Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #100

The Companions set forth the example of the highest level of submission and obedience to the commandments of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

`Abdullaah Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما reported that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saw a person wearing a gold ring in his hand. He صلى الله عليه وسلم pulled it off and threw it away, saying:

One of you is wishing live coal from Hell and putting it on his hand.

It was said to the person after Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم had left: “Take your ring (of gold) and derive benefit out of it.” Whereupon he said: “No! By Allaah! I would never take it when Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم has thrown it away.”

[Saheeh Muslim (5209)]

The following is the summary of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen’s commentary on this Hadeeth from his Sharh of Riyaadh al-Saaliheeh (2/444 - 449).

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

1. Imaam al-Nawawee رحمه الله reported this Hadeeth under the chapter: “Enjoining good and forbidding the evil”, because in it there is an example of using the hand (force) to change the wrong.

2. Wearing silk and gold is Haraam and detested for the men due to the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, while he was holding silk in one hand and gold in the other:

These two are forbidden for the males of my nation and permitted to the females.

[Sunan Ibn Maajah (3595, 3597) and the wordings are his and Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1720) graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee. See also Sunan Abu Dawood (4057) and Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (5144, 5145, 5146, 5147)]

3. It is not permitted for men to wear gold in any circumstances, either be it a gold ring, or a necklace, or clothes which have gold threads in them or other than them (example gold plated watches vessels, spectacles etc.)

4. The gold is worn by the ones who are in need of adornment and beautification, like the women who need to adorn themselves for their husbands. As Allaah تعالى says:

﴿أَوَمَن يُنَشَّأُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْخِصَامِ غَيْرُ مُبِينٍ

{(Do they then like for Allaah) a creature who is brought up in adornments (wearing silk and gold ornaments, i.e. women), and in dispute cannot make herself clear?} [Surah al-Zukhruf (43): 18]

5. Men need to beautify themselves for their wives, but whatever the situation, gold is forbidden for men in every circumstance.

6. It is allowed for men to wear rings made of silver, with the condition that they do not attach a belief to it or imitate the Christians in their habits like wearing a wedding or engagement ring. But if they wear a silver ring in general without attaching any beliefs to it, then there is no problem with that.

7. In general, wearing a ring is not preferable for men. Rather it is from the matters which, as when the need arises, one does it or otherwise leaves it. The evidence for this is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not used to wear a ring, but when it was said to him: “They (the kings and the heads of the states) do not accept any letter unless it is stamped.” So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had a silver ring made for himself; and on it was engraved: “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah.” [Saheehain]

8. In this Hadeeth there is evidence in using force to change the bad (or evil) when the need arises. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not just inform him that wearing gold is Haraam for men so don’t wear it or take it out. Rather, he صلى الله عليه وسلم himself pulled it off and threw it on the ground.

9. From this we know that there is a difference between: ‘Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is bad’ and ‘changing the evil (with the hands).’

10. ‘Changing the evil’ is for those in authority, like the head of the state, (or the principal of the school), or like the man in his house, or the woman (mother over her children) and likewise. All these have authority within their respective premises to bring about a change using force. But if that is not possible, then they speak out against it, and if they cannot even do that, then with their heart.

11. ‘Changing the evil’ is to be done only by those who have authority and not by every common person. This is because one person may consider something as Munkar (bad/evil) while the other may not consider it as Munkar. So, there will be chaos if everyone were allowed to bring about the change using force. [Sharh Saheeh Muslim of Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (6/527)]

12. As for ‘Enjoining good and forbidding evil’, then this is obligatory upon everyone and in every situation because this does require force. Rather, it is only commanding and calling towards goodness, and preventing and leaving the evil.

13. There are three levels: calling, commanding and prohibiting, and changing with the hands.

14. In this Hadeeth, there is evidence that it is permissible to destroy or get rid of the thing which leads towards evil, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم pulled out the ring from the man’s finger and threw it away. He صلى الله عليه وسلم did not say to him for example: “take it and give it to your wife.”

15. It is from the understanding of this Companion, when it was said to him: “take your ring” to which he replied: “I will never pick up the ring which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم threw away”, because he understood he had committed a sin and that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم strongly enforced his command over him and got rid of the thing which caused him to sin.

16. Anything which leads a person towards sin, or prevents him from fulfilling the obligations, then there is no problem in getting rid of that thing as means of self-retribution. Like how Sulaimaan عليه السلام did when trained horses of the highest breed were presented to him. He became busy with them and was preoccupied with them till the sun had set and he had missed the `Asr prayer. So he عليه السلام asked that the horses be brought back to him and he struck their necks with the sword, as Allaah تعالى had said:

﴿فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ﴾

{Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks} [Surah Saad (38): 33. Also see Tafseer Ibn Katheer and Tafseer al-Sa`dee]

He got rid of the horses as self-retribution in order to seek Allaah’s pleasure.

17. If a person sees that something from his wealth has prevented him from the obedience of Allaah, and he decides to get rid of it as self-punishment, then there is no problem in that.

18. In this Hadeeth there is evidence that wearing gold by men will be a cause of punishment for them in the Hellfire – and we seek Allaah’s refuge from that – because of the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: One of you is wishing live coal from Hell and putting it on his hand.

19. The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم made the ring as a live coal from Hell, meaning the person will be punished with it on the Day of Judgment and this will be a partial punishment, i.e. only a certain part of the body will be punished – that part of the body which committed a sin.

This is further supported by the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: The part of the lower garment which hangs below the ankles is in the Fire. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also said regarding those who do not wash their ankles properly during ablution: Woe to the heels because of the Hell-Fire. [Saheehain]

These are the three evidences from the Sunnah which all affirm that some people will receive punishment on a specific part of their bodies in the Hellfire.

20. This is further supported in the Qur’aan, in the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ

{On the Day when that (al-Kanz: money, gold and silver, etc., the Zakaat of which has not been paid) will be heated in the Fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs…} [Surah al-Tawbah (9): 35]

21. So the punishment can be general, i.e. on the complete body, or it can be specific, to a certain parts of the body – that which sinned.

22. Also from the benefits of this Hadeeth is that one gets to learn about the Truthfulness of the Companions رضي الله عنهم in their Imaan. This Companion, when it was said to him to pick up the ring and benefit from it, he replied: “I would never take it when Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم has thrown it away”; this is the sign of the perfection of his رضي الله عنه Imaan. If he was of weak faith, he would have picked it up and would have benefited from it – either by selling it or giving it to his wife etc.

23. Imaam al-Nawawee رحمه الله said: the Companions set forth the example of the highest level of obedience and conformity that they had for the Commandments of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in what he permitted and what he prohibited; and that they did not use weak arguments in trying to compromise or find loopholes. [Paraphrased from Sharh Saheeh Muslim of Imaam al-Nawawee (14/65)]

24. Also from the benefits of this Hadeeth is that a person should use Hikmah (wisdom) while trying to bring about the change. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was strict with this Companion, but he صلى الله عليه وسلم did not use force on that Bedouin who urinated in the Masjid. This Companion, who wore the gold ring, was aware of the ruling but was lenient about it, but as for the Bedouin, he was unaware of the ruling and hence he urinated in the Masjid.

25. A person has to tackle every situation differently. So we should use our Hikmah in how we say it, or how we prevent it. 

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheeh of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (2/444 - 449)]

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