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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allaah, may peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The believer is the mirror of the believer.”

[Abu Daawud, no. 4918, with a good chain]

Commentary:

Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan, may Allaah preserve him, explains this hadeeth by saying:

A mirror is that which you see yourself when you stand in front of it whether the picture is presentable or needs fixing and modification. When a person wishes to leave from his home, he stands in front of the mirror because there may be something that he needs to correct on himself or remove from his clothing or the like. For a person to have a pleasant appearance in front of the people is a good thing, however there is the figurative meaning of mirror that shows you your deficiencies and that is your Muslim brother/sister.

The believer is the mirror of his fellow brother. Your brother knows the mistakes and shortcomings that you may have and therefore informs you of them so accept what he tells you. This is an encouragement to accept what your brother presents to you which entails the beautification of your inward and outward appearance. Also he sees things in you that you can’t see yourself. A person may think he is complete and is mistake-free whereas his sincere and genuine Muslim brother sees that he has mistakes and shortcomings thus he instructs him to rectify them. So do not restrict yourself solely to your own assumptions and considerations but consult your brother and listen to the advice he has to give.

In this hadeeth are two important matters:

1. A person should accept the advice of his sincere brother from that which he sees in him from defects and correct them.
2. It is compulsory upon the Muslim to advise his brother/sister and not remain silent about what he sees in him from defects and the like or the opposite; praising him and being phony with him by relaying to him that which isn’t true (about himself). This is deceit and treachery. “The believer is the mirror to the believer,” he sees in him his own picture and what needs perfecting and reformation.

[Source: ‘Tasheelul Ilmaam bi fiqhil Ahaadeeth min Buloogh Al-Maraam’ by Sheikh Saalih al-Fouzaan, Translated by Abu Fouzaan Qaasim]

Allaah subhaan’nahu wa’ta’aala says:

إن الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات سيجعل لهم الرحمن ودّا

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.”

(Surat Maryam, 19:96)

Mujahid (scholar of tafseer & student of Ibn Abbas) said in explanation of this verse:

“Allaah loves them and makes them loved to His believing slaves” ¹

Imam Sa’aadi (rahimahullaah) said in explanation of this verse:

“This is from His blessings upon his slaves. The ones who combine between emaan and good deeds, that he promises to make for them affection: meaning love and affection (for them) in the hearts of His awliyaa, and those of the heavens and earth. And if there is affection in those hearts for them, then many of their affairs become easy, good things happen to them, supplications, guidance, acceptence and positions of authority.“ ²

¹Mujahid’s statement was taken from Tafseer Baghawi

²Imaam Sa’aadi’s is found in his tafseer of the Quran

(Source)

understandislam:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً

“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility^[1] in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy^[2]. ”

[Room: 21]

[1] Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhali said: ‘This Ayaah confirmed the blessing of living together in tranquillity since Allaah placed love and mercy between the husband and wife. Verily this blessing of living together in tranquillity cannot be achieved except if it is in an atmosphere which is surrounded and fragranced by love and mercy.’
[Taken from: ‘al-Haqooq wal-Waajibat p.19]

[2] Shaykh AbdurRahman bin Nasr as-Sa’adi (d. 1376 A.H.) said:

‘From those signs that indicate Allaah’s Mercy and His concern for His slaves, and His great Wisdom and His all-Encompassing knowledge is « that He created for you from yourselves mates » whom are suited to you and you are suited for them, and they are similar to you and you are similar to them.

«that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy.» with what results from marriage is a means that causes love and mercy, so a person receives enjoyment and pleasure from the wife and the benefit of the presence of offspring and educating them, and finds tranquility with them and generally you do not find amongst people the like of the love and mercy found between husband and wife.’

[‘Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahman fee Tafseer Kalam al-Mannan’ 6/p.97]

By Shaykh ‘Abdul Muhsin Al-‘Abbad

[Translated by Abdulilah Lahmami]

It has been established that the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“Whoever calls to guidance will have the reward similar to all those who follow him without their reward diminishing in any way and whoever calls to misguidance, he will have the sins similar to all those who follow him without their sins decreasing in any way.” 

[Saheeh Muslim (4/2060)]

Commentary:

This noble hadeeth primarily necessitates a great portion and fortune for the Companions because they are the ones that took this guidance and light from the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)  and passed it on to those after them. So all those that benefited from it, the Companions (radiAllahu anhum) will have reward similar to theirs until Allaah inherits the earth and those upon it. 

Yet before them, the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), (since) he came with this good and this guidance, Allaah will reward His Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) with the same reward as He gives to all those who were guided, entered the religion of Allaah and did good deeds, without their reward decreasing in any way. This is because the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is the one who called the people to this guidance. He has the same reward of all those who benefited from it due to him, may Allaah’s blessing be upon him.  

The Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)  will have a great portion and fortune from that reward for they are the ones who obtained this guidance and passed it on to those after them. They are the ones who collected the Qur’an. They are the ones who memorised it. They are the ones who passed it on to those who came after them. Those who obtained the Sunnah of the Allaah’s Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), May Allaah be pleased with them. They passed it on to those who came after them thereby gaining much reward and recompense. They will receive a great reward and a great fortune from the call of the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). 

(Source)

“And (commanding you): Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace”

(Surah Hood, 11:3)

By Imam Abdur Rahman bin Nasr As-Sa’adi (rahimahullah)

From Jareer bin Abdullaah (radhiAllahu ‘anhu) who said: the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

من لا يرحم الناس لا يرحمه الله

“Whoever does not have mercy upon the people then Allaah does not have mercy upon him.”

[Collected by Bukhari & Muslim]

Shaykh AbdurRahman bin Nasr As-Sa’adi (d. 1376 A.H.) commented on this hadeeth saying:

“The literal wording of the hadeeth indicates that the one who does not have mercy upon the people then Allaah does not have mercy upon him. The understanding of the hadeeth is that whoever has mercy upon the people, then Allaah has mercy upon him.

Just like the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said in another hadeeth:

الراحمون يرحمهم الرحمن. ارحموا من في الأرض؛ يرحمكم من في السماء

“Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) has mercy upon Merciful people. Have mercy upon those on the earth, and the One above the skies will have mercy upon you.”[1]

Therefore, the mercy a slave of Allaah has for the creation is from the greatest means by which the mercy of Allaah is acquired. From the effects of that mercy is goodness in the Dunyaa and goodness in the Hereafter. From the greatest means of Allaah’s mercy being blocked and prevented is if the slave of Allaah does not have mercy to the creation. The slave of Allaah is in great need and dire want of Allaah’s mercy, he cannot do without it for even the blink of an eye, and he cannot do without this mercy due to what it contains of blessings and repelling of punishment from the mercy of Allaah.

Consequently, when a person wants the mercy of Allaah to continue and increase, then he needs to implement all the means by which the mercy of Allaah is gained. All of these means are combined in the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:

إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.”

(Surah Al-Ara’af, verse 56)

They are doers of good (al-Muhsinoon) in the worship of Allaah, and they are al-Muhsinoon to the worshippers of Allaah. The Ihsaan (being good) to the creation has an effect from the effects of the mercy that the slave of Allaah has with the creation.

There are two types of mercy that the slave of Allaah has:

The First type: Natural & innate mercy

Allaah has granted some of His slaves this mercy. He placed compassion, mercy and sympathy in their hearts for the creation. These slaves of Allaah carryout what they are capable of in benefitting the people and this is what this mercy necessitates and they do so according to their capabilities. They are praised, and rewarded for what they do, and they are excused for that in which they fall short on, and perhaps Allaah wrote a reward for them, due to their truthful intentions even though their strength was not enough to carry out those actions.

The Second type is the mercy that a slave of Allaah acquires by following every path and means in order to characterize his heart with this mercy. The slave of Allaah knows that this description is from the most noble and most complete of manners and behavior. He strives to characterize himself with it, and he is aware of the reward that Allaah has prepared for being merciful, and what he loses, if he is prohibited from this reward. He desires excellence from his Lord, and he strives with all the different means to acquire that excellence.

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Regarding the hadeeth where the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Do not look down on any act of kindness, even if it is just meeting your brother with a pleasant smile on your face.”

[Sahih Muslim]

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“A pleasant smile causes people to become happy, wins over their love and affection, and leads to both parties having good thoughts of each other. Just try it and you will see.

However, were you to frown upon the people, they would stay away from you and not feel comfortable sitting with you nor talking to you.

You may even become afflicted with a dangerous condition: high blood pressure. Having a tranquil chest and a pleasant smile is the most wholesome remedy and the best preventative measure for this condition. For this reason, physicians advice people who have this condition to stay away from what disturbs and angers them, since those things only agitate this condition.

A pleasant smile actually has a remedial effect on this condition, since it leads to a tranquil chest, and it causes others to love you.”

[Taken from: “Upright Moral Character”, by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 49]

(Source)

— The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) [Saheeh al-Bukhaari, no. 6615]

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) comments:

“So if Allaah gives, there is no one who can prevent what He gives. Ever. And if He prevents, then no one can give what He prevents. If Allaah prevents someone from something, no one will be able to give it to him. Ever. Don’t praise the people for what Allaah has given you and don’t blame them for what Allaah hasn’t given you, because the One who gives and the One who prevents is Allaah, jalla wa ‘alaa. And that which is given or prevented through the slaves (of Allaah) only happens by the command of Allaah, subhaanahu wa ta’aala. So if this is so, then it is obligatory for the hearts and wishes to be attached to Allaah, ‘azza wa jal, and for the person to not be angry with the creation if what he wanted did not happen. Rather, he should know that (whatever happened) is from Allaah, jalla wa ‘alaa; He is the One who prevented it from him. Furthermore, he doesn’t know what would be beneficial; the benefit may be in preventing him from that. Allaah knows and you do not know.”

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) comments:

“So that which Allaah has decreed to reach you, no one can ever prevent it. And that which Allaah, ‘azza wa jal, prevents, it is not possible for anyone to give it to you. No matter what means you take that would bring this thing that you want, indeed it cannot come to you as long as Allaah has prevented it. So if a person believes in these two sentences – and believing in them is obligatory – then indeed he will depend on Allaah with regard to his provision, repelling the harm and bringing the benefit. And he will always be relying on his Lord and believing that He, subhaanahu wa ta’aala, will suffice him.”

[Source: Buloogh al-Maraam, Sharh Kitaab is-Salaah; tape no. 15/4 & tape no. 29/6]

Allaah (The Most High) said:

“And seek help in patience and prayer, and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for those who humble in the presence of their Lord.” They are those who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that to Him they are going to return”

(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:45-46)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

“Indeed, it (i.e. seeking help in patience and prayer) is heavy upon other than those who are humble before Allaah; because the hearts (of those who are not humble before Allaah) are devoid of love of Allaah (The Most High), exaltation of Him, glorification of Him and humility in His presence. They have little desire in asking Allaah for those good things of the worldly and afterlife, and (they have little desire) in seeking His protection from the evil affairs of this life and the next. That is because the slave’s presence in heart and mind in the prayer, having humility in it, seeking to perfect it, un-occupying his mind and heart from everything whilst in the prayer and striving with great effort to establish and fulfil it; then (all of this takes place) in accordance with the degree of his fervent desire for Allaah.”

[Source: Badaa’i-u At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnu Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, vol. 1 p. 125]

“Therefore openly proclaim what you have been commanded, and turn away from the idolaters.”

(Surah Al-Hijr, 94)

Al-Imaam as-Sa’di (rahimahullah) said in the explanation of the aforementioned verse:

“Then Allah has commanded his Messenger not to show them or other than them any concern and to proclaim that which Allah has commanded him (with) and to publicize that to everyone and not to allow any obstacle prevent him from his goal or to allow the statements of the scoffers to hinder him…”

[Source: Tafseer As-Sa’di, pg. 410]