In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A man came to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which if I do it, [will cause] Allah to love me and people to love me.” Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace,, answered: “Be indifferent to the world (worldly matters) and Allah will love you; be indifferent to what people possess and they will love you.” [Ibn Majah and others]
Zuhud (indifference to the world) is a vital concept in Islam. Allah Almighty said regarding zuhud,
لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا۟ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣[Qur'an Al-Hadid 57:23]
So that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor rejoice on what He has given to you. And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud, (23).
So zuhud in the above verse is defined as: not being over-joyed with the glitters of the life of this world and not to regret things which have passed you by.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said “Zuhud is not that you should not own anything, but that nothing should own you.”
Sufiyaan al Thawri said about Zuhud: "Zuhud is to have limited amount of expectations (very few hopes); it does not mean eating poor or inadequate foods as many think, or wearing a cheap gown or cloak." "Zuhud in this world is that the Hereafter is always in your heart and think of the Hereafter - you think of death. We should be prepared for the next world. This is a definition of Zuhud. Zuhud means a status of the heart where a person fears he will not live a long life. This will motivate everyone to be a good Muslim. If we have this feeling that we are going to leave this world at any time, this will lead us to be closer to Allāh and fulfill our obligations and also to get away from disobedience."
One of the early scholars, Abu Muslim Al-Hawlani, (rahimahullah) said that zuhud in this world does not mean forbidding what is permissible or wasting wealth. Zuhud with respect to this world is only where a person puts more in fear and as well of trust in Allah, more than what was is in his own hands. If he was afflicted with calamity by losing something of this world, he is more hopeful for its reward and what is in store for him in the Hereafter than if it were to have remained with him.
Imam Ahmad was asked one day if someone owns one thousand dinar, can he still be a zahid. He replied yes, he can be still a zahid if he does not feel rejoice if the money increases and he does not become sad if it decreases. We must not become slaves to money or our worldly possessions. We can be wealthy and zahid if we are still thankful to Allah and use wealth in the right way (provided also that we obtained this wealth in the right way). This meaning has been emphasized by Sufian Ibn `Uyainah (rahimahullah), one of the great scholars, when he was asked who is to be considered as zahid. He said whoever Allah bestowed a bounty on him then he is thankful and then when he is under trial, he is patient.
Ibn Rajab (rahimahullah) states that zuhud can be interpreted as three actions of the heart:
1. The Muslim should realize that all provisions come from Allah Almighty and not simply the result of his own acts. He should trust Allah and what Allah has more than what he has in his hands.
2. If he loses anything in this world, this should not bother him because he is looking for its reward.
3. The Muslim should not care whether he is going to be blamed or praised by others. He will not look for praise. In his heart, he is not touched by such praise. And if he is blamed, he will not be offended by being blamed. If the accusation is not true, he has nothing to worry about; if it is true then he has to face it and try to be a better Muslim, he fears Allah Almighty most in losing the Allah’s mercy and is thankful of Allah’s bounty.
We should have what we have for the sake of Allah. And we use what we have for the sake of Allah. You may have a little more to keep the lower self (nafs) from squeaking too much. But more than that and excessive indulging in the joys and the desires of this life, will make you forget the affairs of the next life, the eternal.
ثُمَّ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿٨[Qur'an At-Takathur 102:8]
Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)!
The Qur'an demonstrates the little significance that the Dunya has and point out its briefness and quick demise, and strengthen the eagerness in the Hereafter, which joy is eternal.
Allah Almighty says,
مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّـهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوٓا۟ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٦[Qur'an An-Nahl 16:96]
Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever is with Allah (of good deeds) will remain. And those who are patient, We will certainly pay them a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do. (96)
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّـهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ﴿٢٠[Qur'an Al-Hadid 57:20]
Know well that the worldly life is but a play and an amusement, and a show of beauty, and exchange of boastful claims between you, and a competition of increase in riches and children. (All this is) like a rain, the growth of which attracts the farmers, then it withers, and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. And in the Hereafter there is a severe punishment (for the disbelievers), and forgiveness from Allah and (Allah’s) pleasure (for the believers and the righteous). The worldly life is nothing but a material of delusion. (20)
One of the prominent characteristics of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was his ascetism towards the worldly life. He turned his back to his life’s pleasure and lived away from its desires.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah) used to refuse money – and he is cited as a model of abstinence in his refusal and dignity when he traveled to Abdur Razzaaq from Iraq to San’aa. On the way, he and his companion, Yahya ibn Ma’een, performed Hajj and found Abdur Razzaaq in Makkah. So ibn Ma’een said to Ahmad: “Here is Abdur Razzaaq. Allah has brought him to us so we do not need to travel.” Ahmad replied: “I have made the intention to travel to San’aa so I will not return.” Then he traveled to Sanaa and on the way he ran out of money. When his companions found out, they offered him monetary assistance. But Imam Ahmad refused and instead opted to work as a porter for the bedouin camel owners, carrying loads on his back – and he was an Imam rahimahullah. He saw that porterage, work and eating from the sweat of ones own hands was better by thousands of times than taking money from the people; because the upper hand is the one that gives and the lower hand is the one that receives. And Imam Ahmad did not want his hand to be the lower one, may Allah be pleased with him.
The dunya busies the hearts from the remembering of Allah and it hinders the path of mankind from stepping up the ladder of acquiring higher grades in the Hereafter. So we ought not busy himself with its affairs, nor forget the affair of the Hereafter.
May Allah guide us on the straight path and enable us to follow the footsteps of those beloved to Allah. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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