The Bedouin’s Questions and the Prophet’s Answers

The Key to Knowledge

The Bedouin’s Questions and the Prophet’s Answers

Adnan Chishti Attari Madani

Bedouin Companions of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked him a variety of questions. We have discussed some of these in previous editions. In this edition, we look at five more questions they asked, and the answers issued by the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Who shall have chambers in Paradise?

The fourth caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, narrates that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

اِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا تُرٰى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا

“Paradise certainly has chambers whose outside can be seen from their inside, and their inside from their outside.”

A Bedouin stood and asked:

لِمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ الله

“Who are they for, O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?”

He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied:

هِيَ لِمَنْ اَطَابَ الْكَلَامَ،وَاَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ،وَاَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ،وَصَلَّى لله بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ

“These are for those who spoke in an upright fashion, fed others, consistently fasted, and worshipped Allah when people slept at night.”^[1]

Who shall sit on pearl pulpits?

It is narrated from Sayyidunā Abū Dardāˈ رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم announced:

لَيَبْعَثَنَّ اللَّهُ اَقْوَامًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي وُجُوهِهِمُ النُّورُ عَلَى مَنَابِرِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ يَغْبِطُهُمُ النَّاسُ لَيْسُوا بِاَنْبِيَاءَ وَلَا شُهَدَاءَ

“Allah Almighty shall certainly raise a group of people on the Day of Judgement whose faces shall be shining, and they will be upon pulpits of pearls. The people will admire them. They will neither be prophets nor martyrs.”

A Bedouin stood on his knees and exclaimed:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ حَلِّهِمْ لَنَا نَعْرِفْهُمْ

“O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Please describe them to us, so we may recognise them.”

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

هُمُ الْمُتَحَابُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ قَبَائِلَ شَتّٰى وَبِلَادٍ شَتّٰى يَجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ يَذْكُرُونَهٗ

“They shall love one another for the sake of Allah and hail from varying tribes and cities. They will gather to remember Allah Almighty and proceed to make dhikr of Him.”^[2]

Which deeds benefit?

Sayyidunā Abū Jurā Jābir b. Sulaym رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ reports:

I came to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and asked:

اِنَّا قَوْمٌ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ فَعَلِّمْنَا شَيْئًا يَنْفَعُنَا اللهُ بِهٖ

“We are a nation who live in villages. Kindly inform us of something we can do through which Allah Almighty will grant us benefit.”

He replied, “Do not think lowly of any good deed, even if it is pouring water from your bucket into your brother’s bowl or smiling at your brother when speaking with him.”

 (He continued by saying) وَاِيَّاكَ وَتَسْبِيلَ الْاِزَارِ فَاِنَّهُ مِنَ الْخُيَلَاءِ وَالْخُيَلَاءُ لَا يُحِبُّهَا اللَّهُ

“Avoid dangling the lower garment below the ankles, as this is a sign of arrogance,^[3] and arrogance is disliked by Allah Almighty.”                 

وَاِنِ امْرُؤٌ سَبَّكَ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ فِيكَ

“And if someone were to criticise you for one of your shortcomings, do not criticise them for one of theirs. This is because you shall be rewarded for not taunting them, and the criticiser shall bear the burden of criticising.”^[4]

When will the Day of Judgement take place?

Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates:

Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was speaking with the people in a gathering, when a Bedouin came and asked:

مَتَى السَّاعَةُ

“When will the Day of Judgement take place?”

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم continued speaking with the people, to the extent some said, “He heard the question but disliked it,” whilst others said, “He did not hear it.”

Upon finishing his discourse, he asked:

اَيْنَ اُرَاهُ السَّائِلُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ

“Where is the one who asked about the Day of Judgement?”

The Bedouin replied, “I am here, O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then foretold:

فَاِذَا ضُيِّعَتِ الْاَمَانَةُ فَانْتَظِرِ السَّاعَةَ

“When trust is discarded, await the Day of Judgement.”

The Bedouin then asked:

كَيْفَ اِضَاعَتُهَا

 “How will trust be discarded?”

 He declared:         

اِذَا وُسِّدَ الْاَمْرُ اِلَى غَيْرِ اَهْلِهٖ فَانْتَظِرِ السَّاعَةَ

“When status is given to the undeserving, await the Day of Judgement.”^[5]

Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه expounds upon مَتَى السَّاعَةُ:

The questioner inquired regarding the year, month, and day on which the Day of Judgement shall occur. This highlights how the Companions believed Allah Almighty granted the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knowledge of the unseen, as well as knowledge of when the Day of Judgement will come. This is why they asked him questions like this in the first place.

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not label the enquirer a disbeliever or polytheist for asking this question. He instead explained signs pertaining to the Day of Judgement, and the signs of something can only be explained by the one who knows the subject matter in entirety.

Explaining ضُيِّعَتِ الْاَمَانَةُ, he writes, “In this context, the word الْاَمَانَة refers to leadership, governance, and kingdom. These are bestowed by Allah Almighty upon His servants for a temporary period. This is evidenced by the themes we shall soon discuss.”

Explaining اِذَا وُسِّدَ الْاَمْرُ اِلَى غَيْرِ اَهْلِهٖ, he adds:

Such that governance is assumed by open transgressors. The ignorant shall become judges and lawmakers, whilst the foolish will become kings. The word تَوسِید is derived from وِسادۃ. This means to place a pillow under a person’s head. In the context of this discussion, this means the pillow of power shall be placed under the heads of the undeserving.^[6]

Will there be horses in Paradise?

It is narrated by Sayyidunā Buraydah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was approached by a Bedouin, who asked:

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ اِنِّي اُحِبُّ الْخَيْلَ اَفِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْلٌ

“O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, I love horses greatly. Will there be horses in Paradise?”

He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied:

اِنْ اُدْخِلْتَ الْجَنَّةَ اُتِيتَ بِفَرَسٍ مِنْ يَاقُوتَةٍ لَهٗ جَنَاحَانِ فَحُمِلْتَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طَارَ بِكَ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ

“If you are entered into Paradise, a ruby horse with two wings shall be brought to you. You will be made to sit on it. It will fly you to wherever you wish.”^[7]

Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes:

Paradise will not contain worldly creatures like camels or birds, but it will have its own beings altogether. An example of them is the ḥūr and ghilmān. Also, Paradise is exclusively for Muslim humans, yet select animals from this world will enter it. These are the Prophet’s camel (Qaṣwā), the dog of the People of the Cave, the camel of Prophet Ṣāliḥ عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامُ, and the donkey of Prophet ʿĪsā  عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامُ, as mentioned in some narrations.^[8]