Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu Part 2
Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 25/01/2024
The Importance of being Truthful
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned in a Hadith:
عنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَإِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى البِرِّ، وَإِنَّ البِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الجَنَّةِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَصْدُقُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الصِّدْقَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ الكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ العَبْدُ يَكْذِبُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الكَذِبَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا» وَفِي البَابِ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَعُمَرَ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ، وَابْنِ عُمَرَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
“Hold on firmly to truthfulness; truthfulness will guide one towards righteousness; righteousness will lead a person to Jannah. A person always speaks the truth and he makes an effort to maintain this, until such a person will be written amongst the truthful ones.
Refrain from speaking lies. Lying takes a person towards the obedience of Allah Ta’ala. And the disobedience of Allah Ta’ala takes a person to the fire of Jahannam. A servant lies and makes an effort to lie until he is written as a liar.”
Speaking the truth
Truthfulness is such a great quality that if it is found in a community, it will be an adornment and beauty for that community. On the contrary, if speaking lies becomes common and widespread, then the entire community will be destroyed.
A good deed leads to another good deed.
From this Hadith it can be understood that by practicing upon a good deed leads to another good deed which eventually paves the way to Jannah. And when a person lies (carries out an evil act), it leads to another evil action which eventually leads a person directly into the Fire of Jahannam.
The second point we learn is that habits are not formed overnight. Everything has a starting point until it reaches the status of a habit. A person starts speaking the truth and continues speaking the truth until he becomes known for his truthfulness. A person speaks one lie which leads to the next lie until he becomes known as a compulsive liar. So good will lead to good and evil will lead to evil.
A person should make every effort to refrain from speaking lies. If he slips up, he should immediately repent and reform. He should never regard any wrong as insignificant as a single spark is sufficient to burn down an entire house.
Angels run one mile away from a liar
Another Hadith states, “When a person speaks a lie, the Malaaikah distance themselves one mile away from him due to the offensive smell that emits from his mouth.”
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِذَا كَذَبَ العَبْدُ تَبَاعَدَ عَنْهُ المَلَكُ مِيلًا مِنْ نَتْنِ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ؟ قَالَ يَحْيَى: فَأَقَرَّ بِهِ عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ بْنُ هَارُونَ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ،: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ هَذَا الوَجْهِ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ بْنُ هَارُونَ (سنن الترمذي)
We as human beings can smell pleasant or unpleasant emissions from different sources. But the Malaaikah can smell emissions from abstract sources. There are those friends of
Allah Ta’ala whose spirituality has reached such high levels that they too can sense if a person is lying. Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to always be truthful.
Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu
Part 2
Last week we discussed various aspects of Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu regarding his name, his mother’s acceptance to Islam, requesting Duas from Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam etc.
We stopped at the incident where Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu went in search of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and found him in a garden. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam told Hadrat Abu Hurairah to go and inform the people that whoever has Imaan, he is guaranteed Jannah. Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu met Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu, who took him back to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and said that people will become complacent and will no longer carry out good deeds if they will just rely on their Imaan. At that moment, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was in an different state of mind due to his close connection with Allah Ta’ala, hence, he told Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to go ahead and give glad-tidings to the people. But, when Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu highlighted to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam about people becoming lax, then Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam stopped Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu.
Depth of Knowledge
Regarding the knowledge of Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu, it is recorded in a narration that he stated, “I acquired five sacks or bags of knowledge from Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. I only brought two sacks. If I took out the third sack, you would have pelted me with stones.”
حفظت من رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم خمسة اجرب فاخرجت منها جرايبن ولو أخرجت الثالث لرجمتموني بالحجارة
Some commentators say that the knowledge that Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu withheld was the Asraar (the secrets) which are given the Aarifeen (those that recognised Allah Ta’ala.) Other commentators say that the knowledge withheld was pertaining to all the wars that are to take place. Firstly, he refrained from informing the Ummah because he feared for his life.
Secondly, to withhold knowledge is sinful, but here, there was no sin incurred because he did not withhold knowledge of Masaa’il but rather of future events that would take place.
Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu would supplicate,
اللهم لا تدركني سنة ستين
“The 60th year must not reach me!” Meaning, before the 60A.H. he desired Allah Ta’ala grants him death. In the year 61AH, Yazeed bin Muawiyah became the Khalifah. He was responsible for the martyrdom of Hadrat Hussain Radiallahu Anhu. So the commentators use this as a proof that Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu had knowledge of these events, and therefore did not want to be present at the time of such a Fitnah such as Karbala.
Great Caution in narrating Ahadith
Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu had 800 students who directly benefitted from him. Despite being such a great Muhaddith, he was extremely cautious and when it came to narrating Hadith.
It is recorded in a narration,
من كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار (سنن الدارمي)
“That person who lies about me, should make his abode in the Fire of Jahannam.”
One day Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu was narrating a Hadith about the trumpet will be blown. He mentions that the first trumpet will be blown and after a period of forty, the second trumpet will be blown. Those present asked, “Tell us O Abu Hurairah! Will it be forty days?” He replied, “I don’t know.” Then they asked, “Is it forty months?” He said, “I don’t know.” Then they asked, “Is it forty years?” He said, “I don’t know.” Not once did he assume or speculate. Instead, he resigned himself not knowing and narrating the Hadith as it was said.
The first three people who will be reckoned on the day of Qiyaamah
In Tirmidhi Sharif, Abu Hurairah is reported to have said, “Three people, Allah Ta’ala will decide with regards to them on the Day of Qiyaamah.”
The first person who will be brought before Allah Ta’ala will be a Mujahid. Allah Ta’ala will remind him of the many Nimats that he was blessed with. He will agree and accept all these Nimats. Allah Ta’ala will ask him, ‘What did you do with the strength I bestowed upon you?’ He will reply, ‘O Allah, I fought in the wars until I was made Shaheed.’ Allah Ta’ala will reply, ‘You are a liar! You did this to earn the praises of people that you are powerful and brave. The people did that and so you received your reward. Put him into the Fire of Jahannam!’
The second person will be an Aalim of Deen who learnt and taught Quraan Sharif. He will be reminded of all the Nimats bestowed upon him. Allah Ta’ala will ask him, ‘What did you do with that knowledge that I bestowed you with?’ He will reply, ‘O Allah, I propagated your Deen. I spent my life imparting knowledge over to students until I left the world.’ Allah Ta’ala will reply, ‘You are a liar. You did it for recognition amongst the people. Put him into Jahannam.’
The third person will be a wealthy person. He will be reminded of the Nimats bestowed upon him and thereafter be asked as to how he spent his wealth. He will say that he spent his wealth in the correct avenues. Allah Ta’ala will reply, ‘You did this for recognition. There’s no reward here. Take him and put him in Jahannam.’
After that, Imaam Tirmidhi writes that when Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu would narrate this Hadith, an image of the Aakhirah would appear before him. He would start narrating the Hadith, and then fall unconscious. He would start again for the second time, and again fall unconscious. The third time he would start narrating the Hadith and unconscious. Only on the fourth attempt was he able to narrate this Hadith. What Fikr and concern of Aakhirah did Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu have. When this is the level of Taqwa, Allah Ta’ala preserves their knowledge and keeps it flowing through the Ummah.
When this Hadith reached Hadrat Muawiyah Radiallahu Anhu, he began to weep. He said, “If this will be the condition of these three people who gave their lives for Allah Ta’ala, what will be the condition of those whose intentions were not in order?” Hadrat Muawiyah Radiallahu Anhu cried so much that people thought he was going to pass away.
Concern of Deen
Another habit of Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu was his fervent manner of always asking questions to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. This is called Fikr of Islaah. Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu was always concerned with his Islaah. On one occasion, he was performing Salaah at home, when a person came to visit him. The person knocked and then entered the house. He found Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu reading Salaah. Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu became happy when this person saw him reading Salaah in his home. Immediately he asked Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, “O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam! Is this not Riya (ostentation) that I became happy that a man came inside my home and saw me making Salaah.” Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Riya is to do an action to show people that you are a great man. You were performing Salaah in your home. It was not to show anyone, thus for you is a double reward. The first reward is for doing the Amal. The second is that person who saw you, he will get the Taufeeq to carry out this action and you will receive the reward for that as well.”
On another occasion, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu found Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam sitting and reading Salaah. Due to his closeness to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, he asked him why he was sitting and performing Salaah. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “O Abu Hurairah! I am so weak due to hunger that I cannot stand and perform Salaah.” Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu started to weep over this condition. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “O Abu Hurairah! Why are you crying? Tomorrow on the Day if Qiyaamah, there won’t be a heavy reckoning for those who are hungry.” Meaning that those people who endured difficulty and hardship in the Dunya, their Hisaab Kitaab (reckoning) in the Aakhirah will be easy.
Desire to Attain Knowledge
Hadrat Ubay bin Ka’b Radiallahu Anhu mentions, “Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu was very bold in asking questions to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Such questions he asked that no one else was able to ask Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.” This was one of the reasons why Allah Ta’ala blessed him with abundance of knowledge.
Even today there are people with this nature where they question at every step what the right way is. For them, everything must be above board. And there are those who just continue without any concern.
Dua for a strong memory and knowledge of Deen
On one occasion, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam found three Sahaba, Hadrat Zaid bin Thaabit, Abu Hurairah and another Sahaabi Radiallahu Anhum sitting and making Dua. On seeing Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, they stopped making Dua. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam prompted them to continue with their Dua. Hadrat Zaid and the other Sahaabi continued with their Dua.
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said Ameen to their Dua-what a blessing that is. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then encouraged Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to make Dua. So he supplicated thus,
الّلهمَّ انّي ماسئلك صاحبي وعلما لا ينسي
“O Allah! I ask You for whatever my companions have asked. Together with that, I ask You for knowledge that I do not forget.”
On hearing this, Hadrat Zaid and the other Sahaabi asked for the latter part of the Dua as well. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Abu Hurairah has already surpassed you.”
Once Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu, “O Abu Hurairah! People come to me and ask for their share in the spoils of war. Never have you come to me and asked for your portion in the booty. Why?” He replied, “O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam! The knowledge that Allah Ta’ala has blessed you with, that is the knowledge that I desire.”
Choosing Deen over Dunya
Masha’Allah there are some parents today who desire the same for their children. Our Sheikh says, the objective of buying a cow is to obtain pure milk from it. As a byproduct, you will get dung from it (which was previously used in India). One doesn’t purchase the cow for the dung but for its milk, but as a result, he receives both. Likewise, when you raise your child for Deen, automatically Dunya will fall at his feet. Allah Ta’ala takes care of everyone.
Maulana Abraar-ul-Haq Saheb Rahimahullah said that on one hand, people would say how little the Ulama earn in comparison to other professions. On the other hand, they would say that the Ulama are living it up; going to this place for Jamaat, attending that gathering etc. This is Allah Ta’ala’s kindness on the Ulama.
أبو هريرة احفظ من روي الحديث في دهره
Imaam Shafi’ee Rahimahullah said that the person who memorized the most Ahaadith and narrated it in his time was Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu.
Testing the Memory of Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu
Marwan bin Hakam, a ruler, invited Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to his palace. He requested him to narrate Ahaadith and instructed the scribes to write it down. They wrote down all that Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrated and then he left. One year later Marwaan bin Hakam invited Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu again and asked him to narrate Ahaadith. He told his scribes to check their written notes to see if Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrates any different. To the last letter, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrated exactly as he had the previous year.
The Hardships Endured by Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu
For Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to acquire the knowledge of Deen, the Ashabus Suffah experienced intense hunger and hardship. Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu recalls a time when for three days he did not eat a morsel of food. He was unbale to walk steadily. The children saw him walking and falling repeatedly and said he has gone mad. He said, “Do not regard me as insane.” In this unsteady manner of walking, he reached Suffaa-the raised platform in Masjid-un-Nabawi where Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was distributing Thareed (a meal consisting of gravy with broken pieces of bread in it). All the food was eaten except a little on the edge of one of the bowls. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam gathered that little bit of food with his Mubaarak hands and gave it to Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu saying, “Take the Name of Allah and put this morsel into your mouth.” Abu Hurairah says, “I put it into my mouth, and it started increasing to the extent that I ate to my fill.” So much of Barakah Allah Ta’ala placed in that.
How we prepare and lay the table with food for Suhoor and Iftaar, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu said he had 15 Khajoor – 5 was for Suhoor, 5 for Iftaar and 5 for the next day. This is how he made Sehri and Iftaar.
Once when they were hungry, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam gave him 7 Khajoor to be shared amongst 7 Sahaaba.
Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu remembers a time when he was so hungry, that he placed his stomach on the ground to stave off hunger pangs along with tying a stone to his stomach. One day, he was so hungry he went out in the hope that a Sahaabi will see him sitting on the roadside and give him Dawat. He saw Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu and asked him, “Explain to me the meaning of this verse.” His real intention was hoping that Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu would invite him home to eat. Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu spoke to him and left. Then Umar Radiallahu Anhu came along. Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu did the same with Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu and had the same outcome. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam arrived, casted one glance at Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu and he knew why he was there. He invited Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to his house. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam knocked and entered after being granted permission by his noble wives. He saw a bowl of milk and enquired where it came from. They said that someone sent it for Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam called Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu and told him to invite the Ashaab-us-Suffa. The Ashaabus-Suffa had no home, no money and no food. So if Sadaqah came to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, he would take it and give it to the Ashaabus-Suffa without partaking of it as he was not permitted to partake of it; but if he received Hadiyah, then he would eat from it and share it with the Ashaab-us-Suffah.
Now, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu thought to himself that there’s only one bowl of milk. And when the Ashaab-us-Suffa arrive, he will be asked to serve it to them and he will be the last one to drink. Would there be anything left for him? Nevertheless, he carried out the instructions of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. When they reached the home of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and were seated, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam told Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu to serve the milk to them. Everyone drank to their fill. Then Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said to Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu, “Now it is only you and I left.” Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam took the bowl, straightened it and gave it to Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu. He drank and then said, “Enough!” Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Drink more!” He drank some more and then stopped and gave it back. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “You drink more!” In this way he continued drinking until he took a Qasm and said, “There is no place left in my stomach for another drop of milk to enter.” Then Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam took it from him and drank. Imagine, the greatest Sheikh in the Ummah among his Mureeds, he is so humble that he gives them to drink first before himself.
After Difficulty comes Ease
During the early part of the lives of the Akaabireen, Allah Ta’ala places them in difficulty. Later on, Allah Ta’ala blesses them with plenty of Barakah. Our Sheikh used to say, “Don’t look at a senior Sheikh at the end of his life. Look at the early part of their lives and the hardships they experienced.” Then Allah Ta’ala blessed them at the end of their lives. Likewise, with Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu, in the latter part of his life, Allah Ta’ala opened up many avenues for him.
On one occasion he was wearing colored clothing sewn from ‘Kitaan’ material (an exclusive material). He took one piece and wiped his nose. A person present said, “O Abu Hurairah! Today you have so much that you are using exclusive cloth to wipe your nose.”
Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu replied, “I didn’t forget the time when the space between the Mimbar (pulpit) of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and the room Hadrat Aisha Radiallahu Anha, I used to be lying on the floor without food in my stomach.” A person should never forget his beginnings no matter where he reaches at the end of his life. This will help him always remain humble.
Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu said, “Live a coarse life.” Despite the comforts and luxuries life offers, we see the seniors adopting a coarse life. Once, a student in the Ifta class asked our Ustaad Muftisahib that a person wished to sponsor aircon and if it could be fitted in the classroom. Muftisahib replied that they managed without an aircon all these years and they could continue to do so. Such was their simplicity. When a person foregoes the luxuries if life and adopts simplicity, when he experiences any change in life, it is not difficult for him to adapt. But when we are accustomed to luxuries and comfort, when the tables turn against us, it is very difficult for us to adapt.
May Allah Ta’ala bless us with these beautiful qualities. Ameen!
