Riyad al-Salihin - Al-Nawawi - (1/77)

Riyad al-SalihinAl-Nawawi

for striking his wife.” Related by Abū Dāwūd and others.⦗1⦘

6 – Chapter on God-consciousness⦗2⦘

Allah the Exalted says, “O you who believe, fear Allah as He should truly be feared” (Āl ʿImrān 3:102), and He says, “So fear Allah as much as you are able” (al-Taghābun 64:16); this latter verse clarifies what is intended in the former. He also says, “O you who believe, fear Allah and speak words that are right” (al-Aḥzāb 33:70). Verses commanding taqwā are many and well known. He further says, “Whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him (3) and provide for him from where he never expected” (al-Ṭalāq 65:2–3); and He says, “If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion, absolve you of your misdeeds, and forgive you. Allah is the Possessor of tremendous bounty” (al-Anfāl 8:29). The verses on this subject are numerous and well known.

As for the prophetic reports:

70 – The first: It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that it was asked, “Messenger of Allah, who are the most noble of people?” He replied, “The most God-fearing among them.” They said, “That is not what we are asking about.” He said, “Then Joseph—the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, son of the Close Friend of Allah.” They said, “That is not what we are asking about.” He said, “Are you asking me about the pedigrees of the Arabs? The best of them in the pre-Islamic period are the best of them in Islam, once they gain understanding.” Agreed upon.

The phrase “gain understanding” is commonly pronounced with a ḍamma on the qāf, though a kasra has also been reported; it means: when they learn the rulings of the Sacred Law.

(1) The chain of transmission is weak; for the details see Al-Albani, Irwa al-Ghalil, no. 2034. —N. (2) See Abd al-Ghani al-Khatib, Kitab al-Taqwa, Al-Maktab al-Islami. (3) That is, relief from the hardships of the dunya (worldly life) and the akhirah (Hereafter); the promise "and He will provide for him from where he does not expect" means from a source that would never cross his mind.

ضَرَبَ امْرَأَتَهُ » رواه أبو داود وغيره (١) . ٦ - باب في التقوى (٢) قال الله تعالى : ﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ ﴾ [ آل عمران : ١٠٢ ] ، وقال الله تعالى : ﴿ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ ﴾ [ التغابن : ١٦ ] . وهذه الآية مبينة للمراد من الأولى . وقال تعالى : ﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴾ [ الأحزاب : ٧٠ ] ، والآيات في الأمر بالتقوى كثيرة معلومة ، وقال تعالى : ﴿ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا (٣) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ﴾ [ الطلاق : ٢ - ٣ ] وقال تعالى : ﴿ إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴾ [ الأنفال : ٢٩ ] والآيات في الباب كثيرة معلومة . وأما الأحاديث : ٧٠ - فالأول : عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قيل : يا رسول الله من أكرم الناس ؟ قال : « اتقاهم » . فقالوا : ليس عن هذا نسألك ، قال : « فيوسف نبي الله بن نبي الله بن نبي الله بن خليل الله » قالوا : ليس عن هذا نسألك ، قال : « فعن معادن العرب تسألوني ؟ خيارهم في الجاهلية خيارهم في الإسلام إذا فقهوا » متفق عليه . و« فقهوا » بضم القاف على المشهور وحكي كسرها : أي علموا أحكام الشرع .

(١) قلت : إسناده ضعيف ، وبيانه في « إرواء الغليل » (٢٠٣٤) . - ن - (٢) انظر كتاب التقوى للأستاذ عبد الغني الخطيب ، طبع المكتب الإسلامي . (٣) أي : من كرب الدنيا والآخرة ، ﴿ ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب ﴾ أي : من جهة لا تخطر بباله .