The Excellence of Ascetics

The present, worldly life is nothing but a pastime and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is truly alive. If they but knew. (al-Ankabut 29:63)

 

243. Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Look at those who are lower than you and do not look at those who are higher than you. That is more likely to prevent you underestimating the blessing of Allah on you.” These are the words of Muslim. In one variant, “When one of you sees someone who has been given more bounty in respect of wealth or physical strength, he should then look at someone who has less than him.” (Sahih Muslim, Zuhd, 9).

245. Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, took hold of my shoulders and said, ‘Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller on the road.’ Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say, ‘In the evening, do not anticipate the morning, and in the morning do not anticipate the evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Riqaq, 3).

246. Sahl ibn Sa’d as-Saidi, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, show me an action for which Allah will love me and for which people will love me if I do it. He said, ‘Do with little of this world and Allah will love you, and do with little of what belongs to other people and people will love you.” (Sunan ibn Majah, Zuhd, 1).

252. Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he was reciting ‘Fierce competition for this world distracted you.’” (102:1) He said, ‘The son of Adam says, “My property! My property!” Son of Adam, have you any other property than what you eat and thus gets used up, wear and thus becomes worn out, and give in sadaqa and thus make effective?’” (Sahih Muslim, Zuhd, 3).

254. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, slept on a straw mat and when he got up he had a mark on his side. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we could make a covering for you?’ He said, ‘What have I to do with this world? I am only in this world like a rider who seeks shade under a tree and then goes on.’” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 44).

 

Nawawi, Imam. Riyad As-Salihin; The Gardens of the Righteous: A collection of authentic hadiths. Tughra Books Press, Inc. 2014