Humility in Prayer
Creator: al-Haafidh Zaynud-Deen Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee
Date: 2007-07-25
Format: text
Identifier: http://www.islamworld.net/humility_in_prayer.html
Language: en
Subject: prayer
Title: Humility in Prayer
Created on: Wed Jul 25 21:15:47 -0400 2007
Updated on: Wed Jul 25 21:15:47 -0400 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... r. And al-Hasan said, "Knowledge is of two types, the knowledge of the tongue, and the knowledge of the heart. So the knowledge of the heart is the beneficial knowledge, and the knowledge of the tongue is the proof of Allaah upon the son of Aadam." [21] And it has been related in mursal form from al-Hasan (rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa) from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). [22] And he also reported it from Jaabir (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in marfoo' form [23] and it has also been reported by him from Anas (radiyallaahu 'anhu) in marfoo' form, [24] and its chain of narrators is not authentic. So the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) informed that the knowledge was with the people of the two books before us, and they were not benefited by anything from it, since they failed to realize its objective. And if it had reached their hearts, they would have found the sweetness of eemaan (faith) by it, and it would have benefited them by connecting them to fear and turning their hearts around. And if it is only upon their tongues, it will establish the proof of Allaah upon them. And due to this meaning, Allaah the Glorified described the scholars with fear (khashyah) in His Book, as Allaah the Exalted says: "Verily the most fearful of Allaah from His servants are the scholars." [Soorah Faatir 35:28] And He also says: "Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (like one who does not)? Say, are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only the people of understanding will remember." [Sooratuz-Zumar 39:9] And the scholars from the people of the Book before us have been described with humility, as Allaah the Exalted says: "Say, believe in it, or do not believe. Verily those who were given knowledge before it (the Qur'aan), when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration. And they say, "Glorified is our Lord! Verily the Promise of our Lord has been fulfilled." And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it (the Qur'aan) increases them in humility." [Sooratul-Israa' 17:107-109] And in the statement of Allaah the Exalted - in describing those who have been given knowledge - is praise for the one who develops khushoo' in his heart upon listening to the Book of Allaah, and Allaah the Exalted says: "So woe to those whose hearts have been hardened against the remembrance of Allaah, those are clearly misguided. Allaah has sent down the best statement, a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord, then there skins and their hearts become soft at the remembrance of Allaah." [Sooratuz-Zumar 39:22-23] And the softness of the heart is when its harshness ceases to occur, and it develops humility and mildness. And indeed Allaah despises those who develop humility in their hearts upon hearing the Book of Allaah, and those who do not reflect upon it, Allaah the Exalted says: "Has the time not come for those who have believed, that their hearts should become humble at the remembrance of Allaah, and at what He has revealed of the truth?" [Sooratul-Hadeed 57:16] Ibn Mas'ood (radiyallaahu 'anhu) said, "We have not been rebuked by this aayah, except after having accepted Islaam four years ago." It was related by Muslim, [25] and an-Nisaa'ee, [26] and he added to it, "So the Believers placed blame upon each other." And Ibn Maajah related a hadeeth from az-Zubayr (radiyallaahu 'anhu) who said, "We have not been rebuked after embracing Islaam, until the revelation of this aayah which occurred four years later." [27] And indeed many from amongst the righteous heard this aayah being recited, so they were affected by it in different ways, so from these effects was for one to die from it due to the aching of his heart from it, and from them was that one would repent and leave off what the aayah spoke of. [28] And indeed we have mentioned their reports in the book al-Istighnaa' bil-Qur'aan. [29] And Allaah the Exalted said: "And if We had sent this Qur'aan down upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and broken apart from fear of Allaah." [Sooratul-Hashr 59:21] Aboo 'Imraan al-Jawnee said, "By Allaah, indeed our Lord has directed our attention to this aayah of the Qur'aan, which if He had sent down upon the mountain, it would have been obliterated and flattened out by it." And Maalik Ibn Deenaar (rahimahullaah) read this aayah, then he said, "I swear to you, no servant believes in this Qur'aan, except that his heart is left aching." And it is related from al-Hasan (rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa) that he said, "O son of Aadam, if Shaytaan whispers to you with a sin, or if you yourself are inclined towards it, then remember along with that what Allaah bestowed upon you from His Book; that which if it was bestowed upon an unshakable mountain, it would have been humbled and broken apart. Have you not heard Him saying: "If We had sent down this Qur'aan upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and broken apart from fear of Allaah." [Sooratul-Hashr 59:21] So these parables are only presented to you so that you may reflect upon them, and so that you may receive admonishment with them from disobedience to Allaah the Mighty and Majestic. And you - O son of Aadam - are most deserving of becoming humbled by the remembrance of Allaah, and by whatever you carry from His Book, and by whatever you have been given from His Wisdom; because you will be judged, and for you is either Paradise or the Fire. Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to seek refuge in Allaah from the heart that is not humble, as is found in Saheeh Muslim: From Zayd Ibn Arqam, that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to say, "O Allaah, verily I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, and from the heart that is not humble, and from the soul that is not content, and from the supplication that is not answered." [30] And the likes of this has been reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) through many paths. [31] And it is related from Ka'b al-Ahbaar that he said, it written in the Bible, "O 'Eesaa, he whose heart is not fearful, his knowledge will not benefit him, and his voice will not be heard, and his supplication will not be raised up." And Asad Ibn Moosaa said in the book al-Wara': Mubaarak Ibn Fudaalah informed us that al-Hasan (rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa) used to say when this Call from Allaah came to the Believers, they testified to its truth, and their firm belief expanded in their hearts; and their hearts, bodies and eyes became humbled before Allaah. "By Allaah, when I see them, it is as if I am looking at a people with my own two eyes. So by Allaah, they are not from the people of argumentation and falsehood, and they are not content, except with the Book of Allaah; and they do not manifest that which is not in their hearts. Rather, when a Command from Allaah comes to them, they testify to its truth; so Allaah the Exalted has favoured them in the Qur'aan with the best description. So He says: "And the worshippers of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth gently, and when the ignorant address them, they say (words of) peace." [Sooratul-Furqaan 25:63] He said, "They are the gentle ones, they do not act ignorantly; and if others treat them ignorantly, they are mild. They are accompanied by the servants of Allaah during their day by what they listen to, then they are engaged in remembrance during their nights, in the best part of the night. So He said: "And those who spend the night prostrating and standing for their Lord." [Sooratul-Furqaan 25:54] Their tears run down their cheeks in fear of their Lord." And al-Hasan (rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa) said, "They remain sleepless at night due to a matter, and they remain humble during the day due to a certain matter. He said: "And those who say: Our Lord, save us from the punishment of Hell, verily its punishment is ever adhering." [Sooratul-Furqaan 25:65] He said, "And everything that afflicts the son of Aadam and then leaves him, then it is not a loss. The loss only remains as long as the skies and the earth remain." He said, "How truthful is the position of those people - and by Allaah besides Whom there is no true Deity - so do good works, and you have been given a trust, so take care of this trust. May Allaah have mercy upon you, since Allaah does not give a servant a better trust than His; whether it is in this world, or in the Hereafter." And he used to say, "O what an admonishment, if only the hearts that are alive would take heed." Footnotes: [1] In al-Misriyyah: '.His Messenger.' [2] An authentic hadeeth related through many paths. It was related by at-Tirmidhee (2/56), and al-Bayhaqee (7/12), from Anas; and its isnaad (chain of narrators) is weak (da'eef). In it is al-Haarith Ibnun-Nu'maan. It is also related from the hadeeth of Abee Sa'eed in Ibn Maajah (no.4126), and al-Khateeb in his Taareekh (4/111), and in it is Abul-Mubaarak and he is unknown, and Yazeed Ibn Sinaan and there is weakness in him. Indeed Ibnul-Jawzee ruled it to be weak in al-Mawdoo'aat (3/141), and Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah doubted its authenticity in Majmoo'ul-Fataawaa (18/326), and he ruled it to be weak in Ahaadeethul-Qisaas (p. 101). And our shaykh, al-Albaanee has authenticated it in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no. 308) after mentioning it with the narration of 'Abd Ibn Humayd in al-Muntajib minal-Musnad (2/110) from Abee Sa'eed. Its isnaad is hasan due to itself, this has remained hidden from many of the scholars of Hadeeth of the past. So there is no doubt that the hadeeth is saheeh (authentic) due to other than itself. I say, the poverty mentioned in the hadeeth is humility and submissiveness, as Ibnul-Atheer says in an-Nihaayah (2/380). [3] This is part of a long hadeeth related by al-Bukhaaree (1/117), Muslim (no. 1599), Ibn Maajah (no. 3984), ad-Daarimee (2/245), and Ahmad (4/269); from Nu'maan Ibn Basheer (radiyallaahu 'anhu). [4] The first nar... [Full Article...]
