27. Attending to this world

27. Attending to this world

476. Abu Nadra said, “One of our men called Jabir or Jubayr said, ‘I went to ‘Umar while he was Khalif to ask for something which I needed. I reached Madina during the night and went straight to him. I am someone with intelligence and a ready tongue or he said speech (meaning eloquence). I had looked at this world and thought little of it. I had abandoned it as not being worth anything. At ‘Umar’s side there was a man with white hair and white clothes. When I had finished speaking, he said, “All that you have said is correct except for your attack on this world. Do you know what this world is? This world is that in which we reach (or he said, ‘where our provision is’) the Next World. It contains our actions for which we will be rewarded in the Next World.” He said, “A man who knows this world better than I do worked in it.” I asked, “Amir al-Mu’minin, who is this man at our side?” He replied, ‘The master of the Muslims, Ubayy ibn Ka’b.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: As for his saying, the leader of the Muslims, it was a title with which ‘Ubayy bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) was commonly known amongst the pious predecessors. See Da’eef (41)

477. The Messager of Allah, peace be upon him, said “Pompousness is evil.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: From the great evils in being ungrateful to people is that such a person will not also give thanks to Allah the Mighty and Exalted for His favors on him!

chapter 222. Putting Property in Order

478. Hanash ibn al-Harith reported that his father said, “One of our men had a mare which became pregnant which he then slaughtered, saying, ‘Will I live long enough to ride this horse?’ Then we received ‘Umar’s letter telling us to attend to the provision that Allah has given us in order to make it thrive since there is still time in the business.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages engaging in good deeds; giving thanks to Allah for His favors, preserving them and being broad-minded and optimistic about life.

479. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth emphasizes the tremendous benefits of planting trees and whatever is like it from which people generally derive benefit such as providing water. A Muslim is encouraged to carry out these deeds even at the last life opportunity because if he dies, he continues to get rewarded for the deed as the people benefit from such things until the Last Day. In the same vein it discourages wastage of any kind at any point in time.

480. Dawud ibn Dawud said, “‘Abdullah ibn Sallam said to me, ‘If you hear that the Dajjal has come out while you are planting young palm trees, it is not too soon to put it in order, for people will still have livelihood after that.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 223. The supplication of the one who is wronged

481. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are three supplications which are answered: the supplication of the person who is wronged, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of a parent for his child.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See narration no. 32 above. In another authentic narration, its says, “Beware of the supplications of the one who is wronged even if such is a non-muslim; for nothing screens it (from acceptance)”

224. Asking Allah for provision because of His words, “Provide for us and You are Best of Providers.”

482. Jabir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the minbar. He looked towards the Yemen and said, “O Allah, bring their hearts,” and he looked towards Iraq and said something similar. He looked towards every horizon and said the like of that. He said, ‘O Allah, provide for us out of the legacy of the earth and bless us in our mudd and our sa’.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)