The bequest of Nooh – alayhi as-Sallam

The bequest of Nooh – alayhi as-Sallam 134 - "When death was approaching the Prophet of Allaah Nooh -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – he said to his son: I will narrate to you my bequest; I command you with two things and prohibit you from two things. I command you with 'La ilaha ‘illa Allaah' (‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah) if the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed upon a scale and 'La ilaha ‘illa Allaah' was placed on the other, then 'La ilaha ‘illa Allaah' would be heavier. If the seven heavens and the seven earths were a closed off circle then 'La ilaha ‘illa Allaah' would be able to break it. The second thing I command you with is Subhana Allaahi wa bihamdihi (Far is Allaah from imperfection and praise is for Him), since it is a supplication for everything, and by it the creation is given its provision. I prohibit you from shirk and pride. - ( the narrator said: I asked or someone asked) : O Messenger of Allaah as for shirk then we know about it, but what is pride? Is it that one of us has sandals with two good straps? The Messenger answered: No. He asked again: is it that one of us has companions and they sit with him? The Messenger again answered: No. Someone asked: O Messenger of Allaah, what is pride? He said: ridiculing the truth and belittling the people and reviling them." Silsilah Saheehah: 134 From the benefits of the hadeeth: I say: there are many benefits from this hadeeth; I will suffice by indicating to some of them: 1- The permissibility of writing a bequest at the time of death. 2- The excellence of saying 'La ilaha ‘illa Allaah' and saying Subhana Allaah and that they are a cause for the creation to receive provision from Allaah. 3- The scales on the Day of Judgment are true and real, and they have two pans. This is from the belief of the ahl-ul Sunnah, opposing that of the Mu'tazilah and their followers in the modern times. Who do not believe that which has been affirmed regarding 'Aqeedah in the authentic Ahadeeth, with the claim that these are Ahkbaar al-Ahad (singular narrations) which do not convey certainty. I have exposed this claim in my book 'with ustaadh at-Tantawee'. 4 - The seven earths are like the seven heavens. There are many Ahadeeth regarding this in Bukharee and Muslim and in other books. Perhaps one day we will have time to follow up these Ahadeeth and research them. What supports these Ahadeeth is the saying of Allaah Tabaraka wa Ta' aala : << It is Allaah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). >> I.e. they are similar in creation and in number. So, you should not pay any attention to the one who explains it away, there by it ends up as a negation of similarity as well as in numbers, being deceived by the Europeans and where their knowledge has reached to, from having gone up in to space however they do not know of seven earths, along with that they do not know about seven heavens. Will we reject the speech of Allaah and the speech of His Messenger due to the ignorance of the Europeans and others along with them, declaring that the more they increase their knowledge of the universe, the more they increase in their ignorance of it. Allaah the Most Great has spoken the truth when He said : << And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little>> 5 - That beautification with good clothing has nothing to do with pride what so ever. Rather, it is a matter which is permissible, because Allaah is Beautiful and He loves beauty, like the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – said regarding this issue, as is narrated by Muslim in his 'Saheeh'. 6- Pride which has been equated with Shirk will not allow entrance in to Paradise for the one who has an equivalent of an atoms worth.That is the pride, which is rejecting the truth after it has been made clear, and defaming innocent people without truth. So, the Muslim should be extremely cautious from being characterized with this type of pride, just like he should be extremely cautious from being characterized with the Shirk which places its companion in the Hell-fire for eternity. All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance The Ahaadeeth of Tawheed, Explained By the Muhaaddith, the Allaamah, Shaykh Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee (rahimullaah) Source: Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah of Shaykh Al-Albaani (rahimahullaah) Translated by: Abbas Abu Yahya (hafidhahullaah) http://abdurrahman.org/tawheed/tawheedalbaani.html

http://salaf-us-saalih.com/2013/04/07/the-bequest-of-nooh-alayhi-as-salaam-to-his-son-at-the-time-of-his-death-shaykh-naasiruddeen-al-albaanee/

It has been established that the Prophet said: "A man is upon the deen (i.e., way of life) of his khaleel (i.e., close companion), so each one of you should look to see whom he takes as a khaleel." [Related by Aboo Daawood, (13/179 'Awn); at-Tirmidhee, 4/589; Ahmad, 2/303; al-Haakim, 4/171 and al-Baghawee in Sharh as-Sunnah, 13/70 and it is a hasan hadeeth]

Ibn 'Abdil-Barr said: "The meaning of this and Allaah knows best is that a person accustoms himself to the actions he views from those he accompanies and the (meaning of) deen ishabitude. As such, he ordered one to only accompany the person who is seen to have (manners) that are graceful and beautiful, since goodness is mannerism.

The saying of 'Adee Ibn Zayd embodies the meaning of this hadeeth:

About the person, do not question, but ask about his companion
Since every companion emulates the one he associates with

Likewise, the saying of Abee al-'Itaahiyyah:

Who could (still) remain unknown to you If you were to look at his companion?

The like of this is very great. The meaning of this is that a person is not to associate with one who will lead him to actions and ways that are lamentable. As for the one who is not feared(to give such an effect) in this regard then there is no harm in accompanying him." [Bahjah al-Majaalis, 2/751]

Aboo Sulaymaan al-Khattaabee said: "His saying, ‘A man is upon the deen (i.e., way of life) of his khaleel (i.e., close companion) means: do not take as an intimate companion anyone other than one whose deen and trustworthiness you are pleased with, because when you do take one as an intimate companion, he will lead you to his deen and way. Do not endanger your deen or take a risk with your soul by taking as an intimate companion one whose deen and way is not pleasing.

Sufyaan Ibn 'Uyaynah said: "It has been transmitted in connection to this hadeeth, 'Look at Fir'awn, with him was Haamaan. Look at al-Hajjaaj, with him was Yazeed Ibn Abee Muslim, who was worse than he was. Look at Sulaymaan Ibn 'Abdul-Malik; he was accompanied by Rajaa' Ibn Haywah, who then put him aright and directed him.'

It is said that al-Khullah is derived from 'The love interpenetrated (takhallala) the heart and firmly established itself within it’. It is the highest level of brotherhood and that is because people are initially strangers to each other. Once they attain a familiarity, they strike harmony with each other, so they become good friends. If they become homogeneous, theythen have love for each other and if this love intensifies it becomes khullah." [Al-'Uzlah, pg. 56]

It has also been said, ‘People are like flocks of sand grouse’ [i.e., a type of game-bird. [t]]because of the resemblance of form they bear to each other and also because of their imitation of the actions of each other. It is for this reason that the one who initiates good or evil willcarry the same share of reward or sin of the one who follows him." [Refer to al-Istiqaamah by Ibn Taymiyyah, 2/255]

Some wise folk have said: "The pillar of love is homogeneity and every love or friendship that is not based on homogeneity is swift to dwindle and be over." [Al-'Uzlah by al-Khattaabee, pg. 62]

The reason for the prohibition on mixing with associates of evil and for the warning of taking company with them is that the make up of a person is naturally disposed for emulating andcopying whoever he associates with. Thus, taking company with students of knowledge stirs in oneself the eager desire to seek knowledge. Taking company with ascetics, causes one torenounce worldly pleasures. Taking company with the people of desires causes one to tumble into the abysses of innovations and taking company with one who covets the world stirs inoneself the eager desire for the world and so on.

As such, it is essential that a person chooses of his colleagues and associates those who will be bring about for him good and benefit because of mixing with them.

One who reflects on the condition of the Salaf and contemplates on their life histories will come to know this and he will observe their severe caution and warning against associates of evil be them fussaaq, innovators or others. [Look up on this for example, al-'Uzlah by al-Khattaabee, pg. 56 and onwards, al-Ibaanah of Ibn Battah, 2/431 and onwards and others]

Aboo Dardaa' said: "It is from the intelligence of the servant (to consider and be aware) of whom he walks with, enters with and exits with." Aboo Qilaabah, who related this account, then said: "May Allaah fight [Not to be taken in its literal sense in this context, since the Arabs employ such terms in different ways and at times they use phrases containing words of censure but actually intend meanings of the opposite such as praise and amazement. [t]] the poet who said:

About the person, do not question, but look at his companion
Since the companion emulates the one he associates with [Related by al-Khattaabee in al-'Uzlah, pg. 59 and Ibn Battah in al-Ibaanah, 2/439]

Al-Asma'ee said concerning this verse of poetry: "I have not seen a verse more similar to the Sunnah than this one" [Al-Ibaanah of Ibn Battah, 2/440]

It has also been reported on 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood that he said: "Assess people by their intimates, for a person only befriends one whom appeals to him and whom he admires."

Al-A'mash also relates: "They (i.e., the Salaf) did not ask about a person after (having ascertained) three (things): whom he used to walk with, whom he used to enter with and whom his acquaintances were among the people."

Sufyaan said: "There is nothing more influential upon the corruption or rectification of an individual than a companion."

Qataadah said: "Indeed, By Allaah, we have not witnessed a person accompany except one who is like him and of his own manner; so accompany the righteous from the slaves of Allaah, you may then be with them or like them"

Al-Fudayl said: "It is not for the believer to sit with anyone he desires ..." [These accounts have been related by Ibn Battah in al-Ibaanah, (2/439, 452, 476, 480 & 481)]

Narratives of this sort are numerous, the mention of which would be lengthy. I have however, selected from them a subsistent and adequate amount. One who ponders over thesecited accounts as well as others, will know of the danger there is to the individual's religion and character in associating with people of evil, fisq and fujoor.

You may witness a person who is upright, virtuous and righteous, when he mingles and associates with people of evil and fisq and accompanies them, he becomes a faasiq and faajirlike them and this is the pattern of Allaah in his creation.

Hence, mixing with the fussaaq and people of evil is one of the most severe causes for the decrease and weakness of eemaan. In fact, even for its disappearance and annihilation and that is dependent upon the condition of evil of such people as well as the level of mingling with them.

And Remember....