Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/532)

and has never occurred to the heart of any human being.”

He then asks them, “From what do they seek deliverance?” They answer, “They ask You for deliverance from the Fire.” This, the narrator explains, is the purport of the ḥadīth. He asks, “Have they seen it?” They reply, “No, they have not.” He says, “How would they be were they to see it?” They say, “They would be even more fearful of it.” Allah—blessed and exalted is He—then declares, “I call you to witness that I have forgiven every one of them.” Once Allah forgives a person, that person becomes deserving of entry into Paradise and salvation from the Fire.

At that point one of the angels says, “Among them is so-and-so; he did not come for the remembrance. He simply had some need, found these people, and sat down with them.” Allah, majestic and exalted, replies, “I have forgiven him as well. They are a people whose companion will never be wretched.”

This ḥadīth, therefore, demonstrates the excellence of keeping company with the righteous, for Allah may extend His mercy to the one who sits with a righteous group even if he is not like them in deeds. Allah said, “I have forgiven this man,” even though he had not come for remembrance and supplication but only for a personal need, and He said, “They are a people whose companion will not be miserable.”

On this basis, it is recommended to gather for dhikr, for reciting the Qur’an, and for tasbīḥ (glorifying Allah), taḥmīd (praising Him), and tahlīl (proclaiming His oneness). Each person should supplicate for himself, ask Allah for himself, and remember Him on his own behalf.

Among the gatherings already mentioned is the Muslims’ coming together for the dawn (fajr) and afternoon (ʿaṣr) prayers, for those prayers consist of dhikr, tasbīḥ, takbīr (magnifying Allah), tahlīl, Qur’anic recitation, and supplication. It is authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ that the angels appointed over the children of Adam meet at the fajr and ʿaṣr prayers. May Allah grant us and you success in everything He loves and is pleased with.

بشر ثم يسألهم ماذا يدعون بالنجاة منه قالوا يسألونك النجاة من النار هذا معنى الحديث قال هل رأوها قالوا لا ما رأوها قال فيكف لو رأوها قالوا لكانوا أشد منها مخافة فيقول الله ﷿ أشهدكم أني قد غفرت لهم جميعا وإذا غفر الله لإنسان استحق أن يدخل الجنة وأن ينجو من النار فيقول ملك من الملائكة إن فيهم فلانا ما جاء للذكر لكن جاء لحاجة فوجد هؤلاء القوم فجلس معهم فيقول جل وعلا فله قد غفرت هم القوم لا يشقى بهم جليسهم. ففي هذا الحديث دليل على فضلية مجالسة الصالحين وأن الجليس الصالح ربما يعم الله ﷾ بجليسه رحمته وإن لم يكن مثله لأن الله قال قد غفرت لهذا مع أنه ما جاء من أجل الذكر والدعاء لكنه جاء لحاجة وقال هم القوم لا يشقى بهم جليسهم وعلى هذا فيستحب الاجتماع على الذكر وعلى قراءة القرآن وعلى التسبيح والتحميد والتهليل وكل يدعو لنفسه ويسأل الله لنفسه ويذكر لنفسه. ومن الاجتماع كما ذكرت من قبل أن يجتمع المسلمون على صلاة الفجر وصلاة العصر لأنها ذكر تسبيح وتكبير وتهليل وقراءة قرآن ودعاء وقد ثبت عن النبي ﷺ أن الملائكة الموكلين ببني آدم يجتمعون في صلاة الفجر وصلاة العصر وفقنا الله وإياك إلى ما يحبه ويرضاه.