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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Good Treatment of Servants
بَابُ اكْسُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُونَChapter: Clothe Them as You Clothe Yourselves
Hadith 187
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ مُجَاهِدِ أَبِي حَزْرَةَ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ قَالَ: خَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأَبِي نَطْلُبُ الْعِلْمَ فِي هَذَا الْحَيِّ فِي الأَنْصَارِ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَهْلِكُوا، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ لَقِينَا أَبُو الْيَسَرِ صَاحِبُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ غُلاَمٌ لَهُ، وَعَلَى أَبِي الْيَسَرِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ، وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا عَمِّي، لَوْ أَخَذْتَ بُرْدَةَ غُلاَمِكَ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ مَعَافِرِيَّكَ، أَوْ أَخَذْتَ مَعَافِرِيَّهُ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ بُرْدَتَكَ، كَانَتْ عَلَيْكَ حُلَّةٌ أَوْ عَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ، فَمَسَحَ رَأْسِي وَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِيهِ، يَا ابْنَ أَخِي، بَصَرُ عَيْنَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ، وَسَمْعُ أُذُنَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ، وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي وَأَشَارَ إِلَى نِيَاطِ قَلْبِهِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ”أَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ، وَاكْسُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُونَ“، وَكَانَ أَنْ أُعْطِيَهُ مِنْ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
It is narrated from ‘Ubadah bin Walid bin ‘Ubadah that I and my respected father went to a tribe of the Ansar to seek knowledge, so that we could learn before they passed away. The first person we met was the companion of the Prophet (ﷺ), Sayyiduna Abu Yusr (may Allah be pleased with him), and his slave was with him. Sayyiduna Abu Yusr (may Allah be pleased with him) was wearing a sheet and a Ma‘afiri garment, and his slave was also dressed in a sheet and a Ma‘afiri garment. I said: Uncle! If you took the striped sheet from the slave and gave him the Ma‘afiri garment, or took the Ma‘afiri garment from him and gave him your sheet, then both of you would have matching outfits. He placed his hand on my head and said: O Allah! Bless him. O my nephew! I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with these two eyes of mine, heard him with these two ears, and my heart has retained it, and he pointed towards his heart. He (ﷺ) used to say: “Feed them with what you eat yourself, and clothe them with what you wear yourself.” And for me to give him from the wealth of this world is easier for me than for him to take from my good deeds on the Day of Resurrection.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
The point is that slaves and servants are also human beings and they too possess self-respect; therefore, they should be given food and clothing like one’s own, so that they do not develop a sense of inferiority. By doing so, love for the owners will be created in their hearts. This is why Abu al-Yasar radi Allahu anhu did not even tolerate the slightest difference in the type of clothing. This was his piety (taqwa) and scrupulousness (wara‘); otherwise, it is not necessary that the clothing be exactly the same—the objective is that if you eat fine food yourself, then feed them fine food as well, and if you wear high-quality clothes yourself, then let them wear high-quality clothes too. In the present age, our attitude towards employees, especially domestic workers, is extremely regrettable: leftovers are given to them, and our old clothes are handed over to them. As a result, they too are devoid of feelings of goodwill and affection, and spend their days merely fulfilling their duties as a formality, never missing any opportunity for dishonesty.
The point is that slaves and servants are also human beings and they too possess self-respect; therefore, they should be given food and clothing like one’s own, so that they do not develop a sense of inferiority. By doing so, love for the owners will be created in their hearts. This is why Abu al-Yasar radi Allahu anhu did not even tolerate the slightest difference in the type of clothing. This was his piety (taqwa) and scrupulousness (wara‘); otherwise, it is not necessary that the clothing be exactly the same—the objective is that if you eat fine food yourself, then feed them fine food as well, and if you wear high-quality clothes yourself, then let them wear high-quality clothes too. In the present age, our attitude towards employees, especially domestic workers, is extremely regrettable: leftovers are given to them, and our old clothes are handed over to them. As a result, they too are devoid of feelings of goodwill and affection, and spend their days merely fulfilling their duties as a formality, never missing any opportunity for dishonesty.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 187
