Greed for Good Deeds

[ummtaalib]

Greed for Good Deeds

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh 

 

Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu

Once Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam gave Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu the responsibility of looking after the dates of sadaqatul-fitr collected from the people during the month of Ramadān. At night, a person came and started taking from the dates. Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu caught him and said, “By Allāh! I will definitely take you to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.” He said, “I am in need, I have a family to look after and I have a severe need.” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu let him go. In the morning he went to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Upon arriving, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “O Abū Hurayrah! What did your prisoner do last night?” He replied, “O Rasūlullāh! He complained of a severe need and of family, so I had mercy upon him and let him go.” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Listen! He has indeed lied to you and he will return.” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was sure that he would return because Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam told him so.

The following night, the same person came and started taking from the dates again. Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu caught him and said, “I will definitely take you to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.” He said, “Let me go, as I am in need and I have a family to look after. I will not come back.” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu had mercy upon him and let him go. In the morning he went to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “O Abū Hurayrah! What did your prisoner do?” He replied, “O Rasūlullāh! He complained of a severe need and of his family, so I had mercy upon him and let him go.” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Listen! He has indeed lied to you and he will return.” 

Again, on the third night, the same person came and started taking from the dates. Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu caught him and said, “I will definitely take you to Rasūlullāh. This is the last of three times. You promised that you will not return and you still returned.” He said, “Let me go and I will tell you some words through which Allāh will give you benefit.” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu asked, “What are they?” He said, “When you retire to bed, read Āyatul-Kursī, a protector (angel) will remain over you from Allāh (the whole night) and Shaytān will not come near you until the morning.” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu let him go.

In the morning he went to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said to him, “What did your prisoner do last night?” He said, “He promised to tell me of some words through which Allāh would give me benefit, so I let him go.” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam asked, “What are they?” Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu said, “He said to me, ‘When you retire to bed, read Āyatul-Kursī.’ He said to me, ‘A protector (angel) will remain over you from Allāh (the whole night) and Shaytān will not come near you until the morning.’” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Listen! He has told you the truth despite being a big liar. Do you know who you have been speaking to for the last three nights, O Abū Hurayrah!” He said, “No.” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “It was Shaytān.” (Al-Bukhārī)

To explain why Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu let Shaytān go when he promised to tell him something beneficial, one of the narrators of this hadīth has mentioned that this was because the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum were extremely greedy when it came to good deeds. Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was willing to let Shaytān go just to acquire new ‘ilm and practise upon it.

Another example of the greed for good deeds is the statement of Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu to his students after narrating the following hadīth:

For a pious slave who is in the ownership of his master, there are two rewards.

He would say to his students, “Were it not for striving in the Path of Allāh, performing hajj and looking after my mother, I would have loved to have died as a slave.” (Al-Bukhārī)

The hadīth states that a pious slave will get double reward as he has to fulfil the rights of his master as well as the Rights of Allāh ta‘ālā. Hence, solely due to the greed to acquire double reward, Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was prepared to be a slave! However, it was his greed to perform the three types of good deeds mentioned, that he wanted to remain a free man.

Sayyidunā ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu

Sayyidunā ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu has narrated that Sayyidah Fātimah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā requested Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam for a servant (to help with her housework). He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said to her, “Shall I not tell you of something which is better than that for you? Read subhānallāh thirty-three times, alhamdulillāh thirty-three times and Allāhu-akbar thirty-four times at the time of sleeping.” After narrating this, he said, “I did not leave them, i.e. reciting subhānallāh thirty-three times, alhamdulillāh thirty-three times and Allāhu-akbar thirty-four times, after that.” He was asked, “Not even on the night of (the Battle of) Siffīn?” He said, “Not even on the night of (the Battle of) Siffīn.” (Al-Bukhārī)

Sayyidunā ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrated this hadīth close to his death, which was over 30 years since Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam had taught him and Sayyidah Fātimah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā this.

This steadfastness of Sayyidunā ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu is another example of the greed of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum to perform good deeds and acquire rewards.

Poor Muhājirīn

Once a group of poor Muhājirīn came to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and complained that the wealthy (among the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum) had reached high positions and had amassed much reward whilst they were far behind. When Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam asked as to how that was, they replied, “They perform salāh and keep fasts just like us, but they give sadaqah and free slaves whilst we cannot.” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam then said, “Shall I not tell you of something through which you will catch up with those who have passed you and you will pass those who are to come after you, and no one will be better than you unless he does the same as you?” They said, “Of course, O Rasūlullāh!” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Read subhānallāh, alhamdulillāh and Allāhu-akbar thirty-three times after every salāh.”

After a while, the poor Muhājirīn came to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and said, “Our wealthy brothers have heard of what we are doing and they are now doing the same.” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam then said, “That is the Grace of Allāh, He gives to whoever He desires.” (Muslim)

This episode also demonstrates the mindset of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum. The poor Muhājirīn were anxious to get similar reward to that which the wealthy Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum were receiving as a result of their monetary good deeds. The wealthy Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum did not remain content with their good actions, but were quick to also practise upon what the poor Muhājirīn had been taught.

Our Challenge

The Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum were able to acquire a lofty status as a result of their greed for carrying out good deeds and utilising every opportunity to attain rewards. We should also make it our objective to create this zeal and mindset within us. Whenever the thought of carrying out a good deed comes to our minds, however insignificant it may seem, we should carry it out straight away. Once we depart from this world, the opportunity to do good and acquire reward will be lost.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us this blessed quality which will enable us to make every moment of our lives a provision for the Hereafter. Āmīn.

Extracted from Riyāḍul Jannah, Vol. 28 No. 5/6, May/June 2019

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