302. Abu Sa`id al Khudri and Ibn Zayd have said that the hypocrites used to stay back from campaigns and then come up with excuses when the Prophet returned. They were pleased to be praised for what they hadn't done. So Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

Abu Sa`id's statement is in Muslim (Ibn Kathir).

However, according to Ibn `Abbas the allusion is to the Jewish rabbis who used to misguide their people concerning the Prophet, make pretensions of piety, and loved to be praised as men of knowledge and wisdom. There have been other explanations also. It is said that Marwan sent someone to Ibn `Abbas to ask him, "Which of us does not wish to be praised for what he has not done?" Ibn `Abbas replied that the verse was revealed concerning those who were given the Book earlier, whom our Prophet enquired about something but they concealed it from him, and were pleased with themselves for doing that (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). Ibn `Abbas's statement is in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i (Ibn Kathir).

303. It is reported that Thabit b. Qays said to the Prophet:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ قَدْ هَلَكْتُ ، قَالَ : بِمَ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : نَهَى اللَّهُ الْمَرْءَ أَنْ يُحْمَدَ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ، وَأَجِدُنِي أُحِبُّ الْحَمْدَ ، وَنَهَى اللَّهُ عَنِ الْخُيَلاءِ ، وَأَجِدُنِي أُحِبُّ الْخُيَلاءَ ، وَنَهَى اللَّهُ أَنْ نَرْفَعَ أَصْوَاتَنَا فَوْقَ صَوْتِكَ ، وَأَنَا امْرُؤٌ جَهِيرُ الصَّوْتِ ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : أَلا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَعِيشَ حَمِيدًا ، وتُقْتَلَ شَهِيدًا ، وَتَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ ؟ قَالَ : بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، فَعَاشَ حَمِيدًا ، وَقُتِلَ شَهِيدًا يَوْمَ مُسَيْلِمَةَ

"I am destroyed O Messenger of Allah." The Prophet asked him: "What makes you say that?" He said, "Allah has forbidden that we be praised for what we have not done, and I love to be praised. He has forbidden pride and I love to appear beautiful. He has forbidden that we raise our voices over yours and I am a noisy man." The Prophet told him: "Thabit, aren't you satisfied that you live as a praised one, die a martyr, and enter Paradise?" Accordingly, Thabit lived as a praised person and died a martyr fighting against Musaylimah the Liar (Ibn Kathir). The report is reliable (Sayyid Ibrahim).

304. Those are meant who use their minds and reach out the realities behind what is apparent, unlike those who are deaf and dumb and who do not use their heads, such as those about whom Allah said (12: 105):

وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ (105) وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ [يوسف : 105 ، 106]

"And how many signs are there not in the heavens and in the earth that they pass by but they ignore them. And (even if they ponder) they believe not in Allah (the sole Creator) without ascribing partners to Him" (Ibn Kathir).

Shabbir comments: Surely, not everyone who stares at the stars finds signs. It is those who acknowledge a role for their Creator that profit from such reflections. Others however great scientists they might be considered by the people of the world are not men of understanding.

305. The Prophet told `Imran b. Husayn (in a hadith of Bukhari: Ibn Kathir),

صلّ قائماً فإنْ لَم تستطعْ فقاعِداً، فإنْ لم تستطعْ فعلى جَنْبٍ

"Offer your Prayers standing; but if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then (reclining) on your sides" (Zamakhshari). Qurtubi adds: `Imran b. Husayn had enquired how he should pray, because he suffered from piles.

306. A hadith says,

مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على قوم يتفكرون في الله فقال: تَفَكَّرُوا في الخَلْقِ ولا تَفَكَّرُوا في الخَالِقِ فإنَّكُمْ لا تَقْدِرُونَ قَدْرَهُ

The Prophet passed by a people who were meditating. He told them: "Ponder the creations of the Creator but not the Creator Himself, for you will never encompass Him" (Qurtubi).

Although reported as a weak hadith, some scholars believe it is a statement of Ibn `Abbas.

Abu Sulayman al Darani has said, 'When I come out of my house my eyes fall on nothing but either there is a blessing for me in it, or a lesson."

Hasan al Basri has said: "An hour of reflection is better than prayers of a whole night."

And `Abd b. Qays has said that he heard from several Companions that reflection brightens faith (Ibn Kathir).

307. Surely, the nature of things demand that we, the rational beings, be called to account, punished or rewarded. Hence the prayer: "Save us from the punishment of the Fire" (Au.).

308. The Prophet was the caller when alive, after him the Qur'an takes his place as the caller (Ibn Jarir).

309. That is, O Allah, admit us into Paradise straightaway, from the start, and not after You have punished us in Hell fire for our sins, for even a short entry into Hell along with the unbelievers who will abide therein forever, will be a humiliation to us (Thanwi).

310. Reports in Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud and others say that the Prophet used to recite the last ten verses of this surah when he got up for taHajjud. Muslim's report goes like this. Ibn `Abbas said, "My father told me to spend a night with the Prophet and observe how he spent it. So after the night prayers I stayed back in the mosque after everyone had left. When the Prophet rose up he spotted me and asked, 'Who is it? Is it `Abdullah?' I said yes and told him about my mission. He told me to accompany him. When we reached home they gave him an oily pillow. He slept on it until we heard a light snore. Then (when a third of the night was left) he got up, raised his head towards the heaven, and said three times:

سبحان الملك القدوس

Then he recited the last ten verses of this surah" (Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Marduwayh has recorded `Ata' as having narrated:

انطلقت أنا وابن عمر وعبيد بن عمير إلى عائشة رضي اللّه عنها، فدخلنا عليها وبيننا وبينها حجاب، فقالت: يا عبيد ما يمنعك من زيارتنا، قال: قول الشاعر (زر غباً تزدد حباً)، فقال ابن عمر: ذرينا أخبرينا بأعجب ما رأيتيه من رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وسلم !؟ فبكت وقالت: كل أمره كان عجباً، أتاني في ليلتي حتى مس جلده جلدي ثم قال "ذريني أتعبد لربي عزّ وجلّ"، قالت، فقلت: واللّه إني لأحب قربك، وإني أحب أن تعبد ربك، فقام إلى القربة فتوضأ ولم يكثر صب الماء، ثم قام يصلي فبكى حتى بلّ لحيته، ثم سجد فبكى حتى بلّ الأرض، ثم اضطجع على جنبه فبكى حتى إذا أتى بلال يؤذنه بصلاة الصبح، قالت، فقال: يارسول اللّه ما يبكيك وقد غفر اللّه لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر؟ فقال: "ويحك يا بلال وما يمنعني أن أبكي وقد أنزل اللّه عليّ في هذه الليلة: {إن في خلق السموات والأرض واختلاف اليل والنهار لآيات لأولي الألباب}"، ثم قال: "ويل لمن قرأها ولم يتفكر فيها"

"Myself, Ibn `Umar and `Abid b. `Umayr went to see `A'isha. She spoke to us from behind a curtain. She said: 'What prevents you from visiting us oftener O `Abid?' He replied: 'The poet's words, 'Visit less often to increase love.' Ibn `Umar interjected saying: 'Leave this and tell us the strangest thing that you noticed of the Prophet.' She wept and said, 'Everything he did was so strange. One night he came in and entered the bed until my body was in contact with his. Then he said, 'Let me Pray to my Lord.' I said, 'I love to be near you, but I also love that you Pray to your Lord.' He got up, made ablution using water economically, and, starting his Prayer he began to cry until his beard was wet. Then he prostrated himself and wept until the ground was wet. Then he lied down on his side and wept until Bilal reported for the fajr Call. He enquired: 'What makes you weep, O Messenger, when Allah has forgiven your sins the past as well as the future ones?' He said, 'Woe unto you Bilal. Why should I not cry when Allah has revealed these verses to me: 'Surely, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day are signs for the men of understanding.' Then he added: 'Woe unto him who recited it but did not ponder.'"

Ibn Abi Hatim and Hakim have also reported similar traditions, with the latter declaring it trustworthy (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). The same report has come through Ibn `Umar also (Zamakhshari, Razi).

311. Umm Salamah is reported to have once remarked to the Prophet: "How come Allah does not mention us women when speaking of hijrah?!" Accordingly, when Allah revealed this verse He named them (Ibn Jarir). Hakim has also recorded this hadith in his "Mustadrak" giving it the status of sahih which meets the same conditions as those set by Bukhari and Muslim (Ibn Kathir). It is also in Tirmidhi and Albani has treated it sahih (Sayyid Ibrahim).

Adds Majid: "(The interjection was) necessary in view of the sub human status allotted to women in almost all ancient philosophies and religions."

312. What Allah means by this is that some of you, O believers, men and women, help and support (and are a means of strength to) others (Ibn Jarir). Ibn Kathir, however, says it means some of you are like others in the sight of Allah, (i.e. equals), so far as rewards and punishments are concerned.

313. Accordingly, when a person asked the Prophet in a report in the Sahihayn:

يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ تُكَفّرُ عَنّي خَطَايَايَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "نَعَمْ. إنْ قُتِلْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ. وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ، مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ" ثُمّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "كَيْفَ قُلْتَ؟" قَالَ: أَرَأَيْتَ إنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَتُكَفّرُ عَنّي خَطَايَايَ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "نَعَمْ. وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ، مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ. إلاّ الدّيْنَ. فَإنّ جِبْرِيلَ، عَلَيْهِ السّلاَمُ، قَالَ لِي ذَلِكَ

"Messenger of Allah. What do you have to say about me if I were to fight in the way of Allah, persevering, in the hope of rewards, advancing upon the enemy and not turning my back, will Allah forgive me my sins?" The Prophet replied: "Yes." Then, after a while he turned to him and asked: "What was that you said?" The man repeated his question. The Prophet told him: "Yes, when you hold on in patience, hoping to be rewarded, charging forward and not showing your back; except for debts. Jibril just added this to me" (Ibn Kathir).

314. According to the majority opinion, if the verse is applied to Muslims, then major sins are not included since one has to follow the proper process of repentance to be acquitted of them, although Ibn Salah's opinion is that "qurubat" could be forgiven (since they do not involve rights of the people: Au.). But Nawawi's opinion is that good deeds do not acquit one of the evil deeds, although they do blunt the effects. Some others have opined that good deeds might acquit one of both major as well as minor sins in view of the verse (11: 114):

إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

"Verily. Good deeds obliterate evil deeds," and in view of the Prophet's words:

وأتْبِع السَّيِّئة الحَسنَة تَمحُها

"Follow up evil deeds with good ones, they will obliterate them." But the argument does not seem to be too strong in view of the general sense of the terms used in the Qur'an and hadith quotations, and in view of the fact that there is no disagreement among the scholars that acquittal of sins essentially requires a return or compensation of people's rights if they have been usurped by the sinner.

As for the application of the verse to new Muslims, here too there are two opinions. (The first is that all their previous sins are forgiven). The second is that, (in the words of Zarkashi as reported by Bayhaqi) embracing Islam assures only the forgiveness of sin of association (shirk). Others require separate repentance. His argument is based on the hadith (of Muslim, Kitab al Iman: Au.) which says:

مَنْ أَحْسَنَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ لَمْ يُؤَاخَذْ بِمَا عَمِلَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيّةِ. وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ أُخِذَ بِالأَوّلِ وَالاَخِرِ

"He who did well after embracing Islam, will not be questioned for sins committed before Islam. But if he did badlym he will be questioned both for sins committed after Islam as well as those committed before Islam" (Alusi).

315. As Allah (swt) said elsewhere (10: 69):

قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ (69) مَتَاعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ [يونس : 69 ، 70]

"Tell them: 'Surely those who fasten lies upon Allah will not succeed. (Theirs) is a short enjoyment in this world, their return is to Us, then We shall make them taste a painful chastisement because of what they used to do.'"

And, (28: 61):

أَفَمَنْ وَعَدْنَاهُ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ لَاقِيهِ كَمَنْ مَتَّعْنَاهُ مَتَاعَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ هُوَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنَ الْمُحْضَرِينَ [القصص : 61]

"He then, to whom We have made a good promise, that he is going to meet with ... can he be like him whom We gave a short enjoyment of this world for a brief while, and then he shall be on the Day of Judgment of those who will be presented (like prisoners, for the account of their deeds)" Ibn Kathir.

316. The allusion could be to the sighting of our Lord in Paradise (Shabbir).

317. People of the Book, and among them specifically the Christians, were addressed at the beginning of the surah. Their errors were portrayed in detail, their desire to pervert the Muslims was condemned, and their corruption of the revelations exposed. Now, at the end, it is being acknowledged that all are not the same. Among them are some who uphold the truth, follow the revelations, and believe in the Prophets in the true spirit (Au.).

318. Jabir b.`Abdullah, Qatadah and Ibn Jurayj have said that when Najashi (the king of Abyssinia) died, the Prophet Prayed for him as one would for the dead. The unbelievers objected saying, 'Look at him. He prays for a Christian whom he did not even see.'" (The report about the Prayers itself is in the Sahihayn: Ibn Kathir). At this Allah revealed this verse. However, Mujahid seems to be nearer the truth when he says that the verse was revealed in praise of all those of the people of the Book who believed. This is also because the report of Jabir and others have some isnad weaknesses (Ibn Jarir). The Sahihayn have reported that the Prophet mentioned three people whose rewards will be two fold. One of them a man of the people of the Book who believed in his Prophet as well as in our Prophet (Ibn Kathir).

319. Of sabr of the original (translated as patience here), there are three kinds: sabr against sins, sabr in the observation of the Shari`ah, and sabr in times of distress (Alusi).

320. This is how Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj and Dahhak have understood the verse. That is, what is meant by rabitu is, (guard your borders) and be watchful of the enemies of Allah. Nonetheless, Jabir b. `Abdullah, Abu Hurayrah and others have reported that the Prophet said:

أَلاَ أَدُلّكُمْ عَلَى مَا يَمْحُو الله بِهِ الْخَطَايَا وَيَرْفَعُ بِهِ الدّرَجَاتِ؟" قَالُوا: بَلَىَ. يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ! قَالَ: "إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوءِ علَى الْمَكَارِهِ. وَكَثْرَةُ الْخُطَا إِلَى الْمَسْاجِدِ. وَانْتِظَارُ الصّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصّلاَةِ. فَذَلِكُمُ الرّبَاطُ

"Should I not tell you about what will wipe out your sins, and acquit you of them?" We said, "Sure do, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "It is to do ablution well even when painful (as when the weather is cold: Au.), plenty of steps to the mosque, and to wait for a Prayer after the last one. That is ribat."

(This hadith is in Muslim and Nasa'i: Ibn Kathir).

Notwithstanding the hadith, the meaning offered by Qatadah and others seems to be correct (Ibn Jarir). Nevertheless, there is no contradiction between the two (Shawkani).

Ibn Kathir expounds: Several ahadith are reported in favor of ribat in the way of Allah. One in Muslim says:

رِبَاطُ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صِيَامِ شَهْرٍ وَقِيَامِهِ. وَإِنْ مَاتَ، جَرَىَ عَلَيْهِ عَمَلُهُ الّذِي كَانَ يَعْمَلُهُ، وَأُجْرِيَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ، وَأَمِنَ الْفَتّانَ

"To stand guard (on the borders) is better than fasts for a month and its night vigils (taHajjud). If he dies in that state, the deeds he used to commit would be continued to be considered as performed by him. His provision will be brought to him and he will be in peace in the grave."

Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have similar reports. Ahmad and Ibn Majah have also reported `Uthman (ibn `Affan) as saying that he heard the Prophet say:

حَرَسُ لَيْلَةٍ في سَبيلِ اللهِ، أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِ رجُلٍ وَقِيَامِهِ، في أَهْلِهِ، أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

"To stand guard in the way of Allah for a day or night is better for a man than a thousand nights praying, and fasting among his homefolk."

Abu Da'ud has reported Ibn Hanzalah as saying that once when they went out with the Prophet, he camped at a place and offered Prayers. After the Prayers a man came to the Prophet and told him:

يارَسُولَ الله إنّي انْطَلَقْتُ بَيْنَ أيْدِيكُم حَتّى طَلَعْتُ جَبَلَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فإذَا أنا بِهَوَازِنَ عَلَى بَكْرَةِ آبَائِهِمْ بِظُعُنِهِمْ وَنَعَمِهِمْ وَشَائِهِمْ، اجْتَمَعُوا إلَى حُنَيْنٍ، فَتَبَسّمَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقال: تِلْكَ غَنِيمَةُ المُسْلِمِينَ غَداً إنْ شَاءَ الله، ثُمّ قال: مَنْ يَحْرُسُنَا اللّيْلَةَ؟ قال أنَسُ بنُ أبي مَرْثَدٍ الْغَنَوِيّ: أنَا يَارَسُولَ الله، قال: فارْكَبْ، فَرَكِبَ فَرَساً لَهُ وَجَاءَ إلى رَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اسْتَقْبِلْ هَذَا الشّعْبَ حَتّى تَكُونَ في أعْلاَهُ، وَلاَ نُغَرّنّ مِنْ قِبَلِكَ اللّيْلَةَ، فَلَمّا أصْبَحْنَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى مُصَلاّهُ فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمّ قال: هَلْ أحْسَسْتُمْ فَارِسَكُم؟ قالُوا: يارَسُولَ الله ما أحْسَسْنَاهُ، فَثُوّبَ بالصّلاَةِ، فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلّي وَهُوَ يَتَلَفّتُ إلى الشّعْبِ حتّى إذَا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ وَسَلّمَ فقالَ: أَبْشِرُوا فَقَدْ جَاءَكُم فَارِسُكُم، فَجَعَلْنَا نَنْظُرُ إلى خِلاَلِ الشّجَرِ في الشّعْبِ فإذَا هُوَ قَدْ جَاءَ حَتّى وَقَفَ عَلَى رَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلّمَ وقَالَ: إنّي انْطَلَقْتُ حتّى كُنْتُ في أعْلَى هَذَا الشّعْبِ حَيْثُ أمَرَنِي رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَلَمّا أصْبَحْتُ اطّلَعْتُ الشّعْبَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا، فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أرَ أحَداً، فقالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: هَلْ نَزَلْتَ اللّيْلَةَ؟ قال: لاَ، إلاّ مُصَلّياً أوْ قَاضياً حَاجَةً، فقالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: قَدْ أوْجَبْتَ فَلاَ عَلَيْكَ أنْ لا تَعْمَلَ بَعْدَهَا

"I have been to such and such (distant) hills from where I spotted the well armed Banu Hawazin with their cattle." The Prophet smiled and said: "By Allah's will, they will be your booty tomorrow." Then he asked: "Who will guard us tonight?" Anas b. Abi Marthad said: "I, O Messenger of Allah." He told him to get his horse ready. He got it ready and came up to the Prophet. He told him: "Go to the end of this valley and be on the watch. Let not an attack take place from that side this night." When it was morning the Prophet came out, went to the Prayer spot, offered two rak`ah, and enquired: "What's the news of your rider?" They said, "We have no news of him yet." The Prophet then offered the congregational Prayers during which he turned towards the hill several times. After the Prayers he said: "Good news. The rider is coming." We peered in the direction of the trees shielding the valley. The man shortly came out of them and stood before the Prophet. He said: "I went to the end of the valley you had directed me to, launching myself to the highest spot. Then, by morning I also went to the peaks of the two valleys but did not sight anyone." The Prophet asked him: "Did you come down of your horse last night?" The man said: "No. Except to Pray or to attend to a call of nature." The Prophet told him: "(Paradise) is written for you, even if you do not do anything good after this."

Bukhari has related through Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said:

تَعِسَ عَبْدُ الدِّينَارِ وَعَبْدُ الدِّرْهَمِ وَعَبْدُ الْخَمِيصَةِ إِنْ أُعْطِيَ رَضِيَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُعْطَ سَخِطَ تَعِسَ وَانْتَكَسَ وَإِذَا شِيكَ فَلَا انْتَقَشَ طُوبَى لِعَبْدٍ آخِذٍ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَشْعَثَ رَأْسُهُ مُغْبَرَّةٍ قَدَمَاهُ إِنْ كَانَ فِي الْحِرَاسَةِ كَانَ فِي الْحِرَاسَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي السَّاقَةِ كَانَ فِي السَّاقَةِ إِنْ اسْتَأْذَنَ لَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لَهُ وَإِنْ شَفَعَ لَمْ يُشَفَّعْ

"Destroyed is the worshipper of Dinar. Destroyed is the worshipper of Dirham. Destroyed is the worshipper of silk. If he is given he is satisfied and if he is not given he is angry. He is destroyed and is perished. If he has a thorn (in the leg), he shall find no one to remove it. (In contrast), glad tidings to the man who started out in the way of Allah on his horse. His hair is disheveled, his feet are dusty. If he is asked to stand guard, he stands guard. If he is asked to follow the army at the rear, he does it. If he seeks to be let in, he is not let in. If he recommends (someone) his recommendation is not accepted. (That is, he is insignificant in the eyes of the people because of his appearance: Au.)."

Finally, we reproduce here, in full, the following story from Ibn `Asakir who has noted in the biography of `Abdullah ibn Mubarak that he dictated a piece of poetry to Ibn Abi Sakinah in Tarsus and told him to take them to Fudayl b. `Ayad (the ascetic). They said:



يا عابدَ الحرمين لَوْ أبْصَرْتَنا ... لَعَلِمْتَ أنكَ في العبادِة تلعبُ

من كان يخضب خدَّه بدموعِه ... فَنُحورنا بدمائنا تَتَخضَّب

أو كان يُتْعِبُ خَيْلَه في باطلٍ ... فخُيولنا يومَ الصبِيحة تَتْعبُ

ريحُ العبيرِ لكم ونحنُ عبيرُنا ... وَهجُ السنابِك والغبارُ الأطيبُ

ولَقَد أتانا من مَقَالِ نبينا ... قولٌ صَحيحٌ صادق لا يُكْذبُ

لا يستوي وَغُبَارَ خيلِ الله في ... أنف امرئ ودخانَ نارٍ تَلْهَبُ

هذا كتاب الله يَنْطق بيننا ... ليس الشهيدُ بمَيِّت لا يُكْذبُ

O thou given to devotions in the Holy Harams, had you seen us,

You'd have considered your devotions mere amusement.

He who dyes his cheeks with tears that roll down,

(May know that) with blood we dye our necks.

He who exhausts his horse in playful repast,

(May know that) our horses exhaust themselves on the day of spoils.

For you be the best of perfumes, but for us,

Sweeter the (aroma of the) dust rising from the earth.

To us have come the words of our Prophet,

(Sayings true, irrefutable and undeniable):

'Shall not come together the dust in the way of Allah, in

The nostrils of a man and the leaping flares of Fire.'

Here, this is the Book of Allah that speaks between us,

A word that cannot be denied (saying): The martyr is not dead.

Ibn Sakinah says he found Fudayl in the Haram and handed over the lines to him. When Fudayl read them, he wept. Then he asked him if he knew how to write. When he said yes, he dictated the following hadith of Abu Hurayrah as found in Bukhari:

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ يَعْدِلُ الْجِهَادَ قَالَ لَا أَجِدُهُ قَالَ هَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ إِذَا خَرَجَ الْمُجَاهِدُ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَسْجِدَكَ فَتَقُومَ وَلَا تَفْتُرَ وَتَصُومَ وَلَا تُفْطِرَ قَالَ وَمَنْ يَسْتَطِيعُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّ فَرَسَ الْمُجَاهِدِ لَيَسْتَنُّ فِي طِوَلِهِ فَيُكْتَبُ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٍ

"A man came to the Prophet and said, 'Messenger of Allah. Teach me something that can bring me the rewards of the fighters in the way of Allah.' The Prophet asked him, 'Do you have the strength to Pray continuously and fast unbrokenly?' The man said, 'Messenger of Allah. I'm weaker than that.' He told him, 'By Him in whose hands is my life, had you the strength to do that, you would not have attained the position of those who fight in the way of Allah. Have you not known that a mujahid in the way of Allah is rewarded for the movements of the horse that has been tied up?"

The above reply demonstrates the sincerity of Fudayl. He did not offer an excuse, but rather sent glad tidings to Ibn Mubarak for participating in Jihad (Au.).

A third possible meaning of rabitu expressed by Baydawi is: Let there be no let up in your acts of obedience (Thanwi).

321. That is, fear Him at all times, in all circumstances. As said the Prophet in a tradition recorded by Ahmad and Tirmidhi, to Mu`adh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen:

"اتّقِ الله حَيْثُ مَا كُنْتَ، وَأَتْبِعِ السّيّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقِ النّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ"

"Fear Allah wherever you might be and follow up a bad deed with a good one, it will obliterate the evil one. And conduct yourself with the people gracefully" (Ibn Kathir).