Muslim reports from Ibn Mas'ud (RA) that the Prophet (SAAS) said: “No one who has even a weight of pride in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man asked him, “What if he likes his clothes and shoes to look good?” (Meaning, is this counted as pride?) The Prophet (SAAS) said: “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on other people.”
This is the understanding adopted by the Sahabah and those who followed them sincerely. Therefore, Imam Abu Hanifah (RA) always dressed well, ensured that he smelled clean and fresh, and urged others to do likewise. One day he met a man who used to attend his circle, who was dressed in scruffy clothes. He took him to one side and offered him one thousand dirhams with which to smarten himself up. The man told him, “I have money, I do not need this.” Abu Hanifah admonished him: “Have you not heard the hadith, 'Allah loves to see the signs of His gifts on His servant'? So you must change yourself, and not appear offensive to your friend.”
Naturally, those who call people to Allah should be better and smarter in appearance than others, so that they will be better able to attract people and make their message reach their hearts. Indeed, they, unlike others, are required to be like this even if they do not go out and meet people because those who proclaim the word of Allah should take care of their appearance.
Attention to the cleanliness of their bodies, clothes, nails, and hair. They should do this even if they are in a state of isolation or retreat, in response to the call of the natural inclination of man (fitrah) which the Prophet (SAAS) told us about and outlined its requirements: “Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, plucking hair from the armpits, cutting the nails, and trimming the mustache.” [al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Taking care of oneself through this fitrah is something encouraged by Islam and supported by every person of common sense and good taste.
Nevertheless, paying attention to one's appearance should not make a Muslim fall into the trap of exaggerating his grooming to the extent that he loses sight of the sense of balance prescribed by Islamic teaching. The Muslim always aims at moderation in all things and is on the alert to prevent any aspect of his life from taking over at the expense of another.
The Muslim never forgets that Islam, which encourages him to take care of his appearance and to wear his beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, is also the religion that warns him against going to extremes, and tells him to avoid becoming enslaved by his appearance, as the hadith says: “Wretched is the slave of the dinar, dirhum, and fancy clothes of velvet and silk! If he is given, he is pleased, and if he is not given, he is displeased.” [Al-Bukhari]
No doubt those who call people to Allah are saved from this error because they surround themselves with the protection of Islam and adopt the principles of moderation that it has brought.
Knowledge is an obligation and an honor for the Muslim
The Muslim believes that exercising his mind seeking knowledge and discovering the signs of Allah in the universe is an obligation, because of the saying of the Prophet (SAAS): “Seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim.” [Bukhari]
Therefore, the Muslim must continue to pursue knowledge, as long as the breath of life remains in his body. The fact that Allah has raised the status of those who know, and described them alone as truly fearing Him, should be enough to encourage the Muslim to apply himself to seeking knowledge. For He said: “Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who know.” (Fatir 35:28)
No one truly fears Allah except those whose minds are enlightened enough to see the greatness and power of Allah manifested in the creation of the universe and all living things, and these are the people of knowledge. So He has preferred them over those who do not know: “Say: ‘Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receives admonition” (Al-Zumar 39:9)
Safwan ibn 'Assal al-Muradi came to the Prophet (SAW) in the mosque and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have come seeking knowledge: ‘The Prophet (SAW) told him: “Welcome, O seeker of knowledge! Truly the angels surround the seeker of knowledge with their wings, gathering around him in ranks one above the other, until they reach the first heaven, out of love for that which he seeks.” (Ahmad, Tabrani, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim)
The texts that extol the virtue of knowledge and exhort its pursuit are many, therefore the true Muslim is either a scholar or a seeker of knowledge, and cannot be anything else.
(To be continued)
by Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi
