Al-Uqud al-Durriyya - Ibn Abd al-Hadi - (الكتاب/317)

Al-Uqud al-DurriyyaIbn Abd al-Hadi

find that we have resolved to remain and settle for even a single month; rather, every day we perform istikharah, asking Allah Most High to guide us about travelling back to you. So, perform istikharah (1) on our behalf and yours, and beseech Allah to grant us the best outcome. We therefore ask the Almighty to choose for you, for us (2), and for the Muslims whatever contains the best choice, together with goodness and well-being.

At the same time, Allah has opened for us gates of goodness and mercy, guidance and blessing—things that had never crossed the mind or entered the imagination!

Yet at every moment we remain preoccupied with the journey (3), continually seeking Allah’s guidance. Let no one imagine that we would ever prefer any worldly matter over being near you—never. Indeed, we would not even choose a religious matter if being near you weighed more heavily in the balance. But there are momentous concerns here, and we fear both private and public harm should they be neglected; the eyewitness beholds what the absentee cannot see.

What is therefore required is abundant supplication that Allah grant the best outcome, for He knows and we do not, He is able and we are not, and He is the Knower of all that is hidden.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Part of the happiness of the son of Adam is his seeking Allah’s guidance and his contentment with whatever Allah apportions for him; and part of the misery of the son of Adam is his failure to seek Allah’s guidance and his displeasure with what Allah apportions for him.” (4)

(1) The words “taʿala … Allah” are absent from MSS K and T. (2) MS B reads: “yukhayyiru lana” (gives us the choice). (3) MSS F and K read: “muhammun bi-s-safar” (preoccupied with the journey). (4) A parallel version is reported by Ahmad (no. 1444), al-Tirmidhi (no. 2151), al-Hakim (1/513), and others, on the authority of Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas. Al-Tirmidhi commented: “This is a gharib (isolated) hadith; we know it only through the narration of Muhammad ibn Abi Hamid … and he is not considered strong by the hadith experts.” Al-Hakim, however, declared its chain authentic.

نعزم على المُقام والاستيطان شهرًا واحدًا، بل كلَّ يوم نستخير الله تعالى في السَّفَر إليكم، فاستخيروا اللهَ (١) لنا ولكم، وادعوا لنا بالخِيَرة. فنسأل الله العظيم أن يَخِير لكم ولنا (٢) وللمسلمين ما فيه الخِيَرة في خير وعافية. ومع هذا فقد فتح الله من أبواب الخير والرحمة، والهداية والبركة، ما لم يكن يخطر بالبال ولا يدور في الخيال! ونحن في كلّ وقت مُهتمُّون في السَّفَر (٣)، مستخيرون الله ﷾. فلا يظن الظانُّ أنا نؤثِرُ على قربكم شيئًا من أمور الدنيا قط، بل ولا نؤثر من أمور الدين ما يكون قربُكم أرجح منه، ولكن ثَمَّ أمور كبار نخاف الضررَ الخاصَّ والعامَّ من إهمالها، والشاهدُ يرى ما لا يرى الغائب. والمطلوبُ كثرة الدّعاء بالخيرة، فإنَّ الله يعلم ولا نعلم، ويقدر ولا نقدر، وهو علَّام الغيوب. وقد قال النبي ﷺ : «مِنْ سعادة ابن آدم استخارَتُه الله، ورضاه بما يقسم الله له، ومن شقاوة ابن آدم ترك استخارته لله، وسَخَطه بما يقسم الله له» (٤).

(١) «تعالى ... الله» سقطت من (ك، ط). (٢) (ب): «يخير لنا». (٣) (ف، ك): «مهمون بالسفر». (٤) أخرجه بنحوه أحمد (١٤٤٤)، والترمذي (٢١٥١)، والحاكم: (١/ ٥١٣)، وغيرهم من حديث سعد بن أبي وقاص ﵁. قال الترمذي: «حديث غريب لا نعرفه إلا من حديث محمد بن أبي حميد ... وليس بالقويّ عند أهل الحديث». وصحح إسناده الحاكم.