LESSON NINETEEN | 40 Ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه

bismillahh

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Lessons from Ahâdeeth Shareef by Moulana Naeem Motala  | Commentary on 40 ahâdeeth | Arba’een | of Imaam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه with emphasis on perfecting one’s character

|   LESSON NINETEEN   |

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤمِنُ بِهِ وَ نَتَوَ كَّلُ عَلَيهِ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَناَ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ 

Verily all praise is for Allah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness and we believe in Him and we place our trust upon Him, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides there is none who can guide him, and we bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, having no partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبَارِكْ وَسَلِّمْ

Allahumma Salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad Wa’ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Baarik Wa Sallim | Oh Allah shower blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and upon the family of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam


|  Hadith 18  |

 Follow Up a Bad Deed with a Good Deed

 

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ جُنْدَبِ بْنِ جُنَادَةَ، وَأَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا،

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ

اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْت، وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقْ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ :

 [رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ]

رقم:1987 وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، وَفِي بَعْضِ النُّسَخِ: حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

 

Hazrat Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah, and Hazrat Abu Abdir Rahman Muadh bin Jabal Radiallahu Anhuma narrated that Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said :

“Fear Allah (have Taqwa) wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe (the former) out, and behave well (with beautiful character) towards the people.”

[Tirmidhi]

 

|  BRIEF EXPLANTION  |

 

This Hadith contains three important advices, which embrace all the good of this world and the hereafter, namely :

[1] Taqwa :

Fearing Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala, ie: fulfilling all the commandments of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala and refraining from all the prohibitions of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala.

Some scholars have mentioned the meaning of Taqwa as : Allah must not see you in those places that Allah has prohibited you from, nor should Allah miss you in those places where Allah has commanded you to be in …

Amongst the many benefits of Taqwa : Allah will wipe out one’s sins • One becomes honourable and beloved in the sight of Allah • At the time of death, a person will get glad tidings of Jannah • Allah will grant one abundant reward [increase in Sawaab] • Allah will make an opening for him from all difficulties • Allah will grant one sustenance [Rozi] from unseen sources • Allah will give one the the criteria to discern between right and wrong [Furqaan] • Whoever fears Allah, Allah will grant them success in both worlds and saves them from the fire of Jahannum and remains perpetually in Jannah.

 

[2] Follow up a bad deed with a good deed :

Follow up a bad deed with a good deed. The good deed will wipe out the bad deed. After slipping into sin, a person should perform any good action [deed] which will efface the effects of the sin.

Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud Radiallahu Anhu narrated : A man kissed a strange [Non-Mahram]woman. Realizing the gravity of his sin, he came to Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, informed him about his transgression and desired that the Shar’ee punishment be implemented upon him so that he may be saved from the fire of Jahannum in the hereafter. Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam had still not responded to him, when a verse was revealed :

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

And establish prayer [Salaah] at the two ends of the day and a portion of the night. Verily, virtues [good deeds] repel vices [misdeeds] ~ Surah Hud 11:114

After Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam recited this verse to the man, the man asked Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam whether this applies to him only. Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “It applies to all of my Ummah.” [Bukhaari and Muslim]

What is meant [in this Hadith], is that a good deed becomes an atonement for an evil deed. For major sins to be obliterated, one has to make Taubah [sincere repentance]. However, minor sins are obliterated [forgiven] when a person follows up with performing a good deed after a bad deed.

There are numerous acts of Ibaadah that eliminate and wash away the minor sins of a person. An example [of minor sins being forgiven] is when a person performs Whudu [ablution], then this virtuous act of worship washes out all minor sins. Or, when a person keeps a Nafl fast on the 9th of Zul-Hijjah, then this wipes out the minor sins of the past and coming year.

 

[3] Behave well [with beautiful character] towards the people :

In a Hadith, Hazrat Abu Darda Radiallahu Anhu narrates : Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned :

مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ أَثْقَلُ فِي مِيزَانِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ خُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُبْغِضُ الْفَاحِشَ الْبَذِيءَ

Nothing is heavier on the believer’s Scale on the Day of Judgment than good character. For indeed Allah, Most High, is angered by the shameless obscene person[Tirmidhi]

A Believer is expected to maintain good conduct and character and speak well [kindly] to his fellow men ; fulfil their needs ; not backbite/slander ; abstain from jealousy/hatred ; forgive the fault of someone who has done him wrong ; meet people with a smile ; fulfil the rights of those who do not fulfil his rights ; maintain relations with those who break ties with him ; be compassionate, kind, loving, caring ; share his food and belongings with others and those who are in need … etc.

Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned : “The best of people are those with the most excellent character.” [Tabarani]