بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
15th Shawwaal 1438
What is الشوق? In English we translate it to "yearning, longing"
The goal that every Muslim seeks to attain is the pleasure of Allah, being admitted into Paradise, and to see the Face of Allah. We believe that the believers will see Allah and we believe that there is nothing like Him. But how much do we long to meet Allah and see His Face?
الشوق إلى الله (Longing for Allah) is a high and noble station which originates from the love of Allah. The more you love Allah, the more you will long for Him. If your love is strong, your شوق (longing) will be strong. If your love is weak, your شوق (longing) will be weak.
Loving Allah is obligatory, and is one of the conditions of لا إله إلا الله. Your testimony of faith will not be complete until you love Allah.
Love of Allah is not words we express our feelings with, it requires action. Are we really مشتاقين إلى الله (Those who long for Allah)?
الشوق and love are feelings which Allah gave us, but not just for the purpose of saying "I love you" and "I miss you" to our beloved ones. Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said in Madaarij As-Salikeen:
الشَّوْقَ مَائَةُ جُزْءٍ. تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ لَهُ. وَجُزْءٌ مَقْسُومٌ عَلَى الْأُمَّةِ
"الشوق is one hundred parts; ninety-nine of it for Allah, and one divided amongst the Ummah."
Do we really long for Allah as we long to meet our beloved ones? الشوق is a feeling you feel when you wait for a beloved absentee. No one has الشوق except for a beloved one. This means that we have to love Allah in order to have الشوق for Him.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to ask Allah for "الشوق إلى لقائك" (Longing for Your meeting). This is mentioned in the following supplication:
عن عطاء بْنُ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ صَلاَةً فَأَوْجَزَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ لَقَدْ خَفَّفْتَ أَوْ أَوْجَزْتَ الصَّلاَةَ . فَقَالَ أَمَّا عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ دَعَوْتُ فِيهَا بِدَعَوَاتٍ سَمِعْتُهُنَّ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا قَامَ تَبِعَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ هُوَ أَبِي غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ كَنَى عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الدُّعَاءِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَأَخْبَرَ بِهِ الْقَوْمَ
Ata bn As-Sa'ib narrated that his father said: "Ammar bin Yasir led us in prayer and he made it brief. Some of the people said to him: 'You made the prayer sort (or brief).' He said: 'Nevertheless I still recited supplications that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' When he got up and left, a man- he was my father but he did not name himself- followed him and asked him about that supplication, then he came and told the people:
قال ابن القيم رحمه الله :
فَجَمَعَ في هذا الدُّعَاء العَظِيم القَدْر بين أطْيب شيء في الدنيا ، وهو الشَّوق إلى لِقائه سبحانه ، وأطْيب شيء في الآخرة وهو الـنَّظر إلى وَجْهِه سبحانه
This supplication comprises of the two greatest delights, one in the Dunya and the other in the Aakhirah:
1) "الشوق إلى لقائك" (Longing for the meeting with You) - This is in this World
2) "لذة النظر إلى وجهك" (The delight of gazing upon Your Face) - This is in the Hereafter
وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: وأسألك الشوق إلى لقائك، من غير ضراء مضرة، ولا فتنة مضلة
قال ابن رجب : "لأن الشوق إلى لقاء الله يستلزم محبة الموت، والموت يقع تمنيه كثيرا من أهل الدنيا؛ بوقوع الضراء المضرة في الدنيا، وإن كان منهيا عنه في الشرع، ويقع من أهل الدين تمنيه؛ لخشية الوقوع في الفتن المضلة،فسأل – يعني الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم تمني الموت خاليا من هذين الحالين، وأن يكون ناشئا عن محض محبة الله، والشوق إلى لقائه؛ ولذا قال: من غير ضراء مضرة، ولا فتنة مضلة ، وقد حصل هذا المقام لكثير من السلف".
Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said in his commentary of وأسألك الشوق إلى لقائك، من غير ضراء مضرة، ولا فتنة مضلة (and I ask you for the longing to meet You, without any harm and misleading trials befalling me): Longing for the meeting with Allah entails and requires love of death.
Are we allowed to wish for death? It depends on the reason behind it. The Prophet ﷺ set two conditions for longing for death:
a) من غير ضراء مضرة - Without any harm
b) و لا فتنة مضله - And misleading trials
Thus:
1) If a person wishes for a death due to a calamity, a harm, an incurable sickness, oppression, etc. it is Haraam (Forbidden).
Our state during an affliction should be one of patience. The one who wishes for death during a calamity feels يائس (desperate) of the mercy of Allah. On the contrary, he should be راجئ - He should hope for the relief from Allah, that Allah grants him patience, that Allah gives him reward and elevates him in ranks in Paradise. He should bear and endure his calamity patiently, hoping for the reward from Allah.
2) A true believer lives in wellbeing, but is afraid of a calamity befalling Him which would take away his faith, so he wishes for Allah to take his life. The Scholars said that this state is less grievous than the previous one, but it is better not to wish for death in this situation, although the person is excused, because the Prophet ﷺ said:
خير الناس من طال عمره وحسن عمله""
"The best of people is one whose life is long and his actions are good". [At-Tirmithi]
3) A believer who wishes for death - not because he is going through any calamity in his life, not because he is not in wellbeing, nor because he is afraid for his Religion - but because he longs to meet Allah.
Because he longs to meet Allah, he counts the years and weeks and days for his death - because what prevents him from meeting Allah? Death. So he wishes for death, and this is a praiseworthy state. The Prophet ﷺ did not ask for it except because it is something good.
However, the person who longs for the meeting with Allah should be truthful with Him, and Allah knows if we are truthful or not. الشوق إلى الله is not a word we say with our tongues, it is a feeling in our heart which is a result of strong certainty and love of Allah.
The ruling of wishing for death is thus based on its motive.
Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said:
و قول يوسف عليه السلام {توفّني مسلماً و ألحقني بالصالحين} قيل: إنه دعا لنفسه بالموت. و هو قول جماعة من السلف، منهم الإمام أحمد. فيستدل به على جواز الدعاء بالموت من غير ضر نزل به.
و قيل إنه إنما دعاء لنفسه بالموت على الإسلام عند نزول الموت، و ليس فيه دعاء بتعجيل الموت كما أخبر عن المؤمنين أنهم قالوا في دعائهم {ربنا فاغفر لنا ذنوبنا و كفر عنا سيئاتنا و توفنا مع الأبرار}
و يؤئد التفسير الأول : أنه عقبه بالدعاء بالشوق إلى لقاء الله
This is like the case of Yusuf عليه السلام, when he said [as mentioned in Surah Yusuf 12:101], after Allah rejoined him with his family and gave him the kingdom:
"My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams; The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, etc.) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous."
It is said that he invoked for death, and this is the saying of a group of the Salaf, among them Imam Ahmad رحمه الله. They used this verse as evidence for the permissibility of asking Allah for death while one is not afflicted.
Other Scholars however, like As-Sa'di رحمه الله say this verse does not indicate wishing for death - rather he asked Allah to make him a die a Muslim when death befalls him.
If this interpretation is not clear, then we have the aforementioned supplication of the Prophet ﷺ.
In Madaarij As-Salikeen:
وَقَالَ أَبُو عُثْمَانَ: عَلَامَتُهُ حُبُّ الْمَوْتِ مَعَ الرَّاحَةِ وَالْعَافِيَةِ، كَحَالِ يُوسُفَ لَمَّا أُلْقِيَ فِي الْجُبِّ لَمْ يَقُلْ تَوَفَّنِي، وَلَمَّا أُدْخِلَ السِّجْنَ لَمْ يَقُلْ تَوَفَّنِي، وَلَمَّا تَمَّ لَهُ الْأَمْرُ وَالْأَمْنُ وَالنِّعْمَةُ، قَالَ: {تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا}.
Abu Uthman said, "The sign of الشوق is love of death while one is at rest and in wellbeing. Yusuf عليه السلام did not say "توفني" (cause me to die) when he was in the well, nor in the prison. He said "توفني" after Allah had perfected the affair, the safety, and the favour on him."
Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said regarding the meaning of الشوق in Madaarij As-Salikeen:
إِنَّهُ سَفَرُ الْقَلْبِ إِلَى الْمَحْبُوبِ
It is the journey of the heart towards (seeking the meeting with) the beloved one.
The lover will not find any rest and tranquility until he meets his beloved one. This means that the true believer and longer for Allah does not feel rest in this Dunya until he meets Allah on the Day of Judgement.
وَالشَّوْقُ حَقِيقَتُهُ أَثَرٌ مِنْ آثَارِ الْمَحَبَّةِ
Longing, in reality, is one of the impacts of love.
We should check our love for Allah - Do we have strong or weak love of Allah? There are signs which indicate it. Love of Allah is not a claim; it is something we have to prove.
- The شوق of the Prophet ﷺ for Allah -
إن شوق النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كان ظاهراً لمن تأمل سيرته،
The شوق of the Prophet ﷺ is evident to whoever ponders over His Seerah.
Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said in Madaarij As-Salikeen:
قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ- صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- دَائِمَ الشَّوْقِ إِلَى لِقَاءِ اللَّهِ. لَمْ يَسْكُنْ شَوْقُهُ إِلَى لِقَائِهِ قَطُّ. وَلَكِنَّ الشَّوْقَ مَائَةُ جُزْءٍ. تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ لَهُ. وَجُزْءٌ مَقْسُومٌ عَلَى الْأُمَّةِ. فَأَرَادَ- صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ الْجُزْءُ مُضَافًا إِلَى مَا لَهُ مِنَ الشَّوْقِ الَّذِي يَخْتَصُّ بِهِ. وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.
The Prophet ﷺ was perpetually longing for the meeting for Allah, and under no circumstances did his longing cease. الشوق is one hundred parts, ninety-nine for Allah and one divided amongst the nation - and the Prophet ﷺ wanted that one part with which we express our feelings with to each other to be connected to the one solely for Allah.
#1- فها هو يحسر ثيابه عن جسده الشريف ليصيبه المطر، فيُسْألُ عن هذا فيقول: "إنّهُ حَدِيثُ عَهْدٍ بِربِّه".
Anas (b. Malik) reported: It rained upon us as we were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) removed his cloth (from a part of his body) till the rain fell on it. We said: Messenger of Allah, why did you do this? He said: It is because it (the rainfall) has just come from the Exalted Lord. [Sahih Muslim]
It is Sunnah to do this.
#2- وازداد شوقه لربه -تعالى- في آخر حياته، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَقَالَ: "إِنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ، فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ". فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ -رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ-، وَقَالَ: فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا! فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ، وَقَالَ النَّاسُ: انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الشَّيْخِ يُخْبِرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، عَنْ عَبْدٍ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ، وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا. فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرُ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ أَعْلَمُنَا بِهِ.
And his yearning increased towards the end of his life.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah has given one of His Slaves the choice of receiving the splendor and luxury of the worldly life whatever he likes or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Allah. So he has chosen that good which is with Allah." On that Abu Bakr wept and said, "Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you." We became astonished at this. The people said, "Look at this old man! Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) talks about a Slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendor of this worldly life or the good which is with Him, while he says 'Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you." But it was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who had been given option, and Abu Bakr knew it better than we. [Al-Bukhari]
#3 - ها هو -بأبي هو وأمي- مسنداً رأسه على صدر أحب الناس إليه في الدنيا، عائشة رضي الله -تعالى- عنها فيخيِّره جبريل -عليه السلام- بين الدنيا وبين لقاء الله -تعالى-، تقول: "فرأيته رفع إصبعه ثم قال: بل الرفيق الأعلى! بل الرفيق الأعلى! بل الرفيق الأعلى! فعلمتُ أنه لا يختارنا".
Narrated `Aisha: When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was healthy, he used to say, "No prophet dies till he is shown his place in Paradise, and then he is given the option (to live or die)." So when death approached him(during his illness), and while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious for a while, and when he recovered, he fixed his eyes on the ceiling and said, "O Allah! (Let me join) the Highest Companions (see Qur'an 4:69)," I said, "So, he does not choose us." Then I realized that it was the application of the statement he used to relate to us when he was healthy. So that was his last utterance (before he died), i.e. "O Allah! (Let me join) the Highest Companions." [Sahih Bukhari]
- The شوق of Musa عليه السلام -
#1 - ولقد ضرب الأنبياء الكرام مثلاً طيبا في حسن الشوق إلى الله تعالى , فها هو نبي الله موسى عليه السلام حين قال لله : { رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْكَ } ( الأعراف 143 ) ، يطلب النظر إلى الله شوقاً إلى الله عز وجل لا شكاً في وجوده
In Surah Al-A'raf [7:143]:
"And when Musa (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allah said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa (Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.""
Musa عليه السلام did not have doubts about the existence of Allah. Rather, he asked Allah to let him see Him (ربي أرني أنظر إليك) because he was longing to see Him. And Allah said "لن تراني" (You cannot see Me) because no one sees Allah in this Dunya; only in the hereafter.
#2 - ويدل عليه سؤال الله له وما تلك بيمينك, قال تعالى :\" وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَى (17) قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَآرِبُ أُخْرَى (18) سورة : طه.
قال المفسرون : وقد كان يكفى موسى - عليه السلام - في الجواب أن يقول : هي عصاي ، ولكنه أضاف إلى ذلك أتوكأ عليها وأهش بها على غنمي. لأن المقام يستدعى البسط والإطالة في الكلام ، إذ هو مقام حديث العبد مع خالقه ، والحبيب مع حبيبه .راجع: التفسير الوسيط 1/2818.
In Surah Ta-Ha [20:17-18]:
"And what is that in your right hand, O Musa (Moses)?"
"He said: "This is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses.""
The interpreters said that it was enough for Musa عليه السلام to say in response, "This is my stick" but he added, "whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses." Because the position calls for expansion and prolongment in speech - for it was the position of conversation of a slave with his Creator, and the lover with his Beloved.
- The شوق of the Companions رضي الله عنهم -
#1 - وتأملوا قصة أبي الدحداح -رضي الله عنه- كيف حرك الشوق قلبه وألبسه حب البذل اشتياقاً للأجر العظيم من الله -سبحانه وتعالى-، فعن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: "لما نزلت هذه الآية: ﴿ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ ﴾ [الحديد: 11] قال أبو الدحداح الأنصاري: وإن الله يريد منا القرض؟ قال النبي –عليه الصلاة والسلام-: "نعم يا أبا الدحداح" قال: "أرني يدك يا رسول الله، قال فناوله رسول الله يده، قال فإني أقرضت ربي حائطي قال: حائطه له ستمائة نخلة وأم الدحداح فيه وعيالها. قال فجاء أبو الدحداح فنادي يا أم الدحداح! قالت: لبيك، قال: أخرجي من الحائط فإني أقرضته ربي -عز وجل-. [صححه الألباني مشكلة الفقر (120)].
According to a Hadith reported by Abdullah bin Masud, when the verse in Surah Al-Hadid [57:11] was revealed:
"Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan, then (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit (in repaying), and he will have (besides) a good reward (i.e. Paradise)."
Abu Dahdah Al-Ansari asked: O Messenger ﷺ of Allah, does Allah want a loan from us?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, O Abud-Dahdah. He said: Kindly show me your hand. The Prophet (peace be upon him) extended his hand towards him. He took his hand in his own hand and said: I give away my garden in loan to my Lord. Abdullah bin Masud says that the garden had 600 datepalms and also his own house in which his family lived. Abu Ad-Dahdah went to his wife and called her: `Umm Ad-Dahdah!’ She said: `Here I am.’ He said: `Leave the garden, because I have given it as a loan to my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored.’ She said: `That is a successful trade, O Abu Ad-Dahdah!’ She then transferred her goods and children. The Messenger of Allah said: “How plentiful are the sweet date clusters that Abu Ad-Dahdah has in Paradise!” In another narration, the Prophet said: “How many a date tree that has lowered down its clusters, which are full of pearls and gems in Paradise for Abu Ad-Dahdah!” [Tafsir ibn kathir]
#2 - وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال انطلق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه حتى سبقوا المشركين إلى بدر وجاء المشركون، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "لا يقدمن أحد منكم إلى شيء حتى أكون أنا دونه" فدنا المشركون، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "قوموا إلى جنة عرضها السماوات والأرض" قال: يقول عمير بن الحمام الأنصاري رضي الله عنه: يا رسول الله جنة عرضها السماوات والأرض؟ قال: "نعم" قال: بخ بخ! فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “ما يحملك على قولك بخ بخ" قال فإنك من أهلها فأخرج تمرات من قرنه فجعل يأكل منهن، ثم قال لئن أنا حييت حتى آكل تمراتي هذه إنها لحياة طويلة! فرمى بما كان معه من التمر، ثم قاتلهم حتى قتل
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his Companions reached Badr before the polytheists, and when they arrived, he (ﷺ) directed: "Let no one of you advance ahead of me." When the polytheists came near, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Now stand up and proceed towards Jannah which is as wide as are the heavens and the earth." 'Umair bin Al-Humam (May Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Is Jannah as wide as are the heaven and the earth?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. 'Umair remarked: "Great!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him what had urged him to say so. He replied: "Nothing, O Messenger of Allah! But hope that I might become one of the inhabitants of Jannah." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "You will definitely be among them." 'Umair then took some dates out of his quiver and began to eat them, but after a short time he said: "If I survive till I eat my dates, it will mean a long life." So he threw away the dates which he had with him and then fought with the enemy till he was killed. [Muslim]
#3 - ولما حضرت بلالَ بنَ أبي رباحٍ الوفاةُ وغشيته سكرات الموت, قالت امرأته: واكرباه، فقال لها بلال: بل وافرحاه، غداً ألقى الأحبة محمداً وحزبه.
References:
-> منزلة الشوق - مدارج السالكين:
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