Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/463)

Chapter: The Dislike of asking, by Allah’s Countenance, for anything other than Paradise, and the disapproval of refusing one who beseeches by Allah or seeks intercession through Him.

1722 – Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Nothing should be asked by Allah’s Countenance except Paradise.” Related by Abu Dawud.

1723 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever seeks refuge in Allah, grant him refuge; whoever implores you by Allah, give to him; whoever invites you, respond to him; and whoever does you a favor, recompense him. If you find nothing with which to recompense him, then pray for him until you believe you have repaid him.” An authentic hadith recorded by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i with chains on the standard of the two Ṣaḥīḥs.

[Explanation]

The author, may Allah have mercy on him, says: “Chapter on the disapproval of a person’s asking, by Allah’s Countenance, for anything other than Paradise.” The Countenance (wajh) of Allah is one of His attributes. Allah, exalted be He, describes Himself as “full of majesty and honor,” as He says: “Everyone upon it will perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honor.” Everyone on the face of the earth is perishable and will vanish, yet Allah’s Countenance remains—“and there will remain the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honor.” For this reason some scholars have said that His statement “and there will remain the Face of your Lord” should be connected to what precedes it so that Allah’s perfection becomes manifest and extinction is impossible for Him; rather, He is the Ever-Living who never disappears.

The Face of Allah, exalted is He, is sublime, and the greatest request a person can make is Paradise. Allah the Exalted says: “Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has indeed triumphed.” We ask Allah to make us among them—this is the supreme triumph, surpassed by no other success—“Whoever is kept away from the Fire…"

باب كراهة أن يسأل الإنسان بوجه الله ﷿ غير الجنة وكراهة منع من سأل بالله تعالى وتشفع به ١٧٢٢ - عن جابر ﵁ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ لا يسأل بوجه الله إلا الجنة رواه أبو داود ١٧٢٣ - وعن ابن عمر ﵄ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ من استعاذ بالله فأعيذوه ومن سأل بالله فأعطوه ومن دعاكم فأجيبوه ومن صنع إليكم معروفا فكافئوه فإن لم تجدوا ما تكافئونه به فادعوا له حتى تروا أنكم قد كافأتموه حديث صحيح رواه أبو داود والنسائي بأسانيد الصحيحين [الشَّرْحُ] قال المؤلف رحمه الله تعالى باب كراهة أن يسأل الإنسان بوجه الله غير الجنة وجه الله تعالى وصفه الله تعالى بأنه ذو الجلال والإكرام قال تعالى كل من عليها فان ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرام كل من على البسيطة فإنه فان زائل لكن يبقى وجه الله ﷿ ﴿ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرام﴾ ولهذا قال بعض العلماء ينبغي أن يصل قوله ﴿ويبقى وجه ربك﴾ بما قبله حتى يتبين كمال الله ﷿ وأنه يستحيل عليه الفناء بل هو الباقي الذي لا يزول فوجه الله تعالى عظيم وأعظم ما يسأله المرء الجنة قال الله تعالى ﴿فمن زحزح عن النار وأدخل الجنة فقد فاز﴾ نسأل الله أن يجعلنا منهم هذا الفوز الأعظم الذي لا يدانيه أي فوز ﴿فمن زحزح عن النار