Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (1/488)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

Explanation of his words: “I was riding behind the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him,” that is, sharing the mount with him. His words: “He said to me, ‘O young man … be mindful of Allah and He will protect you.’” He addressed him as “O young man” because Ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—was still of tender age; the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—passed away when Ibn ʿAbbās had only just reached, or was about to reach, the age of puberty—around fifteen or sixteen years old, if not younger. While he was seated behind Allah’s Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—the Prophet turned to him with this call: “O young man, be mindful of Allah and He will protect you.”

This is a majestic, weighty statement. “Be mindful of Allah” means to safeguard His religion and His law: by carrying out His commands and avoiding His prohibitions; by learning from His religion and sacred law—exalted is He—what enables you to perform your acts of worship and conduct your dealings; and by calling others to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. All of this counts as safeguarding Allah, for Allah Himself—glorified and exalted—is in need of no one to protect Him. What is meant is safeguarding His religion and His law, as Allah the Exalted says: “O you who believe, if you support Allah, He will support you” (Muḥammad 7). The verse does not mean you aid the Divine Essence, for Allah—glorified is He—is independent of every creature. He likewise says: “If Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance on them” (Muḥammad 4), and nothing can overpower Him: “Nothing in the heavens or on the earth can frustrate Allah” (Fāṭir 44).

Thus, “Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you” teaches that the more a person safeguards the religion of Allah, the more Allah Almighty safeguards him in his body, his wealth, his family, and—most importantly—in his religion. Allah’s protecting you in your religion means that He keeps you safe from deviation and misguidance, for whenever a person follows guidance Allah increases him in guidance, as He the Exalted says: “And those who are guided—He increases them in guidance and grants them their God-consciousness” (Muḥammad 17). Conversely, whenever he strays—Allah forbid—he

الشرح قوله: ((كنت خلف النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم)) أي راكبا معه. قوله: ((فقال لي يا غلام ... احفظ الله يحفظك)) قال له: يا غلام، لان ابن عباس_ رضي الله عنهما_ كان صغيرا فان النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم توفي وهو قد ناهز الاحتلال، يعني من الخامسة العشرة إلى السادسة عشرة أو اقل. فكان راكبا خلف الرسول صلي الله عليه وسلم فوجه إليه النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم هذا النداء: ((يا غلام، احفظ الله يحفظك)) كلمة جليلة عظيمة، احفظ الله، وذلك بحفظ شرعه ودينه، بان تمتثل لأوامره وتجتب نواهيه، وكذلك بان تتعلم من دينه ومن شريعته_ سبحانه وتعالى_ ما تقوم به عباداتك ومعاملاتك، وتدعوا به إلى الله _ عز وجل_ لان كل هذا من حفظ الله، فالله_ سبحانه وتعالى_ نفسه ليس بحاجة إلى أحد حتى يحفظ، ولكن المراد حفظ دينه وشريعته، كما قال الله تعالى: (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ) (محمد: من الآية٧) ، وليس المعني: تنصرون ذات الله، لان الله_ سبحانه وتعالى_ غني عن كل أحد، ولهذا قال في آية أخرى: (ذَلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ لانْتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ) (محمد: من الآية٤) ، ولا يعجزونه: (وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلا فِي الْأَرْضِ) (فاطر: من الآية٤٤) . إذا: ((احفظ الله يحفظك)) جملة تدل علي إن الإنسان كلما حفظ دين الله حفظه الله تعالى في بدنه، وحفظه في ماله وأهله، وفي دينه، وهذه أهم الأشياء، إن يحفظك الله في دينك، وهو إن يسلمك من الزيغ والضلال، لان الإنسان كلما اهتدي زاده الله هدي، كما قال تعالى: (وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدىً وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ) (محمد: ١٧) ، وكلما ضل_ والعياذ بالله_ فانه