Episode 6 - What is the relationship between the Prophet's asceticism (peace be upon him) and the liberation and dignity of the Islamic Ummah?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who support him. May Allah greet you, dear listeners and listeners, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. May Allah greet you in this second-to-last episode of this podcast titled "How I Loved the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him," with the permanent guest of the program, Professor Dr. Iyad Qunaybi. May Allah greet you, Doctor.

May Allah greet you and keep you safe, Abu Ubaydah. May Allah grant you well-being, and may our Lord accept from you, Lord of the worlds.

From all of us, O Lord. The previous episode was about the forgiveness of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and we spoke about many situations of the Prophet's forgiveness, and before that about the loyalty of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Today's title is the asceticism of the Prophet, peace be upon him. So, in the name of Allah, we begin and seek help from Allah. Tell us about the asceticism of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. May Allah greet our brothers and sisters. Indeed, today's episode has a special quality and will be lengthy. For those who love length, they will be pleased with it, and for the others, we invite you to prepare your coffee cups or tea cups because it requires concentration, and I think it contains important contents and concepts. So, bear with us in the length.

The Concept of Asceticism in Islam

At the beginning, I would like to start with a poem by Shauqi again at a certain point from which we start to the concept of asceticism. In the name of Allah.

Shauqi, may Allah have mercy on him, addressing our Prophet, peace be upon him: O he who has the honor of intercession alone, and he is the one who is free from any need for intercessors.

Some may say that this is an exaggeration and it is not appropriate to say "free from any need" except for Allah, the Exalted. No, the Arabic word means he is free from evil, free from this and that. Here, Shauqi means that the Prophet, peace be upon him, in the praised position when he intercedes in the reckoning, this is special to the Prophet, peace be upon him. He indeed has a special quality in intercession, he also intercedes for those who commit major sins, he intercedes for a large number of people, so there is no harm in saying that he has the honor of intercession alone from this aspect, and he is the one who is free from any need for others to intercede for him because if someone intercedes for the Prophet, someone intercedes for the Prophet, it means that there is someone better than the Prophet, peace be upon him, and that is far from the truth.

He said: O he who has the honor of intercession alone, and he is the one who is free from any need for intercessors The throne of the Day of Judgment is under his banner, and the pool is for you to quench your thirst.

You give and quench the righteous their reward, and the righteous women their treasures and reward.

Like this, you tasted in this world the hardship, and you tore from creation a garment for yourself.

Here is the witness: like this, meaning O Messenger of Allah, you, for this great position, the praised position, for that you endured tasting hunger in this world. Like this, you tasted in this world the hardship, and you tore from creation a garment for yourself. May your clothes be torn. Indeed, these are very great words. Therefore, when we now recall models of the Prophet's asceticism, peace be upon him, we remember that he was ascetic in this world for my sake and for your sake, for the sake of standing in this great position on the Day of Judgment, interceding even for those who commit major sins from his ummah. Therefore, the world was not seen by him, peace be upon him, he was not attached to it at all, and he prepared himself for this great position for the great and heavy tasks in this world and then on the Day of Judgment. So, he did not see the world at all. Let us leave this, let us put this house in the background of our minds whenever we review models of the Prophet's asceticism, peace be upon him.

Well done. So far, we do not understand this speech because we have not seen the models. Models of the Prophet's asceticism, peace be upon him, may be clear to us by the end of today's episode.

Yes, the connection is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was ascetic in this world, so Allah, the Exalted, brought him the result of this asceticism in this world, honor with Him, the Exalted.

Yes, honor in this world and the hereafter.

Beautiful, honor in this world and the hereafter and nothing else.

Of course, honor and also honor for his ummah, so the Prophet's asceticism, peace be upon him, was also for the sake of his ummah.

Beautiful.

The Prophet's View of the World

The Prophet, peace be upon him, viewed the world as a temporary abode and a place of trial and testing. He said, "The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever." This statement highlights the transient nature of the worldly life and the importance of focusing on the hereafter.

He also said, "The world is sweet and green, and Allah has placed you as successors in it, so look at what He has placed for you and do not look at what He has placed for others." This encourages believers to be content with what they have and not to envy others.

Furthermore, the Prophet, peace be upon him, advised his companions to be moderate in their dealings with the world, saying, "The best of you are those who have the best manners and character, and the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah are the most pious among you." This emphasizes the importance of good character and piety over worldly gains.

In summary, the Prophet's view of the world is one of balance and moderation, with a focus on the hereafter and the cultivation of good character.

Now, let's begin with the Prophet's understanding of the world and his perception of it, his perception of it as it truly is. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was not like the Buddhist and Christian ascetics who practice austerity and view the world with a flawed perspective. No, may Allah forbid that he was. He was detached from it because he understood and saw it for what it truly was.

To understand the Prophet's view of the world, let us recall several hadiths. Once, the Prophet, peace be upon him, slept on a straw mat, and it left a mark on his side. The mat is usually made from palm leaves and has a rough and uncomfortable texture. He woke up and the narrator, Abdullah ibn Masud, said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we get you a comfortable and soft mat?" He replied, "What do I have to do with this world? What do I have to do with this world? I am in this world only like a traveler who seeks shade under a tree, then leaves and abandons it." What do I have to do with this world? I and this world, I am in this world only like a traveler who seeks shade under a tree, then leaves and abandons it. Thus, the Prophet, peace be upon him, viewed the world in this manner, and that is how it truly is.

How is this example? Let us pause for a moment. How was the Prophet, peace be upon him, like a traveler who seeks shade under a tree, then leaves and abandons it? What does this have to do with detachment?

Well, let me give you an example from our current reality. Imagine someone tells you, "Doctor Engineer, there is a happy place where there is continuous comfort and bliss without any distress or confusion. You need to pass through a station to refuel so that you can reach this place. Beautiful. You drink, eat, and refuel your vehicle with what is necessary so that you can reach that place. The place you will pass through has some pleasures, some beauty. Do you imagine that you will put down your luggage, tie your ropes, and set up camp in this place, forgetting about the great place you are heading to? No. The Prophet, peace be upon him, saw this world as merely a refueling station, only a refueling station until reaching the Hereafter.

And indeed, Al-Rafai was eloquent in describing the Prophet's, peace be upon him, view of the world in his book "Wahi Al-Qalam," saying, "And our Prophet's, peace be upon him, view of this existence is a comprehensive view that understands the reality of infinity." The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not despise the world because he knew what infinity means. We often overlook the meaning of infinity, that in the Hereafter there is a Paradise without end and a Fire without end. A profound and frightening meaning. Frightening. A meaning that if it truly grips you, you will see that this world is nothing. Because in mathematics, if the denominator is infinity, if we place in the numerator 10,000 million trillion over infinity, it equals what? Almost zero. Zero mathematically. The Prophet, peace be upon him, understood this real equation, comprehended it, and comprehended it well.

Therefore, Al-Rafai says, "And our Prophet only saw it, and our Prophet's, peace be upon him, view of this existence is a comprehensive view that understands the reality of infinity, seeing the beginning of every material thing as its end in the same moment, so it has no existence except as a temporary passing phenomenon. It is in his consideration both existent and non-existent, beginning and ending together. Thus, material things and their effects are nullified for him. Nothing connects to his noble self except the weakest of their aspects. And people find in their lives the tree, the branch, and the fruit, but for him, peace be upon him, it is only the root and no branch. Thus, nothing tempted him nor did anything attach to him, peace be upon him."

Therefore, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us about the world, he taught us self-sufficiency from the world, saying, "Wealth is not having a lot of possessions, but rather wealth is the wealth of the soul." Wealth is not having a lot of possessions, but rather wealth is the wealth of the soul. The hadith is agreed upon. Indeed, I return to remind my brothers of the "Durus Sunni" website, for it has explanations, may Allah reward its author well, even if it is not written by the commentator but it is clear that it is criticized, easy to understand, and simple. I liked their interpretation or explanation of this hadith: "Wealth is not having a lot of possessions," not wealth from a lot of money and lands, "but rather wealth is the wealth of the soul," that you are self-sufficient, that you have self-sufficiency from the world. They said on the website, "The true, praiseworthy, and commendable wealth is the wealth of the soul with what it is given and its contentment and satisfaction with it." I am content with the little that I have, "and its lack of desire for increase and insistence in seeking more." Do not seek what you do not have. "Because if it is self-sufficient, it will refrain from desires." If it is self-sufficient, it will refrain from desires, "and it will be honored, great, and attain more of fortune, honor, and praise from people than the wealth that a person with a poor soul attains through his greed." Whoever is poor in soul through his greed.

Now, you have kings with billions and tens of billions, and owners of global fortunes. We hear that their wealth has exceeded 200 billion and 150 billion. Are these people truly wealthy? No, by Allah, no, by Allah, there are Muslims who are poorer than them who are wealthier than them. Because one of them is greedy and demanding of the world, envious, nothing pleases him. As the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "If a son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would wish for another valley." We wish that he had another valley. These people are very poor in soul. Thus, the Prophet, peace be upon him, defines wealth for us as being self-sufficient with oneself.

Even if a person reaches a certain amount of money, after that, it is just numbers, meaning his lifestyle does not change at all. Food is food, drink is drink, sleep is sleep. There is nothing more that will be added, no matter how much his money increases. And yet, he does not feel this reality; he only wants to increase these numbers, these zeros. Glory be to Allah, it is a strange thing.

Yes, yes. The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not only adopt this approach for himself and say that this is his personal choice. No, no, he raised his nation and his companions on this concept. Therefore, Abdullah ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, passed by a dead sheep, and in some versions of the hadith, a sheep with its leg sticking out. How can a sheep be dead and start to decompose and swell with the leg sticking out, an ugly sight. Its owners had thrown it away. He said, "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, this world is lighter in the sight of Allah than this sheep is to its owners who threw it away." By Allah. "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, this world is lighter in the sight of Allah than this sheep," meaning the dead sheep that its owners threw away, which has no value, no weight.

No value.

Also, Abdullah ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, took me by the shoulders, we mentioned this when he took me by the shoulders, took my hand and said, "Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a passerby." Meaning, do not make it your home and residence where you sit, graze, roam, and enjoy as if it is the end. This suits the followers of atheistic sects who believe that the story ends with your death and therefore enjoy as much as possible. No, no, "be in this world as if you are a stranger," a stranger to this world, "or a passerby." Abdullah ibn Umar added after mentioning to us the hadith phrases also like pearls said, "When evening comes, do not expect the morning, and when morning comes, do not expect the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and from your life for your death." Meaning, consider yourself every night as you put your head on the pillow, finished, this is your last night. Every day when you wake up, I will not sleep tonight. And work with all you have because you feel like a stranger or a passerby.

Always, Doctor, give an example of this, if a person is going to travel a short trip for three or four days, what will he put in his travel bag? Some clothes, what he needs. He will not, for example, open the closet and put it in the bag, he will not take the chair. Because you are a passerby, you will return to your original home, to your country, to your house. So why take all this stuff? And this is the state of the world, glory be to Allah.

Yes, yes. Also, Abdullah ibn Umar, look how the Prophet, peace be upon him, used the opportunities to raise them on this concept, making the world small in their eyes to give it its true size with Allah, and it should be so with the believers. Abdullah ibn Amr said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, passed by us while we were repairing a small room for ourselves. He and his mother were repairing a small room for themselves, it seems that they did not have a house but an additional room. He said, peace be upon him, "What is this?" We said, "A small room for us, and here we are repairing it." Meaning, it has become weak and started to collapse, so we are repairing it. He said, peace be upon him, "Verily, the matter is more urgent than that." Verily, the matter is more urgent than that. You are repairing the room, O Abdullah ibn Amr, the world has gone, it is not permissible for you to even repair this room. Of course, we will speak shortly about balance so that we do not lean towards the innovated monasticism that Allah, the Exalted, has condemned. But the Prophet, peace be upon him, with this sets the compass and gives the world its true size in the eyes of his companions and after them his nation, peace be upon him.

Beautiful, beautiful. The Prophet, peace be upon him, in all of this does not innovate anything from himself, but rather he responds to the command of his Lord, the Exalted, who commanded him to give the world its true size, saying: {And do not extend your eyes toward what We have given for enjoyment to some of the polytheists, the splendor of worldly life, that We may test them through it. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.} [Ta-Ha: 131]. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. And thus, Allah forbade His Prophet from contemplating, desiring, and looking at what Allah has given to the Caesars and the Pharaohs.

Balance in Asceticism

Glory be to Allah, Doctor, you always talk about asceticism, and we need to address the issue of balance. Perhaps you can talk about balance in the context of asceticism, as I think it is the most important topic in asceticism. Because asceticism is sometimes portrayed to people as abandoning everything, and on the other hand, if someone hears this, they may be deterred from asceticism and even from the hadiths of the Prophet peace be upon him and the verses that encourage asceticism, deterred from them because religion does not cater to his desires. So how do we achieve this balance?

Yes, a very important point indeed. Therefore, we will now discuss asceticism not as detachment from the world, nor as an excuse for laziness and idleness, nor as an excuse for neglecting the development of the earth. Rather, its meaning is that the world should be in your hand, not in your heart. We often hear this phrase.

This is a second riddle.

Yes, this is a second riddle. Insha'Allah, we will explain it. That the world should be in your hand, not in your heart. And there is a hadith that points to this meaning, that the world should be in your hand. A hadith authenticated by Al-Albani, Al-Wadi'i, and others, he peace be upon him said: "Whoever's concern is the world," meaning he wakes up and sleeps, and what? It dominates his mind, the world. And one of the beautiful explanations is how does one know if the world is his concern or the Hereafter is his concern? Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, said to you, choose two times from which you can know what is controlling you. When you put your head down to sleep and when you wake up. The first thing that comes to your mind in the morning, what jumps into your mind? The last thing before you sleep, what is in your mind? He peace be upon him said: "Whoever's concern is the world, Allah will scatter his affairs." He will be distracted, his affairs will be lost, and his affairs will slip away, as Allah the Almighty described: {And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] extremism} [Al-Kahf: 28]. A miserable, extravagant person. "Whoever's concern is the world, Allah will scatter his affairs and make his poverty apparent to him, and he will not receive from the world except what is written for him." He will be, as we mentioned a little earlier, have billions, rulers, and wealthy people and capitalists, but despite that, they are poor. And in the end, nothing will come to him except what is written.

And he will not be at peace.

And he will not be at peace. He said: "And whoever's intention is the Hereafter, Allah will gather his affairs for him." Allah will gather his affairs for him. "And He will make his richness in his heart, and the world will come to him while it is reluctant." He will make his richness in his heart, and he will be self-sufficient. We defined it before a little while, the definition of the Prophet peace be upon him.

Ah. "And indeed, richness is the richness of the soul."

"And the world will come to him while it is reluctant." The world will come to him at his feet, and despite that, he does not see it nor pay attention to it. Meaning, Allah gives him the world on the day he leaves it.

Yes. If the servant leaves it, the world will come to him, and if he approaches it, meaning he runs after it and does not attain it.

Yes. And in that, he will be distracted. Now, what is the meaning of this phrase that we hear, that the world should be in your hand, not in your heart? When the world is in your hand, it is impossible for you to abandon the principles that your religion has taught you about the world. It is impossible for you to go and help the criminals and oppressors in this time and support against the oppressed and say, "I am forced, I need a salary, I need to live and support my children." No, this is the meaning of the world being in your heart. You are panting after it. When the world is in your hand, it is impossible for you to betray trust in knowledge, in education, in learning, in selling, in buying, in dividing inheritance. By Allah, people sometimes look at some practices among people, and the first thing that comes to their mind is the saying of Allah the Almighty: {Do they not consider that they will be resurrected for a tremendous Day} [Al-Mutaffifin: 4-5]. Eager for the world, competing like a lion, trying to take money unlawfully. All of this indicates that the world is where? Nestled in the heart, dominating the heart with complete control. While the human being, the human being can be successful in his life, planned, learns and teaches and develops the earth. But with that, he is never ready to abandon his principles for the sake of this world. This is the meaning that the human being has the world in his hand, not in his heart.

Now, this asceticism, if the human being has the world in his hand, not in his heart, this will make you strive for the development of the earth, for learning, for planning, for success, for enriching your community, and for combating the systematic poverty that the nation is exposed to. Why? Because you do not want for yourself, for those around you, for your family, or for your nation to be exploited and humiliated by the need for money. No, no, no, no. You strive so that you become self-sufficient and enrich those around you in the necessary needs so that the nation is not led from its wisdom to concessions and to desires out of need or out of greed for the world. And consequently, the human being, when the world is in his hand, this truly helps him in the development of the earth so that he becomes self-sufficient from the creation of Allah.

Doctor, let me give some examples that may be more from the reality of people. If a person has, for example, a house and a car but needs some additional luxuries, another car, for example. He goes to the riba bank to take a riba loan. Is this the world in his hand and not in his heart?

Absolutely in his heart.

Why? Why do we describe this as the world in his heart?

Because he is willing to disobey Allah the Almighty and expose himself to the wrath of Allah for the sake of this world.

Beautiful. If every effort for the world and the commission of haram for the sake of acquiring the world is from those people who Allah the Almighty has made the world in their hearts, not in their hands.

No doubt.

Beautiful. Yes, yes.

Asceticism and Its Impact on the Nation

Now, I claim that asceticism in the world is the root of all good. Now, if you mention to me any praiseworthy trait in a person, you will find that its origin is in asceticism from the world. The stronger one's asceticism from the world, the stronger this trait will be. Therefore, the examples of the Prophet's peace be upon him asceticism are many indeed, and I have prepared for this episode, I have struggled, and I have exhausted myself in researching, and in the end, I had to include several hadiths why? The material is very large regarding the asceticism of the Prophet peace be upon him. Therefore, all the praiseworthy traits in the Prophet are due to his asceticism. And every person who wants to embody good morals must be ascetic from the world.

Asceticism is the Root of All Good

Let's go through some examples, brothers. Now, asceticism makes you generous. Why? Because you are not greedy for this world. It makes you courageous. Because you are not afraid, even if something happens to you, you are not asking for this world, you are asking for the Hereafter. It makes you truthful. You will not lie for the sake of the world. It makes you noble. It makes you content with the decree of Allah the Almighty. Forget the world, even if we suffer and struggle in it, in the end, with Allah, there is the reward and compensation. It makes you patient. It makes you influential over others for yourself. Now, any trait, if you come to me with any trait, it will have a close connection with asceticism from the world. While on the other hand, greed for the world gives the opposite of this trait completely. Greed for the world makes a person stingy and miserly. Greed for the world makes a person cowardly and not ready to sacrifice. It makes him discontented. Because this world that he is greedy for has corrupted him with trials. It makes him selfish. All the blameworthy traits, you will find that their origin is from attachment to the world. Therefore, we say that asceticism from the world is the root of all good, all good.

Asceticism and the Credibility of the Preacher

Asceticism from the world, brothers, earned the Prophet, peace be upon him, great credibility. Similarly, any person who wants to follow the path of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and be honored to be among his nation must also acquire this characteristic to gain the same credibility or, rather, credibility of the same kind as the Prophet's, peace be upon him. Why? Because when a person is ascetic, this prevents his intention from mingling. That is, when he calls to Allah the Almighty, he does not look at what people have through his call. This is very dangerous. It also honors himself; it honors this person in the eyes of people. Sometimes you see some scholars who had great, great slips. So, I remember one of our scholars whom we took from, meaning, a question was once asked of him, they said to him, O Sheikh So-and-so, you gave a fatwa on such and such, and it had destructive effects on the country he was in. So, why do you love him, meaning? He said: I love him because I saw him once, I almost swear that all the clothes he was wearing were not worth ten riyals. Regardless of the validity of this reasoning. However, the point is that asceticism from the world gives you credibility. People say: No, it is impossible that the world affects the hereafter and for this reason he takes these positions. Maybe he understands the matter in this way. So, the point is that if a person is ascetic from the world, he is honored in the eyes of people because they feel that he does not covet what they have. And for this, glory be to Allah, in Surah Ash-Shu'ara, Allah the Almighty narrated about many of the prophets that they said: {And I ask not of you for it any reward. My reward is only with the Lord of the Worlds} [Ash-Shu'ara: 109]. For example, Nuh, peace be upon him: {The people of Nuh denied the messengers * When Nuh said to them, "Do you not fear Allah? * I am to you a trustworthy messenger, * So fear Allah and obey me. * And I ask not of you for it any reward. My reward is only with the Lord of the Worlds} [Ash-Shu'ara: 105-109]. Because you think that I work for you so that I can distinguish myself from you, so that I can be a leader among you, so that I can ask you for something. I do not ask you for anything at all. {And I ask not of you for it any reward. My reward is only with the Lord of the Worlds}. It gives you a very strong self-esteem.

Also: {And O my people, I ask not of you for it any payment. My reward is only with Allah} [Hud: 29]. Our master Nuh, our master Hud, peace be upon him: {My reward is only with Allah}. Saleh commanded his prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to say: {Say, "I do not ask of you for it any reward except affection among relatives"} [Ash-Shura: 23]. And this is only an exceptional exception. I do not ask you for any reward, but at least in kinship between me and you in mercy. Why this corruption in enmity? {Say, "I do not ask of you for it any reward except affection among relatives"}.

In the hadith that An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, and Al-Albani and others graded as good, Ibn Hajar said: A man came and said: O Messenger of Allah, guide me to an action if I do it, Allah will love me and the people will love me. He, peace be upon him, said: "Be ascetic from the world, Allah will love you, and be ascetic from what people have, the people will love you." This hadith is truly great. Be ascetic from the world, you want Allah to love you and the people to love you at the same time. Simple. Be ascetic from the world, Allah will love you because, as we have seen, asceticism is the root of all good. "And be ascetic from what people have, the people will love you." Do not ever look to what is in the hands of people.

Glory be to Allah, I remember a period of time when I prayed behind an imam whose voice was very beautiful. I mentioned that to one of the brothers, I said to him, I prayed in such and such mosque and the imam, praise be to Allah, his voice is beautiful and a gentle man. He said to me, he is my neighbor and I do not like anything about him. The speaker is a trustworthy man, God willing. I said to him, what is the matter, O So-and-so? He said, this imam, unfortunately, since the day he came to the mosque, he asks people about the nature of their work and tries to gain something from it. For example, what do you do, sir? A car mechanic. He will bring him a car. What do you do, sir? A real estate trader. By Allah, his intentions are certainly full. Asking in this way, he dropped him from my trust. Regardless, we do not take from a person based on the report of one individual. However, the point is the idea that it is true that when your work looks at people as ATM machines or as cash machines, this drops your credibility in their eyes. Therefore, I always advise my brothers, the preachers, to have a source of income. Beautiful. Have a profession. Therefore, I always say, try to have an educational center, a missionary center, a religious center, have your profession in the field of medicine, in the field of engineering, in any field, any field, so that you do not have to earn from your preaching.

Now, in this time, we can understand that there is an attack on Islam that requires people to expend their energy, their strength, their efforts, and their money to defend our children. The one who does this, may Allah reward him well. If someone takes care of something good, that is fine. But we should not have a kind of demand, an attempt to increase, and an attempt to indulge. Because what often happens is that the preacher becomes like those around him, especially if the family does not support him in this matter. The woman compares herself to the women of the neighborhood, the children compare themselves to the children of the neighborhood. The first thing we should try to acquire for ourselves and our women and children is that it is very normal to be different. Do not compare yourselves to others. We aspire to what Allah the Almighty has. This earns you high credibility with people.

Well done. Glory be to Allah, Doctor, sometimes in a common and widespread term and there is a problem. Some say I want sufficiency. But what is sufficiency? How much is it? To what degree do you consider yourself sufficient? A house, a car, a salary of so and so. Is this sufficiency or not? Sufficiency is to be hidden and have only your strength and food. "Whoever wakes up safe in his dwelling, healthy in his body, and has his sustenance for the day, it is as if the world has been gathered for him in its entirety." This is what many Muslims are not satisfied with. Some even consider themselves poor despite having these items. Glory be to Allah, he is like the one who possesses the world in its entirety.

Asceticism and the Honor of the Ummah

I want to highlight a point: what is the connection now? We are talking about asceticism and such. What is the connection between asceticism and the honor of the ummah, and the ummah achieving honor, elevation, and status? Is there a connection between them?

Of course. But let me go back to one last point regarding the issue of "be ascetic in this world and Allah will love you." Look, glorified be Allah, asceticism is a cause for the love of the Lord, may He be exalted. On the other hand: "And eat and drink but be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like the excessive." [Al-A'raf: 31]. The characteristic that results from being eager for this world and greedy for it makes you lose the love of Allah, may He be exalted. "Indeed, He does not like the excessive."

Now, a very important question: what is the relationship between asceticism in this world and the honor of the ummah? The honor of the ummah. Ah, this is a topic that we also need to elaborate on a bit. What is the relationship between the asceticism of the Prophet, peace be upon him, which he taught us, and the honor of the Islamic ummah? When we talk today about the honor of the Prophet's asceticism, this is not detached from reality. This is very closely related to the events of Gaza, the events of Sudan, the general events of Palestine. Very closely related. Because how can you expect Muslims to take noble and great positions, speak the truth, enjoin good, and forbid evil as Allah, may He be exalted, commanded, and not fear the blame of blamers if they are eager for this world? And one of them says, "If I say a word of truth at this moment or take a position that pleases Allah, may He be exalted, this may threaten the house that I have not yet finished paying the installments for the bank, the car that I bought a few months ago and have not yet finished paying the installments for, and the high standard of living that my wife and children have become accustomed to. I may be deprived of my job, I may be deprived." Of course, there is coercion, we understand. But sometimes a person has a reserve of cowardice. Reserve cowardice. You are available to work in this circle, you can enjoin good and forbid evil in a circle. You go and confine yourself to the center of the circle and do not move at all. Why? Reserve cowardice. If a person is eager for this world and has no asceticism in this world, he will be cowardly in taking positions that please Allah, may He be exalted.

They say: "We fear that a circle may befall us." [Al-Ma'idah: 52].

Yes. "Perhaps Allah will bring victory or a command from Him." [Al-Ma'idah: 52]. The world and eagerness for it can be like a bridle that restrains the mouth and drives the disbelievers and the nullifiers among the Muslims through it because they are eager for this world. There is a reality in our days today, encouragement for a consumerist lifestyle, competition for consumer goods. And at the same time, systematic impoverishment and theft of wealth and the creation of spiritual emptiness that we see very, very clearly among our sons, daughters, women. Of course, I mean in general, not talking about myself. But many of our sons, daughters, women, and men have this spiritual emptiness and following triviality and trivial YouTubers. Therefore, what happens in this case? It becomes very difficult for a person to take the appropriate positions.

By the way, during this period, glorified be Allah, I am participating in a group of researches, some of which are related to obesity. I was surprised when we were preparing for these researches, we came across some local and global statistics. In the Arab Muslim countries, there are some of the highest global rates of obesity, especially in children.

Amazing.

Yes. The rate in some Arab countries reaches 49%, meaning obese and overweight, which is obesity or excess weight in children and adolescents. 49% of children in a certain country.

In a certain country, 49%.

49% obesity, obesity, obesity, and excess weight. What you know is less than ours, I mean the body mass index, if it exceeds the normal position, we enter into excess weight, we increase, we enter into clinical obesity. So, 49% and this is a fact that is not surprising, but many poor countries, poor countries have rates of obesity, unfortunately. There are people who take food from the garbage and there are people who have excessive obesity. What does this lead to? They go and buy expensive injections, medicines, and treatments. We are talking about boycotting a can of Pepsi or a burger meal, yes, this is good. But unfortunately, there are those who insist on this boycott and pay multiples, multiples, multiples of it in medicines to treat obesity and in surgeries to treat obesity. Some of them are also brought from America, Germany, and others. Therefore, this lifestyle and the term that we hear a lot these days, you may find a woman, for example, insisting that she feeds her children first as soon as they get hungry. It is forbidden for them to be hungry. Who said it is forbidden for them to be hungry? Why do we say it is forbidden for them to be hungry? The Prophet, peace be upon him, was hungry and his family was hungry. The idea that there must always be satisfaction, satisfaction, and it is forbidden to feel deprivation or hunger for hours or days. This is a false idea that consolidates slavery in the Islamic ummah. When there is a spiritual gap, spiritual emptiness, psychological emptiness, attachment to material things, turning luxuries into necessities. And at the same time, fear of not taking manly positions. This consolidates slavery in the Islamic ummah. Therefore, the Prophet's, peace be upon him, upbringing of his ummah to lighten the burden of this world is liberation for them and upbringing for them for honor, for dignity, and liberation from nations.

Also, among the evidence on the miserliness being one of the roots of the destruction and suffering of the ummah is the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "Beware of miserliness, for those who were before you were destroyed by miserliness. They were commanded to be stingy, so they were stingy. They were commanded to cut off relations, so they cut them off." So, one even cuts off his relatives because he has to give them what he does not want to give them in money. "They were commanded to commit lewdness, so they committed lewdness." So, it is the root of every failure in this ummah.

Also, among the evidence on this matter regarding the connection between the honor of the ummah and asceticism.

Yes. Perhaps we know the story of Al-Az bin Abdul Salam, may Allah have mercy on him. A well-known long story in which he was a seller of kings, a sultan of kings, and sold the sultans or a sultan of scholars and sold the sultans. When Al-Az bin Abdul Salam issued his fatwa that angered the rulers at that time, the Mamluks, and they said to him a word he hated. What did he do? He carried his worldly possessions on two donkeys. He put his wife on a donkey and his furniture on a donkey and set off outside. People chased him until they brought him back and the Mamluks descended on his ruling as history tells us. So, again, dear ones, upbringing on lessening, on frugality, on not being eager, on sometimes starving, is upbringing on dignity and liberation from the enemies of the ummah.

We, Doctor, are entering a circle and a maze, honestly, of great size. As soon as a person gets married and is blessed with children, the material life begins to control him. World, world, world, world. Until perhaps the gatherings of people are only talk about the world. Sometimes, the gatherings of some of the committed are only talk about jobs, work, and the economy. These topics, in fact, control people. Therefore, I think that today's episode will be shocking to some or perhaps a wake-up call to some of them. Is it reasonable that we must think about the Hereafter and most of our talk is either all or most of our talk is about the world and the pleasures of the world? And sometimes, a matter is dressed in a religious cloak. Even when we talk about wars, we talk about wars and the killing of Muslims from a worldly perspective.

Yes. How is Gaza after the withdrawal of the occupation? How is this purely worldly talk. Glorified be Allah.

Yes. This is a calamity, by Allah.

Yes. This is a calamity.

Evidence of the Prophet's Asceticism (peace be upon him)

Let's go back, Doctor, to the asceticism of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and continue with the evidence of the Prophet's asceticism (peace be upon him).

Okay, so after this introduction, perhaps the hadiths that we will recite will have a special and different impact. We remember that the Prophet (peace be upon him) defined wealth as what? And what was he aspiring towards? Towards the honor of this world and the hereafter. And that he taught his nation this. And that this detachment from the world is the cause of honor, elevation, and liberation. In light of these facts, we now come to the evidence.

Asceticism in Food and Drink

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Dear brothers and sisters, today we will discuss the topic of asceticism in food and drink, which is one of the important aspects of Islamic teachings.

Asceticism in food and drink means moderation and avoiding excess. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "The son of Adam does not fill a vessel worse than his stomach. The son of Adam only needs a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath."

This hadith emphasizes the importance of moderation in eating and drinking. It teaches us that we should not overindulge in food and drink, but rather, we should eat and drink in moderation to maintain our health and well-being.

In addition to moderation, asceticism in food and drink also involves being grateful for what we have and not being wasteful. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Waste not, for he who wastes is like one who does not believe in Allah and the Last Day."

Therefore, we should be thankful for the food and drink that we have and avoid wasting them. We should also remember that food and drink are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. They are a means to maintain our health and well-being so that we can worship Allah and fulfill our duties towards Him and towards others.

In conclusion, asceticism in food and drink is an important aspect of Islamic teachings. It teaches us to be moderate, grateful, and not wasteful in our consumption of food and drink. By following these teachings, we can maintain our health and well-being and fulfill our duties towards Allah and towards others.

May Allah bless you and guide you on the straight path. Amen.

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Translation

Muslim narrated from An-Nu'man bin Bashir that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Are you not in a state of forgiveness that An-Nu'man himself said, Muslim narrated from An-Nu'man that he said: 'Are you not in food and drink as you wish?' Who is he speaking to? To the Companions and their followers. 'I have seen your Prophet, peace be upon him, and he does not find enough to fill his stomach with the lowest quality dates.' What are the lowest quality dates? The bad dates. The worst kind of dates. 'I have seen your Prophet, peace be upon him,' of course, during a period of difficulty for all the Companions, as in the time of the Banu Hashim and the Makkan period, and even after he migrated to Medina, there was poverty and a need for Allah to open up the world for him and his Companions, peace be upon him. The Prophet went through very difficult times. This is what An-Nu'man saw. But we will see shortly some things narrated from inside the Prophet's house, peace be upon him, secrets that were not revealed until after his death, evidence of his asceticism, peace be upon him. An-Nu'man added, 'And you are not satisfied with the bad dates, dates, and butter.' Meaning, now you are not satisfied with the bad dates, dates, and butter. Oh An-Nu'man, may Allah be pleased with you, if you had seen the days of mansaf, kabsa, biryani, and everything.

And yet, there are those who are not satisfied even after all this. My late father, may Allah have mercy on him, used to have a merchant who would always come to him complaining. Once, he said to my father, 'Praise be to Allah.' What did he reply? He said, 'Praise be to Allah for what?' Oh my God. Of course, my father was right. Meaning, 'Praise be to Allah for what?' There are people who do not see Allah's right upon them. They see that they have rights upon Allah. Glory be to Allah the Great.

From Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "O Allah, make the sustenance of the family of Muhammad sufficient." What does 'sufficient' mean? Enough. The sustenance that is enough for a person. Meaning, he focuses on his supplication and worship. It does not exceed that so that he does not become attached to this world and does not become preoccupied with it. We do not need people, but at the same time, we should not be preoccupied with this world.

Also, from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: "We, the family of Muhammad, would not light a fire for a month." It was only dates and water. The hadith was narrated by Muslim. "We, the family of Muhammad, would not light a fire for a month." There was no cooked food. "It was only dates and water." Just dates and water. Just dates and water. Imagine if we lived our children with dates and water for a month, what would happen to them? There is no month, it is a week or less.

Also, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, died without being full of bread and oil twice in one day." Bread and oil soaked. Bread and oil. He was not full of it twice in a day, peace be upon him.

From Abdullah bin Abbas, he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would spend consecutive nights hungry and thirsty." Consecutive nights, hungry and thirsty. "And his family would not find an evening meal." And most of their bread was barley bread. Simple bread, not like the fancy bread of our days.

Notice now, brothers, how the Prophet, peace be upon him, would eat little and thank a lot. Imagine this little food that the Prophet, peace be upon him, would eat. Now, let us see the praises and supplications with which our Prophet, peace be upon him, would praise his Lord and thank Him for this little food. We, on the other hand, eat a lot and sometimes forget to thank Allah at the beginning of the meal or to mention Him at the beginning or thank Him at the end.

In the authentic hadith, in the authentic hadith from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: A man from the Ansar from the people of Quba called the Prophet, peace be upon him. He said: So we went with him. The Prophet and his Companions went out. When the Prophet tasted the food and washed his hands, he said: Now see the most beautiful supplication. "Praise be to Allah who feeds and is not fed, who is upon us and has guided us and fed us and given us to drink and has made every good trial a blessing for us. Praise be to Allah who is not thanked, not rewarded, not forgotten, and not in need of anyone. Praise be to Allah who has fed us with food and given us drink and clothed us and guided us from error and given us sight from blindness and favored us over many whom He has created with favor. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds." See how beautiful these supplications are with which our Prophet, peace be upon him, would praise his Lord after a little food. A hadith that we should mention, even if once, or remember it periodically so that we may follow him, peace be upon him.

In reality, all these hadiths are beautiful and great, but there is a hadith that, by Allah, scares me, Dr. Muhammad, every time I remember it, I get scared.

What is it, I wonder?

In the name of Allah. The hadith was narrated by Muslim. Meaning, an authentic hadith, no escape. Sometimes one says it is weak and therefore we do not fear. No, it is an authentic hadith, authentic. The Messenger of Allah narrated by Muslim: "One day or night, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, went out and found Abu Bakr and Umar. He said: 'What brought you out of your houses at this hour?' In one of the narrations of the hadith, it was at noon and intense heat. The Companions usually did not go out at this time. 'What brought you out of your houses at this hour?' They said: 'Hunger, O Messenger of Allah.' They were hungry. They could not sleep because of hunger. They went out to find something to satisfy their hunger. He said: 'And I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul, I was brought out by the same thing that brought you out.' Meaning, I was brought out by hunger like you. 'Stand up, come with me.' So they stood up or stood up with him. Thus, the wording of the hadith. 'He came to a man from the Ansar.' In one of the authentic narrations, he was Ibn Al-Hithm, Abu Al-Hithm Ibn Tihyan. Do you remember, perhaps, O Messenger of Allah, that Allah has shown you to your people that you should invite us.' He said: 'No, no, no, no.' He said: 'So he came to a man from the Ansar and found him not in his house.' He went out. 'When the woman saw him, she saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: 'Welcome and welcome.' The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to her: 'Where is so-and-so?' She said: 'He has gone to get us some sweet water.' He has gone to get us some sweet water, meaning he brings some sweet water. 'When the Ansari came, he looked at the Messenger of Allah and his two companions. Who are these guests? Who is coming to him? Meaning, who is coming to him? 'Then he said: 'Praise be to Allah, no one today is more generous in entertaining guests than me.' He said: 'So he went and brought them a branch with dates and fresh dates.' Meaning, this is a branch from the palm tree with dates in different stages of ripeness. 'He said: 'Eat from this and enjoy what we are preparing for you for lunch, O Messenger of Allah, and O Abu Bakr and Umar.' 'And he took the knife,' which is the knife. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to him: 'Do not go to the milk.' Do not go to slaughter one to bring milk. Leave it to be useful to you. 'So he slaughtered for them, and they ate from the sheep and from that branch and drank.' Allah is sufficient. 'When they were full and had drunk, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to Abu Bakr and Umar: 'By Him in whose hand is my soul, you will be asked about this comfort on the Day of Judgment.' Allah is sufficient. Allah is sufficient. But. 'By Him in whose hand is my soul, you will be asked about this comfort on the Day of Judgment. Hunger brought you out of your houses, and you did not return until this comfort befell you.' Now, this is justice from Allah that He will hold us accountable for every blessing He has given us. But who is the witness speaking about? The Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, and Umar. Great men of the nation. Great men of history. Every morsel they ate certainly did not eat the food we eat in excess and extravagance. Every morsel they ate would turn into knowledge, teaching, jihad, and all kinds of benefits in their bodies. And yet, they will be asked about this comfort on the Day of Judgment. So we ask Allah to forgive and protect us. O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, from a soul that is not satisfied, from a heart that does not humble itself, and from an eye that does not weep.

This, by Allah, Dr. Muhammad, is a very great hadith.

Ah. And the three, the Prophet, peace be upon him, Abu Bakr, and Umar, meaning they go out of their houses because of hunger. To what extent did they reach hunger? How many days did they go without eating? May Allah bless our Master Muhammad and be pleased with his two companions. They go out of their houses because of hunger looking for food. Then this is the comfort that they will be asked about. By Allah, this is a very strange thing. A very strange thing.

Yes, yes. And you must keep this in mind when we eat anything. Now, some people may wonder why this asceticism? Why to this extent? We, brothers, the mistake is not with the Prophet and his Companions going against the original. The original in this world is: {And I have not created the jinn and mankind except to worship Me} [Al-Dhariyat: 56]. The luxury we live in is the mistake. Going against the original. If a person looks to the high ideals, he automatically and naturally does not become attached to this world and lightens his burden. He does not become one who eats and then eats again and becomes what? Tired and sleepy and wants to sleep. Then when he wakes up, he looks for ways to dispose of the food he ate. He drinks carbonated drinks. Then he goes to take medicines and goes to dietitians and obesity specialists and so on to get rid of this excess weight. This is a mistake. This is what we live is the mistake. Not the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Companions went against the original.

Also, some people find themselves during a meal discussing what we will eat tomorrow? What will we cook tomorrow? Okay, my brother, one thing at a time for tomorrow, God willing. But think about this food you ate, what will you do with it so that Allah may relieve you of its consequences on the Day of Judgment? Because you will be asked about this comfort before you think about what you will eat tomorrow. The time spent in the kitchen is known even in Ramadan. Time is spent for hours by the lady of the house and sometimes her daughters with her and maybe even working for hours. Therefore, husbands and brothers, because we have times when the youth, if the father, for example, is content with the children, they ask the father and the children must not ask the mother. They are satisfied with little, satisfied with what is available, so that long times are not spent on this food in the kitchen. It is not appropriate for a person to think much about his existing food. Everyone eats what is available and that's it.

Glory be to Allah. Some people prepare food today and do not eat it tomorrow. No. The excess food remains perhaps in the refrigerator or something or perhaps they give it in charity. Okay, why not eat it the second day and the third day? What is the problem with this? He does not need daily food. And some need variety in every meal. You mentioned the oil and bread from the Prophet's food, peace be upon him. Some do not have oil and bread? We need a long table and varieties of food. And some must have in one meal, for example, meat, fish, and chicken or meat and chicken or chicken and fish. Meaning, multiple varieties of food. And this is a very strange thing. Enough for you is one food that satisfies you, that's it. And some children look at breakfast and it is, for example, oil and za'atar, cheese, milk, labneh, and perhaps siniya and with it a cup of tea. This is breakfast. I do not want to break my fast with you. I will go to buy from the store. I will go to buy from the restaurant. I will go to buy pastries. Strange. This is corruption and this is enslavement. This leads to their enslavement because they are attached to this world and therefore we are drawn to it.

Glory be to Allah, Dr. I see this matter sometimes with students when we take them, for example, on an activity or a pilgrimage trip. At the time of breaking the fast, I tell him, prepare your breakfast, it is a box of hummus and some pieces of cheese and prepare what you want. Most of them do not break their fast. Because he is overwhelmed in opening the box of hummus and putting it and so on. After two or three days, he is done. He is forced to eat reluctantly.

What is his opinion about himself and what he is used to?

Also, here we return and I emphasize what I mentioned about food in particular, we need like what Dr. Muhammad mentioned earlier, the topic of balance. The most important thing is balance. Even though the Prophet, peace be upon him, was in this state, but when good food was present, he ate it. And there is a beautiful rule of four or five words, but we memorize it. As described by Ibn Al-Qayyim in Zad Al-Ma'ad: "Our Prophet, peace be upon him, did not reject what was present nor seek what was missing." He did not strive for what was missing. Meaning, if good food came, he did not say no, no, no, I do not want this food as asceticism from the world. No, no, no. He ate this food. But he, peace be upon him, would sometimes seek certain types of mixed meat under this title, Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned perhaps 20 types of food that are fixed that the Prophet ate. I do not remember the number but many kinds. If good food was present, he ate it, peace be upon him, without extravagance or gluttony or laziness. He ate an appropriate amount. But if there was no food, people? No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, there is no food. That's it, I am fasting. Simply. If there is food, he eats. This matter, glory be to Allah, you read the saying of Allah the Exalted: {And We will facilitate for you the path of ease} [Al-A'la: 8]. This is from the ease that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was facilitated for him that he does not reject what is present from food nor does he dislike anything present nor does he seek what is missing.

If, Dr. Muhammad, the human deals with food, drink, clothing, or anything with this rule.

Yes. The present is used and the missing is not sought. And that's it, simply and easily. And from the etiquette that he taught us, peace be upon him, is that he never criticized any food that was brought to him. "The Messenger of Allah never criticized any food that was brought to him. If he desired it, he ate it, and if he did not desire it, he left it." But he did not say, is there anything other than food? I seek refuge in Allah. Therefore, we restrain the tongues of our children these days. We say to them, do not say the food is not good, the lunch is not good. Meaning, you will not be higher in soul than the Prophet, peace be upon him, who accepted any good food presented to him. Any food, of course, lawful, meaning it will not be rotten food presented to him, peace be upon him.

Also, from the balance that the Prophet, peace be upon him, told us: "Eat and drink and give charity and clothe yourselves without extravagance or waste. Verily, Allah loves to see His favor upon His servant." "Eat and drink and give charity and clothe yourselves without extravagance or waste. Verily, Allah loves to see His favor upon His servant." So the human eats but without extravagance or exaggeration.

Also, from the important points to be observed in his biography, peace be upon him, that the world came to him and he did not look at it. Meaning, he was ascetic out of ability. Not that he did not have the insight or the short hand as they say. No, no, no. The world came to him from all sides. But he, peace be upon him, was ascetic after having the ability. Can we describe the Prophet, peace be upon him, as rich or describe him as poor?

He was rich.

Therefore, I feel when someone says the Prophet lived in poverty. The Prophet did not live in poverty, peace be upon him. The Prophet in certain countries and places, such as the siege of the Banu Hashim, for example, did not have food. But in most of his life, money came to him and food came to him, and he was ascetic with it and preferred others over himself. And he was rich in soul, peace be upon him. Therefore, we do not describe our Prophet as poor. Rather, the Prophet, peace be upon him, is the most generous human being in history. You will not find anyone, from the first and the last and those who will come until the Day of Judgment, who was more generous and more giving than the Prophet, peace be upon him. The wealth that came to him in his time is beyond measure. And with this, he spent it generously. Giving from one who does not fear poverty. From the many evidences and numerous hadiths mentioned in Bukhari, some in Bukhari and Muslim, from Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, this hadith was narrated by Bukhari, he said: "Money came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, from Bahrain." By the way, Bahrain in the noble hadith does not only include the country of Bahrain but also parts of Saudi Arabia today from the Two Holy Mosques. He said: "Spread it in the mosque." Throw the money in the mosque. Meaning, a large amount of money, when you hear the rest of the hadith, it is as if a mountain was thrown in the mosque or a hill. "It was the most money that came to the Messenger of Allah." Then Al-Abbas came. The Prophet was sitting in the council and people began to come and take from the money. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, give me, I have ransomed myself and ransomed my brother." When Al-Abbas was a polytheist and was captured in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet, peace be upon him, treated the captives. You want to ransom yourself, you want to pay the Muslims. So he ransomed himself with money he had in Mecca and ransomed his brother. So the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Take, take as much as you want." Take the money. He said: "He gathered in his garment." He took a garment and gathered a large amount of money. "Then he went to lift it but could not." He wanted to lift the money but could not. He said: "Should I order some of them to lift it for me?" Meaning, Al-Abbas turned to the Prophet, peace be upon him, O Messenger of Allah, let one of your companions help me lift the money on my back. He said: "No." The Prophet, peace be upon him, calmly. "No." He said: "Then lift it for me." You are my brother, so have mercy. He said: "No." He said: "Then he took some of it." Meaning, Al-Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, took some of the money. "He came to lift it, then he went to gather it but could not lift it." He said: "Then he ordered some of them to lift it for him." He said, "I took some of the money." He said: "No." The Prophet, peace be upon him. "No." He said: "Then lift it for me." He said: "No." "Then he took some of it and carried it on his back and left. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, kept looking at Al-Abbas until he was hidden from us." The Prophet, peace be upon him, remained looking at Al-Abbas in amazement at his eagerness for the world.

Ah. Amazed at his eagerness for the world.

Now, of course, someone will say Al-Abbas is the Prophet's uncle, a righteous Companion, and he fought with the Prophet and stood with him at Hunayn. And you say now he is eager for the world. Yes, brothers, the Companions differed in their characteristics. Al-Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, had this characteristic. He had an eagerness for money. And the Companions, so that you may understand their personalities and positions, you must know that the Prophet raised them little by little. You meet him at the beginning of his mission something, then later in his life something different. And after the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him, it was as if he began to embody the personality of the Prophet or mean to follow his steps more. So yes, Al-Abbas was eager for money. On the other hand, he is the same Al-Abbas who made great sacrifices as he mentioned himself a little earlier in the hadith.

Of course, yes. Now, this Al-Abbas, who was eager for money, did not prevent his eagerness from making him betray the Prophet, peace be upon him, in Hunayn, for example. But he was always with the Prophet.

Now, what is the hadith that Anas narrated again, he said: "The Messenger of Allah did not stand up from it except for a dirham." So the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not stand up from this large amount of money that people were taking with shovels as they say. "Except for a dirham." He did not leave a dirham for himself, peace be upon him, from this large amount of money. The hadith was narrated by Bukhari.

Also, from Umar bin Auf Al-Muzani, a hadith in which he said: "Abu Ubaidah came with money from Bahrain." It may be the same money. It may be the same money, another narration.

No, another hadith.

Another hadith complementing the scene. He said: "The Ansar heard of his arrival." The Ansar had poor people among them. "And they met him at the dawn prayer with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him." When he finished, they presented themselves to him. Meaning, the Prophet came out of the dawn prayer and they were, as it were, presenting their condition to the Prophet, peace be upon him. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. They were polite, not saying, O Messenger of Allah, give from what has come to you. How are you, O Messenger of Allah? "So the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, smiled when he saw them and said: 'I think you have heard of the arrival of Abu Ubaidah and that he has brought something.' They said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Then rejoice and hope for what pleases you.' Do not be afraid, it will come to you. 'Then rejoice and hope for what pleases you. Verily, I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear for you that the world will be spread out for you. But I fear for you that the world will be spread out for you as it was spread out for those before you, so you will compete for it as they competed for it and it will distract you as it distracted them.' And in another narration: 'And it will destroy you as it destroyed them.' 'Verily, I do not fear poverty for you.' Are you afraid, O Messenger of Allah, that the nation of Muhammad, peace be upon him, will be opened to them, the spoils will be opened to them, the world will be opened to them. Okay, what are you afraid of, O Messenger of Allah? 'But I fear for you that the world will be spread out for you as it was spread out for those before you, so you will compete for it as they competed for it and it will distract you as it distracted them or it will destroy you as it destroyed them.' The Prophet, peace be upon him, who did not fear poverty and who gives generously from one who does not fear poverty.

Also, in a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, some of the Ansar came to him and asked him for money, so he gave them. Then they asked him, so he gave them. Then they asked him, so he gave them until he exhausted what he had, peace be upon him. Then he said: "What was with me of good, I will not withhold it from you." He feared that he would not withhold anything good for himself. "What was with me of good, I will not withhold it from you. Whoever is patient, Allah will grant him patience. Whoever is self-sufficient, Allah will grant him self-sufficiency. Whoever is patient, Allah will grant him patience. And there is no better gift than patience and no greater provision than patience." Which is once again a definition of wealth, the wealth of the soul. Patience from the world.

Of course, the Prophet's, peace be upon him, advice to the Companions who came, meaning advice in its place, that they are now about to take from this money. So the Prophet, peace be upon him, reminds them of the value of this world and reminds them that he fears for them.