Ismāʿīl narrated to us: from Yūnus: Abū al-ʿAlāʾ b. al-Shikhkhīr narrated to me: one of Banū Sulaym narrated to me – and I do not think except that he saw the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ – he said, “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
‘Indeed Allāh tests His slave with what He gave him, so whoever is pleased with what Allāh has apportioned him, Allāh blesses him therein and expands it, and whoever is not pleased, He does not bless him.”’
Reported by Aḥmad.
Ṣaḥīḥ: Aḥmad (5: 24) or (20279). See: al-Ṣaḥīḥah (1658) of al-Albānī wherein he says, “This is an authentic chain upon the condition of Muslims, and the anonymity of a Companion does no harm.”
Notes:
Everything you have in your life was divinely decreed for you by Allāh the All-Wise and All-Just before you were even born. The test lies in whether you will be pleased with Allāh’s Decree or be dissatisfied with it.
One who is pleased and content with what Allāh has divinely decreed for him, deserves to be blessed by Him, and increased in that because he submitted to His Lord’s decision.
One who is displeased and discontent with what Allāh has divinely decreed for him deserves to be left unblessed. It is as though such a person is angry with Allāh for not having apportioned for him more than he has been given. Thus, he is deserving of being deprived of blessings because he sees himself as deserving of more than what was decreed for him, and it is as if he objects to Allāh’s Wisdom.
This is a disease found mainly amongst materialistic individuals. Such people look down on what they have been apportioned by Allāh and consider it to be little. They look at what others have been given and consider it to be more and greater. Consequently, they constantly strive to increase their material lot, and squander their life and waste away their strength, and are beset with worry, anxiety, and fatigue. They blacken their scroll of deeds with their many sins due to becoming engrossed in their pursuit to acquire more of the dunyá, which they feel they deserve. What they do not realise is that they will only obtain what Allāh has decreed for them and no more, no matter how much they strive.
So, contentment of the heart is the key to success in this regard. Once a slave realises Allāh is All-Wise, All-Just, The Most Generous, and that He does not oppress anyone, the heart finds peace with every decree of His. The slave becomes more appreciate of what he has and strives to be grateful to his Lord for His immense generosity and kindness. He realises he does not deserve any of blessings he has been given and so feels deeply indebted to his Lord. Such a slave of Allāh does not feel entitled – he feels that his Lord is entitled to every atom of gratitude he can muster for His kindness.
See: Fayḍ al-Qadīr Sharḥ al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr by al-Munāwī, DKI edition, ḥadīth number: 1843.
The Prophet ﷺ said fasting the Day of ʿArafah results in the expiation of sins of the year that has passed, and the year that is to come. He ﷺ also said that fasting the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ results in the expiation of the sins of the year that has passed [Muslim (1162 (197))].
Does this expiation of sins include major and minor sins, or just minor sins?
Sh. Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ explains that the apparent meaning of the ḥadīth indicates the expiation of both major and minor sins. This is because the Prophet ﷺ mentioned it in an unqualified manner and did not elaborate further, and whatever the Prophet ﷺ left unrestricted, it is taken to be unrestricted. This is why some scholars took the view, that the expiation of sins, refers to both minor and major because the Prophet ﷺ left it unrestricted, and did not elaborate further.
Most of the scholars take the view the expiation is only of minor sins. As for major sins then they must be accompanied with repentance. They support their view by arguing that fasting the Day of ʿArafah is not superior to the five daily prayers or Jumuʿah or Ramaḍān, and the Prophet ﷺ said, “The five daily prayers, Jumuʿah to Jumuʿah, and Ramaḍān to Ramaḍān, expiate what is between them as long as the major sins are avoided.” [Muslim (233)]. They say if these great and noble acts of worship, which are from the pillars of Islām, are not strong enough to expiate major sins, then this even more the case with this optional day of fasting. This is the weightier view – that it is qualified, just as the five daily prayers and Ramaḍān to Ramaḍān are qualified.
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Special Mercy
All praise is due to Allāh the Most High and Most Great, the One Who is alone in creating and controlling, the One Who honoured His friends with His help, and humiliated His enemies through His forsaking [of them], so how excellent a Protector is our Lord, and how excellent a Helper is He.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh alone without any partners, to Him belong the Kingdom and praise, and He is, over all thing, completely capable. And I bear witness that Muḥammad is His slave and His Messenger; the bringer of glad tidings, the warner, and shining lantern, may the praise and protection of Allāh be upon him, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Recompense.
To proceed:
Indeed, in this month, the month of Muḥarram, was the salvation of Mūsá, may praise and protection be upon him, and his people from the enemy of Allāh – Pharaoh and his army. By Allāh it was a major blessing obligating gratitude towards Allāh the Almighty and Majestic. This is why, when the Prophet ﷺ arrived in al-Madīnah, and he found the Jews fasting the tenth day of this month, the Prophet ﷺ said, “I have more right to Mūsá than you”, thus he fasted it and commanded its fasting. He was asked about the virtue of fasting it and he said, “I hope in Allāh that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that came before it.” After that he commanded contradicting the Jews by fasting the tenth and a day before it which is the ninth, or a day after it which is the eleventh.
Consequently, it is best to fast the tenth day and add to it a day before it, or a day after it. Adding the ninth day to it is better than the eleventh.
Thus, it is necessary for you, my Muslim brother, to fast the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, likewise the ninth day, in order to actualise contradicting the Jews which the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ commanded.
May Allāh facilitate success for me and you to be grateful for His blessings, and worship Him with excellence, and may He protect us from the evils of our souls through His care – indeed He is the Most Generous and Most Bountiful.
I have no objections to spreading it (i.e., this letter).
Written by Muḥammad al-Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn 21/12/1409.
On the authority of Abū ʿAbd Allāh Jābir b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Anṣārī, may Allāh be pleased with them both, who said, “We were with the Prophet ﷺ on a military expedition and he said, “Indeed in al-Madīnah, there are men (who have been left behind); you have not covered any distance, nor crossed any valley, except that they were with you – they were held back by illness.”
And in a narration: “except that they shared the reward with you.”
Reported by Muslim (1911).
Sh. Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله makes the following points, regarding this ḥadīth, in his explanation of Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn (1: 36-38):
The word ghazāh and ghazwah mean the same thing, i.e., military expedition.
If a person intends to do a righteous deed, however he is prevented by an obstacle, he will have recorded for him, the reward of what he intended.
If he used to do a good deed when he was capable of doing it, then he became incapable afterwards, he will have the reward of the complete deed recorded for him, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “If a slave becomes ill, or he travels, he will have recorded for him the like of what he used to do when resident and healthy” [al-Bukhārī (2996)].
The one who wishes for good and is keen on it, if doing that good deed was his habit, but then he was prevented by an obstacle from doing it, he will have the complete rewarded recorded for him.
Examples:
(1) If it was the habit of the person to pray in congregation in the masjid, and he was then prevented from attending due to sleep or illness etc, he will have the complete reward of having prayed in congregation without any deduction.
(2) If it was his habit to pray optional prayers, but he was then prevented by something making him unable to pray them, he will have the complete reward written for him.
(3) If it was his habit to fast three days out of every month, then he was incapable of that and was prevented by something, he will have the complete reward recorded for him.
There are many other examples like this.
If it was not his habit to do that good deed, he will have the reward of the intention written for him but not the reward of the action.
The proof for this is the ḥadīth in which the poor Companions mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ about how the rich Companions had gone ahead of them in terms of charity and freeing slaves. The Prophet ﷺ taught them to do tasbīḥ, takbīr and taḥmīd 33 times each after every obligatory prayer, and that if they did that, none would equal them, except one who does the same. The rich heard about this and began doing this good deed as well! The poor Companions went back to the Prophet ﷺ and said that their rich brothers were doing the same as them. The Prophet ﷺ replied, “This is the grace of Allāh, He gives it to whom He wishes.” He did not say that you have achieved the reward of their deed, but there is no doubt that they will have the reward for the intention of the deed [al-Bukhārī (843)].
This is why the Prophet ﷺ said regarding the one to whom Allāh gave wealth, and he spends it in the paths of goodness, and there is a poor man who sees this and says, ‘If I had the money of so-and-so I would have done the same deed’; the Prophet ﷺ said regarding this person, “He has his intention, so their rewards are the same.” [al-Tirmidhī (2325)]. Meaning: the same in the reward of the intention, as for the deed itself, its reward is not recorded for him, unless it was something he used to do habitually.
This ḥadīth contains an indication that whoever goes out in the path of Allāh in a military expedition, he will be rewarded for his walking, this is why the Prophet ﷺ said, “…you have not covered any distance nor crossed any valley but they are with you…”.
This is indicated by Allāh’s statement: {It was not [proper] for the people of Madīnah and those surrounding them of the Bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allāh, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. Nor do they spend an expenditure, small or large, or cross a valley but that it is registered for them that Allāh may reward them for the best of what they were doing.} [al-Tawbah (9): 120-121].
What is similar to this is when a man performs well ablution at home, and then goes out to the masjid – not being brought out of his house except for prayer – then indeed there is no step that he takes except that Allāh raises him one level by it, and removes one sin by it.
This is from the grace of Allāh, the Almighty and Majestic, that the means of deeds contain this reward which the Prophet ﷺ has explained to us.
“Greeting with salām comes before asking a question; so, whoever begins with the question before greeting with salām, do not answer him.”
Source of the Ḥadīth
This ḥadīth is recorded by Ibn ʿAdī in al-Kāmil (2: 303) via al-Sarī b. ʿĀṣim who narrated to us: Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar al-Aylī who narrated to us: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abī Rawwād narrated to us: from Nāfiʿ: from Ibn ʿUmar who said: “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said…” then he mentioned it.
Ibn Abī Rawwād
Ibn ʿAdī mentions this ḥadīth in the biography of Ibn Abī Rawwād, and says regarding him, “And in some of his transmissions [there is] that which is not followed up.”
al-Albānī says that this is soft impugnment of him, and that a group have declared him reliable, and Muslim utilised him as proof. So, if the chain did not contain other than him, it would have been good.
Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar
However, al-Albānī notes, the defect lies in those lower than him, for indeed, Ibn ʿAdī said regarding Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar: “His traditions – all of them – are rejected either in the text or the chain, and he is closer to weakness.”
Abū Ḥātim said, “He was a lying shaykh.”
al-Sarī b. ʿĀṣim
And al-Sarī b. ʿĀṣim was declared feeble by Ibn ʿAdī, and he said, “He steals traditions.”
Ibn Khirāsh declared him a liar.
al-Dhahabī cited some of his rejected traditions and said, “Indeed they are from his trials and afflictions.”
After citing these criticisms of al-Sarī, al-Albānī states that it would have been closer to correctness for Ibn ʿAdī to have cited the ḥadīth in the biography of one of them instead of including it in the biography of Ibn Abī Rawwād.
He then opines that perhaps Ibn ʿAdī only mentioned it in the biography of Ibn Abī Rawwād because the ḥadīth is recognised due to him.
Other Routes
Others, besides these two (Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar and al-Sarī b. ʿĀṣim) have reported it from him:
Ibn Abī Ḥātim states in al-ʿIlal (2: 331): “Abū Zurʿah was asked about the ḥadīth reported by Abū Taqī who said: Baqiyyah narrated to me and said: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abī Rawwād narrated to me with it…then he mentioned it with the wording, “Do not initiate speech before extending salām, thus, whoever begins with speech before extending salām – do not answer him.” Abū Zurʿah said, ‘This ḥadīth does not have any basis; Baqiyyah did not hear this ḥadīth from ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz – it is only from the people of Ḥimṣ, and the people of Ḥimṣ do not differentiate this [i.e., the mode of audition being ambiguous or explicit].”
al-Albānī notes that Abū Taqī’s name is Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik, and that Abū Nuʿaym reports it via him in his Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ (8: 199) and says at the end: “[It is] strange (gharīb); from the ḥadīth of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, we did not write it except from the ḥadīth of Baqiyyah.”
al-Albānī then states that Abū Nuʿaym’s report does not contain explicit audition, but that it does in another transmission recorded by Ibn al-Sunnī in his ʿAmal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah (210). The chain is: al-ʿAbbās b. Aḥmad al-Ḥimṣī informed us: Kathīr b. ʿUbayd narrated to us: Baqiyyah b. al-Walīd narrated to us: Ibn Abī Rawwād narrated to us in an abridged form with the wording:
“Whoever begins with speech before extending salām, then do not answer him.”
Kathīr b. ʿUbayd, al-Albānī says, is Ḥimṣī and reliable, and that he finds it difficult to agree with Abū Zurʿah that the mere fact he is Ḥimṣī – while being reliable – would necessitate him not making a distinction between Baqiyyah saying “from” (ambiguous audition) and “he narrated to us” (explicit audition)! This is the reason why al-Albānī remarks that he holds the view that the ḥadīth with this chain is, at a minimum, the level of ḥasan.
With regards to al-ʿAbbās b. Aḥmad al-Ḥimṣī, al-Albānī states that Ibn ʿAsākir included a biographical entry for him in his Tārīkh (8: 444: 21), but did not mention any validation or impugnment of him, although a group has narrated from him.
I (Salal) say: the point of al-Albānī mentioning that a group has narrated from him is to indicate that al-ʿAbbās is not an unknown narrator. One can also add to this, the fact that, Ibn Ḥibbān includes al-ʿAbbās in his Ṣaḥīḥ which is an indication of his validation of him. However, due to Ibn Ḥibbān’s leniency in validating transmitters, we would need to find another leading transmitter-critic, who grades this al-ʿAbbās reliable as well, in order for any validation of him to be accepted.
al-Albānī then goes on to mention other routes via which this report is transmitted via Nāfiʿ, however, he states that they are all weak.
Firstly: al-Ṭabarānī records in his al-Awsaṭ via Hārūn b. Muḥammad Abū al-Ṭayyib: from ʿAbd Allāh al-ʿUmarī. al-Haythamī (8: 32) states, “Hārūn b. Muḥammad is an inveterate liar.” According to al-Albānī, when Abū Zurʿah said that this ḥadīth has no basis, he was referring to this particular iteration of the report.
Secondly: al-Silafī records it in al-Ṭuyuriyyāt (manuscript, 1: 252) via al-Wāqidī. This al-Wāqidī, the Shaykh says, is accused of lying, and his name is Muḥammad b. ʿUmar b. Wāqid al-Aslamī.
In Summary
I (Salal) say: what is apparent from the above is that al-Albānī grades the ḥadīth ḥasan due to the following:
[1] Ibn Abī Ḥātim’s report in his al-ʿIlal: the only issue Abū Zurʿah had with the chain was Abū Ṭaqī stating that Baqiyyah reported the ḥadīth with explicit audition, which indicates he did not have an issue with the rest of the chain. al-Albānī disagrees with Abū Zurʿah’s view regarding the people of Ḥimṣ not differentiating between ambiguous and explicit forms of audition. Baqiyyah is mudallis and would do tadlīs via unknown and weak transmitters which is why Ibn Ḥajar includes him amongst the tadlīs practitioners whose reports are only accepted if they state explicit audition. See his Taʿrīf Ahl al-Taqdīs bi Marātib al-Mawṣūfīn bi al-Tadlīs, pages 14 and 49, ed. Dr. ʿĀṣim al-Qaryūtī.
[2] Abū Nuʿaym’s report in al-Ḥilyah: this chain does not contain explicit audition from Baqiyyah. But this is remedied by:
[3] Ibn al-Sunnī’s report which does contain explicit audition from Baqiyyah. The only issue is al-ʿAbbās b. Aḥmad al-Ḥimṣī who is ungraded. This is remedied by the above two chains which all indicate a fair basis for this report.
The Shaykh did not base the authenticity of the ḥadīth on the extremely weak chains from:
Ibn ʿAdī in al-Kāmil: two of its narrators are extremely weak (al-Sarī b. ʿĀṣim and Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar al-Aylī).
al-Ṭabarānī’s report in al-Awsaṭ as it contains a liar (Hārūn b. Muḥammad).
al-Silafī’s report: it also contains a liar (al-Wāqidī).
The opinion that it is obligatory is also indicated by the ḥadīth, “The right of a Muslim over another Muslim are 6…when you meet him extend the greeting of salām to him…” Reported by Muslim (2162).
Some believe that al-Muntaqim (The One Who Avenges, The Inflictor of Retribution) is one of Allāh’s Names. This is incorrect:
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728), may Allāh have mercy upon him, said, “And the name al-Muntaqim is not from the beautiful names of Allāh established from the Prophet ﷺ. It only occurs in the Qurʾān in a restricted sense, such as His, the Most High’s statement, {We shall surely inflict retribution on the guilty} [al-Sajdah (32): 22], and His statement, {Allāh is indeed Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution} [Ibrāhīm (14): 47]. The ḥadīth regarding the number of beautiful names, which contains the mention of al-Muntaqim, is not, according to the people of insight into ḥadīth, from the speech of the Prophet ﷺ.
See: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá (8: 96).
Shaykh Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn (d. 1420), may Allāh have mercy upon him, said, “As for al-Muntaqim, it is not from the names of Allāh because Allāh the Exalted did not mention this description for Himself except in a restricted sense, and every description which comes in a restricted sense, is not from Allāh’s names, because Allāh’s names are absolutely perfect without the need for qualification. Allāh, the One far removed from every imperfection, and Exalted be He, only mentioned al-Muntaqim as a counter to crime, so He said, {We shall surely inflict retribution on the guilty} [al-Sajdah (32): 22], therefore, al-Muntaqim is not from the names of Allāh.”
“The ʿaqīdah (creed) of the Salaf regarding the Noble Qurʾān is like their ʿaqīdah regarding the rest of Allāh’s Names and Attributes, which is an ʿaqīdah built on what is indicated by the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
All of us know, that Allāh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ described the Qurʾān as being His Speech, and that it is revealed from Him. He تَعَالَىٰ said:
{And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the Speech of Allāh, then escort him to his place of safety} [al-Tawbah (9): 6].
The intent of the Speech of Allāh here, without doubt, is the Noble Qurʾān, and He تَعَالَىٰ said:
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ
[النحل (١٦) : ١٠٢]
{Say, (O Muḥammad), “The Pure Spirit (i.e., Jibrīl) has brought it down from your Lord} [al-Naḥl (16): 102].
{Indeed, this Qurʾān relates to the Children of Israel most of that over which they disagree} [al-Naml (27): 76].
So the Qurʾān is the Speech of Allāh تَعَالَىٰ in wording and meaning; Allāh spoke it in a real sense, and He spoke it to Jibrīl the trustworthy one. Then Jibrīl descended with it, upon the heart of the Prophet ﷺ, so that he could be from the warners in a clear Arabic tongue.
The Salaf believe that the Qurʾān is revealed [in the sense that] Allāh sent it down upon Muḥammad ﷺ in instalments, over 23 years, according to what Allāh’s wisdom necessitated. Furthermore, some of the revelation came down due to a particular cause necessitating its revelation (سَبَبِيًّا), and some of it came down without a particular cause (اِبْتِدَائِيًّا), and some of it would come down narrating a condition that had passed amongst the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions, and some of it would descend regarding legal rulings unconnected to a particular cause, according to what the people of knowledge in this field mention.
Thereafter, the Salaf say that the Qurʾān initiated from Allāh, and to Him it will return at the end of time – this is the view of the Salaf regarding the Noble Qurʾān.
It is not hidden to us, that Allāh تَعَالَىٰ described the Noble Qurʾān with great descriptions: He described it as full of wisdom, as noble, as great, and as glorious. These descriptions with which Allāh described His Speech, are for those who grab hold onto this Book and act upon it externally and internally, for indeed Allāh will bring about for him glory, greatness, wisdom, honour, and authority, which those who do not hold onto the Book of Allāh will not have. This is why I call upon, from this minbar, all of the Muslims; both rulers and ruled, scholars and commonfolk, to grab hold onto the Book of Allāh externally and internally so that they may have honour, aid, glory, and domination all over the earth. And I ask Allāh to help us to achieve that.”
Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, 1: 305, no. 120.
Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn (d. 1421), may Allāh have mercy upon him, was asked whether it was better to memorise a study-text (matn) of jurisprudence (fiqh) or a concise study-text of ḥadīth. The Shaykh responded:
“It is better to memorise a concise study-text of ḥadīth such as ʿUmdat al-Aḥkām and Bulūgh al-Marām, but he should not leave off consulting the speech of the people of knowledge and jurisprudence.”
Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, vol. 26, p. 185.
Note: Both of the books mentioned by the Shaykh are books dedicated to including aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ pertaining to juridical matters such as purification, prayer, zakāh, fasting, ḥajj, buying and selling, marriage, jihād, capital punishments etc.
ʿUmdat-ul-Aḥkām by al-Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Maqdisī (d. 600) contains aḥādīth reported by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim only (“agreed upon”). According to the al-Arnāʾūṭ edition there are 430 such aḥādīth. The best commentary is that of Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd (d. 702) entitled Iḥkām al-Aḥkām which a beginner may find difficult to grasp. Bulūgh al-Marām of Ibn Ḥajar (d. 852) is at least three times as large and contains 1582 aḥādīth according to al-Zuhayrī’s edition. The Shaykh has his own explanation of Bulūgh al-Marām in 15 volumes entitled Fatḥ Dhī al-Jalāl wa al-Ikrām bi Sharḥ Bulūgh al-Marām.
Salafi Knowledge 