Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah - Nasir al-Din al-Albani - (6/853)

Silsilat al-Ahadith al-SahihahNasir al-Din al-Albani

a mosque in which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is worshipped, then its status is determined accordingly. Likewise, a righteous man may become sinful, a disbeliever may become a believer, or a believer may become a disbeliever, and so on. In every case, this depends on the changing of circumstances from one state to another. Allah, Exalted is He, said: “And Allah sets forth the example of a town that was secure and at ease...” — the verse. It was revealed concerning Mecca when it was a land of disbelief, even though it remained, in itself, the best land of Allah and the land most beloved to Him; rather, He meant its inhabitants.

Al-Tirmidhi narrated in a report attributed to the Prophet that, while standing at al-Hazwarah, he said to Mecca: “By Allah, you are indeed the best land of Allah and the land most beloved to Allah. Had my people not driven me out of you, I would not have left.” (1) Another version states: “The best land of Allah and the land of Allah most beloved to me.” Thus, he made clear that it is the land most beloved to Allah and His Messenger. Yet his residence in Medina, and that of the believers with him, was better than their residence in Mecca, because it was the land to which they had emigrated.

For this reason, being stationed at the frontier outposts is better than residing near Mecca and Medina, as is established in an authentic hadith: “Standing guard for a day and a night in the cause of Allah is better than fasting for a month and standing in prayer throughout its nights. Whoever dies while stationed at the frontier dies as one engaged in jihad; his deeds continue to accrue to him, he is provided for from Paradise, and he is safeguarded from the trial in the grave.” (2)

In the Sunan, it is narrated from Uthman that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Standing guard for one day in the cause of Allah is better than a thousand days spent in any other place of residence.” (3) Abu Hurayrah (4) said: “To stand guard for one night in the cause of Allah is dearer to me than to spend Laylat al-Qadr in prayer by the Black Stone.”

Accordingly, the best land for each person is the land in which he is more obedient to Allah and His Messenger. This varies according to circumstances. No particular land can be categorically designated as the place in which a person’s residence is best; rather, what is best for each person depends on his God-consciousness, obedience, reverent humility, submissiveness, and presence of heart,

(1) Its chain of transmission is authentic, and it is referenced in al-Mishkat (no. 2725). (2) Narrated by Muslim and others; it is referenced in al-Irwa' (no. 1200). (3) I say: al-Tirmidhi graded it hasan (sound), while al-Hakim and al-Dhahabi authenticated it. It is referenced in my commentary on al-Mukhtarah (no. 307). (4) Rather, it is attributed to the Prophet; Ibn Hibban and others likewise narrated it with an authentic chain, and it is referenced in al-Sahihah (no. 1068).

مسجدا يعبد الله فيه جل وعز كان بحسب ذلك، وكذلك الرجل الصالح يصير فاسقا والكافر يصير مؤمنا أو المؤمن يصير كافرا أو نحو ذلك، كل بحسب انتقال الأحوال من حال إلى حال وقد قال تعالى: * (وضرب الله مثلا قرية كانت آمنة مطمئنة) * الآية نزلت في مكة لما كانت دار كفر وهي ما زالت في نفسها خير أرض الله، وأحب أرض الله إليه، وإنما أراد سكانها. فقد روى الترمذي مرفوعا أنه قال لمكة وهو واقف بالحزورة: " والله إنك لخير أرض الله، وأحب أرض الله إلى الله، ولولا قومي أخرجوني منك لما خرجت " (١) ، وفي رواية: " خير أرض الله وأحب أرض الله إلي "، فبين أنها أحب أرض الله إلى الله ورسوله، وكان مقامه بالمدينة ومقام من معه من المؤمنين أفضل من مقامهم بمكة لأجل أنها دار هجرتهم ، ولهذا كان الرباط بالثغور أفضل من مجاورة مكة والمدينة، كما ثبت في الصحيح : " رباط يوم وليلة في سبيل الله خير من صيام شهر وقيامه، ومن مات مرابطا مات مجاهدا، وجرى عليه عمله، وأجرى رزقه من الجنة، وأمن الفتان " (٢) . وفي السنن عن عثمان عن النبي ﷺ: أنه قال: " رباط يوم في سبيل الله خير من ألف يوما فيما سواه من المنازل " (٣) . وقال أبو هريرة (٤) : لأن أرابط ليلة في سبيل الله أحب إلي من أن أقوم ليلة القدر عند الحجر الأسود. ولهذا كان أفضل الأرض في حق كل إنسان أرض يكون فيها أطوع لله ورسوله، وهذا يختلف باختلاف الأحوال، ولا تتعين أرض يكون مقام الإنسان فيها أفضل، وإنما يكون الأفضل في حق كل إنسان بحسب التقوى والطاعة والخشوع والخضوع والحضور،

(١) إسناده صحيح، وهو مخرج في " المشكاة " (٢٧٢٥) . (٢) رواه مسلم وغيره، وهو مخرج في " الإرواء " (١٢٠٠) . (٣) قلت: وحسنه الترمذي، وصححه الحاكم والذهبي، وهو مخرج في تعليقي على " المختارة " (رقم ٣٠٧) . (٤) بل هو مرفوع، كذلك رواه ابن حبان وغيره بسند صحيح، وهو مخرج في " الصحيحة " (١٠٦٨) .