. J "" (cont.)

These are, in fact, the provisions that will help him reach his homeland he so longs for. However, some of that "work" involves this worldly life. Although he is a stranger, he is forced to have some involvement in this world. He is obliged to support himself and his family. He is obliged to order good and eradicate evil. He is obliged to be kind and good to others and so forth. Hence, he is a stranger but not in a negative sense; he contributes what is good to this world, yet he is not working for the sake of this world. "or" The word "or" here is not meant as a kind of indecision or doubt.2 Instead, it implies a choice or variation, as in the phrase, "be this or that." However, according to al-Teebi, it is even better to be understood it as bal (c..3-!). According to this interpretation, the translation would be, "Be in this world like a stranger; in fact, you should actually be like one traveling along a path." Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) first mentioned the stranger and then mentioned a higher or better level, the traveler. This is because a stranger can live and settle in the land where he is a stranger. However, the traveler has no intention but to move on. He does no deed except that which helps him reach 1 Ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 379. It should be noted that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether the Paradise that Adam and Eve were in is the same Paradise that is fromised to the believers in the Hereafter. Ibn Uthaimeen mentions the possibility that the doubt is from one of the narrators, but that does not seem to be the likely case. Cf., ibn Uthaimeen, Sharh Riyaadh, vol. 6, p. 27. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi his destination, living in fear that something may happen to him that will keep him from being able to reach his destination. Therefore, he is not actually residing in or becoming part of a place, as a stranger may do to some extent, but he is simply trying to move on. 1 It is important to note that these are the only two options that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the believer with respect to this world: either be like a stranger or like one traveling along a path. If a believer's attitude toward this world does not resemble one of those two categories, it means that he is not treating this world in the manner that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has instructed. "a traveler along a path" The second possibility that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned for the believer is to be like a traveler along a path. This implies that the person is actually not residing anywhere but is always moving toward his final destination or goal. The end of his travels, of course, will be his death. Therefore, his only preoccupation is to gather the provisions that he needs to continue his journey and make his journey a successful one. In another hadith, it is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was lying on a hard mat. Ibn Masood began to wipe the effects of the mat from the Prophet's body and suggested that he have something better to sleep on. The Prophet's reply was, "What do I have to do with this worldly life? I and this worldly life are but like a traveler who stopped for a little while under a tree to get some shade and then he moved on. "2 Al-Nawawi stated that a person in this world is like a slave who was sent by his master to another land to fulfill some objective. His goal will be to fulfill that objective as quickly as possible and then return to his land and owner. As long as he is there, he will not bother with anything else along the way or with gathering as much as he can from that other land.3 Ibn Hajr stated, "In the same way that a traveler is not in need of more than what will get him to his destination, a believer does not need any more of 1 Al-Teebi was quoted in ibn Hajr, Fath (al-Tijaariyyah), vol. 13, p. 9. 2 Recorded by Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, ibn Maajah and others. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih. See al-Albaani, sahih al-Jaami, vol. 2, p. 989. A similar story has been narrated concerning Umar and the Prophet (peace be upon him). That narration was recorded by Ahmad, al-Haakim and ibn Hibbaan. 3 Al-Nawawi was quoted in ibn Hajr, Fath (al-Tijaariyyah), vol. 13, p. 10. Hadith #40: "Be in the World Like a Stranger. . .