06/05/2023
Murrah narrated from Abdullāh Ibn Mas’ūd (radiyallāhu ’anhu) that he said: ” Allah has divided manners between you just as he divided your provision. Verily, Allah gives wealth to whom He loves and whom He does not loves—but He does not bestow Īmān except upon whom He loves.
So whoever feels miserly about giving his wealth in charity, and he fears fighting the enemy in battle and he is reluctant to wake up and pray the night prayer, then he should [at least] plentifully say:
Lā ilāha illallāh, Wa Subhānallāh, wal-hamdulillāh, wallāhu akbar.”
Reported by Al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, no. 275, graded saheeh by Al-Albāni in As-Saheehah, no. 2714. This narration is marfoo’, i.e., ascribed as the saying of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ’alaihi wasallam).
Benefits:
A person should take the means to perfect his character and manners just as he takes the means to earn his provision. Rather, he should strive even harder to perfect his character than striving to earn wealth because Allah gives wealth to the righteous and the wicked, those He loves and does not love, but He does not bestow imān except upon those whom He loves. And the Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wasallam) said, “Indeed I was send to perfect the noble character.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, no. 273, saheeh) Shaikh Zayd Al-Madkhali stated, ”It is not possible for a person to have a good life except for the one who has fine manners. So this is a call to every Muslim, male and female, to adorn themselves with the fine manners that the Mighty Book and the Pure Sunnah guide the people towards.”
The person who is weak, reluctant, miserly and afraid to perform the deeds mentioned in this hadeeth—then the Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wasallam) guided these Muslims to an action that is easy, simple and requires very little effort—so he (salallāhu ’alaihi wasallam) commanded them to say often:
Lā ilāha illallāh, wa subhānallāh, wal-hamdulillāh, wallāhu akbar
(None has the right to be worshipped except Allah; glorified is Allah the Most Perfect; all praise is for Allah; and Allah is the greatest)
This is from the enduring righteous deeds for which Allah praises the believers:
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
“Wealth and children are but adornments of the worldly life, but the enduring righteous deeds are better with your Lord for one’s hope.” (Al-Kahf: 46)
So, all of us should strive for increase in imān through righteous deeds that will earn them the love of Allah—and if one is slow in performing the optional acts of worships, then he should be plentiful in making dhikr of Allah, the Most High.
