Bitesize Ramadan 1444 AH 2023
Day 28 – Sincerity & Hidden Desires
Translated
By
Abbas Abu Yahya
From Ubaad bin Tameem from his uncle from the Prophet :
يا نعايا العرب ! يا نعايا العرب ! ثلاثا , إن أخوف ما أخاف عليكم الرياء و الشهوة الخفية
‘O Arabs beware, O Arabs beware, (he said it thrice) indeed what I fear for you the most is ar-Riyaa (showing off) and hidden desires.’
[Collected by Tabaraani in ‘Mu’ajam al-Kabeer’, Ibn Adee in ‘al-Kaamil’ & declared Hasan by Albaani in Silsilah Saheehah 2/34/508]
Ibn al-Atheer said:
‘Verily the hidden desire is to love that the people see your actions.’
[an-Nihaaya 2/516]
Wanting Fame
Ibrahim bin Adham said:
‘The slave of Allah who loved fame was not truthful to Allah.’
Hafidh ad-Dhahabi commented:
‘I say, the sign of the sincere person who may perhaps love fame but does not feel it, so when he is reprimanded for this then he does not get angry and does not free himself from this want of fame.
In fact, he acknowledges it and says, may Allaah have mercy upon the one who guides me to my mistakes.
He is not amazed by his own self, he does not feel/recognise the mistakes of his soul, in fact he does not even feel/recognise that he does not feel/recognise, indeed this is a deep-rooted chronic disease.’
[Seera alaam an-Nubala 7/393]
Not Desiring Acknowledgement and Fame
Abu Layla al-Athari wrote:
‘Not Desiring Acknowledgement and Fame
In the year 1405 al-Hijri on the journey to the land of Hijaz (the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) I accompanied Shaykh Al-Albaani and his wife Umm Fadl in one car. When we reached Makkah al-Mukkaramah we stopped as guests of one of the Shaykh’s friends who is well-known as Abu Arab.
During a gathering there was a discussion and debate between the Shaykh and one of the blind-followers of Alawi Maliki about the Mawlid an-Nabawi (Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday). After the discussion had ended, Abu Arab invited the Shaykh to go to Bangladesh for a period of three days, to give Dawa to Tawheed to the brothers there from the Ahl – ul- Hadeeth – and their numbers reached to the millions.
However, the Shaykh excused himself by saying: ‘I cannot do so.’
Then Abu Arab repeated the invitation a second time for a period of two days, the Shaykh excused himself a second time by saying: ‘I cannot do so.’
Then he repeated the invitation a third time for a period of one day, again the Shaykh excused himself a third time.
When we returned to the Shaykh’s son in law’s house, which was in one of the districts of Makkah, we wanted to take a short nap. So, the shaykh and I moved the table which was in the middle of the room and a pillow was brought for us and the shaykh placed his head on one side of it and I placed my head on the opposite side. Now I had the opportunity to ask a question which was whirling around inside of me, I asked: ‘O Shaykh! Why did you refuse to go?’
The Shaykh answered:
إني أخشى على نفسي الفتنة!!
‘Indeed, I fear a fitnah (trial & tribulation) upon myself!!’
May Allah have mercy upon our senior Shaykh, and make us and him unite with the righteous from Allaah’s slaves. May Allaah honour him, and give him a better home and another better family.
May Allaah send His praise upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all his Companions.
[Taken from Al-Assala Magazine]
عن عبد الله بن زيد:
يا نَعايا العَربِ ! يا نَعايا العَربِ ! إنّ أخوْفَ ما أخافُ عليكم الزِّنا، والشهوةُ الخَفِيَّةُ.
الألباني (ت ١٤٢٠)، صحيح الترغيب ٢٣٩٠ • حسن
دَاءُ حُبِّ الشُّهْرَةِ
قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ أَدْهَمَ: «مَا صَدَقَ اللهَ عَبْدٌ أَحَبَّ الشُّهْرَةَ».
قَالَ الحَافِظُ الذَّهَبِيُّ مُعَلِّقًا: «قُلْتُ: عَلاَمَةُ المُخْلِصِ الَّذِي قَدْ يُحِبُّ شُهْرَةً، وَلاَ يَشْعُرُ بِهَا أَنَّهُ إِذَا عُوتِبَ فِي ذَلِكَ لاَ يَحْرَدُ (أَيْ: لاَ يَغْضَبُ) وَلاَ يُبَرِّئُ نَفْسَهُ، بَلْ يَعْتَرِفُ وَيَقُولُ: رَحِمَ اللهُ مَنْ أَهْدَى إِلَيَّ عُيُوبِي، وَلاَ يَكُنْ مُعْجَبًا بِنَفْسِهِ؛ لاَ يَشْعُرُ بِعُيُوبِهَا، بَلْ لاَ يَشْعُرُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَشْعُرُ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا دَاءٌ مُزْمِنٌ»
[«سير أعلام النّبلاء» للذّهبيّ: (7/ 393)].