The Bedouin’s Questions and the Prophet’s Answers (Part 5)

The Bedouin’s questions and the Prophet’s answers (Part 5)

Muhammad Adnan Chishti Attari Madani

Fifteen questions of the Bedouin Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم along with their answers, have been mentioned in the previous four parts of this series. Four more are hereby enclosed.

Will the clothing of the people in Paradise be woven?

Ḥanān b. Khārijah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه said, لَمْ اَنْسَهُ بَعْد اَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَايَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي – “Shall I inform you of a hadith I heard with my own ears, which my heart preserved and I never forgot thereafter? I once journeyed to Syria with ꜤUbaydullah b. Ḥaydah. When we reached ꜤAbdullah b. ꜤAmr b. al-ꜤĀṣ, he mentioned this hadith:

A stern Bedouin from your tribe came and asked, يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، اَيْنَ الْهِجْرَةُ – “O Messenger of Allah! To where should hijra occur?” اِلَيْكَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ – “To wherever you are?” ˹He then asked˺, “Or towards a specific land or a particular tribe? Will hijra come to an end after you pass away?”

Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم remained silent for moment. He then asked,  اَيْنَ السَّائِلُ عَنِ الْهِجْرَةِ – “Where is he who inquired regarding hijra?”

“O Messenger of Allah! I am here!”, the Bedouin replied. Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم declared, اِذَا اَقَمْتَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَيْتَ الزَّكَاةَ فَاَنْتَ مُهَاجِرٌ، وَاِنْ مُتَّ بِالْحَضْرَمَةِ – “When you punctually offer salah and pay zakat, you are then a muhājir, even if you pass away in Ḥaḍramah.”[1]

A man then stood and asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Will the clothing of those in Paradise be woven, or emerge from the fruits of Paradise itself?”

The people were surprised at this question and some began to laugh. The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: مِمَّ تَضْحَكُونَ؟ مِنْ جَاهِلٍ يَسْاَلُ عَالِمًا  – “Why are you laughing? Is it because the unknowing asked from the knowing?”

After remaining silent for some time, Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Where is he who inquired regarding the clothing worn by the people of Paradise?” “It was me,” the man replied.

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, لَا بَلْ تُشَقَّقُ عَنْ ثَمَرِ الْجَنَّةِ – “No, but they shall emerge from the fruits of Paradise.” He said this three times.[2]

Is it wājib to perform umrah?

Jābir b. Abdullah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُمَا narrated:

A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and asked,يَا رَسُولَ الله اَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْعُمْرَةِ اَوَاجِبَةٌ هِيَ  - “O Messenger of Allah! Kindly inform me about umrah; is it wājib?”

He replied, وَاَنْ تَعْتَمِرَ خَيْرٌ لَك لَا – “It is not wājib, but good for you to perform.”[3]

What is for me?

MuṣꜤab b. SaꜤd رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه narrates from his father:

A Bedouin came to the Greatest Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and said, يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ عَلِّمْنِي كَلامًا اَقُولُهُ – “O Prophet of Allah! Teach me a dua I can recite.”

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم told him to say:

لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهٗ اللهُ اَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا، سُبْحَانَ اللهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ

There is none worthy of worship besides Allah. He is One without partner. Allah is the greatest, all praises belong to Allah, glory be to Allah; the Lord of the worlds. Ability to do good and strength to avoid sins is only from Allah; the Mighty, the Wise.

The Bedouin asked, هَؤُلاءِ لِرَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَمَا لِي - “All of these words are to do with my Lord, the Exalted and Majestic. What is for me?”

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “You should say, اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي – “O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy upon me, guide me, and grant me sustenance.”[4]

Who is the best person?

ʿAbdullah b. Yusr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ explains:

Two Bedouins came to the Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. One of them asked, يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اَيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ – “O Messenger of Allah! Who is the best of people?” He replied, مَنْ طَالَ عُمْرُهٗ، وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُهٗ – “He whose life is long and deeds are virtuous.”

The second Bedouin said, “O Messenger of Allah! صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم” اِنَّ شَرَائِعَ الْاِسْلَامِ قَدْ كَثُرَتْ عَلَيَّ، فَمُرْنِي بِاَمْرٍ اَتَثَبَّتُ بِهٖ – “The rulings of Islam are many. Command me with something I can hold onto firmly.” He explained in reply, لَا يَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطْبًا من ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - “Keep your tongue moist with dhikr of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic.”[5]

In another narration, a person asked,اَيُّ النَّاسِ شَرٌّ – “Who is the most evil of people?” The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: مَنْ طَالَ عُمُرُهٗ وَسَاءَ عَمَلُهٗ– “He whose life is long and deeds are bad.”[6]

Commentary: The scholar Muhammad b. ꜤAllān al-ShāfiꜤī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه comments:

During his long life, a person should do those actions which bring him closer to Allah Almighty and lead to Him being pleased. The meaning of deeds being virtuous is that the action be performed in full with all its conditions and pillars.[7]

Imam Sharīf al-Dīn al-Ṭībī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states:

The best of people is he who has a long life and performs good deeds. The example of a person in this world with good deeds is like a trader who leaves his home with merchandise so he can earn profit by selling it. He then returns to his homeland in safety and having earned a great amount, experiencing goodness as a result.

Likewise, a person’s life is his investment; his breaths and the movement of his limbs are his capital, whilst good deeds are his earnings. The investment he has, i.e. the longer his lifespan, the more earnings he will have, meaning good deeds. The Hereafter is his homeland. When he returns to his homeland, he will find the full reward of his earnings, i.e. good deeds.[8]