Pearls of The Blessed Messenger (8)

mu Pearls from the blessed Messenger of Allah

(صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ

عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اتَّقِ اللَّهِ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ

الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا وَخَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ

Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “Fear Allah wherever you may be, follow every sin committed with a good deed as it erases it (the sin) and live with people with a most refined character and conduct.”

 

(Tirmidhi Hadith # 1987, Page 55, Juz 2, Publisher Altaf and Sons).

 

Allaamah Ibn Rajab Al Hanbali (may Allah have mercy upon him) in his famous book Jaami’ul Uloom wal Hikam explains taqwa as follows. The thing which a servant places towards Allah by making between himself and what he fears from Allah’s anger, wrath and punishment a defence and precautionary measure, which ultimately leads him to do such things that are in the obedience of Allah and keep him away from sins.

 

This quality of fearing Allah wherever one may be, is really at all times to stay away from haram and anything associated to the disobedience of Allah and to do what Allah has commanded and anything that brings us closer to Him.

 

The second advice the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) is giving, is to follow up every abominable and unlawful act with a good deed. Two apparent reasons can be given.

  1. By doing good actions it rekindles the light of one’s Imaan in his heart which keep a level of consciousness of Allah
  2. Allah has mentioned in the Quran ‘Certainly good actions shun away evil deeds, this is a reminder for the mindful.’ Surah Hud, verse 114.

Good deeds assist in getting rid of sins and make even a habitual sinful person eventually guided to stop his wrong and encouraged to do good.

 

The last advice is no other than adopting the character of the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) in every aspect of our lives. As Allah mentions in the Quran ‘And most surely you conform to a most sublime character.’ Surat Al-Qalam, Verse 4.