Oh you! With a beloved one
or relative, it may be that you are split apart before death and
so an immense reward passes you by. Your cherished friend separated
from you and you are deprived of that which you wish of rank in
paradise, you regret but your regret will avail you naught for
that which has passed.
In
a hadeeth: Jibreel may peace be upon him said to the prophet (S.A.W):
Oh Muhammad! Verily Allah says to you; live as you will for verily
you will die, love who you will for verily you will depart from
him and do what you will for verily you will be rewarded for it."18.
See what immense meaning these words have gathered, from the remembrance
of death, departure of
beloved and reward for deeds, is there a warning after this warning
?!
"...Verily
in this is a lesson for those who understand" (Al-Imraan:13)
"But
my status and lineage!"
If
you say: "My lineage and high position hamper me and my honour
is a preventative barrier.", for what that I knew! How many
have died and left your lineage? Beloved to them before it reached
you and how many faded his authority from his envious obsession
with it before it shadowed you. It shall be made clear to you
as it was made clear to them, in that it is as if
you are already a has-been, for if you bereave at it’s loss
and your heart is immersed in envy, full of sadness, it will not
perpetuate that which you posses of lineage and high status. You
will not succeed with that which you are in search of, for it
is not of the ways of salvation. Verily! For the last to leave
the fire and enter with those who have entered, there is a kingship
far greater than that of the kings of this world, and ten fold19.
For
then what is your opinion of he who will be with the first forerunners,
the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. It
is not hidden from you that which high status entails of fatigue
and tire, bad end and evil return, that which you earn due to
it of many enemies and enviers and that which their inner selves
gather upon of rancour and malevolence. Their
abuse of you when it fades from you, your regret and sadness upon
that which has passed due to your concern and attention to it,
the departure of most of your servants and the turning away from
you of he who it used to gladden the kissing of your feet.
At-Tirmithi
and Ibn Hibaan report a hadeeth: "The lowest of the people
of paradise, for him there is eighty thousand servants, seventy
two wives, a dome is constructed for him of pearls, aquamarine
and gems the size of which is the distance between Al-Jaabiyah20
and San’aa21"22.
Listen
to the words of the Great, the Forgiver:
"...and
the angels shall enter upon them from every gate, peace be upon
you for that you persevered in patience, excellent indeed is the
final home,"
(Ar-Rad:23-24)
By
Allah! This is what eyes are to be soothed with and so:
"For
the like of this let the workers work" (As-Saafaat:61)
"But my beautiful abode! "
If
you say: "It is difficult for me to leave my palace, it’s
shade, it’s raised construction, high place, my servants,
couches and luxuries". What that I knew! Is it not merely
a house made from stone, mud, clay, metal, wood, palm branches
and cane? If it is not swept it accumulates considerable rubbish,
if it is not decorated then how dark is it’s darkness, if
it’s construction is not renovated then how quick is it’s
ruin, even if you renovate it, it’s final result is dilapidation.
After a short while it will turn to dust, those resident will
depart from it, the cotton merchants will move from it, it’s
trace effaced, knowledge of it’s existence wiped out, it’s
vestige erased and it’s name forgotten. It has been narrated:
when Allah the Mighty and Majestic descended Adam (A.S) to the
earth he said:
"Build for destruction and multiply for annihilation."23.
Exchange
Oh deceived one! Your palace and it’s quick rate of deterioration,
for an eternal abode, whose palaces are high, it’s light
radiant, it’s rivers flowing, it’s fruit laden branches
stoop low and it’s delights successive. If you ask about
it’s construction, for it is of silver bricks and gold bricks,
no fatigue therein by far and no tire, if you ask about it’s
soil, for it is of sweet smelling musk24, if you ask about it’s
gravel, for it is of pearls and jewels. If you ask about its rivers,
for there are rivers of milk, rivers of honey and Al Kawthar25.
If you ask about it’s palaces, for there is a palace of
hollowed pearl, it’s height seventy miles into the air,
or from green aquamarine, glistening splendidly, or from red ruby,
raised it’s construction. For the believer in every corner
of its corner’s, a family and servants, they do not see
each other due to its vastness. If you ask about it’s couches,
for they are lined with silk brocade, for what then is your opinion
of their exterior?! They are raised amongst those who are also
upon couches for forty years and there is no sleep upon them or
slumber, on the contrary, they recline upon them facing each other:
"And
some of them draw near to others questioning" (At-Tur:25)
"But
my nice food! "
If
you ask about its food, for its substance is created, perpetual,
it’s fruit not limited by seasons and their supply will
not be cut off for the length of that station. On the contrary
there will be ripen fruits:
"And
fruit that they may choose, And the flesh of fowls that they desire"
(Al-Waaqia:20-21)
They
shall be given to drink:
"...pure
sealed wine, the last thereof will be the smell of musk, and for
this let those strive who want to strive" (Al-Mutaffifeen:25-26)
Its
dwellers shall not defecate, urinate, spit or produce mucus. Their
food shall perspire from their skins with an odour of musk, colour
of pearls and then the stomach shall be reduced as it was26. If
you ask about its servant’s for they are eternal youths:
"...if
you see them, you would think them scattered pearls. And when
you look there you will see a delight and a great dominion. Their
garments will be of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They
will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their lord shall
give them a pure drink. Verily
this is a reward for you and your endeavour has been accepted"
(Al-Insaan:19-22)
In
summary, all that I have mentioned to you, is what has come of
news, except for that in paradise there is what no eye has seen,
nor ear heard nor occurred to the heart of man27. If you ask about
the length of stay in this great luxury, for they shall be therein
forever, immortal, alive and they shall not die. They shall be
youths, never ageing, healthy, never becoming
sick, rejoicing, never saddening, content, never becoming angry
and from the fear of an end or expulsion they shall be forever
safe28. In a safe station:
"Their
way of request therein will be: Glory! to you Oh Allah, and:
peace,
will be their greeting therein. And the close of their request
will be: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the lord of the
worlds" (Yunus: 10)
So
with your intelligence compare this immense, momentous kingdom
and your present abode, that of a short span, small share and
see that if you depart from it with martyrdom to what you will
arrive. Verily! The abode that you are in is deceiving:
"...and
none can inform you like him who is the all the knower" (Faatir:14)
"But
I would like to improve my deeds first!"
If
you say: "I like to delay in order to improve my deeds",
for this is also a product of deception and distant hoping. By
Allah! Delay of a destined life span has never been achieved:
"Oh
Mankind! Verily the promise of Allah is true, so do not let this
present life deceive you, and do not let the chief deceiver deceive
you about Allah.
Surely Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy, he
only invites his followers, that they may become the dwellers
of the blazing fire"
(Faatir:5-6)
By
Allah! This is nothing but a snare of Iblees the accursed, it
is not from the intentions of the friends of Allah, or the righteous,
are not the companions of the prophet (S.A.W) and the best of
those who followed them more deserving than you of this intention
if you are indeed of the truthful?
If they resided to delaying the life span, they would not have
developed a great fear of Allah, and they would not have fought
the idolaters and disbelievers, nor attack countries and lands,
do you not hearken with your ears? Oh tribulated one! To the words
of the Most High:
"March
forth whether you are light or heavy and make jihaad with wealth
and your lives in the cause of Allah. This is better for you,
if you but knew"
(At-Tauba:41)
Do
you not take heed? If you are indeed of the intelligent and understanding
and ponder upon the words of the Most High:
"...and
Allah has preferred the mujahideen above those who sit by a huge
reward" (An-Nisaa:95)
In
a hadeeth: "Verily the standing of a man in the battle line
for the cause of Allah is better than seventy years of worship
amongst his family"29. Oh deceived one! Verily the sleep
of a mujaahid is better than the night prayer and the fast of
one who remains behind, there shall concerning this follow extra
explanation30 and with Allah lies the assistance.
Suppose
that you are truthful in what you claim, do not your deeds waver
between being rejected and accepted? Is there not ahead of you
that which terrifies and daunts? Is not your advance to the fearful
day of the Gathering? By Allah! You do not know whether your deeds
will save you, if you work, or destroy you!
"...and
he knows what you conceal and what you reveal" (An-Naml:25)
"And
whether you die or are killed, verily unto Allah you shall be
gathered"
(Al-Imraan:158)
"But
my beautiful wife! "
If
you say: "it does not appease my soul, departing from my
beautiful wife, my delight when she is close and my happiness
from her love". Give it that your wife is the most attractive
of women, and the most beautiful of the people of her time, is
not her beginning a despised drop? Her last a foul corpse? And
between these two she is a virgin. Her menses prevent you from
her for half her life, her disobedience to you is more than her
obedience, if she does not wear kohl she becomes bleary eyed,
if she does not adorn herself her roughness becomes apparent and
if she does not comb her hair it becomes dishevelled. If she does
not oil herself her radiance is extinguished, if she does not
wear perfume musty is her smell, if she does not wash odorous
is her odour, full of faults and quick to bore. If she advances
in age she disheartens, if she grows old she becomes senile, you
do your best and strive for her and she denies this if she becomes
angry.
As
the prophet (S.A.W) has said: "If you were to do good to
one of them for a lifetime then she were to notice something bad
in you, she would say: I have never seen any good from you"31.
You desire from her the foulest part of her, you fear her desertion,
you fear her harshness, your love for her carries you to exhaustion
and fatigue, intense misery and distress. She exposes you to the
sources of destruction and you are pleased to fulfil the slightest
of her whims at your destruction or that close to it. She loves
you because of her needs from you, if they pass by she deserts
you, she abandons you and seeks for other than you.
She
becomes bored with you and she makes her enmity apparent, as she
says with the tongue of her condition even if she does not express
it in words: "Maintain me and spend, or separate from me
and divorce me!". In summary it is impossible to enjoy her
except with a twist, your relationship with her will not last
except with pressure and hardship. By Allah! What a wonder! How
do you let love of her hamper you from reunion with one created
from light?
Raised
in the shade of palaces with youths and maidens, in the abode
of luxuries and happiness, by Allah! the blood of a martyr does
not dry but that he has met her. His eyes delight in witnessing
her glow, wide eyed, beautiful, exquisite, virgin, as if she were
a ruby, no man or jinn has had sexual intercourse with her before
you, her speech soft, her figure correct, her hair uniform in
colour, her virility immense, her eyelids flitter. Her beauty
is dazzling and radiant, her coquetishness evident, her glance
darkened with kohl, beautiful her elegance, sweet her speech,
marvellous her creation, splendid her manners, glowingly adorned,
most gorgeous of things lawful, full of love, free of boredom,
her glance created only for looking at you, so she does not look
at any except you.
She
loves for you everything that your desires desire, if a nail of
hers was to become apparent the light of the full moon would be
completely extinguished and if her bracelet was to become apparent
during the night, there would remain no darkness in the creation.
Were that
her wrist would to become apparent the whole of mankind would
become enthralled and were that she would look between the earth
and the sky, it would fill between the two a fragrance. Were that
she would spit into the sea, it would turn to freshwater, every
time you glance towards her she is enhanced in your eye in splendour
and every time you sit with her, her
beauty is increased with beauty.
Is it befitting of a person of intelligence that he hears of her
and then sits back from reunion with her??? How? And for him in
paradise are wide-eyed maidens like her and more like her! Know
that separation from your wife eventually is a must, it is as
if it has already happened and in paradise you shall be joined
together if Allah wills. What best of joining places! And what
is between you and her reaching there if she is of the righteous,
except a time during which you must separate from her and that
is death.
You
will find her in the hereafter more beautiful than the wide-eyed
maidens by a factor that none knows except the Lord of the worlds.
That which you despised in her gone, that which was evil in her
vanished, her manners perfected, her creation beautified, more
attractive, broad eyed, a beautiful radiant woman, virgin, cleaned
from menses and bleeding, removed from her all types of impurities
and her crookedness straightened. Her jubilation increased, her
glow expanded, her virility enlarged and she is superior to the
wide-eyed maidens like their superiority over her in this present
abode. So turn away from her today for Allah’s cause, he
will exchange her for you and if she is of the people of paradise
then you must have her.
The
stark reality of this world
So
do not become distracted Oh you! From the eternal abode, by deception
with something from the chattels of this present world, for by
Allah! It is not an abode of residence, neither a place of meeting
nor perfection. An abode that if it makes you laugh today it makes
you weep tomorrow, if it makes you happy then succeeds it’s
happiness ruin, if you gather therein all the luxuries, then Allah’s
wrath is quick to descend upon you. If it enriches you, it impoverishes
you, if it unites it separates, if it rejoins it disperses, if
it diminishes it congests, if it enriches it overburdens, if it
increases it eradicates, if it constructs, it destroys, if it
produces it flees, if it elevates it topples and if it becomes
peaceful it oppresses.
If it’s graces prevail, it causes grief with it’s
evil results, if it revitalises with it’s reunion then weaning
follows it, it’s closeness is far, it’s beloved one
dejected, it’s drink a mirage and it’s sweetness punishment.
The abode of worries, sadness, distress, anxiety, transition,
separation, wretchedness, schism, disease, fatigue, hardship and
tire. It’s plenty is little, it’s noble one abased,
it’s rich one poor, it’s venerable one menial, plenty
of defects, full of regrets, scarce of serenity, devoid of fulfilment,
no trust in it’s pacts and never fulfilling it’s promises.
The one who loves it is wretched, the one who desires it is mad
and the one who trusts in it is shamed. It has covered its defects,
hidden its disasters, it is treacherous with its falsehood, deceiving
with its bribes, it has set its meshes and placed its nets. It
has made permissible its
falsehoods and unsheathed its sword. It has made permanent its
traits, concealed its ugliness and it calls; "Embrace me!
Embrace me! Oh men!". For he who seeks reunion with it falls
into its plot, it manifests upon him its evil condition, it intensifies
its punishment and he falls into it’s
captivity because of his ignorance of it’s evil. He is afflicted
by it’s plotting, so much so that he does not perceive it’s
affair, until he bites his hands in regret, he cries blood after
tears, it forsakes him to what he desired until he meets an evil
return. He struggles to flee but escape is
impossible.
So
awaken yourself! Oh you! Before destruction, free yourself from
its captivity before it becomes difficult to escape. Prepare to
proceed to success and happiness, maybe Allah will grant you martyrdom
from his grace, so do not let hamper you from this reward, a reason
from these reasons. For the one of sound assurance is he who exhibits
strong resolution and the one
of rational opinion is he who has a share in jihaad. He who clings
to laziness and is deceived by hopes, his feet shall slip, he
will regret where it will not avail him ought regret, he will
gnash his teeth about that which has slipped and passed when he
witnesses the martyrs in the highest most chambers of paradise:
"...and
Allah says the truth and he guides the way" (Al-Ahzaab:4)
"...Allah
is sufficient for us and the best disposer of our affairs"
(Al-Imraan:173)
1
A village in Egypt.
2
Author of Fathul Baari, the best explanation of Al-Bukhari’s
collection of saheeh ahadeeth.
3
One of Ibn Hajr’s most notable students.
4
A term used meaning; the gaurding of the front lines and the waiting
before engaging the enemy in battle.
5
Imprisoned scholar and leader in Algeria.
6
Ghaayat Al-Muraad fee Gadaayaa Al-Jihaad by Sheikh Alee bin Haaj.
7 An assassinated sheikh about who Time magazine writes "...he
is responsible for reviving jihaad this century.", and as
Muslims we know the reward for he who revives a forgotten sunnah,
let alone a forgotten fard !.
8
We do not rule that he who is killed in jihaad is a shaheed and
will enter paradise, because entry into paradise is a matter which
depends upon the intention of the one killed, and that is in the
knowledge of Allah. Calling the one killed in jihaad shaheed is
for the purpose of attaching an apparent ruling to him built upon
strong speculation because we do not wash him, shroud him or pray
upon him and this is a matter stated by the majority of the salaf.
Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalaany states: "And for this reason the salaf
called those killed in Badr and Uhud Shuhadaa, and the intent
in this is to attach an apparent ruling built upon strong speculation,
and Allah knows
best."(Fathul-Baari:6/90) 9 Sheikhul-Islam, Ibn-Taymia has
quoted from the consensus of the scholars: The residing of a man
in the land of ribaat as a muraabit (one who makes ribaat) is
better than his residing in Makkah, Medinah or Baitul-Maqdis.
See Majmu’a Al Fataawa: 28/5 by Ibn-Taymia. 10
Narrated by; At-Tirmithi who states it is hassan ghareeb saheeh,
An-Nisaa’i, Ibn-Maaja, Imam Ahmad, Ad-Daarimi, Ibn-Hibaan,
Abu Na’eem in Al-Hilya, Al-Baihaqi and Al-Bagawy in Sharh
As-Sunnah, all with slightly different wording.
11
Narrated by ; At-Tirmithi who states that it is saheeh ghareeb,
Al-Haakim
; saheeh chain of reporters, Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubaarak, Al-Baihaqi
in Shu’ab Al-Eeman.
12
Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
13
In reference to Surat Al-Hajj:2
14
In reference to Surat Ar-Rahmaan:41
15
In reference to a hadeeth narrated by At-Tirmithi from Abu Hurrayra
who
said : The prophet (S.A.W) said : "The poor ones of the Muslims
will enter
paradise before the wealthy by half a day, and that is five hundred
years."
; hadeeth hassan saheeh. Also narrated by ; Ibn Maaja and Imam
Ahmad.
16
Maalik : the custodian angel of the hell fire.
17
Referring to wealth.
18
Narrated by Al-Baihaqi in Shu’ab Al-Eeman.
19
In reference to a hadeeth narrated by Muslim in the book of eeman,
chapter ; "The lowest of the people of paradise in station".
20 A village in
Damascus.
21
Capital city of Yemen.
22
Narrated by At-Tirmithi: ghareeb.
23
Narrated by; Al-Baihaqi, Ahmad, An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Hibaan.
24
In reference to a long hadeeth narrated by At-Tirmithi.
25
A river in paradise.
26
In reference to a hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
27
In reference to a hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
28
In reference to a hadeeth Narrated by Muslim.
29
Narrated by; At-Tirmithi; hadeeth hassan and saheeh chain,
verified
by Al-Baihaqi,
Al-Haakim
states : hadeeth saheeh upon
Muslim’s
condition, and At-Thahabi agrees with him.
30
In reference to that narrated by; Ibn Abi Shaybah in "Mussanaf"
and Ibn
Al-Mubaarak.
31
Narrated by Al-Bukhari |