. J "" (cont.)

Instead, he will do them as soon as he can for he realizes that if he does not do them soon, he may never get a chance to do them. He will take advantage of every moment. If he does not do so, there may come a time when he will be in despair for having failed to perform those good deeds although he had the opportunity to do them. Unfortunately, he did not take advantage of that Hadith #40: "Be in the World Like a Stranger. . . " opportunity because he felt that he would live long enough to meet his goals of this world as well as do those good deeds later. This concept of curtailing long-term hopes in this worldand instead working for the certainty of the Hereafterwas well understood by the early pious generations of Muslims. Ibn Rajah quotes many narrations related to it. The following are some examples from his commentary to this hadith: 1 Al-Marwoozi asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, "What is zuhd (detachment) in this world?" He replied, "Curtailing one's hopes and dreams, when someone in the morning says, 'I shall not expect to live until the evening."' Bakr al-Muzani said, "If you want your prayer to benefit you, say to yourself, 'Perhaps I will never perform another prayer [after it]."' This, in fact, is based on a hadith in which a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, "Teach me and make it very concise." Part of what the Prophet (peace be upon him) told him was, ȣ .... yj ,,,. J ,,. ࢪ;; o°)(p ज़ ஻-JLp J ୩ \ "When you stand for your prayer, perform a farewell prayer [as if there is to be no prayer after it]."2 Maroof al-Karkhi once asked another man to lead the prayer. The man said, "If I lead you in this prayer, I will not lead you in any other prayer afterwards." Al-Karkhi said, "Do you consider that you will pray another prayer [in the future]? I seek refuge from [such] distant hopes for it keeps one from doing the best deeds." lbn Daqeeq al-Eid points out that it is natural for man to have such hopes and dreams. Therefore, he must actually struggle against this tendency in himself. He must overcome his desires, hopes and weaknesses. He must do this if he truly wishes to be successful.3 "Take from your health for your sickness . . . " Here, ibn Umar is giving advice that one should perform good deeds while in a state of health before sickness and weakness overcomes him and he does not have the strength to do the good deeds. Similarly, one must perform good deeds during one's lifetime before death overtakes him and he does not have the ability or opportunity to work. As noted earlier, in another narration, ibn Umar also said, "For certainly, you do not know, 0 servant of Allah, what your name will be tomorrow." In other words, "You do not know whether you will be among the living or the dead tomorrow, so you must act now." 1 Cf., ibn Rajah, Jaami, vol. 2, pp. 384-387. 2 Recorded by Ahmad and ibn Maajah. According to al-Albaani, it is sahih. See al-Albaani, sahih al-Jaami, vol. I , p. 190. 3 Ibn Daqeeq al-Eid, Sharh, p. 1 06. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi This advice from ibn Umar can also be derived from different hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Al-Bukhari recorded that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, J ,... 0 J .... "' ,... ,... \I · 1' ;1( $1 01 " " ਡ - "his desire"; in general, this word refers to a person's desires that take him away from the straight path; that is, desire for what is not true, correct or proper. However, it can also have a more general meaning of what one desires or wants, regardless of whether that desired object is praiseworthy or blameworthy.' l..,u - "following" ୚ - "I came" Takhreej This hadith was recorded by ibn Abu Aasim in al-Sunnah,2 ibn al-Jauzi m Dhamm al-Hawaa, al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah, al-Anwaar and 1 Cf., ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, pp. 398-399. Al-Baitaar (pp. 254-255) wrote, "Every human has desires and everyone has things that the soul inclines toward. However, the people themselves differ. Some of them follow their desires even if it is in opposition to the truth. Others submit to the truth even though it goes against what they desire. Some people even give up their desires on behalf of what other humans desire ... " 2 Note that in ascribing this hadith to the book, al-Hujjah, al-Nawawi did not follow what is known as proper or accepted procedure among the scholars of hadith. The proper way to ascribe haditb is by mentioning the earliest or the most eminent scholars who have recorded the badith. In this particular case, scholars both earlier and more eminent than the author of al-Hujjah recorded this hadith.