Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

Taken from al-Jawaab al-Kaafee liman sa'ala an ad-Dawaa ash-Shaafee
Translated by Abuz-Zubayr 'Abdur-Rahman Harrison
Written by/Said by Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (Rahimahullaah)
Edited by Editorial Staff at tazkiyah.org



Whoever reflects upon the conditions of the Sahaabah, he finds that they had the highest concern for deeds with the highest level of fear of Allaah ('Azza Wa Jall). Abu Ad-Dardaa (Radhiallahu 'Anhu) used to say, "The most severe of what I fear for myself on the Day of Resurrection is that it were to be said to me, 'Oh Abu Dardaa, you performed deeds, so how did you perform deeds yet did not learn?'" And he used to say, "If you knew what you will encounter after death, then you would not even eat food just for pleasure, nor would you drink any drink just for pleasure, nor would you even enter a house just to seek shade within it. You would rather go out to a high place, striking your chests and crying over yourselves. And I wish I were just a tree that is used for support and then eaten." Tameem Ad-Daaree (Radhiallahu 'Anhu) read one night Soorah Al-Jaathiyah and when this Aayah came upon him:

Or do those who commit evil deeds think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds? [Al-Jaathiyah : 21]

He began to repeat it over and over, crying until morning came. Ibraheem At-Taymee said, "I never put forth my statement before my action except that I was afraid of being a liar." Recorded in the collection of At-Tirmithee, Aaishah (Radhiallahu 'Anha) said, "I asked Allaah's Messenger (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) about this Aayah:

Indeed, those who are apprehensive form fear of their Lord, and those who believe in the signs of their Lord, and those who do not associate anything with their Lord, and those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord - it is those who hasten to good deeds, and they exceed others therein. [Al-Muminoon : 57-61]

So I said, "Are they those who drink wine, commit adultery, and steal?" So he replied: "No, oh daughter of As-Siddeeq. Rather, they are those who fast, pray, and give charity and they are afraid that it will not be accepted from them 'It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they exceed others therein.'" (1) And Allaah described the people of happiness with Ihsaan and fear, while He described the people of misery with sins and the feeling of security and safety. And the greatest of people in deception is he who is deceived by the Dunyaa and its immediate pleasures so he prefers it over the hereafter. He is pleased with it over the hereafter. How is this so, when the Dunyaa, all of it from the beginning to the end, is like one breath from the breaths of the hereafter? This is similar to what Al-Imaam Ahmad and At-Tirmithee recorded from the Hadeeth of Al-Mustawrid ibn Shaddaad that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "The Dunyaa compared to the hereafter is only like if one of you were to dip his finger into the sea - look what remains on it (of water)." (2) So what is the extent of the entire life of a person compared to the hereafter? Which of the two is given precedence by the intelligent person - preferring the immediate pleasures of this short period of time and being prevented from the ever-lasting good of the hereafter, or leaving something that is insignificant, worthless, soon-to-be cut off in order to gain that which is priceless, unimaginable, with no end to its pleasures, and never-ending?
1 Declared Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithee, no. 3175 (go back)
2 Declared Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithee, no. 2323 (go back)