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 faithful English translation.
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Updated on 07 October 2026 at 4:51 AM
📖 49 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.
And the Cheikh, may Allah have mercy on him, mentions its isnad being good, that being disputable, for Khalid ibn 'Amr al-Qourachi al-'Amawi was criticised concerning it, Imam Ahmad saying, reproved in hadith, and once, he is not reliable, reporting vain hadiths. Ibn Ma'in said, his hadith is worth nothing, and once, he was a lying liar, reporting from Chou'ba fabricated hadiths. Al-Boukhari and Abu Zur'a said, reproved in hadith. Abu Hatim said, abandoned in hadith, weak. And Salih ibn Mouhammad and Ibn 'Adi accused him of fabrication. Ibn Hibban contradicted himself concerning him, mentioning him in the book of the reliable and in the book of the weak, and saying, he individualised of the reliable ones by the fabricated, arguing by his report not being lawful. Al-'Aqili reports this hadith of his and says, it has no origin of the hadith of Soufyan ath-Thawri.
Mouhammad ibn Kathir as-San'ani followed it, perhaps taking it from him and confusing, for this Khalid is the most famous. Abu Bakr al-Khatib said, Abu Qatada al-Harrani, Mihran ibn Abi 'Oumayr ar-Razi and others followed it too, reporting it from ath-Thawri, the most famous being the hadith of Ibn Kathir. That contradicts the saying of al-'Aqili, the most famous being the hadith of Khalid ibn 'Amr, that being more correct. Mouhammad ibn Kathir as-San'ani is the Mississi; Ahmad, Abu Qatada and Mihran graded him weak, and these were criticised also, but Mouhammad ibn Kathir is the better of the two, reliable with many traditionists. Ibn 'Adi wondered at this hadith of him and said, I know not what to say of it. Ibn Abi Hatim mentions he asked his father of the hadith of Mouhammad ibn Kathir, from Soufyan ath-Thawri, mentioning this hadith, and he says, it is an invalid hadith by the sense of this chain, indicating it has no origin of Mouhammad ibn Kathir from Soufyan.
Ibn Mouchich says, I asked Ahmad of the hadith of Sahl ibn Sa'd mentioning this hadith, and Ahmad said, there is no god but Allah, wondering at it, who reports this hadith? I say, Khalid ibn 'Amr? He says, we fell upon Khalid ibn 'Amr, then kept silent, his intent being denying whoever mentions him anything of the hadith of this Khalid, not busying himself with it. And Abu 'Obayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam reports it in his book of sermons, from Khalid ibn 'Amr, then says, I was a reprover of this hadith, then this shaykh informed me of Waki' that he was asked of it, and of another hadith we mentioned in the book of marriage; without that saying of his, I had left it. And Ibn 'Adi reports this hadith in the entry of Khalid ibn 'Amr, mentioning the narration of Mouhammad ibn Kathir for him also, and says, this hadith of ath-Thawri is reproved. And he says, Zafr, that is Ibn Soulayman, reports it from Mouhammad ibn 'Ouyayna, brother of Soufyan, from Abu Hazim, from Ibn 'Omar.
Zafr and Mouhammad ibn 'Ouyayna are both weak. And this hadith is reported by another mursal channel, reported by Abu Soulayman ibn Zabr ad-Dimachqi in the Mousnad of Ibrahim ibn 'Adham, from his collection, from the narration of Ma'awiya ibn Hafs, from Ibrahim ibn 'Adham, from Mansour, from Rabi' ibn Harach, who says, a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, O Messenger of Allah! Indicate me a deed by which Allah loves me and the people love me. He says, "As for the deed by which Allah loves thee, detachment of the low world; as for the deed by which the people love thee, look at this refuse and cast it them." Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports it in his book of blaming the low world, from the narration of 'Ali ibn Bikkar, from Ibrahim ibn 'Adham, who says, a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he mentions it, without mentioning Mansour nor Rabi' in his chain, and in his hadith, "cast them what thou hast in hand of refuse."
This hadith contains two great counsels, the first, detachment of the low world, requiring the love of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, for His servant; the second, detachment of what is in the hands of the people, requiring the love of the people.
As for detachment of the low world, the Quran multiplied alluding to its praise and blaming passion for the low world, as Allah the Most High says,
"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 lure of the low world, and Allah desires the Hereafter."
Al-'Anfal, 67
And He says, in the story of Qaroun,
"He went out to his people in his adornment, and those desiring the life of this world said, would that we had the like of what Qaroun was given, he has indeed a great portion; and those given knowledge said, woe to you, the reward of Allah is better for whoever believes and does good, attained only by the patient,"
Al-Qasas, 79-80
up to His words,
"That dwelling of the Hereafter We give those wanting no pre-eminence on earth nor corruption, and the outcome is to the God-fearing."
Al-Qasas, 83
And He says,
"And they rejoice in the life of this world, and the life of this world, beside the Hereafter, is but passing enjoyment."
Ar-Ra'd, 26
And He says,
"Say, the enjoyment of the low world is little, the Hereafter better for whoever is God-fearing, and you shall not be wronged a thread."
An-Nisa, 77
And He says, citing a believer of the family of Pharaoh saying to his people,
"O my people! Follow me, I guide you the path of uprightness. O my people! This life of this world is but passing enjoyment, and the Hereafter is the dwelling of stability."
Ghafir, 38-39
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, blamed whoever wants the low world by his deed, his seeking and intention, the mention preceding in the discussion of the hadith of deeds by intentions.
The hadiths blaming the low world and despising it with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, are very numerous. In the Sahih of Mouslim, from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed before the market, the people around him; he passed before a dead goat, its ear cut; he took it, seizing it by the ear, and said, "Who of you loves it be his for a dirham?" They said, we love it not be ours for anything, what would we do of it? He said, "Love you it?" They said, by Allah, were it alive it would be defective, the ear cut, how then dead? He said, "By Allah, the low world is lower to Allah than that is to you." And in the same collection, from al-Moustawrid al-Fahri, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "The low world in the Hereafter is only as one of you putting his finger in the sea, seeing with what he returns." And 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 low world worth with Allah the wing of a mosquito, He would not have given a disbeliever drink of a draught of water," authenticating it.
The sense of detachment of a thing is turning from it, holding it low, the elevation of concern above it, one says, a low thing, little, vile. The righteous Ancients and those after them spoke of explaining detachment of the low world, their expressions varying. A hadith in raised form came therein, reported by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, from the narration of 'Amr ibn Waqid, from Younous ibn Habib, from Abu Idris al-Khawlani, from Abu Dhar, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who says, "Detachment of the low world is not forbidding the lawful nor wasting wealth; detachment of the low world is that what is in thy hand be not firmer thee than what is in the hand of Allah, and the reward of trial, when it reaches thee, be more desired thee than what might have remained." At-Tirmidhi said, singular, unknown outside this channel, and 'Amr ibn Waqid is reproved in hadith.
I say, the correct is the version stopped at the Companion, as Imam Ahmad reports in his book of detachment, Zayd ibn Yahya ad-Dimachqi informed us, Khalid ibn Soubayh informed us, Younous ibn Habib informed us, who says, Abu Mouslim al-Khawlani, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Detachment of the low world is not forbidding the lawful nor wasting wealth; detachment of the low world is that what is in the hand of Allah be firmer thee than what is in thy hand, and when trial reaches thee, thou be strongest in hoping its reward and treasure, than the thing itself were it to remain." [The explanation of Younous ibn Maysara of detachment:] And Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports it, from the narration of Mouhammad ibn Muhajir, from Younous ibn Maysara, who says, "Detachment of the low world is not forbidding the lawful nor wasting wealth; detachment of the low world is that what is in the hand of Allah be firmer thee than what is in thy hand, that thy state in trial be equal thy state without it, and thy praiser and blamer be equal in truth." He explained detachment of the low world therefore by three things, all deeds of hearts, not limbs, wherefore Abu Soulayman said, detachment is witnessed for none, detachment is in the heart.
The first, that the servant have firmer what is in the hand of Allah than what is in his hand, born of the truthfulness of certainty and its strength; for Allah, glorified be He, guaranteed the subsistences of His servants and bore warranty of them, as the Most High says,
"No creature on earth whose sustenance is not upon Allah."
Houd, 6
and He says,
"And in the sky is your sustenance and what you are promised."
Adh-Dhariyat, 22
and He says,
"Seek then sustenance from Allah, and worship Him."
Al-'Ankabut, 17
Al-Hasan said, "Of the weakness of thy certainty is that what is in thy hand be firmer thee than what is in the hand of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." And of 'Ali and Ibn Mas'oud, "The most hoped sustenance is when they say, there is no more flour in the jar." And Masrouq said, "The finest of my conjectures is when the servant says, there is not in the house a measure of wheat nor a dirham." Imam Ahmad used to say, "My most secret days are the day I wake having nothing in my house." It was said to Abu Hazim the ascetic, what is thy wealth? He says, "I have two wealths fearing not poverty, trust in Allah, and renouncing what is in the hands of people." It was said, fearest thou not poverty? He says, "I fear poverty? My Lord possesses 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-Mouwaffaq, and he read, "O 'Ali ibn al-Mouwaffaq! Fearest thou poverty, while I am thy Lord?!" And al-Foudayl ibn Iyad said, "The origin of detachment is satisfaction towards Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." And he says, sufficiency is detachment, that being wealth. Whoever realises therefore certainty, trusting Allah in all his affairs, satisfied with His management, cutting attachment to creatures, in hope and fear, that prevents him asking the low world by disapproved causes; whoever is thus is truly detached of the low world, being among the richest of people, even having nothing of the low world, as 'Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "Death suffices as preacher, certainty suffices as wealth, worship suffices as occupation."
And Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Certainty is pleasing not the people by the anger of Allah, praising none for the sustenance of Allah, blaming none for what Allah gave thee not, for the sustenance of Allah is neither hastened by the greed of the greedy nor repelled by the aversion of the repelling; Allah, the Most High, by His justice, knowledge and wisdom, placed rest and joy in certainty and satisfaction, and worry and sorrow in doubt and dissatisfaction." And in a mursal hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) supplicated by this supplication, "O Allah! I ask Thee a faith penetrating my heart, and a sincere certainty, until I know no sustenance Thou sharedst me escapes me, and content me with life by what Thou sharedst me."
And 'Ata al-Khourassani, may Allah have mercy on him, rose not from his sitting without saying, "O Allah! Grant us of Thyself certainty wherewith Thou ease the trials of the low world, until we know reaching us only what Thou wrotest us, and of that sustenance reaching us only what Thou sharedst me." And it was reported from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, in raised form, "Whoever delights being richest of people, let him have firmer what is in the hand of Allah than what is in his hand." The second, when the servant is tried in his low world, losing wealth, children or other, he desires the reward thereof more than what vanished of the low world, born also of completeness of certainty.
It is reported from Ibn 'Omar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in his supplication, "O Allah! Share us of Thy fear what bars between us and Thy disobediences, of Thy obedience what brings us to Thy Paradise, and of certainty what eases us the trials of the low world." That is of the marks of detachment of the low world and lesser passion for it, as 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "Whoever detaches from the low world, trials are light him." The third, that his praiser and blamer be equal in truth, being of the marks of detachment of the low world, its contempt and lesser passion; whoever the low world is great loves praise and detests blame, that possibly carrying him abandoning much truth fearing blame, and doing much falsehood hoping praise.
Whoever's praiser and blamer are equal in truth indicates the falling of the place of creatures from his heart, and its filling with love of truth and what it contains of satisfaction of his Lord, as Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "Certainty is pleasing not the people by the anger of Allah." And Allah praised those fighting in the path of Allah fearing not the blame of the blamer.
Other expressions are reported from the righteous Ancients explaining detachment of the low world, all returning to what precedes, like the saying of al-Hasan, "the ascetic is whoever, seeing anyone, says, he is better than me," that returning to the true ascetic being ascetic in praising his soul and greatness, whence it is said, "the ascetic in precedence is harder than the one detaching from gold and silver," whoever removing from his heart love of precedence in the low world and elevation over people being the true ascetic, he being whose praiser and blamer are equal in truth. Like the saying of Wahb ibn al-Ward, may Allah have mercy on him, "Detachment of the low world is grieving not what passed of it, nor rejoicing what came thee of it." Ibn as-Sammak, may Allah have mercy on him, says, "Here is the ascetic putting his detachment in evidence."
That returns to the return and arrival of the low world, its growth and diminution, being equal to the servant, likewise to equality of state in trial and outside it, as preceded. And certain, I believe Imam Ahmad, were asked, whoever has wealth, can he be ascetic? He says, "Were he not to rejoice at its growth nor grieve its diminution, he is ascetic," or according to what he says. And az-Zouhri was asked of detachment, and says, "He whose patience is not overcome by the illicit, and whose gratitude is not busied by the licit." That is near the preceding, its sense being the ascetic of the low world, able of the illicit, endures and takes it not, and obtaining the lawful, it busies him not of gratitude, but he performs gratitude towards Allah. And Ahmad ibn al-Hawari, may Allah have mercy on him, says, I said to Soufyan ibn 'Ouyayna, who is the ascetic of the low world?
He says, "Whoever granted grace thanks, and tried endures." I say, O Abu Mouhammad! Whoever gratified thanks, tried endures, to whom good is withheld, how should he be ascetic? He says, "Silence! Whoever favours prevent not thanking, nor trial enduring, here is the ascetic!" And Rabi'a said, "The summit of detachment is gathering things according to their right, and placing them their place." And Soufyan ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Detachment of the low world is shortening hope, not eating coarse food nor wearing the cloak." And their supplication was, "O Allah! Detach us of the low world, and expand us of it without estranging us to desiring it." And Ahmad said likewise, "detachment of the low world is shortening hope."
And once, "shortening hope, and renouncing what is in the hands of people," the sense being shortening hope requires loving the meeting of Allah leaving the low world, and long hope requiring loving permanence therein, whoever shortening his hope hating permanence in the low world, that being the utmost of detaching from it and turning from it. Ibn 'Ouyayna argued it by His words,
"Say, were the dwelling of the Hereafter with Allah yours alone, without the people, you would wish death, were you truthful," up to His words, "and thou findest them the greediest of people for life."
Al-Baqara, 94-95
Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports by his chain from ad-Dahhak ibn Mouzahim, a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, O Messenger of Allah! Who is the most detached of people? He says, "Whoever forgets neither the tomb nor decomposition, abandoning the finest adornment of the low world, preferring what remains to what perishes, counting not tomorrow among his days, and counting himself among the dead." And that is mursal.
Many of the righteous Ancients divided detachment into categories, one saying, the best detachment is detachment of polytheism and worshipping what is worshipped below Allah, then detachment of all illicit, of disobediences, then detachment of the lawful, that being the least of the categories of detachment, the two first categories both obligatory, the third not obligatory, the greatest of obligations being detachment of polytheism, then all disobediences. And Bakr al-Muzani supplicated for his brothers, "May Allah, to thee and us, grant detachment of that which the illicit and sins make capable in retreats, knowing Allah sees it, abandoning them."
Ibn al-Moubarak says, Salam ibn Abi Mou'iya said, "Detachment is upon three faces, the first purifying the deed for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and speech, the low world being intended in nothing of them; the second leaving what corrects not, and doing what corrects; the third, the lawful, detaching from it, being supererogatory and least." That is near the preceding, save he placed the first degree of detachment being detaching display contradicting sincerity in word and deed, being the small polytheism, driven by love of praise in the low world and precedence among its people, being of the kind of love of pre-eminence and precedence. Ibrahim ibn 'Adham said, "Detachment is of three species, an obligatory detachment, a supererogatory detachment, and a detachment of safety; obligatory detachment being detachment of the illicit, supererogatory detachment detachment of the lawful, and detachment of safety detachment of ambiguous things."
And the people diverged, whoever detaches only from the illicit, without detaching from the superfluous of lawful things, merits he the name of ascetic? Two views, the first, he merits the name of ascetic thereby, the mention preceding of az-Zouhri, Ibn 'Ouyayna and others; the second, he merits not the name of ascetic without detaching from the superfluous of lawful things, the view of part of the knowers of Allah and others, until certain say, "there is no detachment today, by absence of pure lawful," the view of Youssouf ibn 'Asbat and others, that being disputable. And Younous ibn 'Oubayd used to say, "And what is the worth of the low world, that whoever detaches from it be praised?!" And Abu Soulayman ad-Darani said, "They diverged with us over detachment in Iraq, certain saying detachment is leaving meeting the people, others leaving desires, others leaving satiety," their sayings near one another. "And I hold detachment is leaving what busies thee from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." What Abu Soulayman says is good, gathering all senses of detachment, its categories and species.
Know that blame come in the book and Sunna for the low world returns not to its time, being night and day succeeding until the Day of Resurrection, Allah the Most High placing them sermon to the people for whoever wants remembering or thanking. It is reported from 'Issa, upon him peace, "this night and day are two treasures, see then what ye deposit therein." And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Work the night for that for which it was created, and the day for that for which it was created." And Moujahid says, no day but that it says, O son of Adam! I entered thy house today and return not after today, see then what thou doest in me; when it finishes it is sealed, not reopened, until Allah seals it on the Day of Resurrection, and likewise the night.
And certain righteous Ancients recited, "The low world is towards Paradise and Fire... but a path, and the nights the store of man, and the days his market." And blame returns not to the place of the low world, being the earth Allah set for the sons of Adam as cradle and dwelling, nor what Allah deposited therein of mountains, seas, rivers and minerals, nor what He grew of trees and crops, nor what He established of animals and other, that all being graces of Allah upon His servants, by utilities finding therein, and by lesson and argument upon the oneness of its Creator, His power and greatness. Blame returns to the deeds of the sons of Adam occurring in the low world, for most occurs other than the manner whose end is praised, rather upon whose end harms or avails not, as the Mighty and Majestic says,
"Know that the life of this world is but play, amusement, adornment, boasting between you, and rivalry in wealth and children, like a rain whose vegetation amazed the disbelievers, then it dries, seeing it yellowed."
Al-Hadid, 20
The sons of Adam in the low world divided into two categories. The first, whoever denies there being for the servants after the low world a dwelling of reward and punishment, those of whom Allah said,
"Those hoping not Our meeting, content with the life of this world and resting therein, and those of Our verses heedless, their dwelling the Fire, for what they earned."
Younous, 7-8
Their concern is the enjoyment of the low world and conquering its sweetnesses before death, as Allah the Most High says,
"And the disbelievers enjoy and eat as the cattle eat, and the Fire is their dwelling."
Mohammed, 12
Among them is whoever commanded detachment of the low world, seeing the great number entailing worry and sorrow, saying, each time attachment to the low world multiplies, the soul suffers separation at death, that being the utmost of their detachment of the low world. The second
The second category: admitting a dwelling after death, for reward and punishment, those attached to the Laws of the envoys, dividing into three categories, the wronged of his soul, the holder of the middle way, and the forerunner in good deeds, with the permission of Allah. The wronged of their soul are the most numerous of them, most stopping at the flowering of the low world and its adornment, taking it outside its way and utilising it outside its way, the low world becoming their greatest concern, angered for it, satisfied by it, allying for it, and opposing against it.
Those are the people of amusement, play, adornment, boasting and rivalry, none knowing the design of the low world, nor that it is dwelling of travel, provisioned therein for what is after it, the dwelling of stability, even were one of them believing it globally, knowing it not in detail, nor having tasted what the people of knowledge of Allah tasted in the low world, being the seed of what is reserved them in the Hereafter. The holder of the middle way took the low world by its lawful ways, performed its duties, and reserved the surplus beyond duty, expanding therein to enjoying desires of the low world, their entering the name of ascetics of the low world being diverged upon, as preceded, nothing reproachable them therein, but diminishing their degrees in the Hereafter to the measure of their expansion in the low world.
Ibn 'Omar says, "Nothing of the low world reaches the servant without diminishing his degrees with Allah, even were he to give it generously." Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports it, by a good chain, and it is reported in raised form from the hadith of 'Aicha, may Allah be pleased with her, by a disputed chain. Imam Ahmad reports in his book of detachment, by his chain, that a man entered upon Mou'awiya who clothed him; he went out, passing before Abu Mas'oud al-'Ansari and another of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, one of them saying to him, "take it of thy good deeds," and the other, "take it of thy good things." And by his chain, from 'Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, "Were my good deeds not diminishing, I would share your easy life, but I heard Allah blame a people saying, you spent your good things in your life of this world and enjoyed them."
And al-Foudayl ibn Iyad said, "If thou wilt, lighten thee of the low world; if thou wilt, take much, thou takest only of thy sack." It is witnessed that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, forbade His servants things of the superfluous of the desires of the low world, its adornment and splendour, while having no need of them, reserving them with Him in the Hereafter, the allusion coming by His words,
"And were the people not to be one community, We would have given those disbelieving the All-Merciful, for their houses, roofs of silver and stairways to mount, and for their houses gates and divans to recline, and ornaments; and all that is but enjoyment of the life of this world, and the Hereafter, with thy Lord, is for the God-fearing."
Az-Zoukhrouf, 33-35
[The prohibition of silk to men:] And it is authenticated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said, "Whoever wears silk in the low world shall wear it not in the Hereafter, and whoever drinks wine in the low world shall drink it not in the Hereafter." And he says, "Wear neither silk nor brocade, drink not from vessels of gold and silver, eat not in their dishes, they are for them in this low world, and for you in the Hereafter." And Wahb says, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to Moussa, upon him peace, "I withhold of My friends the sweetnesses of the low world and its delights, as the attentive shepherd keeps his sheep from sullied pastures, not by their baseness with Me, but that they complete their share of My nobility, whole, increased, the low world accusing them not."
It is witnessed by what at-Tirmidhi reports from the hadith of Qatada ibn an-Nou'man, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who says, "When Allah loves a servant, He withholds him the low world as one of you withholds his sick from water." Al-Hakim reports it, its wording being, "Allah withholds His servant the low world, loving him, as you withhold your sick from food and drink, fearing for him." And in the Sahih of Mouslim, from 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with both of them, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "The low world is the prison of the believer and the Paradise of the disbeliever." As for the forerunner in good deeds, with the permission of Allah, they are those understanding the design of the low world and acting by its requirement, knowing Allah made not His servants dwell in this dwelling but to try them, which of them best in deed, as He says,
"He created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon water, to try you, which of you best in deed."
Houd, 7
and the Most High says,
"Who created death and life, to try you, which of you best in deed."
Al-Moulk, 2
Certain righteous Ancients said, which of you is most detached of the low world and most desiring the Hereafter. And He made what is in the low world of splendour and freshness a trial, seeing which of them stops and leans therein, and which is not thus, as the Most High says,
"We made what is on earth adornment for it, to try them, which of them best in deed."
Al-Kahf, 7
Then He shows its end and annihilation, saying,
"And We shall make what is upon it bare earth."
Al-Kahf, 8
When they understood therefore that is the design of the low world, their concern became provisioning for the Hereafter, being the dwelling of stability, and contenting themselves with the low world of what suffices the traveller in his journey, like the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, "What have I to do with the low world, my example and the example of the low world being like a rider stopping in the shade of a tree, then departing and leaving it." And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recommended to a group of the Companions the share of each of them of the low world being like the provision of a rider, among them Salman, Abu 'Oubayda ibn al-Jarrah, Abu Dhar and 'Aicha, may Allah be pleased with them. And he recommended Ibn 'Omar being in the low world as a stranger or passer-by, counting himself among the people of tombs.
The people of this degree are of two categories, one limiting himself of the low world to the measure withholding the soul only, that being the state of many ascetics; the other sometimes expanding to take some of his lawful desires, fortifying his soul and activating it to deed, as reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Made beloved to me of your low world women and perfume, and the coolness of my eye was placed in the prayer," Imam Ahmad and an-Nasa'i reporting it from the hadith of Anas. And Imam Ahmad reports from the hadith of 'Aicha, may Allah be pleased with her, who says, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) loved of the low world women, perfume and food, obtaining of women and perfume, and not of food.
Wahb says, it is written in the wisdom of the family of Dawoud, upon them peace, it befits the sensible not neglecting four hours, an hour judging his soul, an hour conversing with his Lord, an hour meeting his brothers informing him his defects and assuring him towards himself, and an hour leaving his soul to its sweetnesses in what is lawful and beautiful, for in that hour is aid for those hours, being even rest and relaxation of hearts, meaning refreshment for them.
When the believer intends, taking his lawful desires, fortifying himself for obedience, his desires are for him an obedience rewarded, as Mou'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "I count my sleep as I count my standing," meaning intending by his sleep fortifying himself for the standing of the end of night, counting the reward of his sleep as he counts the reward of his standing. And certain, taking a thing of their lawful desires, left it their brothers, as reported from Ibn al-Moubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, that he desired not a thing but eating it, until one of his companions desired it and ate with them. And desiring a thing, he invited a guest eating with him. And it is reported from al-'Awza'i that he said, "Three counted not to their meal, whoever eats the meal before dawn, the fasting man when he breaks the fast, and the food of the guest."
Al-Hasan said, "Thy love of the low world is not thy asking what corrects thee therein, and thy detachment of it is not leaving need filling thee of it by leaving it; whoever loves the low world and is intoxicated of it, the fear of the Hereafter leaves his heart." And Sa'id ibn Joubayr said, "Deceptive enjoyment is what busies thee from seeking the Hereafter, and what busies thee not is not deceptive enjoyment, being an enjoyment of delegation towards what is better." And Yahya ibn Mu'adh ar-Razi said, "How should I love not a low world wherein He prescribed me a sustenance wherewith I attain a life, attain thereby obedience, and obtain thereby the Hereafter?" And Abu Safwan ar-Ra'ini, of the knowers of Allah, was asked, what is that low world Allah blamed in the Quran, which the sensible must avoid? He says, "Everything thou obtainest of the low world wanting the low world is blamed, and everything thou obtainest of it wanting the Hereafter is not of it."
And al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "A beautiful dwelling was the low world for the believer, working little and taking his provision to Paradise; and an evil dwelling for the disbeliever and hypocrite, losing his nights, his provision of it being to the Fire." And 'Ayfa' ibn 'Abd al-Kala'i says, 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 remained you on earth, a number of years? They say, we remained a day, or part of a day."
Al-Mou'minoun, 112-113
He says, "Yes, you traded a day or part of day, My mercy, My satisfaction and My Paradise, dwell therein eternally, forever." Then he says to the people of the Fire, "How long remained you on earth, a number of years?" They say, "we remained a day, or part of a day." He says, "Evil bargain you made, a day or part of day, My anger, My disobedience and My Fire, dwell therein eternally, forever." And 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 says, "A beautiful dwelling is the low world for whoever provisions his Hereafter thereby, until satisfying his Lord, and an evil dwelling for whoever it barred him, depriving him the satisfaction of his Lord; and when the servant declares ugly the low world by Allah, the low world says, Allah declares it ugly, it disobeying him in his Lord." And al-Hakim said, authentic isnad. And al-'Aqili reports it and says, 'Abd al-Jabbar ibn Wahb is unknown, and his hadith not preserved, and this saying attaches to 'Ali also.
And the saying of 'Ali, Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports of him, by a disputed chain, that 'Ali heard a man insulting the low world, and says, "She is the dwelling of truth for whoever passes therein, the dwelling of health for whoever understands her, the dwelling of wealth for whoever provisions thereby; mosque of the beloved of Allah, place of descent of His revelation, place of prayer of His angels, market of His friends, therein acquiring mercy and winning Paradise. Who blames the low world while she announces her separation, cries her defect, describes herself and her people, and represented by her trial the trial, and made desirable by her joy the joy? People blamed her in regret, and others praised her; she spoke them and they believed her, mentioned her and they mentioned her. O thou deceived by the low world, deceived by her deception! When was the low world subjected thee? Or when deceived she thee? By the couches of thy parents in the dust? Or the places of death of thy mothers in decomposition? How much she turned with thy palms, and made sick with thy hands, seeking for her healing, questioning for her the physicians, without attaining thy need, nor being aided by thy asking! The low world presented thee thy death tomorrow, thy tears suffice thee not, nor thy beloved avail thee!"
The Commander of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with him, showed therefore the low world is not blamed in the absolute, but praised relatively to whoever provisions thereby righteous deeds, it containing the mosques of prophets, place of descent of revelation, dwelling of the trade of believers, therein acquiring mercy and winning Paradise, being beautiful dwelling for whoever has that quality. As for what he mentions of her deceiving and tricking, she calls by her sermons, counsels by her lessons, exposes her defects by showing her people the places of death of the lost, returning states of health to sickness, youth to old age, wealth to poverty, nobility to baseness; but her lover, love of her rendered him deaf and blind, hearing not her call, as said, "The low world called herself... were there in the world one hearing! How many trusting life I made perish... and gathering, scattered what he gathered!"
Yahya ibn Mu'adh, may Allah have mercy on him, said, were the creatures hearing the sound of weeping over the low world in the invisible, of the tongues of annihilation, their hearts would fall of sorrow. And certain sages said, "The low world is of examples the days strike the people, and the science of time needs no translator, and by love of the low world the ears of hearts were deaf to sermons, and what hastens the rider, were the creatures feeling?!"
The people of detachment of the superfluous of the low world are categories. One obtains and withholds it, drawing near Allah, like many of the Companions and others. Abu Soulayman said, "'Outhman and 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf, may Allah be pleased with them, were two keepers of the treasures of Allah upon His earth, spending in His obedience, their transaction being for Allah with their hearts." One takes it from his hand without withholding it, those being of two species, one taking it by choice and will, the other taking it, his soul refusing taking it, but striving it there. Which is better diverged, Ibn as-Sammak and al-Jounayd saying the first is better, for completeness of his soul in the station of generosity and detachment; Ibn 'Ata said, the second is better, having deed and effort. The saying of Imam Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with him, indicates it also.
And one obtained nothing of the superfluous, being ascetic in acquisition, with or without capacity, the first being better thereby; that is why many righteous Ancients said, 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz was more detached than 'Ouways and his like; Abu Soulayman and others said thus. Malik ibn Dinar said, "The people say, Malik is ascetic?! The ascetic is 'Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz!!"
The scholars diverged, which is better, whoever asking the low world of the lawful, maintaining his kin and provisioning thereby himself, or whoever leaving it and asking it not at all? Part preferred whoever leaving and estranging from it, among them al-Hasan and others; part preferred whoever asking it of that manner, among them an-Nakha'i and others. And likewise reported from al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him.
The ascetics of the low world by their hearts have observations and contemplations they see, one seeing the multiplicity of hardship in seeking its acquisition, detaching from it intending rest of soul, al-Hasan saying, "Detachment of the low world rests heart and body." Another fears his share of the Hereafter diminishes taking the superfluous of the low world. Another fears length of reckoning upon it, certain saying, "Whoever asks Allah the low world asks only length of standing of reckoning." Another sees the multiplicity of defects of the low world, the quickness of its change and annihilation, the rivalry of the viles in seeking it, as said to certain, what detached thee of the low world? He says, "The rarity of its fidelity, the multiplicity of its treachery, and the vileness of its associates."
Another looked at the baseness of the low world with Allah despising it, al-Foudayl saying, "Were the low world entire presented me as lawful, without being counted upon it in the Hereafter, I would despise it as the man despises carrion passing before him, fearing it touch his garment." Another feared it busying him from preparing the Hereafter and provision for it, al-Hasan saying, "One of them might live all his life in great striving, lawful wealth beside him, being said to him, comest thou not taking of it? He says, no, by Allah, I do it not, fearing coming thereto and acquiring corruption of heart and deed." Wealth was brought 'Omar ibn al-Mounkadir, and he wept intensely and said, "I fear the low world dominate my heart, there being no share for the Hereafter, that is what made me weep," then commanded alms of it be given the poor of the people of Medina.
And the specific wealth of these, fearing it busying them from Allah, as Rabia says, "Would I love having the low world entire, from first to last, lawfully, spending it in the path of Allah, it busying me from Allah a wink!" Abu Soulayman said, "Detachment is leaving what busies thee from Allah." And he says, "Everything busying thee from Allah, family, wealth, children, upon thee is ruinous." And he says, "The people of detachment of the low world are upon two levels, one detaching from the low world, none opening him the rest of the Hereafter; the other, detaching from it, opened him the rest of the Hereafter, nothing dearer him than permanence, obeying Allah."
He says, "the ascetic is not whoever casts the worries of the low world and rests therein; the ascetic is whoever detaches from the low world and strives therein for the Hereafter." Detachment of the low world intends therefore disengaging the heart from being busied by it, to disengage seeking Allah, His knowledge, His proximity, intimacy with Him, and longing of His meeting; these things are not of the low world, like the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying, "Made beloved to me of your low world women and perfume, and the coolness of my eye was placed in the prayer," placing not the prayer among what was made beloved him of the low world, thus in the Mousnad and an-Nasa'i, and I believe it found outside them, "made beloved to me of your low world three things," entering the prayer into the low world.
It is witnessed by the hadith, "The low world is cursed, cursed what is thereof, save the remembrance of Allah and what approaches it, a scholar or a student," Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi reporting it, grading it good, from the hadith of Abu Hourayra, in raised form, and its sense reported by other channels, mursal and connected; and at-Tabarani reports from the hadith of Abu ad-Darda, in raised form, "The low world is cursed, cursed what is thereof, save that whereby the face of Allah is sought." And Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reports it in a version stopped at the Companion. And it is reported also from the narration of Chahr ibn Houchab, from 'Obada, believed raising it, "The low world shall be brought on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said, weigh of it what was for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and cast the rest into the Fire."
The low world and everything thereof is cursed, meaning distanced from Allah, it busying from Him, save useful knowledge indicating Allah, His knowledge, seeking His proximity, satisfaction, remembrance of Allah and what approaches it, drawing near Allah, that being the design of the low world, Allah commanding His servants fearing Him and obeying Him, permanence of His remembrance deriving thereof, as Ibn Mas'oud says, "The fear of Allah, true fear, that He be mentioned without being forgotten." Allah legislated establishing prayer for His remembrance, likewise pilgrimage and circumambulation, the best of people of worship having most remembrance of Allah therein; all of that is not of the blamed low world, being the design of creating the low world and its people, as the Most High says,
"I created not the jinn and men but to worship Me."
Adh-Dhariyat, 56
[Which of the two is better?] Groups of jurists and sufis believed what is found in the low world of these worships is better than what is found in Paradise of felicity, saying, the felicity of Paradise being the lot of the servant, and worships in the low world the right of the Lord, the right of the Lord being better than the lot of the servant. That is false, their error reinforced by the saying of many exegetes at His words, "whoever comes with a good deed has better of it," they say, the good deed being there is no god but Allah, nothing better than it. But the saying is upon precedence and deferment, the sense being he shall have because of it better, and by it. The correct is the absolute of what the texts of book and Sunna brought, the Hereafter being better than the first, in the absolute.
In the Sahih of al-Hakim, from al-Moustawrid ibn Chaddad, "We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), remembering the low world and the Hereafter, certain of them saying, the low world is but a delegate towards the Hereafter, therein deed, therein prayer, therein zakat." Part of them says, the Hereafter contains Paradise, saying what Allah wills; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says, "The low world in the Hereafter is only like one of you walking towards the sea, putting his finger therein, what comes out of it being the low world." Here is a text preferring the Hereafter over the low world and what it contains of deeds.
The sense: the completeness of the low world is in knowledge and deed, knowledge being the aim of deeds, multiplying in the Hereafter by what nothing of the low world compares, for knowledge has its origin in the knowledge of Allah, of His names, attributes and deeds; in the Hereafter the veil lifts, the informed becoming visible, and the knowledge of Allah becoming vision of Him and contemplation. Where that against what is in the low world?! As for bodily deeds, they have in the low world two aims, the first busying the limbs by obedience, their toil by worship; the second connecting hearts with Allah and illuminating them by His remembrance. The first was withdrawn from the people of Paradise, wherefore it is reported, when wanting prostrating to Allah at His manifestation to them, being said, "raise your heads, you are no longer in the dwelling of effort."
As for the second aim, it is acquired the people of Paradise in the most complete manner and most perfect, no proportion between what their hearts obtain in the low world of subtleties of proximity, intimacy and connection, and what they contemplate in the Hereafter visibly, their hearts, sights and hearings enjoying the proximity of Allah, His vision and hearing of His speech, especially the hours of prayer in the low world, like Friday and festivals. And the brought near among them, that befalls them each day twice, morning and evening, at the moment of the dawn prayer and the noon afternoon prayer; wherefore, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned the people of Paradise seeing their Lord, he encouraged thereafter keeping the afternoon prayer and the dawn prayer, the time of these two prayers being the moment of the vision of the Lord by the elite of the people of Paradise, and their visiting Him.
Likewise the felicity of remembrance and recitation of the Quran shall never cease of them, being inspired as breath is inspired. Ibn 'Ouyayna said, "there is no god but Allah" for the people of Paradise is like cool water for the people of the low world; where the sweetness of remembrance for the knowers of Allah in the low world against their sweetness therein in Paradise?! It appears therefore thereby His words, "whoever comes with a good deed has better of it," upon its apparent, the reward of the word of oneness in the low world being its holder attaining, in Paradise, pronouncing it in the manner proper to the people of Paradise. In every state, what befalls the people of Paradise of details of knowledge of Allah, of His names, attributes and deeds, of His proximity, contemplation, the sweetness of His remembrance, is an affair whose expressing of secret is impossible in the low world, its people not attaining it in its state, being of what no eye saw, no ear heard, no human heart imagined. Allah the Most High is asked not depriving us 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 Mouhammad and his family and companions, and grant them salvation.
Let us return to the commentary of the hadith, "detach thyself of the low world, Allah shall love thee." This hadith indicates Allah loves the detached of the low world. Certain righteous Ancients say, the Hourites said to 'Issa, upon him peace, O spirit of Allah! Teach us a deed whereby Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, loves us? He says, detest the low world, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, shall love you. Allah the Most High blamed whoever loves the low world and prefers it to the Hereafter, as He says,
"No! You love the immediate, and leave the Hereafter."
Al-Qiyama, 20-21
And He says,
"And you love wealth with ardent love."
Al-Fajr, 20
And He says,
"And he is, of the love of wealth, most intense."
Al-'Adiyat, 8
It is of love of wealth, Allah therefore blamed whoever loves the low world, indicating the praise of whoever loves it not, rejecting and abandoning it. In the Mousnad and the Sahih of Ibn Hibban, from Abu Moussa, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Whoever loves his low world harms his Hereafter, and whoever loves his Hereafter harms his low world, prefer then what remains to what perishes." And in the Mousnad and the Sunan of Ibn Majah, from Zayd ibn Thabit, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Whoever's concern is the low world, Allah scatters his affair, placing poverty between his two eyes, coming him of the low world only what written him; and whoever's intention is the Hereafter, Allah gathers his affair, placing richness in his heart, and the low world comes him subjected." At-Tirmidhi reports it from the hadith of Anas, in raised form, in the sense.
Of the words of Joundoub ibn 'Abd Allah, the Companion, may Allah be pleased with him, "Love of the low world is the head of every sin," reported in raised form, and from al-Hasan in mursal form. Al-Hasan said, whoever loves the low world and is intoxicated of it, the love of the Hereafter leaves his heart. And 'Awne ibn 'Abd Allah said, "The low world and the Hereafter in the heart are like the two pans of the balance, to the measure of the weighing of the one, the other lightens." And Wahb says, the low world and the Hereafter are like a man having two wives, satisfying the one angering the other. In every state, detachment of the low world is the emblem of the prophets of Allah, His friends and His beloved. 'Amr ibn al-'As, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "Your guidance is very far from the guidance of your prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he being the most detached of people of the low world, and you the most desirous thereof." Imam Ahmad reports it.
And Ibn Mas'oud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to his companions, "You fast more, pray more and fight more than the companions of Mouhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), yet they were better than you?" They said, how so? He says, "They were more detached of the low world than you, and more desirous of the Hereafter than you." And Abu ad-Darda said, "Were you to swear me upon a man being the most detached of you, I would swear you he is the best of you." It is reported from al-Hasan, they said, O Messenger of Allah! Who is the best of us? He says, "The most detached of you of the low world, and the most desirous of the Hereafter." The discussion of this chapter is very long, what we indicated suffices, Allah willing.
The second counsel, "detachment of what is in the hands of the people, requiring the love of the people." It is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he commended a man and said, "renounce what is in the hands of people, thou shalt be rich." At-Tabarani and others report it. It is reported from the hadith of Sahl ibn Sa'd, in raised form, "The nobility of the believer is his standing at night, and his nobility his sufficiency towards people." And al-Hasan said, "Thou remainest noble with people, or people hold thee honoured, so long as thou touchest not what is in their hands; when thou doest, they despise thee, dislike thy speech and hate thee." And 'Ayyoub as-Sakhtiyani said, "The man is not accepted until having two traits, chastity of what is in the hands of people, and exceeding what comes from them."
And 'Omar said in his sermon upon the minbar, "Greed is poverty, and renunciation wealth; man renouncing a thing suffices of it." It is reported that 'Abd Allah ibn Salam met Ka'b al-'Ahbar at 'Omar's and said, O Ka'b! Who are the masters of knowledge? He says, those acting by it. He says, what carries knowledge from the hearts of scholars after memorising and retaining it? He says, greed carries it, greed of soul and seeking needs towards people?! He says, thou spokest true. The hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on commanding chastity of asking people and sufficing of them multiplied, whoever asking what is in the hands of people, they detest and hate him, for good is loved by the souls of the sons of Adam, whoever asking them what they love, they detest him for that.
As for whoever sees favour for the asker, seeing that were he to bring out all his wealth, it would not match the abasement of his asking towards him and his abasement before him, or saying to his family, your garments on others than you are more beautiful than on you, and your mounts under others more beautiful than under you, that being very rare of the natures of the sons of Adam, the carpet thereof folded since long eras. As for whoever detaches of what is in the hands of people, chaste towards them, they love him, hold him honoured for that, dominating thereby over them, as the Bedouin said to the people of Bassora, who is the master of the people of this city? They said, al-Hasan. He says, by what dominated he? They said, the people needed his knowledge, and he sufficed of their low world. And how beautiful is the saying of certain righteous Ancients describing the low world and its people, "It is only a desired carrion... upon it dogs whose concern is drawing it! Were thou to avoid it, thou art whole for its people... were thou to draw it, its dogs dispute thee!"