In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Souls feel affinity with others according to the nature in which they were created. 'Although they are all souls, they differ in different ways, so a person will feel an affinity with souls of one kind, and will get along with them because of the special quality that they have in common.' [Qurtubi]
In the story of the companions of the cave (Ashab al-Kahf) in Surah Al-Kahf, a few young men were drawn to each other because of their righteousness. They were the progeny of kings and chiefs among their people who were idol-worshipers.
Once their people went out of the town to participate in some religious festival of theirs. This was a place where they met every year, worshiped their idols and sacrificed animals to please them. Their king was a tyrant, called Daqyanus. He used to force his people to worship idols. That year, when everyone had gathered together in this festival, these young men identified as the Ashab al-Kahf also reached there and saw their people taking rocks carved with their own hands as God, worshiping them and sacrificing for them.
At that time, Allah blessed them with the good sense to shun this absurd practice of their people. Thus, when they used their reason, they arrived at the conclusion that this worship belongs to none but that supreme Power who has created the heavens and the earth and everything therein. This thought crossed the minds of those few young men simultaneously and they started moving away from there to avoid the absurd practice of their people in the fair name of worship.
The first young man who withdrew went far from the crowd and sat down under a tree. After that, came another and he too sat there. Similarly, came the third, and the fourth, and each one of them kept taking a seat under the tree. But, none of them were familiar with each other, nor did they know as to why they had come there. The truth of the matter is that they were brought together on that spot by the Power that lit the light of faith in their hearts. [Ibn Kathir]
Allah recorded the youths conversation in Surah Al-Kahf:
هَـٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمُنَا اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً ۖ لَّوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِسُلْطَانٍ بَيِّنٍ ۖ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّـهِ كَذِبًا (١٥ ) وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا ﴿١٦[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:15-16]
These, our people, have taken besides Him deities. Why do they not bring for [worship of] them a clear authority? And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie?" (15) [The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility." (16)
It is important to love the righteous. They are means to take you closer to Allah and they can help you overcome your shortcomings.
This is a conversation between Imam al-Shafi' and Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them).
Imam al-Shafi`, in spite of his high station said:
احب الصالحين ولست منهم *** لعلي أن انال بهم شفاعة
واكره من تجارته المعاصي *** وإن كنا سواء في البضاعة
I love the righteous, although I'm not of them
Perhaps I shall receive intercession through them
And I hate he who trades in sins (deals in acts of disobedience)
Although we are both dealing in the same trade.
So Imam Ahmad responded:
فرد عليه الامام احمد رحمه الله
تحب الصالحين وانت منهم *** ومنكم سوف يلقون الشفاعة
وتكره من تجارته المعاصي *** وقانا الله من شر البضاعة
You love the righteous and you are of them
And from you shall they receive intercession
And you hate he who trades in sins
May Allah protect us from the evil of such trade
Imam al-Shafi` also said:
لَوْ شُقَّ صَدْرِي لَبَدا وَسْطَهُ سَطْرَانِ قَدْ خُطَّا بِلا كَاتِبِ
الشَّرْعُ و التَّوْحِيدُ في جَانِبٍ و حُبُّ أَهْلِ البَيْتِ في جَانِبِ
إِنْ كُنْتُ فِيما قُلْتُهُ كَاذِباً فَلَعْنَةُ اللهِ على الكَاذِبِ
If my chest was split open two lines would be found inside it not drawn by any man:
The Sacred Law and Allah’s oneness on one side and love of the People of the House on the other
If I am lying in what I have said then may Allah’s curse be on the liar
If Allah blesses you with love for Him, love for His Prophet and love for the Prophet’s household (Ahl al-Bayt), this is a great thing. If Allah dislikes someone, He removes love of the righteous from their heart.
May Allah increase our love for His beloved Messenger and his household and companions, and grant us righteous companions and protect us from evil. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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