This World and the Hereafter (1/2)
Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali
From what we have mentioned it will be clear that love of wealth and leadership and craving after them destroys a person’s Religion (Deen) to the point that nothing except what Allah wills remains of it, just as the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) informed.
The root of love of wealth and status is love of this world, and the root of love of this world is following desires. Wahb ibn Munabbih said, “From following desires comes desire for this world, and from desire of this world comes love of wealth and status, and from love of wealth and status comes making lawful that which is forbidden.” This is a fine saying, since love of wealth and status is caused by desire for this world, and desire for this world is brought about by following one’s desires. This is because one’s desires call to desire for this world and love of wealth and status in it. But taqwa prevents one from following desires and prevents love of this world. Allah, the Most High, said:
“Then, for such as had transgressed all bounds, and had preferred the life of this world, their abode will be Hell-Fire; but as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires, and lusts – verily, Paradise will be his abode.”(Surah an-Naazi`aat (79):37-4).
Allah, the Most High, has also described the people of the Fire as being people who formerly possessed wealth and authority in a number of places in His Book. He, the Most High says:
“But as for him who will be given his record in his left hand, will say: ‘I wish that I had not been given my record! And that I had not known how my account is? I wish, would that it had been my end (death)! My wealth has not availed me, my authority and argument (to defend myself) have gone from me.’” (Surah al-Haaqqah (69):25-29)
Know that the soul loves to attain rank and position above its like and this is what produces pride and envy. However the intelligent one strives, for everlasting and perpetual rank which is in Allah’s pleasure, and in nearness to Him, and he turns away from fleeting and short-lived rank which is followed by Allah’s Wrath and Anger and means the person’s downfall, lowness and his distance from Allah and being banished away from Him. So this is the second kind of eminence which is blameworthy and it is wrongful haughtiness and eminence upon the earth. As for the first type of eminence and wishing for it – then that is praiseworthy, Allah, the Most High, says, “And for this let (all) those strive who want to strive.” (Surah al-Mutaffifeen (83):26
Al-Hasan [al-Basree] said, “If you see a man competing with you with regard to this world then compete with him concerning the Hereafter.”
Wuhayb ibn al-Ward said, “If you are able to make sure that no one precedes you in hastening towards Allah then do so.”
Muhammad ibn Yoosuf al-Asbahaanee, the worshipper, said, “If a person hears of another person or knows of another person who is more obedient to Allah than him, then that should grieve him.”
Someone else said, “If a man hears or knows of another man who is more obedient to Allah than himself and this causes his heart to break – then this is not a case of vanity.”
A man said to Maalik ibn Deenaar, “I saw in a dream a caller calling out, ‘O People! The time for departing and the time for moving on has come.’ But I did not see anyone departing except Muhammad ibn Waasi’. So Maalik cried out and fainted.
So it is correct to view for the levels of rank in the Hereafter and to seek and aspire to that by hastening in that which leads to it, and that a person should not be satisfied with aspiring for a lower rank when it is within his power to aspire for that which is higher.
But as for the second eminence which is cut off and followed by regret, grief, humiliation, shame and inferiority – then it is prescribed to avoid this and to turn away from it for many reasons. From these is that a servant should look to the evil results in the Hereafter of seeking status in this world through authority and leadership – for those who do not discharge its duties justly. Also from them is that the servant should consider the punishment awaiting the unjust and the proud and haughty and those who seek to compete with Allah’s cloak of Pride.
It is reported in the Sunan that the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “The haughty will be raised up on the Day of Ressurection like tiny ants in the shape of men, humiliation will cover them from every side. They will be led in to a place of confinement in Hell-Fire called Boolas. They will be covered by the Fire of Fires. They will be given to drink the festering pus flowing from the inhabitants of the Fire.”[1]
In a different narration reported elsewhere there occurs in this hadeeth, “The people will tread upon them with their feet.”[2]
In a further narration reported through a different chain there occurs, “Jinn, humans and animals will tread upon them with their feet until Allah carries out judgement between His servants.”
A man asked permission of `Umar, radiyallahu `anhu, to address the people, so he said to him, ‘I fear that if you address the people you will feel that you are better than them and so Allah will place you beneath their feet on the Day of Resurrection.’
Also from the reasons for this is that the servant should consider the reward in store for those who are humble for Allah’s sake in this world, and that they will attain eminence in the Hereafter since whoever humbles himself for Allah then Allah will raise him in rank. Also from the reasons for this, and it is not something in the ******* of the servant, rather it is from the Bounty and Mercy of Allah and it is that those servants of His who know Him and who abstain for His sake from temporary wealth and status – in exchange for that in this world Allah gives them the honour of taqwa and the respect of the creation. They will also taste the sweetness of having knowledge of Him, and of Iman and obedience – and this is the good and pleasant life promised to those men and women who act righteously and are Believers. This good and pleasant life is not tasted by the kings of this world, nor by those who aspire to authority and status. Ibraaheem ibn Adham, rahimahullaah, said, “If the kings and their sons knew that which we delight in, they would contend with us for it by the use of the sword.”
So whoever is granted that by Allah, is preoccupied by it from seeking fleeting status and temporary eminence, Allah, the Most High, says:
“The rainment of righteousness – that is the best.” [Surah al-A`raaf (7):26]
He, the Most High, says:
“Whoever desires honour, power and glory then to Allah belong all honour, power and glory.” [Surah Faatir (35):10]
There occurs in some narrations that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says, “I am the Mighty and whoever wishes for honour then let him be obedient to the Mighty, and whoever wishes for honour in this world and the Hereafter – then let him have taqwa.”
Hajjaaj ibn Artaat used to say, “Love of status has killed me.” So Sawwar said, “If you had taqwa of Allah then you would attain status.”
Concerning this there is the poem:
“Indeed taqwa is honour and nobility
Whereas your love of this world is humiliation and a sickness
And a servant having taqwa will not suffer loss
If he truly has taqwa….”
Saalih al-Baajee said, “Obedience is authority and the one who obeys Allah is one in authority given authority over the rulers. Do you not see the awe they hold for him in their hearts. If he speaks they accept it and if he commands they obey.” Then he said, “It is fitting that one who serves You well and then You bestow favour upon him – that through Your love the tyrants are humble before him and have awe of him due to the position he holds in their hearts, which is due to the awe that he has for You in his heart, and every good that is from You if with Your chosen servants.”
One of the Salafus-Saaliheen said, “Who can be more fortunate than one who is obedient (to Allah) since all good lies in obedience (to Him)? Indeed the one obedient to Allah is a sovereign this world and the Hereafter.”
Dhun-Noon said, “Who is more noble and honourable than one who is cut off from everyone except the One who has sovereignty of everything in His Hand?”
[1] Reported by Ahmad (2/179), al-Bukhaaree in al-Aadaabul-Mufrad (no.557) and at-Tirmidhee (no.2492) who declared it hasan and its isnaad is hasan.
[2] Reported by `Abdullaah ibn Ahmad in his additions to az-Zuhd (p.22) and its isnaad contains `Ataa` ibn Muslim al-Khaffaaf who is generally acceptable except that he makes many mistakes as occurs in atTaqreeb of Ibn Hajar, and Ahmad disapproved of his narration as occurs in Taareekh Baghdaad (12/294)