Part 7

Loving the humble and poor

humble to Him is a miskin, even if he be rich in monetary wealth. This is because the need of the heart must display on the limbs. Whoever is humble outwardly and displays need, but his heart is not humble, nor is it needy, is an arrogant tyrant.

Nasa’i and others record that the Prophet (4g) walked down a street where there was a black woman. A man said to her, ‘Make way!’ She said, ‘If he wishes he can walk past my right, and if he wishes he can walk past my left.” The Messenger of Allah (2) said, “Let her be, she is a tyrant.” They said, ‘But Messenger of Allah, she is just a pauper!’ He replied, “It is in her heart.””"””

al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘Some people have modesty in their clothes and arrogance in their hearts. They wear woolen garments, yet, by Allah, while wearing them, one of them has more arrogance than a person (reclining) on a raised couch or a person wearing embroidered silk.’

It is authentically reported that the Prophet (4) denied that wearing nice clothes and shoes was arrogance and said, “Arrogance is to reject the truth and to look down on people.”"”!

Haythami, vol. 1, pg. 99, also references it to Tabarani, a/-Awsatand Abii Ya‘la #3276 on the authority of Anas and shows that the isnad has a da‘if narrator. He states that Bazzar #3579 also records it and that he declares it da‘if due to the presence of another narrator.

"21 Muslim #91 on the authority of ibn Mas‘tid.

This hadith makes it clear that wearing nice clothes is not arrogance and that arrogance is in the heart, i.e. its obdurately not submitting to the truth, looking down on people, and scorning them. Whoever thinks highly of himself, and, as a result, scorns people and refuses to submit to the truth, such a person is the one who is arrogant, even if his clothes and shoes be simple and worn out. However, whoever leaves wearing nice clothes out of true humility to Allah for fear that he may fall prey to arrogance has done well. Ibn ‘Umar (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) would do this and the saying of the Prophet (3g) concerning the checkered shirt he wore, “It has distracted me from my prayer,”'” also proves this.

The Prophet (4g) chose the station of servitude rather than kingship. On the Day of Conquest, a man stood before him (i), trembling, so he said, “‘Go easy, I am not a king, I am just the son of a Qurayshi woman who used to eat strips of dried meat.”

It is authentically reported that he (4g) said, “Do not falsely praise me as the Christians falsely praised the son of Mary, I am only a servant, so say: servant of Allah and His Messenger.’

' Bukhari #373-752-5817 and Muslim #556 on the authority of ‘A’ishah

3 Tbn Majah #3312 on the authority of Aba Mas‘id.

Hakim #4366 said it was sahih with Dhahabi agreeing. Hakim #3733 also records it on the authority of Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah and he said it was sahih with Dhahabi agreeing, It was ruled sahih by Albani, a/-Sahihah #1876

"4 Bukhari #3445-6830 on the authority of ‘Umar. Ibn Hajr, Fath, vol. 12, pg, 181 said, ‘/tra’ is to praise someone falsely.’ ‘Ali alQari, Sharh Mishkat #4897 said, ‘/tra’is to go to an extreme in praising...the under-

Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us; on the authority of “Umarah; on the authority of Abi Zur‘ah who said: I am sure that it was \bu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) who said, ‘Jibril sat with the Prophet (#) and looked to the sky to see an angel descending, he sid, “This angel has not descended since the day it was created.” When he had descended he said, “O Muhammad! Your Lord has sent me to you - should He make you a Prophet-King or a Servant Messenger?” Jibril said, “O Muhammad! Be humble before your Lord.” He said, “Rather a Servant-Messenger” ’!*

standing of this is that praising him in other ways is permissible.’ ‘Ali al-Quri, Sharh Shama’il, vol. 2, pg. 161 said about his words, “/ am only his servant...", “Meany: Thave no quality other than that of servitude and messengership; this is the peak of perfection that a created being can reach, so do not say anything about me that negates these two attributes and do not believe that I have a quality other than these two... the hadith indicate that it is permissible to describe him with any thing that does not reach the boundaries of Lordship, rnbibyyab, and Godship, uluhiyyah.”

2 Ahmad #7160 and ibn Hibban #6365

Haythami, Majma‘ alZawa’id, vol. 9, pg, 19 and Albani, Tahgig Bidayatu’l-Su/, sinc that its isnad was sahih meeting the criteria of Bukhari and Muslim

He also records via the route of Abii Ma‘shar, on the authority of al-Magqbari, on the authority of ‘A’ishah (radiyAllabu ‘anha) that the Prophet (i) said, “An angel came to me and said, “Your Lord extends the salam to you and says, “If you wish, you may be a Prophet-King, and if you wish, you may be a Servant-Messenger.”” Jibril indicated that I should humble my self so I said, ‘A ProphetServant.” ‘A’ishah said, ‘After that, the Prophet (3) never ate while reclining and he would say, “I eat as a slave eats and I sit as

One of the mursal reports of Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, has, ‘It has reached us that an angel came to the Prophet (8) that had previously never come to him accompanied by Jibril. Jibril was silent and the angel said, “Your Lord has given you the choice of being a Prophet-King or a Prophet-Servant.” The Prophet (3%) looked at Jibril (‘alayhis-salam) as if seeking advice,

7 Tn Sa‘d, Tabagat, vol. 12, pg. 381

and he indicated that he should be humble so the Messenyer of Allah (4%) said, “A Prophet-Servant.”"'*

Zuhri said, “They would think that from that time till the diy he left this world, the Prophet ($) never ate in a reclininy posture.’

Abmad and Tirmidhi record on the authority of Aba Umamah (radiyAllabu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (4g) said, “My Lord offered to make the plain and pebbles of Mecca gold but I said, “No, my Lord! Rather I (would prefer) to eat my fill one day and to go hungry another,” or he said “three days” or similar words, “When I go hungry, I would turn to You in humble entreaty and remember You, and when | am full, I would thank You and praise You.””'””

One of the Gnostics said, “Whoever claims servitude, yet some personal objective and gain remains that he looks to, he has belied his claim. Servitude can only truly be attached to one whose personal objectives have vanished and only the objectives of his Master remain in his mind. His only name would be that attached to His, his only description would be one of communion with Him. If he is summoned in His name, he answers by way of servitude. He has no name or designation left and he only responds to one who calls him to the servitude of his Master, then he read the following couplets

29 Ahmad #22190 and Tirmidhi #2347 who said it was hasan. The wording ot “three days” is recorded by Tabarini, a/-Kabir #7835

Albani, Tahgig Bidayatu'/-Sul, pg. 63 ruled the first part of the hadith te be authentic due to supporting witnesses and the second part commencing with "| would be full...” to be munkar; Arna‘it said that the isnad was da'if jiddan

O ‘Amr, with my Zahra’ am I bestirred Of this both listener and the seer know. Call me only ‘her servant,’

For that is the most truthful of my names.

This is the end of this treatise.

All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be on our master, Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

APPENDIX I & II

on Khushu‘ on Hypocritical Khushu‘

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim

may Allah have mercy upon him.

Ibn al-Qayyim on Khushi‘

Allah, Most High, says,

“eer Ble et % Bee e

A Saabs Aca tat Gn esins Be a Ss GAH; OY pS IS Ses BAT IG

Ibn Mas‘id (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said, ‘The time between our accepting Islim and being rebuked by this verse was four years.’ Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘Allah granted time and leeway to the hearts of