ar- Raqâ’iq - The Heart Softening Narrations

The Messenger of Allah said:

"Whoever enters the marketplace* and says:

'There is none worthy of worship except Allah who has no partners, for Him is the Dominion, and for Him is all Praise, He brings life and He causes death, and He is Alive and does not die, in His Hand is all good, and He is able to do all things'

[La ilaha ill Allah, Wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-Mulk, wa lahul-Hamd, yuhyiy wa yumit, wa Huwa Hayyun la yamut, bi Yadih al-khayr, wa Huwa 'ala kull shay'in Qadir]**

... then Allah will write one million good deeds for him, will wipe away one million of his bad deeds, will raise him one million levels, and will build a home for him in Paradise."

['Sahih al-Jami''; # 6231]

[*] So, in our times, this would apply to shoping centres the supermarket, clothing stores, etc., and Allah Knows best.

[**] Here is the dhikr in the original Arabic:

لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له له الملك و له الحمد يحيي و يميت و هو حي لا يموت بيده الخير و هو على كل شيء قدير


Apply. Alot.

Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Jannah?'' I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!'' Thereupon he (PBUH) said, "(Recite) `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (There is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah).''

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "For him who says: `Subhan-Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him, and to Him),' a palm-tree will be planted in Jannah.''

[At-Tirmidhi].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who utters a hundred times in a day these words: `La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli sha'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent),' he will have a reward equivalent to that for emancipating ten slaves, a hundred good deeds will be recorded to his credit, hundred of his sins will be blotted out from his scroll, and he will be safeguarded against the devil on that day till the evening; and no one will exceed him in doing more excellent good deeds except someone who has recited these words more often than him. And he who utters: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)' one hundred times a day, his sins will be obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean.''

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Mus'ab ibn Sa'd said: My father told me that he was with Allah's Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) when he remarked, "Does any one of you not have the ability to attain 1000 good deeds (hasanaat) every day?
Let him do tasbeeh (Subhan Allah!) 100 times, it will be written for him 1000 hasanat or 1000 sins will be wiped from his record."

[Muslim]

He (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever prays for me once, Allah blesses that person 10 times (because of that prayer)."

[Muslim]

Abu Ad-Dardaa’, may Allaah be pleased with him, said:

“Allaah likes that His slave is content with whatever He decrees upon him.”

Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said:

“Allaah is just and fair and Has thus made happiness lie in contentment and certainty in Allaah, (while He) made grief and sorrow lie in doubt and discontentment.”

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, wrote to Abu Moosaa, may Allaah be pleased with him, saying:

“All good lies in contentment, so if you can achieve this state then do so. Otherwise, persevere.”

Maymoon ibn Mahraan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said:

“He who is discontent with the Decree of Allaah has no cure for his stupidity.”

Ibn Mas`ûd relates that he was with some people when the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked them:

“Would you like to be one quarter of the population of Paradise?” When they replied that they would indeed like that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked them: “Would you like to be one third of the population of Paradise?” When they replied that they would indeed like that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked them: “Would you like to be one half of the population of Paradise?” When they replied that they would indeed like that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I swear by Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul. Indeed, I hope that you will be half the population of Paradise. This is because none shall enter Paradise except a soul that has surrendered to Allah, and you are to the polytheists like a single white hair on the hide of a black bull or a single black hair on the hide of a red bull.”

[Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

A man came to al-Hasan al-Basree, rahimahullah, and said, "I wish to debate with you about religion." Al-Hasan replied, "I know my Religion. If you have lost your religion, go out and look for it."

[al-'Aajurri in ash-Sharee'ah, p. 57]

Ibn Sama`ah said,

"For forty years, I only missed Takbir Tahrimah (initial takbeer) when my mother died."

[As Siyar 10/646]

Hamdûn al-Qassâr said,

“If one of your brothers commits an error, then seek ninety excuses for him, and if not, then you are the blameworthy one.”

Narrated Abû Hurayrah radhiAllâhu `anhu: Allâh's Apostle sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:

When a bondsman - a Muslim or a believer - washes his face (in course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes will be washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water ; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water, with the result that he comes out pure from all sins.

[Sahîh Muslim]

Narrated Uthmân ibn AffânradhiAllâhu `anhu:

The Messenger of Allâh sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:
He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.

[Sahîh Muslim]

Imâm al-Awzâ’î (d.157H) - rahimahullâh - said:

“Patiently restrict yourself to the Sunnah and pause where the people paused, say what they said and avoid what they avoided. Take to the path of your Salafus-Sâlih, for indeed, what was sufficient for them, is sufficient for you.”

[Related by Imâm al-آjurrî in ash-Sharî’ah (p.58) and also al-Bayhaqî in Madhkal ilas-Sunan (no.233).]

Ibn al-Jawzî (d.597H) - rahimahullâh - said:

“I feel that occupying oneself with jurisprudence and acquiring the narrations is hardly enough to correct the heart, unless he adds to that the study of raqâ’iq (heart-melting narrations) and the study of the lives of the Salafus-Sâlihîn. Since they attained what is desirous from the narrations and took from the outer actions that which is ordered and required. And I do not inform you of this except after personal trial and experience. Since I have found that the majority of the narrators and the students of Hadîth are concerned chiefly with obtaining the briefest isnâd (chain of narration) and increase in the number of narrations. And the majority of the jurisprudents are concerned with dialects and how to win arguments. So how can the hearts be softened with these things? Previously a group of the Salaf would visit a pious servant to see his conduct and manners, not to take from his knowledge. This was because the fruits of his knowledge were his manners and conduct, so understand this. Thus, along with the study of fiqh and Hadeeth, study the lives of the Salaf and those who abstained with regards to the world, so that this may be a cause of softness in your hearts.”

[Sayid ul-Khâtir (p.216).]

Abû Qilâbah (d.104H) - rahimahullâh - said:

“If Allâh gives you knowledge, then give Him worship; and do not let your desire be just to narrate it to the people.”

[Related by al-Khattîb in Iqtidâ’ul-’Ilmil-’Aml (no.37).]

إِذَا الْمَرْءُ أَفْشَى سِرِّهُ بِلِسَانِهِ
وَلاَمَ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرَهُ فَهُوَ أَحْمَقُ

إِذَا ضَاقَ صَدْرُ المَرْءِ عَنْ سِرِّ نَفْسِهِ
فَصَدْرُ الَّذِي يُسْتَودْعُ السِّرَّ أَضْيَقُ
~
If a man spreads his secret with his own tongue
and blames another… then he is a fool.

If his own breast is too narrow to conceal his own secret,
Then the breast of the one in whom he places it is even narrower.

-Imaam ash-Shafiee

In this life of poverty, hardship and trials, Abdullah asked his father [Imam Ahmad] one day, “Abi when will we ever relax?”

His father, one of the greatest revivers of the Sunnah, a role model for all Muslims, looked him in the eye and said, “With the first step we take into Jannah.”

Imaam ibn al-Jawzee (d.597H) said:

I sat one day and found sitting around me more than ten thousand (10,000) persons (listening to my sermon) – all of whom had felt their heart soften (and hearken to the words of Allah) or their eyes overflowed with tears. I reflected upon this within myself and said to myself: “What would your condition be like if they attained salvation and you were destroyed (in the fire)?”

Within myself I cried out:

“O Allah! You are my Master! If you judge me fit for punishment in the morrow (hereafter) do not inform them (the audience) of my punishment. I pray this to honour You and not for my benefit, lest one of them say: ‘The One (Allah) he called us to (worship and obey) punished him’.”

[Sayyd al-Khaatir, P. 321]

On the Day of Judgment, Allah, the most High, will announce: "Where are those persons who love each other for the sake of My pleasure? This day I will shelter them in the shade provided by Me. Today there is no shade except My shade".

[Muslim]

Ibn al-Qayyim says in Madarij al-Salikin (1/332):

“From the forms (of Shirk): Requesting the dead for needs, seeking their aid and turning to them.

This is the basis for Shirk in the world. This is because the actions of the dead have ceased. He is not able to harm or benefit himself, let alone the one who seeks his aid, or asks him to fulfil his need, or asks him to intercede for him with Allah, for this is from his ignorance with respect to the intercessor and the one interceded for, as has preceded. This is because he (the intercessor) is not able to intercede for him with Allah, except with His permission. Allah did not make his ‘seeking aid’ and petitioning, a cause for Allah’s permission to be granted. The only cause that grants Allah’s permission (for intercession) is the perfection of Tawheed. Yet, this Mushrik comes along, with a cause that only prevents Allah’s permission (for intercession)!”

It was narrated that 'Abd-Allah ibn al-Mubaarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

"Know that death nowadays is an honour for every Muslim who meets Allah adhering to the Sunnah. Verily, to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return. It is to Allah that we complain of our Alienation, the passing away of our brothers, the lack of support and the emergence of bid'ah. It is to Allah that we complain of the great calamity that has befallen this ummah because of the passing away of the scholars and Ahl as-Sunnah, and the emergence of bid'ah."

[ Al-Bia'h wan-Nahy 'anha by Ibn Waddaah.]

The Mother of the Belivers, Sayyida `A'isha said (Allah be pleased with her):

"Whoever of you is able to have something hidden of good works should do so."

[Musannaf [8.192-194]of Imam Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shayba]

'Amr ibn Yahya said:

"I heard my father narrating from his father who said: 'We were at the door of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood before the early morning prayer. When he came out we walked with him to the mosque. Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari came up to us and said, "Did Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan come out to you yet?" We said, "No." He sat down with us until [Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan] came out.

When he came out, we all stood up to greet him, and Abu Moosa said to him: "O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, earlier I saw in the mosque something that I have never seen before, but it seems good, al-hamdu Lillaah." He said, "And what was it?" He said, "If you live, you will see it. I saw people in the mosque sitting in circles waiting for the prayer. In every circle there was a man, and they had pebbles in their hands. He would say, 'Say Allaahu akbar one hundred times,' and they would say Allaahu akbar one hundred times; then he would say, 'Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times,' and they would say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times; then he would say, 'Say Subhaan Allaah one hundred times,' and they would say Subhaan Allaah one hundred times."

He asked, 'What did you say to them?' He said, 'I did not say anything to them; I was waiting to see what your opinion would be and what you would tell me to do.' He said, 'Why did you not tell them to count their bad deeds and guarantee them that nothing of their good deeds would be wasted?'

Then he left, and we went with him, until he reached one of those circles. He stood over them and said, 'What is this I see you doing?' They said, 'O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, these are pebbles we are using to count our takbeer, tahleel and tasbeeh.' He said, 'Count your bad deeds, and I guarantee that nothing of your good deeds will be wasted. Woe to you, O ummah of Muhammad, how quickly you are getting destroyed! The Companions of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are still alive, his garment is not yet worn out and his vessels are not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, either you are following a way that is more guided than that of Muhammad or you have opened the door of misguidance!'

They said, 'By Allaah, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, we only wanted to do good.' He said, 'How many of those who wanted to do good failed to achieve it! The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that people recite Qur'aan and it does not go any further than their throats. By Allaah, I do not know, maybe most of them are people like you.'

Then he turned away from them. 'Amr ibn Salamah said, 'I saw most of the members of those circles fighting alongside the Khawaarij on the day of Nahrawaan.'"

[Reported by al-Daarimi, al-Sunan, no. 210, ed. by 'Abd-Allaah Haashim al-Yamaani. Al-Albaani classed its isnaad as saheeh in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah under hadeeth no. 2005. See Majma' al-Zawaa'id by al-Haythami, 1/181]