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Hadith 21
اُردوEn
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُحِبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ لَمْ يُحِبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ "
And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah also loves to meet him, and whoever does not like to meet Allah, Allah also does not like to meet him."
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdullah Shameem
Explanation of the Hadith:
The meaning of the mentioned hadith is certainly not that a person should not dislike the agony of death, for every servant fears the severity of death and considers it unpleasant. In fact, it has even been reported regarding some of the Prophets that when the Angel of Death came, they found death to be unpleasant. Therefore, the meaning of this hadith is that a person should not give preference to the world nor consider it to be his abode forever. This is further clarified by the statement of Allah, the Exalted:
«إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا» [يونس: 7]
“Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein...”
In another place, He said:
«وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَاةٍ» [البقره: 96]
“And, O Prophet! You will surely find them the most greedy of people for life.”
It is thus understood that disliking to meet Allah means that a person remains delighted and rejoicing only in the life of this world, does not believe in the Hereafter, and does not reflect upon the signs of Allah.
There is another interpretation of this hadith as well. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him. And whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him.” So Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha and some of the wives of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “We also do not like to die.” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: “Death is not what is meant by meeting Allah. Rather, when a believing person is about to die, he is given the glad tidings of Allah’s pleasure and honor with Him. At that moment, nothing is dearer to the believer than what lies ahead (the meeting with Allah, His pleasure, and the attainment of Paradise), so he desires to meet Allah, and Allah loves to meet him. And when the disbeliever’s time of death approaches, he is given the news of Allah’s punishment and torment. At that moment, nothing is more detestable to him than what lies ahead, so he dislikes to meet Allah, and Allah dislikes to meet him.” [صحيح بخاري، كتاب الرقاق، رقم: 6507]
Therefore, true felicity is that at the time of death, the longing to meet Allah prevails and there is no grief over leaving the world. May Allah grant every Muslim death in this state. Ameen!
And whoever longs to meet Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, should be diligent in acting according to the Shariah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and should never associate anyone with Allah in worship under any circumstance. Allah, the Exalted, has said:
«فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا» [الكهف: 110]
“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir rahimahullah writes: “This verse is evidence that there are two conditions for an action to be accepted by Allah: first, that it is in accordance with the Shariah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and second, that its purpose is solely the pleasure of Allah, not fame, ostentation, or any other worldly motive.” [تفسير ابن كثير، تحت الآية]
The purpose of reciting the kalimah tayyibah (the declaration of faith) at the time of death is also this: the pain that the believer experiences at the time of death ultimately results in eternal comfort.
Allah, the Exalted, loves:
In this hadith, it is also established that Allah, the Exalted, loves His servants. Therefore, this refutes the doctrine of the Mu‘attilah and the Mu’awwilah, who do not affirm the attribute of love for Allah, or interpret it to mean only the will of good. It should be remembered that indeed the result of love is good and benefit, but the attribute of love is affirmed for Allah. «كما يليق بجلاله وشانه.»
The meaning of the mentioned hadith is certainly not that a person should not dislike the agony of death, for every servant fears the severity of death and considers it unpleasant. In fact, it has even been reported regarding some of the Prophets that when the Angel of Death came, they found death to be unpleasant. Therefore, the meaning of this hadith is that a person should not give preference to the world nor consider it to be his abode forever. This is further clarified by the statement of Allah, the Exalted:
«إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا» [يونس: 7]
“Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein...”
In another place, He said:
«وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَاةٍ» [البقره: 96]
“And, O Prophet! You will surely find them the most greedy of people for life.”
It is thus understood that disliking to meet Allah means that a person remains delighted and rejoicing only in the life of this world, does not believe in the Hereafter, and does not reflect upon the signs of Allah.
There is another interpretation of this hadith as well. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him. And whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him.” So Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha and some of the wives of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “We also do not like to die.” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: “Death is not what is meant by meeting Allah. Rather, when a believing person is about to die, he is given the glad tidings of Allah’s pleasure and honor with Him. At that moment, nothing is dearer to the believer than what lies ahead (the meeting with Allah, His pleasure, and the attainment of Paradise), so he desires to meet Allah, and Allah loves to meet him. And when the disbeliever’s time of death approaches, he is given the news of Allah’s punishment and torment. At that moment, nothing is more detestable to him than what lies ahead, so he dislikes to meet Allah, and Allah dislikes to meet him.” [صحيح بخاري، كتاب الرقاق، رقم: 6507]
Therefore, true felicity is that at the time of death, the longing to meet Allah prevails and there is no grief over leaving the world. May Allah grant every Muslim death in this state. Ameen!
And whoever longs to meet Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, should be diligent in acting according to the Shariah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and should never associate anyone with Allah in worship under any circumstance. Allah, the Exalted, has said:
«فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا» [الكهف: 110]
“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir rahimahullah writes: “This verse is evidence that there are two conditions for an action to be accepted by Allah: first, that it is in accordance with the Shariah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and second, that its purpose is solely the pleasure of Allah, not fame, ostentation, or any other worldly motive.” [تفسير ابن كثير، تحت الآية]
The purpose of reciting the kalimah tayyibah (the declaration of faith) at the time of death is also this: the pain that the believer experiences at the time of death ultimately results in eternal comfort.
Allah, the Exalted, loves:
In this hadith, it is also established that Allah, the Exalted, loves His servants. Therefore, this refutes the doctrine of the Mu‘attilah and the Mu’awwilah, who do not affirm the attribute of love for Allah, or interpret it to mean only the will of good. It should be remembered that indeed the result of love is good and benefit, but the attribute of love is affirmed for Allah. «كما يليق بجلاله وشانه.»
Source: Sahifa Hammam bin Munabbih: Commentary by Hafiz Abdullah Shameem, Page: 21
