Three Things Disliked by Allah Almighty

Gateway to Hadith

Three things disliked by Allah Almighty

Maulana Abul Hasan ‘Attari Madani

Sayyidunā Ameer Muʿāwiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ sent a letter to Sayyidunā Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, asking him to share a Hadith that he had learned directly from the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ wrote in reply: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say:

اِنَّ اللهَ كَرِهَ لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا: قِيلَ وَقَالَ وَاِضَاعَةَ الْمَالِ وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ

‘Allah Almighty dislikes three things for you: futile speech, wasting wealth, and excessive questions.’

(Sahīh al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 498, Hadith 1477)

From the multitude of vices that are harmful to us and disliked by Allah Almighty, this hadith specifically draws our attention to the following three:

1.   Futile Speech: Futile speech is idle talk; conversations that have little to no benefit. The wisdom behind this proscription is that excessive idle speech leads to excessive mistakes. (Fath al-Bārī, vol. 12, p. 260) By not talking unnecessarily, a person will have fewer opportunities to commit embarrassing mistakes and in turn, maintain a degree of decorum and respect among others. Idle talk also has an adverse spiritual impact on the heart. (Lamʿāt al-Tanqīh, vol. 8, Hadith 210) The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم elaborated on this matter: ‘Whoever has excessive speech, he also has excessive mistakes; whoever has excessive mistakes, he also has excessive sins; and whoever has excessive sins, he is more deserving of Hell.’ (Hilya al-Awliyā, vol. 3, p. 88, Raqm 3278) Several resources are available to learn about the benefits of silence and controlling the tongue.^[1]

2.   Wasting Wealth: We waste wealth in so many ways: by not protecting it, spending it without working hard to add to it, spending it irresponsibly, expending it on sinful wonts, giving more gifts than we can afford, and throwing away things that can still be used, to name a few. (Nuzha al-Qārī, vol. 2, p. 959)

3.   Excessive Questions: This includes, but is not limited to, asking for money when one is not Islamically eligible and asking scholars unnecessary questions. (Nuzha al-Qārī, vol. 2, p. 959)

The Honourable Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said that ‘a person will continue asking for wealth until he arrives on the Day of Judgment and there will not be a single piece of flesh on his face,’ (Sahīh al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 497, Hadith 1474) i.e., he will arrive dishonoured.^[2]

Every Muslim must learn about the core aspects of their faith by engaging with the Ulema:

فَسْــٴَـلُوْۤا اَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَۙ(۴۳)

“O people! Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.”

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 14, Surah An-Naml, Verse 43)

But avoid asking unnecessary questions that have no relevance to your religious needs and observances.

Those eristic souls who raise unnecessary questions solely to compete with scholars, trouble  others, or to seek fame, should reflect on the words of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: ‘Whoever seeks knowledge to compete with scholars, debate with ignorant people, or to seek the attention of people, Allah Almighty will admit him into Hell.’ (Jāmi’ al-Tirmidhī, vol. 4, p. 297, Hadith 2663)

Elaborating on this Hadith, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes: ‘Whoever does not seek Islamic knowledge for the sake of Islam, but honour, amassing wealth, or spreading mischief in the religion, he will be the highest-ranking inhabitant of Hell.’ (Mirāt al-Manājīh, vol. 1, p. 204)

To clarify this further, the Hanafi jurist Ibn-e-Āabiden رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه provides examples of questions that are utterly futile because they have no bearing on one’s understanding or practice of Islam:

How did Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام descend to earth? Which form did the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم see him in? When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw him in human form, was he an angel then as well? And other similar questions that are unnecessary to learn, and Islam has not obliged us to seek knowledge about them. (Radd al-Muhtār, vol. 10, p. 520, summarised)

Mufti Shareef-ul-Haqq Amjadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه also mentions examples of futile questions: the things that we are not obliged to know, such as: What was the first thing that Sayyidunā Ādam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام consumed in Paradise? When he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام met Sayyidah Hawā رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا for the first time, what did they talk about? What happened to the meat of Sayyidunā Ismāʿīl’s ram? Such questions are prohibited and come under the rubric of ‘excessive questioning.’ (Nuzha al-Qārī, vol. 2, p. 959)

In one place, Mufti Shareef-ul-Haqq رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه advises people who ask about the beard of the angels: ‘We are not obliged to know the form of angels and whether they have a beard or not. Therefore, it is improper to ask about such matters. (Fatāwā Shārih Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 663)

O our generous Lord! Enable us to abstain from all three things mentioned in this blessed Hadith.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم