Bismihi Ta`ala
*UPKEEP OUR EXTERNAL BEAUTY-Part 2.*
The Qur-aan teaches us to look for the truely poor muslims, although they have covered their state poverty by their beautiful external appearance. The Quraan appreciate those dignified poor who wears such clothing and show as if they are well off and they don`t beg.
لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِي الْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُمْ بِسِيمَاهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيم[البقرة : 273]
Allah Ta`ala says: ‘’Your charities should be preferably meant for those poor who are confined in the path of Allah. They are unable to travel in the land. An ignorant person will think that they are rich because of their abstinence appearance. You will recognize them by their specific characteristic(of humbleness and fatigue). They do not beg people importunately(persistently), and whatever good thing you spend, Allah is all aware of it.’’(Baqarah:273) Allah Ta`ala told us to look for those poor people that are disguised under cover of good clothing. This is nobleness not to beg and to hide one`s poverty.Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam had this quality of cover-up over his poverty he endured in Madinah Munawarah. No one could notice that famine was tormenting the houses of the prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam for months. And yet, Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam showed an appearance of someone who was living comfortably.There are reliable riwayats that the whole universe was created somehow because of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. I repeat, me and you, the human race, the earth, the sun etc would not have been there if it wasn`t for the creation of Rasouloullah swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam.And yet, Allah Ta`ala made poverty torment him such that he would make this du`as: O Allah! I seek protection from you against the pangs of hunger, for it is a tormentful companion. And O Allah! I seek protection from you against treachery, for it is a vile interior garment.’’Abu Dawood سنن أبى داود – (4 / 346)عَنْ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْجُوعِ فَإِنَّهُ بِئْسَ الضَّجِيعُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْخِيَانَةِ فَإِنَّهَا بِئْسَتِ الْبِطَانَةُ Hazrat Aisha r.a. said that the family of the prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam did not eat bread for 3 consecutive nights in Madinah until the prophet passed away-Bukhari.صحيح البخاري – (عن منصور عن إبراهيم عن الأسود عن عائشة قالتما شبع آل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم منذ قدم المدينة من طعام بر ثلاث ليال تباعا حتى قبض
Young Aisha r.a. describe the famine that she endured that for several months the family of the prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam would have nothing to eat but dates and water. Sometimes they would receive milk as gift from the ansars-Bukhariصحيح البخاري – ()حدثنا عبد العزيز بن عبد الله الأويسي حدثني ابن أبي حازم عن أبيه عن يزيد بن رومان عن عروة عن عائشة أنها قالتلعروة ابن أختي إن كنا لننظر إلى الهلال ثلاثة أهلة في شهرين وما أوقدت في أبيات رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نار فقلت ما كان يعيشكم قالت الأسودان التمر والماء إلا أنه قد كان لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جيران من الأنصار كان لهم منائح وكانوا يمنحون رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أبياتهم فيسقيناه
At the night of the demise of the chief of human race, there was no oil to light up the lamp. Later, when people heard hazrat Aisha ra about that, they were stunned. Hazrat Aisha ra said that had there been oil, then i would have drunk it due to my hunger-Tabrani.المعجم الأوسط – الطبراني – ()قالت : « لو كان عندنا دهن مصباح لأكلناه I want to say something here. Here is the one for who Allah Ta`ala created gold, silver, human race, the beauties of the earth and yet he has lived a life of famine and when leaving this world, he had no oil to lit the lamp? Sometimes, in our sufferings, we think that we are the most miserable person in this world. And yet, the most beloved person of Allah had to endure the pain of death of all his children in front of him. Lastly, he told Fatimah that she will join Him very quickly. We should think and ponder upon what was endured by the prophet to facilitate his deen until us. He was happy, covered his pangs of hunger with a constant smile and no one could imagine that he has not eaten for days. And that this poverty is optional:سنن الترمذي – (وَبِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِعَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ رَبِّي لِيَجْعَلَ لِي بَطْحَاءَ مَكَّةَ ذَهَبًا قُلْتُ لَا يَا رَبِّ وَلَكِنْ أَشْبَعُ يَوْمًا وَأَجُوعُ يَوْمًا وَقَالَ ثَلَاثًا أَوْ نَحْوَ هَذَا فَإِذَا جُعْتُ تَضَرَّعْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَذَكَرْتُكَ وَإِذَا شَبِعْتُ شَكَرْتُكَ وَحَمِدْتُكَ
Reported in Tirmizi that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam refused a mountain of gold from Allah and opted a lifestyle where a day he would have no food and turn humbly towards Allah. And one day he would get food and be grateful to Allah-Tirmizi.He did all that to achieve the highest goal in the aakhirah. He used to say:’’The comfort of this world is for non believers. Our comfort is for aakirah.’’-Bukhariصحيح البخاري – ()قال عمر فقصصت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هذا الحديث فلما بلغت حديث أم سلمة تبسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإنه لعلى حصير ما بينه وبينه شيء وتحت رأسه وسادة من أدم حشوها ليف وإن عند رجليه قرظا مصبوبا وعند رأسه أهب معلقة فرأيت أثر الحصير في جنبه فبكيت فقال ما يبكيك فقلت يا رسول الله إن كسرى وقيصر فيما هما فيه وأنت رسول الله فقال أما ترضى أن تكون لهم الدنيا ولنا الآخرة Hazrat Annas r.a., the one who stayed with the prophet for nearly 10 years used to say when serving good food to guests:‘’Do eat! And yet the prophet did not see such lofty bread.’’Bukhariصحيح البخاري – (17 / 38)حدثنا همام بن يحيى عن قتادة قال كنا نأتي أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنهوخبازه قائم قال كلوا فما أعلم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى رغيفا مرققا حتى لحق بالله ولا رأى شاة سميطا بعينه قط Now, to relieve us in our context, Hazrat Mowlana Thanwi r.a. used to say: ‘’Stay comfortably. But do avoid sins.’’So the sunnah seerah standard is there for us to retrieve when in difficulties and sadness. And when luxury comes your way, then do take it and live a saintful sinless life.Even if we are poor, wear the garment appearing well off. And for your Zakaat, go look for those truly poor who seems rich and do not beg.
Mufti Mackoojee