Allah, the Exalted, says to His Prophet Muhammad , "Do not look at what these
people of luxury and their likes and peers have of nice comforts. For verily, it
is only short-lived splendor and a feeble bounty, which We are using to test
them with. And very few of My servants are truly thankful.'' Mujahid said,
[أَزْوَجاً
مِّنْهُمْ]
(various groups of them,) "This means the wealthy people.'' This means,
"Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) better than that which We have given
them.'' This is just as Allah says in another Ayah,
[وَلَقَدْ
ءاتَيْنَـكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْءَانَ الْعَظِيمَ لاَ تَمُدَّنَّ
عَيْنَيْكَ]
(And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven repeatedly recited verses, and
the Grand Qur'an. Look not with your eyes ambitiously.) [15:87-88] Likewise,
that which Allah has stored for His Messenger in the Hereafter is something
extremely great. It is an unlimited reward that cannot be described. This is as
Allah says,
[وَلَسَوْفَ
يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَى ]
(And verily, your Lord will give you so that you shall be well-pleased.)
[93:5] For this reason, Allah says,
[وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ
خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى]
(But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting. ) In the Sahih it
is recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab entered upon the Messenger of Allah while
he was in the small room in which he had separated himself from his wives after
he had vowed to stay away from them. When he came in, he saw him (the Prophet )
lying down upon a sandy straw mat. There was nothing in the house except a pile
of sant tree pods and some hanging equipment. `Umar's eyes filled with tears
(upon seeing this), so the Messenger of Allah said to him,
«مَايُبْكِيكَ يَا
عُمَرُ؟»
(What makes you cry, O Umar) He replied, "O Messenger of Allah, verily Kisra
and Caesar are living in their luxurious conditions, yet you are the chosen
Friend of Allah amongst His creation'' The Prophet said,
«أَوَ فِي شَكَ
أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ؟ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَيِّبَاتُهُمْ
فِي حَيَاتِهِمُ الدُّنْيَا»
(Do you have doubt, O son of Al-Khattab Those people have had their good
hastened for them in the life of this world.) Thus, the Prophet was the most
abstinent of people concerning worldly luxuries, even though he had the ability
to attain them. If he acquired anything of worldly treasures he would spend it
on this and that for the servants of Allah. He would never save anything for
himself for the next day. Ibn Abi Hatim reported from Abu Sa`id that the
Messenger of Allah said,
«إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا
أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا يَفْتَحُ اللهُ لَكُمْ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا»
(Verily, the thing I fear most for you all is what Allah will allow you to
acquire of the splendor of this world. ) They (the Companions) said, "What is
the splendor of this world, O Messenger of Allah'' He said,
«بَرَكَاتُ
الْأَرْض»
(The blessings of the earth.) Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "The splendor of
this worldly life means the beautiful adornments of the life of this world.''
Qatadah said,
[لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ
فِيهِ]
(that We may test them thereby.) "So that We may put them to trial.''
Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ
بِالصَّلوةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا]
(And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them.) This
means to save them from the punishment of Allah by the establishment of the
prayer, and you also be patient in performing it. This is as Allah says,
[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
ءَامَنُواْ قُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَاراً]
(O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire
(Hell).) [66:6] Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Zayd bin Aslam reported from his
father that he and Yarfa' would sometimes spend the night at `Umar bin
Al-Khattab's. `Umar had a certain time of night that he would get up and pray.
However, sometimes he would not get up for it. Then, we would say, "He is not
going to get up like he usually does.'' When he would awaken, he would make his
family get up as well. He would say,
[وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ
بِالصَّلوةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا]
(And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them.)''
Allah said;
[لاَ نَسْأَلُكَ
رِزْقاً نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ]
(We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you.) This means that if you
establish the prayer, your sustenance will come to you from where you did not
expect. This is as Allah says,
[وَمَن يَتَّقِ
اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاًوَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ]
(And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out
(from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could
imagine.) [65:2-3] Allah also says,
[وَمَا خَلَقْتُ
الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ ]
(And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should
worship Me (Alone).) until,
[إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ
الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ ]
(Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.)
[51:56-58] Thus, Allah says,
[لاَ نَسْأَلُكَ
رِزْقاً نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ]
(We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you.) Verily, At-Tirmidhi and
Ibn Majah recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«يَقُولُ اللهُ
تَعَالى: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ تَفَرَّغْ لِعِبَادَتِي أَمْلَأْ صَدْرَكَ غِنىً
وَأَسُدَّ فَقْرَكَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ، مَلَأْتُ صَدْرَكَ شُغْلًا وَلَمْ
أَسُدَّ فَقْرَك»
(Allah, the Exalted, says, "O son of Adam, perform My worship and I will fill
your chest with wealth and fulfill your needs. If you do not do so, then I will
fill your chest with toil and I will not fulfill your needs.'') It is also
reported from Zayd bin Thabit that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,
«مَنْ كَانَتِ
الدُّنْيَا هَمَّهُ فَرَّقَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرَهُ، وَجَعَلَ فَقْرَهُ بَيْنَ
عَيْنَيْهِ، وَلَمْ يَأْتِهِ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَا كُتِبَ لَهُ، وَمَنْ
كَانَتِ الْآخِرَةُ نِيَّتَهُ، جَمَعَ لَهُ أَمْرَهُ وَجَعَلَ غِنَاهُ فِي
قَلْبِهِ، وَأَتَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا وَهِيَ رَاغِمَة»
(Whoever makes the worldly life his major concern, then Allah will scatter
his situation for him (i.e. make it difficult) and his poverty will be placed
between his eyes. He will not get from this world anything except that which has
already been written for him. Whoever makes the Hereafter his intention, then
his situation will be gathered for him (i.e. made easy) and his wealth will be
placed in his heart. The worldly life will come to him anyway (in spite of his
not seeking it).) Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَالْعَـقِبَةُ
لِلتَّقْوَى]
(And the good end is for those who have Taqwa.) This means the good end in
this life and in the Hereafter. In the Hereafter the good end will be Paradise
for whoever feared Allah. In the Sahih it is reported that the Messenger of
Allah said,
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