Rasulullah (saw) leaning on something other than a pillow
The pillow has been discussed in the previous chapter. Besides this Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam took support of people at the time of illness, and also leaned on them as is evident from the narrations. The author has therefore written this chapter separately. Two narrations are mentioned in this chapter.
(128) Hadith Number 1
Anas Radiyallahu ‘Anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam became ill. For this reason he came out of his room With the support of Usaamah Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, and led the Sahaaba in salaah. Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam wore a Yamaani printed shawl at that time.
Commentary
This has been discussed in hadith number six in the ‘Chapter on the Clothing of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallailahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam.’
(129) Hadith Number 2
Fadl bin ‘Abbaas Radiyallahu ‘Anhu says: “I came to Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam at the time of his last illness before he passed away. A yellow band was fastened around the mubaarak head of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. I greeted him and after replying, he asked me to fasten the band tightly around his mubaarak head. I carried out his request. Thereafter Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam sat up, then stood up supporting himself on my shoulder, and entered the masjid”. There is a detailed-incident in this hadith.
Commentary
Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam fastened the band because of a headache. Some ‘ulama have translated it as a turban instead of a band. It is evident that Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam wore different coloured turbans. The proof of the yellow turban is taken from this hadith. The incident which Imaam Tirmidhi has referred to has been mentioned in detail in the kittab ‘Majma’-uz Zawaa-id’. Sayyidina Fadl Radiyallahu ‘Anhu says: I attended the noble assembly of Rasulullah Sallallahu’Alayhi Wasallam. I noticed that Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam had a fever and a band was fastened around his mubaarak head. Rasulullah Sallallhu ‘Alayhi Wasallam said: ‘Hold my hand’. I held his hand and (we) entered the masjid. Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam sat on the mimbar, and said: ‘Call the people’. I went to gather the people. After reciting the hamd and thanaa (thanks and praises to Allah) he addressed them on this subject: ‘The time has come near when I shall leave you. Whomsoever I had hit on the back may take revenge. Whomsoever I have dishonoured or disgraced wrongfully, let him take revenge by dishonouring me. Let no person fear that if he takes revenage I shall hate him, for it is not my nature to do so, nor is it appropriate for me to do so.
Remember, that person shall be very dear to me who avenges himself, or forgives me, so that I may meet my creator in happiness and without fear. I will not consider it sufficient to announce this once only, but shall announce it again”. Thereafter he descended from the mimbar. After performing the zuhr salaah, he again ascended the mimbar and made the same announcement. He also repeated about the hatred as mentioned above, and added that if anyone owe’s anything, let him pay it because the disgrace of this world is much less than the disgrace of the hereafter. A person stood up and said: “Oh Rasulullah, you owe me three Dirhams’. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallain said: ‘I will not refute someone’s claim, nor will I make him swear an oath, but I would like to ask you, how and when was it taken?’ He replied: ‘A beggar once came to you. You asked me to give him three Dirhams’. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam told Sayyidina Fadl Radiyallahu ‘Anhu to pay him the three Dirhams. Thereafter another person got up and said: ‘I owe the Baytul Maal (Public Treasury) three Dirhams, which I cheated and wrongfully took from it’. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam asked: ‘Why did you cheat?’ He replied: ‘At that time I was in need and very desperate’. Sayyidina Rasuluilah Saliallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam asked Sayydina Fadl Radiyallahu ‘Anhu to collect the money from him. Thereafter Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallamn annouced : ‘If anyone fears one’s habits, let him ask for a du’aa (because the time for departure is near). A person got up and said. ‘Oh Rasulullah, I am a liar, a munaafiq (hypocrite) and I sleep alot. ‘Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam made du’aa for him, ‘Oh Allah grant him truthfulness, a strong (and complete) imaan (faith), and cure from the illness of sleeping (a lot)’. After that another person stood up and said: ‘Oh Rasulullah, I am a liar, a munaafiq and there is no sin which I have not committed’. Sayyidina ‘Umar Radiyallahu ‘Anhu warned him that he was openly declaring his sins. Sayyidina Rasulullah Saliallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam said: ‘O ‘Umar, be calm, the disgrace of the world is lighter and better than the disgrace of the hereafter’. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallarn made du’aa for that person, ‘Oh Allah, grant him truthfulness and a strong imaan, and make his life a better one’. Thereafter Sayyidina ‘Umar Radiyallahu ‘Anhu got up and said something to the congregation. In reply to which Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam said: Umar is with me and I am with ‘Umar. After me ‘Umar will remain on the truth wherever he goes’. In another hadith it is stated that a person got up and said : ‘O Rasulullah, I am a coward and have the sickness of sleeping alot’. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam also made dua for him Sayydina Fadl Radiyallahu ‘Anhu says: ‘We saw thereafter, that there was no person braver than him’. After this Sayydina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam went to the room of Sayyiditina Aayeshah Radiyallahu ‘Anha and repeated to the womenfolk what he had said to the menfolk. One Sahaabiyyah got up and said: ‘Oh Rasulullah, I am helpless from my tongue’. Sayydina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam made dua for her’. Majma-uz-Zawaa-id.
These people called them self munaafiq (hypocrite) because of the fear they had of Allah. A few incidents are related in the second chapter of the ‘Stories of the Sahaabah Radiyallahu ‘Anhum’. Due to the great fear that over came them, thay sometimes thought they had become hypocrites. Even Sayydina Abubakr Siddiqe Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, who is the best person among the entire ummah of Sayydina Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alayh Wasallam, by the consensus of the ‘Ahlul-Haq (rightful ones), also at times, felt that he had become a munaafiq, as we find from the incident of Sayydina Hanzalah Radiyallahu ‘Anhu which is mentioned in the ‘Stories of the Sahaabah Radiyallahu ‘Anhum’. Ibn Abi Mulaykah says: I saw thirty people among the Sahaabah Radiyallahu ‘Anhum who fear they might have become munaafiqs’. Hasan Basri RA, who is among the great sufis and a Taabi’ee says: These muslims of the past, i.e The Sahaabah Radiyallahu ‘Anhum and present muslims, i.e. those living among the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een, there are none among them who do not fear their nifaaq (hypocrisy). And in the past, and present times,there is no munaafiq, that is not content’. It is also reported from Hasan Basri RA, that the person that does not fear hypocrisy is in actual fact a munaafiq. Ebrahim Taymi, who is among the fuqahaa of the Taabi’een says: ‘Whenever I compare my sayings to my deeds, I fear that they may be false’. Bukhaari, Fathul Baari. What is meant, is the fear all these great personalities had for their own deeds. They thought of them as things that did not exist. nor had any value, as if nothing had been accomplished. They always feared that their advice and counsels etc. might become a means of their hypocrisy.
Shamaail Tirmidhi
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za ?
