Part 22

pleased with them both) replied, "Oh, it is not legal. Permissible marriage should be based on complete

desire, if you wish, you could hold her and if you wish you could divorce her. In the lifetime of the Prophet

(pbuh), we used to consider the like of your marriage as illicit sexual relation."

Moreover, there are many narrations and reports that condemn the act of marring a woman solely to

return to her first husband. The following are some of these narrations:

AI-Thram and Ibn AI-Mundhir narrated that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I would

stone to' death the one who marries to permit the previous husband to return to his divorced wife. I would

also stone to death the first husband."

'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about marring a woman to permit her to return to

the previous husband, whereupon he said, "It is an illicit sexual relation."

'Abdullah Ibn Sharauk AI-`Amri said, "I heard Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) when

he was asked about a man who divorced his wife (his uncle's daughter) and someone else wanted to marry

Mentioned by Ibn Hagar in Majma' Al-Zawaid and reported by Ibn Majah.

her to permit the former husband to remarry her. Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained,

'The former and latter are adulterers even if the marriage lasted for 20 years. However, the knowledge of

the former husband by the aim of the marriage is the main criteria of incurring curse upon himself."

A man asked Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), "My uncle's son has divorced his wife and

so he became regretful." Ibn `Abbas declared, "Your uncle's son disobeyed Allah and, therefore, he was

inflicted with regret, whereas he obeyed Satan who will not relieve him." The man asked more, "What do

you say in a man who wants to marry her to permit him to remarry her?" He disclosed, 'He, thus, seeks to

deceive Allah, but it is Allah who deceives him."

Ibrahim An-Nakh'i stated, "If the first husband, the second husband, or the woman intends to marry

solely to permit the first husband to remarry his divorced wife, the marriage will be illegal."

Sa'id Ibn AIMusaib said concerning this issue, "It is prohibited in Islam."

However, Malik Ibn Anas, Al-layth Ibn Su'd, Sufyan AIThawri, Imam Ahmad and other great

scholars are of the same opinion. Iman Shafi'i considers the contract of marriage, in which one is compelled

to divorce his wife to permit her former husband to remarry her, is null and void.

36) Not Freeing Oneself of All Traces of Urine

{And thy garments keep free from stain!}

On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said that the Prophet (pbuh)

passed by two graves and said,

"The two are being tormented, and not for anything excessive: one of them did not free himself of traces of

urine, while the other was a talebearer."1

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said also,

"Purify yourselves from the remaining dirty after urination, for most of the torment in the grave is inflected

because of inattention about this matter."2

Assuredly, the acceptance of prayer depends on purifying one's clothing and body from dirty.

In his Al-Hilyah, AI-Hafiz Abu Na'ifm reported on the authority of Shufai Ibn Mati' AI-Asbahi that the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Four men would increase the harms of the people of the Hell-fire; moving from the Hamim and

the Jahim (different places in Hell-fire) and pleading for woe and destruction. The people of Hell would

ask one another why those men increase our harm." He (the Messenger) said, "One of the four men is being

put in an ark of heated stones, the second one dragging his bowels, the third one vomiting blood and pus

while the fourth one is eating his flesh. Then the first one who is being put in on ark of heated stones would

be asked about his guilt. Thereupon he would say I used to consume the property of others and my life

come to one and without repaying those rights to its people. The same would be done with the second who

would explain that he used to neglect washing the remaining dirty off his body after urination. The same

would be done with the third one who would declare that he used to enjoy the evil utterance as he enjoys

the immoral acts. The same, also, would be done with the fourth who would disclose that he used to

backbite and slander others." 3

Mentiond by Abi Abd Ibn Ad-Dunijah in the book of As-Samt.

37) Showing off in Good Work

Allah Most High describes the hypocrites saying,

{When they stood up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to see of men, but little do they hold Allah in

He Most High also says,

{So woe to the worshipers who are neglectful of their prayers, those who (want but) to be seen, but refuse

(to supply) even) neighborly needs.} (Al-Ma'un: 4-7)

{O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury-like those who

spend their wealth to be seen of men.} (Al-Baqarah: 264)

{Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no

one as partner} (Al-Kahf: 110)

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah

"The first of people who will be judged on the Day of Judgment will be a man who has died a martyr. He

will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say:

And what did you do with them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have

lied. You did but fight so that it might be said (of you): He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will

be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire. (Next) will be a man who has studied

(religious) knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah

will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with

them? He will say: I studied (religious) knowledge and taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He

will say: You have lied. You did but study (religious) knowledge so that it might be said (of you): He is

learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said (of you): He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then

he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. (Then) will come a man whom

Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make

known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He

will say: I have left no way in which You like money to be spent without spending for Your sake. He will

say: You have lied. You did but do so that it might be said (of you): He is generous. And so it was said.

Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire."1

Al-Khattabi said, "The unfaithful men who seek people and fame with their deeds would be presented

on the Day of Judgment, with all their concealed and unknown defecates and faults."

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) illustrated further,

"It is shirk (association, to seek people even with the slightest deeds."1

"For yo my greatest fear is from minor Shirk (association)." people said, "What is the minor shirk, O

Messenger of Allah?" He debarred, "Showing off (is that minor shirk). Allah Most High will say on the Day

of Judgment, "0 you who have sought people with their actions, go to them and see if they could

{But something will confront them from Allah, which they could never have counted upon!}

In their explanation to this verse, some scholars said, those people used to act seemingly good deeds,

which would appear Off the Day of Judgment to evil deeds."

Some of the successors used to say when reading this verse, {Woe to those who seek people by their

deeds.} It is said further that on the Day of Judgment those people would be called by four titles: Hypocrite,

deceiver, unfaithful and loser, go to the people for whose sake you have done and take your compensation

since we have no compensation for you."

AI-Hassan also commented, "Wishing to overcome the Decree of Allah, the hypocrites try to appear as

However, Allah would unveil their true reality before the faithful believers."

Qatadah said, "When the person did acts to be seen by people, Allah, the Almighty says, 'look at my

servant how he disregards Me."

'Umar Ibn AI-Khattab once saw a man declining his head in Prayer, therefore he said, "O you who

decline his head, raise your head, for mindfulness exists in the heart only."

Abu Umamah saw a man weeping in Prayer in the mosque, whereupon he said, "O man, is it not better

to do this in your house! (i.e., to be away from people)" Muhammad Ibn AI-Mubark used to say "It is better

for everyone to show mindfulness and God-consciousness at night (in his house) for it will be solely for the

Creator, whereas showing God-consciousness at day may be for the created."

`Ali Ibn `Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "There are three signs for the one who

works to be shown by people: Inactivity when alone and activity before people, love for estimation and

AI-Fudail Ibn 'Aiad said, "Riya' (showing off) is to leave work because of people, shirk (association) is

to work for the sake of people, while sincerity is to be saved from the two staffs by Allah.

38) Learning Sacred Knowledge for the Sake of This World, or

{Those truly fear Allah among His servants who have knowledge, for Allah, is Exalted in Might, oft-

This verse clearly refers to the scholars who are acquainted with Allah, Most High. Ibn `Abbas said,

"What is meant, are those who are well acquainted with Allah's Might, Dignity and Power and (will) fear

Him more than all other people." Mujahid and AI-Sha'bi said, "The men of knowledge are those who fear

AI-Rabi' said further, "Whoever has no fear of Allah, he will never be decreed to be a scholar."