Muslim

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
If a person sincerely and honestly strives to the best of his ability to develop good and lofty qualities within himself, and endures effort and hardship for this purpose, then Allah, the Exalted, grants him the ability to be characterized by these qualities and delivers him from difficult and constricted circumstances.

Hadith Commentary:
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet... Patience (sabr) is a remarkable blessing; in the end, everyone’s hearts incline towards the patient person, and all begin to show sympathy towards him. Indeed, it is true:
﴿And Allah is with the patient.﴾

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This hadith encourages self-sufficiency from people and urges refraining from asking others by relying on Allah and exercising patience. Furthermore, a person should wait for the sustenance (rizq) given by Allah and not allow impatience to approach him, because there is no blessing greater than patience. For it, there is a promise of unlimited reward and recompense.

(2)
Asking without necessity is forbidden (haram), and the virtue of refraining from committing this forbidden act through patience is mentioned here. This is also the objective of the chapter heading.

(3)
In any case, patience (sabr) is a remarkable blessing. The hearts of people incline towards a patient person, and they become restless to show sympathy towards him. In the Noble Qur’an it is stated:
“Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient.” ()
The final words of the hadith:
“No servant has been given a blessing better and more expansive than patience,”
are worthy of reflection. The reality is that the state of the heart called patience is a very great blessing from Allah. This is why, in one place in the Noble Qur’an, patience is mentioned before prayer (salah).
()

Hadith Commentary:
Among the countless virtues of Islamic Shariah, one of the most important is that it has, in various ways, prohibited extending one's hand and asking from people, and at the same time, has encouraged earning and obtaining sustenance through one's own effort and strength.

However, there are still many such men and women who are so helpless that they have no choice but to ask.

For them, it has been said:
﴿وَاَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلاَ تَنهَر﴾ — that is, do not scold those who ask.

Rather, respond to them gently.

The narrator of this hadith is Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu.

His name is Sa‘d ibn Malik.

He is from the Ansar.

He is more well-known by his kunyah.

He was a memorizer of hadith and a person of virtue and intellect, counted among the senior scholars from among the Companions.

He lived to the age of 84 and passed away in 74 AH, and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi‘.

Radi Allahu anhu wa ardah.

Hadith Commentary:
How significant is this virtue of Islamic Shariah, that it has, in various ways, prohibited its followers from extending their hands before people and asking from them, and has encouraged them to earn and obtain sustenance through their own effort. Nevertheless, there are some among the disabled for whom it is unavoidable to ask without question. Regarding them, the command of the Qur’an is that they should not be rebuked; rather, if one has nothing to give them, one should respond gently.

(2)
Allamah ‘Ayni rahimahullah has mentioned three types of asking (sual):

➊ Prohibited (haram):
This applies to the person who is not in need of zakah or who unnecessarily portrays himself as poor.

➋ Disliked (makruh):
This is for the one who possesses wealth for his needs and does not display poverty.

➌ Permissible (mubah):
This is when someone asks from a relative or friend in a customary manner; however, in a time of necessity, asking to save one’s life becomes necessary.

If something is received without greed of the soul and without asking, then there is no harm in accepting it.

(‘Umdat al-Qari: 6/494)

In this hadith, three levels of refraining from asking are mentioned:

The first is that a person avoids asking, but does not display self-sufficiency (istighna’).

The second is that he remains independent of creation, but if something is given to him, he accepts it gladly.

The third is that even when something is given, he does not accept it.

This is the highest level of patience and steadfastness, which encompasses noble character traits within itself.

Explanation:
1:
That is, whoever practices contentment and refrains from extending his hand and asking from people, Allah Ta'ala will grant him tranquility of heart and make him independent of others.

1644. English Commentary: Among the blessings of intention and sincere resolve is that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, makes it fruitful—provided that a person adopts the path of the Shari‘ah. In this hadith, refraining from asking (others) is described as ‘iffah (chastity/restraint). This word, in terms of its meaning, is very broad. Remaining pure in the matter of marriage is also called ‘iffah, and one who possesses this quality is described as ‘afif. That is, if the means for marriage are not available, and a person is determined to remain chaste (‘afif), then Allah, Exalted is He, will make him chaste. This also entails the meanings of self-sufficiency (ghina) and patience (sabr). And it is necessary that a person strives to keep his needs as minimal as possible.

1628. Commentary: (al-ilhaaf) refers to the state of asking when the one who asks does so with undue insistence and clings to his request. The quality of dignified poor people (fuqaraa) has been described by the Noble Qur’an as follows: (The ignorant think them to be rich because of their restraint. You will recognize them by their mark; they do not ask people persistently [ilhaaf].) (al-Baqarah 2:273) Uninformed people consider them to be wealthy. You recognize them by their signs. They do not cling to people (with insistence) in asking.

(1) "Sent"—meaning, he sent someone to ask for something, as is understood from the end of the hadith.
(2) "Displays self-sufficiency." That is, despite being poor, he does not express his poverty.
(3) "Seeks sufficiency." Meaning, he is not greedy but asks according to his need, or he supplicates to Allah for sufficiency.
(4) Yaqutah was the name of his she-camel.

(1) "Will protect." That is, whoever wishes to avoid asking (begging), Allah, the Exalted, will not let such a situation arise for him that he is compelled to ask. Allah, the Exalted, will continue to fulfill his needs, but he should have resolve and not be hasty in asking from people.

(2) "Will make patient." That is, determination is also necessary for the attainment of patience (sabr). If a person musters courage, then nothing is impossible.

(3) "Vast gift." That is, patience (sabr) is a very great gift, but for the afflicted one. Generally, one should not ask Allah, the Exalted, for the causes of patience. However, if a calamity befalls, then one should ask for patience. The meaning of patience is very broad. Steadfastness in religion, abstaining from the unlawful and sin, courage, and not panicking in adversity—all these are included in the meanings of patience.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[وأخرجه البخاري 1469، ومسلم 1053، من حديث مالك به]

Tafaqquh
➊ The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was extremely generous and a well-wisher for his ummah.
➋ It is permissible to give charity and alms, etc., to a beggar or needy person more than once.
➌ If a person does not possess (wealth in excess of his needs), he may present his excuse before the beggar.
➍ The best character is that even the needy should not ask for anything, rather, he should always act with patience and reliance (tawakkul). To keep looking towards the hands of others out of greed and to ask without a valid Shar‘i excuse is not a good practice, as is established from other ahadith. Also see: [ح : 174]
➎ ‘Ala bin ‘Abd al-Rahman bin Ya‘qub rahimahullah said: «ما نقصت صدقة من مال وما زاد الله عبدًا بعفو إلا عزًا وما تواضع عبد إلا رفعه الله» “Charity does not decrease wealth; Allah Almighty greatly honors the servant who forgives, and whoever adopts humility (tawadu‘), Allah raises his rank.” [الموطأ رواية يحييٰ 2/1000 ح1949ب وسنده صحيح]
This narration (athar) is also present in Sahih Muslim through the chain of «العلاء بن عبد الرحمن عن ابيه عن ابي هريرة» from the hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. [صحیح مسلم 2588 وترقيم دارالسلام : 6592]