Home > The 40 Hadith of Nawawi > Hadith 31 of Nawawi
Hadith number 31 of the collection of the 40 hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi, in a faithful English translation.
Updated on 10 September 2026 at 2:45 AM
📖 46 min readThis hadith belongs to the collection of the 40 hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), the most studied hadith compilation in the world: foundations of faith, worship and character, all authentic narrations.
The Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on him, mentions that its isnad is good: that has observation, for Khalid ibn Amr al-Qurashi al-Amawi was criticized over it: Imam Ahmad said: repudiated in hadith, and once: he is not trustworthy: he reports vain hadiths. Ibn Ma'in said: his hadith is nothing, and once: he was a liar lying: he reports fabricated hadiths from Shu'ba. Al-Bukhari and Abu Zur'a said: repudiated in hadith. Abu Hatim said: abandoned in hadith, weak. Salih ibn Muhammad and Ibn Adi ascribed fabrication to him. Ibn Hibban contradicted himself about him: he mentioned him in the book of the trustworthy and in the book of the weak, saying: he individualized from the trustworthy with fabrications, argumentation by his report being unlawful. Al-Aqili reports this hadith of his and says: it has no origin from Sufyan ath-Thawri's hadith. Muhammad ibn Kathir as-San'ani followed him, perhaps taking it from him and confounding: for this Khalid is the most famous. Abu Bakr al-Khatib said: Abu Qatada al-Harrani, Mihran ibn Abi Umayr ar-Razi and others followed too, reporting from ath-Thawri, and the most famous is Ibn Kathir's hadith. This contradicts al-Aqili's word: the most famous being Khalid ibn Amr's hadith: and this is more correct. Muhammad ibn Kathir as-San'ani is al-Mississi: Ahmad, Abu Qatada and Mihran deemed him weak; those two were criticized also, but Muhammad ibn Kathir is better than both: he is trustworthy with many traditionists. Ibn Adi marveled at this hadith of his and said: I know not what to say of it. Ibn Abi Hatim mentions he asked his father about the hadith of Muhammad ibn Kathir, from Sufyan ath-Thawri, mentioning this hadith: he said: this is an invalid hadith, meaning by this chain, indicating it has no origin from Muhammad ibn Kathir, from Sufyan. Ibn Mashish said: I asked Ahmad about Sahl ibn Sa'd's hadith mentioning this hadith; Ahmad said: there is no deity but Allah! Marveling at it: who reports this hadith? I said: Khalid ibn Amr? He said: we fell upon Khalid ibn Amr, then he fell silent. His intent is denial of whoever mentions him anything of this Khalid's hadith: he does not occupy himself with it. Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam reports it in his book of exhortations, from Khalid ibn Amr, then said: I was a reprover of this hadith, then this shaykh informed me of Waki' being asked about it [and about another hadith we mentioned in the book of marriage]; were it not his saying, I would have left it. Ibn Adi reports this hadith in Khalid ibn Amr's entry, mentioning Muhammad ibn Kathir's narration for him too, saying: this hadith from ath-Thawri is repudiated. And he said: Zafr, meaning Ibn Sulayman, reports it from Muhammad ibn Uyayna, Sufyan's brother, from Abu Hazim, from Ibn Umar. Zafr and Muhammad ibn Uyayna are both weak. This hadith is reported by another mursal route, reported by Abu Sulayman ibn Zabr ad-Dimashqi in the Musnad of Ibrahim ibn Adham, from his collection, from the narration of Mu'awiya ibn Hafs, from Ibrahim ibn Adham, from Mansur, from Rabi' ibn Harash, who said: a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Direct me to a deed by which Allah loves me and people love me. He said: "As for the deed by which Allah loves you: detachment from the world; as for the deed by which people love you: look at this refuse and cast it to them." Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports it in his book on blaming the world, from the narration of Ali ibn Bikkar, from Ibrahim ibn Adham, who said: a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he mentions it, not mentioning Mansur nor Rabi' in his chain; and in his hadith: "cast to them what you have in hand of refuse."
This hadith contains two great counsels: the first: detachment from the world, requiring Allah's love, the Mighty and Majestic, for His servant. The second: detachment from what is in people's hands, requiring people's love.
As for detachment from the world: the Qur'an multiplied allusion to its praise, and blaming desire for the world, as Allah, the Most High, said:
"No! You prefer the life of this world; but the Hereafter is better and more lasting."
Al-A'la, 16-17
And He says:
"You desire the world's lure, and Allah desires the Hereafter."
Al-Anfal, 67
And He says, in Qarun's story:
"He came out to his people in his adornment, and those desiring the life of this world said: would that we had the like of what Qarun was given! He has a great portion indeed. And those given knowledge said: woe to you! Allah's reward is better for whoever believes and works righteousness: none attains it but the patient."
Al-Qasas, 79-80
to His word:
"That home of the Hereafter We appoint for those desiring no exaltation on earth nor corruption: and the end is to the mindful."
Al-Qasas, 83
And He says:
"They rejoice in the life of this world: and the life of this world is, beside the Hereafter, but passing enjoyment."
Ar-Ra'd, 26
And He says:
"Say: the enjoyment of this world is little; the Hereafter is better for whoever is mindful, and you shall not be wronged a thread."
An-Nisa, 77
And He says, quoting a believer of Pharaoh's folk, saying to his people:
"O my people! Follow me: I guide you to the way of right counsel. O my people! This life of the world is but passing enjoyment: and the Hereafter is the abiding home."
Ghafir, 38-39
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, blamed whoever wants the world by his deed, striving and intent; its mention preceded in the discourse on the hadith of deeds by intentions.
Hadiths blaming the world and despising it with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, are very many. In the Sahih of Muslim, from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by the market, people around him; he passed by a dead goat with a cropped ear; he took it, seized its ear, and said: "Who of you loves this be his for a dirham?" They said: we love it not for anything: what would we do with it? He said: "Do you love it?" They said: by Allah, were it alive it would be defective, for it is cropped-eared: how when dead? He said: "By Allah! The world is lower to Allah than this is to you." In the same collection, from al-Mustawrid al-Fahri, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "The world in the Hereafter is but as one of you who puts his finger in the sea: let him see with what he returns." At-Tirmidhi reports from the hadith of Sahl ibn Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Were the world worth to Allah a mosquito's wing, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water from it"; and he authenticated it.
The meaning of detachment from a thing: turning from it, esteeming it little, the elevation of concern above it: a thing is called paltry: little, lowly. The predecessors and those after them spoke of explaining detachment from the world, their expressions varying. A raised hadith came on it, reported by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, from the narration of Amr ibn Waqid, from Yunus ibn Habib, from Abu Idris al-Khawlani, from Abu Dharr, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Detachment from the world is not prohibiting the lawful, nor squandering wealth; detachment from the world: that what is in your hand be not firmer to you than what is in Allah's hand; and that the reward of the calamity, when it befalls you, be more desired by you than the thing itself had it remained." At-Tirmidhi said: singular, known by no route but this; Amr ibn Waqid is repudiated in hadith. I say: the correct is the Companion's-statement version, as Imam Ahmad reports in his book of asceticism: Zayd ibn Yahya ad-Dimashqi informed us: Khalid ibn Subayh informed us: Yunus ibn Habib informed us, who said: Abu Muslim al-Khawlani, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Detachment from the world is not prohibiting the lawful, nor squandering wealth: detachment from the world is that what is in Allah's hand be firmer to you than what is in your hand; and when a calamity befalls you, you be stronger in hoping its reward and its store than the thing itself had it remained with you." [Yunus ibn Maysara's explanation of detachment:] Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports it, from the narration of Muhammad ibn Muhajir, from Yunus ibn Maysara, who said: "Detachment from the world is not prohibiting the lawful, nor squandering wealth; detachment from the world: that what is in Allah's hand be firmer to you than what is in your hand; that your state in calamity equal your state without it; and that your praiser and your blamer be equal in truth." He explained detachment from the world by three things, all of the hearts' deeds, not the limbs': hence Abu Sulayman said: bear no witness of detachment for anyone: detachment is in the heart.
The first: that the servant have firmer what is in Allah's hand than what is in his own hand. This arises from certitude's soundness and strength: Allah, glorified, guaranteed His servants' provisions and undertook them, as the Most High said:
"There is no creature on earth but upon Allah is its provision."
Hud, 6
and He says:
"And in the heaven is your provision and what you are promised."
Adh-Dhariyat, 22
and He says:
"So seek provision from Allah, and worship Him."
Al-Ankabut, 17
Al-Hasan said: "Of the weakness of your certitude is that what is in your hand be firmer to you than what is in Allah's hand, the Mighty and Majestic." From Ali and Ibn Mas'oud: "The most hoped-for provision is when they say: no flour in the jar." Masruq said: "The best of my suppositions is when the servant says: no measure of wheat nor dirham in the house." Imam Ahmad said: "My most secret days are the day I wake with nothing with me." Abu Hazim the ascetic was told: what is your wealth? He said: "I have two wealths with which I fear not poverty: trust in Allah, and despair of what is in people's hands." He was told: do you not fear poverty? He said: "I fear poverty? My Lord owns what is in the heavens and what is on earth, and what is between them, and what is under the soil?!" A note was brought to Ali ibn al-Muwaffaq: he read it: O Ali ibn al-Muwaffaq! Fearest thou poverty while I am thy Lord?! Al-Fudayl ibn Iyad said: "The root of detachment: contentment with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." He said: sufficiency is detachment, and it is wealth. Whoever realizes certitude, trusts Allah in all his affairs, is content with His management, cuts off attachment to creatures, in hope and fear: that withholds him from seeking the world by disliked means. Whoever is so is truly detached from the world, among the richest of people, though he have nothing of the world: as Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Death suffices as a preacher; certitude suffices as wealth; worship suffices as occupation." Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Certitude: pleasing not the people by Allah's anger; praising no one for Allah's provision; blaming no one for what Allah gave you not: for Allah's provision is neither hastened by the greedy's greed nor repelled by the hater's hate: Allah, the Most High, by His justice, knowledge and wisdom, placed rest and joy in certitude and contentment, and worry and sadness in doubt and displeasure." In a mursal hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) supplicated: "O Allah! I ask You a faith penetrating my heart, a sincere certitude, until I know no provision You apportioned me escapes me; and content me in living with what You apportioned me." Ata al-Khurassani, may Allah have mercy on him, rose not from his session without saying: "O Allah! Grant us from You a certitude by which You make light the world's calamities, until we know none reaches us but what You wrote upon us, and of this provision none reaches us but what You apportioned me." We were reported from Ibn Abbas's hadith, in raised form: "Whoever delights in being the richest of people: let him have firmer what is in Allah's hand than what is in his hand." The second: when the servant is struck by a calamity in his world: loss of wealth, children or otherwise: he desires the reward of that more than what departed of the world remaining to him. This arises too from certitude's completion. It is reported from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in his supplication: "O Allah! Apportion to us of Your fear what stands between us and Your disobediences, of Your obedience what brings us to Your Paradise, and of certitude what makes light the world's calamities upon us." It is of the signs of detachment from the world and little desire for it, as Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: whoever detaches from the world, calamities are light upon him. The third: "that the servant's praiser and blamer be equal in truth"; it is of the signs of detachment from the world, its contempt and little desire: whoever's world is great loves praise and hates blame; it may carry him to leaving much truth, fearing blame, and doing much falsehood, hoping praise. Whoever's praiser and blamer are equal in truth indicates the fall of creatures' rank from his heart, and his filling with love of truth, and its content of his Lord's pleasure: as Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Certitude: pleasing not the people by Allah's anger." Allah praised those striving in the path of Allah fearing not the blamer's blame.
Other expressions are reported of the predecessors explaining detachment from the world, all returning to what preceded: like al-Hasan's saying: "The ascetic is he who, seeing anyone, says: he is better than I." This returns to the true ascetic being the ascetic in self-praise and self-exaltation: hence it is said: "the ascetic in leadership is harsher than the one detaching from gold and silver." Whoever removed from his heart love of worldly precedence and elevation over people is the true ascetic: he whose praiser and blamer are equal in truth. Like Wahb ibn al-Ward's saying, may Allah have mercy on him: "Detachment from the world: grieving not over what departed of it, nor rejoicing over what came of it." Ibn as-Sammak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "This is the ascetic manifesting his detachment." This returns to the world's departing and arriving, its increase and decrease, being equal to the servant, like the equality of state in calamity and without it, as preceded. Some, I deem Imam Ahmad, were asked: one having wealth: can he be an ascetic? He said: "If he rejoices not at its increase, nor grieves at its decrease: he is an ascetic," or as he said. Az-Zuhri was asked about detachment; he said: "Whoever the unlawful overcomes not his patience, and the lawful occupies not his gratitude." This is near the preceding: its meaning is the world's ascetic, when able of the unlawful, endures and takes it not; when lawful comes to him, it occupies him not from gratitude, but he performs gratitude to Allah. Ahmad ibn al-Hawari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I said to Sufyan ibn Uyayna: who is the world's ascetic? He said: "Whoever, graced, thanks; tried, endures." I said: O Abu Muhammad! Graced and thanking, tried and enduring, with the blessing withheld: how is he an ascetic? He said: "Be silent! Whom the favors keep not from thanking, nor the trial from enduring: that is the ascetic!" Rabi'a said: "The head of detachment: gathering things by their due, and placing them in their place." Sufyan ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Detachment from the world is shortening hope, not eating coarse food nor wearing the cloak." Their supplication was: "O Allah! Make us detached of the world, widen us of it, and distance it not from us, that we desire it." Ahmad said likewise: "Detachment from the world is shortening of hope." Once: "shortening of hope, and despair of what is in people's hands." The import: short hope necessitates loving meeting Allah by leaving the world; long hope requires loving remaining in it: whoever shortens his hope disliked remaining in the world: that is the utmost detachment from it and turning from it. Ibn Uyayna argued it by His word:
"Say: were the Hereafter's home with Allah yours alone, excluding people, you would wish death, if you are truthful," to His word: "and you would find them the greediest of people for life."
Al-Baqara, 94-95
Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports by his chain from ad-Dahhak ibn Muzahim: a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Who is the most detached of people? He said: "He who forgets not the grave and decay, abandons the world's finest adornment, prefers what abides over what perishes, counts not tomorrow among his days, and counts himself among the dead." This is mursal.
Many of the predecessors divided detachment into kinds: one said: the best detachment: detaching from association and worshipping what is worshipped besides Allah; then detaching from all the unlawful, of disobediences; then detaching from the lawful: the least of detachment's kinds. The first two kinds are both obligatory; the third is not obligatory: for the greatest obligations are detaching from association, then all disobediences. Bakr al-Muzani prayed for his brothers: "May Allah grant you and us the detachment of one whom the unlawful and sins enable in privacies: knowing Allah sees him, he leaves them." Ibn al-Mubarak said: Salam ibn Abi Muti' said: "Detachment is upon three faces: one: purifying the deed for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the word, the world being intended by nothing of them. The second: leaving what does not avail, and doing what avails. The third: the lawful: detaching from it: it is voluntary, its least." It is near the preceding, except he made detachment's first degree: detaching from display contradicting sincerity in word and deed, the lesser association, borne by love of praise in the world and precedence among its people: it is of the kind of love of loftiness and leadership therein. Ibrahim ibn Adham said: "Detachment is of three sorts: an obligatory detachment, a supererogatory detachment, and a safety detachment. The obligatory detachment: detaching from the unlawful; the supererogatory: detaching from the lawful; the safety detachment: detaching from the ambiguous." People differed: does one detaching from the unlawful alone, not detaching from the permissible's surplus, merit the name ascetic? Two views: the first: he merits the name ascetic thereby: mentioned before of az-Zuhri, Ibn Uyayna and others. The second: he merits not the name ascetic without detaching from the permissible's surplus: the view of a group of knowers and others, some even saying: "no detachment today, for the pure permissible's absence": the view of Yusuf ibn Asbat and others: that has observation. Yunus ibn Ubayd said: "What is the world's worth, that one detaching from it be praised?!" Abu Sulayman ad-Darani said: "They differed with us on detachment in Iraq: some said: detachment is leaving meeting people; some: leaving desires; some: leaving satiety": their words are near one another. I incline that detachment is leaving what busies you from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. What Abu Sulayman said is good: it gathers all detachment's meanings, kinds and types.
Know that the blame come in the book and the Sunna for the world returns not to its time, the night and day succeeding to the Resurrection's Day: Allah, the Most High, made them a sermon for whoever wills remembrance or wills gratitude. Isa, upon him peace, is reported to have said: "This night and day are two treasuries: see what you deposit in them." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Work the night for what it was created for, and the day for what it was created for." Mujahid said: no day but it says: O son of Adam! I entered upon you today, returning not after today: see what you do in me. When it ends it is sealed, not reopened, until Allah unseals it on the Resurrection's Day; likewise the night. Some of the predecessors recited: "The world is but a road to Paradise and the Fire... and the nights are man's shop, and the days his market." The blame returns not to the world's place, the earth Allah made a cradle and dwelling for the sons of Adam; nor what Allah deposited in it of mountains, seas, rivers and minerals; nor what He caused to grow of trees and crops; nor what He established of animals and otherwise: for all that is of Allah's blessings upon His servants, with the benefits therein, the lesson and argument for its Maker's oneness, His power and greatness. The blame returns to the deeds of the sons of Adam occurring in the world: most occurs not the way whose end is praised, but upon what harms its end or benefits not, as the Mighty and Majestic said:
"Know the life of this world is but play, amusement, adornment, boasting among you, and multiplying in wealth and children, like rain whose growth amazed the disbelievers, then it dries: you see it yellowed."
Al-Hadid, 20
The sons of Adam in the world divided into two kinds. The first: he who denies there is for the servants after the world a home of reward and punishment: those of whom Allah said:
"Those who hope not for Our meeting, content with the life of this world, satisfied with it, and those heedless of Our signs: their home is the Fire, for what they earned."
Yunus, 7-8
Their concern is the world's enjoyment and grasping its pleasures before death, as Allah, the Most High, said:
"Those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as the cattle eat: and the Fire is their home."
Muhammad, 12
Some of them commanded detachment from the world: seeing its abundance entails worry and grief, saying: the more attachment to it, the more the soul suffers at parting it at death: that was their utmost detachment from the world. The second
The second kind: he who admits a home after death of reward and punishment: those ascribed to the messengers' Laws. They divide into three kinds: the self-oppressing, the moderate, and the foremost in good deeds by Allah's leave. The self-oppressing are the most numerous of them: most paused at the world's bloom and adornment, took it off its way, used it off its way: the world became their greatest concern: angry for it, pleased with it, allied to it, opposing upon it. They are the people of amusement, play, adornment, boasting and competition: all knew not the world's purpose, nor that it is a journeying home: provisioned from it for what is after it, the abiding home, though one of them believe it in a general faith: he knows it not in detail, nor tasted what the knowers of Allah in the world tasted, the seedling of what is stored for them in the Hereafter. The moderate took the world by its lawful ways, performed its duties, and reserved for himself the surplus beyond duty, widening thereby to enjoying the world's desires; their entering the name of the world's ascetics diverged, as preceded; nothing can be held against them therein, but it diminishes their degrees in the Hereafter by the measure of their widening in the world. Ibn Umar said: "Nothing of the world reaches a servant but his degrees with Allah diminish, though he render it generously." Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports it by a good chain; reported in raised form from Aisha's hadith, may Allah be pleased with her, by a chain with observation. Imam Ahmad reports in his asceticism book, by his chain, that a man entered upon Mu'awiya who clothed him; he went out, passed Abu Mas'oud al-Ansari and another of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all: one said: "take it from your good deeds," the other: "take it from your good things." By his chain, from Umar, may Allah be pleased with him: "Were my good deeds not to decrease, I would share your soft living; but I heard Allah reproach a people saying: you spent your good things in your worldly life, and enjoyed them." Al-Fudayl ibn Iyad said: "If you will, lighten from the world; if you will, take much: you take but from your pouch." It is witnessed that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, forbade His servants things of the world's desires' surplus, its adornment and splendor, though not needing them, and stored it for them with Him in the Hereafter. The allusion came by His word:
"And were it not that people be one community, We would give those disbelieving in the Merciful, for their houses, silver roofs and stairs by which they ascend; and for their houses doors and couches to recline; and ornaments. And all that is but the worldly life's enjoyment: and the Hereafter with your Lord is for the mindful."
Az-Zukhruf, 33-35
[Silk forbidden to men:] It is authenticated of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "Whoever wears silk in the world wears it not in the Hereafter; whoever drinks wine in the world drinks it not in the Hereafter." He said: "Wear neither silk nor brocade, drink not in gold and silver vessels, eat not in their plates: they are for them in the world, and for you in the Hereafter." Wahb said: Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to Musa, upon him peace: "I guard My friends from the world's bliss and delicacies as the caring shepherd guards his sheep from contaminated pastures: not out of their lowliness with Me, but that they complete their share of My honor, safe, increased, unaccused by the world." It is witnessed by what at-Tirmidhi reports from Qatada ibn an-Nu'man's hadith, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "When Allah loves a servant, He guards him from the world as one of you guards his sick from water." Al-Hakim reports it, its wording: "Allah guards His servant from the world, loving him, as you guard your sick from food and drink, fearing for him." In the Sahih of Muslim, from Abd Allah ibn Amr, may Allah be pleased with both, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "The world is the believer's prison and the disbeliever's Paradise." As for the foremost in good deeds by Allah's leave: they are those who understood the world's purpose and acted on its requirement: knowing Allah settled His servants in this home only to try them, who is best in deed, as He said:
"He created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His throne was upon the water: to try you, who of you is best in deed."
Hud, 7
and the Most High says:
"Who created death and life, to try you, who of you is best in deed."
Al-Mulk, 2
Some predecessors said: who of you is most detached of the world, most desirous of the Hereafter. He made the world's splendor and freshness a trial, to see who pauses with it and leans to it, and who is not so, as the Most High said:
"We made what is on earth an adornment for it: to try them, who of them is best in deed."
Al-Kahf, 7
Then He showed its cessation and passing, saying:
"And We shall make what is on it a barren plain."
Al-Kahf, 8
When they understood this the world's purpose, they made their concern provisioning from it for the Hereafter, the abiding home, and were content of the world with what suffices the traveler in his journey: as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "What have I with the world? My example and the world's are like a rider who rested in a tree's shade, then departed and left it." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) counselled some of the Companions that each one's share of the world be like the rider's provision: among them Salman, Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, Abu Dharr and Aisha, may Allah be pleased with them. He counselled Ibn Umar to be in the world as a stranger, or a wayfarer, and count himself of the people of graves.
This degree's people are of two kinds: one confines from the world to what sustains the soul only: the state of many ascetics. One opens for himself at times to take some of its lawful desires, to strengthen his soul thereby and energize for work: as reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Made beloved to me from your world are women and perfume, and the coolness of my eye was placed in prayer." Imam Ahmad and an-Nasa'i report it from Anas's hadith. Imam Ahmad reports from Aisha's hadith, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) loved of the world women, perfume and food: he attained of women and perfume, and not of food.
Wahb said: written in the wisdom of Dawud's family, upon them peace: the sensible should neglect not four hours: an hour judging his soul, an hour conversing with his Lord, an hour meeting his brothers who inform him of his defects and attest to him about himself, and an hour leaving his soul to its pleasures in what is lawful and fair: for in this hour is aid for those hours, and rather a repose and recreation of hearts, meaning refreshment for them.
When the believer intends, in taking his lawful desires, strength for obedience: his desires are for him an obedience rewarded, as Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I reckon my sleep as I reckon my standing": intending by his sleep strengthening for night's-end standing: he counts his sleep's reward as he counts his standing's. Some, when taking something of their lawful desires, shared it with their brothers: as reported of Ibn al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, that he desired not a thing without some of his companions desiring it, eating with them. When he desired a thing, he invited a guest to eat with him. It is reported from al-Awza'i that he said: "Three reckoned not against at their eating: the pre-dawn eater, the faster when breaking fast, and the guest's food."
Al-Hasan said: "Your loving the world is not your seeking what mends you in it, nor your detaching from it leaving the need barring it from you. Whoever loves the world and is intoxicated by it: fear of the Hereafter leaves his heart." Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: "The deceiving enjoyment is what diverts you from seeking the Hereafter; what diverts you not is no deceiving enjoyment: an enjoyment of being dispatched to what is better." Yahya ibn Mu'adh ar-Razi said: "How love I not a world wherein He apportioned a sustenance by which I earned a living, attained thereby obedience, and obtained thereby the Hereafter?!" Abu Safwan ar-Ra'ini, of the knowers, was asked: what is the world Allah blamed in the Qur'an, that the sensible should avoid? He said: "All you attain of the world intending the world is blameworthy; all you attain of it intending the Hereafter is not of it." Al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "A good home was the world for the believer: he worked little and took his provision from it to Paradise; an evil home it was for the disbeliever and hypocrite: he wasted his nights, and his provision from it was to the Fire." Ayfa' ibn Abd al-Kala'i said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of the Fire the Fire, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: O people of Paradise!"
"How long did you stay on earth, a number of years? They said: we stayed a day, or part of a day."
Al-Mu'minun, 112-113
He said: "Yes: you traded a day or part of a day: My mercy, My pleasure and My Paradise: abide therein everlastingly, forever." Then he says to the people of the Fire: "How long did you stay on earth, a number of years?" They said: "we stayed a day, or part of a day." He says: "Evil trade you made, a day or part of a day: My anger, My disobedience and My Fire: abide therein everlastingly, forever." Al-Hakim reports from the hadith of Abd al-Jabbar ibn Wahb: Sa'd ibn Tariq informed us from his father, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Good is the worldly home for whoever provisions from it for his Hereafter until pleasing his Lord; evil the home for whoever it barred from his Hereafter, stinting him of his Lord's pleasure. When the servant declares ugly the world by Allah, the world says: Allah declares ugly: she disobeyed her Lord." Al-Hakim said: a sound chain. Al-Aqili reports it, saying: Abd al-Jabbar ibn Wahb is unknown, his hadith unpreserved; this speech is reported from Ali too. Ali's saying, Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports from him, by a chain with observation: Ali heard a man cursing the world and said: "It is the home of truth for whoever passed her, the home of health for whoever understood her, the home of wealth for whoever provisioned from her; the mosque of Allah's beloved, the landing of His revelation, the prayer-place of His angels, the market of His friends: they earned therein mercy and gained Paradise. Who then blames the world, when she announced parting her, called out her flaw, described herself and her folk, represented by her trial the trial, and made joyful by her joy the joy? A people blamed her in regret, others praised her: she spoke to them and they believed her, mentioned them and they mentioned her. O you deceived by the world, deceived by her deception! When was the world submissive to you? Nay, when deceived she you? By your parents' beds in the soil? Or your mothers' death-places in decay? How often she turned with your palms, sickened with your hands, seeking for her healing, asking for her physicians: attaining not your need, nor helped by your request! The world showed you your death-place tomorrow: your weeping avails you not, nor your beloved profit you!" The Commander of the believers, may Allah be pleased with him, thus showed the world is not blamed absolutely, but praised relative to whoever provisions from it righteous deeds; that in it are the prophets' mosques, revelation's landing, the believers' trade-home: they earned therefrom mercy and gained Paradise by it: a good home for whoever has this quality. As for her deceiving and beguiling: she calls by her counsels, advises by her lessons, exposes her flaws by showing her people the perishing's death-places, turning states from health to sickness, youth to old age, wealth to poverty, might to lowliness: but her lover, her love deafened and blinded him: he hears not her call, as said: "The world called out upon herself... were there in the world a hearer! How many trusting in lifespan I annihilated... and uniting, I scattered what he gathered!" Yahya ibn Mu'adh, may Allah have mercy on him, said: were the creatures to hear the wailing's voice over the world in the unseen from the tongues of annihilation, their hearts would fall in sadness. Some sages said: "The world is examples the days strike to mankind: the time's science needs no translator; and by loving the world the hearts' hearings were deafened to counsels: what urges the driver: did the creatures sense?!"
The people of detachment from the world's surplus are kinds: one obtains it and withholds it, drawing near Allah: like many of the Companions and others. Abu Sulayman said: "Uthman and Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf, may Allah be pleased with both, were two treasurers of Allah's treasuries in his land, spending in his obedience: their dealing was for Allah with their hearts." One expels it from his hand, withholding it not. These are of two kinds: one expels it by choice and willingness; one expels it, his soul refusing expulsion, but he strives against it. Which is better diverged: Ibn as-Sammak and al-Junayd said: the first is better, for realizing his soul in the station of generosity and detachment. Ibn Ata said: the second is better, having deed and striving. Imam Ahmad's speech, may Allah be pleased with him, indicates it too. One attained nothing of the surplus: detached in seeking it, with or without ability: the first is better of this. Hence many predecessors said: Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was more detached than Uways and his like. Abu Sulayman and others said so. Malik ibn Dinar said: "People say: Malik an ascetic?! The ascetic is Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz!!"
The scholars differed: which is better? One seeking the world lawfully, maintaining kin and provisioning for himself? Or one leaving it, seeking it not at all? A group preferred who left it, avoiding it: among them al-Hasan and others; a group preferred who sought it thus: among them an-Nakha'i and others. Likewise reported of al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him.
The ascetics of the world by their hearts have observations and scenes they witness. One witnesses much toil in seeking its acquisition: he detaches from it aiming his soul's rest. Al-Hasan said: "Detachment from the world rests the heart and body." One fears his Hereafter's share diminishing by taking the world's surplus. One fears the length of reckoning over it. Some said: "Whoever asked Allah the world asks only the standing's length for reckoning." One witnesses the world's many flaws, its quick turning and vanishing, the rabble's competing in seeking it: as said to some: what detached you from the world? He said: "Rare its faithfulness, many its betrayals, lowly its partners." One looked to the world's lowliness with Allah and spurned it: al-Fudayl said: "Were the world entire presented to me as lawful, not being reckoned with it in the Hereafter, I would spurn it as a man spurns carrion passing it, fearing it touch his garment." One fears it busy him from readying for the Hereafter and provisioning for it. Al-Hasan said: "One of them would live his life's whole in great toil, lawful wealth beside him: it would be said: come not and take of it? He says: no, by Allah: I fear coming to it and attaining corruption of my heart and deed." Wealth was sent to Umar ibn al-Munkadir: he wept, weeping hard, and said: "I feared the world overcome my heart, and the Hereafter no share therein: that made me weep." Then he ordered it given as charity to Medina's poor. Their elite's properties: he fears it busy him from Allah, as Rabia said: "How I love having the world all of it, first to last, lawfully, spending it in Allah's path, and it busying me from Allah a wink!" Abu Sulayman said: "Detachment is leaving what busies from Allah." He said: "Whatever busies you from Allah of family, wealth, children: upon you ominous." He said: "The world's ascetics are upon two levels: one detaches from the world, opened not therein the Hereafter's repose; one: detaching, opened the Hereafter's repose: nothing dearer to him than remaining, obeying Allah."
He said: "The ascetic is not whoever cast the world's cares and rested from her; the ascetic is whoever detached from the world, toiling therein for the Hereafter." Detachment from the world aims freeing the heart from busying with her, to free for seeking Allah, knowing Him, drawing near Him, intimacy with Him, longing for His meeting. These things are not of the world: as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Made beloved to me from your world are women and perfume, and the coolness of my eye was placed in prayer." He placed not prayer among what was made beloved to him of the world: so in the Musnad and an-Nasa'i; and I deem it occurs besides them: "made beloved to me from your world three," entering prayer into the world. It is witnessed by the hadith: "The world is cursed: cursed what is in it, except Allah's remembrance, and what adheres to it: a knower or a learner." Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi report it, deeming it good, from Abu Hurayra's hadith, in raised form. Its meaning is reported by other routes, mursal and connected; at-Tabarani reports from Abu al-Darda's hadith, in raised form: "The world is cursed: cursed what is in it, except what Allah's face is sought by." Ibn Abi al-Dunya reports it as Companion's statement. It is also reported from Shahr ibn Hawshab's narration, from Ubada, whom I deem raised him: "The world is brought on the Day of Resurrection, and it is said: weigh of it what was for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and cast the rest into the Fire."
The world and all in it is cursed, meaning: distanced from Allah, for busying from Him, except the beneficial knowledge indicating Allah, knowing Him, seeking His nearness, His pleasure, Allah's remembrance, and what adheres, drawing near Allah: that is the world's purpose: Allah commanded His servants to fear and obey Him, entailing His remembrance's permanence: as Ibn Mas'oud said: "Allah's fear, truly fearing Him: that He be mentioned not forgotten." Allah legislated establishing prayer for His remembrance, likewise pilgrimage and circumambulation. The best worshippers have most of it remembrance for Allah. All this is not of the blameworthy world: it is the purpose of creating the world and its people, as the Most High said:
"I created not the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
Adh-Dhariyat, 56
[Which of the two is better?]: Groups of jurists and Sufis deemed what is found in the world of these worship acts better than what is found in Paradise of bliss. They said: because Paradise's bliss is the servant's lot, and the worship acts in the world the Lord's due: the Lord's due better than the servant's lot. This is wrong. Their error strengthened by many exegetes' word on His word: "whoever comes with a good deed has better than it": they said: the good deed: there is no deity but Allah, and nothing better than it. But the speech is on precedence and deferral. The intent: he has of it better, meaning: he has better because of it, for its sake. The correct is generalizing what the book and Sunna's texts came with: the Hereafter better than the first absolutely. In the Sahih of al-Hakim, from al-Mustawrid ibn Shaddad: "We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), remembering the world and the Hereafter; some said: the world is but a delegate to the Hereafter: in it the deed, in it prayer, in it zakat." A group of them said: the Hereafter has Paradise, and said: what Allah wills; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The world in the Hereafter is but as one of you walking to the sea, dipping his finger therein: what comes out of it is the world." This is a text preferring the Hereafter over the world and the deeds therein. Its import: the world's completion is in knowledge and deed, and knowledge is the deeds' intended: in the Hereafter it multiplies beyond which nothing of the world relates: for knowledge's root is knowing Allah, His names, attributes and deeds; in the Hereafter the veil is lifted, the reported becomes seen, and knowledge of Allah becomes beholding Him and witnessing. Where is this against what is in the world?! As for bodily deeds: they have in the world two aims: the first: limbs' occupation with obedience, their toil in worship. The second: hearts' connection to Allah, their illumination by His remembrance. The first is raised from the people of Paradise: hence it is reported that when they intend prostrating to Allah at His manifestation to them, it is said: "raise your heads: you are no more in the striving home." As for the second aim: it is attained by the people of Paradise in the most complete ways and most perfect: no proportion between what their hearts attain in the world of the subtle nearness, intimacy and connection, and what they witness in the Hereafter visibly: their hearts, sights and hearings enjoy Allah's nearness, His beholding, hearing His speech, especially at the world's prayer times, like Friday and festivals. The brought-near among them: it attains them twice daily, morning and evening, at dawn prayer and mid-afternoon prayer. Hence, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned the people of Paradise beholding their Lord, he urged after that keeping the mid-afternoon prayer and the dawn prayer: for these two prayers' time is the time of the Paradise people's elite beholding their Lord, visiting Him. Likewise the remembrance's bliss and Qur'an recitation never cease from them: they are inspired as breath is inspired. Ibn Uyayna said: "there is no deity but Allah" for Paradise's people is like cold water for the world's people: where the remembrance's sweetness for the knowers in the world against their sweetness in it in Paradise?! It appears thereby that His word: "whoever comes with a good deed has better than it" is upon its apparent: the oneness word's reward in the world is that its holder reaches saying it in Paradise the way special to Paradise's people. In any case, what the people of Paradise attain of knowledge of Allah's details, His names, attributes and deeds, His nearness, beholding Him, His remembrance's sweetness: a matter whose essence's expression is impossible in the world: her people attained it not in its state: it is of what no eye saw, no ear heard, no human heart imagined. Allah, the Most High, is asked to deprive us not of the best of what is with Him by the worst of what is with us, by His design, nobility and mercy. Amen. O Allah! Pray upon Muhammad, his family and companions, and give them peace.
Let us return to the commentary of the hadith "detach from the world, Allah will love you." This hadith indicates Allah loves the world's detached ones. Some predecessors say: the Hawariyun said to Isa, upon him peace: O spirit of Allah! Teach us one deed by which Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, loves us? He said: hate the world: Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will love you. Allah, the Most High, blamed whoever loves the world, preferring it to the Hereafter, as He said:
"No! You love the immediate, and leave the Hereafter."
Al-Qiyama, 20-21
And He says:
"And you love wealth with utmost love."
Al-Fajr, 20
And He says:
"And he is, in love of wealth, truly intense."
Al-'Adiyat, 8
Meaning love of wealth: Allah blamed whoever loves the world, indicating praising whoever loves it not, but rejects and leaves it. In the Musnad and the Sahih of Ibn Hibban, from Abu Musa, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whoever loves his world harms his Hereafter; whoever loves his Hereafter harms his world: prefer therefore what remains over what perishes." In the Musnad and Ibn Majah's Sunan, from Zayd ibn Thabit, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Whose concern is the world: Allah scatters his affair, places poverty between his eyes, and nothing of the world comes to him but what is written for him. Whose intent is the Hereafter: Allah gathers his affair, places wealth in his heart, and the world comes to him submissive." At-Tirmidhi reports it from Anas's hadith, in raised form, in meaning. Of Jundub ibn Abd Allah the Companion's speech, may Allah be pleased with him: "Love of the world is the head of every sin." Reported in raised form, and from al-Hasan as mursal. Al-Hasan said: whoever loves the world and is intoxicated by it, love of the Hereafter leaves his heart. Awne ibn Abd Allah said: "The world and the Hereafter in the heart are like the scale's two pans: as one outweighs, the other lightens." Wahb said: the world and the Hereafter are like a man with two wives: pleasing one angers the other. In any case, detachment from the world is Allah's prophets', friends' and beloved's emblem. Amr ibn al-As, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "How far your guidance from your prophet's guidance (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): he was the most detached of people from the world, and you the most desirous of it." Imam Ahmad reports it. Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to his companions: "You fast more, pray more and strive more than Muhammad's companions (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): and they were better than you?" They said: how so? He said: "They were more detached from the world than you, and more desirous of the Hereafter than you." Abu al-Darda said: "Were you to swear to me on a man that he is your most detached, I would swear he is your best." It is reported from al-Hasan that they said: O Messenger of Allah! Who is best of us? He said: "Your most detached of the world, your most desirous of the Hereafter." The discourse on this chapter is very long; what we indicated suffices, Allah willing.
The second counsel: "detachment from what is in people's hands, and it requires people's love." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have counselled a man, saying: "despair of what is in people's hands: you will be rich." At-Tabarani and others report it. It is reported from Sahl ibn Sa'd's hadith, in raised form: "The believer's nobility is his night standing, and his honor his self-sufficiency from people." Al-Hasan said: "You remain honored with people, or people honor you, so long as you touch not what is in their hands; when you do, they slight you, dislike your speech, and hate you." Ayyub as-Sakhtiyani said: "The man is not accepted until he has two traits: chastity from what is in people's hands, and overlooking what comes from them." Umar said in his sermon upon the pulpit: "Greed is poverty, despair wealth; man, when he despairs of a thing, is self-sufficient of it." Abd Allah ibn Salam is reported to have met Ka'b al-Ahbar at Umar's, saying: O Ka'b! Who are the lords of knowledge? He said: those working by it. He said: what carries knowledge from the scholars' hearts after memorizing and retaining it? He said: greed carries it, the soul's covetousness, and seeking needs from people?! He said: you spoke truth. Hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanding chastity from asking people and self-sufficiency multiplied: whoever asks what is in people's hands, they dislike and hate him: wealth is beloved to the sons of Adam's souls: whoever asks them what they love, they hate him for it. As for one who sees the favor upon himself from the asker, seeing that were his whole dominion to go to him, it would not equal the lowliness of his asking him and his lowliness before him, or says to his family: your garments on others are finer than on you, your beasts under others finer than under you: this is very rare of the sons of Adam's natures, its carpet folded since long ages. As for whoever detaches from what is in people's hands, chaste toward them: they love him, honor him thereby, and he dominates over them: as the Bedouin said to Basra's people: who masters this village's people? They said: al-Hasan. He said: by what mastered he them? They said: people needed his knowledge, and he was self-sufficient of their world. How good some predecessors' speech describing the world and her people: "She is but a coveted carrion... over her dogs whose care is dragging her! Avoid her, you are whole for her people... attract her, her dogs dispute you!"